"Dun care! Quit yer jabberin'!"

The phrase quickly became Drachma's most common refrain as Vyse and Aika tried again and again to explain that while they were very sorry for disturbing his hunt, they really needed to get to Valua. The grizzled fisherman grunted and huffed, checking the top deck cannons and surveying his ship before deciding that things were in order. He finally wheeled on the young rogues and jutted his metal arm at them dramatically.

"Listen careful ye wretches: we're sailin' northward 'an if we're to make pace, there's work to do," he explained. "Boy, there's cargo what needs haulin' before we reach dock. Girl! Know yer engines?"

Aika blinked. "What? Uh.. yeah, I know plenty. Work some of the repairs on the Albatross ."

Drachma's eyes narrowed for a moment. "I dinnae ask for yer life story," he said. "Ye'll be headin' down to the engine room 'an feedin' her some moonstones. Spark with them Reds first and raise speed with some Blues after half a league."

Vyse turned to Aika. The pair seemed frozen in confusion for a moment before he spoke up. "North's better than nothing," he said. "Brings us closer to Valua at least.."

"Well, ain't that fine and fancy then," Drachma groused. "Iff'n we're done havin' our committee session, ye can start movin' yer asses!"

There was nothing else to say and hardly anything the pair could do short of battling the grumbling old man for control of the ship. Vyse shrugged, amused with Drachma's fussiness but resigned to their current predicament.

"Enjoy shoveling moonstones, I guess?"

Aika groaned. She was far less accepting of their circumstances. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever!"

She stamped into the ship's bridge and noisily clomped down the stairs to the engine room. Vyse turned to Drachma. "So, Captain… Sir.. What needs moving exactly?"

Drachma jerked a thumb to a positively huge crate further upon the deck. "Munitions there," he growled. "Down to cannons and left there middeck. After that, scuttle downwards. S'a box of sky sardis and grule what needs deliverin' as we arrive in port."

"Munitions down, fish up," Vyse repeated. "Got it."

He soon regretted making it sound so easy. The first box was almost as wide as he was tall, brimming with shot and powder to the point that he might as well be carrying a gunboat's worth of firepower in a single box. The Little Jack was an impressive ship and well armed, certainly, but it seemed a little excessive even for someone hunting a massive arcwhale. Slowly but surely, he hauled the box through the bridge and waddled down the stairs to the middeck and carefully placed the box nearest the cannons. He wiped the sweat off his brow and scaled the stairs back up to the bridge.

Drachma regarded the boy from his position at the helm. "Looks like ye got a little more'n lubber on yerr bones after all. What's yer name, boy?"

Vyse rolled his shoulders, working out stiffness. "Vyse Dyne, sir," he offered. "The fine gal down in the engine room is Aika Nassar."

"Dyne," Drachma mused. "Blue Storm 'o Meridia?"

"I'm his son actually," Vyse said. "Me and Aika are part of his crew, so we're used to this kind of work."

"Victor Dyne's lad? Hmph! Well, least ye ain't completely useless. What's two Blue Rogues doin' by themselves in the Mid Ocean?"

"We have our reasons," Vyse said seriously. "Please, Captain, we need to get to Valua."

"I dun need t'do shite for ye," Drachma spat. "But long as yer on the Little Jack , there ain't no furtiveness. Explain, boy. M'listenin'..."

Vyse told all. How Ben's clamor of shooting stars led to a nighttime raid on a cowardly Valuan admiral and how they'd found Fina. He didn't offer every detail of the young woman save to say that she was on some type of journey from a home she didn't dare speak of. He talked of his father and how he'd sheltered Fina in their home. The falling moonstone and the trip towards Shrine Island. A battle against strange automatons—something Drachma scoffed at even if the moonstone was certainly real. Vyse's voice shook with anger as he painted a portrait of his home in ruins. His friends and family were taken. Fina had been taken. And unless they got to Valua quickly, all would be lost.

Drachma took it in. "Fancy tale," the fisherman admitted. "Bold of ye pickin' a fight with Armada too. Must be outta yer mind.."

"I don't care if you think that," Vyse said. "I know it's a long shot… but I'd do anything to save my family.. My friends… Wouldn't you?"

The old man grew cold. "Don't be presumin' to know me," he growled. "Besides, I ain't got time to babysit ye two. Every second's one where Rhaknam slinks off further. Yer gonna need to find another ship"

"Why are you chasing Rhaknam? There's gotta be another arcwhales out there.."

"You dun need to know that," Drachma said quietly. "Now go be grabbin' them fish 'an bring 'em up here."

It was a task only somewhat less difficult than hauling the munitions crate. Vyse descended deep into the cargo hold, passing the engine room along the way. Aika fumed inside with exaggerated cries of "Argh! Girl, shovel them stone into that engine! Yarrrrghhhh!" He smiled before taking the huge crate of fresh sky-fish and lugging it all the way upstairs. He set it aside on the deck and tied it down tightly so that it wouldn't shift as the Little Jack picked up speed.

When he returned to the bridge, Drachma's bearded face held the slightest hint of beguilement. He clearly didn't expect Vyse to acquit himself so handily. He beckoned with his good hand.

"C'mere boy," he half-ordered. "Got another chore: take tha' helm."

Vyse blinked. "You.. want me to fly the ship?"

"Wanna see how good ye fly, 'cause iff'n ya can't manage, ye'll be shiftin' boxes the whole time aboard."

Drachma gestured to the ship's wheel. Vyse obliged, taking it in his hands and giving the slight motions to feel how responsive it was. To his surprise, the Little Jack turned with the slightest pressure.

"I only got to fly the Albatross so often," he explained with a grin. "I'm a raider more than anything else. Damn, the wheel's so light! Ship's old but responsive. It's gotta be a few decades since you got her but it feels fresh off the line."

"Fer someone what ain't flown much, yer right cozy at the helm," Drachma huffed. "Easily impressed fella might even use tha' word natural."

Vyse began to list the ship side to side and watch through the bridge's forward window as the Little Jack sliced through the clouds. She began to pick up speed—that was certainly thanks to Aika in the engine room—and he guided the ship forwards as it darted faster through the clouds.

"I've spent plenty of time on bridges," Vyse said. "More than enough time reading Valuan manuals and other things. I've picked up a lot."

Annoyed footsteps stomped up the nearby stairs as Aika tumulted up and on to the bridge. She regarded her fellow sailors with a befuddled and exasperated eye.

"Engine's running full, Captain," she reported dryly before walking up to Vyse. "Have you been here the whole time? While I've been shoveling crud down below?"

Drachma shook his head. "S'just taken that helm after runnin' ragged," he explained before turning to Vyse. "Keep 'er on course 'bout twenty leagues or so. Sun's settin' but we should reach Sailor's Island 'afore nightfall."

Vyse nodded. "Aye," he confirmed as the man trampled off. Beside him, Aika leaned forward on the console and peered at its aging gauges. The young sailor turned to his friend and grinned.

"Watch and learn, Spitfire," he teased. It elicited an eye roll from his friend.

"Please don't crash and kill us," Aika groaned. "I think I'd die of embarrassment."

A playful chuckle drifted from Vyse's grinning mouth. With eyes forward and the slowly sinking sun at their backs, the Little Jack pressed onwards into the sky.

It took far less time than Vyse expected to reach Sailor's Island. Like any good Meridian ship, the Little Jack was more than meets the eyes and her gullet was fresh with moonstones. Vyse pulled the ship's throttle back as the port town peeked up on the horizon; her sturdy buildings and tall lighthouse invited any and all ships to berth and rest from whatever journey they might be on. Considering the only other options were a smattering of village outposts and meager trade flotillas, there was no better place to make a stop. Vyse peered at a map that Aika graciously rested upon the console and marveled to find that Sailor's Island was almost perfectly halfway from his home and Valua. Didn't that just beat all?

Drachma took the helm with a grunt and guided the Little Jack to port. He clearly didn't trust Vyse with the finer aspects of helming his ship and handily shepherded the fishing vessel onto the docks. Enlisting Vyse and Aika's aid, he made the pair haul his bounty of fish to a waiting merchant. There were no pleasantries passed between the old man and his business partner although they seemed familiar enough with each other. In due time, the trio worked their way from the docks and into the bustling town.

Vyse's gaze darted about as travelers and pirates, street performers and confidence men went about their business and filled the stone streets with their daily misadventures. He saw signs for all manner of shops and establishments. A cozy smelling tavern, a furtive curio exchange, the proud Sailor's Guild, and all manner of merchants. It was like nothing he'd ever seen in the quieter portions of the Mid Ocean. Aika was equally enraptured. What a place it was! Brimming with people and life. Impressive and grubby in equal measure. She rushed forward, cat-like eyes darting about curiously and laughed happily.

"Can you believe this place?" Aika all but skipped with excitement. "There's gotta be more people in the streets than all of the village back home!"

Vyse regarded his friend warmly. "Enjoy it while you can," he said. "Can't imagine that Valua's gonna be anything like this."

"That's why I'm basking in it," Aika sighed. "Yeah, I definitely could get used to a place like this."

"Good," Drachma growled as he walked by the pair. "Ye both 'ken rest yer rears here 'cause soon as I stock up, I'm shippin' out."

Aika whirled on the man. "We don't have a ship! You can't just leave us here!"

"Actually, girl, I'mma do just that."

Vyse looked at the grizzled fisherman seriously. "Valua can't be more than a handful of days from here," he reasoned. "That's hardly a waste of your time, Captain."

Drachma scoffed. "Every second I ain't chasin' Rhaknam be wasted time," he countered. "Now, stow that 'captain' business. Yer not on me ship and I dun owe you a damn thing. I'm squatting for food 'an seein' iff'n any bastard 'round here has a cannon what what might do the damned whale in fer good."

"Maybe trade in your arm for scrap," Aika said coldly. "Since you'll do anything to chase that stupid monster!"

"I would, aye," Drachma said flatly. "Now scamper off!"

He turned and limped over to a nearby tavern where a curvaceous woman with red hair looked at the group with a disappointed eye. She looked at the two air pirates and sighed as Drachma lumbered into the tavern.

"Polly! A special 'an pint 'o cider!"

The redheaded woman looked over her shoulder. "Hold your squid, geezer," she called before sparing one last look at Vyse and Aika and slinking back into the tavern.

That left the pair alone in unfamiliar streets that suddenly seemed a little more threatening than before. Aika groaned, flopping forward in irritation.

"Just great," she lamented. "He hardly listened to anything we said…"

Vyse tapped his foot in thought. "There's gotta be something we can do," he said. "Charter a small ship or maybe even find a way to change his mind…"

"Nothing will change that creaky jerk's mind," Aika declared. "He won't lift his butt from that tavern unless it means killing Rhaknam."

"Wait," Vyse considered. "Say that again."

Aika repeated herself. "He won't lift his butt.."

"Unless it means killing Rhaknam," Vyse finished. "It's like he was saying! If we could find a cannon or something here before he does, maybe that'll change his tune.."

Aika grinned mischievously. "Yeah! Beat him at his own game!"

"Or we scrounge up enough to hire someone else, yeah," Vyse said. "We should split up. I'll head to the Sailor's Guild and ask around. Dad said they might even offer coin for some of the sights in my journal."

"And I can peek into shops for a whale-killing death cannon!"

Vyse clapped. "Right! Let's go!"

The tavern glowed with warmth as wayward travelers and local riffraff dined side by side. Be it shoulder to shoulder at the bar or huddled around whatever table was available, parties mixed and mingled into a mess of merchants, mizers, madcaps, and mercenaries. Drachma didn't particular care for it—he was long beyond the days of drinking contests and his metal arm assured him easy arm wrestling victories. The appeal wasn't the rowdiness or bar brawls. It certainly wasn't the joy of meeting new people. No, he returned to Polly's tavern for two things: good food and a chance to be as anonymous as possible.

The old man sat at the bar, sliding soupy spoonfuls of stew up and over his beard and into his waiting mouth. He was a damn tired man all things considered but he never would tire of Polly's cooking. She was a fixture of Sailor's Island for a long time and the tavern, lousy with lowlifes, was perhaps the closest thing Drachma had to a home. Another man might find that woeful or even pathetic; Drachma simply knew it as true, and for all his troubles he appreciated having something "normal" in his life.

The plan had been to sit, eat, and then prepare for his next hunt. To melt into the crowd and have no one bother him… especially those damn kids. Polly wasn't content to let that pass.

"The kid's right," Polly noted as she sauntered over to refill Drachma's mug. "It's not so far to Valua that you couldn't drop them at the doorstep."

"Didn't ask yer 'pinion on that," he huffed before swigging a gulp of cider. "There ain't nothin' fer me but chasing that arcwhale.."

Polly waved a lazy hand to her daughter Anne as she slipped behind the bar and grabbed a tray of food. The young woman, a somewhat smaller version of her mother with an extra slathering of rouge, barged a path through the crowd but gave a nod. Polly was officially off the clock for a few minutes. Which left plenty of time for Drachma's nonsense.

The tavernkeep leaned on her own bar. "Don't you think you've wasted enough of your life on this?"

Drachma bristled. "That beast is a devil 'an I ain't rest until I repay it tenfold fer me troubles.."

"You're not the only one in the tavern's been dealt a rough hand," she said coolly. "Plenty of saps come through here. Moons knows I've had rough times too."

"Yer talkin' like I care," Drachma muttered.

"I'm talking like your friend," Polly replied. "Who has seen you at your best and is looking right now at your worst. Maybe it's time to hang the harpoon up, y'know?"

"Spare the lecture," Drachma snarled. "Iff'n ye could leave this place on your own hunt I know ye'd be out there in a heart's beat. Searching fer him."

"Maybe," Polly conceded.

Drachma sighed. "Been at this fer a long time," he said. "I dun got a sense on how t'stop.."

"That's the problem," the woman offered. "Maybe those kids are part of the solution."

The old fisherman stared at his mug for a moment before taking it up and gulping down what swill that remained. He clanked it to the bartop with a heavy weight and looked tiredly at his "friend."

"Another," he barked.

Polly grabbed the mug and slopped it into a barrel behind the bar. She placed it full before the broken man.

"On the house," she told him. At that, she went back to work.

Vyse walked into the Sailor's Guild and found it far cozier than he imagined. His mind's image had been one of boisterous pirates and crews sharing stories of misadventure and fortune. That was far from the reality. The Guild was more of a bookstore or library than hallowed drinking hall. The young rogue took it all in and quickly found that the quiet was better than anything he could have imagined. High bookshelves holding a plethora of navigation guides, travelogues, and survival manuals lined most of the main room save for a smaller section with some type of announcement board adorned with maps and a variety of parchment slips.

Curiosity guided Vyse's feet as he drifted to the board and saw a smattering of advertisements and help wanted slips. He reckoned they might be useful but found his eyes drawn to a more colorful selection of posters off to the side. He peered at the assorted posters and realized they were bounties.

Gilder the Unfettered, Loose Cannon Lapen, Rupee of the Larso Clan, Calamity Clara, Black Beard Baltor, Lord Zivilyn Bane, Dyne of the Blue Storm. The last one brought a smirk to his face.

One final name was written on what was clearly the oldest of the billings: Cold Steel Drachma.

The old man's wanted by Valua?

It was hard to imagine but Vyse knew full well how the Armada overrated the slightest transgression. For a moment, he imagined his name on the board. Vyse the Daring or perhaps something fancy like Vyse, King of Rogues. Aika would have her own listing as well. Cat Burglar Aika? Aika the Avaricious?

"Thinking about getting into the lucrative bounty business?" An older voice inquired beside him in a hush.

Vyse turned to see an aging gentleman with balding hair and kind eyes, one of which seemed slightly larger thanks to a monocle that rested before it. He wore a splendid green vest and smiled wide.

"No, I…" Vyse didn't know what to say.

"You wouldn't be the first young soul to wander into these halls looking for a bag of gold and a few stories," the man said before giggling lightly. "Or perhaps you're looking for a job?"

Vyse shook his head. "Neither," he said. "Unless you actually have a bag of gold to spare."

"Alas! Not without cause," he said before extending a hand to make an introduction. "Francis. But everyone calls me Guildmaster."

"Everyone calls me… Vyse." The man giggled again.

"Vyse, you look like a lad in search of something. How might I help?"

"Our captain marooned us," the young rogue explained. "Slipped into port and told us to shove off. I'm looking for a way outta here. Doesn't really matter so long as I get to Valua."

"Valua," Francis mused with a stroke of his chin. "You'll find it rather hard indeed to find someone willing to take you right into the empire. Too many scallywags and troublemakers here for that."

"I've got gold," Vyse said. "Well, I have some gold.."

Francis gestured towards a countertop near the entrance, guiding Vyse over and looking the rogue up and down once more. "Not enough," he presumed. "Or else you'd already be gone. And yet, I might be able to help with that. If you can help me …"

Vyse raised an eyebrow. "You make that sound ominous."

"I make it sound profitable," the man corrected. "For you see, here at the Guild, I'm more than willing to compensate any sailor for useful information that might better help chart our skies. And you, marooned or not, have the look of a lad who has an eye for the curious."

"Heh, I guess I must be obvious," he said as he reached for his journal and placed it on the counter. "Suppose a guildmaster like you knows a sailor when he sees one."

"Even air pirates when they pass through," Francis explained with a knowing smile. "Now! What curiosities have you seen, Vyse?"

The young man started to lay it all out. Though he wasn't so well traveled yet, he knew Meridia well and had seen plenty of things in his time on the Albatross and sketched it all in his journal. He shared stories of the coral reefs north of Windmill Isle and the silver moonstone pit to the east. Francis listened well and assured the lad that the information would be put to good use—shared with worthy fisherman and perhaps even some scholars instead of anyone and everyone—and encouraged Vyse to share more. He didn't have unknown ruins or anything overly exotic to speak of but he told the older gentleman of a smaller isle with a lone stone shack that stories said that traitors and mutineers were left.

Vyse rifled through his journal's pages and stopped at one final sight: the strange pirate's grave that he'd discovered after the raid on Alfonso's ship although he omitted that last part. Francis' eyes glowed with interest.

"Ah, what have we here?"

"Found it no more than a few days ago," Vyse explained. He tapped a finger to his notes. "Eastern Meridia, tucked away in the Silvertear Pass. Hard to say who the grave belongs to, although the name begins with the letter D."

Francis hummed thoughtfully. "I'll pay a pretty price for its exact location, Vyse," he said as he pulled out a map and began to make notes. "Do you know about the Pirate's Grave?"

"My father mentioned something about it, yeah," he explained. "Do you really think that's it? This was definitely a Blue Rogue's grave but… Daccat? Would the world's greatest pirate have his grave in the middle of nowhere?"

"He was Meridian," Francis offered. "He sailed under every moon and all about the skies but even the grandest among us have homes and a desire to return to them."

He looked at Vyse's journal and then to his map. "Why I imagine one day some fine explorer might happen upon a different dread pirate's grave in Meridia. Dyne, perhaps.."

"Maybe…" It was all Vyse could bring himself to say.

Francis slid a modest bag of coins along the countertop to Vyse. "The rumor is that he was captured by the Valuans," the guildmaster said knowingly. "It would be a pity for his story to end upon a noose but he wouldn't be the first."

Vyse took his reward and looked at it with a heavy face. "Think this would be enough to rent out a ship?"

"Moons, no," Francis said. "Least of all one headed Valua."

The young man took a breath. "Damn it all… I can't waste time like this.."

Francis shrugged. "Say! You know what I think would make a good story?" he asked Vyse. "I think it would be most interesting if Dyne was rescued even though the odds are rather slim. Hmm…"

The guildmaster held up a knowing finger. "How about you return shortly? Perhaps something might be arranged to get you a little closer to Valua..."

Vyse hesitated. "Sir, I don't…"

His statement was cut off as the guild's doors burst open with a pronounced banging and a young man only slightly older than Vyse arrogantly sauntered in as if he was expecting a heroes' welcome. He had slick black hair and a smirk that could cut diamonds and wore a bright orange jacket that drew just as much attention as his grand entrance. He cleared his throat as he approached Vyse and Francis.

"Make ready, Sir Francis, for an astounding discovery has been made and I, Domingo de León, have arrived to inform you and the world about this most magnificent finding! Made possible only thanks to my sharp eyes and considerable intellect!"

Domingo leaned upon the counter and unfurled a map. He pointed to a portion of Meridia and grinned. "For you see, I have found the one and only Pirate's Grave!"

Vyse raised an unimpressed eyebrow, casting a glance to Francis. The guildmaster giggled once more.

"Señor Domingo, it's a pleasure," he said with a fawning so dramatic that it had to have been intentionally excessive. "Alas, I'm afraid you're too late. I've just been informed of the grave's location by this fine young man right here."

The Valuan's eyes narrowed in disbelief as he scrambled to keep his cool.

"Este cabrón?" Domingo asked as he jutted a finger in Vyse's direction. "I think not. He told you about a grave perhaps but I've found the grave. You see it rests…"

"In eastern Meridia," Francis chimed in.

"Right between…" Domingo was determined to press on.

"The Silvertear Pass?" Vyse finished for him and grinned as he watched Domingo's flashy facade fade away. The cocky explorer suddenly seemed much more interested in Vyse.

"Quién eres tú?"

"Name's Vyse," the young rogue declared. He continued with faux-concern and teasing admiration in his voice. "You know, this is really embarrassing. If I knew that the great Domingo de León was on the case, I would have just given up. Instead..."

"He beat you," Francis told Domingo with a laugh.

Domingo bristled. "Well, no bother! I happen to know the location of a lost pit of silver moonstones and crystalline growths that the arcanists would do well to know about and I'll gladly sell you the information. It's…

Vyse chimed in again. "Due north of Windmill Isle, upon the eastern mountain ridge. Right near a coral reef."

"That's right," Domingo said. "And no one else knows about it except….

All Vyse could do was shrug, an ever so cocky display of supremacy over the foppish explorer. Francis gave another giggle and looked at Domingo. The Valuan's face had drained of color; all was confusion and pale disbelief that anyone could ever beat him to a discovery.

"It looks like you've come in second place, Domingo," he said. "Do try to take it in stride."

The slick-haired explorer sputtered like a stalling engine as he searched for words before finally resetting to his suave default and regarding Vyse with a leery eye.

"Don't think yourself so impressive," he said coolly. "Spotting a few stray sights and walking through the door first doesn't make you my equal."

"It doesn't need to be a contest," Vyse said neutrally. If the seasoned explorer wanted to fume, he'd simply allow the man to burn out. Mostly. "But if you want to act like it's a race, you're on."

Domingo grinned. "That's the spirit," he said. "Enjoy your day in the sunshine, Vyse, because I'm gonna reach the edge of the world and more. And I'll do it faster than you."

"We'll see," Vyse replied with an infectious glee. Domingo was rude, but buried underneath that arrogant exterior was a kindred spirit. Someone else who wanted to see the world and all its wonders.

The Valuan bowed dramatically. "Adios, gentlemen! Francis, when next we meet, prepare yourself for a cavalcade of discoveries and sights that only I, Domingo de León, can provide!"

He spun about on his heels and left the guild. Silence hung on the air until both Vyse and Francis broke into an amused laughter.

"He's earned some of that arrogance," the guildmaster admitted. "He's a knack for finding oddities and lost things. Which I think brings us back to our business..."

Vyse tilted his head in confusion. "I haven't lost anything."

"I rather think you have," Francis said. His eyes glanced to the bounty boards and to Dyne's wanted poster. He smiled knowingly and looked at the young rogue before him with some consideration.

"Come back in a few hours," the old man offered. "Provided you can find a capable ship, I know someone who might help you on your way to Valua..."

There was one name on the lips of every merchant and hawker that Aika talked to in the marketplace and that name was "Pinta." The redhead had spent the last few hours going from stall to stall, shop to shop, telling the tale of Rhakham and inquiring about the latest in ship weapons and defenses. A few tried to sell her cannons of various sizes but nothing sounded enough to kill Hell's own arcwhale. Eventually, through a combination of Aika's storytelling and begging, they were forced to admit that there was only one person on Sailor Island who could help her find what she was looking for: Pinta.

It didn't take too long to find the emporium, 'Pinta's Questing Essentials,' tucked into a more remote portion of the town. The shop was a sturdy stone affair with a personal dock behind it; a ship only somewhat larger than a tugboat sat at the end. It was almost like looking at the Albatross in miniature. Aika figured that it was some sort of prop or plaything for occupying children's attention while their parents' shopped but she did a double-take upon realizing that the small ship had actual guns poking from the side. Small though she was, she was a vessel meant for travel. The girl snickered at it before walking inside the emporium.

The shop was a mixture of slagged parts, model ships, stray weapons and armor, and pretty much any curiosity that you could imagine. There was even a small section for fruits that, to her absolute bafflement and shock, contained fresh moonberries. Idly, she wondered if they'd purchase the one she'd pilfered from Shrine Island. If anything else, she and Vyse would need money if they couldn't convince Drachma to take them back aboard the Little Jack .

"Need help with something?" A booming voice rang from behind the emporium counter.

Aika turned to see a burly man with a bald head and smattering of stubble on his chin. He grinned wide to show a sparkling row of white teeth. Though he had the build of someone that could snap a tree in half with a single flex, he exuded the aura of someone far less threatening. Aika nodded.

"I need firepower," she said boldly. "Everyone in the port says this is the place I should ask."

"Guns, fabrics, tattoos. We got anything and everything you could ask for, miss."

Aika listlessly ambled over to the counter, leaning upon it. She placed her chin upon her hands. "Let's say that I needed to blow up something huge," she said. "Say… something like a massive arcwhale."

The man raised a thick eyebrow. "Shouldn't take much to deal with a single arcwhale," he said.

"It does if they're as big as an island!"

"We have a G-type cannon for sale," he noted. "Bit outdated for a Valuan model but that's still some heavy duty stuff. Hunter torpedoes too."

"Torpedoes?" Aika knew her ships well but that sounded new to her.

"You must not get out this far often," the burly man said. "They're like… bombs what fire upwards. They shoot high and fall down atop the target. Velocity from falling means they can breach heavy decks. Then, they explode."

Aika thought about it for a moment. "Hard to dodge," she mused. "Doesn't sound like what I'm looking for.."

"That's 'cause it ain't!"

A sharp voice slid from behind the counter as a small young man no bigger than a school-child waddled into view. A mop of curly hair frizzled out from underneath a blue cap, which matched his ensemble. His most distinguishing feature was a protruded belly that poked out from beneath his vest. An oversized wrench, or perhaps it was just a normal-sized wrench given his height, hung in a sling on his back.

"Arcwhales dive deep," he said with a nasally accent that held the slightest hint of Valua. "Torpedoes detonate high. If the target dives too low, they'll skimp out under the explosion."

"Aww, boss! I had this one!" The larger man seemed to deflate somewhat.

Aika blinked at the small man. " You're Pinta?"

The tiny man removed his cap and gave a half-bow. "The one and only!"

She pointed between Pinta and the large man. "But I thought… He was talking and…"

"Lotta people make that mistake," Pinta offered with a sly grin. "That's Niño; he's the best assistant I could ask for. Met on a cruise to Maramba where we were taken hostage by Black Pirates."

"Good times, boss!" Niño gave a rumbling laugh.

Aika took a moment to recenter herself and regard Pinta carefully. Whatever his deal was, he seemed smart and well-traveled. "You must have overheard my question then," she said. "If you were… Well, wait, what were you doing back there?"

Pinta somehow produced a lunch sack and reached in. He lifted out a handful of berries and shoveled them into his mouth. "Havin' lunch," he said. "These moonberries ain't gonna eat themselves."

"You're having moonberries for lunch?!" Aika could hardly believe it.

"Kid, when you're an innovator like me yer gonna use every second to expand your mind. Besides, I stumble upon the things so danged often that…" He stopped for a moment, sniffing the air. "Wait.."

Pinta wiggled his way closer to Aika. "You got one! You ain't shoplifting, are ya?"

Aika waved her hands before reaching into her pocket to show the moonberry she had. "No, no, no! I found this! See, I was ruin-diving on Shrine Island with my friend to pick up this moonstone and there were these living crab statues and some type of sentinel guard and magic torches and I found this moonberry..."

"Pah," Pinta said. "Sounds like Silvite nonsense! And you haven't eaten the dang thing? Tsk, tsk."

"I thought I might sell it," she said. "If we can't find a big enough cannon to convince the grumpy bastard that we were sailing with to take us to Valua, then me and my friend will need to get a ship somehow.."

"Grumpy… Arcwhales…." Pinta seemed to be putting it all together. "You're sailing with Cold Steel Drachma! And he's still hunting Rhaknam, eh? Hmmm…."

"You know him?"

Niño chortled again. "Pinta knows everyone," he said. "Ain't that right, boss?"

The smaller man waved a dismissing hand before stroking his chin in thought. "The type of prey that old man's hunting? A fresh cannon or torpedo ain't gonna cut it. Fortunately, I know something that might.."

Aika's face lit with excitement. "Really?! That's perfect! Anything that'll convince that stick in the mud to help us again is exactly what we're looking for!"

Pinta grinned. "I imagine you got some dramatic business in Valua but the old man wanted to ditch to hunt the arcwhale, so you're lookin' for a way to convince him to take a little detour?"

"Exactly! How did you know?"

Pinta tapped his head. "Moonberries," he said. "I got cognition like one of them fancy arcanists. Well, you're in luck kiddo! What you're looking for can, in fact, be found in Valua. It's a new weapon called the Harpoon Cannon."

"Harpoon Cannon?" Aika repeated.

"It's a fore-mounted spear and cable with a moonstone lattice weave," Pinta said. "Fires into the target, discharges moonstone energies, and retracts. They say it can punch right through even the latest Valuan cruisers. If you're tryin' to convince that old coot to ship out that way, that's as good a reason as any."

Aika grinned. "He could hardly refuse looking into something like that."

Pinta scratched his nose. "An old-timer like Drachma's bound to know a black-marketeer that could hook him up with the goods," he said. "Which bodes well for you, miss… What didya say your name was?"

"I didn't," Aika said. "It's Aika. Aika Nassar. I'm sailing with my friend Vyse."

"Aika Nassar, I wish I could wave my hands and teleport you and your buddy Vyse straight to Valua but this will hafta do," Pinta said courteously. "Now, before you invariably rush off to dangle this information about Cold Steel's nose… maybe you could do me a favor?"

"What's that?" Aika could hardly think of anything she could do for Pinta.

"Eat the moonberry."

Aika narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Uh, why?"

Pinta chuckled. "The Old World was thick with magic," he said. "Full of unexpected wonders and creations we hardly can fathom. Like those weird things you saw on Shrine Island. Moonberries carry a portion of that old magic, since they're fertilized by moonstones. Exploration isn't just about the things we draw on a map; it's also about the things we can imagine in mind and feel in our hearts so…"

The young man plucked a berry from his bag and munched it down. "I wanna see what sparks in your mind, kid. It's usually good for a laugh at the very least."

Reaching to produce her own berry from her bag, Aika held it before eyes. With a grand shrug, she plopped it into her mouth and began to chew. It didn't taste too different from a raspberry although it seemed to possess a strange cooling quality to it. She exhaled for a moment and her breath hung upon the air as if she was standing in a snowstorm. Aika gasped with wonder.

"Is that normal," she asked. "For eating a moonberry?"

"We all got a spark of magic in us," Pinta said. "Usually from the moon we were born under. S'funny that you're goin' all purple 'cause I woulda sworn your last name was Nasrean.."

"I got a purple moonstone recently," she explained. "My friend says that the longer you spend with a stone, the more its energy weaves into yooouuuuuuu wooaahhhhh…."

It felt like a lightning bolt had cracked in her mind. Aika's senses came into focus and a surge of energy snaked through her very being. Her mind began to race with all sorts of thoughts but the swirling mass of ideas and possibilities honed in on her most pressing desire: saving her friends. At that, she imagined what dangers awaited in Valua and how she could overcome them. Vyse might rush ahead and rely on his daring swordsmanship and that was fine… but Aika felt the thrumming energy of the moonstones in her pocket and in sensing them more acutely, she began to understand how she could shape them.

A twirl or her boomerang to circle her spells about, an imbuing of magicks into her weapon that she might then toss into the ground or spin around herself for a variety of effects. There were plenty of options and she had a sense in her mind that she was tapping into a sensibility that was once common. She exhaled one more icy breath and grinned at Pinta.

"What's on your mind, kid?"

"Ways to protect my friends and family," she said with a grin. "Techniques that I hadn't considered or, I guess, had the confidence to dream of. Casting a pyri spell and twirling my boomerang so that there's a surge of fire or maybe dispersing an opposing magic to cancel out certain spells aannnnd oooh damn, I can already feel this thing wearing off…"

Pinta smiled. "Still! That's interesting stuff, Aika! Not bad thinking, and maybe you could give them techniques fancy names. Alpha Storm or..."

"Lambda Burst!" Aika couldn't help but blurt out the name for some reason.

The small man shrugged. "You're clever," he said. "Clearly got mischief on your mind. So the moonberry gave you a little thought on how to cause some chaos. Helped you see what you're capable of."

Aika nodded. "Weird stuff, but I don't mind it!"

"Any little bit of imagination is good," Pinta said. "I travel the world for goods and curiosities but the best stuff? People! Ideas! And yeah, you're thinking a bit… aggressively with the magic stuff but s'all good."

The redhead shivered out a sigh that contained the slightest hint of frosty chill. "I gotta find my friend," she said. "Then we need to find Drachma and tell him about that Harpoon Cannon."

Pinta gave a salute. "Not a bad plan," he offered. "Me? I gotta prep for my next little "quest" for supplies."

The rogue laughed. "You're a strange one, Pinta. You know that, right?"

"Anything different is good, kid."

Aika flicked her own salute back at the tiny emporium keep and ran out into the town in search of Vyse.

The sun hung lower in the sky as Vyse made his way through town and towards the market. It had felt like mere moments but his time at the guild had eaten away into most of the day. Simmering orange touched the faces of passersby and Vyse did his best to slink and slide through the ever-swarming streets. It was overwhelming but that only emboldened him further. He hadn't expected his first real steps out of Meridia to come about thanks to some dire rescue mission but he also wasn't going to dismiss the excitement in his stomach. It helped block out his worry; instead of giving into his fears or falling into thoughts of failure, Vyse found himself drawing strength from the crowd around him. The world was an amazing place and no matter the circumstances that brought him here, he knew it was alright to relish the sights and sounds.

After a time, the young sailor found himself as much a sightseer as a man with a mission. A street performer cranked a squeaky music box on one corner, emitting some type of horridly catchy jaunt that Vyse would inevitably hum for the next few days. A small stall hawked kabal skewers of questionable origins while still boasting of authentic Nasrean herbs and spices. The smell seeped into his nostrils and brought a grin to his face. To one side of the street, a half-drunk sailor made a scene of kissing the cobblestones as he tearily thanked the moons for bringing him back to solid ground.

Of course, even the most wondrous towns were packed with disagreeable elements. Sneering conmen beckoned at him in attempts to lure him into card games that were certainly rigged, and he spotted at least one dart-handed thief snag a purse before racing off into the crowd. Vyse didn't mind the implicit danger at first but as he pressed up a hill of food stalls, his eyes were drawn to a group of loud-mouthed pirates menacing one of the stall owners, a small brunette woman quivering in fear. She couldn't have been that much older than him or Aika. Whatever arbitrary slight had brought the pirates' wrath upon her was hard to imagine. Not that it mattered; as he drew closer, the trio of brigands began to toss fruit about like furious dogs. Off to the side, a stern looking man with a purple coat watched it all but did nothing.

"Yer lucky we don't tear it all down," a sweaty looking buccaneer scowled. "Chargin' us bullshit prices!"

A shorter scumbucketeer with a thin mustache cackled. "We was offerin' nicely when we suggested a discount," he said. "Black Pirates take whatever we like."

"Maybe we should scoop her up," the third man jeered. "Show her we ain't so awful, savvy?"

Vyse couldn't abide it. He rushed right up to the trio and placed himself between them and the stall.

"Maybe you should back off," he said forcefully.

Their leader wiped a mop of sweat from beneath his ragged hair. "Oh, we got ourselves a hero!"

"Looks more like a ninny to me," the short pirate mocked. "You looking to get cut, Ninny?"

"Are you?" Vyse shot a reply back without even thinking about it. If they wanted trouble, he'd gladly give it.

Behind his back, the stall owner protested. "It's fine," she said nervously. "I… I can give them a discount.. You don't need to…"

Vyse glanced back at her. "Yeah, I do."

The Black Pirates let their hands list towards their weapons, daggers and blades upon their belts and boots, eyeing Vyse for any motion. His own hand slipped ever so slowly towards the cutlass at his side. Everyone stood frozen, waiting for the other to make an honest move when suddenly, an older man with a flashy red coat and tinted pince-nez stumbled into one of the men. He twirled about as though he might fall to the ground but found his footing with a smooth pirouette. He regarded the stand-off curiously.

"Gentlemen," the man said with a silken smooth voice. "I'd love to hop in and help this brave fool with whatever dance you're about to have—since he looks friendly and you look like bastards—but if I don't get the hell outta here right now, I'm gonna be up to my neck in abhorrent admiration!"

The entire group, Vyse included, looked at the man in abject confusion. In reply, he peered beyond the Black Pirates and towards the purple-coated bystander on the corner. He raised his hands slowly and the entire group braced for... whatever he might do. To everyone's surprise, he clapped them together and seemed to produce a golden coin from nowhere. He tossed it up and over the men.

"Lawrence! Why don't you lend this lad a hand while I exit stage left?"

The purple-coated man, apparently named Lawrence, caught it and smirked. He pushed off from the wall and gave a nod to the affirmative. The gentleman with the pince-nez clapped again.

"This was fun but I really gotta go," he declared before turning to dart and run off into the crowd. Within moments, a woman rushed through the group and followed after him. She wore a billowing pink ensemble that all but blinded everyone with its neon glow, streaking past with all the frantic speed of a falling moonstone.

Lawrence took a step towards the Black Pirates, who wheeled about to face him. Vyse stood close to the stall owner and watched as his new ally withdrew a gleaming red moonstone cutlass from a sleek looking scabbard at his side. From his wild hair and well-worn velvet coat to his scarred face and sharp eyes, Lawrence looked more animal than man. Except for the sword. That looked well-maintained to the point of perfection even if he held it with the deep familiarity of a killer.

"You all know who I am?" His voice growled in a deep baritone.

The mustachioed pirate stammered. "Lo… Lone Wolf…. Lawrence…."

Lawrence nodded. "So you know it's a bad idea to draw those daggers.."

The Black Pirates raised their hands away from their weapons. "We were just… havin' fun," their leader said. "You know, we really need to get back to our ship anyway so…"

There was a beat and the trio turned to rush away towards the docks. Lawrence gave the smallest chuckle of pride before sheathing his blade. Vyse did likewise and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I coulda taken care of it," he insisted. Lawrence shrugged.

"Yeah," he said. "But you didn't…"

The solitary man walked by Vyse and up to the shivering stall owner. The woman looked at him with a worry almost equal to that she'd reserved for the Black Pirates. Carefully, Lawrence placed his fresh gold coin down on the countertop. "I'll have an apple.."

"R.. Right," the woman replied. She took a fresh red apple and handed it to Lawrence. Her eyes darted back and forth between him and Vyse. "Thank you. Both of you."

Lawrence shrugged once again. "Whatever," he said before moving back to his corner and taking a bite of his apple. It was as if the fight had never happened. He didn't even spare Vyse another look.

"Are you okay?" Vyse looked to the woman with concern.

"I'm fine," she said. "Not the first time and it won't be the last. If it isn't me, it'll be someone else."

Vyse frowned. "Is it always that bad?"

She shook her head. "Not at all," she replied. "It's just… Sailor's Island, y'know? We see all sorts. Including do-gooders like yourself." She gave him a wink. "But I think your girlfriend might have some words for you…"

"My girlfriend?" Vyse didn't know what she was talking about. The stall owner pointed playfully over his shoulder. He turned and came face to face with Aika.

"What the heck did I just miss?" his friend asked snappily. "Also: I am not his girlfriend!"

The other woman laughed and began to clean up her stall. Vyse sighed. "It's nothing," he said. "Just a few Black Pirates. I was coming to find you."

Aika looked at Vyse with some disbelief. "Did you learn anything at the guild?"

"Plenty," Vyse said. "Even made some coin, but nothing that would change the old man's mind. What about you?"

"As a matter of fact, I did!" Aika placed her hands proudly on her hips. "Turns out there's one hell of an arcwhale-killing cannon out there. And it's in Valua!"

Vyse beamed. "That's perfect! What is it?"

"Some big harpoon cannon that can shoot down Armada ships in one blow," she explained. "Pow! Bam! Just the sort of thing that Dreary Drachma can't resist."

"Suppose we should go tell him the good news," Vyse said surreptitiously. "But let's beat around the bush a little.."

Aika grinned. "Vyse, are you suggesting we let that old bastard's grudge do all the work for us? Isn't that a bit.." She made a dramatic gasp. "Exploitative?"

Vyse chuckled. "Why I would never, Aika! But these are desperate times..."

They exchanged their stories on the way back to Polly's tavern. Vyse told her about the old man's bounty and the arrogant case of Domingo de León. He explained his run in with the Black Pirates and the way a stranger's spare coin turned the tide of a would-be battle. Aika, in turn, spoke of Pinta and the astounding rush of eating the moonberry. Small adventures but adventures nevertheless, each of them bringing a smile to their friend's face. Reaching the tavern door, Vyse tapped his forehead to signal that Aika should follow his lead.

Opening the creaky establishment doors, the two rogues sauntered to the bar where Drachma was firmly seated. Vyse leaned casually beside him and Aika slinked to her friend's side. They turned and looked at the old man, feigning surprise.

"Captain," Vyse said. "Fancy seeing you here. I figured you'd be off by now.."

Drachma gave a huff. "Wotcher callin' me that fer? Ye ain't sailin with me no more, which means I ain't yer captain."

"Oh, well that's really too bad," Aika offered smoothly. "Because I heard all about this brand new cannon they're selling in Valua that might be able to take down Rhaknam but if we're not sailing together anymore…"

The surly fisherman snapped to attention. He turned to look at the pair with his one good eye. "The hell are ya talkin' 'bout, lass?"

Vyse glazed over the subject. "You know, Captain, when I saw Rhaknam I couldn't believe it," he mused. I'd never seen an arcwhale that big. Until about an hour ago, I would have said he was indestructible.."

Aika nodded. "I definitely woulda thought the Little Jack 'd have no chance against him."

"Until I learned there was a cannon that could kill him," Vyse added. "But if you're not sailing with us, I guess it doesn't matter anymore. C'mon, Aika, I'm sure we can find someone who can get us Valua…"

"Oh, woeful day," Aika replied dramatically. "If only we knew someone who could take us there! We'll be searching for weeks!"

Drachma's heavy metal arm slammed against the countertop. "Are you tryin' to bargain with me, runts?!"

The clanking summoned Polly, who slinked over to the end of the bar and watched the scene with an amused eye. Two brats and an even older, bigger brat. The ad hoc negotiation was quite a sight.

Vyse smirked at the fisherman. "That's a real eloquent way of putting it," he said coolly. "The way I see it… if we're gonna help you, it'd only be fair for you to help us in return."

"Especially if we're heading the same way," Aika added.

Polly took the opportunity to speak up, leaning upon her own bar and looking at Drachma seriously.

"Now that they mention it," she started. "I've heard something about that too. Buncha loose lipped Valuan soldiers got drunk here the other day and started going on and on about a weapon with the power to destroy small islands.."

"Polly, I swear.. If yer lyin' t'me what so ye can take the side of some good for nothing kids…"

The tavernkeep brought a wounded hand to her chest. "Drachma, I'm the only one on this island who doesn't bullshit you. Besides, look at them!"

She gestured at the pair. "I've been running this place for twenty years," she explained with the weight of her years in her voice. "I know liars when I see them. These two? Definitely not."

Drachma groaned as if all of his bones were grinding in his body. "Fine," he snapped. "I ain't gettin' me hopes up but I'll drag yer arses to Valua. 'Specially if there's summat what might kill Rhaknam."

Aika blinked in surprise. "Seriously?!"

The old man nodded. "It ain't some fun-time happy cruise," Drachma declared. "Ye'll work the whole damned way and I dun wanna hear no complainin' 'bout it!"

Vyse held out a hand and was surprised when Drachma gave it a quick shake. "Deal," the young rogue said. "What you say goes."

"Cap'n, you're the best!" Aika bounced in place with high spirits. "Thank you for believing us!"

"And thank you too," Vyse said to Polly. The old woman shrugged.

"Don't sweat it, hon," she replied. "Just come back after your little adventure is done and tell me how it went. We could always use a good story around here."

"Everything goes right? It'll be a damn good one," Aika said, smirking like a cat in cream.

Polly nodded but regarded the group with a stern eye. "You'll need to be careful in Valua," she said with motherly concern. "They usually shoot first and ask questions later."

Drachma grunted in agreement. "She's right," he said. "We're gonna need a passport what fer gettin' there too. 'An mine's right damn expired since I ain't been there fer ages.."

Vyse stroked his chin in thought.

"A passport," he thought. "You know, I made a friend here and I think he might be able to help us…"

It was all but dusk when the trio entered the Sailor's Guild, its interior now lit with an arrangement of candles and yellow moonstone lamps. Francis regarded them all with his characteristic mixture of sagely wisdom and odd amusement.

"Well, Mister Vyse," he greeted. "When I said you should return in a few hours, I didn't expect you to wander in alongside a wanted bounty mark. Are you here to collect on Captain Gealbhan's price? Turn him over to the Valuans for his nasty little crimes?"

The old man grunted. "Nice to see you too, Francis."

Aika glanced at Drachma curiously. "Why do you even have a bounty, Cap'n?"

Francis replied post-hate. "Our dear captain here has a knack for attacking Valuan ships and stealing their weaponry," he said.

"So you're like a Blue Rogue," Aika said excitedly.

"I'm a fisherman in need of damn good guns," Drachma insisted. "Ain't my fault the Valuans got 'em."

"So he says," Francis offered before glancing at Vyse. "But from the look of things, you're not merely here to follow up. You've a need for something particular. If I can provide, then I'll gladly assist you and the good fisherman."

Vyse leaned surreptitiously towards the guildmaster. "Can you get us a Valuan passport?"

Francis hesitated. "That would be difficult," he admitted carefully. "There's an application fee and a background check. All of which takes time. Ignoring your... unique company, the process would take a full lunar cycle at a minimum."

Aika huffed. "We can't wait for a full lunar cycle," she lamented. "You're the guildmaster. Can't you just… forge us a passport or something?

"That would be out of the question," Francis replied. "The penalty for forging a passport is execution, as is the penalty for having one. I understand you might be in a rush but I can't risk the Valuans coming after the guild."

The redhead crossed her arms in frustration. "You call yourself a guildmaster," she mumbled. "You're just some Valuan puppet!"

Vyse turned to his friend. "If he can't risk it, he can't risk it. We'll figure out something."

The guildmaster raised a hand. "If you'll allow your disappointment to subside," he began. "You might recall, Mister Vyse, that I said I knew someone that could help you get to Valua. That's still the case even now…"

A tired voice cleared its throat behind the trio, who all turned to find a diminutive old man with a long white beard that hid a kindly tan face. He rocked upon his feet and regarded the group as if he was assessing the stock on a store shelf. He glanced at Francis.

"This is the boy, then?" His voice was old and bore a deep Nasrean accent.

Francis nodded. "That's correct," he said. "And it appears he's back with his captain. Which might mean there's a solution to all of your problems."

Vyse looked at the old man. "What could we do for you?"

The man gave a bow. "My name is Bader," he said. "I am a merchant from Nasrad. I'm returning to the capital to set up a more permanent shop. It's too dangerous these days and I'm getting too old.."

He stroked his beard idly. "I need an escort home," he explained. "The air near the Southern Dannel Straight is being hounded by Baltor, that damnable Black Pirate! Me and my crew… Our ship would be an easy target."

Francis interjected. "I told Bader there was a kind soul in town," he explained. " Who perhaps would stumble upon a ship that could provide some protection.."

"In return, I will gladly offer you my own passport," Bader finished. "Which you could alter as needed."

Drachma nodded in thought. "Baltor, eh? He's a vicious sort. Ye'd be torn 'part iff'n he found ye." Vyse and Drachma exchanged a wordless glance before the fisherman spoke up once more.

"We'll lend an escort," the old man said. "Might be enough to make the bastard think yer not worth the trouble."

"And if he shows up, we'll deal with him," Vyse added.

Bader beamed. "You're wise beyond your years, young one," he praised. "I'm glad we can do business."

Drachma regarded the fading light outside. "I'll hafta come first thing in the mornin'," he explained. "Night's too easy fer Baltor t'get a drop on us."

"I very much agree," Bader said. "Let us meet tomorrow morning and then sail. The Red Moon will guide us home, and you will get your passport in return..."

Night fell upon Sailor's Island and the sky soon filled with sparkling stars. Drachma almost immediately retired to the Little Jack but gave his troublemaking crew leave to explore the island further. It was less a magnanimous gesture and one meant to keep as much distance between himself and the brats as possible. They all knew it; Drachma might have changed his mind about taking them to Valua but it was desperation and not kindness that stirred his hand. Vyse didn't know what the old man truly wanted with Rhaknam but it was clear that he'd do anything if it meant harming the beast. If that meant dragging two stray Blue Rogues to Valua on some outrageous rescue mission? Well, that was fine.

There was one place that Vyse wanted to see more than any other on Sailor's Island. It was the place he'd want to see on any new island: the highest point. They were a long way from Pirate Isle and its familiar lookout but the young man still had a need to look at the sky. To look out at what was ahead and truly steel himself for what was to come. So it was that he'd convinced Aika to accompany him to the top of the port's lighthouse and look off into the sky.

The two stood in silence for a time, the undeniable weight of their mission hanging upon their shoulders, and looked far off into the distances where the slightest hint of yellow teased of Valua and its mother moon. His father was there, and Fina was too. Neither of them dared imagine what their circumstances might be, but they looked at the night sky with a shared passion: they would bring everyone home no matter what.

"Only a few more days," Aika said quietly. "We'll get there soon and, well…"

Vyse hummed in thought. "We'll save them."

Aika turned to her friend and smiled softly. "You say it so confidently," she offered with admiration. "You know there's… a lot of ways this could go bad."

"Sure, but it won't," he replied. Not denial or dismissal. Fact. "Ask me how I know."

"Okay, Vyse… How do you know?"

The young man looked deep into Aika's eyes. "Because I won't let anything bad happen."

"That simple, huh?"

"That simple," Vyse said. "I don't know what's waiting for us in Valua or what it'll take to save everyone but what I do know is we'll do it. Dad's coming home, the crew's coming home. Fina is coming home."

Aika sighed. "She must be terrified," she said, worried, shaking her voice. "I wish I knew why they were so desperate to take her. What's a sweet girl like that matter to Valua?"

"She'll tell us when she's ready," Vyse declared. "She's got a good heart."

"So do you," Aika replied automatically. A hint of red touched her face. "The moment we learned they were taken, you were already prepared to sail off."

Vyse grinned at his friend. "And you were just as prepared to come with me," he said.

They looked at each other for a moment, seeing something in the other that was previously unknown to either of them. The moment was broken by the sound of loud snacking from atop the lighthouse roof.

"Should I leave?" Pinta's voice chirped from above them. Aika took a jolted step backwards and looked up at the odd merchant.

"Pinta?! How long have you been there?!

The tiny man gave a shrug. "Hours," he said. "So technically, you know… you two are interrupting me."

Aika raised an eyebrow. "More moonberries?"

"More moonberries," the reply came as Pinta dangled one before his face before scarfing it down. "Is that fella your friend Vyse? I mean, I heard you say his name so I know but…"

Vyse chuckled and looked up at the strange little man. "That's me," he said. "And you're Pinta. You know, your information about that fancy cannon got the two of us out of a real bind."

Pinta stood up, waddled to the roof's edge and hopped down, joining them on the balcony. "S'my pleasure to help," he said. "Now I ain't full up on the details but it sounds like you got some friends in Valua who need some help."

The rogue nodded. "The Valuans attacked our home," he explained. "My father is… Victor Dyne. They took him and the rest of his crew. And another friend."

"Who sounds like a fine lady," Pinta offered. "Who is probably in way over her head if the Valuans are after her."

Aika sighed. "That's a way of putting it lightly," she said. "Fina barely knows anything about the world."

"I doubt that," Pinta said as he munched another moonberry. "Just because she doesn't know whatever you or I know doesn't mean she knows nothing. It's all about perspective, kid. You'll learn that as you get older."

"I'm pretty sure I'm older than you," Aika said, although it was hard to tell for certain.

"Maybe, but I know that I'm wiser," Pinta retorted with a wink.

Vyse laughed in earnest. "And what brings a wise man like yourself up here tonight?"

Pinta gestured towards the sky. "I'm shipping out tomorrow," he said. "Off to sail in search of treasure and fortune. Maybe a little trouble, mostly a lot of fun. I come up here before every fresh voyage. Imagine the possibilities."

"I look at the sunset every day," Vyse admitted. "Right now? I'm looking towards our goal. Towards Valua. If me and Aika are lucky, it'll be like your journey: maybe a little trouble, mostly a lot of fun."

"We all dream of giving the empire a black eye, kiddo."

Aika leaned upon the balcony railing. "I like the sound of it," she said dreamily.

Pinta swallowed another moonberry. "I think you had the right philosophy, Vyse."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Don't even imagine failure," Pinta replied. "Eliminate that crud from your mind, and then? Just.. do the thing. Even if it's impossible."

Vyse grinned. "Especially if it's impossible."

"Damn right," Aika added before she leaned forward further. "Wait.. what's that?"

A glint reflected on a bottle suspended impossibly in the night sky and as the three looked at it, the image came into focus. A small balloon listed towards the lighthouse. It was tied to a red balloon and bobbed closer and closer until it clinked upon the railing. Aika reached out and grabbed it.

"There's something inside.." She popped the bottle's cork to find a small piece of paper and scrawled writing in a shaky script that she hardly understood. A language that she didn't really know.

"I can't read this."

Pinta's small hand shot up to take the note.

"Lemme take a look," he said before chomping another moonberry. "I've seen a thing or two."

Vyse raised an eyebrow. "Is that really gonna do anything?"

Pinta regarded the paper, translating the script with relative ease. "Please send warriors to help us fight against the evil," he recited with curiosity.

"A prayer," Vyse said solemnly. "Or maybe a wish. If there's even a difference.."

"Whoever wrote this has their own share of troubles," Aika observed sadly. Pinta handed the letter to Vyse, who looked it over for a moment.

"Whatever the case, that letter reached you," Pinta observed. "You know what they say about prayers on the wind, right?"

Aika shook her head. "No, I don't."

Vyse smiled softly. "I do," he said. "Mom told me once. They sail in the direction of hope.."

"You two got a hell of a time ahead of you," Pinta noted. "But I think you'll be alright. But for now… seein' as we got ourselves a little bottle and balloon… how about we pass our own prayers to the wind?"

The tiny man produced his own piece of parchment and a small pencil from his vest pockets. He began to scribble something upon the page. "I'll start with… fresh fortunes. That's what I'll keep prayin' for."

He handed the paper to Aika. "What about you, kiddo?"

Aika took a moment to think before scrawling her own hope. "Free skies," she said.

She handed the paper to Vyse. He wrote immediately.

"Family and friends."

He rolled up the paper and slid it into the bottle. With a squeak, he popped the cork upon it and shoved it and the balloon that brought it back into the night sky. A gust of wind swept through the sky and carried the bottle away, upwards and onwards into the unknown. They watched until it faded into the night..