The Mercurio creaked and shivered as it slid into the calm waters of Alba, a small port town tucked into a crescent-shaped bay far from the usual trade routes. Wooden shacks huddled along the docks, smoke curling lazily from chimneys, gulls circling overhead. Merchants shouted prices, fishermen dragged nets along the pier, and a few travelers ambled down cobblestone streets, their footsteps echoing softly in the morning light.
Argento guided the sloop to a quiet mooring, the hull scraping lightly against the dock. He jumped onto the planks first, silver fingers flexing to catch himself. Veyra followed, practically bouncing in place, eyes darting everywhere like a fox in a new forest.
"Quiet town… quiet enough to ask questions without causing a scene," Argento murmured, sweeping his gaze over the harbor. "Perfect for a first stop. Supplies, rumors… and maybe a lead on a ship worth borrowing."
Veyra grinned, tugging him toward the main street. "CICICICICI! Supplies first! Then we talk to people! Maybe spy a pirate! Or three!"
They slipped through narrow streets, careful to blend in. Argento's sharp eyes caught everything: a merchant arguing over fish prices, a sailor staggering from the tavern, a pair of guards patrolling near the warehouse district.
Their first stop was the market square. Veyra darted from stall to stall, picking up dried fish, salted meat, and hard bread, chattering endlessly about how the Mercurio deserved proper provisions. Argento kept his focus on the crowd, noting anyone who stood out: travelers with heavy packs, sailors inked with strange marks, dockhands whispering in clipped tones.
"Information," he murmured to Veyra, who was busy haggling over apples. "Rumors travel fastest in small towns. Dockworkers, tavern drunks, fishmongers… everyone knows something. You just have to listen."
"Rumors! I love rumors! CICICICICI! What kind of rumors, Captain?"
"Veyra! Don't call me Captain—it makes us sound like pirates! In a village like this… call me Big Brother! Geheheheheh!" Argento turned, mock-annoyed.
Veyra froze, piece of bread halfway to her mouth. "Big… Brother? CICICICICI? That's… kinda weird, Captain… uh, I mean… Big Brother!"
Argento flexed his silver fingers, leaning against a crate. "Geheheheh… weird? Maybe. But here, we blend in better. No one needs to know we're pirates… or planning to borrow a ship."
After lingering near the docks, listening to low murmurs, Argento led Veyra to a squat, sun-bleached tavern tucked between warehouses. The swinging sign above the door read El Faro, paint peeling in the breeze. Inside, the air smelled of roasted meat, spilled ale, and smoke from a small hearth.
Argento strode to the bar, dropping a small pouch of coins. "Multiple drinks, for the lot of them," he said, scanning the room. The barkeep, burly with a thick beard, raised an eyebrow but pocketed the coins. "And while you're at it," Argento continued casually, "if you hear anything… ships coming in, crews hiring hands, unusual goings-on… a friendly tip would be appreciated."
Veyra perched on a stool beside him, eyes wide, trying not to fidget as she subtly encouraged every sailor and merchant in the tavern to spill a secret.
The barkeep leaned in, voice low. "Ships, eh? Well… a crew's been snooping around Alba lately. Calls themselves the Crimson Corsairs. Funny lot, really. Don't know why they bother—every island around here would tear their ship to pieces if they tried anything foolish."
Veyra's eyes sparkled. "CICICICICI! Pirates? Big Brother Geheheheh! Perfect! What's foolish about them?"
Argento grinned, silver fingers tapping the bar. "Geheheheh… everything, Vice-Captain. They're loud, reckless, and can't navigate safely. Sailing too close to reefs, arguing with locals, bragging about treasures they've never seen. If they keep this up, they'll either sink themselves or leave an opening someone clever could exploit."
Veyra's grin widened until it split her face. "CICICICICI! Easy targets, Big Brother Geheheheh! Reckless, loud… ripe for trouble!"
Argento's eyes glinted, mind already calculating. "Geheheheh… indeed. Play it right, and we might not even fight them. Just let them stumble, and the Mercurio will be the one sailing away with the prize."