Summary: The movie was never made. But, in the past, it all really did happen. A Medallion's missing and in the future, a young woman holds it as a family heirloom. Much to her suprise -and dismay-, she is transported back in time and must face danger and adventure that she never would have imagined experiencing. Self-insertion fic.
Rating: PG-13
Reviews:
Softbrush: Yay! A new reviewer, :) Thanks for your kind comments, ^^ and I'm happy that its impressed you! And Oh! A cookie?! How did you know! I love cookies! *munches*
saiyan-girl-cheetah: Glad you like it :D Thanks for pointing out those type-os, ^^ I'll try and keep an eye out for them now before I post, ^^ and of course, Jessica will manage to wiggle herself out of the deal, she's already workin' on it! ^_^ And as far as her savior, ^_~ Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, ^^ we shall see...*evil laughter*
Disclaimer: It's not mine! *cries* (but we all know that by now, don't we?)
7 days left...!!!!
Chapter Six: The Ritual
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Elizabeth and Jessica were forced from the cabin and made to stand out among the Pirates on deck. They're hands were bound infront of them and Barbossa stood behind the taller, leaner woman as he replaced her medallion around her neck. She swallowed uneasily as the pirates leered about them.
Jessica watched with a lowered head, her eyes narrowing slightly. A plan brewed in the back of her mind: while she and Elizabeth had refrained from any communication in the cabin, Jessica decided she would not let herself be forced into servitude for a bunch of pirates. Even though her head was racing with ideas, she couldn't find one that would actually work. She had some time left; best put it to use.
The two women were forced into boats and they were lowered onto the grey waters before pirates began to row toward the ominous opening of the cave. Jessica swallowed as they passed under the gateway; the torches illuminated the walls as they glided over the water. She turned her head slightly as if to look at Elizabeth, but glanced up at Barbossa from where he stood at the bow of the longboat.
It was only a matter of time before the boats were pulled onto shore and Elizabeth pulled from the boat. Jessica was a bit trickier to get out, she cried out for them to wait, but one pulled and she fell face first into the salt water. A round of laughter echoed in the caves when she surfaced wearing a scowl and a glare like no other.
"Laugh it up..." Jessica muttered as she pushed her sea salt laden, wet hair back behind her ears roughly and then looked down at her ruined dress.
"Com'on!" Twigg pushed her shoulder from behind and nearly sent her face first into the water again.
"Hey! Don't push!" Jessica snapped as she picked up all her layered skirts and trudged up onto the beach where Elizabeth stood with Bo'Sun's hand on her shoulder.
Behind them, Barbossa nodded and they were forced in a narrow opening.
******
Will stared out at the water from the bow of the longboat Jack was rowing. The lantern swung from the hook at the end of the long stick he held onto tightly. Off to the side, he caught a skeleton with a sword embedded into the sand, the skulls mouth gaping. A look of disgust crossed his face, "What's the code Gibbs is to keep to if the worst should happen?" He asked while attempting to swallow his unease.
"Pirate's code. Any man that falls behind: is left behind."
"No hero's amongst thieves, eh?" Will raised an eyebrow.
"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on Pirates, like I said before: your well on your way to becoming one." Jack counted off in his head, "You sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga," He noted what had suddenly caught the younger mans attention and grinned, "...and your completely obsessed with treasure."
Will set his jaw as they pushed up onto the beach, he threw down his oar into the boat and glowered at Jack, "That's not true. I am not obsessed with treasure."
Jack climbed up an opening between the rocks of the cave and stopped at the top where a slit was. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate." He raised his eyebrows as he looked down at Will, and then back at the gathering.
Will climbed up swiftly and grasped onto the rocks face, he narrowed his eyes when he saw Elizabeth standing before a large stone chest, her hands bound before her and Barbossa giving a speech to his crew, then something caught his eye: there was another woman with them. A Pirate was holding her to the left of Elizabeth. She didn't look too happy with the situation. Of course, Elizabeth didn't either but a bit more loathing was visible in the others round face.
******
"Gentlemen! The time has come, Salvation is nigh! Our torment is at near end."
Barbossa's words were met with a round of cheering from the pirates, sending they're voices echoing through the caves while Jessica scowled around at them and Elizabeth looking frightened as she was forced infront of the stone chest.
"For ten years, we've been tested and tried, and each time, every last one of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over, and a hundred times again!" The pirates cheered again as Ragetti cried out, "Suffered I have!" Jessica looked over at him, but then turned her attention to Elizabeth.
"Punished we were. The lot of us -disproportionate to our crime. Here it is..." Barbossa shoved the lid off the chest and it slammed into the ground at Elizabeth's feet, causing her to gasp and jump back, staring down at the gold glimmering inside the chest, dried blood on every single piece. "...The cursed treasure of Cortes 'himself! Every last piece that went astray, we have returned. Save for this!" His finger pointed to the medallion around Elizabeth's neck, then grabbed Jessica's wrist and pulled her over, "And this!" he grabbed the one from her neck and pulled, jerking her forward and nearly toppling down the mountain of treasure.
Jessica gave him her famous death glare and then yanked the chain away from him and then pulled it up off her neck and dropped it into his hand. "You be happy now, jerk-off." She muttered before her hair was grabbed and she was pulled away to be held by Grapple and Jacoby.
******
"Jack!" Will tried to jump over the treasure, but startled a few of the coins and they tumbled down.
Jack grabbed the collar of Will's vest and jerked him down to hide him from the screeching monkey, "Not yet. We wait for the opportune moment." He informed him before sauntering down to the boats.
"And when's that?" Will demanded, following him as he clenched his fists, "When it's of greatest profit to you?"
Jack stopped and widened his eyes before turning around on his heel, nearly sending himself into the young man, "May I ask you something?" he moved ever closer, holding his hands up, "Have I give you reason, not to trust me?" He inquired, but didn't give him a chance to answer, "Do us a favor, I know it's difficult for you: but please, stay here, and try not to do anything... stupid." With that, Jack backed up and hurried down to gather up the oars from all the boats, Will watching him with narrowed eyes.
******
"And who among us has paid the blood sacrifice owed to the heathen Gods?"
"Us!"
"And whose blood must yet be paid?"
"Hers!"
"Elizabeth..." Jessica whispered as she tried to pull away, but Grapple and Jacoby's grip on her arms were too tight. A look of fright washed over her face as she watched events unfold.
"You know the first thing I'm goin' to do after the curse is lifted..." Barbossa leaned in close to Elizabeth, "eat a whole bushel of apples..." He chuckled as the pirates laughed. He swooped his hand down and took up the knife; the two pirates behind Elizabeth forced her into a lean over the chest.
"Begun by blood, by blood, undone..."
"No...!" Jessica's eyes widened.
******
Jack watched events unfold from a crevice behind the pirates, and didn't notice -until too late- that Will had snuck up behind him with an oar. He slammed it against the back of his head and sent the pirate into unconsciousness. "Sorry Jack, I won't be your leverage."
Will dropped the oar and pushed by the unconscious being of Jack Sparrow.
******
Barbossa reached down and roughly grabbed Elizabeth's wrist, thrust both her and Jessica's coins onto her palm and then swiftly drew the rough, rock blade over her flesh and tore it, letting blood soak the two coins before closing her hand and holding it up, letting even more blood seep from the wound.
Elizabeth stared up at him, disbelievingly as both she and Jessica asked at the same time, "That's it?"
Barbossa grinned at Elizabeth, "Waste not." He said simply before forcing her to open her hand and drop both of the coins into the chest. They spun and then landed with a small metallic clang. He released her and then stepped forward, closing his eyes and holding his arms out just a little as anticipation to see if it worked washed over the entire cave.
Elizabeth winced and then pulled her wound closer, examining it while Jessica struggled to get away from the grasp of the pirates. "Let go...!" She hissed.
"Did it work?" Koehler demanded suddenly.
"I don't feel no diff'rent." Ragetti looked around.
"How do we tell?" Pintel asked.
Barbossa rolled his eyes, drew out his flintlock pistol and shot Pintel in the chest.
Silence befell the cave as everyone, even Jessica and Elizabeth watched and waited.
"You're not dead!" Koehler cried out when Pintel didn't fall flat.
"No...Hey, he shot me!" Pintel pointed to Barbossa.
"It didn't work! The curse is still upon us!"
"You, maid! You're father, What was his name?!" Barbossa demanded as he grabbed Elizabeth's shoulders roughly, "Was your father William Turner?!"
Elizabeth took time to smile darkly before replying, "No."
"Where's his child?! The child that sailed from England eight years ago, the child in whose veins runs the blood of William Turner?! Where?!" When Elizabeth did not reply, he backhanded her and sent her rolling down the hill of gold and sprawled at the foot of it.
"You two! You brought us the wrong person!" Bo'Sun snapped at Ragetti and Pintel.
"No!" Pintel cried out, "She had the medallion, she's the proper age!"
"She said her name was Turner, you heard her! Stupid blighter..." Ragetti muttered.
"You brought us here for nothing!" Twigg shouted at Barbossa.
"I won't take questions and no second guesses, not from the likes of you, Master Twigg!" Barbossa yelled back.
Jessica stood, her head going back and forth as she looked at Barbossa, and the rest of the Pirates, letting them have a shouting match, regardless if it would help they're situation in any way.
While this was going on, they all failed to see Will pop his head out of the water, beckon Elizabeth and the two swim away from the gathering.
"Who's to blame? Every decision you've made have led us bad, to worse!"
"It was you who sent Bootstrap to the depths!"
"And it's you who brought us here in the first place!"
"Any coward here dare challenge me, let em speak! Hmmm? Any of you should know better than to question the likes of one who's sailed under Morgan for ten years!" Barbossa snapped.
Jessica raised her eyebrows, 'Thats interesting.' She thought.
"I say we cut her throat, and spill all her blood, just in case!" Koehler shouted, then looked at Jessica, "Hers too!"
"Oh, hey, Whoa, whoa. Let's not be hasty." Jessica held her hands up, "I don't have the blood of a Pirate in me, that coin was found by my great grandfather." She protested.
Barbossa finally took notice of the monkey's screeches and pointing, he whirled around and saw Elizabeth gone, "The Medallion! She's taken it!" He whirled back around to face the crew, "Well, after it you pack of ingrates!" He commanded and the Pirates scattered.
"The oars have gone missing, find them!" Barbossa could hear Bo'Sun's voice boom from where he remained on the mound.
Jessica stood with her arms folded over her stomach and looked around. Wasn't much she could do? She looked up at Barbossa and then raised her eyebrows and inhaled, "Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events..." She murmured.
Barbossa turned his head and looked at her, "Pardon?"
"Well," Jessica clasped her hands together; "Elizabeth lied about being a Turner. You're still cursed, and well, frankly, trying to find someone who has the blood of this, Bootstrap guy is going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. So, that would pretty much leave me with no role, since your still cursed and all. You can't enjoy food, or anything so... you could just, send me home since my role is depleted..." She said nonchalantly as she looked around the cave, scratching the back of her neck and feeling the salt water drying in her hair.
Barbossa stepped down the mound and approached her, but she didn't back down this time. "Oh, you best be believin' we'll find Bootstrap's child, and when we do, you'll have a mighty big role, missy." He smirked.
Jessica narrowed her eyes and then reeled her arm back as if to punch him, but he caught it, backhanded her and sent her into a hand spin before falling on her hands and knees. She growled and then wrapped her fingers around the edge of a large golden platter. Without warning, she pushed herself up, whirled around and heard the sound of metal slamming against flesh.
She didn't give him any time to react when she hitched up her skirts and started to run. 'First thing I'm going to do as soon as I'm out of sight: get out of these clothes. I can't have them slowing me down...' She thought as she jumped through the crevice just in time to hear Barbossa give an angry shout.
******
Jessica went on until she could barely see anything. She breathed heavily from her exertion and then sunk down onto a rock, trying to catch her breath. "I think I'm going to be okay now..." She murmured, then remembered she needed to get out of her dress. It was too heavy to keep running in, and her corset was being a pain too. Regardless of how much she loved it, it was still hard to breathe in.
While she struggled out of her dress, petticoat, corset, shift and other layers, Jessica failed to hear the sounds of approaching pirates. She dropped them all onto the rock and rubbed her bare arms. Beneath her clothes, she had worn a pair of black Capri pants (her bloomers as she referred to them as) and a black camisole top. It was cold, but, if she started to run again, it wouldn't bother her as much.
After a few moments, Jessica regained herself and then started off again, this time slower. She had abandoned her shoes -they were killing her feet- but she didn't know if suffering the rock floor would be easier than suffering the shoes.
She ran for probably, 15 or so minutes, and then managed to slip after not finding proper footing and slammed into someone's side. "Crap..." Jessica muttered as she found herself on her back and staring up at the shadowed form of a man wearing a tricorn hat. He seemed to sway a little, and her eyes widened when she saw him hold up an oar. Crying out, she reached up and covered her head, fearing she would be whacked with it.
******
Jack had just gotten out of his unconscious spell and was swaying around when he felt someone run into his side, he cursed and then heard them curse from where they fell. 'Sounds a bit femme if you ask me...' He thought as his mind still swirled. When his vision finally managed to unblur a little, he noticed that it was a young woman who had fallen, he was about to say something then he heard a familiar voice cry out, "You! You're supposed to be dead!"
"Am I not?" Jack looked down at himself, "Hmm..." he shrugged and turned to go the other way, but then spotted the pistols pointed at him, he turned back around and faced Pintel, "Puhluley.... puhlulehvoos... parleli... parsley, parle, parle..." He pressed his fingers against his lips while thinking.
"Parley?" Ragetti suggested.
"Parley! That's the one! Parley! Parley!" Jack grinned as the Pirates growled and lowered they're weapons.
"Parley? Down to the depths with whatever muttonhead though up parley!"
Jack leaned over and pushed the barrel of Pintel's pistol down, "That would be the French."
A few Pirates started to push Jack toward the large cavernous opening where Barbossa remained and Twigg nearly tripped over Jessica.
"Oi! How'd you get there?" Ragetti looked down at her before she was pulled up by her arms and then grabbed by the hair.
"Ow! Hey, when you can feel pain, I will gladly grab your hair and see how you like the feel of it!" She snapped as she tried to keep the pirate from pulling the roots of her hair out. Her comment was met with a hard push, "And no more pushing!"
******
"Not more pirates!" Elizabeth cried when she jumped over the railing and spotted the group standing there.
"Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth." Gibbs stepped forward and offered a smile, Elizabeth stared at him disbelievingly, "Mr. Gibbs?"
Will landed on the deck behind her and Gibbs attention was driven to him, "Hey, boy! Where be Jack?!"
"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" Elizabeth demanded.
"He fell behind." Will replied, averting his eyes and then led Elizabeth to the below decks.
"Wait, we have to go back." Elizabeth stopped on the steps.
"Why?"
"Because, Jessica is back there."
"Who's Jessica?"
"She's... a friend." Elizabeth swallowed, "She was kidnapped by the Pirates as well, we can't just leave her! They'll kill her."
Will shook his head and led her down the steps 'til they hit the bottom, "I'm sorry Elizabeth, but, if we don't leave, they'll catch us."
She looked down and bit her lip; reluctantly letting Will lead her to a seat. She didn't want to leave the girl, but, she had no choice. All she could do now was hope and pray she would come through safely.
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I don't think I like this chapter either XD its a bit longer than the other, I hope you guys think its okay though, ^^;
Read. Review. Liking it isn't a requirement. Just please, be nice, :)