"Your chariot awaits you. Ahahaha!" Raggetti said as Will climbed down on the boat.
"Oi! If you do have to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt. Might save your life" the Captain shouted, and Artemis looked at the man as her suspicions started to grow. "Douse the lamps"
Artemis stayed where she was as the crew around her turned off every single lamp on the ship, allowing it to blend with the blackness of the night. She waited, her eyes on the ship across from them and her stomach turned into a tight knot.
After a while, nothing had happened, but she hadn't stopped to worry about Will. Instead, she felt even worse and the sudden change of temperature didn't help. Subconsciously, she took a few steps back and came to a halt when she felt a body behind her.
A slimy, wet and cold body. Before she could move, a sword was placed against her throat. A quick look around and she could see that everyone was in the same position. Only that, instead of being held by mere men, they were held by hybrids between man and fish.
She blinked twice but before she could make a move, she froze as she spotted the black shadow in front of Jack. As the light of the moon shone, she could see the tall Captain with the face of a squid.
Davy Jones, she thought and swallowed the bump on her throat.
That was the man Jack had made deal with. The Devil of the 7 seas whom she had heard so many stories since she was a mere child. Every sailor, wise sailor, feared him and had every right to.
"You have a debt to pay" The feared Captain said as he started to walk towards Jack while he backed away. "You've been Captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was our agreement.
"Technically, I was only Captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon"
"Then you were a poor Captain, but a Captain, nonetheless. Have you not introduced yourself all these years as 'Captain Jack Sparrow'?"
The cursed crew laughed, causing everyone a big uneasiness.
"Yeah, I gave you payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there"
"You bastard!" Artemis' voice echoed throughout the silent ship and all her fellow mates knew that tone, she was pissed.
The fish man behind her tried to hold her still but she elbowed him on the sensitive place and with a quick sharp turn, she grabbed her blade and decapitated him. A gasp was heard but she paid no mind to anyone but her target.
"Lassie wait-"
Jack's words were cut short as the fierce redhead punched him on the nose, sending him on his back with both hands holding the now bloody nose.
"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you. There was never a way to save Lizzie, was it? You sent Will there, to his doom while you ran away like the coward you were"
The crew was silent, minus the few fish-men who snickered at the scene. Artemis didn't care, Davy Jones was long forgotten. She had kept quiet, her naïve side hoping and thinking that Jack had a plan.
She had her suspicions; something was fishy from the start, but she stayed quiet. Well, not anymore. She had lost too many people in her life; she wouldn't accept to lose anyone else.
"Well, well… what do we have here boys?" The haunted voice of Davy Jones spoke from behind her.
Artemis turned but before she could make any other move, the red claw of a crayfish grabbed her throat n lifted her. Her hands subconsciously went to the strong fish limb and tried to ease the pressure on her neck while her blue eye came face to face with the cursed Captain.
"I didn't have you for someone to bring women on board, Jack" he continued as the crew laughed while the said man stood on his feet.
"Well, technically-"
"Silence" he ordered and turned his attention to her. "Tell me, girl. Do you fear death?"
"Death… yes… You… No" was her answer through struggles of breath. Before Davy Jones could react, she had grabbed a knife from her boot and pierced it on the sensitive spot of the claw.
Using all the strength she could master, she managed to weaken his grip, only for a second later to let her go. Grabbing and rubbing her neck while coughing, she mentally thanked for the servants who had shown her how to clean a lobster back in Port Royal.
Davy Jones' face showed pure rage and she quickly jumped on her feet, not showing any fear or regret. Jack stood a few feet beside her and watched as the tension between the two of them grew.
However, Davy Jones ended up laughing. A sickening and dark laugh escaped from him and his crew joined right after.
"You would do good upon the Flying Dutchman if we accepted women"
The crew laughed once again but their leader stayed quiet as his wise eyes spotted something…interesting.
"Yes… well, coming back to our… agreement… I believe the deal is done. A soul for a soul" Jack said as he stood next to Artemis.
"One soul is not equal to another," the cursed Captain said.
"Aha! So we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price"
"Price?"
"Just how many souls, do you think, my soul is worth?"
Davy Jones was about to answer but stopped and his attention landed on Artemis, who had her hand on the hilt of her sword; ready to fight if needed.
"Hers alone and your debt is paid"
"Mine alone, meaning Will is sent back?" she asked.
"Yes"
"Then it is a deal"
"No deal!" Jack said in a little louder tone, earning everyone's attention. "No deal. How many souls, other souls do mine worth?"
"One hundred souls"
"This is madness. It is a deal. My soul for his"
"It is not a deal," he said and stood between Artemis and Jones. "You're a darling, mate. Send me back the boy, I'll get started right off"
"I keep the boy, a good, faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-nine to go. 3 days. Haha, haha!"
"Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, a terrific soprano. Worth at least four, maybe three and a half. And did I happen to mention… he's in love. With a girl. Due to be married. Betrothed. Dividing him from her and her from him would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them to be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?"
Jones stayed quiet for a minute longer than anyone anticipated, and Artemis looked at him suspiciously. "I keep the boy. Ninety-nine souls-ah. But I wonder, Sparrow… can you live with this? Can you condemn an innocent man – a friend – to a lifetime of servitude in your name while you roam free? When you couldn't even condemn a mere woman?"
"Yep. I'm good with it" Jack said after he thought of it for a second. "Shall we seal it in blood, I mean, uh, ink?"
Immediately, Jones grabbed Jack's left hand with his tentacled one and 'shook' it.
"Three days-ah"
The words echoed from his crewmen as they slowly disappeared until the crew of the Pearl and our heroes were once again left alone.
"Uh, Mr Gibbs?" Jack called his first mate.
"Aye"
"I feel sullied and unusual"
"And how do we intend to harvest these ninety-nine souls in three days?"
"Fortunately, he was mum as the condition in which these souls need to be"
"Ah, Tortuga"
Jack wipes his slimy hand on Gibbs' vest.
"Tortuga"
"Are you serious now?" Artemis voiced out as everyone scattered, not wanting to be any close to the short-tempered woman; especially after such scene.
"Lassie listen to me," Jack said as he placed his one hand over her mouth and the other grabbed her wrist before pulling her into the cabin.
"This looks familiar," she said sarcastically as she folded her hands in front of her chest. "Why didn't you let me finish the deal, Jack?"
"Because dear I have a plan and for that plan, I cannot have you on top of the Flying Dutchman, savee?"
"No. Now talk. You planned to send Will and pray that Jones would accept him in your place. Then let Lizzie be hanged for helping you in the first place"
"Not precise *Artemis raises an eyebrow* You see Lassie *Walks towards her* On top of that haunted ship is Will's dear old goody daddy. I sent him there on purpose because we still need that key and that chest. Your dear friend Will, will have a touching reunion, find the key and then come to us. We find the chest and those 99 souls and then we force Jones to agree on our terms. Once done, I give Will the compass and he goes to save his bonnie lass"
"And you couldn't have told me all that because…?"
"Because I didn't think that you would make such a scene *stands in front of her* Although I must admit, it was quite… a… fiery one" Jack whispered in her ear and pushed a strand out of her face as she felt goosebumps on her skin
"This plan of yours better work Jack," she said as she tried to ignore the feeling or the fact on how close their faces were.
"It will lassie. It will"
The famous port under the name, Tortuga, the population was as disorderly and loud as it has been every single day. Inside the most famous tavern, Gibbs could be found sitting with Artemis at a table.
In front of them, some ink and a scroll while a small line of men was in front of them. This was Jack's plan on how to find 99 souls however their luck seemed to have run out.
"And what makes you think you're worthy to crew the Black Pearl?" he asked the hopeful sailor in front of him while Artemis was sharpening her sword.
"Truth be told, I never sailed a day in my life. I figure I should get out and see the world while I'm still young"
"You'll do. Make your mark. *indicates the roster sheet* Next!"
"My wife run off with my dog, and I'm drunk for a month, and I don't give an ass rat's if I live or die," the next sailor said, and Gibbs grinned.
"Perfect! Next!"
In the meanwhile, Jack was leaning against a wooden wall not too far away and had his full attention on the compass.
"I know what I want, I know what I want, I know what I want" he muttered to himself and opened the compass which still wouldn't show him his bearing.
"I have one arm and a bum leg"
"It's the crow's nest for you"
On those words, Artemis stopped what she was doing and eyes Gibbs carefully. However, a second later she let out a 'hn' sound and returned to her sword. She had to remind herself that it was only temporary and plan of Jack, but she still didn't want to give away her spot.
"I know what I want" Jack muttered once again and opened the compass but had no change. Artemis looked at him with the tip of her eye before continuing sharpening and taking care of her sword.
"Next!"
"Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to sail the seas. Forever" the next sailor said.
"Sooner than you think. Sign the roster"
"Thanks very much"
"How are we going to?" Jack asked as he kept his eyes on the compass.
"Including those four? That gives us… four" She informed as Jack decided to shake the compass vigorously.
A few seconds later and another man approached them. The smell of rum hit Artemis nose strong and from her position managed to see dirty clothes that stroke a familiarity but paid no further attention.
"And what is your story?" Gibbs asked him.
"My story? *Gibbs nods* It's the same as your story, just one chapter behind. I chased a man across the seven seas. *Jack closes his compass and looks around for a spot to hide in. Artemis looks up slightly shocked* The pursuit cost me my Crew, my commission, and my life" the man said and grabbed a rum bottle down off the table and took a swig.
No way, she thought as she observed another person from her not so distant past.
She took a better look at him, seeing him missing his fancy white wig and looking Norrington scruffy, dirty, and very much unlike himself.
"Commodore? /James?"
"No, not anymore, weren't you listening? *Gibbs looks uncomfortable*I nearly had you all off Tripoli. I would've, if not for the hurricane" he replied as Jack took a leafy plant and tried to hide behind it.
"Lord. You didn't try to sail through it?"
He didn't reply which confirmed their suspicion. Instead, he decided to do some digging himself on their mysterious recruitment.
"So, do I make your Crew or not? You haven't said where you're going. Somewhere nice! *upturns the table, Gibbs falls off his stool and Artemis jumped on her feet with hand on the handle of the sword while James starts strutting around the tavern* So am I worthy to serve under Captain Jack Sparrow? *Jack tries to inconspicuously walk away with the plant clutched in front, Norrington spots him anyway and points his pistol at him* Or should I just kill you now?"
"You're hired," Jack told him as Artemis placed her pistol on his temple.
"Sorry. Old habits and all that. Artemis you can shoot me, but I am taking this man with me" he said and was ready to shoot when two pirates rose his pistol hand to the ceiling.
"Easy Sailor!" One shouted at him as the pistol fired, the bullet ricocheting off the lights and broke someone's bottle. Right after, a brawl broke out.
"Time to go" Jack suggested.
"Aye," The first mate and quartermaster agreed as the three of them carefully made their way upstairs.
While trying to make an escape, Jack kept trying on different hats, but no one seemed to suit him well enough.
"Thanks, mate," he said to one pirate as he took his hat and touched his shoulder, only to cause the man to fall off his perch on the railing. "Ooh. *puts the hat he took off him onto another being carried off to be thrown off the second floor, steps aside* Carry on. *the man is thrown over*
