Disclaimer:

Py: Sess is back!!!! ^__^ *throws confetti in air and dances wildly*

Sess: *walks into room* Wha-

Py: *glomps Sess* you're back!!!!!

Sess: I've been back for over a week and you're just now realizing this?

Py: Shut up. I'm sick an' drugged up on Nyquil again an' can say anything I want. Like. I own Pirates of the Caribbean!

Sess: Reality check: if you owned PotC you wouldn't be writing this.

Py:*pouts for a moment before light bulb pops up above head* Hey Sess. Will you buy the rights to PotC for me?

Sess: No. -.-

Py: Pretty please? I know you can. *gives him puppy dog eyes*

Sess: Hey- I invented that look, and NO.

Py: Please? *eyes begin to water*

Sess: *flinches* Maybe.

Py: Yay! Sess is gonna buy Pirates for me! ^_______^

Sess: *mutters* Yeah, when hell freezes over.

Py: *evil smirk* anybody wanna go ice skating?

Slightly Hazy

Chapter 9: Flying chairs and fluffy crabs

Oh. That.

Of all the random comments he chose to remember that'd have to be the one. Maybe you were the unlucky one. you had to have the most malicious karma in the Caribbean.

"Luv?" Jack questions, breaking your thoughts as his kohl lined eyes focus on you intently.

"Umm.well, it's really quite simple; I didn't come to the Caribbean until two years ago." You say, leaving out the fact that technically you weren't alive before two years ago, hoping that your extremely vague answer will suffice.

"I realize that." Jack says slowly as he studies your face. "But here's the thing; I can't seem to place that accent of yours. I was wondering where you're from."

" What accent?" You question hastily. As far as you'd been told, ever since you were little, you'd mimicked the accents around you.

"Well, it's not that apparent," Jack says slowly. "But you roll your r's like a Spaniard while you speak English in a way I can't place."

"Well, my parents were both of mixed nationalities." You lie smoothly. "An' now that you've questioned my past, I have a question for you. That scar, on your left arm, how did you get it?"

Jack glances down at his left arm, where a thin white scar is visible, and rolls up his baggy sleeve. You scoot your chair over to his side and gaze at the scar that traces his veins. Jack's eyes took on a slightly glazed look before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Back before I got the Pearl, I was the first mate on a ship called the Shadow Wraith." He begins with a faraway look in his eyes, no doubt remembering the feel of that ship. "We'd just made a good raid, one o' those Spanish merchant ships, an' we decided to stop at the nearest port for provisions before headin' on to Tortuga. The nearest port was one called Jaula Port. The Cap'n reckoned it was far enough out of the main trade lines that we'd be able to dock safely." With this Jack smiled sadly. "Cap'n always tested his luck. Dockin' itself was easy, we just entered from the tradin' side of the port. Most of the crew immediately headed towards the nearest pub for a drink, myself included. Well, after we'd spent a few good hours drinkin' an' enjoyin' ourselves, we decided to head back to the Wraith for some shuteye. We hauled ourselves back into the deck and began to file below deck. I." Jack trails off for a moment before continuing, "I decided to wait out the rush at the helm, watching the stars. 'Twas only then that I noticed that there were no men patrollin' the ship, but I figured that they couldn't resist the nearby pub an' skived off. I remember shakin' me head, thinkin' of the beating they'd get for abandoning duty.Then I felt the ship shake horribly an' watched, a second later, as the bow exploded. That was all I could see before I went out." He said solemnly and you look up at him, feeling extremely guilty for making him relive such a terrible memory.

"Jack," You say softly, your voice full of regret. "You don't 'ave to."

"It's alright, luv." Jack says with a smile. " You asked me a question an' I intend to answer it. Anyways, when I woke up, I was greeted by the lovely sight of a Spanish dungeon; chains, rotting skeletons, the whole lot. I waited two days down there 'afore any soldiers came down. Turns out, they'd decided to have a bit of fun with me before hangin' me. I received this scar, among other things, then. They'd slowly cut open my arm, pour hot water on it, an' then reopen it four hours later. I'll tell you, luv, the Spanish are sadists, the French are eunuchs, an' the whole bloody world's gone mad."

You nod in silent agreement as you slowly begin to trace the scar with your index finger, noticing how deep it really is.

"Anyways, one day I got sick of the whole situation, broke free, paid my compliments to the fine soldiers on my way out, an' caught the first ship out of there. Of course, not before I raised a little hell." He adds with a smirk.

"Define 'a little hell'." You say with a grin, recognizing the tone of his voice, one that you're quite familiar with yourself.

"Oh, not much." He says with mock modesty. "I just set fire to the entire fort an' barracks on me way out."

You smile up at him, proud that he was able to extract a revenge that would never be forgotten by that port. "Bravo."

"Well, what did you expect, luv?" Jack says as he leans down closer to your face, looking into your eyes and making you entirely too conscious of how close he is to you and your hand that is still resting on his arm. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

You seem to be lost in his deep chocolaty brown eyes, unable to look away, but, even if you could, you wouldn't want to. You turn your head slightly, finding your lips so close to his that you can feel his breath on yours. Your eyes seem to lower of their own accord, and-

Crash!

You feel something smash into your head and are thrown to the floor.

"What the-!"

"Are you alright, luv?" Jack asks, throwing pieces of what you recognize as a stool out the shattered window.

"Yeah." You answer, running your head over your head and hissing when it comes in contact with what, no doubt, is a rather large and painful lump.

You watch from your spot on the floor as Jack clears the room of the splintered wood and you glance at Will, who's still soundly asleep, and is mumbling something that sounds like, " Elizabeth.pirates.fluffy crab.".

You raise your eyebrow at the sleeping oaf before a yawn escapes your lips. You hadn't realized how late, or should you say early, it was. Looking out the window, you detect a small light shade of blue upon the horizon. You walk over to the musty bed and fall into it, closing your eyes and relishing in the rest it gives your limbs. You open your eyes when you feel something grab your foot, and look up to find Jack removing your boots.

"Move over, luv." He says, removing his own boots as you lethargically unbuckle your second belt and allow your effects to drop harmlessly onto the floor. You feel the mattress shift beside you as Jack blows the candle out.

"Night luv."

*

(A/N: Back to Jacque and Elizabeth- Yes, they're still alive. for now)

Elizabeth and Jacque jump and scramble to their feet as the door to their cabin is kicked open with a loud creak.

"'Ello poppetts." Pintel says as he and Ragetti enter the dim cabin holding dark bundles in their arms.

"You'll be dinin' with thw Cap'n tonight, an' he requests tha' you wear these." He says with a sneer as he throws a scarlet dress at Elizabeth.

"Well, you can tell the Captain that I'm disinclined to acquiesce to his request." Elizabeth says heatedly.

"He said you'd say that." Pintel informs as he exchanges a lecherous smirk with Ragetti. "He also said that, if that be the case, you'll be dining with the crew, an' you'll be naked."

"Fine." Jacque says as she snatches a midnight blue dress from a now pouting Ragetti. "Now leave."

They grumble and leave the room, leaving Elizabeth and Jacque to dress.

*

As they walk into Barbossa's cabin, Jacque and Elizabeth find that a small feast has been prepared with the greatest finery. Elizabeth scoffs at it, but Jacque begins to realize that Barbossa wants something from them, otherwise he wouldn't go to such lengths. She and Elizabeth are "shown" to their seats and Jacque watches as Elizabeth begins to cut her meat into ladylike portions. Jacque smiles softly as she realizes that she now has the perfect excuse to enjoy a small luxury that she'd been without for two years; finger food.

"There's no need to call upon ceremony to impress anyone." Barbossa says to Elizabeth. "You must be hungry."

Jacque takes the goblet of wine that Barbossa offers her, becoming paranoid of Barbossa's unrelenting gaze.

"Try the wine." He says as she raises the goblet to her lips and takes a sip. It's actually quite nice.

"And the apples?" He offers one to Elizabeth eagerly. "One of those next."

Elizabeth's eyes widen and she drops her roll in shock. "It's poisoned."

"No it's not." Jacque states through a slightly stuffed mouth. "Barbossa wouldn't waste all this food or his time if he really wanted us to die now."

"That's right lass, there'd be no use killin' either of ye, Miss Turner." He says with a smirk.

"Then release us." Elizabeth says with a small squeak in her voice. "You have your trinket, we're of no further value to you."

"Ye don't know what this is, do ye?" Barbossa states.

"It's a pirate medallion." Elizabeth states confidently.

"Thank you captain obvious." Jacque mutters under her breath.

"What?"

"Never mind." Jacque says as Barbossa turns the coin in his hand.

"This is Aztec gold." Barbossa begins. "One of 882 identical pieces they delivered in a stone chest to Cortez himself. Blood money to be repaid to stem the slaughter he wreaked upon them with his armies. But the greed of Cortez was insatiable. . So the heathen gods placed upon the gold.a terrible curse. Any mortal that removes but a piece from that stone chest shall be punished for eternity."

"I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa." Elizabeth states as Jacque's eyes widen and she feels something click in her memory.

"Aye," Barbossa says with a smile. "That's that's exactly what I thought when we were first told the tale. Buried on an island that cannot be found except for those who know where it is. Find it, we did. There be the chest, inside be the gold, we took them all. Spent them and traded them. We frittered them away.on drink and food and pleasurable company. The more we gave them away, the more we came to realize - the drink would not satisfy, food turned to ash in our mouths, and all the pleasurable company in the world could not slake our lust. We are cursed men, Miss Turner . Compelled by greed we were, and now we are consumed by it." He stood up with a wild gleam in his eyes as Elizabeth slipped her knife into the napkin on her lap before Barbossa turned around and stared at both girls sinisterly. "There is one way we can end our curse. All the scattered pieces of the Aztec gold must be restored and the blood repaid. Thanks to ye we have the final piece."

"And the blood to be repaid." Jacque says, eyes still wide open in shock.

"That's why there'd be no sense killin' ye. yet." Barbossa says with a smirk. "Apple?"

Elizabeth stands up and backs her way slowly into a corner. When Barbossa comes within reach, she lets out a yell and stabs her knife into his chest while he looks down at its bent edge, clearly amused.

"I'm curious," He says with a smirk as he pulls the knife out of his chest and examines its bloody edge. "After killin' me, what was it you plannin' to do next?"

Elizabeth screams and turns to run out the door, shoving Jacque, who'd previously been gaping out the open door, into the throng of toiling skeletons. Elizabeth gets tossed around the ship, eventually running beneath the stairs where she is greeted with the gruesome sight of a skeletal monkey. Jacque, however, wasn't so lucky. Elizabeth had shoved her straight into Pintel and Ragetti, who waste no time in trying to grope her.

"Bloody perverts!" She shouts as she grabs a mop from a passing pirate and whacks Ragetti with it, sending his wooden eye rolling down the ship.

"Look!" Barbossa shouts and all the crew cease their work. " The moonlight shows us for what we really are. We are not among the living, and so we cannot die, but neither are we dead. For too long I've been parched with thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starving to death and haven't died. I feel nothing, not the wind on my face nor the spray of the sea, nor the warmth of a woman's flesh." He says as his hand hovers near Elizabeth's face and he slowly steps into the moonlight. "You'd best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner, you're in one!" He shouts and pours wine into his jaw and Elizabeth screams again as it falls over his ribs and runs into the safety of the cabin.

Jacque, who now has become the center of the pirates' attention, whacks Pintel over the head with all her might, catching him off balance and sending him to the ground, before breezing past Barbossa and back into the cabin. She finds Elizabeth huddled up in the corner and places a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to ignore the one thought that keeps racing though her mind.

How the hell are the two of us going to be able to escape from the blood ritual?

*

A/N: Hey! I'm sorry this is late, but I'm sick again.

Sess: Maybe walking around in a tank and thin pants have something to do with it.

Py: *sticks tongue out* Maybe I should steal that furry thing from you? I'm sure that's warm.

Sess: That's my boa!

Py: Fine. Anyways, I might not be able to update this Saturday *dodges various rotten fruit thrown* 'cause I have finals next week and will likely be having a slight nervous breakdown then. But, if I find time, I will. I will DEFINITELY update on the 17th though, and it'll probably be bigger than usual 'cause I will have survived finals (hopefully)

NEXT CHAPPIE: You, Jack, and Will go to inspect your able-bodied crew.

REVIEW RESPONSES:

Twisted: Thank you! I HAVE MY SESS!!!!! You know, if I wasn't feeling slightly malicious about that little stunt you pulled, I might have reimbursed you with one of these *holds up three of Sess's shiny credit cards*

Sess: *snatches cards* I thought I hid those from you! Last time you
got your hands on them you cost me $10,000! *stomps off*

Ok. never mind him. Thanks for the support!

Bluelady198: 8 WEEKS!!!!! I'm already back at that sinister hell we call school! *glare* We have Sess! I hope that this chapter was better than the last- it's definitely longer ^.^

Sida: Thanks for giving me your opinion for the parings. Yyes. it'll be a nasty hangover indeed (lightning flashes in background) bwahaha! Yay for dividers!

CastlesInTheAir: Thanks, I'm somewhat prone to leaving endings like that or cliffies at the end of my chapters. I was tempted to end this one at the "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow" line just to taunt my readers *smiles innocently* SESS IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!

Sess: *calls into room* We get it already- shut up so I can sleep you stupid girl! Don't be fooled, he loves me. ^.~

PLEASE REVIEW! I WANT YOUR OPINIONS ON EVERYTHING- ESPECIALLY THE PAIRINGS!

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