Hey Readers! Happy April Fool's [though this story isn't a joke].
Welcome to my first crossover story! I've never written one before, but have finally decided to start one, just to see what it's like. I usually stick to one universe per story, but this time, I'm taking two of the most popular and well-loved universes and putting them together: Avatar The Last Airbender, and Pirates of the Caribbean! I am a personal fan of both, so I'm excited to write a story about the two!
Here's the story summary [for those that are interested: Davy Jones and the crew of the Dutchman rescue a strange lad from the sea, trapping him in the same 100 year service the rest of the crew faces. Most aren't happy that a teen is part of the crew, and the teen feels the same way. However, they quickly find out Nozomi isn't a regular human, and soon have to deal with a waterbender running from a war that threatens to destroy the world. And there's a cranky Kraken. What could go wrong?
Also, some warnings here and now. This story is rated T for violence, blood, and some abuse of a minor. There might be some language as well, but there isn't any spoken cuss words in this first chapter. There will be some humor [after all, it is POTC and ATLA], but the overall story isn't a humorous one.
And on that final note, I hope you enjoy this first chapter of my story!
The Water Boy:
The crew of the Flying Dutchman stared at the body they'd dragged from the sea, all of them uncertain of what to do next.
Usually, when they found a sailor still alive in the middle of the ocean, Captain Jones would go through the whole, "Will ye serve" bit, and the poor wretch would either join the crew or be killed. The crew wasn't allowed to say anything during that time, but they would often leer at the unlucky person, some of them already making bets on how long until they slowly started turning into a monster. However, they'd never dealt with a boy before.
He appeared to be about fifteen years old, his hair long and black, reaching to his shoulders. His bronze skin gleamed in the sun, and his clothes were simple, yet durable; a small stone dagger hung from his belt, along with a canteen. At the moment, he was unconscious, his breathing the only indication he was alive.
The crew, while mostly being a brutal and ruthless bunch, were momentarily stunned; their current location on the seas wasn't a well-traveled one [they'd been surprised that a body was even floating nearby, and there were no shipwrecks or sailing vessels within 25 miles of them. How had this lad made it to the middle of the ocean without dying?
Penrod nudged the teen with one of his three legs, as if checking to see if he was still alive. "A lad," he said, the first to acknowledge who was laying in front of them.
"We can see that," Crash said annoyedly, the tendrils on his face wriggling a little. "Whaddo we do with him?"
"Kill him, of course," Ratlin said. "There's no way the Captain'll let him join."
"Can I have a crack at 'im first," Jimmy Legs asked, lifting the whip in his hands. "If he's gonna die, what's the harm?"
"We do nothin' until Captain Jones gets here," Maccus, the second mate, said. "Someone go-"
"I'm here," Davy Jones said sternly, stepping through the crew, that parted before him. Of course, the tentacled terror of the sea was not one to be trifled with, and the crew waited with bated breath as he approached the teen, looking down at him with a calculating stare.
"How long ago did ye pull him out," he asked Maccus.
"About two minutes; we found him floatin' on the starboard side."
"Let me give 'im a few whips, Captain," Jimmy Legs requested. "Me arm's itchin' for some blood!"
"Looks like someone hasn't caught anyone slippin' up in their duties recently," Angler muttered, meaning to insult.
The boatswain glared at him, replacing his whip with his cutlass. "Wanna say that louder, ya useless dog?"
Suddenly, before a full-on fight broke out on the deck, the teen woke with a start, gasping and sitting up on the deck. He stared at the crew in shock, and they stared back at him, everyone silent for ten seconds. However, they were a crew of deformed, monstrous pirates while the lad was still human, so it came as no surprise when he gave a scream of fear and stumbled back.
"Get him," Captain Jones said, seemingly undeterred by the teen's outburst. Ratlin and Maccus, being the closest, walked forward to grab the teen, hoisting him to his feet. He looked around at the crew members fearfully, looking like he was trying not to scream and coming close to failing. A few crew members laughed at the lad's fear, purposefully baring sharp teeth and holding up clawed hands, clipping them at the teen.
"That's enough of that," Jones ordered, stepping forward as the familiar step thump of his mismatched legs brought the crew to silence.
"S-Stay back," the teen stammered, obviously trying to sound brave; they noticed his accent wasn't any they recognized, and wondered where he was from. "I don't know what you are, but-"
"You're in no position ta be givin' orders around here," the tentacled captain said, indicating to the crew around them. He gave the lad a cruel smile. "Any ideas now?"
"You… You let me go in peace and we all pretend this never happened?"
There was another stagnant moment of silence, but was broken by the Captain breaking into peals of laughter, the sound startling the prisoner. Eventually, the rest of the crew joined in, laughing and taunting the teen's stupidity, some of them leaning against a mast to keep from falling over. The teen looked humiliated and annoyed, but looked determined not to show any weakness.
"It's rare that someone entertains us with their words," Jones said once everyone had settled down. "Ye gotta name?"
The teen nodded slowly. "Nozomi," he said tersely. "Who're you?"
"Captain Davy Jones. And this is my crew, the crew of the Flyin' Dutchman. Now," he continued, "I've no use fer a lad like ye, so consider this yer end."
"I'd rather you didn't," the teen said, trying to sound nonchalant while looking terrified at the thought of dying. "If I'm going to die, I'll go down fighting."
"That can be arranged." Jones drew his sword, and his crew, sensing what would happen next, stepped back to create a space for him and the lad. "Let's see how good ye are."
"I'm not dumb enough to fight you," Nozomi said annoyedly. "I don't know much about monsters, but I take it you're hard to kill."
"We're technically immortal."
"Then I would surely lose, and die either way."
"Ye still die fightin', like ye requested," the captain replied, holding up his sword. "Last chance to have the first move. A blade, someone." A crew member walked forward with a spare cutlass, but was surprised when the teen turned it down.
"I don't need it," he said, unscrewing the cap off his canteen.
"What the bloody hell," someone whispered as the rest of the crew murmured at the refusal. Now everyone was confused, and also nervous. They had never heard of anyone refusing a weapon to fight, especially against the captain, and they wondered why the lad didn't need one. Jones' eyes narrowed a little, but he said nothing as the teen took a fighting stance, arms raised on either side of him.
Nozomi stared at him for a few moments, almost suspiciously, and then struck, slashing his hand forward through the air. At first, everyone was confused as to why the lad would swipe the air, but a few crew members gasped as a stream of water flew from the canteen, hitting Captain Jones in the face and knocking him to the ground. They had never heard of anyone being able to control water [and they technically worked with a Kraken], yet here was the teen, hands held out as the water floated in front of him. The way he moved suggested that he was like water himself: swift and deadly. Even the Captain's eyes seemed to change, no longer uninterested but calculating and angry as he climbed to his feet.
Teleporting right behind the teen, the tentacled captain stabbed forward with his sword, but the teen dodged it, swinging his arms around and bringing a wave of water with him. Sputtering, Jones brought his sword down, the teen bringing up a stretch of water which froze into ice, stopping the blade from hitting him. The two of them struggling to knock the other back, the teen kicked Davy's uneven leg, sending him stumbling backwards. Looking extremely focused for someone his age, the lad waved his arms, deftly and calmly moving across the deck, the water swirling around him, preventing the captain or anyone else from approaching him.
"To be honest," Nozomi said, allowing the water to cover his arms, the ends stretching out to look like he had two long tentacles, "I thought this would be a unfair fight for me!"
Jones narrowed his eyes, sheathing his sword. "It's about ta be," he replied, looking to the horizon, focusing on the ocean.
The crew could already sense the Kraken before it appeared, flying from the water and towering over the ship. It roared, blocking out all noise, including the swear word the teen let loose upon seeing the monster. A lone tentacle flew down, grabbing the teen and pinning his arms to his side, the water splashing to the deck. However, the monster didn't eat him right away, but held him near the bow of the ship as the captain approached him.
"Ready ta die," the captain asked, grinning at his prey.
The lad looked at the sea monster fearfully, obviously terrified at the reality that was facing him. He wasn't controlling the water, meaning he probably needed his hands free in order to fight. "I… I-" He struggled to break free of the tentacled grip, but failed. "Is… is it too late to beg for mercy?"
The captain gave him a cruel smirk. "Yep. Though there is another way out, if you're interested." The crew behind him gaped at that, realizing what was about to happen. "I've nevah met anyone who could control the waves-"
"Waterbending," the lad automatically corrected, giving him a confused look. "Most people where I'm from can do it, and people everywhere can bend the other elements." The crew exchanged confused looks, but said nothing.
"And where, pray tell, is this place you're from?"
Nozomi shook his head. "It doesn't matter; they're all dead now."
"So you're the last… waterbender, I suppose?"
"... I'm not sure. I hope not."
"Then it won't matter if I kill ye."
"I'd rather you didn't, Captain Calamari."
A few crew members breathed in sharply at the insult, sure that the teen was a goner. The captain almost smiled, but didn't. "How brave fer someone so young, and a damn good fighter with water. So, since ye seem ta need a place ta stay, would ye like ta become a member of my crew?"
"What?" The teen looked confused. "I… I'm not a monster!"
"Not yet," Maccus muttered darkly, too low for the lad to hear.
"Tha' doesn't mattah," the captain continued. "You're pretty far from land now, and right now, you're at the point of death. I offer ye a chance to delay the inevitable: serve me, and ye can live."
"Serve you… As a slave?"
"Are ye offerin'?"
"No," he replied quickly, once again trying to break free of the Kraken's grip. "I just… I'm not exactly a sailor."
"But ye can control water," the captain told him. "And there aren't many that can manage ta avoid my blade."
"Captain," Crash spoke up, all eyes turning to him. "I must object. He's just a lad, an' we ain't got no use for 'im. I say we kill 'im." A few other crew members murmured their assent, and the teen's face became fearful once again.
"I sense that the lot of ye seem scared of our friend here," Captain Jones replied, turning to face his crew. "Need I remind ye who's in charge, and that cowardice has no place on my ship?" The crew was silent after that, all avoiding eye contact with one another as their captain turned back to the teen.
"Now, here's the deal; pledge yerself ta serve me fer 100 years, and then ye go free."
"A hundred-" Nozomi gaped at the tentacled captain. "I'd be dead by then!"
"No ye wouldn't. Ye'd be immortal, stayin' yer age, and when 100 years are up, you're free ta go."
"So… I couldn't die if someone stabbed me?"
"Yeah, but it'd hurt like hell, so I'd avoid gettin' stabbed." He leaned forward, a few of the tentacles on his face wriggling in the teen's face. "I take it you're interested?"
The lad looked around him again. First at the crew in all their monstrousness, then at the Kraken, ready to kill him, and then at Davy Jones, who simply waited. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of air and letting it out before opening his eyes again.
"Fine," he said, hesitating a little. "I'll serve."
The captain grinned. "Excellent!" The Kraken dropped Nozomi to the deck, slinking back beneath the waves. "Welcome to tha' Dutchman, runt! Try not to upset the othahs too badly; they're not exactly a kind bunch." He gave the evil smile again as he limped off to his cabin. "Back ta work, the lot of ye!"
The teen turned to the crew, who stared back at him with looks of awe, annoyance, mad glee, and wonder. They had no idea where this strange lad was from, or how he could control water without touching it, but they knew that he was now one of them for the next century.
"Any wagers for how long he'll last before cryin'," Crash whispered, making sure the teen couldn't hear him.
"A day," someone spoke up.
"An hour," Ogilvey said.
"I can't wait for 'im ta slip up," Jimmy Legs said, cracking his whip and causing the teen to jump. "This is gonna be fun!"
...
Nozomi was not a stupid person, and was rarely inclined to make stupid decisions.
When he was little, his mother used to say he was the smartest boy in the whole Northern Tribe, laughing as she swung him around in her arms. Even in school and bending lessons , he was the fastest learner, quickly becoming the top student. In fact, if the Fire Nation hadn't attacked and destroyed his home, he would have been preparing to take the lessons that would make him a master; a rare feat for a fifteen-year-old.
They would need masters; the Fire Nation had wiped out the Air Nomads shortly before he was born, and the Water Tribes had yet to find the next Avatar. Water was after Air in the Avatar cycle, and, being around the right age for it, the teen had been tested to see if he was the next Avatar. He never heard back from the council, but he continued to train in waterbending, knowing that he'd need to be able to protect his home whether he was special or not. He doubted he was the Avatar anyway; he'd tried bending the other elements once, but couldn't do it.
However, Nozomi's home and family were gone, destroyed by the Fire Nation in a surprise attack; the Fire Nation seemed intent on making all other types of benders extinct. He'd fought to protect his loved ones, but they all died; he escaped by making a ship of ice and sailing South, intending on going to the Southern Tribe for help and to continue his training. He occasionally stopped for food at some port, shedding his heavy layers of clothing as the weather grew warmer. However, he'd gotten off-course, knocked around in a storm, and woke up on a strange ship with a crew of monsters running it. Then, after nearly dying, he elected to become a crew member on the ship for the next hundred years, stuck with a sadistic captain and a crew that looked like they either wanted to maim him or kill him.
Why had he said yes?
There were several reasons. One, he wasn't keen on being monster food, and death scared him [though it shouldn't have]. Second, he could waterbend, meaning he could leave this ship and never return, so saying yes improved his chances of living. And third… because something on the inside told him to.
He didn't know who or what convinced him to say yes. For some bizarre reason, he felt that he had to say yes to Captain Jones' offer, despite his attitude and crew. Then again, he could escape as soon as night fell, and continue South; he could make another boat out of ice and sail it away from the crazy ship. And if he was unkillable for the next hundred years, he might be able to help the other waterbenders once he reached them. Of course, he'd have to escape the ship first, but he figured with the ocean around him, his chances were good.
If only he had known how wrong he was.
And that's chapter one! Of course, the next chapter's gonna focus on Nozomi's first impressions of the crew, as well as how they treat their new ward. Of course, they've never seen a waterbender before, so it should be interesting!
Again, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Feel free to follow or favorite this story to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend!
Quick PSA: PLEASE DO NOT DO STUPID STUFF AND GO OUTSIDE UNNECESSARILY AND SPREAD GERMS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC! Seriously, you guys are awesome, and while being sick gives you more time to read fanfiction, it's not good for your or your loved ones. Thank you.
-aggiefrogger
Note: I do NOT own ATLA or POTC AT All!