A/N: I had an idea. I ran with it. Apologies for edit mistakes because I was too amused to care about editing too hard. XD

Fontaine had seen a lot of odd things on the floating black market -the two-headed raven was forever scarred into her mind- and yet… somehow… this took the cake.

Fontaine glanced ahead. Her father and Ant already stood beside Dolos' boat. She'd been briefly cut off from them when somebody had been hurtled across the pier -a common enough occurrence on the floating black market- and had noticed Finn standing nearby while she was distracted.

Finn wasn't with any other Dark Orca pirates, which was notable enough. He stood perfectly still at the very corner of the booth of a scrawny, hunched-over old man. He appeared to be ignoring everyone who passed him, and nobody acknowledged him. His head was cocked to the side, eyes closed.

Fontaine stepped further back as the thrown man rushed at his attacker with two buddies at his back. In the process, she ended up close enough to Finn to notice a final detail: Finn was sound asleep on his feet.

Since there wasn't anyone paying attention to them, Fontaine turned fully to Finn. He didn't seem to be faking it.

"Ya crew?"

The creaky voice startled Fontaine. She looked quickly at the old man. Wild white hair that barely came to Fontaine's shoulder topped a narrow face with squinting blue eyes. His ragged, dirt-brown tunic hung loose around a stick-thin frame.

"What?" Fontaine asked.

"I asked if ya were crew," the old man said.

"With him?" Fontaine jutted a thumb at Finn. "No."

"Thought so." The old man gave a wheezy laugh, revealing stained, cracked teeth. "I'd keep me distance, girly."

Fontaine crossed her arms. "Sound advice."

For some reason, the old man only laughed harder. He choked, spat, then resumed his breathy laughter.

"Ya new 'round here, girly?"

"No, actually," Fontaine said, not liking being called "girly."

"Ah, ya can't fool old Rat, girly," the old man said. When he grinned again, Fontaine couldn't help but notice his buck teeth. "If ya knew who ya were standin' by, ya'd stand back."

Fontaine looked around the space of relative calm, wondering if Rat meant someone else. "Are you talking about Finn?"

"Ah, so ya do know." The old man produced a knife out of apparently nowhere and scraped his teeth, then spat. "Then ya know about his old man, aye?"

Fontaine glanced at Finn. "We're talking about Smiling Finn, son of Hammerhead, right?"

For the first time, Rat looked baffled. "Ya do know? If ya aren't crew, then ya must be on friendly terms with Hammerhead, aye?"

"Far from it, really."

Rat poked a finger in his ear and twisted it. "Old Rat's gettin' deaf now. Did ya say yer enemies of Hammerhead?"

"Pretty much," Fontaine said.

"And here ya stand, beside Hammerhead's son. In one piece and uncarin'." Rat squinted harder. "Aye, yer a foolish one, girly."

"I really don't get it." Fontaine said. "It's just Finn."

"Ah, but didn't ya notice?" Rat sighed. "Kids. Perfectly workin' eyes, can't care to use them."

"So, tell me," Fontaine said, genuinely curious.

Rat waved a hand. "Patience, girly. Just use yer eyes. What do ya see?"

Fontaine looked around and said honestly, "A bunch of pirates fighting and stealing from each other."

"Ah, so ya can see!" Rat laughed himself into another coughing fit, then went on. "Now, what do ya see at old Rat's booth?"

Fontaine surveyed the table. "A bunch of old boxes and maps."

"Not on the table, girly," Rat huffed. "Use yer eyes!"

Fontaine sighed. "I don't see anything else."

"Exactly!" Rat drove his knife into the table with surprising force. "Now, why do ya suppose that be?"

Fontaine refrained from suggesting that nobody was interested in Rat's wares. She thought seriously about his question.

What the pirates of the black market didn't steal from each other or the booths usually ended up used as a weapon or projectile. Maps were stomped underfoot, knives snapped, and ceramics shattered. It was the same all over the floating black market… except Rat's table. So, what was different?

Fontaine's eyes drifted to the sleeping Finn. The pirates wouldn't be giving him room to get some rest; they'd just see him as an easy target. Yet the pirates gave Finn a five-foot berth, not looking at or acknowledging him.

Fontaine thought about Rat's first statements. He'd been shocked that Fontaine wasn't intimidated, but it wasn't like Finn was really that threatening. Maybe his dad…

"There's one thin' a pirate avoids," Rat said. "And that's a stronger pirate. And, girly, there ain't a pirate stronger than Hammerhead."

"But, Hammerhead's not here," Fontaine argued.

"Aye, that he isn't… but his pride and joy is."

Fontaine looked again at Hammerhead's "pride and joy." Finn was drooling.

"You've got to be joking," Fontaine said.

Rat wheezed out a laugh. "Aye, there's not much to 'im, eh? Pirates don't fear the boy, only his father."

Fontaine unconsciously glanced over her shoulder, but they were still alone. She squared her shoulders and pretended Rat's words hadn't affected her.

"So as long as Finn stands here, nobody bugs you?" Fontaine asked.

"Aye. Quite effective, eh?"

"Yeah." Fontaine hesitated, but had to know. "But how did you convince him to stand here?"

"Oh, I didn't," Rat said. "He picked this spot himself. Maybe he likes the view."

Fontaine stared at the rusty boat blocking the ocean from sight. "Right."

"It's good for old Rat's business," Rat went on. "I'm gettin' too old to pick up me wares every ten minutes."

"How long has Finn been doing this?" Fontaine asked.

Rat muttered to himself, then said, "Nigh two years now."

"He's been coming here for two years to nap?"

Fontaine was joking, but Rat nodded.

"Always on the move, the Dark Orca," Rat said, waving a hand. "When Hammerhead stops at the market, it's the boy's chance for a break. Gives me a break from savin' me valuables. Win-win."

"Back up." Fontaine pointed at Finn. "This is normal?"

"Ach, now yer ears broke, girly? Aye, aye. Only break the boy gets."

Fontaine looked at Finn, feeling sympathetic. She knew how relentless Hammerhead could be. For the first time, she wondered how it felt to live with the pirate.

"Fontaine!" came Will's voice.

Fontaine startled. She'd completely forgotten about her dad!

"I'm over here!" Fontaine said, waving.

Will and Ant hurried toward her. They skirted a man sprawled on the ground -either drunk or knocked out in a fight, it was hard to say- then entered the calmer area.

"Fontaine, are you-" Will broke off as he noticed Finn. "Is he alright?"

Rat suddenly slapped the table. "Ach, yer makin' sense now, girly!"

Will side-eyed the old man, then turned to him. "Rat?"

"You know him?" Fontaine asked.

"He's been here years," Will said. Addressing Rat, he added, "You haven't changed much. Neither have your maps."

Rat looked Will up and down. "Lil' Will ain't so little anymore, eh?"

Fontaine had a hard time believing that Will had ever been known as "little." But Will's awkward chuckle hinted that Rat's words were true.

"Still a dreamin' head on yer shoulders, I s'pose," Rat muttered.

"What is this? A pirate reunion?" Ant said. "And what's Finn doing?"

"Protectin' me wares from them." Rat waved his knife-wielding hand at the fighting on the pier. "Now, do ya want a map or not?" Rat turned back to Will, apparently uncaring about Ant's answer. "I can see ya in 'im, Lil' Will."

"Thanks… I think."

Finn suddenly snorted, then coughed. His head jerked up as he startled himself awake. He blinked owlishly at Fontaine, then Will and Ant.

"Nektons," Finn mumbled. "Can't ever get away from 'em."

"Aye, yer right, lad," Rat said with a crooked grin at Ant.

Finn huffed out a sigh. "Well, I gotta go. See you next week, Rat?"

"Wouldn't miss it, lad."

"Good." Finn nodded absently at Will. "Nektons."

Still bleary-eyed, Finn turned and wandered down the pier. Nobody else would have made it three feet without getting attacked, but the fighting abruptly died down when Finn was near, then resumed once he was out of range.

As soon as Finn was gone, a couple of burly men slammed into Rat's table and began to fight. Ant jumped away. Will started to move, but Rat stopped everyone with a shrill whistle.

"Can't an old man get some peace?" Rat growled, slamming his knife into the table.

The fighters rapidly retreated, not wanting to mess with the grumpy old man. Rat laughed to himself as he replaced his knife to wherever he'd first taken it from.

"Now," Rat said, turning back to Ant. "Do ya want a map or not?"

"Um… no thanks!" Ant darted to Fontaine, apparently finding the old man as weird as Fontaine did.

"Ach, doesn't know a thin' about maps, yer son," Rat told Will. "Now, either buy a map or leave me to me work."

Will studied the maps on the table, then picked one up. "You know what, I'll take one. For all times' sake."

"Yer gettin' sentimental, Lil' Will," Rat cackled as he took the coins Will held out. "Now, get on with ya before I catch it."

Will chuckled. "Sure thing, Rat."

Rat looked at Fontaine. "And ya stay away from the deadliest spot in the market, ya hear?"

"Yeah, sure," Fontaine said with a grin.

"What's that?" Ant asked as Will herded them toward the speedboat.

"What's what?" Fontaine asked.

"The deadliest place on the floating black market?"

Fontaine snorted. "Beside Finn, apparently."

A/N: Rat was originally going to be, like, hard-core pirate, but I got tired of the accent, so he's a merchant now. Also, "Rat" is just a common pirate name, this has nothing to do with Interning.