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Challenge: Luck
March 17, 2004

By Ecri
March 17, 2004

~ Luck ~

You make your own luck. It was an axiom Jack had lived by almost as sincerely as `take what you can, give nothin' back'. You escaped trouble by your wits alone.

The sight of Will Turner had changed his opinion. He'd never have thought to look for the lad, but there he was breaking down the cell door and wearing that same expression that his father wore when he'd work out a puzzle or problem. That's when Jack had known that luck wasn't made. It existed as did a wisp of breeze and came to you if it so desired.

By Kayden Eidyak
March 17, 2004

~ To Be Lucky or Not To Be Lucky: That Is The Question ~

It's Ana's boat! I'm in luck. She'll not mind if I… slap! Well, maybe she will. Definitely unlucky.

The Pearl! They're going to blow up my cell! Or not… "My sympathies friend. You've no manner of luck at all." Don't I know it.

Bootstrap's son? Yes! My lucky day! He just whacked me on the head with an oar! Nevermind. Not my lucky day.

Stuck on an island. Unlucky. Rescued. Lucky. Stuck again. Unlucky.

Stuck with Elizabeth. Lucky.

Rescued…not so lucky.

Staring at noose. Not lucky.

The whelp saves the day! That's lucky!

Falling off the cliff…

You get the idea.

By Teresa C.
March 18, 2004

~ Execution Day ~

The day he would throw his life away dawned fair as any holiday.

In another world, his mother had told him stories of great deeds - of men who made their own luck. Stories which were then pounded to pieces by the drudgery of long days of exhausting labor, by the memory of brutal butchery at sea, but most of all by the hopelessness of his love.

On the day he would throw his life away, he dressed bravely, trusted to luck, and declared his love. And everything changed.

Fortune does indeed favor the brave, as his mother taught him.

By Otherhawk
March 18, 2004

~ Omens? ~

Someone had told him once that a man's luck changed as often as the tide. He'd laughed at them at the time – what business did a pirate have with such fanciful thoughts?

Besides, it seemed that luck didn't change at all. Ten years of suffering and then they find the wrong person. That was the same bloody evil fortune right enough.

But this was an omen. A fork comes flying into the ship, hits someone in the eye and by chance it's the one person – and the one eye – that can't be blinded? No. It was a sign. Their luck would soon change. It had to.

*****

~ Mourning ~

It just wasn't the way the world was supposed to work. Oh, he knew fine that no man's luck held forever, but this . . he'd never expected this.

He'd spent so long telling the tales, then he'd met the man and had been only too willing to follow along. Only too willing to take part in one crazy plan after another.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He'd been waiting to see that daft grin, more than half expecting to see a look of final triumph.

Instead . . .

"He fell behind."

And he was left to pick up the pieces.

By Sylvia
March 18,, 2004

~ Luck ~

The edge of the coin pressed into his flesh, spreading the bloody gash across his palm even wider. It had been his good luck charm as a lad, now he prayed there was some luck left in it. Jack held their fate in his own bloodied hand even as his sword danced a deadly gavotte with Barbossa's.

A glint of yellow as the Aztec coin arced across the cavern to join his lucky piece, the mixing of their pirate blood in this final act. His heart stuttered uncertainly as he waited with baited breath. Let luck be with them tonight.

By Geek Mama
March 18, 2004

~ Lady's Luck ~

Favored with good fortune from her birth, she thought fate had turned against her the night cannon fire had split the air, blasting so many dreams apart. They had not come for her, of course, but for the gold. Will's gold. Still, it made little difference: caught, she was, in a story of obsession and revenge, of a curse and ghosts revealed by moonlight.

Overwhelmed by fear, how could she have guessed the taking of that gold those long years ago had been the greatest stroke of luck in her life, and would be the source of her greatest happiness?

By Kahva
March 22, 2004

~ As Luck Would Have It~

The Jolly Mon is leaking.

As luck would have it, there's the dock at Port Royal. I leave AnaMaria's now sunken boat at the dock. I'm none the worse for wear, except for having wet boots now. Ah well, they'll dry soon enough.

A lady has fallen from the fort, but the soldiers with me can't swim.

As luck would have it, I can. So I save the bonny lass. Who is the Governor's daughter, no less. Fancy that.

I've been found out as a pirate.

As luck would have it, the lass I saved is within reach after I'm clapped in irons. So I use her to make another legendary escape from the British Royal Navy.

My luck is getting even better, I've found the smithy! I ingeniously break the chain on the shackles – with some reluctant assistance from a relatively pleasant donkey.

Oh no... The blacksmith's apprentice has just entered. But I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! And Lady Luck, ahh... she loves me right now, wet boots and all. I'll just charm my way past the lad.

He's actually wanting to fight me! Crazy boy… Wonder if I've ever threatened him before, he looks familiar. But, as luck would have it, I'm an excellent swordsman.

Damn... This lad's the best fighter I've seen in a long time. But once again, as luck would have it, I'm a pirate.

So I cheat. Ta!

The Commodore's men are right outside, pounding on the door. The apprentice is blocking my only other way out. Stubborn whelp. But as luck would have it, I've a pistol. He'll move.

He doesn't move.

My dear Lady Luck, now would be a good time to kiss me again.

She doesn't kiss me. She slaps me instead. Someone has just broken a bottle on my head.

Damn, but Lady Luck is a fickle wench!

She could've at least let me get my boots dry...

By Thalia Weaver
March 23, 2004

~ Luck ~

What does a pirate know of luck?

Trade winds, straight-shot cannons, escaping end in the wide sea's arms...

Everything.

He has often had to trust luck; and it has borne him, breathing, through all his years, though deposed and shipless. He is a rogue of many names, and he's flown many places. There has always been a twist that lets him flash his gold-capped grin at another sunrise: lady fortune, lady fortune, carrying him back to his other mistress. For he doesn't but doff his cap to luck; his true love is the sea, wide and neverending in her embrace.

By Lilsnoopy
March 24, 2004

~ My Lucky Coin ~

He’d always thought the small coin around his neck would bring him luck, well, wanted to believe it would. To this point it hadn’t done much. Life hadn’t been easier in England after he’d received it. His mother had died and now he was in search of the father that had sent it to him.

As if to prove how unlucky the coin was, his ship had been attacked and practically destroyed around him. Now he felt him self being laid somewhere by a pair of
arms. He could feel a presence over him. He opened his eyes gasping for breath, before reaching out for anything he could.

“It’s ok. My name’s Elizabeth Swann.”

“W-W-Will Turner.”

“I’m watching over you, Will.”

He closed his eyes from the shock. He had an angel watching over him. There was a beautiful angel keeping him safe. Perhaps the coin did have some luck after all.

~.~

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