Part II - The Captain
More than a few days, as it turned out.
It had been two weeks since this "Captain" had arrived on the Admiral Benbow's doorstep and he still showed little intention to leave anytime soon. In that time, it had also grown obvious to every member of the inn's owning family that the Captain was a Pokémon of dubious character, profession, and past. The day following his arrival, Jim, Zoey, Ralph, and Ms. Zoroark had gotten a better look at him after he cleaned himself up; or at least, as much as he could. First, the Captain had his fair share of battle scars; his face, in particular, looked to have taken multiple strikes from opponents in his lifetime, especially the clear as day scar across his right cheek which he claimed was from some Pokémon's claws. His shell, with it's healed over cracks and dents, also looked like it had taken a beating over the years. The Captain's demeanor also changed somewhat the longer he stayed. He was still generally polite and cordial with his hosts, but he was decidedly more alert and seemed ready to jump up and fight something at a moment's notice.
Despite this, his presence had not thrown the daily routine out of order too much. Most of the time he never did anything more than sit in the main dining hall where he would eat, read the newspaper, or play cards; sometimes he even offered to teach the kids how to play certain games. What he did most often though, usually during his other activities, was drink. Whenever Jim, Zoey, or Ralph turned to check in on the Captain, a tankard of something alcoholic was in his hand if not the whole bottle.
Of course, some of his other antics were more out of the ordinary from others. His morning routine especially was catching the kids' curiosity. He would rise shortly before the sun and leave the inn for several hours before returning around early evening without anything gained or lost from his person. It was upon his return that he would always ask a variant of the same question.
"Has any sailor-type man or 'mon berthed themselves here in mine absence?"
"No Captain, sir," was the response he got from the kids.
Once he had returned he would take a seat at one of the tables and set into one of the three things he could find to do. Even as he ate, played cards, or read the newspaper though, he always kept an eye on the door and seemed to watch human and Pokémon patrons alike with great suspicion. Many of those he scrutinized were often happy to return the gesture. The only person or Pokémon who did not regard the Captain with much suspicion was Ms. Zoroark, who spoke with the Captain in closed quarters at the Blastoise's insistence. Neither Pokémon ever spoke to others of what was said behind closed doors, which only made the uninformed watch the Captain with more suspicion.
Today, as the kids ran the inn while Ms. Zoroark was away in Hulbury, was the day one of the inn's patrons said something about it.
"Pray tell, who is the scarred Blastoise that poorly hides his suspicious gaze?" a woman asked Jim as he delivered her a drink.
"I fear we know little more than you do, madam" was Jim's reply. "He has not even graced us, his hosts, with his name, should he have one at all."
"Were I playing his host as you are, he would never leave my sight," the woman insisted.
Jim nodded and headed back to the kitchen. He found himself lost in thought at the woman's words, something that was plain to see on his face.
"What bothers you, Jim?" Zoey asked once Jim returned to the kitchen.
"Only the Captain," Jim answered. "One of the patrons raised concerns of keeping a close eye on him."
"Do we not already?" Ralph interjected. "He sits in the dining area where all can watch him; the only time he's unseen is while he sleeps or makes use of the outhouse."
"Though forget not those hours between sunrise and sunset when he departs," Zoey nonchalantly added.
Jim and Ralph went silent and started thinking. The Captain did not seem to be in anyone's employ, but there had to be some cause behind leaving every sunrise and returning by sunset.
"Might Ms. Zoroark know what he does?" Ralph questioned.
"She could," Zoey agreed. "We can ask her upon her return."
There was a sudden tapping on the kitchen window over one of the counters. The kids looked to see a blue and black Pokémon resembling a crow holding a small mailbag pecking on the glass pane. Zoey quickly jumped to investigate.
"Can we help you?" she asked the Corvisquire.
"[A message for you]," it said in Pokémon speak. It then pulled out a letter addressed specifically to all three of the kids.
Zoey accepted the letter and the Corvisquire departed. The letter was quickly handed to Jim to open with his more dexterous hands.
"What does it say?" Ralph asked curiously.
"It reads, 'get back to work,'" Jim read out loud. "'Love, Ms. Zoroark.'"
"How does she do that?" Zoey asked rhetorically.
Ms. Zoroark was gone for most of the evening but eventually returned to the inn shortly after night fell. She brought with her a large wagon carrying fresh food and barrels filled with alcoholic beverages. When she had finished putting everything away the kids asked her about the Captain. Her response was not what they were hoping for.
"I'm afraid I know nothing of what he does every morning," she replied to their question. "He's up and gone before even I awaken."
The kids all looked somewhat disappointed by this outcome. Ms. Zoroark noticed.
"Do you fear he commits deeds most foul when out of sight?" she asked.
"I think somewhat, yes," Jim admitted.
Ms. Zoroark nodded understandingly. "I have no cause to be suspicious if that avails your concern."
It did, at least a little bit. If Ms. Zoroark did not feel the need to be suspicious then things were probably fine. That was enough of a reassurance.
Or at least it was for two of them. Once the Admiral Benbow was closed up for the night, Zoey broached an idea to Jim and Ralph while getting ready for bed.
"Would you boys sneak away with me to see what the Captain does every morning?"
Jim and Ralph looked askance at her.
"Did not Ms. Zoroark say to pay it no worry," Ralph asked.
"Her words were 'no cause to be suspicious,'" Zoey replied. "It wasn't 'no cause to be curious.'"
"So you're still curious, then?" Jim asked.
"Well, aye," Zoey confirmed as if it were obvious.
"What if all he's doing is nothing?" Ralph questioned. "What if he simply walks alone in the morning sea air for his own enjoyment?"
"Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't," Zoey continued, unswayed. "I wish to know, regardless."
"But why?" Ralph asked, trying now to talk Zoey out of this.
"Because I-" Zoey started before halting herself and turning to Jim. "I pray you, Jim, come to my aid. Are you not curious?" she asked.
Jim looked away from Zoey somewhat awkwardly. "I must concur with Ralph," he replied. "The Captain doesn't seem to be doing much when he disappears."
"I simply wish to know!" Zoey exclaimed, starting to raise her voice. "It's been driving me distracted today and if I have no answer soon I fear I'll break!"
Jim and Ralph looked at each other and seemed to realize something.
"The adventure is what truly grasps your intrigue, aye?" Jim asked.
Zoey nodded silently.
"What adventure is there to be had from following the Captain to whatever he does in the morning?" Ralph questioned.
"It's at least something," Zoey muttered somewhat bitterly. "I shan't deny that it's a poor excuse for an 'adventure,' but a poor excuse is of more worth than none."
Jim and Ralph went silent as they thought. Jim was somewhat taken aback by just how desperate for adventure Zoey was that she would take anything that vaguely resembled it. In the end, though, he realized he should not have been too surprised, and it would be nice to get out of the inn for a little excursion of some sort. It was not as though they would be going into town.
Ralph, on the other hand, was debating how likely they would get into some kind of trouble for going through with this idea. "And if the Captain desires to be left alone during the morning?" he asked.
"We'll stay out of sight, it shouldn't be so difficult," was Zoey's answer.
Jim and Ralph looked at each other one last time, smiled, and nodded.
"Alright, Zoey," Ralph said.
"We'll accompany you," Jim finished. "When would you have us depart?"
Zoey smiled in excitement. "An hour before the sun rises, that should give us time aplenty to be outside before the Captain and witness his leaving."
"You might have to wake us," Ralph mentioned.
"That's no problem," Zoey assured them. She then gained a determined look which she cast to her friends. "So it's settled?" she checked.
"Settled," Jim and Ralph assured.
With their plan ready the kids retired to their rooms for the night. Jim and Ralph fell asleep as easily as they usually did, but Zoey's excitement kept her up for a little while.
Well, that and some news from her mother.
"By the way, the Pokémon physician Joy shall visit tomorrow evening to give you, Ralph and myself our bills of health," Ms. Zoroark said as she tucked her daughter in.
Zoey did eventually fall asleep, but not for very long and it was largely restless. That being said, it hardly impacted her much; when she awoke at the needed time she seemed full of energy and wasted no time quietly sneaking to Jim's room first.
"Jim," she said quietly. "Jim, wake up."
"Why…" Jim mumbled drowsily.
"It's time to get ready."
Jim groaned some more before beginning to emerge from his bed. "Alright," he said. "Let me dress."
"You do that, I'll wake Ralph," Zoey quietly remarked as she left Jim's room.
Ralph was also sleeping rather contentedly as Zoey quietly entered his room. Despite Ralph's small size, he still slept in the very large bed that would otherwise have gone to a human; he very much enjoyed the wide space available for him to sprawl out on. Zoey jumped upon the bed and began nuzzling him.
"Ralph," she said into his ear. "Ralph."
Ralph, much like Jim before him, let out a groan as he awoke. "Is it time already?" he asked.
"Yes," Zoey confirmed. "Jim's dressing, you need to rise."
Ralph hummed in acknowledgement before stretching and yawning. He then followed Zoey to the top of the stairs where Jim, looking more awake, was dressed and waiting.
"Well, are we ready?" Jim asked.
Ralph yawned and nodded while Zoey eagerly smiled.
"Aye!" she chirped. "Onward to adventure! Of sorts!"
"Quiet your voice," Ralph whispered.
"Agreed, we don't want to awaken the guests or Ms. Zoroark," Jim murmured.
"Well, and I'm not quite awake enough for loud noises," Ralph clarified.
Jim suppressed a chuckle at that remark; he still was not completely awake either.
"First point, we sneak out. Second, around the side of the inn, we hide ourselves," Zoey briefed her companions as they exited the building. "Upon the Captain emerging, we follow him at a distance, using the trees and bushes to shroud our presence. Jim, Ralph?"
With Jim and Ralph's nod of confirmation, the three quietly scurried out the front door and around the side of the building to wait for their quarry.
The trio was not sure how long they waited, but the Captain did eventually exit the inn through the front door, pausing to take in a breath of morning air before setting off south towards Hulbury. As was usual, he did not bring anything with him except the spyglass he wore around his neck and the satchel bag over his shoulder. As Zoey had instructed, the kids followed at a measured distance, keeping to the shadows as much as possible to avoid being spotted. Every once in a while, the Captain would pause and look around himself as if he was aware he was being followed. However, he never called out to his presumed pursuers or stopped traveling to his destination.
That destination was not quite as climactic as the kids were expecting.
The Captain had stopped at a cliff overlooking the sea to the east which also provided a decent view of Hulbury's seaport. The kids quietly hid in the nearby bushes and watched to see what happened.
All that the Captain did however was stand there and stare out at the seemingly endless ocean. Occasionally, he would put his spyglass to his eye, but he otherwise did nothing and said nothing beyond occasionally singing that shanty he had a liking for.
"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest,
Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum!
Drink and Yveltal had done for the rest,
Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum!"
He sang the shanty in its entirety; though the kids would never repeat the other lyrics to anyone they knew.
As for the "adventure," it had turned decidedly boring. The thrill of trying to follow the Captain without being spotted had gone, and now all they were doing was watching their quarry pay more attention to the wide-open ocean than anything else. Eventually, the sun began its ascent, reflecting its light off the water and painting it a shade of orange to compliment the sky as it rose over the horizon.
"A lovely sight, I suppose" Jim whispered.
"Aye," Ralph agreed. "But it will pass shortly, what if he stays?"
Stay he did. Even after the sun had risen to its early morning position, the Captain remained vigilant. He continued to stare out at the sea, clearly looking out for something. But what that something was, the kids could not fathom.
No member of the trio knew how long they watched and waited but finally, something happened. The Captain turned around slightly to look in their direction, though not at them directly and spoke.
"You would be wise to return to your inn, kiddies," he said. "Else your mother misses you and come calling."
The fact that he addressed them threw the kids off for a minute before processing what he had told them. They looked to the sky and, judging by the sun's position, Ms. Zoroark had probably been awake for a while to get the inn ready and was very likely wondering where her wards had run off to. Taking the Captain's suggestion to heart they quickly began to make their way back to the Admiral Benbow. They also tried to make their retreat as quiet as possible to save face after having been called out for their spying.
Scurrying back to the inn, the trio was unsurprised to find Ms. Zoroark up and about and decidedly unhappy with them.
"Where have you been!?" she scolded.
"We, um…" Ralph started. Next to him, Jim tried to look away in silence.
"We followed the Captain to learn what he did to pass the day, mother," Zoey answered ashamedly. "It was my idea."
Ms. Zoroark turned to Jim and Ralph but did not lose her angry look. "Perhaps it was, but to accompany you was their decision, not yours," she said. She turned back to her daughter expectantly. "And what pray, may I ask, was the Captain doing as you spied on him?"
"As you believed, nothing truly wrong," Jim admitted. "He traveled to a cliff where he stared out over the sea as though he hoped to catch something in his eye."
"So now you see," Ms. Zoroark lightly scolded. "Truly, 'tis nothing to fret over." She sighed before continuing. "If you must partake of such adventures again, do at least leave my poor self a letter of your intent; I was nearly struck down by fear when you were not in your beds."
"Did you fear that the Captain had abducted us?" Jim asked.
Ms. Zoroark nodded simply. "I had considered your kidnapping plausible, yes; though the Captain being the thief I considered unlikely."
"You do not find him of questionable character then?" Ralph asked.
"Of his sober character, I hold no fear; when I speak with the Captain he makes clear he lacks hostile or untoward intentions for you or I," Ms. Zoroark explained. "It is his past that concerns me more."
"What of his past concerns you, mother?" Zoey asked.
Ms. Zoroark shook her head. "That is for the Captain, not I, to explain at his leisure," she replied. "If you must know, he will have no issue telling you in confidence," she added.
The kids all looked at each other with different expressions at the prospect of hearing about the Captain's past. Zoey's was one of excitement, Jim's was one of interest, and Ralph's was of rather obvious nervousness.
"Well, should you decide to ask, you must wait until the Captain returns," Ms. Zoroark said. "We have other customers to attend to, so I pray you, take up your tasks."
The kids nodded succinctly and took to their duties.
Before the Captain made his return though, an expected guest arrived at the Admiral Benbow. It was a human woman with red hair, dressed in white and tan with a customary cocked hat upon her head. The hat bore a white cockade resembling a flower with a red cross in its centre. She carried with her a medium-sized satchel bag. Ms. Zoroark smiled upon the woman's arrival.
"Dr. Joy," she greeted. "How do you do?"
"Quite fine, Ms. Zoroark," Dr. Joy replied. "How does your daughter and other wards?"
"Jim does fine. Zoey and Ralph, I would presume, lack much anticipation for this appointment," Ms. Zoroark joked.
Dr. Joy smiled. "Never have I crossed the path of a young Pokémon eager to be combed for health blights, I assure you."
Indeed, Zoey and Ralph were decidedly not looking forward to their check-ups. Zoey only volunteered to be checked first so she could be ready to see the Captain upon his return. Dr. Joy paced Zoey on the serving window bar to begin her examination, though the Tricky Fox's bouts of fidgeting made it clear she was still not particularly comfortable.
"How does this Captain, Zoey?" Dr. Joy asked, attempting to ease her patient with a subject that interested her.
"He does fine, I think," Zoey replied. "Though Jim, Ralph, and I would ask a few questions of him."
"May I ask what this Captain appears like?" Dr. Joy continued.
Zoey was about to answer when the Pokémon of conversation returned through the door with his rain-drenched and battle-scarred form on display for all to see. He surveyed the patrons of the inn, smiling as he appeared to find them to his liking. Zoey pointed him out to the doctor as he did.
"That's what the Captain appears like, doctor," she said.
"I see," the doctor replied with some trepidation as she examined the Blastoise. "How very… repellent."
The Captain must have heard that because he gave the doctor an unflattering glower as entered the inn proper. He sat at another unoccupied table and requested his nightly drink of rum with his usual meal: a bacon and dressing sandwich on rye bread. Ms. Zoroark handed him a bottle of the requested drink before heading to the kitchen to begin preparing his meal. Zoey turned back to the doctor.
"Do hasten your examination, Dr. Joy," she encouraged. "I would ask the Captain our questions sooner rather than later."
Dr. Joy was clearly not quite as on board with the idea, but did finish her check up on Zoey rather quickly; in truth, she was almost done when Zoey insisted she hurry. Transforming into Jim and sending Ralph to his turn with the doctor, Zoey waited for her mother to finish cooking. When she was, she handed the sandwich to Zoey who brought it to the waiting Captain; he had already downed about half his drink.
"Ah, many thanks… Jim, methinks?" he slurred. He was uncertain which he was speaking to, both because neither ever really specified and the rum was muddying his mind
Zoey giggled. "I'm Zoey, Captain," she said.
The Captain drunkenly chuckled. "A clever trick yew have there," he said with a bit more coherency. "Pray answer me this, how does yer mother tell yew two for each other then?"
"Our eyes," Zoey began as she pointed to her own. "Jim's eyes are brown while mine are, and stay, green-blue even when I transform."
"Ah-ha, can't change everythin' about yerself, lassie?"
"No, sir," Zoey replied. She then decided that now was as good a time as any. "Captain, may I ask a question of you?"
He belched loudly before answering, earning looks of ire from some of the other patrons. "Of course, lassie, but 'twill be mine own choice whether I answer it," he replied.
"Why do you spend all day looking out over the ocean?" Zoey asked. "It intrigues me, Jim and Ralph."
The Captain did not respond at first and kept a neutral expression in spite of his budding drunkenness. He then gained a small smile. "Bring yer' brothers over, lass, I'll explain it all to ye," he said.
Zoey almost squealed in excitement as she transformed back into her true self and dashed to the serving window. Jim was busy washing dishes while Ralph was sitting on the lap of Dr. Joy as he finished his session with her.
"Jim, Ralph!" Zoey cried as she jumped to the serving window sill.
"Peace, Zoey," Jim said, hoping to calm the Zorua's excitement. "What is it?"
"You must come; the Captain has agreed to explain to us his morning routine!" Zoey exclaimed, not heading Jim's attempts to calm her.
"Has he?" Ralph questioned.
"Yes, come!" Zoey insisted.
As Jim finished cleaning the platter he was working on, Ralph turned to Dr. Joy.
"Am I free to go, doctor?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes, Ralph. I confess that I'm not quite finished, but also that I'm confident you're in perfect health."
Ralph jumped off the doctor's lap and scurried to Zoey. Jim placed the washed platter on a dish rack to dry before joining them.
"Well, shall we?" he asked his two best friends.
"I suppose," Ralph agreed nervously.
"Absolutely!" Zoey cheered before dashing towards the Captain.
When they had arrived at the Captain's table, he had finished his meal and his drink and was closely watching everyone else in the dining area with obvious suspicion. Once he noticed the kids, however, his demeanor changed to a more amicable one.
"Ah, there ye are," the Captain slurred; drunkenness having very much overcome him. "Take your seats cabin boys and girls."
The kids did as instructed and, with the exception of Ralph, looked to the Captain with great expectations.
"Well then, ye be wonderin' why I spends my time ogling the sea every day, aye?" he asked drunkenly.
The kids nodded in response, especially Zoey.
"Well, I be watching the ships as they sail to Hulbury; a reminder of mine own time being a sailor, they are," the Captain explained with reminiscence in his voice.
"Do you wish for the company of your old profession?" Zoey asked. "Is this the cause of your alertness for seafarers?"
At this, the Captain bit back a drunken laugh. "I should think not! I wish those sea scum as far away from me as possible, aye!" he said.
"Why is that, sir?" Jim asked.
The Captain briefly lost his drunken demeanor and looked quite serious. "Now that is something I shan't burden your poor selves with."
The response from the kids varied. Jim was slightly disappointed but otherwise accepting, Ralph looked relieved, but Zoey looked positively crestfallen.
"But why?" she asked with a slight whine in her voice.
"'Tis for your betterment that you do not worry about it," the Captain continued. "But I'll not leave you with nothing."
He dug into the satchel bag he was still wearing and pulled out some coins which he handed to each of the kids.
"Those there are four-pennies," he said. "Every week a fresh one is for each of you if you keep watch for seafarers. Beware of one fellow in particular."
"Whom do you speak of, sir?" Ralph asked in trepidation.
"He's a man, Ralph, a man who bears a Chatot on his shoulder and has only one leg to walk upon," the Captain described. "Should he, or some fellow who knows him, find their way here, you tell me with all haste. Beware the man who walks upon one leg!"
The kids went silent; a man with only one leg was who the Captain feared the most? It sounded somewhat odd to them, yet the seriousness the Captain had spoken of him with despite being drunk was hard to ignore.
"Ah, but enough of that!" the Captain bellowed with an added slur. The seriousness that had entered his voice was gone completely. "How's a story for you all?" he continued, addressing the rest of the patrons.
Those patrons looked at each other with unease, but only one voiced anything even resembling a decline.
"Perhaps now I can examine you Ms. Zoroark?" Dr. Joy was heard saying from the kitchen.
A sound of agreement was heard from the Illusion Fox. Hearing no other possible objections, the Captain began his story.
"'Twas seven years past. A vessel sailed by the worst buccaneers yew could imagine sails for an island. An island on no map money can buy…" he started.
This was the Captain's other, somewhat bad habit. He would drink to the point where it was a miracle he was not dead and begin rambling loudly and drunkenly. His ramblings were usually stories such as the one he was telling now, of buccaneers, treachery, and thievery upon the high seas. Be it because of his drinking influencing how he told them, or perhaps because of the stories themselves, his tales were always quite disturbing to other visitors given the copious amounts of murder and pillaging. And yet, like a horrible house fire or a similar disaster, no one could look away as they listened with rapt attention even now.
"...the Captain, a man, Flint was his name, leaves for shore with fifteen other human sailors and his loyal Pokémon partner," the Captain continued in his slurred speech. "Within their longboats, they haul the greatest horde of treasure anyone could feast eyes on; all robbed from torched treasure ships and coastal towns."
The listeners shuddered at the thought, except for Zoey who stared at the Captain with awe and clearly ate up every word he said.
"Do hold still, Ms. Zoroark," Dr. Joy insisted, prompting the Captain to shoot a drunken glare towards the kitchen
"Captain Flint has decided this here island shall be the place where he would hide his treasure, keeping it from the hunters and rival pirates who sought it for they-selves," he continued. "He would hide it here where it would wait for him to return once he was freed of all scrutiny. Of course 'twas impossible to bury it by his-self, that's why the fifteen men went with 'im."
"Why his Pokémon partner?" Ralph asked with trepidation.
"An answer comes in due time, lad," the Captain drunkenly chuckled before moving on. "For two days the party traverses the island. Flint marks various points as they go for reasons known only to him. Finally, they finds a cave. 'Here,' cries Captain Flint. 'Here is where my fortune shall be hidden; dig yew worthless parasites!'"
"How vulgar," Dr. Joy muttered as she finished with Ms. Zoroark. The Captain looked to her again and snarled, but proceeded with his story.
"For six hours the men dig and dig into the cave ground, hauling the chests and crates into the holes they made. Finally, Flint and his Pokémon partner exit the cave with two of the pirates; Flint's partner was a water-type, doncha know?"
The Captain paused at this question, none of the listeners really understanding why. Ralph, however, seemed to realize something.
"Oh no…" he murmured, shrinking down into his sitting position.
"Oh aye," the Captain replied in his drunken slur with an accompanying nod. "Captain Flint turns to his partner. 'Just as we planned, matey' he says. Towards the cave, the partner Pokémon turns to blast it with a ferocious Hydro Pump attack. That same minute, Flint turns to the other two pirates with two fine daggers and drives them up the back of their heads; SHANK!" he shouted the last word causing every listener, even Zoey, to jump.
The Captain paused for a minute, letting silence reign over the inn (and seemingly the entire countryside) for a few minutes before he finished his tale.
"Captain Flint makes a last check inside the cave, the treasure and those who were buryin' it be buried. He and his partner travel back to their ship, Flint stringing up the two men he killed as markers towards his fortune as they return. Back aboard ship, Flint calls upon his partner Pokémon and gives to him a piece of paper. 'This here's the only copy of my map,' he says. 'I cannot guarantee me own survival. Should I perish, I would have my treasure be claimed by the most loyal of my crew: yew, Billy Bones."
The inn was silent again for a few moments before Zoey spoke up. "Is this treasure map still carried by Billy Bones, Captain?" she asked.
"I would hope so, lassie!" the Captain exclaimed. "'Twould only fall to someone else's possession upon his dying breath!"
"Wh… what fate met Captain Flint?" Ralph asked, almost too nervous to want to know.
"Ahem," Dr. Joy interrupted as she emerged from the kitchen, having finished checking up Ms. Zoroark. "I believe this 'Captain Flint' the Blastoise speaks of to be deceased. I recall reading of the capture and hanging in Unova of a man named Flint for piracy."
The Captain chuckled at this. "Aye, hanged he was, madam. Why the crowd held much of his old crew attendin' the event. One of them even composed a lovely song in dedication to their late captain afterwards."
Then the Captain began to sing; drunkenly and off-key, but the lyrics were still legible.
"Oh my name were Cap'n Flint
As I sailed as I sailed,
Oh my name were Cap'n Flint
As I sailed!
My name were Cap'n Flint,
And I sought for golds fine tint,
Oh, my name were Cap'n Flint,
As I sailed as I sailed.
My name were Cap'n Flint
As I sailed!"
Dr. Joy rolled her eyes as Ms. Zoroark also emerged from the kitchen, ready to resume her work duties.
"Quite the guest you have, Ms. Zoroark," she said. "I know not how you tolerate his singing; much less his presence with these songs and stories of murder and theft."
"I would have you hear the other song he quite enjoys," Ms. Zoroark replied sarcastically.
"I pray you, have mercy," Dr. Joy retorted with equal sarcasm. They then listened to the song in silence as the Captain concluded it.
"Come all you young and old
See me die see me die,
Come all you young and old,
See me die!
You are welcomed to my gold
For by it I lost my soul,
Come all you young and old
I must die I must die,
Come all you young and old,
I must die!"
The inn went silent after the Captain finished, barring a few hesitant claps. Dr. Joy turned back to Ms. Zoroark. "Anyway," she began.
"Silence between the decks!" the Captain roared, still retaining his slur as he drank from another bottle of rum he had somehow acquired.
Dr. Joy turned. "Was it me you were addressing, sir?" she asked.
"Aye," the Captain replied. "Yew who 'ave so callously interrupted me thrice this evening, have yew something to say, doctor?"
"To you, only this," Dr. Joy responded calmly but with audible sternness. "If you continue drinking rum in such excess much longer, the world and this Inn shall soon be less another dirty scoundrel."
The Captain looked offended by this remark. "'Scoundrel', you call me?" he questioned as he aimed one of the water cannons in his shell at the doctor threateningly.
"I would put up that cannon were I in your place, Captain," Dr. Joy said, still as calm but stern as before and speaking loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Scoundrel," the Captain repeated. He then stopped aiming at the doctor, gaining a cool if still drunken smile. "I find that there title a fitting one for me."
"Hardly a surprising opinion," the Doctor muttered before finishing her business. "Ms. Zoroark, I am most pleased to report you, your daughter, and Ralph are in very good health," she said to the Illusion Fox before turning back to the Blastoise. "As for you, sir, if word of you raising trouble here should reach my ears I'll see you in chains. And as I'm quite familiar to the local magistrate Livesey and the Town Watch constable Jenny, I can see it happen. Let that suffice."
Dr. Joy took her leave with that last warning. The Captain remained silent as she left, and was quite pacified for the rest of the night, not saying much of another word beyond a cordial good evening when everyone retired to their beds.