Chapter 1: Jack Causes Trouble

The Black Pearl was anchored just off shore of a prisoner island. Going near places like this always gives me the creeps. In my eyes, they were like some sort of torture house. A thick fog rolled across the ocean, ruffling my short auburn hair. My captain, Jack Sparrow, was in that place right now. I had no idea why he was there or how he was supposed to get out. The bloody git never tells me anything.

My name is Jason Barbossa. I joined Sparrow's crew last year after he had killed my father, Hector Barbossa. When Jack escaped a hanging in Port Royal I went with him. Nothing compares to sailing on the Black Pearl, it was the fastest ship on the entire ocean. Okay, maybe that was a little exaggerated but you know what I mean. The Pearl was my father's ship before Sparrow had killed him so that's why I came. At least one Barbossa had to be on board to look after it. The only downside was that I had to sail under Jack Sparrow.

If I had my way we would've left him on this godforsaken rock, but the rest of the crew probably wouldn't like that idea. I was the only one that hated Jack and he knew it. He tried to make it up to me by teaching me how to properly use my swords. My weapons of choice, two silver swords that slung across my back, were once part of my father's treasure. The Black Pearl, a capuchin monkey named Jack, those swords and a necklace he gave me when I was younger were the only things I had left of my father. The necklace was freaking impossible to take off, not that I ever would.

A thumping sound from behind me shook me out of my thoughts. I turned around to find the first mate, Gibbs, walking out on deck. He had a bottle of rum in his hands and his footsteps were wobbly. Gibbs was the technical first mate but Jack always seemed to ask me for ideas or suggestions although I don't know why he would ever fully trust me.

Gibbs was walking about and singing a shanty:

"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest

Ah yo ho ho and a bottle of rum

Drink to the devil and be done with the rest

Ah yo ho ho and a bottle of rum"

Gibbs laughed as he took a swig from the bottle. I rolled my eyes. Drunk Gibbs was always so weird. A bell rang out in the distance, scaring the poor man half to death. He looked over at the island and finally noticed me. "Hello, Jason."

I waved back. "Hi, Gibbs." The first mate smiled and walked over to me. Over the past year Gibbs had become a good friend of mine. He always seemed to know what I was thinking, which can be really annoying at times.

"Thinkin' about your father, lad?" he asked.

"How do you do that?"

Gibbs held up his hands. "It's a gift." He offered me the bottle of rum. I shook my head, making Gibbs chuckle. "I swear, you're the only pirate in the Caribbean who would decline rum."

"Give me a break, Gibbs. I'm only fourteen. I don't like the taste and it makes me feel sick. What's wrong with that?"

Gibbs looked like he was about to answer but the cawing of crows interrupted him. They flew over our heads towards the prison island. I heard that they lock the prisoners up in cages outside so that the birds can pick at them. It's a form of torture. I shivered at the thought.

"How do you think Jack's going to get out of there?" I asked.

Gibbs shrugged. "You never know with Jack Sparrow."

Hearing his name, a creature shrieked from up in the rigging. I chuckled to myself and looked up. It was the fury, black capuchin monkey named Jack. Sparrow absolutely hated him. The only reason Lil'Jack was still here was because Jack felt guilty about killing Barbossa and I made him keep the monkey. At every chance I got, I tormented the captain using the monkey. Oh the fun we have.

I turned back to look at the ocean again. In the distance I could see, what looked like…a coffin? I leaned over the railing to get a better look. Yep, it was a coffin. In the coffin sat a figure. Most likely human but I was skeptical. I had seen walking skeletons before. Heck, my father was a walking skeleton. (Side effect of being immortal, long story)

As the coffin got closer I make out more distinct features on the humanoid figure. First, I confirmed it was not a skeleton. Second, I noticed it had long dreadlocks, a bandanna and a tri-corner hat. Of course.

Minutes later, Jack Sparrow was climbing up the ladder to get on deck. Gibbs offered him a hand and in return got a leg. A skeleton's leg, to be exact. I shrugged. Not the weirdest thing I've ever seen, but definitely top ten. Number one was a completely drunk Jack Sparrow. That was funny but also really disturbing.

"Not quite according to the plan." Gibbs said, eyeing the leg.

"Complication arose, were ensued and overcome." Jack said. Mr. Cotton, a mute man, put Jack's coat over the captain's shoulders.

"You got what you went in for, then?" Gibbs asked.

"Mm hm." Jack held up a small piece of cloth and walked away. The crew came out of nowhere and blocked his path. This crew was fairly new. We picked them up few months ago. I personally didn't trust them that much, nor did I like them.

"Uh, Captain." Gibbs began. "I think the crew, meaning me as well, was expectin' something a bit more shiny. What with the Isla de Muerta going all pear-shaped and to be claimed by the sea." I grimaced at the memory. Isla de Muerta, meaning Island of Death, was the island where Barbossa had kept all of his treasures. The entire island was filled to the brim with gold, jewels, sapphires, rubies, you name it. We were so excited to get that treasure but then Poseidon decided to take it for his own.

"And the Royal Navy chasing us all across the Atlantic." one of the crew said. His name was Leech and he acted as some sort of leader. One of the main reasons I didn't like him.

"And the hurricane." Marty, the dwarf pirate, put in. I liked Marty. He was a good friend of mine. The rest of the crew agreed with him with quiet 'Aye's'.

"Shiny?" Jack asked.

"Aye, shiny." Gibbs confirmed.

Jack eyed the crew. "Is that how you're all feeling, then? That perhaps dear old Jack is not serving your best interests as captain?"

"Walk the plank." Cotton's parrot squawked.

Jack pointed his gun at the feathered creature. "What did the bird say?"

"Do not blame the bird." Leech said. "Show us, what is on that piece of cloth there."

Just then my favorite monkey swung down from the rigging and shrieked in Jack's face. The captain screamed and tried to shoot him but there was no shot in the gun. Lil'Jack grabbed the cloth, dropped to the ground and ran off. Sparrow was about to shoot him with Gibbs' gun when the monkey climbed onto my shoulder. With the moon out, Lil'Jack was in his skeleton form but I didn't mind. I actually thought the creature looked really cool in that form.

Jack still had his gun raised at the monkey on my shoulder. I smirked and held out my hand. Lil'Jack dropped the cloth into my hand. Jack grimaced when I started to unfold it.

"What is it, Jason?" Marty asked.

"Calm down, master dwarf. Give me a second." Marty glared daggers at me. He hates being called a dwarf. I examined what was on the cloth. "It's a key."

"No. It's much more better." Jack said, running up to me. When he got too close Lil'Jack shrieked. Jack grimaced and took a step back. He held out his hand for the cloth. I rolled my eyes and dropped the worn fabric in his hand.

"It is a drawing of a key." Jack said and held up the cloth fro everyone to see. I walked around him to get a better look.

"Gentlemen, what do keys do?" Jack asked.

"Keys…unlock things?" Leech offered.

"Really? I did not know that." I said sarcastically. Leech glared at me.

"And whatever this key unlocks inside is something valuable so we're setting out to find whatever this key unlocks." Gibbs said excitedly.

"No. We don't have the key. We can't open whatever we don't have that it unlocks so what purpose would be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, which we don't have, without first having found the key that unlocks it?"

"Jack, how many times do I have to tell you? No one can understand you when you talk like that." I said. Jack glared at me and smacked the back of my head. "Oi!"

"So we're going after this key?" Gibbs asked, trying to understand.

"You're not making any sense at all." Jack said. "Anymore questions?"

"Sooo…do we have a heading?" Marty asked.

"Ah! A heading." Jack brought out his compass. "Set sail…in a…general…" Jack moved his finger around, not sure of which direction to go. He pointed to the left and then quickly to the right, nearly poking my eye out. "…that way direction!"

"Uh, Cap'n?" Gibbs sounded skeptical.

Jack shut the compass. "Come on, snap to it and make sail. You know how this works." He turned around and walked towards his cabin. When he past me Lil'Jack shrieked in his face and jumped on his head over to the rigging. Jack yelped and glared at me. "I thought you had that thing under control?"

"I do." I said. Jack kept glaring at me then shook his head and continued walking towards his cabin. I sniggered quietly and walked up to the railing. Marty joined me.

"I'm going to get ya back for that dwarf comment." he said.

"I know."

"Have ya noticed lately, the captain's been actin' a bit strange. Err."

"When doesn't he act strange?" I asked. Marty smirked.

Gibbs walked up next to use. "Aye, but setting sail without knowin' his own heading? Something's got Jack vexed and what bodes ill for Jack Sparrow, bodes ill for us all."

Hey everyone! I know it has been awhile since I last wrote. I really wanted to get my rough draft for At World's End done before I started this. The RD is still incomplete but I promise to write this story every weekend. When the rough draft is finished I'll write this story full time.

What do you think Jack is so nervous about, hmmm?