Airship Mauled

by Darkonshadows

Chapter thirty nine, a pirate’s strife for me: Well.

-Gallant’s Tavern, Jacky-

“So I need to set up a recruiting station here, buy a few maps to cursed treasures and then set off on an adventure that will hopefully end with me getting my sister back.” I took a sip of my grape juice from the cold mug. My beak was a bit discolored, so I licked the juice off it. “It’s better than sitting around on my ass and waiting for her to find a way back… which may be impossible on her end of things.”

Eir turned to Gallant and gave him some large puppy dog eyes.

“Really Eir?” The yellow hippogriff grumbled as he crossed his legs on the counter “Fine… she can… agh!”

“Great husband being very loving and Eir is approving of this action!” Of course Eir is also choking the life out of Gallant Bluster, but what Misses Bluster does is none of my business. Eventually she settled down and turned to me. “I am still working on the thing Jade is asking for before leaving!”

“What would that be?” I tried to remember what Jade could have possibly asked Eir to do for her.

“A way to fix broken off horn of unicorn, is very sad thing to be hearing of!” Eir whined as she cuddled a struggling Gallant against her chest. “It is being very hard to fix broken magical protrusion problem, especially when the injury is old and mystically scarring! Eir still be trying to find information on how to help, while also working on way to fix horn personally. I am not having much success so far and I’m quite medically inclined.”

“Oh right… that.” Not that I thought Fizzle really needed to have it fixed, she was doing pretty well with it even if it was broken. Fizzle was a strong unicorn regardless of lacking control thanks to missing the point of her horn. “Would you like to help me set up a recruiting station?”

“Eir would be loving to!” Eir released Gallant and he took in a large breathe of air and went from turning blue back to yellow in a few seconds. She turned and bustled away to go get stuff to set up a recruitment area.

“Do you know that she’s a…” I started only for Gallant to cut me off with a raised claw.

“She hasn’t told me, but I’m aware that she’s a Valkyrie. An immortal yak of legend who specializes in medicine on top of being a war goddess, wasn’t hard to figure out after she helped bring that Abyssinian back from the brink of a blood loss related death. She’s worried that I’ll stop loving her when I start getting old, but I’m not going to.” Gallant leaned against the counter sighing audibly. “She doesn’t exactly hide her divinity well and even with her being an immortal being, our love is still quite true. If it wasn’t she would have ripped me to shreds by now for not being able to perform well enough as her husband. I’m a lucky hippogriff to have her, one would think I wasn’t worth her time and yet she keeps making me smile.”

“She also chokes you halfway to death with hugs.” The dry commentary from me was not exclusive to how everyone else felt about their relationship. “So how’s life as a bartender Mister Bluster and how have things been around here without me?”

It’s been a while and I figured I could get a lay of the land, I learned a lot about bars from Kuril and Jade’s antics.

“About the same as usual, except less noisy and destructive. You’re not the only blackcap in the area you know, though others hardly compare.” So what Gallant was telling me was that no one missed me all too much, or were entirely surprised that I even came back. “They have more specific problems, like having to eat a certain amount of coconut a day or else all their fur and hair falls out, but you? You’re a walking a disaster zone and your form of blackcap curse is quite notorious for not being incredibly specific.”

“Wasn’t that Saline Gloss… don’t you think her curse is a bit ironic?” I wasn’t the only blackcap, but I was definitely the most notable and notoriously known one.

Having sunk as many ships as I’ve had trying to leave the island, I was one of the worst cursed individuals of Turtle Toga. My title of 'The Blackcap' was at least mine and nobody could take that from me, mostly because the competitors didn’t have it nearly as bad as I did.

One would think my curse might be specific to boats, until they saw that my bad luck also happens on land as well and could even have an effect on people that happen to be near me.

“Given that she’s a mare with a beautician cutie mark that’s highly allergic to coconuts... yes.” Stated Gallant in an amused tone. “She became a bit more prominent since you left, she’s still trying to working out how to ingest coconut without her allergies acting up. She’s been mixing it with allergy medicine and that almost seems to do the trick.”

We were ignoring the sound of a table being dragged to a corner near the door by Eir and the sounds of hammers and saws working.

“Any new blackcaps or am I still known as the major blackcap to end all blackcaps?” Well I literally had 'Blackcap' for a name, but I always wondered about the other blackcaps that live around here.

“You’re still known as the top tier doomed one, but I think you’re asking if there are any blackcaps that would be crazy enough to join someone who is actually named Blackcap.” Mulling over Gallant’s words, I eventually nodded. “Well there’s a blackcap who only smells good when wearing at least some form of garbage.”

“No… I’m going to be running a clean ship and before you ask, yes my ship has survived me working on it for more than a year.” Well I didn’t need to see that particular look from Gallant, one of complete surprise. “Yes, I can maintain an airship without it crashing and burning into the ground! I’m unlucky, but that doesn’t say anything about my engineering skills.”

“How about a blackcap that can only say ‘I am Flute’ with different inflections that take a while to figure out?” One would think Gallant knew all of them, well he certainly knew me. I caught a lit candle that came flying from the direction that Eir was working in before it could hit the counter and quickly passed it off to Gallant who placed it on a nearby plate. “Watch your luck lass, I’m trying to be cordial even if I know you can’t exactly control it… thanks for saving me from having to buy a new bar by the way.”

“No problem, also I don’t think I’m interested in this Flute person.” I sipped some more grape juice from the mug. “Oh right, did I tell you I have a Viking for a friend? His name is Gene, he’s a griffon and he’s currently watching our ship.”

“Well that knocks out the earth pony who is forced to sing operatically every time they see someone with Viking blood in them. Every time he sees Eir is annoying.” Was Gallant serious about that? I just stared at him blinking. “Well it’s no worse than the griffon who has a compulsion to count everything slowly and methodically or else she’ll quickly fall asleep, the curse made her a pretty good accountant and actuary for the local bank so there’s no chance she’d join you. Still, I did not need her following me around all day to count out every individual feather on my body.”

“Yeah, that would get annoying very quickly.” Everyone would agree with that sentiment and I wasn’t speaking lightly. “How about someone who wouldn’t mind joining a crew that’s not going to be the worst of the worst scum?”’

“Going for blue pirate?” Gallant asked.

“Yes.” I answered succinctly.

“It makes sense I guess. You aren’t exactly the most violent person in port, even if your luck more than makes up for that.” None of that’s exactly my fault Gallant! “Give me a moment to think of something… how about a hippogriff who has to physically hold a pickaxe for three straight hours a day or else something horrible happens to them?”

“Can you think of someone with a curse that will not mingle with my own in a completely disastrous manner, at least someone that doesn't always require something so easily breakable?” There were some things I wasn’t going to deal with on top of my luck. “My bad luck could possibly cause problems by destroying pickaxes until we find one that’s practically indestructible.”

“I am being finished friend Blackcap!” We turned to Eir and saw the booth for recruiting pirates, it looked pretty good. “You are not being the only one that is requesting use of a recruitment area friend Blackcap, but I am making one for everyone to use. You get to be the first to use it, I am making sure it is quite sturdy!”

“Well I better get started unless you have any other blackcap’s who wouldn’t mind working with me?” I received a thoughtful look.

“Well there is one guy… he’s a bit of an unusual sight around here given his species and particular quirk. As far as strange goes, he’s pretty tame and he’s been looking for adventure. I’ll direct him towards you if he comes around.” Nodding to Gallant I went over to the booth.

It took a minute or two to set up a sign that declared I was looking for crew members. Specifically people who would be insane enough to sign up with ‘The Blackcap’, I’m sure people around here still remember the multiple incidents that are related to my very existence.

I knew it wouldn’t get me many takers, but it would get me some people that were insane enough to follow me around.

-Two hours later-

Not a single taker, I would have to go back to the ship eventually. I couldn’t spend all day here on this.

I wanted to go to the, 'discount maps to cursed artifacts', shop sometime today.

“Yeah, she’s over there and she’ll be a 'decent' pirate to join.” At Gallant’s voice, I lifted my head from lazily resting it against my talons. I didn’t see anyone approaching, so I just rested my head back on my palm.

I’m pretty sure this booth was protected from my cursed luck thanks to Eir’s godly powers, but nobody wanted to chance going anywhere with ‘Black Jack the cursed ship sinker’.

So I may have been the result of at least more than a hundred crews losing ships, at least they survived didn’t they? They were mostly horrible people and pirates, so it wasn’t like anyone cared that they lost ships.

“Excuse me ma’am, I want to join you!” Jerking into an upright position, I looked around for someone and eventually my eyes settled on a small black furred cat, one with a single tail that split into three and that wasn’t the odd part. He had some strange blue petals sticking out of his neck in all directions like a lion’s mane. He waved a paw at me frantically. “I’m Nefer and I want to join your crew!”

“You do realize I’m ‘The Blackcap’ right?” The little black cat just tilted his head at me and kept a friendly smile on his face and his trident shaped tail wagged.

“I have no idea what that means!” He said jovially, he sounded somewhat adult and yet he seemed so childish for a talking cat with a tail that split into three separate ends.

“A blackcap is a cursed individual with a pirate heritage, in particular I’m the most memorable one in recent history of Port Turtle Toga.” I was kind of worried about this kid, so I had to spell it out for him. “My name is even Jacky Blackcap Chickadee La Perm. I’m sure you’ve heard some people talk about the cursed 'Black Jack' being in the area in the last two hours.”

“So you’re a famous pirate? That’s so cool, Chickadee La Perm is a very pretty sounding name!" One would think Nefer was glossing over the fact that I was bad luck or cursed. "It sounds cat though, but you’re a bird.”

His bright green eyes shined with cheerful exuberance, was this how Jade felt when I met her for the first time? Like a creepy mirror.

“Look if you want to join the crew, then you need to be interviewed by me.” I said slowly. “Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Nefer said playfully. “I’ll answer every question you put to me to the best of my abilities!”

“Full name?” Just to start things off.

“Nefer Tem.” He said brightly.

“Okay Nefer Tem, can I call you Nefer, what are you?” Just for clarifications sake, I knew he wasn’t a normal cat.

For one, normal cats don’t talk. Another, they didn’t have soft looking blue petals growing out from around their neck.

“Oh… uh… I remember this one!” Okay, Nefer was bubbly, cheerful and not exactly all too bright. “I’m an Anugyptian Feline... mostly anyway.”

“In continuation of that thought, what’s with the petals?” I pointed to the blue ring around his neck.

“That’s why I’m mostly Anugyptian, I’m also part plant!” He grinned brightly and I gave him a flat look, my look didn’t seem to put a damper on his bright mood. “You won’t even have to feed me at all… though you’ll maybe have to water me every now and then. I also don’t take up much space if that’s what you’re worried about!”

“Do you have any skills conducive to working on a pirate ship?” I wasn’t about to ask how old he was, not that it mattered.

“I’m really good at swimming, I basically can’t drown because I’m part plant!” Nefer’s cheerful demeanor had me curious.

“Anything else?” I saw his look of consternation. “Swimming is a good skill, but can you act as a flotation device?”

“Um… I’m sure I can act ‘like’ a flotation device." Nefer still seemed quite eager. "As for other skills… couldn't I learn them on the job?”

“Why exactly do you want to be a part of a pirate crew, even one that’s not going to be doing too many things that actual pirates would?” I was being stared at as if the question was impossible to understand. “Why should I let you join with my crew specifically?”

“Huh… I guess I didn’t think this through all the way… you seem like a really nice person and I’m sure you’ll let me join, because I know I can be helpful! Give me a minute to think about the how.” He gave me a weak toothy smile, his bright eyes reminding me of someone else. Well if I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel, I might eventually say yes anyway. “Oh I know! I can read all forms of ancient dead languages and I can really help you if you go into some dangerous ruins by reading stuff and setting off dangerous traps.”

“Okay… that may just be enough of a reason to hire you.” That sounded somewhat useful. “You’ll have to prove that you can do it though.”

“No problem!” Nefer stated proudly.

Author's Note:

Nefer Tem the mysterious Anugypt plant cat with the trident tail and blue petals growing out of his neck.

As any RPG will show you, a small mascot character that actively joins the party are usually of some importance.

Comments

[Booster Spice]

A Plantimal? Thats a rarity up there with God Yaks, Sphinx and Pinkie Pie.

Should be pretty much immune to poisons, resistant to extreme temepratures, maybe fire, but how much of plant omnicell does he have, in healing, damage recovery etc?

Couldnt the guy with the pickaxe curse go to sleep hugging a pickaxe plush? Maybe get Steve to make one? Unless it happens to be Miner Steve?

The one with the coconuts though. That, is nasty.

The one that needs garbage? pity they cant get a 6 pack plastic ringer stuck round their ankle or such.

[Shadowshame]

Eh hem jibanyan is from yokai watch(which is an RPG) and is not incredibly important and in the second and third games he is Nate's first yo-kai and he joins you willingly and he is the small mascot of yo-kai watch yet he is not insanely important and he is a two tailed cat spirit