Title: Porting
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Rating: G
Word Count: 2208
Spoilers: You've seen the first movie, right? Nothing, then.
Author's Notes: A rewrite of something very old. Not much of a plot down there, and I hardly doubt anyone can catch what I put in as a joke down there, so...Just read this as a quick read and doesn't linger on my grammar. This isn't really a good reason, but I don't really speak English much so most parts probably sound weird...
---
It seemed inevitable. At least, he tried to convince himself that he could have done nothing to change the current situation. Even if his father had trained him with swords ever since he was old enough, there was no possible way he could have defeated an entire crew of pirates.
And the White Glaive was nothing but a passenger ship.
"We have nothing you want," the Glaive's captain repeated, "no one here is rich enough for gold or silver; leave us alone."
"Aye, nothing. However," a pirate, with the hat obviously the captain, paused for effect before speaking again, "I come here in search of a person. A blacksmith, to be specific."
And so, seeing as the pirate wasn't leaving and because he blamed himself for not being able to retreat the pirates, he stepped forward and volunteers himself to do whatever the pirate wanted him to (at least until they were a safe distance away for the Glaive) in exchange for the passengers' safety.
Thus the Black Pearl sailed away with one more than it came with.
-
Strangely, he was fascinated by the ship. Despite its battered look, it was beautifully shaped and somehow, some part of the rails reminded him of the stories his mother had told him and his father had strongly frowned upon...
Fighting off thoughts of his mother, his attention went back to the pirates.
"What do you want from me?"
"You? Technically, I want you to fix me cell and ship. But for now, I want you in the cabin for a chat between pirate and civilian."
With a toothy smile, the pirate pointed towards the captain's cabin, motioning for the boy to walk faster. The boy remained quiet himself, a disgusted look plastered on his face.
Inside, the pirate sat with instant ease and pointed at a sit across the table, "Sit."
A command. The boy knew better than to disobey a pirate captain's command while on a pirate ship, from all the stories his mother told him in secret...
"So...what be your name, lad?"
"And what purpose do you have with that?"
The pirate shrugged, "If man has to have a purpose behind everything, life would be difficult. Loosen up, I merely need something to call you with."
"Jack..." a slowly reply, "Jack Turner."
There seemed to be a moment of surprise, but it quickly faded and the boy pretended he saw nothing because he couldn't have, it was just a name wasn't it?
"Well, now that we know your name, I believe I shall introduce myself. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain of the Black Pearl...surely you've heard of the stories. And by all means none of them are true for now. Anyhow..." the pirate took an apple from the basket on the table, "...you may call me Captain, Captain Sparrow, Captain Jack or just plain Jack. What's your father's name?"
"Why do you ask?"
No form of reply came from the pirate, and Jack - the younger one - decided to take his mother's advice and answer truthfully when a pirate asks you questions.
"William Turner."
A nod, "Ah."
"You knew him," the boy said then, stating a fact instead of questioning.
"Of course," a bite from the apple, "good man, good pirate."
"My father was not a pirate!"
But Sparrow only smiled that secretive smile of his, "You are indeed quite like him. Funny, how I get to see three generations of Turners. And there's no need for you to argue with me - there's pirate in your blood, boy...you'll eventually learn that soon enough."
Standing up, the boy caught a calculating look on the pirate's face...then it was back to a simple pirate's usual half-drunk status.
"Get to work, boy. I have other work to do. And ask the crew if you have any needs, they'd give it to you easy enough as long as you're polite."
Though Jack Turner seriously doubted that the pirate was going to do much more than drinking rum, he decided that before they sailed any farther he should get to work.
-
"I'm done."
"What?"
A grunt, not much more and the younger Jack knew clearly the pirate captain is currently quite drunk.
"I'm done fixing nearly the entire ship. What I can, anyway. Most parts you'd need a carpenter for the job. Now do what you want - kill me, or drop me off at the next port."
Brave, yet rash. Words just like what his father would have said. The pirate smiled at that - it really was interesting how three generations of Turners manage to inherit that sense of uptight honor, no matter what occupation they manage to find.
"Next port it will be, then. Enjoy yourself till then."
"Amongst a group of pirates? Unlikely."
The pirate grinned, "See shall we...we should see...should we see...Never mind that! Your father - how is he? And Miss Swann? Or would it be Turner by now?"
Alerted, the boy made a sharp turn from his way out.
"You really did know my father..."
"And whyever would I lie about that?"
"You're a pirate."
"Not good enough as a question. Answer, answer!"
The pirate seemed to groan when he got the wording wrong, but Jack Turner decided to ignore that.
"My father's fine. Mother's been sick though, the doctor wasn't sure if she'll ever recover. Which is exactly why I want to get off this ship as soon as possible and return to Port Royal to see her."
"Well, you're in luck then-" the pirate smiled, emptying another bottle, "-tis be our next stop."
Young Turner narrowed his eyes, knowing perfectly well that it's no luck Port Royal just so happens to be their next stop. Which meant that the pirate was planning on sending him back ever since he came on the ship.
"Not only did you knew my father, you've also been contacting him over the years, haven't you?"
"Not supposed to tell."
And yet, there's something quite wrong about this situation...looking around, he quickly realized what exactly was wrong. Surely they would have to stop at an extra port...
"There isn't enough supply to last for the entire trip to Port Royal."
"'Course there's enough. More than enough. Ye forgot, mate - I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
"That's..." Jack Turner couldn't help but raise his eyebrows to that, "...not really going to help, you know. I mean, just because you're-" a imitation of the pirate's famous hand motion, "-Captain Jack Sparrow, doesn't mean the supplies are going to last longer."
"Two days."
"Huh?"
"Two days till we get there."
A surprised pause, and a frown, "You're too drunk to realize what you're saying, aren't you? There should be at least another two weeks until we even get close to Port Royal."
"You forgot your stories, mate..." the pirate grinned another grin and the younger Jack realized the smile has been implanted in his mind already, "...Tis the Black Pearl."
"Many's heard of the Black Pearl, an uncatchable ship. Able to match any ship in speed, easily surpassing all..."
Shaking his head, he suddenly remembered the stories his mother so loved to tell when he was young. Pirates, the ocean, saltwater...Recalling being bewildered by the exciting adventurous tales, he suddenly came to the startling realization that the stories must have all been true. The strange black sails that glide through anything in it's way, the island no man can reach unless it's location is already known, the mysterious gold that held a curse...
Then the captain of the Black Pearl would be the pirate that saved the brilliant, brave lady and the young, dashing hero. By now, Jack Turner - coming to realize that he was actually named after the man in front of him - could easily believe that the hero would his father and the lady would be his mother.
Right now, despite being young and greatly advised against alcohol ("The devil's drink!" his mother says), he desperately needed a drink.
And the pirate is always eager to share the rum.
-
Merely a week spent on the Pearl. Yet in a way it had become as familiar as home, and Jack - the younger one - tried to fight off the feelings of freedom the Pearl seemed to blaze out.
The pirate captain stood near shore, shoving a few commands at the crew to bring more supplies for sail after a short break. Anchoring a distance away, the crew would have to sneak into port...Which, the boy supposed, shouldn't be too hard for them.
The boy looked up at him, “You knew my father.”
A slight pause, “Aye.”
“But you do not wish to come and see him?”
Another long pause, “No.”
That was the end of the conversation. The boy carried his scarce belongings onto his shoulders, and went off the ship to the life he knew best.
-
"Father?"
Pushing open the wooden doors, he looked inside for the older Turner. Inside, a man - older than the boy, but with the same creamy brown eyes and curly locks of hair - looked up with the reflection of fire from the forge on his face.
"You're...early. Did the exchange go bad?"
"No! It went...perfectly well. I'm back because...Father, I..." swallowing the phrase ' was captured', he changed his wording, "...met a pirate."
A pirate. The pirate. Will Turner knew perfectly well who his son meant. And without more thought, a single word slipped through his tongue, “Jack.”
Jack Turner knew perfectly well his father wasn't talking about him.
"That's...why you watch the docks, right?" The things he's wanted to ask his father came out smoother than he'd though, "And why you sometimes go out at night and return with a look of mixed happiness and sadness. You wanted the freedom of piracy but you wanted your family as well, am I not correct, father?"
"I'm afraid...you're right, son. Sorry."
"Don't be. How's mother?"
A casual question, but from his father's sudden pale face the boy felt a tug of fear. It couldn't be, he got back much faster than he would have, right?
"...Your mother's dead."
-
A white tombstone, the words newly carved onto the cold stone. The mound in front was only recently shaped, the grass yet to grow on the muddy surface.
"Father..." the boy asked for permission to talk.
"Aye?" Will answered without thinking, then realized that he used to wrong word. "I mean, yes?"
"Jack Sparrow. You named me after him, didn't you? Then why didn't you tell me?"
A nod, then a sad smile, "We were afraid you wouldn't like being named after pirate. After all, they are dishonest...But Jack's a good man, good pirate too."
Recognizing the phrase, just how close the two man were the younger Turner was beginning to grasp.
"He said the same about you."
"I take it you don't mind being named after him then?"
"No...Father, I'm fully capable of taking care of the forge. Just a few months and I'll be eighteen, the age you and mother got married..."
"Of course. You've been more than ready for years now..." Will replied, curious and trying to not guess what his son was going to say.
"Go, then. Go to the Pearl. There's nothing tying you behind anymore."
Though it sounded almost like his son was pushing him off, and Will had to smile at that - twice his age and being ordered around! - he also knew clearly that ever since Elizabeth died a week ago, it was only a matter of time until he rejoined the Pearl and it's captain.
I'm coming...
-
"You named your son after me. I would be his godfather then!"
"I am not letting my son learn your drunken ways. And I dearly hope you haven't been lending him liquor."
"Of course not!" Jack Sparrow said with a wounded look, "Do I look like someone that would do that?"
And Will Turner burst out laughing, "You know as well as I do that you look just like someone who would do that, Jack."
Even though one's now twice the age of his son and another three times the age of said son, the two were as talkative as ever and both understood the pull of the ocean waters perfectly well.
"So, where are we going?"
"The end of the world."
"It's been a long time since people's discovered the world's round, Jack."
"No matter, there's always an end for pirates."
"End of the world?"
"Aye, end of the world."