Chapter Text
Token rubbed at his eyes, careful of the markings on his face. He didn’t want to reapply the traditional paint so soon after applying a fresh mask, although he knew there was no one around to care of his importance of being the village’s healer.
There was no village anymore. Pirates had ransacked it and slaughtered everyone. He was only spared since he was on the other side of the island, picking herbs to combat the rash some of the children had developed when they decided to play with a jellyfish that had washed up on shore.
By the time he got back, the village was destroyed. The ground was covered in bodies and blood. The livestock wasn’t even spared, the weaker ones killed and the stronger ones dragged off by the pirates.
Token knew it was pirates. The pirate logo of the particular band was burned into every hut and into his own mind as he tried to save what he could before things began to spoil.
The death ritual was one of the hardest Token had to do, especially since he was by himself, as he dragged and carried each body to the sacred place on the beach the village had their rituals for someone who had passed.
He knew the fire he started would be seen as he prayed and blessed each fallen soul, but he was exhausted and mourning. At this point, if the pirates that had killed his village were still around, he gladly would have let them take his life.
——————————–
Token hated pirates and vowed to take the band who killed his village down. Weeks had passed since the slaughter and each night, Token stared at the pirate symbol in festering hatred. It was the traditional skull and crossbones, but there was a large crack in the skull, signalling a scar, and one of the bones looked to be a wooden leg.
He had a bag packed, filled with most of his salves and potions that held up for a long time, as well as trinkets and treasures he could trade or sell. There were merchant ships that passed every few months. He would trade his way aboard one of them and then seek out the pirates that killed his family and friends. There was nothing but revenge in his heart. Although he had been a healer at one point, those days were gone. There was no one to heal, only hurt.
—————————————–
Token really hated pirates, especially the one that had just barged into his hut, demanding his help.
He spat in the man’s face and scoffed as the man held out a dagger. “You think I’m scared of you pirate? I’m not afraid to die but I know you won’t kill me. You need my help after all.”
“You fucking voodoo bas-”
A hooked arm suddenly appeared and the man attached to it lowered the dagger in the other man’s hand. “That’s enough Craig. He’s not going to help. Maybe we can make it to Port So-”
The hooked man closed his eyes and heavily leaned against the doorframe, forcing the other man to drop his dagger to keep the hooked man from falling down.
“Captain! I told you not to come along! I was fine! You’re not!”
The hooked man chuckled as he leaned against the other. “When it’s my time, it’s my time Craig.”
“Cap… Clyde…goddamnit…”
Token furrowed his eyebrows as he watched the interaction and sighed. “Put him on the bed over there. I’ll do what I can. What are his symptoms?”
The pirate known as Craig half-dragged the other man to the bed Token had pointed at. “He’s got a fever and is shaking pretty bad. Can’t eat or drink anything without expelling it minutes later, even water.”
Token began rummaging through the medicines and potions he had and frowned. “I have an idea of what it is, but I don’t have the medicine to help. The plants I need to make it are in the middle of the island. If you stay here and watch him, I can give him something now to lessen the pain until I get back with-”
Craig held his dagger back up to Token. “You’re staying here. How do we know you won’t contact the rest of your village to kill us while you’re gone?”
Token glared at Craig before pointing out the open door. “You would have had to cross my village to get to my hut. There is no village! Not anymore. Those damn pirate bastards with that damn insignia killed everyone save for me. You’re lucky I don’t kill you. I hate your kind, no matter if you’re those pirates or not. Be grateful I’m even helping you.”
The man on the bed whimpered. “Craig please…just…let him go.”
Craig glared at the witch doctor, before lowering his dagger. "Fine.”
Token smirked as he walked past Craig and grabbed his gathering bag. “I have nothing to lose anymore pirate, even my own life. But you do. Your captain won’t make it unless he gets medicine now. I need to gather those plants.”
Craig grabbed the bag from Token. “Don’t you need to prepare? It would be faster if I gathered the plants and you stayed here.”
“So you’ll leave me with your captain, but don’t trust me to go by myself? You don’t even know what plants I need.”
Craig gripped the bag. “I…helped our doctor before he was killed. And back when… I know my way around plants, helpful and hurtful.”
Token sighed and nodded, taking a bound book from his packed bag and flipping the pages. He held the book up, showing Craig intricate drawings of various plants and flowers. “These are the plants I need. Take the book, but bring it back in one piece. I’ll know if pages are missing.”
——————-
“He doesn’t…like to be around…when I cry.”
Token raised his eyebrows as he smeared an herbal paste and then placed a wet strip of cloth on the brunette’s forehead. “A crying pirate captain? I’ve never heard of such a thing. You guys are bloodthirsty killers who only care about treasure and pillaging.”
The man shook his head, careful of the cloth. “We steal, but only to those who deserve it. And none of us have killed anyone unless it was self defense.”
“And you call yourselves pirates?”
The man chuckled. “Well…that’s what we’re labeled as, so we just ran with it. And I’ve got the limbs for it, or lack thereof. Hookhand Clyde is what I’m called by the higher powers out there. Captain to my crew, just Clyde when it’s not official business.”
Clyde held up his arms, Token getting a better look at the hooks that had replaced where the man’s hands should have been.
“That must have been a story. Having both gone. Never in my life have I seen a pirate with both of the same limb gone.”
Clyde hummed and winced in pain. “Yeah… God…it’s been close to fifteen years. I was ten and had traveled to the next town over with my father to sell shoes we made. I had given an apple I had carried with me to a hungry little girl and the next thing I knew, I was grabbed and accused of stealing. I was a well fed child when I was younger and I got confused for another child with a similar build and hair color that had stolen apples just recently. Before my father could get to me and intervene, I had my hands chopped off. My father was furious. Got the law involved, but the damage had already been done.”
Token looked back down at the hooks. “Fifteen years. That’s a long time to be without hands. How have you been able to get by like this?”
Clyde closed his eyes and smiled. “Craig’s been with me since then, being my hands. Helping me with everything I needed. See…the little girl I gave my apple to was his little sister, Tricia. They were orphans and part of a group of children that ran around and stole food and trinkets to survive. Tricia told her brother what happened and the two followed us back to our village, insisting that it was his fault for sending his sister out to gather food that day. He felt guilty for what happened and wanted to make things right. My father gave them the condition that in exchange for helping me, they’d stop stealing. Even gave them a room in our house to sleep in.”
“He cares a lot about you. Most pirate crew would be jumping at the chance to replace their captain if they were as sick as you, especially the first mate which I’m assuming he is.”
“Craig’s my best friend and brother. It would take an act of desperation for him to betray me. My entire crew as well. I take in the ones that would normally not last a day on the sea. We’re family.”
Clyde shivered and Token got up to grab another blanket to place on the man. He grabbed a gourd, scooping up some of the warming water in it, and walked back to the bed. Token sprinkled a powder in the water before helping Clyde sit up to drink the water.
“It’ll settle your stomach for a while, at least until I can make the medicine you need.”
Clyde leaned into Token, whimpering as he tried to brace himself for the signs he would throw up the water. “You never told me your name.”
“It’s Token, the village doctor as you would call me…if I still had one.”
“I’m sorry about your village Token. I think Craig was in such a hurry that he didn’t see the markings, but I did. Those were the Red Eye pirates. We’ve kept our distance from them, even sailing on if we see them at a port, but we know of them. Once I get better, I can say a prayer if you’d like. I know it’s not much, especially with such a large village. Are you really the only one left?”
Token nodded. “I was gathering plants on the other side of the island when they attacked. For days, I had wished that I had been here to die alongside them, but now…I want revenge on them. I want them to pay for what they’ve done.”
Clyde hummed as he weakly rubbed his arms together. “Revenge is a strong word Token. That’s truly the sign that a heart’s gone cold. I understand the need for it, but once you take it? What then? What do you do after it’s been taken?”
Token stayed silent as he thought about Clyde’s words, noticing the man grimacing as he rubbed his arms. “Do they hurt?”
“Hmm?”
“Your… wrists… where-”
Clyde chuckled weakly. “My stumps. You can say it. They and I have been called worse. Yeah…they do. Only when I’m cold.”
Token frowned as he nodded. “I’ve…got an herbal paste that can help, if you’ll allow me to apply it.”
“The leather straps need to be unbuckled from my arms. That’s how the hooks are kept on.”
Token nodded and helped Clyde ease down on the bed before quickly unbuckling the hooks. He stood up and threw another log on the fire that was warming the water for Clyde’s medicine before moving to grab the covered gourd with the paste he needed.
He gently grabbed one of Clyde’s arms and began smearing the paste on the stump, causing the man to close his eyes and sigh in relief. He fell asleep as Token began to work on his other arm. He took the dry rag from Clyde’s forehead and wet it down again before reapplying it. Looking out the door at the remains of his village, he hoped Clyde’s first mate got back soon.
———————-
No sooner had Craig entered the hut, Token had grabbed the bag out of his hands and rummaged around in it.
“They’re all there. I didn’t know how much you needed, but I got-”
The bag was thrust back at him and Token pointed to the table beside him. “Start chopping those up real fine and put them in that bowl. Do you know how to grind plants into a paste?”
Craig stared at the man for a second before nodding, too shocked to say anything, as he made his way to where Token had pointed. He spared a glance at the sleeping man on the bed.
“How’s he doing? Still alive?”
Token frowned. “Barely. He has a few hours tops before… He would have not made it to the other destination. I hope we’re not too late in saving his life, even with the medicine I’m making. He got too chilled too fast.”
“Is that why it’s sweltering in here?”
Token nodded as he picked apart the flowers on the table. “My fire was hot enough for this water to boil, two blankets on him, not to mention the climate outside, and he was STILL saying he was cold. I’ve seen enough of that particular symptom to know someone’s not long for this world.”
Craig grit his teeth as he chopped rapidly. “We’re saving him! I don’t care if-”
“That’s why I’m having you help me. You’ve got a quick mind and the utmost loyalty for your captain. At least, that’s what I picked up on from what Clyde told me about you Craig.”
“Already on a first name basis. Clyde must really like and trust you then. Listen…once we save him…anything. I’ll give you anything as payment. Even-”
“We’ll discuss that after he’s better.”
——————————-
Clyde wouldn't wake up once the medicine was ready so Craig held onto Clyde as he forced the man’s mouth open, Token gently pouring the liquid in Clyde’s mouth as he massaged his throat to get the pirate captain to unconsciously swallow.
Token gave the first bowl a few minutes to settle before forcing another batch down Clyde’s throat.
“We’ll know if it’s working soon but I’d like to get another two in him just to be safe. I need to get some more water from outside to start on something for him to eat once he wakes. It’ll only be a broth, but it will help get his strength back.”
“Wait.”
Token sighed and turned around. “Am I still not allowed outside? You should know by now I have nowhere to go.”
Craig shook his head. “I…I just want to say I’m sorry. You had every right to not help us and you did. I…glanced around at your village before returning, at the pirate symbol. For the Red Eyes to do this… Your village on the maps was peaceful, a place for both merchants and pirates to come without provocation. Why they did this-”
“I don’t care why. I just want them wiped from this earth, like they wiped my village.”
Craig put his hand on Token’s shoulder. “Revenge…is a heavy word to lug around. It’ll eat away at even the most noblest of men, twisting their heart-”
Token laughed and shook his head. “Clyde told me the same thing. My heart…I don’t think it would ever heal from what happened. Helping you two was a fluke, one last act of goodwill from the man I used to be.”
—————————-
Clyde was able to weakly sit up with Craig’s help by the time Token had finished making the broth, happily chatting to both of them. Token handed Clyde’s bowl to Craig and the pirate held on to the bowl while Clyde carefully spooned the broth up with a spoon that could be substituted for one of the hooks, using the piece of bread Craig had speared on the other to wipe up the remainder.
“This is really good Token! No offense Craig, but I think Tweek could take a few lessons from Token here.”
Craig chuckled. “He’s a decent cook. You’re just a former spoiled merchant kid.”
“He tries to put coffee in everything Craig! I kind of like to sleep most nights.”
“And most days.”
“Hey!”
Token closed his eyes and smiled softly, enjoying the banter of the two pirates after going so long without company. It felt nice, almost like the nights he would stay up and chat with his village. He never knew how much he missed the noise. Still...he knew this moment was short-lived as the memories of his loved ones made his heart ache.
“Do you need anything in particular Token?”
Token opened his eyes and looked up, looking at the two in confusion. “What?”
Clyde grinned. “Payment. For your services. Craig told you he’d give you anything for saving me and I’m honoring that statement. Name it and we can probably provide it. We’ve got money, jewels, spices, we can possibly pry some coffee away from Tweek when he’s-”
“Take me with you.”
Clyde and Craig looked at each other before Clyde turned back to Token. “The sea is way different from the land. It’s quite a jarring experience if you’ve never been on a boat before. If you’re doing this to find the Red Eyes, I guess we can drop you off at the-”
“Having second thoughts about agreeing to anything?”
Clyde shook his head. “No. A Pirate Captain always stays true to their word. But you might want to pack some herb for throwing up. I really mean it when I say the sea is rough.”
“Oh don’t worry. I’m taking most of my supplies. They’re sure to be useful, especially in my new role on the ship.”
Clyde furrowed his eyebrows. “New…role?”
Token smirked as took the bowls from the pirates. “Don’t you need a new doctor? Yours getting killed was the only reason you came to the island. You’re gonna need one, especially when you were just hours from death this time. And besides, I’m sure no one will visit this island anymore once word gets around my village has been destroyed. You’re probably my only way off this island at this point.”
Clyde closed his eyes and frowned. “I know you don't just want to be our doctor and only want us to take you for your own agenda. I know you want revenge on the Red Eye pirates, but we do usually try to avoid them. We won’t seek them out for you, won't actively risk ourselves for your revenge, but…should the opportunity arise and it won’t end badly for us, we’ll help. Just keep that in mind before you fully commit to going with us.”
“I figured as much. I wouldn’t want to see you harmed since it’s my fight.”
Clyde took a deep breath and looked up at Token. “Also, promise me one thing Token. Promise me that you’ll find something meaningful to do with your life once your revenge is taken out. Promise me you’ll find something to rekindle that fire in your heart. Promise me this and I’ll take you on.”
Token stared hard into Clyde’s face, seeing the sincerity in the pirate’s expression. He closed his eyes and nodded. “I promise…Captain.”