Disclaimer : Still nothing. :) Promise that I don't own a thing and don't claim to.
What happened to Will and Elizabeth? I promise they haven't dropped off the face of the earth!! They'll be back!!
Now, on with the story, mates!
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Chapter 12 : Xin and the Gang
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The huge piranha howled again and turned in the opposite direction from Jack and Catharine. They're tensed muscles relaxed as they saw it swim off, rippling the water as it went.
"Maybe he just ate, eh?" Jack said with a small laugh. Clearly happy that the piranha was moving away. He spun on his heel and dropped the rock he held in his hand. "Knew they'd be scared o' old Cap'n Jack, I did."
Cat watched the small waves crash up against the small piece of land that they were stranded on. She sat down and enjoyed the feeling of no pain and of no sounds at all. The ripples in the water began to strengthen, and a large splash sounded behind her. Cat stood up and looked behind her. Jack was gone.
"Jack?" Cat whispered meekly. "Jack!?" Had he fell into the water?
A huge roar of a sound came to her ears. The piranha had come back with its friends. And Jack was right in the middle of all of the monsters. And he was talking to them as if they could actually understand him.
Cat smacked her forehead in desperation. "What an idiot."
"Mates... mates... I know tha' ye all must be starvin', but let me tell ye that way down the river... " A piranha snapped its jaws in annoyance. Jack gulped. "I saw a nice 'n juicy ... "
Cat watched as the group of sea monsters did not even make a move towards the captain. It was if they really understood him. "Deer!" Cat shouted as she threw a rock and hit one of the piranhas in the head, not even fazing it.
"Right! A deer... drinkin' from the water... " The piranha's all eyed him trying to see if he was lying, or just looking for a good place to bite him.
The head piranha shifted its eyes to Cat on the isle, and its eyes gleamed in hunger. It began to swim towards her, and all of the other piranhas followed suit. It was Cat's turn to gulp.
One of the piranhas leapt out of the water and onto the small piece of land, knocking Cat off into the freezing water. It's tail whapped her upside the head and when the healing waters got rid of the pain, she realized that she was surrounded.
"Nice little fishes." Cat tried to dog paddle past one of the piranha's. "Erma, I mean, big fish." The head piranha rushed towards her and the next thing she knew she was being yanked underwater, and being pulled deeper still. She looked to see what was pulling her... none other than Jack Sparrow. He was pulling them towards a small door-like structure close to the bottom of the river. They swam through it and Cat thought that her lungs were about to burst until they hit an air pocket.
"Brilliant Jack." Cat coughed as she laid on the rock, and took in the surroundings. It wasn't an air pocket after all. An underwater cave with air, of course it was rather humid and smelled like mildew but it was better than being almost eaten by a huge thirty-foot piranha. There was barely enough light to see and Cat figured that an opening to something other than water was close by. On the rock floor there were bones of skeletons ... and that made Cat question her idea of an opening.
"Course." Jack said as he kicked at a skeleton's bones. "Sorry mate."
"Don't you think we should have died by now, Jack?" Cat twisted her skirts, trying to make them lighter to move in. The water was making them heavy. "On an island that is not supposed to exist and actually seeing a thirty foot piranha."
Jack shrugged and leaned up against a rock, the rock slid over and Jack tried to act as if he didn't do anything. "Had ye not insulted the fish, we could'a been friends, though."
"Piranha, Jack. Piranha." Cat said and looked down at the skeleton Jack had kicked earlier. Had it moved?
"Well, so far the stories are true, lass. When ye were ever so kind ter punch me in the nose I wen' off the path and touched the grass. Rocks from the earth spirits. Then ye pushed me into the water an' a sharp-toothed flounder tried ter eat me."
"Pushed you!?" Cat stood up and pointed a finger accusingly at him. "I tried to stop you... you... idiot!"
"I 'ave feelin's ye know. I am not as stupid as ye think I am, had ye not 'ave thrown the rock at the fish we'd probably be 'avin' tea and crumpets with the big fish!" Jack yelled back.
"Argh!" Cat and Jack jumped towards each other in fright as the heard the voice echoing off the sides of the rock.
Jack reached for his cutlass, but realized that he didn't have any of his 'affects' and put his hand on Cat's hip where her sword should have been tied. She slapped his hand and Jack mouthed, 'Ow', while shaking his hand.
"Argh?" Jack puffed out his chest and nodded at Cat like he had the situation under control. "Who really says tha' anymore, eh, mate?"
The skeleton began to move. It pushed itself up into a sitting position and stretched out its arms. Jack and Cat scooted back, not wanting to be touched. The skeleton then rattled around and stood up. It looked right at Cat.
"DeVries?" The skeleton began to move closer to her. As if on key, about ten more skeletons popped out of hiding, cutlasses and daggers held high. The skeleton held up his hand to halt them. "Kitty?"
Jack looked at Cat. "Kitty?" He began to giggle.
Cat ignored Jack. "Who are you?"
"Kitty - it's me! Xin!" The skeleton said as if Cat should have known the entire time.
"Master Xin?" Cat eyed the skeleton and looked it up and down. "You look great!" She lied.
"So do you. And who's this... can it be? Jack Sparrow!" The skeleton gave Jack a welcome slap on the shoulder.
"Captain, if you please. Captain Sparrow." Jack smiled, looking at the rings on his fingers.
"Right. Captain."
"Um, Kitty - " Cat slapped Jack. "Ow!"
"Don't call me Kitty." Cat narrowed her eyes at Jack, but then turned back to smile at the skeletal Xin.
Jack massaged his jaw, but continued. "Thought ye said the Xin-mate was Asian."
"I am. DeVries here is a wonderful articulationist."
Jack looked at the skeleton dumbfounded. "Is tha' really a word, Bone-lad?"
Xin ignored Jack. "Taught me every English word and exactly how to pronounce it, and in return taught her everything I know. Right good match it was." Xin nodded, his bones rattling more. "Too bad I was dragged off to the Isle of Spirits and then eaten by one of those dreadful piranhas. Now for the rest of eternity I am bound by the Spirit contract to guard this passage."
Cat sighed; "I take it that's why all of your friends hopped out when you began to move forward? And I suppose that you must not let any one person by?"
Jack grabbed her arm and whispered into her ear, "You're not goin' ter leave me, are ye?"
"No Jack." Cat whispered back as she pulled her arm away.
"You know me better than that, Kitty." Xin said.
"Could only hope." Cat smiled and shrugged. "But, whatever you must do to keep your honor."
"Yes, but 'tis not fair in the battle for the victims to be without a weapon. So two of my men will not fight and give you their weapons. All in honor, DeVries." Xin smiled and motioned for two of the skeletons to give Jack and Cat their weapons. The two skeletons stiffened and fell to the ground lifeless again.
"Alrigh'!" Jack exclaimed as he reached for the sword. "Let's let 'em 'ave it, eh, Kitty?"
"Must I really put your body through more physical harm? We are about to fight one of the greatest fighters of all time and you are still calling me Kitty... " Cat reached for the other sword. She twirled it around her fingers feeling the weight of it.
"Sorry, luv." Jack smiled, clearly happy that he was going to be able to actually fight something.
"Let the match begin, then." Xin exclaimed as a sword and a dagger appeared in his bony hands.
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A/N : See! Master Xin! Master Xin! Told you that we'd see him later on - and why I wouldn't change that thing about her learning a move from a samurai. Mwahahahahahahahaha!
What happened to Will and Elizabeth? I promise they haven't dropped off the face of the earth!! They'll be back!!
Now, on with the story, mates!
______
Chapter 12 : Xin and the Gang
______
The huge piranha howled again and turned in the opposite direction from Jack and Catharine. They're tensed muscles relaxed as they saw it swim off, rippling the water as it went.
"Maybe he just ate, eh?" Jack said with a small laugh. Clearly happy that the piranha was moving away. He spun on his heel and dropped the rock he held in his hand. "Knew they'd be scared o' old Cap'n Jack, I did."
Cat watched the small waves crash up against the small piece of land that they were stranded on. She sat down and enjoyed the feeling of no pain and of no sounds at all. The ripples in the water began to strengthen, and a large splash sounded behind her. Cat stood up and looked behind her. Jack was gone.
"Jack?" Cat whispered meekly. "Jack!?" Had he fell into the water?
A huge roar of a sound came to her ears. The piranha had come back with its friends. And Jack was right in the middle of all of the monsters. And he was talking to them as if they could actually understand him.
Cat smacked her forehead in desperation. "What an idiot."
"Mates... mates... I know tha' ye all must be starvin', but let me tell ye that way down the river... " A piranha snapped its jaws in annoyance. Jack gulped. "I saw a nice 'n juicy ... "
Cat watched as the group of sea monsters did not even make a move towards the captain. It was if they really understood him. "Deer!" Cat shouted as she threw a rock and hit one of the piranhas in the head, not even fazing it.
"Right! A deer... drinkin' from the water... " The piranha's all eyed him trying to see if he was lying, or just looking for a good place to bite him.
The head piranha shifted its eyes to Cat on the isle, and its eyes gleamed in hunger. It began to swim towards her, and all of the other piranhas followed suit. It was Cat's turn to gulp.
One of the piranhas leapt out of the water and onto the small piece of land, knocking Cat off into the freezing water. It's tail whapped her upside the head and when the healing waters got rid of the pain, she realized that she was surrounded.
"Nice little fishes." Cat tried to dog paddle past one of the piranha's. "Erma, I mean, big fish." The head piranha rushed towards her and the next thing she knew she was being yanked underwater, and being pulled deeper still. She looked to see what was pulling her... none other than Jack Sparrow. He was pulling them towards a small door-like structure close to the bottom of the river. They swam through it and Cat thought that her lungs were about to burst until they hit an air pocket.
"Brilliant Jack." Cat coughed as she laid on the rock, and took in the surroundings. It wasn't an air pocket after all. An underwater cave with air, of course it was rather humid and smelled like mildew but it was better than being almost eaten by a huge thirty-foot piranha. There was barely enough light to see and Cat figured that an opening to something other than water was close by. On the rock floor there were bones of skeletons ... and that made Cat question her idea of an opening.
"Course." Jack said as he kicked at a skeleton's bones. "Sorry mate."
"Don't you think we should have died by now, Jack?" Cat twisted her skirts, trying to make them lighter to move in. The water was making them heavy. "On an island that is not supposed to exist and actually seeing a thirty foot piranha."
Jack shrugged and leaned up against a rock, the rock slid over and Jack tried to act as if he didn't do anything. "Had ye not insulted the fish, we could'a been friends, though."
"Piranha, Jack. Piranha." Cat said and looked down at the skeleton Jack had kicked earlier. Had it moved?
"Well, so far the stories are true, lass. When ye were ever so kind ter punch me in the nose I wen' off the path and touched the grass. Rocks from the earth spirits. Then ye pushed me into the water an' a sharp-toothed flounder tried ter eat me."
"Pushed you!?" Cat stood up and pointed a finger accusingly at him. "I tried to stop you... you... idiot!"
"I 'ave feelin's ye know. I am not as stupid as ye think I am, had ye not 'ave thrown the rock at the fish we'd probably be 'avin' tea and crumpets with the big fish!" Jack yelled back.
"Argh!" Cat and Jack jumped towards each other in fright as the heard the voice echoing off the sides of the rock.
Jack reached for his cutlass, but realized that he didn't have any of his 'affects' and put his hand on Cat's hip where her sword should have been tied. She slapped his hand and Jack mouthed, 'Ow', while shaking his hand.
"Argh?" Jack puffed out his chest and nodded at Cat like he had the situation under control. "Who really says tha' anymore, eh, mate?"
The skeleton began to move. It pushed itself up into a sitting position and stretched out its arms. Jack and Cat scooted back, not wanting to be touched. The skeleton then rattled around and stood up. It looked right at Cat.
"DeVries?" The skeleton began to move closer to her. As if on key, about ten more skeletons popped out of hiding, cutlasses and daggers held high. The skeleton held up his hand to halt them. "Kitty?"
Jack looked at Cat. "Kitty?" He began to giggle.
Cat ignored Jack. "Who are you?"
"Kitty - it's me! Xin!" The skeleton said as if Cat should have known the entire time.
"Master Xin?" Cat eyed the skeleton and looked it up and down. "You look great!" She lied.
"So do you. And who's this... can it be? Jack Sparrow!" The skeleton gave Jack a welcome slap on the shoulder.
"Captain, if you please. Captain Sparrow." Jack smiled, looking at the rings on his fingers.
"Right. Captain."
"Um, Kitty - " Cat slapped Jack. "Ow!"
"Don't call me Kitty." Cat narrowed her eyes at Jack, but then turned back to smile at the skeletal Xin.
Jack massaged his jaw, but continued. "Thought ye said the Xin-mate was Asian."
"I am. DeVries here is a wonderful articulationist."
Jack looked at the skeleton dumbfounded. "Is tha' really a word, Bone-lad?"
Xin ignored Jack. "Taught me every English word and exactly how to pronounce it, and in return taught her everything I know. Right good match it was." Xin nodded, his bones rattling more. "Too bad I was dragged off to the Isle of Spirits and then eaten by one of those dreadful piranhas. Now for the rest of eternity I am bound by the Spirit contract to guard this passage."
Cat sighed; "I take it that's why all of your friends hopped out when you began to move forward? And I suppose that you must not let any one person by?"
Jack grabbed her arm and whispered into her ear, "You're not goin' ter leave me, are ye?"
"No Jack." Cat whispered back as she pulled her arm away.
"You know me better than that, Kitty." Xin said.
"Could only hope." Cat smiled and shrugged. "But, whatever you must do to keep your honor."
"Yes, but 'tis not fair in the battle for the victims to be without a weapon. So two of my men will not fight and give you their weapons. All in honor, DeVries." Xin smiled and motioned for two of the skeletons to give Jack and Cat their weapons. The two skeletons stiffened and fell to the ground lifeless again.
"Alrigh'!" Jack exclaimed as he reached for the sword. "Let's let 'em 'ave it, eh, Kitty?"
"Must I really put your body through more physical harm? We are about to fight one of the greatest fighters of all time and you are still calling me Kitty... " Cat reached for the other sword. She twirled it around her fingers feeling the weight of it.
"Sorry, luv." Jack smiled, clearly happy that he was going to be able to actually fight something.
"Let the match begin, then." Xin exclaimed as a sword and a dagger appeared in his bony hands.
______
A/N : See! Master Xin! Master Xin! Told you that we'd see him later on - and why I wouldn't change that thing about her learning a move from a samurai. Mwahahahahahahahaha!