Captain Jack Sparrow85
Thank you! I desperately needed a review. Do you think I need to make any adjustments though?Disclaimer: Do you still think I own Pirates of the Caribbean? Because I don't, Disney does. However, I do own the original characters.
Maelstrom
-----------------------------
Chapter Two: Nassau Port, the Caribbean
When the Black Pearl reached Nassau in the morning, most of the crew was granted shore leave. But Cotton and another pirate remained on the ship for 'Monkey Patrol.' Erik Fox and Jack Sparrow went the largest tavern in town, a typical rowdy pirate hangout called: The Dead Frog. Jack missed the drunken, violent chaos of Tortuga, but Nassau was good enough for him. When he opened the door, he took in the strong aroma of sweat, rum, and gunpowder with a deep breath.
The bartender was a friendly enough man with one blind eye. When Jack and Erik walked towards him, one man leaned over and said quite drunkenly, "I knew a pirate once…" Jack shoved right by him. The bartender said, "Don't mind the crazies here."
"Crazies? That man just seemed drunk to me." Jack said before he was interrupted by a random guy who screamed at him, "Check and, mate!"
"Oh… Those crazies. Hey, could ye get us a couple bottles of rum?" The bartender nodded after Jack had passed him two coins. When the two pirates sat down, Jack asked, "So, Mr. Fox, may I ask why exactly you joined my crew without a moment's hesitation? I mean, that does seem really suspicious, along with that note I saw on you."
Erik thought about for a few seconds. "Okay mate, I'll get to the point and be honest with you. I've got a good idea where a treasure is. And not just any treasure, I mean the treasure of…" He looked around and whispered, "… Jolly Roger." At that exact moment, everyone in the room stared at the two pirates. The creaky violin music had ended. One man clutched a crucifix. The bartender gulped audibly. And a baby started crying. Wondering what a baby was doing in a pirate tavern among other things, Erik asked, "What? Was it something I said?"
Everyone finally went back to their business after ten seconds of uncomfortable silence and the bartender muttered something about devils and death. "That was odd." Jack remarked and they went back their discussion. "So," Jack said, "you help me find this treasure and I'll give ye, ten-percent."
"Ten-percent? I want sixty, I discovered it."
"You mean ye stole it. I'll give you fifteen percent."
Erik gave him a poisonous glare. "Fifty!
"Twenty!"
"Forty-five!"
"Thirty! And really nice axe!
"Deal! And I want a useful tomahawk, not one of those cheap ones that have fancy handles."
"Aye." They shook hands on it and Jack asked, "Are you the same Erik Fox who accidentally killed his own captain once? And who fell asleep at the helm and crashed a ship into a cliff?" Erik cast two suspicious glances sideways. "No…" he muttered quietly. As Erik left the tavern, Jack snickered. "Sucker…" He chuckled and ordered two more drinks for himself.
When he went outside, he met Anamaria by the pier; impatiently waiting to hear what crazy plot Sparrow was planning now. He decided to tell her most of the truth. "We're gonna set sail tomorrow morning, to Tortuga."
"Tortuga?" Anamaria looked puzzled. "Isn't that No-Beard fellow still out to kill you?"
"The crew desperately wants plunder, and I know where to get some. The Treasure of Jolly Roger is still available."
Now she gaped in utter horror. "They're not that desperate! You're gonna get us all killed! Why can't we just head back to the Isla de Muerta?"
"Okay, just calm down. Firstly, what's the bloody deal with Jolly Roger? I haven't heard much 'bout him at all. It's just some bloody ghost story. A profitable ghost story that is. There's probably enough gold there for me to retire on. Oh, and secondly, from what I've heard, the Treasure is somewhere near de Muerta, maybe in it."
"Uhh… Did that Erik Fox guy tell you all this?"
"Yes, why?" She squinted at him. "Okay, sure he looks like a suspicious, completely dishonest, sneaky scoundrel 'n all, but that might just work out. Because you can always trust a dishonest person to be, well, dishonest. And chances are he's leading us into some trap that involves us dying horrible deaths. But he can still lead us to the treasure, where we will probably betray him somehow. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan."
"Sure, that could work. As long as the stories aren't true that is, and let us hope they're not. And for some reason, Erik seems rather familiar. I remember now! He's the bastard who stole my ship and marooned me on a godforsaken island for the first time! When I get my hands on 'im…"
"Exactly how many boats have been stolen from you?"
------------------------------------
Erik Fox was in a cheerful mood as he went back to the tavern that night. He still couldn't get over the fact that Jack Sparrow had fallen for his trap, at least so far. Step one of his 'ingenious' plan was complete. While he was downing more rum and ale, he thought he saw the woman, Cora, from the last ship he attacked, the Herald. Confused, he wondered, "What's a 'proper' lady like her doing in a place like this? Am I hallucinating?" Suddenly, a barrel with a happy face started talking to him. "Yep."
He threw away the half-empty bottle of rum in his hand and started to read the note he stole from her. Instantly, he cursed himself for not learning how to read much English. The note said: Dear Cora, I hope you are safe. Please don't go and get in trouble with anyone, and watch out for pirates-
"What the?" He realized he had stolen two notes; this one was a letter from her father. He took the paper about the treasure and looked at it. The front listed very vague directions, such as the 'Turtle Island' to the south. On the back, it was simply a bunch of crude drawings, some of stick figures being killed, and 'M. Shales' signed it. That name did not sound remotely familiar. He got up and left. It was then that he accidentally bumped into a fancily dressed man on the way out of the tavern. "Watch where yer going- Swanson?"
It was his First Mate from the Maelstrom, Ichabod Swanson. He realized that this lazy, pompous oaf had been captain of the ship since Cora knocked him overboard. Seeing the frightened look on Swanson's face, he remembered the fact that his crew didn't rescue him after the incident on the Herald. Erik's voice changed to a low growl. "Swanson… You better have a good explanation for this." He flashed the knife he held in his right hand. Swanson started sweating and stammering.
"I- I forgot sir, my f-fault. You had already floated away." Seeing as the discrepancies in his excuse didn't calm Erik down, he gulped and was about to say something when the captain saw Harold, his bosun. Harold was a good friend of Erik's ever since he freed him after destroying a plantation on the other side of Nassau. After Harold killed his former master, Erik let him into the crew. "Hey cap'n!"
"Harold!" Erik smiled. "You're now First Mate! Swanson, you're back to being the bloody Quartermaster's assistant. But if you slip up one more time, I'll feed ye to the sharks. Got it?" Both said 'aye.' "Listen Harold, I need you to follow the Black Pearl to Tortuga. Do not act suspicious or anything. Until you get there, you're in command of the ship."
Now it was Harold who smiled as Swanson slunk away. "I'll do my best!" Erik nodded and went back to the tavern to have a little chat with a nice looking wench at the Dead Frog. Awful name for a tavern he thought. Harold tried to tell him something, but Erik didn't hear him as he walked away whistling.
------------------------------------
The sun had just started rising when Jack sent for all his crew to get on the Pearl and set sail. Half of them, including Fox, Marty, Leech, and Sweepy, had been found passed out at the Dead Frog. The bartender was surely a happy man with all the money he cheated them out of. Eventually, all had lined up on the main deck while Jack and Ana took a head count. All were there. "Okay mates, to Tortuga, now, do something already!" Finally all the men went to work.
Erik instantly noticed Anamaria, and tried his best to avoid her gaze. Fortunately for him, it didn't seem like she noticed as he slipped behind a couple pirates and climbed up the ropes to unfurl all the sails. Jack went into his cabin to plot a course that could escape the Royal Navy the easiest. While doing so, he also plotted what to do with the treasure, and how to obtain it. He decided it would be best to get rid of Erik Fox as soon as possible. All he needed after all was that little note.
------------------------------------
Meanwhile, aboard the Dauntless, Commodore Norrington was looking at his charts wondering where Sparrow went. An officer walked into his cabin with some papers, observations of current problems. The officer, Lieutenant Groves, said, "Mister Sparrow was last seen leaving Nassau Port. And you know that other pirate we've had problems with, Erik Fox?" James nodded. "He was seen boarding the Black Pearl with Sparrow. Two-in-One you could say. We may be able to catch them in a few weeks if we go with due haste."
"Excellent. Seems like Sparrow isn't such a great pirate after all, eh Lieutenant?" Groves frowned, remembering his comment as Jack stole the Interceptor, only to have it destroyed. "Seems like I could make up for my past mistakes when I failed to catch Sparrow last time, and also that unfortunate 'Keobuk's Rebellion' incident in Newfoundland that Admiral Wells doesn't seem to forget." He finished scrawling something on a piece of paper. "Oh, and please send this letter to Elizabeth when you get a chance, I'm busy right now."
"Aye, sir." He saluted and left the Captain's Quarters. After a few minutes, the Dauntless set sail from Port Royal, en route to stop some troublesome pirates and save the day. Basically, the usual business for Commodore Norrington.
------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! Please R&R!
