"Peggy, did you and the Captain really kidnap Sam?"
The short older man paused for a moment, before setting down the rock he was carrying into the volcanic fire pit. The he turned, waving the hooks that served for hands at them. "Atea! Talus!" He frowned. "What now?"
"Did you and the captain really kidnap Sam?" Atea repeated.
Uncle Peggy's face took on an odd expression and he dusted his hooks against each other, making a horrible metallic scraping sound that had Atea and Talus gritting their teeth and wincing. He finally stopped, and pulled two short brushes from somewhere in his coat. Sitting down and deftly taking the pegs off his legs he said, "I don't think kidnapped is quite the right description. Technically we did pay for him."
He jumped up, the brushes now firmly attached to his legs, and began shuffling about the area, cleaning up debris and dust from his work. Over the sounds he said, "It just wasn't what they were expecting."
Talus blinked. "Whadya mean?"
Peggy shrugged. "Well, I didn't have the time to pickpocket the crowd, so I did the next best thing. I gave em' a bag of rocks."
Atea closed her eyes for a moment. "A bag of…rocks."
Peggy grinned. "Yup! Course they found out pretty quick, and we had to make a break for it, but we did pay for Sam." He frowned for a second. "Got us in a bit of trouble later on, actually." He stopped shuffling around and gave them both a curious look. "Now what in the name of the sea possessed ya to ask me that?"
Atea licked her lips. "Well . . . we were in Basura the other day. . ." She trailed off.
"Basura?" He brushed his way over to them. "Why on earth would you lot go there? That place has practically nothing to its name."
"Cept for Sam's orphanage . . ." Talus muttered quietly, "Or at least . . . what's left of it."
Peggy stared at the two of them. Then he took a deep breath, letting it out through his nose. "Alright . . . what happened?"
Atea blinked at him. Then she gasped. "Oh that's right! You weren't there! Alex kind of went nuts on Sam, and we ended up following him to Basura."
Talus nodded. "Yeah! He was talkin' to a grave and everything. Something about someone left behind he couldn't watch anymore."
Peggy shrugged. "Well his life before us ain't something we know much about."
Atea stared at him. "What, you mean you've never asked?"
Peggy shook his head. "None of my business, and that's all there is to it. We all got our past, and it's ours to tell." Then he shrugged. "Besides, Sam's not a bad kid, and he's a decent cabin boy, even if he does get that Doom feller flying round' here once in a while."
All three of them glanced upwards simultaneously. Then Atea said, "B-but it's not like Doom's always around right?"
Peggy shook his head. "Nah. But Sam says he's been dealing with him for years, so it's a package deal. Good with then bad and all."
"Where the heck is everyone?" Everyone jumped at the shout from Alexandria the Pirate.
"Thanks Peggy! Bye!" Talus shouted as they scampered off the other side of the volcano.
Less than a minute later, Alex arrived at the top of the volcano, panting slightly. "Uncle Peggy! There you are! Where's Talus and Atea?"
The little man jabbed a hook behind him. "They just left. Asking a lot of funny questions too."
"Thanks Uncle Peggy! I swear it's like everyone but Sam's been avoiding me today!" She started to dash away but she was forced to come to a sudden halt as the little man blocked her. "C'mon Uncle! I have to get them ready! There's a ship out there just screaming to be plundered! It looks like it might have royals on board!"
"Funny you should mention Sam." He folded his arms. "What's this I hear about you going nuts on him?"
Alex winced, then flushed. Peggy smirked. He wagged a hook at her. "You're just lucky Sam's a pretty forgiving guy." He shook his head. "We'll discuss this properly after we've looted that ship."
Alex looked both apprehensive and exited at the same time. Peggy simply switched out the brushes for pegs, and made a call to prepare for plunder.
AN: okay this is fanfiction for a longtime favorite webcomic of mine, Alex Ze Pirate. Quite a few examples of it can be found on , the artist is named Tom Preston. I'd rather not say much more, as it wouldn't be fair if I spoiled it. Just tkae my word for it that it's good.
Just click that button and send me a review. Flame if you must , but keep it constructive. Pointless flames shall heat my cauldron of ideas.
