Navigational Woes - (III)

First topic message reminder :

"Shit."

That was the only word going through Kerri's mind at the moment as he attempted to speed away from his pursuers, cutting through the water like a knife through butter. He had only popped his head up out of the water for a few seconds, but it had been enough for them to spot him. The wrong place at the wrong time he supposed, but before he had realised what was happening, the boat had loomed up behind him. It was his mistake to breach the surface of the ocean and now he was paying for it.

A net was dropped into the water, the merman nimbly dodging it with his superior underwater agility. Unfortunately, he dodged straight into the shot of a speargun, the pointed weapon piercing Kerri just below his shoulder.

Above the water, the culprits of the attack were gathered on the one side of their ship, staring down into the water as the red filtered through it's depths. One man, who's rather opulent looking hat did nothing to hide his lack of hygiene, slapped the man carrying the base of the speargun.
"You're not supposed to damage the merchandise, goddamn it!" He yelled, spittle flying from his mouth.

The second man shrunk backwards at these words, clinging to the speargun as if it were a lifeline. He was incredibly relieved when his captain turned around to motion to crew members further up the deck.
"Drop the seastone one!"

Back in the water, Kerri was attempting to pull the spear from his body. Before he could register it's descent through the water, the seastone net was upon him, tangling the young merman within it's mesh-like walls.



A short distance of the ocean away, a small ship was sailing through the cold morning breezes. Although the ship didn't have much of a crow's nest, one individual was hanging off the mast. For most, it would be a mystery how she got up there, but for those who were used to her personality - those who traveled on her ship - it would be a normal occurrence.

Holding on to the mast with one arm and balancing herself with her feet, Shiori shielded her eyes with her remaining arm, squinting at something in the distance. It looked like there was another ship over there. Perhaps it belonged to pirates? She could quite tell as it seemed that the sails had been taken down temporarily.

"Hmm. Well, with an exposed wound that possibly has flakes of iron in it having been submerged in water, I'm going to need to examine you for any diseases related to rust tomorrow." Daisuke said, setting his notes down on his desk. Taking a seat, he looked at the merman once again. "Now then, I implore you to rest more. Conserving your energy will only allow the wound more power to heal on its own."

He began to turn around in his chair, looking back at Kerrigan every now in then, making sure that his patient fell asleep and didn't need any emergency treatment. He started to fill out the paperwork that he needed to do with every patient, knowing that he couldn't not do it before tomorrow morning. He would probably forfeit all of his sleep for it, but it would all be worth it in the end.

Kerri nodded, taking in the information that the doctor provided. He wasn't sure what specific conditions he would have to check for, but that was a problem for future Kerri. Currently, the doctor's instructions to sleep further sounded like the best idea he'd had in weeks, and he promptly curled back up into the bed sheets. They were really soft, and Kerri soon found himself drifting off to sleep once more.

Shiori watched the merman as he drifted off, and when his breathing evened back up, the pirate captain closed her journal and tucked it back into her jacket. She handed the quill back to Daisuke before finding a comfortable position to nap in. She figured that just like Kerri, some shut eye would be good for her health.
"If you need us for anything, don't hesitate to wake us," Shiori smiled, before she too let sleep claim her.


The next morning, Shiori was awake bright and early. Kerri had also woken up briefly and the two had a short conversation about what they were going to do whilst they were on the island. Although Kerri was now napping again now, he had expressed that he was fine if Shiori wanted to take Hayes and have a look around rather than being stuck inside all day. Shiori had been a little reluctant to leave him alone, but she had to admit she was rather antsy to walk around having been in the small patient's room since yesterday afternoon.

Daisuke nodded at the girl, sitting back down in his chair. He wanted to stay awake all night, to make sure Kerri would be alright, but the wear on his energy was strong. He eventually dozed off, waking up not long before Shiori and Kerri.

In the middle of the night, however, the Marines made a plan for the next day. The only way they would be able to get in the hospital while the moon was high in the sky would be if it were an emergency. But they didn't have anyone injured enough for that, and the Captain knew it would only be more trouble than it would be worth to harm one of his subordinates. If any of them were out of commission, he'd have less soldiers to protect his life.

"We should strike when the boy and girl who brought our prize here leave the building. They couldn't stay there all day, they have to go out to eat at some point," Lieutenant Wilson spoke directly to Captain Cambridge, saluting in respect.

"Hmm, that would be good. But if something were to happen and they came back before we finished taking the merman, then that could be problematic." The Captain scratched his chin, pondering for a moment. "Lieutenant! Take one of these men with you to follow the duo. If they begin heading back to the hospital before anyone calls you on your person Den Den Mushi, stop them however you can. I will send the other two to take our ticket to promotions, and I shall stay here. All four of you, watch the entrance and be ready."

Hayes yawned as he stretched his arms and back, standing up from the chair he fell asleep on. He looked around for a moment, trying to remember why he wasn't on the ship. Reminding himself that he and Shiori had brought Kerri to a hospital, he settled down, and looked at the sleeping form of the merman.

"He looks better." The chef turned to Daisuke, hoping everything would be fine. "Does his appearance reflect his condition?"

"Yes, I believe it does. All that could be a danger to him now, I will check for. It's an easy fix, though, so you shouldn't need to worry. After that, all he needs is rest." The doctor began writing something down as he spoke, but Hayes couldn't see what exactly it was. It looked to be some sort of form.

Shiori watched as Hayes finally awoke, stretching and looking around with bleary eyes. From where she was sat in her own chair, she spoke up, green gaze focussed on the chef.
"You just missed him. He was awake a little while ago," she commented with a small smile, standing up and stretching her own arms upwards.

"I'm glad he's doing better though. He looked like a ghost yesterday, so it's good to see him getting healthier," she grinned, speaking in slightly hushed tones so as to not wake the sleeping merman in question.

After watching Kerri for a few moments, the tawny haired captain turned to Daisuke. "Oh, uhm. I forgot to ask last night, but do you have a small den den mushi we could borrow? I was thinking Hayes and I could go and grab some supplies for our ship whilst Kerri is sleeping, but I'd like some way to get in contact with him in case of an emergency," Shiori explained clearly. As much as she wanted to stretch her legs and walk around in the fresh air, she wasn't willing to leave Kerri's side if she were to be in the dark about his condition all day. He certainly looked better, but Shiori knew nothing about medicine and injuries and had no idea if that could change in an instant. It would bring her peace of mind to know she could check up on him if she needed to.