Hey, everybody! New chapter! Oh, yes! Wahooie! Rock on! Okay, anyway,
read on, me hearties!
Chapter 5: Old Friends and Reluctant Disguises
Ah, we've finally got the second gem." Celeste sighed, holding the green gem in her hand. "We sure have gotten them quickly. It's like giving them to us on a silver platter."
"Aye..." Jack said thoughtfully. "Never trust a silver platter. Somethin' tells me it won' be so easy to get this next one." They were eating lunch in the dining room with Audra and Angelina. Celeste set the gem down on the table and returned to her dinner.
Suddenly, Gibbs burst in.
"Sir! Misses!" he exclaimed. "Cotton just remembered! He said he remembered seeing a gem in Tortuga!"
"'ow did 'e say that...?" Angelina mumbled.
"Really?!" Celeste exclaimed. "Well, tell Mr. Cotton 'thank you very much,' and thank you, too, Mr. Gibbs!"
"Aye, Miss." Gibbs replied. "Shall we set our course for Tortuga, then?"
"Aye." Jack confirmed, and Gibbs left.
"See, Jack," Celeste began, "everything's going to be--"
"Don' say that!" Jack exclaimed. "Every time you say that, somethin' bad 'appens!"
Celeste sighed. "Superstitious pirate..."
The next evening, they docked in Tortuga. Mr. Cotton had told them that the owner of Tortuga's main pub and inn, James Ashford, had the gem.
Celeste came up on deck dressed in a pink, expensive-looking dress.
"Darling, I've never seen you in pink before." he said, taking her hand. "You look stunning."
"Thank you." Celeste smiled.
"You should wear it more often." he said. "Pink an' blue, definitely."
Jack, Celeste, Will, and Elizabeth made their way through the city to "The Faithful Bride" pub and inn. They walked through a dingy street with drunken pirates and prostitutes running around everywhere.
"Ew, Jack, this place is gross." Celeste told him.
"This is the pirate capitol of the Caribbean, love." Jack said. "We all come 'ere on occasion." Just then, a prostitute walked by and smirked at Jack. Celeste's brow furrowed as the prostitute walked off.
"Yeah, you'd better keep walking." Celeste muttered.
They continued walking for a moment until--
"Pintel, Ragetti," Jack greeted two pirates who were sitting on the ground, leaning up against some barrels, each with a woman at their sides, "what are you doin' 'ere? I thought you were in jail in Port Royal."
"We were," said Pintel, "but we got out wiffout too much o' a fuss. Those Port Royal guards sure are stupid blighters."
"Yeah, idiots." added Ragetti, a pirate with a wooden eye. "Don' know 'ow ter catch two lit'le ol' pirates like us."
"So this is where you went." Will said with distaste. "How did you get here?"
"Stole a ship." Pintel replied. "Got a problem, Mr. Turner?"
"Scum." Elizabeth scoffed.
"Nice to see you again, poppet." Pintel said. "'ow 'ave you been?"
But before Elizabeth had a chance to answer, a woman with black hair walked up to them.
"So," she started heatedly, glaring at Jack, "this is who you're taking your business to now?" she gestured to Celeste, who looked mortally offended. "I can't believe it! You didn't even come to see me! And did you the last time you were here? Noooo. And the time before? ...Well, yes, but you left without a single word to me!" Jack looked horrified. "I am disgusted with you, Jack Sparrow, and I don't care if I never see you again! And don't come apologizing and begging like the last time! This is it!" and she marched off.
Everyone stood in silence for a moment. Celeste and Elizabeth turned to Jack simultaneously, both looking extremely angry. Jack knew he was in for it this time...
"WHO WAS THAT!?" Celeste yelled. "IF SHE'S WHAT I THINK SHE IS, YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Elizabeth yelled as well. "APOLOGIZING AND BEGGING!! THAT'S DISGUSTING!"
Jack clenched his teeth in fear.
"I--"
"WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE PROPER!? SHAME ON YOU!" Celeste scolded loudly. Just then, a woman with blond hair walked up to Will. She shot a contemptuous look at Jack and looked at Will.
"Hi." she greeted. "Remember me?" Celeste noticed this and stopped in mid-yell. Elizabeth then turned around to see what was going on.
"Giselle..." Jack greeted with dismay.
"I'm not 'ere to talk to you." Giselle said coldly and returned to speaking to Will. "So, are you bored? Want some company?"
Will looked flustered and panicked; he knew what his answer was, he was just shocked by the question. Jack walked over to Will and clapped him on the back.
"Jus' like I taught you. I'm proud, I got to say." Jack said. Will looked horrified. Suddenly--
SLAP! Celeste slapped Jack hard in the face.
"It was a joke, darling!" Jack rushed, rubbing his jaw.
"Yes, well... that was for that woman a moment ago, too." Celeste told him angrily.
"Well?" Giselle continued to Will. "What do you say?"
"Er--"
"HE SAYS NO!" Elizabeth cried angrily. Giselle scoffed and walked off. "Why didn't you say anything?!"
"I-I was a little--"
"What?"
"Taken off guard." Will said quickly. Elizabeth scoffed and turned away. "I-I'm sorry, I really didn't even consider it." Pintel and Ragetti looked at this sight and raised their eyebrows.
Jack laughed at his own situation, still rubbing his jaw.
"Not funny, Jack, not funny at all." Celeste scolded. Jack continued laughing quietly. He looked at Celeste and saw that she was glaring very angrily at him. His face went serious.
"Sorry, darling..."
"Yeah, you'd better be." she muttered.
"I am, love, I'm sorry."
"You're both whipped." Pintel told them.
"Pay no heed to them." Elizabeth said resentfully.
"Really, Jack, Mr. Turner," Pintel began, "you need to show them that the man is the boss." Celeste and Elizabeth glared at him angrily -- looks that could've killed. Pintel backed down. "Sorry..."
Just then, the woman that was sitting next to Ragetti hit him in the stomach and his wooden eye popped out. She caught it.
"Oh, I could do this all day." the woman said.
"Yuck." Celeste muttered, and led the way away from Pintel and Ragetti.
Soon after, a younger woman ran up to Jack.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I love pirates!" she sucked back a little excess drool that was gathering at the corner of her mouth (great, a pirate groupie). They all looked fairly disgusted. She grabbed Jack's handkerchief that was hanging out of his pocket and dabbed the corner of her mouth. She was about to hand it back to Jack when she realized whose it was. She recoiled. "No, it's mine!" she turned to run off, but stopped, feeling guilty and turned back to Jack. "You can have it back... sorry..." she held it out to him.
"No, it's alrigh', you can keep it, love." Jack said.
She paused, shocked. "HE CALLED ME 'LOVE!!'" she yelled and ran off, dropping the handkerchief and forgetting it completely.
"Some really normal people live here, you know." Celeste grumbled sarcastically.
"Well, we're almost gone." Jack said. "We jus' 'ave to do a few things an' we can leave."
"The sooner the better." Celeste said. They walked farther into the city when the younger woman came back, with friends this time.
"He's the one who called me 'love!!'" she exclaimed and they all ran off, giggling excitedly.
Celeste rolled her eyes and they continued through the city.
They finally reached the "Faithful Bride" and entered.
"Careful 'round 'ere, love. It's not the safest place." Jack warned.
"Oh!" Celeste exclaimed overdramatically. "He called me 'love!!'" she pretended to swoon.
Jack sighed, annoyed. "I didn' ask for that, you know."
"Oh, of course." Celeste said in an unusually sweet voice.
They proceeded through the pub and came to a flight of stairs which they ascended. There was a door at the top of the stairs that read "Ashford."
Jack knocked on the door and waited for a reply. A few moments later, the door opened and there stood a tall, very good-looking man with straight, blond, shoulder-length hair.
"James!" Jack greeted. "Wonderful to see you. May I speak with you a moment?"
"Is it... Jack Sparrow?!" James exclaimed.
"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, mate." Jack corrected.
"It's been a long time!" James stated. "How are you doing?"
"Very well, as a matter of fact." Jack replied.
"Who is this lovely girl?" James asked, taking Celeste's hand and kissing it.
"Celeste Wyndham." Celeste replied. "Pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine." James replied. "James Ashford at your service, my lady." Celeste blushed and Jack scowled.
"How long will you be here, Miss Wyndham?" James asked.
"Don' even think about it, James." Jack told him threateningly. "She's mine. Forever. So, move your eyes either up to 'er's or to mine or you won' be able to move 'em at all."
"Calm down, Jack." James said. "Aren't afraid of a little competition, are you?"
"No, because there isn't any competition." Jack stated.
"Of course." James said. Jack scowled. "Anyway, come in, come in." He ushered them into his office. "Please sit." and they all sat down. Will and Elizabeth introduced themselves. "Nice to meet you both. Now, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Well, we 'eard that you 'ad one of the Gems of Roslynn." Jack told him. "We are interested in takin' it off your 'ands."
"Well, normally, Jack, I'd sell it to you, old mates and all, but unfortunately, I can't." James shrugged. "Someone stole it."
"Stole it?!" Celeste cried. "Who stole it?!"
"Captain Barbant." James replied. "Bloody pirate. No offense, Jack."
"None taken." Jack said. "But... Barbant...? I've never 'eard of 'im."
"Well, he's just popped into the scene, really." James told them. "I'd pursue him myself, but... I'm..." he glanced at Celeste, "busy. Yes, very busy. That's all."
Jack leaned over to Celeste. "'e's scared, love." he said quietly to her. She smiled
"I am not." James retorted. "I am busy. I run an inn and pub here. I can't go roaming off all the time." he looked at Celeste. "Such a lovely girl running with a pirate." Jack scowled. "Why don't you stay here with me? I can give you so much more than he can."
"Oh, come off it, James." Jack scoffed.
"Why don't you let her answer?" James said.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I am with Jack." Celeste told him. "That's how I like it."
"Well, if you wish." James sighed.
"So," Will started, "who is this Barbant?"
"Well," James explained, "he's just come here from France. His mansion is at the foothills of the mountains at the outskirts of town. There's a road leading straight to it, so you can't miss it. He runs an... establishment... that is... much like an inn, except you... pay by the hour, if you get my drift."
"Pay by the hour?" Celeste asked, clueless. "What do you mean 'pay by the'-- ohh... Eew..."
"Well, if you want to get in there to ask him about it, I'd suggest you pretend to be customers." James suggested.
"Eew..." Celeste muttered.
"Why can't we just go in and talk to him?" Elizabeth asked.
"He's not a very easy man to reach." James told her. "You'll have to get in and then sneak to his office, most likely."
"Well, I guess we'd better do that, then." Jack said. "Well, thanks for your 'elp, James."
They walked back to the Pearl, intending to go through with the plan that night. Jack had decided that it would be better if both he and Will had two girls with them -- one on each arm, therefore Audra and Angelina had to come. He figured they'd get better rooms, probably closer to Barbant's quarters. Jack told Celeste and Elizabeth to dress similar to what Giselle had been dressed in: something old and worn out looking.
"I don't think I can dress like one of those girls..." Celeste said.
"Need 'elp?" Jack asked, smirking. "I'm 'ere to serve."
She scoffed and thwacked him in the stomach with the back of her hand.
"Easy on the goods, darling." Jack told her. "You break it, you buy it."
Her lip curled disapprovingly. "I can't believe I'm doing this..." she mumbled as she walked into her room and closed the door.
A little while later, Celeste emerged from her room wearing the now beat-up looking white dress she'd worn in Ruby Falls when they had to flee for their lives and her hair up in a bun. She'd piled on quite a bit of make-up to add to the effect.
Jack was leaning up against the wall, next to her door, waiting for her (he'd already told Audra and Angelina the plan).
"Well?" Celeste asked uneasily. Jack stepped in front of her and looked her over.
"Hmm..." Jack muttered thoughtfully. "You look too... reserved. Relax."
"How exactly can I do that when I'm pretending to be... one of those women?" Celeste asked.
"Well, don' 'old your arms like that, put 'em at your side." Jack said, referring to the way she'd crossed them over her stomach. She obeyed. "You still look too 'igh classed." he told her.
"Well, I am high classed." Celeste said. "This is hard for me."
"I know wha's wrong."
"What?"
Jack grabbed onto the shoulders of her dress and pulled them lower, revealing her shoulders and making it very low cut.
"AHH!" Celeste cried, trying to cover herself up with one arm. The other, she raised into the air and attempted to slap him, but he caught her wrist.
"Tunin' me reflexes, love." Jack said with a smirk.
"Ohh--" Celeste grubled, jerking her arm back from him. "But... I can't go outside like this!"
"Well, darling, you're goin' to 'ave to if you want to get the gem." he reminded her. "You want to save me or not?"
Celeste sighed. "Of course I do."
"One more thing." Jack added. "Your hair." He reached over and pulled the pins out of her hair, and it fell onto her shoulders. "An' maybe a little more make-up around your eyes."
"Don't be silly, Jack." Celeste said. "Then I'd be wearing as much as you."
He paused, thinking. "You're absolutely righ', darling."
"You know," she sighed, "it really makes me sick to know that you're such an expert on this subject." Celeste told him. "Do you like me better like this?" she asked sarcastically.
"No." he replied sincerely, smiling. "I love you. This isn' you." he kissed her forehead. "Come on."
After they were all ready, all adjustments made, and they'd told the crew to be ready on their return, they left the Pearl and made their way to Captain Barbant's mansion.
They followed the road down to the mansion and entered it; Celeste and Audra on Jack's arm, Elizabeth and Angelina on Will's. They were greeted by a middle-aged man sitting in a chair by the door.
He led them to two rooms and took note of where they were and when they'd arrived for billing purposes.
"This is disgusting." Celeste muttered, closing the door to the room they'd been put in.
"'ey, this is a lot nicer than--" Jack began but stopped himself as he glanced at Celeste. "I mean, this is disgustin'."
Celeste scoffed and turned her back to him.
"So, how long do we have to wait here?" Audra asked, sitting in a satin-covered chair.
"'bout thirty minutes." Jack replied. "Don' want to take any chances o' getting caught, do we?"
The room was very rich-looking. Everything was red and covered in satin. There was a large canopy bed with red, satin sheets at the center of the wall opposite the door. Celeste paced to the left of it and examined an oil painting of a tropical landscape on the wall with her arms tensely crossed over her stomach. Jack sat down on the bed and smirked.
"Give you any ideas on 'ow to pass the time, darling?" he asked with a smirk.
"Oh, come off it." Celeste scoffed. "Not until you put a ring on my finger, Mr. Sparrow."
"Well, you can borrow one o' mine for about thirty--" Audra loudly cleared her throat. Jack looked at her. "Sorry, love, can't 'elp you out. I'm a one woman man."
"That's not what I meant!" Audra reprimanded angrily.
Celeste and Audra both scoffed and muttered "you're disgusting."
Over in the other room, Will, Elizabeth, and Angelina were sitting in awkward silence, glancing around nervously.
Celeste sighed impatiently and sat down next to Jack.
"Changed your mind?" he asked, smirking.
"Oh, shut up." Celeste ordered. Jack laughed quietly and lied down on his back.
"You know, we're really wastin' this atmosphere." Jack said.
"Ugh." Celeste sighed. "Men."
When thirty minutes had passed, Jack, Celeste, and Audra left their room and knocked on Will, Elizabeth, and Angelina's door. They emerged with awkward looks on their faces.
"Come on." Jack said, holding his arms out to v and Audra.
"We still have to play this role?" Celeste asked wearily.
"Aye, someone might see us." Jack replied. "This seems to be the way." He started down the corridor, Celeste and Audra on his arms, the others followed.
"So, Will," Jack said, glancing back at him, "you an Elizabeth make use o' the time?"
"Of course not!" Elizabeth hissed angrily. "How obscene!"
"Aye," Jack said, disappointed, "us either." Celeste and Elizabeth scoffed.
After a moment of more walking, Jack thought he heard someone coming.
"Can you be a little more convincin'?" Jack whispered to Celeste and Audra.
"I can, you can't." Celeste said, pointing to Audra.
"It's just a role, Celeste." Audra reasoned.
"Well... don't overdo it!" Celeste lectured. She put one arm around Jack's waist and he put one around hers.
Will, Elizabeth, and Angelina were walking stiffly, a fair distance behind them.
"Well, they're 'avin' a good time." Angelina said with sarcasm. Elizabeth scoffed in disapproval.
Just then, the person that Jack thought he'd heard walked by them, but paid no attention.
Finally, they came to a large door with the name "Barbant" printed on it. Jack knocked.
Shortly after, after Will and them had caught up, the door opened and in the door way stood a very good looking man with long brown hair and brown eyes.
"Yes?" the man asked with a French accent.
"Captain Barbant?" Jack asked.
"Yes?"
"May we come in?" Jack asked. "I 'ave a proposition for you."
"I zuppose zo." Barbant replied, opening the door and letting them in; he shut it behind them. They were in a huge office with a desk at the far side, a comfortable chair behind it, and a very large window behind that.
"Zo, 'oo ere you?" Barbant asked.
"Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack stated. "'eard o' me?"
"Miztere Sparrow?" Barbant asked. "Really? You ere a pirate legend 'ere. It is a pleazere to meet you."
"Pleasure to meet you as well." Jack replied.
"Zo, 'ow ere you enjoying my eztablishment?" Barbant asked. "Verry much, I 'ope."
"Yes, very much." Jack replied with a smile.
"Good." Barbant said. "Zeze girls ere not mine. Did you get zem at Ashford's?"
"No, of my own collection, actually." Jack replied casually. Celeste would've scowled if she didn't know better -- Elizabeth as well. Audra and Angelina nearly laughed.
"I zee." Barbant replied, smiling.
"Not bad, eh?" Jack asked, putting a hand low around Celeste's hips. Barbant chuckled and turned around to look out the window.
Celeste slapped Jack's hand and he moved it back up to her waist.
"Watch it!" she mouthed to him with gritted teeth. He smirked.
"Sorry." he mouthed to her and shrugged. She shook her fist at him. Barbant turned around.
"Zo, what is it zat you wanted to zpeak with me about?" he asked.
Jack told him that they'd heard he had a gem and told him that they wanted to buy it from him.
"I am zorry, but I cannot part with it." Barbant replied.
"There's no way you'll let us 'ave it?" Jack asked.
"Zere is not." Barbant told him.
"I was afraid you'd say that." Jack said, freeing his arm from Audra and pulling out his sword.
"Guards!" Barbant yelled and he pulled out his sword.
"Do you really think this wise, mate?" Jack asked, releasing Celeste. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, an' you're... outnumbered." Will pulled out a sword -- so did Celeste (who pulled out both of hers), Audra, Angelina, and even Elizabeth.
"I will take my chanzez." Barbant replied.
Just then, six guards burst into the room. Jack glanced at them.
"I think ze odds ere against you, sir." Barbant said.
"I've 'ad worse." Jack replied.
"Me too." Will added toughly. Jack gave him an inquisitive look.
"I would be flaterred to kill you, Miztere Sparrow." Barbant sneered.
"I'm sure you would. 'eck, if I were you, I would be." Jack replied and moved towards him, his arms relaxed, while Barbant looked tense and ready to fight. Barbant struck at Jack, but he quickly repelled it. They began to fence.
Will was ambushed by two guards, while Elizabeth fought one off. She managed to disarm her attacker, spin him around, and knock him out with the handle of her sword. Earlier, they'd decided to refrain from since they, after all, were stealing.
Celeste was fighting a particularly large guard who wasn't as quick as he was strong. He struck at Celeste and she clocked it with both her swords, but fell over from the force of the blow. He attempted to impale her, but she rolled out of the way, quickly hopped up, and knocked him out with the handle of her sword.
Audra and Angelina had been practicing fencing with Celeste and had improved quite a bit. They were each fighting a guard; they struggled for a while, but using the "cheating" techniques that Celeste had taught them, they were able to knock out their attackers. Jack and Barbant continued fencing.
Will had knocked out both of his attackers, and Celeste told him, Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina to look for the gem.
Suddenly, two more guards walked in: one looked sly and sword- skilled, while the other was just big and scary-looking.
"You take Goliath there and I'll take the other." Celeste told Will. Will nodded and they made their way over to the guards.
"I cannot fight a woman." the guard said to Celeste.
"Yes, it seems that not too many can." Celeste replied spitefully.
"I don't want to hurt you." the guard said.
"Oh, it's okay because, really, you don't have a chance." Celeste told him with sarcasm. They began to fence as Will and the other guard fought.
Suddenly, Celeste backed into something -- it was Jack!
"Ahh!" they both cried.
"'avin fun?" Jack asked as soon as he found out what he'd ran into.
"What do you think?" Celeste replied calmly. Jack laughed quietly.
Just then, Barbant high-kicked at Jack's sword arm causing his sword to fly from his hand. In a bit of a panic, Jack kicked Barbant in the stomach and Barbant fell over.
"Here!" Celeste cried, and quickly handed Jack one of her swords. They looked past each other.
"Duck!" they both cried, and they both ducked, dodging a quick swipe from both of their enemies.
"Thanks." they both said, both fencing with their enemies again. Jack was having a slightly harder time than before since Celeste's sword was different than his.
"Eugh, I 'ate this bloody sword." Jack complained, still fencing.
"Better than nothing, right?" Celeste asked, still fencing as well.
"'ow do you fight with these things?" Jack asked, frustrated.
"Two swords are better than one." Celeste replied. She slashed the guards thigh, causing him to wince in pain, which gave her just enough time to knock him out. She then joined the others in the gem-search.
Angelina was looking around for the gem when she got distracted by a particularly close call that Jack just had in his fight; she wasn't looking where she was going and ran into the frame of a large painting, making it fall off of the wall with a crash.
"Oops." Angelina mumbled as she stared down as the fallen painting.
"Oh, look!" Audra exclaimed, pointing at the wall where the painting used to be. There was a wall safe. "Celeste! Celeste, look!" Audra cried, calling her over. Celeste came over and looked at the wall.
"Jack," Celeste called, "disarm him! Hurry!"
Jack nodded and with a few quick swipes, he managed to disarm Barbant. he held the sword to Barbant's face. Celeste hurried over.
"What's the combination to the safe?" she asked. Jack pressed the sword against Barbant's cheek.
"Okay, okay." Barbant panted. "It's left sixteen, right thirty two, left twenty five. Celeste ran over to the safe and unlocked it.
"Alright!" Celeste exclaimed as she pulled out the red gem. "The last one!"
"Thank you, Mr. Barbant." Jack told him. "But now, I mus' say goodnigh'. Good nigh'." and he hit Barbant over the head with the handle of the sword and knocked him out cold.
"Let's get out of here." Celeste suggested.
"I agree." Will concurred, and the others nodded.
"It's a shame we couldn' use up the rest o' the time by--" Jack started, but Celeste cut him off my smacking him in the arm. "Well, we're payin' for an hour, might' as well..."
"In your dreams." Celeste scoffed.
"You break me 'eart, darling." Jack said.
"I should break your arm." Celeste replied.
"It 'urts, darling, it really does." Jack added jokingly.
"Come on." Celeste sighed and the left the mansion.
Okay, there's your new chapter! Hope you enjoyed it! Leave me a review, please!
Something wicked this way comes... Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .::June 4th::.
Chapter 5: Old Friends and Reluctant Disguises
Ah, we've finally got the second gem." Celeste sighed, holding the green gem in her hand. "We sure have gotten them quickly. It's like giving them to us on a silver platter."
"Aye..." Jack said thoughtfully. "Never trust a silver platter. Somethin' tells me it won' be so easy to get this next one." They were eating lunch in the dining room with Audra and Angelina. Celeste set the gem down on the table and returned to her dinner.
Suddenly, Gibbs burst in.
"Sir! Misses!" he exclaimed. "Cotton just remembered! He said he remembered seeing a gem in Tortuga!"
"'ow did 'e say that...?" Angelina mumbled.
"Really?!" Celeste exclaimed. "Well, tell Mr. Cotton 'thank you very much,' and thank you, too, Mr. Gibbs!"
"Aye, Miss." Gibbs replied. "Shall we set our course for Tortuga, then?"
"Aye." Jack confirmed, and Gibbs left.
"See, Jack," Celeste began, "everything's going to be--"
"Don' say that!" Jack exclaimed. "Every time you say that, somethin' bad 'appens!"
Celeste sighed. "Superstitious pirate..."
The next evening, they docked in Tortuga. Mr. Cotton had told them that the owner of Tortuga's main pub and inn, James Ashford, had the gem.
Celeste came up on deck dressed in a pink, expensive-looking dress.
"Darling, I've never seen you in pink before." he said, taking her hand. "You look stunning."
"Thank you." Celeste smiled.
"You should wear it more often." he said. "Pink an' blue, definitely."
Jack, Celeste, Will, and Elizabeth made their way through the city to "The Faithful Bride" pub and inn. They walked through a dingy street with drunken pirates and prostitutes running around everywhere.
"Ew, Jack, this place is gross." Celeste told him.
"This is the pirate capitol of the Caribbean, love." Jack said. "We all come 'ere on occasion." Just then, a prostitute walked by and smirked at Jack. Celeste's brow furrowed as the prostitute walked off.
"Yeah, you'd better keep walking." Celeste muttered.
They continued walking for a moment until--
"Pintel, Ragetti," Jack greeted two pirates who were sitting on the ground, leaning up against some barrels, each with a woman at their sides, "what are you doin' 'ere? I thought you were in jail in Port Royal."
"We were," said Pintel, "but we got out wiffout too much o' a fuss. Those Port Royal guards sure are stupid blighters."
"Yeah, idiots." added Ragetti, a pirate with a wooden eye. "Don' know 'ow ter catch two lit'le ol' pirates like us."
"So this is where you went." Will said with distaste. "How did you get here?"
"Stole a ship." Pintel replied. "Got a problem, Mr. Turner?"
"Scum." Elizabeth scoffed.
"Nice to see you again, poppet." Pintel said. "'ow 'ave you been?"
But before Elizabeth had a chance to answer, a woman with black hair walked up to them.
"So," she started heatedly, glaring at Jack, "this is who you're taking your business to now?" she gestured to Celeste, who looked mortally offended. "I can't believe it! You didn't even come to see me! And did you the last time you were here? Noooo. And the time before? ...Well, yes, but you left without a single word to me!" Jack looked horrified. "I am disgusted with you, Jack Sparrow, and I don't care if I never see you again! And don't come apologizing and begging like the last time! This is it!" and she marched off.
Everyone stood in silence for a moment. Celeste and Elizabeth turned to Jack simultaneously, both looking extremely angry. Jack knew he was in for it this time...
"WHO WAS THAT!?" Celeste yelled. "IF SHE'S WHAT I THINK SHE IS, YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Elizabeth yelled as well. "APOLOGIZING AND BEGGING!! THAT'S DISGUSTING!"
Jack clenched his teeth in fear.
"I--"
"WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE PROPER!? SHAME ON YOU!" Celeste scolded loudly. Just then, a woman with blond hair walked up to Will. She shot a contemptuous look at Jack and looked at Will.
"Hi." she greeted. "Remember me?" Celeste noticed this and stopped in mid-yell. Elizabeth then turned around to see what was going on.
"Giselle..." Jack greeted with dismay.
"I'm not 'ere to talk to you." Giselle said coldly and returned to speaking to Will. "So, are you bored? Want some company?"
Will looked flustered and panicked; he knew what his answer was, he was just shocked by the question. Jack walked over to Will and clapped him on the back.
"Jus' like I taught you. I'm proud, I got to say." Jack said. Will looked horrified. Suddenly--
SLAP! Celeste slapped Jack hard in the face.
"It was a joke, darling!" Jack rushed, rubbing his jaw.
"Yes, well... that was for that woman a moment ago, too." Celeste told him angrily.
"Well?" Giselle continued to Will. "What do you say?"
"Er--"
"HE SAYS NO!" Elizabeth cried angrily. Giselle scoffed and walked off. "Why didn't you say anything?!"
"I-I was a little--"
"What?"
"Taken off guard." Will said quickly. Elizabeth scoffed and turned away. "I-I'm sorry, I really didn't even consider it." Pintel and Ragetti looked at this sight and raised their eyebrows.
Jack laughed at his own situation, still rubbing his jaw.
"Not funny, Jack, not funny at all." Celeste scolded. Jack continued laughing quietly. He looked at Celeste and saw that she was glaring very angrily at him. His face went serious.
"Sorry, darling..."
"Yeah, you'd better be." she muttered.
"I am, love, I'm sorry."
"You're both whipped." Pintel told them.
"Pay no heed to them." Elizabeth said resentfully.
"Really, Jack, Mr. Turner," Pintel began, "you need to show them that the man is the boss." Celeste and Elizabeth glared at him angrily -- looks that could've killed. Pintel backed down. "Sorry..."
Just then, the woman that was sitting next to Ragetti hit him in the stomach and his wooden eye popped out. She caught it.
"Oh, I could do this all day." the woman said.
"Yuck." Celeste muttered, and led the way away from Pintel and Ragetti.
Soon after, a younger woman ran up to Jack.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I love pirates!" she sucked back a little excess drool that was gathering at the corner of her mouth (great, a pirate groupie). They all looked fairly disgusted. She grabbed Jack's handkerchief that was hanging out of his pocket and dabbed the corner of her mouth. She was about to hand it back to Jack when she realized whose it was. She recoiled. "No, it's mine!" she turned to run off, but stopped, feeling guilty and turned back to Jack. "You can have it back... sorry..." she held it out to him.
"No, it's alrigh', you can keep it, love." Jack said.
She paused, shocked. "HE CALLED ME 'LOVE!!'" she yelled and ran off, dropping the handkerchief and forgetting it completely.
"Some really normal people live here, you know." Celeste grumbled sarcastically.
"Well, we're almost gone." Jack said. "We jus' 'ave to do a few things an' we can leave."
"The sooner the better." Celeste said. They walked farther into the city when the younger woman came back, with friends this time.
"He's the one who called me 'love!!'" she exclaimed and they all ran off, giggling excitedly.
Celeste rolled her eyes and they continued through the city.
They finally reached the "Faithful Bride" and entered.
"Careful 'round 'ere, love. It's not the safest place." Jack warned.
"Oh!" Celeste exclaimed overdramatically. "He called me 'love!!'" she pretended to swoon.
Jack sighed, annoyed. "I didn' ask for that, you know."
"Oh, of course." Celeste said in an unusually sweet voice.
They proceeded through the pub and came to a flight of stairs which they ascended. There was a door at the top of the stairs that read "Ashford."
Jack knocked on the door and waited for a reply. A few moments later, the door opened and there stood a tall, very good-looking man with straight, blond, shoulder-length hair.
"James!" Jack greeted. "Wonderful to see you. May I speak with you a moment?"
"Is it... Jack Sparrow?!" James exclaimed.
"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, mate." Jack corrected.
"It's been a long time!" James stated. "How are you doing?"
"Very well, as a matter of fact." Jack replied.
"Who is this lovely girl?" James asked, taking Celeste's hand and kissing it.
"Celeste Wyndham." Celeste replied. "Pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine." James replied. "James Ashford at your service, my lady." Celeste blushed and Jack scowled.
"How long will you be here, Miss Wyndham?" James asked.
"Don' even think about it, James." Jack told him threateningly. "She's mine. Forever. So, move your eyes either up to 'er's or to mine or you won' be able to move 'em at all."
"Calm down, Jack." James said. "Aren't afraid of a little competition, are you?"
"No, because there isn't any competition." Jack stated.
"Of course." James said. Jack scowled. "Anyway, come in, come in." He ushered them into his office. "Please sit." and they all sat down. Will and Elizabeth introduced themselves. "Nice to meet you both. Now, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Well, we 'eard that you 'ad one of the Gems of Roslynn." Jack told him. "We are interested in takin' it off your 'ands."
"Well, normally, Jack, I'd sell it to you, old mates and all, but unfortunately, I can't." James shrugged. "Someone stole it."
"Stole it?!" Celeste cried. "Who stole it?!"
"Captain Barbant." James replied. "Bloody pirate. No offense, Jack."
"None taken." Jack said. "But... Barbant...? I've never 'eard of 'im."
"Well, he's just popped into the scene, really." James told them. "I'd pursue him myself, but... I'm..." he glanced at Celeste, "busy. Yes, very busy. That's all."
Jack leaned over to Celeste. "'e's scared, love." he said quietly to her. She smiled
"I am not." James retorted. "I am busy. I run an inn and pub here. I can't go roaming off all the time." he looked at Celeste. "Such a lovely girl running with a pirate." Jack scowled. "Why don't you stay here with me? I can give you so much more than he can."
"Oh, come off it, James." Jack scoffed.
"Why don't you let her answer?" James said.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I am with Jack." Celeste told him. "That's how I like it."
"Well, if you wish." James sighed.
"So," Will started, "who is this Barbant?"
"Well," James explained, "he's just come here from France. His mansion is at the foothills of the mountains at the outskirts of town. There's a road leading straight to it, so you can't miss it. He runs an... establishment... that is... much like an inn, except you... pay by the hour, if you get my drift."
"Pay by the hour?" Celeste asked, clueless. "What do you mean 'pay by the'-- ohh... Eew..."
"Well, if you want to get in there to ask him about it, I'd suggest you pretend to be customers." James suggested.
"Eew..." Celeste muttered.
"Why can't we just go in and talk to him?" Elizabeth asked.
"He's not a very easy man to reach." James told her. "You'll have to get in and then sneak to his office, most likely."
"Well, I guess we'd better do that, then." Jack said. "Well, thanks for your 'elp, James."
They walked back to the Pearl, intending to go through with the plan that night. Jack had decided that it would be better if both he and Will had two girls with them -- one on each arm, therefore Audra and Angelina had to come. He figured they'd get better rooms, probably closer to Barbant's quarters. Jack told Celeste and Elizabeth to dress similar to what Giselle had been dressed in: something old and worn out looking.
"I don't think I can dress like one of those girls..." Celeste said.
"Need 'elp?" Jack asked, smirking. "I'm 'ere to serve."
She scoffed and thwacked him in the stomach with the back of her hand.
"Easy on the goods, darling." Jack told her. "You break it, you buy it."
Her lip curled disapprovingly. "I can't believe I'm doing this..." she mumbled as she walked into her room and closed the door.
A little while later, Celeste emerged from her room wearing the now beat-up looking white dress she'd worn in Ruby Falls when they had to flee for their lives and her hair up in a bun. She'd piled on quite a bit of make-up to add to the effect.
Jack was leaning up against the wall, next to her door, waiting for her (he'd already told Audra and Angelina the plan).
"Well?" Celeste asked uneasily. Jack stepped in front of her and looked her over.
"Hmm..." Jack muttered thoughtfully. "You look too... reserved. Relax."
"How exactly can I do that when I'm pretending to be... one of those women?" Celeste asked.
"Well, don' 'old your arms like that, put 'em at your side." Jack said, referring to the way she'd crossed them over her stomach. She obeyed. "You still look too 'igh classed." he told her.
"Well, I am high classed." Celeste said. "This is hard for me."
"I know wha's wrong."
"What?"
Jack grabbed onto the shoulders of her dress and pulled them lower, revealing her shoulders and making it very low cut.
"AHH!" Celeste cried, trying to cover herself up with one arm. The other, she raised into the air and attempted to slap him, but he caught her wrist.
"Tunin' me reflexes, love." Jack said with a smirk.
"Ohh--" Celeste grubled, jerking her arm back from him. "But... I can't go outside like this!"
"Well, darling, you're goin' to 'ave to if you want to get the gem." he reminded her. "You want to save me or not?"
Celeste sighed. "Of course I do."
"One more thing." Jack added. "Your hair." He reached over and pulled the pins out of her hair, and it fell onto her shoulders. "An' maybe a little more make-up around your eyes."
"Don't be silly, Jack." Celeste said. "Then I'd be wearing as much as you."
He paused, thinking. "You're absolutely righ', darling."
"You know," she sighed, "it really makes me sick to know that you're such an expert on this subject." Celeste told him. "Do you like me better like this?" she asked sarcastically.
"No." he replied sincerely, smiling. "I love you. This isn' you." he kissed her forehead. "Come on."
After they were all ready, all adjustments made, and they'd told the crew to be ready on their return, they left the Pearl and made their way to Captain Barbant's mansion.
They followed the road down to the mansion and entered it; Celeste and Audra on Jack's arm, Elizabeth and Angelina on Will's. They were greeted by a middle-aged man sitting in a chair by the door.
He led them to two rooms and took note of where they were and when they'd arrived for billing purposes.
"This is disgusting." Celeste muttered, closing the door to the room they'd been put in.
"'ey, this is a lot nicer than--" Jack began but stopped himself as he glanced at Celeste. "I mean, this is disgustin'."
Celeste scoffed and turned her back to him.
"So, how long do we have to wait here?" Audra asked, sitting in a satin-covered chair.
"'bout thirty minutes." Jack replied. "Don' want to take any chances o' getting caught, do we?"
The room was very rich-looking. Everything was red and covered in satin. There was a large canopy bed with red, satin sheets at the center of the wall opposite the door. Celeste paced to the left of it and examined an oil painting of a tropical landscape on the wall with her arms tensely crossed over her stomach. Jack sat down on the bed and smirked.
"Give you any ideas on 'ow to pass the time, darling?" he asked with a smirk.
"Oh, come off it." Celeste scoffed. "Not until you put a ring on my finger, Mr. Sparrow."
"Well, you can borrow one o' mine for about thirty--" Audra loudly cleared her throat. Jack looked at her. "Sorry, love, can't 'elp you out. I'm a one woman man."
"That's not what I meant!" Audra reprimanded angrily.
Celeste and Audra both scoffed and muttered "you're disgusting."
Over in the other room, Will, Elizabeth, and Angelina were sitting in awkward silence, glancing around nervously.
Celeste sighed impatiently and sat down next to Jack.
"Changed your mind?" he asked, smirking.
"Oh, shut up." Celeste ordered. Jack laughed quietly and lied down on his back.
"You know, we're really wastin' this atmosphere." Jack said.
"Ugh." Celeste sighed. "Men."
When thirty minutes had passed, Jack, Celeste, and Audra left their room and knocked on Will, Elizabeth, and Angelina's door. They emerged with awkward looks on their faces.
"Come on." Jack said, holding his arms out to v and Audra.
"We still have to play this role?" Celeste asked wearily.
"Aye, someone might see us." Jack replied. "This seems to be the way." He started down the corridor, Celeste and Audra on his arms, the others followed.
"So, Will," Jack said, glancing back at him, "you an Elizabeth make use o' the time?"
"Of course not!" Elizabeth hissed angrily. "How obscene!"
"Aye," Jack said, disappointed, "us either." Celeste and Elizabeth scoffed.
After a moment of more walking, Jack thought he heard someone coming.
"Can you be a little more convincin'?" Jack whispered to Celeste and Audra.
"I can, you can't." Celeste said, pointing to Audra.
"It's just a role, Celeste." Audra reasoned.
"Well... don't overdo it!" Celeste lectured. She put one arm around Jack's waist and he put one around hers.
Will, Elizabeth, and Angelina were walking stiffly, a fair distance behind them.
"Well, they're 'avin' a good time." Angelina said with sarcasm. Elizabeth scoffed in disapproval.
Just then, the person that Jack thought he'd heard walked by them, but paid no attention.
Finally, they came to a large door with the name "Barbant" printed on it. Jack knocked.
Shortly after, after Will and them had caught up, the door opened and in the door way stood a very good looking man with long brown hair and brown eyes.
"Yes?" the man asked with a French accent.
"Captain Barbant?" Jack asked.
"Yes?"
"May we come in?" Jack asked. "I 'ave a proposition for you."
"I zuppose zo." Barbant replied, opening the door and letting them in; he shut it behind them. They were in a huge office with a desk at the far side, a comfortable chair behind it, and a very large window behind that.
"Zo, 'oo ere you?" Barbant asked.
"Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack stated. "'eard o' me?"
"Miztere Sparrow?" Barbant asked. "Really? You ere a pirate legend 'ere. It is a pleazere to meet you."
"Pleasure to meet you as well." Jack replied.
"Zo, 'ow ere you enjoying my eztablishment?" Barbant asked. "Verry much, I 'ope."
"Yes, very much." Jack replied with a smile.
"Good." Barbant said. "Zeze girls ere not mine. Did you get zem at Ashford's?"
"No, of my own collection, actually." Jack replied casually. Celeste would've scowled if she didn't know better -- Elizabeth as well. Audra and Angelina nearly laughed.
"I zee." Barbant replied, smiling.
"Not bad, eh?" Jack asked, putting a hand low around Celeste's hips. Barbant chuckled and turned around to look out the window.
Celeste slapped Jack's hand and he moved it back up to her waist.
"Watch it!" she mouthed to him with gritted teeth. He smirked.
"Sorry." he mouthed to her and shrugged. She shook her fist at him. Barbant turned around.
"Zo, what is it zat you wanted to zpeak with me about?" he asked.
Jack told him that they'd heard he had a gem and told him that they wanted to buy it from him.
"I am zorry, but I cannot part with it." Barbant replied.
"There's no way you'll let us 'ave it?" Jack asked.
"Zere is not." Barbant told him.
"I was afraid you'd say that." Jack said, freeing his arm from Audra and pulling out his sword.
"Guards!" Barbant yelled and he pulled out his sword.
"Do you really think this wise, mate?" Jack asked, releasing Celeste. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, an' you're... outnumbered." Will pulled out a sword -- so did Celeste (who pulled out both of hers), Audra, Angelina, and even Elizabeth.
"I will take my chanzez." Barbant replied.
Just then, six guards burst into the room. Jack glanced at them.
"I think ze odds ere against you, sir." Barbant said.
"I've 'ad worse." Jack replied.
"Me too." Will added toughly. Jack gave him an inquisitive look.
"I would be flaterred to kill you, Miztere Sparrow." Barbant sneered.
"I'm sure you would. 'eck, if I were you, I would be." Jack replied and moved towards him, his arms relaxed, while Barbant looked tense and ready to fight. Barbant struck at Jack, but he quickly repelled it. They began to fence.
Will was ambushed by two guards, while Elizabeth fought one off. She managed to disarm her attacker, spin him around, and knock him out with the handle of her sword. Earlier, they'd decided to refrain from since they, after all, were stealing.
Celeste was fighting a particularly large guard who wasn't as quick as he was strong. He struck at Celeste and she clocked it with both her swords, but fell over from the force of the blow. He attempted to impale her, but she rolled out of the way, quickly hopped up, and knocked him out with the handle of her sword.
Audra and Angelina had been practicing fencing with Celeste and had improved quite a bit. They were each fighting a guard; they struggled for a while, but using the "cheating" techniques that Celeste had taught them, they were able to knock out their attackers. Jack and Barbant continued fencing.
Will had knocked out both of his attackers, and Celeste told him, Elizabeth, Audra, and Angelina to look for the gem.
Suddenly, two more guards walked in: one looked sly and sword- skilled, while the other was just big and scary-looking.
"You take Goliath there and I'll take the other." Celeste told Will. Will nodded and they made their way over to the guards.
"I cannot fight a woman." the guard said to Celeste.
"Yes, it seems that not too many can." Celeste replied spitefully.
"I don't want to hurt you." the guard said.
"Oh, it's okay because, really, you don't have a chance." Celeste told him with sarcasm. They began to fence as Will and the other guard fought.
Suddenly, Celeste backed into something -- it was Jack!
"Ahh!" they both cried.
"'avin fun?" Jack asked as soon as he found out what he'd ran into.
"What do you think?" Celeste replied calmly. Jack laughed quietly.
Just then, Barbant high-kicked at Jack's sword arm causing his sword to fly from his hand. In a bit of a panic, Jack kicked Barbant in the stomach and Barbant fell over.
"Here!" Celeste cried, and quickly handed Jack one of her swords. They looked past each other.
"Duck!" they both cried, and they both ducked, dodging a quick swipe from both of their enemies.
"Thanks." they both said, both fencing with their enemies again. Jack was having a slightly harder time than before since Celeste's sword was different than his.
"Eugh, I 'ate this bloody sword." Jack complained, still fencing.
"Better than nothing, right?" Celeste asked, still fencing as well.
"'ow do you fight with these things?" Jack asked, frustrated.
"Two swords are better than one." Celeste replied. She slashed the guards thigh, causing him to wince in pain, which gave her just enough time to knock him out. She then joined the others in the gem-search.
Angelina was looking around for the gem when she got distracted by a particularly close call that Jack just had in his fight; she wasn't looking where she was going and ran into the frame of a large painting, making it fall off of the wall with a crash.
"Oops." Angelina mumbled as she stared down as the fallen painting.
"Oh, look!" Audra exclaimed, pointing at the wall where the painting used to be. There was a wall safe. "Celeste! Celeste, look!" Audra cried, calling her over. Celeste came over and looked at the wall.
"Jack," Celeste called, "disarm him! Hurry!"
Jack nodded and with a few quick swipes, he managed to disarm Barbant. he held the sword to Barbant's face. Celeste hurried over.
"What's the combination to the safe?" she asked. Jack pressed the sword against Barbant's cheek.
"Okay, okay." Barbant panted. "It's left sixteen, right thirty two, left twenty five. Celeste ran over to the safe and unlocked it.
"Alright!" Celeste exclaimed as she pulled out the red gem. "The last one!"
"Thank you, Mr. Barbant." Jack told him. "But now, I mus' say goodnigh'. Good nigh'." and he hit Barbant over the head with the handle of the sword and knocked him out cold.
"Let's get out of here." Celeste suggested.
"I agree." Will concurred, and the others nodded.
"It's a shame we couldn' use up the rest o' the time by--" Jack started, but Celeste cut him off my smacking him in the arm. "Well, we're payin' for an hour, might' as well..."
"In your dreams." Celeste scoffed.
"You break me 'eart, darling." Jack said.
"I should break your arm." Celeste replied.
"It 'urts, darling, it really does." Jack added jokingly.
"Come on." Celeste sighed and the left the mansion.
Okay, there's your new chapter! Hope you enjoyed it! Leave me a review, please!
Something wicked this way comes... Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .::June 4th::.