Disclaimer- I do not own Jack, The Bride or anything created by Disney, I do however own Arianna so ask before taking! Anything in italics are either a thought (I'll identify who from) or a dream (I'll also identify those). Thanks to Molly and Karo for motivating me. You guys are the best!
Chapter 1- Beginning of the End
The room was bare except for the bed in the corner and the drapes that hung in front of the open window. As a cold breeze blew through the window a stale smell overwhelmed the small girl in the doorway. The young girl was frail, but her eyes shined with strength and compassion. Her long hair hung down past her shoulders, providing a protective wall against the world around her. She slowly walked toward the bed, her bare feet softly padding against the wooden floor. She called out in a meek, frightened voice, "Momma . . . Momma what's wrong? Why won't you talk to me?" She gazed at the head of the bed and reached out a shaky hand to grasp the covers that concealed the figure beneath. The girl slowly pulled the covers back and was met with the closed eyes of a pale young woman. Her skin was gaunt and looked almost yellow, her cheeks were hollow and seemed almost waxy. She reached out to touch the woman's cheek when her eyelids snapped open to reveal lifeless yellow eyes.
Arianna awoke screaming and immediately reached for the dagger under her pillow in an attempt to ward off unwanted ghosts. "Jesus" she breathed as she took in her surroundings. A dingy room. One bed, one window, and a mutilated dresser with a dirty mirror that's slowly rotting away . . . probably from termites. Arianna snorted at the thought as her eyes settled on a small bullet hole in the ceiling.
"Every night it's the same thing." She said with a sigh, "It's enough that she haunts my thoughts, but now my dreams too. . . . Bloody woman, why won't you just let me be?" she question the slightly chilled air.
Arianna lowered her dagger and put it back under her pillow as she lay back down on the bed, trying to clear her mind and finally get some peace. "Damn," she muttered after noticing the sharp pounding that seemed to be amplified by the rising sun. What in hell did I do last night that made me deserve such a hangover? "Got to Tortuga," she murmured, "went to The Faithful Bride . . . got stinkin' drunk . . . Slapped a few whores . . . and ended up here. Where is here?" Ah yes, rented a room above The Bride. Her train of thought was immediately halted due to the sledgehammer that seemed to be hitting her head repeatedly. "Ah well . . . I've had worse." she said while turning her attention to the window across from her. I should get up, mused Arianna. The sun's rising and I still have to find a way off of this damn island.
She rose from the bed slowly, trying not to make her headache worse - an impossible task, it seems - and walked across the room before stopping before the dresser, grabbing her effects and returning them to their rightful place on her body. She leaned forward to look in the mirror and closely examined her face. Reaching her hand up, she smoothed down her hair as best as she could and rubbed her eyes as she attempted to stifle a yawn. I guess this is as good as it's going to get. She sat down on the floor and proceeded to pull her boots on and straighten her shirt, tucking her ruby necklace under her shirt in the process. Now where did I put that bloody coat? Arianna spun around and walked back to the unmade bed. Reaching over it she grabbed her coat, which had been throw aside, and then grabbed her dagger from under the pillow and put it back in her boot.
"Is that everything?" she mumbled while checking herself to make sure everything was in its place. Pistol. Daggers. Boots. She sighed and mentally prepared herself for the day ahead. "Time ta get filthy drunk and maybe get inta a few bar fights," she said while flinging open the door and finding her way down the stairs, pushing aside a few sleeping drunks and passed-out whores on her way.
"'ey John!" Shouted Arianna when she reached the bar, causing a few individuals who weren't passed out to turn her way. "Hey Johnny, get your arse over here and give me some rum."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," said the bartender as he made his way towards her. "Rain!" he shouted fondly, reaching across the bar to catch her in a bone-crushing hug. "'Ey mate!" gasped Arianna, "Are ye trying ta kill me?"
"I haven't seen the likes of you in some time. When did ya get here?" said John, releasing Arianna.
"Last night - I meant to find you, but the rum was calling," quipped Arianna, earning a short laugh from John as he reached behind the bar to find a glass for her.
"I hear you've been up ta no good lately. I'm telling ya, stay away from them Spanish ships!" he scolded, still looking for a semi-clean mug. "They're comin inta power an ya don't want at be on their bad side when that happens! You've only been a captain fer what? Two weeks? An ye've already looted more than half a dozen Spanish ships," said John, locating the elusive mug.
"Yes sir!" mocked Arianna. "I shall never loot another ship as long as I still draw breath."
John dismissed her attitude and began to pour her some rum. "Where's The Hawk? I didn't see yer ship pull inta port, nay I didn't even hear the usual stories that go 'round when you get inta town," said John after pouring Arianna some rum and handing it to her.
"John," said Arianna, suddenly sobering up, "I need ta talk to ye in the back." John seemed curious and told her to head on back and make herself comfortable.
Arianna walked back and sat in a chair. Swinging her feet up on the table, she leaned back and took a long drink of her rum, finishing off half of it in one bout. John suddenly appeared at the door with two mugs of rum in his hand and sat down at the table. "Here Rain, I have a feelin' that you're gunna need this," he said setting the full mug down in front of her and leaning back in his chair to study the woman in front of him, urging her to continue.
Arianna glanced at him, opened her mouth, but then thought better of it and finished off her rum, setting the mug down on the wobbly table. "John," started Arianna, "I have a wee problem. Ye see, the crew mutinied soon after Pops disappeared. They wanted the treasure an it seemed that they didn't like sailing under a woman captain." Sexist pigs. Arianna picked up the mug that John had brought and took a drink, savoring the spicy flavor before continuing her tale. "I don't think that they know 'bout the ruby bein' the key otherwise they wouldn't have dropped me off on that damn island. An seein' as you an me, and my Pop if he's still alive, are the only ones left who know, I don't think that they'll get the treasure. . . ."
John seemed to take the news well and set down his mug before speaking. "Well missy, ye got yerself in a right mess, an ye know ye can stay here as long as ye like. I can also offer ye a job as a bartender seein' as me last one got killed 'bout a week ago in a nasty bar fight." He cleared his throat: "I'll also help ye in any way I can, but I'm sure ye know that. But I think that ye should go after the family treasure. After all, it's rightfully yers, an seein' as ye seem the be the last one left in yer bloodline, it might be lost ta Davy Jones' locker if ya don't do somethin."
Arianna smiled in spite of herself at John's generosity. "I'm glad yer willin' ta help me; It's nice ta know I still have someone ta look out fer me." John seemed to shift uncomfortably for a moment but as soon as it came, it was gone. And Arianna was left to wonder if it actually happened. "I'll take the job seein' as I can always pick up bits of information on The Hawk as long as I'm here, and it'll help me find someone crazy enough to help."
"Well Rain," said John as he leaned across the table and reached out his hand, "it seems as though we have an accord. You stay here fer a ridiculously low price and work as a bartender fer as long as ye can an I get the satisfaction of knowin' that at least one of Tom's kids can make drinks like their old man."
"Agreed." said Arianna, reaching across the table to shake hands. Suddenly a loud crash came from the other side of the door and a girl with long stringy hair and a low cut dress came running through the half closed door panting, with a half formed bruise on her right cheek.
"John!" She screeched as she reached the table, taking a second to look over at Arianna as she sat with her feet on the table. "'Ey you!" she said putting her hands on her hips and giving Arianna a glare to freeze over hell, "Git yer maggot infested, flea bitten feet off a tha' table, I just scrubbed tha' damn thing this morn." She comes in here running and screeching and the first thing she points out are my boots? Some things wrong with that one. Arianna slowly removed her feet from the table and gave the girl a look as if to say 'Bite me'. After seeing to it that Arianna's boots were no longer threatening the table she looked back towards John and gave him a pleading look. "John them pirates from tha' Wailin' Wench er back an they're tearin' up tha' place!"
"Bloody pirates." muttered John as he rose from his chair. "Rain, as a new bartender at this lovely establishment I expect you ta get yer arse out there an help me stop all of this distruction." he said turning to face her.
"Alright, alright," said Arianna as she shed her coat and started walking towards the door. First few moments on the job and I already have to stop a bloody bar fight. As she got to the door, she glanced behind her she noticed John and the girl at least six feet behind her and shook her head in a disappointed manner. Cowards. She retrieved 2 daggers from the worn leather strap traveling across her chest she entered the disheveled bar and brandished them, one in each hand. "Now listen up ya maggots," shouted Arianna trying to stop the incessant noise that surrounded her. "I want you lowlifes outta this bar by the time I get ta the number 3," Or I will kill you. "or we are gunna have some serious problems." Now scram. Her eyes scanned the room and noticed that all of the pirates had stopped moving and were now looking at her, or rather at her chest. One particularly nasty one with short thinning hair and scars running all over his face, neck and hands began to move towards her. He seems like a very lovely person to meet in a dark alley. I bet he's in charge of this operation. As soon as the noise stopped it began again, starting with a table full of mugs that a lanky lad had knocked into, causing most of the glasses to fall and break. Clumsy oaf. Arianna threw the dagger in her left hand towards a tall pirate who was terrorizing the girl with the stringy hair, then spun to her right and threw her remaining dagger at a shorter, but equally disgusting looking, pirate, hitting both of them in their back and causing them to fall to the floor. She then turned her attention back to the man in front of her and roughly grabbed his right wrist with both hands. She quickly twisted his arm to the right until she heard the cracking of his bones, and the scream that tore from his throat. Bastard. In her moment of distraction the man swung his left fist and punched her soundly in the stomach causing her to double over in pain and release his right wrist. She rolled out of the way as his fist began to beat the ground where she was moments before. Standing, she reached into her boot and felt almost calm as she brought out the dagger and felt the cold metal between her fingers. She jumped slightly at the look in the man's eyes as he turned to face her. Rage... he looks almost.. Maniacal.. he cradled his injured arm against his body and reached for his pistol which lay innocently at his side. I wonder how many lives that pistol has ended. She raced forward and placed the dagger at his throat before his fingers could reach the weapon at his side. "Don't even think about." she growled, reaching for it and placing it at his head, "'ey mates," She shouted, trying to be heard over the noise, "unless you want this fine gentleman here to die, I suggest that you drop yer weapons and leave this fine establishment." The pirates stopped when they noticed their Captain being held at gun point, and simply stared at them. Stupid blighters. She grumbled and cocked the gun, pointing it at a pirate near her and shooting him down. "Now, are you going to leave, or do I have to continue to shoot every last one of you?" Well that seemed to get their attention. She thought at the pirates seemed to jump into action, racing out of the door, leaving John, Arianna, the girl and their Captain behind. "Well mate, it seems as though it's just you, me and this pistol." said Arianna turning her full attention back to the man in front of her pushing the blade closer to his neck, drawing a thin line of blood. "Now, if ye would tell me yer name and why ye have repeatedly attacked this bar then I would be most grateful." The man visibly gulped and began to sweat, stammering out a few unrecognizable words. Arianna began to get frustrated and removed the dagger from his neck, but kept the gun pointed at his head. "Sit down." she commanded, picking up a chair and setting it upright. Arianna handed John the gun and instructed him to keep it pointed at the man's head, excusing herself to get a mug of rum. Oy, why does something always happen right when I get to town. She grabbed her half empty mug of rum from the table in the back and brought it back into the main room only to find the girl in a heap on the floor, John sitting on the floor staring at the door and the Captain gone. Shit.
Jack will come in later, but I had to lay some groundwork down! Review and remember if you fine spelling errors or grammatical nonsense let me know and I'll fix it. (I hope this doesn't happen since I have a wonderful beta!)