FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Okay. This will be our final math problem for today." Mickeyila the bull lurcher mutt said with a warm smile. Dressed in relatively plain clothes, she was seated on a low stool with four little youngsters sitting before her.

"I have six coconut shells here." She placed six halves before her. "If I take two away," she covered two of the coconut halves with her hands, "how many does that leave?" She asked. No one ventured an answer. "Subtraction is similar to addition." Mickeyila mentioned, but found it humorous that they were no longer blurting out answers like before.

"Jacob?" She looked at the grey fox seated closest to her first.

"Umm... Three? No..." He wasn't confident in his answer.

"No, not three." Mickeyila looked at Abel next. The dhole's attention was divided between a beetle crawling on the ground and the question at hand.

"Aureliana?" She asked the marble furred vixen next. However, at only five years of age she was the youngest of the group, and shy at answering questions.

"Umm..." She hesitated only to look away.

"Julius?" Mickeyila asked the seven year old raccoon who held a half chewed stick in hand.

"Four?" He guessed.

"That's right! Very good Julius." She grinned. "That would leave us with four." Mickeyila moved the two coconut halves away. The canine mutt looked up and noticed a pair of city guards standing nearby, observing her.

'Uh oh. Why are they here?' She didn't like the odd presence of the armed Rottweiler and tabby cat.

"Alrighty. I think we're finished for today." Mickeyila clasped her hands together. Each of you can take a coconut half home with you." The kids quickly scrambled to pick one before quickly thanking their teacher and leaving. Jacob the grey fox was last to get up.

"My mom wanted me to give you this." He held out a small gourd for her. The canine's keen ear heard a faint metallic rattle from inside. It was likely a coin of the lowest value, but a coin nonetheless. Teaching children from poor neighborhoods was typically a job paid with modest foods or trading goods. At the very least they were kept out of trouble or harm from a short while, and it was an odd job that she enjoyed.

"Aw. Thank you, Jacob. Tell your mother that she is very generous." Mickeyila patted his head. The grey fox smiled and darted down the street with his coconut half in hand. As soon as Jacob left, the two guards approached Mickeyila. She quickly turned around and wanted to go back inside, but a hand touched her arm.

"Excuse me miss." A male voice spoke to her.

"Excuse me?" She frowned but the cry of a seagull on the rooftop drowned out her words. The canine guard loomed over her with a blank expression.

"You need to come with us." The Rottweiler spoke up as the feline laid a hand on her other arm.

"The nerve of you two..." Mickeyila angrily muttered under her breath, but had no choice other than to follow them through the town's streets.

The roar of the ocean was heard in the distance with every crash of waves against the sandy shore. Each wave was its own little tempest receding with a thin layer of foam back into the endless ocean. Palm trees and grasses on the sand dunes swayed to the whim of the winds. The harbor wasn't busy, and neither were the streets. Docked ships lulled with the constantly moving waters under the malaise of the afternoon sun.

It was paradise to a few, but simply an another island town in the New World to most others despite the scenery. Not everyone enjoyed the tropical island town, especially during the hottest part of the day. Residing in the governor's estate was much nicer than a shack. Working outside, on the docks for instance, or in town was a hardy labor.

The recently constructed courthouse was a modest yet imposing building on the little colonial island. Only the church's belfry and small lighthouse stood taller than the small statue located on its roof. Despite the fancy facade, it was a place no one wanted to be, save for a judge...

The main room of the courthouse was calm and quiet. Standing nervously but unafraid was Mickeyila Rose, an inhabitant of the island town. Originally from the Old World, the bull lurcher canine breed bore brindle tan and cream furred markings along her entire body. However, her modest clothes revealed little to the naked eye. Her green eyes glanced from side to side warily. The feline guard and Rottweiler guard stood at both of her sides ominously. An imposing judge wearing a powdered wig was seated in front of them. The droopy expression on his sternly aged face was depressing to look at.

"Miss Mickeyila Rose." The judge read aloud in a commanding voice. "You were seen on the beach two days ago during the late afternoon. Is this correct?" He finished with a stern question.

"Um... Yes." She spoke with hesitation. "But I'm always at the-"

"And do you know what crime you had committed when you were on the beach?" The judge quickly cut Mickeyila off.

"What?" She looked at the judge perplexed. "What crime? What am I being charged with?" She looked around with a mixture of fear and annoyance.

"Indecent exposure." He answered abruptly. The canine blinked in surprise.

"Indecent exposure?" Mickeyila cocked her head with a questioning look. "I was sunbathing, that's all."

"She revealed her breasts to the public eye, sir." The feline guard beside her explained.

"Where did this incident occur?" The judge asked.

"The waterfront, your honor."

"It was a beach, no one was near me, and it was bloody hot!" She exclaimed.

"Exposing the female bosom is against the laws of public decency." The judge affirmed.

"What?! Why? It's my chest, not yours!" Mickeyila barked angrily. "I am not holding a pistol to anyone's head, and I don't see the men having to abide by the same stupid rule." She rattled off several important points to defend herself.

"Women must keep their chests covered in public, and are not permitted to reveal their breasts to anyone outside of their home. That is one of the public decency laws." The judge rambled on.

"The beach is public land, your honor." The feline cordially spoke to the judge.

"Indeed, it is." He slowly nodded.

"Wait. What?" Mickeyila frowned. "I suppose we have to arrest and fine every mother who nurses their child in public."

"That is enough." The judge firmly spoke with a resounding voice.

"So stupid..." Mickeyila muttered under her breath.

"According to the law as it is written, committing an act of public indecency in the form of indecent exposure would incur a fine of seven shillings."

"Seven shillings?!" Mickeyila blurted out.

"Silence please!" The judge ordered. The anger in the accused canine's eyes boiled over.

"As if I'm paying a fine to your deep pockets, or spending any time in jail for that!" Mickeyila yanked off her shirt much to everyone's shock. She quickly balled it up and threw it at the judge. The garment landed squarely on his face and stayed there. For a brief second everyone in attendance stared slack jawed at the judge who scrambled to remove the shirt.

"What the-?!" He blinked and stared ahead only to see that Mickeyila had suddenly ran past the befuddled guard and escaped the courtroom.

"Capture her!!" The guard captain yelled. Two people standing outside were nearly knocked over as the now topless lady burst out of the courthouse. Once on the street, the canine veered off down narrower roads and alleyways. The hot afternoon meant there was little activity outside, but townspeople quickly became spectators and stopped to watch as the half naked canine lady evaded the authorities.

'I need to breathe!' Mickeyila ducked and hid behind two stacked barrels beside a wall in the shade. Out of sight, she felt safe but she barely had time to relax before her floppy ears detected loud voices nearby. Panting heavily, she glanced over the corner only to see a pair of officials searching the street vendors nearby. Ducking away, Mickeyila scurried down the narrow alley and onto another street. She soon slowed down in a quieter, run down neighborhood to catch her breath. Her pounding heart managed to catch a break and relax a little. With enough space to breath, the canine had a moment to think. She didn't want to sit still and wait for someone to arrest her, but that left her with another important question.

"What can I do?" Mickeyila mumbled with frustration as she rubbed her face. 'I don't have the money to pay a stupid fine, and who knows what'll happen to me if they throw me in a cage...' Visibly upset and distraught, the canine needed to think of a plan.

'I better go home and think of something before I run out of hiding spots.' The newly branded criminal ducked down quiet alleys and streets, covering her chest to keep a low profile. Thankfully there weren't too many prying eyes lingering outside during the heat of the afternoon. Her home was small and modest, located on the corner of a hill overlooking some of the town's harbor and marketplace. A quick check revealed that there was no one waiting to arrest her, yet.

Mickeyila quickly headed inside and closed the door behind her. Despite being in the relative comfort and safety of her own home, the normally cheerful canine found herself pacing worriedly in circles. An unpleasant feeling hung in the air.

"This isn't good." Mickeyila wrung her hands as she muttered to herself. "First they wanted me to pay a stupid fine..." She wasn't one who had much money to spare. Various odd jobs kept her afloat financially over the past few years as an adult. She once swabbed decks, worked as a schoolteacher's assistant, worked in the town's little printing press, and most recently made commissions as an artist. However, the potential fine became the least of her worries.

"But now I'm a wanted criminal for being a lady?" She was angry and confused by the situation. "I've never broken a law... that I know of." Her frown lessened as she thought over the unfortunate events that had quickly unfolded. "I work. I pay taxes... What else must I do, become an indentured servant to satisfy every noble and civil servant?" The canine paced around, fuming to herself for the moment.

'Maybe I shouldn't have thrown my shirt at that stupid judge.' Mickeyila stopped and wiped over her face with some regret. A little burst of anger had gotten the better of her, but she did get one up on the judge by hitting him with her shirt. That made her grin briefly. A light tropical breeze blew through the open window, ruffling her fur. The wind made her realize that she was indeed wearing fewer clothes than normal.

"Now I don't have a top." She looked at her exposed chest, and upper body. The canine lady was well endowed with a shapely feminine figure. That much was obvious with or without clothing. Her entire body was covered primarily white fur with the exception of light brindle brown markings on her upper arms, head, and base of her tail. The canine's pink nipples and areolae were speckled and mottled grey just like her tongue, lower belly, and padded digits. All of her pink skin had dappled grey splotches from her belly and padded fingertips to her tongue and paw pads. However, her white furred breasts didn't seem to mind hanging freely in the sunshine. Her upper body had seen a fair amount of sun from sunbathing in the beach, but she had never flaunted herself around. A sense of wanton beauty wasn't getting to her head. Her body was simply her own, and that's all there was to it. Mickeyila frowned.

"I'm not covering up for this town's stupid law." She declared. "Why do women have to cover up anyway? Men are bare chested everywhere, especially the docks." The canine ranted as she meandered back to her home. "I didn't hurt or rob anyone, but they treated me as if I was a pirate." She grumbled and glared at the floor. Green eyes blinked twice before she wiggled her nose. "Hmm... A pirate..." She dwelled on the idea. Sailing the seas, exploring various uninhabited islands, and capturing treasure with a crew of like minded people sounded much nicer than staying in town forever.

"I will need a crew." She rubbed her chin in thought. Mickeyila thought of what a seafaring group typically looked like. Imagining a bunch of brutish men without any safety from their advances made her uneasy.

"I've got it!" The canine snapped her fingers. "I'll form an all-female pirate group!" She exclaimed. "And no stupid laws. We can have our own pirate code to abide by." She smiled and started gathering some of her belongings. Even though it was a tiny idea in its infancy, the canine found herself giddy at the prospect of becoming a pirate. She was eager to see it through, ending in success or failure...

Still without a top, Mickeyila had gathered up some personal items to prepare for setting her plan into motion. Claws lightly clicked over the floor as she paced anxiously. There were a lot of ideas and questions forming in her mind, but one of them stood out to the forefront.

'Where to find people...' Her eyes narrowed as she thought. There were plenty of women on the island, but who among them would be interested in forming a pirate crew? She couldn't hold an inquiry out in the open on the island for obvious reasons.

'Ah! The tavern!' She snapped her fingers. Rough men from the seas went there to drink, so why wouldn't a woman or two be lurking in their midst? It wasn't likely, but at least it was an idea she could explore. Mickeyila slung a knapsack of her belongings over her shoulder and slipped outside. Luckily, the building in question was close to where she lived.

'I don't see any of those guards yet.' She scurried through quiet streets and avoided as many people as possible. Thankfully the afternoon was still quiet and peaceful, but she paused before going towards the entrance.

'Probably not a good idea if I go inside like this.' She looked herself over. The canine froze as an armed rat suddenly burst out of the double doors. The doors shut behind him as he stumbled forward a little. Mickeyila's heart raced as he teetered with each wobbly step. His eyes appeared droopy and glazed over as he walked past the topless mutt. Mickeyila breathed an internal sigh of relief.

'He was out of it so bad that he couldn't see me!' She crept towards the side of the tavern and hid amongst a few bushes and short palm trees. The canine searched around and found an accessible window to see through. Pressing her nose up to the window pane, she looked inside. Her eyes darted about the scene of several people inside, all gruff and rough. However, one figure caught her attention.

"There's someone..." She spotted a lioness standing at the bar, the only lady inside the tavern from what her eyes could see. The lack of a mane and subtle bust confirmed what she saw through the dingy glass window.

'She looks tough.' Mickeyila noted the strong feline's physique. Golden furred arms, toned and strong, were visible from the short sleeved coat. The lioness put the empty mug down with a firm clack before slapping a coin on the bar.

'And she looks serious.' Mickeyila's tail wagged at the prospect of having the lioness team up with her. She took her chance once the feline stepped outside of the tavern. The lioness strolled onto the street with a lazy, but strong stride.

"Hey there!" Mickeyila quickly approached the slightly taller feline.

"Huh?" The lioness turned to face Mickeyila. Her serious facial expression didn't budge in the slightest at the canine's happy smile. She didn't even seem to care that the canine before her was topless.

"Hello. What is your name?" Mickeyila spoke up first and asked.

"Isabel." The lioness plainly answered. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mickeyila Rose. What's someone like you doing in a tavern here?"

"Having a drink." She plainly answered.

"But how many women like yourself end up here?

"I don't know or care. I used to be a sailor on a frigate, but almost everyone was laid off after the war between England and Spain was over. Now I'm a petty criminal who lives between the streets and the tavern. Why are you asking anyway?"

"I want to create a pirate group of women, would you join me?" The canine sensed an opportunity.

"A... pirate group?" The lioness looked at her curiously.

"Yes! I'll be the captain, and with your tough demeanor you can be the quartermaster." She offered.

"What's the name of your new pirate group?" Isabel crossed her arms.

"Um..." Mickeyila paused to think. 'Wow, I never even thought of a good pirate name.' She realized. Folding her arms, the canine looked around and thought for a moment. Glancing down at her exposed chest, an idea struck.

"Aha! TheTopless Pirates!" She declared with a smile. There was a brief pause from the lioness.

"Are you serious?" Isabel did not share her enthusiasm. "You just made that up."

"Yes! I like it. The Topless Pirates." Mickeyila repeated it. "There is a nice sound to it. We aren't beholden to any laws on the seas, just like the men, so why not feel proud to be a woman while we sail?" Mickeyila gave her pitch. "Whatever we catch is split equally, so long as you worked for it." The strong lioness thought it over.

"Do I have to be topless?" Isabel raised her eyebrow.

"Well... Yeah, it is going to be an all-female pirate group." Mickeyila nodded.

"Since I'm going to become a wanted criminal anyway..." The lioness sighed, but didn't appear to have any qualms about the requirement. Isabel shrugged before taking off her vest and then opening up her shirt. Holding her vest in hand while her shirt draped open from her shoulders, she revealed a light cream furred front with golden sides. Her torso had a little flab, but Mickeyila didn't doubt that there was a lot of strength hidden underneath. The lioness's chest had relaxed breasts despite her stern personality and athletic built, but were nicely rounded. Her light pink nipples pointed more towards the ground than anywhere else, but were otherwise modest in size.

"Perfect! Welcome to the crew, Isabel." Mickeyila held out a hand. The feline looked around before shaking the cheerful canine's hand.

"I guess we're the only two?"

"Yep!" Her tail wagged.

"This isn't going to be easy..." Isabel sighed with a visible frown.

"Don't worry. Everything starts with a single step." Mickeyila reassured her new crew mate. "I felt unsure about the whole pirate idea until I found you."

"If we're serious about this 'pirate idea', then we'll need to collect several accurate maps, recruit other women willing to pirate with us, gather arms, develop a code, and obviously commandeer a ship." Isabel pointed out.

"Well, let's look around town and-" Mickeyila's voice cut off as she turned around. The canine found herself staring directly at the guard in the courthouse. The Rottweiler wore a smug grin across his face as his gaze focused on the topless canine lady.

"Ah, finding you was easy enough." He hummed. "Running from authorities will give you a nice night in a jail cell." He haughtily spoke and roughly grabbed the canine by the arm.

"Hey!" Mickeyila immediately bean to struggle under the opposing canine's tight grip. "Let go of me!" She barked as a clenched fist flew over her shoulder from behind. Isabel landed a clean blow on the Rottweiler's face, sending him reeling back. He landed on the ground with a heavy thud, clearly dazed.

"Nice punch." Mickeyila looked at the lioness with a stunned expression as a few onlookers took notice of what was going on.

"Let's get outta here." Isabel calmly suggested, and rubbed her hand.

"Right. Good idea." Mickeyila ran over with the lioness into a narrow alley. The guard staggered to his feet, shouting at them.

"Stop! Cease!" He yelled. "You two will be arrested!" His voice grew fainter as the two ladies ran.

"Run faster!" Mickeyila glanced over her shoulder only to see the lioness handily keeping pace with her.

"Hey! Careful!" A voice in front of them yelled. They nearly ran into and overturned an apple cart before slipping down yet another street.

"Sorry!" Mickeyila yelled back. The lioness and canine would soon find themselves on the outskirts of the small island town if they didn't quickly find a place to hide. Mickeyila's eyes darted around. They were ahead of the noise behind them, but couldn't run forever.

"We can hide in that abandoned house!" She pointed ahead at a shanty building. They quickly jumped inside, closed the door, and ducked out of sight. For a moment there was mo commotion, until running footsteps ran past the door. Mickeyila looked up, but was unable to see a figure. They sat still and silent as the footsteps continued running and dissipated altogether.

"I think we lost them." Mickeyila breathed a sigh of relief and caught her breath. "You run pretty fast."

"It's not the first time I've had to run from someone." The lioness huffed. "Maybe we should wear tops until we are at sea." The lioness thought aloud after a few more breaths.

"I should have thought about that... but I don't have a ship yet." Mickeyila admitted. The tough feline looked at her in disbelief and frustration for a split second.

"You need to develop your idea of what your crew is going to look like, and how your going to actively recruit people like us to set sail." Isabel advised. "There aren't going to be a lot of women who are eager to enlist in a pirate crew."

"Good point. Let's use this abandoned house to make a plan." Mickeyila glanced around the room. The home didn't appear quite as abandoned as she first suspected. The room was somewhat tidy with several miscellaneous items strewn about. Oddly enough, there was a lot of artwork laying around ranging from paintings to sketches. An old burnt out pair of candles and lantern were amongst the papers and plates on a table. Furniture was present along with simple household items like a broom and even a few books.

"This house isn't abandoned." Isabel pointed out. "Someone definitely lives here."

"I think you're ri-." The canine paused as a soft noise reached their ears.

"What was that?" Mickeyila whispered as it happened again. The two ladies peered over and heard a light snoring coming from a hammock in the back room. They crept closer and saw that the curled up figure was asleep.

"I think she is a coyote." Isabel observed. The long muzzle was a giveaway, but the hair was perplexing to say the least. The front was curled up like a frozen wave, and dyed blonde.

"I think you're right." Mickeyila started to step back, but the sleeping canine stirred. The coyote's eyes peeked open with a visible frown. In an instant, her pupils dilated and everyone exchanged looks.

"Ahh! What the heck?" She glared at the two intruders. Mickeyila and Isabel looked at each other, unsure of what they should do. "Why are you two in my house?" Her grumpy expression ingrained onto her face.

"Whoops! We thought it was abandoned." Mickeyila bashfully admitted.

"Do you live here?" Isabel glanced around the somewhat crowded arrangement.

"Yeah, but my roommates should be back in a while." She yawned. "I don't get enough sleep as it is... Who are you two?" Her eyes glanced over them with suspicion. "And why are you both half naked?"

"I'm Mickeyila, and this is Isabel." The canine was more than happy to introduce themselves. "We're pirates."

"Pirates?" The coyote arched her eyebrows.

"The Topless Pirates!" Mickeyila answered with a happy tongue lolling smile. "Who are you?"

"Uh ok... I'm Hibbary." She answered with a somewhat disturbed look of disbelief on her face. "So you're not robbing me?" She gave them a questioning look.

"Oh! No, no we are not robbing you." Mickeyila waved her hands innocently. "We were just hiding because uh... someone was chasing us." She quickly explained without any specific details.

"Oh. Cool." Hibbary rose from the hammock. The coyote grumbled as she shuffled over to a desk and stretched a few times to wake up. In the meantime Mickeyila looked around the various works of art in the room while Isabel idly stood by in thought.

"Oh! I love your artwork. It's very pretty and colorful." Mickeyila admired a portrait of a fox prince. "The details are incredible."

"Thank you." The coyote glanced back and flashed a tired toothy smile. "Ugh. I think I am awake now." Hibbary gave a final yawn. "So are you two hanging here for a while before leaving?" She asked.

"We should be leaving..." Isabel impatiently watched as her captain started going through the papers on a desk.

"Hey. You're going through my stuff." Hibbary frowned.

"Sorry! But I couldn't help but notice that you have a few maps here too." Mickeyila observed the sheets of parchment on the desk. "The details look nice. Are they accurate?"

"Yep." The coyote chimed in. "I'm trying to make an accurate map of the new world's seas and oceans using all of the other known maps that I can find."

"I like it! We could use your talents on the high seas-." The canine remarked with intrigue only for the lioness to speak.

"We aren't even on the seas yet." Isabel interrupted.

"We're working on that too." She added. "We can multitask."

"So you two really are pirates?" Hibbary was surprised.

"Yep. Isabel is the quartermaster, and I am the captain." Mickeyila gestured. "We're the Topless Pirates!"

"Oh. The name makes sense now." She nodded.

"There's a lot we still need to figure out." Isabel added. "Like a pirate code, and acquiring a ship."

"That too."

"So how did you two become pirates?" The coyote asked.

"She ran into me after I left a tavern less than half an hour ago." Isabel looked at Mickeyila. "I thought it was a ridiculous idea since she was half naked, but I have been a petty criminal the past few weeks." The lioness explained. "The navy laid off a bunch of sailors, including me, so I didn't have a job. Whether I'm a pirate or not, I am already a criminal."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Mickeyila mentioned, but Isabel shrugged.

"Life's never fair." She mumbled.

"What about you?" Hibbary looked at Mickeyila next. "How did you become a pirate?"

"Huh. The idea happened rather quickly." The canine rubbed her chin in thought. "I was taken to a judge for being 'indecently exposed' or something stupid like that earlier this morning. The state and their cronies always find a way to pick your pockets even when both are nearly empty. I'm an artist, but I do plenty of odd jobs as well like teaching. I'm tired of having to pay taxes when I don't make that much anyway."

"Money isn't the easiest thing to come by." She agreed.

"That's when I had the idea of becoming a pirate. I always wanted to have a crew of my own, live a happy life traveling the seas, and seeking adventure. It was more or less a whim, but I didn't want to spend a second inside a jail or pay those pompous goons a penny."

"That's very interesting."

"Would you like to join us?" Mickeyila cheerfully asked.

"Cool!" She openly smiled to Isabel's surprise. "I'll join if I can keep working on my art."

"Alright!" Mickeyila beamed a happy grin of her own. "Welcome to the crew, Hibbary!"

"Um. Do I have to be topless?" The coyote glanced between the other two shirtless women.

"Yep. It's in the name, and we're an all-female pirate group." The canine explained. Isabel rolled her eyes indifferently before nodding. The coyote's gaze hardened for a moment.

"Eh. Whatever." She shrugged. "Just no peepin' or anything lewd, ok?"

"No problem." Mickeyila didn't care as their newest crew mate pulled off her shirt. The canine ducked as the garment was thrown at them. Isabel caught it with a swift hand.

"So what do we do first?" Hibbary asked with excitement leaning in her eyes.

"We need to steal a ship to get off this island." Mickeyila looked out the window and towards the docks.

"With only three people?" Isabel didn't like their odds.

"Aargh! Let's do it!" Hibbary gave a toothy grin.

"Let's come up with a plan first." The lioness gave a more levelheaded approach. "And then any escape plans if something goes awry. I'm armed if we run into anyone." Isabel retrieved a pistol from her waistline.

"How long have you had that on you?" Mickeyila looked at Isabel questioningly.

"All day. Why?"

"I don't know... Just seems like it could've been useful earlier."

"A general rule of thumb: don't use a weapon that could be immediately used against you. Case in point, if I shot anyone then they would shoot back at me."

"Ah. Fair point." Mickeyila agreed with the lioness. "So what's the plan?"

"Here's what I have in mind..."

The evening sun was drifting in the horizon, starting to cast long shadows stretching towards the east. Three female figures stealthily darted across the street and between two buildings without catching anyone's attention. Mickeyila, Isabel, and Hibbary quietly crept down a narrow winding alley that opened up towards the docks. Eyes darted around making sure windows and doors were shut or vacant before passing by.

"Ah... La la la..." The sound of humming and singing made them pause and their ears stand up. Glancing up, a pair of raccoon feet and legs were hanging out of a second story window. However, they hadn't been spotted yet. Cautiously navigating through the tight urban environment, they arrived at an open area beside the beach with direct access to the docks. The seaside area quiet for the evening, and there were few people out. Sailors and crews were either lodged on the island, or lingering aboard. What better time to commandeer a ship when you outmanned or outgunned?

They watched the ships and slow activity to size up their prospects.

"That ship right there..." Isabel murmured and pointed towards the far end of the dock where a brigantine was anchored.

"The one where the four guys disembarked?" Hibbary asked.

"Yeah." She nodded. "That's a good sized ship, and pretty fast compared to most others."

"I like it!" Mickeyila nodded.

"Okay... When they come up this way-" Isabel whispered, but Mickeyila jumped to her paws.

"Chaarrrrrge!" The canine bellowed and sprinted down the dock.

"Wait, Mickeyila!" Isabel and Hibbary watched in shock as their captain quickly headed towards the small group of men leaving everything they had planned for in disarray.

"Do I go back to being an artist now?" Hibbary asked the lioness.

"Come on! We're going after her!" Isabel pulled Hibbary and ran with her after their captain. The group of four paused in their tracks as the mutt rushed them.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"Slow down!" There wasn't enough room to move as Mickeyila barreled through them all. Three of the four fell into the sea.

"What's wrong with you wench?!" A leopard shouted at the canine only to feel someone hit his back. Isabel shoved the last lingering person into the water where he fell with a loud splash.

"Aaahhh!"

"Who was that?!"

"Help me up!" The crew sputtered and splashed around noisily creating a commotion of confusion.

"That worked perfectly!" Hibbary ran past the flailing crew.

"Pull the ramp up and let's set sail!" Mickeyila excitedly said as they all boarded the vessel. Curses and harsh words were hurled at the three ladies, but there was no one who could stop them. The sails were lowered, the anchor was raised, and the ship slowly began to set out to sea.

"I'll steer it. Make sure there's no one else on board." Isabel ordered.

"Aye aye quartermaster." Mickeyila ran with Hibbary to the open doorway, but paused to peer inside. Shadows casted long into the dimly lit darkness. "Huh. It's kind of dark down there." Mickeyila noted.

"Yep." They glanced at each other before slowly descending below the deck. The steps creaked underneath their paws. They felt around until their eyes could finish adjusting to the darkness.

"Aaahhh! Aaarrghuh!" Hibbary yelled causing Mickeyila to jump.

"What? Was is it?" Mickeyila spun around and grabbed something. Blinking, she found rope in her hand.

"Pshew." Hibbary wiped her forehead. "That rope almost had me." The coyote played down what had happened. Mickeyila sighed with some relief as they resumed searching the belly of the ship. An empty barrel or two was a common sight as were coils of rope, and hammocks for sleeping.

"A pair of cutlasses!" The canine's eyes widened as she spotted the hand weapons hanging on the wall. "These will be handy, especially if we run into more wild rope." Mickeyila giggled.

"Wild rope is dangerous rope." Hibbary concluded and accepted one of the blades.

"Alright, I don't think anyone else is here if they heard you scream." She turned back to the stairs. Returning above deck, the fading sunlight stung their eyes from the darkness below. Peering around, Mickeyila spotted Isabel manning the helm with ease.

"There's no stowaways! Where are we sailing to?"

"San Marello. It's the closest island, and it's less than a day of sailing away." She answered. Walking to the edge of the ship, the island she had called home for some time was becoming smaller in the distance behind them. For a moment she breathed, and grasped what they had just accomplished. The momentous feeling finally came forth.

"We did it!" Mickeyila barked and cheered wildly. "We commandeered a ship!" She bounced happily on the deck. "We did it without firing a single shot too!" The giddy excitement in her voice resounded with the entire crew of three pirates.

"I'm a little surprised that charging down a dock worked." Isabel approached them wearing a noticeable grin of her own.

"We're real pirates now." She calmed down and proudly placed her hands on her hips. A warm breeze whipped by, ruffling through her face and upper body. Glancing down, she had barely noticed that she was still bare from the waist up.

"I have to admit, it does feel kind of freeing." Mickeyila grinned and puffed out her chest proudly. "Nothing but the breeze on your upper body... And that stupid judge and his cronies can't fine me or force me to cover up while I sunbathe anymore!" She shook her fist towards the coast. Hibbary and Isabel looked at each other and shrugged.

"Sorry. Just had to get that off my chest." Mickeyila turned around and sharply exhaled. "Oh yeah, I already kind of did that today." Her pleasant smile returned once again at the little joke.

"Who's steering the ship?" Hibbary asked.

"No one. We're on a clear course for the moment and there's no one else at sea." Isabel explained. "Now, we need to set out a couple of rules for the ship, and the crew itself since we made it this far."

"Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that." Mickeyila admitted. "The captain's room had some paper if we need to write something down."

"I'll get it!" Hibbary offered and quickly jumped up. The lioness and mutt watched the coyote quickly run off, and return with some paper and a pencil in hand.

"Thank you." Isabel

"I'll keep a few for myself to draw figure studies." She grinned and held onto several sheets. "It's the thing artists should do constantly."

"Alright. For the first rule... The topless thing..." Isabel mentioned first. "So if we call ourselves the Topless Pirates, then everyone in our crew must be topless? I never show my lazy breasts to anyone."

"Right." Mickeyila nodded. "And no men allowed. They can't be part of our crew. We don't need someone getting pregnant, a crew member attacking someone else out of jealousy, or any inappropriate stuff going on..."

"Okay. What about you?" Isabel looked at the coyote next.

"Eh." Hibbary shrugged indifferently. "I'm okay with that."

"Okay... All crew members are to be topless, and no men can become part of our crew." She wrote it down. "The second rule I want to add is standard among other pirate vessels. No prey, no pay." The lioness added. "In other words, of you don't work for it, then you're not getting a cut of what's captured."

"Agreed." Hibbary nodded.

"Makes sense." Mickeyila liked it.

"Alright." Isabel wrote it down as rule number two. "No lights below deck within an hour after dark. We don't need a fire starting because someone's tired and forgetful."

"No smoking please." Mickeyila added. "For the same reasons."

"Mmhm." Hibbary nodded.

"Okay. That's rule three and four." She wrote it down.

"What if the crew becomes large and there's a fight?" Hibbary asked. The three women looked at each other for a moment.

"You can't fight on a ship. Something might get damaged, or another crew mate could get hurt.

"How about..." Isabel thought. "All fighting to resolve disagreements or quarrels are handled on land."

"Perfect!" Mickeyila liked it.

"Sounds good." Hibbary nodded.

"That's rule five." Isabel wrote it down. "All major decisions can be put up for a vote; otherwise, imminent decisions like battle are left up to the captain... Do we agree on all of that?" The lioness glanced at them both.

"Yes!" Mickeyila barked.

"Aye!" Hibbary nodded.

"And the captain can be removed by a vote of all crew mates." Isabel added.

"Awe. I can?" Mickeyila frowned.

"Only if the crew has a reason to remove you. For instance, bad decision making that results in a loss of life or the entire ship."

"Then I'll be the best captain." She winked.

"That's rule six... Did anyone have any other additions to make?" She asked. The mutt and coyote thought for a moment before shrugging.

"How about..." Mickeyila thought aloud. "We always help a lady in distress. That will be a good way to recruit more people, and we don't need to make enemies everywhere we go." She suggested.

"That's sounds good to me." Hibbary nodded.

"Ok. That'll be rule seven." The lioness wrote it down. "Anything else?"

"If we have any other rules we want to add, then we'll come to together and figure them out." Mickeyila reasoned. "Is that fair?"

"Sounds fair to me." Isabel handed over the paper to the captain.

"Thank you..." Mickeyila read it over only to feel her stomach growl hungrily. "Uh. Did anyone bring anything to eat?" The three looked blankly amongst themselves.

"If we keep sailing, we will get there tomorrow morning." Isabel told her and walked back to the ship's wheel.

"Aww. I should've brought something..." Mickeyila grumbled aloud like her stomach. "Are we there yet?"

"No!" Isabel yelled back.

"Hard ass." Hibbary muttered.

The loud screeching of a seagull stirred Mickeyila from a deep slumber.

"Uhh... Shut up!" She lazily smacked the ground and startled the bird enough so that it would fly away. Opening an eye slowly, Mickeyila found a sideways view of a deck gently rocking from the sea. Her speckled nose flared for a moment. The smell of salt in the air was nothing new to the canine, but the rocking underneath her was different. The canine slowly rolled onto her back feeling several muscles ache before sitting up. Mickeyila gave a pronounced yawn and stretched her arms into the air.

"Hmmmggh!" She grumbled before clearing her throat. Her body felt stiff and sore, but it could've been worse considering where she had slept most of the night. Her eyes felt heavy to lift at first. She rubbed her arms to help wake up and warm herself. The subtle sounds of the sea all around the ship reached her ears with subtle splashes. Mickeyila gave a prolonged yawn and stretched her arms into the air before looking around the ship's deck.

"Oh yeah. We commandeered a ship..." She hummed as yesterday's eventful episode came to mind. Mickeyila found Hibbary still manning the vessel. Having only three people to control a seaworthy ship wasn't easy. Since they hadn't dropped anchor, everyone had taken turns during the night to ensure the ship was still on its proper course. Mickeyila stood up and felt soreness in her legs as she walked several steps.

"Hey, do you need to sleep Hibbary?" Mickeyila approached the tired coyote.

"Sleep? What is that?" The coyote slowly blinked as she let go of the wheel.

"Don't tell me you were awake the entire night..." Mickeyila watched as Hibbary sat down and slowly laid back onto the ship before closing her eyes. "Are you okay?" She knelt down beside her.

"Unngh..." Hibbary made a soft grumbling noise.

"We've made it." Mickeyila's ears perked up hearing a voice. Looking up, she spotted Isabel standing over her, staring out towards the horizon.

"Hey! Good morning. Made what?" She said and asked all at once.

"San Marello." Isabel moved and pointed ahead. Mickeyila blinked as she could see a distinct shape of land dotted with a cluster of buildings and a dock with a few ships.

"We made it!" She jumped to her paws. "Land ho!" She called out.

"We're fast approaching. Help me dock the ship after I drop the anchor." Isabel scrambled across the deck.

"C'mon, we need your help." Mickeyila grabbed Hibbary's arm and dragged her across the deck. The sails were drawn up and the ship was able to dock at San Marello with ease despite having only three crew members aboard.

"That wasn't so bad. My arms only feel like they're going to fall off." Mickeyila breathed a hasty exhale.

"It would be easier to complain if I had a better night's sleep." Hibbary mumbled and rubbed her eyes.

"Let's be quick about this before there's a lot of people in the streets." Isabel warned. "We don't need anyone asking questions about the ship, or us."

"Let's go. I'm starving!" Mickeyila's tongue lolled out hungrily as her stomach noisily growled. The ramp was dropped down to the dock for them to descend. They cautiously walked along the docks and avoided fisherman and sailors alike the best that they could. They entered the town along a side street where it was still fairly quiet. Clotheslines were out, hanging from house to house up above. Only an occasional person appeared at a front door or along a neighboring street. Those who were already awake had started their work for the day, but the rest of the town was only beginning to stir. Long glances were given from passersby at the three ladies when they were seen.

"Maybe we should, I don't know... wear shirts when we come ashore so we don't catch any attention." Hibbary folded her arms and glanced around suspiciously.

"I guess we might have to..." Mickeyila wondered how big their crew would have to be in order to take charge wherever they went. "But where are we going to get food?" She asked as her stomach growled. "It doesn't fall from the sky..."

"Thief! Catch that thief!" A voice broke the quiet morning silence from behind them.

"Huh?" Mickeyila turned around and glimpsed a female raccoon running towards them further away. However, in a split second the canine was knocked flat onto her back as a figure collided into her. Something fell onto Mickeyila's bare chest as the person quickly scrambled off her.

"Hey! Watch where you're running!" Hibbary yelled at the fleeing person. A pair of hands quickly helped Mickeyila to her paws.

"What happened?" She looked around, dazed and confusion. "And why am I holding a loaf of bread?" She looked in her hands at the warm bread feeling her mouth water.

"A rat ran into you." Isabel told her.

"Oh my! Are you three ladies okay?" An aged voice interrupted them. Turning around, it was the raccoon lady who had been chasing the rat to begin with.

"Yep," Mickeyila rubbed her head, "but bread landed on me." She found herself grinning hoping to take a bite.

"Oh thank you so much!" The raccoon retrieved her loaf of bread before the canine could eat it. "That rat is known all over this island for stealing food from people. She's impossible to catch though." She looked at all three topless women only to pause. "I'm sorry for not asking, but who are you three?"

"I'm Mickeyila, this is Isabel, and this is Hibbary." The canine pointed to the lioness and coyote.

"Yo." The coyote held up a hand as the lioness stood stoically silent.

"My name is Margaret." The mature raccoon smiled broadly and gave a little curtsy as she introduced herself. "Or you can call me Maggie, if you prefer."

"It's nice to meet you Maggie-" The canine's stomach suddenly growled noisily, startling the older raccoon.

"We're famished... Do you have anything to eat?" Mickeyila asked.

"Oh, I can whip up something good in a minute." She winked. "How about pancakes?" The raccoon offered. "It's the least I can do for your help."

"Pancakes?" The captain's eyes widened as her tongue licked over her nose.

"I think she found a doorway directly to our captain's heart." Hibbary whispered to Isabel.

"Unless you'd prefer something else?" Maggie offered.

"No! We'll have pancakes... Please."

"Alright then. I'll make enough for all three of you." She smiled at entire crew.

"Thank you!" Mickeyila cried out, and happily followed the raccoon.

"Thanks!" Hibbary grinned. Isabel followed along without complaint. They arrived at a little cottage home overlooking the harbor.

"I hope we're not bothering anyone else who might be home." Mickeyila said.

"You aren't bothering anyone. There's no one home but me." She gladly invited them inside. They passed through a main room decorated with plenty of seaworthy fishing gear and equipment. A trawling net was hung along one wall like a curtain. Two oars were crossed above the net. The older raccoon led them into a dining room and kitchen. The small space was cozy and warm.

"You three can sit here." Maggie gestured to a square table. Mickeyila eagerly sat down and scooted forward in the chair. Her breasts rested on the tabletop as if they were hungry too. Hibbary and Isabel joined her.

"I'll have something made up in just a minute." The raccoon quickly rekindled the fire in the hearth, and prepped the batter.

"Do you fish a lot?" Isabel remarked about the decorations.

"Oh, no. My husband used to."

"Used to?"

"My husband passed away during a fishing accident several years ago." She sadly informed them.

"Oh my. I'm so sorry to hear that Maggie." Mickeyila quickly spoke up.

"Thank you, but it was a few years ago. I'm not as fragile as I once was when I think about it." The older raccoon offered a tepid half grin. After a minute or two, the sounds of sizzling delighted the new crew's ears; and the delectable aromas reached their noses.

"It smells great." The canine captain could hardly wait. She felt her tail wagging as she watched their gracious host cook for them. Waiting with a hungry belly felt like an eternity, but their patience was rewarded.

"Order up!" Maggie happily sang with full plates in hand. Mickeyila's eyes widened hungrily at the pancake with melted butter and syrup drizzled overtop.

"Heaven would be a little kitchen." She clasped her hands together before eating. The taste was perfect. "Mm! I love having good food." Mickeyila hummed contently.

"Mmhm!" Hibbary agreed with a bite.

"Excellent." Maggie smiled proudly. "I'll make more." She walked back to the hearth.

"Thank you!" Everyone resoundingly spoke.

"I meant to ask," Maggie said as the skillet sizzled once again, "but how did you three ladies lose your shirts? I've never seen women walk around so boldly with their chests exposed." The mature raccoon appeared more curious about it than bashful. Mickeyila downed a bite, hoping to proudly answer.

"We're pirates, ma'am." Isabel answered before she could speak.

"Oh my! Pirates?" She appeared confused.

"The Topless Pirates!" Mickeyila managed to say with a mouthful.

"Topless Pirates? Oh!" The raccoon slowly nodded as she understood. "At first I thought you three were poor and homeless." She giggled.

"Well... No one said we weren't poor and homeless." Hibbary mumbled.

"But don't the men heckle you?" Maggie guessed. "I've heard that pirates can be such brutes."

"We're an all-female pirate group." Hibbary told her.

"I've never heard of such a thing." Maggie was surprised.

"We haven't either." Isabel affirmed.

"We are the first female pirate group!" Mickeyila proudly declared. "We prowl the seas in search of treasure, help women in need, and

"Oh! Have you found any treasure?" Maggie delivered a second round of breakfast.

"We haven't found anything yet." Hibbary spoke up without excitement after another bite. "We just set sail from another island, but we were starving..."

"It's a good thing you three stopped by San Marello to run into me." She grinned.

"Mmhm!" Mickeyila hummed as she ate.

"Since you don't fish, what do you do for a living, Maggie?" Isabel curiously asked.

"I work mostly with housekeeping now. Cleaning and cooking are what I know best. Before the British soldiers were stationed here, I used to help run an inn just above the docks on the other side of the town."

"Running an inn sounds fun!" Mickeyila liked the thought.

"It was hectic for me at first, but the co-owners were exceptionally nice to me. Having a busy job helped me move on from my husband's passing. I couldn't handle the job anymore when the soldiers began lodging there. Those ruffians here in town tend to act as if they own the entire port." She frowned.

"What ruffians?"

"The British soldiers stationed here. They're rude and crass. They'll take advantage of you by saying stupid things like 'you owe us taxes' or anything else to get money out of you whenever they're feeling bored. Since my husband passed, I have to make a living somehow, but it has become increasingly difficult with the English crown in control. I had to sell most of my husband's old equipment, including his boat." She sighed and paused for a moment to shake her head with disdain.

"That's horrible." Hibbary spoke up.

"They're the real pirates." Isabel murmured.

"I have heard plenty of people here complain about them to no avail." The raccoon sighed only to resume a positive upright posture. "But life isn't fair. You have to withstand every high tide... Did anyone want more?" The raccoon offered to make another batch.

"Erm. Full." Mickeyila managed to say before slouching in her chair, causing her breasts to slip off the table. "We'll take it to go." She said to everyone's amusement.

"I'm glad that everything was good to taste." The older raccoon felt happy.

"Thank you for the food." Isabel hummed contently.

"You are an excellent cook, Maggie. I haven't had pancakes this delicious in years..." Mickeyila licked her chops.

"Probably weeks considering her appetite for them." Hibbary murmured as she barely started on her second one.

"Aww. Well, thank you so much Mickeyila. Your compliments warm my heart." She placed a hand over her chest.

"Mmhm." The captain hummed and nodded, but paused as an idea came to mind. "Would you like to join our crew, Maggie?" The canine offered. "I'd love to eat more of your cooking!" Her tail wagged at the prospect.

"Me?" The raccoon was stunned by the offer.

"Is everyone in favor of Maggie joining our crew?" Mickeyila asked her other two crew mates.

"Aye." Isabel plainly affirmed.

"Hell yeah." Hibbary grinned and gave a thumbs up.

"Are you sure? I'm not exactly the pirating type." She looked herself over.

"We'd love to have you as our cook." Mickeyila's eyes gleamed as she clasped her hands together appreciatively. "You would sail the seas with us, but there are a few rules: No prey, no pay; everyone has a vote in all affairs; all lights out within an hour of darkness; no fighting on board; and always offer to help a lady in distress."

"It will involve treasure maps, attacking the Royal Navy, trading, and adventuring." Isabel added.

"No taxes, or ruffians on board." Hibbary mentioned.

"Hmm..." Maggie thought it over, but a grin gradually grew along the raccoon's face. "Well, I don't know." She held back a bashful giggle. "Is the uh, topless part mandatory?"

"Yep!" Mickeyila nodded. Isabel and Hibbary shrugged before nodding in agreement since they were topless as well.

"Alrighty then..." Maggie pulled the top half of her dress over her head revealing that she indeed had a pudgy belly. It was no surprise considering age, but also eating well. Her arms were also thick to a certain extent. The raccoon set the garment aside, but kept her arms folded across her chest for a lingering moment as final thoughts passed through her mind.

"Oh gosh, I feel so giddy." Maggie giggled with a sweet voice. "Ahem. Um, I am not so young anymore, but this is me." She uncrossed her arms and held up her hands. The raccoon had a typical nicely endowed bust size for her motherly appearance, but she had a noticeable sag from her age as well. With her chest bare, her answer was obvious to see.

"A cheer for our newest crew mate, Maggie!" Mickeyila stood up with a fork in hand.

"Hooray!" Hibbary cheered with the captain of the now four member pirate crew. The mature raccoon's cheeks blushed from a mixture of embarrassment and happiness.

"Thank you all for being so kind about this." Maggie sweetly spoke.

"Don't worry." Mickeyila smiled all the same. "You look hearty and happy, just like the pancakes you cooked!" She hummed happily.

"I appreciate your kind words." The mature raccoon smiled. "And I can cook as many as you three can eat."

"I'll cheer to that any day!" Mickeyila raised her empty fork into the air, ready for more.