[Caribbean Sea: Tortuga - EVENING]
The salty breeze carried the stench of rum, sweat, and the unmistakable scent of trouble. Jack, Arlo, and Will stepped off the small dinghy, their boots sinking slightly into the rickety wooden docks of Tortuga.
The town was alive with the chaos of the Caribbean's most notorious outlaws—pirates brawling in the streets, wenches laughing raucously, and the occasional drunkard being hurled out of a tavern door.
Arlo took in the sight before him, unimpressed yet intrigued. "So this is Tortuga, huh?" he muttered. "The paradise of every pirate who wants to avoid the law… and an absolute nightmare for anyone who still has morals."
Jack inhaled deeply and grinned. "Ah, it is a sad life that has never breathed deep the sweet proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy?"
Will grimaced as he sidestepped a staggering drunk who promptly vomited onto the ground beside him.
"Charming," he said dryly. "Absolutely charming."
They hadn't taken more than a few steps when a woman in a scarlet dress stormed up to Jack.
"Scarlett!" Jack said, feigning delight as he rubbed his cheek.
Without a word, she slapped him hard across the face.
Jack staggered slightly, blinking as the woman, Scarlett, turned on her heel and marched off.
"Not sure I deserved that..."Jack said
Jack barely had time to adjust his hat before another woman, a blonde this time, appeared in front of him.
"Giselle!" Jack greeted her with his usual grin.
"Who was she?" Giselle asked, nodding toward Scarlett.Jack hesitated.
"Uh—"
SLAP!
Jack sighed. "I may have deserved that."
Arlo smirked. "Jack, you've got a real talent for making lasting impressions on women. Unfortunately, they all seem to involve your face getting hit."
Will chuckled. "This is becoming a pattern."
Jack adjusted his hat. "Laugh it up, mates. Now, let's find an old friend of mine. We need a crew."
They made their way through the raucous crowd, dodging yet another tavern brawl spilling out into the street. Jack led them towards The Faithful Bride, a particularly rowdy pub where half the town's scoundrels seemed to be gathered.
---
[Tortuga: The Faithful bar]
A grizzled, disheveled man lay in the mud, snoring peacefully between two equally drunk pigs. His old Navy coat was torn and stained, barely recognizable as something that once belonged to a respectable officer.
Jack stepped forward, peering down at the man before grinning. "Ah, Gibbs. Just the man we need."
With a dramatic flair, Jack kicked over a nearby bucket, sending a splash of water right onto the man's face.
Gibbs gasped awake, spluttering. "Curse ye for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot!"
Then his eyes focused on Jack. "Mother's love, Jack, you know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. It's bad luck!"
Jack crouched beside him. "Well, fortunately, I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink, and the man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition."
Gibbs thought for a moment before nodding. "Aye, that'll about do it."
Before he could get his footing, another splash of water hit him. Gibbs flinched and turned to see Will and Arlo standing there, empty buckets in hand.
"Blast it, I'm already awake!" Gibbs growled.
Will shrugged. "That was for the smell."
Arlo smirked. "And to help you sober up."
Jack clapped Gibbs on the shoulder. "Come on, mate. We've got plans to discuss."
As they stepped inside the dimly lit bar, Arlo had a feeling that this was just the beginning of their wildest misadventure yet.
...
They all went back to the pub, the dimly lit interior filled with the usual rabble of drunken sailors and shady figures conducting business in the shadows. Jack and Gibbs sat at a corner table, a single flickering candle illuminating their faces as they spoke in hushed tones. Will and Arlo remained by the door, both keeping a wary eye on their surroundings.
Will finally broke the silence, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Arlo, why exactly are you with Jack? You don't strike me as the pirate type."
Arlo smirked, watching Jack wave a barmaid over for another drink. "I need Jack's help to find Isla de Muerta."
Will frowned. "Isla de Muerta? What's there?"
Arlo leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "A curse that needs to be broken. And if my guess is right, that's where your beloved Elizabeth and those pirates who took her are heading."
Will stiffened at the mention of Elizabeth, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. "Then we have no time to waste."
Arlo chuckled. "Patience, Will. We'll need a proper crew and a ship. Rushing in won't help Elizabeth. Get some rest. Our journey is just beginning."
Will exhaled sharply but nodded. As Arlo turned to leave, he glanced back at Jack, who was now gesturing animatedly as he spoke to Gibbs. Whatever scheme he was hatching, it was bound to be entertaining.
***
[Tortuga: Dock - MORNING]
The morning sun did little to cleanse the filth of Tortuga. On the docks, a ragtag group of sailors stood in a disorderly line, some looking eager, others barely sober.
Gibbs stepped forward, gesturing at the lineup. "Feast your eyes, Cap'n. All of 'em good seafaring men, faithful hands before the mast, every one worth his salt—" he leaned in toward Jack, lowering his voice, "—and crazy, to boot."
Arlo muttered under his breath, "Not crazy enough to fight undead pirates."
Jack clapped his hands together. "They'll do."
Arlo remained silent, scanning the crew. He wasn't looking for brawn, but rather competence. Fighting cursed pirates was one thing, but surviving the open sea was another.
Jack strolled down the line, his eyes flicking between the recruits. Suddenly, his gaze landed on a familiar face.
"Anamaria!" he said, grinning.
A sharp slap echoed across the dock as Anamaria's palm connected with Jack's face.
Arlo, barely holding back a chuckle, leaned toward Will. "Does every woman we meet who's involved with Jack end up slapping him?"
Will smirked. "I think it's inevitable."
Anamaria, still fuming, jabbed a finger at Jack. "You stole my boat!"
Another slap, harder this time. Jack held up his hands in mock surrender. "Borrowed. Borrowed your boat. Without permission, yes, but with every intention of bringing it back."
Anamaria narrowed her eyes. "But you didn't."
Jack, ever the smooth talker, smiled. "You'll get another one."
Will interjected. "A better one."
Arlo pointed toward the ship docked behind them. "A much bigger. much faster."
Jack followed their gaze, his expression shifting to mild concern. "That one?"
Arlo leaned in, voice low. "It's the only way."
Jack sighed, rubbing his temple before turning back to Anamaria. "Aye, that one."
Anamaria looked at the ship, then back at Jack, before nodding sharply. "Aye!"
The gathered sailors, sensing the shift, erupted into a chorus of "Aye!"
With their crew assembled, they began boarding the ship, ready to set sail toward their uncertain and perilous adventure.
...
[Caribbean: H.M.S. Interceptor - STORMY NIGHT]
A FLASH of lightning cracks across the sky, illuminating the churning ocean below. The Interceptor crests a massive wave, then plunges down the other side, causing the deck to tilt violently. Rain pours in sheets, drenching everything and everyone. The ship groans under the strain, the sails billowing under the relentless wind.
Arlo grips the rigging tightly as the storm rages around him. Water seeps through his coat, his hair plastered against his forehead. The crew scrambles across the deck, fighting to keep the ship steady.
Some sailors cling to the ropes for dear life, their knuckles white. The storm was worse than he expected, it was one thing to watch ships battle storms in games or movies, but being in one was an entirely different beast.
Will, struggling with a coil of rope, glares toward Jack, who remains eerily calm at the helm, a mad grin on his face. Gibbs stumbles toward them, shaking his head against the rain.
Will asked Gibbs "How do we expect to find an island no one can find with a compass that doesn't work?"
Gibb lowered his voice "Now, lad, just because it don't point north don't mean it don't work. That compass leads straight to the Isla de Muerta, wherever it may lie."
Arlo nodded, watching Jack with mild amusement. "Just trust Jack. He'll get us there."
Jack stood at the wheel, his hair whipping in the wind, his eyes sharp and focused despite the chaos around them. Gibbs staggered toward him, barely keeping his footing.
Will look at Arlo, incredulous "How are you standing so still? This ship is moving like the devil himself is shaking it. "
Arlo grinned "A gift. Let's leave it at that."
In truth, his clown's supernatural sense of balance made such conditions trivial. Where others struggled, he remained perfectly stable, effortlessly shifting with the ship's movements. Below deck, Arlo found Link huddled in a dark corner, ears pressed flat against his head. The storm had rattled the little Rockruff more than expected.
Arlo comfort Link. "Hey, buddy. It's alright."
Link whined, trembling slightly. Arlo crouched down, running a hand over the Pokémon's fur. Then Arlo asked "Want to go inside the Poké Ball?"
Link nodded instantly. With a soft flash of red light, he disappeared inside, safely tucked away from the storm.Back on deck, Arlo returned just as Jack let out a joyous laugh, savoring the chaos of the storm.
Gibbs and Will exchanged glances, both clearly thinking the same thing, he's insane.
...
[Caribbean Sea: Isla De Muerta - DAWN ]
The storm had passed, leaving behind a restless sea. The horizon glowed with the first light of morning.
Cotton's Parrot shouted "Land ho! Land ho! Land ho!"
Excitement surged through the crew as they scrambled to the ship's rail.
Arlo climbed onto the rigging, telescope in hand. As he scanned the horizon, he saw the dark silhouette of Isla de Muerta. A chill ran down his spine.
Compared to how it appeared in the movies, the real Isla de Muerta was far worse. Jagged rocks protruded from the water like broken teeth. Countless shipwrecks littered the coastline, their skeletal remains a grim warning to those who dared approach.
Below, Will and Gibbs stood near the bow, talking in hushed tones. Will looked at Gibbs "You knew Barbossa?"
"Aye, well enough to know him and Jack weren't always enemies. They were shipmates once, long ago, before Barbossa turned traitor and took the Pearl from Jack." Gibbs replies
Will continued "And Jack intends to settle the score."
Gibbs said "More than that, lad. There's history there. And I don't mean the friendly kind."
Jack turned from the helm, catching the tail end of their conversation. "Young Mister Turner, Arlo and I are going ashore."
Gibbs hurriedly asked "Captain, what if the worst should happen?"
Jack grinned, "Keep to the Code"
Jack, Arlo, and Will boarded a longboat, rowing toward the eerie black mouth of a cave at the water's edge. The closer they got, the louder the rush of the hidden waterfall inside became.
***
[Isla De Muerta: Caves - TUNNEL]
he small boat glided through the black waters, the tunnel illuminated by the flickering glow of a lantern perched on a wooden pole. Shadows twisted against the damp rock walls, cast by the dim light reflecting off thousands of scattered gold coins resting beneath the surface. The weight of silence pressed upon them, only disturbed by the rhythmic creak of the oars.
Will sat rigid, eyes darting between Jack and Arlo. He could feel the damp chill of the cavern settling into his bones. Ahead, a skeleton lay half-buried in the sand, its ribcage caved in, a rusted sword jammed through its back. A crab scuttled across the remains, its claws clicking idly. Will swallowed hard, glancing away.
"What code is Gibbs to keep to, if the worst should happen?" Will finally asked, voice hushed but firm.
Jack barely spared him a glance. "Pirates' code."
Will frowned. "And what does that entail?"
Jack smirked, shifting the oars in his hands. "Any man who falls behind... is left behind."
Will exhaled sharply. "No heroes amongst thieves, eh?"
Arlo, who had been quietly observing the cavern walls, snorted. "Will, if you're looking for heroics, you might as well stab yourself now and save the trouble." He gestured vaguely at the skeleton. "That's what happens to heroes in places like this."
Jack nodded sagely. "Arlo's got it right. Being a pirate means looking out for yourself."
Will's jaw tightened. "That's a coward's philosophy."
Jack tilted his head, smirking. "You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one."
Will shot him a glare. "I am not—"
Jack held up a finger, cutting him off. Jack held up a finger, cutting him off. "Sprung a man from jail? Check. Commandeered a ship of the fleet? Also check. Sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga?"
Jack leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if delivering the final blow. "Completely obsessed with treasure?"
The boat drifted toward the landing area, where several smaller boats were already moored. Their shadows stretched long and thin against the cavern walls. Arlo scanned the area carefully, eyes darting between the docked vessels. No signs of movement yet.
...
Will pulled the boat ashore, the wet sand crunching under his boots as he hauled it up further. Jack and Arlo hopped out, taking in their surroundings. The cavern stretched wide before them, shadows flickering from scattered torches."That's not true," Will said, adjusting his grip on his sword. "I am not obsessed with treasure."
Arlo smirked, adjusting his coat. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, Will. It could be someone you love... or a ship." He let the words hang, watching Will's reaction.
Jack, for once, simply nodded, as if Arlo had spoken some universal truth.
They climbed up toward a cave opening, crouching low behind jagged rocks. Beyond it, the scene unfolded, Elizabeth stood atop a massive pile of treasure, her hands bound. Twigg and Koehler shoved her forward, making her stumble toward the top where Barbossa waited beside a stone chest. A ring of pirates surrounded the area, watching intently.
Jack exhaled quietly. "Well, this looks familiar." His voice carried a lightness that didn't match the tension in the air.
Arlo watched Barbossa closely, noting the way he carried himself relaxed, yet completely in control. This scene is just like the original movie.