I have an idea, we can use it if you like it:

The key Nenya found is not the key to the ship. It's a key to another artifact, a magic artifact that can make the ship bigger, hold more people. The lock for that key must also be found; maybe in a fire?

Again, just an idea.   

Number one, I am stupid...my last post I meant indigo... whoops...Forgive me??? and, INDIGO I'm just going to skip ahead a bit and stuffz.

______________

 Emi's home...I think she won't tell my secret...but I still should move it to another spot. No problem...okay...I don't feel like walking but whatever...right? I sit on my bed and move my metal hand, wiggling the fingers and such. It still hurts a little, and i shouldn't grab anything with it or put weight on it...but I've got to get down the tree. I'll stay at my secret hideout. For now. 

________

"Ugh.." I pant and pull aside a curtain of ivy. There is a dark cave behind them, usally a person would just ignore this little cave, but I didn't. I slowly enter the cave, then walk right into, right through the wall. I squint my eyes, the bushes scratching at my face. After a few seconds I break through the wall of bushes and open my eyes. It's a paradise really. There are trees covering the whole thing, though it's still bright as day. It's warm, but humid, just perfect. And there is a big waterfall, that gracefully falls into a small lake. There are tons of birds, and the sounds of birds that accompany the waterfalls rhythmic splashing. A smile spread across my face as I take in the wonderful smell of the grass. Then I take a step forward, toward the lake, and gaze upon my ship. It is exactly the same as the ship on my mantle...except bigger. It's tied to a tree and I grab a vine and swing over. I land softly on the deck and grab my pack with my metal hand, my other hand still holding my vine. I drop the bag on the ground and set the vine under a barrel. Then I open the bag, retrieving the bottle, and head toward my 'quarters.' I open the door revealing a dusty, but overall nice, arrangement. I head toward a locked chest and take a key off my neck. The chest is made of hard wood, coated in iron. The lock not only needs a key, but the passcode. I designed the lock myself. I put the key in and press the switches in the certain pattern; it unlocks and the chest pops open. Inside are some pearls, which I collected on the island, and tons of other beatiful things. Also expensive. I gently set the bottle inside the chest and smile at the boat carresed safely inside and close the chest. I lock it and stand up. Then I plop down on my chair. "I'm getting a cushion for this as soon as I get out of here," I mumble, shifting uncomfortably in the chair. I sigh after a few minutes and get up, leaving the room. Then I climb the ladder leading to the crow's nest, using my metal hand, the left one, as little as possible. I lie down when I reach the top, and soon after fall asleep gazing at the greenhouse canopy.

Sorry, I'm really confused right now... can someone write a summary?

Oh, gosh, I'm soooo sorry I haven't posted in the longest time! I wrote a really long entry, including a pretty long conversation with Rianne, but it was accidentally deleted (not by the Admins! I went to another page for a while waiting for the latest post to go through so there weren't mistakes; and when I clicked back, it was gone . . .) And nothing I write seems nearly as good. =( 

~Coral~

"Oh, just life," I say, in response to Rianne's questions, rubbing the various cuts and scrapes on my arms, hoping my cool, wet fingers with ease the burning a little.

I see her worried look and decide to elaborate. "Don't ever lean against any trees here; everything is either sharp or poisonous."

She laughs, and the lines on her face relax a little.

"How've you been, Rianne? I haven't seen you in the longest time."

She shrugs. "I went to the villige a while ago. Traded some woven baskets for a couple fish hooks and some fabric."

I remember, all of the sudden, the conch shell in my bag. I remember, too, what happened to mother and Wren, and my vow afterwards.

"Hey, Rianne, I found this shell on the beach while I was fishing; would you want to trade it for anything?" I remove it from my bag and present it to her with a flourish. 

____________

Haha, sorry this is so short and uneventful, my brain is a bit frozen right now. =) 

Rianne~

Coral passes me a large conch, beautiful and large. I put it up to my ear and hear the ocean.

"It's... beautiful," I say, honestly.

"Do you want it?"

"I... what do you want to trade?" I don't exactly need the conch shell, but Coral seems to want me to take it. And I have enough supplies that I can afford to take it -- I can use it as a planter, or maybe a bowl for supplies. "I've got rope, charcoal..." I dig in my backpack. 

Coral says, "Rope's good."

I pass her a length of raffia rope and put the conch in my bag.

"So..." 

Suddenly, we hear a scream from the direction of the beach.

I don't wait to see if Coral follows, but I run to the forest, taking my path through to the shore. 

Nenya~

"Nenya. It's time you learned the truth."

"What do you mean, daddy?"

"Your mother will be leaving shortly."

"She found a way to escape the island?!"

"....No. She... she caught an illness, Nenya. I don't know how to treat it."

"You mean.... mom's going to die?"

"Yes. Your mother's going to die."

"No! There has to be something you can do!"

"There's nothing, Nenya. So before she leaves, you need to know the truth about her. Her swimming abilities were not her power."
"But then why does she swim so well?"
"She's a hybrid, my girl. A semi-mer. Your mother was part mermaid."

"It's impossible, dad!"

"Nothing is impossible, my girl. Listen. Go to your mother now. She will offer you her blessing. Take it. In a time of need, it will send someone to you. Someone who will help."
I snap awake. Sunlight streams through the weed courtains as I glance around. I must have fallen asleep.

My dream, though.... my dream.... I remember that time now. When mom was dying. She gave me her blessing and I took it.

"Someone who will help...." I ponder these words as I go to check on Oscar. Someone who will help.

"Could you be that someone, my little friend?" I say to him. "I wonder, why would an otter be of any use to me...."

~Emi~

I am lounging on my bed of leaves and moss when I hear someone crawling through the too-short  entrance. I call, "Who's there?" And sit up. Is it Niska, trying to steal from me? Too bad- I have little worth stealing.

~Niska~

I paddle to the sand and drag myself out of the water, dripping. My heart is pounding and my mind is spinning, filled with memories of what just happened. I wring out my hair and lie listlessly on the sand.