Chapter 14
Reconcile
Maxwell felt a pit drop in his stomach.
"Schneider," his hands squeezed the old pirate's biceps. "What do you mean your son's name is Ratchet?"
"…Do you remember that night in the tavern, after you hired us? When we all introduced ourselves and explained our skill sets?"
Maxwell's lips thinned. He remembered alright. Max may have wanted Schneider and Saga for his task, but he wasn't going to leave them in the dark on his abilities. Especially when his disability was so obvious.
"When you told me that your magic came out of the realm of dreams and spirits… I'll admit, I didn't think much of it," Schneider winced. "But then I found Roba, and she told me of everything that has happened with our son…"
"He… He had odd dreams when he was a child." Maxwell felt his sides clench at Schneider's admission. "In the morning, Ratchet would sit with us at the table and regale us with all of the adventures he had while he was asleep. We thought it was adorable, with his wild imagination! …But then his dreams became even more strange. Ratchet started to say he was having conversations with his dreams. How he was learning new things… And those ideas actually began to work! It was strange, but I thought my boy was just a young genius! Now…"
Schneider's voice began to constrict, the words strangling in his mouth. "…Roba told me how he got worse. How those dreams started to become insanity! He kept creating more and more inventions. Ignored all advice from friends and family in favour of ambition!"
"Ratchet is convinced that God has granted him the right to rule the world… and I don't know if I can stop him!" Finally, tears fell from Schneider's eyes, his body suddenly feeling frail.
"20 years! 20 years I haven't seen my son; and I don't know if I have to stop him or save him! He's likely in service to your so called Nightmare, with all your dreams and spirits! Building some machine that I—! …Damn it—! Why him!? Why my son!? Why Ratchet…!?"
Schneider sobbed uncontrollably in Maxwell's hands, the only thing keeping him upright from the cold hard floor. Maxwell could only hold Schneider, his face frozen in focused contemplation.
A demon going after a child wasn't exactly unheard of in the Circle. They were innocent and naive, thus easy to manipulate.
The most famous example of this, was during the Siege of Redcliffe in the Fifth Blight. Conner Guerrin, son of Arl Eamon Guerrin, was a noble child that made a deal with a desire demon to try and save his father. In an effort to keep him hidden, his mother had tried to hire a tutor to teach Conner how to control his magic. However, the tutor she hired was both a blood mage and a secret agent of Teyrn Loghain. Jowan, if he remembered the name right, poisoned the arl, but wasn't very competent in magic. Thus he had no control when Conner summoned the demon.
Becoming an abomination, Arl Eamon was preserved but not cured. The demon kept it's word to the letter and no more than that. Redcliffe was besieged by undead, and all the courtiers in the castle became victims to the childish whims of boy, and the wicked ambitions of a demon.
…When mages awaken to their power, they appear like a beacon in the Fade. Most children were awake for it, so by the time they went to sleep the power would settle. But demons were also attracted to strong emotions.
Without the Veil, would the same thing happen here?
But if Ratchet was possessed by a demon, then it couldn't have been the Nightmare! Or else this world would have been beset with demons! Plus the Nightmare was a subtle, insidious thing! Unless you were aware of it, it would only ravage you and leave you without the memory! What Schneider was describing certainly wasn't that!
…But what could you do, when your child was in league with a demon?
Maxwell breathed in, "…Schneider, do you still care for your son?"
Schneider pushed himself out of Maxwell's embrace, wiping the tears from his eyes. "What kind of question is that!? Of course I do!"
"Then you're a better man than my own father."
Schneider blinked, not understanding what Maxwell was saying.
"…I wasn't much older than your son when I found out I was a mage. I was riding with my father along the coast, the sea breeze wafting in our hair. And in my childish mind, I thought it would be fun to stand on my saddle while riding."
Maxwell felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "It worked, for a moment at least. Until my father looked behind him and saw what I was doing. I remember him shouting my name, 'MAXWELL!' and stopping his horse. But he stopped to close. It started my horse so bad it threw me off, and I swear I saw the ground coming towards me in slow motion! I remember closing my eyes and wishing I wouldn't get hurt. I had fallen off once before and somehow I knew this would be much worse than trying to figure out a saddle. I waited for the impact… but it never came."
"When I realized I wasn't hurt, the first thing I thought was I listening to a song. Like a conch shell was held up to my ear. Then I opened my eyes and realized I was floating. Magic had kept me aloft, stopping me from crashing against a rock. Then my father shouted and I fell into the wet sand."
"He was so furious!" Maxwell laughed morbidly. "Any thought of my safety had been dashed away when he saw me perform magic. He interrogated me, relentlessly until I answered his every question. I was a child, I didn't understand his anger or why he was being so rough with me. I hadn't done anything wrong…"
"My father's heart became stone that day. He placed me on my horse, took the reins of both mares and led us home. Any time I tried to speak he would tell me to be silent. When we got home I was brought directly to my room. Then, three days later, the Templars came and took me away."
"He would have no interaction with me after that. For me, his eldest son, becoming a mage was a stain on the Trevelyan name and his house. At best I was unworthy of the family name. At worst I was a demon in disguise, a danger to everyone around me!"
"Then the war came…" Maxwell's eyes began to seem far away, as if he was looking at something else. "I thought the years would soften my father—but no! …I showed up on my family's doorstep, he threw me out and tossed me a bag of coin… Bann Trevelyan told me to never return."
The mage closed his eyes, "Grah! I was lost, tired, and then heartbroken by my father's rejection. I had no one else to turn too..."
Then he opened his eye and sadly smiled at Schneider, "That's why I'm glad Racthet has you."
Maxwell let out a breath, "—Schneider. I don't know what will happen with your son. The Fade works differently here. He could be a victim tied in this demon's strings, or a villain complicit with these horrors. But, only you can choose to believe in your son! So, Schneider, my question is, what will you do?"
Schneider just looked at the mage. He wasn't expecting to hear a piece of Maxwell's past. It was clear, to him at least, that he was supposed to be a noble. If Maxwell hadn't developed some magic then his life would have been way different. Even so, his father was a twit. Who would see their child do one thing and hate them forever?
…But, Schneider supposed this was why Maxwell told him all of this.
"…I WILL get to the bottom of this!" He loved his son. "Demon or no demon, I'm not letting anything stop me from seeing my son!" Schneider then began to move, walking with purpose, "Come on! We're here to prove a prove a princess is innocent, right!? Come on, robes! Move it, silver!" he brushed by Saga.
Maxwell instinctively twitched at being called, "robes," but let it slide. Schneider needed the motivation, so he followed the seasoned old sailor.
"Man… makes me think about my own daughter," said Mekao in a lower murmur. "…I'm going to go see her right now!"
"Wait—What!?" Both of the younger men look at Mekao, but the old grease-monkey already started running!
"KOBA-CHAN! DADDY'S COMING, SWEETIE!"
Saga started feeling himself tugging at his hair, "Oh for the love off—!"
"Let it go," Schneider chuckled slightly as he placated the swordsman, "—But after him! He's our ticket in and out of here!" then began to run after Mekao, now having a firm destination in his mind.
…
…
…
"…I think our elders are starting to turn senile," the swordsman deadpanned.
Maxwell shook his head but smiled, "Nah… You're just starting to care about people, Saga." Then he began to jog after Schneider and Mekao.
"Shut up you half-baked wizard," Saga followed after him. His response didn't have any real bite.
O O O
…The first thing Toma saw was the ceiling. White ceiling tile with fluorescent lighting shining down on him.
Toma didn't recognize it, but he's been in a navy medical ward enough times to know he was back at G-8 Base.
He was… alive?
He felt heavy. Like his body didn't want to move. Toma could barely see out of the corners of his eyes, but he could still feel his surroundings.
His chest was wrapped in bandages. An IV needle was inserted into his arm, a blood bag hanging above him. Toma could feel the stitches sewn into his sternum, and they prickled against his chest. Saga had got him good with that last strike.
—As soon as he thought of the name, Toma tried to move, "Sag—gah!" But his muscles protested, spasming like they suddenly turned to stone. Toma also immediately felt woozy. He had lost a lot of blood in that fight. The cursed holy weapon had been drinking his blood throughout their duel. He should be dead! …So why wasn't he?
"Oh good! You're awake!"
A face came into his field of vision. It was Dr. Kobato, dressed in her red sweater, pants, and lab coat. She was the doctor left in charge of the G-8 medical ward, while the war going on.
Plenty of doctors and medical staff had been transferred to Marine H.Q., in preparation for war with Whitebeard. The entire world navy was gathered for this conflict, knowing Whitebeard wasn't about to just let one of his "sons," die. There will be carnage, and a lot of injured marines left in its wake.
Those that weren't gathered, were left as token forces meant to maintain their assets. A lot of people were going to be watching the execution with weighted breath as the war played out. Theory was, no need was going to act while the war was broadcasted.
…Though with Kobato, Toma had heard rumours that she wasn't very comfortable with the sight of blood. How she would either freeze up or faint when she saw it. No one really saw it as a problem. G-8 was a prime location for deployment, restock, and shore-leave. That included a plethora of doctors and nurses to wait on sailors.
Those rumours seemed to have remained hearsay, thankfully.
"You've had a hard morning. I'm just glad you were able to pull through." Dr. Kobato gently smiled at the boy.
"Grr… What happened?" Toma managed to spit out.
"You were badly injured by that swordsman Luitenant-Commander Dreak brought in. His sword seemed to have some… anti-collegial agent that I can't seem to diagnose. But, I refuse to call it a curse! We were able to—mm, stitch up the wound, and give you on a blood transfusion…" Toma noticed how the mauve-haired doctor paused whenever she referenced blood. "Ugh—I don't know how long the pathogen will last, but we'll have to keep your chest clean and constricted until… I'm sorry!"
Toma tried to move again, inching up the raised backrest of his bed, "Ugh… don't be. I've heard about your aversion to blood. I'm glad you were able to set aside your fears and help me. Thank you, Kobato-sensei!"
*Squawk!*
Toma slightly jumps at the sound, but that proved to be a mistake. His body immediately freezes up again, making him writhe in pain.
"Sorry! Sorrysorrysorry!" Kobato temporarily leaves his sight, grabbing a needle and inserting it into his IV tube. Toma immediately feels a wash of relief as she does. "I'm going to have to run more tests, but you should get some more rest."
"Ooh, that feels good… but that doesn't explain the bird, sensei." Toma could see it now that he could move his neck. It was some kind of sea bird, hidden in a cage carrier box. He could see a collar around its neck, and a black skull emblem on its breast.
"As for the bird call, well…" Dr. Kobato leaves again, to open the cage. This time bringing the bird back in her hands. "Your thanks should also be directed at this little guy as well, I suppose. I don't know why, but Commander Dreak has had me nursing this bird back to health, to recover from a gun shot wound."
Toma could the the splint and bandage on its wing. But he was confused as to why it was here. Wasn't that the bird Lieutenant-Commander Dreak shot—?
"KOBA-CHAAAAAN!" Suddenly the doors burst open, and Mekao, the lead shipwright burst into the medical ward.
"Koba-chan! Don't worry! Daddy will always be here for you!" Mekao then fell to his knees, sobbing as he ran, and hugged Dr. Kobato around the waist.
"Dad! What are you do—what are you talking about!?" Kobato looked at her father confused. She had to hold up the bird so it wouldn't have been knocked out of her hands.
"Oh nothing, Koba-chan!" Mekao smiled with his eyes closed. "Daddy's just glad to see you."
"Mekao!" Another voice came from beyond the door. "I get wanting to see your daughter, but you still have to help us, you greasy—!" The door opened revealing Schneider, "Oh, hey Koba!" and immediately approached his old friend. "Mekao, we still need you to… oh yeah." However, Schneider stopped in his tracks when he saw Toma lying on the bed.
Schneider had personally watched, hidden up on the roof tops, as the marines left the Second Dock Burlesque. He saw them marching the criminals they arrested, and how quickly they whisked away Toma for immediate medical treatment. Even if he wasn't treated here, it would make sense that he would be recovering in their infirmary.
"Which way did he go?" "I don't know, he just—! No wait this is probably it."
Beyond the door, Toma heard voices. And the first person to enter was Maxwell Trevelyan. "Schneider, Mekao, you in here?" The mage saw his elders in the medical ward. "Good, Schneider we need to… Hold on, why is Karasu in here?" He was looking at the bird in the doctor's hands.
*SQUAWK!* The bird called recognizing the mage as well. Karasu began to struggle, wanting to get out of Kobato's grip, wanting to fly over.
"Heyheyheyhey!" Doctor Kobato kept her hold on the frigate bird, not letting it escape! "You're still injured, little guy! Don't try to fly yet!"
"Injured?" The Magister took note of the wrapping around Karasu's wing, "…That would explain why he hasn't sought me out for another report today—but why is he in a Marine base?"
Showing more intelligence than any animal had a right to, Karasu gave Maxwell a deadpan glare and rose it's wing, as if to show off its injury. Then the messenger bird turned its beak to glare at him, clucking threateningly! Toma had a feeling that if the bird wasn't injured, Karasu would be pecking him full of holes right now.
"…That miserable cunt." Maxwell caught onto what the bird was telling him. Dreak had probably shot down Karasu to look at his most recent report! That's how the marines found out about the Send Dock Burlesque, and where Helsing was!
But then the mage made a slight double-take at who Karasu was glaring at, "Oh right, you're here." Maxwell looked back at the doors, realizing who was outside. "Crap. Come on Schneider, we have to lea—"
"You don't have to do that, Trevelyan…" Then the figure of all Toma's anguish entered. Saga, standing the medical ward with Shichiseiken on his back.
Toma ignored the guilty look on Saga's face. The relief of seeing himself alive. He didn't want that. He didn't want to see Saga!
"What do you want…!? Shouldn't you be in a prison cell right now?" Toma didn't dare to meet his eyes. It was humiliating to have him standing there.
"…Maybe," Saga nodded slightly, like he was acknowledging his opinion. "But, I also let myself be captured so I could investigate the marine base. Someone in the marines has been taking bribes and pinning crimes on an innocent girl. And while I may not agree with the Marines purposes anymore… that doesn't mean I can just ignore my sense of Justice."
…How dare he! Toma's eyes widened as outrage burned throughout his chest. How dare Saga bring up justice after what he did!
The man enslaved the entire dojo, in order to take over Asuka Island! He had the marines harass swaths of civilians, keeping them confined to their village limits. They stole artifacts, both cultural and personal to the people of Asuka Island! HE EVEN KILLED HIS OWN FIANCÉ!
Toma didn't care if he was under the influence of Shichiseiken! He still killed two marines after the whole debacle was over!
"…Dammit." But he wasn't lying. Saga may have turned his back on the Marines, but that didn't mean he lost his morals. He was a good man, before. Only fleeing out of grief and shame. Yet Toma could not understand how Granny Izaya and Mr. Lacos could forgive him, like they did. Maya was dead! …And she sacrificed herself to bring Saga back…
"Who's responsible?" Toma asked his former mentor.
Saga took a breath, "…The instigator has been identified as Count Battler. Trying to defame the princess." Hellsing!? "But we don't know who his marine contact is. I was hoping to investigate the matter quietly… Until these two showed up." Saga glared at the career pirates.
Maxwell rubbed his neck, but didn't look too guilty about it. Schneider just chuckled, "Well we weren't just going to leaven you here, laddie."
"Did you even have an escape plan?" Saga exasperated.
Maxwell was the one who shrugged, "Same way we got here. Steal a ship, and sail it out of harbour."
"Er… There may be a problem with that idea…" Mekao had let go of his daughter and scratched his head, showing some discomfort.
"What?" The mage asked Mekao.
"You betting on that lone ship in the cavern for your get away, right?" Maxwell nodded at Mekao's question. "Well, that's not going to work."
"Why not?" Schneider decided to ask.
"That particular ship's sail is full of holes," Meko told the outlaws. "And the engine for the paddling system was scheduled to be replaced. The wheels won't work. Even if you could get it out of the lagoon, you'd have nothing to propel yourself with."
"…Well, Max here can make the ship work! Can't ya? I mean, you did it with the Hanged Man's ship." Schneider looked at the mage, hopefully.
"…In short bursts, maybe…" Maxwell had his hand under his chin in thought. But he didn't look confident at the idea. "But in constant motion? The amount of mana required to sustain that would be astronomical! It's one thing to control a sail, a rope, or rudder. Fine machinery is whole other kettle of fish."
"Ah dang it…!" Schneider cursed.
"And we won't have time to replace the sail," Saga added on. "That means we'll have to escape above, and cross one of the bridges towards—"
*RUMBLE!*
The ground shook beneath their feet. Tools rattled in medical trays and the lights flickered with the vibrations… and there was a mighty shriek and groan of metal breaking above.
"…That didn't sound good," Schneider said concernedly.
"Was that Creamy Mist again?" Maxwell looked around, making sure the room wasn't going to collapse on them.
"No… That would have been the Oligos," Dr. Kobato said morosely. She looked at her father, "And that was far more powerful than usual."
The Oligo cliffs were used to such earthquakes. It usually signalled a change in the ocean currents, that would fill either the tide pools or the mangrove swamps. Oligo lived off the ebb and flow of these tides. And not all of the birds made for good eating.
"That sounded like the lift!" Mekao said urgently. "If that earthquake sheered the elevator, your not getting out from the jungle!"
"Sailboat it is then!" Maxwell remembered the dinghy they came in on. It was going to be cramped, but they'll have to make do! "—Sorry miss, do you mind if I take that bird with me? I'm afraid Karasu here is rather important to our survival."
Dr. Kobato blinked, not understanding. "What!? But why do you—!?"
"Let him take the bird, Koba," her father interrupted her. "You know Schneider wouldn't have allied with him if he was needlessly cruel."
Kobato looked between her father, Schneider, Toma, Saga, and the man asking for the bird. She was unsure just what to do. The doctor knew these were the pirates invading their base. But one of them was their old family friend. Plus she wasn't even sure Karasu was even the bird's name! So, Dr. Kobato decided to look at "Karasu."
The frigate bird was looking at her, as if seeing her silent dilemma, and nodded at her. It gestured towards the carrier she had him nesting in.
"…Alright." Dr. Kobato walked over to the desk and returned Karasu back into the cage. She then locked the door and picked up the cage, giving it Maxwell. "Take good care of him."
"Oh I promise to…!" Maxwell looked into the cage door, "I'm dead otherwise…"
"Alright! We got the bird!" Schneider cheered quickly. "Come on! We still have to find out who was taking bribes from this 'Battler' guy!" He then turned to his old acquaintance, "You coming Mekao?"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Mekao decided to humor his friend. He still had a job to do after all.
"Alright," Maxwell followed behind them, "Schneider, when we get up there, you're going to have to…"
Saga looked over at Toma and Dr. Kobato, "Forgive the intrusion."
He bowed slightly before leaving. But before he could leave the room, Toma called out to him,"Wait!"
Saga froze, not daring to turn back and face his former pupil again. But he didn't have the right to call Toma that anymore, did he? …Yet, some small portion of him craved for what he had to say.
"…During the duel, you held back. Didn't you…?"
…All Toma would see was Saga's back. He didn't move... He didn't flinch… Saga's gaze was firmly on the door.
"And if I did?"
Saga's response was like a stab wound, happening all over again. Toma could feel his teeth grinding. He wanted to scream and rage at the insult! The injury to his pride!
…Yet he held back. "Why?"
Saga's shoulders shifted, taking Shichiseiken's sheathed blade into his own hands. Toma could see Saga staring at it. Questioning it. Then lowering it to turn his head.
"…If I said I still considered you my pupil, would you hold it against me?"
Toma inhaled sharply, but didn't say a word.
"I never wanted to abandon you, Toma… And I hope, someday, you will be the one to bring me to Justice."
Saga shouldered the harness once more. "Train hard, Toma. Become the man I couldn't be."
…He couldn't move. He felt like he couldn't breathe. Toma barely noticed as the doctor wiped away his tears. He was paralyzed… and his sensei was gone.