Disclaimer: I own nothing save for my own Ocs but I have a feeling even they would try and dispute that. And so here we all are once again, this one gave me some trouble I must say yet I cannot for the life of me figure out why. Now not that I want to come off as complaining but I've been looking at the stats for this particular story for the past month and I've noticed something. As of the last time I checked there were fifty visitors in the month of October and yet only one has reviewed. Now I thank that reviewer very much, you know who you are, and I don't want to seem like I'm begging for feedback but it makes me think that I've lost touch with this fic. Any constructive criticism is welcome and if anyone feels like the story has gone off it's path there is still time for some revamping, as there's still about seven chapters left. Alright, that's all I wanted to say so let's move on shall we?
Aboard the Black Diamond
From her perch on the bow a skinny, copper haired girl watched the shore with a sharp eye and a concentrated expression on her face. Her pale eyes searched the shore line for something only she understood, a sign, a bit of movement, anything really to either confirm or deny her fears. Those fears she kept bottled up inside herself, not wanting to start a panic in the crew around her or even in herself for a matter of fact. She impatiently swiped a lock of hair from her field of vision that the ever growing winds had begun to toss to and fro. Nothing so far, not even the slightest hint that the danger she dreaded could be on the horizon. Still she debated if she should continue her vigil, was it really too good to be true…she doubted it but even the wicked could hope.
Her mind was nearly made up and for a second she thought to climb back aboard the deck when a flash of light suddenly blinded her. When the shock and glare wore off the girl saw only spheres of white and deep black shadows were crystal clear vision once was. Brandy rubbed her sore eyes, trying to make the blobs of light and dark that impeded her sight go away as they watered terribly. When the tears were wiped away and she finally could see properly again her whole body went cold at the spectacle before her on land. The light was diminishing quickly but she recognized the pale blue beam that erupted like some strange sun from the jungle canopy. There was only one person, place and thing that could have made that bright display and of curse it was the very thing she was dreading not a moment ago. Like some scrawny limbed monkey she pulled herself from the bow, scrambling for each foot and hand hold with a trembling grip until she touched down on the deck. She searched the hoard of sailors rushing to and fro preparing for battle for one of the captains but finding even one man in particular was like a needle in a hay stack.
When her eyes failed her turned to her ears instead, Alexander and Zachariah Sparrow both had loud enough mouths to carry across any ruckus. This did not fail her, their deep voices came from somewhere near the mizzen mast giving out orders to their crew. The girl was forced to forcibly push her way through the dense crowd when simple "get outta my ways" failed to do any good. As the last man was harshly shoved to his rear she at last came face to face with the duel captains of the Black Diamond.
"Some one's used the crown," she panted, half leaned over as she tried to catch her breath. Fighting your way through a hoard of battle ready pirates took more energy then one would assume.
"What now?" they asked in unison, both a little confused as they looked away from the bosun whom they had been speaking to.
"Don't tell me ye didn't see that great big ol' blast of light?" Brandy looked up at them in disbelief.
"'Course we did," Alex sounded indignant. "We're not blind, girlie." He said a few quick words to his officer about readying the last of the gun crews before waving him off to finish up with his duties
"Just didn't know what exactly we were lookin' at," Zack scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. "Don't think most people would, really."
"Well ye blubbering parrots that light was what 'appened every time Danny used that bloody crown," Brandy snapped.
"So big brother just plopped that thing on his head again?" The elder of the two took on a slightly more serious look but not by much, all else he did was slowly stroke his newly growing beard.
"Can't ye take anythin' other then women and rum seriously? But yeah seems like it, or some one did…" the turn coat young woman had the urge to either wring her hands in worry or wring their necks in contempt but held herself back on both.
"What do ye mean some one else?" the younger man leaned in till he was right in her face. Zack did not trust Brandy as far as he could toss her, despite how easy it might have been to do so. "Is there somethin' you ain't telling us 'cause if you are I won't be able to say I'd be all that surprised."
"Damn ye to hell Sparrow! I try to give ye a heads up and ye just insult me over and over again!"
"Let the woman talk, Zack," Alex tried to hold the other man back by his shoulder. "Now what was that about an advantage?"
"Just sayin' that in all the commotion anybody could 'ave gotten their hands on the blasted thing. Now get outta me face!" she pushed him back with a surprising amount of strength. "Yer idiot brothers were ready to tear each other to ribbons last time I checked so either one might 'ave done it and if I was ye I'd want to be ready for anything'!"
"Can't things ever just be easy and somewhat normal?" Alexander looked over at his sibling. "Why is it that every time our family finds themselves in a tight spot we always seem to have some sort of supernatural fiend to battle for our very lives?"
"Just lucky I suppose," Zachariah shrugged. "So in this case as much as I hate to say it but the wench is right. We should warn the men that whoever comes out guns blazing might have somethin' other then cannonballs in their arsenal."
"You're welcome," Brandy grumbled as the two walked away to execute their plan without such much as a by your leave.
Meanwhile inside the Mansion
What was initially a spark of bright white light exploded into a solid beam of blue, it's force not just something to be seen but felt as Danny was blown from his precarious perch out into the hall. Jack however was spared this foray into flight by what had been his prison only moments before, the piles of shelves and desks formed a fortress around him that held up against the strange force. When the light at last began to die down it seemed like ages had past but in reality it had been mere seconds. Daniel was moaning outside the door no doubt from landing the wrong way on a side table or slamming into a banister from the railing overlooking the main hall. Slowly Jack pulled himself from his safety zone, kohl lined eyes searching for some sort of answer to what the hell had just happened. Once his vision was corrected the sight the met him made him wish that id hadn't.
His lady was still in one piece so he supposed that at least he should be thankful for that but other then this he wasn't entirely sure what to think. The pale blue beam that had shot out into the sky was now a slight glow that covered Lucinda from head to toe, those toes however were suspended six inches from the floor. Her eyes were no more the striking sea green they had always been but a brilliant blue as well that did not stay the same shade for more then a few seconds. In fact it almost seemed like all the colors of the waters of the world were mixed in her eyes, all fighting to be the next to shine. And oh did they shine, the glow lit up her face like a jack o' lantern. Her hair too had changed, the tips a pale white blond in stark contrast to the rest of her dark tresses that slowly creped up to bleach more inch by inch. It also was floating around her as though she were underwater, ever moving with a grace only the current of the ocean could give. One thing that did catch his gaze even with all the strangeness that abounded was the lack of blood on her face. Where there had been a nasty, jagged cut that spilled her life's essence out like a water fall there was only the slightly of gashes-barely there at all. Whatever was happening had healed her wound, so he guessed in hindsight that was one of the only two things he could be grateful right now.
As he finally stood on solid ground again he kept a safe distance from the woman who stood in a newly made circle of clean floor, everything around her had been pushed in all directions in a five foot circumference. Any chance of solving the puzzle for himself though was dashed with the obnoxious voice that sounded from the hall.
"Have you had your fun, Thetis? The light show was lovely but it's time to go back into the crown like a good girl," if Danny meant to sound polite or sympathetic he failed astronomically.
Lucy turned her glowing gaze onto the man in the door way, he at least had the decency to cower a little when her face curled into a terrifying snarl. And then she was right in his face, neither man had even noticed she had moved until it was too late and they felt the breeze she left in her wake. A slow hiss came from her lips as she turned her head this way and that much like an animal studying it's prey. Jack slowly moved in closer, careful with every step he made towards the ever changing creature that was his fiancée.
"Enough, nymph," a slight warble in his voice let the others know that fear was now making it way into his mind. But Daniel was a stubborn man even in the face of mortal danger, this might have worked in his favor in many other situations but not in this one. "Back in the crown! I order you to get yourself back where you belong!"
Her face became even less human as a growl came from deep in her throat, her lips pulling back to bare her teeth. From beneath the coral crown the long blond hair that now had taken completely over shot out like silky ropes grabbed the frightened man, actually lifting him off his feet and throwing him over the railing. She floated over to look at him as he hit the hard floor back first, his groans of pain making her smile like a happy little girl, she even giggled as he limped out the front door towards the dock.
All this commotion had caught the attention of what few men remained from the group Jack had initially lead in. Some were even brave enough to climb the stairs to get a better look at the floating, glowing woman leaning over the railing like with the exuberance of a child. Step by step their leader even made his way towards her, maneuvering back in his unique way whenever a tendril of blond hair shot out too close to him or the shimmering aura that surrounded her tried to cling to him instead.
"Darlin'?" he tentatively asked.
She ignored him in favor of swinging precariously off the banister, her feet dangling freely over the side.
"I know what good balance ye got luv, but I think you should get down," braving whatever magic had it's hold on her Jack reached out to pull her back. A hiss was her first instinct, leaning in until their faces were but centimeters apart faster then he could blink. Her happy mood instantly gone was replaced by the same vicious nature she has turned on Danny. But the snarl that had been making it's home upon her face almost instantly melted away, her head tilted to the side in what seemed to be confusion. Instead of biting the hands which held her or scratching out his eyes she merely looked at him as though he were some new species that happened to come her way.
"I don't think that's yer lady, sir," one of the men ventured warily.
"She's in there somewhere," he answered a bit nervous himself.
The woman murmured something, her voice a strange combination of two tones, in a language Jack had never heard in his life. When he looked back to the pirates behind him they all shook their heads in a unison, all just as befuddled as he was. When he came back to the shining face it had lost some of the curiosity that had been so prevalent not a moment before, she almost looked puzzled now. One white hand reached up, tracing the lines of his face yet never actually touching them. Again she spoke in the strange language, but this time it seemed like more of a question then the first time.
"I can't understand a word yer sayin', luv," normally he would have made a joke out of that but it just didn't seem appropriate.
A slightly disturbing smile spread across her features, Jack wanted to step away but those pulsating tendrils of golden hair trapped him where he was. They swirled around his waist, pulling him even closer to the possessed woman. Two of the four men nearby began to pull their weapons but their captain signaled them to stand down the moment he saw the glint of their swords. Even though whatever had taken control of his Lucy had yet to lash out at him or his men did not mean that it wouldn't if provoked. But there was no way in hell that he'd let that happen, whether or not if she was herself he'd take no risk. Unfortunately she noticed them as well, her expression started to turn back into the animal-like visage again, Jack acted quickly taking hold of her face in both hands, forcing her though gently to give her attention back to him.
"Lucy, listen me," he looked deep into her ever changing eyes. "Come on, sweet heart yer a stronger woman then this to let her take control like this."
Thetis seemed taken aback, but whether this was because she was offended or surprised he could not tell. What was obvious though was the change from an aquamarine shine in her strange gaze to something more familiar, they darkened little by little until their natural sea green was hiding just beneath the surface. For a breath halting moment the colors fought each other, her expression going from angry to painful to near exhaustion over and over again. Then she lifted one hand, her naturally pale skin luminescent as if it were lit from the inside and touched it to Jack's whiskered cheek. That was when the tidal wave came, not metaphorically but in reality-those four extra sailors, Lucy and Jack himself were dry and inside one instant then enveloped in water the next. He couldn't breathe, the water formed a whirlpool around them all before anyone had the chance to take even one breath to hold. The force of the water should have been strong enough to rip them all limb from limb, it certainly felt so, and yet they all seemed all but nailed to the floor.
When the water fell away it was like the tide lowering but only so much faster. Jack looked around he couldn't hold in his absolute shock, it was not the dilapidated interior of the old mansion that met him but the main deck of the Black Pearl and the shocked faces of his entire crew. Oddly enough none of them were wet at all, even as the glowing water flowed over the deck and into the ocean it left not a drop behind. The few men who had come with him stumbled around, very disorientated and using one another for crutches. Jack himself did not feel in the least bit out of it, not unbalanced or anything but he supposed that was because he actually held onto the woman who brought them here. The sharp clatter of the coral crown hitting the deck drew Jack's attention to it first- no longer bright or sparkling the thing looked old and quite frankly dead. Then his sense returned to him and instantly had him looking to the woman in his arms, one moment she stood by his side the next she went limp as a rag doll. Shocked and just a bit frightened the captain fell to his knees, catching his lady love and gently laying her down. Not a smidgeon of makeup was left on her face, the wound on her cheek completely vanished, even her hair had returned to it's natural brown. She only appeared to be peacefully sleeping.
"Lucy? Lucy, darlin' wake up!" he shook her a little. She did not bat an eyelash, nor move a muscle save for when he himself moved her. When gentleness did not work he turned to more direct means, "damn you wench get up!"
This worked, though not in the way he had hoped for.
"Mortals have such foul tongues," that strange double toned voice spoke for the first time in heavily accented English. When her sleeping face gave way to wakefulness the swirling colors were back, though they were not near as brilliant as before. "It's best to just cut them out and be done with it."
Several of the men crossed themselves, Mr. Gibbs adding three turns to the right followed by a good spit to his protection.
"There'll be no tongue-cutting here, nymph…spirit…whatever ye are," Jack muttered the last bit.
"Bring me the usurper of my powers and I'll gladly do more then simply cutting," she giggled and clapped her hands together in delight. "It would be so much fun."
"No it won't cause it won't be yer body doing all those bloody things," he sat back on his heels, not entirely sure how to handle the creature before him. Talking to the woman inside had worked before but the chances were low that the same tactic would work twice in a row.
"I have no body of my own anymore, so what does it matter?" she fell back, her arms behind her head like a cushion.
"Who said ye need a body at all? I've seen what yer kind can do in their natural form, thunder, lightening, maelstroms it's terrifying stuff," he played up to the pride he knew was in there somewhere.
"It has been some time since I last sent a crew of mortals to the sea bed," she nibbled her thumb as she seemed to think her options over.
"So won't it be much more fun to play with Danny in the way ye know best?"
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Thetis sprung up, crouching like a wild animal. "Is he even worth my time? Does he deserve the privilege to see me as I truly am? Foolish pirates, thinking they can command me!"
"Hold on there, missy, no need to get yer skirts in a twist," all the men by now had backed off some distance, terrified of something they in all honesty did not comprehend nor did they wish to.
"Silence! I will not be misused anymore, I refuse! I am Thetis, favorite of all the Nereids and will not be treated like a slave by pitiful land dwellers who dare to come into my domain!" With each word her screaming became louder and louder until everyone on board was holding their ears shut. A few unfortunates closest to her had the tiniest trickles of blood seeping from their ears through the fingers that covered them. On unsteady feet she pulled herself up to lean against the railing, whatever magic she had used to get them here had obviously drained her strength. She wobbled to an fro a moment before regaining her balance, looking in every direction with furious eyes.
Jack shook his head, the ringing in his ears starting to slowly dissipate along with his patience. "Alright we get it already so please just shut it!"
The being cocked it's head to the side, still angry of course but now intrigued by his outburst.
"No one is going to enslave anybody, not now, not ever so let's get that part straight! But do ye really wanna scream our brains out and kill us? We did save ye from Danny didn't we?" in a way they had though not on purpose but still it seemed the best chip he could bet on.
"That you did, Captain Sparrow, that you did," her anger was washed away and she again looked to be thinking. He knew he tread on glass with this, her emotions were on a hair trigger and who knew what sort of powers she had at her finger tips. Thetis was quite insane, whether it came from time spent with Daniel or from her containment in that crown was anyone's guess. But any violent lunatic should be treated the same as any other regardless of species: with extreme caution and a fire arm within reach.
"So the whole maiming of eardrums is done and we'll be refraining from any killing today am I right?"
"I owe you then, you and the girl who was clever enough to use the crown against my jailer. She did make me a promise too that she does intend to keep, oddly enough," the nymph didn't even acknowledge his presence but instead looked to the sea. "You shall live on, a gift of thanks from me," her smile was not in the least bit comforting.
"Umm…thank ye…I think…" he did not want to offend the nymph but some how he did not want to know what she considered 'a gift' whether it be to get away with one's life or not. It didn't seem quite right but that was something he'd debate on at a later time, there were vastly more important matters to attend to.
"Send your vermin brother to the depths of Tartarus for me," the ever glowing eyes shone bright as the sun for the span of a blink and the body whom the spirit had haunted collapsed to the deck. A groan escaped Lucinda, now free of Thetis' control, as she held her head in both hands.
"Remind me never to put on possessed magical jewelry again," it seemed that for all that had happened the most she came away with was a headache. On her own she stood on her feet, brushed off her skirt and merely winced as she cupped her forehead in one hand. Her lover though was not coming to 'rescue', instead he was examining the aforementioned tiara with a withering look. Without another word he took the item over to the rail, lifted his fist high in the air and broke the thing right in half. Both pieces were promptly chucked as far as he could throw them until they hit the waves with a satisfying splash.
"I will once ye've learned that 'stay put' means 'stay put or else I'll have to lock ye in the cabin again.'"
"Oh please Jack you'd do the same for your brothers or for me and you know it," Lucy walked up behind him laying a hand on his shoulder.
"Aye but that doesn't mean I have to like it when you do," he looked down at her. "But for some reason I'm not as mad as I thought I would be, excluding the whole possession bit."
"I think you're gettin' better at this Jack, but really I haven't listened to a single command ye've given me since the day we met."
"True," he smirked his famous silver and gold smirk, "but yer a pirate luv, it's to be expected."
"I'll take that as a compliment," she looped her arm through his. "Piracy under the circumstances to save one's family, noble isn't it?"
"Sir," Mr. Gibbs ran up to them not giving his captain the time to answer. "The Black Diamond is hailing us."
"Ah, well on to business then, if you'll excuse me," he kissed her forehead before hurrying over to the portside where the gangplank was being raised.
"Hope yer feelin' better now with that nasty spirit returned to wherever it came from," the first mate inquired.
"Much better, I don't know where she went but I'm just glad she's gone. You're lookin' at me strange, sir, is there something you want to tell me?"
"Actually yes, I do believe I saw two lasses makin' quite a scene on the poop deck as the Diamond started to broadside. If ye go now ye'll be able to meet them just as they connect the plank," Gibbs gave her a knowing look.
"You are a wonderful man, Joshamee Gibbs," she gave the old sailor a hug and peck on the cheek then raced off.
Alexander and Zachariah were already deep in conversation with their older brother by the time Lucinda joined them. It had already been decided that should the Pearl, the Diamond as well as the Misty Lady became involved right away chances of a speedy victory were not exactly in their favor. While numbers were certainly on their side having so many ships so close was too much of a tactical disadvantage. Cannons were not the most accurate of weaponry and one strong wind could send a vessel with a perfect shot off just enough that the ball would find it's target not in the enemy's hull but one of their own. Wind also had to be taken into account, with so many uncommonly large ships riding the same current a collision could be in the making. So now they only needed to know was which of their tiny armada would be going in first and which two would be waiting for the signal to come in as reinforcements should the worst happen. Jack was the most adamant to take that honor himself, the younger two were not at all surprised and had already been prepared for this answer. In truth the only reason for now for bringing their ships together was partly in wait for the enemy to finally make his appearance. None of the men seemed to be aware of her presence as she listened to their conversation, though it did nothing to calm her impatience.
When Alex at last took notice of their female eavesdropper he turned to call over to the sisters aboard his ship but found there was no need. Amanda was hurrying a man to finish the last tie to secure the gang plank on their side, beside her Anna Maria still dressed in her gaudy yellow gown watched with a tiny smile. The moment the man completed his task the red head reached behind her, grabbing the hand of a previously seated blond girl and the two scurried across the wooden bridge like two squirrels on a fence. It did not go missed that the second young woman was glaring at the plank the whole time of her crossing. As the two set foot on deck Lucy rudely pushed the trio out of her way, practically flew those few steps to latch her arms around the waist of her little sister. Emma, being the taller by a few inches just barely bent her head so their cheeks were pressed together as she returned the embrace. Amanda already had tears rolling down hers as she wrapped both her sisters in a tight hug. They stood together like that for several minuets, uncaring of anyone else around them, after the worst of the sobbing had ebbed away the eldest finally found the will to speak.
"I'm so sorry we didn't get here sooner," Lucinda fought not to cry again.
"It's alright, you didn't know," the youngest Collins was still openly sobbing.
"But as soon as we did nothing could have stopped us," Amanda was the first to smile. "Nobody takes our Stickbug from us!"
"I'm not a Stickbug!" Emma stopped her foot indignantly.
"Yes you are!" the other two chorused.
"And so things return to normal," Zack looked to his brothers who nodded in agreement.
"Not for long though," Alex indicated with his thumb at the ship in the distance slowly making it's way toward them. "Time to get a move on, no way I'm lettin' that fop get the drop on me."
"Agreed," Jack sauntered up the small group which was now laughing and shedding happy tears instead of regretful ones. "Ladies I hate to break up such a touching reunion but we do have a crisis on our hands and he's heading this way, savvy?"
"Perfectly," Lucy wiped her face and nodded. "We'll 'ave to finish this later, you two back on the Diamond, they'll explain everything to you," she motioned to Alex and Zack.
"There's no fighting you on this is there?" Emma of all people asked her this.
"None," she hid her surprise at her youngest siblings sudden change of character. "We'll talk once we win this and send that slimy bottom feeder to hell," the two nodded, shared one last hug then hurried back across the plank. "Anna, get yer arse back over here!"
"I'm comin'! It's hard to walk in this thing!" she lifted her skirts clear over her knees as she made her way over.
The duel captains bid farewell as they too returned to their ship, within minuets the vessels were free of one another as one made way toward battle and the other to the wayside. Anna and Lucy nearly tore themselves out of their restraining disguises, carelessly tossing the garments away the moment they were free of them. It did not take long to redress, each pulled a man's shirt over their heads and tucked it into their breeches. Socks were hastily thrown on, and boots pulled on over those for the captain's woman while her friend just slipped into her worn leather shoes. Lucy buttoned her vest and tied on a sash as Anna hastily pulled a bandana over her head and kicked open a chest of arms.
"Anything good in there?" one last tug on a ribbon and her long hair was secured back.
"Aye, lots o' sharp pointy object and things that go 'boom'," they loaded themselves to the teeth. They left the cabin as fast as they entered it, letting the door slam home behind them. Anna Maria went immediately to her post, not having to be ordered there at all. As Lucinda went to climb the stairs to the helm deck she saw several of the men were looking at her with a mix of fear and curiosity, no doubt their suppositious minds were getting away with them.
"See something interesting, gentlemen?" she asked in a cool and collected voice.
The group, and there had to be at least a dozen of them, stumbled over their words- rather loudly too. What few could make a full sentence told the obvious, they were still weary of her from the spectacle before. That however was no excuse to be shirking their duties at a time like this.
"Well, as you can see I am fully cured of any evil presence. Do we agree on that?"
It took a moment but under the heat of her stare the men all gave an affirmative nod.
"Good. Now is there any reason why you are all just standin' here gawking like a stupid flock of seagulls when the enemy is coming upon us fast instead of manning yer posts?"
This time the group gave a negative shakes of their heads in unison like a bunch of trained circus monkeys.
"Than why are you still standin' here?" her voice had been rising with every sentence but now it echoed over the whole deck. "Get a move on! All of ye get to your places before I move ye to them at the end of my sword! That includes you!" she looked to another group which ceased their work to watch her scream at their crew mates. "Movement now! Are you sailors or are you brainless animals? Move!" they scrambled over one another in their haste to follow her orders. She sighed an irritable sigh as she made her way up the stairs to join the captain at the helm.
"I love it when ye're feisty like that," Jack grinned at her.
"That wasn't for your entertainment, bloody idiots."
"Ye can give them the lecture of their lives once this is all over," his eyes fixed on the galleon approaching them.
"Can't wait."