8Hi all! I'm sorry this is late. I'm vacationing several states away, and we have very limited internet. I have to go to another building for Wi-Fi/ a free computer, but hey, better than no internet at all! Enjoy, this is the last chapter of this installment.
Chapter Four: Bring Me That Horizon
James dragged himself wearily onto the sandy beach beside the lass, panting for breath. His exhaust was an illusion of a weary mind, however, for in the game this would not have tired either of them out. "The sun is warm," he mumbled softly, lying on his back, head resting on his arms.
"Why don't we just both take a break and relax? We know that Jack is here, and there's no danger in this world, so why rush, eh? Besides, it'll take absolutely no time at all in the real world, even if we just sit here for days."
"Let's keep the unit to hours, if you don't mind," he mumbled with a yawn. She nodded, laying down beside him. Hours indeed did pass, and James stirred from his dozing. The tide was coming in, lapping at their sun-dried fins and cooling the heat. The girl still dozed beside him, having sunken to the deep, barely-conscious line between slumbering and dozing, head turned away, hair spread out. It was wavy where her hair had been tied back in a tight, neat ponytail when she had been in Sora's outfit. There was a deep, dark purple flower tucked in just above her ear (how they would have gotten a flower underwater only Squeenix would know). His eyes wandered from her hair to her arm, and he leaned close to examine it. It was ragged and messy from where the demon had tried to keep his blade there while she herself had struggled to fight it off, but it had healed nicely. But still—she was only fifteen. How long before one of these was fatal? He pushed away the thought and proceeded to tickle her stomach.
She writhed and swatted him away, eyes popping open as she bolted to a sitting position. "Aww, James, I was having the nicest dream!"
"Oh? What about?"
"I—." She broke off, brows coming together. "I don't remember. But it was a good one nonetheless!"
He chuckled, rustling her hair. "I think we've relaxed enough, don't you?"
"Sure. Let's find Jack."
"Do you remember the rock structure?"
"Yes." Something just off shore caught her eye and she looked pointedly at it. "And I think I've found it, too." The waves of the tide crashed over her, and she allowed them to tug her off the beach. James followed, and the luxuriously cool water closed around them. She dove beneath the surface and swam quickly to a rather large, almost completely-submerged rock.
"By God, it's identical," James murmured beside her.
She nodded, mane billowing around her in the water, eyes never leaving the structure. "The main character of this story would sit atop the rock and sing, and her prince would come."
"Well...would it make sense, then, for you to do the same?"
She shrugged. "Worth a try..." They floated back to the surface and she sat atop the rock. The Davy Jones theme was hummed softly as a warmup before she broke into a song that was certain to draw Jack from any corner of the Earth: "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!" She sang through four verses before ending in a bellow, "I love this song! 'REALLY—BAD EGGS', hahah!" She found herself laughing. Normally, she could say that line with a straight face (and even go on to recite the rest of the scene in a decent drunk impression), but now... Good, his Laugh must be on the way. She jumped right into another song.
"What do we do with a drunken sailor?
What do we do with a drunken sailor?
What do we do with a drunken sailor
Ear-lay in the mornin'?
Way hay and up she rises,
Way hay and up she rises,
Way hay and up she rises,
Ear-lay in the mornin'."
A gray dorsal fin broke through the surface, surging toward them.
"Chuck 'im in the longboat 'til he's sober,
Chuck 'im in the longboat 'til he's sober,
Chuck 'im in the longboat 'til he's sober,
Ear-lay in the mornin'."
The fin and attached creature suddenly sped up, and James hastily scooted out of the way so as it wouldn't hit him.
"Way hay and up she rises,
Way hay and up she rises,
Way hay and up she rises,
Ear-lay in the mornin'."
A mass was beginning to rise to the surface, and finally, a magnificent specimen of dolphin shot out of the water, flying over her in a graceful arc, water flying everywhere in sparkling droplets. It resurfaced a good distance away and frolicked through the waves back to her. He poked his head out of the water, grinning playfully at her. She tapped his nose with a finger, giving him a knowing look. "Drink up, me hearties, yo ho." The dolphin threw his head back playfully before twisting around and swimming over to inspect James.
"Hello, Jack." The magnificent manifestation nudged him in the chest, before presenting his dorsal fin to him.
Ames slid off the rock and joined them. "Eh..what's he doing?"
James contemplated him for mere moments before he suddenly grabbed on. "This!" And they were off! The dolphin pulled him around faster than he could ever have swum, faster even than he ever could have sailed. They returned, and Laughter turned to the lass, presenting its dorsal fin in much the same manner. Their fun went on for a good while. "I, ah," James paused to pull the girl up beside him so they were both on the same side of the surface. "I think we ought to check in with Teacher and ask her what we should do."
"That's a ten-four, good buddy. I'm way ahead of you." He blinked, steadying her body in the current with his own as her eyes grew blank and distant. "Sensei?"
"So soon, chil'?"
"There is a difference in how quickly time passes. We've found Jack's Laugh. It is manifested in a dolphin. What should we do with it—should we bring him back?"
"Tell me first about the world it is in."
"Hai."
—
Her consciousness floated back to Atlantica, where the sensation of floating and the warmth of a body hugging her own once again washing over her. She snuggled against the sturdy chest of her companion in signal that she had returned. "Ready to go back?"
"Are we bringing our new friend?"
"No. Since there's no danger here, we'll leave him, and come back for him when the time is right." A thought hit her. "Let's go find a savepoint and record everything we've made progress-wise. Lord knows it's important that we do!" They returned, and a light suddenly appeared before her. She reached out and caught it, opening her fingers to see what it was: a golden, dolphin-shaped keychain. Her eyes widened. "I got a new Keyblade!" she cried, quickly summoning her Ultima Weapon and switching out the keychains. The long, intricate, flowing, Life Stream-like shapes that made up the Ultima disappeared, and in place of those were twisting, swirling, elegant strands of water and sea and foam, red, orange, and gold laid into the detail here and there, as if a wave crashing against the shore, or a fountain shooting into the air, had been frozen. "Ooo, shinies!" she murmured in a high voice, eyes huge. It was called, predictably, 'Bring Me That Horizon.' And it had nothing to do with the game. It was hers and hers alone. "Saving now! Aaahh!"
After a few moments, she returned to James' side. "Shall we return home?"
"Right. Back to the bayou." Her hand sought his, and in a burst of purple water, they disappeared. They resurfaced in the warm water of the familiar swamp. Right off the bat, Ames knew something was off.
"Amy," James breathed beside her. "We're still water folk." With a gasp, a hand going to her mouth as she glanced down, she realized it was true. The shack was a few feet away, and the door creaked open and shut. They looked up to see Tia Dalma.
"What is wrong?" she asked softly, eyes glinting as if she already knew the answer.
"This." They both showed off their tails. "This is the way we were in the last world."
"Yes. ...You mus' have move too quickly for de world border restore ya humanity."
"Then how do we get back to normal?"
"Wait. De world take care of it in moments. But be warned: 'twill be very painful process." The two exchanged apprehensive expressions, swallowing loudly.
"Well that sounds just pleasant, don't it?" the lass drawled in caustic tones. Obviously she found the situation bleak.
"You wait here." Yeah, like they could go anywhere. "I will go prepare somet'ing for de pain." She returned inside, and it seemed that the slam of the door was the signal for the change to begin. The lass cried out in surprise as pain shot through her lower half, suddenly sinking beneath the surface when she could no longer keep herself vertical. James was busy biting his fist to keep from yelling out, but at one point, he hauled her back up to the air for fear she would end up drowning. They braced themselves back to back as their 'restoration transformation' continued.
Fins tore in two. Legs reshaped. And James was glad for the cover of the water when the change rendered him momentarily without garment. "Amy," he panted, voice shaking and cracking, "if you want to preserve any modesty at all, I suggest you stand lower in the water." Thankfully, clothing followed flesh, shroud and armor reappearing. And finally, everything stopped. He took her trembling form in his arms as they both struggled to regain their winds.
"Ow," the girl giggled giddily, shakily. James rubbed her back comfortingly. "Note to self: get back on the Gummi Ship first and then poof back home."
Tia returned after a few minutes, a knowing glint in her eyes through her otherwise placid features, and floated down the ladder, a wooden goblet cupped in her hands. The man opened his eyes, again emerald with the excitement, breathing ragged and irregular. "Here, drink 'dis." Neither moved—both knew that if they did, pain would shoot through their limbs. "You must, or de pain will remain wit' you for days." She offered the cup again. The young girl stared at it for a long time, mustering up her courage, then gingerly reached for it and gulped down some of its contents. She held it up to her nephew, who threw his head back and downed the remainder, regardless of the agonies his sudden action had caused.
Minutes—long, painfilled minutes—passed, and the girl dared to break their embrace. "It's going away," she said softly as she turned back to Tia Dalma. "Well of course it is!" she suddenly replied to herself. "Why wouldn't it?"
James chuckled tentatively and rustled her hair. "It is time we return to ya trainin'," Teacher announced. "Mista Norrington, we'll be needin' a bucket fill wit' clams, pair o' shears, and a squirrel. Can y'fetch 'dem?"
"And how, exactly, am I supposed to catch a squirrel?" he demanded incredulously.
"You are creative man, yes? T'ink up a way, and you will succeed." One of his hands went to the hilt of one of his swords. "And we'll be needin' it alive." He deflated with a roll of his eyes. "And soon is better den late, if ya please, Mista Norrington."
"I'm going, I'm going," he sighed, wading sorely off to fetch the rowboat.
"... What's the squirrel for?" the lass inquired curiously once he was out of earshot.
"Keep him busy an' out of de way. Now, le's return to ya studies." The mystic turned with an almost child-like grin and strode back inside. Ames blinked and followed.
Sorry about any typos. No time to edit, I'm afraid.
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