Strength in Numbers
Author: Orlysluv
Summery: Alternate Universe same crazy characters, modern W/E! In a town split in two by the rich and the poor, six very different individuals from different upbringings and lives find refuge and support in themselves and each other as they create a bond strong enough to even cause the wall between wealth and poor to fall. W/E, J/A, N/OC
Disclaimer: Disney owns all the characters you recognize from Pirates of the Caribbean not I, sadly.
It was a crisp, cool autumn morning as the sun began peeking though the trees, urging people to wake from their peaceful slumbers and start a new day full of old routines. The day was turning out to be as beautiful as it was cold, which came as no surprise for the well adjusted people that resided in this small Canadian town.
Will Turner yawned tiredly and turned away from his window as golden rays of sun burst through it, disrupting his peaceful sleep.
"It's too early to be up." Will mumbled into his pillow as two wide awake individuals threw open his bedroom door and bounced nosily on his bed.
"No, not the light! Close the door before you let more in." Will wined loudly, pushing his pillow onto his face to shield his eyes from the uninvited sunshine.
The two partners in crime only laughed and opened the door wider before moving toward the window to lift up the blinds, letting in as much light as possible. The two responsible for this morning raid were of course William's younger sisters. Actually, the oldest more blonde one was his twin sister Sarah; the eight year old bouncing uncontrollably on his bed was only his half sister, Dea.
Will and Sarah's father Bill Turner travelled the globe whenever he could and on one of his many excursions many years ago, he met a lovely Greek woman named Andrea and decided hey, let's get married. She already had a son of her own, Andreas but together they decided to have yet another.
"Wakey, wakey Will!" Dea exclaimed as she pinched Will on the arms.
"Get up you lazy slob, the day is a wasting!" Sarah yelled into Will's ear, a little louder than needed. "I'm going to the library, you wanna come?"
"No I don't want to come!" Will shouted like the moody 17 year old teenager he was as he jumped out of his bed and shoved his siblings out of his room, shutting the door behind him.
"I'm telling!" Will heard Dea proclaim before he collapsed back into the comfort of his bed, snuggling deeper into the covers.
"Fine!" Sarah yelled before venturing outside. "I'll go on my own, but if I get kidnapped or something I'm blaming you!"
"One can only hope you get kidnapped." Their father joked, chuckling into his coffee mug.
As Sarah made her way down the road and toward the miniscule library, she couldn't help but wonder why everything in this town, including the people, were so small and boring, and if there was something better than small town life. She did however know why this town was so tiny; you could only blame one thing.
"West Side." Sarah mumbled bitterly to herself as she looked up toward the place she was referring to before entering the small library.
Cambridge was indeed an odd place where odd people lived. Even though it was situated in a cozy but remote area between two large cities and was only an hour or so away from the Giant metropolis of Toronto, Cambridge never grew or changed as the years went by. It remained a small town full of old buildings, old folks, and young people ready to be molded into the old folks.
"Which book will it be this time?" The librarian asked kindly, but Sarah was in her own little world and already engrossed in a novel she had previously read three times. Sarah felt trapped in the small town she lived in, like she was unable to reach her full potential, so she spent most of her time escaping into the fantasies and faraway places only a book could take you to.
"Hmm?" She replied absentmindedly, tearing her eyes away from her book to look up at the librarian's two brown eyes hidden behind her thick grey glasses with the duct tape on the sides.
"which book…"
"Oh yes! This one please." Sarah said finally, hugging her favorite novel to her chest.
"But you've read that one already, multiple times in fact." The librarian said with a chuckle.
"Yet I never tire of it!" Sarah exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air. "Daring sword fights, exciting people, enchanting spells, love at first site, and of course a happily ever after."
"Too bad it's just a fantasy." The older woman chirps before handing Sarah back the book and her library card.
"Yes, it is too bad." Sarah whispers sadly before walking back outside to meet a breath of fresh air.
Deciding to take the scenic root home, Sarah turned in the opposite direction and was soon staring at a very familiar site for those who lived in Cambridge.
Flowing right smack dab in the middle of the little town was a beautiful river with a small waterfall called the Grand River. Although it often smelled distasteful, Sarah always found it breath taking no matter how many times she saw it. She sat down under the shade of a giant Maple tree and took out her book, content in just sitting beside the river reading, the only sound being the rush of water nearby. The silence unfortunately didn't last long. Sarah suddenly heard an odd rustle of leaves from above that made her jump up in surprise. She then watched in amazement as her cousin fell right out of the maple tree.
"Why hello there luv."
"Jack what on earth are you doing?" She asked, rolling her eyes dramatically as Jack Sparrow brushed himself off and removed some leaves from his long unruly hair.
"Same thing you are Sarah, watching the river." He drawled, motion to the water with his hands.
They both turned in unison to watch the water splash and move in a rhythmic motion, neither really knowing just how important the river was and what it actually meant.
The Grand River posed a huge problem only those who lived in Cambridge could see. Since it sat so elegantly in the middle of the town, it also split it in two; East side and west side. West side was where the wealthy lived. They were a stingy sort of people who illuminated their arrogance and ignorance throughout their part of town. They held most of the power in Cambridge and made sure everyone knew it, including foreign companies and people who posed a threat to their power. They were the elite and wanted to keep it that way.
On the east side of the river lived an altogether different sort of people. What they lacked in money and resources they made up in positivity and good hearts. They were a close knit community that shared a common hatred for the people of west side as well as a common goal; terrorize them. They loved to pull innocent pranks on the stuck up snobs and than have a good laugh about it later. It was like tradition.
"My kind of people." Jack mused as he made his way through the bustling streets of east side and straight for the local beer store to buy his favorite morning beverage, rum.
Jack Sparrow was one of the odd characters you either loved or hated, there was no middle ground. East side loved the witty teenager, while West Side despised him, along with Jack's longtime friend Ana Maria and his cousins Will and Sarah Turner. The four friends had pulled more successful pranks on West side than Cambridge had people.
Now, clad in a tanned colored cowboy hat, a black shirt with the words "Support the arts, date a musician" written on it, and worn cargo pants, Jack was the essence of rebellious behavior and he wanted it that way.
Fingering his fake ID with anticipation, Jack put on a big sloppy grin and opened the large door to the beer store, which was oh so cleverly named "The Beer Store". How original.
Hearing the door bell's ring echo the store, the owner looked up to meet the eager eyes of his best and most underage customer.
"Well good mornin' Mac, how's my number one guy doing hmm? Could you so generously direct me toward you rum and whisky my good man?" Jack asked with innocent eyes, waltzing up to the man with the name tag that said "Mark" on it, not Mac.
The older man frowned and sighed heavily, eyeing Jack with annoyance.
"How many times must you come here just to be thrown out Jack? Can't you bribe someone to get you beer like normal teenagers your age?" Mark asked with closed eyes, massaging his now aching temples. He could definitely feel a headache coming on.
"Read the sign, it says I can't give anyone under 21 any alcohol" Mark continued, pointing a chubby finger at the sign above Jack's head.
Jack dramatically looked over at the sign, swaying back and fourth as if he was already drunk. Was he?
"But according to my card here Mac, I am of age." Jack pressed, flashing the tired man his signature grin while waving his fake ID in Mark's face.
The store owner muttered something about it being to early in the morning to be dealing with Jack Sparrow before he swiped the ID out of the young man's hands, ripping it in two.
Jack groaned and smacked his forehead. "That took me a week to make Mac! Have a heart."
"It's MARK, now out!" The older man shouted, ushering a yelping Sparrow back outside with still no rum.
What was he suppose to do now? Just wonder the streets without a cause? He had no car, no money, no rum…but it was around breakfast time and according to the watch he fished out of a fruit loops cereal box, Ana Maria's mother was making pancakes and sausages right about now. What kind of friend would he be if he didn't drop by? Of course Ana Maria was away at summer camp and wouldn't be at her home, but the food was still there so what the heck. After that he'd head over to the Turner household to rummage through his uncle's collection of unopened alcohol. All in a days work.