On Board (Pirate AU)

Chapter Eight - To Become A Shadow

First Person POV, Anonymous

When I saw the man give someone who wasn't on their crew the map, I kept a close watch on it. I recognized the crew mates, though they were older now. In their twenties now. Percy and Piper. They were different now. They've matured more.

They left. I set down my drink and tapped the map Percy had given to the drunk man. "What did that fellow bother you about?"

The guy looked as if Percy had hardly been bothering him. A shame. We used to put a knife to our victim's throat when we needed information. My crew was soft now. Soft, after what they did to me?

"Oh, uh, they wanted to know the weather is all. Left his map behind though."

I leaned against the table. "I'll buy you a drink if you give me that map."

The guy shrugged and handed it over. I tossed coins onto his table for the drink and immediately left the bar to go talk with the Governor. I swayed slightly as I left, but I made it to his house with sheer force of will. I hit his door hard and bellowed up to him to let me in.

It took convincing, but when he saw the map, he let me use his own ship and provided me with a crew. After all, the Argo II had stolen from him before, too. He wanted them to be brought to justice as much as anyone. Our boat was well-stocked, and the crew was skilled. The Argo II crew wouldn't last a week with me on their tails.

And after all, I knew their weaknesses. I knew their strategies. Ha, I'd created those weaknesses and strategies myself. A crew doesn't listen to you unless they think you know better than they do. They only think they know less if you tell them they are less.

My crew respected me then. They would do it again. And this time, they wouldn't overpower me. After all, a shadow knows its vessel best. A shadow follows behind, noticing everything. A shadow is untouchable.

I'm better than a shadow.

Besides, they've got a new crew member on board. A blondie. Untrained. A weakness. Didn't I teach them better than this? Hadn't I taught Percy, at least, better than this? And the fact that that Nico kid is captain. Like they could replace me. Like I hadn't groomed Percy to take over my position should I ever be killed. Like Nico wasn't the one who had been most afraid of me.

It won't be a bother once I arrive. They'll fall in line, or face the consequences, like it's always been. Like it always will be.

The Argo II will fear me again. I will not be their shadow. They will become mine. 

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Okay- One thing. I'm really sorry I haven't gotten to updating this. I will be publishing all of it at once so once you see this it's probably already published. There has been a lot going on, but I'm not going to explain it here. 

Again, I'm sorry for the delay. Here you go. 

- Chris