(no subject)

[bringmethatnpc]

The deck of the Black Pearl is full of activity as the crew hastens about, making ready to set sail. Whether hauling lines or hoisting sails, securing the longboats or tying down nets, everyone has work to do and is busily seeing to it.

Everyone, that is, save Will Turner, who is still lying unconscious on the deck.

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[bringmethatnpc]

Looking back at the trailing Dutchman, Marty points from his place in the rigging.

"They're giving up!"

The proclamation is met with a great cheer from the crew of the Black Pearl, complete with Pintel and Ragetti hooking arms and doing a little jig in giddy relief.

[turned_captain]

But no. They can't just run away. They can't leave them. They can't leave him. Will can't leave him.

Will makes his way to the quarterdeck, where Jack is smiling out over the crew, enjoying his triumph.

"My father is on that ship," he says shortly. "If we can outrun her, we can take her – we should turn and fight."

[pirate_jack]

Not only does young Will evidently not grasp that comparative mass and armament are not the same as speed before the wind, but he is once again missing the real point.

Not that this is a particular surprise.

Confidently, Jack tells him, "Why fight, when you can negotiate? All one needs--"

He places the jar of dirt firmly on the rail before him, drumming his fingers absently on the lid as he does.

" -- is the proper leverage."

[bringmethatnpc]

Proper leverage or not, the Pearl jerks to a sudden halt, caught up by something.

Something unseen below the water's surface.

Probably something big.

[pirate_jack]

As the violent shudder runs through the ship, crew members go sprawling.

The jar of the dirt's no exception to the effect of certain natural laws, and it falls from the railing to land with a crash on the deck below. Glass shatters everywhere as dirt scatters.

There's no sign of Davy Jones's heart. Jack feels as if his own has stopped beating as he scrambles down the stairs to the deck and paws wildly through the soil.

"Where is it? Where has it gone to?!"

[bringmethatnpc]

Astride the starboard rail, a member of the crew peers down into the ominously burbling waters.

"We must've hit a reef..."

[try_corsets]

Recovering her balance, Elizabeth races to the rail and stares at the churning water below.

Something tells her it wasn't a reef.

[turned_captain]

Oh no. Not again. Not now.

Not with her here.

"It's not a reef!" Will yells, racing over to Elizabeth and pulling her away from the edge. "Get away from the rail!"

[try_corsets]

Suspicions confirmed, Elizabeth gapes at Will and lets him tug her away from the railing. He wouldn't be this upset without a very good reason.

Still, there are questions to be answered.

"What is it?" She raises her voice over the din.

[turned_captain]

He calms slightly with her there. But there's no way he can keep her safe from this. They'll have to fight it together.

"The Kraken."

[pirate_jack]

He hears this all too clearly.

Jack stops searching through the dirt and sits up, eyes wide with horror.

[turned_captain]

They'll have to work together. Elizabeth is as capable as any member of the crew at keeping a level head in a tight situation - more so, given this situation. Trusting her to be OK, Will strides towards the stairs, issuing commands without looking to Jack.

"To arms!"

[bringmethatnpc]

"Load guns, defend the masts!" After a lifetime at sea, few are more skilled at bringing a crew into battle than Gibbs. It might be why he lasted as long as he did int he navy, despite his years inside the bottle.

[turned_captain]

Folowed closely by both of them, Will rushes dow the quarterdeck stairs.

"It’ll attack to starboard," he tells them. "I’ve seen it before!"

It's as much trying to seem confident and bypassing everyone's fears than it is actually predicting the thing after one encounter. But he whips a sword out of a barrel of them nearthe foot of the stairs. Things feel better when you have a sword in your hand.

"Run out the cannons and hold for my signal!"

[pirate_jack]

The Pearl's main deck is a flurry of activity as all members of the crew scramble to secure lines and man their stations, grabbing guns and blades and bottles of rum.

In the ensuing chaos, Jack alone stands still and silent, with the dirt blowing around his feet. He glances around, then heads quickly to starboard.

[cleverparasol.livejournal.com]

Ragetti and Pintel scuttle for the stairs and head for a cannon, hastily making it ready.

[bringmethatnpc]

Above, the Black Pearl's deck boils with activity. Sailors are running, shouting, scurrying up rigging and around holes in the deck.

Nobody's noticed yet that it's already too late.

Because slowly, slowly, tentacles are sliding over the hull.

[cleverparasol.livejournal.com]

Pintel busies himself with the fuse.

. . . Right up until Ragetti nudges him, and points towards the gun port, where huge suckers are sliding past.



Pintel silently wishes to know if he can shoot the thing now.

[gotmy-eye.livejournal.com]

From the horrified look on Ragetti's face, he's not alone.

Ragetti's becomes so distracted with the huge tentacle sluggily creeping up the side of the ship that he nearly jumps when Will speaks again.

[turned_captain]

He's running down form above decks as he does so, head filled with plans.

"Easy boys."

[try_corsets]

Above deck, Elizabeth and the other crew members clutch harpoons and steadily back away from the rail as a giant, slimy tentacle appears.

Worriedly, "Will?"

[turned_captain]

"Steady," Will says, holding a hand out to prevent early fire. "Steady."

[try_corsets]

More tentacle.

"Will?"

Elizabeth casts a look over her shoulder towards the stairs, her voice raising.

[turned_captain]

"Hold," Will insists, and louder, "hold!"

They mustn't waste their shot. Get it where it's weak.

[cleverparasol.livejournal.com]

"I think we've held fire long enough!"