Pirates

"That's it. This is the end. We can't beat them. It's Captain Jack's ship, are you serious?" Dan said ominously.

"God Dan, stop being so pessimistic! Maybe it'll be okay." Phil, Dan's best friend was quick to say.

"No I'm pretty sure we can't win against them." Shane said in his American accent.

"Well we still have to try! We can't surrender!" Charlie, the captain, who was pretty cool like, stated. "Okay lets do this." Everyone gathered around him as he quickly ordered everyone what to do.

The pirate ship was growing closer and closer. Alex couldn't stop cursing his rotten luck. Why pirates? Why now? He was going to go to America, the great land of opportunity. He was going to change his life. He was going to be rich. His life would be amazing. Why now?

"Ok Alex, you're the best fencer, you try and get on the ship, after the cannons and destroy as many of them possible with Luke, Jason, and Emma. We'll join you the second we can. Lets do this! The YouTube ship shall never sink!"

Everyone cheered before starting following Charlie's orders. Alex prepared himself, sword in hand. He would not give up on his life. Horrible people, pirates were. He'd heard the endless stories. Pirates were heartless thieves. They didn't do anything else apart from stealing. Alex didn't know much but he was sure he would not let them steal his life.

Canons shot through the air. The ships were getting close, the red and white YouTube ship looking regal next to the black pirate ship. Smoke was in the air, a smell of fire.

"Ok go!" Charlie ordered. Alex, Jason, Emma and Luke swung on the ship's ropes, swords drawn, and landed on the pirate ship.

Without hesitating, Alex started dueling the first person he saw. He wanted Charlie to be wrong. Maybe they could take over the pirate ship. Who cared if it was Captain Jack Barakat, apparently the greatest pirate ever, only second to the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow?! They could win! They'd take over the ship and get to America like planned. Alex would not give up.

He managed to unarm his opponent. This was the part he hated the most. He didn't see this as part of the sport, or moral or anything else. He could make up a million excuses to why this was right. This was self defense, this was what happened in fights, this man deserved it for being a pirate. Alex didn't actually believe any of these but knew it had to be done.

He stabbed the man, hitting his stomach.

The man fell forward, off the boat. Alex knew he'd be okay. The cut wasn't fatal or deep. He felt relieved.

The second the fight was over, Alex was open to hearing everything around him. He heard the screams and shouts, the cries of battle and hollers of pain. He saw his fellow sailors fighting. It hurt to realize none of them were nearly as good sword men as the pirates.

He stepped in a fight between Dan and Phil against three other pirates. They fought as if their life depended on it, and I guess it did. One of them thrust his sword through Dan's abdomen. With a cry of rage, Phil managed to get his revenge, as Alex helped Dan.

"It feels like I'm on fire." Dan said weakly. Alex wrapped the wound with some fabric he tore from his shirt. Dan would be okay. He couldn't accept anything else. In the past few months they got so close, Alex couldn't think about losing him.

"You're not on fire Dan." Phil said, coming closer. "It's just a cut, it'll be okay."

"Phil you were amazing." Dan said softly.

"Maybe you guys should go on our ship and deal with a wound, that bandage won't hold." Alex suggested. He was anxious to get back to fighting. They needed his fencing talents. They agreed and swung back to their ship, Phil supporting Dan. That was the last Alex ever saw of them.

Alex held his sword out, ready to fight. He saw Charlie bravely fight three other pirates, cannon smoke in the air. He was about to come help him when he saw someone wearing a ridiculous pirate captain hat. It was Jack's trademark.

Alex lunged forward, ready to start the duel. Alex never doubted his fencing skills. He was the best in his village, the best in his city, the best on his ship. No one had beaten him, ever. Maybe ending Captain Jack would make the pirates stop attacking them.

Captain Jack was amazing with a sword. Alex was at awe. Biting his lip, he focused himself. The world disappeared. Nothing but Captain Jack's sword existed. He had to win. He had to. He couldn't lose. Captain Jack maybe be good but he was better.

The fear of losing didn't help him. He felt so nervous, so horribly scared of the consequences of losing. Some people work better under fear. Alex was not one of those people. The fear made him more reckless, attacking more, losing defense.

He attacked Captain Jack only to find himself on the floor without his sword. It happened so fast.

Alex froze. He couldn't believe this. This was the end. That's it. Captain Jack stood above him, holding the sword straight at him. Alex could not move, barely could breathe. He focused on the sword and tried not to think of death. This was it. He had failed. That's it.

Captain Jack didn't move. Around them, people danced with swords, dueling endlessly. Alex and Jack remained frozen. Alex couldn't understand what was happening. Why didn't he just kill him?

With one sudden motion, Jack hit him on the head with the back of the sword, making Alex's world blurry and then black, unconsciousness hugging him.

Jack wanted to believe he was a good person. If a conscience existed, Jack hoped he'd followed it. Maybe despite being a pirate, Jack's soul would be okay. He hated killing people, hated hurting them. He didn't want to be a bad person.

It was the freedom in piracy that made Jack drawn to it. He loved the thought that he could do anything. And come on, red and white ship? It was just begging to be raided.

If the person he killed was looking away, Jack could force himself to do the deed. For survival, of course. He didn't chose to be the powerful legendary Captain Jack. He just did what he was best at. Of course, the fact his father, the first Captain Jack Barakat, was a ruthless murderer helped his name. His father gave him the job, the ship, all of it. Most people simply accept he was Captain Jack Barakat, as his father had never left survivors. Jack was forced to follow those footsteps.

The man he was dueling was good. Even better than good. Jack was surprised. It had been a while since a good duel. Suddenly the man made a stupid mistake. Jack took the chance and unarmed him, taking his sword as well as making him fall to the ground.

The man stared at him, unwavering. He didn't move. Jack froze. The man looked at him with those big brown eyes. Jack wanted to do it.

The man's face had a glint of uncertainty and questioning behind the fear. Jack had to kill him. But those eyes. They reminded him of her.

The second he made that connection between them he knew he couldn't kill him. She wouldn't want Jack to do it. The man continued staring at Jack as Jack hit him on his head, making him pass out. He tried not to feel guilty. She had died just last summer, 9 months ago. She never wanted Jack to be a pirate. But she was dead and Jack was a pirate. That didn't stop Jack from feeling guilty.

Alex woke up with a horrible headache. He found himself lying on the floor of a ship. There were a few things wrong with that sentence. Where did the headache come from? Why was he on the floor? But most crucial, wasn't he dead? Maybe he'd gotten drunk and imagined the whole thing.

He stood up slowly. Screams were heard. He walked towards it. A crowd of unknown people were looking at something.

"You cowards!" Someone screamed. There was a murmur of agreement.

Alex looked at the sea and saw his ship, the one he had lived on for the last three months speed away. "What the fuck?" He muttered.

Someone turned around and looked at him. "Who are you?" He asked. More people turned around, eyes and faces staring at Alex.

"Um I-" Alex said cleverly, at loss of words.

"He's one of those cowards!" Someone shouted. From his groomed uniform, to combed hair, there was no real denying it.

"Lets kill him!" Someone suggested. "Aye!" Someone echoed. Alex backed up.

If you've never had a large group of pirates wanting to kill you, I don't think there are enough words to describe the panic Alex was feeling. His mind went completely blank. He had no weapons. He had nothing. It was him against what looked like hundreds of pirates but was probably just a few dozens.

He closed his eyes and hoped it was a dream. That this wasn't real. No swords. No weapons. Not real. He wouldn't die at the hands of so many pirates. But it was a lie and this was happening.
They got closer and closer,surrounding him completely.

"It looks like your ship full of bloody cowards left without you." A man said, stating the obvious, as he held a knife closer to the terrified Alex.

That's when a loud voice ordered "Stop!" Everyone froze.

Captain Jack, the man who somehow did not kill Alex walked through the crowd. "We shall kill him tomorrow. I need to question him now." He spoke with an authoritative voice, daring anyone to disagree. No one did.

Captain Jack grabbed one of Alex biceps with an iron grip and walked with him to his quarters. Alex was terrified. What did Captain Jack want?

The quarters were pretty small with a fancy looking bed, a red comfy looking chair, and not much else. It was an utter mess. Clothes and random garbage were on the floor. Alex was tempted to clean it all. How could anyone live in that pigsty? That would probably be a bad idea though.

Alex didn't know what he was supposed to do. Everything felt awkward, from how he stood to his hands. Should he try and attack Captain Jack and get away? That was pretty stupid though, seeing as he'd beat him before, there was a crowd of pirates that Jack's protection was only thing that stopped them from killing him and he had no where to go.

"Um you can sit down." Captain Jack said and gestures to the chair. Alex sat down, fidgeting with his fingers.

Jack sat down on the bed. This was so idiotic of him. He knew it but couldn't stop the words. "So do you know a Sally? Sally Smiths?" He asked after a long drawn out silence. Sally had the most ordinary name ever that clashed with the fact she was the most extraordinary person ever.

Alex looked up. Was this a trick question that would cost his life?

"No." He answered finally.

Captain Jack looked disappointed. "She was an amazing person. You look just like her, so I thought maybe you knew her. What's your name?" Captain Jack asked.

Was? What happened to her? Alex was curious but wouldn't ask. "Alex. Alex Gaskarth."

Captain Jack gave him a small smile. "I'm Jack Barakat, I mean, Captain Jack Barakat."

"I know who you are." Alex said curtly. And he did. This was the captain that was known as the cruelest and most vicious in all the lands.

Jack tried not to let those words get to him. That was really who he was. There was no evading it. He was a pirate captain. What now? He should have just let his crew kill that man, Alex. He had nothing to do with Sally. The fact they looked similar meant nothing.

Sally wouldn't have wanted him to kill that Alex though. Sally believed that murdering people, especially after beating them in duels was truly cruel. She'd even go as far as to say it was destroying your soul. Sally was kind hearted, funny, witty and brave. She was everything Jack wanted. She loved him and he loved her.

Jack had to accept she was gone. She'd never marry him. If he was stronger, braver, a better person, Sally would have been alive. But he wasn't and she wasn't.

"Are you sure you never heard about her?" He tried again. Just some connection to her would make everything better. He wouldn't feel guilty for not killing him. His crew, which were his best friends, were sure he was over Sally's death. Captain Jack Barakat leaves no survivors, it had to be that way. Leaving people alive would ruin his name, the only thing he had left.

"No. Why?" Alex asked quietly.

Jack felt stupid. There was no point to this. "No special reason. She was just someone I knew." Jack said.

He hesitated, reaching his hand towards his sword.

Alex froze. Nothing made sense. Who was this Sally? She was clearly very important to Captain Jack. Jack touched the sword, grasping the handle. The room was perfectly quiet. Jack could hear each and every one of Alex's breaths.

Alex looked at him, staring fearfully. Jack remembered Sally looking into his father's eyes as he stabbed her.

In a sudden motion, he put the sword back.

"I'll kill you tomorrow." He said in his authoritative 'captain' voice, and walked out of the room. The door slammed shut.

Jack felt the refreshing sea breeze and was even angrier at himself. Fantastic. Now what? The solution was obviously to get drunk.

On deck, his crewmates were already opening bottles of rum. Jack simply took one from Gerard and started drinking. Vic was already drunk, singing about the sea. Jack laughed. Nothing could stop him. He drank, feeling endlessly happy. The ship was full of cries and laughter, someone playing the accordion, drunken singing, and simply happy voices. Jack promptly forgot all about the man inside his quarters. He was drunk and happy. What else mattered?

Eventually he passed out on the floor of the deck, next to his friends. He woke up groggily a few hours later. He yawned and drank some water, fighting off the headache. Thats when he remembered Alex.

He walked swiftly towards his bedroom. Opening the door he looked around. His hand went to his mouth in shock. What the actual hell. His room was tidy, like actually clean. The garbage was in a small bin, the clothes folded, everything was put in its place. Jack wanted to be clean, but never actually did anything about it.

Despite that, Alex was nowhere to be seen. Jack looked around, checking the bed, the closet, everywhere. Alex had simply disappeared. Jack didn't know how to feel about this. He was gone. Maybe he'd found some way to get back to his ship. Maybe he just decided to try swimming to shore. Either way, Jack was no longer responsible. He didn't have to kill him. He didn't have to feel bad about either one. Everything was back the way it should be.

He walked out of the quarter happily. Pete was steering the ship and Oli had the map. They didn't need him at the moment. Everything was smooth sailing.

He heard laughter coming from the right side of the boat. A few joyous scream echoed. Jack followed it and saw a crowd of the crew members were looking at something and laughing.

"Ok just like that, now evade my sword, ok fall on the ground, put out your sword hand. There you go! That's the passata sotto, its one of my favorites." A voice said.

Jack felt baffled when he saw what was happening. Alex was there, sword in arm, talking about passato sotto and showing it with Zack.

"That's pretty rad." Zack said. "Thanks man."

"No problem." Alex said with a smile.

"Wanna duel?" Vic asked.

Alex nodded and they started. People were cheering and making bets. After a few minutes Alex stretched out his arm and poked Vic with his sword.

"Aw wow dude you're good." Vic said.

"You're not bad." Alex smiled.

"You should try dueling Jack, he's amazing." Vic said.

Alex shook his head and said "Hell no, that's terrifying." Jack let out a laugh.

"Now you have to!" Patty stated.

Someone started the cheer and pretty soon everyone was screaming at them to duel. Sighing, Jack took out his sword. "Peer pressure isn't fair!" He stated.

He looked into Alex's eyes, sword ready. Alex nodded and they started. Jack knew he was good, knew he was even better than good. You didn't become a pirate captain for nothing. Jack always went for defensive. Yesterday it seemed Alex was big on offensive, lunging and attacking at every second. Now he was more defensive, barely lunging. Jack took this as a sign for him to be more offensive, and Alex acted similarly.

5 minutes passed, and then ten. Jack found himself actually enjoying this. They were similar in their strengths. A smile snuck on to his face. This was fun. He hadn't had such a great duel for a long time. He found himself working hard and needing to focus to be not lose.

Alex smiled back and said "You're amazing." He used one hand to push some of his hair back, while lunging with the other.

"You're pretty good too." Jack gave him. "What did you do to my room?" Jack asked, not sure if he should be angry or thankful.

"Um. I was going insane. I figured I'd prefer you killing me over staying one more second in that horrible messy room. So I cleaned it. And then it just felt so quiet and dreadful so I left it." Alex said.

He looked down and Jack took that opportunity to almost defeat him. Alex managed to somehow still evade it and attack Jack. It was definitely a hard duel. Jack hadn't had one in a long long time. He was completely focused.

"Whoa, you've been dueling for an hour and a half." Vic said suddenly, looking at his watch.

"Wow." Jack let out. It felt like minutes. Alex put the sword down. "That was incredible." He smiled at Jack hesitatingly.

What now? He was supposed to kill Alex. No survivors right? In his father's ship this wouldn't happen. He gave Alex a tight lipped smile.

"What are you guys doing?! Clean the decks, you rapscallions!" He shouted. Everyone walked off with a smile. It had become a joke, Jack's name calling.

"What now?" Alex asked quietly.

Jack bit his lip. How could he just kill him? But keeping him alive would mean loosing his name, his honor. That's all he really had. Added to that, everyone knew he couldn't beat Alex in fencing. He had to kill him, but couldn't. He was also starting to grow on him, with his amazing fencing skills.

Alex looked at him nervously, leaning back. He couldn't lose the name, couldn't lose his power. He couldn't be known as a person who wasn't intimidating or scary. It would ruin everything.

Taking a deep breath, he looked into Alex's eyes and said "I'll kill you tomorrow." With that he walked away. Alex stood there, unsure of what happened. Was that the great Captain Jack Barakat showing mercy for the third time in less than 24 hours?

Oh well, he'd take it. He spent the next few hours learning for the first time about hand combat with Zack and helping them cook lunch (as he was pretty good at that). Captain Jack, Jack was working on something on the map with a guy named Pete Wentz.

Alex was surprised to discover how nice pirates were. Alex always imagined pirates as horrible people, scary and cruel. That wasn't what he saw here. They were kind hearted and funny, nothing like Alex's pessimistic thoughts.

In the morning, after a night of partying, Jack simply gave him a small smile and muttered "I'll just kill you tomorrow." Alex smiled back.

Days passed. Alex found that he didn't miss his old ship so much. He was happy. He dueled with Jack a lot, neither of them managing to beat each other. He learned so many things, from ship navigating to combat, to martial arts.

Jack still said that he'd kill him tomorrow but it was said with a laugh, both knowing he wouldn't do it.

Alex found himself talking more to Jack. He told of his dreams of America, of how he learned fencing, of the death of his family in that stupid fire, everything. Jack told him about Sally, the horrible way Sally had died, how Jack loved reading more than anything. He spoke about his father, how he wished he had a real family, and his love for his crew.

Jack found out, that despite how they appeared similar at first, Alex and Sally were nothing like each other. Alex was rougher and ruder, while Sally was reserved and quieter. Alex was sarcastic and clever, while Sally was more righteous and witty.

Jack was scared he was using Alex as a way to make Sally's ghost disappear. He stayed away, not wanting to ruin Sally's memory, or hurt Alex.

It took a long time before it finally occurred to Jack that he was not looking at Alex as Sally's replacement, or anything horrible like that. He simply loved Alex. Alex loved Jack. And that was it. They were happy together.

Years later, Jack left piracy, taking Alex with him to America. I'd like to say they had no fights, and no problems. That wasn't true. They fought a lot. Alex being stubborn and Jack refusing to admit he was wrong.

But in the end, they managed to overcome it all. As cliche as a story about pirates can get, they lived happily ever after.