Photo Story: A Pirate's Tale (part 3 of 3)
September 6, 2006
Now that we've seen some of Wolfgang and Roxanne, it's time to see what Alex and Rayna are doing. When we last saw them they were taking a walk together (I have a large yard, especially for a Pullip :P )...
Alex: I had fun on our date, would you like to go out again sometime?
Rayna: Yes I would. *smiles*
Alex: Will you tell me more pirate stories? I love hearing them.
Rayna: Um...Alex? There is something you should know. I really wasn't a very good pirate. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me.
Alex: What do you mean?
Rayna: I had some great times being a pirate, but it wasn't all that great. We did things I'm not proud of...I'll tell you why I stopped being a pirate if you want.
Alex: Yes, please tell me.
Rayna: I've never told anyone here this story, but here goes. As pirates, we sometimes did bad things. I mean, we didn't steal or kill people or anything like that, but sometimes we smuggled stuff.
Alex: What kind of stuff?
Rayna: Nothing bad like drugs or weapons. No, mostly it was food or medical supplies, stuff like that. There are all kinds of remote, hidden islands in the South Pacific, many with strict governments enforcing long lists of contraband that most people consider normal things. That's the kind of stuff we would smuggle.
Alex: That's not that bad.
Rayna: No, but we never did it out of kindness, we only did it for profit. I'm ashamed to admit that most of the time I didn't care, but as I got older it started to bother me more. When it involved sick people who needed medicine, it always bothered me that we wouldn't do it unless we were well paid. Sometimes we would find these waring islands and we would do business with both sides, as long as they both paid. It was so unethical.
Alex: But stuff like this wasn't in your control, was it?
Rayna: No, I wasn't captain, but I did work my way up in the ranks until I was pretty high up in the chain of command. We were visiting this one island and I found this lady who was enslaved by a cruel man. She had two small children and just wanted to get away to some other island where she could start a free life. I promised to stow her away on our ship along with her children and take her away...for no fee.
Alex: But that's not bad.
Rayna: No...but if was for a pirate. When the captain and crew found out about it, they were all incredibly mad. They couldn't believe I didn't demand a fee for taking that poor woman out of a terrible situation. At least they didn't find out about it until our ship arrived at the new location and she was able to get away with her kids, but I had to pay dearly for it.
Alex: *alarmed* Did they...torture you?
Rayna: Nothing so barbaric. They shunned me. I was reduced in rank to the very bottom, was forced to give up a year's worth of pay, and then made to swab the decks all day with the other underlings. Nobody spoke to me, or if they did it was only to tell me what a poor excuse of a pirate I was.
Alex: Jerks.
Rayna: I thought they were my friends, but I realized they would only be my friends if I helped them with their selfish ambitions. I only stayed on for a few weeks after that. When we made port next I ran away and never went back. So, you see...I'm not really a great pirate. I just wanted to be able to do something nice without thought to what my own reward was, that's why I came here...I can do that here.
Alex: I don't care what those pirates thought, I think you were a fine pirate...and this whole story makes me like you even more.
Rayna: I just didn't want you to get the wrong impression.
Alex: I think I've got a pretty good impression of what you're about, Rayna. *takes her hand*
Rayna: *doesn't notice, rambles on* I did learn how to do some pretty cool sword fighting, though...maybe someday, if I can get a sword, I can show you.
Alex: Rayna, shut up for a minute.
Rayna: What?!
Rayna: Oh... *blush*
Alex: You know, I like it when you blush.
Rayna: *blushes even more*
*kiss*
Alex: I'm sorry I told you to shut up.
Rayna: Um...that's okay...
Alex: Please, continue what you were talking about.
Rayna: I...don't remember what I was saying...
Alex: You know, if you had never left that pirate ship, I never would have met you.
Rayna: That would have been a shame.
*they hold each other*
Back-->
