Pirate Scouts
Fionn starts his first day at Pirate Scouts where an activity quickly plunges right from the plank into a sea of harassment.
Fionn's P.O.V.
Ahoy mateys I don't know. I be Captain Foxy the Pirate Fox. Or Fionn as I be known 'round 'ere. I be here to tell ye about-"
"The incident at Pirate Scouts."
"Wait? Pirate Scouts? Why that?"
"We heard something bad happened there, we would like to know what it was."
"Really? That day do not be holdin' much significance to what ye be makin' us talk about."
"It does. It gives us a reason as to why what happened, happened."
"Methinks, it does not."
"It does, child. Now, do tell."
"Are ye sure about that, I-woah! Ow! OK, ye make your point clear. I'll tell ye about it; ye can put that infernal flashlight down now."
Ahem, I be here to tell y'all about Pirate Scouts, I guess, and why it bites more than the Kraken and it ain't worth the time, much. I'll just get into it.
"Drop the accent."
"What?"
"Drop the accent; our viewers find it annoying."
"Oh. OK then."
It was Sunday as Ev and I walked up to the building, a large land plot, a small building, mostly an outside place with this water moat around a ship while there was this blue stuff surrounding a small island; usual stuff you'd see at a Pirate Scouts building.
As we approached, Ev gave me a hug and left me at the door, signing that he'd be close if I needed to leave to get him before he left me at the doors. I waved goodbye before opening them up and walking inside. Inside was the orientation for the new recruits. I walked right up to where new kids were going, just off to the right of the doors. I joined up with my friend-
"Who?"
"My friend?"
"Name."
"Rowan Cederlind, but I call him Redwood."
"Description."
"What…?"
"Describe his appearance and personality."
"Um…he's another Karankawa like me, my height, short hair, an' he's really into shipbuildin', an' he knows a lot about trees an' wood types an' carpentry things…that's about it really."
"Good enough. Get back to your tale."
"Aye aye, ma'am."
Soon more kids showed up and then two adults in pirate attire (the scout leaders) appeared and began the orientation. "Welcome kids to Pirate Scouts." they said. "I am Captain Jeremiah, and this is First Mate Lisa." one said, a tall guy with brown hair who motioned into a gal with red hair and around his height. "We'll be your crew's captains and teach you how to be a pirate." Lisa added.
"A real pirate?"
"Well kind of. It's a mix between fantasy and real while also workin' within the law. It's actually kind o' useful since kids get to be pirates without dyin' horribly or gettin' arrested and other unsavory bits of pirate things. Anyway…"
"This year, we'll be teaching you the basics of ships, different types of them, management of all types and finally how to manage a small and large crew. We'll split you kids into several groups of about twelve or so in each." Lisa continued. I don't remember the rest of what they said as I was kind of talking to Redwood at the time, but it was just what was going to happen in the future, another boring stuff. After a few minutes of the two explaining things, we were split up. I was in a group without Redwood and recognized no one so I was alone with a bunch of new kids. I was honestly really excited to meet new people. I've always felt like I don't fit in, and this was the best chance to fit in and find people like me outside of going to those gatherings. These kids seemed nice…, emphasis on "seemed".
Once I got into my group, First Mate Lisa led us outside to the pool. A massive artificial-lake-type creation with a small pirate ship in the middle and a dock leading out to it with a small island in the northeastern corner of the "sea." The pool itself was about 4ft deep as we walked along the dock and climbed up onto the ship. Once onboard we-
"Could you please skip to the part where you were tied up and harassed?"
"Wh-what? How did you-"
"I was told about it. Now if you would elaborate on the incident that would be appreciated."
"Um, alright then?"
Eh…like you said, I got tied up and harassed. What happened was First Mate Lisa finished explaining what we had to do: learn to manage a ship, then showed us the basics before having to leave for some reason. Once she was gone, several kids turned to me and grabbed onto my shoulders, pushing me into the ship mast. Then two others got some rope from Scott knows where (maybe from below deck) and tied me up. I was bound from the bottom of my shoulders to the wrists and then got tied at the knees too. I protested and asked why and all I got was a response of "You're accents annoying, stupid and you don't sound like a pirate at all."
Then they started to laugh, mock and berate me because of it. I tried to ask them to stop as politely as I could while trying to get myself free from the ropes, but they wouldn't listen. After more of this behavior, I yelled at them to stop and they didn't like that. One guy got extremely mad and slapped me, and then more did.
"They insulted…AGH! Sorry 'bout that, fell off me chair.
*Fionn gets up and repositions his chair.*
Anyway, I'll continue. They insulted me more and more because of the accent, my hook, my eyepatch, my hair; they said I was an idiot, a loser in every manner of unsavory and horrible things. Anything they had an opinion on, they said it, clear as day, down to the tiniest, stupidest detail. They even threatened to feed me to the sirens, then laughed and said, "not even the sirens would want me, and those creatures want anyone they can get". It hurt to hear that.
"That doesn't seem to make sense."
It's an example of "yer an insult to rocks." They were saying "the sirens wouldn't try to eat, kill or even bother with me because I was such a loser, idiot etc." That's why it hurt.
An hour of being tied up later, we were called back with a mock ship evacuation from a kraken attack. When I asked if they were going to untie me, they acted like I wasn't even there, and left. I protested and asked them to please untie me so I could leave, and they responded by leaving'. So, I was stuck at the mast for an extra few minutes before First Mate Lisa found me. She untied me and I explained everything before leaving.
I ran like Hell to where Ev was and waited for him. He was inside a shop (selling tools and stuff) buying something (a belated birthday present I think) and I just decided to stay outside so I wouldn't get lost. A few minutes later, Ev walked out, small bag in hand and immediately noticed me. He asked about how it went and I explained before I went home.
"The leaders punished the bullies of course; I mean it was obvious it was gonna happen. So that's what's happened' I still don't see how it is relevant to Friday."
"It is quite relevant to Friday, I'm surprised you don't see it."
"I don't know, getting' bullied at Pirate Scouts doesn't seem to link with nearly dying' horribly."
"It does Fionn, now, please get your sister, it's her turn to be interviewed."
"Alright then. Fionn, signing off."
Author's Note
Just some name fixes and polishing.
Fionn's chapter with the clues necessary to hopefully tell you some more about what's going on.
