Chapter Text
The sun rose over the horizon, beckoning a new day. Jay found the rays beaming too happily into the cracked window in his cabin. He sighed before dragging himself out of bed.
I should be more optimistic, he huffed as he pulled on his leather boots. I should be more helpful to the crew, he heaved as he tightened the cuffs of his shirt. I should be more hopeful, he resolved as he put on his hat. Today’s going to be a fresh start .
As soon as he opened the door to the deck, the smell of vomit and rotten fish hit him. The new recruit, a young blonde fellow with dazzling green eyes, still hadn’t gotten over his sea sickness. Jay twitched his eye, but stayed resolved to head onto the deck. Not the best note to start the day on, but not enough to deter him yet.
“He finally emerges from his cocoon,” one of the less experienced crew members snickered to his friend. “And he is none the-” The man was cut off with a bucket of water to the back of the head, thrown from the crow’s nest above.
“Y’wanna finish that sentence?” the hotheaded second in command grunted loudly, holding the empty vessel. “Or do you need to taste the briny deep to get the picture?”
“N-no sir,” he whimpered before he skittered off. The man above rolled his eyes before sliding down the pole and landing next to Jay.
“Nice to see you’re awake, Captain,” Kai grinned. “Awake and out of the cabin.”
“Aye,” Jay replied, a little hint of sadness in his voice. Kai turned to face him.
“We all know how… certain memories of events… have affected you,” he whispered. “But if you need to talk to someone, we will be here for you. Me and Zane and Cole. Remember it affected us too so we know.”
“T-t-thanks,” Jay nodded solemnly. Kai smiled.
"No need to hang the jib," he said, punching the blue pirate lightly on the arm. “Lighten up.”
Easier said than done, Jay thought to himself. But he’s got a point. He straightened himself, brushed the unruly brunette curls off his face, and pushed a small smile on his face.
“ATTENTION EVERYONE!”
Everyone gathered from the areas they had been working or hanging in. Cole shooed out the hungry crewmates from the kitchen, his brown bandana labelled ‘Earth’s Best Chef’ still holding his hair back. Zane, the medic, provided support for the green pirate who had caught a break from his wobbly legs. Kai brought forth a crate for Jay to stand up on, rendering him visible. Jay pushed the brim of his hat back as he addressed the crew of the day’s activities. Today was Wednesday; they would be prepping for docking in the nearby city ports in a few days’ time.
Contrary to popular belief, these pirates were quite organised and well-mannered. Sure, they were sometimes a bit rough around the edges in their acts, and they plundered from other ships, but it was more so in the style of Robin Hood - taxing the rich to help the poor. The ports they were heading to had been hit by a tsunami in recent times by donating some stolen golden goods that may have come by chance from the stubborn and wealthy Anacondrai.
Come to think of it, Jay pondered as he dismissed the shipmates, there has been a spike in water-related incidents. I wonder why…
…
The clear sky and sun that had been steadily guiding them had begun to gather some unwelcome grey clouds and light gusts.
“Do you think we need to make an impromptu docking?” Zane asked Jay, wiping off some residual splash from the sea spray
“I think that’d be unwise,” one of the crewmates called from the crow’s nest. “The nearest place would hold much animosity toward us, not particularly because we have plundered them before.”
“Oh bother,” Jay sighed. “Guess we’ll have to weather it.”
The wind suddenly picked up intensity. Goosebumps ran up his arm, even though it was covered. This was all too familiar. And he didn’t like that.
“Get under cover!” he thundered loudly. The clouds took his call to safety as a challenge as it picked up in its intensity. Darker clouds collected together as the wind howled loud and long.
“Hurry up!” Jay ordered to the men rolling up the ropes and securing them.
“Quickly!” he cried to the two crewmates climbing down the poles.
“Get going!” he pushed to the poor blonde who was looking quite frazzled and slightly pale.
At last the rains opened up. Fat drops pelted the deck and whipped the sea into a frenzy. Luckily everyone was almost in.
Almost .
That same crewmate who had snarked about the captain was jeering from the deck, obviously drunk. Apparently he thought that it was a just a small breeze and that everyone was overreacting. Clearly his experience was showing.
“Just leave him and let him learn,” Kai grunted. Jay was inclined to agree. Until he caught the glimmer of bright blue cloth.
“If you- if you- if you want this, you b-b-better come out Captain!” he teased, his words slurred. “Otherwise I’ll - I’ll throw it overtheboard!”
Jay could no longer think straight. That cloth - that should have been securely locked up in his cabin - wasn’t just some ordinary rag. That cloth was the only shred of the memories of good times. Times that were not tainted with the tinge of sadness. Times that did not leave him feeling in the blues as he wallowed in his misery in his cabin, like he had been yesterday.
He had to get it back.
Ignoring the calls from Kai and Zane to stay in the safety of the shelter, he stormed to the man who was humming disjointedly about beers on a wall while leaning against the ledge. Jay didn’t care about the drops pelting him, or the wind pressing against him, or the boat rocking very unsteadily. He wanted the cloth back, and he wanted it now .
“Give. It. Back.” Jay’s voice was filled with heated rage. The man belched.
“Oh? This?” He rolled his head to his side, revealing the hand with the cloth entwined. “Guess you’ll have to catch me!” he peeped, before he tripped over. Jay reached to grab the cloth from the man’s hand, finally victorious in securing his goods.
Just as he clutched the cloth, the ship jerked sharply, sending him overboard.
He landed in the water like a pebble; the faint shouts from above echoed, but it was incoherent noise.
He realised he was sinking.
Part of him wanted to resist, to use his arms to propel himself upwards to the safety of above. But as he felt the water soak his clothes and hair, he also felt the futility, and began to resign to his fate. His eyelids grew heavy, his body lacking oxygen.
It was then that she appeared. The shining outline of a woman, clothed in a floor-length dress, her hair loosely billowing around her face. Her eyes were the most distinct feature; the dazzling cerulean orbs glowed as she grew closer and closer.
She carefully picked him up, and lifting herself out of the water, she placed him back on the deck. Before he could say a word of thanks - or any utterance for that matter - she dove back into the water, leaving him to wonder (as he passed out) if he had seen an angel - or a ghost.
…
The goddess of the sea ducked down gracefully, returning to the abyss from whence she came. As soon as she was deep enough, she pressed her hands to her face.
He’s still alive and well.
She was happy for that - there was still hope. But as she moved her hands away, a lingering feeling of uncertainty lay within. A hesitation - if his words from all those years still rang true.
We’ll have to wait and see, she thought to herself, and hopefully there are more opportunities to run into him. She fixed up her hair with a piece of seaweed before heading back to tend to the seabed.
…
“...a…A…AY…JAY!”
Jay’s eyelids flittered and flickered under the light. Things were beginning to come back into focus now. He strained under the dull throb of pain that was now ebbing at the front of his head - or was it the back? - and gave a soft groan.
“So he lives.” He heard Cole’s voice, dripping with sarcasm, as three heads came into view.
Cole had a sympathetic look on his face, and Zane looked relieved. But Kai - Kai was peeved.
Rubbing his eyes, he opened his mouth. “Look guys, I-”
“You’re what?” Kai shot. “You’re sorry?”
“Kai,” Zane reasoned.
“No, Zane,” Kai glared, “sorry doesn’t mean that you yeet yourself in the ocean the day you get back to duty!”
“I didn’t yeet myself,” Jay grumbled, “it was the boat.”
“Keep making excuses,” the hot-headed second-in-command fired back. “I know it was hard on you but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard on everyone el-”
“I TOLD YOU,” Jay said, “I AM FINE. I AM FRICKING FINE. I AM 100% - wait-”
The cloth. It wasn’t in his hand.
He dropped it when he went overboard.
His voice was now caught in his throat. He couldn’t get the words out. He almost felt sick to the stomach.
He had lost the last piece of her he had.
Tears began to slowly dribble down his cheeks, no doubtedly irritated by the salt residue. Kai’s face softened, realising that Jay was not fine in the slightest, and a bit of guilt overcame him. He crouched down and hugged him. A soft symbol of the mateship they had. The other two joined in.
“I’m really truly sorry guys,” Jay whispered out, sniffling. “I’ve been so- so selfish.”
“It’s alright, Cap- no, Jay,” Cole replied. “We all get it.”
“And I lost the…the cloth,” he breathed out softly.
“It’s ok, Jay,” Kai replied. “I know she was close to you, but perhaps it’s a sign to move on. It’s been a rough few months, but I know she’d hate to see you this sad.”
“Take your time,” Zane rubbed his head. “And remember that we’re always here for you.”
Jay nodded.