A/N: So now begins the angst and drama. ;D MWAHAHAHA! It's also my longest chapter yet! O.o
Disclaimer: Nothing from the Pirates of the Caribbean series belongs to me. Theoli and I apologise in advance for our bastardisation of this awesometastic series. Isaviel Gale and Theoli Runkle are self-insert original characters who belong to their respective real life counterparts.
So Sue Me: Self-Inserts at World's End
Chapter Eleven: Parting of Ways
I.
For much of the next morning Theo and Elizabeth had slept, catching up on the sleep they had missed from the night before when they had stayed up together until the sun was about to creep back over the horizon; the two hadn't spoken a word between them, but seemed to form a strong friendship over their silence. The crew let them rest, knowing that there wasn't really anything for them to do anyway even if they were awake. Isa checked up on them every half-hour or so, but they were dead to the world, and didn't resurface until the sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky. Theo had made her way to Isa whilst Elizabeth had chosen to sit on the steps, alone with her own thoughts.
"Morning," Theo muttered, yawning.
"Evening," Isa replied with a grin. She glanced in Elizabeth's direction. "Is she going to be okay?"
"I think so. It may take a while, but she's a tough one." Theo's stomach groaned prompting the girl to so the same. "I'm hungry, and thirsty."
They were running out of provisions, and fast; the water and, much to Jack's horror, the rum were both all gone, and the food was running dangerously low as well. They had to find a way out of there, and still, nobody really knew where they were going. Barbossa didn't seem to be doing anything to try and get them out of this mess and Jack... well, he was muttering to himself as he played around with the charts. Tia Dalma's depressing statements about being doomed to be trapped there forever didn't really help the mood either.
Theo approached Jack as he was having a strange conversation with himself. "Worked anything out?"
"Not sunset," he muttered, turning the center circle upside down. "Sundown... and rise. Up!"
Theo blinked. "Whut?"
Jack got to his feet, flailing a little as if trying to work out what exactly to do. He pointed over to the side of the ship and called, "What's that?!" Everyone immediately dashed over to the side of the ship to see what he was pointing at. "What is that," Jack continued, before answering his own question. "I dunno, what do you think?"
"...where?"
"There!"
"Am I the only one who doesn't see anything?" Theo whispered to Isa, sighing with relief when she got a headshake. "Wait, where's he-"
Jack had turned and squeaked, then ran to the opposite side of the ship, this time joined by more of the crew who were wondering what on Earth was happening. Jack immediately turned and ran back to the other side of the ship, flailing and making sounds of surprise all the way. When he'd made it to that side Jack then ran back over again, confusing everyone to hell but still managing to get them to run with him.
Elizabeth jogged over and peered over the side of the ship. "What's going on?"
"Damned if I know, Jack sees something," Theo said.
Isa stopped, realising that the constant shift of weight on the deck was moving the Pearl from side to side. "We're rocking the ship?"
"We're rocking the ship!" Gibbs agreed.
"Aye," Barbossa said. "He's onto it!"
Isa rejoined the crew who kept running back and forth, each time feeling the ship list a little bit further, but eventually rocking back, sending them all into a frenzied run in the other direction. Barbossa went below deck to release everything that could help shift the weight from side to side, and Isa heard nothing but the sound of chaos down below as he resurfaced and joined them all in their running.
With a start, she realised Theo was nowhere to be seen and began to glance around as she ran to the other side. As she went, something whizzed past her with a loud, gleeful cry of, "WHEEEE!"
Isa looked skywards as she ran again, seeing Theo holding a rope that was attached to one of the masts, as she swung in the opposite direction, giving another squeal of joy. As the two crossed paths again, Isa tried to get her friend's attention, though that wasn't really easy when she had a 2 second interval during which the two could actually hear each other clearly.
"WOOO!"
"THEO!"
"YAHOO!!!"
"WOULD YOU-"
"ZOOOOOOM!!!"
"GET DOWN HERE-"
"HIIIII-"
"AND HELP?"
"-IIIIII ISAAAAaaaaa..."
As she trailed off, Isa shook her head and concentrated on the issue at hand, running and clinging to the railing as the ship creaked and groaned loudly and began to list to such a degree that they couldn't stay on that side without holding something. Still, the ship refused to flip, so they all pushed off and made their way back to the other side where, once again, they had to cling for dear life but then push off and run back over. Theo had let go of the rope and was clinging to the other railing, waiting for everyone to join her. Once they did, they held on as the ship rolled until it was on it's side, stopping dead for a moment before it began to tip further, rolling all the way over so that everyone was now suspended in mid-air.
One of the crewmen slipped and luckily fell onto the rigging. Unluckily, one of the cannons came loose and landed on him. Theo winced. "That's gonna hurt in the morning."
"Now up is down," Jack said as the ship slowly flipped over and dunked them into the ocean.
As they hit the water Isa and Theo shifted slightly so that they had a better grip on the railing, using the support on their weight of the water to do so. Will lost his grip when the surface of the water hit them and began to fall into the depths of the ocean, only just managing to grab hold of the rope that Theo was swinging from not moments earlier - Isa wondered why he didn't swim, but that wasn't important right now. Everyone glanced around, wondering what was going to happen now that they were upside down.
Theo motioned with her head for Isa to look downwards, and as she did so she felt a strange rumbling feeling from the water. Her eyes widened when she saw something rushing upwards towards them and until it hit them she hadn't a clue what it was; the ship had literally 'come out the other side'. Everyone was strewn across the deck as the water cleared and the Pearl floated upright again.
"Oh holy shit!" Theo flapped around the deck excitedly as everyone tried to recover from nearly drowning to death. "That was AWESOME, can we do it again?!"
"I don't think so," Isa spluttered, coughing up the water she'd inhaled.
"Dang. You know, that would make an awesome ride at Disney-"
"We're back!"
As everyone got to their feet their eyes were drawn to the horizon over which the sun was slowly creeping, dawning a brand new day. Elizabeth squinted a little. "It's the sunrise..."
"Wow, we're going to suffer from jetlag something terrible," Theo said, shaking her head.
Unfortunately that was the least of their worries, as they found out when Barbossa pulled out his pistol and aimed for Jack. Gibbs, Elizabeth and Will drew their own pistols and aimed at Barbossa, as Jack drew his own and aimed at Will. Will returned the gesture with another pistol, as Elizabeth drew did the same. Jack, not one to be outdone, drew his second pistol and aimed it at Elizabeth. Theo, unfortunately, was right in the center of their circle, and flailed helplessly before crawling out of the circle. Isa was just confused.
Gradually, everyone began to get the giggles, and their guns were lowered for a moment whilst they shared the unspoken joke... Until they all raised their pistols again.
"Dudes, make up your mind," Theo said, exasperatedly.
"The Brethren Court is a-gatherin' at Shipwreck Cove," Barbossa said, looking pointedly at Jack. "You and I will be going, and there'll be no arguing that point."
"I is arguing the point," Jack protested. "If there's pirates a-gathering, I'm pointing my ship the other way."
"The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett and you're a pirate," Elizabeth pressed, aiming both of her pistols at Jack.
"Fight or not," Will said, also aiming both pistols at Jack, "You're not running, Jack."
Theo flailed some more. "Can't we all just get along!?"
Ignoring the flailage, Barbossa sneered. "If we don't stand together they'll hunt us down one by one, till there be none left, but you."
Jack shrugged. "Quite like the sound of that. 'Captain Jack Sparrow; last pirate'."
"Aye, and you'll be fighting Jones alone, how does that figure into your plan?"
"I'm still workin' on that, but I will not be going back to the Locker, mate. Count on that."
Jack pulled the trigger, and only managed to send a feeble splash in Barbossa's direction. Everyone began pulling triggers left, right and center, finding that their pistols were all waterlogged and, quite frankly, useless. Gibbs grumbled, "Wet powder."
With the drama over for now everyone dispersed much to the disappointment of Pintel and Ragetti, who tried to rile the crowds up again, though to no avail. Theo shook her head in disbelief. "Bunch of drama llamas, the lot of 'em."
Isa sighed. "Either way, we need to find somewhere to stock up on supplies or there'll be no fighting or fleeing."
"There's a freshwater spring on this island," Will said, pointing to a spot on the chart after he had spread it across the nearest flat surface. "We can re-supply there, and get back to shooting each other later."
Jack glanced at Barbossa. "You lead the shore party, I'll stay with my ship."
Barbossa looked bemused. "I'll not be leaving my ship in your command."
Will sighed. "Why don't you both go ashore and leave the ship in my command?" When he got two unimpressed stares, he added, "...temporarily."
"Ooh, can I go with the shore party?" Theo tugged on Barbossa's sleeve. "Can I? Can I? Please?"
Barbossa rolled his eyes, exasperatedly. "If I say no..."
"I'll tag along anyway!"
Barbossa snatched his sleeve back. "Then it looks as though I haven't a choice then, doesn't it?"
"Yay!"
Isa tried not to show any signs of amusement until Barbossa wasn't looking, then grinned. "You have fun."
"You're not coming?"
"Nah, not really in the mood for mini excursions."
"I'll bring you back a souvenir! Maybe like, one of those little umbrella things you get in drinks."
"...Theo, you're going to a freshwater spring, not a bar."
"Aw," Theo looked saddened. "No funny little gay dancers? No strobes? No... No BON JOVI?"
"No, Theo. This isn't Ibiza."
"So... so the Vengabus isn't coming? And nobody is jumping?"
"No."
"Damn. Maybe I'll just get you some sand, then."
"Yeah. That'd be nice."
So Isa stayed on the Pearl, waving to Theo who was waving back enthusiastically, stood up in the small boat and holding on to the top of Barbossa's head to keep from falling out. She kept watching until the boats were tiny dots, then stepped away from the railing and headed below deck, feeling a familiar nausea overcome her. She'd just managed to roll into a hammock when unconsciousness consumed her.
II.
Isa was aboard the Dutchman, on the deck, unseen by the occasional crewman or naval officer who happened to walk across her path as she stood there, unable to move. She had experienced this enough times now to realise what it would be like but the strange feeling of someone walking through you was something that she didn't see herself ever growing accustomed to.
It was night, and the stars shone in the night sky, letting off a solemn glow aboard the ship's deck. Ship? There were two ships. Isa walked over to the railing, not bothering to avoid people as she knew they wouldn't know she was there, and leant over to try and get a good look at the other ship. It wasn't a ship she recognised but it was remarkably like the ship they had sailed in when journeying to the Locker. She assumed that meant that it was a ship from Singapore... though, attached to the Dutchman?
A sound from the back of the ship drew her attention, and she made her way across the now empty deck in the general direction the sound had come from, keeping to the shadows when she saw someone, forgetting that nobody could see her anyhow. She could see someone shimmy along the ropes that tied the two ships together, and stood by the rope was Admiral Norrington, pointing his sword at one of the crew of the Dutchman.
"No one leaves the ship."
"Stand down," Norrington said, sword shaking slightly. "That's an order."
"That's an order," the man repeated, barely audible above the sounds of the waters below them. "Part of the crew, part of the ship." He repeated the phrase over and over, growing louder and more agitated until he turned to glance at the rope. "All hands! Prisoner escape!"
Norrington grabbed his pistol, bellowing, "Belay that!" Then, with anguish in his eyes, he aimed the pistol and shot the rope, severing the tie that kept the ships together. Before he could turn fully around he had a sharp object in his abdomen, and he stumbled backwards, falling down as more crewmembers crowded around.
"The admiral's dead?"
Whispers of, "The admiral's dead," spread around the group as Jones pushed his way forwards to see what was going on. As he took a look at the crippled man one of the crew bellowed, "To the captain's cabin!" and they all raced off to try and regain their ship.
"James Norrington," Jones hissed after he'd knelt down beside the stricken man. "Do you fear death?"
With his last ounce of strength Norrington lunged forwards, embedding his sword in the Captain's shoulder. Then, the life left him.
"I take that as a no," Jones said, with more than a little snark, then took out the blade with his claw, inspecting it closely. "Nice sword."
When he and the other crewmember had left, Isa approached Norrington's body, kneeling down to take a closer look. She touched his hand and in an instant she knew; she knew all the hurt he'd experienced, all the pain and sacrifice he had endured, and the lengths he had gone to, all to regain his honour. She also knew that he had made the ultimate sacrifice in destroying everything he had built himself up to be, everything that he had worked to claw back, all because he had chosen a side.
Isa stood up, steely determination in her eyes. "I won't let this happen."
III.
Theo stared at the sight before her, not entirely sure how she was meant to react, but getting a sudden sense of nausea all the same. On the beach where they had all come ashore was the Kraken's body, stretched along the sand as if it were tossed there by the sea so that the sun could bore away at it. There were birds flying over it, no doubt relishing the feast that they were lucky enough to come across, pecking away at the rotting carcass that let off an odious smell that could be described no other way that the smell of death. There wasn't much that left Theo speechless, and this was one of those rare things; for even though all that time ago she had watched the order for Jones to kill the Kraken carried out she had made a point not to watch. She didn't want to see.
Beside her, Jack and Barbossa stood, also staring at the fallen Kraken. Without a word, Jack started walking along the beach. Theo and Barbossa followed and they trudged along the beach, watching as the waves lapped at the shore and over the huge tentacles strewn along the sand. Jack walked up to the huge, unblinking eye and stared at it.
Theo walked closer, tentatively at first as though it might be waiting to spring a surprise attack, then more boldly, reaching out to touch its cold skin as she looked back into its huge eye. She couldn't help imagining that as the last expression that the Kraken had made, confusion at its master turning on it, sadness because it knew it was dying. The pain was all too clear to see, even though it was dead.
Barbossa walked up behind them. "Still thinking of running, Jack?"
"You think you can outrun the world? You know," he continued, walking further so he was nearly face-to-face with Jack. "The problem with being the last of anything, is that by and by, there'll be none left at all."
Jack tilted his head, uncertainty in his eyes. "Sometimes things come back, mate. We're living proof, you and me."
"But sometimes they don't," Theo added, softly, stepping backwards so that she was stood beside him. "What then?"
"It's a gamble of long odds," Barbossa agreed. "There's never a guarantee of coming back, but passing on, that's dead certain."
Jack gave a gentle nod, understanding that Barbossa's words were all too true, if he was the last, and he was to fall, then all piracy will have been lost to Beckett's hand. No pirate wanted that, and Theo was sure Jack didn't want that.
"Summoning the Brethren Court then, is it?"
"It's our only hope, lad."
Jack sniffed, then looked at the Kraken again. "That's a sad commentary in and of itself."
"The world used to be a bigger place," Barbossa said, despondently.
Jack shook his head. "The world's still the same. There's just... less in it."
"If there's hope, there's always a way," Theo said. "Never talk defeat!" She proclaimed, putting her hand to her heart. "Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory." She turned and smiled though there was a hint of sadness in her weary face. "You can't give up before the battle's even started, that means they've won already."
Jack nodded, and the three made their way back down the beach to where the rest of the crew were now ready to go on their trek. They hadn't walked into the forest for long when they came across a disturbing sight; a body lying face down in the water. Barbossa tested the water, then spat it out. "Poison, foul by the body."
"Ey, I know him," Pintel said. "He was in Singapore!"
"Captain!"
"OI! We got company!"
Theo dashed back towards the beach, to see an unfamiliar ship approaching the Pearl. She turned to find a pistol aimed at her face, then glanced over to see Jack and Barbossa in a similar predicament. After a moment, Jack motioned to Barbossa. "He's the Captain."
IV.
Isa was more relieved than words could say when Theo was shoved back aboard the Pearl, followed by the rest of the shore party who were looking decidedly miffed at the sudden turn of events. She had recognised the ship immediately as the one from her vision and although she had told Will he did nothing. Instead, he and the remaining crew from Singapore had led a mutiny and then she knew; he was the one who had betrayed the crew to Sao Feng, whose ship that was. The Empress drew up alongside and the Pearl was instantly commandeered.
"Sao Feng," Barbossa said, as Jack hid behind him and Theo scuttled over to Isa. "You showing up here, 'tis truly a remarkablecoincidence."
Sao Feng ignored Barbossa, "Jack Sparrow," he said and Jack popped out, smiling nervously. "You paid me great insult once."
"That doesn't sound like me."
Without warning, the pirate lord of Singapore punched Jack in the face, sending him backwards, holding his nose. Jack winced, then put his nose back in place. "Shall we just call it square, then?"
Will pushed his way through the crowd. "Release them," he said, pointing to the three girls. "They're not part of the bargain."
Isa thought her eardrums might implode when Elizabeth and Theo screamed, "What?!"
"What bargain be that?" Barbossa snarled.
"You heard Captain Turner, release her!" Sao Feng said, and Jack had to do a double-take.
"CaptainTurner?"
"I need the Pearl to free my father; it's the only reason I came on this voyage..."
Theo looked so angry that if looks could kill, the world would have exploded. Once the cuffs were off she stomped towards him. "This is what you'd planned? Betraying us?" Will bit his tongue and swallowed the retort he had been on the verge of snapping.
Jack pouted. "He needs the Pearl. Captain Turner needs the Pearl. You," he said to Elizabeth, "felt guilty. And you and your Brethren court," he said to Barbossa. "Did no-one come to save me just because they missed me?" A few crewmembers put up their hands, to which Jack gave a wink and a thumbs up. "I'm standing over there with them."
Sao Feng grabbed Jack's shoulder and pulled him back. "I'm sorry Jack, but there's an old friend who wants to see you first."
"I'm not certain I can survive any more visits from old friends."
He turned and motioned to the other side of the Pearl to where his own ship was, and in the distance they could see another ship approaching. "Here is your chance to find out."
"The Endeavour," Theo said with mild distaste. "Captain Shortypants is here to ruin the party."
There was an uncomfortable hush as the new ship approached, and when it finally drew up alongside the Pearl, a boarding bridge was laid across so an unbelievable number of naval officers could board. Beckett sauntered across the bridge and Isa made a point not to look at him.
"Well, what do we have here? So many double-crossing double-crossers, I'd be surprised if you still trusted one another," Beckett said, scanning the crowds. His eyes lingered on Isa and Theo for a fraction of a second longer but nobody seemed to notice.
"What are you going to do with us?"
"Patience, Miss Swann," he chided. "All will become apparent as and when it happens. We have business to attend to first." He looked at Will and Sao Feng, who both said nothing. "The Pearl," Beckett prompted. "Who is to take Captaincy of her?"
Both Will and Sao Feng started to speak at once.
"The Pearl was promised to me," Will snarled.
"Yes, and you were Captain," Sao Feng smirked. "Until I took the Pearl back from you."
Beckett sighed. "If you could get this done and dusted, I have a hanging or ten to attend."
"You little bint," Theo hissed, drawing her sword, but finding it blocked by something she wasn't expecting; Isa's sword. As they pushed back and parted blades Theo couldn't hide the confusion from her face, unable to form the question that was spinning around in her mind. Isa took a few steps back with her sword arm outstretched in front of her, threateningly.
"Sorry, Theo," she whispered.
"How could you- You're a pirate!"
"I was never a pirate," Isa retaliated. "You were; you were right at home doing this stuff but I wasn't."
Beckett stepped forwards so he was stood beside the young woman. "What course of action will you take, Admiral?"
Isa blinked, then looked at Beckett, who said nothing as he smiled in that smug way of his. She strengthened her resolve and turned to face the crew of the Pearl. "Throw them all in the brig, every last one."
At her word, the officers began to board Sao Feng's ship, enraging its captain. "We had a deal, Beckett!"
Beckett gave a curious stare. "You didn't honestly think that I'd stick to my word." He nodded to the officers, who began to round up the pirates. The crew of the Pearl had been thinned drastically during the voyage to the Locker, and since half of Sao Feng's crew made up for some of those numbers both ships were a little thin on the ground, and the possibility of a retaliation flew out the window.
"Sao Feng can stay with the Pearl," Isa said, "Since he's so desperate to keep his claws in it."
"Why?"
Isa looked at Theo, whose eyes were wide with shock and sadness. "'Why' what?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"I have my reasons," she said as the officers began to lead the pirates to the brigs.
But when everybody but Theo's backs were turned, she saw it, she was sure she saw it, she wanted so badly to have seen it; a subtle wink in her direction from the newly appointed Admiral before she turned and following Beckett onto the Endeavour. And so no matter what her crewmates said, she would trust Isa, she refused to believe that her best friend would betray her.
She was believing, and hoping, and keeping the faith.
