Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Two - Fetching Help II: Re-Re-Kidnapping

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Two - Fetching Help II: Re-Re-Kidnapping

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Two - Fetching Help II: Re-Re-Kidnapping

Joe, I said past my panting. My heart was thudding away at my chest, like a rabbit trying to run free. It wasnt just the sprint back to the yard, or the way I practically carried Sally to make us move faster. Well, it wasnt just that.

Are you guys alright? Joe asked.

I started to nod, then shook my head. Joe. Can the Manatee fly?

What? he asked.

Sally jumped ahead to explain. Their friend, the blonde one, she was kidnapped and taken on an airship.

Joe turned back to me. So... what? You want to take the Manatee?

We need to catch up, I said.Fôll0w current novÊls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

You have your own ship, he said. Its a lot nicer than ours.

Ours isnt made to go fast, I said. And its big besides. I think the Manatee might be faster.

Well too bad, were not just giving you our ship.

I swallowed. Im asking you to come with us. Please?

Joe crossed his arms, feet set and jaw locked in place. And then Amaryllis huffed a rather dangerous sort of huff and stomped up in front of the boy. She reached out and grabbed him by the lapels with her talons to pull him close. Listen to me, you stupid human boy. One of my best friends is in trouble. Now, Broccoli here is too kind a soul to just take your stuff to save our friend. Im not.

Are you threatening me? Joe asked. His eyes were darting around, to Amaryllis, then to his friends who didnt seem to know what to do any more than I did.

Im saying that if it was one of your friends, I dont doubt youd do what you had to do to save them, right? Awens been kidnapped by some men that I plan to fry. Sparks of electrical mana snapped and crackled in the air around her. Do you want to join them?

The Manatees never flown, Joe said.

Amaryllis let him go with a shove. Lets at least try, damn it.

I pressed a hand on her shoulder. I didnt like seeing her so violent, but I could get it. I wasnt like that, not to someone that I didnt think deserved it, but I could get why she was so nervous.

Joe licked his lips and looked to his friends.

Sally jumped ahead and tore the tarp back off the Manatee. Come on, Joe. Lets get her ready.

Joe and Oda locked eyes, then he turned back to me. You owe us one, he said.

I nodded. If we can save Awen, then... I mean, even if we cant... Just... please help us. My hands came together and twiddled together, neither knowing what to do. Please?

Joe sighed and turned to jump aboard the Manatee. Oda, get the engine going. Sally, make sure the sails are set. Do we have enough fuel?

Not much in the tank, Oda said.

Ill be right back, Bastion said before taking off at a dead sprint.

I jumped aboard the Manatee too. It wasnt a big ship. In fact, I was pretty sure it didnt count as a ship at all. I looked around for something to do, noticed how the ship had some stains and was on the wrong side of dirty in spots. So, I started tidying up.

Oda gave me a strange look, but he didnt raise a fuss. Engines primed, he said.

We all paused as he pulled a cord. The engine spun, choked, and died before even coming alive. Oda pulled the cord again, and again, and again, to no effect. He dropped to his knees and started fiddling with something on the underside of the engine.

Whats wrong with it? Amaryllis asked.

Its an old engine, Joe said.

I cant deploy on both sides at once! Sally called back.

Joe! Help her!

Joe stumbled to the front and hung off the side near the port sails. Ready!

Deploy to full on three! Amaryllis said. She was leaning forwards, looking at something that I couldnt see from way off in the back. One! Two! Now!

Sallys sail unfurled first and the Manatee jerked to the side, almost rolling as it caught the wind and sent us off-course. Joes sail shot open a moment later and our flight righted itself. We caught some sort of updraft that had the Manatee shifting up and into the sky.

You never told me you were this good a pilot! I called out.

Youd have me working more, Amaryllis said.

I blinked. Had we accidentally brought Rosaline disguised as Amaryllis along?

I see it! Amaryllis said a moment later. At least, I think I do. Theres a magical hotspot about two clicks that way! she pointed off above and to our left. We need more height.

I looked to Bastion to see how he was doing. The man wasnt even sweating yet, which I couldnt claim about myself. The constant pump of my legs had turned into a heavy burning sensation a minute into our flight and it was only getting worse. Aim us up! Well give it more on our end, I said.

Any amount of sore muscles was worth saving Awen for.

Got it! Amaryllis said.

She pulled a lever down, and the little directional flaps on the back of the Manatee changed their angles so that we were pointing up.

Bastion and I both grunted as we started spinning the pedals faster. The prop behind us started to hum just a little louder and we started to move a pinch faster.

Whats the plan once were near the bastard? Amaryllis asked.

I havent thought that far ahead, I said.

Were not getting involved in a real fight, Joe said.

I wanted to argue, but he was probably right. This wasnt his fight. Can we cut across their deck and land on it? I asked.

And then what?

I shrugged, then regretted it as it made me lose my timing with the pedals a little. I held onto the edge of my seat to stay in place. And then we grab Awen and run. And if anyone gets in our way, we beat them up.

Amaryllis was quiet for a while, then she started chirruping in her strange birdy laughter. A bun, a harpy and a sylph land on a pirates deck. It sounds like the start of a bad joke.

Yeah, well the jokes going to be on them. No one kidnaps my friends except for me! I declared.

Bastion chuckled. No ones going to believe my report, he said.

Shows that you dont know what being with Broccoli is like, Amaryllis said. The day we became friends she led an undead army against a squadron of cervid mercenaries to try and save me.

Hey! I said. I didnt just try. I totally saved you.

I would have figured it out, Amaryllis said.

Bastion stared at us, then shook his head. The scallywags didnt seem to know what to think either.

The ship we were following grew larger as we approached. It was a nice ship, with a few old scars but a lot of character.

Unfortunately, even as we came closer and its smaller details came to light, I couldnt find it in my heart to appreciate the ship. Not after it had taken Awen.

Wed just need to take her back.

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