Marine skips up the extended boarding plank up to her ship while you stand in stunned silence. The aid of the apparent last Houshou pirate still loyal to their captain was surprising to say the least. The ship she rode in on is also very impressive to be sure. It’s a shame that you can only make out so much due to the sparse moonlight, you bet this is an attractive ship to behold in full daylight.

“You comin’ aboard or not? This isn’t some dingy. Senchou needs more hands on deck.” Roxy invites.

“What ya think, Anon? We do need to follow the captain for now, right?” Pomu asks you.

“Yeah, let’s go. If we distract the other ships, this one can get to the port safely. We can figure out how to get ourselves out of this mess when the time comes.” You shrug.

“If you’re going to try and bring the fight to them, let some of us come with you.” Sammy puts a friendly hand on your shoulder. The older Shallah leader’s face is worn, but he looks more alive than ever. Just like how you decided to fight for and protect this land, you can feel that same determination from the people around you.

A silent agreement has a squad of twenty following you and Pomu to the deck of Marine’s vessel. Roxy gives you a welcoming smile that you return with a cold glare, but your anger is subsided from what else you are met with on deck.

“Senchou missed you so much, my darling.” Marine lips then plop off the wooden floor as she caresses its grooves. Her tender reunion is then interrupted by you clearing your throat. This brings the Houshou captain back to reality and takes a militant stance.

“Pomu, man the helm. Cabin boy, Roxy, I want you both on the main deck cannon. Just listen for my directions and I’ll help you nail those bastards.” Marine orders, and then she begins to single out all the volunteers to other tasks above and below deck.

While you hurry to your given position, you eye the girl walking beside you. Roxy notices your sour expression and raises her eyebrow at you.

“Are you really going to act like nothing's wrong?” You grumble as you kneel down to the pyramid of cannonballs laid next to the impressive piece of artillery that looks out from the ship’s port bow.

“Senchou taught us that it’s pointless to worry about what might happen in a battle. The only thing we can do is trust ourselves and our ship to pull us through.” The pirate says plainly as she angles the barrel of the cannon upward.

“Wow. Not even an ‘I’m sorry’?” You scoff, dropping the iron ball down into the metal tunnel.

“Sorry for what? From where I’m standing I just gave you a chance to survive. If I didn’t cut in, those ships would have sunk you for sure. You should be thanking me.”

“Oh right. Thannnkssss so much for ditching me completely and leaving me at the mercy of those harpies.” You sarcastically spit.

“Is that what you’re so pissy about?” Roxy sighs. “ Look. I got you exactly where you wanted to be and-”

“And you just ditched me. You didn’t even try to spring me out like you said you would!” You raise your voice.

“Hey! I couldn’t risk you selling me out.”

“You sold ME out, you bitch! I go along with your plan without your help, find your captain, fight my way through scores of pirates, all while probably making it real easy for you to get this ship out without being noticed, and you don’t even give me a goddamn ‘thank you’?” You lose all restraint as you walk to the Houshou pirate and get right in her face.

“For your information!” Roxy huffs and crosses her arms. “I took the chance to secure our ship so you would have even a chance of getting off that island alive! I was going to come check up on you after it was ready, but by the time I could even make sure the sails were still intact, the whole island was scrambling to find you. You didn’t even need my help.”

“That’s not the point!” You drag your fingers through your scalp.

“Hey! Both of you shape up! Whatever you gotta sort out, do it after we survive!” Marine scolds you both from atop the crow’s nest. “Cabin boy! Lift that cannon up about ten degrees. Roxy! Fire on my mark!”

Roxy gives her captain an enthusiastic sound off as she strikes a match against the sole of her boot. You breathe “Aye, captain” through your teeth and quickly adjust the cannon’s angle. The ships in the distance are nothing more than dark masses, but you’ve quickly learned to trust Marine’s aim that seems to border on superhuman.

“Pomu! Full speed ahead! Roxy…” Marine commands with one hand firmly holding an extended spyglass over her yellow eye, and the other hand held in a tight fist parallel to her face. “Now!”

The fuse is lit, and you cover your ears before a deafening boom signals the release of the iron ammunition. The cannonball whistles as it flies through the air, quickly becoming a mere speck in the darkened night sky. A loud crash then thunders, and as your travels continue, the more you can see the results of your attack. A literal long shot ended with punching a hole right in the middle of the deck of one of the opposing two ships. Voices exclaim to try and manage the chaos, while you stand stunned.

“We actually hit them…” You utter under your breath, and then a wide grin forces its way to the surface from deep in your chest. “That was awesome! I actually just shot a pirate cannon! I hit something too!”

“That's Senchou's famous dead-eye for ya! Even in the dark she’ll nail ya one right between the eyes.” Roxy proudly remarks.

“Cabin boy! Get that cannon loaded!” Marine barks. “They ain’t gonna take that one sitting down. I need another shot. Now!”

Your body begins to immediately follow orders as you squat down and lift one of the heavy iron balls from the ground to then load it into the receptacle of your artillery. A split second is all you have to try and adjust the barrel, as Roxy had already lit the fuse before the ammunition could even reach the bottom. The explosion of gunpowder makes your ears ring, but the head sized bullet flies through the air and grazes the lower side of the second ship’s hull. As you begin to automatically squat down to lift another round from the floor, you can barely hear your captain’s muffled order to pick up the pace.

Another shot leaves your cannon, and this time it crosses flight paths with enemy fire that hurls itself towards you. The cannonfire falls just short of where your ship floats, drenching you and the deck around you with the upheaval of the water. You don’t even bother to check if your shot hit its mark before hastily readying to load the cannon once more. As you raise the iron sphere that seems to increase in weight with every pass, the ship rocks violently from the impact of enemy fire hitting its stern.

“Roxy! Get below and release the oars! Pomu! Bring the ship about, if those bastards wanna fight, Marine Houshou is gonna give ‘em one they’ll never forget!” Marine points her sword in the direction of the oncoming ship, her voice emanating courage and conviction.

Before she races to carry out her orders, Roxy tosses an unused matchstick at you and gives you a small smirk. It still baffles you how she seems to think acting chummy with you will erase the sour feeling just seeing this girl’s face gives you, but in the heat of war, you find yourself giving her a neutral nod in thanks. The boat begins to shift with the urgent turning of its wheel and your line of fire is quickly dissipating. All you can do at this point is light the fuse and pray that something gets hit.

Another shot flies through the air, but you don’t have time to confirm where it will land. Your field of vision is changed; the ships bombarding you with cannon fire are replaced with the dark outline of Shallah’s northern coast far in the distance. The boat suddenly begins to accelerate, and the sound of heavy splashing cuts through the water on both sides of Marine’s vessel.

You lean your head over the wooden railing and see a wooden oar longer than a fully grown tree, wading through the sea. The paddles that are fed through a small opening in the ship’s hull propel your ship ever faster into oncoming fire which can be felt around you more and more; the deck shakes and the sound of wood chipping choruses in the night. More than one hole is made in the proud sails that bare Marine’s pirate insignia, making you question how long this reckless charge can last. As your attention is diverted away from the ship’s front, a heavy collision knocks you right off your feet. The front of your war vessel slams into the side of one of the opposing ships, grinding and scraping away parts of its wooden body before being forced to a halt.

Now practically deck to deck, you have a meager secondary standoff with some of the crew members of the MoonClaw pirates; predominantly wolven demi-human and beastkin. You let out a small “tch” and draw your sword, you aren’t thrilled about getting into a scuffle with more demi-humans, especially ones of the predatory variety, but you have no choice at this point. It’s either defend yourself and win, or die.

Beastial men and women storm the deck, forcing you to take a hastened retreat so you are not overwhelmed instantly. Turning your back to your enemies was a risky gambit, but the volume of the heavy thudding of clawed feet against the wooden flooring clues you in to when one is about to get within striking range. You bring your sword about your body and catch a blade that was meant to take your arm. Steel sings and sparks for an instant and you swat the curved edge of the opposition out of the demi-human’s bald hand. The triangle ears upon his head droop as the realization sets in that he’s been disarmed and is about to be disposed of. A follow up slash across his clothed chest rips through cloth and dark bushy fur.

Your slowed reflexes due to physical exhaustion are made painfully apparent as the tips of a female beastkin’s nails claw your back before you can register that her approach. You make a retaliatory strike as you spin your sword along with your body, but the woman quickly evades your blade and flashes a fanged smile. The skin on your back begins to feel the distinct sensation of blood trailing down it, and your breathing becomes heavier as you grip your sword tighter. More pirates surround you and you take a defensive stance.

From the crow’s nest, Marine repels down with one of the heavily braided ropes that burn against her palm through her glove. She kicks off the wooden spire to swing to your aid, bringing her saber around in a fierce sweep that catches the backs of two pirates before she lets go of her line and lands behind you. You give your captain an appreciative smile and bring your sword up to eye level with its tip facing forward. With what feels like a second wind, you ready yourself to repel these invaders.

You dash forward and thrust your sword at the bi-pedal wolf who stands with claws at the ready and drool dripping from his jaw. The beast answers your charge with one of his own, choosing to forgo blocking or evading your attack; your blade sinks barely more than an inch into his shoulder thanks to his sturdy hide and flesh. His claws rain down upon you, giving you a fraction of a second to jerk your body to the side to avoid your face being lacerated. Your left shoulder however bares the brunt of the attack; jagged nails scrape through your clothes and through your skin. A flash of searing pain burns through you, and you violently pluck your blade from your adversaries body in time to deflect the beast’s follow up swipe. A primal anger and battle focus similar to when you fought Botan begins to surface, and you step forward to deliver a deciding slash of your sword along the beastkin’s pecs, and all the way down his forearm.

Survival driven clarity shines in your eyes that dart to bring your next adversary into view; a pair of demi-humans stepping forward at Marine’s blindside. A brutal overhead swing cuts through the back of one, and before the one beside him can react, you slash horizontally across his calves from your ducked stance. Marine twists her body as the two bodies fall and aims her pistol outward. A flash of light from the barrel of her weapon igniting provides cover for your ascent as you stand shoulder to shoulder with the Houshou captain.

Pirates begin to jump aboard your deck from the second ship that now traps your own between a rock and a hard place.

“I don’t suppose you could ask Undine to help us out a little here?” Marine proposes as she crosses blades with a wolf demi-human and dispatches him with a hard whip of her pistol across his heavily bearded face.

“Afraid not.” You apologize as you put your entire shoulder into a swing that knocks a dagger meant for your gut out of the hands of a rushing pirate. You deliver a harsh kick to his midsection to send him staggering back before continuing. “My mana is pretty much all dried up. I might be able to squeeze one good spell out, but not enough for a summoning.”

“Guess we’re doing this the ol’ fashioned way then!” Marine remarks as she takes aim and nails an unlucky man who thought to swing aboard from the mast of one of the entrapping vessels. The man clutches his arm and then falls onto a pair of pirates running along the deck, pinning them to the ground.

Even with you and Marine managing to survive so far, you can’t see a good way out of this situation. Pomu seems to be doing a good job delivering harsh kicks to the faces of her foes before fluttering out of the range of their weapons, but the three of you have been battling all night, and whatever adrenaline is keeping you all on your feet is bound to run out soon. How heavy your sword feels in your hand makes it difficult to parry the next blade that comes to try and take your life. A second opponent joins the fray, eager to take advantage of your unguarded flank.

A clang of steel rings at your side. You risk a glance to find that Roxy has come to your aid! The Houshou pirate swiftly slides the edge of her cutlass along the saber she is engaged with and forces the man who holds it to release his grip. A lightning swift slice sends the blade’s owner reeling backward, and Roxy turns to give you a smug grin which somehow fuels your competitive spirit, urging you to pull more from your strained muscles so that you can execute a wide sweep of your sword, sending your own opponent back.

The second Houshou joining you gives the surrounding pirates a brief pause, making them consider how to correctly approach you. You take the time to catch your breath as a blessing, and form a tight shoulder to shoulder formation with Marine and Roxy.

“Payloads all set, Senchou.” Roxy huffs, to which Marine gives a simple nod and looks around to assess your situation.

Before you can ask what she was talking about, a floor shaking explosion erupts from within one of the ships that have you sandwiched in; fire blazes from the lower decks and a cascade of smaller blasts sound off. All heads turn towards the igniting vessel, the flames creating a flickering orange light show to fully illuminate almost everything around you. You watch panicked pirates race to the ship that you see now belongs to the FindersFortune pirates by the flapping sail that is quickly set ablaze from the encroaching flames. More hurried footsteps then come from the other side of the deck where a group of armed Shallah natives now march to join you.

“Roxy, is my stuff still in my quarters?” Marine quickly asks.

“Yes Senchou. Everything is right where you left it.”

“Good. Be right back!” Marine says as she sprints off towards the entryway to her old lodgings, leaving you and Roxy to hold the line.

The battlefield quickly becomes chaotic; pirates of wolven descent double their ferocity to try and overtake you. You can only focus on your own opponents as you and Roxy work in synchronized proficiency to meet fang and claw with your swords. The sluggish blocks you make create small openings for the lithe girl to plunge her blade into your enemies. You are running on fumes to keep yourself agile enough to not suffer a fatal blow, but each attempt on your life results in at least a new cut or bruise. True to take advantage of the opportunities around her, Roxy uses the fact that most of the pirates have their sights set on you to blindside them. If the tactic wasn’t actually working you would chew her out for using you again, but with your survival at stake, you can let it go this time.

A door slamming open thanks to a heavy booted kick breaks through the noise of the melee and all eyes are brought to where Marine now stands. The captain of the Houshou Pirates was now in what is her full “captain” attire; a black jacket, complete with golden shoulder tassels that has a distinct red interior lining shown by how its wearer leaves the front completely open to rest atop her shoulders. On Marine’s head sits a proud bicorn hat with a bushy tailed tassel, whose tip faces outward in front of her. A golden arrow traces along its curve, meeting all the way to the black and white heart insignia of the Houshou pirates. To complete her ensemble, is a thick saber with a golden hilt strapped to her hip, along with a wooden pistol in each hand whose barrels shine with a subtle light as they are directed to both her sides.

The captain of the Houshou pirates announces her reemergence with a symphony of gunfire. Shots that zip through the air with the flair of mana collide with their chosen targets. In a manner of seconds a dozen bodies fall to the ground in anguished pain. Marine holds her trusty firearms to her face and blows the smoke from their barrels. Her eyes glaze over the scene; You and Roxy in tight formation fighting an uphill battle vs primal wolf men, Pomu fluttering high enough in the air to stay out of sword’s reach so that she can catch her breath, and a group of men and women who were once enslaved shakily holding weapons. All eyes are now on her, a pirate; captain of a once notorious crew, finally in control of her own destiny and  her ship once more.

“If a bunch of dogs and money grubbers are the best Blackfin wants to send after me, then he better just give up now.” Marine states as she struts slowly towards the center of the deck. “That sorry excuse for a pirate wanted to keep us all in chains. If you never want to be enslaved again, kick these bastards off my ship! Fight for your freedom! You families! Your homes! The Houshou Pirates will stand with Shallah until their last breath!”

Marine’s rally is meant with determined cheers and roars from the Shallahan natives as well as yourself and Pomu. You can feel a third wind coming, you raise your sword and let the light from the stars from the parting clouds shine against its steel. The words from your captain heighten your resolve. You can’t lose to a bunch of no name thugs.

With a loud battle cry you signal the battle to resume in full force, Roxy follows your lead and your blades sing through the air, clashing with raised claws and swords alike. While in the middle of keeping a beastkin’s jaws mere inches from your face with the flat of your blade, you try to pull mana from the very sky above. Slowly, faintly, celestial mana glistens on your blade. You plead the heavenly bodies for just a little more, and your request is rewarded with a sudden burst of magic that encases Shining Comet in a bright coat of magic. The wolf’s jaws are no match for your magically empowered edge, his fangs chip and break against it, causing him to retreat back in panic.

A swift sweep of your sword sends a curve of starlight at a pair of human pirates who try to attack Pomu from behind. The blast hits them dead on and they fall on their faces. The forest fairy turns and gives you an appreciative thumbs up, and quickly returns to her own method of attack. She puts her entire core into lifting one of the iron cannonballs off the floor of the deck and pushes her wings past their limits to ascend her into the air. When she has sufficiently reached above the flagship of the MoonClaw Pirates, she brings the iron ball over head, and slams it down. A hole is punched clean through multiple decks of the ship, but ultimately fails to reach the water underneath. Still, the action is more than enough to earn the fairy a brunt of the attention. Enraged screams and howls from the ship’s crew members echo in the night with the light of the moon blanketing over them.

A sudden realization sends a chill down your spine. Normal wolves can be at their most ferocious when under the light of a full moon. Do demi-humans and beastkin also derive some primal strength from it?

Your question is answered by one of the feral pirates in question galloping towards you on all fours. You barely manage to erect your guard in time to catch his sharpened nails before they could puncture your chest. The force of his arm sends you sliding along the deck. Roxy’s grunts as she is caught in a similar situation, leaving you both to fend for yourselves. In front of you the wolfman brings his other claw down toward you, you brace for the pain, but the beast’s movement is stopped halfway. The narrow jaws of the beastman quiver as his beady eyes trail to his side where the sword of another is plunged into his body.

A middle aged man grits his teeth as he takes a strained step forward to further dig the curved sword he holds into the pirate who snarls in defiance. “No matter what happens to me, I won’t let my daughter live under Blackfin’s rule any longer!”

With your opponent’s concentration split, you’re able to gracefully dislodge your sword from his paw and dash your star coated blade across his body. The empowered wolfkin falls backward, his eyes glazed white. You give your comrade who breathes heavily from the act that took no short amount of physical and emotional strength, an appreciative smile. Something about him almost looks familiar to you. A strange thing to hyperfixate on during a battle, but you can’t help but feel that you recognize some of this man’s features.

His hair, the way his cheek bones jut out ever so slightly, and he has a daughter? Lorli? The little girl from the saloon who wished for her daddy to come back to her? I know there’s plenty of potential orphans now on the mainland, but could this be?

A warhorn then blares over the sound of gunfire, steel, and man, causing another unexpected shift of attention in the battle. When the blowing instrument’s chorus fades, the sound of something clawing its way up the side of the ship gives everyone pause. You cautiously step towards its source with Roxy, and then Marine joining your sides, unsure who or what you may have to contend with next.

Large hands grip the pegs of the fenced railing and pull their owner with such strength that he vaults right over the railing. The man who lands with legs bent, his body dripping with seawater is none other than the fleet captain himself.

“Blackfin.” Marine spits, and points her pistol straight at him.

You follow suit and direct the tip of your blade at him while gathering your courage, ready to charge at a second’s notice.

“Parlay.” The orca demi-human says with his hands raised.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You sit with your arms and legs crossed in the middle of the deck with a small serving bench just high enough to reach your knees. You can hardly believe it; Marine stopped you from charging the deplorable orca just because he spouted some word that apparently had the power to freeze the entire battle. The declaration of parlay was explained to allow pirate crews to enter negotiations without the interruption of violence. This rule is supposably ironclad enough that not even a scumbag like Blackfin would dare try to break it, lest he lose the respect of almost his entire fleet. It makes your blood boil at how most of these pirates will turn a blind eye to the oppression and starving of children, but suddenly when pirate tradition is brought up, everyone is suddenly walking the straight and narrow.

“This is ridiculous. Why are we even entertaining this?” You say harshly under your breath, but loud about for the woman who stands as your second to hear.

“Because this is our law.” Marine says with an air of neutrality, but the frown on her face says otherwise. “Just try to keep a level head and listen to what the madman has to say. If it becomes clear he is just using the parlay to stall, he will have to walk himself off the plank.”

“And by then there might be even more ships to box us in…” You mutter, trying to keep your frustration on the surface so that you don’t show the mild relief you feel from having a small reprieve. Even if this entire ritual is a sham, you might be able to recover enough mana to do something substantial, and the same can be said for Pomu. It would be wise to play along, for now.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!” Blackfin cheerily says as he walks back from the MoonClaw’s ship with a large bottle of dark liquid in his hands. He nonchalantly takes the position opposite you and sits down with a loud thud that sends a minor rattle along the ground underneath you. The fleet captain then places the large bottle between the two stout glasses on the table and twists the cap off.

“It’s been a while since I felt the need to parlay, so I wanted to make sure I had some of the good stuff.” The orca remarks as he pours a generous amount of what you smell to be strong whisky into each glass. You scoff audibly at his words, but he doesn’t acknowledge you. Instead he slides one of the glasses over to you and looks right into your eyes. “Please, drink. You must be pretty thirsty after the night you’ve had.”

“I’ll make my own, thanks.” You take the glass and turn it over to let the bronze liquid fall onto the wooden floor. Your eyes stay locked with your “guest” for the entire duration, Blackfin’s expression remains unchanged; interested, but you can’t help but detect a glint of madness behind those black eyes of his. Committing to your bravado, you bring your free hand over the mouth of your glass, and with a small push from your mana, conjure a cascade of water into the container.

You raise your now purified glass to the captain, who does the same with his own and you both drink. The refreshing texture and revitalizing nature of your beverage can be felt sliding down your throat and landing in your stomach. Your body demands that you almost empty your entire glass in one gulp, but you remember that you are at a negotiation table and there would be no room for such signs of weakness.

“It seems I underestimated you, boy. Not only did you escape, but you conducted not one, but TWO jailbreaks on my island. I wonder if you could have made it this far without teaming up with the Houshou hag.” Blackfin taps the side of his glass with a finger.

“I could still go a few more rounds if you wan-” You spit before a not so gentle prod from Marine’s toe against your back cuts you off.

“You should listen to your captain.” Blackfin laughs. “She may not have been smart enough to join up with me from the start, but she knows you shouldn’t spoil a friendly talk with idle threats. She’s got real manners at least.”

“Friendly talk my ass.” You scowl. “Get to the point if you’re not just trying to buy time.”

Again the orca demi-human laughs. “Says the boy up against an army. I’m not the one living on borrowed time here, but I like your spunk. What’s your name anyway lad? Where are you from? What brought you here anyway?”

“What’s it to you? Get to the point, Blackfin.” Marine demands, breaking her observatory silence.

“Hey hey, I’m just trying to get to know the man I’m looking to make a deal with a little better. I can’t go offering anything to someone I don’t even know the name of, can I?” Blackfin holds up a hand in mock surrender.

The look on Marine’s face tells you that she isn’t buying that answer, not fully anyway. It could just be an attempt for the orca to stall for more time, but on the other hand; if he wanted you dead he could have assaulted you himself before calling the parlay. The fact that the captain of the BlackWhale Pirates even called for negotiations has been puzzling you to unbearable levels for the past twenty minutes. Maybe you can figure out more about him by answering some of his own questions. There are a few mysteries surrounding his rise to power you still need solved.

“My name is Anon.” You say loudly for more than just your immediate audience to hear. “I was raised in the human kingdom across the sea to the west.”

“The kingdom of Rosso, eh? That backwater country? We haven’t had a ship going to and from there in years. How the hell did you make your way here?” Blackfin’s interest is piqued, his eyes narrow, studying every possible tell and expression you may let slip.  

“I walked.” You scoff and take another sip of water. “Now you know my name. What the hell do you want?”

“I want to make a deal, of course.” Blackfin says with a grin, he laces his fingers together in front of him and taps his thumbs against each other. “I got to thinking after our first little introduction. We share a few things in common.”

“Like I’d ever share anything with you.” You spit, and this time Marine does not attempt to silence you.

“Oh? So I guess we both aren’t enemies of HoloX then? You must have a wonderful relationship with them then.” Blackfin grins at seeing the mention of the secret society give you a secondary pause. “Maybe you are working undercover for them after all. You got mighty upset when I mentioned the orca girl; Sakamata. Is she your sweetheart or something?”

“I’d never work for those nutjobs.” You say through your teeth, focusing hard on just the thought of what HoloX wishes to accomplish, and not the face of its fixer that hides a soul just wanting to live freely.  

“I feel the same way! See? I was right!” The fleet captain then laughs, taking this as a sign to take another swig of his drink.

“Quit the grandstanding, Blackfin.” Marine taps the tip of her saber against the deck. “I’ll say it one more time. Get. To. The. Point.”

“Yeah yeah. For a girl who spent months hauled up in a box, you’d think she’d have a little more patience.” Blackfin shrugs, but the comment fuels your own anger and you set your glass down harshly against the table.

“Stop screwing around. Just tell me what insane deal you have for me so I can refuse.” You snap.

“I’ll cut right to it then. Houshou, boy, do either of you know why ol’ Morgan was willing to play by HoloX’s rules? It makes little sense for a man with an entire fleet under his command to be settling for a meager tribute that just kept us sailing so that we could continue to plunder unlucky trade ships here and there. Our combined might could topple the armies of kingdoms, AND we have a weapon that would tip any scale in our favor. Morgan never ONCE tried to use the power he had.”

“That’s because he was more of a pirate than you’ll ever be. A true pirate.” Marine states.

“Wrong. It was because he was a coward.” Blackfin corrects.

“Says the man who probably shot him in the back.” You retort.

"I did the old man a favor.” The orca says without a hint of remorse. “Knowing what I know, it was a mercy to a man from a bygone era, unable to do what needs to be done."

“And what exactly do you know? Besides how to be a disgusting piece of shit?” You sneer.

“That we don't deserve to be under that hawkeye woman's thumb. We're too powerful to be mere pawns in her game. I'm not going to play by anyone else's rules but my own."

Your eyebrow forces itself upward at this statement. Hawkeyed woman? Could it be a member of HoloX?

“I don’t see what any of that has to do with me. If you want to live freely, you got a boat and an endless ocean to sail on, just go.” You remark, hiding your interest and choosing not to appear as in need for any of the captain’s own information.

“I need your kinda firepower in my arsenal. Why don't you join up with me? I could promise you a high ranking position. Your own ship, crew to command, women, all the booze and food you can drink and-"

“No way in hell.” You cut him off. “You’re more twisted than I thought if you’re trying to hire the guy who just busted up a chunk of your base.”

“Think about it boy, we're both HoloX's enemies right? If we join up, that'll make them think twice about how they want to approach us. With your power, we could strike a new deal, one that actually gives us the station we deserve." Blackfin begins to bargain, his imposing demeanor is suddenly sprinkled with light desperation.

"I will NEVER be some pawn to HoloX. I will never help them in their sick game for world domination." You say without hesitation.

“You may not get a choice in the matter.” Blackfin waves a finger back and forth. “Take it from someone who spent a lot of his life in chains. The woman who strikes the deals for HoloX can close the shackles around your ankles without you even seeing them. If they want, you’ll never get to choose for yourself ever again.”

“Well right now I’m choosing to tell you to go fuck yourself.” You snort.

“I think your proposal sucks too. I've seen how you treat your mates first hand. Let's just say there isn't a lot of job security there." Marine adds spitefully

“The Houshous weren’t known for being easy to crack. At least you live up to that much of your family's legacy.” The orca shrugs. “Well I tried asking nicely. If I can't convince you, maybe some of your new friends can. What do ya say Sammy? You've had quite the look on your face since I boarded, got anything you'd like to add?"

Your head turns over your shoulder to see one of Shallah’s pillars step forward with pure disdain on his face. The older man’s fists shake at his sides, and his mouth opens to begin speaking, but he is immediately cut off.

“Ah bupt bupt!” Blackfin wags a finger. “I’d be very careful about what you want to say to me, Sammy. Remember, all it takes is one breath for me to order some of my men to raze Shallah to the ground. With everyone still inside.”

“You slimy snake! That’s it! I’m gonna-” You spit as you motion yourself to rise, but Marine’s firm hand on your shoulder keeps you down.

“At least the Houshou finally found a dog she can keep on its leash. So since you both are so fond of each other already, let me alter our little agreement. You come under my wing, and I’ll even let the Houshou live and serve under me alongside ya. In return, all the people on the mainland get to live. So, what’s it gonna be?” Blackfin stares directly at you, itching to know the answer as soon as it shows on your face.

Decision time. Our situation looks pretty grim. Even with the one ship beside us inoperable, there’s still a good dozen or so pirates we’d have to work our way through to get out of here. Not to mention I’d have to go through Blackfin himself, which was always the plan, but without my spell book or anyone else’s help, I might not last too long. Dammit. Since the bastard is playing his hostage card, I can’t make any more threats. I could agree just to defuse this situation, and hopefully I can find a way to rip the rug from under him. That would be a big gamble though. One wrong move and he might just kill countless innocent people. What right do I have to put the lives of everyone who lives in Shallah at risk like that?

“That’s a pretty lousy deal, even if it wasn’t a complete sham.” Roxy scoffs from her leaning stance against the mast. Her interruption is met with a glare from the orca demi-human, and Marine keeps her expression completely blank as she turns her head to her subordinate. “Anyone with celestial mana could be worth their weight in gold to the right buyer, and the guy’s skills and power are impressive, but he’s too much of a risk. Blackfin knows he couldn’t keep you behaving for long, Anon. He already worked through all this after we had you hauled away. The best course of action is to just sell you off to HoloX for immunity and be done with them.”

“And  you’re just gonna believe the lass who lied to you from the start?” Blackfin smoothly retorts. “I’ve been nothing but a man of my word so far. I gave the Houshou laundry girl over there this old ship AND was going to set up an audience with her captain in exchange for ya.”

“And if I remember correctly, you were applauding Roxy’s ability to lie just before I blacked out.” You huff.

“Even if Roxy couldn’t be trusted, I get a say in this too.” Sammy utters. “Anon, Shallah, its people have suffered so much in such a short time because of that man. I won’t stand by any longer. Blackfin, you can make all the threats you want, but Shallah will not fall to you. I believe in this young man, and his comrades. He will not become another bargaining chip for you. He will not save you from the consequences of your own actions.”

The faith that you inspired within the tanned native looks to be spreading; various heads nod in agreement and look over at you with hope in their eyes. Blackfin lets out a low grumble, but doesn’t look ready to let this deal slip out of his fingers just yet.

“That was the old plan, but after I’ve heard about what he can do, I want you in my fleet! If HoloX wants to dominate the world, we might even be a driving force to help them do that. Think about it! You’ll never be able to stop them on your own, boy. Why risk it anyway? Why risk dying here just for a bunch of sentimental saps like the Shallahan people?”

“Because I vowed to be someone who stands up to creeps like you.” You answer resolutely. “I owe it to people who are very important to me to help make this world one where people can live freely and happily. Something I wouldn’t expect someone like you to take for granted.”

“Don’t you lecture me, you self-righteous human.” Blackfin snarls, his temper beginning to surface. “What does a brat from some backwater country know about living in shackles?!”

“I know enough about the pain it causes. I know that no living being should be denied the right to live freely under the sky we all share. Everyone should be able to enjoy the splendor that the great spirits put so much work into creating for us. That’s why I’ll never turn a blind eye to people in bondage. I’ll help them break their own chains, even if it means I gotta break through assholes like you first.” You say with burning resolve.

Blackfin eyes twitch at you in frustration, you can see from his gaze that he wants to call your ambition a fool’s errand, but his mouth stands agape. Through the reflection of his dark irises you see yourself, and the incorporeal forms of the two spirits floating; Undine on one side, Sylph on the other. They stare down your opposition with you, their burning drive compounding with your own. From how the orca stares and searches you, he cannot see them, but he undoubtedly senses there is more to you than his eyes tell him.  

The tension in the air thickens. Both sides of the negotiation table place ready hands over the handles of their weapons, ready to draw the instant the other may choose to make a move. A man then leans down and whispers something in Blackfin’s ear, the orca’s brow furrows, and he lets out a frustrated sigh.

“I’m told there’s quite a mess at the port. That wouldn’t be your doing too, would it?”

“Not directly.” You grin.  “Now how about I propose my own deal. You turn yourself in to answer for your crimes against Shallah, and maybe I’ll convince my friends to stand down. The longer they’re left to their own devices, the more crew members and ships you might lose.”

“The lad thinks just because I might lose a few ships and men that I’ll just turn myself in. You got stones, boy. I’ll give you that, but why would I ever agree to such a condition?”

“You said it yourself; HoloX isn’t all too happy with you, and by how clearly desperate you are to avoid a confrontation with them, even with your fleet at its full strength you’re scared of them.” You begin to explain, enjoying the power shift in the parlay that now sways in your favor, at least for the moment. “I bet you also know that after what Marine and I have done already, your odds wouldn’t look too good either if say the two kingdoms from just across the sea decided to get involved. I happen to know the leader of a well known merchant guild among the elves that would love to get you out of the picture.”

“Now don’t speak out of turn, boy.” Blackfin flashes a mad smile. “Just because I don’t want to tango with HoloX, doesn’t mean I couldn’t still bring both those poultry governments you just listed off to their knees. Don’t forget, I still have a secret weapon to use. One that was able to strong arm an entire era of pirates into an alliance.”

“And that’s another thing I still can’t quite piece together. If you really did have that kinda power at your fingertips, why not use it against HoloX?” You call out the captain’s bluff.

“That wing haired woman made it perfectly clear that if we ever tried to turn that weapon against them, she could make it backfire with ten times the devastation. All we ever had was her word on that, but something about those eyes of hers, there was no hesitation, no guile, just pure facts. Morgan was a man who could always tell what kinda cards you were holding, and this woman always plays with a full house. We’d be digging our own graves to use their own weapons on them.” Blackfin rebuttals, albeit reluctantly.

I hate to admit it, but I believe him. For as insane as Koyori is, she will always try to devise some sort of countermeasure. If it is a weapon she herself designed, she probably has at least five different ways to disarm it. I can’t back down though.I think I got this mad orca on the ropes. I need to keep pressing him into a corner.

“You know, I can spend all night discussing how many ways your fleet of thugs is gonna find itself on the wrong end of someone’s spear eventually, but what about you? The longer we talk, the more I bet everything port side is being busted up. I wonder how many ships you’ve lost already.” You tap a finger against the wooden table board.

“So how about I just take you by the neck and trade your life to your little comrades on the mainland.” Blackfin snaps. “Although that’ll only buy you a couple hours at most. Rest assured I’ll-”

“You’ll what? Blackfin?” Marine knocks the tip of her sword against the deck. “We’re still in parlay. You can either accept my cabin boy’s terms, continue to negotiate, or leave. There will be no breaking of parlay on MY ship.”

Marine’s firm order rattles the orca somewhat, his teeth grind together and his eyes dart from you, to your captain, and then to Roxy. The man is likely calculating what he can try to get away with, but then his expression loosens.

“Fine, fine. I’ll play by the rules, Houshou.” Blackfin holds his hands up. “I think I’ll move our talks to more…familiar waters.”

The orca demi-human smiles confidently before breathing in a subtle supply of air. He puckers his lips and blows, firing a stream of water from his throat like a geyser that sweeps you right from your seat. You can only flail helplessly as you are ferried along like a rat caught in the rapids. The sounds from the world around you muffle and distort, and the view in front of you is a thick white wash. A few seconds later you feel yourself fall, hitting the ocean’s surface in what feels like an instant and the darkened abyss of the waters overtakes you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back on the ship’s deck, Marine looks at Blackfin with incredulity. That bastard of a whale had the gaul to attack a member of a parlaying party aboard HER ship, and HER cabin boy no less. She will not take this sitting down. Marine brings her saber upward and makes an enraged slash aimed at the orca’s neck. Blackfin raises one of his arms and the fin protruding along his arm meets the edge of Marine’s steel and stops it dead.

The orca spies other bodies begin to rush towards him, so he gives his bicep a small flex to bounce Marine’s weapon away as he quickly rises to a stand. Blackfin then sprints towards the edge of the ship that was once to his back, and dives off before anyone can so much as issue him a challenge. The members of both MoonClaw and FoundersFortune pirates then begin to raise their weapons at Marine, Roxy, and the Shallahan people. The Houshou captain curses. She will need to clear her own deck first before she can rescue Anon. She knows she would be no match for the mad orca while in the sea. The only thing that helps her keep her mind from wandering to the worst possible outcome, is the fact that Blackfin desperately wants to keep that young man alive. He won’t perish, not yet anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time you manage to climb and breach water, something incredibly hard bullets into your gut. Before you can even feel all the air leave your body a hand takes you up by the collar. The world spins once more as you are flung forward, skipping along the liquid roof of the sea like a stone. Each slap against the waters fills your body with a flaring pain, with the last one against the back of your neck threatening to make you black out completely. Once you are curled inward underwater, you try to channel your mana and use the natural life around you to make a spell. The man who pursues you now will give you no such chance to concentrate. Blackfin wades through the water faster than any ship imaginable and he snatches you from beneath the ocean’s surface as he passes.

Again you are hurled through the air by his superhuman strength, unable to change your direction or even soften your fall. The water hits your back with a shock that numbs your senses. You slowly float to the surface, your eyes facing towards the night sky. As you lay there, almost broken, something flickers in the corner of your eye; an orange light dances, begging to be seen. You are able to just make out the intense radiance of fire that must be coming from the port. Did you really get thrown this far? For some reason, you breathe a sigh of relief. You can almost feel a familiar presence from this light. You might be down for the count, but at least things aren’t over for Shallah.

The orca demi-human’s imposing figure then looms over you, eclipsing the illuminance you were finding comfort in. He wears a toothed smile as he raises his fist high above his head, intent on making sure you would give him no more trouble from here on out. As he begins to bring his arm downward, a loud bang explodes in the night, and you see something bright nail Blackfin right in the shoulder, causing him to reel backward and submerge himself to avoid further harm.

You want to use this chance to try and escape, but your body simply doesn’t have the strength to move. Strong hands then wrap around your ankles from below and begin to pull you under. Panic fuels your heart to beat faster, to pump all the blood you can into struggling. As your head begins to tread water you take a deep breath, and then a single word reaches your ears.

“Stellaruke!”

The spell takes hold as you are pulled under, enveloping your body in a bright veil of starlight that blinds your assailant within the pitch black depths. Blackfin tries to shield his eyes from your radiance with an arm, but tries to keep your ankle firmly grasped within his other hand. You jerk your leg from his clutches with the strength granted to you by your spell, and use the orca’s chest as a platform to propel yourself away from him. Even with your body enhanced, you know you are no match for the demi-human on his home turf, so you demand your arms and legs to swim you back to the surface.

After your head emerges above water, you can hear the orca racing towards you again. You bring up your guard and prepare for the worst. A gray, gridded object then plops into the water between the two of you, and before you can register what it might be, a large explosion erupts from under the water. The shockwave sends you backward along the ocean’s rise towards the port, and thankfully Blackfin in the opposite direction. You feel your back hit the stone wall of the pier and you bob up and down along the unsettled sea.

Your body cries out in pain, your muscles ache, and every movement is more strained than the last. It takes all you have just to stay afloat. You can barely make out what looks to be the edge of a small wooden boat amidst the rough waves. Exhaustion then claims you again before you can land a firm grip upon the raft’s edge, and you begin to sink.

Hands grab hold of your wrists, and you feel yourself being pulled upward. Through water stained eyes you can make out what is undoubtedly Watame’s fluffy visage alongside Frala’s broad shoulders and wild red hair. You are lifted onto some wooden surface, but your body aches so much that you cannot keep your eyes open any longer.

“Watame…” You exhale as you let yourself fall into her embrace and the spell around your body glimmers away.

Through your exhaustion and the welcome bliss of your sheep’s arms cradling you, ensuring you that you are now safe, you can hear muffled words from Botan.

“He’s wounded, get him up to Korla. Now.”

Your senses disconnect you from the outside world completely, and you feel as though you are merely being ferried through a dream you cannot see. Pockets of sharp pain stir you from your momentary slumber, each beat of your heart coincides with discomfort that makes it impossible to move or even open your eyes. A warm sensation begins to swell from deep in your chest, and you feel your body loosen slightly. As the feeling builds up, the more your faculties return; fingers twitch, eyes begin to strain themselves to open, and the weight of your own body becomes like lead amidst the pain that rings in your ears like a siren. When your eyes blink a few times to bring the focus of the world back to you, you are met with Watame’s angelic smile looking directly down at you. You try to return the smile, but the conscious movement of your muscles causes the curve of your lips to bend in pain instead of the relief you feel in your heart.

“Stay still, Anon.” Watame shushes you. “You’ll be fixed in no time.”

You crane your head forward slightly in agreement and become more aware of another’s hands placed firmly on your abdomen. Korla’s full cheeks tremble slightly with the ongoing effort of shaping her mana to probably the strongest healing spell she has done so far. Sweat beads from her forehead and falls upon your chest in an unsteady rhythm. Every second you feel the lionesses’ warm and comforting magic bring more and more life back into your body. Wounds can be felt closing, aches subside, your heartbeat strengthens, and your thoughts begin to come back to you.

“The ship!” You gasp, forcing yourself to an upright position. “Pomu! Marine! We gotta-”

Before Watame or Korla can force you back down, the sound akin to a wave crashing against the shore brings everyone’s attention above; where Blackfin had breached the water and in a display of intense acrobatics, now dives towards you. Korla wraps her arms around you, holding you as close to her as possible as she springs to her feet and lunges away just as the mad orca’s mighty fist pierces the floor of the dock. Only a few feet away from the fleet captain, Watame slowly rises from her half kneel next to you, not taking her eyes off her adversary. Then, as if heeding a silent call, the rest of the pack appears from nearby and forms a defensive wall in front of you and Korla, their claws raised and tails whipping erratically in anger.

Watame steps forward, Blackfin wears a confident smile despite being vastly outnumbered.

“So this is where the rest of those mangy cats scurried off to. I knew they couldn’t have gotten far. I am surprised they’re still alive though.” Blackfin chuckles.

“You’re gonna pay for hurting Anon! And you’re gonna pay for chasing Botan and my pack from their home!” Watame declares with an air of macho authority.

“Lions led by a sheep? That has got to be a new record for desperate. If you’re what passes for their commander, I don’t think I’ll be paying for a single thing.” The orca bellows, having to hold a hand over his face to try and keep himself from keeling over.

Watame crosses her arms and doesn’t even acknowledge the insult.

“Frala. Hit ‘em hard.” The sheep orders, and the muscular lioness takes two steps before galloping into a full leap.

Frala cocks her right arm, now encased in bronze mana, back and forces a heavy flash from her magic to wash over it, transforming the magical lifeblood into a fist made of solid earth.

“Here’s a taste of my crag knuckle!” Frala roars, and her right hook that flies with breakneck speed lands squarely into Blackfin’s crossed guard. Chips from her earthen fist fly into the air from the collision, and the orca grunts as he buckles under Frala’s rage. Blackfin stands firm, but not without being sent sliding backward, his feet grind against the dock below him.

Frala growls agitatedly to see her prey still standing and steps forward to deliver another hook, this time with the left. She tries to force her self-made armor spell to form again, but the most she can manage is a thick coat of mana. Without the strength of jagged earth behind it, Blackfin’s finned arms absorb the blow with ease, and the mana around the lionesses’ arm shatters like glass.

“Girls. Let him have it!“ Watame sounds off, putting the pack into action.

Just as Blackfin moves to retaliate against Frala, he is nailed twice in quick succession by thick streaks of gray energy fired from Botan’s rifle that she aims with expert precision. The alpha lioness pulls back the silver bolt towards the butt of her weapon and peers through the cylindrical scope along its top. Another squeeze from her trigger finger lets loose a third magical bullet that meets the fin of the orca that now covers his front as a shield. The rifle Botan now holds begins to fall apart piece by piece, and as the metal parts fall they disintegrate into nothingness before they even hit the ground. The lioness seems unsurprised and undeterred by this and merely steps back and stands sentry close to you.

Bransha, Bree, and Riki then step forward, their eyes eager for battle and retribution. The two shorter lionesses whip their arms across their bodies, their arc sending forth a large splash of water that disperses and begins to fall towards Blackfin. Riki holds her arms forward and a visible chill covers the air. The icy magic blanketing the air turns whatever water that passes through it into solid icicles. Blackfin is once more forced to stay on the defensive as he is pelted with falling ice shards.

Even under the frozen barrage, the orca stands strong. Watame seems to notice how the attacks from your pack are only a minor hindrance at best at the moment, and looks to her side to nod a silent command. A heavy mist then appears seemingly from nowhere, enshrouding and obscuring the area in front of you.

Watame and Korla then both lift you up to your feet and usher you away. You soon exit the cloud of moist smoke and can see out into the ocean once more. A small shadow that you hope is Marine’s ship can just be seen along the dark waters.

“Watame, did another ship come in from the sea yet?” You ask with slight alarm.

“Mhmm!” Watame hums. “It was a ship full of Shallah’s people. You freed them didn’t you, Anon!?”

“With the help of some people that are aboard that ship that’s trying to come into the port.” You jerk your arm up and point towards the sea. “We need to make sure it gets here safely. Pomu is still there!”

“The fairy? Isn’t that her up there?” Botan asks, and you follow her finger to see a particular forest fairy hovering sluggishly in the night sky.

Pomu looks down and relief shudders through her body when she sees you safe and sound. Her head then turns to look further down the port, where the flames of battle are the brightest, and her expression suddenly hardens. The fairy pivots her angle downward and glides towards her new destination, urging you and the pack to follow after her.

Further down the port you find Kiara, now surrounded by a group of four pirates. The sun spirit’s daughter is beaten, bloody, and standing like she is on her last legs. A man who is rather rugged for an elf thrusts his sword forward as he lunges for Kiara. The blade slides against her midsection, cutting right through the skin. The sun warrior’s one eye is forced shut as she grits through the pain, but she refuses to let this be as far as she goes. With her pride and life on the line, Kiara retaliates with a bone cracking bash against the elven pirate’s face using the face of her shield. The man is tossed aside like discarded trash and lands a couple yards from Kiara’s feet.

A pistol shot bangs through the air, and in a flash, Kiara stumbles backward, her shoulder pierced clean by the metal slug. The woman’s body shakes and she drops to one knee, the point of her sword is the main driving force keeping her from collapsing. Kiara looks up at her would be executioner; a portly human male who grins with the prospect of a big pay day. Through the sweat and blood in her eyes, Kiara sees something move in the foreground of the clouds and stars.

Before the man can pull the trigger of his firearm once more, he is sent toppling forward thanks to a dropkick from Pomu that has both the fiery blaze to rescue her friend, and the weight of gravity behind it. The forest fairy stands on the spine of her foe and bends down to offer the sun warrior a friendly hand. Kiara smiles while a drop of liquid, be it tears or sweat, rolls from her eye. Neither one says a word as the forest fairy helps the sun warrior up to her feet, their actions say more than enough, the words can wait until later.

“Korla, take care of Anon. Get him somewhere safe for a few.” Watame says as she removes herself from under your arm where you were using her shoulders for support. The lioness nods and before you can voice a protest, she squats down enough so that she can scoop you off the ground to then carry you towards the empty main street of the port.

Part of you wants to struggle, to show that you are well enough now to fight alongside your friends when there is still a need, but the strange and foreign feeling of being carried princess style by a woman has you somewhat distracted, not to mention mildly comforted.

From over Korla’s shoulder you watch Watame charge forward with her horns lowered. Your combat sheep collides with an unlucky crocodile pirate with enough force to send him flying into the sea. From there, the feral calvary descends on the remaining pirates who hoped to kick Kiara when she was down. Your pride makes short work of their foes with sharp claws and reflexes as their weapons.

The arrival of demi-human reinforcements makes any surrounding pirates second guess their next actions. The blair of a deep warhorn saves them from the hesitation, as they immediately begin to scurry towards where the sound originates. You watch with both curiosity and interest as some run away with literal tails between their legs. A second sound of the horn draws your gaze to one of the larger ships that looks to still be seaworthy at the port; the flagship of the SeaKroc pirates, where Blackfin and the crocodile captain himself stand atop its bow.

“I’m given’ ya one last chance, boy!” The orca shouts into the air. “You got till sunrise to reconsider my kind offer. If you try to hightail it out of Shallah, I’ll raze the place to the ground with everyone inside it! I ain’t pulling any punches anymore! You and your riff raff stand no chance against what I have up my sleeve!”

After submitting his ultimatum, Blackfin orders the retreat, and whatever ships are still operable begin to leave the port and head back towards the fleet’s base of operations. Thanks to the still flickering embers that burn along the frames of some of the leaving boats, you can spot one limping its way towards you along the waters; Marine’s own ship. Not wanting to engage in another dogfight, the opposing fleet gives the Houshou flagship a wide breadth when they cross paths.

While you breathe a sigh of relief that the fighting appears to be over for now, the severity of the situation weighs down on your heart heavier than ever before. The fact that Blackfin actually retreated while giving you time to consider his proposal makes you uneasy. The element of surprise is completely gone now, and from here on out you’ll have to face that madman and whatever weapons he’s been hiding head on. Still, after such boasting over the power he commands, why is he waiting?

Thoughts of your own worries and theories are dashed away when you see Pomu approach with Kiara’s arm draped over her shoulder for support. The amount of holes, cuts, and bruises the sun warrior is covered in makes your stomach lurch. You jostle yourself from Korla’s side and rush over to the pair, both Sylph’s and Undine’s spirits appear alongside you to see the damage with their own eyes.

In the condition Kiara is in, she shouldn’t even be awake; bullet holes, stab wounds, blood and dirt mixed together along almost every inch of exposed skin on her body. Despite her wounds, Kiara is somehow smiling as her friend helps her walk.

“Took you long enough to get back. I was starting to think I was gonna have to come get Pomu myself.” She chuckles weakly at you.

Guilt begins to overpower the weakness in your legs, and you reach forward, pushing through sheer exhaustion to bring your mana to surface. The second your hand begins to dimly glow, Kiara puts up a hand to halt you.

“No way. Cut it out.” She snaps.

“This isn’t the time for whatever beef you got with me being the summoner.” You say annoyed. “You’re hurt and I’m gonna try to heal you now-”

“You’ll keel over if you force yourself.” Kiara scoffs. “Besides, I’ve had worse. Just give me a second to rest.”

The orange haired woman nods to her companion who sets her slumping body down gently. A blanket of feathery flames wraps around Kiara’s body, burning away all wounds, closing all openings, and even removing any blemishes of her skin. You watch in amazement as the sun warrior’s body undergoes something that could only be described as a “rebirth”. The fire around her dwindles to mere sparks that disappear along the wind and she rises with a smug, but weary look on her face.

“Before you ask, save it. We got other things to take care of.” Kiara jerks her head at the port, where Marine’s red flagship has finally set anchor.

“It’s alright, they’re friends.” Pomu assures everyone. “Are you good to walk, Anon? Captain Marine will want to know you’re okay.”

“I’m alright. I just…” You sigh, but are unable to keep your legs from buckling, to which Watame comes to your aid and lends you her shoulder once more. You happily take the help and walk as one toward the ship.

After the loading plank is set firmly against the flat of the pier, the galleon’s occupants come funneling out. Watame orders the pack to help guide and tend to any wounded who disembark, but Botan remains a vigilant sentry behind you both. You can’t help but wonder what has made your pride so willing to follow the sheep’s orders. Regardless, how far they’ve seemed to come in just a short day is nothing short of amazing.

Marine is the last to hobble down the angled plank a few feet behind Roxy. The two of you exchange relieved smiles when you see that the other is relatively unharmed.

“Glad you’re alright, Marine.” You say to welcome the Houshou captain ashore.

“That should be my line.” Marine says through an exasperated smile. “When that slimy orca blew my newest cabin boy overboard, I expected the worst. I can’t believe that bastard would stoop so low…”

“It gets a little worse. He’s dead set on using me as his bargaining chip. I got till sunrise to reconsider his ‘kind’ offer. Else he’s gonna try to burn this entire country to the ground.” You go on to explain, and you can feel Watame’s hand on your shoulder tense slightly.

“That son of a bitch.” Marine hisses to herself.

“So what’s keeping you here anyway?” Roxy directs the question at you. “We got all the enslaved people off the island I think. Senchou and I would probably be willing to take you somewhere. Not like we have any more reason to stay.”

“You can leave if you want, but I’m not running.” You say almost angrily. “I made promises that I plan to keep, and I can’t see any of them through until I take that nutcase of an orca down. If no one stops him, this country is done for. He’s not gonna stop with Shallah either.”

“Cabin boy’s right.” Marine straightens herself out. “The seas will never be safe with him around. I said I’d pay that bastard back for what he did. I’m staying too.”

“That island is also the home of our pack. We’re going to reclaim it.” Botan joins in the conversation, bringing Marine’s once narrowed focus to the pair of demi-humans that stand next to you.

“I take it you two might be the reason why my cabin boy didn’t find himself a watery grave. Thanks. I’m Marine Houshou, captain of the Houshou Pirates.” Marine offers a respectful hand to Watame, who cordially returns the gesture after making sure you are fine to stand on your own.

“Marine is the one who helped Anon and I do our big jailbreak.” Pomu adds with a hint of boastfulness.

“You did!? Thank you!” Watame enthusiastically shakes Marine’s hand before taking her into a big fluffy hug. “My name’s Watame Tsunomaki, and I’m Anon’s combat sheep. Thanks a lot for helping him.”

“N-No problem.” Marine replies with a blissful sigh, enjoying the soft embrace of the sheep before Watame decides to part with her.

“Botan.” The alpha lioness simply states as she offers a hand to the Houshou captain. “Anon’s the leader of my pack, so thanks for looking after him.”

“So he’s in charge of a group of lion girls?” Marine asks as she shakes the taller girl’s hand. “Okay, what ARE you, cabin boy?”

“Depends on who you ask.” You shrug. “Since you’re gonna stick around, you can ask me all you want after we free Shallah.”

“Can we rest first, please?” Marine then whines. “Even a young maiden like myself can’t fight all night.”

While you want to roll your eyes at the captain’s comment, you can’t disagree with how you will need to regain some of your strength if you hope to stand a chance against Blackfin.

“Watame, where are the others? Are they still fighting somewhere else?” You ask your sheep who returns your question with a bright smile.

“They were helping the other people you saved get to a safer part of the city. C’mon! Let’s go meet up with them.” Watame relays.

Taking you softly by the hand, your sheep guides you along with your comrades and the people you helped liberate through the upper streets of Shallah. Before long, you spot a trio of silhouettes walking toward you. Distinct fluffy ears and a bubbly disposition bounce with elated joy when you become visible to their respective owners. Polka and Nene practically tackle you with hugs, aggravating your injuries slightly, but you couldn’t care less. While it is hard to be away from these girls for long, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy your reunions. When the pair release you, they part the way for Flare to step forward, and the glare she wears could freeze over a volcano.

“Hi Flar-” You begin meekly, but before you can utter another syllable, the half-elf’s slaps you across the mouth. It feels like your jaw was just dislocated, and the blow rattles your entire body.

“H-Hey! What the hell was that for!?” You snap.

"What you were thinking, you idiot!? You had us all worried sick. Letting yourself get captured!? You’ve done some pretty stupid things, but this might be a new record." Flare begins to scold you, her clenched fists trembling.

“So it wasn’t my best plan, but-”

“You promised me you wouldn’t do anything stupid. Did you even think about how many ways that could have gone wrong!? Did you even think!?” The half-elf really starts laying it into you, igniting your defiance towards her.

“Of course I thought!” You bark, your raising voice brings the sharp sting still felt on your cheek to the surface. “It was the best opportunity I had to get onto that island without a sword at my throat. They also had no idea I’m a summoner, so they would have no idea I was bringing my own escape crew.”

“And how did that go?” Flare tuts with her arms crossed. “As smooth as all your other plans?”

“Pomu actually helped spring me loose this time. I had her watching my back as well, so I don’t see why you’re so mad. I’ve gotten pretty good at escaping jail time.” You inform, but leave out the crucial details about how your own liberation was a questionable future for a little while.

“I’m mad because you’re just so damn casual about putting yourself in danger!”

“Is this REALLY the time to be talking about our life choices!? We have a battle to prepare for!” You shout back.

“Oh this is EXACTLY the time. You’re not off the hook for this. What you did wasn’t cool at all.”

“And what was I supposed to do, huh!? If I didn’t go along with it, the entire fleet would have assumed the worst and everything would be on full alert. They might have even moved their prisoners! What would you have done anyway if you’re so smart!?” You accuse as you prod the half-elf’s shoulder with all the meager strength you can muster right now.

“I would have come back and told you about my plan myself!” Flare exclaims. “I wouldn’t leave you wondering where the hell I was, or if I was okay.”

“There wasn’t time for that, Flare!” You wipe your hand over your face. “I needed them to think I was acting alone or-”

“Or what?!” Flare gets almost nose to nose with you, her eyes hot with rage and…tears? “Or I’d have to fight through an army to get to you!? Or those pirates would try to get us next?! That would have been fine, you moron…”

Suddenly your own anger subsides. The realization that Flare wasn’t so much angry at you for what you did, but rather how you did it. You know that you wouldn’t hesitate to let one of your friends carry out their own dangerous plan, as long as you were in on it and could support them if things go awry. You’ve always chosen to face danger side by side. Making Flare have to guess for hours if you’re alright must have been more tough for her than you thought.

“It's not fair to any of us, you know. To Watame, Polka, me. You mean too much to us. Your life isn't yours to just risk however you want. I know the life we lead isn't exactly safe, but if anything ever happened to you while I wasn’t around…I just don’t think I could handle that…" The half-elf says in a much more somber tone.

More guilt wraps around your heart and squeezes it to a point where you feel your own breath wane. You are hit with the remembrance of how Flare’s own parents met their ends; her mother finding her beloved dead on a singed battlefield days after their daughter was born, not being able to be with him or fight alongside him, opens your eyes to more of the half-elf’s innermost feelings. While you won’t think twice about diving into danger for the sake of protecting others, you haven’t given much thought to how those choices affect the people around you, the people you love. The bond you and Flare share is irreplaceable. You both have experienced loneliness and prejudice throughout your lives, and in each other, you have found a person who not only understands it, but will be someone to ensure neither feels that kind of isolation ever again. The idea of losing that person makes it feel as though a hole was put through your chest.

“I’m sorry.” You whisper as you take the girl in for a much needed hug. “I’m sorry I was such a thoughtless idiot. I thought I would be back sooner, so you wouldn’t have to worry about me. My plans never seem to go how they’re supposed to…”

“You dork.” Flare softly pounds your chest once. “Why do you think I worried so much? Your plans suck. They always blow up in your face somehow. You’re terrible at them.”

The two of you chuckle at her playful but truthful insult.

“So, lesson learned? You plan, I bash?” You offer, still not letting go of the girl you hold.

“I’ll help plan and WE will bash. If whatever needs to be done puts you in harm’s way, I’m going to be right there with you. We’ll fight for tomorrow together. I…Anon.” Flare starts as she looks at you with uncertainty and a desperation to find more courage to say the words she longs to say.

“I hate to cut in here, but it sounds like you two have mostly worked things out. Can the rest wait till later?” Polka interrupts your rather tender moment by bringing herself beside the two of you. “We got a major problem that needs solving and if you want this fennec’s help, she’s gonna need a little pick-me-up.”

The half-elf pouts and stares angrily at the clown fox, but her face quickly contorts to a sly grin.

“You know what? Go for it, Polka.” Flare chirps as she lets go of your hands and begins to strut away. “I think I’ll make Anon wait to hear what I was going to say next. Seems only fair. Oh, and make sure you really squeeze him a bit.”

Color leaves your face as you realize your soul is about to be snacked on for revenge.

“C’mere Anon. I wanna give you another hug.” Polka coos with a slightly unhinged and very hungry look in her eyes.

You begin to back away slowly, hands raised in an attempt to give the blond haired predator at bay. Your path of retreat is then blocked by Watame, who only gives you a small smile.

“I knew you’d come back to me, but you’ll need to make it up to the others.” Watame whispers in your ear, both tickling your senses and piling dread on top of them. “You need a nap anyway. Let Polka help you rest.”

“H-H-Hold on! I-I-I don’t know how long I’ll be out for if Polka-” You stammer, but before you can pose an actual argument, the fennec ensnares you in her embrace, and your already fleeting muscle control begins to evaporate entirely. You can do nothing but fall forward, your chin resting on the fennec’s shoulder.

“Shhhh. Just relax, Anon.” Polka then strokes the back of your head as she tilts her head to nuzzle her cheek against yours. “When you wake up, we’ll have a plan that’ll send you right into some nasty pirates like a tidal wave. You, me, Flare, Nenechi, and everyone else are gonna teach them a lesson. Does that sound fun?”

You can only nod in response as your thoughts begin to get cloudy and scattered. While you initially did not want to sleep just yet, the comfort you feel in Polka’s arms feels too fluffy to want to leave. This soul feeding also feels a little different than it has in the past. While you feel the almost disorienting weightlessness of Polka’s kitsune magic taking what it yearns for from you, you also feel a strange warmth from deep within you. Could it be because you are already at your mental and physical limit? Or perhaps this is a natural evolution between a kitsune and their human partner. Either way, your soul feels strained, but content. Your eyes become too heavy to keep open.

As your consciousness fades, you can hear Botan’s distinct snicker, likely at what she is watching transpire between you and Polka. Muffled introductions between your friends and the Houshou pirates can also be just barely heard before the world vanishes around you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Something touching the back of your head stirs you from your peaceful slumber. Your eyes are met with the vibrant hues of Polka’s skirt, and beyond its frills are the vibrant blue and pinks of her thigh highs. When you turn your head to look up, Polka’s warm gaze finds you. The fennec wears a content and pleased smile, no doubt from having her urges curbed thanks to you. As you shift your body you also can’t help but notice an unfamiliar article of clothing covering you; Botan’s thick black jacket covers you from your shoulders to all the way past your waistline.

“How ya doing sleepyhead?” Polka asks in a low voice.

“I actually feel pretty rested.” You reply as you try to take a look at your surroundings; a simple dark room with high ceilings and various people sprawled along the floor and huddled together in small groups, all either sleeping or eating out of small bowls. “How long was I asleep for? Where are we anyway?”

“Just a couple of hours. We’re in Shallah’s town hall. Everyone thought it was pretty appropriate to make this our temporary base.” Polka answers as she begins to absently run her hand along the side of your head, earning an involuntary, pleased sigh from you.

“You’re both awake. Good.” Botan makes herself known, walking carefully through the scarce empty space along the floor with a steaming wooden bowl in each hand. “Eat.”

Reluctantly, you leave the comfort of your fennec’s lap and sit upright to take the bowl the lioness offers you. The aroma wafting along the stew’s surface makes your stomach growl with anticipation. You impatiently lift the wooden spoon up to your lips and force yourself to lightly blow some of the heat away before letting the creamy concoction hit your lips. The texture is thick but smooth, and the taste is hearty and savory. The way it feels sliding down your throat and into your stomach makes you feel a wash of rejuvenation all throughout your body. With your hunger awakened, you begin to eat with gusto.

“Thanks Botan. I had no idea how hungry I was. What kinda stew is this anyway?” You say between spoonfuls.

“Lamb.” Botan answers straight faced, causing you to stop lifting up your utensil midway to its destination. Your brief reaction is more than enough to get a playful snicker from the lioness, who continues to stifle her laughter. Polka even lets out a small giggle at your momentary pause, to which you snort and resume filling your body with some much needed sustenance.

“Good one, Botan. You actually had him going for a sec.” Polka remarks.

“I kinda wish it was lamb though.” The lioness rubs her stomach slowly. “Anyway, now that you’re both awake, Flare wants to go over things. She’s still in the planning room with the others.”

“Good. Now that I’ve had a nap and some food, I’m ready to kick Blackfin’s ass.” You confidently declare after you pour the rest of the bowl’s contents into your mouth and savor that last swallow.  

“Same here!” Polka chirps as she does the sound with a loud slurp from her bowl. The fennec then looks over at you with some slight apprehension, and she scratches the side of her cheek with a finger. “And by the way, Anon….sorry for kinda….well…what I did earlier…That wasn’t exactly how we’ve been doing…well our thing. I was kinda caught up in the moment, and I was really hungry, and-”

“Don’t worry about it.” You shake your head. “If anything, I should be apologizing to you. Flare is right. How I went about things earlier wasn’t exactly fair to you guys. I should have been a little smarter, or at least gave Nene clear instructions to take back to you. I’m sorry I made you all worry so much.”

“You just did what your heart told you to do, and if I’m being honest, I like that part about you. ALTHOUGH!” The fennec suddenly grows more enthusiastic. “I’m forbidding you from willing capture from now on.”

“Fair enough.”

“Unless…it’s both of us.” Polka adds quickly. “I don’t really like the idea of not knowing where you are either. So next time you plan on busting out of a jail, just make sure I’m with ya too. We’ve broken out of the slammer before. I’ll make it a lot easier for you next time I bet.”

“If I can help it, you’ll be my number one partner in crime.” You gladly agree, offering a hand to your fennec who takes it. When your palms meet and your fingers lace over one another, you both help lift each other to a stand.

“You two are cute. It makes sense why Polka was getting so antsy earlier. I just thought she was hungry.” Botan shrugs, seemingly enjoying the brief heart to heart you and Polka just had, which makes you both blush slightly.

You follow Polka and Botan through the simple community building, many heads of the locals you pass intently observe your movements. While you can find relief on the faces of the Shallahan people to be freed from their captivity and reunited with their loved ones, uncertainty and anxiousness hangs heavy in the air. They no doubt know of the coming battle soon to take place on their shores, and the risk involved. In an effort to be that spark of hope you strive to be, you straighten your stance, roll your shoulders, and secure Botan’s jacket over them. You continue your stride with confidence and pride. This land and its people need a hero, and you need to look and walk like one.

Botan looks rather bemused and a little impressed by your sudden shift in demeanor. She leads you down a short hallway where you can hear familiar voices conversing from within one of the open rooms near its end. Before you reach the open doorway, you stop and hand the lioness her jacket.

“Thanks Botan. I didn’t mean to keep hogging this.” You say to her as she takes her overwear back and slips her arms through its wide sleeves.

“No problem. I didn’t want you getting cold. You looked like you needed a good rest after what you went through.” Botan remarks as Polka enters the room first, and before the lioness can do the same you gently pinch the back of her jacket to keep her from leaving. She looks over her shoulder questionably at you.

“And I wanted to say thanks for saving my butt earlier. That thing that fell into the water that caused this big explosion. That was something you made, wasn’t it?”

“Yup.” Botan nods. “That’s the type of stuff I can make with my magic. Sorry I couldn’t make anything that packs enough of a punch to put that orca down when I had the chance. On short notice they’re only good for a couple shots, then they fall apart.”

“Don’t worry about it. I know another orca demi-human and they’re pretty tough. We’ll get another round with Blackfin though, and then we’ll take him down, together.” You say with building eagerness.

“Sounds good to me.” Botan grins and you both enter the spacious office where Flare, Marine, Kukai, Sammy, and a few other faces stand around a long wooden table. Flare looks down at the spread out map along its surface deep in thought. You can tell the half-elf is really racking her brain by the way she holds her chin and subtly nibbles the side of her forefinger. Undine and Sylph both float next to a pair of simple wooden chairs where Watame and Roxy sit. The two spirits notice your entry and give you warm smiles. While you want nothing more than a moment to talk with your sheep, you can tell by the air in the room that everything is far from settled.

“I know we agreed I’d let you handle the planning, but it looks like you might need a little help. What’s got you stumped?” You point your voice at Flare to shock her out of her heavy thinking. She looks at you with false confidence, but her face quickly droops as she keeps her own pride in check.

“No matter how many times I look over the landscape and the numbers, it doesn’t get any better.” Flare sighs. “The port isn’t meant to repel invaders, and we only have one ship capable of fighting back…if it can even manage that right now.”

“The Crimson Quarter’s got plenty of fight left in her!” Marine snaps.

“Against more than one ship!?” Flare argues back, clearly tired of this topic being revisited. The half-elf runs a hand over her face in an attempt to recollect herself. “Look. We can’t risk a full on naval battle. They will be able to sail circles around us. And if we just wait on the mainland, they can bombard us with cannons.”

“How long do we have until he expects my answer?” You ask, already trying to wrap your head around potential options and strategies.

“The sun will be up in just a few short hours.” Sammy replies, looking the most worn around the planning party.

“And as if that wasn’t enough to worry about. There’s likely pirates to deal with in the north as well.” Flare sighs. “Turns out a few crews stick around to make sure the people tending the farmland don’t run off, which means more hostages at this point…”

“Not to mention we still don’t know what kind of weapon he has either.” Watame adds. “That coyote from HoloX can make some really scary things. What if we can’t beat it?”

“Trust me. I’ve been trying to guess what it could be for a while.” You cross your arms and take your own turn for some deeper thinking. “Marine, do you really not know what Morgan had that made all the pirate crews want to unite under him?”

“Nuh uh.” Marine shakes her head regretfully. “I was sailing in another part of the world when that all happened. The Morgan and Houshou Pirates have always kinda had a positive rivalry between them since when my grandma was Senchou. When we came back to Shallah for supplies, Captain Morgan greeted us and told us about the new regime. I of course didn’t have any problems with that, so there wasn’t a need to threaten me. Sorry, I never even cared to ask what he had.”

“Well if it’s something Koyori made, I have no choice but to beat it. If I ever hope to dismantle HoloX, I need to be able to break anything that crazed scientist can throw at me. So that’s one problem out of the way.” You offer a slight comfort to Watame and few others, but Flare and Marine remain unswayed.

“That still leaves us with a battle on multiple fronts.” Flare reminds you.

“And the captains of the headliner crews are no pushovers either.” Roxy chimes in. “I’m impressed that your little…uhhh..puffball?”

“Rainpuff.” You correct her.

“Whatever. That Rainpuff fairy was able to beat Captain Alvina, but she couldn’t have been halfway to sober at the time. We’re going up against the full infamy of the Blackfin fleet now, and you can bet they’re all going to be at full alert after what you pulled.”

“Then we should see just how alert they are.” Botan starts. “Why should we wait for the fight to start on their terms? I say we head to my pack’s island and get them before dawn. If we’re already there, we won’t have to worry about fighting on sea either.”

“Like a hunt!” Watame gasps, rising from her seat.

“But how can we get there without them seeing us?” Polka asks, slightly deflating the overexcited sheep who does not have a good answer to this question.

You turn and look at the dusty and near barren walls as you try to think.

Botan has the right idea. If we can bring the fight to Blackfin again, we not only cut down on innocents getting caught in the crossfire, but improve our chances for victory since we’ll be on land. There’s no way that paranoid orca isn’t keeping eyes on the nearby waters though, so sailing on Marine’s ship is out of the question. I could pretend to turn myself in or want to talk over that deal of his, but that won’t end well. He’s already proven to break pirate tradition when it suits him.

As you continue to think you look over at Undine and Sylph. You are reminded of your unique abilities and how nature has always been your ally when things got tough. You also remember Undine’s words from the other night, about how the ocean’s dark depths can hide many things.

“Hey, Kukai. Is there any record of Shallah and the nearby island ever being connected?” Your question surprises the natives in the room with you, but the younger of Shallah’s pillars grounds himself and begins to think on it.

“I think so. There’s a sandbar that stretches for a few good miles along the northern coast that you can walk to when the tide is just right a few times during the year. People think that it once connected the mainland and that island, but even when the tide goes out and you can reach it by foot, it doesn’t reach the island.” Kukai says after a moment, still unsure what help this information could be.

“Maybe not with just the natural flow of the tide, but I think Undine and I could probably uncover enough of it to alter the playing field a little.” You grin. “What you think, Undine? Is that doable?”

“Indeed. I can easily bend the tide for a short while to allow its recession to reveal the land that lies beneath. Your request has me curious though. How might that help us?” The water spirit chimes happily.

“I say Botan is right, we should go on the offensive before sunrise, but where we do that is gonna be even more of a surprise.” You begin, and you invite yourself over to the planning table and look over the map of Shallah’s landscape at a very high level. “They have crews still there up north, right? I say we get loud and rowdy just like always! Blackfin will come sailing over with his whole fleet and then…”

“They hit the sandbar and can’t get close enough to shore…” Flare says to herself as she moves several random objects used as markers along the map. “And if they’re forced to continue on foot, we can use the landscape to our advantage…and then have Marine’s ship approach from the port…Yes! This can work!”

“Not bad, huh?” You ask the half-elf smugly.

“Don’t get a big head Mr. Summoner.” Flare scoffs. “We’re still fighting an uphill battle, but at least it’s on dry land instead of the open sea. Now go find the pack and Nene. They should be helping take care of the people you freed. Sylph, would you please go find Pomu? She and Kiara have been keeping watch outside. I’ll need to give them their instructions.”

“Sure thing, boss!” Sylph salutes and quickly floats herself out of the room.

“Should I bring the pack and Nene here too?” You ask.

“Nope. What you’ll be doing is pretty simple. Lead the charge. Think you can manage that?” Flare challenges you playfully.

“As long as you’re the one taking the blame when the plan goes sideways.” You snicker.

“Which would be the fault of the executor, not the tactician.” Flare scoffs back. “And sorry to disappoint you, but I’m going to set you up so you can’t possibly fail. Now get going, we have an armada to dismantle.”

With fiery spirits, you set out to gather your allies and prepare yourselves for the battle to come. Blackfin has proven to be a power hungry warlord that won’t be content to settle for anything less than total conquest. You can’t be sure what sort of device or weapon HoloX has given him, but you can be sure of the fact that he sees you as a threat to his reign. It’s time to prove him right about that. If the pirate fleet thinks you’re trouble after what you did at their shipyard, they haven’t seen anything yet.