Lights off.
It's night for West Coast of England, isn't it? But it's life for the many ghosts that live there, including me, and my cat Simon. Right now I am sitting on top of the bunk bed I share with my army friend, Captain Smollett. He's gonna have a rough day tomorrow. All these bootcamps... I used to have them, too, back when I was younger and stronger.
But now, I have to concentrate on something else. Or, rather... someone else.
"Mrow?"
"Huh? Si? Ya here?" - I whisper as I raise my cat to where I sit. He died on the same day I did, from the hand of the same frickin' person. Tears veil in my eyes as I remember that...
"Mrrrr..."
"Heheh, nice night, yeah, bud?" - I sniff, unaware of the tickle my cat's tail causes. No, I'm not allergic to cats. If I were, Simon wouldn't have been here. I sure hope he'd help me on my current mission. I have to go there, sick or not. The man I'm visiting surely knows of my cold, so we would talk it out, in spite of it... I hope.
"Y'know, Si-" - I sniff once more, only to fall into the sheets with a pretty loud sneeze, - "-kshuu!"
"Mre." He hands me a tissue, such a nice guy. After blowing my nose, I continue:
"Y'know, Si, I've never understood that guy before. First he thinks of ya as the coolest dude in the squad, gives ya a valuable item to protect," - I shudder at the thought. Bloody maps. Don't I ever think about them! "A-and then he mobs ya down through his rookies, causing ya to, y-ya know, kill yourself. Is that real justice?"
We stare at each other for a moment, thinking my decision over. Si knows what I'm about to do.
"We're going to see him, bud." - I move in on him, -"I have so. Many. Questions! Just have to see him, he sure knows everything."
We have to be quiet in order to get to the portal safely. But at last, I open it and type my teleportation location over: "David Yanovich Cherkassky". In we go...
***
Man, it sure is dark here. I make a small ball of light with my hand. The place around me lights up in purple tones. Simon is clinging to my leg.
- It's alright, buddy, we're here...
After a quick look around, I realize that we're in our late creator's study. We see books, papers around us, almost all around the room. A camera is right near the window: man must have really liked bird- or people-watching. There's a big, long table in front of me, with mirrors running along its center... about five of them. Looks like a small make-up room in one. And how dusty it is! It takes me a strong effort not to explode from all that. Xan is not gonna be happy to see this mess. But what surprises me the most is whom I see right at the end of the table. A tall, golden ghost of a man in a tattered shirt and foamy, phantom-like legs. That ghost is sitting right in front of the last mirror and... wait, is he chanting?
"Oh David, my David! With all the will and love
I do present you with news to up above;
The crew's been doin' nicely and nothing shall defeat
The might and wit and smarts of the Miraculous Captain-"
"FLINT???" - I stare at him for a moment. How the hell did he get here? This is David's realm! What the heck exactly-???
"Oh, hello there, William." - He turns around... oh my god, these eyes! They are piercing through my soul right about now!
Simon starts kneading my arm. Breathe. Right. Breathe.
"Well..." - I clear my throat. "Hello, darkness, my old friend."
"You've come to talk to me again?"
"Flint, that was not a pun. For real, now." - I cover up another sneeze. - "For it's something else entirely. Maybe, ya know that."
Simon jumps onto my lap, boosting my confidence.
"I have a couple of questions to ask you, but most importantly: why did you do this to me? Why cause me to die for nothing? For some stupid-" - I pause before I even dare to say "map".
"Oh, so you think being the most important vessel is not a good enough purpose for you? - he looks me over sneakily, "Say, the years definitely haven't brought ya down in the slightest.
"Well-"
"And your powers are as exquisite as ever," - he winks at me and... "boops" me on the tip of my nose, causing me to squirm slightly. Ow.
"What do ya-"
"But it seems your mind has definitely gone downhill ever since that." - Such a gaslighter Flint is, really. Time for him to elaborate his plans.
"Um, care to explain? 'Cause I think that-" - I light up for a moment to show off my spirit form, - "-is not the way to treat "important vessels", as I know it. And, please, be honest with me."
"Well, listen then."
Even though he does try to spook and glitch me out of this place with his lies, I still catch the main drift. The fact is, he's always been fascinated by both my spiritual and... "sneezing" power (lame name, but still). I do try to get him off the naughty point, and he apologizes for insulting my disability. But that was still what attracted him to me. That's what he thought of as useful both in battle and in taunting other ships. Yeah, like, "we have a disabled person right here, he'd spook ya guys right out of yer wits with his sneezing, so ya won't come back", or, "so ya will obey me, The Miraculous Captain Flint", all that jazz. I do question why try to taunt others with me, if I am a regular, only lacking in some health capacity others have. He says he promoted equality and made me feel "at home", just like the other stronger guys. "At home"... yeah, so that "the others" would mob me later, yeah, logical enough.
That very phrase almost makes me flip out at the memory of my death, but Simon shuts me up with a growl towards Flint: "dontcha dare insult my owner, ya scoundrel". Flint pets him on the head and goes on. Turns out, he killed most of his crew in front of me and other folks to show that we are way more important than them, especially me... and my friend, John Silver.
Ow.
Owies.
Now that actually hurt. There definitely has to be more on that. Why make me fear Johnny, even though he is just as "special" as I am? Why make me die if I am "important"? Glitch me, Flint, but I'll know the truth sooner or later. May Simon and Xander help me.