The Greateat Treasure in the Universe

"In order to gain something, I have to lose something. And I choose to lose you."--Basco ta Jolokia

"Dangerous! Danger awaits! Danger!" Navi darts across the room frantically, flapping her metallic wings so rapidly that it appears to be a blur of copper and russet. She chitters angrily before settling herself into her usual position on the captain's seat, her gears whirring before becoming silent. "That was a different prediction." She announces as the room lapses into silence.

"True, but Navi, you're never wrong." Ahim says, breaking the tense atmospeare as she sets her teacup against its porcelain saucer, its contents sloshing around as her hand quivers.

"Danger?" Don echoes, propping his chin onto the palm of his hand, his eyes wide, his fear quickly masked. "So...we should be looking for danger?"

"What are you, stupid?" I inquire as I fiddle idly with the gold band encircling my wrist, "Of course we're not."

After all we have been through, my crew became my family---even Navi---and I can't afford to put them through what Basco put me and my sister through.

Basco...Even the thought of him makes my insides churn.

My fingers curl into my palms, the half moons of my nails digging into the skin.

"Hey Marvelous?" I incline my head in Ahim's direction, ignoring the dull fluttering in my chest.

"Yeah?"

"If we are not to search for danger, than what are we to do?"

My lips curl back into a grin, exposing my teeth. My gaze flits from the runaway princess and lands on the wanted posters scattered across the table top, our faces imprinted on the thick paper.

"We'll have to let danger find us." I say, my fingers loosening their hold on my palm. The skin begins to sting but that only makes my smile widen.

After all Basco put me through, pain is the one thing that convinces me that I am still alive.