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A Rift in Direction


by internal_darkness

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Surrounded by the pressing waves upon the boat, and the pinching cold that flooded the air, they knew that there was no turning back. They were committed.

     "There it is boys.. our future," Ben Eyrie said, mysteriously.

     A sudden wave of anxiety and fear rushed through each of them.

     "Where? I don't see it.. I don't see a thing!" Marvin Kyrii exclaimed.

     "Shh!" Ben replied.

     From the finger on his lip he slowly started pointing forward to the smallest, yet exuberant light. It was still many miles out, and the light of the island was faint, yet noticeable. By now, everyone had become aware of what he was talking about. It was true. Seeing the light in the distance made them realize they were finally closing in on what they had set out to do. What started out as years of speculation, months of planning, and days of preparation, was now being executed. The anxiety was starting to settle in heavily, even leading one of them to start questioning it all.

     With a sudden impulse, Peter Bruce wanted answers. "How do we know?"

     "Know what?" Ben replied.

     "I mean," Peter said, with his voice noticeably louder, "how do we know this is actually going to work? How can you be sure at all?"

     Taking a few seconds to think before he spoke, Ben knew he couldn't have anyone questioning the process, it would only make this whole thing end in failure.

     In the calmest manner possible, he replied, "I think I know what's best for us."

     While the back and forth talk continued between Ben and Peter, Marvin was simply a spectator through it all. Marvin was concerned about everything as well, he had his doubts just as Peter did. He wanted answers too, but he knew better than to question Ben. Throughout everything, Ben has always brought good and has done what was best for all of them. Marvin knew his concerns were real, but eventually Ben's words had a calming affect on him, and he became more relaxed. However, this wasn't the case for Peter.

     "Yeah," he shouted at Ben, "Well, I'm not convinced!"

     Peter folded his arms in front of his chest and walked away.

     "You'll see," Ben replied, "you just have to trust me."

     When things finally settled down, and the warming sun started peaking its head out off in the distance, Marvin's thirst for adventure started kicking in. With bright eyes and a cheesy grin, he walked over to the side of the boat and placed his hands on the rails and began looking into the water.

     "Whoa," he said ecstatically, "you guys, come check this out!"

     Marvin had never been on a boat. He was only used to seeing trees, grass, mud and sand surrounding him.

     "This is great!" he yelled. "You guys really should.."

     Marvin was cut short of expressing his joy.

     "Marvin!" Ben said angrily, standing up and walking towards him, "get away from the rails, now!"

     Marvin glanced at Ben with a look of confusion, he thought for sure he was joking. Marvin gave a nervous chuckle.

     "Really guys.. come check this out!" Marvin replied.

     Marvin turned his head back to the water and it was as if he became lost in it. It seemed like he was staring into it for hours, but it was only a few seconds. Suddenly, Marvin felt a hand grab his shoulders, ripping him from the rails.

     "I said get away from the rails!" Ben yelled.

     Marvin said, with a look of confusion, "But.. I.."

     Ben interrupted, "Next time, listen to me!"

     Marvin's eyes moved from left to right at a high speed; he became anxious again, but the thought to never question Ben once again prevailed. Marvin nodded.

     "This isn't a joke," Ben proceeded cautiously. "There are things out here that I can't even begin to describe."

     In an attempt to not get Marvin or Peter too worried, Ben tried to lighten things up.

     "Heh. Here, uh.. take these TCG cards. Go sit down and just look at them, will ya?"

     When Marvin went to sit down, Ben stayed right where he was, looking out over the open waters. It was morning, so the sun was giving light on their situation and giving them a better feeling than the dark and freezing night was. Plus, they were beginning to close in on the island.

     Ben looked back at them and said with a stern voice, "We're here."

     When the boat finally brushed up against the sand, they jumped out, landing on their knees and the palms of their hands. Marvin and Peter looked at each other with a smile, they thought it was wonderful! Meanwhile, Ben was all business. He wasn't expressing happiness or fear, he was just concentrating on getting to shore safely and unloading the boat.

     "Hey Ben, do you mind passing me the water?" Peter asked.

     "Get it yourself," Ben said, giving him a stare. "I'm busy."

     Peter went to grab the water but noticed that his hands and knees still had an awful amount of sand on them, and he didn't want to get any of it in the fresh drinking water. He headed a few feet out into the water, and started rubbing his knees and his hands together with all of the water that was now surrounding him.

     Marvin noticed him doing this but was afraid to speak up; he didn't want Ben finding out what Peter was doing. All Marvin could think about was what would Ben's reaction be if he caught someone actually IN the water? He tried waving to get Peter's attention, implying for him to get out of the water. Peter never noticed.

     Ben bent down to pick up a few sticks that he had dropped that he planned on using to make a fire later that night, and in the corner of his eye is when he noticed Peter, completely submerged in the water from his waist down. Ben dropped everything, ran to peter, grabbing him by his neck and pulling him back onto the shore ferociously.

     "Hey, what's the big idea!?" Peter exclaimed.

     Ben snapped. "Are you trying to get yourself KILLED!?"

     "Ben," Peter hinted, "calm down, it's just water."

     "No, it's not JUST water! I don't want either of you two by the water EVER. Do you understand me?" Ben said furiously.

     Marvin and Peter looked at each other and back at Ben.

     "DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?" Ben repeated, almost screaming.

     "Yes," they both replied, nodding profusely, "we understand, Ben."

     Ben didn't give either of them a second look, he grabbed everything he dropped and started heading back up the shore to where they would camp, which was only a small distance away. Marvin and Peter knew then that there was something peculiar about this water. What could it be that Ben felt he had to be so protective of, or worse, afraid of.

     Ben started the fire, sitting next to it so that he could gain some warmth. Marvin and Peter both joined him. Marvin suddenly felt the need to ask something, he had a whole Island around him, and they were sitting here in front of the fire, doing nothing, as if they were waiting for something.

     "Hey Ben," Marvin said, waiting for Ben to look at him, "what do we do next?"

     "We wait," Ben replied

     Marvin wanted more information. With a cold feeling rushing through his body, as the fire was doing no good, he felt the urge to speak up.

     "What are we waiting for, Ben?"

     "Well," he said cautiously, trying not to say more than he needed to say, "we're just waiting for the opportunity."

     None of them had gotten much sleep the night before, so they found themselves closing their eyes to get some rest.

     Ben and Peter woke up to the sound of Marvin digging. They noticed a huge pile of sand next to the hole Marvin was standing in.

     Peter applauded, "All right! Less work for us! Ha ha"

     Ben, however, wasn't as excited. He knew the work Marvin had begun was pointless. They had all made a plan to find the buried treasure at Krawk Island, but Ben was the brains behind everything. He made it up. Every last bit of what he said to them, it was all fake, and he knew it was time to tell them what they were really here for.

     "Marvin,.." Ben said, looking at him with disappointment, "you can stop digging."

     "What, are you crazy? I'm making good progress here!"

     Marvin said, struggling to say each word without a breathe because of how hard he was digging.

     Ben took a step forward, breathed deeply, and knew it was time to speak up.

     "There's no buried treasure."

     Marvin stopped digging, but not yet looking at Ben. He couldn't believe it. He was still in a stance as if he was going to keep digging. It was easy to tell there were a million thoughts rushing through his head.

     "You're joking, right?" Peter said.

     Marvin looked at Peter, then looked at Ben. Marvin then felt the need to ask as well.

     "Yeah... you're joking,.. right?"

     "I'm afraid not," Ben responded

     Marvin was shocked. Of all the times he told himself to trust Ben, that Ben was always right, to NEVER question him... he does this. Marvin wasn't afraid to ask for answers anymore.

     "Well, Ben, then you need to tell me what we ARE doing here," Marvin yelled, crawling out of the hole he had just dug.

     "Well, Marvin, Peter," Ben began saying in slight anticipation, "we're here to fight the infamous Water Jetsam."

     A huge twist and turn feeling went through Marvin and Peter's stomachs. They have heard rumors about the Water Jetsam, but never did they think they would have to deal with him, or even think he was real for that matter.

     Just then, the Water Jetsam rose up out of the water with his jaws munching up and down!

     "Argh, argh, argh, argh!"

     "Ahhh," Marvin and Peter screamed, "run for your life!"

     Ben didn't move. Instead, he approached the Water Jetsam, with no weapons even in his hand.

     "What in the world is he thinking!" they yelled.

     Ben was now face to face with the Water Jetsam. Marvin and Peter could only watch in sheer anticipation. They feared the worst!

     Ben pulled out his right fist, and laid it on top of his left hand, which was an open palm. The Water Jetsam did the same, or rather, did his best!

     Marvin and Peter were confused.

     "Huh?" they both said, looking at each other.

     All of a sudden...

     "Water, Fire, Sponge!"

     "Water, Fire, Sponge!"

     "Water, Fire, Sponge!" Ben and the Water Jetsam yelled, in perfect sync with one another.

     Ben on his final call, called Sponge. The Water Jetsam, on his, called Water.

     A huge light formed around the two, so bright it was blinding. The Water Jetsam started being soaked up by a sponge, and within seconds, was gone forever.

     Ben fell back, taking deep breaths and coughing.

     "Peter! Please, get me some water!"

     Peter started running to get the water, still not believing what he just saw, but then stopped.

     "No," he said gently, with a smile, "get it yourself!"

     Ben looked at him, with a hopeless face.

     "Nah, I'm only joking! Here you go!"

     Ben smiled and took a huge drink of the water and then lay back down completely, still taking huge breaths. He finally worked up the strength to say something.

     "Alright, we can go home now. We got to work early tomorrow."

     Marvin and Peter looked at each other, with a playful smile.

     "I don't think we need to work tomorrow, Ben," Marvin said.

     "Are you joking, a lot of people are counting on us to get those neopoints!" Ben replied.

     Marvin, who was now sitting next to Ben, said, "Well, when I was digging... I sort of found something, but it was too heavy to get by myself."

     Marvin and Peter went into the hole and brought something up, with Ben not yet knowing what it was exactly. They dropped it in front of him.

     "It's a treasure chest Ben, we found it!" they exclaimed.

     "You guys," Ben said with sadness, "I told you, there is no..."

     Marvin and Peter suddenly grabbed Ben's hands and put it in the opened treasure chest and he felt all the gold pieces running through his fingers, one by one. He jumped up with amazement, screaming at the top of his lungs.

     "I can't believe this!" he said.

     "Yeah, it's great, huh?" Marvin said.

     "You bet! Let's go home, but let's stop at the Hidden Tower first!" Ben said.

     "Sure, Ben," Marvin said with a smile, "but just one last thing.."

     Ben, with a full smile on his face, and grabbing all the gold pieces, said, "Yes, Marvin?"

     "I don't think they accept Gold Chocolate Coins," Marvin replied.

     Ben dropped them all and then looked at Marvin in disbelief.

     "What?" Ben replied.

     "Yeah, never lie to us again." Marvin said, laughing.

The End

 
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