A/N1: Oh. My. Dear. Sparrow. I've gone over the 100 review mark… So many reviews! My head is SPINNING! This means so much to me guys, THANKS!!! *Huggles all REALLY tight for about 9.3752 hours* And, as promised…
*HANDS OUT JACK SPARROW PILLOWS TO EVERYONE!!!* And since you've all been so awesome and made me so bloody happy… *Free soundtracks, dvd's, and standups of PotC given out as well* Let's make this a party, eh? *Puts on the soundtrack for dancing music, hands out rum and cookies and pink champagne and all kinds o' goodies* Drink up me hearties yo ho! And, oh yes, you can all get a turn with Jack in this closet of mine, but only until I update next! And the order… *evil laugh* Well, ye'll have to decide amongst yourselves…
A/N2: Short compared to the other one. REALLY short compared to the other one. But that's how these things work out, I'm afraid! :P Hope y'all enjoy nonetheless! I'm afraid I won't be update for a while, though. Must likely not until Friday (bloody school…). I hope this can sake thy appetites until then! The party shall be kept going the whole time, o'course! ;-)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Beside her sister, Leah was forced to grip to the edge of the ship to keep from being hurled across the deck. "Let go!" Elizabeth yelled at Anamaria, who stepped back from the wheel without a moment's hesitation. The 17-year old had to hang onto the side of the Interceptor even harder as the ship swung about with great alacrity. The Pearl wasted no time in compensating, but they could no longer come up on the Interceptor with no real damage to themselves. This would be a real battle.
"Fire!" Elizabeth ordered at the top of her lungs, most likely just as Barbossa did on his own vessel, at least as far as Leah could tell, and the cannons subsequently went off. Smoke covered everything as explosions rent through the air. Through the near-opaque gas, Leah could just make out a figure falling from the Pearl into the ocean. She could not ignore the satisfaction she felt from seeing this.
Shots were now fired on both sides.
Kneeling down for cover between Elizabeth and Will, Leah held the weapons in her own hands with some disdain. She'd obtained said musket from Mr. Gibbs, but she wasn't so sure about using this weapon… She had never used a gun before… but now was a good a time as any, was it not? Taking a deep breath, she brought herself up and fired, ducking back down again quickly so as not to be hit by return fire. And yet a part of her kept thinking… what was the point? If they couldn't be killed, what would a mere bullet do?
"We could use a few more ideas, lass," Mr. Gibbs said loudly over the sound of cannon fire and gunfire, making certain he could be heard. He was of course shooting at the opposing ship all the while.
"It's your turn!" Elizabeth answered tersely.
"We need us a devil's dowry," Mr. Gibbs responded, replying to her comment almost indirectly.
"We'll give 'em her," Anamaria stated without warning, grabbing Elizabeth and putting a gun to her head.
Enraged, Leah turned to the two of them. "If you dare…"
"She's not what they're after," Will interrupted.
"The medallion," Elizabeth breathed, remembering. It was still below deck. Without comment, Will got to his feet and ran back down there as fast as his legs could carry him. If they lost that piece of Aztec gold… Anamaria, having apparently lost interest after that little exchange, had her focus once again on the Black Pearl.
"You can't have lost it…" Leah said in disbelief, staring at her sister. Elizabeth glanced at her; the most pained yet shaken expression on her face.
"Will is going to retrieve it," she said at last, and turned back to the opposing ship.
"Bloody hell," Leah muttered under her breath, and shot again, praying that the bullet hit something that would actually prove useful for them and damaging for the other ship.
It was then that a cannon shot from the Pearl brought the main mast down.
Leah practically jumped as the heavy post fell-onto both the desks of the Interceptor and Black Pearl no less-as did the others around her. It was at this wonderful moment that the crew of the Pearl decided to board as well using grappling hooks and ropes. Splendid. This was just bloody splendid.
Beside Leah, Elizabeth took aim at the enemy pirates and fired. Taking her sister's lead, Leah did as well. She sincerely doubted they would win, but this Swann was not one to give up. She'd struggled against all odds while living at Port Royale. She had not been broken there. She would not surrender so easily now.
After a few more shots from her arm were discharged, Leah was forced to face another cruel reality. She was, of course, now out of bullets. Therefore, she had to resort to more brutal means… such as fighting their foe off with the musket itself, hitting said foe with said weapon to be precise. It worked remarkably well, to a point, as long as she paid careful attention to her surroundings, kept her guard up, and relied upon her instincts for a good part of the fighting. As she fought, though, holding her own very well and even managing to knock a man or two into the ocean, Leah found herself completely removed from Mr. Gibbs or, even worse, her sister, but she could not very easily trace a path back. There were pirates everywhere, and to add to the chaos, people were swinging back and forth between the two ships constantly. This wasn't exactly overly easy to follow! She'd been so caught up in the fight, she hadn't even noticed to which locations she moved, and now she was in a completely different area of the ship than where she had started out from. Two men were on her now.
The two said brutes grinned savagely and began to approach her, but seeing her chance, Leah made as if to dart to the side, her weapon raised… and ran through the middle instead, as fast as she possibly could, hitting one of them in the back of the skull as she passed. Glancing back, she saw him stagger, but did not have time to do anything more as her sister ran by her at that very moment, obviously not having gone very far as she wasn't even upright, and knelt over the gridiron that was tightly shut. Stuck, actually. Leah halted without delay, about to go to her sister's aid (it was obvious Will was down there), when another sight caught her eye, causing her to freeze in her tracks. Captain Jack Sparrow, in the flesh, completely unharmed, right where Leah herself had been just moments earlier. Had Elizabeth just conversed with him? What…?
"Monkey!" she thought she heard him say, but the word barely made an impression upon her stunned stupor, not that it would have made much sense to her anyway. Nevertheless, at the moment, she was standing stock still, staring. Nothing seemed to register anymore, nothing but him and the fact that he was alive. How was this possible? The feelings this induced-relief, anger, joy, disbelief, and on and on it went-she could not sort through it all. She had not the time, nor was she in a position to possibly do so at the moment.
As if to demonstrate this, a cry of "Leah!" shot through the air from somewhere beside her, a hand simultaneously tugging on her arm-Elizabeth!--and the 17-year old instinctively whirled around… only to see those same two pirates from before barreling towards her. At the very last moment, she managed to gather her wits about her enough to bend down low. In their haste, the two tripped over and slid partway across the deck.
Finally coherent, Leah got back up almost mindlessly and called across the ship, the shock she felt not yet faded in the least. "Jack!" Alive? He was alive? How? Why? Wait, what did she mean, why? It was a good thing, this! Or was it…? Why was she so happy over this? Was she? What did she feel? How did she feel? What was she thinking? She had absolutely no idea herself, and these were her very own thoughts and feelings!
Captain Jack Sparrow had almost reached the fallen mast when he heard his name being yelled out. He instantly turned. Upon seeing Leah's figure, her face, he made a hurried motion with his hand, forefinger upraised, telling her just to wait one moment, while his expression clearly betrayed the need for haste. Following that, he hurriedly turned back to his duty. He had to catch that blasted monkey!
Leah gaped blankly as he began to skitter across the mast, but was once again brought back to reality by her sister's scream concerning the harsh metal imprisoning Will. "I can't move it!" Leah bent down to help at once, but her fingers had barely even begun to tug at the grate before she was lifted off her feet along with Elizabeth.
"Let go of me!" she cried out, struggling with all of her might, but in her rush to help Elizabeth move that grate, save Will, she had dropped the gun-as if that would have done her much good, anyway-and was no match for her captor. Things were turning out exactly as Leah had feared. They were caught.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
TriGemini: Yessums… Leah is still… confused… And wonderful timing, eh? No dramatic insight in this chappie quite yet, but coming up! I promise! Just not saying when. ;-)
Leah: Glad ye enjoyed it! I've always wanted to go there. Esp. since me Leah HAS a British accent. Lol :P Yes, I detest going anywhere without a computer by my side as well. I'm really glad these past 2 chappies were up to thy standards, though! Hope ya like the continuation of the battle!
Ally: Wow! Better than the movie?!?! I am SINCERELY touched by that comment and am REALLY happy ye are enjoying my fic so much! I really hope you like the rest as much!
Shane: Yessums, I love this scene as well, though watching it over and over can get rather tiresome. Fun to write, though!
Kirie: It IS your username, darling. You changed it! lol And I should so do that! Leah will become magical and kill the cursed ones single-handedly! WHOOOT! Hehehe… Or not. :P
Vagrant: So, what didst thou think? Enjoy the reaction? :P
Zuba: Hehehe… Yes, but I enjoy freaky… *Evil gleam in eyes* lol No, I wouldn't do that… Unless I get really really bored and inspired… Like when I actually wrote a rape of my dear Leah by Barbossa! It still scars me… Well, the 2nd part is up, thee impatient being! ;-) And actually, 'twould drive you sane. See, insane is a good thing. LOOK AT ME!!!!!!!! Sane bad, precioussssss, very bad…
Blusport: It is? WHOOOPEEEEE! *Does a little dance, the hobbit dance from the 1st movie to be precise, to the pirate song, sung by Jack o'course ;-)* Enjoy!
Venus: Yay! On another fav list! *Huggles* Thankees! (Amazing what happens when I give out free Jack pillows ;) ) And don't feel rushed to read… mesa have patience! Sometimes… ;-) So don't wait too long! :P Really glad ye like, though!
ChaosLightning: *Stares wide-eyed and entranced at the many reviews* Ooooh…. Purdy…. Thanks!!!!!! Now, to answer thy comments… I shall check the quote straight away! If thou art correct, UBER thanks to ye! As for thy question… well, she's most likely heard it in passing in a sort of "uh-huh, I care" kinda way. You have to remember, noblewoman, swathed in self pity, Jack's a legend of a pirate, all this stuff happening at once… It doesn't occur to her. And, yes, she has character flaws galore. Wouldn't she be boring if she didn't? ;-) See, everyone seems to have varying definitions of Mary Sue's… Someone who gets together with a main character, a ditsy perfect person who does just this by messing with said character's personality, etc. I try to keep it all as reasonable as possible as I truly believe this did happen somewhere darn it!!!!!!!!, so yeah… Anywayz, I'm honored that ye were willing to shut off the MOVIE for me! O.O Really hope this next chapter of me confused girl is up to thy standards still!
Jinxd: Yay! I got Jack right! *Dances about in a frolicking manner* And I'm glad Leah seems to enthrall thee! Tell me what ye think of this latest chapter, eh?
Aquastar: Thankees so much for reviewing! Gives me confidence to keep going. ;) Though I do see how it would get tiresome… If there is anything wrong with it, though, feel free to tell me! Doesn't all have to be praise. ;-) *Hurries to write next chappie*
Riley: I try. ;-) (Yes, don't I have modesty galore? ;) ) Hope this latest chapter has been up to thy standards!
Ipzy: *twitch twitch* HEAT?!?! I'm bloody freezing me arse, and you're HOT?!?!?! Lucky!!!!!!! lol No, really, heat can be a pain. My deepest sympathies. Just that I was FREEZING earlier today… I mean really cold… And don't worry. Non-intentional threatening fun! ;-)
Neytari: LOL!!!! Gee, thanks, dearest maker. You're so kind and loving! And, yes, suspense… MUAHAHAH!
Cherish: They should be! At least, I am… *laughs evilly* And, yes, see those aren't in there… o.O I emptied it of valuable things… I think… Uh oh… And thankees, btw! ;)
Gwyn: Hey, what a coincidinc! We are the same age! Wow! YAY!!!! And I'm glad ye like it so much! I'm honored that it's your favorite, in fact! *Huggles* I really hope that ye continue to enjoy it!
Pendragon: *Big, wide eyes* *Gulp* *Writes really fast* And glad ye like it, btw. ;-) lol. Hope ye enjoy this chappie as well!
