Ocean Blue

Chapter 22

Pidge paced the floor of Keith's room. "Okay, great, we have a nursery rhyme, but what does it mean?! We've got a riddle, fantastic, but how do we solve it?"

"One of the pieces is in the ocean," Lance supplied.

Pidge whirled to face him. "How do you know that?"

Lance shrugged. "Blue as the sea. It's a clue, right? It probably means that it's in the sea."

"There is no way that it's that simple. Riddles are complicated, complex—"

"Pidge, it was hidden in a lullaby. Lullabies are made to be simplistic. I rest my case."

"Fine. One is in the ocean."

Shiro nodded. "Lance, we'll need you to look for that one. You're the only one who can."

"That's a whole ocean to search, though," Allura brought up, "That's a lot of land- sorry, water to cover. What if we need him in the meantime?"

Shiro sighed. "I know. But that's just a risk that we'll have to be willing to take. Lance? How long do you think it will take?"

Lance bit his lip. "Honestly? It could take years. It all depends on when I find it. Where it is."

Shiro nodded. "How long to search the area around here? About a ten-mile radius?"

"Two months."

"Right. Search the ten mile radius, and then meet us back at Golddigger's island in two months. If you've found it, then great. If not, we'll make a new plan. In the meantime, we'll figure out the rest of the riddle and try to get the rest of the pieces. Coran?"

Lance was swept out of the room by a current of air, and Pidge leaned forward. "So, the rest of the riddles. Anyone have an idea?"

Hunk shrugged. "Can you repeat the riddle?"

Pidge nodded. "Red as the dawn,

Blue as the sea,

Gold in the darkness,

Green in the trees.

It's far as can be,

As black as the night

Hidden by a princess

Away out of sight."

"Alright. So, Blue as the sea is the ocean. We've got that. Red as the dawn? Is it at the end of the world, where the sun rises?"

Pidge laughed. "That's a myth, Hunk. The world is round."

Shiro held a hand up as Hunk opened his mouth. "We don't have the time to argue that. I also doubt that's where the riddle leads."

"Sunrise island." Allura shifted as everyone directed their attention to her. "It glows red in the dawn light. Red as the dawn."

"Gold in the darkness," Pidge piped up suddenly, "It's Golddigger's island. It's just a bunch of gold mines, so... gold in the darkness."

"What about the trees?" Keith asked, and Pidge jumped. She'd forgotten that he was there, honestly, with all of them talking, and him not saying anything. She'd honestly assumed that he was asleep. He seemed to spend a lot of time asleep after his capture, especially around midday. "Lots of islands have trees. 'Green in the trees' isn't exactly much to go on."

Shiro nodded. "Arboris island. It's an island with jungles so dense that most people can't get in or out. Makes sense. We'll head there first; it's the farthest, and we have to get there and back before any major storms occur. Once we get the piece of map there, we'll circle back to Sunrise and then come to Golddigger's to find the last piece and rendezvous with Lance. Coran? Set course for Arboris Island."