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| Sundays; Open! | |
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| Topic Started: 6 Apr 2007, 08:43 PM (736 Views) | |
| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:43 PM Post #1 |
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. It was Sunday! Glorious holy day that allowed for rest. After the necessary religious obligations and the layered, sweltering clothing that went along with Sundays, Keegan McAllister raced home to change his clothes. John and Robin, two of his little brothers, decided to join Keegan in a miniaturely masculine act and run off to wherever Keegan would lead them. They took pole and lure and the twelve-year-old led them to a secluded little cove teaming with small fish. They were hardly worth keeping, but the act of fishing was fun for the boys, especially since it was something their mother rather wished they wouldn't do. Liberating though it was to sneak out of the house (rather loudly, but no one was going to stop them), the boys had to be careful. Keegan had several acquaintances among the people in Port Royal but the further away from the hub they traveled the more dangerous the risk they would run into someone or something they didn't desire to. Luckily that lovely Sunday morning the most hazardous thing they came across were some sharp rocks they had to clamber over in order to get to the protected cove. The cove was known among those like Keegan as Shark Beach. Sharks didn't actually dwell in the area, but there was an abundance of shark teeth that washed up on the shore and littered among the seashells and pebbles. It was easy pickings, and sometimes the sizes were quite impressive. The calm waters also attracted small schools of fish, and the water was shallow enough that the boys could walk for yards with the water only getting as high as their knees. At low tide, anyway. As soon as the three brothers arrived at the beach, scrapes and scratches were quickly forgotten. Keegan and John set up their crude but effective fishing poles after casting them in the water, and Robin scampered around the sands looking for sharks' teeth. "Ah! I found one!" the boy cried gleefully, then looked around at Keegan and John. "Kee! D'you have sommat I kin put it in?" Keegan secured his fishing pole between some rocks and dug around in the pockets of his breeches. He grimaced rather despondently at the handkerchief he procured. "Just this." He waded over to the younger boy and handed it over. "Be careful with it, all right? I think that's my last one." "Ahkay!" Robin chirped and gently placed the little shark tooth in the fabric. Keegan smiled and turned his face toward the sun, reveling in the warmth and sweet smells that danced through the air. This was what Port Royal was about: being your own and doing what you wanted. Too bad he could only get away with it one day a week. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:43 PM Post #2 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. After the Pearl had dropped anchor, Jack ordered a boat lowered and rowed himself into the cove where he knew he could make a safe landing. He needed to go into town, which was why he prefered to row himself ashore, rather than ordering someone else to; said someone else would undoubtably have wanted to follow him into town, and that would have increased Jack's chances of being hanged a hundredfold. Good men (and woman) though his crew be, they were not inconspicuous. Besides, Jack didn't need anyone else to join him, and if he could do something alone, that was how he did it. Force of habit, probably, after being without a crew for so long. Jack had been sure there would be no people in the cove; there never were. That's what made it such an attractive place; close enough to Port Royal while far enough from it's navy, and all other unwelcome interest. Nevertheless, he had checked, scanning the cove through his spyglass. He'd been able to see almost all of it, and it was as deserted as ever. Which was why it was an unpleasant shock when a gust of wind from the land brought the unmistakable sound of children playing to his ear. He looked over his shoulder. Sure enough, there were some boys; two - no, three. Had they spotted him? It was impossible to tell from his distance. Well, he wasn't going to turn back on account of some harmless boys; he'd need the day to do what he needed to do, so he could return to the Pearl unseen come nightfall, even in the unlikely event that he'd attract some unwanted attention. And so Jack rowed steadily on towards the shore, wondering what story to tell the boys, should they ask any questions. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:43 PM Post #3 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan, John, and Robin didn't notice the little rowboat slowly maneuvering its way toward their cove. John's line had caught a fish, and he and Keegan had had a fun time pulling it in and measuring it so they could see whose catch was the biggest by the time they went home. Robin had a nice collection of little teeth growing inside Keegan's handkerchief. All three of the boys had stripped off their shirts within minutes of arriving, and John and Robin were both turning pink from the sun. Keegan's skin was much more tanned than theirs from frequent excursions to the beach. After he and John released the first fish, Keegan turned to check on Robin. The younger boy's skin was so sensitive, Keegan would rather he kept his shirt on. At the very least.... "Rob, put your hat on!" he called at the boy. "It's in the pack!" Robin turned and Keegan could see him pouting even from yards away. "I dun wanna....KEEGAN LOOKIT!!" Suddenly he was pointing and flailing his arms at something out in the water and Keegan and John whirled around to look. There was a little rowboat edging ever closer to the boys and their protected beach. John slowly stood up beside his older brother with a grimace. "I've never seen anyone anchor near here before," he mumbled, glancing up at Keegan. "Certainly not the navy, aye?" "Hm....Stay here," Keegan said and began scrabbling over rocks and boulders. John protested at first but quieted his shouts and turned his attention to Robin. The youngest boy was still standing completely still on the beach, listlessly pointing at the oncoming craft. Keegan, meanwhile, was creeping and scraping his way to a better vantage point. He didn't have any sort of spyglass to really see who it was that was coming, but he could sit and wait. And he did. He sat and waited for a few minutes, his eyes never leaving the approaching form, his body crouched behind a crag. His mother would say he looked like a wild native: covered in scratches, his curly hair matted and tangled, nothing on his body but his breeches. Wild child or not, Keegan enjoyed it. A few minutes crouched there by the rock and the boat was within clear sight. When Keegan realized who it was that was rowing the boat, his jaw dropped. "YOU!?" he cried, leaping to the top of the rock and staring at the pirate slowly rowing by. "What the bleedin' hell are YOU doing here?!" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:44 PM Post #4 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. Despite being prepared for company, Jack nearly had a heart-attack at the sudden shout from beside him. Fortunately the regular movements of his rowing went on uninterrupted, and he hid his shock admirably (he hoped), looking very slowly in the direction of the boy. He lazily raised his eyebrows, as if wondering why anyone would question his presence there. Ah! He recognised the boy with a mixture of calmness and suspicion. A bit high on morals, that boy, and clever enough to cause him trouble - but then, he hadn't on previous occasions. Jack decided the boy was probably just young enough to lack the assertiveness that could make him (indirectly) dangerous. "What the bleedin' hell are YOU doing here?!" Jack looked away from the boy, checking his distance to the beach over his shoulder. "I thought I'd have a little pleasure cruise on my Sunday afternoon. After all, a man needs some relaxation. Row around a bit, breathe some of that healthy country air... savvy?" Feeling the boat softly scraping over the sea bottom, he got up and jumped out. He ended up thigh-deep in salt water, the big splash making him wet even higher. That was one of the many good things about the Caribbean, though; the heat ensured that you never stayed wet for long. Jack pulled the boat up the beach sufficiently far to trust it wouldn't be washed away, then sat himself down on a big stone. He took off his boots one at a time and poured out the water, inspecting the stream with great attention while ostensibly ignoring Keegan. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:44 PM Post #5 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan saw with some satisfaction that the pirate flinched, just the tiniest bit, at the outburst. Normally the boy wouldn't have noticed, but Jack had so many trinkets on him that the slightest movement would have been noticeable to a magpie looking for shinies for its nest. At least Keegan knew he was still sneaky. "I thought I'd have a little pleasure cruise on my Sunday afternoon. After all, a man needs some relaxation. Row around a bit, breathe some of that healthy country air... savvy?" He grimaced slightly, since that was something near along the lines of why he had scampered off there with his brothers. Keegan turned and ambled along the rocks, matching the pace with which Jack rowed his boat ashore. He looked up to see his two brothers standing side by side at the beach, staring curiously. Since their oldest brother wasn't panicking, the man must not be dangerous. Actually, Keegan still had yet to see if Jack Sparrow was in fact dangerous or not. None of the boys were covered in any way aside from their breeches, and Keegan could see the glint of a revolver in Jack's belt. "Yeah, savvy," Keegan replied as he waded through the water toward his brothers as Jack sat on a boulder and pulled off his boots. John and Robin stood a few yards away, just staring, first at the man, then at Keegan. "Who is that?" John asked, none-too-quietly. Keegan sighed, passing his brothers and walking straight out of the water to the pack they had brought. He pulled out a wide brimmed, floppy leather hat and plopped it on Robin's head when he returned. Then he looked over at Jack, placing his hands on his hips. "That's Jack Sparrow," he murmured. Robin and John turned and stared at the man a few yards away on the rock, emptying his boots of water on Shark Beach. "No it's not!" Robin chirped, sticking out his lower lip. "Jack Sparrow isn't so ratty!" "Where's his ship, if he's Sparrow?" John demanded. "Sparrow's got that Black Pearl, I dun see it nowhere. He came in 'ere on that little dingy." Keegan shrugged, then clapped his brothers round the shoulders and steered them toward the pirate. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" he said with a smirk and stopped three feet away. John and Robin were petrified. "These are my brothers," Keegan remarked. "Robin in the hat, and John here. They have questions for you." John and Robin gulped. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:44 PM Post #6 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. Ah, there were the others already. Jack had been wondering when they'd show up, and he was glad to see they were still here; the chance that one of them would have gone and fetched an adult had been negligible, but one never knew. "Who is that?" John asked, none-too-quietly. Part of Jack was tempted to respond, but he had a policy about not responding when people were talking about him as if he weren't there (even if they were only children) - and, more importantly, he was rather curious what would be said if he didn't respond. In fact, his general attitude was to ignore absolutely everything, unless there was some benefit to be gained by his responding, whether in action or in word. This made life pleasant and relaxed, and if he let thing run their course, they always turned out all right in the end. Well, they mostly did, anyway. Jack's nose twitched when he was called ratty - but then, what did these kids know? They were walking around in nothing but breeches! He followed the rest of the conversation as he put his boots back on. Keegan pushed his brothers forward. "They have questions for you." "Is that so?" asked Jack. He gave them a look down his nose, and then stood up, raising himself to his full height (which was not much, but should be enough to impress these boys). "Well," he continued after a few long seconds of silence, and began walking a bit further inland to find a more comfortable place to sit, "if I'm going to be so kind as to answer them, perhaps you'll have the hospitality to offer me some food." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:44 PM Post #7 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "Is that so?" asked Jack. The look that Jack gave the boys only made Keegan smirk. It didn't surprise him that the pirate would try to look menacing, though the tottering stance kind of subtracted from any attempt at that. Robin and John were scared stiff, however, and Keegan could feel how tense they were from his hands on their shoulders. Both of them were staring; John's mouth was hanging open slightly. Keegan shook them roughly. "Well," he continued and began walking a bit further inland to find a more comfortable place to sit, "if I'm going to be so kind as to answer them, perhaps you'll have the hospitality to offer me some food." "Hospitality," Keegan snorted, following Jack closely with his eyes. "Don't ask for much of that or you might end up eating jail bread." Either way, he turned his brothers around to face him and took a step back, assuming a stance he'd seen Norrington assume when he was addressing lower ranking officers. "Rob, go check the lines. Should be something there now, maybe Mister Sparrow would like from fresh...whatever they are. John, take one of the bags and go get some water from that stream over the rocks." The two younger boys stared at Keegan incredulously, then they pointed at Jack and said simultaneously, "He's a pirate!" Keegan rolled his eyes. "A cad and a lush, yes. I've yet to see any real evidence of his alleged pirate abilities." He looked back at the boys and saw they didn't seem any less assured. "All right...Look, I don't think he's the type who'd just kill some kids. He won't hurt us." John furrowed his brows. "How can you be so sure?" The oldest boy shrugged. "I got my dagger in the pack." With that he shooed the boys off to their respective jobs, then turned and stalked over toward Jack and his comfortable rock. The comfortable rock the pirate had chosen was a few feet away from the knapsack the boys had brought containing some food and other things, as well as Keegan's little blade. He kept his eye on the pack almost as closely as he kept his eye on Jack. He stopped in front of Jack and crossed his arms over his chest. His skin was covered with drying salt from the sea and sand from the beach, and his usually curly hair was hanging limp and tangled around his face. "Do you come to this beach a lot?" he asked lightly. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:44 PM Post #8 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. Jack ignored Keegan's suggestion that he could send him to jail, and found himself a nice place to sit, in the shade of a large rock. He leaned back against the rock, allowing it to shove his hat halfway over his eyes. While he had much to do in town, there was still time; and Jack figured that he'd have needed to eat anyway, thus making this little interruption no waste of time. Also (though he would never admit it), his bout of rowing in the hot sun had tired him somewhat, and this bit of rest was very welcome. "Do you come to this beach a lot?" "Sometimes..." replied Jack evasively. He lifted up his hat a little, and looked up at Keegan. "And you? You look like you live here." Jack caught Keegan glancing away, and followed his eyes to the knapsack. "Anything interesting in there, mate?" He settled back again. "An apple, perhaps?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:45 PM Post #9 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. He lifted up his hat a little, and looked up at Keegan. "And you? You look like you live here." A saucy little smile curled its way on Keegan's face, making him look like the cat with the canary. He crouched down in front of Jack, his back to the sun with his arms crossed on his bent knees. One of his hands absently scratched at an old scab. He rested his chin on his arms and chuckled. "Certainly feels more like home than my house." He was silent for a moment and puckered his lips in thought, his eyes glazing over as he remembered his mother and father and how livid they would be if they knew what he was doing. "Definitely wish I could," he muttered with a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. It got stuck in his tangles and he roughly pulled apart some matted clumps. Jack caught Keegan glancing away, and followed his eyes to the knapsack. "Anything interesting in there, mate?" Keegan let his knees fall forward to the sand, as his body was starting to wobble from a long, sustained balance. His hands were still combing through the thickets of curls on his head as Jack mentioned the pack. It didn't entirely surprise him that the pirate had noticed, but it didn't mean he liked it. The boy grimaced and let his hands fall to the ground, his fingers tracing valleys in the sand. He settled back again. "An apple, perhaps?" Another smirk crossed Keegan's face and he looked back at Jack. "Perhaps. Don't worry though, my brothers are arranging your lunch." He took a moment to glance out toward where the fishing lines were. Robin was slowly crawling over the rocks toward the poles, not quite as confident as his older brothers when it came to frolicking over sharp boulders. John was nowhere in sight, seeing as the stream he was collecting from wasn't exactly nearby. It occurred then to Keegan that to cook the fishes they caught he'd need to start a fire. The last time they had tried to eat raw fish they had all gotten sick. When they had cooked their fish, something they had only managed once, they had been all right. Wasn't exactly good eating, but it was satisfying to reap the rewards of your own efforts. Keegan turned back to look at Jack. There was really no hurry to make a fire yet, as Robin was about as fast as a sea turtle on the rocks. "How old are you?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:45 PM Post #10 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. ((Jack can arrange fire in wickedly awesome ways. ;))) "Definitely wish I could." "Seems to me like that's your own choice. At least..." Jack looked the boy up and down, and decided that, with his intelligence and bearing underneath the childishness, he was indeed not too far from becoming a man. "... it will be soon enough." Jack vaguely remembered that the boy was somehow connected to the Navy, and wondered if he wouldn't be better employed elsewhere. But that would be for another time - not yet. Drifting away with his imaginations, Jack dozed off in the heat. "How old are you?" "Hmm?" Jack tried to pretend he hadn't almost fallen asleep. "Er..." He cleared his throat to give himself time to gather his thoughts, and then waved a dismissive hand. "I've lost count of the years... Old," he added with a grin, figuring that that was a safe thing to say to a child. He knew perfectly well how old he was (at least, he had a fair idea), but these last years he'd become secretive about it. He was getting a bit older, and although he wasn't anywhere near old, he didn't want the number of years to give people the wrong impression. "How old are you again?" he asked, peering at Keegan with apparent interest. "You're good friends with the navy, aren't you?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:46 PM Post #11 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. ooc: rilly?! XDXD Coolies! Must do them. "Seems to me like that's your own choice. At least..." Jack looked the boy up and down. "... it will be soon enough." Keegan slowly tilted his head to the side as he regarded this infamous pirate. He could see how most stories he'd heard had portrayed Jack in a rather positive light. The man was best known for his accomplishments outside of murder, and Keegan was beginning to see he was a sort of nice guy as well. At least...as far as he knew. He wasn't about to completely let his guard down, but he felt he could relax a little bit. "Yeah....Well I've at least got my foot out the door now," he said with a proud smile and looking toward Robin on the rocks. "Hmm? Er..." He cleared his throat, then waved a dismissive hand. "I've lost count of the years... Old," he added with a grin. A little smile tweaked at Keegan's face. From what he could gather, the man was certainly quite "old," but such an old that it was hard to determine just what age he was. His long hair and tottering walk and many decorated layers made it difficult to decipher what his body might be like. "Sound like my father," Keegan drawled with a smirk, leaning backwards on his hands and unfolding his legs out from under him. "You seem old enough to be him, actually. Considering my oldest sibling is 25 years old." "How old are you again?" he asked, peering at Keegan with apparent interest. "You're good friends with the navy, aren't you?" Keegan reached up and scratched his head, looking at Jack with a blank expression. "As good as any nobleman's kid gets. However I'm a bit more so...I'm a cabin boy. And I'm twelve." He looked off toward his brothers again. Robin was at last at the lines and was struggling to pull them in despite how small the catches were. John was also returning from his objective, two dripping water canteens in his hands. He didn't look all that eager to return to where the pirate rested. "John, hurry it up!" Keegan called. "Then go help Rob with the lines." John grudgingly dropped off the water canteens and then turned toward the ocean without a word. Keegan rolled his eyes and tossed one of the canteens at the pirate. "Water," he said and then scooted over to grab his pack. He reached in and pulled out a piece of flint and a stone to strike it against. He turned around to call out to his brothers once more. "John, get some kindling and sticks!" There was an affirmative yell from where the younger boys were, and Keegan turned back to Jack again, his pack with his dagger safely by his side. The pirate looked a little tired. "Don't you have a ship? Where's the rest of your crew?" he asked anyway. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:46 PM Post #12 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. ((Well, I may have exaggerated a wee bit... I figured he could do it with the flint in his pistol. [cue little boys going: "Ooooh...." :P] But it seems Keegan's prepared enough.  Still, if he should fail to get a spark, Jack will be happy to oblige.))"Sound like my father. You seem old enough to be him, actually. Considering my oldest sibling is 25 years old." Jack glared. "I'm not that old," he growled - and then, calculating, found out that he actually was. It was a bit of a disturbing thought, when he realised how long he'd been frequenting places like Tortuga and its pretty young girls. What if one of them -... He shuddered briefly, then decided it simply wasn't possible. Quickly he changed the focus of the conversation to Keegan. "I'm a cabin boy. And I'm twelve." Ah yes, a cabin boy... Jack wondered if there might not be some useful information to be learned here. Probably not, as Keegan was just a boy, but you never knew. Jack was about to start wheedling when Keegan's attention was distracted by his brothers, and the window of opportunity closed... for now. Jack caught the canteen and drank some water, then pulled a flask of rum out of his coat and took a good swig. Water was all right to cure thirst, but it didn't taste very good. "Don't you have a ship? Where's the rest of your crew?" Jack scowled. "Of course I have a ship. She's out there," he waved in the general direction of the ocean, "where she can leave quickly, if that should be necessary." He threw Keegan a last reproachful look, then settled back against the rock again. "Do I have a ship... You're a cabin boy, and yet you're not on a ship right now, are you?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:46 PM Post #13 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "I'm not that old," he growled. Keegan smirked. "Course you're not. You're in the prime of life! Just look at that sallow disposition. Those beady, baggy eyes...Why, you're quite a catch." He chuckled sinisterly and let his head fall back in order to laugh uninhibited. "Of course I have a ship. She's out there," he waved in the general direction of the ocean, "where she can leave quickly, if that should be necessary." He threw Keegan a last reproachful look, then settled back against the rock again. "Do I have a ship... You're a cabin boy, and yet you're not on a ship right now, are you?" The boy shrugged and ran a hand through his hair again. "No, I'm not. But I'm not a captain or an owner. Or a pirate for that matter." He looked at Jack, his head tilted to the side in contemplation. "I guess I'm just surprised that you're here alone. While it would aide in hiding out from authorities, it's also a little dangerous." He glanced up at the sky as a flock of seagulls passed and called out at the people below. "How do you know that we're not going to be joined by our older brothers? Or even other navymen?" He looked back at Jack with a curious face. "You're quite bold, obviously," he said with a sigh. "How long have you been a pirate anyway? How did you get started?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:46 PM Post #14 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. "You're in the prime of life! Just look at that sallow disposition. Those beady, baggy eyes...Why, you're quite a catch." What little sympathy (or as close to sympathy as he got) Jack had begun to develop for the boy washed out through the scuppers. And the kid chuckled! The bloody imp! "Yes, I am," Jack said coolly. "I've had more -" He cut himself short as he realised who he was talking to. "For your information, women like me a great deal. But, as you're not a woman, I'll forgive you your poor taste in men." "How do you know that we're not going to be joined by our older brothers? Or even other navymen?" "Oh, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Jack replied calmly, while wondering how old those brothers were exactly. He wasn't expecting the navy to show up here, but older brothers could be a problem. "Are you expecting anyone then?" "How long have you been a pirate anyway? How did you get started?" "I've always been a pirate. From birth," Jack improvised, not caring to share his past with the boy (nor even caring to remember it himself). "I was born between the guns of a pirate ship. The first thing I ever saw was the sea, right through the... gunports." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:47 PM Post #15 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "I've had more - For your information, women like me a great deal. But, as you're not a woman, I'll forgive you your poor taste in men." Keegan chuckled again. "Why thank you, sir," he chirped happily. He silently wondered what exactly Jack was going to say before that. Something about his numerous exploits in the brothels, no doubt. "Oh, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Jack replied calmly. "Are you expecting anyone then?" A kind of evil cackle echoed through Keegan's mind at that question. Of course he knew no one was coming, but Jack didn't, and no matter how aloof and calm the pirate claimed to be and acted like, the boy in front of him was certain he was at least a little concerned. He didn't blame Jack; he was there alone after all. He grinned and shrugged. "Actually they're not really my brothers, they're my brothers-in-law, I guess. But whatever." He waved his hand at the air dismissively. "I've always been a pirate. From birth," Jack improvised. "I was born between the guns of a pirate ship. The first thing I ever saw was the sea, right through the... gunports." Keegan erupted into bubbling laughter, even falling backwards on the sand and kicking at the ground with his feet. "Gun ports?!" he hailed. "Well, that's a new one! AHAHAHA! Never heard that euphemism before...Hehehe....Anyway...." He sat up again and shook sand from his hair, still chuckling. A quick glance over his shoulder reassured him of his brothers, both of whom were on their way back with fish and sticks. Keegan turned back to Jack with a sardonic smile. "So, born into it, eh? Too bad for your mother, she must not have had a good time of it on a pirate ship. Not a good place for a woman." He shrugged again. "Or it certainly doesn't sound like it." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:47 PM Post #16 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. Brothers-in-law? Well, that made it all better then... And the boy still hadn't answered his question. Jack couldn't ask it again without making his concern terribly obvious, and he didn't want to do that. Better cut this little 'visit' short (not too short, though, as that would be equally obvious), and move on to the town and the comparative obscurity of the crowds. "So, born into it, eh? Too bad for your mother, she must not have had a good time of it on a pirate ship. Not a good place for a woman." He shrugged again. "Or it certainly doesn't sound like it." Jack made a noncommittal sound. "The conditions for anyone on a pirate ship - or on any other ship, for that matter - depend mostly on the captain." He pushed his hat up a bit to scratch his forehead through his bandana. "There aren't many women that are fit for piracy, but those that are, are the fiercest pirates you'll ever see. For better and for worse." He was thinking about Anamaria rather than his mother, but it was true nonetheless. Jack looked at the smaller boys, who were finally coming back with fish and firewood, and tried to seem as threatening as he could when he said: "Ah... Here comes lunch." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:47 PM Post #17 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "There aren't many women that are fit for piracy, but those that are, are the fiercest pirates you'll ever see. For better and for worse." Keegan snorted in mild amusement. Well, that was true for any woman in any class or profession. Sometimes Keegan thought women were actually scarier and fiercer than most men, at least when you got them really riled up. And he had gotten his sisters, as well as his mother, really riled up. His father and brothers-in-law were meek little mice in comparison. How the heck did that work? "Ah... Here comes lunch." The boy blinked at the pirate, then followed his gaze. John had abruptly stopped walking at Jack's threatening tone, a scowl etched deep on his face. Robin practically bumped right into him and almost dropped the fish lines in his hands. Keegan sighed and rolled his eyes. "Move it, already!" he said in exasperation. "Food, remember? Gimme those, John." He roughly took the sticks from the middle boy and set them on the ground, digging out a little pit from the sand and lining some rocks around the edges. John was still staring at Jack, and Keegan didn't think there was really anything that would change the suspicious inspection. Keegan leaned over to get his flint and rock and began to strike the two together to get a spark. He grimaced as it took several tries. The scraps of wood John had found weren't completely dried out, and the spark died on the wind. He knew that the kindling was probably the driest around, however. They weren't exactly in the middle of a drought. Twenty tries and still no fire. Robin was getting restless, but John was still staring at Jack. The oldest boy leaned backwards to stretch out his cramped back, letting out a groan. Then he looked at Jack begrudgingly. "Don't you have something?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:47 PM Post #18 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. ((At the risk of proving my complete lack of knowledge concerning 17th/18th century fire-arms...)) Jack had leaned back again, seemingly indifferent about food now, enjoying the fear he had inspired in the boys. He wasn't the stereotypical ruthless pirate - not really; it simply wasn't in his nature. Which, of course, was why it was fun to pretend sometimes. "Don't you have something?" Jack slowly brought his eyes to rest on the attempted fire. "Maybe." He removed his coat, pulled out his pistol (resisting the urge to look at the boys as he did so), and positioned himself in front of the sticks. He removed the shot from his pistol (there was only so much scaring he wanted to do), collecting the gunpowder on his spread-out coat. After looking at the little heap, considering, he took the smallest amount between his fingers and deposited it into small hollow in one of the sticks. The remainder of the gunpowder should still be enough to allow him to fire his pistol - and even if it wasn't, the threat of a pistol was generally more useful than its actual firing anyway. He held the pistol to the sticks, the flint almost touching the gunpowder, and pulled the trigger. A tiny explosion, fire and smoke flaring up just an inch - then it all seemed to be gone again. But the stick was still smouldering, the hollow glowing a soft red, and the fire would, in the wind-free area that Keegan had created, soon grow and spread to the other sticks. Jack sat back and began reloading his pistol, as if all this was the most normal thing in the world - and in a way it was, for him. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:47 PM Post #19 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. ((yay, lack of historical terminology!)) Keegan scrutinized Jack as he took out his revolver and used its trigger starter to spark the kindling. He wasn't surprised the man had done that, in fact that was what he had expected him to do. However Robin and John were quite taken aback, and Robin had let out a surprised peep when Jack had pulled the trigger. The oldest boy rolled his eyes as he helped the flames spread. "You two act like you've never seen a gun fired before," he muttered disdainfully. "Not like that!" Robin said with awe, then turned and smiled at Jack. "That was neat!" Keegan grunted, not exactly wanting to enlarge the ego of the pirate any further. He glanced at John, and he was just staring at the fire in consternation. Keegan sighed and took a couple of extra sticks to spear the small fish with, then stuck them in the ground at an angle so they hovered over the fire to cook. He leaned back on his hands and looked idly at Jack, his brothers sitting on either side of him. "You're really a pirate?" Robin said with sudden gusto. It was as if the fire trick had suddenly proven the dubious man's worth. "D'you have gold treasure and stuff? Is it buried on this beach!" He looked around excitedly for any spot that a treasure might be buried, earning a small groan from Keegan that the littlest boy ignored. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:48 PM Post #20 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. ((Apologies for shortness, but I figured that this would at least keep things going while I catch up with all my stuff after my little holiday.)) "That was neat!" "Just a little pirate magic," said Jack with a grin. "You're really a pirate?" Robin said with sudden gusto. It was as if the fire trick had suddenly proven the dubious man's worth. "D'you have gold treasure and stuff? Is it buried on this beach!" "If I had any treasure buried here, I wouldn't tell you, now, would I?" said Jack, his tone slightly teasing. He didn't have buried treasure, actually - what sort of pirate buried gold anyway? - but the idea of the little boy wandering around the beach digging holes amused him. As the fish started getting cooked, their smell filled the air. Jack liked it; few things could beat fire-cooked fish for a simple meal. Some bread with it would have been nice; maybe he should have brought some food from the Pearl anyway. Thinking about the Pearl reminded him of his business; a quick bite of fish, and he'd have to go. He glanced out to sea, first thinking, then simply admiring, half-hypnotised by the movement of the waves. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:48 PM Post #21 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. ((ish okay ^^)) "If I had any treasure buried here, I wouldn't tell you, now, would I?" said Jack, his tone slightly teasing. "Awwwww!" Robin groaned and hugged his knees in a pout. He was silent a few moments, staring sulkily at the ground. Then he looked up again and glanced around the surrounding area. "Actually I guess putting it in a cave would be better. Couldn't get blown away if a storm came 'round..." With that the small boy jumped to his feet and scampered off toward the rocks and nearby cliffs. Keegan turned and yelled after him. "Robin come back here! I'll tell Mum about this!" Whatever threat those words were supposed to produce, they went unheard as Robin gleefully began crawling over the rocks, poking into holes with sticks. Keegan growled and sat heavily in the sand, giving Jack a repremanding look. "Look what you've done!" he said. "You had to go and fill the boy's head with fluff. I've never met such a garrulous pirate." John turned and looked at Keegan. "Could there really be loot around here?" he asked tentatively. The oldest boy turned and glared at him, then snatched a biscuit from the satchel they had brought and shoved it in John's mouth. "Stuff it," he grumbled, turning to look at Jack. The man was looking off to sea, which Keegan was grateful for. He didn't need any more smug looks from a dirty ragamuffin, however infamous he was. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:48 PM Post #22 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. Keegan growled and sat heavily in the sand, giving Jack a repremanding look. "Look what you've done!" he said. "You had to go and fill the boy's head with fluff. I've never met such a garrulous pirate." "Why, thank you," grinned Jack. "It's a gift." That was one annoying boy out of the way - and possibly more fish for him. It was surprising that even boys would believe that treasure was buried here, right under the nose of the Navy; for law-abiding citizens, their opinion of the Navy was strangely not much better than Jack's own. The sun bounced off the ever-moving waves, making the sea look like an enormous sparkly gem. Jack stared at the spectacle for a while, entranced. Then he suddenly spoke, his voice unusually soft and pensive. "Tell me, young master McAllister... As the eldest son of a wealthy family... why did you choose the sea?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:48 PM Post #23 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "Tell me, young master McAllister... As the eldest son of a wealthy family... why did you choose the sea?" While Jack had gone about being entranced by the waves, Keegan had let his head fall against the knees folded against his chest. He was sort of half-asleep himself. Swimming and general frolicking in the sun tended to do that. Jack's words shook him out of it, as well as a not-so-friendly jab from John. He looked up and rubbed his eyes. "The sea," he mumbled, holding his forehead for a moment. Then he looked up at Jack with his palms turned to the sky. "We were all born on this island," he said in such a way that the answer should be as obvious as that. "I've never really left it, none of us have. Not even to go to other ports at nearby islands. Nothing. The most I've done on a ship is help some sailors out when I was younger, and I can't get away with that much anymore." Keegan let out a long sigh and turned his face to the sun, closing his eyes. "I guess I'm tired of it all. I've had enough land; I want some ocean now." He gave Jack a look. "Why haven't you ever chosen the land?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:48 PM Post #24 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. "I guess I'm tired of it all. I've had enough land; I want some ocean now." Jack gave a lazy nod in reply, barely listening. After all these years, he still couldn't explain his own attraction to the sea completely, but plain boredom wasn't it. "Why haven't you ever chosen the land?" Jack was about to reply that he hadn't exactly been born on the ocean, when he remembered just in time that that was exactly what he'd told Keegan. His answer was therefore a bit late in coming. "I'm on land now, aren't I?" Jack smirked and slowly got up. "Chosing land as one's permanent residence is too limiting; you pick one place, and you're stuck. If you choose the sea, you can choose whichever land you want, when you want it." Jack had knelt next to the fire and was now inspecting a fish-stick that he'd picked up. "Of course, it's slightly different in the navy." Satisfied about his fish, Jack moved away from the fire and sat down again. He blew at the fish a bit and carefully took a bite. It was very hot still, but just edible. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:49 PM Post #25 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "I'm on land now, aren't I?" Jack smirked and slowly got up. "Choosing land as one's permanent residence is too limiting; you pick one place, and you're stuck. If you choose the sea, you can choose whichever land you want, when you want it. Of course, it's slightly different in the navy." Keegan gave Jack a searching look, keeping a steady gaze on the pirate. "Of course..." he murmured, rubbing his nose with the tip of his index finger. The idea of choosing where you roamed and picking which land you landed on also sounded incredibly tantalizing. But that was a pirate thing, wasn't it? Pirates were the only ones who scuttled around, free as they pleased. Everyone else had a job to do. He sneered and looked off toward the trees lining the small cliffs that enclosed the cove. "It's still better than etiquette lessons and tea parties," he snorted. When the man reached for one of the fish, Keegan realized they were all done. They were so small, it didn't take much to cook them. He gathered the rest of them, three more in all, and moved them from the fire. He stuck them unceremoniously in the ground in front of Jack, then sauntered over to the rucksack. Pulling out a large parcel wrapped in linen, he rejoined John and unfolded it to reveal several pieces of soft biscuit, a block of cheese, and three apples. "Here, John," he said as he handed the middle brother his share of their brought lunch. John gladly took it and began to devour it as Keegan looked off toward the rocks and boulders that Robin had been scampering over. The youngest boy was nowhere in sight. "Robin!" Keegan called, already miffed that the boy had strayed so far. He listened for a few moments but was met with nothing but the sea breeze. Well that wasn't normal...Robin was such a cautious boy that he typically stayed within earshot of his siblings. Keegan exchanged concerned looks with John, then something finally drifted to them on the air. "Help!" came a faint cry from the direction of the rocks. Keegan only had time to swear once before he was running. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:49 PM Post #26 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. "Thanks very much," mumbled Jack as Keegan gave him the rest of the fish, not even looking up. He wondered why the boys didn't take any fish themselves, but he didn't let it worry him; he was enjoying his meal. Keegan unpacked the rest of lunch, and Jack glanced somewhat jealously at the apples. Oh well, maybe later. Jack was vaguely aware that there was a big fuss being made about the youngest boy disappearing. Well, what did they expect? It was only a kid - but then, so were they. Jack was convinced that the boy would show up sooner or later; preferably after Jack had had the opportunity to take his apple. Then came a soft cry for help from the direction of the rocks, and the two remaining boys ran towards it. Yes, that's it, thought Jack. When there's danger somewhere, you go towards it. He sighed deeply, looking at the running boys. Hopeless. He tossed his finished stick away, picking up another fish as he stood up and followed them, walking leisurely. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:49 PM Post #27 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan was stumbling along the sand, nearly falling to his knees at least five times. It was hard running on such uneven and unforgiving terrain, especially when you didn't know if there would be a sharp rock or a little crab hiding under the sands just waiting to give a good cut. It didn't matter now, of course. Robin was somewhere out there among the boulders. Keegan cursed himself a million times as he ran headlong to the stony banks. How could he be so irresponsible? The youngest boy could barely dogpaddle; there were dozens of ways for him to get in trouble out there. "Robin!" he yelled as he slowed down on the gray, pockmarked rocks. He looked all around, the beach on one side and the sea on the other. Robin was still no where in sight. "Robin!" John arrived by his side, staggering and panting for breath. Just then another faint cry came from the direction of the ocean, near the rocks that dotted the bottom of the shallow cliffs. Had he fallen all that way? Were his legs broken? "We're coming, Robin!" Keegan screeched as he carefully bounded his way along the rocks. John followed at a slower but no less anxious pace. By the time Keegan reached where he thought Robin was located, he was bleeding from several cuts and gashes in his legs, and his hands were practically mutilated, all thanks to the rocks he'd haphazardly scampered over. The cry had come from around here, he was sure. But there was still no one around. "Robin where are you?!" Keegan hollered, cupping his mouth with one hand. "Keeeeegan!" came a wailing cry from close by. "I'm down 'ere!" Keegan turned and looked around. "Down....?" Finally his eyes rested on a little sinkhole not five feet away, the kind that spouts of water would shoot out from when forced to extreme pressures. Keegan carefully ambled over and looked in. "Robin?" The little boy looked up, his face covered in tears and seawater. "Keegan!" he squeaked. "I...I fell in! I can't get back out! The...the water's starting to c-come in too!" "It's all right, we'll get you out," Keegan sighed. "Are you okay? No broken bones?" "N-no...." Keegan turned and looked for John, who was just then ambling up. When he stopped Keegan could see his body shaking from the overexertion. Just then he really hated his mother for turning them into such physically deprived children. "John, c'mere, I'll lower you down. Rob's in here." John blinked in bewilderment for a moment, then wordlessly acquiesced. He was still gasping for air and couldn't speak even if he wanted to. Keegan looped his arms around John's legs and carefully lowered him into the sinkhole. His feet, already sore and tender from the bone breaking run, objected harshly to this new injustice. Pain blotted his eyes in red bursts as he struggled with John's relatively light body. "Hurry up!" he hissed. "I...I can't...reach 'm!" John managed to breathe. "He's like another...three feet away!" Keegan let out a pained yell and quickly hauled John out of the sinkhole, falling backwards on his bum and letting the momentum carry him flat on his back. It was then that he opened his eyes and noticed the pirate. To see him moving so carelessly toward them seemed the oddest thing in the world. Three feet.... He rolled over to right himself, John consoling Robin in the background, and called out to the man. "Jack! We..." He paused for just a moment, realizing that he was asking a pirate for help. It didn't matter. "We need help! Rob's stuck!" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:49 PM Post #28 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. ((Hehe... You said "a little crap". :P)) ((Dammit, I managed to lose my post again. Grrrr....)) Jack wandered calmly on, eating his fish. For some reason, whatever 'danger' the youngest boy was in didn't worry him it all. It wasn't that he had a heart of stone; after all, he'd saved Elizabeth Swann at great peril to himself, for no reason other than human kindness. (Or so he told honest men; the version told to pirates was slightly different, involving a shapely young woman in undergarments.) But this - this didn't worry him. If the situation was as bad as the eldest boys automatically assumed, Jack thought he would know it; hear it, feel it - he'd know. Kids getting themselves in trouble didn't involve real danger, surely... Jack wasn't paying much attention, therefore, to what the two boys were doing as he slowly caught up with them, stepping along the rocks with the balance of a man used to walking on swaying ships. He vaguely noted that they were lifting each other up, and rolling around... That was kids for you. Jack finished his fish and threw the stick in the direction of the sea, where it bounced off some rocks with the hollow sound of dry wood. Suddenly Keegan called him, and Jack raised his eyebrows, surprised at the alarm apparent in the boy's voice. "We need help! Rob's stuck!" Jack frowned and looked around, finally understanding the situation when he noticed the sinkhole. He swaggered over and looked down into it. Sure enough, there was the smallest boy, looking even smaller so far down. He was already pretty deep in the water that undoubtedly saved him from a far more dangerous and painful fall. The sight might almost have been funny, if the boy wasn't so scared. "I don't suppose he can float to the top when the water comes in?" sighed Jack. Why did he always have to save others? Fate seemed to punish him for it every time he did - and he'd rather spend his energy on more profitable or pleasurable things anyway. Still, he could hardly let the boy die... "All right then. You - Keegan..." he said, turning around to find Keegan already standing beside him. "Right. Sit down." Jack crouched and took hold of Keegan's ankles. He breathed deep and mumbled partly as a warning, but mostly to himself: "Hoist away!" He stood up quickly, so that he had Keegan lifted up into the air before the boy's head had a chance to hit the ground. Jack clenched his teeth as the movement ended and the full weight of the boy suddenly hung from his extended arms, straining his muscles (which, for a seaman, were rather subpar) to the max. "You need to lay off the cheese, mate," he growled in accusation. Jack wobbled around so that Keegan was hanging over the hole, and he could finally lower the boy and allow his muscles to relax a bit. Just as Jack was beginning to think he could take this, easily, one of Keegan's legs almost slipped from his hand, wet as it was from sweat and (Jack noted with distaste) some blood. But he managed to get a grip again; just as well, probably, as the authorities in Port Royal wouldn't have appreciated him adding the murder of two defenseless children to his list of crimes. "Do you have him yet?" Jack said with impatience. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:49 PM Post #29 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. (AHAHA so I did >____> *fixes it*) "I don't suppose he can float to the top when the water comes in?" sighed Jack. Keegan glared at him, breathing shallowly. "By that time the waves'll crush him against the rocks. This is one of those blowholes, where the water rushes in and spouts out. Rob'll be killed if it--" "All right then. You - Keegan..." he said. "Right. Sit down." The boy blinked at him in mild confusion. Sit down? What was that supposed to do? Then again, the idea of sitting was looking extremely appealing as Keegan felt his legs beginning to shake. He grimaced and sat down with a jerk, wincing. His legs were a mess, like they'd been shaved with pieces of coral. Keegan let out a sigh and then tensed when Jack reached down and grabbed him by the ankles. "Hoist away!" "Hey, what're you--AHH!" Keegan quickly covered his head as Jack practically flipped him end over end. Surprisingly, however, he never even scraped the ground. He looked up at Jack incredulously, saw the pirate was straining visibly under the boy's weight, and grimaced again. "You need to lay off the cheese, mate," he growled in accusation. "Oh be quiet," Keegan growled as Jack turned and lowered him into the hole. He didn't entirely trust the man, and he let out a yelp when the grip on his leg slipped. Jack wouldn't really drop him, would he? He was a pirate and he obviously didn't have an attraction to children, but to let two or three kids die on purpose was low even for him. "Keegan!" Keegan looked down into the hole, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the scattered light. He could see Rob splashing around, standing on tiptoe in the water to prevent it from covering his face. A wave came then and practically knocked the small boy over. "Robin!" Keegan called in alarm, but he breathed again as the boy appeared above the water, coughing and sputtering. Keegan reached out as far as his arms would go. "C'mon Rob, we've almost got you..." Rob looked up and extended his arms as well, his body fighting for balance as the water swirled around him. They were still too far away, at least another foot if not more. Keegan swore loudly. "Do you have him yet?" Jack said with impatience. "NO!" Keegan shrieked, wishing he could kick Jack square between the legs for the trouble this pirate was causing him. If he hadn't furthered Rob's ideas about buried treasure, Rob wouldn't have gone out and looked for it, and he wouldn't have wound up in the spot he was in. And Keegan wouldn't have had to ask for help from Jack Sparrow. "Rob, try to jump," Keegan said encouragingly. The little boy nodded and set his face into a determined grimace. As he jumped, however, the water was suddenly sucked out of the hole, dragging Robin along with it a good few feet. He began to wail with fright when, just as suddenly, the water came back. With a good bit of force. It foamed close to Keegan's hanging hands, and he flailed his arms to try and get a grasp of the smallest boy as he splashed to stay above the water. They were so close.... "John tell me when the next wave comes!" he called as the water inside the hole began to settle. It was getting higher, as Robin was doing his best to dogpaddle now and couldn't spare an arm to grasp at Keegan's hands. Hopefully the next wave would make him float even closer, and Keegan could grab him. If Jack could hold out. He looked quickly toward his feet, glaring at the pirate. "Don't drop me," he snarled. "We almost have him." "Kee, here comes one!" John announced. Keegan turned to Robin and explained the procedure he hoped would work. The water sucked out again, dragging Robin away until he could touch the water and scramble back before the wave overtook him. The wave came, stronger than the previous one, and lifted Robin right into Keegan's arms. The oldest boy grasped him tightly, his slippery hands like talons. "PULL US UP!" he screeched. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:50 PM Post #30 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. "Don't drop me," he snarled. There goes that idea then... thought Jack, but, needing to concentrate on holding on to the boy, he had no breath to spare for sarcastic remarks. This had better be over soon, or he'd drop the boy whether he wanted to or not. "PULL US UP!" So Jack did. With an almighty heave, he half-turned, hoping to dump his load to the side of the hole, where they wouldn't fall back in - though at this point, he'd care precious little if they did. Letting go of them, he fell on his side, then rolled on his back, cursing silently at the blow his shoulder had taken in the fall. He lay still for a while, with his eyes closed, breathing heavily. As he'd finally caught his breath a little, he opened his eyes, squinting against the bright light that was interrupted only by the shadow of one of the boys standing next to him. "What are you looking at?" growled Jack. "A man has a right to sunbathe when he wants to." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:50 PM Post #31 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan gripped Robin with all his might as Jack hauled them shakily out of the hole. When the man dropped them Keegan couldn't help but let out a yelp as the rock cut into the bare skin of his back. He tried to prevent Robin from getting any more scraped up than the boy already was, and like Jack he flopped out on his back and breathed heavily. John was the only one standing. "What are you looking at?" growled Jack. "A man has a right to sunbathe when he wants to." "Ah...sorry," John peeped and stepped away from the pirate and turned his attention to his brothers. Robin was crying against Keegan's chest, shaking slightly. Keegan squeezed his eyes shut against the burning sunlight and draped his arm over his face to shield them while he regained his breath. His body was suddenly extremely tired, but laying on a sun baked rock was not the place to relax. He took a deep breath and hoisted his body into a sitting position, gently pulling Robin away to get a look at him. Bruised and a little battered, and of course dripping wet, but Rob was fine. "C'mon, stop that," Keegan murmured and pushed some soggy tangles out of the youngest boy's eyes. "You're all right." Robin gradually ebbed his tears and let Keegan put him on the rock beside him. Then Keegan looked at Jack. He was indebted to a pirate. "Are you all right?" he grumbled sourly in Jack's direction. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:50 PM Post #32 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. "Are you all right?" Jack slowly sat up. "Just peachy, thanks," he said in a tone that revealed absolutely nothing. He absentmindedly moved his shoulder around a bit to make sure he was still in one piece. Fortunately there seemed to be no real damage done. Jack looked at the two sitting boys. The youngest looked perfectly fine, if wet - but Keegan was a different story. His legs and feet were covered in blood from various cuts, though the water mixing with the blood undoubtedly made it look worse than it was. "You look like you've had an unfortunate encounter with one of the wilder examples of Tortuga's female population..." Realising he didn't care to explain that one, he added: "Or a cat." Jack stood up and straightened out his clothing. "How are you going to explain this at home, then?" he asked as he offered the kid his hand to help him up. It was a seemingly sympathetic question, but he was mostly wondering what Keegan might tell about Jack's part in the story. It wouldn't be the first time that Jack's rescuing someone's life led to his presence being known, and his capture. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:50 PM Post #33 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "You look like you've had an unfortunate encounter with one of the wilder examples of Tortuga's female population...Or a cat." Keegan glanced down at his legs and feet and tightened his jaw. They certainly were a mess, shredded like someone had taken a knife to them. He tentatively moved some of his toes, and held back a whimper. Now that all the adrenaline from the rescue was leaving him, all manner of feeling rushed back to his veins. Of course the predominant one was burning pain. Aside from the cuts and gashes, his hands were scratched raw, and his skin was starting to burn. Sunny Sunday was officially over. "How are you going to explain this at home, then?" "Home?" Keegan muttered like he never would have thought of the word on his own. Then he jerked and took in his ragged appearance once again, glancing over at his brothers in turn. They seemed to realize the severity of the situation in unison, Robin even let out a hearty gasp. "Mum's gonna murder us," John whispered, putting a hand to his mouth. Keegan growled and let out a huff, turning to look and yell at Jack for ruining everything. His mouth stopped abruptly when he realized the pirate was holding his hand out to him. What did he want? Money? Some kind of reward for saving Robin? Jack knew fine and well that Keegan's family was of the nobility, no matter how low on the social ladder it was. Actually Keegan was constantly surprised Jack didn't try to exploit them at all. Or at least, that much. "I fell," he grunted stubbornly and grabbed John's arm. He struggled to get to his feet, and John struggled to balance the weight, but the pain was too much. It seared from Keegan's feet to his brain and made him drop back on the ground with a frustrated yell. "I fell!" he screamed again, pulling himself to a sitting position. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:50 PM Post #34 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jack. ((Sorry I keep writing so short, but I really get the idea that I'm writing far too much lately... Not length-wise (obviously :rolleyes: ), but depth-wise, as it were. So I'm trying to limit my unnecessary explanations and specifications. Bad enough that I over-analyse and overplan everything else; Jack shouldn't have to suffer. :P)) As Keegan took John's hand, completely ignoring Jack's, Jack rolled his eyes and looked away, withdrawing his hand again. So much for his show of sympathy... Still, he couldn't resist looking sharply back when the boy fell again. "I fell!" "Yes, we can see that," Jack commented dryly. "And may I congratulate you? The best lies are the ones that aren't technically lies at all." Jack looked down on Keegan, who seemed to be making no further efforts to get up. Clearing his throat, he said: "Well, I'll just be off then... Duty calls." Or profit called, which Jack figured was practically a duty for a pirate. He gave a little half-wave as he turned around. "Goodbye, gentlemen. Thanks for the fish." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 08:51 PM Post #35 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. ooc: best to write too much than not enough XD "Yes, we can see that," Jack commented dryly. "And may I congratulate you? The best lies are the ones that aren't technically lies at all." Keegan looked up and stared incredulously at the pirate. Lies? Ah...well, he supposed he understood that sentiment. Keegan was actually very good at lying anyway, it was like an art he strove to perfect everyday. Mostly the only reason he did it was to keep his mother from condemning his rambunctious life. He was going to have a hell of a time coming up for something to cover up his present state now. He was certainly going to leave out the pirate bit. "Well, I'll just be off then... Duty calls." The boy glared at him as he began to walk off. Duty called, yeah right. It was then that Keegan realized he had left his pack on the beach, and aside from some snacks, inside was his precious little dagger. If Jack sought to pilfer them of food he would find it, and most likely take it. Keegan couldn't lose that knife. "Goodbye, gentlemen. Thanks for the fish." He desperately tried to think of something. He couldn't follow the man fast enough in his condition, and his brothers weren't strong enough to stop Jack (though Keegan probably wasn't that much stronger). Suddenly he thought of one thing....but he wasn't going to enjoy it at all. "Wait!" he cried out. "I can't..." He took a deep breath and tried to relax his clenched jaw. "I can't walk, at least not on these rocks. My brothers are too little." Keegan ran a hand through his matted hair and glowered toward the ground. "Could you...carry me? At least to the fire." |
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4:08 AM Jul 30
