Ch.123: Failure is a Heavy Burden! Leave the Pirate Life or Survive?

Around the same time the commotion with his crew was going on, Arid had left his room to go to his new usual spot. The clean, refreshing air was better for his head than whatever atmosphere this dark dimension was made up of. In the ragged state he was in, he would rather not face them, especially after the argument they got into.

It didn't help that Arid had consulted to drinking his problems away. His room was littered with all sorts of alcohol bottles, some shattered and some hanging off his bed. He could barely walk down the halls with stumbling against a wall. His right arm still sat in a sling, but the alcohol numbing his body removed any fear of pain.

"Ugh…" Arid stumbled and caught himself with his arm. He hasn't adjusted fully to walking without his other hand. Why must the Darmanitan species be cursed with such short legs? Probably didn't help he was wasted. "Those bastards don't know how good they have it. Things could've been so much worse…"

"Is that a fact?" Arid stopped and shot a shaky glare at a connecting hallway. Four sets of devilish eyes staring him down, judging him. They stepped from the darkness, Callista's coven. The Lombre, Barrett, smirked at the drunken captain. "Did you and your crew have a falling out?"

Arid snorted and tried to march away from them, albeit slowly. "Screw you…"

The coven followed him, easily matching his pace. "I sense discord in your heart," Chantal stated, extending her frills. "You're finally accepting your place in the Tribe of Shadows. The Shadow King will be pleased. He's the only one who sees potential in you."

"Go jump off a cliff," Arid growled, trying to march faster.

Reuben stepped in front of the captain and pressed into his shoulder. "You shouldn't be wandering off on your own, you know. We wouldn't want to think you were…scheming for something."

Arid glared at Chantal suspiciously. That intrusive Heliolisk still hasn't said anything. She must not be actively reading our minds. Arid sighed and swatted Reuben aside. "I take orders from your superiors, not an artic shrew who got a botched facial surgery by a boxer."

Reuben growled while his coven chuckled under their breaths. Reuben grabbed Arid by the shirt and tried his best to lift him. "Do you know who I am?"

"A pathetic witch who needs rotting corpses do make himself feel better."

"Why you-!" Reuben struck Arid across the face, but ended up hurting his hand instead. "Agh!" He stumbled back and clutched his throbbing fist.

Arid smirked. "Seems Ravenfield made your bones quite brittle."

Reuben bit his lip. "Flint Ravenfield, that bastard. The next time I see him, I'll kill him, turn him into a puppet, and torture him for these transgressions."

"Tell your sob story to someone who cares." Arid pushed him aside and kept walking. "I'm getting some fresh air."

Isidore narrowed her eyes. "How long do you plan on running?"

Arid stopped and glared back at her. "Excuse me?"

The Ambipom leaned on her staff. "You're rejecting the power the Shadow King offers you. It's written on your face."

"I'm not taking advice from a false magician."

Isidore glared. "I may not have any magic of my own, but I'm ten times the magician of any magically born." She spun her staff and pointed it at him. "You'd be wise not to reject that power much longer, Arid of the Sand."

"And why are you telling me this? I don't see your boss offering that such power."

Barrett stepped up to his side and hooked his arm around him. "We're unworthy of such power. Besides, we only have one goal in mind. Witches like us only seek recognition for our practices. Just like how you pirates seek recognition from the society that shunned you away."

Arid threw his elbow into the Lombre's stomach and knocked him away. "Keep your hands off me." Arid marched away, this time with no one tailing him.

Barrett held his stomach, growling through a tight smirk. "And here I thought he was the cuddling type…"

"Did you get the job done?" Chantal asked.

Barrett chuckled and raised his hand. Blood dripped from his claws. "Oh yeah, I got what I needed."

Arid wiped the blood dripping from his shoulder, no doubt inflicted by that annoying Lombre. "I really hate witches…"

He exited the castle and found his way outside the dimension, greeted once more with the calm, grassy hills. Instant relief hit him, followed swiftly by another migraine from all the drinking. He pinched between his eyes, pulled himself together, and headed down the hill.

"They weren't wrong, though," he mumbled. "I need to make things up with my crew somehow. Ugh, but it'd be suicide to try and escape now. Taking the keys with us would be way too risky." He shook his head. "At least my crew's smart enough not to plan an escape like that."

He stopped, sighed, and looked up at the sky. "Days like these, I wish I could see old Specter again and ask for his advice." He glared. "He changed a lot when Ravenfield got engaged. He was unfocused, obsessed, desperate for a rival." He closed his eyes. "No different than how I've been recently. Each day, my Ravenfield no longer seems like a priority. What has become of me recently?"

He looked down at his injured arm. "What kind of captain am I if I can't protect my own crew?" He sighed and plopped down on his rear. "There's got to be an easier way. There just has to."

What were his options? Put his crew first or power? What did Arid want?

Arid rubbed his face. "I shouldn't have done all that drinking. Thinking's too much…huh?" Arid caught something in his vision and looked up to the sky. The drinks weren't helping out, blurring his vision and all, but he could clearly see an airship flying over the nearby forest. It seemed to be docking. "Is that the Wasteland?"

The Wasteland was parked in the dark dimension, so why would it be outside?

Arid stood up, wobbling a bit, and trudged towards the forest to investigate. He didn't want to believe his own crew stole the ship behind his back, but he didn't rule out the possibility either. If it came down to that, verbal assaults will be thrown.

He got used to his drunken balance and navigated through the forest with little difficulty. As long as he went in a straight path, he should meet where the ship was docking. Although, with his head a bit clearer, why would his crew steal the ship, then park it immediately?

Arid pushed past some bushes just as the ship landed in a small clearing. He squinted at the stern and realized the figurehead at the front wasn't the usual Arbok statue, but a Celebi. Not only that, the ship was made completely out of blackwood and had a torn sail at the mast. The entire ship looked like it went through a war zone.

"This isn't the Wasteland," Arid mumbled. "Whose ship is…?" He looked back at the torn sail again. Because it was torn down the middle, the jolly roger was barely comprehensible. However, he could barley make out a turtle skull with devil horns at the top.

It all clicked in an instant.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding-"

Before he finished, the hull of the ship opened and fired down at the Darmanitan. Capsules exploded into bolas that wrapped his body up and tied him down. Arid growled and squirmed in his bindings as a figure walked up to the edge of the boat. The figure stomped his foot down, gaining Arid's attention.

Arid glared. "Silver Shell Thane…"

The Wartorle captain smirked. "How's it going, old salt?"

"The Harenae Gauntlet?"

Specter nodded as he and his crew walked through the caverns of a pyramid. "A special relic with the power to breakdown any and all earthly composition into sand particles."

Jaime, now a full-grown Darmanitan, narrowed his eyes. "I thought we had enough treasure to get through the month. Why another one?"

"This isn't for money, me loyal first mate." Specter waved his flaming torch at Jaime with a big grin. "It's for ye."

Jaime's eyes widened. "Me?"

Zola chuckled behind her hand. "We had to keep it secret, but the captain wanted to get you a special relic as a symbol for your hard work."

"Where do you think I got my axe from?" Breok asked, pulling out a large, bronze battle axe. "He gave it to me for defeating one of our rival ships?"

"The one with fifty crewmen on it?" Jaime asked.

Pelham chuckled. "I've never seen anyone turn an entire ship upside-down like that."

Jaime glared and pointed at the Conkeldurr. "So, does that mean the captain got you that cannon?"

"Hmm?" Pelham reached behind and pulled the long, cylindrical barrel onto his shoulder. It looked like a huge metal pipe, or at least it would if it weren't for the obvious trigger and ammo hatch at the top. "Ah yeah, this old thing. The captain gave it to me after holding off our competition in the Razor Crystal Valley."

"I had to nurse you back to health after that stunt," Zola grumbled.

"I got this sweet cannon for it, so I say it was worth it."

Zola rolled her eyes, then pulled out her sword. "Well, since we're sharing…" She pressed a button on the hilt and swung. The blade broke into a whip that crackled with green sparks. She slashed the ceiling with fast strikes, carving her name into it, then retracted the blade. "My plasma whip sword was a nice present."

Jaime rubbed his chin. "Hmm…let me guess. You got that for holding the mayor of Evergreen Town hostage and getting that huge supply of food."

Zola sheathed her sword. "Bingo."

Jaime looked at their captain. "Captain Specter, you gave them their weapons? Why?"

Specter chuckled. "Do ye know how I got the Sword and Eye of Silence, Jaime?"

"Not really."

"They were gifts from me grandfather. See, a long time ago, during the rare occasions I could see him, I helped him load his ship. I found a thief in the cargo and chased him down. The bastard pulled a knife on me and slashed me in the face." He pointed at his right eye. "That's how I lost me eye. The bastard actually dug the knife so deep in that it tore right out of me skull."

His crew winced in disgust. "Why must you be so blasé about that?" Zola groaned.

"Still, I didn't give in. I may have been a wee Sandile at the time, but I had guts. I bit down on the thief's neck until blood was drawn. Me gramps came just before I could kill the thief. I got a scoldin' for nearly killin' him. Me gramps didn't give a shit about killin', but only when it was justified. He didn't see stealing a few berries as justifiable.

"However, he was impressed with me guts. I had a big ol' smile on me face, even though I eventually fainted from the blood pouring out of me eye-"

"Please stop talking about that," Pelham grumbled.

"So, as a reward for me bravery, he implanted the Eye of Silence into me, then gifted me the Sword of Silence. He told me to keep them safe. They are a symbol for my courage and service to his crew, even if I wasn't a part of it."

Jaime raised his brow. "So, why are we getting the Harenae Gauntlet for me? I don't remember doing anything noteworthy recently."

Specter chuckled. "Jaime, ye are one of me oldest and most loyal crewmen. What ye lacked in waging battle, ye made up for with yer dedication and experience. Ye've been by our side in every fight, no matter the odds. Now that ye've officially become a man, now's the time for ye to officially make yer mark against our enemies."

"Is that right?" Jaime looked ahead. "I never realized that."

Specter patted his back. "Ye would make a fine captain one day, Jaime. Never forget that spark of yers. Ye have what it takes."

Jaime smiled. "Uh…thank you, Captain."

Arid huffed, stripped of his hidden knives and guns and tied to a chair. No words in the dictionary could properly articulate the anger he felt, though he had a select few words to the wannabe captain of the weathered air vessel.

Speaking of, now that he was brought aboard the ship, the deck was in terrible shape. Scorch marks appeared through the dark wood, no doubt a cause of when they last met. Doors barely hung on their hinges, the deck itself looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks, and a giant hole stood at the center of the deck. Arid had a clear view of the wreckage that was the bottom deck.

There were obvious signs of attempted repair, of course. Planks of much cleaner wood that stood out among the scorched. However, they were so poorly nailed in that it was a miracle they were staying in. Aside from the sail with the jolly roger, new sails replaced the old ones, though with obvious meddling on the crew's part. They were less sails and more a quilt made from dish rags.

Finally, the crew themselves. Oh, how Arid wanted to laugh at how pitiful they looked. Dirty, malnourished, torn uniforms, and pissed. He could tell they were restraining themselves from killing him on the spot.

Arid relieved himself before he could burst into laughter and enforced his stoic glare. "I'm guessing you didn't kidnap me for renovation tips."

The pirates growled, but stood down as Thane marched up to Arid, hands folded behind his back. Arid got a good look at his shell and saw the silver plating once adorned on it was gone.

Arid huffed and asked, "So, should I start calling you Normal Shell Thane-?" Thane threw a heavy punch at Arid's gut. Arid gasped and doubled over, nearly falling out of his chair. Thane caught the rungs and stabilized him.

Thane sighed, turned his back to him, and polished his knuckles with a rag. "I've been waiting to do that for ages."

Arid panted lightly, then glared vehemently. "You have five seconds to explain yourself before I tear you and your ship apart."

"Empty threats." Thane tucked the rag away. "We didn't meet by chance, Arid of the Sand. I've been keeping a close eye on you for some time. I heard you had an…interesting time in Ironworks Kingdom, as well as your recent assault in Gelid Peak City." He smirked over his shoulder. "There's this interesting little rumor going around about shadows returning to the mortal world."

Arid's gaze turned dark. "You were stalking me?"

"You sent my ship careening thousands of meters from the sky!" Thane growled. "Why wouldn't I keep tabs on you? I had to sell my shell plates just to cover the damages done to the ship. We're broke because of you!"

Arid raised his brow. "And this is supposed to garner sympathy from me?"

Thane took a deep breath and calmed down. "You stubborn old salts just never learn. Relics like you need to make way for real pirates like us." He scoffed. "Honestly, you're an embarrassment to the pirate legacy. A career of absolute freedom where you can do whatever you want, yet the Desert Beasts have one of the lowest body counts of all time." Thane stopped, then smirked at Arid. "Well, used to."

Arid grimaced at his snickering. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"In all honesty, I wanted my revenge, but now I see things differently. You, Arid of the Sand, are far more dangerous than I realized. You do have the heart of a pirate. For that, you have my respect."

"I didn't murder anyone," Arid retorted in a low growl.

Thane chuckled and reached inside his jacket. "Oh? I'm afraid that's not what I've heard. You have been keeping up with the news, right?" He pulled out a newspaper and held it up to the Darmanitan's face. "The people of Mysto see you and the Desert Beasts as monsters, and rightfully so. That's the kind of reputation I want. I never saw you as my superior, but now things have changed."

Arid clenched hard on his teeth while smoke seeped through. "Don't believe that shit. My crew didn't kill anybody."

Thane sighed and tucked the paper away. "Shy to admit to your new status?"

"You still haven't properly answered my question. Have you been stalking my crew and me this whole time? How?"

Thane chuckled and pointed at his Unfezant crewwoman. "You'll find my aerial scout is far more efficient at intel collecting than that ranting Chatot."

The Unfezant swooped down and landed beside her captain. "I kept my distance, though tracking you certainly was difficult. I was lucky to have spotted your crew traveling to Gelid Peak City." She smirked behind her wing. "You're hardly a threat with that injury you sustained. We don't have to worry about you burying us in a desert anymore."

Arid sighed in defeat. "I didn't kill anyone."

"Keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day, it'll come true." Thane dismissed the Unfezant and circled around his prisoner. "I abhor pirates like you, Arid of the Sand. All the power in the world, yet you act with a petty sense of justice. Who cares if a few lives are taken? Who cares if what we do is immoral?" Thane smirked. "I joined the pirate life for three reasons: women, money, and glory. And I'll take all that without anyone standing against me."

Arid glared. "You're sick."

"And you're an old salt stuck on tired beliefs. You think anyone was going to respect you just because you didn't kill? You pillaged and destroyed thousands of homes. If you ask me, that's a lot worse than killing. You stole their lives. You were branded as a criminal then, and forever marked as one now. Only now, you can add terrorist to your list of occupations-"

"The Desert Beasts killed no one!" Arid roared, snapping his teeth at Thane's face.

Thane was unfazed. "Heh. How the mighty have fallen. What a shame to see such a respect pirate reduced to obscenities and primal instinct."

"Says the greedy, lecherous scumbag in front of me," Arid growled.

Thane waved it off. "You say an insult, I hear my biography." Thane glared. "Face it, Arid of the Sand, you are no longer the pirate that everyone respected. Look at yourself. A man wasted by his own pride, cursed to forever play second fiddle to more forgotten relics. I'd say you should be ashamed, but your status as a pirate is enough words."

Arid bared his teeth. "To what end must I listen to your tired ramblings? I ask again, why did you track me down? Mockery, or did you come to pay your respects to my supposed new status?"

Thane smirked. "Perhaps both, and perhaps something else entirely. You see, Arid of the Sand, your new status is something I envy. I want that kind of fear thrown at me. I want Mysto to see me as the tyrant I am. However, when we last clashed, you've sank our reputation to the ground. Building ourselves back up wasn't easy."

"Get on with it," Arid growled, losing his patience.

"Quite. Well, to avoid another wordy polemic between two captains, I bring a simple proposal that I think we can both benefit from."

Arid raised his brow. "Proposal?"

"It's quite simple. I see before me a man wasting himself away under his own pride in fear of his crew, no matter how expendable they are. As for me, I seek power and recognition, something those shadows seem to be offering you."

Arid glared. "How do you-?"

"I see it in your eyes. I can see the temptation for those dark forces, and I want them all to myself." Thane chuckled. "The proposition is quite simple. A simple negotiation with whoever's in charge where we swap positions. The Desert Beasts are alleviated of their duties and the Devil Wakers become the armada for the shadows-" Thane's eyes widened as Arid began to laugh. The Wartortle sneered. "And what is so funny?"

Arid sighed and shook his head. "You little fool."

"Huh?"

"If you think it's so simple to negotiate with the Tribe of Shadows, then you still have much to learn before you can become a true pirate." Besides, you're too clueless to the Tribe of Shadow's real goals. A little fool like you doesn't even know about the Idol of Origin's existence.

Thane clenched his teeth. "You may have me beat in experience, but I outclass you in numbers and power. If it weren't for that Steenee, I could've easily obliterated your entire ship. I'm more than prepared, however."

"You're in way over your head if you think you can step up to the Shadow King with that attitude." Arid scowled. "You'll be killed on the spot."

Thane huffed. "And who are you to lecture me? I'm offering the chance of the lifetime to take away all that pain you're suffering. Only I should be allowed to wield such power, not you."

Arid glared. "Knowing you, there's a major catch to this proposal. I stayed for as long as I did because I needed to keep my crew safe. So, why would I agree to something like this?"

Thane waggled his claw. "I'm a man of honor, good sir-"

"Doubt it."

"-and my word is sound. In truth, there's a second part to this proposal. I'll make sure your crew is given the protection they deserve, under one small condition."

Arid bared his teeth, not liking where this was going. "What?"

Thane smirked. "Step down from the Tribe of Shadows and give that power to me. In return, you will be under the full protection of the Devil Wakers…provided you and your crew leave the pirate life. Forever."

"Whoa…" the Undying Apparitions awed as they stared at Jaime's new weapon. A large, golden gauntlet almost the size of his head. It shimmered under the light, tingling with a faint magical energy.

Jaime clenched the metal fingers lightly. The gauntlet looked too large for his hand, yet apparently a mechanism inside allowed the gauntlet to mirror his hand motions. Despite the size, the actual inside was quite snug around his arm.

After several minutes of staring, Jaime finally spoke up to his captain. "So, how does this thing work?"

Specter smirked, then pointed at the ground. "We're in the Desert Zone, right? Just point down and control the sand."

Jaime deadpanned. "Thanks for that eloquently worded lesson. Captain, I've never wielded magical artifacts before."

"Well, now's a good time to learn."

"So, how do I use the darn thing?"

"I don't know."

Jaime liked to believe he had a phlegmatic composure, but his captain sure did know how to push the wrong buttons. "What…do you mean you don't know?"

Specter sighed. "Look, magic…just comes naturally. It has to be as natural as breathin'. Science and shit are based off laws of the universe. Magic, however, is the underlyin' loophole in nature. When someone is born with magic, they're imbued with that power to warp the reality around him. For guys like ye and me without magic, it's just as simple with an item."

"So, you're saying…?"

Specter pointed at the ground. "If ye want the sand to move, ye have to connect with it. It may sound numinous now, but sensing the sand will become second nature to ye in no time."

Jaime took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright, just concentrate on the sand and…feel it move." Jaime raised his gloved hand and focused on the sand. "Focus. Focus."

Zola yelled out, "Don't think about it too much! It's pretty simple once you get the hang of it!"

Jaime sighed. "Right. Focus." He clenched his fingers lightly, then made a scooping motion.

He felt the glove react to his will. He gasped lightly as the sand whipped up a little. It sailed across the wind until falling back to the ground.

Specter grinned. "Not bad for yer first try, lad."

Jaime looked back at the glove in awe. "I actually felt something when the sand moved. It almost felt like I was the one who whipped it up."

"Magic connects with the world and changes it. It's a skill I had to pick up as a pirate, otherwise I would've never gotten as far as I did." Specter patted Jaime's shoulder. "When ye master this here weapon, ye'll become unstoppable. The bond between a weapon and its user should be as strong as yer loyalty to yer crew."

"That so?" Jaime looked down thoughtfully for a moment, then asked, "Captain, can I ask you a…personal question?"

"By all means."

"I've asked you many, many times before about my dream to become a pirate captain in the future." Jaime frowned. "However, what if I don't have what it takes? What if…I'm not strong enough to be a proper captain for my crew?"

Specter frowned. "That so?"

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the gauntlet. It's very nice. I just…wonder if I'll be strong enough to use it." Jaime sighed. "What if…I'm not cut out to be a pirate?"

Specter stared solemnly at his first mate, arms crossed with a firm frown on his snout. "Ye're makin' the moment quite sour, me boy."

"Don't take it the wrong way, Captain." Jaime looked his gauntlet over. "I appreciate everything you've taught me up until now. I just wonder how far I'll go on my own."

Specter sighed, then waved his crew away. "All of ye head inside. I need to speak to Jaime in private."

"Aye, Captain," the crew murmured before heading back to the ship.

Jaime sunk guiltily as Specter paced behind him. "Jaime, are ye considerin' leavin' the crew? Ye're askin' rather personal questions."

Jaime narrowed his eyes. "My captain, do not misinterpret my words, but I say this in question of your activities lately. I've noticed most of our raids are somehow connected to Ravenfield."

"He's always tryin' to one-up me. Can't be that weird."

"No, it's been different recently. You…almost look like you're trying to hunt him down. More than usual." Jaime narrowed his eyes. "Why is that?"

Specter should've figured Jaime was perceptive enough to pick up on that. Recent raids seemed more focused on tracking and besting Garret Ravenfield rather than claiming the treasure before him. A game of tug of war that'll never stop following them. Jaime only now discovered their game.

"Why is that?" Jaime asked again.

Specter huffed an annoyed sigh. "I told ye the story of what me grandfather did before he retired, right?"

"Yeah."

"He taught me a lot. Bedridden and dying, he could still spin a yarn like no other." Specter narrowed his eye. "I learned a lot from that man, and I've come to appreciate somethin' more than I ever thought."

"What's that?"

"What does it mean to be a pirate?"

Arid raised his brow. "Excuse me?"

"Let's take yer situation into perspective. Assume ye do decide to leave the crew. Yer next step to becomin' yer own captain is this: why? Why do I want to become a pirate? Why am I a pirate?"

"What does this have to do with Ravenfield? How does my decision connect to it?"

Specter smirked. "In more ways than one. Ravenfield and I may be rivals, but we're on friendly-enough terms to have deep discussions about life." Specter inhaled deeply, puffing out his chest, and exhaled a long sigh. "We're both getting older. Ravenfield's got a loving girlfriend and a stable income. Who knows how long it'll be until he pops the question?"

Jaime narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

"I'm not sure what I'll do with myself if that day ever comes. Jaime, I became a pirate for two reasons: to live out my grandfather's legacy, and to experience true freedom in the skies. That true freedom, I've never felt it stronger than when I do battle with Ravenfield. It marks me makin's as a true pirate. That's somethin' ye need to remember."

"What does battling Ravenfield have to do with me?"

"Ye need to find yer purpose for being a pirate, that's what." Specter looked seriously at the Darmanitan and asked, "Jaime, in all honesty, what is yer sole center for bein' a pirate? What drives ye to achieve that true freedom? What lengths would ye go to preserve that dream for yerself and the rest of yer crew?"

"My dream…" Jaime looked out into the sanding dunes. He clenched his gloved fingers, whipping up the sand around himself. "I…I don't…"

"Ye must have a dream, right?" Specter asked once more. "Why else would lunatics like me keep goin' at it for so long?" He glared fiercely. "What brings out your inner flame and ignites the soul of your pirate spirit?"

"My pirate spirit…" Jaime closed his eyes. He relaxed his body and concentrated on his dream. His sole reason to stay as a pirate. What drives him to continue onward?

"My dream…my dream for true freedom is…"

"…What?"

Thane smirked. "You heard me. In exchange for full protection, all I ask is that you disband the Desert Beasts. Forever."

Arid glowered. "Clearly that crash did something to your head. Why would I-?"

"Uh buh, buh!" Thane interrupted. "It's my time to talk, so shut your lip." Arid growled, but begrudgingly complied, if only to hear his nonsense out. Thane turned his back to him. "You're too much of a liability to my dream, Arid of the Sand. How can I possibly compete with someone who's rising toward the legend of the new Master of the Skies? It simply can't be done.

"Simply letting you go wouldn't benefit me. Regardless if I assume the new position of shadow ally or not, you're still competition. I can't have that." Thane spun around and pointed at the captain. "But do you know how legends die? You have to knock them into obscurity! I don't just simply want you to step down, I want you to disappear from the public altogether.

"Your flawed sense of justice is not meant for the world of pirates. We're free from the constraints of law and order. We are our own masters. You're a stain on our honor. Why be the anti-heroes of the sky when we could be the villains? It's so much better to destroy than it is to save. It's cathartic."

Arid glared. "Let me get this straight. You want the Desert Beasts to disband because you want every trace of my existence to vanish into obscurity?"

Thane snarled. "Do you know how hard it was to build ourselves back up? Because of you, we were mocked as the losers who sailed too close to the sun. Pirates look up to you as the superior, already nominating you as the next Legendary Pirate Captain. I want your name to burn into nothingness. I'm not sparing your life because I care. I'm sparing you so you can reflect on a past that was never meant to be."

The Darmanitan dropped his glare into a withered gaze, took a deep breath, and sighed. "You've certainly given this a lot of thought."

"I ask you, Arid of the Sand, is any of this worth it? Is all this senseless struggling worth the power? You clearly want it, but that good nature of yours holds you back from accepting it. You aren't worthy to be handed such incredible power. Only the Devil Wakers deserve the glory. In return, you and your crew will live in a world of darkness, alive and well. That's my promise."

"You really think they'll just accept such a trade?"

Thane smirked. "They'll soon learn of my greatness. Now, make your choice, Arid of the Sand. I happily await your reply."

Arid wanted to snap back at the Wartorle, but held his tongue as he went over the last few months. Frankly, it was impossible to admit he was happy, because he wasn't. Arid didn't want to say it, but he changed in that time, and not for the better. He felt angrier than he ever did before. A part of what his crew said was indeed true.

He desired that power more than anything.

The thought scared him. He worked to preserve a sense of trust among his crew, casting away those obsessive desires of power long ago. Being around the Shadow King…has it slowly been corrupting his mind?

Thane's offer was hard to resist. Getting away from the Shadow King would be to his benefit. Before he could be corrupted entirely, perhaps there was a chance to flee and live through the end time. It wasn't impossible, assuming Thane somehow kept his word.

But then, that brought up the condition. Leave the pirate life behind? How can anyone suggest something so unthinkable? And yet, was being a pirate worth it?

The Desert Beasts endured a lot when they started out on this journey. When they first learned of the Idol of Origin, that became their target goal. They faced much opposition against Team Ravenfield and lost every opportunity for the keys, but they persisted. That idol was their ticket to glory.

Those dreams died when the shadows came into their lives. Once, they were masters of the sky, now reduced to servants pressed under the Shadow King's oppressive thumb. Worst of all, they complied, reluctantly, if only to step into that threshold of power the shadows possessed.

Now turmoil and mistrust has spread among the crew. They were on edge, especially Ambrosine. How long will it take for one of them to snap and try to escape? The blood would be on Arid's hands if he let any of his crew die.

If there was a sliver of a chance at saving them, if he took Thane's deal seriously, was there a chance to live? Was sacrificing his ideals worth the safety of his crew?

"What lengths would ye go to preserve that dream for yerself and the rest of yer crew?"

Arid narrowed his eyes. What lengths would I go to…?

"I'm waiting." Arid shook from his thoughts and glared at Thane's smug grin. "Don't be a fool, Arid of the Sand. It's time for the new age of pirates to take over. You're a relic of the past."

Arid bared his teeth. "I…I choose…"

Before he could speak further, one of his confiscated items started acting up. A crystal orb, humming and glowing. Thane groaned and flicked his hand at the Tentacruel pirate. "Get rid of that damn thing. It's annoying me."

"Aye, sir." Tentacruel grabbed the crystal orb and prepared to chuck it, but accidentally accepting the call. What came through, however, was not what they expected.

"Captain Arid-zzt!"

Arid's eyes widened. "Leigh?"

"You have to-zzt-getting out of hand! Ambrosie-zzt-they're going-zzt-kill us!"

Tentacruel slammed the crystal orb down and smashed it to pieces. "What the hell was that about?" the jellyfish asked.

Thane shrugged. "Who knows?" He faced the distressed Darmanitan with his usual smugness. "Now, what were you saying?"

Arid barely heard him, still stuck on Leigh's warning. She mentioned Ambrosine. Shit, what did she do while I was gone? Arid bared his teeth. We've gone and done it now. The shadows must be pissed about something.

"What lengths would ye go to preserve that dream for yerself and the rest of yer crew?"

Arid relaxed his shoulder. His gaze turned steady, cool, and collected in one go. Everything suddenly made sense to him.

What was the point of being a pirate…if death wasn't a possibility?

"Hey!" Thane grabbed and jostled Arid by the shirt. "Are you even listening?! Answer me, dammit!"

"Shut up," was Arid's only reply before slamming his forehead into Thane's.

The Wartorle gasped and staggered back, but not before Arid could grab the captain's knife with his foot. He passed it off to his hand and slashed his ropes off in one swipe.

Thane collapsed onto his shell, then snarled furiously at Arid. "You rotten pirate! Kill him, now!"

His crew darted right for Arid, magic ignited and weapons drawn. The Salazzle of the crew stated, "He's broken and powerless without his gauntlet! Don't let him intimidate you!"

To their horror, however, Arid was smirking like a madman. "Heh. Fighting me in this state? You little fools." He dodged the first charge and leaped over their heads, spinning the knife skillfully between his fingers. "Let me educate your simple minds."

He leaped across the ship and landed right on the ship's steering wheel. He balanced atop it and raised his knife at the flabbergasted pirates.

"I am Desert Jaime, first mate of the Undying Apparition, the pirate crew originally destined to be the next band of legendary pirates! I was trained under Captain Specter, the most feared pirate of this generation!" Arid flashed his knife. "Please, educate me thoroughly as to why I should give two shits about any of you."

The second he mentioned Captain Specter, the bravado in their eyes vanished. That name carried the weight on par with a demon's. Their legs guided them backwards against their wishes.

Thane, stubborn as ever, wasn't intimidated. "Don't let that bastard scare you! He's weak! A relic! He can't be anything special!"

A handful of the crew obeyed his command and charged at Arid full speed. A Pignite jumped onto the quarter deck and swung his cutlass. Arid raised the arm wrapped in a sling, deflected the cutlass, and bashed it across the pig's face. His sling unraveled, revealing the burnt hairs on his arm. He clenched his aching fist tightly and rammed it into one of the Gourgeist twins. He drove the poor thing's body through the floor and into the captain's quarters below.

The other Gourgeist tried to fire off a fire spell, but Arid swung his arm around and stabbed the pumpkin in the arm before dropkicking them off the deck.

Now fueled with anger, the other pirates raced up the quarter deck in retaliation. Arid tossed the knife into the Tentacruel's head before pouncing and pummeling him to the floor. He rolled to his confiscated items, retrieved his flintlock, and fired off multiple rounds into the crowd.

He aimed at weak spots that wouldn't kill, but incapacitate. A Hitmonlee extended his foot and kicked Arid in the side. Arid, however, smirked and grabbed the kicker's leg before slashing across his Achilles' tendon without mercy. Hitmonlee felt the pain immediately and howled a bloodcurdling scream on his back.

Thane paled in horror. "W-What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Arid spun the knife around. "What do you mean?" He smirked menacingly over his shoulder. "Isn't this how normal pirates act?"

Thane bared his teeth, then yelled, "Fire! Now!"

The Devil Wakers pulled out their guns, but Arid dashed into their range and slashed them mercilessly with the cutlasses. They went down with blood dripping down their bodies.

Thane pulled out his gun and fired. Arid turned and deflected the shots with the cutlass. Thane growled and shouted, "What the hell are you?!"

Arid deflected one last shot, then tossed the cutlass. He threw it so hard that it cut deep into Thane's shoulder. The Wartorle bit back his cries and immediately pulled the blade out. Suddenly, Arid grabbed his throat and slammed the captain into the ship's main mast. Thane's eyes shook in horror at the dark gaze burning into him.

"This is the old way you despise so much. We're pirates, you fool. When someone puts my crew in danger…" He pressed his thumb into Thane's windpipe. "There's no force on this planet that can stop me."