The sun rose over the skeletal remains of the Island of Gold, but the usual glitter was gone. The morning light didn't hit gold; it hit ash. Ato stood on the deck of the ruined harbor, his eyes tracing the horizon where the blue of the sea met the pale sky. Behind him, the kingdom he had tried to save was a memory.
Suddenly, a rhythmic, metallic clanking echoed from the hospital path. The heavy doors creaked open, and Faramis stepped out. He looked like he'd been through a meat grinder, but his eyes were bright with that manic, scientific spark.
"No need for a new ship," Faramis called out, his voice raspy but confident. "I've got our old girl tucked away. She's seen better days, but with a few of my latest 'adjustments,' she'll fly across the waves."
Ato and Lemon spun around. Ato's jaw dropped. "Oi, Faramis! Are you okay? Why the hell are you walking already? You had a hole the size of a cannonball in your gut!"
Faramis waved a hand dismissively, though he winced as he moved. "It's okay. Zyrrex... he just made me a 'donut' type thing. Punched right through. But I've got nanites in my blood for a reason, Ato. My internal patches are holding." He stopped, leaning against a charred pillar, and looked at Lemon. "Now, I heard your conversation. I think the Prince here is going to be a perfect fit... but we need to talk business."
"Role?" Ato asked, tilting his head like a confused dog.
"Role!" Faramis barked, sounding like a professor. "Listen, in a pirate crew, everyone has a function. I'm the Scientist—I handle the tech, the medicine, and the ship's heart. Kojo is our primary Swordsman—the vanguard. You, Ato, are the Captain—the one who breaks the world so we can walk through it. But what about the Prince?"
Lemon stepped forward, his expression serious. "Just call me Lemon."
"Fine, Lemon," Faramis said, adjusting his goggles. "What role do you take? We're heading into EDEN territory. We don't need a passenger."
The group went silent. The wind howled through the ruins, pulling at their clothes. Lemon looked at the ocean, then at the stars beginning to fade in the morning light. He thought of the navigation charts he'd studied in the Royal Vaults since he was a child.
"Navigator," Lemon said firmly.
"Navigator?" Ato shouted.
"Navigator?!" Faramis joined in.
"NAVIGATOR!" a third voice bellowed from behind them.
They all jumped. Kojo Ren was suddenly standing there, his hand on the hilt of his katana, shouting at the top of his lungs.
Ato blinked. "Wait... when did Kojo get consciousness?"
"Oh, just now," Kojo said, looking perfectly fine despite being covered in bandages.
"Then why are you shouting, you idiot?!" Ato barked. "You don't even know what we're talking about!"
Kojo crossed his arms, looking completely unbothered. "I don't know, you guys were shouting, so I started shouting! It seemed like the right thing to do! By the way... why are we shouting?"
Ato groaned, rubbing his face. "Because Lemon is joining us as our Navigator."
Kojo squinted at Lemon, his eyes traveling from the Prince's fancy boots to his golden hair. "Lemon? Navigator? First of all... who is Lemon?"
Lemon's face turned a deep shade of crimson. "Idiot! I'm Lemon! I introduced myself when we first met! I fought right beside you against those Void freaks!"
"Oh," Kojo snapped his fingers. "The royalty freak. I remember now."
"Oi! Who are you calling a royalty freak?!" Lemon roared, his regal composure finally snapping.
"You! You idiot!" Kojo shouted back.
"Both of you stop it right now!" Faramis yelled, stepping between them. "The EDEN Government... they'll be sending their hounds to this island any minute to investigate the loss of their gold. We need to leave. Lemon... can you ask your father for his blessing?"
Lemon's eyes went soft for a moment. "He's no more, Faramis. He passed during the night."
Faramis froze. The air left the room. "Oh... Lemon, I'm sorr—"
"No," Lemon interrupted, looking up at the sky. "He'll be happy. For the first time, I'm doing what I want. I'm not a Prince of a dead kingdom. I'm a Navigator of a new world. He'd want me to go."
Faramis nodded solemnly. "Then we leave tomorrow. At dawn."
[The Unknown Sea]
Miles away, sitting in a dimly lit room aboard a massive, dark vessel, a man with hair as red as a dying star sat at a table. He picked up a fresh copy of the EDEN News.
"Hahahaha!" The man let out a booming laugh that shook the glasses on the table. "So, the Island of Gold is gone. The EDEN Government is going to have a hell of a time explaining this one. The world is finally getting interesting."
He tossed the paper aside, a dangerous grin spreading across his face.
[The Departure]
The next morning, the crew stood at the water's edge. "Come on!" Ato cheered. "We're going back to the seas!"
Faramis reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, high-tech capsule. He tossed it into the surf. POOF! A massive cloud of steam erupted, and as it cleared, their ship appeared—sleek, reinforced, and ready for war.
"Everyone on board!" Faramis commanded.
Hours later, they were miles out. Lemon stood at the helm, his hands firm on the wheel, guiding the ship through the currents with a skill that silenced even Faramis's doubts.
"I'M HUNGRY!" Ato suddenly roared from the bow.
Faramis walked over and handed him a small cup. "Here. Instant noodles. It's all the med-bay had."
Ato looked at the noodles like they were poison. "No! I don't want this! I want real food! Good food! Meat!"
"We don't have a cook, Ato," Faramis sighed. "You know that."
Ato stood up, pointing his finger toward the horizon with a look of pure determination. "Cook? Cook... COOK! Fine! The next island we hit, we're finding a cook! I'm not eating another dried noodle as long as I live! Navigator! Set course for the nearest kitchen!"
Lemon sighed, but a small smile played on his lips. "As you wish, Captain."