AN (6/2)-Right, here's the characters we all know and love...while you don't necessarily have to have read my first story to understand this, it will make things a lot easier if you have. So go read it, savvy?
And I know that my last chapter was rather odd...it will all make sense later on, I hope...and I don't like the chapter name...but oh well...
Captain Jack Sparrow frowned, impatiently tapping his foot to the stones of the cobblestone walkway leading to a pleasant looking thatched cottage. As he considered knocking again on the simple oak door, he heard the faint sound of laughter from inside. Retaining the frown, Jack supposed it was his friend William Turner, who was commonly known as Bootstrap Bill, playing with his young child, the gender of which was still unknown to the pirate. He knocked again, much louder this time, as the laughter inside became louder. Jack swore softly, his hand subconsciously reaching into his pocket to touch the letter he'd received from Bootstrap nearly two months ago. The Black Pearl, Jack's pride and joy, had reached England with no hitches at all after Jack had abruptly ordered the crew to set sail for England.
As his long and tan fingers silently wandered over every crevice and fold of the letter, Jack looked around, his dark brown eyes full of disdain for his surroundings. The eccentric captain stuck out like a sore thumb in such a quaint township, even in the fading light. On his rather messy dark hair, Jack wore a bandana of a red color fairly similar to the color blood first is before it begins coagulating. On top of that bandana, he wore a curious tri-cornered hat, a memento from his mother years before. After closer inspection, one would see his eyes lined in what appeared to be kohl, making them stand out even more and adding that much more emphasis to them. Curious trinkets were braided into his free flowing tresses. One of which appeared to be a coin, curiously with three holes drilled down the bottom and with what appeared to be three identical earrings hanging off the holes. One might wonder why Jack had three identical earrings, but after taking in his full appearance, that question would die on the lips. Completing the look of a scallywag were fairly worn boots and a simple pair of pants augmented by a fairly clean white homespun shirt.
Jack, still glancing anxiously about as if he could sense someone was watching him, knocked loudly on the doors again. He most certainly did not like being in England again, especially in this little one horse town he found himself in now. Ruefully changing his frown to a sarcastic half grin, revealing several teeth that had been repaired with gold, Jack felt as if he could yell. He wasn't even sure if the young man he'd given a shilling to for directions had directed him to the proper house. For all he knew, the laughter he was hearing could be from complete strangers. Jack really didn't trust anyone in England, seeing as he'd been mugged and robbed all in the same day once. As if that wasn't enough, Jack was afraid that Lauren, Bootstrap's wife, would give him a very hard time. When Jack was about eighteen years old, he'd dressed up as a cleric of the Anglican church in order to repay Bootstrap for helping him fake his own death. He'd "married" Lauren to Bootstrap, seeing as the robbery in London had left Bootstrap nearly destitute and unable to pay for a cleric. Well, that was the reasoning Bootstrap had given Jack, but he had the feeling the scallywag hadn't ever really intended on marrying Lauren. The sea was too fickle a mistress to allow someone to encroach on her sailors for long. Jack supposed that the reason Bootstrap had wanted to meet with him was because he was rather sick of being "respectable".
With a slight shiver of apprehension, Jack watched as the door opened in slow motion. Inside the doorframe was a fairly petite woman with wavy dishwater blonde hair and dark brown eyes similar to his own. Jack had been afraid of this. Lauren was sure to recognize him as the "cleric" who'd wed her to Bootstrap. As Jack carefully surveyed her facial expressions, it didn't even dawn on him that she was wearing a rather attractive green dress that perfectly complimented her rather curvy physique. A smile was frozen on his lips as he rather breathlessly awaited her comment.
"May I help you?" she asked pleasantly, carefully studying his profile. Fortunately for Jack, Lauren happened to be suffering from severe allergies at the moment and couldn't see properly because of a lapse in personal restraint just moments before in which she'd scratched her eyes. He was rather blurry to Lauren's vision, and she didn't even know if he was a man or a woman, due to his long hair flowing freely.
"Aye, I need t' speak with William," Jack said rather pleasantly, trying not to look too suspicious or nervous. At least he knew that this was the proper house.
Lauren nodded, turning and disappearing into the light of the cabin. After a few moments, in which Jack occupied his time by drawing rather naughty things onto the door frame with his finger, the light hitting him in the face was stopped as someone else stood in the door frame. Jack's face broke into a wide grin.
"Well, tis abou' bloody time," Bootstrap murmured under his breath. "Why, 'ello Jacob! Fancy seein' ye 'ere!" Bootstrap was grinning as well, the faint sunlight still shining making the gold on his own teeth sparkle as he brushed a lock of brown hair out of his face.
Jack chuckled, figuring that the last sentence was said for the benefit of Lauren alone. "Aye, William, tis been a while, eh?" Jack quipped, taking in the appearance of one of his greatest friends. Bootstrap looked as though he'd aged five years since Jack had last seen him, though it hadn't been nearly that long-only about three. Bootstrap still didn't have much fashion sense, for he was wearing a rather hideous combination of two beige colors that were different enough it looked ridiculous. At least they weren't clashing as violently as some of the clothes Jack had seen him in before. On top of his beige shirt, that was approaching what appeared to be the color of foul teeth stained by tobacco, was a red vest. It looked fairly new, and Jack supposed that Lauren had picked it out for Bootstrap. She obviously had the most fashion savvy of the family. In Bootstrap's hair was a rather curious looking feather. Jack had a hard time not looking at it through his kohl-lined eyes. He'd never seen a peacock feather before, except in India, where it was considered a death omen. Wondering why Bootstrap had the curiously colored feather that appeared both blue and green at different angles in his hair, Jack merely held his hand out.
Bootstrap chuckled and took Jack's hand, shaking it rather vigorously. He'd missed the unique appearance of Jack Sparrow. Turning to his wife, he said, "Lauren, I haven' seen Jacob since before we were married. Would ye mind if we went an' 'ad a drink?" As Bootstrap was so distracted, a young child approached the doorway and crept from behind Bootstrap, peering over his long legs.
Jack smiled down at the child, who happened to bear a rather striking resemblance to Bootstrap. "'Lo, there," he said quietly, watching the small boy.
The boy frowned, worry in his chocolate brown eyes. "You're a pirate," he said in the same quiet voice. It was rather remarkable that a child the age of three could identify one of the miscreants of society. Odder still was his obvious disdain and concern. What had Bootstrap been teaching his son?
Jack nodded slowly, looking back up as Lauren replied to her husband. "Well, alright, William. But don't stay out too late," she said with a rueful smile, knowing how he got when he had too much rum. "And Jacob, please make sure he doesn't drink too much whiskey," she jokingly added as Bootstrap gently pushed his son back inside the house and started shutting the door.
"I won't, ma'am. Promise tha' William won' 'ave any more than I will t' drink." Jack heard Lauren's laughter in response as Bootstrap pulled the door firmly shut. Grinning from ear to ear, Jack quipped, "Ah, so ye have t' take orders from a woman, eh?"
Bootstrap nodded, scowling at the look he was getting from Jack. "Well, a' least I know 'ow t' take orders, unlike some powder monkeys I know." He looked rather poignantly at Jack.
Jack laughed as they began walking down the cobblestone pathway towards the main road and some sort of tavern. He thought of making some glib comment about the fact that he was the one giving orders now, but decided against it. There was certain to be a more opportune moment while they were both drunk. Jack had only told Lauren that he would make sure William had as much as he did, and Jack planned to get three sheets to the wind to best enjoy their reunion.
"Jack, mate, ye don' know 'ow 'appy I was t' see those bloody kohl-lined eyes o' yers," Bootstrap said as he slapped Jack on the back. He grinned, raising his mug of newly bought whiskey, courtesy of Jack, up to his mouth and taking a very large swill of it. He hadn't had the liquor for nearly two years, seeing as Lauren had put a stop to his forays to the tavern after that time he'd gotten so drunk he'd caused a scene at church. It had involved some rather nasty language after dropping the hymnal to the floor after the congregation was finished singing and as the minister prepared to preach. Lauren had been so ashamed it almost looked as if her cheeks were on fire, for everyone had heard the language in the almost complete silence and had stared at them.
Jack coughed into his flagon of rum. That was one trait of the fairly tall pirate Jack had forgotten. After regaining the proper use of his mouth and throat, Jack quickly downed his rum. "I'd imagine tis abou' 'as 'appy as I was t' see yer face. Thought tha' Lauren would recognize me fer sure." He gulped a bit dramatically, grinning.
Bootstrap laughed. "Ah, Jack, ye were jus' lucky. If I'd a known ye'd be here by now, I would've made sure it was me answerin' the door. Din' expect Calico Jack t' come t' England tha' fast."
Jack shrugged. "Well, tha's because Calico Jack din' decide t' come at all, mate." He seemed morose, his voice sounding as if he were talking in hushed voices about the dead.
Bootstrap's face lost his silly grin as he put the mug noisily down. Whiskey sloshed over the tall, uneven sides of the fairly clean mug, spilling onto the extremely gritty table. As the small stream of the alcoholic beverage made its way down the table top, Bootstrap put one of his hands to his cheek, stroking his chin, almost like he had a beard, though he didn't have one to stroke. It made his otherwise serious look almost comical. "Wha' happened?" he asked after a moment of what seemed to be stressed silence.
Jack frowned, as if preparing to tell the man with chocolate colored eyes something ghastly. "Well, William, abou' 'alf a year ago, Calico Jack was shot by Commodore Dennis. After a horrid period o' no wind, in which we all nearly died of starvation, well..." Jack looked down at his fingers, as if working the up the courage to say something.
"Well what?" Bootstrap asked after Jack's pause had driven him to near nervous breakdown. He'd respected Calico Jack from the moment he'd signed onto the Pearl's crew nearly eight years ago. Subconsciously, he bit down on his lip, wondering what had happened that had made the normally fairly jovial Jack Sparrow so melancholy.
"He gave the Pearl to me, after retiring," Jack said as he broke out into a large grin. He took a large drink of rum, watching his friend through his inquisitive dark brown eyes.
Bootstrap looked ready to hit Jack upside the head. As he frowned at the eccentric man he now knew to be a captain, he muttered rather sarcastically, "Well, I think tha' 'e would've done a be'er job by handin' the Pearl t' Snide Shaine, mate. At least 'e wouldn' get 'is friend all worked up like tha'."
Jack chuckled. "Ah, come on, William. Jus' a spot of fun 'til we get down t' business."
Bootstrap laughed sarcastically. "Ah, yes, trickin' me in'o thinkin' Calico Jack was dead was mos' certainly fun." He eyed Jack carefully, anger apparent in his chocolate brown eyes.
Jack frowned. "Alright, mate, I'm sorry." He sighed rather thickly, putting the flagon of rum up to his mouth and drinking an ounce or so. That accomplished, he put the rum down on the simple table and pulled out a letter. "Wha' is this all abou', anyway?"
Bootstrap regained his rather jovial demeanor. "Din' I explain it in the letter?"
Jack shrugged-the letter had been rather cryptic and hard to read because Bootstrap had written it in a hurry. "All tha' I got out o' this was tha' you were sick o' bein' respectable."
Bootstrap nodded, swearing for effect. "O' course I'm sick of it, Jack." He sadistically smiled. "I'm bloody sick o' havin' to do the right thing. Sick o' the looks people give me when I say somethin' colorful. Sick of havin' t' do the same bloody thing o'er an' o'er. We 'aven' e'en been attacked by any pirates or anythin', seein' as me boss hires the Navy t' protect us. No' e'en worth nickin' any o' the cargo, either. Jus' bloomers." He sighed and nearly finished off his whiskey.
Jack nodded sympathetically. "So, ye wan' t' turn scallywag again, then? Ye sure? I mean, ye 'ave a li'le boy, an' Lauren won' like how ye're ne'er here. You realize tha' I'll only sail t' England af'er much naggin' an' such from you. I really don' like England."
Bootstrap laughed. "Ah, Jack, I already knew tha'. An' I'm prepared t' leave Will an' Lauren behind for a stretch. They'll manage-I've already tole Lauren tha' I'm gettin' a better payin' job from ye."
Jack coughed a bit uncomfortably. Maybe that was why Lauren had failed to mention he looked familiar. "Well, alright." Something suddenly hit him. "Wait a moment-'ow could ye know tha' I was the one offerin' jobs, if ye thought Calico Jack was still cap'n?"
Bootstrap grinned, his golden teeth reflecting the flickering candlelight of a small form of wax in the center of the table. "Well, yer not me only correspondent, Jack. Why d' you think I sent the le'er t' ye?"
Jack frowned as he glared at the other man opposite him. "Ah, so ye already knew Calico Jack retired, then? An' you thought it would be funny t' trick me?" He sighed. "Well, I should've expected somethin' like this from a curmudgeon like yerself."
Bootstrap chuckled, looking very pleased with himself for actually tricking Jack Sparrow. "Ye mus' be losin' yer touch, boy. Either tha', or ye were too happy t' get a note from me t' think much of it."
Jack was loathe to admit either of Bootstrap's options. "Jus' finish yer whiskey, William. I'm sure tha' Lauren is startin' t' get a bit anxious as t' when 'er big eunuch of a husband will get 'ome."
"Tetchy, are we?" Bootstrap clucked his tongue to his front teeth. "So, does this mean ye'll take me?"
Jack sighed and nodded. "Against me better judgment, I'll let ye back on'o the crew. Jus' make sure tha' ye behave, William, an' tha' ye keep Lauren sufficiently 'appy wiv some of yer pay. I'd 'ate fer 'er t' come lookin' for us, an' find out tha' yer really a pirate."
Bootstrap smiled and finished off the rest of his whiskey. "O' course I'll behave, boy. I am William Turner, af'er all."
Jack rolled his eyes rather poignantly and stood. "Though I might say somethin' similar, William, it really doesn' 'ave the same effect when ye say somethin' tha' conceited. Yer not talented enough t' pull it off believably."
Bootstrap merely shrugged. "Well, tha's true. I'm no' 'alf as conceited as ye be, boy." He stood as well, frowning at the empty mug of whiskey. Too bad he'd said something so soon. Jack obviously didn't want to purchase him any more alcohol. It was a shame, really, seeing as one glass of whiskey wasn't nearly enough to make him happy.
Jack chuckled, noting the expression on Bootstrap's face. "Don' worry, mate, I'll let ye get as soddenly drunk as ye want, af'er ye leave the presence of yer wife. Jus' thought ye would like t' be somewha' sober the las' night 'ere for a long time. I plan t' leave a' noon tomorrow."
WaNdA-Aye, it is somewhat similar to Harry Potter...though, I didn't intend it to be...shame on me. Anyway, glad to see you leave your sentiments behind! Thanks for bothering to read the oddness of the last chapter...
starwarsfreakford13- Glad to find you still confident in me! Thanks for the support all throughout the last book, and for the support so far for this one!Cat Rina-Sorry it took me so long to update...but thanks for leaving your sentiments! Have a cookie, new reviewer!ChaosLightning13-Well, that's partly because I'm rather odd...and partly because it isn't meant to make any sense yet. That's why it is the prologue. Anyway, glad to see you read it!sunkist3208-Confusion is fun, though! I go through my whole life being confused...anyway, thanks for leaving a review, poppet!Daisy- Very creepy...poor little spider! He died...sniffles Anyway, hope that you enjoy this more normal chapter...Thanks for all the fun hats! They make for quite a fun look, you know...wearing one on top of another.