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When they pick up Tsukishima, he tells them of a great navigator that they should pick up, and so Captain set up shop just a mile away from Shimizu-san’s shop.
Ryuu isn’t quite sure why they’re trusting a musician with killer aim that Sugawara brought back from a bar. But hey, he isn’t gonna question authority.
“He seemed really insistent.” Narita says from his little desk in the corner of the medical cabin. Ryuu’s sprawled out on the medical cot, and he’s waiting for Narita to finish cleaning his tools so they can go eat.
“Must be a good navigator.” Ryuu offers, and Narita looks up, then shakes his head.
“Good friend, more like.”
“Really?”
“He gripped his lute harder when he insisted we wait.” Narita speaks over his shoulder, and the dull clanging of the saw being placed on its designated shelf signals Ryuu to get up. He winces slightly as weight is put on his peg leg (damp weather sucks) but shakes it off.
“Finally joining us Tanaka!” Noya yells from his crows nest way up near the top of the ship when they leave the cabin.
“Joining the sane ones, not the idiots who climb all over the rigging.” Narita shouts back, and an outraged squawk floats down from Noya’s perch. “Dinner’s ready, I can smell it!” Noya slides down the rope that connects the nest to the canons and grins at them, before beckoning them down below.
It’s a feast downstairs. Sugawara enjoys giving people warm welcomes, and the tall blonde is no exception. Unlike anyone else, he seems stiff and uncomfortable, more so than Kageyama was.
“Relaaax Tsukishima! It’s a party! Celebrate!” Kinoshita yells, and drapes an arm over Tsukishima’s shoulders. He doesn’t pull away, but he does shift uncomfortably.
Ryuu’s gonna fix that. He locks eyes with Noya, and a plan is made.
“TSUKISHIMAAAAAAA” He and Noya scream simultaneously, and jump at the blonde. Unfortunately, they severely overestimate his ability to remain upright under great amounts of force, and the three of them go toppling to the ground.
“Why.” Tsukishima simply groans, and that sends Sugawara into a fit of roaring laughter. His giggles are contagious, and soon the entire crew is cackling. Ryuu sneaks a glance at Tsukishima, and a soft smile has graced his face. It’s barely a smile, just a gentle turn of the lips, but Ryuu’s satisfied.
“LOOK ALIVE” Barks a voice from above deck, and everyone snaps to attention. The sudden stress on Ryuu’s leg nearly causes him to buckle, but Noya hoists him up by the arm. From the edge of Ryuu’s vision, he can see Tsukishima also join the lineup.
“Captain! Didn’t think you’d be back so soon!” Hinata shouts from his place, and Ryuu agrees, he should’ve been out for much longer.
“Tsukki?” A small timid voice says from behind Sawamura, and a set of footsteps quickly follow. From the doorway emerges a lanky freckled kid, a compass around his neck and a knife on his thigh. Noya loudly whispers “Who’s Tsukki?” but at the end of his sentence, Tsukishima cuts him off.
“Yamaguchi?” Tsukishima asks, and the freckled kid’s face brightens, and he smiles slightly.
“This is Yamaguchi Tadashi, the navigator that Tsukishima was talking about. I found him in Shimizu’s place, he seems to be a friend of Yachi. Since we found him now, we’ll set sail tomorrow afternoon.” Captain says, and everyone yells in agreement. “Now please, treat him kindly.”
The party resumes, but Tsukishima immediately gets Yamaguchi situated beside him, and glowers at anyone asking something about his past.
This is gonna be interesting.
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“UWAHHHH HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT” Hinata shrieks, and Ryuu agrees.
“This right here is the North Star. As long as it’s ahead of us, we’re going north.” Yamaguchi says, pointing at the drawing on the page of the weathered book. “The riddle says the bird bows to the setting sun, but his faith wavers to stars in the heavens. That means that we have to go North-West, because the stars above can also be the North, and the sun sets in the west.”
“What about the rest of the riddle?”
“It should be at the next island Captain. The writer seems to be leading us on a trail, and each clue leads to the next.” Sawamura groans in response, and collapses onto the rail.
“I don’t like this. Seems like a trap.” He says, and next to him Sugawara hums reassuringly. “Where’d you get this Tsukishima?”
“My brother gave it to me, but he said someone named the Small Giant wrote it.” Tsukishima says nonchalantly as he tunes his lute. There’s a beat of silence before Hinata screams so loud Ryuu’s convinced Nekoma and Fukurodani can hear it from the Tokyo district.
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“Turn back.” Yamaguchi mutters, and Ryuu startles.
“What.”
“Turn back, something’s coming.” Yamaguchi repeats, this time louder. The crew turns his head to him, shocked, but Tsukishima darts up the ladder and yanks the wheel from Ennoshita’s grip.
“W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING” Captain bellows, but Yamaguchi doesn’t flinch. Ryuu tears his eyes away from the Captain, and looks at Yamaguchi, but immediately he can see something’s off. Yamaguchi’s eyes are wide, wider than normal, and there’s fear in them.
“Tsukki, hurry up!” He calls, and Ryuu turns to the wheel to see Ennoshita grab the wheel back, but he continues to steer away. The air is still, and the only sound is the gentle creaking of the ship and the waves against the side.
They barely miss the tentacle breach the surface and wrap around nothing.
“Quiet.” Yamaguchi hisses before anyone can do anything. They’re frozen, immobile. The large green appendage flails around for a bit, and just barely brushes the mast. Ryuu’s breath hitches in his throat, but the tentacle doesn’t seem to notice. A loud cry - similar to a whale’s - rumbles from beneath, and the tentacle disappears back into the earth with a small splash.
“How…”
“The ocean's dangers wait underneath, careful sailing to the edge of tomorrow.” Yamaguchi breathes, eyes still glued to the spot where the tentacle use to be. “I thought it just meant the fact that this area is usually treacherous for sailors.”
“So how'd you know about the kraken?” Hinata asks, and Yamaguchi shrugs, finally tearing his eyes away from the ocean.
“Gut feeling, I guess.” He says, and Ryuu’s never been more glad for Yamaguchi’s company.
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The sky clear above and the greens bend to welcome you. The heart of the forest can only hold wonders known to none .
The first foot Ryuu sets on the sandy beach sends a chill down his spine. True to the clue’s words, the trees are bent towards the ship in the direction they sailed from, almost as if they were greeting them. The crew’s looking around in wonder at the crystal clear pools of water, at the lush greenery that seems to extend forever.
“So Yamaguchi.” Captain says, and Yamaguchi startles to attention. “Where to next?”
Yamaguchi seems shocked that Captain had addressed him, but he looks around and sees the entire crew staring at him with anticipation in their eyes, Hinata and Kageyama are practically vibrating with excitement. Yamaguchi’s eyes meet Ryuu’s, and he gives Yamaguchi a small smile of reassurance.
“Well, the map says that the forest is pretty circular, and the rhyme says ‘heart of the forest’, so I’m sure that if we start walking, we’ll find some sort of a marker.” Yamaguchi says, shifting slightly in place.
Ryuu smiles. “Lead the way, navigator.”
(The trove of treasure they find takes almost the entire crew to carry back, and for the first time, Ryuu sees Yamaguchi cry from laughter at the party they throw that night.)