When The Wonderland sails into Moomyung Island's coast, dozens of ships are docked in variety. Some are fortified more or less as The Wonderland or The Circus, others are clearly battle-worn. Gimpo isn't the only island city that's entered bloody confrontations. The Jungle ship's flag can be seen whipping in the wind as well, provoking irritated grunts from San, Hongjoong, and Wooyoung.
And of course, several ships belong to the magnificent Midnight Fleet. Not all of them are there, the other eighty or so vessels are elsewhere while ten are still guarding Gimpo Island. The most important one with the lion head is the only necessary attendee.
Disembarking are the Cabinet members and curious crewmates who want to explore or be nosy. About twenty feet into the land is a grand camp for pirates to relax, converse, and heal; tents for medics to tend to wounds, tents for grub, casual tents for shade, and a wooden cabin that sits in the middle.
Although it's clearly been built within the last week, the large cabin looks steady enough. Anyone can tell that the building is meant for the meeting.
Hyunjin and Yongbok exit one of the food tents with two unknown young men and a young woman. Yongbok spots The Wonderland crew and ecstatically directs Hyunjin over after saying goodbye to their other companions.
"You guys made it! We left at the same time, so how come you're a day late?" Yongbok says.
San scratches the scar over his eye, awkwardly answering, "We, uh, got caught up in a storm."
"A fat and ugly storm. Loud, too," Wooyoung frowns. His boyfriend thumps him on the forehead.
"Wasn't it because of the sea beast?" Mingi blurts.
Yunho and Wooyoung facepalm. San sighs, "Mingi..."
"What's this about a sea beast?" Yongbok quirks a brow curiously.
Hongjoong interjects, waving off the subject. "Ignore them. It's nothing. Where's your leader?"
Hyunjin jerks a thumb toward the cabin. "At the meeting. They're all waiting for you. As you can see, quite a few ships arrived here looking a little worse for wear. Battles have been taking place all over the archipelago."
The blond Circus pirate adds, "We've heard boasts of victory, cries of losses, and meager escapes... And words of mourning for pirate crews who were completely wiped out."
Hearing this information has Seonghwa squeezing Hongjoong's hand. So much has occurred without their awareness. If he was still the same person he was last year, he wouldn't be able to imagine the horrors of it all. Even with what he's experienced, he still believes it's the tip of the red iceberg.
"Who's allowed inside?" Hongjoong asks.
"First mates and whomever you permit. Chan only took Minho, though," Hyunjin says.
"Okay. Yunho, Seonghwa. Come with me." Hongjoong points his free hand at the rest of his crew. "Stay out of trouble."
San scoffs and swings an arm around Mingi's shoulders. "Pssh! What trouble could we possibly get into? Right, Mingi?"
The taller man nods resolutely. Jongho narrows his eyes and savagely retorts, "Is that a rhetorical question, or do you want an honest answer?"
"Please, you guys," Seonghwa begs as he's pulled away by his boyfriend, their hands nearly glued together.
As the trio walks away to attend the meeting, Wooyoung redirects his attention to the pink-haired sharpshooter. "Where's Binnie?"
"He's with Yeonjun and Miss Yuri from the Girls' Sonar ship," Hyunjin answers.
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Precious ◈ | Seongjoong/Yungi ✓
FanfictionSeonghwa has fully accepted his role as the "Pirate King's lover" and his new lifestyle aboard The Wonderland. Yunho and Mingi are finally together. However, a new label has been given to their conflict with the Tyrant Queen: war. While taking on th...
