How to Become a Pirate

Zack carefully inspected the ear of his bumblebun. She seemed perfectly healthy, which was good for his analysis of the species. He started making notes in his notebook of experiments, when he heard the door to his "laboratory" (what Zack refused to call garage) open. A slight buzz made itself heard. It seemed like Blue ("not Blueberry Muffin, since he is not a food," Zack recalled mentally) had come down for a visit.

"Hello, Blue. Did you come here for some treats again?" Zack asked, still taking notes.
The beebun gave a slight headbutt in Zack's arm, trying to get his attention. After an "ouch", Zack turned to look at the beebun. Blue was carrying a round stone, clearly removed from Andy's collection, and he gave it to Zack.

"Oh, did Andy send you?" Zack realized, after all, Andy refused to go down to the "garage full of disgusting bugs", as she liked to refer to Zack's lab. Blue just landed Zack's head, playing with his ears. "Alright, pick this treat and lets talk to Andy."

Zack picked one of his beebun berries and gave it to Blue, soon getting out of the garage-laboratory. Andy was waiting close to the door, barely able to contain her excitement. She, before anyone could say anything, took her stone and her beebun, giving Blue some more berries.

"Zack!" Andy shouted, almost bouncing in place.

"No!" Zack answered, putting his parental frown.

"You don't even know what I have to say! You can't just say no!" Andy complained.

"Yes, I can," Zack said, making Andy stuck her tongue out to him. "I know with all this bouncing that you are up to no good. But you can ask what you want."

"Ugh." Andy rolled her eyes. "It's just that Cham said, you know Cham, right? He looks like a panda and everything? Yes? Good, so, Cham is telling everyone that some bird, I think it was a seagull, said there's some cool treasure in an island arounded here and, like, everyone can get a boat and go look for the treasure! And Sam just told me she is going too and I want to come with her!"

"Are you crazy? No way! It's too dangerous!" Zack retorted. "It would already be dangerous for an adult to go! Just think about a two kids!"

"We wouldn't be alone! Sam's family is coming too!" Andy said, a little too desperate to convince Zack. "You know Sam's twin?"

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar to all of Sam's family."

"Alright, so Sam's have a twin and her twin ran away, so Sam and her family are coming to look for her and maybe find some treasures too!" Andy said, soon seeing Zack's frown soften. "And I want to came and help Sam! Babb and Sam's dad are going too! There're enough adults there!"

"I'll think about it," Zack said, already beginning to give up. But how could he say no to help in a plot worthy of a novel, specially with his little sister asking him. "But you better be talking the truth, young lady. Because I taught you better and I'm going to talk to Babb about it right now."

"I'm no liar!" Andy shouted, clearly hurt. Zack's frown completely disappeared, a concerned look showing up on his face.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry, Andy! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, dear," Zack said softly, coming closer to his little sister. "I do believe in you, I know you aren't a liar. But I still need to go talk to Babb, so I know what we will need to help them, alright?"

"So are we going too?" Andy said, still not looking to Zack and hugging little Blue.

"Probably, if I feel that Babb and her family are being sure that this trip will be safe. I would hate to see you getting hurt, darling," Zack answered. "Now c'mon, if we don't go talk to Babb soon, there will be no time to prepare everything."

Zack didn't wait for an answer, picking Andy by her neck, as a mama cat would pick her kittens, and putting her in his back, so she wouldn't have to walk. He left the house, with Blue following them. It wasn't a long walk, they just needed to go past some shops and there was Babb's house. But as they were passing through the shops, he saw something picking Andy's interest. He followed Andy's gaze to a store where it was exposed some pirate clothes. Zack had to contain a 'no' that usually would be his answer, since there was no need to buy these clothes to be used once and be forgotten by the rest of the year. But today Andy was already hurt and he would do anything to see her smiling excited again.

"Hey, Andy," Zack started, without an answer from Andy. "You know what would be cool? If we got some pirate clothes so we could be more like real pirates. What do you think?"

"Are you serious?" Andy said, the excitement coming back to her voice.

"Of course! C'mon, I'm sure we can find some cool things here!" Zack said, going to the shop.

Not longer after, they got out of the shop, now looking a lot more like pirates. Zack got a blue bandana with white spots, Andy a pirate hat and a toy sword, and Blue a red bandana with white spots and a beautiful striped shirt. Now Andy walked with Zack, instead of being carried. She played with her sword all the way to Babb's house.

The door was open and Tib played in the garden. "Hi, Tib!" Andy shouted, waving her paw to them. Tib gave a buzzing hello and Andy followed Zack through the open door. In a corner of the room Tomcat and Tisias seemed to discuss some detail of the trip, oblivious to new visitors. Sam left the kitchen, coming towards them.

"Hi, Sam!" Andy said, waving her toy sword.

"Hello. We came here to talk to your mother. I want to talk to her about this boat trip of yours," Zack said, trying a polite smile.

"Sure, she is the kitchen making cookies." Sam pointed to the door from where she had left. "Cool outfits, by the way."

"Thanks, I chose them!" Andy said, soon following Zack to the kitchen. Before they could even close the door, Sam and Tisias voices raised in some argument.

"Hello, Babb," Zack said, giving Babb a greeting hug.

"Hi, Sam's mom! Can I pick some cookies?" Andy said, looking to one plate full of the delicious food.

"Hello! You sure can, Andy, pick as many as you want. You too Zack." Babb said, getting more cookies out of the oven. "To what I owe the pleasure of you two coming to visit me? Did you come to play with Sam?"

"Oh, no. I came here to talk to you. Andy told me about your daughter and how your family is going to look for her. And we want to help too," Zack said, giving a sympathetic smile. Then patting Andy and saying: "Behave yourself, young lady. Pick one cookie at a time and chew well!" Andy obeyed, chewing better every bite and putting just one cookie at her mouth.

"Oh, yes! My baby, all alone there!" Babb said, putting one paw in her chest.

"I want to help, but I'm responsible for Andy and I need to know how safe this trip will be and what kind of supplies we need to gather. I'm sure that you, as a mother, understand with I'm saying." Zack picked one cookie for himself, sharing it with Blue.

"Of course. But you don't need to worry, Tom, Tisias and Sam are making all preparations we need. Tom is an experienced traveler." Babb finished filling another cookie sheet of cookies and put it in the oven. "As far as I know, we are already gathering all the supplies we will need."

"Yeah, Sam said we just needed to bring our booties!" Andy said with her mouth full of cookies.

"Don't talk with your mouth full and it's not polite to say booty," Zack said, receiving a shrug from Andy. "Thank you for the information and the cookies, Babb. We will be glad to come too and help your family."

"Oh, great. All help is appreciated. Before going, pick some cookies to bring home!" Babb said, pointing to the cookies.

"No, thanks. Andy already ate too many sweets." Zack patted Andy's head.

"There's no such thing as too many sweets," Andy retorted with her mouth full.
They said their final goodbyes to everyone in the house and Zack, Andy and Blue headed back home.

"That means we are going?" Andy asked, almost bouncing of excitement.

"Yes, Andy. If Tom is an experienced traveler and Babb thinks it's safe, it's good enough for me," Zack said it and shrugged.

Andy kept bouncing around Zack, while they walked back home. A movement in a nearby bush caught Andy's attention. A blue and pink mothcat was looking for something in the bushes, with a basket full of egg at his side. Andy soon recognized him as Ygrai, her new egg friend! He loved to receive egg-shaped rocks from Andy, at least it is what Andy thinks, since he always picks the rocks and go away without saying a word.

"Why did you stop, Andy?" Zack asked, looking confused to the blue and pink mothcat that Andy observed.

"I need to talk to a friend. I see you at home later! Blue will go with me to keep me out of trouble. Love you, bye!" Andy talked fast, then running to talk to Ygrai. Zack sighed but accepted it, going back home.

"Hi, Ygrai!" Andy said, looking to his basket. "I don't have any egg for you today, but we all are going to a boat trip and it will be really cool and there will have a lot of cool bird eggs that you can pick! You should totally come!"

Andy catch Ygrai's attention when she mentioned the eggs. Andy smiled at it, picking a paper that Sam gave to her, with the time and location from where they would leave. Andy already knew it, so she didn't need it anymore.

"I will put it in your basket, so you will know where to met us! I'll bring two eggs I found for you!" Andy put the paper in the basket, waiting for some reaction from Ygrai. But he just picked his basket and left.

"Alright. Bye, Ygrai! I hope to see you later!" Andy shouted, waving to him. "Well, I think I got to convince him, Blue! Now we just need to go home and see what Zack got for us. I'll remember him to get some of your treats too!"

Blue buzzed excited, following Andy to their home. Now the only thing left was to wait for one more adventure to start.