ic Modern Day Piracy

[Poncho]

The Happenstance cut a strange figure in the waters around Freedom.

 

In the open bay, around more current boats, around people enjoying their day, the old style ship cut a figure, a very specific sort of one as it navigated the waves! It was quite the sight, and upon that ship was the crew of the Happenstance, including the Captain and First Mate, and the Captain's roommate, Owen Akerlund, brought out on a fine sunny weekend to play around on the ship.

 

There was absolutely nothing going wrong with the day, a blessing of the pirate captain Riel, perhaps.

 

But it came like a sudden shock as the group neared the underside of the Centery Bridge.

 

Black, billowing clouds almost erupted; seeming to form from absolutely nothing high above the bridge before immediately splitting open into a torrential downpour, sending the other boats scattering for safety away from the rain, and the lightning that split the sky as well. What had once been a perfect day had suddenly become a terrible one for being outside. While the Captain may have been protected by his notorious good luck, the rest of the ship was not near as lucky.

And the clouds were still churning, almost bubbling with fury high above them. Almost like there was something IN the Clouds, about to break out.

[Lone_Star]

Prime Mover

 

Owen was just elated to be on the Happenstance. It reminded him of his favorite adventure books growing up: Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, and Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and that brought him an incredible amount of joy. Now he no longer had to dream about adventure, he was on one with a real pirate! 

 

"Well, shoot, Riel. This has to be just about the coolest thing ever, thanks again for -" He paused as he saw the black storm clouds forming just past them. Owen could only look as he saw the boats moving away from the sudden storm, and he narrowed his eyes. "Looks like there's villainy afoot, what do you think?" Owen said as he checked over his power vest, making sure everything was in order before the two of them confronted whatever the heck was going on. Good thing he made it waterproof! 

 

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

"Hold up the flagons and raise up the sails! Masthead a battened, so we take 'em off our tails! We don't fly off the wagon, we don't leave any ale! And so we go a tracking with a luck that never fails!"

 

The Luckstorm Pirates except the First Mate (who was shouting orders to keep the ship from running into anyone) and the Captain (who stood next to his roommate near the bowsprit) sang in joy as they had set sail on yet another weekend. For Captain Riel Estime, it was a fine, brisk day to be at sea.

 

"These seas seem to kick and buck, they won't hoard the prize! Our tales end as written ones, in case we lose our lives!. Our fate seems to run amok, we forge storm and skies! So we hope this devil's luck won't cloud our very eyes!"

 

The plan was, since this was fairly early, to be at sea all day and return after sunset. Normally, the Happenstance would gone from Friday afternoon to Sunday night. But this time Owen was to be on board, and that was a long haul for a rookie sailor. Unfortunately, such plans were to be delayed at best. Riel shouted over his shoulder "Find a place to drop anchor!" Kadene and the crew scrambled into action, song forgotten. He returned his attention to Owen. "Are you sure? We could always say we never saw it until we were too far away." This, however, was accompanied by one of his bold, cheeky grins. Always a pirate. 

[Lone_Star]

Prime Mover

 

"Nah, that's not how heroes do," Owen said as he made the final adjustments on his power vest. "We've gotta get closer and investigate, or else we can't really call ourselves superheroes, can we?" Owen liked his roommate, a lot, and he had made an effort the past week or so to get to know both Serendipity and Stormchild better. Though they had different ways of thinking, he was sure he could help them get used to life on Earth. But a strange storm at sea was surely something they had encountered before, right?

 

"I'm gonna get closer 'n get a better look. Stormchild, anything you can do to, I dunno, counter the weather? Either way, see you guys shortly." Owen held his hands out and flew into the air, blurry kinetic energy trailing behind him as he shot towards the storm like a bullet. Some part of him he kept buried deep inside was actually excited to find something strange. Finally, a chance to prove himself as a real hero! 

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Riel watched Owen go, until he was out of hearing. "He says that like I can fly, too." He was amused, of course. Then he turned to the simple matter of getting the ship anchored out of the way. Or rather, assigning the job to his Second Mate, Ragnar. The bear of a man took over everything. Kadene's winds carried her brother up after Owen, and then started trying to basically tear the storm clouds apart. 

[Poncho]

(GM Post)

 

The clouds churned and almost seemed to roar in defiance at Kadene's attempts to silence it, thunderbolts falling from the sky and striking the Centery Bridge with a heavy boom. Eventually the storm got...not worse, but different. It truly did resolve into the head of a mighty dragon of thundering clouds, it's veins pulsing with lightning. And from the mouth of the roaring dragon came a ship. A pirate ship like the Happenstance, but flying through the air where the Happenstance stuck to the water. It's sails were wide open, catching the wind coming from the storm it had erupted from, trailing black shadowy clouds behind it as it cut the sky. The ship angled downwards, heading towards the bridge, and from it came...pirates. Pirates swinging on ropes, brandishing cutlasses and pistols as they bared down on the cars stuck in traffic, threatening those inside for money and valuables!

 

A pirate ship!? That flies!? In the Modern Day!? What in the world was going on!?

[Lone_Star]

Prime Mover

 

"Oh, what the heck?!" Owen said as the ship emerged from the clouds, and moved towards the bridge. He watched in horror as pirates spilled from the ship and started robbing the people stuck in traffic. They had to do something, and quickly, but he wanted to make sure both his roomie and his sister got to have a say in this. 

 

"Any ideas, Riel?" he said to his roommate, who floated next to him on his sister's powerful winds. "I say we try to disable the ship, get it in the water so we don't have to worry about collateral. If you an' your sis can take out some of the pirates on the bridge, I can try an' push the ship back inta the water. What do you think?" He kept glancing over to look at the bridge, and saw more pirates jump off the ship. They needed to act quickly if they were going to get ahead of this! 

 

 

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

"A clever idea, Monsieur Mover," Riel was, of course, grinning boldly as usual. "but let's see if they're willing to commit to hostilities first, yes?" Kadene put him on the bridge directly, and she joined him right after. He directed his comments at the people pillaging away ahead of him. His grin had subsided to a mere cheeky smirk.

 

"Ladies, gentlemen, and dishonored guests! It is unfortunately my displeasure to inform you that..." And the bold grin was back. His voice went from polished British to pirate stereotype. "Ye be pillagin' in Luckstorm territory! The people you're robbin' be under our protection! Now, ye have three options! Run, cut us in on the booty, or fight!" He and his sister drew their swords in unison. "I know which one we'd prefer!" Again. Always. A. Pirate. 

[Poncho]

(GM Post)

 

The pirates in the midst of their pillaging paused at Riel's statement, some still holding the treasures they'd so callously stolen from others. A murmur went through the group.

 

"Luckstorm, eh? And this be your territory?" The voice was a low, heavy grumble, and the person who gave it was big and heavy; floating down towards the bridge in a dinghy being rowed through the air, trailing storm and cloud behind it. One eyed and riddled with muscle, his dark skin crisscrossed with scars and his beard filled with flaming wicks, he eyed the twin high schooler pirates for a bit.

 

"Well well, never say that we don't pay our right taxation, Captain of the Luckstorm." When he stepped off the dingy, the bridge shook. He was a heavy guy, most assuredly, denser than a human should be. His every move was slow and measured, but it was the motion of someone at home in rough seas and fighting for their life.

 

"I'm the first mate of the Jolly Roger, Second in command of the Hook Pirates, for all of ye to know, my name is Smee." he rubbed his large, heavy hands together before pulling out his own cutlass. "Now then, Luckstorms, what's your taxation rate on out-of-territory pillagin'?" He asked, all friendly like. In the way that someone who is not very friendly is offering the barest figleaf of being friendly.

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Riel walked up to Smee, just out of melee range. "Sharp eyes, ye have, peggin' the likes of me for the Cap'n." Anyone who could see him now would instantly be reminded that this particular young man had spent the first 16 years of his life in a much more dangerous world than the one he was currently in. Because friendly, easygoing Riel was not currently present. This was a different creature. The pirate captain who'd been in more fights and dangerous situations than many of Freedom's heroes. "Well, First Mate Smee, the startin' point be fifty-fifty. There be room for... " Riel smiled. It was not a nice smile. The type of smile that reminded those who saw it that there was steel behind his flamboyance. "negotiation. Though since ye gone and pegged me for the Cap'n, ye knows your Cap'n is the only one who can...negotiate. Lest ye offer me insult." Oh, yes. Riel was familiar with "friendly" conversation that was anything but and often a prelude to violence. 

[Lone_Star]

23 hours ago, EternalPhoenix said:

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

"A clever idea, Monsieur Mover," Riel was, of course, grinning boldly as usual. "but let's see if they're willing to commit to hostilities first, yes?" Kadene put him on the bridge directly, and she joined him right after. He directed his comments at the people pillaging away ahead of him. His grin had subsided to a mere cheeky smirk.

 

"Ladies, gentlemen, and dishonored guests! It is unfortunately my displeasure to inform you that..." And the bold grin was back. His voice went from polished British to pirate stereotype. "Ye be pillagin' in Luckstorm territory! The people you're robbin' be under our protection! Now, ye have three options! Run, cut us in on the booty, or fight!" He and his sister drew their swords in unison. "I know which one we'd prefer!" Again. Always. A. Pirate. 

 

Prime Mover

 

Owen listened to the two pirates negotiate, though he scoffed a little when one of the pirates was named "Smee", remembering the bumbling villain's sidekick from the Disney cartoon. But his face fell when, in fact, he was the second-in-command of the Hook Pirates. So, Neverland is real? What? Strange things in this life we've chosen...

 

Though he was still having trouble wrapping his head around what was going on, it was clear that Serendipity had this situation handled, although he didn't like the idea of villains paying to leave you alone. He glanced between the two, keeping his fists clenched and for all intents and purposes, communicating to Smee and the rest of his crew that he was ready for a fight at a moment's notice, because it looked like violence was only a poorly-chosen word away. But until they could talk to the captain...

 

"You heard the Cap'n," he said, jerking his thumb towards Serendipity, and doing his best pirate voice. "You'd better bring us to your boss to avoid...unpleasantness."

[Poncho]

(GM Post)

 

"Oh, I'd never bring you to the Cap'n." Smee said generously. "It's just bad form to make a Captain meet another on their ship, ain't it, Cap'n Riel? Neutral ground is much more appropriate. Boys, signal for Cap'n." he said to the dinghy, who flashed a light up at the big ship, floating almost serenly in the mouth of the dragon/snake that it had summoned from thundering clouds.

 

There was no movement for a little while. Then someone started to float down. 

 

If it was Captain Hook, it would make sense, for his right hand was gone and replaced with a curved and nasty hook. But he did not look much like the Disney version; he was devilishly handsome in the way a dashing rogue is, despite a long and slender frame and dark, sunken eyes. HIs heavy curly black hair was lit like Smee's beard, with twists of wicks inside of it to make it seem as if his entire head was made of smoke and flames. He carried a cigar in his remaining hand, trailing a dark smoke, and a lantern hooked to his belt. His finery was red and black, to hide blood and gunpowder, and he landed surprisingly lightly on his feet. 

 

"Cap'n Riel, this is Blackbeard's Bo'sun, the only man that Barbeque ever feared, whose real name would light the world on fire. The only Captain Hook." the large, heavy man said, bowing respectfully to his Captain.

 

The Captain took a drag of his cigar and thought, stepping his foot on the pavement of the bridge curiously. His voice came out not like pirate's rum, but noble's wine; smooth and principled.

 

"You own the pillage rights for this parcel of sea and shore?" he finally said after a long pause. "And you want half of all plunder? A bit steep, but I suppose we did fail to acknowledge your claim before we began, so penalties must be leveed." he thought again. "...You can have Twenty."

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

The only Blackbeard Riel was familiar with was a raging bastard, and everyone (excepting just enough of his own crew) who sailed the Seven Seas of Aquivan would be too happy to piss on his grave. Or help him into it, if the opportunity somehow arose. Neither Riel nor Kadene were excluded from this. Saying any of that, of course, would be very unhelpful. So instead he looked at Smee and grinned in grim amusement. "Your Cap'n be a bold man. Twenty percent. In waters that don't be his." He barked out a laugh. "With the Navy, Marines, and even heroes not a full hour's sail away. A bold man indeed."

 

He returned his attention to Captain Hook and his voice shifted subtly. Less ignorant pirate stereotype, but still the same basic accent. The grin did not move. "I'll admit to fifty percent being unfair. All the risk is yours, after all. Forty, and I'll generously ignore that you know my name without me giving it to you." The surface implication being they knew he was here and thus them not knowing about his existence was a bold faced lie. The under the surface implication being he knows as well as they do that this conversation isn't ending peacefully. An idiot, Captain Riel Estime is not.

[Poncho]

(GM Post)

 

"Fourty instead of Fifty?" Hook said, pausing. Then he laughed. "Ah, you insult the man by offering the slightest repayment. A cruel Pirate you are indeed, to barb so sharp with only a word, do you even need that sword, your words seem cutting enough! Bad Form, Bad Form." he clicked his tongue.

 

"Twenty! Twenty percent." he said sternly, raising his hook hand to his face and scratching at his mustache with it. "Unless, perhaps, you'd like to wager a percentage on Liar's Dice?"

[Lone_Star]

Prime Mover

 

Owen crossed his arms. While he was willing to entertain this charade if it meant there wouldn't be violence, this negotiation had gone on long enough. "Get your men back onto the ship, or we figure this all out another way," he said authoritatively, stepping forward to challenge Hook. "Then you can play Liar's Dice, or whatever it is you need to do, but we aren't gonna negotiate any further 'till your men stop robbing the citizens a' Freedom City." For just a moment, Owen covered his body in shimmering kinetic energy to show he meant business.

 

He thrust a hand out to Hook and looked him dead in the eyes. "Do we have an accord?"

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Riel sighed internally. And everything was going so well. "As unfortunate as it is, my friend has a point. It's difficult to assume you're negotiating in good faith while your crew continues their work all around us." He raised his sword from his side to rest on his shoulder. "If you want to play a game of chance with a man favored by Fortune, that is your decision." At his side, Kadene mimicked his pose with her sword, with energy crackling in her free hand as a bonus. "However, I would ask that your crew stop robbing everyone in sight during the game. Alternatively," And at last Riel grinned his bold, insolent grin. "we can stop pretending to be civil, and start beating all of you senseless."

[Poncho]

(GM Post)

 

"Now now, I would never bare steel so unseemly." Captain Hook said, twirling his mustache around the hook that had replaced his hand. Even the way he stood belied a way of noble bearing; one foot forward, one dragging back, cocked in such a way to puff out his chest and give him a strong, baring standing. "I believe so truly in fair competition, you see, it'd be poor form to do away with all the peculiarities." He looked to Smee. "Go on and call all our boys back, Mr. Smee, the Captain has requested it, and we are on his territory."

 

The heavy Smee nodded, and the floating dinghy began flashing signals with it's lantern again, which the big ship responded with a few bells and horn calls. The roving bands of pirates dutifully stopped their pillaging, returning to their Captain and slowly forming a circle around the group. They began to stomp their feet and clap their hands, hooting and hollering. The Captain was a refined gentleman- or maybe he just acted that way-, but his pirates were roustabouts and ruffians for certain. 

 

"Now then, Fortune Favors You, eh? We'll see. I happen to believe that Fortune favors the bold, but there is a Providence reserved for Fools, Imbeciles, Drunkards, and Children." he flashed pearly white teeth. "So let's see which is which. Do you have your own dice, my Captain, or do you need to borrow some of mine?" he produced 6 dice from his jacket, as white as ivory and pips as black as ebony, but the side with one pip was replaced with a grinning skull.

 

Why was he so insistent on playing by the rules when the conflict would be much easier? Especially if the conflict seemed inevitable. He had just been pillaging and stealing, and now he was slavishly playing by the rules, or trying to.