AN (2/17) - Well, I am going to try and put this online on Friday...we will see how that goes. I have been 17 for two whole months...how odd.
AN (2/21) - Well, it obviously did not happen. A thousand apologies, my loyal reviewers. I just got caught up in a very entertaining role-playing conversation on Neopets...
Chapter 12- Apples
Jack cursed as the rope he was trying to tighten slipped out of his grasp. He tried wiping his soaking hand on his drenched pants, but soon realized it would do no good. Everything was dripping wet. The angry cumulonimbus clouds had opened up only a short while before, but the rain came down like a mountain stream. Everything was pooling water by the first ten minutes of the storm. To make conditions worse, a violent wind continually hacked at the Pearl, creating large swells that tossed the normally stable ship around like a little toy.
Jack braced himself and grabbed the rope as a torrent of seawater splashed over the side of the Pearl, unable to be restrained any longer. The force of the swell off the port side almost capsized the boat. Jack grinned in exaltation as he battled the fierce storm. His long hair whipped him in the face. His only trinket tied into his hair ripped into his cheek and gave him a small and painful cut. Jack grinned as saltwater and rain pelted the cut and made it sting.
The large swell passed and the Pearl had a moment to relax before being bombarded again. One could almost hear the Pearl groan as the next large swell rapidly approached. Jack hurriedly tied the rope he was holding, his hands dancing as he tied a haphazard and strong knot into the coarse fibers. Lightning flashed several feet to the Pearl's aft, throwing into sharp relief the various other souls aboard the ship. They scurried about like drowning insects, struggling to secure everything that was large, heavy, or valuable. The storm had snuck up during the night, much to the chagrin of those on watch at the time.
Thunder followed the bright flash of lightning, vibrating the dark wood underneath Jack's feet. He whipped across the main deck to t e other side, noting that Daniel was struggling to tie a crucial rope down. He reached the other side right when the Pearl was hit by another large swell. Jack quickly grabbed the side of the Pearl and held on as the sea tried to toss the boat over.
Jack grinned as he saw the look of terror on Daniel's face. The redhead was soaked and had rivulets of water gushing down his face. His brown pants were plastered to his legs in the direction the wind was blowing most often. His red eyebrows rose quizzically when he noticed Jack's grin. The swell passed and Jack grabbed the rope from Daniel and tied it as quickly as he could. Daniel looked at him in appreciation, his face slightly pale and an interesting shade of green. Jack nodded, his inexplicable disgust softened by Daniel's faithful attempt to help the crew. He looked around when another flash of lightning illuminated the deck of the Pearl for a split second.
Jack rushed off again as the next swell began building, his boots straining for traction on the slippery soaked wood. This was one of the most exhilarating experiences he had ever had.
Jack walked into the galley, his hair and clothes dripping with the last vestiges of the storm. He had been out in the now calmed storm since it started early in the morning. He wrung out his jacket, enjoying the sound the water made as it hit the mostly dry wood in the galley. He glanced around, instantly noting the food laid out on the planks of a large table by the cook who was too lazy to wait for stragglers.
Jack walked towards the hard tack and apples sitting on the table. He grabbed a handful of hard tack and a large green apple. He sat down across from a very exhausted Bootstrap and next to a shivering Daniel. Jack shoveled hard tack into his mouth, exhausted by the day's exertions. Bootstrap stared at Jack, envious that Jack had enough energy to eat so ravenously. Daniel's face became tinged with green as he even contemplated eating anything.
Jack soon finished eating his hard tack and started on one of the delectable looking apples. His mouth clamped over the apple and he devoured it rather like a shark in a feeding frenzy. Daniel's hand leapt to his mouth and the redhead quickly stood. He ran to the door of the galley as if the devil himself was chasing him. Bootstrap and Jack winced when they heard the disgusting sounds of one's stomach being emptied over the side of the Pearl. They stifled their amusement as Daniel walked back into the galley, his face an ugly shade of puce.
"Daniel, boy, why don't ye go an' sleep. There's no need fer ya to stay up. Everythin' is fine." Bootstrap looked at Daniel's sickened condition, smiling in sympathy.
Daniel sat down, his face etched with pain. "I don't think I can make it to me bed." His head fell down on the table, as if to prove his point.
Jack looked over at Bootstrap, his eyebrows arched in amazement. "I wonder 'ow he e'en helped out if 'e felt this bad."
Bootstrap shrugged and wearily stood. "I'm going t' escort Daniel back to 'is quarters an' go to bed meself. I don't know 'ow ye can 'ave so much energy after tha' storm." He walked over to the shivering Daniel. Daniel stood, supporting himself on Bootstrap's shoulder.
Jack grinned at the picturesque scene it made, almost imagining it as a painting. "Well, William, I'll jus' finish this food an' come an' join ye."
Bootstrap nodded, carefully helping Daniel around the chairs and other obstacles in the galley. He opened the door with great difficulty and escorted Daniel out.
Jack laughed, now alone in the galley. He bit into the apple again, wishing that he had some rum to go with it. The ship had grog, a mixture of water and a small amount of rum, to be sure, but Jack was tired of the disgusting aftertaste it left. It took far too much to get drunk on grog. He decided to just be happy with the apple in his hand.
Jack had nearly finished his apple when the galley door opened again. He tried to hide his surprise when he recognized who it was.
The grizzled figure nodded towards Jack and grabbed an apple. His clothes were nearly dry, which was in sharp contrast to Jack's soaked apparel. It almost looked like the man had taken the time to dry his clothes or had only been out when the storm was nearly over. Jack knew differently, for the man had been out as long as he had. He had probably just decided to change to appear on top of things, for he was Calico Jack's second in command, Hector Barbossa.
Jack grinned and took another bite out of his own apple as Barbossa sat down across from him, several apples in his weathered hands.
Barbossa looked at Jack with a faint hint of derision. He didn't approve of how fast Jack had gained the captain's approval, seeing Jack as a rival on par with Bootstrap.
Jack cleared his throat. In an attempt to appear completely benign, Jack decided to speak. "Tha' was some storm, eh?" He bit a small chunk out of his apple.
"Aye. Bu' I expected a storm o' this magnitude on the Atlantic. Tis hurricane season." Barbossa looked down at his apple and wiped some dirt off with the sleeve of his clean shirt.
Jack grinned in agreement and the galley became oppressively silent, save for the chomping of Jack's normally talkative mouth. Jack always felt rather uncomfortable near Barbossa.
Barbossa bit into his apple and an exultant look flashed across his face. He hastily chewed, noting the slightly puzzled look in Jack's facial expressions. "Apples 'ave one o' the most unique flavors in the world. The captain always makes sure we 'ave a good supply o' them."
"Ah, so he gets them for ye!" Jack feigned interest in his voice. He bit off the last bit of his apple and chewed quickly, eager to escape this odd situation.
Barbossa noted Jack's change in pace and laughed. He loved being able to intimidate people, and Jack's reaction brought a sense of security to his slightly troubled mind. He took a bite out of his own apple so he wouldn't have to converse further with a potential rival.
Jack finished his apple and nodded to Barbossa. He then stood and placed his apple's remains, now turning brown from the exposure to the air, into a little bucket of other rubbish. He headed towards the galley door, anxious to leave Barbossa to his own thoughts.
Jack was about to open the galley door when it opened by itself. Jack nearly ran right into a dripping Calico Jack. "Sorry cap'n," he mumbled.
"Tha's quite alright, boy. 'Ow would ye like t' 'ave a drink wi' me?"
Jack thought for roughly a second. Even the odd vibes Barbossa emanated were not enough to deter Jack from having a free drink. He smiled, his liquid brown eyes shining with anticipation. "Twould be lovely t' splice the mainbrace wi' ye, cap'n!" Jack pivoted around and took his still warm seat across from a now surly Barbossa.
Calico Jack walked over to several cupboards. He reached his hand into his effects and pulled out a rusty key. He opened a cupboard and placed the key inside of a smaller cupboard inside. Jack felt a memory rushing to the surface as Calico Jack opened the cupboard, but forcefully suppressed it. He grinned when he saw the vast amounts of alcohol crammed into the small cupboard.
Calico Jack turned around. "Jack, would ye prefer rum or whiskey?"
Jack smiled, amused that he'd been asked before Barbossa. "I'll 'ave some rum, cap'n."
Barbossa shot Jack a look that could kill. He looked at Calico Jack in annoyance as the captain grabbed a bottle of rum for Jack.
Calico Jack turned and faced Barbossa, purposefully ignoring the look he was receiving. "Wha' will y' 'ave, Hector?"
Barbossa sneered, but his voice was only tinged with disgust. "I'll 'ave some whiskey, cap'n." He looked over at Jack, a slightly murderous glint in his eyes. Jack shrugged and seemed completely interested in Calico Jack's movements.
Calico Jack soon had three bottles, which he placed in the larger cupboard's shelf. He locked the smaller cupboard and returned the key to its hiding spot. He grabbed the three bottles of alcoholic beverages and closed the larger cupboard with his left elbow. He then walked over to the table and handed Barbossa his whiskey first.
Barbossa grinned in triumph and opened his clear glass bottle. He greedily took a large drink of the unique taste of the whiskey.
Calico Jack laughed and placed a honey colored bottle in front of Jack. He was holding a similar colored bottle. He sat down next to Barbossa. "Good choice, Jack. Rum be me favorite drink as well," Calico Jack laughed and opened his bottle.
Jack grinned and opened his bottle as well. He took a large drink of it, instantly remembering why he enjoyed rum so much. It had been several weeks since his last drink of the intoxicating elixir, and so he relished the flavor far more than usual.
Barbossa lowered his glass bottle from his mouth and ran his sleeve across his face. "Abou' how much longer until we reach England, cap'n?"
Calico Jack looked thoughtful for a moment. "Roughly a month, Hector." He drank some rum rather noisily.
Barbossa frowned. "I still don't see why we're travelin' there, cap'n. Doesn't make any sense." He too another large drink put of his clear glass bottle.
Calico Jack smiled, as if he'd had this conversation a million times. "We're goin' t' England so we can spend wha' we got from the Libellule easier. Plus, they 'ave banks tha' are much more reliable than in the Caribbean."
Barbossa nodded. "Sorry t' bother ye, cap'n. I jus' needed yer official response so that I could inform any o' the crew if they asked."
Calico Jack shrugged. "Tis quite alright, Hector. Mos' of the crew's already asked, assumin' I'd lost it, or somethin'."
Jack sat silently, slowly finishing off the delicious rum. He was in no real mood to speak any longer, and was rather enjoying the conversation in front of him.
Barbossa's face developed a false look of apology. Jack wondered if Barbossa could ever be truly apologetic. "I meant no offense, cap'n. Jus' seems a bit odd t' travel to England when the Pearl is a rather well known pirate ship. Seems a bit risky." Barbossa quickly drank some more whiskey, almost finishing off the bottle.
Calico Jack shrugged. "I 'appen t' 'ave some unfinished business t' attend to, Hector." Calico Jack glanced over at the drinking Jack. "Somethin' I need t' do," he whispered softly to himself.
Jack looked over at Calico Jack, a puzzled look on his face. When the captain did not make further intonations, Jack decided to leave the older men to their quasi-argument. He stood up and downed the last of his rum. "Sorry gents, bu' I must go an sleep. I 'ave duty in a few hours an' would appreciate some sleep." Jack wobbly walked towards the galley door and exited, not really caring to hear what the two would say in response.
Jack walked to the side of the Pearl, about to throw the empty bottle in his hands down into the water. Some invisible force kept his hand from releasing the bottle into the briny depths below. He stood with his arm up, ready to throw his empty brown bottle into the water for about a minute. He soon noticed a shape rise from the dark depths several yards away from the side of the Pearl. Jack stared at the shape, soon recognizing the distinctive spray that mammals who lived in water sprayed as they surfaced for more air. Jack's hand dropped to his side as he watched the animal surface. Jack did not know enough about sea creatures to be able to identify the animal next to the ship, but he watched in awe as it dove back into the water, hitting the surface with a fairly large tail.
Jack stared at the water a few minutes more, hoping another animal would surface. After staring at the dark water, he decided it was time to go. He held the bottle securely in his hands and walked to the crew's quarters, suddenly in a very calmed mood. The rum seemed to have been more like a sedative than it usually was. Jack was anxious to keep the ocean clean for those magnificent creatures and vowed to never toss anything overboard, if at all possible.
meggumscat- Thanks for another review. I don't mind that it isn't long. I just like reviews...makes me feel spiffy. Have a cookie!
starwarsfreakford13- I probably should've asked you if you minded being a strumpet, but I'm glad you enjoyed it! Have a cookie.
pingpong5- Oh goody! A new reviewer! And I did consider that for a while...you should enjoy the next chapter. Have a cookie!
coolpuella- Yay! Another new reviewer! And I agree, there is far too much Jack romance...makes me sick. I enjoy being unusual. Have a cookie!
Chaos- Hmm..I like calling you that. Makes it less likely to misspell it. Dress like a pirate day was fun...bandanas are against our school policy, but they let it slide. I am a Cyprus pirate and our mascot in Jack Sparrow. Thank you for reviewing, for I enjoy seeing your response. And I hope that I'll update more frequently so you don't kidnap me, although that would be rather fun.....oh, yeah, have a cookie!