Several days passed as we were nearing The Oblong Tomb, uneventful at the very least. I found some respite in wandering the ship's corridors, since much of the crew were on deck. I visited the engine room, where a sweating minotaur was working the forge. He patted his face with a towel and placed his hammer on the anvil.

"Be there in just a wee sec," He plunged what he was forging into the well, the steam hissing angrily, "What can I do for you, lad?" He turned around wiping his hands free of soot.

"I was wondering when we would be arriving at the Oblong Tomb." He snorted and headed over to some maps laid out over a table, checking the compass every so often.

"We'll be right over the Oblong Tomb by tomorrow, won't be long now. Now you go get yerself some shut eye, maybe a cold one, It's almost midnight, ya know." Steelhorn yawned plopping into the hammock in the engine room. I looked out the window, seeing the faint shadow of the new moon.

"So it is... Goodnight then." I walked pass the forge back to the entrance.

"Hey Aoi, can I trouble you for a question?" I turn around briefly.

"Go ahead."

"Were you serious about charging the Captain four million bits to simply reforge his sword? Isn't that a bit miserly of you?"

"To charge someone fair price for a fair service, I think not."

"Well, your reforge better be pretty damn good to charge four million. Are you really that good?"

"See for yourself." I take Kokuryu and ask for a diamond, he obliges, handing me one.

"You can't be serious, even with dragon scale it take a mighty-" I start flaking away chip by chip of the diamond, like whittling wood with a stainless steel knife, "Sweet Mother of Bulls, you are serious!" I place the chips of diamond on the table for him to inspect, clean and smooth. He sat there gawking, unbelieving at it.

"If that's all, I'll be going to bed now." I left without another word.

I could not sleep, a strange scratching noise kept me up. I looked around, scanning the room for any signs of what was making the sound. I lit a candle, finding a large, black rat two inches from my face.

I froze, my arm slowly reached for a broom right next to me, careful not to make the slightest noise. I grabbed it, and with one swift motion, I slammed the broom onto the dresser, the sheer force of the swing splintering the dresser into kindling. The rat sprung from the remains of the dresser towards the door.

"RAAAH!!" I swung again, the broom crashing against the floorboards. The rat scurried under the door. I burst through it without hesitation, the chipped door on the other side of the hallway. I swung madly, causing hole after hole to appear in the floorboards. It started to scale the walls. I reeled back as I brought the broom in a heavy swing, smashing it through the wall, I caught a glimpse of Steelhorn out the corner of my eye, but he wasn't the target.

"GET IT, TRAP IT, KILL IT, I DON'T FUCKING CARE! GET THAT RAT!" I grabbed a red hot hammer from the forge and gave it a two handed throw, causing it to spin towards the infernal creature. The hammer missed by mere millimeters, instead it blew through he opposite wall, embedding itself deep into the next hall over.

"STOP BLOWING HOLES IN MY SHIP!" Steelhorn yelled, wide awake in an oversized nightgown. I ignored him, chasing after the rodent, determined to get it off the ship whatever the cost. I lunged for the rat only to have Steelhorn grab my shoulders.

"Oh NO YOU DON'T! Sit your furry tail down right now!" He threw me over his shoulder to the opposite wall, nearly smashing me through he ships hull.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" I bark at the large minotaur.

"WHAT IN TARTARUS DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, BREAKING MY SHIP TO SMITHEREENS!" He glances at the broom, the hay on the end tattered, "WITH A BUCKING BROOM NO LESS!"

"AND WHAT IN THE BLOOD-SOAKED PROTESTANT HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?" Griffin shouted in at both of us.

"Your Guest is tearing up MY SHIP!"

"You've got Rats stowed away in your SHIP!"

"What in the ever loving Fuck?" The Captain tilts his head in confusion.

"Oh THERE you are Whiskers." A pegasus appears from behind Griffin and runs over to where we were, scooping up the rat scurrying out from under me. I flinch and jump on Steelhorn's shoulder. I look at the rat scurrying up the pegasus' body and into her poofy yellow mane. I pause, staring at the rat, then the pegasus, then the captain. Realizing the connection in my head, I go limp, falling off the minotaur's shoulder, the world fading to black.

=Steelhorn=

"Well isn't that something?" I look down at the furry bastard, who's currently foaming at the mouth, passed out like the bad end of a Sunday morning. After the cap'n and I pass glances, we finally get the connection.

"BLAAAHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!!!" We break out in laughter, Griffin doubling over, "The big bad wolf, afraid of a little mousey?" Whiskers starts to crawl over to Griffin, "I mean just look at him, he's diabeetus level adorable!" I had no idea what the captain was talking about, but it must mean cute. I wipe away a tear of laughter.

"Well at least it's over, I'm going back to sleep. By the way, what brings you to these parts, Cap'n?"

"Well I WAS going to see if Aoi was awake so I could tell him we would be reaching the Tomb tomorrow, but seeing as he's... well..." He points a finger at the unconscious wanker, "I think I'll just tell him in the morning."

"Actually Cap'n, I already told him a few hours ago."

"Oh... well that's one less thing to worry about." He rubs his talons along his face, "I think I'll just sleep in tomorrow..." He disappears behind a door, leaving me alone to carry him back to his room. I give a big sigh.

"Well now, talk about a good arm." He tore holes in walls I thought were air-tight, "I'll have to reinforce the walls." I picked him up and carried him back to his room, he was really light for a guy almost as tall as me, soft too. He could make a living selling hugs, or whatever the cap'n said that soft people do. I placed him in his bed and pulled up the covers. Right before I left I took a look at his sword.

"How can a lad like you make a sword sharp enough to chip diamond?" I slid the sword out of its hilt. "Huh, never seen a sword so thin, or curved." I looked down the edge of the blade, surprised when I saw the air around the edge shimmer. "Well I'll be bucked, it cuts air too?" I slid it back into it's sheath and placed it on the dresser.

"Aliens are something aren't they."

=Aoi=

My eyes flashed open as the glare of the mid-morning sun shone through my window. I felt drowsy, my body stiff and unable to move. I slowly got up with an ache in my back. I reached behind my back to pull a few... black... hairs...

"Oh god..." I got up immediately, gathering everything I could: my pack, my supplies, and my sword. I stormed out and stomped down the hall towards Eol and Ubi's room. Ubi walked out from the open doorway, rubbing his eyes. I passed him, grabbing his scruff.

"We need to get off this damn ship, NOW!" I kept advancing towards the medical bay, not finding Eol. "Where the Hell is he?" Ubi pried my claws from his scruff.

"He got released from sick bay three days ago remember?" My memory was muddled, but he was right. We headed toward the deck, calling out to him.

"Eol!!! EOOOOOL! WHERE ARE YOU!!!" I head towards the bow to find him and...

"... the hell?" Right there, before the bow, was Eol and Elli, the cat who tried to kill me, kissing, maw to maw. I spared no time to ask, nor wonder what was going on, "Alright Eol, It's time to go... Where's the damn Captain?"

"Wait, why is it time to go?" He stopped and looked at me in confusion. I stared back, slightly embarrassed.

"It's... complicated, alright? Now have you seen the captain or haven't you!?" Elli points towards the galley. I rush down towards the captain's quarters, Eol and Ubi in tow, and slam my fist against the door. Inside I hear the rustling of sheets. I exhale deeply, reeling my fist back. I punch through the door, splinters flying into the bedroom. Gilda and Griffin raise the covers in shock, thinking me mad.

"The Hell Aoi! I thought Steelhorn explicitly told you to STOP breaking the ship!" I was in no mood for bull shit right now.

"LAND THIS SHIP NOW! I WANT TO GET OFF!"

"You know there are ropes right? Just throw one over the edge and you're off." He pulls the covers over his head, "You can literally leave any time you want..." I go over to the bedside, pulling off the covers.

"This isn't a damn joke Griffin, tell your engineer or whatever to land the ship!"

"Does it look like I'm joking, you CAN climb down, Just go to the deck, grab a rope, and throw it over the edge. It's not that difficult, in fact, I think we're above it right now." Hearing this I immediately run to the deck, catching the eyes of many wondering what the commotion was all about. Looking over the port side, I see the ground in sight, nearing a large stone structure in the distance.

"Well would you look at that," Eol said with a nonchalant air. I grab a rope and tie it to my waist in a hurry.

"What's with the rush, you wake up and drag both of us out here, wanting to jump ship without warning. Is there something wrong?" Ubi ask, concerned.

"I told you it's..." I look back at the two, Eol with a saddened look on his face, Ubi having an impatient expression. I slowly calm down, giving a heavy sigh, "... complicated."

"What could be so complicated about telling us you want to get off the ship?" Ubi asked.

"I guess it can wait. Sorry for being a bit, selfish, but if you need me, I'll be on the ground. If you've got any friends that you've made, now would be a good time to say goodbye." Eol's expression brightens a bit. I give a warm smile before looking past him, spotting the captain and...

"Aww look Aoi, he came just to say goodbye. He must really like you." He gave a wide grin, "Are you sure you won't give him a hug." I draw Kokuryu, pointing it violently at the captain.

"Griffin, just stay back and get that thing away from me..." I warn, lips drawn back in a snarl.

"Aww, ain't that adawable, wittle Aoi afraid of the wittle mousey. I'm afraid I can't do that, I couldn't grab the little scamp if I tried, He'll just go flat again." I grasp the hilt tighter.

"A flick of my wrist, and your head comes clean off, painlessly. I don't think you want to be the person to test me..." I growl, setting the crew on edge. He relents and let's the mouse crawl across his shoulders into the hooves of its owner.

"Yeah yeah, fine, I'm going. Just get outta here before you break anything else..." He turns around with a wave. "Sheesh, and he calls ME a drama queen." I stand down and sheath my sword, grabbing the rope and swinging over the edge.

"Hope you find what you're looking for, and may all the crypts you delve into be spider and rodent free." I secure the line around my waist, looking at Eol and Ubi.

"See you on the ground." With that I start to rappel off the ship towards the ground. Griffin looks over the banister, and I do what comes naturally, give him the middle finger for toying with me. I contemplated bringing a spider with me the next time we met. Then brushed the thought away.

'Trolls will be trolls.' or so the saying goes.

=Eol=

I let loose a small snicker, "So that explains it..." With the few moments I had left on the ship, I walked towards Elli. We spent almost the entire trip together, but I thought fate a bit cruel for making me have to go. I looked into Elsweyr's eyes, shimmering with the beautiful golden irises that I had come to love. "Well, I guess this is goodbye, Elli..." With that she gives me a warm embrace, alone was enough to torment me in the fact I had to leave.

"Do you really have to go? With HIM?"

"Elli, you know I have to go... besides... I could never leave him, he's the only family I have left..." She looks deep into my eyes, pleading me not to go. I stare back with a gaze of utter regret. She finally takes off her necklace, placing it in my paw.

"Then keep this with you, always, so that you won't... forget me..." She closes my paw around the crystal necklace. Then finally leaves me with tears in her eyes and a single kiss.

"I won't forget..." I back away a few paces, "Besides... you're family too..." I turn around, grabbing a rope to follow Aoi, tying the necklace around my neck. Before jumping however, I turn and give the captain a two clawed salute.

"Cheers Captain." I bid farewell to him before jumping off the banister of the ship.

=Ubi=

Unlike Eol, I didn't make any 'friends' to say goodbye to, but at least I understood why Aoi wanted to get off this ship so much.

"Well......... I don't really know you, and we never spoke much but, good luck on your travels, and may you find whatever you're looking for, Ubi." Griffin shouted out to me. I guess he did have some form of sentimentality. I might as well return the favor, as I would probably never see him again.

"Captain, I still think you're a melodramatic, slack beaked, cloud-headed idiot...." I said in my calmest voice possible, grabbing ahold of the last rope, "Which is why you're gonna need all the luck you can get... so good luck to you too..." I smiled before heading off after Eol. If he took that much time to remember my name, I might as well wish him luck.

To be honest, I was more worried about his crew. Gem Fido is not known for being kind to it's foreigners, that I knew for a fact, and he was going to be in for a big surprise if he happened on one of the main warrens...