Of Pasts and Pies
By: Drakin
"I... I think Morgana's bakery lead sounds best," Mila admitted after a minute.
"Damn straight it's the best choice," the bat sneered, "Glad to see you know good news when you hear it." However, despite the sneer, there was something that flashed across her features Mila couldn't quite pick out. Surprise? Thanks? It was hard to be sure.
"Alright, the bakery it is," Darius nodded, "I'll pay our tab and we can get out of here."
As they were leaving the tavern though Morgana noticed a particular ship out in the harbor and her features turned furious, "Darius. It's Rourkie."
"Who?" Mila asked looking at the hardening expressions of the crew.
"Rourkie," Darius huffed, "He's a pirate. Like a real 'kill everyone, back-stab anyone, take all the treasure for himself' sort of pirate. We've been rivals on more than a few occasions."
"Now's our chance Darius," Morgana growled, "Let's ambush him, sink his ship, just do something before he gets away."
"No Morgana," the captain sighed, "Believe me, I hate his guts as much as you do, but I won't sink to his level."
"He deserves no mercy Darius," the bat replied with a growl. "He's scum beyond scum. I should know."
Mila blinked at that but Darius simply out his foot down, "Enough Morgana. I agree he deserves it, but if we kill him in cold blood how can we ever claim to be better than him?" Darius turned and walked back down towards the harbor.
"And how many more will suffer at his hands while you do nothing?" Morgana replied as the rest of the crew followed, "You can't ever expect him to fight fair. He'll pull every dirty trick he has to in order to win. If we kill him it's not murder, it's justice."
"And what happens when that so-called justice system comes after us?" Darius replied as he continued to walk, "Would we become the next Rourkie to be hunted down and destroyed by someone else? We have to hold to our morals or we're no better than him."
Morgana clearly disagreed, but they were nearing the harbor and rather than continue to fight she kept her eyes out, not wanting to be ambushed by Rourkie's group. As soon as they were back on the ship Morgana swept it top to bottom. While there had been a number of boats in the harbor there was a chance Rourkie had identified 'The Pirates Fate' and she was determined to prevent an ambush.
Fortunately no such thing occurred and they soon set sail, Morgana watching all the while to make sure Rourkie's ship didn't follow them.
When she had seemed to calm down a bit Mila approached her cautiously, "How do you know Rourkie?" she asked.
"What are you interested in writing my life story or something?" Morgana growled but sighed, "I... I used to run with his gang. It wasn't by choice. I was sold to him as a child and spent most of my so called 'innocent years' under that pig of a bunny."
"I'm sorry," Mila muttered sympathetically.
"I'm the one who's sorry," Morgana replied, "Sorry I never cut off his junk and fed it to him. Even if it would have gotten me killed I'd have preferred it to working as his slave. I... I did things I'm not proud of. And the sickest thing, was some part of me enjoyed that. If the world was going to make me miserable I figured I should spread it around."
"That's awful," Mila muttered.
"Well it's over now," Morgana sighed, "Rourkie abandoned me in a botched raid some years back. Darius found me and took me in. The big softy. Guess he just knew he needed me."
Or you needed him, Mila thought, remembering the conversation with Darius and the gold hoop earring.
==========
The next day they put into the new town. Ironically it seemed to be named Strudel. As the crew docked the ship Mila was already noticing something odd about the townsfolk. Not the merchants unloading their wares at the docks, but the actual citizens of the town.
Most were overweight.
Not all perhaps, but for every one almost normal sized being Mila saw two more who ranged from faintly chubby to outright fat.
"The currency must really flow through this place," Morgana quipped, "How else would everyone have so much money to spend to look like this all the time?"
"Maybe the food's just that good?" Leeko replied.
"Yeah right," Morgana huffed, "No food in the world could be good enough to make me lose my figure."
It took all of stopping one portly alligator on the street to ask where the bakery was to find it. "Best goods I ever had," the scaly figure replied, "Seriously, I order from them all the time..."
"And it shows," Morgana muttered under her breath to Mila.
"Say you folks in town for the big event?"
"What big event?" Darius replied.
"You haven't heard? It's all revolving around the bakery you're looking for. 'Perfect Pies'? There's..."
Choice 1: "... A big contest happening today. The winner get's a thousand gold coins and free baked goods for life." (The crew decides to sign up one of their members for the contest.)
Choice 2: "...A big party for the new bakery expansion. They're hiring on staff to work there too. Lots of folks want to work for such a great place." (Get one of the crew hired to look for the coin.)
Choice 3: "...The queen is coming for a royal celebration and Perfect Pies is catering for her." (If the food could be tampered with the queen might arrest the baker and shut down the shop, giving them a chance to steal the coin.)
Choice 4: "... The bakery is putting out a new series of products today. Very experimental. A lucky few are being let in to try some early." (Sneaking in as one or two of the few might net the chance for them to look for the coin, if the experimental treats don't have odd side effects...)