Many a pirate captain would argue planning ahead worked best but, for all his cunning, Jack would rather improvise and, like the Black Pearl itself, take advantage of the wind and sail wherever it blew, follow the waves as they rolled.
This is to say that, had Jack planned his and her exit upwards, to the main deck, he would have noticed they were one crucial element short to the task of successfully transporting a living mermaid… There was an empty barrel but no water with which to fill it.
Jack moved away some of the shards to help the mermaid inch herself away from her guppy prison, his frantic arms describing more flourishes in the air than doing some actual pulling, and sucked in a breath through his teeth at seeing the still nameless mermaid’s new wound.
Quickly he collected some more booze in his hands, drawn together in a shell — the barrel was running low on the stuff by now, no doubt — and pressed them against the girl’s arm.
❝ Antiseptic. ❞ He explained with a nod and a confident expression that declared he knew what he was doing; which might have been for nought the very next heartbeat when Jack swiped his tongue along the sides of his fingers, hopeful for a final drop of rum to grace his lips, all credibility his fast reaction had given him gone. ❝ Right. Let’s get you out of here. ❞
The pirate rolled his sleeves back, his brand as a felon making an appearance, and crouched in front of the barrel to hoist it to his chest level. He grunted and huffed, still Jack thought this might be better than to clutch the mermaid in his arms and carry her bridal style up the steps. All he had to do was imagine this Asian mermaid was a barrelful of Panamanian rum.
The thought brought strength to Jack’s muscles and so he started his clumsy march, sea legs bobbing under the weight. Always a fan of making a big entrance, Jack appreciated the turned necks and the looks he got from the crewmen, even though he surprise plastered on their faces was not of the good kind. Gibbs looked disappointed.
Jack’s smile was bright, goofy and akin to a child’s. ❝ Look what I found! Not a single drop of rum much less a barrel down there, though. Not worth a closer inspection. As you were. ❞ He changed his mind: more post-mermaid-release celebratory drink for him!
Without further explanation concerning the mermaid (or the ship’s hold and it’s contents), the man neared the railing and glanced down at the ocean, then back at her.
❝ …and you had the gall to doubt me! ❞ He said with such verve it almost sounded true, though the mermaid had voiced no doubt Jack would make it. ❝ I guess this is goodbye now, darling. ❞
Aya was grateful at first for his attempt at caring for her wound, then raised a silent brow when he licked his fingers clean. Ah well. Pirates will be pirates, and considering the man came down here in search of booze in the first place she really couldn’t be surprised. Letting out a soft squeak when he began to pick up the barrel, it struck Aya that it probably would be easier if he just, you know, carried her instead. But it was too late now and speaking up about it might just frustrate him.
Keeping quiet as he moved, Aya’s eyes darted from his face to looking around the ship, then back to his face. All this effort to put her back into the sea… It reminded her one of the reasons that she kept separate from her sisters so often - while she had no love for humanity at large, not all of its members were totally vile creatures. Just as not all of her kind were bloodthirsty monsters. Most were, for both races, but not all.
The sun overhead blinded the mermaid for a moment, her eyes unused to the brightness after so long under the deck. Still, even as they adjusted, Aya could hear the surprised gasps and curses from the crew as Jack cheerfully lied to them about the rum. She laughed softly but did not contradict him, only giving a small wave to the crew as he carried her.
She wondered - did they think she was a woman in a barrel, or could they see the shine of her skin, the hidden beast under the beauty? Her tail was in the barrel, hidden from view, but surely they could tell that their captain was holding a mermaid. She could only imagine what was going through their minds at the sight!
As they reached the railing, Aya pushed herself up and slightly out of the barrel, so that she was more or less at eye level with the pirate. His words made her smile and laugh softly. “Thank you, pirate.” She spoke softly, a part of her realizing she’d never learned his name. “I owe you a debt that I hope I one day can properly repay.” He had, essentially, saved her life, and that was something Aya wouldn’t forget.
She surged forward, taking the pirate’s face in her hands, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, looked as if she was going to grab him and flip off of the boat, dragging him to sea. But she did not. Instead, the gentle mermaid stayed true to the personality she’s displayed and placed a chaste kiss to his cheek. “Should you need me before we meet again, speak to the ocean and ask for Aya. I will hear.” She whispered, voice soft so that others would not overhear, even if she was speaking in her native tongue.
And just like that she pulled away, pulling herself up and out of the barrel, the railing close enough that she could just flip backwards and be gone.
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