Pie-rat: Aye, Captain Shadow be a cold lad, with a fierce and tough crew, but he also be in tight control of the lads. The princess, on the other arm be very desperate and fiery for any chance to escape. Alas her bad leg be the end-a 'er.
Anonymous: You've got an idea of the roles the characters are taking. The Pirates movies absolutely inspired some of this, combined with my own research and understanding. There is certainly plenty of overlap between the Pirates cast and the Sonic cast.
Now as for Bunnie, Steelnik did say he would only take half. The other-half is fine, plenty to torture later if he needs to remind Antoine who he works for…
Sonic is Blaze's enemy, at least for now. He has present a threat to her mission and duties to her kingdom. There is one thing I need to correct, and that is the notion of "The" pirate code. There is no singular pirate code. Each code was specific to a ship and the captain. There was usually some overlap between two pirate ships' codes, but no single code was accept by every pirate. We get this notion from Alexander Exquemelin, who wrote the overlap between a few pirate ships he encountered.
Knuckles was very clever, and knew when to keep his mouth shut. He saw an opportunity, and took it. Shadow and his crew might be able to detect the fake… he lets them see it. Who knows, he might just take the profit and sail off. He is a powerful pirate captain.
Assassin's Creed Master: Sonic has several layers to him from what I have planned. The Sonic cast offers a great and fertile ground for story telling, and I love to exploit it and twist it. The concept of "Pirate Sonic" is something I saw that seems to have been abandoned in every story attempt people have done. Sonic and Blaze are enemies, a royal trying to carry treasure to a distant land, and a pirate who wants to take that treasure. See my response for -Anonymous- above on the nature of the pirate code.
The dynamic between our protagonists and our secondary characters is going to be fun and full of revelations and challenges. Stick around, because there is plenty on the way.
/*-*/
The anchor struck the bottom of the sea as the ship lurched forward along the docks. Sonic didn't even wait for the ship to pop back from the recoil. He jumped onto the dock with the panting cat in his arms. He shot across the wooden planks, much to the enragement of the Dock keeper, who shouted something at him.
Sonic didn't bother responding or looking back at him. He was more concerned with the cat in his arms. She was a breathing bag of silver, that was all he cared about. Sonic was a deadly scourge of the sea, he couldn't care less about the prisoners' health.
Her breathing wasn't right. It wasn't steady or stable. Her breath would hitch or halt with every lump or rock in the road. Her royal lips were pale and looked cold, and were dried by every huff she gave. She didn't look good at all.
Sonic ran up the dirt road, pushing the princess's head into his chest to keep her nose away from the kicked up dirt. The trip wasn't too long when he ran so fast, but the dirt wouldn't help her.
He arrived at the steps of the church, and tore open the doors, "Sister! I need help!"
Vanilla was on her knees, with her hands clutched together. The small rabbit, Cream was next to her, also in prayer. Sonic may have disrupted their special time, but it was an emergency, and Vanilla thankfully moved quickly enough to respond to the emergency. She stood up and turned to see Sonic, before her face immediately lit up with surprise.
"What horror have you brought to this place?" Vanilla exclaimed, quickly rushing over to, her nun outfit swaying behind her as she ran. Cream quickly rushed along behind her, but almost tripped over the robes as she ran.
Sonic quickly handed the kitty to Vanilla and caught Cream as she fell. She then stood upright and smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Sonic."
He gave her a quick nod before zipping back to Vanilla, licking his lips, "Please, you have to take care of her. I'm bloody begging you!"
Vanilla held the young woman in her arms, before glaring back at Sonic, "What have you done to her?" Her eyes accused Sonic.
"Nothing! She was swinging a sword at me and I cut her leg and banged her head. That's all. We fished her out of the ocean and took care of her. I swear it on Saint Michael himself." Sonic crossed himself at her.
Banilla held her gaze for a moment, before she softened and nodded, taking the princess to the back area that served as the church hospital. Sonic ran in front of her and kept the door open so she wouldn't need to stop.
"I believe you. You aren't a boy to lie when he's done something wrong." Vanilla sighed as she set the princess on the table with the white cloth over it. The motion was slow and gentle so as to not increase the pain on the Princess's body.
Then Vanilla looked up at Sonic, "Where is the wound?"
"On her leg." Sonic raised up the cat's pant legs to show the seaweed bandages that were wrapped over her.
"She went into the water?" Vanilla asked again looking at the rather weak and frayed leaves.
"Yes, Sister. I sent her into the water with a quick cut." Sonic explained once again.
Vanilla paled for a moment, before crossing herself and praying, "Lady Mary, please intercede on my behalf and protect this soul from suffering and damnation." She then turned to her small assistant, who had also been praying and smiled, "Cream, grab the medicine from the cupboard."
The little rabbit ran over to the cupboard on the other side of the room and ran back with a small bottle.
"Sonic, Come here and cut these bandages." Vanilla ordered, and Sonic listened. He drew his cutlass and pressed it between the fur and bandage-
He heard a squelching sound, and the princess's leg muscles gave too much. Sonic felt his breathing getting tough.
"Stay calm, The good Lord willing, we will save her." Vanilla ordered and again, Sonic obeyed. He pushed the blade up the Princess's calf, and pulled away, cutting leaves away.
Vanilla took a deep breath and grabbed the Green Leaves, and began to unwrapped them from the cat. There was sticky, tearing sound that came from the motion. Sonic looked away, but could still see the seaweed, covered in sickly yellow and green cream, being tossed away.
"Oh Dear, her cut is seriously infected. Cream, bring the cloth bandages here, the leeches and the maggots." Vanilla ordered. The little rabbit returned with the musky jar full of black slug-looking creatures inside.
Vanilla poured some of the liquid from the bottle of medicine over the cut, and smeared it with a rag, wiping away the colored puss. Her hands were shaking as she tossed the rag aside, and turned to the small rabbit, "Please bring me the holy water."
The little rabbit ran away inside the church.
Sonic shifted, "Anything I can do to help, Sister?" He hated being still. It reminded him too much of being bedridden.
"Stay over there. This is a dangerous infection, but it is not beyond saving." She sounded weary and stressed.
The young rabbit returned with a large, fine rum bottle, which had been emptied and filled with the sacred water. Vanilla poured it over her hands and over the wound, before mumbling something about guidance and salvation in the old language. Sonic had never been good with the language that only priests used.
Vanilla held up her rosary and finished her prayer around the wound. She then opened the jar of leeches and began to place them around the cut, where they took hold.
Vanilla stepped away from the cat, who was moaning and mumbling something while on the table. Sonic gulped, "So now what? What can we do?"
Vanilla sighed, and pressed lightly on the leg. More puss oozed out, and she whipped it away, before pouring more water over the wound, "Now we pray for her survival."
"Sister, I was told you were in here." A fox Nun came inside the hospital, " Father Mattew is ready to start Mass."
Vanilla stood up from her kneeling position, and nodded, "Indeed, some scripture would suit me well. Sonic, would you care to join us?"
Sonic was hesitant, but then he heard his prisoner cough. His whole demeaner changed. He could use some time to hear the good news, "I'll go for mass." Sonic nodded.
/*-*/
Blaze had a life that some would say was… controlled.
When she was five, she ran outside, and played in the garden. This prompted her to be washed for an hour, with dirt pouring out of every mat of fur. She was punished further with a lecture while her father took her on a tour of the kingdom. He told her about duty, responsibility and appearance. She had an image to uphold, and a duty to perform. Thus, getting dirty was not acceptable.
When she was seven, she spilt food while greedily eating the second dish at dinner. It had spilt onto her favorite dress and stained down the center a red tomato color. She was punished by being forced to wash her own dress, and scrub the stain out. Then, her backside was struck three times, and her father reminded her of her duties to the kingdom. Thus, eating food without proper manners was not acceptable.
These memories stood in front of her like a mirage, the world around her being black in the face of each passed time.
She was eleven, her little arms put into a tighter dress. Her feet were put into the most uncomfortable shoes which crushed her toes together. Young Blaze was so displeased. The maid tending to her apologized, of course, but a child in pain doesn't care about apologies or reasons. Her mother came in right as she shouted an obscenity, on a holy day no less. She was struck across her face twice by her mother. Then her father came in, took her on tour once again and reminded her of what she needed to be. Thus, speaking in an uncouth way was not acceptable.
She had learned many important lessons at a young age. What was good and needed for the sake of her kingdom. It was not a privilege, it was a duty that she needed to fullfil.
The visions faded away slowly. Blaze felt warmer, but not in a feverish way. She felt a blanket over her body as she woke slightly. She was in an empty room that appeared to be doctor's house. Her leg did not burn, but instead tingled with a light numbness to it. She was alive, perhaps free and in the Kingdom of Acorn, awaiting her betrothed.
/*-*/
It had been three years since Sonic last attended mass. He forgot how long it was, and the priest seemed extra content to go through the Latin Prayers.
Sonic found himself praying as well, Lord, please don't let her die on my watch. I don't want to see her dead. I know I've been distant, but if you let her live-"
"Amen." The priest stated, crossing himself and dismissing the church.
Sonic gulped and stood up as the pirates in front of him and the townsfolk beside him stood up. They began to leave, and Sonic stayed as the rows left. Not every pirate had good faith, but there were some there, at least.
Once the room was empty, Father Matthew stood at the front of the church, "My child, is there something that troubles you?" He still had that firm, commanding tone that would scare even Shadow away from the church if he came to cause problems.
"No…. Well… There's a girl." Sonic struggled to find the right way to approach and leave the conversation. He could just walk off, but that would be rude to the father, and it would kill any good will Sonic had built up.
"I would be happy to marry you two this fine young lady." Father Matthew, the big bear with a history of stoicism, smiled.
"What- No, No, nothing of the sort, father. She's sick, and I'd like her in your prayers. She's very important, and needs all the help you can give her." Sonic explained with a smile.
"I will pray for her, and instruct the nuns to do the same." Father Matthew gave Sonic another forced smile.
Sonic nodded.
"Maurice, a word." Vanilla's voice came from the doorway.
Sonic gulped. She never used his middle name unless she was upset. Sonic moved quickly, giving the father a bow and running over at a normal pace to the hospital section of the church.
Sonic stepped in and Vanilla stood there, with Cream sitting in a chair. Once the door was closed, Vanilla immediately accused Sonic, "What miserable curse have you brought to my church!" Her voice was harsh and punctual.
"What do you mean, sister?" Sonic asked, gulping at the sight of the angry nun who was not thrilled about it. She was keeping her voice quiet, which told Sonic that he was quite possibly in a lot more trouble than he thought he would be in.
Vanilla held up a bright red small oval gem. It looked familiar, but Sonic couldn't place it, "This is the Bleeding Ruby. I know because the church has had to watch and intervene against counterfeits."
"Ok, it's a fancy stone. We could sell it somewhere." Sonic smiled, looking away as the gem clearly made Vanilla uncomfortable.
"There are four of these in the world to my knowledge. They belong to the royal family in the Kingdom of Sol." Vanilla stated with her voice agitated and accusing.
Sonic shifted, "And? How's that my bloody problem?" he didn't raise his voice, but Vanilla still glared at him with an anger. She didn't like it when he swore, and church was no place to do so. "Sorry." Sonic bowed his head at her.
"Did you sink a royal ship?" Vanilla demanded, her voice sounding stressed.
"What? No, even I'm not that brave." Sonic waved it off, before coming clean with her, "I just caught the princess on a merchant ship." He smiled again, hoping to quell her anger.
"You captured a Sol Kingdom princess?" Vanilla gasped, panting, "and you brought her here?"
She rubbed her cap, clearly disappointed in Sonic.
"Don't worry, I'll have her sent off soon. We'll get a ransom and that'll be that." Sonic tried to calm her.
"They will want vengeance. It's not the same as a ship captain. You captured Princess Blaze from the Sol Kingdom. The royal courts will demand blood. They will punish everyone here." Vanilla scolded, before her eyes widened, "God help us, if anything happens to her here, then the Sol Kingdom will destroy everything on this island. Sonic, you must ensure that nothing happens to her once she is better."
"I'll take care of her, don't you worry your little britches. I'll take care of her." Sonic vowed, raising his hands to calm the nun. Lord knew he did not need to feel her wrath.
"Very well. Let's check on the princess and see if she is fair." Vanilla sighed, releasing the tension in her shoulders. She opened the door and they walked into the lit room with the princess Blaze, who was still, but had plenty of color. That was an improvement.
Vanilla walked over to the cat, and pulled up the legging, to see the leeches had swollen, plump and fat from the blood sucking. The cut was nicer, purple color, with the green and yellow mostly gone. Vanilla walked over to the medicine cabinet and pulled out a knife.
"Oh, Sorry, sister I forgot your medicine. I'll bring it quick." Sonic mumbled quickly, and turned around to leave.
"I would like to be alone when she wakes. I feel that your presence might frighten her." Vanilla stated coldly, sighing as she came back and pressed the knife flush against the cat's skin.
"I'll be quiet." Sonic smiled, before leaving and shutting the door as little Cream came along to hospital, skipping innocently as she went to help the sister.
Sonic zipped down to the boat, and went below deck, ignoring the calls of his and the other crews. He picked up the box, when he noticed something: Knuckles was gone, and they hadn't divvied the loot yet.
/*-*/
Blaze's eyes opened slowly once again, to the sight of a silver blade over her face. She jerked up with her hand, grabbing the wrist of a… nun. She was rabbit, and had a strong arm, because Blaze couldn't move her forearm a bit.
"Calm down, miss. I'm a nun, tending to your wounds. I won't harm you, not in this house of God anyway." The nun had a voice like Blaze's mother, one that was sweet until you disobeyed her, and then she became terrifying.
Blaze rested her arms and looked down, "I have been wounded?"
"Do you not remember?" The Rabbit asked, and Blaze felt more tingling in her leg, followed by a very cold sensation. There a movement across her calf-muscle, and a tension being released. Then Blaze saw the source of the tension. A large, slimy slug-like creature sat on the edge of the knife, not pierced through.
Blaze tensed up and her heart began to race.
The Nun immediately noticed and gave her a comforting smile, "It's only a leech. I have five more to remove. They did their job well, these leeches. Your cut is now purple and not green." She set the slug in a jar that had murky water in it.
Blaze blinked. It must be a local medicine, or perhaps the wayward doctors who came to her father's court were not such liars when they mentioned healing-slugs.
The Nun continued to pluck the leech-slugs off her leg.
"Please, tell me where I am?" Blaze asked, as her senses were assaulted by the strange place.
"You are in a hospital." The rabbit smiled as a younger, smaller rabbit with a spitting image of the nun came in with a cloth. Blaze scowled at her statement, and the nun smiled and closed her eyes for a moment, "Forgive me, I saw no harm in the joke. You are in Borava."
"Borava?" Blaze was not familiar with that territory.
"In the green- New sea." The rabbit smiled, as she put the lid on the jar that held the slugs, before rubbing a finger across Blaze's wound, "Can you feel that?"
"It hurts, lightly." Blaze sighed, still laying back.
"Very good. I will get this bandaged up, and we can talk about what you will do while you are here." The nun sighed, pulling out white cloth.
"While I am here? I must get to the Acorn's capitol." Blaze insisted. She was late for meeting her husband to be, and delivering their gems.
"Miss Blaze, you don't remember much of the past few days, do you?" The rabbit smiled softly, as she began to wrap Blaze's leg.
"I have had much excitement these past few days. But I have had strange dreams, and I have trouble distinguishing the two." Blaze sighed, sitting up.
"Well… I'm not entirely sure the details, but captain Sonic has brought you here. I believe he mentioned something of ransom, though I have never heard him to be one to ransom a prisoner." The Nun voiced her thoughts.
This only confirmed that the worst part of Blaze's dreams in the past few dreams the past few days were true. She was a prisoner, and that meant that… the Gems were lost, "Please, you must get me back on course."
"Miss, I would love to help you, but I haven't a rowboat to my name. I'm afraid the best I can do is give you food for your body and soul." The rabbit sighed, and pulled away. Blaze's leg was tightly wrapped, but it didn't sting anymore.
"Nun, you have a duty to get me to safety. There will be consequences if you do not." Blaze growled at the nun, "I am the Princess of the Kingdom of Sol. My father will not tolerate this pirate marauding."
The nun frowned, shaking her head, "My duty is to God and God alone, and your father will do nothing. This is Borava, the Pirate haven, with two hundred ships in a bad season. He would have re-route his entire navy, homeland and colony fleets to rescue his little girl, and no king would lose that many men for one person, even his own daughter."
Blaze gulped at that statement. There were really so many pirates on the island? Was it truly hopeless?
"Miss, I do wish to help you, so I can offer you this advice: find a good captain, and be polite when you ask them for help." The Nun smiled at Blaze, when the door opened.
"Sorry I'm late, Sister… I got a little spooked down at the dock." The Blue- DEMON. That miserable hedgehog was right in front of her! He saw her and smiled ,"Oh, good. You had me worried there for a half-moment when you almost died."
"You! You vile, disgusting Brigand!" She spat at the blue Captian. Blaze tried to get out of bed when the Nun restrained her.
"Miss, you are not fully healed. And speaking of good captains, here is captain Sonic. He's an honest boy, with a good history and a fair personality." Vanilla, the nun smiled at Blaze, being unsubtle with her hint.
"I'm a scourge of the sea! I am not a fair, nice man." Sonic grumbled, carrying a large box from the Drunken Tempest before setting it on the ground, "Anyway, Vanilla, here's some more medicine."
The nun simply shook her head, "Very well, scourge of the sea, please set it over by the medicine cabinet. I assume I won't be charged for this delivery?"
"Keep pushing your luck and I will." Sonic, the dreadful pirate, growled at the nun.
Blaze felt herself be on guard. This was the man who attacked her ship, likely sank if, and sabotaged the entire diplomatic mission. She had to be fierce with him.
And yet it felt so wrong to attack in that moment. Their calm nature and casual dialogue made Blaze believe they were not ready to fight. The fact that this was apparently in a church on an island built for pirate added a sense of sanctity to the room.
"Say, Sister. You wouldn't have happened to seen Knuckles or Bernard in here. Knowing ol' red, he might have been in the confession booth, talking about groping that bat that robbed us, begging for forgiveness, confessing that he was going to do it again tonight?" The Captain asked the nun, sounding a little worried.
"You know I cannot break the seal of confession." Vanilla the nun stated in annoyance.
"Have you seen him at all today?" Sonic groaned, rolling his eyes, "He's usually there when we get ready to unload."
Vanilla shook her head, "I can't say that I have seen him at all today. Perhaps he is… indulging one of his… many vices." She sighed in annoyance.
"Hmm… I'll check the tavern again." He disappeared out of the room, once again moving faster than her eyes could make sense of.
"He's a good man." The nun sighed, glancing at Blaze, "I know a few more, and I'll tell you about them, if you wish."
Blaze paused for a moment, before nodding.
/*-*/
Sonic scoured the area for his muscle. Where Knuckles had gone was a mystery, and Sonic had a few theories.
One: The big lug had decided to get piss drunk after losing the gems. Not entirely out of character, and the most likely one. He was a bit of a pes- realist.
Two: Knuckles was going to punch Shadow in the face and try to steal the emeralds back, with a high probability of getting knocked out and shoved into a fish barrel. Also very likely.
Three, but thoroughly crossed off: He was in confession, apologizing for various things, enduring the penance, and then going to option 1.
Four: Knuckles had done something else stupid or selfish, and was about to do something even more stupid or selfish.
Sonic decided to double check option one, zipping to the tavern in a split second, and opening the doors. The place was bare, empty save for the usual drunk who never seemed to run out of coin to throw into a tankard.
There was also the pink hedgehog whore, who was carrying a drink to the old drunk in the corner. She set it down as the door shut, and turned to see Sonic standing there as she let go of the drink. The pinkie stood up with the coin for the drink and brought it back to the counter.
The old Barkeep passed Sonic a glance, then an approving nod. He knew Sonic was a good boy and would behave. So the Barkeep went in the back, probably doing something with stock or goods. It was getting close to party time.
The pink hedgehog walked up to Sonic, and licked her lips.
Sonic smiled at her. They stood like that for about ten seconds. Sonic then waved his hand in front of her face, "Um, hello?"
She jumped up, and opened her mouth, before closing it. Sonic sighed, "I'm captain Sonic, can I have your name?"
"I- Um, Rose. I be known as Rose." The pink hedgehog mumbled, shifting.
"You know, for a whore, you seem pretty shy. How much business do you get as lady of the night?" Sonic asked, amazed at how a woman could be at such a rowdy bar and be so quiet.
"I-I." The girl covered her face and she looked straight down. Sonic could see the tips of her ears turning bright red.
"Look, if you want to talk, just come by and talk with us. I'll buy you a drink tonight. No services or anything. It might do you some good to shake off that shyness." Sonic grumbled before shaking his head, "Anyway, you see a red echidna come through here?"
Rose shook her head under her hands.
Sonic frowned, "Where could he be. This is practically his second church… or I guess it'd be his first church."
Sonic turned around and left, before running to the docks, expecting to find a crowd around a pummeled red echidna. But as he was running, he saw the red Echidna, sitting up by the port area where the generous benefactor was. He was starring off at the open sea, his arms in front of him.
Sonic sighed in relief, that was better than anything he could have hoped for, "Oi, Knuckles, I thought you'd gone out drinking and whoring before we'd even divvied up what was left of our loot. What are you doing out here."
Sonic walked up to the echidna, who turned around with a bit of panic in his eyes before sighing, "Just thinkin', nothin' more."
"Don't hurt yourself." Sonic smirked at the muscle of his group, before sitting down, " I know you think I-"
"Ya fucked the sheep, again… No, I don't. I think ya be too caring to be a pirate." Knuckles sighed. This was weird for him, because if he was angry, he'd usually shout and throw punches. His hands tightened around each other as he listened.
"Well, I try to keep all of you scoundrels alive if I can." Sonic grumbled, before looking down. For the briefest moment, Sonic saw an orange glint in Knuckles' hands.
Sonic zipped forward and pulled out what was in it. The orange glint was real. It was one of the emeralds, "Where'd you get this? You didn't go rob Shadow in port, did you?"
Sonic panted at the prospect. There were rules in the pirate code against robbing each other. Knuckles would get punished, then Sonic and his crew would be punished. Knuckles lunged and yanked the gem from Sonic's hand
"Of course not. I be not that stupid." Knuckles grumbled, looking down in his lap with a look Sonic hadn't seen on the bastard in a while: shame.
Sonic's brain worked overtime to figure out what was going on. There was one alternative, and it made Sonic's stomach quench, "Did you rob me?"
Knuckles shoved the gem back into Sonic's arm, "Take the damn thing. I don't think ya can fault me fer wanting more in life."
"You robbed me. Your own captain." Sonic growled forcefully relaxing his jaw, "I took your ass out of the bloody fucking jungle and you stab me in back!"
"I didn't do it. I be thinkin' about it, but I didn't." Knuckles growled, shoving Sonic back, "You keep fucking the damned sheep, we be the ones who pay. The little fox-shite is fine, and we all be forty million shorter." Knuckles stood up and stormed back.
"Where do you think your bloody ass is going before I beat it?" Sonic growled, reaching for his cutlass. He hadn't really thought up a punishment for betrayal like this, but he was about to do something about it.
"Back to drinking and whoring. It'll be all I can do for the rest of me life anyway." Knuckles growled at Sonic.
Sonic stopped and sighed. There wasn't much of a point to pushing it. He looked down at the gem in his hands. There was a lot to think about, now that the twenty-million-coin blessing was back.
It was starting to feel like a curse.
/*-*/
Well Lads, that be another chapter, perhaps with less cannons and gunfire, but plenty-a good talkin. Sonic and Blaze both be in the open water, with no clear route to sail.
Make sure ya scurvy-crusted scally-wags leave a note for the captain. He be interested in all ya have to say, and be careful to take good advice. Or ya write a quiet letter and the captain'll write back to ya soon, no one else 'll know it was ya.
