Disclaimer: As all disclaimers, I don't own any of the characters in
Pirates of the Caribbean. Though I wish I had a monkey ^_^.
Summary: As Will and Jack fight off Barbossa on the Interceptor, the ship wanders off into the Cursed Mist. The curse: Will, Jack and Barbossa end up switching bodies.Can Elizabeth cope up with Will being in the body of another?!
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I hope you guys are still there ^o^!!! Sorry if this chapter took a while x.x!!!
once again, THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED CHAP13!!! Lord Lancehalot (great to know you're still here ^_^!), Reenee-Chan (Jack'll take advantage of anything and ANYONE O.o), MrsAlexisSparrow (poor Will indeed x.x.let's hope he gets out of this soon ^_~!), Erin (yay! Erin's back ^o^!!! thanks for reviewing ^_~! Hope you like this next chap :D), Vienna (here's your update ^o^!)
Enjoy ^_^!
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The Cursed Mist : Marooned in Another's Body
By Cmdr. Gabe E.
PART 14 : A Deal is A Deal
*This story takes place within the story of the PotC movie.*
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Will took a step towards her. "But I can't marry you, Elena!!! I already have a fiancée!!! Can't you see that?!!!".
"Are pirates always this persistent?!!!" Will thought to himself.
"Oh I can see that, alright." She said. She stepped towards him and looked him in the eye. "But remember, Hector. You made that deal with my father eleven years ago. And by looking at your bonnie lass, I say you just met her a couple of months before now."
Elena ran her hand down his chest. "I don't know about you, but eleven years is too long a time to keep your bride waiting."
Will quickly grabbed Elena's hand away from him. "But I thought you had no interest in me anymore! You said you wanted your fortune back and I'm ready to give it back! Just leave me alone!!!" He said firmly. Will couldn't understand why Elena, after attempting to kill him a while ago, wanted him so badly now. Was it because of HIS personality?
The middle-aged pirate woman clenched her fist as she felt Will's hand on her wrist. "A deal's a deal, Barbossa." The words lisped through her gritted teeth. "And you made that deal under the pirate's code. You know very well that pirates HAVE TO obey the pirate's code. Other than that, you know Elena O' Toole always gets what she WANTS!"
Will was starting to have enough of that woman. He was about to walk off with Elizabeth when he suddenly felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.
"A WEDDING!!!!" Shouted the man behind Will. "WE ALL LOVE WEDDINGS!!!" Added the man.
Will spun around and saw Jack behind him.
"Jack?!!! What now?!!" Will thought angrily.
He couldn't understand what Jack wanted that time.
A huge smile spread on Jack's lips as he placed his other hand on Elena's shoulder. "Of course you will be wed!!! After all, just by looking at you two from the bar, I say you look GREAT together!" He said enthusiastically.
A look of anger formed on Elizabeth's face as she saw Jack acting that way. She also couldn't understand what Jack was up to. Why did he want Will,or rather, Barbossa to marry the pirate-woman Elena?! Has Jack forgotten that Will was in Barbossa's body?!
Elena furrowed her eyebrows as she brushed Jack's hand from her shoulder. "And who may this young man be?"
Will was about to shout that he didn't know who the 'young man' was. But before a word could escape his mouth, Jack interrupted him.
"I'm Barbossa's nephew! My name is erm --- William! Er--- Yes!!! William Barbossa! Nice to meet you, Ms. Elena O' Toole.". Jack bowed down in a sign of courtesy.
Elena tilted an eyebrow as she looked at Jack. She then turned her attention to Will. "Hmm.You didn't tell me you had a niece. I thought the only family you had was Jack Sparrow and your crew!"
Jack suddenly looked up at her and raised a finger as he added --- "That's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, milady! Remember, CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow!"
Elena suddenly got a surprised look on her face as she looked at Jack. "Ha! Looks like your niece has fallen under the charisma of your captain too. Not only that, but unlike you, this young man is quite polite and rather --- handsome." She smiled at Jack. "It is very evident that he didn't get his looks from YOUR side of the family."
Will didn't know how to react. After all, she was complimenting HIS looks. "I --- I guess." He said with a pinch of uncertainty. No one has really referred to him as handsome before, except for Elizabeth of course.
Elena playfully slapped Will on his upper arm. "Hmph! You really have gone soft! I remember that one time someone insulted your beard and you sent him flying out of the window. I'm still finding this hard to believe, but maybe you truly have changed, Barbossa."
Jack placed his hand back on Elena's shoulder and gently tugged her towards his direction. "Oh he has changed, alright!" He said with a joyous tone in his voice. "My uncle realized that being a pirate was wrong. He told me that he wanted to live a good life --- a better life." Jack moved his hand upwards in a rainbow-like motion, as if seeing a vision.
"And that's why I've accompanied him, my good lady. After my uncle left the Black Pearl, I was the only one he had left. So I decided to guide him to the path of righteousness." He said with a big smile on his face.
"Jack?!!! What in the world do you think you're doing?!!!" Thought Will. He didn't know if Jack was already drunk, or if he had another one of his devious plans.
Elena narrowed her eyes as she suspiciously looked at the young man before her. "And what exactly is my role in all of this?"
Jack's face lit up as he raised a finger in the air. "Ah!!! You're role!!! Well, you see --- that's why we've come back here to Tortuga!!!"
He made his way behind Elena and then pushed her towards Will. "He wants to MARRY YOU, Ms. O' Toole!!!" Jack said happily.
Will felt Elena's body against him from the force of Jack's push. He suddenly got a surprised look on his face as he heard what Jack just said. "Marry her?!!!" He shouted angrily.
"Why yes!" Said Jack proudly.
Elena looked up at Will with a smile on her face. Her eyes looked like that of a star-crossed lover's. "So I presume you were just playing hard to get a while ago, eh, Barbossa? Ha! Some things never change, do they?"
"But --- but ---". Will was now caught between a rock and a very hard place. He didn't like where Jack had gotten him into this time. He didn't like it one bit.
Even Elizabeth herself was surprised with what Jack had just done. She looked at Will with furrowed eyebrows as if asking the question "Why?" or "What's going on?". Both of them had no clue of Jack's plan. That is, if he even had one.
Will just stood there helpless.
Jack threw his hands up in the air as he walked towards Elena and Will. "Then a wedding is set!!! Aaaaah!!! And such a beautiful wedding it shall be!!! Filled with rum, rum and MORE RUM!!!" he shouted happily.
He gently placed his hands on Elena's upper arms and slowly pulled him away from Will. "But before the wedding ---" he said softly. "Uncle Barbossa will have to meet with YOUR FATHER first."
At the mention of her father, Elena's face suddenly became void of emotions as she moved away from Jack's grasp. "My father ---" She muttered. She looked at Jack and Will sternly.
She took a step back, away from the two. "I don't know if you've already heard the news, but ever since he want after you and came back, I've never let anyone see him. In fact, people around here are still wondering if he's alive. Ha! Some of them even think I've killed the old loon and stolen his fortune! A pirate's killed by his own pirate daughter. Tempting, but it's just not my style.."
Jack's eyes narrowed and a hint of smile curled up the corner of his lip. "And --- why don't you want anyone to see him. My good madam?" He asked curiously.
"THAT --- is a matter I prefer not to discuss, my good man." She said sarcastically. "But since Barbossa here will marry me, perhaps I can arrange a meeting between him and my father. But only HIM alone."
She looked at Will and Jack one last time, and turned around to leave their table. She sneered at Elizabeth as she walked pass by her. The word "whore" escaped her gritted teeth as she shot an angry look at the young Elizabeth Swann.
Oh how Elizabeth wanted to strangle her neck. Every part of her was telling her to lunge at the woman and show her that she wasn't just a pretty, little, fragile object. But she knew better. She was somehow starting to realize what Jack's plan was. Something about that woman's FATHER. Elizabeth just clenched her fists tight as she saw the Elena exit the bar.
As soon as Elena was out of sight, Will suddenly grabbed Jack by the collar and pinned him against the wall hard. "WHAT IN THE WORLD DID YOU JUST DO?!!! YOU JUST HAD ME ENGAGED TO ONE OF THE WORST WOMEN I'VE EVER SEEN!!! AND I PIRATE WOMAN AT THAT!!!" He shouted at Jack's face.
Jack just lifted his eyebrows and sent a quick kick to Will's shin, causing Will to pull away from him for a while. Jack quickly took the opportunity to grab Will and pinned him against the wall in his place. "You really have no idea what I've just done for you, eh, boy?!"
Will just looked back at him angrily. His lips didn't even move.
Jack pushed him harder against the wall, causing Will to flinch. "For your information, I just set up an appointment between YOU and our only KNOWN KEY to breaking this damned mist curse!!! So if I were you, I'd just play along until we solve this little curse we've gotten ourselves into, aye?"
"Her father.". A woman's voice suddenly interrupted the two men. It was Elizabeth. "It's her father --- He's the key to breaking the curse, isn't he?" Her voice sounded unsure, but there was a hint of certainty there.
Jack quickly released Will from the wall and moved an arm towards Elizabeth. "At least she knows what's going on!!! Now that's a bright lass!"
Elizabeth suddenly landed a swift, hard slap on Jack's cheek, causing Jack to twirl around in a ninety degree arch. "I really hate it when she does that." He muttered under his breath. The pain on his cheek lingered on like a bee sting.
"Key or not, YOU STILL GOT WILL ENGAGED TO THAT WOMAN!!!" Shouted Elizabeth angrily. She looked at the pirate captain in front of her. His cheek was definitely red. Looks like she slapped him a little bit too hard that time.
Jack quickly placed a hand on his throbbing cheek as he faced Elizabeth. "Well I'm sorry for trying to find a way to break the curse, missy! If I hadn't used my pirate charms, I wouldn't have found out that her father had been cursed with the mist eleven years ago!!! Well, that's what those fools by the bar said anyway."
Will gently leaned the back of his head against the wall behind him. "I'm doomed." He sighed. "I'm in the body of the vilest pirate in the Caribbean, and now I'm going to marry the vilest woman in the Caribbean."
Jack patted Will on the shoulder as if to comfort him. "Ahhh.Don't worry, young William. Once the curse is broken, we'll all have our old bodies back and Barbossa will be the one left to deal with Elena. Sounds good, eh?"
Will rolled his eyes and lazily tilted his head to the side. "But what if the curse doesn't get broken?" He muttered. He suddenly held his head high and looked at Jack. "What then?!!!!"
The pirate placed a finger on his lower lip and sank deep into thought. "Hmmmm." His face suddenly lit up as if a great idea had entered his mind.
He raised a finger in the air and happily turned towards Will "Then you could change your name and sail all the way to Asia! She won't find you there!!! I tell you! It's the perfect place to hide from an enraged bride! Then you can live the rest of your life under the name Ika-bubu!"
Will wanted to scream with rage. If it wasn't for his timid personality, he would have acted against Jack in a way that Jack Sparrow would be the one sailing to Asia to protect himself from an enraged, angry William Turner Jr..
"THAT'S IT, JACK!!! I'm heading back to the Interceptor!!! I've had enough of your little fun and games for now." With an irritated look on his face, Will walked pass Jack and gently grabbed Elizabeth by the hand. "Come on, Elizabeth. It's getting late after all.". Will pulled Elizabeth after him as they made their way to the exit of the Cove.
Jack placed his hands on his waist and sighed as he watched Will and Elizabeth leaving without him.
"Damn kids. They don't know what's good for them." He thought to himself.
He suddenly realized that they were truly going to leave without him. "HEY YOU TWO!!! Come back here!!! I'm going to lock you up in the brig if you don't stop in your tracks!!!" He shouted. He waved his hands in the air as he made his way through the crowded pub.
"I'm really sorry for all of this, Elizabeth." Said Will as he placed a hand on the Cove's door. They were about to leave.
Elizabeth chuckled as she tightened her grip on Will's hand. "Don't worry, Will. I'm starting to get used to this way of life. A pirate's life for me, eh?" She smiled at him.
Despite the fact that they've been through so much for that one day, Elizabeth's spirit still didn't falter. In fact, she had grown stronger with every passing challenge. Her eyes still remained alive, happy and enthusiastic, as if asking for more. Sometimes Will wondered how a governor's daughter could have had such a free spirit.
Will's eyes were filled with joy as he smiled back at her. He pushed open the door of the Cove to escort Elizabeth out of that godforsaken place. But as soon as he stepped out onto the empty street, his eyes suddenly opened wide with surprise as he saw half of his body turn into nothing but rotting flesh and bones.
He stood there for a couple of seconds and then suddenly stepped back into the door. "Moonlight!" He said as his voice shook. Will still wasn't used to seeing himself as a rotting skeleton.
"It looks like the clouds are absent in the sky tonight." Elizabeth whispered as she looked into Will's eyes. She wanted to comfort him. She hated seeing him in pain. It was painful enough for him that he was in another man's body, but to see oneself turn into a rotting being was worse. It's like seeing yourself die right in front of your eyes.
Jack tilted an eyebrow as he stood before the two young ones. A sly smile formed on his lips and he proudly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Looks like little Will is afraid of some harmless moonlight. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, boy!" Jack said in a mocking tone. He shook a finger at Will.
The young man just glared at him as he stood alongside Elizabeth.
"Oh come on, boy!!! Lighten up!!!" Jack shouted.
But Will still remained unmoving. It was late and he was tired. The first thing he wanted to do after such a hard day was to head back to the Interceptor and relax with Elizabeth by his side. But with the moon shining brightly on the entirety of Tortuga, even that seemed impossible.
After all, they didn't want to attract attention and cause trouble. And seeing an undead pirate walking around in the streets would definitely cause a commotion.
"Look," Jack said as he lightened up the tone of his voice. "If you want, we could stay here at the Cove for tonight. I overheard the barkeep talking about a free room. So if you don't want to go walking around like some rotting flesh, I say we stay here, and enjoy the company, eh?"
Will sighed. He had no choice. Jack was right after all. Staying at the Cove would also give them more time to research about the Cursed Mist.
"Fine fine fine." Will said as his shoulders drooped down. "We'll stay here for the night."
"One problem though." Jack quickly said. "You see --- their rooms only have ONE bed."
"What?!!" Shouted Will and Elizabeth with surprised looks on their faces.
Jack quickly waved his arms in front of him. "Don't blame me! After all, MEN come here to SLEEP with the Cove's WOMEN! And their rooms are primarily used for such purposes! Now you don't expect the man and his woman to sleep in separate beds, aye?!"
He slowly made his way beside Elizabeth and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, luv. I know Will would gladly volunteer to sleep on the floor so we can have the bed all to ourselves."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and swiftly hit Jack with her elbow. "Get off, Jack!" She said with an irritated tone in her voice.
Jack staggered a few steps back, clutching his stomach. "That's CAPTAIN Jack to you, luv!". He grabbed one of the rum bottles on the table closest to him and drank from it.
"Looks more like drunken Jack to me." Will moved closer to Elizabeth and gently held her hand. "We better head off to that available room before he causes us more trouble."
"I agree." Elizabeth said with a chuckle. "Is it just me or does it seem that we are the ones baby sitting Jack instead of Jack babysitting us?"
Will smiled. "Now I'm starting to have an idea about what my father went through when he was in Jack's company."
Both of them smiled as they looked into each other's eyes. At least the mood was starting to lighten up and Will definitely seemed better.
Will looked at Jack's direction and saw the middle-aged pirate finishing his second bottle of rum.
"Let him have his fun, Will." Said Elizabeth as she tugged on Will's hand. "Let's just go and occupy that room before someone beats us to it. We'll worry about Jack later."
"But my body---" Will thought. He wasn't going to let Jack run around in HIS body unsupervised.
He felt Elizabeth pull on his hand again and he had no choice but to agree with her.
"Okay. We'll secure the room, and go back for Jack." He said to Elizabeth as they made their way through the crowds in the pub.
Will approached the barkeep who was busy wiping the mugs with a dirty piece of cloth. At times like that, he was thankful he didn't go to such places to drink. In fact, he really didn't drink rum and alcohol at all.
"Excuse me, sir." Will said as he leaned against the bar.
The barkeep suddenly had a grumpy look on his face. He looked angry for being disturbed. He threw away the dirty cloth and looked up at the man who just interrupted his mug-cleaning.
"Now WHADDYA WANT?!!!" He asked angrily. His eyes suddenly opened wide with shock and his lips grew pale as he saw the men before him. The angry look he had on his face was quickly replaced with a look of fear and terror.
"C---C-Captain Barbossa. I - I didn't know it was you, sir. Um --- um yes, what can I do for you? The Cove is all yours to enjoy, my dear Captain."
Even Will was surprised with how the barkeep suddenly switched moods. Was Barbossa really that feared in the Caribbean?
Will softened the tone in his voice. He didn't want to scare the barkeep away. "Er --- about that available room, we ---"
Even before he could finish his sentence, the barkeep interrupted him. "Yes! Room! Any room, my dear Captain! That free room! Yes! It's free for you and your woman! Available for you for as long as you want!". The shaking man motioned his hand towards the stairs that lead to the second floor of the Cove.
Will could hear the fear in the barkeep's voice. The man was definitely shaking. The barkeep was smiling at him, but he knew that that smile was brought about by the sight of his current body.
Will wanted to calm him down, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. For as long as he was in Barbossa's body, anyone who knew him would just end up acting like rabbits in front of a wolf.
"Well, um, thank you, my good man," Will said with a hint of uncertainty. He wasn't really used to being respected out of fear. In fact, before he got into Barbossa's body, no one really gave him that much importance.
The young man took out two shillings from his pocket and placed it on the bar before him. "Here's two shillings for the room." Will smiled and slid the coins towards the barkeep.
The barkeep just stood there twiddling his thumbs together as he looked at the two shillings. It's as if he was scared to take them. "Are you sure, dear captain? You --- you really don't have to pay fer anything, ye know.". Said the barkeep. Fear was still plastered all over his face and his body.
Will smiled at the barkeep and slid the two coins closer to the fearful man. "I insist, my friend.".
He then looked around and noticed some of the men looking at Elizabeth. Some of them were even smiling and winking at her. Will still couldn't comprehend how some men treated women with such disrespect.
Even if his mentor, Mr. Brown, lacked the etiquette to be considered a real gentleman, he himself had grown to learn that women should be loved and respected. And since they were going to stay in that place for the night he knew he had to do something to ensure the protection of his beloved.
Will leaned closer to the barkeep. "Well, you could help me out, my good man. It's about my lady friend. I believe it is very evident that some of the men here in the Cove desire her. But she is under my care and I would want to ensure her safe---"
But before Will could finish his sentence, the barkeep suddenly turned towards the crowd in the pub and shouted with the loudest voice he could muster. "LISTEN, YE SWAGS!!!!" He bellowed. "Our dear Captain Barbossa has come to stay in our humble Cove! And he has requested THAT YE LAY YER HANDS OFF HIS WHORE!!! THIS WOMAN HERE IS HIS OWN, PERSONAL WHORE!!!! NOT YOURS OR ANYONE ELSE'S, AYE?"
Will and Elizabeth's eyes suddenly opened wide with shock.
"WHORE?!!!" They both thought.
The men in the bar looked at the form of Captain Barbossa standing beside Elizabeth and they all nodded their heads in agreement. Just like the barkeep, Barbossa's form forced the men to agree out of fear.
Will suddenly grabbed the barkeep by the collar and pulled him close. "What are you saying?!!!" Whispered Will angrily. "She's not my whore!"
The barkeep's eyes opened wide with fear as he saw Will's angry eyes looking into his own. "Um --- um, but--- I was just obeying your orders, captain."
Will sighed and gently pushed the barkeep away. He really couldn't blame the fool. After all, he was in the Mermaid's Cove. And men in the Cove only thought of one thing when they see a woman. That is why he wanted to protect his Elizabeth. In fact, he shouldn't have brought here there in the first place.
"You're a fool for bringing a governor's daughter here, Will." He thought to himself. He's just glad that Elizabeth was as strong-willed as she was.
Will suddenly felt the young woman pull on his hand. "Come on, Will! Just leave them alone with their malicious thoughts. We know who we are. We don't need to get affected by what they think." Elizabeth said with a firm tone in her voice. She held her head high as she pulled Will after her up the stairs.
Will glanced at the men in the pub one last time and glared at them.
He held Elizabeth's hand firmly as they made their way up the stairs. He sighed with relief as they reached the second floor of the Cove. They were finally out of the view of strangers. No more curious eyes looking at them. No more sailors cowering in fear at the sight of Barbossa. And no more men gawking at his Elizabeth.
++++++ TO BE CONTINUED!!! ++++++
Summary: As Will and Jack fight off Barbossa on the Interceptor, the ship wanders off into the Cursed Mist. The curse: Will, Jack and Barbossa end up switching bodies.Can Elizabeth cope up with Will being in the body of another?!
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I hope you guys are still there ^o^!!! Sorry if this chapter took a while x.x!!!
once again, THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED CHAP13!!! Lord Lancehalot (great to know you're still here ^_^!), Reenee-Chan (Jack'll take advantage of anything and ANYONE O.o), MrsAlexisSparrow (poor Will indeed x.x.let's hope he gets out of this soon ^_~!), Erin (yay! Erin's back ^o^!!! thanks for reviewing ^_~! Hope you like this next chap :D), Vienna (here's your update ^o^!)
Enjoy ^_^!
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The Cursed Mist : Marooned in Another's Body
By Cmdr. Gabe E.
PART 14 : A Deal is A Deal
*This story takes place within the story of the PotC movie.*
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Will took a step towards her. "But I can't marry you, Elena!!! I already have a fiancée!!! Can't you see that?!!!".
"Are pirates always this persistent?!!!" Will thought to himself.
"Oh I can see that, alright." She said. She stepped towards him and looked him in the eye. "But remember, Hector. You made that deal with my father eleven years ago. And by looking at your bonnie lass, I say you just met her a couple of months before now."
Elena ran her hand down his chest. "I don't know about you, but eleven years is too long a time to keep your bride waiting."
Will quickly grabbed Elena's hand away from him. "But I thought you had no interest in me anymore! You said you wanted your fortune back and I'm ready to give it back! Just leave me alone!!!" He said firmly. Will couldn't understand why Elena, after attempting to kill him a while ago, wanted him so badly now. Was it because of HIS personality?
The middle-aged pirate woman clenched her fist as she felt Will's hand on her wrist. "A deal's a deal, Barbossa." The words lisped through her gritted teeth. "And you made that deal under the pirate's code. You know very well that pirates HAVE TO obey the pirate's code. Other than that, you know Elena O' Toole always gets what she WANTS!"
Will was starting to have enough of that woman. He was about to walk off with Elizabeth when he suddenly felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.
"A WEDDING!!!!" Shouted the man behind Will. "WE ALL LOVE WEDDINGS!!!" Added the man.
Will spun around and saw Jack behind him.
"Jack?!!! What now?!!" Will thought angrily.
He couldn't understand what Jack wanted that time.
A huge smile spread on Jack's lips as he placed his other hand on Elena's shoulder. "Of course you will be wed!!! After all, just by looking at you two from the bar, I say you look GREAT together!" He said enthusiastically.
A look of anger formed on Elizabeth's face as she saw Jack acting that way. She also couldn't understand what Jack was up to. Why did he want Will,or rather, Barbossa to marry the pirate-woman Elena?! Has Jack forgotten that Will was in Barbossa's body?!
Elena furrowed her eyebrows as she brushed Jack's hand from her shoulder. "And who may this young man be?"
Will was about to shout that he didn't know who the 'young man' was. But before a word could escape his mouth, Jack interrupted him.
"I'm Barbossa's nephew! My name is erm --- William! Er--- Yes!!! William Barbossa! Nice to meet you, Ms. Elena O' Toole.". Jack bowed down in a sign of courtesy.
Elena tilted an eyebrow as she looked at Jack. She then turned her attention to Will. "Hmm.You didn't tell me you had a niece. I thought the only family you had was Jack Sparrow and your crew!"
Jack suddenly looked up at her and raised a finger as he added --- "That's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, milady! Remember, CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow!"
Elena suddenly got a surprised look on her face as she looked at Jack. "Ha! Looks like your niece has fallen under the charisma of your captain too. Not only that, but unlike you, this young man is quite polite and rather --- handsome." She smiled at Jack. "It is very evident that he didn't get his looks from YOUR side of the family."
Will didn't know how to react. After all, she was complimenting HIS looks. "I --- I guess." He said with a pinch of uncertainty. No one has really referred to him as handsome before, except for Elizabeth of course.
Elena playfully slapped Will on his upper arm. "Hmph! You really have gone soft! I remember that one time someone insulted your beard and you sent him flying out of the window. I'm still finding this hard to believe, but maybe you truly have changed, Barbossa."
Jack placed his hand back on Elena's shoulder and gently tugged her towards his direction. "Oh he has changed, alright!" He said with a joyous tone in his voice. "My uncle realized that being a pirate was wrong. He told me that he wanted to live a good life --- a better life." Jack moved his hand upwards in a rainbow-like motion, as if seeing a vision.
"And that's why I've accompanied him, my good lady. After my uncle left the Black Pearl, I was the only one he had left. So I decided to guide him to the path of righteousness." He said with a big smile on his face.
"Jack?!!! What in the world do you think you're doing?!!!" Thought Will. He didn't know if Jack was already drunk, or if he had another one of his devious plans.
Elena narrowed her eyes as she suspiciously looked at the young man before her. "And what exactly is my role in all of this?"
Jack's face lit up as he raised a finger in the air. "Ah!!! You're role!!! Well, you see --- that's why we've come back here to Tortuga!!!"
He made his way behind Elena and then pushed her towards Will. "He wants to MARRY YOU, Ms. O' Toole!!!" Jack said happily.
Will felt Elena's body against him from the force of Jack's push. He suddenly got a surprised look on his face as he heard what Jack just said. "Marry her?!!!" He shouted angrily.
"Why yes!" Said Jack proudly.
Elena looked up at Will with a smile on her face. Her eyes looked like that of a star-crossed lover's. "So I presume you were just playing hard to get a while ago, eh, Barbossa? Ha! Some things never change, do they?"
"But --- but ---". Will was now caught between a rock and a very hard place. He didn't like where Jack had gotten him into this time. He didn't like it one bit.
Even Elizabeth herself was surprised with what Jack had just done. She looked at Will with furrowed eyebrows as if asking the question "Why?" or "What's going on?". Both of them had no clue of Jack's plan. That is, if he even had one.
Will just stood there helpless.
Jack threw his hands up in the air as he walked towards Elena and Will. "Then a wedding is set!!! Aaaaah!!! And such a beautiful wedding it shall be!!! Filled with rum, rum and MORE RUM!!!" he shouted happily.
He gently placed his hands on Elena's upper arms and slowly pulled him away from Will. "But before the wedding ---" he said softly. "Uncle Barbossa will have to meet with YOUR FATHER first."
At the mention of her father, Elena's face suddenly became void of emotions as she moved away from Jack's grasp. "My father ---" She muttered. She looked at Jack and Will sternly.
She took a step back, away from the two. "I don't know if you've already heard the news, but ever since he want after you and came back, I've never let anyone see him. In fact, people around here are still wondering if he's alive. Ha! Some of them even think I've killed the old loon and stolen his fortune! A pirate's killed by his own pirate daughter. Tempting, but it's just not my style.."
Jack's eyes narrowed and a hint of smile curled up the corner of his lip. "And --- why don't you want anyone to see him. My good madam?" He asked curiously.
"THAT --- is a matter I prefer not to discuss, my good man." She said sarcastically. "But since Barbossa here will marry me, perhaps I can arrange a meeting between him and my father. But only HIM alone."
She looked at Will and Jack one last time, and turned around to leave their table. She sneered at Elizabeth as she walked pass by her. The word "whore" escaped her gritted teeth as she shot an angry look at the young Elizabeth Swann.
Oh how Elizabeth wanted to strangle her neck. Every part of her was telling her to lunge at the woman and show her that she wasn't just a pretty, little, fragile object. But she knew better. She was somehow starting to realize what Jack's plan was. Something about that woman's FATHER. Elizabeth just clenched her fists tight as she saw the Elena exit the bar.
As soon as Elena was out of sight, Will suddenly grabbed Jack by the collar and pinned him against the wall hard. "WHAT IN THE WORLD DID YOU JUST DO?!!! YOU JUST HAD ME ENGAGED TO ONE OF THE WORST WOMEN I'VE EVER SEEN!!! AND I PIRATE WOMAN AT THAT!!!" He shouted at Jack's face.
Jack just lifted his eyebrows and sent a quick kick to Will's shin, causing Will to pull away from him for a while. Jack quickly took the opportunity to grab Will and pinned him against the wall in his place. "You really have no idea what I've just done for you, eh, boy?!"
Will just looked back at him angrily. His lips didn't even move.
Jack pushed him harder against the wall, causing Will to flinch. "For your information, I just set up an appointment between YOU and our only KNOWN KEY to breaking this damned mist curse!!! So if I were you, I'd just play along until we solve this little curse we've gotten ourselves into, aye?"
"Her father.". A woman's voice suddenly interrupted the two men. It was Elizabeth. "It's her father --- He's the key to breaking the curse, isn't he?" Her voice sounded unsure, but there was a hint of certainty there.
Jack quickly released Will from the wall and moved an arm towards Elizabeth. "At least she knows what's going on!!! Now that's a bright lass!"
Elizabeth suddenly landed a swift, hard slap on Jack's cheek, causing Jack to twirl around in a ninety degree arch. "I really hate it when she does that." He muttered under his breath. The pain on his cheek lingered on like a bee sting.
"Key or not, YOU STILL GOT WILL ENGAGED TO THAT WOMAN!!!" Shouted Elizabeth angrily. She looked at the pirate captain in front of her. His cheek was definitely red. Looks like she slapped him a little bit too hard that time.
Jack quickly placed a hand on his throbbing cheek as he faced Elizabeth. "Well I'm sorry for trying to find a way to break the curse, missy! If I hadn't used my pirate charms, I wouldn't have found out that her father had been cursed with the mist eleven years ago!!! Well, that's what those fools by the bar said anyway."
Will gently leaned the back of his head against the wall behind him. "I'm doomed." He sighed. "I'm in the body of the vilest pirate in the Caribbean, and now I'm going to marry the vilest woman in the Caribbean."
Jack patted Will on the shoulder as if to comfort him. "Ahhh.Don't worry, young William. Once the curse is broken, we'll all have our old bodies back and Barbossa will be the one left to deal with Elena. Sounds good, eh?"
Will rolled his eyes and lazily tilted his head to the side. "But what if the curse doesn't get broken?" He muttered. He suddenly held his head high and looked at Jack. "What then?!!!!"
The pirate placed a finger on his lower lip and sank deep into thought. "Hmmmm." His face suddenly lit up as if a great idea had entered his mind.
He raised a finger in the air and happily turned towards Will "Then you could change your name and sail all the way to Asia! She won't find you there!!! I tell you! It's the perfect place to hide from an enraged bride! Then you can live the rest of your life under the name Ika-bubu!"
Will wanted to scream with rage. If it wasn't for his timid personality, he would have acted against Jack in a way that Jack Sparrow would be the one sailing to Asia to protect himself from an enraged, angry William Turner Jr..
"THAT'S IT, JACK!!! I'm heading back to the Interceptor!!! I've had enough of your little fun and games for now." With an irritated look on his face, Will walked pass Jack and gently grabbed Elizabeth by the hand. "Come on, Elizabeth. It's getting late after all.". Will pulled Elizabeth after him as they made their way to the exit of the Cove.
Jack placed his hands on his waist and sighed as he watched Will and Elizabeth leaving without him.
"Damn kids. They don't know what's good for them." He thought to himself.
He suddenly realized that they were truly going to leave without him. "HEY YOU TWO!!! Come back here!!! I'm going to lock you up in the brig if you don't stop in your tracks!!!" He shouted. He waved his hands in the air as he made his way through the crowded pub.
"I'm really sorry for all of this, Elizabeth." Said Will as he placed a hand on the Cove's door. They were about to leave.
Elizabeth chuckled as she tightened her grip on Will's hand. "Don't worry, Will. I'm starting to get used to this way of life. A pirate's life for me, eh?" She smiled at him.
Despite the fact that they've been through so much for that one day, Elizabeth's spirit still didn't falter. In fact, she had grown stronger with every passing challenge. Her eyes still remained alive, happy and enthusiastic, as if asking for more. Sometimes Will wondered how a governor's daughter could have had such a free spirit.
Will's eyes were filled with joy as he smiled back at her. He pushed open the door of the Cove to escort Elizabeth out of that godforsaken place. But as soon as he stepped out onto the empty street, his eyes suddenly opened wide with surprise as he saw half of his body turn into nothing but rotting flesh and bones.
He stood there for a couple of seconds and then suddenly stepped back into the door. "Moonlight!" He said as his voice shook. Will still wasn't used to seeing himself as a rotting skeleton.
"It looks like the clouds are absent in the sky tonight." Elizabeth whispered as she looked into Will's eyes. She wanted to comfort him. She hated seeing him in pain. It was painful enough for him that he was in another man's body, but to see oneself turn into a rotting being was worse. It's like seeing yourself die right in front of your eyes.
Jack tilted an eyebrow as he stood before the two young ones. A sly smile formed on his lips and he proudly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Looks like little Will is afraid of some harmless moonlight. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, boy!" Jack said in a mocking tone. He shook a finger at Will.
The young man just glared at him as he stood alongside Elizabeth.
"Oh come on, boy!!! Lighten up!!!" Jack shouted.
But Will still remained unmoving. It was late and he was tired. The first thing he wanted to do after such a hard day was to head back to the Interceptor and relax with Elizabeth by his side. But with the moon shining brightly on the entirety of Tortuga, even that seemed impossible.
After all, they didn't want to attract attention and cause trouble. And seeing an undead pirate walking around in the streets would definitely cause a commotion.
"Look," Jack said as he lightened up the tone of his voice. "If you want, we could stay here at the Cove for tonight. I overheard the barkeep talking about a free room. So if you don't want to go walking around like some rotting flesh, I say we stay here, and enjoy the company, eh?"
Will sighed. He had no choice. Jack was right after all. Staying at the Cove would also give them more time to research about the Cursed Mist.
"Fine fine fine." Will said as his shoulders drooped down. "We'll stay here for the night."
"One problem though." Jack quickly said. "You see --- their rooms only have ONE bed."
"What?!!" Shouted Will and Elizabeth with surprised looks on their faces.
Jack quickly waved his arms in front of him. "Don't blame me! After all, MEN come here to SLEEP with the Cove's WOMEN! And their rooms are primarily used for such purposes! Now you don't expect the man and his woman to sleep in separate beds, aye?!"
He slowly made his way beside Elizabeth and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, luv. I know Will would gladly volunteer to sleep on the floor so we can have the bed all to ourselves."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and swiftly hit Jack with her elbow. "Get off, Jack!" She said with an irritated tone in her voice.
Jack staggered a few steps back, clutching his stomach. "That's CAPTAIN Jack to you, luv!". He grabbed one of the rum bottles on the table closest to him and drank from it.
"Looks more like drunken Jack to me." Will moved closer to Elizabeth and gently held her hand. "We better head off to that available room before he causes us more trouble."
"I agree." Elizabeth said with a chuckle. "Is it just me or does it seem that we are the ones baby sitting Jack instead of Jack babysitting us?"
Will smiled. "Now I'm starting to have an idea about what my father went through when he was in Jack's company."
Both of them smiled as they looked into each other's eyes. At least the mood was starting to lighten up and Will definitely seemed better.
Will looked at Jack's direction and saw the middle-aged pirate finishing his second bottle of rum.
"Let him have his fun, Will." Said Elizabeth as she tugged on Will's hand. "Let's just go and occupy that room before someone beats us to it. We'll worry about Jack later."
"But my body---" Will thought. He wasn't going to let Jack run around in HIS body unsupervised.
He felt Elizabeth pull on his hand again and he had no choice but to agree with her.
"Okay. We'll secure the room, and go back for Jack." He said to Elizabeth as they made their way through the crowds in the pub.
Will approached the barkeep who was busy wiping the mugs with a dirty piece of cloth. At times like that, he was thankful he didn't go to such places to drink. In fact, he really didn't drink rum and alcohol at all.
"Excuse me, sir." Will said as he leaned against the bar.
The barkeep suddenly had a grumpy look on his face. He looked angry for being disturbed. He threw away the dirty cloth and looked up at the man who just interrupted his mug-cleaning.
"Now WHADDYA WANT?!!!" He asked angrily. His eyes suddenly opened wide with shock and his lips grew pale as he saw the men before him. The angry look he had on his face was quickly replaced with a look of fear and terror.
"C---C-Captain Barbossa. I - I didn't know it was you, sir. Um --- um yes, what can I do for you? The Cove is all yours to enjoy, my dear Captain."
Even Will was surprised with how the barkeep suddenly switched moods. Was Barbossa really that feared in the Caribbean?
Will softened the tone in his voice. He didn't want to scare the barkeep away. "Er --- about that available room, we ---"
Even before he could finish his sentence, the barkeep interrupted him. "Yes! Room! Any room, my dear Captain! That free room! Yes! It's free for you and your woman! Available for you for as long as you want!". The shaking man motioned his hand towards the stairs that lead to the second floor of the Cove.
Will could hear the fear in the barkeep's voice. The man was definitely shaking. The barkeep was smiling at him, but he knew that that smile was brought about by the sight of his current body.
Will wanted to calm him down, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. For as long as he was in Barbossa's body, anyone who knew him would just end up acting like rabbits in front of a wolf.
"Well, um, thank you, my good man," Will said with a hint of uncertainty. He wasn't really used to being respected out of fear. In fact, before he got into Barbossa's body, no one really gave him that much importance.
The young man took out two shillings from his pocket and placed it on the bar before him. "Here's two shillings for the room." Will smiled and slid the coins towards the barkeep.
The barkeep just stood there twiddling his thumbs together as he looked at the two shillings. It's as if he was scared to take them. "Are you sure, dear captain? You --- you really don't have to pay fer anything, ye know.". Said the barkeep. Fear was still plastered all over his face and his body.
Will smiled at the barkeep and slid the two coins closer to the fearful man. "I insist, my friend.".
He then looked around and noticed some of the men looking at Elizabeth. Some of them were even smiling and winking at her. Will still couldn't comprehend how some men treated women with such disrespect.
Even if his mentor, Mr. Brown, lacked the etiquette to be considered a real gentleman, he himself had grown to learn that women should be loved and respected. And since they were going to stay in that place for the night he knew he had to do something to ensure the protection of his beloved.
Will leaned closer to the barkeep. "Well, you could help me out, my good man. It's about my lady friend. I believe it is very evident that some of the men here in the Cove desire her. But she is under my care and I would want to ensure her safe---"
But before Will could finish his sentence, the barkeep suddenly turned towards the crowd in the pub and shouted with the loudest voice he could muster. "LISTEN, YE SWAGS!!!!" He bellowed. "Our dear Captain Barbossa has come to stay in our humble Cove! And he has requested THAT YE LAY YER HANDS OFF HIS WHORE!!! THIS WOMAN HERE IS HIS OWN, PERSONAL WHORE!!!! NOT YOURS OR ANYONE ELSE'S, AYE?"
Will and Elizabeth's eyes suddenly opened wide with shock.
"WHORE?!!!" They both thought.
The men in the bar looked at the form of Captain Barbossa standing beside Elizabeth and they all nodded their heads in agreement. Just like the barkeep, Barbossa's form forced the men to agree out of fear.
Will suddenly grabbed the barkeep by the collar and pulled him close. "What are you saying?!!!" Whispered Will angrily. "She's not my whore!"
The barkeep's eyes opened wide with fear as he saw Will's angry eyes looking into his own. "Um --- um, but--- I was just obeying your orders, captain."
Will sighed and gently pushed the barkeep away. He really couldn't blame the fool. After all, he was in the Mermaid's Cove. And men in the Cove only thought of one thing when they see a woman. That is why he wanted to protect his Elizabeth. In fact, he shouldn't have brought here there in the first place.
"You're a fool for bringing a governor's daughter here, Will." He thought to himself. He's just glad that Elizabeth was as strong-willed as she was.
Will suddenly felt the young woman pull on his hand. "Come on, Will! Just leave them alone with their malicious thoughts. We know who we are. We don't need to get affected by what they think." Elizabeth said with a firm tone in her voice. She held her head high as she pulled Will after her up the stairs.
Will glanced at the men in the pub one last time and glared at them.
He held Elizabeth's hand firmly as they made their way up the stairs. He sighed with relief as they reached the second floor of the Cove. They were finally out of the view of strangers. No more curious eyes looking at them. No more sailors cowering in fear at the sight of Barbossa. And no more men gawking at his Elizabeth.
++++++ TO BE CONTINUED!!! ++++++