HoloPirates: A Tale of Adventure

The Best Laid Plans

"I say we leave her and take the ship." The Storyteller suggested.
Those were the first words out of his mouth the moment I told everyone that Marine had been arrested. Everyone on the ship, from Jansen to the cabin boys, were below decks, on the gunnery deck, and I was standing atop a cannon, addressing all of them collectively as I tried to maintain my drunken balance.
"No, we're not just gonna leave her!" I said in protest.
"Well then, what do we do?" One of the crew in the back yelled.
"Aye lad, what do we do?" Another crew member asked.
"Well, uhh, all of you, station the ship in the harbor and aim the guns at the forts. When I give you the signal, fire at the fort and cause a distraction. we'll find a way down to all of you." I said. "Jansen, you stay here and guard the ship with them, and wait for the signal."
"Aye, what might the signal be?"
"Just, uh, look for something big. Like an explosion, or a firework or something of that matter. Trust me, it won't be anything tiny."
Jansen gave a chuckle at that, and I turned to Noel, the Storyteller, and Amelia.
"Alright, we're gonna go and get back Marine." I said. "Which fortress was she taken to?"
"Only the Northern Fortress actually has a prison, so they must have taken her there." Noel said, holding her weapon of choice, which was the mace that I had seen her with on the Isle of Animals.
I nodded.
"Okay good. We have a heading. And where is Botan?"
"Right here."
I turned, and there she was, eating a piece of beef that Cookie had whipped up for her on a whim.
"Alright good, I want you to stay here and make sure Jansen doesn't keel over and die again okay?"
She nodded at that as everyone including Jansen laughed, and a calm expression grew over her face.
"I'm okay with that."
"Alright then, its settled. Everyone, get in positions."
"Aye that!" Jansen said, and everyone snapped into motion.
* * * * * * * * * *
An hour later, Noel, Amelia, the Storyteller, and I were standing behind a wall, surveying the entrance of the fortress. Stationed between the two stone walls of the gate were two knights, their armor shining a little bit in the light of the moon.
"Okay, so what's the plan?" I said.
"We have to distract those guards, and then we can get to the armory, which leads to the prison." Noel said. "I was stationed here. Also, if you can get a guards clothes, you can disguise yourself and get in there."
"Okay, that sounds good. Can you go and beat up those two guys in the front?"
"What? No! They're soldiers!"
Through the darkness of the night, I saw the Storyteller roll his eyes.
"Okay, so how do we get inside?"
"I have a better idea than just running in and beating up everyone." Amelia said behind us.
All of us turned around, and she handed over three small vials, keeping the fourth for herself. Inside of the bottles, there was a golden liquid, and it gleamed easily in the light of the moon.
"What is that?"
"Its a Vanish Potion. Use it to go invisible."
"Where did you get that?"
"From the Golden Apple that you stole. Its the perfect base for potions, and it makes them really, really powerful. Jansen told me about it, and I made the potions for all of you. You're welcome."
"Wait, if we're invisible, then how do we get visible again?"
"Then drink this vial."
She handed us another set of bottles, these having a clear liquid that had an extremely strong scent radiating off of it.
"Drink that, and the invisibility will wear off." She said. "Oh! I forgot to mention, the potion might make you a bit....nauseous....and blind...but only for a little bit, I promise!"
Before any of us could say anything, she downed the Vanish Potion, and after a second or two of making queasy faces, the air around her rippled, and she vanished right into the darkness of the shadow of the alleyway that we were in.
"Amelia!!!" I hissed.
"Ame!!" Noel whispered, both of us trying to find her.
"Will you shut up?" She calmly whispered off to our right. "If you want to do this right, do it stealthily, trust me."
"And where are you going?"
"Easy. To the alchemy room of the fortress. I know they have a ton of ingredients that I could never ever find even when I was popular. I want all of that, so I'm gonna go and rob them. See y'all later!"
And with that, she cut off the conversation, and we heard her footsteps receding into the darkness in the direction of the fortress.
"Alright, I have a plan. Noel, do you have any handcuffs?"
"Oh yeah, I take handcuffs wherever I go." She said sarcastically. "No I don't have handcuffs."
"Okay, there goes my plan, guess we're not gonna fake them out. Alright, you're going to go and scale the wall of the fortress." I said to the Storyteller. "Try and disable their guns, or locate Marine. Drink the potion, and make sure you aren't seen."
He pulled me in close, and he whispered right into my ear.
"Don't tell either of them why, but I don't need the potion, trust me."
"Alright. " I said, taking the potion out of his hand.
He slapped me on the arm, then stood up and began to walk towards the wall of the fortress, right where he was supposed to scale it.
"Don't worry about me. Meet you in the prison!" He whispered.
And with that, the craziest thing happened. Unlike Amelia, the air around him didn't ripple. He was just there one second, and then the next, he was just gone, vanishing right into thin air.
"Okay, that just leaves us." I said. "Try and distract the guards, and I'll sneak in and take them out from behind, okay?"
She nodded at that, and I took the cap off of the potion, held it up to my lips, and chugged it. At first, there wasn't any flavor, but once it went down my throat, there was suddenly a massive blast of beautiful flavor, washing all over my mouth and throat. The moment after that happened, the world suddenly blurred, then went completely dark, and I reached out until my hand rested on Noel's armored shoulders, and I steadied myself as my legs nearly gave out beneath me.
"Guhhhhh." I said, trying to keep the contents of my stomach from spewing everywhere.
"Are you okay?" I heard Noel say.
"Yeah, I'll be alright." I said. "Now, lets get up to the guards."
My vision cleared and focused, and I saw Noel trying to look at me with a concerned look on her face, but since she couldn't see me, she had a hard time focusing her eyes.
"I'm fine Noel." I said. "Let's get going."