Little Sparrow
Summary: "Now up is down," was the last thing any of them heard before the rush of water drowned everything else out. Later, waking up on a random, deserted island, they almost immediately notice that something was not right with their Captain. Sparrington, Salazak, Willabeth, maybe others mentioned.
Later that night found the crew eating their meal in silence, their Captain absent as he steered the ship and enjoyed the night skies alone, content to have a smaller dinner later. The atmosphere was more than a little awkward as the men and two women looked around at each other, their eyes more than once straying to the three men that were in the foulest of moods since noon. One was glaring daggers at a solemn, resigned younger man, who was in turn glaring at a black dressed pirate, the oldest of the three, who was somewhere between brooding and as close to a dignified tantrum as one could get. Green, brown and blue eyes alternatively clashed between the three, making the tension ten times worse every single time it happened and the three males all but growled at each other like rival animals over food or territory.
It was getting slightly ridiculous but no one dared speak up regarding it. Still, the tension was killing them all and Elizabeth Swann, a Governor's pirate-story-loving daughter, has had enough.
"I've never seen Jack act like he did today." She said as an offering, eying the only two people who knew said pirate at this age. Gibbs sent her a reproachful look but Tia Dalma just laughed, putting down her plate of stew to look teasingly at the younger woman.
"Dat be b'cause Witty Jack changed. 'E no longer wears him heart on him sleeve. Our Captain no longer shows him true self, instead 'e hides be'ind a mask. A mask so well made dat even dose who knew he as a lad forget 'ow 'e used ta be." The voodoo witch said with a chuckle, gesturing around at the group. "Ya be all right privileged ta see dis Jack Sparra back. Dis be him true self. Dis be Jack Sparra, too sharp ta fit in amon' normal pirates, b'fore 'e made him mask, so smooth, so decievin'. Ya can see him wit, him smarts, him heart. Dat all be gone in jus' a few years, hidden. Hidden better dan any treasure in de sea. Witty Jack even needed a reminder wot it be like ta be himself."
"Just a few years? Even before the mutiny?" Elizabeth asked, interested. What did she mean by Jack's true self and that even Jack needed to be reminded of it? Why would he forget? Why would he hide behind a mask.
Tia Dalma seemed to be reading the questions right out of her thoughts. "Aye, not long b'fore the mutiny. Him ship, him love, was set afire before him very eyes. On Lord Cutler Beckett's order." James had suddenly went rigid, staring at the dark woman with a scary intensity. He recalled Jack saying that no paint could be so deep or that color like black ashes and sooth on the wood of his Black Pearl. He recalled how he had reacted, curling up in on himself, like a wounded animal. "B'fore dat, Witty Jack once lost him Wicked Wench. Was swept away in de arms of da sea and resurfaced near Shipwreck Island, where the Brethren were meetin' regardin' som'one who were breakin' da Code in de far East. Him ship were attacked and commandeered by the EITC, him crew killed, da Wench becomin' a Company ship. Meanwhile, Witty Jack learned a close friend were doin' somethin' awful, first thinkin' 'im innocent but den bein' kidnapped right out o' da Cove, branded a traitor by the Brethren an' bein' left ta die at sea. But da sea love Jack Sparra an' 'e survived. 'Avin' no other home, 'e turned ta privateerin'. Met Beckett dat way an' got him Wench back. Sailed like dat fer five years, transportin' all sorts of cargo, but never slaves, like Beckett 'ad first wanted. No matter how good de pay, Witty Jack refused. Den, one day, Beckett asked of 'im ta find a secret treasure dat Jack refused to give up da location o'. So Beckett made 'im a deal. A punishment Jack couldn't've refused. 'E 'ad ta haul one hundred slaves, jus' dat once, an' Beckett would sell 'im him Wicked Wench fer a shilling."
The room was waiting with bathed breath for the woman to continue, but she just leisurely took a few spoonfuls of her stew, content to make them squirm for the continuation of the story.
"And? What happened then?" Groves was the first to give in and ask, leaning forward as though that would reveal more details about the story and his favorite pirate. Seriously, in Lieutenant Theodor Groves' eyes, pirate Captain Jack Sparrow was practically a celebrity, a legend. A few of the other officers used to tease him about it, back in Port Royal, and James and Philip were throughly exasperated with him regarding his almost fanboying about the eccentric pirate. Elizabeth, although more secretly and with a lot more reserve, was much the same until she had met him in person. Although, even now, after she had seen that he was as mortal as her, as flawed and as human as everyone else, she at times felt that same childish awe when she saw him do something that should be impossible. The others were just curious to learn more about their secretive Captain, although Gibbs looked highly uncomfortable.
"Witty Jack accepted. Ya saw 'im papers, didn't ya, boy?" Theodor nodded and Tia Dalma smiled bitterly. "Any other pirate would've been content, would've done it an' earned 'imself a ship fer a shilling. But Witty Jack couldn't. So 'e freed da slaves and tried ta run, but Beckett be expectin' dat. Five ships 'ave been followin' da Wench an' dey captured Jack, took 'im ta one, where Beckett be waitin'. He branded Jack a pirate and made 'im watch da Wicked Wench burn. But Witty Jack not let it be so. 'E jumped in after 'er an' tried ta save 'er. Neatly burned wiff her, he did. So, bein' a Pirate Lord, 'e summoned Davy Jones, somethin' no other would dare do an' 'e sold him soul t' 'im. Sold him soul ta see her floatin' again. Da Devil knew o' Jack Sparra, knew 'im well, knew him skills. Da Flying Dutchman can already sail anywhere de captain wants, so imagine da terror of a pilot like Jack Sparra at da helm would make. Nothin' would ever be unreachable ta Davy Jones with someone as kissed by da gods as Witty Jack be. It be too good a deal to miss."
They could already tell where this story was going. It wasn't surprising at all, to learn why it had to be a hundred souls to replace Jack's. Irony was cruel. They were not at all surprised Jack had chosen freedom over safety.
"So Davy Jones made a deal 'e never made b'fore and brought back da Wicked Wench. Only she be forever black, now. No magic could return 'er to her previous colors. Dat suited Witty Jack jus' fine. It be like turnin' a new leaf. He now forever be a pirate so he now had a pirate ship. He bought black sails and named him beloved da Black Pearl and da reat ya know." The voodoo witch finished her food before she spoke again. "'E lost trust in men after dat. Lost it even more after da mutiny. 'T all started when 'e was twelve but da mask finally were complete after 'e survived. An' da mask be so unflatterin', if ya ask Tia." She sighed through her nose, looking towards the stairs leading to the deck. "'E be so bright and witty, it were a great surprise da first time I 'eard 'im talkin' like 'e does now. He hides him heart, pretendin' not ta care. I hate it. I so loved dat spirited, open, optimistic boy he once were."
"So you thought that this," Philip vaguely pointed upwards where their subject of conversation was no doubt at the helm still, indicating the spell in his meaning, the de-aging. "Could help bring him back to his old self?"
The African like beauty tsked. "Tia may mourn da loss of dis Jack, but Tia also be fond of Witty Jack as he is. B'sides, we need Witty Jack. Dis Jack be sad, sorrowful. It be too soon since-"
"Miss Dalma," Gibbs sharply cut in, sending her a glare he usually would not dare make at her even if he were to stand right behind Jack in a suit of armor and two giant shields on either side. The voodoo witch was as surprised his this bout of bravery from the extremely superstitious man as the rest of them, bit she only arched an eyebrow at him. "I don't believe th' Capt'n would bee too happy if ye said too much, beggin' your pardon, of course. 'Specially not about such a delicate topic." He pointedly looked around the curious group before meeting her eyes again. "Especially if ya want him t' recover."
"Ya be right, Joshamee Gibbs." She acknowledged after a pause, nodding to him to enforce it. It also sent a clear message to the rest that she won't be saying anything else on the topic. "Dis be Witty Jack's story ta tell, but not now." And that right there was a very clear warning. Elizabeth pouted. Groves might have done the same.
James was quiet.
"You said Jack was 'swept away in the arms of the sea', earlier. What did you mean by that?" Will surprised everyone with the guts to actually speak up after his betrayal was revealed just a few hours ago. "And where did he get that ring? Where did he get that Compass, for that matter? You said you had given it to him but it feels like you're both leaving something out." Turner said, eying her suspiciously and ignoring the green eyed glare sent his way.
Gibbs glared harder. "That also be th' Capt'n's personal business. None of ye should be much bothered by it." Using that as his dismissal, the old sailor finished what was left of his stew, thanked Tia Dalma for the meal and left for the upper deck, taking a plate of food with him for Jack. When he was gone, everyone once again turned to Tia Dalma, waiting for her to answer but James stopped her before she could say anything else.
"I do believe Mr Gibbs is quite right. We've already intruded on Sparrow's privacy enough. There is no more need to continue doing so. Have I made myself clear?" He added when he saw that his more subtle reproach would not be heeded, his hand casually coming to rest on his sword. There was a lot of grumbling, a few weary glances and groans of disappointment, but no one asked any more questions and their meal ended quick enough, everyone going back to their hammocks after a few games of cards. Gibbs joined them soon afterwards, going to his own hammock and not saying a word to anyone. He started snoring a few minutes later.
Norrington was relieved that the ship wasn't so eerily quite like it had been the last time he couldn't fall into sleep. It wasn't nearly as unsettling. Besides Gibbs snores, he could register the sound of Marty's especially swaying hammock, Raggeti's mutterings under his breath in his sleep and Pintel's snorts. Barbossa, who had opted to stay in one of the smaller cabins, could be heard walking around every now and then with his heavy gate and James wondered briefly what he was up to before that noise disappeared. Mr Cotton's parrot was producing some strange muted noise that sounded a lot like its muffled 'Arrrgh's and said parrot's owner was making a whistling noise with every breath. James shuddered to think as to why that was, seeing as what it was that Mr Cotton lacked. Gillete and Groves were always the most quiet sleepers James had ever met so the Admiral was not at all surprised that his men were not to be heard at all.
Once again, James found himself wondering about what he had learned on this day. Jack Sparrow not only had a magical Compass that pointed towards whatever you wanted most in the world, but he also had a magical ring that could brainwash people into doing whatever he wanted them to and he so very rarely used it that no rumors or stories had ever mentioned it. He had learned that Jack Sparrow had once tried to sail like an honest - or semi-honest - sailor before he was all but forced into piracy because he freed a hundred slaves. He was crazier than he had apparently thought him to be, if he was willing to jump onto a burning ship in hopes of saving it, but that also proved he was more loyal than most people would think him possible.
And the most shocking thing that came almost as no shock at all after you got to know the man a little, the Jack Sparrow he presented to the world was nothing but a mask to hide the true Jack Sparrow. The image he had made of himself made him unpredictable - and he truly was - and hid his true intelligence behind liquor and debauchery and greed and silliness. The true Jack Sparrow had been showing through in the teen they were currently sailing under because he had not yet perfected a mask, an image he would present to the world. Oh, all of Jack Sparrow's characteristics were true, don't get me wrong! They are! But James had realized in just these couple of days that they were all ... overemphasized. Overwhelmed. Overdone. Outlandish. Caricatured. To know the real Jack Sparrow, you had to know how much his characteristics were overblown out of proportions in comparison to the true characteristics. But Jack never gave hints as to how much he was selfish and how much selfless, how much brilliant and how much mad, how much sarcastic and how much very blunt. It was a challenge, an enigma one had to spend a very long time working on in order to have any clue. Until then, one could be manipulated in a thousand different ways by the pirate, sometimes without even realizing it. Not a fate James was looking forward to.
But Jack had opened up to him once already. Perhaps James won't have to spend his whole life trying to figure it out. That night had been ... different, what with the starry skies and the full moon and whispered conversations high above from where others might disturb. Jack had been a pleasant warm wight in his arms. Norrington had felt like he was doing the right thing again, like that day when he had let Sparrow escape the gallows. Chasing after him had never felt as nice, nor had becoming Admiral. It had felt like he had a purpose again.
He almost wished they could have a repeat of the night. It had felt intimate and James had known so few a intimacies in his life. But he would not be selfish. Sparrow had been awake because he had had nightmares. Nightmares of the death of someone who had at one point been very dear to him. And James hated himself for wondering if Jack would cry for him. Why would he? James had betrayed him! And he knew that now, too, thanks to bloody Will Turner. There was no way Jack would ever again smile at James the way he had the morning after their little conversation in the dead of the night. He would never seek out James' company agai-
"James?" Said man very nearly fell out of his hammock at the low, quiet call and a dreadlocked head appearing above him very suddenly, having been so lost in thought that he had no idea Jack had descended from the deck to the crew sleeping quarters. "You awake, mate?"
"I, yes, I am." Norrington replied as he tried to calm his frantically beating heart. "Don't do that again. You scared the bloody hell out of me."
He could just barely make out Jack frowning a little guiltily, but he also saw the teen bitting his lip to stop himself from giggling. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. Or wake you. Just wanted to see if you were awake."
"And as you can see, I am." The Admiral replied in a deadpan voice and cherished the childish smile that stole over Sparrow's lips. "Did you need anything?"
"Hm? Oh, no. I was just ... I was just wondering if you were awake."
"Yes, I guessed that, but why?"
Jack fidgeted and resolutely did not meet the older man's eyes. "I wanted to see if you would like ... to stargaze and maybe talk, like the other night. The sky is still very beautiful. So many stars. We could compare our astronomy! See who's taught better, pirates or British Navy," he added the last with glee and James smiled as he sat up, silently answering Sparrow's inquiry by pulling on his boots.
"I highly doubt you register as an average pirate, Jack. Not with the friends you keep."
"Voodoo's got very little to do with astronomy." Jack pointed out and James just shook his head with a chuckle.
"And your mother's native tribe?" He asked as he silently followed the teen up onto the deck. "The one who taught you archery?"
"Nope. They were more ... Warrior oriented than in academics. Although they had some great mathematics." He winked at James conspiratorially when he swiped Will's boots and hid them behind Raggeti's. The Navy officer just shook his head with a chuckle. When Jack turned away, he took them with him and hid them behind one of the barrels holding fresh apples before joining Sparrow up at the helm. Shame they couldn't go up into the crow's nest again but someone needed to pilot the ship. "Me Da taught me about stars and navigation, though. I wonder if he's still around, now."
"If he's anything like you, he probably is." James offered as they both looked up at the starry sky. "Should you like to start?"
"Gladly." A dark, beringed hand immediately pointed towards the brightest star in the heavens. "Polaris."
"Oh, please. Are you mocking me? Even we Navy men can find Polaris." James sniffed, insulted. Jack just laughed and then continued to point three consolations around the North Star before grinning at Norrington in challenge.
"Can you continue?" It was asked mock innocently and the ex Commodore's eyes narrowed.
Challenge accepted.
Jack seemed awfully gleeful about that. And smug. As though James would let himself be beaten by an eighteen year old pirate!
Oh, it was on.