[THE Black Pearl: BRIG - Night]
The brig of the Black Pearl was a miserable place, a cramped, iron-barred cage bolted into the ship's lower hold, reeking of damp wood, mildew, and the lingering stench of saltwater. The only light came from a few flickering lanterns hanging on the walls, casting long, eerie shadows. Arlo, Gibbs, Anamaria, and the remaining crew of the Interceptor were packed together inside the small space, bound in like sardines in a can. The bars were thick, rusted but sturdy, leaving little hope of brute-forcing their way out.
Arlo leaned against the cold metal, his arms crossed as he listened to the steady creaking of the ship's hull. The rhythmic sway of the Pearl wasn't unpleasant, but it was a constant reminder that they were prisoners on a cursed vessel.
A familiar voice broke the silence."Shiver me timbers!"
Arlo glanced over to see Cotton's parrot, perched just outside the brig, its feathers ruffled as it mimicked words it didn't fully understand. Despite their grim situation, the bird seemed cheerfully unaware of the tension in the air.
Before Arlo could make a comment, Will's voice cut through the dimness. "You knew William Turner?"
The question was directed at Pintel, who was lazily leaning on his mop, clearly looking for any excuse to avoid actual work. He sighed, shifting his weight.
"Ol' Bootstrap Bill," Pintel said, almost nostalgically. "Aye, we knew him."
Ragetti, for once, was silent as he continued cleaning, though his one good eye flicked up momentarily. Will's frown deepened. "And?"
Pintel straightened, now fully engaged in telling his story."Never sat well with Bootstrap, what we did to Jack Sparrow. The mutiny and all. Said it weren't right with the Code." He gestured vaguely, as if it was common knowledge. "That's why he sent off a piece of the treasure to you, as it were. Said we deserved to be cursed. And remain cursed."
Beside Arlo, Gibbs grunted softly."Good man."
Pintel scoffed. "Well, as you can imagine, that didn't sit too well with the Captain."He smirked, clearly enjoying the attention he was getting."So what did he do, eh? He strapped a cannon to Bootstrap's bootstraps, and the last we saw of ol' Bill Turner, he was sinking to the crushing black oblivion of Davy Jones' locker."
The brig fell silent. Even the hardened crew members looked unsettled at the thought of such a cruel fate. Pintel continued, his tone almost smug. "'Course, it was only after that we learned we needed his blood to lift the curse."
Ragetti finally spoke, nodding along."That's what you call 'ironic.'"
Arlo felt Will's gaze shift toward him. The young man said nothing, but Arlo knew that look a mix of realization and silent anger. Bootstrap Bill had been sacrificed for doing the right thing.
Arlo met Will's eyes and gave a slow, deliberate nod. I know.
The ship rocked slightly as night fell, and soon, movement above the brig signaled something was happening. The iron door creaked open, and several of Barbossa's pirates strode in, grabbing Will roughly and hauling him to his feet. Arlo watched carefully, his mind already calculating. They were heading back to Isla de Muerta.
...
Listening to the sounds above deck, he picked up the faint creak of a rowboat being lowered into the water. That meant fewer pirates left behind to guard the ship. That was good. Arlo turned his head slightly, taking in the sight of the crew members beside him—exhausted, slumped against the bars, some already asleep from sheer exhaustion. They had fought hard before their capture, and it had taken its toll.
It was time to change their luck.
Slowly, Arlo reached toward his belt, fingers brushing against the hidden Poké Ball that had gone unnoticed when the pirates had searched him earlier. He had hidden it well—probably the only reason it hadn't been confiscated.With a quiet click, he pressed the button, and a soft red glow flashed briefly before Link materialized outside the cage.
Then Link shook himself off, tail wagging slightly before he took in his surroundings. He tilted his head, confused for only a second. Before he could bark, Arlo quickly pressed a finger to his lips. "Ssshhhhhh."
Link's ears perked, and he obeyed immediately. Arlo point toward the keys hanging from a hook near the far wall. "Go get those."
Link followed his gaze, then looked back at Arlo as if to confirm. With a small nod, he moved carefully, padding his way toward the hanging keys.The problem became clear immediately. The keys were too high.
Arlo could feel his heartbeat quicken slightly. Come on, buddy. You got this.
Link jumped once—his paws barely brushed against the hook. He landed softly but made a small creak against the wood. Everyone froze.
From above deck, a pirate's voice called out. "Did you hear that?"
Arlo held his breath. Another voice grumbled something unintelligible, then after a brief pause, dismissed it.
Arlo exhaled quietly and whispered, "Go on, Link."
Then Link assessed his options, then spotted a wooden table nearby. He hopped onto it, carefully balancing before preparing himself for one final leap. Arlo felt a tiny flicker of nervousness. If Link missed, the keys would clatter loudly to the floor. One shot. Make it count. The Link sprang into the air, his body twisting mid-jump, and snatched the keys in his mouth. He landed smoothly.
Arlo silently celebrated, exhaling in relief. Good job, buddy.
Link padded back, wagging his tail proudly, and dropped the keys into Arlo's hands. Arlo petted him briefly. "That's my boy." With a soft click, he inserted the key into the lock, and the cage door creaked open. They were free.
Arlo quickly moved toward Gibbs and Anamaria, shaking them awake and covering their mouths before they could react. Their eyes widened in alarm, but Arlo simply motioned for silence. When he removed his hands, Gibbs whispered, "How in the blazes—"
Arlo simply tilted his head toward Link, who wagged his tail.
Anamaria stared at Link. "How did that dog even get on the Pearl?"
Arlo sighed. "Not the time for questions. We need to move."
The crew nodded, understanding the urgency. Arlo spotted a bundle of ropes nearby, grabbed them, then turned to the others. "Take some of these."
Gibbs looked confused but trusted him. The crew followed suit. Arlo smirked slightly and thought. They would need them for what came next.
***
[THE Black Pearl: DECK - Night]
Arlo and the crew moved carefully, their steps light against the wooden planks of the Black Pearl's deck, avoiding any unnecessary noise that might alert the remaining pirates above. The ship's eerie silence was broken only by the occasional groan of the hull, shifting under the gentle sway of the sea. Arlo kept his eyes scanning the deck ahead, searching for any signs of movement.Then, he spotted him.
One of Barbossa's pirates, the same one who had tied him up and stolen his threaded cane, stood near the mast, oblivious to their approach. Arlo's jaw tightened slightly, his fingers itching to take back what was his. He turned to Gibbs and Anamaria, whispering just low enough for them to hear. "Get ready. Use the rope to tie them down. They're undead we can't kill them, but we can keep them from fighting."
Both pirates nodded, understanding the plan immediately. Arlo gestured for them to wait for his signal, carefully timing their attack. Just as he was about to move, something caught his eye—Elizabeth Swann, climbing up the side of the Black Pearl
He froze for a split second before whispering urgently, "Wait. Miss Swann just boarded the ship."
Before Gibbs could ask how or why, a sharp screech rang out through the night air. Arlo instinctively tensed. The monkey. The cursed creature had spotted something or someone and its cry had drawn the attention of two nearby pirates, who immediately turned and started heading for the deck above.
Arlo had no time to think—he moved With a burst of speed, he tackled one of the pirates to the ground, knocking the air out of him as they crashed onto the wooden deck.
"Told you I'd be back,"Arlo said before pausing slightly. He continued "Wait. Sorry ,wrong franchise."
Before the other pirate could raise his pistol, a blur of fur launched itself forward—Link lunged, his teeth sinking into the pirate's wrist, causing him to cry out and misfire the pistol harmlessly into the air. Arlo wasted no time, using the rope to tie the struggling pirate's arms and legs together, ensuring he wouldn't be a problem anymore.
By the time he looked up, Gibbs and Anamaria had already taken care of the other pirates, securing them to the ship's mast with tight knots.
Gibbs chuckled at the sight of Elizabeth standing on deck. "It's Elizabeth!" he said, amused by the reunion.
Arlo, however, wasn't celebrating yet. He shot them a serious look. "Not the time. We need to secure the ship first."
A loud thud came from the deck above. Their are still some Barbossa's pirates was still up there. Arlo and the others moved together, keeping low as they made their way to the upper deck of the Black Pearl.
When they arrived, Arlo quickly took in the situation. Only two pirates remained, cautiously searching the shadows. Before he could decide on a plan, Elizabeth tapped his shoulder and pointed toward something off to the side—a lifeboat resting on the deck. Arlo immediately understood what she meant and allowed himself a small grin.The two pirates crept forward, unaware of what was coming. Then—BOOM! A rowboat smashed into them, sending both pirates flying overboard with a loud splash. Arlo turned to see Gibbs, Anamaria, Cotton, Elizabeth, and the rest of the crew standing at the railing, having just shoved the boat into them.
He thought, The Black Pearl was theirs.
Elizabeth moved quickly, grabbing the gunwale of the boat to push it toward the water, but before she could do anything else, a blur of motion came straight for Arlo but the cursed monkey attacked. Before it could even reach him, Link intercepted it mid-air, his jaws clamping down around the undead monkey and shaking it violently like a ragdoll. The monkey screeched, flailing uselessly as Link slammed it into the deck over and over.
Gibbs, watching the scene unfold, blinked in shock. "That dog of yours is downright vicious."
Arlo sighed, rubbing his temple."Yes. Yes, he is."
Finally, Arlo gave a sharp whistle, signaling Link to stop.
Then Link immediately released the monkey, wagging his tail like he had just played with a toy.
Arlo, without hesitation, grabbed another rope and quickly tied the cursed creature up before tossing it over the side of the ship. "Let's see you screech from the bottom of the ocean,"he muttered.
Elizabeth turned back to the crew, urgency in her voice."All of you! With me! Will is in that cave, and we must save him. Ready and… Heave!"
Arlo stepped forward to help, pushing the boat toward the water, but after a few seconds, he realized something was wrong. The boat wasn't moving. He turned and saw why. The crew wasn't helping.
Elizabeth spun back to them, frustration flashing in her eyes. "I need your help! Come on!"
Cotton's parrot was the first to respond, squawking, "Any port in a storm!"
Gibbs sighed, arms crossed. "Cotton's right. We've got the Pearl."
Elizabeth looked around in disbelief. "What about Jack?"she demanded. "You're just going to leave him?"
A small pirate shrugged."Jack owes us a ship."
Gibbs nodded. "And there's the Code to consider."
Elizabeth's patience finally snapped. "The Code? You're pirates! Hang the Code! And hang the rules!"She squared her shoulders, voice firm and commanding. "They're more like guidelines, anyway!"
The crew hesitated, clearly torn between their loyalty to Jack and their newfound freedom with the Black Pearl. Arlo stepped forward. "The Pirate's Code is the law, Miss Swann. Without it, pirates are no different than animals."
Gibbs and the rest of the crew nodded in agreement, the weight of tradition holding firm.
Arlo turned toward them again, his voice steady."If you won't help us, at least lower the boat. I came here to finish what I started."
Elizabeth turned to him, her brow furrowing. "And what is it?"
Arlo smirked slightly, gripping his threaded cane tighter."To end the curse of the Black Pearl."
***
[Row Boat: LAGOON]
The rowboat cut through the dark waters, the Black Pearl slowly disappearing behind them, its black sails blending into the night. The lagoon ahead shimmered under the moonlight, the outline of Isla de Muerta looming in the distance. Arlo rowed steadily, his movements rhythmic, while Elizabeth matched his pace, determination in her eyes.
"Bloody pirates," Elizabeth muttered under her breath.
Arlo chuckled, glancing at her. "You can hardly blame them. That's just what pirates do."
Elizabeth huffed but didn't argue. The reality of the situation was sinking in—she wasn't just dealing with thieves and cutthroats; she was learning to navigate their world. After a few moments of silence, she looked at Arlo. "Thank you… for helping me save Will."
Arlo didn't stop rowing, his expression unreadable. "I'm not just doing this for Will,"he said. "I'm also doing it for Jack and anyway I also get something from helping."
Elizabeth frowned at that, her arms straining slightly as she pulled the oars through the water. "Why help a fool like Jack Sparrow?"
Arlo let out another chuckle, shaking his head. "Do you really think Jack is a fool?"
Elizabeth hesitated, as if considering. "He certainly acts like one."
Arlo smirked."That's exactly why you shouldn't underestimate him. Jack may act like a fool, but he's anything but a fool. He prefers talking his way out of trouble rather than fighting, and when he does fight, it's only on his terms."
Elizabeth listened carefully, curiosity growing.
Arlo continued,"Having Jack by your side means that no matter how bad the situation looks, he'll find a way to turn it around. There's logic in his madness, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth was puzzled by his words. She had always seen Jack as a reckless, selfish opportunist—more trouble than he was worth. But Arlo spoke about him as if he were calculating, almost strategic in his chaos. The idea unsettled her.They rowed in silence for a while, the sound of water sloshing against the wooden boat filling the space between them.
Ahead, the rocky shore of Isla de Muerta drew closer, the entrance to the cursed caves waiting like the maw of some ancient beast.
Arlo adjusted his grip on the oars, his muscles tense with anticipation."Whatever happens in there,"he said, "just remember—Jack always has a plan. Even if it looks like he doesn't."
Elizabeth wasn't sure if that was supposed to be comforting or not. As the boat scraped against the shore, Arlo sighed, muttering under his breath, "And here we go again."