Disclaimer: If I owned either, I would be rich and my pockets would actually have more than invisible bills and lint in them.

Chapter (6): Off we go!

Will groaned, and turned over. He felt the bed digging into his back like rocks…no, wait, those were rocks!

Why was that? Then the previous night came back in a rush, including Elisabeth's capture. Will jumped up and ran up to the fort, where Norrington should be. He would have to know, and maybe, just maybe, she was safe and sound.

He burst in on Norrington's planning session. "They've taken her! They've taken Elizabeth!"

Norrington looked up from the chart, annoyed at the interruption. "Murtogg, remove this man."

"We have to hunt them down. We must save her!" Will had a crazy light in his eyes. They weren't even going to listen to him!

Governor Swann looked at Will, quietly hopeless "And where do you propose we start? If you have any information concerning my daughter, please share it."

Murtogg, standing off to one side looked over at Will, then at Norrington. "That Jack Sparrow. He talked about going to Tortuga…. They'll know about the Black Pearl there!"

Mullroy scoffed "Mentioned it, is more what he did. And he's certainly not going there now."

Will's face shone with hope "Ask him if he knows anything about it, or someone who does! Make a deal with him. He could lead us to valuable information!"

"No…the pirates who invaded this Fort left Sparrow locked in his cell, ergo they are not friends. He might not know anything at all and I refuse to let him out to escape again. Governor, we will establish their most likely course…"

Will took his hatchet and smashed it down into the table with one swift movement "That's not good enough!"

Norrington turned disdainfully "Mr. Turner, you are not a military man, you are not a sailor. You are a blacksmith, and this is not the moment for rash actions. Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth." He handed Will his hatchet, giving him a look that said, quite clearly, not to press the issue.

Will stormed off, hatchet in hand, intending to look for a few pirates. He'd start with Jack since he knew where to find him. If he did not prove helpful (Unlikely, since he could offer freedom in exchange for information) then he would look for the other three, no, two pirates. Perhaps he could tell them where their friend had gone, if they told him about the Pearl…


Jack was busily working at the padlock with the bone, trying to somehow pick the lock when he heard footsteps. He quickly laid back and pretended to be asleep. Kagome, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had better show up soon...he was getting tired of waiting!

Will ran into the hall way, stopping in front of Jacks cell "You. Sparrow!"

Jack looked up, disappointed to see it wasn't the hoped for rescue party. "Aye."

Will grabbed the cell bars "You are familiar with that ship – the Black Pearl? Or know someone who is on Tortuga?"

Jack inspected his nails. What was the man up to? He seemed even more familiar in the better light than when they'd fought in the shop. "I've hear-"

A clanging sound, of metal on stone and muffled cursing cut him off. Inuyasha fell down the stairs and landed on the floor in a heap.

"Stupid damn wall bracket, and damn you too, Fluffy-sama!"

A white blur sped down the stairs and stopped in front of Inuyasha, now on his feet. The white blur turned out to be Sesshoumaru, claws curled in and hand halfway towards a wicked looking sword.

"I have had enough of that from you for one day, Inuyasha. Unfortunately, since I am unable to kill or maim you, for now, you'll just have to take my word that I will do so as soon as I get back." Sesshoumaru leveled an unreadable gaze at Inuyasha. "Is that clear?"

Inuyasha glared. "Yes. But since you can't do anything now…" He grinned and turned away from Sesshoumaru, walking over to the cell with his head held high.

Will stared in shock as 'Fluffy's' hand shook slightly and he half reached for his sword before he stopped himself, face still blank and perfectly still.

How had he ended up between two such sworn enemies? This was not good. They couldn't fight till they 'got back' to wherever, but he could feel the heat anyway.

'Well' thought Will in a detached way 'Now I know what that odd blur was last night I threw the hatchet at'

"When my onus is lifted, you will pay for that as well." Sesshoumaru stated calmly, looking piercingly at Inuyasha's back.

"I beat you once, I can beat you again. You even lost an arm to me." Inuyasha laughed.

"Will you just hurry up and get me out, and bicker later?" Jack made a face. "I don't like being in a cell if I can help it." So that's how Sesshoumaru had lost his arm…Inuyasha had cut it off. But weren't they half brothers, or something…?

So much for the familial ties that bind…

He looked back the man who had come in before standing perfectly still against the wall. Jack peered at him. "Who are you?" He had to know his name! If this was Williams son…

Will blinked. Well, at least if Jack didn't know where Elisabeth was, he could get information out of these two…then he thought again. They were probably going to bust Jack out anyway, and might not take kindly to him being here. It looked like he was between desperate pirates and freedom…not a good place to be, he realized suddenly.

"I came to find out about the Black Pearl…where does it make berth?"

Jack seemed surprised by that, and answered "Where does it make berth? Have you not heard the stories? Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isle de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is. You still haven't answered the question though." He turned to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, suddenly noticing something. "Where's Kagome?"

"The damned pirates took her is what!" Inuyasha glowered, while Sesshoumaru winced, ever so slightly.

Will continued, looking desperate "The ship's real enough. Therefore its anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?"

"Tell me your name first, and I'll tell you!" Jack's eyes narrowed. The young man seemed far too familiar, now that he was not trying to fight him. Almost as if…but that was impossible…

"Will Turner."

…maybe not impossible! Jack smiled slightly. He'd been right!

Inuyasha finally got fed up and pushed Will aside. "Move over. I need to get him out so we can get Kagome!" He looked at Jack. "Better stand back a bit"

"Iron Reaver!" He brought his hand down, and, as his words foretold, reft the iron from the wall, nearly demolishing the entire door in the process.

Jack blinked in surprise, then turned to Will. He had not expected that… 'At least I know where I stand with him…' "That will be short for William, I imagine. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for your father, eh?" He had to make sure this was the right Will Turner.

Will glanced in Inuyasha's direction. What on earth had that been…?

The man in red shouted something about iron, and then…the doors that he himself had helped make were shattered, blown apart like feathers. Will barely contained his hysterical laughter. Between unnatural blurs and that…whatever…he was going to be a wreck later on. He carefully edged back from the two people. Three to one wasn't favorable odds, and he wasn't armed with his sword. "Yes."

"Uh-huh. Well, Mr. Turner, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?"

Will straightened in shock. He had expected to be killed, not…greeted with open arms. But if it was a surprise, it was a welcome one. There was something rather odd about it, but he wasn't inclined to look a gift in the mouth just then. "Agreed."

"What? Not another one! We still have to find Kagome first!" Inuyasha glared at Jack. "I don't need to be taking in stray humans at every turn!"

'Stray…humans? That's an odd way to put it…almost as though he isn't human.' Will blinked, tempted once again to break out into high pitched laughter. He shouldn't be surprised, after what had happened in the last few minutes. 'If not human, then what?'

Jack sighed. "Barbossa took Elisabeth, right? He also took Kagome. We have the same goals. He might be more useful than you think." He stared hard at Inuyasha, trying to tell him without words how much Will was worth.

"Feh" Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Fine. Let's go then!"

Jack walked over to a shelf. "Not without my effects."


Will stood behind Jack "We're going to steal a ship. That ship?" He looked at the Dauntless.

"I thought we were stealing the other ship" Complained Inuyasha.

Jack sighed. Sesshoumaru was ok, if you overlooked the 'everyone else is dirt' attitude, but he couldn't see how Kagome dealt with Inuyasha. "Commandeer. We're going to commandeer that ship. Nautical term. And you'll see…We'll take the big ship, and then get the smaller one after. Now. One question about your business, boys, or there's no use going. This girl – how far are you willing to go to save her? Will?"

Will didn't hesitate "I'd die for her."

"Inuyasha?"

"I've protected her for years, and almost died in the process. What makes you think I'd hesitate over stealing a ship?" Inuyasha crossed his arms.

Jack smiled. "Oh, good. No worries, then. Just remember….It's commandeer. Not steal." He looked slightly pained over the terminology. Inuyasha just shrugged.

Jack looked over at a boat on the shore.

"Now, when the coast is clear we're going to get under that boat and get into the water, walk along the bottom till we're under the Dauntless and then climb on board. Any questions?"

"In the water?" Sesshoumaru's face remained blank, but inwardly he was seething. He had just managed to get properly dry again, and the first thing that happened was that he was told to swim.

"In the water. Unless you can fly, there's no other way." Jack crossed his arms and smirked. He was going to enjoy teasing 'fluffy' about 'getting wet again', given his aversion to water…

"In that case, I'll fly." Sesshoumaru walked to the edge of the bridge, and stopped just out of sight. "I'll go after you've reached the Dauntless."

Jack looked at him for two seconds, then laughed.

"Good one, mate. But there's no way you can fly"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows twitched. "The next time you call me that, you die."

Inuyasha laughed, snickering over Jacks audaciousness…(or just plain stupidity)...no one, ever, especially a guy, had called Sesshoumaru mate before. Certainly, they hadn't and lived.

Jack shrugged. 'Crazy man…I guess he'll just have to swim'


Will looked at Jack, "This is either madness or brilliance."

Jack looked back "It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide."

"In…Fluffy…what's his name?"

"Sesshoumaru" Supplied Inuyasha. 'Looks like that names going to haunt him for a good long time yet' He grinned. That had been his intention, of course…

"Odd name. In Sesshoumaru's case, it's craziness. He thinks he can fly!" Will swam up to the surface, Jack and Inuyasha surfacing on either side.

Inuyasha smiled. Sesshoumaru hadn't made his move yet, but he couldn't wait to see Will's face when he did…

Jack climbed up the Dauntless's large girth, helping Will up the side of the ship, while Inuyasha just dug in his claws and reached the top easily, waiting for the others just under the railing.

Will laughed, as he and Jack finally reached the main deck "Look, he's still on the beach! He hasn-"

Will's and Jacks jaws dropped as Sesshoumaru whizzed over on his puffy cloud, stopped, and then delicately hopped over the rail.

Jack blinked and hoisted himself over the side as well. Well, if one of them could destroy iron so thoroughly, why couldn't the other one fly? He wondered what other tricks they had up their rather large red and white sleeves... 'I suppose it worked…and come to think of it, climbing with one arm can't be easy either'

Jack led the way down the ship, pausing for dramatic effect. "Everyone stay calm! We are taking over the ship!" He grandly proclaimed, waving his pistol at the crew.

Behind him, Will brandished his sword. "Aye! Avast!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Come on. You need a way bigger sword to scare them off…" He casually drew Tetsusaiga as he spoke, leveling it at the group of men, who were no longer laughing.

Gillette swallowed hard, but stood his ground bravely. Just because the sword was huge, it didn't mean a competent swordsman was behind it. "This ship cannot be crewed by four men. You'll never make it out of the bay!"

Jack pointed his pistol at Gillette's nose. "Son…I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?"

Behind him, Inuyasha grinned pleasantly.


Groves looked over at the harbor. There seemed to be a whole bunch of people staring and pointing at the Dauntless. He spotted the rowboat coming into shore "Commodore!"

Gillette waved and screamed from the boat, voice faint with distance 'Sir, they've taken the Dauntless! They've taken the ship! The three pirates and Turner - they've taken the Dauntless!"

Norrington grabbed his spyglass and looked at the deck, seeing Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru and Jack with Will "Rash, Turner, too rash. Those are without doubt the worst pirates I have ever seen..."


Inuyasha looked over at the Interceptor "Here they come." He placed a hand on the sheathed Tetsusaiga and followed Jack to the rail, waiting out of sight.

Norrington and his men boarded the Dauntless, Guns at the ready "Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges." Will and Jack swung over to the Interceptor, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru leaping to the deck behind them.

The movements at the corner of his eye alerted Norrington, and he turned just in time to see Inuyasha take a long, graceful leap over to the Interceptor. He paled, fixed to the spot with trepidation.

Now it was both of them that were somehow not right, not just the one armed one…no one could jump like that! "Sailors, back to the Interceptor! Now!"

"Quickly men!" Shouted a sailor, but it was already too late.

Jack saluted Norrington from the Interceptor after cutting her free from the Dauntless "Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way! We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves!"

Norrington's jaw was clenched "Set top sails and clear up this mess."

Groves protested "With the wind at quarter astern, we won't catch them."

"We don't need to catch them, just get them in range of the long nines." Norrington stated calmly, watching as the Interceptor glided out of reach

Groves stared shouting more orders "Hands, come about. Run out the guns." He looked at Norrington questioningly "We open fire on our own ship, sir?"

"I'd rather see her at the bottom of the ocean than in the hands of pirates" Declared Norrington heatedly.

Just then a sailor shouted from the aft deck "Commodore, he's disabled the rudder chain, sir!"


Gillette looked up, way up at the swiftly advancing hull of the Dauntless bearing down on him. His eyes widened "Abandon ship!"

Sailors piled off the tiny boat just as it was crushed beneath the massive keel of the Dauntless.


Groves looked out after the Interceptor. "Those have got to be the best pirates I've ever seen."

Norrington pursed his lips. "So it would seem."


Miroku looked sideways at Jaken. He didn't trust the toad, but at least they weren't fighting with him. Both parties had come to the conclusion that they would wait on either side of the well, and leave it at that.

Sango leaned back, sitting on the edge and sighed. Two days it had been now, and still nothing. 'At least' she thought. 'Sesshoumaru hasn't come back. It might mean that they're all ok…or not. I just don't know!' She shifted her seat in frustration, looking at the edge of the well for the umpteenth time.

Miroku edged closer to her. Stealthily, a hand crept along the edge of the well towards Sango, inching as determinedly as a worm, getting closer….

"Pervert!" Sango brought her hand down with a snap of clothing, striking Miroku hard.

Smack

Miroku toppled sideways into the well, slightly unconcious...


Lol. I know, a cliff hanger…does he go in the well and end up in Tortuga…or not? Hmm… (Personally, I think it would be his idea of paradise there…)

My homepage 'Dark Gardens', contains a large amount of writing, (original and fanfiction), and an art section. Come visit! (FF .net won't allow underscores to be posted in a ch, so you'll have to visit my profile for the site link)

Originally posted: April 25 2004

Revised: Jan 4 2006