Chapter 13
Planet 458
Megara was sleeping on Kida's bed, curled up in a fetal position with arms wrapped around a velvet pillow, and Kida smiled at the peaceful sight as she walked in. The Greek woman had let her hair down, and her curls spread out freely around her like a dark halo, making her skin glow like a fairy. Kida wanted to touch her, but she was afraid that she would disappear if she did.
Meg seemed to sense that someone was watching her as she cracked her eyes open, and her lips stretched into a lazy smirk. "Do you normally watch people sleep, pirate girl?"
"Maybe," Kida admitted, opening the carved doors of her closet and looked through her collection of dresses and skirts. "How are you feeling?"
"I didn't remember being a mortal was so exhausting," she sighed overly dramatic. "All these new feelings of being tired, hungry – it's like I've woken up from a thousand year slumber."
"I thought immortal beings still eat and sleep?"
"We- They do, but only because it's fun. It's not a necessity."
"I see," the captain said. She took out her normal outwear – a blue bikini and a long sarong-like skirt – and then turned towards Meg, who had gotten up to sit on the edge of the bed. "Do you wish to change your clothes? I think you would look lovely in one of my dresses."
Meg took a deep breath and smiled, opening her mouth, but then her lips started to quiver and she turned her face away. "You shouldn't be so kind to me."
"And why is that?" She sat next to her.
"I can never repay you for what you did. All those things you had to go through in the Underworld were all because of me." The moment of weakness on her face was gone, and it had turned into a stoic mask. "You don't even know me… You don't know what I've done in my past. Just because I helped you and your friends doesn't mean that I've always been like that. I don't deserve this."
Kida didn't say anything as she took the woman's hand in her own, bringing it close to her face and placing a soft kiss on her fingers. Megara flinched, surprised, and finally their eyes met again.
"I do not care about the past," Kida started, rubbing the back of her hand with her thumb, "I have done some things I am not proud of in the past too, and sometimes I can not sleep with those thoughts running wild in my head. But the decision to stay with you was my own choice, so you do not owe me anything."
"But Hades – "
"Tried to break me, yes, but he did not succeed. It is not my first time being held captive. " She let out a laugh, not sure if it was a good thing or not. A deep old scar in her upper back started throbbing when the unpleasant memories flashed in front of her eyes. "You should only worry about yourself, Meg."
She pursed her lips, looking like she might continue arguing, but then the corners of her mouth turned upwards and she tossed her hair to one side, revealing her neck and ear like a challenge. "Well show me those dresses then, pirate girl."
Kida happily accepted the challenge.
Jim glanced around, taking in all the hustling and bustling of the wide main street that was bordered with idyllic shops made out of black bricks and wood and decorated with colorful signs, trying not to seem too suspicious. Everywhere he looked at he could see grumpy, tough looking pirates from different parts of the universe, and the realization that he was in an actual, honest-to-god pirate city, which the military had basically given its approval for in secrecy, slowly struck him.
He could get killed if anyone recognized him, and yet it was the perfect opportunity to get to experience something he wasn't able to under normal circumstances. He already loved it.
"Fancy a new pair of arms? Yours look unconventionally useless, if I may say so." A fox-faced man blocked Jim's path and clattered a pair of mechanical arms in front of him. "The severing of your current arms is free!"
"Yeah, uh, no thanks. I'm quite fond of my arms," Jim said and tried to walk past him, but the man was persistent.
"How about a new eye then, hm? We have many models to choose from! Only the best for the best client!"
"Not interested," Jim said more emphatically, shoving the man out of his way. He felt bad for being so rough, but it seemed that it was better to use sheer force than empty words in this city, because the man gave up after that and continued to pursue his next victim.
Many of the shops sold replacement parts for ships which would have been suitable for his solar surfer too, but examining them closer made him realize that most of them were poorly crafted and would probably fall apart after a use or two. Even the scrap metal he had used to build his first solar surfer had been better quality than most of the stuff they sold here under the label of 'finest parts in the galaxy'.
With a disappointed sigh he took a turn to a less-crowded street, walking forward and taking turns until he came to a modest-looking metal shop in a sewer-smelling alleyway. He didn't notice it at first; it didn't have any display windows or signs hanging over it, but a golden text of 'parts for every vessel' on the dark wooden door caught his eye.
Someone had scraped the door multiple times with something sharp, and really, it should have made him turn around and find another store.
A bell tinkled as he stepped inside.
The shop was bigger than he had imagined: the shelves were full of all kinds of metal boards and hoops, solar engines, bolts, and other supplies that Jim could have only dreamed of before, and the parts seemed as good – if not even better – as in his home planet. It didn't seem right that the shop had such an unnoticeable appearance when it was probably the best around here.
Jim cleared his throat. "Hello?" He was alone in the room, the ticking of a clock being the only source of sound in the silence.
He heard quiet rattling, and a woman, whose clothes gave the impression that she had taken an oil shower in the morning instead of a regular one, strode out of the backroom, giving him a glance and crossing her arms.
"Yo. Can I help you? Sorry, I wasn't expecting any customers."
"I'm looking for some parts to build a solar surfer," Jim explained. "I need a little bit of everything."
"Dunno what that is, but it sounds awesome." The woman's red lips stretched into a teeth-showing grin. "You new here?"
"Is it that obvious?" Jim followed her and watched as she heaved some boxes out of the shelf to the floor, helping him to choose what he needed and recommending the best kind of bolts.
"Not really," she said. "People usually just avoid coming to my shop, that's all. I have four regular customers and all of them are my long-term friends."
"Why?" he couldn't help himself asking, even though it was none of his business. "From what I've seen, your stuff is far better quality than the shit they sell out there."
She snorted at his honest words, adding more parts to the growing pile in Jim's arms. "Couldn't have said it better myself. I kinda pissed off the wrong people, and the word gets quickly around here. Plus there have been some other things too." She moved on to the next shelf, and Jim had to check how much money he actually had with him. "To be honest, I'm completely fed up with pirates."
"I can relate," Jim said without thinking, and the woman raised his eyebrows. "Uh, I mean- Whatever ya be talkin' 'bout."
"You're not very convincing," she laughed, hitting him on the shoulder. Hard. "Anyway, do you think that is enough?" She gestured towards the mountain of mechanic parts. "I've never built a surfer before. Doesn't it need some wooden parts too?"
"Yeah, I can get those later, but for now this is enough. Thanks for helping me."
"No problem. I'll give you a discount since you're not a pirate." She walked to the counter and dug out a calculator, typing numbers onto it with her quick fingers and then showing the price to Jim, who felt relief spreading to his whole body. He had just enough money to buy everything. "Do you want a bag for them?"
His answer got lost in the sound of the door bell clanging with an aggressive tone, and both of their heads turned towards it.
A slender pirate in a crimson coat and a matching cavalier hat with a huge feather swaying on top of it walked in, giving them a sneer down his huge chin. "My apologies, did I interrupt something?"
The man's words were like a poison apple coated with sweet sugar, and Jim's gaze dropped to the pirate's left hand, which was replaced with a silver hook. He put the parts down to the counter, hand instinctively shifting closer to the pistol under his shirt.
"I was just about to leave anyway," Jim said to him, giving then the woman a short smile. "Can you bag those for me, please?"
"Sure." Her voice was tight and Jim noticed that her hands had been balled into fists as she pulled out a cotton bag under the counter and started loading the parts into it.
"Wait a second." The pirate's eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at Jim, and his right hand rose to stroke his black moustache like he was trying to recall something. "Do I know you from somewhere?"
"I don't think so," Jim answered, maybe a little bit too quickly. He didn't know if the man had seen him with the military before or if he was just confusing him to someone else, but he had to get out of there before he gave himself away.
"No, no, I've definitely seen you before. Oh, excuse me, where are my manners? Captain James Hook," he extended his non-hooked hand, showing him his crooked teeth by stretching his face into something that distantly resembled a smile.
Jim wanted to touch the man as much as he wanted to touch a pile of rotting cucumbers, but he shook the hand nonetheless, saying the first name that popped up in his head. "Sinbad."
"No last name?"
"No. Just… Sinbad."
"Well, Sinbad," Hook hummed, "let me escort you out." His eyes moved to the woman behind the counter. "I'll be back later, Audrey darling. I hope you have the things I asked you a week ago by then."
"Fuck off, Hook," she spitted out, looking like she was ready to jump over the counter and fight the pirate with bare fists. "And leave him alone."
"It's alright," Jim interrupted before she did start a fight with him, and he tossed the heavy bag on his shoulder. "I'll see you around then."
He kept an eye on Hook as they walked towards the door, the captain a step ahead of him. His heart started beating faster the closer to the door they got, and a plan of running away as soon as his feet touched the ground crossed his mind. The pirate didn't seem like a fast runner in his fancy clothes, and it should be a piece of cake to lose him in the crowded city. He wasn't too far away from the main street either.
His plan was ruined, however, when they actually got outside. A big group of at least twelve pirates was waiting for them, blocking both ways of the alleyway, making it impossible for him to get away. They must have been one of the 'wrong people' Audrey had mentioned before, and Hook had probably taken them with him for whatever business he had with her. Otherwise it would have seemed far too convenient to be a coincidence.
"Sinbad, meet my men," James Hook said. "Would you like to join us for a glass of wine? It's on me, of course."
Jim eyed the crew, nodding slowly since 'no' was not an answer. He had no idea why the pirate captain had become so interested in him, and he was sure that they hadn't met before. There was no reason for him to do anything to him, right?
A/N: I'm sorry for writing such a short chapter, but it's been so long since I've updated so I wanted to give you at least something. My inspiration for this fic got lost for a while, but I hope I'll get it fully back after I've finished all of my exams and can start writing regularly again.
On the side note, Jim getting into trouble seems to have become my greatest kink. :D Sorry not sorry. And I know I always say this, but I'll seriously try to update the next chapter sooner.