Devil's Luck Pirates

Sleeping on sand isn't good. The crew discovered this the moment they woke up. Backs hurting, necks stiff, the whole thing. They were way too tired to walk back to town last night, plus no one wanted to get lost in the pitch-black desert.

"Tomorrow, we sail to the Tarako Kingdom!" William remembers. It's already noon and they haven't even made a quarter of the way back to town. Most likely it'll be late in the evening or straight up nighttime when they arrive; and, as they are well aware, sailing at night also isn't a great idea.

-Yall can stay at my place. – Atom suggests after hearing the crew comment about renting an inn after arriving – Just wait here for a minute. I'll be right back.

-Where are you going? – Pearl inquires.

-I'll pay a visit to my sister. – He responds after hesitating for a second.

-Oh, I'm coming with you. – William declares – I need to confirm if this sister of yours really exists.

Atom doesn't look happy with this, but he also doesn't complain. After walking for a while, they arrive at a building slightly bigger than the ones around it; but equally run-down. A sign above the door with faded letters spelling 'HOSPITAL'.

Atom goes first with William right behind him. At first glance, it appears to be just a big room with lots of beds on the floor and a couple of old cabinets against the back wall. Two men are lying on two separate beds. Judging by their incoherent mumbles and black eyes, they must have gotten into a fight after drinking one too many. On the other side of the large room, to William's not-so-surprise, there's a little girl sound asleep. A woman, who might be the only staff this place has, sitting next to her.

-Well, damn. – William comments feeling a little bad for doubting this guy. Atom makes his way to where the girl is sleeping. The nurse, with huge bags under her eyes, just now notices him. She stands up, gives the seat to him, and goes to check on the other two drunkards without acknowledging William at all.

Atom sits beside the little girl while William stands a few steps back. A tube is stuck to her arm, pumping serum into her veins and bandages can be seen peeking out of her raged white shirt. Her brother puts a hand on her forehead.

-Hey there, lil' sis. – He says delicately, trying to not wake her up – I'm heading off tomorrow morning. And I know I say this every time but… I promise I'll come back with enough money to make you better. – The effort to hold back the tears can be heard in his voice – I found some really good folks now… I believe this is our ticket to be able to talk again, play again. And after you grow up strong and healthy, we could even go out to sea…

A tear drops on her rosy cheek. Atom wipes it gently before cleaning the ones that built up in his eyes – So don't go dying on me until I get back.

God damn it. William wasn't expecting this to be so depressing. He remembers how little money Atom had on his ship. Every cent he managed to get must have gone straight to his sister's treatment.

William puts a hand on Atom's shoulder. He's won the Captain's respect.

Atom takes a drag from his almost-finished cigarette and puffs out a cloud of smoke, it goes out the open window immediately.

-Sorry you had to see me like this, man. – He says. A hint of embarrassment in his voice. Atom stands up covering his eyes with his hat.

-It's ok. – William reassures him – You should've seen me after I lost my pet rat a few years ago. Just like a baby…

His joke seems to have had the intended effect on Atom. A simple smile forms in the corner of his mouth.

Both of them get out of the hospital, reunite with the crew, and together make their way to Atom's shack.

-So it turns out you're not that much of a scumbag after all… – Pearl comments after William told them everything.

-I only did all that for my sister. – Atom says.

-I get it. – Pearl says nonchalantly – Other people have also done similar things for my sake. – She adds, looking at the crew and focusing on Duros, who's really not trying to hide his tears.

-Atom! I knew you were a good man at heart! – He cries out.

Verona abstains from commenting. While Ragnar just internalized Atom's struggle, thanks to their shared goal of helping a loved one.

A couple of minutes of walking later, the group arrives at Atom's shack. A single-room building with only a bed, a simple kitchen, and a table with no chairs. The "window" has been covered with a piece of cloth to keep the elements from entering, but the hole in the ceiling trumps this clever solution.

Upon seeing the precarious state of their accommodations –or rather, how small this shack is, William glances over to Ragnar, Duros, and Gravy. Regular-sized people would already have a hard time fitting inside; even more so with two big guys and a hunk of iron.

-No need to worry, Captain – Duros says after noticing William's worries – I need nothing but the starlight to lull me to my sleep. Come; Ragnar, Gravy.

It takes Ragnar a moment to catch up with Duros' suggestion but, eventually, he takes the hint and sits down leaning against the shed, quickly passing out. While Gravy promptly makes his way to a nearby tree. He extends a tablecloth under it, makes himself comfortable, and falls asleep.

-Pearl, you take the bed. – Atom says resting his hat on the table – Take it as an apology if you want.

Without much ground to argue against it, she accepts.

-You've really been giving all you have to that hospital, huh… – Verona comments after seeing how rundown the shack is.

-It's been like this for a long time now. We never had much even before my old man abandoned us…

Silence takes over the room. None of the members of the crew had a "happy" life, but when you factor in Atom's sister, it really hits you in the heart.

-Atom, I pissed on your bed. – William confesses. The guilt he thought he could never feel again after killing that old man got the better of him.

-YOU WHAT?! – Atom, Pearl, and Duros who was about to leave said in unison. Verona, who was also part of that simply lowers his head. Not exactly in shame, but he's certainly not proud of it.

-I'm sorry, ok!? It was right when we arrived at the island and we saw your ship docked there and we were still mad about the whole deal back at the cave but after tonight I was feeling really bad about it and just kept thinking about how to tell you this! – William rambles while Duros lectures him about how he thought the Captain had made the right decision back then and how immature this was, then asks Verona why he allowed William to do such a thing; but William just throws him into the fire by saying he also pissed on Atom's bed, hence the 'he also tends to wet the bed' commentary; which also earns him a solid lecturing by Duros.

Amidst all this, Pearl bursts into laughter thanks to the now ridiculous situation of two grown men receiving a lecture for doing something so petty and childish.

-Look, I'm sorry. – William says after arguing with Duros for a solid minute – You can't really blame me for that since we were all on the same page of killing him back then. Atom, if it makes you feel better, I'll buy another bed for your ship after this is over.

-Atom, I am so sorry! – Duros apologizes. Feeling incredibly guilty for his Captain – You can have all of my money as compensation. – He places a few Bellys on the table – Just take it, please. I'm so sorry for my Captains actions.

Verona quietly puts a thousand Bellys in the table – I'm gonna go sleep outside. – And walks out. Duros follows him after giving a stern look to his Captain as one would to a child.

-I don't know what to say to that… – Atom says, visibly shaken. On one hand, it's understandable why they did it. But on the other hand, those fuckers pissed on his bed.

In the end, Duros and Verona camp outside with Gravy and Ragnar, Pearl makes herself comfortable on Atom's screechy bed, and he and William fall asleep awkwardly a few feet from each other.