[Fort Charles: Cell Block - AFTERNOON]
The clanging of the cell door echoed through the block as the soldiers shoved Jack Sparrow inside. Jack stumbled slightly but recovered with an exaggerated flourish, straightening his hat as though to preserve his dignity.
"Mind the coat, lads," Jack muttered, brushing off his damp sleeves as the guards marched off.
As Jack plopped onto the floor with a loud, exaggerated sigh, Arlo's thoughts drifted briefly to his companion, Link. His Pokémon currently rested inside his Luxury Ball—a one of his first investment Arlo was more grateful for with every passing moment.
The Luxury Ball wasn't just a holding device; it was like a five-star hotel for Pokémon. Unlike standard Poké Balls, the interior mimicked a small, cozy apartment tailored to the Pokémon's needs. Link had everything he needs a soft bed, and even a simulated environment that resembled the grassy fields he loved.
Still, I hope Link doesn't get too bored in there, Arlo thought. He tapped his temple absently, remembering how much energy his partner had. A few hours of downtime won't kill him, but knowing him, he's probably bouncing off the walls. Literally.
Arlo turned his attention to Jack, who was seated not far from him, lounging against the damp stone wall with a relaxed ease that seemed completely unfitting for someone locked in a cell.
Curiosity piqued, Arlo decided to activate his [Observe], his vision shifting as the skill works its magic.
[Observe Activated]
Jack Sparrow
Race: Human
Level: 15
HP: 135/135
MP: None
Stats:
Strength: 7
Dexterity: 7
Intelligence: 8
Charisma: 14
Luck: 50
Endurance: 7
Wisdom: 9
Status: None
Skill: Expert Buccaneer LV. 8/10, Marksmanship LV. 6/10, Pirate Sword Style LV. 8/10, Master Seaman LV. 9/10, Lucky One LV. 8/10
Description: A legendary pirate of the Seven Seas and the irreverent trickster of the Caribbean. Captain of the infamous pirate ship: The Black Pearl. One of the nine Pirate Lords of the Brethren Court.
Threat Level: Low - Mid (High)
Arlo's eyes widened. HOLY SHIT!!!, Jack is a very luck son of a bitch!!!
He had expected Jack to have decent stats, but what stood out was the man's sheer luck—50. That was borderline C-Rank Pioneer level. No wonder Jack was able to escape impossible situations time and time again.
That level of luck wasn't just supernatural; it was downright unfair. If he fell off a cliff, he'd probably land on a passing ship's sails, bounce off, and land in a boat filled with rum. If someone fired at him, the bullet would probably ricochet off a falling coin and hit the shooter instead.
Arlo was so deep in thought, staring at Jack in near disbelief, that he didn't notice the pirate watching him.
Jack smirked. "As much as I love the attention, mate, I must say—I'm not into men."
Arlo blinked, snapping out of his trance, before bursting into laughter. "Goddammit, Jack Sparrow."
He shook his head, grinning. "Here I am, marveling at the fact that fate itself seems to bend over backwards to keep you alive, and that's your takeaway?"
Jack chuckled, giving him a cheeky grin. "Well, can you blame me? You were staring quite intensely. Almost like you were undressing me with your eyes."
He made a dramatic gesture, adjusting his coat. "Not that I'd blame you. I am rather dashing."
Arlo rolled his eyes but couldn't help but laugh again. This guy...
"Not quite the welcome you expected in Port Royal, is it, Captain Sparrow?" Arlo quipped.
Jack glanced at him, one brow arching. "And why, pray tell, would you care about my business here, mate?"
Arlo shrugged casually. "No particular reason. Just trying to pass the time before they come."
That caught Jack's attention. His playful demeanor shifted ever so slightly as he leaned forward, his dark eyes narrowing. "Who's coming?"
Arlo chuckled, his grin widening. "Oh, come on now, Jack. You saw it yourself—the golden coin Miss Swann had in her possession. You know as well as I do that it's a cursed object."
Jack's face froze for a moment before his expression turned serious. "What do you want with the cursed Aztec gold, eh?"
"Me?" Arlo said, tilting his head as if surprised by the question. "I want to destroy curse all of it. Every single coin."
Jack let out a bark of laughter, the mood instantly lightening. "Brilliant plan, mate. We'll just sit here in this fine, cozy cell and wait for the curse to deal with itself, shall we?"
Arlo grinned. "We'll get out soon enough." Extending his hand, he said, "I haven't properly introduced myself. Arlo Leeroy, adventurer extraordinaire."
Jack eyed the hand warily before shaking it with a smirk. "Captain Jack Sparrow, captain of the Black Pearl."
"I've been looking for you, Jack," Arlo admitted, his tone turning earnest.
Jack leaned back against the wall, resting his hands behind his head. "And why, pray tell, would a fellow like yourself be looking for someone like me?"
Arlo leaned forward slightly. "Because only two people know the location of the Aztec gold coins—you and Barbossa. And seeing as Barbossa's currently unavailable, that leaves you, Jack."
Jack tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "And what, exactly, is in it for me, mate?"
"You get the gold without the curse,"Arlo replied smoothly.
Jack scratched his chin, considering the proposition. After a moment, he extended his hand once more. "Done. A gentleman's agreement, then."
The two shook hands firmly, and Jack's sly grin returned. "Now all we need is to escape this cell. Any brilliant plans?"
Arlo leaned back, his expression calm. "Relax. We'll be out of here soon enough."
Jack frowned, his curiosity piqued. "And how, pray tell, do you know that?"
Arlo gave a cryptic smile. "Because I'm a seer, Jack."
Jack gave him a skeptical look but chose not to press further. Instead, the two began to pass the time with idle conversation. Arlo found himself fascinated by the real Jack Sparrow—not the romanticized or comical figure from the movies, but the flesh-and-blood man sitting before him.
Jack was a trickster, no doubt, using wit and deceit to achieve his goals. His drunken swagger and slurred speech masked a sharp, calculating mind. Every flailing hand gesture and offhand remark was deliberate, part of a carefully crafted persona designed to confuse and outwit his enemies.
"Tell me, Arlo," Jack said, his tone light but probing. "What's a lad like you doing chasing after cursed treasure?"
Arlo shrugged. "The same reason you do what you do, Jack. Adventure. The thrill of the unknown." J
ack laughed, his eyes twinkling. "A kindred spirit, then. Good to know I've got some decent company while we wait."
As they talked, Arlo couldn't help but admire Jack's shrewdness. Beneath the eccentricity was a man who had survived countless dangers through a combination of cunning, charm, and sheer audacity. Jack was the epitome of controlled chaos, and Arlo knew he'd need that kind of unpredictability to navigate the storm ahead.
***
[Fort Charles: Cell Block - EVENING]
The night in the cell block was far from silent. The BOOMS of cannon fire echoed through the fort, rattling the walls and sending loose dust trickling from the ceiling. Jack sat up abruptly, his movements sharp for a man who often pretended to be sluggish.
"I know those guns!" Jack exclaimed, straining to peer out through the narrow bars of the cell's window.
The other prisoners, sensing the significance of his tone, scrambled to the small window in their cells as well, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of what lay beyond.
Arlo, seated with his back against the cold stone wall, merely smirked. Finally, he thought. Barbossa's here.
"It's the Black Pearl," Jack said, his voice tinged with both familiarity and unease.
The prisoners recoiled as one, the name striking fear into even hardened criminals. One of them muttered, his voice trembling, "The Black Pearl? I've heard stories… she's been preying on ships and settlements for near ten years… and never leaves any survivors."
Jack turned, a flicker of amusement playing on his face. "Oh, there are plenty of stories about the Black Pearl," he replied, but his tone hinted at truths far darker than any tale.
Outside, the night was chaos. The streets of Port Royal were ablaze, buildings and docks consumed by fire as cannonballs tore through them. Villagers ran screaming, dodging flying debris or diving for cover. The sound of splintering wood, shattering glass, and roaring flames filled the air, blending into a cacophony that truly felt like the gates of hell had opened.
Then, without warning, the cell block shook violently as a cannonball tore through the wall. The stone exploded inward, throwing debris across the room and knocking both Jack and Arlo off balance. Moonlight streamed in through the massive hole, illuminating the wreckage and offering a glimpse of freedom beyond.
Arlo stood and dusted himself off, watching as the prisoners in the adjacent cell scrambled toward the opening.
"Praise be!" one of them cried, squeezing through the gap with the others close behind.
Before disappearing, the man glanced back at Jack, a mocking grin on his face. "My sympathies, friend—you've no manner of luck at all."
Jack didn't respond, instead brushing off rubble from his coat with exaggerated calmness.
"No, not lucky at all," he muttered.
The part of Jack and Arlo's cell that had been blown apart was too small for either of them to escape. The dog, still clutching the key ring in its mouth, cowered under a long bench nearby, trembling at the sound of cannon fire.Jack sighed dramatically, bending down to pick up a bone from the rubble. He wagged it enticingly. "It's all right, doggie… come here."
From his corner, Arlo chuckled. "Stop trying to woo the dog, Jack."
Jack ignored him, continuing to coax the dog closer. To his surprise, the animal began to creep forward, its eyes fixed warily on Jack.
"Patience, my good man," Jack quipped, shooting Arlo a glance. The key ring was nearly within reach when the dog froze, its ears perking up. It bristled, growling low and deep, before backing away toward the broken wall.
"What's the matter, boy?" Jack asked, his hand still outstretched.The dog whined and bolted, squeezing through the bars and disappearing through the hole, keys jingling as they vanished with it.
Arlo's expression turned serious. He stood abruptly and said, "Someone's coming."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"
Arlo tapped the side of his temple. "Call it intuition."Danger intuition, to be exact, he thought. His short-term premonition skill was flaring, and the vision of two figures approaching the door was crystal clear. The door to the cell block burst open, and two pirates stepped inside: Koehler and Twigg.
"This isn't the armory," Twigg grumbled, glancing around with mild irritation. He turned to leave, but Koehler's gaze locked onto Jack and Arlo.
"Well, well…" Koehler said with a Dutch accent, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Look what we have here, Twigg. It's Captain Sparrow."
"Huh," Twigg said, stepping closer. "Last time I saw you, you were all alone on a godforsaken island, shrinking into the distance. I'd heard you got off, but I didn't believe it."
"Did you sprout little wings and fly away?" Koehler taunted.
Their laughter filled the room, grating and cruel. Jack didn't flinch. He stepped forward to the bars, his expression sharp and dangerous. The moonlight fell across his face as he spoke, his voice low and venomous.
"Worry about your own fortunes," Jack said, his tone cutting. "The lowest circle of hell is reserved for betrayers… and mutineers."
The amusement vanished from Koehler and Twigg's faces. Koehler lashed out, grabbing Jack by the throat through the bars. Jack clutched at Koehler's wrist instinctively, and his eyes widened in shock.The moonlight revealed Koehler's wrist and hand as skeletal, the flesh stripped away to reveal bone.
"You're right," Jack muttered, his voice tight. "They are cursed."
Koehler sneered, shoving Jack backward with enough force to send him sprawling.Arlo, watching intently, activated his [Spirit Vision]. His HUD shifted, overlaying an ethereal glow onto the world around him. The pirates' bodies were cloaked in a blackish aura, their ether body from the heart, brain, digestive system, nervous system, and other are very dark. Every fiber of their being screamed of the curse that consumed them.
Both aren't just cursed—they're walking manifestations of it, Arlo thought, his grip tightening on the bars as he analyzed the scene.
Out of the moonlight, Koehler's hand returned to normal. He locked eyes with Jack, his expression cold. "You know nothing of hell," he said before ushering Twigg toward the door.
Jack stood slowly, dusting himself off. "The stories are true," he murmured to Arlo, his voice grim.
Arlo smirked faintly, his Spirit Vision still active. "Welcome to the real world, Captain Sparrow." And with that, the pirates were gone, leaving Jack and Arlo alone once more in the cell block, the sounds of cannon fire echoing around them.
***
[Fort Charles: Cell Block - MORNING]
Jack Sparrow grunted, straining as he tried to budge one of the bars of his cell. His efforts were futile—the cannonball damage from the night before had weakened the wall, but not enough to set him free. The bar didn't even wobble.
"Blasted thing," Jack muttered, leaning against the bars dramatically, sweat trickling down his face.
From the corner of the cell, Arlo smirked. "Give it up, Jack. Even with all your pirate ingenuity, you're not bending steel with bare hands."
Jack shot him a glare but didn't respond, instead rubbing his hands together as if preparing for another attempt.
Arlo blinked, his Danger Intuition flaring in his mind—a vivid premonition of a figure approaching the door. His lips curved into a knowing grin.
"Our savior is here," Arlo said, his tone casual.
Jack froze, tilting his head toward Arlo. "And how, pray tell, do you know that?"
Before Arlo could answer, the metallic click of the door latch echoed through the cell block. Jack quickly threw himself onto the floor, sprawling out as though he hadn't moved all morning.The door creaked open, revealing Will Turner. He slipped inside quietly, his eyes scanning the room before locking onto Jack's cell.
"Morning, lad!" Jack greeted him cheerfully, lounging with his arms behind his head as though they were meeting in a tavern instead of a jail.
Will ignored the greeting, marching up to the bars with purpose. "You're Jack Sparrow."
"Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack corrected, emphasizing the title with a flourish of his hand.
"You're the only one who knows where they've taken Elizabeth," Will stated, his voice sharp and determined.
Arlo leaned back against the wall, observing the exchange like a spectator at a theater.
This is about to get interesting, he thought.
"Ah, so it's Elizabeth now, is it?" Jack teased. "Not 'Miss Swann'? My, my, someone's rather familiar."
Will's fists clenched at his sides. "Tell me where she is."
Jack smirked. "Can't do that, mate. I'm a bit locked up at the moment, in case you hadn't noticed."
The banter continued until Will slammed his fist against the bars in frustration, startling Jack out of his relaxed demeanor. The younger man paced for a moment before stopping, his expression hardening as he made a decision.
"I can get you out of here," Will said, his voice steady.Jack arched a brow. "How? The key's run off, if you hadn't noticed. Took a bone for good measure."
Will stepped closer, examining the cell carefully. "I helped build these cells. Those are hook-and-ring hinges. The proper application of strength, and the door will lift free. All I need is the right lever and fulcrum."
Jack and Arlo exchanged a look. Jack's expression was one of amused disbelief, while Arlo's was calculating.
"Brilliant," Arlo muttered under his breath.
Jack's gaze lingered on Will as the young man spoke, something clicking in his mind. His smirk faded, replaced by a look of curiosity.
"Your name is Turner," Jack said, his tone shifting.
Will paused, giving Jack a puzzled look. "Yes. Will Turner."
Jack turned to Arlo, his grin returning. "You knew, of course. " He gestured toward Will. "He's needed to end the curse."
Arlo shrugged. "You're not wrong."
Will frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Jack stood, brushing himself off. "Will Turner," he repeated, savoring the name.
Then, with a flourish, he extended a hand. "I'll tell you what, Mr. Turner. I've changed my mind. You spring me from this cell, andon pain of death, I'll take you to the Black Pearl."
Will hesitated, the offer sounding too good to be true. Jack's hand remained outstretched, his smile unwavering.
After a tense moment, Will shook his hand. "We have an accord."
Jack clapped his hands together. "Marvelous! Allow me to introduce my associate—Arlo Leeroy, adventurer."
Arlo gave Will a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, Will."
Will wasted no time, scanning the room for tools. He found a sturdy chair and positioned it as a fulcrum, then used a long bench as a lever. With great effort, he pushed down, the cell door groaning in protest before finally lifting free. The door crashed onto the bench and chair with a loud clang.Jack whistled, clearly impressed.
"Well done, lad." Arlo, glancing toward the corridor, frowned.
"We need to move. Someone's bound to have heard that." Jack retrieved his belongings—a pistol, sword belt, and compass. He strapped on the belt, checked the shot in his pistol, and adjusted his hat with exaggerated flair.
"Would you stop preening?" Arlo snapped.
"I'm moving as fast as I can," Jack retorted, gesturing for them to follow.
Together, the trio slipped out of the cell block, the distant sound of footsteps urging them to hurry
.