Chapter 5: Shameful Shenanigans

"I'm… not happy with you." Skye spluttered out, her face resting on the rim of the toilet bowl as she stared blearily at the wall ahead. Her glasses had been taken off and now rested neatly in one of the retracting cabinets underneath the sink, out of harm's way from its user's current precarious position. Her blonde hair was an absolute frazzled mess, unkempt from the adventures of the night before. Vanessa dutifully held Skye's long hair in one hand, combing it with her fingers with the other as she tried to work out some of the kinks. She did not want Skye's hair to get in the way should she fatefully retch the contents of her stomach out again without warning. Vanessa's hand paused in its downward descent when the garbled sentence was spoken, an eyebrow raised.

"Oh? Might I ask why, dear?" Vanessa's voice was soft, knowing that loud noises would only further irritate the splitting headache that Skye was currently suffering from. It had always been like this. After a night of drinking together, the next day Vanessa would assume the role of caretaker to look after her sickly friend. Hangovers never meshed too well with the blonde, as evidenced by how they were currently camped out in the bathroom. Theora had been instructed to fly the ship towards Maramba to ensure that she would not stumble upon them in their current state. The situation that would have transpired from that was heavily unwanted by both sides. Skye held up her head to reply, but the words never came out as her body suddenly broke into convulsions for the third time that morning. Vanessa grimaced as it all came up at once; the sound of her friend's regurgitating making her own stomach feel queasy as she faithfully stood there, rubbing Skye's back comfortingly as the fallen pirate miserably grumbled something incomprehensible. Vanessa took one step towards the sink, refilling the glass with water so that Skye could swish out the disgusting taste in her mouth. The ailing teen accepted it gratefully, spitting it into the bowl before wearily pulling the lever nearby. Soon the rank bowl filled with a pleasantly calm and clear canvas of water, teasing her with its pristine nature as she knew it would not remain that way for long.

"This position… it's always me here." Skye mumbled unhappily. "You… drink as much as I do, but… it's always me here. It's not fair."

"I don't drink as much as you do." Vanessa's tone was light as she began combing Skye's hair again.

"Close enough, though…" Skye sighed; not bothering to turn her head to face her companion as she instead slowly relaxed her head on the rim once more. "You never get ill from it; not fair…"

"Trust me when I say that I do, Skye." Vanessa closed her eyes for a moment, revisiting the memories of the night before. "It just happens when you're passed out is all."

"Oh… guess that makes sense." Skye had never thought about the hours that she restlessly slept through, with no recollection as to when she had first slipped into unconsciousness to begin with. "I'm sorry I'm never there for you."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Vanessa's lips formed a small smile. "You're there for me when it truly counts; that's all that matters." She was referring to last night's attempted kidnapping; an event that she was quick to dismiss when the blonde had previously brought it up. Vanessa quite simply did not wish to discuss it, and despite Skye's constant prodding the teen had refused to open up. Vanessa proclaimed that she was fine and that was all there was to it, though she didn't mask the pain well on her face as she moved around…

The room abruptly shook, causing Vanessa to stumble back into the wall while Skye tightened her grip around the bowl for support. The harsh movements were doing her unsettled stomach no favours as her face suddenly took on a ghastly greenish tint.

"Squirt is so doing this on purpose…" Skye groaned, one hand wiping the perspiration off her brow while the other supported her position on the floor. Vanessa winced as she pushed herself off the wall to reach clumsily for the counter. When she pulled herself up to it, she switched on the intercom in the room.

"Theora, what's happening?" Vanessa demanded, silenced as another quake rippled through the ship. There was static for a moment, and then –

"Oh thank the moons! I've been trying to contact you for ages!" Theora sounded out of breath and panicked, but a hint of relief crept into her voice as she established communication with the two other members of the Thalia crew. "We're being attacked!"

"By who?" It was a question Vanessa wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer to.

"Black Pirates!" was the squeaked reply. "We're sitting ducks unless one of you can operate the cannons!" Vanessa turned to face her blonde friend, who was still slouched and appearing absolutely miserable on the floor. She could not ask Skye to move from that spot; it wouldn't be fair.

"Did she say Black Pirates?" Skye had perked up at the name, eyes shining as they stared up at her fellow companion.

"She did." Vanessa confirmed quickly, on full alert as she rushed for the door. "I'll take care of this round, all right? Hang tight, this should be over soon."

"B-but you've never fired the cannons before!" Her protest went unheard as Vanessa exited to head for the same cannons they spoke of, for which Skye now had a reasonable fear that they would instead blow up in her friend's face. For the most part they were relatively easy to use, but a few of them she had forgotten to report could be a bit finicky if not used in a particular way…

The flight to the Temple of Pyrynn had been a mostly quiet and somber journey, as each of the small Nasr ship's attendants were mostly in deep personal reflection after the conversation that had occurred on the docks. When Aika had pressed for a solid answer as to why Bellena was helping them (again, as it seemed there was no adequate reason as to why the red head would go out of her way for them), the dancer had quite suddenly turned serious and emotional. She had told them the tragic tale of her family; how her father was a poor man and enlisted in the war against Valua in an attempt to support her mother and herself. It was a valiant attempt, but he had ended up killed in battle, leaving his wife and daughter with absolutely nothing. Bellena's mother had died of heartbreak soon after, leaving the girl to grow up and fend for herself. She did not want to see a repeat of this happening to anyone else, and that was why she had chosen to support them in their cause.

Aika in particular had felt the pang of sympathy and guilt, for she understood what it was like to grow up without her parents there to support her. She could remember the many restless nights; her eyes stinging from the tears that refused to stop cascading down her face. In her small hands she would clutch the single framed photo she possessed of the three of them, memories flooding her thoughts as she strained to keep them intact. Revisiting those times, Aika knew she had been a thoughtless jerk to Bellena. Of course the woman would have sufficiently deep reasons to help them. Aika was just naturally paranoid and suspicious of strangers… especially those that felt the need to hit on her childhood friend. She was way too old for him – the thought alone grossed her out.

"That must be it!" Vyse exclaimed, directing their attention to a rather majestic and ancient structure on the horizon. His adventuring soul was already stirring with much excitement as he laid eyes upon it, knowing that they would be traversing many floors and uncovering much treasure during their search for the Red Crystal. Fina appeared beside them, staring at the structure that Vyse so enthusiastically pointed to.

"Yes… You're right, Vyse. We will find it there." Fina gave one of her standard smiles, to which he could only reply with a big grin.

Bellena was silent for most of the trip, piloting her small ship as the Blue Rogues fought off the monsters that dared to hinder their progress. She made idle chat occasionally with anyone that visited her in the bridge, but the conversations were never too in-depth – the two girls and Vyse were more invested in their thoughts after their talk on the port of Maramba. It was to be expected; she guessed… they seemed to be facing some darker demons in their minds after she revealed her purpose to them. Well, parts of it, anyway…

"It's HUGE!" Any trace of depression from the earlier ride had entirely vanished from the red-head goggle wearing girl, who now waved her hands around at the magnificent sight before them as if to emphasize her point. It was amazing. Vyse was in disbelief that the people of the Old World could build such a place in such humid conditions, not to mention the terrain that it rested on – sand. It was incredible.

The Silvite was able to contain her enthusiasm (or lack of) much better than her friends, however.

"According to our lore, the Red Crystal is guarded by hordes of monsters. We must be careful."

"Well then, let's get going!" Regardless of the danger Fina hinted at, nothing could erase Aika's enormous smile. Not even when she realized she had nearly forgotten something. "Oh, Bellena? What are you going to do?" The dancer answered simply without hesitation.

"I'll be waiting here. And besides… I won't be able to help you fight off monsters in this outfit."

"Well, it might be a little rough in there for a beautiful woman like yourself…" Vyse mumbled, earning a cold glare from Aika.

"Come on, Fina. Let's go get it without him."

"Hehehe… That might be kind of fun. We'd probably get it faster without him." Vyse groaned, realizing what he had said.

"Aw, come on guys, I didn't mean…" Bellena laughed. The three of them easily cheered her up with their random silliness. They were such good friends to each other… it lightened her up a bit just to be able to witness it. "We'll be back before you even notice we're gone." Vyse cut into her thoughts, to which she responded with a nod. Aika and Fina each gave small waves before they headed up the stairs to the entrance; Vyse scrambling behind to catch up. Bellena watched their forms as they became smaller in her vision the higher they climbed. Eventually they disappeared entirely. She closed her eyes.

OH NO MONSTER BATTLE

Vanessa soon learned that some of the cannons were faulty at best and one explosive ended up exploding in the barrel of the cannon, filling the room with a ghastly haze of gray to choke in. Her haphazard aiming was iffy at best; completely nailing the assailing ship on the rare occasion but mostly missing the mark completely, filling the pirate with an unusual sense of worthlessness. She had just discovered an activity that her performance was less than stellar with… and what poor timing to come to this realization.

Fortunately Theora's piloting more than made up for Vanessa's lack of cannon operating ability; she expertly dodged projectiles and used floating rocks as cover to protect their ship. The Thalia only suffered a few hits as a result, all of which could easily be repaired when they docked in Maramba. Despite this advantage, the Black Pirates were still in full pursuit, and from Theora's vantage point she could tell that they were coming closer. A shred of fear flooded the young girl's emotions just then – she knew as well as anyone what the Black Pirates were intending to do. She could not let them board their ship. If they succeeded…

"W-What?" Theora's heart stopped for a moment as a cannon whizzed by from the east across her field of vision. It was a narrow miss, but the implications were of an uncomfortable fact – another ship had entered the fray. They were having a hard time as it was with just the Black Pirates alone; never mind another crew seeking to take advantage! Did the Black Pirates have backup? They were doomed.

As another shot was fired from the new airship (an oddly designed ship with large black sails, Theora noted), she realized that whoever they were, they weren't aiming for them. No, this ship was warding off the Black Pirates as if to protect them. Though Theora knew that her older companions were going to feel ashamed and angry at this display of assistance, she was grateful for it. She wasn't too confident that they would have made it out safely otherwise.

She did not know who they were, but she was not about to just waste the window of opportunity with mere escapism. Her pride and honour, unlike those of her fellow crewmates, was still intact. She would not ditch them simply because they could. Instead, thinking of the Red Rogue she technically was…

"Fire away, ARGH!" Theora exclaimed into the intercom, her tone one of unusual authority as she demanded compliance. Her issue of command was heard from both Vanessa and Skye; the former of which had already realized what the plan was and had begun firing prior, the latter that begrudgingly expelled more toxins from her system into the toilet bowl, this time uncertain whether it was caused by the loqua or Theora's actions. Though no one would hear it, she concluded that it was Theora's fault.

The Black Pirates were not a group to give up, but their stubbornness did not spiral down into stupidity as most hoped it would – they knew when they were fighting the losing battle. Gunthor was a wiser man than any of them could have anticipated; though he was selfish and wished to claim them into his custody more than anything the well-being of his crew surprisingly came first. There were a few more shots fired in their general direction before they changed tactics and retreated.

Vanessa appeared at Theora's side by the helm only moments later, looking tired and slightly dishevelled though she wore a relieved smile on her face. She gave Theora a reassuring hug as she whispered a small thanks; it was evident she was appreciative of Theora's piloting skills, especially after her rather lacklustre display with the cannons. From now on, even if she was on her deathbed, Vanessa would politely force Skye into action. She couldn't bear the humiliation again in another tight spot like that.

"The ship that helped us is getting closer… I think they're going to try to board us. How should we respond?" Theora's voice stuttered slightly, suggesting that she was nervous. Vanessa stood there in silence as she thoughtfully rubbed her chin; considering their next course of action. She and Skye had always made sure that no one would ever grace even the deck of the Thalia, so the response should have been obvious, but…

"I'm sure you and Skye will both question me on this… but allow them to board. I'm curious to meet the person that would knowingly help another faction of air pirates against the Black Pirates."

"I suppose that makes sense…" The younger girl muttered. Her eyes scanned her captain's face as if she was almost looking for something, but said nothing as she pulled a few levers and slowed the Thalia to a stop. When they had, Theora turned to Vanessa again. "Can I come out too?"

"I think it would be best if you remained here, Theora." The older teen crossed her arms as the girl instinctively pouted. Vanessa could tell she had already come to the wrong conclusion as to why.

"Is this about our image again? I know that Skye will always ensure I am locked in a room somewhere, but I thought you'd be different…" She trailed off as Vanessa gently clasped her shoulders, causing her to look up into those beautiful hazel eyes. Vanessa's gaze was soft as she looked down upon her.

"Image is not that important to me… after all, would I allow these strangers onboard otherwise? No, I want you up here to be able to make a quick decision should things become ugly. I don't expect anything to happen, but… it's good to be cautionary with the unknown, you know?" The curly-haired teen smiled. "I have trust in your judgment. Our lives are in your hands."

"I… never thought of it like that…" Theora's eyes were wide, as if she had just been given the most important responsibility of her life. She remembered something as her friend headed towards the exit. "Wait! You shouldn't go alone!"

"Whoever said anything about going alone?" There it was; the elusive mischievous grin that Theora rarely ever saw. Vanessa winked. "Don't worry. I've got this one covered."

"I don't f**king believe this." Her groan of rampant disapproval elevated as they slowly headed for the deck, one bucket wearily held by its handle in her right hand. "You're allowing them on, and you expect me to provide backup? What's got into you?"

"I just want your company with this, that's all." Vanessa replied back smoothly, rubbing Skye's back in a soothing gesture as they continued along their path. "I'll take care of things if it goes awry. I don't think we'll have any problems, though. They did help us drive Gunthor away…" When she spoke that name, Vanessa's voice would always waver very slightly – something that Skye had begun to notice any time her companion mentioned him. Despite feeling that her friend was stupid for letting her curiosity get the best of her on this occasion (allowing complete strangers on the deck of the Thalia? How absurd!), the buried embarrassment Vanessa tried to hide compelled emotions within her to be protective. Sometimes Skye hated Vanessa for that reason. She loved that girl, and felt feelings within that made her sick. It wasn't very pirate-like of her at all.

"Watch it be some ugly lard, shuffling his dirty boots against our pristine deck… too fat to even walk properly." Skye moaned, dragging her own black boots against the wood planks that made up the base floorboards. She stared down at them with tired, unfocused eyes. The mere movement was making her ill. She was too far away from the bathroom to run there… guess it was a good thing that she had brought the bucket after all.

"I'm hoping it'll be someone handsome." Vanessa said cheekily. It was in that moment that Skye noticed the slight flush on the fellow pirate's face – was she really that infatuated with the projected image in her mind, or was it something else entirely? As Vanessa nearly stumbled over herself, Skye came to the only true reasonable conclusion – subtle effects of loqua were still present in Vanessa's system. She didn't need to constantly hack it back up to expel the poisonous fluids, but she wasn't exempt from its clutches either. Perhaps that's why her usage of the cannons sucked so bad… "Oh… hehe, look, I was right!"

She was pointing ecstatically through the small window of the door that led out on the deck. A small group of four had arrived at the rendezvous point there. While three of the men were questionable in appearance, the fourth – the obvious leader of the pack with his fancy red jacket, shaded glasses, dual gun holster and companion green parrot – was a badass.

"Usually I question your taste in guys… but this one… damn." Skye felt her own cheeks burn at the sight of that attractive man. She might have denied Vanessa's kidnapping idea of Ivan, but she totally wouldn't be against it if the gal suggested that they take him instead.

After all, he was hot.

END CHAPTER FIVE