"'Ey, Captain!" Errol glances up from the mop he had pressed to the deck, his cherry red cheeks flushed with the labors of his chores. The good Captain had put him to work immediately, feeling they were behind schedule on their departure. A tall carrot strides up past him to where the Captain was standing. "What do you mean to tell the whores to turn me away? I have good money," he throws down a coin purse. Errol jumps hearing the loud clang as a couple coins spill forth. He hears the carrot continue, "And I want to spend it how I please." Captain Eggplant's eyes narrow.
"Wha' makes yeh think i' was my doin', Carro'?"
"They said the Good Captain told them not to accept my offers," the carrot sneers. "You dirty old bag. Mum always told me not to trust a fruit!" The carrot spits at his Captain's feet. Errol watches as Captain Eggplant's eyes flick to him.
"Yeh shuld be thankin' me, Carro'. Th' women in this pert are known ta give men the rot. Can yeh no' smell i' in th' air, Carro'? Tha's ethylene! I promise yeh. An' I need me men a' their bes', now, don' I? So say, 'Thank Yeh, Cap'n' an go fin' Spear." The carrot glares defiantly before huffing and looking away.
"Thank you, Captain." He whips around and stomps off to go find the one they called The Spear. Errol watches him go before looking back to the Captain who was no longer at the helm.
"Yeh shoul' pay more attention ta swabbin' th' decks, Brandehwine an' less to th' tantrums of Carro'."
"He disrespected you, Captain!"
"Oh, aye. Bu' tha's 'Emlock Carro' fer yeh. They say 'e was poison from th' day 'e sprouted." Captain Eggplant chuckles warmly. "'e jus' needs ta blow off some steam. I's boilin' taday, no?"
"I guess, but-"
"Le' me werry bou' ol' Carro', Brandehwine. You jus' make sure Spear can see 'imself in them decks by th' time Carro' returns wif 'im."
"Is it true that all Asparaguses are vain?"
"No' all, bu' this one is." The captain winks at the young tomato and Errol couldn't help wondering what he got himself into. Captain Eggplant was nice enough, but... he was a pirate. And you don't get to command the likes of Hemlock Carrot by being nice. "Th' Spear is tall an' 'e doesn' like hunchin', so I suggest yeh get busy wi' them floors, tomaytoh. Unless yeh wan' spear ta be pissed off all th' time? 'is reflection keeps 'im calm."
"N-no, Captain!" Errol pushes the mop around hastily as the Captain walks off, back to his helm. Errol frowns. THe floors were dull and scraped. How was he supposed to make them shine enough for a reflection? His eyes widen. Perhaps he wasn't so kind after all.
