(A/N): Helllooo!
Sorry I took so long on this one. As you may expect, it is a bit longer than my other chapters. This one is a bit important as well and needed more attention to detail but AnYwAy... enjoy your ride with the adventurers and let me know what you think!
(Your POV)
A sword whipped.
The opened canister flicked to the ground.
One gunfire was released at such appalling targets.
There was a wet touch of a wound.
Each bullet echo rang worse than the last.
Bang! BANG!
"STOP!"
My eyes popped open once the dream ended. I breathed a little heavy from its intensity, but I wasn't too spooked, really...
The sun was up. I gazed lazily at the ocean horizon, which looked like it had cleared up from the hailstorm, and only fog was left. A calm tidal wave continuously washed along the beach and touched my fingertips before drawing back into the sea. Its cold touch reminded me of my dream. I lifted my hand to look at my fingers, knowing full well that there would be no blood, but I still wondered.
For a second, I shut my eyes tiredly to try sleeping again.
My stomach started churning from hunger. I groaned in annoyance, too tired to focus on finding food. As it continued, I lifted my body to roll over on my left side, limply dropping my face against the sand. A sting surged through my cheek.
"OW!"
I pushed up instantly on my arm and felt my face. The large bandaid covering my left cheek was still there. I rubbed it lightly with a scrunched face, remembering that I had my gash cleaned up from the helicopter crash last night.
The hunger pains grew stronger and louder, so I tiredly sat upright and yawned.
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I combed my hair briefly and scoped the camp. The fire was dead, and all the boys were still dead asleep. Captain Haddock was snoring his head off- which didn't surprise me- as well as Kadron- which really surprised me- while everyone else was more peaceful looking.
I dusted the sand off my body and looked down, noticing I was still wearing Tintin's coat. I gazed the circle and spotted the journalist to my far left. His body was a bit more curled up compared to the others, so I furrowed my brows with sympathy, wondering if the poor thing was cold all night so that I could keep warm.
I frowned. Removing the coat, I stood and went ahead and quietly draped it over Tintin like a blanket. He shouldn't have to feel so cold while exhausted, especially when he's been doing so much to help with my problems.
'This should help him sleep better.' I thought, maternally adjusting the coat so Tintin could be comfortable and smiling whimsically at him.
A dog bark startled me, and I turned to see Snowy looking up at me from behind, awake and lively.
"Oh! Hi, Snowy!" I greeted him, almost embarrassed by my gesture toward his owner. I shook away such ridiculousness and petted him.
At that moment, my stomach wailed, making me scowl. Sighing, I tightened my lips unhappily and distracted my pain with Snowy's cuteness. However, as I did, Snowy perked and stepped away from camp calmly. I tilted my head and followed, wondering what his doggy senses were picking up. Unexpectedly, Snowy zoomed out into the forest, barking a couple of times before disappearing.
My brow lifted with concern. The last thing we needed was to lose the dang dog when we already had so many other problems on our hands. Holding my arms out into a shrug, I shook my head.
"Wait! Snowwy!" I called, slipping on my shoes and running away from camp to follow him in the forest. I didn't venture too far in because I didn't want to get lost myself. Instead, I tiptoed through the entryway and called for the mutt.
I grunted when Snowy didn't come, looking back at the beach from where I stood. Breaking off the first sprouting branch I saw, I dragged it behind me so if I were lost I'd at least have a trail I could follow to get back to the shore.
I heard Snowy bark a couple of times and ran after his voice. But after a short minute, I stopped moving, figuring it would be better if I just went and woke up Tintin and let him know about Snowy instead of getting stuck in the middle of a private island. Giving up with a shake of my head, I turned to leave but noticed something that made me forget about the dog.
In the distance, there was a bush that looked abundant with red berries. My stomach churned. I approached anxiously with hopes of sustenance. Sadly, my excitement faded, seeing they appeared to be the tiny red berries that typically are poisonous and not strawberries as I hoped.
Slouching, I took a moment to breathe and decided to get Tintin.
That's when I saw it. A couple of yards away was a large, beautiful fruit tree overflowing with large oranges. I smiled with awe and rubbed my eyes, almost disbelieving it at first. Yet after I pinched myself, I knew it was real.
My stomach growled with anticipation. I ran up the tree and jumped restlessly, trying to grab at least one of its fruit. My eager hopping was far too short, unfortunately, and although I would have eaten one from the ground, all of which were either squashed or decomposing.
'Blah... rotten oranges.'
I refused to give up. I needed something to eat! Plus, the boys would appreciate something more sustaining than last night's cookies!
Then I had an idea. Holding up the branch, I started jumping and batting at the fruit. Many oranges dropped to the forest floor. Once there was enough for me, I would use my blouse as a bag to carry as many as I could back to the camp for the others to enjoy. They'd be so relieved!
As I joyfully beat against the tree limbs, I took steps back to cover more areas and felt something tighten around my bare ankle. Yelping, I was thrown face-first to the ground. I desperately grasped onto the dirt when my body was yanked in the air before swinging upside down. My right shoe flew off my foot after the scene. I panted from shock at my sudden predicament, frozen with wide eyes from the surprise. A rope from the tree was wrapped tightly around my ankle, and I was dangling upside down over the forest floor. It appeared I had stepped into a trap of some sort.
My racing heart calmed after a moment of quiet. I looked to and fro to see if anyone was around. The branch was in my reach, so I grabbed it and gave the rope a couple of strikes. Obviously, it did nothing, so I gave up and dangled loosely, feeling the tips of my hair just brushing the dirt.
"Come on!!" I remarked. My brain was already filling up from the angle I swung, and my wrapped ankle felt sore from the lack of blood circulation. "Um- hello...? Guys?? I'm stuck..." I called out flatly, knowing it wouldn't do good since I was too far from camp. ".... this is just wonderful..."
Suddenly, there was a noise in the thickets nearby. I alertly pointed the branch in its direction and prepared myself to bat at any savage. Strangely, a rugged, safari-dressed man stepped out from behind the plants and pointed his rifle at me, making me gasp and cower.
"Well-well-well, what's this?" he chanted, lowering his weapon and eyeing me with amusement. "A little girl?"
I could tell he was an American. Another man who looked like his clean-shaven little sibling came up, wearing a safari hat and holding a machete in one hand. I leaned back as he neared, thinking I would be sliced to bits. Then the man cut the ropes loose and freed me. I fell on my back, yelped, and glared at the rude gents with a grunt.
Untying the knot around my ankle, I rubbed my sore head from the fall. The two stepped away to examine the trap they'd set in the tree. I eyed them but didn't say anything because I was busy trying to massage out the headache. Abruptly, the rugged one jerked me up on my feet by the wrist and put his hands on his hips.
"Hmm. This one's a beauty. What do you think?" he asked the other man.
The young machete guy grabbed my chin and examined my face roughly before squeezing my arm biceps.
" 'Just a kid, but she's got muscle," he replied.
Not appreciating them checking me out like game, I yanked my arm away and dusted off the man's touch.
"Thank you??" I scoffed, shaking my head at them each before scurrying away.
The two stood parallel to each other and watched me leave calmly.
"Hey, where are you going?" asked the rugged casually.
"Just- nowhere important," I replied blankly, hoping they weren't a threat and trying to remain self confident.
"You're stranded, aren't you?" asked Machete.
I stopped a moment and turned to them grudgingly.
"Yes, but I'm fine, alright? I'll get back home by myself. Don't worry about me," I answered exhaustedly.
As I turned to leave again, Rugged spoke up.
"Now, hold on a minute, why don't you come with us? We have a boat; you can sail back to the mainland with us," he said.
I paused at his words.
'A boat? They have a boat?' I thought.
Hesitantly, I straightened my posture and faced them fully, scanning both in the eyes with doubt. Maybe we could get off the island sooner if we went with these hunter guys... but should I blindly trust them?
"You do?" I asked, replaying his words in my mind.
"Would we lie?" he retorted, making me frown.
Mr. Machete shrugged.
"How else do you think we got here?" he asked.
I lifted a brow with doubt.
"And you made it through the hail?"
"We arrived here last week before the storm," Rugged said.
"We'll set sail when the hail clears up more tomorrow and take you to where you belong." Machete man put his knife over his shoulder leisurely. " 'Better than waiting indefinitely at the shore, wouldn't you agree?"
I frowned. They weren't wrong, and they had no reason to lie to me and offer their services if they weren't decently civil men- obnoxiously arrogant as they are. Yet, I didn't want to say yes unless I saw the ship for myself. Otherwise, I couldn't believe their good intentions. Perhaps if there was a faster way home, I could return to the beach and tell the others about it.
Sighing, I crossed my arms and leaned on one leg.
"Okay... show me your ship first," I spoke firmly.
The rugged guy smirked at me.
"Smart move, amigo," he chirped. "Come on!"
I reluctantly glancing at the path behind before following the men.
We didn't even step six feet forward before an animal sound echoed in the forest. I stopped, recognizing the voice and trying to see where it came from. The men stiffened and readied their weapons; I assume to use against whatever was coming at us.
"Snowy," I mumbled, walking around the area.
" 'Snowy?' " Mr. Rugged asked.
In a flash, Snowy charged through from the bushes and clung to the Machete man's shin viscously. The guy cried out in aggravation, kicking the dog with his free leg to shake him off, but Snowy sank his teeth in pretty tight. I gasped in shock, planted where I stood and was unsure of what to do. Snowy wasn't mean to just anyone- after all, he was a smart dog- but that factor didn't help me much in deciding on how to approach the scene.
To my terror, the rugged guy lifted his rifle and fired at him.
"Stop!" I ordered the man, pushing the gun down.
Luckily, Snowy dodged the bullet and ran away into the bushes. Both men calmed down and looked at me as I called for Snowy to come back, which he didn't. After a moment, I huffed to myself, putting a strand of hair behind my ear and looking back in the beach direction with conflict. I sighed, going ahead with the boat idea.
"Okay... just lead me to your boat now," I said to them.
The men inverted their mouths and nodded, using their weapons to gesture for me to follow.
(Third Person's POV)
Snowy hid behind some thickets and watched as Miss (Y/n) left with the smelly, gruesome foreigners. He didn't like them. They seemed off and suspicious. They were no thugs, but that didn't change Snowy's perception of them. What beguiled him most was that Miss (Y/n) seemed to remain unaware- or rather disregard- the two's suspicious nature that Snowy could sense.
As (Y/n) left with them, Snowy felt conflicted about what he should do next. He could go back to the beach to alert the others. However, Snowy was drawn to following the girl and protecting her while she was by herself. He could quickly run back to camp and retrieve the others if necessary, so maybe that was best.
Alertly, Snowy lingered behind the three to see where they went.
On (Y/n)'s side of things, she had decided to preoccupy her time with making marks in the dirt or upturning rocks with her foot. She even carried a staff that Machete man gave her and used it to puncture distinct holes in the path with every step. Not only was (Y/n) bored after such a long walk, but, she figured, it be good to know how to get back to the beach in case her trip didn't turn out so well. Hopefully, her trail would be memorable enough since she didn't exactly have a basket of crumbs to throw around like Hansel and Gretel.
Time passed, filled with a couple of conversation exchanges between the trio- mostly comprised of the hunters and not so much skeptical (Y/n). She learned their names were Paul (the Machete man) and Sherwin (Mr. Rugged), and the two were bounty hunters originally from North America.
Soon, the trio eventually made it to the edge of a ravine. The two men took a moment to briefly conspire as (Y/n) gazed at the cloudly distant ocean horizon. Pursing her mouth nervously, she leaned over the deep drop to view it.
Dangerous jagged rocks stuck out from the waves below. The fall would mean instant death due to such an impact. And what didn't help was the squared waves nearby that only meant doom to those who fell in the sea instead of atop the stones.
"So... where's the boat?" (Y/n) asked tensely, gripping her staff tightly as her eyes refused to pry away from the edge.
"Not here, dolly. Our ship lies in that open cavern," replied Sherwin, pointing a stretched finger.
(Y/n) tilted her head and followed his gaze. She didn't notice, but if you leaned out far enough, you could see a large opening inside the side of the private island. Coming from its mouth was a cemented dock which led from an unknown, inner location out to the ravine where a few sanded stones sat as a path. Right before them was a ladder, which stretched high up the cliff to the surface of the island cliff.
" 'Keeps it from getting racked in any incoming weather," Paul finished about the boat.
"Well, down you go," Sherwin ordered nonchalantly, nudging (Y/n) lightly.
Gaping in awe, the girl turned to watch Machete Man Paul climb down the ravine. She shook her head with disapproval and stepped over him to see its stability.
(Y/n) felt her heart die inside as she stared down at the horrible stepping stones that the men called a ladder. It was the rustiest, makeshift, rackety, metal climbing ladder she'd ever laid eyes on. And yet, it seemed to be used on a daily basis.
How was it even possible that it still clung to the ravine's edge? (Y/n) wondered.
A mystery is what it was.
"What? Are you out of your mind?! I am not climbing down that!" (Y/n) said sassily, placing her hands on her hips and backing away.
Mr. Rugged Sherwin nudged her harder with slight amusement, and she tripped forward.
"You want me to carry you? If you wanna get home, this is the only way down."
The girl scowled and did a double-take. She didn't want to climb down, but it was either that or go back to the beach and wait even longer for rescue. Unless, of course, she died while attempting such a horrific climb... but anyway...
She threw aside the staff. Reluctantly, (Y/n) took a shaky breath and stepped a foot on the first step, ever so timidly climbing her way down the rusty ladder. It was surprisingly more sturdy than she suspected it to be, although that didn't make (Y/n) see it as any less dangerous. Shortly, (Y/n) arrived at the bottom with a sigh of relief where Paul was waiting- with surprisingly great patience- for her at the bottom. Sherwin followed behind promptly, grabbing her forearm firmly upon landing and leading (Y/n) casually over the flat stones that made a path above the crashing waves.
A frown of curiosity spread across (Y/n)'s face. The cave was lit up mainly by the dim daylight, so they could see where they went. The glistening of the waves reflected along the walls and stactilites that hung above, as well as the beautiful glow worms which stayed illuminated. It was somewhat breathtaking to see in person. (Y/n) was lucky to see some of the few sights she had experienced the past week, even after all the obstacles, such as the cave and the tremendous stars from last night that Tintin encouraged her by.
(Y/n) felt her face get hot from butterflies. She hadn't had any before, so she shook her head, holding it in her hands and wanting the silly feelings to go away. A gleaming light from around the turn woke her from her thoughts. She lifted one eyebrow, then furrowed her brows at the sight of such an unlikely construction.
The cemented path in the cave led all the way to a discrete marketplace filled with crowds of merchants and potential buyers. Seaplanes were tied to the dock. Business was booming that day. (Y/n) noticed right away that not many women were present, besides the occasional tough cookie who spoke gruffly. It was a very loud, very demanding atmosphere, and something about it made (Y/n) uncomfortable.
(Y/n) cowered slightly as the three walked through, passing a large power box plastered to the cave rock beside the entrance.
'Must be for those lights hammered up in the cave...' She determined.
(Y/n) kept close to the hunters to ensure her security. The place seemed pretty modernized, with good lighting and plenty of supplies and space. Perhaps the owner of the island was responsible? (Y/n) wondered. Either way, the people there seemed a little menacing to her. She tried not to make eye contact, but any time is done, a wicked smirk or judgmental scowl would appear on the individual's face. Was (Y/n) some interloper? What was going on?
Oh no...
(Y/n) grew flustered as she slowed her walking to a halt. This place couldn't possibly be what she thought it was, was it? But all the tidbits of evidence and proof of the factor came into sight, like the hazardous substances, rare animal species, and machinery treated like forbidden items. (Y/n)'s palms started sweating, and she froze in place, trying to wrap her head around the disturbing reality.
Yes, it was indeed...
A black market.
"I... I changed my mind," (Y/n) blurted.
The hunters turned to look at her confusedly.
"What?" Mr. Rugged asked.
" 'Changed your mind?' " chimed Machete man, somehow seemingly not understanding her interjection.
(Y/n) looked around at the multiple faces staring at her and expressed slight panic.
"I'm going back," she forced. "I don't wanna do this anymore-"
"Now hang on, the boat is right around the bend! Let us take you there," Rugged Sherwin insisted, putting a hand on her shoulder and pushing her.
(Y/n) allowed it reluctantly, not knowing if she should bite the bullet her flee. Maybe- even if the hunters were part of the illegality- they wanted to help (Y/n) and her friends out of the sheer goodness of their hearts. Was that possible?
They walked towards the only boat (the other vehicles being planes.) Well, they weren't lying about that, at least. Thought (Y/n). However, they failed to mention that it was located in a smuggler's cavern! It seemed like a quaint little vessel, small but still nice for two hunters, equipped with lots of traps and weapons they could use for their disposal- like illegal poaching.
The point being, there was a ship, and the two hunters were going to attempt setting sail tomorrow. (Y/n) thought it be best to talk it out with the boys back at the beach (knowing full well they wouldn't go for the idea.) She took a breath to calm her nerves and made her expression stern.
"See? Just like we told you. And it's enough for one more passenger!" Sherwin chanted with an annoying grin.
"That being you, 'Dolly,' " Machete Paul jeered, teasing his brother, who glared at him.
(Y/n) balled her hands into light fists for courage.
"Okay, I can see you've got a boat. But before I go with you I have to go confirm it with- uh-" she trailed, wondering if she should leak about there being more than one stranded person with her, especially since, by this point, she realized this was a bad idea.
"Your what?" Sherwin asked, seemingly irritated.
"- The dog! I need to go get my dog... the one you tried to shoot earlier. I'll come back when I find him-"
"Not so fast," Sherwin interrupted knowingly, sliding in front of her.
"Let me go, Sherwin. You're hurting me!" (Y/n) subtly hissed, although it was timid.
"Hold your horses! You've seen too much!" he jeered obnoxiously before channeling his humor into aggression. He took her arm in his large hand abruptly. "Besides, you wasted one of my traps! I figure you owe me one!"
(Y/n) was startled by his strength but became angered out of defense.
"Hey!" she growled, pulling against his tow. "Let go of me! No!"
The bounty hunters dragged her into the heart of the black market. (Y/n)'s anger transitioned to fright from the different possible outcomes of her situation. And it didn't help that so many buyers and merchants kept staring at (Y/n) without lifting a single finger to help. Some would look (Y/n) over like a potential item; others would snicker, and yet there were plenty that seemed uninterested and carried on their initial actions.
A couple of people made disturbing comments that had her uneasy.
"Looking to make a little profit?"
"How much for the kid; I need a good housekeeper."
"Oi! I'll give you fifty pounds!"
"She's not for sale... right now anyhoo," Sherwin answered, making (Y/n)'s head turn.
One man, in particular, walked parallel with the bounty hunters and leaned in to speak with a hush.
"You willing to bargain?"
"Her labor laws don't apply to yours."
"Awe, she can be whipped into shape. 'Bet I'll make a good sea gal oughta her!"
"We'll reason in a couple of hours."
"Fair enough." The man crept away.
(Y/n) kept her eyes on the ground to avoid seeing any more of the market. She felt like she was going to be sick. What if her friends didn't get to her before she was pawned off as an enslaved person, or worse? The hunters probably didn't want her yapping her mouth about the twisted island, and all its benefits to the police, (Y/n) figured. After all, a black market was illegal. The islanders would be stowed away in the iron pen big time.
The bounty men finally led her to their poacher booth and took her to the back of their supply tent. (Y/n) was pushed inside a large animal cage and tied her ankle to the back bars. Paul peeled an orange from the tree they met and tossed it to her. (Y/n) breathed heavily and forced a timid glare, not bothering to catch the only food she could sustain herself with.
Paul then gave a two-finger salute before the two men slammed the gate and left the tent, confining the poor girl to solitude.
Crossing her arms, (Y/n) pouted with anger and fright. She was held hostage once again but in a more disturbing location than a stuffy old maintenance closet. (Y/n) curled up and sighed timidly, thinking about what she should do.
A wailing in her stomach aroused. (Y/n) looked up at the traitor's orange he fed her and felt the undefeatable urge building up. She did a double-take but wouldn't give in. Otherwise, her dignity would be lost, and (Y/n)'d resent the memory forever.
(Y/n) had to be strong... for her family, friends, and herself!
However, the more attention she gave it, the more (Y/n) became conflicted with herself. Darkness caved in; it was too much. Just let go of your pride! (Y/n) told herself. She gave the orange a resentful glance before taking it and consuming it savagely.
Bounty fruit or not, (Y/n) must be nourished!
(Third Person's POV)
Snowy zoomed as fast as he could on three good legs back to the beach after watching (Y/n) climb down the ladder. He waited as long as possible, but she was gone so long that Snowy concluded she was in trouble and not coming back. Quickly, he dashed back to camp in fifteen minutes flat, where he saw everyone still dead asleep. Time to get up! Snowy thought. Miss (Y/n) is in danger! He took turns pawing, growling, tugging, knawing, and yapping at each person over and over as much as possible.
Each man groaned or sighed out of sleep, exhausted from the night they had.
"Somebody shut it before I do-" mumbled Isaac Finn, placing his monocle back over his eye.
Snowy lastly nudged Tintin with a whine, pulling on the coat draped over him. Stirred, the boy wiped his face and pushed up on one arm, watching Snowy attempt to get his attention. Tintin tilted his head, then looked down at his coat which lay over him. Odd, he thought it was. Glancing over to where she had slept, Tintin sat upright and noticed (Y/n) missing from her spot.
"Where did (Y/n) go?" he asked out of curiosity.
"Probably went for a walk along the shoreline, don't worry," Isaac stated casually, dusting his arms and setting his ruined hat.
Tintin stood on his feet calmly and looked to and fro along the shore, nearing the waves to try peeking around the forest cliffs on either side. He doubted she'd wander so far off without saying anything. Snowy leaned on his legs and whined anxiously, gaining Tintin's full attention before crossing the forest's direction, sniffing at some tampered prints on the sand floor.
Tintin lingered towards him and paused at the forest entrance. Snowy darted inside and ran back with something in his mouth. Tintin kneeled and took it from him.
"What is this?" he questioned.
Snowy grunted.
Tintin furrowed his brows and stood to follow Snowy deeper into the forest. His stride soon turned into a jog as Snowy grew further away from Tintin's view. Noticing the unfamiliar shoe prints on the ground, Tintin became more determined to figure out what was happening and sprinted after the pup.
Eventually, the journalist stopped at the site where the scene took place. Snowy was long gone ahead of him now, but Tintin was too distracted by the evidence to acknowledge it. A sliced rope hung from the large orange tree with fresh oranges scattered. An intentional imprinted trail lay among the dirt. More of the shoe prints surrounded the path, only this time more distinguishable of which Tintin could tell were men's boots.
"The thugs have come through the forest..." Tintin whispered. He turned to get the others, calling out to them.
Snowy began barking immensely as Tintin put the pieces together.
"Take me to her, Snowy!"
No sooner was this said then done. Tintin didn't cease to slow down til he reached the destination. His eyebrows raised as he peeked around the form of the market entryway, seeing so many brutes with unsolicited items as far as the eye could see. Tintin strained to see as best he could throughout the venues for any sign of Y/n), but failed.
"Are you sure this is where she is??" he asked his dog.
Snowy stomped his front paws anxiously and whined, forcing Tinin to trust the little mutt and figure out a plan.
"Show me where."
Snowy was eager and scurried through the flow of traffic. Tintin looked to and fro before entering. The dog paused a few times as he was almost trampled or got a whiff of something unpleasant. This place was awfully grotesque in its own way, and not opposed to keeping maniacs around on edge.
There was a burst of jolly laughter and infuriated verbal utterances from the middle of the market that made Snowy and Tintin stop. One tyrant took up another man's flame thrower for a try and set off an uncontrollable gust of fire over a seaplane. By the time he got it to stop, the plane was sputtering and smoking from the damage. The owner ran to it in peril as it gave a small explosion and sank into the sea, turning the heads of every member in the cave.
There was an odd silence amongst the entirety, but soon after- as if nothing happened- everyone continued on their day without giving the scene a second thought.
Growling, Snowy shook and led Tintin to the front of a merchant's tent near the end of the market. (Y/n), who sat melancholy at the bottom of the cage, heard the sound, and lifted her head at the figures dashing into the tent. A look of surprise befell her, but a happy one.
"(Y/n)?" Tintin questioned.
"Tintin! Thank goodness you're here! These guys are crazy!!" (Y/n) said, standing and pressing against the bars. "Get me out of here!"
Tintin scanned the entirety of the cage before glancing around the tent to see a crowbar leaning on a crate. He took it and wedged it between the door bars, pushing against it with (Y/n)'s help until the ones who had taken her where heard outside.
"Let's just give Sol the chance-" One said, triggering Tintin into flight mode as he opened a crate with the bar and then hid he and Snowy under the lid. "Alright, dolly, on your feet!"
Moving away from the bars, (Y/n) cried as they grabbed her wrist and resisted their grip desperately. Tintin moved out of the box once they were gone, and he crept out with Snowy out the tent. The two followed the girl while she got leered at throughout the drag, and Tintin stopped to watch once the two hunters met up their heckler.
"Are you out of your flipping nut? If you want to make a purchase, the least you can do is give a decent offer, Sol!" Sherwin said to the hustler.
"Wait now-wait now; I didn't say that was my final bid! We can haggle- how about a hundred pounds?" Sol answered.
"I ain't carrying on the conversation if your gonna spew low sums out of your mouth!"
"A hundred and fifty pounds?"
"No."
Tintin then understood what was happening and rushed to think a plan. Snowy ended up scurrying away through an exit on the other side of the cave, and Tintin protested quietly.
"Snowy! Snowy!"
Meanwhile, the marketers bidded.
"Two hundred?"
"No-no!"
"Seven hundred?"
Sherwin hummed.
"Now we're getting somewhere! A girl like her ain't cheap, after all!" he jested. "Make it nine!"
Tintin's worried eyes wandered in a rut until he realized he still had the gold ring (Y/n) gave him on his hand.
"Eight hundred fifty!"
"Eight seventy-five!"
"Why can't you just take that and-"
"I'd like to make an offer..." interrupted a smooth voice.
The bounty hunters turned their heads to the ginger, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. (Y/n) raised her brows in surprise at his sight and blinked, glancing from him to the bounty hunters with confusion. Sherwin didn't connect the dots and only scoffed at him in amusement.
"You're too late, kid! Make a bid somewhere else," Sol said, disregarding Tintin smugly like no one of importance.
"Would you like to make a bet?" Tintin taunted.
(Y/n) choked laugh, tightening her lips and finding a kick out of Tintin's act.
"What kind of horseradish is this?-" Paul spoke.
"How does two-thousand five-hundred pounds sound, then?" Tintin asked, holding the ring up for the hunter to see and placing his other hand behind his back. "In pure gold, might I add."
(Y/n)'s face dropped at this, instantly recognizing the jewel as her earlier gift to Tintin and having almost forgotten about it by now.
"Eh- this isn't how biddin's s'pposed to go-"
"Sold."
"Wha-?!" Sol gaped. When Tintin pawned off the ring he became more discombobulated. "But- we just made a deal-" he rambled.
"-I don't even know you!" Sherwin interrupted, studying the jewel in the light for authenticity before waving hi. away. "Tootle-loo! Go on- shoo-shoo!"
Sol moaned like a baby and gave a sworn threat before stomping away.
"Keep and eye on her unless otherwise she might find a way to tattle tell to the police," Sherwin advised, showing her into the boys' direction.
"I can assure you that won't be a problem," Tintin replied, forcing a tight smile and gently grabbing (Y/n)'s upper arm to lead her away from them. "Now... let's go, Miss!"
"Wait a second-" (Y/n) mumbled.
"Bye-bye, dolly!" Sherwin bid with a sinister wave before heading back to his shop with Paul.
Tintin took (Y/n) to a safer market area and stopped to talk with her directly, although she wasn't aware of his hidden emotions just yet.
"I can't believe you just did that!" (Y/n) said with admiration. "I would have never thought that gift would actually be important-"
Tintin interrupted her rambling once he hid them behind a booth to get to the bottom of the issue.
"How- might I ask- did this happen??" he questioned a bit sternly, letting her go and shutting (Y/n) up.
"I..." (Y/n) trailed, uncomfortable by his change in demeanor. "They tricked me-"
" 'Tricked you?' How could they trick you?!" Tintin interrupted again with a whisper, sounding a little irritated.
"I found some fruit in the forest but my foot got caught in a trap, and these guys helped me out... and said I should follow them to see their boat. Which, I only listened because I thought if they did, then- well- we could use it to get back to Belgium," (Y/n) flusteredly answered.
"Well, they were wrong- weren't they?" Tintin scolded lightly, startling (Y/n) and causing a slight prick in her heart. "You can't just leave camp without giving us a warning, (Y/n)! And come to find out, you brought yourself in the worst of all places; a black market! Do you understand why you cannot risk trusting people so blindly? What were you thinking?!"
(Y/n) opened her mouth to speak but paused. Tintin had never acted so strict with her before, especially in a criticizing way. Up until now, he was always very calm and patient with her, so this issue must have really made Tintin upset.
Glancing away with guilt, (Y/n) struggled to retain eye contact with the reporter's hard gaze and became indignant.
"Well... I trusted you, didn't I?" she remarked.
Tintin softened. Such a statement he couldn't disagree with. In fact, if she hadn't trusted Tintin at the very beginning, (Y/n) would be in worse trouble by now.
(Y/n) exhaled uncomfortably at his silence.
"Sorry-" she went on, feeling irresponsible. "I- you're right. I shouldn't have left camp. I'm sorry, Tintin- I-I'm so stupid-"
Tintin let out a small sigh, shaking his head at himself and relaxing.
"No, you are not stupid," he replied, guilty about his hostility after just rescuing (Y/n) from a frightening experience. Tintin's scolding voice transitioned to a softer, more worried tone as he finished his reproof with a plea. "I know you are still getting used to this. But... please try not to wander off by yourself again."
(Y/n) heeded his words and lightly nodded. She understood that Tintin was only saying these things because he cared about her safety, but it still stung for some reason. Maybe (Y/n) felt she had let her friend down and wasn't fit for this whole adventure shenanigan.
"Best we leave now..." Tintin said tensely, extending an arm and still visbly upset. "Come on, let's not stay any longer than we have to!"
(Y/n) nodded, taking the arm he offered and letting Tintin lead her to the entrance solemnly.
Comically, the ludicrous gestures and comments of the pirates nearby caught Tintin's attention. They blew a few kisses and winked at him, not blinded by the scene which just unfolded. Tintin grew irked. He gazed at his female friend and shook his head with a slight eye roll, wanting to leave the cave even more due to such remarks.
As (Y/n) continued beside the reporter, the same uncomfortable feeling from her first time coming through made her unsettled. She started cowering again slightly at the eyes she felt on her and clutched her reporter friend tighter. That's when a couple of the same buyers from before started randomly popping offers, yet different than before.
"Hey. Want a couple hundred? I'll give you a job," one individual asked Tintin casually.
" 'Could use a good cook! Looking for work?" chimed a gruff older woman, referring to (Y/n).
Tintin glanced at the individuals to shake his head at them. Pulling the pendant out from behind her undertank, (Y/n) clutched it for security. The sight of the cave opening in front made her relax a bit more, so she released her pendant with relief and let it dangle freely.
Unfortunately, that was a big mistake.
"Woah- is that pure silver?" someone asked, inching closer.
Another man stepped in front of her and caressed the pendant with a twinkle in his eye.
"Looks handcrafted. A family heirloom, I assume?"
(Y/n) moved behind Tintin but was faced with another individual.
"Looks expensive..."
"Can I have a look? I'll be gentle, I prooomise!"
"I'll give you a thousand U.S. dollars for it!"
"Ten thousand!"
"TWENTY!"
The interjections grew louder as a crowd surrounded the journalist and young lady. It got so bad that they were practically pressed against each other. They tried getting out of it, but many of the buyers blocked their path so that they couldn't walk away. The two were overwhelmed in an instant, trying to concentrate on leaving. Then one nasally gruff voice gave a price that quieted all those present.
"Alright, alright!" the gold-toothed, abdominous cowboy spoke, gesturing for silence. "I'll take the pendant and the little lady for 200k pounds. That ain't somethin' to be competed with."
"They aren't for sale," Tintin answered with furrowed brows.
The man tilted his head tauntingly.
"You aren't any fun, are you? I say we try something else and shake up the place up a bit, yeah?" he pronounced.
This seemed to be a signal. The crowd formed a large circle and surrounded the two. Tintin and (Y/n)'s eyes darted all around concernedly as the wall began to build up with onlookers. Big belly stepped slowly towards them, and Tintin extended an arm of protection over his female friend as she moved behind him a bit.
"Here are the rules: you win the match, and the little lady stays with you! Easy to remember! Now, let's begin! Who wants to start us off?" Big belly held his hands out and spun to examine all those volunteering.
"Start off what?!" Tintin asked.
"The fight! You want to wager, don't you? Square up! Make a stand! Enjoy the adrenaline rush and take up a challenger! Have some fun with it!" he encouraged.
Tintin started backing out with (Y/n) behind him, but as his head darted around for a way to escape, the crowd only seemed to close in more.
" 'Crowd won't diminish 'til they see ya' dukes!" Big belly leaned in towards one bystander. "Young man is a bit squeamish... let's begin little." He snapped, tsked, and gestured for a random volunteer to step in. "Y'all start the bidding!"
Everyone present started taking out ransom and handing it over to the instigator. The volunteer challenger was your typical thug- not much to write home about. A bit hard-headed and somewhat reserved, he seemed to view the fight as a casual round of horseplay or a light tussle over something goofy; presumably, the young ginger-head wasn't a threat; he seemed easy.
After everyone had finished marking who they'd be bidding on, they began throwing up fists and crying encouraging words to their investment. The competition circled intimidatingly as Tintin tried avoiding the fight and keeping (Y/n) out of the way. The thug rushed in with a swinging fist, but the journalist dodged. Realizing he had no choice, Tintin led (Y/n) to the far end of the crowd and reluctantly accepted the competition.
The man gave another swing, but Tintin swooped under his arm. After a few tries, the thug became more manic that he hadn't given a single strike and charged at him. Tintin moved out of the way, punched him roughly on the back of the head, and gave a flying fist up the schnoz when he turned to face him. The man froze in place before silently collapsing on his back instantly.
The audience was hushed from the stunning end. They didn't hesitate to start passing around ransom and notes again, although more quietly than before. Even the big-bellied instigator was impressed.
"Feller's stronger than we gave him credit for," he muttered to someone.
"Alright, I beat your challenge," Tintin stated firmly, shaking the pain from the fist he used for the blow and grabbing his female companion by the elbow. "Now, if you will excuse us, we'll just be on our way-"
"WoOaAh! Who said y'all could leave now?" Big belly jeered.
A small part of the crowd pulled (Y/n) away and enclosed her from Tintin's reach, making him slightly frantic.
"I have done what you wanted! You said-"
"Did I forget to mention there are three rounds? This was just a warm-up; now you gotta prove yourself thrice more!" The man gestured to another volunteer, then rubbed his hands together. "Now, let's see a real fight!"
A taller individual, this time more sinister, stepped into the circle and cracked his knuckles. The audience made their bets again, though more began to choose to sponsor the journalist after the last fighting bit, and the cheering grew louder. The new competition was much better built than the previous and was a tan, long-faced brute. He gave Tintin a wicked chuckle, which caused the reporter to invert his lip-line determinedly.
"Fine, I'll give you your fight," Tintin spake. The audience shouted all the louder at this. Tintin removed his coat and solemnly walked over to (Y/n), who had moved out from the crowd to approach him. "Hold this," he asked her.
She took the coat with an anxious frown.
"No- your head-"
"It'll be alright- don't worry," Tintin said to her, turning to leave but was prevented by her grip.
"Tintin, you still haven't fully recovered from that concussion!" (Y/n) stated.
The reporter looked her in the eyes and appreciated her concern greatly. Nonetheless, the only way out was to go along with the crowd, although he wasn't too confident about it himself. He paused a moment to try reassuring (Y/n), yet couldn't think of anything to say.
"FIGHT, YOU RASCALS!" Big belly shouted.
The sleuth exchanged glances between him and his friend before walking to the opposing curve of the circle, laying eyes on the man he must fight. The challenger spit the toothpick out of his mouth and lifted his head with a crooked, toothy grin and goofy chuckle. Big belly held out a fist suspensefully and then gave a fist pump signal, and the crowd went wild.
The competitor started circling. Tintin lifted his fists and lowered his head with concentration. The brute closed in, and Tintin threw a hard fist against the side of his face. Spitting, the man reciprocated with an even more brutal blow across the cheek. (Y/n) flinched and squeezed Tintin's coat at the sound. The boy dizzily looked back at the grim face of his opponent, stumbling but shaking away the pain in his head. He dodged another blow and kicked the man in the trachea, who fell back towards the crowd as they willingly parted to let the brute fall into the sea.
Having won the first round, Tintin relaxed and (Y/n) fist-pumped proudly. There was some cheering for the kid, and money was passed around another time. Tintin let out a couple of deep breaths and confidently straightened his posture.
"Alright, Jerry, you go!" Big belly said, nudging the man beside him.
Time for round two. The next competitor was a young cowboy related to the middle-aged, big belly instigator, yet, with the opposite appearance. He removed his coat and threw it aside, revealing the veined muscles popping out from his rolled-up sleeves.
The two approached one another, and the cowboy laid the first blow, grotesquely, against Tintin's bruise. (Y/n) covered her mouth in horror and gasped as Tintin bent over with his head in his hands, feeling the horrid ringing in his ears once more followed by the unbearable headache. The man next grabbed the boy's shirt collar and tossed him onto the ground. Tintin writhed, but he soon rolled away from the cowboy's kick and stumbled onto his feet dizzily.
The two circled once again. Tintin avoided a simple fist of the competitor and then shoved him away. Hardening his face, the cowboy unhooked his belt from his waist and swung it. Bewildered, Tintin dodged the lashes a couple of times. Unfortunately, he couldn't run away forever, and soon the challenger struck the thick leather on the detective's dominant wrist.
Clutching the red mark, Tintin recoiled a moment before dodging another flog. He decided to take a strike himself and rushed towards the man, but the cowboy moved away and wrapped the leather around his forearm. Confused, Tintin tried pulling out of it but was thrown into the crowd.
As the kid struggled to get up, the cowboy stood over him and mercilessly began beating the sleuth's inferior stance. Each strike was so loud that the crowd's cheering intensified. Tintin scooted away while trying to shield himself from each blow. (Y/n) flinched with every cry he made and became angry.
"Hey! STOP IT! ENOUGH!! THAT'S CHEATING!" (Y/n) yelled, just about ready to throw some punches herself. As it continued, she couldn't contain herself and stomped up to the cowboy. "Stop it, jerk!" she ordered, pushing him away.
The man stumbled forward but remained balanced. He spun to face the maiden with a flash of bitter annoyance and gave her a harsh shove. (Y/n) fell on her back with a pain-filled grunt, holding the back of her head and forcing herself to sit upright. Awful enough, from the coldness of his heart, the opponent stood over her dainty body and lifted his belt to give her a beating as well.
Luckily, Tintin stood and punched the man's head from behind. The cowboy stumbled onto the ground weakly but remained alert. With resentment, the opponent stood on his feet and threw a lash. The journalist flew his head back to avoid it, but then the cowboy flogged his chest and kicked the reporter in the stomach.
As Tintin stumbled, the challenger lifted him off of the ground by the grip of his shirt collar and shook him over the floor.
"You ain't the man you've so opted ta be, twerp," he mocked, letting out a snicker and twirling to soak the audience's praise.
Furrowing his brows, Tintin kicked the man roughly between the legs and shoved him away. The cowboy cried and released him. Tintin then grabbed the man's belt and laid two metal kisses on the side of his cheek, this time using the large buckle instead of folding it as the challenger had done to him. The cowboy turned away to hide his pain, writhing to himself and wanting to continue fighting. However, Tintin lashed a few marks on both shoulders of the challenger, due to which he cried aloud and turned to look back at the reporter.
"Don't press your luck, kid," the cowboy sneered, straightening his posture as the boy wrapped the leather around his fist. And as he charged forward to fight the boy again, the journalist gave him a wicked belt buckle punch between the eyes.
The man froze. A searing pain of prolonged ringing filled his mind from the hard impact. He resisted the darkness in his eyes as long as possible but soon collapsed onto his knees. There was a short moment of silence between the audience as the cowboy fell flat on his face.
Tintin stood over the former challenger, smirking rather smugly at his unconscious form.
"I suppose I am the man after all," Tintin jeered calmly, tossing the belt aside.
The crowd started cheering and shouting. (Y/n) felt a wave of some relief, but plenteous worry still overwhelmed her as she tiredly stood up from the cement, dusting herself off. Tintin remembered her and hurried to her without any real words to say.
Big belly had an announcement that quieted the crowd.
"Well, since the little gentleman has proved himself by squaring up to brother Jer, let's get a little more hustle and bustle! BRING OUT BIG ED!"
There were shuffling footsteps. (Y/n) clutched Tintin's sleeve with suspense as this towering man pushed his way through the crowd and stood solemnly across the circle. The best way to describe him: big and burly with an awful buzzcut. (Y/n) had never seen such a giant in her life. This made her all the more anxious about her friend.
"Are you trying to kill him?!?" (Y/n) seethed. "Pick someone else, ham!" she demanded of the instigator.
"I've got a hankerin' for this!" muttered Big belly with thrill, snickering and rubbing his hands together vigorously without even glancing at his unconscious brother being hauled away nor considering the maiden's concern.
Tintin gestured (Y/n) to leave, which she refused at first but eventually obeyed ever so reluctantly. The burly fellow trudged forward and stared down at the kid grimly. Tintin's mouth stood agape as he wondered what he should do next.
"Come on, now! FIGHT!" Big belly exclaimed.
The crowds cheered and rooted for their investments. The burly man remained expectant for the smaller to act out first. Tintin took a deep breath, stepped back, and hurled the best punch he had against the opponent's right cheek.
The poor detective brought back his trembling fist and growled in pain, clasping it with the other and lowering his head atop it.
The challenger flared his nostrils with a gruff sniff and calmly tapped the boy's shoulder. Tintin looked up and was faced with a hard blow along the bridge of his nose. The journalist stumbled back with blurred vision, utterly unaware of the open bruise he now possessed. Next, he received a headbutt from the foe and blacked out for a moment on the floor. (Y/n) gasped at the scene, biting her lip to keep from screaming as the competitor held out his arms haughtily and engulfed the audience's praise.
Things only grew worse after that, for the burly fellow took up a crowbar from some random onlooker and slowly approached the unsuspecting journalist, who struggled to stay on his knees. Snowy attacked the brutes britches, but the man kicked away the pup, who yelped and rolled back into the crowd.
(Y/n) cried for Tintin to look out, but he was so dizzy and desperate to stay alert that he couldn't hear her. The man was getting closer. She had to do something! (Y/n) darted her eyes to and fro before she started trembling with anxiety. She placed her head in her hands and started heaving. Fortunate for the time, the odd wave of strength and agility overtook her again, fueling her with anger and empowerment so that (Y/n) no longer felt timid.
Embracing the newfound courage, (Y/n) tied Tintin's coat around her waist, spotted the former competitor's belt on the cement, and took it. And as the burly brute held up his bar to beat the journalist, (Y/n) wrapped the strap around the weapon and successfully tugged it out of his grasp.
The challenger turned to her, cock-eyed. (Y/n) then cruelly slapped him across the face as a reprimand, stunning the crowd. She went for a lash as well, but the man caught the whip, so- changing actions- the girl smacked him across the head with the crowbar.
The man stumbled back, shaking away the bit of pain and pulling the belt from the girl to reciprocate her hit with a whip. (Y/n) shielded herself with the crowbar while the belt wrapped around it tightly. The two tugged on the connected weapons a while before (Y/n) finally let it go. The force caused the crowbar to hit the burly fellow with a loud 'bang.' He stumbled to the side and clutched his face in his large hand to take a moment to recompose.
There was a roar amongst the audience. The journalist was a decent fighter, but his attractive girlfriend could even make Big Ed stumble? Who knew! They all cheered and whistled at the fantastic match they were so privileged to see, and the same went for the gold-toothed, big-bellied instigator.
(Y/n) turned back with a bitter face, only to be broken at her weak friend's eyes. Tintin had been watching her in awe and was astonished by her display. (Y/n) rushed to him, helping him stand although he was not quite able to yet.
That's when an angry brute decided he wanted revenge.
"(Y-(Y/n)..." Tintin muttered, staring at him.
"Shh! Just- let's get out of here! I won't watch you do this anymore!" (Y/n) told him, oblivious to the danger and putting his arm around her shoulder to aid his legs.
"No-no- (Y/n), DUCK!" Tintin ordered urgently, forcing himself upright and pushing the girl out of the way.
What happened next? Intervention! Kadron Ace Wilder, Captain Haddock, and Isaac Finn shoved their way through and retaliated! (Y/n) rushed over to punch the instigator for this misery he caused, then hurried to Tintin to help him walk. Isaac, Kadron, and Haddock took up the weapons used and battled the bald, burly man and others who interfered.
It was an ugly sight.
"Aye! HEY! ENOUGH-ENOUGH!" the Aussie shouted, firing a bullet in the air.
The crowd silenced. The men fighting were ripped apart by the onlookers. (Y/n), Captain Haddock and Tintin gave the Australian a dirty look, recognizing him instantly.
"Alright, now what's going on?!" the thug demanded.
"We were having another bid, but things got 'oughta hand with the ginger kid," some man replied.
The Aussie made eye contact with the adventurers and smirked in amusement.
"Well, if it isn't her maaajesty!" he jeered, making (Y/n)'s face scowl. "And you-" he spoke of Tintin, sniggering. "So just one blow upside the head wasn't good enough for you, was it?"
Snowy came out from the crowd. Tintin cried for him to stop, but he disobeyed and charged at the thug. Aussie shot at the dog defensively, and Snowy yelped before hiding behind Tintin with a growl.
A couple of thugs with him stepped up, including Alan, who had his own rifle. The Captain scrunched his face and grunted, insulting him under his breath. The traitor made eye contact with the men and pursed his lips smugly.
"Ay-aye, Cap'n! Surprised to see you sober after the Karaboudjan," he greeted.
Captain Haddock was maddened and pulled out of the grip of the crowd to attack him. The public scrambled again as some men managed to pull the two apart. Haddock was taken and pulled back with the other adventurers while a visibly frightened Alan pointed a gun at him.
"Good-for-nothing traitor!" the Captain spat.
"Great, now we'll never leave this hollow!" Isaac thundered.
"Hang on a minute, don't I know you?" the Aussie cooed, staring at Isaac oddly.
(Y/n) flinched as the Aussie neared her Uncle maliciously. She had to think of a way out of this mess, but what was there?
A light glistened against (Y/n)'s pendant. She looked down at it and moved some stray hair out of her face. Wait... an idea!
"Yes, I recognize you," Bounty Hunter chanted menacingly, readying his gun as he approached the unintimidated older gentleman.
Unfastening her treasured necklace, the girl tugged it off and held it up in the air for all to see with a whistle. Seeing its rarety, the onlookers gave her their full attention.
"PURE! SILVER!" (Y/n) exclaimed, pursing her lips at the sound of greedy men. "ANYBODY WANT IT?!?" Then with a grunt, the girl threw the necklace into the heart of the crowd.
That circle of the market filled with mayhem. Every man was for himself as they fished the sea of criminals to fetch the beautiful prize. Plenty of roughhousing was enacted among the cement dock, and so many became involved with the arguing and fought to such a degree that they almost forgot the reason for it!
Having been released because of the treasure, Tintin, Kadron, Isaac, and the Captain maneuvered out of the heap. The distraction was enough to help them escape. (Y/n) was shoved on to the ground and almost trampled but she managed to get back on her feet, searching the sea for the others.
A hand grabbed her arm, startling her. When she turned, (Y/n) saw the Captain and relaxed. He had wrapped Tintin's arm on his shoulder to him help him out black market entrance. (Y/n) noticed the Australian nearby and told the two to go on. As they did, she walked over to the foe, who had lost his weapon in the crowds. Snowy saw as well and walked close beside her, ready to act. (Y/n) then shoved his fedora over his eyes, then pushed him to the ground, and kicked him up his back after Snowy ripped his trousers.
Satisfied, the girl scurried over to follow the others but passed by Kadron.
"What are you doing?" she questioned him.
"I've just got to grab something. Go on with the others," Kadron whispered. He had strayed away from the others for a specific purpose. The same bounty hunter from earlier, Sherwin, actually found the necklace (Y/n) had disowned and fastened it secretly around his neck and hid it under his collar. However, this didn't go entirely unnoticed. Officer Kadron was the only one who saw it and decided to retrieve it.
Roughly, he bumped into Sherwin's shoulder.
"Lay off me, brit!" Sherwin yelled.
Kadron put a hand on his chest and tsked.
"Dear me, I do beg you for forgiveness!" he replied, strolling away to the entrance.
Sherwin scoffed, then was mortified when he felt the pendant was missing from his neck. He patted his pockets, searching for it, then found that the ring he had was gone, too. Perplexed, he turned to watch the officer in the distance and boiled.
"You FLIPPING NUT!"
Tintin was finally able to carry himself and ran on with the others. The group dashed through the entrance and around the curve. (Y/n) gasped at the sound of running feet behind their own but looked back and saw it was only her officer friend.
"Where did you go?!" (Y/n) whispered.
Kadron put a hand on her shoulder and slowed her down, handing her the necklace.
"I was retrieving this! No jewel should have to part with its counterpart," he said smoothly. Too stunned to speak, (Y/n) watched the officer catch up to the journalist. "Here you are, Mr, Reporter," he told him, handing him the ring.
"But... how-?" Tintin asked.
"Sleight of hand. You should practice it yourself; it may come in handy."
"There! There they go!" A thug shouted, pointing fingers at them in the distance.
~~~
(Your POV)
The Australian whistled for a couple of other thugs, and they started shooting at us. We sprinted around the curves of the cave and finally reached the front of it. Kadron was almost shot, but I tugged him out and away from the opening just in time.
That's when I felt the adrenaline wear off me and cause nausea as I trembled.
"Well... what are we even doing as of now??" Uncle asked.
"Just get back to camp!" Tintin said. "Hurry, up the ladder! NOW!"
There was an uproar of incoherent words from our enemy heading closer. I let out a groan and quickly hopped along the smooth stone path and up the ladder first as instructed. Although I climbed as fast as I could, each disturbing creak I'd hear from it had me slow down and cringe. I think Kadron and the Captain started climbing after me, but as they went up a few steps, the Aussie Bounty Hunter man and his henchmen made their way out of the cave.
"NO, WAIT!" I heard Tintin cry.
There were a couple of gunshots that pinged against the ladder steps below me. Officer Kadron and the Captain climbed back down promptly. I, however, was too high up to climb down, so I continued.
"In the water! We will swim our way back to the beach!" I heard Tintin command the others.
"Don't be absurd! It's freezing-" Uncle Isaac started. A bullet skimmed right past his body, making me gasp from worry. "A-and I think that's our cue! Splendid notion..." he spoke nervously.
Tintin explained something else to the group, but a flying bullet distracted me from listening. Half of my body swung out of its way and then re-grasped the ladder. The rackety steps continued creaking more severely, yet I bit my lip and tried to ignore it.
However, I didn't yet notice that it was beginning to break from its hinges due to the damage the bullets had given it.
"(Y/N)!" I heard.
I looked down at Tintin. Suddenly, the ladder started to shift disturbingly. I was forced to stop, realizing if I continued to climb, it would eventually pry off the screws in the rock. Having that in mind, my heart began racing, and I froze in place.
'I'm gonna die-I'm gonna die-I'm gonna die-I'm gonna die-I'm gonna die-!'
"I NEED YOU TO LISTEN TO ME!" Tintin enunciated.
Panicked, I stared down at the kid on the rocks far below me. The others were gone, I noticed, but Tintin remained. There was more vivid shouting among the good-for-nothings headed straight for him.
"THE LADDER IS COLLAPSING! YOU HAVE TO JUMP-" he started, then a load of bullets sent him hiding behind a jagged stone to dodge them.
"TINTIN!" I cried out.
The water had grown choppier as this mess had unfolded. The storm had rolled its way back over the sea, and the waves started to engulf the smooth stone path violently. There came the point where an enormous wave flew over the rocks where the Australian stood and fell. When the tide pulled in, all the jerks were either soaked on their faces or struggling in the ocean.
Tintin hopped out from around the rock and stepped below the ladder.
"ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO COUNT TO THREE-"
"WHAT?! NO!" I opposed, taking a glance at the petrifying height. "I'M NOT BREAKING AN ARM, MAN!"
"JUST DO IT! I WILL CATCH YOU!" he exclaimed, glancing back at the gang to make sure they weren't gonna shoot him again.
"YOU PROMISE...?" I questioned, skeptical due to the distance.
"YES! NOW, JUMP!" he commanded, extending his arms.
Taking a shaky breath, I slowly turned my body to face the ocean instead of the ladder. I started counting down from ten, preparing to face death if Tintin missed me. As I leaned on my toes and shut my eyes to build courage, one vertical ladder rail broke from its hinge. I gasped as three others followed. The ladder swung on one screw, as did I, with a grip so tight my fingers turned white. Eventually, as the ladder gave another disturbing shift, I was shaken off and plummeted down with a scream.
True to his word, I was surprisingly caught in Tintin's strong arms. I breathed heavily and clung to him desperately to remove such a traumatizing memory. What a lovely day it was!
Time seemed to speed up. There was bickering over with the Australian and his goons. We both looked over and saw them struggling to fish for their weapons that fell in the sea. It was apparent, however, that they wouldn't be long.
"Hold your breath as long as you can and avoid the current, or you will be drawn out to sea!" Tintin instructed me in one breath, setting me upright and pulling out his flashlight.
"Huh- what??" I questioned, not able to process.
Bounty Hunter grabbed a gun and cocked it.
"Dive!" Tintin ordered. Before I could even act, he cradled me with a hand around my shoulder and jumped, taking me under the waves with him.
It. Was. Freezing. Yet not to a point where I'd catch hypothermia (unless, of course, my immune system was weaker.) I struggled under the dark waves as they tossed and turned me without my control. The silence was haunting, especially with the roars of the moving water. My one fear at that moment was that I'd be lost from the others and alone for who knows how long. There's also the high risk of drowning, so that wasn't a fun thought either. I began kicking and flailing to try to gain some control of where I was going. And it wouldn't be long before I needed to go up for air.
As I began to fret, an object touched me.
'Oh, great, how fantastic!!! Now a shark is going to eat me! Why now?! Why me?!'
My left hand was caught in something, and I got pulled under. I resisted the object at first, then noticed it was only Tintin, who was leading me under the current with one hand while holding his torch in his mouth to light the way. I was almost pulled away a couple of times, but Tintin strengthened his grip and never released me once.
No longer able to take it, I shook Tintin's hand, which held mine, and tried signaling that I needed air. He seemed to understand. We swam a little faster to pass a certain riptide and reached the surface.
After taking a breath, I panted from the adrenaline and moved my hair from my face.
"Okay, today has so far been deemed the worse day of my stupid life," I proclaimed, huffing and coughing.
"At least we are out of that cave- not much farther from here," Tintin spake, coughing only lightly .
The salt water irritated the open wound on my cheek. Wincing, I attempted to lift my left hand and touch it but was startled by something. My heart skipped a beat. I turned to face Tintin and stared at him expectantly, wating for him to catch on.
Tintin looked at me with confusion.
"What is it?" he asked.
Uncertain of his reaction, I lifted our connected hands above the water for him to see. Tintin contemplated the situation calmly before letting my hand go with assertion.
"Now," he responded, changing the subject as if nothing ever happened "we just have to reach the ravine, and-"
There was a roar. I turned my head to see a monstrous wave approaching us. My heart started beating when it overshadowed the light in my eyes, fearing we'd be taken further into the sea by its pull.
"GET DOWN!" I heard.
Abruptly, I was pulled under the sea before the wave crashed over us. Tintin directed me under the current with a hand on my back before grabbing my forearm to lead me to calmer water. When we reached it, he turned on his flashlight and gestured for me to follow him, letting my arm go.
We swam around the cliff until we reached the beach where we had set up camp. The others were waiting for us with a blend of emotions, including Snowy, who was busy shaking off the saltwater.
"I wonder what's keeping them..." the Captain said worriedly. When he saw us walking out onto the beach, he neared with a sigh and chuckle. "Ah, there you are!"
Tintin pulled out my other shoe from his coat pocket and handed it to me. I took the drenched piece of clothing, smiling slightly at him with amusement and thanked him while slipping it on my shoeless foot.
"Did you have any trouble on your rendezvous?" Captain asked with a passive, teasing tone of voice, patting Tintin's shoulder and confusing me.
Tintin gave him a stern look.
"Now is not the time-" he removed Haddock's hand calmly yet irritatedly, "Captain!" Tintin then approached the others. "We need to get off the island. It is no longer safe for us now that those thugs know where we are."
"How can we leave without a vessel?" Kadron asked.
"We'll build a raft. We can axe down some of the trees and use our resources and wit to assemble it. Captain, you'll be in charge of navigation. Officer Kadron and I can handle the heavy lifting while Mr. Finn and (Y/n) collect food. If we work hard enough, perhaps we can finish before tomorrow morning-"
"A raft? You must be out of your stuffed-up, big-headed mind!" The Captain scoffed.
I shivered as I listened to their conversations. It was still cold outside, and being wet didn't make me feel any better. Tintin noticed even as the Captain rambled, but he seemed helpless.
I forced a smile at him to try assuring him I'd be fine, but then the chiseled-face officer picked up his dry coat from the campsite and wrapped it around me before walking away as if it never happened.
"-That hailstorm has not stopped stirring over the coast since our arrival on this forsaken islet!" Captain Haddock went on, pointing over at the storm which had blown back over the ocean while we were gone. "We could never survive that ice for more than a minute without getting beaten, tossed, or stranded in the middle of the chilling North Sea!"
Tintin furrowed his brows and turned away from us to give attention to the Captain.
"Well, we can't stay here any longer! With the smugglers and thugs out and about, we'd constantly be on the run," he said. "What else can we do without a boat?"
I rubbed my arms as I processed his words, trying to keep moving so I'd be warm and think of what to do. I was so hungry and also tired of this island myself. There had to be something!
Getting an idea, I grinned to myself.
"A boat!" I blurted, making all heads turn to me. Their attention made me unnerved to speak, but I continued and approaching the others hesitantly. "Sherwin and Paul- the bounty hunters... they had a boat ready... we could sneak in, maybe create a diversion or something- like mess up the power box by the entrance to turn off the lights- take the boat, and sail out the cave before anyone can do anything..." There was a moment of silence. I felt my confidence at an all-time low and backed away. "Or not... I guess that's stupid-"
"Why- that's brilliant!" Tintin exclaimed, stepping up to me and grabbing my shoulders.
I raised my brows in surprise and became flushed by his enlightenment.
"Really?"
"Yes!" he shook me excitedly. "And I know just how we can do it!"
"And that being-?" Kadron questioned.
Tintin walked to the resource material and picked up the axe we had, tossing it effortlessly to Kadron.
(Third Person's POV)
An uproar of continuous laughter, bidding, or bickering echoed in the smuggler's cave as the members resumed their regular daily duties of partaking in illegal transactions.
The group quietly crept through the cave opening after lowering a rope over the mouth and climbing down (with the ladder broken, what else could they do? Swim in the cold water? Unlikely!) They had to avoid the crashing waves rising over the rock path due to the weather change until they entered the cement dock. The water that ran through was quite choppy, so sailing out would be difficult.
As they ran around the next curve to the entrance, Tintin extended an arm over (Y/n) and brought her to a halt, watching the others leave before turning to her.
"What's wrong?" (Y/n) asked quietly, not wanting her voice to echo into the market.
"I have a job for you: I need you to lead everyone to the boat when Kadron cuts off the power supply." Tintin took out his torch, holding it out to her. "Take this." (Y/n) nodded, wrapping a hand around it. Tintin clasped her hand with his other palm and squeezed it firmly, gaining the girl's attention. "Gaurd it with your life. Wherever the light goes, we will follow. But if we are caught before we reach the boat, we won't be able to escape this time... are you with me?"
(Y/n) furrowed her brows and nodded with determined attentiveness.
"Okay," she answered.
Tintin let go so she could take the light.
"Now, I can trust you with this, can't I?" he asked benevolently.
The girl saluted.
"Yes, sir!" she replied.
Tintin raised an eyebrow at the title. Her determined nature tickled him, even though she was being serious. He smirked at her, then nodded with a good liking to her ambition.
"Right... good!"
The two carried on and hid at the entrance of the black market. No one had yet noticed them, and both Allan and the Australian were spotted in the distance communing with some others. (Y/n) spotted the boat at the far end of the dock and calculated a path in her head as the men gave the market a scan, then Kadron went to work.
Bam!
Vwoooom
BANG-ZZZzzzZzZz!
Kadron continuously whacked the power box with all the strength he could build up in the axe. The lights within the entire cave began pulsing from the damage, and the members of the unauthorized bazaar were aware instantaneously; however, they failed miserably to find the reason for it.
Although, one old nearby vendor watched the officer, dazed and bewildered by his manic actions and knowing he was the culprit.
"Oi!" the scrawny wire-hair man called, grabbing Kadron's shoulder and spinning him back to face him. "Stop your hacking, else you'll from Ms. Lindsey and Charlie-" he challenged, holding up each fist and gesticulating them.
With the least bit of intimidation, Kadron elbowed the power box brutely before the eyes of the miser and shoved a hand in the man's face, pushing him on his back. Glancing at the old guy on the floor, the officer tossed the axe by the man's feet. He glanced up and watched the electrical surge falter and die so that the entire cave became pitch black.
This aroused chaotic confusion. The group had no time to listen to the phenomenal outbursts and prepared to flee or fail. (Y/n) turned on the flashlight without hesitancy, then proceeded to run with significant focus in the boat's direction, seeing she was the only one who knew where it was. It was so dark that no one could detect the adventurers running through, all of which followed the light that (Y/n) pointed up at the ceiling for a beacon.
One rowdy individual collided with the girl, and she fell on her bottom, dropping the flashlight. She tumbled and crawled after it as it rolled around under the feet of the crowds, being abused by every kick that was given it. Someone eventually tripped on it and sent the torch spinning over the cement dock and into the water. A gasp of panic befell (Y/n), who knew that her friends would be lost without its light to guide them.
(Y/n) had to think. How could she react? She had to move; she had to find another beacon! (Y/n) couldn't let the boys down now!
Standing and looking around, (Y/n) squinted to make out as much of her darkened surroundings as she could. The hunters' boat was nearby, so she hopped inside it and dug through the poaching equipment for something. That's when she found it, their signal flares!
"Thank you-thank you-thank you-" (Y/n) rambled, fumbling with a stick a moment. She extended the flame away from her face as it flickered and held it high in the air.
Tintin, Snowy, Kadron, Isaac, and the Captain had halted once their signal was lost, causing them some slight concern as they tossed and turned their heads in all directions to find it. Another light emanated from around the curve, yet it was more of a dim, red glimmer from the cave's far end.
Although it wasn't his torch, Tintin knew that the light was from (Y/n).
"There!" He pointed over at the beacon.
The men hurried over and rashly boarded the small vessel once they reached.
"I'm sorry, somebody knocked your torch out of my grip!" (Y/n) said to Tintin, tossing the flare in the sea.
"But you still gave us a signal! Great job!" Tintin commended proudly with a pat before getting to work on preparing the ship to set sail.
Captain Haddock was swift in handling the engine and started the boat up. Another pulse of electricity surged through the cave's lighting, causing the hole to brighten from the backup power generator. The adventure crew stiffened on the rocky boat as some heads turned to look over at them and one another. Be that as it may, the only ones who cared about their existence were the Australian's gang and the ship's owners- Sherwin and Paul, the bounty hunters.
"They're stealing our ship!" Paul grunted.
Sherwin gasped, boiling with fury and irritation while calling out curses at them, which- of course- the group onboard heard but used as an ignition for their retreat.
"We have to go. Now!" Tintin quietly chimed with severe panic, running to the bridge. "CAPTAIN!"
"I'm working, lad!" Captain Haddock replied, scoffing with amusement before lowering his voice to a tickled grumble, not noticing the danger. "Lily-livered landlubbers... can't even trust an old sea captain to carry out their biddings on such a gruesome vessel. Why, I've seen deteriorated rowboats with finer construction than this lubberscum, sea hovel!"
The manic bounty hunter headed back into their tent, sprinted out with a large crossbow, and aimed it at the boat while laughing maliciously.
"Take that- you old man!"
As the electric lighting in the cave diminished again, a flying arrow speared through the open bridge window. Captain Haddock flung back, stunned by the near-death experience, then rushed to get the boat buzzing off the dock before anything more could happen.
The Australian and bounty hunters ran to the cement edge and listened to the boat skim the water, flying out the cave before the light flickered on.
"Well... that didn't work," stated Paul, bewildered along with his brother.
Finally, they were out of the hands of the black market. Each member on the boat smiled and sighed with relief as the island became further from view. But as the adventurers journeyed on, they prepared themselves for the next obstacle that awaited them.
The vicious hailstorm circling over the coast.