RETURN TO THE BLACK PEARL
I'm going to apologize for misspelling "apologize" in my last chapter. And I'm also going to apologize for not updating sooner. The reason why I haven't updated (not that y'all care, I'm sure) is because I've been hastily scribbling a Lilo & Stitch ficlet that has taken up all of my time.
But now I'm back, and now I'm 40% more free! because I don't own these characters and am making absolutely no money off of them.
Chapter Three: Jack Attack, Continued
A cannon whistled from somewhere above his head, and Jack dropped to the deck of the Black Pearl. He was, quite frankly, furious. What did these people think they were doing, in trying to blow up his beloved ship? You'd think they wanted him dead. And what had he ever done to them, anyway? Jack belly-crawled forward to cover and posed this question to a harried-looking Gibbs. He had to shout to be heard above the noise of rifles and cannons and cursing.
Gibbs didn't look up from reloading his rifle. "Don't you remember?" he growled.
Jack did remember, as it turned out. All too well, actually. "Oh," he said, suddenly abashed. "That."
"Oh, that" included being directly responsible for the death of their captain, whom none of them had really liked anyway, but it was the point of the thing; getting them caught by the person most pirates tried to avoid: Commodore James Norrington; and reclaiming the ship that they so obviously considered their own. Not to mention the casual repossession of their ten-years worth of stash whist they were in jail. Which they had escaped from. Obviously.
The other ship, although in possession of a good many more cannons, ammunition, and men than the Black Pearl, would never be able to outrun her. But as Jack stood up and looked around, he noticed that there was nowhere to run to. The Black Pearl had been successfully trapped between her attackers and Port Royal, a place where piracy and its executors were frowned upon—and, as Jack vividly recalled, hanged. There was no safe haven to escape to.
Not that Captain Jack Sparrow would run from a fight, anyway. Unless he really, really had to.
. . .
The by-now familiar sounds of cannon fire lured Elizabeth onto the crowded streets of Port Royal. She shaded her eyes against the harsh glare of the sun, reflected with a blinding intensity against the sparkling blue of the Caribbean water into her eyes. What she saw worried her: two ships, each deeply absorbed in an attempt to turn the other into driftwood...and one of them, at least, looked familiar.
Very familiar.
It was familiar. Through new sails adorned her masts, the Black Pearl was so distinctly the Black Pearl that Elizabeth would know her anywhere.
After all, how does one forget a ship that leaks fog and until somewhat recently contained a crew of bloodthirsty, just-plain-thirsty, undead yet unliving pirates?
However, it was definitely Jack's crew on the Black Pearl—Elizabeth spotted the bright feathers of Cotton's parrot. She recognized Gibbs, then Jack himself, shouting incomprehensible orders on deck.
A hand grabbed her shoulder and nearly shrieking, she spun around; but it was only Will, sweating from the effort of fighting the mob of spectators. He pointed up to the battlements of the fort. "Look."
Elizabeth glanced in that direction and immediately spotted Norrington and his second-in-command standing rooted to the spot of the same battlements that she and Jack had taken turns tumbling from. Although known for his hatred of piracy, he didn't seem all that eager to engage either set of pirates. Or, for that matter, do anything to stop the battle.
Will's hand suddenly tightened its grip on her shoulder, and he breathed Jack's name in a tone that caused Elizabeth to turn back to the battle just in time to watch, aghast and helpless, as Captain Jack Sparrow—
CAST OF THOUSANDS: That was mean.
ME: [innocently] What?
CAST OF THOUSANDS: Cliffhangers are mean and depressing, and you should not resort to using them in order to garner more reviews.
ME: [shocked and horrified] I can't believe it! What sort of evil, sadistic person would try to pull something like that?
CAST OF THOUSANDS: You.
ME: Oh, yeah. Right.
Did my evil plot work? Will you review? What on earth has happened to Captain Jack Sparrow? All these questions and more will be answered the next time I update!
(By the way, go R&R my new Lilo & Stitch fic "A Trog By Any Other Name.")
