Fanon:Survival Island/Chapter 3

A line of fourteen cruise ships cut through the deep blue sea, each about a day's travel apart. It was early summer, with just a few pearly clouds left over from spring. The first ship in the line was carrying Riverview teens, then Barnacle Bay, then Hidden Springs; all over SimNation, every culture. Bob Newbie stood, leaning on the railing above the figurehead, which was a woman carrying a scroll that read, in Latin, ''"Obsequar in omnibus regis scientiam." ''Betty stood with him, watching for land. Bob was perfectly happy.

On other ships, teens felt differently. Bart Inkbeard was hopping mad, the ship should be in front. "We're from Barnacle Bay, for Pete's sake! Sailing is our thing!" he vented to his girlfriend, Serena, while he flipped eggs angrily. "It's okay, Bart. It's not a horrible problem. Besides, can you imagine a better place to be?" Serena said happily. A lot of couples had been selected on the cruise, as well as siblings, and no one knew why.

While Serena soothed her temperamental lover, Annie Tong of Hidden Springs stayed shyly in her room. With so many teenagers on board, someone would get soaked, and she didn't want it to be her.

In the fourth ship back, Lunar Lakes, Christa Landgraab was homesick. She missed her boyfriend, Finn, and her siblings Chris and Chrissie. Being a clone and all, she naturally wanted to stay close to her DNA-group. And Christina, too, was missed. But Christa had wanted to try something different, and this was her chance. Why complain?

One ship behind her, Ethan Tanner slept. It was better than living in fear of the water surrounding him and constantly throwing up from the swaying of the ship. Besides, there were no instruments on board, so he couldn't really do anything and enjoy it. But Ethan wrote happy letters home for his family. He was nice like that.

Whilst Martin sat in the corner worrying about home and him mother coping without him and sister, having no one to comfort her. He was also watching his sister trying to flirt with Alastair with no luck.

In the ship carrying the passengers of Monte Vista, the pizza-cooking heavily-accented town in the hills, Hudson Thomas stayed in his room chatting with friends overseas. He wished he knew more people aboard this ship.

From Auroa Skies, a girl named Cassidy Wrede {pronounced Red} played vollyball onboard, playfully, but rather childishly, teasing her opponents.

On the Sunset Valley boat, Michael Bachelor talked on the phone with his precious little sister, the future mother of Alexander, Bella Bachelor. She missed him already.

Chase Bayless, as athletic as the rest of the family she left in Twinbrook, enjoyed the fishing opportunity the boat afforded. She would be sure to catch something special. The other Twinbrook people were in the swimming pool, swimming and sunbathing and managed to get Chase in the pool at least once.

Kaitlen Ashenburg of Bridgeport mused over the conversation she had had with her mother before she left. Leah, unlike most parents, actually worried about her daughter's good nature. The day of departure, she had said cryptic things about "you are what you are" and "making the best of bad surprises". Kate had got the impression that she was supposed to figure it out over the cruise, to simplify things when she got home, but she was mystified. She yanked her denim hat off of her head and twisted it in her hands. Her mother had seemed so worried. Good Kate wanted to help, somehow, but she couldn't because she didn't understand.

Cruz Martingale on the Appaloosa Plains ship was grumpy as always. His mother would likely do something stupid and actually start something with one of the men she was always bringing over. And the ship was too big; it took forever simply to walk to the edge to drop something in the water. Still, being at home was worse, with his Mom's guy friends. And he was fairly sure that she'd soon start dating a man named Kanoa Parrott. He snorted at the thought.

In the second ship from the end, the one carrying Starlight Shores passengers, Mandy Best tried to stay away from one particular passenger:Natasha Gooder. All the Bests hated all the Gooders; that's how it worked. Mandy was glad that she wasn't alone in her hatred for the Gooders, her brother Calvin was on board too. He didn't try as hard to stay away from the rival family, though. It was very odd.

At the tail of the procession, Emelie Van Gould, a Moonlight Falls girl, stayed out of the sun. It was no secret that she, like all other Van Goulds, was a vampire.

The fourteen cruise ships sailed on through the ocean.