Ari kept glancing between Dolphus’s shoulder and face, clearly not understanding what he was implying, until something clicked in her mind.
“Ah. So the giant squid bit off your arm!”, she exclaimed with a face full of confidence.
This was followed by a good minute of awkward silence, during which the kid suddenly started acting strange, his face turning emotionless, as if he became concentrated on something else.
What kind of mind game is this kid trying to play? He’s the only one who knows the rules it seems and that’s irritating.
At this point Ari started picking up on the strange sound coming from behind. She realised that the kid was looking in the direction of its origin, which was confirmed by him saying that they were not alone. How did he notice it quicker than her even in his current condition? He must have some great senses…
Ari spent way too much time thinking today. She went way beyond her usual daily limit and she wasn’t having any of it. All these mind games were getting on her nerves, her head felt heavy and she needed a distraction.
She spun around, facing the direction from which the sound was coming from, took her metal bet off her belt and took her fighting stance, holding the weapon with both hands in front of her torso, all her muscles tense and a scowl on her face.
“Here’s the deal, kid. Your ship is in shambles and won’t go anywhere, so you’re stuck here with me and… whatever that thing is. I am a shipwright, some say a great one, and I can get you and your crew out of here fast so you can continue whatever your idiotic quest is, only if you take me with you and help me get as far away from the Armada as you can. Now, I hope you can stand up and use that toothpick you have strapped to your belt. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”