Lexy woke up to the sound of barking and sat up,

“I’m up.” And the barking stopped. Lexy changed into a spare blue hoodie and black slim genes. The blond grabbed the bubble capture potions into her hoodie pockets.

She slipped her red aviator goggles over her head. She turned to glance out the window only to see its pitch-black outside and then the small blond leaves her room feeling refreshed.

She turned to Varikin,

“Alright, I’m ready.” Varikin noded and the two-headed downstairs. Lexy now in the lobby stopped “wait I want to at least grab some food.”

Varikin noded and the two-headed through a hallway on the lower level of the house. Lexy took a left and went through a door opening to the dining room. Lexy was expecting no one to be there only to see a maid standing by the doors to the kitchen.

The maid smiled when she spotted Lexy,

“Hello, young miss I'll go to warm up your meal.”

Lexy put her hand out,

“ wait.”

The maid stopped,

“yes?” Lexy gave a sheepish smile,

“Could you just put the food in a paper bag please and no pie?” she smiled,

“Of course young miss.”

Within a few moments after leaving the maid returned with a large paper bag and handed it to Lexy,

“enjoy your time in the forest.” Lexy smiled,

“I will.” With the bag of food in hand, the two left the dining room, and then they exited the hallway. They entered the empty lobby Lexy already felt anticipation begin to stir inside she huffed and pushed the feeling down.

The two exited the mansion, the darkness greeted the duo with a gentle wind. Lexy turned to Varikin,

“Can you see?” Varikin smirked,

“Of course.”

Lexy nodded, leaned down, and touched Varikin’s scruff. She closed her eyes and looked up to see in the sky. The moon glowing almost brighter than a star and, in the distance, she could see a large ring-like structure that also was glowing. But beyond that, the stars look the same, just not their placement.

Lexy looked around to see the rebellion's door was now on top of a plateau and to her surprise, she saw Fendres talking to two other rebels. Behind the three was a ship the size of a medium party boat fit for sea. It had large feathers sticking out of its sides and was strapped to what Lexy could only assume to be a blimp.

Lexy then looked at the two figures Fendres was talking to. One looked like a male bipedal ram wearing leather armor and a red scarf. The back flowing like a cape. He looked to be armed with two knives and a large curved blade.

While the other was a female bipedal raccoon wearing a vest, wrist bands, a light tan shirt, and short shorts. She was resting her arms on a rod and doesn’t seem to be very armed.

Lexy approached the three and Fendres turned to her,

“oh hey, you got here just in time to meet your two escorts. She pointed to the male bipedal ram,

“This is Reginal,” she then pointed to the raccoon “and she is Tela.” She said pointing to the two.

Reginal and Tela turned to Lexy and Varikin,

“So this is our ace? Not what I expected but I will take what I can get.”

He said while he put his cloven hand out to shake. Lexy smiled while she ignored the comment,

“I’m Lexy and this is Varikin.”

Tela smiled,

“Nice to meet you two. Go get your equipment, time is of the essence.”

Lexy nodded and went to the rack and put on her flight uniform and her mech. Lexy is now equipped and her father’s blade by her side. She walked over to the other three while Varikin hopped back on Lexy's shoulder.

Lexy turned to Reginal and Tela “alright I’m ready.” The two nodded and headed back onto the ship Lexy shortly behind. Once the three were on the ship Reginal picked up the wooden plank they used to board the ship.

Reginal headed to the steering system and pushed a lever. The ship came to life and began moving forward. Lexy looked back to Fendres who saluted Lexy when she faded from her vision.

Lexy looked around the boat and saw a few chairs around and she sat down. Lexy looked at her mech's cuffs only to see a note on her right cuff. “ There is now an on and off switch for your mech on the cuff I placed the note on.” Lexy peeled off the note and sure enough, there was an on and off switch on the right cuff.

She switched it off and put on the cuff. Lexy was about to say something only to hear from Reginal,

“all hands prepare for rising!”

Lexy was unsure of what to do besides hang on to the side railing of the ship as it climbed in altitude. The ship moved through the clouds and stopped rising once above them.

Varikin shuddered to look at the height,

“I can’t take this I’m hiding in the bag, wake me when it’s over!” that Varikin scurried into the bag.

Tela came up to Lexy from a lower deck with a spyglass in hand,

“do you know how to use one of these?” she said, handing it to Lexy.

The blond nodded,

“yup, want me to keep a lookout?”

Tela nodded,

“yea I’ll be working on the food we should reach the base by sundown in the meantime do tell me if there are any ships near.”

Lexy nodded,

“got it!” With that Lexy expanded the looking glass and peered through it just clouds and some openings here and there, after three hours Lexy pulled out her food bag. She pulled out her sandwich and took a bite when she looked through the spyglass again to see a large clearing of clouds.

The ship enters the clearing and Lexy looks down out of curiosity. She looked down to see a set of four islands and an ocean.

Tela comes up to her with a bowl of mushrooms in hand.

“Hey kid, have you seen anything yet?”

Lexy looked up and picked up her sandwich. Tela raised a brow,

“What is that?”

Lexy smiled,

“It's a sandwich I brought with me since I didn’t eat breakfast at home.”

Tela nodded,

“oh ok so is it ok if I have your bowl?”

Lexy nods “sure I don’t care. Oh, and question what are the islands down there?” Tela shudders “those are the monster lies only death awaits whoever is foolish enough to go there. They say Orien sleeps there and incases himself in stone to trick the foolish.”

Lexy nodded,

“oh, scary.”

Tela then glanced around,

“Where is your wonder wolf?”

Lexy pointed to her backpack,

“He's not a fan of heights.”

Lexy pulls a chunk of her sandwich off and puts it into her bag,

“Tell me if you want more, ok?”

The only response she gets is the sound of munching and an “ok” Lexy picked up her sandwich and takes a bite.

But she stopped when she looked beyond Tela was an incoming ship that was on the horizon. Lexy stood up with concern on her face when she grabbed the spyglass and looked through it.

Tela now shared the same expression and followed the young blond's gaze when she saw the ship. She looked back to Lexy,

“what is it?”

Lexy looked and a small part of her was excited while the rest of her was filled with dread knowing exactly what was coming at them.

“Uh, it's a ship.”

Tela’s eyes widen,

“What flag is at the top, kid, this is important. What flag.”

Lexy shrugged,

“a skull with crossbones and black background.”

Tela cursed under her breath,

“Damn it, why did it have to be pirates?”

Lexy turned to Tela,

“Wait for their pirates in this world… ok at least there’s something that makes sense. So, does this ship have a defense system or not?”

Tela rushed past her,

“no, it doesn’t.” She rushed up to Reginal,

“We've got bloody pirates approaching from the east there going to catch us at this rate.”

Reginal huffed,

“Damn it, we don’t even have enough to quench whatever tax they will want and tell Lexy to get under deck. She is our number one priority.”

Tela nodded and rushed back to Lexy,

“Kid, I need you to go under the deck, don't make a noise and you might make it.”

With that Tela opened the hatch to the lower deck. Lexy headed down,

“got it.” And Tela closes it behind her. Lexy looks around and sees two hammocks and a small cooking area. Lexy taped her bag,

“Varikin we’ve got trouble.”

Varikin hopped out of her bag and climbed onto her shoulder growling,

“I will fight if it means you live.”

Lexy smiled,

“Glad to hear it but I need you to stay in your current form until the last second. Just stay calm and if things go the way I think they will, I need you to be calm.”

Varikin noded “Very well I trust you.”

Tela and Reginal stop the ship's hands-on their weapons ready if things go south. The two watched when a ship twenty times the size of theirs stopped next to theirs.

On it was a horde worth of goblins, elves, and steering the ship is a black bipedal wolf creature wearing a skull on the top of his face. He was wearing a feathered tricorn along with a captain’s robe.

The captain along with two elves swing from some ropes and land on the smaller ship. The captain smirked,

“I must thank you for ya cooperation. Usually, my men and I must shoot, then ask questions later. So, what are yea two lonesome birds doing out here and what do ye have to offer some and my men are persuaded enough to let ye live?”

Reginal swallowed hard and tossed the captain a medium-sized bag of shillings. The captain opened it and hummed. He then handed the bag to the elf next to him,

“well, I’m sorry to say that’s only enough for one of you to live unless you have more?”

Reginal looked to Tela who shook her head,

“We don't have anymore.” She said with venom in her voice.

The captain put his hand like a paw over his chest,

“oh lass you hurt me I don’t want to have to choose who to kill so I'll tell you what we will take half of what we like from your ship and we let you live Fair?”

Tela was about to protest but Reginal shakes his head,

“It's not worth it.”

The captain smirked,

“see lass he gets it.” The captain turned to his two elven companions,

“go to the lower deck and take half of their supplies. Fuel, food, whatever.”

The two noded and head lower deck only for one of them to quickly come back up with Lexy in hand “captain there’s a third and look at her hair it’s made of gold.”

Varikin snarled at the elf baring his teeth for even trying to touch Lexy. The elf stands behind Lexy who keeps a calm face and turns to Varikin,

“Varikin what did I say earlier. So sorry about him. Hello good sir.”

Tela raised a brow at Lexy’s calm demeanor. While the captain asked, “well this is unexpected you have two more I’m sorry but taking half of the ye supplies will not be enough to cover these two. I guess we will have to kill three or take all of your supplies.”

Lexy raised a brow and smiled,

“I’m so sorry but that’s not going to happen. If anything, you should be worried about your life and your crews.”

The captain and his crew burst laughing,

“oh, little one ye must be joking. I like ye spunk but check ye numbers mine are much higher than ye and let’s not forget ye about half the size of me so what a little thing like you going to do?”

Lexy blew out what could have been smoked. She focused on her magic and instead of staying on the shallow end. She focused on her anger and spreading out her magic. She gripped her fists in anger,

“excuse me but I think you should be careful who YOU CALL SHORT.” Varikin could feel the magic and like the last two times, he felt it. He was rendered immovable along with Reginal, Tela, the captain, and his crew.

The captain wheezes out a response,

“you gah what are ye.”

Lexy snarled,

“I’m sorry that’s not what I want to hear. I want an apology and safe passage through these airways and so help me I hear you EVER bother these two again I WILL KILL YOU. Now say it, all of you.”

The captain whimpered as his ears drooped,

“I’m, I’m sorry.” Then the rest of the crew in unison,

“sorry.” Lexy then gives a happy smile,

“good”

The captain raised a hand while shaking,

“then young miss what ships are we allowed to take from?”

Lexy smirked,

“Anawarath soldiers if anything I recommend you do. But not the rebellions if you do. know well who will be coming for you. Got it puppy?”

The captain whimpered and nodded with the rest of the crew.

“y-yes mam. Thank you, mam.” Lexy nods and takes a deep breath to calm down.

The captain stood up and he and his two elves grabbed their ropes and headed back to their ship. The captain turned to his crew,

“What are ye all looking at? Let's get a move on and not bother them any further ye scurvy dogs.” The crew quickly got to work on setting sail and leaving.

Tela and Reginal shared glances and Tela was the first to speak,

“Remind me not to get you angry. No wonder you’re our ace.”

Lexy shrugged, “I don’t even entirely know how that works myself. Heck, I wasn’t even expecting that to work.”

Tela sighed,

“bloody, well I’m glad it did, who knows how bad that could have gone. But the quick question would you have really killed them?” she said curiosity was in her eyes.

Lexy smiled,

“No, I don’t have the guts for that a lot. Would you be surprised if I told you I hate killing”

Tela shook her head,

“It does actually I thought you were going to kill him the second he called you short.”

Reginal nodded,

“Well, let’s get moving on the double.”

Lexy sighed,

“that I can agree to.” Reginal then headed back to the steering system and the ship started moving again.

The next five hours were uneventful for Lexy when she fazed in and out of sleep. Until the next time, she opened her eyes and the sun was setting on land and she woke up to hearing Reginal shout,

“all hands prepare for landing! We will descend in t -minus ten.” Lexy’s eyes widened and she leaped to grab onto the railing of the ship.

The ship began descending and some of the loose crates slide to the front of the ship, when the ship lowers Lexy sees more and more of the land. Lexy began smelling the salty air and began seeing the rebellion's sea outpost. She then realized the outpost was on the back of a giant turtle.