Looking for a ride - [Spanish Main; open, incomplete]

[streamofstars]

Japan. It sounded like it must have lay far to the east, but that was young William's best guess. He had been a blacksmith before all of this piracy had entered his life. It hadn't been his business to become concerned with things like geography. Still, the man had to have quite an impressive ship if he'd sailed all the way to Port Royal on his own

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[ex_abrokenco715]

How to stop, though, that was the question which was most prevalent on the ride back to Port Royal. Unfortunately for Jack, that meant he only had a minute or so before having to make the decision to slam the sloop into the harbor and into all the other pretty boats if he could not find said way to stop. Through a rather brilliant deductive decision (which involved pulling the level called ‘the break’) the black boat, which wasn’t quite a boat, came to head right next to the dock it had left from.

The pirate removed himself from his seat, staggering and swaying before he grabbed the captains chair to steady himself. Definitely not used to such a fast ride, he wasn’t. He had to give himself a moment, briefing Norrington that they had arrived during the awkward interval. “Your..er....stop.”

Jack kept the same swagger as he headed for the hatch and through that to the outside. Even though Port Royal was a familiar sort of sight he glanced around with his wide. Each step off the ship and on to the dock was taken in a slow and awkward way. When he finally did have his feet on solid ground, he immediately started to make his way off the docks without a word of acknowledgment to those three inhabiting it.

To the pirates knowledge, an angry Frenchmen and those two plus what grungy crewmate he had picked up at Tortuga made his odds of getting out of here rather slim.

Now would be the opportune time to leave.

[findredemption]

At the very least, after the surprisingly brief and speedy journey and in spite of the likelihood of landing in another unplanned location, the ship actually came to a stop by the docks rather than wedging itself into any more walls. That was something, even if that stop had been quite abrupt; a sudden, sharp jolt instead of a smooth landing.

Norrington stood from his seat, pausing for a moment to regain his sense of balance (being accustomed to travel by ship didn't seem to automatically translate to the same when it came to a flying vessel). He glanced after Jack and followed the pirate out through the hatch and outside.

Port Royal... The harbour alone seemed unnaturally quiet, nowhere near as busy as it had been in the past. Had everyone left the town? He had to wonder why Beckett would bother to set his sights on the Caribbean, when it seemed as though it would soon be completely deserted - then again, if Beckett could use Sparrow to change that, it would play in his favour, of course.

Norrington climbed down and stepped onto the wooden pier. His gaze fell on two very familiar faces. Elizabeth... And William Turner. He frowned slightly. What were they doing?

Luckily, chances were that no one would recognize him, which wasn't unwelcome at all right now, even if part of him still felt relieved to see that Elizabeth was unharmed despite what Port Royal might have faced.

He narrowed his eyes, noticing that Jack seemed to be in a considerable hurry to get away.

[streamofstars]

Looking at the ship Will pointed out, Touma himself wasn't too sure about just stealing a ship. Granted, it was better than getting caught by the Heartless, but it still didn't sit right with him.

This was, of course, before he realized that the little speck he had been hoping was Tenku...turned out to be Tenku. Finally, some good luck, he thought, watching as the blue-black ship made a quick stop in the same dock he had landed beside earlier.

Joy turned to anger when the archer saw a very familiar, and completely unwanted, figure step out of his ship. He didn't notice the grungy man emerging after the asshole "Captain." "You...." Touma glared at Jack, wanting the saying "if looks could kill" to be true. "I wouldn't go too far if I were you."

[seaswann]

Elizabeth had been opening her mouth to reply to Will when she promptly shut it, nearly biting off her tongue. There was a... thing. A FLYING thing. She unconsciously moved closer to Will as the thing came to a stop. Was it one of those creatures? Or worse? Elizabeth wasn't sure what worse would mean, but she knew she wouldn't like it.

"What is tha-" The words died before she could complete her sentence, as someone stepped out of the thing. She knew that hair. She knew that swagger. "Jack?" She asked, confused. Hadn't he been the one who had stolen Touma's ship? Her eyes drifted back to the thing. It did not look like any ship she had ever seen. It flew!

Her confusion was not cured as her eyes fell on the other man with Jack. He was filthy, but he certainly looked familiar. The grungy jacket, the messy hair, and the face. She knew that face as well! "... James Norrington?" She gasped, covering her mouth a moment after she had said his name. She had known that man since she was a little girl, and no amount of filth could keep her from knowing his face.

It did keep her from wanting to get too close to him. That and other reasons. What had he done to himself?

Head swimming, Elizabeth could only stare at the scenario before her. Jack was going to face Touma's wrath, and that couldn't end up well... but here she and Will were, right before Norrington. She edged herself forward, ready to stand in the middle if something were to occur.

[with_a_will]

A flying ship. Perhaps there had been rumors of people working out theories, but nothing near completion. For a moment, Will thought he must have been hallucinating, but that was disproved when Elizabeth drew near to him. He grasped for her hand with his own and watched as the thing settled down a bit precariously.

The way Touma was looking at it... Was this his ship that had been stolen? That would explain how he'd been able to travel so far on his own.

When Jack stepped out, that more or less answered his question. This was Tenku, then. But more importantly, Jack was foolishly attempting to sneak away. Frowning, he was about to start after the pirate until he heard Elizabeth's exclamation.

...What?

Wrinkling his nose at the heavy scent of alcohol and dirt, he turned his head and settled his gaze on what must have been the Commodore. What had happened? For a moment, all Will could do was stare, which was rather rude on his part.

"...Commodore," he said quietly. "What are you doing here? Or with Jack?" There was quite a bit of explaining to be done.

[ex_abrokenco715]

Ah, spotted unfortunately as it were. The other two didn’t seem to pay him the mind that he was worth, and rather that they hadn’t, but guess he had to deal with this little bugger before going on his way.

After all, the dear boy had called him Captain. Jack was not one to ignore his title no matter the situation.

The pirate spun on his heel, pivoting until he was slouched over in a rather strange posture. “But, dear Frenchmen,” Jack lilted his head a little to the lad, “You aren’t me, therefor sneaking away wouldn’t be a decision that one, such as yourself, would be inclined to making. However if you were me and I were you and that would be my ship we wouldn’t have this little situation here, aye?” Aside from that, if Jack were he, he wouldn’t make a foolhardy decision as to leave it in the care of some random suspicious looking character. Jack may have been daft, but he was not dumb!

“But thankfully I am me, therefor the me that is me should be heading in a direction that is.. Not here. I kept to my word and let no citizens of this Port Town touch your pretty little sloop and you have returned to reclaim it. So my good deed is done.”

He bowed fanning his arm out before him in a courteous way, “Frenchmen,” Standing up straight he acknowledge Norrington as well before trying to dart off again, “....Crewmate, Sir Dirt. Your services were most appreciated. But I must be making way.” With that, he tried once again to shiv off the deck and to somewhere more pirate friendly.

[findredemption]

Norrington raised an eyebrow at the exchange between Jack and the stranger who was here at the docks as well. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who had business regarding the pirate to attend to. Apparently Jack Sparrow hadn't left Port Royal on good terms with this "Frenchman" - that was unsurprising when it was revealed that the man was the irate owner of the flying ship the pirate had decided to 'borrow'.

At least that was serving to delay Sparrow's attempt to hurry away.

Catching Elizabeth's exclamation, Norrington paused for a moment before he glanced at her. Both she and her fiancé (husband?) seemed astonished, perhaps with good reason. He frowned, not particularly pleased to have been recognized after all, not to mention being on the receiving end of almost incredulous staring.

"I could ask you the same question," Norrington replied, throwing Will a brief glance when the young man addressed him. Inspecting ships at the docks could be enough cause for suspicion, especially considering certain incidents where ships had been 'commandeered'. He shook his head slightly. "Unfortunately, any explanations will need to wait."

That delaying hadn't lasted very long.

Stepping forward, Norrington placed a hand on his pistol, but didn't draw. "A moment of your time, 'Captain'," he said, raising his voice. "I'm afraid this isn't the time to take your leave just yet. My business in Port Royal may have nothing to do with the gallows, but your presence will be equally required."

[streamofstars]

Touma continued glaring at Jack, his hand itching to pull out his small crossbow. Visions of shooting the pirate danced in his head, but the presences of Will and Elizabeth, especially, made Touma hold his temper. The way the two knew Jack made him think they might be friends - for what reason, he didn't know - but he didn't want to upset them.

The legal troubles shooting Jack could cause were also a more realistic deterrent.

"Frenchman?" Touma thought back to his and Jack's previous conversation, but he couldn't remember anything he said or did that resembled the French. Just one more reason to leave this world, now that he had Tenku back.

But...what was this business the dirt-covered man had with Jack?

[seaswann]

Though a bit distracted by all that was suddenly happening, Elizabeth quietly slipped her hand into Will's. This was not how she had imagined their reunion to be. Too much time inside the house had led to far too many romance novels. Her nose wrinkled slight at the thought. They were such rubbish. This was real life... and it held more drama than all the fictional writings in her library combined. For now she would have to settle with this, hoping that perhaps she and Will could talk in private later.

Elizabeth watched Jack for a moment, but paid little attention to the pirate as he spewed words out at Touma. Instead, she focused on the former commodore. Her former fiancé was standing before her, and it took a moment before Elizabeth felt herself straighten and square her shoulders. She was not ashamed to be standing here with Will, nor did she feel regret. She may have been in her nightgown, hair a mess, and confused, but she wouldn't allow that to show. Her hand tightened around Will's as she collected herself.

"What is going on?" She demanded, looking at Norrington and then over to Jack, "There's nothing left in Port Royal. You'll get yourself killed if you go in there." This was not right at all, nor did it settle right. There was no way Jack could have been captured, and Elizabeth couldn't fathom the two working together. And she didn't like the way the former commodore's hand was on his pistol. She eyed it before calmly looking back at his face. "This isn't the place to take care of business."

[with_a_will]

Nothing was making much sense, but Will had become used to the feeling. The only one that hadn't fit into the previous equation was Touma, but he was fairly sure he and the other three had partaken in similar conversations in the past. It almost always involved Jack wanting to get away and no one letting him.

"I was trying to figure out a way to get away from here," he explained to Norrington, even if he hadn't done so himself. Will was ready to wait for a full explanation, but he'd prefer if they could get some insight into why two people that were more or less polar opposites were traveling together. It couldn't have been some sort of alliance--perhaps they both gained something from making the trip together.

Eyeing the pistol that Norrington's fingers were playing at, Will felt himself tense. There was no need for that, no matter what Jack had done. But that didn't mean Jack should be allowed to run off without a word of explanation, either.

"How about we all explain what we're doing here?" Will asked with a small sigh. "Because at this rate, no one is going to let anyone else leave."

[ex_abrokenco715]

Again with the pistol. It seemed that Norrington’s love for being trigger happy far surpassed other more pleasant habits. Jack wasn’t one that was fond about going through life with a variety of holes in his flesh, so perhaps trying to reason his way out of this small predicament was for the better. For the moment he quit trying to make his way and turned back to the others. “The whelp has a point.” He said in his “captain” voice. Explaining why they were there might help the situation, if not it would provide an adequate distraction.

The pirate couldn’t help but think that, given he be a pirate, it would be enough to put him at odds with everyone else and their reasons for being about. “I seemed to misplace my ship and my crew.” An unfortunate place, Port Royal, would be the very place that they would be misplaced at. “I was looking for a rather quick exit off of this plot so to avoid little black inky problems.” To avoid any inquiries he promptly said “Next.” to urge Norrington to do just explaining.

[findredemption]

For a place that supposedly wasn't suitable for taking care of business, there were clearly several people intent on taking care of some sort of business. Ironic. Nonetheless, Norrington paused instead of doing anything in further pursuit of any 'taking care of business', his gaze returning first to Elizabeth, then Will.

As much as he was loath to agree with Sparrow, perhaps it would help to hear some explanations, if only to keep the pirate from making any more attempts to remove himself from the scene and to avoid having to resort to any drastic measures to stop him.

Norrington grimaced slightly. It did bother him that, in such a short time alone, he had undertaken some actions and behaved in ways he never would have in the past. Unfortunately, explanations were going to be a problem. How was he to explain his sudden and strange return to Port Royal? And without a doubt, considering how adamantly both Elizabeth and Turner had defended Jack Sparrow not long ago, they would stand in his way.

He decided to focus on something else first. Glancing back at Elizabeth, he asked, "Is Port Royal completely deserted?" Looking for a way to leave... Norrington frowned. "What about the governor?"

These explanations seemed to need a little more elaboration. Was there really nothing left here at all? That would require a change of plans.

[streamofstars]

Touma waited patiently for the others to provide their own explanations on why they were in Port Royal - something the archer did not look forward to. How could one explain that not only do you go around in a flying ship, but your home is actually another world where pirates and wooden ships are a thing of the near-distant past? That would go over well.

Instead, the archer thought of something else - a way he could explain his being in this city without having to explain the prospect of different worlds. Yet. He would explain that if/when he had to take these people onto Tenku to take them to a safe world in the event that theirs decided to fall apart on them.

"The city seems deserted. The only person I encountered there was Ms. Swann, whereas Mr. Turner found us here on the dock," he explained, wanting to get all of this over with quickly, then continued. "I'm here on research of the various worlds.

"And I'm not French," Touma muttered, more to complain about Jack's perception of him. French, indeed. He looked nothing like the French, and they certainly did not have the technology to create Tenku.

[seaswann]

"My father and some of the more trusting help are still at the mansion," Elizabeth said, not liking how it sounded like she had abandoned them. She did not. "As far as I know, all other residents of Port Royal have either left or have died trying."

She didn't like all of this talking. Here they were, standing on the docks next to the same ocean that very well may have spawned those creatures. It gave her a very bad feeling. "It's too late to save Port Royal, but that doesn't have to be the case for us. The longer we stand here, the more likely those-those things will return!" After a pause, she felt the need to clarify: "If that happens, there will be no explanations at all!"

Elizabeth hadn't mean for her voice to rise in frustration (or panic), but she was feeling the need to leave quite urgently. She looked at everyone expectantly. Men. They would probably stand here all night questioning each other.

[with_a_will]

"The port in general is completely deserted," Will provided, his expression dropping slightly. He'd just been there, among the rubble and the skeletons of buildings. Everything smelled like death and those creatures. Inky black things, as Jack liked to call them.

In a way, he felt bad for dragging Elizabeth away from her father, simply to leave the man in a death-pit. But his escort must have been well protected for them to even last that long.

Jack wanted a crew and a ship. That wasn't a surprise. Norrington had avoided the question. Touma was here for research, and Elizabeth simply wanted to get away. Sighing, Will focused on Touma first. "If you're here for something like research, you're better off not wasting your time--or your life. It's probably best if you went back where you came from." It wasn't send in a hostile manner, but instead sincerely. He didn't want the stranger dying when he'd come here merely for research purposes.

"Jack," he said, turning to him next. "Do you have any idea of some way we could get rid of them?" His main goal had been to find the pirate and ask him. If there was anyone that would know of some secret treasure that would dispose of the Heartless, it was Jack. "If you know anything..." He gave the pirate an eager look, which he hoped communicated the fact that he'd be willing to help if that were the case.

[ex_abrokenco715]

So then they had a reason for everyone being here, but no reason to be staying around lollygagging. Norrington seemed quite tied to his business, Elizabeth was busy giving her father a few more grey hairs, and Sir William no doubt brandishing the dock with his heroics in attempt to further win the girl and life of eternal servitude to his lass (or something that had a lesser profit to it). Then there was of course the Frenchman who was indeed not French. Of all the shocking turn of events.

The dock was quite populated with black inky things, it kept the pirate glancing around for nervously perhaps even fidgety. Near the sea was where the nasty buggers tended to surface, previous experience with those gave a good reason to be uneasy. Perhaps his imagination, but the sea-bound ones seemed to have him marked, one of the reasons his crew had fled with their boat. Nasty creatures, those things, Nigh impossible to get rid of except by coming inland and encountering some of their smaller cousins.

When asked for a solution, Jack was rather amused. Come to him for all the answers, aye? Seemed a little awry, but he had a makeshift solution. To the pirate it seemed a far reach, but he didn’t have to let the others on to his own thoughts of probability.

“Come to the pirate for all the answers.” He said to himself rather sarcastically.

Jack paced in a melodramatic manner back and fourth, taking hesitating swooping steps to help his thoughts. He would pause, look at everyone, and continue his little pace. Suppose in a situation such as this, he didn’t have much choice to protest. A small bullock version was used to persuade Norrington not to add a few holes to his exterior so they would find out by one hand or the next. This key could be a possible lead, there were a lot of surfacing legends about what this particular key could do. If it was just a hoax of power and it only led to a chest, well! Then they would have something nice and shiny for their efforts. These civilians had fought the un-dead before why not a bunch of giant ants and sea-bourn nasties?

“I’ve an idea that needs a ship and a few good pairs of legs..” Jack tilted his head ever so slightly, looking at Elizabeth’s pair for comparison to the pairs of hairy legs he was used to seeing on the high seas, but quickly straightened for the lack of anything to compare. Long skirts and petticoats be damned.

“Problem being, there isn’t much getting past those nasty things on the sea with any normal ship. Getting sunk before we left the bay would leave us rather...sunk.. I suppose.”