Thank you FoxyJosh, dragonite123 and Jarkes (holy cow you went back and did them all…) for the reviews! A big turning point here, so enjoy!
-O-O-
-O-O-
"Skipper!"
"Arckk, Cap-ee-tan!"
The Buizel quickly dispatched a foebeast and turned to find Torq bounding towards them, Buso and Gully close behind. He beamed.
"How are we doing?" asked the water maid, looking around.
It was a gruesome scene indeed. Here and there, pirates lied motionless in the sand. Flint and Tottle stood back to back, each with a throwing knife in his paw, taking on a group of four surrounding them.
"Let's even the score," the Vaporeon said confidently, joining the fray.
The battle was nearly won.
Skipper motioned to the Chatot, "Gully, see how things are going in Ayon and report back to me."
Dorian approached the sea weasel, "Everything's clear on both ships; nothing's been touched on ours… oh, and I found this." He handed a beaten leather scroll to the Captain.
Skip unrolled the scroll and scanned it. It was a map. Well drawn and detailed, it outlined many islands hidden in the Great Sea. His eyes grew wide. There was Ayon, clearly labeled. And scribbled on top of it in red ink was the proud symbol of the Seatunder. The sound of sand shifting around him told him that his crew was done. They gathered and stared down at the map.
"Hey, that's our mark!" Flint noticed, grabbing the scroll for a closer look.
"So they're here because of us?" Torq inquired.
This Buizel frowned; this didn't make any sense. Unless… he turned and stared long and hard at the large pirate ship. "You don't suppose…"
The crew listened intently. "Suppose what, Skip?"
"This ship… that island six months ago?"
A collective gasp.
"No!"
"No wonder it looked familiar…"
Flint suddenly started laughing. Torq gave him a quizzical look. "I don't see what's so funny about this."
"Don't ye see?" the gator replied, "those poor excuses fer pirates have been hounding us all this time, and bam! One night and we got'em good!"
Dorian and Skipper remained frowning. The Golduck raised an eyebrow at the sea weasel. "I remember their main ship being bigger, much bigger… with cannons."
The Captain nodded, "Aye." A sudden wave of dread washed over him. "Let me see that map!" He took it and scanned it furiously.
There, a red X he had missed before. The island it was drawn over… It was a huge island, roughly three times the size of Ayon. Low, jagged cliffs surrounded the coast. In the center was a crater, the mouth of a sleeping volcano. Thick mats of tall grass grew in a ring around the volcano's base, along with a few clusters of trees.
"Lainaria."
"What?" came the unanimous reply, except for Flint, who dropped his throwing knife in disbelief.
The Buizel looked grave. "We have to go. Now."
"Torq!" many voices called out at once. It was Torq's family, with Gully flapping behind them.
Again the Eevee maid rocketed into her sister. "Are you alright, sis?"
The Vaporeon was overjoyed. "Yes I am. Thank you so much for before, Bell,
you were extremely brave! Are you and the others okay?" She glanced forward. "Dad! Kito! What happened to the two of you?!"
The thunder dog grinned, "We put up a good fight, that's what. But…" He looked down in shame, "I couldn't save the pup… his mother and a few others were lost as well."
Disbelief was written across Skipper's face. "No… I thought we had'em… I didn't know they'd reach Ayon…" He hung his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm to blame for all of this."
Lord Ignaceous gave him a confused look. "Why, what do you mean, Captain? Without your help our losses would have been far greater…"
"They were here because of our ship," the sea weasel explained, "They were tracking us." He dropped to his knees. "I'm sorry, my Lord. Your people did not deserve to die for this…" A great weight was stuck in his chest. Dead. Good beasts are dead because of me…
The Flareon shook his head sympathetically. "Skipper… Do you think that this is the first time our shores have been attacked? Do you think that we have not experienced loss before? There is time for mourning, my boy, but there is also time for reconstruction, and being thankful for what we have left." He drew himself as tall as he could without putting strain on his leg. "I, Lord Ignaceous of Ayon, take full responsibility for what has passed here tonight. If I had not hid everyone away from the sea, and instead embraced it…if I had been braver," he smiled proudly at his two daughters, "all of this could have been avoided."
"But…" the Buizel stuttered, at a loss for words.
"Nay, you are not Captain here. I order you to rise, Skipper of the Seatunder. I demand, that when you sail from here, you do so with pride in yourself and your crew. And if you cannot do that, then I have horribly misjudged you, boy."
A look of shock was plastered on Skip's face. Then slowly, he grinned. The weight was gone, gratitude stood in its place. He rose to his feet. "Aye aye, m'Lord."
-O-O-
-O-O-
It was already morning. All fears brought by night were banished as the sound of the ocean and the glint of the waters returned.
The bodies of fallen pirates were unceremoniously tossed into the sea and the pirate ship was scuttled.
"How are you feeling?" Torq asked her brother.
"A bit lightheaded, but the cut wasn't as bad as I thought… long, but not too deep." He patted the bandages wrapped tightly against his side.
"Pity that bird didn't shave off some of that unsightly fur on your ears…"
Kito threw sand at her.
-O-O-
"Lainaria."
Skipper felt a shiver run through his fur; he knew that voice, "Zephora?!" Wincing at his sudden outburst, he checked to see if anybeast had heard him, but they were all preoccupied.
"Great evil sails the seas…"
"Show me the way," the Buizel muttered.
A strong wind blew out to the ocean.
Skip glanced around. His crew had stopped what they were doing and stood up, facing the horizon.
"I think…" Dorian began, "It's time fer us to go." Flint finished.
Torq and Tottle nodded in agreement while Buso and Gully took to their respective stations aboard the ship.
The sea Captain nodded. "Right, the open sea awaits!" The map fluttered on his belt. He turned. "Kito, thanks for your help, matey. You're an honorary member of our crew if you ever want to be. Yer not half bad, for a landlubber…"
The thunder dog smiled as the two clasped paws. "Thanks, Skipper, but my place is here…"
Skipper faced the fire Lord and bowed. "Lord Ignaceous, words ain't enough to thank you…" He gave a small bow to Lady Sera, ruffled Bell's ears, and headed for his ship. "I'll give ye time to say your goodbyes."
The Totodile and the Golduck followed Skipper's example, bowing to each of them before boarding the vessel. Tot did likewise, but before he could join the rest of the group, Torq stopped him and whispered in his ear, a cunning smile on her lips. He glowed tomato red. "Uh…"
"Come on, Tot! I thought you always tried to be brave!" the Vaporeon teased.
Relenting, the Squirtle slowly shuffled to the fox maid, who looked genuinely sad. "You'll come back to play one day, right?" she asked.
Tottle nodded. "I'll try my best. So, uh…bye!" He quickly kissed the Eevee on the cheek and ran for the ship faster than any turtle was known to go. Both Torq and Bell doubled over giggling.
The sisters hugged. "I'll miss you," they whispered.
"Oh, Torqoise!" Lady Sera wept hysterically as she embraced his daughter as well. After somewhat regaining control of herself, she and Bell drew back, the Eevee maid patting her Mom as the Espeon cried into a handkerchief.
"You ship awaits," said Lord Ignaceous impassively.
Torq beamed as she gently wrapped her arms around his middle, for he was a big beast. "Thank you, Daddy… I love you."
The fire Lord smiled wistfully as he patted her back. "May fair winds bring you back one day."
He retreated, and the final member stepped forth.
"Kito."
"Torq."
The water maid swallowed. This was the hardest one… She extended a paw. "Like old times, eh?"
He smiled as his paw met hers.
From the shore, they could hear Skip barking out orders, "Dori, set a straight southwest course! Tot, loosen that rope now, she's ready to take t'sea!" Gully gave a loud squawk from atop the mast.
"Looks like they're waiting for you," said the thunder dog.
Torq nodded, finding it hard to speak due to the lump in her throat. "I… I have to go," she managed to say. She turned, her fingers slipping through his like water. She was up the ship. The sail came down. And they went.
-O-O-
-O-O-
Kito walked slowly through the forest, a little ways behind the rest of his family. They had just left the beach a second ago, but something felt incomplete. On top of that, his side ached where the Fearow had wounded him.
"At least the bleeding stopped," he thought.
Blood, the color red, realization dawned on him as he stopped in his tracks.
"Kito, what's wrong, son?" asked Ignaceous, who noticed the sudden change in behavior.
"I…left something at the beach. You guys keep going, I'll catch up," he said hastily, running back.
However, he took a different path. Forest loam soon gave way to rocky ledges. It was a short but steep trail, leaving him panting as he reached the top. He was on a cliff on the west side of the island, not horribly tall, but it tall enough. Off in the distance he saw the Seatunder, sailing away fast. He quickly took off his quiver and searched through it, hoping he hadn't lost the item along the way. A wave of relief washed over him as his paw felt fabric. The bandana! Arrow, he needed an arrow… There, the cloth was attached. He took aim…
"No!" the Jolteon hissed under his breath. They were too far away…
But there was a whisper in the wind blowing out to sea, "Try."
He pulled back, as he did many times that day. His arms were already tired, and they shook as he tried to hold the arrow steady. "This won't do…"
"Argh!" With a huge burst of effort, Kito added an extra length to his pull. The muscles in his arms and shoulders burned as if they were ripping apart. The sinew creaked with tension, the birch wood arched until it was about to snap… he let go, falling onto his knees.
Fwsh! He watched as the red banner soared away… Never had an arrow flow that far before.
"Arckk! Straggler back on coast, back on coast!" sounded the Chatot, pointing back at the island. A lone figure stood on some faraway ledge.
"Hey, it's Kito!" Torq could recognize him anywhere. "What's he doing up there?"
Fwsh! A whistling bullet cut through the air.
Thud! The arrow landed at an angle, stone tip embedded in the deck. The red bandanna billowed proudly from its shaft.
"My bandana!" the Vaporeon gasped. "I had forgotten…"
"Strewth! Did you see that shot?!" shouted Flint in disbelief.
The material felt warm and familiar in the water maid's paws. "Kito…"
Skipper smiled warmly, "Let's give him proper thanks, shall we? On three…"
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three…"
-O-O-
Kito could have leapt up with joy. But he was exhausted, all his energy spent. So instead he flipped onto his back, savoring the cool earth beneath him, the gentle wind, and the warm sun on his face.
Then, he heard them off in the distance, Torq's voice clear amongst the crew's… "SEATUNDER!!"
A smile formed on his lips, and a single tear slipped out from underneath his eyelids.
-O-O-
-O-O-
Lainaria… I wonder what's so important about that island. It's not so hard if you think about it, didn't intend on it being that big of a mystery (or, you'll find out next chapter anywho ; D). But here ends our little detour in Ayon. The real adventure is about to begin, though all these side quests are important, as each reveals a bit more about a character or ties the story together. Hmm… maybe we'll see Torq's family again along the way (I'm not hinting, I'm actually wondering because I haven't thought that far yet XD) or maybe… let's hope fate is kind to them (NOW I'm hinting ; D). Either way, there are bigger things ahead. And the horizon darkens…
-Canyx