Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“Uh…I’m not the only one seeing this, right?”</span> you asked.
Judging by the nervous looks on everyone’s faces, you had no doubt that everyone was seeing something similar, if not identical to what you were currently witnessing. Then, a thought occurred to you.
<span class="mu-r">“Grover! Drop them overboard!”</span> you called out. <span class="mu-r">“The Verdant Voyager is still <span class="mu-i">your</span> ship!”</span>
Grover slaps his forehead in realization, seemingly breaking out of the trance that this illusory event was having on him. Less than a few seconds later, a row of vine-like tendrils rose up over the side of the ship, wrapping themselves around the waists and legs of the invaders, and flinging them off the side of the ship.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, but Grover seemed to be straining to focus.
<span class="mu-g">“They’re trying to climb back up! Keep firing!”</span> he demanded.
But before anyone could get another shot off, the boat rocked violently.
<span class="mu-g">“The Jolly Roger’s firing back at us!”</span> the mutant boy reported. “Brace yourselves!”
The firing squad began focusing on the men operating the enemy ship’s cannons, limiting their ranged effectiveness to the accuracy of their archers and the few that were allowed to carry guns. All of this seemed to stop all at once, however, when you saw a small figure thrusting two swords at a tall man wearing a large hat, and a young boy that seemed to be taller than the ones being held captive.
Both put their hands up, but everyone else seemed to loom over the magical boy menacingly.
<span class="mu-g">“Peter Pan has taken the captain hostage.”</span> Anastasia confirmed. <span class="mu-g">“We should be able to-”</span>
She never got to finish that sentence, as the boat rocked violently once more. But this time, it almost knocked you off of your feet, despite their adhesive properties. You all glanced towards the Jolly Roger, but the attack hadn’t come from them. So…where was it coming from, exactly?
<span class="mu-s">TICK-TOCK. TICK-TOCK. TICK-TOCK.</span>
A familiar ticking sound filled the air, and you were about to tell Peter to knock it off. But…no, he was too far for it to sound this close. This was…
<span class="mu-r">“Oh shit…”</span> you breathed, right before a massive scaly beast hefted its incredible bulk onto the side of the ship, nearly causing the entire thing to topple over!
The ticking sound grew in intensity as the hulking behemoth whipped his flat head to-and-fro, dripping water onto the deck and smashing the makeshift canopy altogether.
<span class="mu-b">“Well ain’t this a revoltin’ development.”</span> Felicia said, digging her claws into the deck in order to prevent herself from sliding into the giant croc’s gaping maw. Prowler was doing the same, and Callisto seemed to be using her tentacles to latch onto the ship’s mast.
(Cont.)
