Chapter 2: An Exaggerated Present
"A diddle de diddle de diddle de doo....A pirate's life for me." Captain Jack Sparrow sang softly as he walked the streets of Port Royal. Winding his way through the colorful pageantry of the simple folk, he smiled as he lifted an apple into his hands from a cart beside him. Wiping it haphazardly onto the front of his coat he munched as he swaggered up to the blacksmith's shop door. Stopping to look at the sign he grinned and looked around him, the beads that dangled from his hair made a glittering sound as they came into contact with one another by his constantly twitching movements.
Opening the door lightly, he spotted Will standing over yet another sword, his mind dully unfocused on the task before him. With a grin he removed his weapon as he walked quietly behind the dark haired young man and placed the tip of his rapier against the side of his throat.
Will stopped immediately, all too familiar with the feeling of cold steel as he lifted his hands into the air slowly, dropping the almost finished product to his feet.
"Still practicing three hours a day Master William?" His slurring voice and thick accent questioned as Will turned with a glare to stare into the pirate's eyes.
Noting the same apparel as their previous encounter he grinned as he wiped his hands and face while waiting for Jack to speak.
Putting his sword level to his friend's chest, he gave a small grin as the blacksmith's eyes looked down then back up, smoldering with intensity as he flashed a smile; his dimples making him look younger.
"Is that wise, Captain? Crossing blades with a blacksmith? It just doesn't seem right with the code." His voice was low and steady as he picked up Tavington's sword and tested the grip.
Metal crashing against metal was heard next as the two enjoyed a small bout. Twisting and turning away from one another's blades becoming more difficult as they both stepped away from each other.
"One moment please." Jack spoke, putting his sword back into its casing as he lifted the tri-corner hat from his head and set it down on a protruding nail beside him. Shrugging out of his faded blue jacket, he tossed it to the ground as he placed his sword back into the palm of his hand, crashing it against Will's once again.
"I beat you last time, will you be cheating again?" The honest blacksmith questioned as his blade met overhead with the Captain's, bringing them close together.
"Pirate." Jack reminded, shoving a well planted foot into Will's stomach as he knocked the younger man to the ground; watching with delighted dark eyes as the sword clattered from his hand. Placing a tattered brown boot onto the lad's chest he idly scratched his head as he smiled with a golden toothed grin at the defeated Turner below him.
"I recall you sayin' something about you winning in a fair fight. What say I buy you a drink for your loss and trouble, mate?"
Reaching a hand out to the befallen Will he noticed the circles under his eyes as well as his disheveled appearance; having nothing to do with the previous sparring.
"Leave it be Jack, I need to get this order filled." Will snarled as he placed the sword back onto the anvil as he looked over at the Pirate.
"I thought you weren't going to return to Port Royal any time before you were needed?"
"I'm prospecting; as it were. Lookin' for nice relic that's going to lead me to riches. Unfortunately, the crew I have isn't too interested in sailing the Pearl back to the Island of death, so I'm stuck here while they make their own plans."
"I feel terribly for you." Will sidled as he placed the crooked blade into the fire, molding it back into place.
"You wouldn't be interested would you? Think about it, mate. More adventure on the high seas with old Captain Jack Sparrow. How can you pass that up, eh?"
"By reminding myself that I have a wife and child that need my attention more than you. I'm quite content with the life that I have, Captain Jack Sparrow."
"No mate, I can see it in your eyes. You want to sail but have no chance of convincing the missus to join your endeavor. You're more like your father than you'll let on boy, you're gonna have to square with that one day."
"Jack, I'm not a pirate." Will growled as he turned angry yet hopeful eyes on the pirate before him.
"I'm not like my father."
"Suit yourself mate, though I happen to know that this treasure is right up your ally. But I suppose I'll have to go about it by me onesie. Gibbs will gladly go along, it isn't every day you come across old acquaintances." Jack turned away, finding the door quickly as he waited for Will's response.
"What do you mean, 'old acquaintances'?"
"Like I said. Old Bootstrap Bill won't wait forever. And I've got a mind to find 'im. He's been spotted around Tortuga. Bartering everything in hopes of finding the child he lost almost ten years ago. The child he heard tales of defeating Captain Barbossa himself."
Will's heart stopped as he set his things down and swiveled around to meet Sparrow's steady gaze.
"You lie."
"How can you pass it up, eh?"
* * *
"Look boy, there's no way old Hobb could have taken Bootstrap. He'd already taken the gold and given it to you so there was nothin' keepin' him from being just as undead as the rest of those pirates, I'm sure." Gibbs spoke quickly over a glass of ale; the local pub of Port Royal empty except for the occasional drunk and the small group in the back corner.
"You're telling me that my father is alive?"
"I found this...in Tortuga...on my last visit." Jack stuttered, digging through his pockets as he stood, shaking the tops of his trousers with a frown. Moving to the front of his coat, he vigorously yanked at the clothing in attempts to hear the clatter of the small piece of jewelry. Rolling his eyes he sat back down and pulled the item in question from his thumb.
The golden wedding band was dirty and dingy, but Will frowned as he recognized it. Lifting his right hand, the small band shone against his skin as he pulled it from his pinky. Taking the trinket from Jack, he put them up against each other, the markings on each band identical as he frowned and held them in the palm of his hand.
"It's my father's. He and mum both had wedding rings that he made; separate; individual so they'd know they were special. My mother gave me hers when she died." He explained, looking down at his own wedding ring.
"Here's the question, mate. He's got to be looking pretty hard for his sorry little boy if he's bartering off his wedding ring, you follow? We need him to find the loot, because he's the missing piece of the puzzle."
"You're asking me to leave my family and sail the Pearl with you to find my father, and then hunt for treasure?" Will gave the Captain an offended look as he pocketed both rings and stood up, shaking his head fiercely.
"No! I'm asking you AND your family to sail the Pearl with me to find your father, and THEN hunt for treasure."
"You're mad; out of your mind." Will walked from the tavern into the cool evening air and headed for home as he heard Jack's voice from behind him.
"Well, at least offer a man a place to sleep, bloody pirate."
With a smile, the blacksmith turned and waited for the Captain to catch up, leading the way to his home.
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