Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind. A/U Story
Title from a song by Glen Hughes
A/N: Just to let you all know updates will be slow, I lost my grandfather the 15th and haven't been around much to write. I still have inspiration, it's just slow until life calms back down. Thanks for the support and understanding, peace to all.
Chapter 7: Dark Star
"Figures."
"What?"
"Well, it appears we have work ahead of us Will." she indicated the rocks blocking in the chamber Jack was nosing around in.
"Lovely." Anna-Maria muttered darkly before moving up with the rest of us.
Another hour or more later they managed a big enough opening for each of them to squeeze through. Jack making sure Maddison led the charge. Her only saving grace was the fact she was sure he searched the area thoroughly because of his own self preservation clause.
"Ow." She landed ungracefully on the moist dirt floor before seeing a small river within the chamber, now she knew where the sounds of water had come from. "It's not a chamber, it's a bloody cavern itself." she stood dusting off.
"I know Maddie." Jack swiped the only source of light before moving off to the right and finding more torches hidden in the wall. "Not much help." he noted that the room was far too large for so few torches.
He also was well aware what could be lurking among the many shadows the lights cast now that he was inside the massive place. Judging by the echo from her voice it was huge, he hated to think how big the ones in the mountains might have been.
"What are we looking for?"
"Whatever you like Will, I just need a chest of white granite to satisfy my own reasons for being here." he left them to do what they liked and went off on his own.
Maddison wasn't sure if she should help Jack, or go explore with the others. She much rather keep her distance from Jack but knew it wasn't likely in his favor if she did. His voices and he would never find it if she read his hand movements right, reluctantly she went after the miserable pirate.
She listened for signs of Jack arguing with himself like she had become accustomed to, it didn't take her long to find him standing in the middle of a large opening of rocks staring around within them. She heard the water much closer now and dared to come up behind him and spare a glance into the small area.
He jumped before turning seeing Maddison had followed him, his ever faithful consistent companion whether he liked it or not. "You could have warned me."
"Why?" She ignored the dirty look he offered before ducking under his arm and stepping into the area.
She listened following the source of the sound and swiped the torch from Jack, he remarked sourly at her actions but she could hear him following behind her. She smirked knowing she had again gotten under his skin, she dusted off her jacket the farther into the cave the went. She kept getting dirt, slime from the moisture and small dark spots on her cloths the further they went.
"Ash?" She sifted some of the dark substance between her fingers.
"No Jack, coal at least some of it is." she honestly wasn't sure what the minerals in the cave were, some were obvious and some not.
Her main concern was the growth of crystals above them, the natural crystals were sharp and could do damage if disturbed. He followed her line of vision and winced, reaching out he touched one of the smaller ones at his side. He hissed pulling back, it identified they were sharp and she was glad she wasn't half as curious as he was at times.
"That was stupid mate."
"Aye I felt that much, go away."
It was the first time his voices offered anything around her, he wondered if they were just lying in wait for the opportune moment to send him completely over whatever edge he was still clinging to. She ducked a passing bat ignoring Jack when he made a familiar and yet weird hand movement. Shaking her head they continued deeper into the strange crevice only to both pause at a small inner river way.
"That wasn't supposed to be here."
"How do you know Jack?"
He eyed the wide river and glanced to the other side, he could barely make out small shapes flickering in their torch light. It hadn't been part of his plan to have to swim for what he wanted, he also knew that only he could open the chest once he found it.
"I didn't."
"Jack what are you not telling me?"
He gave her a warning look at her tone, instead she smacked him watching him fall forward very nearly into the river he was focused on. Maintaining his balance he swiped the torch from a ticked of looking Maddison and waved it out further toward the other side. He could just make out a chest like object and it was good enough for him.
She knew she wasn't getting an answer, it wasn't worth trying either. He handed back the torch and knelt down to examine the water more closely. He didn't want any hidden catches, traps or beasties to come from the depths.
"Did it occur to you to look for a crossing Jack?"
He looked daggers her direction before mocking her, all that did was give him a fierce look in response. Instead of arguing with her he took the torch and again used it to search the area for some kind of crossing, both turned to a sharp bang somewhere within the cave.
"The others!"
Jack didn't seem at all interested.
"Jack, you aren't that cold." Sighing he returned to her side before glancing toward the cave ceiling. "Don't you dare."
"WHELP, LIZZIE, ANNA, YOU ALRIGHT OUT THERE!"
She cringed half expecting the crystals to come crashing down on them, thankfully after several minutes she realized with relief that they wouldn't. She waited barely breathing hoping for some answer, any answer at this point would ease her fear for her friends.
"FINE! JUST A LARGE CAT!" she recognized the reply coming from Will and breathed slowly out the air that was hurting her lungs.
Jack waved his hand in a 'satisfied' gesture before turning his focus back on the shape across the river. "Nothing but a big kitty." He realized how dumb he sounded and turned seeing an amused quirk of her lips. "Right, a very big kitty. I have my gun." She wasn't comforted by that but instead of being smart she followed the pirate to the ledge near a gaping mouth in the wall.
It was down, steep and dark she didn't want to fall and carefully followed the suicidal nut job of a pirate ahead of her across the thin ledge. All the while she tried to block images of her death and falling into oblivion. Finally relieved they reached the other side she leaned against the wall after examining it for her safety.
"Wasn't so bad love." If she didn't want to throttle him enough already, he just had to keep adding to her already vexed state.
Needling her temper was an amusement for him, a past time of sorts he had done several times in the past. He smiled feeling lighter when he saw the white granite chest ahead of them. Carefully watching the area and looking for signs of other animals that may have dwelt in the cave he walked to the chest and studied it.
It was more like a miniature coffin to Maddison's eyes and she didn't like it. It was intricately carved with a leafy vine and some flowers intertwining like locks where it was intended to open it. She didn't want to know what was inside and was positive she didn't want Jack doing so.
He moved his fingers across the smooth white surface aware of her discomfort. Maddison regardless of his opinions was intuitive, he used to trust her more so than he had others in his past but now his desire to be free of his unpleasant locker experience was more dominate than her fears.
"Hold the torch Maddie." she took the torch watching him scrutinize the locking mechanisms and the varying floral across the white object.
She lifted the torch giving both of them a better view and noticed a large blooming flower on top, it looked like a combination of sorts and was distorted. She assumed that righting the image of the flower triggered the thing to open. Catching her eye he followed her gaze and saw the solution to his problem of getting into the box.
He started to move about the flower setting her teeth on edge at the grating sound it gave off. "Jack I don't think it's a good idea to mess around with this thing. I know you think it's the solution to your issues but it very well could be a trick. Maybe make them worse." the last part was intended to discourage him, like always though he ignored her and proceeded.
CRUNCH, CRACK, GRATE
The bloom looked exactly like the smaller ones now and it didn't take her long to hear the click indicating it was free to open. Slowly he lifted on the lid watching her close her eyes expecting something dangerous to happen. Nothing happened and after a minute she opened her eyes seeing a scroll and a crystal like bottle, she assumed it was made from the natural crystals of the cave. The liquid inside was a sort of olive mixed with shades of blue.
"You are not drinking that Jack."
"Maddison since when do I let you tell me otherwise to what I intend to do?" He was reading the scroll ignoring her protests to what she assumed the formula in the bottle was for.
"Fine! Poison yourself then." She was now very cross and wished to be with the others.
She wasn't keen on the idea of watching him die or what the vile of fluid could do to him. He surprised her tucking the bottle into a pouch in his belt, before putting the scroll in one of his pockets. He took the torch and began to lead the way back across the ledge.
Maddison silently followed uncertain of what was going on, she nearly fell this time back though and was lucky when he caught her. Pulling her to the shore she remained clinging to his arm before stepping back and muttering her gratitude. Neither spoke returning to the main part of the cave, both did notice the strange silence and it unnerved them.
"Where are the others?"
Jack glanced around the gloomy cave uncertain to why he felt the sudden urge to vanish in the shadows, he could sense Maddison was also anxious. He gently guided her behind him before lifting his pistol in hand, dark eyes looking closely into every gloomy shape at present.