Twenty-four bells: [Action]

[noprevaricating]

[Luceti. Even the name is beautiful.

It's quiet here, but not silent. No cannonfire, no stomping feet or shouting men. No bars or guards or grey stone walls. Everything is lovely and serene and everyone is pleasant. Well. Nearly everyone, but that's okay.

In Hornblower's company, Kennedy stops by the bakery and selects, for some reason, cheesecake.

Comments

[fountain]

[lists_to_port]

[It is a quiet night, a good evening for a stumble home from Good Spirits. Jack, as a matter of habit, now, checks his compass for any sign of Archie. He is surprised when he actually gets a heading this time, and follows it with no small amount of anxiety on his brain. Kennedy, back?

When he sees the figure seated by the fountain, Jack gives a shout.]

Oi! Kennedy! You're back, man!

Re: [fountain]

[babymid_archie]

[Jack might notice a few differences. First of all, a midshipman's uniform. Second of all, about two inches of height, gone. Lastly, Kennedy is slowly rising to his feet and looking at Jack like a bear is lumbering up to him and there's no place to run.]

SUPROSE

[lists_to_port]

"Kennedy," the pirate repeated. "You're.......short. And you've been demoted."

Re: SUPROSE

[babymid_archie]

"...What are you talking about?" There's real anxiety in his voice. This is the first hint he's had that he didn't just arrive.

[lists_to_port]

Oh, how to proceed. It's clear that this is a different Archie, now that Jack sees him up close. And it's clear that he has absolutely no idea who the pirate is or what is going on. And Jack has had enough trouble with small childified Gileses and Ginias and Helioses lately---this is all he needs. A youngified Archie.

And he had just sworn off looking after stray Lucetian children, to boot---or any children, really. Not in the cards.

"Nothing. Nevermind. Hallo. I'm Jack. How are you this fine evening?"

[babymid_archie]

That. Is not a name Archie has good connotations with. But Archie is used to being mistaken for a child, even if he's unusually tall for one. Even the uniform doesn't help, on land. He keeps a distance between them.

"How do you know my name?"

To call it a demand is to overstate things greatly. This is not an assertive Archie, so the question is simply spoken in low, solemn, and fairly even tones.

[lists_to_port]

"We're..."

Friends? Were they, still?

"Friends."

Going with that, then.

[babymid_archie]

A dubious look. "We're friends."

Archie doesn't have a lot of friends anymore, just a couple of quiet supporters and Horatio. Having a man Jack's age as a friend doesn't seem very likely.

[lists_to_port]

"Right. Possibly we're not friends. I wore a mask once and told you some very silly things and then the moon fell. I'm not bloody well used to having them anyway, so what do I know, eh?

Let's go with something different: you saved my life in the war. Dragged me up out of the waves and into the boat with Leonard McCoy."

[babymid_archie]

Aaaand this mid is so confused.

"...All very interesting, sir, but perhaps a bit less of the contraband whiskey next time. Not all of it is safe to drink."

[lists_to_port]

"Whiskey's McCoy's drink. I prefer rum, actually. But of course you do not know that because you've no idea who the devil I am. Captain Jack Sparrow, mate. Fellow Luceti-prisoner. Erm. I taught you a bit of sword work, a while back?"

Maybe simply mentioning things from their shared past would bring back Archie's memory; it had certainly happened with others who had returned from kidnappings.

[babymid_archie]

There's a brief moment where Archie's face blanks, as if searching for something with only the feeling that it used to be there. Then, he just looks at Jack like he's crazy.

[lists_to_port]

"Nevermind. Good evening to you, Lieutenant."

[babymid_archie]

"Midshipman."

[lists_to_port]

"Lieutenant. Not taking THAT one away from you."

[babymid_archie]

A slightly uncomfortable pause.

"You're from the future as well, then?"