Chapter Text
“Who the heck are you?” Phoenix demanded.
“I’ll be asking the questions here,” the stranger said in a tone that left no room for debate.
“You can’t just waltz onto our ship and-”
“YOUR ship?” he interrupted Phoenix, “I happen to be friends with the real owner of this ship, so don’t you even try to-”
“Wait, Ronin is that you?” Ray asked hopefully, making the stranger pause.
“How do you know my name?” the man, Ronin, demanded.
“It’s me, Ray, Lloyd’s-”
“Ray?” Ronin said, pulling down his mask to reveal an abundance of stubble, “Damn, you were seven the last time I saw you,”
“Wait, you know him?” Wally asked.
“Yeah, he knew our parents,” Ray replied.
“Who’re they?” Ronin asked Ray.
“Oh, right, this is my brother, Phoenix, my cousin, Wally, and that’s Mike and Drake.” Ray introduced them, gesturing to each as he said their names.
“Hm, you guys come color coded exactly like your parents,” Ronin remarked, “By the way, you wouldn’t happen to know where any of them are, would you?”
“None of us ever met our parents,” Phoenix solemnly explained.
“What about Lloyd?”
“It’s,” Ray started, “a bit of a long story,”
“He got kidnapped by Anacondrai cultists.” Drake said bluntly.
“So I guess not that long,” Ray realized.
“Okay, WHAT?” Ronin panicked, “How?”
Wally replayed the video for him.
“Well, this certainly complicates things,” Ronin said, “Are you sure they’re cultists?”
“Who else gets a tattoo like that?” Ray asked. A moment later, something came diving into the room, making everyone jump, or screech like a damn pterodactyl. (*cough* Ray *cough cough*) The pigeon landed on Drake’s shoulder, and he glared at the bird like it was a serial killer. Everyone was speechless, the only sound was the pigeon’s coo. Then the little shit started clawing Drake’s face.
“What the fu-” Drake was cut off by the pigeon, who shoved its foot into Drake’s mouth. He was unpleasantly aware as he swatted at the bird that there was something attached to its leg, which tasted smooth, like glass. He grabbed the bird and pulled it away from his face. There was a small glass cylinder tied to its leg, with a tiny scroll inside. Drake removed the cylinder and handed the bird to Ray, who started cooing at it.
“You good, Drake?” Wally asked. Drake didn’t answer. He pulled the cork off the cylinder and shook the piece of paper into his hand.
“I wonder who trains messenger pigeons to shove their feet in peoples’ mouths,” Ronin said sarcastically.
“Kohaku Gujic, apparently,” Drake answered, reading from the small paper, “and he invites to his island, a ‘refuge for the next generation of Elemental Masters.’”
“What?” Ronin asked, “Who the heck is he?”
“Probably a human, who exists,” Wally answered. Ray snorted. Ronin didn’t look at all amused. Drake handed the note to Ronin, who read it outloud,
“To any and all Elemental Masters, in these trying times, it is important to have allies, specifically allies who can keep you hidden. Hence, I would like to invite you to my island, which is to become a refuge for Elemental Masters. If you decide to come, and I hope you will, come to the Northern Docks on the 17th of August. -Kohaku Gujic,”
“So, should we go?” Ray asked.
“Hell no,” Ronin almost yelled.
“But- but what about my dad?”
“Your dad wouldn’t want you anywhere near that island,”
“So we’re supposed to just leave him there?”
“Of course not but-”
“Why should we listen to you anyway?” Drake interrupted, “We met you like five minutes ago and you expect us to do whatever ever you say,”
“Well- okay actually that’s a pretty good point,” Ronin admitted.
“Besides, I doubt some cult could be any more dangerous than an entire government,” Drake added.
“Well, I can’t decide what you do, but since you’re all so dead set on going to that island, I might as well make sure you don’t get yourselves killed,” Ronin decided.
“The 17th is still a couple days away,” Wally pointed out, “So what do we do until then?”