Timestamp: 9:00am
Location: Oceana House Front Lawn, Florida
Introducing: Captain Bones Runnels @BrutalBx and Grayson Kaplan @Aces Away
Location: Oceana House Front Lawn, Florida
Introducing: Captain Bones Runnels @BrutalBx and Grayson Kaplan @Aces Away
“Adventure. By definition, to experience something daring, unusual or exciting.”
Captain Arthur Runnels stood at the forefront of the amassed faces of a brand new crew. He had been doing this for a long time now and he still hadn’t gotten used to the changing visages of those about to set sail with him. Even his own daughter, who stood out amongst the masses with her large curly dark hair which she had inherited from his late beloved, Tia. She had grown so much, yet somehow she had also stayed the same. In her face, he still could see the little chubby cheeked kid who would do handstands on every flat surface she could find. Still, when he gazed upon how beautiful she had grown, he saw her mother, he saw a girl who was ready to inherit the world and make it her own.
Pride, a word here that could not do his love for his little Korinna justice.
“Do not be mistaken, you all are about to embark on a wild and great adventure and you’re going to do it together.” In spite of his years abroad and living all over the world, Captain Bones never lost his thick southern drawl. “These people that you stand with, for this next season, these people are your friends, they’re your family. You have to rely on one another, trust one another. This ain’t no rodeo, this ain’t no stroll in a park. This is hard work, this is graft but the reward is so worth it. Part of that reward is sharing it with people you are bonded with for life.”
For his sins, as he stood addressing the troops, the Captain looked anything but like a General dictating to his army. His Bermuda shorts were bright pink and his white short sleeve shirt was unbuttoned to show a physique that should not look as at home as it did on a fifty five year old man. Bones’ hair was shaggy and his beard unkempt but both were hidden quite well by the brim of his cowboy hat. To any outsider, Arthur would look simply like a tourist, fresh off the beach and going on a bar crawl. Still, those offcomers didn’t know the truth of the matter. They didn’t know that he had served with distinction, they didn’t know the pain and the sacrifice that he had gone through. They didn’t know that deserved his R&R and time in the sun.
“Now the official housekeeping.” By Bones’ side sat a stunning English Bull Terrier, happily smiling as he scratched the top of her head. “For those of you who have forgotten after our interviews, My name is Captain Arthur Runnels. I served with the Coast Guard as an ATC Rescue Swimmer for years and no I will not tell you stories. Most people call me Bones but you can call me Captain. This is Sunny.” He motioned to the happy pooch. “She is my second in command and yes she is your boss.” He could hear the little polite chuckles from the group but neglected to tell them that he was being one hundred percent serious.
Taking off his hat, Arthur continued. “I’m a simple man. I don’t have that many rules and the ones I do have aren’t difficult to follow. Don’t embarrass the program. Don’t embarrass me. Don’t embarrass yourselves.” He ran his free hand through his hair. “When you're on charter, the guest is the priority, leave your personal shit at Oceana House…” He motioned to the building behind him. “…and you can deal with it when you get back and when you’re on your days off. Now I can tell, based on the bar tab you guys racked up last night at Calico’s that you like to party. I’m cool with that, that’s fine, we all like a good time but if your shit impacts the guest or the experience in any way, at the end of that charter you’ll get your pay, your tip and a plane ticket home. We don’t suffer fools here.”
After placing his hat back upon his head, Captain Bones clapped his hands together widely. “Now onto the good stuff!” With a grin from ear to ear, the cowboy descended from the picnic table he was using as a soapbox to continue his ra-ra speech. “You all look very fetching in your uniforms, which must be worn at all times on charter and when working around the compound. You can wear your civvies on your days off.” Slipping his hand into his breast pocket, the Captain fumbled for a moment before taking out his cell phone and presenting it to the gathered crew. “Room assignments have been posted in the CAP-app which you should’ve already downloaded by now. Your stuff has already been dutifully moved by some of our staff. You can have the next hour to settle in, get to know each other, if you didn’t get a chance last night that is, and when we…”
Before he could continue further, the nails on a chalkboard screeching of a breaking performance engine disrupted the calm Florida cool. From around the corner of Oceana house, a young man emerged with a grin akin to a rattlesnake. He, unlike the others congregated in the yard, was not dressed in the green and khaki CAP uniform. Instead he looked like he had just gotten back from a party.
“Yo!” He called out. “Sorry I’m late. I met these mad honeys last night at Clicky Joe’s or wherever the fuck we were and I got so turnt. Woke up in Boca Raton.” He stumbled into the crowd and mockingly saluted towards the Captain.
Tipping his hat slightly backwards, Bones let silence hang in the air whilst he glared with his deep blue gaze at the newcomer. His was not a look of understanding but of indifference. Despite his face never moving or giving away a feeling, his eyes told a different story. They stole a story of pure anger. “Mister Jonas Valmont, I’m assuming?” He didn’t need to assume. The Captain had taken roll call and knew exactly who was missing. Jonas had turned up the day before for orientation and had also gone out with the rest of the crew to Calico Jack’s; obviously since then his path had diverged. Bones didn’t wait for the boy to answer. He turned his gaze to another boy, standing in the front row of CAP enlistees and smiled. “You know what to do Mister Kaplan.”
“Yes sir,” The dark haired man answered, the irritated glare he’d been sending Jonas morphing into an expectant grin as he broke from his position and made his way toward the late comer. He’d already noticed the boy’s absence when he went around Oceana House this morning doing wake up calls, and he hadn’t liked him since he showed up yesterday, so this was a bit of a treat for Gray himself, as well. The negligent boy didn’t seem to notice anything wrong despite the silence and suddenly tense atmosphere, and once Grayson got close enough he dropped a heavy hand onto Jonas’ shoulder and angled him right back toward the corner he came around. “Right back out you go, trainwreck, thanks for stopping by-”
“Do you know who my father is? Get off me you cretin!” Jonas shrugged off Gray’s hand and pushed forward towards the Captain. “I don’t know who you think you are treating me like that but I’ll have your ass for even thinking about touching me.” The nepo baby in waiting exasperatedly lifted his hands up in the air. “What is this? I’m a little late so you’re gonna give me a plane ticket?”
“Yup.” Captain Bones motioned towards the exit. “You come in here, acting the fool, hours late, stinking of booze and now with attitude. Yeah your ass is grass, son. I’ll have a driver take you to the airport. I’m sure your parents will be thrilled that you’ll be joining them in the Hamptons.”
The grip on the scruff of Jonas’ collar was far less forgiving than the one that had previously landed on his shoulder, and Gray’s smile had completely disappeared the moment the arrogant kid made his way toward Bones. Not giving him another chance to shake him off or complain, Gray yanked just enough to send Jonas off balance and then started beelining right to the car around the corner, the rich boy trying desperately not to trip backward over his own suddenly stumbling feet or get choked by his own collar.
“Honestly, man, you got in here on privilege and you couldn’t even hold it together through the ceremony,” Everyone could hear Gray’s heavy, disappointed sigh as they hit the corner and disappeared, the open air doing little to muffle the conversation. “That’s damn sad.”
Jonas squirmed for a few moments longer before he fully realised the inevitability of his situation. He had spent the better part of twenty years, his entire life essentially, using his family name to get out of a jam. Yet he could tell that it wouldn’t be enough, at least in this instance but whatever happened, this wasn’t over. The Corsair’s were not going to get the better of Jonas Valmont. “You think I care what you fucking say, little doggy?” The heir spat. “Kick me out? Kick ME out? Oh I’ll watch this place burn. Mark my fucking works and take them to the bank.”
“Doggy? Jesus, you’ve got absolutely zero chill,” Gray frowned, not surprised but also far from amused. He'd been called worse when acting as the Captain's security man. Jonas wouldn’t be the first rich kid to threaten the program with mommy and daddy’s money, and he certainly wouldn’t be the last, but this is the fastest someone had managed to get on both Bones and Gray’s bad side. “Also, the bank doesn’t accept worthless things, so take your word and trash it along with your attitude. If you wanna be all pissy about it, put some fucking work into yourself and try again next year. Walk in respectfully and prove us all wrong,” He opened the back door of the waiting car and nodded to the regular driver behind the wheel before putting his hand on Jonas’ head and shoving him in like he had just been detained. Pulling out his phone now that his hands were free, he used his body to block the boy’s chance at escape and then commented, “We’ll make sure your bags get to the airport before you take off, safe flights and thank you for attempting the Corsair Adventure Program!”
He slammed the door shut, never happier for the child lock feature than he was right now. Once the information needed had been dealt with, Gray slid his phone back into his pocket and made his way back around the corner as the car drove off behind him. Slipping back in quietly, he made his way back to his spot in the front row and retook his position with a nod to Captain Bones.
With a tip of the hat to appreciate the Bosun's hard work, Arthur looked to his daughter in the crowd. “When we’re done here, remind me to comb through the applications and find another Culture Guide, ok PeaPod?” Returning his attention to the crowd, which had remained all but silent during the Jonas debacle, the Captain continued. “Now that that’s over with. You can see my tolerance for stupid… I don’t have any. Now, relax, enjoy yourselves. In an hour we’re going to do a preference meeting for our first guests of the season. And wouldn’t you know it, we got a celebrity in our midst.”
Arthur jumped down from his soapbox and gestured towards the sea, which sat shimmering in the morning sunlight just off to the side of Oceana House. “We here are the black flag raisers, the rebels, the outlaws and we’re on the run. Our destination, our goal, the glory and the booty in which we seek, it’s out there, just waiting for us, waiting for you. Let’s go find the magic beyond the horizon. Dismissed.”
Captain Arthur Runnels stood at the forefront of the amassed faces of a brand new crew. He had been doing this for a long time now and he still hadn’t gotten used to the changing visages of those about to set sail with him. Even his own daughter, who stood out amongst the masses with her large curly dark hair which she had inherited from his late beloved, Tia. She had grown so much, yet somehow she had also stayed the same. In her face, he still could see the little chubby cheeked kid who would do handstands on every flat surface she could find. Still, when he gazed upon how beautiful she had grown, he saw her mother, he saw a girl who was ready to inherit the world and make it her own.
Pride, a word here that could not do his love for his little Korinna justice.
“Do not be mistaken, you all are about to embark on a wild and great adventure and you’re going to do it together.” In spite of his years abroad and living all over the world, Captain Bones never lost his thick southern drawl. “These people that you stand with, for this next season, these people are your friends, they’re your family. You have to rely on one another, trust one another. This ain’t no rodeo, this ain’t no stroll in a park. This is hard work, this is graft but the reward is so worth it. Part of that reward is sharing it with people you are bonded with for life.”
For his sins, as he stood addressing the troops, the Captain looked anything but like a General dictating to his army. His Bermuda shorts were bright pink and his white short sleeve shirt was unbuttoned to show a physique that should not look as at home as it did on a fifty five year old man. Bones’ hair was shaggy and his beard unkempt but both were hidden quite well by the brim of his cowboy hat. To any outsider, Arthur would look simply like a tourist, fresh off the beach and going on a bar crawl. Still, those offcomers didn’t know the truth of the matter. They didn’t know that he had served with distinction, they didn’t know the pain and the sacrifice that he had gone through. They didn’t know that deserved his R&R and time in the sun.
“Now the official housekeeping.” By Bones’ side sat a stunning English Bull Terrier, happily smiling as he scratched the top of her head. “For those of you who have forgotten after our interviews, My name is Captain Arthur Runnels. I served with the Coast Guard as an ATC Rescue Swimmer for years and no I will not tell you stories. Most people call me Bones but you can call me Captain. This is Sunny.” He motioned to the happy pooch. “She is my second in command and yes she is your boss.” He could hear the little polite chuckles from the group but neglected to tell them that he was being one hundred percent serious.
Taking off his hat, Arthur continued. “I’m a simple man. I don’t have that many rules and the ones I do have aren’t difficult to follow. Don’t embarrass the program. Don’t embarrass me. Don’t embarrass yourselves.” He ran his free hand through his hair. “When you're on charter, the guest is the priority, leave your personal shit at Oceana House…” He motioned to the building behind him. “…and you can deal with it when you get back and when you’re on your days off. Now I can tell, based on the bar tab you guys racked up last night at Calico’s that you like to party. I’m cool with that, that’s fine, we all like a good time but if your shit impacts the guest or the experience in any way, at the end of that charter you’ll get your pay, your tip and a plane ticket home. We don’t suffer fools here.”
After placing his hat back upon his head, Captain Bones clapped his hands together widely. “Now onto the good stuff!” With a grin from ear to ear, the cowboy descended from the picnic table he was using as a soapbox to continue his ra-ra speech. “You all look very fetching in your uniforms, which must be worn at all times on charter and when working around the compound. You can wear your civvies on your days off.” Slipping his hand into his breast pocket, the Captain fumbled for a moment before taking out his cell phone and presenting it to the gathered crew. “Room assignments have been posted in the CAP-app which you should’ve already downloaded by now. Your stuff has already been dutifully moved by some of our staff. You can have the next hour to settle in, get to know each other, if you didn’t get a chance last night that is, and when we…”
Before he could continue further, the nails on a chalkboard screeching of a breaking performance engine disrupted the calm Florida cool. From around the corner of Oceana house, a young man emerged with a grin akin to a rattlesnake. He, unlike the others congregated in the yard, was not dressed in the green and khaki CAP uniform. Instead he looked like he had just gotten back from a party.
“Yo!” He called out. “Sorry I’m late. I met these mad honeys last night at Clicky Joe’s or wherever the fuck we were and I got so turnt. Woke up in Boca Raton.” He stumbled into the crowd and mockingly saluted towards the Captain.
Tipping his hat slightly backwards, Bones let silence hang in the air whilst he glared with his deep blue gaze at the newcomer. His was not a look of understanding but of indifference. Despite his face never moving or giving away a feeling, his eyes told a different story. They stole a story of pure anger. “Mister Jonas Valmont, I’m assuming?” He didn’t need to assume. The Captain had taken roll call and knew exactly who was missing. Jonas had turned up the day before for orientation and had also gone out with the rest of the crew to Calico Jack’s; obviously since then his path had diverged. Bones didn’t wait for the boy to answer. He turned his gaze to another boy, standing in the front row of CAP enlistees and smiled. “You know what to do Mister Kaplan.”
“Yes sir,” The dark haired man answered, the irritated glare he’d been sending Jonas morphing into an expectant grin as he broke from his position and made his way toward the late comer. He’d already noticed the boy’s absence when he went around Oceana House this morning doing wake up calls, and he hadn’t liked him since he showed up yesterday, so this was a bit of a treat for Gray himself, as well. The negligent boy didn’t seem to notice anything wrong despite the silence and suddenly tense atmosphere, and once Grayson got close enough he dropped a heavy hand onto Jonas’ shoulder and angled him right back toward the corner he came around. “Right back out you go, trainwreck, thanks for stopping by-”
“Do you know who my father is? Get off me you cretin!” Jonas shrugged off Gray’s hand and pushed forward towards the Captain. “I don’t know who you think you are treating me like that but I’ll have your ass for even thinking about touching me.” The nepo baby in waiting exasperatedly lifted his hands up in the air. “What is this? I’m a little late so you’re gonna give me a plane ticket?”
“Yup.” Captain Bones motioned towards the exit. “You come in here, acting the fool, hours late, stinking of booze and now with attitude. Yeah your ass is grass, son. I’ll have a driver take you to the airport. I’m sure your parents will be thrilled that you’ll be joining them in the Hamptons.”
The grip on the scruff of Jonas’ collar was far less forgiving than the one that had previously landed on his shoulder, and Gray’s smile had completely disappeared the moment the arrogant kid made his way toward Bones. Not giving him another chance to shake him off or complain, Gray yanked just enough to send Jonas off balance and then started beelining right to the car around the corner, the rich boy trying desperately not to trip backward over his own suddenly stumbling feet or get choked by his own collar.
“Honestly, man, you got in here on privilege and you couldn’t even hold it together through the ceremony,” Everyone could hear Gray’s heavy, disappointed sigh as they hit the corner and disappeared, the open air doing little to muffle the conversation. “That’s damn sad.”
Jonas squirmed for a few moments longer before he fully realised the inevitability of his situation. He had spent the better part of twenty years, his entire life essentially, using his family name to get out of a jam. Yet he could tell that it wouldn’t be enough, at least in this instance but whatever happened, this wasn’t over. The Corsair’s were not going to get the better of Jonas Valmont. “You think I care what you fucking say, little doggy?” The heir spat. “Kick me out? Kick ME out? Oh I’ll watch this place burn. Mark my fucking works and take them to the bank.”
“Doggy? Jesus, you’ve got absolutely zero chill,” Gray frowned, not surprised but also far from amused. He'd been called worse when acting as the Captain's security man. Jonas wouldn’t be the first rich kid to threaten the program with mommy and daddy’s money, and he certainly wouldn’t be the last, but this is the fastest someone had managed to get on both Bones and Gray’s bad side. “Also, the bank doesn’t accept worthless things, so take your word and trash it along with your attitude. If you wanna be all pissy about it, put some fucking work into yourself and try again next year. Walk in respectfully and prove us all wrong,” He opened the back door of the waiting car and nodded to the regular driver behind the wheel before putting his hand on Jonas’ head and shoving him in like he had just been detained. Pulling out his phone now that his hands were free, he used his body to block the boy’s chance at escape and then commented, “We’ll make sure your bags get to the airport before you take off, safe flights and thank you for attempting the Corsair Adventure Program!”
He slammed the door shut, never happier for the child lock feature than he was right now. Once the information needed had been dealt with, Gray slid his phone back into his pocket and made his way back around the corner as the car drove off behind him. Slipping back in quietly, he made his way back to his spot in the front row and retook his position with a nod to Captain Bones.
With a tip of the hat to appreciate the Bosun's hard work, Arthur looked to his daughter in the crowd. “When we’re done here, remind me to comb through the applications and find another Culture Guide, ok PeaPod?” Returning his attention to the crowd, which had remained all but silent during the Jonas debacle, the Captain continued. “Now that that’s over with. You can see my tolerance for stupid… I don’t have any. Now, relax, enjoy yourselves. In an hour we’re going to do a preference meeting for our first guests of the season. And wouldn’t you know it, we got a celebrity in our midst.”
Arthur jumped down from his soapbox and gestured towards the sea, which sat shimmering in the morning sunlight just off to the side of Oceana House. “We here are the black flag raisers, the rebels, the outlaws and we’re on the run. Our destination, our goal, the glory and the booty in which we seek, it’s out there, just waiting for us, waiting for you. Let’s go find the magic beyond the horizon. Dismissed.”
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