Chapter 91: JACOBS POV.

Of course not. There was no way I’d do such a thing.

Not to mention the countless lives at stake if it really was her future self we were talking about.

The thought of letting this woman, as annoying and brassy as she was, fall into such a dark and lonely state wasn’t something I could let happen with a clear conscience.

Right now, she was just an odd, overconfident girl playing pretend. She wasn’t truly evil yet.

She was just ignorant. If I had the chance to steer her away from that dark path, I had a responsibility to try.

"Of course I do," I replied, giving her a confident, knowing smile. I leaned my back against the wooden railing, crossing my arms over my chest to look as relaxed as possible.

"But the question stands, are you up to the task? Becoming a legendary pirate isn’t easy, if it was, everyone could do it."

"Hmm...." Priscilla turned silent, squinting her eyes at me for a while. She looked me up and down, trying to see if I was lying or trying to trick her into doing something she didn’t want to do. The silence stretched between us on the deck, with only the sound of the wind in the sails filling the space.

"Alright, tell me. How do I become a legendary pirate," she finally said, crossing her arms to match my posture.

She puffed out her chest, trying to look dominant, but she was leaning forward just a fraction of an inch, eager to hear what I had to say.

’Ha! She took the bait,’ I said to myself, feeling a small wave of victory wash over me. It was easier than I thought it would be.

All you had to do with someone like her was dangle a bigger title in front of her nose, and she’d follow it anywhere.

"It’s simple, all you have to do is follow an easy set of rules," I explained, raising a single finger to emphasize my point.

"Rules? When does a pirate follow rules...." she said, her voice dropping into a low growl.

She sounded even more suspicious now, her brow furrowing deeply. Her white ears flattened against her head a bit.

’ Perhaps I shouldn’t have used that word...’ I thought to myself, feeling a tad worried.

"Pirates are free! We do what we want, when we want! Rules are for navy boys and city folks who live in cages!" She said, raising her voice a little.

This wasn’t what I wanted, at this rate my entire plan would fail here.

"....If a lion were to run away from a flock of sheep just for fun, do you think anyone would still admire and praise it?" I said. I kept my voice calm, looking directly into her golden eyes.

I wanted her to really think about what I was saying. "No, they wouldn’t. They would laugh at the lion. They would say it was a coward for only chasing things that couldn’t even fight back."

Priscilla opened her mouth to argue, her sharp teeth showing for a split second, but I didn’t give her the chance to interrupt me. I took a half-step closer, keeping the pressure on her ego.

"Everyone follows rules, idiot, you just don’t always see it as such. This time is just the same as well," I continued crossing my arms.

"The wind follows the rules of the sky. The waves follow the rules of the moon. Even a wild beast follows the rules of the forest if it wants to stay alive and stay at the top of the food chain. If you just run around doing whatever you want without a plan, you’re not a pirate captain. You’re just a loose cannon waiting to explode."

"So? Are you willing to follow my lead, or do you prefer to wander amongst weaklings who call themselves pirates for the rest of your life?" I smirked. I gave her a look that challenged her pride, making it seem like she would be a coward if she backed down now.

Seeing her furrowed brows and contemplating expression, I held back the urge to smile even more.

Her ears were twitching rapidly, and she was looking down at the deck planks, her mind working furiously to process everything I had thrown at her.

I really didn’t think it would be this easy to get through to her. She was incredibly strong, but when it came to a battle of words and logic, she was as easy to guide as a lost puppy.

"Fine. Speak, first mate. Let’s hear these grand rules of yours."

Priscilla eventually gave in and lent me an ear, her shoulders dropping just a fraction of an inch as her defensive attitude softened.

She let out a heavy harrumph, crossing her arms over her chest, and looked at me sideways.

So I explained to her what I meant.

At the end of it all, she couldn’t help but frown. Her face was twisted into a deep look of confusion, her white brow furrowing so tightly that the stripes on her forehead bunched up together.

"You sure this’ll make me a legendary pirate?" she asked, still doubtful. She tapped a long, sharp claw against her forearm, making a clicking sound. "It sounds a lot like being a guard or a navy soldier. Pirates are supposed to be scary."

"Of course, when out in the jungle, it’s survival of the fittest. Do you think a mighty tiger would settle for less when they can dominate everything before their eyes?" I asked, throwing her own nature right back at her. "A real tiger doesn’t hunt mice."

" Since your a tiger, shouldn’t you hunting the biggest game you can find. Real legends aren’t born from picking on the weak."

"True... But, you want me to save people from pirates and raid the pirates instead?" she asked, her voice tilting up as she tried to wrap her head around the concept. It was a completely foreign idea to her.

"What’s more legendary than a pirate amongst pirates," I said, hoping she doesn’t go back now.