Aspire Arcadia: Chapter 1: Are You Ready?
"Are you rabid? Kid?" One of the wolves asked, slowly walking towards him, "do you have a death wish or something?" "Seriously kid, get lost or we'll put some hurtin' on ya," the other warned, glancing at his sword. Patch glanced discretely at the female wolf, who quietly backed away. Good. At least she'd have a chance to get away from these two. "What's with you guys anyway?" Patch teased, hoping to draw their attention away from the fleeing wolf girl, "why not mess with someone your own size? How pathetic." His words only angered the wolves more. "What the heck am I saying..." he muttered to himself, "they're only getting angrier... maybe I should make a break for it while I still can... wait... they won't really kill me will they...?" The first wolf ripped his sword out of its sheath and started advancing toward Patch, rage burning in his eyes. "I'm getting sick of you," he growled, clasping the hilt of his sword, "little kids like you should be-" "Stop!" A voice cried out, silencing everyone else. Patch and the two wolves glanced back to see the female wolf on her hind legs, aiming a bow and arrow at them. "Put your swords away, or I'll shoot!" She warned, cycling her aim between the three of them, "I'll do it, I swear!" Patch glanced at her, confused. He had come to rescue her... why didn't she run away? Most importantly... was he being held hostage along with her attackers?! Who the heck did she think she was?! The two wolves placed their swords in their sheaths, prompting Patch to reluctantly do the same. "You'd kill two members of a rival pirate crew? In their own territory?" One of the wolves teased, crossing his arms, "you've got more of your mother in you than I thought." "Quiet!" the female wolf barked, "now g-go away!" The other wolf laughed, hearing the slight fear in her voice. "You might be a little in over your heads here, kids," the other wolf said seriously, "It's too late to get out of this now." The female wolf lowered her bow slowly. "Oh yeah?! Well..." she threatened, stuffing her arrow back in a small quiver on her back and slinging her bow across her chest, "wh-what are you going to do about it?!" "A few scars might remind you to keep your nose out of adult's business," The wolf replied, placing his paw on his sword, "either that, or putting you down permanently would fix the issue entirely. I haven't decided yet." "Hehe, well, okay," the female wolf said with a complacent smile, "only if you can catch me!" Before they could even realize what she said, the female wolf turned around and bolted straight down the path as fast as she could. For a half second, Patch and the two wolves were confused and surprised at her quick escape. A safe distance away, she stopped and turned back towards Patch. "Well?!" She cried out at him, "are you coming or not?!" He suddenly realized that he was kind of in danger too, since the wolf pirates were after them both. The two turned towards them, shaking their heads. "Oh no you don't," one of them growled, drawing his sword again. Without thinking twice, Patch broke out in a dead sprint, past the two pirates and down the path towards the female wolf who waited for him. A burst of adrenaline filled his body as he heard the other two wolves turning to chase after them. "Come on, follow me," the female wolf said, leading them a little further down the path. Eventually, it led them back into the forest, where the cover of foliage and the gradual steepening of the landscape would help hide them. "Don't look back, just run!" The female warned, cutting off of the path and into the forest. Patch avoided trees, holes, vines, and jumped over fallen logs as he followed the female wolf deeper into the forest. She was so fast, he could barely keep up. "Here," the female wolf said, stopping near a tree that had fallen on its side. The roots were exposed, leaving the perfect hole to climb into and hide. The two of them squeezed together in the hole, careful not to make too much noise. "Okay..." the female wolf whispered, peaking out of the hole in the direction of the path they had abandoned. "I doubt they'll follow us out here..." she whispered, "we can't be too sure though...." So much had happened, seemingly all at once, that patch couldn't think of the words to say. Instead, he struggled to catch his breath while the other wolf quietly kept watch. They probably stayed there for several hours, making absolute sure they had shaken their pursuers. Neither of them said a word to the other. Instead, they watched and listened carefully to the woods around them. "I think we're good," she said, finally relaxing. She pulled herself out of the hole and helped Patch out as well. "Are you okay?" she asked, handing him his sword. "I should be asking you that," he replied with a small smile, "what was that anyway? Who were those guys? And... wait... are you a pirate?!" The female wolf sighed and then chuckled. "I'll tell you later okay?" She said, adjusting her gear, "for now, do you... uh... do you want to grab a drink or something? We're near a good place." "S-sure..." Patch replied, caught off guard by her request, "I'm not sure how to get to the city from here but..." "We're not going to the city," she replied, headed off deeper into the forest, "we're pretty close to-" "Wait," Patch said, cutting her off and finally realizing where they were, "you mean... are we close to...?" She nodded. "Eidous," she replied casually, "the city of thieves." Originally, the village of Eidous was a trading post between Veridia, where they were, and Incarnadia to the north. That is, before it was overrun by pirates, criminals, and bandits looking to sell their stolen loot. Many attempts were made to shut the illegal trade down, however its location in the depths of an extremely dense forest, nestled against the intersection of a huge mountain region, made it extremely difficult to find. As a result, most animals wrote the city off as a myth while many criminals and pirates flocked to this "paradise" of bandits. Patch had made several attempts to find the city (hence why he was in that area in the first place), but could never find it. He always had to turn around and head home. Now he was being led straight there by a mysterious (probably a pirate) wolf girl who he still didn't know the name of. It was getting rather late and the sun began to sink out of the sky as they continued. The forest cover became increasingly thicker, making it dark in the forest they were traversing. "Almost there," she said, leading him onto a path that appeared to be regularly used. Hundreds of paw and hoof prints as well as cart-tracks littered the dirt path. As they continued, they began to pass by other animals. They all looked rugged in some way. Some had scars and carried weapons while others hid their faces behind hoods. The close they got to the city, the more traffic filled the streets. "Have you ever been here before?" The female wolf asked, glancing back at him. "No," Patch replied, glancing around in awe, "I've always looked for it... but I was never able to find it..." The female wolf chuckled. "Well it's your lucky day then," she replied, "just stay close to me. These are all criminals and thieves you know." "Right..." Patch replied, "so uh... have you been here before? I mean... obviously you have but..." "Yeah," she replied quietly, "more than I'd like to have been..." After walking for a bit more, they finally reached the gates of the city. Thanks to the huge cover of the forest, it appeared to be nighttime there. Street lamps lit up the old, cobblestone street which were navigated by animals of all kinds. Along the streets, carts and shops were set up, selling a variety of goods that had probably been stolen from somewhere. Patch immediately noticed that there were a lot of taverns and bars, where pirates gathered to party the night away. Patch was amazed. It was a very lively city that was completely hidden from view. Most animals would tell him that the city didn't exist at all... but he was here, seeing it for the first time. "Come on," the female wolf said, leading him down one of the cobblestone streets. They navigated through crowds of traders, who bought and sold supplies to each other. "Hey kid, nice sword," a merchant said to Patch as he passed, "why not check out what we've got here? Brand new inventory, fresh from the Incarnadian Navy." "No thanks," he replied quietly, following the female wolf down the road. Eventually, they reached the end of the road where a variety of restaurants were lined up. Colorful lights were strung across the street and lively music played from all over, giving this area a relaxing feel. The female wolf sat at the counter of one of the restaurants and sighed. "So... this is it," she said, glancing a Patch with a small smile, "the city of thieves you heard so much about. Nothing really special about it." Before Patch could reply, a waiter approached the two of them. "Oh hey! You're back!" he said, immediately recognizing the female wolf, "long time no see!" "Y-yeah, sorry," she said, shyly staring at the table, "we've been at sea for a while..." "Well, you're always welcome here," he replied happily, "what can I get for ya?" "Fruit punch," she replied, "two of them... please." The waiter glanced at Patch and smiled. "Oh I see," he teased, "a heck of a place to go on a date." The female's face lit up red as the waiter returned to the back to grab their drinks. "My name is Juniper by the way," the female said after a little bit of silence, "sorry I forget to mention that..." "Patch," Patch replied, with a confident smile, "nice to meet you. Though I wish it were under different circumstances..." Juniper chuckled. "Yeah... at first I was so confused. Like 'where the heck did he come from...'" She said, staring at the table, "two wolves who were probably four times as tall as you were... what the heck were you thinking?" "I thought you were in danger," Patch replied, "honestly, I was terrified when I saw how big they were. It was at the point of no return though." He smiled a bit and glanced at her. "Did I at least look cool when I confronted them?" He asked. Juniper laughed. "Yeah, you did look kind of cool, I guess," she replied, wiping a tear away. The waiter returned with their drinks some time later. It was a clear, blue liquid nestled within hollowed out coconuts. "So why were those two after you?" Patch asked as Juniper stuck her muzzle in the coconut for a drink, "those guys were pirates weren't they?" "They're members of a rival pirate gang," she replied, wiping juice from her mouth, "they must have recognized me, so they were trying to give me a hard time." "Recognized you...?" Patch wondered out loud, "and who exactly did the recognize you as?" Juniper sighed and reach over into her bag. She produced a crumpled sheet of paper, which she laid out across the table and smoothed out. It was a wanted poster. One Patch had easily recognized from his own collection (he collects wanted posters of known criminals, hoping to one day find and bring them to justice). On it was a notorious pirate captain, Captain Keira, who was most noted for going head to head with the Veridian Navy. She was also the most wanted pirate in Veridia, probably in the entire continent of Vitraia. Her bounty was well over three million gold coins if she was captured alive, and one million if she was killed. Her notoriety granted her the nickname "Hydra" or "Demon of the Sea". "I know her," Patch said, observing the wanted poster, "The Demon of the Sea, I hear about her all of the time... isn't she the most wanted pirate or something? Don't tell me you're a part of her crew?!" She quietly stuffed the paper back into her bag. "I'm her daughter," she replied. Patch glanced at her, with surprise and suspicion. Now that she mentioned it, Juniper did look a lot like the Pirate Captain. They had the same eyes and hair color... it had to be true. "My father is a Commander in the Incarnadian Navy," Juniper continued to explain, "When my mother got captured that one time in Incarnadia... well... I guess he couldn't resist the spoils..." "Whoa that's... insane..." Patch said, unable to find the right words. The girl he had tried to save from pirates was actually the child of the biggest pirate imaginable. Not to mention her other half being a prominent pirate hunter. "So... being a pirate... how does it-" Patch began to ask. "I'm not a pirate," Juniper quickly replied, "I never wanted to be one." She stared quietly into her drink. "Everyone asks me that... how it feels to be a pirate... Like it's something to be proud of. I've seen so many close friends... pirates that helped raise me... I've seen so many of them die or get seriously injured. My mother's face is on flyers all over the place, with a price on her life. Innocent animals get hurt... because of us." Juniper sighed. "Sorry," she replied, taking another deep breath, "I love them. The pirate crew is practically my family. Each one of them helped raise and train me to survive... I shouldn't talk bad about them." She glanced at the table, "Still, I wish they didn't have to participate in such evil..." Noticing that it was a sore subject for her, Patch discretely tried to change the subject. "So... is anyone of them here? Your friends?" He asked carefully. "No, I came here alone," Juniper replied, "they don't like me going too far from the cove. So I had to sneak out to come here." "Why here?" He asked, "of all places, why would you come all the way here to a city like this? A city of criminals and thieves?" Juniper smiled. "Promise you won't laugh?" She asked, glancing at him. "I promise." She glanced back at the table. "It's pretty quiet here now, but as pup I used to love coming here to hear stories. Adventurers would sometimes stop by here and tell about their experiences travelling the world. Personally, I've never been far from Veridia, but they told tales of places covered in rainforest... places that snowed all of the time and vast deserts as far as the eye could see. It was amazing!" Patch watched as Juniper's whole face lit up as she explained the stories she heard. She had a huge smile on her face as she animatedly retold her favorite ones. About a sailor who helped chart the world's continents and a pilot who flew her dragon across the world. Patch was mesmerized as well. Though he had never been outside of Veridia, he had similar dreams as well. To travel the world and see many different places while, at the same time, helping the animals in need there. It's what his father did. He remembered hearing stories about his father's role in restoring peace to faraway places and yearned to do the same himself. Even though it only seemed like a pup's dream. For some reason, it felt like it was closer to reality than before. "Every now and then, you might be able to hear great stories like that," Juniper explained, calming down, "I want so much to be like them. They get to see the world and they have a purpose... unlike being a pirate, I'd get to see the world and make it beautiful again... not pillage it for everything it has." "I get it," Patch replied, "I've felt the same way before... like I could go out in the world and do something rather than sit at home and hear about it..." "You understand then," Juniper replied with a smile, "it's a burning pain in my heart that just won't go away. There's so much out there, and I hate the fact that I'm missing it on a pirate ship..." "Why don't you run away?" Patch asked, lost in his own thoughts, "you could make that dream a reality... we could make that dream a reality I mean..." Juniper laughed. "If I could, I would," she replied, "If I had the chance, I would take off and never look back. Being the daughter of a wanted pirate captain makes things a lot more difficult... the crew thinks I'm in danger, so I'm always being watched. Every time I get away, even for a short time, they always find me and drag me back. I love them so much, but sometimes I feel like I'm being held hostage." Those words struck Patch in the heart. He and Juniper both had the same dream. The same potential. There was nothing stopping him from living that dream... but her? Her fate was practically sealed. "If you could..." Patch asked seriously, "if you could be free. Would you go off and see the world with me? Leave your current life behind and go off into the unknown with someone like me? Who you've only just met? Would you seriously do it?" Juniper glanced down at the table and nodded. "Yes," she replied quietly, lost in her own imagination, "I really would." The thought of living her dream was almost overwhelming for Juniper. So much that she didn't even want to think about it... but she couldn't help it. Patch glanced down at the table. His mind was cluttered and his heart was stirred. Why not? Why not run off and chase their dreams? They were still young... and, between the two of them, they would likely be able to survive of their own. "I've got to get going," Juniper said, standing up, "Reka is probably wondering where I am... last thing I need is for her to come searching for me." She turned to Patch. "I can take you to the main road, so you can find your way home." Patch, still lost in his thoughts, glanced up at her. "O-okay," he said, standing up and pushing his seat in. In silence, the two headed down the streets of the city, back into the forest, and onto the main path where they ran into the two wolf pirates. They were both lost in imagination. They imagined leaving their dull lives behind to chase adventure. To make a difference in the world like no one else could. Was it just a dream? Or could it really happen? It was a question weighing heavy on both of their minds. "That sword," Juniper asked, breaking the silence, "can you use it?" "I'm pretty good with it," Patch replied, glancing at it, "I've had a lot of practice with a bunch of different teachers, plus I experimented a bit with my own methods... why?" "Just curious," Juniper replied, "my family taught me how to use one too." "And the bow and arrow?" Patch asked. "Yeah." Eventually, they reached the main path leading towards the city. The sun had gone down and a few sparse streetlights lit up the path. Fireflies circled around them as the temperature dropped to a cool, warm breeze. "Can you find your way home from here?" Juniper asked, stopping at a sign that read "Veridian City: 10 Miles". "Y-yeah..." Patch replied. He didn't want to lose her. Somehow, leaving her felt like their dreams would be gone forever. Juniper felt the same way. "Patch," Juniper said quietly, "Th-thanks... for hanging out with me... I'm really glad I got to talk with you about... you know... that. There's not a lot of animals who really understand me." She clutched her chest. "I feel like I have a chance at living my dream now," she said, glancing down at her paws, "for some reason, I feel like it's in reach... even more so than before." "M-me too..." Patch replied quietly. "Anyway... I hope we can meet again someday," she replied, "who knows, maybe we'll find each other in the midst of chasing our dreams." "M-maybe..." Patch replied, "I hope so..." Juniper reached out and hugged him around the neck, pulling Patch's face against hers. "Alright then," she said, "until next time." "Yeah," Patch replied, "until next time." The walk home was filled with so many thoughts and feelings, it made Patch's head spin. He felt so close to being free... so close to living his dream when he was with her... it was like she was some sort of angel, able to save him from his boring life. He climbed through the forest, towards where he had last seen Puzzle, his sister, on the way to their den. "There you are!" He heard Puzzle's voice cry out, "where the heck have you been?! Oh geez, I thought something happened to you, I was so worried! I almost went and told mom and dad, I was so scared!" "I'm fine," Patch replied quietly. He wasn't in the mood to go back and forth with her. "Did something happen?" Puzzle asked. "No." She glared at him. "Tell me," She muttered. "Nothing happened." Puzzle sighed and followed him down the path. "I'll find out eventually," she muttered. They eventually returned home, back to the den filled with their eighteen brothers and sisters. Several of them played outside in the yard, while others were still off doing their own exploring. "Hey there he is," Howell, one of Patch's brothers, said as he passed. "Find anything good?" Abigail, one of his sisters, asked. Patch ignored them all and headed inside. He shut himself inside of his room. Where he surrounded himself in his thoughts. There had to be more to life than hanging around in one place, just surviving like the rest of the animals who knew were doing. He couldn't believe how close he was to feeling free... when he was with Juniper. It was so overwhelming... having been that close to realizing a lifelong dream, only to be abruptly pulled back to reality. As much as he loved his family, he couldn't shake the need to be out finding his own way. "Something bothering you?" One of his older brothers, who had been there the whole time, asked, glancing at Patch from over the top bunk bed. It was Carbon, the first born out of all of them. Carbon was an all-black wolf who kept to himself most of the time. He was very smart and offered useful insight and advice to his younger siblings. If there was anyone Patch could talk to, it was him. "I met a girl," Patch said quietly. "Oh, so that's it?" Carbon asked. "Not really, there's more to it..." Patch replied, glancing up at Carbon, "promise you won't tell?" "I promise." Patch took a deep breath and then sighed. "I found this girl on a path deep in the forest... long story short, we ended up going to Eidous, the city of thieves, and we talked for a bit..." "Eidous? Seriousy?" Carbons asked, sitting up. "No joke," Patch replied.
"What did you talk about?" Patch sighed. "I was thinking about what I wanted to do with my life... I want to travel the world and see all kinds of different things while helping others out... I know it sounds ridiculous but... I feel like it's something that I have to do... like I was meant for it... Anyway, Juniper, the girl I met, feels the same way... she wants to do the exact same thing." "Yeah?" Carbon said. "Yeah... except something is holding her back..." Patch said. "Is she scared?" Carbon asked. "No, I don't think so," Patch replied, "it's more like her family that's stopping her." "And what's stopping you?" Carbon asked. Patch, surprised at the question, glanced up at Carbon. "Huh?" He asked. "I asked what was stopping you from living that dream." Carbon replied, "Because I can't think of anything." "Mom and dad would never let me go on my own," Patch replied. "So?" Patch stared at the ground. "Do you think I could?" Patch asked, glancing back up at Carbon, "do you think I'd have a chance to survive out there? All alone?" "Do you think you have a chance?" Carbon asked, "And would you really be alone?" Patch found it difficult to answer all of Carbon's questions, which only sparked him to think more. "Between the two of us... I think we could..." Patch replied, "We can both hunt, we're both trained to defend ourselves..." "So what's the problem?" Carbon asked, laying back down. "Well I..." Patch began to explain before Carbon cut him off. "What is your heart saying?" Carbon asked, "Ignore all of the excuses you're making for yourself and find out what you really want. Now think about all of the things that are in your way. All of the inhibitions you're putting on yourself out of fear. Are they worth crushing your dream?" He glanced down at Patch. "Are you happy?" He asked. "N-no..." Patch said weakly. "I'm asking because that girl... Juniper? I'm sure she feels the same way. I know you, Patch. You have potential, even mom and dad know. That's why they gave you all of the training you asked for and sent you to others to get more. That's why they don't get mad when you go off exploring. They've pretty much prepared you for this, I'm wondering why you haven't realized it yet." Carbon laid back against the wall. "You just need a little push. You and Juniper both. Somehow, I think you two already got that push. Now is the time to take your first steps. Stop being afraid and take the plunge. I'm sure you'll be happy you did it. Otherwise, it'd be wasted potential." He slid off the top of the bunk bed and headed towards the door. "I know a lot of animals who ignored that feeling," Carbon said, glancing back at him, "do whatever you want, but know this. You'll hate yourself and be miserable for not following that gut feeling. You both need someone to save you from yourselves. I believe you both already met that someone." He headed out the door, closing it behind him. Patch's heart ached. His head was a wreck with all kinds of thoughts and imagination. He could do it. He knew he could. What was stopping him? Carbon and Juniper's words tortured him the entire night. Even during dinner, he couldn't focus on the conversation. Instead, he stared out of the window at the big world outside. It was calling to him, and he wasn't the only one who knew that. At the end of dinner, he returned to his room. Closing the door behind him, he sank against the wall, weakened by all of the thoughts. "I can do it," he whispered to himself, charging up his motivation, "I can do it..." A small knock on the door, drew him up slightly from his thoughts. "Can I come in?" His father, Kodiak, asked. "Y-yeah..." Patch whispered, moving from behind the door. "I won't ask, because I already know," Kodiak said, closing the door behind him, "I was sixteen before, so I know that feeling." He sat against the wall, beside Patch. "I left home when I was sixteen... only because I was unsure of what I would do and I felt like I was unprepared," Kodiak explained, "I spent a year and a half getting ready. My parents supplied me with everything I needed before they sent me off on my way. As much as your mother and I were afraid this would happen, I figured at least one of you would get that itch to go off." Patch was silent. How did he know? Did Carbon tell him? "Do you think you're ready? Patch?" Kodiak asked seriously, "It's my duty as a father to know. But more importantly, it's important for you to know too. "Yes," Patch said without thinking. It was what his heart had been screaming at him. "I'm ready."