Insistent Assistant 19 (Patreon)

Insistent Assistant

Chapter 19

-VB-

Jack Sparrow

He stared out at the horizon as the sun set behind him. The eastern horizon was gloomy and dark just like his future.

Jack didn’t want to die, but he knew that he had a very limited time now. He’d stretched it as much as he could but this was it. Whether it was today or tomorrow, he would disappear and someone else would come and take his place.

He let out a sigh of frustration.

The real Jack Sparrow … probably didn’t feel this. After all, it was not known at all but to a handful of people that the Treasure of Cortez could be used to “reset” one’s age. After all, those who takes possession of the treasure cannot be too old or too young. It was fit men who killed the Aztec emperors in an effort to take over the empire, which they succeeded. Aztec gods would not curse the gold if useless old men or baby boys were the ones who would touch it! Their ire was upon those fit and young men who sought to make money and take power with blood!

Something something touch the gold and you become as old as the average conquistadors were when they stole the gold in order to something something suffer the most something something.

It was a nonsensical and illogical thing but that’s the one effect that came from a number of conditions that came with the curse.

But that was something this Jack Sparrow would not have the option of using to extend his life. No, he would disappear whether he wanted it or not.

… And it irked him. A lot.

He was a pirate because that’s where freedom was. Freedom from oppression, poverty, and dull boring life that awaited everyone else. Freedom, money, and power!

… and he was in possession of none of them because he was born in this body as nothing but a “simulation” of Jack Sparrow.

How horrible. His master’s power was horrible. His master was horrible.

Or maybe he was just feeling this way in the face of imminent death.

Hmm, yes, that was more likely to be the cause of his depressing thoughts.

Death.

His death was here. There was no delaying it. His master wasn’t even in control and master’s death would only hasten his.

Ah, what a cruel world.

… but if he was to leave this world behind, then he would do so at his own discretion and decision.

-VB-

Alan

“Oi, Alan.”

I looked up and saw Jack standing in the doorway to my office.

“What is it, Jack?”

He reached down to his belt, grabbed something, and threw it at me. I caught it easily and then looked at what I grabbed.

My eyes widened.

It was the Compass.

I looked up just in time to see Jack’s form start to break down.

“Used up the last of my power to make that ‘real,’” he grinned cockily.

“Wh- Wait, Jack, you idiot-!” I growled as I got up.

“I didn’t have a lot of time left, Alan. Today, tomorrow, or even a week, but that would be it,” he scoffed. “This was for the best. I choose my destiny.”

… Had I lost track of time? Jack … he definitely had been with me for far longer than Thorkell had.

“Shit. I’m sorry,” I muttered. I’ve been focused on other things so much that I neglected my very first and most reliable servant and power.

“Then do better with the next one, alright?”

“... Okay.”

He gave me a playful salute as the last of his essence dissipated.

I stared for a few more moments where Jack had stood before looking back down at the Compass. The Compass. Its lapis lazuli cover glistened dimly in the setting sunlight.

I flicked it open.

What did I want?

The compass pointer spun around and around and then… locked onto something.

… but didn’t tell me what.

I snorted. Of course, that’s how a compass worked. It pointed. That’s all it did.

I got nervous for nothing.

I did, however, have a direction, which was better than nothing and certainly far more than what most had when they weren’t sure… or even if they were.

Stories about the rich going crazy in their wealth were common for a reason.

I sat back down and began mapping out the direction with the map provided to me by Ilisia and bought from islands I’ve visited so far.

Even so, Jack’s last words stayed with me.

“I choose my destiny.”

He was definitely talking about himself but could I not say that about myself? I may be in One Piece world and bound to be swayed by the flow and rhythm of the world, but could I not reject it all?

I brought out a ruler and drew a rough estimate of where the compass was pointing toward. I drew a line and stared at what was on the other end of it. The line didn’t hit any other island or landmass in West Blue until the Red Line.

… I hope my deepest wish was not something like the Empty Throne. That would suck.