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| Private Investigations; open | |
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| Topic Started: 17 Sep 2008, 11:35 PM (694 Views) | |
| Jack | 17 Sep 2008, 11:35 PM Post #1 |
You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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((Right - this is totally random, and There were times for thinking, and there were times when thinking was best left to the discretion of others. Granted, there was a good chance that no thinking would happen at all under those circumstances, but that could hardly be considered Jack's fault, could it? He couldn't be expected to do nothing but think all day and all night. That wouldn't do anybody any good. And yet... Although Jack would never admit it, there were aspects to getting the Pearl back that had been... less than welcome. All it took was one crewmember with a mind of his own, and the whole crew was doing annoying, most unnecessary things, like asking questions, and wanting to know what the next venture was. Had they not recently returned from a most profitable venture? Well, all right... 'Most' might be a trifle exaggerated. But they were back in Tortuga with a little money to spend, and anyone asking question about the suchlike in this day and age needed to get his head examined. Sadly, not everyone had come to terms with the status quo - and, worse, neither had Jack. East India Company or not, Davy Jones or not, there had to be something grand out there, just waiting to be pilfered or otherwise possessed, preferably in some spectacular way. Maybe it was Jack's fault that he wasn't finding it - after all, who else's fault could it be? But there came a time, as previously stated, when one had to step back and let things run their course for a while. It was just like when you were desperately trying to remember something, and could only remember it if you stopped thinking about it. And Tortuga happened to be an excellent place to stop thinking about things. For personal reasons the Faithful Bride was best avoided for a little while, and so it was that Jack took a long way around that tavern while trying to find another. Not that this was difficult - the town was teeming with similar establishments - but there was the matter of making a choice. Not having decided beforehand gave the trip into a town Jack was intimately familiar with an unusual sort of freshness, which soon allowed him to get his mind off the worldy worries and onto the worldly pleasures. Turning a corner, Jack found the street remarkably empty - so empty, in fact, that for a moment he was almost suspicious. There was a drunk sleeping it off against a wall, though, and from inside a large building further down came music that was almost civilised - not Jack's usual preference, but it was intriguing to find something like that in a place like this. After taking another look around, still seeing nothing of note, Jack headed to the building to investigate. |
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| Old Gibbs | 19 Oct 2008, 08:49 PM Post #2 |
First Mate
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It was difficult work sometimes getting away from Jack when they went ashore, particularly in Tortuga. As his first mate, he almost felt obligated to follow him into town for a drink or two. It usually wasn't a bad thing. Gibbs enjoyed spending time with a good friend, and it rarely lasted more than a couple of hours anyways. Before long, Jack would be distracted with the ladies, and Gibbs could then slip away quietly. But there were some days he didn't want to wait that long. On those days, Gibbs had to make up some excuse to stay aboard the ship. Usually something about "loose ends" that needed to be tied up. Since Jack was always more than willing to allow Gibbs to handle those things, he usually left him there with the vague promise to see him later. But this was one of the luckier nights. Jack seemed to want to be alone. He had left without the usual invitation to follow along, leaving Gibbs with no need to make excuses. As soon as his captain was out of sight, he went to his gunny sack, switched shirts to one that had a chance to air out a bit, straightened his hair in a broken looking-glass that hung below deck, and headed toward the Wishing Well, where his darling Eunice would be there for him. It wasn't that he didn't want Jack to join him there. It was just that, well, Eunice wasn't really Jack's type, as far as he could judge by the women he hired, and he wasn't really sure what Jack would think of his special lady. She was sort of his little secret. He arrived at the place to find that it wasn't very busy, but at this time of the evening that wasn't unusual, especially since this establishment was slightly off the beaten path. He was pleased to find his favorite girl washing mugs behind the bar and not too busy with customers to pay a little special attention to him. She was a thick-figured, middle-aged woman, somewhere in her forties, with sparkling strands of silver woven though her chestnut hair. Even when she was expressionless, as she was now while doing her chores, she still carried a jovial disposition. "There's my lass!" Gibbs called out as he approached the bar with his arms out as though he would embrace her. Eunice stopped what she was doing and turned around. "Joshy! It's been too long, love! Come and have a seat and I'll get you some rum." As Gibbs sat down at the bar, she leaned over and gave him a chaste little kiss on the cheek. After all the two of them had done together, Gibbs still couldn't keep himself from blushing a bit. "You'll have to tell me all about your time at sea," she said as she poured the rum. "And that daft captain of yours." She laughed a bit as she said this. She knew how much Jack Sparrow meant to Gibbs as a friend, but some of his stories about him were hilarious. And all of them were exciting. "Aye, I've got some tales fer y', all right," he said and licked his lips as Eunice placed the mug of rum in front of him. He took a large swig and sat it back down on the bar. Eunice was standing there with her hand out and a wink in her eye, so Gibbs reached in his pocket and pulled out some coins for her. They spent the next several minutes catching up, until someone came through the door and distracted them. |
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| Deleted User | 1 Nov 2008, 06:37 PM Post #3 |
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Phantom elephants trampled his head, bellowing and honking and stamping about in the soft sand of his aching brain-box. He had been hung over before, but he could usually sleep it off. Not this time. Today, Max Glee, deduceer of Tortuga, felt absolutely rotten. Hoping the manager of the Wishing Well was out that day, he slowly rolled himself out of his hammock and landed with a dull thud on the wooden floor. Max grunted and snorted to clear his sinuses and started to get up. Once he was up on all fours, he contemplated making a base camp and finishing the job later. Alas, if one of the staff came in to find him, he would not have much choice, and a momentary loss of direction was better than a boot up his backside. Max forced himself over to the spit bucket in the corner and gobbed out the lump of sickly bile clinging to the back of his throat. Whatever he had been drinking, it must have been some damn nasty stuff. It was only as he began washing the thickest layers of dirt from his body that the events of the previous night came back to him. He had gone out on a case, well, not much of a case, it just a simple act of settling an argument. Much like that time when he first came to the port town, filthy, starving and forgotten, and as such the pay had been lousy. For a second, he thought that perhaps he should have charged more. Bloody cheapskates, the money he received for his services was probably lifted from some other poor bum anyway. Parched, he had wandered into another tavern, where he became engaged in a drinking game with another patron and slept most of the night in an empty shack. Some miracle had led him home in the early hours of the morning and he had promptly collapsed. He pulled his clothes on, though it took three attempts to get his right arm through the sleeve, and a couple more to button up his jerkin properly. Slipping his boots on, and placing his pistol and cosh in their respective holsters, he opened the door and ventured down the stairs. Still clearing the cobwebs out of his skull, Max walked through the staff door into the wide expanse of the tavern. Since the door opened into the space behind the counter, the first thing he saw was old Eunice talking to her mutton-chopped boyfriend. He was good with names, usually, the chap’s name was…Gibson? Giblet? Something like that. Damn that brown haze covering his brain. Preferring not to get caught and receive a telling off for being late, Max crept out and got on with just waiting tables…or he would have anyway, had he not found himself tripping over his own boots and landing face down on the floor. |
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| Jack | 2 Nov 2008, 09:07 PM Post #4 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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((Giblet! That's so cute. *smirks*)) When Jack stepped inside, the interior of the tavern proved as odd yet uneventful as the outside. Was this place really as dead as it seemed? Jack had been looking for something different, but... Maybe this had been a mistake. Be that as it may, Jack was here now, and there at least should be rum to be had; if the rum was as disappointing as the rest of the tavern, he could always leave then. Jack's eyes wandered to the bar, and saw... "Gibbs?" Jack frowned, not understanding. Wasn't Gibbs supposed to be doing something useful? Instead, it seemed like he had gone here to drink. But why here? Surely if all he had wanted was some rum... It didn't make sense. The person behind the bar didn't even register in Jack's mind; he or she was only a vague outline of a person, so much window dressing without the decorative benefits. Rather than waiting for an explanation, Jack was about to address the issue in more detail, but he was distracted by the dull thud of a body hitting the floor. Anticipating a fight, Jack's head whipped around to search the source of the sound, trying to find out if a change of position would be to his tactical advantage, but all he saw was a man lying face-down on the floor. Jack cocked his head as if to get a better view, eyes narrowing slowly. Was there something familiar about the seemingly drunken man, or had Jack simply seen too many men lying like that in too many Tortugan taverns? Well, if he couldn't remember who the man was, it probably wasn't important. Which lead him back to the little matter of Gibbs' strange antics. Walking on to the bar, Jack took a seat next to Gibbs. "Rum," he told the woman behind the bar before looking at her and adding: "My friend here is buying." Jack wasn't sure he even wanted to hear Gibb's reason for sneaking out like he had, but the least the man could do to make amends was to buy Jack a drink or two. |
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| Old Gibbs | 5 Nov 2008, 07:28 AM Post #5 |
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First Mate
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((Are you implying that he's part of a turkey?)) As soon as Gibbs saw Jack coming through the door, he had the urge to hide his face, but he knew that wouldn't do any good. Even if the place had been more busy, he could have at least hoped to blend in with the crowd unnoticed, but there was no crowd. Only a handful of people sitting quietly at tables with their drinks. If Gibbs did anything other than act normal, it would only give Jack the impression that he was up to no good. So he decided to play it off by sitting back and taking another drink of his rum. "Gibbs?" "Jack!" he said, trying to sound like he was happy to see him. "What brings y' all the way over here?" But before Jack had an opportunity to answer that, something hit the floor and caught his attention. It was Max, one of the tavern workers who Gibbs had seen before but never got to know very well, since his attention was always on Eunice when he came. "You okay over there, kid?" Eunice asked. "When you're done crawling around on the floor, I need you to sweep up the place. I noticed you didn't get it done last night like you were supposed to." "Rum," he told the woman behind the bar before looking at her and adding: "My friend here is buying." A brief moment of panic ran through Gibbs as he wondered if he would have enough money for both his rum and Jack's, and still have some left for a night with Eunice. But he couldn't very well say anything about it and let Jack figure out his reason for being there. He looked up at Eunice, whose attention was now turned to her newest patron, and said reluctantly, "Aye, I'll pay fer it." Eunice laughed, "So, this is Captain Jack Sparrow? I almost feel like I know you. Drink's on me, Captain. Max, come over here and pour this man some rum, the good stuff." Gibbs rubbed his hands over his face for a moment. Jack was sure to want to find out how she knew him. Gibbs's secret was well on its way to being exposed. Of all the taverns in Tortuga, Jack had to choose this one. Before he could stop himself, he asked Jack, "Aren't y' supposed t' be at the Faithful Bride?" |
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| Deleted User | 6 Nov 2008, 02:27 AM Post #6 |
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“You okay over there, kid?” Eunice asked. “When you're done crawling around on the floor, I need you to sweep up the place. I noticed you didn't get it done last night like you were supposed to.” Max lifted his head up and spat out a mouthful of dust. He watched the particles dance down towards the wooden floor and become still, before gathering his senses and getting back up on his feet. He was about to walk through the door to get the broom when he heard a voice he recognised. One he should have been surprised and appalled to here, but really, this was not the case. He bared no ill will toward Captain Jack Sparrow, there was no point. What’s done was done, and to be quite frank, it was hardly a crime, just an unfortunate mistake, one that led Max Glee into a life he was comfortable with. As the head of the broom met the floor… Eunice laughed, “So, this is Captain Jack Sparrow? I almost feel like I know you. Drink’s on me, Captain. Max, come over here and pour this man some rum, the good stuff.” “Make up your bleeding mind, woman,” Max grumbled. He set the broom down against the side of the counter and went round to where the drinks were kept. He poured them, and nodded briefly to the customers. “Nice to see you again, Mr Sparrow, Mr Gibbs,” he said tonelessly, and plonked their glasses unceremoniously in front of them before returning to the broom to get on with the sweeping. In the time he had looked at their faces, Max had deduced that neither man had intended to drink together this day. This was Gibbs’ favourite spot because it was private, to a degree, and he could be with his Eunice, even pirates needed time away from work, he supposed. What puzzled him was why Jack, whom he knew preferred the more lively attractions Tortuga had to offer, was here in mayhap the only spot in all the town that could be called civilised. He kept a wary eye on them, looking for anything that might give them away, to satisfy his own curiosity. |
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| Jack | 8 Nov 2008, 10:06 PM Post #7 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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Max? The man's name didn't seem familiar, and since he was such a clumsy specimen, Jack figured that, even if he did know this Max, he didn't have to worry about it right now. Gibbs had already got some ill-deserved distraction; no more. "So, this is Captain Jack Sparrow? I almost feel like I know you. Drink's on me, Captain." Normally Jack would have been flattered to some degree, but the bar wench's preceding laughter confused him a little. Still, whatever the reason for that, a free drink was a free drink, and he was not complaining. Gibbs would just have to buy the next round. "Thank you," he smiled. "Aren't y' supposed t' be at the Faithful Bride?" "I thought I might try a change of venue," Jack said, looking around as if he was appreciating this new and interesting location. He could only keep up the act for so long before his eyes fell a little. This place was more boring than several taverns Jack had been to in civilized ports. What could Gibbs possibly be seeing in this place? "One might also ask whether you are not supposed to be aboard the Pearl, taking care of some work what needs doing." That was the issue here: Gibbs had lied. Jack knew better than to expect complete honesty at all times, but there had to be a reason why Gibbs was lying, and not knowing it bothered Jack a great deal. “Nice to see you again, Mr Sparrow, Mr Gibbs.” Captain, thought Jack, snatching the rum from the bar while he glared at Max's retreating form. That thought triggered something - the man had been in his crew, hadn't he? Yes, that was it. Jack couldn't remember when - it must have been ages ago, or for a very short time, the memory being this vague - but he had the biggest piece of the puzzle, and was satisfied. But there was still that other matter causing his curiosity to pester him. "Why are you here?" he asked Gibbs in low tones, no longer hiding his lack of approval of the establishment as he glanced around. |
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| Old Gibbs | 14 Nov 2008, 07:43 PM Post #8 |
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First Mate
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((Sorry it took so long. And also for the crap post.)) Gibbs appreciated a free drink as much as anyone, and gulped down what was left of his old one before starting on the next. He wiped his hand on his sleeve while Jack asked him why he was there as though he had no right to be. "I finished up on the Pearl, so I thought I might come here fer a drink, where it's more...," he shrugged, "private." Although that was certainly no longer the case. Eunice leaned on the bar and gave Gibbs a wink. Gibbs glared at her subtly. He had never explicitely told her that she was some secret he was hiding from his captain, but he hoped now she would get the hint. Although, if she ever found out why she was a secret, it would probably break her heart. He was in an awfully sticky situation at the moment and wasn't quite sure how to get out of it. Eunice saw his expression and raised an eyebrow at him. She didn't get it. "He comes here to see me. I take care of him," she said and tapped him playfully on the end of his nose. Gibbs could only hope that Jack would assume she was "taking care of him" like any other whore would. "Aye, she certainly knows her business. She runs a tight ship here with the other girls." He looked around to see where the other girls were, but they were nowhere around. There were only two of them, and they were probably busy upstairs with customers. He was getting a little nervous. Eunice looked at him even more strangely. "Right, the other girls," she said, but it was clear that she was trying to figure out what he was on about, since she was the only girl he had been with there in years. After studying him for a quick moment, she turned to Jack, "So, what do you think of our place, Captain?" |
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| Deleted User | 16 Nov 2008, 09:10 PM Post #9 |
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“Right, ‘take care of him,’” Max chuckled to himself. It was such a pleasant euphemism, because it made their vices sound much more sugary-sweet, nice and friendly-like. He soon found himself losing interest and wandered off across the room, where he caught sight of a young woman sitting alone and looking quite lost. “Hmm…” Setting the broom aside once more, Max walked up to her side. She was pretty, not beautiful, but well-kept. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun, she wore a brown cloak over a green dress, and she had a black love-heart mark on her cheek. Former aristocracy? “You look troubled, Miss,” he said, “can I be of assistance?” The woman looked up at him and asked, “Are you Max Glee the deduceer?” “The one and only, Miss,” he smiled, “and if you’re looking for me, then you are obviously in some sort of trouble. May I sit?” “You may.” Max took the seat opposite her and leaned forward across the table so they could talk in lowered voices. “Perhaps you could start with your name, and then maybe the details of your distress?” The woman eyed him. Her voice was naturally soft, like a whisper, and raspy from shouting. “Helena. Helena Lovett.” |
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| Deleted User | 17 Nov 2008, 09:54 AM Post #10 |
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Normally, Kate’s time at this point of the night was firmly divided between mediating upstairs and working her own tavern floor. But this evening was slow; two girls were firmly installed with all nighters and for the first time in a fair few weeks there really was little to do. When she had these rare moments to herself, drinking in her own tavern just felt too much like work, and the familiarity of an older, quieter haunt was often a comfort. So she strode into the Wishing Well relishing the more peaceful atmosphere, though not without an irritated little tut as she nearly tripped over a broom leaning against the counter. And despite her lazy intentions, she couldn’t resist giving the room the quickest of scans as she flopped gracelessly into a chair and rested her chin in her hands. By now she judged female aesthetics like a man did, and was always on the lookout for talent, albeit with different motives in mind. No joy unsurprisingly, the brown cloaked woman opposite seemed a mite too classy and was engaged in conversation with a man she was sure she’d seen around here before. Staff seemed somewhat lacking behind the counter, but she well recognised the barmaid engaged in lively conversation in the corner. “Rum when you’re ready, Eunice darlin'!”, she called over, stifling a yawn and reflecting on how unfair it was that she should feel so listless and tired on her night off. Though she loved her job, time was she could do an hour’s work on her back and be dancing on the tables by midnight. And now she felt ready to drop from running her own high maintenance farm. Vanity briefly seized her, and she took a moment to look at her reflection in a small mirror fixed on the wall. Well if she was now a farmer, at least she was an attractive farmer. If she ever became one of those fat, old Madams, swathed in black and gorging chocolates in their own chambers, she’d given her girls leave to shoot her. She’d had to explain she was jesting of course; they weren’t the brightest of lasses. Waiting for her well needed drink, she gave a vague glance towards the clientele that Eunice was entertaining before doing a miniature double take. Her eyes widened and she straightened up a little. Well there was a surprising sight. Not seeing two bonafide pirates of course (even in this pub that was about as common as a corpse in the street), but specifically who they were. Naturally, Kate had heard through the grapevine that the Black Pearl was back in Tortuga, complete with Captain Sparrow at the helm, but she’d dismissed it as idle gossip before passing it on to her baker. But there they were. Mr. Gibbs, bit gruff for her liking, but then again to the women round here gruff was positively loveable. Eunice certainly seemed fond of him. And Jack Sparrow himself, the less said the better. Now where had they been these past days to return with such a ship? And more importantly, had it been a lucrative journey? She was half-tempted to head straight back for the street and start a friendly interrogation such was her thirst for information. After all, if you’d lived in Tortuga for as long as she had you knew what everyone had had for dinner and more importantly what they fancied for breakfast. But she could always stand a few drinks first. |
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| Jack | 17 Nov 2008, 09:23 PM Post #11 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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When Gibbs told Jack that the woman was a prostitute, Jack was more than a little taken aback. Granted, there were more women that did than that didn't in Tortuga, but her? Well, she was probably cheap, and if she was a sort of madam, as Gibbs had suggested, she might have a lot of useful experience. There was always something to be said for that. Jack, however, preferred his women younger. Young girls were more to his liking aesthetically, and they were perhaps... hopefully... more easily impressed. "So, what do you think of our place, Captain?" "It's very..." Jack licked his lips, looking around. "... private," he finished, smiling as sincerely as he could manage, which was to say: not very. Stealing Gibbs' description was probably a bit obvious, but Jack was at a loss for better words. And the truth - well, the truth was overrated. Especially when it came to people who handed out free rum. Reminded of his drink, Jack took a swig. "Good rum," he half-mumbled, raising his mug to emphasise his point - and that, at least, was true. “Rum when you’re ready, Eunice darlin'!” Jack nearly choked on his rum, but somehow made a quick recovery. Eunice? That was the woman's name? And in such a profession as well... One would almost pity her. There'd be no end of misunderstandings - or were they misunderstandings? Jack groaned to himself, covering it up by giving a little cough, a pretended final fix for his throat. Curiosity could be a terrible thing. With curiosity properly suppressed, Jack glanced at the woman who had shouted the order. Could that be one of the 'other girls' Gibbs had mentioned? This was getting stranger and stranger... Perhaps this place specialised in mature women? There was bound to be a market for that, and where there was a demand, there would be a supply. This held true everywhere in the world, but especially in Tortuga. Noticing the woman looking at him, Jack gave her a mildly appreciative look before returning his attention to his rum. He wasn't interested - he wasn't planning on staying very long, and other places would probably have a selection of women more to his taste - but it never hurt to show some basic politeness to women. It could get you a long way, if that was what you wanted, and it tended to dissipate any desire the woman might have to slap you. |
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| Old Gibbs | 24 Nov 2008, 05:15 AM Post #12 |
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First Mate
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((I'm seriously considering making Eunice an NPC, but I won't get around to it until next month sometime. Until then, I'll try to juggle them both in the same post.)) Eunice could tell by the insincerity in Jack's face that he wasn't overly impressed with the place, but that didn't bother her too much. She was well aware that compared to other establishments in the area, this one was a bit quiet. Most of the ruffians who sailed here wanted someplace with a little more action, but not everyone. For those who didn't, there was the Wishing Well. This was just fine for Eunice, because she had seen some of the problems the other working ladies encountered at those other places, and frankly, she wanted nothing to do with it. "Good rum." "Glad you like it, Captain. We only serve the best to the best here." She gave him a wink. Even in front of Gibbs, she didn't think twice about flirting. It was all part of her job, flirting and then some, and he was well aware of it. “Rum when you’re ready, Eunice darlin'!” She looked up and saw that it was one of her regulars, Kate, coming to take a break from her own, less quiet, establishment, from the look of it. "Be right there, love," she said and poured another mug to take to her. Meanwhile, Gibbs noticed Jack's reaction at the mention of the woman's name and had a pretty good idea of what he was thinking. But Eunice was a fairly common name, even if a little unfortunate in this occupation. And lets face it, few parents named their daughters with the anticipation that they would grow up to be prostitutes. He glared at Jack. "Y' know, if yer goin' t' come into a place fer the first time, least you can do is show some respect. I don't think she deserved all that. She's only known y' five minutes an' has been nothin' but kind to y'." Perhaps he was taking a little too much offense to Jack's subtle disapproval of the place and his lady. In fact, he really shouldn't have expected any different. But that was his Eunice Jack was coughing over, and it struck a nerve with him. |
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| Deleted User | 16 Dec 2008, 11:07 AM Post #13 |
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((Good lord, I am so sorry for disappearing. I was knocked sideways by a virus to a point I couldn't look at my screen without getting a headache, plus things have been weird for me all around. I hope I haven't screwed up the RP with my prolonged disappearance!)) Max listened closely to Helena Lovett’s story. According to her, she was living on the ship of her twin brother, a small-time pirate who was trying to make his name in the world, acting as the ship’s cook (something she seemed to take pride in divulging). That morning, a precious broach had been stolen from the captain’s personal treasury, the stuff that was so valuable he kept it under his bed, and a sweep of the entire ship had revealed absolutely nothing. Nobody in the small crew knew anything, and the captain was threatening to start taking heads if that broach was not found soon, and even she was uncertain about whether he was bluffing or not. She had been allowed to come ashore only to find him and take him back to the ship to begin investigating. For a moment, Max was silent, digesting the information. Then he nodded and opened his eyes, a glint of anxiety in them. Standing up, he offered his hand to the woman and said, “My dear, we must away.” Together they began walking towards the door. For now, it was to hell with Eunice, to hell with her boyfriend and the ‘notorious’ Captain Jack Sparrow, and to hell with the Wishing Well. |
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| Jack | 26 Dec 2008, 08:31 PM Post #14 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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((What does it say about me that the first thing I thought of was a computer virus? *headdesk* Anyway, no worries. Our storylines seem to have diverted anyway. Kate, since you haven't logged in in a while, and since you're not yet talking to Jack and Gibbs or something, I figured it couldn't hurt if I posted. Feel free to jump in again, though! Also: yes, I suck. Sue me.)) "Glad you like it, Captain. We only serve the best to the best here." Jack gave a little smile of appreciation - not that he thought the compliment to be anything more than your normal sales pitch, but it seemed to be expected, and a smile was a small price to pay for a mug of rum. That the woman might be flirting didn't really occur to him, even knowing her profession - or perhaps he was blocking out the option, since he was far from interested. Some might criticise the indiscriminate affection shown by prostitutes, but Jack felt there was a great deal to be said for it. One could either ignore it or pretend it was more than it was, depending on one's mood - and that way, you always got what you wanted. Eunice had barely left to bring rum to the 'lady' when Gibbs spoke up. "Y' know, if yer goin' t' come into a place fer the first time, least you can do is show some respect. I don't think she deserved all that. She's only known y' five minutes an' has been nothin' but kind to y'." Jack's eyebrows slowly moved up a bit during Gibbs' speech, only to move down twice as far. It was interesting that Gibbs would feel so strongly about what Jack had done, but more than that, it was annoying that he would tell Jack off like that. Jack wasn't easily insulted, and he could probably take more from Gibbs than from most others, but perhaps that was exactly why it rankled that Gibbs would criticise him; as if Jack had left himself open for it. "Respect?" he asked, suggesting that he had given more than enough, but leaving it unclear on purpose whether that was because he had given respect or because Eunice didn't deserve any. Finishing his rum, he placed the mug on the bar again. "She's not your mother, is she?" Then Jack realised just what he was suggesting, what with the 'taking care of' mentioned before, but he couldn't be bothered to qualify what he had said. The mental image had been punishment enough, and as for Gibbs, he deserved everything he got. |
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| Old Gibbs | 1 Jan 2009, 05:28 PM Post #15 |
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First Mate
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There was a new look on Jack's face now, one that if he had shown it to Gibbs for any other reason, it would have made him shrink back and apologize immediately. But not this time. He looked him right in the eyes as he waited for some sort of apology, explanation, something, but as expected, Jack wasn't so easily shamed. "Respect? She's not your mother, is she?" "No, she's not my...," Gibbs was getting frustrated now, "She's... she's just a woman I've been seein' fer a long time now, an' I think she deserves better than that." He took a long drink of his rum to calm himself down. He was already afraid that he had given too much away, not so much by what he said, but by the way he was acting. Even he recognized that this was a little unusual for him, and he was pretty sure that it hadn't escaped Jack either. He watched his dear Eunice from the side of his mug as he guzzled down his drink. She was serving rum to another lady across the room and had her back to him. Gibbs was noticing that she as lovely from the back as she was from the front. You don't find nice, ample bottoms like that on most of these malnourished street rats turned prostitutes that you found in the other taverns. This was a real woman who knew her trade and had a body built for the job. A smile slowly crossed his face as he lowered his mug, his eyes still set on Eunice. Then he remembered that Jack was watching him and his face went back to its former seriousness. Feeling a bit awkward he said, "You might not know it t' look at her, but she's a true professional in her trade. That woman knows more tricks 'an all the girls at the Bride put t'gether." He sat his mug down on the bar with finality. "Even at the same time." He gave devilish smirk, hoping that might distract Jack enough to encourage another topic. |
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| Jack | 5 Jan 2009, 08:57 PM Post #16 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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"She's... she's just a woman I've been seein' fer a long time now, an' I think she deserves better than that." Ah, she was Gibbs' go-to whore. That was nothing unusual; many men, especially the older ones, tended to stick to one or two women per port, generally out of some sense of home it got them. The women, of course, were all for such arrangements, as it meant less work finding customers to them. Some could be quite possessive, as Jack had had occasion to find out. Well, there were advantages to having women who knew what you liked, and two of them vying for your attention was, of course, a bonus. It could be rather flattering - when they weren't ganging up against you, slapping you around. Jack's cheek itched, but he fought down the impulse to scratch it. Every good thing had its downsides. It was a matter of weighing those against the advantages. "You might not know it t' look at her, but she's a true professional in her trade. That woman knows more tricks 'an all the girls at the Bride put t'gether." He sat his mug down on the bar with finality. "Even at the same time." Jack smirked back at Gibbs, but when his eyes wandered to Eunice again, his amusement evaporated. He tried to imagine it, really he did, but she did nothing for him. There truly was no accounting for taste. Normally, he would have left it at that, but there was something bothering him, and he wasn't even sure just what it was. That Gibbs had apparently kept this place a secret - well, that could actually have been less than deliberate. It was not what Jack was looking for; he wouldn't have wanted to go here anyway. But then, that was the odd thing. If Gibbs wanted this place to himself, Jack would have been happy to have let him keep it - so why hadn't Gibbs told him about it? And that look - that look in Gibbs' eyes when he talked about this Eunice woman. Something was off, but Jack couldn't quite put his finger on it. Well, he didn't have to leave this very minute; he might as well stick around a little longer, and see if his curiosity would be satisfied. "So, you come here often, then. She's a... regular of yours?" Jack inquired, fiddling with his mug just to have something to do. |
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| Old Gibbs | 17 Jan 2009, 08:59 PM Post #17 |
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First Mate
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"So, you come here often, then. She's a... regular of yours?" Jack inquired, fiddling with his mug just to have something to do. "Aye, a regular," Gibbs nodded. That was benign enough. If Jack thought of it as no more than that, then maybe he would let the topic die there. But as soon as he started feeling a little better about the situation, Eunice came back to the bar. She reached out and stroked his beard a little as she passed by him and gave Gibbs a little wink. Automatically, Gibbs started to blush. He didn't know why he was doing it. Goodness knew Eunice paid enough attention to him normally that this shouldn't have affected him so much. It had to be because of Jack. Damn him. "How are you men doing over here?" she asked as she went behind the bar. "Are you ready for another mug? Some victuals maybe? Or is there some other service I can get for you?" She leaned in and ran a finger under Gibbs's chin as she said this. "I might have a special going, if you're interested," she told him. Gibbs knew that on occasion, if things were slow, Eunice liked to spend time with him on a non-business basis. Or sometimes, they even left the tavern and did other things together. But tonight wasn't the night for that. As far as Gibbs was concerned, she was just a "regular" whore tonight. He looked at her coolly and said, " Specials? What kinda specials are we talkin' 'bout?" Eunice didn't answer. She was taken aback by his reaction. Gibbs should have known exactly what kind of "specials" she was talking about. |
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| Jack | 24 Jan 2009, 11:32 PM Post #18 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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When Eunice asked if they wanted anything, Jack opened his mouth, inhaling slowly while he considered his empty mug. Somehow rum you paid for was not quite as welcome as the free variety, and yet, so long as he would hang around a little longer... After all, it had been good rum. Eunice didn't seem particularly interested in his answer, though, instead keeping her eye on Gibbs. She was pretty focused on him, even for a regular. Not that Jack wanted her attention, but it was strange that he wasn't getting any at all. If nothing else, he outranked Gibbs, so it stood to reason that he would have more money. (Whether he did or didn't was irrelevant; the point was that any prostitute would expect him to.) And money was enough to sever any ties of pretended affection, even more so in Tortuga than in the rest of the world. "I might have a special going, if you're interested." There it was. That was definitely not the behaviour of your average prostitute; Jack knew the behaviour of the average prostitute (and the not-so-average one, come to that). That Gibbs would look at the woman like a schoolboy in love could easily be explained by his level of intoxication and his sectional slow-wittedness both, but none of that could make her behave the same way. This was not his regular whore. She was his sweetheart. The idea was preposterous, but as soon as it hit Jack, he knew it was true. It explained everything. And it was absolutely hilarious. Jack struggled to hide his amusement, and briefly reconsidered his conclusion. He hadn't just made it up because it was so funny, had he? No... No, it fit too well. What a laugh. Jack didn't understand any sort of relationship, but at least inexperienced youngsters could be forgiven for mistaking lust for something it wasn't. A man Gibbs' age, though? A pirate who could be said to have seen a good part of what life had to offer, the bad as well as the good? Well, Jack couldn't say it was mindboggling. It happened all the time - he knew that. He hadn't expected it this close to 'home', though. "Specials? What kinda specials are we talkin' 'bout?" If Gibbs was indeed in some sort of relationship with this woman, he was certainly determined not to show it to Jack (and right he was, Jack smirked to himself). His reply was as dry and unemotional as could be, and for a moment, Jack almost wondered if Gibbs only acted like he was in love for Eunice's sake, trying to swindle her out of everything she had to offer. Not a bad scheme, though Jack preferred to keep some self-respect if he could, and let the women come to him (which was more entertaining anyway). But Gibbs... No, Gibbs couldn't pull it off. He might last an hour, but not more than a day, and definitely not several visits. Maybe it had started out as a scam, and he had ended up believing the charade himself - that was always possible. Either way, Gibbs was in over his head now, and Jack was intent on pushing him down further. "Yes, what specials would those be? Just a quick bite, or something more satisfying?" He gave Eunice a bland look, using all his willpower not to look at Gibbs. "Could we share?" |
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| Eunice | 30 Jan 2009, 01:43 AM Post #19 |
Gibbs' Girl
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Eunice didn't know what to make of Gibbs' behavior. Since she had known him, he had never been so cold and distant with her. For that matter, he had been more friendly even a few minutes ago. For a brief moment, she considered getting angry and asking the man what was wrong with him, but then she realized there had to be a reason. It might be best to get to the bottom of it before turning it into an issue. She looked over at Captain Sparrow wondering if he wasn't the reason. Maybe Gibbs acted much different around his captain than he did on his own. But then she noticed that Captain Sparrow was behaving almost as strangely as he was. She was definitely missing something. It wasn't until Jack spoke that she figured it out. "Yes, what specials would those be? Just a quick bite, or something more satisfying?" He gave Eunice a bland look, using all his willpower not to look at Gibbs. "Could we share?" A smile spread across her face. It wasn't unheard of for a captain and his first mate to want to share a girl, but judging by the stories Gibbs told about this captain, she didn't have him pegged for one who would normally do that. The only other explanation was that Gibbs was bothered by his captain meeting her for some reason, and Captain Sparrow was going to milk it for all it was worth. She wondered why. Jealousy? Embarrassment? It hardly mattered. It served the old badger right for addressing her so dismissively all of a sudden. What could it hurt to play along? She moved closer to the captain and began playing with one of the braids on his beard. "Of course you can share, love. I'd be willing to give you a two-for-one, it being such a treat to spend time with a captain as legendary as you." She allowed her eyes to wander briefly toward Jack's lap. "I've heard some great stories about how you've handled your lady at sea. I'd like to see how you handle a lady in bed." |
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| Old Gibbs | 30 Jan 2009, 02:44 AM Post #20 |
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First Mate
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Gibbs was still determined not to let Jack know the truth, but now this was getting to be too much. He knew the woman's profession, and he was fine with it. If Jack wanted to hire her later when Gibbs wasn't around, that was his business. But there was no way he and Eunice were going to share their special time together with him. Besides, he wasn't interested in sharing that sort of time with Jack with any woman, anyways. He had no idea how Jack felt about those sorts of things, but Gibbs wanted no part of it. He shuddered slightly at the thought. Then he examined his mug a little, trying to act casual and unaffected by the whole situation. "I've spun a few yarns, that's fer sure," he said without looking up, "But sometimes a man don't live up t' his legend." He shook his head slowly to indicate what a pity it was, hoping to convince Eunice that she didn't want him afterall. A moment later, he looked up and smiled at both of them. "How 'bout we jus' have some more rum t'night? On me! Then Jack, you an' I can go t' one o' them other taverns and pick up a couple o' those little lasses over there. Y' know, the one's you like so well. This place is a mite too quiet fer me t'night." As much as he had wanted to spend some time with Eunice, it would have to wait for now. If Jack knew how he felt about Eunice, he'd never let him live it down. |
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| Jack | 8 Feb 2009, 04:05 PM Post #21 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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Sometimes everything working out just the way you had planned didn't mean that the result was to your liking. Jack remembered this when Eunice leaned in to play with his beard, and he had to fight the urge to lean back, out of her reach. She honestly wasn't bad to look at, and something of what Gibbs had told him about her skills was probably true, but she just wasn't his type. He might as well be chatting up his mother. Realistically, of course, the age gap was nowhere near that big, but Jack had never been one for realism. This didn't feel natural. To avoid leaning back, Jack froze up as one might do around a poisonous snake, afraid that any movement would cause it to strike. It was a good second or two before he recovered enough to force his lips into a smile. Rum. He wanted rum. "I've heard some great stories about how you've handled your lady at sea. I'd like to see how you handle a lady in bed." Well, Eunice was good with her tongue that way, if no other; Jack had to give her that. He respected someone who could produce some crafty flattery, and he was always a willing victim. No wonder she was still doing well for herself. Jack relaxed a little, relieved to have found something familiar, and grinned at Eunice. He could just about play along with this. "I've spun a few yarns, that's fer sure," he said without looking up, "But sometimes a man don't live up t' his legend." For the first time since the game had begun, Jack took his eyes off Eunice, glaring at Gibbs. Oh, but he would pay for that... "How 'bout we jus' have some more rum t'night? On me! Then Jack, you an' I can go t' one o' them other taverns and pick up a couple o' those little lasses over there. Y' know, the one's you like so well. This place is a mite too quiet fer me t'night." "Rum's a good idea," Jack said, deciding to take advantage of the offer while it was possible. He smiled at Eunice and pushed his mug towards her. "But I'm afraid I can't leave just yet. You have sullied my reputation, Mr. Gibbs," he explained, giving Gibbs a stern look. "If I were to leave now, what should this lovely lady think of me?" While he continued talking to Gibbs, Jack's eyes were on Eunice again, just out of focus enough that he might imagine a younger version of her. "It would lend an air of truth to this slander you spread. I really have no choice now but to prove you wrong. If not with you - well..." Jack reached out to take Eunice's hand in his, temporarily lowering his eyes to this less confronting feature of her anatomy. "I'm quite sure we can... make this place less quiet... just the two of us." |
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| Eunice | 23 Feb 2009, 12:10 AM Post #22 |
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Gibbs' Girl
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Eunice noticed Jack's glare when Gibbs implied he might not be such a legend afterall, and it was all she could do not to laugh. Instead, she raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the captain and offered an opportunity for a comeback. But before he could defend himself, Gibbs cut in with another suggestion. Then Jack, you an' I can go t' one o' them other taverns and pick up a couple o' those little lasses over there. Y' know, the one's you like so well. Eunice looked at Gibbs. She was shocked that he would turn down his time with her, free time, no less, in favor of spending it with one of those young little pigeons at the other taverns. Whatever this little contest between them was about had to be serious, but it was turning out to be a little amusing for her. It might be worth offering a free ride with Captain Sparrow just see what Gibbs would do. It was a silly game that was usually played by the younger girls, but she had to admit, it was fun. "I really have no choice now but to prove you wrong. If not with you - well..." Jack reached out to take Eunice's hand in his, temporarily lowering his eyes to this less confronting feature of her anatomy. "I'm quite sure we can... make this place less quiet... just the two of us." "Why Captain Sparrow, you are quite the devil," Eunice said while pretending to be a little shy about all the extra attention. "Let me get you that rum Joshy offered, and then you and I can head right up those stairs and make a little noise." She gave Gibbs a little wink as she gently pulled her hand away from Jack's and took the men's mugs to be filled. As she poured a fresh drink for them she said to Gibbs, "You can come and joins us later if you change your mind, or I'm sure one of the other girls is available if you'd rather have one of them." |
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| Old Gibbs | 23 Feb 2009, 01:32 AM Post #23 |
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First Mate
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"Why Captain Sparrow, you are quite the devil," Eunice said while pretending to be a little shy about all the extra attention. "Let me get you that rum Joshy offered, and then you and I can head right up those stairs and make a little noise." Gibbs rolled his eyes. If Jack bought into that coyness she was feigning, then the man had already had more rum than he needed. All the same, Gibbs had offered it, so he knew he best pay up. He took some more coins out of his pocket and placed them on the counter. "You can come and joins us later if you change your mind, or I'm sure one of the other girls is available if you'd rather have one of them." "Other girls, 'ey?" Gibbs said and looked around the tavern as if he was seriously considering his options. He didn't want her to know how much it bothered him that she would so casually offer him up to one of the other ladies while she rolled around in the sheets with his captain. He spotted a pretty little brunette serving a drink to a guest at the other end of the bar. "That one there," he said while nodding in her direction. "Name's Elma, right? Isn't she that gypsie girl you were sayin' used to do all them shows with her family, all that back bendin' an' sword swallowin'. How much fer her?" |
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| Jack | 2 Mar 2009, 06:04 PM Post #24 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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((So sorry, I think my muse got marooned somewhere.)) Jack smiled at Eunice, the 'devil' reminding him of a certain song. She was not without features of interest, he had to admit - and the pouring of rum was a bonus too. Combined with the handing out of free rides, Jack was beginning to understand what Gibbs saw in her (which might or might not be what Gibbs thought he saw in her). That said, Jack had no intention of going through with the private session he had suggested. Then again, if it was free... No! No, he wouldn't. Probably. The point was, he wanted Gibbs to come clean already. "You can come and joins us later if you change your mind, or I'm sure one of the other girls is available if you'd rather have one of them." That had to do it. Surely Gibbs couldn't let things go even further? But he did, and with a casualness that almost made Jack fear he had made a huge error of judgement. "That one there," he said while nodding in her direction. "Name's Elma, right? Isn't she that gypsie girl you were sayin' used to do all them shows with her family, all that back bendin' an' sword swallowin'. How much fer her?" With a description like that, Jack was bound to be curious. Stealing a look over his shoulder, he wasn't disappointed by the girl's looks either. Her dress (and general appearance, come to that) wasn't as fancy as that of the girls he was used to, but he wouldn't mind hiring her all the same, if the price was right. Under no circumstances did he want Gibbs to make off with that girl while he got stuck with Eunice. "A gypsy, master Gibbs? I'd have thought a prudent man such as yourself would know better. Don't you know the things a gypsy can do to a man's... heart?" Jack had no idea what things people said about gypsies in this particular context, but there had to be something. |
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| Eunice | 9 Mar 2009, 02:58 AM Post #25 |
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Gibbs' Girl
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"A gypsy, master Gibbs? I'd have thought a prudent man such as yourself would know better. Don't you know the things a gypsy can do to a man's... heart?" Eunice looked over at the girl in question. It was Elma alright, one of the tavern's biggest money makers at the moment. While it was true that she was a runaway from a family of gypsies, there was actually no truth to story that she was a contortionist or sword swallower. Her father sold tonics and elixirs while the women in the family belly danced their way into the crowd and pick-pocketed impressionable young men. All the same, the story made her a hit with the patrons, and so far, none of them complained about her performance in bed. She returned to the men with their fresh mugs of rum and sat them down on the bar. "Oh, there's a lot that a gypsy can do to a man's 'heart.' That's why her men keep coming back for more." She gave Jack a wink, then she turned to Gibbs. "What do you think, Joshy? Want to give her a try?" |
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| Old Gibbs | 9 Mar 2009, 03:46 AM Post #26 |
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First Mate
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Gibbs watched eagerly as Eunice returned with the rum. He had already had quite a bit, but at the moment, he wanted more. What was it about this woman that could get him as fired up as he was? She was just a whore, afterall, wasn't she? Surely, he could find another to take her place in a hot minute. A younger, more delicate one, no less. But even as he tried to reason with himself that there was nothing special about this woman, his heart told him otherwise. He truely was a foolish old man who had given his heart to someone who obviously saw no value in it. "What do you think, Joshy? Want to give her a try?" That sent him over the edge. He stood up and pounded his fist on the bar. "I don' want that gypsy an' you know it!" he shouted. "What's got int' you, woman?" Suddenly, Gibbs felt like all eyes were on him, so he sat back down. After taking a few seconds to collect himself a little (although not completely) he said, "I tell you what, why don't you an' I go upstairs like we planned from the beginnin', an' let Jack have that human sailor's knot over there. I doubt a gypsy could do anything t' his 'heart' that ain't already been done." He glared at Jack. "So, let's go," he commanded Eunice, "...after I finish this rum." He took a long hearty swig of it that nearly finished it off in one shot, but it still didn't seem like enough. |
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| Jack | 12 Mar 2009, 09:45 PM Post #27 |
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You may kill me, but you may never insult me.
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"Oh, there's a lot that a gypsy can do to a man's 'heart.' That's why her men keep coming back for more." Unholy curiosity lit up Jack's face as he raised his eyebrows in response to Eunice's wink, before taking another look at Elma over his shoulder. Perhaps there were hidden treasures here... After all, there had to be something of interest here to keep the clients coming (no pun intended), and this tavern in business. Jack had little time to enjoy his fantasies, however, for soon Gibbs flipped his metaphorical wig, finally admitting defeat. "I tell you what, why don't you an' I go upstairs like we planned from the beginnin', an' let Jack have that human sailor's knot over there. I doubt a gypsy could do anything t' his 'heart' that ain't already been done." Jack mock-glared back at Gibbs, considering the validity of that statement. Probably true... but then, there was always hope. He had seen some images in India that, while no doubt fanciful, were very promising, if you could find a person capable of such feats. Jack didn't mind your average prostitute - quite the contrary, in fact - but those women were generally not very creative, and never very smart (which was good in most ways, but not so good in others). Trying to explain to them the intricacies of, say, Khajuraho, was like trying to teach a donkey to speak. "So, let's go," he commanded Eunice, "...after I finish this rum." "Now, Gibbs, that's no way to talk to your sweetheart," Jack chided, subtly emphasising the last word. "One might almost think you didn't love her." There was just enough time to grab his rum and down it, extinguishing the smirk that even he couldn't suppress. Love... What a lark. |
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| Eunice | 20 Mar 2009, 04:13 AM Post #28 |
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Gibbs' Girl
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"So, let's go," he commanded Eunice, "...after I finish this rum." Eunice watched him nearly finish his drink and began to wonder if he would be "up" for the challenge by the time he finished it. As much fun as this was, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to get him so upset. She had honestly never seen him so irritated with her. "Now, Gibbs, that's no way to talk to your sweetheart," Jack chided, subtly emphasising the last word. "One might almost think you didn't love her." "One might almost think," she agreed while shaking her head in disbelief. "I've never known you to be so ungentlemanly, Joshy. At least, not when I didn't want you to be. Maybe now's a good time to make it up to me." She reached for his nearly empty mug, hoping he'd let her have it with the promise of going upstairs with her. She wasn't in the habit of discouraging her customers from drinking, but Gibbs wasn't just an average customer. |
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| Old Gibbs | 20 Mar 2009, 04:47 AM Post #29 |
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First Mate
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So, that was it, huh? The two of them had teamed up against him when they didn't even know each other. Or did they? Some crazy ideas ran across Gibbs' mind as he imagined the two of them had met before and conspired to make a fool out of him. He wouldn't put it past Jack to do such a thing, but Eunice? He would never suspect her of wanting to hurt him, and yet here she was doing just that. He pulled his mug away from her before she could reach it and finished it off. She might take away his dignity, but she wasn't taking his rum! Evil woman. "That's it, you two laugh it up," he said once he finished. Then he looked pointedly at Jack. "Just 'cause you ain't choosey 'bout whose bed you hire, don't mean others can't be a little more particular. I happen t' have a favorite lady, is all. Don't necessarily make her m' sweetheart." He tried not to look at Eunice as he said this and hoped against hope that she wouldn't take him too seriously. No doubt he was doing some damage to their relationship with all he was saying, but hopefully it was nothing that a few shiny trinkets from their latest venture wouldn't fix right up. Women liked that sort of thing. And since it was Jack who started this whole mess in the first place, maybe he'd be willing to let Gibbs have a couple of choice pieces for this purpose out of a sense of guilt...Well okay, maybe not. But he was sure he could sneak something out of there when no one was looking. |
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4:15 AM Jul 30
