Author's Notes:

Music: Welcome to Bastards Bay by the Bollox, I'm Feeling This by Blink 182

Looking Glass

Chapter 21

The Red Flag Fleet

Part II

The Shi Yang was not as swift as an Atlassian airship. However, her advantage over the military cut and paste vessels of Atlas was two-fold: she was much quieter underway, and she was glyphed to the nines by people's Semblances. The free people knew that, for whatever reason, wood and stone always hold Semblance glyphs for longer periods of time; and the Shi Yang was at least seventy percent cedar.

The graceful craft and her cohort could literally slip past a flock of Gryphon's without being harassed; the cohort of emotional dampeners on board were constantly working to prevent detection by Grimm, while others worked to make the fleet nearly invisible to other means of detection.

According to Chen, they would be at the moot's location in two days. In the meantime, the captain had devised other ways to keep the Branwen and her crew entertained, when they weren't working. Namely by sending prostitutes to everyone's rooms; which, Summer perhaps wasn't opposed to perhaps under normal circumstances.

However, these were not normal circumstances. These were abnormal circumstances, and she did not trust the sex worker knocking on her door. That person could also be a part of some bizarre political plot between Chen and Nwyfre. Summer was firmly of the belief that one could be both horny and smart.

Instead of indulging in inadvisable sexy times, Summer politely sent the nice person away, rounded up Taiyang and Raven, and invaded Qrow's room to keep him in camp horny but smart as well. Qrow was not happy with her, and would not talk for at least an hour after they barged in and kicked the two pirate girls out.

The silent treatment was exacerbated by the fact that Tai kept making fun of him, and had also secretly replaced some of his ammunition rounds and condoms with tiny dicks. The silent treatment only ended when the stool Tai was sitting on broke in half, and the blonde tumbled to the floor.

Summer and Tai took Nwyfre's advice for the first several hours, staying with the twins in Qrow's room after they had all become settled and Qrow had forgiven them their transgressions. It was actually quite enjoyable, reminding Summer of their dorm in Beacon; it even made her a little bit homesick, but she tried to not focus so much on that, focusing instead on the twin's banter and Tai's shitty jokes. She even got to nap in Tai's lap, drifting off as he played with her hair and ears.

Later that day, Chen announced to the ship via the overhead speakers that they would have special entertainment that evening, and required all crew that were not on watch to come to the mess hall in an hour. STRQ was duly suspicious, yet also very hungry at this point. After putting it to a vote, they decided to, in the words of Nate, 'risk it for the biscuit'.

The teens navigated the airship's passageways, taking note of the directional signs, the glyphs carved into the wood, and the crewmembers; Chen's pirates were not so aggressively suspicious as the Branwen, but they did try to pickpocket them once or twice. Tai caught someone in his pocket and gave the man a shove to the ground; Qrow intervened before it could escalate, helping the man to his feet.

The pirate shrugged, waved at Tai and carried on with a merry whistle; he was not aware that Qrow had picked his pocket, or secretly put a dick keychain in its place. The harbinger winked at Summer impishly, waving the small coin purse before tossing it to his partner. Tai gave it to the next person to pass them, confusing the girl considerably.

The crew's mess hall was packed full of raucous pirates and Branwen all fighting for a place to eat, drink and curse. STRQ managed to find a table near the exit; Nate, Marcus and several others were already there, having secured it in the name of Branwen. The two Branwen boys had warmed to both Tai and Summer; Tai and Nate even had a good banter going on as Summer and Raven hopped up to get food while the lads held down the fort.

The line to acquire food was more a suggestion than an orderly procession, and there was much cutting; one pirate tried to cut a raider and found herself flat on her ass, a drink being poured on her head. The raider soon found himself fighting off the pirate's friends, and someone got thrown onto a table. Summer and Raven shared glances, before navigating around the ruckus and getting ahead in line.

Summer was behind Raven, watching the people crowding them cautiously as she surreptitiously tried to protect her girlfriend's space; but in doing so, she didn't pay much mind to the person in line behind her, until a hand was where it was absolutely not supposed to be.

Summer didn't hesitate, her palm whipping back, grabbing a handful, and twisting. The people around them paused in their rowdy horseshit as one of Chen's crew squeaked so loud he nearly broke glass.

"Hello. My name is Summer, but you may call me 'ma'am'," Summer turned around, keeping a firm grip on the slovenly individual who had been far too presumptuous. "And who might you be?"

The man whimpered, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Carl," he grit out, his voice increasing in pitch. Summer stared at him coldly, having brought him down to her height as he bent at the waist.

"Well Carl, now that we've become better acquainted, perhaps you can explain why you grabbed me there?" Summer continued. Her tone was ice, and her grip was iron. Raven hovered next to her elbow, face murderous as she glared at the poor shmuck who had gravely miscalculated.

"…I'msorry," he wheezed . "Pleasedon'tcrushmepumpkinpetes-"

"I didn't ask for your apology. I asked why you grabbed me without my permission?" Summer cocked her head. "Or are you as stupid as you are inconsiderate?"

Carl stammered as Raven gave her an impressed look, sliding her red coated blade fully back into the sheath. Summer tried to not let the look go to her head, but felt a happy thrill all the same.

"I thought – oh feck me that hurts – I dunno! I thought you might like it, ma'am!" he yelped.

The galley had quieted considerably as people stopped with their own skirmishes, staring at the drama that was unfolding in the mess line.

"Oh did you? But we've just been introduced. How would you know what I like?" Summer asked.

"Feck, I don't! I don't know!"

Summer glared, going for her meanest face.

"I don't know ma'am!"

"So you didn't think I'd like it. Then why are you lying to me, Carl?" Summer growled, squeezing harder. In the distance, she could hear Qrow laughing raucously, slapping the table.

"Ok! Ok please don't-"

"Tell me the truth, Carl. Say 'I grabbed you because I'm a sleazy piece of shit'."

"Igrabbedyoubecasuei'masleazypieceofshit!" Carl yelled in one breath.

Summer smiled sharply, showing her canines.

"Good. That wasn't so hard was it?"

Then she swept his legs out, knocking him to the ground. Carl's friends stood about gaping in equal parts horror, amusement and respect. Summer stared at all of them.

"Do I need to put my bowl down?" she asked, meeting each of their eyes. They all, very quickly, looked elsewhere. "No? Good."

Then she turned back around in line, holding her bowl out to the man who was out ladling stew and ale. He immediately gave her two scoops and a hunk of bread, before nervously looking at Raven; who was shaking from trying to contain her laughter.

The crowd got out of their way as they returned to their seats, chatter and skirmishes slowly returning to a normal volume. Raven finally burst out laughing, crimson eyes tearing up as she braced herself on the table; Qrow was still cackling madly, and Tai was glaring furiously at the retreating back of Carl.

Marcus and Nate looked equally impressed as they were nervous. Summer smiled impishly, stealing a sip of ale from Qrow, and laying into her stew. It was actually quite good, all things considered.

"So I guess you really didn't need a booty-guard, huh?" Raven whispered. Her eyes were still teary, and she couldn't keep the wry grin from her face.

Summer's ears flicked as she tried and failed to not let her gaze linger on her girlfriend's mouth. Instead, she leaned in, pressing her mouth against the taller girl's ear.

"I wouldn't say that," Summer purred, practically in Raven's lap. "How would you like to permanently fill the position?"

Raven lit up like Dustfire. Summer beamed, feeling delightfully wicked. Taiyang looked like a drowning man, trying to focus on his food while also glaring at anyone else who was daring to look their general direction. Qrow had finished his drink and was trying to casually wave over a new one.

Before her girlfriend could come up with a reasonable comeback, Summer decided now was the perfect time to mark her territory and climbed into Raven's lap, pulling her own bowl to her to continue eating. She could hear Raven's breath hitching, her heart speeding as she struggled to regain some semblance of composure. However, her girlfriend didn't smell anxious or upset; just excited.

Yes.

Summer sipped her dinner.

This was much better.

It continued being much better as they ate. Summer noticed that she wasn't the only person in a lap, so they weren't exactly out of place, and enough fights broke out during meal time for the crowd to completely forget the ballad of Carl's Pumpkin Petes. Marcus and Nate, who had continued to gape at Summer as if she was some sort of mystic or lion tamer, eventually summoned enough alcohol for the entire table to share; they didn't even tease Raven too badly, who had finally come around to looking only like a small brush fire instead of a forest conflagration. Summer had turned around in her lap so Raven could eat more easily; because Summer was a considerate girlfriend, and not because she wanted to whisper insinuations about eating her dinner in her ear.

As the evening carried on, a consistent stomping on the ground caught their attention. It started off small, and off rhythm, but eventually the entire galley was making a racket, smacking cutlery and floorboards. Nate took the opportunity to flick a spoonful of rice at Akara, who had been shooting venomous looks their way the entire evening. The raider nearly jumped up, glaring about the room, but couldn't see them as people stood up. Nate and Tai smacked palms.

Chen the pirate captain had deigned to join her crew, leaping up on a clear table to get a better view of the galley. Her crew seemed very much happy to have her there, whistling and creating an absolute racket. The captain raised her hands, quieting them as best as she was able.

"Evening gents. Ladies," Chen grinned at them all. Amber eyes somehow found her own in the crowd; the smile grew. "How was the afternoon's entertainment, hm?"

Whistles and shouts immediately picked up again. Summer decided to go out on a limb and guess she meant the sex workers.

"Hey don't thank me, I didn't do all the work. Though for some of you I'm guessing that wasn't all that much, hm?" the captain peered about, chuckling at the reactions. "What? Don't get mad, Yana, that's common knowledge."

"Yer mum's common knowledge!"

"Ay, I'd say she was a regular household name when you were comin up. You should ask your dad about it; apparently he lasts four seconds, not just two! Maybe he can give you some pointers eh?"

Yana's friends joined in on roasting their friend, and it likely would have carried on for much longer if Chen hadn't quieted them.

"So anyways – shut your gabbey tits, Moira, no one cares – I'd like to thank all of you for not burning the galley down in the past several hours, and for being reasonably hospitable to our guests."

Summer and Raven shared skeptical looks, before giggling.

"I apparently only have to take three of you up to mast, which compared to last time, is a fucking miracle."

More laughter. Summer didn't want to know what had happened last time; or well, maybe she was a bit curious.

"Well, I'm tired of looking at your ugly faces-"

More jeering.

"And we've got a couple of lads and lasses who have put some entertainment together; so I'll let them up here before Yana pisses himself again."

Chen hopped off the table, and several other members of the crew leapt up. They apparently were the pirate equivalent of standup comedians, and spent the next hour or so telling dirty jokes, roasting members of the crew, and carrying on. Summer eventually got off of Raven's lap, to prevent her legs from falling asleep and to gain better access to the alcohol. She hadn't had this much to drink since the party after first semester, and it didn't stop coming either. Summer was blessed in that she could get drunk and maintain a healthy buzz without tipping over into incoherent territory, unless she was really, really trying. Considering the environment they were in, it would be probably be unwise to get completely trashed.

However, Qrow kept trying to get her and Tai to do shots with him; then Marcus and Nate wanted to play a drinking game with everyone, and pretty soon, well, they were just as rowdy a table as any other. The only person who wasn't getting tipsy was Raven, who stuck with nursing her drink slowly.

Nate insistently poured shot after shot for Taiyang, who had taken it as a challenge to his honor that he keep up with the younger boy; both of them were sloppily drunk within the hour, while Qrow moderated. Then there was another drinking game, at another table, and they had to defend their honor against their challengers. At some point, Summer lost track of the boys; the next thing she knew, Raven was navigating the crowded galley, basically carrying her at times.

Summer was fascinated to discover during this journey that she had acquired a pirate hat; when she wasn't intrigued by her new piratey attire, she was busy trying to investigate the many cool things they encountered as Raven valiantly motored her through the sloppy hallways.

This was typically not approved of by her most imperial booty guard, who continued to make one of her many adorable grumpy faces whenever Summer became 'distracted'; which of course was more encouragement to become distracted than a deterrent.

"Nooo, Summer, leave the nice man alone."

"-but friendship, Raven! I'm just making friends!"

Raven sighed, but she was smiling so it couldn't be that bad that Summer was trying to adopt a pirate she'd found on the floor. His name was 'Steve' according to his nametag. Steve was great.

"That's….good, but he doesn't need friends right now – no, put the co2 bottle back."

"But I need it."

"You don't need it," Raven reached and Summer burst into petals, laughing as she tried to make off with the red bottle.

"Yes I do!" Summer nodded insistently as she rematerialized. She really did.

Raven stalked after her slowly. Summer found herself forgetting why she needed a co2 bottle, instead focusing on her girlfriend's very long legs. Those were great, too. Summer could look them all day, if she could get away with it. Which, technically, she could. All she had to do was ask-

Raven stopped in front of her, holding her hands out, eyebrow cocked; Summer slowly handed the bottle over, grinning and hungry.

"But…What if there's a fire?"

In my pants…

Wait. Did I say that out loud?

"Then they'll need extinguisher, so leave it there."

"Yea you're right. You're so smart, oh hey. What's this?"

"Summer. C'mon. Hey, ooooh, look at this," Raven opened a door and pointed enthusiastically . "Look at that!"

"Ooooh what is it! Oh sweet my room! You found it!"

"Yea, that's crazy isn't it?"

"Yaaay! I like my hat," Summer plopped onto her bed, holding the hat.

Raven chuckled, still out of sight. Curious, Summer popped up; the room was spinning like a merry go round, and she laughed as she nearly toppled over again. Raven was getting something from the pack, and finally came over with a bottle of water before deigning to sit on the bed with her. Summer heard a meow, and noticed that Shithead the cat had followed them into the room; he had apparently made friends with the pirate ship kitty, who had cute little markings on its face.

"Here, drink this ok?" Raven insisted, catching her attention.

"Issss it more alcohol?"

"No," Raven shook her head. Summer followed the motion, giggling.

"But what fun is that then?"

"It's fun."

Summer squinted skeptically; then she closed one eye and discovered that the room stopped spinning when she did that. Fascinated, she kept opening both eyes, and then closing one. Raven made a funny face.

"Are you having a stroke?"

"Nope. Are you?" Summer laughed, flopping over on the bed again.

"Probably. Hey, no, come back here. Try to drink some of this ok?"

"Pssh, fiiiiine," Summer exhaled, extending both arms as she tried to sit up. She flailed there for a bit, enjoying the silliness, before clambering back up. Raven was laughing at her, eyes crinkling around the edges.

"You are so goofy right now," Raven observed, trying to press the water into Summer's hands.

Summer poked her tongue out.

"Yes."

Raven stared at the water in her hands.

"….you just gonna hold it?" she asked.

"I'll drink some, iifffff you kiss me?" Summer tried, leaning in. Raven pressed a finger to Summer's mouth, frowning.

"Nope. You're wasted. I'm not."

Summer blinked, pouting, then kissed her finger a few times.

"Pleaaase?"

Raven was deadpan; Summer pouted further, but the great wall of Branwen stubbornness had settled across Raven's face, which meant no amount of pouts, whimpers or puppy faces would get her a kiss, only sobriety. Alas.

"Okay," Summer huffed, taking a sip. Then another. Finally, she caved and drank the entire bottle, having realized how thirsty she actually was for water. Exhaling, she tossed the bottle across the room, scooted next to Raven on the bed, and insistently lay down in her lap.

"What am I today, your pillow?" Raven drawled as Summer cuddled against her.

"Yeh."

She found Raven's fingers, purposefully placing them on her head; Raven scoffed, but started playing with her hair. Summer sighed happily, her left foot kicking slowly as Raven scratched her ears. At some point, Summer imagined that Raven was singing, and that the new kitty was smiling at her as he sat on the dresser; and the haze of intoxication gave way to the dark of sleep.