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box4brains · 10 months ago

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I just want to talk about Law…

Kinda hc-y, could I get other ppls opinions and views on these things?

So!

I hc Law as someone who has extreme issues with control. In fact, he knows he can be unreasonable and extreme when it comes to being in control, however due to his trauma he associates not being in control with the worst moments of his life and thus fear it more than anything else.

He can’t not be in control and not fear he’ll lose anything and everything he holds dear.

I know there’s a lot of jokes about how relaxed Law was before the time skip and while it’s possible that it’s just Oda not having cemented his character, I generally look at it as Law just… being a cocky little shit.

Law is someone I see as extremely cautious, strong and clever. He wouldn’t put himself or his crew in danger if he could avoid it. And in case he can’t avoid it, try ending it as fast as possible and in whatever manner is safest to him and his crew.

So unlike Luffy he never had any close calls all through the first half of the GL. He never encountered any truly strong marines or enemies the same way Luffy did.

I don’t think he’d go out of his way to be antagonistic or pick fights like Kid either.

Law is definitely still cautious, but the first half of the GL basically being a breeze would definitely make him a cocky little bastard. At least until the war between the WBP and the marines gave him a wake up call in the form of a metaphorical slap to the face.

But it it still doesn’t adequately explain his “new” personality in Punk Hazard (imo).

He appears to act hastily, is grim and severe and appears to be in the middle of a suicide attack. Seems weird and kinda ooc… at least without a good reason for it.

I generally look at it like this;

Law is acting more hastily than he’d prefer, because he knows he’s running out of time.

We know his original plan to take down Doflamingo wasn’t what he’d actually wanted to do. Law wanted revenge, he wanted to fight Doflamingo himself, not set up this elaborate scheme that basically used Kaido to do what he couldn’t.

So what’s the rush?

I believe that Law designed the Heart pirates logo/jolly roger and picked the name as a way to honor Cora’s memory, but it was also meant to send the message to Doflamingo “I’m your Corazon, I’m coming home”. That’s why the flag look so alike, remember, Doffy doesn’t know that Law was present when he killed his brother. Doffy doesn’t know that Law knows that Doffy means to use him to further his own agenda.

From Doffys pov it probably looks like Law disappeared only to appear maybe 5-6 years later as a pirate, practically wearing his symbol and carrying the title/name he raised him to inherit.

I believe Law would know Doflamingo well enough that Doflamingo would take it as a sign that he was (perhaps slowly and meticulously, just as he was taught) making his way back “home”.

Hell, Doflamingo probably was all happy and smug about it. His 3:rd Corazon was working his way up in the world, making his way back to his side, despite his own brother having done everything in his power to mess everything up.

Remember, Law was in no hurry to make his way into the New World. I think it’s because he knows he can only prolong his appearance in front of Doffy for so long if he did.

Now, I hc hard that Law and the Heart pirates deal in the black market, specifically because Law knows that Doflamingo is Joker, and he needs all the dirt and information he can get to try and stay one step ahead of Doffy, and to try to find his weak spots.

Well, he finds out about SAD, Smile and Kaido. Finally he’s got something he might use to his advantage. However, he also finds out that Kaido’s almost done creating his army of world domination. Maybe he gives it a year or so before the whole world will be dragged into a war guaranteed to change the world forever, both politically and geographically. And then all his knowledge will be useless.

And Law knows Doffy won’t wait another decade or so before he might be able to tackle Doflamingo again.

No, his only choice is to get in front of the storm brewing on the horizon, to take charge and use the pieces all around him to place himself in the eye of the hurricane and use the powers around him to accomplish his own goals.

He needs to use Kaido to take out Doflamingo. It doesn’t matter if Kaidos army of beasts is almost done, practically done or just a single person short. Kaidos temper is legendary, and his rage against Doflamingo failing to fulfill his duties would lead to a clash between them, a clash Doflamingo has no hope of winning.

A strong and clever pirate could sweep in after an stake his claim in the New World. The probability of coming out on top is abysmally small, but Doffys defeat is practically guaranteed, and the rewards of success is incredibly enticing. Not to mention he has no other choice.

Now Law is a warlord during this. He needs the contacts in the navy and he needs something to be a plausible reason for not turning up at Doflamingos doorstep with a smile and begging to be his puppet.

Law knows, Doflamingo likes useful pawns, but Laws biggest use is to die so Doffy can live forever, and Doflamingo isn’t going to wait forever, regardless of how much Law improves his abilities and allure as someone who’s usefulness is off the charts.

So he gets his hands on a eternal pose to PH and says goodbye to his crew… They don’t want to part, but they know that his orders are absolute, to disobey orders is to be kicked from the crew, so they go, and pray to anything that will listen to please let their captain come back to them.

And Law negotiates with Ceasar. He gives him his heart, his freedom, his most precious thing, what Cora-san died slowly and agonizingly to give him. And then… Luffy

For the second time in Laws life, Luffy crashes into his life, turning everything upside down and blowing all his carefully laid plans out of the water.

Luffy who’s freedom itself, Luffy who’s the very definition of the D that Cora-san spoke of. The storm that declared war against the world, the enemy of the gods that punched a celestial dragon in the face without a moment’s hesitation.

In the face of such an free soul, the invisible leach that Ceasar has around Laws neck chafe something terrible. Listening to the clown happily talking about how he made drug addicts of small children, something in Law finally snaps and he ends up hunting down Luffy with the goal of making an alliance.

Because some part of Law trusts Luffy, regardless of how much he hates it, swears up and down that he doesn’t, that he shouldn’t…

After all, Luffy and his crew are perhaps the definition of the type of people that he can’t help but open his heart for. (Strong-willed, happy-go-lucky and determined with a tendency to do everything in their power for those they care for). And that terrifies him. Because Luffy can’t be controlled, and therefore Law cannot protect him.

And Law just can’t handle losing a loved one again. Never again. There’s a reason he always makes sure to place himself between anything that would do them harm and his crew.

Anyway, I sure would like to hear other people’s thoughts and/or hc of Law and his character

… I spent most of the night writing this 🙄 oh well…

#trafalgar d water law #trafalgar law #trafalgardwaterlaw #character discussion #one piece #heart pirates #rant

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piratestrash · 3 years ago

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Yay, thank you! :D

Jack sat there on the Barnacle's deck for what felt like a long while, but in truth it was at most a few short minutes. He sat there thinking about his options. The navy wasn't really after him, were they? Fitzwilliam had said it himself. They just wanted to use Jack in order to find Teague. It was the Keeper of the Code they wanted, not Jack. So why was Jack so worried?

He was worried because, despite running away from home, assembling a crew, and experiencing adventures upon the high seas, there was still one thing that mattered to him above all else. That was Teague. Jack and Teague may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but that didn't change the fact that they had a very close bond-they were family.

Because of this, Jack could not let himself sit idle while Teague battled, or tried to escape, the navy. He needed to take some sort of action. But he knew that Teague might not be very receptive. After all, Jack had left home in the middle of the night and stowed away on a merchant ship bound for the pirate town of Tortuga. No parent or guardian or person-who-might-be-your parent would accept that. Unless he was a pirate.

"Jackie," Teague called out from aboard his ship. The huge reddish boat dwarfed the Barnacle. A figurehead of a woman with a tail for legs decorated its bow, and along the ship's side was the name Misty Lady. Jack looked up. "What?"

"Maybe you've forgotten, but the navy is bringing up the rear. Mighty quick, too." "What on earth does that have to do with me?" Jack asked, wishing his face was still buried in his knees.

Teague raised an eyebrow and gave Jack a knowing glance. Jack knew exactly what that look meant. No matter where Jack tried to run to, no matter how hard he attempted to escape, he would be inextricably linked to Teague and his pirating ways forever.

"I'm not a pirate," Jack said evenly. "It won't matter much what you are if you're blown to bits by a cannon blast, will it?" Teague replied. His men were scurrying across the deck, readying their ship for battle. Jack stood up. The navy was merely a league or so away now. Jack had two options: he could sit in his boat and most likely be barreled over or blown apart by the navy, or he could hop aboard Teague's ship and only less likely be blown apart.

"What makes you think I'm not a match for the navy and their friends?" Jack asked.

Teague laughed quietly. Then he grabbed one of the pirates who was scurrying aboard his ship. The pirate wore a vest but no shirt, and Jack noticed that some of the many tattoos on his arms looked familiar. One of them was the same icon that adorned Teague's Jolly Roger-a skeleton holding a speared heart. The pirate ran his fingers through his spiky black hair as Teague whis pered something to him. Then he saluted Teague and rejoined the rest of the crew.

"Remember all those times I needed to step in and come to your rescue?" Teague asked.

"You speak as if you'd let me forget," Jack said.

"Well, this is another one of those times," Teague said.

This gives me the feeling that he's both being controlling/saying "You can't survive without me" but also a bit of love for Jack.

He wants Jack alive and does seem to care about him. He's just not doing it in the best way. Which, granted, he has a point here and were there not other behavior, I'd probably say he's not being manipulative. But I can't disregard other instances of manipulation and abuse.

Jack is linked to him and while technically not sailing under a pirate flag anymore, he'd still probably be killed either due to a stray shot, association with pirates, or even in the eyes of the law, being no better than a pirate/considered one anyway.

And bringing up other instances would be a way to say "You aren't as good as you think you are. Let me protect you so I can keep you alive."

However, he's used this in the past and most likely not in nearly as understandable circumstances. Which is why it at the very least, is probably a double meaning in "You are not capable/Need me. You have to listen" and "I care about you, you are overestimating what you can do, and most likely they aren't going to care anyway"

#Edward Teague #Captain Jack Sparrow #Jack Sparrow #Child abuse tw

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tideridera · 5 years ago

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HEADCANON : hypersexuality

Harry was raised within an environment that normalized approaching sex casually and as he grew up the crew of the Jolly Roger encouraged him to partake in casual sex as a means of asserting his masculinity and ‘ becoming a man ’. Raised within an extremely violent and neglectful community of hyper and toxic masculinity, the only physical intimacy that Harry received was through fighting or sex. As such, Harry developed a preoccupation with sexual pursuits of casual, non-intimate sex, usually with strangers though he does make sexual advances on those he is close with as well.

Harry is addicted to the neurochemical and dissociative high produced by the act of sex. He objectifies not only his sexual partners but himself as well and uses sex as a way to stabilize his own distress or manage emotional triggers. He uses sex to “ feel better ”. The committed sexual act is not emotionally intimate, it is not romantic, it is simply a physical action to distract or ignore greater emotional turmoil, to self-soothe and tolerate emotional stressors in a way that feels good to Harry.

Harry will sometimes mistakenly associate the temporary feelings of relief and satisfaction from sex, with the individual he is having sex with, convincing himself that he has deeper feelings towards them when he doesn’t which in turn makes people believe that he “ falls in love easily ”, when in reality he is more obsessed with the high he receives from sexual gratification.

Harry has a tendency to objectify most people that he sees, meets or interacts with. Strangers are often viewed as possible sexual partners, hence his flirtatious behavior as well as his sexually charged advancements made to people he barely knows. Harry approaches sex casually and often assumes that everyone else does too unless he gets to know them more. Friends are also viewed as a sexual object but it is approached more as a ‘ friends with benefits ’, type of relationship. A way to make himself and his friend ( or friends ) feel good or simply to pass the time. Harry will also flirt and make advances on people that he views as his enemies, however he does this out of a sense of conquest and as a means of achieving power over his enemies.

While Harry approaches sex casually he does not make as many or as aggressive advances on Uma and to a slightly lesser degree Gil. Harry sees both Uma and Gil as more than just friends and in so doing becomes slightly more self-aware. He knows that if he were ever to become intimate with Uma or Gil it would be more than just casual sex, it would mean more to him and he would hope that it would mean more to Uma or Gil as well. As such there is a part of him that is hesitant to go all the way.

Romance, intimacy and love are violently discouraged on the Isle to such a degree that anyone who is caught displaying such things are physically punished or publicly humiliated. This is another reason for why Harry would be hesitant to cross that line with either Uma or Gil, he knows that it would not be casual and would be about love

Harry’s hypersexuality is not healthy. It is a dysfunctional response and reaction to early attachment issues, abuse and trauma. It will take years for him to overcome this and it will have a role to play in any relationships he has whether they’re romantic or not. It is difficult to trust someone who is always looking to use sex as an escape or a weapon, it is difficult to be in a relationship with someone who will often imagine having sex with other people. If Harry does become a part of a monogamous relationship, this will not cure him of his hypersexuality, it will however force him to address his own views and feelings on and about sex and force him to realize he has an actual problem. At the moment, he is unaware that his approach to sex isn’t normal.

#♤ — where the sharks have his body & the devil has his soul. 「 headcanon. 」#that got way too long sorry #it's a complicated issue

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descendantofthesparrow · 6 years ago

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Deaf! Harry Hook x Reader - first voice

Key:

h/c- hair color

e/c- eye color

s/c- skin color

y/n- your name

“talking”

“signing”

“talking while signing”

‘thought’

“lip reading”

---narrator pov---

ever since he was little, Harry had been unable to Hear the world around him, he could see, taste, smell, and touch just fine. but he couldn't hear...you see Harry was deaf, now he wasn't born deaf, no no no, an accident happened.

now when Harry was 7, he was on the jolly roger when a rival pirate crew ambushed his father's crew and took Harry hostage, and when the one holding him got tackled, Harry got sent to the floor and his head hit the floor and caused something connected to his ears in his brain to be disconnected, he blacked out and when he awoke, his sisters and uncle Smee standing over him, seemingly talking but...they weren't? he couldn't hear anything.

as he stared at them like they were crazy, Smee figured something out and tested it by secretly snapping his fingers directly next to Harry's ear, and...nothing. no reaction, saddened by the poor boy's fate, he grabbed a writing device and wrote

“Harrison my boy, I’m so sorry, but you’re deaf now.”

Harry, tried to tell him off, but when he spoke, he couldn't hear himself, he could feel the rumble of his voice, but...no voice. Harry couldn't believe it, he jumped out of bed and ran off, needing to get away from everything for a moment. so he ran, ran past the usually noisy gaston fight bar. nothing. ran past the screeching witches. nothing.

nothing

nothing!

collapsing on the beach he felt something burning at the back of his eyes, flooding over and streaking down his face. pressing his hand to his face he felt wetness

'tears, of course'

Harry let them run, he was allowed to, he couldn't hear any more for fuck's sake he could burn down a village if he wanted to.

so he cried, and cried, and cried.

Smee found him three hours later, curled up asleep on the beach, eyes red and puffy, tears long dried up on his cheeks. he picked him up and took him back to the ship.

---

Uma found out sooner than later and when she did she refused to leave his side for a week before her mother pulled her away, screaming her head off.

fortunately, Mal didn't find out, along with almost all the Isle, the only people who knew Harry was deaf were his dad, sisters, uncle Smee, Gil, Uma, and Yen Sid.

Now Yen Sid found out Harry was Deaf when Harry came to class, and whenever he called on Harry, he wouldn't respond till Uma shoved him and showed him a piece of paper written down with what he was asking on it. Harry also seemed to be more sluggish in his talking, as if he couldn't hear what he was trying to say, so he confronted Harry, and after Harry confirmed it, Yen decided he would teach Harry ASL, Auradon Sign Language. along with teaching Uma as well, who taught it to Gil.

over the years Harry had mastered ASL and lip reading. Yen Sid had also forced Harry to undergo speech therapy, knowing Harry would need to keep a reputation and for that, he would need to talk so Harry could talk just as he would if he could hear, and when he was around his family or friends that knew, he would simultaneously sign. it was just easier. he also learned a lot of ASL swear words.

so now the backstory is set, let us go on to the story.

----

Harry sat in the chip shop watching the entrance carefully, Uma had yet to return and he was getting anxious, tapping his hands on the table. The crew around him also being anxious, Gil soon took noticed and tapped Harry on the shoulder, Harry jumped and turned to Gil, who started to move his hands around, a worried look on his face.

“Hey, are you okay? you’re really jumpy”

Harry sighed and pressed his pinkie and ring fingers into his palm and pointed his index and middle finger out and pressed them together with his thumb, opening and closing them. “no” Gil made a face and signed “why?”

“Uma, I don't know where she is and im getting worried” Gil made an “oh” shape and nodded signing “don't worry Harry its Uma, we have nothing to worry about” Harry furrowed his brows but nodded pressing his fingers to his chin and extended his hand to Gil, a soft smile on his face.

“thank you”

all of a sudden bonny tapped the table five times causing vibrations in the table, alerting Harry. harry and the crew straitened and looked to the entrance, Harry let out a harsh breath, Auradon messengers. the one in the front walked forward and handed Him and Gil a scroll, both glanced at each other

‘His Royal Majesty, King Ben of Auradon, and his counselor Ms.Evie of the Isle hereby request the pleasure of your company, Harry Hook, for the current academic year at Auradon Prep. please notify his Majesty’s couriers of your response of his request.

I should have done this sooner, I'm sorry, please come.

King Ben.

PS. we are still looking for Uma, if she is found she will also be given an invitation, I promise.’

Harry bit his lip and glanced over at Gils which entailed the same words with a few exceptions. Harry looked over to the couriers and carefully spoke as not to reveal his disability.

“we accept”

---

Harry made a face at Gil as he stuffed his face with the limo sweets, Gil turned to him and raised his brow

“what?” Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed a cherry lollipop. ripping it open and popping it in his mouth he looked outside the car window, pausing when the cherry syrup hit his tastebuds, feeling his throat rumble, he realized he probably just moaned at the taste, turning he saw Gil laughing, getting control of himself Gil signed to Harry

“dude, did it taste THAT good?”

all Harry did was give the bird, causing Gil to double over laughing again.

soon they arrived at the school and the boys looked at each other and Gil signed “don't worry, I’ll be right here if anybody talks to fast ill fill you in later” Harry pressed his fingers to his chin and extended his hand outward to Gil,

“thank you” Gil nodded and said “you’re welcome Harry”

the two clambered out of the limo and saw, Ben, Mal, Evie, Carlos, Jay, a band (which Harry couldn't Hear, one of the few times Harry was glad he was deaf), and Fairy Godmother. FG opened her mouth and began her speech but she was talking at a speed Harry couldn't lip read so he just looked around when someone caught his eye, a (h/c) (s/c) girl was walking into the dorm building and she turned and her (e/c) eyes caught his and she gave a shy smile and waved before continuing her way into the building.

‘well,’ Harry thought following Ben and Mal lead the way for a tour, ‘shes interesting’

...

‘i wonder what her name is’

---

over the next two months, Harry made sure no one would be able to deduce the fact that he was deaf, though many Auradonians made that hard sometimes, like facing away from him as they talked preventing him from lip reading, he did notice that there were some other deaf people here, who also used ASL, Gil tried to convince him to introduce himself to them but he refused, not sure that they wouldn't tell FG and Ben. so he was doing...okay, except there was that one girl that he saw on his first day here, Gil had met her in home ec class and had said that her name was (y/n) and was really nice and he should get to know her, Gil also said that he should tell Ben and FG about the deaf situation, they would understand.

all Harry said was “bullshit”...at least to the Ben and FG thing, as for the (y/n) thing....goddammit fine he’d get to know her.

only thing was..when he met her in the place Gil set up,...she talked yeah...but she also signed. Harry blanched and hurriedly asked her how she knew he was deaf. she signed/said

“well, whenever someone tries to talk to you, and they are behind you, you don't respond till either someone alerts you or they touch you. and FG also brought it up with me, as im one of the only really fluent ASL speakers on campus, soooo yeah”

Harry simply stared at her until he realized that...Fairy godmother knew

“what FG knows!?”

“well, not really, she has a hunch, she wanted me or Gil to tell her but both of us think you should be the one to tell her, it is your disability”

well, it kinda made sense, FG had always been enunciating her words, she might have done that so Harry could read her lips.

he felt (y/n) tug his jacket, looking up at her he saw her smile and she pointed at him, pointed at herself, and clasp her hands together in a motion that Harry had only seen Yen Sid do while teaching him ASL.

“you, me, friends?”

Harry gaped at her, before nodding slowly, his face heating up. she smiled brightly, closing her eyes and laughing. and in just that motion, Harry realized how adorable this girl was.

‘godammit, I’m not trained to deal with this much adorableness’

and from that day forward, (y/n) joined their duo, making it a trio once more, Harry finally noticing that she was in all of their classes and Gil had forced her to move her seat to the one directly next to Harry. so by forced association and newfound friendship, he and (y/n) were getting to know each other. and slowly...Harry was falling for the (h/c), (e/c) cutie/beauty.

first, he was amused.-

he liked to tease her, and when he did, she puffed her cheeks and he liked to squeeze them and make the air pop out. and when he visits her in cooking class she’d have whatever she was cooking/baking with all over her apron and face, and she'd toss some him, many a time creating a food fight. and like a little evil mastermind, used his deafness to her advantage (it was one of the few times he didn't mind someone doing that), recruiting Gil and hounding him with chocolate and flour.

then, he was impressed-

he had attended a viewing of R.O.A.R tryouts, and there was a particular fighter that had swamped all the others with ease, flipping, pk rolling, clearly an expert in both defense and offense, easily beating Jay, the dick head chad, and the actually cool chick Lonnie. and when the fighter revealed themselves, Harry almost tripped. (y/n), it was (y/n). she saw him in the upstairs viewpoint, grinned and gave him a thumbs up, Harry giving one in return.

...

yeah, she got in. goddamnit, she’s awesome.

finally, he was smitten.-

he fell, oh geez he fell hard, he’d fallen for her rhythmic tapping of her fingers on his wrist, he’d fallen for the way she took his hand and pressed it to her throat/chest to feel her voice as she sang her favorite songs, he’d fallen for the way she jumped excitedly as she presented a dessert she’d thought he’d like after working on it for hours. how’d she write notes for classes of a teacher who never spoke to the class facing forward for him, how’d she naturally speak and sign at the same time so Harry could understand her, how’d she stay up late with him and Gil and help them understand remedial goodness and math.

just...she had become a lighthouse, in the storm of his life, she had even understood his devotion to Uma, even volunteering to go help look for her.

one day he realized, if he would possibly hear again, her voice would be the first voice he’d want to hear.

--the end!!...?--

I’m going to be doing two endings to this,

-the slight angst with fluff ending where Harry regains his hearing in a similar way that he lost it, hitting his head-

-the fluffiest ending where FG tells Harry about hearing aids and Harry goes for it and he hears for the first time in 10-11 years-

note: there will be crying in both endings, not telling you who cries.

Links are making this story not show up in tumblr search bar, so if fluff ending and angst ending are wanted to be read go to my page and type in first voice.

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celestialmazer · 5 years ago

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Source https://www.vispronet.com/blog/famous-pirate-flags/

Top 10 Most Famous Pirate Flags And Their Meanings by Chris Edwards

Almost since the end of the Golden Age of Piracy in 1720, pirates have captured the imagination of the public. When it comes to pirates, perhaps nothing has captured people’s attention more than one of the most famous pirate flags in existence, the Jolly Roger.

Pirates Symbols and Meanings

Symbol Meaning

Red Pirate Flag Warning sign for no mercy

Skull and Bones Death

Bleeding Heart Slow painful death awaits you

Edward Low (red skeleton) Torment with eventual death

Hourglass Symbol Time is running thin

Nude Pirate Pirates with no shame

Clothed Pirate Most likely stood for pirate captain

Lifted Drinking Glass A toast to dying or to Satan

Horned Skeleton Satan

Weapons Incoming fight

A Short History of the Jolly Roger Pirate Flag

While pirates had been around as early as 1650, the first Jolly Rogers weren’t flown until after the Golden Age of Piracy. These first flags, flown by Bartholomew Roberts and Francis Spriggs, looked nothing like what we would expect a modern Jolly Roger to look like.

For example, Francis Spriggs’ flag was a red skeleton on a black flag. Bartholomew Roberts’ first flag was a caricature of him sharing an hourglass with Death.

No matter how they looked, all Jolly Rogers had one purpose: to send a message. They announced to anyone who saw them that the crew of the ship was pirates and that if they surrendered, they’d be given mercy.

The earliest use of a black flag with a white skull and crossbones is credited to the French pirate captain Emanuel Wynn in 1700. Wynn’s flag also used an hourglass image to symbolize that whoever saw it was running out of time. This hourglass image was then picked up by other pirates and appears on several other flags.

The skull-and-crossbones design of the Jolly Roger flag has been used in many different styles and variations. Many different pirates have used it, including “Black Sam” Bellamy, Christopher Condent and Edward England. We’ll take a look at the top ten most famous real pirate flags of all time.

10. Francis Spriggs/Edward Low

Francis Spriggs / Edward Low Flag, 1721 – 1724

Spriggs’ flag was one of the first flags to be called a Jolly Roger. However, it lacks almost all of the symbols we’ve come to associate with Jolly Rogers. The design of Spriggs’ flag, a red skeleton on a black flag, doesn’t even originate from him. Instead, it comes from one of Spriggs’ former sailing partners, Edward Low.

Although it’s unknown when Spriggs began his career of piracy, he and Low had split by Christmas of 1724. Spriggs then took his ship, the Delight, and set sail for the Caribbean.

Francis Spriggs was still active by April of 1725, when he set some of the crew from his Caribbean conquests free on the island of Roatan off the northern coast of Honduras. He and his crew captured several more ships around Bermuda and Saint Kitts later that year. His ultimate fate after 1725 is unknown.

9. Stede Bonnet, “The Gentleman Pirate”

Bonnet’s flag is traditionally thought to have been a skull over a horizontal long bone and between a heart and a dagger (shown below). However, there is no contemporary source for this having been his flag. The earliest source listing this is from an unknown, undated manuscript that was gifted to the Maritime Museum of Britain in 1939.

Captain Stede Bonnet, “The Gentleman Pirate Flag”, 1717 – 1718

Contemporary sources say that Bonnet flew either a dark red flag or a flag with a death’s head on it. If Bonnet did indeed use the flag that popular culture had associated with him, it would have had a very clear meaning. The heart and dagger represented life and death, with the skull and bone being a crude approximation of a scale.

8. Christopher Moody

Moody is yet another pirate who completely eschews the standard conventions of the Jolly Roger that we’ve come to know. Operating from 1713 to 1718 in the waters around North and South Carolina, Moody was a particularly bloodthirsty pirate. His flag, shown below, only confirms that.

Captain Christopher Moody, “No Quarter Given Flag”, 1713 – 1718

Instead of the traditional white designs on a black background that most pirates favored, Moody chose designs picked out in gold on a red background. The use of a red background is particularly ominous. Among pirates, privateers and naval captains, flying a red flag often meant that no quarter would be given.

Add this to the designs on Moody’s flag — an hourglass with wings, representing time flying away; an arm holding a dagger; and a gold skull with crossed bones — and you get a flag that is particularly chilling to see coming closer to you on the horizon.

7. Emanuel Wynn

Captain Emanuel Wynn, The First Pirate Flag

Wynne is one of the first pirates to fly a Jolly Roger as we know it today. His flag consisted of a white skull over crossed bones with an hourglass underneath. This was a symbol to anyone who saw it that time was running out and that they could only avoid death by surrendering.

One of the few contemporary descriptions of Wynn’s flag comes from Captain John Cranby, who commanded the HMS Poole. The Poole attacked Wynn off the Cape Verde islands in July of 1700. Cranby’s description is as follows: “a sable ensign with cross bones, a death’s head, and an hour glass.”

Following the attack by the Poole, Wynn left the Cape Verde islands for the Caribbean and more profitable raiding opportunities, attacking British and Spanish shipping. His eventual fate is unknown.

6. John Quelch

Captain John Quelch, 1703 – 1704

When it comes to the pirate flags on the list, John Quelch’s flag stands alone. That’s because it isn’t really a pirate flag at all: it’s the national flag of England. Before beginning his career of piracy, Quelch sailed on the English privateer ship Charles as its lieutenant. In July of 1703, the crew mutinied and elected Quelch as the new captain.

Quelch immediately sailed south for the Portuguese colony of Brazil. By the time the crew returned to their original port of call, they had over £10,000 in goods in the hold. Quelch’s prize is equivalent to about $2,416,024 today.

However, the Portuguese were not valid targets for Quelch to privateer. He was arrested and sentenced to death through an Admiralty trial — the first of its kind in America. Quelch was hanged on June 30, 1704 in Boston.

5. Thomas Tew

The flag of Thomas Tew eschews most of the standard Jolly Roger imagery except for the black flag background. In its place, his flag is an arm holding a cutlass — one of the most universal symbols of violence out there

Captain Thomas Tew, “The Rhode Island Pirate”, 1692 – 1695

Tew’s use of a cutlass was a pretty unambiguous warning. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone who stood in his way, so his enemies should just surrender. The warning was well-heeded: even though Tew was only a pirate for three years (1692 – 1695) he had managed to amass a wealth of about £8,000 ($1,651,137.49 today) by the time he died in 1695.

4. “Calico Jack” Rackham

Rackham was made famous thanks to his portrayal in the Starz TV show “Black Sails” and the video game “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”. However, he was not actually active as a pirate for very long — only two years (1718 – 1720).

Captain Calico Jack Flag, 1718 – 1720

The first record of Rackham participating in piracy comes from 1718, when he was quartermaster aboard Charles Vane’s ship Ranger. After Vane was removed from captaincy of the Ranger, Rackham was voted to the captaincy. He would command several vessels throughout his time as a pirate, most notably the Kingston. No matter which ship he commanded, Rackham would use the exact same flag: a skull above a pair of crossed swords (shown above).

3. Henry “Long Ben” Every

One of the more famous pirates on this list, Every captured the attention of both contemporary and modern audiences. Although he was only active between 1694 and 1696, Every holds the record for the largest heist of treasure ever pulled in by one pirate crew.

Captain Henry “Longben” Every (Evory / Avery / Henry Bridgeman)

In a raid on Mughal merchant ships in 1695, Every and his crew pulled in a treasure worth 300,000 to 600,000 British pounds — the equivalent of 50 to 120 million US dollars today. Following the raid, Every largely vanished from public life. All records of his location and activities cease to exist after 1696 — including what he did with his shares of the Mughal treasure.

2. Bartholomew Roberts

Even though he was only a pirate for three years, Bartholomew Roberts is perhaps the most successful pirate on this list. From 1719 to 1722, Roberts captured over 400 prizes.

Roberts began his career of piracy June of 1719. The ship he was on was captured by pirates under Howell Davis. The pirates forced Roberts and several of his men to join them. Then they set sail for the island of Principe off the west coast of Africa.

At Principe, Captain Davis was shot dead by the Portuguese garrison, who had found out that he and his crew were pirates. With Davis dead, a new captain had to be elected — Roberts.

Although he initially had not wanted to join the pirates, Roberts accepted his promotion to captain. He reasoned that if he was going to be a pirate, it was better to be captain than a common man.

After his election to captain, Roberts drew up his first flag (shown below), which showed him together with Death, holding an hourglass.

Captain Bartholomew Roberts, 1719 – 1720

Roberts is the only pirate to have used two flags, both of them famous pirate flags in their own right. While the first came soon after his election to captaincy, the second wouldn’t come until February of 1720. Roberts found himself pursued by two pairs of sloops, one from Barbados and one from Martinique. He swore vengeance against the inhabitants of both islands and had a new flag drawn up (shown below). On it, he was standing over a pair of skulls: one labelled ABH (A Barbadian’s Head) and the other AMH (A Martiniquian’s Head).

Bartholomew Roberts ABH AMH Flag, 1720 – 1722

1. Edward “Blackbeard” Teach

Without a doubt the most famous pirate on this list, Edward Teach, also has the distinction of having one of the most famous pirate flags on this list.

He has become who most people think of when they hear the word “pirate”. Teach and his first ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, have been made famous thanks to their portrayal in media such as “Sid Meier’s Pirates!” and “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”. The Blackbeard flag, shown below, is almost as famous as Blackbeard himself is.

Captain Edward Teach, “Blackbeard” Flag, 1716 – 1718

The Blackbeard Flag Meaning

Depicting a skeleton raising a toast while spearing a heart, the Blackbeard flag is almost certainly meant to intimidate one’s enemies. However, there is not as much information on what the different elements of Blackbeard’s flag mean.

Historians dispute that the flag publicly accepted as Blackbeard’s is actually his. The first mention of the flag that would later be accepted as Blackbeard’s is in 1912. The most widely-accepted contemporary source, “A General History of the Pyrates,” doesn’t even list Blackbeard as having a particular flag. The woodcut of his ship included with the book is simply flying a regular flag.

This hasn’t stopped the public from embracing it, however. The state of North Carolina flew Blackbeard’s flags from its ferries in 2018 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the battle of Ocracroke Island and Blackbeard’s death.

Sources

Infamous Pirates — Francis Spriggs: https://www.goldenageofpiracy.org/pirates/francis-spriggs.php

At The Point Of A Cutlass: https://books.google.com/books?id=VWG0AwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Francis Spriggs: http://www.thepirateking.com/bios/spriggs_francis.htm

The Tryals of Major Stede Bonnet and Other Pirates: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/lawlib/law0001/2010/201000158861859/201000158861859.pdf

Pirates — Christopher Moody: https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/pir-mody.html

The Biography of John “Calico Jack” Rackham: https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-john-calico-jack-rackham-2136377

The Trials of Joseph Dawson, et al: https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?searchCode=LCCN&searchArg=19011844&searchType=1&permalink=y

Henry Every’s Bloody Pirate Raid: https://www.history.com/news/henry-everys-bloody-pirate-raid-320-years-ago

A General History of the Pyrates: From Their First Rise and Settlement In The Land Of Providence To The Present Time: https://books.google.com/books?id=oipEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA230#v=onepage&q=AMH&f=false

Blackbeard’s pirate flag to fly on North Carolina ferries: https://www.pilotonline.com/news/article_6d13be10-39a1-11e8-952d-4b0eaa537028.html

#pirates #history #aval history #maritima #maritime history #graphic design #flags #pirate flags #skulls #skeletons #cutlass #swords #boats #calico jack #jack rackham #blackbeard #edward teach

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tiderideraa · 2 years ago

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𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍: hypersexuality .

Harry was raised within an environment that normalized approaching sex casually and as he grew up the crew of the Jolly Roger encouraged him to partake in casual sex as a means of asserting his masculinity and ‘becoming a man’. Raised within an extremely violent and neglectful community of hyper and toxic masculinity, the only affectionate physical intimacy that Harry received was through fighting or sex. As such, Harry developed a preoccupation with sexual pursuits of casual, non-intimate sex, usually with strangers though he does make sexual advances on those he is close with as well.

Harry is addicted to the neurochemical and dissociative high produced by the act of sex. He objectifies not only his sexual partners but himself as well and uses sex as a way to stabilize his own distress or manage emotional triggers. He uses sex to “feel better”. The committed sexual act is not emotionally intimate, it is not romantic, it is simply a physical action to distract or ignore greater emotional turmoil, to self-soothe and tolerate emotional stressors in a way that feels good to Harry.

Harry will sometimes mistakenly associate the temporary feelings of relief and satisfaction from sex, with the individual he is having sex with, convincing himself that he has deeper feelings towards them when he doesn’t which in turn makes people believe that he “falls in love easily”, when in reality he is more obsessed with the high he receives from sexual gratification.

Harry has a tendency to objectify most people that he sees, meets or interacts with. Strangers are often viewed as possible sexual partners, hence his flirtatious behavior as well as his sexually charged advancements made to people he barely knows. Harry approaches sex casually and often assumes that everyone else does too unless informed otherwise. Friends are also viewed as sexual objects but the approach is more as a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship. A way to make himself and his friend (or friends) feel good or simply to pass the time. Harry will also flirt and make advances on people that he views as his enemies, however he does this out of a sense of conquest, to provoke strong emotions and/or as a means of achieving power over his enemies.

Harry’s hypersexuality is not healthy. It is a dysfunctional response and reaction to early attachment issues, abuse and trauma. It will take years for him to overcome this and it will have a role to play in any relationships he has whether they’re romantic or not. It is difficult to trust someone who is always looking to use sex as an escape or a weapon, it is difficult to be in a relationship with someone who will often imagine having sex with other people. If Harry does become a part of a relationship, it will not cure him of his hypersexuality, it will however force him to address his own views and feelings on and about sex and force him to realize he has an actual problem. At the moment, he is unaware that his approach to sex isn’t normal.

#. headcanon . › the devil has his soul .

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the-truest-sentence-i-know · 4 years ago

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Chapter Nine | Flings

Fandom: Disney’s Descendants

Summary: Quinn Little, raised in Auradon by Little John, finds out that her heritage is not what she thought it was. When Little John tells her that her real father was a villain, she must go on a journey of self-discovery that will bring her to all the forbidden places in the United States of Auradon.

Pre-canon & canon compliant to the first Descendants film.

Word Count: 5.1k | 9/23

ao3 ||| ff.net ||| wattpad ||| quotev

Another part of being in the Crew was working at the shop. One day, when Quinn came into the shop for her shift, she found Jax, Saoirse, and Seamus in a heated argument with two people she did not recognize.

“…gotta be a better way we can settle this,” Jax said, managing a calm voice even though Quinn could see his frustration.

“We’ve had to make some new considerations, move some things around,” said a young woman with short dark hair and chestnut skin.

“What kind of considerations, Fabienne?” Seamus demanded. “We have not broken any of the agreements we made with Maleficent. She has no reason to change the terms.”

“Maleficent needs no reason to change the terms,” Fabienne said, haughtily.

“Yes, she can do as she pleases,” piped up the smaller redhaired girl beside her.

“Hush, Winnie,” Fabienne said. “You’re here to observe how negotiations work.”

“This is hardly a negotiation,” Saoirse muttered.

“So, what are the new terms?” Jax asked.

“You pay 75% of full price for supplies, stay off the shipping docks and not attack Maleficent’s castle or any of her associates or allies, and we won’t attack you either.”

Jax’s jaw clenched. “That’s hardly a fair deal.”

“Would you rather pay full price?” Fabienne asked. “And start a war between us?”

“No,” he said firmly. “Very well, it seems I have no choice.” He smiled stiffly and held out his hand. “It’s a deal.”

Fabienne shook his hand firmly, a triumphant look on her face. With a nod at Saoirse and Seamus, she and Winne turned to leave. “Pleasure doing business with you,” she tossed over her shoulder.

Neither spared half a glance for Quinn, which she was grateful for because Fabienne emulated Maleficent to a nearly uncanny degree. And while a lot of the VKs here were alright, the old footage of Maleficent shown to them at Auradon Prep still haunted her.

Jax leant against the counter looking frustrated and exhausted, brow furrowed. “Alright, Seamus, go to Tuka, see if the Defiant Doom also had a change in agreement. Try and negotiate supplies through our alliance. Saoirse, look at the numbers and rationing. Send Cyrus here to plan with me. And have Jukes go out scouting so we know how exactly Maleficent has moved things around.”

They nodded and quickly left the shop. Quinn quietly approached the counter, hanging her jacket on the coat rack. Jax looked up at her, his expression softening into very nearly a smile.

“And, so, your education on the inner workings of the Isle continues,” he said.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Quinn asked.

“Not unless they taught you about how to negotiate with unreasonable magic-less witches at your princess school,” he said.

“I’m afraid not,” Quinn said.

He nodded. “Didn’t think so,” They stood in silence for a moment. “But I could use someone to brainstorm with until Cyrus gets here.”

Quinn sat on the counter beside him. “So Maleficent controls the docks,” she said slowly. “And so, although she may not have more people has more negotiating power.”

Jax nodded, watching her with interest.

“The only way to even the scales is with some kind of leverage or new variable between us and Maleficent.”

She heard Jax inhale sharply and looked over at him. A grin was growing over his face. He hopped off the counter and faced her. “Quinn, you are a genius.” He kissed her cheek quickly and hurried out of the store.

For a moment, Quinn sat frozen on the counter, biting her lip to stifle the wide grin beaming over her features. “No problem,” she whispered.

•••

When her shift ended a few hours later, it was Corinna who came to take her place instead of her brother.

“Where’s Cai?” Quinn asked.

“Apparently something important’s happening,” the little Powder Monkey said. “Everyone has to report to the Jolly Roger immediately.”

Quinn nodded and shrugged on her jacket as she headed out the door. Arriving on the Jolly Roger, the meeting had just ended belowdecks. In the center of the space was a large table with a map depicting the entire island with figures representing important players in the various gangs.

Jax turned and saw her. “Did no one call Quinn for the meeting?” he demanded.

No one said anything.

He sighed. “Alright, Quinn you’re with me, we’ll brief you as we go.”

Everyone headed out in small groups of two or three. Jax, Cai, and Hugo stayed behind for a few minutes.

“So, what’s the plan?” Quinn asked Hugo.

“Our group is going to sneak into Maleficent’s castle and kidnap Mal for leverage over her,” he said quickly.

“And what’s everyone else doing?”

“The duos are watching the Faciliers, Weseltons, and Shan Yu’s kids,” he said. “Cyrus, Jukes, and Blake I don’t know – their mission is secret; I’m pretty sure only Jax and Saoirse know.

Quinn nodded.

“Alright, guys,” Jax said and they all gathered around him. “Everyone else has had enough time to get into position, time for us to go.”

They walked casually through the city, staying mostly in the shadows, but not so much to seem suspicious. They passed Seamus and Nia, standing across the street from the Weseltons. Jax nodded discretely at them as they continued.

“What about Yzma’s kids?” she whispered to Hugo. “Who’s watching them?”

“Only Yoyotli and Ynes are with Maleficent,” he explained. “Yolanda and Yesenia are with Defiant Doom and they agreed to keep them occupied tonight.”

They neared Maleficent’s castle, looming over the rest of the city like a bad omen. In addition to its size, its gothic architecture set it apart from the ramshackle urban jungle of the rest of the Isle.

The four crouched behind a pile of empty crates near the main entrance. A troll stood on either side of the huge doors.

“We’re going through the front door?” Quinn whispered.

“All the others lead to a maze of passages,” Jax whispered. “We’d never find our way out.”

They watched the trolls a few moments more. They did not patrol back and forth, just stood still.

“Quinn,” Jax said. “If I get you up to that ledge,” he pointed at one about eight feet up. “Can you climb up to the window?”

Quinn looked up the wall, noting where bricks stuck out. The window was about twelve feet up. Trees were more her thing, but… “Yeah,” she said.

“While Cai and Hugo distract the guards, you climb up there and let this rope down. Cai and I will climb up. Once we’re all inside, you,” he turned to Hugo. “run and help where it’s needed.”

Hugo stepped out into the street and walked toward the trolls. “Good evening, gentlemen!” he called pompously. “I was hoping to ask a few questions.” He beamed up at them. “Do you enjoy working for Maleficent?” he asked. “I mean, I know there’s not a great job market for. Ogres? Are you ogres? Or, tall dwarves?”

Quinn looked over at Jax and Cai. This was the plan?

“He can be very annoying when he wants to be,” Cai said.

It seemed to be working too. Quinn saw how their jaws clenched as they both turned to look at him. Cai slipped from behind the crates and in the shadows of the street. He did a spectacularly bad job sneaking behind the trolls and was easily spotted. A troll spotted him, grabbed his arm and shoved him over to where Hugo was still chatting away.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked gruffly.

“Oh, no,” Cai gasped melodramatically.

Jax nodded at Quinn and they snuck out behind the trolls while they focused on Cai and Hugo. Rope slung over her shoulder, Quinn looked up at the wall. Its sheerness was much more daunting up close.

Jax knelt and laced his fingers together for Quinn to step on. Lifted up, she got a firm grip on the ledge with both hands and began to scramble up as quickly as possible. She was briefly reminded of the tree climbing races they used to have in Sherwood. She had never been the fastest – Ada Dale and her lanky limbs could climb absurdly fast – but she had been decently good. It was often considered the least practical of all their games but was coming to good use now.

She reached the window with a sigh of relief and tumbled inside. It was a very bare small room, only a table and a fireplace inside. But the table looked heavy and Quinn quickly tied the rope to it. Running back to the window, she saw Hugo had annoyed the trolls so much that they were slashing their spears at him. He jumped and ducked out of the way, still taunting them. She let the rope down the wall to Jax, who was watching the encounter with a slight grin. Just as he began to climb, Hugo managed to steal a hat right off of one of the trolls’ heads.

“Hey!” he boomed as Hugo scampered further down the street. The troll charged for him, calling for the other to follow. With a grin, Hugo sprinted down the street, trolls in hot pursuit.

When Jax reached the top, he was laughing. “Nothing like talking to Hugo to get you in a murderous rage.”

They both looked out the window, where Cai was starting to climb the rope. Quinn noticed a girl approaching the castle.

“Who’s that?” she asked.

“Shit,” Jax said. “Yoyotli’s the runner, she warns Maleficent’s people when she’s attacked.”

The girl stopped in front of the castle, having spotted them. Then she turned and ran back in the direction she had come from.

“Cai!” Jax called down to him. “Yoyo’s spotted us, make sure she doesn’t get to the others!”

Cai nodded and quickly scrambled down.

“We’ve got to hurry now,” Jax said and they ran out the wooden door into the dark corridor.

If the main entrance was the most straightforward way, Quinn would hate to see the maze-like parts. The corridor curved and split constantly, but Jax seemed to know the way. In a few minutes, they stopped in front of a wooden door, spray painted green and purple. The main design was Keep out! in all caps.

Jax motioned for them to be quiet as he carefully opened the door. The room was fairly dark, but Quinn could make out the shapes of the furniture and the designs covering the walls. She was a talented artist.

Then she noticed that the bed was empty.

“Didn’t you read the sign?” a voice asked, and Quinn was suddenly tackled from the side and fell to the ground. She caught a glimpse of purple hair as she struggled to get her off. She managed to shove the girl away, and quickly rose to her feet, dagger out.

“Wait, you’re just a kid,” Quinn said, staring at the girl who could not be more than ten or eleven.

“Yeah? What’s your point?” she said. “I could still take both of you.” She charged at Quinn, but before she was withing reach, Jax had stepped behind her and grabbed her arms. Mal struggled but it was useless, and she glared at them.

“You didn’t say she was a little kid,” Quinn whispered to Jax. Mal was sitting tied to a chair across the room.

“We’re not going to hurt her,” Jax said. “When Maleficent gives us a better deal, we’ll let her go.”

“And if she doesn’t?” Quinn asked, even quieter so Mal did not hear her. “Villains don’t seem to be too fond of their kids.”

“No, but they do need their kids,” Jax said. “They’re heirs, means to ends, whatever.”

Quinn sighed. “Alright. What was your plan for getting her out of here, because she definitely isn’t going to come quietly.”

Jax walked over to her and knocked her head with the butt of his dagger.

“What the hell!” Quinn exclaimed. “You could have killed her.”

“She’s just unconscious,” he said. “She’ll be fine.”

Mal carried between them, they had nearly reached the little room again, when they heard running footsteps. They echoed in the stone halls so much that it was impossibly to know where they were coming from. They ran faster, glancing behind but not seeing anything.

A boy and a girl, both with red hair, suddenly stepped out into their path.

“Willa, Wesley,” Jax said, smiling winningly. “What can we do for you?”

“I think we’ll take that off your hands,” Willa said.

Quinn looked over at Jax to see how they were going to get out of this. She could see his mind going over the variables of the situations. “Hold this,” he said, letting go of Mal so all her weight was on Quinn. He drew his sword and charged at the Weseltons.

Quinn realized that she had never seen Jax really fight before, only in training. Like every other move he made, it was graceful, effortless. He made it seem almost elegant. And since she had some training, she could appreciate it more. At no point was he unaware of his opponent’s movements, at no point was there an opening for them to exploit.

She understood even more how he was captain. Not only could he explain strategies and plan attacks, but he was an active participant, the reason they could succeed. She remembered the something that Dad used to say, that a true king led his people into battle.

She was so mesmerized by Jax’s swordplay that she almost did not notice when Mal moved. Before she could do anything, the girl had slipped from her grasp and stolen the dagger from her belt. With it, she cut the rope binding her wrists and feet. Quinn unsheathed her sword.

Mal smiled sweetly. “We both know you’re not going to fight a little kid like me.”

Quinn hesitated. She was right. She did not want to fight a ten-year-old.

Taking advantage of her hesitation, Mal ducked under her sword and barrelled into Jax, throwing him off balance. He managed not to fall but caught the elbow of Willa in the jaw.

Quinn rushed forward. They just had to make it to the little room and the door was only a few steps away. She sprinted and pounced on the back of Wesley, who stumbled under her weight, crashing into Willa. Quinn tumbled off his back, disoriented for a moment before Jax grabbed her hand and pulled her along the corridor. They stumbled into the room, slamming and barring the door behind them.

Jax ran to the window, looking out at the city. Quinn joined him. “What are you looking for?”

He pointed and Quinn followed his gaze. Flying from the main mast of the Jolly Roger was a green flag.

“We did it,” he said, out of breath.

“What?”

Jax lowered his voice, glancing over at the door. “This was all a big distraction,” he said. “the real mission was to make a secret entrance to the supply warehouse; that’s what Cyrus, Jukes and Blake were doing. That flag means they were successful.”

“So we have food and supplies?” Quinn asked, a smile spreading over her features.

He grinned. “We have access to all the supplies we need.”

The moment was interrupted by a loud crash. The door rattled on its hinges.

“Guess we’d better go,” Jax said. “Princesses first.”

Quinn rolled her eyes and started down the rope, Jax right behind her. They were halfway down when a louder crash told them the door had just been broken down. Willa and Wesley appeared at the window above them, wasting no time in climbing after them.

Jax and Quinn jumped the last few feet and sprinted into the dark streets.

•••

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, hearing the pounding footsteps behind hem. Jax looked over at Quinn, his adrenaline-inspired grin mirroring hers. They turned into a narrow alleyway that twisted and turned between decrepit buildings.

Suddenly, he pulled them into a small alcove and they waited for the Weseltons chasing them to speed past. They stood very close to each other, Jax’s hand still gripping Quinn’s arm. They both were still out of breath from running and Quinn’s heart raced.

Quinn almost spoke but Jax gestured for her not to, as Willa and Wesley came past. Once they were gone, Quinn looked back up at Jax and found something in his eyes she had not seen before – or perhaps she had, but not with this intensity. He pulled her closer still and she inhaled sharply, unsure of what to do.

Then he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers and Quinn felt her heart hammering more than ever. It was not like it was entirely out of the blue. They had both quite clearly expressed interest over the past few weeks. What did surprise her was that he decided to do this now, in a chase situation.

What surprised her even more was that she quite liked the idea of doing this now.

Their chapped lips created a certain friction and Quinn could not help but think how wonderful it felt.

His hands, which had been on the small of her back, pulling her even closer to him, now moved to her waist as he pushed her backwards until she bumped into the wall behind her. Cautiously, Quinn slipped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his long hair.

Soon they had to break apart due to lack of air, and Quinn looked at Jax, slightly breathless, a smile involuntarily growing over her face. “Why…?”

He flashed her his nonchalant, mischievous grin. “Don’t overthink it.” After checking that the coast was clear, he motioned for her to follow him. Trying to collect her thoughts, Quinn hurried after him.

•••

By the time Quinn and Jax returned to the Jolly Roger, the party was in full swing. Everyone was laughing and speaking loudly over the blaring music, drinks in hand. At the centre of the deck was a table laden with bread, slightly overripe fruit, and other scraps from Auradon, presumably straight from the warehouse.

Jax quickly disappeared into the crowd with Saoirse and Cyrus, briefing them on what happened. Quinn found Nia, Nabil, Hugo, and Clove standing to the side and joined them.

“Lead the trolls on a good chase?” she asked Hugo.

He grinned. “Yup, I led them all around the Isle. Even went past the shipping docks and picked up a few more.” He looked over to where Jax stood in the corner speaking seriously with Saoirse and Cyrus. “So what happened? Why didn’t you get Mal?”

“I thought it was all a distraction,” Quinn said. “The goal wasn’t to kidnap her.”

“Saoirse told me that they’d hoped they could do both,” Clove said. “The warehouse was the priority but Mal as a hostage would have been a nice plus.”

“Well, anyway, Willa and Wesley showed up,” Quinn said.

Nabil looked over at Nia, who was quieter than usual. “You and Seamus were watching the Weseltons, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah, they managed to slip by us somehow. We didn’t realize they’d gotten word of the attack until they were gone. Seamus told me to stay and watch Winnie and that he’d go warn you guys, but I guess he was too late.”

“Well, at least we got the warehouse,” Quinn said smiling, trying to cheer Nia up. “And that’s what we really needed.”

“Cheers to that,” Clove said, holding up their cup. They all touched cups and took a swig. Quinn’s face screwed up at the bitter sour taste and she tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle a cough.

Hugo snorted.

“Have you never had beer before?” Nia asked.

Quinn blushed a little. “No, my dad was strict about that.”

Clove grinned. “Well then, tonight should be fun.”

Soon Cai appeared and pulled Clove into a dance. Then Corinna, the oldest of the Powder Monkeys, blushingly asked Nia if she wanted to dance and she agreed.

Quinn stood with the two guys for a few minutes before turning to them. “So, are you two gonna buck up and ask someone to dance?” she asked them.

They looked at her in surprise.

“Nah,” Hugo said, dismissively.

Nabil was quick to agree. “Yeah, dancing’s lame anyway.”

His foot tapping and Hugo’s slight swaying to the beat betrayed them.

Quinn rolled her eyes and stepped in front of them, holding out both hands. “Come on.”

In the dense tangle of bodies moving to the music, the three spun and turned, laughing and trying to shout-sing along. Jukes joined them for a moment before pulling Quinn away, so they were dancing together.

“I heard you did good,” they shouted over the music. “You and Jax work well together.”

Did she know? Was that a knowing smile? Quinn suddenly thought. Jukes did always seem to read her too well. She just nodded. “Yeah.”

Quinn had been trying not to think about the kiss – or, at least, not to overthink the kiss. She was prone to overthink things after they happened, especially reckless things. And a kiss in an alley with a pirate while being chased definitely counted as reckless.

So she let herself get lost in the music and the pounding bassline that she could feel in her bones and the rest of the Crew dancing around her. It was a kind of belonging – though much different than any one she had felt before.

Amid the slight chaos of limbs and torsos, Quinn caught sight of Jax, watching her with a slight smile. And she liked him. She really liked him. So she beamed at him – a type of smile only possible with the happiness that comes with loud music, friends and one and a half beers.

And as the crowd engulfed her again, she saw his lips curl into a different smile – more to himself than her. It was a soft smile, one that comes with a warm heart and tender eyes.

•••

While tipsy Quinn could avoid overthinking, sober Quinn had a harder time. Throughout their pickpocket training with Sheela, she could not help but let her mind drift back to Jax. It was not that she had any qualms about being with him, or that she was uncertain of either of their feelings.

But she did not know how all of that worked on the Isle. There were romantic relationships, but she had never heard anyone referred to as a boyfriend, or girlfriend, or partner, or even that they were dating. The only word that seemed to be used was ‘fling’.

VKs don’t date. Jukes told her this during a scouting mission that night. While the mission against Maleficent had guaranteed the Crew supplies, it did mean that she was likely to retaliate.

“Okay,” Quinn said. “Then what about Blake and Seamus?”

“They’re a fling,” they said.

“So it’s a short-term thing?”

“Not necessarily. It can last for a long time,” They turned to her. “It’s an alliance of sorts, but more than a regular one. You trust each other more and...” They grinned. “you get a little fun on the side.”

Quinn looked out again and shifted so she was sitting on the edge of the roof.

“You and Jax are a fling, aren’t you?” Jukes asked after a moment.

After a pause, Quinn said, “From what you described, I think so – or, nearly.” Quinn glanced over at them. “Is that good? Bad?”

“That depends,” they said, grinning a little. “How is he at kissing?”

Quinn snorted and shook her head, rolling her eyes as she looked out at the city again.

“That good, huh?” they said. “Well, then it’s good. As long as you’re enjoying it, it’s good.”

•••

Quinn was just heading to the guest cabin on the Jolly Roger where Seamus was staying temporarily so she could change his bandages when she heard arguing voices from inside.

“...don’t see how I could have prevented –” Jax exclaimed.

“If you had listened to my advice about a truce with them this wouldn’t have happened!” Seamus shouted.

“We can’t just bow our heads to some smaller gang just because they threaten to attack us,” Jax said.

“That smaller gang did attack us and nearly won too.”

“But they didn’t and no one was too badly injured.” Jax spotted Quinn in the doorway. “He’s well on his way to recovering, right?”

Quinn did not want to barge in on this, but perhaps her presence would calm the situation. She stepped into the room. “Yes, but you do need to rest a little longer.”

Seamus was looking better; he was less pale and, judging from the argument, getting his energy back. But he did not look happy. He eyed Jax angrily.

“We’ll, uh, talk later, Seamus,” said Jax, giving Quinn a nod before leaving the room.

Quinn set about removing the old bandages. They were really just strips of cloth that she had washed as best she could. The wound was looking good, no discolouring or other signs of infection. “I would recommend not exerting yourself too much – in shouting matches, for example – or you might pop your stitches,” she remarked.

“Yeah, well, he’s the reason I was wounded in the first place,” Seamus muttered, wincing a little.

Quinn said nothing and continued with her work. She did not know enough about the situation to comment, but she hoped that Jax was in the right here.

Fortunately, Seamus’ attitude got improved as he did, and Quinn heard no more arguments between them.

•••

The next day, when Quinn came into the shop for her shift, she smiled at Jax. “Horrible morning,” she said, cheerfully.

He grinned. “Catching on are you, princess?”

Quinn grinned in return as she tossed her coat onto the coatrack. “Don’t call me that.”

“As you wish, your highness,” he said with an exaggerated bow.

“Okay,” Quinn said, rolling her eyes at him. “I am nowhere near royalty.”

“Closest there is around here.”

She glanced around. “Are you sure you should be saying stuff like that?” She stepped towards him. “Isn’t it supposed to be a secret?”

Shrugging, he said, “I told them you were homeschooled, remember? The only other homeschooled VK is the daughter of the Evil Queen. They’d assume I was referring to her.”

“Why is she homeschooled?”

“Some spat with the all-powerful Maleficent,” he said in an exaggerated tone.

Quinn giggled and he raised his eyebrows at her.

“I’m working on the laugh, okay,” she said, pushing him lightly.

“Good, because that makes you sound,” he leaned in and whispered, “like a princess.”

She pushed him again, grinning. “Funny.”

As Quinn turned away, he grabbed her arm gently and she looked at him again. “You were out of it the past couple days,” he said. “What changed?”

After thinking about it for a second, she gave him her most mischievous grin. “I feel... bad.”

A grin spread over his features and he pulled her closer. “About damn time.”

•••

Quinn had never actually dated anyone before. She had kissed Winston, Will Scarlet’s son, when she was sixteen, but that had been about it.

She was willing to bet, however, that dating in Auradon and flings on the Isle were different. In Auradon, it was all chaste cheek kisses before going to class, hand-holding in the hallways, and maybe a make-out session under the bleachers. Boys and girls were magically prevented from visiting each other’s dorms after sundown, so if anything was happening, it had to be pretty sneaky. It was not that they were expressly told not to have sex, it was just kind of understood. Many kids got married not too long after high school anyway.

But on the Isle, everything was passionate, unashamed, and entangled in fight training – at least, that was what it was like with Jax. Sparring turned into making out and back again just as quickly. It certainly taught her to be on guard at all times, but also added an element of thrill and adrenaline to their time together.

And there was no judgement. Quinn had already walked into the room above the shop with the other sailors to find Cai and Clove or Blake and Seamus multiple times. The others had kind of rolled their eyes and turned to leave. So, when the same thing happened to her and Jax, she was not as embarrassed as she otherwise would have been.

Jukes found it all very amusing. “Of course, you two ended up together!”

“Was it that predictable?” Quinn asked. They both had the night off and were sitting at the bar.

“No, it’s that unpredictable,” she said. “Jax has never had a fling with anyone on the Crew before.”

“People have flings between gangs?” Quinn asked in surprise.

Jukes shrugged, taking a swig of her beer. “Not often, but it happens. People used to swear he was with Harriet, but now that we’ve actually seen her, she looks too old for him. He definitely had something with Francoise though. It didn’t last long because her dad, Frollo, found out, and was furious.” She laughed. “So I guess we just never knew what his type was. I mean, he also made out with Tuka once at a party, but I think that was just a one-time thing. Although,” she looked at Quinn. “Now that he’s with you, maybe we at least know his type in girls.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Francoise’s dad is the leader of the Innocents, and you were homeschooled, and you’re, you know, you,” she said, matter-of-factly. “You’re softer types.”

“What do you mean, soft?” Quinn said, defensively.

“It’s not always a bad thing,” Jukes reassured her. “Sheela’s soft too, and she’s great.” She grinned. “And, I mean, if Jax is into it…”

Quinn rolled her eyes and threw back the last of her beer.

“You know what’s another great thing about all this?” Jukes continued. “It drives Blake absolutely nuts. It’s all he talks about at home.” She lowered her voice to imitate Blake, “She’ll get special privileges. She’ll be sleeping in his cabin before we know it. And being with the newest recruit? As a leader, he should know better.” Jukes snorted. “And then Dad and I roll our eyes, cause, I mean, holy shit, how’s he supposed to have a fling if he has to make sure everything is fair between the Crew?”

Quinn felt herself blush slightly at the mention of Jax’s cabin. “So, what about you?” she asked, leaning back in her chair. “Any notable flings?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” she said with a grin. “Cai, for a few months last year, before he was with Clove. I also kissed Cyrus once,” she mused. “and I know that was a bad idea, cause they’re brothers and all, but hopefully Cai doesn’t know. Also, Florian.”

“Francoise’s brother?”

“What can I say, the Innocents get around.”

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scribblindown · 7 years ago

Text

The Kingsglaive as Pirates

Golden Age of Pirates AU, Slight Mermaid AU

Universe Extension of The Chocobros as Mermen

“Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.”

Kingsglaive:

Combined bounty: 1,113,400,000 Gil

Jolly Roger: a typical skull with crossed swords and a crown adorning the skull.

Ship: a large, dark vessel under the name of the Black Skull.

The Kingsglaive Pirates are one of the most notorious pirate crews out on the seas, and are wanted in almost every country. In total, they have created 16,000,000,000 Gil in damages worldwide, (including the destruction of other pirates’ property, and hospital bills of the government’s army.)

Their main safe house is a beach house up on a small hill in a bustling town. It is manned by Nyx’s younger sister, [Name], when everyone else is out at sea. This is where they go when the crew wants to either lay low, stock up on supplies, or rest.

Even though it’s a small crew they are feared and revered.

The Kingsglaive’s reign of terror ended with the betrayal of half of their members, and the arrest, then death of the rest of them.

Titus:

Bounty: None

Position: Unnamed captain

Weapon/s: personalized sword

Titus is a high-ranking government official and noble, and while he’s strict and uptight, no one suspects him of his crimes

He started the Kingsglaive as a way to get some under the table work done without soiling his hands or having any of the crimes be tracked back to him.

He funds the ship, the weapons, their clothes, their food—basically everything the pirates need for smooth sailing, and in return they steal, destroy, or kill whoever or whatever he needs.

Although he prefers not to do the dirty work, don’t think that he would be easy to off. He may be a noble, but he’s one of the best fighters in the Kingsglaive and trying to fight him would be considered suicide.

He visits the ship occasionally, but he mostly sends out tasks and missions through birds of prey who deliver the post. When he does visit the ship, he hides his face with a helmet and was only spotted a handful of times.

On the wanted papers, it’s a messy drawing of him in his helmet and is labeled under “Unnamed member.”

The marshal, Cor, is the only person that suspects him and whom he butts heads with.

He eventually exposes and leads the arrest of his own pirate crew to get a better name for himself, rise in the ranks, cut ties and any association with the Kingsglaive and collect the bounty.

Fate: Killed by Nyx Ulric.

Luche:

Bounty: 500,000,000 Gil

Position: “Captain”

Weapon/s: cutlass swords, and a pistol

He’s captain in name only, and the Kingsglaive know to follow Drautos when it comes to orders, but when it comes to small tasks, or orders in the middle of battle, they follow Luche.

He’s known for taking small amounts of the treasures they find for himself, and he’s not very well-liked on the ship.

Luche also shows signs of wanting to take the Kingsglaive for himself, but never gets in Drautos’ way.

Drautos eventually tells him to kill Crowe to slowly break the Kingsglaive apart, and he goes through with the plan.

He kills Crowe by sending her off to go “collect” some money from another pirate crew and once she’s a good distance away, he sails to her and kills her in the middle of the ocean.

He brings the corpse back and tells everyone that the other pirate crew killed her.

He is one of the crew members who betray the Kingsglaive in exchange for the government letting them go scotfree.

Fate: Ends up burned alive because he was unable to escape the Black Skull as it was being set ablaze.

Nyx:

Bounty: 130,000,000 Gil

Position: Swordsman/Commando

Weapon/s: He favors his personalized daggers

He was personally recruited by Drautos into the Kingsglaive and was under his tutelage.

As a kid, he was from the small village of Galahad, but fled with Libertus and his younger sister when it was attacked and raided.

He was caught and escaped at least three times. Because of this he has a “P” for pirate branded on his arm. He jokes and says that it’s just another tattoo to add to his collection.

He has a slight fear of the ocean. He would still swim and such, but anyone can tell that he hesitates every time he looks at the water.

This is because he was dragged into the water and nearly drowned by mermaids when he was younger. His younger sister was nearly killed by mermaids as well.

He kills mermaids ruthlessly because of this.

He also enjoys being on land more than not, and when he does go ashore, he spends his time relaxing on the beach, but on the ship, you can find him sleeping on the Crow’s nest most of the time, which annoys the hell out of the Lookout.

He has a personal rule of letting human women and children go.

“I’m sorry about what happened to you dad, kid, but if it still hurts in the future, and you’re still bitter...I’ll be waiting.”

He was one of the members who stayed faithful to the Kingsglaive, but was arrested and jailed because of it. He was left without a trail because of his reputation.

Right before his hanging the morning after, he escaped and managed to fight Titus to the death.

Fate: Shot and killed by some of the government’s men after he wasfound after killing Titus. Died peacefully.

Libertus:

Bounty: 300,000,000

Position: First-mate

Weapon/s: broadswords

Was caught with Nyx by Drautos while the two were out doing small crimes, and was recruited into the Kingsglaive.

He got the first-mate position because he has “a better head screwed on” than Nyx, according to Luche.

He’s the typical image of the cheerful pirate. He goes to pubs and taverns, he leads the ship’s singalongs on lazy days and drinks to his heart’s content.

He believes in all of those ghost stories that takes place on the ocean, so Nyx gets a kick out of teasing him and scaring him.

He also believes in the typical pirate stories and curses, such as Davy Jones’ locker, Calypso, and the Flying Dutchman, but will outright deny it.

He escaped Galahad with Nyx and his younger sister, and remains loyal to his best friend.

He was the only person that suspected Titus and Luche, and remained loyal during the fall of the Kingsglaive.

He was arrested with Nyx and Pelna .

He managed to escape his cell to tell Nyx of Titus’ betrayal and helped Nyx break out.

He led Luche to the Black Skull, docked on the government’s port, and set the ship on fire. He managed to escape burning to death by jumping into the water when the flames were still growing.

Fate: He escaped the government and fled. He is still wanted dead or alive.

Crowe:

Bounty: 80,000,000 Gil

Position: Doctor

Weapon/s: daggers

She is the only female in the Kingsglaive, and while she might get more crap for it, she can take it.

She also gets a room all to herself, so she isn’t complaining.

She grew up as an orphan in a small village, but was eventually run out of her own home after they had discovered her ability for healing and labeled her as a witch.

Lived a life on the streets before she joined the Kingsglaive.

Although the crew is dysfunctional, she truly cares about the crew and thinks of them as her own family. Libertus and Nyx think of her as a little sister.

She left on a mission that Luche sent her on, and once she was a far cry from the ship, Luche caught up with her and shot her.

Her corpse was brought back and her death started the rift between the Kingsglaive

Fate: Killed by Luche. Her body was buried by the government.

Pelna:

Bounty: 50,000,000 Gil

Position: Navigator

Weapon/s: two cutlass swords

He embodies the spirit of a pirate, and enjoys the freedom, drinking, and doing whatever he wants.

He constantly says that the sea is his first love and the ship is his second love.

He’s one of the few people who have living family, but he says the sea is calling out to him, so he can’t stay with them.

Probably the only person on the ship that can read a map. Nyx can get lost in a straight hallway with no doors or windows without him.

He was one of the few people who stayed loyal to the Kingsglaive and was arrested along with Nyx and Libertus as a result.

Escaped with Libertus and protected Nyx from Tredd, Axis, and Sonitus, but was caught by the government’s men right afterwards.

Fate: Death by hanging.

Tredd:

Bounty: 400,000 Gil

Position: Lookout

Weapons: swords and pistols

Shows obvious dislike for Titus and Luche, but never says it to their faces

He also views the pirate position as being equivalent to a “rat,” and wouldn’t fail to remind his crew members this

He has several illegitimate children sprinkled around the world.

He was one of the members who betrayed the Kingsglaive in exchange of a clean slate.

He attempted to kill Nyx, but was stopped by Pelna. He was eventually led to the ship with Axis and Sonitus and burned with it.

Fate: Death by being burned alive.

Axis:

Bounty: 3,000,000 Gil

Position: Shipwright

Weapons: swords

Known for being a quiet individual, and hardly ever participates in the crew’s festivities. He would sit and drink by himself while everyone else celebrates together.

Along with Tredd and Sonitus, he betrays the Kingsglaive and attempts to kill Nyx as the Galahadin was on his way to fight Titus.

Fate: Died on the Black Skull.

Sonitus:

Bounty: 50,000,000 Gil

Position: Gunner

Weapon/s: He can fight with anything; he’s a weapons specialist.

He’s rather no-nonsense and gets very exasperated when his crew goes too far.

He’d participate in the festivities, but wouldn’t say or do much other than sit there and drink quietly.

He becomes a traitor to the Kingsglaive and attempts to kill Nyx as well.

Fate: Burned alongside Tredd and Axis.

#ffxv #ffxv headcanons #ffxv imagines #final fantasy xv #final fantasy 15 #final fantasy #kingsglaive #mermaid au #pirate au #titus drautos #luche lazarus #nyx ulric #libertus ostium #crowe altius #tredd furia #axis arra #sonitus bellum

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apocalypticvalraven · 8 years ago

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Ladies of Murderous Repute: Cracking the Seal

“Fucking ingrates...” Captain Nasturtium muttered as she slithered through the waterfront district of Greyhawk on tendril-roots under her skirts, her loyal cohort Rampant, or Rammy, striding along beside her, polished wooden body distracting many sailors due to polish being the only thing on it, aside from the darkwood chest she carried on one shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Captain, I cannot exert any actual control over the ship,” she said.

“Not your fault, love. It’s the damned crew. I knew we should have replaced them with skeletons... it’s just so expensive...”

Captain-Princess Nasturtium Majus was under the impression that her crew had deserted her while she was away from her ship, her father’s ship, the Rhododendron Rampant, on a land adventure. In reality, while the only two particularly capable members of the crew, herself and Rammy, incarnation of the ship, were ashore, a local royal navy had found the ship and smashed the fuck out of it. The only things left were as follows-

A chest of darkwood, bound in rune-enscribed iron, with a skull-shaped latch, within which she kept her father’s hat and Jolly Roger

A pouch of humanoid leather, within which were letters of mark, signed by Hell, magically enchanted to appear as if they were signed by any mundane ruler desired

A key, grown from coral, which unlocked a chest long sunk and lost in the sea

Her collection of exotic sex toys

This was partially why she believed her crew had deserted her. It was quite believable to Nasturtium that while they were prepared to mutiny, albeit in the most cowardly way possible, they were not about to steal anything which she was particularly attached to. The first three things, however, defy destruction, being marks of her status as pirate royalty, and will only leave her possession if another claims the mantle of King of Pirates, namely by killing her. The last only survived because the chest had an enchanted volume and it was a handy place to keep her sizable collection.

The other reason she believed her crew had deserted her was the simple fact that though they were accustomed to the weirdness that followed her, that didn’t mean they liked said weirdness, and she was quite aware of that.

“I need a drink, damnit.” Nasturtium muttered, idly picking up a suddenly-appearing bottle of rum with one root tendril and lifting it to her hand.

“Captain... you have a drink.”

“I mean a drink in a tavern! This magic booze is fine and all, but it doesn’t help me find a new crew.”

“...Captain... can’t the key raise a skeleton crew?”

Nasturtium turned to Rammy. “Look, I know I just said I should have replaced the crew skeletons for the reliability, but skeletons are just... so dumb. Like, really, incredibly dumb.”

“Fair,” Rammy replied. “So. Where do we go, then?”

“Well, we’re in the docks district, and there are roughly twenty taverns just that I can see from here. So... help me find the cheapest looking one.”

“That one has a mummified orc’s head held together with twine, and empty chains where a sign should be,” Rammy pointed out, to their left and slightly ahead.

“Yeah, but this one over here just has a tankard with no bottom hanging from where it should have a sign or racist trophy, and the windows have been filled with reclaimed barrel slats and pitch,” Nasturtium pointed to the other side of the street.

“Is glass that expensive?”

“When you’re a cheap bar owner, anything you have to buy is too expensive. The watered down ale is probably just water put into old kegs.”

The pair crossed the street and walked through the doorless doorway. Nasturtium noted the nearby table with chains hanging from the underside of it and the fist sized holes to either side of the door that said chains were probably threaded through when the tavern closed. They scanned the inside of the tavern, eyes sweeping over the dregs of the dock population who had probably floated here after spending all their money at better, more expensive bars. Nasturtium slithered over to the bar, where the owner was busily wiping a tankard- not to clean it, of course, but to try to salvage any lingering drops of possibly, faintly, homeopathically alcoholic liquid to wring back into the keg.

“I’m going to be your favorite customer. I am going to give you five entire gold coins, and you are not going to bother me about the fact that I am drinking my own booze in your tavern, rather than the ‘booze’ you sell that is probably about as acquainted with alcohol as my cooch is with your dick. Which is to say ‘never going to be’.” She set down a small stack of the aforementioned coins, which were quickly swept up by the man, only seen because immediately counted them. Twice.

Nasturtium sat down at a handy table, and lifted a bottle of rum that had appeared in her hand. “Ok, Rammy. Look for anyone who is just slightly too good for this place.”

“Other than us?”

“Other than us.”

Almost on cue, a large woman, seemingly carved from strangely soft-ish stone, stumbled into the doorway, loudly ranting about ‘fucking godsdamned racist bastards.’

She was a half orc, which explained a lot about her. It explained her broad shoulders, her wide hips, her biceps that were larger around than some farm animals. It did not, however, explain her wrapped fists, the large, spiked metal things, something like helmets without eye holes, or gauntlets for an ogre who had no need of their fingers, that hung from her belt, or the complete lack of any obvious weapons on her. Of course, every orc and half orc was themselves a weapon, at least in so far as the common human townie was compared, but usually they augmented their weapon-ness with manufactured weapons of the bladed or heavy and metal variety. The half orc bee lined to the bar. “Wine,” she growled in a voice that one does not usually associate with growling. Or orcs. It was quite feminine.

The bar owner looked at her, and frantically tried to figure out in his head what the fuck he was going to give this woman who could crush his head by curling her arm.

Nasturtium simply waved to her, and beckoned her over with a large bottle of red liquid.

The half orc turned without giving the bar owner a second glance and walked over. “I prefer roses.”

Nasturtium quickly picked up another bottle, containing a clear pink liquid, and handed it over. “Glad you could have a drink with us. I am Princess-Captain Nasturtium, and this is my first mate, Rampant.” She held up her bottle of rum to toast her new friend.

“Phereinkrata,” the half orc said, lightly clinking her bottle against Nasturtium’s. “I may decide you can call me Phoe, if I like you. Conjuring alcohol is a good way to get me to like you.”

“And I may decide you can call me Nast if I decide I like you,” Nasturtium replied, “There are a lot of ways to get me to like you. Rammy can make her own decisions about what you get to call her.”

The wooden woman simply nodded her head to the half orc.

“So. Fancy hat, accompanied by a nude, wooden woman, captain, conjuring alcohol... I’m going to guess you’re a pirate.”

“Why, yes, yes I am. However, my crew recently mutinied, so I’m in the market, as it were, for new compatriots. I’m going to assume, by your manner of dress, the large, I’m guessing, weapons, hanging from you hips, and the general racist nature of humans, elves and dwarves, that you’re what is known as an adventurer? A sword for hire, so to speak? A murderhobo, as we often get called when no one thinks we’re listening?”

Phoe cracked a grin, “That is correct. Only honest job I ever had was in an arena, and I wasn’t that honest. Got a job?”

“Well, I would like to hunt down my crew and make them suffer for stealing my father’s ship, but I have to find something to busy myself with until then. So, perhaps we can find another charming woman of murderous repute or two, and look for work together?”

Phoe finished her bottle and chucked the empty behind her, where it lightly beaned another patron into shallow unconsciousness, and smiled, her tusks standing out against her full, dark green lips. “I’d love to.”

#Phereinkrata #Nasturtium Majus #Rampant #Rhododendron Rampant #Ladies of Murderous Repute #Alraune #Orc #Half Orc #Orc ladies #dryad #Dungeons and Dragons #Pirates #Ninjas #Fantasy #Writing

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