Deathling - Outsiders SMP

Owen's First Mission: Owen

It had been a couple days since the attack. Owen had settled onto the ship, and was enjoying seeing everyone again.

Him and Apo had been growing close again. He wasn't sure how Apo had forgiven him so easily. After all the times he had hurt them, Apo still considered him a friend. Owen was very surprised by this, and didn't know what to think of it.

Apo had taken him into the mountains to fish a couple times. They had led Owen through one of the caves, and out onto the rocky mountain. The mountain looked solid on the outside, but Owen knew what it contained. It was only a shell.

It was slightly chilly, as winter was coming. The view from the mountain was breathtaking. He could see the vast forests painted in yellows, reds, and oranges, and the birds that filled the sky in V formations. At least out of his left eye, his right eye was basically blind.

Apo had taken him to a small lake by the mountain, and they had helped Owen catch some fish. Owen started to understand why Apo liked fishing so much. The sound of the water was calming.

Once they had a conversation about birthdays while the Apo fished. Apo's birthday had just passed, and he had turned 20.

"When's your birthday, Owen?" He asked.

"I turned 36 on June 16th."

Apo's jaw dropped. "You're 36?! You're 16 years older than me!"

Owen laughed.

The next day, Apo had come to Owen's bed, sitting down next to him. His arms were hidden behind his back suspiciously, and they had a silly smile on their face.

"Hi, Apo," Owen said, closing his book.

"I have a surprise for you!" Apo said, unable to contain his excitement. Apo handed him a package. "I'm a terrible present wrapper, but..." Apo sat down next to him. "Open it!"

Owen carefully slid the string off the package and unfolded the paper. Inside was a black eye patch, with messy orange embroidering.

"I'm a terrible seamster as well, but happy very belated birthday!" Apo said, smiling sheepishly.

Owen threw his head back and laughed. Then he pulled Apo into a hug. "Thank you, Apo."

Apo replied with a satisfied humming noise.

Owen pulled back, and put on the eye patch. Apo pulled him to their alcove, where they had a hand mirror. Owen surveyed himself with the eye patch.

"I look like a pirate," Owen laughed. Apo laughed, too.

"It fits, you are on a ship!" Apo responded.

One particularly cold day, Apo and Owen were at the lake again. Apo was fishing, and Owen was talking with them about pencils, of all things.

"Wait, do you have that bump, too?" Apo asked.

"What bump? Do you mean from using the pencils? Yeah, I have one on my middle finger." Owen responded.

Apo lifted his hand to compare with Owen's. "Your's is lower than mine. You must just hold a pencil differently."

Owen recalled his school days. "The cheapest pencils always hurt the most. The nice ones never annoyed my fingers, but the cheap ones gave me several rashes."

"Yeah, the yellow ones were the nicest. The orange ones just hurt." Apo turned back to fishing as a fish bit their line.

As Apo was pulling the fish in, a voice echoed in his head.

Owen.....

Owen jumped. Apo seemed to hear it too, because he froze. Emmy wanted something, and he wasn't sure what.

I'd like to see you.

"What'd I do?" Owen said impulsively. Apo burst out laughing, picking up his bait and winding up his fishing line.

They walked back to the ship together, Owen wondering what Emmy could possibly want. He didn't want to show it, but he was somewhat terrified.

When they got to the study, Emmy was waiting for them, staring out the window. The light almost shined through her, and it seemed as if she hadn't noticed Apo and Owen enter the room.

"Hello," she said, distantly, still looking out the window, as if she could see through the foggy glass.

"Um... Why do you want to see me again?" Owen asked.

Emmy turned to him. "I have a mission for you."

Apo's face lit up excitedly. "Really? Where? What will we do? What will we be fighting?"

Emmy let out a small laugh. "No. It's only Owen going."

Apo pouted. "Aww. I haven't gone on a single one since I got on the ship!"

"You have a separate mission that I will tell you about later."

"Ok..." Apo said, confused. Emmy shooed him away, and he walked out of the door.

Emmy turned Owen's way. "I'm sure you've noticed somebody that's... missing. From the ship. A person who was in the maze but isn't here."

Owen looked down. "Magic."

Emmy nodded. "Has anyone filled you in on her situation?"

Owen shook his head.

"You must know by now that the maze was in fact a successful TV show."

Owen nodded.

"Good. Mr. Starr is the owner of the series, called the Outsiders series. The company is called Starr."

"What does this all have to do with Magic?" Owen asked cautiously.

"Because Magic's full name is Magic Starr," Emmy finished.

Owen stared at her. "She-She's his daughter, isn't she?"

Emmy nodded. "But she isn't exactly happy with him. That's putting it lightly. She's furious at him. And your job," she paused. "Is to save her."

The room filled with eerie silence.

Owen shook his head. "I don't think I can do it. She doesn't trust me. For a good reason. She wouldn't follow me."

Emmy smiled with emotion Owen couldn't make out. Was it genuine pity, or knowledge? "Don't worry. She will. You don't know how desperate she is to get out of there. Now. Go to Daisy, and she'll get you ready. A new person will be joining The Phantom soon..."

Owen left the study thinking hard. What if she doesn't come with me? What if she'd rather stay there with her father than trust me? Owen sighed.

There was only one way to find out.