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CHAPTER 29: UNTIL THE FAT SEAL SINGS.

Argeth wandering over ever-so-subtly towards Flynn, eyes glancing around, arms swinging a little in indifference. IN truth he was making sure that no one was watching this. They weren't. They were too busy dealing with that stupid dart game to notice him sneaking over to the large seal.

Once Flynn saw him he, being the ever dim-witted friendly one, regarded him with a giant, friendly smile. "Hello!"

Argeth glanced to the side, placing his paws behind his back, feigning mild disinterest. "Uh, yeah, hello..."

"Don't you like playing darts? That's okay, I don' either." Argeth hadn't even had a chance to reply. He sighed, something that went completely unnoticed by the seal.

Better get on with...

"Y'know, all this plundering's really hard, don't you think?" He asked, and rose a brow in the process. Flynn shrugged, his whole mass rippling oddly as he did so.

"Naw, not really. I mean, we need to plunder for booty. We pass land sometimes, but..."

"Land?" Argeth faked disinterest again, but there was a spark igniting in his eyes. "There can't be land around here."

"Yes there is!"

Don't grin, Argeth. Stay cool...

He couldn't help but let the tinniest, smallest curl of the lips appear.

"You can sail to Switch-back Cove and catch a current to the continent from there! Huhuh!" The seal laughed, looking very pleased with himself. Argeth was more pleased, though.

"How would you know where to sail to Switchback cove? just for reference...I mean everyone else knows..."

"Hmmmmm...oh! you just follow the reef that way!" The seal pointed over the side into the lighter shades of water. Glancing over, Argeth saw the lighter water (signally said reefs) traveled along almost like a winding river. Better keep track of those...

"Why thank you, Flynn. Now the other pirates won't think I'm dumb..." Flynn looked immensely happy at this compliment, but Argeth went on, "But...don't let it slip to the others that I asked. They think I'm stupid enough as it is."

"Aw, That's alright! I won't breathe a word...I mean, we all had to learn sometimes, right?" Argeth turned around and finally let the upcoming grin appear as he wandered off, paws held tight behind his back.

And thus the fat seal sings...


Clementine leaned against the ice, staring over att he dart game over on the deck dismally as she continued to fight the queasy feeling in her stomach. She was shivering as well...

"Clementine."

She heard Agerth right at her shoulder, whispering quietly. Her ears perked up, noticing the urgent tone.

"I found us a way to land. If Kureus and the others do arrive, just know that I know were to go. Just...act natural and we'll take turn keep watching the reefs. Make sure we don't lose track of them."

She watched curiously as he wander off, looking over the side quietly. Hm...a plan?

Getting back onto land seemed like a great idea to her right now. Sold ground definitely sounded like the best remedy for this wavy feeling in her head...

Sighing, she turned and retreated away from the dart came where Squint hadn't joined (surprisingly. Where was he anyway?)

She sat down by the ice at the edge of the boat again, playing with one of her ears quietly.

Her head was so dizzy right now she didn't even-

"Sup."

Oh.

Squint had sauntered over again, and Clementine didn't notice that he was watching her closely as he flopped down beside her, arms behind his back lazily.

"You're not playing darts?" She asked, flicking at her ear, still flopping more than usual. Her eyes her lidded and rather tired-looking.

"Nah. I'd beat 'im all anyway." Squint offered a crooked grin, one that Clementine managed to return a little.

"Hm..."

"Are ya sure you're just seasick...you look all..." He reached out and prodded on of her dangling ears. "...Floppy."

"And you look all squinty." She replied. It wasn't like she was fond of people pointing this fact out...but instead of taking that as a half-hearted retort, Squint replied.

"Why thank you."

She giggled a little at his miss at understanding.

"What's so funny?!" She smiled even more at his defensive posture, nose once again twitching furiously. She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. He growled, jumping to his feet. Clementine too this as a good time to make herself scare and stood as well, only to have the blood in her head rush suddenly.

She fell back, arms waving in fright. Squint yelped uncertainly and caught her once again, this time actually lifting her up. Clementine held her head with one paw, looking dizzy.

"Fast moving is a no-go for me..."

Squint was too busy wondering how she could be so light and worrying that Gupta might be nearby...or anyone for that matter. He slipped further away from the deck, Clementine still in a daze in his arms.

"Um...maybe you should sit here..." She said quickly, placing her down beside the ice. She rubbed her forehead, looking like she was about to thank him before her eyes went wide.

"Do you just carry me over here?" Her voice was blank. Squint shrugged, going defensive again.

"So what?" He folded his arms, expecting an embarrassed reaction when she shrugged back, smiling a little.

"Nothing...er...that was...nice of you."

"Pirates aren't nice, their nasty!" Squint whipped his dagger our (that had hung from his thick belt) and sliced the air at the side to prove his point. Clementine sighed quietly.

"Okay then...I'll just collapse here." She promptly leaned against the ice, and suddenly she was asleep again. Squint couldn't help but be thankful hat the seasickness made her mind foggy...maybe that could have ended a lot worse...


That day Cocoum had done his best to avoid Captain Gutt. He was surely going to kill him for that last stunt. And yet, some part of him couldn't help but mutter that it was worth it.

The young ape was sitting near the bulkier end of the ship, away from the bantering going on in the deck near the usual torchlight. He'd dumped yet another beacon in the water for good measure, and had watched if vanish beyond his sight. Amazingly Silass hadn't noticed...then again, he only looked ahead of them for bounty, not the way they came.

Klue was talking with Argeth nearby the deck. It seemed the two were getting along okay considering the armadillo's sarcasm (and Klue hated sarcasm, that much Cocoum knew)

"Not the social type, huh, Junior?"

Groan...

"Nope."

Gutt knuckle-walked over, giving him a questioning look that was coated in patronizing mockery.

"You're a weird kid, ya know that?" His grin faltered, and a frown appeared. "And very annoying."

"Just because I like my company doesn't mean anything." Cocoum retorted as the older ape sat a bit away from him, raising an eyebrow at the youngster "And just because you're so easy to annoy isn't my fault."

"Oh really? and you're just mister patient then, Junior?"

Cocoum scowled darkly at him. "More than you, anyway. You're scary, old man, I'll give you that...but that's about it."

Gutt's tone was even and he looked oddly passive. "That right?"

Suddenly he reached over and grabbed him by the scruff, and Cocoum panicked instantly, giving a slight cry of protest. He was really going to kill him now!

He yelped and tried to pull away, but Gutt had caught him under his arm and began giving him a mocking noogie. Cocoum began laughing because it tickled his head so much, despite his great surprise.

"C-cut it out! lemme go!" He gasped between his laugh, struggling as much as he could. Gutt was laughing meanly at him.

"Not mister patient now, are we, kiddo?"

"Get off! that tickles my head!"

Argeth watched the scene unfold from the shadows with a small smile. Oddly enough, after all this time, maybe some part of Guver remained deep within this vicious, enemy-gutting Captain who was now giving the kid he seemingly hated a playful noogie.

Guess being a father sticks with you forever. It was one of the things Argeth wouldn't never feel and never understand, but he knew that much. It seemed it was coded into people as long as they allowed it to be...given his own father and Cocoum's didn't.

Guess being a Dad is more than being a just father...I wouldn't know.

As Cocoum was finally able to pull away and began complaining, trying to fix his head-fur's ruffled state as Gutt chuckled mockingly, Argeth turned and left.

"You're mean!"

"Pirate, Junior. Now enough with stealing my stuff. Those sharks are still waiting on the side ya know."

Cocoum rolled his eyes and hopped into the branches, swinging away. That had been pure mean...he totally wasn't going to stay away from his telescope now. He'd just steal it again for good measure...

He watched Gutt return to the banter on the deck, and for some reason he'd just threw Squint a few feet away. For some reason he looked furious with him.

Cocoum laughed nervously at the thought. Heheh, then again, sharks...