Chapter 26: Successors
For MeraSparrow
Jack Sparrow had rested for quite some time. When he did wake up, he was back on the Black Pearl, in his cabin. He was also suffering from serious rum withdrawal.
This situation was quickly remedied by a visit to one of Tortuga's many pubs. On the way, many people congratulated him and his fleet on a job well done defending their city. If only they knew how close they came, he thought wryly.
When he left the pub, he walked over to an unoccupied keg, and sat down on it to rest his aching bones.
"Hey girls, you wanna play with something else?" Jack looked to see a group of 10 or 11 rumrunners encircling 2 girls. Both had mild brown hair and eyes.
It was the classic set-up; a group of drunk, frustrated men, and afraid, helpless women. But these girls were not afraid at all. The look in their eyes said that they were the predators here, not the men. So Jack held back for a moment, watching the events unfold.
The first girl smiled, saying, "Why don't you go play with your own boy-toys?"
Oblivious, a rumrunner stepped in, saying, "It ain't nearly as much fun as women are."
The second spoke. "Doesn't seem to take a hint, this guy." In a low voice, a voice so low that only the girl and Jack knew what she said—Jack read lips. "Should we...enlighten them?"
"Not yet," the first responded in a similar voice. "Let them make the first move."
"Okay." Speaking up, the second said, "Bugger off, boys." Smiling, she continued. "We only play with each other."
While the men tried to wrap their heads around that, Jack shook with laughter that he only just barely held in.
Finally giving up on figuring the last bit out, the rumrunner said, "Well, I think we should play. Wanna play, boys?" The others nodded emphatically. Jack became worried, and placed his hand on his sword.
As he did, the second said in the quiet voice, "Does this count as the first move?"
"It does." Smiling like feral animals, the first looped her arms in the others. The second bent low, flipping the first over her back into the air. Girl A, while in the air, drew her saber and came down like a bat out of hell. Meanwhile, Girl B drew her own sword and leapt into the air, spinning like a top over Girl A crouched on the ground, swinging her sword in a broad arc.
For the next thirty seconds, they were a blur of hair, dress and sword, acting not so much as a team as an individual with two swords and bodies. Jack didn't blink for fear of missing something.
When they were done, they stood back to back, Girl A holding her sword pointing to the ground, Girl B holding her sword at the ready. Firm, powerful, dangerous, battle ready.
And completely unnecessary; the rumrunners were spread across the ground miserably; if not dead, beaten to the fine line. Most of the audience blinked, and then moved on. All except Jack.
Another man stepped forward. As he did, they turned to him, danger in their eyes. But something in the way he was made them pause. He looked drunk and despondent, wearing a long leather coat, a worn tricorn, and a hangover that looked to have lasted since time began. He also had a look in his eyes that said he wasn't hung over, bright, and not a danger.
To them, anyway.
"Where'd you two learn to do that?" Not a man of preamble, this one.
"Some of it from a kooky Chinese pirate...some from these two guys who are masters with swords...and the rest we taught ourselves." They were naturally honest with him for some reason.
"Hmm. Want to come with me? I'd like to show you something."
"A fine thing, isn't she?"
"The finest I've seen," the first said.
"How fast is she?" The second came in.
Jack was already taking to these girls. "Only the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Say," he looked at them, "I never did find out yer names."
The first spoke. "I'm Mera. This is Amy."
"Ah-hah," Jack said, deep in thought. Then his head came up. "Well, Mera, Amy—I've a proposition for you."
Mera looked up. "We're listening."
"What d'you say you come aboard? We could use skill like yours. Plus, we've a weapons master who you'll adore, and over 300 people seeing to your every whim."
"Hmm." The two looked at each other for a time, then turned to Jack, and said in unison, "Right, when do we start?"
"Soon as I get a name."
"A name?" Mera looked at him.
"A name. Ye can't just be Mera and Amy, y'know."
"Actually, that's Amy and Mera."
"No, he was right."
"Wasn't right."
"Was."
"Not."
"Was."
"Not."
"Was."
"Not."
"OY!"
At Jack's yelling, they stopped to look. "I meant your last name."
Mera looked at Amy. "Um...our parents died years ago. We're just Mera and Amy."
"Well..." As he thought, he saw the flag of his fleet flying high overhead. Well, old man, it technically fulfills the requirements. He smiled at the twins' apparent spokeswoman. "Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Mera Sparrow. Amy Sparrow, care to join us?"
Amy Sparrow smiled as she and Mera looped arms. "Shall we, Captain...?"
"Admiral. Admiral Jack Sparrow," Jack finished. Now he understood the story James had told him so long ago.
FLASHBACK
"Jack, lad, come. Sit." O'Neal gestured to a chair in the Pearl's cabin.
"What d'you need, O'Neal?" Jack asked as he sat.
"To tell you a story. Settled in?" Jack nodded, so James O'Neal began.
"About thirty years ago, I was an orphan in Dublin. I'd been thrown out by my parents, who never wanted me in the first place. I wasn't living; I was existing. I had no purpose or direction-just surviving. I didn't want to die, but I didn't really want to live, either.
"Then one day, I got attacked. Y'see, brother, I'd been infringing on another gang's turf for a long time. Most of the time, they ignored me, but lately I'd been getting some good hits on their stuff.
"So there I was in the middle of the street, with this gang of hoods all around me, who wanted me to die. I didn't care if I lived or not, but I knew they did.
"So we fought. It was a slaughter. They had no idea how to fight, not even fight for their lives. They were down in thirty seconds or less.
"When I finished, this guy comes forward. He's wearing this long leather coat, and a tricorn cap. He offered me a job on his ship."
"The Black Pearl."
"The one and only, brother. So he gave me the name Sparrow, and had me call him Sparrow, or Todd, if I liked.
"Then, when he was on his way to dying, he called me into this very cabin, that very seat. He sat me down and told me a tale. The same one that I'm about to tell you.
"This old Captain, one Captain William Sparrow, said that the Pearl was to be passed down not by crew, but sons—adopted sons. If the captain was to see a lad that had something about him that couldn't be placed, some emotion awakened by him in the captain, he should take him aboard and give 'em the name Sparrow. Then, teach him all he knew, and one day, tell him this story.
"The Black Pearl is not a ship, really. It's not a keel and a hull and a mast and sails, that's just what a ship needs. The Pearl is ...a mind all her own. She feels pain, joy, sorrow, impatience, the lot. Captain Will Sparrow never had a wife, nor his adopted son, nor his, nor me, and never you."
"Never me?"
"I love you as my brother and son, Jack, but ye can't settle to save yer life. Your mistress is the Pearl—she's yer one true love.
"Anyway, we just had to have the right set of combinations; it's always worked. There's got to be that spark of emotion, lack of family, a feel of piracy to them, and most important of all, a sparrow has to be seen."
"Sounds like superstitious hocus-pocus, O'Neal."
"It is...but the bird was there for you, and was there for me. So when it comes along, be ready to take yer successor-or successors-onboard."
END FLASHBACK
"Who're these lovely girls, Jack?" Gibbs asked the Admiralty.
"They are Amy and Mera Sparrow; their every whim is to be catered to, Joshamee—don't disappoint them, either, they're wicked scary with swords," he added in a whisper of warning to his old friend.
He only nodded. He already knew the story of the Sparrow "Family".
Well, what d'ya think? Note: 5 days to Pirates 2! REVIEW!
