A Pirates Life for Me
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Oh no, the front door's exploded!"
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Chapter 9 – Tartarus for a whiter smile
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We open to late at night, where the stars are looking prettyful.
"That's not even a word", says Lance.
It is now. Dani walks over to where Roberto is at the helm.
"Roberto?", she sighed, "Thank you for coming after me"
"Well, y…", Roberto smirks, then frowns, "you're welcome"
"This life suits you", smiles Dani
"Yeah", says Roberto, "I wasn't made for dry land"
"Neither was I", grins Todd.
"Todd, shut up, you're ruining the romantic moment!", snaps Lance.
"And you?", Roberto asks, "Is it the shore or the sea?"
"Wow, THAT isn't a question meaning something else entirely", says Lance dryly.
"I've always loved the sea", smiles Dani, "I even dreamed of a life on it. But it wasn't meant to be. I have responsibilities in Bayville"
"You really have to give it up?", asks Roberto, then groans as he hears whimpering, "oh man, Remy's at it again!"
"Don't pick on Gambit, just 'cause he's got a tender heart!", sobs the Cajun.
"Oh, go watch Titanic, you freak", says Lance.
"Yes", replies Dani sadly.
Roberto sighs, taking her hand and leading her to the helm, letting her steer the boat.
"I believe that the heart does go oooooon", sings Evan.
"I always thought it was 'the hot dogs go on'", muses Todd. (1)
"Stop this foolish hot dog talk!", snaps Lance.
"You know, I've travelled the world", says Roberto, "Seen things no other man has seen, but nothing.. nothing compares to the open sea"
"And is this what you always wanted?", asks Dani.
"Not really", chuckles Roberto, "When we were young, Sam and I used to talk about joining the Royal Navy, and serving Bayville side by side"
"……Are you guys sure you're not gay?", asks Lance.
Roberto pointedly ignores him.
"But, as we got older, our lives began to change", he says, "He's a prince, and I'm…well. I was never jealous of him, though… until one morning a ship came into harbour, a ship with his future on it. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen"
"What was on the ship?", whispers Dani.
"You"
"Oh, that's it!", sobs Remy, "Dis is so SAD! Why is the world so cruel? WHY!"
"….Will someone remove him from the set, please?", growls Lance.
Dani blinks, surprised.
"Sam met you at the dock", continues Roberto, "I jumped on the first outbound ship and never looked back. Until now"
He takes her hand, leaning in for a kiss, before Dani puts a hand on his chest, stopping him. Before anything can be said, there is a wild flash of light, and clouds form by the star, opening to show the gates of Tartarus.
"The gates of Tartarus", says Roberto.
I just said that. The crew come up form below deck to look at it.
"Toad, give me a lookout", shouts Roberto.
Todd sighs, hopping into the crows nest, looking as the sea just ends.
"We're dead", he whimpers, then shouts down, "It just ends, Captain! It's the edge of the world"
The crew take this in for a moment.
"Pay up, it's flat", says Remy, taking Evan's money.
"Well, that's it", says Magneto cheerfully, turning around, "Time to go home"
"What are you worried about, you can fly!", points out Lance.
"Nuh uh", says Piotr, "The captain hasn't given his orders yet"
Magneto sighs, none to impressed, then looks up, giving Roberto one of his best disgruntled looks.
"Follow that star beyond the horizon", Roberto mutters to himself, "Beyond the horizon"
He looks up, watching the wind whip wildly.
"….That's a lot of W's", muses Lance.
"Roberto?", asks Dani.
"Men! All hands to your posts!", he shouts, "Free all sheets! Wait for my command!"
"…..What?", asks Evan.
"Now!", shouts Roberto, "Go! Go! Go!"
"…I wish he'd stop using exclamation marks for everything", mutters Lance.
"Roberto, how are we gonna pull this off?", asks Piotr.
"Just trust me", grins Roberto, "Toad, right the main yard to the fors'le!"
"But that will stop us dead!", protests Todd.
"Just do it!", snaps Roberto.
"…Aye, aye, Captain", says Todd, none to impressed.
He bounces around a bit, yanking at ropes and the like.
"Slack to all sheets!", shouts Roberto.
"Aye, aye, Captain", says Magneto, then mutters, "Gonna kill him later"
"Cut the for and main trusses!", shouts Roberto, "move, move move! Aft yard to stern!"
"But that's…", starts Forge.
"Crazy, I know!", says Roberto, "Now, hurry!"
"Swing the fore'sle to port!", says Roberto, not entirely sure what he's saying anymore, "Ease the aft! Full hoist to forward sails!"
"Aye, aye, Captain", says Dani, doing her bit.
"Tie off all sails", shouts Roberto, "All hands amidships! And prey to the gods, we may be meeting them soon"
"Oh, yeah", says Forge dryly, "Great pep talk, there"
They all hang on as the ship starts towards the edge of the world, tilting down.
"We're going to diiiie!", cries Todd.
"Come one, come on come on!", shouts Roberto as they begin to plummet.
Suddenly, the sails pop out, and the boat becomes a plane, the sails becoming wings as they fly towards the gates.
"It worked?", blinks Roberto.
"Roberto, you did it", chuckles Piotr.
"Not like he moved the Golden Gate Bridge or anything", grumbles Magneto.
Suddenly, things begin to snap as the rig starts to fall apart.
"Piotr!", shouts Roberto.
"Aye?", asks Piotr.
"If I don't make it", says Roberto, grabbing a rope, "the ship is yours"
"No", blinks Piotr.
"Gentlemen, it's been a privilege robbing with you", says Roberto.
"I'm coming with you", says Dani, putting her hands on her hips, "And don't tell me the realm of chaos is no place for a woman"
Roberto chuckles, tying the rope around them both, pulling her close.
"I would never say that", he smirks, then looks down at Rahne, holding the rope in her mouth, "Sorry, Girl. Not this time"
Roberto and Dani take a running jump, swinging in through the gates, vanishing with a flash of light.
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(1) – I have successfully ruined that song for 5 people with this observation. If I succeeded here as well, I will be most amused.
Wooo, only one act left to go! Do review! Until next time…