A/N: Getting closer to the ending. Maybe three or four more chapters to go and then this story is complete! Savvy?
I do not own Cardcaptors, Pirates of the Caribbean, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Shrek or Kingdom Hearts(Kingdom Hearts is only mentioned. None of the characters will appear in this story).
CH9: Hoist the Colours.
The day which was to define the destinies of so many lives dawned a strange mixture of sun, cloud and mist. It was as if the elements themselves were going to give no clue as to how the events of the day would end. Every ship, per Elizabeth's orders had been brought out, and those aboard waited in silence for the coming of the inevitable enemy. At last, there appeared out of the fog the outline of the EITC fleet, which Marty noticed and soon cheers from most of the crew uproared. However, more Company ships began to appear, wave upon wave of warships, far outnumbering the pitiful numbers of the pirate fleet. The cheers soon died down to horrified silence, as everyone stared out at the rapidly multiplying ships.
Cotton's Parrot, as though traumatized, quickly flew off his master's shoulder and flew off to Shipwreck Cove, squawking, "Abandon Ship! Abandon Ship! Awk!"
Sakura, Sailor Moon, Ash, Pikachu, and the Pirates that were with Jack, all slowly turned to face him, with menciful and angry glares that looked ready to attack him or throw him overboard with slight hopes he would get eaten by sharks. Seeing their reactions, Jack, feeling and realising that he was once again in trouble, grinned nervously, coming up with the most logical thing he could think off.
"Parley?"
At Jack's scared suggestion and Elizabeth's agreement and order, called upon Parley with the commander of the fleet.
On a long sandy bar, out beyond where the two fleets were anchored, awaiting the signal to begin the hunt. Elizabeth, Sakura, Barbossa, Ash, Pikachu, Sailor Moon and Jack walked to meet the three figures who stood waiting at the sand bars far end. Sakura, with Barbossa to her left, both stared at Will, Sakura with a still slightly hurt expression and Barbossa with a glare. Will just gazed at the duo.
Ash, Pikachu and Elizabeth all glared rather dangerously and angrily at Beckett who held a sinister smile, not at all worried and believing the war will end in his victory for power.
Sailor Moon glared swords(yes, swords, not daggers) at Davy Jones, while Jack, not as menciful as his companions, screwed up his face slightly in disgust at the mutant-undead Pirate who had been told just the night before that Jack Sparrow had been rescued from the Locker, raising an eyebrow at both Jack's disgusted and slightly scared look, and Sailor Moon's angry sword-glare.
As they approached the trio, the group noticed that Davy Jones was standing in two buckets of water, since he is unable to set foot on land again for a decade, which rather robbed him to some degree of his dignity. If the situation was different, the four members of the Sailor Team would've laughed outright. The Sailor Team and the Pirates came to a stop a few feet from them, and the two parties regarded each other with varying degrees of suspicions, anger and out right surprise.
Barbossa was the first to speak, accusing Will, "You be the cur that led these wolves to our door?"
Beckett shot Will a glance before turning to them. "Don't blame Turner; he was merely the tool of your betrayer. If you wish to see its grand architect, look to your left."
Sakura, Barbossa, Ash, Pikachu, Elizabeth and Sailor Moon looked to their left and saw Jack who also looked to his left, as though he didn't get what Beckett was implying before realising that it was him, especially when he looked at the others who raised their eyebrows questionly.
"My hands are clean in this." Jack told them, holding his hands up, before noticing a few dirty marks underneath his finger nails, adding, "Figuretively."
"As for you, Miss Moon." Beckett continued, gazing at Sailor Moon who turned her glare to him, as he added, "Cleaver disguise to fool me into believing that you were Sakura Avalon even as we both briefly met at Port Royal."
Sailor Moon growled in her throat, "Hey, Sakura and I didn't disguise ourselves as each other. You're the one who got us mixed up. Not that it would've made much of a difference anyway since no one really likes you."
"My actions were to my own and my own purpose." Will declared, "Jack and Sailor Moon had nothing to do with it."
"Well spoke," Jack grinned. "Listen to the tool."
To be quite truthful, Elizabeth did not care who had betrayed who in order to bring them to this moment. All that mattered was that Will was here and she needed to tell him something very important. "Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman." Will looked at Elizabeth in slight surprise. Elizabeth could still remember vividly the haunting encounter with Bootstrap aboard the Dutchman. She too had lost a father; she suddenly understood why Will had been so torn between his two promises.
How far would she herself have gone had she been in the same position? "I understand the burden you bear, but I fear that cause is lost." She continued.
Though Will hid it well, his heart soared when he heard those words. She understood. It was there in her ears and unspoken in the tones of her voice. That moment, a great burden lifted from his shoulders and he knew the path that he was meant to take. "No cause is lost, if there is but one fool left to fight for it." He shot a glance at Jack, who met his gaze with a slight gleam in his eyes.
Sakura, Ash, Pikachu and Sailor Moon, along with Elizabeth, glanced at the two men questionly. All this was lost on Beckett, who was far to busy trying to set various parties against each other, that his normally astute observance was somewhat handicapped. "If Turner wasn't acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?" Beckett held up Jack's compass, as if this were the last defining symbol of Jack Sparrow's guilt.
The three leaders of the Sailor Team and Pikachu all groaned in sheer annoyance, while Barbossa rolled his eyes in irritation, while Jack pulled at face, knowing that he had been caught. To add to Beckett's pleasure, the leader of the EITC continued, "Although the deal wasn't done, the pirates were still delivered, and here they are." tossing the compass back to Jack who caught it sheepishly. "Don't be bashful, step up, claim your reward."
Of course, Beckett's idea of a reward involved handing Jack over to Jones, a notion which Jones seemed to relish. Which Sailor Moon caught on and grunted angrily, acussing Beckett, "Ooh! I knew you were gonna go back on your word on Jack, you slimey weasel! Even even Jack really did betray all of us for his freedom, you weren't even going to keep him away from Davy Jones anyway, you big, fat, liar."
"You told people so many lies, it's a wonder why you're not a pirate yourself." Sakura accused Beckett, angry. "Not all pirates are bad, and Jack's one of the good people who was doing what he knew was right to other people who were just as innocent. You don't have any right to control the world and even planning to hurt the King of England."
"In fact, I have, Miss Sakura Avalon." Beckett smirked, eying the real Sakura who lokoed more different and gentle than he thought, "It's just good business. Just as it is Jones' good business in recuiting new crew."
Davy Jones turned his attention to Jack who couldn't meet anyone's gaze, the former saying gruffily, "Your debt to me is still to be satisfied. One hundred years in servitude aboard the Dutchman, as a start."
Jack looked back up. "That debt was paid, mate," He gestured at Elizabeth. "With some help."
"You escaped."
"So?" Ash challenged. "He still died, didn't he? Sure, coming back to life isn't normal, but what do you and Beckett care?"
The pirates and Beckett paid no heed to Ash's words, and so Jack began to speak again, "Technically-"
"I propose an exchange." Elizabeth spoke up, as she had been studying intently the interplay between Will and Jack and had decided on a gamble. "Will leaves with us, and you can take Jack."
"What!?" Sakura, Sailor Moon and Ash exclaimed in shock, while both Jack and Barbossa held shocked expressions at Elizabeth's choice of exchange. On the other hand, Jack's expression was all an act, but he did look very convincing.
"Will declared.
"Undone." Jack quickly denied.
"Done." Beckett declared with finality, looking quite pleased with how things had turned out.
"Are you crazy, Elizabeth!?" Sailor Moon cried out.
"What are you doing?" Sakura added, twice as shocked.
Even Barbossa protested as he reminded Elizabeth, "Jack's one of the Nine Pirate Lords. You have no right."
"King." Elizabeth reminded him rather smugly.
Flinching in realization, Ash facepalmed himself, before glancing at the older Pirate and said worriedly, "Sorry, Barbossa. But she has a point."
"Pika..." Pikachu mumured, echoing Ash's worry.
Remembering that this was the case, both Sakura and Sailor Moon shared a concerned glance, before they and everyone else gazed at Jack who, after a moment of consideration, smiled almost suavely. He lifted his hat and bowed elegantly to Elizabeth. "As you command, your nibs." There was an unmistakable gleam in his eye, a gleam that everyone who had had dealings with Jack in the past would have recognized, things were going almost exactly as he wanted them to.
Though the moment Jack took off his hat, Barbossa began to act.
"Blackguard!" The other man cried, drawing his sword. He cut off the small medallion on the beads that was hanging on Jack's bandana and the Monkey jumped off Barbossa's shoulder, grabbing the beads. While Jack pulled a face at the loss of his accessory, Barbossa moved closer, muttering to him, "If ye have something to say, I might be saying something as well."
Everyone watched for a moment before Jack replied, "First the finish, then?"
Jack stepped forward, as did Will, the two of them circling and eyeing each other, the glint in their eyes confirming that this was exactly what they had wanted to do. By the time that Jack had gotten to Beckett and Jones, Beckett had conveniently stepped aside, which meant that Jack could only stand beside Jones, which probably would not have been his first choice.
"Do you fear death?" Davy Jones decided to ask Jack.
Jack's expression turned more sour, as he answered, "You've no idea."
Beckett, very pleased with the results, stepped up before speaking, "Advise your brethren; You can fight, and all of you and those who are not pirates die, or you can not fight, in which case only most of you will die."
Ash made to step forward to give Beckett a piece of his mind, but stopped when Elizabeth held out an arm to stop him, before she stepped forward with eyes full of steel, saying coldly like a lionless stalking her prey, "You murdered my father."
"He chose his own fate." Beckett replied, without a hint of remorse in his voice.
"And you have chosen yours." Elizabeth said with determination, "We will fight and you will die." She had nothing more to say to Beckett, turning to leave.
The others made to follow her, but Ash paused long enough to sent a glare at Beckett, knowing that this, even the Time Paradox, he finally understood what the evil man's future-self had been saying to him before his (re)death in the Ameria Region. "We already know what your future is gonna be, Beckett. All you're gonna be seeing is darkness because it took hold of you. And if there's a chance you'll be in the future, you'll still lose, and that's what going to happen to you this afternoon."
Without anything else to say, Ash, with Pikachu on his shoulder, raced up to catch up to his friends. Beckett, feeling a twinge of fear in Ash's words, a mere boy who seemed to know more than the Pokemon Trainer said, hid it with his cool and evil calmness, "So be it."
Little did Beckett know, these words alone sealed his final fate, and while to him, the battles would continue in the future...for Ash and his friends in the future, this would be the final battle against him to end the nightmare of Beckett's and Davy Jones' evil deeds.
As Sakura and her group made their way back to the Longboat to return to the Black Pearl, and the monkey climbing onto Barbossa's shoulder, the little ape gave his master the beads. Will and Elizabeth, now walking side by side in renewed commitment, and he asked, confused, "King?"
"Of the Brethren Court, courtesy of Jack." Elizabeth replied.
"Due to the election of the Pirate Lords." Sakura added.
Will thought about it, then commented, "Maybe he does know what he's doing."
"Not if they lock him up in the brig first." Ash pointed out, worriedly.
"Relax." Sailor Moon waved her hand dismissively. "He might be stuck in the brig for a while, but he'll get himself out. All he has to do is use that head of his."
In the said brig onboard the Flying Dutchmen, Jack, without his hat and accessories, stared glumly into the distance through the bars while the two members of the crew walked off past him. This wasn't what he had in mind. But all he had to do was try and come up with a plan to get out of here.
Easier said than done, though.
"Bravo!" A voice startled Jack from his thoughts, causing him to turn around. To his dismay, he was hallucinating again, something he hasn't done since coming back to the Realm of the Living which has been one of the major blessings. Maybe him having this again was connected to not only the Locker, but also to Davy Jones.
The second Jack, without the hat and coat, seated on the bench comfortably, continued, "You've successfully arrived aboard the Flying Dutchmanas per the overall scheme."
Jack approached his hallucination and began, "Look-!" only to cut off when, to his shock and horror, another hallucination of himself appeared to his left, exactly like the one on the bench.
"Oh, yes. Chapeau, mate." The third Jack said, before pointing out, "Except for this sojourn in the brig, it's utter clockwork."
The real Jack, staring at the two that were all in his head and really not in the mood to cope with this while he was stuck in the brig, eventually gave both of his copies a look and told them, "Go away."
"What, back to the Locker?" Jack#2 deadpanned.
"Not without you, Jackie." Jack#3 told the real Jack who held a look of distaste. Jack had no intentions of ever going back to the Locker, especially not back to having to cope with this for all eternity. Why couldn't he have hallucinations of the Sailor Team? At least they wouldn't drive him even more crazy.
Then, all three of them turned to another new voice, and their eyes all widened when a fourth Jack, this time as one of the real Jack's worst fears and nightmares, was connected to the wall, exactly like what the crew of the Flying Dutchmen were stuck as; mutated. The fourth Jack then told the real one, "Stab the heart."
He leaned forward, the top of his skull being ripped off and showing off his brain. He reached up and began to scratch it. "Live forever as Captain of the Flying Dutchman." He grabbed it and then yanked it out, just as the other Jacks approached.
"Then again…if you're in the brig…who's to stab the heart?" Jack#4 asked, before licking the brain.
Jack pulled a face of disgust, and if this would be his future, he would have to try and keep most of his sanity to avoid in doing something like that. It was enough to not only give him gross nightmares, but it also made his stomach turn. Jack#2, figuring what Jack#4 was saying, said in agreement, "Does seem to put immortality a bit out of reach." causing Jack to glance at him, or himself, or his imagination. Oh, you get the idea!
"Oh!" Jack#3 piped up happily, pulling out a peanut out of Jack's hair before eating it. How Jack even managed to get an imaginary peanut in his hair...don't even ask.
Meanwhile, Sakura and her group arrived at the Black Pearl, and as Elizabeth was pulled onto the ship with Will's help, she commented to him and the Sailor Team while they joined up to Barbossa's side, "We'll need to use the Black Pearl as a flagship to lead the attack."
"Oh, will we now?" Barbossa asked, smugly with his arms folded to his chest.
Wondering what the pirate was talking about, Sakura and her friends glanced to what he was looking at. To their shock, Pintel and the other crew members from the beginning brought out Tia Dalma, wrapped up in ropes as though she was a very dangerous beastly animal far too dangerous to be set free on their own, the pirates telling her, "All right, Mrs. Fish. Come on."
"Are you crazy?" Sailor Mars protested to Barbossa. While she had been aware on how dangerous Tia Dalma, or rather, Calypso, was, and that she would have to be set free, this was a very bad time to do so.
"Barbossa, you can't release her." Will protested in agreement, only for himself, Elizabeth and the Sailor Team to be held captive by some of the other pirates to prevent them from interfering with Barbossa's plans.
Sakura, realising that Barbossa still plotted to free Calypso who was now fully identified as none other than Tia Dalma, just as she knew, protested to the Pirate Captain, "We have to give Jack a chance!"
Barbossa whirled around to Sakura, and he snarled, "Apologies, Miss Avalon. Too long, my fate has not been in me own hands, or your fate not in yer' own hands..." as he reached out to pull Sao Feng's necklace from Elizabeth's neck, "No longer." and yanked it off, breaking the string.
Sakura, Elizabeth, Will, and the Sailor Team could only gaze on, unable to do anything. All of them had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to go according to Barbossa's plan. By judging Tia Dalma/Calypso's look, she didn't seem to be all happy, even to be set free. Despite that none of them had been there when she was imprisoned in her bones, it made no such difference with her current anger.
On board the Interceptor, Beckett marched along a lined up soldiers of his men, including his new Admiral as he declared calmly as though he had already won the war before it even started, "The enemy has opted for oblivion."
He paused, before calmly ordering, "Ready the fleet."
"To your stations!" Admiral Gilliate ordered, and the men moved out, preparing for the war.
On board the Black Pearl, Barbossa added Jack's beads and Sao Feng's/Elizabeth's necklace into the bowl where the other nine pieces of eight had been stored since the court. Everyone gathered around him and close to the still tied up Tia Dalma, with Sailor Jupiter, while held back, asking, "So this is some kind of ritual?"
"Aye." Barbossa answered, "The items brought together, done," He swirled his hands over the bowl. "Items to be burned..." He held his hand out and Ragetti gave him a fuse as Gibbs poured some rum into the bowl. "And someone must speak the words: 'Calypso, I release you from your human bonds.'"
Pintel looked puzzled at the fact on how easy it was to actually release Calypso, asking, "Is tha' it?"
"'Tis said it must be spoken as if to a lover." Barbossa explained, with a knowing smirk. Most of the men grinned gleefully as they all went, "Oooh." though Will, Elizabeth and the Sailor Team were not that impressed.
Too bad Barbossa wasn't as one would call it a romantic kind of man, because instead of that of being a lover, he instead hollared like a king, "Calypso! I release you from you human bonds!"
This reaction only made the five Sailor Scouts collaspe to the floor(anime-style) with loud audible groans while Sakura sweatdropped in exasperation and Ash and Pikachu both facepalmed themselves just as Barbossa placed the fuse into the bowl while he glanced at the Sailor Team with annoyed and questioning looks.
However, that annoyance turned into further confusion as Barbossa and everyone else noticed that nothing worked. As he gazed into the bowl, confused, Pintel asked, just as dumbfounded, "I' that it?"
As though finding the salution to the problem, Ash apologetically told Barbossa, "No offence, but you're not the kind of guy that is romantic."
"The kid' right." Ragetti agreed as he too also realized what the problem was. "You didn't say it right."
When Barbossa glanced at him questionly while also considering Ash's words, Ragetti continued, "You 'ave to say it right."
As everyone gazed at him, he quickly realised that he just made himself the voulenteer, and while Ragetti never had any sort of relationship himself either, even he knew how to express ones feelings. Seeing how he wasn't going to get out of this, the one-eye-patched Pirate nervously stepped up to Tia Dalma/Calypso, before whispering to her ear as though they were lovers, "Calypso...I release from your huma' bonds."
The moment Ragetti said those words and quickly pulled away in fright, Calypso, her eyes closed, suddenly huffed and to everyone's shock and fear, the bowl floated by itself while the items inside caught on fire instantly, burning into hot coals. The crew then had Calypso sniff the enchanted smoke into her nostrils of the burning items. This was releasing her from her human bonds and everyone kept back with caution. Though she looked like she was starting to become overcome with the pain of being free.
Everyone except Will who, struggling through the strains of the pirates holding him, cried out, "Tia Dalma!" only to realise that she would no longer hear that human name. So instead, he whispered, "Calypso."
Hearing her true name, Calypso opened her eyes and sharply turned to face him, causing the bowl to lose it's levitation and fall onto the deck, the fire put out and shattered. Everyone was shocked by this display, before Will questioned, ignoring the glare she was giving him, "When the Brethren Court first imprisoned you, who was that told them how?...Who was that betrayed you?"
"Name him." Calypso growled.
"Davy Jones." Will revealed.
Sakura, having heard this, was shocked. It was Davy Jones who, heartbroken and felt betrayed since Calypso did not appear as she promised, in turn betrayed her by giving the information on how to trap her in the human form in which she renamed herself as Tia Dalma until now. The two lovers had betrayed each other, and both of them cursed each other because of this, and putting the lives of so many others at risk while evil like Beckett was using this century long agony and pain to his advantage.
Calyspo was shocked and horrified as well. The man she had fallen in love with, the one who she thought loved him, and all of these years, he has been the one to betray her to the Brethren Court. Him! The man who had become a monster and not only betrayed her, but also betrayed all of humanity by killing so many at sea or imprison those who do not wish to die or had died at sea are bound to the Flying Dutchmen for all eternity. Anger and sadness added to her pain, and to everyone's shock and horror, especially to Sakura's since this was almost exactly what her nightmare had tried to warn her about, Calypso began to grow taller and taller.
"This is it! This is it!" Pintel cried out, while he and those who held onto the ropes were having trouble as the ropes were sliding out from their grasp no matter how hard they tried to hold on.
Everyone backed away, their hearts hammering with absolute fear that not even Barbossa had seen this coming. He had figured that, given Sakura Avalon's vision, that Calypso, as a Goddess, was a giantness, but he never thought the Sea Goddess was almost over 50 feet tall! She soon towered over them, the ropes looking like a dress as she just stared down at them all.
"If this is a nightmare, someone please wake me up from it." Ash muttered, scaredly, only to be shushed by Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars.
Sakura was almost frozen in fear at Calypso before her and everyone else, silently praying that the tall giantness wouldn't pull off what she'd done in Sakura's nightmare. While everyone stood close to the doors of the Captain's Cabin and the staircases to the helm, Barbossa, determined to not let his fear show but also show his respect to the Goddess before him, his Crew, the Pirate King and the Sailor Team, bravely pushed himself forward and bowed to her. Everyone else, even the terrified Sailor Team, Will and Elizabeth, followed suit.
"Calypso!" Barbossa called up, "I come before you as but a servant, humble and contrite. I've fulfilled me vow and now as yer favor." She just stared down at him. "Spare meself, me ship, me crew, the eight who dwell from the future...but unleash your fury upon those who dare pretend themselves yer masters..." He then added. "Or mine."
'This isn't gonna work.' Sailor Moon thought to herself as she listened in on Barbossa's speech. While he did a pretty good job in doing so, she didn't think that, given past grudges, Calypso was going to be just as generous. She didn't know, however, that the Silver Crystal inside her locket glowed a little, as though it was agreeing with her.
As Sailor Moon predicted, the large woman just stood there in silence before she began to yell an indistinct incantation. It was in a different language and they all backed up, unable to understand what she was saying. Just seconds later, she instantly dissolved into millions of crabs that covered everyone on the deck who all tried to brace themselves. Fortunately, the crabs all spilled from the Black Pearl and fell into the ocean. To add it all up, Sakura immediately had used the Shield Card to at least protect herself and most of everyone else; the rest of the Sailor Team, Barbossa, Gibbs, Will and Elizabeth along with half of the crew.
Though no one was seriously injured or killed, a few crabs still remained, one having pinched it's pincer on Pintel's nose and causing the pirate to cry out comically in pain before he pulled it off. Ragetti danced around in panic as he pulled one crab out from his pants before tossing it overboard. Other than that, Calypso was nowhere to be seen. She was gone.
"Well, I knew that would happen." Ash muttered as he and everyone else stood up, with Pikachu in his arms.
The pirates in the meantime, went over to the starboard side of the Pearl, gazing at the ocean where they knew that Calypso, having turned into crabs, had disappeared into. Back to the Realm of the Gods, some of them figured. "Well, s'e's no help a' all." Pintel commented in disappointment.
Sailor Venus, seeing Barbossa's hopeless expression, asked, "So what do we do now?"
"Nothin'." Barbossa replied, as if he had given up all hope. "Our final hope has failed us."
Every face aboard the Black Pearl seemed to mirror these sentiments. They were still reluctant to engage in combat. Than again, they had nowhere that they could retreat. They were at a crossroads, unable to go back, not wanting to go back forward, with no chance of success in either direction. And with Calypso having refused to do as Barbossa requested, it seemed like a hopeless war now.
It was at this moment, though, when fortune began to change. The wind suddenly picked up, blowing cold and moist from the ocean. And with that wind came swiftly approaching masses of thick black clouds, clouds which would quickly obscure the sun and turn the once fine day into a storm-tossed tempest. Everyone looked around, before Sakura sensed the same aura she felt before, closing her eyes to concentrate.
Realising what this meant, Sakura then opened her eyes and told everyone, "Calypso's gone back home, back where she first came from."
"You're right, Sakura." Sailor Mars, who also sensed this, gazing up at the sky, "She's in control of the Earth's weather and oceans again. I think she's trying to tell us that we're on control of our fates and destiny."
"It's not over." Elizabeth mumured, knowing that it was, in fact, just beginning.
"We still have to fight." Sailor Moon said in agreement.
Ash, with determination, "Well, I say we stick to Elizabeth's and Jack's plan and fight the Flying Dutchmen and Beckett!"
Gibbs, glum and having lost hope, pointed out to the Sailor Team, "We've an armada against us, and with the Dutchman, there's no chance."
"It's only a fool's chance." Elizabeth agreed.
Sailor Moon, understanding Elizabeth's anger, approached her friend and pointed out, "I know you're upset, but even when Beckett does lose, that isn't going to bring back your father. Nothing can, and I think he knew that when we saw him in the Locker. Nothing would've made him more happier than the fact that you're still alive."
She paused, before continuing, "I think he had faith in you to finish what he tried to accomplish; to stop Beckett and Davy Jones."
"Sailor Moon is right, miss Swann." Barbossa agreed as he stepped up to the two young women. "Revenge is not somethin' I'm intendin' to die for."
Elizabeth was silent, but than she turned to Barbossa and said, "You're right." She might have reason to quarrel with Beckett, but she suddenly realized that she had to look beyond her own desires. Beckett was not just her enemy; he was the enemy of every pirate and free man upon the waters and to every innocent people in the world. And if he was not stopped here and now, than he would win, slowly destroying the power of the Earth and destroying all the things that the pirates and non-pirates stood for.
Sakura saw this as well. She and Elizabeth had been around pirates long enough to know that if given the choice, they would rather die with sword in hand fighting, a free man in charge of his destiny, than let the hangman decide for them. She had to make them see that this was truly a cause to fight for and die for.
"If that's true," Sakura spoke up, causing everyone to gaze at her, with strong determination filling up her expression she never thought she had. "If there is something we're willing to die for, it's the protection of those we love and also that's most important that Beckett will never understand!"
Fired with determination, Sakura told everyone, "Everyone, please listen!" before climbing onto the railing onto the railing of the Black Pearl, adressing to everyone, "We came this way because the Brethren and all pirates held onto the hope for their future! They're looking towards all of us on the Black Pearl to lead them! Are we going to let them down because we're scared? No, because we're their only hope and we are our own only hope! We're here because they'll see freedom in free people! Not just pirates, but also many innocent people who live in fear because of Beckett's evil ways! We're here because we're going to show him and those who go with him what everyone of the present and some of us from the future can do with all of our power as who we are!"
Sakura gazed at all of them, her eyes settling on both Elizabeth and Barbossa, "By the sweat of our brows, the strength of our backs, and the inner strength of all of our hearts! By the power of the Stars, and Ancient forces, near and far, we will fight with all our might, and increase the courage, with our light!"
All ears, no matter how distant, would hear the words of the young Cardcaptor who, not a Pirate, her voice was carried on the wind to every ship and every crewmember. And within their hearts stirred a new hope. This was their time, their time to stand and fight for who they were. They were pirates, some from the Caribbean, some from the Indian Ocean, some from the Atlantic and Pacific, from all over the world, and yet they were all united under this one name, this one flag of their own pride. Not just pirates as well, but as Sakura said, all people in this world who were not pirates, they too wanted days of peace from Beckett's evil, and now, ironically, seven children and their Pokemon from the future, and pirates from the world, were the world's last hope.
Elizabeth, who too felt fiery determation, appoached the railing and she climbed up by Sakura's said, saying, "Sakura is right! It is up to us to show the enemy under the flag of our cannons, they will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do!" and her voice, as a Pirate King, also carried on the wind and hope within everyone.
"Everyone..." Sakura continued.
As all eyes on the Black Pearl gazed at both Sakura and Elizabeth as they could see their words were listened, said in unison, "Hoist the Colours."
The phrase was repeated amongst the crewmembers, starting with Sailor Moon, Ash, Will, and growing louder and more confidant, becoming more and more fired with every passing second, until at last Gibbs declared. "Aye, the winds on our side, boys, that's all we need!"
A mighty cheer rose from the crew, and Elizabeth turned and cried to the rest of the fleet, "Hoist the colors!"
The command was taken up, repeated from ship to shop in a dozen different languages. The great flags of pirate galleon and sloop began to run up the masts, scarlet, black, azure and emerald, and above them all flew the great black flag of the Pearl, with its skull and crossbones. Here upon this day, under a hundred different flags that yet represented one Brethren, the pirates would fight against impossible odds. If they could not fight to win, they would fight for freedom and to be remembered in that freedom, and while non-pirates from the world may not know in their lifetime, the Sailor Team of the future would carry out their victory and story to the future world.
Elizabeth and Sakura, both having climbed off the railing, stood at the helm as the Black Pearl's flag being raised, Sailor Moon, Barbossa, Ash and Will joined the two of them, knowing that the final battle was about to take place. While they and everyone knew that there would be costs, little did they know that there would be unexpected aid.
And the inner power of Sailor Moon would fully be awakened as her Locket continued to glitter unknowingly.
Back in the Present in Far Far Away...
When Rini had told everyone what she discovered in her dream that made perfect since for Sailor Moon to get her Super-Form back and also proved it by showing her locket that changed, while Harold and Lillian were gravely worried for the safety of not only their son Darien who agreed to travel back in time to help Sailor Moon and the others, but also for the safety of their future-grand-daughter who wasn't even born yet here in the present and had travelled from the future herself.
None the less, Shrek and Fiona both ensured them that everything would be alright and that they would be back safely. So now, at the docks of Far Far Away, the rest of the Sailor Team stood by as Rini, having transformed into Sailor Mini Moon, now back in her super-form, and Darien, having transformed into Tuxedo Mask, stood before the pink pillar doorway that would take them to Sakura and the others in the past on Earth.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea?" Donkey asked, worriedly.
"We have to do this, and I think it's time to give Serena, Sakura and the others the help they need." Tuxedo Mask answered, determined to protect his friends and his lover.
"Will you be okay?" Max asked.
Sailor Mini Moon nodded, "Yeah. While Tuxedo Mask finds Sailor Moon and the others, I'm gonna help Jack to get out of the Locker, given on what he told me while we were in the Orange Islands...at least part of it."
"Be very careful." Lillian told the two, with Harold nodding in agreement.
"Come back soon." May added.
Both Sailor Mini Moon and Tuxedo Mask nodded, before the two entered the pillar and then disappeared into the rift of Time to carry out the plan in hopes in helping their family and friends and to help stop Davy Jones and Lord Beckett once and for all. The rest of the Sailor Team wanted to come, but as Kero pointed out, it wasn't their fight to be take place.
Back in the past on Earth...
Beckett was calmly putting suger cubes in his tea, when one of his Admirals approached him, and stood smartly to inform him at the change of the weather, "We have a favorable wind, sir."
"Oh, so we do." Beckett replied, also noticing the change of the weather, before ordering as the fight was about to start, "Signal Jones to give no quarter. That should brighten his day."(Ugh! Geez, this guy doesn't even care about the weather.)
Onboard the Flying Dutchmen, Mercer, seeing the signal, turned to the crew and Davy Jones, hollaring, "To arms! We give no quarter!"
As both the Dutchmen Crew and the EITC Crew shouted chorus to prepare for battle despite the weather, Davy Jones, sensing the change in the winds, immediately glanced up and saw the dark clouds forming, as though it was the beginning an upside down hurricane. However, he knew this feeling. He knew what was happened, and his chest ached in realization.
Calypso. She had been freed, and she had been told the truth of his betrayal. As thunder roared and giant lightning strikes flashed, rain then began to pour down onto the earth. Davy Jones allowed the rain to soak him, before in anger for the loss and anger for the battle for revenge, he roared monsterously.
It was time for the war to begin.
The big, black clouds, all heavy with rain had advanced faster than could be thought. They had passed in front of the sun. The wind had picked up, growing every stronger. They whipped the seas into waves that were sharp and dangerous, easily able to crush any ship that steered wrong. And then, the rains began, huge pelting drops that came down in a nearly unbroken sheet of water. It took no time at all for any in the downpour to be soaked. And with the strong wind, blowing that rain about, visibility almost immediately dropped down to zero.
With the rain, the wind, and the ever-increasing height of the waves, it soon became evident that only two ships could effectively brave this tempest, the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman. This was the power of Calypso; her sheer anger. But no one would allow this to change their minds of the battle that would decide the fate of the end result. The two ships surged forward, closing the distance between them with ever-increasing speed. The angry black clouds were swirling above the ocean. The rain was being driven sideways by the harsh winds, and had been joined by the loud grumbles of thunder and bright flashes of blinding lightening.
"'Ave you noticed? On top of everythin', it's rainin'!?" Pintel yelled in irritation at the fact that he and everyone else were getting wet just as war was about to start.
"That's a bad sign." Ragetti muttered, worriedly.
"Rain, schrain!" Sailor Jupiter yelled at the two, "The storm's nothing compared to what we're about to face!"
"Uh, I think you'd wanna hold that thought, Jupiter." Sailor Venus spoke up, worriedly as she gazed out at what was going on in front of them, and it wasn't just the Flying Dutchmen.
As the two ships raced towards each other, a great bolt of lightening struck the exact center of the sea between them, and instantly, a vast spinning vortex appeared. Created by Calypso, no doubt.
Gibbs also noticed this, before yelling out a warning to everyone, "Maelstrom!"
"Maelstrom?" Sailor Moon asked, stunned and confused.
"That giant whirlpool!" Ash cried out, realising as he for the first time, was able to speak from his memories, "This is Calypso's doing!" adding so that only Sailor Moon and Sakura could hear, "Just like what the others and I went through in the future!"
Sakura glanced at the two of them, Sailor Mars, Will and Elizabeth, then out at the new danger that now stood between them and the Dutchmen. They could see that a new and dangerous element had been added to the already risky mix. There was only one person who could get them through this with any chance of success, and Sakura, knowing now that past grudges would have to end or else she would be just like Calypso and Davy Jones, she finally accepted that she was willing to forgive Barbossa. In fact, if it wasn't for him, Jack would've died in Port Royal. Will and Elizabeth would never have been together. He himself wouldn't have been freed from his own curse, died and then revived.
Barbossa was starting at his right hand once more, wondering in his thoughts of the bargain and Calypso made. The tingling feeling. Was he ready for this?
"Captain Barbossa!" Sakura yelled, causing the man to barely gaze at her, as she told him, urgency, "We need you at the helm!"
As he turned and gazing at the young Cardcaptor's eyes, Barbossa realised that Sakura finally trusted him, forgave him, and now requested him to take helm for the battle, to take orders as Captain. It was also resolve and determination, which caught his heart and finally, he began to accept that he himself changed. While he was still a pirate, Sakura's resolve made him realise that she was right. Pirate or not, the world was everyone's home and freedom. He now saw that, and while not eager to die foolishly, perhaps maybe dying heroically unless things change would make him a better man.
"Aye, that be true." He declared in a voice that was almost maddened with excitement. Barbossa had never been one to do anything by halves. When he committed on doing something, he pursued it to near insane lengths. If he couldn't come out of this, then he would charge headlong into the jaws of death and damn the consequences.
He strode to the wheel, shoving Cotton out of the way and assumed the wheel. "Brace up yards, ya cack-handed deck apes!" He shouted above the storm's fury, and Sakura, Sailor Moon, Ash and Elizabeth all smiled in relief, while Barbossa continued, "Dyin' is the day worth livin' for."
As the Black Pearl allowed the swirling currents of the ocean to pull it into the maelstrom, the Flying Dutchmen almost made the cowardly retreat had it's Captain not been willing to do the same.
"Veer off!" Mercer cried out once he saw the Maelstrom.
Davy Jones, also in the same maddening excitement and insane idea, shoved one soldier off as he declared, "She'll no' harm us!" before yelling his orders, "Full-bore and into the abyss!"
"Are you mad!?" Mercer cried out, worriedly.
"Ha!" Davy Jones laughed, before asking mockingly, "Ya' 'fraid to get wet?"
Seeing how they were not going to get out of this until the battle was over, Mercer would have put his trust into the immortal cursed Captain, and silently prayed to the gods to spare them. For once in his life, he was absolutely terrified.
The swirling currents of the ocean were pulling both ships into the maelstrom, where the final outcome would be decided. The Dutchman and the Pearl went over the edge of the abyss and into a battle from which there could be no going back. At first, on the lip of the maelstrom, it was more chase than confrontation. The swift currents were drawing the Dutchman closer to the Pearl. If they didn't put some distance between them, it would be a repeat of the last battle between the two ships, when the Dutchman's prow cannons had raked the Pearl's side.
Ash noticed this and turned to Barbossa, calling out, "She's at the stern and gaining on us!"
Barbossa, however, knew what had to be done. "More speed! Haul your wind and hold your water!"
The Pearl streaked ahead with the Dutchman in fast pursuit. Davy Jones, almost nearly making Mercer fall overboard, roared, "Bow cannons!"
An instant later, the Pearl shuddered under the fire of the Dutchman's prow cannons. The multiple blows raked the Pearl, causing minor damage and men to fall overboard, screaming into the bottomless pit of water. No one even noticed portals of pink light appear in the Captain's Cabin on the Black Pearl or near the brig in the Flying Dutchmen since everyone was far too busy in the all out war.
"Take us out!" Will called to Barbossa. "Or they'll overbear us!"
"Nay! Further in!" Barbossa knew that if they could use the Pearl's lightness and maneuverability in these currents they would have a chance. But in order to gain that speed, they would need to get even further into the maelstrom, running the risk of being swept away and swallowed up. But, it was a risk that had to be taken. "We'll cut across to faster waters."
Elizabeth, sensing that the time to make their stand had com, began to shout orders to the crew. "Prepare to broadside!"
Hurriedly, the crews rushed to do her bidding. Sure enough, the Pearl gained speed and began to pull away from the Dutchman. In the swift, swirling currents, the Pearl was out of range of their guns in a few seconds. The odds had indeed been evened, but now it was up to the courage of a few, to make it all come together.
As Sailor Moon raced to help, she was nearly hit by the cannon fire had someone not come out from the Cabin and shoved her to the ground while also avoiding the cannon fire themselves.
"Are you alright, Sailor Moon?" A familiar voice asked above her. Her eyes widened as she realised she knew that voice. Looking above to see her savior, she blinked in confusion as it was none other than Darien, as Tuxedo Mask. What was he doing here and how did he get here?"
"Tuxedo Mask?" Sailor Moon asked, before realising she knew how he got here, before glancing around worriedly and then asked, "Where's Rini?"
"She's onboard the Flying Dutchmen to find Jack. But this isn't the time!" Tuxedo Mask told her, helping her stand as he stood himself, and while everyone else stared at him questionly, seeing how he was on their side and as most of the crew, Elizabeth and Will recongized him, they decided to question him later.
Having managed to successfully avoid being seen by the enemies, Sailor Mini Moon snuck her way to find the brig, which wasn't hard since she could his voice as she got closer, listening to him repeatly say to himself, "Think like the whelp, think like the whelp, think like the whelp..." as Jack was fully unaware of half the epic events which were happening outside.
"Captain Jack!" Sailor Mini Moon cried out as she reached the door of the brig, before realising that she needed a key to open it to get him out.
"Mini Moon." Jack whispered, turning to see her, and, unaware to her, his hallucinations noticed as well. Then, suddenly seeing her made him remember something which gave him the idea. "Half-barrel hinges." Jack suddenly said.
"Huh?" Sailor Mini Moon asked, wondering what he was talking about.
"Move back, if you please." Jack requested, waving his arms shooing her. Once she did as he requested, Jack then pried the bench loose from the wall and wedged it into the cell door. Pushing downward on the bench, the cell door gave a creak and a groan came free.
Kicking the door to the floor, Jack then nodded to Sailor Mini Moon, "Stick close, missy." before turning back to the cell at the empty air, saying to his hallucinations, "Wish us luck, boys. We'll need it." as he ran out and grabbed hold of Sailor Mini Moon's hand to drag her with him since he knew now that he had to be responsible for her safety, and would ask why she came back on her own later.
Sailor Mini Moon, not understanding what the crazy man was talking about, instead asked, "Who were you talking to?"
As Jack and Sailor Mini Moon left the cell, the three hallucinations of Jack stayed behind, as Jack#2 muttered in sadness, "I miss 'im already."
"He's quite charming, isn't 'e?" Jack#3 said, smiling in agreement.
Jack#4, who came out from the wall, had been holding onto something when he realised, to his horror, it was missing and called out to the others, "Nobody move!" causing the other two Jacks to look at him, startled. After a second of pause, he muttered worriedly, "I dropped me brain."
In the awkward silence, the other two Jacks slowly turned away, Jack#2 gazing at Jack#3 who turned back to where the real Jack and Sailor Mini Moon had disappeared to. None the less, they were only hallucinations, thus, not real, so this was possibly all in Jack's head, which would then just disappear.
Because Captain Jack Sparrow, now with Sailor Mini Moon by his side, had other important things to focus on; Getting his accessories, his hat, and of course the key to end this battle once and for all.
The Dead Man's Chest.
A/N: I'm cutting this battle into two parts, so it continues in the next chapter. See you then!