Aquatic Kingdom Hearts
Chapter 23: Knowing One's Place; He's a Pirate
A Few Days Later
Back At Port Royal
Port Royal High School
After the ordeal at Isla de Muerta, things returned to normal so far for those during the adventurous trip. Everyone seemed to completely have forgotten that the Black Pearl had invaded Port Royal but no one mentioned about it for a while. However, in the high school most rumors spread like bad catch-phrases on Saturday Night Live. And when the rumors spread in the high school, two boys had become pretty popular among the crowds. Eric and Frey had been getting a lot of praises and compliments on their amazing daring acts against the pirates. That even gained a lot attention from the girls, as it was evident in Feeny's Geography class.
Most of the girls were giggling at Eric and Frey, saying that the two were buccaneer hunks. Frey seemed to be enjoying it completely, seeing as how he was quite the pheromone wonder of the high school. He was waving at the girls who seemed to want to go out with him even more. The girls who were waving and cooing to Eric though, didn't get a response as the boy was looking at the front of the class, trying his best to stay focused on the lesson. But his mind was elsewhere at this point, thinking on it very hard and looking very troubled.
Ariel, who now attended to the school with the boys, couldn't help but glare at the girls. Especially the ones that were looking at Eric like they were already going to ask him out. She huffed at that, seeing as how they suddenly just wanted him for themselves.
She crossed her arms as she leaned on her desk, looking out at the window thinking in frustration, 'Hmph! You think they would know that we're going out together.' But then her attention was turned towards Eric, who was still in deep thought. She then looked at him with much concern as she asked herself, 'Eric…what's on your mind? What's troubling you, and why can't you tell me about it?'
But just before anything else was done, Feeny got up from his desk as the bell sounded off. The students got up as Feeny announced, "Alright class. Remember, the homework is….", but then everyone kept on talking as they ignored him. He sighed as he just slumped his shoulders as he mumbled to the retreating class, "…we'll return to The Young and the Restless right after this word from Feeny, and here is the word: nevermind."
The boys and Ariel got up from their desk as well; they packed their book bags and, like everyone else, took off. But before Eric was about to leave the room with Ariel, Mr. Feeny called out, "Mr. Thatch?", Eric stopped as Feeny continued, "Could I see you for a moment?"
Eric turned around and nodded to that, but not before he looked and saw Ariel with a concerned look for him. He smirked as he said to her, "Don't worry. I'm sure he wants to talk to me about a make-up test." With that, she smiled reassuringly, and closed the door. But she stayed near it with her ear pressed to the door, trying to listen in on what they were going to talk about. Then Eric walked up to Feeny and asked, "Is something wrong, sir?"
Feeny nodded as he looked to his student, a little concerned, "Is there something troubling you? You have been paying attention, much to your reputation on ocean-gazing, but this time you did appear to be all there today."
Eric was a little surprised by that, and felt completely busted. He had been trying hard not to show it, but something had been troubling him so. Feeny guessed right as he asked, "I suppose you and your girlfriend broke up?", Eric looked at him, but not in a disrespectful way, and Feeny apologized to that, "Guess not. So just out of curiosity…what's troubling you?"
Eric sighed a bit, as he scratched the back of his head, and finally answered, "Well, a lot of things to say the least. I mean, I found out my brother didn't abandon me, somebody I know is getting hanged, and to top it all off, something that an adult told me a few days ago before all this started has me confused and feeling…well, unimportant about myself." Eric shook his head as he blew it off, "But I don't want to bore you about it. I'm pretty sure you don't know what I'm talking about."
Feeny nodded, "Au contraire, Mr. Thatch. You see, I too read Teen Beat."
Eric couldn't help but smirk at that as he stated, "It's just that…I thought a long time ago my brother abandoned our family, only to learn that he was killed. I ended up hating him completely until I learned the truth about what really happened.", he hung his head in shame as he went on, "On top of all that, a guy whom everyone thinks is a complete villain, is really a good guy…except that he's sort of a womanizer, a massive drinker, and is totally crazy…as I saw proof to it, is gonna get executed." He looked to Feeny for the answers as he finally stated, "It's because of all that…and I don't even know why I feel so bad about it."
Feeny smiled as he sighed a little, and patted the boy on the shoulder as he answered, "Well, because you're a troubled young man.", and then he quirked, "I recognized that from the teen movie, A Troubled Young Man." After getting a weird look from Eric, Feeny then replied, "But pushing aside the jokes, to answer the question about your brother. You know very well that your brother would never abandon his family. If more than ever, he cared about you more than anything else in the world." Eric couldn't help but smiled at that; he did know that this brother cared for him more than ever, and probably when he died, he still did.
He then pointed out, "Now as for this villainous friend of yours. He sounds more like a degenerate than your classical Adolf Hitler. But if you feel the need to help out this friend…I feel that you should listen to your gut and do what you think is right."
Eric smiled at this, feeling loads better as he thanked his teacher, "Thanks, Feeny. I really needed to hear that.", and with that, he walked towards the door, but then stopped as Feeny cleared his throat.
Eric turned around to see what Mr. Feeny had else to say, until Feeny walked up to the boy with his briefcase. As soon as he reached the door, he said, "Also, about your feelings of unimportance about yourself. Eric…", Feeny placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, as he replied, "…in the play of your life, and in the course of your education you have always been taught to look for the right answer. But you must also know that in life, sometimes the right answer is that there isn't one. The roads to all your greatest destiny lies ahead of you. But in choosing the right road, Mr. Thatch…you'll have to decide which one will make your place in the world."
Eric smirked at that, finally hearing an answer to one of the questions that plagued at his heart. He then bowed his head to Feeny, "Thanks, Mr. Feeny.", and then reached for the doorknob, feeling a little better. After he had opened the door, who would stumble into Eric's arms, but Ariel, who had overheard the conversation. Ariel righted herself up again, but was still in his arms, as he looked to her and asked, "Uh…were you listening on the whole conversation?"
Sheepishly smiling to him, Ariel simply nodded and nervously answered, "Uh…yes?"
Feeny just walked by as he simply muttered in response, "Ah, to be young again. Allowing one's hormones to take place of one's brain cells, and do almost any foolish thing imaginable."
Thatch Residence
Later that night, Eric was wide awake, in his Pjs and staring out at his window. The advice that Feeny had given him were much to think about at that point in time. But right now he was thinking on Jack Sparrow; tomorrow was his execution day, and everyone was invited to bear witness to the lawful and rightful justice that would be served to him. But he knew the truth and his friends and family knew it as well; Jack didn't deserve this and now Eric knew it now. But right now, he had to formulate a plan to get him out of there.
"Eric?"
Eric turned around from his window viewing and saw his room door open with someone standing in it. It was Ariel, dressed in nothing but her oversized pink sweatshirt pajamas. She walked right in; looking a little worried for Eric as she stopped next to him and asked, "Is there something troubling you? You were pretty quiet down at dinner."
Eric sighed at that, and knew that in some way he would have to tell her the truth. Well, half the truth anyway, seeing as how he saw the huge rescue not only as to rescue Ariel, but also something for himself. He sighed as he turned away as he started off, as always with an apology, "Yeah…to start off, I'm sorry."
Ariel raised a confused eyebrow at that, and then asked him, "Sorry? For what?"
"Well…you see….", Eric sighed, not sure if he should even say it. But then he took a deep breath and then finally answered, "I didn't go all the way to just rescue you, Ariel. I didn't go just for you completely." He then looked at the moon, and then he turned towards his attention to his desk. That was where the Seablade rested, remembering the destiny that Tia Dalma had given them; he also remembered what Norrington had told him when he asked for the Commodore's help the first day. And then stated, "A lot of things happened…that made me question if I was the one…if I was the one that Tia said would help you balance everything out. I thought that if I had tried, if I could be the kind of person that most people looked up…instead of a surfing beach bum…they'd see someone worthwhile."
Ariel, looking a little distraught by this side of Eric, walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder as he didn't flinch or move. She then asked worried about the answer, "So…what do you see now?"
Eric's shoulders simply slouched over as he answered, "Even after all that…and after I let them take Jack in….I see nothing."
Ariel looked in complete shock by that as she heard the words coming out of his mouth. She couldn't believe that Eric would think that. Just hearing Eric calling himself nothing nearly broke her heart at this. Feeling fresh tears coming down her face, she ran up to him and hugged him fiercely from behind, burying her face in his back. A little startled by that, Eric didn't do anything as Ariel's muffled voice was heard as she whimpered slightly, "You're not nothing, Eric. Were you nothing when you sailed all that way to face the Kraken and save me from Ursula? Were you nothing when you put your life on the line to save me, Jack, and the crew? Were you nothing when you cursed yourself in order to help Jack?"
She then pulled away for a moment, as Eric turned around to see her, face-to-face. She then looked up to him, with tears in her eyes as she replied to him, truthfully and tearfully, "You're not nothing, Eric. To me, you'll always be somebody, even when no one else can see it.", Ariel then pulled him back in to a hug, feeling a sense of relief of being able to tell him that. She then stepped up on her tip toes, reached up to his face, and then kissed him once more on the lips. He responded as she felt his hands crawl up her back, caressing it.
After the kiss had lasted for a few seconds, they pulled away; slightly flustered as she looked to the boy she had fallen in love with. And then she whispered almost tearfully, "I love you, you big dummy.", and then returned another warm and embracing hug, hoping it would ease his mind of any worries that he had at that time.
Eric smiled, as he nuzzled his head to hers, and simply whispered back, "And I love you too, you stubborn princess." And after hearing those words that Ariel had given him, she and Mr. Feeny both, had convinced him that now more than ever, he needed to do something about tomorrow's fort assembly.
Watching out of sight from the two, Dax and Sebastian were sitting at the bed's pillow. Dax just sniffed at this romantic scene, while Sebastian was almost on the same boat as he was sniffing and sucking up as much tears as he could. Dax just silently whimpered to Sebastian, "Our little kids are growin' up and…and falling deeper in love here." He then looked to Sebastian for a moment, "You have a tissue?"
The Next Day
Fort Royal
The entire fortress was overflowing with eh citizens of Port Royal, even those at the high school. Seifer, Krad, and Foo were present and near Seifer's father, Commodore James Norrington. Soldiers were placed at every point, keeping an eye out for any trouble. Milo and Ariel were around the crowd, watching this with much distaste, as they looked up at the gallows's hanging post, and looked at the reason why everyone was there.
Standing at the gallows, with a hangman's noose around his neck and his hands bound, was Jack Sparrow. Standing next to him was the executor, and in front of him was one of the town clerks. Today was the pirate captain's execution, but Ariel knew this wasn't right. She shook her head at this as she whispered, "This is wrong."
"Commodore Norrington is bound by the law, Miss Ariel.", came a familiar voice as Milo and Ariel turned to see Mr. Feeny present and accounted for next to them, "As are we all."
Ariel was a little surprised as she asked, "Mr. Feeny? What are you doing here?"
Feeny sighed as he shrugged, "As much as I hate going to these things, I was hoping to find Mr. Eric Thatch present.", he looked around and saw not one sight of the boy as he shrugged, "And just like that time when I asked for a 2,000 word essay on the Civil War…he's not present at all." He looked to Milo and Ariel as he asked, "By any chance did you see your nehew today, Mr. Thatch?"
Milo shook his head as he simply answered, "He said he had something to do with his friend, Frey, this morning. After that, I hadn't seen them since." Unknown by the three a familiar fellow clad in a Navy Blue, Black, and White outfit with the jacket's hood covering his head and face, with a familiar sword strapped to his back, was walking towards the gallows. While another fellow dressed in a Green, Black, and Orange outfit with a brown cloak and hood hiding himself, was taking a different direction from behind the gallows. Both had only one goal in mind: get to the gallows before the executioner pulled the lever.
The Town Clerk held up a parchment as he read it out loud to the people, "Jack Sparrow…."
Jack sighed, displeased with that not being called captain, as he muttered, "Captain…Captain Jack Sparrow."
However, the Clerk ignored him as he continued, "...for your willful commission of crime against the crown. Those crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. Smuggling, treason, piracy, sailing under false colors…", the clerk went on and on with a huge list of crimes. Murtogg and Mullroy were standing in position guarding, when all of a sudden, a bird dropping hit Mullroy on the shoulder. He looked up and saw a familiar parrot perched on the fort's walls. It was ignored as the two mysterious assailants were pushing and making their way towards the gallows, but not attracting Gillette and his men to follow them, as the clerk went on, "...impersonating an officer of the Royal Navy; impersonating a clergy of the Church of England... "
Jack let out a small half-smirk at that last one, as he chuckled, "Oh yeah, heheh."
And then the clerk when on, as the two were getting closer to their target, as the clerk finished up, "...arson, kidnapping, perjury, pilfering, deprivation of a Federal Loyalist, and lastly, treason against the East India Trading Company. For these crimes you will be hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul."
It was then that Ariel had spotted the two, but then spotted the blue-clad fellow making his way towards Jack. She almost didn't recognize him because of the hood, but then she spotted a familiar looking otter perched on shi shoulder, and the Seablade strapped to his back. But then she also noticed the Navy officers tracking the two as they made their way through the crowds and towards Jack.
She knew she had to do something or they'd be caught. So in the moment of desperation, she acted like she was having a heat stroke. She clutched her chest, and started to gasp and heave in her breathing, and looked frantic. Milo saw this as she nearly buckled to her knees; he caught her as he asked in much concern and fright, "Ariel? Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Ariel gasped as she finally answered, "I…I-I-I c-c-can't…can't breathe…" , and then grasped onto Milo for dear life.
In a panic, Milo shouted while Feeny came to the man's aide, "SOMEBODY! WE HAVE SOMEONE WITH A HEAT STROKE!"
In that split second, everyone heard that shout for panic, even Gillette and the men heard that. They all stopped what they were doing or looking at Jack and the executioner, and turning their attention to the girl. The two strangers saw their opportunity, and the orange cloaked fellow saw that the executioner was about to throw the lever. That is until the stranger pulled out two daggers, and threw them both at their aimed targets; one was at the lever's gear, halting it, and the other at the hangman's rope, setting Jack free.
Everyone was in a panicked frenzy at this as mostly everyone ran out of there, screaming that pirates were invading. Ariel suddenly bottled up, hearing everything happen; forgetting to act her part. Milo was a little surprised by that but then realized that she was just acting as he looked at her, like he was telling her it wasn't nice to play a trick like that. However, the attention was turned back to the two fellows rescuing Jack Sparrow at this time. Gillette was not about to be made a fool at this time, so he ordered his men to go and charge at the confirmed pirates rescuing their captain.
The blue-clad fellow raced up the stairway on the gallows, and pulled out the Seablade, duking it out with the executioner. The executioner drew out an execution axe, in case the hanging failed, and tried his best to slay the pirate. The two duked around Jack, who ducked and crawled out of the way. As soon as he slid off the gallows, he was face to face with the other fellow, who pulled out another dagger to set him free.
Jack rubbed his wrists for comfort as he complained, "What kept you two?"
The pirate merely stated, "Sorry. We were still formulating this plan in our heads during a pop quiz."
"Perhaps you should've flunked it and thought it up faster.", Jack replied.
However, their argument had to end, just as the executioner fell over, flat on his stomach and face. The blue clad fellow jumped down and look to the two, "Come on!", and the three ran towards the edge to where the cannons were. Following behind them was Norrington, Gillette, and a whole fleet of Navy officers armed to the teeth. But then they saw a few soldiers charging at them in the front; Jack tossed the two the rope that held him captive, and they stretched it long enough. And then when at top speed, tripped the soldiers as they ran past the fallen forms and ran for the cannon balcony.
While still holding on to the rope, the three used it to trip and/or trap soldiers running at them as they made their way. When they let go of the rope, they punched, kicked, or sidekick tripped their way out of there. When they finally ran up there, two soldiers couldn't take it anymore and slashed at their heads, only to have the trio duck and roll dodge them as they finally made it to the balcony…only to be trapped by soldiers surrounding them with their guns and swords pointed at them.
Bunched together with no way out of there, Jack looked to the blue-clad fellow. Knowing who it was under there, he asked, "So…what was plan B?"
The figure shook his head, answering, "WE um…we decided not to go with it and just stuck to plan A."
Jack raised an eyebrow as he asked him, "What? Why?"
Then the orange cloaked fellow simply answered, "Because it seemed a bit gory, plus there were kids present."
Jack huffed at that as he grumbled, "A little late to be picky, right now."
While they were held up, Norrington, his son and friends had walked up to unmask the pirates. Along with them were Milo, Feeny, and Ariel. While unknown to anyone, Dax and Sebastian were perched on the roof, along with Scuttle, who was there just for the occasion. When Norrington walked up to the two, he pulled off the cloak forcefully, and forcefully pulled back the hood, and revealed to everyone that the pirates were none other than Eric and Frey in their pirate ensembles.
Scuttle, not having a clue as always, was a little baffled as he pointed out to the two, "Hey! Those pirates! They look just like Eric and Frey!"
Sebastian slapped his claw to his face as he groaned/yelled at the seagull, "Dat's cause it is Eric and Frey…YOU STUPID FLYING RAT!", Sebastian sighed as he rubbed his temples, and muttered, "Dis can't end well."
Dax shrugged, "Eh…you never know. We've had that kind of luck. I mean, it's not like someone's writing about this and makin' it a happy ending for them down there."
After the two were unmasked, Norrington was a little surprised, but didn't show it. He looked at Eric, with much distaste as he simply replied, "I thought we might endure some ill-conceived escape attempt from Jack Sparrow's crew.", and then unsheathed his sword as he pointed the tip at Eric's throat, earning a small gasp from Ariel, which didn't go noticed as Norrington went on, "But not from the likes of you."
Eric, not showing a hint of fear, simply shrugged as he answered back, "Well, technically, Frey and I are substitute members for Jack's crew. And secondly, if you didn't think either one of us came up with a crazy escape plan…then you might not know much about us at all, as you thought you did."
Norrington took a deep breath and glared once more as he stated on fact, "On our return to Port Royal, I granted you boys clemency before Beckett took wind of this. And this is how you thank me", and then pointed to Jack as he asked with much disappointment, "Throwing your lot with him? He's a pirate!"
"And a good man!", Eric pointed out, as Jack smirked as he pointed to himself, mouthing off the words 'Good man. Me.', to everyone around them.
But then Frey stated, "Even though he's a little weird, smells like a dead donkey's butt, and has an insatiable appetite for rum…", he stopped as soon as Eric and Jack glared at him, showing that he wasn't making the situation easier.
Then Eric turned his attention back to Norrington as he stated, "If you thought I was just gonna sit back and let one of my friends get hung all because of a sketchy background, then you're dead wrong!", he then took his Seablade at the ready, in the slight hope that he wouldn't have to use it, and then said, "But if all I've achieved is the hangman gets a second pair of boots…then so be it. Because I'm not gonna just stand by the sidelines and do nothing for my friends, and live with their death on my conscience."
Jack then stepped up, "Well spoke.", but then mouthed off, 'Hang him first.', but not before he earned a glare from Frey, causing him to shrink back.
Then Norrington stepped up, nearly taking the blade and slice open Eric's neck. He then glared daggers at the boy as he said, "You forget your place, Thatch.", but then was surprised as Eric swiped the blade away from his neck with his sword.
Eric, having used his Seablade, lowered the sword and then glared his own defiant eyes at Norrington as he replied, "No, I haven't forgotten…I just found it out. My place is right here…between you and Jack."
Not being able to take it anymore, Ariel ran up to Eric and stood by his side. This surprised everyone else as she spoke up as well, "As is mine."
And then suddenly, Milo stepped up and stood by his nephew as he replied, "Mine too."
"Count me in.", Frey stated from behind them all.
A little stunned by this, Norrington stopped glaring at this, and then sighed. He knew somewhere deep inside; he couldn't win this fight and put his sword down. He looked to the men and Gillette as he ordered, "Lower your weapons." Gillette and the men looked at the commander confused by this, but then Norrington shouted, "For God's sake, put them down now!" In no waste of time, the men did as they were ordered, and Norrington turned his attention back to Eric as he asked, "So…this is where you feel your place is at?"
Eric sheathed his blade back to his back, and looked to Ariel, who smiled at him. He turned to his Uncle Milo, who patted him on the shoulder, and back to Frey and Jack. He then got a glimpse on the roof, seeing Sebastian wave at him, Dax giving him a thumbs up, and Scuttle squawking a cheer out for him, with no one noticing the three. Eric then looked to Norrington and smirked, "Yeah."
Jack couldn't help but smirk at the lad, wondering how Will would have reacted if he saw this scene. On this day, he saw his shipmate's youngest brother become a man…well sort of. But then his eye caught something flying out way on one of the cannons and out to open sea.
It was Cotton's Parrot, and that's when Jack smirked at this as he spoke up, getting everyone's attention, "Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this.". He then walked up to Feeny closest, as he spoke up to his face, "I think we've all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically.", Feeny nearly fainted from smelling the man's breath, but was thankful when he walked away. Jack then walked up to Norrington as he pointed out, "I want you to know that I was rooting for you. Know that."
And then walked off towards the cannons, but not before Ariel spoke up, "Jack?", Jack turned around and then looked to Ariel with a quizzed look on his face. But then she said, "I'm pretty sure that my mother would have been glad to see you again."
Eric and the others looked at Ariel and Jack slightly confused, but Jack just gave the girl a half smirk. But then he sympathetically looked at her and said, "Ariel…", and then sighed as he replied, "... it would never have worked between me and your mum, darling.", Ariel had an eyebrow raised in confusion by that, but Jack finished, "I'm sorry...", and then proceeded back to the edge, but not before he turned around to the boys, "Eric, Frey..." the two turned to him, awaiting whatever it was that Jack was going to say to them. But then Jack simply shrugged as he complimented, "…nice outfits.", and then ran towards the edge of the fort; the two boys looked to each other and shrugged, with a half smirk at the compliment.
Then Jack turned to get everyone's attention as he finished while backing up, "Friends... This is the day that you will ALWAYS remember as the day that you... ", but then stopped as he tripped over the edge and fell straight into the ocean.
Everyone ran up to see what had happened, and saw that Jack had survived the fall. Gillette, being the cocky arrogant jerk that he was, scoffed at the pirate's futile attempt to escape, "Idiot. He has nowhere to go but back to the noose. But then one of the officers shouted, 'Sail ho!', catching everyone's attention out to sea. They saw a ship coming out of the harbor bay; it was none other than the Black Pearl, looking fully repaired and sailing inward. Jack smirked at this as he started to swim over to it the best he could up to his speed.
Gillette looked to Norrington as he asked, "What's your plan of action, sir?"
Looking slightly confused, Norrington for once, didn't know what to do. That is until Feeny stepped in and gave in his two cents, "Perhaps on the rare occasion, James Norrington, pursuing the right curse demands an act of piracy. After all, piracy itself can be the right course?" He then turned to a surprised Eric and Frey and gave them a trusting wink, showing that he was on their side at this point.
After hearing that piece of information, Norrington bowed his head to hide a smirk. But then he covered it up as he looked to Mr. Thatch and Mr. Asapin, as he spoke up, "Thatch. Asapin."
The two nearly stiffed up at their names being called; Ariel placed a scared hand on Eric's shoulder, fearing for him. Eric turned to Ariel as he reassured her, "Don't worry.", and then the two faced Norrington as he stepped to them.
He then sighed as he looked to the two as he looked at Eric's sword. He pointed to it as he commented, "That's a rather beautiful sword. A bit strange in design, but still quite exquisite." He then looked to the boys as he stated, "I would expect a couple of fellows who fought as good as you both did on Isla de Muerta to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of their lives."
Eric and Frey, looking a little relieved, sighed at that. But Eric shrugged, "Um…no problem."
And with that, Norrington and his men walked away, going back to the fort. But stopped as Gillette complained, "Commodore! What about Sparrow?"
Norrington simply shrugged, "Well, I think we could afford to give him a one day head start.", and then walked off along with his men, with a stunned Gillette following behind.
After they left, Seifer, Krad, and Foo, looked at Eric and Frey for a moment. And then gave the duo a thumb's up, with Seifer saying, "Nice moves, Thatch.", and walked away with Krad and Foo following behind him.
Feeny just sighed as he simply walked away, muttering, "Not exactly what I meant, but not bad…"
Milo sighed in relief and walked away, saying that he would be home and waiting for the kids to come back. Frey sighed with relief, but then playfully glared at Eric, saying, "Don't ever make me do something that crazy again.", and then walked off, leaving the two teens alones.
The two looked to each other, being quiet than ever at the strange scene the played before today. Then Eric smirked as he looked to Ariel and asked her, as she smiled back, "So…you sure about the path you're following on?", he then shrugged as he said, "After all, I'm a surfing beach bum."
Ariel smiled to Eric as she shook her head, "No.", a slight pause went for a while, until she walked to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck gently. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he brought her closer to him as she smiled and answered, "You're a pirate.", and then their lips pressed together, the feeling of romance washing over them on this one romantic moment in their lives together.
On the Black Pearl
Jack had reached the ship just in time, with a line thrown straight to him. He grabbed it, and was suddenly hoisted into the air and landed on deck next to the Steering Cabin. Greeting him there was none other than the crew, led by Anamaria, Cotton and his Parrot, and Gibbs. Jack looked to them, slightly confused, but sarcastically asked, "Thought you lot was supposed to keep to the Code?"
Gibbs smirked, remembering the princess's words, "Well… we figured they were more actual guidelines at that point." Jack smirked at that as he took Gibbs' hand and shook it, as the two friends were reunited once more. Then Cotton walked up to Jack with his hat and coat, and handed it to him, with Jack saying his thanks to the crazy mute.
Then Anamaria, who was smiling at the time, said to Jack, "Captain Sparrow.", getting his attention, she pointed to the steering wheel, "The Black Pearl is yours again."
Jack couldn't help but be smitten by those words as he walked into the steering cabin. He then gently grasped the steering wheel, as he smirked at having his ship…his freedom…returned to him once again. But then seeing his crew look at him, he shook it off as he returned to his captain's self as he barked out, "On deck, you scabrous dogs! Hands to braces! Let down and haul to run free!", and then the crew ran to their posts to prepare to set off to wherever it was they were heading to. Then Jack looked at the front, whispering to himself and to the sea itself, "Now…bring me that horizon.", and then he pulled out his trusty compass, but then slightly hummed to himself the song that Ariel had sung to him that night, "And really bad eggs…", but then he smirked as he snapped his compass closed and knew not of what adventures awaited for him now that he was captain again,
Drink up, me hearties, Yo ho!...
Next Chapter: Another Prologue; Crazy Family
Look alive, readers! The arc to increase all adventure arcs is coming up. I've been mulling and thinking over on this arc for a whole few months now, and here it comes up…THE ATLANTIS ARC!
Yaaaah, for you and me