Lost

•● Chapter 1 ●•

The sun is still shining, the waves still pull ships forward... The clouds continue their slow travel across the sky, and the crew still joyfully drinks and sings their shanties as usual.

The world does not stop for anyone. That felt wrong to Gregory.

His dad is gone, and yet everything carries on as usual. As if Bonnie means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

He let out a tired sigh as he watched the view on the Cliffside. They had finished their first mission to find the artifact, and now they were out to make more money by raiding ships and finding treasure. It had been only a week or so after Gregory bitterly gave up his search for Bonnie. They were currently stopped somewhere very different than Gregory was used to.

He was raised by the rainforest with warm, clear oceans and dense green wilderness. This kingdom was colder. The trees had hundreds of leaves, and most of them were changing to red and orange. Freddy told him that is normal for this time of year.

He was sitting with Cassie. They had stopped to rest in this wood village for the night. The adults were all doing their own thing.

All of them were doing just fine now. No one is quite sure why, but Roxanne has been in an exceptionally good mood lately. Every time they make shore, she always stops by the beach to do something.

Monty and Foxy have been doing fine, too. From what Gregory has heard, according to his dad, the two of them are considering being more serious and exclusive.

As for Freddy, he is the same as usual. Unlike the other crewmates, he's shown zero interest in finding new love. Instead, he focuses most of his time on Gregory. As selfish as it sounds, the boy prefers that. He could not handle his dad marrying someone new after Bonnie.

All and all, things are looking perfect for everyone. So why does he have to feel like something is missing?

Gregory's brooding thoughts were interrupted by Cassie clearing her throat obnoxiously loud.

"Are you gonna' be gloomy all the time now?" She teased. The boy huffed and crossed his arms.

"I'll be as angry as I want." He pouted. The girl giggled and stood up to approach him.

"Come on! Let's have some fun!" She encouraged, pulling on his arm. The boy stubbornly stayed put.

"I just don't want to!" He groaned. Cassie stopped pulling when she realized he was genuinely upset. She knelt down to be at eye level to him before speaking.

"I know you're... sad about what happened... but what good is it gonna' do you wasting your life away like this?"

The boy silently thought about it, so she continued.

"Don't focus on all the things you don't have. Think about what you have now! You still have your dad and the others,"

"And we're still best friends!" She smiled. Gregory could feel the tension dissipating and chuckled in response.

"We're gonna' stay best friends?" He asked.

The girl nodded and caught him in a tight hug. "Of course!"

He could not stay irritated for long and hugged back, his mood brightening again.

...

Later that night, it was still good times all around. The crew found an inn to stay in with a diner so they could finally eat a nice meal after living off of a sailor's diet.

"Hey, Fred? Need some rum?!" Monty offered, swinging the bottle in his claws. Freddy raised his paw to politely decline.

"I do not drink much anymore, but thank you."

Monty rolled his eyes and poured some into his own cup.

"If my dad won't drink it, I can take the cup for him." Gregory offered as a joke. Freddy ruffled his head fur roughly.

"No, you will not, Gregory!"

The boy watched the whole family talk casually at the table. They'd laugh, argue, and tease each other as usual. They seem to forget that someone is missing.

The boy stopped bringing up his dad since it made everyone upset. Although Freddy still loved Bonnie and stuck up for him, he did not like that Gregory kept asking questions and looking for him. Like everyone else, he insists the boy should not worry about that. That he's just a 'kid'.

But Gregory would argue it was good that he was questioning it. Everyone else has given up on Bonnie.

Gregory thinks it is not fair. If the roles were reversed, the boy knows Bonnie would not have given up on his family like that.

The boy has even begun growing suspicious of the adults, besides Freddy, of course.

Did Bonnie really leave them? Or are they the ones that abandoned him?

Cassie and Freddy were probably the only two members Gregory could tolerate right now. At least Cassie showed some support in finding Bonnie.

Freddy may not have been looking anymore, but that is only because he does not have the time while raising Gregory. Bonnie went missing when Gregory was seven years old. He was now almost eleven. Freddy searched for almost two years with no result, but he still denies Bonnie left them.

Sometimes Gregory wishes he was just ignorant again. When he knew without a doubt that his dad abandoned them. He feels lost, but he does not know who to go to.

For now, he tries to enjoy his night. He's allowed to play with Cassie outside with the others. The lights of the village gave it a golden glow, and the villagers were out dancing and playing instruments. It seemed to be a festival of sorts. Monty was out drinking, most likely while Roxanne watched them. Foxy and Freddy were talking in the Inn.

The children were practicing fighting, which was Gregory's favorite activity. They were more so swinging their wooden swords at each other with no form or technique, but it was fun either way.

Gregory usually won the training battles, mainly because his parents taught him how to fight prior. This time, he pulled a new trick out of his sleeve and managed to knock Cassie to the ground.

Both children paused in surprise before laughing it off.

"That was a great trick!" Cassie complimented. Gregory glanced away timidly and turned to Roxanne, who was watching. The wolf nodded to him, making him feel even more confident.

"Go show your dad. He'll love it." She told him. Gregory nodded and jogged over to the wood building again.

He entered the lobby and jogged down the hall towards their room, and heard Freddy and Foxy speaking quietly.

The boy had a terrible habit of eavesdropping. Instead of heading in and cutting them off, he hid behind the door to listen in.

"He's gettin' older now, Fred. He's gonna' be askin' more questions." Foxy reprimanded.

"Yes... I wasn't ready for that..." His dad mumbled back.

They went quiet for a moment before the captain spoke up again.

"Are ye' ever gonna' tell him what happened with Bonnie?"

The boy froze. He must not have heard that right. It had to be some kind of mistake.

He could hear Freddy sighed loudly. "Yes, when he's older... now is not the time."

Gregory could not believe what he was hearing. He did not know how to react at first.

He backed away from the door, aghast. It took him a few seconds to fully process what he had just heard.

Freddy knows something the others do not. Not even Gregory.