Disclaimer: I may rule the world someday, but that day is not today. You should be happy for that. If I did rule the world, things would get scary.

A/N: Thank you all my pretty, pretty reviews! If you review this chappie, you get a fruit smoothie of your choice with an umbrella (color of your choice)! I'm over-using the exclamation point!

ESCAPE FROM REALITY

CHAPTER 2: Watch Them Parry

"You're the one they're hunting," the apprentice said skeptically to the figure at the door. "The pirate."

"Leave the girl alone," Jack commanded Will.

"I'm just doing my duty as a citizen," Will replied, his sword still pointed at my throat, "killing any pirate who crosses my path."

"Come now, that's no fair," Jack responded with a smirk. I scurried to the side of the shop, in a daze. In the theater, everything seemed so overexaggerated. Here, if it was really happening in front of my eyes, it seemed more…real. "Yeh look familiar. Have I threatened yeh before?"

"I make a point of avoiding familiarity with pirates," the apprentice, Will, replied coolly.

"Well, then it would be a shame to put a black mark on yer record. So, if yeh'll excuse me." Jack started to run to leave—I followed on the wall—but Will got a sword from the plentiful supply around the shop and pointed it at Jack. "Yeh think it wise, boy, crossing blades with a pirate?" Jack looked as though he was hiding some chuckles. He pulled out his sword.

"You threatened Miss Swann."

"Only a little." Then, the sword fighting began. They dodged and blocked each other's attacks for a solid five minutes. I stood riveted, my back to the table. My eyes shown with excitement. I had never seen a sword fight with actual flesh and blood people fighting in front of me. "Yeh know what yeh're doin,' I'll give yeh that. Excellent form...but how's yer footwork? If I step here—" Jack stepped to the side "—very good. Now I step again." He stepped so that he was in the direct path of the door and uttered one syllable of parting, "Ta." He sheathed his sword and made to escape, but Will was too quick.

With a small whoosh, Will's sword stuck in the door and swayed from side to side. Jack had a horrified look on his face as he stopped the sword from swishing. He tried pulling it out fruitlessly, so he gave up. I giggled a little during this part.

"Lovely trick, mate, but it seems yeh are, once again, between me and me way out. And now you are weapon-less."

Will reached to the furnace and grabbed a sword with a heated tip, pointing it at Jack who unsheathed his sword again and they parried some more, sparks flying everywhere. I had to dodge out of their way every few seconds.

"Who makes all these?" Jack asked after a few minutes of parrying, astonished.

"I do! And I practice with them three hours a day!" Will replied angrily, locking blades once again.

"Yeh need ta find yerself a girl, mate!" Jack advised Will between strokes. "Or, perhaps, it is that yeh've found a girl but are incapable of wooing said strumpet. Yeh're not a eunuch, are you?" Jack surveyed Will.

"I practice three hours a day so that when I meet a pirate, I can kill it!"

They continued to parry with their sword fight on a cart that swayed under them. Will hooked a knife in the irons hanging from Jack's left wrist and throws it up so it is embedded in the beam above. In return, Jack hit a loose board, which threw Will off the cart. Jack used his body weight to get the knife out of the wood and fell back on the cart just as Will climbed back on. Will flies up into the rafters and cut free a heavy sack onto the cart, which vaults Jack up into the rafters as well. They fought, jumping from beam to beam. I scrambled over to where I could see them and continued to watch, my eyes glinting with joy. In the end, Jack lost his weapon, blinded Will with sand, and took out his pistol while Will protected his eyes.

"You cheated!" Will accused, wiping the sand out of his eyes.

"Pirate!" Jack said to explain his actions. There was a bang on the wedged door as I turned to it and gasped. "Please move," Jack continued pleadingly.

"No," Will said stubbornly.

"Please move," I finally spoke up.

"I cannot let you step aside and escape!"

"This shot wasn't meant for yeh," Jack said as he cocked the revolver.

A shatter was heard throughout the shop and Jack fell over, unconscious, revealing the drunk blacksmith. In the next few seconds the navy broke down the door and swarmed in. One solider grabbed me by the hair (I yipped when he touched me) and two other ones picked up Jack's limp body. As I was being dragged out I heard the head blacksmith say, "Just doing my civic duties, sir."

A/N: Yeah, I know, short and predictable, but not to worry. Chapter 4 is on its way!