Disclaimer: I don't own either "Danny Phantom" or "Pirates of the Carabbean". Most of the characters you see are either property of Nickelodeon or Disney. Some others are my own.
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The Spirit of the Ship
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Chapter 8: Little Italy, Big Treasure
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"Dear Diary,
It's been three days since we began setting sail. Danny is getting a lot better at swordplay. He learns quickly from what Jack and Gustavo are teaching him. Gustavo is just as short tempered as ever. He threatened me again, twice. I don't think anything will ever change between us. As for Jack, he's still as goofy as ever. He fell overboard after drinking too much rum. Of all the crew, I'm worried about him the most. Nothing's really happened with me much, for I've just been steering us to Poca Città. Jack said we should be there soon. Until then, I feel I'm just steering blind.
Adriana"
"Land ho!" Danny yelled from the front of the ship. All eyes turned to Danny's direction as a port came into view. They ran to the front to take a better view at the first piece of land they've seen in days.
"That's Poca Città, mates," Jack said to his crew. Afterward, he gave the commands of, "Adriana, set full course to that port!"
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The Hairy Turtle was docked, the toll was paid, and the crew was on glorious land. To Adriana and Gustavo, the Poca Città bazaar was pretty reminicent to Puerto de España, their hometown. Gustavo was holding the vase, which brought some attention to the crew from most of the townies. "This is Poca Città," Jack said, introducing the little Italian town. "This is one of the most active ports in Italy. But seeing how it's the only Italian port I've been to, it shouldn't really matter.
While Jack was talking, Adriana, almost intensionally, bumped into a nicely dress round man. "Me disculpo," Adriana told him, shortly being cut off by Jack.
"Wait a minute," Jack said, turning to the man Adriana bumped into. He started to run after him. "Excuse me, sir!" The man turned around at Jack and smiled as though recognizing him.
"Jack Sparrow!" he said.
"Donny-boy!" Jack responded. The two exchanged words for a short while and Jack brought the man to his shipmates.
"Lady, gentlemen, and Gustavo," Jack said, "this is a good friend of mine, Mister Donatello Rotondo. You can just call him Don or Donny."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Don said. Don was evidently in his fifties, with a grey beard and a matching balding head. While his fine clothes made him look like a powerful person, Don didn't have much in the height department, for he was smaller then Danny, but he was plenty wide.
"So what's so good about this man?" Gustavo asked Jack.
"From what Jack told me," Don said walking over to Gustavo, "you're on a treasure hunt of some sorts, and that vase in your hands is the best thing you got to getting there. Let me take a look at that." Don took a pair of reading glasses out from his pocket, put them over his eyes, and examined the vase. He took great attention at the top and exclaimed, "Aha! The text on the top of this vase is Latin. Not many people speak it today, but I know what's written there. You come to my place, and we'll get straight to business. And one more thing." Don changed his attention to Jack's ship. "Is that the Black Pearl? It looks, how you say, pathetic."
"Actually," Jack answered, "I lost the Black Pearl. ...Again. That is the Hairy Turtle."
"You named your ship the Hairy Turtle?" Don asked.
"Don't ask," Danny, Adriana, and Gustavo said, all in unison.
"Well, enough of that," Don said. "Let's go to my place."
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Jack had told Don about their quest so far, about Danny, the Hairy Turtle, anything he thought Don would like to know. At a small house, Don knocked on the front door three times, first once, then twice rapidly. A slit opened with a set of eyes looking through. "Parola d'accesso?" a voice said from behind the door.
"Serpente nell'erba," Don whispered. The door opened as the doorman welcomed Don in followed by a frenzy of verbal welcomings to him.
"Wow," Danny said to Jack, "Don must be really popular here."
"I consider these folk to be Don's crew," Jack said. "Not exactly seaworthy by the look of them, though." Don said several things to the men in the house, all in Italian, almost as if he were giving orders. He ended his statements by clapping his hands and pointing his thumb over his shoulder, almost like a "get to it" kind of deal. The men followed and exited the door.
"I can't believe this," a rather excited Danny said. "I just witnessed a meeting with probably the first Italian mafia."
"I really don't know what that means," Don responded while taking a seat on a near-by table. "I just like to say that I know some people who know some people."
"So, what did you say to them," Adriana asked.
"I told them to get supplies for your ship," Don said. "Things like food, water, and since you don't have any cannons, I asked them to get one or two for you."
"I see," Adriana said. "I guess you'll be needing this back." She tossed a bag of coins onto Don's table. Shocked, Don checked around his coat to find to pockets empty.
"Thieves," Gustavo sighed, rolling his eyes.
"She's a good one, though," Don said, shocking Gustavo on how someone could take sides with a thief, even if he could easily put himself in that catagory. "Now let me see that vase." Gustavo placed the vase on Don's table. Don put his reading glasses on again and translated the text on the top of the vase aloud.
"Tales tell of a treasure worth the value of the gods. A treasure with such great value, Jupiter hidden it from his own envy and that of others. He hidden the treasure only to those who know of its existance. They must prove worthy of the treasure by facing against beauties, a beast, and all those who parished before them. Only those who seek it will face these obsticles. Should one triumph, the treasure is their's."
"Does that come with subtitles?" Danny asked, not fully comprehensing what Don just read.
"I think what it means is," Gustavo explained, "since we'll be looking for the treasure, these obsticles will affect us. Other sailors probably sailed towards the treasure, but since they had no prior knowledge to it, let alone any interest, these things just let them be."
"A treasure with a deadly challenge to it," Jack said to himself, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "I like the sound of that."
"There seems to be more," Don said, examining pictures painted on the vase. "Almost like an illustrated story."
"What's it say?" Gustavo asked. Don looked at him and chuckled.
"You've looked at ths vase before, Gustavo," Don told him. "Can't you even remember that there isn't any text under, above, or anywhere of the sorts by the pictures. I think I can figure out what they mean." An anxious look came to Jack's face. As a pirate, he was most interested. "But then again, why do today what you can do tomorrow?" He let out a hearty laugh as Jack's face went quickly to depressed.
"Excuse me, Don," Danny said, "but don't you mean 'Why do tomorrow what you can do today'?"
"That's how it normally goes," Don said, with yet another laugh, "but when you get as old and fat as me, things tend to change. I'll look back at that vase first thing in the morning. In the meantime, night is coming. We should all get some rest." Don got up and retired to a different room. Adriana couldn't help but be curious.
"But the sun hasn't even completely set yet," Adriana said.
Jack laughed and said, "Don hasn't changed a bit."
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Day had come to Poca Città. The sunlight slowly creaked into the house of Don Rotondo, but it didn't affect the crew of the Hairy Turtle sleeping there. What did was the cry of an old, fat man which went, "Lo ho trovato!" It startled Danny, Adriana, and Gustavo, but Jack woke up as if it were an everyday alarm clock.
"He found something," Jack said drowzily. He got up and told the rest to follow him down.
Downstairs, Don was waiting, dressed more casually then last they seen him, with the vase next to him. "Glad to see you four here," Don welcomed his guests. "I made an amazing discovery on this treasure you're looking for. It's a treasure beyond any of your wildest dreams."
"Uncountable gold coins?" Adriana asked.
"A gold ship?" Jack asked with equal participation.
"A gold time machine?" Danny asked, then quickly added, "Uh, gold optional?"
"These picture tell a story," Don said, "of a treasure greater then any of those things, how it got here, and why it's so greatly guarded." He proceded to faceing the more illustrated side of the vase, telling the story while pointing to the pictures that represented what he told.
"A long time ago, Vulcan forged a golden staff for the great King Jupiter to hold. In it, it contained the power of the elements: the fires of Vulcan, the earth moving abilities of Ceres, the thunder of Jupiter, the waters of Neptune, and the winds of Uranus."
Don's story was cut off by the snickering of Danny, who gained looks of all those around him. "What's so funny?" Don asked.
"Nothing," Danny said hiding his laughter. Don ignored the incident, went "As I was saying...", and continued telling.
"The wielder of this staff would have the ability to control these elements. When Vulcan presented the gift to Jupiter, Jupiter quickly denied it, deeming it too powerful. Rather then destroying such a beautiful piece, he threw it down to Earth, along with other valuble golden items that he didn't need. Jupiter knew that any mortal could easily get to the staff and claim it for their own, along with godlike powers. He set three challenges to block anyone from reaching it. That of a beauties, a beast, and all those who have parished before them. Knowing these were too dangerous, Jupiter only set them to people who were after any of the treasure, just to have a little fun. Unknowingly to Jupiter, Vulcan gave the staff a sixth power. No one in the heavens know what it is, but it is said that it can kill the other elements. That is the only clue Vulcan has given."
"The rest is up to you," Don ended.
"Wait," Danny said, "you're just gonna leave us in some sort of cliffhanger?"
"No, of course not," Don laughed. "This vase and I are coming with you. There could be much more secrets on this that I haven't figured out yet."
"Oh, I see," Jack smirked. "You really want to claim that staff for yourself and become the most powerful man in Italy. Don, you dog."
"Of course not!" Don shouted in defense. "That thing is much too dangerous on Earth. I say we get to that treasure and do what Jupiter himself couldn't do. Also, I never been sailing before. I'm ready for the adventure you four have in store."
"Well, I don't have any objections," Gustavo said.
"Donny-boy," Jack said, extending his arm, " welcome aboard the Hairy Turtle." Don extended his arm and shook hands with the captain.
"That's great," Don smiled. "My people should have your ship loaded by now. I suggest we head toward the docks right now."
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As the last of the supplies were loaded on the Hairy Turtle, Don said his good-byes to his people and went aboard the ship. As the ship set sail, Danny couldn't help but think what he got himself into, let alone if any of this will get him home. Maybe his ghost powers will be able to help Jack and the others get to the treasure, and his improving sword fighting skill could help too. But would any treasure help comfort his homesickness?