[A/N] - Neeeeeext Chapter. Time passed so fast since the last time I updated. My apologies but the university is well... university. Anyways, here you go. 2 brand new chapters because I love to spoil you :). Also, shoutout to my latest reviews. You have no idea how much I smile when I receive a notification and read your reviews.
BTW, if some character from now on is little OC then forgive me. I try my hardest to stay on the character but also try to make nice plots and connections. Don't forget to R & R.
Far away from the tropical waters of the Caribbean, our heroes found their way between pieces of ice. The temperatures were so low, that a man from Sao Feng crew tried to warm his feet, only for his big finger to break away.
Everyone was covered with a thin blanket and shivering from the cold. Pieces of snow and cold could be seen on their hair and bears. Even the monkey, Jack, was shivering and was rubbing his tiny hands around his body.
"No one said anything about cold" Pintel whined as his teeth hit with each other.
"There must be a good reason for our suffering" Raggetti added, in no better condition.
"Why don't that obeah woman bring back Jack, the same way she brought back Barbossa?"
"Because Barbossa was only dead. Jack Sparrow is taken, body and soul, to a place not of death, but punishment. The worst fate a person can bring upon himself. Stretching on forever. That's what awaits at Davy Jones' locker" The said woman, Tia Dalma, explained but her attention was drawn on a lonely Artemis.
"I knew there was a good reason" Raggetti commented as the woman left them.
The redhead was standing at the far back of the boat, her eyes locked on the sea they were leaving behind. She was shivering and the sound of her teeth could be slightly hurt. She held the blanket closer to her chest to keep her body warm.
The woman stood next to her without talking, looking also at the calm and dark sea while they passed next to pieces of floating ice.
"Tia Dalma… you said you knew me… back at the hut… How?" Artemis asked, breaking the silence and looking at the older woman.
"You do not remember? Do you?"
"If I did, I wouldn't have asked you"
The two women looked at each other and Tia Dalma opened the shell necklace she wore. The sound of a melody echoed through the silence.
Artemis found herself looking at it, her shaking hand holding it up as the melody seemed familiar in her mind.
"…You will find the keys to my heart, will never be apart…" the lyrics came from her mouth without her realising it.
"See… You remember"
"That is nothing… it was a song my mom used to sing to me-"
"No! It was not your mom" Tia Dalma explained and raised her hands.
She cupped Artemis cold face and then her palms covered her eyes. Everything turned back as a very forgotten memory replayed.
A 5-year-old Artemis was sitting on a wooden chair, surrounded by different items and jars. Behind her, sat Tia Dalma and was brushing her long red hair. The little girl had her eyes on the same music box in the shape of a shell.
It was open, the music echoing throughout the hut as the little girl was singing and swinging her legs back and forth.
The scene changed slightly. Now, Artemis had grown by 5 years and was sitting in front of the fire. Heavy rain and a strong wind could be heard outside. A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders and Tia Dalma took the seat next to her.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open and her father entered. He was soaking wet, his clothes heavy and his boots muddy. His face showed pure anger and betrayal.
"You witch! It is all your fault"
The two women rose, Artemis seemed shocked to see her father in such a state.
"Dad?"
"We are leaving Artemis. Stay away from the monster!" he said as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the door.
"We had a deal," Tia Dalma said, anger flashing in her brown orbs as she walked towards them.
"The deal is off… You took her from me… you witch! You took her from me! I won't allow you to take Artemis as well!" he shouted and rushed outside, pulling Artemis along with him.
"You will pay for this Marcus. No one takes from the sea"
Artemis gasped and took a step forward, her vision adjusting back to normal. She was back on the ship, in the cold and harsh weather and Tia Dalma stood in front of her. Not even a single year she had seemed to age since that day.
"This… is this real… but how… you?" she asked between pants, the cold once again getting to her.
"Your mother was my best and only student…your father visited me many years ago and soon took her with him across the sea… they loved each other truly but your mother… she could bear no child… so they came to me. I gave them something that would help and as payment they had to leave you with me… 5 years on the sea, 1 day with me"
"I… I remember… the day we lost mom…that's why I forgot"
The realization hit her, and hidden memories resurfaced. She sat down on a barrel, her mind trying to process everything. Tia Dalma sat next to her. "The pirates… and the incident… was it the sea? Cause he broke the deal?"
"The Sea takes everything when the time is right. She cannot be stopped. She is meant to be free and wild. That is her curse and her blessing"
Artemis realised that she would take no direct answer, so she let it go. There were other things, more important things to worry about. She stood up and started to walk but came to a halt and turned to look at the older woman.
"When this is all over, maybe… we can catch up on all those years"
Tia Dalma stood up and smiled. Her smile showed neither happiness nor sadness. "Only time will tell… but…maybe"
Night had fallen and nothing had changed much. The Ice had been left behind but the weather was still much colder than the one they had gotten used it. The waters were almost as black as the sky above them and peaceful.
No bird and no life form seemed to exist.
"When we rescue Jack?" Artemis heard Will ask and she along with Tia Dalma approached. At the same time, Elisabeth stormed off, showing that their previous conversation about Jack did not end well.
"For what we want most, there is a cost must be paid in the end" Tia Dalma explained, and Will's eyes widen.
"Barbossa! Ahead!" he shouted.
"Aye, we're good and lost now," The Captain said.
"Lost?" Elizabeth repeated.
"For certain you have to be lost to find the places can't be found. Else ways, everyone would know where it was"
"We're gaining speed!" Gibbs informed them.
"Aye"
"To stations! All hands, to stations! Hard to port, gather way!" Will ordered.
"Nay! Belay that! Let her run straight and true!"
"Blimey!" Pintel commented as a huge waterfall was visible. Just a giant fall and nothing else.
"You've doomed us all!" Elizabeth shouted at Barbossa.
"Don't be so unkind. You may not survive to pass this way again and these are the last friendly words you'll hear"
"Tie her off!" Will ordered as everyone rushed to stop the boat from falling.
All but two. Artemis just stood at the very edge of the boat, seeing the waterfall approaching but not doing anything and Tia Dalma, who was mumbling in French while throwing crab claws on the
sea.
"Hard to port!"
"Hold on!"
Elizabeth and Will shouted and Barbossa laughed as the ship was getting closer and closer to the fall. Nothing was stopping it.
"This is it… The end of the world" Artemis muttered as the ship turned and fell backwards.
The screams of everyone echoed in her mind and slowly her vision cleared. One moment Artemis could remember falling into nothing and now she was lying on her stomach on a beach.
The sand felt hot under her face and arms, her body heavy and tired.
She closed her eyes for a moment but was forced to open them when something pinched her cheeks. Blinking twice, she noticed that it was a pure white crab. She frowned, wondering if she was imaging stuff but the crab simply pinched her again.
Not wanting to be pinched again, she slowly stood up and looked around her, seeing nothing but endless sandhills and sea. She tried to remember how she ended up there, but it seemed as if her memory had been wiped clean.
The sound of coughing and gasping for air caused her to turn and see the rest of the crew and her friends coming from the water. No one seemed to be in a better situation as they all walked on the
sand.
"This truly is a Godforsaken place" Gibbs commented.
"I don't see Jack; I don't see anyone" Elizabeth pointed out as Artemis tried to see better
"He's here. Davy Jones never once gave up that what he took" Barbossa informed them.
"It doesn't matter, we're trapped here by your doing, no different than Jack" Will argued.
No one noticing the line fo white crabs that were walking towards Tia Dalma, no one but a certain redhead. Something pinched her leg and she looked down to see the same crab from before.
Curiously, she bent down and extended her arm. The crab walked on it and then started to carefully balance on her arm and stopping
at her shoulder.
"Witty Jack is closer than you think," the mystic woman said out of the blue while petting a white crab.
Barbossa rolled his eyes while the crab on Artemis shoulder pointed at the dunes with one of its pincers. Artemis followed the direction and her eyes widened when a familiar mast showed up from one of the dunes and then a familiar figure.
Everyone was looking now shocked as the black Pearl showed more and more before sliding down the sand as if it was water. If someone notices closely, they would see endless white crabs carrying the heavy boat and moving it towards the sea.
"Impossible" Tai Huang exclaimed as everyone kept their eyes on the ship that was standing still on top of the blue waters.
"Boat" Raggeti said, forgetting to blink.
"Slap me thrice and hand me to me, momma, it's Jack!"
Soon enough, the famous and much alive Captain rowed a boat to them. Standing in a line, sort of, everyone kept their attention to him as he started to walk on the sand.
"It's the captain!"
"A sight for sore eyes! Jack!" Gibbs said.
"Mr Gibbs!"
"Aye, captain"
"I thought so. I expect you can account for your actions, then?"
"Sir?"
"There has been a perpetual and virulent lack of discipline aboard my vessel! Why is that, sir?"
"Jack," Artemis said as she took a step forward.
"Ah, Lass. I see you two are together, no wonder there is no discipline aboard. You should also count for your actions"
She frowned. "You're in Davy Jones' locker"
"I know that. I know where I am, and don't think I don't"
"Jack Sparrow" Barbossa called him, getting tired of being ignored.
"Ah, Hector. It's been too long, hasn't it?"
"Aye, Isla de Muerta, remember? You shot me"
"No, I didn't. Ah, Tia Dalma, out and about, eh? You lend an agreeable sense of the macabre to any delirium"
"He thinks we're a hallucination" Will explained.
"William, tell me something. Have you come because you need my help to rescue a certain distressing damsel? Or rather a damsel in distress? Either one"
"No"
"Then you wouldn't be here. So, you can't be here. Q.E.D. you're not
here"
"Jack, this is real, we're here," Elizabeth said, giving it a try.
Jack looked at her as he remembered what she did to him and scuttled back over to Gibbs and Artemis.
"The locker, you say?"
"Aye," Quartermaster and First mate answered together.
"We've come to rescue you" Elizabeth added.
"Have you, now? That's very kind of you. But seeing as I possess a ship and you don't, it seems as though you're the ones in need of rescuing and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood"
Barbossa scoffed. "I see my ship *points to the Pearl* right there"
"Can't spot it, must be a tiny little thing hiding somewhere behind the Pearl"
"Jack. Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the Flying Dutchman"
"He's taking over the seas" Elizabeth added right after Will in her attempts to persuade Jack.
Tia Dalma decided to try as well. "The song has already been sung. The Brethren Court is called"
"Leave you people alone for a minute and look what's happened, everything's gone to pot"
"Aye, Jack. The world needs you back something fierce" Gibbs said.
"And you need a crew" Will reminded him.
"Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past, one of you succeeded" the Captain explained and caused Will and Artemis to look at a certain blond in surprise.
What? When? Unless… back at the ship… Jack's decision… was it all her plan? No, Lizzie couldn't… yet again…how dare she! The redhead kept her thoughts quiet but gave Elizabeth a look which
meant that they would have a serious talk later on.
"Oh, she's not told you. You'll have loads to talk about while you're here *turns to Artemis* Lass, you ready to take your old place back?"
"I didn't come all the way here just to say No"
"Good to hear. Welcome aboard Quartermaster *turns to Tia* As for you..."
"Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy it, at the time"
"All right, fair enough, you're in. *to Ragetti* Don't need you, you scare me. Gibbs, you can come. Marty. Cotton. Cotton's parrot, I'm a little iffy, but at least I'll have someone to talk to. *to Tai Huang* Who are you?"
"Tai Huang. These are my men"
"Where do your allegiances lie?"
"With the highest bidder"
"I have a ship"
"That makes you the highest bidder"
"Goodman. Weigh anchor, all hands, prepare to make sail" Jack ordered and grabbed his compass but when he lifted the lid, the needle was spinning wildly.
Before anyone could take more than a few steps towards the boat, a certain Pirate spoke up.
"Jack, which way ya goin', Jack?" he asked while tapping the charts needed for the escaping.
