|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 4, 2023 20:48:38 GMT
Three days, that was how long it had been since Paopurro Poporro Palporro had left her life behind. A comfortable life where she'd have wanted for nothing... but a boring life where no comforts she was afforded would ever have satisfied her. She'd fled that life, and now she was just Pao.
She hadn't done it alone though. It had been a bit of good fortune, a small pirate crew had blown their cover around her. Their little repurposed cargo ship had come into port with their pirate flag hidden to sell some of their "legitimate" goods, or at least goods that hadn't been reported as stolen. When Pao had uncovered their deception she'd gained some valuable leverage, and a way out from her life. The negotiations had been rather simple when she held the card of being able to just turn them into the authorities if they didn't play ball.
The "kidnapping" had gone off without a hitch, Pao knew where all the guard routes were, setting up a scenario where she could be successfully abducted was child's play. Now all she needed to do was get far enough away from home that her family couldn't easily "rescue" her and bring her home.
Her travel arrangements weren't the best, she wasn't a real prisoner, so she didn't sleep in a cell in the brig, but compared to the comforts of home the stuffy cabin she was in was hardly five star hotel material. A cot, some basic furniture, and whatever luggage she'd brought along while being abducted. Her room didn't even have a window, just a heavy wooden door. Allegedly this room was a storage closet at one point, so it was sturdily built, but even repurposed it was not designed for comfort. Still, the island she'd arranged to be taken to was only a few more days away, and the pirates had been accommodating enough, always checking in on her to make sure she was doing alright, they were almost even gentlemen-like... but none had visited her today for some reason.
Unbeknownst to Pao, her situation had changed this morning, when her "captors" had learned about the bounty being offered for her safe return home. The fact she'd been abducted without a hitch meant nobody knew their faces, they could turn the ship around and deposit her back home for a huge payout. The reason nobody had come to visit her today was because her room was now locked, not even to be opened for giving her meals. They figured if she were in a weakened state from starvation, they could more easily contain her... and write off her claims that they were her abductors and pirates as delirium, and she wouldn't recover enough to make coherent accusations until they were long gone.
Now Pao had three days to learn of her situation, and escape, before she was deposited home again and held captive in her old life once more.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jul 4, 2023 20:56:55 GMT
Everything was going to plan! Pao couldn't believe her luck at finding the rag-tag pirate crew who was willing to take her far, far from her life of boredom. She knew this was the life-changing moment in her life... and nothing could change the way she was feeling about it!
Pao slept better on the ship than she ever had in a fluffy feather bed. The hard straw mattress was delightful, the swaying ocean beneath her rocking her to sleep almost instantly. Pao was already loving her new life as a sea fairer, and was feeling excitement building in her breast when she tried to open the door and found it locked.
Pao frowned, trying it again. Had she locked it before she slept? The pirates hadn't come with breakfast yet... had they? She knocked hard on the door, feeling her excitement twist into a knot and drop out of the bottom of her stomach
"Hello? Hello?! Can someone unlock the door?"
|
|
|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 4, 2023 21:17:39 GMT
"Sorry Ms Pao, we're having some trouble with it" a voice called back, one of the pirate officers, he was usually in charge of managing their cargo holds from what she could gather over three days, making sure things they were planning to sell remained in good condition. He wasn't exactly the one they'd call to work on her door... though this was an old storage closet so it wasn't COMPLETELY implausible... maybe "this old thing seems to have jammed, don't you worry though, we'll have it open by the end of the day. Sorry bout this, we're working on it fast as we can." he continued
It wasn't a lie that would last long, but the pirates figured it'd buy them time, they weren't too concerned over a spoiled rich girl being an issue, but the longer she was compliant the less risk there was of things going sideways. Taking her too lightly was what had resulted in her uncovering they were pirates after all, they might not have been wary of her combat ability... but she'd outwitted them once before if nothing else.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jul 4, 2023 21:33:00 GMT
Something was off. Pao felt it in her bones, in the way the pirate was talking. She clenched her jaw and her fists. Had they double crossed her after all? She took a step back, assessing the situation. If her father had put a reward for her return out... then these pirates would be the first to cash it in. Pao looked around the room, trying to keep herself calm.
"Okay, sure! Well, it's not ideal, seeing as I paid for safe passage, but I guess I'm safe in here, right?"
Pao kicked the bed, feeling the sturdiness. Could she craft a battering ram or a club from it? She frantically inspected the rest of the room, looking for something to perhaps work the lock, or break down the door.
"Any chance of some breakfast at least?"
|
|
|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 4, 2023 21:51:07 GMT
"Not much way we can get food in there with the door jammed Ms Pao" came the response "but yes, you're certainly very safe in there, you just hang tight."
Between the options of lockpicking and battering rams, the lockpick was definitely the better option, this used to be a storage closet after all, the door was probably sturdy. The lock was probably not complex though, just meant to keep the door closed during transit more than anything. Pao was in luck in that most of the furniture in here was poorly constructed and cheap. She could break anything down to make a battering ram with, and the nails and stuff they were made from could work as lockpicks.
But the fact there were people right outside her door would mean any attempt to break out would probably be detected quickly. If she were under guard she'd at least need to be ready to fight soon as she got the door open. She could make a club out of table legs no problem, but the pirates would have swords and guns. She might be more skilled than them, but a table leg was probably not enough of a weapon on its own.
Also in her room was some rope, some candles/matches, some cloth and sheets, and a vent for smoke to get out. The vent was too small to climb through unfortunately, the vent cover was metal though, and held in place with some heavier duty nails that could be useful if pried loose.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jul 5, 2023 5:22:22 GMT
Pao glowered at the pirate's words. Yet another part of her was excited. She was actually being kidnapped by pirates! This is exactly what she had always wanted. She put her hands on her hips, surveying the room. Plenty to work with, and three main options she could see. Pao grinned as she make a choice. Two were easy, but predictable. The third was the most interesting!
The first stage was to grab a table leg, wielding that like a club. Next, Pao used her foot and her anger to kick the bed into splinters and wreckage. She doubted the pirates would investigate, but that was what the club was for.
Pao piled wood in front of the door, a neat little bonfire. She stripped the duvet, using it for kindling to stuff into the middle. Finally, she went to work on the vent, prying away the metal face and pocketing the screws.
She stood in front of her creation, grinning. With purpose and a fierce sense of excitement, Pao dropped a lit match onto a section of bedding and watched the fire catch, licking flames and smoke rising up.
"Hey... hey! Mr. Pirate, help! There's a fire!"
Pao hoped the smoke would be drawn under the door too. If it did, and they came rushing in... she gripped the bat tight. She'd show them she wasn't a damsel in distress that they could kidnap easily!
|
|
|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 7, 2023 0:47:10 GMT
There was cursing on the other side of the door once the smoke became visible and the pirates learned what was going on... but the door didn't immediately open. The lock clicked open quickly enough... but it appeared the door was ACTUALLY a bit stuck. After some increasingly desperate rattling, the door burst open as the officer who had, ironically, actually been trying to fix the thing, smashed it down with a sledgehammer.
Pao had actually been correct about the pirates betraying her, though she had no proper proof of this yet. The pirate in the doorway seemed genuinely concerned for her though, worry written all over his face. The two other pirates behind him seemed significantly less sincere... which tracked. This guy, Bruce, was a big man, but was very much a gentle giant, he didn't really fit in with the more sketchy pirates of the crew. If there was anyone who'd have been left out of the loop on a betrayal, it was him.
"Ms Pao! Are you alright! Bruce said... just as the two other pirates darted in past him to try and grab Pao, much to his confusion "Hey!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jul 7, 2023 8:04:04 GMT
Pao did like Bruce. He had been nice to her, a sincere manner compared to the others. They obviously just cared about her paying them. So she hesitated when she saw his face... but the other two lunging towards her confirmed her suspicions. Pao wasn't paranoid, but the most exciting outcome of a locked door was the threat of actually being kidnapped. She was grinning as she swung her makeshift bat in a round arc towards the two pirate grunts with a wild roar. Pao wasn't immensely strong, but she hoped the element of surprise would give her the upper hand!
|
|
|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 8, 2023 2:02:35 GMT
Pao's surprise table leg club caught one of the grunts square on the side of the head with a sickening crack, and the man folded like his limbs had been turned to jello, a lot of the momentum of her swing was lost from the first hit though, so the second grunt only ended up staggering for a moment before pulling a short sword... at which point Bruce bonked him on the head
"Oy! The hell you guys doing! Ms Pao is our guest! No stabbing!" Bruce said, then realized his bonk had knocked the other guy out too "Oh... well I'll yell at him when he wakes up then. Sorry bout that Ms Pao, not sure what got into them. But uh... why is your bed in pieces and on fire? And is that a leg from your table? I get it, not the greatest table, but you didn't have to dismantle it! Also... well I didn't really like the guy you hit but I think you maybe hit him a bit too hard there..."
There was an utter lack of malice on Bruce's face, it seemed clear he was out of the loop on this one after all. Pao could leverage this to try and get some muscle on her side for the moment, or she could try her hand at fighting him, though he definitely wouldn't go down as easily as the grunts. She could also just make a run for it, since the door was busted open, Bruce was big, but if she was quick she could slip by him while he was confused and get to the hallway
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jul 8, 2023 17:48:32 GMT
"Treachery is afoot, Bruce!"
Pao grinned as she grasped a sword from one of the downed pirates, gripping the firm weight in one hand and liking how it felt.
"The pirate crew I hired to fake my kidnapping is trying to do that for real! So I have to escape... gosh, this is so exciting!"
She shouldered the sword, a level gaze between her and Bruce as she weighed up her options. Bruce had been nice to her so far, and that was beyond the fact she was handsomely paying these pirates off.
"I could use some help, Bruce... would you assist me in escaping your colleagues?"
|
|
|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 10, 2023 0:46:20 GMT
"I dunno..." Bruce said, hesitating, switching to a real kidnapping did sound like the crew. They'd gotten a newspaper this morning, he hadn't read it, but it would explain a lot. Still, there was no proof anything was going on... but supposing they had turned on her, didn't that mean he had to as well? Unless he ditched them too.
"Well, I guess I can try. I've been thinking about leaving the crew for a bit. Buncha jerks, you got a plan though? Even with the two of us, taking control of the ship isn't a great option. We can't effectively sail something like this on our own." Bruce said after mulling it over for a minute "we're a bit far from the next island, if we take a lifeboat we're playing with fire... speaking of"
Bruce started beating out the fire Pao had set before it took the whole room and maybe the ship down
"I'll follow your lead Ms Pao, I just hope you know what you're doing" Bruce said once the fire was out, he'd shoulder his sledgehammer. With his help and her new weapon Pao stood a decent chance against the pirates now, but what came after that was going to be crucial. Wouldn't be much of an escape if they ended up sinking into the sea after all.
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jul 10, 2023 14:08:50 GMT
Plan? Pao mulled it over. She didn't really have one, save for escaping. Lots of nasty pirates running around, looking specifically for her and only her. She couldn't exactly blend in, either... so what could they do? She grinned at Bruce.
"Sure... a plan, a plan... what if we cause a diversion? If you can hide me in the hold, we can make it seem like I'm still in here..."
She looked at the broken door with a grimace.
"Or perhaps you say you moved me to another room. We can gag and bind these two to make it seem like I'm still inside, nobody but you would check! Then, when we get the chance... boom!"
Pao thrust her arms into the air.
"We escape! You and I sail off and start our own pirate crew! A nice one... not one full of nasty guys like this. Whaddaya say, Bruce?"
She offered out a hand to shake on their agreement, grinning still at her pirate ally.
|
|
|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 11, 2023 23:26:10 GMT
"A good plan, but we'll need to find your chance within a day or two. I bet we're sailing back to your home right now, get too close and we might be snatched back up by your family after escaping" Bruce pointed out "but you're right, hiding you for the moment and looking for an opportunity is a much safer bet than trying to take control of the ship with just the two of us. Having our own crew sounds nice too, I'm sure it'll be way more enjoyable than sticking around with these jerks."
Bruce would help tie up the two grunts, throw them in another repurposed bedroom, and lock the door tight. Then he'd lead Pao down to a lower level of the ship, into a cargo hold
"Won't be comfortable, but this is the treasure hold, and nobody will look in here. Only the captain and I get to go in here unless we're unloading or loading things into it." Bruce said, moving some boxes around to give Pao some makeshift furniture "I'll get you food when I can, but it'll be a while. Considering they didn't tell me about turning on you they're probably wary of my turning on them... which... I guess I am. They'll be watching me I'm sure, so you'll have to hang tight."
|
|
|
|
Post by Beriadan on Jul 18, 2023 20:31:30 GMT
Pao looked around her new room. Worse than the old one... but this was part of the fun! She turned to Bruce, hands on hips, a big grin spread across her face.
"It's perfect! I can hide out here until you give the signal. I'll leave it to you, Bruce!"
Pao hesitated, then lunged forward and gave the pirate a grand hug.
"Thank you. You and I will find a great crew!"
With that, Pao turned her attention to the others. She was still grinning. What could be in these four walls? She waited until Bruce left her alone, then she started to hunt around the crates and barrels. There should be something here for her... something that would help her become a real pirate!
|
|
|
|
Post by cmd1095 on Jul 21, 2023 4:19:24 GMT
Pao would find plenty of generic treasures in the storeroom. Fancy vases, cash, jewelry... even some from her home the pirates had picked up while they were in town despite her hiring them. A lot of it was low quality though, this small crew was doing pretty well for themselves for how small-time they were, but they were still clearly small-time.
There was one object in here that looked as valuable as something she'd see back home though. An ornate display box, high quality wood, gold trim, clearly sturdy construction, and high quality glass for the top. The box alone was worth more than half the other stuff in here combined... but what was inside it was even more valuable to those who knew what it was.
A large fruit, shaped like the barrel of a cannon, with a pattern of many pointed stars resembling explosions covering it. It was unlike any fruit Pao had ever seen before, and if it was in a box like this it HAD to be valuable and rare. But why would anyone use a box like this for a single fruit? The fruit was probably valuable, but no way was it rare enough to warrant this kind of treatment... right?
|
|
