Chapter 261: The Worst Pirate

"So yous is content with a free win, aye?" Teach would ask, looking around at the insides of the temple. The decor of such a building was just as extravagant as outside, though his expression remained unchanged, as if he knew what Calico's taste were: Golden tapestries, all of which depicted the voyages he and the others had throughout the years, the many bounties and dances they did as celebration regarding such treasures, and the many games that Calico himself would host. Each parchment was embroidered with jewels, most of which being on Teach and Anne, serving as his personal significance. The ceiling took the melting point of such jewels to create a mosaic-like painting, one specifically of a goose with a bonnet on her head, as well as many children doing various activities, ranging from eating curds to simply tumbling down a hill. The Captain can't help but smile as he'd see such paintings, being reminded of how innocent the man was.

"T'ah be 'onest with ye, Captain, No. I's sadly don'. Ra'her, I'd wish t'ah be sailin' once more, wantin' to see the lands a'plenty again. Wantin' to feel her salty air again. Wantin' to drive me ship an' crash me beauty amidst 'er wild waves again. T'at be what I wanted, but with a treasure such as this? Prices be paid, sailin' be damned. At least I's can die in what I earned the most. I'm sorry, Captain..." Calico would confess, making his way to one of such tapestries, more specifically one of himself and Anne dancing with one another on the bow, whilst a crewmate played on an accordion with a merry tune, with everyone's smiles being emphasized amidst the jewels and gems that serve as their teeth, watching everyone enjoy themselves on the King William's Revenge. "But 'nough 'bout t'aht, How's yous been comin' alon', eh? I's known damn well that yous didn' jus' came 'ere for me, did yeh?"

Anne and Teach would be somber, somewhat, unable to retrieve their lost crew member anymore. Anne, however, would speak up, wanting to drive it further. "Well, you said it yourself! We'll be plannin' on takin' your precious island for ourselves! At the very least, you have that to keep an eye out for, eh, Calico?"

Calico laughed heartily as he'd hear such words. "THERE IT IS! Exactly what I's be wantin' t'ah 'ear!" His body began to emanate a golden aura, enveloping his body, staring down at his associates, before noticing the children nearby. "Oi! You! Methinks it'd be high time ye get out whilst ye still can! We wouldn' wanna 'ave any casualties in 'ere, aye?" He'd speak, showing his concern for them, under the assumption that such children were merely guides for the crewmates to come find and take him down. He'd be caught by surprise when one of them, Harvard, not only decided to ignore his demand, but get himself into a stance, being just as prepared as the others. Such defiance served as a small message, one in which his friends recognized and would try to arm themselves much the same, their eyes focused on the enemy. "Eh? Wha yous be doin'? Yous gonn' be gettin' hurt if yous stay in t'is temple o' mine!" He'd demand, his concerns being prevalent, yet they still stood.

"Let's just say we had an encounter with these types of contracts. The last time we tried to find a loophole, it was miserable. It's better to at least give you what you want: To let you die in what you earned. At least that's what makes you...well...You, right? I couldn't imagine dying as something that doesn't feel like yourself, at the very least." Harvard would state, bringing further surprise to Calico by such maturity. Despite being a child, the Pirate would've thought this was one of those cases where they were secretly an adult by a millennia, yet the innocence in his eyes proved him otherwise. He was definitely still a kid, but he must've been hit by outside forces that made him 'grow up' too early. The pirate can't help but be just as sorrowful, imagining himself in the boy's shoes, wondering what such pain he must've faced before meeting him in this moment.

It feels wrong to him.

"An' by extension....You plannin' on findin' the person responsible for 'em contracts, aye?" Harvard merely nodded as a response, giving Calico further understanding. "I see.....A'igh' 'en. I's can tell t'at me words ain' gonna budge yah. If yous is serious 'bout bringin' me such peace, 'en I'd hate t'ah see yah fold durin' this!" His confidence would shine back once more, being more than prepared to face such a group, his energy spiking up more and more, slowly shifting the scenery to be block-like spaces instead of a smooth, golden floor. Such energy would also unveil two books in his coat, the contents spilling out and implanting themselves in the blocks. At the same time, Harvard's deck, Zazel's Sigils, Stolas' stars, Solomon's book, Anne's bullets and what looked to be colored ammo, and Teach's energy from his steel prosthetics, were all following suit in being absorbed to the floor, the land slowly expanding to make way for such properties, each one given a personal picture to illustrate where they are now, showcasing to everyone their style of magic, now locked away. "GAME MAGIC! IT'S SHOWTIME!!" Calico shouted, the temple opening itself up, letting the sun gaze down upon them once more, its warm, orange glow serving as the very skies, a sunset that marked such brilliance for the Pirate to fight on. The shores started drifting, the seas soon quaked, the once lustrous and brilliant island now changing into a flat surface, all to expand the land and make it a personal board for everyone to play in, a board that everyone recognized as being his ideal weapon.

Game Magic. 

The board itself was plain at first, yet with each space filled, it slowly but surely took on a new design, each spell, monster, ability, and artillery was given its personal indicator on the newly formed mapping. It was his home field, after all.

It must've also been why he wanted to make sure they leave the temple as much as they can, not because he didn't want to hurt them, but also to take away what was once theirs.