Pirate King: An ATEEZ & ONEUS Novella

Chapter Eight

As mass chaos breaks out between the ATEEZ members, a small white dragon flies through the air and lands on Jongho's shoulder. Jongho turns to look at it as it nuzzles against his cheek with a tiny mewling sound.

"Malteez?!" Jongho gasps.

Malteez continues rubbing against Jongho's cheek.

"Malteez!"

Seonghwa spins in the sand. "Dragon!"

"Not dragon, Malteez! He's a friend!" Jongho says.

Malteez sneezes and a tiny fume of fire shoots out of his mouth. He digs his talons into Jongho's shoulder to steady himself and keep himself in place. Jongho makes an attempt to help him out.

"So that's Malteez?" Yunho asks, walking up to Jongho. "Hi little guy." He uses two fingers like one would with a tiny kitten and strokes the dragon's head.

The dragon gives a purring noise and nuzzles his head against Yunho's finger.

"I thought Malteez was Yeosang's puppy?" San questions, stroking his chin and eyeing the dragon.

"It is," Yeosang remarks.

"Malteez is also this little guys name," Jongho says.

"He's so cute!!" Yunho squeals like a kid.

"Wait," Yeosang says, "Is that where the name suggestion came from?" He folds his arms and gives Jongho a playful smirk.

Jongho nods. "Malteez is my childhood pirate companion. Most people have parrots or birds, but I have a dragon!"

Malteez flaps his wings and launches into the air, swooping around.

"I want one!" Yunho cries, looking at Hongjoong.

"Maybe after we find and save Wooyoung from Hwanwoong," Hongjoong remarks.

Yunho smiles.

San walks to the edge of the water and gazes out over the vast ocean waters. "So, how exactly are we going to get back and find..." He trails off as a massive ship appears at the horizon racing across the water toward them. "Wooyoung..."

Hongjoong joins him. "Either he found us, or that is for us!"

The ship gets closer and closer, until it is hovering in the water almost a half mile out from the shore.

Yeosang gasps. "It's the vessel from our music video!"

"Everyone aboard," Hongjoong says.

Mingi, Seonghwa, San, Yeosang, Yunho and Jongho wade out into the water and reach the ship. Malteez flies after Jongho and follows him up the rope ladder and onto the deck. Hongjoong eventually joins them, climbing aboard last.

Yeosang darts over to the far side and looks out over the water. He can see another ship in the distance. "That must be Hwanwoong's!"

San dashes over and looks out. "Let's go! Wooyoungie, hang in there, we're coming for you!!"

Mingi joins them, holding a telescope-like object in his hand.

Hongjoong marches up to the wheel and hits it to the left, steering them away from the beach and toward the other ship. "Cause I'm the captain!"

Jongho sits down on top of a crate with Malteez clinging onto his shoulder. Yunho takes a crate on one side, while Seonghwa sits down on his other side.

Hongjoong continues to master the wheel and navigation. "I hope no one gets seasick, also prepare to board and fight!"

Seonghwa nods. "Hwanwoong's probably taken precautions. He's probably ready and he's probably got Wooyoung tied up."

"A lot of probablys, but you're right," Jongho says with a nod and taps Malteez on the head. "But we have Malteez!"

Mingi puts the telescope up and aims it at the ship as they close in fast on it. "Hey, Joongie, the ship's not moving at all. It's staying put, almost like it's waiting for us. Oh God, no. I see him!"

"Let me see!" San reaches over and snatches the telescope from Mingi's hands. "Wooyoungie!"

Hongjoong focuses his attention and brings the ship to rest aside the other one.

Jongho, Yunho and Seonghwa jump up to their feet.

Yeosang wraps a rope around his wrist and jumps up on the side railing. "I'll Tarzan over first."

"Get down from there," Seonghwa scolds, putting his hands on his hips.

"Send our strongest man over," Hongjoong remarks, looking at San.

"Gladly," San says, walking up to Yeosang and holding his hand out for Yeosang to give him the rope. "See if I don't punch that douchebag in the face. Tie my Wooyoungie up to a damn wooden pole with chains..."

Yeosang sighs and reluctantly hands the rope to San and jumps down.

"I'll go next," Seonghwa says, tossing his hair.

San wraps the rope around his wrist and pushes off. He vanishes from sight, but after a few tense minutes, there is a loud thump and the empty rope swings back to them. And immediately after that, Hwanwoong's gasp comes.

Seonghwa lands beside San and then Mingi and Yunho and Hongjoong.

"Where's your precious maknae?" Hwanwoong snarls at them as Yeosang drops onto the desk and lands beside Yunho.

"Right here," Jongho shouts out, landing behind Yeosang and Yunho with Malteez on his shoulder.

"Let Wooyoung go!" Hongjoong roars, throwing out his cutlass at Hwanwoong.