Chapter 3: All in Only One

A tremendous wobble sent Aspen and Aurelia ramming into the nearest furniture.

"Captain!" a tear-stricken voice howled beyond the walls, "Captain!" Numerous heavy banging accompanied their shouts, and hollers of other crew-mates rung into the two female's ears.

Another rock and Aspen toppled off of her hammock. Gripping her surely bruised elbow, she quickly looked around for Aurelia.

She caught a short glimpse of the female donned in purple before another powerful vibration sent her flying into a bookshelf.

Her novels scattered onto the floors, but her eyes stayed glued upon the other dame.

Aurelia look pained, but she crawled towards the exit and opened the doors, which had continued to rung with the bashing of another crew-mate.

In entered Cecilia, a young girl barely over fourteen years of age.

"Captain! The waters!"

Aspen stood motionlessly for what had felt like decades, her mind still trying to process the current situation.

Her gaze watched the crevice of the doors, but the sun shone brightly and Aspen could not see anything but light.

An attack? Who?

Water?

Storm? No.

"Eh?" she squeaked, but swiftly, her mind snapped back to reality.

There was no time to think. She ran over to the doors, grabbing Aurelia and passing her over to the timid cook.

"Bring her to Edin, and where is Blair?!"

"The Master Gunner is on the main deck-"

A wave of sea water splashed into the cabin; Aspen hugged the two girls and spun to the walls in order to avoid the brisk mass of liquid.

The moment the water subsided, "GO!" Aspen shouted.

Cecilia winced, but she quickly listened to her captain. The girl, herself, had chosen to join the pirates. She knew what she was signing up for; the dangers that she will face.

Aspen sprung towards the main deck, her eyes darting around the premises.

"Captain!" Seth and Ruri yelled in unison.

Aspen had yet to adapt to the blinding light of the sun; she crashed into one of her crew-mates, and thus she tumbled towards the forecastle deck.

Still dazed and unable to perceive the sights around her, she heard a voice shouting in the background.

"Someone get over here!"

Echoes of panic clamored throughout the ship.

"Captain!"

Snapping back, "Where's Blair?!" Aspen answered.

"She fell overboard!"

A high-pitched ring forced its way into the captain's ears, and a booming growl followed soon after.

"Where is your leader?" the thunderous roar emerged. "Who is foolish enough to wish for the Wishing Star?"

With the sunlight obstructed, Aspen could now finally register the view before her.

A serpentine loomed before their ship, its large and slender body casting a shadow onto every corner of the vessel.

Silence befell the crew, yet the chaos of the ocean failed to subside. The ship continued to wager its own war against the waters.

Noticing their lingering gazes, the large body turned towards the dame as she stood centered amongst the band of pirates.

"You," the serpent growled a reverberating sneer. "You are the foolish one."

Feeling her skull tingle, Aspen gulped down her dry spit. Behind her, she could hear hushed shouts from her crew-mates as they mission to rescue Blair.

With a deep breath, Aspen spoke with stoic resolution.

"A fool I am!" she shouts, her fear doubling over into falsified confidence.

Flaring its nostrils, as if in contemplation, the serpent maneuvered its body in rhythms. A short while after, a hot gust of air emitted from the towering entity, signaling its breath. And only then, did the sea begin to calm.

"A hefty price be paid for any wish acquired," the creature chanted, its golden scales flickering a magical shine, "And only one upon your crew shall get their wish granted."

Murmurs flooded the deck, pecking at Aspen in every sense possible. The sounds of the waves which once comforted her now cries for an answer, whining in tune with the shaking of her arms; and the rickety sound of the wooden boards, ones in which she enjoyed fiddling with, now seemed to peel away at the gray matter of her brain.

She gritted her teeth, unable to determine her next actions.

Only one? she thought to herself.

"Captain," croaked a hoarse and faint voice. Even with such discoloration, their fiery tone betrayed their identity. Aspen swiveled around, matching her gaze with the drenched crew-mate. "You should have the wish," the Master Gunner opined, heaving in lungfuls of air.

Seeing the limp state they're in, Aspen could hardly agree.

"I think so, too," voiced Seth, standing a few feet behind his Captain. He gripped his chest, his gaze downcast yet firm.

"No—"

Aspen was cut off by two other members.

"Captain, I believe so, too."

"So do I!"

Young Flynn and wise ol' Dexter, both of which are part of the small yet diligent Cooking crew. They stood beside the sails, resolute and unmoving.

One by one, the Wisteria pirates voiced their approval.

"Make a good wish, Captain!" they would cheer, "We'll get our wish next time!"

The serpentine surveyed the scene, noting the confidence and respect each member held for their captain.

"A faithful and loyal bunch… They seem to treasure you," the creature remarked, though disinterested.

"Of course we do, ya mighty snake!" Dexter hollered, waving his fist at, to his knowledge, a God.

Thus, Aspen choked, unable to contain her laughter. She nearly toppled over at his arrogance, knowing full well how afraid the crew-mate really was.

The serpent remained silent and unprovoked, having heard of and seen many insults in its time. This particular mockery, in essence, would not amount to anything truly spectacular.

Flaring its nostrils once more, as if in a deep sigh, it slowly tilted its head towards the Captain.

"Your wish?" the serpent boomed, prepared to fulfill whatever selfish desire these measly beasts held in their hearts.

The Captain grinned, baring her own little fangs of mischievous ardor.

Spreading her arms—as if to enclose the whole ship within it—Aspen declared her wish, her voice clear and void of any falters.

The serpentine blinked its second eyelid, the dew within its eyes glistening in the shine of the sun.

"How cliche…" It mused, "Such a wish will have severe repercussions," the creature spoke, a smirk threatening to spill from its tone.

"Now hold on a moment! Captain, what are you doing?!" Seth grabbed onto Aspen's arm. "That wish was for you, not us!"

The serpent bent its neck, intrigued by the conflict before its sight. "Here is a ponder… How would it be, for someone so loved, to cease existing?"

An ominous aura overtook the serpent, and a haughty laugh thundered through the skies.

"To fulfill your wish, dear Captain," the creature continued to bolster. "You," it deemed, "must disappear."

An eruption of complaints hauled throughout the ship, denying such horrendous tribulations.

However, it was the captain's wish, and it was the captain's choice.

She spun around and smiled. Sliding down into a half-curtsy, half-bow, Aspen the Free-spirited winked at her crew-mates.

"Aren't I a genius!" she cackled. However, her laughter stopped between her throat, for Aspen had caught sight of Aurelia. Witnessing the distraught on her lover's face, a slow, sad smile crawled unto her features. Even so, Aspen shook away such negative emotions. "Live happily!" she managed to exclaim, trying to make her final farewell as cheerful as she could.

Sparks of light and darkness engulfed their vision, and a large magic circle protruded the space behind Aspen.

Still, even with all the white noise around her, she could hear the screams of protest.

"Captain! Stop!" Ruri shrieked, her voice shrill and fearful.

Aspen smiled and waved happily at Ruri, her whole body swaying with her energetic movements.

It took one blink for everything to disappear.