Layla Nightingale/Андреева Лада

"What on Earth is going on here?" Big Boss finally arrived. I came on time. I helped both my owner and Big Boss. I... managed. But now it's time to take care of the former, who has fainted (yet again!) due to all the power he used to protect us. He sure is strong, but even the strongest ones have their limits... which some of them can never see. I decide to stay by my owner's side for now as I listen to what is unfurling in front of me. The Golden Guard rushes to Big Boss, screaming and pleading: "Oh, David, look what these guys have been doing! They... they had almost ruined your room with all the chaos they'd been wreaking, I barely had time to clean that up!" Pathetic...

"What's that noise? Where's all the fighting?" White smoke. That was all I saw when the screaming ceased. I... I knew it. I failed. Both as a first mate and a person. I... truly was nothing. Useless. Mad. I deserved to die. I... I just... did. But wait: that voice... A white figure appeared right in front of me. A saint? There could be no one to save me now, so they probably came a bit too late. But they started angling in on me, closer and closer: "Billy! What happened to you? Need any help, b-" "No! Stay back, stay back, stay back!" Tears were rolling down my cheeks, from both sides. The person reeled back, aghast...

THUD! My owner gets thrown off, like a bag of flour. A tiny one at that, for even I manage to grab a few pounces at that rascal of a beast. And he leaves. Not even saying goodbye, mind you. After taking a couple of glances, I notice that the room looks and feels (oh my god, even feels!) different. A soldier-green, peculiar smoke starts emanating from the place which my owner had hit moments before, and out of it emerges a small figure. You would imagine your typical mountain man, had you seen it come closer to you. Shaggy brown clothes, barbaric red hair and a big straw hat, underneath which I can still catch two small, sleazy...

What a jerk... I stagger to my feet, wearily, slowly. My nose still itches, but I manage to suppress one last tickle before telling Flint: "Why the heck would you use a kid for your scheme?" "Excuse me, princess?" Just ignore it. Just ignore it. "Why. The heck. Would you use. A KID. For your scheme?" "And who told you to talk to me like that, eh, scoundrel?!" - Seconds later, I see him right near my long-suffering nose, seemingly ready to punch, but I... I don't know how this happens, but I manage to shove his fist away from me, while giving him one hell of a death glare. "Flint, this isn't a game...

Alright, here goes nothing. "So, lemme get this straight," - I interrupt the Captain just as he rounds up his flashback, -"you wanted everyone to know I was special by sacrificin' me? What for? I already was your first mate then, so to speak..." "You still don't get it?" - he stares at me. Works every time, I don't know why. - "Dead men tell no tales, remember?" "Yeah, but why-" "For nobody asking-" - he stops midway, a strange glow in his eyes. Simon kneads my hand again. "It's ok, buddy," - I whisper, as we hug, when suddenly: "Well, there's somebody I would like you to see," - our eyes meet, "to discourage any further questions...