A Pirate's Life For Me: Captain Jack Sparrow

Chapter 9

"Dead men tell no tales"

Cotton's macaw, which (Y/n) had dubbed Zazu, had been saying that phrase over and over again since they arrived. And with good reason. The crew looked out in front of them at the countless shipwrecks that littered the sea around them. An eerie fog surrounded them as they sailed cautiously through the water.

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage." Gibbs said from beside (Y/n) and Will.

Gibbs walked away from the edge of the boat, Will and (Y/n) following. "How is it that Jack came by that compass?" Will asked.

"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of Isla de Muerta." Gibbs said as he handled the rigging. He moved to the mast and grabbed his rum flask. "That was before I met 'im, back when he was captain of the Black Pearl."

"What?" both (Y/n) and Will asked together, facing Gibbs. The man held his flask up to his mouth, seemingly looking like he just revealed some information he shouldn't have. "He failed to mention that." Will said, looking up at Jack who was standing on the quarterdeck, maneuvering the ship through the treacherous waters.

"He plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was." Gibbs said, causing Will and (Y/n) to look at him in question. "See, three days out on the venture, the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure too. So Jack gives up the bearings. That night, there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

"Ah..." Will said. "So that's the reason for all the..." he trailed off as he imitated Jack's unusual mannerisms. (Y/n) lightly hit him on the arm, causing him to give her a sheepish look and stop.

"Reason's got nothing to do with it." Gibbs said as he sat down on a barrel behind him, the two in front of him following. "Now, Will, (Y/n). When a pirate's marooned, he's given a pistol with a single shot. One shot. Well, that won't do much good huntin' nor to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol's startin' to look real friendly." Gibbs said, making a gun with his hand and pointing the tip against his temple. (Y/n) glanced to the captain, pity in her eyes. What people would be so cruel as to leave a person, their captain no less, to that sort of fate. Pirates a small voice in her head whispered. Gibbs spoke up again, "But Jack, he escaped the island and he still has that single shot. Oh, he won't use it though, save on one man. His mutinous first mate."

"Barbossa." Will deduced.

"Aye." Gibbs confirmed.

"How did Jack escape the island?" (Y/n) asked, looking slightly at Jack. He kept shaking his compass, opening it again, and glancing up at (Y/n) before angrily snapping the bloody thing shut. She turned back to Gibbs, confused.

"Well, I'll tell ye." he said. "He waded out into the shallows and he waited there three days and three night till all manner of sea creatures came and acclimated to his presence. Then, on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together, and made a raft."

Will looked at Gibbs unbelieving in his tale. "He roped a couple of sea turtles."

"Aye, sea turtles." Gibbs nodded.

"What did he use for rope?" Will asked, which seemed to stump the man. He turned to his left where Jack was now standing, and the other two looked to face the captain.

"Human hair." Jack claimed. "From my back." Gibbs gave Will a triumphant look, the captain supporting the tall tale. (Y/n) made a strange face, unmoving, and opened and closed her mouth a few times to speak, only to come up empty. "Let go the anchor!" Jack shouted to the crew.

"Lower the anchor line!" the crew chorused.

"Young Mr. Turner and I are to go ashore." Jack said, walking away, and (Y/n) frowned.

"Wait, Jack, what about me?" she asked.

"What about you, luv?" Jack repeated, seemingly pretending to be clueless.

"Jack. I'm coming with you."

"No, you most certainly are not. You are to wait here for me and Mr. Turner to return, savvy?" Jack said.

"Yes I am. I'm coming whether you like it or not. Elizabeth is my friend too, and I did not come all this way to be sidelined." (Y/n) stated, standing her ground.

"(Y/n), please just-"

"No, Will. I am not staying aboard this ship waiting for you to come back." (Y/n) snapped at the boy and began walking towards the dingy waiting for them.

Jack had tried to argue, but he, for some ungodly reason, couldn't find a way to battle this young woman on where she stood in the matter. He gave up, unwillingly, and made to follow the girl. Jack really needed to learn how to fight this woman, but she always left him speechless. But Jack Sparrow was always good at adapting.

"Captain!" Gibbs' voice said from behind him. "What if the worst should happen?"

"Keep to the Code." Jack answered.

"Aye. The Code." Gibbs repeated, understanding. (Y/n) watched their exchange, wondering what kind of Code they could be meaning. Finally, her mind stopped filing through it's old pirate research, remembering that all pirates had a Code to live by, the Pirate's Code. This answered her own question as Jack and Will lowered into the dingy, and made off for Isla de Muerta.

They stopped a while away from the Black Pearl, and (Y/n) could see Jack staring at it longingly. He grabbed his spyglass and extended it, looking aboard the dark ship.

"Is she there?" Will asked, meaning Elizabeth.

"No." Jack said, lowering the spyglass.

"Where is she?" Will asked.

"It's begun." Jack claimed, snapping the spyglass shut.

꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂

Will sat in the front of the dingy, holding up the lantern in the darkness of the cave. (Y/n) had her back against Jack's as he rowed the boat through the tunnel. Looking through the small light created by the fire, (Y/n) saw a skeleton with a sword impaled in its back. Lovely she thought.

"What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked.

"Pirate's Code. Any man who falls behind... is left behind." Jack said.

"No heroes amongst thieves, eh?" Will asked sarcastically.

"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates," Jack started, " the both of you are well on your way to becoming ones." Will gave a slightly confused look to himself as Jack began listing. "Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga..." Jack stopped as he watched (Y/n) and Will both gaze down in the water at the shining jewels, gems, and gold coins that littered the sea floor. "and you're completely obsessed with treasure."

As the boat docked against the sandy, black shore, Will pulled it up further onto the sand. Jack got out and offered his ringed hand to (Y/n) to help her up. She looked at it for a moment, then lightly took it as he grasped onto it firmly, lifting her up from her seat. It wasn't that she couldn't get up on her own, it was the feeling she wanted to get, the sparks she got, when she touched Jack's hand.

"That's not true." Will stated, lying down the rope. "I am not obsessed with treasure."

Jack led them through the cave, coming up to a small outcropping where he could see. He looked back down at the two, saying, "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate." However, (Y/n) noticed his brown eyes darting just slightly towards her as he spoke, before turning to look out of the hole in the cave.