(Captains Quarters: Benjamin Hornigold)
"CAPTAIN HORNIGOLD, SIR, we have a situation on our hands."
"Whatever it be quartermaster, have Vice Captain West handle it. Can't ye see I'm busy going over the cargo manifest.
"Sir, that's why I'm here. The vice captain is laid up in the sickbay."
"Son of a biscuit eater! What the hell happened?!"
"Apparently she challenged that girl Kino to a fight and lost."
"Kino? That's the lass Tibia and Fibula found correct?"
"Aye sir."
"Why didn't any of the crew help her?"
"Because the vice captain threw down her glove in a direct challenge no one dared get involved."
Hornigold sighs. "The vice captain does take her duels seriously. Any who dare encroach on a former shield maiden's duel would suffer greatly.
"Blimey, to think there was someone who could best her in a sword fight."
"Sir, it was fisticuffs."
"Still, West, is no pushover when it comes to fighting."
"There's more. Apparently Rodney and Colt were involved in smuggling two extremely rare beasts aboard the ship. We found Memory Pearl's among their things, confirming as much.
"Those fucking bastards!" Bellows the captain. "How dare they use me ship to transport their ill-gotten loot. I'll hang 'em from the yardarm."
"They're already dead sir. Rodney died from blood loss, and Colt was frozen solid. Because no one found them in time there was nothing we could do."
"Do we know if anyone else is involved in this?"
"Unknown at this time sir. Both men have been with us for quite some time." Replied the quartermaster.
"Damn it!" The captain slams his fist down onto his desk. "First we're attacked by the infamous Bone Pirates, then both of our ship's get pulled into this damn sea labyrinth, and now I find out two of me own crew are involved in smuggling." The captain leans back in his chair, contemplating his next move — massaging his hand.
"Sir, as quartermaster I have failed in my duties. And as I am the one who assigned them to their post I request that once the vice captain has recovered she take over my duties until my name is cleared of suspicion."
"Denied. To ensure the integrity of me ship, and the integrity of Eleanor Trading Company, our employer, I will ask the Bone Pirates captain to handle the investigation."
"Can we really trust him, sir?"
"Their captain and I go way back. Once I explain the situation to him he'll help."
"Even though they attacked us."
"Do you know what I did for a living before accepting this post?" Asked Captain Hornigold.
"No sir."
"I was the pirate captain of The Bone Pirates, and most of that crew once served under me command."
"Does that mean their captain…"
"Aye, Captain Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach was hand picked by me."
"So how did they end up becoming walking skeletons?"
"It's The Curse of Davy Jones."
"Never heard of it."
"In short they pissed off The Devil of the Sea, it killed the whole crew, and revived them as immortal skeletons. That happened shortly after I left the ship some time ago."
"Blimey."
"For now go round up the crew and hold them in the ship's galley. If anyone resists, sequester them at once. I'll go talk with Blackbeard."
The captain gets up, heading for the door, the quartermaster follows behind.
****
(Captain's Quarters: Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach)
"Ahoy, matey. Gotta sec for this seadog?"
Edward looks up from behind his pine desk. He's wearing what used to be a navy blue long vest over a black shirt. Now in tatters, exposing his skeletal frame underneath.
The room has a table with an incomplete map on it, wooden chairs with worn-out cushions on them, unlit oil lanterns hang on the walls, a bed, and other amenities.
"Benjamin, come in, have a seat." Edward gestures to one of the chairs across from him. "How's the remaining crew aboard The Ranger?"
"Unfortunately that's why I'm here."
"Go on."
"Two of me own crew were killed aboard me ship. Upon investigation it was discovered they were smuggling illegal goods. Now I fear there may be others involved."
"So ye've come to me to conduct an investigation on the matter."
"Aye." Benjamin looked morose.
"Very well. Not like I have anything better to do."
"Really just like that? What's ye angle?"
"What makes ye think I have one?"
"Come now Edward, I'm the last person ye can put one over on."
Edward grabs two cigars out of the humidor on his desk, hands one to Benjamin, leans back in his chair, lighting his own cigar as he does.
"How the hell is that even possible?" Asked Benjamin, after exhaling a ploom cigar smoke. "It's weird enough you still have your signature blackbeard."
"Beats the hell out of me. I stopped trying to figure it out a year after it happened. Despite not having any muscles my fighting prowess hasn't diminished, I can see ye clear as day despite me lack of eyes. I can talk even without a tongue, lips, or vocal cords. Even with no lungs I'm able to light this cigar.
"However there are some things I miss: the taste of rum, the smell of this cigar. Crack Jenny's teacup, to feel her warmth, breathe in her scent, to bed her. I miss the excitement one gets from fighting ye fellow man to the death."
"You sound like a man who's accepted his lot in life."
"Fate is a fickle lass."
"Aye, that she is."
Both captains sit in tenebrific silence, tendrils of cigar smoke waft into the air.
Finally Edward breaks the silence. "Why did ye quit."
"Me daughter had a daughter. That's when I knew it was time to make an honest living. That and if I ever cross paths with the bastard that run off on her after having his way with her, I'll kill-'em."
Blackbeard just nods.
****
(Sickbay aboard The Ranger)
"Well it's know wonder I lost to you, you're an otherworlder. I've heard stories of you guys."
"What kinds of stories?"
"Otherworlders boasts unfathomable: strength, intelligence in numerous areas, magic prowess, combat prowess, and longevity.
"Do you know of any otherworlders besides me?" I ask.
"No, you're the first one I've met."
"Too bad. I'd liked to have met others like me."
"Can we fight again, Kino?"
"Sure let's go."
"Not so fast, vice captain, we have a serious ma…tter."
"Oh, hello Captain Hornigold."
"You look pretty good for someone who was just in a fight."
"Gotta hold of a healing potion." West waves the bottle in front of the captain. "So what serious matter are you referring to?"
"Rodney and Colt have been using me ship for smuggling illegal loot and there may be others involved."
"Those fucking bastards!"
"Me thoughts exactly. That's why I've requested help from the Bone Pirates captain. They've already begun investigating the matter."
"Um, excuse me. Were Rodney and Colt the ones in the ship's hold?"
"You must be Kino."
"I am. I'm also the one who gave June here the potion."
"Thank you for that. And yes, that was them. They were using their position and authority to smuggle things aboard me ship. Don't know what happened to the beasts they had in the cages."
"Beasts?" I feign ignorance.
"Yes, according to the placards found on their cages, one was a Fenrir pup, and the other a Snow Kitten. And now they're loose somewhere out there."
"No they're not."
"What'd ye mean, lass?" Asked the captain, eying me.
"I have them." I replied.
"Y–Ye have them?"
"Yukino, Dante, come here a sec."
Yukino drops down from the beam above onto the bed, and climbs up onto my lap.
Dante, who was off somewheres, zips in, and stops at my feet, wagging his tail happily.
"I see. So that's a Snow Kitten and a Fenrir Pup. They're truly impressive creatures to behold."
"Wait, the Snow Kitten was here the whole time," West exclaimed. "I didn't even detect its presents."
"𝐴𝑠 𝑖𝑓 𝐼'𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑒." Boasted Yukino.
A giggle escapes my lips.
"Huh? Did I say something funny?"
"No, not you. It's what Yukino said."
"Hang on. Kino, can you talk with animals?" Asked a strange woman, climbing in through the square porthole for some reason.
"Why can't ye use the door like a normal person, Stephanie?"
"Define normal for me, captain." Stephanie countered.
"When it comes to ye there is no proper definition for normal."
"Ha, ha, ha, quite right. But back to my question. Kino, can you talk with animals?"
"I can."
"Fascinating. What else can you do?"
"Hold it. Prying into someone's personal affairs is poor manners." Benjamin admonished her.
"Au contraire my dear capitán. Without prying into things we can never learn, never grow. It's what makes Ian and I so great at our jobs."
"What exactly is your job?" I ask while scratching behind Dante's ear.
"We are explorers; who travel this world, studying everything from plants and beasts, to different tribes and their culture; documenting our discoveries and publishing them for all to read."
"Holyshit, your S.I." I say a little too loudly.
"You got it."
"I've perused some of your books while I was at school."
"Hearing that makes my heart sing."
"So you two being stuck in this sea labyrinth must make you giddy."
"You have no idea."
"Actually I would. I've had a love of travel and a love for running since I was a kid."
"So you being in another world must make you giddy."
"You have no idea."
Kino and Stephanie start laughing like they've known each other for forever.
"How can you talk to animals?" Asked Stephanie, bring the conversation full circle.
"Stop," interrupted Benjamin, yet again. "West, let's step outside. Kino's personal affairs are none of our concern."
"Not so fast, Benjamin."
I'm surprised by the sudden appearance of a skeleton with a blackbeard.
"Vice Captain June West, I'm placing ye under arrest. Get up, you're coming with me."
"What is the meaning of this Edward? Explain yourself." Demands Benjamin.
"Evidence was found indicating she's not only a part of the smuggling crew along with six others, but is in fact the head of it."
"You know it was bothering me the way you confronted me." I interject. "You said and I quote, 'Now return our cargo by your feet at once.' Makes me wonder how you knew I took anything. For all you knew they were my summons."
"She makes a valid point. I never saw any mention of beasts on the cargo manifest." Said Benjamin.
"Yeah fine I admit it; I'm a part of the smuggling crew." June leans back resting her head on the wall.
"When? For how long?"
"From the beginning. When you took me on as vice captain ten years ago."
Benjamin just walks out, unable to be around June any longer.
"Well this just got awkward. Say Kino, let's go talk somewhere else." Stephanie said, making for the door.
"What about her?" I gesture with my thumb at June.
"Don't worry about me, I won't run. I'm honestly glad I no longer have to keep this a secret. It's a huge load off my shoulders."
"Would you really be saying that if you weren't trapped in this labyrinth?" I asked.
"Yes. I would."
"Ahem, do ye think I cannot handle her?" Asked Edward.
"Sorry, who are you exactly?"
"Kino, allow me to introduce to you Captain Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach. Stephanie made jazz-hands as she made the introduction.
"How do you have a beard?" I ask.
"Don't know."
"How did you clear your throat?"
"Don't know?"
"Did you eat a fruit that once you died brought you back to life, and that's why you're a skeleton with a beard instead of a kick-ass afro?"
"Nay, this be the Curse of Davy Jones. Our punishment for pissing off the Devil of the Sea."
"Got it. Hey Stephanie let's go talk up on deck."
"Sure thing. Follow me."
****
(Deck of The Ranger)
"Well here we are. What did you want to talk about?" I asked.
"Would you ask Dante and Yukino if they would help us find a way out of here?"
"Why don't you ask them yourself?"
"They can understand human speech?"
I merely shrug and say, "Ask them and find out."
Stephanie is beaming an invigorated smile. She walks over to Yukino — who's been grooming herself atop the port-side railing. She stops short so as not to frighten the kitten.
"Yukino, if you can understand me, can you give me a little meow?"
"𝑀𝑒𝑜𝑤. 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠? 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 '𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑤' 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒, 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑡."
Stephanie stares intently at Yukino waiting for her to meow.
"𝐽𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑦 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑠ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑." I told Yukino.
"Um." Stephanie turns to me for help.
"Here, try holding my hand."
"Thought transference, how interesting." Stephanie takes my hand.
"𝐶𝑎𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑒?"
"𝑌𝑒𝑠." Replied Yukino.
Stephanie squeezes my hand with excitement.
"𝐶𝑎𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑒?"
"𝐶𝑎𝑛 𝐼 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑤 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡?"
Stephanie now has a death grip on my hand.
"𝑌𝑢𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑜, 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑦𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑡ℎ?"
"𝑂ℎ 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙."
Finally letting go of my hand, Stephanie starts talking incoherently to herself.
"𝐼𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡?" Yukino asked me.
"𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑦. 𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑏𝑒. 𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤."
"Thank you both. This has been splendiferous." Stephanie starts walking off when Dante lets out a bark. "Oh forgive me. Dante would like to help us as well?"
Dante runs around in circles barking with ardor. "𝑌𝑒𝑠! 𝑌𝑒𝑠! 𝑌𝑒𝑠!"
"He says yes." I interpret for him.
"Sweet. I'll come get you guys later."
"𝐻𝑒𝑦 𝐷𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒, 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒; 𝐻𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔?"
"𝑌𝑒𝑠. 𝐵𝑖𝑔 𝑓𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟."
"𝐴𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑣𝑒. 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑌𝑢𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑜?"
"𝐿𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓."
I peer over the railing staring into the azure water. It doesn't take me long to spot what Yukino was talking about.
𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛. I think as I begin stripping, then dive into the water.
𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝐼 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑. 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛? 𝐵𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑤𝑖𝑚 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡, 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛.
****
(The brig"
Benjamin paces back and forth in front of June's cell. Still trying to come to terms with this betrayal. June perched on her bunk, watching in silence.
"Why?" He finally asked, stopping in front of her.
"I fell into debt."
"So why didn't ye come to me for help? We could've figured something out together."
"It was before I joined."
"Still, ye were like a daughter to me. I would've done everything I could to help ye."
"Exactly," June steps up to the bars, "that's why I couldn't tell ye. Why, I could not get ye involved in me problems."
"And what problems would that be?"
"Forget it. You can't handle them." June walks back to her bunk and lays down, her back to Benjamin.
"Them? Who's them?" Benjamin grabs the bars. "Answer me June, who are ye talking about?"
June remains quiet.
"Dammit June, don't shut me out."
"Goodbye Captain Benjamin Hornigold, it truly was a pleasure serving under ye." Tears form in the corners of her eyes.
With a broken heart Benjamin leaves. "She's all yours, Edward. Extract what ye can from her and the others. By whatever means necessary."
Edward just nods.
Back in the cell June is over heard saying, "Genocide is coming."