"Rude much?"
She seemed annoyed. Not that I cared. I was more concerned with knowing what happened here.
"So? What the fuck happened here? Where is everyone?"
Looks like she wasn't as annoyed as I thought and regained a bit of her cheer and replied with a wry smile.
"Ughh... those Hyrisian piece of shits just surrounded the ship and said they were looking for a thief or a poacher or something. Apparently, a baby Great Sea Serpent went missing and they were looking all over for it. Any ship not belonging to Hyris is most likely apprehended like the one we are on."
That was a lot to unpack right from the get-go. I gestured to a table to sit so we could talk more comfortably. I took my seat first to reassure her that I wasn't hostile just in case she was feeling apprehensive. I started by asking the pertinent questions.
"I'm new to these seas. So I don't know who the Hyrisian's are or what a Great Sea Serpent is. Care to elaborate?"
In response, she had this mischievous look on her face and replied.
"Hmmm... should I say or not? It might be 'none of your business'?"
That put a small grin on my face. If she was still willing to joke like this, it meant she didn't feel hostile or threatened by me.
"Fine, fine, my apologies but some questions are too personal for me to answer, so I hope you understand."
She made a small giggle that, to be honest, was really cute but I've been baptized by the deep dark and dank waters of the Internet. No amount of cuteness or sex appeal can move me. The only thing that would is my own basic human decency which I was most likely going to lose if my plans for the future pan out.
"So? What are they?"
"Okay, since you asked so nicely. Hyris is an underwater country of aquatic demi-humans. You'll see them a lot if you stay around these Seas. The Great Sea Serpents are monsters that Hyrisian's raise as both a symbol of power and militaristic purposes. Apparently, the original Great Sea Serpent was a descendant of a Sea Dragon. Although that is just a rumor as far as I know."
I froze. My expression froze. My body froze. Dragon? That reminded me of something. I had to be sure, so I asked.
"Say, what does a Great Sea Serpent look like?"
She had a thoughtful look as if she was imagining what it looked like.
"Uhmm... I'm pretty sure their names are descriptive enough. Unlike actual Dragon's which as you should know are super rare, Great Sea Serpents are, as the name implies, more serpentine or snake-like, only they are really big, like bigger than any ship the Kingdom or the Theocracy have. Oh, and they have a dragons head even when they are babies."
...
...
...
HOLY SHIT!
THAT THING I CAUGHT AND ATE BACK ON THE ISLAND WAS A GREAT SEA SERPENT BABY?
Okay, okay calm down. No one knows what you did. Unless I talk about it no one will.
*sigh*
You just had to pick the one thing that was a militaristic and strategic resource. Great job. Okay, gotta change the subject. Before I could she spoke first.
"Say, I forgot to ask but what's your name? I'm Helga" She did a V sign "Helga Wayne, hunter and finder of exotic species."
That V sign seems to be Universal? Multiversal? Whatever, it's used even in a fantasy world as well for whatever reason.
More importantly, my name huh? Should I use my old name? Nuh, this is a new life, I should choose a new name. I didn't have long to ponder as Helga was waiting for an answer so I picked a name that I greatly respected even if it was fictional.
"Edward, Edward Newgate." I smiled and added my chosen profession for this New World. "Pirate extraordinaire and if I find it necessary future Privateer."
She looked shocked for a second and immediately came to a conclusion and grinned at me.
"Ahahaha. You should have said that from the start. I would have introduced myself properly. It seems we are colleagues. I'm Helga Wayne also known as 'The Shark'. Pirate and occasional Bounty Hunter."
That made things easier. Since if she was a civilian or something and reacted badly to me being a self-professed pirate I would just leave her on this ship.
I knew she couldn't sail this vessel by herself unlike me so I decided to utilize an Essence I didn't have a chance to use so far.
"Well then Ms. Helga-"
"Just Helga is fine."
"Helga then, since you seem to be in a bit of a predicament-" I extended my hand to her " how about we make 'Deal'?"