The Crystalline Pirates

Growling and groaning, Evelyn was finally waking up. She opened up her eyes to see a wood sliding ceiling with a fan and ship lap walls around her with a port window. Studying the rest of the room she saw Goob in a chair, looking at her. "Hi?" She said.

 "So you're finally awake," he said. There was something weird about him right now. "Do you know how long you've been asleep for?"

 "I don't even remember a lot of how I fell asleep so enlighten me, please," She said with a smile.

 "You've been out for three days." Goob said.

 Evelyn's mouth was ajar. She spoke up and said, "What happened?"

 "Well we got away," he laughed slightly, then said, "And then you did something I had never seen anyone do before. You annihilated the entire island in explosions."

 "Was it cool?"

 "It was horrifying!" Goob exclaimed. She calmed down and continued, "How long," she started. "Little Lyn, I've known you since you were ten. I've seen you in dresses and tank tops around the bar and never, never, seen that mark on your arm." He points to the Siren mark on her arm. "How long have you been a Siren?"

 "Oh cool, I'm being put on the spot. Should I cherish this moment? I feel like he's scolding me like a father does to a child that's in trouble. I've never felt this feeling before," Evelyn was thinking to herself.

 "Siren's have their marks since birth, how come yours wasn't there until recently," He was looking at her and she was just smiling at him. He signed and there was a knock at the door. "Come in."

Fawn walked in wearing a black coat lined with white fur, black leather pants and knee-high leather boots. "Oh good. You're awake," She said. "Three whole days. You gave me a scare."

 "Right, you escaped with us," Evelyn said. "I'm happy, but why?"

 "That's because family takes care of family," Goob laughed. Evelyn had a confused look on her face. "Let me explain. Goob isn't my real name. It's just a name I earned. My real name is Godric Silver."

 "And my name is Fawn Silver," Fawn said. "We're cousins."

 "Oh," Evelyn said. That makes a lot of sense as why Fawn was a councilwoman at 19."

 "That was actually a voucher from my parents," Fawn admitted.

 "My parents are long gone so Fawn's parents raised me for as long as they could and then had Fawn. I took care of her for a bit before I left and became a pirate but would come back from time-to-time. When Fawn wanted to venture out, her parents left her a voucher and it helped her become a councilwoman at a young age," Goob said.

 "I really wanted to be a pirate with my cousin here, but he wouldn't let me," Fawn said.

 "Yeah, well it can't be helped now," Goob laughed. "But I'm in luck! I've gained three new crew members!"

 "Fawn and who else?" Evelyn asked.

 "Jackson. I've never had a technician so that's great. And you are of course!" Goob said.

 "I'm- I'm a pirate?" Evelyn said with a squeal of excitement in her voice.

 "I wouldn't say full-fledged just yet. You don't exactly have a boun-"

 "Here," Fawn interrupted handing Goob a rolled up piece of paper. This came before I came down here."

 He just looked at here and began to unroll the piece of paper and said, "Oh. Well, this is unexpected. It seems you haven't even been on the sea for a week and much less been on the deck and you already have a bounty. You're a full-fledged pirate now alright."

 "WHAT?" Evelyn yelled.

 Goob handed her the paper and she saw a photo of her face and read aloud, "Evelyn Black. Wanted Dead or Alive. Bounty: $1,600,000."

 "That's awfully high to be honest," Goob said taking the paper back and groaned, "Oh no."

 "What's wrong?" Evelyn said.

 Fawn sighed and said, "There's a 'special case' notice at the bottom of the poster. It's hard to read but special people can. Those with powers."

 "It says 'Siren," Goob said.

 "It's like I can't hide anything," Evelyn thought.

 He looks at her and says, "No. No, you can't. So please answer me this that I've been wondering for a while now."

 Fawn pointed at Evelyn's stomach, "It's been there since we laid you down here but has done nothing but sleep as you were asleep."

 Evelyn looked down to see what looked like a flame-like creature no bigger than the size of her palm sleeping on her belly. "What is that?" She thought when the system popped up.

[Skill: Flame Body (Passive)]

[Includes a Spirit Pal]

[Species: Spitfire]

"Uhh, it's a spitfire," Evelyn admitted acting as if she knew everything about it.

 "And it just sits with you?" Goob asked.

 "It's uhh, comes with one of my abilities." Evelyn said,

[Give Spitfire a name.]

"Damn. I have to name it," Evelyn thought. "Really putting me on the spot here system. I really don't have much faith in my naming capabilities either. I got it. Maybe Ember?"

[Spitfire has now been named 'Ember']

Ember started to wake up and once it saw Evelyn was awake it began to jump around on her stomach in excitement. "I'd like to introduce you guys to Ember." Evelyn spoke. "And to myself as well."

 "Well, hello little Ember," Goob said. Ember acknowledged him and bowed. "So polite," He smiled. He and Fawn stood up and he said, "Anyway. Get familiar with your room and come meet us up top."

 "My room," Evelyn whispered to herself.

 "Oh, Evelyn. Look at this!" Goob said after Fawn left the room. He opened the door and closed the door. Then he did it again. "And this too!" He pointed to the lock on the door. "Isn't that cool? It's nothing like the door to your old room. The door open and closes whenever you want it to and instead of locking you in from the outside, you have free reign to lock yourself in from the inside and unlock it whenever you please."

 Evelyn began laughing, "You're so lame."

 "Mission accomplished," He laughed back as he left the room.

 Evelyn sat up in her bed and looked around the room. It was unlike any room she had back on the island. She looked over at Ember who was just staring at her and blinking with a smile. She went to pet the spitfire, it didn't hurt, and Ember was beaming with a big smile. "You're actually really cute," She said. "You get to come with me," Ember shot up in excitement and nudged her face showing its affection. "Oh, sweet. You float."

 She picked the Bounty back up and looked at the bottom and saw it, "Special Case: Siren," She said aloud.

[New Mission: Raise your bounty by a million]

[Reward: Auto level up]

[Reward: +5 stat points to all stats]

[Reward: +5 assignable stat points]

[Reward: Exclusive class weapon]

"That's a lot," Evelyn said. "Wait, what's a class weapon? What does a brawler even use?" She dismisses the message knowing it will be a while before she can even remotely get close to getting her bounty raised. She observed her room, which was bigger than any room she'd ever had. "This ship, and I still get my own room?" She looked in the cabinets and drawer on the wall and found lots of clothes. Checking them, they were all her size. "I bet this was Fawn's doing to be so accurate." Once she reached the underwear drawer she frowned, "I wonder how Fawn will feel once I tell her own grown out of 'granny panties."

 She stood up and looked over at Ember who was just hovering over a desk she had in her room. Walking over, she saw a notebook and pens, pencils, and an eraser. In the drawer she saw something that excited her, a sketchpad, and colored pencils. "Okay, Fawn really made sure I had everything I needed here." When she was in school, the teachers had admitted to her she was a talented artist. So enjoyed drawing too. It was a means for her to take her mind off of things that troubled her. "I bet I can document my journey and draw the things I see too." She spoke. She then looked at the door and said, "I guess I should meet the crew." And walked out the door.

Navigating the way to the top deck was easy for Evelyn. Leaving her room, it seemed that everyone on the ship had their own bedroom, and all had a plaque labeling so. Across the hall from her was Fawn's room and next to her room, she eyed it with a bit of disgust, "Jackson," she said quietly. She continued down the hall until she saw the stairs going up. She arrived at the top deck to see Goob and the crew talking and singing.

 "She's here!" Goob yelled seeing Evelyn. The whole crew cheered. "Little Lyn! Meet the crew! You already know Taco and Wasabi!"

 "It's nice to have you with us. Allow me to fully introduce myself. My name is Taco Goldstine," Taco said. "I'm the Captain First Mate and the Ships Doctor. I went to tend to your wounds after the raid. I was surprised there weren't any."

 "And I'm Wasabi Coppertone," Wasabi said with a smile. "I'm Captain's second mate and the ships official Swordsman!"

 "I thought those were nicknames," Evelyn said.

 "Nope," Wasabi said laughing. "God given. Well, mother given. But I like to pretend it has something to do with Neptune."

 "Umm, my mother dropped a taco on my head as a baby," Taco so shyly. I prefer not to talk about it.

 "Nice to meet you, Evelyn. I'm Kanaka," A large muscular dark-skinned man with dreadlocks being held back by a headband said behind her. He wore a vest that couldn't be buttoned due to his massive muscles and burnt orange trousers and black boots. She had to look up at him based on his size. "I'm the crew's shipwright and helmsman. I built this beauty of our home on the ocean and Captain Goob only feels it right I steer it too!"

 "Well you did a good job with my room," She responded with a smile.

 "Glad to hear it! The perfect padded mattress came expensive from a peculiar furry beast in a desert landscape. Though we killed it, getting the sand out took forever."

 "I'm Laylee," A woman at Evelyn's height with fair skin and purple hair said. "I'm the ship's Navigator. If you can't find me on deck, I'm usually in the nest up top doing some map stuff." Evelyn looks up to see instead of a lookout at the top of the ship. Was a cylindrical room.

 "Nice to meet you Evelyn, I'm Bobo and I'm the ships bard and musician," Evelyn was surprised to see a scrawny man hanging from a rope tied to his foot to say hello.

 "What's the difference between the two?" She asked with a smile. "As a bard I use my magic to fight. As a musician I use my powers to pppaaarrrtttaaayyy!" He said yelling while strumming the guitar he had in his hands.

 "And you know me," Fawn said coming up behind her and giving her a big hug. "Now that I'm here, I'm the ships official Cannon Girl, Gunman, and Sniper." She laughed.

 "Wow," Evelyn said laughing. "That's the last thing I expected from you."

 "It's true," Goob said. "She's the sharpest shooter I've ever met. When I first taught her how to shoot against my Aunt's and Uncle's wishes, she was a natural. Still got in a lot of trouble though," He laughed. "But Fawn, don't keep everything from the girl. Show it to her!"

 Evelyn looked back at Fawn with confusion on her face. "Fine. Well, it's unofficial but I made this here and signed it," Fawn said pulling a piece of paper from her jacket. "I've wanted to do this since the Councilwomen back on the island rebuked me every time, I brought it up. But they can't do it now."

 Evelyn opened the paper and read it out loud:

"Official Document for Adoption. The Child, Evelyn Black. is without a Mother or Father. In absence or in death, she is deemed an orphan. Fawn Silver elects to adopt the child as her own and assert the roll of her mother."

Evelyn was in tears now. As she read the paper. Fawn took the paper from Evelyn and held her as she continued reading for Evelyn.

"Roll of father has also been offered and accepted. Godric Silver has also adopted the child as his own and assert the roll of her father. Signed below are the agreement of the adoptive parents."

Fawn held up the paper for the crew to see their signatures. And knowing what the rest of the paper says, said, "The signatures below are bare witness to accept the terms. And the signatures below are from each and every one of you. The Crystaline Pirate Crew!"

 Evelyn was sobbing now as she dug her face into Fawn. And the Crew cheered in celebration.

 "You going to join in the celebration?" Goob said to Jackson who had been leaning on the edge of the railing the whole time. "You didn't even introduce yourself."

 "She knows who I am," Jackson said. "The know good boy she loved who let her down."

 "You know just as I do that you had no choice. If you didn't, your, Fawn's, and Evelyn's escaped would not have been possible."

 Jackson grunted.

 Goob looked at Jackson for a moment and then sighed. "Well, I think you're going about this the wrong way. Give it some time. I think she'll come around to forgive you once she understands the situation and why you treated her the way you did."

 Jackson was looking away from him now.

 Giving a slight chuckle he says, "Hurts, doesn't it?" He just sees Jackson's head nod slightly. "Yeah, bet it does. You're a good man, Jackson Fleur De Liqueur. And I give you full permission to date me daughter," Goob laughs.

 Jackson can't help but to laugh with his back turned.

From the celebrating and the partying with the small amount of crew that Goob had and dying down a little, Evelyn retreated to sitting on the edge of the ship, admiring the beauty of the full moon on the water and reflection of the stars in the sky. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Evelyn turns to see Jackson and then quickly turns her head away. He leans on the ledge a few feet from Evelyn looking out as well. "I've had a lot of time looking out at this view as you've been asleep the last couple of days." He spoke. "We've never had a view this nice or peaceful back on the island." He spoke. He chuckled and said, "Or should I say hell hole. I never honestly liked that place either." He turned to Evelyn and said, "That's where you and I are different." Evelyn turned slightly to Jackson. "You left and I stayed. You are so much braver than I am, Evelyn." He spoke. He sat for a moment in silence and said, "That's why I want you to know that I mean this when I say this. And I know it will take time for you to forgive me, but know I only treated you the way I did in the plan to escape, but…" He stopped talking again for a long time now. "I love you Evelyn." Evelyn felt her heart skip a beat at Jackson's words. "I'm going to go to bed now." And he turned away and disappeared below deck.

 Evelyn was just staring at the ocean now. Her eyes were wide, and her face was a burning red. Ember floated in front of Evelyn's face, looked at her, and then gave her a wink and a laugh. "Oh, shup up," Evelyn said. "You're supposed to be on my side." Ember was still laughing as it dodged Evelyn's playful swings. "Who does he think he is for dropping a bomb on me like that," Evelyn thought.

 She looked back at the direction of the stairs to go below deck.

Jackson stepped out of his room holding a piece of paper that he had written in his room and slid it underneath Evelyn's door. "I think she went to bed so she should read that in the morning," he said. He turned to see Evelyn before him and without enough time to comprehend what was going on, their lips were locked, and they were falling into Jackson's room and onto the floor. Their lips were locked in several minutes to the point that Evelyn's jacket was off and a strap from her tank top had fallen from her shoulder and Jackson's shirt was off when she heard a voice she did not expect to hear.

 "Not to be a cock-block Evelyn, but I've been watching for a bit and I don't really know quite yet how to tune myself out to give you a bit of privacy." Freya said.