Story by me.

Proof reading and editing by SeverinadeStrango.

Enjoy.


It had been weeks since Isabel had been snuck aboard the ship, and Lasko felt nervous with every step he took. His fellow crewmembers had found out about the girl, but they kept it a secret for Lasko. The rat pirate slowly began to love the girl, like a father to a daughter. He began teaching her the ways of a pirate. He used some of his money to buy the girl gear and weapons in order to teach her how to fight. She was quite handy with a sword and shield and learned quickly. Although she lacked muscle and defense, she made up for it with her speed and intelligence.

It became harder and harder with each passing day to keep her presence a secret. Ratbeard had been getting suspicious about the way his crew had been acting lately and how his first mate had been slinking off quite often. As he was lost in thought, he saw his first mate again, trying to sneak off.

"Lasko, hold your hairless tail! I want you to come here." The hairy rat ordered his companion as Lasko hesitantly approached. "What's so important that it's got you running off so quickly?" Ratbeard demanded from his first mate.

"I was merely heading to my cabin." Lasko chuckled nervously.

"What is so important in that cabin of yours? Are you hiding something from me?" The old hairy pirate questioned the nervous Lasko.

"No, It's nothing, Captain!" Lasko shouted, thus adding to Ratbeard's suspicion.

"We'll see about that, Lasko." Ratbeard glared as he made his way to the door. Lasko chased after him to stop him from discovering Isabel.

Meanwhile, Isabel was enjoying the view of the window in Lasko's room, sighing at the sight of the vivid colors. The young blond girl then turned to her leather book and began to write a new entry.


Lasko has been teaching me very well on how to use a shield and sword. I'll be able to defend myself when I become a pirate. I'm learning at a slow pace, but it's good for me to learn these things. I just hope that I'll be able to be seen on the deck without worrying about Ratbeard kicking me out. I am very thankful for Lasko and the crew taking me in and raising me to be a fine pirate. One day-


She stopped writing then when she heard a noise from outside. At first, she thought that it was Lasko bringing her food again, but instead it was the angered Ratbeard, who tore through Lasko's room, finding the little girl within seconds.

"Lasko, is this what you were hiding for me? A slave?" Ratbeard demanded, becoming even angrier.

"No, captain, she's a little girl that I found in the ship wreckage. The boys and I have been raising her ever since." Lasko explained, his fear that Ratbeard would toss the girl overboard growing even more.

"I want everyone on the deck for a meeting, including you, at once!" Ratbeard ordered as he pointed as Isabel before marching out of the room. As soon as everyone was present, the captain of the rat crew, Ratbeard, began to speak. "Alright, now can you all tell me why this young lass is here and no one told me about her presence?" The hairy rat demanded as his peg leg slammed into the planks.

"Captain, we only hid her because we didn't want her to be walking the plank. Please, let me be punished, not them or Isabel." Lasko begged as Ratbeard then turned to the young girl.

"So what is your full name, Lass?" Ratbeard demanded from the young pirate to - be.

"Why do you ask, Captain Ratbeard?" Isabel asked.

"Lass, if you want to be a part of my crew, we need to know who you are and what you can do. In order to survive in the Skyways, we need everyone to work hard." Ratbeard explained as the expressions on the crewmembers' faces changed from fear to relief.

"My name is Isabel Agatha Quinn. I'm the last Quinn in Skull Island." Isabel answered as they gasped at her last name.

"So you are a Quinn. Now, Lasko, tell me what she is good at." Ratbeard demanded.

"She is skilled in speed and is very smart. She is also grand with a sword and shield." Lasko reported.

"Then she will be trained as a privateer. Congratulations, Isabel Quinn, you are now a cabin girl and welcome to my crew." Ratbeard declared as the crew burst into applause.

"Manny, give Quinn a new room. If she is going to live with us, she should sleep like us, eat like us, and work like us." Ratbeard ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Manny gave a salute and headed below the deck.

"Moe, I want you to set up a training room for Isabel." The captain ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Moe gave a salute and headed below the deck.

"Jack, I want you to set the course to Flotsam. I want to find some jobs to get some gold." Ratbeard ordered to another pirate.

"Yes, sir!" Jack gave a salute and headed to the steering wheel.

"Lasko, I want ye, as punishment, to gather Battacuda for dinner." The captain ordered the first mate.

"Yes, sir. But what will happen to Isabel while I'm gone?" Lasko asked the captain.

"I want her to be lookout and to keep an eye out for any sign of enemy ships." Ratbeard simply explained as he flipped a lever, causing the Crow's nest to descend to the deck. "Are ye afraid of heights lass?"

"No, sir." Isabel simply answered as she simply shook her head in the negative.
"Good, I'll let you down once we land." Ratbeard answered as she entered the crow's nest and was lifted to the top part of the pole slowly. She saw no signs of any enemy ship of evil creatures. The sky seemed peaceful and pleasant. Opening her leather journal, Isabel continued the entry that she had been in the midst of writing.


I am now a part of Ratbeard's crew and I have began to train with them as a pirate. I may have lost my birth parents, but I still have a family. I thank you, Ratbeard and Lasko.