Foolish Wish of a Fool Chapter 1

I sat there frustrated, tired, and barely dressed. In front of me was a blank page and a type writer. I wanted to write, I wanted to create a new world with words. However, I could not come up with anything. Normally I would blame the people outside, people in my home, and anything else that took my attention. Now that I was in an empty room and staring at this blank page I soon came to realize that it was neither of their fault. It was not the distractions that prevented me from putting something on a page, but rather it was me.

I was my greatest enemy. I was the one keeping me from writing that great story or making something that somebody else would want to read. I was the one who could not come up with any ideas. I was the one who was boring. I could not write because I had no true experience. My entire life was spent in front of a book store reading comics or sitting on a porch playing children games with friends. I was boring and as a result my writing was boring. So I decided to amend that.

With no word to friends or family, with no money in my pocket or credit to my name I decided to leave home and leave the world of boring behind. There is an entire sea out their filled with adventure.

“So who is the boy”, spoke a grizzled sailor as he saw a young man sitting on the edge of the ship reading a book. His ears were covered by head phones and a bag of chips sat half empty next to his side.

“Oh him”, spoke the captain of the ship as he looked at the young man. “He is just some young pup running away from home. He came here with barely enough money to pay the fair and a single bag of chips. No bags, no weapons, just the clothing on his back and that single set of headphones on his head.”

“Great a runaway, by the time we reach port there is probably going to be some Cp officer looking for the lad. Hopefully the boy does not fight and instead goes willingly. … so what is the kid listening to anyway”, spoke the sailor as he stared at the headphones. “What are the kids into nowadays?”

“Nothing”, spoke the captain as he started to walk away.

“Nothing”, spoke the sailor with surprise. “I thought they broke up twenty years ago. Hmm, maybe I misjudge the lad. At least he has good taste in music.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“No you stupid hippie”, spoke the captain with a weird expression on his face. He had no idea that one of his sailors, and especially old grizzled face, was once a hippie. “The kid does not have a device. He only has the headphones, he is not a fan of your hippie music band.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Wait what”, spoke the grizzled sailor. The man’s face was bright red from embarrassment. His old days of traveling the sea and spreading free love was long behind him, but he still revealed in the old days. Despite that being a hippie was not something a sailor would be proud of. He left that behind and stuffed the skeleton in the closet. It was his one dark secret that was hidden behind his gruff appearance.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Damn it”, he shouted as he punched the side of the ship. Great he knew he was going to hear that for the rest of his tour on this ship. Hippie Griz they were going to call him. All thanks to that punk kid in the corner. “Hey brat”, he shouted as he began to walk over toward the edge of the ship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The young man simply sat their reading his book. His headphones kept the sound of the world out as his mind raced through the pages of a good tale. Everything between the pages was as real as the rocking of the ship and the bitter cold wind he felt on his skin. The boy was in his own world and for him the outside was not allowed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Don’t stab him”, the boy shouted as he reached out his hand. Sir. Gilliam drew his sword from his sheath and charged forward. The young and handsome Wilham was not paying attention. His eyes were focused on princess Gwin. “Look out”, the boy shouted, but nobody could hear him. Gilliam was now so close, but the two lovers could not see him. Their eyes were focused on each other and nothing else matter, but the world was about to knock down their door. How could they be such fools and hide from reality at this moment. The world is dangerous and the danger is all around you. “You can’t live in fantasy”, shouted the boy as he ran forward trying to put himself between the lovers and Gilliam’s sword. He would die so they can live, he will pay the ultimate price for them to wake up and see the world as it should be, but, but.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Boy”, a voice shouted as the headphones were ripped from the young man’s ears. The shock ripped him from the world of stories and pulled him back into the real world. An angry sailor had him in his right hand. The boy’s precious headphones in his left. The young man’s eyes were wide open as he looked around trying to understand the situation. The expression just ticked old Grizz off even more.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Hey boy pay attention to life”, shouted the sailor! The young man had no idea why the man was so mad, but he did realize the irony. It was so funny to him that he could not help but laugh.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Gigigigigigigigiggi, gigigigigigigig”, he laughed in his weird tone as the sailor looked in confusion. Here he was holding this boy up by a single arm with his hand close to his neck. Danger was apparent and the boy was laughing.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Why are you laughing”, spoke Grizz with a confused expression. He could not fathom what was so funny to the boy. He was being attacked, and for something that was not really his fault. Now that the sailor was calming down he was starting to realize how much of a jerk he really was.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“You don’t get it, Gigigigigii, the irony”, spoke the boy as he continued to chuckle. The look of confusion in the man’s eye answered his question without the sailor even saying a word. “Uhh”, spoke the young man as the cheerful expression disappeared from his face. “I forget that people cannot understand what is going on in my head”, he spoke. His words caused a shift in the man’s facial expression. It went from confused to weirded out.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Listen”, spoke the boy as he came with a decision to tell the man what was going through his mind. “I was reading my story and there was this couple of lovebirds…”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Enough boy”, shouted the sailor. “I don’t have any interest in you kissy kissy love book!” Beforehand the Sailor was almost ready to let the boy go, but now he was angry. He did not know why he was angry, but he was still angry.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Well first my name is not boy, it is Iza. Iza of …”,

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“I, DON’T, CARE!” Shouted old Grizz shutting Iza up. “I don’t care about your name, I don’t care about your stupid book! All I care about his getting back my dignity and you destroyed that”, he shouted tightening on the boy’s collar.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“How did I destroy your dignity”, spoke Iza. It became harder and harder for the young man to breath as his collar was starting to cut into his throat. “I have … not spoken… a single … word to you … before this.” He had no idea why this sailor was truly mad at him. The only thing he really knows is that this guy is a total jerk.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“It is because of you I have to change ships”, spoke Grizz as he tighten the collar even more. Young Iza face was starting to turn blue from the pressure. For a moment it seemed as if he was going to kill young Iza, but suddenly the ship got hit. The impact caused the grizzled sailor to fall overboard.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Crap I can’t swim”, shouted the man as his body slammed into the sea. Water began to fill his lounges as his entire body froze in place. It was almost as if he was a hammer. With no motion or reaction he sunk going straight to the bottom of the sea. Suddenly he stopped, he stopped sinking, and he stopped drowning. His eyes looked up to see the very young man he was choking to death reaching down into the depth of the sea. His right hand held onto his arm and his left on the anchor chain. With the strength of a sailor he pulled himself out of the water along with old Grizz. Once the experienced sailor’s waist was out of the water his strength returned.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Thanks a lot boy”, he spoke as he grabbed his right hand onto the ship and pulled his legs out of the water. With a single flip he tossed his body over onto the deck of the ship. The young man however was forced to climb the chain, but a quick jerk from Grizz sent him back onto the deck of the ship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“I can’t believe you jumped into the sea for me”, spoke the sailor as he stared at the young man with bright eyes. Still lying flat on the deck of the ship the young man spit a mouthful of salt water from his mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“I did not jump into the water for you”, spoke Iza as he pulled himself off the deck. He then walked over to the burly man and ripped his headphones out of his left arm. “Don’t touch my headphones”, he spoke as he motion to place them back onto his head.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“You little prissy boy”, spoke the sailor with a grizzled grin. It made him feel better that the boy’s reason were selfish than if he was selfless. If he had selflessly jumped into the water to save him then it would have made him really ticked off with himself for being a jerk to him earlier.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Congratulations”, a loud sound vibrated through the air. The sound was so loud that it caused Iza to grab his ears. “Ghaa, what was that sound”, spoke the boy as he quickly put his headphones on. Grizz however had no defense for his ears. Riving in pain he fell to his knees as the voice of the speaker continued to vibrate through his ears causing him unholy amount of pain.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Congratulations on surviving my first assault”, spoke   a young woman as she looked out over the deck from the mass of the ship. Her skin was a beautiful tan color, but one of her eyes was missing. The slot was covered by an eye patch and her hair was wrapped up into eight thick dreadlocks. Resting on her shoulder was a giant sword that was almost as long as she was tall. Her body was covered in armor and not the skimpy female type either. The dints and scratches told of many battles and the missing arm song of her hardship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Beautiful”, spoke Iza as he looked up at the maiden. She was dressed like a true warrior. Not like the skimpy princess he read in his tales. She was a true goddess of battle and her body and figure told the tale.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Iza’s words seemed to hit a mark as a slight blush crossed the war maiden’s face. Quickly appearing from behind came a group of rough looking sailors. Their jagged teeth and evil demeanor told that they were pirates and the black sails from a ship on the starboard side filled in the blanks of what happened.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The pause in her speech gave Grizz the moment to get back to his feet. His eyes looked up at the maiden and her army of pirates. “Bones of Ishta”, spoke the man as a serious expression washed over him. His muscles tensed up and his eyes focused on her sword. “Yep there is no denying it”, he spoke expecting Iza to understand who she was. Instead the young man stood there in a blank stupor as he looked the woman’s body up and down.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Great it looks like the lad found puberty”, spoke Grizz as he walked up and pulled Iza’s headphones off his ears. “Hey boy snap out of it”, spoke Grizz bringing Iza back to reality.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Wait what”, spoke Iza. He had drifted off into his own world for a moment.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“I was kind of worried there for a moment”, spoke Bones as she looked down upon the duo. “If you had stared at me any longer I might have been impregnated.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“It works that way”, spoke Iza as a blush crossed his entire face.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“No you idiot”, shouted Grizz as he punched the young boy in the back of his head. The blow was strong enough to knock Iza to the ground. Rather than stand back up Iza spent the remaining of his time holding the back of his head complaining about the pain.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“So it seems that voice is not always deadly”, spoke Grizz, but Bones had already had enough talking.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Kill them”, she spoke ignoring Grizz. On her order her horde of pirates jumped off from the upper deck and began to charge the wayward sailor.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Bad move”, spoke Grizz as he charged forward toward the pirates. A smile crossed his face as he entered battle against men wielding swords and spears. As the swordsmen slashed Grizz defended with his arms. No armor and no weapons. The blades hit his skin and grazed off almost as if they striking a wall of harden hide.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“What the”, spoke the pirate as he stared at his blade in shock. He was sure he should have cut the man. However Grizz was not going to give him time to think about the possibility. A swift punch from the grizzled sailor ripped through the man’s face and sent his frail body flying through the wooden deck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“What the”, spoke Bones as she looked on with shock. The other pirates halted their assault and stared at Grizz with caution. Their eyes shifted from the man standing before them and their comrade’s body lying on the broken and shattered.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“I hope you have more than swords and spears”, spoke Grizz as his body began to transform. His head shifted and his eyes widen. His nostril grew and fur began to grow all over his body. His teeth sharpened and transformed into canines. Before Bone’s horde of pirates stood a werewolf. Its fur was white and its eyes a fearsome crimson. Fear trembled down their spines as the beast began to breathe heated breath.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“R…r…run”, shouted one of the pirates as they attempted to flee the ship. However the beast was not going to have it. With lighting quick speed he intercepted their path. His fangs and claws began to rip through them like paper as they all attempted to retreat. From above Bones looked down in horror as her crew was quickly being ripped apart.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Fools”, she shouted grabbing the attention of her remaining men! It took everything she had to keep her own legs from shaking. Bones was usually fearless in the face of danger, but a lycan. Now this was not a fight, this was not something a sword can handle. It was a monster, a beast, a devil. There was no way she was going to throw herself against that, not till she truly understood what it was. However that did not mean she would not help her men, or at least help them in a way that did not endanger herself. “Grab the boy and use him as a hostage”, spoke. Her eyes turned to a man standing next to the wining Iza.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The boy had finally stopped rolling around and was starting to come back to reality. However his low tolerance for pain worked against him. The desperate pirate grabbed hold of the boy and put a knife to his neck. “Stop”, shouted the pirate as he looked at the massive beast standing before him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The Lycian’s eyes were originally on Bones, but once the man had made his demand he turned around and looked into the man’s soul. His fiery eyes melted the man’s courage. Sweet began to pour from his head and as a result he pressed the blade against Iza’s neck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Back off”, he shouted in fear. Blue blood began to pour down the blade as the sharp edge pierced into the boy’s neck. The beast growled and howled, but it did not move a step closer. A smile crossed Bone’s face as she started to realize that this beast was a man.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“It is not a monster, but a man”, shouted Bones. Her words rallied her men as they looked up to her for courage. “You’re a devil fruit user aren’t you? You are no Lycian, just a mutt pretending to be something you are not!” With courage now in her heart the pirates cut a rope from the sail and swung it down to the deck. She was now ready to enter battle. With a quick jerk she pulled her massive blade from her back and prepared to enter battle.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The moment Bones exposed Grizz for what he was the grizzled sailor knew he did not have much time left. Iza was going to die. There was no way he was going to sit there and let her hack at him with that blade. However if he moved the pirates would cut open the young boy’s neck and his crimson blood would stain the deck of the ship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">It was in that moment Grizz noticed something that nobody else had noticed. The blood on the man’s hand was not crimson. It was blue?! Why was Iza’s blood blue? It was then he looked up to see the face of the boy, but to his surprise there was a malicious aura coming from boy’s body. It was then that he realized the man holding the knife, was dead.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Suddenly the pirate’s body fell to the ground. His eyes were open wide and a horrible expression crossed his face. All eyes turned to Iza who was starting to give off a deadly aura. “You filth drew my blood”, he spoke. His eyes looked at a man and a shockwave of fear froze his body. The man struggled to breath, but his lungs would not budge. The fear was so great that his body completely froze in place.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Spike”, spoke one of the pirates as he attempted to help his friend. He could not see anything wrong with him, but he could see that his friend was dying.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“What did you do to him”, spoke a pirate as he turned toward Iza. The young boy looked dead into his eyes as well and a shock of fear froze him dead like his friend.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Is he killing them with a stair”, shouted a pirate as he made the mistake the other fools made. A gaze from the boy caused him to freeze in place as well.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Fearful and in terror Bones sprang into action. “You bastard”, she shouted as she drew her sword. Her words caused the boy to turn his gaze toward her. A shock wave of fear rippled through her body, but Bones body quickly adapted and continued to work properly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“What was that”, she spoke as a cold sweat began to pour from her head. It was then that Bones realized that Iza was not killing her men with any special power or by any mystical force. It was fear. Fear was killing her men. A few years back she had faced a swordsmen who froze her in place. The man that day was merciful and only took her right eye. It had been a long time since she felt that sensation, but to use that to kill people. This boy who she thought was just a youthful pervert was far more dangerous than she thought.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Cover your ears”, shouted Bones. Her men who were not frozen in place by Iza looked on in horror as they knew what was about to come next. Several of them did not even bother the action and instead jumped overboard into the sea. The maiden suddenly took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs. The sound created from her wail shattered all the glass on the ship and sent a sharp pain through everyone’s body.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Good lord”, spoke Grizz from the first time since he transformed. The sound bounced around in his ear and radiated though his body. How in the world could that woman make such a sound he wondered? This must have been what he felt before when he first climb back onto the deck of the ship. As Grizz struggled to keep himself from killing over from the sound he turned his gaze to Iza.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Without his headphones on his head Iza was suffering from the sound as well. The young man was rolling on the ground like he was before trying to keep the sound out of his brain. The pirates that Iza had frozen earlier were also breathing and screaming as the sound ripped through their bodies as well. Lucky for them Bones had run out of breath and ended her sonic assault before she finished them off.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Above all the screams of pain and horror Iza’s could be hard above them all. The young boy was rolling around on the ground like before complaining about the damage done to his ears.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“What the bloody hell”, shouted Iza as he pulled himself off the ground. Bones stared on with worry as the young boy stood back onto his feet. “Where did that sound come from”, spoke Iza. The great threat that radiated from Iza before was now gone. The demon that killed with a stare was no longer prowling. Instead it was the naïve simple minded boy from before. “Giiiiii”, screamed Iza as he looked at the blue blood on his shirt. “Holy crap I am bleeding”, he exclaimed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Grizz looked on with amazement as the malicious beast suddenly turned back into the dim witted boy. His amazement however was cut short as Bone’s words rang over the ship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Now attack him now!” The piratess also noticed the shift. At this moment she realized that her men actually stood a chance to kill to kill the lad. She was not going to let this opportunity pass.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Suddenly, and before anybody could react to Bone’s orders, the deck exploded in fire and shrapnel. The sound of cannon fire filled the air as a marine ship in the distance started to fire upon the passenger vessel.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Holy hell”, shouted Iza as he ran for cover, but an explosion knocked him off his feet and onto the pirate vessel that was anchored beside the ship. Grizz however was not so lucky and instead of being lunched onto a nearby ship he was tossed into the main mass of the vessel.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Crap”, spoke Grizz as he rolled off the piece of broken wood. His entire body was throbbing and his ears were ringing like a bell. “How in the world do people keep sneaking up on us”, shouted Grizz at the top of his lungs. As he looked around everything was exploding. This was unlike the navy. Normally they would try and rescue the crew or give a warning shot before they started to fire. Something was going on, but he could not put his finger on it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Rather than sit around and wait to die Grizz began to search for a life boat. It was then he noticed the pirate ship on the other side of the vessel. Its presence was being masked by the larger ship. With a quick roll off the side he fell face forward onto the deck of the Sunken Maiden.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Iza”, he shouted as he pulled himself off the ground. Pain shot through his entire body as the fall did more damage than he expected. Grizz began to look around to see if he could spot the lad. He saw the explosion knock him off the ship in this direction. He thought at least he would be aboard. “Iza”, he shouted again, but his voice was canceled out by the sound of another explosion. Grizz doubted that the ship would take much more of this punishment. If he wanted to get out of this alive Grizz was going to have to set sail by himself and pray that this ship could outrun the navy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap”, shouted Grizz as he rushed from side to side trying to get the sails to lower. “Where are you when I need you Iza”, spoke as he pulled on a rope. Then he heard a sound he knew all too well. It was the sound of somebody being pulled out of the water. Grizz turned to see Iza pulling something onto the deck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Iza good”, spoke Grizz. “Boy give me a hand setting up these sails”, he spoke pulling on a rope.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Understood”, spoke Iza as he put whatever he was carrying on the ground and rushed to the mass. Under Grizz instruction and what Iza had read in several pirate books the duo was able to get the sail up and running, but the marines had caught onto the second ship and were starting to fire their canons with the intention of sinking her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Come on move you piece of junk”, shouted Grizz as he stared up at the sails. He did not want to become cannon fodder for the marines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Hey watch what you are calling junk”, spoke a voice behind Grizz. The voice was a sound he did not want to hear, but he knew who exactly it was. Grizz turned around to see Bones lying on the deck. Next to her was a pile of coughed up water and her massive sword.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“When did….”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“I get onto my own ship”, spoke Bones as the wind picked up. “Well if you must know I fell into the water at first and almost drowned and then your cabin boy over there pulled me out”, spoke Bones as she stared at Iza. “How in the hell was that idiot giving out that kind of aura earlier”, she spoke aloud.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“I was wondering the same thing”, spoke Grizz as the last of the cannon balls feel just short of the ship. Iza was now climbing up on the mass making fun of the marine ships they left behind. “You know I only meet the lad today”.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Really”, spoke the maiden with surprise. “I could not tell with the way you defended him earlier.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">“Sorry to be so rude guy’s, but what the crap happened back there”, spoke Iza taking over the conversation. “I mean the marines just came out of nowhere and started shelling the ship. Not to mention the pirate attack suddenly stopped and dead people all around me. Did you guys jump into infighting or something?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Both Grizz and Bones stared at the boy with confusion. It seemed that Iza did not remember a thing that happened.