#the pirate au is done so I'm moving on

[aberooski]

Watched Black Pearl again today and did some gx pirate au sketches to satisfy the demon inside if me, I am in a constant state of shivering all of me timbers right now.

[sailor-aviator]

Jake "Hangman" Seresin Series

Hi! Here is a list of the series I'm writing for Jake "Hangman" Seresin! Each series has multiple chapters and you can find their brief summaries underneath the titles! If you would like to read more you can head on over to my Masterlist! If you enjoy my writing, consider buying me a ko-fi!

Masterlist || Top Gun Masterlist

Don't Hang'em Til Noon (Complete)

Jake "Hangman" Seresin is a notorious leader within the Dagger Gang of the old western territories of the United States. You, a recently orphaned socialite from the eastern seaboard, find yourself swept off to live with your older brother who has set down roots in said western territory. Determined to to make the best of your situation, what will you do when said outlaw sets his sights on you? (Western AU)

Hanging By a Moment (Incomplete, Ongoing)

Taking place directly after the events of "Don't Hang'em Til Noon," this series follows more of Jake and Scout as they traverse life in the New Mexico territories. A drought has hit the town of Maverick, resulting in that year's crops dying. With little food to go around, the Dagger Gang must turn to unsavory means in order to provide for their friends and family. Additionally, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and your brother, Benjamin, have established rights to a gold mine that's now drawing in more and more unsavory characters. Will you have what it takes to survive the growing danger?

Meet Me at the Sea (Complete)

Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you. (Mermaid!Siren!AU)

Fool's Fare (Incomplete, Ongoing)

Captain Jake "Hangman" Seresin had come close to swinging from the gallows more times than he would care to admit. He's stolen, cheated, even killed. The worst thing he's ever done? Broken the heart of a woman. Having broken the heart of the woman whom Davy Jones himself had fallen for six years ago, Jake is now cursed to live as something not dead, but not alive. He's doomed to live a half-life for the rest of his existence unless he manages to obtain the treasure Davy Jones deems most valuable. The problem? He has no idea what it is, and he only had seven years to obtain it. (Pirate!AU)

Two Birds (Incomplete, Ongoing)

Growing up in the midwest meant that you weren't exposed to many of the dangers of the world, and it also meant that you missed out on some of what life had to offer. Taking a leap, you move to New York City with a few personal belongings and the little money you have left in your savings. You become good friends with your roommate and, by extension, the people at the club she works at. However, it isn't long until you catch the eye of not one, but two mafia bosses that rule the city with an iron grip. Will you stay out of their clutches, or will you give in and become another pawn in their wicked games? (Mafia!AU)

Road to Perdition (Incomplete, Ongoing)

The Great Depression wasn't called a depression for nothing. Jobs were scarce, and the price of food and other necessities were rising higher and higher with each passing day. What little money you were able to make went straight to the bank and out of reach from your booze-swilling lech of a brother. It's on one such run that you come face to face with members of the infamous Dagger Gang; a group of, admittedly handsome, men who steal from the banks to hand it back out to the poor. You want nothing to do with them, but that blond-headed devil might just have something to say to the contrary. (1930s!Mobster!AU)

By Its Cover (Incomplete, Ongoing)

The frivolity of high society has never much interested in you. You preferred to spend your time reading, something your sisters couldn't fathom as they spent their time shopping the latest dress styles. The youngest of five children and the fourth daughter, not much was expected of you. You knew you might be married one day, but you hoped beyond hope that it would be to someone that might understand your intellectual pursuits. You begin exchanging letters with a mysterious stranger, and what's more, your older brother's rakish best friend seems to find himself in your path more and more as the season goes on. What's a girl to do? (Regency!AU)

Foul is Fair (Incomplete, Ongoing)

North Island University has a reputation for being a stepping stone for the elite. Generations of families have walked the halls of the institution, going on to have successful careers upon graduation. Only in the last few decades has the school begun to allow omegas earn their degrees from these hallowed halls, and you consider yourself to be among the few lucky ones. You’re determined to prove that you’re more than your designation, but when the cocky alpha in your English class decides to put you in your place, will you fold? Or will you rise to the challenge? (College!Omegaverse!AU)

The Yawning Grave (Coming Soon)

You had always loved the stories your grandfather had told you about the "cunning folk," as he called them. You dreamed of a world beyond our own, but as you grew older, those stories faded into memory. Now, you're freshly graduated from college and on a trip to Scotland with your best friends. What you don't expect, however, is to gain the attention of a mysterious man or the wrath of the woman seemingly with him. You especially don't expect to find yourself in the middle of one of the old stories your grandfather had told you - one where you end up in a world that's not your own and with very few ways out. (Fairy!AU)

[greeenchrysanthemums]

A Friend

Gem brings her new friend to meet an old friend

I could not get this post out of my head. It was distracting me from writing my au, so I had to write it, or else I would never get anything done.

CW: past injury, implied torture, implied murder/death

Words: 3,444

❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀

Pearl sighed from where she was leaning against the boat's railing with her head pillowed under her crossed arms, knees knocking together as she tapped one foot against the deck.

Who knew being out on sea would actually be so boring. It wasn't nearly as fun or lively as the stories of pirates and navy battles made it out to be. They hadn’t even sung a single shanty this entire time! She would have taken swimming alone for hours over this any day.

She was bored out of her mind; resorting to passing her time by watching the same cloud slowly shrink and crawl across the sky at the pace of a sea slug. It didn’t help that the same annoying seagull had been circling their boat for at least 5 miles at this point, squawking up a storm the whole time, as if to mock her personally. It was driving her absolutely nutty.

"I'm bored, Gem." She whined.

"No one told you to sneak onto my ship, Pearl." Gem said, amused. The other woman was sitting on a crate, whittling away at a small hunk of wood. It was too early to tell what she was making, but Pearl had seen many of her other carvings sitting in various place around the boat, and they were all animals, so if she had to guess, this one was probably another animal of some kind. She kind of hoped it was a wolf. They were her favorite land creatures so far.

"Well, no… but you let me stay, and I'm here now!" Pearl argued, "You should entertain me!"

Gem laughed. She put her knife back into the sheath on her thigh and shoved the chunk of wood into one of the many pouches around her waist. She walked over to the mast and lowered the sail, tying off the rope with practiced ease.

"If you're bored, then you're in luck, actually. We're just about in the right spot now anyway." Gem said, walking over to where Pearl was, which also happened to be where the anchor was bundled up on the deck. She raised a hand over her eyes to block out the sun as she squinted out over the sea, a hand planted firmly on her hip.

Pearl stood up straight and followed her gaze out over the water, expecting to find something there. She didn't see any landmarks of any sort, though. No islands, no other ships, nothing like that. The only thing she could note was maybe the birds circling over a particular part of the water. Maybe there was a school of fish in that area that Gem knew about?

"Are we stopping to catch some more fish?" Pearl asked, peering over the side of the boat to try and catch sight of some.

This would be the third time they've stopped to fish during their journey to the next town. She still didn’t understand fully why Gem couldn’t just get all of her fish from one area and be done with it. Something about different species and maintaining the ecosystem, or something like that. She hadn’t paid much attention; fish was fish to her.

"Mmm, no, more like a delivery this time." Gem said, tossing the anchor overboard.

Before Pearl had the chance to ask what she meant, something big moved underneath the waves. Pearl jumped away from the rail, her back hitting a barrel, which she latched onto to stabilize herself.

"What was that!?" She exclaimed. There were only a few things that large that came to mind at the sight, and none of them were good.

Gem laughed at the display as she rolled one of the barrels of fish over towards the side of the boat.

"That," She hefted it onto her shoulder with a grunt, the bells hanging from her headband twinkling with the movement as she planted one foot up onto the rail and tossed the barrel right over the side. It hit the water with a loud splash. "Was a good friend."

There was a moment of silence before something erupted from the sea, sending water flying in every direction. Pearl ducked behind the barrel with a shout as she was doused head to toe with salty water.

"Oh, come one!" Gem shouted with a bit of a laugh. What followed was an inhuman giggle, high pitched and almost similar to that of a dolphin's call. Pearl peaked around the barrel and her heart stopped cold when she was met with the familiar sight of what was unmistakably a siren.

Their webbed, clawed hands gripped onto the railing, holding their upper body out of the water. Pink and white scars covered most of their visible, pale skin, overlapping and criss-crossing each other in ways that suggested the healed over wounds were more likely than not intentional. Green scales the same shade as kelp started at their just barely visible hips and descended down towards what Pearl would assume was a tail of the same colour. There were fins on their elbows, and twitching gills along the sides of their neck.

Her gaze traveled further up towards a cheerful face covered in scars and a smile full of teeth sharp enough to tear her apart. The most noticeable one, and the one Pearl rudely could not tear her eyes away from, was a long scar that split the left side of their face. It was thick, jagged scar tissue that started at the corner of their mouth, cut through an empty eye socket, and went out of sight into their white hair, which was cropped down almost right to the scalp and messy.

"Did you have to splash me, too!?" Gem asked incredulously, wringing out her sopping wet braid.

"Of course not, but it was funnier." The siren answered in a voice far deeper than Pearl would have imagined coming from them.

"You've got to stop doing that when I bring new people around. You're such a pain!" Gem said, voice pitching higher as she ended her sentence off with a giggle.

"But you love me." The siren said, drawing out the 'e'.

Gem sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Unfortunately, yes I do." Gem said. She then marched over to Pearl and grabbed her by the shoulders.

Pearl let out an 'eep!' as she was pulled out from behind the barrel and presented to the siren. Was this Gem's plan all along? To feed her to a sea beast? To think that she came all this way only to end up right back where she started. She stood there stiffly as Gem threw an arm around her shoulders, pointed a finger up at Pearl's face, and said, "This is my new buddy, Pearl. Pearl, this is Etho. He's one of my oldest friends."

Etho raised a clawed hand and gave her a wiggly fingered wave, his eyes crinkling at the corners from the wide, toothy smile on his face. Pearl chuckled nervously and waved back, less enthusiastically. She wasn't scared of many other magical species, but sirens were one of her exceptions. She had a not so good past with them and their territorial tendencies. The scars on her legs and stomach pulsed with phantom pains just thinking about it.

"Anyway, with introductions out of the way, where're my goods Etho?" Gem said, releasing Pearl from her hold. Pearl immediately took the chance to step back and put the barrel between herself and the siren.

Etho's mouth made an 'O'.

"Oh, right! I'll be back in a sec." He pushed himself away from the small boat and dove back into the water.

"This guy," Gem said, shaking her head with a sigh. “He’s never prepared.”

"So, uh, why are we making a pit stop to bring a dangerous sea creature a barrel of fish?" Pearl asked, suspiciously eyeing the water that the siren had disappeared into. Gem turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

"Dangerous? Oh, please, Etho wouldn't hurt a fly," She said, and then paused, putting a hand over her mouth with a squint-eyed, thoughtful look, "Unless he had to."

"That doesn't make me feel better." Pearl said with a nervous chuckle. Gem's eyes widened and then her face split into a cheeky grin.

"Wait, are you scared of Etho?" She asked with a giggle.

"Who wouldn't I be?! He could eat me in a second flat with those big teeth!" Pearl defended, crossing her arms as her cheeks burned bright red.

"Nah, it takes sirens at least three days to eat a whole human being." Gem said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Gem!?" Pearl questioned, alarmed.

"I'm just messing with you!" Gem laughed, "But seriously, Etho won't hurt you, I promise."

As if summoned by his name, Etho surfaced not even a second later, sending another splash of water that just barely missed them onto the deck. Etho peeked over the railing with an excited look on his face, which fell into a pout when he saw that he hit neither of them with the water.

"Quite messing around, would you? Get up here and show me what you got me already, you big oaf." Gem said.

"i'm not an oaf" Etho said as he tossed a thick net full of junk onto the deck and heaved himself up over the railing. Pearl gasped and ducked behind the barrel again as the siren's lanky body hit the deck with a loud thump.

Pearl’s eyes widened when she saw that the scars weren't reserved for only his upper body. The scales all along his tail were patchy in places, thick scar showing through the gaps, and his tail fin was ripped in several spots. She couldn’t help but admit that she was curious what could have caused such extensive injuries to something as dangerous as a siren, a being capable of charming their way out of just about any situation.

Gem went to sit cross legged by Etho's side as he pulled the net bag into his lap, his tail folded to the side and out of the way. Perhaps getting the deck all wet wasn’t just to be a menace, but also to make sure he could sit up here without drying out too fast, she noted as her foot splashed in the half inch of water that had accumulated on the deck…How were they going to get rid of the water when he left?

Pearl stood awkwardly off to the side, not behind the barrels anymore but not far away from them either. She could hide if she wanted to. Not that it would help her escape from a siren song, but it was the thought that counted. 

"Find anything good this month?" Gem asked.

"Meh, not really." Etho replied before pulling out a few beautiful shells from the net and handing them over to Gem, who took them with a noise of excitement. "I'll have to start going further out soon. I've just about picked all the wrecks from here to Sirens' Cove clean of anything worth something."

"Hm, don't go too far. I don't need treasure so badly that you need to risk your safety..." Gem muttered, holding the shells up to the waning sun in order to inspect them. "Gods these are beautiful. Pearl, come look at these."

"Uh, um," Pearl stuttered. She would really rather not go over there. In fact, it was the last thing she wanted, but then Gem looked up at her with the most innocent and expecting smile, and she just couldn't say no. There went her plan of hiding among the barrels until Etho left. 

She hesitantly went over and sat on Gem's other side, folding her legs under her in such a way that it would be easy for her to dive to the side. Gem handed her one of the shells and she took it, turning it over in her hands. It was a pretty shade of rose pink and about the size of her palm. She didn't know what animal it came from, but it was beautiful.

She jumped backward when a clawed hand suddenly shoved itself into her face without warning. Her back hit the railing and her head knocked against the wood. She hissed through her teeth and rubbed the surely forming bruise as she looked up to see Etho holding a chain out to her. She looked back and forth between him and the salt water rusted chain before gingerly taking it from his hold.

It was a necklace with a rusty silver chain and a small clam shaped locket at the end. The hinges of the locket were definitely too rusted to get open, and the whole thing looked like it would fall apart in her hands at any moment. Despite this, she could tell that it used to be a beautiful piece of jewelry. Maybe someone on land would be able to restore it to its previous glory?

"For you. Because your name is Pearl," Etho said, looking proud of himself. Pearl raised an eyebrow. His face fell into a frown and he elaborated, "Clams make pearls?"

"Oh, thank you." She said, closing her fist around the trinket.

"Hey, I thought this was supposed to be my payment!" Gem exclaimed.

"It's still my stuff! You don't even take everything half the time, I can give away whatever I want." Etho defended.

The two of them glared at each other, clearly having some sort of a silent conversation, and Pearl felt incredibly awkward watching it. She was just about to try and mediate whatever fight they had going on, unwillingly to be put between an angry Gem and an angry siren, when the two of them poorly held back chuckles before bursting out in laughter. Pearl blew out a relieved breath and let out a chuckle of her own.

"I don’t want to cause any fighting," Pearl hesitantly said, holding the locket out to Gem. 

"You can keep that, Pearl, we were just joking around." Gem said, holding her hands up and refusing to take the locket.

Pearl looked down at the piece of jewelry and then shoved it into her blouse without needing to be told twice. She wasn't going to say no to free valuables. She would likely sell it once they reached land. She would need as much money as she could if she wanted to start a new life, after all. Maybe she could get more for it by spinning an elaborate tale of how she stole it from a siren.

Slowly they went through the entire contents of the bag, trying to determine what was actually of worth and what was just visually appealing. Pearl wasn’t really doing much, to be honest; only taking what Gem handed to her and giving it a once over before handing it back. It seemed to satisfy the younger woman though.

Pearl would occasionally flicker her eyes over towards the siren sitting across Gem from her, still somewhat convinced until halfway through their sorting that he was going to eat her. Her worries were quickly dispelled, however, much to her surprise. He was almost childlike with his excitement to show off certain goods to them, his enthusiasm and mannerisms actually quite endearing.

She also saw how close he and Gem seemed, an almost familial bond between the two of them. They talked and interacted with such familiarity that Pearl was led to believe that this really was a regular occurrence for them, and they seemed more than happy to include her.

She felt her heart warm in her chest the more she watched them alternate between play fighting and gushing over pretty knick knacks together. Her lips quirked into a smile as she examined another pink shell. She wondered how she had ever been afraid of him.

In the end, they split the contents of the net bag into two piles that Gem had dubbed "Goods for Gem" and "Etho's junk", which he gladly scooped back up once they were finished.

Gem stretched her arms above her head and arched her back until it popped, and Etho yawned wide, his clawed hand itching one of the patchy spots on his tail. Pearl yawned as well, and then her stomach grumbled embarrassingly loud. Etho looked over at her and giggled, causing Pearl's face to light up red once again.

"I think that's my signal to get something going dinner wise." Gem said, pushing off of the ground to climb to her feet.

"I'm getting hungry too," Etho said. He pulled part of the net bag over his shoulder, turned halfway around, grabbed onto the railing, and expertly flipped himself over the side of the boat, landing in the water with a slap that once again dowsed Pearl from head to toe.

She sighed. She had just been drying off from the first time. She pushed herself up onto her knees, shook water off of her hands, and turned around to peer over the side of the boat into the dark water. There wasn't much light to be provided by the setting sun, but there was just enough to see the general shape of Etho's head poking out of the water, bobbing along with the gentle waves.

"Are you heading out, Etho?" Gem's voice asked from beside her.

"Yeah, I've left those fish down there long enough. I have to get them home, or something will eat them before I get the chance to." Etho called back up to her.

"Alright, then, take care. Don't be a stranger." Gem said, giving him a broad wave.

"Bye Gem. Bye Pearl. It was nice meeting you. Safe travels!" Etho said before diving below the waves. Pearl gave a tiny wave goodbye; not even sure he had seen the farewell.

"Still scared of the big bad siren?" Gem asked in a teasing manner. She was busying herself with lighting the lanterns hanging outside of the cabin.

"Not really," Pearl admitted, "He seemed really sweet."

"He is a sweetheart," Gem said, "We've been friends for years now, and I've been supplying him fish just as long. It's a heavy blow to my profit, but honestly, I don't mind doing it for him."

"You never did answer my question," Pearl said, "Why do you supply him with fish?"

Gem looked hesitant at that.

"He hasn't been able to hunt very well since the...accident that caused all of his scars." She said after a moment, blowing out a breath. "His sense of direction isn't the greatest, nor is his vision, both a result of that injury to his eye that you saw. He's also not the strongest swimmer, so he has trouble keeping up with most prey long enough to catch anything. Things like sea berries, kelp, clams and crab aren't hard for him to catch, so it's not like he *needs* me to hunt for him, but he's always had a liking for the fish in this part of the sea."

She crossed her arms and set them on the railing, assuming a position similar to what Pearl had been in earlier before Etho showed up. She looked down at the rippling water with a pensive look on her face.

"When he told me he couldn't catch them anymore, I offered to bring them to him every few months in exchange for some treasure." She continued, "Like he said, though, I don't really need any of the stuff he brings me. I just know that he wouldn't take the fish unless he thought it was mutually beneficial to the both of us. He has a lot of pride like that, can't even let me do something nice for him just because I want to."

She shook her head and chuckled sadly. Pearl was silent, studying Gem's grim expression. She was beginning to realize just how big the other woman's heart truly was. Really, she should have realized it right from the very start. Not very many seasoned fishermen with Gem's kind of reputation would just accept a stowaway with open arms, let alone feed and clothe them on top of letting them stay in the same cabin as them. She was one in a million.

"Enough of that," Gem said, pushing herself away from the railing, "It's time to eat. I'm starving!"

Pearl followed Gem into the small cabin without another word, throwing one last glance at the now pitch-black waves, almost expecting to see a pair of eyes watching her. The locket felt heavy where it rested against her breast.

A friendly siren; who would have thought it. Only the gods above knew what else Gem had in store for her.

[estellan0vella]

The Legend of The Cursed Tempest - Suguru Geto AU Word Count: 9.8K Content Warnings: murder, blood, violence, death Masterlist for Eras AU

You walk through the town in the commoner clothes that make your skin itch but hide your true heritage from the other people you reside with. As far as they are concerned, you are an orphan who found her way to the town with hopes of a better life, not a noblewoman on the run from your and your husband-to-be's families. Every day, you live in fear that someone might see through your disguise, but you have managed to stay hidden so far.

The town is bustling with activity, merchants shouting their wares and children playing in the streets. You blend into the crowd, keeping your head down, when suddenly, a cry of alarm pierces the air. You look up to see the infamous pirate ship "Cursed Tempest" approaching the harbour, its black sails billowing ominously.

As your eyes dart around, you spot pirates harassing a young merchant woman. You dart forward, keeping the hood of your cloak up before you push one of the pirates back. 

"Leave her be!" you snap, helping the woman to her feet. "Is it not enough you're about to pillage our town?"

The pirate you pushed turns to you, surprise flickering across his face before it twists into a sneer. He grabs your arm, yanking you closer. "And who might you be to give orders?" he growls.

You glare at the man before the palm of your hand connects with his face. His sneer deepens as he tightens his grip on your arm, clearly unfazed by the stinging slap you delivered. You can feel the eyes of the townsfolk on you, a mixture of fear and curiosity in their gazes. The young merchant woman scurries away, her thanks barely a whisper as she disappears into the crowd.

"Feisty, aren't you?" the pirate sneers, his breath hot against your face. "We'll see how long that lasts."

Before you can retort, a commanding voice cuts through the chaos. "Enough, Ryuu."

The pirate releases you instantly, and you stumble back, catching your balance just in time to see a tall figure approaching. He moves with an air of authority, his dark hair tied back, a few loose strands framing his striking face. His eyes are sharp, assessing you with an intensity that makes your heart race.

"Captain Geto," Ryuu mutters, stepping back respectfully. "She was—"

"I saw," Suguru Geto interrupts, his gaze never leaving yours. "And I'm curious. Who is this bold woman who dares to challenge my crew?"

"Just a concerned citizen," you reply, dodging his outreaching hand as he goes to push back the hood of your cloak. "Do not touch me."

Geto's eyebrows lift slightly in surprise, and then he chuckles, a deep, rich sound that sends a shiver down your spine. "Feisty indeed," he murmurs, withdrawing his hand. "Most people in this town would rather cower than confront a pirate. You are... different."

You glare at him, refusing to be intimidated. "Leave us in peace. Haven't you done enough harm to other port towns?"

He tilts his head, considering your words. "Perhaps. But harm is a pirate's trade, is it not?" His smile fades, replaced by a look of genuine curiosity. "What are you hiding under that hood, I wonder?"

You pull the hood tighter, every instinct screaming at you to run, but your feet remain rooted to the spot. "Nothing that concerns you, pirate."

Geto takes a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he tries to peer into the shadow of your cloak. "I think it does concern me. You're hiding something, and I intend to find out what."

Desperation claws at your chest as you take a step back, but his presence is overwhelming, a dark tide threatening to pull you under. "I am no one of interest," you insist, your voice wavering slightly despite your best efforts.

"Everyone is of interest to someone," he counters smoothly. "And you, my dear, have certainly piqued mine."

With a final, defiant glare, you turn on your heel and blend into the crowd, your heart pounding in your chest. You can feel his eyes on you as you weave through the townspeople, the heat of his gaze like a physical touch. Every step you take feels like a battle, but you force yourself to move, to get as far away from him as possible.

As you disappear into the alleyways, the noise of the market fading behind you, you know that Suguru Geto will not forget you. And though you escaped his immediate grasp, you can sense that this encounter is only the beginning of a dangerous game. One that you may not be able to avoid forever.

You hurry through the narrow streets, your mind racing. You need a plan, a way to protect yourself from the prying eyes of the pirate captain. The safety of your disguise feels more fragile than ever, and the stakes are higher than you ever imagined.

You enter the small room you rent and begin to throw your belongings into your bag. Your hands tremble as you move swiftly, knowing that staying here is no longer an option. The encounter with Suguru Geto has shattered the illusion of safety you've clung to for so long.

You glance at the jewellery in the bottom of the bag, the precious pieces that once adorned you as a noblewoman. They are your lifeline now, the means by which you sustain yourself. Each gem represents a fragment of the life you fled, a life filled with opulence and suffocating expectations.

As you hastily pack, you can't help but feel a pang of nostalgia and regret. You were supposed to marry into a powerful family, to live a life of comfort and privilege. But the weight of that future was unbearable, and you chose freedom over security, even if that meant living as a commoner, hiding your true identity.

You pause for a moment, clutching a delicate necklace with a sapphire pendant. It was a gift from your mother, a reminder of home. You consider leaving it behind, but the thought of parting with it feels like severing your last tie to your past. With a sigh, you tuck it carefully into a hidden pocket of your cloak.

A knock at the door startles you, and you freeze, heart pounding. Could it be Geto already? You move quietly to the window, peering out to see who it is. To your relief, it's the young merchant woman you helped earlier.

You open the door just enough to speak. "What is it?"

She looks around nervously before answering. "I wanted to thank you again for what you did. I also came to warn you. The pirate captain, he's asking around about you."

Your stomach drops. "Did you tell him anything?"

"No," she replies quickly. "But others might not be so loyal. You need to leave, and soon."

You nod, already knowing this. "Thank you. Stay safe."

She gives you a sympathetic look before hurrying away. You close the door and return to your packing with renewed urgency. Your mind races with possibilities. Where can you go? How far do you need to run to escape Geto's reach?

As you finish packing, a plan begins to form. There's a small port town to the north, one that isn't frequented by pirates. It's a risky move, but staying here is even riskier. You know the journey will be arduous, but it's your best chance at remaining hidden.

With your bag slung over your shoulder and the hood of your cloak pulled low, you slip out of your room and into the night. The streets are quiet, the chaos of the day replaced by an eerie calm. You stick to the shadows of the alleyways, using the cover of the night to shield you. 

"And where would you be going at this time of night?" A voice asks and you turn to see Geto standing at the end of the alleyway. 

You freeze, your heart thudding loudly in your chest. Suguru Geto stands at the end of the alleyway, his silhouette framed by the dim light of a distant lantern. His presence is both commanding and menacing, and you can feel his eyes boring into you.

"Where would you be going at this time of night?" he repeats, taking a step closer. His voice is smooth, but there's an edge to it that sends a chill down your spine.

You swallow hard, forcing yourself to remain calm. "None of your concern," you reply, your voice steady despite the fear coursing through you. "I have no business with pirates."

He raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by your defiance. "A brave statement for someone so eager to flee. You must be hiding something very interesting."

You take a step back, your mind racing for a way out. The alleyway is narrow, and with Geto blocking the only exit, escape seems impossible. Desperation claws at you, but you refuse to let it show.

"I have nothing of interest to you," you insist, tightening your grip on your bag. "Leave me be."

Geto smirks, closing the distance between you with a few leisurely strides. "Oh, but you see, you've piqued my curiosity. And I always follow my curiosities to their end."

Panic rises in your chest, but you force yourself to think. Your only chance is to catch him off guard, to find a way to slip past him. You shift your weight slightly, preparing to make a sudden move.

But Geto is faster than you anticipated. In a swift motion, he grabs your arm, pulling you close. "Now, now," he murmurs, his grip firm but not painful. "No need for that. I just want to talk."

You glare up at him, defiance blazing in your eyes. "I have nothing to say to you."

"What are you running from?" he hums, his voice low and almost soothing. "Not me, you don't fear me. You fear something else."

"Are you quite finished?" you sigh, quirking an eyebrow, trying to maintain a facade of nonchalance.

"Not at all," he murmurs, his eyes locking onto yours with a relentless intensity. "You see, I have a knack for finding out secrets. And yours, my dear, is particularly intriguing."

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your racing heart. "There are no secrets here, just a woman trying to live her life."

He chuckles softly, the sound sending a shiver down your spine. "Living in the shadows, hiding under a cloak, evading questions... that's not living. That's surviving."

You narrow your eyes at him, pulling your arm free from his grasp. "And what would you know about it? You're a pirate, living by taking what you want, no consequences, no fear."

Geto's smile fades slightly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. "You're right. I take what I want. And right now, I want answers."

"Well, this is the first time you can't take something you want," You retort. "How does that feel, pirate?"

For a moment, there's a tense silence between you, the air thick with challenge and unresolved tension. Then, to your surprise, Geto laughs. It's a low, rich sound that reverberates through the narrow alleyway.

"Intriguing," he murmurs, his eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and curiosity. "It's not often someone stands up to me like this. I admire your spirit, Yuna."

The use of the false name you gave him earlier sends a jolt through you, a reminder of the precarious situation you're in. You straighten, lifting your chin defiantly. "I'm not afraid of you, Geto. And I won't give you what you want."

He steps closer, his presence overwhelming. "Fearless and stubborn," he says, his voice low and almost admiring. "But everyone has a breaking point."

You refuse to back down, holding his gaze. "And I suppose you think you'll find mine?"

His smile returns, but it's different now—darker, more dangerous. "I don't just think, Yuna. I know."

The way he says your name, even the false one, sends a chill down your spine. You take a step back, your heart pounding. "You won't get anything from me."

"Perhaps not tonight," he concedes, his tone light but his eyes still sharp. "But the night is long, and the world is small. I'll be seeing you again, Yuna."

With that, he turns and walks away, leaving you standing in the alley, your pulse racing and your mind whirling. The encounter has shaken you more than you care to admit, but it has also steeled your resolve. Suguru Geto may be relentless, but so are you.

You take a deep breath, forcing yourself to focus. There's no time to dwell on the pirate captain's ominous words. You need to leave before he or his crew have a chance to track you down again. Clutching your bag tightly, you slip out of the alley and into the shadows, heading toward the northern road.

A week passes in the new port town, and you slowly fall into the routine you had in the previous town. The initial anxiety of being found by Geto begins to fade as you immerse yourself in the daily hustle and bustle.

You spend your days at the markets, carefully selecting the right people to sell your gems to. Each transaction is a delicate dance, ensuring you get a fair price without drawing too much attention to yourself. The jewellery you once wore as a symbol of your noble heritage now serves as your means of survival.

One morning, as you stroll through the market, you spot a familiar face among the crowd. The young merchant woman you had helped in the previous town stands at a stall, examining a piece of fabric. You freeze, your heart skipping a beat. Does she recognize you? Has she been followed?

You approach her cautiously, trying to appear casual. "Excuse me, miss," you say softly, your eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. "Do you remember me?"

The woman looks up, her eyes widening in surprise. "Yuna! I didn't expect to see you here."

"Neither did I," you reply, glancing around nervously. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to leave the last town," she explains, lowering her voice. "The pirates... they were causing too much trouble. I thought I might find some peace here. I'm Mei by the way"

"I have the same goal," You reply, adjusting the hood of your cloak. 

"They're looking for you," Mei says. "I told them you intended to go south but someone witnessed a cloaked figure on the northern road"

Your heart skips a beat at her words. "I appreciate you trying to mislead them," you say, glancing around to ensure no one is listening. "But if they know I went north, they'll be here soon enough."

She nods, her expression serious. "I figured you should know. You need to be careful."

"I always am," you reply, though the truth is, your nerves are frayed, and the constant running is taking its toll.

"Do you have a plan?" She asks, her concern evident.

"I'm working on it," you say, though the words feel hollow. You can't keep running forever, and the thought of constantly looking over your shoulder is exhausting.

She looks around before lowering her voice further. "There's a ship leaving tonight, bound for a port far from here. I can help you get on it."

"Okay," you nod, considering the offer. "How much?"

Mei shakes her head. "Nothing. Consider it repayment for helping me before. I owe you that much."

You hesitate, the weight of her generosity pressing on you. "Thank you, Mei. I appreciate it more than you know."

She gives you a small, reassuring smile. "It's the least I can do. Meet me at the docks an hour after sundown. I'll make sure you get on that ship."

You nod, feeling a mixture of relief and anxiety. The plan is risky, but staying here is no longer an option. "I'll be there."

As you part ways, you hurry back to your small room to pack the few belongings you have left. The thought of finally putting some distance between yourself and Geto brings a flicker of hope, but you know the journey ahead will be fraught with danger.

As the sun sets, you make your way to the docks, your cloak pulled tightly around you. The streets are quieter now, the usual bustle of the market replaced by the occasional murmur of people heading home or to the local taverns. You stick to the shadows, avoiding any prying eyes.

When you arrive at the docks, you spot Mei waiting near a small cargo ship. She waves you over, her expression tense but determined. "This is it," she whispers. "The captain owes me a favour. He'll take you as far as the port after next."

"Thank you," you say, your voice filled with genuine gratitude. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"Just stay safe," Mei replies, her eyes glistening with emotion. "And maybe one day, we'll meet again under better circumstances."

You nod, giving her hand a squeeze before turning towards the ship. The captain, a burly man with a grizzled beard, gives you a curt nod as you approach. "Get on board quickly," he mutters. "We set sail in a few minutes."

You follow his instructions, slipping onto the ship and finding a small, cramped space below deck. The sound of the crew preparing to leave and the creak of the ship as it sways in the water fill your ears. You take a deep breath, hoping this journey will finally bring you the peace you seek.

As the ship pulls away from the dock, you feel a mix of relief and apprehension. The night air is cool, and you wrap your cloak tighter around yourself, trying to stave off the chill. You know that leaving this town is only the first step in a much longer journey.

Two days pass on the ship and you're beginning to regret your choices. The crew members spend their free moments leering at you and the Captain is no better. You have foresworn sleep in order to keep yourself safe. 

As night falls, you stand at the bow of the ship, watching the wide expanse of the sea under the moonlight. Footsteps sound behind you and you stiffen but do not move. 

"I know who you are," The Captain murmurs as he stands next to you and your eyes widen. "The runaway Lady. Your betrothed is paying a hefty sum for your safe return and I intend to collect"

The tension on the ship is palpable as you stand frozen at the bow, the captain's revelation still echoing in your ears. Your hand tightens around the hilt of your concealed dagger, ready to defend yourself if necessary.

"I think not," you reply, your voice steady despite the rising panic. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll let me go."

Before the captain can respond, the shout of "PIRATES!" from the lookout draws everyone's attention. The crew scrambles into action, the chaos of the impending attack giving you a momentary reprieve.

You glance out over the water and see the dark silhouette of a ship approaching rapidly. The black sails billowing in the moonlight are unmistakable—it's the Cursed Tempest. Your heart races as you realize that Geto has found you once again, maybe unintentionally. 

You turn to the captain, who is barking orders at his men. "Let me go now," you say, your voice urgent.

He sneers at you, his greed evident. "I'm not letting you go. You're worth too much."

With no other options, you draw your dagger, the blade glinting in the moonlight. "Then I'll make sure you regret it."

Before the captain can react, you slash at him, the blade cutting through his shirt and grazing his skin. He stumbles back with a curse, his hand going to the wound before he lunges for you. You yelp as you and the captain go tumbling down the steps. 

Fortune favours you and you land on top of the captain. Before he can make a noise, you raise the blade and plunge it into his chest. The captain's eyes widen in shock, his body convulsing beneath you before going still. You scramble to your feet, breathless and shaking, the dagger still clutched in your hand. 

Blood stains your clothes, but there's no time to dwell on it. The chaos around you is deafening, the clashing of swords and the cries of battle blending into a cacophony of violence.

You glance around, desperate for a way out. The Cursed Tempest's pirates are overwhelming the crew, and you know it's only a matter of time before Geto finds you on the ship as his crew is notorious for killing every soul on board. 

As you look around, your eyes lock on the bow and the murky waters below. You mutter a quiet prayer before beginning to sprint towards the bow, dodging the captain's corpse and hurrying up the steps, clutching your skirts in your hand. 

But before you can leap over the edge of the ship, arms wrap around your waist and pull you away. You grip your dagger tightly before plunging it into your captor's arm, making him yell and stumble back, releasing you. 

You barely register the pirate's yell as you break free from his grasp. Your heart pounds in your chest, adrenaline surging through your veins. Without hesitation, you turn and sprint for the bow once more, the edge of the ship your only hope of escape.

But before you can reach it, another set of hands grabs you, this time stronger and more determined. You twist around, dagger at the ready, only to find yourself face to face with Suguru Geto. His grip is ironclad, and his eyes bore into yours.

"What a pleasant surprise," He grins down at you. 

"Let me go," you hiss, trying to sound more confident than you feel.

"Was the captain your handy work?" He asks you, looking at the blood staining your clothes and hands. 

You meet his gaze defiantly, refusing to show any fear. "Yes," you reply, your voice steady despite the turmoil within. "He tried to stop me."

Geto's grin widens, his amusement clear. "Impressive," he says, almost approvingly. "But it changes nothing. You belong to me now."

Anger flares within you, and you struggle against his grip. "I belong to no one," you spit out, pulling out of his arms.

As you turn to face him, the hood of your cloak falls down and Geto's eyebrows rise. His eyes rake over you as he runs his tongue over his teeth. 

"I see why you hide under the cloak," He says. "A young woman that looks like you shouldn't travel alone"

You roll your eyes at his flattery, turning and picking up the bag of your belongings you had dropped during the fight with the Captain. 

"If you jump overboard, I'll come in after you but then you'll have to deal with me being irate at the inconvenience," Geto says. 

"I'm not going to jump," You mutter, making sure your jewels are still in the bag. "I figure if I'm stuck with you until you get bored, I might as well have my own clothes and belongings"

Geto watches you with a bemused expression as you gather your things. "Smart girl," he says, nodding appreciatively. "You value your possessions. That's good. It means you have something to lose."

"Touch my belongings and I'll cut your fingers off," You snap. 

Geto's grin widens, clearly entertained by your defiance. "Let me give you a piece of advice: threats are only effective if you can back them up."

You motion to your blood-stained clothing and then the captain's body. "I told him he'd regret it if he didn't let me go and look at that, he regrets it. I keep my promises"

Geto's amusement doesn't falter as he regards you, his eyes gleaming with a mix of intrigue and admiration. "You certainly do," he concedes, a hint of respect in his voice. "But there's a difference between a captain and a pirate. You may have caught him off guard, but you won't catch me so easily."

You tighten your grip on your belongings, refusing to show any sign of weakness. "I'm not afraid of you," you say, though your heart pounds in your chest.

"Nor should you be," Geto replies smoothly. "Fear is a wasted emotion. But respect, that's another matter entirely."

You meet his gaze defiantly, unwilling to let him see any vulnerability. "I'll show you respect when you earn it."

His grin widens, a glint of challenge in his eyes. "Spoken like a true survivor. I think we'll get along just fine, you and I. Come along, I'll give you a tour of the Cursed Tempest"

"Oh joy," You say dully as you walk across the wooden plank between the two ships.

Geto tilts his head to the side, watching your impeccable balance and posture before he shakes the plank of wood. His eyebrows rise as you continue walking with ease, entirely nonplussed by his actions as you step down onto the Cursed Tempest.

Geto chuckles at your lack of reaction, clearly amused by your composure. "Impressive," he remarks, falling into step beside you as you navigate the deck of the Cursed Tempest. "Most commoners usually fall off. Noble women usually have good balance though"

He watches as you hum nonchalantly but your gaze shifts away from him. "I suppose I'm a commoner blessed with good balance"

"Sure, sure," Geto nods, noticing the dark rings under your eyes. "Christ, when was the last time you slept?"

"Hmm," You stifle a yawn. "Two days ago? No three? I don't know. Sleeping on that ship was not a safe option"

"So you managed to kill a grown man on next to no energy reserves?" Geto asks with amusement lacing his tone. 

"I have many talents," You reply with a shrug, rubbing your hands together so the dried blood begins to flake off your skin.

Geto's eyebrows rise in appreciation. "Apparently so," he remarks, his tone a mix of admiration and curiosity. "But even the most talented need rest."

You shake your head, the exhaustion evident in your movements. "I'll sleep when I feel safe."

"Well, you're on the Cursed Tempest now," Geto says, gesturing around.

"Not by will," You retort. 

Geto chuckles softly. "True," he concedes, "but it's still an improvement from where you were. And believe it or not, I do have some standards. My crew knows better than to mess with someone under my protection."

You glance at him sceptically. "Protection? And what do you get out of this, Geto?"

He meets your gaze steadily, a smirk playing on his lips. "Consider it a mutually beneficial arrangement. I get the satisfaction of unravelling your mysteries, and you get a safe place to rest and gather your strength."

You hesitate, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on you. Finally, you nod. "Fine. But I won't hesitate to defend myself if anyone crosses the line."

"Understood," Geto replies, still amused. "Come, I'll show you to your quarters."

You follow him across the deck, your steps unsteady but determined. The crew watches curiously, but no one approaches or speaks. Geto leads you to a small cabin, opening the door and gesturing for you to enter.

The room is small but clean, with a narrow bed against one wall and a small porthole letting in the soft glow of moonlight. You step inside, taking in the modest but private space. Turning to Geto, you nod in acknowledgement.

"Thank you," you say, your voice soft but sincere.

He nods, his expression serious. "Get some rest, Yuna. There's water in here for you to clean the blood from your hands"

 You glance at the small basin of water and the cloth next to it, appreciating the gesture. "Thanks," you repeat, your voice even softer.

Geto lingers for a moment, his eyes studying your face. "We'll talk more in the morning," he says finally. "Sleep well, Yuna."

With that, he steps back, closing the door behind him. You let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding, the tension in your shoulders slowly easing. You move to the basin, dipping the cloth in the cool water and gently scrubbing the dried blood from your hands. The repetitive motion is oddly soothing, and as the water turns pink, you feel some of the weight lift from your chest.

Once your hands are clean, you splash some water on your face, feeling the grime of the past few days wash away. You dry off with the cloth and turn to the narrow bed. The mattress is thin and the blanket rough, but it's more than you've had in days.

You lie down, the exhaustion seeping into your bones. For the first time in a long while, you feel a semblance of safety. The gentle rocking of the ship lulls you into a deep, dreamless sleep.

You wake to the soft light of dawn filtering through the porthole. For a moment, you forget where you are, disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. Then the events of the past days come rushing back, and you sit up, groaning as your muscles protest.

The small room is still quiet, and you take a moment to gather your thoughts. You know you can't let your guard down completely, but for now, you're grateful for the rest and the temporary reprieve from danger.

You pull your corset strings tightly, tying the laces before you pull on a clean dress. You sigh as you lace up your heeled boots before pulling part of your hair back and tying it with a ribbon.

As you step out of the cabin, the ship is already bustling with activity. The crew members are busy with their tasks, but you can feel their curious glances directed at you. Determined not to show any signs of discomfort, you lift your chin and make your way across the deck.

You spot Geto at the helm, speaking with his first mate. He catches sight of you and waves you over. "Morning, Yuna," he greets you, his tone surprisingly warm. "Sleep well?"

"Well enough," you reply, stopping a few feet away from him. "Why am I here?"

"I told you, I want to know your secrets," He shrugs.

"So I got abducted because you want to know my secrets?" You quirk an eyebrow as you lean against the railing.

"Pretty much, you intrigue me and believe me, that rarely happens," Geto replies. 

"Say I tell you my secrets," You begin as the wind whips your face. "What do I get in return?"

"What would you want in return?" 

"I want your word that you'll take me somewhere far from here," You say. "Far out of the reach of the Royal Navy"

"Oh?" Geto's eyebrow quirks at the little insight you drop. "Are you a criminal?"

"No," You shake your head. "I'm worse"

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"I'm a woman with a quick mind," You reply. "That is my sin. I am a woman who outsmarted the Navy"

Geto's eyes widen slightly, genuine surprise flickering across his face before he quickly regains his composure. "Impressive," he murmurs, his tone laced with admiration. "Outsmarting the Navy is no small feat. Especially for a woman in your position."

You hold his gaze, determination in your eyes. "I had no choice. My betrothed is a captain in the Royal Navy. He's influential, ruthless, and will stop at nothing to control me. Marrying him would have meant the end of my freedom."

Geto leans against the railing beside you, his expression thoughtful. "I see. And now he's using his power to hunt you down."

"Yes," you reply, your voice steady. "That's why I need to disappear completely. As long as he has any hope of finding me, he won't stop."

Geto nods slowly, understanding the gravity of your situation. "Alright," he says finally. "I give you my word. I'll help you disappear, far from the reach of the Royal Navy. But I want the full story"

"Oh also," You begin. "Next port town, I need some suitable clothes. Dresses and heeled boots aren't great on a ship"

Geto's lips curve into a faint smile at your request. "Consider it done," he says, his tone reassuring. "I'll have someone make arrangements for you in the next port town. It's a shame you spent so long hiding your face, you're quite the exquisite gem"

You roll your eyes in response to the pirate captain's attempts to flatter you, not even offering him a polite smile as you stare out at the ocean.

The next port town is huge, a well-known area for merchants and because there are merchant ships, it's a beacon for pirates who loot and pillage to their hearts' content. You side-eye the pirate Geto had stuck you with for the day. A lanky man with snow-white hair and bright blue eyes by the name of Satoru. 

"Smile princess," Satoru nudges you. "You look so miserable all of the time"

"Ah yes," You roll your eyes, accepting his hand to help you get off of the ship. "Let's see, I am here against my will, your Captain is obsessed with knowing my secrets and now I am stuck. Spending the day with you"

"You're getting free clothes," Satoru shrugs. "And I am a delight to be around"

"You drink too much rum," You mutter. 

"And you don't drink enough," He jibes, nudging you. 

"I like to keep my wits and smarts," You retort as Satoru pushes open the door to the tailors. "Though I suppose you lack both when you're not inebriated so it makes no difference for you"

"Ouch, you're mean," Satoru grins. 

"I know," 

"No one move," Satoru calls with a wide, boyish grin on his face as his hand rests on his cutlass. "I need some clothes making for the lovely lady next to me. By order of Captain Suguru Geto"

The tailor's shop falls silent as you and Satoru enter, the occupants eyeing you warily. Satoru's grin remains in place as he glances around, clearly enjoying the reaction his presence elicits.

You step forward, your posture regal despite the circumstances. "I need practical clothing for life aboard a ship," you say, your voice soft. "And quickly."

The tailor, a middle-aged woman with keen eyes, nods quickly. "Of course, miss," she replies, her hands already measuring you with quick efficiency. "We'll have everything ready for you within the hour."

You glance at Satoru, who is still smirking. "Satisfied?" you ask dryly.

"Very," he replies, leaning against the counter. "See, it's not so bad. You'll have new clothes in no time, and then you can stop complaining about your dresses."

You roll your eyes but remain silent, allowing the tailor to take your measurements. As she works, you can't help but think about your conversation with Geto. His promise to help you disappear weighs heavily on your mind, and you know you'll need to trust him if you're going to escape the clutches of the Royal Navy.

Back on the Cursed Tempest, you find Geto waiting for you on the deck. He's leaning against the railing, his expression unreadable as he watches the activity around him. As you approach, he straightens, his eyes locking onto yours.

"Enjoy your excursion?" he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"It was tolerable," you reply, holding up the bundle of clothes the tailor had hastily prepared for you. "Thank you for arranging this."

He nods, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary. "You're welcome, Yuna. Now, let's hear some more of your story"

"Naoya Zenin," You say and Geto's eyebrows fly up at the name. "That's who I was set to wed. A monster of a man. So I ran"

"So what's your real name?" Geto asks and you shake your head.

"A name has power," You say. "Power I don't trust you with yet"

Geto's eyes narrow slightly, but he doesn't press further. Instead, he nods in understanding. "Fair enough," he says, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "You've given me enough to start with."

You cross your arms, eyeing him warily. "What about your secrets, Geto? What's your story?"

His smile widens, and for a moment, he looks almost boyish. "Ah, but that's not how this works. I'm the captain here. My secrets stay with me."

You roll your eyes, turning away to find your cabin. "Typical."

As you walk away, you hear him chuckle behind you. "Once you're changed, come back up to the deck. We're having a party tonight."

"Sure," you mutter, descending the steps and entering your cabin. You shove the chair under the door handle, ensuring no one can enter without your permission before you begin to change.

Tight black trousers hug your legs, emphasizing your form, and are topped with a pair of knee-high black boots that click softly against the wooden floor as you move. You pull on a white blouse, snug around your chest, and roll your eyes in annoyance as you tug on the black corset over it, tightening it to accentuate your figure. You adjust the laces, making sure the fit is just right.

The transformation feels almost empowering. You glance at your reflection in the small mirror, a smirk playing on your lips. The clothes fit perfectly, giving you a sense of control you haven't felt in a while. You consider tying your hair back with a ribbon but instead, you leave it to fall freely, framing your face and adding a touch of wildness to your look.

You take a deep breath, feeling a sense of readiness wash over you. This is a new chapter, and you intend to face it head-on. Stepping out of your cabin, you make your way back up to the deck, your boots clicking against the wooden steps with each confident stride.

As you emerge, the deck is already alive with activity. The crew is bustling about, setting up tables laden with food and drink, stringing up lanterns that cast a warm, inviting glow over the scene. The sound of laughter and music fills the air, creating an atmosphere of celebration and camaraderie.

Geto spots you immediately, his eyes lighting up with a mix of surprise and admiration as he takes in your new attire. He pushes away from where he had been leaning against the railing, making his way toward you with an easy, confident stride.

"Well, look at you," he says, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "Those clothes suit you."

You roll your eyes, though a small part of you can't help but feel a flush of satisfaction at his compliment. "Enjoying yourself, Captain?"

"Always," he replies with a grin. "Come, let me introduce you to the crew properly."

You follow him through the throng of pirates, feeling their curious gazes as they take in your transformed appearance. Geto leads you to a group gathered around a table, the crew members nodding in greeting as you approach.

"This is Yuna," Geto announces, his arm gesturing grandly. "She'll be with us for a while."

One of the crew members, a burly man with a thick beard, grins at you. "Welcome, Yuna. Don't let Geto boss you around too much."

"I'll do my best," you reply with a polite smile.

Geto chuckles, slinging an arm around your shoulders. "Don't worry, she's already got me wrapped around her finger. She's quite the formidable woman."

You feel a mix of irritation and amusement at his words but let it slide, focusing on the atmosphere around you. The night is lively, filled with music, laughter, and the occasional cheer as someone wins a round of cards.

As the evening progresses, you find yourself relaxing, the tension in your shoulders easing. Geto stays close, introducing you to various crew members and ensuring you're never without a drink or something to eat. Despite his earlier bravado, he's surprisingly attentive, making sure you're comfortable.

At one point, he pulls you aside, away from the noise and bustle. "Having fun?" he asks, his tone genuine.

You nod, taking a sip of your drink. "More than I expected, honestly."

He smiles, his gaze softening. "Good. You deserve to enjoy yourself, Yuna. You're safe here."

For a moment, you allow yourself to believe him. The warmth of the lanterns, the sound of the sea, and the camaraderie of the crew create a bubble of safety and comfort that you haven't felt in a long time.

"So," he continues, leaning against the railing, "what did you think of the crew?"

You glance back at the rowdy group, a small smile tugging at your lips. "They're... interesting. In a good way."

He laughs, nodding. "They're a good bunch. Loyal to a fault. And now, they're loyal to you, too."

You raise an eyebrow, sceptical. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," he affirms. "I've told them you're under my protection. They won't let anything happen to you."

You look into his eyes, searching for any sign of deceit. But all you find is sincerity. "Why are you doing this, Geto? Really?"

He meets your gaze steadily, his expression earnest. "Because I see something in you, Yuna. Strength, resilience. And because I want to help you. No ulterior motives."

You nod slowly, feeling a strange sense of relief. "Thank you," you say softly.

He smiles, his hand brushing against yours. "You're welcome."

The night wears on, and as the party continues, you find yourself drawn into the camaraderie of the crew. Laughter and music fill the air, and for the first time in a long while, you feel a sense of belonging.

And through it all, Geto remains by your side, a steady presence in the chaos. As the night deepens and the stars twinkle overhead, you can't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, you've found a place where you can be safe.

As the days turn into weeks, you find yourself settling into life on the Cursed Tempest. The crew quickly accepts you as one of their own, and Geto's protection ensures that you're treated with respect. Despite the initial uncertainty, you begin to feel a sense of belonging, a feeling that grows stronger each day.

Geto is a constant presence, his easy charm and genuine kindness drawing you in. You spend your days helping with various tasks on the ship, learning the ropes—literally and figuratively—and your nights are often spent in quiet conversation with Geto, sharing stories and laughter under the stars.

One evening, as the sun sets in a blaze of orange and pink, Geto finds you on the deck, gazing out at the horizon. He leans against the railing beside you, his shoulder brushing yours.

"You're quiet tonight," he remarks, his voice gentle.

You shrug, a small smile playing on your lips. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"About how different my life is now. How different it could have been if I hadn't run into you."

He turns to you, his expression serious. "Do you regret it?"

You shake your head, meeting his gaze. "No. Not for a second."

A smile tugs at his lips, and he reaches out, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. The touch is intimate, sending a shiver down your spine. "I'm glad to hear that."

You take a deep breath, the words you've been holding back for days finally spilling out. "Geto, I've been meaning to tell you something."

He raises an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eye. "Oh? Should I be worried?"

You laugh softly, shaking your head. "No, nothing like that. It's just... I've realized something. Being here, with you and the crew, it's the first time I've felt safe in a long time. The first time I've felt like I belong somewhere."

His expression softens, and he takes your hand in his. "Yuna, you do belong here. With us. With me."

Your heart skips a beat at his words, the sincerity in his voice making your chest tighten. "Thank you, Geto. For giving me this chance."

He steps closer, his hand still holding yours. "It's not just a chance, Yuna. It's a choice. And I'm glad you chose to be here. With me."

The air between you is charged with unspoken words, the connection between you growing stronger with each passing moment. You can see the longing in his eyes, a reflection of your own feelings.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Geto leans in, his gaze never leaving yours. Your breath hitches as he closes the distance, his lips brushing against yours in a tender, tentative kiss. The world seems to fade away, the only thing that matters is the warmth of his touch, the softness of his lips.

When he pulls back, his eyes search yours, seeking reassurance. "Is this okay?"

You nod, your heart pounding in your chest. "Yes. It's more than okay."

He smiles, the relief evident on his face. "Good. Because I don't want to rush you, Yuna. I want this to be right."

"Call me Y/N," You murmur. 

Geto's smile widens, his eyes lighting up with warmth. "Y/N," he repeats, the name rolling off his tongue as if it were always meant to. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

You blush, the sincerity in his words making your heart flutter. "Thank you, Suguru."

He leans in again, this time more confident, his lips meeting yours in a kiss that is both tender and passionate. You melt into him, your hands finding their way to his shoulders as you lose yourself in the moment.

The months fly by, and by now, everyone in the port towns and on the Cursed Tempest knows that you're Geto's woman, making you untouchable. Satoru becomes a close confidant, a pest at times but a pest with a heart of gold.

You smile, leaning against the railings of the ship as you look out at the sea. A ship in the distance makes you squint, leaning forward to get a better look at the sails. The large emblem on the sails makes your heart stop and a strangled gasp escapes your lips.

"What is it?" Suguru approaches you, concern evident in his eyes.

"That's his ship," you murmur, fear creeping into your voice. "Naoya's ship. If he finds out that I am on this ship—"

Suguru's expression hardens. "We'll handle this, Y/N. We won't let him take you."

You nod, but the anxiety gnawing at your insides doesn't dissipate. The ship grows closer, and before long, the clash of steel and the roar of battle fill the air as Naoya and his crew board the Cursed Tempest.

In the midst of the chaos, you find yourself face-to-face with Naoya. The sight of him, with his cruel eyes and twisted grin, sends a shiver down your spine. He lunges at you, and you react on instinct, ramming your dagger into his shoulder before ripping it out and kicking him in the side. He staggers but quickly regains his footing, his face splitting into a menacing grin.

"I have been searching all over for you," he says, his voice dripping with malice. "And I find you living a life of piracy? I am surprised."

"Your fight is with me, Naoya, not him," you say, your eyes flicking to Suguru before you look back to Naoya.

Naoya sneers, "Oh, I think I'll make him suffer too. It'll be more fun that way."

Before you can react, Naoya lunges at Suguru, their swords clashing with a deafening ring. Suguru fights back fiercely, but Naoya's sheer ruthlessness gives him an edge. You watch in horror as Naoya lands a brutal blow, knocking Suguru to the ground.

"No!" you scream, rushing to Suguru's side. But Naoya is relentless. He grabs you by the hair, dragging you away from Suguru and throwing you to the ground.

Pain blinds you as Naoya rams a small knife into your eye, and you shriek, the agony searing through you. Desperation fuels you as you strain your arm out to the side, stretching until your fingers wrap around the hilt of your dagger. With a swift motion, you ram the blade into the side of Naoya's head. His eyes widen in surprise as blood begins to spray over your face.

You gag, pushing Naoya away from you, wiping at your mouth as your left eye throbs in agony, blood pouring from the socket as you rip the blade out. Naoya's body collapses, lifeless, at your feet.

Suguru, regaining his strength, rushes to your side. "Y/N, oh God, Y/N," he murmurs, his hands trembling as he tries to assess your injury.

"I'll be okay," you gasp, though the pain is nearly unbearable. "We need to make sure the rest of his crew is dealt with."

Suguru nods, his jaw set with determination. "Satoru!" he calls out. "Finish off the rest of them!"

Satoru, his face smeared with blood and sweat, nods with a manic grin and rallies the crew, pushing back Naoya's men with renewed ferocity. As the battle rages on, Suguru gently cradles you in his arms. "We need to get you to Shoko," he says. 

You manage a weak smile. "Just... just make sure they don't win."

"They won't," he vows, pressing a kiss to your forehead. "I promise you, Y/N. They won't."

The crew of the Cursed Tempest fights with everything they have, and gradually, the tide of the battle turns in their favour. Naoya's men, seeing their leader fall, lose their resolve and begin to retreat.

Suguru carries you down to the infirmary where Shoko, the ship's healer, is already waiting, her expression serious as she takes in the sight of your injury. "Lay her down here," she instructs, pointing to a cot in the corner.

Suguru gently places you down, his hand lingering on yours. "She needs help, Shoko. Please."

Shoko nods, her face grim but determined. "I'll do everything I can," She moves quickly, gathering her tools and beginning to work on your eye. 

As the pain flares up again, you squeeze Suguru's hand, finding solace in his presence. He stays by your side, his eyes never leaving yours, whispering reassurances and promises that you cling to like a lifeline.

As Shoko begins her work, the sting of antiseptic and the precision of her tools are a stark contrast to the chaos of battle that still echoes in your mind. Suguru's hand remains intertwined with yours, his touch grounding you amidst the pain and uncertainty.

"I'm sorry, Y/N," Shoko murmurs solemnly after assessing the damage. "The eye is unsalvageable."

You feel a wave of numbness wash over you at her words, the reality sinking in slowly. Despite the pain, you manage a nod, steeling yourself against the loss. Suguru's grip on your hand tightens slightly, his silent support giving you strength.

Shoko continues her work diligently, cleaning and dressing the wound to prevent infection. The process is agonizing, each movement sending spikes of pain through your skull. Through it all, Suguru stays close, his presence a constant comfort.

As Shoko finishes up, she steps back with a sigh of relief. "It's done," she says softly, her expression sympathetic. "You'll need time to heal, but you're strong, Y/N. You'll get through this."

You muster a weak smile, though the weight of the loss is heavy. "Thank you, Shoko," you whisper, grateful for her skill and compassion.

Suguru leans in closer, brushing a strand of hair from your face. "You're incredible, Y/N," he murmurs, his voice filled with admiration and love. "We'll get through this together."

You lean into his touch, drawing strength from his unwavering presence. "Together," you repeat, the word a promise between you.

Months pass, and the Cursed Tempest becomes your sanctuary and battleground, a place where you've carved out a new identity. The left side of your face is now adorned with an eyepatch, a constant reminder of the battle with Naoya. The crew treats you with a mixture of respect and wariness, knowing full well the fierceness that lies beneath your calm exterior. And through it all, Suguru remains by your side, his love and support unwavering.

One evening, as the sun sets in a blaze of orange and pink, you find yourself once again leaning against the railings of the ship, the cool sea breeze ruffling your hair as you toy with the necklace around your neck, the jewels shining in the light of the setting sun. Suguru approaches, his presence as comforting as ever.

"How are you feeling today?" he asks, his eyes searching yours.

You offer him a small smile. "Better. It's still strange, having only one eye, but I'm adapting."

He nods, slipping an arm around your waist. "You're stronger than anyone I know, Y/N. You've been through so much, and yet here you are."

You lean into him, drawing comfort from his warmth. "I couldn't have done it without you, Suguru. You've been my anchor."

He tilts your chin up, his eyes locking onto yours. "And you're my everything, Y/N. We're a team. Always."

Just then, Satoru's voice breaks through the tender moment. "Hey lovebirds, get a room!" He saunters over, a playful grin on his face.

You chuckle, shaking your head. "Jealous, Satoru?"

"Me? Never," he replies, his grin widening. "Just making sure you two don't forget the rest of us exist."

Suguru laughs, giving Satoru a light shove. "We could never forget you, even if we tried."

"Come drink with us and be merry!" Satoru calls.

As the three of you head toward the gathering of crew members, the atmosphere is one of camaraderie and celebration. The sky is a deep indigo now, stars beginning to twinkle overhead. Lanterns cast a warm glow over the deck, illuminating the faces of your fellow pirates, who cheer as you join them.

Suguru keeps a protective arm around your waist, and you lean into his side, grateful for his presence. Satoru hands you a tankard of ale, grinning. "To surviving another day on the high seas!" he toasts, raising his drink.

The crew echoes his sentiment, tankards clinking together in a symphony of survival and unity. You take a sip, the bitter liquid a reminder of both the hardships and the triumphs you've experienced. You glance around at your comrades, their faces illuminated by the flickering light, and feel a surge of pride. These people have become your family, and this ship, your home.

As the night wears on, stories and laughter fill the air. Satoru, ever the entertainer, recounts tales of your adventures, embellishing them with dramatic flair. "And then, Y/N, with just one eye, took down Naoya Zenin! A true pirate queen if ever there was one!" he declares, his voice booming.

You roll your eye, but can't help the smile that tugs at your lips. "You're exaggerating again, Satoru."

He winks, unfazed. "Only slightly. You were magnificent."

Suguru squeezes your hand, his eyes filled with admiration. "He's right, you know. You are magnificent."

Blushing, you look down at your tankard. "It was a team effort. I couldn't have done it without all of you."

The crew cheers, raising their drinks once more in acknowledgment of your words. In this moment, the bond you share with them feels unbreakable, a testament to the trials you've overcome together.

As the night deepens and the revelry continues, you find a quieter spot on the deck, away from the noise. Suguru follows, his presence a comforting shadow. You sit on a crate, looking out at the dark, endless ocean, the gentle rocking of the ship soothing your thoughts.

Suguru sits beside you, his hand finding yours. "Thinking about the future?"

You nod, your mind a whirl of possibilities. "Yes. About what comes next. About us."

He turns to face you, his expression earnest. "Whatever comes, we face it together. You and me, Y/N. We've made it this far, and we'll keep going."

You smile, the warmth of his words seeping into your soul. "Together," you repeat, the promise echoing in your heart.

The sea stretches out before you, a vast expanse of unknowns. But with Suguru by your side, you feel ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead. The Cursed Tempest, your ship, your home, sails on into the night, carrying you toward new adventures, new battles, and new dreams. And through it all, you know you'll never be alone. 

"Captain Suguru Geto and Lady Y/N L/N," the tour guide announces to the group of museum visitors, her voice carrying a note of reverence as she stands before a grand portrait. The painting depicts a tall man with raven black hair and piercing purple eyes, standing proudly beside a beautiful woman with an eyepatch covering one of her eyes. The couple's regal bearing is evident, their figures exuding strength and determination.

The guide smiles warmly, gesturing to the portrait. "This is one of our most treasured pieces, depicting two of the most legendary figures in pirate history. Their story is one of adventure, resilience, and enduring love."

She leads the group closer, her voice dropping slightly as she begins the tale. "Lady Y/N L/N was not always a pirate queen. Born into nobility, she was set to wed a man named Naoya Zenin, a cruel and ruthless individual. Fearing for her safety and unwilling to be trapped in such a life, she made the daring decision to run away. Disguising herself as a commoner, she sought refuge in the bustling port towns, living a life of anonymity and hardship."

The visitors listen intently, their eyes on the portrait as the guide continues. "Y/N's beauty and grace did not go unnoticed, even in her new life. However, it was her strength and resilience that truly captivated Captain Suguru Geto, the feared and revered leader of the pirate ship, the Cursed Tempest. Geto, known for his sharp intellect and unyielding will, saw something extraordinary in Y/N. Despite her efforts to remain hidden, their paths crossed in the most unexpected of circumstances."

She pauses, allowing the story to sink in before continuing. "Geto's fascination with Y/N was immediate and profound. He recognized in her a kindred spirit, someone who had also chosen a life of defiance against a world that sought to control them. But their story did not start entirely happy. He took her onto his ship after attacking a merchant ship she was aboard"

The guide continues, her voice tinged with emotion. "Despite the chaos and bloodshed of the raid, Geto saw potential in Y/N after she killed the Captain of the merchant ship. He offered her a choice: join his crew or be left to fend for herself. Y/N, with no other viable options and a burning desire to escape her past, reluctantly agreed."

The visitors are silent, absorbed in the unfolding drama. "At first, Y/N was wary of Geto and his crew. She kept to herself, learning the ways of the pirates and proving her worth through her skills and resilience. Over time, the initial distrust began to fade, replaced by a growing respect and camaraderie."

"Geto, too, found himself increasingly drawn to Y/N. Her strength, intelligence, and unyielding spirit matched his own, and it wasn't long before their mutual admiration blossomed into something deeper."

The guide smiles softly, her eyes reflecting the depth of the tale. "Together, they led the Cursed Tempest to new heights, becoming legends in their own right. Their love story, forged in the fires of adversity, became a beacon of hope and defiance for those who dared to dream of a life free from tyranny."

As the group moves on to the next exhibit, the guide lingers for a moment, her gaze resting on the portrait of the legendary couple. "Captain Suguru Geto and Lady Y/N L/N," she murmurs, "a testament to the power of love and the strength of the human spirit. And that ladies and gentlemen is the legend of the Cursed Tempest"

taglist- @sad-darksoul @lik0

[ofmdrecaps]

07/03/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Rhys Darby; Taika Waititi; Leslie Jones; Ruibo Qian; Dominic Burgess; Samba Schutte; Logie Awards; AdoptOurCrew; Auxillery Wardrobe Zine; Teal Oranges & Garlic Soup Week Spotlight Cont'd; Fan Spotlight; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Today's Taika

New month, new blog! Thanks everyone, as you probably can tell there's a new blog for the recaps! I'm doing this to allow for some more silly shenanigans to happen on my main, but also keep the recaps available and more easily accessible to those who want them! For the first few weeks I'll be reblogging them from main, but then will eventually move to just here so as not to overwhelm anyone following. Thanks so much for reading! I love doing these and I was actually surprised how many people followed! I didn't realize so many people were reading, so tysm that warms my heart and made my day!

== Rhys Darby ==

Rhys will be join Baron Vaughn and Rory Scovel on AfterMidnight with Taylor Tomlinson on July 8th, 3 PM PST in Los Angelos, CA! Are you in the area? You can request tickets on their website!

Source: 1iota's Instagram

Next up-- Peacock has posted an exclusive clip of the upcoming The Hungry Games: Alaska's Big Bear Challenge-- starring the voice of our very own Rhys Darby!

== Taika Waititi ==

Awesome new promo for Time Bandits! I'm gonna keep reminding you because I'm actually super psyched for this. July 24th on Apple TV!

Source: Matt_Grace_Photography

== Leslie Jones ==

Leslie out with the LA Sparks! <3 Also, did you know Leslie will be voicing a character in the New Hulu series Hit Monkey? I didn't know! New seasons starts July 15th!

Source: LA Sparks IG / JoshuaGordon

== Ruibo Qian ==

Our Pirate Queen is going to be taking on the role of Ms. Sherlock Holmes in Ms.Holmes & Ms.Watson in APT 2B at the Old Globe Theatre in San Deigo CA! You can buy tickets for July 27th, opening day -- or any of the showings here!

Source: OldGlobeTheatre Instagram

== Dominic Burgess ==

Dominic is gracing us once again with cat pics. I love it <3

Source: Dominic Burgess' Twitter

== Samba Schutte ==

More pictures with Samba at Dancing with Fire LA with the cast / crew of Advanced Chemistry!

Source: alecmoore219's Instagram

== Logie Award Nominations ==

REMINDER! Our beloved Mads, aka Eddie Redcliffe in Deadloch, aka The Baddest MF in Tasmania, has been nominated for a 2024 Logie for Best Lead Actress! So was Kate Box, her costar, and Deadloch was nominated for Best Scripted Comedy Program!

-- and guess what? It's done by vote! If you feel so inclined, please take a moment to go and vote for our dear Archie/Deadloch (or Dulcie whomever you'd like)! https://vote.tvweeklogies.com.au/ Note: You do need to use your email to submit, just FYI!

== Adopt Our Crew ==

Looks like something exciting will be coming soon from @adoptourcrew! I think I might have an idea what it may be related to...

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

== Auxiliary Wardrobe Zine ==

There's a new non-profit charity zine starting up-- in honor of our beloved Captain Stede and OFMD!

"From his flamboyant coats to his sword-slashed shirts, we want to celebrate EVERY way that Stede and fashion come together! Whether this be a canon look you're fond of, his job as a luxury fashion designer in an AU, or Stede in a style of clothing you personally love (or lack of clothing… pinups anyone?!) we encourage contributors to make this prompt their own. This zine will be a digital-only PDF and will consist of a SFW edition and a NSFW edition featuring fanart and fanfic. All proceeds for the zine will go to Care for Gaza."

Want to learn more? You can visit their carrd.co below for scheduling and FAQ's!

Info & FAQ: https://auxiliarywardrobezine.carrd.co

Artist & Writer Signups will start July 6, 2024!

Follow them on Instagram and Twitter!

Source: The Auxiliary Wardrobe: A Stede Bonnet Zine

== Teal Oranges & Garlic Soup Week Spotlights ==

Teal Oranges & Garlic Soup Week may be over, but that doesn't mean the spotlights have to end! Tonight we have the fantastic @hameko1019! I absolutely adore her style and use of color! You can check her work out on Hameko1019's Twitter! Thank you again to @garlicsoupweek for the wonderful prompts!

Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5 / Day 6 / Day 7 / Bonus

Source: Hameko1019's Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Cast Cards =

Tonight's cast card by our fantastic @melvisik is Jordan Feldman who "was listed as 'Heavily Made-Up Man' in The Best Revenge is Dressing Well."

Source: @melvisik's Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Well lovelies, you've made it half way through another week. Only half more to go-- for those of you in the UK, good luck at the elections! For those in the US, tomorrow is July 4th, and while I know there are mixed feelings this year in the US, please remember to take some time to relax and enjoy a day off if you have it.

You're doing so very well friends. There is SO much going on in the world, so much going on in the fandom, so much going on in your lives. But you are still kicking, and I'm so very proud of you for that. If you need to take a break-- do it. Give yourself some grace and get some rest, the world will still be there in a few days. If you've already done that and you're taking some time to yourself-- great job-- you deserve it. Remember that we will still be here, and we will still love you when you get back. Ed and Stede? Still in love when you get back. They're off terrorising some poor patron of their Inn with stories of being gut stabbed, or forcing them to watch a puppet show they came up with.

You're kicking ass at whatever struggles you are dealing with right now-- give yourself time to celebrate the fact you're surviving them. Rest well lovelies, see you soon <3

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

Tonight's theme is these two goof balls singing. Someone help me find Taika singing Queen, cause then we'll have some gif smushes <3 Tonight's gifs courtesy of @celluloidbroomcloset and @eddie-redcliffe!!

[pinkboss55]

OK, the last one for @artsybun

This time featuring ANGST!!!

Usagi fond Leo floating on top of the water covered in fishing nets. Panicked, he tried to untie his friend, but Leo's tail was especially tangled up and injured. Ropes had bruised his scales. Fresh open wounds are a sign of a struggle. Maybe he swam too close to the local fishing spot? No, no, he's done this SO many times he KNOWS to avoid them! What happened? One of the wounds goes right through his tail, clearly punctured all the way through. Was he targeted? So many things raced through poor Usagi's head as he pulled his friend onto his little boat and pulled him into shallow water, all the wile tiers streaming down his face, screaming for his Ant, and try to comfort his best friend the best he could. Even if he didn't know if Leo could hear him or not.

"Itokit'sgoingtobeok! You're going to be OK! I got you! Everything is fine! . . . Please, please be okay. . ."

It's more for himself, really.

Note that this is not canon to @artsybun 's Mermaid & Pirate au, but I'd thought I'd add my last little brain rot before I make fan art of a different Rise au. So here are some final thoughts about this drawing in particular.

I don't really know about the world building in this au. (Outside of the relationship between the boys) So a lot of this is interpretation and personl head canons of the au. So if I end up wrong, I'll probably edit this in the future.

The idea is that Usagi and his Ant live on a boat house, traveling and trading between small islands with little settlements. There is one island that is deemed "safe" enough to stop there frequently and stay for long periods of time. That's where the two accidentally meet.

I'm not sure how the law works or how they inforce if. I imagine it's like Pirates of the Caribbean, where the Royal British navy just went around being assholes and "maintaining order." Like that, but whatever equivalent this au has.

Maybe a smaller group of those guys just so happen to see poor Leo on the way to see his friend and wanted to "inform" him of the rules. Or maybe it really was a fisherman that really didn't like "his kind" and wanted to be cruel. It's kinda left for interpretation.

One more thing. Leo's mermaid half is a shark, and sharks need to keep moving in order to breathe. This doesn't apply to all sharks, and Leo is also half Red eared slider that are semi aquatic, so this might not apply to him at all. But it just makes the idea more angsty that the net Leo was trapped in limited his movement after he got away from his would-be killer and passed out from exhaustion trying to get to a safe place and almost drowning.

Screenshot reference from Ponyo

[saturninemartial]

So I've been cooking a Shuggy-centric modern AU and I'd like to share it with the class.

Shanks owns a landscaping company (the rest of the Red Hair Pirates are the employees); he no longer does much of the hands-on work since, well, he's down to one hand as of an accident a few years ago. Luffy, 15, is the kid who's always hung around begging to work with him and is finally old enough for a summer job. Beckman is Shanks' right-hand man and secures a lot of their clients for them.

One day, Beckman drives Shanks and Luffy over to a brand-new client he'd found for them, for a bit of a consult as the new client is wealthy and has a lot of work that needs done on their new home; Luffy is there to mow the lawn for starters. When they get there, the door is answered by the client's assistant (Mohji). When the client finally comes out onto the porch (the landscapers are "too dirty" to go inside even though they haven't even done any work yet that day), everyone is really taken aback when Shanks and the client—Buggy—recognize each other.

Shanks and Buggy both grew up in foster care from when they were practically babies; they landed in the same congregate care home (group home) as preteens, having both been troublemakers in every foster home placement they'd been in previously, and became inseparable. (I'm imagining Roger as, like, a counselor here or something.) They were best friends for a few years while living here, the first real friend the other had, until Buggy was sent to live elsewhere in a home with more focused mental health care because of his anger problems. They lost touch after that, and Shanks aged out of the foster system, getting into petty crime but eventually starting up the landscaping business.

And Buggy, in the meantime, well...several years after they lost touch, Buggy suddenly pops up as a fucking fashion model. It's hard to mistake the bright blue hair—grown out long—and the pout, plastered on ads. Shanks has been following his career this whole time as soon as he found out his old friend became a model (or, well....collecting pictures because Bug's gotten even prettier somehow). But Shanks had no idea that Buggy was moving back "home," and now here they are, seeing each other for the first time in, fuck, like 20 years?

They end up reconnecting (then really connecting lmao). Bug doesn't really open up about the times in between his relocation to another facility, and him aging out, and him hitting it big as a model, but Something (bad) Definitely Happened. But now they're together again and Shanks can be gross and embarrassing.

Luffy does not like this weird guy and calls him Bussy, Booby, Booty, etc.

Bonus details on the Straw Hat teens: Luffy is in foster care under Dadan and has been with her for several years; Nami was adopted by her foster mom Belle-mère, her bio parents having died when she was a kid; Zoro has recently been placed with crochawk after bouncing around a lot; Sanji is a runaway and has been hiding out with Zeff, who is pretty horrified that the kid was never reported missing; and Yasopp is physically present but not emotionally present, so Usopp spends a lot of his time at other people's houses.

(Some of these details are not set in stone but this is the basic concept. And I'm probably gonna write a little about it. Mostly bc i need Buggy's bussy destroyed.)

[thebestofoneshots]

WOLFSTAR X READER SERIES

Gilded Constellations | THE INTERLUDE

Series Masterlist | Previous episode

Summary: You meet Sirius and Regulus at a family vacation in the Caribbean, but things don't go as planned and you end up losing contact once the trip is over. Years later your family moves to England and you get accepted at Hogwarts where you finally meet Sirius once again, along with all of his friends. One of them with a mysterious secret, that you'll uncover as you embark on your own Hogwarts adventure. This IS a wolfstar x reader fic, but it's incredibly slow burn. They won't start all dating each other until we're very deep into the story, but I promise the long wait will be worth it.

Hey Lovelies, welcome to “The Interlude” of Gilded Constellations. We’ve basically already gotten to 100 k words in this story and that’s absolutely insane!!! Which is why I thought of doing a little thing where I could interact with my readers. As a thank you for being there and supporting me so much through this journey. 

And so… this little Q&A was born. Those who didn't get to ask their questions, don’t worry my darlings, my ask will be open all week for you to ask whatever you want. It’s a mini event that will last from today ‘till next wednesday. 

But yes, it does mean this week we won’t get a new chapter D: 

Don’t worry, it will definitely be worth it since the next couple of episodes are two that I’ve put absolute extra care on crafting, and I will put just as much care on revising. I’ve been quite literally posting non stop for 15 weeks consecutively. That’s almost 4 months, what?!?! 

I needed my tiny lil break, besides I wanted to dedicate this bit of time to work on my Maraudween Special smutty series that will include some interesting mini AUs, so those that read my other stuff and not just Gilded Constellations will be quite literally treated this Halloween. There will be a lot of posts these next few weeks. Although, I might be releasing some of the Maraudween stories at the beginning of November. Unfortunately, I’m not a machine and I can’t write in seconds like Chat GPT. 

Without further ado, let’s get on with those questions!

Where did you get the inspo for the fic?

Oh my god if I tell you guys about this… It all started when I was in class, sometimes when I’m bored, my little mind starts to wander. I’m a total daydreamer, I can’t deny that, but at that moment in particular I was quite literally thinking of nothing and everything at the same time. And then, out of nowhere, this phrase came to me: 

“You look at them the same way you looked at me when we met…” 

And I was like, “omg that’s so freaking angsty” and “That’s a great freaking line for a poly story” And I quite literally wrote it down with a little tag that said, “-the start of a poly relationship story because I’ve never read enough of those.” 

And then I closed the notebook and went back to class. But I guess the idea had already set in my brain because next thing I know, I’m writing down more things down. And let me tell you, before Gilded Constellations I only wrote Oneshots because a story seemed like too much commitment. So I kid you not, I wrote down: 

“Not a short story, but maybe a 3-5 chapter long fic”. 

Jokes on me though, we’re 15 chapters in, like 20-something written and we’re probably going to end up with longer than 200k words and I’m not even sorry about it. Besides, I'm really pumped to finish it because I want to get it printed in Lulu and have my own little copy as a “Damn you wrote that.” kind of evidence thing. So worry not about being left with an unfinished fic, I’m going to complete this story even if it’s the last thing I do. 

Besides, if I’m being honest, when I’m not writing, I miss my boys, so I’ll definitely miss passing the time with them when I’m done with GC. (Luckily I’ve already got another series planned and spoiler alert: This one will be Poly!Marauders x reader, a lot spicier aaaand, PIRATES.) 

That’s how the fic started, well that and a dream that was basically most of Chapter 3 and I thought it was so cute that I wrote it down and then I was like, “hold up, this could be the start of the Poly story I was talking about…” 

Are there any real-life experiences that influenced your writing?

Well I mean, I’d say that art imitates life and life imitates art, but in regards to real-life romance I don’t really know that much. But there are definitely some things here and there that have been sprinkled from my real life into the fic. Not sure if I could think of a particular one but I can say sometimes Remus gives me the same vibe that a boy I “used to” have a crush on. “Used to” in quotation marks because I kinda still do even if we haven’t seen each other in years. 

So I guess a lot of Remus comes from my crush, but also Remus is his own little boy as well and I love him more for it. Even If I’m torturing him so much with his heartache, I promise it will be worth it Remus, reader and Sirius will take care of you, eventually. 

Other than that, I guess I like to pay attention to things around me, you’ll see me looking at nature, the sky, the way leaves move, the way people interact with each other. Especially at that actually, I like to pay attention to people, how they move, how they interact, and their reactions. Sometimes I do it irl, and sometimes I just watch movies or series, and since my writing process is like seeing a movie in my head and then putting it into words, it’s always useful to pay attention to the world around me. Even if I sometimes struggle to put into words exactly what I’m seeing in my head.  

Did you already have everything planned, or did you just go with the flow? If you have already, how far? all of it? Or just some chapters ahead? 

Well, yes and no. I do have various key points of the story planned, a lot of plot points that are going to happen and that’s kinda what I’m sustaining myself on. I know the big points and then I just have to write what happens in between them. And I’ve got it planned all the way ‘till my babes all start dating. After that, if I’m honest I’m not sure how I’m going to end it. Some parts of me want to go for the saddest ending possible because it would go along with cannon and the other side of me, the one that can’t bear to see my boys being sad, wants to just deviate completely and/or leave an open ending. 

But so far, I really cannot tell what exactly I’m going to do, I just know that time will tell. Because sometimes the characters just do what they want and I love to see where they take me. Which is why the ending is not set in stone just yet. 

Without giving too many spoilers, can you tease upcoming plot twists or surprises we can expect in future chapters?

My sly little foxes have already guessed some of the major plot twists that are upcoming in the story. And there definitely will come some surprises along the way, some you will love, some you won’t so much. But I promise you it will all be worth it! 

Remember in Gilded Constellations, everything happens for a reason. 

THE FANCAST

What's your fancast for the fic? Did you pick the reader too or just leave it be? //  I wanted to know if you have a fancast for everyone…

I did mention that I basically see stuff as a movie in my head right? So yes, I do have a fancast! Although I most definitely see James as Aaron, Sirius as Ben, Remus as Andrew and Peter as Dane, I have also twisted them in my brain. Like it’s them, right? But my version of them. Like my Sirius is so fucking ethereal in my head that sometimes I myself blush with his beauty. And Remus, well, he is probably most similar to Talita Asami’s from instagram. Especially this one. 

There’s something about the way she contrasts his soft features with the scars that’s just perfect. It’s that sexy pirate vibe I cannot get out of my head, if that makes sense.  But also I’ve been toying with AI lately (Talkie) and ended up with these two versions of Remus and Sirius and they have absolutely taken over. 

Sidenote: I made way to many of these, so do tell me if you wanna see them.

The reader: Uhm… well, I kind of just see her as me, hehe. Which is kind of the point, you should all just see the reader as yourselves, if you’re comfortable with that of course. 

The rest of our babies though? Lily Evans, Marlene and Mary, are kind of like the boys as in I see them as their fancast but also not entirely. And Lily especially, she’s just so freaking pretty in my head, there’s no one I know to match her, all thought Sophie Skelton and Kennedy Walsh (@/c4tluvr666 on Tiktok) are super close. 

Now, outside of canon characters, aka all of these OC’s I’ve been creating with time, some of them do have a fancast and some of them don’t. Let’s focus on the ones that do, because some of them I literally had in my head since the very, very beginning of the fic. 

Tom Harrow- This boy actually started as a younger version of Tom Hiddleston in my head, but the more I wrote him, the more he said, “Luv, that’s not what I look like!” And, almost out of nowhere, baby Tom Hiddleston became Rober Sheehan, and let me tell you, it stuck. And it stuck so bad there is no way I could see Tom as anything other than Rob. Especially with his role as Klaus in Umbrella Academy having a rather similar personality in the entire open-minded spectrum that he’s got going on. And, talking about teasers, this boy is actually going to be a key point on the romance between our golden throuple to develop, so keep an eye out for him. I love him so much tbh.  

Then we’ve got Beth Doxon, this girl is my wifey, I freaking love Beth so much and if you’ve been paying attention you may already know who I based her off, at least in looks. It’s Anya Taylor Joy as Beth Harmon in Queen’s Gambit, redhead queen (can you tell I really, really like redheads?) . Also that’s why she has such a strong character, even if my Beth is a lot more of a Party Animal than the original character. 

Alexander Wood in my head is just a carbon copy of his son Oliver, but in Hufflepuff, and the rest of the Quidditch teams, I’ve got a good idea of what they look like in my head, but not really a fan cast for them. Suggestions accepted. 

Well, except for Minho Yun, since his role in the story is going to be as a pretty strong supporting character, in fact, he was meant to be somewhat of an alt love interest that was going to help build Sirius’ jealousy, but in the end, I decided to completely scrap that to further develop him as a character. Some interesting things that you’ll actually learn on the GC Halloween special. Oh, and Minho is actually based on Sang Heon Lee (on looks) and Ki Hong Lee (on character, specifically on his role in Maze Runner). Had I based Minho on the character of Sang Heon Lee who inspired him, we would have way too many slutty boys in the same room, with Tom and Sirius and him, It’d be chaos, which is why he ended up being a little shier. 

Nox, Neil and Todd, literally are just Nox, Neil and Tod from De*d Poets Society. I was rewatching the movie to nail that boy friend group interactions and to get in the Dark Academia Vibes and I wanted to give my boys a happy ending. 

Also Neil just gives me the most massive Prongs vibe I cannot.

And lastly, there’s Nina Blythe. Nina to me is a totally angelic girl, I’ve got a very vivid picture of what she looks like in my head but I don’t really have a fancast for her. Maybe a little bit like Aurora (the singer), in regards to her soft features, but Nina has longer hair and it’s a little wavy. I kind of think of her as a girl from a Renaissance painting, emphasis on girl, since she is supposed to look younger than she is. Any ideas for a fancast? For her and for anyone I missed, I’m completely open to your suggestions. 

THE TEACHERS

Professor Nightshade is definitely Eva Green from Miss Peregrine or Jessica Chastain from Crimson Peak. She’s got that tall,  regal and dark but elegant vibe to her that is just so freaking gorgeous and awe-inspiring. I totally have a crush on Seraphina, can you tell? 

Professor Aurelius Spellman is kind of inspired by Kingsley Shackelbolt. However, if I had to cast someone for the role it would be Djimon Hounsou, he has that attractive and rough vibe to him. Like scary, demanding but also alluring things going on, he’s just got the magician type I suppose. 

This one’s going to be silly, but I can’t imagine Kettleburn as anyone other than Gobber the Belch from HTTYD, like, take away the horned helmet and give him a pointy hat, and boom, Kettleburn ladies and gentlemen. Down to the messy personality, honestly. 

And Donovan Pendragon (the teacher for Magical Theory) I feel like he isn’t mentioned enough, because I literally had no idea what his name was even going to be and I just left a line for it until I was editing the chapter before posting. So he doesn’t really have a cast. He’s caucasian in my head, but that’s about all I’ve got from him. Any ideas? 

Do you have any headcanons for any of the characters and their relationship that you haven’t talked about in the story? 

REMUS: Well I feel like this one has been talked about several times in the story but Remus being a beast in bed? I feel like everyone loves to tease him about it in the castle but to me, he’s also a total soft boy? Like especially the first time, I feel like he’s going to be so overwhelmed by both Sirius and Reader that he will basically just melt in the hands of his lovers. 

SIRIUS: Smitten little puppy of my life. 

SIRIUS AND REMUS: They’ve totally kissed in the past. At least once, and Remus still dreams about it. Sirius, well… maybe he’ll get some memories of it every now and then.

READER: My girl thinks she’s so freaking smart and yet is the most oblivious to her own feelings; she could be considered an idiot. She’s also so selfless it hurts, but like literally. Also, she loves flirting with Sirius way too much. Still, they definitely will need Rem in their relationship because there is no self-preservation sense when her personality is just as chaotic as our Puppy. Side note: Remus will 100% blush when she starts flirting with him in the same way he does with Sirius. And let’s not talk about what a tomato he will be when Sirius does it as well. 

PETER: He kinda disliked the reader at first, especially since he felt like she was taking away his friends, but eventually he warmed up to her, and loves their friendship. 

LILY: She enjoyed the kiss with Reader, and it made her realize she’s totally bi, because she also enjoyed the kiss with James. 

TOM: My boy is clever as hell and he knows a lot more than he lets on. Also, he secretly ships the golden throuple. 

BETH: She’s Tom’s bestie and she knows a lot of things too. She will also ignite chaos with the ultimate goal of being Gryffindor Tower’s own cupid. Do you think what happened at Marlene’s Party was a coincidence? 

REGG: My beautiful Reggie is still sad about the incident. He’s still trying to find a way to reconnect with you and it pains him that you think he’d rat you out. Even then, he values the fact that you are with Sirius and that you’re helping him through everything that’s been going on, especially since he saw how red Sirius’s eyes were when he left the Black’s house with a trunk in hand sobs stuck in his throat. Reg cried like a baby that night, just wishing for time to go by as fast as possible so he could go back to school and see his big brother again. (I’m so sorry for that guys).

MINHO: Has a secret crush and you would not believe me if I told you who it was. 

NINA: Has a secret crush and some of you have probably already guessed who it is. 

DAMOCLES: You don’t know him yet but omg he’s just so clever, thank you Kles for existing.

And let's be honest, I totally have a bunch more of this but I think this is way more than enough, for now…

Out of all the chapters so far, what’s been your favorite?

This is too fucking hard to decide. But If I had to choose my top three, and in no order in particular, I’d say, for the released ones:  

Fooled around and Fell in Love

Because, can we talk about the kiss scene? I feel like this one will come back bite my kiddos in the back so they finally realize what they actually fucking need. 

Do Ya 

I’m a total sucker for Sirius, what can I tell ya? But also the flying scenes were so much fun to write, totally an adventure to go through, still among my favs. 

Maybe I’m amazed 

“Do you like Golf?” 

From the unreleased episodes: 

Tonight’s What It Means To Be Young

The calm before the storm. Or is it the storm before the storm? 

Bad Moon Rising 

The FUCKING storm. But also one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. I think I like action scenes a little too much.

*** On The Run

The storm continues. But also, the calm after the storm.

Do you have a playlist that you always listen to when you're writing? 

Not a specific playlist, but I have been listening to a lot of ‘70s rock. Things like Queen, Bowie, Boston, Foreigner,  Kansas, Fleetwood Mac, Nazareth, The Police and some others. All of them help me get in the mood for writing. At least in the mood of the era, if that makes sense.

Aside from the ’70s classics, I’ve also been listening to a lot of Lord Huron, Hozier, and Aurora (I sort of discovered her recently and I’m obsessed with some of her songs). Also some of The Killers, Dotan and Vian Izak sprinkled here and there. Bastille and Imagine Dragons are always and forever so of course they wouldn’t be missing from my list. 

But when I’m struggling, like really struggling with writing, then I go to this Best Instrumental playlist, where they have everything from the Narnia and Peter Pan 2003 soundtracks to Vivaldi and Ghibli.  It really does help with the concentration. 

How long for the guys to understand that they fancy each other? 

Well, when you say the guys do you mean Sirius and Remus? ‘Cause then it’s not thaaaaaat far away from now. Now from then to them all dating, well…

I know Remus kind of struggles with feelings, and probably even more now that Sirius and the reader are together. But when he's gonna say "hey, can I come in?" 😏 lol I just want them together so baaaad!

Ahahahahahaha, Well that’s not exactly how it’s gonna go, but it’ll happen sometime after Christmas.

After wolfstar and the reader get together, the fic will end? or we're gonna have a lot of them together to compensate for the agony? 🥺

I’m not sure about the ending yet, but I’m definitely going to add so much fluff of the three of them together that you’re all gonna get cavities. Also, I’ve been writing The 5 Senses and the Halloween special (that might be finished until after Halloween) to practice for the spice, so I’m def compensating for the agony. 

Also, I kind of want to explore the social implications of being in a throuple, of making that public in the `70s. Seems like a whole lotta issue bringer that kinda interests me… Sorry, you’re not completely getting rid of the angst even when they’re all together. 

I don’t remember if I already asked you about this, but as a Regulus’ wife, I need to know. He'll come back, right? She will talk with him and he will be able to explain everything to her? I need this, I really need this! I can leave without this closing. THEY NEED TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN!

Your husband is safe with me. I promise. I’m not gonna say it’s gonna be very soon, but he will be safe because I love baby Reggie and I too can’t stand him being mistreated either. 

Not a question. I just want to say that I really love this story. It's one of my favorites, and I just put it on my masterlist for how much I love it.

Aww shut up, I love you so much <3

Will we have some Sirius jealousy? ‘Cause I'm really interested in that. Oooh... will he notice that Reader and Remus are... more than friends before they even know it? I dunno, he's just oblivious about everything around him. 

Funny that you ask, yes we will have a lot of Jealous!Sirius, in fact, it’s a huge part of how the throuple will develop. And you will have it so soon, even if it’s not exactly what you expect it to be. I can’t wait for next week!

And in regards to noticing, well… Sirius is not going to be the most oblivious about his own feelings in this story. I mean… not always.

Are there any particular scenes or moments in your story that were especially fun or challenging to write?

Well, I’m actually finding it a lot harder to write stuff atm, so I’d say the limbo between the Bad Moon Rising Arch and the next big thing that’s going to happen has been the hardest. Especially since I’m already going to get to a key point in which some shit is going to go down and I’m still not sure how bad and angsty I want to make it. Don’t worry, our golden throuple will be alright but…

In regards to fun, I must say the parties are some of my favorites, Potion Pong was incredibly fun to write ‘cause I literally transported myself to it and it was like actually living it, even if it was in my head. Also the flying scenes, they’re always fun to write, the race was incredible tbh. 

I love to write the fun banter and the teasing too, it brings me joy. But I bet you could tell I’m one for the teasing from the very first chapters of Gilded Constellations. 

Nina fancies Reader, right? She does. I just need a yes. I already know that 😌 

( ≖‿  ≖ )

Can you share any behind-the-scenes trivia or Easter eggs that readers might not have noticed in your story?

I feel like there’s a lot of behind-scenes I shared so far but I guess I could share a few pics of my organization systems. Things like…

Your schedule: 

The cover:

Some of you have already been theorizing about it too, you can look at some of those theories over here, and here, and also here.

Alt Covers I designed but weren't chosen:

Something you might not know:

GC is also available on Wattpad and AO3. The AO3 chapters usually drop like 30 minutes or an hour before Tumblr because it's easier to post there. And the Wattpad releases are actually way behind in comparison (there isn't much engagement over there).

Some Shots of my Plot notebook (0 spoilers): 

And also, have you noticed the special little thing in the names of the chapters? 10 housepoints to whoever notices

I just thought of this, but what if we make a little housepont system and from things that you guys guess of the story you get housepoints and then we have a houseprice in the end? OMG I'd love to do this, if you're on tell me your house in the comments. So far Sytherin would have like 40 points just beacuse of dear @cometsghost and I'm not sure what is @blacksgarden house but they would also have like 40 pts.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep writing, especially in moments when you might experience writer's block?

It may or may not be healthy, but I just force myself to type? I never really have writer’s block, rather I’d call it writer’s overload. It’s when I’m running through so many possibilities in my head and I can’t pick which is the one I want to go through with. So I keep thinking about it and I don’t type. Which is why I just force myself to type, more often than not I’ll end up writing something I really like. 

And as for the motivation, honestly just getting to see my boys again. To be able to submerge back into Hogwarts, that’s enough motivation. I seriously get an urge to go back because I miss them. It's kinda crazy. Like I might be chilling at home and suddenly the thought “I wish I was at Hogwarts” crosses my mind, not even joking. 

The other motivation is finishing my book so I can get a printed version to place in my bookshelf and show it off. Not that anyone would know what it is, but I’d know, which is enough, hehe. And also to be a better writer, they say you should write every single day, which is kind of what I’m attempting to do with GC. By writing a chapter every week, I literally force myself to write every single day, even if just a couple of words. 

Can we have cute moments with Remus? uuuh, Will he be cute when she notices that she really likes him?

Yes! We can have all the cute moments with Remus. Even before they all notice they’re into each other, we’re gonna have so many cute moments because even if Reader is dating Sirius I can’t leave my beautiful boy on the sidelines. Besides, how can I torture him if he doesn’t get a taste of how good it would be to be with them? 

What can readers look forward to in the next chapters, and do you have any long-term plans or goals for GCs development?

Angst. Don’t hate me for this. But also comfort, and some fun little adventures and then a bit more angst, hehe…

Well, that’s the end of the questions I got sent ahead. Hope you enjoyed this rollercoaster of a Q&A. If you have any more, or if my answers have provoked further questions, then by all means, share them with me, I’d love to be able to interact with you a bit more. 

Love ya, Lily xx

Series Masterlist | Next Chapter

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Raead more Marauders Fiction

[blackholesun321]

I saw your post about sending asks about one piece so here I am.

Wing AU Mihawk and Shanks being mates and secretly married. Shanks finding it hilarious that a warlord, an ally to the Marines, is married to a Yonko and one of the most powerful pirates. Mihawk accidentally acquiring Zoro after Zoro gets lost and ends up following Mihawk. DadHawk with his baby birb and Shanks laughing and saying Mihawk is like him with collecting children. Shanks with his baby birbs Uta and Luffy. Happy birb family.

I apologize it took me so long to get to this but yessssss! I love shit like this ten outta ten ask my you alway get discounts from you local retail. My your pillow he alway the right softness and your steak alway cooked to perfection. 💜 ✨

Alright, I adore AUs like this because of the world-building you can do. Like, people have big-ass wings attached to their backs? What does that look like at sea? Fighting? Houses? Sleeping? How do people have different instincts or traditions? Have cultures changed in some way, or how did all people suddenly have wings?

It's a fun playground, but throw in found family and ships, it gets even better. But let's add a twist to this: say Devil Fruit users can't fly? Just as the Mother Sea cursed them to never swim, Father Sky cursed them to the earth and Devil Fruit users' wings basically become useless after they eat one. It doesn't impact all users; some can fly naturally with their powers, or if you have a bird zoan fruit, it usually cancels out the flightlessness. But those stuck on the ground, dragging that heavy, useless weight around, tantalized with freedom that can never be... well, it would drive some mad.

It's not popular, but not uncommon for a Devil Fruit user to just remove their wings. Which, if you think about the cultural and societal implications of wings, for communication, rituals, gender identity, courting, family bounding and friendships- One can only assume that is you have extra appendages they be incorporated into one’s communication, just like how you move your arms when gesturing or quirking eyebrow to ask a question, they could be used to show anger, attention, fear or attraction. Being well, removing a whole-ass way of communicating and engaging with community, even if they’re useless; would be I feel a great taboo and another way for the world government to fear monger. I'm guessing in some cultures it's considered the greatest punishment or the greatest shame.

But if this little tidbit is true, think about baby Luffy. Just getting his flight feathers in, this little ball of down, learning to swim and just starting to fly. Maybe Shanks helps him; maybe he laughs and goads him on with every hop and skip just a few seconds in the air. Just for him to crash down. But he gets back up again, determined to fly longer, to go higher, and Shanks watches him and feels this swell of something like warmth and a little bit like fondness under his breastbone as Luffy comes back disheveled, covered in dirt and pouting. He remakes his nest a little bigger when he gets back to his ship that night. Adds blankets and some pillows, the down he's kept from Mihawk and Uta and other members of the crew, picked through and rearranged. He's a little too drunk to think of it in a moment, but the realization does come halfway off to dreams that of, "Oh, shit, I haven't done this since Uta!"

He, of course, panics in the morning, hungover and acting like the world's going to end. Shaking Benn like a rag doll, ranting like a loon, and, of course, he gets punched in the head for his trouble, and then laughed at because, "Captain, you've been inducting Luffy into our flock since the last trip; you've only now noticed?"

And Shanks has, like, this come-to-One-Piece-Jesus moment where all the little moments—of preening Luffy's feathers, weaving his fluffy down into his own wings, letting Luffy keep the bright red feathers that fell from his wings, Luffy giving them colorful things like shells, beetles, buttons, and rocks—just click into his head.

And he realizes shit I’m a dad again. Mihawks going to kill me… or laugh his ass off. (Mihawk is dealing with his own child acquisition at this point Shanks no worries, you can both commiserate together.)

There would be more bonding after that. Small, soft moments where Makino would watch and see her dark, velvet green feathers matched with Shanks' red. Luffy's never had people, never had friends before, never had a parent, and as much as Makino tries to help this poor little boy in his two empty house with his two empty eyes, she has never had the ability to be wholly what he needs. He needed a family, something full to bursting with love and joy, and she had never seen the little fledgling with more joy than the Red Force.

There is tragedy, of course. Luffy still eats his Devil Fruit. And Shanks is now filled with a guilt he will never be able to forgive. He crippled this poor kid before he'd even taken his first flight. He'd stolen the sky from his fledgling, so it's more fitting he loses a wing in return.

In this AU, because of the wings, humans have other instincts. Of course, if you had giant shields on your back, you'd use them instead of reaching out your arm, shielding Luffy and himself. Shanks pulls off armament just a bit too slow. And the Lord of the Coast bites the top of his left wing, teeth sinking in as Shanks screams, and flesh, as well as feathers, are ripped from him in a shower of blood and down so red you can't tell what's feathers and what's viscera.

His wing flops limp in the boat and bleeds all the way back to shore, no matter how much they try to stem it. Shanks is pale by the time the Red Force finds them, pale and cold, holding a sobbing Luffy to his chest as he tries to soothe. "It's only a wing, Luffy; it's only a wing."

God I’ve fallen in love with this au, me and it are sloppy kissing at the back of dennys in my brain. I’ve started writing a Shanks and Mihawk thing for this and definitely will add in Zoro and Mihawks and the sudden ‘father hood be upon ye’ that they get to deal with. It’s along the lines of who is that feral green child?—And said feral child is trying to stab him but also Mihawk keeps correcting his form and then eventually gets fed up and start actually teaching Zoro to stab properly. Type of energy.

[shares-a-vest]

20 Questions for Writers

I was tagged by the wonderful @hbyrde36 and @sidekick-hero. Thank you both so much for the tags 💖 I always love seeing authors talking about their work!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Six. I really need to cross-post some stuff, including what I wrote for Steddie Love Month and the Flufftober Spring Event.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

16,565 words.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Stranger Things and let me tell you, the brainrot is not subsiding (it is settling in to fester now).

4. What are your top 5 3 fics by kudos?

you should come live with me and we can be pirates, then you won't have to cry

Just a Shirt

Eds, I'm Hungry

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes! And I'm sure my answers are always too long-winded 😂 It makes me so happy to get comments on the silly things I write. Actually, brb, I'm sure in the initial excitement, I have forgotten to respond to some here and there.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This ficlet (WARNING: BREAK UP FIC). Life got hectic during Eddie Month so I only wrote a couple of things and this one hurrrrt baaad.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Hmm, tough to pick seeing as I usually write happy endings. Lol, the number of times I ended something with Steddie kissing or saying, "I love you". I think I'll go with the entirety of my Joanie Munson AU because it's where I aim to be as fluffy/sappy as possible.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I am extremely thankful that so far I haven't. And I am sending all my love and hugs to people who deal with/have dealt with hateful comments.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Steve Harrington & Eddie Munson vs. A Box of Condoms is the closest I have come (hehe, pun). Idk, I struggle to write smut. I'm much better with suggestive language and innuendo, but somehow this fic got the balance right and honestly, gave me a lot of confidence!

10. Do you write crossovers?

No. But I need everyone to know that I have a Riverdale x ST crossover sloshing around in my brain juice on the regular.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge. But now I'm paranoid *also proceeds to have an existential crisis about ai scraping my very internet-based soul.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I'm more than welcome for someone to reach out.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. I am absolutely open to it though! The closest to a collab I have done is Just a Shirt in which I wrote a whole fic from some incredible tags that were left on a ficlet.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

I mean, it's gotta be Steddie right? I've never had a hyperfixation give me brainrot like this. Though, if we go back to lame teenage me, the ship that really got me into the fic/tumblr sphere was Sterek.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will?

I have been returning to a few wips I thought I had abandoned lately, so never say never. I firmly believe in taking a break if something isn't working out and circling back with fresh eyes.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Despite how I am probably answering most of these questions (lmao), I think I am pretty good at keeping my writing concise and moving it right along. It's not that I rush writing, but I am good at recognising when something I have written begins to meander. I like writing dialogue where people are cutting each other off, and crafting stuff that is a quick little ficlet etc. Having said this...

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Descriptive language. I always get so caught up in action and dialogue that I easily forget descriptions of surroundings, objects, clothes etc. Funnily enough, right now I am working on a few quick visual aids (flash-sheet style sketches) for my Steddie BB fic of things that I need to keep in mind/remember to describe as a strategy that will hopefully help.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I could never do it (I only speak English), but honestly, kudos to you if you do/can!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Stranger Things is the first fandom I have written for.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

I swear to god this isn't a plug, but I thiiiiink it might be the wip I am oh-so-close to finishing. It's basically a character study of Steve's Mom and is her POV of the end of season 3. I have shared some snippets in the STWG server (and complained during writing sprints). I just need to do a solid edit and get a vibe-check read-through from someone else then it's good to go!!!

Tagging: @momotonescreaming @eyesofshinigami @devondespresso @missberrycake @steventhusiast

(I know this tag game has been making the rounds, so if you see this and haven't been tagged yet, count this as a tag)

[shamelessliarkickapow]

Arrvatarr! The Last Arrbender!

Chapter 3, part... the rest/3

A Zutara pirate AU - comedy/romance/action

Here's part 1/3 on Tumblr or Read the whole thing (chapters 1-3) on AO3

This story is rated M for Mature (Ole Salts only, yarrr)

Detective GoodBrother Sokka, anyone? ^.-

((this one might be boring? idk, things got plotty on me and i've been framing a roof, which has involved climbing around on the inside of gables about 14' off the floor and lots of trips up and down the wobbliest 12' ladder carrying heavy rafters in 90 degree weather and. dudes. i'm tired and all my clinging muscles are like wtf is wrong with you we never do this? so here's a finished chapter to celebrate the framing being done and the roofers coming to finish decking and surfacing yayyy))

.

.

The sun rested low and soft in the east, peeking through scattered clouds and Katara was just finishing off her porridge when Sokka came sidling up on deck. He spotted her where she was sitting on the port gunwale and made his way over, stretching his arms above his head in the super-casual move that clearly meant he was here for a classic brotherly chat.

Katara heaved a sigh. He must have really gobbled his food to follow her so quickly.

“Ahh, nothing like dish duty with Toph to really top off an action-packed night of pirating!”

“You cannot be done already.”

“Right, yeah, no, I just mean I’m looking forward to dish duty with Toph. You know, because her playful and fun-loving attitude makes the chore go so much quicker.”

That could be true. Or it could mean Toph had tried to metalbend the tin dishes again and they were all dinged and bent - and still dirty. Katara sighed a second time and rolled her eyes. Sokka hoisted himself up to sit on the rail beside her and laced his fingers together on his crossed legs.

“So! How are things?”

“Great. I’m the only pirate in the world who has to rewash the dishes for the other pirates. How could I not feel extra special, Sokka?”

“You don’t have to rewash them. We haven’t even first-washed them yet. I’m kind of just here for your bowl, but I was trying to be cool about it.”

Katara frowned at his demure expression and held out her bowl. He accepted it graciously - and then did not go away.

“You seem tense, little sister.”

He said it with gravity and quiet care that made Katara’s frown fade. It also made her aware of how the pucker in her brow had started to ache.

“Usually after a good plundering, you’re as cheerful as the rest of us. But today it’s like you’ve got a rain cloud on your shoulder. Toph seems to be getting to you more than usual. What gives?”

Katara let out a little huff. “Are you really pretending that you didn’t just gang up on me with the rest of them down there?”

“We might have taken the teasing a little far,” Sokka admitted with a half-repentant shrug. “It’s just… it was kind of a surprise to see you take your intimidation game so hard in that direction. I mean, I’ve seen you tease a guy before but… damn, Katara.”

She blushed and turned her head up to examine a very interesting cloud. She had forgotten her brother was watching that play out… “It got out of hand.”

Sokka was quiet for a long moment, then sighed and, sounding like he really didn’t want to, asked, “Was it, though? Because in the moment, you really seemed to be having a good time.”

Katara snapped a glare on him. “Not you too.”

“What?”

“You are not going to pressure me to-! To-!”

“Pressure? Who’s pressuring you?” Sokka’s alarm suddenly became outrage. “Was it those soldiers? Toph mentioned the crew-”

“It’s Toph! She’s out of control! The guy is a Fire Prince - obviously an evil oppressor of all our peoples - and she wants me to jolly his roger like the most-”

“Horrible turn of phrase.”

“-important thing is me getting off!” Katara scoffed and threw one arm up in the air, still disbelieving. “It’s so much more complicated than that. He’s not just some guy. He’s everything that’s wrong with the world, but in a person!”

“Well, not everything…”

Katara turned wide, disbelieving eyes on him. Sokka just shrugged extra-deep.

“Don’t get me wrong, the guy fights like a war machine. But I’ve seen enough firebenders to know he wasn’t exactly going for kill shots.”

“He burned Toph!”

“She was touching her shield and it got hot. Besides, who wouldn’t take a swing at Toph? She’s a powerful bender and powerfully annoying. Risk of the trade. If she’s pressuring you to go after him, she clearly isn’t holding a grudge.” He squinted and raised an eyebrow as if thinking about it, then shook his head and went on. “I’ll talk to her about that. Or get Suki to do it. Kid needs guidance. Anyway, something about this whole situation feels off to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on. The Fire Lord only has a few kids, right? What’s one of them doing so far from home on that crappy little ship with about half the soldiers it’d take to fully crew it, much less defend it?” Sokka stroked his chin as he talked. Katara half expected him to whip out the detective hat and pipe. “That wasn’t a fighting force. Prince Zuko wasn’t out here leading any excursions to put down resistance factions.”

“What resistance?” Katara muttered sourly. “The last resistance in the South Seas disappeared with Dad.”

Sokka peered at her, and she could see the burning heart-deep sting, the horrible grieving aloneness in her chest reflected in his eyes. “For a long time, that was true,” he said carefully. “But now there’s us.”

“We’re one ship. A handful of kids.”

“And we’ve sunk how many steamers in the last year?”

Unbidden, Katara’s eyes slid sideways to the railing on the stairs up to the poop deck. It was scored deeply, one for every steamer sent down. The freshest notch was a quarter of the way up, with many older ones marching behind it.

“And now,” Sokka said quietly, “we have and are training the Avatar.”

“Nobody knows about that. Aang has been really good about keeping quiet.”

“Aang is a goofball kid with too much energy and not enough sense to protect himself. He’s not ready to go public and yet here he is trying to yuck it up and get philosophical with the first firebenders he meets since coming out of the ice. I mean,” he half-laughed, half-scoffed, “did you hear that arr-bender joke? Terrible!”

“I know…” Katara rubbed her arms as if to chase off a sudden chill. “I tried to tell him to stay away from them before dinner but he keeps talking about his friend from the Fire Nation. I think it’s hard for him to really internalize that it’s been a century and everything is different now.”

“Well he needs to get with the program quick.”

Sokka’s tone was all seriousness now and he turned his head to meet her eyes, concern knotting his brow.

“The ship’s log indicated their heading was for the South Pole. There weren’t any specific coordinates cited - just a note that the commanding officer intended to continue his search there. Katara, Prince Zuko was on his way to look for our village.”

Katara’s heart pounded for more than one reason. “Do you think he came here for us?”

There had been a few Fire Navy ships in recent months sent to capture them. Ambushing and sinking those ships was easy enough. It was much scarier to think that the Fire Lord might have sent his own son to target them…

…but the thought that this particular muscle-bound prince had come here to get her had a whole swarm of flutters battling it out in her belly. That Prince Zuko might have tracked them and laid a trap with himself as the bait, and now he was locked in the brig - perhaps as a part of his own plan… It gave Katara a wild tingle thinking about what might happen. What he might try to do.

She would stop him, of course, but… whatever he did, it’d be exciting to watch him try.

But Sokka just shrugged, wide-eyed. “I don’t know what he was after. With a fighting force that small, he’d be lucky to subdue a crew of normal pirates. And if he was hunting us specifically, he’d have had some reports about Toph and probably would have prepared his men to counter her somehow. I don’t think he came here planning on a direct fight. Maybe he meant to take the village hostage while we were gone and force us to surrender that way.”

“You think he wanted to take Gran-gran hostage?” Katara fumed, horrified and furious at the mere notion.

“I’m just not sure what else he could have had planned.” Sokka shook his head and scratched the back of his neck, leaning back on one arm. “And yet… I’m speculating on all that. Whoever wrote the ship’s log was wordy and did not follow standard reporting procedures so it might take some serious digging to figure out what Prince Zuko was really searching for. There’s a chance it wasn’t us at all. I mean, he seemed pretty surprised when we took his ship. And he adapted quick to Toph’s metalbending, but he made a big deal about her being blind. If he’d heard of us at all, he hid it well. Which is kind of weird all on its own…”

“Sokka, just because we’re the scourge of the South Seas doesn’t mean everyone’s heard of us.”

“No, but you’d think a prince sailing into dangerous waters would have at least gotten some kind of warning. They stopped at a Fire Nation shipyard near Whale Tail Island to refuel last week. Why wouldn’t the commander at that outpost tell him he was heading into our territory?”

“They probably did and he figured he could handle it because he’s an arrogant, entitled asshole.”

“Or maybe they were hoping he’d get captured because he’s such a charmer.”

Katara smirked, but it quickly faded. “His crew seemed to like him. If the commander tried to sabotage him, it might have been some kind of political thing. Jealousy or something.”

Sokka assessed her face for a long moment. “What did those guys say to you?”

“Ugh. Toph.” Katara rolled her eyes, then shrugged. “They overheard her loudmouth personal advice and started extolling his virtues like a pack of used boat salesmen.”

He scoffed, trying to hide a short laugh. Katara couldn’t help the grin spreading over her face.

“So I said - get this - ‘What is this? The FNS Wingman?’”

“Classic!” Sokka laughed, then slung an arm around her shoulders. “My little sister, making jokes and witty repartee. I’m so proud.”

Katara looped an arm around his back and leaned her head on his shoulder. The sun was beginning to grow warm in the east, cutting through the chilly night air. For a long moment they were silent, basking in some of the last sunshine they would see before autumn hardened the air and tucked the sun away for winter. At length, Sokka broke the quiet with a gentle, teasing tone.

“A whole ocean of guys and you let it ‘get out of hand’ with the Fire Nation prince who might be plotting to sabotage us. What is it about this guy?”

Katara didn’t really mean to answer, but she breathed it out anyway. “The way he looks at me when I’m winning.”

Sokka chuckled and squeezed her shoulders. “Well, you just keep on winning. And if you ever don’t win, don’t worry. Ole Sokka-” He grinned, bright as the rising sun. “-has a plan.”

.

.

The warrior, Suki, came with bowls of some manner of gruel shortly after dawn and, several hours later, Sokka appeared. He wore a simple blue tunic and a mild smile and he carried Zuko’s broadswords sheathed and tossed casually over his shoulder.

“Rise and shine, it’s sword-fighting time!” he chortled as he unlocked the door. “Ya like that? I came up with it just on the way down here.”

Zuko, who had been meditating (stewing) on his bunk and certainly not sleeping during the day like some kind of sluggard, practically leapt past where Iroh snored to get out the door.

“Finally. It’s hours past midday. I thought you weren’t coming at all.”

Sokka relocked the door and gave Zuko a once-over before starting for the stairs. “Aw, and you got all dressed up just for our fight? I’m touched.”

“It’s a training tunic,” Zuko snapped as he kept apace. “I don’t fight in my pajamas. Unless my ship is being attacked in the night.”

“But barefoot is normal.”

“…No.”

Sokka only kept walking, that easy smile irritatingly unchanging. “Forgot to grab your boots?”

Zuko glared at him and did not speak. He had to fall behind to follow Sokka up the narrow stairs to the next level of the ship.

“Oof, that’s gotta be tough. Forgot your boots and now they’re lost forever, sunk with your ship. Why, you might even get frostbite walking around with no shoes on-”

“I won’t get frostbite.”

“-but luckily ole Sokka has an eye for fine footwear.”

He shoved open a sticking door along a hallway of shut doors and Zuko followed him into an untidy cabin with a wide rumpled bed and shelves crammed with dusty objects. …And several items that Zuko immediately recognized as his. He surveyed the chaos with a scowl. Sokka paid him no mind as he threw open a trunk and fished around.

“It’d really be a shame to let quality leatherwork be lost at sea.”

He emerged with Zuko’s scuffed training boots and held them up like a specimen he was examining.

“Just look at this stitching! It’s so fine, you can’t even see the individual stitches. And you were just gonna leave these behind!”

In the trunk behind him, Zuko spied some of his other, less broken-in boots. “You took all my shoes? When did you do that?”

“Less questions, more deals,” Sokka said, dangling the boots just in Zuko’s grasp. “I’ll let you borrow these for our first round on the condition that they become your prize if you win instead of the swords.”

Zuko considered it for a moment, then tipped his chin up and met those clever blue eyes. “Alright. But I want an immediate second round for the swords.”

“I guess that’s not totally unreasonable.” Sokka smiled like a closing trap. “If I win that one, I want to know how you got that scar.”

Zuko thought about refusing, but what did it matter? He was going to win anyway. “Fine.”

He snatched the boots from Sokka’s grasp and shoved his feet into them, peering around at the packed shelves as he did.

“This is your room? What do you need with all this junk?”

“You never know what might turn out to be useful later,” Sokka said, picking up what looked like a lantern intended to float on a candle’s heat - though it was not quite like any paper lantern Zuko had ever seen. “Sometimes I look at this stuff and get ideas. Build stuff from other stuff. That kind of thing. Sometimes I just like knowing it’s here and not in the Fire Nation’s hands. All set?”

Zuko wanted to go back to the brig for some of his socks - which he had remembered - but he was impatient to get those swords back in his hands.

They made their way up to the deck where Suki and Toph waited, loitering around a little table and tossing bits of food - nuts or something - into the air for that strange little animal to swoop down and grab. Zuko had gotten only a glimpse of it last night. By daylight, though, the big ears and luminous eyes were much more recognizable.

“Is that a flying lemur?” He asked, stopping just past the door to watch it perch in the rigging and munch on whatever it had caught. “I’ve only ever seen those at the Air Temples.”

“Yeah, yeah, super rare animal companion,” Sokka huffed. “At his current pace, Momo’s gonna steal more food from us than we can steal from the Fire Nation. He’s a pirate among pirates.”

Zuko kept staring at the lemur. He had never been this close to one before. They had all been so skittish when he had spotted them during his search.

But then… he also remembered the desolation of the ruins, the ancient blast marks and lingering signs of devastation. The skeletal remains of air and fire people alike, bleaching just the same in the long years of weather but still telling a story of horror and murder and ruthlessness. Genocide.

Perhaps it was inevitable that a creature that lived in such a habitat carried some resonant awareness of the nature of the terrible deeds done there. The crimes and who had perpetrated them.

The lemur presently licking itself and making unsettling eye contact with Zuko, however, seemed to have left such reticence behind.

“Are you guys gonna wail on each other or just stand around sharing precious moments?” the warrior asked, making smirking eyes at Sokka.

“Yeah,” snickered the metalbender. “Would you two girls rather go back to swapping shoes and admiring cute animals?”

Zuko glowered at her, but Sokka was already talking.

“Suki, my love, I’m saving all my precious moments for you. Toph-” His tone dropped to prim annoyance. “-I don’t even know how to respond to such sexist generalizations, being as I am a confident man to whom girls and girly activities are totally fine and not demeaning in any way.”

“Haha, yeah, you almost believe that, Snoozles.”

“Do they have to be here?” Zuko demanded.

“Trust me,” Suki said with an unpleasant smile. “If Sokka gets hurt through no fault of yours, you’re gonna want as many witnesses as possible.”

“Uh, a little faith here? C’mon.”

“You should probably keep it down, too,” Toph added. “Sweetness is taking a little nap and she’ll probably turn you into a permanent prince-cicle if she finds out you’re cheating on her with her brother.”

“What?”

“Okay! Sword time!” Sokka suddenly swung the scabbard around and into Zuko’s chest - he caught it, but barely - and then strode across the deck, stretching out his shoulders. “Remember the rules. We stop at first blood, and no limb-chopping, throat-slashing or other lethal moves. No firebending,” he added with a smirk. “I think that covers it.”

“That’s not all the terms,” Zuko protested. “If I win, I keep my boots. If you win, I’ll tell you about the portrait. The second round is compulsory.”

“Right right right.”

Sokka wore an almost placid look on his face as he reached over his shoulder and drew the weapon waiting there. The blade was oddly dark, and the craftsmanship seemed especially fine - but it was difficult to tell from across the distance separating them.

Besides, Zuko had other things on his mind besides assessing more of Sokka’s stolen goods. He slowly drew the broadswords from their scabbard and tossed it aside. And then he began.

He separated the blades in the artful slashes of an opening sequence, then faced his opponent, whose standard beginning stance had sagged slightly. Sokka watched him with an incredulously curled lip.

“Aw shit,” piped the metalbender. “Better watch it, Sokka. Prince Pretty-hair came to play.”

“I came to win,” Zuko corrected. Then he attacked.

[midnightmah07]

*swings legs cutely* 💘 and mayhaps 🖤 for Leona and Isa

Also, I didn't mean to type "Zuki" I meant Zuko, as you said, I don't proofread stuff, it's a family trait(literally only me and my mom do this) And I was gonna share some traits they had but didn't want to blabber on for too long(that and bcus the traits I'd have shared would've been obvious tbh). Anyway

MAAAAAH!! HAND ME LEOBELLE ANGST, AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!!/ref

HEYYYYY!!! Also yeah I figured 😭 I was like wondering if u meant Zuko or Suki, but u said honor so I was "oh it's probably Zuko"

Also,,, taking the opportunity of making this for my pirate au,,,,

🖤 kissing while crying / goodbye kiss / desperation

Leona felt an immense amount of pain upon receiving a kick on his face by the marines. His crew defeated, his hands and feet tied together, the pirate captain still couldn't take his eyes off his fiancé– no, his wife, who was currently being taken away by them.

Ever since convincing Isabelle to run away with him, he and his crew had been accused of kidnaping a princess. Still, she herself chose that lifestyle, she chose to marry him despite being an outlaw; she had never once done anything that she didn't want to.

"Enough!" She screamed, using her ankle to hurt the marine who was trying to take her to their crew. She ran past a few others, finally reaching Leona, and used his sword to point at them in an attempt to protect him. "Leave him alone, and I'll come with you all peacefully."

"You–"

"Shut it, Leona." She ordered, and he did as he was told. The marines agreed, telling her to let the sword go. "Let me say goodbye. Then I will."

The marine crew looked at their captain, who hesitantly nodded, making Isabelle drop the sword and immediately turn to look at Leona, cupping his face in her hands. She noticed his injured eye and a few cuts, mainly on his lips and cheeks, it made her wince.

"Listen. I'm- I'm sorry I never–"

"I don't care about what you're about to say, dang it, you're not being taken away." He said, his tone fully reminiscent as an order as a captain, but Isabelle simply sighed. "I'm not losing you again."

"Leona, it's over. We're surrounded." Isabelle pleaded, her green eyes inspecting his. She always wished for him to try and fight for what he wanted but now? It was not the situation for that. She needed him to give up. "What I can do is say a proper goodbye."

"You're not leaving."

"Leona."

"You came here with full consent there's no reason for them to take you back."

"Leona, listen–"

"I need you here." He rested his face on her shoulder, basically mumbling at this point, eye stinging from anger and frustration. "You can't go."

Isabelle hugged him for a few seconds, until a marine warned her to be over with it. She made him look at her once again, her fingers caressing his cheeks. She pulled him in for a last kiss, a slow, passionate one, so that she'd be able to convey at least a fraction of how much she loved him.

Once parted, she gave him a quick peck again. Eyes red from what she was about to say.

"Please. Just forget about me and move on with your life." One last time, she kissed his cheek, and slowly got up, a marine holding onto her arm and forcing her to get aboard their ship.

As she looked behind one last time, she watched as Leona stared at her, his body still, a small frown on his face.

She'd never be able to hold him again.

[onepiece-asl-lover]

Reader my au x ASL Trio

Part 11 "Running away"

Everyone sat at the table that had bunch of food like shrimps , rice, spaghetti, heaven for what you usually eat with the Bandits. Little sparkles of lights surrounded all of you as you guys started eating the food, Makino brought.

“Yummy!” Luffy exclaims.

"Meals should be this good on the ship. Im going to get the best cook first thing when I become a pirate!" Sabo muffled voice as he kept eating.

"Im going to be a pirate first, so don't forget it"Ace adds.

"Thats not true! I'm going to be the best pirate and im going first!" Luffy added.

Everyone infront of you of you which included Dadan, Dogra , and some Mountain Bandits spited out whatever they were drinking.

You heard somone behind of you guys at the door clear their throat as you eatch Luffy and Ace face go purple. You turn around to see a old man around 68 maybe?

"Your still saying that pirate crap! You'll grow up to be Navy men!" The man said as he hit both Luffy and Ace head as hugs bumps grew onto their heads.

"Dadan!"

"Yes Garp-san!" Dadan says as she also gets his by the man called Garp.

"Why should I get hit too!" Dadan groaned.

"You're not educating the brats well!"

"Thats Garp-San, Luffy and Ace grandpa!" Sabo said.

"There is more of you brats, I heard you were talking that pirate crap aswell you squirt!" Garp said as he turned to look at Sabo.

"Sabo is not a squirt, he's Sabo! We all shared a cup of sake and promised to be pirates!" Luffy shouted as he stepped infront of Sabo.

"Such a big mouth" you mumbled.

"Well it looks I have to educate you three then!"Garp exclaims as he chases the three boys out the house as you heard their screams for help.

You stood outside just watching Garp "discipline" them well really, throwing, punching, flipping them over but you know they were okay, they are really strong!

After Garp finished beating them up he walked over to you. You looked up at him wanting to see his intentions towards you. Surprisingly he ruffled your hair and gave a teddy bear in a Marine outfit.

"I know i can trust in you to become a great Marine someday, don't listen to their pirate crap" Garp said as he walked away.

Now you have the job of waking up the passed out boys up. You walked towards Ace first and now you could see clearly Garp really did give a punishment bumps all over his head.

You boop Ace nose to wake him up. He didn’t really wake up just move a bit. So you had to use another method of yours, pecking his forehead.

You never did it alot as this was a big affectionate gesture for a person like you and Ace was someone he liked and you like back, but he might just forget it when he wakes up. You let out a breath as you quickly peck Ace forehead and move away quickly to see his reaction.

To your least of surprise Ace immediately wakes up but to your surprise when he woke up he slammed his head ,and accidentally slammed his head into a tree. He rubbed it out, he turned around to beat the asshole whoever just touched him. When he saw you he stopped and just blinked at you as you blinked back.

“I wanted to wake you up but you weren’t waking up, im sorry” You apologised.

“No, No it’s fine. Thought it was some one else” Ace mumbled the last part as he got onto his feet to help you out to wake up Sabo,Luffy. Sabo was easy to wake up, juts a “little” shake according to Ace ,and Luffy was just the smell of meat.

You all went back into your room dodging all of the sleeping Bandits and Garp on the floor. You all entered your guys room, peeking through the door gap to look around.

"If nothing is done, the old man will kill us!" Ace said as he turns to look at all of you.

"Even if we survive, he'll won't stop until we give up our dream!" Sabo adds.

"I don't wanna die"Luffy crys.

"Shhh" You put your finger on your lip in a shush motion to quiet Luffy down.

"We only have one choice. It times to make up our minds, together!" Ace exclaims.

You guys ran away from Dadan home leaving a note on a wooden pillar. You guys packed your blankets and futons to bring with you.

"We got away successfully!" Luffy happily says as you all stop running.

"They're not coming- Dadan and the others" Sabo confirmed.

You saw Ace thinking about something as you tugged a bit on his hand to bring him out of his thought.

"I can tell she's happy now because her troubles have gone away!" Ace stated.

You felt a drop water on your cheek as you went to wipe it away. More and more droplets of water fell as you realized it was raining.

"Its raining!" Luffy screamed.

You all started running to find some shelter. After a while you guys find a big hole in a tree as you all hid in there to keep dry.

"Let's stay here and hide from the rain." Sabo said as he bordly looks outside.

"This is exciting!" Luffy giggled.

After a while you guys fell asleep leaning on eachother for support. It wasn't comfortable and it was pouring outside, humidity, sweaty and wet which was horrible but you crawled into the back of the tree to restrain from the rain the most.

Sabo slowly wakes up first. The rain stopped after a long while, everything so green and fresh. Sabo walked out the hole in the tree to look outside seeing the tree you guys were in. It was HUGE.

Sabo wakes up you, Ace and Luffy.

Sabo pulls out a piece of paper that has a couple of drawings on it.

"Look at this!" Sabo exclaims showing off his work.

"What is it?" Luffy asks.

"I designed our hideout we can't just stay outside forever. So we gotta build a hide out on this tree!" Sabo answered.

"A hideout...that's so cool!" Luffy laughed.

"What about the materials?" Ace asks.

"Grey terminal is great for materials" You answered.

"Excatly!" Sabo adds. You smile, Sabo gave you a high-five.

------------------------------------------------------

You guys went into Grey terminal to get some supplies, wood,nails,ect.. You had just carried an entire pile easy with your trusty devil fruit that sucks the things up and spits it out wherever you want it.

You all put your materials in this stroller, Ace pulling it back to the exact tree for the building of the treehouse.

You all started working in your assigned places you chosen. Luffy accidently hit his hand with a hammer while building the wall of the treehouse. It certainly gave you and Sabo a scare but Luffy is made of rubber so it was really no biggie.

You all had to make a big ladder to climb up the hight branch to make a crow nest. You made a big flag with your first initial "(first intial)ASL"

It flew proudly in the wind. All of you finished the treehouse after a long day leaving all of you exhausted.

"Yeah! You can see Grey terminal, Windmill village and the water of the East blue!"

"But we see those everyday." You say as you climb up to the crow nest.

"Yeah but it's diffrent!" Luffy shouts.

You,Ace and Sabo climb up the crow nest to look at the view. And indeed it was beautiful. You could see everything! The clouds, birds, the water!

---------------------------------------------------

All of you started playing pirates, everyone was a captain, and your treehouse was a BIG ship! Bluejam pirates pulled up next to you, you guys started to fight. You imagined your opponents as boxes or pumpkins.Then going back on the ground to look up at your guys work.

“Wow! It looks just like the drawing!” Luffy exclaims.

“Im glad. Now we have our own personal treehouse.” Sabo happily says.

You saw Ace had his thinking face on a you poked his shoulder.

“Is something wrong Ace?” You asked.

“If we want to be safe then we should make some traps.” Ace said as he turns to look at all of you guys.

“Makes sense, alright” Sabo says.

——————————————————————————

You guys all went to sleep after building the huge trap. You were always a light sleeper for safety percussion you called it but you heard someone climbing up into the treehouse.

You opened one of your eyes to see who is this intruder to your surprise it was Dadan. “What was she doing here?” You thought.

Dadan seemed happy to see all four of you so relaxed and asleep. She stepped forward a bit when she saw Luffy move his blanket uncovering him.

You saw that when she stepped forward she triggered the trap. You watched as the trap started to work. You sat up to warn Dadan to move out the way but it was too late you ducked your head as the 100ton hammer flung over you hitting Dadan in the stomach.

She got flunged out the treehouse hitting the ground with a big thud which woke up Ace and Sabo. You three ran to the window to see what happened.

“I don’t see anyone, it might have been a glitch, I did build this in a hurry” Sabo says as he goes back to bed.

You were about to go to bed, but Ace kept looking outside. You tugged on his shirt to get his attention.

“You saw Dadan, right” You asked worried if she hurt herself too much.

“Ya, she’s alright.” Ace confirmed. He went back to lay down on his futon.

You go back and lay down to go to sleep but something feels off. Like something bad is about to happen to you. You brush it off barely as you just lay down staring into the night the feeling starting to haunt you.

“Somethings going to happen”

[buggstuff]

CODYWAN WEEK DAY 1!!

Aha. I just woke up!

@codywanweek

Day 1, writing prompt: Rebel AU/Cody with a lightsaber. It also can be found here on my ao3!

    "Cody!" Obi-Wan calls out as he slips in the fight, hilt flying out of his hand. 

    Cody quickly grabs the saber and activates it, slashing the attacker quickly, then spins around and grabs Obi-Wan by his robes, holding him carefully over the edge. He brings Obi-Wan back up, slowly.

    "You really need to stop dropping this," Cody scolds, clipping the hilt onto his own belt.

    "I'm aware, but, I do need that back-"

    "I'm aware," Cody echoes, teasingly. "You'll get it back when we're done."

    Obi-Wan stifles a laugh, following Cody through the dark canyons. They walk quietly, the dirt and pebbles crunching under their boots.

    It had been 3 years. 3 years since Obi-Wan left the Jedi Order. He hadn't known how persistent Cody would be. It was quite impressive, actually, how well the trooper had hid from Obi-Wan and put up mental barriers. The only reason Obi-Wan found out Cody had followed him was because Cody let his guard down, and the rogue Jedi sensed him. Why did Obi-Wan leave?

    That was indeed a question.

    <em>"Why did you leave?" Cody prompts, voice quiet in the dark cave, lit dimly by their lantern.

    "Why did you follow me?" Obi-Wan retorts back, seeming amused.

    "Obi-Wan.."

    The older sighs and gives in.

    "The order... It wasn't for me. It had just taken too much. My family, so many of my friends, any chance of.. Well, a romantic relationship. And the last straw was..."

    Obi-Wan shudders at the memory. Of Ahsoka, facing charges for something she never would have done.

    Anakin and Obi-Wan both left the order that day. The trio kept contact, but travelled the galaxy separately.

    Obi-Wan was glad he had Cody.</em>

    Obi-Wan takes deep breaths as they walk, calming his body after the sudden attack. The breeze is gentle, a bit chilly, as you would expect in the dead of night. Three moons shine brightly in the sky, passing ships visible where they are. Creatures call out, making a natural melodic sound of the forest. The ground was dirt and pebbles, brown, meanwhile the trees had a dull, dark brown wood and round, glowing cyan spores in place of leaves. It was quite beautiful.

    It would be, if the two weren't constantly being attacked by robbers, rogue pirates and predatory animals out here.

    Obi-Wan caught Cody's blaster and began firing, the forest lighting up at the green blasts, clashing with the blue saber in such a lively way. The sounds of chaos ensued as they ran, Cody hitting anything away from the front while Obi-Wan aims back to shoot there. They were hostile animals of this planet, a 'kill-on-sight' sort of thing. A whole pack of them.

    Cody and Obi-Wan share a glance before going back to back, keeping away the predators with ease now. They moved fluidly and they moved together, fighting the animals off. Obi-Wan turns and shoots one far away that was approaching quickly, while Cody blocks off attacks on Obi-Wan's side. They spin back around and continue.

    "Cody, dear, we may not be able to win this one!" Obi-Wan shouts to his partner, it seemed like the animals didn't stop coming.

    "I gotta agree with you there!" Cody shouts back.

    The two share a nod then begin running, fast through the forest, making sure the other doesn't get left behind. Their weapons now tucked away, they moved easily between the trees and vines, dodging and weaving- The animals don't have that balance and fluidity. They eventually reach a cliff, seeing dirt and a river at the bottom.

    Obi-Wan looks at Cody.

    "Don't hate me," He says.

    "I don't think I'm able to do that."

    Cody smiles.

    Obi-Wan launches Cody up and to the side, dangling over the ravine, before he jumps down and releases the force-hold on Cody.

    They fall and fall, Obi-Wan landing safely thanks to a common force-trick, but as he rolled to land, his hands scratch on the sharp pebbles. He hisses quietly through his teeth, but quickly lifts his hands to begin catching Cody. His speed slowly declines until Obi-Wan places him on the ground. He looks unamused. 

    "I may take back my statement," Cody deadpans, swinging the saber once before deactivating it and clipping it to his belt again.

    "Oh, you would never," Obi-Wan grins.

    "Sure," Is all Cody says.

    They start walking once more, the river flowing fast next to them. Obi-Wan looks at his callused, dusty and scratched hands, then tugs his sleeves up a little. He turns direction, striding to the side of the river now. He lets out a soft exhale as the cold, almost freezing, water washes away the dirt and blood on his hands. He hears Cody's soft footsteps, then his saber igniting. He sees the blue glow and brings his hands out of the water, standing as he shakes them off.

    He turns to see Cody in an opening stance of Ataru. It was a bit sloppy, but good for someone not trained well. He takes in the form before approaching Cody, standing at a close diagonal to him, gently adjusting the form.

    "This is.. Form IV?" Cody questions, turning his head to look at the former Jedi.

    Obi-Wan smiles and nods, hands gentle as he makes minor adjustments, then gently moves Cody's head by his chin to face forward.

    He'd never forget the sight- Cody using his lightsaber, learning everything he could before the sun rose and they could peacefully continue their journey. The way the sun rose, it lit up Cody's body, making his dark skin so vibrant, his eyes sparkle, his mix of old armour and tan robes looking slightly younger than they actually were.

    He just couldn't believe Cody was truly his.

[incorrectshantaequotes]

REVERSAL AU - A Hesitant Alliance

...so, I might not be planning on doing any headcanon posts about the Reversal AU anytime soon, but I never said anything about transcripts! And more to the point, I got ideas after finally writing out that headcanon post yesterday, so here's a transcript of how Risky and the Chimera Pirates end up teaming up in Pirate's Curse!

(Here are the earlier transcripts I've written for the Reversal AU if you haven't seen those or need a refresher)

[RISKY stomps into her lighthouse and slams the door. Notably, in contrast to her usual appearance, Risky now has a few black streaks going through her hair and looks notably disheveled...not that this is particularly new to her here]

RISKY: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

RISKY: Curse that swashbuckling captain, curse her rag-tag mishmash of a crew, and curse that THRICE-DAMNED, MAGIC-STEALING, GILDED PAPERWEIGHT OF A LAMP!

RISKY: Ever since Captain Shantae used that Magic Lamp on me, my magic's gone completely haywire! That accursed lamp did something to me, I know it!

RISKY: It's the only explanation! It can't-it CAN'T be-...!

RISKY: ...

RISKY: ...well, even if she never got the minion she wanted, I suppose Captain Shantae did end up getting the last laugh after all. My days as a GUARDIAN GENIE are done.

RISKY: SIGH...I can't even be mad about it; I'm sure this would've happened even WITHOUT Wrecker Baron taking over the town.

RISKY: I've never been one for bubble baths, but I might as well get one now. Who knows how long I'll have even that luxury?

[After a quick fade to black, the scene changes to the BATHTUB being full of water and bubbles while RISKY stands next to it]

RISKY: Oh, that looks good...I have to admit, I'm actually looking forward to this. I've had to deal with so much STRESS and TENSION lately! Let me just get these-!

RISKY: ...Wait a minute.

RISKY: When on earth did my bathtub get moved to the first floor!?

[It's at that exact moment that all the water drains from the tub at a rapid pace, and before RISKY can react, a bear trap on a spring lunges out from the BATHTUB and clamps around RISKY's torso]

RISKY: Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!

[The bear trap then pulls RISKY into the BATHTUB by force, and a HARPY and SCORPGAL then drop from the ceiling]

HARPY: HA! And you guys thought the booby-trapped bathtub wouldn't work!

RISKY: YOU...! The Chimera Pirates!

SCORPGAL: In the flesh.

HARPY: And the best of the best!

HARPY: You must be shaking in your boots, having to deal with us top officers of the crew!

RISKY: Hmph! Top GOONS is more like it.

HARPY: HEY!

RISKY: ...and, unrelated, aren't there usually THREE of you?

SCORPGAL: He's currently outside to keep anyone from interfering with our interrogation.

HARPY: Or, to be more accurate, he's currently outside because he's a total WEENIE.

[The camera shifts slightly over to the door]

WETMAN: Am not!

HARPY: Mhm? You want to come in here to prove it then? Come in here and face the...

HARPY: ...SOAP BUBBLES?

WETMAN: ...no...

RISKY: For the love of-the tub's not even FULL, you idiot!

WETMAN: Oh.

[The WETMAN promptly enters the room through RISKY'S door, jumps up to the ceiling, and then drops down next to the HARPY and SCORPGAL]

WETMAN: Yeah, I'm fine with this.

RISKY: What do you numbskulls want, anyway? Haven't you and your captain ruined my life enough?

HARPY: Ruined YOUR life? YOU'RE the one who's been ruining OUR lives!

WETMAN: What she said!

RISKY: What are you TALKING about!?

HARPY: Don't play dumb, you HALF-WIT BLUNDER!

SCORPGAL: Yesterday, our captain was attacked by a STRANGE, BAT-LIKE CREATURE.

WETMAN: 'Course, captain being the captain, she fought it off, no sweat, but...she was really freaked by that. I've never seen her SCARED before...

HARPY: Before we could even figure out what THAT was about, the captain blew through the water like Davy Jones was behind us to get to shore, and then...and then...!

HARPY: She told us s-she was...she was...DISBANDING THE CHIMERA PIRATES!

RISKY: ...

RISKY: Wow. How terrible. Let me out and I'll play you the violin.

HARPY: Don't try and fake sympathy, you HEARTLESS MONSTER! I don't know what that thing was, but it was nowhere NEAR natural!

HARPY: The only ones who could've made such a thing...are YOU and your FREAKY MENTOR! YOU TWO are the ones who TOOK AWAY MY LIFE!

WETMAN: You mean OUR lives.

HARPY: ...yeah, that. That's what I meant.

RISKY: Really? That's the route you want to take? You want to blame me, the "half-wit blunder," in your own words, who currently can't so much as throw a fireball without it exploding in my face...

RISKY: ...and Mimic, who only works with TECHNOLOGY, and, need I remind you, is YOUR CAPTAIN'S UNCLE?

HARPY: Yooooooou-!

SCORPGAL: I'll admit, I'm skeptical myself, but it's not IMPOSSIBLE. The only way you can prove your innocence to us...

SCORPGAL: ...is to let us into Mimic's LAB.

HARPY: I, uh-YEAH! Let us in there or ELSE!

HARPY: (That wasn't part of the plan, bug-brain; what do you think you're doing!?)

SCORPGAL: (If anyone can tell us what frightened the captain so badly, it would be her FAMILY, you airhead.)

RISKY: ...on the one hand, I don't want to let any of you within an INCH of Mimic's workshop...

RISKY: On the other, I highly doubt any of you will actually be able to USE anything in there, and it'll get you out of my hair so I can focus on my REAL problems...

RISKY: Fine! I'll tell you where he hid the key.

WETMAN: Heheh, pleasure doing business with you!

RISKY: Right, right...now, if you'd let me-?

HARPY: Not a chance, you yellow-bellied menace!

~~~~

[After a fade to black, the scene cuts to the three CHIMERA PIRATES in MIMIC's lab, with RISKY still trapped in the BATHTUB, which is being held by the WETMAN. A TINKERBAT is in the glass container in the center of the room]

RISKY: What on earth...!?

SCORPGAL: ...!

HARPY: Oh, come ON! Where's the incriminating stuff!?

RISKY: Are you SERIOUSLY ignoring the strange creature that Mimic has, apparently, been holding without my knowledge!?

HARPY: Eh, it's not that BAT-THING, so I don't care. Don't even know what that is.

HARPY: ...which is weird, now that I think about it, because the captain's brought in practically every sapient species under the sun, but I've never seen anything like THAT in the captain's crew.

HARPY: Either of you know what that thing is?

WETMAN: Not a clue.

SCORPGAL: ...TINKERBAT...

HARPY: Uh, Tinker-what now?

[It's at that moment that a cloud of DARK MAGIC is pumped into the glass chamber via pipe, causing the TINKERBAT to rapidly mutate into a CACKLEBAT]

RISKY: WHAT IN BLAZES!?

HARPY: I KNEW IT! THAT THING'S WHAT ATTACKED THE CAPTAIN!

[The CACKLEBAT then begins to throw itself against the glass in an effort to escape]

RISKY: Putting THAT aside for later - that thing looks like it's going to attack US if we don't do something!

RISKY: Since you seem so insistent on keeping me locked up in here, YOU fight it!

HARPY: U-us!? It took the captain to fight that thing off last time! if I tried, it'd bite my tail feathers off, and who knows what'd happen to these two losers!

WETMAN: I resent that!

HARPY: Can't you just, I don't know, whip up a big stone guy to punch it into a wall!?

RISKY: Thanks to your CAPTAIN, it'd be just as likely to do that to US as it'd be to do it to that thing! Got any other bright ideas!?

HARPY: GRRRRRRRR...!

SCORPGAL: If we grab your weapons, do you think you could fight the CACKLEBAT?

HARPY: Wha-!?

RISKY: Well...I suppose I managed to fight myself just fine without magic. Can't be much harder than that...

SCORPGAL: Don't hold your breath. Get ready for the fight of your life, half-genie...

~~~~

[After the CACKLEBAT fight...]

[The CACKLEBAT explodes violently, leaving behind a cloud of dark magic]

RISKY: ...what IS that...?

SCORPGAL: Danger. Use this, half-genie!

[The SCORPGAL tosses RISKY the MAGIC LAMP, which she holds aloft in the typical item get animation. After sucking up the DARK MAGIC, she turns to the CHIMERA PIRATES]

SCORPGAL: Come on, we're leaving.

HARPY: Are you nuts!? That twit still has the-

SCORPGAL: She can keep it.

RISKY: What?

HARPY: WHAT!?

SCORPGAL: We have more important things to worry about...especially if the PIRATE MASTER has returned.

[The SCORPGAL forcibly escorts the HARPY and WETMAN out, leaving RISKY alone]

RISKY: The PIRATE MASTER?

~~~~

[Upon following the trio outside, the camera shifts to the CHIMERA PIRATES as RISKY runs up to them]

RISKY: HOLD IT, you! You have a lot of explaining to do!

WETMAN: I hate to agree with the eternal thorn in our side, but she has a point.

HARPY: Yeah, what gives!? What's the big deal with this PIRATE MASTER anyway?

SCORPGAL: I'm not surprised none of you know; it was before your time. The PIRATE MASTER was the greatest scourge Sequin Land has ever known.

SCORPGAL: He plundered and pillaged, leaving a wide trail of destruction wherever his accursed flag went, and scarring nearly all of Sequin Land as a whole...

SCORPGAL: ...including CAPTAIN SHANTAE.

HARPY: What do you-!?

SCORPGAL: I'm not confirming or denying anything. That's the captain's story to tell. The point is, he was the worst thing to sail the seven seas, and it took every Guardian Genie to take him down.

SCORPGAL: And from the looks of it, not even death has been enough to stop him permanently. He must be using DARK MAGIC to facilitate his resurrection...

RISKY: DARK MAGIC?

SCORPGAL: It's what TINKERBATS are made up of, and what turned the one we saw before into their evolved state, the CACKLEBAT.

SCORPGAL: Whereas you genies and other magical species work together WITH magic, DARK MAGIC is the result of forcing magic to do as you will. The PIRATE MASTER is a master of the art.

RISKY: ...forcing magic to do as you will...

RISKY: SON OF A SEA DOG, THAT'S WHY MY MAGIC HASN'T BEEN WORKING RIGHT! When it was taken by that LAMP, it must have been converted to DARK MAGIC!

SCORPGAL: That would be the most logical explanation. While DARK MAGIC isn't inherently evil, Genies have no defenses against its corruptive properties. It's why the PIRATE MASTER uses it as one of his most effective tools.

SCORPGAL: Your human half is likely protecting you from it having a major effect on your mind, but since your magic is actively at war with you now...

RISKY: ...trying to use it results in utter disaster.

HARPY: Okay, that's cool and all, but what does ANY of that have to do with the captain!?

SCORPGAL: I suspect she plans to deal with the Pirate Master herself...and she disbanded the Chimera Pirates so she wouldn't risk losing one of us.

HARPY: C-Captain...she...she really...?

RISKY: Oh, PLEASE. Do you honestly expect me to believe that pirate would do anything for the greater good?

SCORPGAL: I EXPECT that you'd recognize the greater threat here, half-genie! If the PIRATE MASTER manages to return, I don't doubt he'll raze Sequin Land to the ground out of pure spite!

WETMAN: Yeah, and you can't exactly work in a sea of ashes...if nothing else, I think you can say the boss wouldn't want the kingdom she's worked so hard to build herself up in to burn.

RISKY: ...THAT'S...actually a fair point. I can believe in her self-interest as a motive, if nothing else.

HARPY: Oh, CRAM IT, you-!

SCORPGAL: We don't have time to argue here. Half-Genie, unless you have anything else you want from us, we're going to start looking for our captain now.

WETMAN: But, uh, didn't you say...

SCORPGAL: HMPH! Just because I understand WHAT the captain did and WHY doesn't mean I agree with her decision. Trust me, I intend to tear her a new one when I get a chance.

RISKY: HA! Now that I'd like to see!

RISKY: But, in all seriousness, I do have one request for you three.

SCORPGAL: And that is?

RISKY: Let me join you.

SCORPGAL: ...

SCORPGAL: I beg your pardon?

RISKY: You heard me! I have no intention of twiddling my thumbs and doing nothing while I know someone like the PIRATE MASTER is trying to wreak havoc!

RISKY: And while I'd rather drown than work with that overdramatic blowhard of a pirate you call a captain, it DOES sound like CAPTAIN SHANTAE has a lead, so I'll suck it up just this once.

RISKY: Any objections?

HARPY: ...I'll get back to you when I clean the wax out of my ears, because I'm pretty sure I heard everything you said wrong.

WETMAN: I'd probably be doing the same if I could build up wax in my ears, but as it is, uh...I guess I don't have anything against you personally?

WETMAN: Aside from you ruining the captain's plans, I mean.

SCORPGAL: ...

SCORPGAL: Are you sure you're up for this? Even with your magic currently being unreliable?

RISKY: I got along just fine for YEARS without relying on my magic, and I can get along without it just fine now!

RISKY: Besides, who's to say I won't find a way to get my magic back to normal along the way? It's certainly not impossible.

SCORPGAL: I...

SCORPGAL: Fine. I'll allow it for now, but one step, ONE STEP out of line and you walk the plank. Understood?

RISKY: Crystal.

SCORPGAL: Good. Now, in order to start our search, we're going to need a map to the Forbidden Isles. The captain has one of her own, but there weren't any spares for me to grab.

RISKY: Hmmm...there should be one in the Sequin Land Public Library. The issue is getting in without them trying to arrest me on sight...

HARPY: I can blow it up for you!

RISKY: NO.

HARPY: ...the captain would've let me blow it up...

SCORPGAL: However you get it, just make sure you that map back to us. We can't go anywhere without it.

~~~~

[Several items traded and retrieved later...]

[RISKY is walking along the dock of Scuttle Town when there's a sudden rumble]

???: WAIT A MINUTE!

RISKY: What the-!? Who just said that?

[Immediately after she asks that question, a boat with the figurehead of a screaming skull pulls up alongside RISKY, and steering the ship is CAPTAIN SHANTAE]

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: How did you manage to get that map before me!?

RISKY: CAPTAIN SHANTAE!?

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Yes, me, and normally I'd LOVE to engage you in banter and wind you up, little miss firecracker, but I am REALLY not in the mood right now.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Seriously, why do you have that!? I was JUST about to try and steal it from the Sequin Land Public Library, and there's no way you could've heard about that beforehand!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Look, whatever reason you have that map, I need it more, and for once, I'm NOT trying to trick you. So tell me what you need it for and I'll handle it myself!

RISKY: ...Funny you should mention that, actually, because to my understanding, there's a few objections to that.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: What do you-?

CHIMERA PIRATES: CAPTAIN!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: ...Don't tell me...!

[CAPTAIN SHANTAE turns around, and the camera shifts so that the CHIMERA PIRATES can fit into the frame as they run over]

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: CANNONBALL?

HARPY: Oh captain, my captain!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: BILGE?

WETMAN: That's my name, don't wear it out.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: SCURVY!?

SCORPGAL: ...

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: What are you DOING here!? I told you, the Chimera Pirates are-

[CANNONBALL, as the HARPY has now been properly identified, throws herself at CAPTAIN SHANTAE's feet and throws her wings around her ankles]

CANNONBALL: CAPTAIN, DON'T LEAVE MEEE-EE-EE-EE-EE-E!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: ...um.

[CAPTAIN SHANTAE awkwardly pats CANNONBALL on the head as RISKY looks to BILGE and SCURVY with a raised eyebrow]

RISKY: Well, I suppose it's nice to have a name for you sea dogs.

BILGE: Oh yeah, we never introduced ourselves, did we? Heh, our mistake.

BILGE: Say, did you name us in your head or something? And, related, were those names cool?

RISKY: I called you Goons 1 through 3.

BILGE: ...fair enough.

CANNONBALL: -AND I KNOW THE PIRATE MASTER IS BIG AND SCARY BUT I CAN BLOW UP HIS FACE SO PLEASE LET US BACK I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITHOUT YOU-OU-OU!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: ...You know, I know you all adore me as your wonderful captain, but somehow I didn't expect that to translate into being clingy.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: So, ignoring that for now...SCURVY. You figured it out, then?

SCURVY: Yes, captain. If I may ask a question of my own, why do YOU need a map to the Forbidden Isles when you already have one?

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: I-Well...!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: ...it got torn up by a CACKLEBAT before I could stop it. The PIRATE MASTER may be tar-dipped scum who deserves to ROT where he belongs, but he's smart tar-dipped scum, I'll give him that.

SCURVY: Mhm. And THAT, right there, is why disbanding us was an absolutely boneheaded move, you sea-legged, seaweed-addled MORON!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: HEY, that is no way to speak to your-!

SCURVY: You disbanded the Chimera Pirates, so technically, you're not my captain.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: -GRRK!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: I...owe you all an apology, don't I?

SCURVY: More than that. Captain, I don't care WHAT you think, this isn't something you can do alone. You ARE taking us with you...and that includes RISKY.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: RISKY!?

RISKY: Yes, me.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Oh, PLEASE. Do you honestly expect me to believe that miss goody two-shoes over here would ever willingly work together with me on anything?

RISKY: Well, believe me, I'm not HAPPY about it, but considering the alternative is letting the Pirate Master run roughshod over Sequin Land, I can put my grudges aside for this.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Really? You sure about-?

SCURVY: CAPTAIN. Don't you start. She won't leave well enough alone, you and I both know that by know. If we don't help her, she'll go off on her own...

SCURVY: And personally, I'd prefer having the half-wit up close so she doesn't run over our plans with the grace of a steamroller.

RISKY: And personally, I'D prefer being able to watch you all up close, because even if you ARE fighting the Pirate Master, I still suspect you're going to try something.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: ...yeesh, you're not giving me an inch, are you?

SCURVY: With all due respect, captain, which is NONE at the moment, we're not budging on this.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Fine, fine...I can admit when I was wrong! I'll accept my defeat with grace and dignity.

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Ahem...

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: It looks like the CHIMERA PIRATES are back in business!

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: Now with a half-genie shaped parrot.

RISKY: PARROT!?

CAPTAIN SHANTAE: It's either that or swabbing the deck as a cabin girl. Which would you prefer, firecracker?

RISKY: ...I am already regretting this...

[starry-blue-echoes]

okay so I went on a walk and my brain started rotating the Merstars AU SO hard so I'm just going to yeet a bunch of random bullet point thoughts that I came up with and see what comes out of it-

the "world" the AU takes place isn't really like "real" life and is instead a super huge archipelago with hundreds of thousands of islands of varying sizes and kinds

Mers and other various Sea Magics are pretty well known as A Thing That Exists. Is it accepted? Depends on the location and the people, and Mer Hunters are unfortunately a pretty common thing, but it's slowly started dying out. This is actually thanks to Speedwagon since after Jonathan's death he started trying to use his influence as a Very Important Wealthy Merchant to change public opinion, and it's actually been working

Jonathan was a pretty well loved and very social member of the mers. He wasn't their leader by any means, but almost every mer in the archipelago knew about him, and his murder pissed a LOT of people off. Luckily thanks to Speedwagon, since then relations have gone from "it's on fucking sight" to "don't approach me and I won't approach you"

Morioh is one of the more isolated islands and a bit of an exception to the above thing, being the most accepting island in the whole archipelago. Honestly, at this point like half the town has at least a little mer blood in them, but they are primarily human passing. There are a couple of full blooded or half blooded mers that hang around, but Josuke was one of the first ones born in the town in a long while

currently debating how exactly the Morioh Trio are gonna be, since I want them to be a "full blood, half blood, human" trio for the funnsies, but other than Josuke I don't know which should be which. My current thought process is 1) Okuyasu is the full blooded and when he was younger he had a run in with Hunters which is where his scars came from since his dad more or less just fucked off and left him at their mercy at which Keicho had to save him which led to the two of the moving to Morioh, Koichi is the human and is Their Little Guy, is super familiar with how to work around mers and climbs them like a god damn jungle gyms, or 2) Koichi is the full blood and a really small mer but still Big for humans, he's a cuttlefish, got separated from his family when he was little which led to him being adopted by the Human Hiroses and Okuyasu is human and the resident Normie Guy, he's recently moved to Morioh and is getting used to how Positive human mer relations are here

still trying to figure out how the Stand Arrows work, since Stands..... aren't really a thing now. Probably some kind of super powerful Sea Magic thing going on, maybe turn partial mers/humans into full blooded ones?

the "Italy" of this world is a collection of islands that are under Passione's control, aka a group of pirates that have a literal fleet. Diavolo and Doppio are brothers, with Diavolo being a half-mer (maybe lion fish? I'm still deciding tho) and Doppio being a full human. Doppio is the face of the operation, but his brother is always lurking in the depths below the ship and even makes a couple appearances as the True Boss in human form. Trish is by extension 1/4 mer and they want to kill her so the truth about Diavolo won't get out

Passione, despite all the shitty stuff they do, is actually a surprising area of Human Mer teamwork. There are a lot of hybrids and even full blooded mers to the point they're almost the majority. For the most part people don't care what you are as long as you get your job done, and honestly if what they did wasn't drug trade and trafficking, they'd be pretty cool

the Bucci Gang don't have a whole lot of mer blood, and any they do have is pretty distant to the point they're almost human save for a couple little features (they also don't get full transformations), with the exceptions being Trish and Giorno. Trish I've explained, but Giorno is...... Really Really Weird with what he is. His birth mom was a mer, but Dio had mostly been using her to try and lure other mers so by the time Giorno was actually born she was killed. Giorno was then taken in by the Shiobana's, which obviously sucked ass, but he was able to pass as a human for a shocking amount of time because Sea Vampire Genes fucked with his aging, so he also looks a lot smaller than he should be. He's also been forced to stay in his "human" form for much longer than is strictly healthy which ALSO fucked with his size and health

Giorno is gonna be a giant sea snake, because I think it'll be funny because That's The Traditional Sea MonsterTM. Maybe during the final fight with Diavolo he gets shot with the arrow and falls off the ship all dramatic and everyone thinks he died but SIKE he suddenly grows to full Absolutely Fucking ENORMOUS Size And Kicks Ass

Jolyne is a siphonophore, I don't make the rules, she's Really Fucking Long