"AHH-" I started to yell right before I splashed into the water. I soon passed out.
After who knows how long I started waking up. When I started to wake up I was being slammed into the ladder to a dock. I groaned and climbed the ladder. "That hurt like hell," I complained, rubbing my head. 'Where the hell am I?' I thought, looking around.
I then heard someone behind me say, "Hello!" I turned around and was faced with someone about the same height as me. "Oh, hello!" I greeted. "Do you by chance know where I am?" I asked the person, trying to figure out how far I'd drifted.
"Of course you're at the faction isles, my name is Xen!" They reached their hand out. "I'm Jazelle, nice to meet you." I smiled and thought to myself, 'Faction Isles, where am I?' I then shook their hand.
"Jazelle.. nice name!" Xen smiled at me. "Well there are four factions: the Herons, the Kestrels, the Kites, and the Nightingales! I'm in the Nightingales." They explained. I thought to myself trying to understand, but then another person came over.
"Xen! How's your day been? I've just met a cranky Heron who wouldn't tell me anything about them and a new guy named Alan." She said to Xen. She seemed to be thinking about something.
"Amazing! Oh!! This is Jazelle! I just met her!" They said, smiling and motioning to me. "Are they nice? And what pronouns do they use?" The new one asked.
"Yes they're amazing! And she uses she/her!" Xen replied, laughing slightly. "Anyways I'm going to head back to the faction, maybe you and Jazelle can chat for a while, and maybe you can get her to join us!" They said, smiling softly.
"Okie Xen! I'll talk to you later." She said, turning to face me. "Do you want to head to mine? I've had enough surprises for one day." She said, sounding drained.
"Oh, sure! What are your pronouns?" I asked, still trying to understand factions. "I'm Lilac, she/her. I'm the captain of the Nightingales." Lilac said. "Nice name, Nightingales, that's one of the faction things, right?" I asked as we walked.
"Ayup! It is. Us Nightingales love to explore the high seas, looking for danger and thrill at every corner! The other captains can explain their factions the best. I was born into the factions, but I don't know many people here. I... couldn't come last year, when most of the crews came back to the Faction Isles. What happened to you?" Lilac explained to me.
I was fascinated. "Woah, you guys sound amazing! I don't think I'm from anywhere near here, I've never heard of the faction isles. I was on a boat with my family and some people from my island an uh i mighta said something that upset them quite a bit so th-they," I took pause, trying to think if I could trust her, "They threw me overboard... And I somehow ended up here." I awkwardly said, 'I think I can trust her, we're friends after all, right?' I thought to myself.
Her eyes widened. "Oh. You can stay at mine, I've got a spare room." Lilac said. We then came to a stop, at what I assumed was her house. "Really? Thank you!" I smiled, glad that I could trust her. "Is this your house? It's so pretty!" I said, looking at the house in front of us.
"Oh, thank you. I built it myself!" She exclaimed, opening the door and smiling. "Ladies first." I smiled and started to enter. I heard someone stalking near. "Who's there? I can't see from my left eye." Lilac called.
"It's just me!" Xen said, coming out from somewhere. "Would you like to come inside? I've got to bandage my other eye. Keep the scars from re-opening." Lilac asked. "Yeah." Xen said, walking inside. "Jazelle, want to come inside?" She asked me.
I agreed and we went inside. I looked around while Xen and Lilac talked for a while. Exploring the house, it was beautiful.
"Would you guys like to go onto the beach? It should be quite nice at this time of day." Lilac asked us. "Omg! Yes it's been forever since I went swimming!!" Xen responded, you could hear the excitement in their voice. "I'm alright, I'm going to spend more time exploring!" I said. And they left.
