Violet pulled herself up off of the wet sand, the sea water burning her throat as she spluttered.
"You're a dead man, Will Turner," she hissed as she made her way over to Will, who was snickering to himself on the dry land in front of her.
"I'm deeply sorry, Captain," he said dryly, and she punched him in the arm, causing him to wince and grab at his shoulder.
"Where is the groveling respect you had an hour ago?" she asked, narrowing her eyes, and Will shrugged, still holding his aching limb. "Although I do like it when you call me Captain."
"Does that mean I am forgiven?" Will asked her, and she sighed dramatically.
"I suppose so, but the next time you throw me into the ocean I will kill you," Violet added, and Will grinned at her. She gathered up the folds of her cumbersome dress, and the two of them strode across the beach, calling out the names of every member of Jack's crew they could think of.
Suddenly, there it was: the Black Pearl, beached on the sand and looking as majestic as always. She wondered what had happened to the crew. What had happened to Jack.
"He's fine, Violet," Will said, as if reading her mind. She shook herself out of her trance and turned to him, pasting a grin on her face.
"I'm sure he is. Jack Sparrow has a knack for cheating death," she smirked, and Will turned away towards the jungle that skirted the beach. Violet wasn't sure whether he bought her words or not.
She followed him into the jungle, tearing her gaze away from the Pearl, and almost immediately, she spotted a very familiar bird. Cotton's parrot.
"Awk, don't eat me!" it chirped, and she tilted her head, confused.
"We're not going to eat you," said Will, and Violet rolled her eyes, brushing past him deeper into the jungle.
"Probably just another stupid thing the poor mute taught the dumb creature to say. You know, if I had a parrot, I'd teach it all the swears-" Suddenly Violet spotted something, cutting off her words. There, hanging on a rope tied to a tree, was Gibbs' canteen. The last time she'd seen that she'd been locked up in a cell with Jack.
"What the-" she said, her voice trailing off as she followed the rope it was tied to, Will in tow. They walked deeper and deeper into the jungle, and Violet was just about to say something to Will when suddenly, something cinched around her foot and sent her swinging upwards into the trees, her dress billowing out behind her and her satchel falling to the ground. She was suddenly grateful for her decision to wear her trousers under the gown, and she flailed around in the air, swearing loudly.
All of a sudden, through her upside-down vision, she could see a ring of people surrounding them, dressed in feathers and bright colors with colorful paint all over their faces and limbs. Violet had no doubt that they were cannibals.
"Do something, you idiot!" Violet screamed at Will, who fumbled for his sword, but the cannibals simply looked at each other in confusion. Violet itched for her swords, despising how helpless she was, and she had just started to attempt to swing towards one of the cannibals when a sharp pain exploded at her neck. She slapped a hand to her skin and felt a dart embedded into her skin.
"Damn," she whispered, and suddenly she was plunged into darkness.
When Violet awoke, she was tied to a stick by her wrists and ankles and being carried up a trail towards a small village. Cannibals were lifting the stick, their brisk pace causing her to rock vigorously, and she vowed to slaughter them all once she was free.
Beside her, Will was being carried the same way, trussed up like an animal about to be roasted over a fire.
"Why didn't you kill them?" Violet spat at him, and he turned his head, noticing that she was awake.
"Sorry, Captain," he said apologetically, and she rolled her eyes, her heavy dress weighing her down and making her whole body jolt with every step the cannibals took.
They reached the village and were brought before the chief of the tribe, who was lounging on a throne in front of them.
"Let me go now and I won't slaughter your whole village," Violet called over the language of the cannibals as they addressed their chief, and her vision focused as they stopped moving. Suddenly, she drew in a sharp breath as she recognized who the man was. "Jack?"
There he was: Captain Jack Sparrow, dressed in his usual attire with a familiar look of confusion and confidence mixed on his face. The only difference was some bizzare paint across his cheeks. What had he gotten himself mixed up in?
"Jack, it's us! Will and Violet!" Will shouted, but Jack simply walked over to him and poked his shoulder.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Sparrow? Set us free!" Violet shouted, and something flashed over Jack's face as he moved over to Violet.
Then he started babbling in some strange language to the cannibals, having a conversation that no doubt included Violet and Will's fate. Classic Jack. The cannibals nodded in recognition at his commands, obviously eating up every word he said. Him and his damn charisma.
"Jack, the compass, it's all I need. Elizabeth is in danger. We were arrested for trying to help you. She faces the gallows!" chirped Will frantically.
"Jack doesn't care about that, does he?" Violet sneered, and Jack pretended to think for a moment before spewing more gibberish and waving them away. The cannibals began to chant, and Violet glared at Jack as they were brought away. He leaned down next to Will, mouthing Save me! before turning to Violet.
"Please help me," he whispered, and she gave him a dark look as she was taken away. At least she knew one thing hadn't changed over the year they'd been apart. That Jack Sparrow was still getting himself into messes he couldn't seem to get out of.
Violet and Will stood in a bone cage, suspended in between two cliffs. All around them, members of Jack's crew were crouched alongside them, another cage hanging beside theirs.
"Why would he do this to us? If Jack is the chief-" demanded Will, obviously just as furious as Violet was.
"Aye. The Pelegostos have made Jack their chief. But he only remains chief as long as he acts like a chief," clarified Gibbs, who was trapped in the cage with them.
"So he had no choice. He's a captive there as much as the rest of us," mused Will, and Violet snorted loudly.
"Of course he had a choice, Turner. He chose to save his own skin and lounge about eating humans while we're stuck here in this stupid cage," she sneered, and Gibbs shook his head, staring out past the cage to whatever lay below them.
"No, no, he has it worse than us, Captain. You see, the Pelegostos believe that Jack is a god in human form. And they intend to do 'im the honor of releasing him from his fleshy prison. They'll roast him and eat him," said Gibbs in a low voice, and while Will looked shocked, Violet threw her head back and laughed loudly.
"I hope they do!" she yelled, shaking her head. "Heaven knows he deserves it."
"You know, I'm very much confused by what is going on between you two," Will said, giving Violet a sharp look. "One minute you're kissing and then the next you're plotting to kill him." Violet glared at him, and Gibbs looked shocked.
"Am I to understand you kissed-"
"Enough about the kiss!" Violet said, groaning audibly. "William, you'd do well to mind your own business. And what we should all be focusing on instead is getting out of here."
"The rest of the crew's been killed, and we've got no one on the outside but for Jack, who'll be dead when the drums stop," Gibbs said ominously, and Violet threw up her hands.
"Oh come on, Gibbs, when have I ever relied on Jack for anything? I'm a better Captain than him anyway," she said, jutting out her chin, and Will shrugged.
"She's right. We can't just sit here and wait," he agreed, and Violet grinned.
"I've got an idea."
Twenty minutes had passed before the crew had finally managed to make the cages move, and with each swing they got higher and higher. They tried to grab the mountain in front of them, but the grass tore off in their hands.
"This time!" Violet shouted, and they all grappled at the wall, latching onto vines hanging against the rock.
"Put your legs through! Start the climb!" Gibbs called, and the two cages full of crew members started to rise up the mountain, pulling themselves up with as much strength as they could muster.
"Come on, men! It'll take all of us to crew the Black Pearl!" called Will, and Violet gave him an angry look until he understood her objective. "And women!" he added.
"Six or seven would be sufficient," she scoffed, and then realized the effect of her words. Both groups turned to look at each other, and the race was on.
"Hurry!" shouted Will, and the crew of the their cage grunted, using every ounce of strength they had.
Suddenly, Will motioned for them to stop, and they all turned to see a young cannibal boy marching across the bridge to their left. The other cage, however, continued to move quietly up the rock, until suddenly, shouts of "Snake!" and screams caused them to fall, the rope snapping from the momentum.
"Damn," Violet swore, watching the pirates tumble down to the ravine below, their screams catching the attention of the native. "Go, go!" she shouted, and the pirates began to move again, as fast as they could manage.
Finally, they reached the top, searching desparately for a rock as cannibals rushed towards them. It was too late, and they quickly began to roll the cage across the dirt.
"Lift it like a lady's skirt!" Gibbs shouted, pointing to Violet's dress, and the men lifted the cage and took off running, the cannibals pursuing them. Suddenly, they fell into a crag leading to water, causing the cage to shatter and sending them tumbling into the river below.
"This way!" Gibbs called again, and Violet swam for cover, her awful gown billowing in the water around her. Quickly, they all hid as the cannibals rushed past, panting loudly. Violet exhaled, slumping against the wall. They were safe. For now.
The crew sprinted towards the Pearl, Violet along with them. She crawled onto the deck, wet and looking like a disaster as she stood up.
Two pirates from Barbossa's crew were milling about, and she recognized them as the two that had first spotted her and Jack all that time ago at the Isla de Muerta.
"How did you two get here?" she demanded, and the two of them gave her weak smiles, shrugging.
"We got the boat ready for you! Knew you'd be coming back for it," one of them explained, and Violet shook her head, sighing.
"Make ready to sail!" she called, and the remaining crew members scattered across the deck, taking their positions.
"What about Jack?" asked Will determinedly, and Violet was about to say something when there he was, sprinting around the bend of the beach, chased by a whole army of cannibals.
"Cast off!" Violet called frantically, and the men brought the boat out to sea as Jack clambered in, the cannibals running in the other direction by some miracle. He was wet, panting, and tired, with paint running down his face, but it was unmistakably Captain Jack Sparrow.
"Let's head to open sea before the cannibals come back!" Violet shouted to the crew, ignoring Jack as the two pirates put his coat over his shoulders.
"Yes to both, but let's keep to the shallows," he said loudly, and Violet gave him a withering look.
"Now that seems a bit contradictory, Captain," Gibbs said, and Violet was grateful that she didn't have to talk to Jack.
"I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs. After all, Captain Charles seems like she's rather eager to help. Now, where is that monkey? I want to shoot something," Jack demanded, brushing past Violet without a second thought. Her heart twinged, and somehow she felt like this was even worse than having to speak to him.
"Jack," said Will, and Jack winced, turning to him.
"Ah," he replied, and Violet rolled her eyes and Will made his way over to him.
"Elizabeth is in danger," Will said determinedly, and Jack waved a hand, walking over in search of the monkey.
"Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her? Maybe just lock her up somewhere?" Jack suggested, and Will shook his head angrily.
"She is locked up in a prison, bound to hang for helping you!" he shouted, but Jack didn't care.
"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes," he said passively, and Will snapped. He rushed at Jack, holding a sword to his throat.
"I need that compass of yours, Jack. I must trade it for her freedom," he demanded through gritted teeth, but Jack just pushed the sword away.
"And what of Violet? Does she just get to walk away free?" he asked, pointing at her, and Will paused, unsure of what to say. "Ah, just as I thought. What is she doing here with you, anyway?" No one answered Jack's question, and he nodded to himself, turning to Gibbs. "Mr. Gibbs? We have a need to travel upriver."
"What for?" Violet asked, annoyed. She had known getting Jack to Port Royal wouldn't be easy, but Jack didn't seem to even want to look at her, let alone speak to her.
"You are not the Captain on this vessel, and you will not question my decisions, savvy?" said Jack fiercely, looking straight at her for the first time in a year. "As for you, William, I will trade you the compass if you help me find this." He pulled out a drawing of a key and handed it to Will, who looked utterly confused.
"You want me to find this," Will repeated, shaking his head.
"Yes, yes, Will, he does. Don't question his decisions. He's the Captain, remember?" Violet said sourly, but Jack didn't even glance back at her.
"Is this going to save Elizabeth?" Will asked, and Jack thought for a moment.
"How much do you know about Davy Jones?" he asked, and Violet put a hand to her mouth. Davy Jones?
"Not much," Will admitted, and Jack grinned.
"Then yeah, it's going to save Elizabeth."
Violet waited until all the crew members were busy to approach Jack. She didn't want to, but she didn't have much choice if they had any hope of getting him to Port Royal.
"What business do you have with Davy Jones?" she asked him, and he turned from the railing of the ship to face her.
"What business do you have here?" he shot back, and she stared at him, memorizing every detail of his face. She'd missed him. She hadn't wanted to admit it, but yes, she'd missed him.
"What if I missed you?" she asked, and he shook his head, her heart constricting at the sad look in his eyes.
"You wouldn't come back just for that, love," he said with a sad smile, and she moved to stand next to him at the edge of the Pearl, looking out at the water. "But I love the outfit. Nice of you to dress up for me."
Violet stared down at the dress she was wearing at shot him a glare.
"This was- I mean- It was only for-"
"You look like quite the noblewomen. A bit bedraggled, but-" he gave her an approving nod, and she punched him on the arm.
"Stop it, Sparrow," she demanded, and he grinned at her.
"You did miss me, didn't you?" he asked, and she shook her head.
"Absolutely not."
A/N: Long chapter this time! Enjoy :)