Year 765 Hippocampus Rush

Connor was beyond happy to see a familiar face, he was just so good at concealing it beneath another neutral façade. A typical defense mechanism when he is around people that he is not comfortable with. Although they were strangers, this woman hid behind him as if that did not matter to the woman anymore, looking a little on edge at the sight of Jerold.

Just like how she was when they first met, a tigrou prowling and clawing at the bars of its cage. Rhea could not hide her distrust, just as badly as she was using Connor as a visual shield.

Jerold is not a man with a terrifying aura or even the body of a heavy hitter, relying on ingenuity and fast motion to stay as Connor's trustworthy swashbuckler. That dopey grin hides the skills of the best swashbuckler on his ship.

Wait...why is he grinning?

"Jerold..." Connor tried to shift the conversation to his favor. Too late.

"Oh!? Capt' Ya could've just said that ya was out on a date!"

"That is definitely not what I am doing..."

Successfully ignored...

"Nope ya get all dark and gloomy sayin' ya gotta go snoopin' some gang's house." The royal pain in the ass forgets himself. Jerold romanticizes the wrong things, losing himself in some fantasy created by his crazy assumptions. The swashbuckler saluted in an exaggerated matter. "Don't worry Capt! I'll make sure yar little secret is safe with me! Go on with yar day with the lovely little lass."

"D-date?" Rhea honestly asked behind him, squinting at Connor for answers. The question fueled Connor's agitation even more.

Connor lost his patience, grabbing both of Jerold's shoulders and gripping hard. His jaw tensed, ready to berate him if it wasn't for the fact that there wasn't time for it. You'll be dusting the cannons later. "JEROLD. No. The Death twisters are after us. Who-"

"Huh!? Why are the Death Twister chasing yas? Unless-" Jerold did a once over on Rhea, who glared at him in automatic response. It seems that is what she does when people look at her too long. "Ya done it and stow away the leader's wifey! SCANDOL-"

"No." Connor shook him once and hard by the shoulders, which stopped Jerold's crazy speculations. "We went to the mansion...killed the leader and now they are after us. Who are you with?"

"Uh...really...that's it?" Jerold pouted, seeming to lose interest as soon as the facts registered in his head. "I was with Cid. Big guy and I were lookin' for sum mead to take home. Got lost amongst the panic. Just was lookin' for 'im actually."

Perfect. "Let's find him together and quickly. They are still looking for us." Connor motioned to Rhea with a hand wave to have her follow them. She is now the one to glower, rebelliously crossing her arms over her chest and wrinkling her nose up.

Not now!

"Sorry lass. Capt' isn't good at understandin' folk. The name's Mr. Jerold Cavar! Just Jerold is fine! Happily married with six little ankle twisters to call my own." Jerold left out an offering hand shake to the one person that seemed ready to end his child-bearing days.

Rhea's gaze focused hard on the hovering hand, as if she were about to catch on fire if she touched it. Eventually, after a few of Jerold's questions riddled glances toward Connor, the woman took his hand and shook it once.

"Chathalic-rues. My name is Rhea. It is nice to meet you...?" She retracted her hand after one singular shake, forcing a smile perhaps to be cordial.

"Yar very polite. Unlike the folks here. Say, how did lass like yas meet my capt?" Jerold stood next to her, shoulders almost touching, grinning with his whole face. He's always been the jovial and friendly type, most of the newest recruits will always say so.

"Well-"

"We are being CHASED... Save the questions for later." Connor can't hold his annoyance back; Jerold has amped up his obnoxious behavior over the simple fact that Connor associated himself with the opposite gender. That man over fantasizes the most dubious of theories.

"When have yas not been in mortal danger, Capt?" When Jerold was served a snarl from Connor, he snapped his spine straight and took the lead. "Aye, off to find one big loveable sea-pup. Come, Capt and lass!"

Jerold bounded away; Connor moved to follow with the Krax woman trailing behind. There were plenty of speculations that crossed his mind which shook his own core priorities.

Why is she still helping him? And what did she do to that corpse he found?

Who are you...and what are you hiding?

Connor started to want to find out what was behind that rebellious grin she flaunted. Especially when she danced terribly around the truth, that's when he wanted to press her for more information.

There weren't many that could spur this interest. This feeling occurs at times when he recruits someone, always picking only the best of people to board his Nightmare Maiden. Boarding the Nightmare Maiden is a privilege that no one has except for his crew. She hasn't been boarded on by an enemy ship and it will remain that way for as long as Captain Connor can inhale the air.

Is he going to give her that privilege?

Connor didn't spend too much time pondering, they were following Jerold at a good pace. All three of them sifted through some of the panicking locals, dodging any that ran and screamed away from the pistol shots. Rhea kept oddly close, despite her earlier grievances, she looked more nervous out in the open during this chaos. A normal Krax doesn't get to walk around the town without attracting attention, and she was armed with weapons and birthed is features that disprove the initial stereotype.

All it takes is one bored Chimera Knight to come up and ask for her slave documents.

Connor will have to thank the gods with their luck. The Chimera Knights were nowhere to be seen and the locals were too busy running from the violence to care. Some even started pilfering the vendor stands they saw unattended, an opportunity they can't even use.

It had been his whole experience in this gods' forsaken town. He missed the sea and its bountiful opportunities already.

Connor saw the back of an axe-wearing man, about seventy-nine inches of thick muscles. This man is not hard to see, his height and figure stood out like a sore thumb. People like that are usually known to be half-giants around Yventlin, a small race category that branches away from the core giant people: The Grimafolk.

This half-giant's outfit had to be specifically altered to fit, shirtless with a green blazer that looked like two large ones sewn into one. Pants made from fabric stolen from their exploits and sewn together by Jerold's wife. By the wavy brown ponytail and the large silver axe, Connor could easily recognize him as Cid: his friendly boatswain.

Cid saw them coming at him and smiled with a grin as friendly as a fat bovious.

Bovious are hairy, four-legged creatures farmed for their meat and milk. They do not have necks and have wide set mouths to feast on grass lazily. Their eyes covered by bushy eyebrows and tusks jutting out their red lips, making them look like they are smiling. Pretty friendly creatures and domesticated to the point that they aren't waltzing around the wilderness anymore.

The only big difference is that Cid is not lazy. Those giant muscles of his require a lot of effort on his side, with his profession as a boatswain helping build his physique. And he loves to arm wrestle with anyone on the ship, loves his job anchoring the ship just as much.

"Jerold! Capt'! Random lass!" Cid hummed happily, even at Rhea, who might have forgotten to be polite and gawked at the sight of Cid. It's a very common reaction when half-giants aren't a normal encounter either.

"Big Guy!? Why ya run off from me like that!?" Jerold whined, punching the big brute at his hardened biceps.

It doesn't come as a surprise that it didn't hurt Cid, the boatswain scratched a forefinger on his hairy chin line. "W-well. I saw a match between a man and a kango. I jumped in-"

"Cid...Jerold. Death Twisters are chasing us." Connor re-reminded Jerold and notified Cid, finding that any tale of Cid's could wait another time.

"Darn...I was wondering what he did." Rhea muttered aloud, blushing when she realized it.

Connor snapped his attention at her, she shifted her face away.

"The Death Twisters? Really?" Cid's grin grew, brandishing his axe. He didn't have any concerns riddled in his voice or posture, not even having the name of the stranger in their midst. "Where?"

"We will post at the harbor where we have the upper advantage. Together we should be able to handle it- " The barrage of gunshots is now a lot closer, behind them all. Cid moved towards the sound, waving his axe around.

"I love a challenge!" Roared Cid, showing his true battle-hungry side.

"Big Guy!? Are ya even listening to the Capt?" Jerold grabbed the half-giant by the thick biceps and tried to weigh him down. His attempt was futile. Cid easily dragged Jerold a foot away.

"The battle will be grand at the harbor, CID! COME NOW" Connor snapped, trying to sell the activity to him, since the big child isn't picky. Never was, even when they were both children on the ship, following their guardians around like cuckoos.

"Oh...okay Capt'." Cid pouts, now picking up Jerold in one arm and taking him away. "Let's go to the ship then!"

"Put me down!?" Jerold yelped, didn't work. Cid was jogging away with a helpless Jerold in one arm.

Rhea choked on her laughter. "He is like a big kid..."

"He just turned nineteen..." Connor grumbled, rubbing his temples, and following the members of his crew.

"Nineteen!?" Rhea's exclamation did not shock him. Cid neither acts nor looks his age, a conflicting individual, but Connor won't trade him for anyone. This is his crew, and he will stick by them for as long as they stay loyal to him.

"They seem nice..." Rhea mumbled something else she didn't mean to say out in the open, avoiding Connor's speculative glare again.

She has a weird way of complimenting people, being embarrassed every time she does so. Interesting, how she won't openly compliment someone to their face. Like she did for Connor when the Vicar bad mouthed about Connor and his profession.

Quite strange.... Again, he is too focused on Rhea, the gun shots are getting closer. The group increased their pace. Cid knew where he was going but Connor could see the ship sails even from here. The ground was even sandier in consistency.

The first ship they saw wasn't theirs, it belonged to a market vendor based on the size of it. He could see his brig further down.

"Is that your ship?" Rhea asked, filtered clean of any animosity. Connor took offense anyway.

"No." The temptation to correct her was intense, but it wouldn't work on someone without any knowledge of ships. There was no need for it when the Nightmare Maiden was just a few jogging paces away.

The four of them jogged there in no time, reaching Nightmare Maiden. Her wood is made of black charred elderwood which can withstand damage from mortar rounds.

The helm and her wings are tucked away due to being docked, but it doesn't make her any less beautiful. She is known to be the fastest ship around and assisted his crew to slip through many of their enemies. And conquered them.

"That...is your ship." This time it was a statement from Rhea rather than a question. Sounds a lot better than the atrocious inquiry she asked a minute ago.

Connor nodded once to confirm, his face is stoic, but it doesn't shake away the pride he has towards his own ship. Every other ship in this port is small compared to the Nightmare Maiden, and her outline stands out in Manuk's rays. Cid stopped before the ship, dropping Jerold on his own feet.

The swashbuckler patted away the wrinkles of his clothes, grumbling the whole time. Something about not being some babe to carry.

"Stay and keep watch." Connor marched past those two, forgetting that Rhea was right behind him and followed him all the way to the ramp of the ship.

"Aye, aye."

Connor didn't even notice Rhea's reaction when she paused just before the foot of the ramp. Until her voice picked up to say, "I will wait here..."

Connor froze, both confused and annoyed, thinking of a million reasons why she wasn't just following him up to his ship. Stuffed it down a mental chest and saved it for later to ask. Death Twisters are closing in, she can easily keep a look out with the other two. "Aye."

Connor moved up the ramp and was greeted by his assigned guards there. He began barking his orders, then, "HANDS LET US SHOW THE DEATH TWISTERS WHAT WE ARE MADE OF!"

The roars of his crew were music to his ears. But the crewmembers were getting set up for a potential all-out brawl....