Sandra just looked at me, questioning.
"I have no idea," I said "but this I have got to see. You coming?"
She shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
Through the side door, we found the entire cheerleading team standing around several open packing crates. Shannon Elizabeth was standing over one and holding up a brown leather bustier so everyone could see it.
"Hoy mates, you're just in time. Feast yer orbs on this," she said, spinning the bustier so we could see the back. There, a black skull and crossed sabers had been burned into the leather. Out of other boxes, girls were fishing out brown cuffed buccaneer boots, red and grey striped stockings, and leather mini-skirts with red trim.
Karyn reached into another box, pulling out a long buckled belt with two costume pistols hanging from it. She looked at me meaningfully. I shrugged. This was the kind of weirdness I'd come to expect from wishes gone awry, but I'd had the stone with me the whole time and hadn't wished for anything. Or had I? Before I could think on that too long, Miss Johnson burst out of her office and swaggered into the middle of the room.
"Ahoy, lasses," she shouted raising her hands for silence. "Welcome to the first meeting of the Pirates cheerleading team. As ya know, we're startin' a new tradition this year. At practice and at games, Pirate cheerleaders dress like pirates and talk like pirates, or they're swabbin' the deck. Savvy?"
"Aye!" we shouted, as one.
"Now, I hear we may be takin' on a new mate this year. Jonnie, you want to introduce us?"
"Aye Cap'n! This be Sandra Beech. She's wantin' to ship out with us this year."
Karyn and Sandra looked as shocked as I felt to be talking like a pirate. With my girly voice, I sounded like an old sea dog with a lung full of helium.
"Well then, lasses, let's have a show of hands," said Miss Johnson. "Are we takin' her on or is she walkin' the plank?"
Before they began to raise their hands, most of the girls looked in the direction of Sarah McMillan, the team captain, to take the lead. As she voted, so would team, it seemed.
