Chapter 26 - Of we sail

The night settled in around the broken hotel, the distant sounds of the city muted by the thick, crumbling walls. Eleo lay on the dusty mattress, his mind restless. His fingers absentmindedly grazed the back of his neck, feeling the mysterious "R" mark. Should he tell the others? They'd just dismiss it like everyone else. He let out a soft breath, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He needed answers, but maybe now wasn't the time.

 

He glanced around the dimly lit room, the others already starting to drift into sleep. In the stillness, he couldn't keep his thoughts from racing.

 

"Hey, guys," Eleo finally broke the silence, his voice tentative. "Where are we going next?"

 

Tony groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Now? You wanna talk about that now?" He fumbled with the map that had seen better days, pulling it from under his pillow. "We're at Orka City," he mumbled, pointing to a large section that covered most of the island. "Big place. We've got the forests, the lands, some villages. There's a lot."

 

Olorun, lying on his side, chimed in, "And my brother's castle. Don't forget that."

 

Kenji leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Plus the villages. And if we really wanna go back, there's the way to World 0." His tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

 

Tony, a little more awake now, nodded, pointing again at the map. "Yeah, yeah. Then once we leave this place, we've got the Animal Kingdom and after that, we hit the whirlpool to World 2."

 

Eleo sat up, his energy not matching the tired mood of the room. "Can we go now?" he asked, eyes wide with eagerness.

 

Tony shot him a look. "It's the middle of the night, kid. We can't just leave now." He paused before muttering, "Besides, we don't even know what's waiting for us out there…"

 

"Okay, okay," Eleo replied, slumping back into bed. The room fell into silence again, but his thoughts kept spinning. He could hear Tony's breathing steady as he fell back asleep, leaving Eleo alone with his unresolved thoughts. Maybe one day I'll understand this mark, he thought to himself.

 

Morning broke with a dull light as Kuri and Charlie stood by the docks, preparing their sailboat for the journey ahead. The breeze carried the salty scent of the sea, and the docks were alive with faint creaking sounds of ships swaying against the tide. Charlie, tightening the ropes, was already lost in thought about World 2 and the challenges that awaited.

 

Suddenly, a voice broke the calm. "Wait!" They turned to see Jorbo running toward them, breathless and desperate.

 

Kuri frowned. "What is it?" she asked, her tone not unkind but guarded.

 

Jorbo, panting heavily, stopped in front of them. "Can you guys take me with you? I… I need to get out of this place."

 

Kuri exchanged a glance with Charlie. "We're heading to the Second World," she said slowly, eyeing him warily.

 

"Good," Jorbo replied, trying to catch his breath. "I can go with you."

 

Charlie, eyeing him up and down, gave a half-smile. "You could, but it's not that simple." He crossed his arms, his gaze thoughtful. "How about you join my team?"

 

Jorbo raised an eyebrow, confused. "Team? What for?"

 

Charlie smirked, his eyes glinting with ambition. "To beat the strongest. What else?" His confidence was unshakable, almost contagious.

 

Jorbo stood there, hesitating. Team? Strongest? He wasn't sure if this was what he wanted, but he needed to get out of Orka City. Finally, he sighed, "Alright, sure. Why not?"

 

Charlie stepped forward, extending his hand. "Jorbo, would you like to join my team?"

 

Jorbo looked at Charlie's outstretched hand, the weight of his decision hanging in the air. After a beat, he shook it firmly. "Yeah. I'm in."

 

In that moment, a blue message flickered in front of them:

 

"Jorbo has joined Charlie's Team: Charlie, Kuri, Jorbo."

 

Charlie grinned widely. "Nice!" But before he could finish his thought, his eyes caught a familiar figure near another boat. His smile quickly faded as his gaze sharpened. "You!" he shouted, recognizing Koshkin preparing his own vessel a few meters away. "I remember you!"

 

Koshkin, uninterested, barely looked up from his work. "Uh… do I know you?" His voice was calm, indifferent.

 

Charlie strode forward, his tone becoming more intense. "You don't know your own rival?"

 

Koshkin raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed. "Rival? You think we're rivals?" He sighed, turning back to his boat. "Look, I don't have time for this."

 

Charlie, undeterred, smirked. "Yes, we are. And I know you're heading to World 2 as well."

 

Koshkin didn't bother replying, simply finishing his preparations and pushing his boat out into the water. His silence spoke volumes.

 

Kuri, watching the exchange with a mix of amusement and frustration, rolled her eyes. "Good grief, Charlie, let it go. You're wasting time."

 

But Charlie was already fired up. "No way. We're following him. Get on the boat, Jorbo!"

 

Jorbo climbed aboard, casting a sideways glance at Charlie. Man, what did I just get myself into? he thought, his doubts creeping in. As they set sail, following Koshkin toward the unknown waters of World 2, a sense of both excitement and uncertainty hung in the air.

 

We then see hunk talking to the supreme Court. Supreme Court Justice: "Mr. Hunk, I understand you're upset, but decisions had to be made. The safety of the country required certain sacrifices. You of all people should recognize the necessity of such actions."

 

Hunk sat in silence for a moment, his fingers tightening around the phone. His city—reduced to ashes. Homes destroyed, families lost. All because of a decision made by people who lived far from the consequences.

 

Supreme Court Justice: "The court weighed the options. It wasn't personal, it's the burden of maintaining order. The world comes first."

 

Hunk let out a slow breath, trying to calm the fire that had been burning inside him since the day his world had been torn apart. He stared out the window at the faint outline of the city, now broken beyond repair. The weight of loss hung in the air, but the voice on the other end remained cold, detached.

 

Supreme Court Justice: "I trust you understand the importance of stability. You've been cooperative in the past, and I assume you'll continue to be reasonable moving forward."

 

That's when something snapped.

 

Hunk stood up, his heart pounding in his chest. Reasonable? How could they expect him to remain reasonable when his city lay in ruins, when his people had been sacrificed for the sake of "order"? Hunk leaned back in his chair, his broad frame casting a shadow across the room as the city lights flickered outside the window. He gripped the phone tightly, his voice low but carrying a weight that could crush mountains.

 

"You think you've got the world in your hands, don't you?" Hunk said, his voice steady, yet carrying an undercurrent of menace. "You sit there in your fancy robes, passing judgments, hiding behind your laws and your titles. But let me tell you something."

 

He stood, towering over the room as he moved to the window, looking out at the vast skyline. "Power isn't what you think it is. It's not in your courts, or your titles, or your money. Real power is out there. It's in the people you ignore, the ones you dismiss. The ones who have nothing left to lose."

 

His voice hardened, his words slicing through the silence like a blade. "You can keep pretending you're untouchable. You can try to crush anyone who stands against you. But that won't last forever. There's always someone waiting. Someone stronger, hungrier, ready to tear down everything you've built."

 

He paused, his eyes narrowing as he watched the city beneath him. "You can't stop what's coming. You might not see it yet, but a storm is brewing. And when it hits, it's going to tear your world apart. Not just a change in the guard—no, this will be the end of the way things have always been."

 

Hunk leaned forward, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "You think you're in control, but that control is slipping through your fingers. And when the dust settles, you'll be nothing but a footnote. Someone else will rise, someone you never saw coming. And they'll take everything you hold dear, piece by piece."

 

He let out a long breath, his words calm but filled with certainty. "Mark my words, you can try to hold on to your throne, but it's already crumbling. The real power is out there, and it's only a matter of time before it's taken from you." he then hangs up.

Meanwhile, down in the bustling market streets of Orka City, Eleo and the gang were at a clothing shop. Kenji examined himself in a mirror, now dressed in a new outfit that captured the island's laid-back vibe. He wore a light-blue graphic T-shirt with a subtle animal print and paired it with some cargo shorts that added to his relaxed look. His purple headband added a splash of color to his blue hair. He tugged at the fabric, admiring his reflection.

 

"Man, look at us," Kenji said, smirking as he adjusted his headband. "We're looking pretty fly, don't you think?"

 

Tony, the skeleton, gave a nod, his sunhat tilting slightly as he adjusted the long hooded cloak that draped over his bony frame. "Yep, we do." His voice had that dry, humor-laced tone it always carried, adding a sense of irony to the situation. "If I had muscles, I'd say I look ripped."

 

Olorun stood off to the side, wearing his tropical pink button-up shirt adorned with palm trees and ocean waves. His pink sunglasses glinted in the shop's fluorescent light. He held his arms out in front of him, doing a mock runway strut. Eleo stood in front of a mirror, admiring his reflection with childlike enthusiasm. He had picked out a pair of light-colored overalls—yellow, almost pastel in hue—that seemed perfect for the island's sunny atmosphere. The overalls were paired with a loose, white T-shirt that had small prints of animals scattered across it, giving the entire outfit a playful, youthful feel.

 

The hoodie attached to the overalls had small bunny ears on the top, an extra touch of whimsy that matched Eleo's bright and energetic personality. He spun around, making sure the small carrot-shaped backpack he wore on his back was perfectly positioned. His soft shoes were designed for comfort and speed, perfect for dashing around the island as he always did.

 

Eleo tugged at the bunny ears on his hoodie with a grin. "Check this out, guys! I'm lookin' sharp!" He bounced on the balls of his feet, clearly pleased with his choice. His eyes sparkled with youthful excitement as he caught sight of his reflection again. "I feel like I could take on the whole world in this!"

 

Kenji, leaning casually against the counter, chuckled. "Yeah, you look ready to take on something... but the whole world? Maybe start with the island first." He looked down at his own outfit and nodded in approval. "Still, we all look pretty damn good. No one's gonna miss us when we walk through the streets."

 

Olorun adjusted his sunglasses, the pink lenses reflecting the warm light of the shop. "I say we take these new threads and hit the road. This city's not ready for us."

 

Eleo laughed, hopping up and down. "Right, right! Come on, let's go!" He sprinted towards the door, his excitement overflowing as usual.

The shop owner, standing behind the counter, raised a finger in protest. "Hey, wait! You have to pay for those!"

 

But the group ignored him, strutting out the door like they owned the place. As the door swung shut, the shopkeeper sighed, muttering, "Never mind…". They hurried to the dock where their boat was waiting. Eleo, still bursting with energy, jumped aboard first, waving the others on. "Let's go, let's go! The wind's perfect, and the sea's calling!"

 

Olorun followed closely behind, raising his hands dramatically as he echoed Eleo's enthusiasm. "Yeah, hurry up! We've got islands to conquer!"

 

Kenji shook his head, laughing as he hopped on board. "You two never run out of energy, do you?"

 

Tony, with his skeletal frame covered in his long hooded cloak, settled in at the back of the boat, using the paddle to push them away from the dock. As they drifted out onto the open waters, Eleo and Olorun began to sing, their voices echoing across the calm sea. The song was as goofy and disjointed as you could expect from the two, completely out of tune and full of nonsensical lyrics.

 

Eleo started off, singing loudly and with gusto.

"Ohhh, we're sailin' on the open seeeaaa!

With fishies that go beep beep beep,

And a skeleton who loves to sleep,

But we're not afraid of the sharks that peeeep!"

 

Olorun joined in, his voice even more off-key.

"Yeah, we're sailin' on the windy breeeze!

With no pants and a hundred beeees!

Our boat might sink but we'll float with ease,

'Cause we're the best sailors on the seaaaas!"

 

Kenji buried his face in his hands, laughing so hard he could barely speak. "That... is... terrible. Please, for the love of all things sane, stop."

 

Tony shook his head, unable to hold back a small smile. "At this point, I'm wishing the sharks would show up, just to end the torture."

 

But Eleo wasn't about to stop. He waved his arms in the air, hyping himself up. "Come on, Tony! Join in! You know you love it!"

 

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, sure. Just let me know when the fish start singing back."

The sun was casting a warm glow across the horizon as the group lay scattered across the deck of their small sailboat. Olorun stretching lazily before his foot touched something wet. His face scrunched in confusion, and he looked down, noticing the puddle at his feet.

 

"Alright, who the hell peed themselves?" Olorun groaned, half-joking, half-serious.

 

Kenji propped himself up on his elbow"Not me," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

 

Tony, sitting cross-legged and eerily composed as always, replied with a casual shrug. "Definitely not me. No bladder, remember?"

 

All three of them turned to look at Eleo,

 

"What?" Eleo said with his mouth full, blinking in surprise. "I didn't do anything!"

 

Kenji frowned, squinting down at the puddle around Olorun's feet. He leaned over to get a closer look, then his eyes widened. "Ah, shit."

 

Olorun followed Kenji's gaze, and his face turned pale. "Wait… that's not…"

 

"The boat's leaking!" Kenji finished, pointing at the crack near the bottom of the boat, where water was slowly but steadily creeping in.

 

Tony's skeletal face twisted into something resembling a frown. "Well, this complicates things."

 

Eleo, completely unfazed, looked down at the water gathering around their feet and shrugged. "Guess we better start bailing, huh?"

 

Kenji smacked his forehead. "Eleo, this is serious! We're miles from shore, and the boat's falling apart!"

 

Olorun stood up, water splashing as he stomped his feet in frustration. "Great. We're stuck in the middle of the ocean with a boat that's turning into a sponge."

 

Tony sighed, looking out at the endless expanse of water. "I told you guys we should've checked this thing before we left."

 

Eleo, however, was already grabbing a bucket. "Relax, we got this. Just a little leak! We can fix it. I'll start bailing the water, you guys figure out how to patch it up."

 

Kenji shook his head in disbelief. "This kid…"

 

Olorun groaned again, kicking the water. "Well, this is just perfect. Next time, I'm picking the boat."

 

The group scrambled to save their leaking vessel, the sun rising higher as they tried to come up with a plan before they sank entirely.