Chapter XIII
The Jammy Pirates and the Maid-turned-monster
'Is that it?' Duo asked as he looked through Trowa's telescope.
'Aye.' The lookout confirmed. 'The Strait of Messina.'
'And where's the monster supposed to be?' the braided pirate questioned, returning the telescope to its rightful owner.
'From what I hear there are two monsters. One at each side of the strait.'
'So it's either fight or…fight?'
'Afraid, Maxwell?'
'Afraid…' Duo snorted. 'I just don't like to be out of options. A fight or flight situation would've been better.'
'Ye callin' for a vote?'
'Nay. For Romefeller's treasure I'd face anything. Even an angry Hilde.' Trowa had to try very hard not to roll his eyes. 'What? I can still feel the spot where her boot hit me!'
'I heard that!' the black haired woman shouted from the forecastle. Chang had long told them to drop anchor, but they still had to be given further instructions. The braided pirate had climbed up to the crow's nest while they waited. 'Ye big mouthed seagull.'
'That's 'cause ye got those big donkey ears!' Duo shouted back at her.
'I think ye rather leave before she throws her boot at ye.' The lookout warned him.
'Ye think she can throw this high?'
'I'd rather not know.'
'Main deck!' Quatre shouted. 'Main deck!'
'Well… Looks like we'll have to go down anyway.'
They slid down the rope, Trowa with Shadow in one arm. There had been complaints about him monopolizing her when the cat was supposed to be controlling the pests, but he ignored those. He cherished her company and – as long as Heero had no complaints – no one could do a thing about it. 'Is everyone here?' Chang asked as he joined them.
'Jay's still downstairs.' Howard informed him.
'He doesn't count.' The Chinese man said simply, looking around to make sure everyone else was indeed present. 'Very well… Winner?'
Quatre stepped forward, clearing his throat to get the crew's undivided attention. Duo and Hilde took a moment to stop teasing each other. 'Do any of you know anything about Scylla?'
'I heard it was once a beautiful woman…' Howard began with a dreamy air.
'Do all of yer tales have beautiful women in them?' The braided pirate mocked him.
'We're not interested in how it became what it is but in what it is.' Heero cut in before the two blabbermouths could start arguing.
'I read…' Sally started, taking a step forward. She had once been somewhat a part of the crew, but it had been only for a brief time. Now, she felt like she had to earn her place again. 'I read that Scylla is the most hideous of all monsters. They say it's got six long-necked hairy heads, tentacles for legs and dog heads coming off its waist. It is certainly not a woman. It couldn't have possibly ever been a woman.'
'Regardless of how Scylla became Scylla… That is as accurate a description as we've got.' Quatre was deadly serious. 'So we're going to base our entire plan on it.'
'Isn't this a little…imprudent?' Relena asked quietly. Despite all the time she had spent on the Peacemillion and all the things she had done to prove herself an asset to the crew, she still did not feel entirely comfortable speaking up, especially with the judging gazes of Chang and the newly-arrived Jay on her. The mangled old man had reached the main deck just as she stepped forward. Thankfully, she was cool headed enough to push through her insecurities. 'I mean… Am I the only one who can't even imagine such a creature?'
'No, you're not the only one.' Dorothy stood beside their strategist, the guardian of all the knowledge they had on Romefeller's treasure. 'It is an unimaginable monster.'
'I don't suppose ye have ever seen it?' Hilde questioned somewhat mistrustful of the other woman's words.
'I merely know its location.'
'What's yer role in all of this anyway?' Duo seemed genuinely interested.
'I'm the one who's leading you to the treasure and the one who will keep half the booty.'
'Half?!' most of the crew echoed disbelievingly.
'Ye will lead us to the treasure if ye wish to keep yer head.' The first mate reminded her.
'Ye will receive yer fair cut.' Heero corrected, crossing his arms. 'Nothing more, nothing less.'
'Aye, aye, Captain.' She agreed in her usual amused tone.
'What 'bout the second monster?' all eyes turned to the braided pirate. 'Trowa said there are two monsters.'
'Scared, Barton?' Chang smirked at him.
'Merely concerned.' The lookout answered, sending Duo a vicious glare that the braided pirate pretended not to notice.
'Second monster?' Quatre turned to Dorothy. 'You never mentioned a second monster.'
'Chabrydis is long gone.' She waved their concerns away with her hand. 'Scylla is all that stands between us and the treasure.'
'Ye better be telling the truth, woman.' The Chinese man warned her.
'Stop that.' The blonde strategist hissed wearily at him. 'Have you not threatened her enough? She knows she must cooperate with us.'
'Ye on her side now, Winner?'
'Enough.' Heero stepped between the two men when the mood grew too heavy. 'We have a monster to fight. Ye can kill each other later.'
Quatre cleared his throat, still glaring at the first mate, however sideways, then turned back to the crew. 'We're practically going in blind.'
'As usual.' Howard snickered.
'There's not much we can do about that, but we'll be prepared.' The captain assured them, his eyes narrowing when they landed on Jay's. He did not know what to make of the man… They could certainly use his help, but they just as certainly could not trust him. The old pirate was always scheming – no matter what he said – and it never bode well to anyone but him.
'So, basically…' the blonde strategist resumed. 'We've got three main threats to deal with… Long-necked heads, dog heads and tentacles.'
'And how many of each was it? Because that sounded like a lot more than just three threats.' Duo complained.
'Oh, stop whining.' Dorothy cut in exasperated.
'I know.' Quatre ignored her, giving the braided man a sympathetic smile. 'But we need to simplify things in order to organize ourselves.' He gave them a moment to process his words then moved on. 'Trowa, Howard, Jay and Relena will be manning the cannons. Since we don't know the exact height of the monster, try to aim as high as you can.'
Relena turned to Heero, silently wondering if the scare she had given him when they had attacked the Santa Maria de Almada was the reason behind her new station. He noticed her watching him, but pointedly ignored her. She took that as confirmation. It was both endearing and irritating that he would go to such lengths as to indirectly manipulate her in order to protect her.
'Chang and I will fire the harpoons.' The blonde man continued. 'Our targets will be the long-necked heads. We'll try to bring them down so you can either shoot or slice them. Duo, Hilde, Sally and Dorothy will be our swordsmen, gunmen and help wherever they're needed. Feel free to choose whatever weapons you think you'll need to shoot the dog heads or cut through the creature's necks.'
'I will steer the ship.' The captain stepped forward serious. 'Making it safely past Scylla is our only goal. There is no pressing need to kill it. Therefore we're coating our ammo and blades in a paralysing poison made by Sally.'
'Won't ye make a speech?' Jay asked with that enigmatic smile that always had Heero frowning. He did not know if the old man was mocking him or testing him or simply making a suggestion.
'Try not to die.' He told his crew earnestly and strolled back to his cabin.
XXX
The Peacemillion slid forward at half sail, slowly entering the strait. Silence reigned in the upper deck even as the sails were loosened and each member of the crew proceeded to take his or her post. They all listened closely to any unusual sound, watched out keenly for any unexpected movement coming from either side of the corridor. A black lump of slick black skin between the waves was the first thing Hilde, Duo, Sally and Dorothy noticed from the forecastle where they stood apprehensively. The braided man signalled to the captain who pulled out his telescope and, though no words were exchanged, deep down they all hoped it was only a whale.
It was not.
The first emerging tentacle exploded out of the water, sending droplets flying everywhere. It was as wide and long as the ship's mast with grey coloured suckers, and Quatre fired the harpoon at it automatically as soon as he noticed the appendage hovering over the railing. It flailed wildly, forcing the blonde pirate to let go of the rope. Three more tentacles emerged then, wrapping themselves on the railing as the monster tried to pull itself onto the ship.
'Load starboard cannons!' Chang shouted, but the cannons were already prepared and the blasts sounded right after, following the shots of Duo's, Hilde's, Dorothy's and Sally's pistols.
As Scylla retreated the whole crew seemed to take a united deep breath, but the peace did not last long. This time the creature emerged head first from the water, its six hairy faces hissing angrily at them. Duo swore under his breath as he reloaded his pistol. Sally merely put hers away and picked up a musket, firing at one of the two monstrous dog heads just as it came within inches of locking its jaws on the Chinese man. The cannons fired again then, hitting the second dog head and making the monster scream.
It was gruesome and horrid, but Chang did not let it affect him as he seized the opportunity to fire the harpoon at one of the incredibly long necks. Scylla was stronger than it appeared and the rope ran out of his hand as he tried to hold on to it. They would need all the help they could get if they meant to pull the heads down. Hopefully, the poison would work and be enough to paralyse an enemy of that size.
Wounded and enraged the creature wrapped one of its tentacles around the muzzle of one of the cannons, pulling it out of the ship, wrecking the woodwork as it did. Heero veered the Peacemillion left, trying to get away, as Duo, Hilde and Dorothy fired their reloaded pistols. The monster barely seemed to notice the bullets that grazed its skin.
'We need another plan!' Sally told Quatre. 'We can't rely solely on the poison!'
'Help me pull!' he shouted, preparing to fire the harpoon again. All six pirates held onto the rope as the harpoon flew. It embedded itself on one of the creature's necks causing it to struggle fiercely. The pirates grinded their teeth, pinning their heels to the deck and bending their bodies backwards, still their boots slid on the polished wood and they only stopped moving when the blonde strategist's stomach hit the railing.
Scylla pushed against the Peacemillion's bow with its tentacles, trying desperately to take the rope off the humans' hands. Luckily, the cannons fired again, forcing the monster to retreat its appendages. It was when the head finally fell, hitting the deck with a crash and sending the pirates to the ground. Chang hurried to his feet, cutlass in hand and slashed through the neck before Scylla could raise its head again. They were suddenly skidding on blood.
'Throw poison into it!' Sally shouted, launching the vial at the first mate who stood by the severed neck, regaining his breath, but the monster was faster than they were and, in the blink of an eye, all that was left on the main deck was the big ugly head.
'We'll have to try that with the next one.' Dorothy noted, straightening her hair. 'If it lets us.'
It was barely noticeable amongst all of Scylla's gruesome and dangerous features, but its human head was still there almost hidden amongst the sky-high necks of its hairy heads, its soulless eyes, filled with nothing but hatred, bore holes into the tiny pirates, its sharp ears and teeth framing a threatening snarl. There was very little about that face that resembled a human woman and certainly nothing that corroborated Howard's affirmation that the woman had been beautiful. The monster was certainly smarter than they gave it credit, Dorothy could see it in its evil red eyes.
'If the poison doesn't work we're dead.' Duo complained, hurriedly reloading his pistol. Scylla had just pulled a second cannon out of its socket and was reaching for a third when it fired, forcing the monster to retreat.
'Not if we're fast enough.' Sally commented. 'The ship's still moving.'
'Aye, but at her current speed she might as well not be.' the Chinese man complained. 'Heero would've been of better use down here with us.'
A third cannon was thrown into the sea and Quatre fired the harpoon another time, startling the others out of their argument. The remaining dog head caught it mid-air as Scylla raised its body further off the water and broke the metal spear between its sharp teeth.
'We're so dead it ain't even funny.' Hilde commented in agreement with Duo's earlier statement.
'Aim for the heart.' Jay cut in, joining the rest of the crew on the main deck. With the cannons destroyed – at least on the right side of the ship – there was no point remaining downstairs.
'He's right.' Sally promptly agreed. 'Even if it doesn't die from the shot, the heart will circulate the poison faster.'
'Right, but do it smartly!' Quatre urged them, preparing another harpoon as Hilde, Duo and Dorothy covered him, firing their weapons at the dog head. In its anger, the beast started biting off the railing.
'We should've bought those swivels…' Howard complained, firing a musket as he joined them.
'We didn't have enough coin for that!' Chang argued, helping Sally spread more poison on the harpoon's tip. 'The ship had to be repaired!'
'We need to distract Scylla in order to fire…' the blonde strategist was thinking aloud. 'And we could definitely use a better shot…'
'I'll do it.' Trowa offered already seizing the harpoon and nodded towards Heero who had been about to abandon the helm to lend a hand in the actual fight. The captain stood his ground, nodding back in understanding. The lookout could see his resolution falter for a moment as Relena reached the main deck, but at last Heero remained at the helm, giving Trowa a vote of confidence.
'We need a plan!' Dorothy shouted to Quatre.
'I'm trying…' he mumbled under his breath, watching his crewmates fire at Scylla in turn, keeping the creature at bay with some difficulty. The blonde woman was suddenly beside him, an iron grip on his arm.
'What if we tie its heads? Or at least a couple of them?'
'Tie them? Tie them how?'
'Have someone else fire the harpoon. Barton could climb up to the yardarm and rope the head from there. Is there anyone else who's a good acrobat?'
'Uh…' the strategist glanced around, analysing his options. 'I'm afraid not, but if we could tie a single head I think it'd be enough to force Scylla to uncross its human arms and give us a chance…' he met her eyes for a moment. 'It'll be extremely dangerous.'
'I know.' She said with a nod and watched him dash to the quarter deck under the surprised, apprehensive and tired gazes of the crew. 'New plan!' Dorothy shouted, reaching for the harpoon. 'Barton, give me that. You're shortening the mainsail, climbing up the mast and roping one of Scylla's heads. The rest of us will keep firing in turns, trying to force it to uncross its human arms.' But the crew was still suspicious of her and even though they listened, they hesitated on adhering to her plan. Trowa held the harpoon in his hands even as Dorothy stretched her arms out to him. 'Heero will fire it.' She told him. 'Not me.'
'Do as she says.' The captain joined them then. He relieved Trowa of the harpoon, meeting the lookout's eyes seriously. 'Can ye do this?'
'Aye.' The man nodded. 'I've been through worse.'
Heero nodded and – in the blink of an eye – the mainsail was raised and Trowa was gone. 'Don't stop shooting!' he urged the others, meeting Relena's eyes for a moment as she reloaded her pistol. The dog head kept trying to attack them, but it accomplished little but destroy the ship.
Trowa reached the yardarm just as Scylla decided to use its tentacles once more. Without the railing on their way the creature's sticky appendages fell straight on the main deck with loud wet slaps. The crew drew their swords, but the enemy was faster and one of the tentacles swiped the deck, sending half of them on their butts. Heero had to step back, fighting the urge to fire and forcing himself to wait.
The moment Scylla pulled itself up onto the Peacemillion, Trowa threw the rope. It slid around the creature's human head instead of one of the more monstrous ones and down to its neck and, as soon as he was certain the noose was in place, the lookout jumped, dragging the enemy towards the mast, praying that the yard would not succumb to the pressure. Startled, Scylla threw its other heads backwards to avoid the collision and unfolded its human arms, reaching out for the rope around its throat.
Heero fired.
Quatre watched from the deck, where he sat after having the wind knocked out of him, as the harpoon flew, hitting Scylla right above its heart. The creature froze, but only for a moment, then ripped the rope off its neck and the spear off its chest, roaring madly. 'It didn't work…' the blonde strategist realised in horror.
'The harpoon mustn't have penetrated enough.' Dorothy commented beside him, frowning up at Scylla. The monster was furious and they had no idea what it might do.
The dog head was the first to move and Heero was closest. He dropped the harpoon, drew his pistol and fired at the wide-open mouth even as he rolled out of the way. Chang fired the other harpoon then, finally riding them of the second dog head's threat.
Scylla extended its human hand towards him then and the Chinese man prepared to try something truly dangerous, but instead of reaching out for him, the hand hit the deck with a smack as the monster's body shuddered. The poison had finally taken effect.
For a moment, everyone and everything was silent and then the creature fell, sliding slowly off the ship and disappearing into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Sally was the first to recover from the shock and dashed past the others towards Trowa who had hit the deck somewhat violently when the rope had been snapped. The others were content enough to simply breathe and enjoy the relief brought on by their victory.
XXX
'How bad is it?' Heero asked the medic when she stepped out of his quarters. Relena stood beside him, though at a respectable distance, looking afflicted.
'A twisted ankle and a few bruises.' Sally told him. 'It could've been worse. Still, he won't be doing any climbing for a while…'
The captain nodded his thanks and proceeded to enter his cabin. He found the lookout sitting on the edge of the bed, cringing as he tested his ankle. 'Shouldn't ye be resting?'
'I will once I've made it to me hammock.'
'Barton, stay here. Ye will make yer ankle worse if ye take the stairs right now.'
Trowa met the captain's eyes for a moment, ready to protest, but noticing how tired the man looked he ended up acquiescing and lied back down. 'I saw something… When I was up there.' With a frown Heero dragged a chair close to the bed and took a seat by the lookout. 'It seems we've been leaving a trail behind.'
'A trail?'
'Empty barrels.'
The captain swore under his breath. 'Then our pursuers… Someone's been leading them to us?'
'Aye, but who?'
'We were all on the upper deck by the time ye climbed up to the yardarm.'
'Aye.'
The captain's eyes wandered to the window and, after a moment, he walked up to it glancing in silence at the darkness outside. 'Jay was late for the meeting.' He noted under his breath not at all surprised, though he could not conceive of how a one-legged one-handed man had accomplished such a feat all by himself.
'Where are we?' Trowa asked suddenly, bringing him back from his reverie. 'Have we reached the place yet?'
'Nay.' Heero shook his head as he made his way back to the bed and returned the chair to its place. 'We decided to drop anchor for the night, but Catalonia believes we're not far. Rest. Ye deserve it.'
'We all do.' The lookout corrected him.
'Aye. We all do.'
Relena was waiting for him when the captain walked back out. They had all come somewhat close to dying that day and – even though the majority of them had not even been scratched – the feeling of unease remained. 'Is he alright?' she asked him even though Sally had already answered that question earlier. It was her way of starting a conversation and avoiding the things she truly wanted to say.
'Aye.' He nodded and, for a moment, they were quiet. 'Come with me to the gun deck?'
'The gun deck?' she looked up at him somewhat surprised and under the lamplight he could see her blush.
'I didn't mean…' he cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to hide a blush of his own. 'There's something I need to check.'
She merely nodded, stopping herself from taking his arm as she followed. After Sally had informed the crew that Trowa would be fine, they had decided to turn in for the night, still she did not think Heero would welcome her touch in such an exposed environment. It had been some time since he had asked her for discretion and, though she understood his reasons and abided to his wishes, she could not stop herself from growing steadily frustrated. She took a deep breath as they reached the gun deck and were immediately bathed in moonlight. It was saddening to see the destruction left behind by Scylla.
'What are we looking for?' Relena asked him quietly, but Heero was distracted by the starboard cannons' absence and stood motionless by the newly opened gap at the hull, watching the sea and the sky. 'Heero?' she finally took his arm.
He met her eyes, weary and almost confused. She let her hand slide down his forearm until it reached his. With a reassuring squeeze she reminded him he could be honest with her and that she wanted him to be. 'I knew the damage had been extensive, but…'
'I know.' Relena leaned against him, letting her head fall on his shoulder as she looked up at the moon.
'We'll need to dock somewhere near and have her fixed. She'll never make it back home like this.'
'Maybe we could go to England.' She suggested shyly.
The captain turned his head, but he could not see her face. 'Home sick?' he asked and felt her squeeze his hand. 'I'd be hanged in England.' Relena pulled slightly away to meet his eyes. The tranquillity with which he spoke was the most shocking thing about his statement. He smiled softly and caressed her cheek. 'We may not be the worst of pirates, but we're pirates nonetheless.'
'And now so am I.' she smiled back.
'Aye.' He confirmed with a long longing kiss. She sighed when it ended, eyes closed and hands on his shoulders. 'Ye should rest.'
'So should you.' She retorted, frowning angrily at him and – for some incomprehensible reason – his smile widened. 'I'm serious.' She managed to rebuke him, feigning anger even as her breath caught in her throat. The fact that she had made him smile warmed her up inside in ways she could not even describe.
'I know.' He assured her. 'I just need a moment.'
Relena did not seem to fully believe him, but she did pull away – however reluctantly – turning towards the stairs. Before she started climbing the steps, she turned to him yet again, her eyes and smile shining in the moonlight. 'I'll see you in the morning?'
'Hn.' He nodded and watched her disappear from his view.
'Ye can't selectively numb yer emotions…' Jay's voice said behind him as the man limped out of the darkness. 'Ye know that, Heero. Ye cannot experience joy and love without reliving the pain and the sadness.'
His expression was blank, but he did not dare turn to face the old pirate with clenched fists. Jay had a quick eye for detail and he had mastered the art of reading other people, especially him. He had witnessed their kiss, seen their embrace… Heero could only wonder what he would infer from it, and the thought of what he might do with that little piece of information was sickening. There was nothing he could say to erase it, no point denying it, so he settled for changing the subject and trying to distract the man from what he had just seen.
'It was you, wasn't it?' he accused, still refusing to face his former tutor.
'What was?' Heero could hear the scraping of the cane against the wooden floor, the solid thump of Jay's pegleg and the light shuffling of his booted foot as the old pirate made his way to the edge of the large gap left behind by Scylla and the now-lost cannons. 'We must have lost a couple barrels through this gap…'
The captain glanced at him over his shoulder, but the other man's face held its usual mysterious smile and Heero did not know what to make of it. According to Trowa, the barrels had been falling in a way as to leave behind a trail so they must have started falling long before anyone noticed, long before that gap had been carved… If that really was so then Jay was certainly lying. Should he have the old pirate arrested? Could he? When it came down to it, Heero had not been trained to go against that one man, but to follow his orders.
'Let's hope we don't lose any more then.' Was all he said, taking the steps up to the sleeping quarters though he no longer felt safe enough to sleep. He may have given Jay the benefit of the doubt, but he surely would not do the people who were still following them the same courtesy. That night, the Peacemillion's captain would stand guard.
A.N.: There are many different images and descriptions of Scylla... So I tried to form my own image of it in my head. It really is a difficult monster to imagine so I ended up somehow imagining it in parts. I recommend a quick internet search if you wish to form a more concrete image of it. :P
