What's up, guys? How were your holidays? I had a nice vacation. But now I am back, with another chapter too! Hope you enjoy~
I do not own POTC
"No, I told you, Ponce de Leon died two hundred years ago-"
"Aye, but he died searching for something, didn't he?"
"...The Fountain of Youth."
It was a cold, dreary day in London. However, there seemed to be a commotion rising in a nearby courtroom, especially from overseers as a man was being dragged into the scene. The man was slammed into the table, and he was cursed, jeered, and hissed at. "Now appearing before the court, the notorious and infamous pirate, brigand, pillager, and highwayman, Captain Jack Sparrow!"
The man who was dragged into the room had a sack over his head. As he was revealed, the sack was pulled off and tossed away. However, whoever has seen Captain Jack Sparrow before would never have guessed this man was the pirate herself.
In fact, not many people in England knew, or realized, that Captain Jack Sparrow is a woman.
The man spluttered in response. "I told you, my name is Joshamee Gibbs! How many times-"
"Hear ye, hear ye! Commencing now the sessions of the peace, and over and terminer! Presiding now over these trials; the highly esteemed magistrate of South York, all rise and attend for the right honorable Justice Smith!"
Justice Smith was anything but. He had a long trail of powdered hair that led right from the corridor, but the looks of any judge ended there.
Anyone would say that the judge had more of a feminine face, if not a bit rough around the edges. However, no one would guess because they would be afraid to be put into trial. Justice Smith, however, wasn't actually Justice Smith.
It was Jack Sparrow, who had carefully bound her chest and disguised herself well enough to be a man. She raised her gavel, which gained many cheers from her audience.
"All this, for me?" Jack said, speaking in a deep voice, gesturing for everyone to sit down. Gibbs stood, astonished and flabbergasted. "All right, what do we have here?"
At first he couldn't respond. It was as if he couldn't comprehend what Jack was doing posing as the judge in the court of London. Then, he gained his ability to speak back. "Jack-"
The man who had dragged Gibbs in threatened him with a club, but Jack brushed him off, saying such a thing wasn't necessary. Gibbs still looked at him in the corner of his eye, but most of his attention had been given back to her. "Jack… Sparrow is not my name. My name is Joshamee Gibbs."
"Is that so? It says Jack Sparrow here."
"I told 'em, I was looking for Jack Sparrow. Who I would be happy to identify to the court, if it would help my case."
Jack could tell that this whole ordeal was starting to annoy him, but she couldn't quite be revealed just yet. She needed to stay in a position of authority for a little longer. "I think that would be a poor defense. Unless you wanted to be bludgeoned like a harp seal." She couldn't help but wonder why Gibbs was looking for her, especially since she remembered how they departed back in Tortuga.
Nevertheless, she turned to the jury. "The prisoner claims to be innocent of being Jack Sparrow. How do you find?"
She needed to appeal the crowd. For now, she had to betray Gibbs.
"No trial? But…" The foreman protested.
"Foreman! Your finding! Guilty?"
"Guilty verdict means he'll hang…"
"Yes?" Jack challenged. "The crowd screams for blood."
The foreman looked to the crowd. "Guilty?" To his surprise, the crowd cheered and stomped in response.
Gibbs stared at her with wide eyes. "This… this is unfair!"
Jack tried not to look right at him. "You have been found guilty, and will hang by the neck until dead." She slammed her gavel, as if finalizing the sentence.
The crowd cheered. However, Jack paused as if she was listening to the crowd. "What say ye? What? What was that? You wish me to spare this wretched man's life?"
Gibbs looked back up to her, astonished. The crowd also looked a bit angry and annoyed at her change of plan. "Joshamee Gibbs. The crime of which you have been found guilty of being innocent of being Jack Sparrow. I hereby commute your sentence… and order that you be imprisoned the remainder of your miserable, moribund, mutton-chopped life." Jack stood, and Gibbs smiled gratefully at her. He was still looking a little perplexed, but nevertheless went along with her ploy.
As he was being taken away and the crowd jeered and hissed at her, she escaped the courtroom.
She had to hurry if this plan was going to work.
She tore through the corridor, leaving behind the powdered wig and robe. She moved into the room where she had the actual Justice tied up and gagged, and carefully handed the gavel to him.
Quickly she made her way to the loading dock, dusting off any of the remaining powder which had managed to stick into her hair. She found where she had left her hat and put it back atop of her head.
Finally ready, she quickly found a nearby wagon driver, who she had already recognized earlier and had agreed to help her.
Jack found where Gibbs had been taken to, and cut her way through. Eventually she was also thrown in with Gibbs. Now, they had time to talk things over.
Gibbs cursed. He's more angry than astonished to see Jack in the car with him. "Crickey! Now we're both off to prison."
Jack smiled. "Not to worry, I've paid off the driver. In ten minutes we'll be outside of London, horses waiting. Tonight we make the coast. Then it's just a matter of finding a ship." It would be easy, especially since she's done a thing like this before.
Then, she remembered she had something. She opened her coat and reached into a pocket, then she took out a flask and gave it to him.
Gibbs' mood lightened a bit as he took the flask, but he still sat in begrudging silence.
Gibbs offered the flask to her, but she declined. "So, what brings you to London?" She decided to ask.
"While I listen for any news on where the Black Pearl makes port, within the rumor, I heard Jack Sparrow's in London."
Jack crossed her arms over her chest. "I made sure to cover my tracks."
Gibbs shrugged. "It's just what I heard, lass. Jack Sparrow's in London, with a ship, and looking for a crew. Fact is, you're signing men up tonight, pub called Captain's Daughter."
Jack scoffed. "Am not."
"I thought a bit odd." Gibbs agreed. "But, then again, you've never been the most predictable of sorts."
"Truth is, Jack Sparrow arrived in town just this morning to rescue one Joshamee Gibbs from one appointment with the gallows. You're alive, so that's a start." She was a bit glad on that part. There was no way that she would let one of her closest friends bite the dust, not if she couldn't help it.
Gibbs shrugged again. "Like I said, unpredictable."
Jack leaned back. "So, there's another Jack Sparrow out there, sullying my good name."
"An imposter."
"Aye, but an imposter with a ship."
"And in need of a crew."
Jack grinned. "That could be our ticket." She took the empty flask from Gibbs and replaced it with the torn-out map that they had gotten from Singapore. It was the only way to the Fountain of Youth, which was her current goal.
"What about you, Jackie? Last I heard, you were hell bent to find the Fountain of Youth. Any luck?" Gibbs asked, also noticing the map.
She begrudgingly tucked the map into her jacket pocket. "Circumstances arose, ensued, and forced a compelling insight regarding direction and valor-"
"Meaning, you gave up." Correction. It had been her goal. It gave her something to do. However, when she started to just sail in circles and arrive at the same island more than twice, she figured to put it off and head to London. Maybe someone there could help.
"So untrue!" Jack protested, suddenly feeling a fire. She was, in fact, determined to get something right this time. "I am just as bent as ever, hellishly so. I'll taste those waters, mark my words-"
Gibbs smiled. "There's the Jackie I know!"
Jack felt her cheeks heat up. "And I'll not have it said, there's a point on the map Captain Sparrow never found-"
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. This was surprising to both of them, because they knew that it wouldn't take this short of a time to exit the city of London. Traffic, obstacles, etc. No, this was rather suspicious.
"Short trip." Jack commented.
Gibbs gave her a wary look.
She decided to step out of the vehicle first. She never expected to be surrounded by dozens of royal guards, all guns pointed at her. Looking around, she also found that they were in the middle of a palace courtyard. She saw that her driver was being paid much more than what she had given him as well.
She muttered a curse.
Gibbs piled out after her.
"All part of the plan, yes?"
The captain of the guard approached them, and slammed the butt of the rifle against Jack's forehead. Caught by surprise and pain, her legs buckled and she fell into Gibbs' arms. "N-no." She managed to answer.
However, she was pulled away from Gibbs and he was shoved back into the wagon.
Her head was pounding too loudly so she couldn't formulate a plan. The only thing she could do was watch helplessly as Gibbs was taken away from her. Black dots threatened to cloud her vision as she fell to the ground. No... no, this can't be right.
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