By all definitions, Admiral Alfonso's job was easy. Mid Ocean was a nation-less area populated with small island communities: fishermen, merchants, and the like—simple people for the most part. Of course like in every known part of the skies, they encountered insignificant air pirates. Lowborn scoundrels who attacked vessels and stole whatever scraps they could get their grubby hands on; they were nothing the invincible Armada couldn't handle.
It wasn't rare to fall into skirmishes with air pirates in these areas. However, their wooden ships were so primitive they often ended up sinking in the deep sky below, getting crushed in that bottomless darkness before the ruffians could even do any real damage. The admiral's flagship was nearly new, a solid frigate that had cost him a small fortune. Made of bulky solid steel, it remained elegant, unblemished by any canons. The old, often splintered, sailboats of these skies stood no chance against a military ship of the Valuan empire. Sometimes, the squadron concealed the bulk of their crew in the decks below to encourage the bolder pirates to come aboard. These rogues were then overwhelmed and captured, the Armada demonstrating their superiority to the world. Arresting notorious raiders and bringing them to the Valuan Coliseum often meant prestige and grand rewards. Simple work for high gains.
Alfonso smirked as he tilted his chin, emptying a glass of loqua as his Adam's apple bobbed with each gulp. It went without saying that only the finest quality of this drink would ever grace his palate.
Tonight would be another smooth sailing. His patrol shift was drawing to an end, the dark blue skies slowly changing hue, indicating the sunrise in the coming hour. It was around that time that the vessel traced its course toward its homeland, Alfonso's day peacefully ending as Mid Ocean's daytime traffic began.
Feeling in a particularly good mood, partly induced by the spirit slowly numbing his nerves, the admiral poured himself another glass.
"Your Excellency… Is it wise to indulge so much?" his Vice-Captain piped up.
"It will take more than that to make me even slightly tipsy. "Alfonso guzzled down the sparkling golden loqua. Most nobles of his station would have savored the fine vintage, but instead, he drank greedily, wanting only the pleasant tingle on his tongue and the warmth in his extremities.
"...I thought Vice-Captains were meant to follow orders instead of questioning their superiors." the admiral added, his tone sour as he glared at him, turquoise eyes darkening dangerously.
Alfonso was not an intimidating man by himself. His hands, adorned by long, slim fingers, were devoid of any blemish that suggested he had seen a single day of real work, and his neat, light blonde hair was carefully styled - parted in the middle, pulled neatly on one side, and falling in a graceful curl to the other. Alfonso took the greatest pride in the way his meticulously brushed hair glistened handsomely whether he was under the natural light of the sun or the fanciest chandeliers.
With his slender frame and fine-boned features, he possessed the beauty and finesse of a swan. That was what Alfonso culminated to, a fragile elegance that clashed heavily with his military position. Not even the ceremonial pauldron plated in gold on his left shoulder succeeded in giving him a more imposing figure befitting of the commander of a fleet.
The vicious jealousy of his fellow admirals did not escape his notice of course. He was, however, the last remaining son of the Valdez family, the duke of his own keep, and his birthright protected by close ties to the Imperial lineage. His influence alone could determine someone's life or death.
"O-Of course! My apologies, your Grace!"
The Duke of Valdez smirked with satisfaction. He was sitting aboard one of Valua's finest vessels, a member of the Imperial Armada's highest-ranking officers, and his crew was kept firmly under his thumb. How could it get any better than this? Half-lidded eyes gazed onto the horizon, surveying his skies in smug contentment. He raised his glass but stopped short, the sparkling liquid jostling violently when something caught his attention.
It was just a blip, hidden against the dark blue of the deep skies below, but it was unmistakable. As if the Moons themselves were showing him a sign, he saw the silver metal of a small ship, highlighted by the soft moonlight, for just a moment before it disappeared into the darkness below.
Leaning over the glowing control panel, Fina gazed into the great abyss. How strange... The void always felt so distant. She thought, for a moment, of how easy it was to grow blind to something so immense. And yet, currently surrounded in deep blue darkness, never had she felt so minuscule and so far away from home.
She shifted her focus to the horizon, feeling as if staring down any longer would make the sky swallow her whole. A thrilling sense of wonder and fear about this new world grappled with her heart and practically submerged her mind in a tangle of emotions. She had so often read and heard the teachings of her elders of the world of Arcadia, but nothing had prepared her to set off in those skies. It wasn't meant for her.
Now there she was, the warnings of her guardians echoing even now in her mind. The silver moon was smaller than she had ever seen it, growing further away with each passing moment. However knowing it was still there, high above in the sky, bathing her in its light, gave her some sense of security. It felt like the elders were watching over her.
Sailing alone in a world unknown would have had anyone hesitant and afraid more than anything, but her duties pressed her forward. As her green eyes took in the sight of the Mid Ocean, she spotted a shadow in the distance.
"Ah! A sailing ship! He used to tell me about these all the time…" Fina muttered to herself, a ghost of a smile forming on her lips.
It was just as majestic as her friend had shown in books and his enthusiastic descriptions. It was still far off, peacefully navigating the skies, winds swelling its sails. Fina reluctantly turned her head from the sight. She had a mission to accomplish- and someone to find. Her heart ached at the thought.
"How long has it been...Seven years?"
She mumbled quietly, her voice breathless.
She couldn't allow let her thoughts linger any longer, that vague silhouette forming in her mind dissipating like dust as she realized she wasn't alone.
A vessel she vaguely recognized as a battleship was quickly gaining on her own craft. There was no way it didn't see her.
"No! ...They're chasing me?!"
Panic rose as she returned to her control panel, lighting up and humming as she entered the command to increase speed. Something so large couldn't match her vessel- At least that's what she thought, but her ears rang as a thunderous noise erupted in the skies, forcing her to turn on her heels once again.
They were firing at her! Barely having time to be indignant at the injustice of it all, Fina tried to keep her balance. Her ship was stealthy and swift but lacking in the offensive department. There was nothing she could do to fight back against such a giant.
Fina's journey had only just begun yet it already seemed doomed to end in failure as she felt her knees buckle, her ship jolting before she could hold on to anything. Her head collided violently against the control board. The world itself seemed to dim as the pain throbbed through her skull. The ship's shadow loomed ever closer, like a beast about to feast upon her. All she could do was pray as her consciousness faded.
Aika grinned impishly as they were closing in on their target. The night had been uneventful and she almost thought they would return home empty-handed.
Their code of honor prevented them from just picking any ships to raid. Merchants and civilians were of course out of the question, and when targeting armed vessels there was the gamble of if the reward was worth the stakes. Their captain, Dyne of the Blue Storm, was bold and loved challenges but never overly reckless.
The Valuan frigate alone in the skies–no doubt filled with riches and much-welcomed resources–was just begging to be looted. Aika was at her post, quickly adjusting her two tight orange braids, readying the cannons along with the other raiders.
Aika–and, by proxy, her crewmates–had always been confident and ambitious. The world was her oyster and the skies were their domain, so when the hulking form of a Valuan ship came into view, the air pirates knew exactly what to do. The frigate's engines roared in her ears and the metal groaned as their helmsman maneuvered the Albatross closer. Smaller in size and made of wood, it seemed like an uneven matchup, but she knew that speed and efficiency would be their friends and she felt nothing but a rush of adrenaline-fueled excitement. At the chief gunner's signal, they engaged the ship.
"Lower Hull successfully hit!" Aika cheered, raising her gloved left fist and awaiting the Valuans' response… which strangely enough didn't come.
"What, did we really take them by surprise?" Boris the Gunner arched an eyebrow.
Matthew the Deckhand brought more cannonballs, yawning in the process.
"Their gunners fell asleep on duty?" he ventured a guess, rubbing lazily at one of his eyes.
"Haha, you're confusing them with yourself! Sounds like we're boarding them!"Aika's hand instinctively grabbed her large boomerang, running to the deck.
Knowing Vyse was in the crow's nest, she didn't have a moment to lose. Her best friend never passed a raiding opportunity, and neither did she. Ever since childhood they were near inseparable and made one great team during their heists. As she ran to the deck, she glanced up seeing her friend's shadow as he jumped from the nest, without a care in the world. Anyone not knowing him would have gasped in horror at that stunt, but all Aika did was watch in amusement as Vyse ziplined along with one of the ropes, connecting the two vessels, using the hook on his cutlass' pommel.
"Tsk, show-off." she muttered with a smirk before her eyes widened in realization. "Hey wait for me!" Aika yelled, not a moment sooner as soldiers stormed the deck. "Vyse, you left without me! I'm not going to let you have all the fun!"
The soldiers surrounding them were no doubt scowling under their metallic green helmets, their swords ready. Smiling mischievously, Aika addressed them, her chestnut eyes gleaming. "Hi, I'm Aika! I'm a Blue Rogue like Vyse." She paused briefly. "Oh, and we're robbing you."
The adventurous pair of teenagers, Vyse and Aika, were born and raised among air pirates. She had been on ships since as soon as she could walk and was allowed on missions for nearly seven years now… They knew the routine. Piss off a few Valuans, fight them off and more than anything, steal their treasures! Aika loved her job.
"Fools! Don't you know you're facing the Imperial Armada!?" a soldier shouted.
Vyse grinned "Of course we do! That's why we attacked your ship, you guys have the best stuff!"
"Taking us all by yourselves? You're either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid! We'll be tossing you overboard!" the same soldier retorted.
"Go ahead and try!" Vyse taunted confidently.
They exchanged a complicit gaze, Aika's eyes meeting the dark brown of Vyse's own, before the young man charged ahead. As he was the one fighting close-ranged, he was always the one opening the hostilities while Aika covered him.
Soon came the loud clashes of metal. A red blade collided against yellow, the colors of their respective equipped moonstones, shining under the searchlight nearly blinding them. The spark of static electricity was almost visible to the naked eye.
While Vyse held off his assailant's weapon, he used his second cutlass, slightly shorter than his main one, effectively planting it in the unprotected part of the soldier's leg. The man backed off with a yelp as others were ready to close in on the blue rogue.
"Not so fast!" Aika called out, her boomerang thrown in a graceful green arc.
As if on cue, her friend buckled his knees, letting the weapon pass over him. He was not the only one though, by all appearance, Aika's attack was a miss.
The soldier merely snorted. "You fool."
"Says you!" Aika grinned as the Valuan unceremoniously face-planted, the boomerang resuming its course and returning to its rightful owner.
"I thought they had boomerang contests in Valua, why do they always fall for it?"
With another enemy down in one fell swoop, Vyse got up from his position.
"There's no point in resisting. Throw down your weapons and hand over your ship. " the blue rogue commanded.
Air pirates they may be, they weren't bloodthirsty, no matter who they were up against. Of course, even their hands were not stain-free, but for what it was worth, they were not the ones pursuing battles to the death. They could only hope these men valued their own lives and wouldn't do anything stupid.
"Imbeciles! What do the two of you think you can do against the five of us? Take 'em out." a Valuan soldier retorted, readying his weapon.
Aika bit her lips as the sound of a gunshot resonated, the man had spoken his last words.
"I think you miscounted, I only see four of you." There was Captain Dyne himself, gun still pointed and smoking.
"Dad!" Vyse exclaimed.
Aika herself bit back a sigh of relief. Reinforcements were always a welcome sight, although Vyse was going to hear about the whole Dad thing again.
"We'll take care of these guys. Make your way to the bridge and shut down the engines. ...And when we're out here, remember it's Captain, not Dad. Got it?" his mouth, adorned with a thin mustache, twitched.
Yep, she knew it. Vyse only smiled apologetically.
"Aye Aye Captain. Heh… Aika, shall we go introduce ourselves to the captain of this ship?"
The girl's eyes lit up maliciously.
"I'm ready when you are!"
Alfonso stormed out of the bridge, heels slamming loudly against the metal floor. Away from the eyes of the court and his men, his graceful swan-like walk was gone. All his elegance and calm beauty were replaced by a hunched angry walk, not unlike a displeased child.
"Moons damn them all!" He cursed, his turquoise blue eyes wild and darting in a frenzied search for potential enemies.
Of all the air pirates to raid him… It had to be HIM. Dyne of the Blue Storm was not a stranger to Valua, far from it. He reigned over all other raiders' names on every wanted list.
A Lower City scum could become a Nouveau Riche just with the Bounty on Dyne's head. He made a fool of many officers, even the most capable men of the country, and yet always slipped through their fingers for years.
And now that same Dyne attacked Him at the worst time possible.
Alfonso leaned, though slouched probably was the more appropriate word, against the cool metal wall. His head felt hot, beading with cold sweat, and was throbbing with the beginning of a headache. For a few more moments, Alfonso forgot himself and his position.
Moons, he needed relief and quiet. He took a deep breath, calming himself. These soldiers belonged to him. They were specifically bred to die for him should the need arrive. This ship was just that… A ship. He could easily get a new one and more puppets to defend him.
Under their helmets, everyone looked the same to him, pawns to be replaced. The natural order of the world. Even in his hazed mind, he tried to remind himself of who he was. He couldn't remain slumped against the wall and risk being seen, he had to keep decorum.
With an undignified grunt, he straightened up, brushing his light blonde hair out of his eyes with a flip of his hand. Then, he hurriedly fixed his cravat, his oval red diamond brooch now perfectly vertical on it.
He became the great admiral Alfonso again. Just in time for his Vice-Captain to catch up to him, bringing their most precious cargo yet.
Alfonso blinked and tried to examine the white form limp on the Vice-Captain's shoulders. The man, out of petty personal pride, never admitted it in public, but the closer objects were to him, the blurrier they were. A pair of reading glasses were safely kept hidden in his bedchambers. "I trust that is what we were looking for?" Alfonso said, still squinting but not making a step closer.
"Yes sir! The girl has been knocked unconscious but she's otherwise unharmed. We couldn't successfully capture her vessel, however…"
Alfonso dismissively waved a hand, feeling the discomfort of his migraine again.
"It doesn't matter. We are leaving the ship behind. We only needed the girl."
Alfonso stepped forward, his aide moving out of the way. As he passed by, he vaguely saw the girl's face, framed by strands of flaxen blonde hair, her eyes still closed. A young woman, only slightly nearing adulthood. The duke's finely sculpted eyebrows frowned, as he made a beeline for the lifeboat bay.
He hoped whatever knowledge the Empire sought was worth kidnapping a child.
His thoughts were interrupted before they could form further, disorderly steps below catching his attention.
"Well... Well… So, air pirates have decided to...infest my ship."
Aika raised her head as she heard the dainty lilt. The voice was elegant, just like the man it belonged to, but what could have been otherwise handsome features were twisted with repulsion. She didn't have to wonder who it was, everything about this man screamed importance and bloated ego… and gold. They had found the captain. "I am Duke Alfonso Valdez, cherished son of Valua's most distinguished family, and an Admiral of the Imperial Armada."
Aika's eyes were probably as round as gold coins by now. They really hit a great prize. She couldn't help but snort as he exposed his title and name. Had they been Black Pirates, he would have made himself a prime target for ransom. Were nobles all this naive? She threw a glance at Vyse, her friend unsmiling and not returning the gaze.
He seemed entirely focused on something else. And Aika soon found out what, her brow furrowing. Behind the so-called admiral stood an armored man holding a delicate-looking girl as if she was just a sack of flour, unconscious too. It was enough to make her blood boil.
"Who's the girl? I never thought someone of your… status would stoop to kidnapping." Vyse's disgust was very apparent in his voice.
Aika's left hand was already at her boomerang. On Vyse's signal, she wouldn't hesitate to throw it at that fop. She grimaced at the thought of what could happen to that poor girl if they let that guy get away with her.
"Hah! You're very observant for a Rogue. However, I cannot waste my time dealing with you. I simply must get going. I think I shall have you exterminated like the pests that you are."
Moons did that man get on her nerves already! He raised his arm and men came rushing to his aid. Swords in hands, the soldiers jumped down to meet the air pirates.
"Can't even fight your own battle?! Coward!" Vyse yelled but the admiral didn't spare him any more attention. The alarm was sounded, indicating their presence in the area.
"This is bad! Captain Dyne is still fighting off the others on the deck! We can't take down the entire crew!" Aika raised her voice over the din of the alarm.
The girl parried with her boomerang the blade of a sword while Vyse was busy exchanging blows with two others.
"I got a plan but...We got to get rid of those guys and hurry upstairs!" Vyse replied.
Aika back-stepped, hitting the soldier back with a spin, the helmet making a dull ringing sound. That was enough to knock him out cold.
"Got it!" Aika nodded.
Vyse successfully hit the soldiers, his cutlass forming an x as he struck them down.
He turned toward the remaining lone soldier, pointing a blood-stained cutlass at him. "They're still alive...But I'd hurry if I were you. What will you choose?"
"...Dammit…" The soldier grunted as he hurriedly got to his knees, applying pressure to the wound of his companion. Vyse sighed in relief. He turned toward the unconscious one, undoing the armor and helmet.
"Already robbing them naked, Vyse?" Aika raised an eyebrow.
"Ha. Ha. That's part of the plan actually, you'll see. Let's go Aika!"
They hurried up the stairs, alarms blaring, just in time to see the "brave" commander making his retreat.
"H-How did you defeat my soldiers?! ...No matter, if you want my ship that badly you can keep it! I'll just get another."
"Right and let you take that girl?! You… Get your fancy butt back here!" Aika raised her fist, ready to bruise the admiral's oh-so-pretty little face.
"I don't see how that's any of you thieves' business. I am very busy, I simply have no time to be dealing with you. Now if you'll excuse me…" He retreated in the corridor, closing the door behind him. Vyse patted her left arm.
Despite their young age, the blue rogues had cleared out many ships in their time, and once you had seen one, you'd apparently seen them all. It didn't take them long to figure out the layout. Donning the breastplate, he turned his attention to their exit. "The lifeboat bay is still a ways away, so let's get that alarm turned off."
Aika couldn't agree more, the loud noise was getting on her nerves. The alarm was right next to where Alfonso was, all Vyse had to do was turn off the switch. Aika hid behind one of the supply boxes. Hurried footsteps were soon heard, echoing in those steel hallways.
"Who turned off the alarm?! Where are the raiders?" yelled a newly arrived Valuan soldier.
"They ran off toward the deck! I'm taking these Sacri Crystals, they injured one of us!" Vyse's voice came muffled by the helmet.
"Blasted air pirates!... To the deck!"
Aika had to bite the inside of her cheek as she watched the soldiers pass them by.
"Make sure you let the others know!" Vyse waved, pocketing some of those sacri crystals.
As soon as they got away he took off the helmet, forehead already damped with sweat.
"Phew… How do they endure wearing that stuff?" He exhaled, wiping his burgundy hair from his face.
Aika helped him take off the breastplate, carelessly tossing it aside with a deep sigh.
"Vyse you're crazy you know? I can't believe that worked!"
"It won't work for long if we remain here, let's catch that guy!"
Of course, the door he went through was a no-go.
"Figures, the bastard locked it from behind," Vyse muttered under his breath.
They scanned frantically the area, searching for another exit. While they had captured the ship, they couldn't just sit and allow someone to be kidnapped under their nose. Blue Rogues always helped people in need.
"Over there! There's another way out!" Aika moved toward the door on the far right. Pushing it open, she blinked as the first rays of the sun peeked through the clouds, shining into her eyes.
Alfonso squinted as he was greeted by the light of the morning sun. By the time daylight shone in Mid Ocean he was usually back in Valua, having a last drink before drifting off to sleep in his manor. How could the situation devolve so quickly? A groan unfitting him escaped his lips as he rubbed his eyes with a white-gloved hand.
He had feigned the greatest indifference and calmness in front of these rogues. The very figure of being in control but the truth was catching up to him fast. His head was throbbing and his heart pounding. He showed every sign of being inebriated and he was about to abandon his ship to ruffians. His dear mother was probably rolling in her grave.
When she, Valentina Valdez the Crow of the armada, passed away, she left Alfonso with everything, her riches, her estate, and a legacy he could only hope to live up to. She was as powerful as she was graceful. As feared as she was respected. Even the Lord Admiral himself had admitted Valua had suffered a great loss with her premature death.
Alfonso could feel bile burning at his throat as he was overtaken by creeping anxiety and a mounting desperate need for another drink. He was still in control. He had the girl… But he had to keep his honor. At all cost. His turquoise eyes darkened as he raised them to look at the puppet serving him, blabbing its mouth again.
"Your Excellency, the sun is up and visibility is good. The preparations for your escape have been completed."
"Good work. I have finished my preparation as well..." Alfonso's voice came expressionless, almost mechanical, his hand on the hilt of his saber, drawing it on the unsuspecting pawn.
"...Preparations to dispose of a traitor."
The quickest way to catch up to the fleeing ship commander had Vyse and Aika descending a ladder on the outside of the ship. The wind buffeted them relentlessly until they ducked back inside once more.
The room itself was large, more fit to store cargo than anything else, and the grinding they'd heard earlier revealed itself to be the open ramp at the far end. Aika held her breath as she snuck forward towards the unconscious girl, crouching down over her limp form. She appeared to have been carelessly tossed aside, but a few fingers to her neck confirmed a pulse.
Aika shot Vyse a thumbs up and she could see him let out a relieved sigh. They were ready to fight–two against two–but as they prepared themselves, Alfonso's words made them pause.
"I cannot tell the Empress that I lost my ship to the Air Pirates in a fair fight. " he began, the arrogance in his voice clear as day. I am going to need a scapegoat and you'll do quite nicely. To keep my glorious reputation from being tarnished, you must be sacrificed..."
"N...no! You can't do this!" Vyse's eyes widened in horror, watching as Alfonso stepped toward the trembling man with his sword pointed at him. He expected a quick death, but it seemed the nobleman had other plans. He advanced, one treacherous step at a time, apparently delighting in his Vice-Captain's fear.
"This is not fair, Sir! P-Please!"
"Shut Up! Shutup!Shutup!Shut!Up! You miserable marionette!" The admiral's delicate voice had morphed into a cold and animalistic growl.
He advanced again, his former crew-member taking halting steps backwards in an attempt to put distance between himself. He doesn't even know that the sword isn't the problem, thought Vyse bitterly. In front of him stood the yellow blade gleaming ominously and, behind him, a bottomless abyss. In the soldier's final moments, Vyse could see the man turn his armored head toward him as if seeking assistance. Unfortunately, he would never get it as the pressure and whipping winds pulled him the last few inches into the open air. The ground slipped away from him as the man fell to his doom.
The general rule of the skies was that someone was condemned once they plummeted past the sky floor. The mounting pressure would crush the bulkhead of a standard ship. Anyone unfortunate enough to survive the initial crash would have the air forced out of their lungs and suffocate before the torrential surface winds tore their body apart.
And the admiral merely gloated about it, his shoulders shaking with what Vyse assumed to be laughter.
"So, this is how Valua treats its people…"Vyse said with a scowl on his face. The duke whipped around in surprise, bloodshot blue eyes wide and unsettled. "Now that we've taken control of your ship, we'll be taking the girl as well. There's just one more thing I need to do." Vyse said as he drew his cutlasses, ready to deal with that coward himself."After seeing you kill an unarmed man in cold blood, I can't allow you to walk away from this. Draw your blade, Alfonso!"
The admiral's mouth twitched with a rictus. "Hah… An uncivilized Rogue such as yourself wants to challenge me?"
"You can't send any more of your guards to save you this time!" Aika added, still protectively holding on the unconscious girl.
Alfonso sniffled with derision, still looking down at them with the disdain of someone stepping in dung. "You vermin aren't worth my effort, but perhaps you'd like to meet one of my pets. Come, Antonio!"
The nobleman pulled out a shimmering golden chain, carefully concealed underneath his pink cravat. A long slim whistle was brought to his lips as he blew it, but no sound came out of it.
Vyse and Aika both exchanged a puzzled look, Alfonso taking that opportunity to step away from the Blue Rogues, getting closer to the lifeboat.
"Oh no, you don't!" Aika threw the boomerang at the fleeing man.
He attempted blocking with his saber but his moves were strangely slow and sluggish. He landed unceremoniously on his back with a grunt, the boomerang hitting him ended up thrown off course and landed a few steps away.
As Aika got up to retrieve her weapon, they heard a loud rumbling noise, the ship shaking ominously.
"Aika behind you!" Vyse warned.
The girl's reflexes were thankfully quick, grabbing the unconscious hostage and rolling away from the bursting doorway, just in time to avoid the beast charging through it. Alfonso sat up from his position, his hair disheveled, his skin tainted with a sickly slight yellow hue, looking less and less like a noble by the second - the prince turning back into a toad.
"Antonio! Trample the pests and make their deaths as painful as possible!"
Vyse gritted his teeth as the War Bull pawed the ground, exhaling violently. The creature standing on four hoofed legs dominated them all in size and its horns were as large as the Albatross' canons.
With Aika temporarily unarmed and the girl to tend to, they were both at a disadvantage. And unfortunately for them, the so-called Antonio's beady black eyes were set on Aika.
"Shoo! Shoo you monster!"
An useless command that only seemed to provoke the Bull. She had to think fast! Glancing at the defenseless girl, Aika gently placed her aside.
"If it's me you want, catch me then!" The redhead taunted , leading Antonio away.
"Aika!" Vyse rushed to her aid, slashing at the beast's side, mostly covered by heavy armor, the blade scratching metal but connecting with the exposed bit of flesh as he pulled the cutlass away.
The beast let out a sharp cry, slowing it down but it still kept up the chase toward the red-haired pirate. To the dizzy first admiral, it looked like a huge flash of silver creature pursuing an overbearing yellow-clad figure.
"Why me?" she cried out, still running, but toward Alfonso's direction.
"N-No! Get away from me!" the man cried out in fear as he got to his feet, trying desperately to get his bearings.
Vyse could only watch as it turned into a frantic chase. The War beast behind Aika and her ready to make her fists collide with the admiral's face. Alfonso once again brought the whistle to his lips, blowing it again in a sound that the human ears couldn't pick up. However, it visibly threw Antonio into a frenzy, making it stand on its hind-legs.
Vyse ran and slid on the ground, landing a hit on the Bull's completely exposed stomach.
It wasn't enough to do significant damage but it gave him the momentum to retrieve Aika's weapon, throwing it in her direction. "Catch!"
He had seen enough of his friend's training to know how to throw the weapon. Unlike her, he couldn't make it return, boomerangs being out of his area of expertise, however in this case it didn't matter. Aika caught it and in one single move, the green bladed boomerang was pointed at Alfonso's chest.
"A-Antonio!" He didn't have the time to grab the whistle, the pirate slashing, and effectively cutting the chain, the small instrument blown aside, along with the expensive jewel that was attached to Alfonso's cravat.
The noble gasped, his expression aghast as his face seemed to pale.
" NO! "
He jumped forward, catching, not the golden whistle but the red gem with flailing and trembling hands. He retrieved the brooch, holding it close to his chest. His heart-wrenching howling surprised even Aika, making her raise an eyebrow.
"What happened to easily replacing everything we stole, fancy-pants?"
They didn't have time to focus on that however, the beast's legs falling back to the ground, making the ship shake once again. Aika stepped away from Alfonso and the edge of the ship, not wanting to risk meeting that poor Vice-Captain's end.
Antonio was one again fixing its gaze toward the girl. "Really?! You've got to be kidding me! Do I have an attractive color for you?"
Vyse's eyes lit up. He would have to get creative with this one and hope it'd work.
"Aika run!"
"Like I have a choice!"
Vyse undid the scarf loosely tied around his neck, sheathing his dual cutlasses, and ran, placing himself between the red-haired girl and the beast.
"Hey Antonio, you like red?" Vyse waved the neckwear, seeing the bull's eyes spark with interest. It looked like he was right.
"You want it, come and get it!" The Rogue back-stepped, watching carefully as Antonio pawed the ground once more. He was getting closer and closer to Alfonso, pathetically struggling to get back on his feet, still holding the brooch like one might hold an injured bird.
"Come on Antonio! Get this!" Another flutter of the red fabric and the bull charged.
"Vyse!" Aika called to him, watching as Vyse held his position even as the bull ran towards him.
At the very last moment, Vyse jumped aside, effectively pushing Alfonso out of the way. Both men narrowly evaded the deadly stampede, the beast's bellow swallowed by the wind as it fell down the bottomless abyss.
Vyse's brown eyes met the frenzied turquoise ones of the admiral; they were close enough for the Rogue to catch a familiar whiff. Loqua. "You've got to be the most pathetic commander I've ever met in my life." Vyse was appalled.
His reaction allowed Alfonso to shove him back before making his way toward the lifeboat. "Ngh! You will rue this day, Vyse of the Blue Rogues! ...The day you stood against the Valuan Empire. We shall meet again."
The young man's hand rested at his cutlass' hilt but dropped it, shaking his head as the lifeboat took off.
"You coward! What kind of a commander sacrifices his own men and his ship to run from a fight? Can you believe this guy, Vyse?"
"The type that also gets drunk on the job… Moons. The armada's standards must have dropped since Dad's days." The air pirate sighed, still in disbelief, Aika's own eyes widening.
"You've got to be kidding! Well, even though he was a coward, he was a coward with gold... "
"True. I suppose that the ship and everything on it officially belongs to us now."
They both turned toward the unconscious girl, all clad in white, looking ethereal compared to the two of them. The mysterious golden patterns adorning her dress were completely foreign as well.
"And look at this girl! I've never seen anyone dressed like that before! That veil...She almost looks like a bride or a princess! Or..." she trailed off.
"Aika are you letting your imagination run wild again? ...Still, you're right, she doesn't look like a Valuan–or Nasrean– for that matter. I wonder why Valua was trying to kidnap her in the first place."
"Hmm… I wonder where she's from..."