WoF Shorts: Stolen Sapphires

Chapter 1 ~ (#3) Sunny Sand

"Y'know Dot, I wouldn't exactly call fruit collecting fun..." Ultra bangs his hip on the trunk of the palm tree, coconuts slipping free from the leaves and falling off onto the ground— as well as his wings, "Ow."

They were swimming for about four minutes before he figured out where Dottyback had led him. This was one of her favorite little islands, as well as one of the relax-spots he checked earlier. He must've looked annoyed, because Dotty came out of the safety of the tree shade to brush against him. She intertwined her tail around his, and Ultramarine forgot that he was even annoyed with her.

"Well, it's fun for me." Dottyback cooed, slipping past him and jumping onto a large boulder, laying down to sunbathe. "Oh I can imagine," Ultra smiles and grabs a coconut, tossing it up to her.

Dottyback's talons snap ahold of it like a snake taking a bite out of its prey. Quick, precise, and perfect. Her face warps as her claws shake around the fuzzy, hard shell. The coconut cracked then exploded from the pressure. Dotty looked very satisfied with herself as she takes a victorious sip of fresh coconut juice. Brutal as always, that's something he appreciated about her.

"Did sparring with Loach go well?" Ultra reaches down and grabs a coconut for himself. He decided it be best to just sit on the soft, hot sand, looking up at Dottyback. She appreciates it when I keep my eyes on her. It must comfort her to know she has someone's full attention.

"Oh I kicked his butt," she says simply, scouring the coconut pieces for any tasty residue. "I cut his wings up pretty bad, I would feel bad but he runs his mouth too much." His observation seemed to have worked out, her face now radiating confidence.

"He came at me from the left, swinging his tail- then swiped at me some more!" She flings her talons back in forth in the air to demonstrate "I grabbed a nearby rock and smashed it against his face, then slammed my tail down into him."

"Woah," Yeah, cool as ever. Dot was way better at close combat than he was, he's at least a good few years behind. His reaction and amazed face got a positive reaction out of his sister, her smiling happily. Good.

Ultramarine listened intently as Dottyback explained the rest of the battle, he took the time to poke a hole into the shell of his coconut. He wouldn't call himself intimidating, not even close. It was one thing about him that irritated his parents to no end. He was too normal, too approachable, too polite. Ultra followed every order, every bark from his mother and father- so it wasn't like they could punish him either.

He always fulfilled the bare minimum, leaving the two to grumble uncertainties then conclude it was satisfactory. Knock the opponent down, make them bleed and squirm a little. It was what he managed to get away with all these years. Of course he hid the fact he frequently apologized to his opponents afterwards. The only thing he did impress his parents with was how swiftly he can disarm his attackers, maybe his boring-ness was a tactical advantage...

Dotty threw a papaya seed and it bounced off his forehead "Then boom! He died!" Ultra blinked. Oh! She's just being silly.

"He died huh?" He said with exaggerated suspicion "Unlikely. Father would've been far more ecstatic yesterday if that were the case," Dottyback claws out a chunk of juicy papaya and throws it at him. Ultra snaps it out of the air with his mouth.  He takes a moment to wonder if Dotty has been feeling down lately. It's a possibility, father has been extra harsh on her during their sparring as of late.

Father hasn't sparred with me since I was three. A dark pit brews in his stomach. Bah bah no bad. The fact that he doesn't is good. Ultra bats away feelings of self doubt as he laid on the sunny sand, focusing on the taste of the delectable fruit.

He really rather not get placed in some fancy building where all he does is stand around and look threatening. He wanted to do something with music, he's rather good at lyric making. That's another thing his parent's don't know, and Dotty is aware but thinks it's really silly.

His sister's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, which was honestly a blessing.

"What goes on in that blue brain of yours, Marine?" Dottyback must've eaten seven papayas already, the stone she sat on was littered with black seeds and green peels.

"The usual, like how we should probably get going," Ultramarine brings the coconut he forgot about to his mouth, dumping the sweet liquid down his throat and licking his lips with a forked tongue.

"You're such a tail-kisser!" Dottyback stands up with a harrumph "We can still slide down the waterfall," she points off into the distance of the bright greenery, "We still have so much to do, Marine! If you say no... I'm gonna kill you."

"I know you won't kill me," Ultramarine touts.

"Oh yeah? How do you know that?"
Dotty leapt down from her perch and snarled at him, baring her shiny sharp teeth inches away from his face. He yelps, but the two quickly devolve into giggling.

"Because I'm your beloved brother!" Ultra states proudly, "And if you do kill me, you'd be stuck with Surge."

The two siblings giggle some more, Dottyback helped him up and dusted the sand out of the folds of his wings. "Yeah, you're right. I'd miss your stupid face," Dotty sighs "You're actually fun and know how to hold a conversation."

Ultra beams, happily leaning into the wing Dottyback draped over his shoulders.

"I suppose I'm none of those things, then?" A familiar voice cut through their moment of serenity, it's tone oozing with disdain.
A dark cyan SeaWing loomed behind Ultra, grimace painted across his face.

It was Surge, his big brother.