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They have been sailing for at least ten minutes when the wind started picking up and shifting directions. Dark gray clouds were staring threateningly at the pirates, with the distant sound of thunder mere background music. It was common for a storm to roll into these parts of the sea, Owen knew that, the other pirates knew that. So why was there a funny feeling in her stomach?
"Smooth sailing," Acho said sarcastically from the wheel with a sigh. Jojo laughed and Owen felt himself smile.
A wave crashed against the side of the ship as small droplets pattered down on top of them.
It wasn't bad at first. Just small pitter patters against the wood and the occasional crack of thunder ahead of them.
Then the waves started to grow bigger and the rain picked up significantly, now pouring buckets on their heads. It didn't take very long until they started to lose visibility of Kuervo's ship ahead of them, and Owen could hardly hear his reply to Acho when star yelled out to them to slow down. She could hardly hear himself think.
Kuervo had stopped and headed back towards them. Now their two ships sat side by side, rocking back and forth over the waves. Owen couldn't make out the two other ships that were ahead of Kuervo's, but they were turning around now too. Kuervo must have told them to turn back.
She stared out at the unforgiving sea, secrets that have remained hidden for so many years, and that will be kept hidden for several more years. He doesn't know if he wants to uncover their depths or if he wants to remain safe on land.
Owen used the view as a distraction to try and eavesdrop on what Acho and Kuervo were talking about, but it proved to be extremely difficult over the harsh winds whipping at his hair. The conversation had turned into them shouting at each other just in order to hear the other, and Owen still couldn't hear a single word.
The ship's bow dipped as they went over another wave, and Owen saw Jojo curl in on herself a little bit out of his peripherals. He knows the Nightingale is afraid of water, which he still questions because what kind of pirate doesn't like water? However, Owen is Thalassophobiak, so she can't really say anything as his own sense of worry started to form in his stomach.
He's sailed through storms before—of course she has. What kind of pirate hasn't? But this storm seems bad. They might have to turn around and come back another day, but that would also mean raiding the cult base another day, and that's risky. They can move from island to island in minutes based off of how fast their ships are, so if they leave now they might not have another chance.
"Jojo, you'll be alright, okay? Just hold onto the ship," Owen tried to reassure through shouting. It probably didn't sound very reassuring. Cold rain hit her face and hair as the other ships fell back and were now rocking with Kuervo and Acho.
Owen waved at Martyn who was sitting on Sausage's ship, but close towards the wheel and not the bow where Owen was currently sitting. She wants to move, but Jojo probably needs that spot more than him.
Martyn waved back.
The bow dipped again, almost stuffing.
Lightning cracked down upon a large wave a few feet away from Scott's ship causing Ros and El to jump.
It was hard to see anything ahead or behind them now, and another wave slapped up against the side of the ship, splashing Owen. She was vaguely aware that she was shivering in drenched clothing that will have to be dried out later.
"Owen!" Acho called probably for the tenth time. Owen turned. "Hoist the sails so we don't blow away!"
She nodded and got up to her feet, trying to dig them into the wooden floorboards in order not to be blown away.
She reached up to grasp onto the rope, but they were flapping dangerously in the wind, and he muttered something under her breathe in frustration. The rope twisted this way and that before finally slapping against Owen's wrist. He grabbed at it, feeling the rough material rub against his skin as it tried to break free of her hand like a wild beast. He hoisted it downwards, pulling against the force of the wind. The sails lifted slowly and begrudgingly, but they lifted and that's all the matters.
Owen let go of the rope, but the ship gave a sudden jerk just as he did, sending her flying forwards and nearly off the side of it. If he hadn't grabbed onto the beam holding the sails up, he probably would have ended up in the ocean.
The boat swayed violently over the waves, and the cannon he was sitting at moments ago slid to the opposite side and nearly tore through the ledge wall. He doesn't know what caused the abrupt jerk, but out of his peripheral vision, he saw something ram up against Kuervo's ship, causing it to jerk as well and send Apo flying forwards into the ledge.
"What is it?!" Scott shouted, the wind carrying his voice.
"I don't know," Acho answered his older brother.
"Tell it to stay away from my ship! I don't want it damaged or destroyed," Sausage shouted. There was a pause before he added quickly, "Not that I can't afford a new one or anything!"
Owen spared a glance towards Sausage's left arm as it hung uselessly by his side, petrified and turned to stone. She wonders why Martyn is still letting Sausage steer during this weather.
He let go of the beam cautiously, and went over to the cannon he was at, trying to steady himself as another wave crashed into Acho's ship. He stumbled a bit before latching onto the cannon for support.
Thunder roared in the clouds before a bone-shattering crack split the air and a bright flash interrupted his vision. It was gone as fast as it came, leaving behind a dull ringing in her ears. For a moment, she didn't understand what had happened. Then, she realized it was lightning as sparks emitted from the wooden beam he was clinging to just moments prior.
He watched as the beam tilted, sails and all, wooden strips splintering away and—
It was going to land on Jojo.
Owen yelled her name—at least he think he did? The ringing is still there, echoing against his skull as if it were trapped in a never-ending void.
He didn't have time to see if she was okay because the ship jerked again and he was yanked to the side.
Owen gasped as the side of Acho's ship appeared above him before she was engulfed in deep, dark water. The impact was harder than he expected, and the water was so much more cold than he anticipated. His muscles and joints locked up immediately and a numbing chill settled across his skin like a blanket. The ringing evaporated on impact, and now he couldn't hear anything except for a distant rumble of thunder and muffled shouting as quick burst of light appeared and disappeared above water.
A flare of panic rose up in his chest, and she looked down despite his head screaming at her not to.
Nothing.
Pitch black.
An abyss that could go on for a long, long time and she'd have no idea.
He couldn't see anything except for his legs and the extremely faint outline of seaweed. Anything could be down there, staring up at him right now, and he wouldn't know.
Her heart hammered in her ears.
Owen looked up and saw the tiny outline of Acho's ship, but it was moving away because of the current. He kicked as hard as he could towards the surface as her lungs screamed for oxygen. She doesn't know how deep she had sunken, but he hated how his movements are slow and sluggish in the water. In makes her feel defenseless.
Despite the surface looking close, he realized quickly that that definitely was not the case. It felt like it had been at least ten minutes before the current brushed his skin.
She gasped desperately as she breached the surface. Owen coughed, and didn't have anymore time to see anything as another wave crashed over him, sending her scrambling in the water again.
It felt like his lungs were on fire as he started coughing violently once she resurfaced for the second time. He looked around, panicked at the sight of not seeing a ship near him at first. Then, he spotted them a few feet away. They had drifted and seemed to be looking around frantically. Acho didn't seem bothered at all by star's torn ship and lack of sails.
Owen saw Acho's ship and started swimming towards it, but stopped once she saw no sign of Jojo.
"Jojo?!" He called out. Her voice is raspy when she speaks, and he almost choked on his own words. His head turned around wildly, and he did a full 360 in the water before another wave sucked her under its grasp.
Her eyes burned as they were forced open underwater but he had to find—
He spotted her.
Jojo was swimming up towards the surface.
So that was Owen's destination too.
He gasped another big gulp of air as he came above water. "Jojo!" He cried out, not even sure if it was audible or not.
It must have been because Jojo whipped her head around in his direction. Owen went underwater on her own accord this time, resurfacing in front of Jojo. He placed his hands on her shoulder to try and relax her. Jojo's legs were kicking sporadically underneath the water instead of rhythmically which can cause more of a panic, Owen knows this. She's also shivering—both of them are.
"Listen to me, alright? Focus on me and the ships, not the water," Owen instructs and after a second, he sees Jojo's eyes return from their far away land, and they meet his own gaze.
Owen nodded and helped her steady her legs so that they were in sync, and the two began making their way over towards their fellow pirates, who were still looking down in the water for them. Owen tried her best to keep both him and Jojo floating above the rough waves. His body was exhausted, and he's sure Jojo feels the same way, but they are so close—
"Jojo! Owen!" Scott's voice fills his ears and Owen nearly sighs in relief that they've been spotted. She's never had to swim in such an unforgiving sea before now, so this kind of relief is new to him. A good new.
"You're okay," Owen reassured again to Jojo.
A larger wave dragged them down again, but Owen was ready this time and they both resurfaced quickly, right in front of Acho's ship.
Acho held his arm down for them to grab, "Oh my gosh, we couldn't even see you guys after you went over—it's so dark."
Jojo reached up to take their hand, but a wave pushed her down again and she swallowed water, letting out a cough.
"Here, wait," Owen said. He swam underneath the water and positioned himself underneath Jojo's feet. Using most of her remaining strength, Owen held onto Jojo's shoes and pushed upwards, boosting her up as much as he could. The giant wooden bottoms of the multiple ships in the water made Owen slightly uneasy, but he ignored it and continued to push Jojo up. It wasn't simple at all because being underwater sucks—especially during a storm—but after a few seconds, the weight dissipated off of his arms and Jojo disappeared somewhere above the water.
Owen gasped as she came back up, Acho's hand already outstretched for him as well.
A breaker slams into the bow and she can't even catch a breathe before she's under water again for what feels like the hundredth time in ten hours. She swears she swallowed water but—
He feels them before seeing them.
Two sharp, glowing eyes staring at him from underneath a ship.
The Thrasher.
Its row of sharp and delicate teeth gleaming from the little light there is, unique fins visible even amongst the dark abyss. Maybe that's just because he can already imagine what the rest of the body looks like—the bony tail swinging dangerously back and forth.
Owen's heart gave a jolt as the Thrasher charged forwards. A muffled scream erupting from his throat, and she rushed to the side just in time, barely missing the graze of a fin. It vanished back into the darkness.
Scrambling for the surface, she kept glancing around her every few seconds, worried the Nightmare of the Sea would appear at any given moment.
"Thrasher!" Owen cried out as he bursted above the water.
"Owen! Here!" Kuervo shouted and Owen snapped her head in the kite's direction.
Owen didn't even bother to fully acknowledge anything else besides the extended arm. She reached out and grasped it, firm and secure. Kuervo hoisted her up, and Owen's legs used the sides of the ship as if it were a ladder, climbing up the steps. He was suddenly very aware of how hefty the weight of her wet clothes were. It felt like he would drop again, but before she knew it, she was sprawled out across the sturdy floorboards of Kuervo's ship, breathe uneven and heavy.
It takes Owen's body a second to register what happened before he starts coughing. Large and violent heaves as he flips herself over. A hand gently lands on his back as support.
He wants to take a nap. Right here on this ship—that sounds nice right about now.
Raising his head, he looks over to meet Kuervo's eyes and gives a small nod, "Thank you."
He turns his gaze over to see Jojo sitting against the ledge of Acho's ship with Acho by her side, and Owen smiles.
Everyone's good.
Nobody's dead.
The storm still rages above them as everyone gets their bearing straight, and Ros almost flies off the edge of Scott's ship as the Thrasher rams against it.
Acho pulls up close to Kuervo's vessel and Beky jumps onto star's ship so that Owen could stay. After all, their ships are only meant to seat three people.
Not really knowing what to do about the Thrasher situation, Owen pulls out his gun and fires a few shots at the creature while the current ship captains drive away. The Thrasher stops following shortly after they leave, dipping back down under the waves and thrashing its tail out as a last farewell. She hates that thing.
Owen also hates the other pirates seeing her so open and vulnerable like that. It ruins her reputation and looking back at what happened moments ago, she thinks it was stupid. Part of him knows it wasn't a stupid reaction at all, but that part of him never tends to stick up for itself.
Despite that, nobody says anything or makes fun of him for doing so, and he appreciates that so much more than he thought he would.
He forgot the Thrasher had even existed while he was taking his "little swim" as Kuervo kept referring it to. He doesn't recall fish gathering around the ships at all, but the Thrasher must have been what was hitting their vessels before because he watched it ram into Scott's ship. Stupid creature.
Jojo ended up thanking him when they made it back to the isles after a few other mishaps (Beky definitely didn't have a fish fly into her hair—nope! Not what happened at all). And Acho ended up buying a whole new other ship because paying for repairs was more expansive.
Owen curses the weather for still being horrible on the isles. His tent is all soaked now, and the inside is colder than it normally is much to Owen's dismay. The storm also doesn't look like it'll go away anytime soon, so he guesses that they will have to go on that raid another time—if there even is another time. He just hopes it isn't another Hook situation.
She shakes her head and finds herself in bed and asleep before he even realized he had walked down the stairs, not wanting to think about Hook again.
She misses it.