I See

“CURSE YOU NARU,” howled one of the gray suits, a lady with chestnut hair in a sleek low ponytail. “THIS ISN’T OVER.” She glared ruefully at the board, snatched a leather briefcase that had been lying on the table, and stormed out the bar--her 3-inch pumps pounding the floor and obscene screams pounding Polly’s ears.

Polly half feared the lady was going to stomp holes into the tavern’s floor.

Such a scene must have been a norm, however, for not a head turned in the direction of the dramatic outburst.

“So that’s Naru,” nodded Polly contemplatively. He didn’t look anything special, at least not to her. The standard schmuck had standard dark hair styled in a standard cut with strands nearing his eyes, and he wore a standard pair of black framed glasses. Polly watched as he lowered his head, pushed his glasses up with his index finger, and chuckled.

“That’s the lad I’ve been hunting for,” whispered Polly to Raybit as she stood and dusted off her cargo pants.

“Go get him tiger,” winked Raybit.

Polly was clearly 20 years too young for those kinds of comments because she did not show a single sign of understanding. “You can count on it. Should I bring my drink with me?”

“I think you should lass. It’ll be more natural sitting down and starting a conversation if you have a drink in hand. Also, it ain’t safe leaving your drink with a fella you’ve just met.”

“You’re right sir, mighty right. I’ll be back.”

Polly picked up her mug of cider and walked toward Naru, purpose in her step.

“Wait,” called Raybit. “Your bedit card.” But alas Polly was already too far away for his voice to reach her through the din.

Polly wove her way through the tables while being careful not to spill her juice with the delicacy of a marble going down a pachinko board. However, most of the patrons were too drunk (on fun) to notice her bumping into their chairs.

“So you’re Naru?” asked Polly, sitting herself in the seat previously occupied by the drama queen.

Naru had stopped his chuckling a while back and was sipping from a mug of his own. The other gray suits had also left, though not nearly as passionately as the first one, so it was just Polly and her target.

His glasses caught the light and glinted. “So what if I am?” he asked, setting down his mug and crossing his arms over his chest.

“I have a message for you.”

“Is that so?”

Polly reached into one of her short’s pockets and pulled out the envelope.

“I can only give this to Naru though, so if you’re not him I’m out. But I’m pretty sure you’re him since I heard the lady from earlier cussing you out.”

“And what if I told you I’m Naru, only for you to find out later that I was lying?”

Polly didn’t even need to think to answer that question.

“I’d probably die.”

“T..that’s a bit extreme,” said the black haired chap, who judging by his lifted brows, had not been expecting that answer.

“Well I don’t think the hai--I mean sender of this letter would let me get away with it.”

“Did you...were you about to say hairs?”

Polly’s silence was apparently more than enough for an answer, and Naru’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m Naru, Naru Hodo. You?”

“Polly.”

“It’s not safe here, there’re eyes and ears everywhere. Let’s meet later tonight.” He reached into a briefcase beside him, pulled out a scrap of paper and a black pen, and got to scribbling. Naru looked at the clock hanging above the tavern’s doors.

“How would midnight work for you?” he asked.

“I suppose I could make it.” The only reason she was here on this island was to deliver the goods, so it wasn’t like the gal had much of a choice.

“Perfect, I’ll see you then.” Naru slid the piece of paper to Polly and stuck his pen into a pocket in his suit. He didn’t seem very interested in having a heart to heart talk or even casual conversation, so Polly took the cue to leave.

“How’d it go?” asked Raybit who had found himself a nice empty table and was sprawled out across two chairs. He was on his third mug of mystery drink. It had been five minutes at most.

Polly flopped into the seat across from him and emptied her mug.

“I think it went well? We’re meeting later because apparently this ain’t the safest spot out there.”

“Sounds like a plan. If you don’t mind I’d like to tag along. Word that I’ve heard is that he’s also the Glint fella I’m looking for.”

“You don’t want to talk to him right now?”

“Lass, look me in the eye and tell me he’s fit for talking right now.”

Polly looked back to where she had just come from, and Naru was cackling to himself manically while polishing the lenses of his glasses.

“You should’ve come with me then sir. He was acting pretty normal then.”

“Ah, I would’ve but I only overheard that snippet of information when you were on your way back.”

“By golly I sure hope he doesn’t forget that we agreed to meet up,” sighed Polly, side-eyeing the mildly unhinged Naru.

There were still quite a few hours for Polly and Raybit to kill until midnight, it was early evening at best, so the two agreed that they’d go their separate ways until 11:15 p.m., when they’d reconvene at the inn’s entrance and head to the mystery location together. It was one of the finest, most well thought out plans Polly had ever had the pleasure of making.

Polly’s first task was deciding how much she wanted to pack from The Birbalinda and drag to The Flopping Fowl. While she was hoping the business with Naru would be over by the end of the night, she also wanted to take some time to explore the island. Unlike the hair-iffying second island, this one had proved itself to be pleasant. She also wanted to learn all about the “technological prowess” Raybit had mentioned. Polly was a self-proclaimed pirate after all, not a country bumpkin.

“Perhaps three nights and four days worth of clothes should be sufficient,” Fethar suggested as it guided Polly through the streets and to their ship. “Though if you were to arrange for a longer stay I would not be opposed, for the greater your wanderings the more I am able to learn.”

“It’s not like I wouldn’t be able to go back to The Birbalinda to get more clothes if two outfits aren’t enough. Or I could just keep reusing my clothes,” reasoned Polly.

“Do you really want a repeat of the tragic Sea-Island 6 embarrassment when you realized a mere waft of your odor was as deadly as pests to a plant.”

“I honestly think you’re just rude, and hateful, and spiteful, and unkind, and-”

“But am I wrong? Am I?”

“Okay, fine. Four outfits. I’ll pack four outfits.”

“Excellent news. You would not believe my sheer jubilation knowing that I will not be turning brown with fumes.”

“What should we do for dinner? We’re getting mighty close to evening after all. I’m thinking either something from The Flopping Fowl ‘cause it’ll be cheap or a local restaurant since we’re somewhere new after all.”

“Local restaurant I’d say. Why travel if not to regale yourself with novelties?”

“You make a convincing argument, partner,” said Polly as she hoisted herself up The Birbalinda. Yes she did walk that fast.

“Supporting small businesses it is then!”