Dick had been a member of Wally's crew for the past three years, and he was happier than he'd ever been. He felt much better out at sea, and he'd managed to earn the crew's respect faster than anyone else. It had only taken two weeks and a raid from another crew before Dick was truly part of the group. Nobody messed with him, lest they get a bullet in their head. He and Wally had ended up together when the crew set them up, so the redhead was fiercely protective of him. Everyone had somehow unanimously decided to protect the youngest member from any harm. Of course, as is life, harm actively sought out the newest pirate. Let's start with a treasure hunt that nearly killed him.
He'd been with Wally as they walked through a cave, holding up a lantern to light their path. He could hear water dripping around him, plopping down on the stones around him. Wally was leading him through the tunnels, turning around corners and weaving through stalagmites. They'd been walking for a while, and Dick was worried they were lost. "You sure we're going the right way?" "Yep. Two more rights, and we'll be there." "This seems eerily quiet for a cave, especially one with a mountain of treasure in it." "I know, but sometimes you get caves that are just spooky. It'll be fine. We'll be in and out in a jiffy." "You're sure?" "I'm positive. We're only investigating. We're not taking anything yet." "Please. I saw you slip a coin in your pocket last time." "That was for authentication." "Sure."
Wally held out his hand, smiling at Dick. He knew most people would be running away screaming if they knew where they were, but Dick wasn't. He was right there next to him. Dick grabbed his hand, letting himself get pulled closer. He and Wally had been dating for about four months, and Dick was one of the happiest pirates on the ship. He knew he'd have to take risks with this job, but he always felt better when Wally was with him. "We'll be okay. I promise." "I know. I'm glad you're with me." "I'm glad I'm with you, too. I feel like this goes better when someone's with me." "That's cause there's someone to watch your back." "Just so long as you're not looking at my ass." "That ass is a treasure in itself, Walls. There's a reason I saved that for me."
They finally turned into a large cavern, and the gold in that room alone would've been enough to equal Bruce's riches. "Whoa. We hit the jackpot, Dickie!" Wally chuckled, walking through the mountains of gold. "Are those blankets made of gold?" "They are. Look at all this! We'd be set for life!" "Yeah. We would." Wally looked over at Dick, who didn't seem to excited. "Hey. What's wrong?" Wally walked over, gently cupping Dick's face. "All this. It just reminds me of my dad. You know we didn't get along well, but all I left him was a note. A note that said I was sick of his lifestyle. I didn't even tell him I was going to be a sailor. I haven't written to him since then. He probably thinks I'm dead, Walls. I can't get rid of that guilt, and seeing all of this just seems to hit me again. How do I let him know I'm alive without telling him I do this stuff?"
Wally chuckled, kissing Dick's forehead. "You tell him you're a sailor, and that you're happy this way. You're healthier, too. You tell him this lifestyle suits you better than being a nobleman, but that you can always help him with business." "You'd let me go back just like that?" "Well, no. I'd probably put up a fight. But he is still your family, and if you need to go back, then you go back. I'm not here to stop you, or make you unhappy. I'm here to do what you need me to do. If that means bringing you back to your dad? I'll be unhappy, but I'll do it. It's your life, Dick, your past. I'm just here to make the ride a little bit easier." Dick smiled, leaning his forehead to touch Wally's. "Thanks, babe." "No problem, my little star."
The gold next to the duo clinked, a few coins falling from the top. They jumped back, staring at the mountain. "That's not good." "Especially since this place was so devoid of life earlier." "Let's split up. That way it can't go after both of us." "Deal. Should we go get the others?" "No. If it's really that dangerous, bringing them will only put them in danger. We just need to look around." Dick nodded, heading towards a throne piled with gold. Wally headed towards a chest, strangely plain compared to the rest of the room. Neither had a good feeling about this place. There was no way a cavern of gold just goes unnoticed by people. Even if the map was hidden, they were adventurers. Somebody else should've found it by now. The cave was actually very exposed on the outside. Maybe it was the twisting tunnels? It was practically a maze back there.
After about two hours of searching, they concluded that the gold must've fallen on its own. "Let's send for the others. We can start to get this stuff out and bring it back to the base." Wally picked up the gold blankets, folding them. They were a little heavy, sure, but not too bad. Dick walked over to the throne, investigating a crown. It was solid gold, with jewels implanted in the sides. On the inside was a strange writing. Dick traced it with his finger, murmuring softly to himself. "If eternal life is what you seek, then I am yours to keep. An eternity you shall last, known to all in the past. Beware, though, all you fiends: you will be stuck down, and your victory will be demeaned. What the hell does that mean?" "Dunno. I don't like the sound of it, though." "I think this is the one thing we should leave here." "Ditto. Leave it in one of the pools, so none of our group get it."
Dick walked over to a secluded pool, hiding the crown in the side. He didn't understand why anyone would carve that on a crown. It was as if the creator was trying to scare people off. He shrugged, standing up and walking away. He needed to help Wally. He started grabbing some of the bigger stuff, such as the swords and goblets. Wally had the blankets and some necklaces in a bag, gently placing them inside. "We'll come back for the coins and stuff later. Right now, let's get some of the stuff with jewels. If we need to, we can sell the jewels." Dick set down the stuff in his arms, kneeling next to Wally. "Do you think This is enough?" "Yeah. We just need enough to prove it's worth the trip. This is more than enough." Wally tied up the bag, slinging it over his shoulder.
Needless to day, the crew were more than happy to clear out the cave. They were warned of the crown, and swore they wouldn't take it. Dick stayed close to Wally, unease filling his stomach. They filled bag after bag anyway, carrying them out onto the ship. Loot like this was rather rare, so they wanted to spare very little. The cavern slowly emptied out, going from a shimmering paradise to a barren space. There was very little left, only a pile of coins and the crown. Dick didn't feel any better. This space still felt dangerous. "Just a little more, and we're done." "Wally whispered. "This still feels dangerous. It feels like something's here. Something bad." "We'll be out of here as soon as possible. Besides, it may be that crown. It may have some sort of curse around it." "But I touched it." "And you're not the only one feeling this way, so we know it's not activated by touch. We'll be okay."
A mist started floating up from the water, filling the cavern. "Uh, Walls?" "I see it. Let's get out of here quickly. Leave what's left. We've got more than enough." The mist started getting thicker, making it hard for them to see. Before anyone knew what was going on, the mist lifted, gathering in a central cloud. It started thinning out, until it formed a point, and pointed towards Dick. It moved before anyone else could, surrounding the youngest. Dick felt like he couldn't breathe. The air was so thick, he couldn't seem to find any oxygen. He could faintly hear the others outside of the mist, calling his name. He fell to his knees, eyes drifting closed. He couldn't find the strength to keep his eyes open. He couldn't find any energy at all. It was sucked out of him, leaving him drained and weak. He didn't have the strength to move and escape, didn't have the strength to gasp for air. He lost consciousness, the swirling mist still surrounding him.
He woke up to the sound of a bell, being rocked from side to side. Something heavy was on top of him, and he could hear the waves crashing against something. He managed to peel his eyes open, coming face to face with the ceiling of the captains quarters. He could feel a cool wash cloth on his forehead, and the glittering of gold filled his vision. He looked down to see himself covered with the gold blankets, which felt like they weighed a ton. The moon was filtering through the glass behind him, leaving pale light to reflect on bright gold. Dick managed to sit up, looking around him. Everything seemed the same. He could see the drawers that needed another coat of paint, the quill and ink that rarely got used, and the bed that had seen many nights of-
Okay, not going there. Dick kicked his legs over the edge of the bed, watching them dangle. He felt weak. He forced himself to stand from the bed, but his weak legs sent him crashing to the floor. The breath was knocked out of him, leaving him winded and sore. What happened to him? He remembered the mist, but he didn't remember what happened afterwards. How did he get on the ship? Why wasn't he dead? He was freezing, struggling to breath, and he was stuck on the floor. Had some mist really done this? Sure, it was thick magical mist, but it was still mist. Had it been because of the crown? Or had something else done this to him? Where was the rest of the crew? Were they okay? Had they been hurt?
Dick heard boots thumping against the wood before the door swung open, revealing a worried Wally. "Dick?" "W...Wally." Dick gulped thickly, watching as Wally ran over to him. The redhead sighed, kneeling down next to the raven haired boy and pulling him into his arms. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Dick grinned, leaning into Wally's body. "I don't think I'm hurt. I'm just tired. What happened? Where are we?" "The crown was cursed after all. Once a certain amount of treasure left, it would target someone well-liked. We reached the limit, and you were targeted. We managed to get you out before it took all of your energy, and we're headed to a healer right now. Are you cold? You're shivering." Dick nodded. He was really cold.
Wally picked Dick up, setting him on the bed and covering him with the blankets. "How long have I been out?" "A few days. We're close, though. Land was spotted about an hour ago. You just lay there and get some rest, okay? We'll take care of everything." "Thank you, Walls." "It's no problem, Dickie. Go to sleep. I'll be back to check on you in about ten minutes. Are you hungry? Or thirsty?" Dick shook his head, curling up and pulling the blankets closer. "Not really." "Okay. I love you, Dickie. I promise we'll make you better." "I love you too, Walls. I don't have any doubt about that."