asobouyo | 34th Teddy Bear [Voice]

[An hour or so after bed, Elicia hears something creak. It's harmless and probably something like a tree scratching something, or a mouse finding its way. But it sparks a barrage of images within this small child's brain that would probably make a therapist shake their heads. Things like floating objects and scary figures and things under her bed oh god. Acute paranoia tonight, this one. So she speaks in a really low whisper as though she's on a secret mission, hidden up to her ears in blanket. Must be a nice windy winter night.]

Um....

Are ghosts real? They aren't, right? But—But I guess good ghosts are okay! Do those count? Are they real either?

[Her eyes dart from one side of the room to the other, and she's totally expecting something scary to happen on one side or the other. Any minute now. No, no, be brave, there's nothing going on. Nothing at aaaaall. ;~;

Gulp.]

Oh! New Feathers are here, too... huh...

I'm Elicia, and I'm six years o—

[rustle rustle]

Meep!

[...And back under the sheets. Yup.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This could be part of his Accepting Small Children therapy! Possibly a step on the route of making his own happy again. So Jack answers, tentatively -- as though he is very much out of practice at this:]

I know a very good ghost back where I'm from, actually. Nicest ghost you ever did meet, little Elicia.

You knew a ghost, Captain Uncle Jack?? Really really?

Mmhmm! Her name were Spinning Jenny. She haunted the back stairs of the Twelve Daggers.

What's the Twelve Daggers? It sounds kinda dangerous sounding...

[And what kind of scary name is 'Spinning Jenny'.]

The Twelve Daggers, darling, is where I grew up! I were around YOUR age when Sal looked after me, behind the bar. When me dad were off voyaging. And Spinning Jenny were always a lark, she was!

[It's a scary name for a dead prostitute. Yes.]

A lark? What's a lark? Is that another word for ghost?

Nah, lass! I mean she was always up for a good time, was Jenny. She had any number of tricks up her sleeves. She could make her head spin right round!

Her head spin around? [holy crap] You weren't scared of her, when you were little?

That's...not how she got her NAME, of course...

[There's some hemming and hawing. That part of the story was not child-friendly. Like ANY of it is, really.]

I was a mite scared but mostly curious. And she was someone to talk to when Sal shunted me away and told me I got underfoot.

Oh.

Was she nice?

No one in Tortuga was nice, lass. But I do think she was kind. Aye -- kind.

Tor-tu-ga? What's that place like?

Ah. Erm. Tortuga? It was...a very worldly little town. Sailors from ports of call all across the world; pirates, mostly. Lots of...

[Rum ale whores whorehouses taverns doxies skullduggery confidence men criminals murderers drunken brawls smugglers resurrection men...]

...activities.

Whoa, s-so it was kinda' like... a pirate island?

KIND of? Kind of? It was a pirate port, tiny cabin girl! And unless you were up to no-good pirating enterprises, you steered right clear of it!

... Cabin girl?

[You've lost me.]

Cabin girl is the first job a lady pirate ever has! [He takes this tangent from Spinning Jenny and runs with it:] If she ever hopes to be a great pirate captain one day, she's got to start at the bottom rung of the ladder.

[Please don't say you want to join the Navy, Elicia. Everyone else is. Even Elizabeth, damn it.]

Really? Then... if I'm really good at being a cabin girl, I'll get to be a pirate someday? A real pirate??

Aye! A REAL one! You've just got to keep plugging at it, is all. Be smarter and cannier than all the other cabin girls.

I'll be really smart! I'll be a great pirate in no time! I'll even find me my own boat!

Erm......a little one. Start with a little one.

A little one? But... is that any fun?

Of COURSE it's fun! Why would it not be fun! It's extraordinarily fun!

But if it's a tiny boat, it won't be as tough, will it? How can I fight giant octopusses in a little boat?!

It's all a matter of scale, isn't it? Even the smallest octopus will be a giant ravening beast beside a little boat. Possibly I could talk Fabio into some kind of battle...

[voice]

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Re: [voice]

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