Nat, Lane, and I turn to each other. "I'll go through Nat's." I say. "I'm going through yours. I wanna know what dangerous shit my girlfriend has managed to get into without supervision." Lane says. I laugh sheepishly. "Then I'll go through Lane's. I'm just hoping I see important events and nothing else." Natalie says with a smirk. Lane and I both go red. Nat walks away into the purple tunnel, laughing her ass off.
I stare at Lane.
"Just know most felonies were committed for money." "Most?" I laugh as I step inside the blue tunnel. Nat has never really talked about what happened when she was away from everyone. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm about to see.
I stare at the walls. The first couple of years I skip over. I've known her since we were toddlers. It's not like I don't know this stuff. I continue glancing over the walls until I reach a picture of Natalie alone, standing in front of a portal. The image shifts, promptly scaring the shit out of me. Natalie reaches into the portal without hesitation, disappearing before the image resets.
She...
She just went in.
I hesitated. Hell, I freaked out for a second.
But Natalie just stepped inside.
I tear away my gaze and continue through the tunnel. I pass most of the battles, only stopping at the three month period where I....
You know.
Then I reach the day of Starfall. After that lies the unknown three years. I press forward, scanning the walls.
And I notice a lot of computer work. I look closer.
Oh.
That's not computer work.
That's hacking.
I reach out and touch the wall. On contact, everything around me melts away into something new. I'm suddenly in a dark room, staring at a figure hunched over a computer.
Nat.
Natalie is the one hunched over the computer. She's grumbling to herself while messing with lines of code. "I can't let them lock onto their location. I wish they'd stop doing stupid shit though...." She grumbles.
She's... she's leading them off someone's trail. I glance at what she's messing with. It's a file on Hade.
The memory fades, sending me back to reality.
"She made sure none of us got caught." I whisper. I continue on. What else did she do?
I stop when I see an image of Nat fighting someone. The next drawing is off her figure laying alone on the ground.
My blood runs cold as I reach for the image, brushing against it.
I'm thrown into the scene. At first glance it seems like a fist fight between Natalie and some drunkard.
But then I see the sheen of a knife. "NAT-"
She stares at me. Did she...
Did she hear me?
The knife sinks into her side.
The scene shifts again, changing into a lonely deserted area. The drunkard drags Nat across the sand, abandoning the body. I stare at it in disbelief.
It's just a memory.
Just. A. Memory.
I watch the sun and moon chase each other across the sky, sped up. Three days. I see a strange shimmer in the air near Natalie's body.
Two shapes, arguing.
Then Natalie sits up gasping and panting, and the memory fades.
I need to get the fuck out of here.
I rush to the end of the tunnel, stumbling out into the next antichamber. Damien and Caleb are already waiting. "We already knew most of the history." Damien shrugs. "Most." Caleb grunts.
Oh.
He's salty.
Lane steps out of my tunnel, her blue eyes latching onto me.
Oh shit.
She stomps over. "Piracy? PIRACY????? OF ALL THINGS-" "Listen, after the L.O. Caught on I left. Ok? I understand it was dangerous. But I have allies in many dark corners of the criminal underworld. That'll come in handy." Lane considers this.
She nods begrudgingly.
Natalie steps into the chamber, her steps echoing around the cavern.
"You saw it then?" I nod silently. Lane raises an eyebrow. "Saw what?" "I got killed in a scrap with a drunk. Creation just let me... lie there. For three freakin days." Nat growls, staring at the rocky ground.
She glances at Lane.
"I think you had the least eventful three years."
Slowly, the rest of the group files out into the chamber. Creation suddenly makes themself present. And that's when it dawns on me.
They brought Natalie back.
And Damien, maybe even twice.
Lane wasn't dead long enough for them to even react.
So what about me?
"Were you just gonna let me die?" I ask quietly. The whole room goes dead silent. Creation is taken aback by the question. "Pardon?" "Do I need to make the fucking question clearer?" I snarl, starting towards them.
"You brought back Nat on your own. You brought back Damien on your own, and hell that might've been twice. Lane wasn't dead long enough for you to react, I'll give you that much." I look up, staring them directly in their weird ass eyes. "What about me?"
"Listen Delilah-" "No. I'm not gonna listen to your damn excuses. Were you gonna let me die, yes or no?"
Creation goes silent.
I guess that's my answer.
"Fuck this, I'm an atheist." I grumble, starting into the next tunnel.
"What?"
"It means she doesn't believe in higher beings, like gods."
A beat of silence.
"DELILAH-"
We exit the caves, somehow five feet away from where we entered. I'm still fuming. Creation sighs. "Well... it's best that I leave now. There's an exit out of this place through those vines." They point towards a huge patch of thick vines. "There should be a port city not too far from here. Be careful not to get caught." Natalie nods. Hade mutters something along the lines of no promises. "And with that, I bid you..." they snap their fingers. "Adieu."
Nothing happens.
They snap again.
Still nothing.
"Oh no.... no no no." "What is it?" Natalie asks. Creation sighs. "I'm stuck. I thought cutting off the infection would completely stop the effects. Apparently not." Nat tilts her head in confusion. "What does that mean?" "I'm partially mortal now. I can't go back to the pantheon."
Someone.
Fucking.
KILL ME.
Natalie sighs. I, unable to be around the deity any longer, start towards the vine-y exit. "DJ, where are you going?" "Out. Anyone wanna come with?"
Everyone except Damien, Gabriel, Karson, and Mateo are immediately at my side. "Y'all are staying?" "Tired." Damien shrugs. Karson and Mateo nod. "Last time I went out with you guys, Hade lost an arm. I'm staying behind." Gabriel mumbles. Nat considers this. "Fair."
We fight through the vines, stumbling out into the slopes of the once active volcano. "Huh. There really is a port city nearby." Hade mutters. It's a good three miles or so away. Between the city and the volcano is a jungle that circles the base of the volcano like a skirt. "We better start moving then."
It takes two hours before we finally near the port. I stare at the harbor, surveying the ships. A familiar flag catches my eye.
I break into a run.
"DJ?" "COME ON!!! There's some people I want y'all to meet!" I shout, racing towards the docks. I nearly stumble over a loose board, catching sight of a familiar face.
He can hear me from here, right?
"BECKHAM, YA BASTARD! YA OWE ME MONEY!" The man whirls around. "WHO THE FU.... Well if it isn't my old sharp shooter. Mako! Look who the cat dragged in!" Another familiar face climbs down from the crows nest as I reach Beck. "DJ! What brings you here?" Mako asks. "I saw the ship and figured I oughta introduce y'all to some friends."
"DJ?" I turn around to see the rest of my group walking towards the ship. "Guys, this is Captain Beckham and his first mate Mako."
Beckham waves. Mako grins. "Wonderful to meet all of you."
"You must be Lane?" Beck asks, staring at my girlfriend. "How...?" "DJ wouldn't shut up about you." I glare at him.
"Shut the fuck up you little shit." I growl through gritted teeth. "Delilah you're about as threatening as a seagull after seeing you gush about your girlfriend every other night for a year."
I raise an eyebrow.
"Have you ever been swarmed by those shits?" "No, because I didn't hold up a piece of bread after someone offered me ten bucks to do so." I hear Hade burst out into laughter. My face flushes pink.
"To be fair, it was your little sister who offered up that bet," I huff. Beck nods. "Yeah. That's why I didn't take it." He says, smirking down at me. I punch him in the arm. "Good to see ya cap." "Likewise, DJ. Now," He smiles at my assorted group of friends. "Who wants drinks?"
We all crowd into a booth at a pub. Beck immediately orders a round, passing some cash to the server. "So..." he says, staring at me. "What have you been up to since you left us?" I shrug. "Up until about nine months ago, I was barely scraping by. Most of what I did for money was..." "Illegal? So is piracy. It's not like you were too far out of your comfort zone." Beck smirks. "You're not wrong." I chuckle. "So what has the crew of the Siren been up to?" Beck shrugs. "The usual. I'd say what but...." His eyes dart to a uniformed guard sitting at the bar. My heart jumps into my throat.
L.O. soldiers are everywhere.
How did I not see that?
Mako shifts uncomfortably. Natalie sends a sharp, anger filled glare at Beckham. "Did you plan this you sick-" "No, I did not. But who's to say we can't make the most of it?" The captain asks, a sly grin spreading across his face. He motions to the pistol holstered on his hip.
The Star beings at the table all share a look. One that means we're ready to create some chaos.
"Mr. Beckham, have you ever considered joining the rebellion as a smuggler?" Natalie asks, her voice loud and proud. The L.O. Soldiers turn slowly, eyes locking onto the crowded booth.
There's a flash of orange as Hade summons a pistol. "What's up, motherfuckers?"
The bullets start flying. Beckham jumps into the fight, pushing a table onto its side and using it as a shield. I hear Mako sigh.
"We can't ever have a peaceful outing, can we?" He says, zapping the nearest guard with enough lightning to kill ten men. The fried body hits the floor.
"Oh come on, Fluffball! You know you love the adrenaline rush!" Beckham laughs, peeking out from behind the table and taking a few shots.
Mako says nothing, but smiles to himself.
I summon my hammer, swinging at the nearest soldier and smashing through a table. "I'll pay for that!" I shout at the bartender, who is currently hiding behind the bar. "Hon, watch out!" Mako yells, jumping in front of Beckham.
The bullet just bounces off of his skin, leaving a faint abrasion.
"What. the. fuck." I hear Caleb yelp. "Oh you thought I was human? That's funny." Mako smirks, sending his elbow to a soldier's gut and slamming him face first into a table. Lane appears next to me, stabbing a soldier I didn't see coming at me.
"Thanks darlin." "You're welcome." She says with a grin, tossing the dude away like trash into a wastebasket.
Eventually, the bar goes dead silent.
"Huh. Guess we got all of them." Mako shrugs. Beck pulls out a large wad of cash and hands it to the bartender. "For the damage. And for you to lie if anyone asks about this whole little..." he motions around at the bodies. "Shootout."
"Well... this is goodbye for now, then?" My old captain asks as we all stand in front of his ship. "Beck, we could use a good smuggling crew. I've seen what you, Mako, and the rest of the Siren can do." Beckham raises an eyebrow. "Listen... I'm not asking this as a rebel or a star being. I'm asking as a friend. We need help." Beckham turns away without a word, stepping back onto the ship. I glance at Mako helplessly. The mermaid gives me a look of sympathy, then turns towards his husband. "Beckham, what the hell are you doing?" He calls out. Beckham turns back around, a wide grin on his face. "I'm taking a chance, Fluffball."
This dramatic bastard.
"CREW! Everybody, on deck, NOW!" Multiple people scramble onto the deck, one familiar girl dropping from the rafters. Liza waves at me. "Who's that?" Lane asks quietly. "A friend. She's Beck's little sister." I whisper. Lane nods.
"Alright listen up. See these folks behind me?" Beck motions to us. "They're part of the rebellion. And now, we are too. If anyone wants to leave in fear this may put you in danger, you're welcome to. I won't stop you. But if you do, you're not welcome back. You gave up. That's that. So?" No one moves. Beckham smiles. "That's my crew! So..." Beckham turns back to us, a question obviously on his mind.
"What now?"
A DJ doodle and some Hade. Sorry for the long wait. School let out and then I immediately had to move. Also, HAPPY FUCKIN PRIDE!!! I have a big piece I'm doing, but it's not done. Yet.