Tender Waves - A DreamNotFound Story

Chapter 3: Yes, Yes, Go Towards The Danger

"So.....you're basically saying you want to get as close as possible to the L'Manberg nation we just pissed off, in order to find some missing cargo ships and maybe imaginary fish people?" Antfrost's left ear twitched as a grim expression seemed to take over his furry face.

"....Well, when you put it that way..." Dream spread his hands.

The main group of friends was back in Dream's captain-cabin, on 'Spirit'. They had rowed back sometime before dark with the other crewmates who had come ashore with them, not bothering with motel logistics and preferring as usual to sleep on the ship instead of in the company of strangers. The town had been bustling and lively, from what they had seen while passing through shops or surveying the place as a good safe-port to come back to if needed sometime in the future, but it wouldn't be the best place to sleep until a full gauge on the strangers living within was gotten. 

Nevertheless, the pirate captain and his closest men were currently discussing the matters Eret had presented over a dim lantern on the leader's now-clean desk. Night had fallen, the waves outside the anchored vessel lapping lazily against the wooden rudder and underkeel as the stars shone brightly above in the moon-lit sky. Bad and Sapnap had pulled up extra wooden chairs over the green and gilded-gold rug Dream had in the office-space, the seats circling back to the captain's desk. Skeppy, Antfrost, Sapnap, and Bad all sat in their own chair, talking about their next move.

Dream had just suggested a new adventure for them, after all, and it was always a debate of whether the effort was worth it or not, although Dream usually won in the end without major opposition.

However, this time appeared to be different.

This time, Eret's words and the information given to them proved to be more controversial with whatever Dream was planning as their next move.

"What happened to not being hired mercenaries or something?" Skeppy scowled, to the left area of Dream's vision. "You're basically taking an unofficial job that a KING subtly gave us."

"He didn't give us a job," Sapnap defended Dream, sitting nearest to him on the left. "This is what Dream wants to do, as Captain, and it really sounds like something we should check out-"

"No, it doesn't!" Skeppy turned indignantly to the first mate, who was sitting on his right. "In fact, we should just take the information Eret gave us and use it for our benefit! By staying away from the danger zone!"

"If ships disappeared with cargo and people, then it's not the best idea to go looking for the last place they were heard from," Bad agreed uneasily, sitting across from Skeppy. "I can't imagine what happened, but we can't be muffins and run headfirst towards the same peril that may have taken them."

"Exactly!" Skeppy pointed at Bad. "Listen to the doctor here!"

"The doctor is terrified of water," Dream remarked dryly, resting his chin in his hands. "He can't swim, and is already very anxious being on a ship in the ocean. A strange phobia for a pirate-crew member, but it only further explains why he's actually against going-"

"That's not true!" Skeppy shot up out of his chair indignantly. "Don't talk about Bad's fear like that!"

"While that's a low blow, Dream, I can't say I blame you," Antfrost sighed, on Dream's right. "Look, I'm as interested as you and Sapnap in this whole case, alright? But you do realize that Skeppy and Bad have good points."

"Since when have we been chicken about heading towards assumed danger?" Sapnap retorted. "We're freaking pirates, for crying out loud. We're wanted men, and we always run the risk of getting lost at sea during a battle or some other morbid shit-"