The captains of the sunset wind.

Gillions + Chips Pov (again)

My back hit the water first, absorbing most of the initial shock. Usually, the water would be a comfort, but now it buzzed and hummed around me uncomfortably. For just a moment, there was silence. A silence that I didn't mind- oddly. I didn't try to move, and even if I wanted to I couldn't move. I let the water seemingly swallow me whole as I sunk lower and lower. I should be scared- or angry- or something. This calm feeling... The feeling only grew as I looked up and saw the moon from the corner of my eye, glowing brightly even so far underwater. The glow disappeared as the sea beast swam in front of it, away from the ship, and back into the depths. What other evil things are lurking in the water? I can't fight back if something comes by. Something in my head pushed those thoughts away. Everything had a foggy filter over it as if this were nothing more than a dream. I felt frustrated but didn't know why. Maybe I could just sit here... I blindly thought to myself.
A deep gurgling roar sounded around me, muffled both by the water and my head fog. I felt a sharp pain in my head and back, then everything faded to darkness.

Chip's POV
"GIL!" I shouted, and surged forward, finally able to move. The beast turned its good eye toward me, screeched, and threw itself on the deck, pitching us forward. I hit the side of the serpent, the scales cold and surprisingly not slimy, but it hurt a lot. What can I do- I tried stabbing the scales, but each strike felt useless. No! Wait- with much difficulty, I tried to stab under them, like splinters under nails. My sword slid underneath and drew dark red blood. Yes! I kept stabbing under it while Jay jumped to action and started shooting at its other eye. The demon eel screamed in a lower tone and started rolling to the side, before jerking back again in rage. I braced myself for another impact, but the beast reared back in pain. I turned to Jay, but she didn't hit the beast. It wired its head to look somewhere beneath it, trying to get back to the water. I quickly drew my sword and backed away as it rolled into the now dark blue ocean as the sun was nearly down. Another flash of scales and the thing darted down into the depths, gone.
"What was that?" Jay asked, looking around. I looked around too, out of breath. "That's a good question..." I walked towards the edge of the ship, peering over the railing into the cool dark water. Only waves stared back at me. Confused, I slowly came to face Jay again. "Maybe it was Gil?" I walked to the other side of the ship, carefully and silently. The wind whispered as the sun disappeared, the light of the moon illuminating everything in a faint sapphire hue. Somethings.... Wrong. I leaned over the edge and found the same waters. A lot calmer than earlier when the monster attacked. "Gil!" I called down into the water, waiting a moment before backing up. I heard Jay behind me walk up to Earl. "I wonder where he is..." I mumbled to myself, nervously spinning on one heel and taking strides toward Earl as well. The ship creaked, typical and completely normal but something didn't sit right. The hairs on the back of my neck raised, and I tensed up, anticipating some sort of blow. Something in the back of my mind screamed at me to run, but in that brief second, there was nothing I could do. "Chip!" Jay called as I heard a thud on the deck, and barely had enough time to turn around before something tackled me to the splintered ground.
I ducked down, barely stunting the headlong attack, stumbling to the ground. In a flash, I kicked whatever it was off of me and scrambled to my feet. The thing clawed at my arm as it was pushed off me, a red slash already dripping blood on my arm. Regardless, I kept it thrown up in defense of this creature.
It landed on the deck nearby me, claws digging into the wood and birthing way to new scars. The water around it bent and twirled around it unnaturally when it moved, swaying and hypnotizing in an aura of sorts. The sun was well down at this point, and the only light illuminating the ship came from the moon, which was full and bright.
The first thing I noticed was the coloring of the new monster- it was dark blue-green and had black stripes that seemed to be contorting and changing as I looked at them. A long, messy, mishmash of dark green hair partially covered its glowing eyes. Okay, maybe the eyes aren't really glowing- My thought immediately died as the thing regained its bearings and rushed back toward me. Pitch-black eyes with glowing blue pupils, radiating danger and magical malice. Abnormally long limbs ending in webs and claws carried this creature, with spiny fins cutting through the air. Poking through the green hair were these same fins, only they acted more like ears.
A spiky jumble of chaotic antlers twisted up dangerously on its head, almost resembling coral but if it was left to grow completely unhindered. As it came towards me, I held my stance. At the last second, I tried jumping out of the way, watching it scramble to try and keep up with me. I reached for my sword, throwing them up to block an incoming attack to my heart. I dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding slash after slash from the massive claws. This creature, whatever it was, was relentless and bloodthirsty. I could see the radiating animosity and ferocity in every swing.
After what seemed like forever, the beast suddenly leaped back, apparently not too keen on being avoided for so long. It thumped a long tail I didn't notice was there, tailfins flexing angrily. I dared a glance at Jay, who had been watching the whole thing with horror. "Little help?" I shrugged my shoulders, raising an eyebrow worriedly. Jay looked next to me, eyes widening in horror. "Oh crap-" I turned back and just barely had enough time to stick my sword between me and the monster before it clamped down on my head.
The momentum knocked me down onto my back, me pushing on its chest to keep from it tearing me apart, my sword stuck horizontally in its giant dagger-like fangs. This creature had a muzzle of sorts as opposed to a normal flat-faced human. It growled low as it wrestled with me, analyzing me, looking for an opening that it can use to destroy me. Might actually find one at this rate! I strained as I felt fatigue in my muscles, turning my face to the side as I felt my arm lower slowly. "Listen buddy-" I panted through my teeth, my arm shaking. "I've gone through worse- This isn't that bad... All things considered-"
"Chip, stop accepting death over there!" I heard Jay load her gun somewhere to the left of me. "I'm not, if you could hurry up!" A gunshot rang out, and the creature flinched. Flinched. And nothing else. "Very... Helpful!" I shot at her, who was probably rolling her eyes and rethinking saving me. I heard a CLUNK as Jay threw something, and then fast footsteps.
The monster tensed up as Jay shoved it off, actually knocking it off me. I scrambled away as she raised her gun again, firing at point blank. Fire erupted from the black sand gunpowder she loaded into her gun, using up some of the magical substance for an extra kick. This seemed to be much more effective, and the creature reeled back to assess the situation. Jay stepped in between us, me on the ground catching my breath and every drop of energy I still had. The creature compressed in tightly, protecting vital areas, and hissed at Jay.
Jay's gun arm faltered for a moment, covered in soot from the blast but not injured. I raced to my feet, ready to finally counter-attack. The creature gently touched its wounds, then pulled its claw back, dark blood staining it. It turned to look between the two of us and hissed something that sounded like a word.
"Jay-" I whispered, feeling my eyes get huge and wide. "Did you hear that?"
"That angry warning? Yes, I did. We should back up-" Her eyes didn't leave the creature, who was watching us just as intently, tail whipping back and forth almost curiously. "No no Jay- it sounded like a word. I think it spoke... Give me your gun." She turned to face me at that. "What? No! It's mine. If you want to shot it again, let me-"
"Jay! Don't shoot it. Aim toward the water. I want to see if it reacts to the gun firing." She looked at me like I was crazy, which I might be. "Listen, we have no idea where Gil went. If this thing can talk at all, then we could ask it." I nodded my head to her, to which she raised her eyebrow. "It just attacked you and you want to ask it for help?" Jay sighed, stopping her sentence there, and held up her gun. She then swung it and shot it toward the front of the ship, into the water. The creature flinched again, then looked around, maybe looking for a new wound. It backed up a step.
"Grrrr- Guh-" It growled low, with raspy and animal-like tonations, but the word was there. That was either just a growl, or it said gun. Oh, I'm about to be proven right. "Jay!" I whispered louder, unsure of why I was whispering at all. "Can I have your gun, please?"
"No!" The creature didn't move, but it looked less like it was going to lunge at us. I nodded my head, confident I had figured it out. "J- Guh. Grrrun." I looked at Jay, ready to prove her wrong, then stepped forward.
"What are you doing!?" Jay reached up to stop me, her hand stopping just before grabbing my wrist. "I have an idea- stay there." I narrowed my eyes and took another step. "You're gonna get mauled again, idiot!" Jay made no attempt to stop me past that, and I rolled my eyes.
"Not if I'm right." I took another step, slowly. The creature watched my feet, then looked at me, the black of its eyes seemingly getting lighter as the blue grew. "Hey... are you trying to say gun? Gun? Or Jay? Can you talk?" It hesitated for a moment before growling, "Grrr- Grrruuun. Jaa. Grun."
"Jay! Do you hear this?" I tried not to get too excited. "Yes! It sounds like a dumb decision Chip!" It looked at me then back at Jay, still not moving and looking less aggressive. "Grun- Jaay." It said the words again, its eyes narrowed with humanity and emotion unbefitting of a monster. I was confused, trying to figure out what those words meant.
I nodded my head in encouragement, not really understanding what I was doing myself. "Yeah- that's Jay, and she has a gun, so don't try anything funny-"
"Cchhhh- p." It said suddenly. I straightened my posture.
"Chip, yeah. H-how did you know that...? Nevermind- Have you seen our friend Gillion? Gil? He's somewhere underwater-"
"Ggggggillllll." It repeated the words, but they didn't seem to ring any bells. No familiarity at all. I wouldn't lose hope though.
"Yes! Have you seen him?" I turned to give Jay a thumbs up, then turned back around to a mouth full of teeth.