He sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said. He took a mask and pulled it over his head. "How do I look?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled. Spoiler: Mask
Avice chuckled, tilting her head and tapping her chin. "Spooky. Okay, okay, what about me?" She asked, placing it over her mouth.
He laughed, but it was muffled by his mask. "You look great, although slightly insect-like. It's a look, that's for sure."
He smiled, although it was hard to tell beneath the mask. "Thank you. I try my best when looking semi-antlike." He secured his weapons, a long cutlass with a simple wooden handle, as well as a few daggers on his belt. He attached a sack to his hip, the linen old and faded with many patches on it. When he was done, he pulled out one of his daggers. "Natalia told me to go ahead and start," he said hesitantly, turning the blade over in his hands. "She said she'd be out with us in a moment."
Avice nodded, watching carefully. She stood back, then commented. "I don't know what I'll do now that I have to clean below deck alone."
"Oh, don't you worry about that," he said, beginning to cut into the material. The dagger made precise, deft slices, and there seemed to be light on the other side. "I'll still come down with you. You can't get rid of me that easily." He cut his finger slightly and cursed, but it was only a minor cut, so he continued his work. Finally, he made a big enough hole to stick an arm through, and he used his hands from there, pulling the material apart like putty.
Avice checked to make sure she had everything. Cutlass, dagger, a few houses shanks here and there. She looked up. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," he said, grunting slightly as he pulled the last piece out. There now was a sizeable hole big enough to clamber through. He paused for a moment. "Did you see that?" he said, pointing out into the gloom. For a moment, it seemed like something yellow may have flashed in between the shadowy rocks, but it disappeared too quickly to tell.
He frowned, and then shook his head. "I'm not sure," he said. "I might have been imagining things, but I thought I saw something flash yellow out there."
Avice squinted, looking for anything. "I'm not sure, but I want to check it out." She spoke intently, eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"Ahem. You have a concussion, ma'am. I admire your sense of adventure but just hold on a second." He looked up right as the door to Natalia's quarters opened. She was wearing her mask, and she appeared to be unarmed, although Jack knew that she carried daggers all over her body. "Ready to depart?" he called up to her, and she nodded. She locked her door behind her, and she walked down the stairs. "For now, I will only require the services of certain crew members," she said, addressing the crew. "I assure you, if any treasure is found, we will return as soon as we can and all go to collect. Currently, I only require the following crew members. Mr. Curnow, Mr. Rayne, Mr. Seatone, Miss Mercury, Miss Eloquence, and Miss Rohesia. The rest of you shall stay with the ship." Some crew members mumbled, but they all grudgingly agreed, and those chosen lined up to exit.
Avice turned to him with a smirk. "I still got chosen, so that means I must be okay enough to go on adventures."
Cobiah strapped on his mask, and approached the captain. "Excuse me, Captain, may I have a quick word with you before we depart? There is something I have been meaning to tell you." Sweat was running down his body, as he was quite intimidated by the captain, but he didn't show it. He kept his cool and didn't let his anxious habits show.
"Pfft," Jack said. "She just likes you, that's all. You make her laugh. Plus, you're one of the best fighters we've seen in a long time, even with a concussion." *** Natalia turned to him, but her eyes were unfocused as she was deep in thought. It took her a moment to come back to him, but when she did her eyes seemed to pierce him. "Hm? Oh, Mr. Seatone. Yes, I have a minute. Is everything alright?"
Avice shrugged. "You saw how weak I am. It gives me a headache to put out too much energy, but hopefully it'll be different with a sword. I like to keep it sharp."
"Just stay close when we're out there," he said. "She wouldn't choose you for no reason, I don't think. If there's a fight though, you should stay back, if you can."
Avice frowned, crossing her arms. "Nooo... I'm gonna fight no matter what. I'm not standing out." She said, her mind obviously made up.
He frowned in response. "Damnit Avice," he said, only half joking. "There's plenty of fights to get into when you don't have a concussion."
