tampered | Log: Complete;

Current Location: the Jolly Roger

Log: Complete;

When; January 13
Rating; PG-13
Characters; Holly Short

captainshort and Jas Hook

ironhook
Summary; Secrets and fears-- Holly and James find a little bit more about each other then they ever expected to know.
Log;

The captain was awake before anyone else that morning, which wasn't that big of a surprise. Not recently, at least. The entire week had left him restless, itching for a fight, or some form of violence. But without a crew, and without his rival-- it was too quiet. No mischevious laughter in one ear, or the cock-a-doodle of young voices over the hush of waves against the ship's hull.

He wasn't in any better of a mood today, either. Even the crisp bite of January wind did nothing to focus his nerves. James had been feeling decidedly off all week, but this morning was worse then it usually was. A clawing, turning unease in the pit of his stomach that had him stalking out from his cabin sans hat and coat, fingering the silver iron that served as his right hand.

Out of habit, his eyes darted to the sky-- and then did a double-take as, for the first time in seven days, he saw a shadow against the morning sky. Immediately he flared, bristling like a cat, mouth curling into a vicious, grimace of a smile. About bloody time he came back from abandoning his nemesis. James didn't have his sword-- but it didn't matter. He wouldn't need it.

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She hovered outside his window, head cocked, deciding if she should knock.

It wasn't that she had felt a sudden urge to visit the pirate, though that may have been some odd part of the equation. The elf woke this morning to something quite unsettling. What it was, exactly, she couldn't pinpoint, but it was there. Ever since her arrival in the City, Holly had been able to sense the vague nuances of magic in the air, the shift in the mood when she would greet the dawn and the curse that came with it. Today was one such morning, and after her encounter with Gene - the incident still brought a smile to her lips - the elf decided that a patrol would do some good.

It wasn't that she was willing to share such memories and thoughts with the rest of the City, but her sense of duty nagged at her more so than her personal unease. Holly's job was doubly important to her on curse days. The citizens had a tendency to go a bit mad on more than one occassion (hence why she was checking on Hook in particular). She would stop by windows, sometimes, shielded from view via her magic. But she lowered that defense as she came by Hook's cabin --

Just a quick check, she told herself, hazel eyes scannining the ship quickly through her visor. And then I can head back.

The pirate captain had moved before Holly was anywhere near the ship, effectively tucking himself away to become hidden from sight behind a set of barrels underneath the staircase. A surprise attack, of sorts, was what he had in mind-- but when he saw who it was, his stomach dropped just that little bit, and the restlessness returned. She wasn't who he had been expecting, and for the love of Hades this was getting absolutely ridiculous.

That slow unease curled through his stomach again, and while he refused to think too deeply on it, it soured his expression and made him cross his arms defensively. Although he was hidden, his still glared at her, blaming her for setting his potential good mood off again, and reclined against the wall. Huffing just a little, he tilted his head back against the wall, preparing to remain right where he was until she left--

And was immediately hit with the slow burn of a memory that wasn't his own.

Holly frowned briefly, easing the throttle on her wings to perch lightly on the ship's rail. Empty. It was odd to see such a massive vessel so devoid of crew or captain, though she supposed it was simply because it was a bit close to the arse-crack of dawn. (What is it with soliders and daybreak?)

Shrugging her shoulders, the elf turned to leap back into the air when something very invisible but very uncomfortable threw itself around her, almost stifling. A torrent of emotions - rage, jealousy, loneliness - suddenly sent her stumbling off the ship. Reflexes acting faster than her thoughts, Holly flicked her wings to power again, toes dipping into the ocean before she rose swiftly into the air.

Disorientated and more than a little wary, the recon officer dropped lightly to the deck and pulled off her helmet, auburn hair standing in sweat-slicked spikes, gasping for breath. She pressed a hand to her face, shaking away the... what?

Curse day, answered the part of her that was still coherant. Just like earlier, with Gene. Someone's here, that was their fault. Parting her fingers so she could scan the deck once more, Holly's hand dropped to her holster, on guard.

When the echo of gunfire faded, leaving behind guilt and terror and the wash of blood imprinted against the back of his eye-lids, James slowly lifted his head and looked out to Holly, standing on the slope of the deck. So he had been right, had he? She had murdered that man. Not in cold blood-- of course she wouldn't-- but the spot was still on her hands. A silver of satisfaction coiled in his chest, tugging the edges of his lips up maliciously.

"Well, well, the little fairy deigns me a visit," Hook drawled, stepping from his hiding place, arms still folded. It was less defensive now, though, and more haughty arrogance. Forget-me-nots half lidded as he leaned against the railing of the stairs, smirking coldly. "Come to shoot me, too?"

Holly whipped around at the all-too-familiar voice, weapon raised and body poised to spring on instinct; inwardly, she cursed herself for not spotting the human sooner. Shadows, for Frond's sake! The most obvious hiding place in the world, and had the Mud Man been a goblin, she would have been dead! Hazel eyes, sharp and glaring, followed Hook as he took his spot by the stairway. The minute assurance that the pirate would not harm her - yet, came the grim reminder - did not let her ease her finger off the trigger in the slightest.

Instead, the elfin captain allowed herself a cool smile, holding back the shock that came with Hook's last words. Had he seen it? "Sneak up on me like that again," she replied calmly, "and I just might."

"I wouldn't put it passed you," He drawled, as though commenting on the weather, lifting the iron claw from its cradle at his elbow. His eyes slid from her face to the metal, regarding it as though deciding if it needed to be polished or not, and though he wasn't looking at her, he was still hyperaware of her position and the firm hold she had on her weapon.

"Considering you killed your own friend, and he hadn't even needed to sneak up on you," The pirate finally finished, plucking an imaginary piece of dust from the hook before looking over it at her. The smirk was still in place, but where normally there was a hint of amusement to it, there was none, now.

With the mood he was in, restless and agitated, Hook was twice as dangerous as he usually was. Had any of his usual crew been aboard, they would be going out of their way to give him space, having witnessed it countless times before in Neverland-- particularly when the water turned to ice and winter gripped the island. His words always had that extra bite during those times, the look in his eye that little bit wilder, his hand faster to his pistol and his hook quicker to strike. It was unfortunate that Holly didn't know this before coming by, because without anyone else to vent his frustration upon, she became his only available outlet.

Hook's words shot through the air like a stab through the heart; Holly, well-known for her calmness in the field, didn't allow her reaction to flash across her face - but inwardly, her stomach lurched with the pain of the memory. With grim acceptance, she knew the pirate had seen her worst fear, and the reason why it was what it was.

Heart pounding, she forced back the haunting flashes of the tunnel, Koboi's twisted smirk, the roar of the flames and Julius' last order. The memory was stronger today, details that she had gladly forgotten attacking with merciless force; that, coupled with Hook's impending fear, almost broke her. The raging emotions that curled around her from the pirate captain threatened to topple her calm, and she grit her teeth against it.

The elf lifted her chin and tightened her hold on her weapon, thoughts racing quickly: Leave now, or stay? Sanity or pride?

"I thought I told you," she snapped. "I didn't kill him. Are you deaf as well as absolutely mad?"

"On the contrary," Hook replied, not missing a beat, "You did just that. And with a single shot, no less."

He shifted from his spot against the railing and lifted his left arm, right elbow crooked, as though holding an imaginary gun. He canted his head, pretending to sight along it, one eye closed, looking square at Holly, a mock of the picture in her head.

"You were a touch low, weren't you?" He asked, and then lowered the barrel of the would-be gun, from her head to the middle of her chest. On eyebrow lifted and he held the pose there a moment before his body jerked, as though reacting to the kick-back of the invisible firearm.

"Bang."

Despite her training, despite her wariness -- that single word, the wicked mockery of her foolishness -- sent her taking an involuntary step back, an imperceptible wince flashing across her features, heart twisting. Holly didn't notice that her arm was lowering, the barrel of her weapon pointing to the ground, and she quickly jerked it back up in defense, cheeks colouring with anger and shame.

"There was an explosive," she forced out. "I was told a lie that if I hit the right spot, I could have saved..." Trailing away, the elf simply sent a cold glare at human. "Forget it. I don't need to explain myself to you."

With that, Holly turned to go.

"You honestly thought that shooting at it would disarm it? Good heavens," He was grinning like a shark now, eyes wild with malicious intent, delighted to have received a reaction. Lowering both arms, he wandered in her direction like a wolf coming in for the kill. She was ready to leave, obviously, but Hook was only getting warmed up. He didn't intend for his prey to get away so easily. Not until he was completely satisfied.

"Don't feel bad, darling. Really! It was more a mercy killing then anything. He was going to die anyway, hm?"

"You're going to die anyway, if you keep this up, human!" she barked, spinning sharply on her heel and firing a warning shot between his legs. The laser blast scorched the wooden deck, sending a thin stream of smoke into the air; Holly's patience was running thin, and her magic was buzzing below the surface. She was not in the mood for games at the moment, and if Hook wanted to press, then let him press. Had he forgotten that she could take his free will away with a single word?

She powered up her wings, hovering so that she was eye-level with Hook.

"You listen here, Jas," she said, contempt dripping with each syllable. "I am from a different world, do you understand? Our technology is different. I doubt you would understand if I told you how it would be possible to disarm an explosive the way I was told - and believe me, in some cases it is possible - but I don't need you to tell me it was a mistake. I have heard enough from the others, and from you."

[ooc; Sorry for the repost! D:]

He froze as the shot hit the deck between his feet, but instead of looking alarmed, his smile only darkened. The man's chin lifted slightly as the fairy rose to level with him, effectively looking down his nose at her.

"You think so? I'm inclined to disagree. After all," And he tilted his head, poisonous mischief glittering in his eyes, making the sideways look her gave her appear almost flirtatious. He was quickly learning the things that bothered her most, and in the mood he was, Hook was not against pulling out every stop he knew, "You've yet to come to terms with the fact that it was your weapon fire that killed your dear old Commander, regardless of mistakes or explosives that happened to occur at the same time."

[ooc: *LOVES :D*]

"I already have," came the cold reply. "Others may say differently, that it was a trap even the best fairy in the LEP could fall for, but that hasn't changed my views on the matter in the slightest."

Holly smirked, then; but it was an unsettling expression, alien on her normally cheerful face. It lacked the usual warmth, the usual light -- all things that fairytales were made of, what the fairyfolk where thought to be. Instead, it was the empty flash of a soldier who had seen far too much in too short a time (even for an elf). The memory of Julius' death haunted Holly every day, and while his final smile to her had laid no blame, and even though her friends had laid no blame -- she still did. Not on Koboi, but herself. And she didn't need this arrogant human to remind her of that.

"Don't you dare," she chuckled. "Don't you dare offer your opinion on something you don't know about, Mud Man." The frosty smile vanished, suddenly replaced by a dangerous glare. "You tread dangerous ground when you bring up my Commander."

Jas. regarded her cooly, still smiling like a demon leading someone down the path of temptation. He hardly cared about treading dangerous ground. Although he usually knew when to excersise caution, the pirate king prided himself in being able to push absolutely everyone to their limits. He was getting close with the fairy-girl, he could tell. Just from the tension in her shoulders, that tight smile on her face and the slightly hysterical edge to her laugh.

It was a side of her James had a feeling few people had ever seen, and that, if nothing else, was cause for him to feel a sense of victory. But he still wondered malevolently how far he could push her before she snapped. So, testing another theory, he refrained from replying to her vocally. Instead, both eyebrows lifted, and he gave her a look of venomously sarcastic sympathy, as though he were saying 'who, me?' and 'poor baby!' all with the same condescending expression.

Despite their previous encounter of this sort, and despite her training warning her to not lose herself to the goading - that was just it. Captain Holly Short did not take jibes lightly, not in the field, not from a foe. Certainly, she had a reputation of being a level-headed officer even in the face of certain death, but there was no one here that could ruin it back home. Different worlds. No witnesses. Hazel eyes flashed sapphire, a warning of her temper igniting her magic.

Without a word, save but a slow smile, the elf vanished into thin air, shimmering out of the visible spectrum as she activated her shield magic. The grin was the last to go, and then --

A cool rush of wind, and a very invisible but very solid arm wrapped around Hook's neck from behind, and Holly reappeared, leaning right by the captain's ear as she murmured, "Don't try me, Captain. I'm averse to shedding blood, but that doesn't mean I can't act to defend myself when the situation calls for it."

James started a little, despite himself, first when she vanished and then again when her slender arm snaked around his neck. His left hand snapped up, curling around her wrist, ready to wrench her grip from him, ready to give some sort of witty retort, when abruptly and viciously the full effect of the day's curse crashed into the pirate like a sledgehammer.

An arm is around his neck, and he has no control at all. They have a knife at the man's throat and his brown eyes are smiling at James through the blood, proud and loving but James can't say a word because his mouth is a desert and his voice is gone and no, no, no--!

He's skid-sliding on the deck in his haste, slipping in sheets of blood, stained claw and knife clattering from his hands as he staggers to his knees. Ohgodohgod he's dead and there so much crimson and he can see the inside where his jugular was slit open. He's sick with pain, choking on tears as scarlet as the glow of his eyes, stomach wrenching, pulling thick sobs from his chest and hell he's so alone and he can't do it without him and it was supposed to be both of them but now it hurts. so. bad--

They are all dead and he's found Neverland and-- now what? It was his goal for so long but now there is no purpose-- he has no purpose--

The pistol tastes like gunpowder and lead and he can almost feel the release from the empty hollow in his chest--

His name is Peter Pan and when James looks at him the void is replaced with fire and passion and purpose--

Its cold when he's gone and he stalks the deck and snarls and barks and won't admit to himself that its fear because what if he doesn't come back this time and he's left with nothing and the lingering tang of solitude returns to his tongue, bitter and sick as he chews on jealousy and loneliness and the rage he uses to cope with it and he can't go on like that again--

James gasped, overwhelmed, blinded by terror. Where his grip had tightened on Holly's arm, it released abruptly as his legs buckled and gave out, sending him crashing ungracefully to the deck. His hook dug into the wood, left hand clutching at his chest as he shook, gasping against the nausea and the memories and unadultered horror that gripped his entire body, completely unaware that the elf was still there.

The elf in question dropped to the deck along with the human, landing with a cat-like grace on her hands and knees as she stared at Hook with naked shock. She was torn between simply leaving the man there with his own curse, or going to at least see if he was alright -- such was her own curse of being a damn compassionate creature. But as Holly stood, she stumbled back to the deck, gritting her teeth against the wave of flashimg images and stifling emotion that swamped her.

There was a wash of crimson over it, gripping terror and despair, emptiness quickly filled with a shattering rage and --

Hazel eyes snapped open with newfound horror to focus on the crumpled human before her, and she hadn't realised her Neutrino had clattered to the deck as her hand closed on air. Swallowing roughly to fight the nausea at the sight of bloodstained decks, the elf stood shakily and moved cautiously to Hook, though uncertain what else she could do.

"You --" she began, cursing at the hoarseness of her voice. She stared down at him, willing her heart to calm before it sent her shimmering into invisibility again. She couldn't find it in herself to add an edge to her words now, not with him looking so... pathetic. "And you have the gall to goad me?"

A broken sound left his throat, but he still hadn't quite returned to the here and now. Blue eyes were wide, staring and glazed and unfocused to a spot on the deck. His breathing hadn't calmed, neither had his heart, and all he could think of was Jolly and Pan and loneliness and death.

It was clawing at his stomach, a hurt that ran deep, one that had latched onto his very soul and had never released. Although, if he were to be truly honest with himself, the fact was that he hadn't realized how much he needed the boy's attention. And the thought of losing it--

"God," He choked, voice haggard and tight, and he sounded almost close to tears.

Elves are emotional creatures. It's a fact, not just an opinion. In most cases, they make the worst possible soldiers - or, indeed, officers - because of the general feeling that they're too soft for that line of work. It was why Holly was so hard-pressed to prove herself: an elf, and a female. Which was why, despite the fact that the captain loathed the human, her heart twisted a little at the harsh desperation in his voice.

Biting back a sigh, the elf knelt by the man and laid her small hands lightly on his shoulder, careful not to intrude more than she she had to. Taking a deep breath, Holly murmured, "Heal." And even though she wasn't healing any physical wounds, internal or external, she drew out her magic all the same -- the way she did when she healed Artemis' mother out of her depression. Holly's hands glowed a faint blue, and then the sparks followed, sapphire and trailing from her fingers and through Hook: more so to calm him than anything else.

She let her power flow for a few short moments, then quickly drew back; too much, and he'd be turning cartwheels on the deck, singing about rainbows and daffodils. Too little, and it would do nothing but anger him that she had pitied him enough to help. But now -- it should have done enough to help Hook think, at least. Calm his mind.

James was sensitive to magic. He always had been, though he could not fathom why. There had been rumors of his being a demon, or the devil's incarnate, from crew members and victims alike, and while he smirked and ran with the idea, James had never given it any serious thought. Such words had been muttered to him in his youth, as well, and so James just let it lie. Nevertheless, when she cast the spell, he felt it before it touched him, and normally he might have fought against it-- but this time it washed over him like soothing rain, cleansing rage and disjointed thoughts, leaving nothing but the ache of loneliness behind and a single name.

"...Pan," He whispered wretchedly, eyes closing, still oblivious to her presence and focused inward. It was the only time he had ever, even in a sideways manner, confessed any sort of need over the boy aside that of the desire to kill. If fact, the pirate sounded almost like a spurned lover.

"Peter," breathed Holly, startled to hear the name. At the same time, she knew she shouldn't be, knew of the story between the pirate and the boy, but she wasn't aware that he played such a part in Hook's curse. As rare as it was, she was uncertain on what to do next -- but as she reached for the pirate, compassion briefly taking over duty, another image flashed through her mind, unbidden --

And it was Peter. Leaving.

Holly's eyes snapped open, confused. Why would he...? Biting back her curiousity, the elf took the time to assess the situation from a soldier's angle: hazel eyes swept the deck, spotted her Neutrino by the staircase, her helmet by the rail, where she had dropped it. She could get to them in time, if she hurried. But to leave Hook like this? Was she really so cruel?

That was it, then. Despite his anger, despite his obvious irritation with the Boy Who Never Grew Up, it was clear to Holly now that -- "He actually cares more for him than he lets on..."

While the final comment was muttered to herself, something in her tone pulled James from his inward spiral. With a shudder he opened his eyes, confusion flickering over his face as, for a moment, he didn't recognize where he was. He spotted her boots first, where she stood so close, and he blinked as he slowly looked up to see who the owner was, expression still open and raw.

And then he remembered, like a thunderclap, what had just happened. The honest look on his face shuttered, closing over first with horror at what she had seen before switching to shame, and then-- as was expected-- anger. But not the usual anger of Jas. Hook, or the vicious glint of before. No, this time he had the distinct look of a wild animal backed into a corner.

Scrambling ungallantly to his feet he staggered backwards away from her, one hand snapping out to grab the edge of the ship for support. "Get away from me," He hissed, eyes glinting red.

Despite his tone, Holly didn't falter. Her muscles tensed at the flash in his eyes, her soldier sense buzzing below the surface along with her magic, and yet she didn't take a step back. By all accounts, she could have simply turned around and left, since that was what he wished, but... no?

"No," came the calm reply. "Tell me you're alright, then I'll go."

Not that she cared for the arrogant thing, but Hook in a temper didn't bode well for anyone. For the safety of others, his crew, she had to at least make sure he wouldn't tear any throats out... At the moment.

Hook's vice like grip on the ship's rail tightened even more, turning his knuckles white, and the scarlet sheen to his eyes intensified. The cornered look, the wild look to him, it all kicked up at her demand. Shoulders hunching defensively and stepped sideways along the ships rail away from her, as though putting distance between them might erase what just happened.

"Get the hell off of my ship!" He snarled, coiled and looking like a snake ready to strike. The captain wasn't thinking clearly, but all he wanted was for her to leave so he could run to the safety of his cabin and find a distraction there. If this was a curse, and anyone could see that-- he hissed, horrified, and bristled at the fairy.

Entirely unconvinced, her doubt only growing by the moment as Hook's rage did, Holly decided that she honestly had no other say in the matter. After all, how was it her place to pry, and really, the man couldn't care less if she gave a damn about his sanity. As far as the fairy was concerned, that was gone a long time ago.

"Fine," she said coolly, already moving off to scoop up her blaster and then her helmet. Tucking that under her arm, Holly leapt lightly onto the ship's rail and glanced over her shoulder to the pirate as she slipped it back on. "But don't come crying to me when you need another shot of magic."

She couldn't resist the parting shot. Who knows what would have happened, anyway, had she left him as he was? And with that, the elf lowered her visor, powered up her wings. She rose into the sky -

Then vanished.

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