Headed by a Snake

Tycondrius and company watched Imperia run off... into the woods... and away from the smoking and smoldering Thorne Village...

In theory, the dark elf would have little difficulty navigating her way back to the Neptune's Revenge. When night fell in earnest, the starlight would be enough for her Elven eyes to see.

However, nocturnal predators would soon stir. It wasn't impossible for her to be attacked subsequently sustain moderate to grave injury... especially as she didn't seem to be taking careful vigilance of her surroundings.

Tycon turned to his newest Sea Serpent companion, the blue-scaled, black-banded, Princess Iyuri. She had been relatively silent, throughout, comfortably coiled behind the gaggle of Coral Boys.

It *was* somewhat odd that, besides Willow's initial awed reaction of her, no other human, elf, or Coral Boy present paid the thirty-fulm-or-so Sea Serpent any mind.

The crew of the Neptune's Revenge were an accepting lot and he was proud to be counted amongst their number.

"(Ooooh... So the dark elf is married to the other elf...)" Iyuri mused in Parseltongue, "(--and Mister Krysaos wishes for her to cheat with him? This... this is better than my bloodline memories of the Lizard Court Diaries!)"

Tycon had requested Iyuri return to her natural form, as he feared her human form might prove a distraction to the good Captain. Her silence, though, had purpose. It made it easier for her to analyze the... dramatics.

Still, she spoke of the lizards.

Again.

It seemed Iyuri's Sea Serpent bloodline had granted her different memories than his own.

Tycon shut his eyes and raised his eyebrows, "(For the time being, I'd like you to keep your commentary to yourself, hatchling.)"

"Wowww~" Sprig, the recently rescued human boy, had his eyes wide with wonder, "Elves are SO COOOOOOL!!!"

At least someone was enjoying the debacle.

"Arrrgh..." A scowling Krysaos took off his hat, "That girl is... such... a PAIN IN THE--"

"Neck," Tycon offered, gesturing to the young Sprig.

"NECK!!! Arghhhh..."

"Master..." A certain purple-haired mermaid girl floated nearby, "you still have me, y'know."

"Eh, what was that, Mina?"

"N... nothing."

"Petty Officer Bob?" Willow, more-or-less self-sufficient human girl, tapped on the Coral Boy's wooden leg armor, "Is it always like this?"

"...I'z a simple Coral Boy, li'ul wun," Bob shrugged. "Me and da boyz... we try not ta pay attention to 'at sort of fing."

Tycon always considered Bob to be the most intelligent Coral Boy... and from the way the rest of the crew were blatantly ignoring the goings-on, they all had enough sense to stay out of the Captain's relationship problems.

"Whatever you fu-- fellow gentlemen are talkin' about, quit it," Krysaos shouted as he walked over. "So whaddya say, Willow? You wanna join the crew? Get outta this shi-- shi... shining example of a village?"

"Whaaat?! We can join the MARINES?" An animated Sprig shouted, "Or are we pirates?! PIRATE MARINES?!? Sis, you gotta say yes! You just gotta!"

The young human girl pursed her lips... "Th-thank you, Captain Krysaos... but... I don't think we're old enough to join you guys..."

"Eh?" Krysaos scratched at his head, "That a no? You sure? Y'know, Bob's like three."

"'Free years of 'ard TRAININ'" Bob nodded.

The Coral Boy was holding out a number of fingers that did not equal three. Tycon would advise him on the matter, privately, in a more appropriate setting.

"It would be best if you were to remain with us, young lady," Tycon added. "You and Mister Rickert are more than welcome aboard the Neptune's Revenge."

...If he could keep the young lady close, he could better observe her for signs of treachery.

Willow bared her teeth, "I'm just gonna stay with the others... the ones that didn't have lizard blood. We're gonna head north to Thundering Eagle Wings Creek."

Iyuri in her snake form looked to Tycon with curiosity.

...Tycon was fairly certain he knew what was on her mind.

Until her most recent response, not once had Willow acknowledged his presence. Even while affirming her rejection to join the crew, she still refused to look at him.

Judging from her racing heart and quavering voice... Tycon believed it likely she remained fearful of him.

Iyuri had sensed something... different about the child, and she'd communicated those thoughts to Tycon prior.

It was one of the reasons she allowed the girl to go free-- even though the lizard god had directed her to murder the villagers' chosen sacrifices. The other reason, Tycon had hoped, was her sense of morality.

Killing sentient children without reason should be frowned upon.

Tycon knew Willow was different, but for a different reason.

His System could not accurately gauge her Class and Metal-Rank. As she did not wear any enchanted paraphernalia that would interfere with his analysis, it was plausible she was a transmigrator, much like himself.

Iyuri's reasoning, however, was that she sensed a familiar magical signature within the child.

Lizard magic.

"Well..." Krysaos nodded, exhaling through his teeth... "alright. Assumin' yer brother's goin' with ya?"

Sprig was openly crying with his fists clenched tightly, "Y-yeahh... I... I won't leave my sis..."

"Be good, kid," Krysaos chuckled as he rubbed Sprig's head, "An' listen to your sister. When you're old enough, the offer's still gonna be open. Or ah... we have a guy that can get you into uh... Sol Invictus?"

"O... okay..." Sprig nodded as he wiped his face with his wrists, "I'll... I'll probably join Sol Invictus, though..."

"Keh. Figures," Krysaos scoffed. "We should get goin' then. You ready, LT?"

"I will follow shortly," Tycon waved. "I need to provide Iyuri clear directions to reach our closest allies... among other things."

"Hold on, guy," Captain Krysaos took Tycon by the arm and pulled him away from the group.

"What's on your mind, Brother-Captain?"

"Come on, LT. Don't hold out on me," Krysaos said with a pathetic, pleading face, his hat held against his chest, "I know you got a humanoid form-- we talk about it all the time."

"I... do," Tycon pursed his lips. "I'm using it... right now, actually."

"That's what I'm talkin about, guy!" Krysaos groaned, "That-- that Iyuri--"

"Princess Iyuri."

"Princess Iyuri, right--" Krysaos nodded. "She's gotta have one, too. Is she hot? Does she turn into a mermaid?! You can't keep all the hot mermaid chicks to yerself!"

Tycon sighed. He thought well of Iyuri, perhaps as a younger sibling-- a child sister... a foolish, child sister who was far too trusting of strangers.

While he thought well of Krysaos... the good Captain's sensibilities would certainly corrupt the hatchling.

From the way Iyuri spoke, she might even try to sleep with him.

Tycon would not allow it.

He furrowed his brows, "Krysaos, I advise you to attend to your weapon spirit, Miss Mina."

The human rolled his eyes, his head back with it, "Guy-- I don't look at Mina like that. She's part of the crew."

That was not Tycon's problem.

"I'll meet up with you later this evening, Brother-Captain," He said.

The man being introduced to Iyuri would not be a topic for debate.

"Seven hells..." The Captain shook his head. "Fiiiine~"

He adjusted his coat and hat, "Don't take all sun, yeah? We won't raise anchor without ya. Next stop... Whitehearth..." The Captain turned to the Coral Boys and raised his voice, "C'mon, boyz!! We're goin' after the elf. Can't let her get eaten by the beasties!!"

"Aye aye, Cap'n!!" "Deff, destruction, an' all 'at!!" "Blood and 'funder!!!"

With a disorganized charge that offended Tycon's senses, Captain Krysaos and his gaggle of Coral Boys disappeared into the forest... trailed by a mermaid swimming through the air and a single rolling barrel.

How did Barrel Boy come to a stop, when he traveled with so much momentum?

A handsome shadow stepped out from behind a thin tree. As the evening sun waned, Ishmael was difficult even for Tycon to sense unless he was focusing.

"You have a concern?" Tycon gestured openly.

The shadow... lifted his foot backwards and turned to inspect it.

Underfoot.

It was a codeword used by Sol Invictus.

Ishmael was discretely offering to stay behind and kill Willow-- to save him the trouble.

"Thank you, but no," Tycon shook his head, "I'll do it, myself. Protect the crew."

Ishmael saluted crisply and melted away into the darkness.

"Whoa," Sprig stared with wide, still-teary eyes, "You've got powers too, Mister?"

"And so does your sister, young man," Tycon smiled politely, "which she and I are going to discuss."

Fear had returned to Willow's eyes... and Tycon could hear her heart beat rapidly escalate in her small chest, "I... but... I--"

Sprig, the annoyingly astute young whelpling, stood in front of his sister defensively... "I won't let you take her... Sir."

"Empty night," Tycon groaned.

He retrieved his favorite pocket watch and tossed it towards the boy in a gentle arc. Sprig grabbed at it clumsily-- nearly dropping it...

...What he'd observed reinforced the fact that Tycon was going to regret his next words.

"Oooh, it's pretty," Iyuri remarked.

Tycon pursed his lips, "Should you choose to accept this gift, Mister Rickert, this shall be proof of your contract."

"Is this..." The boy stared at the trinket in confusion, "a... clock?"

"Turn it over, boy," Tycon commanded.

Sprig's eyes widened and his mouth hung agape... "The symbol of Sol Invictus? That means you... you're..."

"The current leader of Sol Invictus," Tycon finished the boy's sentence.

He walked over to Willow and grabbed hold of her wrist, "Mister Rickert, as Guild Invictus' newest trainee, you now fall under my command. Remain with Princess Iyuri."

"Y-yes-- s'aye aye, Sir!" Sprig shouted, saluting with his fist to his chest. "Sir, I won't fail you-- Sir!"

"Very good," Tycon nodded. "Miss Willow, you'll be coming with me."