Banda Sea

Sophie hit the button and ran back down the wide beach, Kaliana on her heels. No other groups were around this island, so Razan had stayed in the boat.

The sea had become rougher as the day went on, making Sophie faintly seasick. Not enough to throw up or anything, but it felt like there was a spike sitting in her stomach, poking her with every rocking movement. She saw the boat moving up and down, and stopped, seriously debating staying on shore.

"Something wrong?" Kaliana asked, catching up to her.

"No," Sophie answered, aware her voice betrayed her. She smiled, trying to brighten up. "I'm just getting a bit tired."

Determined to not be weak, she stepped into the waves and waded to the boat. Razan helped her up, then pulled Kaliana in. Peter told Marie where to go next as Sophie squeezed the water out of her trousers and took her shoes off to dry. The sandals worked much better than her boots, even if they were slightly too big.

The boat turned, rising and falling rather sharply, and Sophie's stomach tried to leave her body. A headache knocked on her skull as well. She closed her eyes, grimacing.

"Razan," Marie called, and quietly gave him orders as Sophie tried to keep her organs from revolting. There was more movement, which certainly didn't help, and then Marie's hand landed on Sophie's shoulder. "How bad is it, child?"

"If I breathe too deep I might die," Sophie admitted.

"Will I offend you if I suggest you bail?"

"Yes," she said firmly, fists clenching.

Marie smiled, pulling a bag out of her pocket. "Good. Here; ginger. Chew slowly. It'll help."

Sophie nodded, accepting the bag. Marie patted her shoulder and went back to the tiller, motioning Razan out of her spot.

"Boat," Peter said, pointing left.

Sophie looked but couldn't make out any detail, so instead she pulled one of the ginger pieces out of the bag and focused on it. It wasn't just ginger, it was some kind of crystallized candy. Setting it on her tongue didn't work any miracles, but as seconds passed she felt her stomach settle.

Nop appeared and flapped down onto the boom. "Don't get closer to them. They aren't one of ours."

"Local fishermen?" Marie asked.

"Yes," Nop said. "Right now they can't see you, but the illusion can break if you get close. Or if they hear something and focus on it."

"Illusion?" Peter asked.

"Yes, there is a…" The raven faltered, trying to find the right words. "A magic wall between you and them which… removes you from the ocean as they see it."

"So it doesn't make us invisible, it just stops them from seeing us?" Sophie asked.

"Yes. We try to put you far enough from humans that no one would see you anyway, but there are times that is simply impossible," Nop said. "This is the closest you personally have ever been to someone, but not the first time you would have been visible."

Sophie considered that, sadly dismissing ideas of somehow turning herself invisible with magic cloth. Although if there was a way of making false walls…

"I fear for my privacy," Razan said, watching her.

She smiled at him. "You say that as if you had any to begin with."

"I at least know when you're in my room," he said.

"Yes, but not when I'm watching you from outside it."

Truthfully, she hadn't figured out how to get a camera into his room without him knowing, but he didn't know that. The look on his face said he absolutely believed she had one.

"Do you have something to watch my room?" Peter asked.

"You're far too boring; it would be a waste," Sophie told him.

Peter looked both relieved and offended, but Marie coughed to cover a laugh.

"You shouldn't watch people without their knowledge and permission," Kaliana said. "It's impolite."

"I know, but sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than permission," Sophie said.

"And so far you have asked for neither," Razan pointed out.

"Correct," she said cheerfully, then realized she was cheerful again. The ginger was working; her seasickness was nearly gone. She giggled at his glare, offering him the bag.

Marie moved the boat away from another island just as the Caterpillars landed on it. They'd passed plenty of their competitors, but so far had only reached an island at the same time as others once.

Which made sense, she supposed. Everyone was moving at slightly different speeds, and was taking different routes. The buttons were set on islands in an oval-ish pattern, but if someone chose to simply head for the closest button regardless of direction, they'd end up crossing the oval several times.

"Boat," Peter said, pointing ahead.

Marie wondered if he was capable of announcing a boat was in sight using more than one word. So far, it seemed he wasn't.

Razan, who had the spyglass again, checked who it was. "Windwards."

"Oh no," Kaliana muttered, shrinking down in the bottom of the boat. She was sitting with her back to the mast, trying to use it as cover.

"We have a truce with them, we'll be fine," Peter told her.

"That's not-" She broke off with a half-growl.

Marie smiled, adjusting course to pass closer to them.

As they got closer, Marie first saw they were on the raft with the square sail. She was immediately jealous, but three against one had put the Drifters in this boat, and she couldn't argue. Then she noticed Asani was missing from the raft. Louis was at the tiller, while Nali sat against the mast and Ebba was stretched out in the shade of the sail. Nali said something, and Ebba got slowly to her feet.

"Good afternoon!" Louis called, leaving his post as the raft approached them. "It's a lovely craft you were given."

"Aye, completely average in every way," Marie called back. "Did you lose Asani?"

The raft bumped into their boat, and Nali and Louis grabbed hold as Ebba jumped over.

"No, he gets impressively seasick, so we left… Kaliana, what are you doing here, all alone and unprotected?" Ebba asked, her smile going beyond shark-like.

Kaliana muttered something, doing her best to merge with the mast.

"Bees sank their boat, and Max asked if we could take her," Peter said.

"Bees?" Nali echoed with a frown.

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"I'm not surprised," Louis said.

"And they left you alone with these kind people?" Ebba asked, gently taking Kaliana's chin and tilting it up.

"It was that or forfeit," Kaliana said, being guided into a standing position. If she was hoping this would help her situation it didn't work, as Ebba was a full foot taller than her and easily kept looking down into her eyes.

"Still, I'm amazed he trusted you to go alone," Ebba purred, leaning closer. "After all, Kaliana, there are dangerous people around."

Kaliana stopped breathing, her face turning a rather impressive shade of red. Her knees started to give way as Ebba moved closer.

"Ebba, stop trying to seduce my passenger," Marie ordered, amused. "We are in a race; you have better things to be doing."

The witch laughed, spinning away from Kaliana to face Marie. "Yes, we are. If trading passengers is allowed, take Nali and give us Razan. I wasn't aware it was, but if no one objected to you taking a Diamond, surely trading a few people to cover the area quicker is also fine."

"That would mostly involve backtracking for the traded person," Peter pointed out.

"Aye, but not entirely," Louis chimed in. "We've only hit five buttons out of sixteen."

"Six out of sixteen for us," Sophie said.

"And if one craft is destroyed, it isn't the end for the group," Nali added.

Ebba smiled. "Exactly. Plenty of benefits and no disadvantages."

Marie nodded. "Peter is keeping track of our route. Who-"

"Here," Louis said, holding up a map device as he slid closer to Peter. "Where've you been, lad?" They were immediately deep in conversation.

"Razan, will you accept being traded off?" Marie asked.

The samurai bowed, but had a faint wry smile as he straightened up. "I do, but I believe it would be best if you joined them on the raft, Captain. I can handle this boat well enough. It is far more logical for me to stay here."

"I do like that idea," Ebba said, pulling Marie's hand off the tiller.

It wasn't logical in the least. Marie could think of no reason why it would be better for her to join Louis and Ebba. There were, in fact, several reasons why she shouldn't. The least of which not being Razan and Nali would have to spend over an hour together, and the Korean woman was still holding a grudge against him for cutting her hair.

But Marie couldn't bring herself to say that out loud; he was offering her the perfect opportunity to do something she dearly wished to do, making it sound like there was some good, unemotional reason behind it.

Marie got to her feet. "Aye, you're right. Samurai, I leave you in charge of this boat and crew."

He bowed again, his face completely neutral.

Ebba hopped back onto her raft. "Nali, in you get, play nice. Kaliana, would you care to join us?"

Kaliana was still pressed against the mast, her breathing not back to normal yet but her face no longer an interesting color. "I'm happy here."

"How disappointing."

Nali stepped into the boat as Marie stepped out, managing to time everything so there wasn't too much rocking. Sophie helped Nali steady herself, getting a thanks in return.

"Courses planned," Louis said, looking at Ebba.

Peter looked at Marie and nodded. "Ready."

Marie smiled, pushing the boat away. "Be safe, children."

"Have fun!" Sophie called, waving happily.

Razan moved the sail to catch the wind, adjusting course as the boat picked up speed.

On the raft, Louis motioned to the tiller. "Well, my love, would you like to-"

"Yes," Marie said, running for it. Her eyes trailed up the rat's nest of ropes, and she pulled one. The sail turned, filling with air. She smiled at having guessed correctly, twitching another rope to make the raft go faster.

"You know, dear, I think she just wanted to join us for the raft," Ebba said, leaning against Louis.

"I would disagree, but she's taking us in the wrong direction," Louis said.

Marie laughed. "Tell me where to go, love, and I'll happily change course."

Razan had debated nearly capsizing the boat, but decided a prank like that wouldn't be appreciated. Besides, Marie had already done it. Instead he carefully followed Peter's directions, trying to keep as much wind in the sail as possible.

It was true that he wasn't as good at guessing currents and wind patterns as Marie, but he managed an acceptable job. Although he'd never been a sailor, his uncle had insisted knowing the basics was important. One never knew when a vessel would be caught in a storm and pushed out into the middle of the ocean, leaving the crew unable or unwilling to direct the boat to a safe port.

Razan wondered, not for the first time, if his uncle was simply paranoid, or completely insane. But that wasn't important at the moment.

He steered the boat closer to a small, crescent-shaped island, trying to see any dangerous rocks under the water. The sun was shining brightly, reflecting off the waves in a way which could blind anyone who stared too hard.

"There's something dark ahead," Sophie called, looking over the side.

"A rock?" Nali asked, moving to the bow. "Not a rock."

Kaliana joined them. "A sinkhole."

Razan immediately turned the boat. "How wide is it?"

"Not too big," Sophie said. "It's just very-" She cut off with a yelp, falling backwards.

Peter leaned over the side, trying to see what had startled her as Razan turned the boat further.

"Is that a whale?" he asked.

Kaliana shook her head. "Whales are bigger. That had to be a shark or dolphin."

"It was long, though," Nali said. "Might have been a dragon."

"Dragons aren't real," Peter said. "Are they?"

"I believe they are," Razan said, finally far enough from the sinkhole he felt safe. Real or not, something lived in there, and he wasn't going to risk it.

"The rostari should know, right?" Sophie asked, looking timidly over the side again.

"Irik says they do exist," Nali said.

"Prut told me they don't," Kaliana countered.

"What does Nop say?" Sophie asked.

There were three flashes in different parts of the boat as three ravens appeared.

"Absolutely they do," a male-sounding voice said from one of them.

"How do you define 'dragon'?" Nop asked.

"There are no giant, winged lizards," another female-sounding voice said. "Thus, no dragons."

"That is not a universal trait for them," Irik said. "Besides, humans have all kinds of incorrect ideas about how animals work. They still haven't figured out how birds migrate; surely someone saw a strange animal and later described it as a dragon."

"That still means dragons don't exist, they're just a different animal which doesn't have a proper name in that language yet," Prut said.

"Which would make 'dragon' the name for that creature in that language," Nop said. "Which is why I'd like a description from the people asking."

At this point they were close to the island. Razan turned the sail, slowing the boat down, and felt the bottom scrape on something.

"I'm not sure how much closer to shore I can get," he said.

The three women looked over the side of the boat.

"This is good," Sophie said, and pushed herself into the water. Nali and Kaliana quickly followed, leaving Razan with Peter and the arguing ravens.

"No, come on, look at this drawing, then look at this," Irik said.

"That's an eel!" Prut said. "Just because it matches one description doesn't mean it's a dragon!"

"How do you know what a dragon is if not by its description?" Nop demanded.

"By its prostin!"

Irik fluttered. "Humans don't have that yet!"

"No, they haven't discovered it; it does exist!"

"But they can't describe creatures based on it," Nop said.

Razan watched the women stop halfway up the beach, look around, then finally spot the button and continue on. The rostari grew increasingly more technical in their argument.

Next to him, Peter muttered, "Translator: off." He jumped slightly, then put a hand over his mouth as he tried to stifle laughter.

"Translator: off," Razan echoed, curious.

Prut hopped closer to Irik. "Humans can't agree on quack, quack quack!"

Irik's feathers poofed out. "Quack, quack! Quack quack quack!"

Razan carefully kept his face neutral, watching the squabbling birds. He'd been expecting to hear them speak whatever language the rostari truly spoke, not duck noises. At the very least, he'd expected raven calls. Not… duck.

He made the mistake of glancing at Peter, who caught his eye. The cowboy broke down laughing, and it was impossible for Razan to not follow his lead.

Marie watched the Fleeting rowing north as their sail tried to take them south. The wind wasn't particularly strong at the moment, so they were crawling towards the nearest island.

"Should we tell them?" Louis asked.

"I'd say no, but this is… tragic," Marie answered.

"It'd be a mercy to sink that thing," Ebba said.

The trio remained silent as they caught up to the Viking-style boat, their raft moving at least three times as quickly. The Fleeting all noticed them, but made no effort to call out. They looked too tired.

"It would be a mercy, aye," Louis said, getting to his feet. "Marie, would you mind bringing us up close?"

Without replying, she moved the tiller and adjusted the sail. Ebba got up, following Louis.

"Good afternoon!" Louis said cheerfully, bowing to the group. "I regret to inform you of this, but your mishandling of this fine vessel is bringing pain to my sailor's soul. As such, I must liberate it from you by sinking it. I hope you understand."

One of the women immediately dropped her oar and slumped her arms over the side. "Thank you."

"No!" both men shouted, getting to their feet and drawing ranged weapons.

"We're doing just fine," the other woman said sternly. "Let us be, Windwards."

"Let me go home," the first woman begged. She looked thoroughly seasick.

"Gladly," Louis told her, twirling a dagger in his hand.

Ebba unholstered a gun, and everyone waited for some signal to begin.

Happy to provide that signal, Marie pulled out a pistol and shot one of the men.

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