*Chapter 8: All Hands on Deck - Printable Version +- International Simulation Football League (https://forums.sim-football.com) +-- Forum: Community (https://forums.sim-football.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5) +--- Forum: Media (https://forums.sim-football.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=37) +---- Forum: Graded Articles (https://forums.sim-football.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38) +---- Thread: *Chapter 8: All Hands on Deck (/showthread.php?tid=51179)

*Chapter 8: All Hands on Deck - lock180 - 05-10-2024 Catch Up on Previous Chapters: CH 1 CH 2 CH 3 CH 4 CH 5 CH 6 CH 7 Graders Split 60/40 for @lock180/@homercrates The Book of Zen Chapter 8: All Hands on Deck ILLUSTRATED BY: Thor Dangerson As soon as the bell started ringing everyone dropped what they were doing and began making their way to the largest ship docked in the cavern. Zenzeroni hopped off his chair and began walking toward the ship with everyone else looking in awe at the cast of crazy characters that surrounded him. Getting closer to the ship Zenzeroni could see that it was named “The Floating Lasagna” and taking one look at the ship it was clear to see why. Outfitted with 3 cannons on either side, and a large mast with sails the behemoth of a ship looked more like a layered lasagna than an actual pirate ship. To cap it all off, instead of what you may expect from a pirate ship and a skull and cross bones, the sails had an emblem of a Layered Lasagna Monster with fierce eyes that, according to Zenzeroni, certainly turned down the fear factor of the ship. One thing that did not turn down the fear factor of the ship was the captain who was standing at the stern next to the giant cartoonesque pirate wheel. One Eyed Larry stared at everyone as they gathered one by one onto the deck of the ship. Zenzeroni oblivious to the magnitude of the conversation that was about to happen, trots up next to One Eyed Larry, glass of water in hand, and sits down next to him. One Eyed Larry goes to kick Zenzeroni away but thinks better of it and chooses to ignore him instead. “As you all know it has been a tough few months for the Disappointment Island Layered Lasagna. We have sustained some heavy losses and serious damage to some of our ships” One Eyed Larry gestures to the ship on his right that has a massive hole in the starboard side. “With the losses that we have sustained, I am proposing we focus our fleet on a different part of the world. One that is sacred to all in the shipping industry and if done correctly, could bring us to the top of the food chain.” “Well get on with it” A short man that looks like Wario says to One Eyed Larry. “Squash, if you speak up one more time before I’m done talking I will dump you off this gangplank so many times you will be more yo-yo than man.” Zenzeroni didn’t think that was all that great of a threat but it shut “Squash” up so it must have done the job. “We will be moving our target away from Donut Dave and the coasts of New Zealand and going into the uncharted waters of the Bermuda Triangle.” One Eyed Larry says and in moments whispers of curiosity and fear dot the boat. “We are dead men!” “I should have got out when I still had a retirement fund.” “One Eyed Larry is officially washed.” “He’s trying to get us all killed!” Various voices can be heard through the sound of chattering but when One Eyed Larry clears his throat the ship falls quiet once more. “Desperate times call for desperate measures and I don’t expect you all to join me on our excursion. For those that decide not to join us, you are still welcome in the walls of Disappointment Island. But if anyone says a word about this base to anyone outside of these walls you will be hung from a spaghetti noodle quicker than you can say “Mama Mia.” Zenzeroni can’t believe the odds of him falling into the hands of a pirate gang that sails under the ideologies of Italian pasta. For once in his entire life Zenzeroni finally feels like he belongs with a group and has a real family to be with. “Can I come?” Zenzeroni asks One Eyed Larry. “You ain’t ready kid.” One Eyed Larry tells him before turning to his captivated audience. “As many of you may have seen by now the alarm bells that were triggered on the top of the island came from this kid. Apparently, he was dumped here via a plane some time ago. I’m still working out the details and he may be a spy so I will be handling him myself until we make our trip. Is that understood?” Grumbles of “yes” and “whatever” dot the audience. “I’m sure you all have questions so let’s hear em.” One Eyed Larry says. Raising his hand immediately is Squash who comes forward to face One Eyed Larry face to face. “What exactly are we hoping to find in the Bermuda Triangle One Eyed Larry?.” “I received a lead from a trustworthy source that there may be an underwater city lurking somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle and I plan on finding it and plundering it for everything it has to offer.” A woman steps forward wearing a trenchcoat, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat pointed low to cover her face. She wears a hip holster with pistols on either side and speaks with a toothpick in her mouth “And what types of dangers are about in these waters?” She drawls with a thick unknown accent to Zenzeroni. “Good question Rebel. There are numerous things to be concerned about. Besides the weather, of course, there are legends of a mythical beast that can gobble ships whole. In addition to that, you have to worry about other pirates in the area including Black Jack Jerky and Carolina Reaper.” Rebel spits at these names and walks off the boat. “I’ve got a question sir,” A quaint, small man with a mess of clothes that are way too big for him says. “Any more questions?” One Eyed Larry asks skipping over the man. “Me sir. Me!” He tries to make himself a little taller and starts jumping. “Well if there aren’t any more questions let’s get back to work. I’m thinking it will be another 2 months before we are fully prepared for the trip into the Atlantic. In that time, keep doing what you’re doing and more details will emerge as the time gets closer.” One Eyed Larry claps his hands which seems to signal the end of the meeting as everyone begins to disembark the ship. “One Eyed Larry I think that man had a question,” Zenzeroni says pointing over to the man still jumping up and down with his hand raised. One Eyed Larry sighs and points over to the man. “Stinker what the hell do you want.” The annoyed One Eyed Larry asks. “Weren’t you going to tell them about our alliance?”. Just as Stinker asks this question, a rumble is heard throughout the cavern and all of a sudden the back rock wall begins to slide up revealing another ship nearly as big as “The Flying Lasagna” with two more ships in tow. The natural light of the now moonlit night seeps in as the ships enter the increasingly tight cavern. “Oh and one more thing!” One Eyed Larry yells over the noise of his gang and the sound of the rock wall moving up, “We have an alliance to give this trip a greater chance of success!”. “With who?!” Someone yells off to the side. “His name is Captain Charles Crunch!” RE: Chapter 8: All Hands on Deck - jreed12 - 05-10-2024 Plunder in the Bermuda triangle….. some would say One Eyed Larry is a bit greedy… unlike JReed