Season of the Tides (Pirates of the Caribbean)

12. Tortuga

It was several days before they pulled up in the dark docks of Tortuga. It was a grungy and daft place with plenty of rum; pirate central.

Jackson still didn't know what a former Commodore would be doing here, shouldn't he have moved on from his girl by now? I mean, if she dumped him, she obviously wasn't worth it.

"So, this is Tortuga," Kaylee said, her glinting eyes scanned the area as the walked off the ship.

Man, those eyes scared him sometimes; one minute they were normal, and the next they were like a cat's!

"Yep, a pirates favorite place!" he replied, gesturing around.

"Plenty of rum, that's for sure," she shriveled her nose up.

He didn't smell anything but sea, but then he remembered how accustomed he'd become to the smell of sour alcohol.

"I don't come here for rum, I come for entertainment," he said.

They walked through the town, avoiding the drunken fights and rum fountains poring from open barrels. The people here made him laugh; some wondered around drunk, while others chatted stupidly with women showing way more than needed. One man was talking to a pole, but each to his own.

The cantina was where the center of entertainment was, and the place where you could pretty much find anyone.

"Ask around, see if anyone's seen him," Will told him and Kaylee before heading back out.

"What does this guy look like?" Kaylee asked Jackson.

"No idea," Jackson replied.

"Very helpful."

They glanced around, but all they saw were more drunk pirates. Eventually they sat down at a vacant seat, their eyes still searching.

"I don't guess you have a human map in that head of yours, do you?" Jackson asked, only half joking.

She scoffed,

"A human G.P.S?" she shook her head, "Someone knows nothing of Nature Queens."

"Nor do I know what a G.P.S. is, but really, what is it like being a Nature Queen?" he asked," Having all of that power and beauty."

"Well, once you become of immortal I've heard it's quite amazing. Everything becomes clear, and you can supposedly see the particles that make up anything. I have ridiculous speed, plus the strength's pretty nice. I taught one of Darlo's men a lesson with that," she smiled.

"Wait, so you aren't already immortal?"

"No. I'm of age, but I don't become immortal until I turn twenty-five."

"What about powers," Jackson hinted, "I thought all of you had one."

She turned her narrowed eyes on him, "Why the questions?"

"You are a legend's daughter; figured you'd have some sort of talent."

"Talent?" her eyes brows flew up," "I don't think using my talents lately would have helped any of us."

"Why? What can you do?"

She opened her mouth as a loud and irritated voice spoke,

"WHERE'S THE RUM?!"

A man groggily swayed in the middle of the room, looking around menacingly. Everyone stared at him, then went back to their own rum.

"I said- WHERE'S THE RUM?!"