Chapter Text
If Shadow was asked to describe the interior of the G.U.N. headquarters in a single word, it would be grey. Grey walls, grey uniforms, grey regalia, and even the sky was always filled with oppressive grey clouds. Between the rain and the ash from the refineries, there were very few days where the sun shone on the flotilla.
Shadow kept his eyes on those clouds, concentrating on their patterns and movement, the heading of the wind. It was better than focusing on Admiral Tower, who sat at a large dark wooden desk in front of him. He had Shadow’s latest report in his hands, which he scrutinized with one green eye, and one deep brown. Smoke lazily rose from the cigar that hung at the corner of his mouth.
It was a familiar routine to Shadow now. He would come back from a voyage out at sea with a fresh lot of captured pirates. Shadow would enter the Admiral's office with his report, which included anyactivity he’d observed within their naval territory of the G.U.N. The Admiral would barely acknowledge his presence, not even offering him a seat. Shadow wouldn’t take one even if it was offered. Tower took his report and scoured every inch of it. Searching for even a single flaw or detail that he could use diminish Shadow.
The Admiral finished reading the current report and dropped it back onto his desk with a gruff sigh. He regarded Shadow through narrowed eyes, as he took a long drag from the cigar and let the smoke leak out of his mouth on an exhale. “Adequate as always, Captain. You’ve brought us another clutch of rats to hang.” This tepid response was the highest praise the Admiral ever gave.
Shadow knew the numbers on the report were far above adequate. At one point Shadow would have snarled and protested, but he knew the name that followed him in the halls and corridors outside this dull office. The Admiral could glare and gripe all he wanted; it didn’t change the results. So Shadow just nodded and remained silent.
The Admiral continued. “You’ve arrived just in time for your next assignment.” Tower stood and rounded his desk with heavy deliberate steps, snuffing out the cigar in a tray. He placed one hand on a box atop a slim folder that Shadow had noticed when he’d entered the office. “We’ve received some new intelligence regarding a high priority target that has been harassing our borders recently. Not only do we now know what this particular crew is seeking but they’ve recently become much bolder. We’ve received word that they’re attacking ships deeper within our territory.”
“That is pretty bold for pirate filth.” Shadow normally tried to speak as little as possible during these meetings. It made them go faster. But it was surprising to hear of a pirate crew skilled and bold enough to strike at the interior of the G.U.N. Most pirates stuck to the borders, targeting smaller trading ships that were leaving or entering the flotilla’s borders.
“It is, but this isn’t an ordinary pirate crew. The Windward is known as the fastest ship on the high seas and its crew have made a name for themselves. They harass and steal from ships associated with multiple nations and settlements. The G.U.N. included. Their transgressions have earned them a sizable bounty.” The Admiral says the last part with something nearing hunger.
Shadow never saw more than a small percentage of the bounties on the heads of the pirates he brought in. The Admiral, as his superior officer, had the most to gain from Shadow’s success. While Shadow had little use for wealth, it chaffed his pride knowing the Admiral would be the one to profit the most from his work.
When Shadow didn’t respond or comment, the Admiral picked up the box. “Our latest reports of their current heading stated they are coming here, to the heart of our territory. And if our spies outside our borders are to be believed, they have come seeking this.” He stepped forward and held the box out for Shadow to take. It was a slim and dull metal box with a simple design, no embellishments to speak of and relatively light in weight.
He didn’t look up to the Admiral for approval before flipping the clasp with his thumb and opening the box. The room was instantly filled with a green dancing light as the lid fell open. Nestled inside the box was a vibrant green gem, about the size of his fist. A gasp escaped him. Shadow didn’t entirely believe the sight before him. Almost involuntarily his hand moved to touch the gem. When his fingertip made contact with the polished surface he retracted like he was stung. At the barest touch, his heart rate soared to the point he heard the blood rushing in his ears as a surge of energy raced up his fingertip. The gem was a genuine Chaos Emerald.
Shadow felt the Admiral watch him and did his best to get his expression under control. He shut the box quickly, cutting off the dazzling green light and chose his next words very carefully. “These are supposed to be a myth.” He looked up to make eye contact with the Admiral. The Admiral let out a small hmph and turned away. Shadow tried to not let out a sigh of relief when Tower didn’t request he return the box. Instead, the Admiral gathered the folder the box had been resting on and handed it to Shadow. Shadow maneuvered the box under his arm and took the folder.
“Your next assignment, Captain Shadow, will be to hunt The Windward and its crew. You are to bring them in dead or alive. We’ve seeded rumors that the emerald will be traveling with you on the ship The Titan. They will come to you.”
Shadow let the folder fall open in his hand and took a cursory glance at the mission brief. One fact jumped out at him as he skimmed. The ship, The Windward, had once been recorded reaching speeds upwards of 25 knots, 30 if the wind was with them.
He shot a scowl at the Admiral. “And why would you risk such a valuable object as the emerald on this?” He braced himself as the question left his mouth.
Usually saying anything other than yes sir and a salute after receiving his mission brief would result in retaliation. But the Admiral must have been in a decent mood that day. He only gave Shadow a smug grin. Then he turned and began to walk back to the other side of his desk.
“We have strong reason to believe that the crew of The Windward has obtained some means of tracking the location of the Chaos Emeralds. As you said, they are supposed to be nothing more than myths, and we’ve kept the fact that we have such an artifact in our possession a carefully guarded secret. The crew will need to believe that you actually have a genuine emerald with you in order to give chase.”
“And if they manage to get ahold of the emerald?” It was a risk to openly question his assignment, but something in his gut told him this was a set up. It didn’t help that the Admiral wasn’t showing an ounce of agitation at his questions like usual. He simply shrugged and steepled his fingers in front of him.
“Are you saying a notorious pirate hunter such as yourself isn’t up to the challenge?” Shadow felt his quills bristle and he tried to keep his expression neutral. “In the unfortunate case that you fail your original objective,” The Admiral continued, thesmug grin spreading further across his face, “and the emerald falls into the hands of this pirate scum, there is a tracking device in the box containing the emerald. Your mission parameters will then change to chasing The Windward and its crew. You will be expected to not only bring them to justice but to reclaim the emerald as well.”
Shadow decided that was all he needed to hear to know that he was in fact being set up. The Admiral had given him missions like this in the past, but the weight of the emerald in the box added a new layer to it. If he completed his mission, the Admiral would have the prestige of sentencing a notorious pirate crew to the gallows and increased leverage for his next council meeting. If Shadow failed to capture or kill the crew of The Windward, if they stole the emerald, he would be sent on a wild goose chase for who knew how many months. And if he came back without the emerald, then the Admiral would finally have a good enough excuse to court martial him for the loss of such a valuable artifact. In any scenario it was a win for Tower. Shadow felt a bile build at the back of his throat at the thought.
“You really seem to want this crew caught. Must be why you’ve assigned me the slowest galleon in the fleet.” At this point Shadow was just searching for a way to wipe that grin off the Admiral’s face before he left.
“The Titan has enough canons and power to blow any ship to smithereens.” The Admiral’s face fell into a grimace, letting Shadow know he’d run out of acceptable questions.
Before Tower could keep talking Shadow interrupted him. “I would prefer to be assigned a smaller, faster vessel.” Shadow said. Something that would allow me to actually maneuver properly around a vessel that can reach upwards of 30 fucking knots, he thought. “Then maybe-,”
The Admiral held up a hand, calling for his silence. “Your preference has been noted and denied, Captain.” The Admiral added a particular edge to the end of his sentence.
Shadow bit down on the remark that was at the tip of his tongue, settling for just getting out of the office as soon as possible. “Fine,” He ground out, “Will that be all then?”
”Yes, you are dismissed. Get your rest tonight, captain. You’ll be expected at the docks tomorrow at 0500 hours to take command of your designated vessel and depart.”
Shadow gave a stiff salute and made for the door. He was halfway out before the Admiral called from behind them.
”Actually, captain, there is one more thing.”
Shadow was tempted to simply keep walking out and slam the door behind him, consequences be damned, but he stopped as requested.
The Admiral had stood again and was pouring himself a drink of amber liquid from a crystal bottle into an intricately cut glass of similar make. “It would make me so very pleased if this crew was brought in alive so I can see them hang myself, and thats an order. Considering, how many pirates you’ve sent to the gallows over the past decade, this should be easy. Dismissed.” He took the glass, swirling the liquid inside. As he took a sip he gave a final dismissive wave to Shadow and turned away to face the large window at the back of his office, staring out at the harbor.
Shadow bristled at the added order.
“As you wish, sir.” Shadow said through gritted teeth. He exited the office, closing the door behind him with more force than was polite and storming down the hall.
His expression must have been sufficiently stormy, because the few attendants and staff that milled around the office space outside Admiral Tower’s office averted their eyes and kept their distance. The secretary at the front desk wordlessly handed him his belongings, which were always checked there before he was allowed to see the Admiral. He took the knapsack and headed for the stairs, instead of the elevator which was always filled with people. The front lobby was mercifully only occupied by a few people. None gave him much presence of mind as he barreled through the front doors and out into the streets of New Westopolis.
Outside, the city stunk. It always smelled, and each part of the city was a unique flavor of rancid. Upper New Westopolis, and the areas surrounding headquarters, had the aroma of diesel fumes mixed with stale rain. As far as smells went, it wasn’t as bad as the docks or the factory district, but it was still distinctly pungent and unpleasant.
Shadow began the trek to down the streets towards his apartment. The head offices of the G.U.N. were located near the top of the city, and from this vantage he could see out to the floating barges that made up the docks, the lower markets, and the slums. A crowded floating arrangement of rafts tied with thick ropes and bridges. And further out were the ships that bustled in and out of the harbor.
New Westopolis was not really Westopolis. It was the Westopolis that survived. The real, old Westopolis was below them. Beneath the waves and thousands of miles of water, drowned for over half a century now. New Westopolis was the ghost of a remnant that clung to the top of the mountain that the old city once sat beneath.
Neither new or old Westopolis were unique. Everywhere people clung to the tops of mountains that were the last dry places in the world. The mountain top of New Westopolis was only a few miles above the current sea level. The G.U.N. made up for that with the flotilla and barges, and by keeping the last remnants of industry going by any means necessary.
The streets were quiet save for the click of Shadow’s boots against the pavement. Until, somewhere, a whistle blew, announcing the end of the work day. The streets quickly flooded with people. Shadow set his ears back against his head to block out the sudden increase in noise. The crowd that Shadow now weaved through was nearly an even balance of humans and mobians. All of them covered sweat, soot, and grease accumulated from a days worth of toil. Each rushing and pushing to get home or to the nearest street vendor for a cheap bite. Those who finished their quotas for the day at least. Shadow caught glimpses of a few factory lights that were still on. Signaling the workers that were mandated to stay overtime and finish their tasks.
It was a relief when he was able to turn down the quiet alley that led to his apartment block. It was a tall, narrow, metal building, covered in large patches of rust, that was squished between the two larger buildings that flanked it. Shadow entered the open doorway and started up the stairs to his apartment on the top floor. He didn’t bother to stop at the mail boxes by the entrance. He never received any mail.
His apartment was little more than a cramped grey box. It barely had room for the closet of a bathroom, a bed, a single window above the bed, and a dresser. The apartment boasted a single luxury, if it could be called that. A small balcony, accessed through a door that was nearly rusted shut.
Shadow reached behind him, locked the door, and dropped his knapsack to the floor with a deep sigh. He towed off his boots and set the box containing the Chaos Emerald and mission folder on his bed before he leaned forward, placing one knee on the bed to reach up to the window. Like the balcony door it was stubborn with rust and required a strong tug to even open it halfway. The smell of brine and salt from the sea wafted into the room, refreshing and pleasant to anyone who spent most of their days on the sea. Another perk of being on the top floor was that the stench of the street didn’t reach quite this high.
In the corner across from the bed was what his landlord had referred to as the “kitchen”. Which was really just a cube shaped cabinet in the corner. From the cabinet he pulled out a bag of coffee beans, a grinder, a set of matches, a chipped but clean mug, and a coffee syphon. All these items were components in a little ritual he practiced whenever he got back from a voyage and the one indulgence Shadow afforded himself.
He filled the mug with water from the sink and poured the required amount into one side of the mechanism, ground the beans, and added those to the other side. Then he lit a match and let the flame catch the oil soaked wick beneath the side that held the water.
While the coffee brewed, he shrugged off his coat and hung it from his bed post. He grabbed the folder containing his mission notes and glanced briefly at the box that sat on his bed. He considered opening the box to take a look at the emerald again until he heard a metallic click.
The clasp on the siphon had shut over the flame meaning the coffee would be ready soon. He left the box with the emerald and headed back to the counter. When the coffee had been siphoned into the other container he placed his mug beneath the spigot and turned the handle.
It wasn’t the best grounds or water, but the bitter aroma that filled his nose was pleasant and calming. He left the mug and the folder on the counter before turning to the balcony door. There was only one way to actually get the door open. First, he took the handle in both hands and braced his shoulder against the door. Then he leaned back and shoved his shoulder forward with enough force to open it a quarter ways, the hinges screeching. The door was so rusted it wouldn’t budge any further.
He took his coffee and the folder and exited back out to the balcony. The sky outside was just starting to change, from the light grey of midday to deeper shades as the sun began its descend. A mild breeze wafted up from the harbor and the cry of seagulls could be heard overhead. The floor of the balcony was corrugated metal. He could feel the sharp metal holes on his feet even through his thick socks as he walked over to the only two pieces of furniture that had not come with his assigned living quarters. A cheap plastic chair and an equally cheap plastic table. He had bought them for 2 rings each from a second hand store several blocks away. He set the mug on the table and wiped away the condensation from the chair's seat before sitting down and starting to read from the mission dossier.
Most of the brief was a standard fair of information compiled from various reports. Some of the information was hearsay, and the other half was observed data. This was standard for reports on more notorious pirate crews. In his experience, more than half of the information that was spread about such crews was fictional or exaggerated. The key was sifting through the junk to find what was plausible and what was an outright fabrication.
For The Windward itself his greatest interest was its noted speed. It wasn’t that such speeds were entirely unheard of but for a ship the size of The Windward, it was unlikely at best. Observations classified the ship as a mid sized schooner, with a yellow and blue hull and bright white sails. Some of the more fantastic rumors even claimed that the sails gleamed in the sunlight, dazzling their victims.
He took a sip of his coffee and skipped through several papers, skimming them for anything useful until he came across the report on the known crew. Six individuals were listed. The captain, his quartermaster, and four other individuals who were “of note” though their rank within the crew was unknown. All were listed as convicted of piracy and sentenced, upon capture, to hang for their crimes. He gave the rest of the crew a cursory glance for anything that jumped out. A fox with two tails, a hedgehog and echidna both noted as having unnatural amounts of strength, a crack shot wolf, and a lemur that “instilled the fear of Chaos and the gods into their enemy.” It was interesting to see such a varied bunch but the only paragraph Shadow really poured over was the captains. They would be in charge during the battle so it was their behaviors Shadow needed to be the most versed in. The captain of The Windward was noted as a blue hedgehog, male, presumed to be in his late 20’s. He was noted as cocky, obnoxious, arrogant, and prone to taking risks in battle. It was also noted that the captain was just as swift and skilled with a pistol as he was with a blade. This speed had earned him the nickname “Blue Blur”. Shadow let out a snort at the ridiculous moniker.
He snapped the folder shut and picked up his mug to finish the rest of his coffee before it went tepid. The sun was setting and sat just above the horizon. Sunrises and sunsets were the only times when the city wasn’t awash in a monotonous grey. As the sun started to dip beneath the distant waves, it set the undersides of the clouds aflame with brilliant oranges and reds and purples. Shadow stayed outside until the last sliver of sun disappeared before reentering his apartment. He set down his mug on the sink to be washed, threw the folder on the bed, and pulled the screeching rusted door to his balcony shut before beginning to prepare for bed.
Shadow technically did not need to sleep as much as the average mobian. He could have stayed awake all night and still functioned just fine the next day. But the amount of boredom that would instill if he stayed awake for all those hours meant that sleep was the easier choice. He prepped his clothes for the next day and set them at the foot of the bed so he could get dressed quickly when he awoke. The folder with his mission brief was shoved into his knapsack, and he was about to do the same with the metal box when he paused. He didn’t hesitate to open the box and let the unnaturally bright green light fill the room. In the silence, he could almost hear it singing.
He wasn’t surprised that the G.U.N. had an emerald in their possession, let alone this emerald. It felt a bit like fate that this one had returned to him. He rubbed his fingertips together before reaching down to take hold of the gem. Same as before, upon making contact with the emerald a rush of energy surged through him. His heart rate spiked and he felt a wave of dizziness. Shadow was no longer used to interacting with such a potent source of chaos energy. It had been decades. He waited till his heart rate settled. Then curled his fingers around the gem and pulled it from the foam casing. The current of chaos energy still rushed into his body from the emerald, but it was no longer overwhelming. A circuit of Chaos energy flowing from the gem, to him, and back. He breathed in time with that rhythm, turning the emerald over in his hand, studying it. He’s went to return the emerald to its box, but stopped.
The box had the tracker embedded in it, not the emerald. If the pirates did manage to slip his grasp and get to the box there was a way he could keep the emerald out of their hands as well. So instead he flipped the box closed and reaffixed the clasp, shoving it into his knapsack. Then, reaching to the back of his head, he nestled the emerald in his quills. The green light once again disappeared along with the emerald’s hum, smothered in a thick nest of dark quills. He couldn't feel quite as much of a connection with the energy as he did when he had it in his hand, but the thrum was still there if he concentrated.
With a hum of satisfaction, he laid back, focusing on the quiet thrum of energy nestled at the back of his head as he drifted to sleep.
The next morning, Shadow awoke before the sun. He turned off the alarm he had set and groaned. The vestiges of sleep clung to him as he pulled himself out of bed, got dressed, collected his bag, and left his apartment.
The walk to the harbor was quiet and still. The only light came from the hazy glowing orbs emitted by the street lamps, diffused by the heavy fog. That fog only got thicker and denser as Shadow neared the harbor and the docks, as if he was descending into a cloud.
The docks were rhythmic at this hour, a steady beat of boots, shouts, and bells ringing as ships left dock and cargo was sorted. It smelled like a delightful mix of piss, seagull shit, fish, rotting seaweed, and brine. The only pleasant aromas came from the food vendors. These ranged from shacks, to stalls, to street carts, to actual holes in the wall where cooks had already started frying, searing, and boiling the day's catches. Hungry dock workers and sailors crowded onto mismatched stools and chairs to grab the first real meal of their day.
One of these street vendors was a small makeshift cart. In exchange for a single ring Shadow was handed a piece of fried breaded fish halfway wrapped in a slip of parchment that was already slightly soaked in oil. His last meal had been the lunch he’d been served before disembarking yesterday and his stomach felt empty. Hunger didn’t dampen his ability to focus, but the sensation itself was unpleasant.
The Titan was one of the biggest ships in the fleet. It cast a long and wide shadow over the surrounding docs as the sun creeped over the horizon. It was a massive grey heap of metal, wood, and fading paint. Built from pieces of an old world relic into a new shape. A part of the hull still bared the faded white letters reading U.N.S. TITAN, now barely legible. Like The Titan, the United Federation was a relic. One that didn’t exist anymore, buried like so many ghosts beneath the ever rising tide.
The sky above flared into an array of pinks, oranges, and blue hues as the sun rose further above the horizon. Shadow could see crew members already hauling supplies onto the ship. He joined them on the gangway up to the main deck. On deck he saw a human woman, tall with a messy fringe of light brown hair standing to the side of the gangway. She had a clipboard and was meticulously checking items as they passed her. She stood at attention when she saw him step up onto the deck.
“At ease, Topaz.” He waved a dismissive hand at his quartermaster's salute and came to stand by her. “Is everything in order so far?”
She handed down the clipboard for him to glance at. “So far.” She confirmed. “Though I’ll need to double check before we officially leave port. This many supplies, something’s bound to be misplaced.”
Shadow gave the manifest a cursory once over. Most of the supplies were munitions and rations and medical supplies. He grunted and handed the board back up to Topaz.
“It’s a lot of ship to send after a single pirate crew.” Topaz noted as she took the clipboard back.
Shadow let out a short hmph in reply before responding, “It’s overkill.” He could do the same job with half the crew and resources on a ship a quarter of the size. “The Admiral’s making a spectacle.” The immense expense of this venture kept piling up. First the emerald, and now one of the fleets biggest ships was being paraded out like a fat worm on a hook. All so Tower could look good in front of his own superiors. Or if Shadow failed, on his head would the consequences fall.
Topaz responded with a small hum and tapped her pencil against her clipboard. She was one of the only people he spoke honestly to about the Admiral. Not that it was a secret that they hated each other, but Shadow didn’t need to be pulled into another meeting about ‘respecting superior officers regardless if they're right in front of you’. Again. He had known Topaz long enough to know she shared his views and wouldn’t spread them.
She kept her eyes on her clipboard as she mused, “Reports state that there has been a sharp uptick in desertion lately, especially on ships sent to patrol the borders. Our illustrious admiral probably thinks making a special example of this crew will help drum up some patriotism.”
Shadow rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Because nothing drums up support for the navy like a good hanging.” His eyes drifted off The Titan to the gallows. They hung ominously over the docks, elevated in such a way for all to see. Already the crew he had brought the day before was swinging in the wind. The grim display was meant as a constant reminder of the dangers that lurked just outside the borders of the G.U.N. and the might it could employ against its enemies. Shadow didn’t feel sympathy for the pirates. They deserved their lot for robbing what few resources were left. But Shadow saw the way the people of lower New Westopolis kept their heads pointed to the ground. How no pirates hung in the upper streets where the council and their ilk walked.
He watched the procession of sailors and dock workers for a moment longer before turning to head into the captain's quarters. “See me once all your final checks of our supplies are complete and we’re ready to head out. I’ll be in my cabin. I need to go over our heading with the navigator.”
“Yessir.” He heard Topaz say as he crossed the deck.
The captain's cabin for The Titan was, in Shadow’s opinion, ostentatious and way too big. It was a spacious and stately room with pinnings of the old world still rotting on the walls.
Shadow saw that the navigator who had been assigned to the voyage, a greying red otter who had sailed a few hunts with Shadow, was already at the desk, rifling through maps of the area. He looked up when the door closed behind Shadow with a deep thunk.
“Danville.” Shadow greeted him with a nod.
The otter gave him a half hearted salute in return, never really one for formality. “Cap’n.” He muttered from behind a thick mustache. “Hope you’ve come in to tell me where we’re headed. The briefing was mostly some nonsense about being bait but not where the bait’s supposed to swim.”
Shadow was glad it was Danville on this mission and not someone greener. Some of the younger navigators that had been assigned to him in the past would go pale and mute in fear when they saw they were working for someone so infamous. Danville, however, was too old to give a shit.
“Our sources say they have a way to track us.” Shadow set his knapsack down by the large cot and crossed to the desk to see that Danville had pulled out almost every map of the surrounding region within several leagues. “Our best move would be to head west into open waters. We’ll make for the Central City barges.” If they just sat out in open waters the trap would be far too obvious.
“They ain’t gonna be suspicious of such a big ship traveling without an escort?” Danville asked, already marking and logging their course to set at the helm once they set off. “Cus if I was a pirate, and I saw a giant slab of tuna floating in the middle of the ocean without a few sharks circling, I’d think someone was trying to lure me in.”
Shadow kept himself from grumbling, but Danville had a point. “Command is hoping that the e-“ He almost said the emerald before remembering that was definitely not something the crew would have been briefed on, “the bait will be enough to lure in our quarry regardless. This pirate captain is supposed to be egotistical. Hopefully they’ll be cocky enough to see an easy target and attack.”
Danville grunted but didn’t pursue the line of questioning any further. He knew when to mind his business. Instead the old otter gathered his compass and logs before heading out the door, grumbling something about the winds and tides as he left.
Shadow made himself busy for the next hour or so before they would set out. Preparing the voyages logbooks, one report that would be given to his superiors upon their return, and one for his own personal records. He was reviewing the mission brief one final time when Topaz entered, announcing herself with a polite knock. They reviewed the rest of the crew assignments, ship manifest, and their available munitions with Shadow before they were finally able to set off from the dock.
The voyage to the Central City barges would take about a day and a half with fair winds. The first part of the journey went by without fanfare. Shadow stayed in his cabin until it was his turn for a shift at the helm.
Outside the sky was bright, and the winds were strong. Topaz was patrolling the main deck to ensure the crew stayed on task. Shadow turned towards the stairs leading up to the quarter deck when his eye caught on the horizon. To the south, the bright blue of the sky was interrupted by a mass of roiling dark clouds billowing miles up into the sky. A storm was brewing, a large one.
He continued up the stairs and met Danville at the helm who passed the ship’s wheel off to him. Shadow didn’t need to prompt the old sailor to begin his report.
“We’ve had a good wind at our back so far. But I’m sure you’ve seen the tempest brewing off the port bow.” Danville pointed towards the growing storm. Shadow nodded, keeping an eye to the clouds as he grasped the spokes of the wheel. “We’ll make contact with the storm front in a few hours at the speed we’re moving, not sure we can fully avoid it, but we can keep out of the worst of it if we change our heading now.”
Shadow didn’t answer at first, turning over a plan that was forming in his mind until a cry rose up. From the crows next the look out shouted “Ship sighted! Off the starboard quarter!” Shadow had Danville retake the wheel briefly and stepped up to the railing. He took out a spyglass from a pouch at his waist and unfurled it and held it up to his eye. On the horizon, just as the lookout out had called, a ship was headed their way. He couldn’t make out much detail, save for a deep blue hull with golden-yellow accents and set of brilliant, nearly gleaming white sails. It was The Windward, and even from this distance he could tell it was gaining on them fast. The ship must have an engine, Shadow thought, there was no other way for a ship to gain that kind of speed so quickly.
He felt a small sharp grin forming on his muzzle. His heart rate quickened in anticipation of the hunt. “Let’s see just how desperately you rats want this emerald.” He muttered to himself, and lowered the spyglass, slipping it back into its pouch. He took the helm back from Danville. “We aren’t changing our course.” He said.
Danville was silent at his side for a moment before gruffly saying, “Cap’n, I know you’ve ridden storms before, but this one’s no joke. Just look at it, darker than the depths those clouds are.”
”Exactly,” The grin on his face widened, revealing large, sharp canines, “That ship will outmaneuver and outpace this overgrown hunk of metal like it’s nothing. We need to make things even.”
He almost expected Danville to protest, instead he just grumbled. “As you say, cap’n” Before he descended from the quarter deck.
“Topaz!” Shadow called.
His quartermaster came to the helm and stood at attention. “Yes captain!”
“Have some of the crew redistribute our load so we sit lower in the water, and prepare the sails for a storm.”
“Captain,” Topaz began hesitantly, “we’re sailing into that storm? On purpose?”
“Yes, will that be a problem, quartermaster?” He looked up at her now. Her brow was furrowed. He could see that yes she did have a problem with it. The question was whether she would have the gall to speak against a superior officer. Her mouth thinned and she set her shoulders.
“As you say, Captain.” She left him at the helm, calling out the newest orders to the crew.
Perhaps he should take the trepidation in both his quartermaster and navigator to heart. The Titan was a larger than he was used to sailing. They could capsize easily if a rogue wave hit them. And he wasn’t just putting his own life in danger, but that of the entire crew.
A sudden sheer wind brought with it the electric scent of ozone. The smell of the approaching storm set Shadow’s quills quivering, but he loved sailing storms. It was a challenge against a force far stronger than he. Every time he came out alive, it meant he had survived that force. And this was a vessel of the G.U.N. flotilla. Her crew went out knowing the risks that came with this assignment. Sacrifice was always necessary in battle. The anticipation for the storm and the hunt, combined with the thrilling hum of the Chaos Emerald tucked into his quills, made him feel nigh invincible.
He would conquer both the storm and The Windward and sail back into Westopolis’ port to shove his victory in the Admirals' face.
Besides, how bad could this storm really be?
———————————————-
Shadow had maybe underestimated the storm. Danville had been right in his estimation that this was not just a storm, but a tempest! The swells had started were ten feet high and only getting bigger. But Shadow had been correct in his assumptions. The Windward followed them, and the storm was keeping the smaller, more nimble ship from completely outmaneuvering The Titan.
Shadow belayed their attack until The Windward made the first strike. The hull of The Titan was thick and could take pot shots from the smaller ship without issue. He had turned The Titan’s broadside to the smaller vessel and ordered his crew to fire at will.
The battle was pure chaos. Two ships circling and chasing each other in hails of fire and gunpowder. The booms of their cannons merged with the cacophony of thunder and lightning. More than once Shadow had nearly crushed the smaller ship under the bow of The Titan, but even in the storm The Windward was swift enough keep from being crushed against the larger ship. It almost felt like the smaller ship was toying with them.
A cry rose from the main deck of the ship and he peered at the deck below. The crew was rushing towards the railing, unsheathed their own swords as a figure was climbing up onto the deck. The sheets of rain obscured his vision, but based on the descriptions of the crew Shadow had a feeling about just who the interloper was. He shouted to his quartermaster who was manning one of the swivel guns.
”Topaz! Man the wheel! Now!” As soon she took the helm, Shadow vaults over the rail, unsheathing his rapier. He landed and leapt forward, covering the length of the deck in a dash of light.
The pirate that boarded their ship was fending off his crew with ease. They had encircled the pirate, who deftly defended himself with a long saber. Shadow closed in, aiming the point of his blade to strike a fatal blow. No normal swordsman could move fast enough to parry his strike but the pirate met Shadow’s blade, pushing the thrust out of the way. Their blades sparked as they slid against one another until the basket handle of his rapier clashed with the cross-guard of the scimitar.
Shadow could finally get a good look at his opponent. Blue fur, swept back quills, and green eyes that met his defiantly over the crossed hilts of their blades. This was the captain of The Windward.
“Woah! You almost skewered me there!” He pushed Shadow back, unlocking their blades and twirled his saber in a flourish before brandishing the sword's tip at Shadow again. “I was starting to think this would be a cake walk, good to see the flotilla has at least one competent fighter.”
Shadow took an opposing stance and sneers. “It was foolish of you to board my ship without backup. I am going to make sure you and your crew submit to justice and are hanged for your crimes, you pirate filth!” Shadow batted the saber out of the way to try and create an opening.
“Please, the name’s Sonic. Pirate filth was my father!” Their swords clashed and clanked in a series of parries and blows until Shadow managed to disarm the other hedgehog. Or so he thought. The saber flew up into the air. Shadow took the opening and attempted to spear Sonic through the chest. But the blue hedgehog leapt up, using Shadow’s head as a springboard. Shadow spun fast enough to see Sonic land behind him, catching the saber by the handle. Shadow slashed at Sonic’s exposed back but he pirouetted just in time to block the strike. A smug grin plastered on his face.
“You’re pretty fast, but not fast enough!” The hedgehog before him snorted like he just said something funny. Then he squinted at Shadow before his eyes widened with recognition. “Hold on! Black quills and red stripes! I’ve heard of you! You’re that one pirate hunter, Shadow.” He chuckled as he looked Shadow up and down. With a tilt of his head he said, “Honestly, I thought you’d be taller.”
Shadow growled, something about the way this hedgehog looked at him, the carefree way he held himself even as he was surrounded by dozens of armed men. It pissed Shadow off. “If my reputation precedes me, then you know I’ve never been beaten.” Shadow coiled his arm to his chest, prepared to strike.
Sonic scoffed and shrugged, “First time for everything, pal!”
Shadow aimed his next attack at the captain’s eye. Sonic moved his head fast enough to not loose an eye, but not fast enough to avoid the blade entirely. The tip of the blade drew a bloody line through his cheek. Sonic’s eyes widened in surprise and Shadow took the opportunity to closed distance and shoved his opponent into the railing.
“I suggest you save yourself the pointless struggle and surrender.” Shadow hissed and pressed the tip of his sword into Sonic’s side.
The relaxed grin on the captain’s face grew sharp. “You know as tempting of an offer as that is I think I’ll have to decline.” Sonic brought a knee up and pushed Shadow off him with his boot. His sword was a blur of steel as he slashed at Shadow. The air whistled as the saber sliced an inch from his face. Shadow’s counter nearly pierced the hedgehogs chest. “That said I’ve never met someone who could actually keep up with me. Been a while since I’ve had an actual challenge.”
The way the other hedgehog said challenge caused a shiver to ran up Shadow’s spine. They’ve locked blades again and he was close enough to smell the blood from the wound. The way it mixed with the smell of ozone in the air was intoxicating.
“Oh, I’m more than your challenge, hedgehog, I am your match. I’ll make sure I slit your throat myself!”
The other captain had the audacity to laugh, “You know it’s more proper to take a guy to dinner first before you try and sweet talk him!”
Before Shadow could respond to that strange remark, a lightning bolt streaked across the sky just over their heads. The boom of thunder that followed caused them both to flinch and threw themselves back. “Well, this has been fun!” For the first time since they started their duel, Shadow saw the captain became nervous. “But I’ve gotta run!“ He cut a barrel of crates loose and used them to create enough space for him to turn his back and flee.
“Oh no you don’t!” Shadow shouted, leapt up to the railing, and jumped over the barrels. Sprinted back towards the bow of the ship to catch the blue hedgehog who was already half way to the captain’s cabin door. “I’m not done with you!”
They reached the cabin door at the same time. Shadow barreled into the other hedgehog, their combined momentum sending them both crashing through the cabin door. They tumbled, end over end into his quarters. Sonic almost scrabbled away. But Shadow grabbed his coat and pulled him back. Clocking him with a punch to the face and pinning him to the floor. His rapier was across the floor, too far to reach now. Shadow instead grabbed the knife strapped to his belt and pressed it to the blue hedgehog's throat.
“Any last words pirate.” Shadow spat.
“Oh yeah I’ve got some words for you, asshole,” Even with a knife pressed against his throat those green eyes still met Shadow’s with excitement and defiance. “But they aren’t gonna be my last.”
Shadow was about to respond when the ship lurched. Throwing both hedgehogs to one side of the cabin. They slammed against the wall. Sonic landed a solid kick to Shadow’s chest, knocking the wind out of him and allowing Sonic to free himself. He struggled to suck in a breath. The pirate captain crawled over to the desk and grabbed the metal box that would have contained the emerald. Shadow saw Sonic’s hand reach to open the box, to ensure it contained his prize. Then the ship lurched again. Shadow was thrown against the back wall of the cabin while Sonic hung on to the desk, his feet dangling. The ship groaned as the wood and metal were bent by the force of the waves.
The cabin became a horizontal space again and both Sonic and Shadow dropped to the floor. Shadow was able to finally suck in a breath just as the blue hedgehog headed out of the gaping hole that was the cabin’s doorway.
“You know this has been fun and all, but I’m gonna split before this ship splinters!” Sonic gave him a wink and a mock salute. “See ya!” Then he was gone in a blur.
Shadow hauled himself to his feet and threw himself out onto the deck. He was too late, the pirate captain was nowhere to be seen on the main deck. He let out a shout of rage and frustration as he sprinted to the railing. Out amongst the towering waves he could just make out the silhouette of The Windward as it fled to safety.
He whipped around, ready to storm up to the quarter deck and took back the helm to resume pursuit of the other ship. The cry of fear and terror that burst from the crew around him stopped him dead in his tracks, as does the shadow that fell over the ship.
The swell, the wave, the wall of water that loomed over the ship was bigger than any Shadow had ever seen. He had to crane his neck back just to see the crest. His stomach dropped. If he had stayed at the helm he could have spotted the wave in time to avoid it. It felt like the world was holding its breath just before the whole ship flipped. There was no time to suck in a final breath before the deck beneath his feet vanished and the cold shock of the ocean slammed into his back.
In the cold, churning dark of the ocean, Shadow could not tell which way was up. He attempted to swim and orient himself, but his movement is pointless against the force of the water around him. The next swell of water dragged his body down and then up and up until Shadow’s head burst above the surface. He gasped and barely kept his head above the water, gagging as sea water flowed into his mouth. Around him, he could find no sign of The Titan. Just smashed bits of wood and metal that he could not tell if it was just debris or fragments of a shattered galleon. He searched for signs of the other ship so he could at least have the satisfaction that his quarry had been taken down as well. No ship could move fast enough to escape that monster of a wave!
His vision was cut off as the water around him dipped low, pulling him with it. He looked up and saw a wave swell above him, wood and metal debris collected at the crest of the wave. Oh, fuck, are the last two words he could think before the wave crashed down on him. The breath he tried to suck in was useless. He was thrown like a doll by the current as water flooded into his mouth and lungs. A piece of debris hurtled into him, smacking hard against his temple. Everything disappeared as Shadow sunk into a void of cold and peaceful darkness.
And then he woke up.
He flailed violently, but his limbs are no longer encumbered with water but air. There was a very brief sensation of falling. Then his back slammed against a hard surface. Like a tuning fork struck on a piece of metal, pain rang through him, from his back, to his limbs, all the way to his fingertips. Shadow choked out wince and tries to breathe as the pain began to subside.
Breathing proved to be painful as well. His chest and lungs ached with each inhale. To top it all off his head was pounding and his mouth tasted rancid and briny.
Somehow he was alive. Shadow thought that he was on a ship. The surface, probably the floor of wherever he was, was gently rocking. From the sound of water lapping against the hull he must be somewhere below deck and it smelled damp, and somewhat mildewy.
He blinked open his eyes just enough to see a sliver of his surroundings. Above him was a low wooden ceiling that met equally wooden walls. One of them was curved like the hull of a ship. Shadow moved his elbow underneath him to try and prop himself up and paused when he heard a clink of metal. Looking down he saw that his wrists and feet were bound in manacles. The same kind he would clamp on the pirates he captured.
“Morning sleeping beauty, have a nice nap?” Shadow snapped his head up. In front of him was an iron cell door, and casually leaning against the cell door was a grinning blue hedgehog with windswept quills. He wore a tricorn hat, a dark red coat, an egregious amount of rings and gems on his hands and ears, and a very open shirt that gave full view of his peach chest. This was the same hedgehog Shadow had fought on the deck of The Titan.
Sonic, the captain of The Windward.