On aboard the Mermaid's Song

Natasha was enthralled at the sight before her. The Mermaid song has lived up to it's name. With it's intricate details, boisterous deck and with a mermaid ornamented on its bow. It looked young, a sign which says it has never been set sailed before. Shame, in all it's splendid and glory - it has no crew.

Now, Syrena and her have agreed to set sail after a few months, when ship's ready and crew's been appointed. She tilted her head to the side and walked towards the captain, placing one hand over her forehead to shield herself from the harsh contact from the sunlight. It was an hour after dawn, and the heat was penetrating, making beads of sweat to trail down her forehead. She ungracefully wiped it with her sleeve as she walked.

"Syrena, should we salvage for the supplies first, or find some seadogs?" she asked.

Jezebel took no notice of her first mate for a while as she looked around at her ship. She grinned affectionately at her surroundings. Even though, how many times she's set foot on her ship she would never tire of it. For a while she stood there hands on hips before bursting into her song, her tone of joy and enthusiasm bellowing.

Now the dancing sunbeams play
On the green and glassy sea,
Come, and I will lead the way
Where the pearly treasures be.

Come with me, and we will go
Where the rocks of coral grow.
Follow, follow, follow me.

Come, behold what treasures lie
Far below the rolling waves,
Riches, hid from human eye,
Dimly shine in ocean's caves.
Ebbing tides bear no delay,
Stormy winds are far away.

Come with me, and we will go
Where the rocks of coral grow.
Follow, follow, follow me.

She turned around and looked at her first mate, smiling sheepishly as she did. She coughed before saying "Er.. We should go to port and get some supplies first."

Patiently waited for her captain to finish her song. When she finally took notice and answered, she nodded once.

"There's a black market to the south. Perhaps we should go there?"

Jezebel shook her head "No that won't do" she said her eyebrows creasing into a frown. "somewhere nearer"

"No it isn't. Just walking distance." She reasoned. The heat starting to get to her. She shifted a little bit, shielding her face from the sun's harsh rays.

Jezebel nodded then blinked wiping away the sweat at her brow with her wrist. "Aye, so where is it located Ariasmee?"

"South." She answered simply.

"I'll lead the way." She offered. Swinging her boots to the side and placing her right hand on her dagger.

Jezebel nodded and made a flourish motion with her hand. "Lead the way first mate" she said, while grinning at her.

Natasha nodded."It won't be an easy walk - Patrons surround the block. Although, we could sneak up. I know a lot of hidden paths leading to the Black market exclusively for pirates."

Jezebel sighed then grinned. "Eh you know what they say. Life is boring when you don't take risks" she said before walking over and nudging her first mate. "Now go, stop talking and lead the way." she said pouting.

Natasha smiled vaguely before turning her back and walking briskly towards south. As she neared, she entered an unruly bar. Noise, laughter and the smell of liquor greeted her. She looked to and fro, taking in the sight and looking for a path unblocked by the drunkards. Once she sighted a way, she crept stealthily - unnoticed by the seemingly distracted folks.

She took the nearest seat and propped her elbows on the table, looking at the bartender.

"Nigrum Notam" She said, barely above a whisper. The bartender gave her a hard quizzical look which she replied with cool indifference.

"The captain and I are in a hurry." She answered in a low dangerous tone.The bartender flinched, then nodded.

"Follow me." the bartender said. Natasha called for her captain " You coming?"

Jezebel hummed the tune of her song as she followed her first mate, really she should have to acquaint herself with her surroundings.

She stopped at the entrance of the bar and leaned on the door frame whilst looking at her First Mate curiously.

She shrugged as she stood straight and went to where Natasha was, slamming a drunkard who got a bit close and touchy-feely head first to a table as she did so.

She stopped beside her first mate, mumbling a choice string of curse words under her breath.

Natasha raised her eyebrow in question to her choice of words.

"You should take a drink. To help you loosen up." She said. Her voice rivaling that of a microphone, due to the increased noise in the bar. And probably a good cover-up. She followed the bartender towards the back of the bar, this time only a few people were seen. As soon as an odd, familiar door was seen and the bartender stopped - Natasha took out a gold goblet from her satchel.

"Here's for the trouble." she murmured tossing the goblet towards the man. She took the nearest torch and continued forward the dark pathway.

Jezebel made a face "I'll have one after we get the supplies" she decided before going and following Natasha and the bartender, not really feeling up to being left behind with a room full of drunks.

She nodded to the bartender not clearly registering the things happening round her. "Now what?" she asked a bit scathingly and irritated.

"Now we move."

She held the torch higher, giving them more light in the eerie path. She ducked a critter that attempted to land on her head, and move unnaturally fast towards the nearing exit. As soon as she felt the light on her face, she exhaled a breath she was holding. Nope - she doesn't like dark, empty pathways with critters lingering in the side. With cool indifference she shrugged the thought away as if it never happened and observed the surroundings.

They were standing on the cliff - and on top of the black market.

"Down there -" she said pointing to the mass of people on the beach. " -is the black market."

Jezebel growled and quickly took out her gun shooting at the critter that almost fell on Natasha's head. She growled lowly, her happy mood quickly being placed by a malevolent mood ever since that drunkard touched her.

"I want to kill someone badly"she grumbled before raising an eyebrow whilst looking down the edge of the cliff. "Why the bloody hell is the black market located on the beach?"

Natasha skillfully climbed down the cliff - passing through broken twigs, loose sand and some edible roots, missing her captain's scathing remark.

"It's nearer to the sea and much more concealed in here than in the city. Although, i don't know how they still managed to put up this long when they where already spotted by a decent number of soldiers last year." she said. Maybe the soldiers were exterminated. Yep, definitely. As soon as she reached ground a smuggler rushed towards her with a dagger on his hand.

"Were pirates." She remarked indifferently, having no thought of defending herself. Unfazed by the threat that was given to her a few moments before, she walked onwards - observing the new smuggled crates filled with booties and food in front of her.

"Where's your seller?" She asked the nearest person, standing next to the crate. He pointed towards the beach - a burly dark man with tattoos on his shoulder.

"Francesco!" She called. The man turned and gave her a lopsided grin before walking towards them and giving Natasha a squishing hug.

"It's been so long, sister. What brings you to my haven?" He asked, breaking free from the hug.

"Let me introduce you to my captain - Jezebel Knockboots. This here was once my partner in crime - Francesco Tucker."

Jezebel huffed and turned around before she stepped back, falling downwards at a great speed, letting out a shrill scream of joy. Whilst in air, she unsheathed her long sword from it's cover and dug it deep into the side of the cliff. She smirked as she looked down finding herself only an inch away from the ground. She jumped down then looked up and pulled her longsword from the earth. She quickly turned round and pointed the longsword at a smuggler who dared approach her with a knife.

"Put the knife down or i'll slice you" she said pressing the tip of her longsword forcefully but gently to the smuggler's throat. Once the smuggler placed his weapon down, she nodded and sheathed her longsword once more whilst moving to where Natasha was.

She nodded grimly at the man who Ariasmee introduced as Francesco Tucker. "It is nice to meet your acquaintance" she said.

Natasha almost - almost missed that sarcastic tone her captain had placed on her formalities. She had noticed how she jumped from the cliff of the mountain and landed on the ground with nearly a scratch - brave yet definitely deranged.

"We need supplies for our ship - Food and weapons." She said cutting to the chase. Francesco nodded stiffly then proceeded to walk towards the cave.

"We have decent flintlocks, bombs and cannons, of course." He said pointing to the left side part of the crate whilst moving steadily onwards.

"We are a bit short on food though, but we can deliver the shipment week or two later - that is if you have found your crew. And then we have delicacies - "he said stopping as he propped open one whiskey and handing them to the ladies.

"It's the best sort out here. What's a pirate's life without a little bit of rum and whiskey?" He asked, more like remarked in a haughty grin.

"And you woman -" He said gesturing to the brunette.

" - you could use some strong rum. That was some exhibit there." He said, taking one of sip of rum he had taken from the pile while he was talking.

Jezebel looked around trying to keep her temper in check so she let her First Mate do all the talking afraid of saying something a bit stupid.

"We still have to find my crew" she said her tone sounding a bit bored. "and a week or two is a decent time to find one." she added, thinking thoughtfully.

She raised an eyebrow before looking at the rum that her first mate passed her. Her eyebrows creased before shrugging thinking a drink would do no harm.

"Whatever you say" she said to the man, before downing the contents of the bottle in one swig. She smacked her lips then smiled dreamily. "Now that was good rum" she exclaimed happily, her mood a bit lightened.

"Francesco's a bit of a miracle winemaker." Natasha remarked, even though she had passed the bottle to her captain - not wanting to get drunk first thing in the morning and thinking she needed it more than anything at the moment.

"Aye, those were the good 'ol days." He replied taking another gulp from his bottle.

"And where are you lads of to?" He questioned. Natasha blinked and remembered their motives for this ship's journey.

"We need to find a crew, is your twin in town?" she questioned, the hope of finishing this task in a nick of time.

"Aye, she's in the pub as usual. Drinking the life out of her." he answered grimly. Natasha noticed this and immediately brushed the subject away, telling him they need to get moving. He complied and gave them free drinks on the walk. She thanked him of course, placing the bottles on her satchel - making them disturbingly heavy.

Jezebel nodded and smiled lightly at the man named Tuckers. She snuck a bottle out of her first mate's satchel taking a swig of it, not at all feeling drunk.

She smirked and held the bottle in her hand as she walked with her first mate. Jezebel let out a sigh of relief as she finished taking another swig. It was true Jezebel could drink as much as she wanted to without getting drunk- though her first mate didn't knew that.

She faked a very convincing hiccup having had to do this many times at many different situations. "Now what?" she asked Natasha again as she hiccuped.

Natasha heard her captain hiccuped beside her. She could almost smack her head for taking those drinks with her. She turned when her captain questioned her and looked at her squarely in the eye.

"Good acting skills you have there. Though I must say that you really should put those bottles away. They will get you drunk, let me assure you that. Well, if you insist, you're the captain and all." she rambled continuing her pace.

"Were off to see Francesca - his twin." She answered unconsciously.

Jezebel huffed then pouted. "How in the name of bloody Davy Jones' locker did you know i was acting?" she asked. Normally, people would have believed her but hell her first mate sure wasn't normal.

She nodded grimly. "Fransesca? Why do we need to meet her?" she asked.

"It's my job - was actually." She answered shortly, leaving the important details of the answer away. Even if this was her captain, some parts of her history must be concealed and known only be her and her only.

"Francesca knows quite a lot of people - not to mention most Pirates go to her when in need of a crew. She's a people person." She answered drily. The 'Skull's Cove' - emerged from the mist. A bar most known by smugglers, pirates, drug dealers and criminals of all sorts. The perfect place to find a crew.