On the Island: Ceremony and Escape

[bringmethatnpc]

The sound of thunder rumbles through the air, heralding an approaching storm--

--no, wait.

That's not thunder; that's the beating of drums.

It's a beautiful clear day on the island, just perfect for a ceremony and celebration, as the tribe prepares to send their chief to the gods.

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[pirate_jack]

He's drenched with seawater when he finally climbs aboard, which at least has the benefit of having washed away the sweat from his frantic flight, the paprika from his earlier spicing, and much of the paint on his face.

Restored to the deck of the Pearl, Jack looks to the approaching Gibbs, while two pirates -- Pintel and Ragetti, although he's not noticed -- start draping the captain's coat around his shoulders.

[bringmethatnpc]

"Let’s put some distance between us and this island and head out to open sea." The sooner all forget this place, the sooner they get back to piracy, the better.

[pirate_jack]

He listens to this gravely and then counters,

"Yes to the first, yes to the second, but only insofar as we keep to the shallows as much as possible."

As he feels his coat settle into place, Jack turns to nod thanks to his helper-- and looks at his new crewmembers with visible surprise. Pintel and Ragetti both hastily salute.

After a second, Jack shrugs acceptance. There are more important things to worry about at the moment.

[bringmethatnpc]

Gibbs blinks at his captain. "That seems a bit contradictory, Cap’n."

[pirate_jack]

Without a second's hesitation, Jack tells him,

"I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs--"

A look of intense frustration comes over his face as he continues, "--now where is that monkey, I want to shoot something."

[bringmethatnpc]

Eeeek, not more shooting! Bugger this for a game of soldiers.

The monkey drops the eye it had been in the middle of tasting, and scurries even higher into the rigging.

[turned_captain]

Any attempts to pursue the monkey are interupted by young Will Turner, so has something important to say to the captain.

"Jack."

[pirate_jack]

He'd been searching the rigging, pistol in hand, but looks down abruptly at this to face Will instead.

"Ah."

[turned_captain]

"Elizabeth is in danger."

Which he knows, of course. So now's where any decent man would ask how he could help.

[pirate_jack]

Jack looks entirely unsurprised, of course, but almost exasperated as well. He turns and stalks off down the deck, calling back to Will,

"Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her? Maybe just lock her up somewhere?"

[turned_captain]

"She is locked up," Will insists, following him earnestly, "in a prison! Bound to hang for helping you!"

How can he be so flippant about it?

[pirate_jack]

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one’s mistakes," Jack blithely informs Will, gesturing emphatically with his pistol as he makes this point.

He's reached the quarterdeck and is headed towards the wheel, but still hasn't bothered to turn around.

[turned_captain]

Conveniently, there's a crew member passing by just at this moment, and Will take the opportunity to seize the sword from his belt, drawing it out and holding it to Jack's neck.

Will isn't messing around, as we like to say.

"I need that compass of yours, Jack," he says firmly. "I must trade it for her freedom."

[pirate_jack]

The ringing sound of a sword being drawn had finally gotten his attention, in time for him to turn and find a blade resting against his throat.

Jack eyes Will narrowly and then simply lifts the sword over his head, dropping it to his other side.

"Mr. Gibbs."

[bringmethatnpc]

Gibbs is now applying his navigational skills directly. By going almost nowhere so far.

"Cap’n?"

[pirate_jack]

Jack comes over to stand just behind him, staring intently past Gibbs's shoulder at Will Turner.

In a low, guarded voice, he explains,

"We have a need to travel upriver."

[bringmethatnpc]

At last, a heading. One that Gibbs isn't sure he likes.

"By need, d’you mean a trifling need, fleeting, as in, say, a passing fancy?"

[pirate_jack]

"No," Jack counters, "a resolute and unyielding need."

Gibbs sighs and adjusts the wheel a trifle as Jack walks forward to the quarterdeck's rail.

[turned_captain]

Will, who has been trying to follow what hasn't been said, and not really succeeding, turns to Jack.

"What we need to do," he points out, "is make sail for Port Royal with all haste!"

[pirate_jack]

It's Jack's turn to sigh. Looking out over the deck below, he says wearily,

"William... I shall trade to you the compass, if you will help me to find this."

He reaches into his coat and pulls out the scrap of cloth, unrolling it to show the drawing of the key, albeit a little the worse for wear.

[turned_captain]

"You want me to find this."

Will can't quite believe it. Jack's bargaining for Elizabeth's life?

[pirate_jack]

"No," Jack tells him. "You want you to find this."

He turns to face Will, explaining with earnest sincerity,

"Because the finding of this-- finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating and/or discovering the detection of a way to save your doughty belle, ol’ whatsherface."

A beat of silence while they both review those words, and then Jack finishes,

"Savvy?"

[turned_captain]

Um.

What?

"This is going to save Elizabeth?"

[pirate_jack]

As Will takes the cloth and brandishes it, Jack considers both it and him.

Lowering his voice, he asks,

"How much do you know about Davy Jones?"

[turned_captain]

Will looks up from his studying of the cloth, frowning in confusion at all this randomness.

"Not much," he says truthfully.