A Long Sea Journey

Red deer trail, Entitlement Island, Midland Islands, 5:45 A.M., July 7th

Andria Primrose is the mayor of Entitlement Island. She used to be just as stuck up as most of the current residents, but she had since reformed. Today she was wearing a beautiful teal jogging outfit and she was wearing the best running shoes that the planet of Rhombodian has to offer. Her golden hair flew fantastically through the air as she jogged southward down red dear trail.

She ran and ran, the morning air was crisp and cool, she was doing wonderfully. Suddenly she came across the drone that had been broken about two weeks ago.

She saw that the number on it was 27, and the memory chip was gone. She was wondering why one of the drones that were monitoring the residents was in such a state.

She kept moving southward when suddenly she saw a most horrid sight. There was a two-week-old body laying downhill from where she was standing. She knew who this lady was. The body belonged to Velma Patinia, she showed promise when she first showed up, but she intensified her resolve on the path of entitlement shortly afterward.

Andria screamed very loudly and she ran away.

#

Jourins pier, Froughmoughton, Goldria, July 9th, 9:00 A.M.

Daniel and Damien arrived at the pier.

"It's too bad that we can't just teleport there." Damien stated.

"I think the sea air will do us some good." Daniel stated.

A tall man with a lot of muscles and a captain's outfit approached Daniel and Damien. He bowed toward them.

"Hello detectives, I am Captain Dexter Bouge of the S.S Gloom." The man announced.

"S.S Gloom?" Daniel inquired.

"All the ships going to Entitlement Islands one way have codenames, the ones that transport visitors are clearer on their intentions. Going to Entitlement Island is sure to cause gloom." The captain stated.

"Oh," Damien stated. "You rode the golden route recently."

"How did you know that?" Dexter asked.

"You have a return ticket in your pocket, but I don't see the destination you chose." Damien stated.

"Oh." Dexter found the ticket and pushed it in deeper to remove it completely from view. "I forgot to discard it. Weren't you both in Alcony?"

"We teleported using a teleportation crystal to get to Froughmoughton." Dan stated. "That's how we got here so fast."

"Why not teleport to Entitlement Island?" Dexter asked.

"Entitlement Island is like a game show, the contestants can't leave unless they reform or are eliminated, because people can use a portal from both sides, using a teleportation crystal to get there is out of the question." Dan explained.

"Can we stop talking about this?" Damien asked.

"You don't need to fret." Dan announced. "When the mayor called us, they got some magicians to preserve the body. Magicians have different teleportation rules, they can go anywhere without portals."

"Oh right, I forgot about that." Damien stated.

Suddenly the ships horn honked.

"Looks like we all better get on board." Dexter announced. "My first mate seems to be getting impatient. I hope you both enjoy the ride. We are going to be out on the water for five days."

"You'd think after all the progress that Rhombodian has made we'd have faster boats." Damien joked.

"Let's just get on board." Daniel stated.

The three men went onto the boat. Daniel realised that this may be the longest case he had ever taken on.

#

Hutteil sea, passing through Limgrino canal, Aquria, 9:00 P.M

Daniel was taking a late evening stroll through the ship; the sea was oddly calm and there was no severe weather in sight. It was so beautiful. Stars were shimmering in the sky, and Lucite was shining bright.

Daniel noticed Dexter was standing at the bow. He was looking through a sextant.

Daniel joined him.

"Detective, what are you doing here?" Dexter inquired.

"I figured it was a beautiful night, so I took a stroll." Daniel replied.

"Are you sure someone your age should be out at a time like this?"

"Everything is fine."

Dexter nodded and went back to looking through the sextant.

"I remember being invited to the captain's table earlier." Dan stated.

"I know, I invited you."

"You're bosun said that the ships navagation system is accurate."

"That's right, good memory."

"Then why are you using that?"

"To make certain there are no glitches, not all of us are very willing to put all of our trust on machines, but this thing isn't very good."

Daniel took a closer look at the sextant and saw the serial code as clear as day. CT-0001-9768765. "You bought that at Alcony tower."

"That I did, how did you know."

"CT is for Centran, and Alcony tower is located in postcode 10001, so you had to have purchased the sextant in that postcode. Plus, the shop added an extra two numbers, a six and a five. Shop 65 in Alcony tower sells sextants."

"Man, you sure know some really obscure knowledge."

"It comes with the job."

"Didn't someone die there?"

"Yes, it was murder."

"Who was the victim?"

"Andrew Levlon, I'm afraid."

"Oh no. He was such a good narrator. I am going to miss his work. His last words will never be heard by his adoring public."

Daniel nodded. "Well, it is getting late, isn't it?"

"Certainly is Daniel. I am going to be out here for a little while, the sea is a lonely place, but I am never alone."

"You're married?"

Dexter laughed. "I knew when I saw your ring that you too are a married man, I'd knew I'd say something that would clue you in."

"Yet your hands are bare, what happened to your ring?"

"Oh, you know how the ship staff get, spending so long at sea can drive one mad, so to get rid of the doldrums they play pranks on each other. I am m not sure of which one of them did it just yet, but I am sure one of them took it."

"Oh, that is sad. Well, I better get going, otherwise I am going to wake up tired." Dan stated.

"Good night, Daniel."

Daniel returned to his quarters and go to sleep. It's still going to be four and a half days before he could start figuring out what happened to the lady who was killed on Entitlement Island.

#

Visitors' pier, Entitlement Island, Midland Islands, Madria Kingdom, July 14th, 8:00 A.M.

Finally, they had arrived at Entitlement Island. Over the voyage, Dan and Damien didn't learn much else. They only relaxed and had some fun, but now it was time to get down to business.

Daniel was about to leave his quarters when Leopold Neptune, the First man entered.

"Oh, your Leopold, right? We met at the captain's table." Dan stated.

"That's right D.S Smith, I wanted to give you something just in case." Leo announced. He passed a small piece of paper to Daniel.

"Your phone number, but won't it be difficult to contact you?" Dan asked.

"Well, if we leave without you, I'll call you and instruct you on how to use long wave radio." Leo explained.

"But how would I contact you that way? There is no contacting the outside from Entitlement Island. I watched the show so I would know."

"The show doesn't tell you everything. There are some communication systems in the basement of the mayor's house. It is perfectly acceptable for the mayor to contact the outside world as only people who are reformed are accepted into office."

"So, the person who called us, Andria Primrose, stayed on the island even though she is reformed."

"Some do decide to stay to show the others the right path, but some are irredeemable."

"Like the victim?"

"The victim?"

"Valma Patania, Andria said she had potential, but she became irredeemable."

"I wouldn't know sir. I only take visitors to and from the island, as well as picking up the reformed and the eliminated."

Daniel nodded.

"Shouldn't you be going now? I'm sure this Andria Primrose is waiting for you." Leo asked.

"I should, but I want to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Can the staff of this ship leave the ship while docked here?"

"Of course, this isn't a drop off only ship, we need to restock the food and drinks for the return trips so the ship staff leave the ship to get food and drinks."

"Did the captain help out when you were docked here two weeks ago?"

"Who told you that we docked here two weeks ago?"

"You just did, right now."

"Oh, clever, you didn't know and I let it slip, you are good."

"Yes, I've been told that many times."

"Well, two weeks ago, I'm not sure if the captain left or not."

"Why not?"

"He told you that we enjoy pranking each other, right?"

"Yes, a few nights ago."

"That day, the prank was that staff members were pretending to be others, I didn't partake in it, but five looked like the captain."

Daniel nodded. "Well, thanks for the chat. I have to get going." Daniel really couldn't understand why he believed the captain was a suspect. There wasn't too much information he knew about either of the crimes, the only way he could possibly clear things up is by investigating the death of Velma Patinia.

Daniel grabbed Damien and they proceeded to go ashore and they both got visitor badges from the person at the end of the peer.