The first island we came upon was covered in deep jungles and dangerous-looking mountains, in addition to some extremely steep cliffs. Jack was sure he recognised it and tried to remember if it was a good place to stay or not. He didn't consider it for too long, however, as his fear of being attacked by Davy Jones spurred him to drop anchor there anyway. Despite Gibbs' protests, Jack made him get as close to the beach as they possibly could. When Gibbs pointed out that when the tide went out the Pearl would be stranded high and dry on the beach, Jack told him that was the point.
"It'll keep someone from trying to sink the ship," he explained, as though this was an ordinary occurrence. He ordered the crew off of the ship with the excuse that they were to hunt for supplies of fruit and fresh water, and eventually Jack and I stood on the beach near the Pearl.
I looked up at the massive ship. It seemed all the more impressive when its giant black hull was out of the water; you could really get a feel for how big the ship really was. It was also strangely sad, seeing the Black Pearl beached on the shore. It reminded me of a whale stranded on the sand, trapped and slowly dieing, out of its element.
"But Jack, who would want to try to sink the Pearl way out here?" Gibbs demanded to know, suspicion practically dripping from his voice, though he was trying to contain it. Jack simply waved his hands in response, trying to avoid the topic.
"Jack, you should tell him," I strongly advised as I crossed my arms over my chest. I didn't really like being on this island, and kept glancing nervously around the trees, waiting for the impending welcome party to arrive.
Jack finally gave in and sighed. "Just… Davy Jones."
Gibbs' eyes went wide. "Davy Jones! But why—?"
But he was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a group of native warriors, who promptly began to capture Jack's crew; it was so sudden that one moment they weren't there, and the next, we were completely surrounded. Once again, I had been taken by surprise by something that I knew was coming, and I jumped. Jack and Gibbs tried to run, but were soon trapped by the natives as they brandished spears and shouted at us in their native language.
Fortunately, it just so happened to be a language that Jack Sparrow was reasonably fluent in. Gibbs was shocked when Jack began to answer back in their own tongue, or at least a mixture of their tongue and English. After a few tense moments, they lowered their spears around Jack and appeared to greet him with high praise.
"Jack, do you know them?" Gibbs asked, eyeing the sharp spears that were still pointed in his direction worriedly.
"Oh yes… there are the Pelegostos," Jack told him promptly. "And I am their chief."
I couldn't help but smile just a tiny bit. "Jack, I know that we're still in danger here, but so long as we play our cards right, we should be okay," I told my assignment. Gibbs continued to gape as the natives herded Jack and the rest of the crew further inland, towards their village in the mountains.
Upon our arrival, the Pelegostos set about honouring Jack as their chief. It soon became clear that they saw Jack as a divine being, and as such he would soon have to be freed of his earthly prison, unfortunately enough. Jack had only enough time to just barely translate this to Gibbs before a group of the natives practically pounced on the crew, binding and gagging them right then and there. Gibbs tried to fight them, but it was of no use; he and the rest of the crew were led away to be imprisoned. I shuddered to think of what they were going to make the prisons out of. The natives saw the rest of the crew as 'unholy,' I supposed, and so they were unfit to be with their chief. Jack's attempts to convince them otherwise were thwarted.
"Just go with the flow for now, Jack," I told him. "You have a chance to escape later, trust me." I felt bad about the other men, but I had a job to do, and Jack was the person I was sent to guide and help, not them.
Jack nodded and did his best to embrace the chiefly lifestyle as well as he could. It wasn't long before he began asking after any virgins that needed 'deflowering'. I gave Jack a hard punch on the arm and told him to behave, or else. He only grinned in response. He didn't know what was happening to his other crewmembers, obviously.
"One thing you should have them do, though, is set a trap for any other intruders," I said surely. Once again, I felt bad for another person and what was yet to come; a certain Will Turner, whose fate on the island was unpleasant in nature, but useful, in the end.
Jack frowned at me. "Why?" he whispered. "They got all of the crew, don't they?"
I gave Jack a sly smile. "Well… let's just say you never know who will wash up on shore."
Convinced, Jack gave the orders to some of the warriors, and they rushed off to do their chief's bidding almost in the same instant as the words left his mouth.
For a long time, there was nothing to do but wait. I did my best to ignore the fact that Jack's throne was decorated with human bones and skulls, and instead tried to keep my mind upon observing the stunning, rugged scenery. Jack's face was painted up to resemble one who would be 'all-seeing,' with eyes painted on his eyelids and a green and yellow insect with eyes for feet painted across his nose. It looked like he had three eyes running down each cheek. Jack was also given a feathered crown and sceptre, which I think he quite enjoyed, judging from the grin he had on his face when they handed it to him. I also had to admit that there was something I liked about the sound of the drums the natives played, but at the same time I had to remember that those drums could also mean danger. I knew that soon, I would grow to dislike them.
While I was waiting, I explained to Jack that he needed a new plan. "You obviously can't stay here, Jack. They're going to try to eat you eventually. And everywhere else is occupied by the East India Trading Company." Jack wrinkled his nose, as if he had smelled something bad, and glared at me. "I know. Makes life very difficult for all pirates, including yourself. So…" I sighed and tried to make this sound as positive as possible. "I think we should go and see Tia Dalma."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Now why would I be wanting to go see her again?" he hissed. It didn't matter; I still saw the worry in his eyes, which he was trying to hide.
"She gave you the compass, didn't she? Maybe she could help you out with your new problem of Davy Jones and his 'terrible beastie' that Bootstrap mentioned. She could help you find the key and what it goes to."
Jack chewed on the inside of his cheek for a second, before nodding. "All right. You help me get out of this alive, and then we'll go see Tia. I just hope she's in a good mood, is all," he muttered darkly. Several of the natives noticed that he appeared to be talking to himself, but apart from a few confused glances between one another and some shrugs, they said nothing about it.
"Don't worry about that just now," I said, patting Jack on the shoulder comfortingly.
Jack nodded and closed his eyes. The eyes that had been painted over his lids were blue, and it gave me some idea as to what Jack would look like with blue eyes. I decided it didn't suit him.
Suddenly, there were shouts from the natives as a crowd of them approached. They were walking across the simple bridge that spanned the chasm between the mountain where Jack and the rest of the village were both located. One spokesman stepped forward and made an announcement to Jack, probably saying that they had caught another intruder. I sighed, already knowing who it was. Jack opened his eyes quickly, and looked at the intruder in surprise. There, tied to a pole like an animal on a spit, was young William Turner; pretty much the last, and probably the best, person Jack would have ever expected to come.
Will, who was hanging upside-down and appeared to be a little drowsy, managed to raise his head and peer at Jack in bemusement. He was just as surprised as my assignment was at the unexpected meeting.
"Jack? Jack Sparrow!" Will smiled in relief, looking close to bursting out laughing. I briefly considered the fact that whatever the natives had shot into him might have temporarily addled his brains, and wondered if that was at all possible. He did appear to be a little more giddy than what I might have otherwise expected from him… "I can honestly say I'm glad to see you!"
Jack's eyes flickered in confusion, as though he truly didn't recognize the younger man. I smiled. "Just go with the flow. Pretend you don't know him. You know how the 'whelp' can get you in trouble, but also know he's your ticket out of here."
Now, the fact that Will knew Jack was a danger. If the natives realised that the two of them were 'friends'—or acquaintances—there could be trouble. Therefore, Jack didn't respond to Will directly, or show any sign of familiarity towards him, Instead, he was deliberately slow in uncrossing his legs and rising out of his throne. He and I walked over to Will—well, I walked, Jack sort of strutted—and Jack prodded him in the shoulder with a finger. The manner in which he treated the young blacksmith suggested he was more of a roasted pig ready to be eaten than a human being… though to the natives, it was probably one and the same.
Will was understandably confused. "Jack, it's me. Will Turner!" he said with more than just a hint of desperation evident in his slightly hoarse voice.
Jack continued to ignore him and spoke to one of the natives instead, only adding to Will's confusion. One native, with his head painted a bit like a skull, replied to Jack and thumped his spear against the ground with force, his words causing equal grins to cascade across the dark features of his fellows. The rest of the natives repeated the last thing he said and bowed their heads in respect. I bit my tongue, wishing I was able to fully understand the language.
"Tell them to let me down!" Will pleaded Jack, desperation beginning to creep into his voice. No doubt by now he realized that something strange was going on, but that didn't change the fact that he still wanted down.
Jack either couldn't do that, or didn't want to; I couldn't decide which. Either way, he seemed to eventually decide to have a bit of fun for his own amusement, or at least do what he thought was right, with the 'fun' being a bit of an added bonus. He spoke in the natives' language again, this time also dissolving into it a bit of broken English as well. He gestured down in between Will's legs and explained something to the natives about Will that was very clear when I caught the words, "Eunuchy! Snip, snip!", complete with a scissor movement with his fingers.
I covered my hand with my mouth in an attempt to hide my giggle. The Pelegostos all murmured and nodded to each other, some repeating 'eunuchy' and wincing. Nodding, Jack turned and walked back towards his throne. As he did, Will noticed the compass hinging from one of Jack's belts, and when he did there was hardly anything that would take his eyes from it. "Jack, the compass! That's all I need!"
Jack stopped and listened to him, a thoughtful expression evident among his darkened features. "Elizabeth is in danger!" Will continued urgently. "We were arrested for trying to help you. She faces the gallows!"
"That's not good," I said. I saw concern flicker briefly across Jack's eyes though, as usual, he was attempting—and sort of failing—to hide it.
Jack thought for a few moments more, and then pivoted and walked back up to the head warrior. He gave him some orders, coupled with more than a few bizarre hand gestures, the only word of which I understood being the "savvy?" at the end. Then, Jack made a flurry of shooing motions with his hands while trying to convey what he was trying to say in much the same way. The only words I could really even hear, though not translate, were "ball licky-licky!"
Whatever it meant, though I had my unlikely suspicions, it certainly got the Pelegostos excited. The lead warrior shouted the same phrase to the rest of the tribe, who cheered it on with vigor. The drums started up again and everyone began to move, including Jack and Will. I realised what was going to happen soon, and swallowed.
Just before Will was carted off, Jack leaned in towards him. "Save me!" he hissed, a terrified look crossing his face for just the briefest of moments before it was gone again, and he was standing up straight.
Will just looked even more worried and confused as before as he was taken away. "Jack, what did you tell them?" he shouted as he was carried away across another rope bridge, headed off to where the rest of the prisoners who didn't have divine status were kept. "No! What about Elizabeth? Jack!" Will called, but there was nothing Jack could do.
The Pelegostos really started to ramp up the celebration. The beating of the drums filled the air and a lithe man painted to look like a skeleton danced as a large pile of wood was gathered for Jack's fire. Two painted-up women approached Jack, and tied a rather unbecoming necklace around his neck. It was only after they stepped away that he realised it was made out of human toes. I had to close my eyes and look away, fighting the urge to vomit right then and there.
"Thank you," Jack muttered to the women, trying and failing to force some enthusiasm. I didn't even want to look as Jack picked up one of the big toes, studied it for a second, shrugged, and took a tiny bite, which he quickly spit out.
"That is beyond gross, Jack," I said, shuddering. Jack had to agree with me, though he didn't do so out loud. Together, we eyed the two burly cannibals standing on either side of Jack's throne; they were obviously in place to make sure their chief didn't run off. "You're going to have to find some way to distract these two guys," I told Jack quietly, though there was really no need for secrecy on my end of things. "Then make a run for it."
"Right," Jack said quietly. One of his guards gave him a funny look, and Jack smiled.
It wasn't long before he noticed one of the natives was starting to light the bonfire. Jack leapt out of the throne, looking frantic. "No, no. Oi! No, no!" he shouted at him, making most of the natives turn and regard him in interest. "More wood! Big fire, big fire!" He raised his arms in the air to accent his words, mimicking the flames he supposedly wanted to see. "I am Chief. Want big fire! Come on!"
Jack turned to the two big men standing by his throne and shouted at them in their language. I managed to catch another "Oi!" used to get their attention, and "Tout de suite! Come on! More wood." Jack frenziedly beckoned for them to fetch more fuel and the two of us smirked when they did so.
"Good job," I said to Jack pleasantly, then returning to a serious façade just as quickly. "Now run!"
Jack immediately dropped his sceptre and crown, much as it pained him to part with the former, and he and I quickly made a mad dash for the nearest rope bridge.