Journey to the Horizon

19. Where's The Fun In Pirating Without Water?

Shin: *Starts to climb down after you.*

Chen: *Hops from the last step of the ladder and steps onto the deck.* Captain, I'm taking a break until the rain stops!

Haru: *Turns to you.* Aye!

Shin: *Is on the main deck. Raises my hand up, touching the rain.*

Shade: *Taps your shoulder.* Shin.

Shin: *Looks at you.* Oh, hey.

Shade: I want to show you something. *Walks to the taffrails.*

Shin: Hm? *Follows after you.*

Shade: *Turns to Haru.* Captain, I'm going again, but with Shin!

Haru: *Looks at you.* But you-

Shade: *Shakes my hands at you.* I'll be fine, Captain! I'll make sure Shin is alright too!

Haru: Alright, just make sure you come back to this ship when you're done.

Shade: *Nods.* Aye. *Takes off my pirate's coat. Folds the coat and puts it on a nearby barrel. Looks at Shin.* Take off yours too.

Shin: Huh? What are we doing? *Takes off my pirate's coat and puts it on yours on the barrel.*

Shade: *Pulls up my sleeves from my poets shirt and nods.* Follow my lead, alright? *Walks over the taffrails and looks at the ocean. Exhales slowly, closing my eyes then dives in the water.*

Shin: *Flinches, but follows you.* Wait! *Holds my breath, diving in the water.*

Shade: *Looks at you and gestures you to follow me. Swims forward.*

Shin: *Nods and follows you.*

Shade: *Dives deeper, but waits for you.*

Shin: *Follows after you.*

-A few minutes later, schools of fish are swimming past them.-

Shade: *Smiles and raises my finger, reaching for a fish to touch.*

-The fish quickly swims faster with the school as they swim around Shade and Shin.-

Shade: *Tilts my head forward and swims forward.*

Shin: *Swims after you.*

-A pod of dolphins swim towards them, also swimming around them in circles.-

Dolphin: *Whistles and squeals.*

Shin: *Extends my hand out at the dolphin.*

Dolphin: *Rests my head on your palm, squeaking quietly.* Screee..

Shin: *Rubs the dolphin's head and swims forward now.*

Shade: *Swims after Shin and aside from him.*

-The pod follows Shade and Shin, swimming playfully with them. A few minutes, they swim up to a whale and its baby.-

Shin: *Stops swimming, waiting for the whales to swim through.*

Baby Whale: *Spots the human and whistles softly. Is about to swim to the human.*

Whale: *Clicks and whistles at the young one.*

Baby Whale: Eeee! *Swims back.*

Shin: *Waves at the baby whale.*

Shade: *Taps your shoulder and points back to the ship.*

Shin: *Nods.*

Shade: *Swims back to the ship and pops my head out of the ocean surface.*

Shin: *Swims up at the ocean surface. Breathes slowly.* Wow.. It's like another world underwater!

Shade: *Smiles.* It really is.

-The dolphins follows them and do flips out of the water and then back underwater.-

Shade: *Chuckles and looks up at the ship. Whistles.* Cap!!

Haru: *Hears Shade's whistle and drops down the rope ladders for you to climb.*

Shade: *Looks at Shin.* After you.

Shin: *Climbs up the rope ladders.*

Shade: *Climbs up the first step and turns to the dolphins. Clicks my tongue at them.*

-The dolphins squeak back then dive back underwater.-

Haru: How was it? *Helps Shin up.*

Shin: *Gets back on the ship.* It's beautiful underwater!

Haru: *Chuckles softly.* Of course.

Shade: *Gets on the ship and rolls the rope ladder back up. Feels rain still trickling down.* Ah, it's still raining?

Haru: *Nods.* Aye, but it'll stop pretty soon.

Shade: I see. *Looks at Shin.* Apologies now that you're wet. Do you need any new clothes?

Shin: *Shakes my head.* That's alright. It'll dry by itself.

Shade: Alright, if you say so. I'm going to go get back to work. Let me know if you need anything.

Shin: Aye aye.

Shade: *Grabs my pirate's coat, putting it on before walking away.*

Shin: *Goes to grab my coat, also putting it on.*

Haru: *Pats your back gently.* Hey, Shin.

Shin: Hey.

Haru: *Looks at the sun as it starts to set.* You should get ready for tomorrow.

Shin: *Flinches and puts my hands in my pockets.* Right.. *Walks in the office room and into my room.*

Skiff: *Walks up to Haru.* Captain..?

Haru: *Sighs and turns to you, smiling softly.* I'm going to miss him.

Skiff: *Nods.* We all are.

Haru: He reminds me so much like them...

-12 years ago.-

San: Haru! What is this? You could get yourself hurt!

Haru: *Rolls my eyes.* I'm fine. It's just a scratch! I just fell, trying to hold a barrel of fruits.

San: *Shakes my head.* It is not! It could get infected. You need to be more careful on the ship. Do you understand? *Grabs a cloth, gently dabbing it on the scratch.*

Haru: *Nods.* Yes, mother.

San: *Smiles and stands up.* Good. Now go sit down and wait for the others to get here.

Haru: Aye aye! *Takes a seat on a chair, waiting patiently.*

San: That's my boy!

-End of backstory.-

Haru: *Smiles, remembering what Shin had said.*

Shin: A sword wound like that isn't fine. You could have died.*Lets you hold the cloth and goes to grab a napkin. Wets the napkin I'm holding then comes back. Wipes your hands.* You do not know how worried we were.

To Be Continued...