Young Writers Society

“Don’t you get the feeling we spend too much time in bars?” whispered Pilen to Aten.

“Nonsense!” shouted Danny and Simone together. Aten shrunk back in his seat and fiddled with his new sword, trying to clean the rust and briney things off the hilt. It didn’t hinder his combat, he’d said, but it definitely hurt his hand. Danny had bought a round for everyone at the table, only, much to Leigh’s apprehension, he wasn’t drinking.

It’s because of my stab wound, Danny had explained. I’ll be up and drinking with the rest of you in no time!

All the more reason for Leigh to be cautious.

Aten turned a hopeful eye to the clock on the wall and smiled, tapping a spoon on his beer mug. It was a gesture Danny had never seen before. “Guys! I’d like to announce that exactly two weeks ago, I met all of you! In a bar, no less! Here’s to...adventure! And meeting new people!” He turned to Danny. “And to goofy alchemists who bring you bad luck and great friends.”

“I’ll drink to that last one!” shouted Danny, but Leigh smacked his hand down with vis bejeweled palm. “Right. No drinking. Then I will not drink to that, but will say that Aten, buddy, you’re the coolest.”

Pilen let out a quiet aww and Anka drummed her fingers on the wooden table. Danny struggled to his feet and stretched. The slight sound of scabs tearing against bandages brought cringes through most of the group. “I hate to ruin the moment, fellas, but I gotta see a man about a horse.”

Leigh narrowed vis eyes. “The bathroom had better not be near the weapons room.”

Danny waved vem off. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” And he was gone around the corner to the bathrooms.

Leigh addressed the group with an inquisitive glare.

Aten put a finger on his nose--a gesture Leigh had never seen before. “I am not watching him pee anymore. Someone else can go.”

“As much as Danny hits plenty of my buttons,” Simone sighed, “he just doesn’t do it for me. I’m afraid I’ll have to pass.”

Pilen blushed madly. “I’m not doing it!”

Leigh coughed. “Fine,” ve grunted and stood, pushing away the rest of vis beer. “But I’ll remember this the next time you need a favor, Aten.”

Aten deflated into his seat and muttered nothings into his mug, sadly.

And of course, when Leigh rounded the corner, ve found Danny with Andrew’s cutlass, halfway out the back window. “Daniel, don’t you dare move another inch.”

Danny sighed and shrugged out of his shirt, the only sound between them the sound of chainmail hitting the wooden floor. “You wanna know something cool, Leigh?”

Leigh narrowed vis eyes and lowered vis guard. “...what is it?”

“Whenever Andy does a number on me, my body goes into a state of permanent emergency. I guess you could say that adrenaline is flowing all the time. It makes a guy impulsive, you see. And with me and my family, well...adrenaline does something cool.”

“Adrenaline is hardly healthy for you in large exposures. We should get you to another mistweaver if you’re--!!”

Danny slammed a boot into the floor, causing rivers of wood to rise up around Leigh, entangling vem in chains like a wooden prison. “You’re a floramancer!” Ve snarled and struggled against vis bonds. “I knew that was you on the ship! You killed the Captain with your bending!”

Danny’s eyes were softly glowing, but soon lost their luster. “We’ll talk once I see Andy.”

“Danny!”

He leaped through the window and rebounded against the cobblestone street outside, reeling into the air and onto a nearby rooftop. Aten wheeled into the corridor just as he vanished. “What is this?!” He pulled at the oaken vines around Leigh and gave up once Leigh got one hand free--enough to slap him away.

“Go after him! He’s going to get himself killed!”

Aten took in a sharp breath and nodded, jetting out the window and onto the next roof, boosted by air at his feet. It didn’t take him long to catch up to Danny, but as soon as he did, his friend began playing dirty.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Aten!” shouted Danny as he slung a stone tile back at Aten’s feet. Aten twisted in the air, propelling the tile away with the air around his body. Aten propelled himself down onto Danny’s back and provided a swiftness to his feet.

“I’m not here to stop you,” he said. “I’m here to make sure we win.”

"The hell...!" Simone said, rounding the corner herself, Pie thumping into her. "What did he—"

She stopped when Leigh's clothes began crackling, wood snapping in an electric storm. Ve sent a sharp gust of wind across vis body, extinguishing the resulting small fires when wood and heat mixed.

Ve turned a quarter to see the two women before jerking vis head out the window. "Let's go."

The two girls looked between each other before tensing, following half a step behind Leigh as ve jumped through the window and followed Aten.

Pilen and Leigh kept high, while Simone ran through the streets. She found Aten helping Danny up and going back to the bar, and promptly stopping their progress by demanding to know what in the world Danny was thinking first trying to sneak out then stopping Leigh from helping by trapping vem.

Leigh was about to follow Pilen down, before ve noticed a crew patrolling the city, swagger a little too bold and walk a little too sober. Ve watched as they rounded the corner, eyes darting to a familiar flash of blue.

The Admiral stopped, silencing the group he was with so Danny and company wouldn't hear them over Simone and Danny getting into conversation in the loudest sense of the term.

Andy and thugs moved forward. Leigh jumped down, gust of wind blowing out in all directions as ve landed with an unusually loud thump.

"I thought Astronomers were supposed to be light on their feet," Andy said, all attention directed to Leigh instead of Danny behind vem.

Ve stood up, crossing vis arms and meeting Andy's gaze.

He shrank his shoulders back, arms going out in a gesture of mock sheepishness. "I just want to talk to my brother."

"Then talk to all of us!" Aten said. "Five on five."

Leigh glanced back over vis shoulder, then back to Andy. "Fair's fair."

Danny went to go relieve himself, but Anka knew him far too well for that to happen. He never excused himself when around his friends, unless he was guilty of doing something the others would disagree with.

"Danny!" Leigh cried out, and everyone started, getting up. Aten was the first to reach vem.

Pilen and Simone exchanged looks and Anka chuckled. Aten was gone. Anka tried to stifle a smile, but couldn't. Simone glared at her. "Did you know this would happen?"

"It's Danny, what did you expect was gonna happen?" Anka shrugged nonchalantly, thrumming her fingers on the table.

Simone gulped down the rest of her drink and started out the door. "In this state, he's gonna get hurt, and that's the last thing we need to happen."

Anka heaved her axes and swirled them around. "I'm sure, even injured, he can handle himself."

"I think we need to go help him if he meets Andy again," Pilen picked up her staff and glanced at Leigh worriedly. "Where do you think he's gonna go?"

"Just follow the destruction, you'll find him," Anka copied Simone and downed her drink. "Granny's got business of her own in Norcaster."

"So you're not coming with? He could die, he's got adre-"

"-naline racing through his body. Runs through the family. He'll be fine, besides, you guys are backing him up, what more could he ask for." Simone nodded grimly.

"Fine, let's go." They left, Pilen giving Anka one last glance. Anka gave a weak smile. When they were well off to find Danny, only then did she leave through the back of the pub. Her totem felt heavy in her pocket and she pulled it out, wincing at the damage done to it. During the attack on the ship, it had been broken from something or another.

"Moema, guide me." Anka whispered in the humid air outside the bar. She was in a back alley of Norcaster's commercial downtown. She pressed the totem against her forehead and closed her eyes.

"It's not like the Danny I know to hide behind airbenders." Andy nodded to his allies, who flanked out on each side to lock down their opponent. "But if this is yer new way of talkin, brother, I won't say no to yer language."

Danny stood still, holding his bleeding side while a seaward gust brushed the streets of trash. The brine in the air was thick. Danny drew the cutlass from his belt and slid it across the street. Andy stopped it with his foot.

"What's this all about? Ya've never given Falkris back before the fight before." He furrowed his brow. "What are ya playing at, brother?!"

"Aten," called Danny. Aten shirked to his side instantly. "How far away did you say the trees were?" It was a whisper this time--something only the two of them could hear.

"Fifteen yards south, nine yards northwest, and a sapling to the east by the bar."

Danny nodded. Aten returned to his flank. Danny drew a deep breath--from all the way down beneath his puncture wound, biting against the pain--and drew his Southern Skulls, swinging them above his head and to his side--only his hands weren't moving.

Andy cocked his head to the side as soon as he noticed. "Mayhaps, boys, I pushed my brother too close to the reaper."

Danny's eyes glossed over as he dug his heels in, his alchemy launching him from the earth in a crack-shot. He flipped overhead and landed with an echoing roar behind Andy, a fresh crank of upturned earth shooting his brother back across the street, tumbling heel over head. Danny turned, launching again with a push from his alchemy, and struck with his chains before Andy could draw his weapons. Danny lifted him above his head and threw him several yards up the street. The others engaged in their own fights.

The throw didn't come without a price, as Danny felt the blood dampening his bandages instantly. With the heartbeat in his head, he could feel the adrenaline flooding his veins. He launched again from his footing on the cobblestones and slammed a fist down into Andy's jaw to a sickening crack. Andy rebounded and dug a boot into Danny's torso, sending him staggering back long enough for Andy to gain a footing. He drew his cutlasses and swung into the stones, upturning several large bits of ammunition. One after the other, he flung at Danny, cracking his shoulder, rib, and sternum in a 1-2-3 combo. Danny dug his feet into the earth, his chains bending around Andy's torso as snakes would a grand prize victim. Danny let go of the hilts, bending them sternly into the cobblestone below. Andy squirmed against his captive holds until the strain was too great, and dropped his swords.

Danny lifted his arms above his head, drawing out a massive larger-than-human boulder encrusted with cobblestones. It loomed above Danny's head, ready for the throw. Andy strained and squirmed, and finally his feet touched the ground enough for him to knock Danny off-balance. As Andy jutted for the massive boulder to gain control, a violent torrent of air blew it, Andy, and Danny several yards down the street.

Civilians screamed and ran. The boulder landed with a thundering crack. Aten stood at the ready, bow drawn and enemy felled. Andy groaned as he sat up, but groaned louder when he saw the arrow poised for his forehead. Just as he raised his hands in surrender, a chunk of earth threw Aten off the street, head knocked firmly against a nearby building.

Andy's gaze jerked to the source, to Danny, and he smirked. He leaned against the tree to his back and crossed his arms, grin widening. "So ya'd turn on yer own mate just ta have some alone time with yer brother."

"You and I both know," he mumbled, "that the moment Mom dies, we're no longer brothers. Aten and the others will be my only family, and I'm making goddamn sure that you never forget that."

Simone drew her dagger and looked her opponent in the eyes. He advanced, cutlass tip wavering.

She circled, and he followed. There was no way Simone would win in a fair fight, this she knew. Her opponent moved like somebody that knew how to handle their weapon.

She surveyed her surroundings. Danny had torn up the street. There was a large chunk missing just ahead of them, and the ground around them was littered with potholes. She'd have to move carefully. And her opponent.

Simone moved forward and to the left as the cutlass flashed down to her left. She switched her dagger to her right hand as her left darted out to grab the opponent's sword hand.

Her opponent threw himself bodily at her. The unorthodox move startled her, but she grabbed onto his arm and they both fell.

The man dropped his cutlass and went to block her arms. He was heavier, but she was slippery. Simone kneed him and rolled, positioning herself better. He twisted, and she spat in his eye.

That second of hesitation was enough for her to kick him away and scramble to safety. Their sides were reversed now. Simone bent to pick up the sword, and he went for her dagger.

Simone looked at the cutlass in her hand and shrugged. Her opponent offered a half grin, indicating he too was uncomfortable with his current weapon.

Simone tossed her cutlass at his feet.

The man blinked and went to pick it up.

Simone's second dagger caught him in the forehead.

She picked up her weapons and dusted her hands off. "Fair of a fight as any."

The others, too, had finished their fights. Leigh was standing atop a very confused and pained-looking man, twirling vis staff. Simone assumed the awful burning stench came from Pilen's direction, but she didn't see her.

She did see Danny, though. Collapsed and bleeding. To her horror, the Admiral was in front of him, expression unreadable, sword in hand.

She was too far. She couldn't do anything!

The Admiral bent and picked him up with a grunt.

"Well?" his bark was a challenge. "What are you lot standing there for? He needs medical attention, the idiot. I swear he'll get himself killed one of these days."

Everyone followed Andy, who continued holding Danny even when he regained consciousness and started squirming more like a toddler who didn't want to be held instead of an adult being carried against his will.

Andy patted him on the bottom. "There, there, Danny boy. Don't want to make those wounds worse, do you?"

Danny being, well, Danny, simply squirmed more.

Leigh looked around, hand a little tighter on vis staff than normal. Nobody really seemed to notice, but, of course, they were rather captivated by the spectacle of those two brothers. It helped ve had vis hand half hidden by vis cloak, form obscured even more.

Foggy nights surrounded by friends and enemies alike made a person take precautions. Mist was rolling in off the harbour, obscuring the shapes of boats parked within it.

"Andy put your brother down!" a rough, breathy, and otherwise unhealthy but surprisingly loud voice called out from ahead of them. "Or did he break his leg again?"

Before the Admiral could get a word in edgewise, Danny shouted, "NOPE JUST BROKE THE STREET UP TEN TIMES MORE THAN HE DID THEY'LL BE FIXING IT FOR WEEKS."

The Admiral followed his mother's orders and righted his brother, patting him on the head. "And I still knocked you out."

Danny slammed a foot down, sending a sphere about the size of a golf ball into Andy's outstretched forearm.

Andy yanked his arm back, rubbing the spot, while their mother nodded with approval.

A figure appeared at the doorway. "Come, Highness, get inside. It's getting damp for your bones."

Ve paused, every muscle in vis body tensing at that voice. A voice unheard for two years, since the last foggy night.

Everybody filed in after the brothers, Aten and Simone taking turns hovering beside Danny and his bright red bandages. The queen— a pirate queen, from the ship visible in the mist— paid more attention to Aten's chest than anything else including the multiple people filing into her home while leaving her as wide a berth as possible.

The figure, however, stayed there, and his eyes were on Leigh.

As the oh-so-delicate queen leaned against the doorframe and told Aten sweet nothings about barely being able to walk, he had to help her get to her chair, and the group's general mothering of Danny slipped in the background, ve stayed behind while he closed the door.

"Fancy seeing you here," Timothy said, voice not aged a day despite being younger than vem. "Your travels taking you to the pirate queen."

"I could say the same about you," ve said.

He shrugged, hands going on his pockets. "I got tired of the Rest. Disillusioned. Time to move on."

And you ended up at the pirate queen's home ve thought, taking a few steps into the boat but staying away from open spaces.

"I am glad to see you, though," he said. "I... missed you."

Leigh gave a small "mm" in agreement, nod accompanying the movement.

Timothy laughed. "Quiet as ever. Glad that hasn't changed." He looked down the hall, where seated shadows of the group were visible in the firelight. "Well, I should go now that she has her family. You'll be at the funeral, right?"

Another nod.

"See you there."

Leigh watched him go before walking into the central room. Her highness was sitting in a large chair surrounded by pillows, Aten beside her and everybody else spread around the space. From the look on the astronomer's face, it was not his choice to be there.

"I see you met Timothy!" the queen said, eyes still trained on Aten. "He's a darling, isn't he? Don't you know him?"

Leigh sat down cross legged next to the door. "We trained together."

"I thought so! You astronomers! All the same. Even when you're from Naz-Ahir. The last time I was there..."

Ve had one ear listening, one eye taking in the dying woman, and the rest of vis attention back towards the door. Ve couldn't decide if ve was looking forward to the funeral or not.

“--and we spent the last three months off the Ahiri coast, smokin’ Juneweed and dancing the Har’kat Market.” Highness brought a select tooth down on her bottom lip and appraised Aten again.

“My mom always told me to stay away from Juneweed, said it would kill me, or maybe she said she would kill me. But the market, I mean I don’t spend much time on the Har’kat, every time I went there people hugged me, and it smelled kinda weird. I usually go to Akn’Juh, I knew a merchant who paid triple if you got her live game.”

Highness sucked in through her teeth. “I know the feeling.”

Danny and Andy laughed madly off to the side, and Danny poked his head over Highness’ shoulder. “Mooom, stop trying to make Aten my new daddy.”

“What--I,”Aten glanced down, feeling something brush across his thigh. “Oh.” Aten met eyes with her Highness, gulping before turning to Danny in desperation, a flood of vowel sounds coming from his mouth. “Yelp Donno.”

Danny stopped re-wrapping his bandages and sat down between Aten and his mother, laying his head on her chest. “Are you sure your lady didn’t get your death day wrong? I mean remember that time she said that Andy would harpoon me in the north sea like six years ago and we ended up just playing poker with some Orcs from Blackrend?”

Highness sighed and stroked Danny’s hair lovingly. “I’m sure, this time.” The bangles on her wrist clanged together with each movement, but she stopped suddenly and unrolled a bandage from her hand. “I’ve even got proof.”

Danny and Andy looked over and gasped in unison. “The black spot!” they yelled. Simone stomped her feet and spat on the floor. Aten raised a curious brow. “Black spot? It just looks like my skin sort of jumped on to you.”

“I’d pay good money to see that,” groaned Highness.

“It’s a sign,” interrupted Andy, “from greedy old Neptune that your days as a pirate are up. No one’s ever lived a week after it shows up.”

Danny was deathly silent. Pilen and Simone and Aten found themselves gazing at the floor in reverence. After a moment, Andy cleared his throat. “So, Leigh. How long have you and Timmy known each oth--OOF!” Leigh slammed vis staff into the floor, knocking Andy into the ceiling with a gust of air.

Danny wiped a small tear from his eyes--the first Aten had seen from him. “It’s not fair, though. You should be around much longer so you could earthmend my bones the way I like them after Andy breaks them every Christmas. And who’s gonna steal the lunch money the bully kids steal from the whimpy kids down on Turner Street?”

“If I’d had my way, Danny Boy, the seal on bending would be broken and a whole gang of me-s would take my place.”

“I don’t want to ruin the family dynamic, as unhealthy as it might be, but would you mind explaining some of this stuff? Like, where’s Turner street? I hate bullies.”

Leigh sighed, vis staff lightly poking Aten in the gut. “I think the more important question is, what are these seals you speak of?”

“No, I’m with Aten, I could use some extra lunch money,” Simone piped in, but Leigh’s staff was not so gentle as it struck her. “Fine, talk about the seals.”

Andy kicked back in his chair and lit a cigarette. Danny sat forward and looked as excited as a puppy. Together, but in different tones, called out: “Story time!”

Highness stood from her seat and threw out her arms, sending everyone and their wooden chairs back against the wall to give her some space. “When the human race was young, God spoke to the landmass known as Pangea and split it apart into the four great continents. To each of these different worlds, he bestowed a gift.” She slammed her feet into the floor and brought up a risen-wood 3D map of the world. “To Hallas, he gave the gift of druidic magic so that there would be peace between man and animal.” She raised up another continent to the west. “To Galan, he presented the gift of diversity, so that there would be an ever-evolving variety among the species.” She raised up a third continent to the northeast. “To Quel Danar, he bestowed the gift of agelessness so that wisdom would forever trickle down through the centuries.” She took a moment to hold her back in a moment of pain before raising up the fourth continent. “And to Europa, he bestowed the powers of bending, so that humanity would hold dominion over the elements and never hunger for power.”

Danny leaned in to Aten and whispered, “By the way, my mom’s a woodbender.”

Aten glanced down toward his shendyt. “She made that quite clear.”

The first three continents faded, but Highness raised up Europa in larger view. Seven vast holes appeared across the landmasses. “The source of bending’s limitless power were the seven great wells of light, known in legend as the Godwells. Not really winning any prizes for originality, but I’ll give the old guys a break on that one.” She lowered the landmass into the smooth floor that had been before and turned to her captive audience. “However, war broke out throughout the land, and a great order of Lightbenders known as Prophets called for an eternal ceasefire--and sealed away the power that once flourished so bountifully throughout the land. Suddenly, the elements were quiet, and for several generations, the art of bending was considered lost.” She fished around in her pocket for a small green sphere. “The power of bending was sealed away in these tiny orbs...like the one I have here.” She smirked. Danny’s and Andy’s eyes went wide.

“Where did you--”

“How the hell--”

“I’m a crafty old Queen, boys.” She tossed the gem up and down, side to side, hand to hand. “This is the Alchemy Stone. When I was much younger, a ruler from far away asked me to collect the four remaining elemental stones and let loose the power of bending after its long sleep.” She sighed and pocketed the stone. “But now I realize that it is a fool’s errand. The stones are scattered across all of Europa, and after decades of sailing, I’ve yet to find a way to snatch them up.” She sat back down between Danny and Aten and put an arm around each boy. “You’ve listened long enough to an old lady yammer on about legends. How about we stir something up for dinner? Simone, are you still a godawful cook?”

Simone twitched. “I did learn from the worst cook I know, ma’am.”

“Sha! I never heard my boys complaining back when I made their favorite Surprise Flesh Stew!”

”Because they were probably held at gunpoint,” Simone muttered.

“What’s that, dear?”

“Oh, just a sneeze!”

“That’s what I thought, dear. Now then. You boys stay here. I’ll handle everything.” Her hand glanced Aten’s thigh once more, bringing a long shiver through his whole body.

Anka felt alive and new again, but it was not like it had been back on the ship. She felt younger, but something was... off.

"Anka, child. You are a seedling of the Earth. Moema-iti." Her elder had called her when she was young, long ago. "You are special, child. Take this totem, and if you are ever in need of guidance, call upon your Earth-mother for help." With a twinkle in her eye, she added one last part. "You will never be without help, Anka. All you must do is ask. Ask, and Moema will aid you."

She had walked for what seemed like hours to her body before she stopped. The totem in her pocket felt heavy and seemed to weigh her down. For the first time in a decade, she felt like throwing it aside. It was broken, useless.

Anka bit her tongue and pulled out the totem. Raising it to her mouth, I leaned up against a cobblestone wall and whispered into the small object. "Moema. Earth-maidan. Maybe you yourself cannot help me with this, but Mother, I need your help. Please, help me." She ended the prayer with a "Thank you, Mother."

The totem suddenly felt light and lifeless in her hand. She sighed and slipped the knot of wood back into her pocket.

Just then, two children burst out of a shop across the street from where Anka was, chasing each other down the shops and rounded a corner. A balding man of the same skin as Anka burst out after them, only to stop a few feet. "Leon, Maya! You will be the death of me one of these days. Kaha himself won't be able to save you if you steal anything!" He raised his voice, but sighed in defeat. He noticed Anka out of the corner of his eye, smiled warmly and walked back into the shop.

"I am so stupid. Must've been spending too much time with Danny and the children." Looking down to the earth, Anka whipsered almost guiltily, "Thank you, Mother."

She walked into the shop warily. It was a small knick-knack store with tiny jewels and crafts and collectibles cluttering the walkways and filling the shelves so full that one couldn't see through them. Anka looked around for the man who entered only moments before her, but couldn't find him. She did find a staircase leading downstairs, probably into some living quarters.

Anka scanned the room one last time. Still no man. She wanted to talk to him, to pester him and see if he was from the Kahiti tribe like she. About to leave, she felt a sudden presence. Turning around, there was no one. But, in one corner, a wooden table with assortments of small machines and instruments sat there, inviting her over. All of a sudden, her totem grew heavy again, as if ushering her over to the table.

She sat down, looking the instruments over. They seemed awfully familiar, but she couldn't place her finger on it. In the middle of the of the table was a small jewel, a Lapis stone, sat in the middle of the table. It was a circular stone, with mixtures of white and black speckled in the stone. The details of stone suggested movement, like calm water.

"Can I help you?" A stern voice with a familiar accent sounded behind Anka.

Anka jumped and turned around. It was the man she had seen enter the shop earlier. At a closer look, he looked surprisingly like Anka herself. They must be from the same tribe, she was all but sure of it.

He cleared his throat, "Um, would you mind lowering the axes?" In her shock, she had stood and unsheathed her axes, aiming them at his throat.

"Oh sorry, you just frightened me." Anka sheathed them.

"Being frightened is saved for the guilty. Are you guilty of something?"

"No, no, it was bad wording." She sighed. "Who are you?"

"My name is Rehan. And you're Anka. Kaha told me about you, weeks ago." He stared at me intently. "Why are you here?"

"Moema guided me here." His face was blank. "I asked her for help."

"...And?" I shrugged. "Why did you ask for her help?"

Anka grabbed the totem out of her pocket instinctively. "Something dear to me was broken in a... a discussion."

He glanced at Anka's axes warily. "A discussion. Okay."

"Something tells me you can fix it." Anka held out her hand, revealing the totem.

He leaned in. "I may not be able to mend it, but I can fix it."

It was modest to say Danny and Simone had a few beers. It was a fortunate side effect of a renovation Danny had made to his bedroom years before, adding his very own keg of beer to the wall. Simone was well-pleased with the results.

"So you seriously got a letter from your dad today?"

Danny nodded a dozen times before dropping his mug. He pointed a finger into the air. "Settin' sail for Hallas on a trade ship! He hears damn well enough that mum's dyin' and he hops on a trade ship all the way south!" He spat. "Think he'll bring back any good loot?"

Simone laughed and spilled beer on her tunic. "Has he ever brought back good loot? Bahahaaaaa he'll probably bring home a...a parrot!"

"It can keep him company while we do all the real work! BAHAHA!"

"Oh Oh Oh, that reminds me," Simone interrupted, "I've been thinkin' about what--" she poked out her chest, "--HIGHNESS said last night, and I think I think we should bust open the seal."

Danny gave this some thought and mulled it over. And then he nodded. "We're pretty damn awesome as a team. Iunno, Money. I mean we already have one of the glowy pebbles n all."

"An easy job for the infamous bandit Danny Dawson!"

"I...I dunno. Think Andy'd go for it?"

She belched and held out her mug under the keg tap. "Hit me a--BLECH--gain, bitch." She drank. He drank. "Ya," she wiped her mouth, "I think he'd be all freakin' for it."

Danny drained his beer and watched her down hers in one go. Her hair was a mess of blonde and brunette streaks with no rhyme or reason and her clothes were skewed one way or the other...also without rhyme or reason. He watched her nose collecting foam from the beer, he watched her throat as she guzzled it down.

"Money," droned Danny, drinking more beer directly from the tap. "Money, I wanna ask you somethin'."

She crawled out of the covers and laid her head back against Danny's chest with a silent belch. "Ask me. Ask me questions, Danno. Ask. Ask!"

"Do you think it'd be totally nasty if we--"

"Shit yes it'd be nasty." She belched in his face and blinked. "So what? Do you want to--"

"Yeah," he whispered instantly. "Yeah, Money. I have. Like. I've thought about it before but--"

"You didn't ask if you could make excuses." She punched his chest. "That's cheating, Danno. Don't cheat. Don't be weak. Ask questions or shut up."

He looked down at her eyes--as imperfect blue as a waterbender's could be. They weren't a plain blue, but rather had ice and seafoam thrown in for good measure the way that two or three metals together form a more beautiful and sturdy alloy. Danny felt her hand on his leg and touched her chin with his thumb. She blinked. He shrugged into her weight and crashed against her lips the way sand splashes against the cliffs in a windstorm--light at first, then in a fit of suddenness.

She pulled away suddenly and put a hand against his face, popping her jaw back into place. "Danny, your mom's dying tonight. Do you seriously want to spend it feelin' me up?" She burped.

Danny put a hand on his forehead, wiping away sweat and strands of hair. He thought on it and shook his head, shook her hand away from his face. "You're right, Money. Mom's dying. I should be--"

"--more drunk than you are."

"More drunk, yeah. I was gonna say that."

She pulled the lever on the tap and filled two mugs from the floor. Done, she handed one to him and held hers high. "An awkward toast, Daniel. An awkward toast to the most badass woman, other than myself, I've ever met."

Danny raised his glass. "Long Live The Pirate Queen." And they drank.

And drank.

And when Danny could no longer see straight lines, but rather make out vague curves--the curve between ceiling and floor, between sheet and mattress, between breast and hip and concave back, he laid back into the softness of his sheets. And as far as dying moments go, Her Highness could have done much worse.

Anka pulled out of the shop with her axes gone and new weapons to accompany her on her journey. Chakrams, Rehan called them. Firahis, the Hands of Fire. He had also given her a new totem for her journey, as a necklace. It was a combination of two jewels, a lapis stone and the rough emerald stone from her old totem. He had told her it was a communion of the Parents of Life, Moema and Kaha. Together, they'll do great things.

Last he gave Anka a parchment, rolled tightly and bound by a wax mark, almost identical to her totem. She was to open it when she got back to her group.

She stuffed it in her cloak and sighed. They're gonna think I'm a new person or crazy or both. Probably already think I'm crazy. With that thought light on her mind, Anka smiled slightly and set out in the night time streets to find Danny and the rest of the crew.

~~~~

By the time she had the ship in her sight, it was well into the night and some of the early (early) risers had gotten up to start their daily routine again. There were two men near the entrance of the ship sitting on barstools, plaaying what seemed like a game of cards. They eyed Anka warily as she neared the ship.

Not giving them time to react, she grabbed one's shoulder and leaned on one of them and smiled to the other. "Her Highness is expecting me."

The one across from her snarled, "Her Highness isn't expecting anyone anymore."

She got his message. She wasn't here in time- "I'm with her son. You gonna let an old lady through or am I gonna have to get through the hard way?"

They let her through grudgingly, and she combed the ship's deck to see if Danny was in one of the bar rooms, drinking his heart out. She didn't find him. After asking a couple of the early cooks, one tipped her off about seeing he and Simone in his room after they had to refill his personal keg... twice.

Anka felt her way down the half-familiar hallways of the gutted-and-re-bent ship until she found Danny's room, distinguished by a giant D carved into the door by his brother's swords. It was an odd feeling, retracing the doorframe with her fingers. She could remember Andy being so much weaker, so much softer to the proverbial touch. A foot slammed into the soft wood below and her senses extended through the wall. Two bodies strewn through the room in knocked-out sleep. It made sense. After all, what was a toddler without a teddy bear to sleep with?

She slammed the door open wide and grabbed Danny by the ear in the dark. He yelped and grunted against her tug, but shut up once he got his bearings. "God, Granny! You'd think you'd have some manners, given all the--"

"Circumstances? You want me to pity and pamper you like a little kid? Please, Danny, don't make me so sick so early in the morning." She grabbed his hand and led him down the hallway to a makeshift door she sliced out of the metal.

"I guess you found our playground in the woods."

Anka looked at Danny before nodding towards the cold outside. "Of course I did. We're gonna make good use of it, too."

Danny hopped out of the ships innards and let out a soft grunt when his feet hit the cold dirt. In this cold, he didn't feel so tough. Not without his armor. He adjusted and pulled up his waistcoat as Anka drifted down to the ground lazily, feet grazing bits of sand churned into the air.

"I hope you don't expect me to fight you with whatever the hell that is strapped to your back, Granny."

"No Firahis for you! You have enough adrenaline in your system to work out with your bare hands anyway."

"Firahis...sounds fancy. New boyfriend give it to ya?"

"You bet! I'm pregnant with his child, too. We're naming him Daniel after the last baby I had to haul around."

Danny stopped once they reached the small sand lot in the woods, stretching his arms out and around his shoulders. "Just so you know, this'll be the last of the adrenaline. You shoulda seen my fight with Andy at the river!"

"I'm sure it was full of rocks and mud, kid. Now take a damn defensive stance before I slice up those dinner rolls you pass off as a six pack."

He did so as Anka unshackled Firahis from her back. They clicked apart with a small hiss and she let them fall limp in her hands, feeling their weight.

Danny cleared his throat, "Are you going to fight or gawk at your slicing... things?"

Anka slammed her foot into the ground, caving the earth around them into a crater feet below the woods around them. She rushed forward, arcing Firahim above her and she slid to kick Danny right in a weak point of his stance.

Danny launched from his defensive crouch and rolled through the air. Landing, he raised four boulders around him from the pit, firing one after the other as he and Anka fought over controlling the other's agility. It was clear this was out of his element, though, and Anka treasured the thought of teaching the bulky, take-all-damage Danny a thing or two about quick feet.

Anka propeled herself over Danny as he blocked another kick with the earth, landing behind him. He was prepared, though, and he rammed her, knocking her off balance. It took only a moment for her to regain balance, but Danny took advantage of it, bending a stream of loose soil over his head and into her line of sight.

Obscured, Danny hopped through the air, propelled by alchemical energy, and upturned another four hulking chunks of earth to bring down on her. She rolled out of the way and connected the chakrams together to form Firahis again. Letting out what sounded like a mixture between a roar and a laugh, Anka lobbed Firahis through the air to Danny. The circular blade whined through the air.

Danny let out a yelp and hurled up a chunk of earth, stalling the blade as it buzzed against the thick stone. It sliced through and Danny dropped to the ground, bits of stone encircling him like a cage. With each movement more buffeted his skin, but he finally brought it to an end with a foolhardy charge into Anka's melee range. Without her hands free, Firahis fell to the ground without a master.

Anka broke his hold and swung a leg into his side, sending him tumbling into the side of the crater. Firahis returned to her hands and she grinned. Danny groaned as he shakily rose from the loose earth. "That was a really cheap shot, Granny." He spat into the ground. "This new boyfriend'a yours must'a really turned your knobs if he's got you playin' dirty."

Anka pushed him to the ground. "Enough, you're gonna bleed to death on me if we continue any longer." She plomped down next to him, strapping Firahis back in. She chuckled suddenly. "So, you and Simone?"

He sat up and let out a deep breath, crossed his legs, and put his chin on his fist. "It's not like you didn't all see it comin'." He made small gestures with his fingers, drawing out some mud from the rocks around them. It slid around his wrist and began to move slowly in a circle, letting off the softest healing glow. "The first thing you said to me when we met her--" he smirked. "First-ever-thought-about-Money: Don't invite me to your wedding." He glanced at her new weapon...s. "What black market did you have to raid to get something like that?"

She sighed. "Long story short, they're weapons passed down from my tribe that eventually landed with me." She slipped off her necklace, "You see these stones? They're meant to be relics of the past, from the time of Gods. The emerald represents Moema, my Earth-mother."

"Time of the Gods. That's...convenient."

"Convenient? Gods are lots of things, kid, but convenient ain't one."

Danny cleared hair from his face and looked up at the brightening sky. "Granny, we're about to change the world." A wind rolled between them and Anka watched the bits of earth move about her totem.

"In more ways than one." She suddenly remembered the scroll in the folds of her clothing.

"Anka." He never called her by her name. Not during combat. Not for any reason. "Anka, my mom's dead." A tear formed in the corner of his eye and streaked down his cheek. "She's gone." And he suddenly grinned. "And by now she's probably conned God out of half of his gold!" Danny laughed. It was pained and it was hollow, but it was a laugh. He looked at her with ambition. "What do ya say to that, Granny? My mom's dead and you beat me in a duel. What the hell can ya say?"

Anka clapped him on the back. "You better be inviting me to that wedding." She stood, raising the crater to be level with the rest of the ground. "And, it better be soon, too. I'm not getting any younger."

The only sign of night were the late dawn stars, visible in the smallest sliver of dark blue in an otherwise purple and orange sky. Leigh watched them from the crow's nest, the single tallest point for miles. The sun hadn't warmed the earth yet, rendering the air absolutely still despite the windstorm of a few hours ago.

Ve kept vis eyes on the remaining stars. They twinkled out one by one, until only two stars were left. They were parallel to each other in the West, one towards the North and one the South. Some religions called them the starcrossed lovers, fated to only see each other in private at the early hours of the morning before they faded in a blink.

But for Leigh, those two stars only signified war.

Dreamer's Rest had always been critical of omens, but three years away from the scholarly, skeptical halls had shown vem the value of legends, myth, and magic. Sometimes, it was more than simple fantasy. Ve thought back to the last time ve saw those stars, high up in the mountains when vis clothes were bloodstained and vis heart wondered who'd get out.

And here the stars were back, hours after seeing the one person Leigh never thought ve'd see again.

I wonder what, exactly, made him disillusioned with the Rest.

Ve jumped down from vis perch and landed silently moments before the boat woke, cries of anguish and cheer mixing together in a cacophony that dragged Simone from... Danny's room. Ve raised an eyebrow at her, crossing vis arms when ve noticed her stumble and hide her eyes from weak sunlight.

She glared up at vem the minute she noticed. "Oh shut up."

Ve smirked. "That would work if I had said anything."

"Now shut up."

Leigh looked back out towards the decks, hearing everything from tearful declarations of what they'd do without their queen to jumping up and down they were free. Danny and Anka climbed aboard the boat from where they'd disappeared to in the forest, with a few of the Queen's helpers grabbing him and unsuccessfully dragging him towards Andy.

"You can read the will WITHOUT us standing next to each other!"

Simone smirked, a flask appearing in her hand. "Wonder what the Highness left in her will." She said the word highness in a way normally reserved for bender, spitting it out with a mix of respect and hatred. She took a swig of what was probably diluted alcohol. "Not like we'll stick around to get it."

Leigh snorted. Sounded like Danny.

Simone kicked the back of vis calf, glaring again when ve didn't budge. She put more weight behind it, getting vem down to whisper in vis ear. "We're gonna break the seal."

Vis blood ran cold. "What?"

She smirked at vem. "Finally got a reaction out of you!" She patted vis back, finally releasing pressure on vis calf. "Yeah. Won't it be awesome?"

Leigh locked all emotions down, stretching the stomped on leg out. "Depends on your definition of the word."

"Danger, mystery, power..." she grinned, shoulder going against a wall. "Money."

Blood, screams, betrayal...

Other people began piling on the ship, word that the Queen's Will was about to be read spreading throughout the immediate area. Timothy was in the group.

Leigh walked over to the rail, for more open space.

Aten and Pie joined vem there, Simone having wandered off to probably Danny's side.

"What's going on?" Aten asked, looking vem up and down.

Ve jerked vis head toward the cryer holding a parchment. "Queen's will."

"I meant—"

Before Aten could finish, the cryer started reading out people and what they received, drowning out all conversation and eventually getting a respectful silence out of the crowd.

"And finally!" the cryer said. "As updated last night, the title of Pirate Queen will land on either Simone Defour or..." the cryer looked towards Andy. "Am I reading this right?"

"Yeah."

The cryer cleared his throat. Leigh caught a mouthed 'okay then' before he returned to full volume. "Simone Defour or Milk-Chocolate Aten, whoever wins in a duel."

Aten's normal twitches and restless movements stilled completely and totally. "What."

Leigh patted him on the back, shoving him forward a step. "You heard the man."

Ve took a step back to give Aten room, bumping into a figure ve recognized on build alone.

"Want me to hold your hand while you watch?"

Leigh looked sideways at Timothy, then to Aten about ready to make a retreat. "Not here."

Simone shrugged and threw one of her daggers at Aten overarm. He dropped like a panicked rabbit. His eyes widened and he rolled to the side as the blade of ice came whirling back.

She pushed her way forward past the spectators and hurled the blade again. Aten backflipped into the air. The knife sliced into the wood twice. Splinters flew into the air. Simone slashed her second dagger, summoning a storm of sickles. Aten deflected them with a bolt of wind.

"Gods dammit Aten," Simone growled, stalking forward. "Do you want this title or not?"

Her not-opponent danced around the ship's mast, staying at (very) safe distance. "I'd rather not, actually. Hey ref," he turned towards the man with the will, "can I not do this?"

"Your will has been taken into account," he replied, "but it is unfortunately bound by a much stronger one. If Highness decreed you must fight for the title, you must fight."

"You bet you've gotta," Simone snarled. She walked forward, weaving blow after blow with savage concentration.

Aten promptly dodged each blade, as if moving before the attack had even begun. Sometimes he flashed his cutlass in provocation, which Simone ignored. Her eyes spoke of violent murder.

This unpleasant dance carried on for some time. The only one who truly seemed to be suffering was the ship. The floorboards were being destroyed, and several crates and barrels had already spilled their contents upon the deck.

Simone heard grumbles of protest in the background, but her brain filtered them out. She was focused on one thing, and that thing was currently far too alive and kicking for her brain's tastes. Intent on Aten, she saw his eyes widen. He threw himself away from an attack she had never launched.

In doubt, she whirled around. She saw one of Pilen's copper bombs shooting towards her. Her face drained of color and she summoned a shield of water. She was not fast enough, and the bomb detonated, far too close to her face. The explosion sent Simone rocketing backwards into a distressed Aten.

The two were hurled overboard, much to the amusement of the pyrologen.

"So am I Queen?"

Pilen cackled. The one with the will scratched his heads. The crew roared with laughter.

Below all this, water bubbled in the angriest way water could.

Pilen fought an urge to lunge as she watched Aten and Simone destroy the better part of an old ship. Her foot tapped mercilessly against the solid deck as a familiar hunger caused her mind to wander and her fingers to fiddle nearly tauntingly with the bombs hidden in her waistcoat. Every murderous slash of Simone's blade made her eyes widen with glee not entirely authorized, but present nonetheless. Aten dodged each attempted mutilation like a pro. She studied the way he manipulated the air around him, but never lashed out, and felt a pang of jealously. Self control like Aten's, that's what she needed, she decided.

Only vaguely did she notice Leigh standing next to her, or vis' friend standing next to vem. A part of her wanted to move closer, initiate conversation, ask about a constellation or anything to distract herself from her own brain, but the thought of tearing her eyes away from the battle nearly caused her heartache. A corner of Pi's mouth twitched up in a smirk as she drew a bomb from her pocket. The smirk blossomed into a full on cheese as she caught brief eye-contact with a very distressed Aten, and then threw the bomb.

All things said and done, she felt she'd made the right decision.

The man with the will poured ferociously over the document before stopping to scratch his head, again, and shrug. Pilen was happy to join the crew in laughter for the second time and was content enough by the end of the hysterics to retreat to a candy store, but didn't even get to turn on heel before she was stopped by her name in exclamation.

"Pilen!"

Against better judgement, said Pi folded over in a fit of guffaws as Simone crash landed on deck, having jutted herself out from the water in a cannon-like manner, or perhaps propelled entirely by anger and will power - Pilen wouldn't put that beneath her abilities either, on second thought.

"You'd better draw your staff, little girl!"

"Aw come on, Simone," Pilen giggled, all the while pulling her weapon to the ready, "I was only having a little fun."

"Yeah well play time's over, kiddo."

"I don't think you realize that we're the same age because you keep calling me kid and- Whoops!"

Pilen quickly side-stepped an advance on her life and gave her staff a quick spin to create distance. The hilt nearly caught Simone's side but neither of the girls expected it to. Simone was far too focused for that, it seemed. A flash of heat burned away all reasoning in Pilen's brain. Simone was usually a person Pilen strove to avoid, but the events of earlier had her a little excited - it'd been a while since she'd made such a perfect person-kabob - and there was a longing for more that couldn't wait much longer to be satisfied. With a small twitch of the eye - left, for specifics -, her smile turned sinister.

Simone raised an eyebrow at the change, and spat. Pilen tightened her puff balls. From somewhere off in the crowd she heard a protest, or maybe it was encouragement. Either way, she choose to believe the latter. And leaped.

Danny stood at the helm of the ship beside Andy, beside the cryer and behind a wall of his mother's...servants, who had, if he guessed correctly, all been dismissed from their servitude. And he watched Pilen and Simone duel it out. He'd known Simone for years at this point, and if his memory served him well enough, she'd never really lost a duel. At least, not in front of anyone who'd lived to tell the tale.

He thought about staring down her daggers personally, and the idea shook him to his knees. Had she ever used another weapon? Like, even a broken beer bottle. Anything? He wondered if she'd had those daggers on her when she slept, or even when she bathed--

"Leave it to Ma to cause a brawl after dyin'." Andy was watching their every hasty move as if he was studying them--maybe even making notes on their moves.

"Simone is stronger. And she attacks critical spots more often. But Pilen is a bit faster, especially with those bombs in her coat."

"So she's an engineer?"

"She dabbles. I mean, it's not like I'd go to her to build me a ship or one of those zip-line things your friend Casius swung around on in Blackrend." Andy had his hand on his brother's shoulder, as if either of them needed comfort. His mom's passing would be a carnival in Norcaster--not because she was hated or because people would be better off, but because she had such a huge life and spirit, it was like she wouldn't be gone at all. So instinctively, Danny wondered what was wrong with Andy.

"I haven't heard from Casius since the Orcs took Bladefist Bay last March. He could be dead for all I know."

Danny's eyes narrowed, the pulse on his shoulder quickening as if Andy had said the sky was green. He pointed ahead as Pilen reached for a green bomb. "Watch this one. She'll cause a smokescreen, then--"

"Light the smoke on fire. Gatlin showed me that trick when we were sparring partners in Northwall. It's a shame he died in the Dwarven siege on the Fjord."

Danny closed his eyes. Another lie. Pilen's gas cloud lit up the air around the ship, making onlookers duck to keep their hair intact. Danny wondered if Andy would support his decision to chase the impossible, to give up swindling money out of swindlers and to follow a dream that should probably die with his mother.

After all, what did he know about the seal on bending? Or the particular seal on alchemy? What if they were all locked separately, or what if there was a life toll to break the seal in the first place? Where would they even go to make it happen?

Danny ducked out of Andy's grasp and took to the stairs below deck. Aten saw him and followed. He stopped when they reached the small library that had served to educate his family for two generations. It was all the schooling Danny had gone through...at least enough to speak words and know how much profit he'd make.

"You know, I was never gonna say it, but you could benefit from a good writing lesson! I'm sure one of these books has info all about it! All you gotta do is rea--"

"I can't read," he said, and started staring at book spines on the wall. Aten deflated.

"I guess I knew that. Simone may have yelled it while making fun of you one day."

"Aye, it's the only ammo she can ever come up with." He shrugged. "Can't call me scrawny, can't call me weak." He rubbed the bristle on his chin and thought. "She calls me short pretty often, but I'm still taller than anyone else...other than Leigh. That vuy is freakishly tall."

"Vuy?"

"Well, yeah. That's what he goes by, right? I have them memorized like bees in my head. Ve, vem, vis...other vees. Vee's pretty cool. Anyway, about Simone making fun of me--"

"I get it." He hushed. He patted his vest and came up with a gold piece. "In the desert, it's customary to reward bravery in grieving with small tokens of affection. So since I don't know that much about you, I figured you'd like gold. It's--"

"--one of my two favorite things."

Aten nodded. "Back home, they would call you Greed, you know."

Danny cocked his head to the side. "Why's that?"

"Well, Greed is one of the seven unforgivable sins. Greed is like...when you want more and more things all the time. Money and women. You always say money and women or gold and women or golden women--I can't tell sometimes with your accent."

Danny thought on it for a moment before taking the gold piece from Aten. "Thanks, buddy. But." He scratched the back of his head. "Ask me if you can borrow some money. Do it."

Aten blinked.

"Do it!"

"Uh. I. Can I borrow some money?"

Danny slapped the gold piece back into his hand and nodded. "My mom lived by lots of pirate rules, but the one she enforced most violently is Never be in someone's debt." He shrugged. "So I can't take a handout from you, Aten. I have to earn it by killing someone or rescuing the love of your life from a burning castle."

Aten pondered on this. "I suppose you're on a good train of thought, but..." He hopped from one foot to the other. "Have you actually rescued someone's true love from a burning castle?"

"I was twelve and the castle was really small. I can tell you about it after I find the very important Book of Spells and Other General Knowledge."

"That sounds like it is not a real thing."

"I knew Donna had my book stuffed down here somewhere." Anka stepped into the room. Hands behind her back. Eyes closed. Her necklace glimmered in the dim electric lighting. "Daniel, if you're dead-set on this operation, I won't say a word to stop you...but you need to know that more than fame and glory wait for you on the other side of that fountain."

There was silence. A large, clustered silence. Danny glanced at the table behind him and saw the world symbol on the front. "See? There's one thing I don't have to research, right there. It's a fountain. Probably downtown somewhere, a child's playground. We put the little gems in the fountain and stuff blows up." He picked up the book. "I like the idea of that."

Anka shuffled towards him and put a hand on the book, lowering it. "Well, I don't." She grabbed her totem necklace and slammed it into the lock on the leatherbound cover of the book. "What waits for you is infamy and blame. I'll ride it out with you like I would any other wave you're stupid enough to drag us into, but you'll do it knowing that I gave you a well and good warning."

"But you're okay with us doing this."

"As okay as I am with anyone other than Donna being Pirate Queen."

Danny handed the necklace back to her and opened the book. An obligatory cloud of dust wofted from its pages. "Well," he said, looking between Anka and Aten, "we have a map now."

"One question," Aten added, having been quiet for the longest time. "Who is Donna?"

Above deck, Danny emerged to a soaking wet and partially-frozen Pilen and a scorched and sweating Simone, both panting and heaving for breath. Collectively, Danny, Aten, and Anka raised eyebrows. Across the deck, Leigh attempted to wave Danny down; he didn't notice. Instead, he was intent on watching Simone. She circled their little battleground with Pilen with her teeth grinding together. "I'm going to rip out your throat and use it as a hairband!"

Pilen scoffed. "I'm going to use your pathetic little daggers as pumice stones for my feet!"

"I'm gonna pluck out your teeth and wear them as a necklace!" Simone spat. "And it won't even be my best tooth-based necklace!"

Danny exchanged glanced with Aten before a tiny mage star swung down from the sky and thumped him on the skull. He looked up. Leigh had vis arms crossed and eyes pointed. Then ve aimed a finger at Simone and Pilen and slid a thumb across vis throat. Danny looked at the holder of the will and tapped him on the shoulder. "If there is no winner in this duel today, do I get to hold onto the title of Pirate Queen until there's a clear victor?"

The will cryer nodded furiously. "Yes! Anything to stop this carnage! They've been taunting one another for ten minutes now! I didn't know human entrails could be used so efficiently!"

Danny shrugged. "You'd be surprised" Another star swung down into his skull. He shot a glare across the crowd at Leigh, who pointed at the man beside vem, who waved. "Right."

"I'm gonna tear out your vocal cords, stuff 'em in my own throat and make people think I'm you!"

Danny leaped through the air with his alchemical energy and landed between them, bringing his sword down in front, barring them from one another. A gust of air blew out around them as Aten landed, too. "Ladies, I think everyone's seen enough burning bangs and wet tunics for one day." He shot Pilen a glance and whispered, "Pi, go cover yourself up. It's cold out here."

She covered her tunic with her arms and pouted, running below deck to a cry of "Awww" from the crewmen.

"Gentlemen and La--wow, we have a serious sausage fest going on here--I'd like to invite you all to a shindig tonight, honoring my mother in the town square. There'll be food and cake and--"

"Booze?!"

"Yes, Harry, lots of free booze. So everyone! Go home and get ready for the party of the year!" He turned to Simone and softened his expression. "I'm sorry, Money. But today's about Ma."

Simone poked out her chest and tucked in her lip, rolling her eyes. "If it were anyone else, I would have that fire-flinging fleabag six feet under an iceberg by now." She pointed a dagger at Danny's chest. "You'd better bring it on that free booze." And walked away.

"Aten, what do you call those huge storms that come from the ocean every summer?"

"A hurricane?"

"I think Andy calls them bad, but yeah. That woman is...one of those."

"Hurricanes are bad, Danny."

Danny cocked an eyebrow. "Then you haven't seen my kind of hurricane, buddy."

"Diplomatic as ever, aren't you?"

Ve gave the smallest ghost of a smile, watching a few eager servants make their way to a party spread out and merged with a few people already— mourning, Leigh supposed, despite the sheer volume— and the party spread to the city.

"If anything, I've gotten worse."

"Oh?" Timothy asked as they followed the crowd, just a few steps ahead of everyone else. "I didn't think that was possible."

Ve laughed and hit the back of his thighs with vis staff. "Haven't you learned anything traveling around? Expanding your mind?"

He chuckled, sound almost lost in the crowd. "Been a bit— been a bit too busy looking for you."

Leigh tried not to pause, half expecting it because Tim always had been sentimental, half surprised it was still wearing at him three years later. Of course, considering how ve'd left the Rest, ve couldn't exactly blame him.

Vis voice softened. "How'd you find out I was even alive?"

He put a hand on vis shoulder. "Heard of an astronomer traveling with a pyrotechnics cult. By the time I was out to investigate, I'd heard an astronomer had completely demolished the place, and killed the leader. Knew I had the right person then."

Ve raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. "And you never wondered before then?"

Tim's hand made the smallest circle over vis star cloak. "Oh, I wondered alright. We all did. We've been looking for survivors since..."

"We won, though," ve said, looking at him. "I found out that much."

He swallowed, hand creeping across vis shoulders. "Did you ever... want to come back? After you found out?"

Leigh shrugged, stepping away as voices became familiar and the crowds noticed who'd come from the boat. It'd been three years. It was impossible to start completely over again. "Not really. Not after... traveling. Going back to those halls and the... rigidity." Ve glanced at him again. "I did miss you, though."

"You always were a bit too interested in other star systems." He stepped back, albeit reluctantly, keeping space between them. "How many have you seen, now?"

Ve held up three fingers. "I was continent skipping."

Tim shook his head, laughing again. "No wonder we couldn't find you."

Ve opened vis mouth to add another comment, only for Andy to yell over the crowd. "Hey! Timmy! Get over here and make a toast! Take your vemfriend along with you!"

Leigh rolled vis eyes and tapped vis staff into Tim, sending him off but staying on the periphery of a place about to get very, very loud. Ve was more curious over what he was going to say about the Pirate Queen, and how, exactly, he'd ended up here.

Aten slipped up beside vem, back to a relaxed and therefore restless state. "So... friend of yours?"

Ve glanced at him. "You could say that."