Revolution

12

Captain O was on his knees when his last passenger arrived; a tall woman in dark blue robes and a tall, twisted hat. The sky was at its darkest, and Captain O could barely see. She walked towards him, a black cat tottering at her heels. Captain O flinched.

"Are you alright?" she asked, leaning towards him.

His hand was reaching for the feline, who hissed and clawed him. "Is everything alright?" she asked again, stepping back and raising her hand. Captain O held his injured hand to his chest, struggling against the urge to kick the cat.

"Please leave your cat. There can't be more than one passenger." The words were rough cardboard in his mouth.

"Eh..? That was true?" she gasped, picking her cat up. "I thought Gem was messing with us again..! Ugh...but Mister Captain...Ruffles is my familiar!"

Captain O was forced on his legs, hands outstretched for the cat. The woman stepped back as he stepped forward; an apologetic grimace on his face.

"I'm sorry...I can't do anything."

His voice was so tired, so broken, that the witch stopped. Captain O couldn't stop. Her worried brows tightened with resolution. She muttered under her breath. Captain O's limbs tightened. He was launched into the air, resting to a stop a few feet above the woman and her cat. They stared at him with luminescent blue eyes.

Sighing in relief, Captain O looked down at her. 

"This is very good....but I'm afraid you can't keep me here forever."

"I can." she said, simply. "This is a rather simple spell....I could even put you to sleep...would that be alright?" 

Captain O closed his eyes, wishing he could say yes.

"No." he said. "This ship will not move without me at the wheel." he said with certainty, even though no one had told him.

"Oh come on...!" the witch whispered, her eyes wide with despair. "I can't travel without Ruffles...."

She sighed, searching the ship with her eyes. Her brow furrowed as she muttered. For a few seconds, the deck glowed a deep blue that reflected in the water below. The lines on the witch's face deepened. She released the cat and it pounced softly on deck; hissing. Placing her hand on her waist; the witch huffed, her face was hidden beneath her hair.

"I can't believe this."

"We're getting late, miss." Captain O said despite himself.

'Okay okay..." she said irritably. She gathered the cat in her arms and placed him back on the port. 

"Get on the next ship to RamCity....be careful now. Don't let them know you're tied." she petted him, sniffing. "I'll miss you." she kissed her hand and held it out. The cat licked its paw with its small pink tongue. 

Captain O was let gently to the ground when she returned. Walking to the railing immediately after, she gazed at the cat, who was sitting serenely in its place, watching them leave with it's glowing blue eyes. After a while, the wide blue dots were the only thing visible in the darkness. Captain O opened his mouth to apologize, but stopped. The steering wheel welcomed him as an old friend, fitting perfectly in his hands.

He sighed miserably. The woman remained at the railing long after the port had disappeared.

"Are you cursed?" she asked a few days later. She had spent most of them ignoring him, roaming the ship and poking her nose in every corner. Captain O was in an irritable mood.

"Uh...I don't know."

"How could you not know? Where did you get this ship? Who put you to this? Why can't you allow more than one passenger?"