A/N: Hello my readers! I just want to say that I appreciate every one of you. I will be trying to upload chapters more frequently though I do not currently have a set schedule. These chapters take time since I am still planning the story out, but I've enjoyed hearing from some of you in my DMs that I have been missed. Now, on with the story!

Chapter 9

Akali's eyebrow twitched as Remi paced in front of her, his steps landing hard on the deck. The two had returned to the ship shortly after the events of the contest and both were starting to feel the effects of the day. It was almost evening now and Laura had yet to come back, causing the atmosphere between them to be rather stressful.

"Remi, would you relax?" Akali requested from her seat on the deck's floor, "Worrying is not going to solve anything."

"I'm not worried, I'm concerned," Remi responded, not stopping his movements, "What if she ran into trouble?"

"You should probably go search for her then," Akali said after a moment, annoyed with his fidgeting, "I think enough time has passed."

"All I wanted was for her to understand that it's not a good idea to trust people so easily," Remi stated adamantly.

"Well, you could've explained yourself in a better way," Akali replied while crossing her arms.

"I know," Remi admitted with a sigh, his expression remorseful, "I'm sorry."

"Apologize to Laura. She's the one you hurt."

Remi nodded, accepting her suggestion, "You're right. I'm going to look for her."

"Good, I'll stay here," Akali responded, relieved that he was going to try and find their missing companion.

"Keep an eye out?" Remi asked while walking towards the edge of the deck.

"Will do," Akali promised, watching him leave.

Once he was gone she let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She didn't like seeing the two at odds and hoped that everything would be resolved. In the meantime, she decided to enjoy the silence their absence brought in case it was short-lived.

Laura exhaled sharply for what seemed like the hundredth time as she stared out at the ocean. She had escaped to the beach, hoping the fresh air and scenery would calm her down, but they had done little to ease her mind. If she was being honest she felt like crying though she refused to let any tears fall since doing so would only further frustrate her. She had known from the beginning that Remi was reluctant to let her travel with him, but she never expected him to say it the way he did.

"There you are!"

Laura was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a familiar voice. She peaked over her shoulder from her spot in the sand to see Remi approaching and she quickly turned away, not wanting to face him. She wasn't sure if she could handle any more confrontations for the day.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Remi commented as he came to a stop next to her.

She kept silent, not trusting herself to speak and he released a sigh as he sat down.

"You didn't run into trouble, did you?" Remi questioned, trying to get her to talk.

"No," She answered quietly.

"Listen, Laura, about earlier," Remi started, wanting to explain himself and not liking the awkwardness between them, "I'm sorry for the things I said to you. You're not a burden and it was wrong of me to say that."

Laura was surprised by his words, but she listened to him carefully.

"My past has made me weary of others," Remi continued, his voice suddenly softer than before, "but that doesn't excuse the way I acted. You've given me no reason to treat you poorly. You're one of the few people I've met with a kind heart and that's something to be proud of."

"I'm not that great," Laura countered with a side glance, her signature smile returning, "Thanks for the apology though."

Remi was glad that her mood seemed to have improved, but there was still the matter of Elsie.

"I don't want to ruin the moment, but I'd like to finish our discussion about Elsie," Remi stated, bringing up the previous topic.

"We should give her a chance," Laura insisted, not wavering from her opinion.

Remi rubbed his chin as he thought over the situation. At this point, he had to come to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be able to dissuade his companions. He was still skeptical of the deal, but he knew that the benefits outweighed the risks.

"Alright, we'll accept her offer," Remi said as he got up from the sand.

Laura grinned and did the same, happy that he was being open-minded, "Great! Let's go tell her the news!"

Remi smiled slightly at the fact that she was back to her usual self and he was thankful that things were normal once again.

Elsie whistled a cheerful tune as she walked back to her temporary living quarters, her guns clinking lightly in rhythm. After winning the contest, she decided to spend the rest of her day in town and treated herself to some delectable sweets. She had no plans for the evening other than to retire before sunset, but a pair of faces caught her attention and she changed her course.

"Oh, hey, it's you two," She greeted, giving Laura and Remi a friendly wave.

"Sorry about the delay," Remi started, not wasting any time, "If it wasn't obvious we would like to take you up on your offer."

"Really? That's great!" Elsie exclaimed, pleased with the news, "I just need to grab my belongings from the inn, but I'm ready to set sail whenever."

"Go ahead, we'll wait here," Remi replied, his tone casual.

"Be right back!" Elsie stated before taking off towards the inn.

Once Elsie was out of sight, Laura turned her attention to the navigator. There was something he had said during his apology that she wanted to address.

"Remi," Laura called out, drawing his gaze.

"Yeah?"

"I want to know more," She requested, her expression curious.

"More about what?" Remi asked, not understanding the question.

"Your past."

His posture visibly stiffened and Laura registered his hesitancy.

"You can trust me," Laura reassured, not wanting him to feel uneasy.

"It's not that," He answered as his hand combed through a few strands of his hair, "It's just that it's-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the two were engulfed by a large shadow and a gust of wind blew past them. Remi cried out and Laura looked to see that he had been swooped up by a giant red and black bird. The avian flew high into the air, its talons firmly holding him.

"Remi!" Laura yelled, not believing what was happening before her.

A few gasps and shouts came from some nearby onlookers and they moved out of the way as Laura instinctively chased after them.

"Let go!" Remi commanded his captor, not liking the height he was being carried at.

"What's going on?" A voice behind Laura questioned.

Laura turned to see Elsie had returned and was following behind her, an alarmed expression on her face.

"Remi was taken," Laura informed, pointing to the bird. "We have to help him!"

The two girls then sprinted forward, trying to keep their eyes on the flying creature. They were headed towards the sea and Remi was trying to wiggle his way free. However, he could see the ground beneath them and his stomach turned with vertigo. If he were to fall he could very well break several bones in his body.

"Keep moving like that and I'll end up dropping you."

Remi froze and gazed up at the creature, not expecting it to have the ability to speak. The bird's voice was feminine though it had a distinct rasp to it.

Shit! Don't tell me I'm being kidnapped, He thought exasperatedly as the feeling of dread took over.

"Bring him back right now!" Laura screamed from below, running as fast as her legs could take her. She wanted to launch some rocks at their target, but she would likely injure Remi in the process.

Gunshots suddenly rang out from behind, startling her. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Elsie had a gun pointed in the air, firing the weapon a few times. The bird turned to the side just in time to dodge the incoming bullets and let out a sharp squawk.

"Damn it!" Elsie shouted as she watched the bird fly higher and farther into the distance.

"There's no use resisting, Deniz."

Remi gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in response. Laura's screams were distant now and he couldn't help but feel hopeless. He had been captured and it was no use fighting anymore. All he could think of was what would happen now that he had finally been found.

Laura and Elsie slowed down, their breathing labored. They were losing sight of the bird and both knew that it was pointless to continue pursuing them on foot.

"They're heading east," Elsie observed, placing her hands on her hips. "We should start sailing now if we want to catch up."

"You're right," Laura agreed, her voice filled with determination, "I won't lose him!"

"Then let's get a move on," Elsie responded with a grin due to the thrill.

With their plan to track down the bird in motion, the two girls raced in the direction of the docks, each knowing that the next few hours were crucial.