Twinhook Pirates First Mate: Gregor's Story

Oh, man...

Air sighed out of the sofa as the child rested on its cushion. He lifted his legs and placed his leather boot-wearing-feet on the desk.

As soon as he sat down, everyone around him began busily going through the contents of their pockets...

Hm? Ooh, that one looks good. I'll try that cig today.

Yessir!

Gotta light, anyone~?

Here it is, sir!

One of the nearest sailors quickly ran up to the child with a lighter.

The child motioned with his chin as though he'd grown accustomed to this royal treatment and let his underling light his cigarette. He breathed in a lungful of smoke.

Hoo... This ain't so bad. Which port didya snag this from?

We found it from one of our 'guests'. If you wish, sir, we could...

Nah, don't worry about it. Don't want them to get a heart attack and bite it or anything. This cig'll get old soon anyway.

Understood, sir.

Well, anyways...

The child flicked the ashes on one of the pirates' hands, who'd been standing there with open palms like a human ashtray. He took a sweeping look at his crew, drawing another heavy hit from the cigarette.

Right, time for a morning assembly. How are our side jobs doing? Let's hear some reports. Starting from you. Yeah, you there. To my left.

Yes sir! We of the Mermaid Perfume department have captured ourselves a new species of Mermaids, and...

As soon as the child gives his order, the crew begins listing the state of their respective departments.

Sales figures from various products such as Mermaid perfume, ice cream, et cetra... Different numbers and statistics went in one ear and out the other.

... Hm, well. Okay.

So it's all shit, then. Am I wrong?

......

What's wrong? Cat got your tongues? C'mon, I'm not trying to blame anyone here~

None of them's our main moneymaker anyway... So let's get to our actual business.

... How are our 'guests' doing?

We currently have a total of 6 guests in our lodgings, including the one we snagged recently.

And how many customers do we have, looking to get our 'guests' back?

We currently have two in active negotiation, sir. They say that one of them's pretty loaded, and came from one of the Nests...

Whoo. Nice~

Oh, and, and one thing of note for one of our guests, sir.

We managed to snag somebody sent from... some company. Apparently, a Team Leader of sorts. Maybe we can really milk this one dry, sir.

Oho, a Team Leader, eh? Now that's a catch.

Seemed a bit... green for a Team Leader, but I don't believe that to be of much concern, first mate. Sir.

Aw. Yeah, you did good work~

Sorry about all the trouble, guys~ Having to listen to a lowly first mate in the Captain's absence... Sucks, don't it?

Not at all, sir!

Naw, I understand~ Sigh. Hook, that bastard... Used to be a lot more reliable when we sailed the high seas... But as soon as we're docked, poof! Gone, off to drown in that fairy wine or whatever.

The child grumbles in a half-joking, half-serious manner, but none of the crew laughed nor moved. They stood stiff and still like new recruits.

They were awfully rigid for pirates, but...

They had a good reason to be.

And that... was why this man of such casual, seemingly laid-back disposition was the first mate of the pirates.

Look here, now!

Aaahhh!!

Oh~ Don't freak out, now. Thrash about a little too much, and I just might slip and take your whole noggin clean off. If something so unfortunate were to happen... well, don't blame me, 'kay?

... Gulp.

Now, lookee here~ My future guest~

This here is called a pistol. With a little POW!... you can get a new hole to breathe out of. Why don't you say hello to my little friend? You know, taxes make it one expensive friend to keep.

Ooh, don't you nod your little head too hard. I messed with the trigger mechanism... and now it's really a hair-trigger.

So I'd like you to answer with a blink~ Not that you've got much to say.

From now on, you'll be our 'guest'. You've got rich friends, rich family, hmm?

……

Yeah, just like that. Just blink. Chill with us here until your friends get here with the ransom, 'kay? Play nice, and I won't kill ya. Ain't that nice?

Not gonna blink? Eyes too dry? Want some eye drops? Still got some fight in ya, is that it?

N-no! Not at...

... Gulp.

With him doing this to every new guest in front of the whole crew, how could they not be afraid?

Maybe this 'Captain Hook' knew this child's talents. Maybe that's why the child was left to take charge in the Captain's absence.

Captain Hook didn't seem to mind how annoyed the child was, though. Probably didn't even care to find out.