Chapter 7: The Appropriately Piratey Town of Tortuga
Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to PotC nor HP as they remain the properties of their respective owners. I own any additional characters I add. Also, the familiar dialogue is from the PotC films, which belongs Disney and the director Gore Verbinski.
oOoOo
The Interceptor cut across the waves with Jack guiding the wheel. Will walked around on the deck tightening the lines before moving back astern. Hermione glanced at them for a moment, before gazing out at the vast sea spanning as far as the eye could see. She wondered where the ever-elusive Captain Jack Sparrow was taking them. He had not made it clear to her or Will; he had only hinted on a town where they would find more pirates, stressing in not so many words, like himself. This made Hermione wonder if all pirates were like him, with a strange air of madness about them. Jack had failed to give them the name of this town.
Hermione sighed, gazing down into the deep dark murky depths of the ocean, lost in her thoughts. The ship sailed quickly across the surface despite having been manned by two men and one woman. Though she could do little to help having never known much about ships or boats. She never liked them much, but she did what she could without a single complaint. Jack hadn't mentioned anything about it even when she did something wrong. He would just grin before showing her how to do it.
Even Will had been puzzled by the commands Jack issued to him, and Hermione could not blame him. Jack was a peculiar individual indeed. Though for a pirate he seemed, to Hermione, quite well spoken, but also confusing. Those times when he spoke so fast, and the words seemed to merge into a blur.
She shook off her thoughts, and her gaze was drawn to Will as he sat down on the steps to the bridge. Her attention pulled back to where Jack was at the wheel, steering the ship to their destination. He gazed down at her for a moment, a small smile appearing on his lips before he looked back out at the ocean. For a moment Hermione thought he looked almost like a normal person in those few seconds.
She continued to observe him while he scanned his compass, and she frowned. It eluded her how he could do this without a proper crew, let alone a compass Hermione had come to learn did not seem to work. The man was enshrouded in as much mystery as attractiveness. Even Hermione, who had always strived to go only for good guys, found herself drawn in and attracted to the bad boy aura Jack gave off.
Her eyes shifted back to Will where he sat sharpening his sword with a deep frown forming on his brow. He glanced up at her for a moment, before turning his eyes towards the silent Captain who seemed lost in thought himself. His eyes then found Hermione's again, and he shrugged, indifferently. There was a curious gleam in his eyes, and she guessed he was also wondering where Jack was taking them.
Hermione sighed, moving down to the front of the ship, her footsteps resounding on the deck. She knelt to remove the heels, feeling the relief immediately. She examined her feet, wincing at the blisters, before picking them up, and carrying them with her towards the bow.
She stopped, sitting down on the deck, and pulled her wand from the sleeve of her dress, inspecting the long thin wooden stick with a frown. There did not appear to be anything wrong with it. Her frown deepened though when she remembered her spells had little effect on the pirates when they attacked Port Royal. She was quite tempted to send a jinx at Jack to see if it was a fluke that her wand had not worked in her time of need. She held herself back though, not keen on the idea of getting tossed overboard at any rate.
She stared at the smooth wood again; her mind trailed back to why it hadn't worked. Then she remembered the axe Will threw at one of them. Then later they saw the same pirate looking as though he never had an axe lodged in his back at all. She contemplated on how that was possible. Are they immortal or something? She thought bemusedly, gazing out at the ocean. That would be just like fate. Sending her to a time where immortal pirates were running around killing and pillaging wherever they deemed fit. Even with immortal pirates, Hermione thought her spells should still work against them. It seemed fate would never give her a moment's peace in life. Where she could just have a typical day without running head-first into a dangerous, possibly life-threatening, situation.
Hermione mentally shook those discomforting thoughts away. She concentrated for a moment, muttering a charm under her breath causing a white dove to fly from her wand. It headed away towards the east. She crawled across the wooden deck, peering over at Jack and Will. They didn't seem to notice, and she sighed in relief.
She moved back to her spot, leaning up against the mast. She pointed her wand at her shoes to make them feel as though they were flat shoes and stowed her wand back up the sleeve of her dress. She pulled her shoes back on, and she could feel the magic working through them. So, her wand was still in full functioning order, but this revelation did little to comfort her.
She turned, walking back up the deck towards the bridge. She walked up the steps, leaning against the railing on the opposite side from where Will was sharpening his sword with a whetstone. Gazing at Jack, he smiled at her before inspecting his compass again. She could not help the small smile that touched her lips before glancing at Will who was frowning.
Jack spoke then, glancing at Will briefly. 'For a man who's made an industry of avoiding boats, you're a quick study.'
Will continued to sharpen his sword, not looking up while he answered, 'I worked passage from England as a cabin boy.' Hermione listened curiously while Will spoke of his life when he lived with his mother. He paused a moment, running the stone down his blade roughly before glancing at Jack. 'When I was a lad living in England, my mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here… looking for my father,' he finished, running the stone back down his sword again without looking as his eyes fixed on Jack.
'Is that so?' Jack asked, raising his eyebrows.
'You don't seem surprised by this,' Hermione muttered. Jack glanced at her but said nothing.
Will frowned at the pirate. 'My father, William Turner,' he said and stood, walking closer to Jack. The pirate did not say anything, and Will had lost his patience for guile. 'At the prison, it was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help us. Since that's what we both wanted, I didn't press the matter. I'm not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father,' he said. Hermione shifted slightly wondering what would happen to Will should Jack become angry.
Jack glanced at him calmly, contemplating how to reply to that, before settling on the truth. 'I knew him,' he answered, not denying it. 'Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner,' he said, his lips twitching a little. He turned his gaze back to the sea.
'What do you mean?' Hermione asked softly, glancing at Will who was looking a little confused.
'Everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill,' Jack answered without looking over at her.
'Bootstrap?' Hermione asked, her eyes widening in realisation. She glanced at Will's expression as it darkened.
'Good man. Good pirate,' Jack answered with a smile to her before he turned back to Will. 'I swear you look just like him,' he added, smiling at him.
Will glared at him. 'It's not true. He was a merchant sailor. A good, respectable man who obeyed the law,' he said becoming incensed.
Jack rolled his eyes. 'He was a bloody pirate, a scallywag,' he argued back, glaring at him.
'He was not a pir-' Will began, but Jack cut him off, turning towards him laughing.
'You think your father is the only man who ever lived the Glasgow life? Telling folk one thing, and then going off to do another? There is quite a few who come here, hoping to amass enough swag to ease the burdens of honest life. And they're all "merchant marines",' Jack told him, turning the wheel a bit.
Will glared at him with a mixture of shock and anger. 'My father did not think of my mother, his family, as a burden!' he barked.
Jack smiled at this. 'Sure, because he could always go pirating,' he answered, his smile widening.
Will's eyes narrowed. 'My father was not a pirate!' he shouted heatedly brandishing his sword and levelling it at Jack.
Jack regarded him disbelievingly before sighing. Hermione sighed, rubbing her eyes wearily. 'Not again,' she grumbled referring to the sword fighting.
Jack gazed at her, a frown showing on his brow before looking at Will. 'Put it away, son,' Jack said in an almost bored manner. 'It's not worth you getting beat before we even start,' he said. Hermione slowly made to stop Will if he prepared to attack Jack. She wouldn't be able to stop it once they started without using magic, and she didn't want to do that.
'You wouldn't beat me. From what I've seen, pirates don't seem to follow the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd kill you,' he told him, scowling at him.
Jack smiled, peering over at him. 'Then that's not much incentive for me to fight fair, then, is it?' Jack said with a smirk. He kicked a lever on a wench, spinning the wheel, and the sail boom whipped around slamming Will in the chest, swinging him out over the sea. Will's sword clattered onto the deck, and he held onto the yard for dear life as he dangled above the water. Jack then slipped a loop of rope around the wheel to stay the course, before picking up the sword. He poked at Will with it. Panicking, Will moved hand-over-hands away from the blade to the end of the boom.
'Jack! What are you doing!? You could have thrown him overboard!' Hermione cried, running towards the boom.
Jack seized her arm, pulling her back against him, one of his arms wrapped around her stomach, and held her in place so she could not fight against him. His other hand came up to caress her cheek, neck, and hair. 'I would only have left him in the water long enough for him to learn his lesson, Miss Swann. Now you could stand here quietly, and allow me to speak with Mr Turner, or you can join lover boy and hang there with him. I am sure it would be fun, I might try it myself one day,' Jack whispered almost caressingly in her ear, tightening his hold on her.
She turned her head, glaring up at him. 'You are a horrible pirate,' Hermione whispered back but found her gaze drawn to his lips. For a second, he lowered his head towards her, but something stopped him.
'Calli don't tempt him to follow through with his threat!' Will cried, clinging to the yard. 'And don't you dare harm her, Jack!' Will threatened, but it seemed insignificant because he wasn't exactly in the position to threaten anyone at the moment. He grasped the yard tightly, almost slipping off. 'Could you both stop talking, and get me off this thing!' he barked, reaching his arm around the wood to try and get a better hold of it.
Hermione pulled away from Jack who looked slightly disappointed at the interruption. 'Would you get him down from there! He's going to fall!' Hermione barked at Jack. She could feel a blush emerging on her cheeks at the thought of what almost happened.
Jack grinned at her, shrugging before regarding Will. 'Now, as long as you're just hanging there, pay attention. The only rules that really matter are these – what a man can do, and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man, or you can't…' he paused as Will looked away. He wasn't interested in hearing more about his father being a pirate. Jack continued anyway, '…but pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that someday. Now, me, for example, I can let you drown, but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onesie, and with this girl, savvy? So…' Jack pulled the rope off the wheel, and spun the boom back in, causing Will to drop to the deck on his back at Jack's feet. Jack held out the hilt of the sword, which Will took, but he glared at him, considering what he would do next. Jack stared down at him, regarding him coolly as he continued, '…can you sail under the command of a pirate? Or can you not?' he asked him.
Will nodded and Jack helped him to his feet, and the pirate watched him stride back to his spot on the deck. Sitting down, he resumed sharpening his sword while Hermione whispered to him, trying to see if he was okay. Jack felt relieved, peering down at his hands which were shaking, before retaking the wheel.
Will paused with his sharpening, eyeing Jack. 'Tortuga?' he questioned, raising his eyebrows.
Jack looked at him blankly for a moment. 'Oh, did I forget to mention that?' He asked with a sheepish grin. Will stood from his spot on the deck, placing an arm around Hermione who was a little shaken by everything. 'Aye, Tortuga,' Jack confirmed, spinning the wheel unexpectedly. Hermione and Will ducked, not wanting to relive what happened a moment ago.
'And what is so special about this place?' Hermione asked, staggering to her feet. She faced Jack who froze at her question.
Jack spun to face her with raised eyebrows and widened eyes. 'Simply that it is Tortuga,' he answered with a smile.
'And why have you waited this long to tell us that is where we are going?' Will asked curiously, sitting back down with slight fatigue. The hit from the yard had winded him.
'Because if I suggested going there before leaving where we were then there was a possibility that you would not have left where we were, and then we would not be going where we are going, savvy?' Jack asked them. They stared back in confusion.
'Okay, but again, what is so special about this place? You said it like it was pirate heaven or something,' Hermione said, brushing herself off.
Jack tapped a finger to his chin. 'That's because it is,' he answered, and she frowned at him.
Will having missed what Hermione said asked. 'What is?'
Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. 'Tortuga,' he answered.
Will frowned. 'What?' he asked.
Jack growled in slight irritation, which only amused Hermione and Will further. 'You will see it soon,' Jack answered, taking out his compass and opening it. The arrow spun quickly for a moment before stopping in a westward direction. Jack smiled before slipping it shut and putting it back in his pocket.
oOoOo
It wasn't long before Jack steered them to the docks of a dark town. It was loud with music, gunshots, and sword fighting. A dank and dirty port, where the tides seemed to have swept together the sum of the Caribbean. Pirates, privateers, prostitutes, thieves, and drunkards. With its cantered, rotting docks, weather-beaten buildings, and an odd assortment of livestock running free: a donkey, chickens, etcetera, it was far less civilised than Port Royal.
The three companions tied the ship up securely before following the rather excited Jack towards the main town. Will and Hermione shared a glance as they kept close to Jack, and he grabbed her hand, holding onto it tightly. He didn't like having to take her to a place like this as he could already see this was not a respectable town like Port Royal. It was a place where there is no such thing as laws or authorities to keep the madness at bay.
Jack led them into the town, spreading his arms out wide as if he was returning to an old friend he left behind. He smiled at them. 'It is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy? What do you think?' He asked them as behind him a pirate shot another one who was standing on a balcony. He fell to his death below, while the wench he was with seized the guy who shot him and started kissing him instead.
'It'll linger,' Will answered, looking around.
'It's lively and… welcoming,' Hermione said, glancing at Will with revolt for the town.
'I'll tell you mate…' Jack said turning to Will. '…if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted,' he said. He turned to see a heavily made-up woman with red hair walking towards him. 'Scarlett!' he hollered with a smile, but she just glared back heatedly, and slapped him. He turned to Will and Hermione who were regarding him with raised eyebrows. 'Not sure I deserved that,' he told them, turning back around to see another heavily made-up woman with blonde hair standing in front of him. 'Giselle!' he said in greeting, but it was with slight reluctance.
Giselle smiled cynically before gesturing to Scarlett who had sauntered away heatedly. 'Who was she!?' she asked sharply.
'What?' Jack asked blankly, and she slapped him harder than Scarlett had. He turned back to the now amused Will and Hermione with a look of slight defeat on his face. He smiled guiltily. 'I may have deserved that,' he told them, and they nodded.
'So, onto more important things-' Hermione started, but Jack cut her off.
'You saying my love life isn't important, love?' Jack asked her, raising his eyebrows, and eyeing her up and down as if admiring her figure.
Will glared at him as Hermione blushed deeply, but she continued as if he had not spoken. 'What are we doing here?' she asked him.
Jack clicked his tongue. 'We need a crew. We can manage the ship between islands, but the open sea is another matter-'
'Just do it quickly,' Will muttered darkly, cutting him off.
Jack rubbed his jaw with a slight frown. 'Don't worry. I've already got a Quartermaster,' he muttered before turning back to Hermione. 'Now to finish answering your question before dear William here interrupted me, love," he said, and Will rolled his eyes. Jack grinned. 'We are here to drink, be merry, and find a man named Gibbs before doing the first two,' he answered. He then led them over to the well in the middle of the town square. 'Now first things first, we will each fill a bucket with water,' he told them as if he were speaking to two children rather than adults.
'Why?' Will asked, taking the bucket Jack passed to him.
'Believe me; we'll need it. You will both know what to do when the opportunity arises,' Jack answered, filling his own.
Hermione and Will shrugged, filling their buckets before following Jack down a deserted alleyway. 'Now where are we going?' Will asked him, gripping Hermione's hand with his free hand.
'To find the said man I said we were going to find,' Jack answered. They exited the alley, coming to an open shelter used in farming to house pigs only to find that it was the pigsty. 'Here we are,' Jack told them. They both looked around him to see a chubby man sleeping on some hay with a half-empty bottle of light orange liquid grasped loosely in his hand. A pig was sniffing and snorting at him as it wandered around in the pigsty. Will looked at Jack with raised eyebrows, while Hermione viewed the man sleeping in the pigsty in revulsion. Jack glanced at them as if this was normal. 'He's had too much rum again,' Jack muttered in justification. He put his bucket of water down, clasping his hands together enthusiastically. 'Allow me to introduce Gibbs!' he yelled cheerfully only for Hermione and Will to eye him as though he were mad.
'If he were awake, I would not be at all surprised if he opted to introduce himself unless he cannot speak,' Will said, hinting for Jack to wake him up.
'You are correct, William, and yes he can speak. In fact, in his case, it's sometimes getting him to shut up that is the real challenge,' Jack replied. He picked up his bucket again, tossing the water over the unconscious man.
Gibbs sat up instantly. 'Curse you for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot!' he screamed before his eyes fixed properly on who woke him up. 'Mother's love! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. 'S bad luck,' he said with a smile.
Jack smiled, kneeling in front of Gibbs while placing the bucket back down. 'Ah, fortunately, I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it, while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking,' Jack rationalised.
Gibbs took on a look of puzzlement as he tried to figure it out. Gibbs smiled after a couple of minutes and stood. 'Aye, that'll about do it,' he agreed as Will tossed the water from his bucket over him. 'Blast! I'm already awake!' Gibbs barked at him.
Will glanced at Jack. 'That was for the smell,' he answered, dropping his bucket before moving to his right as Gibbs nodded in agreement to what he said.
He made to move out of the pigsty, but Hermione tossed her bucket of water at him. Gibbs gaped at her in disbelief. 'What the hell was that for!?' he shouted at her.
Hermione smiled innocently. 'For shits and giggles,' she replied causing Will to gape at her in shock, Jack to chuckle, and Gibbs to just shrug at her logic.
Gibbs scrutinised her for a moment, his eyes widening. 'Miss Swann?' he asked her, and Hermione frowned. 'Don't you be remembering me? We shared a ship back from England near 12 years ago now,' he told her.
Hermione shook her head. 'No, I'm afraid I don't remember. I would have been six then, and it seems my memory is failing me. I don't remember many things from my past,' Hermione replied dejectedly, concocting the same story again. It was getting old, and Hermione wished she could just tell them all the truth, but it was already far too late for that. If they found out the truth… she was not sure what would happen. She would most likely get burned at the stake for heresy. She was not sure if witch burnings were frequent in this era, and she did not particularly want to find out.
'Well, that's a shame, but maybe for the best,' Gibbs answered. Hermione frowned back in confusion, wondering what he could have meant by those words.
oOoOo
They followed Jack back to the central town and down another alley to a secluded tavern with a cracked sign that read "The Faithful Bride". There was an emblem over the door which was a politically incorrect painting of a smiling woman holding a bouquet in her chained and manacled hands. It seemed to be one of those pubs that was situated for all those who already knew it was there but hidden from those who did not.
Jack pulled the door open, holding it while Gibbs, Hermione, and then Will walked in, passing a pretty Asian woman coming out. When she registered who was keeping the door open, she immediately slapped him, cursing something in Chinese. Jack backed away from her, and ducked into the pub, closing the door on the woman. He joined the group while rubbing his jaw. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him in amusement but did not comment. Jack took a moment to look around; he hated coming into pubs like this one. Populating it was the higher class of the scum, and they tended to treat everyone like dirt.
Fortunately, they did not raise much awareness from the other patrons. Jack handed Gibbs some money, and the man went off to buy them drinks. Jack gestured for Will and Hermione to follow him over to a post positioned near the middle of the room. 'You two wait here. If you don't want the pirates and wenches propositioning you for anything you may not have done yet…' he paused, eyeing Hermione with raised eyebrows, and she blushed, '…or can't do…' at this, he eyed Will who scowled at him. Jack averted his eyes, before continuing, '…then I suggest you pretend you are both "together" if you get my meaning,' he finished. Gibbs came back, setting the drinks down on a table near to where they were standing. Jack scanned the room suspiciously for a moment before turning back to Will. 'Keep a sharp eye,' he instructed him, leaving to sit at the table with Gibbs. Shadows obscured the table, a single candle was all that illuminated them, and they spoke in hushed voices.
Hermione frowned as Will wrapped his arms around her when he noticed one of the pirates eying her almost ravenously. Hermione glanced up at him. 'Why do you think Jack told us to wait here? I can hear them as if I was sitting there with them,' she told him.
Will shrugged. 'I think that was the idea. I guess schemes made between pirates must be kept within the circle of pirates. Meaning it is not supposed to have anything to do with us, but I think Jack wants us to hear what they are saying. So, they chose a close table to where we are standing,' he answered. Hermione nodded, and they fell silent so they could hear what the pirates were saying over the loud music and noises from the other patrons.
Gibbs lifted his tankard, taking a large swig. 'Just the one,' Jack told him, and the other pirate paused before taking a dainty sip instead.
'Make it last, then,' he muttered, setting his tankard down, and peering at Jack interestedly. 'Now, what's the nature of this venture of yours?' he asked him.
Jack held up a hand. 'First, have you found me a crew?' he asked him.
Gibbs chuckled. 'Oh, there's a hard tale, Jack. Most of the decent pirates in town won't sail with you, seem to think you're a jinx,' he divulged.
Jack frowned at his words and sighed. 'Now where, I wonder, would they have gotten that idea?' he asked scornfully. Gibbs evaded answering him by taking a long sip. Jack leaned forward, and Gibbs tentatively did the same. 'I'm going after the Black Pearl,' Jack told him. Gibbs choked on his drink, straightening up as if someone hit him. He stared at Jack as if he only just realised he was mad. He reached for his drink as if to down it, but then thought better and set it back down, before leaning forward again. Jack had not moved an inch as this was happening, and he continued, 'I know where it's going to be, and I'm going to take it,' he told him, sitting back in his chair, and taking a swig of his rum.
Gibbs gaped at him sceptically. 'Jack, it's a fool's errand. Why you know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl,' he said, placing his tankard on the table.
Jack leaned forward with a smile. 'That's why I know what Barbossa is up to. All I need is a crew.'
Gibbs shook his head, his eyes wide. 'From what I hear tell of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools nor strike a bargain with one.'
Jack smiled at this. 'Well, then I'd say it's an excellent thing I'm not a fool then, eh?' he answered, taking another slightly longer swig of his rum.
Gibbs eyed him thoughtfully. 'Prove me wrong,' he wagered, picking his tankard back up. 'What makes ye think Barbossa will give up his ship to you?'
Jack peered at him knowingly. 'Let's just say it's a matter of leverage, eh?' he answered with a smile. Will tightened his hold on Hermione at these words, glancing around at Jack for a moment before turning back around. Jack smiled mysteriously, trying to signal in their direction subtly. Gibbs was too much of an idiot to take heed, so Jack rolled his eyes and bluntly pointed to the post Will and Hermione were behind.
'The kid?' Gibbs inquired, peering at the post.
Jack nodded. 'That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child, savvy? Can you not tell from the resemblance? I swear it's uncanny,' he replied, taking a drink of his rum.
Gibbs' eyes widened over the edge of his tankard, peering at where Will was standing. He smiled widely, showing more missing teeth than good ones. 'Is he, now? "Leverage", says you. "I think I feel a change in the wind", says I. I'll find us a crew. There's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as you,' Gibbs told him. Hermione shuddered at the thought of there being anyone else like Jack. Will rubbed her back soothingly.
'One can only hope,' Jack answered, raising his tankard towards Gibbs in a toast. 'Take what you can…' he began.
Gibbs clinked his tankard against Jack's. '…Give nothing back,' he finished. They both drained their drinks, slamming the empty mugs down on the table.
They both stared over in stunned fascination as Will reacted overdramatically to the sound. He pushed Hermione behind him and unsheathed his weapons. He kicked over a table for cover, whirling on anyone who moved.
'Um… Will?' Hermione asked, staring at him in shock and humiliation.
Gibbs frowned. 'Kid's a bit of a stick, isn't he?' he asked putatively.
Jack chuckled. 'That he is,' he answered, shaking his head.
oOoOo
It was a couple of days since the proposition Jack made to Gibbs in the tavern. Gibbs returned with news he had found Jack a worthy crew. They could sail off the next morning without any delay. Hermione, for her part, loathed seeing the sun on that morning. She agreed with Will that the morning had come far too soon for their liking. It was also with some relief they followed Jack, and a now clean Gibbs, to the dock. There was a uncombed, motley, and weather-beaten group of about a dozen swabs of every shape and size standing in a ragged line-up waiting for Jack's assessment.
Gibbs motioned to them with a smile. 'Feast your eyes, Captain. All faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt, and crazy to boot,' he told him. Jack inspected them all in turn, while Hermione and Will exchanged a glance. They both wondered if they were going to be the only two sane people on this crew, and how long it would take before they, too, became insane.
Will glanced around at the assembled pirates. 'So, this is your able-bodied crew?' he asked Jack who nodded absently.
Hermione sighed. 'Able-bodied? That man only has one arm…' she said, pointing out the pirate. She then pointed at another. '…and he only has one leg! Able-bodied indeed,' she said cynically. Will placed a soothing hand on her shoulder.
Jack, who was utterly torn between agreeing with her and not, glanced around at them with a morbid expression of dread. He strolled down the line, scrutinising one sailor who was quite fat, and another who was too thin and sickly looking. Jack was not thrilled with Gibbs's choices. He paused in front of a short blue-clad sailor with grey hair, and a large colourful parrot sitting on his shoulder. Jack raised an eyebrow. 'You, sailor!' he shouted, looking him up and down.
'Cotton, sir,' Gibbs informed him.
Jack glanced at him, nodding before turning back to the pirate. 'Mr Cotton… do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?' he inquired. When he received no answer, Jack frowned. 'Mr Cotton! Answer, man!' he barked putting more authority into his tone.
Gibbs placed a hand on his shoulder causing Jack to turn to him. 'He's a mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he went and trained the parrot to do the talking for him,' Gibbs clarified. Cotton opened his mouth to show his tongue, or lack thereof, and Jack grimaced. 'No one's yet figured how, and nobody knows the parrot's name, neither so we just call it "Cotton's parrot".'
Jack nodded and went to walk on down the row, but he stopped and turned back to Cotton. 'Mr Cotton 's… parrot. Same question,' he said with slight reluctance.
Cotton lifted the parrot off his shoulder, raising it towards Jack who stepped back. The parrot stared at him before clicking its beak. 'Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!' he shouted.
Jack turned to look at Gibbs to translate. Gibbs glanced from the Parrot to Jack. 'Mostly, we figure, that means "yes",' he told him. Cotton nodded enthusiastically; lowering the parrot and it went silent.
Jack shook his head, before taking a step back. 'O'course, it does,' Jack said as if it could mean naught less before turning to the others. 'That goes for the rest of you! Danger and near certain death…' he paused, turning away, so his back was to the crew. 'For we are to sail for the Isla de Muerta, to rescue the daughter of Governor Swann. An equal share of the reward will be—' Jack halted mid-sentence when he heard movement from the crew. He glanced back to see several potential crew members backing away in fright. First one, then another turned and ran back up to the town, quickly followed by a few more. Soon there was only about half a dozen left; Cotton was one of them.
Will grabbed his shoulder in annoyance. 'Shut up, before you lose them all!" he barked.
Jack shrugged him off. 'These are the only ones' worth having,' he reasoned before glancing up at the sky. 'And we're going to need them,' he added as a storm appeared to be coming in. He then turned to Will and Hermione. 'Satisfied?' he asked them.
'Well, you've proved they're mad,' Will countered, gripping Hermione's hand.
'And that even though they are mad, they are nothing like you, so that's a relief,' Hermione answered, smiling at Jack, and then at Will who chuckled.
Jack was about to retort when a voice came from one of the sailors that sounded feminine. 'And what's the benefit for us?'
Jack walked over with hesitation, stopping in front of the sailor. He reached forward deliberately, pulling the sailor's hat off exposing a woman, and smiled at her. 'Anamaria,' he said in an almost loving way, but all he received was a slap much harder than what Scarlett's or Giselle's had been. Will raised his eyebrows in amusement, and Hermione watched with a grin. Jack gazed at Anamaria with slight fear.
Hermione leaned towards him. 'I suppose you didn't deserve that one either?' she asked as Will nodded in agreement.
Jack shook his head. 'No, that one I deserved,' he admitted as Anamaria nodded.
'You stole my boat!' she shouted at him.
'Actually-' he began, but she slapped him again. He pushed on with his explanation. '…borrowed. Borrowed without permission, but with every intention of bringing it back to you,' he told her.
'But you didn't!' she shouted, looking as though she may slap him again.
'You'll get another one,' Jack promised, his voice a note higher than it had been.
Anamaria pointed her finger at him, causing Jack to flinch back. 'I will,' she said with a nod.
'A better one,' Will put in as Hermione nodded.
'A better one!' Jack agreed even though it seemed he did not want to.
'That one,' Hermione added, pointing to the Interceptor. The rest of the sailors looked also.
'What one?' Jack demanded. She pointed to the ship again. 'That one!?' he asked in shock as the sailors eyed him for an answer. 'Aye, that one. What say you?' he said, resolving it was smarter to keep the peace.
'Aye!' the crew bellowed as they made to get on the ship.
'Anchors aweigh!' Cotton's Parrot shouted. Anamaria snatched her hat back off Jack and made for the Interceptor also.
'No, no, no, no, no, it's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir!' Gibbs yelled at Jack, watching Anamaria board the ship.
'What am I? A chicken?' Hermione muttered as they passed them, and Will chuckled.
'It'd be far worse not to have her,' Jack answered, looking at Anamaria. His eyes then drifted to Hermione. 'Yet, it would be hellish if we didn't allow her to come,' he counselled. Gibbs nodded, agreeing with that.