The Death of Captain Knuckles
A Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack fan fiction by Homestarluver201
It was a starry night in Stormalong Harbor as a young, fourteen-year-old Flapjack was tucked in by his female whale guardian, Bubbie.
"Bubbie? Do I still have to have a bed time?" Flapjack asked with a smile as Bubbie tucked him into the folds of her tounge.
"I'm positive, baby. You may be older, but my little adventurer still needs his rest before runnin' around town all day with that no-good Captain." The whale said, crossing her flippers. Flapjack had, infact, gotten older. His voice was a slight bit deeper, his hair had grown out and was wavier, but still in that same position as when he was a kid. He still wore a red and white striped shirt, but he wore a light-weight dark red trenchcoat like his captain's around it. He wore light blue denim jeans with blue Converse, and his adult teeth had grown in to replace those old buck teeth he used to have.
"Speaking of Captain Knuckle's, where is he? Last time I saw him, he had gone into Dr. Barber's office..." Flapjack said, trailing off as he tucked himself further into Bubbie's tounge.
"Here he comes now, baby!" Bubbie warned, opening her mouth to let the old pirate in. He grumbled something and flopped down on her tounge, extinguishing his burning need to sleep.
"Captain! You're home!" Flapjack said joyfully, sitting up slightly. Knuckles turned to face the roof of Bubbie's mouth, eyes narrowed dangerously. He now had gray-ish streaks through his deep turquoise hair, and his face had gotten paler with age. He had a scar running through his left eye, meaning he could no longer see out of it. There were dark bags underneath his eyes and their grey-ish color had faded to a pale blue-gray.
"Flapjack..." He said weakly, turning his head to face the young adventurer. "Flap...I'm dying." Flapjack abruptly stared at his captain before his face fell.
"You won't die anytime soon, Captain. I promise, me and Bubbie will take good care of you..." The boy said, crawling over to Knuckles.
"No, Flap...the reason I went to Dr. Barber's was because he had told me I was going to die soon!" The old Captain explained. Tears began to form in Flapjack's eyes as he looked at Knuckles.
"But Captain...you can't die now! You...you have so much to live for! To discover!" Flapjack sobbed, profusely wiping his eyes.
"Boy, I'm sixty-two. It's been my time to go for a while...I've just cheated death." Knuckles was getting weaker by the second, and having to explain all of this to the poor boy was not helping.
"Knuckles...I actually had no idea how old you were..." Bubbie said, looking down at the murky water she was floating upon.
"Boy...in my left coat pocket. Look." Knuckles said, closing his eyes. Flapjack's eyes widened as he reached into the designated pocket and dug out an old folded-up yellowed sheet of paper. "It's my will, boy. Don't read it...until the funeral."
Flapjack put the paper underneath his hat and began sobbing uncontrollably, and Bubbie felt even more gigantic whale tears pour sadly down her face.
Knuckles smiled weakly and said, "Flap...you'll find another captain. He probably won't be as great as I was, but at least he might help you find Candied Island." Flapjack looked sadly in the face of his Captain.
"Knuckles...I could never find another captain to replace you..." Flapjack said in a low whisper, closing his eyes which brought more tears.
"Bubbie, don't let him meet anyone like me. I want the best for this kid, you hear?" Knuckles said to the whale. Bubbie nodded, which the tenants of her mouth felt.
"Flap, soon you'll get a girlfriend...you'll get married...and maybe have kids." Knuckles said, reassuringly. "Just don't forget to tell em' 'bout me."
"I won't forget...I'll never forget you captain..." Flapjack whispered.
Knuckles just smiled. "Goodbye you two. Wish you luck, Flappy...Don't forget me..." Knuckles shut his eyes and soon, went limp. The color drained from his face and left just one wooden claw resting upon his chest.
"I won't forget you Captain..." Flapjack sobbed, resting a hand on the (now silent and pale.) chest of his deceased Captain.
"...I promise."