I'm rather pleased. I 'ave reached 100 reviews. So, in celebration, all the reviewers tha' reviewed the las' chapter get a present from me. It will all be items tha' I actually own fer otherwise I would feel quite the cheapskate. Excited? Don't skim down yet, hold yer horses an' read the story first. Then ye get yer gifts. Enjoy.
It was just as the big search for the Fire Song or any of her mutinous crew was about to begin that Christina finally arrived back at the docks after asking innumerable citizens for directions. Out of breath and frantic, she ran up the gangplank, pushing past the crew who were heading down it. It was quite an amusing sight, with most of the members being wider than the gangplank itself and notably taller than the one person daring to come the opposite way. Finally, Christina made it to the deck and began looking for Jack. Relief coursed through her veins in plenty when she spied him, checking his effects to be sure they were in perfectly working order.
Keeping an eye out for Violet, she ran towards Jack, who looked up at the sound of the high heeled steps racing towards him. She stopped, grabbing his arm to support her weary legs and heaving for breath.
"Jack... she's going... to... set you up," Christina got out successfully, although the warning was a little out of the blue.
"Ye go fer a early mornin' run, luv?" Jack frowned, a smile of amusement twitching at his mouth at her heaving for air as he loaded shots into his gun, "Doesn't really seem like the form of exercise fer you, luv."
Christina looked up at him with a frown of her own. This was going to be harder than she had previously predicted. "Didn't you hear me? Violet. She's setting you up," she wheezed pathetically.
Jack lifted his brows, "I'm sorry?"
"She left this morning. I figured that there wasn't much of a reason for her to just go off without anyone else... so I followed her. I don't know why, I just felt like I should. She was looking worried so I knew she was up to something. Anyway, I lost her for a few moments but then found her again down this alleyway. She was talking with a man about the Pearl and you being at the docks and no one suspecting anything. That she was a damsel in distress or something. And then he was talking about doing something tonight but she said no. She said she wanted you to be at your weakest, Jack. They agreed to do something tomorrow night... I don't know exactly but... I think they're going to try to kill you," Christina finished softly.
Jack stared at her for a long time before lowering his eyes back to his gun, expressionless. He continued fidgeting with the weapon until he made eye contact with her again, still unreadable, "Well. How... elaborate."
Christina furrowed her brow in puzzlement, "Pardon?"
Now Jack grinned. She carried on frowning at him, waiting for an explanation.
"Really, elaborate. Did that take rehearsing t'get it perfect?" Jack asked, eyes dancing with laughter.
Christina realised what he meant and felt her face visibly fall, "You don't believe me?"
Jack chuckled and then sobered, giving her the most serious look he could muster under the circumstances that he couldn't help but to find entertaining, "Look, luv, I know the position that ye saw us in this mornin' may have appeared as... compromising, I was only comforting the lass. She's afraid her ship won't be 'ere."
"You think I'm accusing her of plotting to kill you because of this morning?" Christina spat bitterly.
"Nay. I jus' think that it's hardly cause fer you to come up with some big story," Jack shrugged as he unsheathed his sword and inspected it's blade.
"What's hardly cause?" Christina pressed.
Jack gave her a look, " We both know that ye can be a little jealous at times..."
Christina let out a sound of frustration, "You're just going to brush off what I'm saying because you think I'm jealous to the point of being unstable and making up 'elaborate' stories about Violet?"
"I didn't say that, Christina," Jack sighed. When she didn't stop scowling at him, he flicked the air in defeat, "If it's really that important t'ye, I'll be on me guard."
"On your guard, eh?" Violet inquired as she approached. Christina jumped at the sound of her voice.
"Aye. Ye never know who ye can't trust," Jack replied, winking at Christina in mock secretiveness. She rolled her eyes. He ignored this and resheathed his sword, "We should be off. The crew won't wait forever." And he off he was, sashaying towards the docks.
"Are you coming, Christina?" Violet asked pointedly.
Christina fixed her with an icy stare, "I don't believe I shall. I'm sure you've got yourself enough man power to find your boat."
Violet bristled at this, "I suppose you're right." She then smiled smugly, "I'm sure Jack will be a lot of help. I'm so glad he's coming with me."
"I followed you this morning!" Christina snapped. Not sure if it had been provoked by the fond mention of the pirate about whom the woman had been plotting against but half an hour ago or just sheer, unadmitted jealousy, Christina's eyes widened along with Violet's.
"What?" the female pirate asked in shock.
Unable to stand down now, Christina pressed on, "I followed you. I heard what you said. I know you're setting him up."
Violet's eyes widened further, "Setting him up?"
Christina nodded firmly, "I swear, if you try to harm him-"
"I hardly think you're one to be handing out threats, lass. And I really don't think this situation calls for it anyway," Violet informed her.
"Really?" Christina spat.
"Really," Violet confirmed confidently, "Did you see the man I was speaking with?"
"I heard him. That's enough for me-"
"He's in fireworks, Christina," Violet interrupted.
"Comin' Violet?" Jack called from the docks with the impatient looking crew.
As Christina stared at her in shock, Violet smiled pleasantly and called back, "Won't be a moment!"
"Fireworks?" Christina repeated disbelievingly.
"Aye. 'Tis Jack's birthday. I wanted to do something special," Violet replied.
Christina felt like she was being bowled over, "It's Jack's birthday?"
Violet's face lit up, "He didn't tell you?"
Christina swallowed. No. "If Jack's birthday is today, why would you want to have fireworks tomorrow?"
"Because, like I said, I wanted it to be when he least expected it. I knew he'd think I'd be up to something today so I made it tomorrow. Is that alright?" Violet sniffed.
Slowly, Christina nodded.
"An' don't go running your mouth about this either. Keep it to y'self. It's supposed to be a suprise," Violet added sharply before turning on her heel and heading towards Jack and the crew with a bounce in her step as though the exchange had not taken place, "Coming!"
XxXxX
Christina moped around the Pearl for the rest of the morning. She was terribly depressed that Jack had seemingly forgotten to mention his birthday to her but had made a point of telling Violet. It seemed that she had lost the battle that had been raging over him. She was not desirable or naturally seductive like Violet. Violet was perfect.
Damn her.
And sod him. Violet could have him if she wanted him that dearly. If he did not deem her important enough to let Christina know that it was his birthday, he was surely not worth a minute of her time... And he was a chauvinistic pig who was incapable of any sort of slight commitment anyway. He was a rude, stubborn, irritating, proud, sexist, unstable, opinionated, offending alcoholic who was not worth her time.
And he wears too much jewelry for anyone's good, her thoughts added ruefully, remembering that not all of the knots caused by the rings-stuck-in-hair caper had made themselves scarce. Yes, Captain Violet Copper could have Captain Jack Sparrow. They deserved eachother.
Christina was interrupted from her riveting pity party when Ana Maria stalked onto the deck. The darker woman nodded in greeting to her before scowling into London, as if being able to see Violet, Jack and the crew. It seemed that Christina was not the only one who would reconsider doing cartwheels over this search business.
"Comin' 'ere was a daft move. Jack ain't got his clemency anymore an' he shouldn't jus' be gallivantin' aroun' as though he blends in. An' what kind of crew woul' maroon their Cap'n an' then come ta London?"
Christina nodded in agreement although she wouldn't really have a clue what was a more likely destination of a newly mutinous crew. She was not a pirate, after all. She nodded anyway, regardless, "I wouldn't be suprised if Violet was lying about being marooned all along."
Ana Maria's eyes widened with accusing suprise, "Really?"
Christina shrugged defensively, "Well... I mean, you must admit that it all seems a little suspicious. Suggesting that we come to London and all."
"No, no. I wasn't disagreeing with ye, lass. I've been thinkin' the same thing meself. It doesn't seem t'all add up," Ana Maria told her seriously.
The two women took time to mull over their doubts and dislike towards Violet.
"You know she's getting fireworks?" Christina smirked.
Ana Maria lifted her brows in suprise, "What on earth for?"
"What do you mean, what for? For Jack's birthday, of course. But, oh no, not tonight. Tomorrow night so he won't be expecting it," Christina explained bitterly.
Ana Maria looked at her as though she had gone mad then shook her head, chuckling, "So she's tryin' ta catch up on all of Jack's days before her, eh?"
"What are you talking about?" Christina frowned.
"Lass, Jack's birthday was months ago," Ana Maria informed her, "We 'ad a huge party for him and fireworks of our own. There wasn't a pirate in the next three continents that didn' come..." She faded out as Christina jumped up from where she sat and stalked away purposefully.
XxXxX
Elizabeth jumped when she heard urgent knocking on her cabin door. Hiccuping, she put down a stolen bottle of Jack's prized rum on her dresser table and swung drunkenly towards the door, "Whadiyouwan'?"
"Liz, it's Chris and Ana. Open the door."
"Bu', whadiyouwan'?" Elizabeth demanded again, picking at the lint on her creased dress with very affected motor skills. She was dead drunk.
"It's about Violet," Christina said through the door. She arched a brow when pitifully loud sobs sounded within the cabin. She was full aware of the fact that Violet was not well liked by the women aboard the Pearl but she hadn't realised that tears were being shed over the same matter.
"M'husband... loves... 'er," Elizabeth wailed in between sobs and another gulp of the rum that had managed to find itself back in her shaking hands again.
"What? Will loves who?" Ana Maria frowned.
"He... LOVES Violet. That's why... he's helping t'find... 'er ship," Elizabeth elaborated further in her depression.
"No, he doesn't, Liz. He loves you," Christina assured her soothingly.
"He loves Violet... I know it-"
"Open the door!" Ana Maria snapped impatiently, growing weary of the woman's moaning. After a bit of fumbling and sniffling, the door unlocked and opened, revealing the swaying, tearstained Elizabeth.
"Whadiyouwan'?" she asked for the third time.
"We have to find Jack," Christina told her bluntly.
"No. He's off with Violet and Will, looking for the ship-"
"We suspect that there may not be a ship at all, Elizabeth," Ana Maria cut her off, pulling her the remaining distance out into the hall. Christina closed the door behind them, putting a comforting arm around Elizabeth's shoulders.
"What?" Elizabeth asked in confusion.
"We don't think that Violet is who she says she is," Christina sighed, "We have to find Jack."
XxXxX
After the short ten minutes or so that it took to clean Elizabeth up and convince her to come, the three women were on a mission of their own. Appearing ready to attack, they stormed purposefully around the entire harbor, checking each ship for the title 'Fire Song' and each group of people for Jack, Will or the crew. Turning up empty handed, they commenced search for Violet's crew; if there was one. This wasn't hard in the least. They had only entered and exited three bars before they found the pirate they were looking for.
"Ah, finally decided to humble yerselves an' help, aye?" was all Jack had the chance to slur before the women dragged him away from the crew and, more notably, Violet.
"Jack, it's not your birthday!" Christina hissed once they were a safe distance away.
"Aye... thankye fer remindin' me," Jack frowned, obviously having taken full advantage of visiting a number of bars in their search. Had probably been his suggestion in the first place, his motives covered with the fact that pirates were likely to be found in the places.
"An' we don't think tha' Violet is really gettin' fireworks," Ana Maria told him seriously.
"Oh. Shame, that," Jack lamented in confusion.
"And... Will loves Violet," Elizabeth added helpfully with a runny sniffle.
Jack studied her closely for a moment with narrowed eyes, taking in her involuntarily shifting stance and dazed expression before pointing an accusing finger at her, "Elizabeth, if ye've been in me good rum again, I swear I'll-"
"Violet isn't who we think she is. She's been lying," Christina drowned out the rest of the threat.
Jack smirked. Then, after regarding each of the women's solemn, sober (save for Elizabeth) expressions, he realised that they were dead serious with this nonsensical rubbish. Bloody women. Always gossiping and getting themselves excited to the point of frenzy over nothing. "What exactly are ye tellin' me 'ere?" he sighed.
"I confronted her this morning about what I had heard her saying about-" Christina started hurriedly.
"Aye, about me bein' at me weakest. Right," Jack interrupted, motioning for them to continue.
"And she came up with this story about it being your birthday and how she wanted to get fireworks to suprise you for tomorrow night," Christina finished in one breath, gesturing urgently and sending wary glances in Violet's direction, who was interrogating the bartender with Will. Jack lifted his brows at this.
"An' then I told the lass how it was yer birthday months ago an' rather odd fer Violet ta want t'celebrate it now," Ana Maria added. Jack nodded slowly, staring blankly.
"So, they realised tha' Violet was lying , maybe abou' everything, came n'told me n'then we came t'find you," Elizabeth summed up, "N'Will. Where is he?"
Jack flicked his neck in the direction of Will, who was still deep in conversation with Violet and the bartender. Elizabeth, spotting her husband, stormed off purposefully.
"So, with all of this bountiful information tha' ye have presented t'me, ye decided tha' Violet must be tryin' t'kill me. Correct?" Jack asked, a grin pulling at his mouth, "An' then came all the way 'ere to warn me?"
Christina and Ana Maria took a deep breath before nodding resolutely.
"Well, I'm touched that ye consider me safety t'be of such high importance. But I assure ye, there's nothin' t'worry yer pretty little heads about," Jack told them apologetically, reaching out a hand to ruffle their hair. Both women glared at him fiercely.
"Jack! Why won't you believe me?" Christina moaned as he started leading them firmly towards the exit.
"Look, Christina. When did ye say that Violet was planning on 'avin' the fireworks?" Jack asked generously.
"Tomorrow night. But they're not really fireworks at all-"
"Fine. We can discuss this further later an' worry about it then, savvy? Now, I'd ask you charming gentlewomen t'help our mission but I get the distinct feeling tha' there would be more hindering than helping. So, if ye don't mind," Jack smiled pleasantly as he gave them a final push outside.
Moping in defeat, Christina and Ana Maria waited a moment longer and, sure enough, Elizabeth was escorted outside shortly after themselves, screeching at Jack to let her talk to her husband. Will appeared behind them, pleading with Elizabeth to settle down and go back to the Pearl. Jack quickly pulled the lad back inside and closed the door behind them. Elizabeth took a deep breath, smoothed her dress and hair and looked expectantly at the other two women, "Now what?"
"We have to find the man that I heard Violet talking to," Christina replied, rubbing her temples in worry.
XxXxX
It was growing dark when the women finally stumbled upon the alley that Christina had followed Violet to that morning.
"What makes us think tha' the man will be near 'ere anyway?" Ana Maria growled, tired from following Christina dawdle around pointlessly for hours on end, trying to find the spot where they now stood.
"I don't know where else to look for him," Christina admitted and the two other women sighed.
Elizabeth, quite sober now, looked around at the surroundings, "It looks like it's mostly houses around. Maybe he lives nearby?"
Christina thanked her silently for being constructive and trying to help the situation, "Right. I guess..." What was there to do? She sighed. They couldn't split up as she was the only one who had gotten a glimpse of the man. Even then, she hadn't seen his face so how would she be able to tell?
"I think there's a tavern jus' down the block. Did he seem the type t'be found there?" Ana Maria suggested unenthusiastically. Christina followed with her eyes to where Ana Maria pointed, seeing the small wooden sign hanging high, reading 'The Roadhouse'. Slowly, she nodded and they started hesitantly towards it. Laughing and shouting drifted from inside and Christina bit her lip, hoping against hope that there would be something for them to find here.
It was just as they reached the entrance that Christina was knocked to the ground by a man that was coming out without looking. The front of her dress tore at her knee as she made contact with the road. Under any other circumstances, Christina would have jumped to her feet and verbally abused the man. However, in this circumstance, she felt that pure shock and fear would keep her staring at the cobblestones forever and an incredibly long day. She knew in the same moment he had run into her that it was the same man who she had heard. She had only needed a glimpse of his face.
It was the man who she had prayed to never see again.
...Well, tha' was rather dramatic, eh? Ye'll find out who this man is in the next chapter... (grins, struck with genius) if ye review! Ha, now ye 'ave no choice whatsoever on the matter. So I'd like t'believe, I 'spose. Anyway, onto the presents; don't get excited, they're jus' things tha' ye'd find lying around in me room...
AJ-Sparrow: Aye, we all know tha' Violet was up ta no good. But, since ye seem the 'up t'date' sort, ye shall receive me prized, large magnifyin' glass tha' I got fer $1.50 at WA Salvage. Don' let the fortunate price turn ye off, it's rather handy. Jus' don' get yer finger stuck in the end as I have done on numerous occasions.
Siriusly Sirius Lily Black: Ello, luv. Violet 'as been called several vile terms by several reviewers. I think tha Cap'n can look yer crime over. An' yer right about Chris seein' wha' she she thinks she saw, tha' was rather tense fer all I believe. Now, ye seem tha patient sort so I am goin' ta hand over ta ye, me Siamese kitten. His name is Sir Leonardo Davinci Abendigo an' he is quite the handful but I'm sure ye'll manage. When the thing meows, it sounds like he says 'wow' so he seems in a constant state of amazement at everythin'. Have fun.
PirateLass1963: Allo, luv. Glad ye think me OCs are bein' developed, that's always good news. Ha, Violet isn't really in the popular crowd these days. I think ye would 'ave t'fight fer the chance t'kill her. Aye, the Singapore thing seemed t'be quite the hit, I'm pleased to say. I hope this was soon enough fer ye. Hmmm, ye shall get me light up saber spoon tha' I received in a cereal box from the kind people at Sultana Bran. It really is very useful... when ye are eatin' in the dark... watchin' Star Wars... No, really, it's good fun. Ha.
Whims: Wow, a very long review. Glad ye liked the use of Jack's rings. It really is quite unbelievable tha' they really could get caught in someone's hair but it was still fun ta write. AYE! I, with very much enthusiasm, agree on Jack bein' romantic... It's tough sometimes ta keep 'im in character 'cause he ain't really the romantic lead sort. Ha, the bucket must be passed fer some stories, I agree completely. An' ye are very wrong fer disagreein' tha' LD is not a better actor than JD. It's clear as day, luv. LD goes fer the much more challengin' roles an' gets them perfect. JD does get his roles perfect but they're no where near as challengin', ye understand? Anyway, anyway, ye shall be receivin' me alarm clock tha' wakes ye up with the sound of the ocean or the jungle or... I think the city is in there somewhere. I think it suits ye perfectly. 'Ave fun. An' I don' really follow tennis... So I am not decided on the matter. But neither am I decided... Ah, interestin'.
Ailuro: How fittin' tha' ye should be me 100th reviewer. Ha. Oh, good ye liked the las' one. An' I am patiently waitin' fer chapter 5... Very patiently, cause that's the sort of person I be (twitches). Very patient. I never said anythin' about Leo bein' BETTER than Johnny. Jus' a little more talented. Or maybe it's more darin', I don' know. Hmmm, I shall give you... (grins) the Aviator DVD. Enough said.
Karibbean: Aye, I'm jus' as interested in what's goin' ta happen between Jack an' Christina... 'cause I haven't really made up me mind yet... I'm jus' as in the dark as ye all! Ye shall get me Hungry Jack's uniform so I don' have ta go into work t'night. It's a win win. You get a new (very fashionable) outfit an' I have an excuse not t'show up. Pleasure doin' business with ye.