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The Rogues - An Eeveelution Fanfiction

Chapter 21: Sail Around Itami

Notes:

Welcome to Act 2 of The Rogues! Only took me about a year and half to do it. :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Several weeks went by, and things went as they usually would've done. Well, given the Rogues' new schedule, anyways.

Myuku was still getting counselling from Shoku. She didn't probe his mind after the first time, she 'felt it wasn't her place to' in her own words.

Kazekiri and Kasha were still building the boat. Odds are, the completed project wouldn't be the last improvement to the vessel, but nobody was sure yet.

Orochi and Maru stuck to each other like glue. They would be the two most often in Blackfall for reconnaissance, due to their understanding of the city and stealth respectively.

Monarcha had become what was essentially Asuke's protege. Granted, she spent most of her time behind the bar, as did Asuke, but they were most often talking to each other in any given context.

Kiru sighed and laid back, it felt nice to have a break, but she didn't necessarily feel all too great about it.

She could've been helping out Myuku, sitting with him and talking. She could've been helping with building the boat, she was the strongest, after all. She could've been going into Blackfall, investigating. She could be helping welcome Monarcha into the ranks.

She stood up, pacing around her room angrily, not sure what to think. She wanted to help, but they had been so polite as to request her to take some time off. Kiru huffed at the idea, she was a leader, and leaders didn't sit around doing nothing. She was going to be the best person she could be.

She tentatively reached for the door in her room, before her hand betrayed her, retracting as she punched the wall in anger. Why, why did she have to take a break? It made her feel even worse about herself!

Sitting down, she looked at the map Myuku had gotten for her, the map depicting the shipping routes of each type of ship.

Sail around Itami.

The idea of not being able to reach Itami before the Osorian Navy could, well, broke her heart. The very concept of seeing Myuku, teary-eyed before his burning hometown, was more than she could even bear to consider. She wouldn't let it happen, under no circumstances. She had to distract herself, she looked around the other shipping routes of Osore.

Turns out they were making a trade with Kurushimu soon, her home island. How nice...

Oh, how interesting, a board of Venturers were sat to sail beyond the Archipelago soon...

Wow...

The thought wasn't going away, sail around Itami. Sail around Itami...

Those were the words, ambiguous and ominous, that were written on a line circling the island. It was a dotted line, drawn in red. No other line was drawn in red, and few were even dotted.

From what she could gather, the dotted lines meant that it was in a squadron. The Venturers were also written in a dotted line, fascinating. Another line was dotted, a massive trade with Kikin, as the line was green, as was the one to Kurushimu, with the names of different goods written on it.

How nice, sail around Itami... it was a squadron attack. Shit.

Kiru buried her head in her hands, what could she do? She was strong, but her strength was not equal to a Destroyer, or its crew. This was the first time she didn't have an immediate solution to something.

She couldn't let Myuku cry, she couldn't witness such a sight, knowing that she could've stopped it. She'd caused enough tears to let any more appear, especially from such an undeserving one like Myuku.

She leant back, sighing as she looked up at the ceiling. She was stressing, it hurt like a stab in the back of her head. She didn't know what to do, her throat felt like she had something stuck in it, and her eyes fuzzied.

It wasn't a normal experience for Kiru, who shook her head rapidly, snapping herself out of it. 

A knock sounded on her door.

"Enter."

Shoku popped her head around the door, entering as she looked at Kiru. The Glaceon's heart stopped for a moment, had she picked up on her stress? She didn't know all of Shoku's capabilities, especially with her psychic stuff going on.

"Shoku, what's the matter?" She asked, sitting upright, as Shoku stood opposite her. Shoku's expression was quite ambiguous, as she turned to Kiru.

"I've been talking with Myuku." She spoke slowly, "He says he feels quite comfortable with talking to you."

Kiru raised an eyebrow. It was true, but she wondered why Shoku felt the need to come and tell her this, though she did understand why Myuku himself didn't enter and tell her himself, bless him.

"It's mutual. Where are you going with this?" She asked, as Shoku took a deep breath.

"He requested, in his usual way, quite hesitantly, if there were a chance in which one or two of his allotted counselling sessions could be spent with you." Shoku offered, as Kiru pondered the possibility. It would be quite nice to get to know him more, causing her to respond quite quickly.

"I wouldn't be entirely opposed. Plus, it gives me something to do, I like talking to him anyway, he's a good deal more interesting than I think he lets on." Kiru smiled, as Shoku nodded.

"Oh, I'm aware. He's got a colourful mind beneath his anxiousness, really. I'm sure you'd love to talk to him. I'll make him aware of the good news." Shoku smiled, turning around and bidding the Glaceon farewell as she closed the door behind her.

Kiru smiled, the idea of long talks with Myuku, she couldn't fathom why, but there was a little spark of happiness there, the kind she only really got with the likes of Kasha. Perhaps it was due to the enigma that he still was to her, that had to have been it. Plus, he was nice to hug, even in spite of his sharpness, which was always a bonus, in her books especially.

~

"Y'know... it's weird to think we're not too far from finishing this." Kasha beamed, standing back and admiring her handiwork. They had cut down many trees in their escapades, belly-laughing, joking and flirting all the time.

"Yeah, but y'know? I don't really feel all that spent."

"Right? I thought I'd be spent for a fortnight, but I could do a few more hours of this before even feeling the need to clock out for the day" Kasha agreed, as Kazekiri grinned his classic toothy grin.

"Thank you for doing this with me, Kas..." He smiled sweetly. Kasha loved that nickname more than she was perhaps willing to admit, to the point where only Kaze could call her that.

"You're welcome, Kaz..." She grinned, as Kazekiri grumbled a little. Contrary to Kasha's nickname, Kazekiri hated being called Kaz, preferring Kaze as a suitable alternative.

"You ruined it."

"No, I didn't! You just need to get used to that nickname." She taunted, as Kazekiri scoffed.

"If any memorabilia of me exists after I die, and it has written Kaz instead of Kazekiri or Kaze upon it," He began, sounding endlessly poetic, "I will come down from the heavens just to destroy it."

"Shut up, you're not a playwright." Kasha teased, nudging him in the side, as Kazekiri rolled his eyes.

"It's Kaze, OK?" He repeated concisely, "If you wanna give me a nickname, it's Kaze."

"Yeah, yeah... hey, the boat is nearly done, we've worked so hard, why not finish it today, yeah?" She asked, as Kazekiri took a huff of both fatigue and excitement. Though his muscles ached with pain, and each nerve felt sore, he'd worked too hard to stop now.

"Why not? Make the boss happy, eh?" He sighed, heaving himself up, "C'mon, let's do this."

~

Kiru made her way back up to the main bar, where most of the other Rogues were sat. There he was, with a sunbeam from a window illuminating his fur, was Myuku. Kiru found herself smiling at even the mere sight of him, she didn't know why.

Myuku was sat beside Orochi, something new for him. Perhaps he was trying to branch out? Kiru's heart melted at the opportunity of such an event, as if she'd spurred him on to be more adventurous and social.

"Heya boys." She smirked confidently, as the two turned to meet her.

"Aye, Kiru!" Orochi smirked confidently back, "Join in on the craic, will ya?"

"Craic, aye?" Kiru responded, her accent showing through slightly.

Myuku hadn't really heard her accent before, it was quite a sudden thing to hear, but he couldn't help but find it quite... interesting. He didn't really know how to describe it, but he found himself quite invested within her voice, even if it were a couple words. Same went with all the Rogues, they were all from such different places, it was nice, he found, how they came together like this.

"Mhm! This little lad here's a fun one to talk to, aye. I had him for a gobshite, but he's really smart, wouldn't ya know?" His smile only grew as he gave Myuku a little dig in the arm, to which the Jolteon playfully chuckled. It was so sweet for Kiru to see the new Rogue getting on so well with such a usually distant Rogue.

"He's no gobshite, let me tell you, Oro, he's one hell of a duine glic." Kiru laughed, speaking a bit of her native language there. Myuku was surprised to hear that she wasn't monolingual, but he certainly understood why after considering what he knew, "You haven't had any drinks, have you, Mimi?"

"No, I haven't." Myuku politely reassured her, as Kiru smiled a little.

"Good, good. It's early, I know you're on a little mission break, but I'd rather you not get too hammered, it's not good for a little youngun like you to get all addicted to this stuff..."

"I'm not that young!" Myuku replied hastily, a small blush covering his face, "You're only like 3 years older than me."

"When's your birthday then, lad?" Orochi asked, as Myuku considered for a brief second.

"February 8th." He replied quickly, as Orochi nodded.

"Not far from now, huh? Gonna start wondering what you're gonna want for your special day, eh?" Kiru smirked, as Myuku found a blush creeping over his face, covering it with his scarf.

"Oh, I'm not all that bothered... r-really, I'm not." He smiled, as Kiru rolled her eyes unbelievingly with a small smile.

"Yeah, you're getting gifts from me anyway, Mimi. Get thinking." Kiru smirked once more, sitting down now on the bar with the pair of them.

"I've been thinking." Myuku raised suddenly, as Kiru raised an eyebrow.

"About gifts?"

"No, like, in general, y'know?" Myuku smiled a little, as Kiru realised her mistake, laughing a little.

"Ahh, go on, go on."

"So, when we do leave Osore... are we moving out of the Coven? Like, permanently?" He asked, as Kiru shook her head.

"The Coven really is our true home, and we can't change that. It's the best home we've ever had, and it's got everything we could possibly need. When we come back to Osore after all is said and done, then... well, we'll be coming right back here." She smiled wistfully, looking out into space a little.

"I'm a little nervous about that, to be honest." Myuku informed the pair of them.

"Heh, who ain't? As Rogues... this'll be our biggest venture thus far." Orochi huffed, taking another swig of his drink. Little did he know, however, that Asuke had made it non-alcoholic, "Mm... yeah, feel a bit bad for ya, kid, you've been roped into our biggest adventure yet."

"Me too... I wish that it didn't come to this, having to go on this grand voyage to... basically save the whole Archipelago from itself, but, and not sound quite selfish, we might be one of the last saving graces for this whole place." Kiru sighed, looking at Myuku.

"But like... we're basically the enemy of the entire Osorian Navy if we protect Redemption." Myuku shivered a little, "Surely we can't defeat an entire Navy, no matter how impressive our own vessel may be..." He muttered to himself, as Orochi and Kiru looked at each other briefly, almost in a concerned way, before smiling a little.

"We have our own ways, Mimi..." Kiru reminded cryptically, as Orochi nodded.

"Mhm, more than meets the eye, shall we say." Orochi grinned, Myuku looked a little inquisitive, but decided not to press further, given the inherent secrecy of whatever the duo were on about.

"R-Right then."

"I mean, you're bound to find out one way or another, but I think it'd be better if you observed it, rather than us telling you about it." Kiru sighed, looking off into space once more, Myuku merely nodded.

The conversation fell silent for a few seconds, before Kiru smiled a bit.

"Anyways, come with me, Myuku, would ya?" She stood up, as Myuku's ears perked up suddenly.

"O-Oh! Yes, yes, one moment." Myuku hastily muttered, standing up swiftly and following the thunderous Glaceon as she lumbered off towards the door leading to the small sliver of outdoors the Rogues had, acting as a battlefield.

~

The weather was, as it always were and would be for the winter, delightfully bleak. The clouds in the sky once more painted grey, as the familiar scent of a moist, drizzly air wafted about the place with all of the welcomeness of an intruder. The rocks surrounding the little field raised up and high, like clasping, shielding fingers, blocking all but the roof. Kiru pushed open the door, stepping out and bowing courteously to let Myuku pass in a chivalrous way. Myuku rolled his eyes at the gesture, giving the Glaceon a nudge in the side.

"Hi, Mimi." She smirked, patting a small rock for him to lay against, as he obliged, the larger Kiru sitting beside him on an adjacent rock.

"Hiya, Kiru." He replied, "So... what have you brought me out here for?"

"Well." She sighed, sitting up a little, "I'll be blunt, you should learn how to fight." 

Myuku's eyes widened a little as the pupils of Kiru bore right into his own. Perhaps she was joking? But there was no jest in the colour of those eyes. Nothing but determination and willpower stared back at him, as if he'd perhaps seen a reflection of his better self.

"I'm not joking." Kiru elaborated, "I know you're not a fighter, but... well, god forbid, you find yourself in danger and I'm not around to protect you... I don't want you to sustain any injuries." She sighed, looking up at the sky.

"I suppose so... I guess I just won't leave your side then?" Myuku offered. Kiru found herself laughing, but also a warmness approaching at the idea.

"Unfortunately..." She giggled a little, "There are gonna be times where you and I aren't gonna be together. There are gonna be little things we both have to do where I can't be with you, tragedy, I know." She scoffed, as Myuku chuckled a little alongside her.

"Yeah, yeah... I knew this day was gonna come, well... sooner or later." Myuku rolled his eyes a little, a glum look on his snout. Kiru sighed a little, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Well, just think of it as getting out of the way, then!" She smirked a little, rising to her feet, "Give us a look at your sai, wouldya?"

Myuku knew by now to do as he was told by Kiru, taking out the pair of sais from their small box in his satchel. Despite not really being in use, there was a dullness to them, but perhaps that was just the contrast between his own weapon and theirs.

"Aren't they cute?" She teased, as Myuku looked a little offended.

"T-They're not cute! They're super cool, actually..." He replied, presenting them proudly, like a trophy. Kiru's eyes traced over them as she daintily took them from his hands, "Heh... y'know, I've often never been one for little daggers, but these pokers fit you quite well." She mused, eyeing them up with intent.

"Naturally so!" Myuku smiled, almost pompously. Kiru chuckled a bit, rustling through the nearby bushes for a moment, before taking out a knife.

"Y'know, training you against Coronet's Glacier wouldn't be smart. Most other Pokemon don't have weapons like I do, like we do. That's why we're such strong fighters. I digress, they'll often have these knives, so I'm gonna show you how to defend yourself in a knife fight, first." She beckoned him to the centre of the little makeshift arena, looking at him sharply.

"Now... I'm going to swing this knife at you. Not too close to the point where you may risk injury, don't fret." She informed, noticing his body tense at the idea of being stabbed.

"R-Right... what do I do?"

"You're going to have to parry it, OK? I'll start off slow, but I'll get progressively faster. Surely a nimble guy like you ought to be able to keep up with me, right?" She asked teasingly, as Myuku nodded with an air of confidence he wouldn't have seen in himself beforehand, "Now, I won't tell you when I'm going to make the first swing, you'll just have to be ready, OK? You got this..." She smiled a little, standing dead still before him.

A silence hung about the two for a solemn second, the pair looking at each other in the eyes. Kiru's lip curled, and she made a lurch forward, arcing her knife at a graceful pace, like a ballerina. Myuku raised his sai quickly, blocking the attack as it edged its way toward him. Kiru's eyes widened as the sound of metal clashing metal rang out between them.

"Hah, hah! That's how you do it, lad!" She grinned proudly, like a mother teaching her son to ride a bike, "You're a natural. Again, now..."

Once more did she lean forward with a swiping slash. Myuku met with his own parry, but before he could celebrate too much, another from Kiru came flying above him. Raising his sai, he blocked it once more, a clanging rhythm forming between the two. 

"There we go, you're amazing, honestly!" She beamed, as Myuku merely blushed a little.

"A-Aww... thanks, Kiru." He responded, as she smiled warmly, feeling her own face asking to go pink, but ultimately being turned down by the matter at hand.

"No worries, Mimi... think fast!" She quickly started, hurrying over to him at a frightening momentum, given her size, and, rather than an arcing slash, went for a stab directly into his thorax. Myuku leapt to the side, his instincts sticking his foot out, causing Kiru to stumble and wobble, but remain standing up.

"H-Hehe... sorry, just instinct, that was." He replied, as Kiru gave him a playfully impressed leer.

"You little shit, you!" She laughed, dropping her knife and giving him a bear hug, "Ahh! God, see? This isn't as hard as you thought it'd be, isn't it? You even countered! I didn't even teach ya that one..." She felt pride beyond belief as the Jolteon seemed quite modest. She relinquished the tight squeeze.

"Alright, I think we can call it there for today, clearly you've got a bit more beginner knowledge than I might've anticipated. I think I've underestimated you a bit, Mimi... sorry..." She apologised, as Myuku laughed a little.

"It's fine, Kiru. I think I underestimated myself. I always assumed myself to be a lover, and not a fighter, I suppose." He shrugged, as Kiru's smile only widened.

"Well, who's saying you can't be both, eh?" She asked, as the two wandered back inside.

~

"Aghhh... FUCK!" 

Kazekiri slumped backwards, his limp tail wobbling up and down a little.

"Woah, woah! Kaze! Y'alright...?" Kasha's looming, orange form towered over the collapsed Vaporeon, as he nodded, "It's done, it's done."

"It's done?" He asked.

"Yes."

A couple more days had gone by, by this point. The boat was done. It was a smaller model of a Venturer. Sleek, nippy and sharp, she really looked like a seaworthy vessel. Yet, it was, rather uncharacteristically, in a thicket, masked by the canopy.

"It's done! But... how do we get it to the sea?" Kazekiri pumped his arm in the air, before turning to Kasha, who huffed a little.

"Welp... we're gonna have to pull it." Kasha looked into his eyes, as Kazekiri raised an eyebrow, as if questioning whether or not she was serious, "I'm not kidding."

"You're fucking with me, right? A boat?! A fucking boat?!" Kazekiri laughed, as Kasha gave him a swift dig in the side, halting his laughter just as soon as it had started.

"I think that all of the Rogues combined could try and hoist it along, especially with Shoku's psychic power." Kasha postulated, as Kazekiri tried his best to consider it.

"Well... I guess... but where are we taking it to? The sea is a while away from where we are." He sighed.

"There's a river not too far from here, we've never had to go to it because there's virtually nothing beyond it." Kasha shrugged a little, as Kazekiri breathed a sigh of relief, "Or... there's one alternative if you're feeling daring...?"

"If you're actually about to suggest I use Surf to get us to sea..."

"Right, that idea's out of the window, then." Kasha flushed a little out of embarrassment, "Whaat? It was just a thought... party pooper."

"You're basically asking me to throw a tidal wave at the boat we've spent WEEKS on, nuh-uh. I'll take the smooth river." Kazekiri responded.

"Who knew you to be the serious one of us two?"

"I have to fill in when you're being a fuckin' idiot." Kazekiri responded snarkily.

~

Kiru sighed with a huff, sitting down at the bar, Myuku by her side.

"God, see? Feels good to get that bit of training outta the way, doesn't it?" She laughed, looking over at the Jolteon, who nodded.

"Yeah... feels like a bit of a weight off my back, I guess." He smiled, "How often do we have to do that?"

"As often as you're comfortable with." She grinned, clicking over Asuke, "Oi! Asu!" She called, as the bubbly Sylveon hopped and skipped over to the duo.

"Good afternoooon..." She trilled happily, resting her elbow on the counter and her head in her paw, "So, what can I get for ya?"

"I'll have tea... i-if that's quite alright." Myuku requested politely, to which she nodded.

"And you, boss? What're you feeling like today?"

"Y'know what? I'll have some tea as well. The 'Itami' way, as he calls it." She requested teasingly, as Myuku went a slight red, knowing that he had referred to his recipe for tea as such in the past.

"Alrighty then! I won't be long." She went over to Monarcha, who initially looked a bit confused at the recipe of their tea-making, but complied.

It wasn't long that the door burst open, causing a gust of wind to brush up against all in the Coven. It was none other than the spent Kasha and Kazekiri, who approached the Glaceon with zeal.

"Kiki!!" Kasha bellowed in her loud voice and thick accent, "Boat's done!"

"Really?! So fast...? How in god's name did you pull it off?" She asked, as Kasha and Kazekiri chuckled through their fatigue.

"Simple, we just made it a bit smaller. Enough for all of us, don't you worry." Kasha beamed. The advent of this information alerted all of the other Rogues to their location. Soon, Asuke, Maru, Monarcha, Orochi and Shoku were all gathered around them, listening intently, "We're all gonna have to haul it to a nearby river to get it water bound, but I believe in us!" She punched the air with her fist, as the other Rogues each did their own little form of a mini-celebration.

"Well, everyone? Get all of your belongings...

We leave at dawn!!!" Kiru hollered.

~

The gentle sun beamed down once more on a new morning. How the weather could've changed so drastically between islands, she had no idea. Call it pathetic fallacy, perhaps. Her bright eyes fluttered awake as the sun cast down its splendorous might once more upon the Golden City. She lay on a mattress on the floor, getting up and stretching.

For the time being, Jade was staying over at Sophia's house.

Unfortunately, Sophia only had one bed and, as much as she tried, Jade couldn't fall asleep on sofas at all. Thank the lord she had a spare mattress, otherwise, she wouldn't have known how to sleep.

Sophia, the Lucario, was already in the kitchen, as it turned out.

"Hm? Ah, morning, princess." She giggled, as Jade mumbled. She would've perhaps thrown back a more sassy comeback, but she was a little too tired to do so.

"Morning to you, too..." She yawned, as Sophia smiled and turned back to the eggs she was frying, humming along to a small tune in her head.

"Fancy one?" She asked, as Jade almost immediately nodded, "Thought so..."

"Y'know I'm a sucker for eggs, Sophie..." Jade replied. She had gotten rather used to calling her Sophie by now.

"You're only giving me more reason to keep making them." She smiled, looking at the eggs as they continued to fry, "Y'know... I never thought I'd be so lax about harboring someone who... to some, is a criminal." Sophia smiled at Jade, who found her face going a little pink.

"Well, I'm not a criminal by my own rules. And those are the only rules I follow now." Jade elaborated, as Sophia nodded, "That and the Goldshire law, obviously."

"Mhm, let's not forget how much effort our own lawmakers put." Sophia chuckled sarcastically, "I'd change them, but I have no standing to do so."

"Me even less so." Jade replied sharply, as Sophia finished the eggs she was making. Leaving the fire over the pot to burn, she patted a seat beside her, just around the fire, for Jade to sit, "We live in a prosperous time."

"Absolutely." Sophia smiled once more, handing out the eggs, unseasoned, "I'm well aware your customs might've been different back in your little organisation, but this is the life we live here. Simple, no need to overcomplicate things." She mused, taking a small forkful of the fried egg into her mouth, as Jade's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

"I'd prefer it that way."

"You think they'll be looking for you?" Sophia asked suddenly, after a moment of silence. Jade laid her head back, pondering a little, as her verdant ears fell to her side, "Sorry, touchy subject?"

"No, no. You're probably right. I might have to leave here soon..." She considered, sighing. Sophia's brow furrowed.

"Really...? But... I don't want you to leave." She replied.

"Well, neither you or I have much of a say in the matter." Jade looked up into Sophia's pleading eyes, and the two women shared a moment of solace, "I'm sorry. I promise I'll stay for as long as I can. I've stayed in Osore, and now Kikin."

"That could be nice, a little island hopping tour, eh?" Sophia raised, trying to add her own air of positivity to the situation. Whether she was trying to comfort her or herself, Jade didn't know, but she had assumed it was probably both of them.

"I don't want to go back to Kurushimu."

"Back?"

"It's my home island. I've got some unpleasant memories there with certain individuals." Jade chuntered to herself, as Sophia slung her arm around the troubled Espeon.

"Is it about that Noire bloke you've told us about?" She asked, as Jade sighed.

"No, actually. That's where my good memories with Noire are. It was another Eeveelution. Kiru Kakaryko, to be specific."

"I don't know that name." Sophia replied bluntly.

"I didn't expect you to, come, I'll tell you all about her..."

~

And so it was.

The Rogues scurried all about the place, all the order of a hive on fire, swiping up possessions into their sacks. They each had been given a huge sack (presumably stolen by them) by Kasha and Kazekiri, and were now tasked by Kiru to go and scoop up whatever valuables they may have had.

The sound of paws on the dirt floor thundered all about the Coven as they each ran past each other, brief greetings and questions about personal items arising and falling, occasionally met with the blush of breached privacy from some more... choice items a few had chosen to accompany them.

There wasn't much sleep for them that night, not as much as they may have wished for, anyways. They each made sure to be given the best sleeping conditions possible. Poor Monarcha didn't have a room yet, and was thus forced to sleep on the sofa. She didn't have too many qualms, but certainly wasn't content with her conditions.

Nevertheless, as morning broke, the Rogues each burst upwards like fireworks, bright eyed and bushy-tailed, they each made their way towards the boat that had been built.

"Boys and girls..." Kiru smiled. On top of this, she had also been given the arduous task of naming the boat. So many long-standing, mythological names could be awarded to such a fine, sea-worthy vessel.

"Yessss...?" Asked Kazekiri, prompting her to elaborate.

"I'd like you to meet... The Admiral of The Rogues." She declared, as the other Rogues cheered. The Admiral shone goldenly, it's wooden hull dazzlingly bright, like a brilliant jewel. Ropes were tied around the base of the vessel, and now their job became apparent.

"Heave the hefty fucker." 

Once the words became speech, the job was commenced. Each Rogue grabbed one of the 3 ropes around the ship. Maru, Orochi and Shoku on the rope on the left, Kasha, Asuke and Monarcha on the rope on the right. In the centre were Myuku, Kiru and Kazekiri.

The combined effort of the nine did end up dragging the boat, considering most of them were able-bodied young folk. Shoku assisted with her psychic powers, providing considerable aid, and Monarcha and Asuke both wrapped their ribbons around the ropes, adding even more pulling force.

The great driftwood beast heaved and dragged, leaving a permanent mark on the ground as it kicked up foliage aside like an angry giant. It held a great, emerging presence of purpose as it broke its way through the treeline and down towards the river.

"HURRY IT UP, HARLOTS!" Maru called through strained muscles and clenched teeth, "We're nearly there!"

"Shut your fuckin' mouth... Cha mhòr..." Kiru couldn't really hold her language much more, her own fatigue forcing her to speak her mother tongue once more.

It felt like fire, the last few steps, but finally, the boat tentatively eased its way into the water, its hull lapping at the flowing stream.

"Everybody in!" Kiru declared, as the boat leaned into the water a little more. As quick as could be, each Rogue scrambled upward by any means possible, Shoku merely teleporting, Kazekiri and Maru leaping up and Orochi using his vines.

"I-I can't jump that high..." Myuku began to feel very stressed, nervous that he was going to miss the boat.

"You don't have to, kid, get on my back." Kiru demanded, as Myuku did as he was told, hopping aboard Kiru, who bounded upwards, scrambling to side of the ship and over onto the deck with a heave and a sigh of relief.

Before long, every Rogue was aboard the Admiral, who had finally begun her journey into the water.

Kazekiri quickly hurried upwards to a steering wheel, which turned the sails of the boat in case the turning force of the river wasn't strong enough to haul them downwards.

"Hold on, lads!" He called, as the descent began.

The river wasn't as welcoming as perhaps they would've thought. As they travelled down the middle course, they expected the meanders to only get broader, but they quite annoyingly didn't. The lurches from the Vaporeon steering the vessel as he forced the Admiral out of harm were quite a spectacle to watch. Myuku, as expected, was panicking.

"Woah, easy there..." Kiru took him aside briefly, away from the view of the water, and into a small compartment room that had been built, presumably for the captain. Perhaps it was meant for either Kazekiri or herself, Kiru didn't know, "Come in here, come in..." She encouraged, opening the door and bidding some of the others farewell for the time being, "What's wrong, lad? A little scared?"

"Y-Yeah, sorry..." He apologised, as Kiru put her paw to his mouth.

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault. This is... a big thing we're doing, OK?"

"N-No, it's not that..." He tried to state his case, before an untimely lurch of the ship made itself known. If Myuku weren't caught by Kiru, perhaps he would've been thrown against the wall like a toy, "This just feels a little dangerous to me, y'know?"

"Of course it is, lad. I don't know what to say, other than to trust Kaze at the helm, he's a sailor if ever I've seen one, and I've seen many in my time." Kiru explained, as Myuku placed a paw on his chest, taking a deep breath to ease himself, "Oh, you little... thing, you." Kiru chuckled, wrapping a paw around his shoulder.

By this point, Myuku and Kiru were no strangers to hugs or displays of affection. Not in the public eye, just yet, but there was a comfort forming around her that he couldn't quite put his finger on. The arm around his shoulder from anyone else would've felt like too much, like a breach of privacy or an invasion on his personal space, but from her, it felt like what it was supposed to be, a hug of kindness.

"Thanks, Kiki..." Myuku smiled, it was the first time he had used that nickname in address to her, and it made Kiru's heart swell tremendously, even if she wouldn't admit to it.

"It's no issue, Mimi..." Her voice, though still laced with her gravelly tone and rather gruff accent was now much calmer and softer, as she relayed her own nickname for him back, "I'm not just your leader, I'm your friend before anything, OK? You can come to me if ever the going gets tough, like this, yeah?" She ruffled the top of his head with her paw, causing Myuku to whimper and shake her off.

"God... I-I'm not like 12 years old, y'know?" Myuku replied, a fervent blush of embarrassment on his face.

"I know, but you make it too easy." She grins, doing the exact same thing again, "Hey..." She replied on a more serious note, "You feel ready to head back out there? The lurching has stopped." She observed, as Myuku also felt the same thing.

"Yeah, let's go and check..." The two were about to walk out, when a voice from a familiar Vaporeon proclaimed from above them.

"SEAWARD BOUND, BABY!"

Stepping out, they realised that they had just left a bay from within the midst of the Osorian wilderness, and had made progress into the sea. The waves rippled and licked at the hull of the boat as the Bird Pokemon cawed and chanted their shanties overhead. The crisp air, with nothing to block it, flew freely with the sail as the boat gently bobbed up and down towards its target, Itami.

"See, told ya to trust him." Kiru gave a small nudge into Myuku's shoulder. The Jolteon rolled his eyes, "It's fine, I know you were stressing. I was too, deep down." She confessed, looking out onto the sea as the wind blew her ears and tassels back gloriously, as she gazed with the sharpness of a warrior out onto the horizon.

There beyond them lay the sea, in almost all directions, the blackness of Osore marching over the final sight of them as they continued to gently press onward into the great blue. The blue ocean before, deep and endless, stretched on for miles and miles.

One goal in mind...

Get to Itami, and save Redemption.

 

Notes:

Hopefully you enjoy these 3 new chapters all in one day. They were on Wattpad before, and I forgot to post them here, sorry.