Splatoon Manga: NightRoad

Chapter 29: Boat

⭐️Chapter 29: Boat

Rider and Goggles had been walking back from the fight with Pitch, down the path he told them to. So far there were no traps or tricks, and everything was perfect. They were still on guard though, in case anything happened. No weird creatures had jumped at them, no weird other paths had shown up, everything was good. Not too good to be true, just...good for the words of a shadowling. One who was originally against them but had decided to tell them the truth for the good of it all.

They had fortunately found some wild raspberries along the way, eating them (Goggles went first to make sure they were safe, which they were) and storing them in containers for later. Rider of course had also recovered the pickled plum jar as promised, but they didn't want to eat from that yet. Too sour, they didn't want to have a bad taste in their mouth for a while. Only the one crack was still there on the jar, and it was tiny. Wasn't spreading, wasn't made worse. Just...there. Goggles was a bit worried at first, but was glad he had his prized snack back.

The two kept walking though the trees, which, didn't make a neat path like their previous trails. Nonetheless, they knew this was the direction Pitch told them to go...hopefully he wasn't lying. Every minute they walked was another minute spent wondering if this was a trap, if they should turn back. Each time though, they would say no, and that even if they did turn back, they'd have no where else to go. So on they trekked. Soon though, they heard the sound of water running. They carefully made their way over, trying to locate the source. They looked up, down, and all around, also watching for any signs or roots. They didn't want to fall into said water source, cod forbid they get splatted by it or however it worked...

They eventually found the river Pitch was talking about. It was way too big to cross by foot, and they didn't see any other path around it. They looked around for something to cross with.

"Hey Rider! Look what I found!"

"What is it?" Rider didn't turn to look.

"A large branch!" Goggles said, pointing to it because he didn't have the strength to pick it up. It was bare, but not rotten.

"That won't help."

Wasn't sturdy enough, and wouldn't help to ride it down the river, which was flowing with a soft current.

"How about this?" Goggles found something else.

"What is it."

Again, Rider didn't look up.

"A pile of leaves!" Goggles said, touching them. They were green, not brown, and looked like they had recently fallen. No bug holes in them either, as a bonus.

"Those will just get lost in the water, and won't support our weight at ALL." Rider said.

What was Goggles thinking? Whatever it was, it wasn't logical. Then again, Goggles was never logical.

"Fine, hmmm...how about his rafty boaty thingy?"

"Raft?"

Rider looked up.
Indeed, it was an old, boatlike structure. Wooden, but in good condition and shape, no huge dents or scratches or cracks.
That could work.

"Oh, maybe we could flip it upside down and try to walk across it. Or ride it down the river." Rider suggested.

"Okay!" Goggles smiled. Rider was always so smart...

Rider and Goggles began to pull it out. Carefully, they tried to flip it upside down and put it on the other side of the stream. It was easier said than done, since the boat weighted a lot more than they did, but they didn't give up. Eventually, they were able to get it to the other side...sort of.

It didn't reach.

"Dang, I guess we can't go across it now..." Rider grumbled.

"Don't worry! We can still ride it down the river like you said!" Goggles smiled.

"I suppose..." Rider said, a little upset that the previous plan hadn't worked.

And the two carefully flipped it back over and got in, letting the water take them down the river.

"Hey Goggles."

"Yeah?"

"Do you see any oars? Or things to paddle with?"

Goggles looked around.

Nope.

Nothing on the bottom of the boat. Nothing to the side. Nothing.

"Uh...nope. No oars."

"You didn't do anything with them, did you?" Rider looked up, minor panic starting to rise in him.

"No?"

"Odd. I wonder where they we-"

Suddenly, they bumped into a large rock. The current had begun to speed up, and now the river was too wide to pull over and stop. Rider and Goggles looked around.

"Goggles?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we're going to be in for a rather rough ride..."

"Huh?"

Rider pointed ahead. Sure enough, the current was getting faster, and there were more rocks down the river. The boat began to float away from the rock they crashed into, and began to float down the faster currents. The two inklings gulped with fear.

"Hang on tight..." Rider mumbled worriedly.

And down they went. Fast like the currents, cringing every time they bumped into a rock, for fear of the boat breaking. Eventually though, the currents evened out, and the two could see a split path up ahead.

"Uhm. Which way should we go down?" Goggles asked, turning to Rider.

"We don't really have anything to use at the moment so uh. I guess wherever it takes us." Rider shrugged.

Suddenly, their boat began to crack. It split down the middle. Goggles heard the noise and looked down, panicking. He leapt back and got Rider's attention, pointing. Rider also leapt back in a panic.

"Rider, what do we do?!" Goggles quickly, worried they were about to be splatted by water. He was now gasping in fear.

"I don't know Goggles! Just...Just stay calm!" Rider replied, also speaking and breathing quickly.

"I can't lose you!"

"I can't lose you either!"

The two backed to the opposite sides of the boat, fearing that if they got on the same side, their weight would cause the boat to snap, or sink.
But soon...

CRACK!

It split into two pieces.

"RIDER!"

"GOGGLES!"

The current carried Rider down one path, and Goggles down another.

"I'LL FIND YOU EVENTUALLY RIDER!!" Goggles yelled.

"DON'T WORRY, I'LL BE FI-"

Rider didn't get to finish his sentence, as another rough current almost made him fall into the water.
He quickly focused on the..."current" event, and stabilized himself.

Welp.

I guess he was going to be alone for a while.