Disclaimer: Yo ho, yo ho, it's Disney's properteeeee...
Author's note: This one takes place directly after my long fic, "Calypso's Hand"! William is free of his captaincy of the Dutchman, and William and Elizabeth are back together, and sailing upon the Pearl with Jack and crew. Drinks and fun all around! Pirate Cat
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Even in this dingy port of Singapore, William Turner the Second was elated. He stood upon the deck of the Black Pearl and drew in a breath so deep that the newly healed wound that stretched across his chest under the tightly bound bandage became a bit pained. He blew the same breath out with the same amount of zeal, as his restored heart beat so strongly against the inside of his ribs that he thought it might burst. It felt so good! Just yesterday, the handsome young man had finally set foot upon the cobblestone street that laid at the bottom of the Pearl's gangplank, and had wobbled upon the land like as if his legs were made of rubber... a sight that Jack Sparrow had enjoyed immensely. William Turner was no longer the captain of the Flying Dutchman... his hard work and dedication had earned his freedom after only a period of months, not years. Calypso had been merciful. He was elated, indeed!
Looking down to the street below, William admired what he saw. Since being released from his duty as the captain of the Flying Dutchman only a few days ago, and being reunited with the love of his life and his pirate friends, William was appreciating new sights, new sounds, even new smells, whether good or bad. They had rescued each other, he and Jack Sparrow, and once Elizabeth was reunited with them, they'd formed a new, strong alliance... the Turners were welcomed aboard the Pearl by her ragtag pirate crew, and were preparing to leave the Orient, and all of its mixed memories, behind them.
In returning to the Far East to rescue Elizabeth and restore William's heart, it was decided to lay over in Singapore for a day or so, supplying the ship for the first leg of the long journey back home to the Caribbean. William did not care where they were going... all that he cared about was that he was with the ones that he loved... and more than anything, he found that he loved to laugh along with those loved ones...
Singapore was agreeing with everyone for this trip, he chuckled to himself. They had made several trips into the marketplaces to see the sights in daylight, and several crewmembers had partaken of many of the exotic shops and merchants that only a seaport such as this could offer... Mr. Ragetti, now the unofficial cook of the Black Pearl, had brought aboard several cartons of wonderful spices to flavor the meager selection of foods that a pirate ship could offer. Not only that, but he proudly sported a real glass eye... one that fit, and did not splinter!
Diminutive Marty, the smallest pirate in the Caribbean (or so he boasted), had traded one of his old pistols for a fine new one, with a dragon shaped barrel and inlaid mother-of-pearl. It was beautifully crafted, and he had managed to steal a real holster for it when the shopkeeper was not looking, simply because his short stature enabled him to simply walk behind the counter unseen, and happily help himself. In demonstrating it to his mates, he had blown himself clear across the foredeck, and it was decided that it was a fine weapon.
The most amusing thing of all was that Mr. Pintel had finally had enough of Captain Sparrow's jibes about how badly he smelled, and had spent an entire day and night in one of Singapore's cleaner bath houses. He had come back to the ship, proudly, with clean clothes, and he, himself, smelled of cloves. Captain Sparrow haughtily maintained that his own fine milled lime scented soaps and hair oil with essence of coconut smelled better, but could not argue that Mr. Pintel cleaned up rather well... or at least cleaned up, somewhat. No one asked what, exactly, he had done at the bath house in a whole day and night, but the results were acceptable.
Joshamee Gibbs had simply gotten happily and roaring drunk on strong Chinese liquor, then came back to the ship with the finest and most painful hangover that he had ever had the opportunity to experience. For some reason, he was truly proud of that one accomplishment.
William was suddenly shaken from his thoughts by the quick footsteps of his beautiful wife hurrying up the gangplank. Elizabeth Swann Turner was scurrying as fast as she could, considering the number of parcels that she held in her arms. The thing that piqued William's interest more than anything was the fact that she was trying very hard not to laugh as she hurried. Looking up, her hazel eyes danced, and she was out of breath.
Extending his hand to help her aboard, William looked at her quizzically and said, "What is it? What are you trying not to laugh about?"
Putting the parcels down upon the deck, Elizabeth replied, "Don't laugh, Will! Please don't laugh! Jack is not in a very good mood, right now... just please don't laugh! Promise me! He might pitch the whole crew off of the ship and leave us all in Singapore!"
No sooner did the words emerge from her mouth, when William looked down upon the subject of Elizabeth's amusement. His eyes widened, and William uttered a wondering, "What the..."
Walking along beside an overly stonefaced Joshamee Gibbs (who was trying valiantly to get over said hangover and not laugh at his captain), was a dourfaced Captain Jack Sparrow, who was being followed, closely and faithfully... by two small, colorful and loudly clucking Chinese chickens.
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As the crew gathered about, Jack glowered at all of them. Turning around, he looked at the two small birds who had followed him directly up the gangplank, and who were standing there regarding him... one was a deep red, with a burgundy sheen to her shining long feathers, and her companion was a creamy gold, with trailing collar of long white feathers around her slender little neck. They were obviously an Oriental breed of some sort, but none of the pirate crew was well acquainted with poultry of Singapore... nor had they much desire to be. Least of all, the captain. The two hens patiently waited for Jack to do something.
Jack stared at the pair, then at Gibbs, who cleared his throat and said, "... Cap'n... sir... what do ye plan t' do about..." he pointed at the two visitors, who clucked softly, their shiny bird eyes never leaving the captain.
"I don't know, Mr. Gibbs. I was hoping, as first mate, that you would have a suggestion!" Jack growled through clenched teeth. The crewmen were trying very hard to not even crack a smile, as Jack was obviously in no mood. The only ones that seemed to be undaunted by Jack's vexation were William, and Mr. Cotton's parrot, who observed the newcomers from the lowest yardarm of the main mast. William's face had broken out in a huge grin... the parrot remained silent.
Jack turned to the two little hens, and waved his hands at them, slightly, twitching his mustache and grumbling, "Shoo. Go home." The hens did not move. "Please go home?" Jack continued, politely. No response.
He tried to approach them, in order to shoo them back down the gangplank, and was met by loud cackling. Stepping back in surprise, there was a small start of a chuckle through the crew. Jack's face turned dark once again, and the chuckling stopped.
"Why, might I ask, did they follow you back to the ship?" William asked, his eyes never leaving the two fugitives from the marketplace, as they both ruffled their feathers at the captain, who was glaring back at them.
"I don't know! I was just helping Izzy and Gibbs wif something, an' there they were, looking at me like I was some sort o' god!" Jack shot another warning glance back at the crew, who bit the insides of their cheeks to contain their smiles. Elizabeth spoke up.
"Jack, it was when you were creating a diversion so that we could... 'obtain'... more of the bottles of curry powder and garlic powder for Mr. Ragetti... you were keeping the spicemerchant's attention..."
"Diversion?" William asked, "One of your 'usual' diversions, Jack?" He looked at Jack in amusement, as a smile never left his lips.
Annoyed, Jack said, "Wot do ye mean, a 'usual diversion?" Jack started to throw his arms out in exasperation, his voice raising a bit and his eyes widening. Suddenly, the two little hens flapped their wings and cackled, as they finally gathered around Jack's feet as if he were calling them to his flock.
As they watched the hens look up at Jack with adoring eyes, William finally started to laugh... long and loud. He put his hand over his bandaged chest and completely lost his composure... and this was all that it took.
Laughter burst out among Elizabeth and the crew, and they didn't even quite understand why they were laughing... as William gasped for air, he wiped his eyes with his hands and exclaimed, "Jack! When you create a diversion, you look as though you strut and you sound like you crow, and you wave your hands about like as if they were wings... these two have fallen in love with you! They think that you are a ROOSTER!"
As Jack Sparrow turned bright red with embarassment, William leaned back against the railing and was overcome with mirth, as the rest of the crew laughed with him.
The fun is to be continued, and concluded, with Chapter 2, coming up tomorrow!