Starseeds

After roaming aimlessly, Saif tried asking the bugs. They helped him in the forest and in the farms, maybe they could help out here?

Only issue with that was that Saif couldn’t find them. He checked everywhere for them, ants, spiders, wasps, anything that would be a common insect near the water. Nothing.

The only ones he could find were the houseflies, but most of them had no clue about anything outside their immediate interest. The flies did lead him towards the back of a grocer, which in turn, led him to the tightly packed harbor residential area, so maybe even the most annoying of creatures had some purpose.

Saif explored the little town, finding his favorite shop with a compass on the door.

He walked in and rummaged around the busy store. Despite checking every corner, they didn’t sell any maps, only compasses. Saif left disappointed.

To his surprise, there was another compass on the door right next to it… only to find that it sold water-proof wallets and pouches. Saif got one of each, just in case his search for Creatures takes him somewhere even wetter than the harbor.

Saif tried the next shop, which had nothing even close to maps, then the next, then the next, then the next.

He blindly wandered through the streets, hoping to find a compass that actually meant a map shop was nearby. Distracted, he bumped into a large stranger leaving a store with yet another compass dangling from the side of its facade.

“Whoopsie,” the stranger said. Big man, big muscles, and a gentle voice. “Oh, hello little hero.”

Right! This was Mr. Carte’s partner, Ographer. Saif pulled out his map and waved it a few times.

“Still using my partner’s work I see. I know Carte’s maps to be the best of the best.”

Saif nodded, showing off the open map to Mr. Ographer.

“You’re still filling in the Queen’s Bay Harbor I see. Keep up the good work.”

Ugh, how can he say this? Saif sharply twisted his pincers in a questioning gesture. He then dangled the map with his other hand, making the gesture again.
It took a while, but Mr. Ographer seemed to catch on. “Uh- are you perhaps asking about finding more maps.”

Saif nodded so hard, his head almost fell off.

“You’ve got a traveler’s map, correct.” A short nod. “Are you looking to update it with the area?” A longer nod.

“The store’s right here,” Mr. Ographer stepped aside, showing a shop door with a giant map of the capital literally drawn on it. “I was actually bringing down a new order of sailor maps. They work differently when you’re out in the water. More three-dimensional to account for depth. Carte worked really hard on them. Come on in, I’ll show you.”

Saif was an idiot. He smacked his face with his map before putting it away, and headed inside the store.

Finally, a place that smelled of ink and paper. Though this one smells especially of waterlogged books in a library during a storm. Saif bought the maps at Ographer’s recommendation, getting a decent discount for them too. He waved goodbye to Mr. Ographer, who promised to pass his greetings to Mr. Carte.

He didn’t hear the uneven footsteps. With the hustle and bustle of the harbor, he’d gone to the most eastward tip to try and make some starting point for his search. He was walking with his nose buried in the map. No wonder he didn’t notice Boony walking up to him and plucking him up once again.

“Wouldye look at that? It's the new face!” She raised him up high, getting a mocking cheer from the rest of Boony’s crew, who were working on and around a large wooden boat right beside them.

“Now I don't know whose luckier, me for findin’ ya just as we were ‘bout to leave, or you for payin’ yer favor back so soon.”

“Boony would’ve chased after you all the way to Willoguard.”

“Can it, Clide! Who said you can call me anythin’ but captain?”

“Aye captain.”

“Thats’ right. Lift the anchors, we’re sailin’ to Star Isle!”

Their method of keeping him ‘docile’ while on board was pathetic. He was chained to one of the Captain’s belts by a belt around his wrist, having to follow her around everywhere on the ship, constantly in her sight and reach.

Despite the fact that he could slip the belt off his stick-like hands by flexing his pincers, or slice it off with his sword, or undo the captain’s belt at any moment, he kept it on. He played the role of captive since it didn’t matter much to him how he was treated. As long as he got some piece of information about Creatures, he was set.

Other than the whole being-chained thing, the trip was actually nice. The waters were smooth, and the air was fresh and clear. Saif noticed how little pollution there was here.

The ship dropped its anchors on a large island’s bay. Saif and Boony watched from above as the hoard of pirates spread out and started digging up the sand. If they’re down there doing heavy labor, what does she want from him exactly?

The answer came soon enough. “I saw you had pretty little cutlass on yet back there, new face,” she said, dragging past an assortment of metal pails. “Figured fightin’ monsters would be right up your area.”

She hung the bucket on her elbow and left the ship, dragging Saif along.

“These isles have been looted for eons before the Greaters took over. You can get why Starseeds are hard to come by. We’re the only ones still tryin’ to make an honest livin’ off of em. The best lot’s in the hard sand over yonder, by that cave. Always been there. Figured you can play with the monsters while we girls work the new zone.”

Boony undid his chains from her belt, holding them in her hand instead. It looked like she was about to threaten him into doing what she says, but was interrupted by a whine.

“Boony, I don’t like when you say 'girls' to refer to everyone on the Pearl. I’m the only one not a girl. It’s like you’re singling me out on purpose.”

Boony grabbed a hold of the whiny pirate, pushing him into the sand on his hands and knees. “Of course it’s you complainin’, Clide. Whenever there’s whining, we don’t even have to ask. Didn’t I say you can only call me captain?”
“Y-yes captain.”
“Everyone else is a hard workin’ lass, and if you work hard enough, you’ll be too.”

Saif escaped his belted chain, eager to see what’s inside the monster cave.

They found an entire colony of mixed slimes. Some lava, some water, some stone, all fast asleep.

What now? Saif and Instinct internally debated what to do now. Saif suggested that they wait outside the cave for the slimes to wake up on their own accord to stop them from attacking the pirates. Instinct demanded that they use the opportunity to strike them while they were asleep and use the chance to loot the cave while they’re here. Saif thought it was cruel, Instinct saw it fair.

They waited too long. A few slimes woke up while they were inside the cave. Instinct tried to converse with them, but it seemed like they hadn't gotten Roargan the Minotaur’s message of immunity yet.

The slimes woke each other up to attack the Vessel. Instinct got annoyed, hacking and slashing the hoard down one slime at a time while berating Saif for being a wuss. Halfway through the fight, Saif took over, slicing through several at once, giving himself more time to attack between waves.

“What are you? I’m the one to make the decisions here!” Saif yelled at Instinct internally.
“I’m the rightful owner of this body!” It replied, taking control and fighting the slimes before they could escape.
“No you’re not! I was chosen to be here by the hand of Hylfa herself! You only started being a problem when I didn’t want to kill baby birds!”
“They were going to EAT US!”
“I HAD IT UNDERCONTROL, INSTINCT!”
“YOU’VE NEVER HAD CONTROL OVER ANYTHING IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!”

Saif froze, taking charge to drop the sword into the lime of the final one. A whole peaceful colony was gone.

He panted, twitching, and disappeared into the Vessel.

Instinct rolled its eyes, sheathing the sword. Great. Now it had to be the one to loot this place clean.

It's good that Saif bought those pouches and a new wallet earlier. They came real handy when he had to pack up all the gems, monster cores and other junk.

Instinct flinched at the brightness of the daytime sun, scuttling back to the pirate ship with some difficulty.

It passed by everyone to climb aboard the ship, ignoring Boony and her army of women yelling to stop it. “Alright, new face, we’ve been too nice to ye. I gave you one wee job to take care of and you go ‘round who-knows-where to show up hours later without a word?”

Instinct threw some monster cores at the sand by her feet, giving her a cold stare.

“Aye, new face. You're off the hook just yet. Yer life was in my hands when I-”

Instinct growled, rough and low, glaring at Boony with hardened eyes. He pulled out his sword, raising it to her neck, threatening without a word.

“And here I thought you were a sweet one. Would’a kept ye in me bosom for another lifetime but yer just another piece of it.” She spat at Instinct, and turned to order the others. “Come on, ladies. Keep up the good work.”

When they were getting ready to leave, Instinct wasn’t allowed back on the ship. He was smacked away with a broom and tossed overboard.

“Oh no, some little scallywag’s got to tough it out. And to think I wanted to be nice to ye.”

This was new. Instinct needed Saif to fix things and get them back to the mainland. Ugh. He retreated, giving Saif the chance to take control, but he didn’t. Instinct looked for him, not finding a trace of Saif’s soul within the vessel.

Uh oh.

The vessel swayed on uneven feet. Clide noticed it while loading another few pails of sand. “Captain, I think the newbie got sea legs on dry land.”

“FINALLY, ahem. Har har, Clide. It seems you have a funny side to ye. Now come on.”

“Can we bring the new face with us? It didn’t do anything wrong. It even gave you the monster cores.”

“The what now?”

“Monster cores. They’re the heart and brain of a monster. The fact that it gave them to you means he respects you a lot. That's what it meant down south at least.”

Boony grabbed them from the pocket she’d stashed them in. “These here?”
“Aye.”

Boony sighed. “Fine. Only because you’re being a cute wee lass about it.”
“I’m not cute or a girl, captain!”

Getting back was one issue solved but Instinct had a bigger problem up their sleeve.