#i like omfd AND oluwande

[elviriel]

me: i'm not interested in the black sails vs omfd thing silver loses a poll against oluwande me: enemy 🗡️

[fiery-rat]

6th episode of OFMD s2 was so important to me

it shows us such a beautiful queer representation

there's a found family

there's Jim, a canon afab nonbinary character and they had a mustache drawn on their face and theyre in a queer poly relationship

there's a drag queen and a whole scene in which Izzy had his queer moment and let himself explore his queer identity by letting Wee John do him a makeup

there's a queer community that's loving and supportive

and it's all about forgiveness, acceptance and love

and I'm fucking weeping

[paranoid-radio]

WhydidtheybreakupmyfavsidecoupleWhydidtheybreakupmyfavsidecoupleWhydidtheybreakupmyfavsidecoupleWhydidtheybreakupmyfavsidecou-

[cononeillbreastingboobily]

I agree with all your takes on omfd season 2... wasn't all that a laugh and a half :/ do you have any thoughts on a prospective (?) season 3?

Oh yeah lmao, the writers were definitely having a laff, unlike me 😭😭😭

When it comes to season 3:

• I can't imagine or accept a situation in which Izzy is not there in the flesh. Not after a season that specifically introduced the concept of magic and the gravy basket. I don't want him to be a ghost or a vision of guilt-ridden characters. I want my boy back, in the flesh, to pester everyone around him and to finally have his hot girl summer ‼️‼️‼️

• as much as even after the first 3 eps of s2 I could potentially see Steddyhands happening, all of that kinda went to shit in my eyes after they killed Izzy off.

• After everything that happened I can't and don't want to imagine Ed and Izzy reconciling enough to get involved with each other romantically.

• I can see Izzy with Stede tho. I'd actually like that quite a lot.

• at this point I'm not a Blackbonnet girlie (gn) by any stretch, and well, I can't imagine myself enjoying a potential season 3 if all it has to offer will be more drama between those two

• knowing them both, I think they will be making genuine attempts at running an inn for half an episode. And I'm being generous

• also, I can't imagine a season 3 that has Zheng just. Hanging out on the Revenge. Making out with Oluwande. And not even attempting to rebuild her pirate empire. I need my girl cunning and powerful with a fleet to show for it. I think that what they did to her by the end of the season was a shit writing decision. Was her losing her entire fleet... Supposed to humble her? To teach her a lesson? What lesson? That it's not things but people that really matter? It's kind of a weak message, especially for this character. And the execution of it was just. Plain bad lmao. Her talk with Auntie by the end was cute, yes, but it came so out of the blue tbh. If it has been established earlier on that maybe Zheng feels insecure sometimes and would like for Auntie specifically to tell her she's proud of her, that would make more sense. But this way it was kinda. It didn't have the punch it should've had.

• also sidenote: Zheng deciding to team up with Stede (even if it was mostly because Ed was also there) doesn't reflect well on him... It reflects badly on her. My girl deserves allies as powerful as her and Stede is simply not that.

• I want more crew shenanigans. And more backstory for every crew member!!!

• I can imagine a version of the story in which Stede and Ed break up and just don't get back together again by the end. It's so beautiful here. Hold my hand

• also sidenote, but has Jim just completely given up on taking their revenge on the Siete Gallos? I think it would've been fun to revisit that storyline

• also - WHAT HAPPENED TO JIM'S BROTHER

• honestly - after the shitshow that was season 2, I can't think of an actual potential way that the story could end. And tbh I don't think the writers do, either. I do have ideas, but they're mine and not the writers' of the show, and thus not very likely to actually happen.

[mikimeiko]

Our Flag Means Death | 1x07. This Is Happening

[artist-rat]

so hey i haven't watched the show, but these two seem so awesome. maybe one day i'll watch it. for them 😔

[morecaffeineplease]

that's it my arm has been twisted i started watching our flag means death

first impression is a fun little show about pirates, really enjoying it

[everlastingrandom]

This is sea shanty discourse all over again.

There's been some posts saying that Our Flag Means Death is antiblack for being ahistorical. But a fair amount don't sit well with me, a black person. So I'm gonna pull an ADHD and go on several tangents about it. Also, marginalized people aren't a monolith and when I see "listen to black people" from nonblack people, I get sus about who is doing the loudest talking and how, why, etc.

Also this is mostly about the show textually. Taika had a lot of creative influence on OFMD (and he directed the pilot episode) but he is not the creator of the show. David Jenkins is the main show runner, producer, and writer. That said, I'm gonna read more on both of their track records because I did see some important points that were made by others, so bear with me.

Anyway, this post will have heavy spoilers!

TL;DR Personally, I don't think this specific comedy/romance show is antiblack for choosing to not highlight the transatlantic slave trade in relation to their reimagined protagonists. However, OFMD feeds into the swashbuckler genre and I definitely think we should deconstruct that as a whole. Also I wish more people would put their righteous anger into substantially supporting Black creators.

The MEAT

OFMD doesn't shy away from depicting white people as racist: the British Navy refer to Stede's BIPOC crew members as "savages" when aboard Stede's ship. The show acknowledges the atrocities committed against the Native populations of the Caribbean and American mainlands. The tribesman who guards Stede literally says, "you [white people] keep killing us." Nor does it shy away from colonizers exoticizing people from lands that are now former victims of imperialism. Oluwande and Frenchie's scam of being an African prince relies on of the ignorance of the foppish, rich white people that they swindle.

But OFMD is not a documentary, it is a comedy/adventure show with a romantic subplot. It genre bends quite frequently, occasionally dropping the comedy to have serious moments. But the main characters are a white englishman and a white barbadian being played by a white new zealander and a maori new zealander. The conceit is that none of this is supposed to be taken seriously. No one's accent is the same. A man gets weird with some seagulls on more than one occasion. We are having fun in muppet treasure island. There are dummy mechanics in use. This is not a place of honor.

I went into watching OMFD with mental blinders fully up, because I knew pirates + caribbean = oh potential yikes. But as it progressed through S1, the fear that slavery would be depicted in an upsetting way slowly dissipated. And then it just wasn't there really. I think the choice to not explicitly depict the relationship between piracy and the transatlantic slave trade—especially in regards to Stede and Blackbeard—made sense for their tone, but ended up being an oversight in their worldbuilding. If the showrunners continue into s2, they should bring in Black/Afro-caribbean consultants to give insight on what those depictions might be, if addressed.

The swashbuckling genre is distinctive due to 1) shenanigans on a boat 2.) romance. A lot of OFMD is about the romanticization of pirate life, but it also challenges those romantic notions directly. Add two historical figures with radically opposing methods of piracy and THERE WAS ONLY ONE BOAT. That's not true, there was a max of three boats. And you end up with an untapped hotbed of creative potential. The Gentleman Pirate was a narrative figure in Stede's own lifetime and Blackbeard is a goddamn legend. There's only so much influence you can draw before people claim you're blatantly ripping something off.

Slavery is a pretty hard sell, generally. Like, commit a whole episode and tread lightly from there, hard sell. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were efforts to address it in media rez, that just didn't make it to the final cut (but this is me speculating.) TV shows are not made in vacuums, hundreds of people were involved in this production. My point is that sometimes media is not here to trick you into believing that real-life terrible people were actually good and admirable. (Sometimes it is.)

But I feel strongly that OMFD expects you to be on the side of the characters of color from the jump. Catch the implicit, "Can you believe these white people?" in the way they roll their eyes and sigh and give each other looks. The way Oluwende and Frenchie include the African servants(?) into their scheme in Ep. 5. The way the Elder pities Stede when he has a breakdown, but at the same couples Stede with every other white person who's attacked the tribe. I think OFMD seeks to depower the image we have of colonizers as inhuman forces of nature, when they were all very painfully human.

Why did fans not background check this show?

I knew the history of Stede Bonnet prior to watching OFMD, which I'm guessing was not the majority experience (?) I was interested in watching the show when I first heard about it, mainly because the costumes looked nice.

From the number of "Here's the TRUTH about Stede Bonnet" posts circulating, it's clear he's a relatively un-talked about figure. Honestly, that's fine. It happens to be that we will not learn about everything about everyone in human history. But the history of piracy + the slave trade—THAT should've been more widely known. When there's a widespread deficit in knowledge, that's a systematic issue more than an individual one.

That said, if you do not currently connect piracy with slavery, hello, here's your wake up call.

You should be able to infer that Stede, being landed gentry in Barbados, gained his wealth from slave labor. That these characters were inspired by real people who existed in and benefited from a slave labor economy. That chattel slavery ballooned during this time period. The show does not go out its way to acknowledge this. And because it didn't, where does that leave us? Filling in the gaps? Doing our own research?

(The answer is yes.)

It's Just Hamilton 2.0

I didn't make this connection like others did, and at first I was annoyed by it but now I'm kind of like. Yah.

25 year old me understands that the problems at the root of Hamilton extend deep into the entertainment industry: the way white historical figures continue to be romanticized, who we let spearhead big productions, and the histories of actual Black historical figures that were completely excluded from the narrative.

19 year old me thought, "Omg, Black people in major broadway roles! Songs that I and other Black theater kids can perform! An accessible way for me to learn more about American history!" I was in a black theatrical ensemble in college. We had that play m e m o r i z e d.

25 year old me looks at OFMD right now and thinks, "Omg, a show that shows a smart Black woman in a compelling role, a fat, Black man as a compelling love interest, and show that openly says White imperialism was fueled by greed and ignorance. Also!! Good LGBT+ rep!! HOLY SHIT!" 25 year old me also understands that we cannot scrub away the scars left by colonialism. Not even in silly Blorbo show. All media will become problematic with time, and we will never be able to get ahead of it.

But for now I would love for folks to take a step back and touch grass because fanon woobifies historical figures waaaay worse than canon does. Lin did not curse us with Miku Binder Jefferson. Y'all did that yourselves and I mine eyes will never be scrubbed of the memory. Also the lack of love towards dark skinned characters does not go unnoticed don't think I don't see y'all sleeping on spanish jackie.

If you don't want to consume OMFD, cool! Please seek out and endorse media actually helmed by Black people. If someone wants to present a counter-argument to this that isn't an angry stream of consciousness and has paragraph breaks, I will weep for joy.

[candied-cae]

Roach, my Beloved- 🥰

Why are we, as a society, NOT TALKING ABOUT ROACH IN THIS SCENE?!

Everyday I wake up, expecting someone to have clipped this scene and posted it so we can all comment on how adorable it is, and everyday I am disappointed... I feel so alone, like I'm the only one who sees it.

BUT IT'S SO FUCKING CUTE- SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT!

The way he just clicks his tongue and does a lil zhuzh to his hair after Jim mentions the humidity and side eyes Oluwande's "So?" I just know in his head he's asking him "Excuse me. 'So?'! ‘Wande, my brother in christ, have you NO HAIR PRIDE? I may be chaos incarnate, barely contained within an apron, but it's a fucking cute chaos and I didn't plan on letting some island climate ruin it."

There are so many tiny acting choices the crew makes when they aren't the focus of shots, and this one is EASILY my favorite. Every time I'm rewatching ep 7 I'm looking directly at him in this scene.

I just love him a lot okay.

More OMFD

[sunflowersandsapphires]

So I was talking to someone I really admire and they sparked some courage so here are some thoughts about OMFD caretaking:

Clearly Ed gets sort of explosive when he’s upset and I think Stede would quickly learn to let him have at the world and then be there to pick up the pieces.

Steve, alternatively, seems to turn inward when upset. I think Ed would be pretty good at getting him to open up but needs to learn to be patient with him.

I feel like Ed is a good cook bc he worked his way up from the kitchen to being The Blackbeard™️ and he likes to cook fancy people food for Stede is Stede is feeling down.

On the other hand, if Ed is feeling down, I think Stede will put extra soft blankets on their bed and ask Roach to prepare something sweet that he can give to Ed.

I think that Jim would probably remove themself from the rest of the crew to throw knives or angrily journal when they’re upset. Oluwande would probably lean more towards trying to immediately solve the problem that upset someone or just talking thru his own emotions when he’s upset.

I think he would make sure to get Jim off the boat when Jim is upset to get their mind off of things. Go for a day to a beach or something and just have a little adventure.

If Oluwande is upset, I think Jim would look to have a night in. Just reminding him that they are there for him and that he can rest.

Also, unrelated, but I read this great WIP “The Nettles in the Garden Dont Go Away” by JRaylin441 which is a beautiful Ed/Stede soulmate AU. https://archiveofourown.org/works/38007859

[candied-cae]

Idk if anyone's mentioned it - but why is it, that the second he takes control of The Revenge, Izzy makes the black members of the crew turn the thingy in the middle? Specifically setting up a table, that we've never seen on deck before, to enjoy his meal while he watches them labor under his criticism.

Making all the black people on the boat do that cranking wheely thing... Do I know what it is? No, I don't know shit about boats, and I know even less about 18th century pirate ship parts. But I can obviously tell that that is the worst job on the whole ship. And he's making our beloveds Oluwande, Frenchie, and Roach do that duty? While everyone else pretty much just twiddles their fingers? Oh fuck all of that.

As if that's not one of the leading causes of death on this show - Izzy Hands is going to be racist, to his own recently acquired goddamn crew?! How dare he- Who the fuck does he think he is? I really need someone to beat his ass ASAP when S2 drops.

Like, this job doesn't really seem like grunt work that get's randomly assigned, especially not a job that would fall to a character like Roach who has specific jobs on the ship as both the Cook and Medic. Obviously, everyone needs to put forth labor to keep things running smoothly, but for someone as important as Roach is, he probably shouldn't be taking on grunt work that could wear him out at a critical time and take time away from other responsibilities he has.

So why would Izzy assign him this sort of job specifically for him to watch them work while he dines? Idk, seems pretty straight up racist and I haven't seen anyone talking about it.

Izzy better watch his back and count his fuckin days, because as soon as I see that bitch, it is on site.

More OMFD

[candied-cae]

We're All Going Home, No One Left Behind - Way Back When

Here's Part 1 <- This is Part 2 of Our Family

Chapter 5/? - - - Read it on AO3

[1] [2] [3] [4] <- Previous Chapters - - - Next Chapters -> [6]

Word Count : 3,333

Summary : Join Stede and his interruptive listeners as they share and remember the day The Revenge's crew all met for the very first time.

(This is sort of a mini-chapter. I know it's not a whole bunch story progression wise, but I got my wisdom teeth stolen on Friday so I really just wanted to work on a fun little update while I finish up the next big one. And I wanted to headcanon how tf Stede managed to get all these people on the same boat. So sit back and relax for a casual, silly 3k about our found family doing the damn finding of the damn family. 🥰)

More OMFD Fics

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Once the crew received what felt like Captain Anne’s approval and promise to help them get back to their ship, they were all positively elated. Toasts of drinks, cheers, gratitude, and affection, they shared it all in their relief. They stood a better chance now of actually getting it all back. It felt possible again. Which was a comforting feeling because there was a second there where it didn’t. 

Once their joy and reprieve settled, and it felt like tomorrow was a tangible thing in their hands and not something they might lose grip of, Stede felt a call to remember. He looked around his crew, though it was missing two, and remembered the day he found them all on the port outside Bridgetown. 

“What’re you smiling about?” Lucius teased.

Stede chuckled as he took a sip from his glass,” Just… all of you. Being here.”

“That’s something to smile about?” Roach wondered skeptically as he looked around them at what was an arguably overcrowded ship, and it wasn't even their own.

“I’d say it is.” He refuted. 

True, them being gathered not on the Revenge and not wasting their days away doing whatever it is they managed to come up with… it wasn’t the ideal way they’d have been together. But Stede couldn’t help but smile while looking at all of them. He loved them incredibly so. Being with them felt more like being with family than anything he’s ever really known. How was he expected not to smile when it finally looked like he was going to be able to get everyone back together again?

“It’s still wonderfully strange to think that people I’ve known my whole life have felt like strangers compared to you all, who I’ve only known since the harbor.”

“About half a year back now, yeah?” Oluwande asks.

“A little more than that,” Stede corrected,” But yes, Oluwande. It’s not even been eight months now that I’ve known any of you.”

“So, you really did just slip into this sort of lifestyle.” Mark comments, emphasizing the ‘just’ because, hell, Stede’s still an infant when it comes to being in this line of work, isn’t he?

Anne asks,“ And you said you’d just gathered them all up the day you got your ship just because they happened to be around, right?”

“Well, yes-”

“How did that happen?”

Seems they weren't fully satisfied by the tale of the near mutiny and brushing over the life Stede left behind. Well, he did promise entertainment in exchange for assistance. And, not one wanting to disappoint their hosts, nor the kind to miss the chance to tell a good story, Stede smiled softly to himself as he began recounting the very day he met his darling crew.

“Well, the first one I met was Buttons…” Stede begins.

He remembers boarding The Revenge alone for the first time just before dawn that morning when there were barely more than a few people getting ready to start their day. He’d set down his bag and tucked away the model as he set on the prowl for the crew to manage his ship. He’d only gotten so far to lean over the railing to scope out the street when he sighted someone… interesting. One of the only people there so early in the morning was none other than Buttons. He was sitting at the edge with his legs hanging off the wooden dock, sharing crumbs of food with a seagull named Karl-

“I thought she was Olivia.” Sabine cut in, cocking her head to the side.

“Yeah,” Xi adds,” Isn’t her name Olivia?”

“Aye, she is Olivia” Buttons motions to the bird presently seated in a nest of rigging rope,” but back then, it was Karl.”

Sabine continues,“ So, wait- Did Olivia used to be called Karl?”

“Or was this a different seagull?” Emilio asks.

Stede answered,“ Another seagull.”

“Olivia’s late husband.” Buttons further explained, and though he was clearly trying to clear up why they've had more than one pet bird, the idea of seagull marriage he's just extended to them seemed to only confuse.

“Alright…?” Sabine accepted, though it sounded like it was more or less to appease Buttons’ waiting expression.

“May I continue?”, Stede asked before taking their nods as approval to go on.

Stede didn’t know him, and he had no clue how important this weird fellow was going to be in his life, but he had packed a few finger sandwiches with him to start his journey. So he elected to give some to Buttons and the bird. Buttons happily accepted the gift and proceeded to share it with his feathered companion. The sight of it was something very foreign to Stede, he’s never seen such a gentle and genuine kindness extended to animals in high society. Such engagements were usually raised out of the children who entertained them, so they might all just see creatures as measures of ability and status. But, here was this man, enjoying a pet bird for no other reason than to enjoy him. So Stede sat down with Buttons and asked about how he came to know and care for the pet. They spent a good amount of time together just chatting. But the sun had risen further, people began to flitter into the port, and so Stede stood up to continue his search. And the other man stood up with him. From that moment on, Buttons seemed to display unwavering allegiance to him. He’d never imagined that he would've hired his first crew member with a snack, but it worked out very much in his favor. 

“Then I found Oluwande and Jim.” Stede attempted to segue.

Until Llyod wanted to clarify,“ And you’d said this Jim was….” 

“One of the ones still on The Revenge, yes. But back then, you couldn’t hardly find either Oluwande or Jim apart. If you found one, you’d find the other.”

As more began to gather, he stumbled upon Oluwande and Jim. The two were slinking around together. They were looking all around, Oluwande was whispering to Jim, they kept their face angled below the brim of their hat. The display looked more than a little suspicious.

“We had good reason to be suspicious-looking!” Oluwande interrupted.

“Not that I knew it at the time!” Stede defended himself,” And I was getting to that bit, for your information.”

When he’d first seen them, Stede just assumed they might have snagged something that wasn’t theirs from the market down the way and were looking to avoid the local law enforcement. He now knows it was because Jim was in disguise and running from Spanish Jackie’s vengeance, but he wasn’t put off by his own assumptions. A little bit of thievery wouldn’t be the worst skill to have on his crew. And Oluwande had a nice face-

“Awe, you thought so, mate?” Oluwande broke off Stede right in the middle of his sentence with a feigned coy laugh to tease him. 

Stede rolled his eyes,“ Oh please, you’ve got a very nice face, Oluwande. But my point is that you seemed like a very sweet guy. Anyway-”

Oluwande had a kind disposition, and he clearly cared about his rather capable-looking accomplice, so Stede decided the pair would make a good addition to the team. Stede didn’t even have to offer much of a sales pitch to them. The fact that he seemed like a good guy who was hiring help and looking to leave before noon was enough for Oluwande to readily agree and drag Jim along with him. 

“After I had them in tow, I looked down the boardwalk and saw this one.” Stede continued with a wave of his hand to Wee John. 

The man was sitting on a set of crates with his club tucked under his chin propping him up. He was gazing thoughtfully over the horizon where the sun was still rising when Stede spotted him. Even seated, Stede could tell the sheer size of the man was impressive, so he was quick to think it’d be a smart idea to get him on his crew. When Stede approached him and he stood up to speak… he saw how truly massive he was. And donned with tattoos and piercings? The sort of expression he had when he furrowed his brows? That was a man people didn’t mess with. But he still had an air of… joy, one might call it, to him.

All the while Stede was saying it, Wee John was grinning to himself and looked like he’d be the sort to say “oh, stop it” with a sheepish swat of his hand.

To Stede’s delight, Wee John didn’t take a whole lot of convincing either. In all honesty, Wee John was nearly ready to agree the minute he realized Stede was an actual fancy man who was earnestly speaking to him and proposing ideas like “people positive management” and “luxury amenities”. And the funny, fantastical little man seemed like he’d be amusing, what with his frilly outfits and the giddy smiling and all his whimsy. It was nothing like anyone had ever seen in a pirate captain before. Then Stede said he’d encourage arson at every event it seemed fitting, and that was it. Wee John was in.

“After that, we ran into another pair having their own happenstance meeting for the first time: Roach and Swede,” Stede said with a nod to the two sitting next to one another.

The crew had grown to five if you counted the captain with them, and they were passing a restaurant. Stede was keeping his eyes peeled for anyone who seemed like the pirate type when two people burst from the restaurant doors right in front of them. Swede was first as he sort of tumbled right out of the doors once he’d swung them open, and just following behind was Roach with a handful of items. The Swede had fallen onto the ground, and Roach grabbed him by his arms and pulled him against the building to prop him up. When Roach lifted his shirt, they all saw the back end of a fork sticking out. No one ever figured out why he’d been stabbed before even breakfast time-

“Well, it was none of your business” the Swede argued with a cross of his arms.

“If you say so.” Stede conceded to continue.

But the Swede added a quick,“ And they started it.” before he could.

But the fellow loudly whined his Swedish phrases over his shoulder back into the establishment, and a few curses, also in Swedish, called back out in response while Roach worked. In just a few moments, they saw the man remove the impalement, clean the wound, and sew it closed. All with very minimal bloodshed. When they’d seen him run out in an apron, they assumed he was a cook, but his skillful recovery of this other stranger was cause to question just where his profession lay. And such skills would surely serve well on The Revenge. Stede started on his proposal to Roach, though he didn’t seem especially piqued by their numbers nor by the captain’s obvious inexperience. However, when Stede took the hint from the apron anyway and went over the sort of extravagances he’d had the kitchen stocked with, there was a certain interest sparked. 

Roach had just begun to pull his rolled cigarette from behind his ear when Burns asked,“ So wait- are you the chef or doctor?”

“Both,” he said simply as he brought a lit match to its end as it hung from his lip.

“Wh- how does one- Are the two skills not incredibly different?” the reddened fellow pushed.

After taking a draw from his cigarette and blowing the smoke away from the circle, he shrugged and answered,“ Meat is meat. Knives are knives.” which gave some of the strangers a worrisome shiver.

Anyway, Roach had never gotten to work with some of the expensive ingredients Stede was offering uninhibited access to. And the Jim lad they already had on the team looked extremely competent. Worst case scenario, that guy seemed the kind you could make a sneaky escape with. Thus, Roach signed on. And by then, the Swede seemed entirely set on staying with them. Probably because the accident-prone fellow didn’t want to stray too far from the sort of person who could handle his injuries and illnesses, or maybe he just liked the vibes. Whatever it was, Swede held his wound and looked up toward the captain as he asked-

“Me, too?” the Swede pipes in, putting on the same display as he had that day, wide eyes and a finger pointed towards his own face. 

And perhaps most people might’ve gone on ahead with their recruitment and not thought to include the man with the fresh stab wound he’d earned before it was even 7:30. Though, Stede was hardly like most people. 

“Hm, why not? You, too, you little Swede.” Stede repeats his response from back then. 

“That was how we gained our sixth and seventh. Though,” Stede said as he cast a sassy eye on Pete,” our eighth wanted to be a more difficult case.”

“What can I say?” Pete asked with a sort of self-satisfactory smile to himself.

“Well. I, for one, would appreciate a thank you for the opportunity after all this time, but besides all that…”

The band of pirates was quickly finding themselves growing towards the size of a decent crew when they came across Pete. He had that sort of classic pirate-y look and was waiting by the ships like he wasn’t sure which one he would board. Stede sauntered forward and asked if he’d like to join their bunch. Pete was far harder to convince than the others. He introduced himself as having previously been on Blackbeard's crew and asked a barrage of questions which all seemed to circle back to 'how does this guy compare to the legendary Blackbeard?’ Stede was honestly sure that Pete was going to end the conversation by saying that Stede could never measure up and he'd rather find a better ride with someone else. So, Stede chose to bid him a good day and began to walk away so the men he did hire and him could get to the ship with anything they had on them and have lunch before setting sail. But Pete ended up stopping him, saying he might as well climb aboard and keep the rest of them from getting themselves killed.

“You’re welcome.” Pete chimed it at the end, again looking so very cocky and pleased with himself.

“I asked for a thank you.” Stede reminded him.

Though it was clear he wasn’t going to receive one at this time, so Stede elected to move on,” Next then, came Pete’s little poet.”

Lucius raised a finger at the title,“ I wouldn’t really call myself particularly poetic-”

“Can’t you let me have a bit of alliteration? Fine, the little scribe was the next one we came upon.”

Stede wasn't exactly sure how many men he needed, but it was nearing midday, and he really wanted to treat his men to a meal before they set off for their adventure. So he figured, a captain, something of a first mate, a medic/chef, plus various levels of pirate-y-looking guys would be enough to get started. They started to head back towards The Revenge with his crew in tow when they quite literally ran into Lucius. Or, more accurately, the boy ran smack into them. Pete, specifically. He was looking behind him as he darted around a corner, they weren't exactly sure what he was running from, but he flashed them a grin and immediately began selling himself as a writer and artist if they could find the need for such a person wherever they were going. Stede did like the idea of having someone around to keep a record of the journey and his attempt to form a new kind of piracy without all the usual abuse. And the boy seemed alone. It's no good being alone. So Stede readily pointed just down the boardwalk to where The Revenge waited for them and told Lucius she was their passage if she pleased him. Clearly, she was indeed a pleasing sight, because Lucius came along with them to climb aboard. 

“I was coming out of a less than ideal companionship with someone and found myself without many options. Was even beginning to reconsider my pickpocketing days as a way to find funds for the foreseeable future. Hadn’t even mulled the thought over much when I saw the very person I was trying to cut ties with.” Lucius excused.

“All in all, I’m very happy we caught hold of you. Happier still that we hadn’t lost you.” Stede said.

“I am, too”, Pete hummed as he snuggled further into Lucius’ hold. 

“And finally, the last one to join us was Frenchie, also still on The Revenge at this time.”

Now the musician, he was a rather surprising end to Stede’s recruitment mission. They were all trekking onto The Revenge when he saw them. He was casually walking down the street, playing the harmonica like he didn't have a care in the world as they were loading up into the ship. He simply looked at them and asked where they were headed. Stede told him they weren’t sure. Frenchie asked if they had room for another. Only seconds later, he was walking up the gangway along with them at the end of the line, right behind Wee John, as they boarded. 

Wee John himself laughed remembering the moment. 

“What’s so funny to you about it?” Stede asked.

Wee John stifled his giggles down and explained,“ Well… never mentioned it before, but as we were loading up he tapped on my shoulder. Asked me ‘What’s this guy’s deal?’ He figured you obviously came from money, not just from your clothes but pretty much from everything about you, and so he wanted to know what exactly was happening with all of us coming into your crew. If it could really be for piracy.”

“And what’d you tell him?” 

“I just shrugged and told him none of us really knew what was up with your… everything, and that you were being completely serious about not having a plan.”

“What if he’d decided to leave, Wee John?” Stede exclaimed the question like such a thing was still at risk.

“Well, he didn’t.” Wee John pointed out,” He was happily surprised by all the musical things you’d had and later told me that he thought the ship looked nice and that her miss-matched crew seemed like the right kind to kill time with. He’d figured, 'why not see the same old same old with the likes of you lot and hope it was at least a little more fun this time ‘round?' At least, that's what he said.” 

“Then I guess it’s lucky for us you two became near-instant companions. Can’t imagine that hurt the efforts to keep him on board.” Stede sighed before clapping his hands together,” Anyway! That’s the tale of how the eight of us, plus our two dearly departed, came to be The Revenge’s crew.”

From there, they all spent a good portion of the evening running through everyone’s greatest and worst of their days on the water. They play a game called “raise your hand if you’ve been personally victimized by Calico Jack and his whip”, which results in Buttons, Swede, and most of Anne’s crew with arms up. And finally, at the end of it all, they tell Stede and his crew where they can settle for the night. Stede tells the night’s bedtime story of Sleeping Beauty: a tale of gifts, curses, grief, loneliness, true love, a dragon, and happily ever after. And while he was telling the story, it seemed that some of the Kingston’s crew were listening from right around the corner.

[candied-cae]

We're All Going Home, No One Left Behind - A Dingy is Not the Best Travel

Here's Part 1 <- This is Part 2 of Our Family

Chapter 2/? - - - Read it on AO3

[1] <- Previous Chapters - - - Next Chapters -> [3] [4] [5] [6]

Word Count : 4,782

Summary : Stede has gotten his men back, and they are following the only clue they have to Ed: The Republic of Pirates. But their dingy is small, cramped, and they've not really enough drink or food for the trip... They might need to make a stop along the way. And unexpected stops always come with some surprises.

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Stede had really only packed a few weeks' worth of rations for himself. He wasn't really sure how long it'd take him to happen upon the Revenge, so he tried to overprepare just in case he was on the water for a bit. But, with the population of the humble dingy now having climbed from just one passenger to seven, his efforts didn't stretch as far as he'd originally hoped. They were rowing towards the Republic of Pirates, very well aware of how much slower their pace was than The Revenge's would be, and after only a day they knew their drinking water would run out sooner than they'd hoped it would. Which is a stretch less than ideal if they hoped for surviving their journey at all.

They estimated to make a quick stop at Dominica on their way north. They should be able to gather more supplies, stretch out for a little bit, and, if they were being optimistic, they could get a bigger craft. Not only must they get more food and drink to simply live, but they really did need a vessel that could support them and their needs. A boat that didn't feel like it was going to capsize every few strokes migh

Instead, Stede was trying to formulate his own plan. So far, he'd figured that they could gather at the local watering hole and peddle the vibrant stories of their adventures in piracy in exchange for tips and buy their way onto another traveling vessel. But the expressions and rolling of eyes from the crew around him suggested that might not lead to a very steady success.

"Alright then, your ideas?" he offered the floor to them with an exaggerated toss of his hands in the air.

"Well, you can't make us dress up in richie, rich people clothes to trick anyone this time..." Pete mutters, as if he wasn't still trying to rub off the last of the white makeup he'd happily put on himself for the talent show.

"And there's not enough time to plan an elaborate fuckery. Even if we weren't sorely without the resources a good one would require." Roach mulls over with a scratch to his beard while he thinks.

And Buttons just sort of knowingly nodded his head along.

"I'm still not hearing a lot of ideas," Stede points out.

"I could sing," Swede offers.

"Yes, you could, buddy. Though I'm not sure that'll be much more lucrative than my storytelling," Stede tells him softly so as to not break their nordic darling's heart.

Wee John sort of pipes up a bit and raises a finger, though everyone already knows what he'd like to suggest before he even gets a word in.

Stede continues," And I'm not sure starting a fire will help us out with this one."

Wee John puts his hand back down.

"We can still go to whatever bar the people here go to. Just to see what we see, maybe we'll get an idea there." Oluwande suggests.

"There's a start. We can play it by ear, a little improvisation never hurt anybody." Stede says as they pass the dock and begin entering the city.

They all take a glance at it, the dock that is. A few fishing crafts, a couple larger steeds with humble sails. Though nothing in the harbor really looked all that impressive. Of course, nothing could really compare when you've known the beauty of a ship like the Revenge for so long. But nearly any of them would be an improvement on what they pulled ashore around the corner. Besides that, the town itself seems nice. There were a few businesses that lined the street. Signs read of a tailor, a grain mill, a tool shop, quilt sewing, and repair services, among various names of owners that probably meant more to the locals than their visitors. What looked the most intriguing to these visitors though, was the one slot that was still spilling out light at this waning hour of the evening.

Its sign read "Antonio's Booze and Food" which seemed straightforward enough, though Stede's mind briefly countered that," Blackbeard's Bar and Grill had a better ring to it."

Nonetheless, the crew enter the establishment and seat themselves at a round table in a corner, pulling in a few additional chairs to accommodate their group. They scan around the room at the other patrons when a member of staff drops by. She offers to bring the table its first round to drink on the house, to welcome their new customers for the first time. They all steadfastly agree and are quickly equipped with complimentary glasses of spiced rum.

"Now that is fine service." Stede muses before he noticed his crew readying to slam their drinks down," Guys-"

There was temptation from more than a few to simply down the drinks in a single gulp, but Stede reminded them that they were here to observe and slowly form a plan. They might as well relax a bit and nurse their glasses slower while they did so. They all carefully sipped on their drinks in response as they turn their attention back to the people in Antonio's with them. There were three lonely men along the bar leaning on it heavily, probably already very run over with rum; as well as a speckling of small groups assorted throughout; and a couple at their own table practically swooning at each other over their plates of food.

Stede's mind wanders that he and Ed should be doing that. Perhaps not in Antonio's, instead over their usual breakfasts would be nice. They had spent so many together before Stede even knew what he felt for Ed. And now that he knows, they're apart. It's not fair. His face falls a bit again. He really did want to keep his spirits up, wanted to hold onto hope and love... but, right now, it was scary. Ed's gone somewhere dark, and Stede put him there. And now he had no guarantee that he'd be able to bring him back. If he'd even be able to forgive him for what he's done, he didn't even have a promise that he'd be able to find Ed at all. He could very well never see him again, much as he'd like to think otherwise. It's hard not to fall depressed over the fact.

Oluwande bumps Stede's arm with his own, pulling him from his thoughts," You alright, mate?"

Stede flashes a quick grin to assure him," Oh, I'm fine. Just- a few of us are missing here. Wish we were all together is all."

Oluwande looks back down into his glass and nods solemnly," I miss Jim"

There's some quiet agreement that ripples through their circle.

"And Lucius" speaks Pete.

"Frenchie" from Wee John.

"Fang, Ivan" adds Roach.

"Ed" Stede finishes.

He knows there are conflicted feelings there. He's still not sure how to feel about everything that's happened since he left and came back. There is anger, he's sure. It's there, seated in his chest burning at the thought of his crew hurt. But it sat right next to the love he fostered for Ed, the love he was just able to recognize. He couldn't be expected to have it all sorted out so soon. Especially when there were many questions unanswered. But until then, he'd miss Ed. And he wouldn't lie to his crew about that. 

There's a silence that settles around them for a moment before they all take a drink from their glasses. Maybe it was a sort of toast to those far away. They didn't really feel right with their crew being so many members short...

"I, though, do not long to see Israel." Buttons counters with his incredible brand of seriousness that is always so perfectly hilarious, and despite the melancholy that hung around them, everyone broke out into laughter.

"No, I suppose not," Stede said as he tried to stifle down his chuckle.

"No! Certainly don't miss him!" Swede calls between his giggles.

"Never Dizzy Izzy!" Roach said into the table, where he had his head against it, as he slammed his fist onto the wood through his own fit.

"If I was captain just a few minutes longer..." Oluwande mused about their nearly complete mutiny with joyous tears brimming his eyes.

"If only!" Roach cranes his neck up to jeer.

It takes them a few minutes to come down from that high of giggles and insults at Izzy's expense. It felt good. To have something silly to laugh about. This is who they are. Loving each other, ridiculous laughter, and a half-baked plan they're barely even thinking about. Their crew is truly the only one of its kind.

Stede dabs his sleeve under his lashes to wipe at his own watering eyes. With a sigh, he places his hand on Button's shoulder and says," I think we really needed that one. Thank you, Buttons."

"Always happy to serve, cap'n."

"That you are. Alright, men, I think it's time we tried to make some sort of plan for how we're going to make it to the Republic"

"I can go talk some with the chef in the kitchen." Roach offers.

"Now, Roach, we aren't on our own boat. Are you sure you should be just waltzing into this other fellow's-" Stede began.

"Oh please, we cooks love to gab about everything and nothing to anyone, especially other cooks. I'll be right back." Roach says as he excuses himself, downing the last of the rum in his glass before making his way around the back corner of the room.

"Alright, any ideas while Roach gossips?"

"We could-" Swede starts before his voice falls. His eyes are glued to the front door, causing the rest of their table to turn toward it.

Stepping in through the door were three men, clearly pirates. If not obvious by their gait and disposition, the knives and guns on their hips were a sure indicator. And they were all covered head to toe in leather garments. Which was surely not a common fashion choice amongst mariners. They had to be members of Blackbeard's crew. Though they were none of the ones any of The Revenge crew met before. The one in the middle, who seems to command the most attention, was a tall, quite muscular, tan man, with a choppy cut of black hair. To his left was a more slender-built, paler character with clear tan lines peaking from under his cropped sleeves and a short, slicked-back head of brown. The man on the right looked similar to the one on the left. Though he was rounder, a bit redder, and his hair had a more of a curl up at the ends.

"We'll be checking out with half your rum." the center one says to the server.

"We have a very large store of rum, even half that much would be far too much for any group, no matter how many you have." 

"I disagree. Blackbeard and his top men are in a mood presently. So we'll be getting the half, I'm sure we'll put it away faster than you expect."

"Blackbeard? He's anchored offshore?" the server asked with a slight shutter.

"No, no need to fright miss." the man spoke with a sneer," He's off a ways away. Sent us to round up more booze. We've even come with quite a good deal; we won't cover the establishment in your blood and we'll leave behind whatever gold I happen to have in this purse." He finished with a shake of a pouch he'd had one of the other men carrying. It looks rather full, if anything, it probably wasn't quite a fair price for the amount of liquor they were looking to leave with, but it might not ruin the owner's finances.

"So? Blackbeard?" croons one of the drunks as he peels himself off the bar to look at the pirates.

"Yes, Blackbeard. He's not hiring men like you, so don't get your hopes up." the more angular of the two goons teased.

"And who would want to be on his crew these days? I heard he was getting soft in his old age." he spat as he, less than gracefully, sauntered towards the three.

"I heard he didn't even have no beard now!" one of the still seated drunks added," And! That he was getting so weak and gentile that he wasn't even a pirate no more."

"That's a lie you'll pay with your tongue for repeating." The center man fumed with rage as he reached for his knife, at this point the server began to slip away. Stede and his men themselves carefully crept out and turned a corner in the building. They were still close enough to listen, but there was a worrisome tension building that they needn’t be near.

"I heard a rumor that he was some rich boy's little pet now. Like a bitch." spoke up another man from his group.

"And where do you lot go around collecting such false gossip? Whatever rumor mill you run out of seems to enjoy feeding you lies." the leader of the three threatened as he got into the face of the man.

"Spanish Jackie says so.” he answers without a flinch,” A lot of people like buying rum, and the last time I was by on delivery, she had a lot to say. Apparently, even Blackbeard's own right-hand man went on and on for days about how pathetic the supposed devil of the sea was now. Seems his first mate was too whipped to leave him, even when he was obviously going loose in the head and not worth his reputation anymore."

"There's no truth to it! It was all a clever deception by the captain to prove just how powerful he is!", pushed the slender one.

"Leaving his own crew behind to sail around with - whatsit-” the accuser motions to his group for help,” Steve Bonner?" 

"Yes. He was earning their trust to steal his vessel and riches!" defended the pudgy member.

"And what about getting caught by the British Navy?” pipes in a new face from the crowd, he looked like a fellow pirate,” They said he went so far as to sign himself away to King George's Service! To take an Act of Grace? Blackbeard? The one who was meant to be the scariest of us?"

"It was a bluff! He let himself be caught just to prove to them that, even if he handed himself over and walked right into their grasp, he'd still get away and continue to pillage the ocean!"

The unknown pirate continues with a look around the room," And when was the last time he went pillaging! Huh, boys? Any'a seen him on the waters? Doing any dastardly deeds; spilling blood and stealing riches?"

"He's bored by your little boy games of piracy- he plays in his own league. But, if you’ve got a mind that he’s gone weak, go ahead and face him on the water with a sword in your hand. You'd be a fool to rely on that thought. You’ll find then just how stupidly wrong you are when you’re greeting death’s smiling face. He's just as tough as he’s always been. Marooned the useless members of the ship he took- kept only the ones who would fulfill his needs... and even then, he'll not hesitate to take out anyone in his way. "

There's a chill that passes over the hidden listeners. They feel what sort of conclusion the man was drawing to… One of their own was…

"He killed one of 'em when he was too much trouble. Told us so himself, that he'd ‘taken care of’ the fucker." the leader confirmed their fears.

There's a dread settling into their bones. Oluwande, Pete, and Wee John especially seem to clench their muscles tighter around themselves, listening with such bated breath as they beg for just a hint of their companion's well-being. Three of their favorite people were missing, and one of them was dead…

"As rare and as useful as it is to have a scribe on deck, according to Izzy, this one was a harlot who didn't know its place. And Blackbeard doesn't entertain a whore’s insubordination."

Lucius. 

He meant Lucius. 

The leather-dressed men go on to instill the fear of Blackbeard into the crowd, seemingly to successfully reign in his reputation again, though it’s not like Stede and his crew even hear it. Once they knew who it was, they couldn’t listen to anything else. The moment of relief for Oluwande's partner and Wee John's roommate barely has a second to sit before they all feel like their stomachs have dropped through the floorboards. Ed killed Lucius. They all have just the time to turn their eyes to Pete and see his blank, painful expression snap into one of blind rage. His lip curls up at the scar as his eyebrows dig deep between his eyes. He closes his hands into tight fists and surges to do... something. They all clamber over one another to hold him down. They struggled to get a good angle on Pete as he thrashed around under them. Wee John held tightly on his shoulders while the others tried desperately to pin his arms and legs and cover his mouth. 

They felt for him. So deeply, they all felt for his loss, most of them were biting back tears. It was Lucius after all. He was cleaner than the lot of them. He had yet to kill anyone or really get the stomach for it. He just lived his life on a pirate ship. Reading books, drawing his sketches, writing their story, delighting each of them with his genuine interest. He was Lucius, who happened to be among pirates. So loud and stubborn and smart. He was sneaky, could turn on a dime, but was reverently loyal. To Stede, to Pete, to everyone. Oluwande remembers how Jim had nearly killed him over their secret, only for Lucius to return the favor by stealing back their family knife. And now he’s… 

“And how dare you- What’s going on out here?” A man walks out of the kitchen holding a thick cooking knife under Roach's chin as he backed him out. Could've been Antonio himself, and it looked like Roach's attempt at obtaining intel wasn't going over well. 

More threats are said from Blackbeard's men, but all Stede was focused on was getting their chef’s attention and getting out while keeping Pete from avenging Lucius right then and there. He was able to reach his head around the corner without losing his hold on Pete’s right arm. Luckily, Roach notices his captain’s now messy mop of blonde hair peeking out and makes a gesture that he’d be over and out in a moment. He settled his expression and somehow got out from under the cook's blade without notice before he crept forward, and he discreetly shoved one of the men Blackbeard’s pirates were barking at into them. Before anyone could even see what happened, the whole bar was swept up in a brawl. And through some unknown blessing, Roach crosses the room and rejoins the crew rather quickly.

“I take it we’re leaving now?” he asked.

“Absolutely, we are.” Stede answers. 

“Pete? Pete, we’re going to leave now. Alright? You need to calm down so we can get out of here.” Oluwande tries to tell him, his hand being the one covering Pete’s mouth. But Pete’s not listening to it. He’s still struggling against them all.

“Pete. We really got to go.” the Swede tries.

“THEY KILLED HIM! LUCIUS! THEY KILLED HIM!” Pete's scream was muffled into Oluwande’s grasp.

The tears had cleared a bit when he focused on getting Roach’s attention, but they began to gather in Stede’s eyes again,“ I know, Pete. I know. It’s not fair.”

Pete throws his head in painful “no’s” in response as his own cries continue down his cheeks.

Stede continues,“ I’m so sorry. He deserved better, Pete. I know. And they’re bragging about a truly awful thing, I know. It hurts. I’m hurt, too. But- we need to go. We’re going to get back home, figure out what’s happened, and make sure the right people pay. Okay? These guys are terrible, but they didn’t do it. And we’re not going to let you hurt yourself to fight them. It’s not worth it. So please, just try to calm down a bit. And we’ll get on the water and figure it out. Okay?”

Through it, Pete’s fury falls into just aching. His muscles stop thrashing and he’s just left shaking through his cries. Stede moves to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, and Pete closes his eyes to blink away more tears. Eventually, they get him calmed enough for Wee John to release him, but Pete's a bit wobbly. It took a lot out of him, that sudden grief. He lets out a huff and lets his head fall forward a bit, eyes on the ground. 

“Are you ready to go?” Stede asks gently.

All Pete musters is a weak shrug and goes to walk forward, nearly tripping, before Oluwande catches him by the arm. Oluwande takes that limb and pulls it over his shoulders while he wraps his arm across Pete’s back to support him. It could’ve been him, he knows. It could’ve been him finding out his partner was gone, and he’d have nothing he could do to feel any relief. He was lucky it wasn’t him. 

Some of the worst news their group could’ve expected to hear was still heavy on their minds. But they walk away from the sounds of the fighting and exit the side door out of the building. There’s a new silence that hangs around them. It’s the first time they really lost one of their own, excluding voluntary leave, finger, or bird. They all had grown to care for each other so greatly, that any loss would bring unimaginable hurt. But it was Lucius. He was the youngest. So new and excited. And he was so positively himself. He was his own kind of fearless, no matter his screams at blood. He made his own fun and was the sort you'd knew had your best interests at heart. He was supportive and kind, all the while lacing his words with sass and wit. And now he wasn’t. He just… wasn’t anymore. 

When they make it to the docks, they see a boat that wasn’t there earlier. It was big. Not as big as The Revenge. It wasn’t a proper ship, but it was big. It was a sailing vessel, long and narrow, looked like there was a hold under the deck, two masts, and an intricate series of sails and rigging. It wore Blackbeard’s flag, which meant this is what those men rode in on. Stede has half a mind to take that one for their journey to the Republic. It would have to be minimally stocked with a few days of reserves for the trip back, and it would be a much faster craft. But it seems like no one would really know how they might sail on it, it looked incredibly different from The Revenge, so perhaps it’d be best to just take one of the other, smaller, boats for the trip. 

“That’s a fine topsail schooner” Buttons says matter of factly as they nearly stroll right past it.

“Have you ever been on one before, Buttons?” Stede stops and asks.

“Aye. Spent many years on large fishing vessels when I were small.”

“So… You think we’d be able to manage her all the way to the Republic of Pirates?”

“Oh, easily. Far more so than that little dingy down the beach,” he confirms with a simple hum. 

Stede offers with a gesture to the ship,“ Well, gents, how about we make ourselves comfortable and get on our way on this prize then?”

With that, they set to work untying her from the dock and climbing aboard. It doesn’t take much time for Buttons to have everyone get the sails set right, and their new travel begins to pull away from Dominica, slow-moving while it drifts to find the wind and current. As they begin on their way, there’s a commotion drawing near. The very same pirates from Antonio’s are running down the harbor, barrels under their arms. They call for Stede and his men to stop what they’re doing, even ask if they don’t recognize the sail and who it stands for.

Stede grabs onto a particularly sturdy rigging rope, and leans out over the side of the back end of the barge,” Sorry men! We’ll be taking this with us while we make way to get back to my own ship. The Revenge, that is! I’ll be taking back control of her from Blackbeard shortly. You can try to follow and join up with the rest of your crew if you want, but they’ll be under new management quite soon, so you’ll become a member of mine then. Of course, if you'd like to chase after us and try to claim her back for yourselves, don't think it'll be easy. I designed The Revenge and have sailed her my whole career, there's not a man alive who knows her as I do."

The men stand at the edge of the dock as the boat wades out of reach. Dumbfounded, they drop their barrels with a crack as the alcohol leaches out. 

Stede finds a smirk and says to Wee John,“ If you can find a few spare bottles of liquor, I think we might try that thing you’ve been wanting to do…” 

“In the meantime, I’d suggest trying for a little dingy we’ve left behind further up the shoreline. Maybe you’ll use it to try and get back at us. Though it is rather tiny. And if you wish to speak of the events here tonight? It was the Gentleman Pirate, back on the tides.” He finishes as Wee John emerges from the lower deck. He holds a few bottles with rags in the necks, his own molotovs all ready for the arson he’s been waiting for. They all get a bottle, save for Buttons at the helm and Stede, who simply wanted to command. Roach opens the door on a lantern, and they all look to the captain, waiting for assurance to go for it. 

“Give them hell, boys.”

In no time at all, there are fiery bursts onto the harbor itself and the boats that are still near enough for their aim. It might not have been as magnificent as setting a while ship ablaze with the cries of your enemies ringing out, but it felt good. It looked like the men did end up making it off, so their rebellion didn’t really end in much harm done. Besides the property damage, of course. But that wasn’t much concern. They were on their way, in far more luxury this time. 

Swede sang for their departure as they sailed off towards the moon, away from the burning wood on Dominica’s coast, and towards the Republic of Pirates.

[paranoid-radio]

And they were so casual about it which makes it worse somehow

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