Jack was alone in his captain's cabin with a bottle of rum.
He pondered intensely. Five days had passed since Temari had freed Calypso and there was no trace of the witch.
Had he made a mistake? Was time passing differently in this place, wherever it was, where Calypso and Callisto were?
Jack furrowed his brow. The alcohol had made his brain sleepy. Yawning, the captain stretched in his chair, which wobbled menacingly on its two back legs, and suddenly Tia Dalma stood in front of him.
It made a terrible noise when Jack fell over with his chair.
"Ever heard of knocking?" he mumbled tipsily as he struggled to get up and rubbed his aching head. He wasn't particularly interested in the answer, though, because he immediately asked, "Where's the other one?"
Tia Dalma avoided his piercing gaze, she looked out the window to the stern.
"Rachel is no more," she said at last and Jack took a step towards her.
"What do you mean? You promised to return her to her human form."
She turned her back to Jack. "She is now Callisto. She will come when she …," Tia Dalma interrupted herself, for she could feel the air change beside her.
Callisto was on her way. She had lasted longer on her own than Tia Dalma would have given her credit for.
Time really did follow different rules when they were not in their solid bodies.
Jack had to look askance at Tia Dalma, but then Rachel manifested herself right before his eyes. She had no clothes on and the candlelight blazed across her skin. Jack froze and observed her inquiringly. Rachel – no, Callisto – did not even acknowledge him and walked purposefully towards Tia Dalma.
"What are you doing here? Come back. You shouldn't be here," she snapped at the Tia Dalma.
Tia Dalma rolled her eyes. Why did she learn so quickly? Her predecessor, too, had always accused her of the same thing. The former Callisto had never enjoyed being among humans.
It wasn't right either, Tia Dalma knew that. Not to the extent that she had engaged in it.
"You want to give her your coat, Jack," Tia Dalma said, because he didn't appear to be doing anything other than exploring Rachel with his eyes any time soon.
"I don't," he said, tilting his head very gently without turning his attention to anything else.
Rachel looked impatiently at Tia Dalma and then turned to Jack. He made an appreciative and surprised face. One looked in vain for shame in Rachel or an attempt to hide anything of her body.
"Who is that?" asked Rachel.
"Someone incorrigible," said Tia Dalma and then went to Jack.
She should probably be glad that she went to see him tonight of all nights. He was drunk and if he wasn't, Tia Dalma didn't want to imagine the ideas he would come up with. And all of them would only end in disaster because he wasn't messing with Rachel, but with Callisto.
"Coat," she said, holding out her hand to him.
"You're the only one here who's uncomfortable … why don't you just lea…"
Tia Dalma clasped his chin to make him look at her, and at last he slipped clumsily out of his coat.
She put it around Rachel's shoulders, who watched this sceptically.
"Without wanting to complain, but what's wrong with her? Why doesn't she know me any more? I've had her further than just saying my name … well, not that far, but …," Jack said perplexed.
"She doesn't remember anything. I can't help it. She's half human too. An annoying side effect, if you will," said Tia Dalma.
Rachel carefully touched the coat that was around her shoulders and looked more impatient with every second. She wanted to get out of here, Tia Dalma knew.
"Touch. One of the senses of humans. Come, Callisto, let me show you the sea as they perceive it."
Jack followed the two women onto the deck. Rachel had snuggled into the coat, she seemed to like it. With a little distance, he stopped behind them and watched.
Rachel stared straight ahead and a single gust of wind, which only hit her face and stirred up her hair, made her take in the scent of the sea for the first time.
"It is scratchy," she said.
"That's salt, you …," Jack said, shaking his head in disbelief, but with only a withering look Tia Dalma silenced him.
The new Callisto was not like her mother. She had not simply always been the wind goddess and therefore did not know everything. She had to learn, acquire knowledge about the human world. Or she had to remember her former life.
Jack waved Tia Dalma over. She glanced at Rachel before going to the captain.
"Do you know how to get her memories back? Hocus-pocus maybe?" asked Jack with a lowered voice and flailing hand movements.
Tia Dalma thought for a long time before answering him.
"I am not sure. But everyone has crucial experiences in their lives. If Rachel experiences such, perhaps her memory will return. After all, she is still half human. I also have hope that she won't have problems with the solid. Her mother hated the confinement of her human form and always stayed very briefly. Rachel may not mind so much …"
"Calypso, come," Rachel said with a laugh, and with a gust of wind Jack's coat fell to the floor.
Rachel was gone again.
"Hold on. Give me a moment to settle my thoughts and then some answers," Jack said.
Tia Dalma watched him with amusement as he tried to clear his rum-fogged head. "Good, you have some time before I follow her."
Together they went back to his cabin where they could talk undisturbed.
"Firstly, help her find her way around here and remember everything again, aye?"
Jack had a pitiful look on his face and Tia Dalma could not refuse him this request. Her eyes flashed with knowledge.
"Captain Jack Sparrow doesn't remember what a heart is for, does he?"
Jack ignored that. "Do you think she'll follow you here more often?"
Tia Dalma nodded. "She has to, if she is to remember. Since she's half human, she won't be in such pain when she manifests here either."
Tia Dalma gave the captain an appraising look and finally said, "Jack, she doesn't know you. Don't expect too much too soon, don't get your hopes up, and don't try to take advantage. She may never find her way back to what had developed in her before she became Callisto. I know you meant something to her, but it doesn't matter now. Destiny will show it in due time what else it intends for the two of you. I will leave now."
Jack crossed his arms in front of his chest and grinned. "You mean she has …," something else crossed his thoughts. "Wait … is she always going to appear undressed now?"
Tia Dalma was already to the door, smiling over her shoulder at him, and that caused Jack to roll his eyes.
"Not for my sake, but for hers. Can you imagine what that does to the crew? I'd hate to hand her over naked to the lads all the time."
But by then Tia Dalma had already disappeared, and the water began to rock teasingly against the Black Pearl.