It was humid, the air damp, and moon fully streaming in through the distressed curtains of the creaking shack. Bottles filled with unexplainable objects, hung on strings from the ceiling and many others scattered about the floor. There came a faint noise from the gypsy standing by the window, who looked out into the darkness. Tia Dalma circled her shack, looking for nothing in particular. Her keen senses have been on edge ever since Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew came looking for a door, but not just any door. It was (the) door that had led to the underworld. Of course, knowing what laid behind that door was something beyond Hades himself. Though Persephone's treasure was every pirates dream. No, Jack was in search for something more valuable than gold. Smirking to herself, she hummed a quiet tune, walking away from the window and to her table, the skirt of her dress brushing across the floor with every step she took, and her stiff dreadlocked hair flowing past her fully rounded breasts. While gently gracing her fingers against the old, wooden tabletop, Tia became unsatisfied with the result and started making her way into the small galley. Nothing was out of place, but something in the air told her otherwise.

Crash!

"Someding inderesding is about do happen." The corners of her black lips lifted and she lightly changed her direction, exiting the galley. That was when she noticed the change in air. "Yes, something very interesting indeed." Tia quickened her pace as her all senses started to trail ahead of her, locating the one thing askew in her home. Curiosity seeping through the woman's tainted veins, the gypsy opened the door to her bedroom and entered as quietly as possible. Everything looked the same there too and in check as it did before. She was about to turn around and continue her search, when a faint sound caught her ears, like a cat sensing something else in the room with them. It sounded much like whispering and…why would it be coming from her bed? "Hm, curious indeed," She mumbled, twirling around and tip toeing to the side of her bed. Her covers were all fine except for the large bump making them protrude out into an odd shape. Pale skin and brownish black hair could be seen resting on her mattress and pillow. Tia reached for the ebony bedclothes with bony fingers, pulling it back gently as to not wake up the stranger who slept there. The angelic creature's closed eyes were in big, perfect half-moons and her hair bordered her face perfectly. Before her was one of the prettiest girls she'd ever seen, next to Stormie herself. Round face bordered beautifully by her brownish black hair, almost white skin sticking out painfully in contrast with the black sheets and her lips, full and naturally pouty. "Jackie will love this," the gypsy whispered to herself. The young girl moved her head, pursing her lips as she dreamed. "Yes, he most defintely will." Suddenly, the girl began to stir and Tia hastily hid behind the door, as the girl's eyes blinked open. "Wow, what a weird dream, Samie" she said feeling around for the mess of fur on the bed, but without luck. "Samie?" Aria's bright green eyes flew open when her hand came in contact with nothing but the empty bed beside her, thus causing her world to turn upside down. "What's going on! Vallen, if this is a trick, then, God, so help me!" Aria ranted, shaking her fist at nothing in particular, and angrily shoving the covers away. Tia watched as the girl became paranoid and giggled at her reaction to it all. Albeit, what was the most interesting to the gypsy, was her fashion. It was nothing like most girls in her time ever wore. A plain black tank top with black shorts, what to her looked like an odd thing for any girl to wear at all. The outfit exposed most of Aria's long, lean legs and arms, which wasn't something anyone would see every day. Then again, girls do not pop out of thin air either. As Aria marched past Tia and out of the room, the gypsy noticed a single word printed on the back of the girl's shorts in gold lettering: Sparrow.

Tia followed the strange girl down the stairs, keeping out of sight, and watched as she gathered her surroundings. The gypsy couldn't help but smirk. Aria marched around the strange hut trying to remember where she saw it before. "This is all too weird, even for me," Aria said, while picking up a bottle filled with a dark swirling black liquid. "Put that down! You have no right in touching that!" a voice thick with a Jamaican accent called out, almost making her drop it .Tia Dalma lightly walked over and plucked the bottle out of Aria's hand and fingered the intricate design on it. "This is too important to mess with, "Sparrow. Don't go touching what's not yours. You hear?" Tia meandered over to the table, setting the bottle down, as the strange girl eyed her and gave a small laugh, pointing a finger at the voodoo priestess.

"What's going on here and what did you just call me?" Aria queried, the gyspy starring at her like she had two heads.

"It's on your shorts; thought it was your name." Tia responded, causally, sifting her gaze back at the girl. "Is it not your name?" The young girl thought it through for a moment, narrowing her green eyes at the woman.

"Sure. Why not?"

"Well then, Sparrow, we need to fetch you a change of clothes. Wouldn't want to be too exposed in…" Tia furrowed her eyebrows at Aria, who raised hers, waiting. "…that now, do we? Come. I give you something to wear."

"Joy, I am now a nut case," Arai groaned, while stomping after the Jamaican gypsy, who walked through a tattered curtain, leading into a secret room.

…..

"Here try this one!" Tia shoved a black corset dress with red lace on the skirt, in Aria's face.

"Ok, ok, this is the last one and then I'm choosing," Aria said, pointing a finger at the gypsy with narrowed eyes, then began to slip off the light pink gown Tia forced her to try on. She hated pink so much that she thought she would past out from the sight of it. (Now I'm going to have to soak my skin in the ocean to wash off all traces of…pink. Bleh.)

"Fine, dear, anything is better than what you woke in," Tia replied, while picking up the rejects off the floor. Soon, Aria came out from behind the Japanese screen in the dress and was shocked to find how fitted it was without even choking her one bit. Plus, it looked gorgeous. The black material made her bright green eyes pop out beautifully and the red frilly lace made her lips seem more luscious.

"Tia, I think this is too pretty for every day wear. Don't you think?" Aria fidgeted around feeling a little unconformable with how low the neckline went and sleeves showing her bare shoulders. "Eh…yeah, I say not."

"Hm, you may be right about that," Tia agreed, putting a finger to her chin and eyeing the girl up and down. "Alright, get out of that and we will find something more suitable."

Two hours later…

"This is the one," Aria mused, feeling content with the new outfit they put together. She wore a white lose puffy shirt that was a couple sizes too big. Fitted skin tight, black leather pants with a pair of black knee-high boots, an ebony corset which made the front end of the shirt stick out to show some of her cleavage, making it look like her bosom was bigger than what they were. An old dusty pastel blue jacket with gold accents topped off the whole outfit and the whole while, Tia Dalma was tying feathers into Aria's silky hair.

"How do I look?" Aria asked, while looking around for a mirror. "And…you're putting feathers. Feathers in my hair."

"These are special feathers. You have been touched by destiny, child and you have to be protected. The blue one will keep those that wish to harm you from being able to touch you when their evil intent is discovered. The purple one will heal your wounds; the white one will give the power of an animal of your choice, and the green one will show you the way," Tia explained, her Jamaican accent making it a bit hard for Aria to really understand what she was saying.

"Um, ok thanks. Wait, what do you mean, show me the way?" Aria questioned, turning around to face the gypsy once finished, while fingering each feather in turn.

"It is not up to me to understand the fates, Sparrow. I just tell you what you need to know…" Tia's speech was cut short when there came rough knocking on the front door. "Looks like we have company." Tia's black lips spread into a wicked smile as she made her way out of the room.

"Well, what does knocking usually mean to you?" Aria retorted sarcastically, letting out a little snort.

"I see you chose the pig then." Tia smirked back causing Aria's face to fall before shooting daggers at the gypsy.

"Ha, ha, ha. You are too funny," Aria snapped, but Tia was already down the stairs, yet her words didn't go unnoticed.

"We will see young one," the voodoo priestess muttered, gracefully walking to the door, but not after calling over her shoulder, "Oh, and stay there! I don't want unwanted eyes to see you!" Tia stretched out her long hand and wrapped it around the doorknob, turning it to the right, and opened the door. The guest on the other side smirked and tipped his hat.

"Well, hello there, Tia. I was beginning to think that you weren't going to answer." Captain Jack Sparrow half smiled at the Jamaican gypsy, who wrapped her hands around his neck. He eyed her curiously for a second, feeling all uneasy, which confused the ruthless pirate.

"Well, this is a greeting I should get used to." Jack had to resist the urge to force his mouth upon her hungry looking one. An image of red eyes floated to the surface and the pirate froze, leaning his head away, just as Tia grinned, letting him go. Moving around the room, Jack began to notice some differences that disturbed him. "Tia, have you done something different with the place?" he asked, trying to put his mind at ease, but as always, it bothered him to know why it looked not the same anymore.

"No, not that you need to know about, yet" Tia said, crossing the room to stand beside the stairs. "Did you find the doors you were looking for?" she asked, with a questionable gaze then walked over to her the table.

"Tia, I need your assistance…" Jack started, but the gypsy held up her hand from where she sat, her dark eyes glued to her crab claws. He stopped, rolling his eyes, and tapped his fingers impatiently against his pistol. After a moment, the voodoo priestess looked up with a wide grin.

"No you don't. You need someone else's assistance."

"Well, if you know who, that will be of great help," he said, his eyes suddenly catching movement in the back room. "Is there someone here? Do you have company of your own?" Jack's smirk made her smile wider and Tia Dalma stood up from her chair, gradually approaching the pirate. He did nothing, but watch her move towards him and his dark orbs landed onto her robust cleavage. Something below him swelled and he had to shake his head a bit to clear it, otherwise he would've been in a very embarrassing predicament. Tia stopped directly in front of the pirate captain, dropping her kohl rimmed eyes salaciously, just as she teasingly touched his chest.

"I might, but I know it is not what you want to help you get what you need?"

"What is it that I need?" he drawled, slowly wrapping an arm around her waist, but quickly released her when the gypsy suddenly slapped the back of his head, his tri-corn falling off into his hands. "Oui! What was that for!?"

"The compass, Jack. Use the compass. Where's your head?" she sarcastically asked, pulling out the pirate's compass and handing it to him.

"Apparently in a daze, but other than that it's still attached." He said, glaring at the gypsy, who made her way back to her claws.

"The only thing I can help you with is giving you a partner. This adventure you'll be heading is in need of some other's wit and agility. Maybe she could keep you on the right path…for once," Tia finished with a wink and slightly turned her head to look over her shoulder, yet her dark mythical eyes were still locked onto Jack's. "Sparrow!"

Jack furrowed his eyebrows at hearing his last name and a bunch of thoughts ran widely in his head, giving him a slight headache. Footsteps could be heard from above their heads and then descended the creaky steps to where they were. His chocolate orbs grew wide, as they came to rest on the ebony knee-high boots the stranger was wearing, to the breeches, white shirt which opened a bit at the top, and a black corset that fit her torso perfectly. Her charcoal curls hung loosely around her almost bare shoulders and his eyes soon paused at her own. Jack felt his mouth go suddenly dry at the beauty of the creature and mentally slapped himself for ever thinking anything at all. She was way too young for him, but then why was it so difficult to look away from those two piercing emeralds? Then, her red pouted lips parted and spoke.

"Hi, I'm Aria and right now I'm going insane," she said, staring into a familiar pair of deep brown eyes. She stopped and gaped at the pirate.

"You."

"Me?"

"This…can't be…real," she whispered, staring at the ground in front of her. The room soon began to spin and everything grew blurry. Jack and Tia both rushed over to Aria, but it was Jack who caught her before her head connected with the stairs. She gazed up at him, but couldn't figure out what he was saying and just watched his mouth move, before the blackness took over.

(Voices. Many voices. Calling out to her. It was these voices that played with

her boggled mind. There was no escape from these voices. Yet, even though they

sounded as many, they were actually one becoming all. Yes, one voice,

resonating throughout the black and pulling dread out for her to experience,

for what could be so terrifying then having a voice call out her name without

nobody there? Aria woke to the feeling of mist swirling around her. It coated

the ground and created an almost thick fog. She blinked her eyes to suddenly

notice that she wasn't anywhere she once was. Sounds of unheard of creatures,

things flapping in the stark of night, could only mean one thing. A forest; a

deep, dark forest. No moon was in sight. That did not make things any better.

Her heart was already pounding in her chest and she could feel her hands begin

to shake, just as the voice called out again.

"Ariaaaaa." It was raspy and it cut through the bleakness.

"Huh, who's there?" Aria called, picking herself up off the damp ground,

feeling wet leaves and mud clung onto her legs and arms.

"Come wiiiith me, Ariaaaaa," The voice called again, this time coming from her

left and she quickly spun around to face no one there. Her breathing came into hard gasps. "Tell me who you are!" She demanded, just to get no response in return.

"Ariaaaaaaa," The voice called, this time it sounded like it was coming fromall angles making Aria's head spin.

"Who are you!" she screamed, and she heard flapping and a loud thud as a

figure landed behind her. Aria stopped and dared not look over her shoulder,

but she was tempted and glanced down to find a dark hand touching her forearm.

"Come with me Aria. Don't you want to know who you are?" The figure whispered,

its cool breath brushing along her ear. She finally turned around with a jump

and saw a pair of bright green eyes turn blood red.

"What do you want?" She asked, hating herself for sounding weak, but the

figure disappeared and she was left to fall into the darkness. Screaming.

"Love?"

"No! Don't! Leave me…alone!"

"Love wake up!" The stranger, the husky voice belonged to, twisted his mouth in pain and clutched his ribs. "Aria!"

"Please, go away!"

"Wake up love!" he regained his composure and shook her.

Aria suddenly recognized who it was and opened up her eyes, gasping for breath. Some of her curls were sticking to her sweaty face and neck, and she felt someone's hands grip her arms, holding her steady. She was back in Tia's shack with Jack hovering above her. Aria calmed down a bit suddenly realizing that she was also gripping his arms, but to her surprise, didn't want to let go.

"What's going on? Why does my head hurt?" Aria breathed, reaching up a hand to her head, feeling for any injuries. When her slender fingers pressed into a sore spot she jumped, hissing, and shut her eyes for a second. "Ugh, ow."

"You just bumped it when you fainted. That's all, really," Jack lied smoothly, waving a ringed hand around. (She will never know that I accidentally hit her head on the threshold while carrying her up here.) The rapid movement made Aria's head spin again and she groaned.

"Please, stop!" she said, grabbing his hand and intertwining her fingers with his, to cease further movement. Jack smirked, tightening his grip on hers, gladly eyeing her chest heave up and down due to her heavy breathing, but she didn't notice.

"That's ok with me," he replied, deeply, enjoying the warmth her hand brought his. Tia watched on in amusement at the two from the other side of the room.

"Now Jack, did you need my help…or hers?" she asked, with a wide smirk of her own.

"What can I do for him?" Aria asked, pointing a finger at the pirate, who let her go and stood up from the bed.

"You can show him the way," She causally answered, looking at her grimy finger nails. Aria sat up, lifting an eyebrow.

"And how do I do that exactly?" The gypsy tilted her head, getting off the wall, and came to stand next to Jack, who seemed to be fiddling with his rings.

"Only you know the way and before you say anything, you have to find yourself and who you are inside." Aria was amazed at her words, which scarily hit some points from her dream, and that made her heart leap. To have an adventure of a lifetime was what the young artist had always wanted, but the whole Pirates of the Caribbean theme going, it was too good to be true. (Should I accept? What will happen to me if I do? Well, one can hope…that everything will be all right.) Jack finally met her eyes and she found herself lost in them. (He was too good to be true.) He gave her his prize winning smirk and she smiled back, standing from the bed. Tia waited patiently for her response.

"Fine, I'll go, but you all owe me," Aria said, pointing a finger to both of of them, before staring at Jack. "and I am not sleeping with the crew."

"Fine, my quarters it is," Jack finished, with his classic smirk.

"Jerk!" Aria yelled, as she came towards them, but he held up two pointer fingers.

"I've been called worst, love. Well, looks like I got what I needed," Jack said, then grabbed Tia's arm, finally planting a passionate kiss to her black lips gave. Aria made a face and couldn't help but feel envious of the gypsy, as Jack got too into it for a second, and peeled open her lips with his, slipping his tongue inside.

"Ahem?" Jack reluctantly pulled away, grinning at the girl.

"Your turn will come sooner, love, but no time to dilly-dally. Time to go." He then took Aria by the hand and guided her out the door, into the swamp, without even a goodbye to the gypsy. Outside, Aria was handed down to inside a dinghy. The humidity hit her face as well as the smell of the swamp, musky, dirty, and filled with damp foliage. Bobbing in the filthy water was a dinghy and sitting inside the dinghy was Jack's first mate, looking well worn out and in need of a full night's rest. By the sound of their approaching feet, he looked up and furrowed his brow

"What's this?" Gibbs asked, with a scared look keen in his grey eyes.

"This is the girl that can show us to the jar," Jack replied, knowing all too well what he was getting at, holding out a hand for Aria to take, but she ignored it and got in herself. Jack took his hand back, curling his fingers.

"And she is coming with us wether you like it or not," he finished, causally, as he hopped down into the boat and Gibbs took off for The Black Pearl. As the legendary fastest ship came into view, Aria felt this was more of a dream than reality, but one thing kept coming to mind: If this is a dream, where's Samie? They rowed to the side, the waves making it a bit difficult to catch the ladder, but they made it nonetheless. Aria was amazed to be actually boarding the Black Pearl herself and a smile formed her lips, which didn't go unnoticed by Jack, who smirked widely.