Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

Unemployed

Contrary to her claim, Ava was not the best ship scrubber the Scorned Woman had ever seen; she was closer to the worst one. Somehow, Ava managed to screw up cleaning. Well, it was more complicated than that. Pearl and the small group of women Ava had been grouped up with went around the ship for three suns and patched up anything on the ship that needed fixing. They also checked the ship for different maintenance issues and cleaned up different messes aboard. It didn't look hard, it didn't sound hard, but to Ava, it proved to be extremely so.

Pearl, who Ava knew to be a gentle and calm giant, was the same as a boss. She did not take Ava's many failures hard or make any comment on how much Ava was holding up progress. Pearl tried hard to teach Ava how to do things, very, very hard. It was no use. On the first sun, they were in charge of cleaning and detailing the room that Evana had designated to be a training room for the crew. Ava was tasked with scrubbing the floor, having been the lowest ranking member of the group in terms of seniority.

Pearl had stood a few yards away examining the work Ava had been doing when her face grew concerned, "Ava? What did you do?"

"Pardon?" Ava looked over where Pearl was standing and tried to figure out what she meant.

"Show me how you've been scrubbing?" Pearl asked and Ava did as she was told. She scrubbed the floor with two hands, all her might, and in a front and back motion. Pearl walked over and stopped her, "Alright. I'm going to take you off the floor."

"Why?" Ava asked as Pearl pulled her off the ground.

"I don't know why or how, but you're ruining the wood," Pearl said, "It's alright though. We'll find something else for you to do."

Pearl was as positive the rest of the time Ava worked but Ava could tell she was getting more and more exasperated as the suns went on. Pearl had Ava try and identify rotting wood, but that was a skill Ava did not grasp. Pearl had Ava work with Skins who was on loan from carpentry to patch up problem areas on the ship, Ava was useless. Most tasks Pearl had, she made Ava try but there was no luck. By the end, Ava just shadowed Pearl and kept her company.

Pearl was quiet but didn't seem to mind when Ava talked, so she did. Anytime Ava would ask Pearl something, Pearl answered with something simple and not very informative. Ava didn't get the feeling Pearl was being rude like Xyra usually was, she was just naturally reserved. There was something about the tall people on the ship and being total mysteries. Pearl did, however, ask Ava many questions. They were usually short-winded and not elaborate but Ava did not need much else to start speaking. They mostly discussed Ava's journey from home down to South Elox.

On the third sun of her stint under Pearl, Ava was approached by her boss. It was nighttime and there was a small party happening on the deck. Ava was sitting on a barrel enjoying the company of Oceane and Cooker when Pearl approached. She looked almost nervous coming towards the group.

"Ava, can we speak?" Pearl asked, a small frown on her face.

"Aye," Ava hopped off her seat and walked away from her spot, "You look stressed, did I do something?"

"No, I have a meeting with Theo now and I just wanted to give you a heads up before you hear it from her," Pearl said

Ava got nervous. What had she done?

"I'm going to tell Theo you aren't suited for a job under me," Pearl said quickly, "I'm sorry."

Ava laughed and put her hand over her chest to feel her heart beating wildly, "Is that all?"

"Aye," Pearl said, brows still furrowed, "I just think you might be better suited for something else."

"I knew that, Pearl. Everything I touched turned to absolute shit," Ava laughed again, "I'm sorry you were so torn up about it."