Zara sat in front of the restaurant steps, the institution closing up after her little fiasco. She sighed, holding a brown envelope in her hand. "This sucks."
Octavius moved away from the wall he had been waiting for her, Noel already gone. "You got fired?"
She frowned at him. "That's none of your business."
"Hey, how about you join my crew?"
She narrowed her eyes. "And why would I join you?"
"Well for one you'll get to travel for free and number two I get a feeling you'd fit in."
"What's your name?"
"Octavius of the Cross Heart Adventurers, nice to meet you."
"Haven't heard of you, so I probably won't join," she said. "I'm the great Zara, as if I would join some no name crew."
"Well, I'm not going to force you into joining, but think about it a little before you make your decision," he said. "My crew and I will be in Gilam if you decide to choose us."
He waved, walking away from her. She stared at his back, the playful strand of his hair dancing around.
"Cross Heart Adventurers huh."
.....
Aline's search for Paolo cut short when she spotted a herd of male dancers. They happily danced for her, giving her a peace lily after their performance. She grinned, practically floating on air as she clutched the flower pot to her chest.
She paused her skip at a loud voice shouting at a shopkeeper. She made out a girl in a see-through purple tank top aggressively disagreeing with the person at the stall. Aline immediately recognized the person and called her without thinking about it.
"Aika!"
Aika of the Dragon Scale Pirates turned to face Aline, her angry scowl transforming into a grin. "Aline."
The shopkeeper's shoulder slumped in relief as Aika ran to meet Aline. Aline looked over Aika's shoulder to look at him.
"Did something happen?"
"That idiot wanted to scam me," Aika said. "But I stood my ground."
"I-I see."
"So what are you doing all the way here?" Aika asked.
Aline sighed. "We're on a quest, but my stupid captain got lost."
Aika laughed. "Mine too, it's like a thing with him."
"Let's look together," Aline suggested.
"That's a good plan."
With their minds made up, the two searched the streets for their different captains. They sighed, standing in the middle of the street.
"My legs are getting tired," Aika said.
Aline opened her mouth to agree but got interrupted by the door of a bar nearby slamming open. Someone flew into the street as the door banged behind him. The person had a mass of black hair, clutching a creation that resembled a medium sized violin.
"I've never seen that kind of violin before," Aline said.
The person looked up at Aline and Aika, eyes glimmering. "Oh wow, it's always a good day to see beautiful wo…" he stared at Aline, more specifically her chest. "Well, I guess men can be beautiful too."
Aika had to hold Aline down before she could punch him while the person just laughed. "This isn't a violin."
She stopped squirming in Aika's arms, staring at the object in his hand. "Then what is it?"
His eyes glowed as he had been waiting for them to ask. "It's called a guitar. This happens to be the only one of its kind in circulation because everyone thinks violins and other classical instruments are superior," he said. "Want to hear me play."
Aika nodded enthusiastically. "Yes please."
He strummed the strings of the object, a sound unlike that of a violin escaping its grasp. He played for a while, the music stirring their souls unlike anything. The tone came out soft and calming and sometimes became a raging storm.
Aline and Aika clapped when he was done, and he bowed.
"Let's hear more," Aika pleaded.
He laughed. "I'm glad you like it. I wish other people liked it to." He hugged the device to his chest. "One day, I'm going to make this instrument a hit. I'll prove to everyone that different is okay."
Aika smiled. "I hope your wish comes true."
He laughed. "Thank you."
"If it isn't Noah, still trying to sell that piece of crap."
A group of men waltz towards Noah, hands in their pockets. Noah frowned. "If you're here to make fun of me then go away."
The leader of the group laughed. "It's no fun when you tell us to do it, but if you want us to beat you up today then I'd happily oblige."
Noah stood up, handing Aika his guitar. "Can you hold this for me?"
She took it without question, the musician standing in front of the gang. "You can punch and hurt me all you want, but my dream will surely come true."
"Your dream is foolish and meaningless, just give up and die."
He tried to punch him, but Aline came and stopped his punch with her palm. He frowned, unable to pull away from her death grip.
"I dare you to say that one more time." She glared at him, gray eyes glinting dangerously. "I dare you to call his dreams meaningless."
Noah stretched out his arms to stop her. "You don't have to-"
"Shut up!" she snapped. He flinched at her tone but shut his mouth. "On my ship, the most important thing to us is dreams." Noah's eyes widened as Aline flipped the gang leader on his back, stepping on is stomach. "Anyone who mocks another person's dream is a fool."
The gang scared out of their wits ran away, dragging their leader with them. Aika smiled. "You showed them good."
Aline pushed up her glasses. "Of course." She turned to Noah. "I don't know your circumstances, but I know I want to help you. If you want your dream to come true, join my crew and your music will spread throughout the world. Like you, we have people from different backgrounds who have something to prove."
"Would they really accept my music?"
"I won't force you to join, but I can assure you with everything I have that your music will be well received," she said. "You don't have to make your decision now, but when you do come meet the Cross Heart Adventurers in Gilam."
"Then I'll think about it," he said.
After a few more exchange of words, Aika and Aline walked away.
"That was a great speech," Aika said. "You must really like your crew."
Aline blushed, looking away. "Not really, they're all idiots with weird obsessions."
Aika laughed. "Isn't that what makes them great?"
Aline smiled despite herself. "Yes, yes, it is."