Iguanatopia - ONC 2021 (Completed)

19: Captaintopia 2

When the sun started to disappear behind the horizon the fruit had finally stopped flying across the island of the iguanas. Orange and yellow strokes blended into a beautiful mess in the sky, eerily similar to the smashed mangos and papayas that were scattered over the beach. Exhausted and exhilarated the pirates collapsed in the impossible soft sand. Drunk on life, rather than rum.

During the fruit fight, the lizards had dutifully collected wood for a bonfire, carrying sticks with their mouths, and Grace, who steadfastly refused to engage in the childish shenanigans, had prepared food. Grilled fish and fresh, slightly smashed, fruit, were served to the humans. Delicious crisp turnips, fetched from the Estrella, were devoured by the animals. Well, by all animals except the cat. Oliviero happily chose to partake in the grilled fish instead.

Capybaras and turtles from the nearby islands had joined the party as well, and could now tell their tales in their own words. Apparently, they swam across the bay all the time to socialize with the iguanas, since the island was always possible for animals to visit. It was only humans who needed to be vetted first. Although their jellyfish neighbors weren't of the social kind so they usually stayed on their own secluded island.

The crew snuggled up around the gentle flames of the bonfire. The captain's arm rested around Grace's shoulder. Joe and Pedro sat suspiciously close together. Lucien sleepily inched close to Alba and leaned against her shoulder.

Meanwhile, the animals were wrapped up in their own social intrigues. Alba couldn't help but listen in on them. Because who wouldn't eavesdrop on talking animals?

Oliviero ran up to a small capybara who stood and looked at the hypnotic flames of the fire. "Play?" the cat asked in an expectant tone and did a little side jump.

"Nah," the capybara said and laid down with its little legs folded underneath.

The cat looked confused. "Play?" he asked again.

The capybara shook its head. "Nah," it repeated and closed its eyes to immediately drift off into slumber.

With a puzzled look the cat pawed the capybara on the back, claws not extended. He got no reaction. The capybara was too relaxed to care.

"Play!" Rodrigo suddenly yelled. The iguana came running across the beach with sand cascading around him. Oliviero looked up and excitedly followed suit. "Play!" the cat yelled as well before he crouched down in position to pounce on the lizard, wiggling his fluffy tail in the air. Soon a giant cloud of sand enveloped the animals as they rolled around in playful banter.

Iguana-Ignacio, because that's apparently what he needs to be called now, was wrapped up in an argument with the same giant sea turtle that he had squabbled with earlier while on their island. It seemed to be part of a long neighborly conflict about the rights to the delicious seaweed that could be found on the reef between their islands.

"You're only supposed to harvest on the western side!" the iguana argued.

"We were on the western side!" the turtle, who Alba had learned was called Thomas, countered.

"Let's consult the map again," the iguana replied with a sigh and changed his scales to show an accurate portrayal of the bay. "My mane shows where the border should lay. You were clearly to the east of it!"

Another iguana, with scales that shimmered in fashionable scarlet red, skittered up to them. "Are you at this again, Ignacio?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

"I just have to settle this once and for all, Carmen," Ignacio retorted.

"You say that every time..." Carmen, which was apparently a perfectly normal name for an iguana, replied. If an iguana could roll its eyes this one definitely did before leaving Ignacio and the turtle to their own devices. It was apparently no use arguing with him.