Tale of Two Swans

Tortuga

After docking we made our way into Tortuga, explaining a little more about it to Will on the way. "More importantly, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga , savvy? What do you think?" I said, a subtle sarcasm coating my words causing Rufio to chuckle.

Will scrunched his nose; I didn't blame him, it smelled rancid. Rufio and I were just used to it by now. "It'll linger."

A woman in red began to approach, and I frowned as I noticed the amused glint in her eye. "I'll  tell you mate, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted." I said distractedly, gritting my teeth as the woman put a scowl on her face and stormed before us. 

"Scarlett!" My head snapped to the side as she slapped me, and I rubbed my jaw with a glare as she winked at me and walked away. "Not sure I deserved that..." I grumbled, ignoring Will's shocked expression. A blonde followed closely behind, and I groaned quietly as I realized they were pulling a double act. "Giselle!"

"Who was she?!" She scoffed.

"What?" She slapped me on the same cheek that Scarlett had, and I winced at the reoccurring sting. "I may have deserved that." I played along, stomping on Rufios foot when he shot me a shit eating grin. Will shook his head, resigning himself to not ask any questions.

We made our way towards the pig pen, and I frowned when I saw Gibbs sleeping within it yet again. The poor bloke somehow always made his way here when he was drunk in Tortuga... Probably because he couldn't find a lady to lay with him. I picked up a nearby bucket of water, Rufio and Will doing the same and watching as I doused the man.

"Curse you for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot!" He shouted, shaking the water from his face and looking up at us. I smirked when I saw the realization hit him. "Mother's love! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. It's bad luck."

"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..."

"Aye, that'll about do it." He muttered, sputtering when Rufio and Will doused him with their  buckets. "Blast it! I'm already awake!"

"That was for the smell." Rufio said, he and Will wrinkling his nose at the man when he merely shrugged.

We made our way to a nearby pub and, when Will went to follow us, I quickly put a hand on his chest to stop him. "Keep a sharp eye." I instructed, ignoring his calculating look and nudging him back near a post. Gibbs, Rufio, and I found a table, and the drunkard was handed a fresh brew.

"Now, what's the nature of this venture of yours Jackie." He grumbled, drinking deeply from his cup. I tightened my hand into a fist, casting my gaze around the pub while Rufio shot him a sharp look. "You know better than to use that name here, Gibbs." I muttered, shaking my head. "But... I'm going after the Black Pearl." I ignored his choking on his drink, keeping my gaze steady. "I know where it's going to be, and I'm going to take it back."

"Jack, it's a fools errand! Why, you know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl—"

"Thats why I know what Barbossa is up to." I interrupted, "All I need is a crew." He frowned down at the table. "From what I hear tell of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools, nor strike a bargain with one."

"Well, then I'd say it's a very good thing I'm not a fool then, eh?" I murmured, lowering my hat when a man walking past sent a curious look my way.