(no subject)

[smallestopener]

Ingress, as most small children do, has intense phases in which she finds out all she can about a certain subject. She's gone on pirate binges in which she read nothing but pirate stories, drew nothing but pirate pictures, and played nothing but pirate games. She's done this with horses, dinosaurs, princesses (of course), and squids.

Sometimes she runs across a picture or a story, and her memory is jogged. So it is that she and Tom walk out to the lake, to see if Ingress can catch sight of Sunshine Dust, the glitter squid.

And who knows, maybe one day Mr. Julia Fruitnugget will return.

"I hope she's there still," she says, running ahead of Tom into the cool fall-like day. "I haven't looked in a long time."

Comments

[smallestopener]

As she approaches the shore, Ingress turns around and points. "Look, Tom, the boat's still there!"

They'd all noticed the ship in the middle of the lake at Caspian and Lucy's wedding. They figured it was decoration for the wedding.

[young_tmriddle]

Tom frowns. "Hmm. I wonder to whom it belongs."

He's never known a ship of that size to be out on the lake. This wasn't something built for a fun afternoon out on the water.

[smallestopener]

"Maybe it was a present for Caspian and Lucy. Can we go on it? Please?"

[young_tmriddle]

"Not till we know more about it. If it is Caspian's, we need to ask his permission first."

He peers at the ship, raising his hand to shield the sun from his eyes. It's a fine ship, for all it needs a few repairs.

[pirate_jack]

In the light, the black sails are even more dramatically outlined against the blue sky, almost like little bits of night cut and scattered about -- save for the patches here and there.

There's a figure visible now, just coming up from belowdecks. Sunlight flashes from a bright bead as Captain Jack Sparrow strolls along the deck, headed toward the foremast.

[smallestopener]

Ingress squints when she sees the flash. "Tom, is that Captain Jack?"

She points at the figure on the black-sailed ship.

[young_tmriddle]

"I'm not sure," he says. "It does rather look like him."

He shouts as loudly as he can. "I say! Who's out there, if you don't mind us asking?"

[pirate_jack]

He stops where he is, both hands outstretched as if balancing himself, and then turns to the railing. Jack saunters to it and leans over, grinning wickedly.

"Mate, don't tell me you're going blind."

[smallestopener]

"It is Jack, it is!"

Ingress jumps up and down, waving. "Hi Captain Jack!"

[young_tmriddle]

"The sun was in my eyes," Tom shouts. "Permission to come aboard?"

He takes Ingress's hand.

[pirate_jack]

"That's what they all say, mate," Jack informs him drolly.


"And hello, luv!" he calls to Ingress, then adds with a sweeping gesture, "Permission granted!"

[smallestopener]

Tom says, "Hold onto my hand, little one. We'll Apparate, alright?"

"Okay," she says. Ingress squeezes her eyes shut and grips Tom's hand tightly.

[young_tmriddle]

With a pop, they disappear from the shore and reappear on deck of the Black Pearl. Tom steadies Ingress a moment before greeting the Captain.

"Hullo there. Fine ship you have here."

[pirate_jack]

Jack's staring at them both in surprise-- and then he looks delighted.

"Nice trick you have there."

He spreads his hands wide, grinning.

"Welcome to the Black Pearl."

[smallestopener]

Ingress shakes her head and makes a face. "Apparating always makes me feel funny."

[young_tmriddle]

Tom picks her up to steady her. "There now, sweet, I'll carry you till your head feels better."

He turns to Jack. "Well, Captain, I must say, I'd hoped to see your ship one day, but I didn't think it would be in the lake here."

[pirate_jack]

"Funny how things work out," he says dryly. "But here we are."

To Ingress, he adds,

"Takes a bit to get used to the magic, lass; don't worry, you'll be right in no time at all."

[smallestopener]

She's already better, but she doesn't mind being held. She can see better, for one thing.

"Wow, Jack, your ship is big! I didn't know it was all black."

[young_tmriddle]

Tom raises an eyebrow. Something about this is not usual. He's not about to go into it while Ingress is about, though.

"I don't suppose we could have a tour?"

[pirate_jack]

"'Course it is, luv. Wouldn't properly be the Black Pearl otherwise, savvy?"

Jack sweeps a grand bow and beckons to the both of them.

"Follow me!"

He turns and saunters toward the bow, already beginning an explanation of things as he goes.

Seems that Jack Sparrow's had a fair bit of experience with giving tours in recent days.

[smallestopener]

Ingress takes it all in, without much regard to the repairs in progress. She asks many questions and receives answers which prompt even more.

They make their way back to the stern and Ingress looks out over the lake, remembering why they initially came out to the lake.

"Have you seen Sunshine Dust?"

[young_tmriddle]

Tom makes note of the repairs that look recent and more that have not been made. This ship has seen a storm or battle of immense proportions.

Jack himself looks- well. Not injured, at any rate.

He waits for Jack to answer, looking round a bit more to assess the damage.

[pirate_jack]

Jack tilts his head back, looking up at the sky with real interest.

"There's gold dust in the sunlight here?"

[smallestopener]

"No, silly," she says, pointing at the water. "Sunshine Dust is a squid. She's all sparkly and pretty."

Hopefully she's not shark food by this time.

[young_tmriddle]

"There used to be a giant squid in the lake, as well, but it was stolen some time ago," Tom adds.