Winter - Seven Seas

[petty_dabbler]

The ship had made land to take on provisions. For the crew, shore leave was a rare treat. A bit of freedom, a bit of steady ground.

And for John, it meant a chance to connect with other magicians in the area.

The man he met, he took an instant disliking to him. The longer they talked, the more John wanted to ruin him. The old wizard was foul.

And by the time he'd gotten the old wizard comfortable enough to invite him home to see his prize, his Pixie, John had no guilt about the fire or taking the little creature with him when he left Aspid to deal with his fate...

John lit a pipe and peered into the cage once he was well away from the crime.

"What to do with you, now, hmm?" he asked thoughtfully.

Comments

[winter_wisp]

Winter was sitting back as far away as he could at the back of his cage. Twice now he'd watched his home go up in flames- Though he struggled to mourn Aspid the way he'd mourned his family and village.

"Not set me on fire?" the pixie suggested hopefully, watching the man with wide, nervous eyes. "I'm a good pixie. Helpful..."

[petty_dabbler]

"That was never part of the plan. I don't imagine you know where home is? Might be able to get you back..." John offered.

[winter_wisp]

"Got no home," Winter admitted. "He burned it, like how you burned him. That's two homes lost to fire," he added softly. "I guess I have my cage though."

[petty_dabbler]

"I'm not about to leave you and your cage at the crossroads," he said. "I reckon you can stick with me until you find something better.”

He puffed his pipe.

"If you've ever wanted to take to sea."

[winter_wisp]

"I dunno, never saw the sea. What's it like?" Winter asked curiously, fluttering a bit closer.

[petty_dabbler]

John thought about that for a moment, then answered,

"Wet."

[winter_wisp]

"I don't really like being wet. ...Wings and that. Will you keep me dry? I'm yours now, you must take good care of me if you want my magic and my pixie dust," Winter added, hoping his new keeper was kinder than the last.

[petty_dabbler]

"Mine now, eh? I dunno if I like that, mate. Even a pixie's got a right to be free. You don't got to belong to me," he said thoughtfully. "Cabin mates, hmm? That's the ticket. You'll have to work, though. No free passage on a pirate ship. You got any skills I can tell the captain?"

[winter_wisp]

"Sure, I have pixie dust. That's worth a lot. That's one of the reasons Aspid kept me. ...Who are you anyhow? I'm Winter, Winter Wisp," he announced proudly.

[petty_dabbler]

"John Constantine," he shared.

He looked over the tiny little thing in the cage, then opened the door so he could come and go as he pleased.

"It's good to know you, Winter," he added with a smile.

[winter_wisp]

Winter fluttered out, zooming around John a few times, then landing on his shoulder.

"So you have a ship, huh? That's neat. Never been on a ship, only seen sketches in Aspid's books. They look big, and fierce. Do they bite? Will it eat me? I don't want to be eaten, I don't think."

[petty_dabbler]

"Yeah, I've got a ship," he nodded, claiming The Provocateur as his own. "It's just wood...and magic. It won't eat you. The ship is probably the safest place you could ever be, really."

[winter_wisp]

"Yeah?" Winter asked, looking excited. "Then I will join you there. We can sail, and fly, and it'll be such fun, and we'll be best friends," he decided, taking off and doing laps around the other man.

[petty_dabbler]

"Mmm. Best friends," John agreed, already regretting this decision.

Or, at least, he told himself he regretted it. In truth, Winter was charming and he smiled in spite of himself.

[winter_wisp]

"Best friends!" Winter said again, zooming about a bit more. "Take me to the ship! I want to meet it. I will be friends with it too"

[petty_dabbler]

John strolled onto the ship, cage in hand and Pixie on his shoulder.

"There she is,” he grinned. ”Home Sweet home."

[winter_wisp]

"Wow, it's huge! Like houses stacked on houses. You must be rich. Can I have a shiny coin? I will take great care of it and polish it daily," he assured him.

[petty_dabbler]

"Don't get excited, mate. The captain hasn't said you can join the crew yet. We need to talk to him first. But if he gives the nod, I got a gold piece just for you."

[winter_wisp]

"You have a boss? I thought it was your ship," Winter replied, looking puzzled. "Where is this captain? I'll do a dance for him. People love my dancing, it's very good."

[petty_dabbler]

John scoffed.

"I'll never afford a ship," he chuckled. "Come along. Bond will love a little dance..."

Then he took him aboard and only half heartedly looked for the captain.

[winter_wisp]

Winter fluttered along at John's side, occasionally zooming off a head or to look at something closer- Until eventually he zoomed right into the captain.

The pixie giggled, and it sounded like ringing bells.

[petty_dabbler]

"A pixie," Bond said in mild surprise.

He studied Winter, then looked to John.

"What did you do now?" the captain asked him, scowling a little.

"Nothing. A new crew member?" John suggested hopefully.

Bond looked at Winter again.

"Aching to take to sea?" Bond asked.

[winter_wisp]

"I'm not aching, I'm very healthy," Winter assured him, doing a little twirl and leaving a trail of pixie dust.

Fluttering over to John, he settled on the other man's shoulder again.

"John set my home on fire, and now we are best friends," he announced.

[petty_dabbler]

Bond gave John a pointed look.

"No one sails for pleasure, pixie. What can you do as a crew member?" Bond asked, curious what Winter might offer.

[winter_wisp]

Winter tilted his head, looking puzzled. Surely that was obvious.

"Pixie dust," he said simply, fluttering back over and doing a lap around the captain's head. "Pixie dust is powerful magic. It can make things fly."

[petty_dabbler]

"And you're willing to trade pixie dust for passage?" Bond asked...as if he wouldn't simply take Winter captive if he said no.

[winter_wisp]

Winter looked over at John, seeking the man's approval. They'd just met, but already Winter had claimed the man as his family.

[petty_dabbler]

"Within reason," John negotiated. "He's a tiny thing, and the ship's so big..."

Bond nodded. A flying ship would be quite the advantage...

"Alright," he said after a bit of consideration. He looked to John. "He's your responsibility."

John wasn't sure he liked the way the captain said that, but he wasn't going to argue.

[winter_wisp]

"How exciting for you," Winter told John. "You get a responsibility! ...Now that I live here, is there food? I'm very hungry."

[petty_dabbler]

"What sort of food?" John asked, casually sauntering along the deck on his way to the galley.

"You like dried fish?" he asked. "Fresh fish? Fish...in general?"

[winter_wisp]

"You eat fish?" Winter asked, looking shocked. "But they're so nice. I knew a koi once. His name was Alberto. I miss him sometimes..."

[petty_dabbler]

"I never ate anyone named Alberto," John assured him.

Not that Hannibal had ever told anyone, anyway.

"What about eggs?"

[winter_wisp]

"I like eggs!" Winter chirped happily, perking up again.

[petty_dabbler]

"There's hens," John explained, leading Winter below deck. The galley was well stocked. Bond had exquisite taste and Hannibal was one of his most prized additions to the crew.

The food was excellent.

"Have a look around," he said, offering Winter...everything.

[winter_wisp]

The pixie took off, zooming around the ship at top speed, peeking in open doors, fluttering high and low- And then realizing he wasn't sure what way he'd come from.

Nervous now, he flew slower, searching for John and trying to follow his own trail of pixie dust.

"John?" He called out nervously, hoping he'd not wandered too far. This ship would take a lot of time to learn.

[petty_dabbler]

John hadn't followed at his heel, but he had paid attention to where WInter was exploring. About the time the pixie seemed lost, John stepped out from the shadows.

"Seen it all yet?" he asked, wearing a cheeky smile.

[winter_wisp]

Winter quickly flew over, perching on his shoulder again.

"Yes, I have seen it all. ...Maybe. I dunno. I've seen enough."

[petty_dabbler]

"Do you want to see my quarters?" he asked. "You'll be in with me, unless you want to sleep...someplace else."

[winter_wisp]

"No, I want to stay with you," Winter insisted. "Show me! I will be good and not messy."

[petty_dabbler]

John sauntered to the rear of the ship and dropped one deck lower. The same glass brick that lit the captain's chambers offered John a bit of starlight. Or, more importantly, moonlight. It was a small space with a bed and a trunk and a small desk and chair. Esoteric designs covered the walls, occult symbols and astronomic paths decorated even his ceiling.

"Home sweet home," he said.

[winter_wisp]

"Pretty!" Winter peeped, flying around the space. "I only need a place to sleep and to make my potions. ...I like making potions."

He tilted his head, then grinned. "And tea!"

[petty_dabbler]

"We can work something out," John said.

Never had he considered a pixie companion. He knew every now and again a pixie would be a bit more brave or adventurous than others, and he knew they almost always latched on to someone or something. Winter could have easily glommed onto Bond or any of the other crew.

But he seemed to like John.

And John...liked that.

He smiled and sat down.

"I'm the navigator...A lot of nights I'm awake late to see the stars," he explained.

[winter_wisp]

"You read stars?" Winter asked excitedly, fluttering over to peer through the glass. "Neat. Do you know where we're going? Is it far? Is it dangerous? Is it exciting?"

[petty_dabbler]

"Dangerous? Mate...we're pirates," he grinned.

[winter_wisp]

"Oh yeah," Winter laughed, the sound like tinkling bells. "Can I sleep on your pillow tonight?" he asked.

[petty_dabbler]

"Sure. Until we set up something for you, just your size," he grinned.