Jim slapped the mop onto the deck. "Yeah, I got your Mr. Mop." He mumbled sarcastically. I was slapped my mop onto the deck as well and continued the chore. Up and down, then side to side. It was how I mopped back home. I went over the area a few more times making sure that it was clean. I know that Silver won't do something bad to me but a little voice whispered in my head that he will if it's not clean. I was so absorbed in the task and my thoughts that I didn't hear the pounding footsteps. Suddenly, I shoved to the side by a tall and muscular four armed crewman. I would've fallen overboard if it weren't for the wooden pegs holding the ropes to the ship. I looked up at him, feeling my heart drop to my stomach from how tall he was. I was practically a toy next to him.
"Watch it, twerp." He said in a booming voice. I said nothing as he walked away. I heard a set of footsteps, softer than the last coming towards me.
"Are you okay?" Jim asked. "You're shaking."
I looked down at my hands and saw that he was right. I was shaking like a leaf. What could he have done if he was angrier? I don't want him even think about that. "Emma?"
I looked at Jim and nodded to reassure him. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." I said, forcing my hands to stop shaking. That response felt forced coming from my mouth. The same response I'd always give when Vincent or Maven asked me about my condition after a beating. I could've had a black eye, busted lip, or some glass sticking from my arm but that response was always the same. I can't be dependent on someone now. There's no time for it. He opened his mouth to say something but whispering caught his attention. He turned his head to the source and I looked too.
There were three more crewmen whispering among themselves about something. I know what they're talking about. Flint's trove and the mutiny that they have planned. I could tell by looking at them they want to over take the ship now but we're not even close to the planet yet. One of them noticed us and tapped another on his arm. All three looked at us in surprise. Jim slapped the mop on the deck again while I just held the handle tight. "What are you looking at weirdos?" The tall crewman with red shorts and a blue beanie on his head asked.
The head crawled off the body using his hair as legs as the body's arms uncrossed revealing a face on the abdomen. "Yeah, weirdos?" The 'body' said. I glanced at Jim and saw that he was freaked out by that. Anyone else would but I've seen this on a screen before and watching it in real life was... something else. We heard hissing and looked up. I gripped my mop tight when I saw the spider-crab hybrid crawling towards us. He had six long legs, two claw, a brown hat over long gray hair, big yellow eyes and two sharp fangs poking out from the bottom of his mouth.
"Cabin kids should learn to mind their own business." He said in a deep yet soft voice, practically a whisper. It wasn't the kind of whisper that would be comforting. It was one that screamed death threats. He drew out the 's' in his speech like a snake. He sneered down at us.
"Why?" Jim questioned. "You got something to hide bright eyes?" I looked at him in utter terror. He's not the type of guy to insult!
"Jim, don't." I mumbled. I grabbed onto his sleeve and gave it a light tug to tell him to stop. He just yanked his arm from my grip. I gulped as my heart started beating faster. The spider sneered and grabbed Jim by his collar.
"Maybe your ears don't work so well." He hissed.
Jim's nose wriggled in disgust. He grunted from the horrible smell. "Yeah." He mumbled before clearing his throat. "Too bad my nose works just fine."
The spider's eyes widened in offense. "Why, you impudent little—" He slammed Jim onto the mast, grabbing the attention of the crew. They all formed a circle around the two, pushing me to the outer edge. They started shouting as they wanted to see blood shed.
"Go ahead! Slice him! Dice him!" The only female crew member said. She just had a head and legs but she somehow reminded me of Yzma. I didn't even had to think, I just moved. I shoved my way through holding my mop. Once I got to them I hurled it at the psychopath. The handle of the mop landed in his eye. He howled in pain as he let Jim go. He landed on the ground, staring at me in shock. I was surprised too, I never thought it would hit the eye.
"Emma watch out!" Jim yelled. In my daze, I didn't even notice the claw grabbing a hold of me. Now, I was the one pinned onto the mast. The shouts got louder as I stared at the spider. "You little brat!" He yelled. I grabbed onto the claw to keep it from chopping my head off. My blood ran cold as he extended his free claw to my throat. "Any last words, cabin brat?" He asked. This was it. This is how I died. Before he could move a single centimeter, a robotic clamp landed on his forearm.
My gaze followed the metal limb attached from it. 'Silver!' I thought. The crew groaned as the cyborg had stopped their fun. I saw that he was holding a purp in his flesh hand. "Mr. Scroop?" He said before taking a bite out of the fruit. "You ever see what happens to a fresh purp when you squeeze real hard?" The metal clamp started squeezing his forearm. Scroop squelched and let me go. I landed onto the ground and tried to make myself as small as possible. The rest of the crew was laughing.
"What's all this then?" A familiar voice boomed. I slowly turned to its direction and saw Arrow walking down the stairs. "You know the rules. There'll be no brawling on this ship. Any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the remainder of the voyage." His eyes landed on Scroop. "Am I clear, Mr. Scroop?"
Scroop looked like he wanted to say something but decided against it. I knew why, Silver is here and he's watching. "Transparently." He begrudgingly said. Arrow and the rest of the crew dispersed leaving Jim, Silver, and I behind.
"Well done, Mr. Arrow sir!" Silver said as everyone else left. "A tight ship's a happy ship, sir." He gave a salute before angrily picking up a discarded mop. My heart started beating faster from how mad he was. "Jimbo! Em! I gave you two a job." He added pointing to the mop.
"Hey, we were doing it until that bug thing—" Jim said until Silver interrupted him.
"Belay that!" He yelled. I flinched as his voice rose. I can't take another beating. I just can't. "Now," the cyborg added shoving the mop in Jim's hand. "I want this deck swabbed spotless, and heaven help you if I come back and it's not done. Morph?" The pink blob floated to him. "Keep an eye on these pups, and let me know if there be any more distractions." He ordered before walking away.
"Okay. Aye-aye." The blob said. I stared at Silver's retreating figure in surprise. No slap to face? No throwing stuff at me? This was strange.
"Hey." Jim said. I looked at him and he looked pretty angry. "Why did you do that? You could've gotten yourself killed!"
"Don't pin this on me!" I said. I stood up. "You had to make a comment about his eyes and that's why this all happened. Don't lecture me on almost being murdered when that same thing happened to you!"
"That's not an excuse to throw a mop at his eye!"
"Then maybe you shouldn't have started that fight!"
He scoffed and started angrily mopping. I walked to where the other mop laid and picked it up. I grabbed a bucket and went to the other side to clean it. My hands were shaking as I did so. I swear I could feel his angry stare on me. I don't know what caused me to do all that but I couldn't let him get killed. As I mopped I heard yelling from below. I briefly glanced down at the floor. I want to hear what was being said but didn't want to get in trouble, though I know what it's most likely about.
~~~~~~~~
Time passed and the sun had long set. It was dark now and the stars were shyly twinkling in the dark navy sky. Morph turned himself into a tiny mop and helped us out. I was a little bit closer to Jim since I was getting close to finishing my part. I watched Morph mop one of Jim's boots clean. He was laughing as he did so. Once he turned back to his regular self, he coughed up bubbles.
Jim stopped mopping and stared at the blob. He let out a sigh. "Well, this has been a fun day huh?" He sarcastically asked. "Making new friends, like that spider psycho."
I glanced up just in time to see Morph turn into a miniature Scroop. "Spider psycho. Spider psycho." He repeated.
"Make him a little uglier." I said while letting out a small giggle. I'm really happy to see this. Behind Misstress's back, I would call her that to my friends. Morph thought for a moment before letting out a 'maniacal' laugh, making the head bigger, body smaller, mouth wider and hair going everywhere. I busted out laughing at the sight.
"Pretty close." Jim said.
"I thought it was accurate." I said, coming down from my laughing high.
"Well, thank heavens for little miracles." A familiar voice said. All three of us turned around to see Silver walking up the steps to the deck. He held a pot full of food he didn't use, like bones and fruit cores. "Up here for an hour and the deck's still in one piece." He added as he dumped the spoils overboard. Morph went right after them.
"Um, look I... what you did..." Jim said, trying to figure out what he wanted to say. "Thanks." He said, giving him a small smile.
I nodded. "Thank you for back there." I said, looking at the cyborg. "I really appreciate it."
Silver looked at us in concern. "Didn't your pops ever teach you to pick your fights a bit more carefully?" He asked.