To Be Proud: Revamped

Chapter 66: Crashing Down

~Thwok~

After successfully coaxing Kay, we were on our way to Earth Island. It had been a few days since we left Water Island, and Kay was concerned about Eggs-Travaganza, but Bona had managed to convince her to continue sailing. As we moved along the open water I glanced over the side of the skyship, watching as the water below us gently rocked the ship back and forth. The deep blue of the ocean reflected the brilliant light of the sun above us, mimicking the pretty white of the large star. Shadows of Glowls danced along the ocean's surface, carefully weaving an invisible tapestry of fire as we progressed towards the ferocious dust storm.

Soon the skyship started to rise above the water, ending the bright white tail that trailed behind it. A large dark shadow formed underneath the rising ship, shrinking slowly as we ascended higher. The rocking of the ship slowly ceased, dying down as we continued for Earth Island. I glanced up at the clouds that rolled along the horizon, recognizing the puffy white balls stacked in various piles of various sizes. I turned to Kay, who was steering the skyship.

      "How's the weathuh lookihng?" Kay adjusted a compass to the side of the helm, glancing forward at the storm.

      "Weather around us is fine, but we're due to enter the storm within the next day or so." I glanced over at Bona, who had emerged from the lower deck.

      "Everything seems stable," he confirmed as Petite leapt out of his rib cage. "Latched everything down in case the better of the worst happens."

      "'Bettuh ohf the wuhst?'"

      "Mhm. Going through that storm could lead to about...fifty different outcomes?"

      "Whaht's the behst one?"

      "The skyship makes it through in one piece and we get to the island unscathed."

      "And the wuhst?"

      "The skyship gets blasted into smithereens the second we enter." I shivered, thinking about the skyship exploding into hundreds of tiny splinters with us trapped inside. I watched as Bona sat down on the ground against a stack of boxes, glancing around. "So, let's hope for the good, yeah?"

      "Isn't the phrase 'let's hope for the best?'" Kay asked, focused on the storm in front of her.

      "Kayna, the probability of 'the best' is little to none. We'd need a Ffidyll for that sort of luck, and even then it wouldn't raise the chances by much."

      "Oh...right." Bona looked around at the Glowls surrounding the skyship.

      "Where's Ember?"

      "You called?" Ember spoke as she landed on the box behind him. Bona jumped, startled.

      "Ah...there you are."

      "Mhm. Brightest of my ember." I thought for a moment, thinking about how interesting Ember's case was.

      "Youh're an intuhwehsting monstuh, Embuh."

      "Hm?" She tilted her head towards me, fluffing her feathers up. "How so?"

      "Youh're the leaduh ohf an embuh, wight? I thouhght thaht was wesuhved fohr the lahgehst Glowls."

      "Really? Where'd you hear that from?"

      "Accohrding to Coppuhzihc, 'Glowls opuhwahte in a size-stahtuhs systehm within theihr species. The lahgehst ahe considuhed "Queens," whihch wefuhwencehs the fuhst monstuh unduh Fuhnohs' pwotehction, the fuhst ohf Fuhnohs' kin.'" I was surprised that I was able to copy each of Copperzic's words to the point, but as I thought about it the ability wasn't all too impressive.