Arcana Academy: Sin's Pressure.

Chapter 17- Journey Start!

Istar stood tall as the grace of clouds came and covered the sun. The newly bought bag hung over his shoulder, he wore his usual white jacket, his goggles still rested . He woke up early, not because he asked Mikazuki to set his alarm for an earlier time, but because of all the thoughts bubbling in his stomach that made him barely able to sleep. He took a shower, packed his stuff, all while trying to not wake Mikazuki early, and eventually had come towards the docs earlier than expected.

He even skipped breakfast so saying he was starving was an understatement. Although it wasn't much of a problem, starvation is what he was used to so going through a day or so without food wasn't much. However, if given the choice, he would've ran to Honeys tavern to grab a quick bite, begging to pay her back later.

"Hey Istar," He turned around, seeing Ame wave her hand, wearing a light brown trench coat, and a hat on top of her-however still having her rank cape on top of it all, "You're here early."

"I couldn't sleep." He said.

"Hmmm....nervous?" She asked, standing right next to him as she eyed with the vortex of her turquoise eyes.

Istar shrugged it off, it felt just like yesterday with the blacksmith, "Yeah a little. I have never been on a ship before. I'm guessing this is it." He pointed towards a worn down brown ship. Some of its wooden boards were covered with marks, even holes, as its sails were stained with the poop and piss from seagulls.

"Eh, no. It's this one." She directed his hand to another ship and it made his eyes widen and jaws drop.

It was larger than the other ship, a thousand times larger. Its boards weren't dead or black but blue with green painted along the sides. Its sails were a clever white with no stains on it whatsoever. Small little holes were cut out on every side, where the edges of black rounded cannons were right out front. But the thing that had caught his eye was a large sculpted woman holding an apple, out sitting on the bowsprit.

She sat with long flowing hair, eyes directly staring into a large apple inside the cusp of her hands. From the top of her hair looked like horns but unlike horns he had seen. They were on both sides of her hair, branching out into little stems with leaves growing on it. Istar walked towards the side, to get a better look, seeing that the girl wasn't actually looking at the apple-despite her head being down, but towards the ever blooming sea.

"You know who that is right?" Ame asked, chuckling at Istars open jaw.

"No."

"That's Fauna. Goddess of Nature." She said, "She is said to have created all of life, starting from a single seed, letting it grow into a large tree, blooming into the entire world that is today. Do you believe in any gods?"

"I pray to Hakos." Istar said.

"Chaos huh?" Amelia said, "I thought so. Most battle hardened people like you pray to her for luck and favor in battles."

"Do you pray to any gods?"

"Hmmm. Good question, nah." She turned her head, noticing Merry and Lamy walking towards the two of them, "What took ya so long!? Istar was the first one here, you've been out shown by a rank 0 Merry!"

"Shut your mouth." Merry said, walking up towards Istar, "So you're the rank 0? Hmph. Listen up, you will follow what I say, if I tell you to jump in the ocean, you will, if I tell you to go through fire, you will, do you understand me Zero?"

Is that supposed to be a nickname? "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say." Istar said, having a sarcastic tone at the end of his sentence as he looked down onto Merry.

Merry clicked his tongue, bumping Istar's shoulder as he walked towards the ship's dock. Istar eyed him with narrow, snake-like eyes, thinking of ways to make him apologize and bend to his knees. Already, he was pissed off with veins going to his head.