Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Georgie sat up straight in bed, breathing heavily. Except...where was he? He looked around the small room. Green walls. Red blanket covering him. Small closet. He was back in his old house. But... how? Muscle memory was telling him not to sit up too high in his bed. He slept on the bottom bunk, after all. He slowly got out of bed, avoiding the creaky floorboards. This felt all too familiar.

He glanced down the hall. That long hall he had always hated. It felt like a hall straight out of a horror movie. He hated it. But, the walls were normal. Those nightmares made holes in the wall. Was this... no. No, it couldn't be. Georgie kept walking.

He opened the door to the rest of the house. The staircases. As he checked to see if the coast was clear, he saw it. Its skin was white as snow. The gooey dress was black, matching a black bow on its head. But something was off. It usually wasn't this...docile. It just stared. Stared and smiled. As it slowly walked towards Georgie, the bat in its left hand showed. And it was corrupted. The bat had somehow fused into its arm. That was odd.

As he tried to reach out to touch it, he noticed something. The goo. That black goo that dripped from the bow. The black goo that was dripping from the bat. He hated that goo. He had had a dream where he watched his sister drown in that goo. He started breathing heavier. The creature reached out and grabbed him by the shirt collar. Georgie tried to fight back, but he knew it was useless. The creature raised its bat-arm, smiled a wicked smile, and then attacked.

Georgie woke up with a yelp. He hated that stupid dream. He knew it was fake. But, it was so enticing. The idea that everything was fine. That his family was still alive. He still held onto the fleeting hope that all of this was just a dream. But he knew that was such a childish desire. He looked at the bed across from his. It was a queen sized bed with a short person asleep. That was Player. Them and Georgie were close. Like parent and son. As much as he wanted to run to their arms, be comforted. But he knows they need their rest. Especially after yesterday.

He grabbed a flashlight from the shelf and walked around the safe place. It was an old abandoned hotel. It had been his home for the past 6 months. He walked down the first flight of stairs and entered the green rooms. This is where Giraffy worked out. Where Pony and Mimi slept. Where they did laundry. But it was quiet. Both people who slept here had been asleep for hours by now. Georgie didn't want to wake them up.

He crept down another flight of stairs and entered the kitchen. It was so creepy at night. The darkness reminded him of the goo from his nightmares. But, there was no sign of life from the kitchen. That was until a voice boomed behind him.

"What are you doing up, kid?"

Georgie quickly spun around and was faced with Giraffy. He was very tall, around 6'8". Georgie was just barely 4'7". He looked up at Giraffy with a scared expression, not sure how to respond to the sudden scare. The giraffe sighed.

"Look, just get back to bed, and I won't tell Zizzy."

He goes to walk back up the stairs, turning to Georgie for a final time.

"You're lucky I didn't think you were infected."

On that threatening note, he walks back up the stairs to the top floor. His room was right next to Georgie and Player's room, so he probably heard the piglet awake. Georgie sighs and walks back upstairs. He doesn't have much else of a choice. But he knows something was there besides the group. He could feel it somehow.

With irritation, he laid down on his flashlight and climbed back into bed. But he couldn't relax. He knows it was no coincidence he awoke again at this hour. It happened every night. He looked over at Player, who was still asleep. Thank the gods. Georgie wouldn't forgive himself if he had woken up one of the only people he really trusts. 

It felt like just as he got comfortable, there was a loud crashing sound. He grabbed his flashlight and shot up in bed. He carefully crept over to the door and opened it, shining the beam of light down the hall. Nothing. He wanted to sigh with relief and go back to sleep, but something was out there. Something was definitely out there.

After at least an hour of checking outside of the room whenever he heard so much as a gust of wind blew through a window, the piglet had to give up. It was almost 5am. The members of the safe place had a busy day ahead of them. He couldn't waste his energy on something as trivial as this. Georgie turned his flashlight off and climbed into his bed again. As the clock struck 6, he fell asleep. Surely a few hours of sleep was better than none at all.

Hopefully, he won't have that nightmare again tonight.

Chapter Text

Georgie awoke from an uncomfortable night of sleep. Player had woken him up. They said it was time for breakfast. He sighed and got ready. He took a mental note of everything he had seen so far. His dreams were slowly becoming more distorted and terrifying. They kept luring him in, showing a happy ending where everything worked itself out just fine.

He thought about the different creatures he had seen. The ink Penny monster. The dinosaur with sharp claws. The tentacle pig alien from that movie his father had taken him to as a toddler. But as the nights went on, they seemed more distorted. And inky.

Every other member of the safe place was in the cafeteria, waiting for Zizzy to serve them food. Everyone got along so well. Zee sat quietly next to Pony as Zuzy and Mimi argued about the amount of oatmeal the young zebra was eating. Zizzy tried to come to an agreement, but Zuzy refused. Everyone got together so well, despite the playful arguing. Georgie struggled to find his place in all of this. Everyone had a job to do, a role to play. But what was his? He seemed to get the group into more trouble than he got them out of. Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey kiddo. Want a waffle?"

It was Player. They were like Georgie's mentor after he had lost his family. They filled the role well.

"Hm? O-Oh, yeah, thanks."

As Giraffy handed out plates to everyone, he gave Georgie a glance that seemed to warn the piglet 'I didn't forget last night'. He tried to avoid eye contact. That damn giraffe would definitely snitch on him to Zizzy if he needed to save his own hide. He was too focused on coming up with some sort of excuse to avoid talking about his nightmares, he didn't notice the conversation among the adults.

"So Mimi, anything planned for today? We could use more supplies. I'd also like to get out a bit."

The mole looked over at him, almost in disbelief.

"Pony, why the hell would you wanna go out there in all of this!? Besides, we're fine."

"No, we do need a few things. We're running out of water. The old pump near the mall is still working, I think."

"Player, that's a hotspot for monsters. I'm not saying you can't take them, but we shouldn't put you at risk. You're vital to this group."

"What if they went with Zizzy to get the water? That way they're protected and we still get water."

Now it was Zizzy's turn to be annoyed.

"Why are you volunteering me to do that? I'm not gonna go out there unless we absolutely have to."

"You're the strongest fighter in this group. And we're 8 people living in one abandoned hotel. We need all the water we can get."

Pony spoke up, which made Zee slunch back. She hated feeling closed in. She hated when everyone argued with one another. It's like being stuck here with these people have made them all slowly hate each other.

"You're not taking Zizzy out if she doesn't want to!"

"Oh shut up, I'm a capable person. You don't have to 'protect' me. Yknow what? Sure. I'll go with you, Player."

"You're gonna risk your life just to be petty? Really?"

The arguing goes on and on, and the kids don't know what to do. Zuzy takes this opportunity to get more oatmeal without anyone noticing. Georgie got closer to the player for comfort, which they gave by placing a hand on the piglet's shoulder. But, Zee was nowhere to be seen. She must've wondered off when the argument started.

Georgie got up from the table, put his plate away, and wandered around the safe place trying to find Zee. She wasn't in her room. She wasn't in the laundry room where she hid because she liked the smell of it here. He walked into the community room where Mimi kept an old broken radio she insisted she could get working again. He walked around the corner, hoping to take the elevator to the top floor. He could use a nap. But then, the door opened.

Zee closed the door behind her and pulled a velvet bag out of her pocket. She lit a few candles and turned the lights out. She did a few motions with her hands, and a small purple portal opened in front of her.

"Hello there, Zee."

She signed into the portal. Most of the members of the safe place know basic ASL so they can communicate with her. Georgie understood some of what she was communicating by hiding around the corner and peering over at the interaction.

'I need help.'

The voice in the portal understood what she meant. His voice became softer as he spoke to this child like it was his own.

"What's troubling you? You know I'm here to help."

'Zizzy and Player are going out to the city today. I'm worried about them.'

"Well, it's nice that you're so worried about them. You're such a caring person. But Zizzy's an adult. So is Player. They're strong, and they can defend themselves if something comes their way."

Zee stayed silent and wiped her eyes. The voice sighs.

"Oh, Zee... you're worried this is going to end like your parents. Aren't you?"

The young zebra slowly nodded. A gloved hand reaches out of the portal, promising to comfort her. She took the hand and entered. The purple portal closed, leaving Georgie standing alone in the dark room. He stepped over the candles and turned the lights on. He couldn't stop staring at the small summoning ritual his friend had set up. Where did she go? Who was that gloved hand? Georgie's mind raced with thoughts as he left the room and ran upstairs. He wanted answers.

Maybe Pony could help. He seemed to know a lot about Zee and her sisters.

Chapter Text

Georgie ran up to the green rooms, and up to the door to Pony's room. He knew he would be back here by now. After a few knocks, the horse finally answers the door. He sighs as he looks down at the piglet.

"What?"

"I just wanted to know what happened at breakfast. 'Cause, y'know. Everyone was fighting."

Pony sighed. He held his head in his hand, resting against the doorframe. He seemed exhausted, and it wasn't even noon yet.

"I was trying to start a conversation, and it spiraled into an argument. And now Zizzy and Player are gone. They're at that damn mall getting water."

"I-I mean, we did need water. We have to take baths soon."

"Yeah, I don't care, but Zizzy only went 'cause she wanted to be petty! She likes 'getting back at me' or whatever."

Georgie sighs. He honestly doesn't care about his friend's love life. Or rather, lack thereof. He decides to just get straight to the point.

"What happened with Zizzy's family? 'Cause the twins didn't like listening to all the fighting."

Pony seems to perk up at the question. It's certainly not one he was expecting.

"I dunno. That's with them. Ask them about it, I don't wanna be stuck in between them."

It's clear he's lying through his teeth. He's hiding something. But it's not like Georgie can push this much further. Pony seems annoyed with him, and he keeps playing with his sleeve. So, Georgie left. He went back upstairs. He looked into Zuzy's room, where she was writing in her diary. Him and Zuzy always got along well. The young zebra saw him and sat up. She was always straight to the point.

"Where's Zee? We write in our diaries together at the same time every day, but she wasn't here, so I had to do it without her."

Georgie thought for a moment. He could tell her that her sister disappeared with a demon through a glowing portal. But he couldn't get this girl more worried than she already was. So, he told half of the truth.

"I don't know."

Zuzy sighed and nodded.

"Well, can you stay here with me then? I want company."

Georgie agreed. He wanted to spend more time with his friend. It's not like he had anything better to do. Sit back and let those nightmares come back. So he took a piece of paper from Zuzy and started drawing while his friend wrote.

As he grabbed a marker, he swore he could see a figure walk past the door.

Chapter Text

Georgie started to spend more time with Zuzy. She was really the only person he could call a friend. Especially with how much the adults were panicking.

It all started that morning. Everyone was arguing, so Zee left. She disappeared through that strange portal. Georgie knew he couldn't say anything. He couldn't describe why, but he felt so odd thinking about that strange voice. It was so familiar, but he couldn't quite remember where it came from.

And then later that day, Player returned. 

Alone. 

They came back, literally covered in blood. They were inconsolable. Everyone's efforts were focused on them. Everyone except for Pony, that was. He grabbed his coat and left. Giraffy tried to stop him and get him to be reasonable, but the horse didn't listen. He left without a word. 

So after all of that, Georgie found himself once again on the floor of Zee and Zuzy's room. He's camped out here for the past few nights. And tonight was no different. As he listened to whatever weird radio show Zuzy put on, he felt himself dozing off.

It was quiet. Eerily quiet. Georgie sat up and rubbed his head. He was in an odd, pitch-black void. The ground felt soft. It was like he was sitting on a firm mattress that was covered in a grass-like plant. The blades tickled his bare feet as he stood up and tried to explore his surroundings. He saw things moving and bustling about in the corners of his eyes, but turning to investigate them would just have him met with the black void once again.

He continued pacing about, and he found a person hunched over. It reminded him of an old man, bent over to pick up something he dropped on the ground. But the figure wasn't an older person. It was... green? Maybe this was the silhouette he had seen in the corners of his vision. He stuttered a few sentences out to test his voice before speaking clearly.

"...hello? Can I help you?"

He tried tapping the figure on the shoulder, only to be met with a scale-y surface. It was like petting an iguana. He flinched back a bit at the feeling. Maybe he should stick with words.

"Who are you? A-And probably more importantly, uhh... where are we?"

No reply. Again. The piglet groaned in frustration. He hated being ignored almost as much as he hated being treated like an incompetent child. He raised his voice this time and walked around to the front of the being.

"Hello? Hey- I'm talking to you!"

The piercing green pupils of the figure saw Georgie before he could see them. Without a second to adjust, the figure grabbed him by the neck and held him up, choking him. The pig kicked and thrashed, but he was no match for the claws that started digging into his throat. He tried to scream, but nothing came out. Just a gurgled sound from a child begging for oxygen. The seemingly infinite black void never felt more claustrophobic as he felt his vision slip away from him. 

Georgie sat straight up. He fell asleep on the floor again. Zuzy was at least kind enough to lay a blanket over him. He traced his fingers along his throat. For some reason, he could still feel the sensation of claws piercing his flesh and restricting his airway. 

He sat up and looked around. Everything was the same, although darker and more obscured due to how late it is. He left the room, careful not to let the door slam as he made his way down towards the kitchen for a late night snack. But, a light was still on down there. There was conversation. He walked down the staircase slowly and sat down next to the door. He listened in to the conversation carefully. 

"What do we do? We've lost 3 people already. Zee and Pony are missing, and Zizzy..."

There's an awkward silence. Mimi stops talking, probably trying to avoid the subject to the still suffering Player. They were quiet. Giraffy spoke up for the both of them.

"It's my fault. I should've gone after Pony. The asshole always wants to run away at the first sign of a problem. He- ...ngh. I hate him sometimes."

Giraffy grunts to himself. Mimi tries half-heartedly to reassure him, but Giraffy isn't hearing any of it. He never gets speechless about people. The only other time that's happened was when he was talking to that person he clearly had a crush on. He and Pony were really close. No amount of reassurance is gonna bring the guy back. 

"We don't need to split up more than we already have. If we go to look for someone, we all go. Together. I'm not losing more friends because we're stubborn."

Mimi added. She was gonna shut down the conversation before it escalated yet again. Almost every time the safe place members tried talked, it ended in an argument and people storming out. They were all still mourning 3 people at once, and they don't need more stress. 

Georgie rested his head against the wall as he listened to whatever less interesting topic the trio of adults had moved on to. It was nice to listen to while his mind wandered. Maybe that's why Zuzy loved those radio shows so much. He should stop teasing her about those. 

He thought about a lot in such a short period of time. The fact that he knew where Zee is. Sort of. He was confused about what happened to Zizzy. It's like it was some terrible, unspoken topic that everyone knew about except for him. He was annoyed with Pony. Of course he would find some way to make all this about himself. He just had to make everyone's lives harder and run out when things get tough. He was such a coward.

The piglet yawned and closed his eyes, slowly difting off to the sound of his remaining friends discussing how they would pick up the pieces and keep surviving without the two people they had relied on for so long.

Chapter Text

Georgie walked down a long hallway. A place he tended to revisit in his nightmares. He never knew what would be at the end waiting for him. As he walked, he heard the pattering of feet. But every time he turned around to catch it, he was met with darkness.

As he trekked on through the building, doors started to appear. Lots of them. But every one of them was locked. As he tugged on another doorknob, he couldn't release it. It was like his hand was glued to it. He turned his head slightly to the side, only to be met with someone staring back.

It looked like his sister, but not quite. It's eyes were pure black, and it's body seemed to be made of the same goo that was starting to fill the room. Unlike last time, it was no longer holding a bat. It's arm was the bat. It raised to strike, but a sound pierced through his dream like a hot knife through butter.

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Glass shattering. Screaming. Someone shaking him. It was Zuzy. As the piglet blinked his eyes open, she threw his bat at him and dragged him to his feet.

"CMON! W-WE GOTTA GO!"

"H-Huh?!"

Georgie shakily grabbed his bat and followed where Zuzy was dragging him to.

"Something's happening! A-An infected got in, I heard everyone screaming and trying t' fight it off, I dunno what to do!"

The young zebra frantically got herself and her friend out of the building. They didn't stop running until they couldn't move anymore. They stopped against a wall, panting and freezing. They huddled up together, trying to conserve body heat. Georgie was the first to speak up.

"... what now? Where are we?"

The kids looked around. They were somewhere in the city, tall buildings surrounding them. It would be dead silent if not for the sound of crickets. The stars above them shone brightly. It was too beautiful of a night for something like this to be happening. Zuzy dug through the small bag she had packed.

"We don't have a lot of food. And no water. W-We gotta find a place to stay, and fast."

The piglet nodded. Once they had a little bit of energy back, they started wandering around their new surroundings. They didn't say anything to each other. What was there to say? They both knew they were in danger. But, they might be in luck. Zuzy heard waves crashing. She guided her friend closer to the noise, to be met with an unlit lighthouse and an empty port. They had somehow made it to the seaside town in Lucella they had only heard about in stories.

The town was large, blending right in to the main city. The lighthouse stood tall next to the port, the darkness an unfriendly reminder of their situation. There were discarded crates and trash scattered around, most of which containing items they wouldn't need. Things that people left behind in a hurt.

Georgie leading the way this time, and he stopped into the lighthouse first. He had a plan. The place had power, it just needed to be turned on again. So, they did. Zuzy made sure the batteries were in place as Georgie flipped the switch. The light was blinding. They headed back outside, and Zuzy walked down to the end of the port.

"What now? Even if a boat comes by, they probably won't take us. Ugh, we should head back. Maybe those monsters are gone? M-Maybe everyone's safe?"

The zebra asked, as if she's reassuring herself rather than convincing her friend. Georgie was silent as he sat down, his legs dangling above the water. He should've worn shoes.

"I dunno. I-I wish I could give you a better answer than that. But... I just don't know."

They sat in silence for a while, the sound of the waves soothing their nerves. But it was interrupted by another noise. A horn in the distance. They both sat up, watching a small cargo ship come closer. As it pulled into the port, a captain appeared. The two kids held onto one another as they got onto the boat.

Chapter Text

Georgie helped Zuzy onto the boat first. His father's words rang through his ears. "Ladies first, Georgie!". The memory made him smile a bit. Whenever he was told that, he would hold the door for his mother. But then slam it in his sister's face, and run away before she could catch him. He missed them more than words can describe.

Georgie climbs on next. He hops in place, grabs onto the railing for dear life, swings his legs up over the side to get the rest of his weight onto the boat, and then carefully stands up and steps over the railing. His first reaction is that it's far too quiet up here. As he and Zuzy regroup and stick close, the captain of the ship stumbles out of the quarters they were steering the ship from.

He was a middle aged man, probably in his late 50s. A cat with faded orange hair. He seems to have a permanent scowl on his face. He wore a puffy blue jacket with a faux fur collar around it, plus a matching blue captain's hat. His name tag read "C. Harkthorn". He looked at the two children in confusion.

"Y'all turned th' light back on. Why'd ya wanna attract people t' this port?"

Zuzy was the first to speak up. She's always been brave, but it's like the disappearance of her sister has brought the trait out full force. She doesn't have Zee to keep her under control, after all.

"We need help. Some of those monsters attacked our base, and we need to find help."

The captain sighed and rubbed the side of his head like a hungover student trying to recover before class.
"Look, kids, I dunno 'f ya know this, but the whole world's gone nuts. Ya ain't the only people ta lose yer home. And I dunno what kinda help I can give ya. Or what kinda help you can find."

He looks between the two them, clearly empathizing with their situation. But he's one guy on an old ship. He can't help as much as he'd like. The kids seemed understanding, Zuzy speaking up first once again.

"We get it mister. We don't have our home anymore, but I guess you don't either. We'll get out of your fur."

She sighs, and turns back towards the railing to hop down. The sailor groans, pinches what would be the bridge of his nose, and curses to himself. He walks over towards the foal.

"Kid, don't y' hop off jus' yet. I don't mind if you two stay here fer the time bein'. You ain't hurtin' nobody. Jus' 'cause I'm old 'n grumpy don't mean I'm heartless. If yall can help me out from time to time, you can stay. But 'f we find a better place, yer outta here. Got it?"

The young zebra immediately perked up. She threw her arms around the captain and thanked him. He seemed flustered, stumbling a bit before awkwardly returning the hug. He shimmied out of the embrace and motioned for the two kids to follow.
Georgie picked up the pace to walk beside Zuzy, whispering to her.

"How in the world did you pull that off?"

She smirked. "It's just how I get Pony to do things for me. I assumed it'd work with him too."

He stifled a snicker, trying to not alert the captain what was happening. That was the most Zuzy thing he had ever heard. As the mundane sounds of shoes clacking and waves took over once again, he thought over Zuzy's words. How she gets Pony to do things. Not how she got. He's out there somewhere, and they'll find him. He'll be fine. They'll all be fine.

Right?

The piglet didn't have time to get caught up on the what-ifs.
The captain opened a door and led the two of them in. A small quarters with 2 creaky bunk beds shoved together. It reeked of alcohol, mold, and sweat.

"These 're the spare quarters. They ain't the best but they'll do. 'F I get th' chance, I'll clean 'em a bit more fer you."

The kids slowly stepped into the room, exhausting settling in now that the adrenaline was long gone. Georgie laid his bag on the bottom bunk, Zuzy climbing up to the top.

"It smells weird in here. Did other people sleep here too?"

She smiles at the captain, who seems taken aback by the question.

"Uhh... yeah. Yeah, they did. A lotta good men. They ain't here no more, but that much 's obvious."

He leaned against the doorframe and reached up, laying the patch of fur on his head back down to how it's supposed to look. He watches as the two of them get themselves settled.

"Alright you two. We'll chat more in the mornin'. I got stuff t' do. Yall get some sleep, 'n I'll be up here 'f ya need me."

He closes the door behind himself, not sticking around to hear the two children thanking him. Zuzy lays down in her bed and tells Georgie good night before turning over and falling asleep. The piglet sighs and returns the phrase, though a lot less enthusiastically. He has so many thoughts racing through his mind, and sleep seems impossible. But before he knows it, his eyelids get heavy, and he drifts off.

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Georgie was walking around a giant supermarket. Nobody around him. As he explored the seemingly endless shelves, he heard something that didn't sound like the usual patter of his feet. He walked slower, intentionally pausing to try and hear better. Sure enough, the sound of someone else's footsteps were easily distinguishable. It sounded like claws scraping against the ground as they moved.

The piglet tried to find a way to hide. He grabbed an empty shelf and tried to climb it, hoping to perch on top and find an escape path from there. But, the sound of the shelf creaking under his weight alerted whatever else was in here to his location. The sound of the scraping noise got louder as Georgie scrambled to reach the top of this shelf that felt higher each time he made progess scaling it.

Right before the top, his foot slipped. Whatever monster was looking for him was just one isle over. Georgie could do nothing but watch the shelf grow large as he fell back down to the ground.

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The piglet shot up in bed right before he hit the ground. He was panting, and his heart was racing. The smell of the cramped room brought him back to reality. He was safe. He was with that captain. Zuzy was on the top bunk, soundly asleep. He couldn't wake her. He climbed out of bed and opened the door to the rest of the ship. He hadn't really had a chance to explore it when he was taken to his room.

The ship was small, only one floor under the deck. There were 2 small rooms off to the side, with a wide open area full of storage. Barrels, crates, lockers, and a table with only 2 chairs. The other room was presumably the captain's room. Georgie didn't feel brave enough to try and explore in there. It was none of his business.

As he snooped inside the barrels, he heard something coming from above. It was a voice. He slowly walked towards the stairs that lead to the deck, the cracked door allowing him to hear what was happening. It was... singing. Faint singing. Georgie opened the door the rest of the way, careful not to make too much noise.

"Some friends 'n I in a public house, were playin' dominos one night. Into the room the barman came, 'is face all chalky white."

He stealthily made his way towards where the voice was coming from. It was off to the side of the boat. The captain, leaned over the railing, singing to himself. He held a small metal flask in one hand, his other loosely dangling off the side. His tail laid idly near the backs of his feet. Georgie strolled closer.

" 'What's up?" says Brown, 'Have ya seen a ghost? Have y' seen yer Aunt Mariah?' 'Oh me Aunt Mariah be buggered!' said he. 'Th bloody pub's on fire'..."

The older man stopped his carol to take a swig from his flask. Before he could continue into his one-man performance, he noticed Georgie behind him. He jumped slightly and hid the flask in his back pocket.

"Boy, what 're you still doin' up? I thought you 'n yer friend went t' sleep. There ain't nothin' t' stay up for right now."

The piglet uncomfortably fidgeted with his hands, unsure of how to not get the captain mad at him. He suddenly felt like he was back in the safe place, being scolded by Giraffy for sneaking around late at night.

"Oh, I-I had a nightmare. It was nothing major. I just heard you, and-"

He noticed the look the captain was giving him. A mixture of confusion and annoyance. This really was Giraffy all over again. He could never forget that judging look.

"... I-I'll go back to bed, I'm-I'm sorry for bothering you, sir."

The old sailor shook his head. "Don't leave, kid. I ain't gonna bite. You can stay 'f you want."

The pig nodded and walked closer towards the captain. The two stood in silence for a while, watching the dark ocean waves beneath them. The soft yellow light from the boat illuminated their surroundings, giving the empty deck an inviting atmosphere. The older man spoke up after a while, trying to ease the tension surrounding the two of them.

"I know a thing or two about nightmares. 'F you needa calm down from one, jus' let me know. I won't judge."

Georgie heard the offer, and he seemed quite surprised.

"H-Huh? But... why?"

The captain chuckled softly. " 'cause you're a sweet kid. You shouldn't hafta put up with yer brain not lettin' you sleep. If you wanna open up 'bout the stuff yer seein' in them dreams, let me know."

He stared at him for a minute, still not understanding. Why would someone willingly listen to his dumb dreams? He knew the captain was just trying to be nice. There's no way he genuinely cares that much. Not even Player would listen to Georgie's dreams. They would just reassure him that he was safe, and that was that. The aged cat seemed a bit surprised that Georgie was dumbfounded.

"... 'r you not used t' people lettin' you talk 'bout yer problems? Y' look like I'm tellin' you 'bouta brand-new concept."

"I-It's not that! It's just... I dunno. I've never really had someone offer that. Not since Penny, at least."

Georgie immediately shut up after that statement. He didn't mean to say that. He doesn't want the captain to feel like he has to help him. He doesn't want him to take pity on him, he can't just waltz onto this guy's property and then-

"Penny? 's that someone you miss?"

The piglet looked up at the old man, tears staining his dark eyes. He slowly nodded in response to the question. He rested a hand on the young boy's shoulder.

"Penny... I'm assumin' they're a girl from the name. 's she yer friend?"

He nodded once again. His voice sounded quieter as he added onto that statement.

"Sh-... sh-she was my sister."

The cat winced at the use of the word 'what'. That's the exact thing he was hoping to not hear. But, he continued on.

"She has a lovely name. I'm sure that wherever she is now, she loves you a hellava lot."

Georgie looked up at the captain after that, trying to check and make sure he was being honest. And sure enough, he was met with a warm smile. The man meant every word he said. He genuinely wanted to help. He moved in a bit closer to him, taking the risk of trusting him a bit more.

"O-On nights like this, I-I'd climb into bed with her. It was a little scary being on the top bunk, e-especially 'cause our mom told us to not be in the same bunk together at the same time. But she always remembered to wake me up b-before we could get in trouble."

The man chuckled once again.

"That reminds me o' my brother. He was just like that. He was scared of his own shadow. Clingin' t' me wherever we went."

Georgie taps the railing, trying to once again work up the courage to ask a question, even as childish as he knew it would come out.

"D-Did you ever get sick of him doing that...?"

The captain immediately shook his head.

"Oh God no. He was my little brother. I could never get sick o' him, even as much as we bickered. He knew I'd protect him, 'n he trusted me. Nothin' could ever change that."

The piglet nodded. Something about that made him feel a lot better the captain went back to his song as he kept his hand firmly on Georgie's shoulder. He wanted to keep him close and safe. This kid reminded him so heavily of someone he missed terribly, and he didn't want to lose him again.

"...'On fire' says Brown, 'Whadda bit o' luck. Everybody follow me; down t' the cellar, 'f the fire's not there, we'll have a rare old spree'."

Georgie yawned as he listened to the man's gentle singing. The captain smiled.

"Alright, kid. Let's get you back t' bed."

He walked behind Georgie, letting him lead the way back down to the room he shared with Zuzy. He watched as Georgie climbed into bed, and made sure he was comfortable before telling him good night and leaving the door cracked. For the first time in many, many nights, Georgie peacefully slept without an awful nightmare waking him back up.

---

The captain sighed with relief once he got the piglet in bed. He had gotten attached to these kids so quickly. It was almost embarassing how soft he had become with age. He continued his tune as he made his way back up towards his favorite spot to ponder.

"So we all went down after good old Brown booze we could not miss."

He climbed the small staircase back up to the deck, making sure to be as quiet as he could to not wake the kids. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going.

"And we weren't there 5 minutes or more, 'Til we were all half-"

He looked in front of him, and suddenly the water had changed color. It was pitch black. Not the normal color of the sea during nighttime. This looked like it was ink. He turned around, and was face-to-face with that monster with the stitched together sack over his head.

"Hello, Christopher. You're a lovely singer, I should preface this by saying. I can tell you have quite a bit of experience."

The man should've been shocked. He should've been terrified like he used to be. But this wasn't the first time this creature had visited him. He groaned. He must've had too much to drink.

"Get t' the point y' demon. Whadda you want from me."

"Oh please, you're so rude towards the man you're supposed to have a deal with. Don't think I forgot about our first meeting. Gosh, it was so adorable to see you all flustered. You have quite the feminine scream."

The captain rolled his eyes. He remembered that meeting all too well. When he had first locked him away. The monster in front of him could read his mind. He snickered in the most condescending way he could muster up.

"Ah, thinking about your brother yet again? Is that why you're so attached to that piglet? You miss having someone small and weak you need to protect?"

"Oh, fuck off. Like you'd know anything 'bout that."

He seemed taken aback by that statement. Almost offended. He scoffed.

"Well then, if that's how it's going to be. I'll make this quick. I'm here to finish that deal you said you'd 'think about' months ago. I'm sick of your stalling. And seeing you with that boy, well..."

He gestures towards the door into the lower part of the boat.

"I know him well. And I want to help you. We both know who's kept down there. And I'm not talking about those children. I can bring him back. All you have to do is accept my deal. If you help me out, I can help you out. An eye for an eye, if you will."

The captain looked back towards the door. He knew full well who was down there. Who he vowed to protect. He had to be skeptical of this demon, but he promised he'd protect him at all costs. This might bring him back. He sighed, turned back towards the demon, and held his hand out towards him to shake on it.

"Deal."

When he pulled back, he immediately threw in a last-minute condition.

"Jus' leave those kids outta this."

The demon playfully sighed.

"Ah, alright. If you insist." His smirk widened. "But I make no promises."

He turned his back towards the captain, a portal opening up in front of him. If the captain wasn't tipsy, he could've sworn through the purple portal he could see someone who looked identical to that kid he had down in his ship. The demon practically skipped towards the opening.

"It's been a pleasure to do business with you, Mr.Harkthorn."

The rift closed behind him, leaving just the man standing on the deck of his ship. It was somehow more quiet than usual. He looked down at the hand he used to accept that deal. Something had somehow burned through his glove. A weird eye/target like symbol.

Chapter Text

"Not like that! You're gonna get yer fur stuck in it 'f you mess wit' the wire like that!"

The young zebra giggles as the fishing rod is playfully yanked out of her hands. The old cat hands it back to her, holding his hands over hers to demonstrate.

"Don't mess with the line, it'll mess wit' everything. Keep one hand on the handle, and one on the reel."

The two laugh together, warming the old Captain's heart. As much as he was attempting to keep his mind off of the previous night, maybe that demon was right. He missed having something to take care of.

Zuzy took the old man's advice, properly holding the rod. She never caught any fish. The two watched the bait bobbed in the water, the waves a light shade of blue. Further towards the horizon, the blues faded into a bright orange. It was a beautiful sunrise. The aged cat relaxed against the railing of his ship, watching Zuzy try fishing for the first time.

As peaceful as everything seemed, they all knew it wouldn't last long. Zuzy was suddenly yanked forward, struggling to keep ahold of the fishing rod. The captain held her back, trying to frantically coach her on how to reel her catch in.

---------

Georgie woke up slowly, taking his sweet time to get himself situated. He felt so safe on this ship. As he got out of bed and reached for his coat, he felt something soft under his foot. He picked it up and played with it between his fingers. A feather. A soft white feather. He's used to ink, shadows, the occasional eye. But never a feather. He slips it into his pocket before putting his shoes and jacket on. He'll worry about it later.

As he steps out of the quarters, he watches as Zuzy and the captain huddle over a small bottle. He trots over, watching them bounce ideas off of one another.

"We could always just smash it."

"I ain't havin' broken glass on my ship. And 'fore you ask, I'm not brushin' it into the ocean for some poor critter to swallow."

"Uhh... oh! You have claws 'n teeth! Could you bite the cap off."

"Kid, there's no way in hell I'm gonna break my teeth tryina open that."

Georgie walks up to them and motions for the bottle. Once its in his hands, he rubs his thumb on the cap. Completely pushed in. The bottle was shaped like those fancy decorations his mother always liked to collect. He remembered when Penny would play with them without permission. She would get things stuck inside, and they would scramble to fix it before their parents got home.

The piglet turned the bottle upside down and started hitting the bottom. Before the old cat had a chance to scold him for almost breaking it, the cap came loose. There was so much pressure built up that it popped off like nothing.

The old man sighed and took the now opened bottle. Out came a small charm and a white piece of paper. He quickly pocketed the charm and read the paper out loud.

"Alright... 'If yer readin' this, you've found our key. We're a research group workin' fer the military to find a cure. Our base has been raided by a human 'n a wolf. They took our cure. We found someone t' help us make another, but our supplies are runnin' out. Send help, 'n try to contact the head military base in the outskirts of Lucella. We're located in the far north of the continent of Panogram, near the city of Doveport. Send help.' "

The three stand in silence as the captain pulls the key out of his pocket. He must've assumed it was something else.

"This must be that key they were talkin' about. Kinda silly t' shove it in a bottle and throw it in the ocean. Guess they have a lotta spares."

The kids look at the key in his paw. It's a small blue crystal, with the end carved to be shaped like a cylinder. It has small ridges along the sides, and no real identifiable owner. As the captain suggested, this must be a spare.

Zuzy is the first to speak up. She takes the paper and reads it over.

"We gotta go help them! Where's Doveport? Can we get inside the base? Is it a bad idea to go back to Lucella?"
"Slow down, kid. One question atta time. We ain't goin' back to Lucella. That place is overrun. You two barely made it out last time."

Georgie clears his throat, his eyes still fixed on the crystal key in his friend's hand.

"We can't just leave them. We got their message, isn't there a way to help?"

He looks up at the sailor, a sad look in his eyes. Zuzy catches on and does the same.

"Cmon, we can help them! We just gotta find the base! It shouldn't be that hard. Pleeease?"

The cat looks between the two of them and loudly sighs. He's too weak-willed to be taking care of kids. He rests a hand on Zuzy's shoulder.

"I can get you two to Doveport, and I can get you directions. But I can't go with you. You'll have to figure all that out on your own."

The two give him a shocked, saddened look. Trying to beg him to join them. But he shuts it down.

"No. I can't go with you. I need to stay with my boat, and I don't do well in the cold. Doveport this time o' year is gonna be an icey desert. I'll get you two anywhere you need to go. But I can't go with you."

Zuzy bows her head, trying to figure out how to keep their new friend with them. This might be their only shot to help their friends, but they don't want to leave them behind. Georgie takes the key from the captain while hes sidetracked, noticing the patch on his glove.

"We can do this. You don't have to go. We can meet back up afterwards."

The old cat nods.

"I'll set our course now. We shouldn't be too far from Doveport by now. I'll go wherever you two need me to. Just say the word."

He stands up and trudges to the wheel, setting course for Doveport. Zuzy and Georgie stand together, watching the sun take its place in the sky. They'll be to this base by noon. As long as everything goes to plan, they might be able to fix this mess.

Georgie plays with the feather in his pocket as they watch the waves pass them by.