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Wayne and his motley crew ascended up the chiseled stone stairs to find none other but blinding daylight, a pleasant respite from the dank and murderous caves they were exploring. The group spread out, analyzing their surroundings to find they were on a small lone island with nothing but a strange antenna to accompany them.
“How great, a dead end,” Pongorma huffed.
Wayne inhaled the salty air through his nose and turned around, ready to descend back into the cave with the unnerving sentient statues, but Dedusmuln’s chipper voice stopped him.
“Wait,“ Dedusmuln raised a hand while facing the tower, “I believe I have read about this obelisk before.”
Wayne tilted his head. “What is it.”
“A…beacon, mayhaps? I am unsure. If we do not mind waiting, I would like to examine it.”
Wayne looked to Somsnosa, who shrugged and fell to the sandy earth, wrapping her arms around her legs as she sat. Pongorma, on the other hand, was already tapping his foot as he stared out to the horizon. As for himself, Wayne didn’t mind. He was in no rush to return to the freaky statues, or in a rush to go anywhere.
“Knock yourself out.”
Dedusmuln made a happy hum and powered over to the beacon, scanning the thing up and down before fiddling with some controls. Wayne turned his attention to the sea, sauntering over to the edge of the island. The ground became soft, his boots sinking down. He stopped where the washing waves hit the tip of his shoes, and began to trace along the water’s edge. He circled around the whole island, even as Pongorma stared holes into him.
Once back where he originally stood, he admired his handiwork. The Waynemoat.
It was just footprints in the ground filled with water, but it was the effort that counted.
He paced back towards Somsonsa, who shifted closer to the water to play with the malleable sand. She was building a replica of her home, though due to the odd shape of the building and her lack of tools, it looked more like a solid lump of earth.
She paid no mind to her spectator as she moved her hands with diligence, as if her sand construction would one day house someone.
“Are you building a sandcastle of your house.”
She didn’t look up. “Yeah.”
“That’s cool.”
“Thanks.”
Wayne looked off into the distance, rubbing his tongue over the back of his teeth.
“Are you gonna keep standing there? You’re devaluing my property, dude.”
He made a noise, and crossed his arms. “What are you gonna do about it.”
Somsnosa paused, mulling over her options as she stared at the sand.
She perked up, a light in her eyes. “I’ll punch you.”
“Heh. As if.”
Focused back on her work, she muttered aloud, “Keep moping in front of me, and I will.”
With her somewhat serious threat, Wayne knew it was time to move along, yet before he stepped away, he noticed Somsnosa struggling with defining a sharp angle. As she tried to dig into the sand, other pieces of the house would crumble off, leading her to pack on more material. Her lips tightened into a pout as she did this for the third time.
“...Hey, Soms.” Wayne procured a fork from a pocket inside his jacket. “Would you like to…borrow this.”
Somsnosa leaned back, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He gulped and continued.
“So you can, uh, shape the sand easier.”
Her face softened and she nodded slightly. As Wayne passed the instrument to her, she mumbled “thanks” through a slight smile, matching Wayne’s own. As soon as it was in her hands, she got to work like her friend wasn’t even there. Wayne watched for a moment in silence, until Pongorma’s booming voice pulled his attention away.
“Argh! Can you go any damn slower, hornhead?!”
Dedusmuln froze, looking over their shoulder. “I…could? If you would like?”
Pogorma made another noise of agitation before storming over to Wayne. With no answer, Dedusmuln shrugged, and focused their attention back on the numerous controls of the beacon, taking noticeably more time with each function.
Wayne sauntered over to meet with Pongorma. His helmet obscured his face, but Wayne knew the knight’s expression looked similar to the scowl molded into the metal.
“Do they always take this long with shit?” Pongorma hissed.
Wayne pursed his lips as he recalled all his experiences with the inquisitive archaeologist.
“The first time we met, they led me on an expedition to find a paper cup. That took a bit.”
Pongorma stared in silence through his aggravated helm, before turning around and putting his hands on his hips as he sighed.
He grumbled as he gazed towards the sea, “I just don’t see how you guys can just sit around and do nothing like this.”
“Ain’t much else to do.”
“Hah!” The knight spun on his feet to face Wayne once more. “There’s plenty.
“We could train, spar, or, y’know, fight actual battles. We could get stronger. Get powerful. How’s that for something to do?”
Wayne shrugged. The prospect didn’t sound awful, but it would be hard work, the worst kind of way to pass time.
Pongorma exhaled and shook his head. “I don’t get you, boss. You don’t have a lick of an interest in combat, but you’re one of the best leaders I’ve met. What’s your secret?”
The moon-man shifted. “I…care. I guess.”
Combat just came naturally to Wayne. He couldn’t quite explain it. He did know it wasn’t out of interest of self preservation, as the afterlife was like a second home to him.
But he did detest bringing others.
Pongorma leaned back, as if the vibe of compassion was a bad smell. He was a strange man, met under strange circumstances. When Wayne and his friends secured their victory against him, Pongorma gained an immediate respect for Wayne, and Wayne alone. It threw him off for a minute, but he accepted Pongorma’s unique outlook. He proved to be a useful ally, despite his rough attitude to others and his itch for challenge. However, Wayne sensed something good within him, even if it needed to be thawed out in the microwave for a bit.
“Why do you care so much about fighting.”
The Dread Knight froze, before taking a breath.
“Why shouldn’t I? I’m a fighter! A warrior. I live and breathe for battle. I need to be well-versed in it, and have the strength for it.”
Wayne scratched behind one of his horns. “...But like, why care in the first place.”
“Wh-...I mean- Of course! I-”
He caught his breath and stood in silence. Wayne didn’t push nor prod, and gave him all the time he needed to think.
The sound of grinding teeth echoed out of Pongorma’s helm. “This world’s got a lotta problems, Wayne. Problems solved best through violence. If I want them dealt with, I gotta be at the top of my game.”
Wayne nodded in understanding. He had nothing to say, but he did notice Pongorma fidgeting and looking around. It was the first time the man was so honest.
“So.” Wayne crossed his arms, his mouth curving at the ends. “You wanna get stronger so you can try to suplex one of those statues again.”
Pongorma stopped, before he erupted into laughter, picking up Wayne’s expression into a full smile. The knight shoved Wayne’s shoulder, sending him back a few steps in the sand as he chuckled.
“Asshole!” Pongorma hissed through a smile.
“I’ve done crazier shit in the past, maybe if you weren’t such a literal yellow-bellied coward, I could have!”
“Hey man.” Wayne extended his hands. “Maybe you’re just getting old.”
Pongorma laughed under his breath and walked away, easing down to sit in the warm sand.
“Maybe I am…” he muttered with a grin as he gazed at the skies.
Wayne sensed Pongorma's heart getting that little bit warmer. Some more time in the oven, and he’d be fresh as a steaming hot burrito.
…Though not as tasty.
The moon-man looked over to the beacon, seeing Dedusmuln still hard at work. He knew better than to interrupt them with a chat, even if they acted like it didn’t bother them. Besides, the moment they were finished, Dedusmuln would be happy to share their discoveries.
A sharp feeling prodded Wayne in the arm, and he flicked over to see Somsnosa with a wry smile, fork in hand.
“It’s done. Wanna see?”
“Sure.”
The two walked over to Somsnosa’s sand house, now fully complete. With her newfound tool, she mimicked the hard edges of her home perfectly. She even went the extra mile, adding some of the foliage around her house and the secret hole to the basement behind the building.
“Dude…this is awesome,” Wayne said.
She giggled and waved the fork. “Thanks. Couldn’t have done it without this.”
“Maybe I can move my roaches into this, they’d love it.”
“Really?” She raised a brow. “How are you gonna get them here?”
“Dunno. I’ll figure it out.”
She hummed and held the fork in both her hands, running her gloved fingers along the edges.
“Hey, you can have this back. Thanks again for lending me it, Wayne.”
She looked up to him and offered the silverware, but Wayne could only focus on her expression. She was smiling, with an unfiltered happiness shining in her eyes.
He balled his fists. “I, uh, was thinking about it and I realized you can just keep it. If you’d like.”
“...You said I could borrow it.”
Wayne patted his jacket, ignoring the empty feeling. “I got spares. It’s all good.”
“Spare forks?”
“Yep, never know when I wanna build a sandcastle. Or multiple. At once.”
She laughed, and the joy returned to her face, dulling her sharp edges. Wayne felt himself grinning with her.
“Alright then. You’re making me run out of thanks to give.”
“See, that’s why you need extras.”
She pocketed the fork and faced her handiwork. “Pfft, I’ll keep that in mind.”
He joined her in overlooking the Sandmosa house, enjoying the peaceful silence in the air.
“Hey, Wayne?”
“Yeah.”
:”Do you wanna…build sandcastles together? I was thinking about the beach by my home. Could always use more property.”
Wayne paused. He’d been to Somsnosa’s, invited and most occasions not, plenty of times, yet this felt different. In what manner, he couldn’t say. Either way, he made his mind up the moment she finished speaking.
“Su-”
A massive gust of wind hit them from behind, scattering the sand across the ground and razing Somsnosa’s sand estate. The two spun to the source of the airwaves once its power subsided.
Before them was none other than a mass of metal, vaguely fish shaped, slowly descending to the ground as air blasted from engines on its belly. To one side, Pongorma was coughing sand out of his helmet while loudly swearing, and on the other, Dedusmuln had taken cover behind the mysterious tower they were inspecting.
“O-oh! Sorry about that everyone! I believe I figured out this machine!” The archaeologist cried out from their hiding spot.
Pongorma growled and roared, “A warning would’ve been fucking nice!”
Wayne looked over his shoulder at the remains of the Sandnosa house. There was nothing. He feared for the safety of the Waynemoat, but kept it in the back of his mind.
“Sorry about that, Soms.”
Apart from the mess of sand on her poncho, Somsnosa was unperturbed.
“Nah, it’s fine.” A small smile returned to her face as she placed a hand on a pocket. “Besides, we can always build it again.”
He gave a thumbs up in response and walked closer to the UFO, inspecting it from a distance. Pongorma and Dedusmuln took a closer examination as the craft landed on the ground. It displaced sand as its full weight sunk into the earth.
“Just what is this thing?” Pongorma muttered under his breath.
Wayne spoke aloud in realization. “...An airship.”
“Ah! I have never seen one before, but I believe you are right! How did you recognize it, Wayne?”
Wayne looked down to the ground, fuzzy memories replaying in his head. “Rode on one, long time ago.”
“Do you know how to drive it?” Somsnosa asked from behind him.
Dedusmuln lit up at the idea. “That would be exemplary! I do not want to ask too much of you, but I would love to see this in operation.”
“I…dunno.” Wayne saw Dedusmuln’s shoulders lower. “But I can try. It’s probably not that different from the boat.”
“Hm, sounds like this could be a disaster, but if you’re sure, boss, let’s do it.”
Pongorma stepped ahead, grasping onto the door. “Let me go first though, who knows if something’s aboard.”
The rest nodded as Pongorma yanked the entrance open, and disappeared inside the dark interior. As they waited, the three gathered around the craft, incase of any trouble.
They stood at the ready, except for Somsnosa drawing in the sand with her boot.
“Hey, ‘dus, nice job figuring that thing out. I knew you could do it.”
The archeologist practically beamed at the praise. “Why thank you, Wayne! The technology of our world is truly fascinating, is it not?”
“Yeah man, it’s crazy. I still don’t know how toilets work.”
“Hm, well you see…” Dedusmuln put a hand to their chin, rubbing it as they thought of the best way to discuss such a complex machine.
Pongorma’s heavy steps caught their attention.
“It’s empty, sadly.”
Somsnosa scoffed, “‘Sadly’? Are you really itching for a fight that bad?”
“‘Course I am! Hanging around you sorry lot makes me wish for my old crew.”
“Pretty sure you’re free to leave whenever you want, dude,” Somsnosa muttered under her breath.
Pongorma, either out of indignation or not hearing her, returned to the depths of the ship, leaving Somsnosa to simmer.
Wayne was quick to resolve the tension. “Hey, I don’t think he means it. He coulda head out at any time like you said. He’s just a cranky old guy.”
“I don’t get what you see in him,” she sighed, “but if you trust him, then I guess I do too.”
Dedusmuln hummed. “I do not think he is so bad, just…prickly! Like a red cactus.
“Either way, it appears our lesson will have to wait, Wayne. Let us go aboard!’
‘Aight,” Wayne mumbled as Dedusmuln raced inside.
Wayne and Somsnosa climbed aboard. The hallways were tight, giving barely enough room for Wayne’s head to fit. There were a few different rooms aboard, a storage space, individual engine rooms, and a cabin, but they were even more claustrophobic. Wayne eventually found himself in the cockpit, where the rest of his crew waited.
“You fall in the toilet or something? What took you so long?” Somsnosa teased.
Wayne shrugged. “Just wanted to check the whole place out. Force of habit.
“You guys figure anything out?”
“Just the lights,” Pongorma said as he dragged a finger along the ceiling.
The dingy control room showed its age. Rust coated the metal fixtures, and the yellowed lights flickered on occasion. The instruments looked usable, but Wayne couldn’t say he had great confidence in them. His hands maneuvered over the controls as he studied them. They were similar to the boat, but with the addition of an extra few switches and levers. Though the writing was faded, he figured out which one was for ascending.
As Wayne gripped the throttle, Somsnosa’s voice took him out of his laser focus.
“You sure you won’t crash?”
Wayne thought for a moment. “Nope.”
He inched the lever forward, feeling the craft begin to move upward. The world outside began to shift, the ground below getting further and further away. Soon enough, they were in the sky, and Wayne shifted the throttle back to hover.
It was a beautiful view. The islands looked so much smaller from above, appearing more like pink stains in the blue fabric of the sea. Even the city resembled a dollhouse. The four of them could gaze out into the infinite horizon, until the water disappeared.
“Wow,” Wayne breathed.
“Indeed. Our world is beyond magnificent.”
Even Pongorma seemed impressed, silent in awe.
“Yo.” Somsonsa pointed to a white dot far from them. “I can see my house from here.”
“I can see a lot of places we have yet to explore. I can only wonder what mysteries they hold…”
Pongorma had a dry laugh. “Or what challenges we’ll face.”
Dedusmuln clasped their hands in front of them. “I am sure with our teamwork, nothing will stop us!”
Somsnosa giggled at the archaeologist’s optimism, but Pongorma agreed with a nod.
“They’re right. We’re a good group.”
“Thought you wanted your old friends?” Somsnosa sassed.
“Still do,” Pongorma huffed, “...but you kids have heart.”
Wayne couldn’t help but smile at the camaraderie forming around him. Something no view could ever match. As he moved absentmindedly, he nudged one of the controls, and the airship shifted forward, knocking everyone off balance and into each other.
“Wayne!” They all cried out in a variety of tones.
He quickly fixed his mistake, rubbing the back of his crescent head once everyone else was staring at him.
“Uh, my bad.”
Somsnosa laughed, prompting the others to join her until everyone was chuckling at the absurdity of the situation.
Carefully, Wayne piloted the airship to float above the lands. Everyone was pointing out locations to go to next. Somsnosa recognized a club she used to play at, sparking discussion of possibly starting a band. Dedusmuln spotted more strange buildings and ruins, debating with the others on the purpose of each one. Pongorma noticed an “evil”-looking tower, and everyone agreed to go there last, even if it took the knight some convincing.
To Wayne, their next destination didn't matter, as long as they braved it together.
The whole group was happy, Each showed it in a different way. Somsnosa’s eyes lit up, Dedusmuln vibrated with joy, and Pongorma’s smile shone beneath his metal scowl. Wayne wasn’t sure how he looked, but he knew how pleased he felt to be among his crew.
No, his friends.