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"...where's Taishen?"
Queenie stopped and stared, still holding the bowl of stew out towards Skrimm. "...did... ya not see 'im when you were out in the bucket?"
"It's my day off from the bucket, so... uh... no? I basically slept all day."
He grabbed at the bowl, shoveling food into his mouth at an alarming rate.
"...Taishy didn't go to bed last night, been prowlin' around the deck all day."
"Huh. Why'd he do somethin' like that?"
Her spoon clattered to the table as Queenie glared at him. ".... think -real- hard. What could -possibly- make Taishen act like this?"
"....uuuuuhhhhh...?"
"Now I know ya ain't that dumb, Skrimm. Least, I really hope so."
"Uh... umm... oh shit!" Skrimm quickly swallowed his last bite of food, realization dawning. "It can't be that time already?"
"It's been a year, yeah. I asked 'im if he was ok this morning, an' he said he was fine. But he sounded... hollow. I dunno. Maybe we should -"
A dull 'whumf' and a roar burst from the opening to the deck, quiet at first, but slowly increasing in volume. Queenie turned to the goblin, eyes wide.
"...go get Barnabos. I'll find Jornir. Quick!" She vaulted over the table, paws slapping the deck as she vanished deeper into the hold.
Skrimm tossed his bowl aside and took off towards the kitchen, yelling at the top of his lungs. "BARNABOOOOS! WE GOTTA PROBLEM!!"
He collided with the triton halfway up the stairs to the galley. Barnabos was grumbling, wiping his hands on a dirty rag. "What in th' nine 'ells has gotten into you, Mr Stabbaskotch? There's no way you're gettin' second helpin's after sleepin' all day..!"
"It's not me, it's Taishen! Listen!"
Barnabos tilted his head towards the deck, listening intently. After a moment, his expression softened. "... aye. That'd be it, wouldn't it..?" Tossing the rag back down into the galley, the triton scooped up Skrimm and bounded up the stairs to the deck. The goblin held on for dear life, the questions he had dying on his lips as he listened. What he heard made his face pale.
Behind the roar of the fire was a very familiar voice wailing in agony.
"... everyone's got their breaking point, Mr Stabbaskotch." Barnabos pointed towards the pillar of fire roaring towards the rear of the ship. "... even Mr Fireblossom, it seems."
The fire illuminated the forms of Queenie and Jornir, deep in conversation a fair distance away from the inferno.
"Can't you use the same trick as before with the lightnin'? Startle him outta this?"
"...this is... far more powerful, more primal. I do not believe anything I can do will help."
Fire roared again as they joined the group. Barnabos deposited Skrimm down to the deck and stared. "Look. 'E's gettin' bigger..."
The wailing grew louder as the flames began to change. Now clearly visible, a dragon's head emerged from the top of the colum, flames dripping from its eyes.
Jornir stretched a hand out to the rest of the crew. "Stay back. I... believe you may be able to handle this, Barnabos."
"Aye. Stay close to Mr Jornir, you two." Water began to swirl around the tritons hands as he approached the flame column, hissing and popping in the heat.
"...grief is a strange, awful beasty, isn't it, Mr Fireblossom. But you can't let it control you like this. Come on back now..."
He rushed forward and embraced the fire pillar. Instantly, the water doused the flames; the dragon disappeared in a puff of steam.
Coughing and sputtering, the rest of the crew waved away the steam as Barnabos looked down, smiling faintly.
"...welcome back, Mr Fireblossom."
A trembling Taishen leaned heavily against the triton, tears streaming down his face. "I... I... "
"... you did nothing wrong." A quiet nod to the rest of the crew had them approach, concern clear on ther faces.
"Grief makes fools of us all, Mr Fireblossom."