The Marionette

Chapter 10: A Yellow Submarine

You steered your ship so it easily glided in between two other cargo ships which were already docked, and after deeming it being safe, you jumped off of your ship. You stood and leaned against a pole post and watched as sailors walked past you, each delivering either shipping containers or plain just moseying around. You smirked as you watched a sailor pause opposite of you and light a cigarette, his chest falling and rising hard from finishing up a shipment. He was younger, perhaps maybe a few years older than you, but gauging how calloused his hands were, he's been working for a while. He may have some information, he's clearly known the sea as his second home.

"Say, do you mind if I ask you a quick question?" You mustered the most innocent voice you could as you walked over to the young sailor.

"Anything for a pretty lady as yourself," the sailor answered eagerly as he dragged on his cigarette. He adjusted his blue cap on his head while he stood straighter and crossed his arms over his chest, "what can I do for you?"

"Have you seen this pirate?" You immediately cut straight to the point, getting the vibes that this sailor hadn't seen a woman in some time judging by the flirtatious looks he was throwing in your direction.

"Can't say I have..." he said with a perplexed look on his face as he leaned in to the photograph you presented him. His index finger and thumb caressed his chin as he narrowed his eyes trying to get a better look.

A passing sailor overheard the conversation, his brown eyes shifting to look at your photo while dropping a crate beside the two of you. "I'm pretty sure I've seen this guy," he enthusiastically said while placing his hands on either sides of his hips. "Yeah, about two weeks ago I was doing a different job. A buddy of mine got severely sick with some rare flu and he cured him like it was nothing!" He beamed while nodding his head as he retold his story.

You raised both of your brows in speculation, "that doesn't sound very pirate like," you said with a confused frown.

"Pirate like?" Both said in unison as they began to laugh hysterically, "you of all people should know that being a pirate isn't just black and white." The first sailor you met said in between laughs as he finished his cigarette.

"I've only ever known a woman to go after a man for one of two reasons," the second one butted in, "it's either cause she's in love with him or it's cause she wants to kill him!"

This earned a disgruntled grunt from you as you rolled your eyes while folding up the photograph and shoving it back into your pocket. "Where did you last see him," you demanded while pointing your finger at the second sailor, "I don't have all day."

"She's got it bad," they both snickered which caused your chest to burn in agitation. Finally the second sailor answered with a cheeky grin, "have a map?" He asked while taking a step closer to you. You bitterly nodded your head and motioned for him to follow you onto your ship so you could show it to him, this action causing the other young man to wolf whistle.

"It's in here," you said quietly while swinging open your door to the navigation room after boarding your ship. You planted yourself beside your map and handed him a quill, your eyes watching every movement he made in case if he got any brilliant ideas.

"This island here," he said while circling a smaller island located a little north from where you currently were. "Mind you this was about two weeks ago, so your little lover could be anywhere," he said with a short chuckle as he handed your quill back to you.

You looked down at your log pose, "how many days here until I can leave?" You asked while looking back towards the map, figuring in your head that it would take at least another three days with smooth sailing if you were to reach Trafalgar Law's last known location.