Interning on the Aronnax

The Hunt's Afoot

A/N: A moment of silence for Hammerhead, who's kind of hard to write when he's not yelling... 'XD

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The floating black market was no place for a little girl like Madeline. Sure, she could scowl and growl along with the rest of them. She was a pretty decent fighter, too. Better than Finn ever had been.

But she was still tiny. Even a friendly shove could send her right off the dock, never mind a fighting shove. And a punch? Though nobody would ever say it to her face, Madeline was simply too young and fragile to be in the perpetual chaos of the floating black market.

Yet here she was.

Hammerhead puffed himself proudly at Madeline's fierce expression and waiting hand on the sheathed knife he'd given her the previous night for her belt, but he still kept her at his side. His glaring face was enough to deter anyone who would try to mess with his little girl.

Everyone knew to never anger Hammerhead, especially now. They'd always respected the pirate captain's strength and ferocity, but now there was a new wariness sending the weaker pirates scurrying out of the path.

By now, everyone knew what had happened to Smiling Finn.

Hammerhead's frown deepened when they reached Dolos' boat. He didn't like the odd little man and he especially didn't like the disgusted look he shot Madeline, but Dolos had a map Hammerhead wanted. Hammerhead just got done with his business as quickly as possible, and left.

"Lemme see! Lemme see!" Madeline demanded as they left Dolos' boat.

Her watchfulness vanished, replaced by intense curiosity. It was dangerous to drop your guard on the floating black market, but Hammerhead couldn't bear to scold her for it. Instead, he, Madeline, and Danny Boy slipped into a shadowed pier and studied the map.

"It's close by," Hammerhead said with gruff happiness.

Madeline fist-pumped. "Finally! More treasure!"

Hammerhead shook his head. "Madeline, first rule of the floatin' black market."

"Stab anyone who gets closer than three feet of me!"

"The other first rule."

"Bitin' is allowed?"

Hammerhead tried to remember how many "first rules" he'd given to Madeline in the past. Was every rule the first rule?

"Don't talk about treasure we don't have yet," Danny Boy supplied.

"Oh, right." Madeline's eyes widened. "Oh. Right. Sorry, Dad."

"Ya'll learn," Hammerhead said. He moved toward the Dark Orca, then stiffened when he saw a familiar face. "Back!"

Hammerhead shoved Madeline further into the shadows as Will and Ant Nekton walked by. He glared at their backs, watching them enter Dolos' ship.

"Eh... coincidence?" Danny Boy offered quietly.

Hammerhead watched in silence as Will haggled with Dolos until the little man picked up a map from a barrel. Dolos had claimed to have only one copy of the Islanders' treasure map, but Hammerhead knew he liked to make copies and sell them to multiple pirates. But to the Nektons?

"Treasure's off the table, Madeline," Hammerhead grumbled, crumpling up his map.

"Aw, come on, Dad!" Madeline whined. "I'm bored of sittin' around! If we hurried-"

"No!" Hammerhead snapped.

Madeline pouted, but dropped the subject. She turned and took one stomping step before she crashed into a cloaked stranger.

"Watch it!" snapped the man.

Hammerhead quickly stepped forward, pushing Madeline behind him. He and the stranger were nearly the same height, but the stranger was a scrawny old man under the cloak's gold-embroidered hood.

"Do ya have a problem with me daughter?" Hammerhead challenged. He kept his voice lower than normal, mindful of the Nektons nearby.

"Your daughter should watch her step," the man said with a haughty sniff.

"Ya ran into me!" Madeline yelped.

The stranger's nose crinkled, as though he smelled something foul. He swept away without another word.

Hammerhead nearly went after him to teach him a lesson about his attitude, but stayed his ground. There was something odd and dangerous about the stranger, like a muted glint beyond the jagged mouth of a cave.

"They're leavin'!" Danny Boy warned.

Hammerhead shook off his thoughts. The trio returned to the shadows. The two Nektons walked by, oblivious to the pirates.

Hammerhead watched them with a glare. It was their fault Finn was gone. If they hadn't had to be constantly poking their noses into pirate business, then Finn would have grown up a respectable pirate!

"Dad?" Madeline whispered.

"Let's go," Hammerhead said. "There'll be more treasure."

Hammerhead turned, then stiffened.

Several piers away, a man had stepped from the shadows. His face was turned toward Hammerhead long enough for him to recognize the straw-yellow hair framing a dark face and eyes like chips of ice.

Pete.

Hammerhead watched Pete flip up the hood of his cloak, then weave through the vendors and pirates long enough to determine where he was headed.

"Danny Boy," Hammerhead said, unballing the map. "Gather the men."

"Cap'n?"

"Tell them the hunt's afoot," Hammerhead said.

Danny Boy gave a greedy grin. "Aye, Cap'n!"

While Danny Boy hurried off to find the crew, Hammerhead herded Madeline toward the Dark Orca. He glanced over his shoulder and tracked Pete. He frowned in annoyance.

Whatever did Pete want with the Nektons?

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A/N: Drumroll, please, for Pete's first physical appearance! I finally nailed down his appearance.  ;)

Hammerhead and Pete will get the occasional chapter, but not too often, because if I included their side of the story, it would be massive! And this is Finn's story.