122 The Unexpected (1/2)
When Tsai Po decided to return to the island, Nian Zhen and the rest went with him.When they got there, they found Paradise Island in utter chaos. And Tsai Po's house it seemed was the hubbub of all this panic.
After the trouble started, the locals went to find Tsai Po and when they couldn't, they literally fell apart.The anger was slow to simmer but when it did, no one was safe.
Paradise Island had over five thousand inhabitants.All of them were pirates, three generations for each family, even kids as young as three. Most of them have been to all kinds of situations, encountered the meanest and vilest humanity out in the open sea, murdered even their friends for profit, but no one had ever seen or encountered a sea monster as frightening and difficult to kill as the twin-headed snake.
Things like that, they only happen in legends, they argued among themselves.Sea monsters were the kind of bogeymen pirates like them tell about to scare their kids or to pad up their pirate creed.An enormous, twin-headed snake that practically engulfed the island in poisonous mist was one of those tall tales pirates like to talk about when they're drunk or having a personal crisis.Sea monsters like a twin-headed snake were make-believe.Imaginary creatures like that didn't attack in the early hours of the morning by making you gag or spew out acid as it disgustedly slither about trying to murder you in your sleep.
But make believe turned out to be real and the captain, the unelected leader of this band of little island runaways, was nowhere to be found. Perhaps the snake ate him but no matter, because the instincts of self-preservation that was the DNA of all pirates finally reared its ugly head and what followed it was ugly.Words were said, followed by action and bodies were thrown here and there, many of them dead.
It was an ugly scene made even uglier by the fact that when the crazies saw Tsai Po, alive and well apparently, they went even crazier and tried to attack him and his companions. Nian Zhen instinctively grabbed Castor while pulling out his sword. An Ning meanwhile took out her sword and without another word swung it at the people rushing at them.The sword gave out a strange light then a loud boom sounded.The next thing they knew, the crazies were on the ground, groaning and moaning with pain.They stared up at An Ning whose eyes glittered at them with a dangerous light.The crazies got up on their hands and knees and ran to the gates screaming their heads off.
The group watched them leave. Nian Zhen was still shaking with anger, still clutching Castor to him.Tsai Po was pale, his hands around his niece tightening until she unconsciously winced.An Ning looked at Tsai Po with a frown.
”I think we'd best stay around for a few more days until you've got everything sorted out here,” she said.”After that, you're coming with us.”
”No,” Tsai Po said.”This is my island.No one will drive me away from my property.”
”I think they'll turn on you if you don't do something about it quick,” Nian Zhen opined.”They wouldn't need a lit tinder either.Anything will do until they run out of reasons to blame you.”
Tsai Po was silent. He glanced at Smilla, who was looking up at him with a worried face and sighed, not saying anything.
”Let's go back,” Nian Zhen said. ”It's not safe here anymore.”
”I'll tell the crew to move the Whimsy some distance away,” An Ning said, frowning at the silent Tsai Po.”You want me to clean this up?”
”Can you?” Tsai Po asked wryly, not really expecting a serious answer from her.
”All of you return to the barge,” An Ning commanded. ”I”ll follow you after I've cleaned up here.I won't be long.”
All of them gaped at her.
”You're...you're not...you're not,” Tsai Po stammered, too shock to voice out his thoughts.
”Kill them?” An Ning said amused.”Of course not.There are other ways than violence, you know.”
They looked at her skeptically, not believing what she said, which made An Ning laughed out loud.Nian Zhen, however, didn't look pleased.
”Why do you have to clean up after him?” he grumbled.”Wasn't it enough that you got rid of that monster?You don't have to do anything more to save their ass, do you?”
Tsai Po reddened as his words sank in.
”What do you want to do then?” An Ning asked.
”I'll send out word that Pirate Island is open for war. I'll pay the victor who can flush these assholes out.That's one way of cleaning up trash.I don't want you involved in this anymore, Ning Ning.You've done enough.”