Because he’s the best
Part 8 - "THE HERO"
“Captain!” Pinchy called from his ship, the Lazy Knot. “Something’s happening!”
“I understand something’s happening,” said Crau, standing on the bow of the Scarlet Misery. “I want to know what is happening!”
“Captain says he wants to know what is happening!” Pinchy shouted to the next ship over. A few moments later, the answer was telephoned back to him. “Lieutenant Sting says Lieutenant Urcha says Lieutenant Angler says Lieutenant Leefy says that there’s a boat out on the water!”
“Is that so?” Crau said in disbelief.
“Hey!” yelled Pinchy. “Hey, Sting! Crau asks, ‘Is that so?’”
Crau spent the minute he waited for a response grumbling to himself. The sky was beginning to light in a warm fire as the star began to dip into the distant ocean line. Crau had positioned his ships in a line, Leefy’s nearest to the beach, so that he could keep his ship as far from harm’s way as he could, should the masked warrior return stronger than in their last fight.
“Yes, it’s so!” said Pinchy. “Oh, there’s a few more boats! Small ones, filled with little blue people!”
“So the Matoran wish to try their fate,” the Captain said, greatly amused. “Fan out! Target the crafts! I don’t care how you get that mask, but I want it in my grasp by stardown!”
The pirates cheered in unison, pumping their weapons in the air as the sails were unfurled.
“Today, we show these ocean villagers who their king is!” cried Crau, holding his cutlass aloft. “And I claim that which deserves to be mine.”
The wicked vessels lurched into attack positions.
Kido barely even felt like he was moving, he propelled his boat forwards so quickly. He held his staff to the side, using it to create a wake of waves that helped push along the line of rowboats full of villagers to either side of him. They surged with daring speed, moving ever closer to their destination.
Mako Village didn’t have much in the way of weapons, so they had armed themselves with staffs, wooden spears, harpoons, and fishing rods. Farmer Rida had even grabbed her second favorite pitchfork, worried that her first favorite might get broken. Regardless of their lack of armaments, Kido was glad to have them. He wasn’t going into this fight alone, and that meant a lot.
“I need you all to search each boat!” he called over the whipping breeze. “We don’t know which one our people are in, so we’re going to need to look in every one!”
“Aye, aye, commander!” said Jiina in affirmation, twin cleavers in hand. He wore a greasy headband and an apron, which certainly were not typical battle gear, but seemed to fill the cook with unrivaled exhilaration.
“You’re going to make a fine Toa!” shouted Saane in the back of Kido’s boat. He held a twisted tree branch like a sword, a satisfactory substitute as he worked on picking out a new staff.
Kido grinned. “Thanks!” But he wasn’t thinking about being a Toa right now. His only focus was on helping his sister. Well, her and the other villagers.
“Look out!” shouted Bayola from underneath her straw hat. The looming ships had launched a volley of flaming spheres at the rapidly approaching boats.
Kido pushed the staff out in front of him. “Hold on!” The waves that carried them slid underneath the rafts and burst out before them in a protective wall of water. The fireballs slammed into the wave, drenching a few of the villagers but dissipating upon contact.
“Excellent!” complimented Elder Saane. “You are really getting a hang of your powers!”
“Hey, the water’s doing all the work!” said Kido. It wasn’t necessarily a joke, even. Kido would simply picture in his mind what he wanted the water to do, and the mask would “communicate” it to the ocean. Using mental force would just drain him of energy; all he had to do was just imagine, and the water would listen.
The shadow of a great scarlet sail crossed over Kido’s face. They had arrived.
“Get ready!” Kido said, thrusting his staff high. Around the boats, pools of water began to circle, before erupting in a series of blasts, launching the boats into the air. The villagers held fast to the wooden crafts, and landed upon the pirate vessels with speed and ease.
Jiina was the first to lumber out of the boat. “Attack!” He drew his two cleavers and went for the nearest pirate. The crew of rogues stared at the Matoran with open jaws and wide eyes, making them simple targets for the eager villagers.
As the battle began, Kido watched, inspired by the bravery of the Matoran. He had lived with them for years, and had never known they had it in them to charge into a fleet of pirates with nothing but sticks and stones.
“It’s because of you, you know,” said Saane. Beside him, Rida successfully pushed a pirate overboard with her pitchfork, cheered, and jumped back into the fray.
Kido shook his head. “No, it can’t be. Like I said, I’m just a fisherman. Or, well, I was. I’ve lived my entire life in search of adventure, and the first moment I stepped into one, I broke down. In fact, it only took me a few more steps before I had a second breakdown. I feel like every two minutes since I found this mask, I’ve been falling apart.”
“Is this an adventure?” Saane asked, pointing with his stick at the dueling Matoran and pirates.
“I’d say so.”
“And are you falling apart?”
Kido looked down at himself to make sure. “No,” he said with a smile, “No, I’m not.”
“And that’s inspiring,” said the Elder. “It wasn’t the fact that you were born courageous and heroic, but that you’re learning to be. You’ve got a long way to go in your journey, Kido, but you’ve also come a long way. Your friends are here to enjoy a part of it with you.”
In the center of the battlefield, Kaidi had just kicked a pirate into the mast, knocking him out. She looked up at Kido. “Did you see that?”
Kido nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Yeah, I did! That was amazing!”
When he looked back at Saane, an amused grin had inflicted the old Matoran’s face.
“What?”
The Elder shook his head. “Nothing. Now, go! Show them some of that newfound courage you’ve learned!”
Taking a deep breath, Kido began to walk forwards. His walk broke into a run, then a gallop, and then suddenly he was sprinting - right off the edge of the boat.
“Where’d he go?” Hoffa asked, taking a break from prodding an octopus-headed pirate with his cane.
Kido shot up from the sea, riding a swirling snake of water like a surfboard. In the dimming light of the star, the watery serpent glistened like silver, a silver dragon that Kido had tamed and now guided. It was an impressive sight.
He streamed the water forwards, riding it until he was above the next ship. He swung himself upside-down and released his control over the water, which splashed down with him onto the deck, where a tempest of pirates were waiting for him, blades drawn.
Before the water began to leak through the cracks, Kido drew from it a slice of it to reform the radiating spear tip he had made on the beach. He swung it forth, the purposed water meeting the cutlass of an attacking fiend as if it was no less solid than it.
“How are ye-” the pirate stammered as Kido planted a firm kick into his bony insectoid rib cage. “Rah!” he cried as he was sent soaring.
A trio of thieves encircled the unwelcome passenger, who spun his spear in a warding arch.
“You wanna end up like him?” Kido asked, gesturing to the pirate who had just taken a tumble into the ocean.
The pirates each growled and dove at him.
“Apparently so!” Kido took his spear and whirled it around, forming a ribbon of water from the spear tip and slashing at all three in one swipe. They were thrown backwards, tumbling into a cabin.
From behind Kido, he heard a growl. Snapping his spear towards the foe, he faced an ugly fish-headed creature with a wormy extension growing from his scalp. A bulb hung from its end, emitting a faint pulse of light.
“Welcome to my world, shrimpling!” the creature said, its bulb dangling. Its lanky form balanced on top of the gunnel.
“Ah,” said Kido. “You must be the captain of this fine vessel!”
“Aye,” he confirmed. “Lieutenant Anglir at yer service!”
“Pleasure to meet your acquaintance.”
“The pleasure is mine!”
The two each bowed.
“Ha!” shouted Anglir, swinging his axe. “I tricked you into being polite!”
Kido pushed himself back, dodging the attack. “No you didn’t! I’m polite by nature!” He jumped forwards, ramming his shoulder into the fish-man, causing him to fall off the boat.
“Excuse me,” Kido said. He quickly shot over and descended the ladder to reach the lower decks, jumping down several steps at a time. He was immediately assaulted by an intense smell of fish and rotting fruits, so much so that he reached to cover his sensors before remembering that his mask was already covering them. He reeled a bit, but maintained his standing and began searching the mess hall for the Matoran prisoners.
“Don’t hurt us!” a voice cried to his right.
Kido spun around. Three pirates were standing in a cabin, hands raised. One had a towel wrapped around his head. None were carrying weapons.
“If we promise not to fight you,” a shark-jawed pirate said, “will you promise to let us go?”
“None of you guys want to fight?” asked Kido, pointing the spear at the towel-headed one and a single-eyed one.
They each shook their heads.
“Well, thanks for making my job easier,” Kido said, releasing the water at the tip of his staff. It splashed against the dark wooden planks, seeping through the planks back into the ocean below. “Do you know if there are any prisoners on board?”
The three shook their heads consecutively.
Kido was inclined to believe them. If they were lying, they were about to see what he could do. “Alright. You guys can go.”
“Really?” One-Eye said, clicking his mandibles.
“Yeah, of course,” said Kido. “Oh, um, you might wanna jump on your lifeboats, or something.”
“Oh, we um… we don’t have any,” said Towel.
“Yeah, Cap’n says we needed more room for the fire cannons!” said Shark-Jaw.
“Sorry for shootin’ those at yer,” said One-Eye with genuine shame.
Kido shrugged. “It’s alright, I guess. I blocked them.” He scanned the chamber, looking for something he could use, but it didn’t look like ragged cots and mugs filled with spoiled milk would help him with anything… The floor! He pulled some water that was dripping off his armor and fashioned a small glistening dagger in his hand. He sliced up the wood of the structure into three pirate-sized planks, which he then distributed to the surrendering party. The water cut through the material surprisingly easily, like a warm knife to seaweed sponge cake. Kido’s stomach chamber vibrated in excitement at the thought of that. How long had it been since he had eaten last?
“What 'er these for?” asked Shark-Jaw, examining his board.
“Floating,” said Kido, shoving his appetite back down. “Go up top, jump overboard, and rest on these planks. Oh, and you’d better let your friends on them, too. They’re probably getting tired of treading water by now.”
The three forced some quick nods and marched up the stairs.
“Thank you much, sir!” said Towel.
As they scurried away, Kido caught one say, “I liked him! He’s much nicer than Cap’n.”
How badly must these guys have it that they’re stuck in these terrible lives? Kido began to wonder how many of the pirates actually wanted to be pirates. He couldn’t blame 'em for not want to working under Crau. The dude was a bully. There was no better way to put it.
Kido looked down at his staff. Think later. Save Mako Village now.
He shut his eyes. Again, he pictured the colossal, writing mass of blue liquid, filled with the outlines of the astonishing diversity of sea creatures that inhabited it. When he reached out, he couldn’t quite touch it, so he tried to pull it towards him. He called with his mind, reaching with his hand, trying to get into contact with the ocean…
There! He felt its grip, its electrifying strength; it would be his to guide. He gripped the spear with both hands, holding it down at the floor, closest to the ocean. He coursed his power into the waves directly before him, feeling them bubble under his strength. He took the staff and jerked it upwards, taking the water with it. The wood creaked and groaned and then snap!, it was overcome by the force of the water beneath it. Sea water shot up from below, slamming into the ceiling and pouring into the innards of the ship.
“Ha!” exclaimed Kido. “You took my home from me, Crau. Now I’m taking yours.” He leaped around the artificial geyser, and repeated the process again a few steps further, and then again a bit further after that. He swung himself back around and raced for the stairs, his feet splashing in the growing water level.
He emerged back on the top deck, feeling his ship rapidly sinking.
“Kido!” he heard. Jirita, the spry little boat repairwoman, was standing on the crow’s nest of the other ship, waving to him. “We’ve cleared this one out! No sign of the prisoners!” When she finished her report, she leaped from the mast, holding a rope swing she had fashioned to sling her on to the third ship, where the other villagers were locked in an intense fight. She landed on top of a mantis-like pirate, shouting, “You may take the people out of the village, but you cannot take the village out of the people!” The villagers cheered. They liked that. Maybe she’d be a motivational speaker some day.
Kido ran up to the starboard side and turned to face the now empty vessel. He began to run, accelerating into a charge as he jumped off port side and plummeted towards the water. He yanked his staff up and caught himself with another tendril of water. He held the tendril with his hand and had it jerk upwards, flinging himself into the air, high above the ensuing battle. Another round of fireballs was shot at him, but he was too small a target to accurately track at this range. They all flew by without a hit, his sensors picking up their immense heat as they scorched past him. He dropped upon the emptied ship, rolling into a somersault to convert his momentum. He rolled a bit too far, however, and ended up slamming into the port side gunnel.
“Ugh,” he moaned, picking himself up. He immediately shook off the pain and got to work. Standing in the center of the boat, he reached out both hands, reaching for the water on either side of the boat. He summoned great tendrils to surround the vessel, feeling their roaring and twisting shapes creep up its sides. He tightened his hands into fists. He heard a powerful crack! as his watery appendages splintered the material, spraying chunks of wood outward. This ship, too, began to dip into its oceanic gravesite.
Just as he was admiring his work, a great and powerful voice suddenly cried out.
“Courageous warrior!” it said mockingly.
Kido turned to face it. Crau…
Standing proudly on the crooked figurehead of the flagship was the now-familiar Captain Crau. His cape blew behind him in the wind, his silver armor glimmered in the fading starlight, accented to his dull rusty orange carapace. In one claw, he gripped his jagged cutlass, its cruel shape not able to strike as much fear in Kido’s core as what lied in his other grip. Grappled in his terrible crustacean claw, flailing her arms against his hand to try to free herself, was Kido’s sister, Neida.
“You’ve fought bravely against my forces,” said Crau, his voice carrying over the sounds of fighting and the crackling and groaning of the two sinking vessels. “But I believe we both agree that this fight is really between you and me.”
Kido glanced at the other boat, the one the Mako villagers were battling on.
“Don’t worry 'bout us, kid!” said Jiina. “We’ve got this 'un!”
“Go!” shouted Kaidi. “Help her!”
He looked at Saane for his input, but he was busy striking his clam-headed opponent on the shell with such force the opponent dizzily stumbled back.
Neida…
I’m coming.
He broke into another run, this one filled with as much determination as he had left in him - maybe even more. He bounded over the edge of the ship and dove into the water. He swam like a jet, slipping underneath the waves with all the practice he had gathered over the years, and all the might of a Toa powered by rage and motivation. The water rumbled beneath him, and launched him up, throwing him back into the air with a spray of crystal droplets. He flew onto the flagship, repeating his roll, only this time he stopped himself by catching the deck with his hand and thrusting his feet onto it just after, skidding to a stop as he faced the captain of the Scarlet Sails. He held his staff at the ready. This time, he wouldn’t let his lack of confidence get to him. This time, he wouldn’t let Crau win. No matter what.