Revolution

2

Brushing his hair, Captain O prepared for the next guest. The crowd bussed and hustled on the port, fattening and thinning gradually as the Sun travelled higher and higher. Captain O scratched his head. Was the passenger lost? What would he do if they were lost? What could he do? He could not stay here forever. A flare, perhaps? How would that even work?   

There was a ripple in the street. The flow of people parted to allow a truck holding several large wooden boxes. They rattled and jumped dangerously, but never broke apart, coming to a stop near the ship's boarding plank. Captain O opened his mouth to warn them, when the passenger door opened and a tall, lanky man in a large fluffy coat floated out and up to him. He was laboring under two large rucksacks. As he passed, Captain O was hit with the smell of seasoned meat.

His stomach growled.

The passenger stopped and raised an eyebrow at him.

"..I missed lunch waiting for you." He croaked, blushing.

"Oh. Sorry." He drawled, nodding his head. He rummaged in his coat and slapped a piece of paper in Captain O's hand. "Tell the men where the cargo is kept."

Captain O watched open-mouthed as the youth dragged his luggage inside his cabin. He heard disheartening thuds after the door shut close. Captain O stared, fearing for his ship and contemplating if he could throw his guest out. The men at the dock hollered at him, holding the large boxes that were patiently waiting for their change of carriage.

"Where to put Master Taurus' luggage, Captain?"

Captain O sighed in despair. "Just put them over there. I'll carry them."

The boxes remained unopened for all of the thirty days and nights, leaving Captain O curious, apprehensive and frustrated. Taurus kept to his room, under his luxurious blankets. He did not eat with Captain O or talk to him. At night, he would sometimes float out and stroll along the deck, but did not like to be spoken to.

It was a lonely night like this, when a letter arrived for Captain O, sealed by the official insignia of TwinLea. 

"Agitation....among the masses...dangerous...?" Captain O repeated aloud. His heart sank; he was to stop at TwinLea port tomorrow. Would they care for a ship? Would they care for him, who had nothing but the clothes on his back? Maybe they would care more about the immense cargo in his hold.

Grimacing, he glanced bitterly at the youth, who was on his back on the ship's railing, mouth open and staring listlessly at the sky. Captain O thought he was asleep.

He cleared his throat loudly and walked to him.

"I just received a letter that TwinLea is not safe. Do you want to change course?"

There was a moment of silence, in which Captain O contemplated picking him up and throwing him overboard.

"Hm." He smirked and rubbed his chin.

"Master Taurus, it would really be prudent to change course. You have all this cargo.....I'm...I'm the only man on this ship!"

"Oh..! Yeah don't worry about me...." He said, waving his hand. "I'm going exactly where I need to."

Breathing harshly through pressed lips, Captain O left him. If he had tried to argue further, Captain O was sure he would have grabbed Taurus and slammed his head on the mast. Instead, he took his frustration out by poring over the map and staring at the realistic caricature of TwinLea port; with it's open plains and bright architecture, wondering if he would be murdered there soon.    

There was a crowd waiting at TwinLea port, confirming his worst fears. Wearing shades of yellow and white, they competed wildly with the bright sands of the TwinLea shore and the ever-glowing Sun. It was hard to discern anything, but now and then, something would sparkle ominously in their hands before being hidden away. Captain O ran to his cabin door so he could bolt himself inside when needed. Master Taurus, as always, was asleep in his cabin.

It was after half an hour of anxiously gripping the sweaty door-knob; that the lanky youth floated out of his cabin, his feathered coat flowing behind him as luxuriously as before. He did not have his large bags to accompany him, this time. He floated down to the luminous crowd, handing a note to a crew of seamen twice his size as he walked by. Speaking a few words to a carriage driver, he slipped inside and trotted away.

The seaman's mouth fell open in shock as he read the note. Staring at the people around him, he raised his arms in triumph.

"Bullport sent resources! We hold for another year!"

The crowd jumped and cheered, hollering Master Taurus' name as the seamen came aboard. Captain O was frozen on his spot.

"You must be the Captain, good sir?" the seaman asked Captain O, a large smile on his large, scar-ridden face. Captain O nodded, blocking their way.

"Well good man! I have news for you! Our sponsor from Bullport has left you his luxurious closet, beddings and jewels! And food that will last the twelve-month! Congratulations my good man!"

The crewmate stepped forward when Captain O did not respond, snapping him into action.

"Wait...wait." he patted his shoulder gingerly. "I'll go get them. Don't step on the ship."