Rumours have spread far and wide but the Ventraxian wasn't worried in the slightest. His fake name had become known just as his birth name, Avocato.
Avocato was a name only those close to him in his crew would call him. A name that was once famous and admired by others. General Avocato, one of the most powerful general's from the navy.
He wouldn't lie...part of him missed the life. Being able to stroll through the streets in peace, talking to other fellow generals.
Sadly, such peace was disrupted after a friend of his, General Quinn Ergon, had found out their leader had been buying slaves and making them dig their own graves by sending them away on an impossible mission to find Final Sea as they couldn't risk any more soldiers to do so.
When both had tried to bring the matters to the public, they were both taken away from their titles- using family members as hostages.
Thankfully, Avocato managed to get his son back from the grasp of his previous superior, Lord Commander- he could only hope the same for Quinn and her sister.
"Captain" a tryvuulian knocked timidly on his door "We're arriving" he informed.
"Yes...thank you" Avocato stood and sighed, his hand lingering above his eye patch that rested on the wooden table that was surrounded by maps and scrolls.
"Dad?" The small ventraxian that had been sitting besides him speaks out, his fur looked nothing alike his father's, being a ginger color instead of a dark sea green.
"Yes, Little Cato?" He couldn't help but smile fondly at his son as he tied the eyepatch neatly over his right eye before placing his hat on.
"What exactly are we doing here? In Italy?" The child asked as he looked out the small round windows of the ship, seeing a coast not too far off.
"I shall inform the whole crew, so let's go" he replied to his son patiently, tidying his blue mohawk out of habit, chuckling when Little Cato scowled playfully.
When both exited towards the deck, the whole crew was already waiting there.
His crew was no where as big as the one he used to order around in the past, no where as big as the many troops, but even so he preferred it this way.
Examining everyone as his son ran in front to join the others, he double checked for anyone that was missing before he began
"Good afternoon, crew" he greeted professionally as he did usually before a mission "our goal today is to raid a town near the coast. We'll be devided into three" he began to walk forth before he walked side to side slowly in order to study everyone
"Group one will remain on the ship" his heels clacked against the wood "Group two will raid for rice, fish, water, alcohol and other food you may deem necessary" he continued "Finally, Group three will be coming with me to steal from the local Navy" he grinned mischievously.
The youngsters of his crew grew excited, begging to go with him to mess with the navy. The eldest chattered among themselves as if deciding who would do what despite them not having an option
"Group 1!" The captain called and quickly they were silent once again "Biskit, Nyata and Fox" he gestured to two ventraxians, one short and that resembled a tiger and one that resembled a Portuguese lynx and a nervous looking tryvuulian that was clearly afraid with staying behind with two ventraxians.
"Group 2 will be Ash, Clarance and Kevin" Avocato gestured to the three, a serepentian, a gremlin looking raisin and a human.
"Lastly, Evra and Little Cato are with me" he smiled down at his son who cheered and high-fived Evra "any objections?" He asked
"Yes" Ash stepped foward, pushing her hair out of her eye "I don't agree with Fox staying behind with two ventraxians- they're probably going to bully him" she continued once Avocato gestured for her to do so "and Evra and I usually do missions together? Why are we separated now?" She huffed, looking away with embarrassment when Evra came up and hugged her with a tiny "aww".
"Your suggestion?" Avocato lifted a brow, allowing her to continue
"I go with Evra and Fox, Clarance stays behind and Kevin can go with you guys she, he's got the brains" she replied
Avocato took a deep breath before sighing and shaking his head
"Fox is used to staying in his comfort bubble too much, in order for us to be at our top performance he will have to trust every ventraxian on the ship other than me and my son" he stepped foward, stopping once in front of her "and for ypu and Evra to get separated this once is because last time you kept getting distracted by her" he smirked, aware of the fact Ash liked Evra "therefore permission denied"
All the teen could do was glower at her Captain in embarrassment before stomping her way back to Clarance and Kevin
"Anything else?" He asked, smiling once he was met by silence "Alright, be back before my group needs to get away otherwise you will be left behind" he nodded before gesturing to Nyata, the navigator, to steer the ship.
"Evra, Little Cato" he turned around to the two teens "Come with me" he walked towards his stern and looked down upon the many papers on the table.
Both followed, closing the door behind them and remaining quiet as their captain picked up a paper, turning it on the table so they could see
"This here is a piece of a jewel we have been collecting" he gestured to the paper, revealing a crystal clear...Crystal piece.
"The one that is said is from Final Sea?" Evra asked in wonder, tapping closer to try get a good look
"How many are we going to collect?" Little Cato joined in
"I don't know" the captain replied honestly "many believed there was only one crystal until it was revealed later on that others had it... We've managed to find five so far and came to the conclusion that they are part of one another, just broken into pieces...with this one it will make six" he tapped his claw against the drawing
"Oooh! Do you think a cool portal to Final Sea will appear when we complete it?" Little Cato bounced, turning to his friend with a grin
"This is just like a puzzle!" Evra cheered, clapping her hands together excitedly
"No one knows what will happen...however we'll rise to the top the more crystals we have" Avocato smiled at the two "and the Navy just happens to be on possession of a piece"
"Hohoho! Shiny!!" A cheerful voice sang from the rooftops, his eyes following a crystal in the hands of a Navy General "I MUST have that"