VECTOR
by Shanna
Chapter 32
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Vector
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“Oi!” Manikas shouted. “Stiff upper lip, ladies and gentlemen! No quaking in your boots now, and I won’t tolerate yellowbellies! Nay, this is too important!”
Vizon straightened up, as did Jolvia and Rikzyod. Manikas looked upwards, gauging how dark it was.
None of the lanterns were lit, the deck getting darker…darker…the only light coming from the lanterns on the wharf.
“Mr.Vizon!” Manikas called, making the Riolu nod. “You’ve the Jib, pull the halyard on my mark!”
Vizon nodded, making his way to the front of the ship.
“Ms.Jolvia, you’ve the Foresail. Mr.Rikzyod, take Main.”
The Pangoro’s one eye looked upon Avery, commandingly.
“Mr.Avery, you’re to ready the broadsides.” He rumbled. “Understand?”
“…Yessir,” Avery said, after a moment’s hesitation.
He was…terrified. He was absolutely terrified. But he had no other choice. Avery ran over and headed the cannons.
“…So…I load the cannons…a-and then…what do I do?”
“Stick a pin up in the top and don’t light it a second sooner than when I say fire.” Manikas instructed, passing by him. “Once we’re up to speed, everyone else will be helping to reload and fire, we just want to be sure we get in our volleys as fast as possible.”
Manikas stood, the wind billowing in his fur. Everyone looked to him.
There, far across the ocean, the iron frigates lit their lanterns, shimming in the water.
The last of the light slowly…slowly…left the world. A deep darkness overtook the surroundings.
It wasn’t a normal darkness…nothing like Avery had seen in the lands.
It was truly black. The horizon was gone, naught but an inky dark void stretched out, the blockade looking only as a handful of twinkling lights in the abyss.
The Peacekeeper was totally dark. No lanterns.
The ship silently creaked.
Manikas walked forward, and bent down. His fingers wrapped around a massive anchor. He HOISTED it up onto his shoulder with a loud thud.
“Holy moly…” Vizon gasped. Manikas rolled the pipe in his mouth.
“We’ve not enough wind to carry us out. Tide is low. And no tugboats to pull us out.” The Pangoro said, lumbering toward the front of the ship.
He reared back, the anchor in hand, chain jingling.
“HEAVE THE HALYARDS!” He roared, CHUCKING the anchor forward!
Everyone, in a panic, pulled their ropes. The sails raised upwards.
The chain spun, spiraled…
then STRAIGHTENED.
The ship lurched forward!
Vizon yelped, nearly falling. He planted his feet, holding the halyard tight, raising his sail up higher. Jolvia did the same, same with Rikzyod.
Avery yelped, holding close to the cannons. Manikas was showing his prowess, for sure…the Plusle didn’t really know what to make of any of this, to be sure, but…that anchor- wasn’t that meant to keep them in one place instead of moving?
No, Avery was still not sure about any of this, the least of which being…attacking elites.
The ship began to slide out of port, carried by the lapping water. The gusts slowly began to catch the sails as Yahneri port slowly slipped away.
The lanterns on the docks grew farther…farther…
The ship darkened even more, practically turning invisible in the void of the sea.
“Tie ’em off.” Old Salt commanded, Vizon, Jolvia and Rikzyod pulling their ropes taut and tying them as best they could, though Manikas had to correct Rikzyod’s rope.
The captain’s footsteps rumbled across the deck, almost the only indication of where he was. The darkness was absolute.
“Keep to the cannons! Mr.Avery, are my cannons loaded yet?” Manikas called. The other three jumped, making tracks for either sides of the ship, by the cannons lined up.
Jolvia came up beside Avery, looking at him with worry…
Avery was already working on loading them as Manikas said the word, but…he cast Jolvia a glance.
“I…I don’t like this,” Avery mumbled. “What…what are we going to do? I-I don’t…I don’t want to hang, Jolvia. There’s…there’s too much I have to do.”
Clunk.
“I…I’m not going to let anyone hang. I’m not going to let…not going to let anyone hang.”
Clunk.
“…l promised you.”
“Shh…”
Jolvia lifted a hand, stroking Avery’s hair…
She stood close, quiet a moment.
“Just breathe…breathe…slowly.” She said, stroking his fur. “In through your nose…out through the mouth…”
The boat softly creaked, the lapping of water was gentle…the breeze was steady.
“We’re going to be okay, Avery.” The Nidorina assured, moving her hand to the Plusle’s shoulder. “Manikas is right. For all the elites will know, we’ll be a Thieves Guild vessel, they’ll check the pearl is secure, then think nothing of it other than a reckless escape. A report lost in some bureaucrat’s drawer…”
She squeezed Avery’s shoulder again.
“We’ll be fine. We need to focus on what’s important: getting the pearl and stopping Xamao. That means getting through the barrier.” Jolvia said with a nod. “We’ll trust Manikas…okay?”
…Avery looked down at the badge on his chest.
Shining. One prong. TZ. Team Azure. What did that even mean anymore? They were….they were attacking Elites. They were slipping past. They were going against them.
This all felt so so wrong. But…what else was he supposed to do? What could he do but…go along with it? Go with the flow?
“…Something’s wrong with Team Azure, Jolvia,” Avery said quietly.
Clunk.
“Something…something’s wrong.”
Jolvia looked worried, looking over her shoulder, out ahead. The blockade was still a ways off.
“What’s wrong, Avery…?” The Nidorina asked, keeping her voice even and measured.
The others worked to finish loading the cannons, the wind hitting the sails, the ship picking up speed.
Avery shook his head.
“…I…I need to focus. Sorry. This…it’s stupid of me to think about this now. We’re…we’re busy. I’m sorry, I’ll…”
Deep breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth. He gave Jolvia a too-bright smile.
“I’ll be fine!”
Clunk.
“Avery, I-“
“Mr.Vizon! Hoist the Staysail! Mr.Rikzyod! Fisherman’s Topsail!”
Jolvia looked back, seeing the other two pull the ropes, the sails immediately catching the wind, making it roar in their ears even stronger. The Nidrorina looked sadly to Avery…and nodded.
“We’ll talk later, ok, Avery?” She said, patting his shoulder. “Just remember…we’re going to be fine.”
With that she ran to Vizon, helping him with the Staysail.
“Steady on, crew!” Manikas called as the boat seemed to lurch again. Avery could feel it bounce on the waves.
And there…a rumble of thunder. Avery could see a dim flash of cloud way off in the black void ahead.
“We’ll punch a hole through them and they won’t even know it were us!”
Avery held onto the cannon, keeping the locks on the wheels.
‘We’re Thieves Guild for now. We’re a Thieves Guild ship escaping the harbor. That’s…that’s what we were. That’s what we were now. It’s fine. Everything will be….just fine.’
“Hope you’re right, Cap’n…!”
“Course I’m bloody right!” Manikas roared with a laugh. “I’d be long dead if I weren’t!”
The ship bounced again. The air was becoming more and more electrified and wet. The wind whipped around Avery’s head as the ship gained speed. Every direction was naught but pure darkness.
“Mr.Vizon, Mr.Rikzyod, Portside cannons.”
“Uh..right!”
“Of course, large and loud one!”
The two quickly made their way over, Rikzyod having to sidle up past Vizon to get to another set of cannons. Jolvia stood a ways from Avery, looking unsure, glancing at him with worry…now it seemed to be her turn to be distracted. But it was only a moment, the Nidorina quickly refocused herself.
“Quiet down, now…” Manikas said, voice going lower.
The blockade…the line of shimmering lights that stretched across the bay…they were getting closer. Larger.
It was only now it dawned on Avery how massive these frigates were. How much they dwarfed the tiny Peacekeeper. Even though he couldn’t see them, just the positioning of the window and lantern lights let Avery know…they were monoliths of iron.
Warships.
“Steady on those cannons. On my word…and not a moment sooner…” Manikas said. “We fire to punch the ships to one side and break their hold on the iron chain and we sail right on through. Starboard broadsides first, then on my mark, Port broadsides, understood?”
Vizon gulped, nodding. Rikzyod nodded as well. Jolvia gave her own affirming nod, glancing down at Avery.
“Yessir,” Avery said. It seemed…they weren’t aiming to hurt anyone. The Plusle felt the energy of the orbs sparking quietly in the cannon. They just had to break their hold on the chain…
Jolvia seemed almost relieved as he was.
Manikas lifted his fist…
“Steady on…” He said.
The boat creaked. The lights of the frigates loomed like monsters.
The wind billowed.
The air was thick.
“Steady…” Manikas said again.
Slowly, you could feel the ship begin to turn. You could almost hear voices from the frigates, talking.
“Steady…”
The ship turned slowly…slowly…
everything was so…quiet.
Jolvia readied her cannon, looking at Avery to do the same as his side’s cannons slowly began to face the blockade.
And for one, brief, agonizing moment…
Everything was
Still.
“FIRE BROADSIDE!!!”
Fuse lit. Avery covered his ears, heard the hiss…and took the end of the cannon, carefully aiming it.
CRACK CRACK CRACK.
Smoke SHOT from the cannon! Sparks and embers FLEW in the air! Avery was smashed in the gut!
Explosions rocked the monolith! The flashes of explosions lit the iron beast! Cast massive shadows! It dwarfed them!!!
Shouting! From the frigate! A bell frantically ringing! Another bell! More bells! The entire fleet alerted!
“HAH!” Manikas roared, JERKING the ship in the other direction. There was a scramble on the frigates, they hadn’t fired back!
This was it. They’d taken direct action against them.
‘hanged hanged hanged hanged IT WAS FINE, I’M FINE-‘
The ship lurched and swung, until Vizon and Rikzyod’s side faced the blockade.
“FIRE PORT BROADSIDES!”
Vizon and Rikzyod lit the fuses next. Jolvia took a pummel, throwing the lid off a red barrel to take a sack of gunpowder. She tossed one towards Avery, taking another.
CRACK CRACK CRACK
More smoke and fire BILLOWED over the deck. Jolvia coughed and spat, shoving her pack of gunpowder back into her cannon.
“MR.AVERY! MS.JOLVIA! I NEED THOSE BROADSIDES BACK UP!” Manikas roared, SWINGING the ship again. “MR.VIZON! How’s that chain looking?”
“Uh! Uhhh!!” Vizon yelped, scrambling for a spyglass, fumbling with it.
“TODAY, Mr.Vizon!!”
Vizon looked through the glass, tripping as the ship lurched and bounced on the waves.
“Still up…!” Vizon yelled.
“Another volley, lads!” Manikas yelled. “Don’t let them load their weapons!”
Avery shoved the bag of gunpowder back down into the cannon, following it with-
Clunk.
Another orb.
“Yes, Cap’n!” Avery called. The adrenaline forced thoughts out of his head. He brought his arm up to filter out the stench of ignited gunpowder, and-
Fshhhh-k! Clunk.
Another cannon primed.
“Starboard broadsides ready, Cap’n!”
“Ready!!” Jolvia shrieked, desperately grabbing onto the railing as Manikas brought their broadsides toward the chain.
Vizon and Rikzyod scrambled to reload. The Riolu fumbled with the ramrod, tripping with the sudden motions of the ship.
The ship pivoted! There!
“FIRE STARBOARD BROADSIDES!”
CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK
A deafening SCREAM of explosions CUT the air! The frigate lit like FIRE as a hail of flaming cannonballs poured out! The fireballs sailed overhead, lighting the ocean behind the Peacekeeper ablaze. Orange light LIT the Peacekeeper, shadows stretching across the deck!
“They can’t hit us at this range!” Manikas yelled. “Fire! Fire! I’m pulling in closer!”
Avery went straight into reloading the cannons. His heart was beating out of his chest. His ears were ringing from the the explosions, the charges hitting the sides of the iron frigates. Avery winced with each sound, but kept reloading. He had to. He had no choice. It was too late to back down now.
“How’s the port?!”
“Ways’s off, the shots won’t even come close…!” Jolvia shouted, desperately taking her ramrod again. She stumbled as the ship turned again.
Manikas laughed as another iron frigate EXPLODED with cannonfire!
CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK
Every shot sailed uselessly overhead!
“See that?!” Manikas roared as every one of the Elites’ shots missed. One of the iron frigate’s cannons misfired, causing a fire in their window! The voices were still panicked and screaming. “There’s your big scary elites! All posture and intimidation in naught but big clumsy ships! Built to lay cannon fire on land fortresses and utterly USELESS in a ship battle!”
The ship swerved, the portside cannons swinging closer on-target.
“Think me scared of a bunch of bumbling greenhorns thumping their chest with a whimper instead of a roar?!”
The cannon LINED UP.
“FIRE PORT BROADSIDES!” Manikas roared!
CRACK CRACK CRACK
The cannon fire exploded out, rocking the ship. The fireballs sailed into the iron frigate! Orange blasts lit the night! Smoke and ash burned Avery’s fur!
There was a metal whine. A groaning snap. The side of the iron hull was cracked, a fire was burning bright from the volley!
And there, in the firelight, Avery could see the steel supports for a massive chain slowly give more and more. Massive splashes in the water shot into the air as the chain fell, link by link, tearing from the iron frigate with a crack and moan!!
A peel of lighting flashed across the sky!
“There it is! Our opening!”
Avery shielded his eyes from the flashing, squinting up at the world above, bathed in a thick blank of darkness.
“What do we do, Cap’n!?” Avery called. These iron ships wouldn’t sink. But…it was clear none of the Elites could see who was on the ship.
‘This might work. We might be okay!! We just have to take this moment and seize it, speed through, and get to Yahneri Cave as soon as possible!’
The sound of chains. Sparks flew high above, at the top of the frigates. Manikas HEAVED the helm, pointing the ship toward the gap as the chain fell, waves rocking the ship.
“These lumbering behemoths won’t get us any time soon!” The Old Salt shouted. There was a SPLASH. Another chain rattled. Another SPLASH. “But those small fighters might!”
Avery could hear shouting. Small lanterns lit the void, nearer the water. Smaller ships, dropped from above. Each of them smaller than the Peacekeeper but swiftly outnumbering them as SPLASH after SPLASH sounded all around.
“Mr.Avery, stay on those guns! Ms.Jolvia! Mr.Rikzyod! Come after and raise the Mizzen!”
“R-right!” Jolvia coughed.
CRACK
“BRACE!”
Sparks and smoke shot out from the one of the small chasers. A ball of fire SOARED past, crashing to the water.
“Mr.Vizon! Fire Portside when ready! Mr.Avery! Fire Starboard!” Manikas yelled, Jolvia and Rikzyod clambering past him. The chasers were on either side as the ship made a beeline between the frigates!
Another CRACK of thunder lit the night sky. A few drops of rain hit Avery’s face. The wind SCREAMED.
‘Shit. We should have known this was going to happen.’
Avery gripped the cannon and braced against it, lighting it. He ran over and lit another. Then another.
CRACK CRACK
Avery’s cannons FIRED with a billow of smoke. Electricity sailed over, striking the water and CASCADING across the surface. The shouts from the chaser intensified. He spluttered, smoke in his lungs, and threw himself back on the cannons, trying to reload.
Jolvia and Rikzyod hoisted at the Halyards, bringing another sail up. The Peacekeeper lurched.
CRACK
Vizon fired out a bright orange ball, filled with fighting energy. It SLAMMED into the water, causing a massive ripple, rocking the chasers on the portside!
“Steady on! Steady!” Manikas shouted as the chasers closed in. The wind whipped and pounded on Avery, his ears flopping in the harsh gale, soot and sparks carried off into the void.
CRACK
One of the chaser ships FIRED, an ice Tipper shot SLAMMING into the Peacekeeper’s railing, a CASCADE of ice exploding! Stretching across the deck!
“Augh! Ice Tipper?! Why you…!” Manikas yelled. He shouted something to the chaser but was drowned by another POUND of lighting in the sky! The rain was coming down harder, harder! It was SLAMMING into Avery as the Peacekeeper slipped between the frigates.
Jolvia ran down the steps, tripping and rolling, crawling to get back to Avery’s side at the cannons.
“CHASERS AFT!” Manikas shouted, looking behind himself. “They’re firing swivels! Everyone get down!”
CRACK!
The scream of cannonfire! The rain battered the deck, streams of waters flowing down the rocking wood! The wood was ALIGHT in thunder and lightning!
“Mr.Avery! To my side! Take the swivel cannon!” Manikas yelled, gripping the helm so tight he could tear it off. “Keep them off us until we get our cover!!”
“Yessir!!” Avery tried to keep his footing on the frozen ice covering the deck, holding onto the guardrail, slipping and sliding forwards, towards Manikas’s side. The swivel cannon…that was the one near the Pangoro, could it move?
Load. Light. Fire. Load. Light. Fire. He just had to keep them off of their tail!
‘I just hope nobody will get hurt-‘
He charged each Tipper shot he grabbed, sending volley after volley of lightning shots back towards the pursuing ships. Avery could hardly even make them out as the chaser ships sunk into the void, only visible as glowing lanterns in the pouring rain.
Avery’s shots SAILED, electrifying the water. A volley was sent in return, chipping the wood. ROCKETING past! Manikas ducked, the shadow shot BLASTING through.
“Keep it steady, Avery!”
As the Plusle shot, the chasers had to pivot around the patches of electrified water that glowed an eerie blue, crackling with energy. Every missed electrical shot that hit the water kept the chasers at bay.
Lighting STREAKED across.
“Mr.Vizon, report!”
“Uhm…! All clear?!”
“Ms.Jolvia! Report?!”
“One chaser deployed! Firing!”
Avery could hear a CRACK as Jolvia fired a poison shot out toward a chaser ship, striking its sail.
“Just a wee bit more, lads!” Manikas bellowed.
“Until we lose them?!” Vizon yelled, reloading a cannon.
“Of course not! Until we get to the really hard part!” Manikas laughed, lighting blazing across the sky!
A harsh gust ROCKED the boat, blasting into Avery! Threatening to knock him down the stairs! The sails pulled TIGHT on the ropes! The boat LURCHED once more, Jolvia stumbling! The cannons RATTLED. The ropes whipped and clattered!
The rain was swirling in spirals! The gust blew in every direction!
“Here we are, lads!” Manikas roared over the SCREAMING wind! “Our trump card! See ’em get us in this weather, ey?!”
The water flashed and crackled in terrifying cyans and yellows and whites, electrical currents streaking through it like angry snakes.
CRACK
Avery ran to the front, paws burning from the heat of the cannons. Fire, load, light, fire, load, light-
Thunder shook the Peacekeeper! Avery flinched, coughing from ash and smoke.
“How are we going to pilot ourselves in that, cap’n!?”
Manikas bellowed a laugh. Vizon looked to him, wild-eyed. Rikzyod’s skin fizzed at the pounding rain. Jolvia threw herself to a wood pole for support.
“If you don’t know that, Mr.Avery, you’re sure t’ learn very quickly!”
The wind BLASTED from portside! A massive wave CRASHED into the ship! The Peacekeeper creaked and groaned, tilting violently.
CRACK CRACK
Avery’s lit cannons shot STRAIGHT into the water as the boat tilted back suddenly then righted itself! The Elite chaser ships bobbed and rocked over the MASSIVE waves that cascaded over the ocean.
“Keep the hailfire, Mr.Avery! Give ’em everything you got!”
“That’s a big ask when I can barely keep my footing, Cap’n!!” Avery shouted over crashing of waves and thunder.
The Plusle braced himself against the cannon like a lifeline. He grunted, suddenly catapulted back by a sudden crash! Vizon stumbled, trying to jam the ramrod into a cannon. A chaser came up portside. Another chaser, starboardside!
“Mr.Rikzyod! Lower the Mizzen!” Old Salt roared. Rikzyod ran for it. “Ms.Jolvia, lower Topsail!”
The ship ROCKED again. Everyone lost balance! Vizon stumbled, SLIDING down the slick wood on his back!
“AVERY!”
Avery gasped, reaching out, clapping his paw into Vizon’s, catching him.
‘If I went overboard…that’d be it for me, right?’
“We’re getting tossed like ragdolls, Cap’n!!”
“Oi! What’s with all the bellyaching?!” Manikas roared with a laugh, TOSSING the helm into a spin, crashing HEAD ON into a massive wave. The Peacekeeper bowed down then SHOT up. Avery’s stomach turned as the ship dropped down into the ocean with a crash of water!
Rikzyod recovered, scrabbling with a hearty laugh.
“Auuugh, feel that burn! The choke of smoke!” The geodude bellowed over the howling wind, crawling up the stairs, SLAMMING into the railing as the ship tilted. “Does it not make you feel ALIVE?!”
“And let’s hope we stay that way…!” Jolvia slurred, looking sick. She braced herself, grabbing the halyard and releasing the knot, lowering the topsail.
They all lurched forward as the speed decreased. The chasers soared past, caught off guard. Old Salt spun the helm, facing the starboard cannons right towards them.
“Mr.Avery! Let ’em have it!!”
Deep breath. Aim. Light. FIRE!!
CRACK!!!
Smoke and ash flew out! The cannons JOLTED back. a swarm of crackling electrical balls sailed over the water and struck the chasers! Avery could hear a shout across the water. The Elites’ sails TOPPLED. Splinters and smoke billowed, the ocean glowing blue and flashing!
Avery was alight. He was on fire. The air was filled with electricity, ready to burst with the slightest intonation. The combustion showed itself at the end of the weapon he held.
CRACK!!!
Avery couldn’t afford to overthink. He was just here. Now. After the Water Pearl.
“That’s the way, Mr.Avery, that’s the way!” The Old Salt shouted! The Mizzen and topsail were now fully lowered. Jolvia stumbled to the Plusle’s side as the ship lurched upward.
The wood creaked. The wind spun around them, rain beating upon Avery’s small body.
Jolvia was panting, ramrod in hand to reload the cannons at once. Every face on deck was exhausted, desperate, determined.
“Mr.Vizon! Ready those Portsides!” Manikas yelled. Vizon was fumbling with the last cannon, slipping and dropping the cannonball. “And careful with my munitions, if you please!”
The ship dropped, making Vizon yelp as he was tossed about on the deck of the ship.
Avery could see the swinging, flickering light of the last two Elite chaser ships deep in the dark as Manikas swung the Peacekeeper again.
“Brace yourselves!” Manikas yelled. “This storm’s nothing she can’t handle but it’ll still be a doozy! Those chasers won’t know what hit ’em!!”
“Should we tie ourselves to the deck?!” Avery tried to yell over the din. “I-in case someone falls overboard! I’ve heard of that once or twice-!!”
Another crash of thunder, smash of waves against the side of the Peacekeeper. Avery was assaulted with a briny spray, soaking him to the bone with frigid water.
“I-Is everyone here, also!”
“H-here!!” Vizon yelled over the crashing waves, the roar of thunder!
“Here! Here!” Avery heard Jolvia yell, though he couldn’t see her in the billowing rain.
“I am alive!!” Rikzyod cheered, grabbing a post and holding on.
From the helm, Avery could hear Manikas grunt, holding the wheel steady, a determined look on his face.
CRACK CRACK CRACK
In the dark! Orange flashes! Fireballs sailing from the silhouettes of the chaser ships as they fired their cannons.
The ship shook. The shots struck the water! A ball of fire EXPLODED the railing on portside! Splinters and hot ash peppered the deck. Vizon screamed in fear, tumbling to the deck, cradling his head!
“Mr.Vizon! On yer feet! Return fire!” Manikas shouted, hard spinning the helm, orienting the portside cannons towards the chasers.
“Arceus above, what am I doing…?!” Vizon babbled, trying to scramble to his feet. “They’re elites…elites…!”
“Don’t let your gusto fail you now, Mr.Vizon!!”
The Riolu grit his teeth, looking conflicted all at once, yet still lighting the fuses on the cannons.
CRACK
another!
CRACK!!
Another!!
CRACK!!!
Three shots pelted the water, making huge splashes that forced the chaser ships to back off. Manikas took the opportunity, going back down a wave, the chasers out of sight as the Peacekeeper dipped down into the valley of salty water.
The ship leaned. The wood screamed in protest. Avery could feel himself slipping! Grab something! Grab something!! Jolvia threw herself to the deck, claws digging into the wood. She was panting, eyes wide with uncertainty. Even so, she said nothing, hanging on.
Vizon gripped the Halyards, hanging on desperately as the ship tilted more and more!!
Avery looked up, swallowing his fear.
“We…we have to do this, Viz!” The Plusle shouted. “There’s…there’s no other option but to keep going…! We’re already this far in, we…we have to see it through!”
Avery braced himself against the cannon, shuffling forwards to try and reload the cannon. He stumbled. SLAMMED into what was left of the railing! Cannonballs tumbled from their boxes, rolling across deck.
Foaming water exploded ahead, spraying them all! Briny water rushed over deck, nearly tripping Avery as it flowed around his feet.
“Look alive, boys!” Manikas laughed. “There you are! This storm’s nothing to us, am I right?!”
“What do you mean?!” Vizon yelled, eyes squinted. His face was soaked. He wiped his face desperately, just trying to see.
“Avery, look!” Jolvia yelled, pointing out towards the chaser ships!
There, as the sky flashed with lightening, Avery could see the chaser ships sailing too close. One grazed the other as the wind pulled its sails off-course, crashing it into the side of the other chaser ship.
“Haw!” Manikas yelled, steadying the helm as another gust billowed behind the Peacekeeper’s sails. “Look how they flounder! But us, boys? We swim! Come now, one last effort!”
Another wave loomed dead ahead, towering over them all like a mountain of water, growing as it threatened to crash over the tiny wood vessel. But Manikas stayed course, plunging the bow of the ship straight into the mountain!
“HOLD ON TIGHT!”
Avery’s eyes darted to the others, scared, drenched, and sore. The tidal wave ahead of them was terrifying, but…it was too late to back down. Too late to turn around. The Water Pearl was at stake. He had to stick it out.
He didn’t know when he started screaming…but Avery wasn’t stopping as he held on for dear life to the butt of the cannon.
The tidal wave loomed…loomed…LOOMED.
Vizon bared his teeth, eyes wide. Jolvia held against the cannon. Rikzyod cheered like a child on a roller coaster, hanging onto a Halyard for dear life.
And Manikas only chewed his pipe, gripping the helm with a captain’s determination.
And finally, down came the wave. It crashed upon them! Ears flooded! Cold, freezing, flow! It SLAMMED Avery down into the deck! DROWNING HIM. FILLING HIS NOSTRILS!
He tried to hold on! His fingers slipped against the iron, knuckles screaming in pain. The salt stung his eyes beneath eyelids squeezed shut. He couldn’t hear a thing…and at the last moment, his hands slipped-
Avery was THROWN back-!
CLANG
He SLAMMED into another cannon The water pounded on his body! Got up his nose! Hundreds of pounds of pressure CRUSHED him. Jolvia gargled a yell in the harsh spray.
Vizon tumbled backwards, swept up in the force! Rikzyod whipped about and CRASHED against the wood, sliding in the rainwater!
Avery screamed, but his lungs were empty. His vision grew fuzzy as he fought for consciousness in the downpour.
The ship lurched once more, pointing down, sliding Avery forward. Jolvia slipped and tumbled to ground. The wave rushed back, spilling off the side of the ship.
And up at the helm, Manikas hadn’t flinched a bit.
“Gentlemen!” He shouted. Vizon had to lift himself up, already battered. Jolvia was losing her lunch off the side of the ship. “Status! How many on us?!”
Vizon wobbled to his feet, swaying as the ship rocked.
“None on this side…?!” Vizon yelled back, almost unsure. Avery squinted through the rain. No silhouettes. No torches. No cannons.
“I think we lost ’em, cap’n!”
“Hah! Some defense!” Manikas snorted with a laugh. “Gave up and ran home after a bit o’ mild resistance! What a lark!”
Vizon dropped down to his knees, the water under him splashing.
“Did…that really just happen?” He asked, breathing hard. “Did we just pull that off…?”
“Don’t…don’t relax yet,” Avery said, his back numb from the impact against the cannon. “We’ve still got a storm to fare-“
A gust of wind tore through the deck of the ship, jolting it forward as a crack of lightning screamed overhead. Vizon jumped, eyes trailed upward as he tried to hang on to the ropes.
Manikas, meanwhile, kept his gaze firmly ahead.
“Not long now, lads! Worst of it’s behind us now!” Manikas shouted over the howling wind. The rain pounded on the deck, nearly deafening them all. “Morning’s first light won’t be long now!”
Everyone nodded, bracing again as the ship bounced and skidded over another rough wave. Such dangerous waters in pitch black darkness was terrifying, Avery could see it in Vizon’s face in the few flahses of lightning.
“Mr.Avery! Keep a lookout for any high waves on Starboard!” Manikas shouted over the gale.
“Y-yessir!”
It was tough, with how exhausted he was, but he tried to make little sparks, watching for the reflections on the water to see if there were any waves to watch out for.
Vizon furrowed his brow, nodding, making light with his aura on Portside and doing the same.
The ship dipped again, but Avery could feel the storm weakening. The water droplets were, bit by bit, less heavy. The wind went from a scream to a roar. The thunder was more and more muffled, the flashes dimmer.
“Brace!” Manikas shouted. A larger wave from ahead pounded the ship, making everyone jolt. The water rushed around Avery’s feet, but it was hardly anything compared to the monster that had crashed into him.
Slowly, the billowing wind turn to a hard gust.
Everyone was panting, beaten. Exhausted.
But triumphant, sailing out in the open sea.
“Captain!” You could hear Vizon call. “Light! There’s light!”
“And good mornin’ to the crew!” Manikas called with a laugh. “You lot just survived yer first night at sea!”
There, far in the east, peeking over the flat horizon of the ocean…was the faintest of blue lights. Slowly…slowly…it was turning orange.
The clouds were subsiding. A low and thin fog hung over the water. The air was cold…but slow.
A rumble of thunder sounded off as far-off clouds glowed with lightning.
They’d done it…they all made it.
With a heaving sigh, Avery collapsed on the soaked deck, wheezing to himself. He almost felt like he was going to pass out then and there.
“Hhhgh…Is…is…is everyone alive…?”
“Y-yeah…” Vizon said, huffing as he leaned on the railing, stepping away from the section that had been blown apart.
As the light became brighter, they could see more of the deck. The once pristine deck was now littered with ash and splinters. A chunk of the railing lay near the starboard cannons. Avery could see Jolvia latched to the cannons, looking sick as she took a Pecha berry.
“Alive but…” Jolvia gasped, cheeks puffing. She swallowed…something. “…been better.”
“Alas, yes! I still live!” Rikzyod said, thumping his chest. A coating of soot festooned his rocky skin, which glistened with water.
“For a bunch of landlocked city Poke’mon you’re a hardy bunch, ey?” Manikas chuckled, spinning the Helm. “Another few hours of calm seas and we’ll be upon the Yahneri Cave.”
Avery rested his head on the wood, closing his eyes for a moment to stable himself.
“We’ve, uh…we’ve been through worse, Cap’n.” Avery sighed. “Not…not much shakes Team Azuuuuuur-p-“
The Plusle swallowed ‘something’ too.
“Woah, you alright, Avery…?” Vizon asked, trying to steady himself on the ship. Manikas smirked but respectfully kept silent as the Plusle slowly grew his sea legs.
“Looks like calm waters.” The Pangoro captain said with a deep sigh. “No worries about Yahneri Cave, gentlemen. The sandbars and crags are hardly a threat to me. And be the pearl returned, we won’t see head or hair of that Yahneri Beast, ey?”
He chuckled, shaking his head.
“Not yet, anyway. Not…yet.“
Jolvia cast a glance to Avery, looking a little visibly worried.
Avery gave her a tired glance in return. If he knew their luck…they were going to be seeing that sooner rather than later.
‘And then Xamao would swoop in and attack us when we’re weak like a coward.’
Avery’s shoulders sagged.
‘…why are we even doing this when the result is going to be the same?’
Avery carefully came to a sitting position, wiping his sore back as he looked up at the Nidorina.
“…I hit myself pretty hard on that big wave. It’s going to leave a mark for a while, hah…”
“Here…” Jolvia said, standing up and taking an oran berry from her satchel. She crushed it in her hands into a fine paste. “Turn your back to me, this’ll help.”
Avery did so, sitting down on the deck of the ship to allow her to apply it. The pain relief was immediate, which he greatly appreciated.
“Are you doing okay, Jolvia…? The starboard side got hit pretty rough, huh?”
“I’ll…” Jolvia sighed, shaking her head as she finished rubbing the oran berry in. Her voice sounded a bit strained, face a little…green. “…I’ll be fine.”
Rikzyod and Vizon relaxed on the other side of the ship, the Geodude politely refusing an oran berry Vizon offered, the Riolu rolling his eyes, insisting Rikzyod not waste precious reviver seeds.
Manikas said nothing for a while, only looking out toward the horizon as the sun finally peeked over the water, casting a brilliant array of purples and oranges across the sky.
“So, while we’ve time…” Manikas said, chewing on his pipe. The light within had long gone out. “…I’ve spun my yarn, what of yours? You lot are from the Arceliaze guild, aren’t ye? How’s that treating you?”
Avery turned to the captain, looking him over. Of course his pipe’s been snuffed, they just went through a typhoon.
“…It’s…well, I don’t know about everyone else, but…it’s been a lot for me.” Avery responded. “I’m very new to this line of work, and uh…most of my days off have been spent thinking about my days on.”
Vizon and Manikas looked over at the Plusle as he answered, the Riolu piping up from the other side of the ship.
“Well…yeah, maybe it’s been a lot.” Vizon said, rubbing the back of his head. “But it’s been fun, too. Meeting new friends, going on adventures and fighting crooks and bad guys…”
Manikas let out a nostalgic laugh at that.
“…and for how new we are…” Vizon continued, looking to Avery. “…I’d say we’re doing really good! Am I right, buddy?”
Manikas hummed, his one good eye glancing down at Avery with a wispy smile on his face.
“Adventures an’ fighting, ey? So what, all action and excitement was routine to you lot all along?” The Pangoro laughed, casually leaning on the helm. “I’m a fair bit out of touch with all that guild noise…but I check in time t’ time when I’ve coin to spare on one of them books about them.”
Manikas was quiet a moment. The only sound between him and Avery was the sound of ocean wind and the creak of wood.
Until he finally spoke another question.
“So, then, who’s all there these days?” The Pangoro asked. Jolvia glanced at Avery curiously, a questioning look on her face. Avery gave her a little shrug before answering the captain.
“Uh, there’s two other teams that we’ve worked with pretty closely. Team Spade and Team Aquashock. Went to Qeasé with one and Dove Fo Uddjo with the other. We’ve got another teammate, but she’s at home.”
Manikas rumbled at your that, saying nothing. He turned his head, looking out towards the open sea.
“Aquashock and Spade, ey? Then last of all you Azure lot? That’s a pity.” Manikas said at last. “Shame to hear the Guild’s roster has shrunk once again.”
He was quiet again, chewing on his unlit pipe, staring at the glowing sky of the sunrise.
The proud captain almost looked…
…sad.
Avery tilted his head curiously.
“You…ever have any run-in with the guild in the past, Cap’n?” Avery asked, sitting back up and rifling through his bag. He wasn’t sure if it’d work the same, but maybe another Pecha Berry would help Jolvia with her seasickness. “I don’t have much doubt you’ve had interactions with the Elites.”
The Pangoro captain didn’t respond at first. Jolvia took the Pecha berry, nodding in thanks and eating it at once, sighing in relief and massaging her head. Across the deck, Vizon stared up at Manikas then back to Avery, shrugging at the captain’s brief silence.
At last, as though broken from a trance, Manikas answered Avery’s question.
“Nay, no run-in with the guild, Mr.Avery. They trouble not an Old Salt like me” Manikas replied. “But elites, aye, I’m no stranger to slipping by them and others. Embargo checkpoints, contraband check stations, even sailing past navy drills by Mist Island.”
Avery stood up slowly, putting his hands up on the railing along the side of the ship.
“…Is it weird that…I don’t really want to become an elite? At least not yet. I know we’re only one-prong, so that’d be a ways off anyway, but…I don’t know. I like what we have at the Guild. I like Sarfallinus, and Loshjno and Ganisus and Kipuuna and Lahnae. And…I feel like if we all graduated, we’d just…see a lot less of each other. Get lost in a sea of faces.”
Avery looked back at Vizon.
“Is that weird? Or…wrong, I guess?” Avery asked.
“I…almost feel the same way…” Vizon said, looking over. Jolvia blinked, almost looking surprised. “I look at the elites and…they’re so…professional and all-business. It seems so…cold?”
Vizon sighed, furrowing his brow.
“All those rules, forms, structure…it’s nothing like our little family at the guild.” He said, voice firm. “I wasn’t to go on adventures, be an elite, just like all the teams I read about…”
He folded his arms, looking up.
“But…I guess I have to wonder…is being all that what I want?” He looked down back at Avery, a smile on his face. “Maybe that’s why we should strive to be elites. You and I helped make the guild better…maybe we’d do the same for the elites, too…! We can make everything better inside and out.”
“Making the elites better too, huh?” Avery sighed, smiling softly at the thought. He shook his head. “There’s wayyy more than three teams in the Elite Force, I’ll say that. We were twenty-five per cent of the Guild Arceali, you know? But…”
He shrugged.
“Who knows. After all this stuff with the pearls is over, and we get our other two prongs…maybe we will be made of the stuff that could change the elites for the better. And if Aquashock and Spade come up there with us…well, that triples our chances…!”
The Plusle’s eyes went back to tracing the waves.
“That’s…that’s a ways off though. At least years. So we shouldn’t put the cart before the horse, hah…”
“No harm in the long term, Mr.Avery.” Manikas called from the helm. “Whether it be implausible or no, ’tis a noble goal, ey?”
Vizon beamed. He looked much more relaxed now. The last of the adrenaline was leaving Avery, letting the Plusle relax, as well. Avery savored this moment of respite.
“You’ve always talked a lot about the periodicals that talk about the Guild, but…what about the elites?” Avery asked. “Are there periodicals about them, too?”
Jolvia shook her head at that question, answering it in Vizon’s stead.
“Mm…no, elite work is much more…secretive, Avery.” Jolvia said. “They get some reporting but most of their tasks are hush-hush…”
She lowered her head, staring at Avery over her glasses.
“…likely for good reason, hm?”
Avery only hummed thoughtfully in response, his eyes tracing back towards the open sea.
The once roaring and thrashing waves were now calm and soothing. The breeze was kindly and strong, giving The Peacekeeper a swift pace.
“What of this teammate back home of yers?” Manikas asked, steering the helm eastward. “Y’not bring yer full crew to a dangerous mission like this?”
“Respectfully, we were under the impression that this mission wasn’t going to be dangerous at all,” Avery laughed again. “The fact that we’re on this boat now is what I’ve been calling The Azure Twist. But, uh…yeah. Our last mission was…a good bit harder than any previous. She just needed some extra time to recuperate, is all.”
Vizon looked at Avery uncomfortably as the Plusle tactfully danced around the details but breathed a sigh of relief when he finished.
Manikas side-eyed Avery, chewing on his pipe…brow furrowed.
But didn’t press.
“Aye, may she be shipshape soon.” He said, just as a hard gust pulled the ship forward faster.
The sun was now fully out, well over the horizon. The purple and orange hue of the sky was slowly turning to a light blue as the morning progressed. The guild team milled about the ship, busying themselves over the last few hours of their trip.
Jolvia had found a set of dice with which to play a few games of chance with Vizon. Rikzyod, meanwhile, hung out at the Bow of the ship, as though he were trying to act as the figurehead, sprays of water hitting him as he laughed. Manikas watched the Geodude with interest, a bemused expression on his face.
There was a little smile on Avery’s face, watching the others. It was good seeing Jolvia and Vizon spend some time together, too. He knew Jolvia and Rikzyod were close, but seeing the two of them hang out was nice. Avery was tempted to ask what they were playing, but for now, Ihesimply sat by and watched them while staying receptive to anything else that needed doing on the ship.
It was a good way to keep his thoughts busy.
The world was quiet but for the lapping of waves, the soft gusts of wind and the creaking of wood.
Silent and peaceful.
Then, in that calm, as Avery worked and his team relaxed…he heard something.
It was Manikas’s voice, deep and gutteral…
To himself…but loud enough that any could hear…he sang a tune above the waves. Called forth as though it were an old memory.
“Tasting fine Ek-sai from here to the west
and blast-ing through law and avoiding ar-rest
and sur-vi-ving south waves and all of the rest
but none of it will com-pare to the day I confessed
to dear Rekinii…”
The bob of the ship seemed to be…in time with him.
“O’ dear Rekinii…”
His voice raised a smidge, his gaze off towards the ocean.
“Rekinii so sweet,
quite the treat
taken from me in the summer’s heat
I don’t know when next we’re ordained to meet
but I know that I’ll be quite excited to greet
O’ dear Rekinii…”
Vizon lifted his head, cocking an eye brow. Manikas rolled his pipe in his mouth, minding nothing but the wind that carried the Peacekeeper forward.
“There, mind the Cyclones creep-ing in their nest
Three cracks o’ fire at the gunner’s behest
by sweet mercy’s grace my gold stays in its chest
but that shant hold a candle to lyin’ abreast
with dear Rekinii…
O’ dear Rekinii…”
Avery rested the mop he’d been using on the mast, and listened.
“Rekinii so sweet,
quite the treat
taken from me in the summer’s heat
I don’t know when next we’re ordained to meet
but I know that I’ll be quite excited to greet
O’ dear Rekinii…”
Avery could see Vizon mouthing the words as he listened, an ear perked.
“Ice, snow and cold be Duph-i-mevu’s grim test
Glaciers and ice drifts and routes reassessed
Joy when at port, I thought it were the best
But nay, no, that’s naught to becoming obsessed
with dear Rekinii…
O’ dear Rekinii…”
Vizon perked up, Rikzyod looking behind him to see what all the noise was about.
The Riolu, his voice just under Manikas’s, joined in. At least on the chorus.
Avery didn’t know the song. But…it was nice, if a little sad. I didn’t know the words, but…
… At the least, he quietly hummed along to what he could pick up of the tune.
“Rekinii so sweet,
quite the treat
taken from me in the summer’s heat
I don’t know when next we’re ordained to meet
but I know that I’ll be quite excited to greet
O’ dear Rekinii…”
Vizon and Manikas’s voices mixed with Avery’s humming. A simple melody, repetitive…but…
…cathartic.
“Few joys in life, to this I can attest
from the cradle we’ve endured this cruel jest
but onward I trudge and make no protest
for that’s what she would always kindly suggest
my dear Rekinii…
O’ dear Rekinii…”
Now Vizon and Rikzyod both sang with him. Even Jolvia quietly hummed along just behind Avery as the chorus came one final time.
“Rekinii so sweet,
quite the treat
taken from me in the summer’s heat
I don’t know when next we’re ordained to meet
but I know that I’ll be quite excited to greet
O’ dear Rekinii…
O’ dear Rekinii…
O’ dear Rekinii…”
The song ended, and for a moment, silence hung in the air. I simply let it go, sitting there on the deck, listening to the crash of the waves.
“…I’ve never heard that one before,” Avery said softly. “…It’s nice though. Familiar, even though it’s new to me.”
Manikas said nothing for a while. The silence was peaceful between all as the morning sun finally lifted up higher into the sky.
Then, the old Pangoro captain smiled.
“Ain’t it just?” He said gruffly.
Chapter 32
~
Vector
~
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