The Tale of Sneaky Sam
Chapter 4: The Raft and the Will
Captain Avery then continued as he searched through a pile of Ownership Papers "Well, you've held your end of the bargain, so I'm giving you your own ship like I promised… Ah, here we are!" Avery then took a page he was looking for and gave it to Sam, explaining "Take this writ to Dockmaster Dan near the Kraken Skulls and he'll give you your own ship. Farewell to ye, Captain!"
Sam then made a salute gesture at Avery, before he, Subodai and Bonnie Anne walked to the Marketplace and went down a sandy slope between the Brawling Hall and the Kraken Skulls Tavern, before Bonnie pointed out Dockmaster Dan. Sam is amazed that a Monquistan Ship is behind Dockmaster Dan, so he gave the writ to Dockmaster Dan, who said "Ah, Avery sent ye to claim a boat, I see… Congratulations, you're the proud owner of that 'mighty' ship. Ha ha ha!"
Sam raised his brow in confusion, before Dockmaster Dan added "Oh, I'm sorry, that's not your ship…" Dockmaster Dan waved his hand at the Monquistan ship, which sailed out of the way to reveal a makeshift raft; he then continued, not bothered to hold back some laughter "THAT'S the one, and what a ship she is! You'll be the terror of the Skyways in that beauty! *laughs hard*" Sam then heard someone clear their throat in attention and looked left to see an elderly cat in black clothing and dark glasses.
The cat named Blind Mew then noted "If I may be so bold, young Pirate, that is indeed the saddest excuse of a ship that ever moored at this harbour. I cannot see, but I can hear its planks creaking and groaning like a sick yak." Subodai then gripped his scimitar in fury and retorted "Avery has lied to us! Let's return to him and demand a proper ship!"
Sam didn't need telling twice; he strode off back to Avery's Court and knocked on Avery's door, before he went in and asked Avery in slight rage "A Raft? I've stopped the Troggy bombardment, caught Fin Dorsal and retrieved your Jade Amulet… all for a rickety Raft?!" Avery then replied, aware of Sam's suppressed anger "I'm afraid so, young Pirate. After all, I've honoured the LETTER of our agreement." Sam let out a repressed sigh as he slipped his hands in his pockets, before Avery continued "I'm afraid I cannot give you a better ship, but I CAN lead you to something that Pirates loves more than their ship: Treasure! Have you heard the tale of Captain Gunn?"
Sam looked up at Avery and shook his head, before Avery continued "'Tis a fine tale, and like all Pirate tales, it ends in gold!" Sam gestures Avery to continue, before the latter began "Captain Gunn was a legend in the Skyway; no finer smuggler has ever gone past a heavily guarded blockade. His reputation spanned from Marleybone all the way to Monquista, which both rulers and lower classes feared even his name." Avery took a breath before he continued "Captain Gunn set sail to the mystical land of Mooshu, in discovery of a rare and delectable plant that's named Yum Yum Fruit! It can cure disease, grants strength and restore youth; it can also give you minty breath, which is a nice side effect. However, the emperor holds it sacred and anyone who obtains it is punished with a swift death… if you get caught, anyway."
Avery then took another breath and continued "Gunn smuggled it back in boatloads and made various delicacies from it: Yum Cake, Yum Bread, Yum Pudding… but his real stroke of brilliance is when he bottled it and named his creation 'Yum'! Everyone went crazy for it, to the point that anyone sang 'Yo ho ho and a bottle of Yum', crafty old Gunn makes a pretty penny. When he retired from piracy, he was reknown for being the richest pirate in history… before he died." Avery drummed his fingers on his desk and finished "As from that point onward, no one knows where his loot is kept; his Will and Testament has been lost… until today."
Sam raised his brow in attention, before Avery said "I have a crew member who's in a crew after Gunn's gold; I can get you in his crew, if you do me one favour…" Sam asked in curiosity "What is it, Avery?" Avery replied "There's a Chalice, wrapped in sail cloth among the loot. Bring that sail cloth to me and the loot will be yours." Sam then stood up and noted as he shook Avery's hand "Of course, Captain Avery; I'll be sure to give you that sail cloth the instant we've discovered Gunn's Treasure." Avery made a smile, before he noted "Go talk to Morgan Lafitte in the Swashbuckler's Hall; she has a student in the crew looking for Gunn's treasure. I wish you luck in your quest, Sam."
Sam nodded at Avery, before he left Avery's Mansion and led Subodai and Bonnie Anne to the Swashbuckler's Hall just between Miracle Max's and the Witchdoctor Sanctum. Sam then peered inside the hall and asked "Madam Lafitte? Are you in here?" He didn't get a response, but he readied his weapons in case he gets jumped; he cautiously proceeded inside the hall, his left hand ready to wield his spark pistol as his right gripped his rapier firmly. It was a split second when he heard a creak above his head a few feet to his left and instinctively held his rapier horizontally when it blocked a Monquistan-steel Cutlass with a *Clang!*.
Sam then looked from the ambusher's gripped paw all the way to the torso and realised it was Morgan Lafitte herself; he was surprised to notice that Morgan is smiling at him in interest and she said "You're an interesting addition... Normally, new recruits don't even notice where I strike when they first enter the Swashbuckler Hall, but you somehow blocked my attack flawlessly. Suffice to say, you have got my interest." Morgan then rested her left hand on her hip as she looked at Sam in a flirty smile, which Sam felt slightly uncomfortable about it.
Morgan then made a small, pleased grin and continued "I am certain you will be a potential Swashbuckler, so I will be glad to mentor you in the art of swashbuckling and thinking on your feet. Anyway, onto a more critical topic…" Sam leaned on a support beam with his arms crossed before Morgan continued "So you wish to join the crew looking for Gunn's treasure, comment? I have a star pupil named Sarah Steele who's in that same crew; she and the crew are meeting in the Kraken Skulls, so it'd be best to ask Skinny Pete. Before you go though, mind if you recruit Fan Flanders on your crew?" Morgan then gestured her cutlass to a female Frog Swashbuckler twirling her dual blades near the training dummy; Sam can't pass an offer like that, so he agrees to let Fan Flanders on his crew.
After learning a skill from Morgan, Sam left the Swashbuckler's Hall with his newest crew member and walked with the rest of his crew to the Kraken Skulls. When they entered, they asked Skinny Pete about Sarah Steele and he replied "Ah, yes… she and the other treasure hunters are meeting in the cellar over there." Sam nodded at Skinny Pete, before he and his crew descended into the cellar, where they saw a crew consisting an Otter wearing a trenchcoat and dual spark throwers, a Sloth with a halberd and wore heavy armour, a crab wielding a crossbow, a Water Mole Witchdoctor, a gruff looking wharf rat which Sam supposed is the leader of the expedition with 3 other wharf rats behind him; Sam then noticed the final crew member and saw it was a feminine Wharf Rat with a rapier and a dagger, which Sam realised it was Sarah Steele.
Sam felt flustered when he saw her, as Sarah argued with the gruff Wharf Rat named Ratbeard "Listen, you dirty wharf rat! We're letting you pilot the ship's helm, but I'm leading this expedition!" Ratbeard then gripped his paws firmly with his teeth gritted angrily and retorted "So I'm just a lowly knave in this expedition? *Scoffs* How do we know ye even HAVE the will?" Sarah let out an irritated sigh and replied "I have it right here, you piece of vermin!" As Sarah brandished Gunn's Will, it was suddenly knocked out of her hand by one of Ratbeard's lackeys; Ratbeard then exclaimed as he caught the Will "Finally, the Will is mine! Take care of them lad's, I'll meet you at the hideout!" Ratbeard then ported out of the cellar as the other expedition crew members were taken out by Ratbeard's lackeys, save for Sarah who parried a few attacks. Seeing the only way to leave the cellar in one piece was through the Wharf Rats, Sam and his crew got out their weapons and helped Sarah.
As Sarah parried another attack, Sam took him out with a well-placed shot with his spark thrower; the other Wharf Rats saw their buddy taken out, so they focused their attention on Sam and his crew. As one of them charged at Sam, Subodai parried his attack and kicked him backwards as Bonnie took him out with a shot from her Sparquebus; the other Wharf Rat charged towards Bonnie Anne, when Fan Flanders blocked the swing and pushed him away with her strong frog legs. Sam then fluently rolled to the last Wharf Rat and jumped over his head, before hitting him with his Spark Thrower; Sarah then made a leg sweep, tripping the Wharf Rat before knocking him out. Sam then blew at his fringe, before Sarah noted "Thank you for helping me out of that spot, young Pirate. But Ratbeard has fled with Gunn's Will! If you're going after him, then can I join your crew? He'll regret ever crossing Sarah Steele…" Sam then replied with a small smile "Who said I'd refuse an offer like that? Come on, let's get after that shaggy Wharf Rat."
Sarah smiled at Sam, before she nodded at him; they then left the cellar, when a red haired prospector named Prospector Zeke said "Yer chasing Ratbeard? He came through here like a greyhound with his tail on fire… heh heh. Sprinted out the front door, go git 'im!" Sam thanked Zeke, before he and the crew rushed out the door; a young frog then grabbed their attention and told them "You looking for Ratbeard? He went that way, towards the docks." Sam thanked the frog, before he and his crew sprinted down the sandy slope, when Blind Mew grabbed their attention. He then said "Looking for Ratbeard, are we? I can help you, young pirate."
Sam raised his brow in confusion, before Blind Mew continued "I may be blind, but I have acute hearing. I distinctly heard a group of pattering feet passing by; judging by their scent and voices, they're definitely Wharf Rats. I heard Ratbeard calling to set sail for the hideout; it's well known that he and his crew make port at Blood Shoals." Blind Mew then pointed to the raft that Avery gave to Sam and added "Take possession of that death-trap—I mean 'boat', I wish you luck in your travels." Sam then nodded at Blind Mew and approached the raft; he was surprised to see it shrouded in a stormy cloud before it shrink into a bottle. Sam made an interested look at the ship-in-a-bottle, or in this case, a RAFT-in-a-bottle, before he uncorked it and his raft dubbed 'The Creaking Turtle' regained to full size.
Sam and his crew then boarded the raft and Sam took control of the helm to Blood Shoals; as he neared the port from starboard side, he glanced at Sarah, who's practising her footwork. He looked at her from head to foot, wearing a blush on his cheeks in attraction to her figure; he then averted his eyes just in time to halt the raft on starboard side. The rest of the crew then exited the cabin and joined Sam and Sarah; they then strode across the beach, following a trail of rat prints to a cave. Bonnie Anne then exclaimed "Looks like a trail of prints went in the cave…" Sarah then crossed her arms and noted "But no signs of anyone leaving… keep your guard up." Sam and the others nodded, before they readied their weapons and cautiously proceeded through the cave. As they headed up a tunnel, Sam's nose wrinkled when he smelt something foul just ahead; when they entered the next room, they saw what made the foul smell: 4 recently deceased Wharf Rats around a banquet table.
It wasn't a moment when the spirits of said Wharf Rats emerged from their lifeless bodies; the closest one named Lasko said "You! Please stay and hear our tales of woe!" Seeing that none of them aren't going to attack, Sam and the others holstered their weapon and listened intently to Lasko. Lasko then explained "As you well know, we've helped our Captain Ratbeard in obtaining the Will. We then set sail back to here and had a feast; Ratbeard then announced by raising a glass 'We'll soon be rich boys!' and we ingested our drinks. But the villain betrayed us: the drinks were poisoned and he left us to be a feast for crabs! He'll have the treasure all to himself… unless, you stop him that is." Sam nodded at Lasko's suggestion, when the latter continued "But I can't put ye on Ratbeard's tail until you've helped me shipmates first: Moe – on account of wronging his love, Manny – for he wronged his previous captain, and Jack, for he had done something terrible. Help me shipmates and I'll put ye on Ratbeard's tail."