Chapter Text
“Hoist the flag!”
“Aye aye Cap’n!” someone from the deck shouted back.
“Raise the sails!”
“Aye aye Cap’n!” another person shouted back.
“Alright me-harties, yer gonna make sure this ‘ere ship is in tip top condition y’hear me?”
“Aye aye Cap’n!” multiple crewmates shouted back.
“Shiver me tim-”
“ENOUGH!” a different crewmate shouted from the stern of the ship – no not just a crewmate, the sailing master. “That is NOT how pirates actually talk Roman, and you know it.”
“Ugghh you’re such a buzzkill!” Roman groaned.
“I’m simply stating facts, and the fact is, pirates don’t speak like that anymore.” Logan – the sailing master - adjusted his monocle.
“Yeah? Well I think that I should be allowed to speak like a pirate if I am one!” Roman shot back.
“No-one can understand what you’re trying to say. “Roman raised an eyebrow, walking down the steps from the bow of the ship to the main deck where Logan stood with his hands on his hips.
“Um, excuse me, but people can understand me fine.” The captain made an exaggerated hand gesture, and then called out to one of his crew who was currently climbing – or attempting to climb – the main mast. “Isn’t that right Pat?”
“Aye aye Cap’n!” the addressed pirate said with a salute, nearly letting go of the wooden pole but managing to hold back on in time to not fall off and crash into the deck.
Roman turned back to Logan with an ‘I-told-you-so’ expression. “See?”
“That still doesn’t mean anything. And Patton get down from there this instant.” He yelled the second half after seeing Patton half way up the pole, much to his horror. He swiftly walked over to the bottom of the mast.
“I’ll be fine!” the first mate called back, putting on a pirate accent, smiling.
“Stop that accent right now, and get down. You could fall and injure your leg. And that’s not even how you climb up there in the first place!” Logan shouted, some of the other crew members were looking over to see what was going on and then smiling at the antics of the 2 before returning back to what they were doing (though some continued to watch anyway).
“Aw Lo, I’m glad you care, but I don’t think I can injure this leg anymore!” he joked, sticking out one of his legs – or what would have been a leg – out.
“Patton you know that’s not what I meant.” Logan stood underneath Patton, discretely ready to catch him if he were to fall.
“You’ve got me ‘pegged’ Logan!” He giggled at his pun, whereas the other just groaned and put his head in his hand, then yelled again for the other man to get down.
With a sigh, Patton started to climb back down until he had both feet (or foot?) safely back on the deck.
“You never let me do anything fun!” he complained.
“It’s more a matter of your safety than fun.” Logan grumbled as he walked away.
It was early enough in the morning that the sun was only just peaking over the horizon, but late enough that most of the crew were up, except for a few who did later shifts… and Remy.
But Remy was, well…
Remy was Remy.
The ship was alive with the sound of the crew going about their daily tasks – each with their own job to be doing. The occasional seagull landed on deck and someone chased it off quickly before it got to their food reserves (or else it would mean trouble).
The last time one of those damned birds had gotten into the reserves, they had no fresh fruit or fish for a week – before they were able to stop off somewhere and restock to make up for the losses.
All of the crew had a mutual hatred for canned tuna after that week, after having to eat nothing but it for pretty much every meal for 7 days.
After Roman had put Remy in charge of the food, there hadn’t been another attack on their supplies since, and no-one knew why, but they sure as hell weren’t complaining.
Once Patton had been sorted out that morning, the event causing quite a bit of attention, Logan went to stand with Joan – the pilot – at the front of the ship, double checking their route plan and making sure they were headed in the right direction.
Roman was busy strutting around the ship in his knee-high red leather boots while people worked – helping out wherever he could and at the same time giving orders as well.
Once the sun had hit a quarter of the wat up the horizon – around 10am according to Logan’s pocket watch – a familiar crewman stumbled out from the crew’s quarters and held an arm up, shielding his eyes from the sun.
“Look who decided to join us!” Roman remarked with a chuckle.
“Why is it so bright? OH CRAP I FORGOT ME SHADES BRB GURL!” the man shouted and then promptly ran back the way he came. After a few minutes he emerged again, sunglasses on his face and holding a cup filled with what one would only assume was coffee, based on the smell. How he got the drink no one knew.
Logan walked over and greeted Remy. “Salutations. I keep telling you to not wear those- things. They’ll just fall off and you’ll get upset when they do.”
“It’s fiiiine Logan, don’t be so uptight about it gurl, loosen up a bit!” Remy replied.
“Hm. Yes. Maybe.” Logan said flatly, clearly not getting with what Remy was saying. “Still, at least put some string on the end as a ‘just in case’ or whatever you say.” He stated.
“What, and have it look all old and ancient like your one-eyed glass piece thing? No thanks! Boring!” Logan looked at Remy with slight distaste.
“It’s called a monocle thank you very much. Now get back to work.” He then strode off back to a cabin to look at a map.
“Whatever you say boss!” Remy saluted and walked off.
“Hey!” Roman yelled from the other end of the ship, and made an offended noise. “That’s my job bossing people around!”
The day went by like any other usual day on the Dream Chaser would. Work until the sun hits the top of the sky – noon – eat lunch, work till sunset, eat, sit ‘round a lamp in the centre of either the crew’s quarters or one of the sheltered decks and tell stories and sing songs, sleep. Then when the sun rises again, repeat. It was a good rhythm they all had going and it worked for them all too.
Patton didn’t attempt to climb up to the crow’s nest again that day and Logan – well he was Logan and just helped Joan with mapping, and kept everyone Remy out of trouble.
The only exception to the norm that day was when there was a shout from the crow’s nest.
“Captain!” Derionna, the barrel man (barrel woman?) yelled and Roman dashed to the foot of the mast.
“Yes? What is it?” he shouted up.
“Ship ahoy!” she yelled back. “On the port side!”
And indeed when Roman turned to the left – there was a ship. But not just any ship, no. it was one of their old and longstanding friends, or should I say enemies.
“Oh for the love of- what are they doing here?!” Roman exclaimed, crew members turning to see the ship which had been spotted in the distance – growing closer by the minute.
“What is it Cap’n?!” Patton asked after rushing up to be by his side, Logan doing the same after telling Joan to continue with steering the ship.
“It’s a good friend of ours, padre. Come to say hello have they?” Roman ran up and promptly took control of the steering wheel from Joan, who went to help on deck. “Well, we’ll just have to see if they want to play nice this time.”
He spun the wheel which caused the ship to veer to the left suddenly and catch the wind – accelerating the boat forward. The other ship seemed to have the same idea as they too went forward to ‘meet’ the Dream Chaser.
“All hands on deck!” He shouted and people scattered to their positions. He then gave Joan back control of the wheel and then ran and jumped to the bow of the ship, staring out at the dark wood of the other ship approaching.
He could see the outline of someone standing at the front of the other boat and he felt like he knew who it was – even if based off the yellow colour of the design on the ship’s flag.
“Maybe… maybe this time they won’t mean harm…?” Patton suggested hopefully.
“Maybe-” Roman’s sentence was cut off as a cannon was sounded from the other ship and a ball of metal came hurtling towards their ship at an almighty speed – only just narrowly missing their ship.
Patton gulped. “Well I guess that answers that then-” another cannonball was shot at them.
“Well that’s just rude. Gunner to your places! Patton go check to see if the cannons are ready and let me know when they are. We need to be as ready for any attack as we possibly can. Logan you go help out too!” The two men saluted and then ran off to help. Roman put a hand on his sword’s handle, ready to unsheathe it at any moment and stood in a ready position, poised for any possible hand-to-hand combat that may occur.
The 2 ships grew closer by the second and the Dreamer’s drew rushed about readying their defences for the combat they knew may come.
For a good number of minutes the crews on both ships rushed around, the opposing captain and Roman both standing at the front of their respective ships.
“Ah, so we meet again my friend.” The Dreamer’s captain spoke once the other ship came close enough to be within shouting range.
“So it seems.” The other man replied, hate dripping from his words. “What are you still doing in these waters Roman?”
“I have as much right to be in this ocean as you do.” From this distance it would be hard to miss the yellow covering the edges of the other pirate’s clothing. “Clear off Deceit, you know we don’t like fights. So just get out of here.”
Deceit scoffed, the 2 men standing behind him – whom Roman recognised to be Deceit’s first mate and another crewmate he vaguely recognised, one on either side, chuckled along too. At that moment Patton ran up behind Roman, wooden leg making a thumping noise as he went.
“The cannons are ready on your word Captain.” He reported quickly and urgently, eyeing Deceit wearily.
“Alright, thank you Patton.” Roman nodded and Patton saluted, Logan only just joining and standing next to Patton, both behind Roman.
“I see your arm has healed from our last…” he paused, inspecting his gloves, “…duel.” Roman winced at the memory, before scowling.
“I’d hardly call that a duel.” Logan muttered under his breath, but caught Deceit’s attention.
“Still taking orders from that one-eye betrayer huh?” Deceit smirked.
“His name is Logan, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak of my friends in such a manner than you very much.” He said firmly.
“Have it your way.” Deceit shrugged.” But when he turns on you too, I’ll have nothing to say except ‘I told you so’.” He smiled menacingly and so did the men behind him.
“Still have liars for crew mates then I see?” Roman jeered back at the other captain.
“Roman don’t-” Patton’s hand on his arm was shrugged off and his warning went unnoticed.
Deceit only glared, drawing his sword. “Is that a challenge to a fight?” he asked.
Roman drew his sword as well. “There’s nothing I’d like more.”
The two men glared at each other with their swords drawn from their sheaths.
“Ready,”
They spoke at the same time.
“Roman I don’t think-” but Patton’s voice was cut off as both of them shouted in unison.
“FIRE!”
And then the battle began.