Hyperdimension Neptunia - Across the Multiverse
A HyperDimension Neptunia Fanfiction by Dumbrarere1
Chapter 24 - Up is Down
Asriel had awoken in the early hours of dawn as the sun rose above the horizon. The air was slightly chilly, and there was no land in sight. He was deep in thought as he sat on a smashed crate, staring out into the open ocean, when William walked up to join him.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked.
"Oh- No, go ahead, William." Asriel said as he glanced at him, before looking back out to sea. William sat next to him.
"You must be deep in thought. Got a lot on your mind?" he asked.
"Yeah… It's been hard, getting time like this to think about what's happened, ever since my adventures began…" Asriel said, before letting out a sigh. "I guess the biggest thing on my mind is Liz… It's still hard to believe what she did…"
"Yeah… I'm surprised, how easily you forgave her for that... I'm still trying to forgive her, myself…" William said. "Ever since I'd met her when we were children, I never… thought she could bring herself to willingly do that."
"I've known worse people… some of whom can't be forgiven." Asriel admitted. William simply hummed in understanding.
"I won't pretend to know… It's not my burden to bear." William said. "You're a strong kid, Asriel. It's good to have you with us."
"Thanks, William…" Asriel said, feeling relieved to hear something like that.
"So, assuming you stop Kurome… what happens then?" Willi am asked.
"Once we stop Kurome and save the Multiverse from her schemes, I'm hoping that everyones' lives return to normal… Though in my heart, I know that it won't be that easy…" Asriel said.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." William said. The two of them turned their heads to see Andrew and Gibbs taking stock of current supplies.
"I've had a look at what we have, Gibbs, and I'm afraid our situation is growing dire. We've only a few hours worth of water left." Andrew said.
"Aye, and the rum is…" Gibbs said.
"We burned it all, fighting the Kraken." Andrew reminded. "If we cannot find a solution soon, I fear that we'll be out of fresh water before nightfall."
"A frightful thought, indeed. Sailing these seas, no land in sight…" Gibbs remarked.
"And that smidge of green during last night's sunset… If my intuition is correct, the Green Flash should be tonight…" Andrew said, glancing towards Asriel and William.
"Aye, agreed. Best be prayin' for a solution, soon…" Gibbs said, before departing to take over the helm for the morning. Andrew walked over to join Asriel and William.
"Hey, kid…" Andrew said with a warm smile.
"Morning…" Asriel said. "William and I were discussing things on our minds."
"I could tell." Andrew said as he rubbed Asriel's head, ruffling his fur.
"Hey, Andrew, can I tell you something?" Asriel asked.
"Sure, Asriel. You can tell me anything." Andrew said, encouraging Asriel to speak his mind.
"Well… I've come to look up to you and Neptune a lot, and well… I don't think I'm ready to face what happens if I were to lose either of you." Asriel said.
"I see… It must have taken a lot for you to admit that." Andrew said.
"It did, honestly…" Asriel said.
"Well… it warms my heart to hear how much you look up to us. And if I may be frank, I feel the same way. You're more than just our protege… you're our friend." Andrew said, to the warm smile of the young prince.
The day progressed, and in the early hours of the evening, as the daylight began to wane, Andrew's prediction had come true. The crew had run out of water.
"No water… Why's all but the rum gone?" Pintel asked.
"Rum's gone, too…" Gibbs said. Edward approached the railing with Tia Dalma and William, looking over the side.
"If we cannot escape these doldrums before night… I fear we will sail trackless seas. Doomed to roam the reach between worlds… forever." Tia Dalma said.
"And with no water, forever seems to be arriving a bit too soon…" Edward said, looking towards Barbossa. "He's the one who got us into this mess, why doesn't he do something?"
"There's no sense to it." Gibbs said.
"And the Green Flash happens at sunset, not sunrise." William said.
"Over the edge… it's driving me over the bloomin' edge!" Gibbs said. "Sunrises don't set!"
Over behind the helm, Jack was looking at the charts.
"'Up is down'? Well that's just maddeningly unhelpful! Why are these things never clear?" he asked himself.
"You good there Jack?" Asriel asked.
"Oi!" Jack said in surprise.
"Sorry for sneaking up on you. You just seem to be a little lost." Asriel said.
"Oh." Jack said, looking around, then back to the charts almost deliriously. "I'd nearly forgot, I'm sailing with a talking goat. How about you?" Jack said, before asking himself.
"Um…" Asriel said to himself, certain that Jack had gone mad in the time he was stuck in the locker.
"No input? How 'bout you?" Jack asked. "You neither? Thought so." Jack said.
"Jack? Are you sure you're okay?" Asriel asked.
"Yep. I'm good." Jack said dismissively.
"Okay then…" Asriel said. Jack continued to mutter to himself for a little bit, before Neptune joined them.
"Yo, Jack, you're talking to yourself. Kinda creeping Azzy out." she remarked.
"Oh… sorry…" Jack said. "Why didn't I think of this the first time, when everyone was asleep? Why's a pirate captain like Jack Sparrow have to go sober…" he continued to mutter. "Come sunset it won't matter…" Jack said to himself, before a stroke of genius hit him. "Not sunset… sundown! And rise…" he said, realizing what he'd stumbled into. "Up! What's that?"
"Jack?" Asriel asked as Jack ran to the portside railing.
"What IS that? I dunno, what do you think?" Jack said, acting stranger than usual to get everyone's attention.
"Where?" Gibbs asked.
"There!" Jack said, before running over to the other side, metaphorically dragging the rest of the crew with him.
"Is Jack okay?" Edward asked Asriel and Neptune in confusion as he walked up to the lookout behind the helm.
"He's losing his mind all over again…" Asriel remarked. As Elizabeth asked Jack what it was, the seemingly insane captain ran right back for the portside. Asriel stumbled a bit, as the ship began to rock. "What the heck's he doing?"
"No idea." Edward said. Neptune looked at the two of them and shrugged, before taking Asriel down to the deck to join the fun.
"He's rocking the ship…" Pintel said.
"We're rocking the ship!" Gibbs warned.
"Is this your idea of fun, Jack?!" Andrew asked. As the ship rocked, Barbossa walked up to the charts, and he and Edward both looked. They came to the stark realization that this wasn't a bout of madness, but a bout of cleverness from Jack.
"He-... He's figured it out…!" Edward said in astonishment.
"Aye! He's onto it!" Barbossa concurred.
"He's rocking the ship!" Pintel exclaimed.
"Jack, what're you doing?!" Andrew asked.
"He's getting us out of here!" Edward exclaimed as he joined the mass of people trying to tip the ship over.
"Time it with the swell!" Barbossa ordered, going below deck. "Loose the cannons, you mangy bilge rats! Unstow the cargo! Let it shift!" he ordered as he took a fire axe and used it to snap the anchoring cables keeping salvaged cargo in place. The cannons were unhooked, allowed to roll freely.
"This is probably the craziest way of getting ourselves out of the Locker, don't you think?!" Asriel asked.
"Just go with it, Asriel! Judge the rocking and run to the other side as necessary!" Andrew said. They'd run to port, then starboard, then port again as the ship nearly capsized several times, until finally, the ship began to tip past the point of no return. An unlucky Chinese sailor lost his grip on the railing, before getting smashed between the rigging and one of the heavy cannons.
"Now, up… is down!" Jack proclaimed, as the ship began to finally capsize. Once the ship had finally keeled over, it would be a tense time, as the sun began to set below the horizon. William lost his grip on the railing only to grab the rigging. Asriel almost lost his grip as well, but would be caught by Andrew just in time. Time seemed to pass at a snail's pace, until finally, the Green Flash struck.
Suddenly, above them, the ocean's surface appeared out of nowhere, and the Black Pearl rocketed towards it! It would finally break the surface bow first, throwing just about everyone down onto the deck. Everyone coughed, gasping for breath.
"You still with us, Asriel?" Andrew asked.
"Y-Yeah... Can someone tell me what just happened?!" Asriel asked, panting.
"Blessed sweet westerlies… We're back!" Gibbs exclaimed.
"It's the sunrise…" Elizabeth said.
"That mad, magnificent man, he got us back safely!" Edward exclaimed in exhilaration. That was when Barbossa pulled a pistol on Jack. Jack pulled one on William, William and Elizabeth pulled theirs on Jack, Gibbs pulled his out, too. Suddenly all five of them had pistols trained on each other.
"Oh, come on, really?!" Asriel asked. Jack, Elizabeth, Barbossa, William and Gibbs laughed for a moment, before they got serious.
"Alright, then! The Brethren Court's a-gatherin' at Shipwreck Cove. And Jack, you and I are a-goin', and there'll be no arguin' the point." Barbossa declared.
"I is arguin' the point." Jack countered. "If there's pirates a-gatherin', I'm pointing my ship the other way."
"The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett, and you're a pirate!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"Come on, you guys, is this even necessary?" Neptune asked.
"Fight or not, you're not running, Jack." William said.
"Jack, listen. If we don't stand together, Kurome will have won. I don't need you to remind you of the consequences of her victory, but you'd rather have this world still standing for you to sail freely in, wouldn't you?" Andrew asked.
"Aye, the boy speaks the truth. Beckett will hunt us down one by one, till there be none left, but you." Barbossa added.
"I quite like the sound of that. Jack Sparrow, the last pirate." Jack said.
"Aye, and you'll be fightin' Jones and Kurome alone. And how does that figure into your plan?" Barbossa asked.
"I'm still working on that." Jack replied whimsically. "But I'll not be going back to the Locker, mate. Count on that." he continued, before he pulled the trigger, only for his pistol to misfire. Barbossa, William, Elizabeth, and Gibbs fired their pistols next, only to get the same result.
"Wet powder!" Gibbs groaned.
"Thank goodness. We don't need any of you guys dying on us, so… let's not shoot each other?" Andrew said with a sigh of relief. William got the charts, and looked at them closely, maneuvering the rings until he uncovered a nearby island.
"There's a freshwater spring on this island. We can resupply there, and get back to shooting each other later." he said.
"The 'resupply' part is more agreeable." Edward remarked.
"You can lead the shore party. I'll stay with my ship." Jack said.
"I'll not be leaving my ship in your command." Barbossa countered.
"Why don't you both go ashore, and leave the ship in my command?" William asked, to which Edward, Jack, Andrew, Neptune, Asriel and Barbossa all looked at him. "Temporarily." he added.
The shore party was prepared, with crewmates helping to lower a single boat that they had salvaged from the Hai Peng, before rowing ashore. Pintel and Ragetti hopped out first, to see the body of the Kraken lying ashore.
"Hods Bodkins!" Ragetti exclaimed.
"Is that the… The Kraken?" Andrew asked.
"The Kraken was nigh unkillable when we fought it off… What could have killed it?" Edward asked.
"No idea…" Asriel said.
"I should feel overjoyed at this news, yet… I've got a bad feeling about this…" Andrew remarked.
"Still thinking of running, Jack? Think you can outrun the world?" Barbossa asked as he and Jack both walked up. "You know, the problem of being last of anything, is by and by, there be nothing left at all."
"Sometimes, things come back, mate. We're living proof, you and me." Jack countered.
"Aye, but that's a gamble of long odds, ain't it? There's never a guarantee of coming back, but passing on… that's dead certain." Barbossa said.
"Summoning the Brethren Court, then, is it?" Jack asked.
"To stop what's coming… it's our only hope, Jack." Andrew said.
"That's a sad commentary in and of itself." Jack remarked.
"The world used to be a bigger place." Barbossa said.
"The world's still the same… there's just… less in it." Jack said.
"No sense lingering around. The sooner we can resupply, the sooner we can get underway and make it to Shipwreck Cove." Edward said, taking the lead.
"Ragetti. Stay here and act as a scout. Let us know if any threats appear on the horizon." Andrew ordered, before he followed. They walked to the freshwater spring, to see a dead man floating in the water. A Chinese pirate who was apparently trying to wait in ambush, only to drown when his own patience got the best of him. Barbossa had a taste of the water, only to spit it out.
"Poisoned. Fouled by the body." he said.
"Rats!" Neptune exclaimed.
"There's gotta be cleaner water closer to the source…" Andrew said, only to trail off.
"Andrew, you alright?" Neptune asked.
"I've got a bad feeling about this, Nep…" Andrew said. Pintel flipped the body over, revealing the Chinese pirate to be one of those from Singapore.
"Hey, I know him! He was in Singapore!" Pintel remarked.
"Singapore!" Cotton's parrot squawked.
"Captain!" Marty exclaimed, pointing towards the beach as Ragetti came running.
"Oi! We've got company!" he shouted. Andrew and Jack glanced at the Pearl, and then to a Chinese ship flying Sao Feng's flag sailing towards it.
"I knew it…" Andrew muttered, as flintlocks were drawn by Tai Huang and his men.
"We're in for it, now, aren't we?" Asriel asked, knowing they'd fallen into a trap.
Everyone found themselves back on the Black Pearl, prisoners of Sao Feng and his crew. Sao Feng approached the group, looking smugly at everyone.
"Sao Feng, what is the meaning of this?!" Andrew demanded, only to be hit in the head with the back of Tai Huang's flintlock. "Ow!"
"Sao Feng... you showing up here, 'tis truly a remarkable coincidence." Barbossa said.
"Jack Sparrow… You paid me great insult, once." Sao Feng said.
"That doesn't sound like me…" Jack said, his voice indicating some measure of truthfulness. Sao Feng didn't believe him, however, and so he punched Jack in the face, which caused everyone else to cringe in response.
"Shall we just call it square, then?" Jack asked, holding his nose in place. Andrew, Neptune and Asriel noticed William walk up to Sao Feng, a free man, unlike the rest of the crew.
"Release her." he said, pointing towards Elizabeth. "She's not part of the bargain."
"You heard Captain Turner! Release her!" Sao Feng said.
"Captain Turner?" Jack asked
"William, you too?!" Asriel asked, shocked and understandably upset at William's betrayal.
"Aye, the perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!" Gibbs swore.
"But… why?!" Asriel asked.
"I need the Pearl to free my father. That's the only reason I came on this voyage." William said.
"Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?" Elizabeth asked, equally disappointed.
"It was my burden to bear." William replied, looking towards Elizabeth, then to Asriel sympathetically, knowing the young prince didn't deserve to be at the brunt of Sao Feng's anger.
"He needs the Pearl… Captain Turner needs the Pearl." Jack said, pointing to William. "And you felt guilty…" he said, pointing to Elizabeth. "You three, and your rogue CPU…" he added towards Andrew, Neptune and Asriel. "And you, and your Brethren Court…" he concluded, looking towards Barbossa. "Did no one come to save me just because they missed me?" he asked. Pintel and Ragetti raised their hands, then Neptune, then Edward, then Marty, then finally Jack's monkey counterpart. "I'm standing over there with them." he said.
"I'm sorry, Jack. But there is an old friend who wants to see you, first." Sao Feng said, stopping Jack from walking away.
"I'm not certain I can survive any more visits from old friends." Jack said.
"Here's your chance to find out." Sao Feng said, pointing towards the HMS Endeavor, trailed by the Flying Dutchman.
Aboard HMS Endeavor, Jack entered the stateroom, to see Beckett with Kurome.
"Remarkable… The last I saw of that ship, she was on fire… a blackened hulk sinking beneath the waves…" Beckett said as Jack entered the room. "We had a deal, Jack. I contracted you to deliver 'cargo' on my behalf, you chose to liberate it."
"People aren't 'cargo', mate." Jack said, knowing the nature of what was being traded.
"And you incurred a heavy debt to raise her up again, didn't you?" Beckett asked.
"Your friends are growing desperate, trying to fight against winds and tides they have no hope of beating, Sparrow. And so despair leads to betrayal." Kurome said. "You're no stranger to betrayal, of course. It's only fair that the betrayer gets betrayed in the end."
Jack looked up towards Kurome while rifling through the priceless tea containers in the room in search of the heart of Davy Jones. "The CPUs spoke of you… Kurami… Kuroe… Kurome. Yeah. Kurome, right?"
"Wouldn't have put it past them to speak of me to a pirate… never found it odd that a trio of CPUs in charge of the nation of Planeptune would join your crew, did you?" Kurome asked. "No matter. Now that they are in the hands of the Trading Company with the rest of your entourage, thanks to our friend Sao Feng, I am certain that things will start progressing in a timely manner." she said with a smirk. "And for the record, Sparrow, it isn't here."
"What? What isn't?" Jack asked.
"The Heart of Davy Jones. It's safely aboard the Flying Dutchman, and unavailable for you to use as leverage to satisfy your debt to the good Captain." Beckett answered in Kurome's stead. He'd turn towards Kurome. "Kurome, you are free to join Mercer on the Pearl, if you so wish to interrogate the CPUs."
"Of course." Kurome said, before taking her leave. She joined Mercer and a contingent of EITC mercenaries ready to board the Black Pearl. After hopping into a boat, they would row their way to the other side and join the crowd. Sao Feng looked to Mercer with a smug look. Then he looked at the mercenaries, then Kurome, and felt like he was being thrown under the rug like refuse.
"My men are crew enough." he said, glaring at Mercer violently.
"Company ship, company crew." Mercer countered. William, feeling betrayed, walked up to Sao Feng.
"You agreed, the Black Pearl was to be mine." he said.
"...and so it was." Sao Feng replied, before one of his crew whacked William in the gut and dragged him back with the rest of the prisoners.
"This is utterly ridiculous…" Andrew swore as a set of irons was attached to his wrists, before giving William a well deserved glare. He didn't notice Kurome walk up to him.
"Amusing, don't you think? Twice now, you are given to me in chains." she taunted.
"If you mean to insult me, Kurome, then save it. Your taunts won't work on me." Andrew retorted.
"Really…? Then what about your little protege?" Kurome asked, glancing towards Asriel.
"Touch him, Kurome, and I'll send you to the Locker myself!" Elizabeth threatened.
"Watch your tongue, Miss Swann. Your birthright as the daughter of the governor of Port Royal cannot save you." Kurome retorted with a smirk, causing Elizabeth to try fruitlessly to attack her. Kurome walked over towards Asriel. There was a visible fear in his eyes, due in part to the knowledge that he was in a situation where he cannot fight back.
"Leave him alone, Kurome." Andrew snarled.
"I see your weaknesses, little one. You're afraid to lose those you care about… they make you vulnerable." Kurome taunted, before filling Asriel's head with vicious nightmares. He screamed, his body desperately trying to force him to grab his head in response.
"Kurome, you cruel witch!" William swore.
"Make it- Make it stop!" Asriel begged. Kurome eventually relented. Asriel would be left in tears, but held a particular death glare against the rogue CPU in front of him.
"I've had my fun for the day." Kurome said with a smirk, before walking towards Sao Feng and Mercer. "Lord Beckett has no further use for you, Sao Feng. You are to be removed from the equation."
"What?!" Sao Feng exclaimed in disbelief.
"By this time tomorrow, you and your men will depart from the Black Pearl and return to Singapore aboard the Empress, without your prize." Kurome said.
Feeling betrayed, Sao Feng's expression turned to anger. "Beckett agreed, the Black Pearl was to be mine!"
"Lord Beckett's not going to give up the only ship that can outrun the Dutchman now, is he?" Mercer asked. He and Kurome would walk away soon after, leaving Sao Feng wondering if he had made the wrong judgement call in taking Beckett's side.
"It's a shame they're not bound to honor the Code of the Brethren, ain't it? Because honor's a hard thing to come by nowadays." Barbossa remarked.
"There's no honor in remaining with the losing side. Leaving it for the winning side, that's just good business." Sao Feng said.
"The losing side, you say?" Barbossa asked.
"They have the Dutchman. And NOW the Pearl! And aside from the CPUs, what do the Brethren have?!" Sao Feng snapped.
"We have… Calypso." Barbossa said.
"Hmph! Calypso… an old legend." Sao Feng chuckled incredulously.
"No. The goddess herself, bound in human form. Imagine, all the power of the seas, brought to bear against our enemy. I intend to release her, but for that, I need the Court." Barbossa countered, before grabbing the necklace around Sao Feng's neck, which held his Piece of Eight. "All the Court."
"You expect me to honor that? After all that has happened? After Beckett has nearly wiped us all off the map? Sao Feng snapped.
"I expect ye to consider… an alternative to oblivion." Barbossa said. "The CPUs know what be at stake."
"What are you proposing, Captain?" Sao Feng asked.
"What be accepted, Captain?" Barbossa asked in response. Sao Feng thought a moment as he looked at the crew, before he laid eyes on Elizabeth… and then on Asriel, who was still reeling from Kurome's attack on his mind.
"The girl…" Sao Feng began.
"What?" Elizabeth asked.
"And the young CPU." Sao Feng concluded, to the shock of all three CPUs.
"You can't be serious, Sao Feng! Asriel's not ready to fight on his own!" Andrew said, begging him to reconsider.
"Ah, but he is still a CPU, is he not? I see great promise in the young Dreemurr." Sao Feng said.
"Elizabeth and Asriel aren't part of ANY bargain!" William said.
"Out of the question." Barbossa said, feeling sympathy for Asriel.
"It was not a question." Sao Feng countered.
"Please don't… let him take me…" Asriel whimpered.
"Asriel…" Elizabeth said. Asriel turned to face her, tears still in his eyes. "I need your trust on this… it'll be okay." she said, to which Asriel nodded.
"Done." Elizabeth said, as she looked back towards Sao Feng.
"What- Not Done!" William protested.
"You got us into this mess! If this is what frees us, then DONE!" Elizabeth argued.
"Didn't you see what Kurome did to the poor kid?!" Andrew protested.
"Andrew… I'll be alright. I'll catch up with you and Neptune, somehow, I promise." Asriel said, taking deep breaths.
Andrew clenched his fist for a moment, before exhaling. He knew that Asriel was doing this for the sake of his friends. "Alright… I trust that you're making the right call."
"Elizabeth. They're pirates!" William argued.
"I have had more than enough experience dealing with pirates!" Elizabeth snapped, shoving William in anger.
"Then we have an accord?" Barbossa asked.
"Aye. Done." Sao Feng said. He left, hatching a cunning plan to free the crew of the Black Pearl, and get the EITC off the ship. A little while later, he put the plan into action, having his crew keep the EITC mercenaries busy while he and Tai Huang freed the Black Pearl crew and the CPUs. Chaos soon ensued on the deck.
Jack and Beckett were still 'negotiating' in the stateroom aboard the Endeavor. Beckett had known through a spy network in various Pirate Lords' domains, of the meeting place of the Brethren Court: Shipwreck Cove. Jack, himself, had no intention of divulging any further information, knowing now, that the fate of the whole world was counting on what words were revealed and what actions he took. And so he was stalling for time, relying on his wits.
"Let's say you kill me and take my compass, eh mate? You will arrive at Shipwreck Cove, to find it a fortress nigh impregnable. Able to withstand a blockade for years. And then you'll be thinking 'Oh, if only there were someone I had not killed inside, to ensure that the pirates then come outside.'" he said.
"And you can accomplish all this on your own, can you?" Beckett asked.
"You may kill me, but you may never insult me. Who am I?" Jack asked, to the confusion of Beckett. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack concluded. Immediately after, the stateroom window was smashed by cannon fire from the Black Pearl. Seeing his chance, Jack made his escape. Beckett, soon recovering from his daze as he reeled from what he had just survived unscathed, pursued Jack out of the stateroom and onto the deck.
On the deck of the Black Pearl, the chaos was continuing. Mercer and Kurome were fighting together, only to find themselves being pushed towards the edge. Kurome used her rapier, runes glowing a deep crimson, to try and fight back as she killed two Chinese pirates, wounding a third.
"I hope you have a way out of this, Kurome." Mercer muttered.
"There's too many of them to use my powers. Make for the Dutchman, I'll head to the Endeavor and warn Beckett." Kurome said, before she sheathed her rapier and leaped over the side with Mercer. The last few EITC mercenaries that were defiantly standing their ground were either disarmed, or killed.
"The Pearl is ours!" Andrew yelled, to the cheers of the pirates around them.
"I shall uphold the deal, you'd better do the same." Sao Feng said.
"The deal is upheld." Barbossa said, looking to Elizabeth and Asriel. Asriel went to Andrew and Neptune for a moment.
"Well… looks like I'm going to leave for a bit." Asriel said.
"Yeah. Take care, bud. We'll see you again soon." Andrew said, wishing Asriel well, before watching him walk back towards Sao Feng and Elizabeth.
"We shall meet once more, at Shipwreck Cove." Sao Feng said.
"Of course. Godspeed, Captain." Gibbs said, just before the crew on the gun deck sent another volley of cannon fire against the Endeavor.
Jack had just finished setting up a set of ropes through the mast, tied to a cannon pointed at the mainmast. Beckett got outside to see the absurd contraption Jack set up for himself, towards the cannon, then to what sat in the mouth of the barrel. He'd feel insulted, seeing the painted lead miniature of himself.
"You're mad!" he exclaimed.
"Thank goodness for that, because if I wasn't, this would probably never work." Jack said gleefully, before firing the cannon just as Kurome climbed back aboard. The loaded round flew into the miniature, then into the mainmast. The recoil of the gun flung Jack over the mast, across the water and towards the Pearl.
On the Pearl, the crew that was left aboard watched the spectacle, running towards the other side of the ship in the expectation of him overshooting and falling into the water. Neptune saw where he landed, however.
"Uh… guys…" Neptune said, catching Barbossa's attention.
"And that was without even a single drop of rum." Jack remarked proudly, before hopping down onto the deck. He'd soon meet William's gaze disappointedly, seeing one of shame in return. "Send this pestilent, traitorous, cowhearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig." Jack ordered.
Kurome glared at the CPUs as the Pearl slipped away from the Endeavor.
"To be bested by mere mortals… by pirates…" Kurome swore. "The next time I see them, I'll make them wish they were dead." she continued to mutter as she walked up to her employer.
"Got bested by pirates, you say?" Beckett asked.
"They overwhelmed me and Mercer. There were far too many of them for me to effectively use my powers." Kurome said, defending herself.
"Yes, I thought so…" Beckett mused as a lieutenant ran up.
"Which ship do we follow?" the lieutenant asked.
"Signal the Dutchman to track down Sao Feng. We follow the Pearl." Beckett ordered. "How soon can we have the ship ready to pursue?" he asked. Just after, the mainmast swayed in the crosswind.
"It's coming down!" a mercenary warned, as the mainmast snapped, falling onto the deck and leaving the ship unable to pursue either target.
"Do you think he plans it all out? Or just makes it up as he goes along?" the lieutenant asked cheekily, only to be met with a look of disappointment from both Kurome and Beckett simultaneously. "Sir…" he said, before taking his leave.
Sans was leaning against the wall, his arms folded, as he spoke with the Guildmaster and IF.
"I don't know what to tell ya. These so-called 'Negativity Monsters' have been popping up everywhere, and we are juggling the influx of requests and the tasks that we need doing." Sans said.
"We've got some help from some of the people from the last conflict helping to deal with those and keep the citizens safe, yet all five nations' militaries are being stretched to their absolute limit." IF said.
"Our own resources are being stretched to their limits. The CPUs must know about this." the Guildmaster said, entrusting a new task to IF personally.
"They and their husbands are already well aware, sir. They've been watching the situation since the moment they awoke and noticed the grim reality before them." IF said.
"And what of the Gold Third?" The Guildmaster asked.
"In a similar state, sir. We aren't equipped to deal with this sort of situation." IF said.
"And our interdimensional allies?" The Guildmaster asked.
"Also preoccupied, dealing with the tasks given to them by Histoire, as well as all the quests they've been taking." IF said. "We've got freelance adventurers and mercenaries helping to pick up the slack… many of whom, as I'm sure you're aware, were formerly contracted to the Heaven's Bane Crime Syndicate."
"That isn't good at all…" The Guildmaster said with a sigh. "And what of the progress you've made in investigating the raid on Muffet's tea shop in Planeptune?"
"We've found some evidence, pointing the raiders to a small, fanatical cult. As we've feared, they're devoted to the True Goddess, and likely started by Kurome, herself." IF said.
"The one I talked to committed suicide by electric shock, after revealing that bit of information." Sans said.
"You did your best, Sans. That's all that matters." The Guildmaster said. "We need to regroup, reorganize and find new guild members to counter this grave threat. I trust that the two of you will help our own with recruitment?" the Guildmaster asked.
"Sir!" IF said.
"Sure, why not?" Sans asked.
"Good. You're both dismissed." the Guildmaster said, before IF and Sans both took their leave.
On board Sao Feng's flagship, the Empress, Asriel was seated on a chair talking with Elizabeth.
"I'll be honest with you, Asriel… I never thought I'd see Kurome in person, let alone witness her power first hand… That must've been quite a nightmare she gave you." Elizabeth said in sympathy.
"Yeah…" Asriel said in response, sighing deeply.
"Want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked, hoping to make the young prince feel better. Asriel had to think about whether or not he wanted to answer, let alone how he would do so.
"Well…" the young protege began as he lightly rubbed the back of his head. "The nightmare she gave me touches on a… touchy, if not complicated, subject…" he finally said.
"You don't have to tell me. You're okay, though, right?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yeah, I'll be alright." Asriel said.
"I'm glad." Elizabeth said. Before the two of them could talk further, Sao Feng could be heard walking in, followed by his servants. He would be chanting something in ancient Chinese, which confused Asriel as he was unfamiliar with the language. By the time Sao Feng was done, and fully within his quarters amongst Elizabeth and Asriel, he turned and dismissed his servants, before laying eyes on his two guests.
"By this time tomorrow, we will arrive at Shipwreck Cove. And you will be free, Calypso…" Sao Feng said.
"Excuse me?" Elizabeth asked in response.
"Not the name you fancy, I imagine, out of the many that you have. But it is what we call you." Sao Feng said.
"'We' being who?" Elizabeth asked.
"You confirm it." Sao Feng said.
"Confirm what?" Elizabeth asked. "You've told me nothing."
"The Brethren Court - not I, the First Brethren Court, who's position I would have opposed, bound you to human form, so that the rule of the sea would belong to man, and not-" Sao Feng said.
"...me." Elizabeth said, clearly confused by what was being said.
"But one such as you should never be anything else than what you are." Sao Feng continued.
"Hold on a minute, Sao Feng. Are you sure that Elizabeth is who you think she is?" Asriel asked.
"Asriel, my furry friend..." Sao Feng said. "I cannot help, but admire your loyalty."
"Uhh… Thanks, I guess." Asriel said, slightly flattered, but also unsure of what the Pirate Lord of Singapore was getting at.
"I had been curious since our first meeting, why you have elected to embark on this grand voyage…" Sao Feng said. "But it is clear to me now… It isn't just about the faith and prayers of your people, or your desire to save countless worlds… it is the fondness for the friends you make along the way."
"I… guess that's true…" Asriel said.
"So it comes as little surprise to me, that you'd be unaware of the truth about some of those you travel with… which I can imagine has led to a few betrayals." Sao Feng said.
"Well… I'd already forgiven some of them…" Asriel said.
"But there is one that is left unforgiven, I'd wager." Sao Feng countered. Asriel sighed in response. Sao Feng nodded, content with the results.
"Sao Feng, I'd honestly prefer if you didn't pester the boy… especially after what Kurome just put him through." Elizabeth said.
"Ah, but I forget myself in the presence of Calypso." Sao Feng said, still certain that Elizabeth was who he thought she was. "The goddess of the sea is very lucky, indeed, to have such a loyal friend as him."
"Pretty speech from a captor, but words spoken through prison bars lose their charm." Elizabeth said.
"Can I be blamed for my efforts?" Sao Feng asked.
"Well… when you think of her as the goddess of the sea…" Asriel said.
"All men are drawn to the sea, perilous though it may be." Sao Feng said.
"And some people offer desire as justification for their crimes." Elizabeth countered.
"I offer simply my desire." Sao Feng said.
"And in return?" Elizabeth asked.
"I would have your gifts, should you choose to give them." Sao Feng said.
"And if I choose not to?" Elizabeth asked.
"Then I will take… your fury!" Sao Feng said venomously, as he grabbed Elizabeth by the cheeks and forced her into a kiss.
"Sao Feng, what are you doing?!" Asriel exclaimed, stunned and shocked by what Sao Feng was doing. Elizabeth tried desperately to push the Pirate Lord off of her, and in doing so, was forced to bite his tongue.
"Are you okay, Liz?" Asriel asked. He looked towards Sao Feng as the latter walked over to them, ready to punch either of the two of them in retaliation. However, a cannonball across the portside put a stop to that, sending shrapnel and splinters through the captain's stateroom.
"What the-!?" Asriel exclaimed. He and Elizabeth managed to escape unscathed, but Sao Feng didn't fare as well… he'd lie against the wall, skewered by a large piece of wood. "S-Sao Feng…!" Asriel said as he and Elizabeth rushed over.
"Here… please." Sao Feng said, addressing Elizabeth. "With all nine Pieces of Eight… you will be free." he continued, handing Elizabeth his Piece of Eight, which happened to be the charm around his neck. "Take it! You are captain now." he declared painfully, growing weaker by the second.
"Sao Feng…" Asriel said.
"Go in my place… to Shipwreck Cove…" Sao Feng said, now addressing the both of them.
"Sir, the ship is taken! We cannot-" Tai Huang exclaimed as he clambered down the steps to see Sao Feng.
"Forgive me… Calypso…" Sao Feng whispered into Elizabeth's ear, before finally passing.
"He's gone…" Asriel announced.
"What did he tell you?!" Tai Huang demanded.
Elizabeth looked towards him, grasping the Piece of Eight in her hands. "He made me captain…" she said. Tai Huang did not take this news lightly, as he, Elizabeth and Asriel rushed to the deck in a vain attempt to retake control of the Empress. They soon found themselves intercepted by EITC mercenaries.
"You are not my captain!" Tai Huang snarled. The apparent commanding officer of these mercenaries turned, and to Asriel's dismay, revealed himself as Norrington.
"Elizabeth...!" Norrington exclaimed in shock.
"James? James!" Elizabeth exclaimed in a mix of joy and shock as she released herself from the grasp of the mercenary that grabbed onto her. Asriel followed suit. Norrington embraced Elizabeth in relief.
"Thank God, you're alive! Your father will be overjoyed to know that you're safe!" Norrington exclaimed.
"My father's dead…" Elizabeth said, her joy turning to disbelief, then anger.
"N-No, that can't be true… He-he returned to England!" Norrington said in shock.
"Did Kurome and Lord Beckett tell you that?" Asriel asked. That was when Davy Jones walked up.
"Who among you do you name as captain?" Davy Jones asked.
"Captain? Her!" Tai Huang exclaimed pointing towards Elizabeth. The rest of the captured Chinese pirates followed suit.
"Captain?" Davy Jones asked, surprised.
"Tow the ship! Put the prisoners in the brig!" Norrington ordered, before looking towards Elizabeth and Asriel. "The captain and young Asriel shall have my quarters." he concluded.
"Thank you sir…" Elizabeth said, stepping back. "...but I'd prefer to remain with my crew." she added, a sour tone in her voice. Norrington felt his heart sink as he witnessed one of his friends denounce him. He then looked towards Asriel, hoping that the young prince would help persuade Elizabeth otherwise, only to find a similar look of disappointment and anger.
"Have you any idea what you've done, Norrington…? What events you've set in motion when you betrayed us?" he asked. "Your actions may have doomed this world to destruction. Maybe consider that, before trying to act like we're still friends." he continued darkly, backing up towards Elizabeth.
"Asriel… Elizabeth, I swear! I didn't know-" Norrington begged.
"Know what? Which side you chose?" Elizabeth interrupted, rejoining her crew. "Well, now you do." she said as she and Asriel were escorted to the Dutchman with the rest of the prisoners. They'd find themselves locked in a single, cramped cell.
"Bootstrap?" Elizabeth called out through the bars. The Bo'sun looked at her, then cackled as he walked out of the brig.
"Bootstrap? Bill Turner?" Elizabeth asked again. A member of Jones' crew looked at her, gave a sort of glare and half snarl, and followed the Bo'sun out of the brig.
"So much for rejoining Andrew and Nep…" Asriel said as he sat against the wall with a sigh.
"Don't lose hope, Asriel… We may get out of this, yet." Elizabeth said.
"This is the third time, now, that I ended up in this situation, Liz..." Asriel said. "I'm not saying I can't keep going. What kind of CPU would I be, if I just gave up?" He asked with a smile. "Anyways, who is this 'Bootstrap Bill Turner' that you keep calling for?"
"Bootstrap…" a voice said, coming from the wall to their right. Asriel stood up as he and Elizabeth looked to the source of the voice, to see Bootstrap attached to the wall. "You know my name?" he asked.
"Yes, we know your son." Elizabeth said. "Will Turner." she clarified.
"William!" Bootstrap exclaimed. "He made it! He's alive! And now he sends the two of you to tell me that he's coming to get me!" he continued, before laughing in joy. "God's boons! He's on his way!"
"So you're William's father?" Asriel asked. "He told us wants to help you."
Bootstrap's expression turned from joy to one of sorrow in an instant. "He can't help me. He won't come."
"But you're his father." Elizabeth said.
"I know you… He spoke of you…" Bootstrap said. "He can't save me. He can't come because of you!"
"Me?" Elizabeth asked.
"You're Elizabeth." Bootstrap said.
"Yes, I'm Elizabeth." Elizabeth said, unsure of what was happening.
"If Jones is slain… he who slays him must take his place. Captain… forever." Bootstrap said. "The Dutchman must always have a captain… If he saves me… he loses you."
"I see…" Elizabeth said, disheartened at this news.
"He won't pick me… I wouldn't pick me…" Bootstrap said.
"But… surely there's something that can be done. I've witnessed the miracles that can happen, just by holding onto faith." Asriel said.
"What good is faith… or miracles…?" Bootstrap asked defeatedly. "Tell him to stay away… tell him it's too late… I'm already a part of the ship..." he continued as he retreated into the wall.
"But, Bootstrap…" Asriel said.
"You know my name?" Bootstrap asked, to the confusion of both Elizabeth and Asriel. "You know my name?" he asked again.
"Yes, we know your son." Elizabeth said.
"William! He's coming for me! Wait and see! He promised…!" Bootstrap said.
Back on the Black Pearl, Andrew and Neptune were discussing Asriel's capture by the Pirate Lord of Singapore.
"We made a vow to keep him safe… yet he slipped through our grasp." Andrew said with a sigh. "If not for William's betrayal, this wouldn't have happened… First Norrington, and now him."
"Asriel made the decision on his own, for our sakes. He did promise to find a way back to us." Neptune said, sitting in HDD to let her CPU form's personality take over.
"He won't survive a run in with Kurome alone, he's not strong enough." Andrew countered. "Sorry… I'm just worried for the kid, you know?"
"Yeah… I am, too…" Neptune said. "But don't fret. I think he and Elizabeth might both have a way to get back to us, if something were to go wrong."
"I hope you're right… Toriel would never forgive us, if Kurome got to him." Andrew said with a sigh.
"He'll be okay. I have a feeling we'll run into him again, at Shipwreck Cove." Neptune said.
"Aye, your wife speaks the truth." Edward said as he entered. "The worst thing a pirate can do is regret his mistakes. So long as we keep living, and keep fighting, for what we believe in… things will turn out for the better."
"Thanks, Edward." Andrew said with a sigh.
"Of course. Cheer up, okay? The little furball is a lot stronger than he looks, and I have no doubt he'll return to us safely." Edward said.
"Yeah. I just gotta have faith." Andrew said.
Norrington was in his quarters aboard the Flying Dutchman, playing back everything Elizabeth and Asriel had said to him in his head since their reunion. He didn't want to believe them, but he knew it was true… Weatherby Swann, his long time friend would-be father-in-law, was dead... on Beckett's orders. Worse still, he began to realize that Asriel was right. His own betrayal had set in motion what would be the destruction of the Carribean.
He knew what he had to do. After a quick prayer to his god, he departed his quarters for the brig. As he walked down, he picked up a key off the wall, before walking towards the cell and unlocking it.
"Come with me." he said. None of the pirates dared to leave the cell, however. "Quickly!" he said. Elizabeth turned to the Chinese pirates and nodded, commanding them to walk out of the cell. She and Asriel were the last ones inside that cell, staring straight at Norrington.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Choosing a side." Norrington said, declaring his intentions to defect.
"Do we trust him?" Asriel asked.
"No… but he's granting us an opportunity we cannot ignore." Elizabeth said flatly as she and Asriel followed Norrington towards the stern of the ship, where the tow line was tied to the Dutchman.
"Do not go to Shipwreck Cove. Beckett knows of the meeting of the Brethren, I fear there may be a traitor among them." Norrington warned.
"It's too late to earn my forgiveness." Elizabeth said coldly.
"I had nothing to do with your father's death." Norrington said defensively, before glancing at Asriel in shame. "That doesn't absolve me of my other sins…"
"Come with us." Elizabeth beckoned, to the utter shock of Asriel. "James, come with me."
"Who goes there?!" a voice boomed. Asriel and Elizabeth instantly recognized it as Bootstrap's.
"Go! I'll follow." Norrington said.
"You're lying!" Elizabeth countered.
"Our destinies have been intertwined, Miss Swann… but never joined." Norrington said, before he gave Elizabeth a kiss. "Go, now!"
"But James-" Elizabeth argued.
"Liz… It's what he wants." Asriel said, looking at her sympathetically. Elizabeth nodded, hopping onto the tow line, while Asriel followed, just in time before Bootstrap arrived to stop them.
"Back to your station, Sailor!" Norrington ordered.
"No one leaves the ship." Bootstrap said, defying the order.
"Stand down! That's an order!" Norrington ordered again.
"That's an order…" Bootstrap parroted under his voice. However, Norrington's orders conflicted with Davy Jones'. "Part of the crew… Part of the ship… Part of the crew… Part of the ship…" he raved.
"Steady, man!" Norrington ordered, trying to calm Bootstrap down.
"Part of the crew, part of the ship!" Bootstrap exclaimed, before raising the alarm. "All hands! Prisoner escape!"
"Belay that!" Norrington shouted, drawing his flintlock and pulling back the hammer.
"James!" Elizabeth exclaimed, moving back towards the Dutchman in order to save her friend's life. Asriel followed suit.
Norrington looked back to them, then towards Bootstrap. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth…" he said to himself, before he shot the tow line, snapping it. Asriel held on tight as the line fell into the ocean, and as he surfaced, he and Elizabeth watched in horror as Bootstrap stabbed Norrington in the chest.
"James! No!" Elizabeth cried, as Norrington slumped over.
Bootstrap stood over his kill, inwardly conflicted by his choice, as the rest of the crew ran to the back of the ship.
"The Admiral's dead?!" one of the crew, Clanker, asked.
"To the captain's cabin!" Maccus declared, as the crew of the Flying Dutchman went on a riot, turning on the EITC mercenaries.
"James Norrington. Do you fear death?" Davy Jones mocked. Norrington defiantly stabbed his sabre into Jones' chest, before finally succumbing to his injuries and passing without a word.
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Davy Jones said as he pulled the sabre out of his chest. "Nice sword." he said as he walked away, admiring the sabre and deciding to keep it as a prize. Across the deck, the riot against the EITC mercenaries once under Norrington's command continued, until they reached the captain's cabin, where Jones and his crew were stopped. Murtogg and Mullroy turned the small cannons towards the chest, threatening to destroy it and its valuable contents if they rushed in.
"The Dutchman… is under MY command." Mercer declared slyly.
"For now." Jones countered as he and his crew stood down, leaving the captain's cabin.
Back on the Empress, heading towards Shipwreck Cove under the cover of night, Elizabeth was beside herself in grief.
"I just can't believe he's gone… James was my friend, and now he's… just gone…" she cried.
"I know, Liz…" Asriel said with a sigh.
"Why couldn't you save him, Asriel?" Elizabeth asked.
Asriel sighed. "I… wanted to. But there was nothing I could do… I'm sorry." he admitted. "Beckett and Davy Jones will answer for this. I promise, we won't stop until they receive justice for every evil deed they've done."
"You're right… Beckett, Jones and Kurome, too. The three of them will answer for everything." Elizabeth said. "But please, promise me something…"
"Anything." Asriel said.
"Promise me that I won't lose you or Will, too…" Elizabeth said.
"Liz…" Asriel said, realizing that she saw him as an adopted son, rather than just a friend. "Alright. It's a promise."
The next day, around the mid afternoon, the Black Pearl was on the last leg of its voyage towards Shipwreck Cove, and was expected to arrive by nightfall. Somehow, during the night, William had escaped from the brig. While his escape was noticed, it was not of immediate importance... getting within Shipwreck Cove without accidentally sinking the Pearl was.
"Look alive, and keep a weather eye! Not for naught, it's called Shipwreck Island! Where lies Shipwreck Cove and the town of Shipwreck!" Gibbs warned.
"You heard him! Step lively!" Pintel exclaimed.
"The final battle may be upon us, soon. Many trials have pushed against us, but we've bested 'em all. Now we face the biggest challenge yet." Gibbs said.
"Agreed. Hard to believe everything in this world is coming full circle… What happens now may decide whether this world dies, or comes back from the brink." Andrew said.
"Yeppers. This pirate business was fun and all, but we really oughta kick Kurome's teeth in." Neptune said as Jack approached.
"You know, for all that pirates are clever clogs, we are an unimaginative lot when it comes to naming things." Jack said.
"Oh?" Andrew asked.
"I once sailed with a geezer who lost both of his arms, and part of his eye." Jack said.
"What'd you call him?" Gibbs asked.
"...Larry." Jack said. Neptune broke out into a fit of laughter in response. At the front of the boat, Barbossa was conversing with Tia Dalma.
"I do not renege on a bargain once struck. But we agreed on ends only, the means are mine to decide." Barbossa said.
"Caution, Barbossa. Do not forget that it was by my power that you were brought back from the dead, or what it means should you fail me." Tia Dalma said as she grabbed Barbossa's wrist, turning it to bone and rotten, waterlogged flesh for a split second, before letting go. She turned to leave, only for Barbossa to grab her next.
"Don't you forget why you had to bring me back. Why I could not leave Jack to his well-deserved fate." he said as Tia Dalma tried to wriggle free. "It took nine Pirate Lords to bind you, Calypso! And it'll take no less than nine to set you free!" he continued, catching Tia Dalma's attention. "Misters Pintel and Ragetti. Take this fish wife to the brig."
"Right this way, Mrs. Fish." Pintel mocked as he grabbed Tia Dalma by the arm. She yanked it out of his hand, before following them to the brig.
"Was any of that necessary?" Edward asked, walking up to him.
"I figured ye to be a ruthless captain, Mister Kenway." Barbossa said. "Yet you question what it is that I'm doing… but not why."
"I know the 'what' and the 'why'. I just don't know the 'how'." Edward said.
"In time, you will. Best be ready for a meeting with the Brethren Court, Mister Kenway… and best not tempt my patience." Barbossa said as he walked off.
Later that evening, on the Endeavor, William was in the stateroom on HMS Endeavor with Beckett and Kurome.
"Tell me, Mister Turner. What is it that makes you so eager to betray Sparrow and those friends of yours?" Kurome asked.
"I'm sure you already know the answer, Kurome." William said.
"I'm sure I do…" Kurome replied. "So desperate to free your father, are you, that the loyalties of your friends no longer matter?"
"That is for me to decide." William said flatly.
"And how do you think Elizabeth or young Asriel would feel about this?" Kurome asked. William couldn't say anything in return, feeling guilty that he had to go so far as to risk breaking the bond he shared with his lover Elizabeth, and the young prince he came to see as an adopted son, in order to free Bootstrap from Davy Jones' grasp. And it just so happened, that at that moment, Davy Jones entered the room.
"I cannot be summoned like some mongrel pup!" he snarled.
"Apparently you can…" Kurome countered with a smirk.
"Come on in, Captain." Beckett beckoned. "I believe you two know each other." he said as he gestured towards William.
Davy Jones looked towards William, then laughed. "Come to join my crew again, Mister Turner?"
"Not yours." William said, pointing towards Beckett. "His." he added. There was a moment of tense silence, before he spoke again. "Jack Sparrow sends his regards."
"Sparrow?" Davy Jones asked.
"You've not told him?" William asked, facing Beckett. "We rescued Jack from the Locker, along with the Black Pearl."
Davy Jones looked insulted as he glared at Beckett. "What else have you not told me?!"
"Mister Turner, here, tells us of an issue… far more troublesome." Kurome said, which caused Davy Jones to turn his head towards her. "I assume you are familiar with a person called 'Calypso'?" she asked.
"Not a person… a Heathen God. One who delights herself in cursing men with their wildest dreams, and then revealing them to be hollow and naught but ash!" Davy Jones snarled. "The world is well rid of her."
"Not so much. The Brethren Court intends to release her." William countered.
"No! They cannot! The first Court promised to imprison her forever! That was our agreement!" Davy Jones exclaimed in anger.
"Your agreement?" Beckett asked.
"I… showed them how to… bind her. She could not be trusted. She gave me no choice!" Davy Jones shouted. "We must act before they release her!"
"You loved her…" William said. "She was the one. And then you betrayed her."
"She PRETENDED to love me! SHE BETRAYED ME!" Davy Jones bellowed.
"And after which betrayal, did you cut out your heart, I wonder?" William asked. In response, Davy Jones smacked the fine china out of his hand.
"DO NOT. TEST. ME." he snarled angrily.
"I hadn't finished that." William said, before turning away. "You will free my father. And you will guarantee Elizabeth's and Asriel's safety. Along with my own." he continued. Kurome gave off an unamused look at his demand to guarantee the safety of one of the CPUs of Planeptune.
"Your terms are steep, Mister Turner. We will expect fair value in return." Beckett said.
"There is only one price I will accept: Calypso! MURDERED!" Davy Jones demanded.
"Calypso is aboard the Black Pearl." William said. "Jack has sailed the Black Pearl to Shipwreck Cove."
"I figured… My spies in the Brethren have mapped the exact island that the meeting is to take place. Your testimony only confirms their reports." Beckett announced.
Night had fallen as the Black Pearl passed into Shipwreck Cove, with glimmering lights coming from the town ahead. The crew stood by, holding torches in their hands. As Andrew, Neptune, and Edward gazed at the town of Shipwreck, however, they realized that the name was rather on the nose… for the town was quite literally made out of shipwrecks.
"Look at them all!" Pintel exclaimed.
"It's amazing! If only Asriel was here with us, to witness this!" Neptune said in wonder.
"All those pirates… all coming together to fight against a common enemy…" Andrew said.
"There's not been a gatherin' like this in our lifetime." Barbossa announced.
"And I owe them all money…" Jack whimpered.
"We're coming up on the shore." Andrew said as he moved back. "Ready the mooring lines, prepare to dock!" he shouted as the crew got ready. The helmsman carefully guided the Black Pearl under half sail to dock, while crew members tossed mooring lines towards the dock itself. The gangway was placed, and many of the Black Pearl's crew disembarked.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Looks like a good place to stop, before I get too into it.
Asriel seems to have bad luck when confiding in certain people… but at least he has his mercy to deal with the betrayals that are relatively common when it comes to pirates.
The meeting between Jack Sparrow and Beckett in his stateroom on the Endeavor was pulled from a cut alternate sequence, one that I and many fans of the films feel is more impactful on Jack's character than what we got in the final product.
Things are shaping up towards the end of the Pirates of the Caribbean arc, everyone! Gonna be a fun one, indeed. Until then, keep on nepping! Cya!