Calm Seas (closed)

No storms were brewing today, at least none close to the harbor of Kazuno. Aedan had as much time as he needed to prepare for todays catch. He seemed a little hesistant when putting on his boots, he didn’t really want to go out fishing today, the day was perfect for lounging around or going on a small adventure.
He decided then.
Leaving his small house, Aedan stepped onto the wooden docks connecting his home to the rest of the Kazuno village. He made his way down to where his ship was docked. There, he met the five other crew members.
"Take the day off, go and do something you enjoy," Aedan spoke, monotone yet very sincere. The crew was a little surprised however. They weren't expecting Aedan to dare miss a day of perfect fishing weather for fun and games. After Aedan assured them that taking the day off won't plunge the village into famine, they gave a cheer and gave their thanks.
Now alone near his ship, Aedan stared off into the horizon. The blue and greens of the ocean filled his heart with comfort.
He returned back to his house. Picking up his sword and fan, he took one last glance around the room before leaving. He wasn’t sure where he was going to go, but he wanted to go somewhere.
Cautiously, as if not wanting to be caught, Aedan boarded his ship and prepared for departure. With one last glance back at Kazuno, Aedan set sail out into the calm sea.
It took an hour for him to arrive at a remote island far off the eastern shores of the Empire. He anchored just offshore and made his way onto a small grassy hill in the middle of the islet. He set his sheathed sword down on the grass, taking his fan into his left hand and outstretching his right. With a swift move, he swept upward with the fan, sending a small wash of flames up with it. In a consecutive movement, he brought the fan back down, and punched forward with his right fist, sending out another spout of fire. After a couple hours of practice, Aedan gave himself a much needed break. Pleased, Aedan folded his fan and found a spot to just sit and observe the world around him. His thoughts were pleasant, he was proud of how his efforts in becoming a skilled bender have gone.
Unfortunately, that pride quickly turned to fear as he remembered how out of control he truly was with his abilities. His heart picked up pace, a bead of sweat gently rolling down the side of his face - now evaporated by the immense heat coming off of Aedan. Lurched forward he stared at the ground, trying to remain calm.
A primal instinct clicked somewhere within; his hands set the grass ablaze. It wasn’t until the unbearable heat from the fire drew Aedan's attention from his tumultuous mind. He quickly picked up his sword and fan, and left the islet for the day.
Aedan cursed himself out on his way home. He felt like he had a good day but his damned thoughts kept getting in the way of everything. The evening sun kept Aedan comfortable on his saddened journey home.
As he drifted in to the docks, Aedan could see a chaotic group centered in market area. Something is happening and he needs to find out what.

Captain Darius Nostra Morgan.  Known also as Captain Morgan.  Morgan the Black Dread.  Black Captain Morgan.  Or Black Morgan.

He was a terror of the seas, alongside his crew, the Hellfire Club Pirates.  Scourge of international shipping and trade.  Some of the few pirates that the Imperial Navy couldn't hunt down and stamp out.

Morgan and his crew had raided millions of gold worth of cargo and loot, booty and plunder.  Their fortune had been amassed swiftly, and ruthlessly, and the reputation of his Hellfire Club Pirates was not one to be trifled with.

Known for slaughter and bloodshed alike, the Hellfire Club Pirates were some of the cruelest on the seas.

Earlier that day, Morgan had sailed into port at Kazuno.  He had no intention of raiding the place.  Not this time.  Kazuno was known for being a sort of safe haven for pirates.  Far from the reaches and prying eyes of the Imperial Navy.  Nestled safely in a small inlet of the set, surrounded by mountains and perfectly out of the way.

This time, Morgan had come to do business.

He sailed up on the tiny town of Kazuno in his massive, 142 gun ship, The Wayward Beauty.  Once stolen off an Earth Kingdom merchant, it became Morgan's personal flagship and the crown jewel of his pirate fleet.

Today, Morgan did not come with fire and brimstone and wrath.  He came with rum.  Over two and a half tonnes of it.  Hellfire Special.  His Spiced Rum.  Like amber.  It was easy on the gullet, but fire to the stomach.

Kept a man warm and made him happy all in one glass.

Morgan's crew unloaded the massive barrels out into the middle of the marketplace of Kazuno, and he hopped up atop the barrels, his foot resting atop the side of one.

With a hearty laugh, and a quick puff of his cigar, he shouted out to the masses that gathered around his rum below.

"Come, one, and all!" cried Morgan, as he raised a tankard he had filled before climbing up here, "Ta you, me landlubbers, I give the gift of rum!  Me special Hellfire Spiced Rum!"

Morgan chuckled as people whispered.  "The first round be free, hearties," he smirked, "But after that, ya gots ter pay!  And we only sell by the barrel, lubbers!"

People muttered, some thought about buying a barrel.  Barrels of all size were brought before them.  Small.  Large.  Any size for any occasion.

Morgan wasn't just a pirate.  He was a businessman too.

"And if y'all lubbers like this here rum, I'll be findin' yer local barkeep and...convincin' the poor hearty to start carryin' me rum in this here town!"

Morgan laughed, jumping from the top of the tower of barrels.  As he landed with a thud and a clink of his chains and buttons and tassels.  With a heart chuckle, he grabbed his cutlass and drew it, smashing the hilt on the tap of one of the barrels.  Rum flowed forward into tankards he and his shipmates brought forward to the flow of alcohol.

There was a cheer from the crowd as they got their free alcohol.

Morgan smiled as they drank and liked what they drank.

Then he noticed, at the farthest dock, a tall, middle aged man watching the crowds from the sidelines.  Worried and distrustful.

Nothing a good drink couldn't fix.  With a wry smile, and the grabbing of a nearby young woman's ass, Morgan threw his cigar between his teeth, puffed it, grabbed a second tankard on top of his own, and marched over to the man.

"'Hoy there, bucko!" cried Morgan, "Care fer some rum?"

Those were the first clear words Aedan heard upon arrival.
Aedan was no idiot. He knew exactly who that was. A small port town is not deaf of the gossip that rides the waves along the seas.

Giant ships drift here on occasion so it's nothing new to the residents. This ship however has quite the history and owner to match. Pirates, lone merchants, or tourists, Kazuno has hosted them all. This however was different.

This voice, this person was none other than Black Captain Morgan, leader of the Hellfire Club Pirates. Their ventures have been talked about everywhere.

Aedan was a little nervous actually. Most pirates are bumbling idiots who have no real ambition except to get the most money possible or die trying. Captain Morgan however was a deadly variation from the typical 'get rich or die trying'.

The crowd at the market center were still laughing and overall having a good time. A little concerned, Aedan could only imagine how drunk his crew is getting. He told them they could have the day off but he didn’t anticipate them getting completely hammered. A hungover crew is going to be another hurdle for Aedan to jump over.

"Care for some rum?" Morgan shouted. Aedan walked to him, ready to draw his sword if need be. One of the tankards in Morgan's hand was handed to Aedan.

Reluctantly, Aedan accepted it with a smile to match. The cigar smoke bellowed out of Morgan's mouth when Aedan took the tankard, the smoke forcing a cough out of him. He wasn’t a fan of smoking, but that wasn’t going to make him belittle those that do.

"Thanks," Aedan muttered, almost ashamed of his hypocrisy. He knew that even the small amount of rum this strong would hit him double hard compared to the usual brandy or whiskey.
Taking a sip, Aedan moved to meet the lively crowd at the market. The burn of the rum felt familiar and homely, it was addicting almost.

Before he knew it the rum was gone before he could even reach the now slightly intoxicated. Aedan had a thought earlier when he first arrived, in town but it escaped him. A wisp of an urgent thought gnawed at him but he didn’t care.

Morgan smiled semi-drunkly as he and the man downed their rum. He knew it would take more than that to get either him or that man fully drunk. Morgan was no lightweight. The man didn't seem to be either. But for now, Morgan would ham up his performance to try and sell more grog.

"You seem to really be enjoying yerself," laughed Morgan boomingly, "'Ere, have another pint, on me. The next one yer gots ta pay fer though, aye?"

Morgan shoved the tankard of rum into the man's hand before he could say no.

Morgan's rum was good, there was no denying. And his sales tactics were aggressive, if legal. He figured he'd get everyone hooked on the free samplers first, and then when they be wanting more, he would charge them the going rate for a barrel.

Nothing crooked. No scheming aside from clever marketing and freebies.

Morgan smiled. He was a ruthless bastard. But he knew, in all his years as a pirate, that there were more ways than pillaging, burning, looting and thievery that could net a man his gold. In fact, Morgan found the one thing more profitable than piracy. Capitalism.

That being said, piracy was far too fun to give up, and the chance to steal and slaughter with his pistol and his cutlass, with the wind at his back and his crew at his side. Nothing could ever beat that. Nothing could take that feeling away.

"What's yer name there, bucko?" Morgan asked the man after he had downed his own rum.

He was right with in the sense that Aedan was enjoying himself. He needed something to repress his unsteady emotions. The rum was strong and seemed to be working like a charm. With the second mug down and the sun finally set, Aedan felt a calm he didn’t think he would've found today.

"My name? Aedan," the words rolled out, unusual considering he wasn’t at the stage of being drunk - not yet at least.

The presence of pirates usually doesn’t make Aedan uneasy. These pirates however made his stomach churn… or maybe it was the booze. He shook his head to dismiss the feeling.

"Relax" he whispered to himself. He didn’t want another incident like earlier today.

'The Black Captain Morgan here in Kazuno.' Aedan thought to himself. It clearly wasn’t an attack that he needed to worry about. What he needed to worry about is why half the town folk are already digging through their coin purses to buy casks of the rum.

"What's your business here?" Aedan knew quite well what Morgan was doing here, "and what does it mean for the town?" a bite of indignation escaped from him, despite his efforts to remain calm, being on his way to drunk was not helping his case.

The threat of a pirate invasion was the least of his concern, he was more worried for the local businesses here. Clearly selling rum wasn’t their only plan. How could anyone outcompete one of the most infamous pirate fleets?

Aedan and Morgan hovered around the edge of the crowd, the many people laughing and drinking. Another drink called Aedan's name, but he knew better. Dealing with the sudden arrival of the pirates was on the top of his agenda.

Morgan listened to Aedan speak. Heard the apprehension and the worry in his voice. Saw it in his eyes. The many was concerned. Worried. Scared for the well being of the village now that a well known pirate like Morgan had sailed through.

Man was sharp. Keen. Smart. But paranoid.

Morgan smiled. Tossed aside his rum, and lit a second cigar. He blew a few puffs, and looked at Aedan with a wry smile.

"Come with me, bucko," he smiled, "Let's take a walk. Have a chat. Away from all this 'ere...commotion."
Morgan led Aedan over the edge of the village, sat with him on the edge of a pier and offered him a puff of his cigar or one of his own before speaking.

"You know, Aedan," started Morgan, "I've been sailing these seas fer years. Been a pirate since me youth. You know who I am--I ain't stupid. I see it in your eyes that me reputation proceeds me. You're wary, worried. Wonderin', what could some big ol' sea dog like Black Captain Morgan be doin' in a small li'le town such as this 'ere one."

Aedan gave Morgan an uncomfortable look.

Morgan merely laughed. Bending over double as he howled into the moonlight.

"You thinks I came here with some sorts o' sinister plot, aye?" smiled Morgan, "Nay, my matey. I just come 'ere as a regular ol' business man. Sellin' me rum to as many people as I can. Sure it might disrupt the local breweries I bit...but judging by the fishin' boats and the history o' this 'ere little waterin' 'ole...alcohol ain't exactly yer folks' main export, now is it?"


Morgan had a point. A fishing village built on platforms and stilts like this fished for subsistence and money. They didn't brew or distill here. If they did they weren't big. Morgan didn't feel so bad crushing an already floundering market.

"I know, as a pirate, especially as a pirate like me. I get a lot o' bad flack. I do bad things. T'ain't no point in denyin' it bucko," sighed Morgan as he puffed his cigar more, "If I could leave the sea and the sails behind me termorrow I would. But I can't, see. T'ain't that easy, lad. I love the feel of the sea, the rush of the wind. The sea spray in yer face. The hard days work. The pillaging and the looting and the booty. I love bein' a pirate too damn much, boy."

Morgan laughed again.

"Tis in me blood, boy-o," he sighed, "But I also enjoy legitimate business ventures. This rum is entirely legitimate. I just be here sellin' me wares like a normal salesman or merchant. Difference is the boat I come to sell it in has a habit for being used for slaughter. That don't sit right with you, and I gets that, bucko. But, I am what I am, just like y'are what y'are. Can't be changin' that so easily now."

Morgan took a good hard look at Aedan, and smiled.

"I looked into the eyes of a lot o' men. Lot o' dying men too. I know what fear looks like, mate," smiled Morgan sadly at Aedan, "An' yer eyes show fear...but not of death an' dyin' mate. Fear o' yerself. Fear of people, and change and the world. Fear of hurtin' someone. Am I right, bucko?"

Aedan lifted his hand and smiled, denying the cigar, he sat down on the pier. Morgan began speaking. It felt sincere almost. Aedan listened.
-
The story, the reasoning, the questions. He had no idea he was that readable, usually he was the one to read a person like a book. Morgan was a different case.

'Everyone has fears.' He knew he had to respond differently, the time wasn’t right to be sarcastic or witty. Aedan felt the pity of that sad smile. It wasn't a feeling Aedan enjoyed.

"In a sense, yes. I have my ways of handling myself, my fears," Aedan had very little control over himself, in fact, he knew Morgan would see right through the smokescreen he had put up. "I mean, I have my ways to maybe handle my fears. Some more successful than others. I just-" Aedan clenched his fist, "I'm just not sure that I can help myself. If I can't help myself, then I could cause quite a bit of pain - the kind that burns you for a long time," he unclenched his fist and glanced at his palm.

'Calm. Breathe.'

Morgan stared down at the water, lulling gently under the pier. Aedan stared up at the stars. Their gentle glimmer was covered in a thin blanket of clouds. The distant whoops and hollers from drunken towns folk filled the silence. The night was young and the people were lively, yet Aedan felt so disconnected from everything.

The wind stirred, carrying a much needed cool from the day's heat.

"A feeble mind lets fear consume it. My mother told me that once, when I was little. The storms here used to terrify me. I love them now," he looked down to stare across the horizon. A storm was moving far out in the ocean, its looming clouds danced with flashes of white.

Morgan raised a hand and a ball of flame instantly came to life in it.  He played with it a bit, juggled it.  It danced like a little life in his palms before he shot the ball of flame at the water.  Seconds later, a dead fish sizzled to the surface.

"That there be the thing about life, matey," smiled Morgan, "Everyone walks that thin, fine line between hurtin' others and bein' a good person."

Morgan smiled and laughed heartily to the moon.

"T'ain't no good nar evil in this world bucko," he smirked, "There are people.  People hurtin' or helpin' others.  But who they hurt or 'elp is entirely up to one's perspective."

Aedan looked a little confused at Morgan's suddenly slip into existentialism and philosophy.

"Har har," he smiled, "Let me put things thisaways, then.  I could march into that thar crowd back there, guns blazing, and not feel sorry.  But if you did the same thing, me swab, you'd be ripping yer own 'eart out in guilt.  Everyone has the capacity fer doin' a lot o' good, or a lot o' bad.  But it's our intentions that decide where we fall on the alignment spectrum, eh?"

Morgan puffed his cigar till it was a stub.  He threw it on the dock and stamped it out with his heavy boot until it was a smear of black ash and burnt tobacco.

"You don't seem like the murderin' type, bucko," smiled Morgan, "You have the potential to hurt a lot of people, aye.  But you'd never do it.  You're too nice.  That be a good thing.  World needs more nice people, har har har!"

"Maybe, don't worry so much about maybe hurtin' people, and focus more on 'ow you can 'elp em.  How you can make their lives better with yer bendin' or whatever it is yer afraid of there, matey."

Ryuuji swaggered down to the docks suddenly.  Screaming up a storm and going about a lover.  Morgan sighed, then let out a laugh.

"Careful thar, Roo-me-bucko," he smiled, "Don't need yer fallin' in to the water and drownin' on me."

Then Ryuuji made a confession.  He was lonely.

Morgan sighed.  That'd be two helped tonight.  Smirking, and starting up another cigar, Morgan paced the dock before responding.

"Aye, tis a lonely life, the life of a pirate on the high seas.  But I think...yer be talkin' about somethin' else, eh boy?"

The drunk stumbling around on the pier was as much a danger to himself as he was amusing. Although Morgan was easy to identify, this 'Roo' was a new face. Aedan has seen his fair share of drunks fall off the pier and into the sea. He hoped 'Roo' wouldn't be joining the list.

More questions. The continuous blur and buzz from the quick consumption of the rum made these questions hard to comprehend.

'Help, with my bending?' Aedan kept mulling that phrase over.

Aedan made his way to the stumbling man. He needed water and a place to sit. He lifted his hands in a way to signify peace as he approached him. Morgan looked at this scene unfolding, puffing his cigar.

"C'mere bud, let me help you out," Aedan placed a hand on the man's back leading him away from the narrow piers, "Sit here and let me get you some water, alright?" Aedan shot a glance back at Morgan, silently asking for a bit of help.

Aedan made his way to his home, which was not far away from the marketplace. He swung the door open. An unusual calm washed over Aedan. The peace that radiated from his small home brought just a small bit of familiarity to Aedan for the first time tonight. Walking in, Aedan grabbed a small wooden cup and held it under a spigot on a large barrel propped on a table. The water flowed forth, filling the cup to the brim.

He left his house with the cup in hand. Aedan saw the man sitting where he had left them earlier, Morgan standing nearby, probably making idle chit-chat. Aedan was glad that they listened to him. He made his way to them.

"Here," Aedan extended the cup to 'Roo', "thank me later. So, what are you guys planning to do now? And why so keen on being my friend?" Aedan was still a little unsure of the motives behind the pirates sudden arrival.