legendary pirates like my grandparents is going to turn up HEAPS of clues about where they are. That's just common sense. Legendary pirates leave legendary trails."
"But you do not know, even generally, where they might be," said Sola.
"That's true, but I bet Dad does. And once he hears this idea, he'll be sailing out to find them as fast as he can. Trust me."
4
Lost Relations
Miya sat on the deck of her ship, knees tucked into her chest, her chin resting between them. She was staring into the water, watching as the dark waves warped and twisted the light of the moon. After several minutes of this Miya took a slightly shuddery breath, then she sighed, long and deep and heartfelt.
Things had not gone quite as well as she had hoped. In fact, she could safely say that it had been one of the worst days she'd ever had. It had all started off so great, too, what with figuring out Pete's plans and having her great idea with Sola, where did it all go wrong?
Well, Miya thought, to begin with, telling Dad about the plan could definitely have gone better.
*
"Dad! Dad. I had an amazing idea—"
"Can it wait, Miya? I'm about to meet with the other captains," said Tomas, hurriedly pulling a tight black boot onto his foot.
"Oh, can I come?" Miya asked automatically, then shook her head. "No, wait, I have an idea, your parents!"
"What?"
"Your parents, my grandparents, they're legendary pirates! If we could find them and tell them about Badger Pete I'm sure they'd come and help us defeat him—"
"Miya, I don't have time for this."
"But don't you see? It's perfect! We've been saying all the way through 'if only someone could help us', well they're the someone! Someones, even! And I know you must have some idea where they are, right? Right?"
"Miya, my darling, I'm sorry. I don't know where you got this idea but it ... you have to understand, my parents ... their way of doing things, the way they ... we just have to find ways to solve our problems ourselves. Do you understand?"
"No. Aren't you going to go fight Badger Pete? Isn't that what this meeting is about?"
"Miya—"
"So how's it different? Grandma and Grandad were great pirates, legends! They'd wipe their noses with an upstart like Badger Pete, I know they would. And, plus, it's like that saying, 'fight fire with fire', right? Set a pirate to catch a pirate, let monkeys fight monkeys, the left sock will overcome the right—"
"What are you talking about?"
"Badger Pete's a pirate! A bad pirate! I don't mean bad like he's not good at pirating because obviously he's doing pretty well, but bad like ... wrong! Right?"
"My darling, I don't know what to say to you. I don't know where my parents are or even if they're still alive. We parted on bad terms and I haven't seen them for many, many years. They're not a part of my life here with you and your mother, and sadly they never will be. It's a choice they made a long time ago. So please, Miya, my darling, my Coconut, just forget about them. Leave them in the storybooks. That's where they belong."
Tomas tightened his sword belt around his waist, and put his favourite tricorn hat on his head.
"Now I really have to go. I'll talk to you later."
"Huh."
"I love you, my darling Miya."
"Huh."
Tomas looked at his daughter, indecision in his eyes, then he turned and left her alone.
*
"He didn't understand," Miya muttered to herself. "Why couldn't I make him understand?"
She was lying down now, on her stomach, on the stern deck of her ship. She idly flicked a stone into the water, making a little cannon noise as she did so.
"Pow. Take that, Badger Pete. Oh, whoops? Did I just sink your flagship? With you on board? Captain going down with his ship? How noble . Well, that's that problem solved, thanks once again to Miya Black, pirate."
Miya laid her head down, feeling the wooden deck beneath her cheek, the coolness soothing.
"Miya Black, pirate," she repeated. "Pirate," she said again, louder this time, pushing
"But you do not know, even generally, where they might be," said Sola.
"That's true, but I bet Dad does. And once he hears this idea, he'll be sailing out to find them as fast as he can. Trust me."
4
Lost Relations
Miya sat on the deck of her ship, knees tucked into her chest, her chin resting between them. She was staring into the water, watching as the dark waves warped and twisted the light of the moon. After several minutes of this Miya took a slightly shuddery breath, then she sighed, long and deep and heartfelt.
Things had not gone quite as well as she had hoped. In fact, she could safely say that it had been one of the worst days she'd ever had. It had all started off so great, too, what with figuring out Pete's plans and having her great idea with Sola, where did it all go wrong?
Well, Miya thought, to begin with, telling Dad about the plan could definitely have gone better.
*
"Dad! Dad. I had an amazing idea—"
"Can it wait, Miya? I'm about to meet with the other captains," said Tomas, hurriedly pulling a tight black boot onto his foot.
"Oh, can I come?" Miya asked automatically, then shook her head. "No, wait, I have an idea, your parents!"
"What?"
"Your parents, my grandparents, they're legendary pirates! If we could find them and tell them about Badger Pete I'm sure they'd come and help us defeat him—"
"Miya, I don't have time for this."
"But don't you see? It's perfect! We've been saying all the way through 'if only someone could help us', well they're the someone! Someones, even! And I know you must have some idea where they are, right? Right?"
"Miya, my darling, I'm sorry. I don't know where you got this idea but it ... you have to understand, my parents ... their way of doing things, the way they ... we just have to find ways to solve our problems ourselves. Do you understand?"
"No. Aren't you going to go fight Badger Pete? Isn't that what this meeting is about?"
"Miya—"
"So how's it different? Grandma and Grandad were great pirates, legends! They'd wipe their noses with an upstart like Badger Pete, I know they would. And, plus, it's like that saying, 'fight fire with fire', right? Set a pirate to catch a pirate, let monkeys fight monkeys, the left sock will overcome the right—"
"What are you talking about?"
"Badger Pete's a pirate! A bad pirate! I don't mean bad like he's not good at pirating because obviously he's doing pretty well, but bad like ... wrong! Right?"
"My darling, I don't know what to say to you. I don't know where my parents are or even if they're still alive. We parted on bad terms and I haven't seen them for many, many years. They're not a part of my life here with you and your mother, and sadly they never will be. It's a choice they made a long time ago. So please, Miya, my darling, my Coconut, just forget about them. Leave them in the storybooks. That's where they belong."
Tomas tightened his sword belt around his waist, and put his favourite tricorn hat on his head.
"Now I really have to go. I'll talk to you later."
"Huh."
"I love you, my darling Miya."
"Huh."
Tomas looked at his daughter, indecision in his eyes, then he turned and left her alone.
*
"He didn't understand," Miya muttered to herself. "Why couldn't I make him understand?"
She was lying down now, on her stomach, on the stern deck of her ship. She idly flicked a stone into the water, making a little cannon noise as she did so.
"Pow. Take that, Badger Pete. Oh, whoops? Did I just sink your flagship? With you on board? Captain going down with his ship? How noble . Well, that's that problem solved, thanks once again to Miya Black, pirate."
Miya laid her head down, feeling the wooden deck beneath her cheek, the coolness soothing.
"Miya Black, pirate," she repeated. "Pirate," she said again, louder this time, pushing
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