Ull and Blackstache signal for their ships to come back over and take them away.

“It would be wise if we did not spend too much time here,” Ull explains.

“That’s understandable,” Fenrir says.

“Given your prior expectation, should I expect you to steal my ship and send it into the sun?”

“Don’t worry. Serra here wants to steal Blackstache’s ship, but I don’t think any of us are interested in yours.”

“I heard that,” Blackstache says.

Serra hides behind Fenrir even more now.

“You do not find my ship worthy of stealing?” Ull asks.

“I don’t plan on stealing any ships. The Shoebill here is my one and only,” Fenrir answers.

“You are more faithful to your ship than your girlfriends.”

“H-hey, the multiple girlfriends thing was their idea.”

Ull raises a hand to cover his mouth as he softly laughs. “My Liz is the same, so I understand.” He looks at one of the girls, Cassiel, whom has been suspiciously eyeing him throughout almost the entire conversation. “Is there a problem?” he asks her.

“I – I don’t get you. You were acting like a real asshole back on your ship and with Nell, but now you’re friendly. What’s with the change? How can we trust how you’re behaving now?” Cassiel asks.

“Much like how your lover here once played the role of many worlds’ most hated villain, and how Blackstache acts the part of an accented pirate, I am just giving my viewers and followers what they expect of me. Given that none of them are around at the moment, I can act more like myself – I can be Ekon rather than act like Ull.”

“Ekon… what ethnicity is that name? Never heard it before,” Fenrir asks.

“I am from Nigeria, wolf. And no, I was not in Lagos for the flooding. Everybody always asks that when they find out I’m from Nigeria.”

“Actually, I’m more curious about how you got into Norse mythology.”

“Same way you did, most likely. The internet is a great tool for learning regardless of what region one lives in.”

Fenrir looks behind Ull and sees his longship getting closer. Time to wrap things up. Fenrir holds his hand out for a shake.

Ull grabs his arm instead and holds onto it. “You and your crew were fierce competitors in the tournament, wolf. We may have our… disagreements, but you and yours are worthy of respect,” he says.

Fenrir grabs onto Ull’s arm the same way that Ull is holding is. “You’re pretty cool when you’re not pretending to be an asshole,” Fenrir says.

“Unfortunately, being an asshole is what gets me viewers.”

“Fen,” Cassiel interjects, “what about the NPCs they killed?”

Fenrir lets go of Ull’s arm and looks back at her. He doesn’t like just brushing past that, and he still wants to help NPCs however he can, but what is he supposed to say to Ull? He can’t just ask him to be nice to NPCs now, and he doubts that his millions of followers would listen. There is a fundamental difference in beliefs at play here. To some, NPCs in games – the AIs in Fantasy Tales Online are as disposable as ants on a sidewalk. To Fenrir, they are living beings deserving of respect and rights. He knows that he is not objectively right, too.

“As part of the alliance with Blackstache, my followers are to avoid killing or maiming sapient NPCs whenever possible. Monsters and criminals are not subject to this, but those who are just trying to live their lives will be spared if possible. I hope you understand that it all I have the power to enforce,” Ull explains. “I should also mention that your actions influenced that entering the deal, wolf.”

Fenrir looks back at Ull and sees an immediate change in expression before he can say anything.

“Now then, wolf, if I find that you are lying to me then keep in mind what I said. I will not hesitate to hunt you down no matter where you may be, and I will ensure that no mercy is afforded to you,” Ull says, his tone more demanding and cold than it was just moments ago. “You are fortunate that you won the tournament.” With that, Ull turns around and crosses the gangplank over onto his longship.

“Guess it’s time for me to be going as well,” Blackstache says.

“It was nice seeing you again. I’ll send you an email with my new Fiscord information so that we can stay in touch, and I better get some pictures of your baby when she’s out,” Fenrir tells him.

“I’ll make sure of it. But, you better watch out,” Blackstache says while pointing at Fenrir’s girlfriends. Each one of them has sparkles in their eyes and slightly reddened cheeks. “They’ve looked like that ever since you mentioned babies.”

Cassiel and Serra aren’t the only ones. Fenrir feels a sense of excited impatience coming from Nell as well.

He’s going to need to get one damn good job to support their expectations.

Wait, is Nell a part of their relationship now?

Fenrir nervously laughs and rubs the back of his head. “We’ll see what happens.”

“Going with you,” Bonekraka tells Blackstache.

“What’s going on? You’re not staying with Ryo and Spence?” Blackstache asks the orc.

“Nyet. They are boring now. Tournament was most fighting we had since started playing.”

“I can see why you of all people would be upset then.”

Oleander and Fenrir look at each other. They feel guilty for not being able to make things more fun for Bonekraka, but they also know in their hearts that this is the best thing for them all. It was only a matter of time, and Bonekraka did tell them that he was going to leave after the tournament. If he doesn’t leave now, he’ll just leave the next time they dock The Shoebill.

“You can come back whenever you want, Viktor,” Fenrir says, holding out his hand.

“Da,” Bonekraka says and shakes his hand.

Oleander goes in for a full-on cling attack against Bonekraka’s free arm.

“Don’t cheat on me with any other cute boys while you’re gone!” Oleander whines before getting promptly shaken off and grunted at.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of him,” Blackstache says.

“Nyet. Only want to go back to port. Going to go on my own for a while,” Bonekraka explains.

“Well, we’ll still have you on Fiscord at least.”

Bonekraka lets go of Fenrir’s hand and walks over to Blackstache’s ship now that it’s arrived.

Fenrir doesn’t like how he didn’t get a response to that, and Oleander looks confused as well.

“Where you going after this?” Blackstache asks, standing in front of his ship’s gangplank.

“Not sure yet. Have to talk it over with my crew, but I’m thinking we might head east. Not sure if we’re ready to cross the ocean and go west yet,” Fenrir says.

“Shame you can’t stick around,” Blackstache says, looking at the floorboards. He is well aware that Nell must be down there. “But I’m sure you’ll cause trouble wherever you go.”

“I hope not,” Fenrir says with another laugh. “It was good catching up with you.”

The two men shake hands, and then Blackstache says his goodbyes to Oleander before looking at Serra and Cassiel. “Don’t get jealous if this sly dog gets himself a following of girls. He always makes his avatars to attract girls, and he’s got the sort of personality that gets him into tons of trouble with them,” Blackstache explains.

“I’ve noticed,” Cassiel says.

Serra nods her head and hugs Fenrir’s arm.

“Until next time, Fenrir and tha crew o’ Tha Shoebill. Yer all welcome in Port Tugator if any of ya ever come on back ‘round these waters,” Blackstache says with a twirl of his mustache before crossing the gangplank and returning to his ship.

Both Blackstache’s and Ull’s ships sail up to the wreckage of the ship they sunk, surely planning on investigating it for any important items from the empire.

The Shoebill is free to go wherever now. With the tournament being won, Nell safe below deck, and goodbyes said, there is nothing tying The Shoebill nor its crew to these waters any longer.

“Let’s find somewhere safe to dock so that I can go and take a nap. I’m exhausted,” Fenrir says. “I barely got any sleep the last few nights.”

Nobody has an issue with that request.

Everybody but Oleander and Corwin head below deck. While Tabitha checks on her engine, Fenrir, Serra, Cassiel, and Rock check on Nell.

Nell excitedly jumps up and wraps her arms around Fenrir’s neck! He’s not even able to say anything to her before she clings onto him and nuzzles the side of her face against his own. “My hero! You truly did save me,” she says.

“Told you I would, didn’t I?” Fenrir replies and pats her on her back.

“Welcome to the harem, Nell Nell,” Serra says.

“H-hey, I never said she could join,” Cassiel says. However, when she sees Nell looking at her with puppy-snake eyes, she pouts and looks away. “Fine. You’re lucky we like you.”

“Cass Cass is so easy,” Serra teases and pokes Cassiel in the side before she gets to huff and shout about being easy. Instead, she huffs and shouts about being poked and making her squeak.

Tabitha rolls her eyes while opening the engine up.

“If Cassiel is Cass Cass, and I am Nell Nell, what does that make you?” Nell asks Serra, still clinging to Fenrir’s neck, and blinks a couple of times.

“Serra Berra,” Serra explains.

“Serra Berra! That sounds adorable! Who came up with that one?”

Serra points at Fenrir while Cassiel shakes her by her shoulders.

“What is my hero’s nickname?” Nell asks.

“Fen, Fenny, Sausage Provider,” Serra says.

“H-hey, I haven’t heard that last one before,” Fenrir says.

“Worry not, my hero. You will forever be my hero and nothing else! Well, until you become my husband, but it is unfortunately too soon for that,” Nell explains.

“Cass Cass, we have competition to see who he marries first,” Serra says.

“I’ve noticed,” Cassiel groans.

With the three girls all exchange innocent yet challenging looks at one another, Fenrir slips out from Nell’s arms and rejoins Oleander and Corwin above deck. He needs a bit of man time.

Unfortunately for the wolf, the two lovers are busy having their own man time at the ship’s wheel.

“I’m sorry for what they do while on you,” Fenrir mentally apologizes to The Shoebill.