A few days later Maelara requested a tour of the battleship. After hesitating for several minutes Roy finally answered with a reluctant yes.Roy met Maelara by the gangplank with a grimace and an industrial-sized water cannon at his side. She tilted her head, puzzled at first, until he explained—eyes darting around nervously—that he wasn't used to strong scents from this new world.Maelara smirked. "Seriously? Just blast me with water and we're good? Bring it on, twig boy." Without waiting for further instructions, she planted her feet, arms out in a brazen pose."Um… sure, here goes," Roy murmured, easing the cannon's trigger. A roaring gush of water smacked into Maelara's front, drenching her. She grinned like a champion, barely budging. Droplets sprayed into the air in a sunlit arc."Again! Don't hold back!" she demanded, spinning around theatrically. This time Roy angled the blast at her back. She flexed as it hit, muscles tensing in a show of raw power that made Roy's eyebrows shoot up. The water beaded and rolled down her, splashing the pier. Then, with effortless composure, she dragged a hand through her hair, wringing it dry in one swift motion. And with a quick full-body flex, she blew off all the water on her skin."That's enough soaking," she declared, striding up the gangplank as Roy gawked, cannon forgotten at his side.
The moment she stepped onboard, Maelara's eyes roamed the battleship's sleek metal corridors. "Sheesh, it's even bigger on the inside. Where do you hide all that space?" she commented, wiping a stray droplet from her brow. Roy led her along a wide hallway lined with panels, each flickering with cryptic data.He motioned to a glassed-off chamber full of mechanical hums—drone launch bays, where small aerial units perched on racks like steel hawks. "These babies do recon and blow giant critters sky-high," he explained, tapping the control panel. "Looks puny, but they'll dice up sea serpents in no time."Maelara peered in, nodding slowly. "I'd pay good money to watch that show up close," she said, smiling in a way that suggested she'd really love to see it in a fight.
A few turns later, they passed through the kitchen—an unexpectedly cozy space with brushed-steel counters and a fridge humming cheerfully in the corner. Roy opened a cabinet, showcasing a lineup of odd Earth snacks. "Go on, try something," he offered as he handed her a salted caramel.Maelara popped one into her mouth. Her face lit up in mild surprise. "Weird! Sweet and salty at the same time… My tongue's confused but not mad about it."
Finally, Roy guided her onto the bridge, where a sleek array of monitors displayed the coastline and a live overhead feed of Noruma. Serenity's disembodied voice greeted Maelara politely. Maelara, for her part, just stared—eyes flicking from one glowing screen to the next."Calm down," Roy said with a shrug. "It's pure tech, not magic. Just a lot of buttons and screens.""Right. Looks like you're spying on half the planet," Maelara muttered, tentatively tapping a console. "I'll hand it to you, Captain, it's pretty impressive."Roy cleared his throat, trying not to look too proud. "Thanks. You should see it on a busy day when we're firing off enough ammo to scare the whole ocean."
Roy slouched in the captain's chair, letting the hum of the battleship's engines fill the silence. Maelara stood across from him, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the ornate gold bracelet Roy kept fiddling with in his hand. Eryndra lingered nearby, quietly alert."That shiny trinket isn't… from Riven Kain, is it?" Maelara asked, voice tight. She stepped closer. "Tell me you didn't yank it off his corpse."Roy shrugged, turning the bracelet over. "Guy's still kicking—he's chilling in my brig after he tried to wreck my ship. Then he coughed up this little gem when we, uh, rearranged his face." He tried to sound casual, but his heart was racing.
A tremor passed through Maelara's broad shoulders. "Riven. Kain." She practically spat the name. "You realize who that psycho runs with?""Not a clue," Roy admitted. "Pirate group, big numbers, whatever. I've handled plenty of overgrown bullies."Her eyes blazed. She slammed a hand on a nearby table, leaning forward. "'Big numbers' is putting it mildly. They're the Abyssforged Alliance—fourteen pirate clans with more ships than some nations! The Guild avoids tangling with the entire alliance because they're that lethal. And you've got the ringmaster's little brother in time-out?"Roy tossed his hands up. "Hey, not my fault Captain Nutjob decided to pick a fight. I can't exactly roll over, can I?""You should've kept a giant distance." Maelara took two long strides around the table, suddenly inches from Roy. He tried not to squeak. "They've razed entire kingdoms—trust me, this is above your pay grade.""Yeah, well, I don't get paid, so it's fine," Roy quipped, ignoring the alarm bells in his head.
Maelara's grip shot out and clamped around his thigh. Pain flared through Roy's leg like he'd stuck it in a live socket. "OWWW, my precious leg!" he yelped, any trace of bravado vaporizing.Eryndra snorted softly, though her expression stayed cool. "Alright, Ms. Amazon. He's got the point. Let go before he passes out."
Maelara exhaled and released him. Roy clutched his bruised thigh, face burning. "Holy smokes, lady, was that necessary?""You're fooling with the top terror on the seas," Maelara growled. "Riven's just their weakest pup—he only has a ship because Big Brother calls the shots. If you hold him captive, expect a war knocking on your hull."Roy shot her an exasperated look. "Guess I'll have to keep extra coffee on hand for that. Love a good war threat in the morning."
Before Maelara could retort, Roy's Allphone buzzed on the armrest. Normally, he ignored its random notifications, but a label reading FATHER SKELETON flashed on the screen.He tapped to answer, trying not to look suspicious. "Uh… yeah?"A tinny, echoing voice whined: "Siiiiir, the hot water's gone again! My sweet old bones can't survive an icy soak! I'll rattle so pathetically, you won't even recognize me!"Roy blanched—Maelara definitely heard that odd voice. He slapped a hand over the phone's mic. "Quit whining at me! Serenity handles plumbing. Go harass her!" Then he hung up hastily.
Maelara frowned. "Who the hell was that?""Oh, just a coworker with zero sense of boundaries," Roy said, forcing a nonchalant wave of the hand. "We get all kinds here. Don't worry about it."She gave him a skeptical once-over. "If there's more weirdness stowed away on this tub—""Let's not dwell on that, okay?" Roy cut in sharply. "We can handle Riven. I'm sorry he's on your 'Most Wanted' list, but I'm not about to let him roam free.""Even if you stave off one wave, the Alliance's top dogs will eat you alive," Maelara warned, teeth grinding.Eryndra folded her arms. "Trust me, Roy doesn't flinch easily.""He better not," Maelara snapped. "Because if you get squeamish, they'll crush you all."
Just then, a faint chime sounded from Serenity's console.A synthesized voice followed: "Captain, urgent message from the shore. A villager arrived claiming their child is gravely ill. They beg for your help, calling you 'the legendary Thunder Rider.'"Roy stiffened. "They want to come on board? Absolutely not, I don't do open tours for random sick kids.""They're staying on the beach," Serenity clarified. "Asking that you meet them. The boy's in critical condition."
Roy's stomach twisted. He'd blow up monsters any day, but healing a kid was far scarier in its own way. "Alright, guess I'll go see if I can help. I'll bring the big bag o' medical goodies."Eryndra gave him a nod. "You've got this, Captain. It's just, y'know, a human life in your hands."Maelara looked torn between frustration and curiosity. "Fine. Patch up the brat, but we will finish our talk.""Yeah, yeah," Roy sighed.
Together, Roy and Eryndra left the bridge, heading toward the gangplank. Maelara hung back, crossing her arms as she glared at Riven's bracelet on the table. For a moment, tension thickened the air. Then she shoved out a breath, turned, and followed at a distance.
On the beach, Roy spotted a small cluster of villagers, one man cradling a pale, trembling boy. The child's breathing rasped, eyes half-lidded."Master Captain Roy Gunn!" the father cried, tears on his cheeks. "We pooled our meager coins to buy shellfish for his birthday feast, and it's killing him!"Eryndra scanned the boy's face. "Hives, puffy lips… So, basically he's, like, super sick or something."Roy groaned. "Fantastic medical evaluation, Dr. Genius.""Thanks, I do my best," she replied with a serene nod.
"Serenity," Roy muttered, "tell me exactly what's happening, then."A gentle beep sounded in his earpiece. "Assuming the data from the Allphone is correct, severe allergic reaction, Captain. Treatment recommended: epinephrine, ASAP.""Got it," Roy said as he popped open his Infinite Medicine Cabinet he brought. He rummaged and came up with an auto-injector labeled EPINEPHRINE. "Alright, let's see if Earth science can knock out shellfish doom."
The father clutched Roy's sleeve. "Please—save him, I beg you!"Roy steadied his shaky hands and knelt by the child. "Hang in there, champ. This might pinch." Carefully, he pressed the auto-injector against the boy's thigh and squeezed. A hiss delivered the life-saving dose.
They waited. One breath…two… The boy's chest heaved, a spasm of coughs rattling through him. Then, slowly, his labored breathing eased. Color seeped back into his cheeks. He slumped, exhausted, but alive.Roy exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for hours. "Kid, you doin' okay?" he asked quietly.The boy blinked, watery eyes focusing, and nodded feebly."Keep him warm," Roy told the father. "And, for the love of...the thunder rider, no more shellfish, yeah?"
Tears welled in the man's eyes. "I—I owe you everything, Captain… you've saved him!"Around them, villagers—who at one point were wary—now looked at Roy like some heroic legend. Eryndra had a faint smile behind her neutral expression.Maelara, meanwhile, folded her arms tight. "So you can blast monsters and bust out miracle cures?" she asked, sounding both annoyed and impressed.Roy shrugged, feeling a flash of warmth in his chest. "I had the right gadget for the problem. Don't expect me to cure every random plague out there."
The father bowed, tears still streaming. "My boy lives, thanks to you. We'll remember this to our graves.""Get him home and let him rest," Eryndra said more gently, probably echoing Serenity's advice. "We've got a bit more medicine, if you ever need it."
The group left, relief washing over them. Roy watched them go, letting the tension melt from his muscles. He felt… oddly proud. This was a lot different than blasting away some giant tentacle or scaring off a pirate crew.
Next to him, Maelara cleared her throat. "Alright, big shot, that was nice work. But don't think your stash of miracle potions will stop the Alliance from crashing down on you."Roy cast a sideways glance at her. "Yeah, yeah… Just another storm I'll have to weather."She nodded curtly and turned back toward the village. "I've got business to handle. We'll talk later, Captain."
Once she was gone, Eryndra rested a hand on Roy's shoulder. "Ha! You did it, doc. Saved the day.""Barely," Roy breathed, still jittery.