Full Speed Ahead
Izuku awoke to the rushing waves against the boat. The sun shining on the fleets in the water, Izuku made his way up to the bow of the boat before turning around to see all his men talking and working.
That’s right, they were on their way home. Izuku sat down next to Toshinori who was busy tying knots to anchor them if need be. He watched as others began to work harder when they spotted their Captain, heh of course they would.
“Six hundred men..” Izuku said softly, looking around at the group, a few still nursing their wounds from battle. Yet…all were alive.
“Six hundred men under my command, with only one goal in mind.” He stood and helped Toshinori up off the ground, who smiled and responded in turn.
“Make it back alive to our homeland!” He and various other men cheered, Izuku went to the starboard side of the ship watching the sea.
“Six hundred men, six hundred miles of open seas.” He turned to his men as they slowed their work.
“But the problem’s not the distance.” He tried to shudder at the route they were taking, as he sat down and opened the large map showing the route they are taking.
“It’s what lies in between.” Toshinori finished, looking down and seeing how the route seemed clear with no obstacles. That was rarely the case in seas and sky that held various Gods. No matter, they are going to make it home no matter what, with renewed energy Izuku rolled up the map and went to the bow of ship.
He climbed the pole holding up the sail so all could hear him loudly and clearly. They are so close to home, he can smell the food being made, he can see his home in the far far distance. He can see his family, he can see their puppy, he can see them.
“And Ithaca’s waiting!” He shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Ithaca’s waiting..” Mirio said to himself as Toshinori did the same. Izuku grabbed a telescope and aimed it straight ahead. Just faintly seeing his castle in the distance, he smiled wide.
“My Kingdom is waiting!” He shouted looking back at the men who repeated and murmured it back at him.
“The kingdom is waiting.” All began to slowly feel Izuku’s joy at what he was looking forward to. Izuku took out the small picture near his heart and tightly held it to his chest.
“Katsuki’s waiting for me, so full speed ahead.” The men began to slowly scramble to increase speed as the other ships did the same around him. He slid down and repeated it louder, helping other men increase speed.
“Full speed ahead!” He yelled with a smile, soon just this short journey and they will be home. As he helped others around him a voice stopped him short but calling his title.
“Captain?” Izuku turned to see his dear second in command.
“Rody.” He softly smiled in response. But Rody was not one to laugh at serious matters, that is what Izuku appreciated about his friend.
“Six hundred men.” Rody looked around and gestured at all the men around him.
“Six hundred men with big mouths to feed, and we’ve run out of supplies to eat…” He said loud enough for others around him to hear.
“Curse the war.” Tenya said as he began to row harder.
“Our food store’s depleted.” Toshinori showed Izuku a list of supplies with only a few items still in storage. Otherwise there was barely any food left due to the ten years of war.
“Six hundred men, six hundred reasons to take what we can.” Izuku looked around at the large sea teaming with life.
“Why not hunt for fish?” Shoto asked as he helped Toshinori with tying knots and slowly getting nets ready. Izuku stopped them quickly before setting the net down and shaking his head.
“We are in the realm of the Sea God, he controls all of the waters, if we kill some of his fish….he would definitely kill us. We can’t have that! Do not forget what happened Chisaki.” Izuku said as he looked around.
“What happened to that guy? Who is that guy?” Shoto asked as he stayed near Tenya and began to help him row.
“Many years ago a sailor named Kai Chisaki was starving and was low on food supplies. So he took a net and casted it and caught a full horde of fish. However the Sea God was angry at not only not him thoughtlessly stealing his fish, but also for fishing without asking as well.” Toshinori leaned down and said in a low voice.
“So what did he do? I mean, it’s fish…He doesn’t even eat fish.” Inoda said as he kept the sail calm and thrashing about.
“It doesn’t matter, the God was pissed. As punishment for his crime, he cut off Kai’s hands and threw them to the fish to eat. After that, no verbal law was imposed. But it didn’t matter, now we do not fish in any waters near the realm of the God.” Rody finished, he returned to his Captain’s side.
“So Captain what’s the plan?” Rody asked as Izuku walked by his men.
“Captain, what’s the plan?” Mirio asked, a softer tone in his voice than in Rody’s. Izuku went to the bow of the boat and looked up with his telescope.
He heard the cry of birds and smiled wide before pointing at the sky.
“Watch where the birds fly!” He shouted to the men below him as many began to look up in the sky watching as various birds began to fly around and towards something in the distance, Izuku looked down at Rody and smiled.
“There we’ll hunt for food, my second in command.” He jumped down and went to the stern of the boat, repeating his commands to the other ships who passed it on. Many began to look toward the sky, as other birds hunted in the water only two or three flew faster and going East.
Izuku smiled and turned the wheel towards the birds direction.
“Now full speed ahead!!” He yelled. His men responded in turn, now rushing to prepare weapons and bags.
“We’re up, we’re off and away we go.” Rody said as he signaled to the other ships who turned to follow them.
“We’re up, we’re off and away we go!” The men on the other ships shouted back, all boats heading east. For over an hour the ships began to go faster following them birds.
“Full speed ahead!” Izuku shouted again from the starboard side, before grabbing an oar and rowing alongside his men.
“We’re up, we’re off and away we go.” Mirio said, using his telescope and stopping as he caught sight of a black dot in the distance.
“Captain!” He shouted
“Mirio!” Izuku shouted back at his dear friend, smiling.
“Look!” Izuku stopped rowing and got Inoda to replace him, he followed Mirio to the bow of the boat and handed him the telescope.
“There in the distance, I see an island! I see a light that faintly glows.” Izuku stayed silent and watched closely as Mirio began to cheer to others, hyping them up at the prospect of food.
“Maybe they’re people, lighting a fire maybe they’ll share some food, who knows?” Mirio said as he shook Izuku at out his daze, he handed the telescope back to Mirio as Izuku lowed his voice to where Rody and Mirio heard him.
“Something feels off here, I see a fire but there’s no smoke…” He said lowly to them.
“I say we strike first, we don’t have time to waste.” Rody countered already grabbing his weapons.
“So let’s raid he place and-“
“No.” Izuku’s word was final. He bent down and grabbed a weapon and two satchels.
“Mirio gear up.” He tossed the satchel to Mirio who grinned.
“You and I’ll go ahead.” He finished, as Mirio poked fun at Rody.
“You and I’ll go ahead!!!” He said loudly towards Rody as he grabbed a notebook and a few other things. Izuku began to grab a large piece of paper, and placed it in his bag.
“We should try to find a way no one ends up dead.” He said as Mirio went down to the cockpit and rummaged around for other things. Rody followed them both, worried.
“We don’t know what’s ahead.” Izuku sighed and nodded, before turning around and placing both hands on Rody’s shoulders.
“Give me till sunrise, and if we dont return.” He turned Rody around the face the various working men.
“Then six hundred men can make this whole place burn.” He patted his shoulders, and pushed him towards the men.
“Now full speed ahead! Full speed ahead!” He repeated to the men, giving them renewed vigor at this plan. The men tied the sails tighter and readied nets for catching any livestock found on the island. Bows and arrows were sharpened and swords were cleaned as well as any unbroken shields.
“Full Speed ahead!” Rody repeated as Izuku came back from the cockpit, hair pinned back and putting on a green vest. He placed the picture of his family back into his pocket, grabbed a hanging rope and swung from stern to port, letting another sail loose giving them an extra burst of speed.
Other men beg and to clean the hull, and checking various lines to be sure all were safe upon landing on the upcoming shores. Izuku helped adjust the trim so it could catch the wind just right, before using an adjust to help the boat catch the strong winds.
“We’re up, we’re off and away we go!” He said as he had Toshinori tie various knots on the poles and other stable areas of the boat. Izuku walked to the bow of the boat as they approached the shore now, he placed his foot on the railing of the boat before taking out his sword and pointing it towards the island.
“Full speed ahead!” He yelled.