Disclaimer: I do not own "Pirates of the Caribbean". If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction.
P.S: Sorry for the cheesy title. I honestly could not think of a better name for this...
Chapter One
It was embarrassing. Asking for help? What sort of a captain does that? Never mind captain; what kind of pirate does that? Apparently, Hector Barbossa. He certainly wasn't happy about it. He wouldn't be asking for it if it was his choice. Of course, the key word would be "if". It turns out that Jack Sparrow was not as much of an idiot as he had always come off as after all. He had alluded his enemy for almost three months now. Barbossa had nearly caught him on several occasions, but it was becoming clear that he was going to need assistance if he truly intended to find Jack and the map. And he did.
"Where's this bloke, then, Cap'n?" Pintel asked.
Hector decided that he would take this opportunity to ignore one of the many morons that surrounded him. Not that he didn't normally do that.
"Cap'n?"
Although sometimes, they were annoying enough to prompt an answer.
"Do you think I know, Master Pintel?" he replied sarcastically.
"Maybe," Pintel said, in a manner similar to a stubborn but intimidated child.
"You'd be both wrong and right there. I've never seen him," Barbossa stated, straightening.
Pintel scratched his head in confusion. As was typical, an eye roll came his way from the other man.
Hector's eyes scanned the crowd that stuffed the Faithful Bride tavern. He had been given directions about what to look for. He needed to find a red tricorn hat with a white feather. To make it more specific, there would be a large pin of lapis on the hat. They had already been standing there for about thirty minutes. Was it a possibility that no one was coming? That they were in league with Sparrow and were simply setting him up to humiliate him in front of his crew? Most captains would never bother themselves with something as ridiculous as that, but this was Jack Sparrow. He, of all people, would go out of his way to harass Hector in this trivial manner. Then there it was: a red hat with a feather and pin.
All he did was move towards it and the wearer seemed to sense that he was there. The hat stopped in its adjacent path and started towards him. It moved with so much haste that, for a moment, Barbossa questioned his decision to seek help, imagining the kind of person it would take to outsmart Jack. Was it possible that there was someone as crazy as Jack, perhaps even...crazier... No, this wasn't that. And no one could be that-
"Captain Barbossa?"
The voice that spoke his name was female, deep, and wore a heavy French accent. This couldn't possibly be the person. It had nothing to do with her being French; it was the woman part that made no sense.
"Are you Captain Barbossa?" the woman persisted.
A good look at her showed that the female was more on the mature side of her middle age and dressed in tightly laced stays of an uncommonly pristine white, a rich blue chemise, and a grey skirt.
"Aye. Be there a reason for your inquiring?"
"Of course. You are seeking some help in a matter of importance, are you not?"
"Yes."
"And this matter involves a certain bird that cannot be caged?"
"Your point please, madame," Hector replied impatiently.
The woman frowned and gave him a frigid look.
"Certainly, captain. You are to follow me to the person who will help you," she said, moving past him and out of the door.
He followed swiftly behind, Pintel, Ragetti, Murtogg, and Mullroy in tow. The woman, quicker than Barbossa had expected her to be, was at least three feet ahead of him. Moving still faster, but continuing to abstain from sprinting, he caught up with her and barely broke even.
"Don't suppose you could slow down, madame? My crew's having trouble keeping up," Hector questioned.
"That is not my fault," she replied. "And I hope, for your sake, you are not as rude to my friend as you are to me."
With that, she moved ahead, leaving Barbossa a moment to think. She had given quite a threat. But if there was to be an attempt on his life, he could fend it off himself. He needn't be extremely careful of what he says. Just as long as he didn't give anything away about the true need to go after Sparrow.
He had the Pearl. Before, that was the only reason Hector would ever want to follow him. Not everyone knew this little piece of history, so there wouldn't be any questions. If, however, the subject came up, there would be no mention of Sao Feng's charts. No, Barbossa's charts. Sao was dead and Hector had obtained them. Jack had had nothing to do with it. Merely stealing them does not make them yours. They were given to Hector. Besides the charts, there would especially be no mention of what destination they held for him. The Fountain of Youth was to remain a secret, lest someone get it into their heads that double crossing him would be a good idea.
"We are here."