#clockwork armada

[umbral-fantome]

Commission done by @bowietea ! Featuring my clockwork Praetorian Custos Novus and of course, his boyfriend Supreme Commander Kane.

[literallyapieceoftrash]

Ngl getting arrested by the armada for doing voodoo is pretty funny to me.

Like you’re making your fucking death potion in your foster dad’s basement or something when all of a sudden a buncha clock dudes break your damn door down.

[piecesofchess]

After a couple years of being at the bottom of my drafts, I've finally finished the first concept of the Armada Elite Steeds. The Clockwork Steed is a beautiful mount and I've always wondered why they were created. I think they could be an advantage to the Court, so here are some fan-made designs and concepts (below).

I wanted to make them represent the Elite that owns them, which explains the design choices. Headcanons for each Elite + their Steed below the cut:

Shadow (Bishop's Steed):

The most agile Clockwork Steed. Bishop rarely uses / rides Shadow, but it comes in handy if he’s in the middle of fleeing an area and needs a quicker means of escaping.

He uses Shadow to test any improvements / upgrades to the clockwork steeds, so its look and function is always changing. This means it’s also the most advanced clockwork steed.

Note: The design shown here is Shadow's 'default' / first modification.

Trivel (Phule’s Steed):

The youngest of the Elite steeds and therefore the most energetic. Trivel was  going to be scrapped because it needed taming and wasn’t built correctly - however, Phule was sympathetic and found it reminded him of himself. He managed with patience and eventually tamed Trivel.

Phule technically works as King Casimir’s Court Jester, so he is sometimes sent into battlefield and carries/delivers messages between the Armada and the enemy using Trivel. Being a clockwork is a huge advantage since he usually returns unscathed.

^ Phule boosts morale for the Armada soldiers by giving them speeches beforehand. He also cavorts with Trivel when the enemies are in their opposing positions, usually just to taunt them.

Goliath (Rooke’s Steed):

The biggest and strongest Elite steed. Essentially a warhorse. It wears armor for protection while Rooke uses it on the battlefield. He rides Goliath into battle, serving as heavy cavalry if needed.

Goliath has a bit of a bad temper compared to the usual Dragoon’s warhorses. Rooke handles it easily and is therefore the only one to ever ride it.

Echo (Kane & Queen’s steed):

Echo is used in Valencia’s horse shows to showcase the beauty and advancements of the clockwork steeds. It’s programmed to do tricks and be ridden for dressage. (I know, I KNOW, ‘technicalities’. But they’re CLOCKWORK.)

The steed is shared between Kane and Queen, who either ride it on their own or together. They use Echo when the King and Queen request to go horseback riding with other nobility.

Echo was one of the first Clockwork Steeds manufactured and therefore maintains its simplified design.

Traveler (Deacon’s Steed):

Uses Traveler to go long distances on land, if he’s not on his ship. Has a lot of pockets on it to keep Deacon’s possessions and carry important things for him like treaties and deeds.

It’s also used to carry a prisoner or two back to his ship, for long-traveling distances. This is why it usually carries rope / handcuffs.

Additional headcanons:

There are Clockwork Steeds provided to the soldiers/dragoons/etc. for Cavalry. They are less advanced than the Elite’s Steeds, and usually not dressed. They’re constantly being broken, so the parts are often recycled to make new ones.

Only special nobility / upper classes in Valencia own a clockwork steed, but they’re strictly for show and leisurely riding. These steeds belong to anyone that the Armada can closely monitor, since the horses are still under testing.

[fireember345]

Pirate101 Character creation ideas

Ideas for Character Class, Orphan story, and Foster Parents ect…

Do Not Own Pirate101, just some ideas kicked around

Character Class:

Engineer: creates inventions promotion companions cut in half, high will, low strength speed, hammers or tools as weapons. (Caught trying to rewire a Clockwork: Companion Moolan Female soldier)

Charmer: Medium Will, Medium Speed, Low Strength, can convert enemies to your side and get discount on gold, fan or flirtatious item as weapon. (Caught Charming A Valencian Lord. Companion: Kappa Turtle Engineer.)

Musician: Medium Will, Medium Strength, low Speed, uses music against enemies, gets more gear, uses instruments as weapons. (Captured while distracting Armada, Companion: Maki the Dragon Princess)

Raider: High Strength, Low Will, Low Speed, uses giant swords or duel axes as weapons, can add additional damage to enemies, get more weapons. (Captured making weapons for the resistance. Companion: Kimchi Beast Whisperer)

Tamer: High Speed, Low Will, Low Strength, uses animals as weapons, can command beast to join fight, get more pets. (Captured freeing animals armada imprisoned. Companion: Tteokbokki Yakooza Betrayer)

Mariner: Low Will, Low Speed, Low Strength, uses ship parts as weapons, can upgrade ship without buying on, massive discount on your ships, can summon spiral portal to attack enemies (Captured sabotaging Armada Ships. Companions: Mochi cursed Celestial Ogre)

Orphaned

Rival Crew: an enemy crew killed your family (Companion: Thut’mose III Krokotopian Warrior)

Witchdoctor Curse: A Evil Witch Doctor cursed you family (Companion: Munch Gobbler Nibbler)

Pox: Your family were stricken with the pox and did not survive (Companion: Sir Grimm Spider Healer)

Monster: You parents were fighting a monster and were eaten (Companion: Darron the Archer Elf)

Amnesia: You don’t remember what happened to your parents or your crew and woke up alone (Companion: Gol Gol Ettin Brawler)

Foster Parents

Dragonspyre Scholars: Trained by scholars of dragonspyre.

Darkmoore Knights: Raised by warrior heroes of Darkmoore.

Aquila Dancers: Adopted by snake dancers.

Cool Ranch Rancher: Foster parents were ranchers.

Monquistan Church: Raised by the priest of the church.

Wizard City Fisherman: Cared for by fishermen.

[allibug101]

Meet Nikolas Sydiridis

Nik is a Greek 18 year old from Aquila. He moved to Valencia at the age of 11 and he became friends with Roberto Ferrari. Two years later, Rob went on a trip with his parents but it went on for about four years.

When Roberto came back and sadly without his parents due to their deaths, Nik and Rob started to become more than friends. They were happy until one year later. An Armada fleet discovered that Roberto was apart of the Resistance. A troupe of clockworks attacked the ship they were on. Nik was severely injured and Rob was arrested. The clockworks took Nike’s injured body with them to Bishop, the Armada’s tinkerer. He transformed Nik into a cyborg, the Armada’s latest creation. Bishop brainwashed Nik into believing that the Armada were the heroes and ordered him to eliminate the Sailor’s of the Spiral.

During the Marleybone storyline, Nik poisoned Roberto, leaving him hospitalized. After realizing who he was, he snuck into the room he was staying at and cured him. But after Roberto recovered, he found out that he moved on and started dating a girl named Gerel Han, believing Nik was dead.

Thank you @nadohunter for making this for me ❤️

[frozenfirecats]

Pirate101 ask Meme!!!

Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6,7, 9, 10, 12, 18,27, 28, 34, 38, and 41!!!

oh man that's a lot of questions, ok lets go

1 - Favorite crew member/companion?

bonnie anne my beloved. she’s so cool I wish foxes were real.

2 - Favorite world?

marleybone. the aesthetics and music go hard and the story peaks here

4 - What is your favorite class to play as and why?

musketeer for soloing cause it's the easiest imo and also the most fun, privateer for group play cause I like playing support

5 - What are the backstories for your Pirate? (Parents' death, where were they trained, Etc.)

Esmee: armada/skull island. Grew up among the rats in the sewers, having to steal what she could to get by, leading to her being quite adept at sneaking and using daggers. Strongly despises the Armada since she lost her parents to them, so she tends to be a lot more reckless whenever in a battle against clockworks.

Remmy: storm/marleybone. Was aboard a ship with his parents and sister, Maeve, when a storm struck. His parents died in the storm while he and Maeve where separated. After which, he was found by a Marleybonian ship and the dogs took him in. He grew up in Marleybone training to be a privateer but eventually found ranged weapons to be more to his liking. Was aboard a cargo ship tranporting weapons to Port Regal when he got captured in ambush by the Armada, and met Esmee that way.

Brynn: lost/marleybone. AU character of my ice wiz Brynn, just thought it would be fun to have her as a pirate so yeah no backstory.

Flint: mutiny/mooshu. haven't really worked out a backstory for him, this is just what it says in game. Will likely be change once I develope him more.

Maeve: squid/krokotopia. As mentioned earlier, she is Remmy's sister who was seperated in a storm (that a squid may or may have not been present in idk yet). Ended up in Krok where she learned magic.

6 - Who is your LEAST favorite crew member/companion and why?

wing chun, his voice and personality is a bit grating. idk I don’t really hate any of the mainline companions, and most of the non-story ones aren’t memorable and are lackluster combat-wise so they all meld together, so again I don’t have strong negative feelings towards any one in particular.

7 - How many Pirates do you have?

six, have five maxed out, the sixth was actually my first pirate I made, a musketeer named Ingrid, but I didn't make it that far into the tutorial before stopping. Later I made Esmee and it was then I got super into the game. I don't plan on questing with Ingrid anytime but I don't really feel like deleting her so she's just kinda there

9 - Any headcanons for your crew?

uuuuhhhheeeeuguh i got nothing sorry

10 - What does your flag look like? What are your crew colors?

Esmee

Remmy

Brynn

Flint

Maeve (hopefully I stay settled on this one instead of changing it a fifty more times)

12 - Do you headcanon anyone as LGBTQIA+? If so, who?

yeah I got a few. Bonnie: Lesbian, Ratbeard: gay, Toro: bi, Gracie: aro/ace, Sarah: lesbian. I would include Catbeard but that's canon now so.

as for my pirates, Esmee: ace, Remmy: bi, Brynn: pan, Maeve: trans mtf.

Flint is the token straight who's on thin ice

18 - Opinions on Cool Ranch?

love Cool Ranch. Visually it's gorgeous and the music absolutely slaps, however some parts of it drag and I don't like having to choose between wearing something culturally offensive or having shitty stats for my witchdoctor.

27 - Is there anything you wish was in the game? (Crafting? Fishing?)

tbh I find crafting really annoying in wiz so I hope it never comes to pirate. But I would love to see events akin to wiz's lost pages/five boxes. Especially five boxes I would love to see pirate get its own version of that.

28 - How long have you been playing Pirate101?

at least 3 years, can't remember exactly when I started

34 - What are the hardest and easiest parts of the game to play for you?

easiest is pretty much everything up until Cool Ranch, which is where the difficulty starts to ramp up. hardest is definitely the new updates, Tartarus and Wheeler especially.

38 - Is there anything you hope for in a future update(s)? What would you like to see?

would really love to go to Albion sometime. as for features, pretty much stuff we already have in wiz like character name/appearance changing, option to hide quests, and setting a minimum player requirement for team up, and please for the love of all that is holy give us the option to trash doubloons

41 - How did you first discover Pirate101? (Commercial, a friend, fanart, etc.) What inspired you to play?

kind of always knew about it through wiz, wasn't until around 2020/2021ish that I got interested in playing

[kunizwuni]

⊹⋆Pirate101 OC Reference Sheets

Name: Khepra

• Species: Clockwork (Krokotopian Model)

• Class: Swashbuckler ⚔️

• Affiliation: The Armada (The Desert Legion)

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚ 𑁍ࠬܓ ~˖⁺‧₊˚✦

Name: Illham (Arabic: إلهام )

• Species: Clockwork (Krokotopian Model)

• Class: Witchdoctor ☠️

• Affiliation: The Armada (The Desert Legion)

[dani-luminae]

I know the game will never touch on it bc it's one of the things the writers/ designers/ programmers probably never think about... but I like to wonder what the haywire Armada units who join the Young Pirate's crew think, when they go up against Armada ships.

Like are they still just programmed machines? Or do they have a little free will at this point, and the power to look across the gangplank at masked clockworks so similar to them and wonder if the circumstances were different, that would still be them?

Do the Young Pirate's crew welcome the haywire units or just treat them like battle machines like the Armada?

~~~

Also this scene from one of the Beachhead dungeons:

Ratbeard, seeing an Armada Battle Angel for the first time: What manner of clockwork are these? Have you ever seen anything like that, Captain? My haywire Battle Angel First Mate: ...

[tygendoughtryss]

"The Golden Room" in AHSOKA

The Golden Room

In the first trailer of the Ahsoka Series, scheduled to air on August 23rd, 2023, there is a captivating glimpse of what appears to be a "Golden Room". Enclosed within, we find a spacious chair positioned elegantly in front of a window, flanked by two droids. It is a peculiar sight, as the window's design deviates from what one might expect in the quarters or office of a Star Destroyer.

Reflecting on Star Wars Rebels Season 4's finale, where Ezra summons the enigmatic Purrgils to thwart Thrawn and his fleet on Lothal, we witness these remarkable space whales—possessing tentacles—seizing Thrawn, his entire armada, and making a breathtaking jump into hyperspace at lightspeed. In the wake of this daring feat, the Purrgils inadvertently shattered many of the Star Destroyer's windows.

It is plausible that Thrawn, in the aftermath of this incident, sought to restore this room with the assistance of the remaining Imperial staff, incorporating elements representative of his people, the Chiss. The result? A genuinely unique aesthetic with gilded arches bearing soft curves, a departure from the monotonous, uniform greys customary in the Empire's architecture. During San Diego Comic-Con 2023, the fascinating concept art of the Golden Room was unveiled, creating a buzz on social media with captivating photos. The intricate details showcased in this artwork shattered my belief that the Chiss were responsible for constructing the Golden Room. As a result, I have formulated a fresh theory that aligns with the newly revealed information.

When considering the idea of a private room on his Imperial Star Destroyer (ISD), I found it initially believable to see two droids stationed at operational consoles on the right and left. It would make sense for Thrawn to desire solitude in his quarters, potentially programming the droids to vacate upon his arrival and entry. Unlike the Chiss Ascendancy, the Empire incorporates droids as part of its crew, assigning them to perform mundane and repetitive tasks such as data transfer and calculations. However, Thrawn, despite his self-sufficiency, understands how to leverage their presence to his advantage. In Star Wars Rebels, for instance, he capitalizes on two Assassin Droids for combat techniques and training purposes.

Upon examining the concept art from SDCC, it becomes apparent that this room contains four droids and an abundance of technical equipment. This revelation has led me to reconsider my initial assumptions. It seems overwhelming to assume that this space belongs to Thrawn in his ISD. Detailed observation of the ceiling unveils gears that intricately move, resembling a clockwork mechanism. Furthermore, the shape and design resemble the two-dimensional star map logo in the AHSOKA Series Logo, both surrounding the letters and as a luminous three-dimensional element in the latest trailer, activated by Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth's touch. Morgan Elsbeth proves herself as a faithful confidant to Grand Admiral Thrawn in the trailer, where we witness her skillfully activating the luminous outlines of a star map. The majestic formation rises around her, resembling a magnificent cupola.

The intricate structure of the star map immediately reminded me of the detailed rack wheels in the artwork. It bears a resemblance to the ceiling of the Golden Room. Could this technical equipment be employed in creating the star map? Undoubtedly, it would require a sophisticated technique, deploying droids to wield its power.

Although I am not a gamer and have never played KOTOR I or II, I am familiar with the Rakatan species—an ancient civilization within the Star Wars universe that thrived approximately 25,000 years before the Battle of Yavin. Residing primarily in the Unknown Regions, their existence in the Legends' canon ended within 10,000 years. Interestingly enough, fan theories propose that the Rakatan might be responsible for creating the intricate star map showcased in the second trailer. This map seems to possess abundant information and details, encompassing various space regions and planets to a greater extent than other star maps. It is worth noting that Thrawn, with his cunning propensity, would undoubtedly exploit the potential of such a map. Pointedly, these maps are inherently driven by the Dark Side of the Force, a power that gradually corrupts the maps and those who utilize them.

Continuing my theory: What if, in the finale of Star Wars Rebels Season 4, the Purrgils, along with Ezra, Thrawn, and the entire 7th Fleet, traversed hyperspace and arrived in the territories of the Rakatan Empire? Imagine Thrawn and his crew stumbling upon derelict Rakatan ships, drifting through space in various states of disrepair while some remained grounded on the planet. This revelation would add a whole new layer of intrigue to the narrative.

In the book "Star Wars - Dark Force Rising," the revelation of the Katana Fleet resembles the vessels of the Rakatan fleet. Why not incorporate and adapt this concept from the Rakatan fleet?

The Ahsoka Series takes place approximately sixteen years after the conclusion of the Star Wars Rebels. It is speculated that Thrawn and his crew have restored numerous Rakatan ships. Notably, the concept art of this room differs from the typical design of Star Destroyer bridges or any known secondary bridge. Star Destroyers typically have limited space for star maps. The Golden room depicting the interior of a Rakatan ship offers an explanation for its unique, elegant, and alien-like appearance, as well as the presence of unfamiliar droids. It is believed that this room's technology was operated by Thrawn, who repurposed and utilized it after it was created by an intelligent species different from his own. It is intriguing to note that Force users are tasked with piloting the Rakatan ship, which potentially explains Thrawn's decision to forge a close alliance with Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth. Consequently, she gains access to the map. She is activating it in the presence of Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, Force users who harness the Dark Side but are not Sith, on an unidentified planet, as depicted in the second trailer.

Thrawn, known for his minimalist approach, would likely utilize the Golden Room as either a secondary ship bridge or a star map room rather than a private space. His personal quarters would be stripped down to the essentials. Opting for a dimly lit environment, Thrawn would spend his time reviewing holograms, studying and analyzing art and artifacts, as well as devising his military strategies and tactics. The furnishings in his private space would be kept to a bare minimum, with a few monitors and operational areas being the only necessities. By minimizing distractions and surrounding himself only with objects of significance and purpose, Thrawn finds the tranquility needed to meditate. This portrayal is further supported by depictions in Star Wars Rebels, where Thrawn is often seen meticulously examining holographic displays, sculptures, artworks, and artifacts.

However, the Golden Room, depicted in the concept art, exhibits a distinct design style from the Chiss minimalist aesthetic. While it may not serve as Thrawn's personal chamber, its mechanical, functional, and elegant features would undoubtedly align with his purpose and advantage. This text was written with the great help of SWAG77.

[myxineye]

i havent drawn my pirate101 ocs in a while so i'm just slowly working my way through all 10+ of them... anyways here's my witchdoctor's squad!

Quincy is a witchdoctor who does musketeer stuff because of their love to tinker with things -- recently, they've been on a roll experimenting with clockworks and technomancy. They never stay in one place for long and travel frequently, but the experiences they pick up from meeting so many people and dealing with many different situations (along with the crew they often travel with) has made Quincy a force to be reckoned with. They fight with a mix of witchcraft and guns and any contraptions they make.

Huo Tian is a swashbuckler who was the former princess of a ruined village in Mooshu. After the raid that destroyed her village, and with nothing left, she decided to embark on a quest for vengeance. After taking care of those directly responsible, she turned her sights to the one who hired them -- General Tso. However, Huo Tian landed herself in some trouble with the Armada and only managed to slip away because of Quincy's interference. Now with nothing to do outside of revenge, she wanders the worlds together with Quincy in hopes of finding a purpose in life. Huo Tian fights with a jian and an enchanted fan that can manipulate fire.

Knight is a privateer and Quincy's creation, a centaur created by scavenged battle angels and clockwork steeds. Though Knight often acts like a standard battle angel with the objective to protect Quincy and co., they've recently begun to have emotions of their own and expresses a curiosity of the world around them. Quincy is very proud of them :) They fight with a modified lance that can also shoot a burst of sparks when needed.

[stormbreaker101]

Pittyober Day 11 - Exhausted: Emma might be stuck in an Armada holding cell with inhibitors draining at all her magic and energy, but the Armada are also stuck with him.

I had fun with and am very proud of this one. This human Bishop is part of @clockwork-fiends's Spiral AU, (Multiversal) Reconstructed Armada. Emma is a former wizard who had decided to take up a life of pirating to get agency with her adventure. However, his former wizardry plus the fact that she's from another Spiral makes him an incredibly prime target for the Armada, because his magic is quite Something, isn't it?

Good luck tolerating her presence, though. :3

[umbral-fantome]

u/PlanetaryPineapple on Reddit delivers ONCE AGAIN with some of the best Pirate101 fanart ever.

Ft: Battle Angel Militus Limatrix and her wife, dragoon Presidos Sentrix

[theroofcat]

So this is in reference to my other post here

Anyway thinking about it and for this the wizard is an ice mage with a love of star magic and the pirate is a swashbuckler with the mutiny and mooshu origin

You are a wizard born of no world of the spiral.

Your bones are iron and steel, of brick and mortar of your planet's blood and flesh.

Your body takes to magic like a fish to water, greedily taking every wisp of magic, like it remembers holding it once in bones and blood.

Your breath is mist, your eyes glow faintly in the dark like the distance stars.

Your skin no longer breaks, every scar has healed from the magic you cast to heal yourself.

You are the lonely star guiding the spiral and nothing can hurt you

You are a pirate born of the sky, your tongue is of silver starlight, your heart a broken orbit.

Your parents were ripped from you by greed and the village that raised you burned to the ground.

So you grit your teeth when the armada doll fights you, when your friend falls to the sky trying to save you, when you're freedom is thrown in your grasp.

You hold your crew tightly in your hands, daring the world to rip them from you again.

You are selfish, bright, and hungry for the love they give you and you give them.

The spiral takes and takes so why shouldn't you?

Your hands are scared, callous and firm.

Your crew says they are the gentlest hands to hold them, your enemies only know brutal strength.

You meet in a tavern, Avery sent you to help someone who would help Skull island, something about wizard ghost and monsters.

Ambrose sent you on the suggestion of Boochbeard and Mr. Gandry, simple creatures for a wizard of your experience but deadly to those without magic.

The armada bit off more than it could chew, magic was of life and emotions, the cold callus way of the clockworks made control impossible and dangerous.

You meet.

The wizard is wary, few outside of magic circles take their appearance kindly.

The pirate is wary, they have lived on the skyway long enough for betrayal to be often, fools make enemies of them.

The pirate was firm and careful.

None of the pirates crew flinched when the wizard spoke.

The wizard was gentle and powerful.

They agreed to the terms of the pirate bring them to the island but they were no fool.

The pirate took the wizard on the ship and sailed the stars.

The wizard told of world they hadn't seen, of a sunken city under miles of ocean, a world of warrior bears and their home a city of wizards.

The wizard listened as the crew spun their tale, of lost treasure, worlds of sharp shooters, undead and armies fighting toy soliders.

The crew was watching, the look in their Captain's eyes was always the same when they chose someone.

They reach the court, pirate and wizard walking side by side to Avery.

They take the key, walking throught tunnels to a portal sputtering and sparking.

The wizard walks to the portal, monsters running from it as the pirate crew jerks back.

It was easy, to wipe monsters so low.

It was easy, then the wizard notice a creature running at them with a sword.

The wizard brace themselves.

A single ring of a sword made them open their eyes as the pirate stood in font of them, teeth and anger bared.

The crew pushed them back, the horse and mouse standing side by side the captain, the fox and the witchdoctor standing by the wizard.

The wizard smiled.

The wizard cried.

The wizard raised their wand and wiped every monster as the pirate kept them off the wizard.

They finished and stopped the poor armada left behind.

The wizard and the pirate walked side by side.

The pirate oftered the wizard a place on their crew.

The wizard laughed and said no one would want someone who gives everything to save others.

The pirate gently held their face and said they were selfish and greedy, that they have done horrible things for their crew. 

They would take everything that the wizard is willing to give.

But only if they want to.

The spiral shuddered for a moment.

The wizard said Yes.

So the spiral shakes and groans, stars move and planets change.

Two people never fated to meet yet changed impersibably by each other.

The wizard gives everything, the pirate demans they get their worth in return.

The pirate sails on windlines made by the wizard, magic made from earth to travel sky.

The wizard saves worlds, backed by a crew of people good and bad, use like them.

The pull of a planet to a star and the beauty of a star from a planet.

Orbiting, guiding, intertwined and always changing.

The lonely star made a constiation and a planet made a glorious sky.

[piecesofchess]

Been debating redesigning Ettore this year. There are parts I love about his design, and I have yet to reveal his backstory + mask. It'll still be the same, but I'm thinking of changing him visually just a lil bit.

Kind of want to match these vibes, honestly

[quills-house-of-fiction]

The Shy, the Wicked, and the Cynical - Chapter 1

Summary

A former do-gooder pirate, Shy Kelsey de Bouff now works for the Armada underneath Deacon due to circumstances beyond her control. But after failing to complete her previous mission, Kelsey volunteers a target to make up for it: former friend and rising Witchdoctor, Wicked Saffron Bosworth. However, the stakes are much higher than she realizes, and she must work with a team of unusual clockworks in order to set the Spiral right. Or as right as it can be, anyway.

The satchel of gold fell lazily onto the ship vendor’s outstretched hand. He opened it greedily and laid the contents out on his hand. Several moments passed. Gold clinked against one another. He stopped and looked up at Kelsey, beaming from ear to ear.

“All accounted for,” he chirped. “Might I ask what you’re buying this for? I’ve seen you around plenty of times on different ships.”

Kelsey swore in her mind. She had forgotten her mask today, otherwise she would have dodged the question entirely. She couldn’t afford to waste time here. She glared at him as she offered her answer, not wanting him to press further. “My old one is in repair.”

He looked at her incredulously, but thankfully, he got the message. Kelsey didn’t care what he thought. He held the bottle out to her. She took it a little too quickly, unbottling the ship as soon as it touched her hand. She strode towards it quickly. She shouldn’t waste any more time on Cooper’s Roost docks.

The galleon itself was of Bison origin, something she wasn’t all that comfortable with for cultural reasons. She didn’t bother to name it. The ship would serve its purpose of getting around discreetly well. It wouldn’t be out of place for Cool Ranch, nor would it have a flag to identify her with. She couldn’t afford to have her usual markers on display either. Kelsey had already purchased the necessary equipment should broadside combat become an issue. Good enough.

The small Armada crew she had been allotted for this mission stood at the edge of the docks away from most of the ship vendors. She nodded towards them and they approached. They were an odd sort even for the Armada’s branding, which is why they had been assigned to her. They consisted of four soldiers of different designations: Parallax, a modified Battle Angel serving as a diplomat; Paradox, a lively and jovial clockwork jester with a colorful face that moves; and finally, Custos Decimus and Custos Sentus, an Armada Dragoon and an Armada Marine respectively. Both were considered defective. Custos Decimus’s programming was never quite right, and he was far too soft-hearted to enter combat as a regular Dragoon. Custos Sentus, on the other hand, had gained a disobedient streak after an incident during the arrest of another Witchdoctor left him with full sentience. If Kelsey was honest, he was the most aggravating of the crew, even with Paradox’s backhanded nature taken into account. Surprisingly, it had been Deacon who vouched for both of them and recommended that they be assigned to Kelsey.

Parallax, her first mate and trusted confidant, approached. She tapped her finger on her arm impatiently. “Awaiting your orders, Captain. Are you ready to depart?”

Kelsey nodded. Parallax was proactive-minded, which was a quality that Kelsey didn’t mind about her. As a whole, Kelsey felt an inexplicable kinship to her new crew, for perhaps she was the most different of them all. “Help me prepare and we’ll be off.”

Within the hour and the help of Kelsey’s crew, they set sail. Kelsey steered clear of the various factions roaming Cooper’s Roost Skyway and went for the pink wind-lane that she knew encircled the outer edges of Cool Ranch. They were considered neutral territory, and thus safe for her to leave the helm alone if she needed to. The winds would carry the ship if such a thing occurred.

Two days passed before Kelsey finally sailed into Tumbleweed Skyway. She had passed navigation and sailing duties onto Parallax while she rested uncomfortably over those cold nights. She had Decimus and Sentus–her nicknames for the pair–take inventory of the ship in the meantime. Paradox stood in the crow’s nest of the ship for the majority of the ride, keeping eyes on the skyways around them. Kelsey stood at the helm again, guiding the ship beyond the borders of Big Sky and into Tumbleweed.

Parallax approached from the deck. “Captain,” she said quietly as she leaned down. “We are almost at your destination. Are you sure what you are doing here is worth it?”

Kelsey nodded. “Yes, it is.” She paused. “Just before we dock at Tumbleweed, gather everyone else and take them below deck. You all are to stay down there until we set sail again. It is critical that my contact does not know that I am working with the Armada.”

Parallax bowed slightly. “As you wish, Captain.” She strode off to pass her instructions to the other crew members on deck.

Kelsey swore she could hear a hint of exasperation in Parallax’s voice, but she wouldn’t complain. Parallax wasn’t too keen on backwater places like Cool Ranch. After all, she had been working in the courts of other nobility alongside her sister, Paradox, prior to their assignment under Kelsey. But that did not–should not–matter here. Kelsey would be the one doing the information gathering. She vitally needed their skills in combat.

If the rumors Kelsey had heard were true, her target would be too difficult to capture on her own.

Kelsey lowered the board to the dock just as the sun was setting over Cool Ranch. She carefully stepped down, trying not to make note of the long way down in her periphery should she miss a step. Despite sailing for years, she didn’t think she could ever get over that intrusive fear of falling into the skyway. When she touched the docks of Tumbleweed, she almost wanted to kiss them.

She left her mask and cane behind this time. She needed to pass as her old self as much as she could. But each ever-so-slight limp towards Tumbleweed proper grew to be a huge ache in her half-clockwork heart. She climbed up the ramp, which she heard had been renovated courtesy of her contact, and finally set foot into Tumbleweed. Just to the left of the entrance was the Desert Rose Tavern. She made for it.

The tavern smelled of cinnamon and nutmeg. It was warm and lively today, if not a little busy. A pianist sat at the upright piano in the corner. Her hands moved elegantly from key to key as she played upbeat ragtime music. Kelsey found her fingers tapping along to it unconsciously. People from all walks occupied the tables, but Kelsey found an open spot at the bar.

Kodak the Barkeep–or better known to her as Cynical Jonah Landon–was a flurry of movement behind the bar. Patrons signed to him their orders and he made them with few questions.

She sat down and waited for him to finish with another customer. She was eager to get out of the dust storm that was Cool Ranch. Her heart pounded in her ears. Every thought in her mind shouted at her to turn around and leave the bar, to return to her ship and set sail again. She shouldn’t get Jonah involved, she shouldn’t–

Before she could turn around and leave, his green eyes met with her hazel ones. Jonah smiled and gestured for her to wait one moment. Kelsey nodded and compiled. Guess I’m staying put after all. He placed a cocktail for another customer at their spot at the bar, then approached Kelsey.

His hands became water as he signed to her. “Hey Kelsey!” His smile widened.

Kelsey’s voice shut off as hers found the same flow. She wanted to retch at how fake it must have seemed, but she didn’t. “Jonah! Long time no see!”

“How have you been? Where have you been? What can I get you?”

“A bottle of Yum, please. I’ve been fine,” she lied. “I’ve been sailing around, keeping up with the same old adventures we used to have.”

Jonah tilted his head at her. She assumed that it was the fact that she was not, in fact, fine. Nor was she having the adventures she said she was. She wanted to tell him everything that happened to her over the past five years, but her mission depended on keeping that critical information from him. He would not be pleased to find out who exactly her target was, but she wanted to ease him into that realization.

Kelsey had always been a terrible liar, even in her childhood. And Jonah’s uncanny ability to read facial expressions had been mastered at a young age due to his profound deafness that occurred in the middle of his childhood.

Thankfully, he didn’t press any further and went to the back. Kelsey let out a sigh she’d been holding and stiffened when she heard him come back. He uncorked the bottle for her and slid it over the countertop. She caught it in her organic hand. Kelsey took a sip of it and set it gently on the table. She lifted her hands to sign again.

“Do you know where Saffron is?”

Jonah’s face fell. “Always so business-minded, Kel. Why do you want to know?” He crossed his arms and glowered at her.

Kelsey paused. “To make amends,” she signed back. But that wasn’t the truth, not even close. She wasn’t sure how much he knew, but Kelsey wanted to make Saffron pay for the suffering she inflicted on her all those years ago. Maybe Jonah could read that on her face. But it didn’t matter to her. “I miss her a lot.” The signs felt vile on her hands and face, but she tried to keep face as best as she could. Her expression fell flat.

Jonah pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. Regardless of whatever he found in her expression, he began signing again. “There were rumors of her being in Haunted Skyway. I don’t know why in the Spiral she would want to go there. It’s a mad, mad place.”

Kelsey’s eyebrow raised. What Jonah said about the skyway itself was indeed true. Undead plagued the skyway like nobody’s business. Between the undead pirates and the sky snakes made of bones, venturing in there was a madman’s errand. But if there was anything Saffron liked, it was spooky aesthetics and anything Hoodoo-related she could get her hands on. The skyway was filled with bad mojo according to Old Scratch, but it would be a perfect draw for Saffron. It was too early to tell for sure, but that would be the place to start.

She went to sign again, but found that Jonah’s attention had been pulled away by another patron flapping their hand in his periphery. Kelsey took this brief moment of reprieve to sip from her bottle of Yum and let it soothe her soul. The body of it was pleasantly heavy on her tongue, with a fruity and floral flavor that almost reminded her of lavender. It was a comfort she needed given the arduous task ahead of her. She would have to thank Captain Gunn’s corpse later for the bastard’s ingenious idea to bottle it.

Jonah returned. “Anyway, yeah. Haunted Skyway. People have told me she’s hanging around her. Some brave folks are saying she was last spotted in Miranda.”

Her eyes widened. “Miranda?!”

He nodded. “I don’t know why, nothing good came of that place.”

She agreed. It was where they had taken down Captain Blood, but the sheer sight of that ghost town left lasting memories on herself and Jonah. The undeath and trauma alone had been suffocating. Saffron, on the other hand, was eager to explore the town despite the horrible tragedy that occurred there years prior to their intervention. Jonah and Kelsey looked at her like she was crazy then. Saffron, of course, didn't care.

“If I had to guess, she found something else magical about that town.” Jonah rolled his eyes. “You’d best stay out of that skyway, Kel. Find a way for her to come to you. Talk then.”

Kelsey wanted to retort that she didn’t have time to find an artifact that Saffron would like, but she kept her hands and face together on that one.

As she raised her hands to sign, Jonah had once again been pulled away by other customers. Kelsey opted to leave him be. She had finished her first bottle of Yum and found herself craving a second. Another bartender stepped out from the back and got to work, Kelsey asked them for another bottle. She slid the coins just as they had slid the bottle to her.

It would be a long while before Kelsey would ever be able to have an evening like this. She decided she would make the most of it. The exhaustion from all the sailing she had done these past few weeks was wearing on her. She was eager to spend the night on dry land for once. Tonight, she decided, her crew could wait. She could spare a little time to rest before the arduous task ahead of her.

Kelsey was halfway through her third bottle of Yum when Jonah appeared and tapped her shoulder, startling her from her thoughts. She glanced at the lit candle he had in one of his hands and raised her brow. He motioned for her to follow him, and they went over to one of the secluded tables underneath the second floor. He set the candle in the middle of the table. It illuminated the space between them and not much else.

“I’m on break,” he signed. “Tell me what’s really going on. I know you wouldn’t look for Saffron just for that, Kel.” He scowled at her. “There’s more to this.”

Kelsey sighed. So he had spotted her lie after all. She pursed her lip, trying to put her thoughts together into an acceptable explanation. She chewed on her lip, glancing at the table, the floor and anything that wasn’t Jonah. But in her peripheral vision, she got the impression he was still scowling at her. Her expression slipped somewhere between sorrowful and earnest, perhaps both.

“Can you promise you won’t be angry with me?”

Jonah raised a brow. “I can’t. But if it’s why I think you’ve been missing for all these years, then…”

Her face fell. “I’ve been forced to work with the Armada. To make a long story short, they saved my life, and as a result I have a debt to pay to them.”

“So the rumors were true. About you working with them.”

She nodded slowly. She glanced away, only turning back as he signed.

Jonah pinched the bridge of his nose. “And even with what they did to my parents, you’re still just going to help them anyway?”

“I’m at their gunpoint, Jonah. I can’t do much else. Hell, I’m lucky to be out here by myself right now.”

He let out a long sigh. “Okay, fine. So how does Saffron play into this? Why do you need her?”

Kelsey’s lips stretched into a frown. She explained her side of the story: that the Supreme Commander believed that she would also be a threat to his operations if she wasn’t dealt with right away. So as punishment for her previous failure, she was sent to capture Saffron, alive ideally. At least, that was partially true. That was all he needed to know.

In reality, Kelsey was the one who volunteered Saffron as a target. She was still angry with Saffron for setting her up all those years ago, only to take the fall for Saffron’s smuggling operations. She had no qualms about carrying out this mission, even after the trio worked together for Marco Pollo’s Map post-Erebus breakout. But those days were long gone, and any truce they had was dust in Cool Ranch’s winds. Jonah retired with some of Pollo’s gold to take over the Desert Rose, and Saffron had gone her own way altogether.

“I haven’t been told good things about Saffron, either. I heard she was amassing an undead crew. An army, some called it.”

Kelsey’s eyes widened. “Why?” Her expression shifted into confusion and concern.

Jonah shook his head slowly and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, Kel. But even if it’s for the Armada, you still have the best chance of stopping whatever scheme she’s got going on. She’s going on a dark path that’s only getting darker, and I wouldn’t be enough to save her anyhow.”

“Jonah…” she sighed. Her shoulders slumped and she leaned against the table. “You know, I really did try to continue our work after Cool Ranch. But at Knossos…” she paused as she manually signed the name of the island. “Between the Minotaur’s sons and the Armada ambushing us there, I didn't have a choice. The only way I was going to leave there alive was with them.”

“Kel, you don’t need to explain yourself. I trust your judgement in whatever it is that you’re doing.” He lowered his head and continued signing. “But please, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.”

Kelsey furrowed her brow. She really couldn’t discern what was what anymore.

Jonah stood up from the table and took the candle with him. He extinguished it with a quick breath. Kelsey followed quickly and grabbed his hand.

“Can I stay overnight in one of your rooms?”

Jonah nodded. He retreated to the back of the bar once more. Kelsey fished out a pouch of gold from an interior pocket and counted out the gold for one and a half night’s stay. When Jonah returned with the keys, Kelsey handed it to him. He counted quickly, then looked at her confused.

“Please, keep it. You need it more than I do.”

“Thank you,” he signed, the back of his flat hand extending towards her, and led her upstairs to a door on the side of the floor.

The door opened up into a mildly dusty hallway, with many more doors lining it. He led her to one at the end of the hallway on the back wall and gave her the keys.

“Here you go. Best room on the block. Return the keys to the barkeep in the morning.” He turned and walked away, but stopped and turned back to her. “And Kel, please come back sometime. Knowing you, you’re probably gonna set off at sunrise. Just…tell me what happens.”

Kelsey half-smiled and chuckled to herself. “You got me. I will though.” Whether it was a half-truth or an outright lie, Kelsey couldn’t tell. After everything that would happen, there was some part of her that believed that Jonah would hate her guts just as much as Kelsey hated Saffron’s.

Jonah left her to the comfort and privacy of the guest room, which was rather quaint. She sighed and undressed into her undergarments. The room got chillier as she did so, making the bed all the more inviting. She decided her crew could wait for a little bit. She wanted to sleep on dry land just this once, she got the feeling that she wouldn’t have this luxury for a long, long while.

She plopped on the bed and got to work unstrapping her prostheses for her left arm and left leg. As she gently pulled off the arm, she admired the intricate details required to craft such a sensitive thing. The design was partially her own, perfected by the Armada’s–no, Kane’s–intervention. She set her metal limb aside and looked at the stump that was the upper half of her forearm. The illusion of connectivity she had shattered, and she waved it about uselessly, if only for her amusement and no one else’s. She did the same to her leg, stripping it down to the barest half-limb. She ran her hand over the stump. Despite it being removed years ago by some of Valencia’s finest surgeons, she couldn’t ever not be amazed by it.

Kelsey got comfortable underneath the bed sheets and let her mind wander. First about Saffron, then Jonah, and where she would be after all of this. Would she even be the same person? A vague unsettling feeling crept into her stomach. It was too early to make any sort of prediction. But with the news that Saffron was amassing an undead crew, she found it harder to get comfortable. What in the bloody biscuits of Marleybone could she possibly be doing this for?

It didn’t take long before the desire to rest overtook her.

When the sun shone warm beams of light through her window, Kelsey stirred. She awoke from a deep and comfortable sleep and sat up in her bed. She rubbed the sleep away from her eyes and mentally planned out her day.

She would leave the inn and set sail alongside her crew for the Haunted Skyway within the hour. She was not thrilled to be returning there, as she was certain that the Armada’s intervention had awakened Captain Blood and put the skyway in the state that it was. She wasn’t eager to return to Miranda either, as after the game between Death and Captain Blood, she was sure it would be a ghost town in the truest sense of the phrase. Too quiet for comfort. Even subtle movements wouldn’t go unnoticed.

And it was also in the Haunted Skyway where she destroyed Deacon. She wasn’t sure if he had forgiven her for that one, or if he ever would. She had an inexplicable sense of sympathy for him, though she would never admit that to her friends or either of her crews.

But most of all, it was also where she’d find one of her former best friends gathering an army of undead pirates for Saint-Fido-knows-what purpose. The threat of the Armada aside, none of this situation had good prospects for the rest of the Spiral.

Kelsey wasted no time getting ready and leaving the Desert Rose Inn. The air still felt cool and dry, making it a pleasant time to leave. She hurried past the folks in the early morning, barely slapping the room key on the counter for the bartender to take back. She jogged out of the doors into Tumbleweed, and down the rail to the docks.

The board was already waiting for her when she reached the docks. She carefully climbed it, trying to avert her gaze from the skyway below. She didn’t have time for those intrusive thoughts to play now. When she was fully boarded, Kelsey caught sight of a certain clockwork Marine leaning nonchalantly against one of the masts.

“It is about time you showed up,” Custos Sentus said, his hollow eyes meeting hers.

Kelsey folded her arms. Her brows furrowed. “I thought my instructions to stay below decks until I returned were abundantly clear, Sentus.”

“It was too warm.”

Her eye twitched. “I don’t have time for this today,” she groaned. She glanced over to the Captain’s Quarters, where Parallax waited, peering through the circular window in the door. Kelsey motioned for her to come out.

She must have spied the concerned look on Kelsey’s face as she hurried over to her position. “Is everything alright, Captain?”

She shook her head. “Not in the slightest. Gather the rest of the crew and prepare to set sail. We’re going to Haunted Skyway.”

[rainbows-fanfics]

Help Unwanted (Chapter 2)

Summary: After losing the Pirate, Deacon is unwillingly paired with a partner to help with his job. The only problem is - they can't stand each other, and time is dwindling until he can re-capture all his lost prisoners.

Human AU of the Armada from Pirate101.

Pairings: Deacon/Queen!Deacon, Deacon/OC

--

Despite what happened, Deacon was thrilled to be working again. He spent his entire night researching his lost fugitives, theorizing their whereabouts as a head-start to his mission. He’d make an entire schedule for the next three months if he could. He came into work that morning with a plan already sorted in his head. 

He arrived at the docks and found a woman sitting on one of the crates, kicking her boots idly. The two locked eyes when he appeared and she stood to her feet right away. 

She was dressed like him - a tall, black-and-golden hat on her head, along with a full-face mask and sheets clipped onto its sides to conceal her hair. She wore what looked to be his coat incorporated into a dress - buttoned together on the sides of her stomach, the ends shy of reaching her ankles. A small black cape was attached to a gear collar exactly like his, except this one only fell below her shoulders. 

He eyed her hourglass figure as she approached, her small boots emphasizing her steps. She stopped to place a hand on her hip. Her green eyes looked Deacon up-and-down without a word. She drank up his appearance, as he did with hers. He took the liberty of speaking first. 

"..Why do you look like me?" He sounded unimpressed, but that was far from the truth. It was a little flattering. 

Her voice had a Monquistan accent. "Queen designed the getup. Said something about it complimenting you."

He raised a hidden brow. "And your name?"

She tilted her head and crossed her arms. "Tell me yours first."

He'd never been too careful with his real name. He knew what tracks he left and wiped what he wanted from his files a long time ago. Codenames were unnecessary and a nuisance most of the time. "Deacon."

"...Dea."

He snorted. "Queen came up with that one, too?"

She sounded delighted. "I did. Just now."

"Charming."

She gestured for him to follow. He picked his cane off the floorboards and trailed behind, glancing at the docked ships they passed. They were getting less impressive and smaller in size the further they went. He hoped Kane didn't downgrade his ride as further punishment. 

"I heard the Erebus was an impressive vessel. Had the biggest brig in the fleet. Easy to sail, too." Dea tsked. "Pity what happened to it."

"Yeah, well." He muttered, digging through his pockets. "Nothing I can do about that now."

When he glanced up, he found Dea looking at him from the side, a playful glint to her eyes. She knew what happened and was already rubbing it in his face. He wasn't going to escape the humiliation no matter where he went, was he? 

They stopped at the last ship on the dock. Thankfully, it wasn’t the smallest one - its size equal to the Erebus, though not as familiar to him. Its structure looked similar to other prison ships, which piqued his interest. The sails were not their usual black-and-golden color, remaining a white and blue instead. As he observed the craft, Dea stood to the side and motioned proudly.  

“Here she is - The Executioner .” 

“She was named already..?” 

“It’s a newer clockwork vessel. Kane picked this one for our mission. They let me name it, so I did.” She waited before adding, “-I thought it was fitting. We’re using it to execute our mission - therefore, the ‘Executioner’ . No?” 

“...Isn’t that part of the Captain’s job?” 

She scoffed, turning around and jabbing a finger at his chest. He was taken aback at the forwardness, stumbling when she poked him. 

“I’m your co-captain, in case you’ve forgotten. And the first rule of my command is that I get to name the ship.” 

He leaned forward to meet her abrasiveness. She was several inches shorter than him, not accounting the heels on her booties. “--Then let’s call it even: I get to sail it.” 

She flicked her gloved hand. “Fine.” 

Truthfully, the name of the ship didn’t bother him. When captaining Armada boats, he was more concerned with where it went and how it got there. And he likely didn’t deserve the privilege, after his incident with the Erebus. But he didn’t appreciate her making decisions on his behalf. This was his mission, after all.  

They were noticed by some crewmembers, who dropped a board to allow them on. Dea went first as Deacon followed behind. They were greeted by the crew, who stood in a line and saluted them. There were soldiers, marines, and even a couple of dragoons and battle angels. The spymaster noted the higher selection of fighters and wondered if this was done purposefully, due to the failure of his last battle. 

“ Captains !” They shouted loudly. He’d have to get used to the plurality. He moved in front of them and rested on his cane, preparing his usual introduction. 

“ Buongiorno. My name is Deacon, the Armada’s Emissary and Spymaster. I will be the captain of this vessel for the next few months. You are expected-”

“---I’m Dea, your co-captain.” The woman beside him butted in, much to his annoyance. “You are expected to follow our commands and keep this vessel in ship-shape. We will be imprisoning any undesirables and pirates we encounter. Am I clear?”

“Yes ma’am!” 

“For the glory of the Armada!” 

The Armada soldiers repeated the line proudly. Deacon rolled his eyes. He wasted no time getting familiar with the ship - inspecting the deck, checking the sails, and assigning jobs to the crewmembers. He made note of everything he observed and wrote down his crew’s names, in a journal he kept with him on his voyages. He counted the empty cells and determined the full capacity of their future prisoners. When all was said and done, he went to visit the Captain’s cabin, only to get stopped by his female doppelgänger. 

She looked at him expectantly. “Ready to assign the crew’s duties?” 

“-Already done.” He flipped the journal to her view. She leaned forward to read his handwriting. 

“When did you do that ?” She went to grab it from his hands, but he pulled it away before she could.

“I’ve done this a million times. There’s no time for dilly-dallying on the first day, especially when we’re expected to sail tomorrow.” 

“Yes, but–” He was already opening the door to the cabin. She stormed after him. “You’re supposed to consult me ! That’s what co-captaining means!” 

He stopped in his tracks. She was steaming under her mask, gloved fists clenched in anger. He grabbed the small journal from his pocket, flipped it to the right page, and handed it to her. She took it with a huff. She focused on reading what he’d written down. Deacon took this time to properly survey the cabin, seeing as this room will be his lodging for the next few months. 

There were two beds on opposite walls, one for him and the other for her, both concealed by privacy sheets. A long table sat in the back respectively for mapping and navigation, with a built-in compass and globe in the middle of the room. A bookcase was placed against the wall with provided parchment paper. He glanced at the informative titles on navigation, geography, and varied history – noting the ones he’d have to read later.  

Dea finished reading, sighing as she shut the journal. She went to return it, only to find the Emissary hunched in the back of the room. He was trying to open a chest he found under the captain’s desk. She stepped forward and carelessly dropped it, drumming her small fingers on the wood. She glanced at his crouched figure from the corner of her eye. 

“You must be a lone wolf - one of those men who like to take charge. Who prefer to do things by themselves. Am I right?” 

He nodded vaguely, only half-paying attention as he attempted each of his keys in the lock. She stifled an irritated groan. She didn’t want to lose her patience so soon. 

“We’re working together . You can’t do something and tell me about it afterwards - we need to talk through things, and–” 

She was interrupted when the box sprung open. They were presented with a gorgeous view of gold and doubloons. Deacon made no hesitation to count the sum inside. Dea was too busy marveling at the sight, snapped out of her trance when he dropped more than a handful of coins into her hands. She was quiet for a second or two, until she finally looked at him, and found he was pocketing a good portion as well. 

“What’s this for?” 

He tilted his head strangely at her. She turned defensive at his silence. “You dumped a bunch of gold in my hands..?” 

“It’s more than usual because there are two Captains now, if that’s what you’re wondering.” 

He resumed what he’d been doing. Dea held her palms out, no idea on what to do with what she was given. She grew agitated. “That still doesn’t answer my question!” 

Deacon finally stopped his movements. He looked at her for an awfully long time. The silence grew tense and uncomfortable. She shifted her feet and blushed under her mask, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Over what - she didn’t know. He soon clicked his tongue. 

“Have you ever Captained a ship before?” 

She was offended, as he assumed. “What?”

“They give you a chest of gold for necessities.” He shut it for emphasis, locking it with the same key. “-Every Captain knows this.” 

Her defensiveness was immediately replaced with humiliation. She discarded her share in one of her dress’ pockets, promptly looking away and clearing her throat. “-I knew that. It’s…been awhile, that’s all.” 

He continued to stare at her, which did nothing to ease her discomfort. The quarters felt unbearable. She wanted out of this room as soon as possible. She turned on her heel and headed straight for the door, refusing to pass her partner a second glance. 

“I’m going to check on the crew.” 

He watched her leave in a hurry, slamming the door behind her. He stood to his full height and grabbed his journal from the desk. His eyes traveled back to where she once stood, replaying Dea's confusion in his head. They drifted back to the door and he hummed inquisitively to himself. 

He suddenly wanted to know more about his 'co-captain'.