A Naidni's Journey- Chapter 1- A King's Journey

Chapter 1 – A King's Journey 

The crew of the Lionheart drifted slowly through the fog. Gin still couldn’t believe Cales would turn on him like that. He scanned the skies for signs of the Hawks. The fog had become too thick to see clearly through. All Gin could see above him was darkness and around him the crew was surprisingly quiet. Most people just moved around the boat doing minor things. Gin looked at running buffalo who sat on the floor next to him. A small smile cracked on Gin's face since he was happy Running Buffalo decided to come along. Without Running Buffalo's help Gin knew he would of most likely not got off the island. Although over the years he got more disciplined in his air manipulation. The Lionheart was still a task to lift up and guide. 

However now that they were in the fog it floated gently in the water. How long they would be out to sea none of them knew. Gin did know that he was not going back up in the air anytime soon. Something in his bones told him those Hawks were still up there. He could feel them circling above the fog. Just waiting for another chance to attack. Now the warning Captain Erse had given them before his untimely demise made so much more sense to Gin now. As beautiful as the Hawks were, Cales was controlling them and he didn’t want to take that chance. The last encounter was close enough. They were lucky to escape with minor issues to the ship. 

Gin's biggest worry though was running into another Dragonoff. They didn’t have the crew nor the man power to combat that beast. Darma and Gin's eyes met as Darma walked across the ship. The animosity between the two was thick enough to cut with a knife. One thing was clear though between the two, Gin was captain of this ship. It was his ship now and his rules were to be followed. Darma would have to respect him whether he liked it no not. 

Although Gin didn’t like him he had to respect him. Darma knew more about the sea's and navigation than him. Running buffalo and Darma went over many of Captain Erse's maps. Gin sat watching and learning as the two men plotted their course as best as they could. Every point was only a guesstimate, since no one could see the sun to get an exact time or position. there was nothing but darkness and the sound of waves crashing for miles around. 

So far the crew seem to handle the journey well. Leona took to the sea well. She was the most chipper person on the ship. Quite opposite from Gardon who was again succumbing to sea sickness. He maned his station well on the ship, hardly leaving from throwing up overboard every chance he got. Sarthan and Lucy never missed a beat with their cuddling. They were pretty much inseparable, watching them be all lovey dovely made Gin sick at times. Yet he was happy Sarthan decided to come with. The journey would not have been the same without him Gin had to admit to himself. 

It seemed like two months had passed since the left Esidarap. All seemed well on the ship. Rations were where they needed to be. None of the crew seem to be succumbing to the sea madness yet. Gin could only hope and pray that this time they could maintain their level of sanity. He took this time to think of Zulumare, he hopped and prayed that she was safe. Her bravery would not go down in vain. The thought of what Cales would do to her for aiding in their escape loomed over him. The memory of her stopping Cales and the Hawks flashed in his brain. Without her sacrifice they might not have made it in the fog and away from Cales. 

Now though was not the time for Gin to be down on himself. After they cleared the fog, he would have to prepare himself and the crew for Kalinga. Although Running Buffalo and many other shipmates were familiar with the land. Gin, Gardon and Sarthan had never been, he feared they would stick out like sore thumbs when they landed. That couldn't detour them though from reaching Kazimby's Island. From what Darma had said it seemed the whole world was looking for Gin, Gardon and Sarthan. Lorax had put a bounty on their heads that even Draydor wanted and couldn’t refuse. 

As the Lionheart drifted through the fog of time. A melodic melody started to fill the air of the quiet sea's. Crew mate after crew mate ran to the deck to see where the melody was coming from. They couldn't see a thing through the thick fog that surrounded them. Then all of a sudden the first set of lights they saw since entering the fog broke through. A patch of manivores drifted around the ship. They opened their petals and exposed their beautiful inside. A sweet aroma filled the air and seduced the crew's nose's. 

"This is not good" Running Buffalo said standing up. 

"Everyone get off the deck now!" Gin shouted. 

The crew ignored the command, not a soul turned to even acknowledge him. They swayed in unison to the melodic rattling of the manivores. Gin watched in horror as his crew became hypnotized. Splash.... a crew member jumped off the ship. He swam to the manivores and reached to touch it. The petals wrapped around his hand and began to pull him in. Gin pushed his way through his crew to the rail. Just in time to watch the manivores turn the man upside down, it slowly devoured the man head first with ease. Before Gin could even mourn for his fallen crewmate. 

Splash.... another man jumped into the water in pursuit of the beautiful yet deadly plant. Gin turned around to see even Running Buffalo rocking with the crew. Everyone had the same blank stare in their eyes. Gin was happy at this moment that he had spent time with Cales. Her guidance in withstanding the manivores spell actually paid off. With a glance of the ship he noticed Sarthan getting ready to bail from the ship. Sarthan had one leg over the rail by the time in fully turned around. In a blink of Gin's eye Sarthan jumped overboard. 

"No!!!" Gin shouted running to the rail and looking over. 

Sarthan hit the water and Gin began to focused his energy on the water around the ship. He rose the water up and tossed Sarthan back on to the deck, Which Sarthan hit with a thud. 

"What happened?" Sarthan asked coughing up water and catching his breath. 

Sarthan looked around with confusion at the swaying crew. He was soaked to the bone from jumping into the ocean. Realizing the danger, they were in Sarthan jumped up and lunged at Lucy. He began to shake her trying to get her back to reality, it had no effect she just stared blankly into his eyes. 

"Help them gin! don’t just stand there do something" Sarthan yelled at Gin 

"What do you think I have been doing, you would have been plant food a few moments ago" Gin shouted back 

With a scowl on his face aimed at Sarthan who was still holding Lucy. He ran to the captains’ deck and focused himself. His aura began to rise around him and the boat slowly started to rock. The water became choppy and grew rougher as he settled in his zone. A few feet in front of the ship a wave rose up. Gin pulled it toward them, with a slam it knocked everyone on the deck over. One after the other the crew slowly started to snap out the trance. 

Gin paid no mind to the confused crewmates on the deck. He kept his composure and dug deeper into himself. With a small gust of wind Gin began to rise up. Levitating above the captain's deck he focused on the water in front of the ship. The waves calmed down and the Manivores began to slowly come together. The ocean started to swirl and form a whirlpool, as the Manivores began to close their petals around themselves. They started to spin with speed as the whirlpool fully took shape, pulling them down to the bottom of the ocean. 

The crew of the Lionheart, watched as the Manivores disappeared slowly. They swirled and whirled down to the depths of the whirlpool. The sound of the waves filled the air now drowned out Sarthan's cries. Realizing Gin was too deep in his meditation, he ran up to the captain's deck. With all his might he jumped up and grabbed Gin's leg and looked at the new problem he made. The whirlpool had devoured the Manivores and was still growing, it had begun to pull even the Lionheart into it. 

"Stop the whirlpool now before it pulls us under!" Sarthan yelled at him 

Gin held Lorenzo’s necklace in his hand. He closed his eyes and focused himself again. His body felt tired and worn down. The crew of the Lionheart looked on in horror as the boat got closer to the edge of the whirlpool. Gardon looked over the bow of the ship and saw the sea floor. 

"Get under the ship to the ore's!" Gardon yelled 

He grabbed Leona's hand and pulled her toward the steps. The crew followed his lead, Moments later every available hand was on an ore. They tried with all their might to reverse the ship. It was almost pointless they feel the ship beginning to tip. Gin looked on from the deck at the sight. He looked at Running Buffalo and nodded. Running Buffalo sat back down Indian style in his usual spot. Gin ran below the deck trying to get to an ore like the rest of the crew. He fell down the steps hurting his leg, as the Lionheart began to tip and started swirl in the whirlpool. Limping Gin entered the row room and held himself up against the wall. Many people were on the floor from the impact. 

"Get up and row forward! I got a plan" Gin yelled 

"All is lost... you’re a mad man... you have doomed us all to Draydor's Coffin!!!" A crew member cried out 

"Whine when your dead, you heard the man row!" Sarthan yelled 

Gin gave him a smile and Sarthan winked back at him as he picked up the ore in his row. Gin stumbled back up the stairs. The Lionheart shook violently as it spun in the whirlpool. Gin and running Buffalo focused their energy. They tried to sync up their aura's. The Lionheart was picking up speed and they could feel it. Although Gin was weary Running Buffalo's aid gave him the boost he needed. Water crashed up against the boat as they concentrated on lifting the ship. 

"It's now or never" Gin yelled 

With all the might he could muster in his tired body. The Lionheart broke free from the whirlpool's grip. The ship thrusted out the whirlpool and drifted in the sky. As the crew cheered and breathed a sigh of relief, Gin fainted and fell on the floor. He later awoke in his bed, stepping down Gin remembered his leg was sprained. He looked down at it and realized someone had taken the time to bandage it for him. Gardon opened the doors to his chambers. 

"Ah ladie, I see you’re on your feet. How are you feeling?" Gardon asked 

"Fine I just need some food" Gin said taking a bite of another cookie. 

"Head down and get you some then" Gardon said "you deserve it captain" 

Gin smiled back at him and finished the cookie. H guzzled down what was left of the milk and headed out. The grey sky and fog around the ship set Gin back to reality. The crew that was on the deck started to clap for him. He smiled and gestured for them to stop in a modest way. Gin held on to the rail and limped downstairs. He entered the dining hall and the crew in their saluted him. Lucy and Leona greeted him with a smile. 

"Good morning ladies. Thank you Lucy for the cookies. Who can I thank for wrapping my leg?" Gin asked 

"Me... I hope that I did not wrap it to tight" Leona said 

"No it is fine, what is for breakfast I am starving" Gin said rubbing his stomach.

Darvo walked up behind the two ladies. In his hand was a tray of food. Lucy and Leona stepped aside and he presented it to Gin, who took the tray with a broad smile and went to sit down. There was only five people in the mess hall now. As Gin limped away from the food counter. He looked up at the captain's table. It was empty and seemed so far away. A few agonizing steps and he sat with the crew at one of the tables. They were playing cards but stopped to acknowledge Gin's presence. When he finally got comfortable in his seat they resumed their merriment without missing a beat. 

"You don’t know anything about pleasing a woman, I am sure you never even been with a woman." One sailor said to another teasing him. 

"I have had more women in my life than you will ever have. I eat that pussy so good they keep coming back!" The sailor across from him responded. 

The other three sailors burst out laughing. Gin himself almost choked on his food from laughing but he caught his composure. A sailor sitting next to him clapped his back hard twice to help him clear his throat. Gin jerked forward twice from the heavy handed taps of the sailor. With the food back up gin rubbed his throat. He chewed It fully and swallowed it again. 

"You alright captain?" The sailor asked 

"Yes... you boys are crazy" Gin said laughing  

The sailors started laughing at him. They raised their mugs in the sky and touched. Gin took his and toasted with the group. They all laughed and went back to enjoying themselves. Gin finished up his meal and sat back in his chair. The eggs, oats and cornbread was perfectly filling. He rubbed his belly and licked his teeth clean as he relaxed. With a long strong yarn, he stretched and stood up. Raising his mug to the card playing sailors, they raised theirs and gave a final toast. Gin guzzled down what was left in his cup. He quickly saluted them with a smile. They did the same back and he limped away from the table, heading to the cook's window. Leona was eagerly awaiting his plate and cup. 

"How was it?" She asked excitedly 

"Perfect!" Gin said with a smile 

"Yay!! I been working on this cooking thing!" Leona said 

"Well you been getting better" gin said encouragingly. 

The watchman's bell in the eagle's nest of the ship started to ring. Gin looked at Leona and placed his dining ware down quickly. As fast as his leg would allow him to move he got up on the deck. 

"Captain on deck!" One sailor yelled 

Gin made his way up to the captain's deck. Running Buffalo was already there as usual. He handed Gin a small golden telescope and pointed to their three'o clock. With a glance into the scope Gin saw a small boat just floating in the water. It just seemed to be filled with one passenger, that was laying the boat motionless. Gin gave the telescope back to Running Buffalo. Who closed it and placed it back into his buffalo skin vest left pocket. 

"Get us closer" Gin yelled at the crew. 

The Lionheart slowly drifted closer and closer to the small John boat. As they neared it Gin realized it was a Naidni fishing boat. He wondered what one was doing all the way out here, In the middle of the fog. How long had this person been floating aimlessly in this forsaken place. Sailors dropped the anchor and gin walked to the bow of the ship. 

"Are you ok?' Gin yelled down 

The person didn’t move. Gin looked back at his curious crew. He turned back to the ship and yelled again. Still no response. With a small devilish smile on his face. Gin raised the water and splashed the robe covered stranger. 

"Aiyyeee" a girl screamed jumping up in the boat 

All the sailors on the ship rushed over to the banister upon hearing her cry. She pulled her hoody off her head. The women's long black hair dropped down as she shook her head. Seeing her now Gin realized she was a Naidni and a pretty one at that. The crew excitedly lowered ropes down. The woman in the boat connected the ropes and they pulled her up. A sailor eagerly put his hand out to help her get out her boat and into theirs. 

"Welcome to the Lionheart, where are you headed?" Gin asked 

"I am lily and I left Thandor to escape Lord Lorax's reign, I have been drifting for so long. Thank you for coming to my aid" Lily said jumping on gin and hugging him 

"Your welcome!" Gin said awkwardly looking at the crew 

He kept his hands wide open, yet Gin could feel her voluptuous body through the baggy robe. 

"Come get a bath, we should have fresh clothes for you" Gin said 

"I'll help her" Lucy said excitedly grabbing Lily's hand and pulling her away from the crowd of drooling men. 

Lucy and Lily walked past Leona, for a second time seemed to stop. Lily and Leona's eyes met and the stare down began. Lily flashed her a devilish little smile on the low. Leona's fist tightened up and her frown got deeper. The moment though was soon over and Lily was following Lucy downstairs below the deck. 

"What's wrong?" Gardon asked Leona seeing her face was upset 

" I do not trust her" Leona said 

"You do not even know the girl. The tell me you are jealous there's someone else the men will drool over now" Gardon said jokingly 

"Humph" Leona said giving him a stare that could kill.

Leona walked off angrily leaving him and the other sailors to gossip like school girls. She made her way down the ship and headed to Lucy and Sarthan's room. Lucy was picking out clothes for Lily and humming a jointly tune. Leona sat down next to their bed and didn’t utter a word. In her mind she thought about how Lucy was always happy and cheerful. Lucy was way too trusting but they had grown close over the past years. Now being the only two women on the ship had brought them even closer. Yet Leona felt she could not tell Lucy of the ill feelings she was forming in her stomach. 

Lily walked out the showering quarters and back into the room. She had two towels wrapped around her. One covered her body and the other covered her hair. Lily's flawless brown skin matched her eyes. She stood at a solid five feet two inches with a Coca-Cola bottle figure. Leona scanned her up and down looking for a flaw or imperfection. She found none on the woman which made her more suspicious. This had to be a trick she thought to herself. Women like this don’t just appear in the middle of the ocean. Lily continued to talk to Lucy as she dried off. Not once did she look at Leona. There were a few glances in her direction but she blatantly avoided eye contact with her. 

"You’re so quiet today... are you feeling well?” Lucy asked Leona sounding chipper but concerned. 

"No I am not; my stomach has started to hurt a bit" Leona said 

"Well I got something to turn that smile upside down and make that bubbly tummy stop it's rumbling" Lucy said 

"I'll be fine... it must be the smell in the room" Leona said starring straight at Lily 

"I don’t smell anything!  will light some candles though maybe that will help" Lucy said completely overlooking Leona's focused eyes on Lily 

Lily got dressed in the clothes that Lucy laid out for her. Leona watched Lily's naked body still looking for something that was off on her. Lily didn’t have a scar or stretch mark on her, she flipped her hair back and spun around in the dress Lucy gave her. 

"I love it, thank you so much" Lily said hugging Lucy 

"Your more than welcome!" Lucy said hugging her back " Leona can you take Lily to her room. I know you’re not feeling well but I have to start working on supper." 

"Yeah sure no problem" Leona said standing up and walking to the door. 

The three woman existed the room. Lucy walked toward the steps to head toward the cafeteria. Leona and Lily walked down the hallway to find a room for her. They walked in silence passing some sailors who couldn’t help but eye Lily up and down. The crew of the Lionheart now was nowhere as big as when captain erse was still alive. Many of the rooms on board where vacant. Leona knew that but still walked Lily to the very last room. 

"Squyoush sqarese aquimini squish sqknowish sqitsh" Leona said breaking the silence 

"What manner of tongue do you speak friend?" Lily asked with a broad smile on her face. 

"Play if you want but I know what you are!" Leona said stopping at the room door 

"I have no idea what you are talking about... thank you for showing me to my room. Although it will not be necessary I’m sure the captain will happily share his room with me" Lily said with the same smile on her face 

Leona glared at her and opened her mouth to say something. 

"Ladies is everything ok" Gin asked walking up and stopping her 

"Yes everything is fine Leona was so nice as to escort me to a room. Your crew has been more than hostly and warm to me... thank you for your hospitality!" Lily said bowing to Gin 

"Glad to hear. This room just will not do your so far away from everyone. I have so many questions for you. Come with me we will find you a better room" Gin said extending his arm 

Lily took it and they turned and walked back down the hall. Leona stood fuming and speechless watching them. Her hands were clutched in a fist and her face turned red. Before they walked up the steps Lily turned and flashed Leona a devilish smile and gave her a wink. Lily then turned back to giggle at something Gin said. Leona turned and punched the wall leaving a dent in it. Blue skin flakes where in the wall inside the wooden dent. She looked down at her white bleeding hand. Quickly Leona wrapped it up in her shirt and went to her room in the ship. 

Holding her hand, she paced in her room, a million thoughts ran through her head. She was sure lily was not at all what she claimed or presented herself to be. Leona took out a bowl and filled it with warm water. She took off her blood filled t-shirt and threw it against the wall. Leona sat on her bed and put her hand into the water. She slowly pulled a few splinters out of her hand, the blood off her hand began to turn the water red. It only took a few dips from her hand to turn the water completely red. 

The door to their room opened and she jumped up covering her chest. Gardon entered and closed the door quickly seeing her half naked. He apologized for startling her but looked up at her. His eyes scanned her half naked body and he smiled the bowl of blood quickly caught his attention. His smile quickly went away and turned into a look concern. 

"What happened?" Gardon asked walking over to her 

He stood just up to her waist level. Gardon went to hold her hand and she pulled away. Leona accidentally knocked the bowl of water onto the floor causing the water the bloody water to flow over the floor. Which in turn made her madder, she stomped over to the bloody t-shirt on the floor and used it to wipe up the water. As she did Gardon came over and put his hand firmly on her shoulder. Leona let out a sigh of stress and stopped scrubbing. She took her left hand and placed it over his hand, with a look of passion in her eyes once she met his Leona kissed Gardon.

"I don’t know why that woman upset you so, but I am here if you need to talk" Gardon said 

He pulled his hand away and walked out the room without saying another word. When the door closed Leona started to cry silently. She wiped her tears away and looked at her hand. It was completely healed up with no scars or marks. With a snap of her now healed hand she sent the empty bowl flying across the room. Leona balled up in a fetal position and continued to cry. 

Gin and lily sat in his room. They had been speaking for a while now, he couldn’t get enough of her for some reason, Gin felt so comfy with her. Lily was intelligent and they're childhoods were quite similar. Lily seemed to finish most of his sentences, many of Gin's life experiences it seemed as if she was right there going through it with him. Minus the facts that gin grew up in a palace and Lily from one of the small towns outside of Thandor. Outside of the settings many of the decisions and mischief they got into were almost identical. It sent shivers up Gin's spine at times comparing stories with Lily. It had been a few months’ gin guessed since they left Esidarap Island, Gin started to realize how much he had actually missed having the company of a female. Lily's eyes were as brown as Cales's and her body wasn't too far from it either. As much as he tried to avoid it lustful thoughts continued to fill his head. 

Darvo and Lucy prepared them meals and brought them up to his room. The wine in their glasses was almost done and Gin began to yarn. He took the last swig of his wine and stood up. 

"Would you like me to escort you to your room?" Gin asked holding his hand out. 

"Rushing me away already" Lily said taking a huge swig of her wine and placing the glass down. 

She took his hand and stood up from the table. Lily took a step and stumbled into his chest. She looked up into his eye as Gin held her up. Lily leaned in and kissed him. Gin backed up releasing his hold of her. 

"What is wrong? Do I displease you!" Lily asked looking distraught. 

"No not at all. It is just happening so fast. I just got out of something!" Gin said awkwardly. 

"That Cales woman I'm sorry I meant no disrespect!" Lily said "excuse me Captain... I will leave you now!" 

Lily turned to walk past him. Gin grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. He caressed her skin and kissed Lily passionately. Then Gin pulled off her skirt exposing her B-cup breast. Her nipples were dark like Hershey kisses. He cupped one with his hand and licked the other. She moaned with pleasure and excitement. Her hands rans all over his head and neck, with a flick of his finger, he unhooked her skirt and it dropped down. Lily stood before him fully naked. The bush on her vagina was not as much as he was expecting. Its neatness surprised Gin for a moment seeing as she had been adrift for so long. 

Lily started to kiss on his neck and remove his clothes. Gins body had become more defined and muscular, over the years living on the island he kept himself in shape. She spun him toward the bed with a giggle and he dropped his pants. The force of Lily jumping on him made them fall onto the bed. Lily laid on top of him shimmering from the candle light. Her kisses felt soft and delicate on his chest as she moved down his abs past his navel. Gin blew a wind toward the candles and put them out. Lily reached his penis and began to suck it in the dark as he laid back and accepted the pleasure. 

Gin awoke the next morning to a banging on his door. He looked over at Lily snuggled in his chest. Slowly his arm came from under her and he got out the bed. With a quick scan of the floor Gin found his pants and grabbed them. He clumsily stumbled around the room trying to put them on and get to the door. Finally, he opened the door to Sarthan who was still banging on the air that was the door. 

"Shhhh" Gin said putting his finger over his mouth, he looked at Lily who was still sound asleep. 

"We have a problem get dressed Casa-Nova!" Sarthan said sarcastically looking at lily in the bed and the shirtless Gin. 

Gin rolled his eyes and grabbed his shirt. Putting it on as he stepped on the deck. He closed the door slowly as to not wake Lily. Gin followed Sarthan below deck and to the row room. Gardon, Running Buffalo and Darma were in there waiting. Gin scanned the room to see what the problem was, since he couldn't identify it immediately. 

"What is wrong fella's?" Gin finally asked 

"Are you blind…. The ores are gone!" Darma said bluntly 

Gin now realized that every ore was gone and a massive hole was inside the drum. He walked down the Aisles and just examined the scene. Rubbing his face in confusion he grabbed the drum and turned it right side up. They gathered themselves for a moment and tried to figure it out. Although they didn’t need the ores at the moment, once they cleared the fog they would come in handy for docking. 

"Relax fella's we will figure something out. I'm sure we can get parts off the ship to make new ones." Gin said " tell no one of this until I say so... keep your eyes open for the culprits'" 

Gin grabbed up the drum and put it in Darma's hand with a little force. 

"Get rid of this!" He said sternly 

Gin walked back out of the row room and headed back to his room. He opened his door and Lily sat up in the bed. She had the sheets wrapped around her still naked body. Gin closed the door behind himself and took back off his clothes, with a hop he jumped into the bed with her. Lily giggled as he wrapped up with her. They kissed for a moment then got comfy back in the bed. It wasn't long before another knock came to his door. 

"Gin you slept in again... I brought you break..." Leona started to say walking in. 

She stopped abruptly when she looked and saw Lily laying in the bed. Gin and Lily both sat up in the bed and watched her walk across the room. Leona put the plate of food on the Gin's table.

"I did not know you had company... sorry" Leona said. 

Before Gin could respond she walked out the room and slammed his door. They looked at each other in curiosity. Lily got up and grabbed the tray off the table. Gin couldn’t help but watch her naked body walk across the room. She grabbed the tray and walked back over to the bed. Lily's perky tits jiggled in the air above the tray of food. She got in bed and laid the tray in Gin's lap. He could not help but think she looked better walking away, then she did coming back. It made him chuckle out loud. 

"What?" Lily asked. 

"Nothing! Thank you" Gin said kissing her 

Lily kissed him back and then started to feed him. Moments later Gin put the tray on the floor next to the bed. He rolled on top of her and slid in between her legs. His tongue ran all over her neck. It was not long before Gin was sucking on her breast and grinding inside of her. Lily moaned and dug her nails into his back. The deeper in Gin got the more she put pressure into his back. Lily pulled him closer to her making gin start to pound her. The moans she was letting out turned into screams of "more" and "harder". Finally, Gin pumped his nut into her with all his might. Lily snuggled into his armpits and Gin wrapped his arms around her as he drifted off to sleep. 

"Gin wake up.... wake up!" Lily said shouting while she shook up trying to wake him 

"What happened, give me five more minutes" Gin said rolling over and getting back comfy. 

"Fire... Fire...!!!" A sailor yelled on the deck. 

Gin jumped up and looked around. Lily was next to the bed dressing quickly. The smell of smoke filled the cabin forcing Gin to come to senses and scramble for his clothes. He put them on quickly and ran out the room. Lily followed closely behind him. The crew of the Lionheart scrambled to put out the blaze. It was coming from the kitchen. The crew had already formed a line and were passing water from the deck down the stairs to the kitchen. As Gin made his way through the chaos he kept Lily's hand in his and kept her close. 

Smoke was billowing out of the kitchen. The fire was under control now. Gin couldn't believe what he was seeing. Who would do such a thing. He did not believe in coincidences but could not think of any crew member that would sabotage them.  he let go of Lily's hand and focused his energy. It blew some sailors back and left frost on food boxes. Darma walked out with Running Buffalo and wiped the frost off his fur. He turned back to his human form and was we as hell. 

"Thanks for your help captain!" Darma said shaking the frost out his hair. 

"What happened?" Gin asked ignoring his attitude. 

"Someone knocked out Darvo and set the kitchen ablaze!" Running Buffalo said stepping up between the two. 

Sailors ran into the kitchen and brought out the salvageable items. They piled them up in the corner of the mess hall. It came out to what looked like a quarter of their original supply. Leona walked away from the crying Lucy and jumped on Lily. 

"This is all your fault. You witch!!" Leona screamed as they tussled on the floor. 

Gin went to stop them but Darma and Running Buffalo grabbed him. They heard the whispers of the crew and had their own suspicions. Things had started to go wrong on the ship as soon as Lily stepped on board. Lily punched her and Leona fell off her, with speed Lily ran out of the mess hall toward the steps. Leona gave chase and tackled her again onto the deck. The two women tussled on the deck ripping each other's clothes and pulling hair. The crew of the Lionheart watched the two women fight with eager eyes. It had been months possibly years since most of the sailors had seen breast, let alone to women wrestling to what seemed like the death. Finally, Gardon saw enough and stepped up to separate them. With the help of a few other sailors they kept both the women away from each other. 

"She is an Aquimini and the saboteur!" Leona said yelling. 

At that moment another one of Captain Erse's warning's ran through Gin's head. Now Gin wondered to himself how he could have been so foolish again and easily seduced.  

"Show yourself!" Leona yelled pulling herself away " it's her you all should restrain not me... you fools" 

Gardon raised his hand and they let Leona go. All eyes on the ship turned to Lily and not a sound was made as the tension grew thicker. 

"Is this true Lily" Gin asked stepping up in front of the crew and between her and Leona. 

"Sqish Sqgetsh Sqyoush Sqtraitorsh" Lily yelled at Leona. " For years you land walkers have looked down on us, treated us worse than you treated the werewolves and centaurs. Even Thorgan turned on us. Disgusted at what we were, tried to convince us we should have been ashamed of the meteor's gift to us. You called us abominations, then sail our sea's, take our food and use it without giving anything back. You have painted tales of us being demons, so we have become what you said we were. I spit on you all and pray you all meet Draydor’s coffin before the end of this journey." 

Lily started to transform back to her Aquimini state. The beautiful illusion of a Naidni woman disappeared. She slowly turned her skin from the soft brown to a scaly bluish silver. The sailors holding her let go and stepped back in fear from the sight. Lily grew taller and her hair turned to long black tentacles. The beautiful face Gin had been kissing all night shrunk in and her rainbow scales replaced it. With a hiss out Lily's mouth came a long red tongue that was split in the middle at the tip. For the first time everyone on board saw an Aquimini with their own eyes. No longer was it just an old sailor’s tale or myth in their minds. 

"You will pay for this treachery beast" Darma yelled and transformed into his werewolf state with a howl. 

Once he did that the crew followed his lead and began to close in on Lily. In response she backed up toward the bow of the ship seeing that they were going to corner her. As if taken over by a demon Lily began to rip off the clothes Lucy had given her and threw them on the floor. The breast that hours prior Gin was sucking on, were now blue and rounded with no nipples. Her soft hands and feet, now showed webbing in between them. Gin had so many emotions running through him as he balled up a fist. Lily wiped the long claws on the end of her fingers defensively as she hissed. In return Darma lunged at her with his razor sharp claws. Lily did a back flip off the ship and went into the sea with a splash. Darma landed on the railing and pounded it, he and the rest of the crew looked over the edge for signs of where she went. With no avail though Lily was gone and could not be found in her own element. 

"Why did you not stop her?!" Darma turned and yelled at Gin. 

"How could I of done that?" Gin yelled back. 

"Freeze the water, raise it up, jumped in and got her, you could of did something. You are such a sorry captain.!" Darma yelled 

"For what to hold her on the ship longer. To kill her or punish her. We have more important matters then her right now" Gin yelled back. 

The two men stepped up to each other. Gin dwarfed Darma in his werewolf form. No one else on the ship said a word. They just stood and watched the two to see what would happen. Before it escalated any further Running Buffalo once again stood between the two. 

"Gin is right Darma... we must tend to the ship" Running Buffalo said 

"You cannot protect the boy all the time. He will have to be a man someday!" Darma said brushing Running Buffalo's hand off his shoulder and walking through the gawking crew.

Gin Huffed and puffed with anger, with a gust of wind he flew up into the sky. Sarthan called for him but stopped once Running Buffalo's hand touched his shoulder. 

"Let him clear his head, he will be back" Running Buffalo said looking up into the fog.