I hope you like this one. It was kind of inspired by a conversation with my friend Kelly one day. Well please read and Review. Thank you. Enjoy.

Pupparoux

Thank you reviewers:

Ash: thank you for reading. Don't leave r&r again. I really appreciate it.

Buddi: hey hey hey! Self defense thing in here! Sort of… lol

Smithy: thanks for reading. Enjoy

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Pirates of the Caribbean, title and royalty wise. But I do hope that the ideas in this are mine. Thank you and please don't sue me.

Misadventure Two: The Day Brown Became Red.

"I think she's finally sleeping…"

"You better hope so, if she wakes up she'll kill you, you know she'd do it."

The two boys, Mur and Jaimy, stood outside Mercedes' closed bedroom door, their ears pressed against it, listening. From inside they head Mercedes' deep, rhythmic breathing. Somewhere in the house, a clock struck three o'clock. Mur looked over his shoulder and down the stairs toward the sound of the clock. They kept their voices low and soft.

"Yeah…though probably not kill, maybe just maim…"

"You'd definitely lose something," said Jaimy, grinning. "Like an ear or a toe…"

"Not just me, mate. You too." said Mur looking over at Jaimy.

"What!" asked Jaimy alarmed, his voice rising in volume. "She wouldn't do that to me!"

"SHHHHHHHSH!" sushed Mur, frantically to Jaimy. Their ears were still pressed against the door; if they weren't careful they would wake Mercedes. "Are you trying to spoil the whole plot!"

"No!" said Jaimy, switching back to the hushed tone again as he looked away from Mur.

"Of course she would, she put ink in your tea too, after that water incident, remember?" hissed Mur.

"How could I forget? Our teeth were black for a week and a half! That was bloody brilliant of her…"Jaimy broke off, wistfully. He cleared his throat. "If we follow through with this plan, what do you think she'll do to get back at us?"

"I don't even pretend to know…why?"

"Well think about it. Last time it was a water trick and she hit us back with ink, which was definitely not in the same class of pranks as water… This prank is definitely worse than water…"

"Are you chickening out at the last minute, Jaimy Turner? Are you worried about what a silly little girl will do? You aren't letting personal feelings get in the way, are you!" Mur put especial emphasis on the word feelings, narrowed his eyes and stared at Jaimy.

Jaimy turned red, even in the dim candlelight illuminating the hall his blush was visible.

"NO!" replied Jaimy in a defiant whisper. "Mur, you of all people know how things are going for me and Carrissa. And besides, I've known Mercedes since she was born. She's like…my…sister…" Jaimy hesitated as he said this. He didn't want it to be true, but he wanted Mur to think that was how he felt about Mercedes, like a brother.

"Good. I didn't think that was the case, but you never know. Let's go." Mur took a deep breath and opened the door. It swung open silently, he and Jaimy had actually oiled the hinges earlier that day so it wouldn't make a sound and spoil their stealthy entry. They crept inside, bringing with them a lumpy drawstring bag.

Mercedes was laying on her stomach, one arm above her head and her other hand next to her cheek, one leg bent and the other extended out. Her pillow, which was seldom used for sleeping on, was thrown on the floor, along with most of the blankets. Mercedes was in her boy's pajamas again, her breeches and flouncy shirt; her hair was fanned out beside her. Jaimy thought it looked like molten onyx. It was a dark rich brown with deep red and golden highlights that sparkled in the candlelight. He had stopped and caught himself starring at it so he quickly shook his head and moved forward before Mur noticed.

The boys drew closer, on silent feet, avoiding the creaking floorboards and the tangle of blankets

They were each on one side of Mercedes' bed. Jaimy hesitated.

"Mur," he whispered, barely audible so as not to wake Mercedes. "I don't think we should do this…"

"Shhsh!" signed Mur. "We're doing this to avenge the embarrassment we suffered in front of the Ladies."

Mercedes sighed and moved her arms as if trying to stop someone.

"No," she whispered.

The boys stopped and listened.

When Mercedes didn't continue Jaimy said, "Yea, but this is kind mean," he gestured to the drawstring bag, which contained the prank, "Mercedes really values her hair..."

"So…"

"So, why don't we just jump out of a closet and scare her."

"That's the second part of the plan. This," Mur held up the bag and shook it a little, "is the first."

Mercedes groaned again, the boys tensed, ready to throw themselves onto the floor if she woke up. Mercedes turned over and her eyes flickered. "STOP!" she shrieked and jerked awake.

Mur and Jaimy dropped to the floor. Jaimy rolled under the bed and Mur crawled to hide behind the curtains out of sight.

Mercedes sat bolt upright, rubbed her eyes, stretched and sighed. She got out of bed and walked over to her nightstand. She picked up a glass of water, drank it and poured another. She took the glass and walked over to her window. She undid the latch and pulled the window open. She put on the slippers that were near the window and walked out onto her little balcony overlooking the ocean. A cool breeze blew Mercedes' hair away from her face and filtered through the window.

All Jaimy could see was Mercedes' feet. He heard her take a deep breath and then exhale. Mercedes came back into the room and Jaimy heard her climb back into bed. She left the window open and the sounds of the surf pounding the shore lulled Mercedes to sleep.

Mur and Jaimy came out of their hiding places when they heard her slow, regular breathing. Mercedes had lain back on the bed on her back. Her right arm was above her head (in a very dramatic pose) and the other was across her abdomen.

"Now or never," said Mur shaking his head.

"Mmm," said Jaimy, steeling himself for the worst. "Let's do it."

Mur untied the drawstring bag from his belt and opened it. From it he pulled four large bottles of blood red ink and two large paintbrushes. Mur handed Jaimy two bottles of deep red ink and one of the large paintbrushes.

"You know what to do," whispered Mur.

Jaimy nodded.

"We need to move her though, I can't get to her hair." Said Mur softly, looking at Mercedes.

"O…k… So what should I do?" asked Jaimy just as quietly.

"OK, you lift her up and I'll fan out her hair. Do it slowly and gently, don't wake her up."

Jaimy had an incredulous look on his face but shook it away. Mercedes was going to murder them.

Jaimy bent over Mercedes. He slid his right arm under her shoulders and his left arm under her knees. When he had her balanced, Jaimy lifted Mercedes up ever so slowly, until she was five inches off the bed. She hung limply in his arms like a rag doll. Jaimy was staring at her lovely, peaceful face. She looks so innocent when she's sleeping… thought Jaimy. He quickly shook that thought from his mind though; he knew what Mercedes was capable of.

Mur had fanned Mercedes hair out behind her and motioned to Jaimy to put her down, which he did reluctantly. Then they set to work. Jaimy center to left and Mur, center to right. The boys didn't get any ink on the pillow or sheets. Nor did they get any ink on her skin. When Mur and Jaimy had finished, thirty-five minutes later, they had used the ink to dye Mercedes' beautiful dark brown hair a fiery crimson red.

They put the empty inkbottles and dirty brushes back in the bag and silently crept out of the room.

Mercedes woke the next morning to the six-thirty tolling of the clock. She opened her eyes and yawned. She got out of bed, cracked her back and shook the hair from her eyes. Then Mercedes walked across her room (passed a full length mirror, which she didn't even glance at), opened her door, and walked down the hall. She passed Mur's room (and three more mirrors) and went down the stairs to get some breakfast.

Mercedes walked into the kitchen. When Mary looked up to greet Mercedes with a 'Good morning, missy' she gasped.

"Missy!" she exclaimed. "What have you done to your beautiful hair?" asked Mary her eyes going as big and dinner plates.

"What?" asked Mercedes a little groggily. She wasn't full awake yet. She brushed her hands through her hair; it didn't feel any different.

"Missy," started Mary. "Your hair…it's…it's" she paused. "Dark red." Mary shook her head and started to smile; this was all Mur and Jaimy's doing.

Mercedes wrinkled her nose and smiled. "Ok Mary, sure my hair is red." She shook her head, tilted it to one side, and smiled. "And have you been taking lessons form my father and hitting the rum early?"

Mary putt a hand over her mouth, "Go look in the mirror, Missy."

"Alright I'll go look, for your sake." Said Mercedes still smiling as she walked out of the kitchen, into the hall and in front of a mirror.

Mercedes looked into the mirror. Looking back at her was a girl her height in boy's pajamas, with the same large brown eyes, surrounded by long dark lashes; dark, suntanned skin, and flaming crimson hair. Nothing out of the ordinary, thought Mercedes as she turned to go back to the kitchen. Wait… Flaming crimson hair!

"AHHHHH!" Mercedes shrieked. Mary had come out of the kitchen.

"MUR! JAIMY! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" she shouted, as she turned and raced up the stairs.

Mur was hiding in the hall closet when he heard Mercedes' shriek. OK, he thought, here goes. After she comes out of my room, I'll jump out and scare her after Jaimy does…

Jaimy was in Mur's wardrobe when he heard the yell. Oh God, he thought. Why do I listen to Mur? Mercedes is never going to speak to me again! He sighed at the thought. Oh well I might as well do it properly.

Mercedes burst through Mur's bedroom door; it hit the wall, bounced off and slammed shut again. Mercedes looked around the room, she saw no one and heard nothing. Her eyes narrowed and she was breathing heavily. She spun in a circle looking to see where the boys could possibly be hiding.

Just then Jaimy leapt out of the closet. "Boo…" he screeched, his hands in front of him like claws. Mercedes threw herself on top of him causing them both to go crashing to the floor, her on top. Jaimy landed hard on his back, Mercedes sat on his stomach, one leg on each side, and pinned his arms to the floor above his head.

"Where…is…Mur," asked Mercedes through gritted teeth, her eyes flashing, her new red hair falling about and framing her face, her cheeks were flushed a rosy red. Jaimy couldn't help noticing that the new hair color was very flattering to her skin tone and that it made her seem even more like a tiger than she acted. As though the color reflected her inner beast, for lack of a better word.

"Dunno," replied Jaimy calmly, raising his eyebrows casually. "Out, I guess." Breath…just breath and stay cool…calm and…. uh what am I doing she is going to kill me…

Mercedes looked at Jaimy. His hair was carelessly messy, his chocolate eyes shining and his lips were turned upward in a shrewd smile. Ohh! He's so infuriating, she thought. "OUT?" asked Mercedes, her eyes narrowing and her face coming even closer to Jaimy's. "It's seven in the morning." The way his hair is so messy! Uhh…

"Yup," Jaimy replied, softly. He could feel her warm breath on his face, count the light freckles on her nose, and notice the way Mur's shirt outlined her form.

Mercedes leaned even closer so that her lips were right next to Jaimy's ear. She felt his breathing falter. "Which closet?" she asked smoothly, her lips brushing his cheek.

Jaimy moved his right arm up and his left arm down, throwing Mercedes off balance, and moved his hips up, thereby successfully flipping Mercedes onto the floor and sitting on her stomach, not holding her arms.

"Can't tell you that, Mer. Classified." He said smiling smugly at his self-defense trick, Jack had taught him that one.

Mercedes was looking up at Jaimy, impressed at the move, and nodding her head slightly as though calculating something. "Fine," she said and she wriggled out from under Jaimy and made for the door. Jaimy stood up and took hold of Mercedes' wrist, pulling her closer to him.

"Don't…" he began, his eyes falling on hers.

But the door burst open to reveal Mur and Mercedes' father, Jack Sparrow in his trousers and shirt. No hat, coat or boots. Jaimy let go of Mercedes and stepped away from her.

"What in rum's good name IS going on?" asked Jack, a little blurry eyed, looking from Jaimy to the strange red haired girl. "Who's screaming? And what's all the noise?" he asked Jaimy, yawning. Then he looked at the girl. "And who might you be?" asked Jack, politely.

"Dad, It's me. Mur dyed my hair red last night while I was sleeping." Sighed Mercedes, putting a hand over her eyes.

Jack did a double take. "Well…" he started. He just smiled, shook his head and walk out of the room, leaving the door open.

Mercedes threw a last look at Jaimy, was it scorn? responsiveness? He couldn't tell, and then walk out to find Mur. He followed.

She walked down the upstairs hallway throwing open all the closets. She had one left and was about to open it when it flew open and Mur popped out.

"BWAH!" he roared.

"GRRRRR!" snarled Mercedes as she balled her fist and punched Mur as hard as she could in the right arm.

"OW!" Mur whined. "Mercedes! That really hurt!" he said rubbing his arm. "It's all numb…"

"Yeah? Well then…" and she punched him again in the left arm.

"OW! MER!"

"Now they're even!" she said passionately and she stomped to her room.

"I can't feel my arms," said Mur as his arms hung limply at his sides.

Jaimy just smiled to himself and shook his head. " That was fun. Are we even now?"

"I guess," said Mur, trying to regain movement in his arms. He looked to where Mercedes had gone. "That color is good for her. I actually thought I grabbed the blue ink last night."

Jaimy gawked at Mur. "BLUE?"

"Good thing I didn't," said Mur, his eyes widening.

"We should go apologize," suggested Jaimy.

Mur sighed. "Fine."

They walked to Mercedes'' door.

"Mer," called Jaimy, knocking on the door.

"We're sorry," continued Mur. "You deserved it though."

Jaimy elbowed Mur in the ribs. "Uh, I mean," faltered Mur.

"It really looks nice though, the color I mean." Said Jaimy.

The door slowly opened. There stood Mercedes. "Do you… really think so?"

"Yeah and plus it will wash out in a week."

" It better and I've decided to be the better girl and let it go,"

"You have," said the boys together, relieved.

"Yup and I have an exciting plan for something to do today…"

"Really…" asked Mur intrigued.

"Well, I'll tell ye…"

TO BE CONTINUED…

Well? What did you think? I don't know, it's late and I'm just writing what sounded good at the time. So please review.

Thank you all in advance and please please please review. Until the next episode…keep a sharp eye ;)