Silence

Chapter 2

Capsize

I rub my fingers against the leather bound cover of the book in my hands. I never thought that I would need to use this again but here I am stuck without another way to communicate. It's more uncomfortable than I like to admit. I've barely had a time in years where I've been without someone to translate my sign - for the past month I've barely spent time outside of those who understand me.

It almost hurts that I wasn't told about this. Did Ianite think I'd refuse the mission if I knew? I might have been nervous but I would've still agreed, her safety is more important than my comfort after all, but right now? Well, now I'm stuck in this mess without preparation and without Red.

Jordan, at least, seems nice enough. He isn't how I pictured Ianite's champion but he hasn't attacked me yet unlike the two other men. I don't know how much I can trust them, the woman maybe (after all she did seem concerned about me) but not them. I still feel like I have to thank the gods that I wasn't knocked out too, I can't imagine the kind of trouble we'd be in then, at least with what happened I've been able to fix Red's wound up.

I watch curiously as Jordan goes over to his friends, explaining the situation to them and beckoning me to come over. Nerves spread through me as I feel the group's eyes on me, they don't want to make me feel uncomfortable I'm sure but the feeling is unfortunately similar to them all staring at me blank-eyed minutes ago. I do move over to them, trying to act calm and not allowing my nerves to show, hoping they recognise a wave as a way of saying hello.

"So, meet Capsize," Jordan says, placing a hand on my back. I'm not entirely sure if he means it to be comforting but it is either way. Usually, people wouldn't dare to touch me when they first meet me, either scared by my position or my disability (and sometimes Red) but it actually feels nice for someone to interact with me a little normally. "She's here to help Ianite."

"So not someone that needs to be hit without warning," The woman says, glaring at the green-skinned man who hit my brother. I can't but feel anger as he that he rolls his eyes seeing that he attacked us unprovoked, I can't really point it out though. If there's one downside to my slight anger issues it's that I can't actually get into arguments.

"Yeah... sorry about that..." The man wearing a cap (the one who was moving to hit me) apologises, looking down slightly. I open the book in my hands, still hating that this is my best form of communication.

It's fine. You were scared. It's not really fine but I need to be able to work with these people, the barrier we have is more than enough without having grudges. As he reads the words, he relaxes but I see the concern in the group growing, it's not an unusual reaction but it's disheartening. I came here to give help not receive it.

"Is that the only way you can talk?" I automatically shake my head as the woman asks me that. Even if they don't understand it, signing is still what I'm most comfortable using and even beyond that I have other communication methods.

I can use sign, you didn't seem to understand it.

"You can't be serious!" I almost drop the book after hearing the green-skinned man yell, I haven't had this kind of reaction in years and even then never this extreme. I don't understand what's wrong, just because it isn't verbal doesn't mean it's not a language. "Those hand gestures didn't mean anything - she's lying Jordan."

"If you'd waited before hitting her brother, I would've told you that they had a conversation without Capsize talking. Unless he's telepathic, the hand gestures mean something," Thankfully Jordan defends me, even if it was due to his previous eavesdropping. Tom's anger doesn't lessen though, as he laughs at Jordan's response seeming to ignore my presence completely.

"Come on, why in the world would your 'god' send someone you can't understand to help you save her?"

"Because she's the best person for the job," The group jumps, turning to face my brother who (as usual), has appeared just as I need him. I run up to him, hugging him to stop him glaring at one of the champions of the gods. I don't think he does (maybe knows who hit him) but I least want to try. "You okay, Cap?"

"Yes. Most of them are nice even if they can't understand me," I sign much quicker than I write, and it's more comfortable since time isn't needed to read. Red nods, looking over at the others.

"I believe some introductions are in order," He says, clear to me that he's barely keeping calm at Tom but is holding it in so I can say something if I want to. "I'm Skipper Redbeard, this is my sister and captain Capsize. I take it you weren't expecting us."

"No... no, we weren't," The capped man says, his eyes still filled with guilt as he looked at us. I don't understand why he's the one looking the guiltiest but at least he's sorry. He holds out his hand. "My name is Tucker, Mianite's champion."

Red shakes his hand, trying at least to show a friendly attitude as these people introduce themselves. The woman is called Sonja and is another follower of Mianite and (unsurprising) Tom is Dianite's champion. When Jordan gives his title, Red explains as best he can exactly what we want to help him with since we were given a few actual tasks (I chip in when he needs me too, it's not often since I've already told him most things about the mission). Everything is going remarkability smoothly until the question I always dread comes up.

"But why can't you talk? If you're able to do all this why can't you... you know?" Of course, it comes from Tom, the person I currently want least to know a personal story about me. Red looks at me, obviously wanting to know what story to tell - the truth of what happened or the usual lie of being born this way. The chance isn't really there this time unfortunately, the truth is a large part of why Ianite wanted us here.

"Tell them the real story, they'll learn eventually," He nods turning to the group to tell the story I hate to hear but can easily recall. How I'd sit alone on the beach while I waited for Red to finish school, about my friend that everyone assumed imaginary because only I ever saw him, about my three day disappearance which ended when I was found completely uninjured but no longer able to talk, about how Ianite confirmed that was permanent. Still, he doesn't tell everything leaving out how I still remember my friend and the man he worked for, how Red himself had seen and tried to stop the kidnapping only to get injured himself, how I remember clearly every second of having my voice take from me.

"How... how old were you?" Jordan asks, looking horrified despite the details Red spared. As I hold up four fingers, the group changes with even Tom sharing the look of horror and anger. Red places a hand on my shoulder as they react, understanding their anger and their questions of what happened to my friend but also knowing I'd heard the reaction so many times. Revenge always sounds nice but I know it won't happen. The man who planned it is long gone and my 'friend'... all I'd want to know is why he spent so long trying to convince me to go with him only to beg for the man not to hurt me.

I just want to know why.

A/N:

So I'm actually continuing one of the first chapter designs I started. Mainly because I've been feeling a little down so I wanted to continue one of them and this is both the first one and had a chapter start in one of my notebooks.

Also just a slight warning, this is rated mature as a precaution before some of the chapters will be flashback chapters and since Capsize is four in them I thought it would a reasonable precaution. While I do have some notes about the flashbacks, I don't know if the mature rating will be needed but better safe than sorry.

I hope you liked the start of this sorry either way