~Chapter 2~
The next day, they arrived at the outskirts of the shady cobblestone town of Tortusa, its ports bordering the great Ralosian Sea. On previous trips into the town Temp would usually leave Kelvin outside of the city with some of his buddies, since the hyena would become anxious in public.
"Would any of mind watching Kelvin while we go into town?" Temp asked.
Ruben shrugged its rocky shoulders, "I can do it."
Aero jumped from his three-meter-tall Chihuahua, "Could you watch Hopper too?" He knew Hopper was far too unruly to behave itself in a crowd. It could hardly behave around anyone besides Aero.
The massive dog began to growl at Ruben. Any normal person would be terrified, but the boulder child gave a rocky smile and Hopper began to lick his stony body. Ruben liked him, "I'll watch them both."
Temp looked at Hopper and Kelvin, "Just make sure those two don't get into a fight alright?"
Ruben ran his rocky hands over Kelvin's side to calm it, "It'll be fine."
While Ruben watched the Hyena and Chihuahua on the outskirts of Tortusa, Temp and the others headed into the town. It was filled with rough looking folk, the sort who would pull a blade on someone if they suspected they might benefit from it. Temp was used to this sort of crowd. Sea air breezed over the town.
"Keep an eye out for any one who seems to be in charge of others. Only Cook and Chill's Captains will know where he is."
Aero and Jirro found a bounty board with Cook and Chill's images on them with bounties on their heads for 10,000 Ivases each. Cook was a very muscular and cut Mecarne with an orange tint to his skin. The broad shouldered Mecarne with a teal tint to his body was Chill.
Next to them were images of Sky Bandits 3 and 4. They bore a striking resemblance to each boy's fathers when they were younger. According to Temp, they were a part of the Sky Bandits long ago, but neither boy wished to believe that. Once they finally returned to Platt Mountain, they'd get answers from them.
They split up. Corri mounted Rojo and flew overhead, looking at the town of Tortusa from above. She flew alongside the seagull riders who frequented the area. There was a wooden tower for seagull and pelican riders to fly to and from.
Aero and Jirro tore posters of Cook and Chill from the bounty board and showed it off to anyone in town that they thought might help. Temp and Nout perused some of the busier areas.
Temp brought Nout into a tavern near the docks that he and his buddies used to idle in. It was filled with ruffians shouting and drinking with each other. They scowled at the two of them. Temp returned his own gaze and they quickly averted their eyes. He knew that if you held your ground, most of these guys would back off.
Over the roar of ne'er do wells in the tavern, Temp made out a booming voice from the far corner. A rotund man had several pints laid out front of him and was gulping them down without any problem at. It was Ekor, Temp's old boss. A few of Ekor's old crew members sat with him at the table, but it looked like most of them abandoned him after they lost that fight to the kids a while back.
Temp could see the hand shaped burns over the right side of Ekor's face. Something Cook had gifted him for daring to speak out of turn.
Nout didn't hesitate. He stomped over to Ekor and asked, "Where is my family?"
Ekor gulped down the last of the mug he was holding and looked down at the young Phantine child and in his tipsy stupor he said, "Hey, I 'member you!"
Temp stood behind Nout and Ekor grimaced at him, "Oh you. You got a lot of nerve showing your face in front of me again."
"We need answers Ekor," Temp demanded, "The kid's tribe was taken by Cook & Chill, where are they?"
The rotund must've felt a sense of power as he smiled, "Afraid I don't know boys. And if I did- I certainly wouldn't tell you."
Nout's eyes dilated. He jumped into the air and delivered a strong kick to Ekor's nose, forcing him to fall back in his seat. Temp was used to Nout being a rather meek kid, he never imagined him to strike first like that.
Ekor picked himself off the ground and glared at the two of them. "You're going to wish you hadn't done that."
"Tell me where my family is now!" Nout demanded.
Ekor picked him off the ground and chucked him towards a wall- Nout smashed through it onto the cobblestone streets of Tortusa. The Phantine jumped back onto his circular feet and Ekor smashed through the wall of the tavern to meet him.
Nout bounded into the air and landed a series of quick blows on Ekor, backing away before the giant man could counter. Crowds of people fled from the fight while many others circled around to watch.
Ekor managed to land a stern backhand to Nout, knocking him off the docks and into the water. Temp rushed to help but Ekor stood in his way, he knew the rotund man was far too powerful for him.
A green flash of light came from the water, and out of it burst Nout, his fist surrounded in a green light. As he landed he punched the air, and a burst of green light emerged from his hand and struck Ekor, sending him flying back into the stone plaza. Nout had rage in his eyes, Temp had never seen him this aggressive before. He might not need his help after all.
Ekor stumbled to his feet towards one of the market stalls. He picked up one of the display tables at the stalls and chucked it at Nout. The boy caught at it and threw it right back at Ekor, who smashed it to pieces.
Ekor began running through all of the various market stalls, taking whatever he could find and tossing it at Nout to keep him at bay, paying no mind to how much damage he was doing. He picked a series of fruits from a stall and tossed them, the Phantine child dodged them all and they splatted on the ground.
Ekor headed towards a weapon shop, fortunately Aero and Jirro appeared in his way to stop him.
Aero, Jirro, Nout and Temp all circled Ekor to keep him from getting way.
"Out of my way!" Ekor shouted, charging wildly at Jirro. The blonde haired boy calmly sidestepped out of the way Ekor's wide swinging hook, and Jirro delivered a quick uppercut to the man's chin. Ekor fell onto his back in a daze, soon passing out. All the alcohol he'd been consuming must've caught up to him.
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"Wake up!" Temp shouted as he delivered a stern kick to Ekor's side. The giant man woke and found himself surrounded in the dead end of cave. The youths had brought him to a cave bordering the ocean with the intent of interrogating him. Hopper and Kelvin snarled from the mouth of the cave, and the six of them stood in his way. Ekor had no way to escape.
Nout stepped forward, "Tell me where Cook and Chill took my family- or else!"
Ekor sat up and leaned against the caves wall. Being knocked unconscious must've sobered him up as he seemed much less gregarious.
"Well?" Nout urged him.
Ekor thought for a moment, "I'm not telling you anything. You're better off just killing me."
The kids were surprised, but Temp wasn't. He anticipated that sort of response. But Ekor was the only lead they had.
"You'd rather die than tell us?" Aero asked astounded.
Ekor pointed to the burns on his face, "The last time I caused trouble Cook did this to me! And I've seen them do far worse. Cooking men alive, slowly freezing them to death. I'd rather die here then go through that. Only an idiot would mess with them."
"Let's say we don't kill you? Maybe we'll do something worse. We can be creative," Jirro said unevenly, trying his best to sound threatening.
"Give it your best shot," Ekor answered defiantly.
Temp almost laughed. It was a bad bluff and he saw right through it. He knew the kids weren't capable of cruelty.
"I told you that Ekor wouldn't be able to give us anything useful. Everyone knows how terrible Cook and Chill are. They're all too scared to turn on them." Temp said.
"But you did," Aero pointed out, "You left Ekor's crew and are helping us go after Cook and Chill now. Why aren't you scared?"
Temp shrugged, "I'm an Mecarne. Their tactics with heat and cold won't affect me, I don't have as much reason to be afraid."
"Do you know any Mecarne working for them?" Jirro asked.
Temp was surprised he hadn't thought of it before, he recalled a buxom Mecarne named Coppah who worked alongside Ekor in the past, "Hey Ekor! Do you think you could point us in the direction of Coppah?"
Ekor sat silently.
"That wouldn't count as betraying them would it? You're just telling your old buddy Temp where Coppah is," Temp rationalized, doing his best to sway Ekor.
It must've worked as Ekor replied, "Her ship is docked north of here around the Ichino plains, I heard she was planning to head out to sea soon. If you're quick, you could probably catch her before she sails out."
Temp smiled, revealing his sharp teeth, "Thank you very much."
The kids prepared to head out but Ekor had a final word to say, "Whatever you do, don't mess with Cook and Chill. Even with how tough you kids are. You'll wish you were dead if they get ahold of any of you."
Corri seemed shaken by the idea, but the boys were too resolute to be affected by it. Temp nodded to Ekor, he and the children departed northward with haste. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkrUZSGRoE
