[Port Royal: Docks]
Beneath the shadowed bridge, Jack, Arlo, and Will crouched low, avoiding the gaze of patrolling soldiers. The gentle lapping of waves against the dock underscored the tense moment. Looming in the harbor, the H.M.S. Dauntless looked every bit the fortress on water, its sails furled and its deck teeming with red-coated soldiers.
Will gripped the wooden beam of the bridge so tightly his knuckles turned white. "We're going to steal a ship? That ship?"
Jack leaned casually against the bridge's support, clearly unbothered. "Commandeer, mate. We're going to commandeer a ship. Nautical term."
Arlo smirked and added with a teasing tone, "No, no, we're borrowing it. Temporarily. For the noble cause of saving your bonnie lass."
Will shot them both an incredulous look. "It's still against the law."
Arlo gave a dry laugh. "And breaking a man out of jail isn't?"
Jack clapped a hand on Will's shoulder. "Face it, lad—you're off to a rip-roaring start. You might not call yourself a pirate, but you're already sailing in that direction. My advice—" he grinned wide, "—smile and enjoy it."
Arlo pointed toward the beach, where an overturned rowboat rested in the sand. "I think I know how we're going to get to the ship without getting noticed."
Will followed his gaze, and his face twisted in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Nope," Arlo replied, already moving toward the rowboat. Jack trailed behind with his signature swagger, leaving Will to grumble as he followed.
...
The three crammed under the rowboat, their knees pressed uncomfortably against the damp wooden planks. They shuffled forward step by painstaking step, the boat providing just enough cover to keep them hidden from the patrolling soldiers.
Arlo suddenly stopped, his Danger Intuition kicking in like a silent alarm. Through his premonition, he saw a soldier approaching the rowboat. Without hesitation, he grabbed Jack's coat and yanked him down just as boots appeared inches from the boat's edge.
"Close one," Jack muttered. "Good instincts, mate."
Arlo flashed a sly grin. "Thank me later."
They waited until the soldier passed, then resumed their awkward shuffle toward the water. The makeshift vessel bobbed as they pushed off from the sand, slowly floating across the bay. The trio stayed silent, their breaths shallow as they moved closer to the imposing hull of the Dauntless.
"This is either crazy," Will whispered, gripping a stay line with iron fists, "or brilliant."
"Remarkable how often those two traits coincide," Jack replied with a smirk.
Arlo chuckled. "I think it's brilliant."
***
[H.M.S. Dauntless: Main Deck]
The trio climbed aboard the ship, their movements deliberate and quiet as they avoided detection. The soldiers were busy with their duties, oblivious to the intruders—at least for now. Jack's gaze darted around the deck as he assessed their surroundings.
Suddenly, Jack and Will sprang into view, brandishing pistols. "Everybody stay calm!" Jack announced, his grin as confident as ever."We're taking over the ship!"
Arlo stepped forward with a more measured approach, raising his hands to pacify the stunned sailors. "Gentlemen, let's not escalate things unnecessarily. Lower your weapons before someone gets hurt or possibly dies."
Will, clearly new to the theatrics, added with forced enthusiasm, "Aye! Avast!"
Jack froze, turning to give Will an exasperated look. "Don't. Do. That."
Arlo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We really need to work on your pirating skills, Will."
The crew exchanged glances—and then erupted into laughter. The hearty guffaws echoed across the deck, cutting through the tension. Jack's grin faltered, though he kept his pistol level.
Lieutenant Gillette stepped forward, his expression unimpressed. "You understand this ship cannot be crewed by only three men? You'll never make it out of the bay."
Jack turned his pistol toward Gillette, his grin returning. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?"
The sailors fell silent, a few of them shifting uneasily. Gillette raised a hand to stop the men who had started to draw their swords. "Sir, I'll not see any of my men killed in this foolish enterprise."
"Fine by me," Jack replied. "We've brought you a nice little boat for your return trip." He gestured toward the rowboat bobbing in the water below.
Gillette's lips pressed into a thin line. "Agreed. But mark my words—I'll see you hanging from the yardarm."
Jack gave a mock salute. "As likely as not. Will, Arlo—hoist the anchor! We've got ourselves a ship!"
...
[Port Royal: Dock]
Commodore Norrington walked briskly along the dock, reviewing a manifest alongside Governor Swann. The commotion in the water caught Swann's attention, and he glanced up to see the overloaded rowboat slowly approaching the dock.
Beyond the rowboat, the Dauntless sailed steadily toward open waters. Norrington halted, narrowing his eyes. He retrieved his brass telescope and focused on the ship's deck, where he spotted Will standing at the helm.
"Rash, Turner. Too rash," Norrington muttered under his breath.
He adjusted the telescope, now focusing on Jack Sparrow. Lowering the instrument, he sighed. "That is, without a doubt, the worst pirate I have ever seen."
...
[H.M.S. Dauntless]
Out on the open sea, the wind filled the sails, propelling the Dauntless forward. Jack leaned casually against the ship's wheel, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. Will paced nearby, casting nervous glances at the horizon.
"They're coming!" Will shouted, pointing toward the distant ships stirring in the bay.
Arlo grinned at Jack. "Everything's going according to plan."
Will frowned. "What's the plan?"
Jack and Arlo exchanged knowing smiles. "You'll see," Arlo said cryptically.
***
[H.M.S. Interceptor]
The ship rocked slightly as the waves lapped against the hull. Jack, Arlo, and Will clung to the side of the ship, soaked and breathless from their climb. Arlo wiped the seawater from his face, glancing toward the railing where a lone sentry stood watch. His Danger Intuition flared—this was their moment.Without hesitation, Arlo lunged, clamping a hand over the sentry's mouth before he could alert the crew.
"Can you swim?" Arlo whispered, his grip tightening as the man struggled.
The sentry's wide eyes darted around before nodding frantically.
"Of course, sir. Like a fish. I grew up summers in Dover—"
"Good," Arlo said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Forgive me for what I'm about to do."
With a swift motion, Arlo hoisted the man up and hurled him overboard. A splash echoed in the night as the sentry surfaced, sputtering but unharmed.
Jack watched with approval, nodding. "Remind me never to get on your bad side, mate."
Will, wasting no time, rushed to the capstan and began cranking the bars. The foresail unfurled, catching the night wind. Arlo moved quickly, untying the ropes securing the grappling hooks. One by one, they fell into the sea, severing any link between the ships.
Meanwhile, aboard the H.M.S. Dauntless, Norrington emerged onto the deck, his expression shifting from confidence to alarm as he spotted his other ship drifting away. "Sailors! Back to the Interceptor!" he commanded. But it was too late. The distance was already too great. One brave sailor attempted to swing across on a rope, Errol-Flynn style, but misjudged and landed with a splash. Jack winced.
"Poor execution, but points for effort." Arlo smirked, stepping to the railing.
"Should we wave goodbye?" Jack didn't hesitate. He cupped his hands around his mouth and called out across the distance. "Thank you, Commodore, for getting our ship ready to make way! We'd've had a hard time of it by ourselves!"
Norrington, standing rigid on the Dauntless, glared through his brass telescope, locking onto Jack at the wheel. "That is, without a doubt, the worst pirate I have ever seen."
Will, gripping the helm, turned back toward Arlo and Jack. "They're coming."
Arlo leaned casually against the mast, his usual smirk on his face. "Exactly as planned."
Jack grinned. "I do love a good chase."
The Interceptor caught the wind, sailing smoothly away from the Dauntless as the trio made their escape into the vast, open sea. Arlo hummed the theme of song of the Pirates of the Caribbean, unable to resist the irony of living it firsthand.
...
[Caribbean Sea]
The Interceptor cut through the open waters, the sails billowing as the wind guided it forward. Jack stood at the wheel, his hands casually gripping the wood as he hummed a tune to himself. Will, ever the diligent worker, tightened a line while Arlo perched in the crow's nest, using his telescope to scan the horizon. The sea stretched endlessly in every direction, its deep blue surface broken only by the occasional whitecap.
Arlo adjusted the focus of his telescope, eyes narrowing as he searched for any signs of pursuit or trouble. A smirk played on his lips as he leaped down from the crow's nest with the grace of an acrobat, landing on the deck without so much as a stumble. Clown's Bodily Control was proving itself useful yet again. He walked up to Jack, arms crossed. "No sign of the Dauntless following us. Looks like we bought ourselves some breathing room."
Jack grinned. "Good. That means we have time to sort things out, get our bearings, and maybe even find a decent bottle of rum along the way."
Will, sitting on a crate, sharpened his sword with deliberate strokes of a whetstone. "For a man who claims to avoid ships, you seem quite at ease aboard one,"
Jack noted. Will barely spared him a glance. "When I was a lad, I worked passage from England as a cabin boy. My mother raised me alone, and after she died, I came out here looking for my father."
Jack's smirk faltered slightly. "Is that so?"
Will met his gaze. "William Turner. My father."
Arlo leaned against the railing, keeping his thoughts to himself. He already knew the truth about the fate of Bill Turner from the movie, but that wasn't something Will was ready to hear just yet.
Jack's expression shifted ever so slightly before he chuckled. "Ah, Turner. Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while."
Will's eyes narrowed. "You knew him, didn't you? At the jail, it wasn't until you heard my name that you agreed to help."
Jack's usual easygoing demeanor remained, but there was a knowing glint in his eye. "Aye, I knew him. Few did. Most called him 'Bootstrap' Bill."
Will blinked. "Bootstrap?"
"Good man. Good pirate. Clever, too. Watching you figure out that cell door—reminded me of him," Jack admitted, studying Will closely.
"That's not true," Will snapped, standing up, his voice carrying an edge of defiance.
Arlo sighed inwardly. He had seen this coming. Will Turner wanted to believe in a version of his father that didn't exist—a man who obeyed the law and lived honorably. The reality was far more complicated. Bootstrap Bill was a pirate, through and through. Will would have to come to terms with that sooner or later.
Jack, ever the provocateur, flicked his own sword out and pointed it at Will.
"Tell me, can you sail under the command of a pirate? Or can you not?"
Will hesitated but then accepted the sword.
"Tortuga." Jack grinned.
"Tortuga?." Arlo raised an eyebrow. "The pirate-infested island?"
Jack's smirk widened. "Aye. That's where we'll find an old friend of mine."
Arlo chuckled dryly. "Figures."
With their course set, Arlo made his way below deck He reached for his Poké Ball, releasing Link, his Rockruff. The small, stone-furred canine materialized with a shake, yawning before fixing Arlo with a pointed glare. Link wasn't happy.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Arlo sighed. "Sorry for keeping you in the ball so long."
Link huffed, turning his head away dramatically."Look, we're in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by people, so I need you to stay below deck for now. Just for a little while, alright?" Arlo spoke gently, crouching to
Link's level. "I promise I'll let you out more often."
Link eyed him for a moment before giving a low, questioning bark "Ruff Ruff!"
Arlo smirked. "Tell you what, let's make peace." He reached into his inventory and pulled out Link's favorite treats. The Rockruff's ears perked up immediately. The second Arlo set the food down, Link devoured it, tail wagging happily.Link eyed him for a moment before giving a low, questioning bark.
"You're so easy to bribe," Arlo chuckled, rubbing behind Link's ears. "Just stay here for now, alright?"
Link gave a satisfied bark "Ruff! Ruff!"
Link curled up in a corner, gnawing on a leftover treat. Arlo let out a relieved sigh, standing up. At least that problem was solved—for now.