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Dream had been acting strange since the route of the voyage had been set, the man had stiffened, his chin raised as his eyes darkened on the captain. The captain had pointed to the shortcut on the map laid out on the table, stating quietly it was pirate territory; but if they wanted to make it to their destination on time it was their only choice.
The crew had hesitantly agreed, sending each other disapproving glances, George didn’t miss their concerned whispers as they left the room either. The noble leaned back in his armchair, looking back at the map before him.
The path was relatively straight, with islands peeking from the water, leaving blindspots for pirates to lay in wait for idiotic ships to attempt to travel through the narrow passage of cliffs and islands.
The captain turned to the two, left alone in the quarters, “I assure you, sir, the passage will be safe. There’s plenty of ships to have passed peacefully.”
Dream frowned, his shoulders tensing as he looked out one of the windows, his glare fixed on the horizon.
George tore his gaze from his bodyguard, “I have your word?” The captain nodded, and George dismissed him.
George rested his chin on the table, eyes now fixed on the door in front of him as if waiting for the captain to come back with a new route. The quarters were small, decent sized with a sitting area and a separate sleeping area, but it was still smaller than his quarters at home. The dark woods of the ship contrasted with the deep navy of the furniture, all of the fabrics were navy blues, he’d noticed.
Dream shifted on his feet by the windows, not looking any less gruff.
“What’s bothering you?” George asked.
Dream sighed, “This passage is what’s wrong.”
“Oh? Is it the pirate threat so to speak?”
Dream stalked over, glaring into George’s eyes before he leaned over the table, pointing a finger between two islands on the map, not too far away from their coming route. “My ship was sunk there, years ago. Bombed to shit and sunken in flames.” Dream pulled back, “I don’t trust this route, it’s too dangerous. You know this, you know what I feel about pirates.”
“That you want them all dead and you want to kill them yourself,” George said, his voice lighter in a futile attempt to mimic his friend’s voice. “You’ve told me that almost every day for the past seven years, I won’t forget that easily.”
Dream snorted and breathed a laugh, “They-”
“They killed your best friend,” George interrupted, his eyes softening as their gaze met. “I know,”
Silence filled the room, Dream dropping into an empty chair, the man’s sour expression shifting to the soft mourning he always did when it brought up his best friend. George wished he could’ve met him.
“It’s going to be okay, Dream,” George said softly, reaching across the table and holding the man by the shoulder, “Maybe, for once, I can protect you instead.”
Dream laughed, “Yeah, as if.”
-------------------
Dream couldn’t sleep, his mind wouldn’t tire as the ship sailed quietly towards the passage. As he leaned against the railing of the ship, standing at the wheelhouse, watching crew walked about bellow, mindful of their step as crew slept below deck. George was sleeping too, the high of the night claiming the nobleman before Dream left the quarters.
The cliffs and islands taunted him as the ship passed them, their jagged rocks and flora hanging lower than he remembered, a haunting passage of time.
Seven years ago his father’s ship had sailed through this passage, a shortcut to reach a city another two days of sailing away. But their voyage had been cut short when a foreign ship had emerged from the fog. A roar later, canons had fired at them. Blasting through the belly of the ship, pirates had flooded across the ship, attacking with pistols swords, creaming and roaring for blood. Dream had hidden with his best friend since childhood in the corner of his father’s quarters.
If he listened closely, he could still hear the screams of death and feel the realization that fire had begun to spread. The two children had run, fled through a small hallway before the roof had collapsed above them, his friend trapped under the flaming wood beam and Dream, too weak to lift the beam himself promised to come back. But he was never able to, grabbed by the arm and dragged into a boat by an unknown survivor. He’d watched as the ship went down in flames, claiming the life of his best friend in the process.
“Sapnap,” Dream whispered. The name felt wrong on his tongue as if he wasn’t allowed to say it. His best friend, buried by flames and water.
Dream’s eyes caught on a towering cliff, reaching above the ship and connecting with a different cliff, he thought for a second something moved in the underside of dirt and hanging rocks. Something shifted in the darkness, something pale. And within a blink, he swore he caught someone’s eyes, dark and staring down at him.
Dream tore his gaze from the sight, looking around to see if others had seen it as well, of the few of the crew that remained awake, none seemed bothered by the staring spirit as the ship passed the natural overhang of stone.
A falcon screeched in the distance and Dream jumped eyes catching on the bird perched above him on the mast, the falcon stared at him its wings spread slightly before they folded against its sides. It nipped on its wing before taking off again, seemingly unbothered by Dream’s presence.
Dream shook his head, looking back out between the cliffs, “I’m just paranoid,” He whispered, “It was seven years ago,” His hands were shaking and his back sweaty. His ragged breaths halted slightly, he wanted to leave.
He swore he could hear the canons still, hear the angry roars of war. The clashing of swords and bangs of pistols. Dream bit his lip, hands reaching over his ears.
Not real.
Dream took a deep breath, feeling the thick scent of salt in the air, the clashing of the ocean under the ship grounding him, blocking the sounds of battle in his mind.
It wasn’t until the very real sound of canons blowing did Dream break from his spell.
Whirling around, he saw the opposite side of the ship blow, fire-spewing from the newly created holes. Panic and life awoke in a flood, people poured from the stairs, yelling and crying as they fumbled to follow protocol.
Dream watched in horror as a ship emerged from the darkness, almost hidden hadn’t it been for the firing of canons, the light of the explosions illuminating the sides of the ship. Black as the night it sailed forth from a cloud of smoke.
It was a smaller ship, with less but bigger navy sails.
Dream heard the crew pray as the pirates managed to load their canons faster than themselves could. Dream himself stood frozen, staring at the coming ship, it was sailing right at them. He stumbled forward, catching the glimpse of metal at the ship’s front before it impaled the ship.
Dream threw himself back as the ship collided, landing in the belly of the of their ship. Pirates jumped from the ship seated there, blocking the mid passage and separating the crew in two groups.
“George,” Dream whispered, before throwing himself over the edge of the railing at the wheelhouse, landing on the wood bellow. He pushed open the door leading to the small hallway.
George was already dressed when he threw open the door, the nobleman stood facing the door with a sword in his hands. His sword lowered upon realising who had entered, “Dream, what’s happening?” He asked.
“Pirates.” Dream hissed, the poison in his voice spilling as he spits the word. His mind caught up to the realization that pirates had indeed attacked them, Dream wanted nothing more than to strangle the captain idiot who suggested the route.
Boots trampled on the floor above, the clashing of steel echoed to their ears, screams and cries filling the once silent night. Dream’s breath turned ragged as the memory flashed, his hands shook around the handle of his sword, the other gripped at the pistol by his side; his finger off the trigger.
The child in him wanted to run. To hide. To get away.
Not this time.
“We have to fight,” George said, Dream snapped from his memory, gaze snapping to George. The brunette met his gaze, narrow and serious, his lips a thin line as he nodded towards the door. Without another word, George stepped through.
Dream trembled in place before he shook himself free, he couldn’t let George die. He couldn’t lose another friend to pirates.
Donning a mask of composure Dream followed after the idiotic nobleman.
Dream caught up by the entrance to the hallway. The deck of the ship was covered in blood and gore, dead bodies littered across the old planks. Both pirates and crew.
A yell sound above them before someone dropped down in front of them. A blond man dressed in bloody white, pointing a pistol right at them, the man fired with a sinister smile. The two dodged the bullet, Dream storming forth and drawing his sword on the man, the sword clashed against the pistol, but the sword caught on the decorative details on the barrel of the pistol, the pale-haired man’s smile widened and he twisted, Dream’s sword jerked in his grasp.
George’s sword came into view, only to be blocked by a second sword, another man locked George’s sword away from the blond man. The newcomer donned a mask as well, red and yellow and black, his eyes peeking out through a slit in the hood.
“Taking on two on one now, that’s ambitious of you.” Said the masked man.
“Shut up, I got it.” Said the blond, pulling on the pistol again. Dream’s grip almost faltered before he pulled out his pistol, he aimed at the blond’s head before he shifted on his feet, suddenly behind him. His sword was freed, and before the man could do anything, Dream kicked his heel landing in the man’s lower back. The pirate fell to the ground with a groan.
George disarmed the masked man, pointing his sword at the pirate’s neck.
Dream scanned the deck, some people still fought for their lives, either murdering or getting murdered. With a hiss, Dream kicked the pirate in the head, the blond pirate going limp on the floor.
When he turned the masked pirate was also on the floor unconscious or dead, frankly, he didn’t care.
A burst of deranged laughter rang out above them, the two looked up; catching eyes with a dark-haired man laughing. A beanie on his head covering his hair, “Look what we have here, two little rich boys! Hey! We got walking gold over here!” He called out, dark eyes locked on them.
Dream drew his sword, seeing the curved knives in the man’s hands as he rested on the wood railing like a gargoyle.
“What the hell do you want?” Snarled Dream.
“Oh, just what every pirate wants, gold, lovers, more gold-” He cut himself off, using his knife to rinse his teeth for a second, “and even more gold.”
“Quackity!” Someone called, caramel brown-haired boy appeared in the low light, “The captain said to bring the rest of the survivors.”
“On it, Karl!” The man, Quackity, stood; “HEY! The captain wants his kills!”
The fighting paused around them, Dream backed into George’s back, gripping the man’s bicep as the pirates changed their tactics. Around them, the fighting changed, people dropping like flies as the pirates began their knock out tactics.
“What happened to Punz and Ponk?” Karl asked, leaning over the railing.
“Pissy boys knocked them out,” Quackity said, stepping away from the railing but remaining above them.
Dream frowned, he couldn’t get a clear view of the two pirates, the Quackity guy was a dual wielder with knives, the Karl guy didn’t have his weapons out. Quackity was dressed raggedly, wearing his torn clothes as if they were scars from a won battle. The Karl guy wore the royal purple, heavily embroidered with colours only a nobleman could afford.
“Dream?” George whispered.
Pirates had started to surround them, Dream cracked his neck, a two versus fifteen didn’t seem fair in the slightest, but yet again; these were pirates. Pirates didn’t abide by those rules.
“Remember, Captain wants his kills,” Quackity said, and turned, taking Karl’s hand as he vanished somewhere above on the wheelhouse.
Dream growled but was stopped as George dropped his weapons and raised his arms, “We want to talk to your Captain.” He said.
Dream shook his head, a shock of lighting passing through him, “What-” He whispered.
“Didn’t you hear him,” George said, not bothering to be quiet, “We’re of noble status, we’re worth more to you alive than dead. Dream drop your weapons.”
Dream dropped his sword and pistol, leaving the knife in his pants untouched. The pirates grabbed them as soon as the echo of the weapons halted, the rough texture of the hemp rope already digging into both their wrists.
They were dragged by their arms, legs barely able to catch up as they were hauled across the ship and into the pirates’ ship. Tied up and unconscious crew lay on the planks of the pirates’ ship, a handful of the pirates’ crew standing around the bodies with their weapons drawn and some occasionally kicking a man in the head.
The two were dropped in the middle of the ship, the silhouette of a person’s back along one side of the ship catching their eyes. A long dark coat, white lines that resemble fire embroidered along its edges. The Captain’s head was hidden by a black hat, a red falcon feather peeking out between the leather. The Captain was crouched over a body, a pale blue light in front of him; its source hidden by his own body.
Another pirate stood next to him. A woman with fluffy white hair, and as the moonlight finally peeked between the dark clouds, he realized she was a sheep. She stared mournfully down at the Captain, a hand on her sword as she whispered low.
The two pirates Dream and George had taken down were dragged across the deck, the Captain and the sheep pirate turned slightly, the woman huffing and covering her face with a groan. She suddenly stood and called over the edge into their ship. “Karl!? Can you tend to Punz and Ponk?”
An inaudible yell followed and pirates began scrambling around, the guy named Karl ran across the deck and down under with a small smile. Pirates filed across the deck, carrying anything from their ship that could carry value.
“Let’s get moving!” Called the woman, followed by a loud crash as their ship cracked; sinking way quicker than normal ships, Dream’s eyes widened as he stared at the planks and crates floating up to the surface where the ship once stood. The pirate ship dipped as it hit the water, almost tipping both of them. Dream caught them both before they gracelessly fell to the floor if they couldn’t save their lives at least he could save their dignity.
“Captain?” Someone said, Dream looked back to the supposed Captain, he was standing by a different body now, completely unphased by the ship rocking. “These two nobles want a talk,” It was Quackity.
“Ant!” The Captain yelled, a minute later a head popped out from the staircase to the lower decks.
A cat hybrid, brown-haired with dark feline ears and bright blue eyes. “Yeah?”
“I need a hand, you and Quackity get the remaining hostages to the cells. Apparently, nobility doesn’t warrant patience.” The Cat hybrid and the Quackity maniac grabbed the remaining bodies littered on the floor.
It was then the two realized the rest were dead.
Dead with no wounds to see, their faces locked in deep slumber or in a last spurt of horror. Eyes blank and milky with no recognition of the person who had once inhabited the body.
Heavy footsteps and the sound of a sword drawn snapped Dream from his horrifying realization. The Captain hovered over the two, tied and kneeling on the harsh texture of planks. The two flew past him, resting against George’s chin, lifting it slightly, the tip of the blade a mere inch away from George’s throat. Dream looked up at the Captain, his face shadowed by the night, hidden under the leather hat.
The Captain hummed before the blade moved away, Dream managed to make out the eyes of the Captain, dark but staring directly at him. A voice in the back of his head told him to look away, to look down, but his own curiosity and boldness prevented him.
“Captain?” The woman appeared behind the Captain.
“Puffy, which one is the nobleman?” The Captain asked, his gaze locked onto Dream’s.
“They didn’t say, presumably both, double the money,” Puffy said, crossing her arms with a smirk.
“What’s your name?” The Captain asked.
“George,” Said George, “From SMP, this is Dream my-” He paused, “A family friend.”
The Captain froze, the once lowered sword raised and pointed directly at Dream’s throat. Dream leaned back, almost falling as the blade pressed against his jugular. “You have a lot of nerve coming back here,” Spat the Captain.
Dream stuttered, “What the- What the hell does that mean!? Who even are you?”
The Captain, still with his blade pointed at Dream’s throat, took off his hat. The dim light illuminating his face. Dream’s eyes widened, he remembered the nights he doubted himself, crying in fear and grief as he thought he was forgetting his best friend’s face, but now he felt nothing but shock; he could never forget his face.
“ Sapnap ?” Dream whispered, disbelief lacing through the name he hadn’t dared to speak since the incident.
Sapnap’s eyes were dark, onyx black as he stared at Dream with a glare that could silence storms. His face was dirty, but the taut stretch of skin along the side of his face became apparent as more light floated around him. The scarry tissue travelled from his left eye and down his neck and underneath his shirt.
Sapnap crouched down in front of him, keeping their gaze locked; the sword shifted from his jugular pointing down to between his collarbone for a moment before it was replaced with a pistol to his forehead.
“Don’t-” Cried George, suddenly pulled away from Dream by a pirate. The crew around them stood still, a mixture of confusion and curiosity on their faces as they stared between their Captain and the captive.
“You-” Sapnap spat, “Have a lot of nerve coming back here.”
Dream’s breath hitched, his voice caught in his throat as he stared into his best friend’s eyes. The best friend he thought died. “You’re alive,” He whispered.
A sadistic grin appeared on Sapnap’s face, only betrayed by the hurt in his eyes, “Yes, I lived. I survived the ship going down in flames, no thanks to you.” The blade touched his skin, piercing through. A droplet of blood trailed down his neck, soaking into the neck of his shirt.
“I-” Dream started.
“You left me!” Sapnap interrupted, “You left me there to die,”
Dream shook his head, “N-No! I didn’t leave y-”
“Oh, so you just leave ‘ to get help ’ and never come back.” Sapnap drew back his sword and turned to Puffy, “Send a falcon to the mainlanders, and put them in a cell.”
And he walked away, slamming the door to the Captain’s quarters hard enough the wood splintered around the frame.
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Sapnap tipped the bottle to his lips again, the nearly drained liquid hitting his throat with a rush. He sighed loudly and slammed the bottle against the wall, green glass smashing against the wood, also leaving an indent.
He looked out into the darkened night, frowning as his own face appeared in the glass. The scars around his face suddenly feeling all the more sensitive, every flicker of air brushing against it stung. He could still feel the lick of flames against his body as he struggled to breathe, as the water rose around his elbows. His own voice echoing for help, the cries of a twelve-year-old boy as his face burned and water rose to his chin. Another bang and he fell through the wood, his body too weak to swim towards the surface, the dancing colours vanishing into black as his last breath left him.
Sapnap turned abruptly, slamming his fists into the table with a roar.
“Am I interrupting?”
He looked up, horror and rage filling his mind, he didn’t want anyone to see him like this. Puffy stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed behind her back and her head tilted.
“What is it?” Sapnap asked.
Puffy raised an eyebrow, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, the entire crew is concerned about you.”
“Shouldn’t you be sailing the ship?” Sapnap asked.
“I should, I got Ant to do it for an hour, they think I’m the best choice to talk to you.” She said rolling her eyes, and muttering a low “ Karl was right there ,”
Sapnap snorted and stumbled to his armchair, throwing himself face-first into the cushion.
“Are you drunk?” Puffy asked suddenly, “Gods, I don’t get paid enough for this.” She rubbed her fingers into her forehead before confronting Sapnap at his table. His desk strewn with bottles of alcohol and maps and treasures.
“You don’t understand,” Sapnap mumbled, “That’s Dream, formerly my best friend, who-”
“Left you to die on a burning ship seven years ago. I’m sorry but you’ve told this story.” Puffy said sternly, “I know it’s hurting you, but getting shit faced drunk isn’t going to help you.”
“What should I do then?” Sapnap snapped, “Kill him? Tie him to the anchor and drop it into the ocean?”
“Can’t you try talking to him? Maybe there was a misunderstanding, if you were best friends I doubt he wanted to leave you.” Puffy tried to reason.
Sadly, reason and drunk Sapnap mixed together like water and oil fire.
“I’m gonna fucking kill him,” Sapnap growled, bending forward and burying his face in his hands, “I want to fucking kill him!”
“Talk to him, you idiot!” Puffy yelled before mumbling, “ Karl is so much better at emotional support, why did they send me, ” She sighed loudly, “Listen to me, Sapnap, talk to him. The falcon is sent for the mainland, the noble-brat is getting sold back either way. What happens to Dream is up to you.” She said before turning her back, closing the door surprisingly softly.
Sapnap glared at his pistol. He’d wanted to shoot the second he realized it was Dream, he wanted to so badly to pull the trigger. But there was something in his stomach that prevented him, the need to know? He wasn’t sure at this point.
Sapnap reached to grab another bottle of alcohol, staring at the liquor for a moment before setting the bottle back down. Sending Puffy to talk reason into people was probably the smartest thing anyone on the ship could do, no matter how much it pissed her off.
Not to mention how much it pissed them off when they realized she was right.
Getting drunk wasn’t going to help him.
Sapnap looked at his maps, an old one; brown and burnt at the edges. A small drawing of a sunken ship between two islands. Decorated kindly with burning flames.
His hand rose to the pendant around his neck, gripping the golden metal until his knuckles turned white. The low whisper of souls filled his ears, slowly rising until he could make out the words.
“PIRATE!”
“PLEASE NO!”
“Please spare me!”
“Don’t-”
“No!”
Last words, words that would be tied to their souls throughout their afterlives. Short as they might be. Sapnap glanced across the room, his eyes landing on a small horizontal bottle with a dark ship inside. He frowned and turned away.
Maybe he should talk to Dream.
No.
Sapnap grabbed another bottle, chugging down its contents before Puffy’s reasoning could get to him.
--------------------
“Dream?” George asked softly.
Dream looked up from where he’d curled in on himself, faced buried in the crook of his arms, knees pulled up to his chest. His eyes were puffy and red, his cheeks stained in dried tears. He hummed low, already feeling another burst of tears in the corner of his eyes.
“How are you feeling?” He asked softly. Crawling across the rotted and damp planks, sitting down next to him on the only dry spot of their cell, the cell was small; a row of them down the small hallway with iron bars, rusted and dirty, and wooden walls. Prisoners were strewn around the cells in uneven numbers, George and Dream lucky to remain in their own cell from the one further down with five people.
“Like shit,” Dream admitted. George sighed, landing a hand on his shoulder, glad Dream didn’t lie and attempt to pretend he was okay. George hummed, encouraging him to continue, “I can’t believe he’s alive… I watched the ship burn, I watched it go down… How?” He paused, “How is he alive?”
“Maybe the pirates took him?” George suggested low, careful as pirates mingled a mere hallway away from them, “It would explain why he’s a pirate now. No?”
Dream shook his head, “No, the pirates left before the ship caught fire, they were sailing away when it was burning. I was one of the last to leave the ship, a crewman dragged me to a small boat and we got away. They didn’t give me a chance to get back to him.”
“I don’t that’s your fault,” George whispered.
“It doesn’t matter. I left him for dead,”
“I’m sorry,”
Dream lowered his face again, burying his eyes in his arms, the tearstained fabric rough against his skin. He wanted to cry so badly, his hands trembled as his mind forced him to relive the memory, to imagine Sapnap’s face as he went under; realizing he wasn’t coming back.
The door to the prison area slammed open, a shadow falling into the dimly lit room. Heavy breathing and the stomping of boots echoed into the room, silencing anyone awake; eyes turned to the door as the visitor stomped through the hallway, boots tramping down with unnecessary force.
The footsteps stopped outside their cell, and the two looked up.
Sapnap glared down at them, at Dream. Ignoring George.
“Where were you?” He asked, his voice dark and hoarse. Dream also noted the dishevelled look, his far-away gaze, and uneven clothes, and the bottle in his hand. He reeked of alcohol.
“Sapnap-”
“WHERE. WERE. YOU?” He interrupted. Sapnap stumbled forward, pressing his face through the rusted bars, leaning heavily on one arm. He hovered over them.
Dream gaped, unable to form words until he stood. Dream met Sapnap’s eyes, leaning against the bars as well. “Sapnap, I didn’t want to leave you!”
Sapnap swallowed hard, leaning back away from the bars. For a moment he seemed stunned by Dream’s height, he frowned and leaned against the empty cell behind him. If anything he didn’t seem to believe him.
“I wouldn’t have left you there, Sapnap.” Dream said low, he gripped the bars and leaned through. “Sapnap, I didn’t want to leave you, there were only a few people left and they got me off before I could say anything. I’m sorry, Sapnap, please.”
Sapnap grumbled and rolled his neck, taking a swing of the liquor.
“Sapnap, you have to believe me.”
Sapnap met his gaze, “You know what…” He laughed, “I don’t.”
The two stared at each other, paused only by Sapnap taking another swing of his liquor. Dream rested his forehead against the bar, shoulders slumped, Dream finally looked down, tears already forming in his eyes again, “I’m sorry, Sapnap.”
“I wanted to think you’d come back,” Sapnap said, his smile unhinged as he straightened against the bars, his formerly slumped body suddenly appearing alarmingly ominous. His eyes shadowed as he abruptly leaned closer, Dream backed up at the sudden closeness. His scar became more prominent as he came close. “Did you know you can burn and drown at the same time?” He asked.
Dream shook the horror of the question off, trying instead to change the subject, “How did you survive?”
Sapnap smirked, “I didn’t.”
“What?”
Sapnap’s smirk turned into a grin, and he took another swing. “I died, and I was brought back. With some help.”
“What do you mean?”
“The ocean is full of creatures of power, Dream… They like to make deals.”
George suddenly stood, shock and horror painting his face. He opened his mouth to speak, halting himself with a hand to his mouth.
Sapnap lifted the pendant around his neck, flicking the golden metal open. Small blue light coloured the three, and to Dream and George’s horror, people appeared in its light, ghostly figures; familiar and unfamiliar. Sapnap’s eyes appeared glowing in the light, his dark eyes lit up by the wandering ghosts.
“You stole their souls?” George whispered unintentionally.
“You made a deal with a demon?” Dream breathed.
“I was twelve and dead, Dream,” Sapnap said, he closed the pendant with a soft click. “Of course I did,”
As the pendant fell against his chest, Dream looked at it, the golden case engraved with ocean swirls and a singular trident in its centre.
Sapnap leaned, slumping against the wall, his expression shifting from the confidential smirk to a somber frown, he blinked and began rubbing his eyes, they flashed red. Suddenly he looked around confused.
“Sap-” Dream started, when the glass bottle suddenly smashed against the iron bars, the two in the cell turned away, shielding themselves from the rain of glass and alcohol.
“Shut the hell up!” Sapnap snapped, now burning with rage. “ You did this to me!”
“I do-”
“SHUT UP!” Sapnap screamed, grabbing the bars, his hands bloody and red as he looked like he was about to tear the bars apart. “This is your fault!” Sapnap abruptly drew his pistol, pointing it between Dream’s eyes, “All your fault,” He whispered.
Dream remained silent, afraid the wrong words would push the man off the edge.
The door to the hallway opened, casting light and a new shadow into the room. “Captain?” Someone asked.
Sapnap tore his gaze away, glaring with blurry eyes at the intruder. The purple vest and brown hair were all he could see, and he knew exactly who it was.
“Hey,” Another guy appeared, Karl, if the captives remembered correctly. Karl appeared around Sapnap, gently placing his hand on the Captain’s, lowering the gun. He took one glance at the two captives, the shattered glass, the scent of alcohol hitting him, and frowned. “Come on, Captain, you should get some rest.”
Sapnap slumped into Karl’s side as if the weight of the world had landed on him suddenly. “Don’t,” Sapnap started, “Don’t patronize me, Karl.”
“I’m not, you’re just drunk and threatening captives that are more useful alive than dead,” Karl stated.
“I want him dead,” Sapnap said, eyed narrowing as he locked eyes with Dream.
The statement pierced his heart, like the shatter of glass on the floor, the remains of his heart spread among it.
Karl took Sapnap by the arm, guiding him from the prisoner hold, shutting the door with a loud kick. Dream fell to his knees, not caring as the glass cut into his hands and knees. He felt George over his shoulder, holding him, trying to keep him steady as Dream’s past crumbled before him.
Dream sobbed.
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Sapnap woke abruptly to a hand to his face, with a small groan and waving the hand away he opened his eyes to see Dream peeking over the edge of his hammock. Sapnap squinted in the low light, frowning at Dream’s gleeful smile; a smile that usually leads to trouble.
“What?” Sapnap asked, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes.
“Come on, it’s a clear night I wanna show you something!” Dream said, bouncing in place. “The stars are out, I said I was going to show you the North star. Dad showed me how to navigate with it!”
Sapnap slipped from his hammock, following Dream as the two ascended into the nearly empty deck, a few people are strewn about doing various tasks, only a few throwing the boys a questionable look as the two settled on a bench by the railing.
Dream pointed into the sky, suddenly rambling about various things as Sapnap tried to keep up. He liked listening to Dream talk, it was comforting, but he was just sleepy. And Even when Dream pointed out various constellations, Sapnap only managed to catch a handful of them.
The two sat, quietly laughing and talking, Sapnap leaned onto the railing of the ship, his eyes fluttering as the melody of sleep called to him like a siren. He closed his eyes for a moment, resting his forehead against the wood.
Creaking wood and footsteps stirred him from his sleep, Dream sat frozen before him; eyes locked with someone behind him. Sapnap turned slowly.
Sam stood cross-armed behind them, eyes locked with Dream before he shook his head with a soft smile. “Dream, did you drag Sapnap out of bed to look at the stars?” He asked softly, walking closer and placing a hand on his back.
“Uh,” Dream started.
“Uh, no!” Sapnap yelped, “I- I was already awake.”
Sam only raised an eyebrow, staring down at the twelve-year-old. “Likely story, you’re falling asleep standing, Sapnap.”
“Well, technically I’m sitting,” Sapnap whispered, earning a snicker from Dream.
“Sorry, dad, I wanted to show Sapnap the star-” Dream said low, fingers fiddling with the hem of his nightshirt.
“Both of you should be asleep,” Sam said. Sapnap leaned back against the railing, resting his head on his arm this time. Only to be interrupted when Sam suddenly picked him up, he yelped at the sudden appearance of arms under his knees and shoulders. “Come on, both of you.” Dream followed behind them, head slumped slightly as the three went back under the deck.
Sam tucked them both in, the blacksmith lowered Sapnap carefully into his hammock, whispering a soft “Tell me if he gets too much, it’s no problem at all.”
“Hey!” Dream cried, tugging on his father’s shirt with a frown. Sam laughed softly, pushing his son playfully into the hanging fabric of the hammock. Dream pouted as Sam practically restrained him to the hammock, Sapnap laughing at the sight.
“Now both of you, I don’t want to hear that either of you snuck out again, okay?” The two nodded, Sapnap fell asleep as soon as the door shut with a soft click.
It couldn’t have been long after. The sudden explosion that hit the ship. The two teens fell from their beds, falling to the ground with a thud; unlike last time, Sapnap felt wide awake this time.
The two looked at each other, both asking the same question. What was that?
Running in the hallway drew their attention, followed shortly by the shouting.
“PIRATES! All man on deck!”
“Pirates,” Whispered Dream, a mixture of curiosity and horror lacing his voice.
Another shot rang out, a canon crashing through in the room next to them. Despite the fear, the two rushed from the room, pushing the door open.
The hallway was empty, only the splinter of wood strewn around and holes in the walls. Dream grabbed Sapnap’s hand, tugging them into the hallway as another cannon rang out. Stomping above them and the sudden addition of swords and pistols being fired halted them.
The pirates were on the ship.
“We have to find dad!” Dream shouted, tugging the two into the collapsing hallway. Wood creaked and groaned with the chaos above and the weight of support beams suddenly gone.
Sapnap called out as a wooden beam fell over them, pushing Dream just in the nick of time as the dark wood fell over him.
Dream groaned as he got to his knees, turning back to Sapnap. He gasped at the sight, wood; splintered and cracked laying over him like a blanket. Half his body was buried beneath debris. Dream grabbed his friend by his arms and dragged, stopping with Sapnap’s cry of pain.
Tears formed in the fourteen-year old’s eyes, he grabbed at the wood, pushing and lifting, hoping and praying he could lift it enough for Sapnap to crawl out.
The wood didn’t move.
“I’ll get help!” Dream shouted, the heavy blunder of sounds clogging his mind, “Stay here!”
Sapnap sniffed, eyes blurred as Dream vanished from his sight with a blink. His ears rang and his vision blurred with spots. It was dark for a moment before light appeared in the hallway, his head slumped against the wooden floorboard.
Sapnap looked up with tired eyes, a fire had started on the other side of the hallway, blocking the passage.
Where was Dream?
Sapnap’s head fell again, his strength leaving him for moments at the time.
He opened his eyes again, the fire was closer, reaching for him. He heard the rise of the water beneath him, bursting in through holes in the ship and slowly filling the lower parts of the ship. The fighting above had gone quiet as if a side had won.
Why hadn’t Dream come back yet?
He blinked.
The fire was licking at his nose, the heat curling around his face. Water pooled around him, reaching up to his arms.
His face burned.
The water reached his face.
He was underwater.
He couldn’t breathe.
The lights of the fire turned dark as the seconds passed. He blinked one more time before his breath fell from his lungs.
Did Dream leave him?
Sapnap woke again, this time to soft humming. He felt like he was floating, no pain in his body, no feeling in his toes or fingers. Sapnap blinked awake, his eyes heavy as he sat up.
A tendril of water pushed on his chest, pushing down to a lying position, he fumbled as he tried to sit up and turn. The memories of the sinking ship felt old and far away as if the images were seen through fog.
The humming continued with the near-silent movements behind him.
Sapnap reached up, forcing the water tendril away and turning onto his stomach. He was in what looked like a bubble, a hollow room underwater. Creatures swarmed around him, monstrous and lit with constellational stars.
Sapnap’s eyes locked on the more humanoid creature in the room, a cloaked being standing over an open maw of a creature, teeth peeking moving in its centre, above it floated a globe; one even Sapnap could recognize as his own planet.
Some creature whined loudly behind him, Sapnap turned to the horrific sight of a creature he couldn’t have imagined in even in his nightmares. Long horns and fangs, dark and long-haired with six glowing red eyes.
The cloaked figure had also turned, especially with the sudden screech as Sapnap scrambled out away. He was falling for a second before something caught him by the shirt. The cloaked figure, much bigger than he’d first anticipated, carefully gathered him in its hand.
“Hello,” Said the cloaked figure.
Sapnap swallowed, “P-Please don’t hurt me!” He cried, the white eyes of the cloaked figure looking down at him.
The cloaked figure tilted its head and smiled. “I’m not going to hurt you, little one.” In any other circumstances he would’ve been offended by the name, but the fact that he was sitting in this creature’s hand; he could make an exception. “I’m merely wondering why a child has fallen to the depths of my cavern, a soul so young.”
“Soul?” Sapnap questioned, he glanced at himself, seeing nothing abnormal beside the taunt and stretched skin around his cheek and down his neck.
“Soul,” Confirmed the figure, “Hmm, what is the last thing you remember?”
Sapnap paused, “I… My ship was sinking, and… and I was stuck! My friend-” He stuttered, feeling tears form in the corner of his eyes, “My friend went to get help, but-”
He didn’t want to say it.
The demon hummed softly, a soft finger landing on his head; smoothing down his hair, the gesture was comforting. Sapnap whimpered, feeling the large hand brush away hair and trace the side of his face.
“You don’t have to worry,” Said the creature, “I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
Something in Sapnap’s mind told him he should’ve been afraid, even when the creature; named Bad, gave him back his body, scarred but healed. When he granted him the ability to control fire so it could never hurt him again. Even when he gave him the pendant and tasked him to collect souls for him.
Sapnap’s mind clouded as the years passed, knowing his task and his abilities, knowing his adopted father was a demon, knowing his soul was separated from his body. All clouding until they became mere thoughts in the back of his mind, as if it was all normal, a gift of life.
But he never forgot the heartache of realizing his best friend had abandoned him.
---------------------
The sea was kind to them, Sapnap decided, kind as the ship navigated the narrow hidden passages. Puffy’s skills as the sailing master showing through with every dodging of reef and rocks peeking out in the water. The cavern hung low above them, their sails barely missing the sharp spikes hanging from above.
Sapnap rested by the back of the ship, leaning against the railing and lazily gazing out where their trail slowly vanished into the sea. The entrance of the cavern hiding the ship in darkness. His mind wandered to the drunken trip to the hostages beneath the deck. He couldn’t remember much of it, a mere confrontation that led all kinds of nowhere, a waste of time.
And partially embarrassing when Karl had found him in his drunken state, shouting and slamming a bottle of good rum against the bars of the cell, on the verge of passing out from either emotional distress or drunkenness.
Sapnap opened his hand, a small flame dancing on the edge of his fingertips, a little fire; capable of doing so much damage.
The fire swirled before vanishing into smoke.
And Sapnap leaned back, resting on the old wood.
“ I want him dead. ”
The statement was buried deep in his heart, his young and angry self wanting nothing but revenge, it was an old statement. He wasn’t sure if he truly meant it or not, not yet at least. He’d felt the swirl in his soul when he’d realized it was Dream sitting before him, on his knees with his arms tied back; helpless.
This time it was him holding his friend’s life in his hands.
The exchange of power pleased his soulless mind and scared the twelve-year-old boy in his heart.
Kill them both, he replaced you with the noble twat after all. Tie them both to the anchor and let them drop, let them drown.
Sapnap bit his lip and shook his head, forcing the thought from his head.
“Captain?” Sapnap turned his head, seeing Puffy look over her shoulder at him. Sapnap stood and walked over, humming softly as he stood next to her. She nodded forward to the bright exit to the cavern, a navy of ships were seated in the distance; lazily floating about. “They couldn’t have gotten a message from the noble ship, could they? Only our message went out,” She asked.
“Is the falcon back?” Sapnap asked.
“No,”
Sapnap thought for a moment, “Stop the ship, leave us hidden.” Puffy nodded before Sapnap vanished down the stairs and continued into the lower decks. He shoved open the door to the cells, seeing Punz and Karl with a bucket in each hand. He strode past them.
He felt the eyes of the prisoners as he passed their cells, both Dream and George sitting up as he passed them. Dream shifted closer to the bars, peeking out between them as Sapnap tore a key from a chain around his neck.
The black key fit into the lock perfectly, and the iron groaned as the door swung open. The person within the cell pleaded for mercy as Sapnap pulled a knife from his belt, and slashed it across the man’s throat; whispering in a foreign language.
A blue light illuminated the room, shining down the hallway and into separate cells. Sapnap’s pendant fell against his chest as he locked it, the trident lighting up for a second before dimming.
He slammed the door shut, leaving the cell of the dead man unlocked. He said nothing as he passed Punz and Karl, the two looking at each other with a mixture of fear and concern.
Dream sat stunned by the rusted bars, unable or refusing to realize what had just occurred. The death had been swift, a stolen soul, an offer for a battle.
The shadow over his former friend had grown longer, and part of him wanted to give up believing this was the boy from his childhood.
Sapnap stood on the deck, holding his pendant in his hand; the trident blinked as he flicked open the lid. A light blue light lifted from the inside, floating in the air for a second before dashing off into the light of the day.
He could see the light as it flew through the air, aimed straight at the navy ships, like a star on earth it blinked above them. Sapnap lifted his sword as a signal. The ship moved slowly, emerging from the darkness of the cavern.
As the pirates approached the ships, Sapnap could feel the tension of his crew, their growing fear and anxiousness creeping up their shoulders.
He could see the anxious movements of the navy crew, scurrying about and eyeing their captain awaiting orders. “Quackity and Ant, bring the prisoners!” Sapnap called.
Dream and George were dragged to the deck, kneeling visibly in the middle of the floor. The slight expression change in the two told Sapnap everything he needed, they knew this navy. Even the tiniest sign of hope flashed through the two.
A falcon screech sound from above, the red bird landed on Sapnap’s arm, the note previously attached to her leg gone. He turned away, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a singular note, handing it quickly to Punz, “Punz, fire a note.” The blond took the note, nodding once as he tied it to an arrow. He fired the arrow towards the navy ships.
Then they waited.
Until the same arrow pierced the side of the ship, Sapnap frowned at the bad shot. The navy sucked at bow and arrows that was certain. He scoffed as he pulled the note from the arrow, throwing the arrow pointedly at George’s feet.
“Looks like we’re in luck,” Sapnap announced. “Tomorrow we meet,”
Dream and George were left tied to the mast that night, groaning and hissing as mosquitoes feasted on every available piece of skin.
The pirates, on the other hand, feasted and danced. Singing songs and playing instruments. Slurring their words with heavy amounts of alcohol. The two watched in a strange mixture of worry and fascination as the pirates swung around with wide smiles and stupor.
Even as fights broke out, they were fought with smiles and playful giddiness. The sounds of clashing swords, normally accompanied by screams of horror or roars of war, was now mingling among laughter and cries of victory as one man went down after the other.
The two felt the surreal atmosphere embrace them, the sight of ruthless, merciless, and heartless pirates playing around as if they were all one big family felt unnatural.
Sapnap leaned on the rails of the wheelhouse, longingly staring down at his crew. He knew the navy was watching, why wouldn’t they be? A ship of pirates only a couple miles away were carelessly dancing on their deck as if the navy served no threat to them.
He could see the silhouettes of captains and generals on the sides of their ships, staring at the festivities among them. The music would travel far enough to reach their ears, throwing off their guard for now.
He’d let the crew enjoy themselves, they deserved it, he thought. Silently he nursed the bottle of rum in his hand, the liquor drowning his worries before they could manifest themselves. The hollering of his crew drew his attention as Puffy and Karl were suddenly arm wrestling on a stray barrel, a circle surrounding them cheering each party, bags of gold passed around between people.
He couldn’t hold his smile as he watched; the two, mostly Karl, struggling before Puffy brought home the victory.
Sapnap took a deep breath of the night air, a faint, but similar scene formed in his head. The North star looking down at him from the night sky, small and unassuming.
“ That’s the north star, you can use it to navigate the ocean! ” Dream’s childish voice rang in his ears as he looked at it.
And though he saw his past through fog, he could still remember it. Dream dragged him across their town, to his father; begging his father to take the twelve-year-old with them across the sea. Sapnap had been an orphan, he had no family in the town, only Dream as his best friend since the orphanage children were allowed to leave the home during the days, the two had spent most days together if not all.
Sapnap snapped from his thoughts, shaking his head. He looked down to the deck again, feeling eyes on him. He met Dream’s gaze, staring at him longingly and seemingly lost in his own thoughts as well. Sapnap frowned and looked away.
Tomorrow, he decided. He’d put his past behind him for good, never look back at it.
The island was small, the two ships meeting on separate sides. Daylight shining down on the rocky shore with only a handful of flora on it, a single tree peeking out from flush green leaves. The three men from the navy ship stood still as sticks as the pirates approached. Sapnap held their prisoners by their rope, Puffy and Punz standing behind him, a hand on each of their swords.
“Pirate,” Spat the general.
Sapnap greeted them with a nod, silently waiting for the man to continue.
The leader of the three turned to his colleges, nodding once. The two scrambled to their smaller rowboat, the two carried a chest each. Each heavy set as the two dropped the chests halfway to them. Without a word, Punz stepped forth, opening the chests; filled to the brim with gold and jewels and enriching treasures.
“You payment, Pirate.” The general said, Puffy and Punz took a chest each, and walked back towards their own rowboat.
Sapnap drew a knife, cutting the rope holding Dream and George’s wrists. He dared not look at Dream, refusing his attempt to catch his attention. Sapnap turned away and started walking, taking heavy steps towards his crew.
Dream didn’t move for a long moment as he watched Sapnap walk away. “Sapnap!” He called suddenly, regretting it as the general of the navy ships turned to him, George halting him with a single hand, “I am sorry,”
Sapnap stopped in the sand, he stood still for a moment before he turned his head over his shoulder, still not meeting Dream’s gaze. “If I ever see you again, I won’t hesitate to kill you.” He said and walked away.