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 Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:35 pm
The pink light of dawn was barely creeping over the horizon, painting the sea and sky in a pallet of muted grays. It was Vela's watch on deck and she shivered, mist clinging to her legs. Layered clothing was something entirely foreign to Vela, and though the cold morning air kept her awake, she'd prefer to be able to feel her fingers.
It was looking to be an entirely dull shift for her. The sea lapped gently along the side of the boat as if it was trying to lull her back to sleep, a turncoat tune that made her jerk her head to keep awake. Vayn, the traitorous furball, had opted to stay asleep in the cabin, curled up in the warm spot she had left behind. Well, that was fine for some people. He would be sorry when they were attacked by sharks or something and she couldn't defend herself because he wasn't there. When her gnawed and mangled body was dredged from the deep, then he would wonder if those extra hours of sleep had been worth it. Then she would be the one laughing. Laughing and also bleeding profusely.
Until the time for shark-related guilt trips, there was nothing but boredom. Drumming her fingers on the side of the ship, she scanned the sea for something, anything to stare at until she was relieved by the next girl, or at least until it got warmer.
There was a ship in the distance. It didn't look like something they could board, it was too big and defensible. Vela blew air out through her lips in exasperation but fixed her gaze on it anyway. It was better than staring at clouds for the next few hours.
Vela loved her job, but sometimes it was decidedly not as it had been advertised to her as a girl.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:58 pm
The Captain was a corrupt b*****d. Merle had known this from the beginning. He’d though he would be safe as the ship’s mechanic, but he was sorely mistaken. What had first been seen as an ample opportunity to earn money, had turned into something frighteningly dark. And that dark place was the swirling ocean below him.
The youth gulp as he stood on the edge of the plank. The stench of ale filled his nose and he couldn’t help the noise of disgust. The drunkard who masqueraded as the ship’s Captain was mad about something. Damned if Merle knew what. He’d been talking fine with the man and then he’d found himself twelve feet above the ocean.
Gods.
With a long suffering sigh, Merle looked up, spotting another ship in the distance. Perfect. The fear he’d been feeling only moment early dissipated. He could swim to that ship at least. And it seemed they were getting closer. Man, when he got back to port he was going to sue the drunkard’s a**. Maybe he’d get his ship in the process? Who knew.
Everything after that thought happened quickly. The Captain had given a loud belched which must’ve indicated…something for then the wind was whipping Merle’s pale hair into a frenzy as he plummeted into the sea. He hadn’t screamed as he hit the rolling waves. Real men didn’t beg for mercy.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:11 pm
Suddenly there seemed to be a commotion on the other ship. Vela leaned over the edge of her own and peered into the distance. A figure was falling, she could see pale hair against the side, and the splash as they hit could be faintly heard across the calm, misty ocean. That was an alarming thing, all right. She waited for them to throw a rope and pull the drowning sailor up, figuring that it would be something interesting to pass the time watching.
Moments passed. Vela frowned, but no rope seemed to be coming for the figure, just the frothing mist and lapping waves. Didn't they want their crewmate back? Were they just going to let them drown? Vela's crew was so small that any member they lost was a blow, that ship was bigger, but surely they needed all the crew they could get.
Vela sucked in her breath and shouted "Vayn!" The starchid came out of the cabin just in time to see her jump over the side of the ship and fly into one of the panics he was so good at. He would wake the rest of the crew.
Was this responsible? Vela paddled through the waves regardless. Whether it was or wasn't, it was something to kill the time with, and that was good enough for her. If the fool sailor wanted to fight her, she'd just throw them over her ship. She was a pirate, she didn't have to be nice if she didn't want to, at least not to anyone who couldn't beat her at arm wrestling.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:17 pm
For a moment, Merle thought he was going to panic as he started to kick his legs frantically, but he crushed it down. With his hands tied it was hard to fight against the water’s current. He was a quick learner though. His lungs demanded air and he was soon gulping for breath as he managed to break the surface with a few good kicks.
“Bastards!” He screamed, getting a mouthful of water for his trouble. Thank the gods that the other ship was still visible in the distance. With an angry humph, Merle floundered about until he was on his back. Then, trying to aim for the opposite ship began to methodically kick his legs, propelling his body slowly off.
It was clear the old crew wasn’t going to try and save him and he wasn’t going to wait around for them. He didn’t expect help from the other ship either. So, once again, he relied on only himself for help. Little did he know that help was on its way.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:55 pm
She could only hear one word as the figure struggled, not "Help", but "Bastards!"
Charming. At least it pretty much ruled out the drowning being an accident, and explained why the rope wasn't coming. Either Vela was rescuing someone who was so terrible that they had been thrown overboard simply so the rest of the crew could be free of them, or someone on that ship was harbouring a nasty grudge. But she was this far out already and she wasn't turning back. Vela could swim like a fish, so while the man (or at least it sounded like a man) splashed slowly, she reached him soon enough. Gasping for air and paddling in place, she offered, "Put your arm around me and we'll get you back to my ship, no funny business." She studied the boy who had fallen overboard, he barely looked her age, but that didn't necessarily suggest a bad sailor. Vela was a captain and she was only twenty-two, regardless of the fact that most of her crew was slightly younger.
"I'm a pirate," she warned, in case he really was trouble, "But from the looks of it, this is the best offer you're going to get around here."
Her first mate was rowing out to them now, and she heard the paddles breaking the still ocean as the dinghy drew closer. Vela waited for an answer, but she had already decided to being him aboard whether he wanted to or not. She wanted to know his story, she wanted someone new to talk to, and, more importantly, she hadn't seen a boy her age since the last time her ship had docked three weeks ago. Living on the sea with an all-girl crew was great for everything but her hormones, which were letting her know that it would be nice if she talked to boys more than once a month at that very moment.
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:13 pm
“You’re help is not necessary. I can handle it.” Merle automatically replied in a clipped tone before realizing that he’d just been easily saved, and by a woman no less. Well, a pirate woman but he supposed they were very much the same. He rolled his body, getting another mouthful of salt water just so he could get a good look at his savior. “I can’t grab hold. My hands are tied.” He added, shrugging awkwardly in the water.
Thoroughly irritated that he had to be saved, Merle frowned as best he could, watching as the dingy was rowed up to them. “At least pirate is better than drunken idiot captain.” Merle groused, silver hair in his eyes making him feel like a caught fish as he was pulled into the dingy. Coughing slightly, he spat out some water and tried to shake his hair from his face as best he could.
“So, who’re you again? I haven’t heard of a female pirate before.”
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:27 pm
"High praise indeed, but a thank you would also be nice," Vela grunted as she clambered up onto the rowboat next to him. As soon as she landed on the wooden floor, Vayn rushed over to her and began to scold. She waved him away impatiently, wringing out her hair and shivering even more. If it had been cold before she jumped into the water, not it was freezing. Luckily, there were blankets in one of the seats, and she fished them out, offering one to the ex-drowning man.
"So your captain, well, ex-captain now, I guess, was drunk? That's a relief. I thought he must have thrown you off because you were crazy or something," she rambled at him. "You aren't, are you?" Peering at him suspiciously, she drew her blanket tighter around herself and perched on one of the wooden benches. "I won't abide crazy troublemakers on my ship unless they're putting their crazy to good use."
"...Never heard of a woman pirate?" she repeated thickly. To someone who had grown up on Windfall Island, the home base of the Gerudo pirates, this was like talking to someone who had just admitted they'd never heard of a flying bird. Most of the people she met on the job were more surprised she was Hylian than surprised by the fact she wasn't a man. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"Vela, by the way. I'm captain of the ship up ahead. And you are...?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:48 pm
With his now freed hands, Merle accepted the blanket and wrapped it tightly about himself. He was embarrassed to admit that his teeth were chattering and his body shivering. And it wasn’t only from the water. He might have been more scared then he’d liked to have confess. Once again he squashed the emotion. Real men weren’t afraid of anything.
“Name’s Merle.” He stuttered out, a loud sniff following. “And of course I’m not crazy.” Merle wrinkled his nose disdainfully. “I was the shipwright before that buffoon forced me down the plank. Who does that anymore anyways?” The demand was rhetorical and Merle made a promise to himself that he’d get his revenge. He’d see that Captain stripped of his title, his crew, and his ship. It would only be fair.
“Nah, I’m from Outset. I’ve only just started traveling around.” Merle admitted as if that would excuse his ignorance. “Anyways, when do you dock? I’m sure I can help you out in the meantime. Somehow.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 12:01 am
Vela nodded at Vayn when she saw the guest was shivering at least as much as she was, and the Esper shot her a look made of daggers. She made a face at him, and he trudged over reluctantly, attempting to clamber on top of Merle and keep him warm. Vela was a pirate, but she wouldn't let it be said that she was an inhospitable one.
At the boat thudded against the side of the ship, Vela clambered out. "Merle. Nice to meet you, glad you aren't crazy." She began to try to dry her dress, but there was nothing for it, she'd have to change later. Giving up, she turned her attention back to Merle just in time to hear the method of his untimely fall from grace with his previous employer. "He made you walk the plank?" she asked sharply. "That's terribly unfair! I haven't had the chance to make even one person walk the plank, and he's not even a pirate." Seething slightly, Vela stomped into her cabin and came out a moment later in slightly drier clothing.
"Anyway," she proclaimed, having somewhat regained hold of herself. "We could use a shipwright's help around here. Our ship isn't falling apart, per se, but it's seen better days. Do you think you could patch it up and help take watch shifts at night? We dock at my hometown in three days, and you can take a boat from there to the mainland. Until then, you can use my cabin at night and I'll sleep with the rest of the girls. Sound reasonable to you?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 12:12 am
The esper on his lap surprised Merle, but he welcomed the thing, petting it gently. It was slightly more warmer, but it didn’t help dry him one bit. Even back on the deck of a ship, he was still dripping wet, puddles forming beneath him. He watched rather bemusedly as the woman pirate flounced off to her cabin to change. Left alone, Merle got a good look around the ship. It was nice, but not as nice as it could have been, that was for sure.
“I agree with you. I could get this old gal shining.” Merle replied, flashing a half smile that was perhaps a bit mocking. “I’d also hate to boot you from your cabin. I can sleep on deck. It’s no problem. And the trade seems fair, only--” a sneeze broke his words, “do you by chance have a change of clothes?”
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 6:40 am
Vayn's sympathies were more eagerly sitrred with petting, and he let out a grudging rumble that might have been a purr, pushing his paws into Merle's lap as he tried to get comfortable sitting on a damp perch. "You're lucky it was Vela," he told their new charge sourly while she changed. "Other pirates wouldn't have been so friendly." Vayn was of the opinion that they shouldn't have been so friendly either, but pettings worked wonders to gain some brownie points with him. He was beginning to get used to the fact that Merle was here for at least a few more days, although he had been vaguely hopeful when Vela had talked about wanting to make someone walk the plank.
At least it was another man on board, he supposed. What with this and that, Vayn always felt a little bit outnumbered when it came to living with Vela's crew.
"Really? Great!" Vela exclaimed. It wasn't that she wasn't good at repairing the ship, it was just that Vela's own repairs were somewhat slapdash. She knew how to invent wind-propelled devices, they were decidedly different from fixing a ship. "And no way. You're not sleeping on the deck, what if it rains? I'm fine sleeping in the cabins, I've done it before, I'll do it again." She was crossing her arms at him, woman talk for 'this is not going to become an argument because I'm right.'
"As for clothes, we do have some mens' clothes down there, but the fit might be small for you. My first mate's about your size, maybe hers would work?" She nodded at the first mate, who left and came back with a light cotton shirt and some canvas trousers, a little baggy on her, but a good fit for Merle. "You can use these, but you have to give them back. It's easy getting mens' clothes, but it's really not fun, so I'd rather not have to get some more after you leave."
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 9:50 am
“You’re right.” Merle agreed not at all perturbed by the esper’s words. “Pirates aside, most normal people wouldn’t be so eager to risk themselves like Vela did.” It as was true too. Merle had very rarely ever encountered another person who would willingly put themselves in danger for a stranger. It made him look at Vela in a different light, that was for sure. The woman was a curious thing and much more different from the quiet grace of his sisters.
A smile of relief bloomed across Merle’s face at the sight of the dry clothes. He was getting rather cold and the wind off the waves wasn’t helping matters at all. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to return them.” Merle promised. He didn’t even broach on Vela’s previous words. If she was anything like his sisters, then she didn’t need a reply. She would do what she wanted after all.
Without thought, he stripped his own sopping shirt from his body, peeling the fabric away to reveal a nicely tanned and defined torso. The dry shirt went on and then he repeated the action with his pants.
"There." He sighed in his usual quietness. It was strange to be around someone who was so exuberant. "What will you have me do now, Captain?" Merle asked politely.
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 10:09 am
Vayn snorted and rolled over on Merle's lap. Knowing Vela, it was probably boredom rather than altruism that made her swim to Merle's rescue. She was nice sometimes, sure, but more importantly, she hated standing watch. Vayn preferred to be on guard duty than risking his life, but Vela wouldn't have become a pirate if she didn't have a taste for adventure that she just had to satisfy somehow. She called it a healthy sense of curiosity, Vayn called it bloody risky business.
He slid somewhat reluctantly off Merle's lap as Merle changed, clearly desirous of more petting, no matter whether it was from a stranger or not. Vela looked away, cheeks slightly red. As far as fearsome pirates went, she was still pretty easily embarrassed by the sight of a man changing.
"Vayn will be sleeping in my cabin with you and I'll be standing watch with you tonight," Vela continued, "In case of incidents. No offense, but you're still a stranger, half drowned or not." Plus she wanted a chance to talk to him. Vela was nothing if not a gossip, and this boy was from places she had never been to. She was itching with curiosity to talk to him one on one, and in true Vela form, she was hardly subtle about it. "Anyway, we'll hang your clothes up to dry and you can get started with the hull, it's taken some damage in the past few skirmishes we've been in. Vayn will stay with you all day and help yo if you need anything, and when night comes you can take the first watch shift with me." With that, she waved a hand at the rest of the crew and they set off again.
Vayn blinked and looked at Merle. "Well, looks like it's you and me." Clambering onto Merle's shoulder, he said, "Let's get to work!"
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 3:05 pm
"Oh, okay. That's fine." Was all Merle was able to get in. Vela was crazy! His head was nearly spinning from all her excited talking. Not that he wasn't grateful to her for saving him, but jeez. Did she ever wind down? It was all definitely new.
Absently, Merle nodded, reaching up to scratch beneath Vayn's chin. The little fellow was a warm weight on his shoulder and it was rather comforting. "Yes, let's get too it." He agreed, stooping slightly to pick up his wet clothes.
The first order of business was to hang them up to dry and then it was time for the hull. "Vayn, where does Vela keep all her equipment?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:25 pm
"In her room," Vayn said, but paused. "I'm not sure you're allowed to rummage in her workbench, but I don't know what you need." Twitching his ears thoughtfully, he finally said, "Well, let's go in anyway." He sounded a tad nervous but jumped from his perch and padded into Vela's room through a flap in the door. Shortly, the door opened from the other side. "Over here," Vayn called, sitting on a large wooden bench with dozens of pockets. Scattered across it were signs of Vela's recent tinkerings, and from the ceiling of her room, prototypes of her inventions dangled and swayed to the rocking of the ship.
"It's all safe, none of the weapons around here should work yet," Vayn assured Merle easily. "Vela wouldn't keep them in her room if they did." In fact, Vela's room was more workshop than sleeping quarters. To save space, she had combined them, but her bed only took up a corner, with a small, cloudy mirror next to it and a trunk at the foot that presumably held her worldly possessions. "You're sleeping there, but Vela's taking the trunk," Vayn explained, flicking his tail at the bed. "Now, what do you need? I'm not good with the handy stuff, I'm afraid."
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