Drabble Challenge: 'First Day'

[dwgm]

I have me a wonderful new Gibbs icon, thanks to honorat's kindness in permitting me to use her artwork. Had to write some Mr. Gibbs dialogue to go with it, of course, so here's my reply to the current drabble challenge at Black Pearl Sails ('First Day').

~ A Change in the Weather ~

A prequel to A Word in Private

By the Saints, the lass were in a foul mood that morning. “Josh, yer with me!” she says, and I cringed some, for I knew ‘er plan: muckin’ out the captain’s quarters.

The place stank of Barbossa, and that blasted monkey of his, too. Disgustin’. We polished up the windows, an’ opened ‘em wide, lettin’ in the sea air. Then we got busy, chuckin’ out ten years' worth of leavin’s, and Ana mutterin’ to ‘erself, like the edge of a storm, all the while.

Well, we’d gone through near all of it when the mutterin’ stops, sudden like, and she calls me over to ‘er. She’d moved a chest away from the bulkhead, and there was a bookcase, built right in, the books untouched an’ all over dust, but bound with leather, most of ‘em.

She took one out, an’ opened it, and now she asks me what it says.

I’ll tell ye, seein’ those words, writ in that bold, flourishin' hand, the voice stuck in me throat a bit. “It’s Jack’s,” I says, finally. “Captain Jack Sparrow. It’s ‘is journal. From before.”

She studied the words a while, an’ leafed through it. Couldn’t read it, but it seems to’ve spoke to ‘er anyway, ‘cause she left off mutterin’.

“All right. Back to work,” is all she says to me.

I went, but saw how she took and dusted off each o’ those books, holdin’ ‘em like they was treasure.

An’ that night, after supper, she asks me to read her a bit out o’ that journal. Which I did. An’ every night after that, too, even after we’d reached Tortuga.

Every night. ‘Til Turner came to find us.

But she’d made up ‘er mind that first day, I reckon.



~.~





Author's Note: You may have noticed this renders my recent story, Spindrift A/U. I was thinking about that whole gapfiller thing and decided this was the better way to go.

Also, I had forgotten I'd promised to write more present tense Gibbs/Ana/Jack for linaelyn after I posted A Word In Private. Since that's part of that gapfiller at the end of the movie, I'm going to work on that this week.

Such fun!

Comments

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I kept reading this aloud to see if it sounded right. He has such a great accent. I love listening to him (as we all do I think). I hope he gets some good stuff to do in the next movie.

Thanks for the fast feedback! It's very much appreciated. So happy you liked it. :)

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Lovely. Your Gibbs voice sounds just right, and I really like the bits with Ana not being able to read the journal, yet it still speaks to her, and then Gibbs reading to her from it every night. The ending lines are very effective and this is great, as well: ...and Ana mutterin’ to ‘erself, like the edge of a storm, all the while.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

In the movie, Ana's either simmering or exploding, except at the end, of course, but that almost seems like an aberration

I'm so glad you liked this one! I'm planning on doing some more gapfiller scenes, maybe tonight. If you have time, maybe you could look them over? I almost sent you this one, but it's so short,and I think I caught everything that needed correcting.

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Simmering, yes, most of time we see her, but then again, Jack did steal her boat :-) I would love to read those gapfiller scenes, just send them over when you're done!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I will!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Are you on AIM, btw?

[felaine.livejournal.com]

I love your stories on the time between Jack's capture and him falling (jumping, sorry) from the Fort. Seems like a lot must have happened during those days for the crew to change their mind about helping him.
Beautifully done.
Felaine

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

falling (jumping, sorry) from the Fort

LOL! Yes, jumping, certainly, in spite of appearances to the contrary.

Thanks again -- glad you enjoyed this. :)

[porridgebird.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like it! Love the Gibbs voice; must be great fun to write! I had managed to miss "A Word In Private" completely (sorry) so thanks for linking to it. Wonderful gap-fillers!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Quite all right -- I'm glad you enjoyed both stories today! Gibbs is great fun to write -- his accent is so distinctive, just made for story telling.

Hope the weather has cooled off some, and that you are doing well today. :)

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

It's been so long since I've gotten to sit and read! Especially glad that this was my first when attempting to return to the routine, as you never fail to impress. And we do so love our Mister Gibbs. Love how you write the interactions between he and Ana. Cheers!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Jen -- good to see you back with us! Glad you liked this one. :)

[berne.livejournal.com]

I really love this. I love the idea of Gibbs and Anamaria clearing out Barbossa's stuff, because I'd never thought of the need of it before. Gibb's voice is spot-on. I love that Anamaria's like the edge of a storm and I love how she treats Jack's books. This is one for my favourites folder, I think.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm thrilled that you like it well enough to save!

I would think there'd be a lot of fixing up to do on the poor uncursed Pearl. And I doubt if Anamaria would use a cabin reeking of Barbossa/Monkey. ;) Cleaning that up would put anyone in a bad mood.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I do love this missing part of the movie so much, and you do it such justice.

the edge of a storm That is definitely Anamaria--always thundering and flashing about something--and beautiful as the edge of a storm too.

the voice stuck in me throat a bit. “It’s Jack’s,” That is the Gibbs who had that look on his face when Will said, "He fell behind." The man who is torn by the code he has chosen to live by and his own feelings.

Couldn’t read it, but it seems to’ve spoke to ‘er anyway This is so moving. I like your characterization of Anamaria.

asks me to read her a bit out o’ that journal
Oh, me too, please. I want to hear the stories out of that journal!

Lovely as usual. And a wonderful prequel to "A Word in Private" which I love as well. I'm looking forward to that gapfiller.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Oh, me too, please. I want to hear the stories out of that journal!

I'll have to try my hand at writing something like that, some time.

I'm feeling a bit intimidated by the excellence of your gapfillers -- not sure I can do a blow by blow detailed account like that. As you know, I sort of skip through plot rather swiftly -- like in the Harry & the Pirate stories, where everything moves along so quickly. I fear I'd bore readers, otherwise. I don't like writing that is too ramblingly introspective. Of course, yours avoids that entirely, somehow: they are detailed, and yet move along quickly from point to point. It's a real talent you have there, and I'm not sure I could ever emulate it. So as I said, I'm a bit intimidated, and thinking I might do a series of ficlets instead of a multi-chapter thing. But we'll see. Anyway, I've sort of changed my whole premise, as you probably noticed. I think it will make Will a stronger character, which is what I wanted to begin with.

Anyway, so happy you liked this. Must work on writing some more tonight, while the Muse is speaking. :)

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Ah! But there is this wonderful little thing called "Style". Every author has his or her own. Hemingway's terse monosyllables. Twain's long, periodic sentences and grasp of dialect. Jamaica Kincaid writing in second person. Rushdie's magic realism. I'm doing movie novelization. That stirring about looking under every rock is my style. Your style is invigorating and exciting and wonderful to read. When I look at these, I despair of what I'll do with the ending! If a series of ficlets is what your muse wants to do, by all means, do them. If they turn into chapters later, you can always link them.

I do like Will as the strong character. Part of what makes him in the movie is the change that takes place in him.

*Offers chocolate to Geek Mama's muse to keep speaking*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Mmmm... chocolate!

Ahem.

Well, I'll do my best. It is something I've been thinking about for a long time, so I'd better give it a shot.

Thanks for the encouragement. When I started writing again, not quite two years ago, I told myself there would always be tons of writers better than I and that I should just do my best to tell a story, enjoy the process, and be happy if others enjoy any of it too. We can't all be brilliant at this, and it takes practice, too, like anything else. I always see my writing like, oh, say Mary Englebreit compared to Da Vinci: simple and cute vs. true genius. Except maybe that's wrong: ME is certainly a genius at what she does, and is very commercial as well. But you know what I mean, I suppose.

OK. [/ansty rambling] Time to go sweep the patio, and get ready to go to the market. ;)

(By the way, was just showing weemonkey6 and her boyfriend your drawings and they were VERY impressed.)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Oops. It's "angsty rambling". If I could type I'd be a real threat. (Or a better secretary.)

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Well, you know what they say: Throw an infinite number of coconuts at an infinite number of monkeys and eventually you'll hit Shakespeare. We humble fanfic writers can only keep taking potshots at genius and hope to bring a little of it snowing down on us. We're naught but humble pirates. There's something to be said for popularity and saleability.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

We're naught but humble pirates. There's something to be said for popularity and saleability.

We are indeed! Clever way of putting it. And you're right about the popularity/saleability thing. Wish Disney would see it that way, eventually, like the Star Trek and Star Wars producers have. My Mom and I were just talking about Star Trek novels, and how they are a kind of fanfiction, and they've been around for years, and keeping interest in the franchise going. But Disney is so secretive and protective of their material, I can't see them ever permitting that. Would sure be fun to try, though, no?

Must. Sweep. Patio.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I do dearly love some of those Star Trek novels. Yes, Paramount was very clever. But somehow, I shudder at the thought of a Pirates of the Caribbean TV series. Or even worse, a cartoon series! In the interests of preserving us from that, I'll continue to work for free! But I did actually put up some totally original, as in I actually own the rights to it, art on my LJ! The Mouse owns my writing, but I own my art!

*Dons little horns and a pointy tail and whispers insidiously to geek mama: Chase plot bunnies. You know you want to. The patio will just get dirty again. Sheds horns and tail and walks off whistling innocently. Did I say anything? Noooo!*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Spent half an hour sweeping, took a 5 minute shower, zoomed to the store and was home in half an hour. Good use of time, or what?

Original art? I must look at this!

Yes, you're right: Disney could mess up badly with extensions of PotC, unless they take a page from Star Trek's owners and have rather strict parameters that must be followed. I'd wouldn't mind seeing some PotC novels, at least. But not cartoons. They had a comic strip in their kids' Disney Adventures magazine, and the artwork was execrable.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

PotC novels would be loverly. But when you have a movie that is made by the performance of a certain actor, the cartoons would have to be horrid. And from those fifteen-minute-to-the-commercial climaxes and one half hour long save-the-universe plots of the modern cartoon, Dear Lord deliver us!

I've discovered there's a problem with temptation. Call out the little plotbunny devil on the shoulder and you never know whose shoulder the wretch will perch on next. I spent until three a.m. last night chasing one that this story inspired. Got to get the end of the movie written before I see what you do! And I won't publish until you do, so I don't muddy your water either. Then a new bunny showed up this morning on the same theme. Thank you so much for the inspiration, but ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

3 a.m.!! It's been a while since I've done that, although when I was writing H&theP 1 and 2 I did it on a semi-regular basis. Sometimes you just have to write.

I'll be very very interested to see what you come up with. I'm writing a piece now, another prequel to "A Word in Private" from Jack's POV. Although actually that's post-movie, come to think of it. But that's what wanted to be written, today. You know how it is.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

We are the muses' willing slaves. I do love Jack's POV and am looking forward with anticipation (read slavering rabidly) to reading it.

[deadzone2000.livejournal.com]

hey! i see you like johnny depp!!
come check out our new Comm we made!! its gonna be really cool we just started, give us a while! http://www.livejournal.com/community/deppophiliacs/
trust me you wont be disapointed!

[lj_stowaway]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/fabu/336151.html

#5 might be of interest to you, I think.

[shrieking-ell.livejournal.com]

This was a truly lovely piece of fic. Gibbs voice is really truly perfect and I love that:

a) Jack keeps journals
b) They clean his cabin for him
c) Barbossa didn't even think the journals were worth bothering about
d) They're still there after 10 years
e) Anamaria wants to hear their stories.

Really perfect.

(and the Gibbs icon is marvelous)

(ps - do you know what's up with BPS? i can't seem to get to them today)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Ooooh! I have been BESQUIDDED by Ell!

(No, I don't know what's up with BP Sails. Haven't been able to get to the messages all day, and my post of this story just now appeared in my email. Must be something dire going on at Yahoo. Guess I'll just have to write more fic tonight, rather than working on the website.)

I'm so glad you enjoyed the ficlet! And yes, my icon is fantastic, thanks to honorat's great artwork.

[lj_stowaway]

I love gap fillers! And your Gibbs voice is so good. What a treasure to find, eh? Interesting that Barbossa never disposed of the journals...

Looking forward to more!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Interesting that Barbossa never disposed of the journals...

Could be a story there, too.

Glad you liked this! Thanks for letting me know. :)

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

I like your Gibbs and Ana, and their relationship. Good gapfilling too!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks, my dear! So happy you enjoyed it. :)

[cymbeline.livejournal.com]

For some reason on the first read I thought this was after they'd rescued Jack. Now I realize it was before and when they were refitting The Pearl. Beautifully done and I like Gibbs's voice.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Nancy! I find Gibbs easy to "hear", though transferring the accent to paper is something else again. Glad I seem to have succeeded.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Here doing my homework before reading your newest post. Thanks for the links!

I love it when fanon puts the domestic drudgery back into canon. Of course they'd have to clean out the cabin: you can't housebreak a monkey. (Trust me on that, I've been researching for Nuts - not sure about undead ones, though...)

Always good to see Gibbs too. On to the next!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I reread these before I wrote that one for dressagespirit and felt bad I was so down at Barbossa -- he's so much more likable in AWE. Still a pirate, of course, as well as undead. And yes: the monkey.

Gibbs is always fun to write. Glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for reading and commenting!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

I've always liked Hector, but I bet his cabin stinks! Even when he isn't undead.