Here is yet another chapter that I wrote. I'm starting to run out of chapters now, so I'll have to come up with some more. Anyway, I hope that you all like this chapter. It takes place in the open sea. It also involves some characters from a certain movie that I've just seen.
I'm going to add a general disclaimer to this story: I don't own anything or anyone in this story. All of the characters, places, and nouns originated in somebody else's imagination, not mine!
A mouse captain tossed and turned in his bunk unable to sleep. He couldn't get the image of a warrior mouse out of his head. Until finally, the warrior mouse spoke to him…
"Captain Jack Sparrow! I need your help," the warrior mouse said.
"And who exactly might you be, mate?" asked Captain Jack Sparrow.
"I am Martin the Warrior. South of your ship lies Redwall Abbey, an edifice that I built for the purpose of protecting peaceable creatures from the evils that permeate the world. It is within Mossflower Wood. I need you and your crew to defend it."
"So, what is the proposition that you're trying to make? In case you haven't noticed, I'm a pirate, and I don't see any personal gain out of defending a fortress of kind, peace-loving creatures that do nothing but enjoy themselves all day. Is there any treasure involved?"
"No. Well, actually yes, but it's not the type of treasure you're used to. It is a wealth that can't be touched or spent or horded or buried in a treasure chest, but it is worth a thousand times more than a king's ransom in gold and silver."
"Huh, a fine treasure that is, mate," replied Captain Jack Sparrow in disgust. "Any fine ladies to be won?"
"Not exactly."
"Well, then what am I doing this for?"
"I can tell you how you can be free from the Curse of the Black Pearl and the Black Mark."
"I'm listening, mate."
"At Redwall Abbey, if you look sharp, you will find a young mouse with a key. This key can open anything, including your treasure chest containing Davy Jones's heart. This mouse will have a friend with him who is an excellent healer. She will be able to cure you of the Black Mark."
"Oh, I see. All I have to do is go defend your abbey of pacifists, find a young mouse with a key and that young mouse's healer friend, and I get my little chest open and rid myself of the Black Mark, thereby freeing myself and my crew from the curse of Davy Jones and Captain Barbossa, and everyone goes home happy, am I right?"
"Yes, you are right."
"But, even if Davy Jones and Captain Barbossa and their crews were to vanish off the face of the earth, who would be left to call wee beastie off the chase, eh?"
"Are you referring to the Kraken?"
"Yes, indeed I am."
"Well, then, the solution is simple. The Kraken receives orders from Davy Jones. With Davy Jones no longer in existence, the Kraken would have no one to take orders from."
"Ah, but you don't see the bigger picture, mate. Pirate business is never as simple as all that. With or without a master, the Kraken won't stop chasing my Black Pearl until it's destroyed, and me and my crew with it."
"Well, I may not know much about pirate business, but I do know that pirates know how to improvise. Besides, if you play your cards right, I don't think that you'll have to worry about the Kraken at all."
"And how would you suggest I go about doing a thing like that, mate?"
"How about you try relinquishing your piratical ways and just fighting for a just cause because it is the right thing to do. If you'd stop worrying about yourself so much and start worrying about the needs of others, I'm sure you'd find it easy to get help with your own problems. You'd have plenty of friends who'd be willing to help you with anything that you need."
"Ha, I've heard that too many times to start believing in it now. That whole "help others" philosophy is too inefficient for a person like me. It never works because it doesn't match my lifestyle, don't you see? I'm a pirate, and all I worry about is me, and my ship, and my crew, and my rum. I have a heart of stone, mate. You can't have me going about looking after those who can't even look after themselves now, can you?"
"Suit yourself, but I have one thing that I'd like you to think about. If you were really the heartless creature that you're cracking yourself up to be, then why would I be asking for your help?"
Before Jack had any time to think, Martin's spirit had vanished.
"What was that all about," Jack wondered to himself. "Ah well, I guess me and my crew've got nothing better to do anyway. Besides, heading inland could protect us from the Kraken for awhile. I'm really intrigued about that key at Redwall Abbey though and that healer. If the treasure chest containing Davy Jones's heart can really be opened, I can rid the world of him forever. Then I could deal with Captain Barbossa. Still, I'd have the Kraken to deal with. What did that Martin mean by improvising and helping others, I wonder."
After pondering awhile, Jack got out of his bed and walked onto the main deck of the Black Pearl.
"Captain Jack," the Mr. Gibbs hailed, "what are your orders?"
"Keep a course due south until we hit land. I have a mind to visit a place called Redwall Abbey in a Mossflower Wood. There we may be able to finally be rid of Davy Jones's curse and of Captain Barbossa and his crew."
"But what about the Kraken?"
"Don't worry your little head about it, mate. I'll improvise."
Speaking with complete confidence, Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew sailed onward toward the Northern Shores and Salamandastron.
There is yet another chapter of mine. Please tell me what you think by reviewing. I know that it's long, but I couldn't help myself. I really liked writing this.
