Disclaimer: I own nothing except the Merciless and crew. Don't sue me.
Chapter 2
Silence reigned on deck; even Gibbs came out of his reverie to watch this. Jack turned like a whirlwind with beads and strode over to him; the look in his eyes was that of a cornered tiger, or a desperate man..or both.
Gibbs took a step back. Jack waved his hands at him wildly in an effort to get his point across, one which failed miserably. He clocked the confusion on Gibbs's face and leaned closer. "Someone, has stolen me eyeliner mate." He nodded for emphasis.
The first mate's mouth feel open, it was like a chieftain without woad, Jack with no eye black. Well, at least he still had his hat, and judging by the look on the faces of the crew of the Merciless, his ship was in no danger, two out of three there then.
Jack jingled angrily over to Anamaria and whispered something to her, for a moment she looked like she wanted to laugh but thought the better of it; Jack's face could have halted a storm. Seldom had Gibbs ever see the man so worked up, the last time had been over missing rum and a wench, more accurately, the wench had run off with his rum, he had mourned the rum for well over three hours.
He cast a glinting eye over the crew. No, they wouldn't, no one on board the Black Pearl was that stupid or suicidal. Still, by the sounds of it, Jack had searched very thoroughly indeed. Jack was pacing around muttering to himself, when he suddenly spun round, taking notice of the Merciless for the first time since he had returned to the deck.
"Who the hell are you?" he shouted at them, waving his hands around as if too shoo them away.
"Um." It was a familiar um, Gibbs looked up and yes, it was the short bearded pirate who spoke. "We, um.." he trailed off; eyes like hot coals were boring into him. "They just came to have a look at the Pearl captain." Gibbs said, earning himself a grateful smile form the short pirate, Gibbs stared at the man's beard, he could have sworn it just moved of it's own accord.
Jack nodded; he seemed to have passed into a period of relative calm. "Well." He stood in a heroic posture, feet apart, hands on hips, "What d'you think?" he flung his arms out, indicating the Pearl and crew.
There were appreciative sounds from the Merciless, when Jack's arm swept over Anamaria, the sounds rose to a respectful buzz, there was even some brief applause from the quarterdeck.
"What say we invite these lads over for a drink, aye?"
"AYE!" came the resounding shout from the Pearl.
The crew of the Merciless looked amazed. They were going to set foot on the Black Pearl, actually on the deck, with Captain Jack Sparrow no less! The most talked about pirate on the Spanish Main, a man who commanded respect, even if he did have wonky eyeliner.
"Who's the Cap'n?" said Sparrow. Various embarrassed nods indicated the dead body that an industrious crew member was about to drop over the side.
"Who's the Cap'n now?" The crew went into a huddle and eventually the short pirate with the mobile beard whom Gibbs had mentally named Um was pushed forward.
"Me, um." He nodded; the body went over the side with a resounding splash and a few quiet cheers from the crew. Gibbs turned to his captain and said in a low voice "Wasn't a popular fella was he?"
"Apparently not."
With the minimum of fuss the Merciless drew alongside the Black Pearl and the crew boarded, stepping lightly as if on hallowed ground. Um shyly introduced himself as Thomas Bollet, born and raised in Tortuga, which meant that Jack warmed to him immediately and seemed to have forgotten his previous outburst.
Gibbs watched him, he was up to something. He looked gratefully at the rum that was being broken out; it would all look better after a drink.
To be continued.
Chapter 2
Silence reigned on deck; even Gibbs came out of his reverie to watch this. Jack turned like a whirlwind with beads and strode over to him; the look in his eyes was that of a cornered tiger, or a desperate man..or both.
Gibbs took a step back. Jack waved his hands at him wildly in an effort to get his point across, one which failed miserably. He clocked the confusion on Gibbs's face and leaned closer. "Someone, has stolen me eyeliner mate." He nodded for emphasis.
The first mate's mouth feel open, it was like a chieftain without woad, Jack with no eye black. Well, at least he still had his hat, and judging by the look on the faces of the crew of the Merciless, his ship was in no danger, two out of three there then.
Jack jingled angrily over to Anamaria and whispered something to her, for a moment she looked like she wanted to laugh but thought the better of it; Jack's face could have halted a storm. Seldom had Gibbs ever see the man so worked up, the last time had been over missing rum and a wench, more accurately, the wench had run off with his rum, he had mourned the rum for well over three hours.
He cast a glinting eye over the crew. No, they wouldn't, no one on board the Black Pearl was that stupid or suicidal. Still, by the sounds of it, Jack had searched very thoroughly indeed. Jack was pacing around muttering to himself, when he suddenly spun round, taking notice of the Merciless for the first time since he had returned to the deck.
"Who the hell are you?" he shouted at them, waving his hands around as if too shoo them away.
"Um." It was a familiar um, Gibbs looked up and yes, it was the short bearded pirate who spoke. "We, um.." he trailed off; eyes like hot coals were boring into him. "They just came to have a look at the Pearl captain." Gibbs said, earning himself a grateful smile form the short pirate, Gibbs stared at the man's beard, he could have sworn it just moved of it's own accord.
Jack nodded; he seemed to have passed into a period of relative calm. "Well." He stood in a heroic posture, feet apart, hands on hips, "What d'you think?" he flung his arms out, indicating the Pearl and crew.
There were appreciative sounds from the Merciless, when Jack's arm swept over Anamaria, the sounds rose to a respectful buzz, there was even some brief applause from the quarterdeck.
"What say we invite these lads over for a drink, aye?"
"AYE!" came the resounding shout from the Pearl.
The crew of the Merciless looked amazed. They were going to set foot on the Black Pearl, actually on the deck, with Captain Jack Sparrow no less! The most talked about pirate on the Spanish Main, a man who commanded respect, even if he did have wonky eyeliner.
"Who's the Cap'n?" said Sparrow. Various embarrassed nods indicated the dead body that an industrious crew member was about to drop over the side.
"Who's the Cap'n now?" The crew went into a huddle and eventually the short pirate with the mobile beard whom Gibbs had mentally named Um was pushed forward.
"Me, um." He nodded; the body went over the side with a resounding splash and a few quiet cheers from the crew. Gibbs turned to his captain and said in a low voice "Wasn't a popular fella was he?"
"Apparently not."
With the minimum of fuss the Merciless drew alongside the Black Pearl and the crew boarded, stepping lightly as if on hallowed ground. Um shyly introduced himself as Thomas Bollet, born and raised in Tortuga, which meant that Jack warmed to him immediately and seemed to have forgotten his previous outburst.
Gibbs watched him, he was up to something. He looked gratefully at the rum that was being broken out; it would all look better after a drink.
To be continued.