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𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐘, tortuga was as disorderly and loud as always. bella felt right at home.
she sat close beside jack in a crowded and dimly-lit pub. he was fidgeting with his compass.
gibbs was nearby, trying to harvest the ninety-nine souls. "and what makes you think you're worthy to crew the black pearl?"
"truth be told, i never sailed a day in me life. i figure i should get out and see the world while i'm still young," replied an elderly man.
"you'll do. make your mark," gibbs nodded. "next!"
"my wife run off with my dog, and i'm drunk for a month, and i don't give a rat's ass if i live or die," the second man slurred.
"perfect! next!" gibbs exclaimed. bella couldn't help but feel a little sorry for these innocent sailors.
beside her, jack shook his compass around violently.
"i know what i want, i know what i want, i know what i want!" he opened the compass hopefully, but it still wouldn't show him a bearing.
"lovely," bella grumbled upon seeing the ever-spinning needle.
jack scowled at her, then shook the compass again. "i know what i want!" he muttered, flipping the compass open once more.
he and bella both let out a frustrated sigh when the compass still wouldn't work.
"how are we going?" jack asked gibbs.
"including those four? that gives us... four." gibbs said, rolling his eyes. jack went back to shaking his compass vigorously as another hopeful walked up to the table. "and what's your story?" gibbs plastered on a fake smile.
"my story?" a voice drawled. "it's exactly the same as your story, just one chapter behind. i chased a man across the seven seas . . ."
jack slowly closed his compass. he and bella met eyes in realization. they both started glancing around for a place to hide, faces full of dread.
". . . the pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life," the man grabbed a spare bottle of rum from the table and took a swig.
"commodore?" gibbs asked in disbelief.
"no, not anymore, weren't you listening?!!" norrington exclaimed. he was disheveled, dirty, and scruffy— not at all his usual self. "i nearly had you all off tripoli. i would've, if not for the hurricane!"
jack found a leafy plant and pulled bella behind it in an attempt to hide.
"lord, you didn't try to sail through it?" gibbs seemed a bit frightened.
"so do i make your crew or not?" norrington growled. "you haven't said where you're going... somewhere nice?!" he angrily flipped the table, causing gibbs fall off his stool.
jack grabbed bella and tried to walk away inconspicuously, the plant still clutched in front of them.
"so am i worthy to serve under captain jack sparrow?" norrington turned to the rest of the tavern, arms spread wide. unfortunately, the brilliant plant plan didn't work. norrington spotted jack and bella, raising his pistol at them. "or should i just kill you now?"
jack dodged to the other side of the pillar, then back again— norrington's gun followed him. "you're hired!" jack finally replied, hiding his regret behind a smile.
"sorry. old habits and all that," norrington smirked.
his pistol fired. the bullet ricocheted off the lights, then broke someone's bottle. before long, a brawl had broken out.
"time to go?" bella asked, hurrying away from the scene.
"time to go," jack agreed, taking her hand protectively.
"aye," gibbs joined them as they carefully made their way upstairs, ducking from objects hurled towards them. jack attempted to try on several different hats, but none of them seemed to suit him well enough.
they narrowly escaped the tavern, heading back towards the pearl.
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