Disclaimer: I do not own KH or POTC.
At last- the final confrontation! This is based on the ending of AWE, but some things have been changed for the purposes of this story, for example DJ survives the maelstrom, having made temporary peace with Jack to fight a common enemy. Yes, Jack makes a cameo appearance here, but not as a bad guy, as in the original MemoryWitch story. Here, he's just… here. I don't think further explanation is needed- this is an AU story, after all; AU stories are the best IMO since you can have them any way you want them while still preserving something of the original. Keep in mind that it's AU when you write reviews for this story. Enough rambling- on with the show!
Chapter Six: To Be Free
The FlyingDutchman and Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl circled the deadly maelstrom created by the sea goddess Calypso, cannons blazing. Rain lashed, wind blew, waves crashed, and lightning flashed as the angry goddess vented her fury.
Naminé had been sequestered in Jones' cabin, along with the chest, guarded by Murtogg and Mullroy. They both tried making friendly conversation with her, but she wanted nothing to do with anyone connected with the Company- not now, not ever again. So she ignored them when they addressed her.
Out on deck, lashed by the storm, Jones was at the wheel of the ship, while Mercer stood nearby, barking orders at the crew and his men. They were only circling the abyss because Jones had insisted Calypso wouldn't harm them.
As he clutched the wheel tightly, Jones was thinking. True, Naminé was in the cabin,
trapped with armed men, but at least she wasn't out here in this madness.
Murtogg and Mullroy, for their part, could somewhat understand the girl's coldness toward them. After all, she hadn't exactly been treated like the lady she was by the Company. They'd been given orders to shoot the girl if Jones disobeyed a command from Mercer; but they weren't sure they could bring themselves to go through with it, if the order came. They were both loyal Company men; but they secretly abhorred what Beckett was doing, using Naminé as a pawn to control Jones. Heck, even Jones- whom all seamen feared- didn't deserve to be enslaved like this.
And- on a more selfish note- they were also thinking: this was not in the contract, when we signed up to serve. Pirates, yes; smugglers, yes; enemy navies, yes; sea goddesses and the Devil of the Seas and the Flying Dutchman, no.
"Wonder if we're gettin' hazard pay for this?" Murtogg looked at Mullroy, who didn't answer.
Murtogg continued to chatter with Mullroy, who finally jumped in and started talking. They paid no attention to Naminé. Seeing this, she used this as a chance to escape. She'd be more help to Captain Jones out on the deck than stuck in here with these two idiots.
But she couldn't- wouldn't- leave without taking the chest. Stealing it back from the Company would free the Captain, and Mercer and his men would be powerless. She would replace the chest with a decoy box of some kind. Naminé looked around the room. She sighted a small, black wooden box about the size of the chest. While the two men continued to banter, Naminé stole across the room quietly, picking up the wooden box. Now came the hard part- actually replacing the chest with the decoy.
As silently as possible, on bare feet (she'd removed her sandals for this reason), she crept up to the pedestal on which the chest sat. Murtogg and Mullroy kept chattering, leaning nonchalantly on their cannons, which were pointed slightly away form the chest. Quickly but quietly Naminé took hold of the handles and slipped the chest off of the pedestal. Setting it carefully on the floor, Naminé placed the box on the pedestal, and then carefully picked the chest up again. She could hear the heartbeat inside. Now came the really hard part- getting past the two men.
Now they were nearly shouting at each other. Naminé had no idea what they were fighting about, nor did she care. But they weren't watching the door. She simply walked by them, neither man looking away from the other.
Mission accomplished, Naminé was thinking as she headed for the deck.
She bumped into someone as she walked. Looking up, she saw-
"Jack Sparrow!" she said. "What are you doing here?"
"I might ask you the same thing, love," Jack replied. "Shouldn't you be on theEndeavour?"
Naminé ignored the question and began to push past him. She still didn't like him, even if it had been some time.
Jack took her arm. "Y'know, it's rude to walk away when someone's asked you a question. Savvy?"
Naminé yanked her arm free. At least he hadn't seen the chest- yet. It still dangled from her left hand by one handle.
"What's that?" Now Jack noticed. "Well, well. Stealin' the chest y'self, eh? You want to control Jones y'self, eh?"
Now Murtogg and Mullroy noticed. "You there! Stop or we'll shoot!" It was Jack they were speaking to, not Naminé.
Jack moved to enter the cabin. Naminé meantime headed for the deck.
I didn't even know Jack was on the ship, she thought. What else have I missed?
Meantime, Murtogg and Mullroy had their cannons pointed at the box.
Jack calmly retrieved his sword and hat. "Shoot, then. That's not the chest. The bonny lass already made off with it."
"What're ye talkin' about?" Murtogg growled. "It's right he-"
Now he and Mullroy noticed the fake. Neither man spoke. They both looked up at Jack. Jack just raised an eyebrow.
Naminé emerged onto the deck, smiling triumphantly.
"Captain! Look! I've got the-"
Suddenly she was grabbed from behind by Mercer, who laid a blade against her throat. Naminé gasped loudly but didn't let go of the chest.
"Very clever, Miss Naminé. But all in vain, I'm afraid." said Mercer nastily.
"Let her go, Mercer!" Jones bellowed.
"You're in no position to make demands, Jones. Not only do I have the key, and the chest once again, but I also have your little woman as well. Come near me and she dies."
Visions of her last encounter with this perilous, violent world flashed through Naminé's head, racing through her mind as she trembled in Mercer's grasp. Once again Sparrow was holding her hostage, his sword at her throat…
No, no! she berated herself. Keep it together! The Captain's counting on you!
Jones was furious. They'd hurt Naminé already. He'd be (further) damned if he'd let them do it again. Capable of limited teleportation, Jones appeared behind Mercer and clamped his claw around Mercer's neck. Mercer let out a surprised grunt.
"Nay, Mr. Mercer. Methinks you'll be the one to die today, you and your master. If you cut her throat, I'll snap your neck. She dies, you die. The choice is yours, Mr. Mercer."
"Is it, Jones? You forget, I have the key."
"Aye, that ye do. And the medallion to send Naminé home. Hand them over!"
Mercer chuckled. "Ah, ah. Nobody gets everything they want in life. Even you, Jones. Either you get the girl, or the chest and the key. One or the other. Not both."
"You son of a bitch," Jones spat.
"Humph. Surely working for the Company is a more suitable fate for her than as a slave aboard this cursed wreck?" Mercer sneered. "Why do you care so much for her, Jones? We both know you can't feel any real emotion unless your heart is nearby. There's no way what you say you feel is real."
"What would you know?" Jones growled. He swiftly kicked Mercer's legs out from under him, forcing him to release Naminé. The sword flew from Mercer's hand, but he brought Naminé to the deck with him. He reached for her, but Jones grabbed him, yanking him to his feet and gripping his arms. Held tightly in Jones' grasp, Mercer couldn't move. The look on Jones' face made Mercer's blood run cold.
Jones looked at Naminé. "Now to find the key and the medallion."
"What are you going to do?"
"Avert your eyes, Naminé. I don't want you watching this." Jones replied.
"What are you going to do?" Now Naminé sounded a little scared.
"Find the key and the medallion. He has them on his person somewhere. And while I'm at it, I'll give this worthless cur his due. I won't let him get away with hurting you and threatening your life. He's probably done that more than once, more than I've seen. So, please. I ask you again, lass. Look away." Jones said softly.
Naminé turned away, covering her eyes. She heard sounds behind her: Mercer moaning and pleading with Jones; slimy noises- then chains breaking and a thud. That had to be Mercer's body.
"Naminé- I've got them. Look."
Naminé looked at Jones. In two of his beard tentacles were clutched the key to the Dead Man's Chest and the medallion. Jones was beaming, in spite of his bloody tentacles and the body at his feet.
"We're free," he said.
Naminé jumped to her feet and threw her arms around Jones. He put his arms around her and they spun in circles, both laughing happily.
"Sir!" Maccus came up to them, looking from Mercer's body to Jones.
"Yes, Mr. Maccus. Mr. Mercer is dead. We have no further use for his men. You know what to do."
Maccus grinned nastily. "Aye, sir.' He turned to face the crew, yelling a command.
A minute later, there were no EITC men left on the Flying Dutchman- alive. Their bodies were thrown overboard.
(Murtogg and Mullroy were gone already- when they saw their lives were in danger, they had the brains to flee the ship when they could. They were now aboard thePearl.)
"What about Beckett?" Naminé asked.
"Aye. Beckett. I'll deal with him myself."
"How'll we escape the maelstrom?"
"We won't have to. Calypso won't harm us. Wait here for me, Naminé." said Jones, touching her face.
Then he was gone.
Meantime, Jack Sparrow was back aboard his own ship. He turned and gasped. Before him stood Davy Jones.
"Calm yourself, Sparrow. Mercer is dead. I've recovered my chest and the key. I'm going to deal with Beckett myself. I'll call of hostilities between you and I for now. But this is not the last you'll see of me. Iwill collect on the debt you owe me." Jones growled.
"Well, that's right kind of you. mate, if a little out of character. Say- why don't we work together to take Beckett down? Destroy his ship with our ships' cannons. Maybe he'll be among the dead."
"Aye. Fine. We'll destroy the Endeavour together. But I'll ensure Beckett is among the dead. I'll not forgive him for enslaving me and Naminé."
"Or trying to wipe us pirates out." Jack put in. He looked out to sea. "As it turns out, the Endeavour's sailin' this way. Makes it easier for us."
Jones scowled. "Mm. Remember, Sparrow. This is only a temporary truce."
"Yes, yes, yes. C'mon, let's step lively! Or our chance'll pass before we know it!"
But Jones was already gone.
After a quick stop back to the Dutchman to order a course set to intercept theEndeavour, Jones went to the Endeavour himself to see Beckett- and punish him.
Beckett was in his cabin, confident that Jones would be triumphant against Jack Sparrow, and hence that Beckett's fleet would shortly triumph over the Brethren Court.
He didn't even notice Jones appear in the cabin.
"Beckett."
The sound of Jones' voice broke through Beckett's reverie. He turned.
"Jones. What are you doing here? Does Mr. Mercer know you're here?" Beckett scowled.
"Mercer is dead. By my own hand. I have recovered the key and the chest. I am no longer your slave, Beckett. And nor is Naminé." Jones snarled. He began to stalk toward Beckett. "I've come to punish you for your mistreatment of Naminé and me."
"Punish me? Humph. Indeed." Beckett said smugly. He drew a word and thrust it into Jones' body.
Jones chuckled cruelly. "Like everyone else, Beckett, you forget I am a heartless wretch!" He pulled the ornate but still deadly sword out of his chest. "At any rate, it matters not. I am not here to talk. I am here to ensure you die a slow and painful death."
Cannon fire began to rock the ship.
"What-? Impossible!" Beckett gasped, looking out of the windows of his cabin. Both theFlying Dutchman and the Black Pearl were firing on theEndeavour. Jones was right- the only way this could be happening was if Mercer were dead.
Again Jones chuckled. "Beckett, you're too much of a realist for your own good. Don't you know? Impossible things happen every day." he said.
A cannon shot blew the windows out. Shattered glass filled the air.
"Goodbye, Beckett." Jones growled deep in his throat. Then he thrust his sword into Beckett's heart. In shock, Beckett slid down the wall and slumped to the floor. Grinning with malicious satisfaction, Jones began to twist the blade, to give Beckett even more pain. As he did, Jones chuckled and Beckett cried out in pain.
Jones released the hilt, leaving the blade in Beckett's chest.
Beckett, meantime, breathed his last. Jones turned to return to the Dutchman.
Several EITC men burst in. They caught sight of Jones just as he disappeared through the cabin wall. He smirked at them as he left.
"Sir! We're under attack!" one of the men cried after Jones was gone. Then they saw Beckett's body. "Sir!" They rushed over, but were silent with shock when they realized that their leader was dead.
Cannon fire from the two ships tore the Endeavour apart, and it sank in flames.
The Black pearl sailed away, back to the pirate fleet. On deck, Jack and his crew celebrated.
Maccus came up to Jones. "Sir, what about Sparrow?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Maccus. I will collect on his debt soon enough. But today- I can't believe I'm saying this- today is a happy day. We are free from Beckett." said Jones.
Calypso's fury was spent; the storm was passing. The maelstrom was gone.
Jones turned to the rest of the crew. He announced, "It is done. Beckett is dead."
Beaming, Naminé ran up, threw herself into Jones' arms, and kissed him full on the lips. Jones exuberantly returned the kiss.
It was over. They could hardly believe it. The long nightmare had ended at last.
Next up: Saying goodbye…
That was the "final fight" chapter! Not totally the same as the movie, was it? That's AU for ya! R&R! No flames! See you next chapter- the final chapter!