Port Royal didn't really have a night life to speak of. The people who lived there worked hard during the day and went home to rest when the sun went down.
There was a seedier element in the city, of course; those who didn't have any desire to earn an honest living and waited for nightfall to get their booze money. Commodore Norrington was an efficient man, however, so only the sneakiest and the smartest remained of the criminally inclined.
That was not to say there was nowhere for a wayward youth to spend their parents' hard earned cash, though. A few such establishments were hidden, tucked away in quiet corners where the soldiers' patrols did not pass by.
It was outside one such establishment that Cabernet and Brook found themselves on this particular night.
"Are you sure this is the right place, Brook?" Cabernet asked, skepticism marring her tone.
"My jazz senses are tingling! Yohohoho!" Brook laughed.
The skeletal geezer wrapped his bony knuckles on the thick, but poorly maintained, wooden door.
It cracked open not half a moment later. "What do you want?"
"To enjoy some good music, good drinks, and hopefully good company, good sir!" Brook responded, his cheery mood unperturbed by the doorman's rude attitude.
"You got money?" the doorman asked.
Brook jingled a coin pouch on his hip.
"Alright. No funny business, or you're banned for life. We aren't that shit hole on the east side; we're a classy joint, you understand?" The doorman opened the door wide enough to let them in.
"Of course!" Brook agreed easily. Neither of them were here to start trouble, after all. Not that they'd say if they were.
They didn't hear the music until they had gone down a flight of stairs. It trickled out from behind a much nicer door than the one upstairs.
When they opened this one, they were hit by a wave of tobacco smoke and freeform jazz. Inside were a number of tables gathered around a wooden stage, and even more wine barrels lining the walls.
People talked in low tones, mostly younger but also a few older individuals. All of them were dressed well, but not extravagantly. None paid any mind to Cabernet or Brook when they stepped inside.
"This is much better!" Brook whispered excitedly. "I love sea shanties as much as the next skeleton, but they just can't compare to a proper band."
The bartender gave them an odd look when they sidled up to the bar. It was a fair reaction to have towards a large woman with white hair and a big black feather "coat", as well as an even taller and much thinner afroed man with all his "skin" covered up.
"Milk, please," Brook ordered, keeping to his manners.
The woman behind the bar blinked at him, uncomprehending. She glanced at Cabernet, "And are you going to ask for juice?"
"You have juice?!" Cabernet's eyes lit up. "Yes, please!"
The poor woman just sighed before fishing around for their drinks of choice.
…
"We're all out of milk and juice," the bartender informed them, her odd look now twisted into perplexed acceptance.
Brook had had a full jug of milk by now, and Cabernet just finished nursing her third of juice.
"I'll have wine then, I guess," Cabernet said. It was somewhat of a relief, even if the bartender wasn't sure where she was putting all these fluids.
"Just water for me. I don't want to be too hungover come morning! Yohohoho!" Brook requested.
"You can't get-" the bartender took a deep breath. "You know what, nevermind. Whatever you want."
The door to the room was pushed open with careless force. The doorman barged inside and shouted, "Everybody upstairs and out the back door!"
One might expect the other patrons to panic at the suddenness of the command, but surprisingly most of them got up in a quick and orderly fashion. Even the band were packing up their instruments before the doorman had even finished speaking.
"What's going on?" Cabernet asked.
"Probably one of Norrington's crackdowns. Ever since Miss Swann snuck in here a few years back, he's been giving us trouble every now and then. Nothing to worry about, but you had better get a move on if you don't want to spend a night in jail," the bartender helpfully explained.
Cabernet and Brook obviously weren't overly concerned about getting caught by the local law enforcement, but if the show was over, then the show was over. No point in hanging around just to cause trouble.
They caught up to the other patrons upstairs as they calmly filed out the back door.
*boom*
Everyone heard the distant sound of a cannon, and not long after there was a crash as the cannonball tore through the front of the building and nearly took off the head of a young lady.
That young lady now looked very pale, and possibly like she was on the verge of fainting. It was fortunate for her that Cabernet was standing behind her, because she only needed to reach out a single palm to catch the offending object.
"Are you okay?" Cabernet asked, genuine concern crossing her features.
The young lady nodded hastily, then she really did faint. Fortunately, her gentleman friend was there to catch her.
After that, the patrons were very eager to get out and away as fast as they could manage.
Cabernet and Brook went out via the front. They weren't about to let whoever did that off the hook.
…
"What kind of ship is that?" a squat, balding pirate asked.
"Looks like a circus boat or something," a leaner pirate with a wooden eye commented.
"Pintel, Ragetti!" their captain marched over. "Leave the clown ship be. Get your dumbasses up to the governor's manor and get looting! And keep three eyes out for the damned coin!"
""Yes, Captain Barbossa!"" Pintel and Ragetti snapped to attention.
"Mallot, Twigg!" Barbossa shouted. "You two see what you can find on the clown boat!"
The pirate captain kept on giving out his instructions as Pintel and Ragetti prepared their dinghy.
"Why can't we search the circus ship?" Ragetti complained under his voice.
"What the hell are you bitching about?" Pintel slapped his friend on the arm. "Raiding the governor's manor is the best job we can get! Think about all the expensive knickknacks they got in there."
"I know that," Ragetti said. "But it's not like we get a better share for finding it. I'd rather do something more fun."
"Well…" Pintel lowered his voice even further. "The way I hear it, the governor has a daughter. A pretty little thing, too."
"You mean…?" Ragetti's one good eye lit up with desire.
"That's right," Pintel nodded, an evil glint in his own eyes. "All the dresses we can wear, ripe for the taking!"
"You're a genius, Pintel!" Ragetti almost shivered with anticipation. "You think she has make-up and perfume in there too?"
"Only the best of the best for the princess!" Pintel chuckled. "And the best part is, ain't nobody else on this cursed ship of ours is going to want any of it!"
"I can't wait!" Ragetti released their dinghy and they boarded their boat with greed in their hearts.