Where when it seems there's a dead end, new adventures are about to start for Geno and the 'Reapers'

No one's POV:
-

Geno opened his eyesocket wide, waking up abruptly from the dream. He clenched his chest taking sharp fast breaths.

"F-F*ck..." He stuttered between them.

"Relax siren." He heard Captain Reaper's voice telling him calmly. Geno looked at him, he was on one knee close to him. His hand was close to his shoulder but gathered it back once Geno turned to look at him. It was morning. At least the 1/3 of the sun had appeared above the sea.

"Ew, what the f*ck is wrong with his eye?!" Dave's voice was heard next. Geno, who was almost calm after the dream stayed motionless from confusion. But then he cursed quietly and placed his hand on front of his exposed melted eyesocket. His good one scanned around and realised many pirates were staring at him.

"Ya act like you've never seen a melted-like eyesocket before black-striped f*ck." He replied looking at Dave annoyed and got up by himself waiting for the glitched cloud to come back.

"Jesus, if sirens are supposed to be beautiful you're ugly as f*ck." Dave kept going. Geno didn't deign reply to him. Being called ugly because of his eyesocket wasn't bothering him. Short yes. Otherwise he would have said something.

"That's why you're jack*ss Dave. You're not observing sh*t around you, nor learning." Ramirez interrupted. Dave snarled at him. Ramirez looked at him calmly.

"Physical beauty he might be lacking because of a destroyed eyesocket from his birth. But despite being monster with less physical matter I'm pretty sure the garfish has actually more brain than the pea you have in your own cranium."

"Why you f*cking dog-?!"

"Sons, we just survived a storm, let's not kill each other now that thank God we're all still alive." Alter said calmly standing between Dave and Ramirez. Both his irises were cobalt blue, each with a dark dot in the middle. Geno didn't know why he feared him so much at these times.

Why everytime priest's irises were glowing like this he seemed insane and angry, ready to murder without mercy? As creepy as when his eyesockets were empty? Geno couldn't control his hands shaking from fear. He looked at them even now as Alter was staring at Dave, who seemed sh*tted.

His iris dissappeared and cursed in his mind. His hands were bruised, injured and scratched. It must have been from his attempts to hold the helm. He crammed them quickly in his pockets hoping no one observed.

"Captain saved us all! All hail Captain Reaper!" A pirate threw suddenly excited, dragging the others to start babbling about their amazing, strong, fearless blah blah blah Captain. Geno barely could hold back an ironic snort. Barely holding back to vomit. At the same time he preferred this.

Captain take all credits. He didn't even want to be part of credits he didn't even want, that he 'saved' the crew together with him. Only at this thought he was feeling queasiness coming. His own ass he wanted to save, he didn't care about any single soul in this ship. Except Alter most likely.

"I don't think Captain did it himself." Ramirez suddenly interrupted crossing his arms. Almost everyone looked at him as if they wanted to slash his throat. Geno though gulped silently. Did Ramirez figure out somehow something?

"Shut up Ramirez, what do you even know?!" Dave roared annoyed. To everyone's surprise Captain laughed and raised his hands in the air to silence everyone's annoyed murmurs.

"Lads, I appreciate your words. But our doctor, Ramirez, isn't wrong."

"F*ck no, for f*ck's sake NO." Geno thought looking away awkwardly and angry.

"I had some help from our siren." Captain revealed to the surprised pirates and Geno wanted with all of his soul at that moment to tear him into a million pieces.

"If he didn't lend me a hand too and if not for combining our forces, we would be resting to the ocean's floor by now!"

"The fishstick? No f*cking way!" Dave said and started laughing with his hands pressing his knees. Almost all other pirates mimicked him.

"The f*cking fish would rather jump in the water than helping!"

"Holy sh*t Captain, that was a f*cking amazing joke!"

Geno clenched his injured fists inside his pockets trying to control his anger from the comments and pirates laughter. In fact, to cover it, he lowered his head and started laughing too. Sarcastically.

"Captain, ya just hit your head very hard last night. Ya got injured and became delusional." He said shaking his head left and right. Looking at him with his expression and smile dripping irony. Captain looked at him raising a bonebrow surprised.

"Hit his head hard to become delusional?" Ramirez suddenly interrupted walking towards Geno. Who stepped back hissing, almost revealing his hands but still hid them.

"Tell us then garfish, what's in your pockets? What are you holding?" He asked.

"A middle finger in each hand for ya..." Geno started wanting so badly point them to Ramirez but didn't. "... But even them are deigning to point at ya!"

"Oh yeah?" Ramirez asked raising an eyebrow. "Let me tell you then what they got." He paused closing his eyes. Then he took a slow deep breath.

"Ah sh*t, cover!" One of the pirates said suddenly. Before Geno could react he saw literally everyone shutting their ears.

"Da f*-?"

Ramirez let out a very loud aggressive bark. Geno hissed and shutted his ear holes stepping back. Before he could react he felt Ramirez grabbing his right wrist and abruptly lifting it in the air. Geno's feet almost left the floor. He hissed even louder.

"LET ME GO YOU F*CKING BASTARD!"

"Well well well! If the helm didn't left it's signature at your hands!" Ramirez said, grabbing Geno's other wrist and making sure everyone could see his hands. Everyone looked at them surprised. The doctor turned to look at the pirates.

"What is wrong peasants? Cat got your tongue? Why don't you give credits for the merciful help of our little fish?" He asked and the sarcasm was clear, almost literally dripping from his mouth. Still the others stayed silent.

"WILL YOU F*CKING LET ME GO?!" Geno yelled, struggling to escape from Ramirez grip.

"Also. You stupid men. You idiotic sheeps! Is our Captain a liar? If he admits it himself he had help, then why lying or joking about it?!" Ramirez continued while Geno was still struggling to get on his feet.

"Ramirez enough. Let him-." Captain went to say. But Geno, having enough with a pirate touching him, hissed aggressively and bit the doctor's left wrist.

"Ew, he tastes terrible." He thought, expecting him to finally let him, screaming. Instead, to his surprise, the only sound Ramirez left was a sigh.

"Be happy that I've felt worse pain than this poor excuse of a bite, or else I would have snap every single bone in your body." He said calmly letting his wrists. Geno stumbled but kept his balance, opened his mouth and sticked out his tongue gagging over how terrible the taste was.

"Disgusting vegan?" The dog replied and looked at his wrist annoyed. He might wasn't showing pain but he was bleeding badly. He started walking away from the others.

"Better heal it before I get cholera from your bite or anything. I don't know what bacteria you're carrying."

"Hey!" Geno thought.

"Porta il tuo culo qui proprio in questo istante castoro! Mi annoio prenditene cura!" Ramirez said suddenly fast, taking from his pocket at the same time iodine and bandages. Geno didn't understand many but from the crowd of pirates Aldo approached the dog. He took the bandages and iodine and started taking care of Ramirez' hand.

"Huh. Guess the dog taught him."

Everyone now was looking at Geno confused. Geno tried to ignore them looking at his hands and cursing silently. He heard soft fast footsteps approaching him and raised his head for a moment annoyed and still angry. But seeing that it was Alter he relaxed. The tall skeleton leaned a tiny bit.

"Son, does your hands still hurt?" He asked quietly and held them gently.

"I'll cut your f*cking arms once I heal if you try to use healing magic again injured!" Ramirez warned from where he was standing. Both Alter and Geno groaned lightly. Then laughed once realising they groaned at the same time.

"Captain, what do we do now?" Markus asked suddenly.

Indeed, now what?

Geno turned to look at Captain Reaper. He had hands on his hips and head lowered, thinking.

"We should try go back there! The storm was a coincidence, right?" Dave suggested.

"What kind of coincidence is it Dave if Geno warned us first?" Everyone looked at Michael shocked.

"Cousin! What are you saying?!"

"Geno might not really want to cooperate with us. But even for just his sake, he still warned, he knew ahead before us." Michael turned his look to Geno. "We should have listened."

"At least the blonde shrimp understands me."

"You trust the fishstick?!"

"Whether ya like it or not, probably yes assh*le!" Geno interrupted and Dave looked at him, wanting to kill him.

"Dave..." Captain said calmly but both his eyesockets were empty. Dave stayed motionless. The iris returned in Captain's eyesocket. He looked at Geno smiling and with raised bonebrow.

"I would say we try again go to the 'Tearful Cave' boys..." He started. "... We were lucky once to survive, we might be again. But since our siren knew before what was gonna happen, I'm curious to hear what else he has to tell us." Everyone looked to each other surprised.

"Not you too Sir!" Dave groaned.

"... How didja know about the storm?" Captain asked ignoring the tiger. Geno looked at him annoyed.

"As ya possibly heard yesterday, the 'very crazy siren' tried to hold back the mission by saying he dreamed that a deadly storm is coming."

"There were no signs that it was coming. It started all of a sudden later ahead. How do you explain this?"

"This storm is but a spell, ancient magic the sirens and mermaids are holding millennia. And..." Geno looked away burying his face a little in his scarf but looking to where the 'Tearful Cave' was. "... It's not something that works just one time. No matter how many times we go back, the more we sail, the deeper and more aggressive the storm will be everytime, to keep us away from the cave. This needs some other method and it won't work if ya risk your life again and again."

"So? What do you have to say?" Captain asked again with crossed arms. Geno actually felt some surprise, he would ignore him when it was about the mission in any way. Now he was all ears and waiting to hear him. Geno might not wanted to say anything to the pirates but he had made up his mind.

He had make it clear to his mom about what he had decided. And he was going to make it even more clear to the Captain since he was stuck with him and his crew.

"... I had a message that the Amber-Eyed witch's daughter holds answers. She can tell me what has to be done."

"Bullsh*t!" Dave interrupted again. "If you're such a dreamer and get such answers that predicts the future why not say straightforward the answer?! You know what?! You're just messing with us again and play with our nerves!" As he was saying this almost the whole crew was murmuring and looking at Geno annoyed.

"Shut it p*ssy, I would honesty preferred too have straight answers served on my plate instead of being sended find some witch-!"

"You're making things up to hold Captain back once again!"

"KEEP IT DOWN ALL OF YOU!" Captain's vibrating deep voice stopped Dave, Geno and all pirates who were complaining together with Dave about what Geno was saying. They looked away and zipped their mouths. First and better Geno, who once again told himself, he preferred him smiling than being serious.

"Alright then..." Captain said a lot calmer looking at Geno again. "... Let's just say this witch exists. Somewhere. Where are we supposed to sail? Ya know that too?"

"Echo..." Everyone looked only for a moment at him once he interrupted. Only for their eyes to widen up.

"Alter?! You're so pale! Are you alright?" Markus asked ready to approach him. Geno stepped back a little. Alter indeed was pale, as if he saw a ghost, or as if another cockroach had landed on him. His eyesockets were empty.

"What was that you said again?" Captain Reaper asked with some obvious worry too on his face. Instead of answering immediately Alter turned his back and pressed his hands on the gunwale.

"Um, Alt-?" Michael went to ask.

"Damnit..." The priest said and slammed his palm on the gunwale. Everyone jumped surprised. Some more seconds passed silently after this. Until Captain spoke.

"Priest, is there anything you know and would like to share maybe?" He asked. For 5 more seconds Alter didn't reply. Until he raised his head, inhaled and exhaled and turned his head suddenly to look at Geno. He approached and placed his hands on his shoulders very serious, less pale but still empty eyesockets.

If Geno feared for a moment Alter would lift him like an empty potato sack in the condition he was, soon that fear faded away luckily.

"Geno, did you say Amber-Eyed witch's daughter?" He asked and his white irises had returned. The smoller skeleton nodded.

"Yeah- wait a minute. You know her?!" He asked with surprise. The other pirates now were surprised too. Instead of answering, the priest let Geno's shoulders and looked away thoughtful.

"Priest, start talking now!" Captain said a little impatient. Alter took one more deep breath.

"Echo. Amber-Eyed witch's daughter. Geno's not saying nonsense. I met her and her mother 3 years ago." He revealed. Everyone's attention got doubled.

"What are you waiting for then, speak! Where is she hiding?!"

"Geno, son, did the dream give you any other instructions? About where to find her?" Alter asked, ignoring temporarily Dave's question.

"My m- There was a location given."

"Where?" Alter asked again. Instead of saying it immediately and to give on their nerves some more, Geno signed Alter to lean closer. He did so and Geno whispered him where his mom told him to go. Geno didn't see it immediately. But the others saw Alter's reaction to whatever Geno whispered.

"Still there huh?" Alter only said at first, loud enough for everyone to hear. The agitation was clear in his voice and when he stood normally Geno saw him again with empty eyesockets. He stepped back gulping. This time no one dared to interrupt or ask Alter questions, there was clear anger.

Calm, but this is from the most dangerous kind of anger. Don't trigger, don't ask, don't speak and the other might not burst at you. Alter closed eyesockets and pressed his hands on the sides of his skull, not as if he was hearing loud sound though. Just annoyed. He sighed loudly after a while.

Taking his hands from his head, he intertwined fingers in front of him. The long sleeves covered his hands completely. Then, opening his eyesockets, which were pitch black empty he smiled.

"Gentlemen. Captain... We have some good news and a bad one. Starting from the good ones, it is possible to find the witch's daughter, approach and get answers from her about the mission, how to pass the... obstacle with the storm and what to do to save the world." Everyone's expressions started showing excitement.

"F*ck yeah!" Some very excited pirates said.

"Boys, Alter haven't finished yet." Markus said. "What's that 1 bad new that makes your eyesockets stay still empty, despite saying the good news?"

"Oh sons. The bad new is the location." Alter said chuckling but the sarcasm and bitterness was there too.

"Last time I was trapped there and where Geno told she is, the witch haven't move yet. She's in Lisbon. The Capital."

It was surprising how fast everyone's mood changed. Geno saw immediately the pirates faces spasming from hatred and anger, hearing the location.

"F*CK NO!"

"FILTHY GLUTTONOUS HUMAN ARISTOCRATS!"

"SHE FOUND TO BE TO THE SATAN'S TERRESTRIAL KINGDOM?!"

"F*CK THE KING HUMANS HAVE!"

"SILENCE!" Captain said suddenly. Everyone stopped. Geno looked at Captain Reaper, he was pale and angry too, but controlling his emotions better. He looked again at him.

"Are ya sure the... dream told you to go there?" He asked.

"Why does everyone seem to hate so much Lisbon?" Geno thought still surprised. "Yes." He simply replied to the Captain.

"How do we know this isn't some trick? What if the location is somewhere else?" Dave dared to ask again. Geno had enough. He had enough hearing Dave calling him a liar again and again to his face. He clenched his fists and hissing he approached the tiger.

Then to everyone's surprise he -managed- grab Dave from his shirt and pull him down so their faces were close.

"What the f-!"

"Listen you f*cking orange p*ssy and all of ya here! I f*cking hate almost all of ya and I wish you die in less than 2 months! If I wanted, I would have jump off your f*cking ship by first chance, but I don't, because for a personal reason, I can't! If I wanted to let your f*cking ship sink down to the ocean I wouldn't even so 'mercifully' help keep ya alive with your Captain! Hell, I wouldn't even warn that the sirens and mermaids were expecting us with a godamn storm in the first place! And now, that I'm f*cking giving again some valuable information about what to do next instead of being sitting ducks, you say for one more time I'm a f*cking liar?!" Geno yelled to his face letting him go. He turned his back and walked some steps away. But he quickly turned again and kept talking.

"If like I said I could go bye bye and swim away I wouldn't give a damn about your issues! But because I'm f*cking stuck with ya all and because the world threatens to be destroyed by only God knows what, I have no other choice except being cooperative at least that way! Now, ya all shut your f*cking trap holes, stop whining and being grumpy babies and try listening more often! But if not and ya still think I'm saying bullsh*t, no problemo hombres, we can wait, do nothing, UNTIL WE RUN OUT OF F*CKING TIME AND WE ALL DIE A VERY HORRIBLE WAY! ESPECIALLY YOUR CAPTAIN!"

Geno stopped again for a moment, took a deep breath after yelling for so long and closed his eyesocket very irritated still. After opening and clenching his fists he was a little calmer. And then, he smiled. Sarcastically.

"Besides, no matter how many of ya are complaining and bringing objections, you're not the ones who decide. Your Captain will tell." He said turning to look at him. There Captain Reaper stayed silent for a while. Now everyone was waiting with agony to hear him. Finally Captain placed his hands on his hips and looked at Geno serious.

"Lisbon is more dangerous than you'll think. And by your expression before, I don't think ya realise this. I have no business with that witch but you do have now. Letting you go alone will most likely kill ya."

"Tch. I've survived all by myself for 7 years. How difficult will it be survive Lisbon for... pf, not even 1 week business?!" Geno asked with sass.

"The little pathetic sea village you've grown in, is nothing compared to where you'll have to go. Royal guards and thieves from the monsters, humans as soldiers, frauds, sneaks and informers can watch ya in every step of your way. To not say how much they hate sirens and mermaids. You'll be dead fried fish to them. I won't trust you, not even for a second be by yourself there, even if  you can pass secretly in."

Geno went to bring objection and very kindly rub to his face that without action they wouldn't go any further. But Captain prevented him.

"That's why you'll have escort." He suddenly said. Everyone's eyes widened up.

"Captain? Are you sure you can let him go like that to the Capital?" Ramirez asked from behind, who was now bandaged and listening with Aldo silently all this time.

"With escort and someone to keep an eye on him, I believe he'll stay alive and find the witch." Captain replied and looked at everyone carefully. "Now, if ya don't want me to choose randomly, is there anyone who thinks is tough enough for the Capital?" He asked.

But before anyone could say anything, Geno felt hands placed gently on his shoulders. He flinched and didn't know why but he felt this was quite familiar.

"Worry not men, ya don't have to hide behind your fingers. If anyone has to escort Geno for this once, it would be me Sir." Geno's and everyone's eyes widened up. But Captain's expression turned even more serious.

"Alter, you do have consciousness how dangerous this mission is, how dangerous the Capital is. Are ya sure?"

"Sir, I've survived for a whole week there. I didn't want to, but let's thank dear David for this once." He said and now he was sassy as he was staring at Dave. The others glared at him.

"Oh come on, how long will you rub this to my face?! I don't despice you anymore!"

"I rub this to you and at the same time, I'm talking honestly, if I wasn't trapped there I wouldn't meet the witch, most likely ya all would still not believe Geno." Alter replied still coldly. He turned to look at Captain. "I'm prepared to give even my life for Geno if it needs Sir. It's a reason besides I have this..." He lifted his sleeve showing the symbol.

"... And also I'm having a friendship with the witch and I had with her mother, more specifically, personal business with her too, you know..." Alter didn't complete but whatever he meant Captain nodded with understanding serious.

"What business?" Dave asked with a very sly expression full of innuendos, clearly thinking something else. Most pirates started chuckling and whispering too, with the same expressions. Alter sighed facepalming and his irises both turned blue.

A bucket suddenly flew out of the ship and soon it came back up full with sea water. Before Geno could understand what's going on, Alter brought with telekinesis the bucket in front of him. Then he started making crosses with his hand above the water and as he was doing that he was saying:

"In nōmine Patris et Fīliī et Spīritūs Sānctī, requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat eiiis..."

"Dont you f*cking dare!" Dave yelled. But once Alter finished, the bucket suddenly flew and threw it's water to all the pirates, who started complaining and yelling. He then crossed 3 times himself.

"Amen." He said. Geno could barely hold back his laughter.

"God damnit priest!"

"Not funny!" Dave roared annoyed. Michael on the other hand, despite not being part of the 'sly thoughts' and got wet for nothing, he was laughing. Captain was quietly laughing too with his men. Aldo was wheezing and Ramirez was supporting him to not fall from laughter, rolling his eyes. They hadn't get wet either.

"Your minds are so dirty sons." Alter said calmly smiling. "I didn't mean the kind of business you thought. Other business."

"Learn taking a joke without 'purifying' us everytime!" Dave complained again.

"For these dirty ones, how about nope?" Alter said chuckling again quietly. But then he turned to look again at the Captain, a little bit more serious.

(we interrupt the narration to pass a message for all the sinner readers out there:)

"Is it decided then Sir? You'll send us to the Capital to find the witch?" He asked.

"But Alter! How are you going to get in?" Markus brought objections. "If we were sending Geno alone, he could sneak underwater. But how will you pass too? You can't breath underwater and Capital is armed like a lobster. They have galleons and ships everywhere!"

"Ah crap." Geno thought for a moment. If the pirates knew better what defense this so despicable and hateful Capital had then this needed some more thought. But again, Alter chuckled quietly.

"About this, worry not my friend. I just thought of a plan which can cover this problem too."

"What plan?" Captain
asked interested.

"Like I said, despite not having the best experience of my life after Dave made me do so..." And everyone looked at Dave again as if they wanted to slash his throat. "... except from meeting the witch and earning her friendship, I also made friends with some... special monsters that helped me get out of Lisbon without getting caught."

"But when you returned to us, dolphins were carrying you! There wasn't any monster escorting you!" Dave said confused. Alter chuckled.

"Silly Dave, someone ordered the dolphins to help me get back to the ship. I just hid that part from ya once I was up."

"SOME FISHSTICKS HELPED YOU?!" The tiger roared.

"I seriously need to ask Alter later narrate me what happened that day." Geno thought.

"Bingo David!" Alter said with a bigger grin.

"You are full of surprises priest. So? How are you planning to pass inside the Capital safely?" Captain asked.

"First of all, I'll have to send a message to them. A seagull is good enough to carry the letter that we'll need some help. And if Geno communicates with the animals, he can also send a seagull do that." He said and looked at Geno so kindly, how could you say no?

"Guess we can try this." Geno said hesitantly but nodding.

"How are you so sure these friends of yours will help though?" Captain asked again then. Alter closed his eyesockets and lowered a little his head smiling.

"They owed me 2 favors, but one is left since they helped me escape with dolphins. I have one favor left. And despite of who and what they are, they stay true to their promises if it's about favors and helping." He replied.

"If that's the case, do you think everything's settled Captain?" Markus asked and once again everyone waited to hear his orders. Captain Reaper sighed and looked down for seconds before turning again his look at Alter.

"Sail for Lisbon it is then." He said calmly. "But don't start this letter without some specific instructions I have." He then turned his look quickly at the other pirates. "The ship is still floating, but make sure it's in perfect condition! Fix any damage! Then the anchor can be lifted!"

"Yes Captain!"

"Yes Sir!"

"Aye Captain!"

The pirates immediately started running around and going down to the bottom of the ship to prepare it. Captain turned his back and looked far away thoughtful, still with hands on his hips. He thought he was completely alone.

"I'm doing no sh*t for your sake." He heard a calm but irritated voice behind him. He turned and saw Geno still standing some meters away. His mouth was hiding behind his scarf but his eyesocket was staring at him, filled with hatred and anger.

"I have accepted my own fate and I chose to do what I'm meant to do for my reasons. But if it was up to me, I would have left long time now from your cursed ship and do my business myself." He turned his back but his eyesocket was still staring at him intensively.

"... You're holding my only escape ticket. You know very well for what I'm talking about." He completed and walked away, leaving Captain staring at him with empty eyesockets, an even more empty expression and a very heavy soul. His hand unconsciously touched the pocket where Geno's necklace was.

He then lifted his sleeve, only to quickly look away. He couldn't tolerate seeing the curse spreading faster on his body.

"I'm sorry..."

4785 words. green beans, prepare to sail for new adventures with geno. see ya on next chapter. *pit pit*