Disclaimer: not mine

Poll for the Replica's name is still up so please vote if you haven't already.

Chapter 25

Sora left the ship and stretched, the trip was boring whenever there was a break from Heartless shooting at them. He didn't like leaving before Riku was awake, but it had been two days and he was showing no signs of waking yet. Merlin was doing everything he could to study him and ensure he would be alright, but he was a wizard, not a scientist.

He absently rubbed his chest, hoping Ventus was alright. He remembered him now thanks to the whole vampire memory thing, at least he thought it was Ventus. That evening on the beach with Riku when he'd cried without knowing why…he'd spoken with a light, offered him a safe place, he hoped that was Ventus because if it wasn't then Merlin had missed someone. He really hoped that wasn't the case, he didn't think he could deal with that. He was scared that his change would have affected Ventus, would he blame Sora?

He shook off thoughts of Ventus and anything going on at Merlin's as a scream sounded in the distance. "Something's up!" he took off running for the stone stairs.

"Organization XIII?" Goofy asked as they ran.

"Or the Heartless!" Donald added.

"Only one way to find out," he pointed out, leaping down the last ones to land on the ground, seeing the pier and large wooden ship docked at it.

In front of it was a gathering of men…and Pete. Wonderful. He knew that despite the growing truce with Maleficent that she would not let him interfere in her plans which meant that Pete would fight them, as much as the coward ever fought anyway. The odds had to be seriously in his favour for him to stick around long.

"Hey!" he yelled out as they rushed towards the gathering.

"See there? I knew it! Those are the punks I was tellin' ya about," Pete yelled, pointing at them which meant the group was probably the bad guys.

"Who are you calling punks? It's Sora, Donald, and Goofy to you! And don't you forget it!" he called his Keyblade and readied for a fight.

"That we won't. And we'll engrave it on your tombstone, to be sure," the leader sneered at them.

"Whoa! I like your style," Pete smirked, and Sora glared at him.

"Men, half of you stay here and indulge these cullies. The rest, bring me that medallion!" the leader commanded before leaving with the search party.

"Aye!" The pirates split in different directions, some staying behind.

"Aw, we only get to stomp on a few of you?" he taunted as they went on the attack. Donald and Goofy were having no effect on the pirates and Sora only did when he tapped the Darker magics. "It's no use! We can't beat them!" he hissed in aggravation. He could injure them but finishing them wasn't happening. Was he going to have to drain them?

"Aye, whaddya expect?" the current leader laughed even as the full moon was revealed, and Sora grimaced at the sight of their true forms. Suddenly, his didn't seem at all bad. "You'd best be sayin' your prayers!"

"Hey, watch out! They can see ya! Stay away from their magic!" Pete yelled in warning.

Before they could ask why or do anything, Sora sent a blast of Thunder at them, blasting them off their feet, killing several of them, shocking them. After that, beating the rest relatively easily in the moonlight. Pete didn't stick around either.

"If Pete's here, that must mean we have work to do."

"Yep. And that pirate captain looked pretty mean, too," Goofy agreed.

"Man, I'd hate to see him turn into a Heartless," Sora shuddered, that guy was just all kinds of horrible.

"Well, we ARE here..."

"Hey, maybe we can take a pirate ship out for a spin!" he smirked as they stared at him, laughing. "Just kidding! Weren't those guys headed into town?"

"Yeah. I think they were looking for treasure."

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"You can release me. You have your trinket; I'm of no further value to you."

Barbossa held up the gold medallion between his fingers. "This is no trinket, missy. This is cursed Aztec gold. One of eight hundred and eighty-two identical pieces they delivered in a stone chest to Cortez himself," he explained.

"I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa," Elizabeth shook her head, unable to believe he was trying to scare her with such silly things.

"That's exactly what I thought. Buried on an Island of Dead what cannot be found 'cept for those who know where it is. Find it, we did. There be the chest. Inside be the gold. And we took 'em all! We spent 'em and traded 'em and frittered 'em away on drink and food and pleasurable company," he stood up, and she slipped her knife up her sleeve, it wasn't much but it was something. "The more we gave 'em away, the more we came to realize... the drink would not satisfy, and food turned to ash in our mouths. We are cursed men, Miss Turner. Compelled by greed, we were, but now... we are consumed by it."

"How very sad for you." Even if it was true, they would have brought their fate upon themselves. There were plenty of ways to earn an honest living upon the sea.

"There is one way we can end our curse. All the scattered pieces of the Aztec gold must be gathered and restored to the stone chest. And the blood of every soul who touched a piece o' the treasure must be repaid," he walked towards the window to look out at the sea, and Elizabeth glanced around for anything else useful. "Miss Turner! For ten years we've searched every league of these waters, every town and village - preying on sailors and settlers alike! Eight hundred and eighty-one pieces we found, but despaired of ever finding the last. All those years, you been safe in your bed, readin' your pirate stories, dreamin' of adventure on the high seas - we've endured torments worse than death itself!" he turned to face her.

"But now, thanks to ye, we have the final piece, at last. When this medallion is restored to the chest, we'll be free to roam the seas as men. No longer will we be ghosts!"

"And the blood that's to be repaid?" She asked warily.

"That's why there's no sense to be killin' ye, yet," he smirked as she gasped.

Elizabeth got up and bolted from the room, slamming open the doors. She stumbled to a stop, eyes wide, as she stared at the pirates in horror.

"Ye see, the moonlight shows us for what we really are."

She turned back to the Captain as he walked into the moonlight, turning into a skeleton as well.

"We are not among the livin', and so we cannot die. But neither are we dead. I've suffered too long! You'd best start believin' in ghost stories, Miss Turner. For, you see, tonight - you're in one!" He laughed and opened a bottle, tossing the cork to the floor. He took a long swig, the drink pouring down between his bones.

Elizabeth stared, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. It wasn't possible. It wasn't…was it? There was no hope of rescue, no one knew she was gone, unless Will had survived and could warn her Father? Even if he did, only the Interceptor had a chance of catching up. What could British soldiers do against such horrors? She didn't struggle as she was led back to the Captains' cabin, there was no point while at sea. He didn't seem interested in harming her or anything else, except her blood which would not work. She needed a plan before they reached their destination.

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Sora leant against the railing, staring out at the dark ocean, unable to help the thoughts of home. The World was darker…but the sea was the sea and he had grown up with it. The whole pirate thing was a bit exciting, but he also knew how dangerous they could be. The last raid on their island had been when he was six, although their pirates were very different to these. Theirs had far more modern ships until all of the Islands had pooled their resources and manpower to go after them.

His Dad had died in that fight, the Mayor had given them a medal and everything, they would have preferred to have his Dad. He wasn't sure if the clearer and even newly refreshed memories made things better or worse.

Cursed treasure was definitely new, going to rescue the girl wasn't. He hoped they got there in time to save her. Their timing was a bit off lately.

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Goofy watched Sora stand at the rail, not worried about him since he was an Island child. He knew Sora was worried about a lot of things at the moment, and he was worried about the teen, he knew Donald was too. They didn't remember the 'Replica' of Riku that Sora and Axel had saved, although Sora had mentioned him. What would it do to Sora's mental state to have him around once he woke? Maybe a simple rescue mission was just the thing he needed to help clear his head?

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Sora collapsed on the bunk bed, tired, wishing he could sleep. Fighting the cursed pirates had been more tiring then Ansem in some ways. He and Donald had been throwing around a lot of powerful magic to take out the pirates or at least weaken them enough for actual weapons to do any damage. He pulled out a blood pack and downed it quickly while he had privacy.

The door opened and Will walked in, thankfully after he had disposed of the empty packet. The young Blacksmith smiled tiredly at him before sitting on the bunk opposite him. "I wished to thank you again, without your help we would not have escaped."

"It was no problem," Sora grinned at him but then sobered. "Are you okay?"

"I…" Will ran a hand through his hair in agitation. "The Pirates took Elizabeth…because she used my name."

"Why would your name matter?" he asked.

Will revealed the medallion on its chain. "This was mine, sent to me by my Father. I thought it was lost the day the ship I was on sank and the Governor's ship pulled me from the water. Elizabeth admitted she took it…because she thought it meant I was a pirate," he explained softly.

"So your Father was a pirate?"

"He must have been…I was told he was a merchant sailor."

"You were just a kid right? Maybe he was just trying to protect you."

"Perhaps," he slipped the medallion into his vest.

"Get some sleep Will, you need it."

"As do you."

He wished he could, but he lay down to rest, closing his eyes to let his mind and body go still.

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Barbossa looked towards the Navy ship they were chasing. The boy…there was something strange about him. He was not cursed like them, no, but there was a darkness about him all the same. Perhaps he would join them if given a chance? No…that one did not seek treasure.

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Elizabeth leant over the rail, watching the way they had come because their escape had been too easy. She squinted as she saw a black speck in the distance. "Will, look!" she yelled, pointing.

Will, Sora, and Goofy rushed over to see what she was pointing at. As it moved closer, it became obvious that not only was it another ship but it was the Black Pearl.

"What now?" Donald yelled from the wheel.

"I wonder what Jack would do?" Sora asked, and Elizabeth felt sick at the idea of the pirates getting their hands on the boy. He was older than Will had been as cabin boy on board the ship Barbossa had sunk a decade ago, but he was still a boy, no matter how well he could fight.

"I'm not sure. I suppose...he'd run for it," Will shrugged slightly.

A cannon was shot at them and they all ducked.

"Sounds good to me," Sora yelled. "Get us out of here Donald!"

The Interceptor was hit by the cannon and everyone lost their balance. Will fell backwards over the edge of the ship. He grabbed hold of a small ledge, but lost his grip and fell into the water.

Elizabeth ran to the edge of the ship, desperately searching the sea for any sign of him. "Will!"

"Everyone hit the deck!" Goofy yelled.

Elizabeth felt wiry arms wrap around her, pulling her down, a smaller body covering hers as a cannon ball hit the ship. She felt him move off her and looked to see him grabbing the medallion, shoving it into his jacket for safety.

"We're just gonna have to fight!" he yelled, scrambling up.

"Got it!" Donald called back and they began to change course, moving to run alongside the Black Pearl.

"Get below deck!" Sora yelled at her and she hesitated but then nodded, and moved to the Captain's cabin, pulling a sword free. If any pirate entered at least she had a way to defend herself.

All she could do was wait as she heard the sounds of vicious fighting, cannons still blasting the ship but then she heard the sound of the Interceptors canons firing back now and then. After what felt like an eternity, it fell silent.

"Hooray!" a voice cheered and she relaxed, that was Donald.

"We beat the pirates!" Sora cheered and she smiled, returning the sword. Her hand was on the door handle when the hated voice spoke up.

"Well, did you now, laddie?"

The door burst open and Elizabeth was grabbed even as she struggled, pulled up on deck to see Jack tied up, Sora and the others surrounded.

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"Jack!" Sora called, relieved the pirate was alive, he had helped them after all, but since he was rather tied up, he wasn't going to be any help even as more cursed pirates clambered on board.

"Now then, I'll be having back that medallion. Unless it's more important than their lives?" he smirked at Sora, who held his Keyblade, taking in the odds.

"Barbossa!" they all turned to see Will hanging on to the ropes, dripping wet, as he aimed a pistol at the pirate captain. "She goes free!"

"Go ahead boy, shoot! We can't die."

"You can't... But I can!" Will pointed the gun at his own head, and Sora's eyes went wide. He could survive that but Will couldn't! "My name is Will Turner! My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner! His blood runs in my veins!"

That caused mutters of surprise and even Barbossa looked shocked.

"On my word, do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker," Will threatened but there was no way Sora was letting him die.

"Name your terms...Mr. Turner," Barbossa ground out.

"Release Elizabeth...and Sora, and Donald, and Goofy, too!"

"Anythin' else?" The captain asked tiredly.

"Leave now!"

Jack sighed, shaking his head, and Sora figured he realised something was fishy.

Barbossa bowed. "Agreed. Leave we shall...but the Heartless stay!" he announced.

Sora lunged as Pete swung, knocking the oar he had aimed at Will aside, sending them both overboard.

"Sora!" he heard Will cry as they hit the water hard.

He didn't need to breath, Pete did, Maleficent's lackey struggling against the water. He rolled his eyes but opened a Dark Corridor around him, sending him away. He turned towards the two ships, swimming far quicker than he could as a human but then hesitated. Barbossa needed to be stopped and from what he could hear, they had Will. The others were on the Interceptor with the Heartless. In the end, he grabbed onto a rope from the Interceptor, Barbossa needed Will alive for now after all.

He began climbing as the Black Pearl altered course back to the cursed Island. He could hear, and now smell, gunpowder and smoke, not a good combination on a wooden ship, or anywhere really. He kicked off the side of the ship, launching himself up, wings spreading out to keep him airborne and then he dropped down on the Heartless, even as Blizzard spells took care of the burning barrels.

Sora forced the door to the hold open and grinned at the shocked and relieved looks.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy called happily, they had known the fall and swim wouldn't kill him, the others hadn't.

"Come on, we need to catch up to the Pearl before they have the time to kill Will on the island," he told them as he untied them all, shocked when Elizabeth hugged him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine, takes more than a swim to hurt me," he grinned at her.

Jack was soon at the helm, coaxing as much speed as possible from the ship.

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Sora smirked when Barbossa called for Pete and he didn't appear. "Sorry, he didn't like the swim as much as I did," he taunted. Let the pirate think he was dead, it didn't really matter.

"Well, there's more to you boy then first appears."

"You have no idea," he snarled, Keyblade ready.

Seeing Jack survive being stabbed hadn't shocked him, he'd detected the shift in his scent. He'd kept quiet because it had been a smart move, since Jack didn't know of Sora's immortality. As Elizabeth helped the woozy Will away and back to the ship, the four of them fanned out, surrounding Barbossa.

As they began fighting, Donald hung back, casting his most powerful offensive spells whenever he got an opening. Barbossa was fast though, dodging most of them. Sora and Jack engaged Barbossa, both ignoring their wounds even as Goofy bashed Barbossa with his shield when he got the chance.

"SORA!" Jack yelled in alarm as Sora was sent flying back, slamming hard into the rock.

He rolled back to his feet and launched himself at Barbossa, taking him by surprise, slamming him into the rocks. He poured Thunder into the pirate as he locked his hands around the skeletal neck. Barbossa screamed, body jolting. Suddenly, bone became flesh and blood, Barbossa's scent changing to human, and Sora stopped the spell.

"I fe…el…cold…" his eyes closed and Sora heard his heart stop.

He got up, stumbling away, feeling Goofy grab him around the waist. A look at the chest revealed Elizabeth with a bloody rag wrapped around Will's medallion. Sora glanced back at the body but Goofy turned him away.

"Don't look."

They left the caves, finding a more awake Will waiting for them by the Interceptor, the black Pearl nearby.

"Elizabeth!" he called in relief and they hugged, Sora watching them.

They would get their own reunion like that, they would.

"What now, Jack?" Will asked the pirate who smirked, looking over at the black ship.

"Whatever I want, now that the Pearl is mine again."

"That she is. Thank you, Jack." Will held out a hand to shake Jack's, but Jack flinched with his arms over his head.

"I didn't want ye hittin' me again, mate," he whined, and they all laughed.

"Hey, Jack, good luck," Sora offered.

"And remember to be good!" Donald warned sternly, arms crossed.

"I'm off." He backed away and but then bowed to them all theatrically. Jack took out his compass and it glowed brightly as he opened it. It floated into the air, and Sora opened another gateway with his Keyblade.

The gateways made Gummi ship travel a pain nowadays, Corridors were easier but too dangerous for Donald and Goofy without coats. They slipped away from the others and Sora teleported them back to Port Royal where they'd left the ship. They were soon aboard and leaving the World behind.

"Wonder where the new Gateway leads?" Goofy asked.

"Another new World?" Donald asked.

"Or one we know," Sora shrugged and then grimaced. "Or….we could be summoned somewhere else," he told them, taking his hands off the controls.

"Where are we goin'?" Goofy leant forward as the ship settled on a new heading, picking up speed, Sora readying the weapons in case the Heartless swarmed them.

"Coordinates are already in the computer," Sora answered, bringing them up. "Near Twilight Town, it's…oh."

"Sora?" Donald demanded in concern.

"It's listed as the Mysterious Tower. Isn't that?" he asked nervously.

"Master Yen Sid," Goofy agreed. "Can ya break course?"

"No." Sora was terrified, the one place and person Merlin had insisted he avoid…and they were heading right there.

"Go Sora, use a Corridor."

"But…"

"Donald's right, go Sora."

He looked between them, he hated turning tail and running. Finally he sighed and stood, Donald taking his place at the controls. He put on the coat and opened a Corridor. "I'll see you at Merlin's?" he asked nervously.

"We'll be there soon," the promised.

He stepped through, making his way quickly through the Realm of Darkness, opening a new Corridor back to Hollow Bastion.

He walked to Merlin's, taking out the few Heartless he came across on the way. He didn't bother knocking, Merlin had said the place was their home now too and that they didn't need to.

"Sora!" Yuffie called happily, darting in to hug him. "You're back quick, and…alone?"

"The others are on the way to Master Yen Sid's, they told me to bail out."

Her eyes went wide. "I'll get Merlin."

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Yen Sid frowned when Goofy and Donald entered his study alone. Where had young Sora gone?

TBC…