Chapter Two

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Jack groaned as he rolled over only to be stopped by the wooden slats of a sturdy cage. He blinked repeatedly making a slight noise of confusion. Before he had time to gather his wits he heard a high pitched giggle from outside his cage. Gingerly turning himself onto his side he saw a little girl peering down at him. Upon meeting his eyes the girl gasped and ran into what Jack could now see was a village.

"Mummy! The dirty one's awake!"

Looking around him he noticed that he was in fact in a row of cages, each one containing a man, though few were conscious.

"Buggah" he mumbled as he dusted off his coat and put on his hat only to find that he was still rather slimy. Jack's attention was returned to the village when the same little girl ran back toward his cage

"See mummy!" she said to the woman that followed her "I told you he was awake" she finished, shoving her finger through the bar to point at Jack.

"It's not polite to point" He said to the little girl, who just stuck her tongue out at him

"Now Adonia, don't tease the man. He might be your future brother-in-law." She turns to Jack "You! What is your name?" she asks.

"I am Captain Jack Sparrow." The woman laughed

"Captain? You think you can captain Senhor do Mar?"

"Perhaps then you have never heard of the Black Pearl?"

"I have heard of her, she sank over thirty years ago, and you son are not that old. Come if you are wakeful enough to converse, then you are able to bathe" With that said she unlocked the cage and motioned for him to crawl his way out. As he stood up he found a blade pressed against his neck.

"Try anything Mr. Sparrow-."

"Captain" Jack interjected.

"-and I will have the misfortune of denying you the right to any of the ladies of this island." As he was led through the village he noticed that there were no men. This village seemed to be run entirely by women. Just as he was about to question this very fact, they came to the edge of the river where four men sat along the bank washing laundry, and another four watching over a group of little girls. As they reached the water's edge she turned their path downstream after a short distance they came upon a small pool perfect for bathing.

She abruptly handed him a bar of lye soap and a cloth. "There you go Captain Sparrow." She said not even bothering to turn away. Jack looked at her pointedly and gestured for her to turn away so he could bath in privacy. She merely raised an eyebrow in return. Jack grumbled and started to remove his clothing.

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"Captain! Captain! There's pirates aboard the Pearl, and they're trying to take her!" Norrington looked up in surprise at the scruffy blonde boy that raced into the pub. The man he spoke to fixed a fearsome glare upon the boy, before rushing out after the him. The former Commodore turned to his first mate and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Satan's Pearl, a merchant galleon with no association to the East India Trading Co," Giselle offered dutifully.

"Another Pearl eh?" Norrington dropped a few coins on the table before following the Captain out the door toward his ship. Once they arrived at the dock it was too late the pearl was already moving out. Those left behind swearing they were over taken by voodoo magic. Norrington nudged Giselle with a pointed look, who returned to the pub to gather the crew.

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Elizabeth snarled under her breath as she threw the somewhat soapy cloth back onto the deck "Stupid bloody pirates! First he makes me trek across the entirety of Panama in a corset! Help them haul their gold, what good gold is gonna do them in the middle of the ocean I don't understand! But no that's not enough, now I've been reduced to slave labor." She continued grumbling as she returned to rather violently scrubbing the deck.

Gibbs took a swig of his rum as he shifted his gazed between the two women on the ship. Elizabeth, finally hauling her own weight, and Tia Dalma lounging beside the captain a mere five feet away. Barbossa looked up catching Gibbs glare

"Mr. Gibbs!" he barked startling Gibbs back to his duties

"Aye Cap'n"

"Bring her another three degrees south west."

"Aye Cap'n"

"Cap'n!" came a cry from the crows nest. "Ship off the port bow!"

"Are they flyin' any colors?" he yelled up

"Not any that I have seen sir!" was yelled down. Barbossa brought up his telescope and sought out the ship. The ship Barbossa saw was of a strange red wood that he had only seen once before but managed to escape. His suspicions were confirmed when he raised the telescope to the mast and saw a black flag bearing a bird of fire.

"Run out the port side cannons and prepare yourselves ye scurvy dogs!" he yelled out to the crew.

"And remember boys! Never underestimate your opponents!" Tia Dalma said standing up.

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"To arms ladies! Open the cargo hold! Ready the port side bow cannon!" Sadie yelled out to the crew who eagerly complied.

"Once we take out the rudder their ship will be useless." Max said contemplatively.

"Do ye mean to go after the Cap'n then, Maxy?" Sadie questioned, holding the wheel steady.

"Aye. Make 'im watch her travel to the depths and his hope along with her." Max grinned drawing the musket from her shoulder and readying a shot.

TBC