Archive of Our Own

“I wanna get off the island.” Guqqie reiterated to Aimsey, standing in an isolated corner on the dock of the island.

The dark night crept into the already unnerving atmosphere of the island. Something was very off about it. There was glowing purple ooze all across it, foliage and earth that they’ve never seen before. There’s so much purple everywhere. It was an unnatural colour for a random island out in sea, especially near their home. Why had the recruitment officer sent them here? 

It was just weird and freaky. 

“Yeah, we’ll get off the island soon.” Aimsey reassured her with a gentle smile. One that, if Guqqie didn’t know better, she would say was reserved for her. 

They wouldn’t admit it aloud but Aimsey shared Guqqie’s sentiment. Even as a Kite, a lover of adventure and battle, there was something out of place about this island. It was eerie. It wasn’t a place they wanted to stay much longer either, despite what riches or enemies could be flocking it. It shot a spark of excitement through them, like every adventure did, but this time it came with a warry tone. A sinking feeling in their chest that felt like it was going to balloon in their lungs the second things started to go wrong. 

“Listen,” Aimsey continued, shoving down the growing panic they felt. “When we get back, we’re gonna go on that date. It’s gonna be nice!” 

“Yeah.” Guqqie mumbled, fiddling with her hair band. 

Aimsey looked behind them for a moment. Everyone else was too busy chatting or looking at the purple flora. They gently took Guqqie’s hand, holding it securely between the two of them.

“This doesn’t need to scare you.” Aimsey told her. 

It was a strange moment. Not strange in a negative way, just uncommon for the two of them. Their push and pull dynamic, the banter, had become so natural for their relationship that a moment like this wasn’t familiar these days. It was moments like these that they usually shied away from. 

Guqqie tried to shake it off with a pout. 

“Yeah, I just don’t wanna be here.” She squeezed Aimsey's hand before glancing over their shoulder towards the crowd. Every faction was here, even the new members that had just sailed in today. Why were all of them here together for this? 

Aimsey chuckled. “We’ll get home soon, yeah?” 

Guqqie sighed, a short playful sigh, and stalked off. She caught up with the others, moving closer to the other Kestrels and standing somewhat awkwardly. She glanced back towards Aimsey to find them standing on a crate, staring straight into the depths of the island. 

“You okay?” She called out to them softly. 

“Yeah, just. Uh, just looking.” Aimsey called back. 

After a beat, Aimsey, standing on the crate, suddenly jumped back. They shrieked and plugged their ears. They looked around, like they were searching for something before wincing again. 

“There’s something in there!” They yelled. 

They looked around frantically and kept squeezing their eyes shut, like they were trying to block something out. 

“I can hear something, something’s in there!” Aimsey continued to yell. They could hear a voice, a sharp voice screaming out for help deep in the island's heart. 

“Aimee!” Guqqie cried out, rushing towards them but Aimsey just kept climbing up the crates that lead to the opening in the flora. 

“There’s someone here!” Aimsey called out frantically, itching to rush into the island. 

There was someone in there, they were sure of it, and they were screaming out for help. It was like an earworm. The screaming wouldn’t go away, everywhere they turned there was more screaming, begging for a saviour. Aimsey felt tears prick their eyes as they stared back into the tunnel of vines and purple materials. 

“If there was we would have seen them by now,” One of the Herons, Owen if they recall correctly, shouted out from the back of their cluster. 

Aimsey turned around to see Guqqie nod in agreement. They were too panicked to look in her eyes, to see the fear begging them to step back. They just felt misunderstood and spoken over. Aimsey shook their head in disbelief and rushed into the centre of the island. 

“Aimsey wait!” Guqqie cried out. She held an arm out but made no move to follow them inside. 

The minutes that passed by felt agonizing. They dragged on in silence, murmurs from the back of the group were heard but Guqqie paid them no mind. She watched in horror as the tunnel into the island stayed the same, Aimsey disappearing into the dark and not returning. 

Guqqie looked towards two Kites standing near the entrance, staring in after Aimsey as well. 

“They’re one of yours, shouldn’t you go in after them?” Guqqie asked them. 

An older Kite, Bek, sighs and looks at her with an eye roll. The bandage over her face obscures it but Guqqie could spot the attitude from a mile away. Takes one to know one, of course. 

“Oh classic Kestrel, sending the Kites in after them.” She said with a snarl. 

“Well it’s one of yours!” Guqqie replied quickly. 

The panic was unnatural on her. The Kestrel personality had essentially been dropped the moment Aimsey ran into the abyss. Guqqie spoke with a tremor in her voice, a confidence cracked. Vulnerability. They were beginning to sound desperate, even, begging someone to go in after them. 

“And if one of ours is going crazy we’re not gonna chase after ‘em!” Bek shook her head, shooting her a wide eyed look as if it were obvious. As if Guqqie wouldn’t do the same thing. And in all honesty, she would. If another Kestrel started yelling about voices and running into unknown territory, Guqqie wouldn’t have gone in for them either. 

That truth only served to grow the dread pooling in her stomach. 

Commotion distracted the two of them. All the factions were standing near the boats on the edge of the island. People were yelling, shoving, and some even drawing weapons. 

Guqqie marched over, grateful for a distraction to the anxiety settling in. On her way over, Scott catches her eye. He signals a glance back to the entrance where Aimsey disappeared, looks back to her, and raises an eyebrow. Guqqie shrugs, shrinking in on herself ever so slightly. She catches the skeptical expression he wears as she continues forward. 

There was a group of about three or four strangers. They dressed in large white robes, accented with blue and gold. They had hoods up and their faces were covered by the dark night. They all had blue eyes that seemed to glow. 

“Woah, hello!” Guqqie called out, working her way through the crowd towards the group. They looked wealthy at least. Their robes were a fine material and the gold seemed to provide some status. 

“Everyone quiet down! They said they’re here to deal with all of this on the island.” Martyn, the new Kestrel, calls out. 

“One of our guys just ran in there.” One of the new Kites says to the strangers. Guqqie can’t remember her name nor does she care to at this moment. 

She continues gazing at the group of them. They stand proudly, dignified, and carry an air to themselves that Guqqie could only describe as overconfident. They stand like they think of themselves as authority. She wants to scoff at that, but if they say they’re going to help, who is she to stop them? They look like they have good money.

Everyone moves their focus to the strangers standing before them. They don’t offer a name, or a reason why they would be qualified to help, they simply say they will deal with the situation. 

“Though, we will need a volunteer to help us solve this.” One of them at the front speaks up. 

Hope. A flash of hope runs through her veins. People are here to help them! To help Aimsey get out! 

Guqqie isn’t sure when she started to care that much. Maybe when Aimsey finally started talking about taking her on a date. Or maybe she’s cared this much all along, since their first night talking under the stars. Since the first kiss, since the first beer together, since the first round of lighthearted banter. Maybe it was them together all along, no matter the social boundaries of the factions separating them. Either way, in an act unlike herself, Guqqie volunteers herself almost immediately. 

“Well, if you’re gonna help I can go.” Guqqie says to them, rolling her shoulders back and standing her ground, despite feeling shaken. 

The strangers in the robes stare at Guqqie long and hard. She continues to stand before them, meeting their judging gaze. 

“You. Come with us.” The one at the front says to her, voice low and booming, taking her arm and leading her towards their ship. 

She stutters, trying to free herself from their grip to walk freely, cursing under her breath. The disrespect of these guys. Aimee better pay her back for this one once they get them out of there. Ridiculous. She pays people to serve and the one time she decides to work the other way around they put their hands on her. 

“Guqqie?” Owen calls out to her, drawing the group's attention to her being dragged to the strangers ship. 

Many faces stare back at her. Friends, if she could call them that. She doesn’t have many friends. She closes off and fights back with bitter sarcasm, she’s blunt and doesn’t save face for anyone's feelings. She’s made more foes than allies on the Isles, but she thinks there are at least some that wouldn’t take lightly to her being dragged onto a mysterious ship. She looks at the Kestrels; Martyn, Ollie, Scar, Sausage and Kyle. None of them looked particularly bothered, however Martyn did seem a bit alarmed even though they had done nothing but bicker this afternoon. She surprisingly finds that Owen seems unsettled as well, creeping forward closer to follow her. 

“Please make sure that Aimee gets out safe!” Guqqie calls to the group. She does her best to appear brave, relaxing her face and smoothing out her posture. She still grumbles at the way she’s being held, they’re touching her sleeves and while these people don’t appear to be poor or dirty they are still tarnishing her dress. The nerve of them. 

“We will!” Someone calls back to her. It helps, only a fraction, but it still helps. 

“Bring us back lots of money!” Another calls cheekily, bringing the mood of the group back up while Guqqie is carted off. 

“Yeah, bring us back at least half!” Sausage, Guqqie can tell, responds. 

It makes her smile, just a bit. She wouldn’t show it but these people were alright. Sometimes, if she absolutely had to, she doesn’t mind their company. Not all the time though. They get nauseating most of the time, especially Martyn. She wonders how he’ll do in the Kestrels in the coming months. 

She steps onto the deck of the ship. It’s similar to theirs but larger and nicer. She admires the fabric of the sails, a kind of material not even she could buy. That says a lot about the wealth of this group. The thought unnerved her slightly, that kind of money doesn’t come from thin air. 

Mostly though, she wonders how much they will pay her for her help. If it would be enough to buy the sails that they have, or more gemstones, or even a new dress to wear on her date. Maybe buy Aimsey a nice outfit as well. Or maybe they’ll pay her enough to actually buy that island for the two of them after all. She almost chuckles at the thought. It was silly banter, sure, but the more it lingers in the back of her mind, the more she grows fond of the idea. 

Losing herself in her head for a moment, she thinks of a life for her and Aimsey. A rich life, a comfortable life where they aren’t divided. Where they don’t hide and where Guqqie can flaunt her partner to all those around her. A life where Aimsey has the nicest boat a guy could dream of and where Guqqie can watch them sail. 

A queasiness hit her stomach in a rush. She lurches and hangs onto the railing as large waves rock the ship. She glances at the crew, the strangers still wearing their white robes with hoods obscuring their faces, and feels more alone than she has in a long time. 

“You guys are gonna help, right? You’re gonna get them out of there?” She asks, the confidence she once had draining out of her in the new environment. 

They don’t respond. They don’t even blink, as if they didn’t hear her at all. They all stare straight ahead at the sea and continue steering the ship. She freezes as she realizes she has no clue where they’re taking her. They’ve given her nothing. No name, no credentials, their looks are the only signifier of their wealth but even that could be a facade, and no directions or instructions. 

And above all, Guqqie realizes the gravity of her decision, as they set sail in the opposite direction of Aimee. 

“Hello? Hello?” Aimsey called out into the dark island. The deeper they went the darker it got, save for the random burning patch of land that provided light every now and then. There were purple vines and flora dripping ooze everywhere. The island seemed to be a town of some kind with houses and structures all over. There were wagons and hay bales, staircases and huts. All made of wood but covered in purple slime and foliage. Like the town had been taken over by something. 

“I want to help you! I can hear you, there’s a voice, I can help you!” Aimsey yelled out. 

They ran in circles, looping around abandoned houses, banging on doors and searching around corners. They ran frantically. They tripped over their feet and stumbled but kept running. 

Out of breath, they landed in the middle of a purple patch. It was a large section of foliage and flowers, all purple and quite frightening. Aimsey unsheathed their sword, holding it high with shaky hands. There were boulders surrounding them. They looked up for the first time and realized how deep they were into the heart of the island. They couldn’t be sure how long they had run for. 

Guqqie. They left Guqqie. A sharp pang runs through them, guilt and fear mixing with the anxiety growing through them already. 

They shook themself out of it as fast as it came. Guqqie would be alright. Aimsey was the one in the depth anyway, how it should be, and Guqqie was with the rest of the Isles and safe with them. They would likely wait there until Aimsey went back and went home. Guqqie might be a little petty about how long she'll have to wait, though. She’ll make some witty remark about how long she sat there on this weird island just for them to get back, something about how she almost left without them. 

Aimsey merely grins at the thought. 

“I’m a Kite.” They whisper to themself, holding the handle of their sword tighter and relaxing their wrist. The trembling died down and Aimsey looked around their surroundings with a newfound confidence. 

“I’m a Kite! I can help!” They called out, returning to doing laps around the island to find the mysterious person they came looking for. 

Their confidence came crumbling back down the second they heard the voice again. It was so shrill and full of terror. It sounded like crying. Eerily, it sounded less than human, but at the moment Aimsey couldn’t find it in themself to care. They had to help. No matter who it was. 

They continued searching every corner and alley they could find, calling out. The voice never seemed to grow louder or quieter, not since they had entered the centre of the island. It was beginning to become frustrating, being unable to reach any indication of where they were. 

Aimsey reached a section of the island they hadn’t seen yet. Standing before them was a stone bridge, one of the only areas of the island still intact. There was a wagon set ablaze in front of the bridge, burning on, maybe struck by lightning. More purple plants and earth surrounded them. Aimsey was getting tired of the purple by now, it felt so disorienting. 

“Hello? Are you on the bridge? I can help!” They cried out. 

Silence. 

Aimsey wanted to pull their hair out. This was so stressful, they just wanted to make the screaming stop! If someone was calling for help why weren’t they answering? It didn’t make any sense. On the verge of tears, Aimsey went to turn back but was knocked backwards by a strong force. 

They hit the ground on their back with a loud cry, raising their sword in front of them. Their vision was obscured, the force of the hit winding them completely and leaving them seeing stars. Their head felt heavy and every bone in their back ached. They groaned and attempted to open their eyes, unwilling to let the enemy grab an easy hit. This was Aimsey, best sailor the sea had seen in a long time and the unofficial leader of the Kites. Aimsey could talk or fight their way out of anything. They were indestructible, right? 

With great effort, Aimsey heaved themself to a sitting position on the ground and opened their eyes just fast enough to counter another swing. They didn’t even think about it, they only saw the rush of purple flashing towards them and swung with their sword towards it. Their swing lacked its usual force and only made a small cut. The purple flash retreated backwards, reeling in to take another jab. Once it moved back Aimsey was able to get a good look at it. 

A purple tentacle. 

Ice shot through Aimsey’s veins. Surely not. Surely, that can’t even be possible, could it? 

They risked a glance behind them and cursed. Behind them was a row of purple tentacles, all dripping with goo and flailing in the air. They were at the edge of the island. But was it really a Kraken? Could a Kraken cling to the island the same way it did a ship? Aimsey didn’t have time to ponder it any longer, the tentacles from behind them all flailed in the air and started swiping at them. Aimsey yelped and counteracted with their sword the best they could. Countering swings left and right, they slashed into the skin of the tentacles and drew strange purple blood from it. They hit harder than they had in a while, swinging full force to try and cut one clean off. To damage it enough to gain the upperhand. 

Aimsey was a fighter. Of course, they love to fight. But an entire Kraken? Alone? They weren’t crazy. They could fight their way out of this but they weren’t sure they could take down the Kraken completely. 

As they fought there was an incessant thought crackling in the back of their mind; Krakens didn’t lure. This couldn’t have been the voice that was calling to them. That means someone is still out there, someone is still trapped here and needs help. There’s still someone to save and by all hell there is no way Aimsey was going to leave them here and die to a Kraken. 

With a cry Aimsey used two hands and swung their sword fast towards an oncoming tentacle. The attack cut straight through, purple splattered across their blade and the front of the tentacle sliced clean off. A sudden screech rang through the air. The island seemed to shake and loud screaming encapsulated their hearing. Their ears physically hurt from the force, so loud and high pitched. They groaned and covered their ears. With a burning courage, Aimsey turned away from the edge of the island, preparing to run. 

They recollected their bearings, wiping their blade on the leg of their pants, and stood ready to run. They sprung into action, running from the bridge to the clearing ahead of them. 

They were home free, they were going to make it! Then they would find whoever was here, give them hell for all the trouble they just caused them, make sure they were safe, and head home to their lover. 

Aimsey has been incredibly lucky in the past. They’ve escaped death more times than they can count. They’ve fought massive battles, defeated wild beasts of all kinds, and collected treasures beyond comparison. They’ve sweet-talked their way out of imprisonment and charmed their way onto ships. Aimsey is an all around, incredible pirate who lived the dream life. Aimsey was a very lucky pirate. 

Luck has to run out eventually. Unlike their hope, Aimsey was not indestructible. One thing this pirate seems to forget is that no matter the beasts they defeat, the battles they win, at the end of the day they are still human. Humans may cheat death but they cannot outrun it. 

Purple tentacles shot out of the ground in front of them, stopping them in their tracks and knocking them on their ass. 

“What the fuck?” Aimsey yelled out, blocking incoming swings with their sword all over again. 

The more of them that shot out of the ground, the more Aimsey lost control of the battle. They were becoming pitifully outnumbered and overpowered. They held their ground, bouncing back to their feet and giving the fight of their life. The vine-like creature seemed to drip in this purple ooze that rank. It was slimy and iridescent. The arms shot out at them at a rapid pace, landing hits all across their body. Aimsey growled and swung back faster than they had in their life. They would not go down in this fight. 

“Krakens don’t shoot out from the ground.” Aimsey spoke aloud to themself, anything to assess the situation better. “You are not a Kraken, are you?” 

Another purple mass swung straight at their legs. They jumped over it, landing well on their feet and stabbing the tentacle on the ground. The creature roared again and Aimsey grinned. 

Tentacles started dropping left and right, hitting the ground all around them. Aimsey moved in circles, rotating between every cluster of slimy arms they could create. Grouping them together and slashing in turns. 

This worked for a while too, until they turned their back too long. 

One snuck behind them and grabbed the blade right from their hand. They whipped around with a gasp and reached out to grab the sword back. A tentacle from the left of them snatched their wrist and pulled their arm towards it. 

“Ugh, let go!” Aimsey grumbled, pulling their arm as hard as they could but the creature wouldn’t budge. It had a strong grip willing them in closer, tugging hard on their wrist. Their arm felt like it was going to pop out. To save from that, they moved closer to gain more leverage back. 

The creature used this to pull them close in and toss them onto the ground. They landed harshly on their front, face in the earth. Their ribs flared up in burning pain. Aimsey grit their teeth and dragged their arms in front of them, then putting all the weight they could onto them and heaving themself up off of the ground. Just making it to their knees, they sit for a moment to regain their breath. Suddenly they shout and cover their ears, a loud crying ringing in their head. It was louder than when it was before when they were running around, now it was ear splitting and horrid to listen to. It hurt so badly and above all, Aimsey could do nothing to stop it. They had to sit and listen to the helpless cries burst into their head. 

They clutched at their head. It hurt so much, please just make it stop. They clawed at their ears, they clutched their hair, they felt their own tears slip down their face. They pulled at their hair, just at the base of their ears, and screamed. It was so overwhelming. It was driving them crazy. They couldn’t think or breathe or hear or speak. They couldn’t even defend themself. The crying continued to ring through their head as a rogue tentacle looped around their neck and squeezed. Aimsey’s eyes shot open yet they did nothing to stop it. It was strong and twice the size of them, they wouldn’t be able to fend it off with their bare hands. 

However, it didn’t kill them. Aimsey expected a snap, for the world to go dark and for it all to be over fast. That didn’t happen. The tentacle held firm, raised Aimsey off the ground, high into the air, and threw. 

It launched them across the island. They cried out in both pain and fear as they were flying through the air. They sailed straight into the purple foliage, hitting trees on the way down and landing in the muddy ground, hard. They heard cracks as they hit the ground and felt pain shoot through them like fireworks. Gasping for air, they rolled onto their back and laid there staring at the sky. They wheezed. Their ribs felt fragile and there was terrible pain spreading up through their left leg. They laid on the ground for what felt like ages. They couldn’t move. 

Oh god they couldn’t move. 

“Please don’t let me die,” They cried out into the air around them, their voice was thin and cracking. It was higher pitched than normal with panic consuming them. 

The stars were spinning and then suddenly- had the stars always been coloured? 

Aimsey cried harder, panic festering long into their lungs and filling their whole body bit by bit. With a loud cry, they slowly lifted their arm up to touch their eyes. Carefully they rubbed at their eyes with the tips of their fingers and drew their arm back to sit across their chest. They turned their wrist so that their hand faced them and gagged at the sight. Purple ooze drenched their hand. Whatever those tentacles were covered in had gotten in their eyes and now everything looked wrong. The stars were spinning and coloured strangely, the forest around them was wobbling. There was a lot less purple than there was a few moments ago. 

“Please, please don’t let me die.” Aimsey cried out to no one. 

The world felt fuzzy, it was swirling around them. Their hearing felt a bit busted. The island felt so much quieter here on the ground. Maybe if they stayed here for just a while- 

No. 

“Not like this,” Aimsey wheezed out, tears mixing with purple and running down their face to paint streaks of colour across them. “Please!” They begged. 

It was getting harder to breathe, like something was constraining their lungs. Maybe a cracked rib, a punctured lung, mere adrenaline crash. Whatever it was, it felt like it was going to kill them. So many battles and wounds yet nothing felt like this. Nothing felt this serious or painful. They’d survived so much but one weird island kills them? No way. Not happening. It can’t happen like this, not so soon. Not before they helped the new recruits, not before Michela arrived, not before finally having their date. 

Not without Guqqie here. 

Guqqie. 

“Guqqie,” Aimsey sobbed, “Guqqie where are you?” They called out deliriously into the ever passing night.

The moon rolled high throughout the sky, Aimsey could see it peeking through the treetops above them. It looked so pretty, though they were sure it didn’t usually look so orange and big. Looking around, all of the colours were still wrong. There were weird shapes all around them, blobs floating around and things standing beside them. They looked like shadows. 

“Guqqie?” They asked the shadows. 

They didn’t speak, and for once Aimsey was glad to be met with silence. They were sure the shadows weren’t real but considering there was no one else here, they took what they could get. 

Aimsey closed their eyes. They could smell iron, an invasive smell filling their nose, which they wrinkled in response. Childishly, yet still alive. They were bleeding from somewhere. They had no clue from where but they could tell they were bleeding. If the pain in their head signified anything it probably meant they had a head wound. But the world was bright and alive around them and they were just too tired to care. 

Aimsey laid in the dirt and thought of everything they’d have back at home. Back on the Pirate Isles they have a friend on the way; Michela will be so excited to see them again. Michela would make a great Kite, but in the way that Aimsey runs the Kites. Michela could learn to love the adventure, the battles and the skills that come with a sword. She could join Aimsey on daring quests and they could share a beer. She could meet Guqqie, Aimsey could introduce her as an official couple, if all goes to plan. 

Guqqie. At home they have Guqqie, their wonderful partner. Well, partner-to-be. They’ll take her on a nice date tonight, once they get out of here. It’ll be so pretty. They don’t want it to be like usual, they want to do something nice for her. She always deserves the nicest things. They’ll set her up a nice dinner, they’re sure if they sweet-talk some of the new recruits they’ll share a few resources. They could bribe Scott to help, if they get desperate or something goes wrong. He’d tease them relentlessly, sure, but he’d help. He wasn’t cruel. 

Guqqie and them would spend a beautiful night together, full of laughter and teasing remarks and sweet nothings whispered into the moonlight. Like everything they already have but so much more. 

“Please,” Aimsey whispered, begging the universe for one chance at this life with her. 

Aimsey felt their consciousness drift in and out. They had no idea how long they spent laying in the earth, wrapped in purple, dreaming of everything they’ll never have. 

“Please.” Aimsey whispered.