<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i.imgur.com/cnmrEzs.png">[ img ]</a><br/><a class="postlink" href="https://creativefreedomrpg.com/viewtopic.php?f=74&amp;t=44623">Int Check</a> | <a class="postlink" href="https://creativefreedomrpg.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&amp;t=44686">OOC</a> | <span style="font-weight: bold">IC</span></div><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Sunrise, Cagensday 17th Amiel, 223<br/><br/>Roughly a week from Shoel</span><br/><br/><span style="font-size: 200%; line-height: 116%;">C</span>aptain Fletcher Payne stirred slowly from his slumber. Well, the little he had finally managed to steal away from those who would seek to take it from him, at least. These days, it seemed that there were plenty of men who were lined up to deprive the Captain of the<span style="font-style: italic">Ocean Horizon</span>of his, much needed, rest. Barely three days ago had he captained his ship, as well as the band of pirates he called a crew, through a particularly dangerous stretch of the skies that consisted of three different bounty hunters all vying for his head. It was only due to the fact that his ship was so valuable that he had not been blasted from the skies. That's not to say that the<span style="font-style: italic">Horizon</span>came out unscathed, she had suffered multiple wounds. Some of them were barely a scrape or two, others were bad enough to leave a Geist dead in the air. But fortunately for the wily Captain, his ship happened to be hardier than most and his crew were some of the finest pirates this side of the Navy Border. Were it not for them, Fletcher was sure that he'd have been dead a long time ago.<br/><br/>With some considerable effort and a grimace, Fletcher forced himself to sit up. A whispering grunt of air escaping his lips as he did so. Telltale signs that the recent fighting had well and truly taken its toll on him.<span style="font-style: italic">'If they keep this up, I'll be dead from exhaustion.'</span>He thought to himself. His mind flashed back to the last fight. The bounty hunters had attached grappling lines and were preparing to board when he had given the command to use their own lines against them. Fletcher lead the charge, despite not usually doing so and much to the chagrin of his Ship Master, Aubrin Pykes, who had recommended that he stay onboard the<span style="font-style: italic">Horizon</span>whilst they were being attacked by hunters. Even so, Fletchers actions had won them the day and his idea to overload the crystal batteries, which caused the hunter's ship to explode, meant that any other bounty hunters in the area had cleared off. Which left the<span style="font-style: italic">Horizon</span>free to limp back toward Shoel.<br/><br/>While the obvious reasons were to repair and resupply, Fletcher had other ideas in mind. With just over a week to go until the Festival of Light began, Fletcher wanted to treat his crew by allowing them to partake in the event. For all the years they had been sailing the skies together, the<span style="font-style: italic">Ocean Horizon</span>had never once spent the festival docked at Shoel which, to Fletch, seemed uncanny considering that nearly every other pirate crew made sure to dock at either of the three available tower cities or the Wandering Isles to celebrate. The Shardseekers, however, had continued sailing. Forever searching for the mysterious Shardstones, also known as the Shards of Atlaias. Some members may have complained once or twice over the years but they had all followed his lead without question. Now, even though they were clearly tired from a long expedition, the crew seemed excited. It would be good for them to let their hair down, so to speak. Besides, the rum stores were running dry and the testosterone levels of the male members was beginning to creep up higher than Fletch had deemed safe. He'd even found himself beginning to waver when glancing at the female members of his crew. In short, the<span style="font-style: italic">Horizon</span>and her crew were in bad shape. Both needed some well earned R&R.<br/><br/>Slowly, the Captain swung his legs over the side of his king-size bed and placed his feet on the wooden-boarded floor. It was cold but so was everything onboard the<span style="font-style: italic">Horizon</span>. He braved the icy touch of the boards and walked over to where he had removed his shozoku garments from the night before. Attempting to don them quickly only resulted in his aching muscles screaming at him to cease moving. Maybe he would pay another visit to the good Doctor for a tonic. The task took longer than he expected but he finally laced up his tabi boots less than 5 minutes later. As he began walking toward the door to his chambers, he made sure to grab his katana which remained exactly where he had placed it, in its own glass cabinet. He strapped it to his left hip in routine fashion before reaching the door which he opened quickly and exited his room. He had stepped out onto the Main Deck, which was quiet at this time, barring those few whose turn it was to keep watch, but they kept their gambling talk to a low volume so as not to wake the rest of the crew.<br/><br/>Fletcher passed the three men silently, each of them sat upon overturned buckets and tossed dice into a wooden dish. They looked up as he did so but didn't stop playing, only nodding to acknowledge that he was there. On another ship, under another Captain, the crewmen might have been expected to stand or may have been reprimanded for failing to stop playing but Fletcher was lenient. He had spent years trying to command the correct amount of respect from his sailors whilst still being fair. And one of the most favourable ways of doing it was not considering himself too high above his station. A pirate ship was supposed to be free, where you could do and say whatever you wanted, including gambling. If Fletcher had needlessly stopped these men, who had offered their lives for him on many occasion, then he'd have robbed them of their freedom. Something which he'd never even dream of doing. Sure, gambling wasn't the greatest vice and maybe they should be making their rounds of the ship, but Fletcher knew that they were far away from bounty hunter skies. The closer they got to Shoel, the more Light Guard ships appeared on the horizon. If there was anyone he could count on for protection, they were it. Being the foster son of the Immortal Archivist sure had its perks.<br/><br/>He kept walking to the bow of the ship, taking in the surrounding skies as he walked. The rising sun began glaring from the East, Fletcher had to squint to look where he was going. It didn't take him long to reach the front and he soon took one of the two seat that were stationed there. Looking out towards the horizon, the Captain was excited to see Shoel again. It had been far too long.