"How much longer?" Michael asked Catbeard, who was steering the ship. While Michael was the captain, in terms of piloting experience his subordinate was beyond him, hence why he piloted the ship. He was better at maps and the like.
"Probably... an hour or two."
"An hour? That's FOREVER!" he complained.
"Not if you're actually doing something."
"I guess you're right," Michael sighed, "Guess I'll have to find something to do." He said this but still didn't move from his spot. "...Got anything to do?"
"Hmm..." the feline pondered glancing upward while raising a paw to his chin while keeping the other steady on the wheel, "I don't have anything fun to do at the moment, but perhaps Bonnie or Sarah may?" he proposed... "...Huh?" He said bringing his glance back down. The captain had already left him in search of entertainment. Catbeard sighed and returned to his arguably stale task.
"Steele?" Michael called as he walked into the ship's kitchen and dining room, "Steele!"
"What is it?" the mouse in question answered as she munched on an orange.
"Let's spar!" he said enthusiastically.
"Its got nothin' better to do," she said finishing her fruit as she stood up. "You're on!" The pair walked outside on to the deck of the ship, allowing the fresh sea air to hit their nostrils.
"A little different than the air back in Skull Island, isn't it?" Michael commented.
"You got that right."
They took their positions across from each other and readied their weapons, each prepared for a tough battle. They both knew the other could hit hard. That's what swashbucklers do. Sarah removed a gold coin from her pocket and tossed it into the air. It fell down and down...
Tick
That was the signal for the beginning of their practice battle.
"I'm gonna try something new," Michael said leaping into the air. He planted his feet to the mast before launching off it. During the jump he turned on his side and began spinning as his blades came down threatening to slice anything in its path. His pony tail flickered in the air with his movements and he got two good spins in before smashing his blades down.
Sarah used both blades as she blocked the attack, resulting in the complete stop in Michael's rotation. With a clash his sword met hers, and their gazes met.
"I was hoping to get a bit more rotation," he said as he brought his legs down, using his sparring partner's blades to backflip up and away.
"You sure you didn't get yourself too dizzy?" she replied passively.
"I'm sure," he said back, "...Probably."
"Just like you, always doing reckless things," she said as she charged at him, thrusting her blade through the air. The point ran straight into the broad edge of Michael's shady sword as he supported his block by crossing his knife behind it.
"It'd be boring if I did everything without risk," Michael said getting a fair distance between him and his partner with a leap.
"Then there'd be no conflict."
"Conflict makes a story."
"And the story is proof of our existence."
"I've taught you well," Michael said with a tinge of sarcasm. He knew well he was a mere catalyst for his crew's growth.
"Har har," she said readying her blade once more. "You know as well as I do that the only thing you're superior in being able to take hits."
"What can I say? I was raised by bears." Michael readied his weapon as well. "While true my ability to take damage is nearly double yours, your base damage is higher than mine, which puts us at equal. But when you consider my five Assassin's Strikes-"
"Yeah, I got it, if you really tried you could end me in an instant. Now let's get on with it!" she exclaimed running toward her opponent.
A swift stab ensued countered by a limber dodge. Michael followed this up with a swing of his sword aimed at the neck. He paused as the blade neared his crew mate's neck. He rolled his eyes down and saw a knife dangerously close to his stomach.
"Well played, my dear, well played. Although to be honest decapitation I'd think is more lethal than disembowelment."
They each eased up and ended their spar with a voluntary crossing of blades as part of their crew tradition. They each smiled, giving a one another a sense of satisfaction from a fun duel. Sarah elsewhere while Michael journeyed to one of the cabins, curious as to what Bonnie was up to.
Bonnie was pondering this new world amongst other things. Many questions filled her mind. Was her spark thrower useless here? Who was this "Neo D?" How would they get back to Skull Island? Why did Michael's last name make no sense? Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the cabin door. She spoke affirmation and the door opened to reveal her captain standing in the doorway. He wore his bored yet complacent face as usual.
"Yo!" he spoke with trademark casualness.
"Captain," Bonnie began, preparing to voice her concerns.
"Can I have a hug?"
"No," she replied flatly.
"Come on, I bet your fur is super soft!"
Bonnie sighed, and Michael proceeded to play with her tail despite her initial refusal. Was this really the man she decided to follow?
"Cap'n, I got some things on me mind."
"Speak freely," he said appearing to show no heed as he continued to indulge himself with the fox's furry tail. Bonnie knew, however, that he was paying attention.
"I think we need to start thinkin' about things."
"Like?"
"Like the navy, what we're going to do here, and how we're going to get back to Skull Island."
"What about the navy?"
"Don't ya think it's strange? That guy was an exact copy of Deacon."
"That is indeed strange," Michael said now seated across from Bonnie.
"Yeah, ya don't suppose Kane's golden brain found its way here, do you?"
"It's definitely a possibility."
"You know how much trouble it can mean if he's down here..."
"Yeah that guy's a huge pain, especially with his generals around."
"What're ye gonna do now that we've actually made it down here?"
Michael seemed generally puzzled. He had said he would do some pirating to cause a ruckus, but now that he was considering everything seriously, he wasn't so sure. The possibility of Kane's presence complicated everything. If Kane really were there, he couldn't move recklessly without meeting major repercussion. He knew that more than anyone. The mixture of fear, tension, excitement, and a thousand other feelings were remembered as he recalled the showdown at The Machine.
"Can I play with madness?"
There was a pause, and momentary silence overtook the room, save for the waves they glided over.
"Haven't we been doing tha the whole time?"
"Yeah... you're right."
They arrived at port to a fairly-sized town, and Michael was in high spirits. Clouds covered the sky and by the looks of it, it might rain soon. This didn't get him down though. What's a little rain going to do, right?
"Bonnie, can you go find us some supplies? You know, food and stuff."
"Will do," she replied. At the mention of food Catbeard's mind drifted to pickled herring. He insisted on going with her to "help," but everyone knew his true motives.
"We'll meet up at the ship," Michael added before seeing the two off. "So, Steele, wanna go look for some steel?" Michael joked.
"Puns are terrible, captain."
"Couldn't help myself," he said as they began walking.
"That does sound fun though. Maybe you'll find something better than those things you've been using forever."
"Like you're one to talk. You've been using the same pair of blades since we were in Mooshu!"
"Well," she said struggling to find a proper response.
"Although I will say I'm impressed, you make a pair of blades last longer than I do."
"Thanks I guess."
"Oh hey, look!" Michael said pointing among the huge wall made of buildings. There was a sign in the shape of a sword hanging above one in particular. He figured it was a weapon shop and rushed toward it as his first mate followed.
He flung the door open and marveled at all the arrays and displays of fine blades. Rapiers, broadswords, katana, daggers, claymores - they had all of them, much to Michael's delight. As a weapon enthusiast, he found himself quite enjoying himself as he instantly began analyzing just about every blade in the shop, paying special attention to daggers. While he did enjoy browsing the wares, he found nothing came quite up to par with his Blades of Shade.
Sarah also browsed many of the rapiers and daggers, seeing if she could find one to top her current set. However, she found her current set felt more natural than anything she found. She didn't particularly feel like breaking in a pair of new blades.
"Is this the ship?" a large, athorative figure inquired firmly.
"Yes, sir Ekoor."
"This does indeed appear to be a pirate ship. Order a squadron to keep watch over it. I want those pirates apprehended on the moment you see them."
As Michael reached for a claymore to inspect it, a cloaked figure grabbed it, pulling it out of his reach and looking over it for himself.
"I think I had that first..." Michael said. The man in the hooded cloak, about his height, dropped the weapon and his jaw was visibly hanging, despite the rest of his face being hidden. He grabbed Michael, leading him to the door. "Hey, wait a minute!" Michael protested, but the figure refused to release him. He dragged Michael out of the building and into a nearby alley. It was now raining, and the gloomy afternoon storm clouds blocked much of the sun's light, resulting in moody lighting.
"I don't know who you are, but-" he cut his sentence short as his abductor removed his hood, allowing his face to be shown. "Kirk?" he questioned. Surely enough, it was the same Kirk he knew, the one and only.
"What do you think you're doing walking around here like that?!" he said with uncharacteristic hostility. "This place is dangerous!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a pirate and all, I kno-"
"No, you don't know!" he said pushing his old friend against the wall, now grabbing him by the collar. "This town, it's not safe for us...the navy's here, in force." Michael chose to listen in silence rather than retort. Kirk's grip loosened. "You haven't seen their power. These guys have to be even stronger than the Armada."
Michael's eyes widened, then narrowed at this revelation. He started to feel it again. He felt the mixture of a hundred different emotions as he suddenly felt his back was against the wall, literally in this case. Kirk wasn't one to spook easily, which meant that what he was saying was true. Were they strong enough to break Kirk?
"You can't just go strutting around in that outfit, they're probably onto you already."
Sounds of clattering armor and weapons could be heard outside the alley. Incoherent shouting followed.
"I'm looking for a way back to Skull Island. I suggest you do the same after you get out of here," Kirk turned and walked away adding one more thing. "I'm going to look for Wolf, he'll know how to get back to Skull Island." With that he disappeared in the darkness, leaving Michael with many more questions.
Michael met up with Sarah immediately after and began their traversal back to the docks, and ultimately their ship. Michael was unusually pensive. Sarah didn't seem to be surprised. While it wasn't often she saw him like that, he had seen it often enough to usually have some idea as to what was going on, but this time she didn't.
"Why the somber attitude?" she inquired.
"I met Kirk," he replied after a pause.
"Really? What'd he say?"
"...He said he'd look for a way back to Skull Island, and that we should do the same."
"Can't argue with that logic," Sarah replied pulling her plumed hat further over her face in attempt to shield her eyes from pelting raindrops.
"Oh well, let's get back to the ship."