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  [colpse]Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Seven - Adventure Waits for No Bun

  If we expected to be ready by the m, then we were dead wrong. The Beaver Cleaver wasn’t ready by sun up, not in the least.

  “Steve, how’s the aft sail?” Clive called out across the deck while winding up some rope with expert flicks of his wings.

  “Ready, sir! Had to redo part of the rigging on it. We’ll o see how he handles in the wind,” Steve called back as he climbed over the edge of the ship and onto the deck.

  I was them, my awesome captain’s hat partially shading the sun from my eyes. At least the day was nice for aual take-off. The skies were clear save for a sprinkling of little puffy clouds, and the wind was down to a low whisper that occasionally caressed my cheeks in passing.

  “There, that’s done,” Amaryllis said as she walked out of the starboard and wiped her talons on her pants. “All my things are stowed away.”

  “Great!” I said as I joined her. My own stuff was all tucked into a chest in my little room. I didn’t have much to hide away to begin with, so the room was still a bit spartan. A few awesome adventures would fix that right up. “Have you seen Awen?”

  “She’s not below,” Amaryllis said. “Or if she is, she’s found a quiet pce to hide in.”

  “Hmm,” I hummed as I looked about.

  We had lowered the gangpnk off to one side, and Gen-Gen had provided a scaffolding of all things so that people ing aboard didn’t o do so up a rope dder. It meant that the maids and serving staff scurrying about could carry armfulls of stuff aboard.

  So far, we’d filled the pantries and the water barrels, brought in some clothes and a few materials that Gehought could e in handy. Things that I wouldn’t have thought ing myself, like soap and medical kits ara bs and silverware.

  “I ’t see Awen, but there’s Bastion,” I said as I pointed off to the side.

  Amaryllis moved closer and ed her neck out like the stickybeak she was.

  Bastion was walkio Clementine, both of them keeping a steady pace as they crossed the yard. The padin had a big backpa, his sword strapped to it as opposed to around his hip. He was only wearing half his armour too, the breastpte missing and a helmet dangling from his pack by a strap.

  “He’s actually ing,” Amaryllis said.

  “I guess so,” I replied. Seeing Bastion was... well, it brought up some sad memories; memories that I’d rather fet, as unfair and wrong as that might be. None of that was the sylph’s fault though.

  Clementine moved aboard first, Bastion waving her ahead with a galnt bow.

  “Permission to e aboard?” he asked from the very edge of the gangpnk.

  “Granted!” I said. It was a lot of fun to py the role of captain. “Wele aboard the Beaver Cleaver.”

  Bastion saluted me and took a moment to look around the ship. Even with all the people moving around, the decks were spotless and everything had the slick brilliance of brand-new equipment. “This is a nice vessel,” he said. “A little unorthodox in its shape and stru, but it seems well-maintained.”

  “He’s a good ship,” I firmed. “Ah, you’ve met Amaryllis?” I asked. “She’s the First Mate.”

  “Am I now?” Amaryllis asked.

  “Yup. That’s the official title for the captain’s best friend,” I expined. “The spirit cat over there is e, our admiral of rodent removal.” I gestured over te who was sitting atop one of the figureheads iimal position to lord it over everyone.

  “Ah,” Bastion said.

  “Awen is our chief meic. We, uh, don’t actually know where she is,” I said. “But she’ll be ing around.”

  “I see,” he said.

  “The three harpies here are Clive, he’s our most experienced sea...skyman, and our navigator. The other two are Steve and Gordon. And that’s the whole crew.”

  “A small crew, though I suppose that’s all you would need on a ship of this size,” Bastion said. “If you ever need my assistance for anything, do feel free to ask. I don’t have any skills reted t aboard an airship, but I’m certain I lend a hand here and there.”

  “Brilliant!” I said. “Oh, your is down below, on the fancy side. Unless you want a hammock with the rest of the boys. They are very fy hammocks. I tested them myself.” Mostly because hammocks were fun.

  “I wouldn’t mind a small , if it’s not imposing,” he said.

  “!”

  I was about to ask him a few things, but I was distracted by seeing Awen running up the gangpnk with an armful of tools and two bags swaying by her hip, both of them g and banging with every motion. “Ah-awa, I’m here,” Awen said.

  I gri her. “We wouldn’t leave without you,” I said.

  “Speaking of leaving,” Clementine said with a go the still-rising sun. “I think it’s about time you depart, isn’t it?”

  “Wait!” We all looked over the side to see Rosaline sprinting over. “Don’t leave without hugs!”

  Amaryllis and Clemeh rolled their eyes as Rosaline climbed aboard. She paused for a moment to recoup her breath, then stood straighter aended her wings to both sides. “You left without saying goodbye st time,” she told Amaryllis.

  Amaryllis sighed and walked into the hug. “I know,” she said. “We won’t be gone forever.”

  “I would hope not,” Rosaline said.

  Once she was done hugging and maybe humiliating Amaryllis a bit, she skipped over to me and ed me up in a wing-y co. “I’ll miss you,” I said as I hugged her back. I even patted her head with my ears food measure.

  “Me too!” she said.

  Then Rosaliook a step bad stared at Awen.

  Awen stared right back.

  Both of them turned a little red in the cheek.

  As cute as it was, I felt the o intervene before we ended up staying there all evening while they stared. “You know, you could give each other long-distance hugs,” I said.

  “Awa?”

  I nodded seriously. “Yup. See, that’s when you really want to hug someone, but they’re way too far away, so instead you send the hug by letter.”

  “You send hugs by letter?” Rosaline asked. She sounded dht amazed, which--to be fair--was normal. I was too when I learned about long-distance hugging. Of course, we did it by phone oh.

  “Yup. See, you just o write dowly what you would do while hugging someohe more details about the cuddliness and strength of the hug, the better.”

  Rosaline and Awen looked at each ain, this time they went ever redder. “W-well, we’re here now,” Rosaline said. “So o short-distance hug for the trip!”

  “Awa!” Awen agreed.

  Rosaline swept Awen up in a big feathery hug, her cheek pressing up against Awen’s as she rubbed against her.

  And then Awen pulled back.

  Rosaline made a fused little sound, ohat suddenly warbled and wavered as a very red Awen pressed her lips against Rosaline’s.

  It wasn’t a very romantic kiss, more of a big mushy mess, and it only sted a sed before Awen pulled bad took a moment to breath really hard.

  “Awa.”

  Awen ran, g and banging with every step as her tools jostled around. The door to the rear banged shut and the deck was left all quiet for a moment.

  Rosaliuro face us with a very smug grin on. “Well, that was my goodbyes said,” she said. “I’m going to watch from the side.”

  “Bye!” I called to her as she sauntered down the gangpnk.

  “I suppose I should say my own goodbyes,” Clementine said. She gave Amaryllis a very quick, very perfunctory hug, then did the same for me. “Do give Awen my goodbyes as well,” she said. “Padin Bastion, it leasure meeting you.”

  “Likewise,” he replied.

  And then the only people aboard were the crew.

  “I don’t think we’ll be able to rely on Awen for a bit,” Amaryllis said. “She’s no doubt having a bit of a crisis in her rooms.”

  “That’s okay,” I said. “We take off as soon as everything’s stowed away. I’ll get Clive to cut us loose.”

  Amaryllis nodded. “e on, Padin, I’ll show you to your .”

  “Please, call me Bastion,” he said.

  I watched them go, then fit my hat on straight and moved over to Clive and the others. “Are we ready to go?” I asked.

  “On your order, captain,” he said.

  The few minutes were quid busy. Clive and I gathered behind the wheel while Steve and Gordon weighed anchor and got ready to cast off our ms.

  The older harpy took his pce behind the big wheel atop one and eyed all the dials and trols id out around him. “Engine’s idle and still cool. Fuel’s full up. Propeller is...” He yanked a lever down with a satisfying ‘k’ and with a growing hum that turned into a buzz, the rge prop at the back of the Beaver spun to life, still slow, but definitely moving. “Spinning.”

  I gripped the rail, a huge grin pulling at my cheeks. “Cut us loose!” I called out.

  “Aye!” Steve and Gordon called back.

  The Beaver shifted as the ropes holding him dow sck. Then, ever so slowly, we began to rise. It felt like being on aor pushing its a dozen floors.

  “Goodbye!” I screamed over the side while waving.

  Rosaline screamed back, and Clementine waved iurn. Eveaff that had gathered to watch seemed more excited than usual.

  “Balloon is full up,” Clive tinued. “We’ve got positive buoyancy. I’m pushing a bit more into the gravity engine.” He reached a talon out and pushed a lever forwards. The engine’s hum shifted in pitd I felt a tingle run through me and make my hair stand on end.

  The Beaver Cleaver started to move up a whole lot faster.

  “Half ahead,” Clive said. “And thirty degrees port.” He spun the wheel; the sails all around the ship snapped in the wind. Navigation fps unfurled and caught some wind, sending the nose of the ship to slowly turn around.

  I watched the ground below spread out. We weren’t flying all that high up, not while still over Fort Sylphrot. There wasn’t much point when starting so high up the mountains already.

  Amaryllis and Awen and Bastion got on deck. They didn’t have much to do, not while we were just barely taking off, but it was good to have them around to share the moment.

  “We’re in the skies, captain,” Clive said.

  “We are,” I agreed.

  A deep breath of the chilly air sweeping around us left me feeling giddy.

  “Clive, point us due south and give it some gas. We’ll see what this ship do.”

  “Aye-aye,” he said with a huge grin of his own. “Full ahead!”

  The engine roared, the propeller sang a humming song, and the Beaver Cleaver leapt forwards and across the skies.

  It was time to leave the ing Kingdom behind, if only for a moment, and head out to find more adventure, more friends, and bee panions along the way!

  Being able to travel faster might have made the world a smaller pe, but I figured it just meant that we would reach the best parts of our adventure all the quicker.

  I gripped onto the rails o the wheel and smiled out to the horizon.

  Adventure waits for no bun.

  ***

  AnnouAs promised, The Agartha Loop is ung today on Neovel, if you want a sneak-peak at the first chapter, then hop on over and give it a look (and maybe a follow?)!

  LINK!?The story will be ung everywhere else on Sunday!

  In other news:

  My dad’s bae! Not in perfect health, but he still has enough energy to be up to no good!amon Bun’s audiobook got over 50 reviews! I don’t actually have sales metrics, but I imagihat that’s really great! Thank you, guys!The two first Ebook and paperbaes of amon Bun, and Love Crafted, are making some steady sales. It’s really o see! Soon, I’ll be adding to that colle with even more stories!I’m... looking for a trust-worthy but inexpensive editor, someoo look over Stray Cat Strut aired to help polish them up. If you’re ied and want to make a few dive me a PM!I have to prep my taxes and I’ve no idea what I’m doing!Also, uesday might be awkward, I’ve got a dentist’s appoi for some oral-torture.Whaa, that’s a long AN. Okay, I hope everyone has a wonderful day!