The three talked for hours; Alicia tactfully steered the conversation away from her or her origins. Until she knew exactly why she was in the past, the less they knew, the better.

The hazy grey sky outside turned to a velveteen indigo. The moon rose up from the watery horizon. Sometime while they were talking, the clouds and fog had lifted, allowing for a myriad of stars to fill the window.

"Are we going northwest, by any chance?" From her position at the table, she could see perfectly the flawless silver sphere climbing up from the waterline. The surprise on both men's faces was plain as day. She laughed at their shock; then explained how she knew. "Since the moon rises from the east; and that window" She pointed towards the window across the table from her. "is directed towards the rising moon. Then obviously, the window is facing east at the moment. Captain Sparrow's cabin is on the left, or port, side of the ship. That means that this cabin —— which I'm guessing is Anamaria's? —— would be on the right, or starboard, side. The fact that the windows are at the aft and starboard sides only confirms this. As such, we must be headed to the northwest. If I remember the map of the area correctly, then logically, we can be heading to only one place. Tortuga!" As she was explaining, she started gesticulating eagerly, proud of her deductive reasoning. By the end of her elucidation, she was on her feet, pointing at the moon through the open window.

Her glasses slid down her nose, and instinctively, she pushed them up with her left hand. Unfortunately for her, that was the hand she had slammed down on the table and was using to support herself. As her hand moved to the bridge of her glasses, the Pearl hit a large wave, once again knocking her off her feet. She landed on her bottom with a thump, thankfully missing any furniture this time. She just sat there for a moment, staring at the table looming over her as if it held the keys to the universe. "Um, yes, well... Just because I have the balance of a one legged horse, doesn't mean that I don't know how to do simple deductive reasoning." She pushed he glasses back up her nose —— as they'd gone askew in the fall —— and lifted herself back into her seat. "So was I right?"

Norrington looked to Jack questioningly; as if to ask 'We're not really going to that island of ill repute... Are we?' The pirate completely ignored him, instead focussing his attention on Alicia. "Actually, love, you forgot one place. Well... You probably didn't forget it since it's doubtful you've ever even heard of it. We're going to get some treasure, savvy?" He leaned in closer to her, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Now, don' get frightened, love, but we're going to a place so terrible, it's called the—"

"The Island of the Dead? You mean we're going to Isla De Muerta!" Her excitement made her eyes glimmer in the moonlight. She was actually going to get to see the cursed place for herself; in real life! Only when she saw the look the two men exchanged, did she realize that she shouldn't have known about such a place's existence. "Sorry, I've heard tales..." Her voice took on a story telling air. "Zombies and ghosts call that place home... Many honest (and not so honest) men searched for it. Most never made it back to port." She decided to embellish a bit. After all, she wanted them to believe that all she knew is stories about it. "I heard that the dead walk, patrolling the shore. The rotting flesh just drips from their bones as they guard their treasure from potential thieves." The other two appeared unnerved at the level of description she put into her tale. Or perhaps they were just disturbed by the gleam in her eyes as she spoke of such morbid things... "Do you think we'll get to see an evil spirit? Maybe we'll have to fight with an army of undead soldiers in order to obtain the treasure." She turned to Jack, grey—green eyes seemingly huge through her glasses. "Did you have to fight them when you were there? After all, you can't find the place unless you've been there before, right?" I think I did a pretty good job at making them think I don't really know anything about the real Isla De Muerta...

Norrington on the other hand, was less than eager to return to that island of death. "Are you quite certain you wish to return there? You have wounded aboard; as well as a young lady, who I highly doubt should be off gallivanting after treasure on a cursed island." His tone was so aristocratic that Alicia wanted to make him eat his words... Maybe with a bit of hot sauce, just to spice things up. Little white crescents were imprinted in the palm of her hand where she clenched her fists. She had to literally bite her tongue to hold back a few snide comments.

Jack, thankfully, saved her from the chance of doing something regrettable. "Mate, if'n you're scared; I can drop you off in Tortuga while we go to the island. I really don't care either way." He winked at Alicia, inciting a small laugh to escape her. "She doesn't seem too frightened to be goin'." He leaned across the table challengingly. "Are you more timorous than a young lass?" Norrington's face grew red, eliciting another snicker from the teen.

Norrington opened his mouth to respond, but Alicia cut him off at "I—" "I'm not the least bit scared. 'I ain't afraid of no ghost.' The only thing I fear is fear itself. And maybe bad mayonnaise2." Even Jack had a quizzical look on his face. "Never mind; inside joke." The confusion on their faces didn't abate. "Um... Anyways... When are we going to get there?" She knew she was sounding a bit like a little kid with 'Are we there yet?' but she couldn't help herself. Besides, It keep those two from starting at it again. If there was anything that was accurate about her profiling of the captain and commodore; it was their animosity towards each other...

Jack let it go, for now. "We should be there in a day and a half." His eyes met the Commodore's. "I will be expecting both of you to pull your weight. You may not like it, but this is still my ship. You know what you're doing, so I'm going to be putting you to work." He gave Alicia a gold toothed smile and she felt as if she would faint. "Since you can't even stand; I'll leave you to care for those two." He gestured to unconscious pair in the bed. "I'm going to need them well enough to work as fast as possible." With one final glance at the full moon climbing the stars, he stretched and stood. "Well, it's gettin' late and I've got a ship I have to get back to. I suggest you both get some rest before tomorrow." As he walked out of the room, Alicia realized, for the first time, that his usual swagger was nearly nonexistent on the sea.

"It's almost as if he follows the ebb of the tide; even when he's on dry land..." Her surprise came out with the whispered comment. She hadn't meant to say it aloud; she didn't even realize she did so, until Norrington commented on it.

"Yes. I may not like him —— and he's been a thorn in my side for quite a while —— but he is nonetheless a very capable seaman." The raven haired teen burst out laughing. Norrington's confusion only made her laughter louder. "What is so amusing?"

She was able to calm down to a snigger, forcing herself to steady her breaths. "Sorry... I just... Misinterpret that word... Seamen and Semen..." Her snigger grew to full fledged giggles. It took her a few moments to settle down. "Sorry... I... Never mind..." She finally stopped even snickering. A yawn forced its way out; she could hear her jaw crack from it. Her eyes watered, causing the room to waiver. "I think I'm going to sleep..." She removed her glasses, placing them on the table near her. With another large yawn, she crossed her arms on the table next to her glasses and lowered her head onto them.

The world went from a brown and blue blur to the black oblivion of slumber.

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1The thing about her biggest fear being bad mayonnaise is from a TV series known as Special Unit 2. It's about a special police force in Chicago (btw, I'm from Chicago and I hope the White Sox lose the Baseball finals thingy... I've never been one for teem spirit. I always root for the other team.), that deals with monsters. Kinda like Men In Black except that instead of being aliens, they're evolved from the missing link between man and monkey. Hence why they call them Links. Anyway, this particular episode, a scarecrow was (literally) terrorizing Chicago by making people's greatest fear become real. The main characters, Nick O'Malley and Kate Benson (kind of like Mulder and Scully of the Chicago PD), were discussing how it will turn your biggest fear against you and Nick said "What can I say? I don't have a greatest fear. Not bug, or bad mayonnaise or even dieing. I don't want to die, but I'm not afraid to. Otherwise I couldn't do what I do." So Kate replied crossly with "Fine. If you don't want to tell me what it is, then don't." So Nick, in his usual fashion, gave the witty retort, "Alright, I'll tell you... It's the bad mayonnaise."

In any case, that's the longwinded explanation about Alicia's little comment.

Telomeric: Emphasis on longwinded.

Fire Claw: Do you wish to copy Alicia's most recent activities in your fanfics?

Me: Yes, so I'll keep this short.

Fire Claw: I'm also guessing that's the reason that you're rambling.

Me: Sorry, was I?

Telomeric: You're doing it now...

Me: Fine... (-Yawn-) Read Review Enjoy... Did I forget anything?

Telomeric: Yes! Letting me have the last word!

Me: Fine... Have it so I can go to sleep. (-Is suddenly in my PotC cosplay pyjamas, with my Alucard plushie.-)

Telomeric and Fire Claw: (-Anime Sweatdrop-)

Telomeric: The End.

Fire Claw: (-Sneezes-)

Telomeric: (-Ahem-) Take care.

Fire Claw: Thank you.

Telomeric: 'Welcome. Now it's the END!