(no subject)

[silver_flecks]

Del likes Singapore.

It's busy, and there are people, which isn't always true when things are busy (she thinks but could be wrong) and there are duckies (now there are weren't before one has purple and green feathers and she's named him Jennifer Ignatius) and gum.

She's chewing the gum. That's where it is. In her mouth. To be chewed.

It tastes like dandelion wine that's been spilled on wooden benches.

It's good. She thinks. She knows.

It's fun, as she skips with her duckie in arms (and if it used to be a crewman, she isn't bothered) along the dock, crooning to it before looking back at Jack and grinning.

Comments

[silver_flecks]

"For some, perhaps," he agrees, picking a staute up momentarily to wipe a smudge from it. "For others, they might make such knowledge their business. Who can say?"

[pirate_jack]

"Funny thing, that," he agrees drolly. "And there are some who might frequent the business establishments of those others."

Jack is momentarily distracted by the open brasswork on a lamp-stand nearby, or so it seems. He runs a finger along lines and curves that swell like ocean waves as he adds,

"Like this one. Might you happen to know of where I could find such a pretty piece of work?"

Black eyes are gleaming with manic, madcap glee.

[silver_flecks]

The smile is a bit more genuine.

"Perhaps I do. It may be that among the objects in this humble establishment, such a thing exists, even. For a price."

[pirate_jack]

Jack grins wickedly, and doesn't say anything at first.

He holds his right hand out, looking at the rings on his fingers, then reaches up to stroke his braided beard thoughtfully.

With a flick of the wrist, a brilliant blue star sapphire begins its near-hypnotic dance over his knuckles. Forward and back again, shining even in the shop's dim light-- and the gleaming white star almost seems to wink like a mystic eye.

[silver_flecks]

For an old man, his eyes are bright and clear as he watches the gem dance.

His right hand begins to smooth his beard again, as if deep in thought, before he slowly turns and makes his way, unhurried, into another room of the shop. When he returns it's with a small chest in his hands and a smile that's a bit more genuine and a bit less carefully polite on his face.

"It seems that my memory, as faulty as age may have made it, is still active enough to recall an item that may be what you seek."

[pirate_jack]

"Well now." Jack sets the sapphire down on the counter, and holds out his hands for the chest.

"Let's have a look-see, mate."

[silver_flecks]

He's still smiling as he opens it for Jack to see.

The chest is old, and made of cedar, but despite that it smells of the sea and sweat and wine that's been leaked and left on the ground.

The cat meows as Del smiles.

[pirate_jack]

And as she does, something inside the chest catches the light with a bright gleam.

Slowly, half-enchanted, Jack reaches into the depths and lifts the astrolabe from its red-velvet nest.

Is it gold, or simply shining brass? It doesn't matter. Very nearly a work of art in its own right, its scrolled surface shows carefully engraved maps, with rings of stars and rings of planets smoothly lying one over another, with compass-points atop them both in order to easily provide direction. One circle shows latitude, another longitude, and a third describes the degrees of the night sky and the earth below. All of these are familiar to any sailor accustomed to navigation.

One more ring shines clearly, however, circumscribing the whole-- a simple golden band with two words in delicate script:

Tempus Frangit.

"This is a treasure indeed, mate." It's very softly said, almost as if Jack's afraid the sound of his voice might break the shining thing. "How does it work?"

[silver_flecks]

"Simply enough," the man answers as he sets the chest down and lifts the sapphire for inspection. "Choose the time you wish, and the stars above shall match the engraving. There are limits to such things, of course," he continues as he pockets the sapphire and places the chest on a shelf, "but what they are, I am afraid I have never taken the time to learn."

[pirate_jack]

"That's all part of the fun of it, isn't it?"

Jack takes a soft leather pouch from a pocket and slides the astrolabe into it, then wraps it up with care. He returns the pouch with its precious contents to an inner pocket, far away from prying eyes and thieves' knives, then brings both hands together in the same sort of oddly formal gesture the old man had used earlier.

With a half-bow, he says, "A delight doing business with you, honored dà gē." He's grinning, wickedly enchanted, and then a thought strikes him. Jack flashes Del a look.

"See anything you'd particularly like to have, lass?"

[silver_flecks]

"Babylon," she says immediately.

The cat meows.

[pirate_jack]

Jack looks quizzically at the cat, and then shrugs and looks back at the old man.

"Your call, mate."

[silver_flecks]

"Who am I to deny the whims of Mania? The cat may go where it pleases."

The cat meows again, looking smug.

[pirate_jack]

Jack grins, turning back to Del.

"Up to your new friend, luv. But your Babylon's welcome on me Pearl."

[silver_flecks]

Del considers and bends her mouth next to the cat's ear.

She's the Delight of Cats, too. (And the Delirium, but there's no catnip about.)

That might be why Babylon purrs and seems to settle in her arms as she stands and beams.

"Thank you," and she says a name, but it's a funny sort of name that blurrs together in your ears, before turning to kiss Jack's nose. "Thank you too! Barnabas will be his friend. He will. I know."

Barnabas may not know this yet, mind you, but Del does.

[pirate_jack]

Jack just smiles, and doesn't even try to steal a further kiss-- not from Del, not here, not now.

He does slip an arm around her waist, however, as he turns back to the old man.

"Until next time, mate. Fair winds and smooth sailing to you."

[silver_flecks]

"If there is a next time," is the answer, as the old man goes back to polishing the bowl he'd been tending to when Jack and Del arrived.

[pirate_jack]

Black eyes glitter sharply, but Jack says nothing, even when his hand twitches once more.

Instead, he guides Del and Babylon toward the door, and the three of them step out into the street.

"Well, now." He grins down at her. "Care to continue our tour, luv?"

[silver_flecks]

She looks at him, and smiles, a little, and takes his left hand in her right.

"Yup. We have to have fun now."

[pirate_jack]

The cat has made its way up to Del's shoulder and is poking its nose out from behind locks of her hair, but stops long enough to let out a miaow of agreement.

Probably.

Jack leaves his hand in Del's and grins wickedly down at her.

"Devils and black sheep and really bad eggs," he says confidentially.

[silver_flecks]

"Yo ho," very solemnly, before she bursts out laughing, hair meltingchangingshifty from blue to green to red again.

"I had a bad egg once. It made my stomach hurt. So I got rid of it."

The cat informs Del that if she were smart, she would have given the bad egg to Barnabas.

[pirate_jack]

"Wise of you, luv," he says seriously, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm and leading the way down the street.

It's more of a sway than a walk, and as they pass from street to street it gets more crowded, but Jack always seems to find a way through, weaving deftly through small openings that become larger ones.

From ahead comes the sound of hundreds of voices all shrilling chatter at high volume, along with the scents of fish and rice and sweet things and sour things and fire and ocean and salt and singed metal and all the things that a crowded city market might hold, dockside.

Singapore.