Hello everyone and welcome to chapter 43 of the story! June is here meaning that summer is close meaning that we are officialy in the season were one speculates wich servants will get swimsuits this year and meaning LB6 is upon us on NA. Oh and Ordeal Call to release in a couple of days. (I hope). (And the Strange Fake OVA too! Damn if this summer will be good for Fate fans!)
But with that said, let's begin the chapter!
DISCLAIMER: All the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the OC's that belong to me, the author.
Nala looked strangely at the young man who had just come out of the bushes after she forcefully took the cocconut away from the place, dragging him along as well. "Who the hell are you?" Nala asked as the young man got up from the ground and brushed his own clothes, cleaning himself from the dirt.
"Keh! Who am I?" He said in total indignation, not liking Nala's question. "Do you live under a rock or are just too dumb and ignorant to have never heard about me? The greatest leader and captain of the mighty ancient greek crew, Jason of the Argonauts!" The young man revealed himself as Jason, saying it with a big narcissistic and proud smile on his face.
"Never heard of it, sorry." Nala said with total sincerity, causing Jason's smile to dissapear and be replaced with a look of annoyance.
"All of that effort of gathering heroes and risking my ass several times to still be unknown by some people?! What the hell does the people from your village teach you?!" Jason said to Nala.
"Why the complaining? Does my life changes if I know who you are or not?" Nala responded, not liking very much of Jason's attitude.
"Well it does change." Jason smirked. "You get to have someone to look up to in your life."
Before Nala could reply back, Euryale stepped into the conversation. "Jason of the Argonauts. Yes, I do know who you are."
The young man stood surprised when he saw Euryale in front of him. "Oh, and you could by any chance be..."
"A goddess? Yes I am one." Euryale responded. "Why do you asked me that?"
Jason scratched the back of his head. "Oh it was because of that aura of yours. I did felt some divine aspect on you. And it's good to see my name is familliar to a goddess such as-"
Euryale turned her head to Nala. "And yep. You aren't missing anything if you know him or not. He isn't that big of a deal."
"I'M HEARING THAT YOU KNOW?!" Jason shouted to Euryale.
"Thanks for telling me." Nala said to Euryale before staring back at Jason. "But what were you even doing here in this island alone?"
"First, I'm not alone kid. I have other people with me. Second, I should be the one making that question. What is a kid and a goddess doing on this island alone?" As he said that, Jason's mind was already thinking in something. "If these two are really alone then this is a golden chance right here!" His eyes were fixed on Euryale.
"Just like you we are not alone." Nala responded, pointing at Asterios who walked torwards the trio, standing behind the two girls. "He's also here with us."
"There's also other people of ours that are on another part of the island at the moment. So we are definetly not alone" Euryale added.
Asterios seemed defensive as he looked menacingly at Jason, seeing the young man as a stranger and possible threat to Euryale and Nala.
Jason's legs shivered a bit as he looked at the minotaur's eyes. "Crap! It won't be as easy as I tought if this big guy is serving as that goddess bodyguard."
"Lord Jason! Where are you?" A voice came behind the bushes.
"Phew! Talk about appearing just in time!" Jason smiled in relief as he heard the voice.
"Hm? Who goes there?" Nala demanded as she summoned her sword and pointed in the direction of the bushes.
"Hehehe, calm down. It's just my two loyal followers." Jason told her. "I even have a big guy like yours over there."
"What big guy?" Euryale asked him.
The earth shakened a bit in that moment, with some sounds of heavy footsteps approaching to the local.
"You're about to see him okay? Just make sure to not piss yourselves when seeing him." Jason chuckled. "His appearence can be quite off putting to some people, specially to kids."
Despite that, Nala got her sword ready for whatever was about to appear from the bushes. But once it actually did, Nala's eyes widened in shock and bewilderment as the giant shadow of the 'big guy' towered over her. "What the..."
"Is this amount enough Drake-san?" Mash asked to Drake after cutting down another tree that would joing to a group of cutten trees so that their wood could serve as repair for the hole in the hull of Drake's ship as well in other damaged areas of the vessel.
"Yes. That's a good amount. Pair with the other trees that Nala and the other two must be cutting and I guess will have enough to totally fix the Golden Hind." Drake told Mash as she helped the shielder pick up the fallen tree. As the two put it down next to the rest, Drake had something to tell to Mash. "Look, about what happened yesterday...I'm sorry."
Mash got confused on why she was hearing that coming out of Drake's mouth at this exact moment. "Uh? But why are you excusing to me?"
"I caught sight of the girl crying hugged to you. It mustn't be easy to live with the feeling that your brother might be dead." Drake said, revealing to Mash she saw Nala sobbing next to the shielder on yesterday's night. "I may have been rough with her, but still feel like it was needed. As a captain, it's my duty to pacify the things when they aren't looking good, even if I have to sound agressive sometimes." She explained. "So, if she feels like not wanting to talk with me, I-"
"Nala understands that you didn't mean to act like that out of spite." Mash interrupted Drake. "She knows what she was about to do would be a huge stupid mistake. You just helped her seeing it." Mash smiled to the pirate captain before looking at her own hands on the shield. "However, I also felt affected when I watched her crying. I feel like I have wronged not only her but my master and Peko. I should have been able to protect them and yet..." She grabbed her shield tightly. "I want to do better next time! For everyone's sake!"
Drake smiled at hearing that. "That's the spirit." She touched Mash's shoulder. "A captain is nothing without its mateys. Now let's start to bring these trees to the ship. We'll call the rest to help us transport everything once we get there."
Mash nodded. "Aye aye capt-"
A huge sound of clashing and cloud of smoke appear above the horizon, coming from the other part of the island.
"That came from the area where Nala, Euryale and Asterios were supposed to be cutting other trees! Mash exclaimed, worried that something bad might have happened to them.
"Let's move quick then!" Drake told Mash as she started running to the area where the clash came from, with Mash following her behind.
"Ahahahaha! Make sure to squash them like bugs Heracles!" Jason yelled as he observed the conflict behind a rock, seeing Nala dodging restlessly to the attack of a big colossal and muscular man with a darker tone of skin. The face of the giant man was so agressive and violent that it looked more like an enraged monster than a man. Even the long dark hair was loose and wild. Nala looked like a small dog in comparison to the man's body structure.
Nala wasn't even trying to attack him. She just focused on avoiding the blows as she realized that she had no chanve of defeating this thing that was still continuing the violent assault on her. As for Asterios, the poor minotaur servant tried to make front against Jason's ally but ended up brutally being beaten to the side, with Euryale having to tend to his wounds wich forced Nala to fend off against this powerhouse alone.
"This is insane! He hasn't stopped trying to attack me for a good minute now! I can't even have enough time to find an opening in him or anything! He even can keep up with my speed!" Nala analyzed as she tried to get away as far as possible from the enemy, with huge fear pumping in her heart. A swing of that club sword of his was enough to decimate entire trees. So if it hit her, Nala would be completly gone. Nala tried to continue dodging the attacks when a sharp pain came from her chest. Her wounds from the battle with Blackbeard's crew would open if she continued pushing her body like that. "Kkgh!"
A moment of distraction was enough to let Nala's enemy to swing it's giant club torwards her, coming at the girl with huge speed and impact.
"Air Step!"
Nala dodged the club by mere inches, with some hair being cut away. But now she had an open to attack the giant man thanks to the skill. However, the man himself was quicker than Nala and blocked the blow of her sword. "What!?"
The enemy then grabbed Nala's sword, doing the best to ignore the shock voltages that would come from the weapon and threw it away alongside the small girl, making her fall to the ground some meters away from him. It weighed like a baseball to him, having to do almost no effort to launch Nala to the ground.
As she painfully tried to get back up, Nala hold her hand tightly against her chast. "Damnit! M-My wounds are about to open! He defended the only blow I was able to do!" Nala looked to the colossal built man as he walked slowly torwards her. "Just...what is this thing?"
"That's it Herc! Kill her now and then treat care of the rest as well!" Jason ordered to the man with a big smile on his face. The person next to him, a young purple haired witch, didn't seemed so found of the idea however.
"But Lord Jason, she's a kid. Could we do the things differently other than kill-"
"Shut up! I'm the captain here! I'm the one who decides the way we should do things or not!" Jason reprimanded the young witch, ignoring her plea.
As Nala could only struggle to get up as the giant man approached, she could only think of this as her end. She had no way of escaping or surviving such powerful adversary. "I-I can't...fight back anymore..." As the girl was mentally preparing herself to meet her end, a bullet came behind the man and hitted the back of his head. Altough it didn't killed him or dealt great damage, it was enough to make him stop walking torwards Nala.
"What the hell are ya doing with my crewmates?!" An angry Drake shouted as she came out of the trees with her pistols in hand. Mash appeard behind the pirate woman, quickly running torwards Nala and putting herself and the shield in front of the girl.
"M-Mash!" Nala smiled in seeing her friend coming to the rescue.
"Are you okay Nala?" Mash asked to her, with her eyes focused on the big enemy that had apparently attacked Nala.
In the distance, Jason cleenched his teeth upon seeing the arrival of Mash and Drake. "Crap. Just what I needed right now!" He hissed, punching the rock he was using to hide. "But it doesn't matter who appears to face us! Herc still crushes them as well!" Jason proceeded to look at Euryale who was tending to Asterios's wounds. "Now if I could managed to snatch her as everyone is distracted..." He smirked as an idea appeard in his mind. "I know! I'll order Medea to perform one of her spells!" He turned his head to the side. "Listen Mede-...huh?"
The young witch wasn't by his side anymore. Instead, she was now helping healing their supposed enemies, with Heracles calmly watching on the side.
"Ephemeral Romance"
"Done." Medea said happily to Nala. "This will make your body feel better."
Nala touched her chest again. The pain had indeed decresed. Almost gone even. She really felt much better. "Heh. Thanks."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOIIIIIIIIIING!?" Jason screamed in the background, shocked in seeing Medea's action of helping the enenmy as well as Heracles deciding to stop fighting and instead nicely sit in the ground, relaxing his own body.
"That magic spell of yours was great." Mash praised Medea's skills. "You must be some kind of mage or witch to do that level of spells, don't you?"
Medea giggled. "You aren't wrong at all miss of the shield. I am truly a witch. Altough I'm only in my first years of witchcraft." She said before going torwards Euryale and Asterios.
"Ephemeral Romance"
She casted the spell again, this time on the injured minotaur servant. Asterios was capable to stand up again, now almost cured from all his wounds and battle scares.
"Thank you for doing this." Euryale said before looking at Medea. "With magic like that hmmmm...You must be Medea. The Witch of Colchis."
"And you're right too, goddess Euryale of the Gorgon Sisters." Medea replied back.
"Medea? The famous greek witch?" Mash murmured as she heard Medea's name.
"Know something about her?" Nala asked to Mash.
"Yes. Medea is a very famous character of the greek mythology and literature. Her tale is very centered with the Argonauts." Mash explained to Nala.
"And what exactly are those Argowhats?" Drake asked, being the first time she was hearing such name.
"How dare you not know about my crew!?" Jason said in indigantion as he was walking torwards Medea. "We aren't just your random every day average pirate crew! We are the most special and powerful crew of all! And I'm its captain! So I demand respect if anything!"
"And who's the blondie?" Drake asked.
"The jackass said he was named Jason or something." Nala responded to Drake.
"Kkrgh! The insolence of some people..." Jason calmed down his anger before approaching Medea, where then he would unload it on her. "Why the hell are you helping them you idiot!? Don't you see the lesser the enemies the better?!"
Medea frowned. "But Lord Jason, we-"
"I don't want to hear any 'we' or 'I' or 'you' or 'he/she' or 'them'! This should have-"
Medea sighed. "Sorry for this my lord." She said before pulling Jason by the arm so the two could talk in private.
"Hey! What the hell are you-" Jason's rant ended as Medea started to whisper something in his ear. And it was probably something that pleased him as Jason cracked a sly smile after hearing it
"So? What does Lord Jason think?" Medea asked him with a smile.
"Not bad at all Medea. Not bad at all." Jason responded as the two returned to face the rest of the people that where in the area. "First of all, I want to say sorry for what happened before. Looks like we didn't started with the right foot." He said, walking torwards Drake's group.
"Hm hm." Medea nodded her head. "We are deeply sorry for the occurrence. Forgive Lord Jason as well please. He is a big coward, so it happens sometimes he decides to order us kill people he meets who make him feel nervous and scared."
Jason's smile slipped for a moment. "T-There was no need to tell that at all!" He said, trying to keep his posture.
"Now that you said that, he did looked quite scared when looking at Asterios." Nala replied, giving a cheeky smile.
"Oh! So that big minotaur is indeed Asterios!" Medea exclaimed. "It's nice to finally meet him. And for someone who is described as a monster, he does look rather humane."
Asterios blushed a bit. "T-Thank...you..."
Jason however wasn't with the same thinking. "Wait! This thing is Asterios? Talk about dissapointment. And yet how the hell I got scared of him?! Tsk, where is that smilling fool of Theseus when one needs him?"
"Yes he is actaully gentle when one gets to know him." Euryale patted Asterios's arm. "That monster thing is nothing but a farce of a legend attached to him. Isn't that right Asterios?"
"Don't...know..." Asterios responded, staring at the ground.
Seeing that, Euryale tried to cheer him up. "Come on Asterios! You don't believe that you are a monster yourself, do you?"
Seeing that the conflict had been erased, Drake went to guard her handguns. "Also, who is your big guy?" She asked while looking at Heracles. "He sure seems tough."
Jason made the honours of introducing him to her and the rest of her group. "Hm! This big guy right here is one if not the most legendary greek hero to have ever existed. His might knows no equal on this earth. Son of the chief god himself Zeus, wich in turn makes this beast of a man a demi-god." His smile grew as he would hype the giant behind him. "I'm talking of the greatest hero of the entire Greece history of course! Heracles!"
Mash got astonished at hearing the name, proceeding to look at the giant. "So this is the famous Heracles..."
"Even I have heard about him." Drake said. "Everyone does. That's how famous he is."
"His strenght surely lives up to that. If you two hadn't appeard, me, Euryale and Asterios would have died." Nala told. "Speaking of wich, he's a Berserker isn't he?" She asked to Medea and Jason.
"That's right. He is." Medea said. "Unfortunately that's due to Madness Enchantment. You may not believe it but Herc as such a way with words when sane."
"But talking or not, I still consider him my pal. When in trouble, always count on him to save the situation!" Jason talked greatly of Heracles.
"It rather sounds to me that he is too dependent of him." Euryale tought.
As for Heracles himself, he approached Nala, standing behind the white haired girl. Nala herself didn't know why. "Hmm? You want to apologize?" She asked before giving a smile. "Well, I have to say, you certainly are the strongest Berserker I've ever fought."
Reacting to Nala saying that specific word, Heracles reached out his arm to her, surprising the girl.
"Uh? What are you-" Nala stopped talking the moment Heracles giant hand touched her head gently, confusing Nala and everyone around. "Is it because I called you Berserker?"
Heracles nodded, managing to show a small smile. When not fighting like a furious monster, the great greek warrior seemed and behaved rather humanly.
"Now that's strange. Heracles very rarely smiles." Medea noted. "Heh. He must have liked you...Nala? Is it?"
"Yes it is. Nice to meet you too." She said before giving a mean glare to Jason. "Expect the jerk over there."
"Likewise." Jason replied with slight scorn.
"My name is Mash Kyrielight." Mash introduced herself to the trio. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"And I'm Francis Drake, captain of the crewmembers you just attacked." She said, still a bit averse to the three despite the conflict having died out by now.
"Hehehe. Oh that." Jason laughed nervously. "Like I said, it was an accident. A misunderstanding of my part."
"Misunderstanding?! The moment Heracles appeard you ordered him to attack us!" Nala argued back.
"Because the minotaur over there scared me alright! I tought my life was in danger at that moment hence why I asked Herc for help!" Jason refuted Nala's argument.
"Why? Didn't you told me you were the great captain of your crew? Then why didn't you fought us and instead let your friend do all the work?" Nala questioned Jason. "I'd say you are nothing but talk."
Jason cleenched his teeth. "Grr! This girl..." But he quickly recomposed himself. "It's because I don't see the necessity to fight little girls like you. It would be a waste of time you know?"
Excused to say that got a bit under Nala's skin. "Hmphm! That's why you hid behind a rock right?" Nala responded back.
"Please Nala, cool down a little." Mash advised her. "I know you didn't had good first impressions with him but let's try to not end up fighting each other again."
"I wholeheartedly agree." Medea supported the shielder. "Say, what are all of you doing here on this island cutting all these trees?"
"Ship's got a hole in the hull as well other damages." Drake told to the Caster. "Now we are trying to collect material enough to fix it."
With the explanation given, Jason's mind immediatly picked up something. "So you are trying to repair your ship? Curiously enough, this island has a nest of wyverns on its center. You could use the wyverns scales as material to fix your ship."
Mash thinked that didn't sound like a bad idea at all. "It could work. I heard the scales of a wyvern are more resilient than normal wood."
"Yep. Plus if you want to reforce even more your ship, we can lend you some material of our own ship to help, the Argo." Medea told to Drake's group.
"A very good proposal don't you think?" Jason told them.
Drake however needed some time to think. "Everyone. Near me." She called the members of her crew and now all the four girls plus Asterios were discussing if they should follow Jason and Medea's advise as well as accept their help. "So, should we join forces or not?"
"Medea seems a nice person. That Jason dude however is kinda fishy." Nala expressed her opinion.
"Thinking the same here." Drake replied. "He clould be trying to set a trap for us."
"I don't know. He might just look like that and we may be just judging him wrong." Mash speaked. "If there really is a wyvern's nest, then it means they indeed want to help us."
"I think we should ask them to guide us to that wyvern's nest then." Euryale said. "If they start to lead us somewhere else other than the island's center, it means they are enemies who cannot be trusted."
"Hmm, that doesn't sound bad." Mash replied. "We can give them the benefit of the doubt."
"Just a warning that if they intend to lure us to a trap, we have to be very careful with Hercales." Nala told them. "As much as I hate to say it, I think not even all of us together could defeat him. But in contrast, he could be a great ally for us if they really mean to aid us."
"We could be more able to defeat Blackbeard and his crew with them as well." Mash said. "It would make rescuing master and Peko more easier."
"Then let's just agree to believe them for now?" Euryale asked.
"Yeah. For now." Nala responded.
"I too choose to temporarily trust them." Mash decided. "And what about you Asterios-san?"
"Not...sure..." Asterios responded. "Don't know...to trust...or not..."
With everyone deciding the same thing, Drake speaked for last. "Okay. It's settled." She then exited from the group and approached to the trio of Jason, Medea and Heracles. "We will trust you for now. Show us the way to the wyvern's nest."
"Sure! Good to see that you've choosen wisely." Jason smiled. "I mean, only morons would try to refuse the Argonauts help."
Drake however didn't finished from talking. "But as fair warning, no tricks, savvy? Just because we accepted the offer doesn't mean we are not cautious of you. So don't even think on fooling us."
"Don't worry. We promise to show you and your crew the wyvern's nest." Medea told Drake. "Jason will lead you the way."
"Huh? Me on the front? You want me to get attacked by a random monster in surprise?" Jason protested, clearly against the idea of going upfront. "I have a better suggestion. Why don't YOU go on the front instead?"
Despite the rudeness, Medea still smiled. "Hmm, yes I think I can also go on the front. But could you be right behind me Lord Jason?" She asked him nicely.
"Yeah yeah. Sure. I'll protect your back blah blah blah and all that stuff." Jason said indifferently before staring back at Drake and the rest of her group. "Anyways, better get moving. Going to the nest now will be great since the wyverns ususally tend to stay there at this hour. Meaning we will probably encounter the place full."
"Aye. In that case we'll be ready for the battle." Drake checked her guns and hatchets. "You heard him guys! Let's go to the nest!"
"Understood captain!" Mash replied before the group, now joined with the Argonauts trio, started to walk torwards the center of the island where the nest full of wyverns was located.
With a minute into their walk, Heracles looked back at Nala and offered her his hand. Something in the demi-god's body told him to do that.
Nala was a bit confused by the Berserker's action. "Why are you offering me your hand?" She asked to Heracles, who gestured to his own shoulder with his head. "Oh! You want me to be transported on your shoulder?" Nala asked him. Heracles nodded in return. "Heh. Thank you Her- I mean...you want me to call you Berserker right?" Heracles nodded once again. Nala giggled. "Alright then Berserker." She said before climbing to the giant's hand and satting on his shoulder. "Thanks for the generosity."
Mash couldn't help but notice how sweetly Heracles was treating Nala. "He seems very kind around you Nala. It's almost hard to believe that he was trying to kill you before."
"I don't know why tough. But hey, I appreciate him for that!" Nala happily rubbed Heracles head. Despite their initial fight, he seemed cool.
On the front, Jason watched to Nala and Heracles interaction with some jealousy. "How dare she get a ride from Herc when I never got one in my entire life?!"
"We have arrived!" Medea exclaimed as the group entered the area that was supposedly the wyvern's nest.
The place was on the inside of a volcano shaped crater to wich nature managed to bloom. Looking at all the green vegetation of the giant natural made walls, everyone was able to spot the countless wyverns sleeping. Some on the ground and others supporting their bodies on branches that would sprung from the walls. The amount of them was great enough. Killing all the wyverns on the nest would give them sufficient scales to repair Drake's ship.
"Confirming about sixty wyverns in the area." Mash informed. "Preparing combat mo-"
Drake didn't waste time and immediatly took out her handgun, taking a shot at a wyvern's head, killing it. That however alerted the rest, waking them up and bellowing with hostility to the invaders. "Update the numbers Mash. It has just fall down to fifty-nine." Drake told with a smile.
"Why the hell didn't you warned us first eh?!" Jason screamed with anger but also scared of now having a whole horde of monsters onto him.
"Hey, we came here to fight didn't we?" Drake responded to the leader of the Argonauts. "Let's blast every single one of them!"
Nala summoned her sword. "Aye aye captain!"
"Ready Asterios?" Euryale asked to her friend who let out an affirmative growl.
Also wanting to help, Medea summoned some kind of skeleton warriors. "This are my Dragon Tooth Warriors! Accept them as my help!" She then swinged her staff, ordering her summoned warriors to charge torwards the wyverns. Everyone did the same and soon they were fighting and killing wyverns left and right.
With the battle ensuing, things were going smoothly for them.
Mash and Nala took advantage of the situation to work more as a duo. The two girls were hitting and defeating wyverns as they would stay close to one another and work almost in unison. Mash would stunn the wyvern with her shield for then Nala cut off its head quickly after that. And the reverse would also be done.
Seeing a wyvern up in the air, Mash had an idea on how to defeat it. "Nala come here!" She said to her before putting the shield upwards.
"Got it!" Nala responded as she runned torwards Mash and jumped onto her shield to then be propelled torwards the wyvern in the sky, cutting the creatue in half with a clean cut.
Another wyvern appeard near Mash and the shielder blocked its teeth from attacking her, responding back with a kick on the creature's snout who then received another kick from above by Nala and ended up having its throat sliced by Mash's sheild, killing it. The two then leaned on each other's back as more wyvern appeard to surround them.
"These things love to get their asses beaten, don't you think?" Nala said with a confident smirk.
"I wouldn't exactly use that term but yes. It does seem like it." Mash responded with a smile.
And it weren't only the two girls that were fighting well. Drake and Asterios were also killing any wyvern that would dare approach them.
"And that's seven to the count!" Drake exclaimed as she blasted the head of another wyvern. She was having fun. As she went to clash with a wyvern's claw by using her hatchet, Asterios growled behind her. "Oh, what is-" Drake got out of the way as Asterios grabbed the wyvern by the neck, snapped it and started to spin around alongside the monster's corpse, throwing it at a bunch of other wyverns.
"Sheesh! That was a good one big guy!" Drake gaved Asterios a thumbs up.
But the one who was really making a wreck of the place was Heracles. The Berserker's destructive power was absurd as well as his speed and agility. With a good swing of his club, Heracles would eliminate four wyverns easily as well as do some damage on the thick walls. Medea was also there by his side helping him with spells and other types of attacking magecraft, but Heracles was a full powerhouse all by itself. It was enough to make Nala temporarily gaze at him in awe.
"Can I be that strong?"
"Nala watch out!" Mash yelled at her as she warned Nala in time to make her see a wyvern from behind and dodge the blow, striking the wyvern in return with Mash finishing the job.
"Hey! Brat with the ponytail! Pay attention to the damn battle you're having!" Jason yelled at Nala...while watching slightly from afar near Euryale and a couple of Dragon Tooth Warriors.
"You're one to talk!" Nala replied. "Come help us then!"
"I can't. My body is on a rigorous schedule." Jason said with a quick excuse. "So I can't do much right now. Good luck still!" He said with a taunting smile.
"Hrgh...unbelivable." Nala mumbled to herself before focusing on the fight with the wyverns again.
Euryale was making sure that no wyvern would approach her and Jason by having her bow in hand. Altough she hadn't great strenght or combat skills to join the rest, she would make sure to protect herself. She however wasn't expecting Jason to also be in tha backline with her. "For the captain of the Argonauts, you do like to get on the background of a fight. Hope those tales about you aren't just exaggerations of reality."
Jason cackled. "As if. I assure to you goddess that every single of my heroic deeds in the tales you've heard is nothing but the truth!" As he said that, he was also thinking on something else. "Now this would be a great chance to grab you and-"
Euryale turned around and pointed her arrow at Jason who immediatly got scared.
"Waitwaitwaitwaitwait! I wasn't thinking that! I really mean to protect you!"
"Just lower your head please." Euryale requested him. Jason followed her instruction and Euryale shot the arrow at a wyvern that was behind them, pushing the monster away. "Pay more attention next time, will you?"
Jason sweated a bit as he looked at Euryale with an annoyed stare. "Y-Yes I will..."
And so the battle continued with everyone slaughtering the wyvern's nest and putting their fighting skills into practice. After this was done, they would collect all of the scales of the wyverns they defeated in order to fix the Golden Hind.
"That was incredible, don't ye think friend?" Blackbeard came out of his room laughing while putting his arm over the shoulder of a happy Ritsuka. "I told you the next two versions would be incredible!"
"I have to say, it really exceeded my expectations!" Ritsuka said. "That ending was everything! You're right, I was stupid in not giving the series a second chance."
As the two would chat, Peko also came out of the room feeling sick and dizzy. "Hergh...too much...colors, flash and light saturation...to my head..." He said. Seeing all those explosions, quick action and bright colours was almost an overcharge to Peko's brain. It was very over the top for him.
Ritsuka noticed Peko's state. "You good there Peko? You seem kinda nauseous."
"Nah I-I'm fine." Peko shook his head. "Perfectly fine!"
Blackbeard approached him. "Did you enjoyed it kid? Was it cool?"
"Y-Yeah. Kinda I guess. The story was a tad confusing thou." Peko gave his opinion to Blackbeard.
"Ah, makes sense. You didn't watched the previous versions. Without the lore from those versions one cannot understand the story of the current version." Blackbeard said in a wiseful veteran tone. "But don't worry my young friend. I'll make sure to explain everything about the franchise's universe as well as the previous versions."
"Can't we just take a break for now?" Peko asked almost in mercy.
"I think a pause would do good for now. Having sometime to reflect on the ending and characters would be good." Ritsuka said. "Also to explore the ship in the meantime. There can be some useful information in here that perhaps can give us a clue on how to escape and defeat Blackbeard."
Blackbeard gladly accepted his new friend's request. "Of course! Feel free to walk around! Me home is yer home now!" The captain told the two before hearing a coughing sound from behind. It was from Anne.
"Does the captain know how long you and the hostages have been inside the captain's room?" Anne asked him.
"Huh...Hours enough to finish watching the last version of SpaceStars Mecha?" Blackbeard reply unsure.
"Wich were four hours!" Anne exclaimed. "I was already thinking that I would need to take you out of the room by force."
"Why that?" Blackbeard asked, completly oblivious.
"Because the ship hasn't moved since you three went to watch that Space something something." Anne revealed to him, causing a reaction of shock on the man's face.
"WHAT?! And why the hell didn't you took control of the helm woman?! Aren't you a Rider as well?" Blackbeard questioned her.
"Because someone said to me 'My ship, my helm. Nobody else has authorization to use it except me or unless you have my permission.'" Anne explained, immitating Blackbeard's voice.
"Oh. I see." Blackbeard said in a defeated tone. "Well, no fret. This ship will start to set sail in no time!" Blackbeard declared before heading torwards the helm. "Also make sure to treat my new friends nicely savvy? Weigh anchor mateys!" He exlcaimed to the crew, leaving Anne with Ritsuka and Peko.
Ritsuka tried to start a friendly conversation with Anne despite the unfriendliness in her face. "I think I've heard about you before."
"Oh really?" Anne responded, trying to pretend she was unintrested by that.
"Yeah. You're the famous pirate woman, Anne Bonny right?" Ritsuka said.
"Well if that ain't signal of my fame?" Anne replied with a smile. "But yep. Ya right cute boy!"
"Then it means the short one next to you must be Mary Read." Ritsuka tried to figure the other girl who was always standing by Bonney's side.
"Who are you calling short?" The voice from Mary appeard as the girl herself climbed the deck's stairs and approached them. "Do you realize I'm taller than the kid next to you?"
"Sorry but I think Ritsuka didn't meant to offend you." Peko told Mary.
"Oh dont worry kiddo. She gets like that when near people she secretly likes." Anne teased Mary.
"You wan't to be killed don't you?" Mary said menacingly to her partner.
"I'm just joking Mary! Relax!" Anne smiled nervously.
"Then if you were famous pirates, does it mean you also had your very own pirate crew?" Peko asked to the two with curiosity.
"Well we didn't had quite the chance to do it. But I wished we could have had that opportunity." Anne said with a smile. "Captains of our crew hm hm. How does that sound to you Mary?"
"If it meant we would have good fights and proper management..." Mary replied.
"But hey now." Anne grabbed both Ritsuka and Peko, still smiling. "Just because that stupid captain considers you friends doesn't mean we think the same."
"Correct." Mary added. "Whatever plans you have, we will be watching you. So be careful." Mary threatened.
"Y-yeah. Sure." Ritsuka responded, feeling the tight grip of Anne's hand on his shoulder.
"But I also know something about you." Peko responded, having remembered of what Anne had told him when they first met.
"Oh? And what that could be?" Anne asked him.
"You say you planned to kill Blackbeard once you find the ar-"
Both Anne and Mary's eyes widened as the two quickly covered Peko's mouth.
"Ssshhh! Shut up you. Don't say that here!" Anne warned him.
"You better watch your damn mouth..." Mary said with her sword in hand.
Ritsuka was confused. "What are they talking about?"
Peko moved his face away from Anne's hand. "Anne told me that she and Mary plan to backstab Blackbeard once they find the ark." He whispered to his friend.
"Oh I see." Ritsuka said with a smug. "Are we having an upcoming mutiny in here?"
"Look! Don't tell Blackbeard about it, alright? We'll get in trouble if he suspects us!" Anne said to Ritsuka and Peko.
"Then how about this? You two don't threaten to kill us and watch us as we walk around the ship and we don't tell Blackbeard about your plot." Peko said to Anne and Mary.
"...Aye." Mary painfully agreed.
"Yeah. Sounds fair." Anne said with bothersome. "Let's go then Mary. I think we've talked with Blackbeard's friends for long enough." She said and the female pirate duo walked down the stairs, leaving Ritsuka and Peko be.
"Welp, that's at least a problem resolved." Ritsuka said to Peko.
"Yeah. Pirates really arent the most trustes bunch after all." A voice came from their side. Looking to the left, both saw the spearman nicely relaxing on the ground with the spear by his side.
"Aren't you a pirate as well?" Peko asked him a bit surprised.
"Nah. I'm not. So you can trust this old man." He smiled to Peko. "Man, seeing you two close kinda reminds of me and my younger brother. He's a shortie just like ya. Except a few centimeters shorter. I think you both would get along pretty well."
"Then if you're not a pirate what are you?" Ritsuka asked him.
"I'm a servant of course. Altough I bet that you probably knew already." The man chuckled. "So what exactly is this old man you may be wonderin'?
"What's your name?" Peko asked.
"Does that matters?" The spearman avoided Peko's question. "Besides, that weapon of yours..." He pointed at Peko. "Can I see it? It kinda drew this old man attention when I first saw it."
Not knowing if he should do it, Peko looked at Ritsuka.
"I think there's no harm if he just stares at it." Ritsuka told him, making Peko then think the same and summon the sword.
"Here it is." He approached the spearman. "Do you know something about it?"
"Hmm." The spearman looked at the sword closely. "I must say, this is definetly one of the rarest weapons I've ever seen." His hand went to touch the blade. "The material is clearly something that I've never se-" Upon making contact with the blade, Peko's sword gave a little shock to the man's finger. "Wow. It seems it doesn't like this old man's touch."
"Yeah. It gives shock to anyone who tries to wield it except me." Peko explained.
"Heh. So a weapon loyal to its owner." The man smirked.
"Your spear seems cool as well." Ritsuka commented on the man's weapon. "Wich makes me wonder who you might be."
"Like I said kid, that doesn't matter. I would prefer to keep my name a secret if yo-"
"Hey Hector! Go to the crow's nest and infmore me if ye caught glimpse of land nearby!" Blackbeard shouted his order to the man while navigating the ship.
The man's smile, who's name was now known to be Hector, trembled a bit. "Well, there goes the keeping my name a secret."
"Hector huh?" Peko reacted to the name being revealed. However, Peko couldn't figure out who he was. "Does it sound familiar to you Ritsuka?"
Ritsuka also couldn't immediatly discover Hector's identity despite his name having been revealed. "Nope. Can't remember a thing."
Hector smile stabilized after hearing that. "Now what a convenience for this old man." He then started to walk away. "Well, I don't wanna disobey the captain or anything. It was nice talking to ya. See ya later!"
"He is a very relaxed person it seems." Ritsuka said as he watched Hector walked in the middle of the deck.
"Yeah. And with that, we now know every servant name of Blackbeard's crew!" Peko told him.
"That's good for us. Now we need to know a way to escape the ship and explore it to find any weaknesses." Ritsuka responded. "Going back to the others with this information would be valuable."
"But escaping the ship with his servants around would be difficult. We would need a golden opportunity to do that without being seen." Peko said to Ritsuka. "Plus Blackbeard doesn't intend to kill us. So I think we could at least tag along for a while until the others come rescuing us."
"That doesn't sound bad." Peko responded. It was true that trying to escape Blackbeard's ship with his servants on board would be impossible. Perhaps waiting for a rescue would be the safest option.
"Hey mateys! Come here!" Blackbeard shouted to Ritsuka and Peko, requesting their presence near him.
"What does he want?" Peko asked.
"Don't know. Let's go there hear it." Ritsuka said as the two walked across the deck, stared in the eye of a scary Eric who seemed to haven't forgot about his battle with the Chaldea group and Drake, watching Ritsuka and Peko with some hostility. The two eventually reached near the helm where Blackbeard was still holding it. Anne and Mary were also there.
"So what's the matter cap'n?" Anne asked to Blackbeard why the motive they where there.
"Well, do you know how we heard that to open the ark we need the sacrifice of a deity?" Blackbeard told them about the process.
"Yeah we know. We aren't deaf." Mary responded.
Blackbeard proceeded. "Well then. I was thinking-"
"Use those 'friends' of yours as bait to Drake's crew and capture that little goddess?" Anne tried to guess. "Wow! That's a great plan actually! Wasn't expecting from a captain like you!"
Blackbeard however seemed confused by what she said. "What? No you stupid seaweed! Ye think I, a proud man of the sea would be capable of betraying me friends?!"
"Hum, then what do you want to tell us?" Ritsuka asked to Blackbeard who then chuckled.
"Good news mateys. A pirate ship affiliated to us gave me the information of another goddess in a nearby island." Blackbeard revealed.
"WHAT?!" All four exclaimed in unison.
Blackbeard took out the compass from his pocket. "Get ready and all hands on deck!" Blackbeard ordered them. "We're about to go hunting once we dock on the next island."
"Man, all this amount of scales is big enough that we might even have some scraps." Drake counted the number of wyverns scales that they collected from having decimated the entire nest. Now she alongside her crew where on board of the Argo, the Argonauts ship, that was sailing around the island in order to stop on the coast where Drake's ship was moored.
"And that wouldn't have been possible thanks to us, don't ya think?" Jason said to Drake, waiting to be praised by the pirate woman.
"But you didn't even defeat a single wyvern." Drake told him with a discontent stare.
"I-I still told you about the existence of the wyvern's nest, didn't I? So that counts as helping in my book." Jason argumented.
"Hergh, I guess so." Drake responded.
More on the border of the Argo, Mash was checking on Nala.
"Got any injury?" Mash asked her.
"Nope! All good!" Nala answered. "This was, how do you put it? Stress relieving? I think I was needing it." Nala said. "Still, I can't help but think about Peko and Ritsuka..."
"Me too. But we cannot let that drag us down." Mash told Nala. "Now that we have the material to fix Golden Hind, we will go rescue both of them as soon as possible!"
Feeling better with Mash's words, Nala nodded. "You're right." She then sticked her legs out of the ship, sitting on the boarder. With some seconds of silence between the two girls as they both stared at the sea, Fou came out off of Mash's shoulder to break the silence.
"Fu fou!"
"You miss them too, don't you Fou?" Mash picked the animal with her hands.
"Fu..." Fou responded.
"Don't worry. We'll get them back." Mash told him.
"Hey Mash." Nala called her out.
"What is it Nala?" Mash asked her.
"Have you ever been in...what was the name? A shopping mall?" Nala said to Mash.
"I've never been into one, but I know what it is." Mash speaked as she sat next to the younger girl. "A giant place full of stores of every type where people go to eat, buy clothes, furniture, food and etc. Why do you asked me that?"
"I read about a big mall back at Chaldea. The idea of such place existing fascinated me." Nala told her. "Going there must be fun. It just has everything!"
Mash smiled. "I suppose so. I think it would be nice going shopping at least once in my life. Just for curiosity."
Nala looked at Mash and then back at the sea before her mind tought of something. "I know! How about we two went shopping one of these days?"
Mash got a bit surprise. "Oh! Really? You sure about that?"
"One hundred percent! When we resolve all of this Grand Order and Human Incineration stuff, first thing we'll be doing is going to a mall buy some clothes!" Nala exlcaimed happily. "Don't tell me that doesn't sound good enough to you."
Mash giggled. "It does sound very good indeed. I like that idea."
Nala stuck her pinky finger out. "Then let's promise to each other that when the mission finishes, we shall go shopping together."
Mash initially hesitated. She wasn't sure if she wanted and should do this kind of promise, considering what she knew about herself. However, a part of her wished to see the day were both she and Nala would be going on a mall and having fun as friends, living normal days of her life. Mash accepted. "Promise." She did the pinky promise with Nala.
"What are you two talking about?" Euryale approached the two with Asterios behind her.
"Friend stuff. Also, can you stop evesdropping on people please?" Nala told Euryale.
"Sorry, but it isn't like you two were also talking in a private room or anything." Euryale replied.
Nala sighed. "Okay, you got a point there."
"How's Asterios-san wounds?" Mash asked the goddess.
"Thanks to Medea, almost all of them are completely cured." Euryale said. "You feel like new, don't you Asterios."
Asterios nodded. "Body...feel...fine..."
"Having both Medea and Heracles as allies is great for us." Mash said before remembering she forgot someone. "And Jason too, I guess."
"Oh, I see you appreciate mine, Heracles and Lord Jason's efforts in adding you." Medea said as she and Heracles walked torwards the group. "Glad our help is being of use to you."
"I think useful wouldn't be enough to describe it. You guys sure helped a lot." Nala told Medea. "And seeing Berserker stomping all those wyverns with ease was something else! I wonder how much training he did to fight like that."
Medea giggled at Nala's comment. "Heracles did a lot of training. But part of his strenght also comes from his devine origins. Still, he perfected the combat skills under the training of one of greek's best teachers as well." Medea said. "He and Lord Jason were trained by the same man. Their friendship comes from a long time."
"That explains why Jason likes him so much." Mash said.
"The two were friends since the early days." Euryale said. "Heracles was also one of the first members to join Jason in the Argonauts."
"That's true." Medea chuckled. "I remember how highly Lord Jason speaked of Heracles as he was introducing him to me."
As they were all talking to each other, a static noise appeard and was followed up by the hologram of Romani.
"Dr. Romani!" Both Mash and Nala exclaimed, drawing the attention of Drake.
"This means news!" She stopped helping Jason separating the wyvern scales into small groups and headed torwards the hologram and everyone else.
"H-Hey! Now that I decide to help you just decide to turn around and leave!?" Jason yelled at her. "Also who the hell is that?"
"That spectral guy is also with us. He give us valuable information." Drake explained to him.
"And connection is established." Romani said and before he could proceed, he saw Medea and Heracles near him as well as Jason in the distance. "I see you have once again met new people. Who are they?"
"These three are the Argonauts doctor." Mash informed him. "We've runned onto them in the island and they led us to a wyvern's nest where we collected their scales to use it as repair for Drake's ship."
Romani was surprised by the revelation. "The Argonauts?! Now that's lucky! It ain't everyday you can meet the oldest crew of mankind to ever exist. And a famous legendary one at that!"
Jason was proud of hearing recognition of his crew. "Hehe, you're right. You are lucky to be seeing some of our crew, specially me, the captain."
"...The captain?" Romani stared at Jason confused. "Y-You're Jason?"
"Yeah! What's the surprise?" Jason asked with indignation.
"I tought you looked more...brave." Romani said a bit dissapointed.
"Huh!? What do you mean by that?! You think any random weirdo can gather heroes and demi-gods across the entire Greece that easily?! Jason yelled furious.
Ignoring the anger of her captain, Medea introduced herself to Romani. "Nice to meet you, I'm Medea. Also ignore Lord Jason for a bit please. He tends to be overemotional sometimes." She then pointed at Herc. "And this one right here is Heracles."
Romani was amazed by Heracles appearence. "Wow! Now that's the true herculean strenght! Great to finally see the great Heracles with my own eyes for the first time!"
Heracles made some berserkerish noises in return.
"He says he appreciates it." Medea said to Romani.
"Okay now that the introductions are over, please tell us you have information about Peko and Ritsuka!" Nala said to Romani. "I need to know!" Her heart was racing at that moment, hoping that the doctor had contacted them to bring good news instead of bad ones.
Thankfully, it was the first one. "Happy to say that I was able to contact them and they're both alive at the moment on Blackbeard's ship." Romani speaked with a smile.
Mash breathed in relief. "Thank god." She put an hand on her chest. "They're well."
Nala was equally relieved. Her heart could relax a bit. "Thank you so much for that info doctor!" She celebrated by closing her hand into a fist. "Now it will be my time to save you Peko."
Drake smiled, also happy with the information. "See? I told ya those two are tough ones."
"Better yet, I'm sending the coordinates of Blackbeard's ship location right now." Romani said. "You'll receive it in short time Mash."
"That's good! Now we know where to find them." Euryale said. "I also need to thank that Peko guy for having saved me."
"Yeah. We will rescue them in no time!" Nala exclaimed as Fou jumped happily on the ground.
"Fu fou!"
"You're happy too, aren't you Fou?" Nala picked him up as she smiled at him. Knowing that her brother and friend were still alive took out a big weight from her chest.
"Sorry sorry sorry. I hate to break the joyful moment but who are you talking about?" Jason asked them confused.
"Two friends of ours." Mash responded. "One is our leader and the other is Nala's sibling."
"My twin brother." Nala specified to Jason.
"Wait! Twins?...No, they don't look at all with those dysregulated Dioscuri pair nor the other one I had in my ship." Jason tought about the fact of Nala having a twin brother. That concept of twins wasn't foreigner to him. "Well kid, lucky to you, if there is a thing that Argo likes to have is unhing- I mean, charimatic sibling duos aboard it. So don't worry, we Argonauts will help you rescue you brother!"
"Hum, thank you?" Nala responded, altough she wasn't very convinced by his words.
"Now if there was a way to defeat that scurvy prick's ship." Drake said. "That damn vessel was almost indestructible when we fought against him."
"Hmm, the Queen Anne's Revenge." Romani said the name of Blackbeard's ship. "Edward Teach was a famous pirate, the most famous of all. And if there was two things that made the people fear and respect him in the sea, was his ship and crew. But as the ship is essentialy a pirate's trademark, I do believe that Queen Anne's Revenge itself is Blackbeard's very own Noble Phantasm." The reveal was quite surprising.
"So Blackbeard can keep his own Noble Phantasm active for that long?!" Nala exclaimed in surprise.
"It isn't as uncommon as you'd think Nala." Mash said. "I've heard about those type of Noble Phantasm. Ones that can retain their physical form for long periods of time."
"And since Blackbeard is a servant, that means his ship must be a phantom ship since like his owner, it no longer exists in present time." Medea deduced. "As well as his subordinates must be spirits that get summoned by the vessel itself to make up his crew."
"So what makes Blackbeard's ship almost invicible is the crew he has?" Drake pondered.
"Correct! More specifically the servants that are aboard it." Romani said. "The more servants being part of the crew, the stronger the ship gets."
"Hm, so that explains how we made almost no damage on it when fighting for the first time." Nala said.
"If we defeat Blackbeard's servants one by one, then we will weaken the ship and have a chance to destroy it!" Drake connected the dots. "Oh, now I'm thrilled to give payback to that asshole!"
"And look." Euryale pointed to something ahead of the Argo. It was the beach where the Golden Hind had docked. "Looks like we arrived to the location."
Jason analyzed Drake's ship on the distance. "Hmm, despite the state, it doesn't look like a bad ship at all. Care to allow me to navigate it?" He asked Drake with a smirk.
"You can when I die." Drake responded to him.
"Alright guys, it was nice informing you. I'll see if I can contact Ritsuka and Peko again in the meantime." Romani informed them.
"Thanks for the help and the news doctor!" Nala thanked him.
"Yeah. I'm glad both master and Peko are okay. Thank you doctor." Mash also thanked Romani.
"No problem! Always happy to help! See ya later!" Romani said as he turned the hologram and communication off.
With the Argo approaching the Golden Hind, Drake went to the bow of the ship and spotted Bombe and the rest of the crew in it, still waiting for her return. "Hey Bombe! We're back!" She shouted.
Hearing the screams of his captain, Bombe turned his head around to spot Drake on the arriving ship. "Oh! Ahoy cap'n! It's a joy to see ya again! Hm? But what ya doin' on that ship and who are those new people?"
"I'll explain to ya later!" Drake responded. "All that you need to know, is to get the crew prepared to work! We have a ship to fix!"
To be continued...
And that was the ending of chapter 43!
Man...remember when Jason used to be a huge jerk? What wonders Atlantis does to a man.
Heracles is affectionate to Nala because easter egg reasons. (I could have put a BerserCAR joke in this chapter due to what recently happened on JP but couldn't find a way to insert it.)
Blackbeard here is still a bit of a pervert but mostly a weeb, because everyone knows that is his best personality. He also really sees both Ritsuka and Peko as friends since hey, it isn't everyone in a huge vast sea that also has the same otaku intrests as you. Man was damn lonely.
And now we sit and stay the last few days on Avalon Le Fae waiting room. Hope everyone has the amount of SQ needed to summon the Morgans, Barghests and Baobhan Siths of the hellish gacha. There will be tears, blood and pain, but in the end, all the suffering will be worth it. (Or not seeing that I may not have enough for Melusine, Oberon and Koyanskaya next. Like wow, the devs really decided to jump our wallets like that)
And with that said, see you next time on chapter 44! Peace!
P.S:
(Nala and Kama see each other walking in the same hallway of Chaldea in opposite directions)
Nala: Tsk! It's her!
Kama: Tsk! It's her!
(The two girls decide to remain silent and ignore each other as they pass by. Kama however can't hold in.)
Kama (smugs): Your brother was looking pretty handsome yesterday you know?
(Nala slowly turns her head around, staring coldly and menacingly at Kama)
Nala: Care to repeat that bitch?
~Meanwhile in the Operation Room of Novum Chaldea~
Goredolf: And now that's a whole month without accidents in Chaldea. Ain't I such a good director for doing a great job? Hahahahahaha!
Sion: Sorry to interrupt you director but I've got a report that Nala and Kama are about to fight in one of Chaldea's hallways.
Goredolf: I hate my life...
