Aline's first thought once they landed on Kartus Island was that it was small. The streets hardly had anyone on it and so few houses cascaded the street. But the island felt like a slightly larger family, the few people on the streets engaging in discussion.
Paolo had escaped to a nearby book store, Shinzo now dragging him away from the bookshelves.
"I have to buy it, they have one of the limited edition series I like."
"We're not wasting what little funds we have on your stupid hobby," Shinzo snapped.
The store clerk tried to resolve the situation, but ended up getting caught up in the two boys struggle. Angry, he threw them out without a thought, cursing them in Latin.
Aline decided to act like she didn't know them, the thought of being related to them too horrendous for her poor soul. A shrill scream came from a shop nearby, interrupting her inner turmoil. A group of bandits ran out, holding pistols and bags of stolen goods.
Aline touched the hilt of her sword, but Paolo's hand touched hers. "Don't."
She frowned, her hands slowly lifting itself of the hilt. "But they're stealing we should at least help."
Paolo shook his head, his decision absolute. "They'll be fine."
Aline turned to Shinzo expecting him to help, but the martial artist shrugged. "The captain has given his orders."
Before she could complain, the rumbling of the skies and a female voice interrupted her.
"Stop right there."
Everyone looked to the sky, a girl with a red pointy hat, sitting on a broom. Paolo's eyes gleamed, the girl in his second picture making her appearance.
"I've heard about witches before but I haven't actually seen one," Aline commented, adjusting her glasses. "How fascinating."
Someone cheered in the crowd. "Luna is here."
"We're saved."
"The weather witch will save us."
Very soon, everyone started chanting weather witch and the girl giggled, waving her arms in the air. "I won't allow you bandits to take whatever you want."
"You can't do anything to us," one of the bandits snarled.
The girl snapped her fingers, a small wooden stick appearing in between her fingers. She waved it in the air, a giant blast of wind sending the bandits crashing into the buildings around.
The citizens cheered at their defeat, the girl bowing as members of the Adventurers Guild took away the bandits. "Thank you." Her broom settled on the ground, the mayor of the town moving to meet her with his two attendant's a smile on his ageing face.
"Thanks you as usual Luna."
Luna saluted, picking up her broom. "It is an honor to help the town, Mr. Mayor."
Paolo turned to Shinzo and Aline. "Isn't she cool?"
"I disagree" Aline stated. "Women with big breasts are not to be trusted. See the way her breasts are peaking out of that tube top… she's obviously too disgraceful to be left alive."
Shinzo rolled his eyes at her stupid reply before making his own. "She seems relatively normal compared to this creep."
Aline held herself back from insulting him, not wanting to argue with him in the middle of the street. Paolo pulled them towards Luna who had just waved the mayor off.
Luna welcomed them with a smile. "Wow, this is the first time I'm meeting tourists on our small island."
Paolo stretched out his hand. "I'm Paolo G. Rigards, a to be adventurer nice to meet you."
"I'm Luna Clarabon, nice to meet you."
"Oh I know all about you. In fact, you're the reason I came," he said. "I'd like to invite you to join my crew."
She tapped her chin, her index finger pointing in the air as an idea came to being. "Before I join some unknown crew, I have to ask a few questions. Follow me home."
"You sure it's safe to bring total strangers to your house?" Aline asked.
The girl winked. "Don't worry, I won't let myself go down so easily."
.....
Dion Clarabon watched his daughter enter their combined house and workshop, eyeing the three people behind her. "Welcome home." He pushed up his reading glasses to his red hair. "You brought friends."
Luna laughed. "They're more like recruiters."
Dion narrowed his eyes. "You've brought along some more suspicious people."
"They seem relatively normal for now," she said, settling in on the couch near Dion's desk. "I'm going to check their intentions."
Paolo examined the house while they talked. Maps of different sizes stuck out from the shelves. Dion had some on his desk, a big one with a compass and ruler on top.
"I've heard a lot about you Mr. Clarabon, my grandfather is a huge fan of your maps," Paolo commented. "Your lines are basically perfect."
Dion smiled. "If you he likes my work, he'll definitely like Luna's. Her lines are even straighter than mine."
Paolo turned to Luna. "Wow really."
Luna smiled proudly. "I've learnt a lot from my dad. My dream is to make maps for all the islands in the world."
"And you can if you join my ship," Paolo stated. "I saw your article in the newspaper and I decided it would be nice to have you on my ship."
Dion and Luna exchanged looks.
"We've been really skeptical because only weirdoes try and recruit me," Luna said. "Some are just people trying to steal the Ruby Map from our family."
"What's that?" Aline asked.
"It's an heirloom passed down the Clarabon family. It contains the location of an island made of rubies. No one except for Erin and his crew ever went to that island," Dion explained. "My grandmother made this map when she was on that crew, it being the first map made by our family."
"It's really important to us," Luna said. "I plan to use the map once I complete my dream, it's a promise I made to my mom."
"Anyways," Dion drawled. "We'll have to test your sincerity."
"I can't assure you we're not weird, but I can assure that we won't take the map," Paolo said. "My dream is to become the greatest adventurer and I'm not going to be great if I find a place someone else already found."
Dion smiled. "That's a pretty interesting mindset."
"Well thank you."
Luna stood up, moving to the kitchen. "I'll have to test your worth with a little bit of alcohol. Think you can handle me."
Shinzo, a proud drinking veteran, smirked. "Bring it on."
.....
A ship on with a witch hat crossed out on their flag, sailed towards Kartus Island. A man in his middle twenties stood on the deck, holding a walking stick. The wind blew at his brown hair, his blue eyes scoping out the people walking around his ship.
One of his subordinates bowed in front of him. "Master Amik, the location of the witch's home has been located."
A wicked grin curved on his lips, staring at the ominous flag of his ship. "Lovely, not only will we kill a witch, we'll get the map too and restore the honor of the Russ Clan from the hands of a witch."