Rebel's Initiation: Part One

The training academy of Krawk Island pulsated with grunts of physical exertion, hoots of encouragement, and unspoken yet plainly obvious hopes of a turn in the glaring spotlights of the Neopian Battledome. The news of the brave exploits of warriors from liberated lands such as Meridell and Tyrannia, from dark lords and vicious winged creatures, rang like lilting melodies in the ears and minds of these young and eager students hoping to usurp their imagined heroes and be idolized themselves should the chimes of unrest be sounded again in their prized Neopian lands.

      Cap'n Threelegs looked upon the most recent class of his Swashbuckling Academy with his accustomed mix of pride and sentimental mourning, in remembrance of his own worldly adventures, and the battles that found him along the way. Inevitably students would ask him about his wooden leg, and though the memories were perpetually painful, the Cap'n never failed to dig deep within himself and summon up his pirate's gift of storytelling, drawing from his young protégés a host of oohs, aahs and gasps. The only element removed from the story would be his occasional sleepless nights thanks to the sound of rustling trees his head, and the haunting moans of "feeeeeeeed me...feeeeeeeed me..."

      On this particular day the Cap'n found himself breaking into another tale popular with his classes. In brooding tones and with ominous eyes, he told the students about a fleet of pirates from "this very island" who had stumbled upon a seemingly mythical city beneath the water and proceeded to indulge themselves in the otherworldly treasures found there. Some of that treasure - a material comprised of a rich blend of gold and silver - was used in rare dubloons that circulated around the island as its most valuable currency.

      "All right, me scallywags," the Cap'n bellowed upon completion of the story. "We're gonna take ourselves a lunch break. But make sure ye find yer way back here in an hour's time." He then caught sight of a rambunctious young Eyrie named Rebel who had impressed him with his spunk, tenacity and pure fighting spirit. It should be noted also that Cap'n Threelegs, a proud Eyrie himself, was always eager to meet and assist a member of his kin, especially the younguns.

      "Rebel! I say, Rebel!" he shouted, catching the boy's attention and motioning him towards a quiet part of the room. "What's up, Cap'n?" asked Rebel when the two were together. "Rebel, me boy," the Cap'n replied, "I don't much fancy the thought of pickin' favorites among me students, but I admire yer qualities very much, so I'm gonna share something with ya." With that, he pulled from his jacket a gleaming silver-colored coin lined with gold. Rebel's eyes widened. "Wow! It's a dubloon from the underwater city!" he exclaimed. "Yes, me boy," said the Cap'n. "And now it's yers." A smile spread over Rebel's face rivalling the wideness of his eyes. "But I must caution ya," the Cap'n continued. "Keep yer knowledge of this dubloon between yer own two ears. That's a valuable catch ya got there, and there are lots of folks here on the island that wouldn't think twice about snatching it from one even as young as yerself."

      "Don't worry, Cap'n," said Rebel. "I'll be careful as can be." And with that he skipped off, turning around at the door to thank the Cap'n once more. "The boy has the fightin' skills," the Cap'n thought to himself. "Hopefully the responsibilities of the dubloon will give him the thinkin' skills as well."

      With dubloon still in hand and his spirits heightened, Rebel's thoughts were steered abruptly in another direction as he stepped out onto the porch of the Academy. Standing nearby was Rebel's classmate Michy, an intelligent Aisha whose sprightly nature was on par with his own. But standing there on the porch by her lonesome, Michy looked reflective and even a little spooked. His good mood and confidence kick-started by the Cap'n's talk, Rebel decided to approach her in hopes of recovering the smile that was so freely displayed a scant time ago in the classroom.

      "Hey Michy," said Rebel in a tone that he hoped was friendly.

      "Oh hi Rebel," she replied with a slight smile. Rebel breathed an inner sigh of relief.

      "The Cap'n sure likes to keep us in shape. Good thing he have us a break, huh?"

      "Yeah I needed a break," said Michy, returning to her reflective appearance, leading Rebel to wonder whether or not he should speak next. "Here goes nothing," he thought to himself.

      "So what's happening?" he asked before nervously adding, "Something on your mind?"

      Michy heaved a prolonged sigh and said, "Well, yes, but it's hard to explain. I don't know if anyone would understand."

      "Well," said Rebel, "if you tell me, I can try."

      With that, the pair set out on a walk of the island with a plan to find snacks. After a time, Michy spoke.

      "Rebel, do you ever have dreams? Not the silly or scary ones, but ones that seem like real life?"

      Rebel thought about it for a moment, then said, "Well you know, I sometimes have dreams about a friend of mine when I was small. When the weather was hot we'd go for smoothies and walk around looking for pools and beaches. He really liked the water. After a while he just disappeared. He always said he wanted to be a sailor and someday he'd sneak onto a boat and learn about life on the high seas without anyone ever finding him. We always used to say crazy things like that but now I think he actually did it. Anyways I dream about those times and when I wake up I feel worried for him, wondering what he ever got into and hoping he is okay wherever he is. He was really smart though. I'm sure he's out there somewhere. But what about you? Do you have those kinds of dreams?"

      "Yes," Michy said with a sigh, "but I never really thought about them until I heard the Cap'n's story today, about that city the pirates found underwater. You see, sometimes I dream about these two sisters. I don't know how I know they're sisters but I can just tell. They're in the water, crying and swimming as hard as they can. I see flashes of light in the water, like explosions, and loud, crumbling sounds. And these sisters...they're Aishas like me. The Cap'n's story just seemed to bring sense to this dream. I don't know how else to say it, but I feel like the Cap'n didn't tell us everything about that discovery. I fear that many lives were lost in that city, and that many may still be down there, swimming in fear and seeking direction. I never planned to tell you that much, Rebel. You probably think I'm crazy. After all, it might be just a story, right?"

      Rebel did not have an immediate answer, not because he was unsure of Michy's state of mind, but because he'd approached her with no anticipation of the substantial turn that any potential rapport with this seemingly content classmate, would take. Still, listening to her story imbued him with a sincere sense of care for her that went beyond an innocent wish to make conversation. He cared for Michy and the scenario she'd explained, and found himself struggling to find the words to demonstrate it.

      "Well, dreams can be like that, you know. They make you wonder." Embarrassed by the sound of himself, Rebel added, "Maybe we can ask the Cap'n about it when we get back."

      "There's something else," said Michy, not responding to Rebel's suggestion. "Sometimes it happens when I'm awake. They're like flashbacks. And they seem so real. Like they really happened."

      Rebel tried to make light of the situation. "Well, I'd say you've got quite a talent there. You could be a psychic or a fortune teller. Maybe you've got an ability to help people."

      Michy mustered as much of a smile as she could. "You never know," she sighed.

      To one who had known Rebel all of his life, the sight of him interacting with Michy on such a level would suggest that the young Eyrie was maturing and growing up. But growth is a subtle process, magician-like in its ability to appear anywhere from seemingly nowhere, maybe hinting at its presence along the way with a ghostly whisper or rearrangement of objects while you're not looking. The sight of Rebel interacting with Michy on such a level amounted to such a glimpse. Growth is magic in its ability to disappear and reappear seemingly at will when it was merely invisible the whole time. Rebel's flash of maturity was overwhelmed by the sudden stirring of an idea in his mind when he spotted a wooden sign hanging slightly off-center from a tattered wood cabin that said "BILGE DICE."

      The dubloon! Rebel had not by any means overlooked its weighty presence in his pocket, but the status brought about by its money value never occurred to him until that very moment. "With this dubloon," he thought to himself, "I'll be treated like a grown-up!" And the first thing he set out to do was play a grown-up game.

      "Hey," he said to Michy, "let's go play this dice game. I think it might be fun."

      Michy took one look at the cabin and was struck by an aura of menace that seemed to bubble out from the door. She had felt these sensations before, and when reason told her that something was dangerous and worth leaving alone, it was usually right.

      "I don't know, Rebel," she said, "we're running out of time. We really have to find lunch soon and get back to the Academy."

      "Oh it'll just take a minute," Rebel replied. "If the game is too long we'll just watch someone else play for a little bit. I just want to check out some of the pirates while I have the chance."

      With the Cap'n's words of caution ringing in her ears, Michy nevertheless knew that Rebel's sense of adventure would not be denied. "All right, I guess we can go in for a few minutes," she said, "but please don't tell anyone about the dubloon. Can you do that for me?"

      Rebel smiled, for he had been won over. "Okay," he said, "we'll just watch."

      But there were no games to watch when the pair entered the dimly lit cabin. Instead of being greeted by the competitive bustle that Rebel was expecting, he was greeted by a low, smoky voice that said, "Well hello younguns. Are you lost?"

To be continued...