You Forget One Very Important Thing Mate – (2)
"Uh…Jack I really ought to be getting back to the ship now" Will said, later that night.
"Hmmm…Ah of course! Crew, I will escort dear William to his ship!" Jack said drunkenly, standing up.
"Actually its not mine" Will said.
"Well the governors ship then. CREW! Im taking Young William to The GOVERNERS ship!" Jack annouced, pushing Will out of the tavern door and into the dark, dangerous streets of Tortuga.
They walked towards the docks where 'The Fortune' should have been.
"Hang on mate, something don't add up…Me, You, the docks…AH! Where be the ship…hmmmm?" Jack said looking around, one hand raised in the air.
"It was right here!" Will said in desperation.
"I think they've gone mate," Jack said. "Not to worry, I can drop ye off in Port Royal tomorrow eh?"
"Jack! This is all your fault!" Will said loudly.
"Eh? Calm down ye bloody Eunuch, ye shouldn't have stayed in the tavern if ye didn't want to get stuck here" Jack said.
Will said nothing, he just stared.
"C'mon me boy, to the Pearl eh?…Bet you been yearning to step foot on that beautiful ship o' mine again eh?"
"Aye" Will said, he hadn't. In fact he had been quite glad to see the back of it when he was taken back to Port Royal after their first 'adventure'. However, it would seem that Jack was his only way of getting off of Tortuga, so he walked towards the Pearl, whilst Jack droned on about how good it was.
THE NEXT MORNING
"Will! Wake up ye scurvy sea dog!" Jack shouted in Will's face the next morning.
"What? Surely you don't mean I have to help you sail to Port Royal, you have enough crew!" Will said, opening his eyes and getting off of the chair that he had been asleep in.
"One: Ye will help to get to Port Royal or ye will be thrown overboard! Two: I need ye help in finding the crew, they're all still on bloody land!" Jack said.
"Very well" Will replied, still clearly apprehensive.
They walked onto shore and began their hunt for the crew, Will suggested that they spilt up; but soon contradicted himself. Knowing well that life being what it was; Jack would probably find the crew – and then they would all have to waste even more time searching for Will.
"Most likely, they're in the tavern" Jack said.
"Which Tavern?"
"The one we were in last night!" Jack replied.
"Well how am I supposed to know which one that is?" Will asked.
"It mighta' been this one" Jack said, pushing open a door to a dark, building that reeked of booze and vomit.
Will knew it wasn't the right tavern as soon as he opened the door. Completely wrong setting. The only people inside were the bartender and a group of whores. One of them walked over towards Jack. She had blonde curly hair and Will recognised her.
"Giselle, love!" Jack said grinning and giving Will a: get me out of here now look!
"What are you doing back in town, Jack?" she asked fluttering her eyelashes.
"Im not, were just leaving" Jack said.
"I thought as much" Giselle said, and she slapped him round the face before walking back over to the other whores.
"Wench" Jack mumbled, walking out of the tavern before anyone caused more damage to him.
They walked a little longer, checking in almost all of the taverns; no crew. Although there were considerably more whores and more slaps round the face for Jack. Then, as they walked through a little alley they heard Gibbs yell
"C'mon we're late, the captain'll keel haul us all"
There were many complaints and grumbles and Jack and Will watched as the crew gathered themselves and began walking towards the dock.
"Gentlemen, I do believe you're late," Jack said appearing in front of them.
"Ah, you see Captain.we….I…what I me-" Gibbs began, but was interrupted by Jack.
"No time for talk men, now get to the ship!"
They all picked up the pace and some even jogged towards the ship. Will and Jack walked casually behind.
"So…how have you been Jack?" Will asked. It came to his attention that he hadn't asked that question. If it had been somebody in Port Royal they would have been mortally offended. However this was Jack, and he merely shrugged.
"Reasonable, we got treasure, fought battles…although, sadly we lost Ana Maria" Jack said bowing his head.
"How?" Will asked curiously.
"We stopped in a port and she met some sailor, apparently fell in love and is now shacked up with him somewhere" Jack said, clearly irritated.
"Oh" Will replied, partially relieved – when Jack said 'Lost', he thought he'd meant that Ana was dead. Not that Will ever talked to her much anyway, but a death was always a sad thing.
"What was that like?" Was all Will could think of to say.
"What do ya mean what was that like?...why should I care? She can take care of herself. Though she did say something weird the day she left" Jack replied, his face turning to a confused frown.
"Oh?" William questioned.
"She said. 'Watch out for the girl, she's just like you Jack'"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Will asked.
"How am I supposed to know…got me thinking though!" Jack said grinning, switching immediately back to his usual chipper state of being.
"YOU FORGET ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING MATE, IM ASHLEY SPARROW!" Came a voice from the docks.
Will and Jack looked over and saw a young girl, wearing brown trousers, a white shirt, brown boots and a black bandanna. She was standing surrounded by a bunch of townspeople and in her hand she had a sword.
"Sparrow. You mean your Jacks kid?" Asked one of the crowd.
"The one and only!" The girl replied.
"Of the Black Pearl?" Someone else asked.
"Aye, of the Pearl," The girl replied grinning.
The crowd look anxious now, and the weapons they had been holding now seemed less formidable in their hands. Several of them paled, and eventually one of them broke the silence. Muttering something about 'Shoving off before Sparrow came himself,' and true enough; the crowd dispersed.
The girl laughed, and put her sword back in its sheath. Her dark brown hair was long and the wind was blowing it in her face, giving her the appearance of a mad woman – widl and untame.
"Did she just call herself 'Ashley Sparrow'?" Will whispered to Jack.
"Sounded like it," Jack replied, beginning to follow the girl – at this Will did too.
She walked for a while and stopped at a gang of children. They greeted her eagerly.
"Sorry nothin' today, damn villagers caught me, didn't they!?" She told them, thinking that perhaps 'Villagers' was the wrong term to use when it came to the people of Tortuga.
"Why aren't you in jail then?" asked one of the boys.
"Why do you think?…Im Ashley Sparrow!" She said grinning.
"That's impossible" said a girl with scruffy red hair.
"Improbable, anything's possible" The girl replied.
Will and Jack exchanged confused looks. Wasn't that something Jack had once said?
"How'd you know he's your dad?" The red headed girl asked.
"Hm…..Lets see. Perhaps the fact I have the same bloody tattoo as him? Maybe the fact that my last name has always been Sparrow...hmm?" Ashley replied.
"But, you're always saying you're a pirate! Why aren't you on a ship then?" a boy asked.
"I already have a ship, thanks! Technically seeing as my dad is captain of The Black Pearl, it's my ship as well. And I AM a pirate, why else would I have the Pirate brand on my arm!? I'm just waiting for the opportune moment. I will be on a ship eventually and then you will all be dead jealous and upset cause I won't be 'ere anymore to look after you!" Ashley said.
"Who is this girl?" Will asked.
"I don't know, But im beginning to think that this is the opportune moment for her" Jack said walking into the area so that everyone could see him.
A little girl gasped "Ashley! Quick!"
"Wha'?" Ashley asked whipping out her sword and turning to face Jack.
"Wha' do ye want?" She asked pointing her sword directly at him.
He said nothing, he just stared at her curiously, she tried to stab him with her sword, but he was too quick and soon they were crossing blades.
"You seem oddly familiar, have I threatened you before?" Jack asked, testing out the same line he had once used on William.
"I think you must have mistaken me for someone else. For if you had threatened me before you wouldn't be here now!" Ashley said lunging at him.
"Oh feisty one ain't ye? You should know better than to threaten Captain Jack Sparrow!" Jack said, disarming her.
"Wha'?" She asked.
"Good, now that your going to listen me, I just wanted to talk, me and my friend here just wanted to ask if ye wanted to be a member of MY crew aboard the Black Pearl…Miss…?"
Will came out of the shadows and stood behind Jack.
"Ashley Sparton" Ashley said holding out her hand.
Jack shook her hand and then said "Really? For a second I coulda' sworn ye said your last name was Sparrow?"
"It is! She alw-" Began one of the children, but Ashley shot the girl an angry look which made her shut up.
"No, I'm sure I said Sparton. I would know my own name Captain Sparrow." Ashley replied.
"Alrigh' you wanna be on my crew then?" Jack asked.
"Course she does" A boy with blonde hair said.
"Tha's settled then" Jack said "Get your stuff lass"
"Fine, but any funny business, and you'll all pay!" Ashley said sarcastically, before turning to face the kids behind her.
"My children, this is the day you will always remember as the day that you said goodbye to your beloved friend, Ashley Sparro-, I mean Sparton," Ashley said grabbing a large bag off of one of the children; there wasn't much in it – just her spare clothes.
"You look strange, you're not a eunuch are you?" She asked Will.
Jack laughed to himself, though no grin came to his face. He knew well that the girl had definitely said her last name was Sparrow. Who was she? And what of the pirate brand and tattoos she claimed she had? Did she really have the Sparrow tattoo? Was she really branded?
Will shrugged her comment off and said "So, Miss Sparton, how old are you?"
"Im 16 thank you very much, before you start giving me the 'Now little girl you have to be careful cause some nasty men out there want to rape you'. Im practically an adult and if any strange men come up to me they will regret it!"
Jack laughed again and said "Will, leave the poor lass alone, your obviously scaring her"
"He's not scaring me, I can take him on any day! Even now if you don't believe me!" Ashley said.
"Save it for a real battle, love" Jack said.
They walked up to the Black Pearl where the crew were already aboard and preparing to sail.
"Whoa," Ashley said grinning.
"Strikes fears into your heart, don't it?" Jack said jokingly.
"No, I was just thinking about how jealous my kids are gonna be," Ashley replied as they walked onto the deck of the ship.
"Kids?" Jack asked, utterly confused.
"Oh, no! Not like that! They're not literally MY kids. They were brought up in the streets just like me. Im the oldest and looked after them, the young ones used to call me mother," Ashley said.
"Oh, righ','" Jack said looking round at his crew who were staring at Ashley contently.
"Everyone, this be a new member of the crew! Her name is Ashley Sparrow - I mean Sparton!" Jack yelled.
They all nodded and grumbled short hellos, Cottons parrot flew over and landed on Ashley's shoulder "Sparrow Girl! Sparrow Girl! Tattoo's! Tattoo's! It said. Then it flew back to a bemused Cotton.
"Bloody Parrot," Ashley whispered, pulling down her shirt sleeves self-conciously.
"Ash! Ashley, love…come here 'ere and I'll show ye were ye sleep, savvy?" Jack shouted at her.
She walked over to him and he led her down some small steps into a small, wood-based corridor.
"Am I not to be sleepin' with the crew?" Ashley frowned, why was she getting special treatement!?
"No, Ana Maria, a former crew member on this ship…she 'ad her own cabin and so will ye," Jack said opening a door, and pushing Ashley inside.
"Now, ye just take a look around and come up on deck when yer done, savvy?" Jack instructed her, grinning for a while before turning around and leaving the small room – his footsteps told Ashely that he had gone back up on deck.
She frowned slightly, whispering a half hearted;
"Savvy…dad,"