Request by gamelover41592:
Promotion: Bonnie Anne (1)
The gal with the golden gun
Ashley decided to take a little break. She returned from that crazy treasure hunt a few hours ago, and now she was walking to the Kraken skull tavern. The rough sand crushed under Ashley's boots, and the golden evening sun fell on her waving hair.
The door creaked open to reveal the loud people. Some played pirate music, some played poker, others danced or talked. Ashley saw her friends sitting together around one of the tables. Dino and Antonio, Oscar and Sen, Lily and Mindy...all of them gestured for her to come and sit. The girl smiled and took the offer.
Ashley told them about her adventure, about seeking Gunn's treasure. When she finished telling about what happened in Waponi Wu, Oscar lowered his mug, the twins did a frustrating confused look. Only Antonio and Sen sat calmly. Dino leaned closer to Ashley and asked:
'' You took Ratbeard in your crew? Blimey...''
'' He's not that bad,'' shrugged the captain. '' I just wish I knew who his Twin was,''
'' I thought you said it was Blackbeard,'' said Mindy.
'' I doubt that right now,'' Ashley sighed. Everyone wanted to give a guess, but they didn't know Earth history very well, so there was only silence. After a while Ashley felt someone cover her hand. It was Antonio.
'' Don't worry,'' he said.'' such a clever swash like you will figure it out soon,'' Oscar gestured to Dino under the table: The old trick, again...''
'' Does he really think he can charm a Holystone that easily?'' Dino whispered back. Anthony turned to him sharply.
'' You doubt me?''
Lily and Mindy giggled. Ashley smiled too. I feel sorry for this guy...
The door slammed and Bonnie went in. '' Captain?''
'' Present!'' Ashley waved to her. '' What is it? Something wrong?''
'' On the contrary. Cap'n, the time has come for me to become a true sharpshooter.''
'' Um...Okay,'' the girl leaned to her seat,'' So?...''
'' I needed a blessing from my mentor, Ol' Fish Eye. He said I'm ready, but he also said this wont do at all,'' Bonnie dropped her old on the table. '' The ol' pelican offered a scaramanga his friend Adolphus had.''
Lily stood up from her seat,'' Bonnie, you can buy a scaramanga at the bazaar, or me and Mindy can lend you something. Why waist time looking for an old coot, who joined a band of blood-thirsty cutthroats?'' Ashley's forehead wrinkled.
'' He did what? It's a surprise they didn't swallow him in his sleep.''
'' I...think they did...'' said Dino uncertain. He met Ashley's look and quickly added,'' it's a guess! Since no one saw Adolphus in a while, everyone made up rumors like this.''
'' Aye,'' Bonnie agreed.'' And to answer ye question, Lily, the scaramanga Ol' Fish Eye offered is Valencian. Less than thousand were made,''
'' Valencian?'' Mindy jumped in,'' Oh, those things are awesome! Bonnie Anne, it'll be an honor to help you find one,''
Ashley sighed and stood up,'' So much for a free evening...Alright, then let's go and pay the sharks a visit. Are you coming?'' she asked her friends. Everyone immediately accompanied her. '' I take that's a yes.''
XXX
Ashley didn't know much about Adolphus and his murderous crew. At first the group had to figure out how and where to get information. Oscar, the Himalayan bear, said ( or gestured, if I my say ) that there's a cutthroats ship called The Old Chum, that has settled near Skull Mountain. But it wasn't a problem...although they had one a little while later...
As everyone made their way to the other side of the isle, the Troggies ( thank Heaven) greeted them without poisonous darts and spears. Sen told their leader they are only here for a few minutes. Ashley offered to ask if the chief had saw the old ship. The Troggie creaked something and Sen translated:
'' He says the shark ship is higher up the mountain. Troggies tried to get rid of them, but it seems after the Fin Dorsal incident...they became a little cowardly,''
'' Is that so?'' grinned Antonio. He stepped a few feet forward and inspects the chief's face. There was silence, only the bugs crackled and the birds sang. Then Antonio suddenly lunched forward '' BO!'' he yelled so loudly into the silent jungle, even the bats and birds flapped their wings and flew away. The Troggie chief took two steps backwards and tripped. Some frogs caught him.
'' Antonio!'' objected Bonnie. The swashbuckler laughed. The poisonous tree frogs didn't seem too happy. One of them pushed him over and started jumping like on a toy. Dino gripped the Troggies arm and pulled him away from Antonio, Sen had to apologize for the misbehave.
'' You okay?'' Ashley helped Antonio to his feet. She felt how he clutched her shoulder tighter.'' I am now...'' she smiled to the charmer softly then dropped him purposely. Instead Bonnie picked him up.
The group left the village and walked up the hill. Once more Ashley saw the white rock of Skull Mountain. There was indeed a ship docked here. And it was preparing to set sail. The group jumped down to the deck, weapons at the ready, frightening the cutthroat sharks. One wared a thorn red shirt and a trident for a left hand. Ashley guessed he's the captain, and that confirmed when the shark yelled to attack.
Oscar took out his ruby encrusted ax and swigged it over the captain's head, Ashley jumped and rolled wounding the crew, while Antonio finished them off. Bonnie and the twin musketeers climbed the rigging and blasted from above. Dino covered Sen, who was mumbling something.
Ashley stabbed two sharks, when she heard Antonio shriek in pain behind her. She turned and found him shaking his right hand.
'' Dino!'' she called. The privateer blasted the remaining sharks around Sen, then ran to help Antonio. Ashley had to take his place. She didn't know what the desert fox was planning, but hoped it was good and quick. Soon Sen yelled everyone to duck. She spanned, her dress burning with purple fire, then clapped her hands and something like a sonic wave rippled over Ashley. The cutthroats were pressed against the walls and masts, some fell overboard.
'' Enough!'' said the captain dropping his cutlass.'' What do you want?'' Ashley walked up to him. '' Where's Adolphus?''
'' Adolphus? The musketeer?''
'' The same one,'' said Lily jumping down the Chum's rigging.
'' We roughed 'im up an' left 'im for dead. We left 'im on Refuge Isle, at the end of Corsair's Channel.'' Ashley tucked away her rapier and went to check on Antonio.
'' You know the Troggie that used him for a trampoline?'' said Dino.'' He touched Antonio on the hand. His body was covered with clothes, but not the hands...''
'' Man, you touched the frog too, you know.'' reminded Antonio, waving his banded hand.
'' But I hand gloves. Maybe if you had those, you wouldn't have to do your nails every hour of the day,'' the swashbuckler gritted his teeth, then crossed his hands.
XXX
Dino gave a lift on his galleon The Storm Dragon to Corsair's Channel. Unlike Ashley, he maneuvered very easily trough it. Guess it's a privateer gift. As soon as Dino docked the ship, Bonnie jumped over the side and made her way towards a broken boat. After a few minutes she finally shouted excitedly:
'' Here it is!...Or was,'' Bonnie brought a poorly damaged scaramanga. It was made from black Armada metal, encrusted with gold ornaments. It's handle made from dark rosewood. Lily and Mindy's eyes widened.
'' Oh my,'' gasped Lily.'' She probably saw better days...''
'' Can't you two repair it?'' gestured Oscar. The twins shamefully shook their heads. Bonnie ran a finger across the scaramanga's trunk. '' I know who might.''
XXX
Bonnie said Lucius Fox was a great engineer from Marleybone and that he lives in Gulet. Ashley remembered the first visit there, and it still had the same effect on her stomach...
Lucius's shop was not far from Rocco's, the Frogfather's assistant that doesn't know how to deal with ladies. Ashley knocked on the door and went in. Fox wore goggles and a blue vest with a red bow tie, brown trousers and tall black boots. She unwrapped the cloth that covered the gun and asked if it's possible to fix.
'' Yes, it can be fixed...for a price.''
Ashley sighed.'' Please, it's for my friend Bonnie. Can't you...''
'' Bonnie Anne?'' the fox raised his shaggy eyebrow. He then laughed. '' Well, then repairs will be free of charge.'' Ashley took a chair and waited. Lucius Fox murmured and clanked his tools. The swashbuckler felt sleepy after awhile. It's probably nighttime up in the surface. Ashley was half asleep when the fox suddenly woke her.
'' Here, this should do nicely,'' Ashley rose and stared at the scaramanga. Now she knew why the twins honor it so much. Lucius even hided the scratched with some paint. Ashley thanked him and returned to the Storm Dragon.
XXX
Back at the tavern musketeer students came to look at the scaramanga. Lily and Mindy kept telling everyone of their toil on getting the gun. They got carried away on the detail and Ashley's visit (the twins said she had to fight Fox to repair the thing). Oscar finally felt annoyed and gestured:
'' Will those girls ever shut up?'' Dino glanced at the twins and answered.'' I don't think they will for another week.''
Ashley frowned.'' Please tell me you have earplugs around here...''
