“Pirates.”

1. With the sickening smell of smoke on the wind, June raced as quickly as she could towards the village. Nearing the family shop, she ducked behind an over turned cart as a pair of pirates stepped out, arms loaded with stolen goods. “Hey, thanks for the supplies buddy.” one of the pirates called out over his shoulder “Here’s the receipt back though.” With a laugh, the other pirate tossed a torch back through the doorway. June watched in horror as the shop quickly went up in flames, the yells for help inside grew silent.

2. Using her trusty telescope, June zoomed in on the ship anchored by the port. The orange flower on the black flag that flew in the wind was unmistakable. “Natasha!” June cursed. “I should’ve known she’d be back.” Unfortunately, the frying pan wouldn’t cut it against pirates, and her home was out of the way. She’d have to swing by Paulo’s. To make matters worse, upon arriving at the blacksmith, the shop was closed. “Desperate times,” June muttered. A swift kick later, the door was open. She grabbed a weapon and hastily scribbled a receipt—“I owe you one Tri-Sword - J.”

3. June hurried toward the source of the smoke, leaping from tree to tree. Her parents had always warned her to run and find help if she ever encountered pirates, but she had to make sure that Eddie was okay. As she approached the garden, June heard a voice from below. “My patience is dwindling. On receipt of your food, clothing, and valuables, we will leave you and your home intact, but if you try anything else, my crew will not hesitate to burn this all down. Do you understand?”