Well next chapter! I think that soon this fic will get a bit more romantic!
And everyone, you pronounce Zaehra ZAR-ee-ra; Long Nu as l-O-ng n-U (rhymes with boo)
Can you believe they don't have the word "Depp" on the computer dictionary? That's just sad…
You will have all noticed that I've changed my scene divides. Hopefully they will actually work.
Disclaimer: Still don't own PotC or any characters. But I do own Vivienne and Zaehra.
-0-
Jack sat on the beach idly digging the sand with a stick. After a moment or two, he chucks the stick away in frustration.
Jack Sparrow was very annoyed. Kraken he could handle. The King's navy pursing him he could handle. Crazy brauds burning rum he could handle even. But when he was alone, on an island, with nothing to do, he could not handle that. He was so incredibly bored. He had tried making some sort of a raft that failed intensely. He had tried swimming, but he couldn't even get out a couple of metres without becoming so tired that he passed out and ended up back on the island. It was clear he could not get off this island with ease.
"Bloody island!" Jack said out loud. "There isn't even any rum,"
"Why would such a man like yourself want to drink a commoner's beverage?" a female voice says behind him. Jack turns around quickly, one of his quirky facial expressions on his face, looking suspiciously and gratefully at a mysterious and beautiful lady, with chocolate coloured curls and wise amber eyes. Even though the heat was sweltering she wore a heavy dark green velvet dress.
"You're a person," Jack says pointing at her.
"That's very perceptive of you, Jack Sparrow," the lady says.
"How do you know who I am?" Jack says eying her.
"I know many things, Jack Sparrow…and also because I heard you muttering to yourself 'I'm Jack Sparrow, I can get off this godforsaken place'" the lady says.
"You knew I was here? Why didn't ye help me out?" Jack says indignantly.
"I thought it was rather amusing watching you attempt to escape this island," the lady says shrugging.
"Huh, well. Since I have been the center of your amusement for so long, would you care to tell me who you are?" Jack says now putting on a charming smile.
"I am Vivienne," she says.
"Well Miss Vivienne, lovely name," Jack says impishly. "So, where on Earth we are, exactly?" Jack asks.
"We are not on Earth," she says simply.
"We're not," Jack repeats.
"No," she says her voice all dreamy.
"Alriiiiiiiggght then," Jack says. "Can you be a lil' more specific?"
"This island is not on the map. In fact, almost no one even knows it exists," Vivienne says.
"Does this non-mapped island have a name?" Jack asks.
"It has many names, Mr Sparrow. This island is for the dead," she says.
"Brilliant," Jack mutters. "I'm not dead but!"
"I apologize. This island is for those who have not yet properly died, a resting place for souls whose time has not yet come to an end, but have been unrightfully killed. Avalon, the Isle of the Blest, whatever you want to call it. You have been sent here, because you are not meant to have died," she says looking at him with her round liquid black eyes.
"So am I dead or not?" Jack asks.
"For a man who is so legendarily clever, you are incredibly thick," Vivienne says more forcefully.
Jack pouts slightly dejectedly.
"That's not very nice," Jack says.
Vivienne just laughs silkily. "Mr Sparrow, shall we go to my hut to discuss this further?"
Jack hesitates.
"There's rum," she says temptingly.
"Of course then, Miss Vivienne," Jack says.
-0-
Will and Elizabeth, with the rest of the crew are taken aboard the ship of the masked strangers. It was surprising they had not noticed the ship when they had landed, but maybe it was because trees had hidden it.
"Hurry up," one of the masked people says shoving them along. Their hands were tied behind their back.
On the helm the captain stood, back to them, playing with a fan.
"Do you have it?" the captain asked not turning around.
"Aye, cap'n," the leader of this crusade says, and walks up and hands the captain the scroll. The captain takes it.
"Well done, Fowler," the captain says. "And whom have brought aboard?"
"Captives. We found them also trying to take the map," Fowler says.
"What are ye names?" the captain asks, still not facing them.
"I am Will Turner, and we have been in search of that map for many days now," Will says rather ferociously.
"My dear Mr Turner, I have been in search of this map for weeks," the captain says.
"Captain, we are in dire need of that map! Please, I am begging you, will you let us have it," Elizabeth says. Will glances at her but says nothing.
"Dire need? Miss, your uses for this map could not possibly exceed that of ours!"
"We need it to save someone," Elizabeth says.
"And who is that? You're childhood friend? You're favorite pet pup? Miss what I am going to use this map for, could only be more important than yours,"
"We are out to save the soul of Captain Jack Sparrow," Elizabeth says.
The captain whips around looking at them warily.
"Y-you're a woman," Will says.
And she was. She had long dark hair, with gold streaks, tied back in a plait. She wore a golden bodice, dark blue fitted pants, tucked into dark brown boots, with a chunky belt on her waist. She had a long grey-ish jacket on and a three cornered hat, and many gold, ruby-studded, emerald-encrusted, sapphire-covered adornments hanging from her neck and upon her wrists and fingers. Her skin was tanned, her body rather muscular, yet her face possessed feminine features, and she looked slightly Asian or Hispanic, though Will was not sure. As well, the rest of the crew, whom had removed the scarves around their faces, were also women. Some tall and buff, some wily and mischievous, but they were all definitely women.
"Who are ye?" Barbossa asks.
"Hector Barbossa," the woman says looking at him with interest.
"Firs', I'm aware that's me name, not yours, secondly, do not be calling me ''ector', and third, how'd ye know me name?" Barbossa says.
She laughs slightly. "Ye really don't know who I am, do ye?"
"Enlighten me," Barbossa says.
She tips her head back and laughs again. "I'm the Long Nu,"
Barbossa, Gibbs, Ragetti and Pintel's eyes widen in shock.
"Ye…ye are the dreaded Long Nu?" Gibbs says.
"Is it that surprising?" she says.
"Can't be possible," Barbossa says incredulous.
"Not probable," the 'Long Nu' says.
"Wait, wait, wait. Long Nu?" Elizabeth asks interrupting. "What's that?"
"I presume you are Elizabeth Swann," she says looking at her intently.
"How'd you know my name?" Elizabeth asks.
"Why do people keep asking me that?" she says with a smile. "I am Zaehra…Yanzi. The Long Nu, or Dragon Lady," she says.
"The Dragon Lady?" Elizabeth repeats.
"I've heard of you," Will says. "Sailors… in Tortuga, were talking about a Dragon Lady," Will says.
"You're a clever one, Mr Turner," she says. "Well darlings, I've had a change of heart. I was originally planning to kill you all, but now that I know you are in search of Jack, I will allow you to live. In fact, I wish for you all to accompany and assist me,"
Everyone looks at her shocked.
"Cap'n…" Fowler begins.
"Not a word, Fowler," Zaehra says.
"Why?" Will asks.
"Because…I too, am on the journey to retrieve Jack Sparrow's soul," Zaehra says with a smile.
-0-
Zaehra led Will and Elizabeth to her cabin below deck. The others were on deck, being briefed by Fowler. The two stopped when they saw the interior of the cabin. It was beautiful.
The ceiling and floor were of fine polished wood; furnished with lovely dark wood chairs and golden upholstery, and there was an ornately carved table covered in maps, compasses, charts and a vase of flowers. There was also a plush gold couch and a large bed with silk sheets, paintings hung on the walls and a soft rug was on the floor. At the foot of the bed there was a big wooden chest, and a matching set of drawers was in the corner, next to a wooden screen for changing behind. Not a bit of dirt or grime was in sight.
"Welcome to my…well its certainly not a humble abode, is it?" Zaehra says.
"More along the lines of lavish, I'd say," Will says.
"Come, please take a seat," Zaehra says. Will and Elizabeth both sit down.
"So, may I ask, how do you know Jack?" Elizabeth asks.
"Oh, these clothes are irritating me," Zaehra says ignoring her, tugging at her menswear. She walks behind the screen, and when she walks out the other end, she is wearing an antique green dress with bronze bows, her hair now curled delicately around her face.
Elizabeth and Will gape.
"Now, where were we?" Zaehra asks.
"Um, I was wondering how do you know Jack?" Elizabeth asks.
Zaehra looks at her and chuckles slightly. "I'm not some past fling if that's what your wondering, so there's no need to be jealous, missy,"
Elizabeth blushes and Will looks at her, annoyed.
"He was like my…mentor, you could say. He taught me all he knew about pirating, sailing, ships. I am bound by duty to save him," Zaehra says. "That's why I must go to Persephone and plead with her to return him to the living,"
"I didn't know you and Jack were so close," Elizabeth says.
"Yes," Will says stiffly. "He never mentioned you,"
"But I'm sure that you three were too busy gallivanting about to be asking him such questions," Zaehra says with a laugh.
"True," Will says.
"So are you two married yet?" Zaehra asks. Will and Elizabeth look at her. "Jack sent me letters. He told me about Bootstrap's dashing son and the curious Governor's daughter, which is why I know so much about you two,"
"That explains a lot," Elizabeth says.
Zaehra smiles, and doesn't continue her enquiry. She then pulls out the map.
"Do either of you know anything about this map?" Zaehra asks.
"Not really," Elizabeth says.
"This is the Map of Light and Darkness. A guide to the world and its secrets. Whoever has it, can basically find any place heard of. But it is not your normal map. No north, east, no script, or in English at least. Basically it's unreadable, except to some. So really only a few people on Earth can actually decipher what is on this map" and as she says that, Zaehra holds the map out for them to see.
There are strange characters written upon it, and it was so unreadable to them, it was as if they could not even see it properly. No clear paths, or directions, no familiar places. It was as if they were completely out of their depth,
"So that'd be people such as people in desperate need of the map, people of magical descent, and of course, the descendants of the creators of the map, the Dragon People," Zaehra explains
"That simple, huh?" Will asks sarcastically. "We are not in desperate need of the map, and unless someone here can do a convincing vanishing act, nobody can make sense of this map,"
"Wait," Elizabeth says. "You said the Dragon people…"
Zaehra laughs. "A clever girl you are, Miss Elizabeth!"
"You…you can read this?" Will says.
"I can," Zaehra says.
"I thought the 'Dragon Lady' name was just a title," Will says.
Zaehra laughs again.
"Mr Turner, you don't think that I would call myself that without valid reason do you?" Zaehra asks.
"I don't know you well enough to make that assumption," Will says.
"You do not trust me?" Zaehra asks.
"I don't know," Will says solemnly.
"Look here, Mr Turner, I' m the only one who can read this map, so it best be that you be a little more polite," Zaehra says, lightly, but her eyes serious.
"I'm not sure I even want to go to such extremes as to rescue Jack Sparrow," Will says.
"Will?" Elizabeth says looking at him.
"Mr Turner, we all know that deep inside, you still care for the well being of Jack, for he is your friend. Don't let other things cloud your judgment," Zaehra says.
"Then tell us what the map says," Will says.
"To get to the Underworld we must go south, and keep going south, until we find the place where the sun sets, and darkness engulfs," Zaehra says.
"South," Will repeats.
"South, and only south,"
Will and Elizabeth both nod.
"So, I hope now that we have gotten past our differences, that we could work together? It'd do both parties good," Zaehra suggests.
"I think that would be a good idea," Elizabeth sys, slightly sternly.
"Mr Turner?" Zaehra says facing him.
"Alright then," Will says.
"Then we have an agreement," Zaehra says, and stands up. "Welcome aboard The Seductress,"
Then there's an urgent knock on the door.
"Come in," Zaehra says. Fowler opens the door and hurries in.
"Cap'n, you may wanna see this…" Fowler says.
-0-
Jack walked into Vivienne's 'hut' He was half expecting something that severely resembled Tia Dalma's hut, but he was quite mistaken. It was more of a small cottage, except as if everything in the room had been painted bronze. Everything was bronze coloured, the furniture, the curtains, and there was a beautiful, large elaborately carved mirror, which looked rather aged.
"Mr Sparrow," Vivienne says.
"Er…it's Captain Sparrow," Jack says, still looking around.
"I'm well aware of what you'd like to be called, but to get such a title, it must be earned," Vivienne says.
Jack looks sat her confused. "Erm, righto then…"
"Please, take a seat," Vivienne says and pours him some rum.
"Well tell me love, how'd ye get yourself stuck on this island made for the not-meant-to-have-died dead?" Jack asks sitting down and propping his feet up.
"A long story, Mr Sparrow," Vivienne says with a mysterious smile.
"It seems to me, love, that we have a lot of time for long stories," Jack says.
"Ah yes, but sometimes, you're better off not knowing some things," Vivienne says. Then glares at his feet on the table. Jack quickly puts them down.
"But I can tell you about this island," Vivienne says.
"I'd love to hear," Jack says leaning forward.
"A few people have come through here. Not many. A small handful of truly worthy people. Men and women alike," Vivienne says.
"How come there's no one else here 'cept me and you?" Jack asks.
"There are ways to get off this island," Vivienne says.
"How?" Jack asks.
"You have to be rescued. By another. You are a soul without a body. Someone must find your body, bring it here and unite your body and spirit together," Vivienne says.
Jack yelps. "But, but, I'm here! I'm solid! I'm not some matter-less…thing!"
"You can feel yourself and I can see you. But no one else can," Vivienne says. "Only a mortal who has traveled through so much and so far, to save you. Only then, when it is proven that you are so needed by the living, that you are granted life," Vivienne says.
"Hm," Jack says.
"Do you think someone would go to such lengths to retrieve your body, come to recover your spirit and return you to the living?" Vivienne asks.
"Yes?" Jack says unsurely.
"Well I guess, Mr Sparrow, you'll just have to hope there are people out there who are willing to risk so much to save you," Vivienne says with a smirk.
-0-
Zaehra, Will, Elizabeth and Fowler hurry on deck and they see a ship heading towards them at great speed. Their flags signal they are from the Royal Navy. Elizabeth and Will both recognize the ship.
"It's the Dauntless," Elizabeth says.
"Commodore Norrington and that slime ball Beckett?" Zaehra asks.
"Yes, the one and only," Will says.
"What should we do, cap'n?" Fowler asks.
"Nothing. Let them come aboard. And then wait for my signal," Zaehra says and Fowler nods.
"We're going to allow them to board?" Will says.
"Yes. I want to meet the men who have caused so much strife for Jack, and then they themselves are brought so much grief in turn," Zaehra says with a glint in her eye.
-0-
If anyone's read my other House fic, 'Hard for Me' then you'll know I have a bit of a fetish for Asians. But it said in a spoiler there'd be Asian pirates! So I am merely fulfilling my duty as an accurate PotC writer. humph
But I have two Veronica Mars fics, another PotC one, and another House one coming that have no Asians yet.
You might also notice I have a thing for creating OC's. But it's just easier, for me personally, to write characters that I have made, who's personality is formed by me, and I have less restrictions, but also more expectations…whatever.
Please review!