The sun was burning down and beating its heat into the world below.
Colorless. Lifeless. Still.
This was where the crew of the Hai Peng washed up on shore, sputtering and coughing, amazed that really they had survived the fall into nothing.
Pintel and Ragetti were the first ones out of the water. Then followed by the rest of the crew, Gibbs, Cotton, Marty and Tia Dalma, Elizabeth and Barbossa with Jack the monkey clinging to him.
"I don't see Jack," Elizabeth said looking towards the dunes, a hand shading her eyes. "I don't see anyone."
"He's here," Barbossa said as the monkey chattered and leaped off his shoulder landing in the sand. "Davy Jones never gave up that which he got from the sea."
Staggering up onto the sandy beach, they all fought to catch their bearings and as Will dragged Trynity up onto her feet, patting her back to make sure she was breathing all right, he walked over to Barbossa. "And what does it matter? We're trapped here by your doing. No better off than Jack!"
But Trynity had moved off to the side, closer towards the dunes in front of them, all her attention focused on….something.
Tia Dalma stood just away from Barbossa and Will, gently stroking a small crab that looked like a stone that had made its way up to her as had at least another couple of dozen were scampering under her skirts, as she watched the blonde. "Witty Jack is closer den you t'ink…." She said with a sideways grin at them.
The crew all turned to looked at her, but then they all followed her gaze to the dunes and for a moment they thought they saw something like a….mast? Blinking and thinking it was some mass hysteria, they all moved a bit closer and in a few moments a mast indeed came up over the dune attached to it a black sail!
"DAD!!" Trynity shrieked and started to charge over, but Gibbs grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off the sand to keep her from getting squished by the sheer tonnage of the boat, as the Black Pearl was "sailing along" on the backs of thousands of crabs who carried it across the sand and to the water, depositing their cargo on the waves.
"Well slap me thrice and hand me to my momma!" Gibbs mumbled. "It's Jack!"
They all stood in awe as the rowboat came back from the Pearl and up onto the sand, Captain Jack Sparrow got out of the boat and Gibbs couldn't hold her any longer. Trynity wriggled free, whimpering like a puppy and scampered over to pounce on Jack, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tight.
Jack grinned down at his daughter and hugged her back, but in the next heartbeat was wrapping an arm around her as he set on again the mission as he stomped up to Gibbs and his crew. "Mr. Gibbs! "he hollered as he made his way to the small group.
"Aye, Captain?"
Jack stopped in front of his first mate. "I thought so. I expect you're able to account for your actions?"
Gibbs looked down at Trynity and blinked and looked back up at Jack quizzically. "Sir?"
"There has been a virulent and perpetual lack of discipline aboard my vessel, why? Why is that, sir?"
Gibbs threw a look over his shoulder at the others and then a mumble back at Jack. Sir, you're in Davy Jones Locker, Captain."
Jack thought for a moment. And then, "I know that. I know where I am and don't think I don't."
"Jack Sparrow," came a familiar voice down the way. And Jack turned to look that direction, a wide grin as he turned and made his way down the line of pirates, Trynity at his heels.
"Oh, Hector!" Jack said. "It's been too long. Hasn't it?"
Barbossa glared at the other captain. "Aye. Isla de Muerta. Remember? Ya shot me."
Jack thought about it for only a moment, the grin fading only a bit. "No I didn't." But before Barbossa could say anything else, Jack turned to the person beside him. "Ah, Tia Dalma. Out and about, eh? You add an agreeable sense of macabre to any delusion." And all he got back from her was a confused smile. Trynity only snickered.
Will studied Jack for a moment and mumbled, "He thinks we're a hallucination."
Trynity glared at Will and was about to say something, but Jack gave her a gentle nudge to keep her quiet and wandered over to the blacksmith. "William, Tell me something. Have you come because you need my help saving a certain distressing damsel – err…damsel in distress," and he had to smirk hearing Tryn giggling behind him. A look down at the blonde. "Either way?"
Will frowned hearing them and then turned his attention back to Jack. "No." he said simply.
"Well then, you wouldn't be here, would you? So you can't be here, Q.E.D., you're not really here." Jack said.
"Jack, this is real. We're here." A female voice said and when Jack looked over, Elizabeth walked up to stand beside Will.
Jack blinked and looked over at her and for a moment he froze as if trying to piece it all together and suddenly he whirled on his heel, grabbed Tryn by the hand and dragged her back over to Gibbs. Stopping again at his first mate, he leaned a bit closer. "The Locker, you say?"
Gibbs blinked and nodded just a bit. "Aye."
Jack felt dizzy for a moment and one hand lifted as fingers pressed against his forehead as he tried to set this all to reason and not add it to the delirium that Will had so precisely described.
Elizabeth had followed the Sparrows over and came up behind Jack. "We've come to rescue you."
Jack turned a small glare at the woman. "Oh have you now? That's very kind of you, but it would seem as I possess a ship and you don't, you're the ones in need of rescuing and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood." Everyone half expected him to stick out his tongue at her.
"I see my ship." Barbossa said. "Right there." And pointed out towards the Black Pearl.
Jack blinked and looked out at where the other was pointing, a hand shading his eyes. "Can't spot it. Must be a tiny little thing hiding somewhere behind the Pearl."
Barbossa glared at Jack, but once more before he could get another word in, the others were pressing in on Jack.
"Jack! Cutler Becket has the heart of Davy Jones! He controls the Flying Dutchman!" Will said sharply.
"He's taking over the seas!" Elizabeth added.
Tia Dalma came up beside them, but then took another step closer towards Jack. "De song has alreaty been sung. De Brethren Court is called."
Jack twitched at the last comment, "Leave you people alone for just a minute and look what happens, everything's gone to pot!" And walked off a few yards wishing now it all really was a hallucination. Well…for the most part. And Trynity walked up behind him and laid a hand on his arm.
She looked up at him and a small smile. "Aye, Jack. The world needs you back something fierce." She said softly.
Will knew that if anyone could talk Jack into believing they were real, the little hurricane would be the one. "And you need a crew."
Jack looked down at Trynity and a smile, one hand lifting and fingertips brushing against her cheek, but then he turned at Will. "Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past, one of you succeeded."
Suddenly Will and Gibbs both shot looks at Elizabeth and suddenly it all hit them. Especially Trynity and she growled and started to go after her, but Jack put one arm in front of the blonde and a smirk at the others. Especially Will as he prowled forward a few steps toward them. "Oh…she's not told you. You'll have loads to talk about while you're here." And he altered course and walked over to Tia Dalma. "As for you…."
Tia Dalma grinned and reached up, fingers delicately toying with his beard. "Now don' tell me you di'nt enjay it…..at de time….."
Jack grinned at it shyly and mumbled, "Fair enough, all right, you're in." Then he moved on along down the line. "Don't need you, you scare me," he said to Ragetti who merely blinked as he went by. "Gibbs you can come, Marty…" A grimace passing by Pintel, And then another smile at, "Cotton, Cotton's..parrot. I'm a little iffy but at least I'll have someone to talk to." Suddenly he was face to face with Tai Huang and he stopped. "Who're you?"
"Tai Huang."
"And where do your allegiances lie?"
"With the highest bidder." The Chinese pirate said with a smirk.
"I have a ship!" Jack said with a bright grin.
"That makes you the highest bidder."
"Good man," Jack said and turned, beginning to shout out orders. "Weigh anchor!" As the chosen crew began to scramble for the rowboat and the Pearl." "All hands! Prepare to make sail!" And he stopped for a moment, opening the compass and still finding that it spun wildly not stopping on any direction.
"Jaaaack," Barbossa drawled and when Jack looked over, he saw the remainder of the ones not picked to go standing behind Barbossa who was holding the charts. "Which way ya goin' Jack?"
The captain twitched and looked down at Tryn who merely offered a shrug and both Sparrows realized that they had no choice if they wanted to get back to the living.
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
Once everyone was back on the Pearl, Barbossa was heading for the quarterdeck, bellowing orders, only to be shadowed by Jack who was shouting out the same only a hairsbreadth later than the older pirate.
"Trim that sail!" Barbossa shouted.
"Trim that sail!" Jack echoed, keeping an eye on the other.
"Dad!" Trynity said, bouncing along behind him, only to get a wave of one hand to tell her to hush.
The two men went on, word for word down the entire length of the ship until finally Barbossa stepped up to Jack. "What are you doin'?"
"What're you doing?" Jack said.
"No! What are you doin'?" Barbossa repeated.
"What're you doing?"
"No!! What are ya doin'?" he snarled again.
"What're YOU doing?" And a soft snort. "Captain gives orders on the ship."
"The captain of the ship is givin' orders!" Barbossa countered.
Jack pouted. "My ship. Makes me captain."
"They be my charts, " Barbossa said, getting his anger under control again.
"That makes you…..Chart Man!" Jack said.
"You—"Tryn started and suddenly all three jumped.
"Stow it!! The both of you!! That's an order!!Understand?" Pintel suddenly jumped in front of the trio and bellowed at all three. Then realizing the looks from the captains and the girl were nothing short of 'We will kill you', his eye twitched and he backed up against the railing again. "Sorry….I just thought what with the captain issue in doubt I'd throw my name in for consideration….sorry."
Barbossa and Jack looked at each other and Barbossa headed up the steps to the quarterdeck, Jack trying to push past him. Trynity walked past Pintel and Ragetti, a sideways glare at the balding pirate and a shake of her head as she followed up onto the wheel deck and over to stand against the rail near her father.
Barbossa opened his scope to get a look at the horizon where they were heading and when Jack saw that, he opened his own…er…scope….which sent Trynity into a giggle fit when she saw the look on her father's face at the lack of length compared to Barbossa's.
Hearing his daughter, Jack pouted even more and he turned and walked off towards the other side of the deck, and Trynity had to choke back the laughter even more seeing the look only worsen and she followed him along, pouncing on him and giving him a tight hug. Jack grinned seeing he still could make her follow him and gave her a kiss to her temple, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, resting his chin on the top of her head and just happy for now to stay like this.
They had one hell of a task set before them now. And soon enough the riddles would need answers. Jack didn't know if he had the answers, so for the while he'd be completely happy with what he had in his arms and under his feet.