Disclaimer: I own nothing from potc or Inuyasha. If my name were changed to Rumiko, I might, but as it is, I don't. (cries)
…on the plus side…if I ever get to the point where I have my black belt, maybe I can challenge all those lawyers to duels, or something! Mwahaha…
Note: Since Naraku is dead, Miroku has no hole in his hand.
Chapter (7): Swimming? Voluntarily?
Jaken moved, leaning his staff forwards slightly. He was on the edge of the clearing, watching the Taijia staring at the well. Rin and Shippo had vanished westwards in the direction of a clearing filled with flowers.
Sango looked down the well. Miroku had not come out after she'd accidentally shoved him in. He'd been unconscious at the time, so he might have been injured seriously in the fall.
It was too dark to see halfway down the well shaft, let alone find the wayward monk. Sango winced as she calculated how long it had been since she'd thrown Miroku into the well, without some sign of movement. She was getting worried.
She sighed, and started climbing down the well. She hadn't meant to push him in, just to slap him, maybe knock him out, but by now he should have been out of the well. Something had to be wrong…
Sango bit her lip. What if he'd fallen, and broken something like a leg, or his fool neck? Well, maybe not his leg; he'd probably have started trying to cajole her into helping him out of the well, incidentally getting in a few good feels while she was trying to help an 'injured man' out. She gritted her teeth and climbed down further. It would be her fault if that happened. And much as he could be a pain, Sango admitted, deep down, that she would be unhappy to see him go…
A small, grating noise of rock on rock was all the warning she got as a whole chunk of the wall crumbled away beneath her feet. Sango's eyes widened as her hands, flat against the wall looking for handholds, were pulled away by gravity and she spun out into the open air. She gasped in surprise at the feeling of unexpected weightlessness.
Faery lights winked, and Sango vanished.
Above, Shippo came back into the clearing with Rin, both draped in wildflowers and laughing. Jaken didn't move from his position, satisfied that the two humans had vanished, and that there was the possibility that maybe, just perhaps, the two newcomers wouldn't see him if he kept very, very still.
Shippo glanced around for Miroku and Sango, but didn't see them. He bounded over to where the sullen toad was slumped, determined to find out where they had gone. "Where did Sango and Miroku get to?"
"Down there" groused Jaken. "Go away." Ok, maybe staying in one spot hadn't worked. But at least they weren't covering him in flowers yet!
Bubble-Shippo floated into the well, then back up, not seeing anything at all. He went over to where Rin was approaching Jaken with a flower chain. "They're not there!"
"Look what Rin made, Jaken-sama!" Rin grinned happily, holding out her floral creation.
Jaken cringed.
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Sesshoumaru perched high in the crows nest, looking for the island that was supposed to be appearing on the horizon soon. He pointedly ignored his half brother, currently several layers of wood and rope below him in the sails, and the occupants of the deck.
He wanted to be the first to see this island, so he could be off the infernal human ship. Flying was one thing…sailing was quite another, especially when he wasn't sure of the destination.
At least he was up here, out of the way of the doings below. He didn't have to put up with Inuyasha's ridiculously immature vocal barbs, or the occasional odd looks from the two humans. It got old after a while.
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Inuyasha sat cross-legged, high in the rigging, looking down at the deck rolling with the ocean. He listened to Jack and Will talking below him, curious as to what sort of lives they led. Also, it was rather hard to not hear them…sharp ears came with a price.
Will sat, sharpening his sword "When I was a lad living in England, my mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here, looking for my father."
Jack turned, hands resting easily on the helm "Is that so?
"My father's name was Will Turner too. At the jail, it was only after you learned my name that you allowed me to come. Since that's what I wanted, I didn't press the matter. I'm not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father."
So that's why Jack had wanted Will to come! Inuyasha grinned. But there had to be more too it than that…right? He'd wondered why Jack wanted someone like Will to come along.
"I knew 'im. Probably one the few who knew him as William Turner . Everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill."
'Bootstrap? Weird…'
"Bootstrap?"
"Good man. Good pirate. I swear, you look just like him." Jack smiled, appearing engrossed in steering from the helm
Will's voice climbed in volume "It's not true! He was a merchant sailor. A good, respectable man who obeyed the law!"
Jack looked exasperated. "He was a bloody pirate, a scallywag."
Will straightened "My father was not a pirate!" He drew his sword and pointed the naked blade at Jacks neck. Jack just shrugged it off.
Inuyasha's ears twitched. He stood up and went over to the mast, staring down. If the stupid human started something that would get in the way of finding Kagome…was he stupid enough to attack Jack? It would mean not finding Elisabeth as well. Inuyasha had no clue where they were going, and his brother….well… Will would have more luck finding a needle in a haystack than Sesshoumaru getting directions right.
At least the stupid human hadn't attacked him…yet.
"Put it away, son. It's not worth you getting beat again."
Will glared "You didn't beat me. You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd killed you."
Jack looked back at him "Then that's not much incentive for me to fight fair, then, is it?"
'Damn right' Inuyasha thought that was the way to go, within limits. Fight to win, not to look pretty.
Deftly, Jack spun the helm sharply to the right, swinging out the boom Inuyasha was perched on and knocking Will out over the ocean.
Will desperately clutched the boom, while Inuyasha dangled above him, caught in the rigging and swearing at Jack, the rope, Will for being such an ass, and the world in general.
"You idiot, you trying to kill me! You stupi-"
Jack ignored Inuyasha, much to Inuyasha's disgust, and vocal abuse. "Now, as long as you're just hanging there, - Inuyasha, shut up!- pay attention. The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that someday…"
Inuyasha snarled and sung his claws at the offending rope, holding on with one hand above the ocean and starting to climb back up to where he'd been perched, when a purple comet smashed into him and he was shaken loose, plunging into the sea with a splash.
Jack looked over at the ripples where Inuyasha had fallen in. Was it just him, or had he looked purple? He shrugged and continued "Now, me, for example, I can let you drown…"
"A little help here, Jack!" Inuyasha surfaced, and sputtered. Stupid ocean…he frowned as something caught his attention below, and looked harder. Was that a person…?
"Be quiet, Inuyasha! All in good time! But I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onesy, savvy? So…" he sung the boom back in, depositing Will neatly on the deck "can you sail under the command of a pirate? Or can you not?
Will looked at the offered sword for a moment, and then took it "Tortuga?"
Jack smiled "Tortuga. But first we have to get our erstwhile friend out. Pass me the rope, would you?"
Jack walked to the side, and looked down at where Inuyasha was flailing in the water. Jack sighed, tied the rope to his waist, and dove in for the second time in as many days.
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Above, Sesshoumaru looked down, face impassive but inwardly amused, and faintly puzzled. Why would anyone dive into salty water of their own free will? Even – especially- to save Inuyasha's sorry hide? It was a mystery…
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Jack surfaced, and went over to where Inuyasha looked like he was trying to swim, but in a downwards direction.
"Need a little help mate?"
"No I-choke-don't!" Inuyasha glared at him. "The stupid monk's unconscious and Sango'd kill-choke-me if I let the pervert drown" He dove back down, trying to reach Miroku, who was slowly drifting down into the deep blue of the sea, before catching him and heading for the surface.
Jack blinked, and dove down to help, eyes widening as he took in the dark robe billowing around the still form. 'Where the hell did he come from?' Jack had no time to ponder, as he hurriedly grabbed the edge of Miroku's robe and helped pull him towards the surface. However the man had got there, he couldn't let him drown.
Inuyasha finally broke the surface, Jack not far behind. Miroku's lolling head appeared between them, and they kept him suspended between them as Jack headed for the rope.
"Pull us up Will!"
Will looked down from the railing. 'Where did he come from?There's no way I can pull them all up at once…'
"Feh. Just tie the rope to something so I can climb up!" Inuyasha had no time for this.
Will shrugged and tied the rope to the railing. Inuyasha held onto the rope and started climbing, dragging Miroku roughly after him. Miroku's limp form bumped against the side of the ship on the way up, and his head smacked against a cannon port.
Miroku stirred, and blinked. How hard had Sango hit him this time…? He opened his eyes farther, and squinted against the Caribbean sun. It was hot. He was drenched, and someone had hit his head. Again.
"Wha…?" He lifted his head and gasped as Inuyasha dropped him onto the deck with a thump.
"Ok, Miroku, start talking. How the hell did you get here?"
"That's what I've been wondering" said Will and Jack at once, looking at Miroku dripping water onto the deck.
Miroku looked around with a dazed expression. "Precisely where is here?"
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Sesshoumaru watched as the monk was hauled onto the deck. The man seemed somewhat familiar…it was the monk he'd seen as part of his brothers motley entourage, on occasion. Sesshoumaru brightened as something occurred to him.
If the monk could get here, then maybe he could get them all safely home…
Sesshoumaru looked back up and towards the horizon, hoping to see land. He'd have to go down and see what was happening, but wanted to take a last look before he went.
He didn't see land, but he did get a good view of the crows nest floor as something landed on his back without warning, driving him halfway to his knees before he caught himself.
Sango looked down at the deck swaying below her and blanched. Where was she? She sun around, wincing as her shoulder protested, and came face to face with Sesshoumaru.
Sango bit back an exclamation of surprise, settling instead for a more mundane. "Oh dear." She scrambled for the rigging to get down and away from Sesshoumaru. 'What's he doing here! Where's Kagome? Inuyasha? Where's here?' she thought desperately as she raced down.
Carefully, Sesshoumaru stood up and floated leisurely down to the deck, cross-legged on his puffy cloud and easily passing Sango on the way down. On a ship, there was nowhere to go.
He landed lightly beside Inuyasha and looked down at Miroku. "How did he get here?"
"I don't know, and neither does he." snapped Inuyasha, hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt.
Miroku stared. First he'd been dumped into the ocean, then he saw Sesshoumaru, and now Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru weren't trying to kill each other…and come to think of it, where was Kagome?
"Where is here?" asked Miroku
"You're on the interceptor, in the Caribbean…Miroku?" Will helpfully prompted, looking at the dripping figure. Sailing with pirates certainly was an eye-opener…
"And who might you be?" asked Jack, looking over at Sango, who was staring at Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, who, although glaring, weren't trying to kill each other.
Miroku struggled to his feet and walked over to Sango, slightly unsteady on the rolling deck.
"Where's Kagome?" Sango looked pointedly at Inuyasha.
"Um…err…that is…"
"She was kidnapped, so Inuyasha's trying to find her. Barbossa's got her and Elisabeth on the Black Pearl, and we're going to Tourtuga to pick up a crew" Jack stopped in front of Sango. "Where, might I ask, did you come from, lovely lady?" He smiled, a charming mix of kohl bright eyes, and disarming grin.
Miroku glared at Jack and stood beside Sango. "Japan, the same place as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru."
Jack looked at them. "I see." He didn't, really, but if he pretended, he might get away with it…
"So how is it Sesshoumaru is here and you're not fighting?" Sango looked over at Sesshoumaru and then Inuyasha, one eyebrow raised. That was something she wanted to know. If the uneasy truce between the two broke unexpectedly…
Sesshoumaru looked blankly at her, not saying anything, while Inuyasha stared laughing.
"Kagome went and put a necklace like mine on him! See?" He pointed at Sesshoumaru's black beads and snickered.
Sesshoumaru's hand curled in slightly. "I'd take more care, Inuyasha…Kagome isn't here after all"
"Like you'd break your word." Inuyasha shot back knowing full well his half-brother would never break it.
Miroku looked over at Jack. Now that he'd established that Sesshoumaru was not really a danger, he wanted to know what he'd landed in. "So where are we heading then?"
"Tortuga, of course. I thought I said that…"
"Oh, right…" Miroku lowered his voice to a conspirator's whisper, so Sango, watching Inuyasha taunt Sesshoumaru, wouldn't hear. "Are there any beautiful women and fine drink to be had there?"
Jack expansively put his arm around Miroku's shoulders. "I think we're going to get along just fine, my friend. I should introduce you to Scarlet!"
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My homepage 'Dark Gardens', contains a large amount of writing, (original and fanfiction), and an art section. Come visit! (FF .net won't allow underscores to be posted in a ch, so you'll have to visit my profile for the site link.)
Originally posted: May 14 2004
Revised: May 24 2006. Wow. Almost a year later. :P
