Chapter Text
“And… there!” Rockhopper finished adjusting the wreath next to the door to his quarters. He stepped back and looked around the Ship’s Hold with a large grin, admiring his work. “The place be as decorated as corals on the seafloor! Just in time for the Holiday Party too!” He turned to face the Christmas tree, standing tall next to him. “It sure to be a good one! Right, Yarr?”
Yarr, who had just finished adjusting the tinsel on the Christmas Tree, turned around and gave a big grin, before squeaking and hopping towards Rockhopper. “Aye. Thank ye, Yarr,” He bent down to ruffle the top of Yarr’s fur, who accepted them before jumping up to his shoulder.
“And last but not least,” Rockhopper placed a Santa Hat on top of his regular hat, “Perfect! Now, let’s see if that landlubber be watchin’ us as we come in. Yeah?” Rockhopper asked with a light dusting of blush on his face. Yarr happily squeaks, bouncing on his shoulder.
Rockhopper climbed up the stairs and through the trapdoors to the top deck. A biting chill of the Antarctic air blowing past his face and towards the open ocean, and the morning sun just barely peeking over the horizon. Closing the trapdoors behind him, he looked toward the island and took in a deep breath of salty sea air. It felt so good to be back in Club Penguin after 4 long months of being away. Well… not in Club Penguin perchance but, close enough.
Rockhopper quickly climbed up the ratlines towards the crow’s nest before hoisting himself over the walls to land inside. He looked back towards the island and set his sights on the Lighthouse. Its light shining brightly towards the Migrator, guiding him back to the island as it always does. Pulling out his telescope, he looked towards the Beacon and saw Gary looking back at him from the Beacon telescope. Gary perked up, noticing Rockhopper saw him and waved enthusiastically. Rockhopper smiled and waved back before seeing Gary sprint down the Lighthouse stairs.
“He seems ta be really excited this time, huh Yarr?” Rockhopper looked away from his telescope and towards him. “He almost be trippin’ over himself ta see me. I hope he don’t though, that’d be embarrasin’!” He let out a hearty laugh. “Well, I be glad to know he be alright. Let’s get back to the deck and dock this ship.”
He then peered over the Crow’s Nest, the ground below him seeming to lengthen the longer he stared down. The feeling of anxiety quickly washed over him. “Ye know Yarr… I keep forgettin’ I have a fear of heights… Maybe I should stop forgettin’ that…”
Yarr rolled his eyes at the statement, knowing that he’ll soon forget again anyway.
Rockhopper slowly and cautiously climbed down the ratlines, before safely making it back on deck, breathing a sigh of relief before hearing a cry from above. Rockhopper’s head snapped upwards as he was met with a shadow of Yarr, rapidly increasing in size. He let out a yelp, reaching out his flippers to catch him which thankfully he was successful in doing. Rockhopper looked at Yarr, bewildered.
“Yarr! What’d you do that for?! Ye almost gave me a heart attack!” Yarr looked up at him and stuck out his tongue playfully. Rockhopper scowled. “Oh you knew I’d catch ya, didn’t ya? Well ye be lucky I did! Now c’mon, let’s steer this ship ta shore!”
Yarr chirps and hops out of Rockhopper’s arms before heading to the bowsprit. Meanwhile, Rockhopper turned and headed to the helm, placing his flippers on the wheel.
“Ya ready Yarr?” Rockhopper called out to him. Yarr turned around and waved his telescope with a smile, signaling that he was ready to assist Rockhopper in piloting the ship. “Right then! Let’s get back home!”
After careful navigation, and a little bump against the rocky shore, Rockhopper had safely made it to the Beach.
“Anchor! Avast!” Rockhopper yelled out from the wheel.
Yarr chirped and nodded, lowering the anchor to the seafloor, stopping the Migrator in its tracks. Rockhopper then stepped away from the helm.
“There ye are!” Rockhopper stated, stroking his beard proudly with a hand on his hip. “She ain’t be movin’ an inch! Now, let’s lower that gangway and meet him.”
Luckily for Rockhopper, he had done it so many times at this point, docking from shore to shore, that he didn’t even need to think about it. He was tying the final knot to the railing when all of a sudden, he felt a pushing force from behind so strong that it almost toppled him over! He yelped and quickly grabbed the railing to prevent himself from falling beak-first into the snow. He gave a steely glare to the culprit behind him, only for it to soften as he realised that it was Gary hugging him from behind!
Rockhopper cracked a smile “Gary! What’cha doin’? Ya almost knocked me over!”
Gary rests his beak on Rockhopper's shoulder from behind, “I’m sorry, Rockhopper. But, I missed you so much. It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”
Rockhopper gave him a confused look. “Really? I be away longer than that before…”
“I know,” Gary muttered, giving him a tighter squeeze before letting him go.
Rockhopper turned to look at him with a smirk on his face, leaning against the railing. “Have you been waitin’ fer me all night again?”
Gary shrunk on himself a little, looking at the ground and rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, a heavy blush forming on his face. “Well- I- um… yes…?”
Rockhopper smiled at his reaction. “Ya really need ta stop doin’ that Gary. It ain’t good for ya. You know that, right?”
Gary let out a sigh and looked back up at him. “I know that! I just get really elated when I see that flag of yours at the shoreline! The way it flaps in the windcurrents as your vessel sails across the ocean makes it feel as if it’s calling to me…” Rockhopper could notice that he was thinking back to that very scene, even through those thick glasses of his.
“Well…” Rockhopper started, snapping Gary out of it, “Maybe it be tellin’ ya to go to bed at night! It’s not like I be goin’ anywhere anytime soon!” Gary gave a small pout at that.
Rockhopper continued, “Listen, how about we go below deck, I get ye a coffee, and we talk about what be happenin’ on the island while I be gone, yeah?”
Gary grinned at the idea, nodding his head enthusiastically, “Of course! Let’s go right now!” And with that, they both made their way into the Migrator.