Well here is the second chapter ive had this written for a few days but I wanted to wait to get another review or more, but I thought that well maybe your waiting to get into it so here is the next one...And please review I would really really love it if you would, oh and Im looking for good POTC fics so when you review tell me about them if you are writing some I will most deffinitly read them and review.
Enjoy!
Chapter Two Dice Cast
Kate woke to the clinking of a key in a lock and the door being pushed open. She groggily sat up rubbing her swore neck. The first thing she saw was the ball and chain, she knew who it was even if she didn't know him by name.
"On yer feet!" he said gruffly.
She did so a little tipsy. "All right already!" she said her voice slightly agitated. "So when's orientation?"
He tossed her a bucket and some sort of scraper tool. "Orientation is with the deck! Its your first duty aboard this 'ere ship!"
"Great now Im back to being a deck hand," she grumbled.
"Watch yer mouth missy," he said shoving her along.
"My name is not missy so I would appreciate it if you did not refer to me as so," she said her voice cool.
"Unless yer willin' to part with that information then missy is what I be callin ya!" he said as his ball made contact with her lower back.
Kate bit back a retort as they walked through the hold, she spotted her personal trunk tucked away in a corner. Good it had made it aboard. She would see about getting it back later that day. As they walked up onto the deck she raised her hand as she squinted at the bright sun. She paused for only a second to let her eyes adjust but it must have been too long because he shoved her out onto the deck, she barely missed lacerating her hand on a barnacle.
"Hey what ya do that for?" she snapped as she stood up.
"Yer too slow," he said walking off with a shrug not bothering to see if she was following him or not.
She followed after him her eyes sparking as they bore into his back. "Where am I going to be scrapin?" she asked.
"Just follow and ye'll see," he replied his tone not as gruff as before.
She followed him up to the helm before he stopped and pointed at the railing.
"That's were ye be scrapin' today," he said before walking to the wheel taking his place.
She set to work on the top section of the railing making quick work of the barnacle. The light ones came off easier than the green ones, she figured cause the green ones had been attached longer and needed more preempting. The helm apparently was the quietest place on the ship and she was grateful to not have to worry with her new crew mates. In 2 hours time she had the top of the railing barnacle free, now she just needed to do the rails and the bottom of the top beam.
This was harder to accomplish and at one point her hand slipped and she cut the palm of her hand on a jagged barnacle. She cursed lightly as the crimson blood rushed out. She looked around for a rag before resulting to a strip of her shirt. She didn't have to worry about ripping it cause the same barnacle covered hand was extended in her direction with a rag. She took it and began wrapping her wound.
"Best be careful, those barnacle can bite," he said his back to her.
"I'll keep that in consideration...thank you," she said raising her green eyes to his back.
"For what?"
"Depends really. I could be grateful for the rag or the fact Im stuck on this here ship alive," she explained setting to work on a stubborn barnacle.
"Aye that ye could," he said his voice sounded like there was a slight smile on his face.
They were silent for sometime, as she struggled with the barnacle, both her hands were bloody and raw by the time he spoke again.
"So what be yer name?"
She set her scraper down before replying as she scooped her pile of barnacle into her bucket. "Kate...Kate Gibson, few know me by my full name but that is neither here nor there," she paused. "So what about you, what's yer name?" she asked.
This time he turned to her evaluating his options. He really didn't want to share his name but he had asked of hers and she had replied with out protest, it was only fair to show the same curtsy even if he was a pirate.
"Clanker, me name's Clanker," he said turning back to the wheel.
After that they spoke to each other no more, they both seem content just knowing the others name. At mid-day his shift ended and one with a wheel fused to his back took his place. She continued until dusk on those pesky barnacle that had secured themselves in the crevices, she hated them already and this was only her first session. When she finished she stood up and arched her sore back, she was in need of something to fortify her enough to dim her aches.
She dumped the last of the barnacle over the edge of the ship and with a tip of her hat she left, making her way down to the lower decks. She dropped her bucket with the rest of them and snatched up a wet rag and began wiping away the salt and grime from her face and neck. She scanned the deck looking for something to drink, bottle, flask, anything, she was parched and she would fight to the death for a drink, preferably rum.
It seemed luck was on her side at the moment and she found a half full bottle with rum inside it beside a dozing crew mate. She tipped her head back and took a swig though she never got to swallow it cause she got the begeezers scared from her and the rum came shooting out of her mouth as she yelped. She looked down to see a hand around her ankle and two greyish-blue eyes staring at her with a saddened fury.
"That's mine," he said his voice hoarse and scratchy.
Luck went out the window right then and there.
"Excuse me sir but it was sitting here on the floor with out company, I happened to find it so its mine!" she said yanking her ankle free her eyes sparking and her face set with a harsh expression.
The man shot up so that he was towering a good head above her, but she still clasped the bottle with determination. She was not letting this unknown person take her drink away, she took a few steps back so there was distance between them.
"IT MINE NOW GIVE IT BACK!!!" he yelled with a slight drunken slur.
"Only if ye can catch me!" she said running off in the direction she had come.
He bellowed a string of curses as he began to pursue her, she silently did the same but kept running and dodging around other new crewmates. She eventually came upon a group of her mates playing some game of dice and an idea struck her. She spun around to face him and he collided with her, giving her a mark on her lip. He stared to grab for the bottle but 'Sharky' as she had dubbed him pried them apart. Sharky restrained her while Clanker and a pufferfish looking guy restrained her pursuer.
"What be the cause of this?" Sharky yelled letting her go since she wasn't resisting and walking between the two.
"She stole my rum!" the pursuer bellowed struggling to break free and make a grab at the bottle.
"It was sitting on the floor unattended all by its onsie lookin purrty lonesome, so I did the favor of giving it some company...So its my rum!" she said pointing to herself, her hat was crooked she was amazed it hadn't flown off.
A rouse broke out as her former pursuer broke free and was rerestrained and the others hollered for silence.
"If neither of ye can decide it amongst yerselves then ye'll challenge each other to a game of Liars Dice...Agreed?" Maccus she just found out said.
She no doubt was going to back down from this challenge now that her pride was in it as well, and she was good at this game.
"Aye agreed!" she yelled handing the bottle to Maccus. "Were be the die?"
"Slow down missy we have yet to settle the terms," her now challenger said now that he was free.
"Me name is KATE!!! Don't call me missy, Im sick an' tired of being called Miss or missy!!! Get that through yer thick skulls the lot of ye or so help me!" she yelled her face turning red with fury.
"Fine if I Bootstrap loose this game I will not call ye missy and ye can have my rum," Bootstrap said kneeling after being handed his die and cup.
"If I Kate loose then ye can have the rum but ye still have to call me Kate no matter what! Agreed?" she asked her voice calmer as she knelt her die and cup in hand.
"Agreed," he said his eyes locking with hers.
The gathered group grew silent as the two contestants placed their die in the cups and tossed them, then slamming them on the deck. They both looked at their dice secretly. Kate grinned she had a good set, two three's, and four six's.
"Two three's," she bet first.
"Four three's."
"Six three's." she lied, she hopped her eyes didn't betray her.
"Liar." the single word sliced silently through the air.
She cursed inwardly as they both removed their cups. The air filled with jeering laughter as the bottle was handed off to Bootstrap. Bootstrap silently took the bottle and walked off not bothering to rub it in her face. Gathering up her injured pride she walked off in search of her trunk so she could at least brush her blood in crusted hair, leaving the jeering crew to themselves. She was unaware of the silent follower as she made her way into the hold.
She looked around her hands on her hips, her right shoulder of her coat had slide of her shoulder and her hat was still crooked, a very comical sight to the hidden observer. She found her trunk stuck in the corner, she grinned and went to it. Unknown to her it was now someone elses property.
She didn't have a chance to open the lid before she was yanked from behind to once again come face to face with the same grey eye of Clanker. She moaned and closed her eyes and then opened them again.
"What now? Ye have more barnacle fer me?" she asked her eyes semi-slits and her voice laced with agitated desperation. All the poor girl wanted was her brush.
"No...no barnacle, just that, that there trunk and the contents are now my property," he explained cooly after letting her go.
She pressed her hands to her face and sighed, she then pulled her hands down her face and widening her eyes. This was not her night, first rum and now her trunk of her personal things.
"What do I have to do to relieve you of that trunk?" she asked desperately.
Clanker grinned evilly as he crossed his arms hearing her desperation. She moaned seeing his expression. Just then they both turned their heads upon hearing the steady gait of the Captain. Her anger boiled hearing it as it neared their location. Her face hardened into a scowl as he entered the hold.
"What have we here?" he said his voice light.
"She be wantin her trunk Captain," Clanker replied standing straighter she noted, odd she wondered why as she shot him a look before turning back to the Captain.
The Captain grinned with a evilish glint in his eyes. "Challenge her," he simply stated.
"She aint got nothin to wager sir," Clanker replied.
The Captain locked his gaze on her. "Are ye untouched?"
Her eyes widened with shock at his blunt question, she knew what he ment. "W-Why does it matter?" she stuttered out.
"Ye can wager yerself fer the trunk, whether ye be untouched or not so it really don't matter Miss," he explained as if it were something as minor as a bottle of rum, how ironic.
She pointed to herself her eyes huge and her movements indignant as she looked at the Captain to Clanker seeing if he would offer any help, he didn't he just shrugged and looked her up and down, noticing that her shirt shoulder had slid off revealing some skin. She followed his gaze and glared pulling her shirt up and wrapping her coat tightly around her.
"Uh uh no Im not gonna do it, it aint worth enough to risk losing," she said her voice not as sure footed as she had hoped.
"What a former Commodore afraid of a little challenge?" Jones scoffed. "I can hear it know fearless Flamin Kate is not as fearless as she seems because she wont play a game of Liar's Dice with her own crew mate!" he laughed spreading his arms out, Clanker followed suit just without the outstretched arms.
Blow me over that rotten man! She thought to herself as she glared at them as her pride began to get in the way. She stood there contemplating as she got sick and tired of the both of them, she would show them that she wasn't afraid, she would show them she could risk her honor and still win, by golly gee she would do it!
She stomped past them and out into the open air, they both took this as her consent, the Captain followed suit leaving Clanker to nab the trunk in a hurry and follow after them.
"GENTS GATHER 'ROUND!!" Jones called. "We have a challenge, grab some seats and a board!"
After the makeshift table was in place, the two contestants facing each other, and the crew crammed together for a view did Jones speak again.
"The stakes?" he asked them already knowing.
Kate secured the gold buttons on her coat before speaking, well at least she tried to speak, she gulped her nervousness visible. She couldn't speak her voice wouldn't work, after a while the crew seemed to get it and broke out in evil laughter and began saying lewd remarks.
"Fine alright, if I loose he gets me!" she yelled her voice wounded fury. "Now are ye happy?"
"And if you win you get your trunk back," Clanker said, his face was covered in shadow giving it a strange effect that sent chills up her spine.
"Do ye agree to these terms?" Jones asked.
Both faces became resolved with a cold, set expression as they placed their hands on their hips as they took their seats while answering.
"Agreed."
One set of dice along with a cup were placed in front of each of them. They placed their die into the cups their eyes never leaving the other as they shook the cups and slammed them upside down on the table top. Only did they look away from each other long enough to glance at their die.
Kate had four two's and two five's. She awaited Clankers bet.
"Three two's," he said his voice calm and cool.
"Seven two's," she replied her voice smooth and collected.
"Nine two's," he bluffed.
Kate studied his face looking for any sign of a lie. She almost didn't see past his calm facade but she saw it, his expression in his grey eye betrayed him.
"Liar," she said a smile creeping to her face.
She grinned even bigger when his shoulders slumped and he removed his cup as she did hers. He had only three two's and three four's. The crew moaned at his loss but he stood up and extended his hand to congratulate her. She shook it happily, then she picked up her trunk and went in search of a quite corner where she could work out the bloody knots...literally. And this time she was not followed by anyone.
Yes there was a tiny reference to you know what but I couldnt think of anything else and if it offended anyone my sincerest apologies. Im hoping in future chapters there wont be any of that but if there is then it will on be very very brief. So do I have the characters in character? And what is your view on Kate? Please tell me along with some other fics aswell.
Toodles
