The ship Dark thorn and he's Damned Crew.

In the nice little port, frequented by everything, including to cough pirates, in a bit of a lawless part of the warm world, is the port of Misery...

Enjoy.

Valentine rented a room at a local Inn. He had never been to a port town before, and was pleasantly surprised. More money flowed through here due to the rich commerce from foreign lands than he previously expected. Hopefully, all the bustling people would let him blend easily, and find good work. However, it was late, and honestly, he could use a drink. Valentine left his sword in his Inn room. he wasn't worried about it getting stolen; woe befall the unfortunate person who was not adept at that sword to try and take it. Valentine took with him a portion of his gold and his cloak before he set out to a nice seaside bar and ordered whatever was local.

The bartender gave him what was known as Misery port brew, and that stuff if you weren't use to it, could get you roaring drunk. NO one liked this boy in their bar, as a gang of nasty people were their and they didn't like anyone... He he.

It didn't take too many down the hatch before Valentine was more than a little tipsy. He sensed rather than saw the hostile bunch, but the alcohol fuzzed that just a little. "Don't..... fight me." He told them without turning to face them. "Big mistake.... if you... do."

The last thing the horrid gang of thugs wanted to hear was some stupid punk telling them what they could and couldn't do, who wasn't the owner of the damn bar, so of course they stood, and charged hi, 20 to one and they wree big bruisers of men.

Instincts and training kicked into overdrive. Valentine was a bit faster than the brutes, and actually managed to take half of them down, despite being at a disadvantage. Even when his back was turned, the foreigner seemed to realize they were there and how to react. In the end though, that number of people against him unarmed and drunk overcame him, and a chair to the back of his head meant lights out for Valentine.

The leader of the group, whiped blood from his mouth " snot snosed brat, would have been fine if he hadn't opened his mouth... lets teach the brat a lesson shall we?" he said pulling out an earing from his pocket.

Another man gasped " thats not what I think it is... "

The leader heald it up, for them all to see, a circle of silver, open ment to be shoved through the fleshy part of an ear, and from it dangled, a silver skull with cross bones, one eye was a ruby, the other an emerald, and dangling from that a silver feather, all and all the entire earing was nothing more than a mear inch. He laughed grabbing the boys head and turning it, to the side that had the ear that sailors all ways pearced, and lowered the earing down to the mand ear. The earing when it got close, opened wide its silver hoop, and bit down in the center of the boy's ear, searing it closed, and forever joining the two ends. Now the boy's ear was pearced, and the gems in the skulls eyes seemed to glow for a moment.

The leader blessed himself " My god, it really is the cursed earing." before nodding, and his men dumped the lad in his room to sleep it all off.

Valentine woke in the morning with a groan. His ear throbbed a little, and when he put his hand to it, he felt.... metal? "What the...." He muttered. Valentine reached to grab his sword, still safe in it's embroidered sheath.

A males voice sounded from about his chest, and a demon with feathers, dressed in a blue out fit of sorts, with an odd earing himself, sat on his chest he smiled " Hello there handsome, bout time you woke up, As seeing your my new master since you have my Bauble in your ear, " he purred then stopped " all though I hope they cleaned that before they put it in... it was on the end of my last masters member." he laughed " nasty bit, any way, what is my new masters name? Till death or loss of the ear, I am now stuck with you. "

"What?!" Valentine said in confusion. His brows knit and his hand went back to his ear before he tried to push the demon off of him. "Get off of me, and I suppose you can call me Valentine..."

He laughed " I might be bound to the earing in your ear, but you have no power of me, non" he growled " all though I guess there are ways to force me, this time I refuse even if it pains me... and I don't swing that way boy, name?" He snorted " or I will just call you snookums."

Valentine glared at the demon. "You do not want to know who I really am. Trust me. Valentine is the alias I go by now, and you would do well to call me that. I have dealt with demons before, and I have made some cower at my feet before. If I am your master, you will do as I request and get off of me, or you will be punished for insubordinance..." Based on his commanding tone, Bob could infer Valentine at least at one point could have been a leader in some form or another.

He laughed hard now " You are no more my master then you are leader of the wind." he said sneering " I could care less, boy if you played ten thousand demons or banished legions at your wake.. you are nothing more than a boy.. a boy, who should remember, I am a demon of the wind and sea, and the both must end for me to end... so thankfully for me, I only need to deal with you sodding stinking the place for the next 100 years.. before I am once again, free from that leash." he growled " which hasn't been washed I assure you." he growled standing on the man's chest now, but he no longer weighed anything, " and furthermore, You will address me as bob... or feel my teeth and claws." he grinned " so do me the favor and hurry up and die. Like a good sport."

Valentine seemed unfazed. "You will be just a treat to take with everywhere... By the way, if you aren't going to move, could you at least do me the curtasy of handing me my damn sword?" he asked. Valentine pointed to the object in the corner of the room.

(History of the sword, in case you wish Bob to know it; the blade was forged in ancient times as one of very few and very powerful blades. It was imbued with a dark and twisted magic, and will devour the life force of all who try to wield and use it unless they can use magic akin to the sword and it's creator, which was necromancy, a very dark, very rare, and very frowned and feared art. Not many Necromancers are living, but undead Lichs who were once human men who knew necromancy wander and plague the land.)

Bob sneered stepping off the bed all together " No thank you, I can smell the evil on that blade, the death, and the stench is horrid." he grinned " and you reek of it yourself boy, good bath in the untainted sea, would do you good." he said now perching on the window ledge " So boy, when do you think you will get off your lazy ars, and get a moving, ships are about to sail, and if you plan on being a hire, I would get moving if I were you." he sneered " unless your a disgusting land lover."

Valentine got up and collected his things. "Never been on a ship in my life." He told the demon. Once everything was secure for travel, he went downstairs and paid for the night. This demon.... he was sure Bob would be the death of him, but perhaps, given time, Bob could have a use. Valentine could be a patient man if he chose. He exited the Inn and looked for some breakfast.

Bob could feel the tug on him, and so he jumped out the window after, then sighed as he caused many a town folk to run and hide " Oh how cute they remember me." he said pleasantly then sighed and turned to Val " Damn it to hell, does he look like a Sailor to you worthless piece of junk, you have been on the end of a dick to damn long, you forgotten what the hell they look like." he sneered pointing to the earing clearly having a convo with it " and furthermore you worthless piece of Crap... could you have picked the saddest land lover out of the land loving lot." he sighed, and proceeded to perch on Vals shoulder, " this is by far, the most stupid most horrific thing, a Demon of my caliber has ever been put through, for a land lover, your the worst."

Valentine rolled his eye. "If you know this place so damn well, where can I get some ever loving breakfast?" He snapped at the demon. "Or are you just going to try and talk my damn ear off?" He was in no mood to hear the woes of some snot nosed demon griping about the unfairness of rank and skill.

Bob snored growled and then sneered " well pissant, and you are lower in the food chain... " he sneered " You slept through breakfast so you're going to starve till they open for lunch... they feed them sailors before the crack of down. this is a port town dim wit." He said crossing his arms " Well don't stand there like a dolt and make like steed and move." he rolled his eyes " not to mention, they probably wouldn't feed you anything, due to the fact you got my bauble stuck in your ear."

Valentine growled. "Fine." He spat. "We are heading inland then." He said, mostly to spite this smart mouthed demon. He could easily find food in the forests. He strode confidently towards the side of town that went towards the forests and plains, in the opposite direction of the sea.

Bob growled horrifically as the wind picked up " Oh no you won't, you have Ticked me off for the last time boy the last... " he growled " there is perfectly good fish in the sea, you just go to the edge of the damn water, and if you're even that much of decent piss ant, I might actually fry you a damn fish... oh right land lovers of your taste would turn white and die at the sight of a nice tasty piece of real food." he growled and grumbled " oh yes, I can see just how less of man you really are."

Valentine stopped and scratched his chin. "Hmmm...." He considered. "It has been a while since I've had good fish...." He thought a moment. "If I do as you ask, and go to the seashore, you would really catch and cook me a fish?" he asked Bob.

Bob narrowed his eyes " No tricks... I don't like tricks, something about that makes my blood boil... " he said narrowing his eyes " I haven't been to the sea in ever, and I am so close to it... If you do as I say.... I will be quite agreeable... well for a demon." he said narrowing his eyes " My word is worth more than gold boy."

"I will, as long as you understand something." Valentine negotiated. "I am a mercenary, so I am looking for work without revealing my nature or who I truly am. Now, we may be able to work together. I can stay more close to the sea, if you aid in keeping my identity hidden. Deal?" Valentine asked, although he already had started to walk slowly back towards the sea.

Bob looked at him " I could care less about you boy. As long as I get my sea, you can have your shore, and your blood, your death, and even your gore." he grinned " I might be so agreeable that you eat fish from time to time.. " he said his eyes narrowed " but so help me boy, I will take all the wind and its horror, and impale you with it, if you go back on your word." He said getting a bit excited " and if you do not go back on your word, and turn out to be at least a decent land lover, then possibly I can be of some use... but I will no longer bloody my hands for evil or cruelty."