An aerial shot of the ship is seen. The crew go to their duties as Jacob is leaning against a rail. Sarah approaches him with a proud smile and leans with him.

They are approaching an opening with two large columns on both sides. Sarah judges his shoulder and they exchange smiles as a metal gate is lowered for them to enter.

Behind it was a town. All the kids from it see the shop and rush towards the windows. "It's the Inevitable! The Inevitable's back! Look!" "What a sight!" "Bet she's got a belly full of bones!"

Even the adults gather to catch sight of, "The Inevitable!"

Seagulls fly away as the rope is thrown down onto a pole to steady the ship.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Maisie rushes towards a building, and pushes open the doors. "Bandi! The Inevitable is back!" She pauses in confusion at the empty and dimly lit book store. She walks farther in and surveys the shop.

Behind her the door gently closes and a figure approaches silently. Maisie hears a squeak from the floor boards, and before she could turn around, arms circle around her, making her let out a startled yell.

"Gotcha!"

Maisie glances over and sees Bandi was the one holding her, laughing at how she was so easily scared. "Bandi, you jerk!" She says with a laugh, wiggling out of Bandi's arms, turning to face her.

Bandi simply laughs again and brings Maisie in for a hug. "Hello, poppet. Sneak out again, eh?" She pulls back and raises her eyebrows in a playful but accusing way. Maisie shrinks her on herself with a guilty smile, slowly nodding her head. She sighs with a lighthearted smile and says, "What am I gonna do with ya?"

"Finally convince the orphanage to let me stay with you?" Maisie rocks back and forth as she poses innocently.

Bandi sighs again and her smile becomes tired. "I've tried, multiple times, Maisie, they just won't let me. I'm sorry. But, " she raises a finger before Maisie could start pouting and whining, "more of that when we return. I believe it's time to see the Inevitable." She opens the door with a swing of her hands and a smile that Maisie can't help but return. She eagerly exits and Bandi follows, quickly locking up her shop and hurrying to catch up with Maisie.

Maisie is crawling through the crowd, trying to get a good view. She climbs onto a crate and waves to Bandi to show her where she is before turning to face the front, looking awestruck.

"It's good to be home at last," Sarah speaks from the ship, "but it will be a short stay, I'm afraid. Captain Crow will visit the king and queen at first light. And when the ship is ready," Bandi joins Maisie side and the young girl eagerly smiles at her, Bandi returning it much calmer, before Maisie jumps down while dragging Bandi with her, "we'll be off to kill a monster!"

The crowd cheers as the old man jumps beside Sarah and says, "We're going after the Red Bluster!" Maisie had been dragging Bandi closer to the ship, before she stopped. "So if this be our last visit to the Three Bridges, I expect some right, proper debauchery!"

The crowd cheers once again as Maisie eagerly smiles, Bandi looking around and down at her amused.

The crew begins to depart as the crowd parts for them. "Go on, then. Make way for the hunters." Sarah says. Maisie tries to get a better view of them but keeps getting blocked. "There we go, mates!" Bandi looks at her and bends down, allowing Maisie on her back to get a proper view.

Right as she did that the horn and other mementos from past hunts are brought out while Jacob laughs and says, "The Crown will pay well for them horns. So the drinks are on us!" The crowd cheers as he continues while they follow him, "No one goes thirsty tonight, swabbies!"

Maisie gains a confident look and looks down at Bandi. She looks at her, then the moving crowd, looking back and forth, before she sighs. "Fine, but we ain't going in. Just going to see. Try anything else, and I'll send you back to the orphanage meself." She rolls her eyes with a smile as Maisie quietly cheers and she follows the crowd.

The crowd enters a tavern as the villagers sing a sea shanty. "Captain Crow is our hero. He keeps the ocean clear." Jacob slam about 5 gold coins onto the counter to pay for drinks. "He stabs, and shoots, and kills and guts the monsters that we fear." A whole band was forming as drinks were poured. "He stabs, and shoots, and executes with cannon, lance, and spear." People were dancing and drinking and having a grand time. "Cuts off their horns and no one mourns the monsters that we feat." Jacob tries to drink a cup but someone pulls him into a dance, making him chuckle and drop it. "So sing the hunters' praises wherever men draw breath."

Outside the music is muffled. "For hunters live the greatest lives and die the greatest deaths!" Maisie is staring through the window in amazement as Bandi leans against a wall, looking at her amusingly while tapping her boot along to the tune.

Laughter erupts from inside as the music ends. Jacob wearily sits back down, letting out a pleased sigh. He grabs a cup to drink, but sees it's empty. He spots a tray full of drinks, but before he could stand up Maisie opens the window. "Hello!" He looks over confused as Bandi calls out, "Maisie! Close that window!" He looks at Maisie before leaning back and sees Bandi giving her a stern look, before looking up and awkwardly waving, cringing in on herself.

He looks back down to Maisie and says, "Hello." "Me name's Maisie. Maisie Brumble." She holds her hand out for him to shake. He hears Bandi groan, and sees her cover her face with her hands. He lightly chuckles as he shakes Maisie's hand and says, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you." "And she's Bandi Machet." She points to said girl who lightheartedly rolls her eyes and says, "I can introduce meself, Maisie." She gives an awkward smile and leans over, shaking his hand as well. "But yes, that be me. Pleasure." "You as well." They keep eye contact for a second before Bandi coughes and removes her hand.

"And you're Jacob Holland," Maisie speaks up as he tries to leave again, "who once killed four of them beasts in a span of two days. Is it true you done that? Bandi thinks I exaggerate that." She gives a pointed look to said girl who, once again, rolls her eyes, smirking. "Four in two days? Sorry, but that seems a bit... Eh, not possible." She teases as she leans against the window.

He smirks and raises an eyebrow, before answering Maisie. "Nah, she's right. Don't believe everything you hear, lass. Four in two days?" He scoffs, and Bandi gives Maisie a victorious smirk, before Jacob leans in and says, "It was five." He finally leaves as Maisie returns the victorious look, making Bandi rolls her eyes good heartedly.

"I heard..." She turns back and sees him leaving, before she quickly crawls through the window, making Bandi say her name in concerned horror, and for her to rush to the front door.

Maisie crawls across a table and follows Jacob through the crowd as she continues. "I heard there was some time them beasts used to come up right to shore," he looks behind as he notices her following, "pluck a lady right out of her veggie patch, and swallow her up!" She stands in front of him. "But not no more. And it's 'cause of the hunters. There's not a nobler profession, I says." Jacob crosses his arms as she finishes.

He looks behind and sees Bandi searching the crowd for Maisie. He waves his hand for her to see as Maisie speaks back up, "Me and Bandi come from long lines of hunters, you see." Bandi perks up and rushes towards them as Jacob looks back at Maisie.

He amusingly says, "Is that so?" "Aye. Me parents were lancers. Bandi's mum was the crowhead while her pops manned the cannons. They all served on the Monarch." Bandi stands beside Jacob as he says with a surprised tone, "The Monarch. So they're..." "Aye." Bandi and Maisie confirm in unison. "That's just the way for a hunter, ain't it? You live a great life and die a great death." Maisie continues firmly.

His gaze follows Bandi as she stands behind Maisie and says, "Her folks and me own told me to look after her during their last trip." She smiles and places both her hands on the young girls shoulders, making her smile up at her, her returning it. "That be why we're so close." She glances at Jacob and he nods his head in understanding. "Although..." She trails off as Maisie tenses, before she gets shaken side to side as Bandi says in a playfully mad voice, "This one don't be helping with her running of where I can't see her!" Maisie is giggling as she shouts out "Stop!"

Jacob chuckles at the two before going sombre. "Come on." He nods his head for the two to follow. He leads them towards the bar and they all sit, Jacob, Maisie, then Bandi. "So, uh, I take it she's looking after you then?" He gestures towards Bandi who shakes her head, almost sadly. "No. She's saying at the children's home." "It's in Guelston, up the way." Maisie says.

Two drinks are slid over for Bandi and Jacob. He nods in thanks as she shakes her head, handing it back to the bartender.

"Except I ain't staying exactly. I'm on the run, you see." She quietly says this, and Bandi rolls her eyes behind her. He raises his cup slowly with a 'I don't believe you' look. "And I ain't going back."

"Aye, you are." Bandi says sternly and Maisie turns to her to say, "But I don't want to! I'm not going back! And neither are you." She turns back to Jacob who is still lifting his cup and she says confidently, " 'Cause we're joining your crew." Bandi smacks her forehead as Jacob lets out a surprised cough.

He chuckles and says seriously, "Oh, no, you ain't. A hunting ship ain't no place for a kid." "I've told her that more times that I could count." Bandi sighs and she leans her back on the bar top. "Maybe she'll listen to her hero." She mutters to herself in an amused tone.

"You joined the ship when you were me age, and look at you now." Maisie tries to convince him. "You're a weapon against nature's darkest design." She brings out the book she had been reading and Bandi perks up. "Aye, that's where the book's been." She pointedly stares at Maisie as she slightly shrinks in on herself. She hurriedly turns the pages to the page of Jacob stabbing a beast, showing it to him. "Anyway, it says so on page 92."

He takes the book and looks at it. "Look, kid, I'm clever with a spear, but I've been lucky more than once." He closes the book and hands it to Bandi over Maisie's head. She nods in thanks and he returns it as he continues, "There's no guarantee of making it to page 92. Trust me."

Maisie looks down in disappointment, before staring at him through her lashes. "Now, you should run along." He nods his head towards the door as Bandi says, "Yes, we really should Maisie. Come on," she jumps off the stool and faces the young girl, "you can stay at me place until the matron finds you-again." She gives a pointed look with a calm smile as Maisie looks between the two.

She straightens up and, ignoring Bandi, says, "Right, then. I'll talk to Captain Crow. That's a man with real authority." She gets off the stool and gently but quickly snatches the book back before approaching a random person, the two standing there in disbelief. "Do you know where I might find Captain Crow?"

Jacob stands up and Bandi rubs her hands down her face, muttering, "Unbelievable." "Hey! I... I have authority. All right?" He says as Bandi splutters before saying, "Don't encourage this!"

"You ain't captain, are ya?" Maisie turns and sassily says. "Uh, no, but I am captain material." He confidently places his hands on his hips as he says this, raising an eyebrow. Maisie simply laughs as Bandi sighs at the two. " "Captain material?" " She clears her throat and stands straighter. "Sorry. It just sounds funny."

"Maisie, don't be rude." Bandi says with her hands on her hips, giving her a stern look. She slightly shrinks in on herself as Jacob says, "I mean, I will be captain. Someday." "Well, I intend to get on that ship. So, if you don't mind, I'll take it up with Captain Now, not Captain Someday." Jacob smirks and looks around as Bandi sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose. He looks back at her, and they share a look.

Jacob pushes open the door and walks out as Bandi is carrying a squirming Maisie bridal style. "Bandi! Put me down! I'm trying to get us on the ship!" She doesn't say anything, simply walking towards a carriage. She tries Jacob and says, "Monster hunters are supposed to be heroes."

"Yeah. And here's us saving you." Jacob says, approaching the coach driver. " Evening, Rosie. You go through Guelston?" "Aye." "Right. Let her out there and not before." He tosses her a coin. "If that's not too much trouble." "Aye."

He opens the door and Bandi places her down, immediately closing the door. "Bandi, come on!" "I'll see you soon, poppet!" Is all she says as she steps back. "This is kidnapping!" Maisie says to Jacob who looks at her through the window. "No, love. It's the opposite of kidnapping." He whistles for Rosie to move.

Jacob gives a two finger salute to a fuming Maisie while Bandi waves her fingers, looking quite amused.

The two sigh in unison once she's out of sight, and glance at each other. Bandi turns to face him and says, "I'm most sorry for all that trouble. Truly, I don't know what she be thinking most of the time." He waves his hand nonchalantly and says, "No, it ain't your fault, don't worry. So, will you be coming back inside for some drinks? They're on me crew."

She chuckles and says, "No, I've got to return home, have to open me shop early tomorrow. Needs some sleep." "Well, want me to, uh, walk you home, perhaps?" He hesitantly asked, rubbing the back of his neck with a smile.

She shakes her head and turns away. "Nah, go back to your party, I'll be fine. It was nice to meet ya, Mr.'Page 92'." She says it the same way Maisie did, and he chuckles. "Alright. Well, it was also nice to meet you, Ms.Machet. Maybe I'll see you around." "Maybe!" She calls over her shoulder, walking away. He chuckles, and re-enters the tavern.

A cup of beer is poured as he joins Sarah's side. "New friends, Jacob?" She teases him. "Ah, just some kid." He takes a sip of his beer as she says, "Urgh. Horrible things, children. And, uh, the older one that made you stare like a lost puppy." He gave her playful glare as she shrugs with a smirk. "Runs the book shop, and watches the kid sometimes from what I could tell." They stare at the carriage that was driving away, and clang their cups together.