Johnathan Ryepatch stared out of his trusty telescope with his blonde hair and fluttering in the wind as he scouted out the horizon from his captain's ship, his gaze darting around as he scanned for any ships to plunder or islands to scout. It wasn't long before his eyes landed on a nearby shore that housed two children. One seemingly cosplaying as the dreaded stormbringer and another wearing the uniform of a squire of the immortal king's knights!

His eyes gleamed. Where the immortal king lays his eyes there be treasure! "Captain! We've got a big one!" He exclaimed with a toothy grin, getting the attention of his crew mates who murmured excitedly. "The immortal king's eyes are on that island!"

Like a cold bucket of water drenching flames, the pirate crew went silent. Worried expressions spread across the ship at the mere mention of the immortal king. Jonathan frowned. Cowards! He thought. How could they let this opportunity slip?!

It was then that the captain stomped onto the deck with a contemplative frown, his chubby build making each step very much known. "We sneak ourselves ashore," He said calmly. "we'll kidnap one of the runt squires and beat the information out of them. From there, we can decide what to do next."

Jonathan beamed. THIS was what he expected. Their captain, cunning and greedy leading them towards riches! "Sail!" The captain exclaimed before their ship sped towards the island like a leopard stalking its prey until they made it ashore where Jonathan and the rest of the crew one by one descended the plank onto the beach. Quickly, their eyes fell on the two children that seemed to have been waiting for them. A girl with deathly pale skin and cloud grey hair who had a bright smile on her face as her azure eyes stared them down and a boy with dark skin and medium length black hair that seemed purple at an angle who had a peg leg.

"Yar har fiddle dee dee!" Said the girl while doing a silly dance. A vein popped in his forehead. They weren't jokes to be made fun of! "Ahoy me maties! Would you care to have these two strappin youngins as yer crewmaties?"

"Just kill me." Deadpanned the boy pinching the bridge of his nose only to get a playful elbow from the girl. "Do it fast." He continued.

Jonathan blinked in confusion before a frown overtook his face. "We don't have time for your games, girl! Tells us where the king's treasure is!" He exclaimed, earning glares from his crew. The girl raised a brow that didn't go unnoticed by Jonathan.

Her expression quickly shifted into a smile. "Ohhhhhhhh! THAT treasure." She said brightly before the boy next to here looked at her incredulously. The girl ignored. "You won't believe what they found. A whole very expensive dragon corpse!" Jonathan watched the boy's expression quickly shifted to confusion that quickly turned to horror when the girl continued. "And Esben here has the key to where it's stored."

Jonathan and his crew mates all donned greedy smiles. Even the captain grinned before he pulled out his sword and held it against the little boy's neck causing his eyes to widen in fear. "Pull out the key, boy," said the captain. "or I'll take it off your corpse."

"Yeah, Esben," Added the girl cheerfully as she nudged the boy's side. "let's show these fine folks the big lizard we- THEY found."

The boy sweat dropped as all eyes fell on him with clear expectation. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before his shadow spread out from below him. Everyone was confused until an enormous salamander jumped out of the shadow, suddenly swallowing the pirate captain whole.

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Screams burst out from the pirates before Jonathan rushed back onto the ship in fear as his comrades fought off the beast. Put of the corner of his eye, he could see the girl grabbing Esben by the arm and rushing with him onto the ship as well. "Kalla, remind me to never let you plan anything ever again!" Screamed Esben as he struggled to get on the ship with the peg leg.

"My plan nagged us a ship!" Argued Kalla cheerfully. Jonathan heard this and his eyes widened. Those two were going to steal the ship! He couldn't let that happen!

Jonathan rushed to the ship's wheel where the two young teens were headed and stood in their path. "You ain't getting past me, brats!" He yelled before Esben's shadow extended towards him. Jonathan blinked in shock before his vision was filled with darkness.

Was this how he goes out? Was this how he was supposed to meet his Ma?

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"You didn't tell me you can put people in there." Said Kalla with widened eyes locked onto where the pirate was a second ago.

"What are you talking about?" Esben asked as his shadow extended to lower the sails before his hands gripped the steering wheel. "We jumped into one just a day or two ago, remember?" Kalla's eyes narrowed as she placed a hand on her chin before the girl shrugged.

The ship quickly started moving away from the beach and the pirates who just defeated the salamanders could only watch Kalla wave at them with a smile as it drifted away. "That was fun." Said the girl cheerfully before turning to Esben. "So, Esby, let's land at-" before she could finish her sentence, Esben's hand covered her mouth.

"No! You're in time out! No plans from you anymore!" Snapped the boy firmly with a comically deep frown, his eyes practically on fire from anger. "I want a heart working past thirty, damn it!" He added before his peg leg slipped, causing him go fall onto his face. "...and a new leg."

Kalla's shoulders fell dejectedly as the boy got up and headed towards the wheel. "Okay." She muttered with puffed cheeks. "Where to, then?"

Esben gripped the wheel and paused as he pondered the question. Where were they going? What was their plan? Their goal was to find out the mystery of the cursed storm, but how? "If only there was some kind of knowledge archive about curses and stuff."

"I don't know about curse archive, but there ARE several giant libraries at Boocounty." Kalla chirped in a bored tone. Esben let out a confused hum.

"Boocounty?" He asked raising a brow as his dark purple hair ruffled in the wind. "What's that?"

"Some kind of book enthusiast town," She explained nonchalantly. "they love books so much, they elected one as mayor." Esben's eyes widened. If such a place existed, then maybe someone there has a book to help them. "And I know what you're thinking, there are sentient books? And maybe, but the Mayor isn't one! Like, it's just a normal book!"

Esben blinked. "Okkkay. How do we get there?" He asked calmly and Kalla shrugged.

"I don't even know where we are right now." She replied nonchalantly before a smile covered her face as an idea popped into her mind. "But I DO know someone who does."

Esben's expression brightened before that cheer quickly turned into suspicion. "This is another crazy idea, isn't it?" He asked narrowing his eyes at his companion. Kalla chuckled nervously as a bead of sweat rolled off her temple. She started fidgeting with her fingers as she avoided eye contact before speaking one word.

"Maybe." She said with a nervous smile.

"Who is it?" Esben deadpanned and Kalla pointed at the boy's shadow. Esben quickly realized what she meant. "The pirate. That's...actually not a bad idea." He added. "We just gotta make sure he can't move independently."

As Esben started coming up with a solution, so did Kalla and in a few seconds both yelled out their answer. "Rope time!" "Let's break his knees."

Kalla hummed in surprise as she stared at Esben's serious expression. "That's much better than my idea." She said calmly before she grabbed a nearby plank of wood. "Alright, let's break them knees!"

Esben nodded as his shadow extended forwards like a door to another world. That door opened up to reveal a blonde man with fair skin bawling his eyes out. "I'm sorry, Ma! I shouldn't have strayed from your advice!" Before the man could say another word, Kalla smacked one of his knees with the wooden plank. The man screamed in pain. Ignoring the scream, Kalla smacked it again. "Spare me, demon!" Screamed the man.

Kalla suddenly stopped. "Demon? You're still alive, pirate guy." She said nonchalantly, causing the pirate's eyes to widen before she smacked his knee once again. Another scream rang out.

"Stop! Stop!" Screamed the man desperately. "I'll do anything!"

Esben quickly gestured for Kalla to stop. "Anything?" He asked in a serious tone. The man sweatdropped with a pause.

"...no?" Another set of screams rang out as knees buckled under the force of a young teen with a wooden plank.

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Toodles.