A Pirate's Life
Summary: Chrysta recruits Sofia and Cedric to go undercover as new members of a notorious magical pirate crew run by the wicked Captain Caegan. While aboard the ship The Barracuda, the friends must determine the captain's plans and figure out how to stop them; meanwhile, Cedric notices an interesting change in his partner while on their mission. (Sofia is 17. Artwork by MarionetteJ2X!)
Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First. The cover photo was created by the amazing artist MarionetteJ2X! 😊 I do, however, own the OCs, including but not limited to Captain Caegan, Muscles, Marty, Wiggles, Garnette, and Duchess.
A/N: This one is a bit of a shorter chapter, but I think the next one will more than make up for it. After all, we've got a party coming up. ;D Anyway, here's where you'll learn the main bit of Captain Caegan's plan and what he plans to do. Also, thanks to MarionetteJ2X for the update of the cover photo! 😉 And to Mr. Shortman92, I knew something was off about the whole "Seven Seas" thing. Lol. Updated it to Seventeen Seas, as is true to STF. Thanks!
Chapter 3: Stick to the Plan
It was nearing dusk the first day aboard The Barracuda, and Cedric and Sofia were below deck in the cabin set aside for the crew. Unlike all the more private areas they'd inhabited in the past with either their own or shared rooms, this one was literally a big area with several hammocks lining the walls, each suspended from strong steel beams. While most of the original crew seemed to favor the back of the room, as indicated by their personal belongings haphazardly scattered about (and some who had their names roughly carved into the walls above their hammocks), the Enchancians had found two stacked hammocks closer to the entrance. Sofia had claimed the top hammock while Cedric had graciously (or more like gratefully) taken the one below.
"I'm not entirely sure how safe these things are," Cedric mumbled as he set his bag close to the wall, next to Sofia's. "They look as though they haven't been washed in years."
"Well… This is a pirate ship, and they are pirates, and they're usually too busy doing normal pirate things instead of worrying about clean environments." Sofia withdrew her wand from her dagger case. "How about a cleaning spell?"
"Absolutely. After all, I saw a few stains on another hammock, and I'm a bit concerned for the gentleman whose name happens to be 'Thumbs,' especially since those stains on his hammock looked a bit…reddish."
The princess wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I guess they don't always look after themselves when they get hurt either. They can't use spells to heal themselves? I thought this was a magical pirate ship."
Cedric shrugged. "It is. But Captain Caegan is the magical one, from what I gather. I've yet to see anyone else utilizing magic: no wands, nothing." He grasped her hand before she could cast the spell. "Therefore, I wouldn't use magic around anyone, Sofia. Not even the more tolerable lot we met this morning. It might expose us as trespassers."
She hesitated momentarily before nodding. "Okay." As he released her hand, she stated clearly, "Purgo." She grinned as both hammocks both became immaculately clean, with their warm brown fabric now soft and inviting rather than dingy and rough. "Now, I think we're set."
He nodded, playfully gesturing toward the top hammock. "Princesses first."
She smiled sarcastically at him. "Well, thank you, kind sir." She stepped up on a small ladder to the side of the hammock and turned, sliding onto the fabric. She sighed in relief as her head hit the new plush cream-colored pillow. "Oh, this is actually kind of nice, Mr. Cedric." She sat up and pointed down toward a box beside their hammocks. "I think there are some blankets in there."
"Uh-huh…" He opened up the box and instantly closed it. "No, not using those. In fact…" He pointed his own wand at the box. "Eradico." He smiled in satisfaction as the box was completely destroyed. "There. Now, let's deal with the blanket situation."
Sofia frowned curiously as she looked at him. "What was wrong with those blankets?" Seeing his pointed expression, she smiled and shrugged. "Never mind."
Cedric murmured another spell and created plush, warm blankets for each of them, folded and placed at the end of each hammock. "There we are. Now then, shall we go topside for a while?"
The teen yawned and turned sideways on the hammock, smiling sleepily at her friend. "We can't just stay here and take a nap?"
He smirked and tapped her forehead. "Now you're really starting to sound like me. Perhaps I'm a bad influence on you."
She grinned. "The worst." She then sat up and lowered her feet over the side of the hammock. "I guess I can get down this way, huh?"
"Just to be safe, hold onto me." He reached out and grasped her upper arms as she held onto his shoulders, and he lowered her to the wooden floor. "Can't have a broken princess on my hands before we've even barely begun this mission."
"My hero," she laughed playfully, grasping his arm as he led her topside again.
Once the friends had met up with the quartet from before, they sat down on the deck to chat with them, since it was a rather pleasant afternoon and there was nothing else to do.
"So, we've been lots of places," Sofia admitted to the group, "but we're curious… What's it like working under Captain Caegan?"
"Let's put it this way," Muscles said as he stretched and reclined against a barrel. "If you do what the man says and provide results, he'll pay you with tons of treasure and, even better, sometimes ale." He grinned toward Garnette, who rolled her eyes. "Which some of us love more than others."
"Shut up, Muscles." The redhead scoffed.
"I'd never seen that sort of dance move before," Muscles continued, grinning. "What did she call it, Marty? The Flippin' Chicken?"
Marty laughed nervously as the woman shot him a glare. "I…don't remember."
"I'll flip you right off the side of this ship if you don't shut your yap," Garnette threatened as she shoved Muscles off of his barrel and onto the deck floor, her eyes narrowed as it didn't seem to faze the laughing man.
"Captain Caegan is no joke though," Wiggles warned the two newcomers. "He likes making people walk the plank if they irritate him, so make sure you stay on his good side."
Cedric laughed somewhat nervously before clearing his throat. "Er, good to know."
They talked for a bit longer, getting more information as necessary. After a while, a whistle suddenly pierced the relatively calm and quiet environment, drawing everyone's attention as Captain Caegan stood before them all.
"Listen up, you miserable bunch of sea slugs," he ordered, folding his arms as he glared at the crew.
"If nothing else, at least we've learned some new insults," Sofia whispered to Cedric, grinning as he motioned for her to be quiet. She rolled her eyes and looked back at the captain.
"I've got a plan for overtaking the Seventeen Seas and all of its inhabitants. And you will all become part of the greatest and most powerful pirate band the world has ever seen!"
A host of cheers echoed from all around the ship, and Cedric and Sofia mimicked them, trying not to be suspicious.
"Aye! I've developed my own form of what ye know as dark magic, but as it's made by none other than yours truly, I shall hereby call it Maedan Magic!" Seeing the blank looks on his crew members' faces, he deadpanned at them. "Made by Caegan…"
"OHH!" And again, a swell of applause and cheers erupted across the decks.
Sofia rolled her eyes. 'Original,' she thought to herself.
The captain laughed boisterously. "AYE, mateys! Once I conquer all the seas, I'll next be able to control all water sources from around the globe, including precipitation."
"Can he do that?" Sofia asked Cedric quietly, who frowned and nodded. "He can control the weather?"
"Unfortunately, it is possible," he murmured back.
"Next," the captain continued, "my Maedan Magic will be used to manipulate all other forms of magic everywhere, which will have magic wielders bowing at my feet and forfeiting their own powers!" He laughed wickedly, grinning as his members seemed to be doing the same.
Sofia swallowed nervously and unconsciously grasped her amulet. She looked to the side as Cedric gently squeezed her free wrist in a comforting manner. She sighed, turning her eyes back to the older man before them.
"Be harsh and vengeful, lads! Stick to the plan! Take ye no prisoners; instead, rob them of their worth, and I'll deal with any powers we might find. If you can handle that, I'll even divvy out magical forces to my most loyal and productive crew members." He smirked as the crew cheered loudly. After all, he was the only one (that he knew of) who currently possessed any form of magic. Of course these fools would cheer for that possibility, he realized.
Cedric and Sofia exchanged concerned glances.
Once the captain returned to his quarters, the others with Cedric and Sofia laughed and chatted excitedly.
"Can you believe it?" Marty asked enthusiastically. "Magic! We could get magic of our own! Then we'd really be a magical pirate ship and crew."
"Sounds too good to be true," Garnette yawned. "I'll believe it when I see it."
Sofia glanced down as Duchess walked over to her and clambered into her lap, her tiny soft paws playing with the teen's amulet.
"Pretty," the cat cooed, giggling.
The princess had to restrain herself from responding, because she knew that the magic from the amulet allowed her to speak to animals. If she should do so in front of these pirates, she was concerned what would happen. So, instead, she smiled and reached up, gently scratching Duchess's ears, earning a soft purr from the cat. "She is so sweet."
Marty scoffed. "Except when she's hungry. Then she turns into a viper."
"Kind of like Garnette," Muscles teased, flinching a bit when the woman punched him in the arm. "OW!"
Wiggles laughed, smirking at the taller man. "You earned that one, mate."
Duchess hurried back to Marty as Cedric stood and pulled Sofia to her feet. Seeing the inquisitive looks from the group, he rubbed his arm. "Well, it's been a long day, and I think we'd best get some rest."
"Pirates who go to bed early," Garnette laughed. "Now I've seen everything."
Sofia yawned emphatically, shrugging. "Escatopia is on a weird time schedule. It's probably way past midnight there now. Maybe we'll figure out this new schedule soon enough."
"Hope so," Marty snickered. "Don't want you guys to miss out on all the parties! Oh, speaking of which, the captain's 58th birthday party is tomorrow night. Do not skip that, or there will be a riot."
Cedric offered a somewhat strained smile. "Wouldn't miss it for the world… Come along, Raelyn." He turned and led the princess away.
"Something's weird about those two," Wiggles admitted, using a piece of wire to pick his teeth. "I've never seen pirates in such clean clothes before. Or so quiet. They're just…strange."
"Look who's talking," Garnette returned, rolling her eyes. "You're not exactly a poster child for 'normalcy,' Wiggles." She frowned thoughtfully. "But you do have a point…" She glanced toward Marty. "What do you think?"
The darker man shrugged. "Let's wait and see. Again, they're from a different area, so maybe they do things differently there. The true testament will be how they do tomorrow at the party, not to mention when we go on the attack against the magic wielders." He smirked as the woman chuckled. "And then, if there are any further doubts, I suppose we'll just have to bring our concerns to the captain."
"I kinda like them though," Muscles yawned. "After all, anyone who shoves Leopold over the side of the ship has my respect."
Garnette laughed. "True. I guess let's just wait and see then."
To be continued…
Next Chapter: Party on the Sea