Huzzah! A new chapter! Finally! This one is quite long, but bear with
me! Enjoy!
Chapter 3: Spike Isle
So, what's this island called?" Celeste asked Jack as they, Will, Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina all climbed into three different lifeboats to row over to the island about two days later.
Audra and Angelina, still a little tired out from their last adventure, had been doing rather run-of-the-mill work like cleaning on deck or cooking down in the galley.
"I think it's called Spike Isle." Jack replied as he and the others began rowing to the island.
"What a stupid name. Why is it called that?" Celeste asked.
"I don' know." Jack replied. "It's always been called that."
A little while later, they pulled the lifeboats ashore and looked around. The island was very green and there were tall palm trees everywhere.
"So, where exactly should we go, Jack?" Will asked.
"Well, I think if we walk straight this way..." Jack explained, examining the map, "we should find a mountain or somethin'... an' then there should be a cave, an' the treasure is s'posed to be there." He folded up the map and slipped it into his jacket pocket.
They trekked through the island's tall trees for a while when they finally came to a clearing. They continued walking and came to a cave in the mountain.
"Is this it?" Audra asked.
"Aye, it is." Jack smiled his gold toothed smile.
"So... wha' kind o' treasure is s'posed to be 'ere, anyway?" Angelina asked. Jack smiled wide.
"Gold... jewels... bloody -- come on!" Jack yelled exitedly. He grabbed Celeste's hand and they all ran excitedly into the cave. They ran through the mysteriously torch-lit cave tunnel.
"How are these torches lit?" Celeste asked curiously. "I mean, if no one's here..."
"Who cares? Come on!" Jack exclaimed, still pulling her along, the others following.
"But what if there's someone else here?" Celeste asked nervously.
"Ah, quit worryin', love." Jack said. "Besides, no one is 'ere. We got the only map."
Finally, they came to the end of the tunnel where they found a large cave. The torch fire was somehow different than the fire in the tunnel.
"Jack..." Celeste began nervously, clutching onto his arm, "why is the fire blue...?" As they all looked around, they realized that the fire ignited on the torches on the walls was, indeed, blue.
"Don't know, darling, but... look..." There were six stone chests resting in a half-circle on the opposite side of the room -- three on either side of a large pedestal. On the pedestal rested one large blue gem at the right end of it and three indentions to its left where it seemed other gems should've rested.
"Bloody—"Jack dashed over to the pedestal and picked up the gem. "Uh, oh..." The cave started rumbling. "Not good."
They all stood frozen in their spots as the cave rumbled.
"Who is come?" a deep voice boomed. Their eyes widened but they dared not look around. "Who has disturbed me?"
"This isn't funny, Jack..." Celeste said uneasily. Jack spun around half irritated, half wary.
"Does it look like I'm doin' it, darling?" he asked stiffly and then spun back around to face the pedestal.
Suddenly, a large blue figure came flying out of the pedestal. It startled Jack so much that he fell over backwards.
"Ouch." He said obviously. He still clutched the gem to his stomach, so he hadn't stuck his arms out to break his fall. The large blue figure took shape: the shape of a man.
"Who are you?" the figure demanded in a deep, booming voice.
"Er-er... I'm, er, we're, er—"Jack stuttered.
"Come on, spit it out!" the figure commanded. "We haven't got all eternity! Well, I do, for I am a ghost, but you do not!"
"I – we—"
"Come on, puny, little man!" the ghost boomed.
"J-Jack Sparrow. Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please." Jack stuttered. The ghost paused.
"Jack Sparrow?" the ghost asked, his voice now sounding much like a friendly neighbor." Little Jack? It's me! Fred Spike!"
"Fred – Fred Spike...?" Jack contemplated. His eyes lit up. "Ol' Fredrick Spike?" he got to his feet. "I 'aven' seen you since I were a young whelp! 'ow you been?"
"Oh, you know, dead." Spike replied casually. "Rather bored, but... I digress."
"Well, what are you doin' bein' a ghost an' all? What 'appened?" Jack asked.
""Well, I'll tell you –"he glanced over at Celeste, Will, Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina. "Who are all these people?"
"Ah," Jack motioned for them to come over, "me friends. Part o' me crew." He motioned to them again. They inched forward slowly and nervously across the floor. Jack stuck out his hand to Celeste as she slowly approached, she grabbed it. He pulled her over.
"This is Celeste Wyndham." Jack said.
"H-hi." Celeste squeaked nervously. The others slowly came over. "Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Audra Giles, and Angelina Price."
"Why have you all come?" Spike asked. "Surely not just to visit me?"
"No, actually, we were 'opin' to, er, get some o' this treasure 'ere." Jack explained.
"Well, now, I'll let you have all of it if you leave here alive." Spike told them.
"What?" Jack asked. "What do you mean?"
"Well, since you're the first ones here since my crew and I, and you picked up that gem, I'll have to take your soul." Spike told him matter-of- factly.
"Well, 'ere, I don' want this! You can 'ave it!" Jack exclaimed and hurried over to the pedestal and returned the gem to its original resting place. He dashed back over to Celeste.
"I don't think so." Spike said. "Well, just to make things fair, try to leave either. You won't like what happens.
"Well, thirty years ago, my crew and I landed on this island. We started to plunder the treasure when natives attacked us. They captured me since I was the captain, and my crew ran away. But not before they'd taken the other three gems. The natives took my soul out of my body and made it so I can't return to my body until all the four gems are returned to the pedestal."
"Wow." Jack said. "Well, that's a lot of bloody rotten luck."
"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Spike replied. "Now, if you want your soul, Jack, you're going to have to get the other three gems for me and break my curse. You, yourself, have a curse on you now, thanks to me. Supernatural powers are helpful. Oh, and if you don't get me those other three gems in ten days, I'm going to take your soul. What do you say to that?"
"I'd say it's a pretty lousy deal." Jack replied.
"Come on, Jack, you don't expect me to stay here for all eternity, do you?" Spike asked. "It's boring. I want to go out and be a pirate again."
"What if I jus' left an' didn' get your ruddy gems?" Jack asked.
"Still thick, are we?" Spike asked. "A little dim? I told you, I just put a curse on you. I can take your soul from you no matter where on earth you are."
"How do we know you're not lying?" Will asked boldly.
"Well," Spike started in a matter-of-fact tone, "you could just wait for the... side-effect to kick in. They're not too pretty. As long as you're off this island, Jack, the side-effects will effect you from time to time. Set foot on this island again, and you're fine."
"Side-effects?" Celeste asked warily.
"Got any scars, Jack?" Spike asked. "From previous battles, previous adventures, scuffles, anything?"
"Aye..." Jack replied, wondering why the heck he'd ask something like that.
"Well," Spike said frankly, "they'll bleed periodically. Pretty gross." Seeing the surprised looks on their faces, Spike spoke again. "Yep, that's right, bleed. Not for too long, but enough to be unpleasant."
"H-how are we supposed to find the gems?" Celeste asked.
"Yes, how do we know they aren't all lost to the locker of Davy Jones?" Audra asked.
"Davy Jones's locker, Audra, not the locker of Davy Jones." Celeste corrected, annoyed.
"They aren't." Spike answered abruptly. "One of them is on this island, actually. I know only where two are. One here and one in Ruby Falls."
"Are you kidding me?!" Celeste cried. "No! No fair! No way is it there! Tell me you're joking."
"Er, no, there is one there." Spike replied, a little confused.
"Nooo!" Celeste cried and went off in a frenzy of grumbling.
"Go and get the gem that resides on this island." Spike told them. "I am confined to this cave and even if I wasn't, I am non-corporeal and all, so I wouldn't have much luck in bringing it back here."
"You can take people's souls, but you can't even pick up a rock?" Jack asked.
"Yes, bittersweet, is it not?" Spike replied. "But go, now. There is a cave on the north side of the island. Return here the Gems of Roslynn." With that, Spike disappeared into the pedestal.
"Why're they called th' Gems of Roslynn?" Angelina asked.
"We don't know!" Celeste replied irritably.
"Well, this is... inconvenient." Jack said.
"Clearly." Celeste concurred. "Well, if we must do this, then... we could just go now... We're all armed and everything."
So, it was decided that they would just would just go ahead and go to the cave. How hard could it be to get one gem?
After following the side of the small mountain, they came to another cave on the north side. As they entered, they beheld the high, stone, torch-lit walls.
"Well... do we just... go in?" Celeste asked.
"It could be dangerous." Jack stated. "Angelina, Audra, you should wait 'ere, savvy?"
"Oh, I want to go!" Audra whined.
"No, Audra, Jack's right. It could be dangerous. We know exactly how to defend ourselves." Celeste said. "Elizabeth, you should wait here too."
"What?" Elizabeth protested. "You think I can't defend myself?"
"Do you even have a sword?" Celeste asked. There was a pause.
"Well, no, but... can't I use one of yours?" Elizabeth asked.
"Sorry, but no." Celeste replied. "I can't fight with just one. It throws me completely off balance."
"Oh..." Elizabeth sighed.
"I agree with Celeste." Will added. "Only, I don't think you should go either." he said to Celeste.
Celeste laughed. "Will... Will, Will, Will... It's been a while, I know, so I'll just politely inform you this time." she told him. "I killed Bartholomeu Santara. I've beaten J--" she glanced at Jack who threw her a 'shut up' look, "well, never mind. Anyway, the point is... is that I can fight. I could even beat you, Will." his brow furrowed. "I beat Norrington for Heaven's sakes."
"But--"
"I'm going." Celeste stated. She started off into the cave.
"She's stubborn." Will said to Jack.
"You've no idea." Jack said, and followed Celeste. Will looked confused, but followed without question.
Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina went back to the ship and would wait for them to get back.
"See? This isn't so dangerous." Celeste told Will after they'd walked for a few minutes into the cave. "Everything's going to be fine."
"I don' like this..." Jack muttered.
"Oh, come on, Jack, what could possibly hap--"
Celeste was cut off by a rumbling noise which had been triggered by a tile she'd stepped on on the cave floor. "Erm..." the rumbling got louder.
Suddenly, six arrows shot out from each wall at them, but didn't hit them. Jack and Will yelled and Celeste screamed.
"Run!" Jack cried. They took off down the corridor. Torches flew off the walls at them; Celeste quickly pulled out her swords and repelled one. Stones fell from the ceiling and one hit Jack in the head.
"Ouch!" he cried. "Thank goodness for me 'at!" he mumbled patting the hat on his head. They continued running. They all hopped from side to side and weaved their way through, avoiding rocks and torches.
"Ahh!" Celeste screamed as she tripped on a protruding tile and fell flat on her face. Suddenly, a fairly large stone fell from the ceiling, headed straight for her back. Jack threw himself over her and took the hit for her. He yelled in pain.
"Jack!!!" Celeste screamed, sprawled out on her stomach. Will dashed over and helped up Jack and Celeste.
Suddenly, the rumbling ceased. They dared not speak, dared not breath for fear of causing something else to happen. Suddenly, the rumbling commenced once more.
"Oh--" Jack started, but was cut off by falling rocks behind them. The tunnel's exit had caved in.
Ten feet behind them, they saw a pile of rocks stacked up to the ceiling. They were trapped. The two torches that were left with them flickered. Unfortunately, ten feet in front of them was a solid wall.
"What?!" Celeste cried, running to the wall. "Where's the gem?!" she got to her knees and looked on the ground, pushing dirt and stones to the side carelessly. They scrambled around, looking for the gem, but to no avail.
After a few hours of futile gem-searching and rock-moving, they decided to rest. Jack sat down and leaned up against the wall.
Celeste yawned. "What time is it?"
"Mus' be nigh nine o' clock." Jack replied. "Migh' as well get some rest."
"Oh, don't tell me I have to sleep in this dank old cave on the dirty floor." Celeste whined.
"You 'ave to sleep in this dank ol' cave on the dirty floor." Jack said.
"Ohh, I asked you not to tell me that!" she pouted. She sat on the floor a few feet from Jack. Will sat down and leaned up against the opposite wall. Jack took off his jacket and draped it like a blanket over himself. He pushed his hat down over his eyes. He glanced over at Celeste from under his hat and saw that she was rubbing her arms (the cave, after all, was a little drafty).
"Cold, love?" he asked.
"A little." she replied.
"Well, come 'ere, share me jacket." he offered. "You can sleep over 'ere. The rocks are a little more comfortable 'ere."
"That would be terribly improper, Mr. Sparrow." Celeste replied and looked away from him. She shivered and looked back at him. "A gentleman would lend the lady his jacket, you know."
"An' freeze to death meself?" Jack asked.
"Oh, it's not that cold." Celeste said.
"Can't stand the cold." Jack told her. "Come 'ere, I won' bite you."
"Questionable." Celeste mumbled. "But... I am kind of cold... Fine." she got up and rigidly sat down next to Jack.
"Come 'ere, darling," he said, pulling her closer and draping the jacket over both of them, "there's no one 'ere to judge us 'cep Will 'ere an 'e won' tell anyone." Will raised a judgmental eyebrow and then closed his eyes. Jack put his arm around Celeste. "Goodness sakes, love, don' be such a stick."
"A what?" she asked. "I am a proper lady. I'm sorry if I happen to be a decent person."
"Jus' sayin' you need to loosen up a bit." Jack said.
"Well, I refuse to compromise my values, sir, you moralless scoundrel."
"Stick." Jack accused.
"Dog." Celeste insulted
"Snob."
"Scum."
"I love you."
"I love you, too." Will raised an eyebrow. "Night, Jack, night, Will." She bid them.
"Night." they replied. She snuggled up to Jack and they all drifted off to sleep.
Celeste woke up early the next morning. Jack and Will were still asleep. Celeste looked up at Jack and smiled. Asleep, he looked almost innocent. Only unconscious, huh?
She slipped out from under the jacket and got up and stretched. She idly walked over to the dead-end wall and looked at it. She noticed that there were three right-hand shaped indentions in it. She ran her fingers along the wall near the indentions and felt something: carvings. She went over to another wall, grabbed a torch, and returned to the dead-end wall.
'Well, what could this mean?' Celeste thought. Under the indentions was carved: Tres pueden abrir la puerta.
She put down the torch and went over to Jack. She sat on her knees next to him.
"Jack, wake up." she said as she shook him.
"Oh, not now, darling..." he mumbled. "I'm tired... not in the mood..." She pouted, insulted. "Maybe later..."
SLAP! Celeste slapped him across the face.
"Ah! I'm awake! I'm awake!" Jack cried.
"Good." Celeste stated.
SLAP! She slapped him again.
"What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his cheek.
"For that terribly inappropriate remark you just made." Celeste pouted.
He smiled. "Sorry, love, I was 'alf asleep."
"I don't even want to know." Celeste said. "Anyway, come and look at this."
"At what?" Will asked behind Celeste.
"Ah!" she cried, startled, and spun around. "Oh, Will, it's you..." she said breathlessly. "Don't do that!"
"Sorry." he apologized.
"Anyway, look at this." Celeste said, walking over to the dead-end wall. "What do you suppose this means?" They all surveyed the wall.
"I don't speak much Spanish..." Will said.
"Oh, wait! I got it!" Celeste exclaimed. "Tres means three!"
"Well, most of us know that one, darling." Jack said. "But, nevertheless, that was a nice little contribution." he said in a babying voice, and patted her on the back.
"Well, that's all I know." Celeste pouted. "How was I supposed to know that I should've paid attention in those Spanish lessons?"
"Well, allow me." Jack said. "Tres pueden abrir la puerta. Three are able to open the door."
"Well, what's that mean?" Celeste asked.
"Well, there's three hand-shaped indentions here..." Will contemplated. "So, maybe we--"
"Of course!" Celeste exclaimed. She put her hand into one of the indentions. "And you two do the same. Ha, and you didn't want me to come, Will. Thank goodness I did."
"Hm." Will mumbled as he and Jack placed their hands in the indentions.
"What kind of a coincidence is it that there's three of us?" Celeste added. "Strange."
There was a rumbling sound. They all stepped back and the wall started to rise to the ceiling.
"See, now everything's going to be fine." Celeste said. "There's nothing to be--" Suddenly, they heard growling. "Ohh, my..." They were now in another narrow tunnel as before. All around, skeletons of natives and pirates that raided the island on horses years ago lied scattered on the ground.
Just then, two coal black panthers prowled out of the depths of the cave towards them. One of them leapt at Jack, but he jumped out of the way. The other leapt at Will; he tried to dodge, but was too slow. It swiped at him, making three long, diagonal scratches across his chest.
"Will!" Celeste cried. "Jack, shoot it!" Jack pulled out his pistol just as the panther was about to strike (and Celeste was dodging the other), and shot it in the chest. It yelped and fell with a thud. Will backed up against a wall, clutching his chest and slumped onto the ground.
"Uh, oh..." Jack mumbled. "No more shots..."
"Oh, no..." Celeste trailed off. "Oh!" She remembered something: she had her pistol with her. She pulled it out and aimed at the panther, but she wasn't quick enough. The panther swiped its claws at her and scratched her hand, causing her pistol to fly from her and her to cry out in pain. "Uh, oh." The panther leapt at her, but she dodged it. She looked around for a weapon: something, anything.
Suddenly, she spotted the skeleton of a pirate near the skeleton of a horse; the pirate was clutching a whip. She dashed over and picked it up.
"Jack!" she yelled. "Get my gun! Get my gun and shoot it!"
"Aye, but I can't exactly do that righ' now, darling." Jack replied urgently. The panther was standing over the pistol
Celeste strafed to the opposite side of the cave and cracked the whip at the panther. It snarled and stalked towards her. It leapt and she hopped out of the way. She once again snapped the whip in the panther's face and it growled. It leapt at her again and she hopped out of the way -- only, her foot got caught on a rock and she fell over backwards. She yelled. She quickly snapped the whip in the panther's face once more. Just as it was about to pounce on her--
BANG! Jack shot it in the back. It yelped and fell. She caught her breath and released the whip. She breathed heavily, lying on the ground.
"...OW!" she clapped a hand over her back which was now bleeding. "Goodness sakes, escape a fight with a panther only to lose a fight with a rock!" She got up with effort and went to Will.
"Oh, gosh!" Celeste exclaimed. "Are you okay?" she sat on her knees in front of him.
"Yes... yes, I'm -- ouch!"
"Oh, goodness." she sighed, sounding panicked. "Here, sit up." she helped him do so. Jack came over and sat down next to her. "Oh, this looks awful!" she unbuttoned his shirt and examined the wounds. "Luckily it only scratched you."
"Yeah." Will agreed half sarcastically as he winced in pain, looking down at the blood leaking out of his wounds.
"Well, I mean, it could've been a lot worse." Celeste said. "I'm going to have to rip your shirt, okay?"
"Yes, sure." Will winced as more blood leaked from the cuts in his chest. She ripped off a long piece of his shirt and wadded it up.
"Oh, my..." Celeste mumbled, mopping up the blood from the wounds. She placed her hand on his chest and, with her fingers and thumb, attempted to push the wounds a little more closed while mopping up blood with the other hand. "Oh, my... Ew..." She straightened out the cloth and pressed it to the wound. He winced. She used her other hand to wipe the blood from his stomach.
Jack's brow furrowed. "Watch what you're rubbin' there, darling." he told her.
"Oh, Jack, grow up." she ordered. She looked at Will. "Okay, hold this here. It's the best we can do until we get back to the Pearl. Jack, help him up." He obeyed. Will placed a hand on Jack's shoulder to aid him in walking.
They made their way down the tunnel for a few minutes and it had begun to loop around, so apparently, it was in a U-shape. They encountered nothing-- no traps, no ghosts, no blood-thirsty animals -- nothing.
Finally, they came to the end of the tunnel where there was at least ten pirate skeletons.
"Oh, gross!" Celeste groaned at the sight of them. "Hey..." She went over to a skeleton, and clutched in its arms was none other than--
"The gem!" Celeste cried. She grabbed it and looked around. "Hey, another hand... thingy." She made her way to the dead-end wall which they were now at. "This has to be the way out." Jack and Will proceeded to the wall as well. They all put their hands into the indentions and, once again, rumbling sounded. The wall rose into the ceiling and revealed glorious daylight!
"Oh, yes!" Celeste cried, still clutching the gem in her hand. "Holy sunlight! Oh, fresh air! I will never take you for granted ever again!"
"Finished talkin' to nature, darling?" Jack asked. She curled her lip at him, irritated.
They'd made a complete loop and could see the Pearl from where they were.
After what felt like a very long walk, they finally arrived back at the Pearl. As they boarded, they were greeted by the worried crew.
They tended to Will's wounds and Celeste was heading off to the cargo hold to tend to her own.
"I'll 'elp you out, love." Jack offered.
"Er, alright." she agreed. Darn hand wounds that you can't bandage on your own!
They went down to the cargo hold and Jack bandaged the cuts on her hands that had been inflicted by the panther and from attempting to break her fall numerous times.
"Now your back." Jack said.
"Oh... well... that wouldn't be very proper." Celeste hesitated. "Go get Audra or something."
"Oh, for 'eaven's -- come off it, you can't keep a wound like that exposed for too long." Jack told her.
"It's not proper for a gentleman--"
"Oh, darling, who cares?" Jack dismissed. He poured some water into a bowl and took a cloth from a nearby crate. He dabbed the cloth in the water.
Celeste reluctantly turned around, and Jack lifted up the back of her shirt to reveal a long, fairly deep cut on her lower back.
"'ere, 'old this." he said. She reached up and held onto the hem of her shirt which was now resting on her shoulders. He began to clean her wound.
"Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. OUCH!"
"Sorry, darling." Jack apologized. He set down the cloth and bowl and pulled some bandages from a crate. He then returned to Celeste and began to bandage her wounds. She blushed at the improper situation she believed she was in. Jack continued bandaging and put his arms around her. He leaned in closer to her and kissed her cheek. For a moment, she rested her head back on his shoulder, but then realized how improper this really was. He kissed her cheek again.
"Jack, cut it out." Celeste told him. "This situation isn't very proper in the first place, so stop it."
"Sorry." he said. "Couldn' resist, love." He backed up a little and finished bandaging. He tied off the bandage.
"Good as new." Jack told her. "Well, nearly."
"Thanks."
"Well, now that we have this next gem, we only need two more, right?" Celeste asked, later on deck that afternoon.
"S'pose so, love." Jack replied.
"Okay, then..." Celeste sighed wearily. "To Ruby Falls."
Okay, I hope you enjoyed that! I know I did! Anyway, please leave me a nice review! Yahooie! Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!
Chapter 3: Spike Isle
So, what's this island called?" Celeste asked Jack as they, Will, Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina all climbed into three different lifeboats to row over to the island about two days later.
Audra and Angelina, still a little tired out from their last adventure, had been doing rather run-of-the-mill work like cleaning on deck or cooking down in the galley.
"I think it's called Spike Isle." Jack replied as he and the others began rowing to the island.
"What a stupid name. Why is it called that?" Celeste asked.
"I don' know." Jack replied. "It's always been called that."
A little while later, they pulled the lifeboats ashore and looked around. The island was very green and there were tall palm trees everywhere.
"So, where exactly should we go, Jack?" Will asked.
"Well, I think if we walk straight this way..." Jack explained, examining the map, "we should find a mountain or somethin'... an' then there should be a cave, an' the treasure is s'posed to be there." He folded up the map and slipped it into his jacket pocket.
They trekked through the island's tall trees for a while when they finally came to a clearing. They continued walking and came to a cave in the mountain.
"Is this it?" Audra asked.
"Aye, it is." Jack smiled his gold toothed smile.
"So... wha' kind o' treasure is s'posed to be 'ere, anyway?" Angelina asked. Jack smiled wide.
"Gold... jewels... bloody -- come on!" Jack yelled exitedly. He grabbed Celeste's hand and they all ran excitedly into the cave. They ran through the mysteriously torch-lit cave tunnel.
"How are these torches lit?" Celeste asked curiously. "I mean, if no one's here..."
"Who cares? Come on!" Jack exclaimed, still pulling her along, the others following.
"But what if there's someone else here?" Celeste asked nervously.
"Ah, quit worryin', love." Jack said. "Besides, no one is 'ere. We got the only map."
Finally, they came to the end of the tunnel where they found a large cave. The torch fire was somehow different than the fire in the tunnel.
"Jack..." Celeste began nervously, clutching onto his arm, "why is the fire blue...?" As they all looked around, they realized that the fire ignited on the torches on the walls was, indeed, blue.
"Don't know, darling, but... look..." There were six stone chests resting in a half-circle on the opposite side of the room -- three on either side of a large pedestal. On the pedestal rested one large blue gem at the right end of it and three indentions to its left where it seemed other gems should've rested.
"Bloody—"Jack dashed over to the pedestal and picked up the gem. "Uh, oh..." The cave started rumbling. "Not good."
They all stood frozen in their spots as the cave rumbled.
"Who is come?" a deep voice boomed. Their eyes widened but they dared not look around. "Who has disturbed me?"
"This isn't funny, Jack..." Celeste said uneasily. Jack spun around half irritated, half wary.
"Does it look like I'm doin' it, darling?" he asked stiffly and then spun back around to face the pedestal.
Suddenly, a large blue figure came flying out of the pedestal. It startled Jack so much that he fell over backwards.
"Ouch." He said obviously. He still clutched the gem to his stomach, so he hadn't stuck his arms out to break his fall. The large blue figure took shape: the shape of a man.
"Who are you?" the figure demanded in a deep, booming voice.
"Er-er... I'm, er, we're, er—"Jack stuttered.
"Come on, spit it out!" the figure commanded. "We haven't got all eternity! Well, I do, for I am a ghost, but you do not!"
"I – we—"
"Come on, puny, little man!" the ghost boomed.
"J-Jack Sparrow. Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please." Jack stuttered. The ghost paused.
"Jack Sparrow?" the ghost asked, his voice now sounding much like a friendly neighbor." Little Jack? It's me! Fred Spike!"
"Fred – Fred Spike...?" Jack contemplated. His eyes lit up. "Ol' Fredrick Spike?" he got to his feet. "I 'aven' seen you since I were a young whelp! 'ow you been?"
"Oh, you know, dead." Spike replied casually. "Rather bored, but... I digress."
"Well, what are you doin' bein' a ghost an' all? What 'appened?" Jack asked.
""Well, I'll tell you –"he glanced over at Celeste, Will, Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina. "Who are all these people?"
"Ah," Jack motioned for them to come over, "me friends. Part o' me crew." He motioned to them again. They inched forward slowly and nervously across the floor. Jack stuck out his hand to Celeste as she slowly approached, she grabbed it. He pulled her over.
"This is Celeste Wyndham." Jack said.
"H-hi." Celeste squeaked nervously. The others slowly came over. "Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Audra Giles, and Angelina Price."
"Why have you all come?" Spike asked. "Surely not just to visit me?"
"No, actually, we were 'opin' to, er, get some o' this treasure 'ere." Jack explained.
"Well, now, I'll let you have all of it if you leave here alive." Spike told them.
"What?" Jack asked. "What do you mean?"
"Well, since you're the first ones here since my crew and I, and you picked up that gem, I'll have to take your soul." Spike told him matter-of- factly.
"Well, 'ere, I don' want this! You can 'ave it!" Jack exclaimed and hurried over to the pedestal and returned the gem to its original resting place. He dashed back over to Celeste.
"I don't think so." Spike said. "Well, just to make things fair, try to leave either. You won't like what happens.
"Well, thirty years ago, my crew and I landed on this island. We started to plunder the treasure when natives attacked us. They captured me since I was the captain, and my crew ran away. But not before they'd taken the other three gems. The natives took my soul out of my body and made it so I can't return to my body until all the four gems are returned to the pedestal."
"Wow." Jack said. "Well, that's a lot of bloody rotten luck."
"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Spike replied. "Now, if you want your soul, Jack, you're going to have to get the other three gems for me and break my curse. You, yourself, have a curse on you now, thanks to me. Supernatural powers are helpful. Oh, and if you don't get me those other three gems in ten days, I'm going to take your soul. What do you say to that?"
"I'd say it's a pretty lousy deal." Jack replied.
"Come on, Jack, you don't expect me to stay here for all eternity, do you?" Spike asked. "It's boring. I want to go out and be a pirate again."
"What if I jus' left an' didn' get your ruddy gems?" Jack asked.
"Still thick, are we?" Spike asked. "A little dim? I told you, I just put a curse on you. I can take your soul from you no matter where on earth you are."
"How do we know you're not lying?" Will asked boldly.
"Well," Spike started in a matter-of-fact tone, "you could just wait for the... side-effect to kick in. They're not too pretty. As long as you're off this island, Jack, the side-effects will effect you from time to time. Set foot on this island again, and you're fine."
"Side-effects?" Celeste asked warily.
"Got any scars, Jack?" Spike asked. "From previous battles, previous adventures, scuffles, anything?"
"Aye..." Jack replied, wondering why the heck he'd ask something like that.
"Well," Spike said frankly, "they'll bleed periodically. Pretty gross." Seeing the surprised looks on their faces, Spike spoke again. "Yep, that's right, bleed. Not for too long, but enough to be unpleasant."
"H-how are we supposed to find the gems?" Celeste asked.
"Yes, how do we know they aren't all lost to the locker of Davy Jones?" Audra asked.
"Davy Jones's locker, Audra, not the locker of Davy Jones." Celeste corrected, annoyed.
"They aren't." Spike answered abruptly. "One of them is on this island, actually. I know only where two are. One here and one in Ruby Falls."
"Are you kidding me?!" Celeste cried. "No! No fair! No way is it there! Tell me you're joking."
"Er, no, there is one there." Spike replied, a little confused.
"Nooo!" Celeste cried and went off in a frenzy of grumbling.
"Go and get the gem that resides on this island." Spike told them. "I am confined to this cave and even if I wasn't, I am non-corporeal and all, so I wouldn't have much luck in bringing it back here."
"You can take people's souls, but you can't even pick up a rock?" Jack asked.
"Yes, bittersweet, is it not?" Spike replied. "But go, now. There is a cave on the north side of the island. Return here the Gems of Roslynn." With that, Spike disappeared into the pedestal.
"Why're they called th' Gems of Roslynn?" Angelina asked.
"We don't know!" Celeste replied irritably.
"Well, this is... inconvenient." Jack said.
"Clearly." Celeste concurred. "Well, if we must do this, then... we could just go now... We're all armed and everything."
So, it was decided that they would just would just go ahead and go to the cave. How hard could it be to get one gem?
After following the side of the small mountain, they came to another cave on the north side. As they entered, they beheld the high, stone, torch-lit walls.
"Well... do we just... go in?" Celeste asked.
"It could be dangerous." Jack stated. "Angelina, Audra, you should wait 'ere, savvy?"
"Oh, I want to go!" Audra whined.
"No, Audra, Jack's right. It could be dangerous. We know exactly how to defend ourselves." Celeste said. "Elizabeth, you should wait here too."
"What?" Elizabeth protested. "You think I can't defend myself?"
"Do you even have a sword?" Celeste asked. There was a pause.
"Well, no, but... can't I use one of yours?" Elizabeth asked.
"Sorry, but no." Celeste replied. "I can't fight with just one. It throws me completely off balance."
"Oh..." Elizabeth sighed.
"I agree with Celeste." Will added. "Only, I don't think you should go either." he said to Celeste.
Celeste laughed. "Will... Will, Will, Will... It's been a while, I know, so I'll just politely inform you this time." she told him. "I killed Bartholomeu Santara. I've beaten J--" she glanced at Jack who threw her a 'shut up' look, "well, never mind. Anyway, the point is... is that I can fight. I could even beat you, Will." his brow furrowed. "I beat Norrington for Heaven's sakes."
"But--"
"I'm going." Celeste stated. She started off into the cave.
"She's stubborn." Will said to Jack.
"You've no idea." Jack said, and followed Celeste. Will looked confused, but followed without question.
Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina went back to the ship and would wait for them to get back.
"See? This isn't so dangerous." Celeste told Will after they'd walked for a few minutes into the cave. "Everything's going to be fine."
"I don' like this..." Jack muttered.
"Oh, come on, Jack, what could possibly hap--"
Celeste was cut off by a rumbling noise which had been triggered by a tile she'd stepped on on the cave floor. "Erm..." the rumbling got louder.
Suddenly, six arrows shot out from each wall at them, but didn't hit them. Jack and Will yelled and Celeste screamed.
"Run!" Jack cried. They took off down the corridor. Torches flew off the walls at them; Celeste quickly pulled out her swords and repelled one. Stones fell from the ceiling and one hit Jack in the head.
"Ouch!" he cried. "Thank goodness for me 'at!" he mumbled patting the hat on his head. They continued running. They all hopped from side to side and weaved their way through, avoiding rocks and torches.
"Ahh!" Celeste screamed as she tripped on a protruding tile and fell flat on her face. Suddenly, a fairly large stone fell from the ceiling, headed straight for her back. Jack threw himself over her and took the hit for her. He yelled in pain.
"Jack!!!" Celeste screamed, sprawled out on her stomach. Will dashed over and helped up Jack and Celeste.
Suddenly, the rumbling ceased. They dared not speak, dared not breath for fear of causing something else to happen. Suddenly, the rumbling commenced once more.
"Oh--" Jack started, but was cut off by falling rocks behind them. The tunnel's exit had caved in.
Ten feet behind them, they saw a pile of rocks stacked up to the ceiling. They were trapped. The two torches that were left with them flickered. Unfortunately, ten feet in front of them was a solid wall.
"What?!" Celeste cried, running to the wall. "Where's the gem?!" she got to her knees and looked on the ground, pushing dirt and stones to the side carelessly. They scrambled around, looking for the gem, but to no avail.
After a few hours of futile gem-searching and rock-moving, they decided to rest. Jack sat down and leaned up against the wall.
Celeste yawned. "What time is it?"
"Mus' be nigh nine o' clock." Jack replied. "Migh' as well get some rest."
"Oh, don't tell me I have to sleep in this dank old cave on the dirty floor." Celeste whined.
"You 'ave to sleep in this dank ol' cave on the dirty floor." Jack said.
"Ohh, I asked you not to tell me that!" she pouted. She sat on the floor a few feet from Jack. Will sat down and leaned up against the opposite wall. Jack took off his jacket and draped it like a blanket over himself. He pushed his hat down over his eyes. He glanced over at Celeste from under his hat and saw that she was rubbing her arms (the cave, after all, was a little drafty).
"Cold, love?" he asked.
"A little." she replied.
"Well, come 'ere, share me jacket." he offered. "You can sleep over 'ere. The rocks are a little more comfortable 'ere."
"That would be terribly improper, Mr. Sparrow." Celeste replied and looked away from him. She shivered and looked back at him. "A gentleman would lend the lady his jacket, you know."
"An' freeze to death meself?" Jack asked.
"Oh, it's not that cold." Celeste said.
"Can't stand the cold." Jack told her. "Come 'ere, I won' bite you."
"Questionable." Celeste mumbled. "But... I am kind of cold... Fine." she got up and rigidly sat down next to Jack.
"Come 'ere, darling," he said, pulling her closer and draping the jacket over both of them, "there's no one 'ere to judge us 'cep Will 'ere an 'e won' tell anyone." Will raised a judgmental eyebrow and then closed his eyes. Jack put his arm around Celeste. "Goodness sakes, love, don' be such a stick."
"A what?" she asked. "I am a proper lady. I'm sorry if I happen to be a decent person."
"Jus' sayin' you need to loosen up a bit." Jack said.
"Well, I refuse to compromise my values, sir, you moralless scoundrel."
"Stick." Jack accused.
"Dog." Celeste insulted
"Snob."
"Scum."
"I love you."
"I love you, too." Will raised an eyebrow. "Night, Jack, night, Will." She bid them.
"Night." they replied. She snuggled up to Jack and they all drifted off to sleep.
Celeste woke up early the next morning. Jack and Will were still asleep. Celeste looked up at Jack and smiled. Asleep, he looked almost innocent. Only unconscious, huh?
She slipped out from under the jacket and got up and stretched. She idly walked over to the dead-end wall and looked at it. She noticed that there were three right-hand shaped indentions in it. She ran her fingers along the wall near the indentions and felt something: carvings. She went over to another wall, grabbed a torch, and returned to the dead-end wall.
'Well, what could this mean?' Celeste thought. Under the indentions was carved: Tres pueden abrir la puerta.
She put down the torch and went over to Jack. She sat on her knees next to him.
"Jack, wake up." she said as she shook him.
"Oh, not now, darling..." he mumbled. "I'm tired... not in the mood..." She pouted, insulted. "Maybe later..."
SLAP! Celeste slapped him across the face.
"Ah! I'm awake! I'm awake!" Jack cried.
"Good." Celeste stated.
SLAP! She slapped him again.
"What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his cheek.
"For that terribly inappropriate remark you just made." Celeste pouted.
He smiled. "Sorry, love, I was 'alf asleep."
"I don't even want to know." Celeste said. "Anyway, come and look at this."
"At what?" Will asked behind Celeste.
"Ah!" she cried, startled, and spun around. "Oh, Will, it's you..." she said breathlessly. "Don't do that!"
"Sorry." he apologized.
"Anyway, look at this." Celeste said, walking over to the dead-end wall. "What do you suppose this means?" They all surveyed the wall.
"I don't speak much Spanish..." Will said.
"Oh, wait! I got it!" Celeste exclaimed. "Tres means three!"
"Well, most of us know that one, darling." Jack said. "But, nevertheless, that was a nice little contribution." he said in a babying voice, and patted her on the back.
"Well, that's all I know." Celeste pouted. "How was I supposed to know that I should've paid attention in those Spanish lessons?"
"Well, allow me." Jack said. "Tres pueden abrir la puerta. Three are able to open the door."
"Well, what's that mean?" Celeste asked.
"Well, there's three hand-shaped indentions here..." Will contemplated. "So, maybe we--"
"Of course!" Celeste exclaimed. She put her hand into one of the indentions. "And you two do the same. Ha, and you didn't want me to come, Will. Thank goodness I did."
"Hm." Will mumbled as he and Jack placed their hands in the indentions.
"What kind of a coincidence is it that there's three of us?" Celeste added. "Strange."
There was a rumbling sound. They all stepped back and the wall started to rise to the ceiling.
"See, now everything's going to be fine." Celeste said. "There's nothing to be--" Suddenly, they heard growling. "Ohh, my..." They were now in another narrow tunnel as before. All around, skeletons of natives and pirates that raided the island on horses years ago lied scattered on the ground.
Just then, two coal black panthers prowled out of the depths of the cave towards them. One of them leapt at Jack, but he jumped out of the way. The other leapt at Will; he tried to dodge, but was too slow. It swiped at him, making three long, diagonal scratches across his chest.
"Will!" Celeste cried. "Jack, shoot it!" Jack pulled out his pistol just as the panther was about to strike (and Celeste was dodging the other), and shot it in the chest. It yelped and fell with a thud. Will backed up against a wall, clutching his chest and slumped onto the ground.
"Uh, oh..." Jack mumbled. "No more shots..."
"Oh, no..." Celeste trailed off. "Oh!" She remembered something: she had her pistol with her. She pulled it out and aimed at the panther, but she wasn't quick enough. The panther swiped its claws at her and scratched her hand, causing her pistol to fly from her and her to cry out in pain. "Uh, oh." The panther leapt at her, but she dodged it. She looked around for a weapon: something, anything.
Suddenly, she spotted the skeleton of a pirate near the skeleton of a horse; the pirate was clutching a whip. She dashed over and picked it up.
"Jack!" she yelled. "Get my gun! Get my gun and shoot it!"
"Aye, but I can't exactly do that righ' now, darling." Jack replied urgently. The panther was standing over the pistol
Celeste strafed to the opposite side of the cave and cracked the whip at the panther. It snarled and stalked towards her. It leapt and she hopped out of the way. She once again snapped the whip in the panther's face and it growled. It leapt at her again and she hopped out of the way -- only, her foot got caught on a rock and she fell over backwards. She yelled. She quickly snapped the whip in the panther's face once more. Just as it was about to pounce on her--
BANG! Jack shot it in the back. It yelped and fell. She caught her breath and released the whip. She breathed heavily, lying on the ground.
"...OW!" she clapped a hand over her back which was now bleeding. "Goodness sakes, escape a fight with a panther only to lose a fight with a rock!" She got up with effort and went to Will.
"Oh, gosh!" Celeste exclaimed. "Are you okay?" she sat on her knees in front of him.
"Yes... yes, I'm -- ouch!"
"Oh, goodness." she sighed, sounding panicked. "Here, sit up." she helped him do so. Jack came over and sat down next to her. "Oh, this looks awful!" she unbuttoned his shirt and examined the wounds. "Luckily it only scratched you."
"Yeah." Will agreed half sarcastically as he winced in pain, looking down at the blood leaking out of his wounds.
"Well, I mean, it could've been a lot worse." Celeste said. "I'm going to have to rip your shirt, okay?"
"Yes, sure." Will winced as more blood leaked from the cuts in his chest. She ripped off a long piece of his shirt and wadded it up.
"Oh, my..." Celeste mumbled, mopping up the blood from the wounds. She placed her hand on his chest and, with her fingers and thumb, attempted to push the wounds a little more closed while mopping up blood with the other hand. "Oh, my... Ew..." She straightened out the cloth and pressed it to the wound. He winced. She used her other hand to wipe the blood from his stomach.
Jack's brow furrowed. "Watch what you're rubbin' there, darling." he told her.
"Oh, Jack, grow up." she ordered. She looked at Will. "Okay, hold this here. It's the best we can do until we get back to the Pearl. Jack, help him up." He obeyed. Will placed a hand on Jack's shoulder to aid him in walking.
They made their way down the tunnel for a few minutes and it had begun to loop around, so apparently, it was in a U-shape. They encountered nothing-- no traps, no ghosts, no blood-thirsty animals -- nothing.
Finally, they came to the end of the tunnel where there was at least ten pirate skeletons.
"Oh, gross!" Celeste groaned at the sight of them. "Hey..." She went over to a skeleton, and clutched in its arms was none other than--
"The gem!" Celeste cried. She grabbed it and looked around. "Hey, another hand... thingy." She made her way to the dead-end wall which they were now at. "This has to be the way out." Jack and Will proceeded to the wall as well. They all put their hands into the indentions and, once again, rumbling sounded. The wall rose into the ceiling and revealed glorious daylight!
"Oh, yes!" Celeste cried, still clutching the gem in her hand. "Holy sunlight! Oh, fresh air! I will never take you for granted ever again!"
"Finished talkin' to nature, darling?" Jack asked. She curled her lip at him, irritated.
They'd made a complete loop and could see the Pearl from where they were.
After what felt like a very long walk, they finally arrived back at the Pearl. As they boarded, they were greeted by the worried crew.
They tended to Will's wounds and Celeste was heading off to the cargo hold to tend to her own.
"I'll 'elp you out, love." Jack offered.
"Er, alright." she agreed. Darn hand wounds that you can't bandage on your own!
They went down to the cargo hold and Jack bandaged the cuts on her hands that had been inflicted by the panther and from attempting to break her fall numerous times.
"Now your back." Jack said.
"Oh... well... that wouldn't be very proper." Celeste hesitated. "Go get Audra or something."
"Oh, for 'eaven's -- come off it, you can't keep a wound like that exposed for too long." Jack told her.
"It's not proper for a gentleman--"
"Oh, darling, who cares?" Jack dismissed. He poured some water into a bowl and took a cloth from a nearby crate. He dabbed the cloth in the water.
Celeste reluctantly turned around, and Jack lifted up the back of her shirt to reveal a long, fairly deep cut on her lower back.
"'ere, 'old this." he said. She reached up and held onto the hem of her shirt which was now resting on her shoulders. He began to clean her wound.
"Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. OUCH!"
"Sorry, darling." Jack apologized. He set down the cloth and bowl and pulled some bandages from a crate. He then returned to Celeste and began to bandage her wounds. She blushed at the improper situation she believed she was in. Jack continued bandaging and put his arms around her. He leaned in closer to her and kissed her cheek. For a moment, she rested her head back on his shoulder, but then realized how improper this really was. He kissed her cheek again.
"Jack, cut it out." Celeste told him. "This situation isn't very proper in the first place, so stop it."
"Sorry." he said. "Couldn' resist, love." He backed up a little and finished bandaging. He tied off the bandage.
"Good as new." Jack told her. "Well, nearly."
"Thanks."
"Well, now that we have this next gem, we only need two more, right?" Celeste asked, later on deck that afternoon.
"S'pose so, love." Jack replied.
"Okay, then..." Celeste sighed wearily. "To Ruby Falls."
Okay, I hope you enjoyed that! I know I did! Anyway, please leave me a nice review! Yahooie! Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!