Yuma leans up against the wall. His breathing is slow and deliberate. The cell was small and dark. Made of dark bricks and no lights. Moon and Ika share a cell with Yuma. yuma exhales.
"What happened to staying on the boat… Ika?" Ika looks down.
"I… I had no choice… If I left they would have captured me, and if I didn't they still would've captured me…" Yuma grits his teeth, Moon exhales.
"He has a point, captain…" Yuma exhales.
"Fine… but what happens to you next isn't up to us, and it's your responsibility because you decided to come along…" Ika nods.
"I… already mentally prepared myself for something like this to happen…" Moon nods.
"Yuma is right, and it's good you are mentally prepared… but now it's too late to turn back…" Ika turns silent.
-----
Cani looks between the edges of the bricks, no holes or cracks and the walls were well cleaned.
"How's it going… Boombox?" Boombox whispers from the neighboring cell.
"The Guards come by our cell every 2 hours for their daily rounds or food, it seems they always turn left at the end of the hallway, so either the hallway ends or there is a closed door we could access on the right… based on what I've found using my echolocation…" Cani exhales and smiles.
"That's a relief, but we have no clue where Yuma, Moon, or Ika are… any idea where they might be?" Boombox sighs.
"My echolocation can't reach that far, so that's a no…" Cani sighs and punches the wall. Boombox takes a deep breath.
"The only guards with keys are the morning guards, so that'd be the only chance we'd have to steal the keys… and make an escape at night when it's least likely for them to see us" Cani nods.
"Good idea, Boombox, keep trying to figure out the layout as much as possible" Boombox nods.
"Will do"
-----
Yuma paces the cell, then doing crunches from a hanging bar. Moon watches as yuma silently decays the bars of the cell with each rep.
Cani stands up and picks up the metal plate off the floor and holds it up. Tightly closing her eyes.
"Come on… decay…" The bars glow ever so faintly before starting to rub into dust before turning to normal, it wasn't much, but she knew it could be done.
-----
Ika sits on the chair as Yuma does shirtless crunches. Moon walks over and sits down.
"What's wrong?" Ika sighs.
"I… I wanna help my island… I know this is important to accomplish that… but… I miss home…" Moon places a hand on Ika's shoulder.
"I know how you feel, Ika… I lost my family a long time ago, and there are days when the ache feels unbearable." He leans back against the wall, his gaze distant.
"But I learned that grief is a heavy weight. It can either break you or make you stronger." Ika looks up, curiosity mixed with sorrow in his eyes.
"Did you ever stop missing them?" Moon shakes his head slowly.
"No. But I found a way to carry their memory with me, to turn that pain into motivation… Every battle I fight, every victory, it's for them… and for those who still have a chance." Yuma, overhearing, pauses his workout and looks at them.
"Moon's right. It's okay to miss home... But don't let that longing stop you… Use it to fuel your fight, to remind you why we're here." Ika nods, determination flickering in his expression.
"I want to make them proud, too. I just… I'm scared." Moon gives a reassuring but faint smile.
"Fear is natural, but remember, we're all in this together. And when the time comes to break free, we'll do it as a team." Just then, the faint sound of guards echoing down the hallway brings them back to the present.
"Alright," Yuma says, his voice low but firm.
"Let's prepare for our escape. We can't let this place hold us any longer."
-----
Moon lay on the hard bed that night, trying to sleep, but the tiredness never came. Memories of Demon Lord Buki murdering his family and island in flames flash through his mind.
"I can't let that happen again" Yuma looks over.
"What was that, Moon?" Moon shakes his head.
"Nothing, captain"