They both peered inside of the small cabinet. Sorva’s brows crinkled together, “that’s it?” She asked, glancing down at the piece of old parchment in question. “I thought it would be bigger. More flashy.” The four by four piece of parchment with nothing on it seemed questionable. Beckett gazed down in amazement at the long awaited page. Then he reached his paw in to touch the parchment tentatively, as if it would crumble to dust. But it didn’t. Instead, it lit up with a blinding light as ink lines started appearing as if being drawn, all over the Mage Map, creating a large expanse of ocean, as well as trees and towns. Labeled perfectly. Sorva gasped, “l take it back. That looks…” she trailed off awestruck by the sight before her. “Amazing.” She finished. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it. Pity it’s just been stolen.” Beckett grinned, lifting the page out of the cabinet. “So, how exactly does a Mage Map work? It transforms into a map leading to whatever the holder desires most, right?” “Correct. Meaning it theoretically should lead us to the cure of your blight.” She added knowledgeably. “But we will need some mode of fast transport, my circus ship could follow behind for reinforcements but it just won’t do, If we want to go fast. Any suggestions?” Beckett thought for a moment. “We can steal the experimental steam-powered 2-person boat I saw in Garic’s backyard.” He suggested. “Ohhh, wonderful idea. It will make him so mad.” Sorva said gleefully rubbing her hands together. “Perfect. Let’s go!” He slipped the precious paper into his pocket and led the way out of the room and down a back stairwell to the grounds. Sorva skipped along humming as she went past the many unconscious guards they had left behind, out onto the grounds and into the light of the new day. A few seconds later the new day was ruined by a high pitched annoying voice. “I say! DO YOU REALIZE THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE? You shall be arrested and hanged for this!” “UHHHHGGGGGGGGGGWHYYYYYYY-” Beckett groaned and pulled out his cutlass. “Sorva please do I have your permission to kill him? He is SO ANNOYINGGG.” “EXCUSE YOU!” Garic shouted before Sorva had the chance to agree with Beckett, “YOU’RE THE ANNOYING ONE!! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM!” “Uh, yeah. You’re Garic Stone, the most prosperous douche in the country. What is it to us?” Beckett shot back, twirling his cutlass. He turned to Sorva again. “C’mon, please? Maybe I can make him just a little bit dead?” “Of course! Who’s stopping you, but do wait to kill him all the way, just a little bit of maiming.” Sorva responded. Beckett grinned, a glint in his eye. “Will do.” He stepped towards Garic, who suddenly didn’t look all too full of himself. The cutlass blade gleamed in the dawn sunlight. Garic’s tears of fear glinted just as much. Then he started wailing and running around with his arms flailing. “Sniveling little brat.” Sorva declared. “I don’t care how you maim him, just do it now please, he’s giving me a headache.” She said placing a hand on her temple feigning sickness. Beckett gave an exhilarated laugh and sped at Garic. He launched himself into the air, and then dove at the fleeing nobleman. The blade of the cutlass sliced… And the left hand of Garic ‘Charming’ Stone thudded to the ground. The man screeched like a banshee and fell down, clutching the bleeding stump of his wrist and moaning, as Beckett landed catlike in front of him. “Don’t be a baby. We pirates get our limbs chopped off all the time, and we do just fine.” He scolded gleefully, while Sorva burst out cackling in the background. “What say we do a bit more, take that ‘Charming’ bit out of his name?” The pirate suggested, his tail twitching in amusement as he watched Garic wailing on the ground. Sorva spotted a nearby servant hiding behind a bush, “you there! Go help your sniveling coward of a master!” She shouted toward him. The servant jumped and scrambled to his feet, then bowed shakily. “Yes, ma’am! But… Do I have to?” Sorva rolled her eyes. “You have to. We don’t want him dead just yet, now do we?” The servant nodded and rushed over to Garic, helping him to his feet. “One more thing.” Beckett smirked. With one quick motion, he used the tip of his cutlass to slice across Garic’s cheek, leaving a deep and bleeding cut. “Something to remember me by.” The servant glanced fearfully at Beckett and Sorva, who had come over and was standing at the pirate’s shoulder, then he ushered his injured master inside. Sorva threw back her head and laughed. “We should invite that servant boy to join us for a heist sometime. He’s going to need a new job when we eventually kill Garic.”
“Yeah, good idea. Also, that was extremely satisfying.” Beckett grinned at her. “One of the perks of the pirate career is that you get to exact revenge on people who annoy you.” Then his smile faltered. “Well, I suppose I’ve got to enjoy pirate perks while I can, I won’t be one much longer, will I?” “Actually, you will immerse yourself in some piratic behavior in my crew as well.” She said pointedly, raising her eyebrow. Then before Beckett could say anything she spoke again, “Anyhoo, we should get going. Now, where did you see the boat… Aha! Found it!” She said racing towards the small boat and enthusiastically throwing up her hands in excitement. “Alright, let's get this thing on the road… we’ll actually water but that doesn’t matter!” She started to shove the boat down the hill towards the water. “Come on!” Sorva shouted over her shoulder at the unresponsive Beckett, “no time for Dilly-dallying!” The police sirens coming from the distance backed her up on this point. Beckett jumped and dashed over. “Right! Sorry ‘bout that.” He started to push the boat as well and it slowly started to roll down the sloping lawn towards the water. Sorva told Beckett to get in first then once he was in the boat she pushed it forward and jumped in herself, soon they were zooming towards the Tavir pier as the the sounds of the sirens faded into the distance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In collaboration with @strawberryrainwing
