Disclaimer: I'm a poor, lonely hermit who lives with her hairless cat in a hut on the beach. Do you really think I own anything?
A/N: I hope you liked the last chapter. That was mostly an introduction to Jack's past. In this chapter we'll meet some interesting new characters, as well as some old ones. Am I keeping Jack in character? Review and tell me!
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Chapter II: Like Father, Like Son
The next morning, I had a visitor. I was trying rather unsuccessfully to pick the lock of my cell with that stupid dog's bone, when I heard footsteps. Thinking it was one of the guards, I lay back down and pretended to be asleep.
"You, Sparrow!" I looked up innocently.
"Aye?" The person stepped into the light. It was that boy I had fought (and beaten) in the forge. Darn. I had hoped it would be that pretty lass Elizabeth. Then I could have thrown on my masculine charm and perhaps have had a little fun while I got rescued.
"You are familiar with that ship, the Black Pearl?" Oh, why did everyone have to remind me I no longer owned her? I tried to keep my face casual as I replied, "I've heard of it." No point in telling the lad anything that might get me in even more trouble.
"Where does it make berth?" he asked. I caught myself grinning at his choice of words.
"Where does it make berth? Have you not heard the stories? Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sailed from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is," I said, moving my hand to illustrate my point, which is a habit I really can't control.
"The ship's real enough. Therefore its anchorage must be a real place," the boy protested. "Where is it?" I studied my dirty fingernails and replied, "Why ask me?" If he wanted to know so badly, he should find out himself. After all, I am a pirate, right?
"Because you're a pirate." Ah, knew that was coming.
"And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?" I actually doubted that. The boy looked as though he wouldn't last a day in that kind of life.
"Never!" Then defeated, he added, "They took Miss Swann." I smiled. Lovely girl. Quite beautiful. Especially when wet. I felt bad for her, though, being loved by a eunuch.
"Oh, so it is that you've found a girl. I see. Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me." After all, he had tried to kill me before, so why should I help him?
"I can get you out of here," the lad said, looking up at the bars.
"How's that? The key's run off." I gestured down the stairs where the dog disappeared.
"I helped build these cells. These are half pin-barrel hinges." He picked up a bench lying beside him and placed it against the bottom of the cell door. "With the right leverage and proper application of strength, the door will lift free." I studied him for a moment as he struggled.
"What's your name?"
"Will Turner," he replied. I knew he seemed familiar. Exactly like his father... It brought back old memories...
**FLASHBACK**
The night I ran away, I slept in an old barn. The next morning I went where my heart led me: the docks. There were sailors doing various things: removing and storing cargo and repairing their sails. I watched them for a while, watched how their muscular arms lifted heavy boxes, and how their sun-tanned, leathery faces broke into rough laughter, showing many gold and silver teeth flashing in the sunlight. Those look really neat, I thought, wondering if they could get rich by pulling them out.
'Hey, boy!' I noticed one of the sailors was talking to me. 'What're ye doing?'
'I-I'm just watching,' I stammered. I have to admit, I was a little afraid of them.
'Wot's yer name?' he asked.
'Jack,' I replied. 'Jack Laurence.'
'Jack, is it? Well, son, why don' ye help us out with these boxes?' I carried the crates from the pier to the dock. When I came back, the sailor seemed impressed.
'You got yerself a father who works ye, lad.'
'I ran away. I'm not going back,' I said. Like I've mentioned, honesty. I wanted everyone to know that fact. The sailor gave me a funny look.
'No? Well, we was just thinkin' we could use a cabin boy. What d'ye say?'
'Really?' I was almost bursting with happiness. Finally I could get off that island and go where my heart desired. 'Aye' was barely out of the man's mouth before I had hopped into their longboat.
'Crikey!' he exclaimed. 'You're as quick as a sparrow!' When we reached the ship anchored a short distance away from the docks, I met the captain. Captain Emery was a big, brown man who wore a red bandanna around his wild gray hair and had a beard fit for eight men. I thought the bandanna looked neat. In fact, I have one of me own to brag about now. Emery also had a half-dozen tattooes covering his muscular arms. I thought those were neat, too. I have some of them, as well. Not a pleasant process to have done, trust me. Though I'm quite fond of the redhead on my bicep. Clothing, erm, optional. To make a long story short, the Cap'n was like my mentor. He wasn't a pirate, but he taught me all I know about sailing today.
'So you're our new cabin boy? Welcome aboard the Cassandra, Jack,' said Emery. 'If ye'll be so kind as ta go below deck you'll find two other boys ta help ye out, savvy?' I liked that word. I tried saying it.
'Sa...sav...savvy?' I said it again, liking the way it sounded on my tongue. Another thing I got from Emery. The crew all laughed, and Emery chuckled, patting me on the back. I went down below like they told me, and found a boy who looked a few years older than me sitting on top of a large keg. He was thin and had dark hair pulled back.
''lo, I'm William Turner,' said the boy, 'but you can call me Bill.' We shook hands, which I knew was the polite way to greet someone. 'How old are you?'
'Ten,' I replied. The boy nodded.
'Ah, you're just starting. I was ten when I became a cabin boy.'
'I ran away,' I stated.
'Oh, what happened?' I didn't have time to answer, however, because I was interrupted by a 'So they have found a new cabin boy' from the darkness behind me. I spun around. There stood a young man, perhaps fifteen years my elder. He had sandy brown hair and and cold gray eyes.
'This here's Thaddeus Barbossa.'
**END FLASHBACK**
Yes, I met both my best friend and my worst enemy on the same day. I didn't know then what that scheming betrayer would do later in my life. I realized Will was staring at me. How long had I been lost in my thoughts?
"That will be short for William, I imagine. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for your father, right?"
"Yes," Will replied.
"Aha. Well, Mr. Turner, I changed me mind. If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?" I stuck my hand out through the bars, and Will took it.
"Agreed," he said.
"Agreed. Get me out." I gestured towards the bench. He pushed it with all his strength, and, much to my surprise, the door lifted free.
"Hurry, someone will have heard that," Will said.
"Not without my effects." I grabbed my worn old blue-gray coat that was hanging on a peg in the wall and my belt, pistol, and compass, then hurried after Turner. The hunt for the Pearl was on.
A/N: I hope you liked the last chapter. That was mostly an introduction to Jack's past. In this chapter we'll meet some interesting new characters, as well as some old ones. Am I keeping Jack in character? Review and tell me!
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter II: Like Father, Like Son
The next morning, I had a visitor. I was trying rather unsuccessfully to pick the lock of my cell with that stupid dog's bone, when I heard footsteps. Thinking it was one of the guards, I lay back down and pretended to be asleep.
"You, Sparrow!" I looked up innocently.
"Aye?" The person stepped into the light. It was that boy I had fought (and beaten) in the forge. Darn. I had hoped it would be that pretty lass Elizabeth. Then I could have thrown on my masculine charm and perhaps have had a little fun while I got rescued.
"You are familiar with that ship, the Black Pearl?" Oh, why did everyone have to remind me I no longer owned her? I tried to keep my face casual as I replied, "I've heard of it." No point in telling the lad anything that might get me in even more trouble.
"Where does it make berth?" he asked. I caught myself grinning at his choice of words.
"Where does it make berth? Have you not heard the stories? Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sailed from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is," I said, moving my hand to illustrate my point, which is a habit I really can't control.
"The ship's real enough. Therefore its anchorage must be a real place," the boy protested. "Where is it?" I studied my dirty fingernails and replied, "Why ask me?" If he wanted to know so badly, he should find out himself. After all, I am a pirate, right?
"Because you're a pirate." Ah, knew that was coming.
"And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?" I actually doubted that. The boy looked as though he wouldn't last a day in that kind of life.
"Never!" Then defeated, he added, "They took Miss Swann." I smiled. Lovely girl. Quite beautiful. Especially when wet. I felt bad for her, though, being loved by a eunuch.
"Oh, so it is that you've found a girl. I see. Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me." After all, he had tried to kill me before, so why should I help him?
"I can get you out of here," the lad said, looking up at the bars.
"How's that? The key's run off." I gestured down the stairs where the dog disappeared.
"I helped build these cells. These are half pin-barrel hinges." He picked up a bench lying beside him and placed it against the bottom of the cell door. "With the right leverage and proper application of strength, the door will lift free." I studied him for a moment as he struggled.
"What's your name?"
"Will Turner," he replied. I knew he seemed familiar. Exactly like his father... It brought back old memories...
**FLASHBACK**
The night I ran away, I slept in an old barn. The next morning I went where my heart led me: the docks. There were sailors doing various things: removing and storing cargo and repairing their sails. I watched them for a while, watched how their muscular arms lifted heavy boxes, and how their sun-tanned, leathery faces broke into rough laughter, showing many gold and silver teeth flashing in the sunlight. Those look really neat, I thought, wondering if they could get rich by pulling them out.
'Hey, boy!' I noticed one of the sailors was talking to me. 'What're ye doing?'
'I-I'm just watching,' I stammered. I have to admit, I was a little afraid of them.
'Wot's yer name?' he asked.
'Jack,' I replied. 'Jack Laurence.'
'Jack, is it? Well, son, why don' ye help us out with these boxes?' I carried the crates from the pier to the dock. When I came back, the sailor seemed impressed.
'You got yerself a father who works ye, lad.'
'I ran away. I'm not going back,' I said. Like I've mentioned, honesty. I wanted everyone to know that fact. The sailor gave me a funny look.
'No? Well, we was just thinkin' we could use a cabin boy. What d'ye say?'
'Really?' I was almost bursting with happiness. Finally I could get off that island and go where my heart desired. 'Aye' was barely out of the man's mouth before I had hopped into their longboat.
'Crikey!' he exclaimed. 'You're as quick as a sparrow!' When we reached the ship anchored a short distance away from the docks, I met the captain. Captain Emery was a big, brown man who wore a red bandanna around his wild gray hair and had a beard fit for eight men. I thought the bandanna looked neat. In fact, I have one of me own to brag about now. Emery also had a half-dozen tattooes covering his muscular arms. I thought those were neat, too. I have some of them, as well. Not a pleasant process to have done, trust me. Though I'm quite fond of the redhead on my bicep. Clothing, erm, optional. To make a long story short, the Cap'n was like my mentor. He wasn't a pirate, but he taught me all I know about sailing today.
'So you're our new cabin boy? Welcome aboard the Cassandra, Jack,' said Emery. 'If ye'll be so kind as ta go below deck you'll find two other boys ta help ye out, savvy?' I liked that word. I tried saying it.
'Sa...sav...savvy?' I said it again, liking the way it sounded on my tongue. Another thing I got from Emery. The crew all laughed, and Emery chuckled, patting me on the back. I went down below like they told me, and found a boy who looked a few years older than me sitting on top of a large keg. He was thin and had dark hair pulled back.
''lo, I'm William Turner,' said the boy, 'but you can call me Bill.' We shook hands, which I knew was the polite way to greet someone. 'How old are you?'
'Ten,' I replied. The boy nodded.
'Ah, you're just starting. I was ten when I became a cabin boy.'
'I ran away,' I stated.
'Oh, what happened?' I didn't have time to answer, however, because I was interrupted by a 'So they have found a new cabin boy' from the darkness behind me. I spun around. There stood a young man, perhaps fifteen years my elder. He had sandy brown hair and and cold gray eyes.
'This here's Thaddeus Barbossa.'
**END FLASHBACK**
Yes, I met both my best friend and my worst enemy on the same day. I didn't know then what that scheming betrayer would do later in my life. I realized Will was staring at me. How long had I been lost in my thoughts?
"That will be short for William, I imagine. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for your father, right?"
"Yes," Will replied.
"Aha. Well, Mr. Turner, I changed me mind. If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?" I stuck my hand out through the bars, and Will took it.
"Agreed," he said.
"Agreed. Get me out." I gestured towards the bench. He pushed it with all his strength, and, much to my surprise, the door lifted free.
"Hurry, someone will have heard that," Will said.
"Not without my effects." I grabbed my worn old blue-gray coat that was hanging on a peg in the wall and my belt, pistol, and compass, then hurried after Turner. The hunt for the Pearl was on.