Thanks Dog!
Sorry this took so long, RL has been pretty.. erg.... Well, anywho, just go on and read!
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Pirate Games
1
It was an eerie sight, gazing over the town of Padres, stripped of it's protective stone hide. The mobs of people easily had overpowered the Naval presence of Fort Dundee, holding them off with one hand, and breaking the barrier stone by stone with the other. All through the night, hundreds to thousands flocked to throw a bottle, raise a voice, or crash a mallet at the time of restlessness in the Caribbean. A few dozen people had climbed their way to the top the top of the outer wall, perching themselves with one leg over the side of the town, and the other out towards the crowds.
Chants shouted from the crowd all through the night, almost blanketing the occasional roars of the regularly erupting volcano above. "He's dead!, at last, he's dead!" they cried, throwing up their hands, reaching for the stars above them.
Delmaria was standing at the front of the town the next morning, the rioters scattered, the wall destroyed. The backs of various stores that lined the inner corridors of the town faced at him, acting as the foreground to the triumphant cluster of buildings that rose up with the slope of the mountain. The pirate walked his way in to the small enclosements of the center, weaving in and out, pacing slowly back and forth through each. He looked around at every detail of the clothing stores. tattoo parlors, and houses he graced by, enlightened by the dim dawn sun.
Delmaria took a moment to stop and stare at the place where a once proud statue of Victorio stood. The pedestal still remained upright, in the very center of the room, yet the memorial itself laid skewn across the ground in large chunks, pulled out of place by a rope tied by the neck of the stone giant. It was a chilling moment for him, as though he was watching the body of his friend designed across the ground again.
The crew left port early that afternoon, making haste towards Tortuga. They all had previously agreed, however, they would plunder any misfortunate ships that passed their way, as a need to satisfy their thurst for gold.
And that they did. The Shark had reaped in a sizable assortment of crates, chests, and pouches salvaged from at least 3 ships they had taken out - an EITC Galleon, and two Navy Sloops. They spent the nights after their battle celebrating with hearty dinners, laughs, and shanties, throwing around the loot they collected in a disorganized attempt to share it amongst each other.
Delmaria spent his time at the bow of the ship, starring out at the horizon. He wouldn't move, nor speak. The crew became concerned for him, but Lawrence just reminded them to leave him off in his world until they reached Tortuga. "It's for the best that he simmers.", Lawrence assured.
Through his mind, ran constant thoughts of many things - of his father, of his son, of his deceased love. Yet among them he most, was Leanne. She danced through his mind in painfully beautiful images, her hair streaking a flash of light across his mind. He stood there, thinking about her, his hand in his pocket, fiddling with those same rosary beads.
2
The ship slowly glazed across the water up to the docks, where the usual business commenced. As they drew closer, the lanterns scattered along the dock illuminated the scraps of pirates unloading their cargo, pushing hefty boxes through the list nightly mist on to the wet, wooden dock. It was quite crowded, yet still not so that it provided enough private space for each littler sailor or merchant.
The ship parked itself slowly in to a large open spot over by the dock, stopping itself a few feet before it's overpowering bow crashed in to it. Andrew and Lawrence laid down a few planks connecting the wooden pathway to the ship, and carefully slid their cargo down the makeshift chute. Other pirates across from them watched in awe as they slide down crate after crate of plundered goods and riches.
Delmaria strutted his way on to the dock after all the cargo, and instructed some of the crew to carry off the boxes to the auction house, to be sold off in bulk. However, Wisdom insisted to take care of Grace, who still remained in feeble condition after the incident aboard the ghastly boat, to which Delmaria approved of.
As they all separated, Delmaria made his way in to the thickly brushed town. Revelers and drunks danced around him in circles, enticed by flirtatious and disturbing women, thrusting their hair in to the moonlight that hung over the French-style quarters and buildings of Tortuga. One of the women threw a wink over to Darkskull, who had a gained himself a custom of wearing a bandana over his mouth in public places, to which he simply nudged off in disgust. She quickly scurried her way over to him, her overpowering make up and highly frilled dress swaying across the dirt ground, to which she laid a hand over his shoulder. "Ey there love, hows about a strong man like you in a place like this? You seem.. lonely." She whispered seductively in his ear.
Without notice, he turned about and violently shoved her across the courtyard, nearly tumbling her over. By the time she had gathered herself, he had pushed through the crowd, and was long gone.
"C'mon, mate, ye gotta do better than that!" The pirate taunted as he swept his enemy to the ground. The man took a rage out of his pocket, and wiped the blade of his sabre, cleansing it of any sweat and blood it had picked up. His opponent got up, and, embarrassed beyond thought, gave a last, tempered glare, and ran out through the small crowd had gathered in the open area. "No other challengers, I assume?"
"Ah, I see nothing has changed, Jack." Delmaria called out as he walked through the archway. He tore the bandana off his face, revealing a small smile, and stuffed it away to his pocket. The crowd before him parted to unconcealed the center of the small ring.
Jack took a step back. "Well, haven't had the indescribable chance to lay eyes on... you, in a while, have I, Mr. Darkskull?"
"The feeling is a mutual. So what are you up to know, mate, swindling these poor blokes out of anything they have left, as a way to salvage gold to your next voyage?"
"A mystic, I swear you are, Delmaria. How did you possibly know?"
"Your treating me as though my age proceeds my ability to know things. I assure my, my brain is not as frail as your swordsmanship."
"Oho, so you really think that you want the chance at going at wits with me?"
"You have wits?"
Jack smirked. "Fair enough. Now, I assume you have a sabre?.. Good. Enter the circle. Mr. Darkskull. And... en garde!"
Jack began the brawl with a quick stab towards the pirate, but Delmaria easily jutted himself away, swatting at the blade with his own. Darkskull sat there as his opponent sent flurry upon flurry at him, but to no avail. Delmaria often fought defensively, despite his tremendous inner power - only in pure strikes of anger, which did not burst often, could he truly activate his inner bull. Jack, on the other hand, was the near opposite - he took every chance he got to put in a blow, whether weak or strong, yet quick enough to avoid leaving him vulnerable. He relied on the intimidation factor to offset his opponent, that which he did not have here.
Sparrow had pushed Delmaria gradually through the small gamblers ring, and out through the archway, directly in to the main street of the pirate's port. Passerby's simply watched in a surprised glare as they were pushed aside, making way for the two duelers. Delmaria had finally decided to jump himself backwards, to give himself a breath, but all he did was land backwards on to a fruit cart. While his predator approached him, Darkskull swiped up a melon that his back hand had landed on, and threw it outward. Sparrow ducked as the plant flew over his head and smacked in to a poor pedestrian who was walking behind him, exploding on his cheek. Before Jack could recollect him, another went his way - and another, and another. Before long, the two were playing a one-sided game of dodge ball, with the mess on the ground growing wide, and the melons in the small wooden cart going thin.
Delmaria gave one last throw towards Sparrow, and finally took a lunge at Jack, hiding his blade behind the flying piece of disgraced food. His stab took a cut to the side of his cheek, but Jack could still slide away before it landed square on his nose. The tables turned on itself, now with Darkskull taking the offensive for the first time. Low, high, right, center, high, left, right. It was hard to notice any pattern in which way the sabres hit against one another. They danced around in the middle of the dirt ground, kicking it up in the faces of the betters who had ran over to continue watching the test of strength. Too bad for the thick circle of spectators, they did stay there for long.
The pirates pushed each other back and forth with their blades, knocking each other in to a few townsfolk making their way past, or a few pirates who were loitering up against the side of one of the weapons shops. They would occasionally be knocked back in to place by a disgruntled passer-by, but they seemed unaffected by it. The fight had gotten intense to such a point they began running through the streets of Tortuga, dodging in and out of the crowds in their way, careful not to strike anybody with their sabres.
They finally reached the center courtyard of the island, where the main street bulged out in to a bustling mecca. Grand French-style buildings lined the outside of the wide clearing, with their doors flung open (some not even having doors at all,) their lanterns blazing, swinging at their sizable balconies, and the commoners, and the not-so-commoners, trading, yelling, chatting, drinking, and all other things casual and abrupt. In the center of the square was a gigantic fountain, a large, meter high circle surrounding a small tower, which slowly converged in to a point at the top, with smaller circles sitting around it to catch the water that busted out of it's peak.
Delmaria jumped himself on to the edge of the fountain, taking a high-field advantage over Jack, allowing him to swing downwards at him in more powerful strokes. Yet his opponent persisted, joining him on the ledge only moments later. They were forced to stand on their toes, their feet stanched wide apart, to avoid toppling over in to the waters at their side. Delmaria broke the monotony of the fight with a wild spin cut, taking Jack off balanced, and leaving him open to a stern kick to the chest, toppling him over to the ground below. The pirate dashed down at his predecessor, but Sparrow managed to roll himself out of the way before the sabre stuck him in. The momentum he had gained finally stopped Delmaria at the base of one of the buildings, placing his hands in front of him to avoid meeting impact with a large, wooden pole, the connected to the balcony above. He turned over his shoulder to see the progress of his foe, and latched the bottom of his foot atop a stack of nearby barrels, pulling himself one over the other, creaking against his weight. Balancing at the top of the stack, he desperately threw him on to the nearby wooden balcony, kicking over the top box towards Sparrow, who had reached the foot of the tower.
Delmaria landed face first in to the rough boards, flustering two women who were standing over the railing, swirling their drinks as they swifted their long, dramatic dresses. He pushed himself up and scurried to the opposite end of the balcony, turning about just in time to watch his opponent climb his way up on to the ledge. Sparrow dusted off his jacket, and with a sigh, remarked "You sure are one to keep up a good fight! But, I say that the climax of our fight, be a little more interesting." With that, Sparrow gripped his free hand around the wooden pole at his side, and swung himself up on to the narrow, wooden banister. He wobbled a bit, before he balanced himself out, and mischievously beckoned Delmaria up with him.
The pirate easily pushed himself off the ground, putting one foot on the rickety rail, then the other. He slowly stood himself up in an upright position, until he managed to grab hold of the low hanging ceiling. He readied his point at the pirate, and as he let go off his support, he dealt the first swing - a light, swift cross, to ensure he didn't throw himself over, down to the dirt below. Sparrow dodged his blade, and returned with a straight stab, forcing Darkskull to curl himself around the wooden post to avoid being run through.
As Darkskull gripped the post, a hard, raging migraine ripped through his head, flashing his vision in and out. He heard painfully familiar voices ring through his head. "No, no, hold the blade like this.... yes, like that! Good, good!" His surroundings before him flashed in and out, from where he wa, to places he never wanted to return to. His head became heavy, this eye lids weighting him down. He swung his blade dramatically outward, throwing himself drunkenly down to the floor below.
3
"Blah, that tastes like death itself!" Delmaria spit out the elixir being shoved down his throat, as he pushed the bartender away from his chair. He was leaning back, relaxed, his coat and shirt slung over the table next to him. He looked out through the wide opening in the wall, the door less opening to the tavern. He stared mistified at the fountain, spewing out water.
"You get used to it after a while." Sparrow commented as he sipped through his rum bottle.
Darkskull turned in his chair to face Jack. "Alright, enough beatin' round the bush, Jack. You well know why I'm here."
"Really? I wasn't aware." The pirate smirked, but Delmaria was not moved. He sighed. "Alright, fine...
"I'm sure you've heard the stories. The change in the tides, the heavy rain, the new bursts of fog - must be happening for a reason, why? Well... it finally happened.
"A few days ago, 's what I heard. A few pirates were sailing after a ride to Perdida - for whatever reason - and caught themselves in a huge wave of fog. Wasn't 'fore long they realized..
"That the stories were true?" Darkskull butted in.
Jack unraveled a small map that was on the table, and point to a big circle, at an open spot, off the side of the half way point between Cuba and Perdida. "There's the spot."
"Interesting. What did they find?"
"We can't be sure..."
"Why not?"
"... they never came back."
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