Underground Pirates

Three and Four

James stood silently, nearly cowering by the fountain as Sarin and Clacks waited for Loon to finish up with the group of kids he was entertaining.

Nothing as elaborate as a flying butterfly today, mainly swords and crowns, but it was good, honest work for the man, and he enjoyed seeing the children's faces light up as he presented them each with their own personal balloon masterpiece. Not everyone paid, but he had been doing this for nearly a decade and had adapted to not getting by on much. After buying balloons, as long as he had a little bit left over to buy some food, he was content. He finally managed to make the last animal, a balloon crocodile, a first for him, and it came out pretty good if he did say so himself, and collected his hat, counting the handful of bills inside, and pocketing the change.

"What happened to the two of you?" Loon asked, looking at Clacks' missing foot and Sarin's slung arm.

"I had a run in with a fellow named Meat yesterday."

"And him?"

"Just having some work done." Clacks.

"I'm going to get him a sticker for his backpack that says 'my other foot is a peg'" Sarin said with a chuckle.

"So, what happened with Meat, and what's Pennyless doing up here?"

"Pennyless?" Clacks asked, eying James.

"Yeah, he's a bit of a mooch. Never has money, at least when he needs it."

"Never has it, or never spends it?"

"Not sure, but I've never seen him spend anything."

"Well, we walked in on Meat working over Martha, and that's when this occurred," Sarin indicate the sling with a nod before continuing, "and apparently after we left, Meat, and James, er Pennyless, paid her another visit."

"Neither of them are smart enough to have done that themselves."

"I agree, had some words with Pennyless, and he said someone named Garrett put them up to it."

"Not sure I know Garrett, but that still doesn't explain why Pennyless is up here."

"Well, Pennyless is going to help me replace what they took from Martha."

"He is, is he?" Loon said with a sly smile. "And what's in it for him?"

"I didn't drop him off the ferry." Sarin said with a cough, using his hand to cover his mouth and hide a smirk.

"Ah, that sounds like the weasel I've met."

"Good day?" Sarin said, changing the subject and nodding toward the hat that still occupied Loon's hand.

"Better than some, worse than others. You know."

"I do. Did you give any thought to my offer?"

"I did."

Sarin gave him a minute to continue, but finally found the need to prompt him, "and?"

"I'm in, it's about time I got a bit of a change of scenery, but I'll be the first to tell you I don't know beans about sailing a ship."

Clacks smiled, "You'll fit in great then, neither do we."

Loon looked at Clacks wide-eyed, who managed to maintain a straight face for almost half a minute before bursting into laughter. "We talk a big game, but we make due down there. It's mainly following the currents."

"Anything else you need to do? We've got dinner plans, and judging by the sun, it's about time we get back to Martha." Sarin said, before looking again at James, trying to anticipate the doctors reaction when she saw him. It ran the gamut from rage to pity, although there was decidedly more pity in the mixture of emotions he expected.