Devil's Luck Pirates

"The marines rely on their sense of justice. And other pirates may rely on their strength and infamy. But for us, we rely on the Devil's Luck!"

The sun shines warmly in the sky above the sea. No one could have known about the huge storm that just happened. No one except the two ships that were ravaged by it, now destroyed on a random beach in the South Blue. Most of the men lay dead in the sand except for a few lucky ones.

A man with long brown hair tied into a ponytail with a lanky build slowly opens his eyes. He sits up and picks up his bicorn hat putting it on his head. He looks like your typical, run of the mill pirate. Complete with a cutlass strapped on his back and a flintlock pistol on his belt. No one could have guessed that this boring-looking pirate was the captain of one of the ships that were destroyed.

Together with him are three other very unique pirates.

A fairly muscular man with long silver hair and a pair of black goggles, a purple button-up vest, and a skin-tight, sleeveless shirt that reaches up covering his mouth and nose. A brown strap across his chest with a holster for the rifle that lays beside him.

Another much more muscular man with brown hair and a full beard, along with an eye-patch covering his left eye. With bandages wrapped around his bare chest in a cross-shape with others wrapped around both of his arms.

And last but not least, a knight. Heavy armor, a big circular shield with a wolf's head design on it, and a mace. Nothing that you would expect from a pirate. Even his messy blonde hair and handsome face with a small scar under his right eye don't contribute to the pirate aesthetic.

The captain gets up with some difficulty and looks around the shipwreck.

-That damn typhoon came out of nowhere! Geez. Is anybody still alive? – He asks while looking at the beach that's strewn with dead bodies. Some being from his crew but also lots and lots of navy bodies scattered around.

-Ugh… My head… I said go left, Ragnar! – The silver-haired man exclaims while getting on his feet.

-Left?... –The big bearded man asks while looking at his right confused.

-Oh Jimmy. How will I miss you! – The knight exclaims while looking at the corpse of one of his comrades.

-Yeah… Rick is also dead. Will bury them later. Looks like we aren't the only lucky ones today.

The captain says while looking ahead. The others do the same.

They see a wounded girl with frizzy pink hair wearing a black hood and cloak lying on the ground bounded by rope. Directly above her, a man dressed in navy uniform with one foot pressed against her face. Holding a pistol up against her.

The navy man also looks pretty wounded. With wood chips sticking out of his arm. Behind him is another navy sitting against a tree also holding a pistol in his hand.

-I know we have to take you back alive, but I ain't afraid to shoot if you cause me any more problems! I'll just report it as a naval accident. So don't move! I swear! – Yells the marine that is pinning the girl to the ground.

The captain rushes at them. He may be a pirate, but even he is moral enough to dislike the idea of pinning a girl on the ground and pointing a gun at her. And even less so when it comes to the Navy.

The man immediately notices this and points his gun to the captain.

-You! I-I don't know who you are! How di-did you survived the t-t-t-ty-typhoon?!

The marine is clearly shaking as he tries to keep his gun steady.

He isn't as big of a threat as the captain originally perceived. Looking closer, the guy isn't a very high-ranking member of the marines. From his apparent age –19 at best to his uniform, it's clear that the superior of his ship is dead.

The marine behind him also doesn't look like a higher-ranking member, but he's much calmer while also fading in and out of consciousness thanks to the giant piece of wood sticking out of his leg.

The captain stops after the young marine points his gun at him.

-Okay there. It's alright. Right now I think we all just need to calm down. – He says while putting his hand close to his own flintlock slowly.

-I a-am calm! Are y-are you kidding me?! I-I-I-I-I'm the ca-calmest I've ever been!

He's not calm.

The captain looks back at his crew and whispers to the knight:

-Hey Duros, can you like, sneak a little bit around this guy?

Ah yes. Let the guy with the heavy metal armor do the sneaking! Thinks Duros.

At this point, to Duros, the best course of action is to rush the guy. But hey, orders are orders.

Duros, being as sneaky as possible, takes a step. And his entire armor rattles causing an enormous amount of noise.

A noise, that grabs the attention of the terrified marine who sees this big armored guy as an obvious threat and immediately shoots at him.

The bullet pings up against Duros' armor and flies off into the air harmlessly.

Taking advantage of the situation, the captain fires at the marine's leg.

-Haha! That was my plan all along. For you to distract him! – The captain says proudly.

-AGH!... My leg – The marine exclaims in pain as he falls to the ground unconscious.

-Oh. Sorry about that. Anyways, let's check on the girl.

As they approach the girl, the marine behind her takes out his gun and points at them.

-Your son of a bitch… I don't know what you did to Jenkins. But you're not going near this girl… I have sworn… My life to escort this one…

The man is heavily breathing. I on the verge of passing out.

-Hey Verona, have you-

Ragnar says, without realizing that Verona has already disappeared from his side.

-Verona? Where did you go? – He says looking around.

While Duros was performing his "distraction", The silver-haired Verona sneaks (for real this time) towards the marines. Aiming his rifle at the marine on the ground that lifted his gun.

The captain takes a step closer to the marine.

-Listen here man, I love shooting marine dogs on the head, but you're barely conscious. Just put the gun down.

-If I -COGH- put my gun down, you'll just shoot me as you did with Jenkins. If I'm going down – He looks at Ragnar who is cluelessly looking around trying to find Verona. –I'll take one of you with me!

He shoots. Duros swiftly protects his crewmate with the shield.

Verona then shoots the marine on the head. Killing him.

-Alright, DOES ANYBODY WANTS TO SHOOT AT US? – the captain screams seemingly to nobody. –No one? Ok. Good.

He sheathes his gun and goes to untie the girl on the ground.

-Huh! You stupid pirates. Took you long enough to take care of two weak and wounded marines.

-For nothing… - The captain says sarcastically.

The girl stands up. Brushing the dirt off her tattered clothes.

-These marines have been hunting me for a long time. And when I think I'm safe on this island, a fucking typhoon sends those bastards and some shitty pirates to ruin my day.

She crosses her arms with a look of annoyance. Her small stature and bad attitude are the classic characteristics of the annoying brat archetype. Her hands are covered with gloves that look way too big for a girl like her. But more striking are her bright pink eyes that now scan her four saviors.

After hearing this, the captain facepalms.

Oh god, she's one of those... He thinks.

Duros comes to them and after seeing the girl up close he's stunned for a moment. But quickly shrugs it off.

-Lady! Are you hurt? Did the marines do something bad to you?

The girl just shrugs him off.

-No, no. I am ok. Anyways, when do you lot pretend to get off my island now?

-Well, considering that both ships are destroyed, I don't think we will be out of here soon.

Verona says while pointing at the two piles of driftwood on the beach.

-Oh there you are Verona. Have you seen my ax somewhere? – Ragnar says.

-Look down, Ragnar.

The girl looks very annoyed by this.

-Hey, we saved your life, girl! – Says the captain – What about a little bit of gratitude?

-Tsk, Alright. I have a small ship you dirty pirates can use. It's a small one, but with some expansions, it can take you, dummies, to the nearest island. That if your shipwright survived-

-CHAHAHA!! – The girl is interrupted by a loud laugh.

-You can bet I did! – Says Ragnar picking up his big two-handed ax with only one hand and putting it over his shoulder.

As the night settles, the group sits down around a campfire where some meat is being roasted. At least some of the cargo on the ships survived.

-I've never seen someone work so fast on a ship before. And cut so many trees with only one swing.

Says the girl after Ragnar sits down. Grabbing a big piece of roasted meat and eating it.

-Chahaha! That was nothing.

-Yeah, you should see him building a house. One afternoon and some ale are all he needs. – Says the captain about his shipwright's skills.

-Well, since we will spend the night together, why not take this opportunity to know us better?

Says Duros enthusiastically.

-Humph. As if I want to know who you stupid pirates are!

It wasn't easy to convince her to let them stay on the island. She wanted them to set sail in the middle of the night with almost no supplies and no clue to where to go.

But, after realizing that, if they sailed with her new and improved ship, she will have no way to get out of the island. And also after noticing that her own supplies are running short, she angrily accepted to come with them to the nearest island tomorrow morning.

-Well, but I certainly want to know you better! – Duros says wholeheartedly.

Duros' honesty and lack of malice in his voice really aren't fitting for a pirate.

The girl sights. –Fine, my name is Pearl. I've been running from the marines for a while now. And I can also hold myself pretty well in a fight. So you dirty pirates better not try anything ok?!

-Oh yeah… we could see that by how you were tied up on the ground. – Says the captain while munching on some meat.

The girl doesn't have time to respond to that before Duros presents himself.

-A pleasure to meet you, Pearl! My name is Duros. I am a former knight who tried to protect the people of my kingdom. But one day, I was betrayed by the Navy itself. Cut down, scarred, and left for dead.

After saying that, Duros opens his armor to reveal his bare chest full of horrific scars.

Perl seems genuinely surprised and a bit concern by this revelation.

He closes his armor and continues,

-But now, I wish to protect the people of my own volition by becoming a pirate. Because the Navy is something that cannot be changed and will always be the same, but a pirate has a free life! And I wish to seek my free life and do what I wish to do.

After finishing his presentation, the other three guys applaud.

-I've heard it many times, but it never gets old… – Says Ragnar.

-You… Sound like someone I knew from many years ago…

Pearl says without continuing on the topic.

-Ok, my turn now. – Says Verona standing up.

-My name is Verona. Age 22. I'm the navigator. I've recently become a pirate. My father was a Marine captain. And, well, some bad stuff happened to him, now I'm trying to find the truth about why he was killed.

After finishing his presentation, he sits back down.

-Huh. Well, that was pretty boring. – Pearl comments.

-Don't listen to her Verona. I think it was a very solid presentation.

The captain complements trying to lift the spirit of his navigator.

Ragnar has been listening to the whole conversation while eating meat and drinking ale.

-So, you are Ragnar then. – Pearl inquiries at the big man.

He chugs down a big jug of ale before speaking

-Yep. I'm also the shipwright since I've built a lot of houses back in my day.

He doesn't continue.

-And… Why did you decide to become a pirate?

Ragnar's expression suddenly goes serious. He bites a piece of meat aggressively and looks at Pearl

-I rather not talk about that.

She feels his piercing gaze and feels a little bit frightened.

-Yeah… We don't talk about that. – Says the captain while he gets up to do his presentation.

-Oh, I don't need to know who are. Probably just some random cabin boy.

-Hey! I am the captain!

-Really? You certainly don't look like one…

The sheer amount of disrespect on this girl!

He prefers to ignore her and goes on with his presentation.

-Ahem, – He clears out his throat and trikes a pose unsheathing his cutlass from his back and pointing it upwards.

-I am William Emanon! The magnificent captain of the Emanon Pirates!

-Emanon… How original…

William ignores her.

-After many years living as a swindler going from town to town, robbing the nobles and keeping the money to myself, I've decided to sail the high seas as the great Captain William!

After his over the top presentation, the only one applauding his captain is Duros while Ragnar keeps on eating meat and drinking ale and Verona somehow eating without taking off his mask.

And of course, Pear looking very unimpressed.

-Well, technically, he became a pirate after boarding the ship we were in to escape his home island. – Says Verona very nonchalantly.

-Hey!

-And also he became captain because no one wanted the position. – Says Ragnar still eating.

-HEY! You guys should have more respect for your captain.

-That's right. He may not be the best. And his ideas may not be the smartest. But he's still our captain!

-Thank you Duros, my first mate! I'm glad to have you on my side at times like this.

William sits down and continues to eat his food.

-And his decision to attack the marines amidst a storm was a really bad idea that costed the many lives of our crewmates.

-HEY!!!

After all this altercation, Pearl can't hold back her laughter anymore.

-HAHAHAHA. You guys… Really are a bunch of idiots. You lot must be the luckiest pirates I've ever known to have survived this long with a captain like this.

-CHAHAHA! You're damn right Pearl! – Says Ragnar as if he never got angry.

-More like the devil's luck…– Says Verona looking at his ale.

-And I am the luckiest one to have such wonderful friends like you! – Says Duros before hugging everyone. Including Pearl.

Well, like they always say: In this world, you can always count on the devil's luck.