Yo Ho Yo Ho, A Plushie's Life For Me: Part Five

     ---{ A Time of Trial}---

I immediately followed Vems inside the Golden Dubloon, which I soon regretted when that same Draik from the first day shouted, "Thar be Captain Vems and his tiny friend!" Vems walked over to their table confidently, while I unwillingly trailed behind, messing with my hat nervously.

    "Ahoy there!" I nervously shouted. Vems poked me rather roughly in the side. I coughed uneasily and adjusted my voice, before repeating, "Ahoy!" but in a lower, rough voice. I looked at Vems and could have sworn I saw him wink. He left to grab a drink. He left me alone. With his crew. Of pirates. Gee. Thanks, Vems.

     I was about to smile nervously, when I suddenly remembered my goal, and turned it into a scowl. "Arr... what ye all be doin' now?"

     A pirate Wocky with a scar above his eye replied roughly, "We be talkin' bout all our swashbucklin' tales. Ye see me scar? I be getting' it from a swashbucklin' in the Krawk Caves. Thar be an odd day when many krawk petpets appeared for der takin' but I be fightin' first with e'eryone else who be wantin' one. T'was 'bout 100 against me. Greatest swashbucklin' of me life. Ye have any swashbucklin' tales to tell?"

     The Draik cut me off to reply, "Yo ho ho, of course he be havin' a tale. Vems said he be a buccaneer, a real hardcore pirate. Tell us one of yer tales, little guy."

     I looked at the whole crew, dumbfounded. I tried to make up a story, but I drew a blank. I could retell one of the many stories I had read, but that would be lying... Which Ketarue's mother use to say was really bad... but then again, where was she now? And Vems did it all the time. Perhaps... I could do some rewriting...

     I cleared my throat a bit, preparing in my head how I wanted to tell this. "I be just a baby when I met Ketarue," I started, "and he be me greatest mate e'er. He be teachin' me how to steal, duel, e'erything I know now. We be sailin' the seas together in our small but sturdy ship, wreckin' havoc among villages we visited. One day, we be landin' in a small, unfamiliar island. It be havin' no name. We be dockin' our ship when we saw Scarblade's ship nearby. We could not resist. Ketarue and I climbed aboard, makin' sure no one could see us...

     "His ship be grand, but it be dirty too. Ketarue and I searched for Scarblade's cabin, for we be sure that be where the treasure lay. We be seein' no one on the ship. It appeared that Scarblade and the crew be out eatin' or somethin'. Ketarue picked the cabin's lock while I stood guard. Once we be inside, we be surprised by the most magnificent treasure we ever saw. Thar be a gigantic, golden dubloon. Bigger than me head! Ketarue and I had to take it, so we did.

     "We carried it onto our ship and hurriedly sailed away. When Scarblade's ship be just a pinprick, we heard a howl of anger from Scarblade himself. We be knowin' what he be angry 'bout.

     "We be thinkin' Scarblade never knew it be us who took his precious dubloon. We hid it somewhere remote and continued our pirate ways with stealin' and what not. However... Scarblade be findin' us one day. He knew it be us because he be seein' our ship's flag. Knew it had to be us..."

     Vems came back shortly after I started telling my story. He handed me a drink, which I ignored, for I did not want to lose my focus on the story. He listened carefully, nodding his approval of my somewhat great lie. The whole crew was enthralled in my story.

     "... And before I could think, Captain Scarblade be grabbin' Ketarue and holdin' a cutlass under his chin. He be growlin', 'Ye come any closer, and it be byebye to yer mate!' Then, while holdin' Ketarue, he jumped off the ship. I ran to edge of the ship to see them sailin' away on a smaller boat with Scarblade's crew. Ketarue be tied up, and Scarblade winked at me, shoutin' 'Ye know what I want. Get it and ye can have yer mate back!'

     "However, I cannot be givin' what he wants. A pirate ne'er surrenders his loot. So now, I be wantin' to hunt him down for another duel, but first, I be lookin' for Ketarue. I heard he be tied up somewhere hidden, and I be needin' yer help to find him..."

     I ended uncertainly, while hoping that the crew did not question me further about my so called "hidden dubloon."

     I anxiously waited for their response, when finally, the pirate Draik said, "Arrrr... I do not be likin' Scarblade. He be thinkin' he so tough. I would like to show him."

     Vems took this as a sign of approval and said to me, "Of course we be helpin' ye find yer Ketarue." The whole crew raised their glass in agreement and drank. I sat there smiling at my success.

     In my moment of glory, the last thing I expected to hear was a high pitched, girly voice that I recognized to belong to Ketarue's sister. Her voice cut to my ears as she screamed, "Acorn?!"

     I turned around tentatively to face the entrance of the Golden Dubloon. Everything seemed to have frozen in time as I stared at Ketarue and his sister. We shared the same expression – surprise. I knew Vems looked up at me when my name was called out, but his crew continued with their raucous laughter at some story I was then not listening to.

     I slowly got up, preparing to walk over to Ketarue. I was shocked rather than happy. Even though my tale had to do with Ketarue, I had completely forgotten that he actually existed, and not as a pirate, but as a normal Kougra. I was contemplating about what to say to him, for it was evident that he noticed my new ability... of walking, talking, etcetera. Before I could reach him however, he ran out of the door, and with one last confused glance, so did his sister.

     I stopped walking. Stood there confused. Stared at the swinging doors that were recently touched by my family. My old family. A realization dawned on me. Ketarue did not accept me. Not for a long time. Not when I was a lifeless, immobile plushie. Not when I was finally able to move. I turned around to look at Vems's crew. They did not accept me either. I had to have training for them to "like" me. I suddenly felt... lonely.

     I noticed Vems staring at me, but I did not care. I walked out of the Golden Dubloon to have some fresh air. It was still nighttime, but a faint glow of light was appearing on the horizon. While I was staring at the faint moon, I felt Vems's presence appear.

     "Was that yer Ketarue?" he asked gruffly.

     I nodded my head.

     "Why he leave?"

     I shrugged. Vems took the hint and remained silent. After several minutes however, he broke the silence to ask another question.

     "What ye be plannin' to do now?"

     I looked up at him. What was I going to do? I thought for a moment before responding, "Do ye have a spare ship?"

     Vems looked at me questioningly before responding, "Perhaps. What it be for, though?"

     "For piracy of course," I responded gruffly.

     He smirked and replied, "Aye. I do. It be ramshackle, but it be for free."

     ---{Conclusion}---

     Ahoy there. I be Acorn, the most menacing, ruthless pirate to sail the sea. That be me tale of how I be becomin' a pirate. E'er since me rejection from Ketarue, I be sailin' all o'er Neopia, looting any unfortunate neopets that cross me path. I figured, why let those weeks of pirate trainin' down der drain.

    I be enjoyin' me life now as a pirate. I be havin' me own adventures and me own stories to tell. And most importantly, I finally be accepted by somebody. Me crew.

     It is small. Consists of only two mates. Thar is Kiyoi the moltenore and Siyla the breebly from Akuroe's cave. They be leavin' Akuroe because he be becomin' a successful wizard apparently, and Kiyoi and Siyla not be wantin' to be apprentices to a wizard. So, when we crossed paths, they joined me in me ship.

     Snowager... I still respect that giant, tub of ice. Occasionally I be visitin' him to give him a poke. He never be likin' me visits. Especially with me new pirate talk. Apparently, he be not likin' the pirate dialect.

     Vems still be me mate. We be writin' all der time. I paid him back for der trainin' and help with all der loot I received in me career. His crew ne'er be findin' out der truth 'bout me. Still thinkin' I be searchin' for me Ketarue...

     I ne'er did see Ketarue or his family again. I be glad too. I would not be knowin' what to say. Besides... they will not be recognizin' me. I be a sweet, adorable plushie to them. Now, I be a merciless pirate. Oh, how times have changed.

     So thar be the absolute end of me tale. Hope ye enjoyed. Goodbye and watch where ye be sailin'. Ye will not be wantin' to meet me in der open seas.

The End