Pearl couldn't stifle her shudder upon entering the fog bank. This is where her father was killed. Where she had led Silent Mary to her death. Where Britannia had been killed the first time. Passionate could feel her discomfort. It radiated off the galleon in waves. She pressed against her mother in an attempt to reassure her...the fog bank was thick. And it was quiet. "This is a place of death." She whispered. "My father was killed here." "I'm, sorry to hear...this place has claimed many a vessel. And in this area especially, many pirates. All fallen by Prince." she winced as she was interrupted by eight bells emitting deep in the fog. It had been many years but Pearl hadn't forgotten Royal Navy doctrine. She rang her own bell to let him know she was there. Passionate held her breath. The sight of her brother was always overwhelming and intimidating. The fog cleared just enough to reveal his hull, sleek, pointed and sharp, with three absolutely giant masts towering above them. It was Prince. Pearl took the lead. "HMS Prince, you look exactly as your father once did." The absolutely gigantic First Rate (if there was such a thing as a Zero Rate, he would be it!). His voice was gentle and somewhat soothing betraying his intimidating looks. "My father is dead. You knew him?" "He was my mate." Pearl replied, stepping aside to allow Passionate through. Prince knew his sister, he did not know her. "She speaks truth." the frigate nodded. "Passi? Where have you...this vessel took you?" he looked back at Pearl, eyes narrowed. "Prince, it's truth. She is our mother. Alex took us from her. He, he killed father." "Alex? Impossible! He's an honorable flagship. Father was murdered by Spanish warships before we were born." "Is that what he told you." Pearl sighed. "Your father was HMS King, later Wicked King. He was deputy under Ark Royal. One night his scouting fleet came across a family of refugee Spanish warships. A mother, father and two children. He was ordered to kill them. Kill them all. He refused and was nearly killed himself as a result. Exiled from the Royal Navy for trying to do the right thing he changed his name. Many years later I myself met him. He was a good and honorable ship. He did eventually meet his end. The night you were born." She looked at her daughter. "I had been captured by Alex and put in a jail. King came to bail me out but I went into labor. It was a hard birth and, I screamed. The sound attracted the guards. Alexander ordered your father arrested and took you two from me. Passionate, you had just begun to suckle. The only reason you remember me is because you were born first and had just enough time." Prince growled. "You're lying...that can't be true!" "Prince," Passionate begged, "Listen! It's truth! Alex lied so he could have two loyal warships to add to the fleet! You notice how he never came looking for me? He only sent up more patrols to protect British shipping. He doesn't care about us, he cares about his numbers!" "I...this is my entire life you're telling me is a lie. Why should I believe you? Why do you believe her?" "Because I remember her." she whispered. Prince bit his lip and looked down. "I wish there was some way I could prove it to you." Pearl said. "But you have seen what Alex does and has done. You heard I'm sure about Britannia. Would a ship as noble as her have chosen the wrong path? Align with liars?" "Of course, that's, that's what she did!" "The only liar here, Prince is Alexander. I grew up with him. I know him far better than you. My mother was his sister." It hurt to think of Endeavour now. "He is nothing but a liar and a tyrant. And if you are killed, he will stand back and watch!" "I just...I can't believe that. It's so much to take in. My whole life..." "I know." Pearl sighed. "When I met your father it was to kill him. He could have taken me out but he didn't. He showed me the truth, as painful as it was. I know what you're feeling Prince. I've been there." He closed his eyes, "I need time to think. Where can I find you?" Pearl laid out a map for him. She pointed to a small island halfway between their current position and the hideout. She knew the place well. She had lived there for 10 years after all. "Careful coming in, there's quite a few um, reefs." She warned. "I understand...I'll let you know when I've made up my mind." "We'll be waiting." Pearl promised, fading into the fog. Passionate nuzzled her brother before following Pearl. "Maybe I should wait for him. You need to get to Principe and find Black Bart before the British do. It's a long voyage to Africa." "I know someone in the area who can help. If he's still alive." She murmured, thinking of Reaper. "Join me when you can my daughter." Passionate nodded and nuzzled her mother lovingly, "Be safe." "And you my dear." Pearl begged her. "I lost you once." "I will be...good luck."

Pearl set out for Africa. It had been years since she'd gone to those shores. And it brought up more painful memories. The innocent men, women and children she had taken from their homes...thinking about it made her sick. But Principe was rocky and full of cliffs. It made hiding easy for any ship. She saw Burgess and Cockrahm in the distance, but her eye caught the image of a half sunken wreck. The hull color blended it into the rocks and if not for her good eye, she'd have never found it. It looked fresh...and the Portuguese name told her the English didn't do this. It had to be Black Bart. Now what she had to do was find follow his trail. She quickly turned out of sight of the pair of English warships, knowing that Black Bart would do the same. She headed for a small inlet a few miles to the south. There was evidence that someone had been here, a freshly extinguished beach fire and some fresh blood.

Suddenly, a broadside pushed against her. "I'd send you back to the English with a warning but I can't risk you giving me away. Last words?" came a quiet voice. "You Royal Fortune? My name is Black Pearl." She was not bothered by the guns pressed to her hull. His eyes narrowed, and he slowly closed his gun ports. "You're that galleon I keep hearing about...I am Royal Fortune, but feel free to use my real name, Black Bart...why have you come here?' "To help you." She replied. "Those Royal Navy pair want that machine of yours. I'm here to keep that from happening." "A smart lass, you are. The best way to keep it from them is to get to it first. Thankfully I am the only one who knows where it is...but these ships, Burgess and Cockrahm, they can't be allowed to leave with word of my escape." "I say we kill them now, rid ourselves of a tail." Pearl said, glaring at the two. "Deal with them, then. I need to finish wrapping up here." Pearl sighed. "As soon as I give you a signal, run for it." She said and leaped out of the cove, guns blazing. Burgess and Cockrahm were taken by surprise, and quickly they moved into cover behind the various rocks. Burgess had taken a direct hit amidships while Cockrahm had a torn sail. They hissed, and began maneuvering in a way that she was between them. Pearl's guns spoke first and she knocked Cockrahm out of the fight quickly, turning sharply into Burgess to shove him aside. Cockrahm groaned in pain against the shore, while Burgess struggled between Pearl and a rock. "You done us good, Pearl! As every bit the bitch that Alexander said you were!" "I should be. I was trained by Cedar and Britannia, raised by Endeavour." Pearl replied and fired a broadside into him. Cockrahm whimpered as he watched his brother's lifeless corpse hang limp between her and the rocks. He struggled to bring his own guns to bear, but his injuries made him slow. "Damn you, Pearl!" he hissed in anger. Pearl turned to face him. "Oh hello. I'd almost forgotten about you." She purred. "DIE!" She roared and put a few rounds into his head. Black Bart had been approaching when it happened. "My oh my, you are able to handle yourself. Good. Meet me of the coast of Yucatan, three months from today." Pearl sighed, grumbling somewhat at his attitude but agreed.

Three months found her in the Western Carribbean with her Passionate. And she was very, very pregnant. Courtesy of her and Interceptor's coupling nearly a year ago. "Your sides are swollen, are you sure you're up for this?" Black Bart asked, eyeing the narrow channel ahead. "Gonna have to be aren't I?" She sighed. "Very well. Up ahead is a Portuguese fleet. Steal one of their flags, pose as one of them, and find the flagship. He will have the vials we need for the Observatory." Pearl nodded, slipping into the channel. There were several vessels of various kinds and colors. Through the narrow gap between them was the only man o war in the fleet. That had to be the flagship. Pearl used her dark colors to her advantage and easily snatched and raised a Spanish flag. That was the hard part over. Whatever vessels weren't asleep this night paid her no attention, assuming her to be part of the fleet. The flagship wasn't the most impressive ship of the line but he still had the firepower to crush her if she was found out. She maneuvered to a position within his line of sight, hoping her looks would attract him. Yes she was pregnant but she hoped a Spanish gentlemen would offer his assistance. And in fact he did. He moved over to support her, smiling and explaining his happiness in having more ships for their kingdom, at least that's what it seemed like from the excitement in his foreign language. Pearl was not as fluent in Spanish as her sister was but she still offered her gratitude. He returned it with a bow of his own. Pearl put some weight on him, carefully of course. It was tiresome dragging her unborn young around. As she did so she discreetly slithered some rigging lines through open windows and found the vials, taking them off him without him noticing. He helped her to an open position against the shore so she could lean against it. The plan had worked flawlessly. There was no one ahead of her to block her way out of the channel.

Pearl rested there for about an hour, waiting until his attention was diverted enough for her to slip back through. She rejoined her daughter and Black Bart. "Got 'em." She panted. "You still impress me. Well done." Black Bart purred, "Then we need nothing else. Next time I see you, I will bring you to the Observatory. In the meantime, rest up. You need your energy." "Thank you." She sighed. "Passionate, think you can help me back to de Meurta?" She asked. "Happily." her daughter nodded, supporting Pearl's left side. The older ship was extremely pregnant and was due anytime. That time ended up being right as they returned to de Meurta. Pearl staggered against her daughter, unable to keep herself upright. She gave a low groan. "Passi…" She gasped. Passionate looked down, her eyes wide. "Now?! They're coming now?" Pearl nodded, barely able to speak. "H-help me to the dock. Quickly." The pair half sailed and half dragged their way to Pearl's usual docking sight. Pearl collapsed into it, sinking her teeth into the dock to keep herself from screaming. It would've felt better to do so but the memories of what had happened with King were more than enough to keep her in check. Passionate aided where she could in helping her deliver. It was a hard labor. Whatever was coming out, they were big.

Pearl's flanks heaved and then, a very large female slithered into her half sister's waiting lines. "Mother..." Passionate gasped, "It's a girl...she looks like Alexander." "Victory. Her name is Victory." Pear said. "Victory? I like that." she smiled, nudging the shipling to her mother, "Little Victory." Pearl groaned as another shipling made itself known to her. This time a male, much smaller emerged. He gave a weak cry. Passionate nudged him over beside his sister, cooing down at him. Pearl was exhausted but there was still one more that stubbornly refused to come out. "Just one more I think...come on out little one." Passionate tried to encourage the shipling. This time Pearl did scream as at last the shipling emerged, another female. She was even weaker than her brother and only gave the faintest of cries when Passionate picked her up. "Come now, sweetheart, you can do it...drink." Victory and the male had already latched on but the female just couldn't lift her head high enough. Pearl tried to help, adjusting her position so her teets were lower. It still wasn't enough and the starved shipling was dead by the morning. Passionate was struck by the death, but not nearly as much as Pearl. The mother howled her grief. "I would've named her Britannia." She whispered. Once again a shipling of hers had perished with that name. A sign that her sister's mate was not yet ready to return. "What now?" Passionate whispered. Pearl sighed, nudging the little male at her side. He was half the size of his sister and had Interceptor's speedy looks. "Catcher. His name is Catcher." "Catcher...I like it." she murmured softly, looking down at him and the surviving female, Victory. Victory was huge for a shipling. Her little guns were already fully formed. She would be a monster once she was grown. A massive man o'war. "She's the spitting image of Alex. That's scary." "Well he is my uncle." Pearl said. "But perhaps with this little fella comes the seeds of his destruction." "Thinking we should send her off to the Royal Navy? Get close to him before striking him down?" "When she is weened, yes." Pearl replied. "Evil. I like it." Passionate smirked. "We will teach her all she needs to know." Pearl said, nuzzling her daughter. She was fearful though of letting her go to that cretin that was her uncle.

"I can watch them." came the voice of Prince. They turned to see him slowly approaching. Pearl was very pleased to see him. "You don't know how happy I am to see you my son." She said. "I thought about it for a few nights straight. You're right. The pieces of the puzzle fit..." Pearl had to use the dock to prop herself semi upright. "Just like your father Prince. Stubborn but you always see the bigger picture." "I'm here to right a lot of wrongs. What do you need me to do?" "Does anyone know what you are doing?" Pearl asked. "That you've, left?" "The official story is that I was sunk by a one notorious pirate brig, Jackdaw." he smirked. "Who is also your older brother." Pearl said. "Fitting." She looked at Passionate. "We have a hideout not far from here. You are welcome to join us. First a question, do you know anything about a device that can track you by using your blood?" "The Observatory, Alex has mentioned it a few times. They need the Royal Fortune to find it." he nodded. "I've met with Fortune a couple of times. He has all the parts he needs to make it work. It is imperative that we keep him and the Observatory safe." Pearl said, forced to lie back down as her shiplings cried. She exposed her teeth once more and they immediately quieted and latched on. "Good, Alex still thinks he's over in Africa. Burgess and Cockrahm haven't returned so he thinks they're still hunting." "Of course he does." Pearl smirked, neglecting to mention that the brothers were dead. "When they're not dependent on you for drink, I can watch them while you and Passionate aid Fortune." "Thank you." Pearl sighed, settling back in her berth. Not exactly the kindest gesture to a long lost relative. The hard labor had exhausted her and she could only hope Prince would understand. "The world is closing in on us. The Observatory is our only chance at survival now. Surviving with a life to live. Not surviving in hiding." Pearl's eyes flicked up to Passionate. She wanted to stay awake. She wanted to visit. She wanted to embrace her son and tell him how much she had missed him. But the pains of birth lingered. She raised her head to nose her two remaining shiplings who squeaked at her with gummy mouths. "I'll be fine. There will be time later." Prince whispered, "I held out my whole life. A little while longer won't hurt." "I trust Passionate can keep you entertained." Pearl said, watching as Victory attempted to totter to her big brother. She had no control yet and so simply fell on her face. "And this one as well." The mother added. Prince leaned down to nose her back to Pearl, being as gentle as he could be with the tiny shipling. Victory gnawed his nose with her little gums. "Go on, little one, you need to eat." he chuckled. Victory chirped, snuggling to her mother's flank but she was more interested in his nose at the moment. He attempted to move away but found she tried to follow. He sighed. "Well, I suppose I'm not going anywhere tonight." Pearl had already fallen asleep but there was plenty of room in the berth for his bulk. He settled in and watched Victory for as long as she stayed awake.

When Pearl woke, she noticed her son was beside her. "Is Victory behaving?" She asked. "So far. My figurehead is gnawed to hell, though." he yawned. "Ha!" Pearl laughed. He chuckled his agreeance. She stretched, then righted herself. Finally able to give Prince a hug. He felt awkward at first. But the longer it went on, the more comfortable he felt. Some instinct in him kicked in, and he found himself returning the hug tightly. Pearl's closed eyes did nothing to hide her tears. "My son." She whispered. "My beautiful grown up son." "I'm so sorry...mother." his voice was almost a whisper like hers. "I am sorry too." Pearl replied. "Things like this are too common in modern society." he murmured, "you have nothing to be sorry for..." She kissed his cheek. "So handsome." She said. "So much like your father." "I wish I had the chance to know him. At least I have the chance to know you." "I consider myself lucky." "You've lasted longer than most who travel your path." "One has to have the will to survive and for many years, my will to do so was guided by my desire to have my children with me." Pearl said, nuzzling him. He purred, smiling softly as he returned the nuzzle.

Pearl yelped and pulled back as Victory made a grab for Prince's figurehead. "She's obsessed!" he cried. "As I'm sure many girls have been over that handsome figure." Pearl grinned as Victory made another grab, practically bouncing on the sea as if it were a trampoline. "It's just the Royal Crest." He sighed, leaning down so she didn't have to jump. "I remember my sister being fascinated with ours. But frightened by hers. Quite the leaper." Pearl chuckled. "Indeed...didn't...didn't you have a brother?" "Aye, HMS Dark Shadow." She replied. "He's so distant I hardly consider him family, anymore." She sighed. "Dark Shadow...he ran away, you know." "No, I-I didn't know that." Pearl said. "I don't know the full story. Just heard about it. Apparently there was something having to do with his family, and he just kinda snapped. From what I've heard, he's supposedly been seen a few times off Halifax. Knowing you're his family...I can see why he snapped." "Then I hope I can find him." She said. "There's only one ship who might know his whereabouts. Your aunt, Long Shadow. But she is not exactly, friendly, at the moment." "Not even to find a long lost brother?" "She may kill him for staying with the British so long." Passionate spoke up. "You don't know my sister Prince." Pearl sighed. "As long as Britannia is upon this world she is kind but once she leaves, Long Shadow becomes unpredictable and uncontrollable as the sea." "Why hasn't Dogg tried to sooth her? Where the hell has he been anyway? I rarely ever see him." Passionate sighed in frustration, "We could really use his help!" "I don't know." Pearl sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Probably off searching for her." She turned her attentions to Catcher. The small male was finally awake and asking for food. She rolled over to oblige him. "He's a unique one." Prince said, letting Victory ride on his bowsprit. The big shipling leaned over to reach at his figurehead, dangling off his boom by her rigging lines. "I hope Interceptor is okay." Passionate murmured, Prince cocking an eye. "My mate." Pearl explained. "It took me quite some time to accept his advances. These little ones are his." "I see. Where did he go that causes concern?" "He went to the Pacific. To," She took a breath. "To find a place for us all to live in peace. I haven't even heard from him since." "The Pacific? Christ, I'll face a North Atlantic gale before I try to navigate the Pacific, especially on my own. I can see the concern." "I refuse to believe he is dead but I cannot spend my whole life waiting either." Pearl said. "You've spent the most time with the Royal Navy, have the best handle on what they are doing. How can you help us avoid them?" "Finding the Observatory. We can track them before they can track us. They're mostly in the south Caribbean but a few are north, around Nassau. But most of the north in Spanish territory. If we want to avoid them, we stay north. We want to stay safe, we find that treasure." "Then it comes down to Royal Fortune. As much as we could use his strength I do not trust him." Pearl said. "Then find the Observatory, get him to tell you how to use it, then kill him. Use him as much as you need to, then end him." Pearl nodded. She wouldn't admit it but she was getting tired. Tired of having to run. Having to kill to survive. It wasn't fair! Passionate nuzzled her mother. "It'll be over soon. When this is over, when Interceptor returns, he'll bring us to a home where we can live free and off the fruits of our labor. A Pacific paradise. I can't wait to see it." she purred. Pearl sighed. "I want it to be a home for you, not for me. My children are what matter now." "Maybe, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve rest too. For all you've done, you definitely do." Pearl gave her daughter a soft smile. "Always the voice of reason Passionate." She praised her.

A few weeks passed by slow but peacefully. When Catcher and Victory could eat fish, Prince promised to look after them. Pearl and Passionate had a mission now. They had to meet Black Bart and find the Observatory. Pearl was pleased to be back on the open sea again. Her first since her shiplings were born. She took great joy in racing her daughter who was every bit as fast as her. Which was quite impressive. She was larger, heavier, and had no supernatural powers aiding her as Pearl did. All she had was a better designed hull and more sails, but that seemed to be all she needed. The pair raced each other all the way to the Western Caribbean where Black Bart was waiting. "Are you ready?" Passionate grinned up at him. He growled and shook his head. "You were followed here. How long for, I wonder?" he pointed behind them, and they turned to see none other than Benjamin, flying a Union Jack. "Damn him! He must've wondered about Prince." Pearl hissed. "That there is a traitor, Bart. A former ship of my fleet fled like a coward to join that cretin Alexander!" "Deal with him before I change my mind, Pearl." "Thought you'd never ask." Pearl said and lunged straight at him while Passionate maneuvered to outflank Benjamin. The schooner fled west, rounding the head of an island to get backup in the shape of an English heavy frigate. Passionate engaged her, leaving Pearl to chase down her old friend.

She wasted no time doing so, for once looking forward to the confrontation. "You made a big mistake leaving me Benjamin!" She roared as she lunged, sinking her teeth into his decks. He kicked her off with a wince, several planks ripping off. "The only mistake I made was choosing to pirate in the first place! The British, and Alex, they're different than we thought, I wish you could see that!" "I have. They are different, different as in barbarians!" Pearl snarled and attacked again, wrenching off his foremast. He staggered against the shore, groaning. He looked at her. "What have you done since Nassau fell, huh? Nothing but murder, and mayhem!" This made Pearl angry. em"We've/em committed murder and mayhem? Who watched as Alexander shoved his guns down Britannia's throat? Who stood by as his fleet burned our home?" She would've moved in for the kill if Passionate hadn't shouted for her to return. Besides, Benjamin was disabled now and was no threat. She bared her teeth. "The next time we meet, I will kill you!" "I'm warning you now, Pearl, if you continue on this path, you'll find you're one of the few left, with the gallows at its end..." he groaned, before his eyes shut and he rolled to the side. With his wounds still spewing blood and his flanks slowing to a stop, she didn't have to worry about a next time. "It would be an honor to grant them with my presence. But not today." Pearl whispered to his corpse. She turned and rejoined Passionate. They returned to Black Bart.

"Is that filth dealt with?" he asked. "Yes." Pearl replied. "And he won't bother anyone again!" "Very well. Then we're ready to proceed." he gestured for them to follow, and he led through into a small cove, which narrowed into a wide but winding swamp that went deep into a large and strangely uncharted island in the central Caribbean. Pearl followed right behind him and Passionate brought up the rear. It took a while, but eventually they reached the ruins of an ancient and advanced civilization. The stone had incorporated obsidian line designs carved rather straightly into the rock. "This looks, Ancient." Pearl whispered. "And yet very advanced, incredible." "Aye. Nothing here is supernatural or strange. Old, yes. But created with a technology that was lost when the Ancient King fell." "The Serpent." Pearl whispered, well aware of the stories. "And you, know how to operate it?" She asked. "I was born with memories of this place." he nodded, looking ahead as they sailed deep inside the decorated rock. "I am the only one who knows where it is and how to use it. They call me a Sage." "A Sage? What is that?" Pearl asked. "This place is beautiful!" She whispered, in awe of its scale. "I am a Sage. I suppose the easiest way to explain it is that I know of this place. I always have. Like memories, of a distant life. Reincarnation. A sentinel for all of this." "Fascinating." Pearl said, pausing as they reached the room where the looking glass was. It seemed to be not much of a looking glass but a bizarre and strange looking support system of rings, and in the center, a skull, encased with a shiny glaze, and inside the forehead was a square cutout. Black Bart held up a vial that Pearl had taken from the Portuguese flagship. "The blood of HMS Interceptor. Care to see where he is currently?" Pearl whined. "How-How did you..." She whispered, torn between wanting to see proof of her mate and yet wary of Black Bart's intentions. "I didn't. These vials were already full when you gave them to me. Ships of many Empires come together in secrecy to form a group called the Templars. They use their resources and positions to try and take over the world governments, claiming it's in the name of peace and protection for all peoples. They collected the blood of many people and ships, and it seems Interceptor was one of them... I care not for them or their cause, nor their enemy, the Assassin's Creed. I care for what every pirate only cares about. Riches. And with this, we can become the richest pirates in the world." "By keeping track of so many, you can know their secrets. Their gold stashes." Pearl understood. "Bart if you could, I would like to see my mate."

"Very well." he nodded, placing the vial in the skull. The supports began spinning and twirling around the skull, before coming to a stop. Out of the back of it's head, an image projected onto a great wall, in similar fashion to what would be known in the 20th century as a movie. Interceptor wasn't seen, but instead, moving ocean waves, and ahead on the horizon, a chain of tropical islands. Interceptor's voice echoed around them. "Oh please, have a harbor we can be safe in..." They weren't looking at Interceptor. They were looking through his eyes. "This is incredible." Pearl whispered. She felt great relief in knowing her mate was alive. "He seems to be managing. Perhaps we should look at another vessel...Ah ha! How about HMS Alexander himself?" "Now there's someone I'd love to mess with." Pearl purred. "What do you think Passi?" She asked her daughter. "I'm all for it! Let's see where he's hiding." she giggled. Black Bart swapped the vials, and the image flashed. Alex was in Kingston, talking with the Caribbean Flagships Fearless and Royal Sovereign. "Prince is dead? How is that possible?" "Merchants are spreading the word it was the Jackdaw." "Jackdaw? The brig? I knew we should have dealt with them all when they were blockaded in Nassau. Very well. Set up extra patrols around the area he was sunk at." "More patrols? Sir, the Fleet can only handle so many tasks..." "They can handle one more. This pirate threat must be eliminated! The King is getting very angry." at Alex. It seemed there were still too many pirates hanging around for the King's liking. Pearl giggled. She knew what really had happened to Prince. And she couldn't wait to see the look on Alex's face when he realized the truth. Black Bart soon removed the vial, and then the skull from it's supports. He held it up with a grin, examining it. "It looks horrifying but yet so beautiful." Pearl said. "Aye. Imagine the things having this will achieve." "At last we have a way to survive!" Pearl breathed. "We'll be Kings of the Ocean with that!" Passionate grinned.

"Oh, such ambition." Black Bart chuckled, before suddenly shoving them over the waterfall where the Station had been perched above. Both landed in a deep pool below. Black Bart laughed down at them, "Did you really think I was going to split the fortune I earn using this? I was using you the whole time, Pearl! A short life and a merry one, that's my creed!" he grinned, before sailing back out of the cave. "I knew it!" Pearl hissed. Not bothered by his deception. Her attitude changed however when she heard the sounds of the Royal Navy approaching. "Damn you Black Bart, Damn you!" She turned to her daughter. "You can hide amongst the rocks." She begged her. "No, we need to find a way out of here! There's gotta be one! Look, there! There's a door for excess water, it looks like that's the mechanism! It looks like a counterweight. Shoot it!" Pearl did. And it opened but just enough for them to squeeze through one at a time. "Go!" She told her daughter. They managed to squeeze through, and Passionate waited for her mother before both moved through the narrow canal and out to open ocean. However, near the end, there seemed to be some sort of old filtration system, and they tore their keels on it with a painful gash that turned the water beneath them red. Pearl pushed her daughter into the clear before squeezing out herself. And both found themselves face to face with a Royal Navy squadron. "Shit!" Pearl cursed.