Disclaimer: You know it's not mine. Though I seriously wouldn't mind if it
was.
Sumary: What was Jack thinking while sitting in that jail cell just before the pirate attack, during the attack, and when Will got him out? Who really knows, but it could've been this.
A/N: As I've mentioned in one of my previous stories, I've only seen the movie twice so far (though I will hopefully be able to see it a few more times before I have to wait for it to come out on video) and read a lot of fanfics, so there might be a few mistakes in actions and dialogue. If there are, I apologize. _____________________________________________________________________
I'm not really sure how long I've been here exactly. I was knocked out when they brought me here. I know it's been a few hours because it's dark now.
Tomorrow, I have a date with a hangman's noose. I don't plan on keeping the appointment. As of now, I don't know how I'll avoid it, but I'll think of something. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow.
The group of pirates in the next cell are getting annoying. They've been trying to get that damn dog to bring the key to them for a while now. I can't say I really blame them for trying, but it's pointless. "You can keep doing that forever. The dog is never going to move," I tell them.
"Well, excuse us if we haven't resigned ourselves to the gallows jus' yet," one of them snaps.
I don't respond. I just sit there with my back to the wall and my hat tipped over my eyes. If I thought there was any chance that dog would move, I would have been calling it right along with them. I do my best to ignore them.
A few minutes later, the sound of cannon blasts rip through the air. I lift my head and push the hat up instantly. "I know those guns." I get up and look out the barred window of the cell. The pirates in the next cell crowd around their own window, jostling each other for a look. I, luckily, don't have anyone in the cell with me, so I have the window to myself. There's a large ship in the port. I *knew* I knew those guns. I smile slightly.
"It's the Pearl."
My words have an effect on the men in the next cell. Looks of fear and unease cross their faces. "The Black Pearl? I've heard stories. She's been preying on ships and settlements fer near ten years. Never leaves any survivors..." He's practically whimpering.
I scoff. "No survivors? Then where do the stories come from, I wonder?"
He opens his mouth, then closes it with a puzzled look on his face. Obviously, he hadn't thought of that.
We can see the crew of the Pearl down in the streets, pillaging and generally causing terror and carnage. I can't see any of them well enough to identify them, but I know that those men were once members of my own crew. Back before the mutiny. Oh, they'll pay for that. Especially that bastard Barbossa.
I look longingly at my ship. My beautiful Black Pearl. I'll have her back someday. I swore it the moment they marooned me on that godforsaken island and left me for dead. I still have the pistol and one shot they gave me so that I could shoot myself rather than starve to death. I never had to use it. Those idiots accidentally marooned me on an island that the rum runners used. I lucked out and I know it. Not that I've told anyone how I *really* got off that island, nor do I intend to. I like the story I came up with better. And if people are stupid enough to believe it, that's their problem, not mine.
I'm suddenly knocked off my feet as a cannon ball bursts through the wall. It takes me a moment to get my bearings. When I do, I can see a big hole in the prison wall. The men in the next cell are delighted and rush out into the night.
One of them stops before he leaves and turns to me. "My sympathies, friend. You've no matter o' luck at all!" Then he leaves as well.
I stare at the gaping hole in the wall. He's right. I don't have any luck in this. The hole is in the next cell. True it extends partway into my cell, but the hole on my side of the bars that separate the cells is so small that I would have trouble fitting my arm through it, let alone the rest of me.
Well, isn't this just dandy?
Alright. It seems I have no other choice. I snatch up the bone one of the other pirates had been using to try to lure the dog closer. "C'mon doggy. It's just you and me now." I hold the bone through the door so the dog can see it. "C'mon. C'mere. Good boy. C'mon."
The dog looks interested and takes a few slow steps forward, the keys dangling from it's mouth.
"C'mon, you slimy, filthy, mangy cad!" I growl. Can't it move any faster? It's just a few feet away now.
There's a loud crash from somewhere upstairs. Apparently, the dog *can* move fast. And it's moving right past me and down a set of stairs.
"No, no, no, no, no! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean..." It's gone. Damn it!
A soldier's body comes crashing down the stairs. A moment later, two pirates come down the stairs and look around. "This ain't the armory!" says one of them. He turns to leave.
The other one spots me and stops his friend. "Well, well, well! Look what we 'ave 'ere Twigg! Captain Jack Sparrow!"
They both grin maliciously and come closer. One of them spits at my feet. I recognize them. I can't remember their names, but I recognize them. They were part of my mutinous crew all those years ago. "Last time I saw you, you were all alone on a Godforsaken island, shrinkin' into the distance!" one comments. He turns to his friend. "'is fortunes ain't improved much!"
"Worry about your own fortunes, gentlemen. The deepest circle of hell is reserved for betrayers and mutineers," I inform them.
Their faces contort with fury and the one with dreadlocks lunges at me. His arm goes through the bars and he grabs me by the throat. As he does this, moonlight suddenly pours in through the window and spills over his arm. I'm astonished when I look at it. It's nothing more than bone and a few tattered bits of rotting flesh and clothing. Now, *there's* something you don't see every day.
"So, there *is* a curse," I say. I remember that the treasure I rounded up this crew to help me find in the first place was supposedly cursed. I never believed it. Until now. "That's interesting."
"You know nothing of hell!" he growls. He releases my neck, shoving me roughly to the floor. They both leave.
"That's very interesting," I say again when they're gone.
Alright. So, maybe their marooning me for a few days wasn't such a bad thing. After all, I'm not the one whose cursed.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It's morning. I spent the better part of the night trying to figure a way out of here. I've resorted to trying to pick the lock. With the bone I was using to lure that stupid dog before it ran off, taking the keys with it.
It's not an easy task. Firstly, I had to break the damn thing and try to get the end thin enough to fit in the key hole. That took a while. Secondly, I have to try to unlock the door from the outside, so I can't really see what it is I'm doing. And third...this just ain't working.
"C'mon. Please," I grumble, as if asking it to work is really going to help. I'm pretty sure the bone is stuck. But it's not like I have a whole lot of options here. "Please..."
Someone's coming. I hear footsteps. Whoever it is, they sound like they're in a hurry. Leaving the bone in the lock, I lay down with my hands behind my head and pretend to be sleeping.
"You, Sparrow!" The footsteps come to an abrupt halt right in front of my cell.
I open my eyes and look up at whoever it is. It's the insane blacksmith. Oh, not him again. I'm having a bad enough morning as it is. But, by the look on his face, he's not going anywhere any time soon. Besides, since I'm on one side of the bars and he's on the other, maybe I can piss him off for a while. "Aye?" I ask him.
"You are familiar with that ship, The Black Pearl?"
Oh, yeah. I'm familiar with it. It's mine. "I've heard of it," I say smoothly, shrugging my shoulders.
"Where does it make berth?" he demands.
I smirk at him. Even more clueless than I thought. Laughing, I sit up. "Where does it make berth? Have you not heard the stories? Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is." And I know where it is. But, he doesn't need to know that.
"The ship's real enough. Therefore, its anchorage must be a real place," He reasons. "Where is it?"
"Why ask me?" And why does he want to know?
He hangs his head and looks at the ground. "Because you're a pirate."
There's something more to it than that. "And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?" I ask.
His head shoots up and he glares at me. "Never!" he says fiercely.
That's about the answer I expected, considering how much he seems to loath me for being a pirate. I look at him expectantly. I'm not saying anything unless he gives me an answer.
After a moment, he looks at the ground again. "They took Miss Swann," he admits finally.
"Ah, so it *is* that you've found a girl," I say triumphantly. I should've known. He was very upset about my threatening her yesterday. And it explains that look on his face when I asked if he had found a girl and was incapable of wooing said strumpet. Well, she is kinda cute. Oh, well. This is his problem, not mine. I saved her life once, and look where it got me. No reason to do it a second time. "Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart you'll have to do it alone, mate," I kindly inform him while laying back down. "I see no profit in it for me."
"I can get you out of here," he says after a moment.
I look at him carefully. "How's that?" I ask. "The keys run off." I gesture towards the stairs the dog ran down.
He runs his fingers over the hinges of the door. "I helped build these cells," he starts. "These are half pin-barrel hinges." He turns around and grabs a bench. "With the right leverage and proper application of strength," he continues, fitting the two of the benches legs in the bars of the door, "the door will lift free."
Hmm. Okay, so maybe not completely clueless. I still think I know him from somewhere. "What's your name?"
"Will Turner."
I freeze. *Will Turner?* Well, I know it can't be him. But he did have a child. Still, it is a fairly common name. Better be sure. "That will be short for William, I imagine. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for your father, right?"
He eyes me closely, frowning. "Yes..."
Of course! This boy is the son of William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner! How could I not have realized it earlier? He looks just like him, for god's sake! But then, it's been a long time since I've seen my old friend. About ten years in fact. Since the mutiny. He was the only member of the crew who didn't seem happy about the mutiny. But I can't fault him for not helping me. They'd have just marooned him along with me. And he wanted to see his wife and son again someday.
I hop to my feet. This is just too good to be true. I remember the legend of that curse well. To break it, Barbossa will be needing William Turner's blood. I heard that Barbossa killed him. At any rate, I'm fairly certain that old Bill isn't part of the crew any more. That being the case, they'd have to settle for the next best thing. The blood of his child. And this is his only child. I can use that against Barbossa.
"Aha. Well, Mr. Turner, I changed me mind. If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?"
"Agreed," he says quickly.
"Agreed," I say, shaking his hand through the bars. "Get me out."
He throws his weight on the bench and, sure enough, the door lifts free. He moves it to the side and it lands noisily. "Hurry. Someone will have heard that."
I move past him and over to the hook on the wall where my things are. "Not without my effects." I quickly make sure it's all here.
Ten years I've been carrying this pistol and one shot. Looks like I'm finally going to get the chance to use it.
Revenge will be so sweet.
______________________________________________________________________
Please review. I know it's not as funny as my last two, but I hope you liked it anyway.
Sumary: What was Jack thinking while sitting in that jail cell just before the pirate attack, during the attack, and when Will got him out? Who really knows, but it could've been this.
A/N: As I've mentioned in one of my previous stories, I've only seen the movie twice so far (though I will hopefully be able to see it a few more times before I have to wait for it to come out on video) and read a lot of fanfics, so there might be a few mistakes in actions and dialogue. If there are, I apologize. _____________________________________________________________________
I'm not really sure how long I've been here exactly. I was knocked out when they brought me here. I know it's been a few hours because it's dark now.
Tomorrow, I have a date with a hangman's noose. I don't plan on keeping the appointment. As of now, I don't know how I'll avoid it, but I'll think of something. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow.
The group of pirates in the next cell are getting annoying. They've been trying to get that damn dog to bring the key to them for a while now. I can't say I really blame them for trying, but it's pointless. "You can keep doing that forever. The dog is never going to move," I tell them.
"Well, excuse us if we haven't resigned ourselves to the gallows jus' yet," one of them snaps.
I don't respond. I just sit there with my back to the wall and my hat tipped over my eyes. If I thought there was any chance that dog would move, I would have been calling it right along with them. I do my best to ignore them.
A few minutes later, the sound of cannon blasts rip through the air. I lift my head and push the hat up instantly. "I know those guns." I get up and look out the barred window of the cell. The pirates in the next cell crowd around their own window, jostling each other for a look. I, luckily, don't have anyone in the cell with me, so I have the window to myself. There's a large ship in the port. I *knew* I knew those guns. I smile slightly.
"It's the Pearl."
My words have an effect on the men in the next cell. Looks of fear and unease cross their faces. "The Black Pearl? I've heard stories. She's been preying on ships and settlements fer near ten years. Never leaves any survivors..." He's practically whimpering.
I scoff. "No survivors? Then where do the stories come from, I wonder?"
He opens his mouth, then closes it with a puzzled look on his face. Obviously, he hadn't thought of that.
We can see the crew of the Pearl down in the streets, pillaging and generally causing terror and carnage. I can't see any of them well enough to identify them, but I know that those men were once members of my own crew. Back before the mutiny. Oh, they'll pay for that. Especially that bastard Barbossa.
I look longingly at my ship. My beautiful Black Pearl. I'll have her back someday. I swore it the moment they marooned me on that godforsaken island and left me for dead. I still have the pistol and one shot they gave me so that I could shoot myself rather than starve to death. I never had to use it. Those idiots accidentally marooned me on an island that the rum runners used. I lucked out and I know it. Not that I've told anyone how I *really* got off that island, nor do I intend to. I like the story I came up with better. And if people are stupid enough to believe it, that's their problem, not mine.
I'm suddenly knocked off my feet as a cannon ball bursts through the wall. It takes me a moment to get my bearings. When I do, I can see a big hole in the prison wall. The men in the next cell are delighted and rush out into the night.
One of them stops before he leaves and turns to me. "My sympathies, friend. You've no matter o' luck at all!" Then he leaves as well.
I stare at the gaping hole in the wall. He's right. I don't have any luck in this. The hole is in the next cell. True it extends partway into my cell, but the hole on my side of the bars that separate the cells is so small that I would have trouble fitting my arm through it, let alone the rest of me.
Well, isn't this just dandy?
Alright. It seems I have no other choice. I snatch up the bone one of the other pirates had been using to try to lure the dog closer. "C'mon doggy. It's just you and me now." I hold the bone through the door so the dog can see it. "C'mon. C'mere. Good boy. C'mon."
The dog looks interested and takes a few slow steps forward, the keys dangling from it's mouth.
"C'mon, you slimy, filthy, mangy cad!" I growl. Can't it move any faster? It's just a few feet away now.
There's a loud crash from somewhere upstairs. Apparently, the dog *can* move fast. And it's moving right past me and down a set of stairs.
"No, no, no, no, no! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean..." It's gone. Damn it!
A soldier's body comes crashing down the stairs. A moment later, two pirates come down the stairs and look around. "This ain't the armory!" says one of them. He turns to leave.
The other one spots me and stops his friend. "Well, well, well! Look what we 'ave 'ere Twigg! Captain Jack Sparrow!"
They both grin maliciously and come closer. One of them spits at my feet. I recognize them. I can't remember their names, but I recognize them. They were part of my mutinous crew all those years ago. "Last time I saw you, you were all alone on a Godforsaken island, shrinkin' into the distance!" one comments. He turns to his friend. "'is fortunes ain't improved much!"
"Worry about your own fortunes, gentlemen. The deepest circle of hell is reserved for betrayers and mutineers," I inform them.
Their faces contort with fury and the one with dreadlocks lunges at me. His arm goes through the bars and he grabs me by the throat. As he does this, moonlight suddenly pours in through the window and spills over his arm. I'm astonished when I look at it. It's nothing more than bone and a few tattered bits of rotting flesh and clothing. Now, *there's* something you don't see every day.
"So, there *is* a curse," I say. I remember that the treasure I rounded up this crew to help me find in the first place was supposedly cursed. I never believed it. Until now. "That's interesting."
"You know nothing of hell!" he growls. He releases my neck, shoving me roughly to the floor. They both leave.
"That's very interesting," I say again when they're gone.
Alright. So, maybe their marooning me for a few days wasn't such a bad thing. After all, I'm not the one whose cursed.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It's morning. I spent the better part of the night trying to figure a way out of here. I've resorted to trying to pick the lock. With the bone I was using to lure that stupid dog before it ran off, taking the keys with it.
It's not an easy task. Firstly, I had to break the damn thing and try to get the end thin enough to fit in the key hole. That took a while. Secondly, I have to try to unlock the door from the outside, so I can't really see what it is I'm doing. And third...this just ain't working.
"C'mon. Please," I grumble, as if asking it to work is really going to help. I'm pretty sure the bone is stuck. But it's not like I have a whole lot of options here. "Please..."
Someone's coming. I hear footsteps. Whoever it is, they sound like they're in a hurry. Leaving the bone in the lock, I lay down with my hands behind my head and pretend to be sleeping.
"You, Sparrow!" The footsteps come to an abrupt halt right in front of my cell.
I open my eyes and look up at whoever it is. It's the insane blacksmith. Oh, not him again. I'm having a bad enough morning as it is. But, by the look on his face, he's not going anywhere any time soon. Besides, since I'm on one side of the bars and he's on the other, maybe I can piss him off for a while. "Aye?" I ask him.
"You are familiar with that ship, The Black Pearl?"
Oh, yeah. I'm familiar with it. It's mine. "I've heard of it," I say smoothly, shrugging my shoulders.
"Where does it make berth?" he demands.
I smirk at him. Even more clueless than I thought. Laughing, I sit up. "Where does it make berth? Have you not heard the stories? Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is." And I know where it is. But, he doesn't need to know that.
"The ship's real enough. Therefore, its anchorage must be a real place," He reasons. "Where is it?"
"Why ask me?" And why does he want to know?
He hangs his head and looks at the ground. "Because you're a pirate."
There's something more to it than that. "And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?" I ask.
His head shoots up and he glares at me. "Never!" he says fiercely.
That's about the answer I expected, considering how much he seems to loath me for being a pirate. I look at him expectantly. I'm not saying anything unless he gives me an answer.
After a moment, he looks at the ground again. "They took Miss Swann," he admits finally.
"Ah, so it *is* that you've found a girl," I say triumphantly. I should've known. He was very upset about my threatening her yesterday. And it explains that look on his face when I asked if he had found a girl and was incapable of wooing said strumpet. Well, she is kinda cute. Oh, well. This is his problem, not mine. I saved her life once, and look where it got me. No reason to do it a second time. "Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart you'll have to do it alone, mate," I kindly inform him while laying back down. "I see no profit in it for me."
"I can get you out of here," he says after a moment.
I look at him carefully. "How's that?" I ask. "The keys run off." I gesture towards the stairs the dog ran down.
He runs his fingers over the hinges of the door. "I helped build these cells," he starts. "These are half pin-barrel hinges." He turns around and grabs a bench. "With the right leverage and proper application of strength," he continues, fitting the two of the benches legs in the bars of the door, "the door will lift free."
Hmm. Okay, so maybe not completely clueless. I still think I know him from somewhere. "What's your name?"
"Will Turner."
I freeze. *Will Turner?* Well, I know it can't be him. But he did have a child. Still, it is a fairly common name. Better be sure. "That will be short for William, I imagine. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for your father, right?"
He eyes me closely, frowning. "Yes..."
Of course! This boy is the son of William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner! How could I not have realized it earlier? He looks just like him, for god's sake! But then, it's been a long time since I've seen my old friend. About ten years in fact. Since the mutiny. He was the only member of the crew who didn't seem happy about the mutiny. But I can't fault him for not helping me. They'd have just marooned him along with me. And he wanted to see his wife and son again someday.
I hop to my feet. This is just too good to be true. I remember the legend of that curse well. To break it, Barbossa will be needing William Turner's blood. I heard that Barbossa killed him. At any rate, I'm fairly certain that old Bill isn't part of the crew any more. That being the case, they'd have to settle for the next best thing. The blood of his child. And this is his only child. I can use that against Barbossa.
"Aha. Well, Mr. Turner, I changed me mind. If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?"
"Agreed," he says quickly.
"Agreed," I say, shaking his hand through the bars. "Get me out."
He throws his weight on the bench and, sure enough, the door lifts free. He moves it to the side and it lands noisily. "Hurry. Someone will have heard that."
I move past him and over to the hook on the wall where my things are. "Not without my effects." I quickly make sure it's all here.
Ten years I've been carrying this pistol and one shot. Looks like I'm finally going to get the chance to use it.
Revenge will be so sweet.
______________________________________________________________________
Please review. I know it's not as funny as my last two, but I hope you liked it anyway.