Post by Kami-Gaz on May 11, 2020 15:51:05 GMT -5
A typical Day
The sound of waves gently nudging the moderately sized fishing vessel it was a great sound, a sound the Fisher Family had used to ease themselves to sleep at night. The rocking of the ship lulling their bodies into a wonderful dreamland. This was the case for all but one of the fisher clan. The sun was high and the humans aboard the Maria’s Delight were all snoozing in the shade as they awaited their hauling time. It was a simple life the family traveled around the blues fishing and selling their hauls in different ports, making friends and learning new things along the way. It was on one of these land-based expeditions that the family picked up a faithful companion for the youngest of the clan, Carlos. This Companion? Why it was a member of the race known as ‘Man’s best friend’ A glorious white floofed Shepard dog.
Mika had been with the Fishers since she was a naught but a pup, she had spent nearly 6 months learning her way around the boat, how to keep her sea legs, how to sit, and about this whole way of life. Being trained in the morning and early evening, ‘helping’ in any way she can when the nets were being cast and being hauled in and guarding the family during the night and through their midday siestas. Which coincidently this good girl was doing exactly at this moment.
Well, by guarding she is just sat there watching the gulls circle above the boat. “Hey! Stop that you’re going to tell the bad people we are here! Be quiet!” The dog barked up to the gulls after getting sick of hearing screech at the top of their lungs that food was about to be brought up. “Hey! These are our fish! Go and find your own!” She shouted up, barking with such effort and this in turn made her four-legged body bounce on the deck.
“Mika shush!” Shouted the elder of the Fisher Family at the protective dog. “They’re just birds’ girl.” Sam carried on as he walked over to the rear of the boat and looked over the line that is attached to it. “Carlo! Maria! Time to bring in the catch!” The calls were loud and booming, enough to cause Mika to bow her head down before turning to the sounds of footsteps on the deck and seeing her best friend.
“CARLOS!” She barked happily, sprinting forwards and jumping up into the young man’s arms. “I missed you! You were asleep for like 10 hours! Lets play! I’m Hungry… Do you have any treats? Kisses!” The dog chirped on before licking his face in a fast and rough fashion before being pushed back by the laughing young man who was forced to stumble back from the momentum of this dog jumping into him.
“Hahah! Mika get off!” He replied to the dog that was now standing over him and licking his face like she had not seen him in years… or was it days? It was so hard to tell her ability to judge time being so bad. “Come on, we have to help Dad!” He said, using all of his strength to push the hyper active dog back so he could get up.
This did not bother the dog as she stumbled back a few steps before immediately going to pick up the same rope that Carlos had grabbed. Her muzzle scrunching up as she began to pull back as hard as her little legs could pull. The canine jaw clasped around the inches thick rope that was connected to a hoist. With three people operating it, the whole operation took mere minutes. The crane like structure that dangled over the edge of the ship looked sturdy and strong as the rope fed through its mechanisms to hoist up what looked like a net. The more this crane had hoisted up the fuller this net looked with all sorts of fish, it would explain the titanic effort the two men and dog had to put into just hauling the catch up from the depths of the ocean.
“Almost there!” Sam called out to his helpers, and to his wife who had run over to the controls that would allow her to manoeuvre the net over the back of the ship. “This is a great haul!” He shouted back excitedly, putting a smile on the young Fishers face and making the long floofed tail wag in delight in his happiness.
In just a few moments the crane began to move as Maria used all of her small frame to push the crane arm to manoeuvre the net full of fish above the deck. The second the crane had clicked into place the pulling team all let go of the rope making the net and its contents drop a few feet onto the deck with a very loud and heavy, squidgy, thud. “WELL DONE BOYS!” The woman called over to her men who had collapsed onto their backs to pant and catch their breath.
Mika had plenty of energy though and ran straight to the matron of the clan and started to nuzzle into her leg. “I did good too!” She woofed, wanting the same praise her master and the clan alpha had received.
“Of course, you did the best Mika. You deserve a treat for being so helpful!” Maria noted, pulling a chewy treat out for the queen pupper. “Now you know what to do! Sit!” She commanded, and without finishing the command the dog had planted her butt on the deck and did her best to contain the wagging of her tail. “Now shake the paw!” Maria had extended her tanned arm to the dog who in kind raised her paw and began shaking, her jowls curled up into a smile that shone like a star in the night sky.
“Good girl! Here’s the treat.” The matron said as she gently placed the treat in Mika’s mouth only for it to be gone in seconds with the dog to her favourite spot in the shade to watch the men begin cutting the net and sorting through their bounty.
A night to Celebrate
Hours had past and the sun had set, however, the Fisher clan was still shifting through their haul. Mika had spent a solid bit of time chewing through her treat, happily watching the world go by and her family working on separating their fish into what was to be kept and what was to be thrown back. The large bucket that they had stored them all in under the deck was nearly empty no, there was no super-fast movements and splashes. Though this was hours ago… and a nice long nap ago. Mika had curled up on her bed in the shade and closed her sweet little eyes, going to the land of everything she loved. Treats, Chasing cats and squirrels and all the play time with the bestest toys!
During the hours that passed the Swiss Shepard had rolled around in her sleep and let her legs kick in the air as if she was running in her dreams. A scene that stopped Maria, the mother of the clan, in her tracks with a smile on her face as she watched her pupper dream happily… Totally oblivious to the cruel world that was around her.
This dream eventually ended as Mika heard a loud thud on the deck near her master and the clan alpha. The dogs eyes shot open and the flopped ears perked to hear some excited words. “This is it!” Sam shouted. “Maria! We’ve found it! The spot we were looking for!” The man hoisted his son out of the fish pool before clambering out himself. “We found it! HAHA! We can rebuild it! All of it!” He called out in excitement despite the fatigue of a long day of work.
Carlos looked up to his father with a bewildered look, he had never seen his pappy this happy before. This excited about a hunk of wood that was strewn out onto the deck of the ship. He stood there staring at it and reading the words that were plastered on the boards that had rotted edges and looked to be barely held together. His attention was briefly taken away as the Stretching pupper had finally made her way over to the commotion to investigate what was going on. Her nose sniffing the air as she could practically taste the briny air through her nose, causing it to scrunch up at the sheer strength of it.
“Dad? … What is ‘The Seraphim’s Revenge’?” Carlos asked his father with a puzzled tone, the sunlight barely illuminating his sun-kissed skin. He had not been told much about why they fished this area, just that they were a fishing folk from a long heritage of fisherman.
Sam Fisher looked down to his son with a wide and happy grin, something that rarely plastered itself over this stoic man’s form. “That Carlos. That is my family’s legacy, our Heritage and your birth right.” The patriarch called out in a happy, giddy excitement.
“This is amazing Sammie!” Maria called as she ran out of the kitchen and to the rest of her family hugging her husband with a jumping tackle. “We can Bring it all back just like we said we would We will bring back the Floatilla.” She said almost crying in happiness. This attacking hug looked fun however and Mika with one launch up onto her hind legs to also try and hug the Alpha of the pack. With a fun bark.
“I want to play too! This looks fun!” she woofed into the darkening dusk sky. Causing Carlos to laugh out loud as his parents fell flat on to their backs with a six-month-old pupper landing across them both, tail wagging a mile a minute. ‘Are we not playing anymore?’ Mika thought as she looked between the two adults with her head tilting to either side, her ears flopping each time she did, making the two chuckling adults smile before getting their hands on her fur to pet and scratch the dog. ‘That feels soooooo good!’ She thought to her self as her body instinctively pushed itself in award positions so she would be more into their hands to get a better felling from their affection.
“We’ll explain it all to you both in the morning when we make port to sell our fish and get some help in the next stage of the plan.” Sam Fisher explained, still petting the queen pupper and his confused son Carlos. “but for now all we need to do is put a buoy out so we don’t lose this spot and go to bed., we’ll have a long day tomorrow getting everything in order.” He carried on.
After a short while Sam managed to climb out from under the fluffy dog, leaving Maria to scratch and play with the affectionate girl, and moved to the edge. He had grabbed the one Buoy that had never been used before, marked with a symbol of a fish encapsulated in a crystal with six wings, three on either side. He attached it to a long line and then tossed it and the corresponding anchor down into the water with a mighty splash. “We’re all good here!” He called back.
Carlos nodded as he pulled Mika off of his mother and helped her up off of the deck. “I’ll finish cleaning up the tank!” The boy called out as Mika danced around on the spot booping a crab that had climbed out of the tank with her nose and getting giddy.
“And I will get dinner ready! I’m making both of your favourites to celebrate!” Maria shouted as she quickly ran into the kitchen as giddy as a child. The reply she got from both of the men on the boat was one loud cheer making Mika look up to the moon and try and cheer herself… tough it came out as one rather giddy howl. “AAAAAWOOOOOOOOOOO!!“
Landfall!
The fishing boat bobbed along with the waves as it drifted towards the port, the sun was arcing in the morning sky, and the seagulls had begun their usual screeching above the ship. The crew of this fishing boat was rather unusual, the captain Sam Fisher had risen before sunrise and got the whole operation moving before his family could even consider opening their eyes. The burly man had managed to control the vessel on his own, with minimal issue too.
He had soon been joined by the fluffiest member of the family crew, Mika. The Swiss Shepard dog who had sleepily climbed off of her spot on Carlos’ bed to keep the man company and help out in anyway she could. Though when helping out is sitting by the prow of the ship and watching the waves in a day dream state, it could be just called staying out of the way.
She was eventually followed out by the lead female of the family, Maria. The sand skinned beauty that knew how to work a ship, she emerged from beneath the deck and her first action was to kiss her husband Sam on the cheek before tugging on a rope and altering the angel of the sails to catch more wind. All of this was said wordlessly as if they had both been doing this since they were children.
Carlos had eventually risen just after land had been sighted by Mika, her barks that were full of energy and excitement caused her to bounce on the spot with each glorious “Woof”. “Mika! What’s up girl?” He asked, sleepily walking over to the bouncing dog. The dog just looked back to her master and let her tongue hang out of her mouth. “Land!” Carlos called back to his parents that were keeping the ship afloat.
“We’ll make port by lunch! Carlos get the stock ready!” Sam shouted out as he altered their trajectory, aiming to catch a current that he knows circled this island.
Then as time passed the older male’s prediction seemed to come true. The sun was arcing high in the sky as the port came close, ships were now a common sight as they either left or drifted inwards like the fishing vessel. The entire time Mika was darting from side to side, jumping up to lean her wait on the rails as she barked out happily to all the ships she saw that she was the best girl around. The seagulls that were circling overhead dispersed and darted between each of the vessels in search of easy scavenge, cawing as they did.
The work an effort put in by Sam, Carlos and Maria as they brought their ship into the port and got the boat moored up was only slightly hindered by the dog running around in a mad half hour, bouncing from side to side looking at all of the sights and people that were milling around and living their daily lives. It was when another older dog was spotted did Mika stop her running, no she instead darted to the front of the boat and made a leap of faith. She was aiming to land on the decking of the jetty that the boat was pulling up to.
“Pogo! It’s been ages!” Mika barked to the older dog that was lying there, watching the goings on. His tail was wagging at the sight of his younger friend that was recovering from her jump and now sprinting his way. “Pogo I did what you said! I helped with the rope and then Alpha said I was the bestest dog in the world.” Mika explained as she skidded to a stop by the old dog, who had now raised his head to greet the younger pup.
“I see, that’s very good Mika. Helping your human packs makes them like you more and they will give you all the belly rubs and food in the world for doing a good job.” Old dog Pogo Explained, lowing his head back down to get comfortable. His brown fur greying at the temples and his flappy jowls all flattened to the deck made the old dog look a bit older than he seemed. “Have you been keeping an eye out and protecting them? There are bad humans out there on the endless fire water.” The old dogs’ eyes flickered, staring out a thousand yards remembering days of old.
“I have!” Mika nodded, her tails excessive wag making her rear end sway in the air. “I haven’t seen bad humans on the fire water, but I did see lots of seagulls and I made them go away!” The white floofed dog explained. Happy of her moment of protection the day before… no matter how needless it was.
Pogo chuckled at this statement and raised his head one more time as a human passed by and knelt down to give him gentle pets. “You’re doing good Mika, I think you’ll be ready to take over my docks soon if you learn everything so fast!” The old dog teased, his wagging tail making the small human that came to give pets squeal in excitement. “I think your pack needs your help.” The old dog noticed as he could see the Fisher clan trying to get their crane to move the barrels of fish on to the jetty.
“Ohh! Thanks, Pogo!” The younger pup barked as she turned and started running to the jetty to lend a hand to her family unloading their cargo. As she arrived, she got a bit of dangling rope in her mouth and used all of her puppy might to help pull the crane in the right way so the bounty would not fall into the sea.
“Good work Mika!” Carlos called out to the now helping dog, he was sweating from the sheer effort he had to put into this endeavour. “Almost there dad!” he announced before pulling on the rope with a renewed vigour, his trusty dog helping him the entire way!
Party Time!
The sun had set now, hours had passed since the Maria’s Delight made port and unleaded its cargo to be sold off into the fish market. Since then Carlos took his allowance and went with Mika wandering into the town looking for something to spend his money on. Mika had earned her wage too and Carlos was looking to get her scrumptiously big meaty chew to gnaw on as a reward for helping. Mika had understood that she was going to get a treat and was practically bouncing with each step the pair took through the market, her lead whipping up and down with her.
The pair had returned to their ship, Carlos with a bag in hand and Mika was proudly showing off her brand new cow bone chew. She spent the rest of the day at the edge the gangplank chewing away at it happily getting all the marrow out of the bone she could. It was a tasty little challenge.
The night was still young when the Alpha of the pack returned from his outing, crossing the gangplank and leaning down to pet the bone gnawing Mika on the head. Her tail wagged as he stopped for a second and let out a soft smile to the girl. “Things are looking up. We’re going to bring back Nav’Salis and it’s going to do exactly what it should!” He said trying to contain his excitement, happy that he can touch his dream with just the tip of his fingers.
Mika could feel his excitement and in response her tail wagging increased in ferocity as her bone gnawing slowed down, her large puppy eyes locking onto his. ‘The alpha is really happy, I like that!’ She thought as the man changed his simple strokes to a nice scratch behind the ear, making the dog melt into his hand.
“You’re going to be there every step of the way aren’t you? Protect us from all those nasty seagulls and people who want to take our dream away, Keep Carlos company too.” Sam said during his rare moment of softness to the youngest member of his clan, the one he expected to understand him the least.
“Right!” The Alpha announced as he stood back up straight and took a step away towards the main cabin. ”I have some friends coming over tonight, so be a good girl Mika and tell me they are here, ok?” He had announced to the dog, hoping she would impose her aggressive adorable nature onto them and bark out their arrival.
Mika returned to gnawing on her bone, but her eyes watched the Alpha as he moved and gave his order to her. The reply she gave was as much as she could get out now, a low yet energetic grumble. Something that she would stop the moment she could so all of her energy could go into getting some tasty marrow out of this rather large bone that she had been given as a treat.
It did not take all that long for a new human to walk up to the gangplank, a rather old man that looked pretty scruffy. Something made the fur on the back of Mika’s neck stand on end as she looked at this man dropped her bone. “Hey! I don’t like you! Get away!” She barked out, standing up and bouncing on the spot.
“Whoa there, that’s a big dog.” The black greasy haired man said as he slowly walked the gangplank up on to the ship where Mika was still barking away at him. “Calm down I’m Old Sammie’s friend you see.” The man uttered just before the man himself emerged from the cabin and ran over to grab his dog by the collar and pull her back and away from his guest. “Hey Sammie.”
“Rikardo, you really aren’t loved by dogs are ya?” Sam called as he stood between Mika and the sleazy man. “Come on, how did you shirk yourself out of work this time?” He asked jovially of the man.
“Sammie Boy, you know dogs just love to hate me! And I am so hurt! I didn’t shirk my work… I was fired yesterday.” He said before letting out a deep, long and disturbing laugh that rattled the dog to its very core.
“I don’t like him!” Mika barked. “He’s bad!” She growled. “I want to make him go away!” The dog continued, barking and bouncing on the spot from beneath the packs Alpha. This was the very first time her animal instincts had gone as insane as they had. It was something when seagulls circled the ship or when squirrels looked at her funny. This was a pure defence mechanism her body and soul were being thrown into.
“Mika no!” Sam bellowed, grabbing her collar as he did before dragging her still barking to the mast. From here he grabbed a short leash and connected it to the collar before letting go. “Sit there and calm down!” The Fisher alpha commanded, it did not do much to cool the pupper off but it did stop her advancing closer to Rikardo to make him leave. “Sorry Rikky, I’ve never seen her get this wound up before. Have you eaten something that smells bad?”
“Nope, I haven’t eaten in 3 days!” He announced before letting out a slimey laugh. “I got fired last week, I got a bit too acquainted with the boss’s daughter.” He said with the same old laugh. Every sound and movement this man made, made Mika shiver and angry. Her urge to protect her family was burning her but the best she could do was bark at him at the end of a taught chain. “Your dog really is full of energy, reminds me of you back in the day!”
“I even hated you just as much.” Sam retorted, scratching the back of his head as he walked into the main cabin and held the door open. “She’ll calm down soon, she just needs to burn off some energy. Carlos hasn’t taken her on a big walk today.”
Rikardo looked at the dog and then back to Sam before following him into the cabin. “Do I have to teach her the same way I taught you?” He asked, a demonic smile plastering his creased face. The act alone conveying how dangerous this man was to the dog that recoiled and skittered to hide behind the mast that was keeping her from roaming too far.
The Fleet Of Dreams!
A week had passed since the large meeting on the Fisher boat and Mika had spent the time on land, she and Carlos were out every day running around the streets and the larger empty fields that surrounded it. Mika had treats and met so many other dogs to socialise with, play with and spend time just having fun and burning through her energy. She knew there was going to be a day when she had to get back on the boat and sail, but the pupper was going to enjoy the land time she was being given now.
She played Hide and seek with Carlos and so many other dogs that she started to forget their names. Long days of fun all whilst Maria and Sam Fisher prepared their ship and a vast many others to get ready for the great expedition. The dog was unaware of the sight she was going to witness on the day of the fleets expedition.
The sun had just crested over the watery horizon as the horn on the Maria’s Delight blared into the purple sky, rattling the ships that were closest to it and waking all of those up who had slept in. A mere moment passed before Mika stood on her hind legs as she leaned against the mast and let out a long howl of excitement to match the horn. “LETS GOOOOO!” The howl echoed. Mika was the only dog on the fleet of ships so the human replies were a garbled mix of words and accents the dog couldn’t make out.
The Maria’s Delight left the port first and was followed by dozens of ships of all different shapes and sizes that cut through the waves, following the little fishing vessel to the buoy that had been left out at sea naught but a week ago. “Dad! Look how many are following you! It’s amazing just like the stories you used to tell me!” The younger human of the Fisher pack announced as he ran over to Mika to give her pets and scratches behind the ear, making her drop to the floor for belly rubs. “You’re going to be the King!”
“Yeah, I am Carlos. And you’re going to be the crown prince!” The alpha called back as he adjusted the angel on the wheel and then locked it into place before taking a step back to marvel in his achievement. “I never thought we’d find it! Now it’s only a dive away!” The alpha announced with a proud smile that called the dog over.
Mika could feel the pride oozing out of Sam and jumped up to celebrate with him, dancing with her paws in his hands. Her back paws were tippy tapping away and the tail was wagging at a mile a minute. “The Alpha is going to be amazing!” She barked out with a dopey dog smile on her face that got everyone on the Fisher boat grinning away.
“We can celebrate when we have everything we need you three.” Maria chimed as she headed into the kitchen to start making some food for the lot. “Sam Keep your eyes on the sea ahead, don’t want to drift off course now do we?” The woman teased from the room, making the three that remained outside stop where they were stood and stare at each other for a moment.
Even Mika understood a sense of urgency and dropped to all fours and ran to the bow of the ship to watch out ahead for bad humans, just like her old friend told her too not so long ago. The wise dog had a knack for leaving lasting knowledge on this normally forgetful pupper, something that not many could do. “I have to protect the pack!” Mika growled to herself as she stood vigilant, staring at the sapphire blue oceans ahead of them, unending and unbroken even by the horizon.
Dropping Anchor
The sun was close to setting, and it was painting the cloudless skies on fire with a range of oranges and reds that danced towards the encroaching purples and blacks of the night. Mika had watched for as long as she could before sleepiness had over taken her. The dog had curled up and was sleeping away through the latter half of the day. It was only now that the dog had stirred and began to wake from her long nap, refreshed and feeling excited to help her pack out with whatever the rest of the day held… no matter how short that day was going to be.
“Ready Carlos! We’re almost at the spot!” Sam called out from the back of the ship to his son that was stood by a lever. “Steady!” He called out before looking to his wife who was ready to pull on the rope that was in her arms. “3!” He shouted, gripping the wheel of his boat and shifted his stance. “2!” Carlos, also shifted his stance as Maria tugged on the rope slinging the sails to the opposite side of the boat to catch the wind in the other direction. “Now Carlos!” The captain called as she ripped the wheel to the side making it spin rapidly and the boat lurch to the side as Carlos threw the lever, letting the anchor drop into the depths.
The Maria’s delight lurched yet again as the anchor caught the rock on the depths and the chain went taught. With the ship already in a turn the addition of the anchor kept it to a localised drifting turn. Once the ship stopped rocking as hard as it did, Maria snapped into action and tugged on another rope that let the sails fall loose and unfurl. “Good stop!” She called out as the men of the ship regained their balance and started laughing.
“Dad was feeling extra badass!” Carlos announced whilst running over to Mika who had slid around the deck, unaware of what was going on. “Just like his old stories where he was the best helmsman.” The dog rolled onto her back to get comfortable in a quiet way to ask for belly rubs. “This kind of stop is nothing compared to the stories! He sailed through a whirlpool in a storm whilst fighting off bad guys!”
“More pets!” Mika called out as the family began to settle down. The playful bark got more attention from Carlos who doubled down on the belly rubs and scratches. “Yeeeeeessssss.” The dog grumbled out making the laughs continue as Maria gave Sam an angry glare and pointed to the cabin for him to head inside.
There was a muffled argument that was masked by the sounds of approaching ships that were laying anchor. Their anchors splashing and the shouts of people making sure everything was done correctly protected Carlos’ ears from his parents’ argument but not Mika’s. The dogs sensitive hearing picked up all of it.
“I told you not to tell him your pirate stories!” Maria started, sounding very defensive. “We don’t want Carlos to do what you did! It’s stupidly dangerous. I’m still not okay with some of your old ‘friends’ coming to help now!” She was very annoyed, this being a high point for her. Mika was doing her best to focus on the belly rubs but was making a mental notes to go and give her other humans some attention later.
“I never said I was a pirate I just said I had adventures!” Sam replied. “He won’t want to go and do pirate things anyway! He’s set on the Flotilla. And these Friends were the ones who had my back. I helped them with their dreams it’s only fair they help with mine.” The alpha noted trying to keep a calmer tone as to not aggravate his wife any further.
There was a muffled crunching as Maria dropped what she was doing to take a long sigh. “That still doesn’t make me comfortable, if it wasn’t for you some of those people would have done some real bad shit!“ She growled, walking back to get into her husbands space.
“Yes, but it’s because of me they are better people. Look even Rikardo works like a normal person now…” He said with a smile that Mika could here but the mention of the person she disliked with an instinctual passion tensed the dog up and her ability to eavesdrop mid belly rub faded.
“What’s up Mika?” Carlos asked as the dog went from a floppy mess of happy pants to as stiff as a rock with her tail as straight as a mast and her legs unmoving. “Are you okay?” He asked the dog, looking her up and down as if to find a button that would make her relax.
In a moment the dog eventually did unwind but that was after a ship that almost eclipsed their own had pulled up close to the Maria’s delight and dropped anchor, causing water to splatter the pair. “Carlos! Where’s your dad? I still haven’t had a chance to congratulate him!” A woman called out, leaning over to look at the pair who were now sopping wet.
“Uhh… In the cabin with my mum!” The boy replied, looking up to the red head. “I can go and get them if you want!” Carlos said as he shifted Mika off of his knees and made a move to get up. The wet cloths sticking to him got even wetter as his dog stood up and began to shake off violently as dogs do. “Ahh Mika sthaaaap.” He laughed, trying to shield his face from the wet dog.
“It’s fine, he’ll come up here for the party tonight!” The female captain called down, leaning more over the railing to get a good look at the pair below. “You look just like your dad! It’s amazing I remember how crazy he was back in the day.” She called out happily, reminiscing of the shared past. The smile stuck to her face as the dog started to do laps around the ship, trying to find a way to get up to this new friend. “Your dog seems to be a bit bored! Go and play with her. I will see you all tonight for the party!”
With that the stranger bounced off to her ship and could be heard giving orders to her crew that were shuffling about in anticipation for a great party. Mika had stopped her mad half hour dash around and looked at the cabin where Sam and Maria had gone in. “I best go and tell Mum and Dad about the party then.” Carlos chimed as he headed for the door, not noticing the hat that was on the door handle.
“No! They are doing things!” Mika barked as she ran forward and skidded to a holt, guarding the door and young Carlos’s eyes from the things that were happening beyond the door in the cabin. Now Mika had come back to her senses she could hear and it was not good. This would certainly break Carlos and surely he would never recover from walking in on his parents having fun times together.
Carlos stopped as he saw Mika get in the way and start to valiantly guard the door. “What’s wrong?” He asked, oblivious for a few moments before his ears picked up the tell-tale noises and noticing the hat on the door. “Mika. Thank you… I’ll slip you some food from the party…” The young man said with a slight hint of horror to his voice, backing up to go and get as far from the cabin as possible. “Good girl.”
Casting The Line
The next morning had rolled around and the party the night before had made a fair few from each of the crew sleep in past the sunrise. It was the same on the Fisher ship, both Sam and Maria had been drinking a bit too much at the party and even Carlos had stayed up late to play with some of the other kids that were a part of this grand fleet. Mika was on the Maria’s Delight all night, snoozing away and gnawing on treats. There was a point where Carlos had brought his new friends over for a bit to play and keep the pupper from getting too bored.
Mika was the first one to be awake, the first one to pitter patter about the ship wondering what was going to happen. The door to the cabin was ajar, which was not so odd seeing as when the family is on the open sea it was left that way to keep everyone cool in the night. The inquisitive pupper took her chance to poke her nose inside and see why the others had not woken up yet.
‘They tell me off for sleeping all the time! I have to get them back!’ The dog grumbled as she quietly tip toed into the bed room, finding the entire family passed out asleep in their beds. Mika stopped and looked and shook her floofy head as she thought of a way to wake them up and then saw something she had never seen before slinking in the shadows. It kept moving, believing the dog had not seen it. It got to Sam’s special box that Mika was never allowed to look inside of and began patting at the lock.
“HEY! GET OUTTA HERE!” She barked, taking a leap at the creature, her teeth bared and fur on end. “GET AWAY!” She continued chomping towards the slender creature that had knocked the box off of the table and darted towards the door. It was a cat. Something that she had only seen once before in the light and something her old friend warned her to always be wary off.
Sam had bolted upright and was leaping out of the bed to fight any intruder that was in his home. However, by the time he was upright and moving he only managed to get a glimpse of its tail in the doorway. “Good girl Mika.” He said groggily, recognising the potential threat and not penalizing his dog for ultimately helping… despite it waking him up from a rather nice dream that kept him away from a killer hangover.
Mika, who had originally come in here to cause mischief instead came out a champion, a hero! The dog started to pant and wag her tail in happiness before darting outside to patrol the main deck. ‘I am amazing! The best dog! The alpha said I was a good dog again! SQUEEEEE!’ The pupper said, almost dancing around with the happiest tippy taps a dog could muster. This stuper overwhelming her brain for quite a while before she snapped back into reality as the Alpha was in a weird outfit wit ha big jar on his back and a weird mask. ‘The Alpha looks really silly!’ Mika thought as she sat there, collecting herself.
“Tug on the line 3 times quickly if there is something wrong and you want us to reel you in… but pull 4 times if you find it and are bringing back the Treat.” (Translators notes. Dogs do not have a word for treasure, their closest approximation is Treat.) Maria said, sounding as if she was suppressing worry. “Be careful out there, let the others do the heavy lifting you just look for the Treat.”
‘Treat?’ The dog thought, tilting her head to the side in a puzzled fashion. When it was mentioned a second time her head went in the other direction, her ears flopping to the side as she did. ‘I hope it’s a big juicy bone! Like the juiciest ever made!’ The dogs tail wagged on the spot pushing junk and other materials around and getting the attention of the younger of the Fisher pack.
“Mika is excited! I bet she can tell you’re going to find the Treat straight away!” Carlos called out to his father, offering a great big smile and a thumbs up to the man who could not speak due to his equipment. “Good luck dad!” Carlos called, waving away.
“Be careful.” Maria said before moving to stand by the pully that Sam’s rope was attached too. As she reached it the lever was pushed back, and the rope went slack allowing the head of the pack to roll back off of the edge of the ship and cause a large sploosh as his body and equipment hit the water.
“Don’t worry mum! Dad’s a real badass! Did you see the arm wrestling last night? He beat everyone without trying!” Carlos started, running over to the edge to look over and peer down into the crystal water of the blue ocean beneath them. “He can get the Treat and be back without any issue! Mika thinks he’ll get it by the end of today too!”
The mother figure shook her head with a smile, leaning over to pet Mika behind the ears as she spoke softly. “It’s not your dad I’m worried about down there, it’s all the sea king he will be beating up!” The family matriarch joked, doing her best to hide her worry about her husband being in the dark depths below. Something she managed to do well, but not well enough to fool the dog that was pushing her head up into the hand that needed comfort.
Hauling in the Catch
The life giving orb that hung in the sky was now dipping below the wispy cloud ridden horizon, creating a fiery haze of pinks and reds that danced across the sky. As the day drew on and tensions grew across the entire fleet of ships. People had been surfacing for one reason or another all day but none of them were Sam. It had got Maria sat on the edge of the boat watching the line that was attached to her husband like a hawk. The sheer worry emanating from her body was sending Mika into an overdrive mode, doing what ever she can try and suppress it.
The Swiss Shepard Dog could feel the uneasiness and spent all her time laying beside Maria, offering her head for pets and company in the long watch. Mika didn’t understand where Sam had gone, she just knew he was going somewhere dangerous. Her eyes were locked on to the shallow waves that rocked against the ships hull.
“He’ll be back soon… I bet he will be.” Carlos said, coming back from a nap inside of the cabin, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he did. He was worrying as well, but knew it was his job to keep his mother happy, so that was what he tried to do. “And when he does! He’ll have the Treat!” The youngest of the clan announced, bringing his fist high into the air to look triumphant.
The mother looked over at the boy and gave a soft smile before returning to look at the rope that vanished into the deep ocean. “He will, I just can’t help it sometimes.” She sighed, trying her best to keep the motherly smile. ”Your dads always been crazy and making me worry.” She said as Mika’s ears perked upright and her form shifted to be attentive and staring at the twitching rope.
One big tug, it rippled the water and made everyone’s attention turn. The second tug came and Maria moved to get upright and get to the winch. “He’s In trouble! I have to get him pulled out!” She shouted getting her hand on the lever. The third tug came and Maria’s heart sank, causing her to pause as all sorts of mad thoughts rushed through her head. “No…..” She softly cried.
The fourth tug came and all of the emotions that had welled up in the woman faded as Mika ran forward and headbutted the lever that caused the winch to pull the diver back. Maria fell to her knees and hugged the dog as Carlos ran over to join the huddle. “WHOS DUMB IDEA WAS IT TO MAKE THE GOOD ONE AFTER THE BAD ONE?!” She cried quickly, the whirring of the winch echoing louder than the scream.
Carlos was watching the side as the rope pulled in more and more, leaving Mika to nudge at Maria to get her snapped out of her emotional state. Pushing her head up between her hands and nuzzled to provoke her target into scratching her behind the ears. ’That’s what makes us all feel better…’ Mika grumbled softly as her ears got a good playing with.
In the meantime the rope that was attached to Sam kept pulling, pulling until a large shape broke the water and in a quick fluid movement was flung onto the ships deck causing Mika to jump back and look at it inquisitively. “DON’T SCARE ME RANDOM BOX!” She barked out to get protective and shifted into a good stance. Ready to jump on and bite the big box that had appeared. Seconds passed then a human broke the surface of the water and slumped forwards onto the ship panting.
In that same moment the dog hopped on the spot and spun around to be ready to attack the new target but as she started to growl the mask came off to show a very wrinkly Sam’s face. The growl shifted into a happy pant and a very excessive tail wagging. “Alpha! Where were you? I missed you! I am hungry, I haven’t eaten any snacks.” The pupped grumbled as she licked the mans face, being the final obstacle in his return to the ships deck proper.
“Mika! Stop! Arhhh!” Sam spluttered, trying his best to push around Mika so he could get a more comfortable position on the boat. A few movements later and the man was lying on his back panting, holding the almost empty oxygen tank to his side with a dog licking at his cheek to help him warm up. “We found it! We found the Devil Fruit. The relic that proved you were the rightful ruler of the flotilla, the real king!” Sam panted before looking up to the box with the rest of the pack. “We can rebuild the flotilla.” The man’s smile was the most genuine it had been since those whole ordeal had started.
Carlos looked at the wooden box that was now dripping onto the deck with a fascination that would drive most men crazy. He edged forward and pressed his hands to the rotting wood as Mika also took steps towards it, her animal instincts on fire at the scent of what was coming from within… it was truly disgustingly awful. “I don’t like it Carlos!” The young doggo barked out before running around it to look at it from every angle. “It stinks!”
Sam slowly climbed to his feet and carefully stepped forward to crack the crate open. He with his bare hands displayed a strength that most would be jealous of. This sound of creaking and splintering wood was over as quickly as it started, the lid was off and quickly being tossed into the depths of the oceans below. “Here it is!” The pack leader announced as he plucked up a small chest, one that was virtually untouched by the sea. “I never thought I would see it again!”
The dog watched the scene, both intrigued and fighting her instincts to push the small chest away from her masters and let it go back into the water. She watched further as Sam started walking to the storage area below the main deck with the small chest to hide it away… ‘Something doesn’t feel right…’ The dog thought as she let her eyes wander around the near by ships, as if she was feeling like she was being watched.
Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal
The night had pressed on after the initial discovery and reclaiming of the great treat that Mika’s humans had obsessed about. In that time Sam had rested and got back into his usual cloths as both Maria and Carlos put together a small party with a few of Sam’s closest friends. All of them had gathered on the main deck under the now cloudy sky. Mika on the other hand was struggling to battle her instincts, the instincts that a bigger predator was on the prowl and she had to escape, or hide. This made the young pupper spend most of her time in the cabin, watching out of the door as the festivities carried on.
Carlos was stood by the table that had all of the food on it and was filling his plate as the first bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and to the horizon, bathing the entire fleet in a deep violet light before being followed a couple of seconds later by a deafening boom. The young man’s first instinct was to run to his dog, to ensure she was okay and not freaking out at the act of nature that no one could control. By the time he got there and wrapped his arms around the shivering dog a second bolt streaked through the sky and into the ocean some distance away.
It was not the storm that had riled Mika up, it was some one that had arrived with the storm. Some one who climbed his way over the side of the ship and used the second crash of lightning to mask a gunshot. Mika was shaking in her master’s arms, her eyes peeking just above his shoulder and witnessing the scene on the deck. She couldn’t even summon the strength to bark let alone do anything to stop what happened next.
A third streak of light danced in the sky and collided with the big ship that was moored next to the Maria’s Delight causing it to explode into a violet fiery blaze, the same booming thunder causing those who weren’t thrown into the waters to grasp at their ears. Those that managed to protect their hearing were stood up straight and looking around in bewilderment as a single man pointed a smoking barrel towards Sam Fisher. In the initial confusion the female captain of the large ship had been shot in the chest by the newcomer and was on the floor barely moving.
“Well Sammie boy. I’m here to collect on that favour you owe me.” Rikardo chimed, loud enough to cut through the low rumble of the last thunderclap. He was walking forward holding his gun at the man as the men around him shifted and also drew pistols or knives from their garments. “My Boss wants the fruit and he wants it now or your family will start paying for it.” The man growled, shifting his weapon to the side and pointing it right at Maria. “Tick Tock Sam. My boss is a very impatient man.”
The second Mika had set her eyes upon Rikardo her sense of fear warped onto a sense of protection, the change was quick and her shaking shifted into a struggle to escape Carlos’ grasp. ‘Lemme out! I have to get him!’ She growled just before breaking out of the young master grasp. With all of her power she darted forward, through the ash and the rain, with all of her might. She passed Sam and Maria, and went straight for Rikardo, her teeth on full bare.
*BANG!* The shot rang through the air, cutting through the storm that had enveloped the fleet, muting the thunder mid clap. The yelping of the valiant pupper as it tumbled forward mid sprint and rolled to a crumped heap inches from her target. Blood had already started to pool beneath her, tainting her fur into a sickening crimson as all she could do was calculate how she had ended up in this position.
“Mika!” Carlos had called out in a blood curdling cry as his best friend had just taken a bullet that could have been meant for his mother. “WHY!?” He screamed out as he ran forward, but got caught in his father’s arms.
“Why?” Rikardo asked as he took a moment to look at the whining dog that was below him keeping the gun trained on the dog. “Because I can… and because I can, I’m doing this.” In a flash he whipped the gun from Mika to Maria and pulled the trigger, striking her in the chest as another bolt of lightning crashed into the water in the area surrounding the ship. “And I can do this!” He pulled back his right leg and wound up for an epic kick. The monster of a man slammed his foot into the injured dog and launched her into the air with a high arc.
“MARIA!” Sam called out as he darted to the side, holding his son in his arms to keep him protected. “Come on sweetie! Fight!” He said placing his ear to the woman’s chest to listen for a heartbeat. This was followed by the sound of a sickening thud that was followed by a series of smaller and more painful sounds that came from the dog that had landed on the stairs and had rolled down into the cargo hold. “She… she’s dead…” Sam stuttered quietly, his eyes locked onto the love of his life lying with a look of confusion on her face. Her blank eyes staring into the storm riddled sky.
“Boys. Take the kid, I’ll play with Sammie boi until he tells me where he hid the fruit.” Rikardo ordered, taking his time to reload the pistol that had now fired all of its shots. His men took no time to move, the few that were closest to the boy and Sam moved in aiming to grab him. “Come on Sammie, we can settle this nice and quick.”
Mika was fading in and out of consciousness as the fight erupted, everything was dark and the pain was immense but from down in the back of the cargo hold she could hear the scuffle, the screams of tormented pain coming from both Sam and Carlos as Carlos was dragged away by Rikardo’s goons. The clashes between Rikardo and his men as they beat Sam into a pulp. And then nothing.
Heaven Hath No Fury like a Pacifist Scorn
Up on the deck Sam watched as everything happened, a quiet fury had taken hold of him, his wife was shot down in cold blood and his son was taken. His best friend was shot dead and his dog kicked below the deck and left there to suffer. Sam Fisher had finally snapped and broke his old vow he had told to his dog once. “I will never hurt a living thing ever again; I don’t need too.”
From below the deck Mika could hear sounds of movement, those sounds were her pack leader moving, darting from the side of his wife to the closes mook with a gun. In a quick and swift motion the man grabbed the pistol in one hand and used to other to force pressure onto the targets wrist. It was quick and painful as the man fell to his knees screaming in pain before his very own gun was pressed to his temple and the trigger pulled.
As Rikardo watched the scene unfold there was a pit forming in his stomach, something he had not seen in a long time had come out and his cocky attitude was instantly shifted into something akin to fear. “Everyone! Kill Sam!” He shouted whilst hoisting his gun and pulling the trigger wildly trying to hit the family man who had no family left. “Die die die die die!”
Sam managed to pull his first targets body up in front of the weapons fire, using it to block most of the bullets that had come his way. A few had managed to get by his shield and graze his skin but this did not slow the man down. As the gunfire faded the swordsmen charged in, swinging away at the berserker with no real method to their untrained madness.
Swing after swing was dodged before the stolen pistol was jabbed at the attackers and the trigger pulled with little effort, the shot rang out as the attacker fell to the deck. In the same moment the silent and calculated man narrowly avoided a fatal wound as he stepped to the side and took a harsh cut to his left arm, disabling it. In retaliation Sam pressed the pistols barrel to his attacker and again pulled the trigger.
“He’s a monster!” Rikardo called out scampering back until he fell into the rowboat he had used to silently arrive on the Maria’s Delight. “Finish him! Kill him dead! We can get the fruit from this boats husk after we blow it up!” He spat, struggling to get all set up and push his rowboat away.
The men that remained readied their weapons and began to fire at the lone fighter as chucked his now empty gun at the closest one. Sam had not said a word, he was doing his best to dismantle the men around him with one arm. The one who was struck in the face dropped his sword, which did not get a chance to hit the deck as Sam caught it by the handle and with a swift motion cut down the other charging swordsman.
There was a wet thud as a shot collided with Sam’s back making him stagger into another shot. The adrenaline that was coursing through him allowed him to retaliate with two more well placed shots before falling to the flat of his back and rolling over to stare into the stormy night sky.
Mika came to in the damp cold hold of the Maria’s delight, her hearing shot and replaced by the shell shock that was caused by the immense pain she was in. The chest that Sam had brought up from the bottom of the water was smashed on the floor in front of her, the fruit mere inches from her face. Her instincts were ablaze, firing signals to her broken body to move, to eat, to find her pack. The only reason she was alive was her sheer incanine toughness, but that was failing her, she needed to eat.
With every ounce of her strength, the dog heaved herself forward and took the large golden apple into her jaw, forcing as big a bite as she could. Despite the taste being the worst thing she had ever experienced, she forced it down. Swallowing a massive portion of the Devil Fruit in one big gulp knocked the bleeding pupper to the floor. The taste was indescribable something that was truly foul, worse that badly prepared fish, worse than drinking old sea water. The feeling of it hitting her stomach and resisting the sheer urge to throw it back up was painful, something Mika had never felt before, her Labrador Hunger could not even stomach this. There was a pulse of energy that washed over the injured dog, quickly followed by a distinct lack of consciousness. This was the last straw to knock the dog out for the rest of the event, there was a hole in her leg and the loss of blood had been stopped due to how she was laying on the floor. Visions and dreams flooded through the dogs mind as her tiny little body began to comprehend what was happening to it.
Prologue’s Epilogue.
The sounds of a man’s voice ringing out over the waves could be heard as Mika came too, she was still in the damp cargo hold but during the storm she had slid around the hold and was now by the foot of the stairs. There was an intense pain in her leg and the bones that she had broken due to the kick and fall.
“I Repeat! There is a survivor on the main deck! We are coming to help!” The deep and booming voice sounded. It almost shook the dog to her very core, and gave the pupper the curiosity to want to investigate. She couldn’t smell Carlos around what so ever and the scent of both Maria and Sam were faint. Despite the pain she was going to be in Mika rose up and carefully limped forward, up the stairs to the now calm ocean.
The sun had started to rise and the smell of burnt ashes was hanging in the air as the ashes themselves drifted down like soft snow. The ships that were moored near the Maria’s delight had been replaced by a single large World Government Marine vessel that had dispatched row boats to investigate the remains of the two burnt and bloodied ships.
Mika fell to her belly beside Sam, wincing in pain as she pushed her nose to his face licking his to want him to feel better. “Get Carlos back…. He needs you.” Sam managed to whisper out to the dog, barely managing to open his eyes to look at her.
The dog stared at him and simply licked his face as a reply, she understood that Carlos was not around anymore and retrieving him would be the last order from the Alpha. The instinctual sadness that had welled up inside of her as she stared at the man that she respected as a leader was over flowing, leading her to well up with tears as she lay there, watching him.
“Good… Girl….” The alpha managed to whisper out before his eyes closed forever and his body went limp beside Mika. He was bloodied, bruised and broken. He had been denied his dream and died failing to protect his family. However, he had passed that on to his faithful companion. To Mika.
Mika did the best she could to sit up and lifted her head to let out one long mournful howl into the air, a heart breaking noise that lead the first party of marines to her side to investigate what had gone on and to see if the man was alive. ‘I’ll find him.’ Mika thought before laying back down to lick her masters face, aiming to wake him up.
From there the marines patched the dog up and one of them took the dog back to his home on Karate Island, not knowing that the dog was about to play a massive part in a huge story to come.
The sound of waves gently nudging the moderately sized fishing vessel it was a great sound, a sound the Fisher Family had used to ease themselves to sleep at night. The rocking of the ship lulling their bodies into a wonderful dreamland. This was the case for all but one of the fisher clan. The sun was high and the humans aboard the Maria’s Delight were all snoozing in the shade as they awaited their hauling time. It was a simple life the family traveled around the blues fishing and selling their hauls in different ports, making friends and learning new things along the way. It was on one of these land-based expeditions that the family picked up a faithful companion for the youngest of the clan, Carlos. This Companion? Why it was a member of the race known as ‘Man’s best friend’ A glorious white floofed Shepard dog.
Mika had been with the Fishers since she was a naught but a pup, she had spent nearly 6 months learning her way around the boat, how to keep her sea legs, how to sit, and about this whole way of life. Being trained in the morning and early evening, ‘helping’ in any way she can when the nets were being cast and being hauled in and guarding the family during the night and through their midday siestas. Which coincidently this good girl was doing exactly at this moment.
Well, by guarding she is just sat there watching the gulls circle above the boat. “Hey! Stop that you’re going to tell the bad people we are here! Be quiet!” The dog barked up to the gulls after getting sick of hearing screech at the top of their lungs that food was about to be brought up. “Hey! These are our fish! Go and find your own!” She shouted up, barking with such effort and this in turn made her four-legged body bounce on the deck.
“Mika shush!” Shouted the elder of the Fisher Family at the protective dog. “They’re just birds’ girl.” Sam carried on as he walked over to the rear of the boat and looked over the line that is attached to it. “Carlo! Maria! Time to bring in the catch!” The calls were loud and booming, enough to cause Mika to bow her head down before turning to the sounds of footsteps on the deck and seeing her best friend.
“CARLOS!” She barked happily, sprinting forwards and jumping up into the young man’s arms. “I missed you! You were asleep for like 10 hours! Lets play! I’m Hungry… Do you have any treats? Kisses!” The dog chirped on before licking his face in a fast and rough fashion before being pushed back by the laughing young man who was forced to stumble back from the momentum of this dog jumping into him.
“Hahah! Mika get off!” He replied to the dog that was now standing over him and licking his face like she had not seen him in years… or was it days? It was so hard to tell her ability to judge time being so bad. “Come on, we have to help Dad!” He said, using all of his strength to push the hyper active dog back so he could get up.
This did not bother the dog as she stumbled back a few steps before immediately going to pick up the same rope that Carlos had grabbed. Her muzzle scrunching up as she began to pull back as hard as her little legs could pull. The canine jaw clasped around the inches thick rope that was connected to a hoist. With three people operating it, the whole operation took mere minutes. The crane like structure that dangled over the edge of the ship looked sturdy and strong as the rope fed through its mechanisms to hoist up what looked like a net. The more this crane had hoisted up the fuller this net looked with all sorts of fish, it would explain the titanic effort the two men and dog had to put into just hauling the catch up from the depths of the ocean.
“Almost there!” Sam called out to his helpers, and to his wife who had run over to the controls that would allow her to manoeuvre the net over the back of the ship. “This is a great haul!” He shouted back excitedly, putting a smile on the young Fishers face and making the long floofed tail wag in delight in his happiness.
In just a few moments the crane began to move as Maria used all of her small frame to push the crane arm to manoeuvre the net full of fish above the deck. The second the crane had clicked into place the pulling team all let go of the rope making the net and its contents drop a few feet onto the deck with a very loud and heavy, squidgy, thud. “WELL DONE BOYS!” The woman called over to her men who had collapsed onto their backs to pant and catch their breath.
Mika had plenty of energy though and ran straight to the matron of the clan and started to nuzzle into her leg. “I did good too!” She woofed, wanting the same praise her master and the clan alpha had received.
“Of course, you did the best Mika. You deserve a treat for being so helpful!” Maria noted, pulling a chewy treat out for the queen pupper. “Now you know what to do! Sit!” She commanded, and without finishing the command the dog had planted her butt on the deck and did her best to contain the wagging of her tail. “Now shake the paw!” Maria had extended her tanned arm to the dog who in kind raised her paw and began shaking, her jowls curled up into a smile that shone like a star in the night sky.
“Good girl! Here’s the treat.” The matron said as she gently placed the treat in Mika’s mouth only for it to be gone in seconds with the dog to her favourite spot in the shade to watch the men begin cutting the net and sorting through their bounty.
A night to Celebrate
Hours had past and the sun had set, however, the Fisher clan was still shifting through their haul. Mika had spent a solid bit of time chewing through her treat, happily watching the world go by and her family working on separating their fish into what was to be kept and what was to be thrown back. The large bucket that they had stored them all in under the deck was nearly empty no, there was no super-fast movements and splashes. Though this was hours ago… and a nice long nap ago. Mika had curled up on her bed in the shade and closed her sweet little eyes, going to the land of everything she loved. Treats, Chasing cats and squirrels and all the play time with the bestest toys!
During the hours that passed the Swiss Shepard had rolled around in her sleep and let her legs kick in the air as if she was running in her dreams. A scene that stopped Maria, the mother of the clan, in her tracks with a smile on her face as she watched her pupper dream happily… Totally oblivious to the cruel world that was around her.
This dream eventually ended as Mika heard a loud thud on the deck near her master and the clan alpha. The dogs eyes shot open and the flopped ears perked to hear some excited words. “This is it!” Sam shouted. “Maria! We’ve found it! The spot we were looking for!” The man hoisted his son out of the fish pool before clambering out himself. “We found it! HAHA! We can rebuild it! All of it!” He called out in excitement despite the fatigue of a long day of work.
Carlos looked up to his father with a bewildered look, he had never seen his pappy this happy before. This excited about a hunk of wood that was strewn out onto the deck of the ship. He stood there staring at it and reading the words that were plastered on the boards that had rotted edges and looked to be barely held together. His attention was briefly taken away as the Stretching pupper had finally made her way over to the commotion to investigate what was going on. Her nose sniffing the air as she could practically taste the briny air through her nose, causing it to scrunch up at the sheer strength of it.
“Dad? … What is ‘The Seraphim’s Revenge’?” Carlos asked his father with a puzzled tone, the sunlight barely illuminating his sun-kissed skin. He had not been told much about why they fished this area, just that they were a fishing folk from a long heritage of fisherman.
Sam Fisher looked down to his son with a wide and happy grin, something that rarely plastered itself over this stoic man’s form. “That Carlos. That is my family’s legacy, our Heritage and your birth right.” The patriarch called out in a happy, giddy excitement.
“This is amazing Sammie!” Maria called as she ran out of the kitchen and to the rest of her family hugging her husband with a jumping tackle. “We can Bring it all back just like we said we would We will bring back the Floatilla.” She said almost crying in happiness. This attacking hug looked fun however and Mika with one launch up onto her hind legs to also try and hug the Alpha of the pack. With a fun bark.
“I want to play too! This looks fun!” she woofed into the darkening dusk sky. Causing Carlos to laugh out loud as his parents fell flat on to their backs with a six-month-old pupper landing across them both, tail wagging a mile a minute. ‘Are we not playing anymore?’ Mika thought as she looked between the two adults with her head tilting to either side, her ears flopping each time she did, making the two chuckling adults smile before getting their hands on her fur to pet and scratch the dog. ‘That feels soooooo good!’ She thought to her self as her body instinctively pushed itself in award positions so she would be more into their hands to get a better felling from their affection.
“We’ll explain it all to you both in the morning when we make port to sell our fish and get some help in the next stage of the plan.” Sam Fisher explained, still petting the queen pupper and his confused son Carlos. “but for now all we need to do is put a buoy out so we don’t lose this spot and go to bed., we’ll have a long day tomorrow getting everything in order.” He carried on.
After a short while Sam managed to climb out from under the fluffy dog, leaving Maria to scratch and play with the affectionate girl, and moved to the edge. He had grabbed the one Buoy that had never been used before, marked with a symbol of a fish encapsulated in a crystal with six wings, three on either side. He attached it to a long line and then tossed it and the corresponding anchor down into the water with a mighty splash. “We’re all good here!” He called back.
Carlos nodded as he pulled Mika off of his mother and helped her up off of the deck. “I’ll finish cleaning up the tank!” The boy called out as Mika danced around on the spot booping a crab that had climbed out of the tank with her nose and getting giddy.
“And I will get dinner ready! I’m making both of your favourites to celebrate!” Maria shouted as she quickly ran into the kitchen as giddy as a child. The reply she got from both of the men on the boat was one loud cheer making Mika look up to the moon and try and cheer herself… tough it came out as one rather giddy howl. “AAAAAWOOOOOOOOOOO!!“
Landfall!
The fishing boat bobbed along with the waves as it drifted towards the port, the sun was arcing in the morning sky, and the seagulls had begun their usual screeching above the ship. The crew of this fishing boat was rather unusual, the captain Sam Fisher had risen before sunrise and got the whole operation moving before his family could even consider opening their eyes. The burly man had managed to control the vessel on his own, with minimal issue too.
He had soon been joined by the fluffiest member of the family crew, Mika. The Swiss Shepard dog who had sleepily climbed off of her spot on Carlos’ bed to keep the man company and help out in anyway she could. Though when helping out is sitting by the prow of the ship and watching the waves in a day dream state, it could be just called staying out of the way.
She was eventually followed out by the lead female of the family, Maria. The sand skinned beauty that knew how to work a ship, she emerged from beneath the deck and her first action was to kiss her husband Sam on the cheek before tugging on a rope and altering the angel of the sails to catch more wind. All of this was said wordlessly as if they had both been doing this since they were children.
Carlos had eventually risen just after land had been sighted by Mika, her barks that were full of energy and excitement caused her to bounce on the spot with each glorious “Woof”. “Mika! What’s up girl?” He asked, sleepily walking over to the bouncing dog. The dog just looked back to her master and let her tongue hang out of her mouth. “Land!” Carlos called back to his parents that were keeping the ship afloat.
“We’ll make port by lunch! Carlos get the stock ready!” Sam shouted out as he altered their trajectory, aiming to catch a current that he knows circled this island.
Then as time passed the older male’s prediction seemed to come true. The sun was arcing high in the sky as the port came close, ships were now a common sight as they either left or drifted inwards like the fishing vessel. The entire time Mika was darting from side to side, jumping up to lean her wait on the rails as she barked out happily to all the ships she saw that she was the best girl around. The seagulls that were circling overhead dispersed and darted between each of the vessels in search of easy scavenge, cawing as they did.
The work an effort put in by Sam, Carlos and Maria as they brought their ship into the port and got the boat moored up was only slightly hindered by the dog running around in a mad half hour, bouncing from side to side looking at all of the sights and people that were milling around and living their daily lives. It was when another older dog was spotted did Mika stop her running, no she instead darted to the front of the boat and made a leap of faith. She was aiming to land on the decking of the jetty that the boat was pulling up to.
“Pogo! It’s been ages!” Mika barked to the older dog that was lying there, watching the goings on. His tail was wagging at the sight of his younger friend that was recovering from her jump and now sprinting his way. “Pogo I did what you said! I helped with the rope and then Alpha said I was the bestest dog in the world.” Mika explained as she skidded to a stop by the old dog, who had now raised his head to greet the younger pup.
“I see, that’s very good Mika. Helping your human packs makes them like you more and they will give you all the belly rubs and food in the world for doing a good job.” Old dog Pogo Explained, lowing his head back down to get comfortable. His brown fur greying at the temples and his flappy jowls all flattened to the deck made the old dog look a bit older than he seemed. “Have you been keeping an eye out and protecting them? There are bad humans out there on the endless fire water.” The old dogs’ eyes flickered, staring out a thousand yards remembering days of old.
“I have!” Mika nodded, her tails excessive wag making her rear end sway in the air. “I haven’t seen bad humans on the fire water, but I did see lots of seagulls and I made them go away!” The white floofed dog explained. Happy of her moment of protection the day before… no matter how needless it was.
Pogo chuckled at this statement and raised his head one more time as a human passed by and knelt down to give him gentle pets. “You’re doing good Mika, I think you’ll be ready to take over my docks soon if you learn everything so fast!” The old dog teased, his wagging tail making the small human that came to give pets squeal in excitement. “I think your pack needs your help.” The old dog noticed as he could see the Fisher clan trying to get their crane to move the barrels of fish on to the jetty.
“Ohh! Thanks, Pogo!” The younger pup barked as she turned and started running to the jetty to lend a hand to her family unloading their cargo. As she arrived, she got a bit of dangling rope in her mouth and used all of her puppy might to help pull the crane in the right way so the bounty would not fall into the sea.
“Good work Mika!” Carlos called out to the now helping dog, he was sweating from the sheer effort he had to put into this endeavour. “Almost there dad!” he announced before pulling on the rope with a renewed vigour, his trusty dog helping him the entire way!
Party Time!
The sun had set now, hours had passed since the Maria’s Delight made port and unleaded its cargo to be sold off into the fish market. Since then Carlos took his allowance and went with Mika wandering into the town looking for something to spend his money on. Mika had earned her wage too and Carlos was looking to get her scrumptiously big meaty chew to gnaw on as a reward for helping. Mika had understood that she was going to get a treat and was practically bouncing with each step the pair took through the market, her lead whipping up and down with her.
The pair had returned to their ship, Carlos with a bag in hand and Mika was proudly showing off her brand new cow bone chew. She spent the rest of the day at the edge the gangplank chewing away at it happily getting all the marrow out of the bone she could. It was a tasty little challenge.
The night was still young when the Alpha of the pack returned from his outing, crossing the gangplank and leaning down to pet the bone gnawing Mika on the head. Her tail wagged as he stopped for a second and let out a soft smile to the girl. “Things are looking up. We’re going to bring back Nav’Salis and it’s going to do exactly what it should!” He said trying to contain his excitement, happy that he can touch his dream with just the tip of his fingers.
Mika could feel his excitement and in response her tail wagging increased in ferocity as her bone gnawing slowed down, her large puppy eyes locking onto his. ‘The alpha is really happy, I like that!’ She thought as the man changed his simple strokes to a nice scratch behind the ear, making the dog melt into his hand.
“You’re going to be there every step of the way aren’t you? Protect us from all those nasty seagulls and people who want to take our dream away, Keep Carlos company too.” Sam said during his rare moment of softness to the youngest member of his clan, the one he expected to understand him the least.
“Right!” The Alpha announced as he stood back up straight and took a step away towards the main cabin. ”I have some friends coming over tonight, so be a good girl Mika and tell me they are here, ok?” He had announced to the dog, hoping she would impose her aggressive adorable nature onto them and bark out their arrival.
Mika returned to gnawing on her bone, but her eyes watched the Alpha as he moved and gave his order to her. The reply she gave was as much as she could get out now, a low yet energetic grumble. Something that she would stop the moment she could so all of her energy could go into getting some tasty marrow out of this rather large bone that she had been given as a treat.
It did not take all that long for a new human to walk up to the gangplank, a rather old man that looked pretty scruffy. Something made the fur on the back of Mika’s neck stand on end as she looked at this man dropped her bone. “Hey! I don’t like you! Get away!” She barked out, standing up and bouncing on the spot.
“Whoa there, that’s a big dog.” The black greasy haired man said as he slowly walked the gangplank up on to the ship where Mika was still barking away at him. “Calm down I’m Old Sammie’s friend you see.” The man uttered just before the man himself emerged from the cabin and ran over to grab his dog by the collar and pull her back and away from his guest. “Hey Sammie.”
“Rikardo, you really aren’t loved by dogs are ya?” Sam called as he stood between Mika and the sleazy man. “Come on, how did you shirk yourself out of work this time?” He asked jovially of the man.
“Sammie Boy, you know dogs just love to hate me! And I am so hurt! I didn’t shirk my work… I was fired yesterday.” He said before letting out a deep, long and disturbing laugh that rattled the dog to its very core.
“I don’t like him!” Mika barked. “He’s bad!” She growled. “I want to make him go away!” The dog continued, barking and bouncing on the spot from beneath the packs Alpha. This was the very first time her animal instincts had gone as insane as they had. It was something when seagulls circled the ship or when squirrels looked at her funny. This was a pure defence mechanism her body and soul were being thrown into.
“Mika no!” Sam bellowed, grabbing her collar as he did before dragging her still barking to the mast. From here he grabbed a short leash and connected it to the collar before letting go. “Sit there and calm down!” The Fisher alpha commanded, it did not do much to cool the pupper off but it did stop her advancing closer to Rikardo to make him leave. “Sorry Rikky, I’ve never seen her get this wound up before. Have you eaten something that smells bad?”
“Nope, I haven’t eaten in 3 days!” He announced before letting out a slimey laugh. “I got fired last week, I got a bit too acquainted with the boss’s daughter.” He said with the same old laugh. Every sound and movement this man made, made Mika shiver and angry. Her urge to protect her family was burning her but the best she could do was bark at him at the end of a taught chain. “Your dog really is full of energy, reminds me of you back in the day!”
“I even hated you just as much.” Sam retorted, scratching the back of his head as he walked into the main cabin and held the door open. “She’ll calm down soon, she just needs to burn off some energy. Carlos hasn’t taken her on a big walk today.”
Rikardo looked at the dog and then back to Sam before following him into the cabin. “Do I have to teach her the same way I taught you?” He asked, a demonic smile plastering his creased face. The act alone conveying how dangerous this man was to the dog that recoiled and skittered to hide behind the mast that was keeping her from roaming too far.
The Fleet Of Dreams!
A week had passed since the large meeting on the Fisher boat and Mika had spent the time on land, she and Carlos were out every day running around the streets and the larger empty fields that surrounded it. Mika had treats and met so many other dogs to socialise with, play with and spend time just having fun and burning through her energy. She knew there was going to be a day when she had to get back on the boat and sail, but the pupper was going to enjoy the land time she was being given now.
She played Hide and seek with Carlos and so many other dogs that she started to forget their names. Long days of fun all whilst Maria and Sam Fisher prepared their ship and a vast many others to get ready for the great expedition. The dog was unaware of the sight she was going to witness on the day of the fleets expedition.
The sun had just crested over the watery horizon as the horn on the Maria’s Delight blared into the purple sky, rattling the ships that were closest to it and waking all of those up who had slept in. A mere moment passed before Mika stood on her hind legs as she leaned against the mast and let out a long howl of excitement to match the horn. “LETS GOOOOO!” The howl echoed. Mika was the only dog on the fleet of ships so the human replies were a garbled mix of words and accents the dog couldn’t make out.
The Maria’s Delight left the port first and was followed by dozens of ships of all different shapes and sizes that cut through the waves, following the little fishing vessel to the buoy that had been left out at sea naught but a week ago. “Dad! Look how many are following you! It’s amazing just like the stories you used to tell me!” The younger human of the Fisher pack announced as he ran over to Mika to give her pets and scratches behind the ear, making her drop to the floor for belly rubs. “You’re going to be the King!”
“Yeah, I am Carlos. And you’re going to be the crown prince!” The alpha called back as he adjusted the angel on the wheel and then locked it into place before taking a step back to marvel in his achievement. “I never thought we’d find it! Now it’s only a dive away!” The alpha announced with a proud smile that called the dog over.
Mika could feel the pride oozing out of Sam and jumped up to celebrate with him, dancing with her paws in his hands. Her back paws were tippy tapping away and the tail was wagging at a mile a minute. “The Alpha is going to be amazing!” She barked out with a dopey dog smile on her face that got everyone on the Fisher boat grinning away.
“We can celebrate when we have everything we need you three.” Maria chimed as she headed into the kitchen to start making some food for the lot. “Sam Keep your eyes on the sea ahead, don’t want to drift off course now do we?” The woman teased from the room, making the three that remained outside stop where they were stood and stare at each other for a moment.
Even Mika understood a sense of urgency and dropped to all fours and ran to the bow of the ship to watch out ahead for bad humans, just like her old friend told her too not so long ago. The wise dog had a knack for leaving lasting knowledge on this normally forgetful pupper, something that not many could do. “I have to protect the pack!” Mika growled to herself as she stood vigilant, staring at the sapphire blue oceans ahead of them, unending and unbroken even by the horizon.
Dropping Anchor
The sun was close to setting, and it was painting the cloudless skies on fire with a range of oranges and reds that danced towards the encroaching purples and blacks of the night. Mika had watched for as long as she could before sleepiness had over taken her. The dog had curled up and was sleeping away through the latter half of the day. It was only now that the dog had stirred and began to wake from her long nap, refreshed and feeling excited to help her pack out with whatever the rest of the day held… no matter how short that day was going to be.
“Ready Carlos! We’re almost at the spot!” Sam called out from the back of the ship to his son that was stood by a lever. “Steady!” He called out before looking to his wife who was ready to pull on the rope that was in her arms. “3!” He shouted, gripping the wheel of his boat and shifted his stance. “2!” Carlos, also shifted his stance as Maria tugged on the rope slinging the sails to the opposite side of the boat to catch the wind in the other direction. “Now Carlos!” The captain called as she ripped the wheel to the side making it spin rapidly and the boat lurch to the side as Carlos threw the lever, letting the anchor drop into the depths.
The Maria’s delight lurched yet again as the anchor caught the rock on the depths and the chain went taught. With the ship already in a turn the addition of the anchor kept it to a localised drifting turn. Once the ship stopped rocking as hard as it did, Maria snapped into action and tugged on another rope that let the sails fall loose and unfurl. “Good stop!” She called out as the men of the ship regained their balance and started laughing.
“Dad was feeling extra badass!” Carlos announced whilst running over to Mika who had slid around the deck, unaware of what was going on. “Just like his old stories where he was the best helmsman.” The dog rolled onto her back to get comfortable in a quiet way to ask for belly rubs. “This kind of stop is nothing compared to the stories! He sailed through a whirlpool in a storm whilst fighting off bad guys!”
“More pets!” Mika called out as the family began to settle down. The playful bark got more attention from Carlos who doubled down on the belly rubs and scratches. “Yeeeeeessssss.” The dog grumbled out making the laughs continue as Maria gave Sam an angry glare and pointed to the cabin for him to head inside.
There was a muffled argument that was masked by the sounds of approaching ships that were laying anchor. Their anchors splashing and the shouts of people making sure everything was done correctly protected Carlos’ ears from his parents’ argument but not Mika’s. The dogs sensitive hearing picked up all of it.
“I told you not to tell him your pirate stories!” Maria started, sounding very defensive. “We don’t want Carlos to do what you did! It’s stupidly dangerous. I’m still not okay with some of your old ‘friends’ coming to help now!” She was very annoyed, this being a high point for her. Mika was doing her best to focus on the belly rubs but was making a mental notes to go and give her other humans some attention later.
“I never said I was a pirate I just said I had adventures!” Sam replied. “He won’t want to go and do pirate things anyway! He’s set on the Flotilla. And these Friends were the ones who had my back. I helped them with their dreams it’s only fair they help with mine.” The alpha noted trying to keep a calmer tone as to not aggravate his wife any further.
There was a muffled crunching as Maria dropped what she was doing to take a long sigh. “That still doesn’t make me comfortable, if it wasn’t for you some of those people would have done some real bad shit!“ She growled, walking back to get into her husbands space.
“Yes, but it’s because of me they are better people. Look even Rikardo works like a normal person now…” He said with a smile that Mika could here but the mention of the person she disliked with an instinctual passion tensed the dog up and her ability to eavesdrop mid belly rub faded.
“What’s up Mika?” Carlos asked as the dog went from a floppy mess of happy pants to as stiff as a rock with her tail as straight as a mast and her legs unmoving. “Are you okay?” He asked the dog, looking her up and down as if to find a button that would make her relax.
In a moment the dog eventually did unwind but that was after a ship that almost eclipsed their own had pulled up close to the Maria’s delight and dropped anchor, causing water to splatter the pair. “Carlos! Where’s your dad? I still haven’t had a chance to congratulate him!” A woman called out, leaning over to look at the pair who were now sopping wet.
“Uhh… In the cabin with my mum!” The boy replied, looking up to the red head. “I can go and get them if you want!” Carlos said as he shifted Mika off of his knees and made a move to get up. The wet cloths sticking to him got even wetter as his dog stood up and began to shake off violently as dogs do. “Ahh Mika sthaaaap.” He laughed, trying to shield his face from the wet dog.
“It’s fine, he’ll come up here for the party tonight!” The female captain called down, leaning more over the railing to get a good look at the pair below. “You look just like your dad! It’s amazing I remember how crazy he was back in the day.” She called out happily, reminiscing of the shared past. The smile stuck to her face as the dog started to do laps around the ship, trying to find a way to get up to this new friend. “Your dog seems to be a bit bored! Go and play with her. I will see you all tonight for the party!”
With that the stranger bounced off to her ship and could be heard giving orders to her crew that were shuffling about in anticipation for a great party. Mika had stopped her mad half hour dash around and looked at the cabin where Sam and Maria had gone in. “I best go and tell Mum and Dad about the party then.” Carlos chimed as he headed for the door, not noticing the hat that was on the door handle.
“No! They are doing things!” Mika barked as she ran forward and skidded to a holt, guarding the door and young Carlos’s eyes from the things that were happening beyond the door in the cabin. Now Mika had come back to her senses she could hear and it was not good. This would certainly break Carlos and surely he would never recover from walking in on his parents having fun times together.
Carlos stopped as he saw Mika get in the way and start to valiantly guard the door. “What’s wrong?” He asked, oblivious for a few moments before his ears picked up the tell-tale noises and noticing the hat on the door. “Mika. Thank you… I’ll slip you some food from the party…” The young man said with a slight hint of horror to his voice, backing up to go and get as far from the cabin as possible. “Good girl.”
Casting The Line
The next morning had rolled around and the party the night before had made a fair few from each of the crew sleep in past the sunrise. It was the same on the Fisher ship, both Sam and Maria had been drinking a bit too much at the party and even Carlos had stayed up late to play with some of the other kids that were a part of this grand fleet. Mika was on the Maria’s Delight all night, snoozing away and gnawing on treats. There was a point where Carlos had brought his new friends over for a bit to play and keep the pupper from getting too bored.
Mika was the first one to be awake, the first one to pitter patter about the ship wondering what was going to happen. The door to the cabin was ajar, which was not so odd seeing as when the family is on the open sea it was left that way to keep everyone cool in the night. The inquisitive pupper took her chance to poke her nose inside and see why the others had not woken up yet.
‘They tell me off for sleeping all the time! I have to get them back!’ The dog grumbled as she quietly tip toed into the bed room, finding the entire family passed out asleep in their beds. Mika stopped and looked and shook her floofy head as she thought of a way to wake them up and then saw something she had never seen before slinking in the shadows. It kept moving, believing the dog had not seen it. It got to Sam’s special box that Mika was never allowed to look inside of and began patting at the lock.
“HEY! GET OUTTA HERE!” She barked, taking a leap at the creature, her teeth bared and fur on end. “GET AWAY!” She continued chomping towards the slender creature that had knocked the box off of the table and darted towards the door. It was a cat. Something that she had only seen once before in the light and something her old friend warned her to always be wary off.
Sam had bolted upright and was leaping out of the bed to fight any intruder that was in his home. However, by the time he was upright and moving he only managed to get a glimpse of its tail in the doorway. “Good girl Mika.” He said groggily, recognising the potential threat and not penalizing his dog for ultimately helping… despite it waking him up from a rather nice dream that kept him away from a killer hangover.
Mika, who had originally come in here to cause mischief instead came out a champion, a hero! The dog started to pant and wag her tail in happiness before darting outside to patrol the main deck. ‘I am amazing! The best dog! The alpha said I was a good dog again! SQUEEEEE!’ The pupper said, almost dancing around with the happiest tippy taps a dog could muster. This stuper overwhelming her brain for quite a while before she snapped back into reality as the Alpha was in a weird outfit wit ha big jar on his back and a weird mask. ‘The Alpha looks really silly!’ Mika thought as she sat there, collecting herself.
“Tug on the line 3 times quickly if there is something wrong and you want us to reel you in… but pull 4 times if you find it and are bringing back the Treat.” (Translators notes. Dogs do not have a word for treasure, their closest approximation is Treat.) Maria said, sounding as if she was suppressing worry. “Be careful out there, let the others do the heavy lifting you just look for the Treat.”
‘Treat?’ The dog thought, tilting her head to the side in a puzzled fashion. When it was mentioned a second time her head went in the other direction, her ears flopping to the side as she did. ‘I hope it’s a big juicy bone! Like the juiciest ever made!’ The dogs tail wagged on the spot pushing junk and other materials around and getting the attention of the younger of the Fisher pack.
“Mika is excited! I bet she can tell you’re going to find the Treat straight away!” Carlos called out to his father, offering a great big smile and a thumbs up to the man who could not speak due to his equipment. “Good luck dad!” Carlos called, waving away.
“Be careful.” Maria said before moving to stand by the pully that Sam’s rope was attached too. As she reached it the lever was pushed back, and the rope went slack allowing the head of the pack to roll back off of the edge of the ship and cause a large sploosh as his body and equipment hit the water.
“Don’t worry mum! Dad’s a real badass! Did you see the arm wrestling last night? He beat everyone without trying!” Carlos started, running over to the edge to look over and peer down into the crystal water of the blue ocean beneath them. “He can get the Treat and be back without any issue! Mika thinks he’ll get it by the end of today too!”
The mother figure shook her head with a smile, leaning over to pet Mika behind the ears as she spoke softly. “It’s not your dad I’m worried about down there, it’s all the sea king he will be beating up!” The family matriarch joked, doing her best to hide her worry about her husband being in the dark depths below. Something she managed to do well, but not well enough to fool the dog that was pushing her head up into the hand that needed comfort.
Hauling in the Catch
The life giving orb that hung in the sky was now dipping below the wispy cloud ridden horizon, creating a fiery haze of pinks and reds that danced across the sky. As the day drew on and tensions grew across the entire fleet of ships. People had been surfacing for one reason or another all day but none of them were Sam. It had got Maria sat on the edge of the boat watching the line that was attached to her husband like a hawk. The sheer worry emanating from her body was sending Mika into an overdrive mode, doing what ever she can try and suppress it.
The Swiss Shepard Dog could feel the uneasiness and spent all her time laying beside Maria, offering her head for pets and company in the long watch. Mika didn’t understand where Sam had gone, she just knew he was going somewhere dangerous. Her eyes were locked on to the shallow waves that rocked against the ships hull.
“He’ll be back soon… I bet he will be.” Carlos said, coming back from a nap inside of the cabin, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he did. He was worrying as well, but knew it was his job to keep his mother happy, so that was what he tried to do. “And when he does! He’ll have the Treat!” The youngest of the clan announced, bringing his fist high into the air to look triumphant.
The mother looked over at the boy and gave a soft smile before returning to look at the rope that vanished into the deep ocean. “He will, I just can’t help it sometimes.” She sighed, trying her best to keep the motherly smile. ”Your dads always been crazy and making me worry.” She said as Mika’s ears perked upright and her form shifted to be attentive and staring at the twitching rope.
One big tug, it rippled the water and made everyone’s attention turn. The second tug came and Maria moved to get upright and get to the winch. “He’s In trouble! I have to get him pulled out!” She shouted getting her hand on the lever. The third tug came and Maria’s heart sank, causing her to pause as all sorts of mad thoughts rushed through her head. “No…..” She softly cried.
The fourth tug came and all of the emotions that had welled up in the woman faded as Mika ran forward and headbutted the lever that caused the winch to pull the diver back. Maria fell to her knees and hugged the dog as Carlos ran over to join the huddle. “WHOS DUMB IDEA WAS IT TO MAKE THE GOOD ONE AFTER THE BAD ONE?!” She cried quickly, the whirring of the winch echoing louder than the scream.
Carlos was watching the side as the rope pulled in more and more, leaving Mika to nudge at Maria to get her snapped out of her emotional state. Pushing her head up between her hands and nuzzled to provoke her target into scratching her behind the ears. ’That’s what makes us all feel better…’ Mika grumbled softly as her ears got a good playing with.
In the meantime the rope that was attached to Sam kept pulling, pulling until a large shape broke the water and in a quick fluid movement was flung onto the ships deck causing Mika to jump back and look at it inquisitively. “DON’T SCARE ME RANDOM BOX!” She barked out to get protective and shifted into a good stance. Ready to jump on and bite the big box that had appeared. Seconds passed then a human broke the surface of the water and slumped forwards onto the ship panting.
In that same moment the dog hopped on the spot and spun around to be ready to attack the new target but as she started to growl the mask came off to show a very wrinkly Sam’s face. The growl shifted into a happy pant and a very excessive tail wagging. “Alpha! Where were you? I missed you! I am hungry, I haven’t eaten any snacks.” The pupped grumbled as she licked the mans face, being the final obstacle in his return to the ships deck proper.
“Mika! Stop! Arhhh!” Sam spluttered, trying his best to push around Mika so he could get a more comfortable position on the boat. A few movements later and the man was lying on his back panting, holding the almost empty oxygen tank to his side with a dog licking at his cheek to help him warm up. “We found it! We found the Devil Fruit. The relic that proved you were the rightful ruler of the flotilla, the real king!” Sam panted before looking up to the box with the rest of the pack. “We can rebuild the flotilla.” The man’s smile was the most genuine it had been since those whole ordeal had started.
Carlos looked at the wooden box that was now dripping onto the deck with a fascination that would drive most men crazy. He edged forward and pressed his hands to the rotting wood as Mika also took steps towards it, her animal instincts on fire at the scent of what was coming from within… it was truly disgustingly awful. “I don’t like it Carlos!” The young doggo barked out before running around it to look at it from every angle. “It stinks!”
Sam slowly climbed to his feet and carefully stepped forward to crack the crate open. He with his bare hands displayed a strength that most would be jealous of. This sound of creaking and splintering wood was over as quickly as it started, the lid was off and quickly being tossed into the depths of the oceans below. “Here it is!” The pack leader announced as he plucked up a small chest, one that was virtually untouched by the sea. “I never thought I would see it again!”
The dog watched the scene, both intrigued and fighting her instincts to push the small chest away from her masters and let it go back into the water. She watched further as Sam started walking to the storage area below the main deck with the small chest to hide it away… ‘Something doesn’t feel right…’ The dog thought as she let her eyes wander around the near by ships, as if she was feeling like she was being watched.
Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal
The night had pressed on after the initial discovery and reclaiming of the great treat that Mika’s humans had obsessed about. In that time Sam had rested and got back into his usual cloths as both Maria and Carlos put together a small party with a few of Sam’s closest friends. All of them had gathered on the main deck under the now cloudy sky. Mika on the other hand was struggling to battle her instincts, the instincts that a bigger predator was on the prowl and she had to escape, or hide. This made the young pupper spend most of her time in the cabin, watching out of the door as the festivities carried on.
Carlos was stood by the table that had all of the food on it and was filling his plate as the first bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and to the horizon, bathing the entire fleet in a deep violet light before being followed a couple of seconds later by a deafening boom. The young man’s first instinct was to run to his dog, to ensure she was okay and not freaking out at the act of nature that no one could control. By the time he got there and wrapped his arms around the shivering dog a second bolt streaked through the sky and into the ocean some distance away.
It was not the storm that had riled Mika up, it was some one that had arrived with the storm. Some one who climbed his way over the side of the ship and used the second crash of lightning to mask a gunshot. Mika was shaking in her master’s arms, her eyes peeking just above his shoulder and witnessing the scene on the deck. She couldn’t even summon the strength to bark let alone do anything to stop what happened next.
A third streak of light danced in the sky and collided with the big ship that was moored next to the Maria’s Delight causing it to explode into a violet fiery blaze, the same booming thunder causing those who weren’t thrown into the waters to grasp at their ears. Those that managed to protect their hearing were stood up straight and looking around in bewilderment as a single man pointed a smoking barrel towards Sam Fisher. In the initial confusion the female captain of the large ship had been shot in the chest by the newcomer and was on the floor barely moving.
“Well Sammie boy. I’m here to collect on that favour you owe me.” Rikardo chimed, loud enough to cut through the low rumble of the last thunderclap. He was walking forward holding his gun at the man as the men around him shifted and also drew pistols or knives from their garments. “My Boss wants the fruit and he wants it now or your family will start paying for it.” The man growled, shifting his weapon to the side and pointing it right at Maria. “Tick Tock Sam. My boss is a very impatient man.”
The second Mika had set her eyes upon Rikardo her sense of fear warped onto a sense of protection, the change was quick and her shaking shifted into a struggle to escape Carlos’ grasp. ‘Lemme out! I have to get him!’ She growled just before breaking out of the young master grasp. With all of her power she darted forward, through the ash and the rain, with all of her might. She passed Sam and Maria, and went straight for Rikardo, her teeth on full bare.
*BANG!* The shot rang through the air, cutting through the storm that had enveloped the fleet, muting the thunder mid clap. The yelping of the valiant pupper as it tumbled forward mid sprint and rolled to a crumped heap inches from her target. Blood had already started to pool beneath her, tainting her fur into a sickening crimson as all she could do was calculate how she had ended up in this position.
“Mika!” Carlos had called out in a blood curdling cry as his best friend had just taken a bullet that could have been meant for his mother. “WHY!?” He screamed out as he ran forward, but got caught in his father’s arms.
“Why?” Rikardo asked as he took a moment to look at the whining dog that was below him keeping the gun trained on the dog. “Because I can… and because I can, I’m doing this.” In a flash he whipped the gun from Mika to Maria and pulled the trigger, striking her in the chest as another bolt of lightning crashed into the water in the area surrounding the ship. “And I can do this!” He pulled back his right leg and wound up for an epic kick. The monster of a man slammed his foot into the injured dog and launched her into the air with a high arc.
“MARIA!” Sam called out as he darted to the side, holding his son in his arms to keep him protected. “Come on sweetie! Fight!” He said placing his ear to the woman’s chest to listen for a heartbeat. This was followed by the sound of a sickening thud that was followed by a series of smaller and more painful sounds that came from the dog that had landed on the stairs and had rolled down into the cargo hold. “She… she’s dead…” Sam stuttered quietly, his eyes locked onto the love of his life lying with a look of confusion on her face. Her blank eyes staring into the storm riddled sky.
“Boys. Take the kid, I’ll play with Sammie boi until he tells me where he hid the fruit.” Rikardo ordered, taking his time to reload the pistol that had now fired all of its shots. His men took no time to move, the few that were closest to the boy and Sam moved in aiming to grab him. “Come on Sammie, we can settle this nice and quick.”
Mika was fading in and out of consciousness as the fight erupted, everything was dark and the pain was immense but from down in the back of the cargo hold she could hear the scuffle, the screams of tormented pain coming from both Sam and Carlos as Carlos was dragged away by Rikardo’s goons. The clashes between Rikardo and his men as they beat Sam into a pulp. And then nothing.
Heaven Hath No Fury like a Pacifist Scorn
Up on the deck Sam watched as everything happened, a quiet fury had taken hold of him, his wife was shot down in cold blood and his son was taken. His best friend was shot dead and his dog kicked below the deck and left there to suffer. Sam Fisher had finally snapped and broke his old vow he had told to his dog once. “I will never hurt a living thing ever again; I don’t need too.”
From below the deck Mika could hear sounds of movement, those sounds were her pack leader moving, darting from the side of his wife to the closes mook with a gun. In a quick and swift motion the man grabbed the pistol in one hand and used to other to force pressure onto the targets wrist. It was quick and painful as the man fell to his knees screaming in pain before his very own gun was pressed to his temple and the trigger pulled.
As Rikardo watched the scene unfold there was a pit forming in his stomach, something he had not seen in a long time had come out and his cocky attitude was instantly shifted into something akin to fear. “Everyone! Kill Sam!” He shouted whilst hoisting his gun and pulling the trigger wildly trying to hit the family man who had no family left. “Die die die die die!”
Sam managed to pull his first targets body up in front of the weapons fire, using it to block most of the bullets that had come his way. A few had managed to get by his shield and graze his skin but this did not slow the man down. As the gunfire faded the swordsmen charged in, swinging away at the berserker with no real method to their untrained madness.
Swing after swing was dodged before the stolen pistol was jabbed at the attackers and the trigger pulled with little effort, the shot rang out as the attacker fell to the deck. In the same moment the silent and calculated man narrowly avoided a fatal wound as he stepped to the side and took a harsh cut to his left arm, disabling it. In retaliation Sam pressed the pistols barrel to his attacker and again pulled the trigger.
“He’s a monster!” Rikardo called out scampering back until he fell into the rowboat he had used to silently arrive on the Maria’s Delight. “Finish him! Kill him dead! We can get the fruit from this boats husk after we blow it up!” He spat, struggling to get all set up and push his rowboat away.
The men that remained readied their weapons and began to fire at the lone fighter as chucked his now empty gun at the closest one. Sam had not said a word, he was doing his best to dismantle the men around him with one arm. The one who was struck in the face dropped his sword, which did not get a chance to hit the deck as Sam caught it by the handle and with a swift motion cut down the other charging swordsman.
There was a wet thud as a shot collided with Sam’s back making him stagger into another shot. The adrenaline that was coursing through him allowed him to retaliate with two more well placed shots before falling to the flat of his back and rolling over to stare into the stormy night sky.
Mika came to in the damp cold hold of the Maria’s delight, her hearing shot and replaced by the shell shock that was caused by the immense pain she was in. The chest that Sam had brought up from the bottom of the water was smashed on the floor in front of her, the fruit mere inches from her face. Her instincts were ablaze, firing signals to her broken body to move, to eat, to find her pack. The only reason she was alive was her sheer incanine toughness, but that was failing her, she needed to eat.
With every ounce of her strength, the dog heaved herself forward and took the large golden apple into her jaw, forcing as big a bite as she could. Despite the taste being the worst thing she had ever experienced, she forced it down. Swallowing a massive portion of the Devil Fruit in one big gulp knocked the bleeding pupper to the floor. The taste was indescribable something that was truly foul, worse that badly prepared fish, worse than drinking old sea water. The feeling of it hitting her stomach and resisting the sheer urge to throw it back up was painful, something Mika had never felt before, her Labrador Hunger could not even stomach this. There was a pulse of energy that washed over the injured dog, quickly followed by a distinct lack of consciousness. This was the last straw to knock the dog out for the rest of the event, there was a hole in her leg and the loss of blood had been stopped due to how she was laying on the floor. Visions and dreams flooded through the dogs mind as her tiny little body began to comprehend what was happening to it.
Prologue’s Epilogue.
The sounds of a man’s voice ringing out over the waves could be heard as Mika came too, she was still in the damp cargo hold but during the storm she had slid around the hold and was now by the foot of the stairs. There was an intense pain in her leg and the bones that she had broken due to the kick and fall.
“I Repeat! There is a survivor on the main deck! We are coming to help!” The deep and booming voice sounded. It almost shook the dog to her very core, and gave the pupper the curiosity to want to investigate. She couldn’t smell Carlos around what so ever and the scent of both Maria and Sam were faint. Despite the pain she was going to be in Mika rose up and carefully limped forward, up the stairs to the now calm ocean.
The sun had started to rise and the smell of burnt ashes was hanging in the air as the ashes themselves drifted down like soft snow. The ships that were moored near the Maria’s delight had been replaced by a single large World Government Marine vessel that had dispatched row boats to investigate the remains of the two burnt and bloodied ships.
Mika fell to her belly beside Sam, wincing in pain as she pushed her nose to his face licking his to want him to feel better. “Get Carlos back…. He needs you.” Sam managed to whisper out to the dog, barely managing to open his eyes to look at her.
The dog stared at him and simply licked his face as a reply, she understood that Carlos was not around anymore and retrieving him would be the last order from the Alpha. The instinctual sadness that had welled up inside of her as she stared at the man that she respected as a leader was over flowing, leading her to well up with tears as she lay there, watching him.
“Good… Girl….” The alpha managed to whisper out before his eyes closed forever and his body went limp beside Mika. He was bloodied, bruised and broken. He had been denied his dream and died failing to protect his family. However, he had passed that on to his faithful companion. To Mika.
Mika did the best she could to sit up and lifted her head to let out one long mournful howl into the air, a heart breaking noise that lead the first party of marines to her side to investigate what had gone on and to see if the man was alive. ‘I’ll find him.’ Mika thought before laying back down to lick her masters face, aiming to wake him up.
From there the marines patched the dog up and one of them took the dog back to his home on Karate Island, not knowing that the dog was about to play a massive part in a huge story to come.
