Fwoosh.
A long tongue of flame burst forth from the brass-colored lighter. The flickering fire illuminated the wall's exquisitely explicit murals as well as the green fish-like maw behind the lighter.
The maw with sharp fangs inched forward to carefully bring the cigar in its teeth to the flame.
The tip of the cigar lit up, and thick white smoke spiraled upward, swaying with the wind until it collided with the massive, magnificent crystal chandelier overhead.
"I wonder what they put into these imported cigars. They sure hit harder than the ones we produce on Hope Island."
"Nah, they're no match. Don't the First Mate have the ability to modify plants? I don't see him doing anything to improve our tobacco. Growing tobacco is way more profitable than growing grain and fruit."
"Tsk. We print our own money. Since when are we lacking money on this island?"
As Dipp enjoyed the narcotic warmth across his mouth and mind, his three distinct egos chattered idly in his head.
A webbed hand reached out to pick up a corner of the blanket and gently tug it over his wife's shoulder, which sported a red spiderweb tattoo.
With a slight twist of his neck, Dipp's form, covered in green scales, swiftly vaporized. The cloud of mist slipped through the fluttering curtains to materialize into his physical form on the balcony.
It was nighttime on Hope Island. The newly installed metal roof blocked out the overhead sun rays, plunging the city into artificial darkness.
But Dipp, just like Charles, had night vision, all thanks to owning three egos.
He gazed at the silent, mechanical opulence of a city that stretched out before him. He stood still, his round fish eyes unblinking as he took in the sight. No one could tell what was on his mind.
After an unknown period of time, the
clack-clack
of mechanical gears shifting echoed across the sky like the chime of a clock. The massive iron plates overhead began to slide open.
Slanted beams of sun rays pierced through the gaps to wake the entire city from its slumber.
When the first beam of light struck the ground, the first to stir were the newspaper runners. Like little elves, the young men flitted through alleyways and across broad streets on their bicycles and slipped newspapers into every mailbox they passed.
Then, the electric trams came to life. Accompanied by a metallic groan, they set off from the central station and began their usual endless loop around the island.
One after another, doors creaked open and people clad in an array of uniforms emerged from within.
Some were dressed in sleek black suits, while others were in simple blue school uniforms. There were also a few in grease-stained canvas jumpsuits, distinctive of laborers.
Everyone started their day playing their own role on the island. They were like the cogs that were keeping the great machine that was Hope Island alive.
In Dipp's brain, his three egos debated for a brief moment and held a quick vote. Two to one. Breakfast had been decided.
Pushing off against the balcony rail, he launched himself into the air. His scaly green body streaked across the sky like an eagle.
His first stop was Chef Planck's kitchen. With a knife in one hand and a fork in the other, he pounded on the polished wooden dining table.
"Breakfast! Breakfast! Breakfast! Breakfast!"
The thunderously loud pounding lasted for a solid three minutes before the kitchen door slammed open. A large-caliber pistol was thrust in through the gap and fired point-blank at Dipp's head.
"How many fucking times do I have to tell you! This is
my
house! Not your personal restaurant!"
Dipp's head exploded into a gory crimson mist, only to recongeal to his grotesque Deep Dweller face.
A wide grin appeared on his green, scaly countenance. "Cod fish sashimi on white bread, a glass of milk, and a fruit salad, please. Thanks!"
"Get lost! There's none! Eat shit, how about that?!"
Moments later, Dipp took a contented munch of the food he demanded. With a grin of satisfaction, he said, "Cook, how have you been?"
"Aside from some lunatic barging into my house, slamming my table, and yanking me out of bed every other day, I'd say I'm doing just fine," Planck complained from behind his newspaper.
Dipp let out a hearty laugh. "Is that so? I guess that's rotten luck you've got there."
"By the way," Dipp continued. "The letter from Doctor Linda and First Engineer Audric arrived from Dark Crystal Island just the day before. I heard that they adopted a kid, and they also invited us over to visit. Wanna go together?"
Planck's face was painted with evident disinterest. Suddenly, a memory surfaced in his mind. His eyes glinted with mischief as he teasingly asked, "
Hmm?
You still want a taste of vampire women? I heard from James and the others that back then, they hung you upside down and drained your blood while they had their way with you. Was that true?"
"Erm…" Dipp let out a sheepish laugh. "You must have gotten the subject-object wrong. I was the one who took on all three sisters by myself! I tied them and suspended them in the air."
The banter went to and fro for a while before the portly cook of the Narwhale, Planck, grew serious all of a sudden. He looked at Dipp in the eye and asked, "By the way, how's the First Mate doing? Is he still acting all so mysterious as usual?"
The grin froze on Dipp's face. His expression turned solemn as well, and with a helpless shrug, he answered, "Yeah… same deadpan look. He refuses to answer any of our questions. I swear, that guy's hiding something."
Planck shrugged and bruised his nose back in the tabloid section of the newspaper. It was headlined with a celebrity scandal.
"He's the Governor. If he doesn't want to talk, there's no way you can force him to."
Dipp picked up a toothpick, poked it into a cube of apple, and popped it into his mouth. His voice was laced with sarcasm as he concurred, "Yeah yeah… right… Who is he? The only and only—"
All of a sudden, Dipp stopped his sentence midway. His entire body vaporized into a blue mist and slipped out through the nearest window crack.
When he materialized into his physical form once more, he was already in the back seat of the Chief Engineer's car.
"Good morning, big guy."
"Uncle Dipp! Morning!" the little girl cradled in James' arms cried out in surprise. It was Nini, James' daughter.
James cleared his throat. "I've got an important meeting soon. I've no time for a casual chat. Go back to work."
"Come on, you're always using the same old excuse," Dipp chided. "Can't you come up with something new? I'm not here for small talk. It's important. It concerns the First Mate."
"What?" As soon as he heard that the matter involved Bandages, James' face grew solemn.
"Did the informants under District 3 find something? Who in the Subterranean Sea would dare to target the Governor of Hope Island?! Do they have a death wish?!"
Though his expression remained calm, James' tone betrayed his simmering fury. The once-gentle giant now stood as the iron-fisted authority he had become.
"It's not
that
serious. We just noticed that our beloved Governor's memory lapses seem to be getting worse. He's starting to forget some things. I mean… You know how his brain is…"
James didn't dare take the news lightly. Bandages was the brain of Hope Island. If something went wrong with him, the entire island would feel the effects. And memory loss? That was no small matter.
"Jim, take my daughter to school," James instructed his driver. "I've got something to take care of. And cancel that meeting with the rat union about wage reforms."
"Yes, Minister."
The situation was urgent. Dipp turned into a ball of mist and enveloped James. At breakneck speed, the two arrived at the Governor's Mansion.
Given their identity, neither Dipp nor James needed to request an audience. The guards didn't so much as blink as the two men just walked their way right into the office.
The door to the office swung open to reveal the First Mate, bandaged from head to toe, and seated behind a desk while calmly reviewing documents.
"Is… something… the matter?"
An anxious James stepped forward, wanting to speak, but Dipp held out an outstretched arm to stop him. The Deep Dweller leaned in and whispered something in the large man's ear.
James took in a deep breath to calm the anxiety in his heart. He stepped toward Bandages.
"First Mate, do you remember where we first found Hope Island?"
"
Hmm?
Why…are you… asking this? The captain…found it."
"Then, do you remember our gunner's name? Where was she from?"
"Lily… from another… world…"
"And what's the name of the captain's daughter?"
"That… monster. Sparkle?"
The questions and answers came faster and faster. Just then, in a sudden moment of abruptness, Dipp interjected and asked, "What's the last thing the captain instructed you to do?"
"The captain instructed… instructed me to…" Bandages suddenly paused. His eyes between the strips of bandages began to fill with a sharpened hostility. "You're… trying to… trick me?"
But Dipp wasn't the least fazed. He had already gotten the answer he wanted from the First Mate's earlier words. He clapped his webbed hands together excitedly.
"
Ha!
I knew it! The Captain did instruct you to do something. Now, speak! Where is he?"
By this point, James finally managed to put two and two together. There was nothing wrong with Bandages' memory. Dipp had just used him like a spring-loaded trap.
James' breathing grew ragged. He raised a trembling right index finger, jabbing it repeatedly at Dipp. His expression turned grim, and the anger on his face kept building and intensifying with every passing second.
Then, just as James' rage hit its peak, it suddenly deflated into an exhausted sigh.
"You're not a kid anymore. Can you please use your brain and stop doing stupid things like this?"
The Deep Dweller, with his face covered with green scales, turned around. His lips pursed as he watched James' back disappearing into the distance.
He mustered every ounce of lung power he had and shouted, "I used my brain! The three of us discussed it in detail and voted to do this!"
Only when James disappeared around the corner did Dipp turn around to face Bandages seated behind the desk. Seeing the evident rage in Bandages' eyes, Dipp knew that the prank had gone a little too far this time.
Dipp's face turned complicated. His mouth opened once, twice, but nothing came out of it. Finally, he lost all composure and bellowed at the top of his lungs, "He's my father!"