A/N: Hello yet again! Please, I know it's a hassle, but remember to review. It's hard to catch every mistake on my own. :)
Disclaimer: Just to be safe, I still don't own PotC or any of its existing characters.
CUT TO
Jack and Zelda, their shapes darkening the door of a tavern still recovering from the night prior. A surly looking girl places dozens of dirty mugs on a large tray, and she shoots them an irritated look as she goes behind the counter.
Jack walks in as though the queen herself had invited him, Zelda on his arm. They pass by a clear drunk still on a barstool, empty bottles scattered across the counter in front of him.
JACK
(to the drunk)
Oi, mate, you ain't lookin' too spry.
Scanning the rest of the tavern, he doesn't spot what he's looking for at first, then--
JACK
Ah!
(gesturing for Zelda to go first)
Lady.
In the very back of the room, a lamp still burning from the night before, a table of intense card players hunch over their respective hands as though life were on the line.
Among them is the welcome sight of Joshamee Gibbs, though looking as though he hasn't slept in simply ages.
Jack and Zelda stand behind Gibbs, but no one takes any notice until Jack makes a rather large "ahem" style noise.
GIBBS
(looking around)
Jack...
(turning back to his cards)
Jack?
(looking back to Jack with a start)
Jack! So yeh've gotten the Pearl already, have you? Well, would you mind lending a mate a little--?
(he makes the sign for "money")
--I'm running low, actually.
In fact, Gibbs seems to have only a dusty penny in his winnings pile, while the rest have at least a modest share of gold.
JACK
Simply hate to interrupt, mate, but we've important business to attend to.
GIBBS
(getting up)
Bit late for important business, ain't it?
ZELDA
Actually, it small bit early.
GIBBS
(taking notice of her)
Aye, I suppose it is. And who're you, miss?
ZELDA
I am Zelda Marie.
GIBBS
An' how do you know Jack here?
ZELDA
He rescue me from Island of Losts.
(when Gibbs' brow furrows a bit)
Isla de los Perdidos, they say.
Is impossible for one to escape without being rescued…
All the damsels and wives and daughters were long gone.
GIBBS
Leavin' you?
ZELDA
(a bit affronted)
I no one's damsel.
Is hard to be female pirate and be damsel at same time.
GIBBS
Aye…
ZELDA
So I join Jack an' Antina and we search for treasure of many, many worths.
GIBBS
Which is?
JACK
(leaning close)
The Agua de Vida.
Gibbs looks from Jack to Zelda to the room back to Jack again. The lamplight flickers on his and Zelda have secretive, stony faces, while Gibbs seems to feel as though he were being tricked.
GIBBS
Honest, Jack?
The Fountain of Youth?
(laughing)
No one's heard a snippet 'bout that for years. Every man who goes for it goes equally mad in due time, if anyone sees the bloody fool again at all.
When Hector Barbossa said that was his aim, I'd be damned if I'd ever sail under his command. And now you, Jack. I'd hate to say the same 'bout ya.
JACK
Ah. Thought all that fine information over, I did. And I reached a logical conclusion.
We let Turner be captain and assume all madcap responsibilities.
GIBBS
Turner? But both Turners' on the Flyin' Dutchman now!
I'll never set a foot on that bloody ship again, so help me…
JACK
It's been much more improved. The whole lots' loads friendlier now. An' jis think…
(he leans in close, to give this gravity)
a drink so powerful it can stop anything…even death.
GIBBS
I'm not arguin' with the, eh, aim, it's more the process that's got me worried.
ZELDA
(sweet, angelic)
Please. It mean so much to Jack and Antina an' me.
Gibbs fights with himself for a moment, not wanting Zelda to get to him. It is visible on his face that he wants nothing more than to say yes…
GIBBS
(reluctantly)
Aye?
Jack visibly relaxes; knowing his mate will be on board is all he needs.
CUT TO
THE DECK OF THE BLACK PEARL. The camera pulls back to reveal an odd sort of ping pong game going on between Pintel and Ragetti. It becomes clear that they're smacking Ragetti's new wooden eye back and forth between them.
It's a slow day.
RAGETTI
When'd you think they'll be back?
PINTEL
Who's they?
RAGETTI
Them new blokes on the crew.
PINTEL
They're shifty, those two. Don't trust 'em.
Ain't that right, Cap'n?
The camera pulls back farther to reveal Captain Hector Barbossa, looking rather troubled for such a scoundrel. He's as uncomfortable at port as Jack was on Antina's island.
BARBOSSA
(miffed, a bit of an outburst)
Aye. And maybe we'd not have such problems if we'd all watched the map, as were accordin' to plan in the first place!
Were it not that difficult to keep yer damn eyes on the charts?
(stumping over, he snatches the eye out of midair and brandishes it fiercely)
Say, like this one 'ere?!
What yeh need the bloody thing for if yeh ain't goin' to see anythin' with it.
Barbossa hurls the eye off the side of the ship and gears up for another shouting match. In the slight pause, he is interrupted by a shout of glee.
MURTOGG
Captain! We've found something!
Barbossa, Pintel, Ragetti, and a few other crew members hasten to the side of the ship and peer down at the two in their little dingy. Antina is sitting, pacified, between them.
RAGETTI
Didn't go so well the las' time we had a lady on board, did it?
All eyes snap to Barbossa, who has begun to calm down and is mistified as to what these non-pirating clowns are doing with nothing more than a common strumpet.
BARBOSSA
Bring 'em up?
CUT TO
The excited Murtogg, Mullroy, and quiet Antina being pulled over the side. The crowd of pirates has grown a little more out of curiosity than anything else.
BARBOSSA
(still grouchy, and therefore terrifying)
Yes' better have a damn good reason why yer bringin' this wench aboard me vessel.
MULLROY
She's not just any er, wench—she's worth something fierce!
He elbows Murtogg, who pulls out the ancient WANTED poster and hand it to the captain.
MURTOGG
(reverent)
She's magic.
Barbossa snatches the poster and takes a long look, his eyes flicking back to Antina to compare their appearances.
BARBOSSA
(playing to the crowd)
Boys, looks like yeh've got a damn good reason--8,000 guineas worth!
A cheer goes up from the crew.
BARBOSSA
But we're not wantin' that.
(quieter, to Antina now)
What I'm wonderin' is, if you'd be so kind, my dear, to point us in the direction of a certain Fountain…
ANTINA
(not really trying to be convincing)
I know nothing?
BARBOSSA
Aye then.
He turns, walks a step or two away, then, quick as a flash, whips out his pistol and shoots her right between the eyes.
Antina crumbles to the deck, eyes rolling into her head.
RAGETTI
What'd yous kill 'her for?
MARTY
You've just conned us out of more money than Jack ever did!
Shouts of agreement are heard, but Barbossa holds up his hands for silence.
BARBOSSA
Lads, lads, lads. We not be wantin' her if she's dead.
(holding up the poster for all to see)
Ain't you recognize this name?
PINTEL
But…that's the one Jack always said he'd…
BARBOSSA
Precisely.
All eyes turn to Antina, who is stirring from her place sprawled on the deck.
COTTON'S PARROT
Wicked wench! Wicked wench!
She lifts her hand to her mouth and spits the bullet into her palm.
The crew recoils a little, all but Barbossa, who moves closer to her and bends down to see her eye-to-eye.
BARBOSSA
Yeh think Jack was gonna keep quiet?