Ship - The Black Pearl - 4 Years BDC

[Hollywood Heidi]

The Black Pearl

Legendary ship currently captained by Captain Henry. Despite the holes littering her sails, she is said to be "nigh uncatchable". The all black hull and sails and the unkempt appearance on deck give the illusion of disrepair, adding to its sinister, haunted look. The ship also contains a double celled brig.

The Black Pearl is moderately armed and carries 32 twelve-pound cannons: 18 on the gun deck and 14 on the upper deck. Its full broadside contains 16 cannonballs. Extremely unusual for a pirate ship, the Pearl has no chase guns (cannons used while being chased or chasing, as a regular broadside volley cannot be used in this situation) in her bow or stern, giving her a grave tactical disadvantage during a chase as the Pearl cannot shoot a ship it is chasing or return fire at a pursuer; her high speed only partially negates this handicap. Another advantage the Black Pearl has over her enemies is her ability to hide in the sea at night, since if all the ship's lamps are blown out the ship is no longer visible thanks to her black hull and sails.

CREW
Captain - Henrietta "Etta" Jekyll
First Mate - Dracula
Second Mate - Smithey (NPC)
Cabin Boy - Jimmy (NPC)
Problem sailor/Dracula's first victim - Hobson (NPC)

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta stood with Maui at the bottom of the gangway that led up to the Black Pearl's deck, watching recruits from the previous port return from a bit of frivolity along with a handful of new recruits. She could easily pick the new ones out. They had a weary look about them, knowing they were about to sail with the captain whose name and reputation had spread like wildfire throughout every port. It was a paying job and besides, better to sail at the side of Captain Henry than to come across his path.

The new recruits barely took notice of the attractive woman. They discreetly eyed the very large man covered in tattoos she was speaking to, assuming he was this Captain Henry who'd left an entire ship worth of men gruesomely slaughtered and then had gone on to take the legendary Black Pearl from the ruthless, cursed, immortal Barbossa and crew, who'd been legends of their own long before Captain Henry's existence was known.

Captain Henry, the Heartless. That was the moniker going around. 'A little on the nose,' she'd muttered through clenched teeth upon hearing it the first time. No doubt the Dark One had had quite the giggle, thinking himself so clever by adding that last part when starting the ripple of the gossip mill. Etta knew it was also his way of another constant reminder that only he could open the chest he'd magically locked her heart into.


"That's the last of them. You have yourself a full crew now."

Etta watched the last man disappear onto deck. The existing crew getting the new recruits settled in along with the late hour gave the two of them a bit of privacy on the dock. "Well, not a full crew," she said with a sad smile. "How am I ever going to replace the best First Mate I've ever had?" she asked with a cheeky grin.


Maui laughed in his boisterous way, the sound of it echoing on the quiet dock. No doubt confusing the hell out of the new recruits that happened to hear the sound coming from the supposed Captain Henry. "I'm the only First Mate you've ever had."

Etta had to right her footing when Maui gave her a playful nudge. He always seemed to forget his strength. "Thank you for everything." She gestured up at the Black Pearl. "I don't know how I could have gotten this going on my own."


"Eh, cursed immortal pirates are nothing to a demi-god." The little magical tattoo pulled Maui's attention away from her.

Etta didn't roll her eyes this time. She was starting to believe that maybe it was possible he was a demi-god. The way the little tattoo Maui was able to move around his body and make gestures, as it did now, wrapping its little arms over its chest and rocking from side to side in a hug-like gesture. And his strength. Back on the island, he'd lifted her rowboat as if it were a feather. Same with the cannons and other heavy items aboard the ship. And as he did now. "Oh, good Lord, this isn't necessary," she tried to protest as her feet left the ground. He lifted her up as if she were a ragdoll to properly raise her to his stature in order to hug her properly. Etta gave in on a chuckle. "Careful you don't crack any ribs, Big Guy," she said as she hugged him back. She felt a pang disappear in the hollow within her chest, knowing the lack of her heart was robbing her of the richness of this moment.


"Maui will miss you," he said, placing her back on the ground, easy as you please.

"Etta will miss you, too," she said, giving a good tug at the bottom hem of her bodice after it had slightly ridden up in the jostle. She pushed her tousled hair out of her face, patting the curly locks back into place. "Now go find that hook of yours."

With a salute to his former captain, Maui headed toward the only other ship ready to leave port this late night. She wrapped her arms around herself against the cold and the sudden feeling of being so alone once again, taking her time to stand and watch him disappear onto the other ship, its gangway pulled aboard, and finally its retreat from dock.

She was left with no valid reason to procrastinate. It was time to march up her own gangway and take charge. Only two ports down. A lack of a confidant would make this much harder to accomplish. She would have to choose another First Mate amongst the crew. Even if she felt she could trust the person who took Maui's place, it wouldn't be to the point of revealing what she was or what her true objective was. Maui had come across her at her most vulnerable after having just violently taken all those lives. Even without her heart, she'd been fragile and a simple 'What's wrong?' from Maui had had her spilling her guts to him. Though still very much damaged over what she'd done--what the Dark One had made her do--getting that all out had helped her find her strength again.

Etta turned and headed for her gangway.

[Ariel]

The wooden floorboards of the ship's deck creaked as the new recruits piled on board. Peering around in his black cloak at all the fresh meat that surrounded him on board that he would gradually take advantage of to his own appetite's liking, Dracula had never thought much of the pirate's life, let alone traveling at sea - but he supposed there was a first for everything. Especially if it meant coming closer to the things he wanted most in his eternal life. Everlasting youth and monsters. This chapter in Dracula's journey was simply about the monster he had once set out to collect but was ripped from his grasp. In his travels to the Enchanted Forest to complete an act full of vengeance in order to obtain eternal youth by becoming one with Darkness, not once did it cross his mind that he would cross paths with that very monster he so desired to collect long ago. Yet word about a heartless captain who was capable of unspeakable things such as slaughtering a whole horde of men traveled like wildfire among the port that Dracula had been using as a stop to replenish his complexion and satisfy his appetite. He had only known few that were powerful enough to off an entire crew of men and dust their hands tidy and they were all monsters. Dracula didn't want to feel as if he was becoming distracted from the main mission he was in the middle of completing, however he couldn't help himself when it came to the otherworldly and powerful and decided it was time to collect a travel companion on his journey to becoming the Dark One.

His feet wandered away from the group of newcomers that he had been assimilated into as his curiosity led him to the edge of the ship that was parked alongside the port. Tipping his top hat covered head, Dracula's gaze dipped down to the bottom of the gangway to catch a glimpse of the captain. Initially, he was lead to believe the large, burly man covered in tattoos was the new monster he would desire to claim as his own. Yet, he grew rather confused as the tall man of muscle began to walk away. The dark haired woman in swashbuckling gear that had been conversing with the man turned around, and in that moment Dracula's mouth hung open slightly in shock before his sharp pearly whites came together in the most dazzled smile.

"Once a monster tied to the stake, now a man slaying captain," Dracula spoke to himself utterly astonished as he couldn't believe his eyes that filled with stars, watching his new captain make her way up the gangway, "I've been dying to meet you, my pretty pet." His gaze still held onto the supposed Captain Henry as he backed away from the edge of the ship and back into his place, waiting for his monster to make her return.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta marched up her gangway, gathering courage and an air of authority, knowing she'd have to quickly establish it over the new members. Being a woman, who some believed shouldn't even be aboard a ship, it was doubly difficult. She drew relief in the knowledge that the job had already been done with a majority of the crew. Nothing would be as difficult as establishing her place and gaining their compliance as it had the first time with a ship full of new faces who'd conjured up Captain Henry as a big, scary man in their imaginations, not some 'bitty, pretty lady' as the one she'd made an example of had called her. Without Maui there as the muscle, no doubt they'd have gotten it in their head to do something stupid that would have triggered Hyde. The last thing she wanted was to find herself standing over another ship full of mutilated corpses.

Attention was drawn to her and a murmuring had already begun amongst the crowd even before her booted foot hit the deck. A whistle from somewhere in the middle was cut off in a wheeze when the offender had gotten an elbow to the gut. Existing crew had already begun to get the word on the captain out to the new so most of the surprised expressions were short lived.


"Captain brought us entertainment."

A slightly drunk man stumbled forward, yanking his arm free of someone who tried to stop him along with muttering a warning that fell on deaf ears. Apparently not all had gotten word yet. 'This would never happen to a man,' she thought on a tired sigh as she swiftly drew her sword. The man stopped short, her sword point scraping at the material over his gut. He looked up at her in surprise and Etta saw realization dawn on his face when he took in the genuinely furious look on her own for daring to make a move that could lead to Hyde.

"One more step and the entertainment I will be providing will be a reenactment of the bloody ghost ship that made my name infamous." It disgusted her to use what she'd done on that ship as a tool but it was the only tool that worked.

Pale and properly put in his place, the man shuffled backward to stand amongst the crew as Etta moved toward the center to address them. Face stern and still coming down from her anger, she rested the point of her sword against the deck as her eyes pierced the crowd. "I am Captain Henry. Captain of The Black Pearl. Your captain." Etta pulled the point of her sword from the deck and paced to one end of the deck as she continued. "Yes, I am a woman. If you have a problem with that, then I, Captain Henry," she stressed the infamous name, "will have a problem with you." She paused, giving the crowd a hard stare before turning and walking to the other end of the deck as she continued. "If any of you cross me," she held up her sword, moving the tip of it in a sweeping arch to gesture at all of them as a whole, "if any of you threaten my position or threaten me, I promise you," she paused, reaching the middle once again, "that every... single... one of you... will pay for it with your lives." The expression on her face emphasized that her threat was a promise, for it was a threat she had no control over enacting, should any of them do something that brought out Hyde.

Etta sheathed her sword and placed her hands on her hips, satisfied to see the new men looking back at her with respect. No more leers, no more eying her as if she were a tasty treat. Her only concern was the man she'd made an example of when she thought she caught a flicker of animosity in his eyes. "Do we have an understanding?" It was more of a demand than a question.


"Yes, Captain!" came the collective reply.

With a nod of satisfaction, Etta started to turn. "Smithy!," she called out for one of the few she felt she could trust in the full loyalty of as she started for her quarters. Her second mate rushed to her side with a 'Yes, Captain' and walked beside her. "Ready us to make sail then stand guard at my door. I am not to be disturbed." She paused at her door, speaking quietly. "Keep an eye on the man who'd come at me. I think he's feeling emasculated."


"Ema-what?" he repeated in confusion.

Right. Etta sometimes had to remind herself to speak simply. Pirates weren't usually burdened with an overabundance of schooling. "I bruised his precious male ego," she clarified.

With a look of understanding on Smithy's face, he turned and began shouting orders from his post at her door. While the men scrambled and readied to sail, Etta disappeared into the captain's quarters.

[Ariel]

Hidden in plain sight, Dracula's darkened eyes watched his new captain as she established her dominance over her crew. An inward chuckle barely audible to the surrounding ears, Dracula found amusement in these men quaking in their boots as Captain Henry made her threatening introductions. They were a bunch of pig headed drunks that held nothing of interest to their pitiful lives except for working on ships and objectifying women. The high turnover rates of ships like the very one Dracula was standing on made both travel and feeding rather easy, as none of these misogynistic low lives would be missed and there would always be a man looking for work. Yet, this voyage would be different for Dracula, as now circumstances had changed. An unforgiving smirk of delight was slightly visible as he watched her wrap up her Captain's wrath she was unleashing on the crew. He felt a sense of proudness to see just how far she truly had come, as a father would in the moment they see their child pass on into adulthood. Captain Henry was on her way to becoming the monster she was meant to be, yet she still had more potential boiling inside of her, Dracula could feel it. He knew that she wouldn't get much farther on her own without ending up on a stake again. Especially in the company of these ruthless men.

As soon as the Captain retreated to her quarters and her loyal Smithy, as she had called him, began to bark orders, the wheels in Dracula's brain started to turn. With his sights set on what he felt was his, Dracula sparked a dire need to find a way to sink his claws into her immediately. His gaze noted Smithy retreat back to his ordered position as he guarded the door in which Captain Henry disappeared behind, as both of the crew member's eyes were glued to the men on deck who began to obey and slave away. Attempting to charm his way past the gate keeper was amateur's work and a boring approach nonetheless. Dracula jumped back into the mix of men that began to grab barrels to transport them below deck and as he scanned each man he came across a rather timid young man in grub stained clothes. A deer in the headlights, this young man clearly did not realize what he had gotten himself into as he cowered among the larger, muscle men that surrounded him. Handing off the barrel to a fairly brutish crew member that scoffed at how wee the young lad was, the boy retreated to the side of the ship to take a breather. A perfect target for a bit of fun.

"Impeccably daunting, isn't she? The Captain?" Dracula strolled right up beside the young man, grinning from ear to ear, "Yes, I have definitely heard stories about the likes of Captains like her. Have you ever heard the story of Captain Dante The Terribe?" Dracula asked the boy nonchalantly, whereas the boy was rendered speechless as to why the Count was striking up a conversation with him in the first place. Confusion glazed over the young man's eyes as he shook his head in a negatory fashion.

"Ah, an utterly spine-chilling Captain he was, fueled with intense hatred," Dracula looked out onto the open sea as he began to enlighten the boy with a fairly dark story time, " His torture tactics left him feared by many. Some of his crew could barely look upon him without being brought to their knees in fright, poor traumatized fellows," Dracula made a tisking sound before slowly turning his head to the boy in a lowly, grave voice, " There's a rumor that he once ate the heart of another Captain before slaughtering the entire crew." Dracula's gaze on the young man intensified as he watched the terror flicker vibrantly in the boy's widened eyes. The Count could hear the heartbeat of the boy quickening, the blood pulsating through his youthful, human veins. Dracula's thirst grew, yet he had to control himself as this boy was the pawn he needed to get to his monster, not to eat.

"My boy - why do you think they call her 'Captain Henry, the Heartless?' " Dracula's questioning tone shrilled with terror, as did the look on his face as he glared right through the young man's soul, "There's a getaway boat on the far side of the ship. You won't get another chance like this one - what's your life worth? Freedom?...Or your heart?" Dracula had come in close to whisper the intel into the man's ear. It didn't take long for the shaking, young boy to begin slowly backing away from the Count until his back was turned. Dracula watched as the terrified boy hightailed it to the place on the boat where Dracula had given him a gateway to a possible escape.

A deep chuckle escaped from behind his toothy grin as he side glanced over to Smithy. He did not waste any time as he walked over to the guard in a quickened pace. "I beg your pardon," Dracula looked upon the loyal servant apologetically before pointing his gaze in the direction of the escapee half hanging off the side of the ship, fumbling among ropes, "It appears that you have a deserter in your ranks." Dracula looked back at the Smithy whose hardened complexion grew alarmed as he began to run across the deck, shouting at the young man trying to escape. The door was unarmed, and without further ado, Dracula opened the door and slipped into the ship.

Closing the door behind him, Dracula hadn't the slightest clue that the doorway would land him right in the Captain's quarters, staring Henry the Heartless straight in the face. "I apologize, Captain, as I would have asked to have been invited in before entering." Dracula grew slightly alarmed as he did not expect to come face to face with her so quickly, yet kept his composure as he nodded his head in respect.

[Hollywood Heidi]

As soon as Etta escaped into the privacy of her quarters, she began working on getting herself calmed and collected. She'd immediately headed for the secret compartment built into the side paneling and retrieved the little ornate chest then headed for her full length mirror to start the routine she'd adapted during the short time since the Dark One had left her to her own devices. The only good thing about having been stuck in his company was that he'd been able to control the monster, get it tucked back away into darkness, allowing Etta to regain control. But his control worked the opposite way as well. She had to learn to manage this on her own. Better her steady and moral hand at the controls than the scaly, twittering psychopath who loved to play with them with no care for consequence.

Etta stood close to the mirror, hugging the chest tight, trying to feel her beating heart within as close to the place it ought to be as if she could somehow draw some use of it into herself. Maybe it was only mental, but the closer she was to it, the stronger she felt the ghost of emotions. She felt she had a harder time coming down from anger without her heart in place. Quicker to anger, too. She'd thought all her emotions had been pulled out and locked away along with her heart, but it turned out a scarce few remained. Unfortunately, they were the emotions that were usually tempered by the heart, though not always connected.

Finding that the window to the soul was also the best place to gauge where she stood with her control, Etta looked herself in the eyes. The darkness that lurked under the surface swirled through the greens and browns of her hazel eyes, but it was far from eclipsing them. She just needed a little mental talk-down and to rid herself of that thread of panic over having lost her muscle. 'Calm down, Etta. You can do this on your own. You've established your authority and they have accepted you as their captain.' The muffled sound of the men working together on deck in easy compliance helped alleviate the main concern she'd had over the one she felt might be trouble. She was fairly confident she'd have an easier time of having the rest comply with her order to have him thrown in the brig than the troublemaker would have of talking them into mutiny. Hopefully.

Etta was nearly done dissipating her anger and nerves enough to be looking back at herself with clear eyes when the hinges of the door, rusted from sea elements, creaked in protest. Sounds from deck were momentarily heightening before the door creaked closed once again. Getting the bloody lock fixed shot to the top of her task list. With a sigh of annoyance, she quickly angled the mirror downward to obstruct Smithy's view, in turn missing that her view reflected no Smithy. Or anyone.

"Smithy, when I said I was not to be disturbed," she began, starting to turn, "that included--" the 'you' died on her lips. Etta was at a loss for words and reaction, too mixed up with being caught off guard with wonderings over the man's audacity, what he'd planned, and how he didn't exactly look the type to be living a pirate's life.

She'd felt a shot of adrenaline go through her, yet oddly, her heart within the chest continued to beat at a normal, calm pace. Her scientific mind couldn't help forming the quick hypothesis that with her heart having been separated from her body, the adrenaline hadn't been able to get to it. He spoke, pulling her mind away from fruitlessly hypothesizing the scientifically impossible.


"I apologize, Captain, as I would have asked to have been invited in before entering."

Etta studied him, trying to assess what his game was. Yet another man underestimating her with roundabout talk and fancy manners? Perhaps not entirely. He'd been caught just as off guard as she. She'd seen the same momentary surprise reflecting back at her when they'd found themselves face to face.

"Well, that's a paradoxical excuse if ever I heard one," Etta began dryly yet sternly. She dismissively placed the chest on the table as if it held no importance in the hopes it wouldn't draw attention then casually rested her hand on the hilt of her sword as she moved forward, continuing her berating. Her free hand waving from left to right with each claim. "You say you would have asked. However, you did not ask. Yet here you stand." She gestured to him with her free hand before it came to rest on her hip. Etta came to a stop a safe distance and pinned him with her gaze. "Now, had you asked, here you would not stand." The way he held himself gave the impression he was someone who was used to getting what he wanted. She narrowed her eyes slightly, conveying that she had a feeling he knew he wouldn't have gotten an audience had he asked.

[Ariel]

"Well, that's a paradoxical excuse if ever I heard one," "You say you would have asked. However, you did not ask. Yet here you stand." "Now, had you asked, here you would not stand." 

"You won't hurt me," Dracula spoke with assurance that appeared to be accompanied by a gentle mannerism as his beady, yet softened gaze panned from the chest that the Captain had placed on the table to the feminine, bruting Captain herself, "Believe me when I say my statement does not come from a place of belittlement. Unlike the misogyny gallery you've hired to work your decks, I don't doubt your capabilities. And from the stories I've heard, controlling her is still a struggle for you, isn't it?" the floor boards sang creakily under Dracula's shoe as he took a step further into the quarters. His eyes cautiously kept a hold on Etta before lowering himself in the closest seat at the table. Dracula could feel the chest looking upon him as if it had a pair of eyes of it's own. His senses picked up beating flesh that resided within the confinement and although he tried to not draw his attention to the chest, he couldn't help but to mentally muster a couple of guesses as to what may lay inside. 

"Now, I know I don't look like a swashbuckler. Truth is, I am here to help, just not with scrubbing the decks. I do believe that you and I have more in common than you know, Captain," Dracula revealed, yet his words were still utterly vague. He gestured a hand to the empty chair across from him at the table, inviting the Captain to have a seat at her own table. Yet, he didn't want to waste any time with beating around bushes and more riddles - that wasn't his forte, "Or should I say, Henrietta Jekyll?"

[Hollywood Heidi]

"You won't hurt me,"

Etta raised a brow in a silent, 'Don't bet on it.' It went against her nature, but should someone pose a threat that may entice Hyde forward, she would rather take the one life than the many Hyde would. Hopefully it would not come to that.


"Believe me when I say my statement does not come from a place of belittlement. Unlike the misogyny gallery you've hired to work your decks, I don't doubt your capabilities. And from the stories I've heard, controlling her is still a struggle for you, isn't it?"

Taken by complete surprise, Etta tensed slightly, giving away that his words, though cryptic, struck a nerve. Nobody in this land but the Dark One and Maui knew that the darker side of her personality, the one feared and whispered about, was a being all its own. A volatile monster within her that she held inadequate control over. Neither would have revealed this information to anyone. So how had this man found out about Hyde? She eased back into her casual stance and did not give anything further away. Etta remained silent and allowed him to reveal more of his hand before she would put a single card down. She watched as he made his way to the table and helped himself to a seat.


"Now, I know I don't look like a swashbuckler. Truth is, I am here to help, just not with scrubbing the decks. I do believe that you and I have more in common than you know, Captain,"

A condition created by her own hand, it was highly improbably that anyone would have it in common, so again, she simply raised an eyebrow while remaining silent. He gestured to a chair but Etta answered it with a hard look and remained standing. As Captain of this legendary ship coveted by many, only she had the authority to offer invitations, especially in regards to the Captain's table.


"Or should I say, Henrietta Jekyll?"

Etta didn't flinch. Knowing her full name was nothing compared to the surprise of this presumptuous stranger's knowledge of Hyde. It scared her for if what he knew became public, it would completely ruin her chances of completing the mission she hoped would conclude her deal with the Dark One, but she did not let it show. She remained calm, passive, as if this was merely a minor annoyance.

"Congratulations. You know my name and my deep, dark secret," she said indifferently. "But I hardly think you went through the trouble just for a promotion from swabbie to rigger." She took in his appearance once again. 'Help her,' he claimed. This man with his assertive, confident nature and air of control was not 'the help' type. He was more suited for a position of command, but the position of first mate had only just freed up. There was no way he could have anticipated it. Was he even the type who would take command from anyone? Etta could only drawing one other conclusion to his endgame. "You want my ship."

Her mind was already working a step ahead on the wrong conclusion. The coveted Black Pearl for his silence. It would be far more difficult to lure Jack Sparrow to her crew without this ship but it would be completely impossible with her secret out.

[Ariel]

"Congratulations. You know my name and my deep, dark secret,""But I hardly think you went through the trouble just for a promotion from swabbie to rigger.""You want my ship."

"Your ship?" Dracula was amused by Etta's assumptions of where his intentions with her and the ship may lie. They had lived in the same land once upon a time, and he truly kicked himself for not reaching out to her until his window of contact came to a close right on his nose. He had been left with nothing but a newfound butler that day, and he had been under the impression the Jekyll and Hyde were a lost cause. Until the stars aligned miraculously and their paths crossed again this day. Dracula knew that this instance was rare and that he had to do everything in his will to not let her slip from his claws, not again, "My dear, you really don't know who I am, do you? I have no interest in your ship, or gold, or any of your earthly possessions...," 

A soft knock came from within the chest on the table, so soft that it wouldn't have been audible to human ears. Dracula was far from human, and his heightened sense of hearing picked up the soft beat against the chest immediately. His eyes shifted from the chest and then back to Etta, "Who's heart is that? In the chest?" Dracula poked in question, almost in an accusatory tone. He only hoped she was smart to begin to rely on her and to not lie to the Lord of monsters himself, "Ah," Dracula expressed as his inquisitive gaze subsided to understanding, his tone dripping with epiphany, "It's yours, isn't it? And you can't get it out. Only someone with a devious mind would do that to another," Dracula spoke as if he was pondering in thought. He would know what devious people were capable of, he was one himself. But he was probably the only one in the land who wasn't set out to harm Etta as he assumed many would and had attempted, "Etta, what did you do?" Dracula was almost afraid to ask the question, yet this incredible creature needed his help. He needed to do his duty, as long just as long as he got something in return.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"My dear, you really don't know who I am, do you? I have no interest in your ship, or gold, or any of your earthly possessions...,"

Again he threw her for a loop. Not so much the part about having no interest in earthly possessions, but the notion he gave that she should know who he was. A curiosity overcame his features before his gaze shifted to the chest. Etta stiffened slightly, wondering why he'd taken such sudden interest in it but she managed to quickly return to her demeanor of casual indifference before his eyes shifted back to her.


"Who's heart is that? In the chest?"

Etta silently stared hard at him. How in the world had he been able to figure the chest held a heart with just a glance at it? Wouldn't the very idea be ludicrous? Perhaps a heart being separated from a still living thing was another science-defying quirk of this world that she couldn't wrap her mind around.


"Ah," "It's yours, isn't it? And you can't get it out. Only someone with a devious mind would do that to another," "Etta, what did you do?"

He spoke in a chastising manner the likes she hadn't heard directed at her from anyone other than her father. Then there was that familiarity with which he spoke to her. He seemed to know her beyond the Captain Henry stories. How was that even possible? He did have an air about him that reminded her of how she felt being in this land. Something beyond a foreigner. A person that didn't quite match the look, the feel, or the flow of this world. She felt an alignment in their beings that pulled at nostalgia over her home land. Was it possible? Had he crossed lands?

The kindred sensation had her easing up enough to be more cooperative, but she would not give away what she was thinking or how she was feeling. Wrong or right, she would not give him any more advantage over her. It was time to start balancing the scales.

Putting his questions aside until or if she felt she could trust him, Etta finally pulled out a chair and sat, casually folding her hands on the table before her. She took the reigns of this unexpected meeting and asked questions of her own. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage. On top of knowing my true name and what I've been careful to keep quiet, you speak to me as if you know me." 'And strangely, as if you care.' "Yet I don't even know your name."

[Ariel]

"You seem to have me at a disadvantage. On top of knowing my true name and what I've been careful to keep quiet, you speak to me as if you know me." 'And strangely, as if you care.' "Yet I don't even know your name."

"Huh," Dracula's eyes widened in the epiphany, as if his senses had been awakened to a new revelation, "You're absolutely right! How impeccably rude of me," He scolded himself briefly, giving his head a distasteful shake. "Allow me to formally introduce myself, Captain," He reached one of his pale claws slowly above his head to catch the brim of his black top hat, "My name...is Count Dracula. Lord of monsters," picking the top hat off of his head, Dracula placed it's base over his chest before taking a courteous bow of respect towards Henrietta, his new Captain. He bore a large grin as he came out of his bow, tossing the hat to the side of the ship, "You may have heard of me, or better yet, have crossed my path once before? Perhaps in your real home?" Dracula smirked delightfully as he kindled the connection that he had been waiting for, for a really long time.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta was struck with sudden familiarity at the name. He removed the hat that had cast shadows upon his face and, it too, struck her as familiar.


"You may have heard of me, or better yet, have crossed my path once before? Perhaps in your real home?"

Real home? That was why the association had felt so murky. She hadn't been thinking of her homeland. That part of her life felt as if it were detached. A completely different life lived by someone else. She also hadn't thought to ever see anyone from her homeland again.

Memories of her old life came flooding back, so many of them painful ones. The sudden onslaught of emotions that crashed into her on that wave struck her momentarily speechless. She schooled her features, unsure if the effects had flashed across her face before she'd managed to catch it.

"Count Dracula," she repeated with further familiarity as she studied his face. Recollection started to form as a picture in her mind. The crowded ballroom in Frankenstein's castle. So many people, so many introductions. But there was a much whispered about guest who'd made a rare appearance at this event. It felt as if it had been an honor at the time that he'd chosen to attend. Etta smiled with warm familiarity. "We met at my engagement party. At Frankenstein castle. I never thought I'd see anyone from home again." Her brows furrowed in question. "But how did you manage crossing over? And end up in the very same place as I, no less?" Just as theirs, this world was vast. Entire worlds existing apart from each other. She still couldn't wrap her science-based mind around it.

[Ariel]

"But how did you manage crossing over? And end up in the very same place as I, no less?"

The delightful smirk appeared to be frozen over his lips as he folded his hands together and rested them on the table between himself and Henrietta. Throwing a momentary glance over his shoulder, he returned back to the Captain as he leaned forward into the table as if he was about to tell her a secret. 

"As you may know, existence of magic in our realm is, well, miniscule," Nodding grimly along with that fact, Dracula held is gaze with Henrietta's as he carried forward, "And I had a severely difficult time for a while. So, I continued to seek answers in one of the few places in our land that true magic exists - can you guess where?" Dracula tilted his forehead as he raised his eyebrows, though he only waited for a brief moment for an answer before pressing on, "Books, my dear. Rows of literature that our world has declared as 'fairy tales' and 'fables'. Yet, in a world where I myself exist, I knew that there had to be something more. And my inklings were confirmed when Rumpelstiltskin came to town," Dracula wasn't sure if he was giving too much away. At this point, he didn't care. He finally found Henrietta, one of the few of his quests he set out to do had now been completed. At this point, he wondered if Hyde was far away or close. His anticipation and excitement grab ahold of him as his demeanor grew passionate, "I was there that night. I had heard of the terrible accusations and judgement that was cast upon you. So I came as quickly as I possibly could to free you of your bonds and get you to safety, yet Rumpelstiltskin came quicker." Dracula exhaled with disappointment in himself, as he knew that he had failed her that night.

"I knew that if he hid you by magic, then he would have taken you away to a different world entirely. So I buried myself in books, grasping onto anything I could find. I just about lost heart in my research until I came across a passage - an incantation. It is possible that my strong belief in the existence of magic gave the incantation what it needed to summon a character from it's pages. She called herself The Black Fairy," Dracula chuckled half heartedly at the name, a slight side grin played in the corner of his cheek, "She sounds like she could have been the villain from the book I pulled her from, doesn't she? But I suppose even those who are crowned with the name 'villain' are quite often misjudged, aren't they?" Dracula left Henrietta to stew with that revelation before continuing with his story, "We ended up making a deal. I provided...employees for her business and she provided me with fairy crystals - a token that allowed me to pass into this realm." Dracula caught himself only telling a half truth to Henrietta. If she knew that Dracula had kidnapped children to work in The Black Fairy's mine in the Dark Realm, she probably would hate him.

"I have been to many places, have met many different people and creatures along my journey. Yet, none of them veered me too far off course of finding you. And now here you are, Captain Henry of The Black Pearl," Dracula spoke proudly in their reunion. Though he spoke as if his mission was complete, Rumpelstiltskin was still out there waiting to be slain by Dracula's hands with the dagger between his palms. That was one truth he was going to keep hidden, until it became a reality, "You know, it appears that the Pirate's life looks good on you. And the last thing I want to do is take that away from you, seeing how hard you've worked to become who you are. Let me sail with you, as your right hand man. Someone who not only understands you and Ms. Hyde, but also as someone who can set the rest of the men on board this ship straight. Ever since I climbed aboard, it appears that many of them have been acting out of line." Dracula gave her an honest proposition as he hoped to have appealed to her trustworthy instincts.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"As you may know, existence of magic in our realm is, well, miniscule," "And I had a severely difficult time for a while. So, I continued to seek answers in one of the few places in our land that true magic exists - can you guess where?" "Books, my dear. Rows of literature that our world has declared as 'fairy tales' and 'fables'. Yet, in a world where I myself exist, I knew that there had to be something more. And my inklings were confirmed when Rumpelstiltskin came to town,"

A look of disgust flitted across her features at the mention of that name but Etta pushed it away to think on his view of magic. It appeared that even before the Dark One had cast his shadow in their world, Dracula's mind had been more open to the thought of magic existing. Perhaps it had to do with his mention of the existence of himself in a way that suggested he was out of the ordinary. She kept that information at the forefront of her mind.

Until recently, in her mind, magic had been as real as fairytales, which was to say, not real at all. The miniscule instances he'd referred to were written off in scientific circles merely as phenomena that had yet to be studied and explored. Given the time and inclination, one could study, run tests, gather and dissect information and in time, produce an explanation. But as Dracula had stated, the instances had been miniscule and hardly worth the time to abandon more prominent projects already in the works.

But also as he'd stated, things such as magic and fairytales did exist in books. Countless numbers of them. There were also rumors and whispers of legends and sightings that did not fit into what would be considered reality.   She'd heard it said that there was a thread of truth to such fantastical notions, especially in things or stories that managed to stand the test of time or exist in variations seemingly borne continents apart.


"I was there that night. I had heard of the terrible accusations and judgement that was cast upon you. So I came as quickly as I possibly could to free you of your bonds and get you to safety, yet Rumpelstiltskin came quicker."

The wheels of her always working mind stopped their side ruminations of magic and fairytales. Her full attention was on him with the revelation that he'd intended to help her that night. Something deep inside had been pulling at her to put her full trust and devotion into this relative stranger, yet she'd been holding back. It was reckless and Etta put far more stock into caution since the day she'd thrown it to the wind and inadvertently created Hyde. But hearing that he'd shown up with the intention of helping her, she felt herself opening up more to the notion of trusting him, yet cautiously wondered why a private, mysterious man who the townsfolk spun all sorts of wild stories about and who she'd only met once would feel so inclined to abandon his privacy to come to her aide.

If Etta had only known that the something deep inside her pulling at her trust and devotion were the yearnings of Hyde, there probably wouldn't have been anything he could do or say to get passed the wall she'd have thrown up between them. But Etta had no idea that Hyde had gained the strength to linger and observe in the shadows of her mind.


"...But I suppose even those who are crowned with the name 'villain' are quite often misjudged, aren't they?"

She'd been listening intently to how he'd discovered a means to travel between worlds when he'd asked her a rhetorical question. She couldn't help but think of Gerhardt. Villainized by the townspeople simple because he was different. He did have his moments where he'd lost touch with his mind and went into a rage, unfortunately hurting a few people who had gotten in the way, but she and Viktor could always reach through to him and talk him down. It was not his fault. He hadn't asked to be brought back. Gerhardt would never have agreed to or approved of his brother misusing science to play God and of course undertaking such a feat had gone awry.

She did, however, see herself as a sort of villain. At least a part of her was but since she'd brought that part of her into being and since that part of her physically acted through her, she felt she deserved that title just as much. As bad as that part of her was, there were worse. There were the kinds of villains who saw themselves as the hero, the good guy, the victim, or a combination.

He stopped the short pause he'd allowed her to muse on his rhetorical question and again, Etta listened as he'd continued telling her about The Black Fairy, fairy crystals, and traveling between worlds.


"I have been to many places, have met many different people and creatures along my journey. Yet, none of them veered me too far off course of finding you. And now here you are, Captain Henry of The Black Pearl,"

"You know, it appears that the Pirate's life looks good on you. And the last thing I want to do is take that away from you, seeing how hard you've worked to become who you are. Let me sail with you, as your right hand man. Someone who not only understands you and Ms. Hyde, but also as someone who can set the rest of the men on board this ship straight. Ever since I climbed aboard, it appears that many of them have been acting out of line."

Etta grinned at the compliment, then sent a scowl toward the closed doors at the men beyond. "I can handle them," she reassured, though not in a way that said she'd taken offense to his offer of helping to keep them in line. In truth, she needed the assistance in order to avoid situations that might incite Hyde forward. "Though I sometimes lack the patience to deal with those misogynistic dunderheads. It just so happens that this very night, my First Mate has boarded another ship and moved on to his own quest. I'd planned on making the announcement in the morning of the opening. Perhaps you can save me the trouble of a day wasted interviewing that unworthy lot." She flippantly gestured toward the deck. "That is, if you are willing to go through an interview process?" she said, raising her eyebrows at him in question. "Being from the same world and knowing my secret is not enough to gain a position that must hold the complete trust and reliance of the captain."

[Ariel]

"That is, if you are willing to go through an interview process?" "Being from the same world and knowing my secret is not enough to gain a position that must hold the complete trust and reliance of the captain."

Dracula couldn't fathom not trying to go through the process of which Henrietta spoke of. He fought so hard to try to reunite with her, that he could not now fathom being without her. Nodding in agreement, he showed no sign of a fight as he faced both palms up by his cheekbones in surrender, "It would be an honor to be interviewed under the surveillance of one of the greatest Captains that ever did sail these seas," Dracula proclaimed as he nodded in agreement, "So tell me, what is the first question I must answer correctly to pass the test?" He asked desperately. Dracula couldn't loose her as fast as he had found her. He had hoped.

[Hollywood Heidi]

""It would be an honor to be interviewed under the surveillance of one of the greatest Captains that ever did sail these seas,"

Etta studied him but there were no signs of facetiousness or condescension. He seemed to believe the words he spoke. She could hardly agree on his bold assessment. Her father may have always allowed her to take lead of her own life, had encouraged her even, but the misogynistic world they'd come from hadn't exactly given her any experience in leading others. She had the added issue of being volatile when faced with threatening situations and could become the worst danger herself. That was hardly a trait befitting the dangerous pirate lifestyle, let alone being the leader of a group of them.


"So tell me, what is the first question I must answer correctly to pass the test?"

Answer correctly? She hoped he meant that they would be in agreement on how things should be done, not that he planned to tell her what she wanted to hear. Even if they weren't always in agreement, they'd hopefully still not be too far off base of each other's beliefs and understandings on how things should be done. Telling her what she wanted to hear meant withholding and even lying. Trust could not be built of either of those.

There was no room for friendly smiles and jovial discussions when interviewing someone for such a position. Etta leaned forward, resting her arms on the table and lacing her fingers, assuming her role of leadership by taking on a stern expression. She pinned him with a somewhat accusatory narrowing of her eyes. "How did you get past Smithy?" Her tough method of questioning would gain her an assessment on her potential new First Mate along with an explanation as to why and how a direct order had been violated.

[Ariel]

"How did you get past Smithy?"

Dracula grinned to himself in amusement. He thought about just how easy it was to work his way across the deck and into Henrietta's quarters. Almost too easy, even for his own liking. If it hadn't been him, a harmless threat to Henrietta's safety, it could have been someone with ill intentions to do her wrong or worse. The thought of any harm to her boiled away within him. Nothing or no would lay a finger on her, not while he was around.

"Power trips seemed more important to him than protecting his Captain. Smithy abandoned his two most important posts today - keeping you safe and the rest of the crew in line," Dracula looked down at table as he shook his head distastefully. Returning his gaze back up to Henrietta, his eyes softened with upmost devotion, "You deserve much better than that, Henrietta - I mean Captain, my apologies." Dracula was serious when he spoke to her. He had spent so long looking for her, he would take a stake to the chest for her and her inward counterpart.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta pushed aside the words of flattery. They did not serve to sway the interview in one way or the other, though she still found puzzlement in why he seemed to believe these things he said about her. After all the things she'd done as Hyde, she didn't believe she deserved anything but to be thrown in a cage where she could never hurt anyone again.

"Oh come now, we're from the same world. We're practically family," she teased over how formal and serious he was being, treating her with such unearned reverence. "Henrietta will do, or Etta, if you prefer. Though 'Captain' in front of others would be proper," she said as an aside.

"Power trip, you say?" Etta's pointer finger tips tapped together a few times as she looked thoughtful. She'd had an opinion on Smithy formed but Dracula seemed to be painting a different picture. There was something amiss but she wasn't sure where the problem lay. Had Smithy been pulling one over on her and Maui all this time? Was Dracula lying to cover how he'd gotten in here? Or was this a case of mistaken identity with Dracula having mistaken another of the crew with Smithy? Etta's tapping fingers returned to their resting position in the laced formation of her hands and her gaze returned to Dracula. "That's not very like Smithy. I've found him to be trustful, though rather soft, which is why I thought him unfit to move up from Second to First Mate. You're sure we're speaking of the same man? Short, stout, balding man, unwisely favors bright shirts that set him out as an easy target for rival pirates?"

[Ariel]

"That's not very like Smithy. I've found him to be trustful, though rather soft, which is why I thought him unfit to move up from Second to First Mate. You're sure we're speaking of the same man? Short, stout, balding man, unwisely favors bright shirts that set him out as an easy target for rival pirates?"


Dracula felt rather unmoved with Henrietta's questioning. If anything, it gave him more of a chance to prove that his motives were genuine. "Perhaps it takes someone from the outside looking in to see what others might not?" He looked upon Henrietta with dire concern as he folded his pale claws to rest on the table in front of him. The air around them grew strangely serious, as did his manner. He confidently carried himself through his words as his attention remained solely on the only other soul in the room.

"I am more than confident that you are able to take care of them yourself...though, these men are as stale as the crumbs which the rats feast upon. They could all use a healthy dose of fear sent straight into their hearts." Dracula felt an ugly distaste in his mouth as he spoke about the vermin which Henrietta called her crew, "Talking and scolding is, well, rather limited. Especially with feeble minded men who need things spelled out for them in a more visual medium. I can climb into their nightmares and show them what happens to those who cross Captain Henrietta," There was a deciphered undertone of excitement as Dracula explained what he'd like to do with the crew to throw each and every one of them back in line for his Captain, "Those who value their lives aboard this ship will never bat a distasteful eye in your direction ever again. And for those who want to test the limits...," Finally, Dracula's serious complexion cracked under the dim light of the ship into a pleasant grin, "...,well, I can think of a few solutions for them. Henrietta," Dracula's body crouch over the table with passion as he leaned in closer, "I can lift you up and support you in ways that no other First Mate has ever done before. You...and your counterpart." Dracula had been hesitant to throw in the last part, and yet he did in a confessional manner in hopes that it would be received well, "Is she...around, by chance? Forgive me if my question crosses a line." Dracula drew himself back into his seat at the table, growing slightly apologetic. However, an inkling within him only hoped to meet her. Miss Hyde.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta shifted uncomfortably in her seat. He seemed to hold both parts of her in high regard, but Etta's reaction showed that she did not share that view of the monster within her. "She's always around," Etta said, sounding worn down and a bit haunted by the fact.

Squaring her shoulders, Etta tackled her biggest concern. "Yes, I can take care of myself, but it is not a good idea for me to do so on my own. It is never good, for anyone, when Hyde makes an appearance. She takes full control when we are threatened and everyone in the vicinity becomes a casualty, not just the one or few who had caused the threat. That is why, Dracula, I need a First Mate who can watch my back and decipher the inner workings of the minds of each of the crewmembers. I need this First Mate to anticipate when trouble is brewing and to sniff out troublemakers." She unlaced her fingers and stabbed the table with her pointer finger to stress her next words. "I need them kept in line so they do not do anything stupid that will end with the death of everyone on this ship."

Etta felt she'd driven that point in clearly by now. Wanting a topic change as it was obvious she did not particularly care to talk about that other part of her, she sat back again, studying him and going over his words. "When you say 'climb into their nightmares'..." she faded off, letting him pick up the reigns to go into more detail on the workings of this thing he spoke of with a somewhat unsettling excitement. Such a claim, she'd once have thought of as merely hypothetical but the level of glee he seemed to take in it, experiencing her own otherworldly circumstances, and with crazy rumors that had always circulated about the mysterious Dracula that many villagers seemed to fear, most without ever having met the man, had her mind open to wondering if perhaps this might be a literal thing.

[Ariel]

"...That is why, Dracula, I need a First Mate who can watch my back and decipher the inner workings of the minds of each of the crewmembers. I need this First Mate to anticipate when trouble is brewing and to sniff out troublemakers."  "I need them kept in line so they do not do anything stupid that will end with the death of everyone on this ship."

Dracula's razor sharp fangs relaxed behind his lips as his grin manifested an assurance that was almost as terrifying as staring too deep into his cold, beady eyes. He knew that Henrietta needed him, and it so happened that he would need her also if he wanted to continue onward in this realm. Every bone in his body ached for the precious, crimson liquid as he thought about feasting on the blood supply of the ones that would defy the Captain until they reached a point that they would not be able to return from so easily. Of course, Henrietta would hold the final judgement over the scumbags that occupied her ship. Dracula would simply reap the benefits of making the bad and the ugly pay for their sins committed against their Captain.


 "When you say 'climb into their nightmares'..."

"Well, let's just put it this way...In their twisted, hopeless insanities they'll be begging for your forgiveness just to survive the night," Dracula bled for Henrietta as he poured what was left of his soul into his persuasions. He would have been lying if he had said that he wouldn't find the process at all entertaining himself at the expense of the rotten crew aboard this ship, "Trouble makers never get past this Devil, and I can assure you that the safety of you and this ship will sit comfortably in the palm of my hands. You can trust that I'm a man of my word." Dracula danced with Henrietta as they took turns in lead of this tango. He was ready to slow things down and come to an agreement. Dracula only hoped at this point that she would accept no other fact than that she simply had no better choice in a First Mate than the Count himself.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta couldn't help but feel reassured. And also a bit terrified for anyone who stepped out of line. "Very well," she said, relaxing back into her seat, her arms draping over the arm rests. "We'll start you off on a trial run. However," she said, holding up a finger, "determining who is deserving of punishment and to what extent it will be doled will be at my discretion. We can't very well run a ship with half the crew driven mad," she added dryly.

Sadly, saying 'half' was probably an understatement for this misogynistic lot. She was lucky to have had a gentleman stumble upon her ship's ranks. They were rare in this line of work, even more rare for one to seemingly hold the same level of respect for her gender.

Exhaustion was setting in and Etta stifled a yawn before it could form. "Well, I think that should do for the night. We can reconvene in the morning and discuss the upcoming mission while we breakfast." Etta pushed back her chair and got to her feet. "You won't be sleeping with the rest of the crew, as is customary. My First Mate must always be close at hand, especially when I'm most vulnerable." Even with locks installed on her own cabin, she would hardly have ever been able to sleep a wink without having known Maui was a second away and within shouting distance.

Etta headed for the door and lead the way. Upon opening it, she found Smithy back at his post, turning curiously toward his Captain. He looked weary from whatever task had taken him away from his post. A look of surprise came over his face at the sight of a second person exiting the Captain's quarters. Etta missed the look of suspicion that followed for it having been the very man who'd informed him of the young man attempting to jump ship. "I had the storage room beside my cabin converted to First Mate's quarters." She pushed open the door to said room, gesturing inside. "It's small, but you have your own bed, privacy, and enough room to move about some. Though if you are inclined to pacing, I'd suggest stepping out onto the deck," she added, half-jokingly.

[Ariel]

"We'll start you off on a trial run. However," "determining who is deserving of punishment and to what extent it will be doled will be at my discretion. We can't very well run a ship with half the crew driven mad," "Well, I think that should do for the night. We can reconvene in the morning and discuss the upcoming mission while we breakfast." "You won't be sleeping with the rest of the crew, as is customary. My First Mate must always be close at hand, especially when I'm most vulnerable."

Dracula bit the opinionated tongue that lived behind his devilish grin that relaxed slightly at the mention of a 'trial run.' In this moment, it was his turn to listen and Henrietta's turn to lay down the law on how things would be. Or in other words, Dracula's guidelines to being on his best behavior around the swashbuckling swine that infested this ship. Nodding his head in agreement with Henrietta's words, Dracula would loyally submit to his new Captain and fall in line among her shadow during the day and lay awake at night ensuring her safety. He would go to means to protect her at any cost. Even if it meant blood which, in his case, hoped to get to that point as morbid as it may seem. Dracula anticipated that these men aboard would fall out of line. And when they did, he would be waiting for them.

Following Henrietta's lead, Dracula stood up and, grabbing his hat back into his hands, he followed her over to the door from which he originally entered into the quarters. Stepping outside of the quarters, Dracula caught Smithy from the corner of his eye turning a suspicious glance over at them. The Count simply smiled on smugly, ignoring the man as he turned back to Henrietta who was addressing him once more. 

"I had the storage room beside my cabin converted to First Mate's quarters." "It's small, but you have your own bed, privacy, and enough room to move about some. Though if you are inclined to pacing, I'd suggest stepping out onto the deck,"

"I'm definitely not objective when it comes to having a dry place to lay my head," Dracula spoke with gratitude as his eyes scanned the room. It was tiny and quaint, though Dracula was not foreign to tight spaces and knew he wouldn't be sleeping much at night anyways. He looked down at the hat he still held in his hand and gently placed it on the single bunk. The first of his own belongings to grace this space as his new 'home', "Thank you, Captain Henry," Dracula turned to Henrietta and gave a single nod of his forehead in her direction, "I assure you that you will not be disappointed once this trial has come to an end." Dracula spoke with the same confidence that he had originally carried into their first meeting. 

[Hollywood Heidi]

* * * * * The next morning * * * * *

Etta was already up and ready for the day when the light rapping at her door sounded at the precise time it did every morning. She knew who it would be, recognized the light, unsure knocking.

"Good morning, Jimmy," she said, opening the door to let him bring in the breakfast tray. The ship's Cabin Boy was the youngest of the crew, still a little skittish amongst the rough and mostly unkind men, still polite and respectful and eager to prove himself. Sadly, they probably all started out like young Jimmy and it was the older crew and the lifestyle that eventually turned them all into brutish, unempathetic, disrespectful swine.

Etta had to remain stern with all her crew in order to maintain and remind them of her leadership role over them, but when it was only she and Jimmy, she tried to be a bit softer, a bit kinder in the hopes of encouraging him to maintain some of that good nature he still held. It also encouraged him to be open with her, to tell her of any whisperings he may have heard whilst handing out meals or any whispered scheming below deck when a few collaborators thought others asleep.

Leaving the door ajar, Etta followed him to the table, assisting placing the two breakfast settings.

"I wasn't sure if I should still bring two, seeing as Mr. Maui has left us, but I figured you'd use your meal times to meet with possible replacements for the position?"

He was definitely brighter and better spoken than most of the older crew as well. Etta sent him an encouraging smile. "You figured right. I thank you for your consideration and foresight."

Etta glanced up to see Jimmy looking a little saddened. "I'll miss Mr. Maui. He was very odd and very boisterous," Jimmy said on a chuckle, "but also kind and--"

Placing the now empty tray further down the table for use later to remove the dishes, Etta's attention was grabbed back to Jimmy when he went suddenly silent. She followed his wide-eyed gaze to the door where an imposing figure stood in the doorframe.

Going to Jimmy's side, she placed a reassuring hand on his upper arm. "Jimmy, this is the Acting First Mate. We haven't quite made it official yet..." she paused, realizing she wasn't aware if the Count wanted it to be known that he was a titled man working aboard a pirate ship, or if he'd prefer to blend in, let people underestimate him, and simply be known as 'Mr.' She settled on giving him the option. "His name is Dracula. How do you prefer to be addressed by the crew, Sir?" she asked, looking to him with a welcoming smile that invited him into the room and the conversation.

It was not an odd question to be asking. People with higher roles had the benefit of choosing what they wanted to be called. Some simply preferred 'Sir' or a 'Mr.' in front of their name, while others had a preferred nickname that was known in the pirating world or one they hoped would become known.

[Ariel]

Grasping claws tightened the linen cloth that draped over the small window in the cabin quarters before pulling it over the very small fragment of light that pooled onto the wooden floorboards. Sunlight. One thing that every realm had in common, that Dracula could never escape no matter how hard he tried. Sure, he had grown to live with it in ways that would allow him to walk about during the day. Though, it was one of the very few elements of the realms that was capable of slaying this immortal creature. That, and blood fasts. Nearly a day had passed since Dracula had fed. Although he didn't look the part, he felt drained and his old age starting to creep over him like a plague he couldn't shake without the remedy. Youth and beauty lie in the life blood of the bodies that walked across the decks outside, and it took every once of restraint to not commit a bloody murder. Dracula was usually an impulsive beast who played by his own rules. Yet, there was something about Henrietta that had him completely wrapped around her finger. He didn't want to ruin things with her. And if he was going to stay aboard with her, he would have no choice but to feed eventually. He would simply do it the right way.

Dracula's polished dress shoes stepped foot outside of his quarters. The boards creaked with character as he walked along towards the Captain's cabin. Dracula was impressed with how well kept this legendary ship was, and could only imagine the stories the walls and floors of this ship could tell of the many lives that had walked through it's very decks and halls. Certain characteristics even looked rather ominous, which was an aesthetic the Count was all too familiar with. Rolling up the sleeves to his white dress shirt just above his elbows, Dracula figured he'd dress down a bit today to try and fit in with his new part. Though, he couldn't help but to sport his dark dress pants still, as he was still a man of class and couldn't fathom mucking down entirely. Dracula slowed himself down to a complete stop in the doorway of the Captain's quarters before clearing his throat to make his presence known.

"May I enter?" Dracula inquired, exuding an alluring grin on his best behavior. The inviting glance from Henrietta shot in his direction.

"Jimmy, this is the Acting First Mate. We haven't quite made it official yet..." "His name is Dracula. How do you prefer to be addressed by the crew, Sir?"

Receiving that signal as a request to enter, Dracula walked through the doorway and up to Henrietta. By her side was a boy she called Jimmy, smaller and younger than the one that he had mind tricked just the other day. It had been a tragic waste of nourishment. The younger the human, the sweeter the blood and more youthful the complexion in Dracula's case. This delectable new treat in front of him would have easily made up for his sacrifice to gain this position under Henrietta, yet he appeared to be under her protection. It would take willpower to resist, especially if Dracula wanted to keep on his monster's good terms. As long as Jimmy wasn't prone to nosebleeds, Dracula figured he would be able to contain himself.

"I am delighted to meet your acquaintance, Jimmy, I can tell you and I will get along very well," Dracula gave the young boy a charming smile as he nodded his head his direction before bringing it back up to address the Captain, "And if I may still be referred to as Count Dracula, I think it will stick well with the crew here just as it does everywhere I go." The Count confirmed politely before turning to the cabin boy once more, "Look sharp, Jimmy, and fetch me a concoction of tomato juice, liquor and the best spices you carry on board." Dracula winked at Jimmy before the request registered into the cabin boy's brain.

"Yes sir, I mean Count Dracula," Jimmy hastily jumped into action as he exited the room to bring Dracula his requested beverage. Dracula wasn't foreign to the idea of being waited on, as he had lived a life of luxury with help in every crevasse and corner, so it had only come naturally to the Count to make an initial request to solidify a rapport between him and the cabin boy. He turned to Henrietta once the boy was gone as he would address his abnormal request before she would begin to ask.

"The perfect antidote for a sea sick stomach. It's certainly been a while since I've been aboard a ship, but I'm sure I'll be feeling like a full fledged pirate in no time." Dracula chuckled lightly as he claimed the sea sickness route. Normally he wouldn't opt for alcohol in the mornings, but the nausea spell that he got hit with from the lack of human blood in his system was noticeable. He wanted to be fully present for this meeting. The requested medley wouldn't be nearly as fulfilling as the real deal, but it would have to suffice for now.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Count Dracula, it was. Now that that was settled, she'd know how to introduce him to the others when it came time to it. Etta listened to the odd mixed drink the Count requested, making notes of the ingredients while her scientific mind pieced together the qualities of each item and what purpose they may serve, especially when blended together. The only conclusion given their current circumstance was that it might be some form of motion sickness remedy, though one of the ingredients tended to make the situation worse. She grinned over being correct when he started to voice the reason for his request.


"The perfect antidote for a sea sick stomach. It's certainly been a while since I've been aboard a ship, but I'm sure I'll be feeling like a full fledged pirate in no time."

Etta sat down, chuckling. "Sea sickness is not an ideal attribute for a job such as this, but I suppose the fact one is willing to work through the affliction for the job does show a form of dedication and perseverance. Please," she said, gesturing to the seat with the second plate of food before it, "join me."

She took a sip of her water and continued the conversation, her upbringing with manners automatically having her wait for him to be seated before eating. "Alcohol will usually aggravate sea sickness. Ginger or peppermint infused tea would be more ideal," she offered.

[Ariel]

Dracula gladly accepted the invitation to sit at the table with a single nod. Grasping onto the back of the chair, the floorboards squeaked slightly as he withdrew the chair far enough from the table to allow him to settle in and take a seat. He eyeballed the bountiful plate of food before him, and although it was not his current preference of sustenance, he was still a creature with a stomach. Even if the food that would disappear into his mouth and dissolve his system would not calm his hunger, he understood how rude it would be to refuse this gesture of hospitality. Being the gentleman he was, he neatly withdrew the silverware from it's confinement in the napkin and opening the rectangular shaped cloth in the air, he allowed it to flutter downward and gently fixed it over his lap.

"Alcohol will usually aggravate sea sickness. Ginger or peppermint infused tea would be more ideal,"

"Peppermint - of course. You truly have a remarkable mind, Henrietta," Dracula couldn't conceal on his face just how impressed he was with Etta. Yet again, what more could he expect from the daughter of one of the greatest doctors of their homeland. Realization came over him at the thought of getting caught in any sort of intricate web of games he was trying to weave around her. He couldn't help it, as it was rather a force of habit to conceal his true self around mortals. Though, Etta was no ordinary mortal, and he would never dare to try and purposely deceive her in any harmful way. Transparency was the key to his trust that he intended to build with her, and he knew he soon wouldn't have a choice but to tell her the whole truth of his needs, "Which is why you probably speculate that it isn't sea sickness that plagues me this moment." He picked up the fork as if he was about to stab the food on his plate, yet peered up at Etta through genuine vulnerability. Dracula wasn't hesitant to let her in. He never let anyone in on his weaknesses, but Henrietta was different. He was aware she may not understand at first, but he trusted her and was confident that she wouldn't send him away or cause any harm, "What is it exactly you have heard of me, Henrietta? Very few souls truly knew me, yet I know our land crawled with whispers and speculations." The fork made a minor sound as it got placed on the table. Dracula folded his claws together and sat patiently, waiting to hear what mortals spoke of the great and fearful Count Dracula - if anything at all.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Hm, no. Not motion sickness, not sea sickness. Something appeared to be ailing him. Something... different from anything she'd seen while helping her father attend to patience and doing doctoring of her own. He'd requested the well memorized mix of the concoction as if hardly thinking on it. As if rolling off the subconscious whilst truly thinking or concentrating on other tasks. This remedy was like nothing she'd read in any medical journals. The man before her was not of the human variety, if gossip of the townspeople back home were to be believed, which meant medical treatments of the human variety would be of no help. Whatever he was suffering from might also not be of the human variety.

He took his time setting aside the silverware, unfolding the napkin, placing it on his lap, making small corrections and adjustments in the alignment of the settings. Someone who was procrastinating rather than enthusiastically breaking the long fast of a night's sleep. Etta continued to wrack her memory for rumors and stories from what felt like another lifetime. Things she hadn't absorbed as well and had brushed off as silly rumors about a man who preferred to keep to himself.


"Which is why you probably speculate that it isn't sea sickness that plagues me this moment."

He picked up his fork and the look on his face of someone willing to do something he did not wish to for the sake of another was clearly written there. Etta did not wish anyone to do something they were uncomfortable with, especially not in sacrifice to her own feelings and wants. With a sympathetic look, she reached out, stilling his hand before he could lift it toward the food. "No, don't," she said, before withdrawing her hand from his to pull his plate away from him.


"What is it exactly you have heard of me, Henrietta? Very few souls truly knew me, yet I know our land crawled with whispers and speculations."

"I have heard many wild tales, though only a few seemed to be repeated most. I also tended to a few patients with peculiar symptoms that aligned with one of the rumors; patients who appeared to have signs that partially matched anemia, though not everything aligned properly with all the signs of it. There was no record of them having suffered any such symptoms of anemia before or after the incident. They also seemed to have lost a good many hours of their day, not recalling what may have led to their symptoms."

Etta left it at that, allowing him to take the lead, but her stomach and body hungering for sustenance quickly having her ask, "Would you mind if I ate?"

[Ariel]

"... patients who appeared to have signs that partially matched anemia, though not everything aligned properly with all the signs of it. There was no record of them having suffered any such symptoms of anemia before or after the incident. They also seemed to have lost a good many hours of their day, not recalling what may have led to their symptoms."

"Would you mind if I ate?"

"Ah, Dr. Jekyll has entered the cabin," Dracula chimed pleasantly, not in a way that mocked Henrietta but in a way that admired the many hats that she was capable of wearing. She truly was one intelligent being. Dracula nodded in approval at her request to proceed with taking a bite of her breakfast. Though she did not have to ask, he appreciated the generous level of respect she granted him. There was no doubt in his mind that she had treated her crew fairly in her Captain position, yet it was the small gestures that spoke volumes of the amazing leader she had become.

"Mysterious anemia and memory loss, you say? Well that's peculiar," Dracula acted rather perplexed as he appeared to be fluttering through the possibilities of what could have caused these mysterious instances. He raised a finger to tap his lips in thought as he pondered further on the matter which Henrietta spoke of, "Now I'm no doctor. However, I would presume that you aren't linking those symptoms to town-wide crash diet insanity." Dracula didn't intend to play dumb. Though, he couldn't help himself in a bit of fun to say the least, especially in moments where he knew exactly where they would end up.

[Hollywood Heidi]

At his 'Dr. Jekyll' remark, Etta had grinned in amusement, pride, and also, appreciation. Most people did not acknowledge such a title for a woman. Even those who had sought out her services still contradictorily refused to call her by the title she'd worked hard to earn.


While he spoke, Etta ate and studied him, piecing together more connections of past memories to her breakfast companion. She gave another amused grin, though there was a knowing glint in her eyes at one big puzzle piece that had fit into place.

Setting her utensils down, Etta laced her fingers and watched him closely. "Well, I am a doctor and my diagnosis is that it is not so much a town-wide crash diet but rather, the particular diet of one individual." Etta made a small, graceful gesture toward his smile. "Those impressive canines of yours. They appear to be the same width as the puncture wounds found on said disoriented and lethargic patients. Now all of this," she continued without pausing, gesturing lightly in the air to encompass everything from the past and ending with a gesture toward the man before her to encompass everything from the present, "all of these occurrences align with the mythology of a mythical being with such validity that I am moved to look beyond scientific possibilities and embrace the impossible. So I ask you, dear Count; Are the whispered rumors true? Are you a vampire?"