Harbor bonfire's edge: Three shadows ringed.
Side-by-side huddle—shoulder warmth against chill night.
Fire warded bite; endurance edged.
Post-Den Den, Biera spun yarns.
Raid day: Salamander seized—yet boiler-tender Biera clung shipbound, devoted guard. No touch allowed.
That eve: Upstream drift—kid rescued. Anaguma.
Chaos town: No kin-trace—guilt gnawed, options nil. Raised her self.
Memory: Distant, vivid—yesterday raw.
Bitter-rich day: Kin lost, kin gained.
Biera wearied, yet gleamed—Anaguma safe. Calm timbre soothed.
Kir fire-fixed, ear-cocked—shoulders eased.
Neighbor: Town doc elder.
Biera-match frail; unhealth pallid, whitecoat-clad. Med-bag flank—raid-calm perch.
Hush stretched.
Sea mild-lapped: Soul-cleansed lull.
Odd trio savored.
Biera's close: Quiet bloomed.
No weight—peace held.
Doc broke:
"Pirates? Selfish breed. Town crawled ex-cons. Rough peace—daily dust-ups. Shitty spot."
"Not bummed—why?"
"Aye—minority me, but... Kinda satisfying. Those puffed geezers? Stewing. Pirate perk—rare win."
"Views shift—place, folk. Folks vary."
Kir crate-perch: Smile steady.
Pirates? No saints—but praise, thanks pop. Admirers too. Locale flips lens—no absolute. Ten takes, ten truths.
Town: Ghost-void. Hillside hamlet—most fled. Rest? Isle-jumped or wild-camped.
No souls stirred—chat unpricked.
Hush near-rebirth: Biera Kir-probed.
He: Pirate. Why dive?
"...Started awe. Woke comfy there—other paths? Nah. Quit-shots? Stuck this."
"Huh—quit bait?"
"Tried bail... Bossy pull yanked back."
Grin deepened: Eyes down.
Unseen lock-in. No alt-life. Guts req—when? Foggy.
Journey dawn: Crew-crave swelled.
Self-solo? Lonelier than guessed.
Dawn far: Sea-gaze sky-check—night long. Stars jewelled.
Reunite? Stretch.
Lone ache, fate-accepted: Kir rose.
Day-drain tugged. Rest prime.
Duo-noted: Shift propose.
Dock bivouac? Harsh. Hunt sound-roof—bunk worthy.
Duo up: Stride-start.
Pre-step: Sea-odd noise—Kir wheeled.
Night-shroud sparse-sight. But blaze-bathed: Massive missed not.
Sea-peek: Behemoth.
Closer crane: Gape—croc. Two-meter bulk. Maw agape, fangs gleamed; gray hide tough, slit-pupils night-glint. Half-jaw lolled—dopey stare Kir-locked.
Kir tilt: "Croc?"
Query void—croc statue-still.
Kir-sole focus—duo blind.
Dread prickled.
Whoever-what: Eyes locked—prey-pinned. Else? No stare-marathon.
Kir creep-back: Unseen.
Croc inch-forward.
Step-two? Dock-near—clamber-aim clear.
Worse vibe: Ignore nix.
Biera-doc clocked bulk—wary norm. Kir-focus? Blind—spare bandwidth nil.
"Wh-what? Us-target?"
"No local breed that."
"You two—back. Me-only watch since."
Snap-call: Kir duo-split.
Apart? Them spared. Hoped.
Seamless stride: Dock-loose, sea-vigil amped.
Croc tailed—swim-pursuit.
Duo-ignored: Kir-lock sole.
Far-enough halt: Face-off.
Bullseye bait—no bolt. Recall: Sudden interest echo—prior odd-meet.
Chill-spine: Doe-eyes evoked who—outer shell diff.
Prep grim: Kir sour-faced.
"Me—business? Else no stare-fest."
Murmur cue: Croc dove sudden.
Intent-miss: Kir flinch—halt unviable; daze-stuck.
Sub-dip: Seconds.
Puff-cheek return: Sea-gulp—spew-aim Kir-drench.
"Whoa?!"
Reflex kick-side: Roll-land sync.
Splash-crash: Deck-wet whip.
Touch? Lock-jam. Dodge gold—but gut-twist: Steer-clear type.
Wild beast—Perapera flaw-know?
Duo-target? Rethink. But croc Kir-hunt: Water-weak ploy sure. No chase, pick-prey, hassle? Nah.
Predator? Fang-snap easy.
No? Motive murk.
Evade-sense: Croc sub-vanish.
Tsk-soft: Kir braced—fight-mind set.
Round-two squirt?
Spit-force: Cannon-kin. Eyeball: No-hit rule—power aside.
Dodge-prior: Wide-scan, no-surprise.
But variance: Surfaced—leap-burst, sky-soar.
Droplet-trail: Instant over-Kir.
Mid-air spew.
"Shit."
Laser-stream incoming.
No-think leap: Near-miss roll. Pre-spot: Water-roar—unsea slam.
Splash-back? Droplet deluge.
Kir scramble-dodge: Frenzy-escape.
Croc dock-lunge: Thud-heavy plant.
King-stand: Amateur? Nah.
Kir rise-wait nix: Dash-leap close.
Twist-whip tail: Fury-sweep—Kir paper-shield arm-block.
Layer-thick: No-dodge—tail-met. Instant regret: Shock-wave arm-to-all. Iron-paper? Shred-nil.
Impact-heave: Port-warehouse crash—vanish puff.
"Kir?! What's—safe?!"
"Biera—danger. Us? Useless. Stay back best."
"Y-Yeah—but—"
"Rush? Hindrance. Wait smart."
Doc grip-Biera: Cool-hold.
Judgment sound: Flail-charge? Risk self—Kir-burden. Aid? Chance-hunt.
All-view? Nah. Night-thick, light-blind zone.
But boom-deafening—ignore nix. Biera fret fair.
Quake-eye Biera: Fist-clench wait.
Gasperde-slayer, duo-saver.
Debt-deep: No death-wish. Chance? Bolt-hold bust—rescue vow.
Now? Wait-pray sole—bitter guard dark-ward.
Kir rubble-kick: Emerge swift.
Bulk-mismatch: Scratches light. Garb-grime sole shift.
Wipe-mouth: Eyes hardened.
Fight-real: Switch flipped.
Dual-sword grip: Move-ready.
Full-throttle or bust. Mercy? Nah.
Resolve grim: But odd-hum next.
Wing-whirr: Ear-invade—loud-unnatural. Instant dread: Croc-front.
Norm-beast near-fight? No.
Rear-wheel: Confirm—behemoth frame.
Night-meld black: Raven—two-meter span. Stealth-form threat-pure.
Spot: Kir flinch-scowl.
"Raven? Two-on-one."
Caw-thunder: Wing-beat charge.
Human-slow? Nah—beak-blur. Wind-chill spine-freeze: Terror legit.
Snap-turn: Cross-guard brace.
Felt-faster: Sight-tease. Blink: Here—wing, not beak. Stretch-slam: Lift-off.
Brace-stomp? Feeble—airborne toss.
Shock-denied reset: Raven over-shot—Kir sail unchecked.
Light-frame: Halt-hard.
But end-path? Obvious dread.
Fly-Kir: Croc pounce-met.
Full-leap: Jaw-shut club—down-swing.
Bullseye: Body bashed—spine-crash deck. Breath-lock; haze-fringe. Agony-slow: No still. Pre-chase-rise: Kir croc-slash lunge.
Twirl-blade spin: Top-iron edge. Hide-crack sure.
But flop: Croc hop-evade.
Timing gold—foe-gap nailed.
Dodge? Vet-edge, read-sharp, beast-brawn? Whatev—whiff left Kir bare.
Shock-face: Unthought—quake full.
Gap-miss? Raven swoop.
Wing-graze pass: No tuck—tumble roll.
"Guh...!? Damn—strength nuts. Both too quick."
Ire-bare growl.
No fair-fight. Exchanges screamed.
But mercy? Nah.
Raven circle: Croc throne-stare. Duo war-eyes Kir-pinned.
(Fair-brawl? Loss. Link-tight. Focus-one? Interrupt sure. Split 'em...?)
Cool-break: Escape-map. Desp now—crew-miss doom-thought.
Spot-on hunch.
Seal: Sea-new bulk.
Dock-clamber: Shake-splash—polar bear. Donny—Navy-snatch vet.
Sight-confirm: Knowing locked.
"Ah—knew it."
Drift-murmur: Daze-tinge.
Doe-eyes Kir: Wave-joy.
"Guessed alt—but hit? One motive."
Shrug-query: Donny brace-match duo. Fight-will bold. Diff-wish? Imagined true.
Sigh-shake: Kir resigned.
No easy out.
Self-scram sole path.
Stance-drop: Read-move—
Instant: Dive-rear raven-rush.
Kir eye-max: Dodge-doom.
Beak-spine smash: No-react—air-lift.
Croc catch: Jaw-shelf ride—back-arch fling: Sky-toss high.
Donny mid-wait: Intercept-hug tight. Flip-reverse: Crown-dive sea-ward.
"Whoa—wait—!"
Yelp-late.
Pillar-plunge: Duo dark-submerged.
Water-cloak: Power-drain.
Mouth-clamp hold: Breath-barrel short—ache unyield.
Limit-crack: Bubble-burst. Gulp-flood: Face-twist, haze-deep.
Surf Donny: Kick-up—face-break.
Cough-rack: Limp-slump—near-miss gasp.
"Geh—eh! Hah... Again this."
Soak-sag: Paper-mire lock. Swim-curse double. Stuck-self? Nil.
Done.
Donny pat-head: Fond-groom. Beam pure.
Swim-set: Isle-fade.
Croc dive-flank: Raven dirge-match.
Kir fate-guess: Scowl-wilt.
Trio carted: Crisp exit.
Biera lean-yell: Halt-doubt.
Doc head-shake: Give-up mask.
"Ki—Kir! Where they..."
"Sigh—what mess. No chase now."
"But—fresh-save... Wait! Bug—crew-call—damn, no dial!"
Fret-Biera: Fading specs shrink.
Reach-nil. Aid-void.
Regret-stare sole—ill-free freeze.
Donny-haul: Kir sky-gaze.
Eyes dull: Self-loath tint.
"Hey—where? Crew-meet queued."
Query-mute: No peep.
Lone-sad, more mourn: Sea-bite onward.
"Trouble..."
Resigned shut-eye.
No fight? Gripe-futile. Heal-hope: Carriage-nap vow.
Drift-off: Kir dozed.
Dock half-hour post.
Jolt-wake: Deck-sprawl—warship roll.
Lid-lift: Star-fish prone—sky-scan.
Grin loomed.
"Welcome. Thrilled, Paper-boy."
Sick-sweet cheer: Kir sour—eye-snap spite-shut.
--------------------------
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