The Scarlett sailed forward until it reached land.
Noah and Nyx jumped off before the ship could even dock.
"Where are you two heading?" Emma asked.
"We're going to explore," Noah replied.
Emma threw the anchor into the water and jumped down from the ship.
"Explore? I have a problem with the two of you exploring together."
"Why is that?" Nyx asked, slightly confused.
"Because knowing Noah, he'll get into some sort of fight and from what I can tell after observing you for the past few days, you will also get into a fight." Emma replied, arms crossed.
Amy and Alice got off the ship.
"So what are you trying to say, Emma? That I can't go exploring?" Noah asked.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, CAPTAIN!!" Emma snapped.
Amy and Alice started laughing.
"Calm down, Emma," Amy said, trying not to grin.
"What's the matter?" Alice asked.
"I'm trying to explain to my CAPTAIN why I don't want him to go exploring."
"But I am the captain, so you can't stop me," Noah said.
"If you leave this area, I'm never talking to you again," Emma replied.
Noah paused… then sighed.
"...Okay. I won't go exploring."
Emma immediately pulled out a sheet of paper.
"Listen up, guys," she said. "We're running out of supplies. We need fresh water, fruits, and other necessities. So I'm assigning tasks."
"Noah and Nyx will search for fruits. Amy will look for ingredients or medical plants. Alice will collect fresh water. And I'll check the ship to see if it's damage."
Everyone nodded.
Nyx smirked. "Are you sure you're not the captain?"
"I'm sure," Emma replied instantly.
"…Because you sound like one," Nyx said.
Emma ignored her.
Noah and Nyx walked off into the forest.
"Let me help you with the empty water barrels," Emma said, heading back to the ship with Alice.
Amy yawned and walked into the forest, humming softly.
"Why do I feel like I got the horror mission…" she muttered.
THREE HOURS LATER…
"Do you think this is edible?" Noah asked, picking a strange-looking fruit.
Nyx glanced at it. "Not sure. Take a bite. If you don't die, it's safe."
"You're joking, right?"
Nyx chuckled. "Relax, Captain. It's edible."
"And how do you know that?" Noah asked.
"Because I ate one a few minutes ago when you weren't looking… and I'm not dead." Nyx replied.
Noah just stared at her.
"…You're insane." he said.
Nyx smiled proudly.
Noah suddenly stopped walking.
Nyx walked straight into him.
"Ow...what did you stop for?" she asked, rubbing her nose.
"Do you hear that?" Noah asked.
"Hear what..."
A large tiger burst out from the trees, flying straight toward them.
"That's a big cat," Nyx said, as it aimed for her neck.
Noah Haki surged.
"Vector Manipulation- Zero Motion Field."
The tiger froze mid-air… then dropped to the ground unconscious.
Nyx's eyes sparkled. "Can we keep it?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"It looks friendly."
"It tried to eat you."
"It was just saying hello aggressively."
Noah sighed. "The first time I met you, you were a cold-blooded Primordial. Now you're asking to keep wild animals."
Nyx crossed her arms. "Growth."
Noah shook his head, smiling. "Looks like we've got enough fruit. Let's head back."
Nyx opened her dimension and stored all the fruits, vegetables… and the tiger.
"…You still took it."
"Absolutely."
MEANWHILE…
"Okay, Amy… it's just a forest…" Amy whispered.
"A very creepy forest… a very dark forest… and I am VERY alone."
A branch snapped.
Amy froze.
"…Nope."
A bird chirped.
Amy turns around immediately, claws out. "WHO'S THERE?! SHOW YOURSELF!!"
The bird flew away.
"…I almost fought a bird," she muttered.
Then she looked up.
"…Why does it feel like night in here?"
The trees blocked almost all the sunlight.
Something skittered behind her.
Amy slowly turns around.
"…Nope. Nope. Nope."
A spider dropped onto her shoulder.
Amy screamed out, her voice echoing through the forest.
"GET IT OFF...GET IT OFF...GET IT OFF...!!"
She flailed wildly, slashing trees, leaves and the air.
The spider calmly hung above her shoulder.
Noah and Nyx heard her scream.
"…That sounded serious," Noah said.
"…or dramatic," Nyx replied.
They dashed toward her.
A minute later, they found Amy on the ground breathing heavily.
"What's wrong?" Noah asked.
Amy points at the ground, trembling.
"…Spider."
Nyx blinked.
"…You can fight god-like beings...and you're afraid of that?"
"How is it still alive?!" Amy shouted. "I attacked everything!!"
"That's your problem," Noah said. "You missed."
Nyx laughed.
A slug dropped onto Nyx's head.
Nyx froze.
"…Captain." Nyx said
"Yes?" Noah replied.
"…Remove it." Nyx begged.
"…You're a Primordial." Noah replied.
"I WILL DESTROY THIS FOREST." Nyx shout.
Noah burst out laughing.
Amy wiped her tears. "Now who's weak?"
Nyx flicked the slug off instantly. "That never happened."
Noah helped Amy up.
"Did you find any medical herbs?"
"Yes… and I never want to come back here again."
"Fair."
"Can we PLEASE go back now?" Amy begged.
Nyx raised her hand. "I second that. This forest is cursed."
Noah put his arms around both of them.
Amy froze, then started blushing.
"N-Noah, what are you doing?"
"We're leaving."
"Wait..like this?!"
"Yep."
Blip ⚡️
They appeared back on the Scarlett instantly.
Alice and Emma were already there.
"I see you all survived," Emma said.
"Barely," Amy whispered.
Nyx opened her dimension.
Fruits… vegetables… and a young girl fell onto the deck.
Everyone froze.
Emma slowly pointed. "Who… is that?"
Noah looked at Nyx.
"When did you kidnap a child?"
"I didn't kidnap anyone," Nyx said. "Only what we gathered… and the tiger…"
Nyx paused the smiled. She looked at Noah.
Noah looked back at her, then it hit him.
"…No." Noah said
Nyx nodded.
"No way." Noah said denying the possibility.
She nodded again.
"Wait...WAIT...are you saying that girl is the tiger?!" Noah said.
Nyx gave a proud thumbs up.
Emma sighed deeply. "…And of course it had to be a girl."
Alice tilted her head. "So… do we feed her meat or fruit?"
Amy backed away slowly. "If she turns back, I'm leaving the ship."
The girl groaned slightly.
Everyone leaned in.
Noah points at her. "If she wakes up and roars, I'm blaming you," he told Nyx.
Nyx grinned. "Worth it."
Emma crossed her arms. "Congratulations. You two went out for supplies… and came back with a child."
"…We are NOT babysitting," Amy said immediately.
The girl's stomach growled loudly.
Everyone paused.
Alice blinked. "…She's hungry."
Nyx smiled. "See? She already fits in."
Noah sighed, rubbing his head. "We can't even go one day without something weird happening."
Emma looked at him.
"You're the problem."
"…That's fair." he replied.