~*~FRUITLESS FLATTERY

Written for drabble prompt "evil."

"You dirty lit'l rat! That's mine!"

The furry streak slid to a halt on the opposite rail, grinning dementedly.

"Give it back!"

The monkey pursed his lips and cocked his head, deep in thought, then slowly, teasingly, extended his paw--

Over the rail.

The man's voice dropped a full octave; he knew, in a situation like this, flattery was key. "C'mere, lit'l monkey. You're so cute! Look, I have a treat for you!"

The monkey sniffed the air suspiciously, and the paw crept a bit closer to safety.

"Good boy! Look! If you come over here, I'll give you--no, what are you doin'? Stop that! Don't you dare--"

Kerplunk! The uneven wooden sphere dropped from Jack's paw into the choppy waters below. Ragetti snarled and lunged for the evil thing's neck, but he evaded him with a screeching laugh and a mock salute.

Ragetti stared sullenly overboard, silently cursing for all he was worth, and sighed.

Time to whittle a new one.