//------------------------------// // Chapter 137 - Cruise // Story: Quest For Harmony // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// Despite the chaotic echoes of explosions, bullets, and thunder from the city far north, the sea seemed like it didn't care and decided to ignore everything that was happening on the surface. Swimming on the calm sea was a huge dragon, it's maroon scales faintly reflecting the lights from the small bolts of lightning from the gloomy heavens. The calm and quiet sea was only broken by the quiet strokes of the dragon's paws and it's slowly swishing tail as it swam forward towards the island, which was completely covered by a thin layer of black mist. On the dragon's back were three humans and a cyan pegasus. The four sets of eyes were fixed on the slowly growing island. Gulping, one of the humans, who was wearing a simple, dirtied white t-shirt and plain shorts, turned to the other humans, who were wearing a more proper set of clothing for the cold and drizzling weather. “O-okay,” spoke Jay, eyeing the two humans with worry, “we're getting close, so we should wear our masks once we set foot on the island.” “Obviously...” Xilfer frowned. Jay frowned. “Ye-yeah, sorry... I just...wanted to say something...” “Whatever,” Xilfer shook his head. “We are to go to the mountain by foot. So it's best that we prepare.” He then turned to Bug, who was busy with sorting out the few items that he and Xilfer could carry before they jumped on the dragon's back earlier. “What do we have?” “Well,” Bug spoke, without even glancing up at Xilfer as he held a gun, “five guns and some magazines. A few grenades, and some other nifty stuff.” He grinned wide as he finally glanced at Xilfer. Jay tilted his head to the side as Xilfer nodded. “What nifty stuff?” Jay asked, completely lost. Xilfer turned to his older brother. “Stuff that might be useful later on...” He then stared at him sternly. Jay rolled his eyes. “Fine... Whatever.” He shook his head. “But, just where do you guys get all of those weapons? It looks like you are some sort of terrorists or something...” “I don't think the details are that important,” Xilfer spoke, and was about to add more, but Jay cut him off. “It's important to me!” He glared at his younger brother. “Xilfer! You could get into trouble with those!” “None of your concern.” “It is my concern!” Jay stomped his foot on the scaly back of the dragon. Xilfer glared back. “Since when?” he calmly asked. “Since forever!” he replied angrily. “What the hell happened to you!? Where is the brother I used to know, huh!? Where is he!?” They both held their glares for a while before Xilfer withdrew and turned his back on him. “Why don't you ask our beloved dad, bro...” Jay's eye twitched. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words died in his throat, and was instead replaced by a disappointed sigh. “I...see...” he whispered. “What the hay's going on with you two?” Rainbow asked with an arched eyebrow. “Mind your own business,” the brothers replied quietly at the same time. Rainbow frowned. “Sheesh, whatever...” After a few more seconds, Jay sighed and rubbed the side of his neck. “Okay, look. We'll talk later.” Xilfer wanted to comment, but decided against it. Jay turned to face the island, which was already close. “Let's concentrate on stopping whatever's going on for now...” He eyed the approaching shore, but he could barely see the sand due to the thin layer of mist that covered the area. “Do I have to wear this stupid mask again?” “Unfortunately, yes,” Jay replied to the pegasus' question without removing his gaze at the approaching shore. “Question,” Bug raised a hand over his head, “why do we even need the masks, anyway?” Jay turned and was about to answer, but Xilfer cut him off. “The masks filter the black mists from, whatever it did to Jay.” “What does that mean?” Rainbow asked, turning her head from the brothers back and forth. “I...” Jay looked away, “...can't really remember what happened exactly but...” he returned his gaze back at them, but when he noticed that Xilfer was looking at him, he immediately stared at the pegasus. “...I began to see my fears... And...I faintly felt my body having this...strange feeling, but I dunno.” He shook his head. “I was just...trapped in the world of my fears...” Rainbow arched an eyebrow as Xelene slightly turned her head to stare at them with her one good eye. Jay shook his head. “I don't want that to happen to anyone, especially not to my...” Jay gasped. “Oh, shoot...” “What is it?” Bug asked. “D-darn it, the mists!” Jay gasped as he hurriedly pulled Xilfer's phone from his pocket. “W-why haven't I thought of this sooner!?” he asked, more to himself as he rushed in typing a text message. “What are you doing?” Rainbow asked, but Jay ignored her. It didn't take long for Xilfer to figure out what Jay was so worried about. “Shit,” he cursed under his breath as he turned to the city far away. “Ack!” Jay gritted his teeth as he pushed the call button. “Why the heck am I even trying to text him!?” he muttered as he brought the phone to his ears. A dark and quiet room was suddenly, yet slightly, brought to life by a sudden flashing light and the faint noise of vibrations from a cellular phone on a metallic table. The light flashed upward, but it couldn't penetrate the thin black mist that lay dormant on the air. As the phone vibrated, it moved closer and closer to the table's edge, until it finally fell on the solid cemented basement floor. As it fell however, the light it emitted was reflected back by a shiny blue body nearby. The phone landed on he floor, it's lights still facing upward. Suddenly, from the mist above the phone, a blue hoof was descending slowly towards it, until it touched the phone. The hoof however, kept pushing down to the ground, despite the phone blocking its path, that began to crack and spark, until it was totally crushed. Silence and darkness governed the dark room once again.