Despite herself, Lina couldn't help but smile a bit at Chester's words. Steeling herself, she stood to her feet, bracing, before taking a long gulp. She heard descriptions, but it still couldn't prepare her as the liquid burned down her throat. Swallowing, her eyes began to water as she coughed, before she cried, "I'M GOING TO BE A PIRATE!" Those nearby got a bit quiet, a few throwing looks Lina's way. As she retreated back to her seat, one of the older men near the windmill laughed, "Hitting the sauce too hard there?" Blushing, Lina put aside the drink, certain that the taste would linger for a while. Wondering how late it was, she muttered, "I need to get to bed. Lino too...where'd she..." Turning back to Chester, she saw the man passed out, back on the wooden dock. "Already!?" Her muscles ached prematurely as she imagined having to drag him and Reno back home...but maybe she didn't have too. --- Shuffling...shuffling... From the couch of his home, Reno cracked open one of his eyes. He moved to get up, but he groaned in pain, his wounds keeping him down. After a moment, he heard Lina ask, "Reno? You're up?" "Looks like it," he croaked, lying back down. Noticing that it was still dark, he wondered, "What time is it?" Lina giggled, "It's getting close to dawn." Going over to his side, she began, "I think you were right: it's probably best to get out of here as soon as we can. Not that I could sleep..." "Hng?" Lina chortled proudly, "I found that ship the Azure Company was going to put Chester on and stuffed him there last night. We're going to take it and let Boss Cerulean come to us. I mean, it's Azure Company property, but you're a member so..." Reno brought a hand to his head, muttering, "Yeah, good thinking. As long as Chester-" "What's goin' on?" came a small groggy voice. Feeling a pang in his chest, Reno forced himself up through the ache. Lino stood by the hall to her room in her nightclothes, rubbing her eyes. There was a case of luggage by the door, no doubt filled with Lina's belongings. Spotting them, Lino stared for a moment, before asking, "Are you leaving?" Lina swallowed, before nodding. "I'm going with Chester. We-" Lina stopped as Lino's face tightened. Her eyes began to water. Lina flailed her arms a bit, but the words to comfort her didn't seem to come. "You were gonna leave?" "Well, Boss Cerulea-" "You were gonna leave without saying goodbye?" Words caught in her throat, Lina ran over to Lino, pulling her sister into a hug. "Of course I'm not going to leave without saying goodbye!" she said, eyes teary. Clutching her older sister, Lino only cried harder. As she started to calm down, Lina said, "Chester's a pirate, but he's a good person. That's why things are going to get better here, even though we'll be gone. But we'll be back one day. Soon!" Lino sniffled, "Will it be tomorrow?" Lina laughed, "It'll be before you even know it." After a few more teary goodbyes, Lino was finally hushed to bed. Grabbing his crutch, Reno asked, "Do you have everything?" Wiping her eyes, Lina nodded. "I put some of the leftovers on the boat with Chester. And I've got plenty of Melonberries, seeds included. You should probably stay home though." Reno shook his head, and Lina didn't argue further. In the quiet night, the calm after the storm, the two made their way through the town, starlight keeping them along. Clutching the handle of her luggage a bit tighter, Lina said, "I feel like I'm running. You'll still be here with the Azure Company, Lino's going to be growing up..." Reno was quiet for a moment, before he began, "Six years ago..." Lina swallowed as they reached the touchy subject, but he continued, "When the pirates descend, mom took you two. She shouldn't have died, but she did. Bad luck and a stray bullet. Thankfully Suan was there, even if his foot was hurt." Lina blinked: she hadn't heard every detail... "Dad fought though, like most of the militia, but Tatin, Chin, Irvin, me...[i]we[/i] ran away. I was your age. That's old enough, but I still ran and hid." Looking up to Lina, he finished, "That night, I ran away. From now on, we'll only run forwards." Swelling with pride, Lina gave a wide smile. --- Standing at the dock by a small, blue sailed boat, the eastern seas began to glow with the slightest bit of daylight. Loading on her luggage, Lina went back to Reno, before gingerly pulling him into a hug. In his usual stone faced mood, he didn't exactly help her, but she got one off anyway. "Slow motion hug," she said. Reno snorted, and soon the two were trying to hold back laughter, lest they wake Chester. When was the last time the two shared a laugh? As Reno's wounds started to hurt, Lina let go, before boarding the boat. Minutes later, the sail was unfurled and a gentle breeze took them into the ocean. Lina waved until she couldn't see Reno any more, then a bit longer just to be sure. Just before the sun itself became visible, she saw the island she left, where everyone she'd ever known had been, and felt so small, but the ocean forwards was so very vast and full of possibility. Meanwhile, Chester was still passed out in the cabin like a lump.