A goddess's tear

When orphan Nerina and her friends go on a ship to Albany she gets sucked into an adventure she'd never forget!

~~Authors note~~ This is my first fanfic so don't judge too hard, if it seems I have copied anything it was unintentional! Please tell me what you think, I love reviews!

Disclaimer: I (unfortunately) do not own POTC! Only my own characters! ~~

Nerina stood in the water at the beach in seacliffe. The crashing waves comforted her, as if it was washing away her troubles. She was out late-night swimming with some of her friends; she loved the sea, so naturally she said yes. Tonight she was feeling at peace, unusual, she was usually, well, rather down, she wasn't emo or anything, it's just what you get when you've been in an orphanage since you were born, you kinda can't help it.

" Nerina! " called her bestie Imogen "we better go, 'tis getting late... ". Nerina grudgingly moved from the shallow water and trudged back to the shore to meet her friends. Madelyn had dark hair as thick as cement with very Latin features, Imogen was a paler shade of skin with freckles and red hair, Nerina was African American and had rather light-ish skin for her ethnic group and had midnight black eyes and wavy black hair, sometimes her friends would tease her and call her a mermaid because of her unnatural beauty and love of the sea.

"What happened to you there? It was like you were in a trance" asked Madelyn

"Mmph, really, no I can't be happy, that's impossible" mumbled Nerina sarcastically

"Ha-ha... I was joking, but really, you looked dazed"

"She was thinking about POTC" joked Immy.

Embarrassed because they were right, she shrugged "I like the sea"

"We know that" quipped Imogen knowingly.

"Let's go over to my house, we can watch POTC" called Madelyn. She was in love with it, as were the others. Nerina wasn't listening, throughout the whole conversation she'd been staring at something shiny in the wall of the cliff. "I'll catch up with you guys back at maddys" called Nerina. " 'Kay " called Imogen. Nerina walked up to the tall cliff wall and peered at the shiny thing. She dusted it off and pulled it out. It was a silver scale attached to a bronze cord, it shone brightly in the moon and had a picture of a wolf on it. She hung it around her neck, it felt oddly right, she hurried up after the others. No one saw her "newly acquired" jewelry piece, they were watching AWE in the home-theatre, they were having a sleepover celebrating their senior-year at school.

"Omg, he looks so cool like that!" called Immy pointing at the T.V. , showing a picture of Will in his "captain of the Flying Dutchman" outfit. "AWE isn't the best movie though" mumbled Madelyn, she liked Norry better and was still wiping tears from her face when squid-man stabbed him. After the movie was finished, they went to reload on popcorn and sit back down to watch the first two again.

"Eek! I love the way Jackie enters the port" squealed Madelyn "I know" answered Immy "now shut up" I barked. "whaddya say to three shillings and we forget the name" they quoted simultaneously with Jack and giggled. Nerina's friend s were obsessed with the movie, Maddy's walls disappeared under the posters and figures, Immy's were covered in drawings and autographed posters, Nerina's walls were blank, save for one poster, although her desk was a "navigation table" and she knew more about the history and actual story that the rest of them did.

Immy called Nerina non-obsessed, but in fact she was smitten and would dream about it every night and would copy out quotes when she was bored, she just acted more like said pirate in ways, than an exited fangirl would, she tried rum once but threw up immediately and decided she'd stick with good ol' coffee. The girls watched intently as Jack was in the jail cell talking to Will. "what I'd do to be in that movie" exclaimed Nerina. "aye!" said Immy. As they watched the movies over and over, one by one they fell asleep, it was about 4am then.

"Daughter" a voice called through the eerie black of Nerina's mind, "daughter..."

"Nerina, girl! Listen"

Nerina jumped up. She was in a small clearing, there was a treehouse in the middle and many natives surrounded it with candles and fire. She spotted a woman with hands on her hips, tapping her foot, "Hello Nerina" Nerina was shocked to see it was Tia Dalma.

"I'm dreaming" she murmured

" That may be so, but et don't mean et did not happen"

"What?"

"You must be tired, come" she said beckoning her to come to the shack. Tia Dalma poured her a drink, it smelled like honey and some type of flower

"You must prepare"

"What for?"

"Your destiny"

"You aren't even real!"

Tia Dalma slapped her arm in annoyance "did dat feel real?"

"ow..." she said rubbing her arm

"Just be ready, my daughter"

Nerina took a sip of her drink, slowly the world span round and round her head, the background contorting and twisting, then there was a sudden darkness.

"Aah" Nerina yelled. She sat up in her doona, breathing loudly. It was just a dream, she said to herself. If it was a dream why did her arm hurt so much, and why did her mouth taste funny? The other girls were up long before, and were making breakfast, Nerina fingered the scale on her necklace, it's smoothness comforted her.

Today (which I failed to mention) they were going to go on an old ship and sail to Albany and back, they would learn to sail and take fencing lessons in the process, they had put together all their money and Immy's parents, knowing their obsession, had contributed some money as well.

The girls had packed the day before and had brought all their bags to maddy's house and then Immy's parents would drive them there (Maddy was the only driver, and her car needed servicing). Nerina felt bad that she could only provide so much, and didn't have parents to back her up, Immy told her not to worry, but she couldn't help it.

Immy's mom dropped them off and the girls went to find the leader. There was a commotion at the dock with about 50 people there, some parents some were going on the trip and some just stopped by to see what was going on. They went to a group of people in the corner of the the dock, who were signing forms and talking. After they signed in they went onboard to look around

The girls were put into a room on deck next to the "captain's cabin" where the leaders slept. Four other girls were also put in, Yasmin, Lynette, Anaya and the leader Nasira, who was only two years their senior, there were a total of 20 people onboard. The students were ushered to go downstairs into the other rooms. A tall man stood at the front of the group "Ok students, welcome to shipwreck!" called the man. Immy felt slightly uncomfortable, shipwreck? Not good, she thought.

"My name is Ivan, and this is Melody" he said cheerfully "I'm sure you will be comfortable in your rooms and will enjoy the trip" with that word the "new sailors" went to the rail to say goodbye to their loved-ones.

As the boat moved off the "sailors" went to the middle of the deck to wait "Okay recruits, the first thing we'll be doing is how to sail, without crashing or doing something else you wouldn't like, by the way the cannons are just for show" a couple of groans from the boys could be heard. Ivan smiled "Now first we'll learn how to steer the ship".

Ivan went on to tell us how certain parts of a ship were, and what to do if someone falls overboard and how to understand the sailor's lingo. Throughout the whole thing the students were reeling and rocking not used to the rocking movements of the ship, some were sick and were falling over, Nerina however was unfazed with the movements and just changed the way she walked, Nasira thought that was smart and that Nerina was the first to get her "sea-legs"

Nerina also seemed to have done sailing before and managed to work the ship beautifully, or so said Ivan. Some of the students got tired and did not wish to work or were sea-sick and were bound to their hammocks or leaning against the rail, Nerina then eagerly took their place, she felt so normal at the wheel. Nerina and her friends retired to their room for a break, although Nerina had to be dragged from the wheel. "urgh! How do you do that"? Moaned Yasmin as she bent over the privy in the room just next-door. "Do what?" asked Nerina "the walking thing, How'd ya get ye sea-legs so quickly?"

"I dunno, how'd you change the way you speak so quickly?" retorted Nerina.

"And you are so good at steering!" said Lynette, her blonde hair peeking out from her hammock

"Hmmh, thanks, you guys are good too though"

"No, I steer like a banana"

"I didn't know bananas could steer" quipped Anaya.

Soon it was time for lunch. Lunch was actually really good, some lamb potatoes and veggies, the leaders cooked for that meal but they said that they'd have to cook later on.

They were given the rest of the day off, but most of them were bound to their hammocks or bunks, Nerina was sitting at the helm with her guitar.

"Last night I blacked out I think

What did you, what did you put in my drink?

I remember making out and then, oh, oh

I woke up with a new tattoo

Your name was on me and my name was on you

I will do it all over again "

(Avril Lavigne smile)

She strummed singing with her guitar, Nasira, the leader, was on deck "you like it out here?" Nasira called. Stunned, Nerina stopped and turned around "yeah, it's peaceful"

"You sailed before"?

"Actually, no"

"Cool, you are fantastic, you know"

"Really"?

"Yes"

"Thanks"

Nasira smiled "see ya!"

"Bye"

Nerina continued singing

Yeah

And that's why I smile

It's been a while

Since every day and everything has

Felt this right

And now you're turning all around

And suddenly you're all I need

The reason why I smile

Nerina smiled and stopped playing, thoughts of Potc creeping back into her mind. She was glad she'd come, and glad she got this opportunity, she fingered the scale around her neck, heck yes, this is where she belongs.

Nerina was walking around an island, there were tribal people surrounding a clearing, there was a small treehouse in the centre. Nerina walked inside and found Tia Dalma cleaning out a jar in the corner. "welcom' child" she called in her heavily accented voice "I've been waiting, you like your skills?". Nerina paused

"I guess, the weird thing is that I've never been on a boat".

"Well darling, it ees becaus' you are from here, you were meant to be on a ship".

"what?"

"you are an orphan are you not? in your world anyway"

"Yees" Nerina replied cautiously

"You will come, daughter, you will" said Tia in an eerie voice, she pushed a ring into her hand, everything was fading, and nothing but darkness remained in Nerina's sight.

~~oooh why is Tia following Nerina? What is that scale for?~~

~~Authors note: yes I know it kinda sucks and is slow, but I promise you it'll speed up! Please send reviews, I love em! ~~