As they guided their ship into the small port city, Ivy felt heavier somehow. The promises to meet Queen Lavender once more, paired with the death felt off. Of course, she was chosen as the messenger. With the power of darkness in her grip, and with the gun, she had begun planning ways to infuse her bullets with the darkness.

So far, over the past few days, as she stuffed paper into it, she had failed. With the small tendrils of darkness slowing the bullets, she came to the conclusion that she needed to work with her magic at a faster rate than what she had been doing.

As Ivy looked over to the nearby crowd, she analyzed what they were wearing, as well as the looks on their faces. Most importantly, she looked for the telltale signs of wealth she had come to be expected from Lavender's ship. Most people here looked sad, their drab clothing worn out. Many of the people here worked separate stations at the dock.

A man stood to one end, a whip in his hand as he barked out orders at his people. He snarled, pointing and then telling his people a few things. You need to watch yourselves in these streets,

A man in armor slipped down the street. Instinctively, Ivy placed her hand on her sword. The guard gave her a nod, before he turned back to the crowd. In the center of the port, a town crier came to stand on top of a wooden box.

"I am here to inform everyone that the heir to the Rathorian throne has been found," the man said. "We shall have a new king in these lands shortly. Meanwhile, if anyone spots the so-called Queen Lavender, there is a bounty of five-hundred coins on her head. You must report any sightings if you see her, for it is her head which will be needed before the prince can ascend to the throne."

Ivy turned down one of the cobblestone paths as soon as she could, putting her longsword back into its sheath. She did not want trouble yet. More importantly, it would probably be best for her to use her pistol if she were to fall under more pressure. But as she slipped down the streets, Ivy growled. There was a dangerous threat lingering within these streets, and she knew it. Worse still, they didn't come from the Queen Lavender.

The other crew members had turned back ages ago, after taking their items back to the ship. Ivy had instructed them to, telling them she had what she needed. She had lied, but at this point, if the rest of her crewmates needed to leave on a short notice, she wouldn't blame them for leaving her behind.

A small building, with the words Old Man's Post waited. It turned out, this small port city had been called The Old Man's Shop. It was a rather odd name, but according to Ivy's crew mates, she would stumble across worse names in the end.

Once inside, the smell of wood and mildew reached her nose. Ivy stifled a wrinkle of her nose, trying to appear polite as she nodded at the man inside. She delivered a small paper with her writing, giving a polite bow.

"Forgive my intrusions, Sir," she said. "I have some coins from the newly-minted Captain Bill."

"Thank you?" The man said, taking the paper. "And what is it that you wish people to know?"

"The great pirate Captain Val is dead," Ivy said. "Died in a fight with a piece of her ship last night."

Before the man could say anything else, Ivy tipped her small hat, then she ducked out of the room, before making her way through the back streets. With the chaos of the news surrounding the new prince, and with the armored guards, it would be too soon for her to go back. Too dangerous, too.

A man stood in the corner of her view. One of the guards. Before long, Ivy took her gun, pointed at his head, and shot him. There would be no chance for questions, and she would not give him the ability to call his comrades. Once she finished, she sprinted away from the body before making it back to the ship.

"There you are," Captain Bill said. "We were worried about you."

"They have found an apparent prince," Ivy said. "It is not my place to say whether or not it was fraud or anything else, but I still left. Either way, they have put a stiff bounty on Captain Lavender's head. Like it would pay for two months of rent in my old world."

"Such news," Captain Bill said. As the other crewmates finished the last of the repairs, he stood to the starboard side of his ship, his hands clasped behind his back. "I suppose it was a matter of time. Did the messenger give you any trouble?"

"I didn't give him any time," Ivy said. "Nor did I allow one of the guards to speak to me, and I shot him before he could call anyone else. Hopefully Captain Val would be proud of me for that, but I know that such a method of work is complicated."

Captain Bill shrugged and gave a steady laugh. "Oh don't worry, mate. I know she would be."

"I know I shouldn't have killed a guard," Ivy said. "But if Lavender has a bounty on her head, what does that mean for the rest of us?"

"It means we, as pirates, are going to have to fight the new regime," Captain Bill said. "It's highly likely they will be good for us. Although, from the rumors, you have killed a king yourself, have you not?"

"I did," Ivy said. "Even though my first meeting with Queen Lavender has been paltry at best, we have more in common than we realize."

She didn't want to admit it, but Ivy almost wished she could find Queen Lavender now. To betray the crew she swore an oath to would be a bad idea. Furthermore, she was certain the pirate queen would kill her. But if a new feud were to erupt, it would be up to all of them to work together, and to hopefully find a way to rebuild a truce between them.

It wasn't likely to happen. Ivy knew that given the chance, these people would try to find a way to gather a bounty for the pirate queen. But she herself knew that if push came to shove, she would not have such an answer.

"I suppose that for your work, I should pay you," the pirate captain said. "You seem to have had success there, and you were quick on your feet. I know Captain Val would have given you a reward for your work. So how about I pay you 30 coins for your trouble."

"Can you promise?" Ivy asked.

"Certainly," Captain Bill said, rummaging through a pocket, to find the coins. "Well, here they are."

"Do we have any leather here?" Ivy said. "Maybe I cam make a holster for my scepter, then."

"There might be something here, if you want to barter," Captain Bill said.

"You keep twenty of those coins, and I will take a sword sheath no one wants," Ivy said. "I can make something, then."

"Deal," Captain Bill said.

In going downstairs, Ivy found the small area where they kept old things. She nodded at it, giving a slight grin. Captain Bill gestured at some pegs with some old sword sheaths and gun holsters. Ivy took one meant for a dagger, and she put the handle to the scepter onto it. It was a decent enough fit. Plus, with the buckle at the top, she was certain it would be secure enough.

"I don't suppose you have a pair of sheers," Ivy said. Upon finding the leather cutters, she would set to work. With some rummaging around, she place the scepter at her side.

New stats

I have killed 1 guard

Updated wardrobe: 1 holster for my scepter

What's more: I have completed a vital task for the kingdom at large, in spreading the news about Captain Valerie's death. While I miss her in the way a student misses their favorite teacher, I will go on in her name to aid the pirates.