The placid, rolling waves break as the ship forces its way through them. White foaming particles roil and turn, the ship’s intrusion putting them in a state of broken flux. Shia peers over the ship's railing behind the boat. The wake of water the ship left stretched far enough that individual ripples were indistinguishable. Still being displaced by an object that has long since passed.
Perhaps he belonged with those dying waves, rather than on top of the ship.
“You haven’t stopped looking at the water since the voyage started, Shia.” The Oshawott Guildleader moves to Shia’s side and gives him a friendly smile before speaking again, “At a certain point I start to wonder why?”
Shia pauses for a long time, looking at his Guildleader as he explained as honestly as he could, “I raped my friend…” Shia let those words hang in the air. The Oshawott’s smile faded, and they could hear the creaking of the boat in all the silence. He cast his gaze back to the water. “I’m looking at the sea because, well… Maybe people like me belong at the bottom of it...”
The Guildleader looks down at the water as well. “I’ve heard about what happened to you, Shia. Sounds like you're guilty of the same thing that was done to you...”
“And I’m probably no better than the person who hurt me… He got what he deserved, so for me...” Shia’s eyes gloss over as he tenses up against the railing. Contemplating the water’s depths.
The Oshawott sighs, collecting his thoughts before speaking, “Time might prove you to be the same, but for now you aren’t. You’re at least remorseful for what you’ve done. And you are in control of your life now…”
“I don’t know how to make up for that kind of mistake. I feel like I deserve to pay. But I don't know any other way, other than…”
Shia’s thought is stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He tears his eyes away from the water to look at the Oshawott. Who is wearing an expression far more sympathetic than he expected. “Where I was born, people who hurt others were locked away. I suppose it was to make the world feel safer, but after someone’s sentence was up. They hadn’t received any help at all. And how easy it is to slip back into hurting people if nothing has really changed.” He looks out towards the horizon, letting an underlying positivity break his serious visage. “Perhaps your time in the Guild could be your sentence. One where I can help you, and you can learn to live positively. Despite what has happened to you, and what you've done.”
Shia tries to smile at his new Leader's kindness. But worry twists his face into an unconvinced grimace. “I don’t think I understand what living positively looks like, at this point...”
“Doesn’t look like much most of the time. Aside from being kind and caring, of course. Life doesn't offer chances for redemption very often. When that chance does come, though… Chase it with all your heart, and make it yours.”
“Is it really fair I’m given this chance, given what I did? Why go through all this effort for me?”
“I don’t believe that people are tainted forever, and well… I guess you remind me of an old partner. So guilty over what you were forced to be a part of.”
Shia manages a weak little smile this time. “Thank you. I don’t think I caught your name?”
“Most people just call me Guildleader. I don’t often use my name, it’s a little weird…”
“An uncommon Oshawott name?”
“Not an Oshawott name at all. I guess you can say I grew up in a place where naming worked differently…” The Guildleader steps away, making his way to the lower decks. “We’ll probably be spending some time together, so I don’t mind if you know.” He looks over his shoulder, flashing his friendly smile. “My name is Sebastian.”
***
Light white powder drifted down through the air, blanketing the deck of the ship. And the roofs of the picturesque town they landed in. This was the first time Shia ever saw snow. It was light, falling so slowly and peacefully before finding itself in a soft quilt over the ground. It was hard to believe it was made of the same thing as the chaotic waves that they had to cross to get here.
“We’re going to be staying in that building with a red roof,” Sebastian pointed it out to Shia. “Since you have no luggage, how about you go up there first and tell them we arrived?”
Shia was happy to go into town. His feet left paw prints in the snow as he bounded forward. This place was beautiful, the snow drifted steadily down onto the cool stones. Mons bustled here and there, not as taken with the sights as Shia. Ducking into the warm lights of sparse buildings. Mounds of shoveled snow created tight corridors to traverse. In some places, they reached higher than Shia’s head.
Things were so different here compared to the Sands. Perhaps his life could be too…
The Shinx enters the building with the red roof. Talking with the caretaker before going to where she said his room was. Shia, in his excitement, enters his room without a thought. Not even noticing when the door shuts behind him.
Iron touches Shia’s throat. It’s cold presence announcing its threat as clear as day. He recognises the blade, finding an almost strange comfort in it as he freezes up. He waits for the Linoone he already knows is behind him to either speak or slit his throat.
“Didn’t expect for me to be here, huh…” The linoone Loona whispers sinisterly into Shia’s ear.
“No I didn’t, but I figured you’d find me eventually…” Shia replies calmly. He had already accepted that this might happen.
“Why did you give me my Iron back? It was beside me when I woke up…”
“It belongs to you. And if you're going to kill me with it, well you are in your rights to. Maybe on some level, I was hoping you would...”
Shia could feel the cold body of the dagger dig through his fur and press lightly against his flesh. Not yet cutting him. “You know, letting me kill you doesn’t undo what you did, right?”
“I know, but I don’t know any other way to make up for it…” The Shinx closes his eyes, “So if you need this, I won’t scream or anything.”
“I really want to kill you, Shia. Make you pay for what you did to me. Finish my revenge and finally be done with everything that happened...” The dagger recedes a little, moving away from his throat. “But that wouldn’t be fair to Them, though…”
“Them? Who are you talking about?” Shia’s question is responded with a hard shove to the ground. Looking up after his fall, he finally notices a basket at the far side of the room. He turns back to Loona, seeing her pointing her dagger at the basket. Gesturing him to open it. Shia crawls on all fours to the basket. With quivering paws he opens it. Eyes going wide as they take in its contents.
It’s an egg...
His voice quivers, only getting a syllable into asking, “What is this?” before he silences himself. He knows exactly what this is. There isn’t a doubt in his mind. Tears well up in his eyes, and he looks back to see Loona wordlessly leaving. That was fine, she didn’t need to say a thing. It was clear exactly what he had to do...
Shia turned back towards the egg, cradling it gently as he brought it closer to the warmth of his chest. He hoped that whatever was inside the egg could feel his warmth. That they could know that he was there for them. Now and forever.
Welling tears sprang forth like a fountain instead. Shia wiped his eyes and his nose constantly with his paws. Doing his best to keep the salty tears away from the egg. Holding it safely in a tight embrace. He knew exactly what the egg was. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind…
It was his greatest mistake. And also his redemption.
