Disclaimer - Not as poetic or lyrical this time, but it changes nothing. I'm still penniless from profits. I only profit reviews and hits and a feeling of accomplishment whenever I manage to upload a new chapter. Feels kind of good, actually, when I do, too…like now. :0) Nevertheless, it seems were finally boarding the
Everyone batten down the hatches, though. It's going to get choppy from here on out.
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Chapter 20 - All Aboard!
"Captain Sparrow, you have to be kidding me? We don't have time for this!" Elizabeth's complaint was loud and insistent. She looked up and gestured frantically in the direction of Isla de Muerta, the top of its volcano now rimmed with bright magma, "Just look at the island, it's…it's ready to BLOW!"
Jack glanced casually behind him at the inferno and then back at the woman again, unimpressed. Waving a delicate hand towards Donatello, who still balanced precariously on the second boat, the pirate entreated, "Well, Ms Swann, if ya can convince Mr. Turtle back there t'release me gold…be m'guest."
Elizabeth glared at the towering terrapin, scowling disapprovingly. If looks could kill…
Her focus back on the pirate once more, she offered Sparrow a narrowed, withering look, "Why don't you just shoot him, then, that should convince him!"
Jack laughed, "And risks havin'em fall into the boat, sinking it or…how about this…he falls overboard and his sudden weight displacement capsizes the boat in the process. The ends the same, missy, no matter how ye tries t'work it." He sighed, waving her concern away, "So, we waits as told…until his mates catch up."
"But the ISLAND!" the girl pointed again. Several times in fact.
"Is going to blow…yes, I know…not born yesterday," Jack sing-songed and huffed. He looked away and sat back, arms folded in front of him.
Suddenly, Elizabeth saw something in the water swim up behind Donatello's boat. At first, she thought it was just the lights flickering more readily along the darkened surface. Then, she thought it might be fish panicking, disturbed from their seabed sanctuary by the continuing degradation of the island. Yet, whatever it was, brightened as it swam under the light of the stern-side lantern. The moment she saw three green faces and a pink, bearded one, she cheered.
"Look, they're HERE!" she announced happily and quickly stood from Will's lap. It was a stupid thing to do, too, especially where she was still in the boat. Because, the moment Elizabeth popped up, the port side listed and because she was now standing, it caused her to lose her balance. In an instant, Miss Swann found herself falling over the side, screaming head first into the sea.
" ELIZABETH!" Will yelled and grabbed for her, just missing a flailing hand. Then, before anyone could react, he jumped into the water after her, which was a good thing, since nobody else did.
A minute later, Turner had a drenched and quite relieved Miss Swann flung back inside the boat, sputtering and coughing up seawater. The crew did their best to pull her in, as well as Will, lest the two flip the small vessel, and bring them all to a similar fate.
Once on board the longboat again, Elizabeth pushed well-meaning hands off her. Well, most of them were well meaning, but in any event, she coughed once before demanding, "Now, CAPtain Sparrow…can we please…get going?"
Before Jack could even entertain the thought of a reply, an all too familiar and ill-received voice sang out behind him.
"Not until my brothers are on board, Miss Swann!" Donatello stood there defiantly, straddling the treasure, arms crossed in front of him. His determined gaze told all that he would not relent on his demands.
Sighing, Jack forced a smile, "We waited as ye asked, laddy, we kept our side of the bargain - and it seems they're here. Tis safe t'say, Donatello, we won't be leavin' 'em behind. Can ye now lets me men stow the gold?"
"NOT until my brothers…are onboard…CAPtain!" Don repeated emphatically.
"Fine, whatever ya say…" and Jack leaned forward a bit to catch sight of those treading water, "You there, in the water, get a move on, we have an explodin' island t'avoid."
The one in orange waved and smiled, but Jack rolled his eyes, unimpressed. However, he did sweep an arm towards the Pearl's side, indicating the slats of wood, or steps, nailed in place for boarding, "Quickly, now, climb yerselves up…chop, chop, don't take yer time."
To demonstrate, the captain carefully stood and grasped onto one of the steps. In no time at all, he had climbed up to the deck above and turned around to await the others.
Gibbs was first to haul his bulk out of the water. Before long, he, too, was onboard, but scowling quite unhappily at Jack.
Jack warily eyed his sodden first mate and, after a moment, Mr. Gibbs complained, "Might've found room in th'boat, Cap'n, if ya'd half a mind!"
"Operative words, MR. Gibbs - might've and half a mind! 'Sides, there be no guarantees that they wouldn't sink the boat if I did finds room fer'em," Jack smiled, "Yet ye haves t'admit, Mr. Gibbs, without yer guid'nce, the poor beasties'd still b'wanderin' th'seas and we'd still be here waitin', with the island blowin' itself t'kingdom come…and us with it." Sparrow grinned wider, "So, a decision I had to make and a good one t'was, too."
Gibbs glared at Sparrow, shaking off a bit more of the sea. He lowered his voice and leaned in towards his captain, mindful of the turtles climbing up behind him, "Why not just leave'em to their fate then. S'not like we needs'em, naw'like the one called Donatello."
"An' jus' how're we to convince said turtle to cooperate if we did leave his unnec'sry brethren behind?"
Gibbs wondered about that for a minute, considering Sparrow's word. Finally, he smiled, saying thoughtfully, "Soooo, you saves the treasure from sinking t'the briny deep by makin'em walk, then gains the purple one's coop'ration by actin' all 'onerable, waitin' fer his mates, even though said purple one threatened to capsize said treasure a moment ago?"
Jack shrugged, preferring Gibb's interpretation to what he actually had in mind. What Jack did have in mind, at least as things progressed with the island, was to set sail as soon as possible. True, his original intent was to ensure the treasure made it to the Pearl by making the turtles walk, with Gibbs leading them. To have them wander the seabed without a guide would have doomed them for sure and Sparrow trusted Gibbs to get them to the ship in one piece. Sparrow was confident of that.
However, as the island's degrading condition worsened, the pirate's plans had changed in an instant. The code, after all, had to be upheld. Still, he never expected Donatello to react the way he did and despite the delay, it seemed as if things were working out after all.
So, Jack decided to allow Gibbs his interpretation of events, if only to avoid a mutiny - and a knife at his throat. Gibbs might'n be a most agreeable crewman, but he is a pirate through and through.
In any event and true to his nature, Mr. Gibbs gave a light laugh, "Guess ye didn't 'ave much of a choice then, cap'n, an' I haves t'admit, it was quite the experience. An' these turtles took it all in stride, too, like it t'was natural fer 'em…other than th'one called Michelangelo."
Gibbs looked back and saw the orange-wearing turtle clambering onto deck, going on about sailing the high seas, drinking rum, and other such scary thoughts. The idea of a rum-soaked turtle seemed stranger than the turtle itself and Gibbs wondered if these creatures even knew what rum was.
Before he could even say as much to his captain, though, Gibbs noticed some of the on-board crewmen withdraw their pistols from inside their waistbands and take aim. Yet, before he could react or any of the men take the first shot, Jack quickly intervened.
Hand up to stop the altercation and leaping daintily between Michelangelo and his crew, "S'kay, mates, he's with us." Jack noticed the questioning looks from his men, obviously not too convinced. Finally, the pirate captain quickly explained, "There be four like him, they're cursed, used t'be normal turtles, scary witch didn't like'em, sent them t'Muerta, and th'one in purple's savvy 'bout th'coins." The puzzled looks on his men had Jack adding, "Knows th'way t'the Aztecs, 'nother words."
A collective and elongated "Ohhhhh" sang from several lips, with a few smiles to boot, and then the men went about their business readying the Pearl, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Satisfied that no one would shoot the one called Michelangelo, Gibbs turned and whispered to Sparrow, "Tha'one in orange might not be as brave as th'others, Cap'n, so ye best keep tha'in mind if ever we find ourselves set upon." Sparrow nodded as he peered around his first mate. As an afterthought, however, Gibbs gave Jack a pointed look and decried through clenched teeth, "But I haves no desire to repeat that walk, Cap'n, if'n ye knows what I mean, so try t'make room next time…otherwise, faithful t'yer quest or not, ya might'n be doin' the walkin'." Mr. Gibbs then turned and stomped off. He hollered back as he headed downstairs to the crews quarters, "I'll be right back, Cap'n, after I gets me int'drier clothes."
Sparrow watched his first mate as the man disappeared into the lower level. Curling one side of his mustache-covered lip, he pulled thoughtfully at one trinket-decorated tail, and muttered, Might have buggered Gibbs a bit more than I should've, methinks.
Raphael was next to board, but the moment he saw Sparrow, he growled, whipped out both sai, and charged the man.
Some of the crew saw the impending altercation and retrieved their pistols, taking aim on the turtle. Yet, before a single shot fired off, Leonardo's voice stilled the raging, red-wearing mutant.
"Raphael, stand down. NOW!"
Raph came to an abrupt halt and turned on his brother, who stood on deck, dripping water. Pointing a sai in Jack's direction, Raphael ranted, "He left us, LEO! He didn't have any intention of stickin' around. You heard what Don said to him a moment ago."
Leo nodded and sighed, glancing over at the pirate captain, "I know, but I don't blame them. That island isn't too...healthy right now."
Raph gestured wildly, "But...they were goin' t'LEAVE us!"
"Given their circumstances, I can't rightly blame them."
"WHAT?"
"Raph, listen to the island..." Leo pointed into the dark, where rumbled an angry spit of land. As his bandana tails whipped in the breeze, "their only transportation is a boat with sails and they have to rely on wind in order to get away from here." He saw the confused look on his brother's face, so he remarked, "In other words, it's going to be a slow escape."
Raph growled something unintelligible, gripping his sai so hard his knuckles whitened. Finally, he relaxed, but not before shooting a warning glare at Captain Jack Sparrow, "Aw right, fine, whatever, but he betrays us just one more time, Leo…"
"He won't…will you, Captain?" Leo smiled at the pirate, one eyeridge raised.
In that moment, Jack realized the true nobility of these creatures - and that worried him even more.
Yet, what Leonardo had said was true and Jack was certain they needed a miracle to get far enough away so as not to capsize the Pearl when the island did blow up. Still, he didn't need a battle right now, so he acquiesced, "You have my word, Leonardo…and, thank you for your support. I am...grateful...that ye did not judge me too harshly." Jack forced himself to ignore the roll of eyes from his crewmen, and relieved when they quickly resumed their work again. Hope they didn't see that. Most of me men don't 'ave a clue how these beasties fight!
Leo smiled, albeit thinly, "I understand, Captain Sparrow...but...you should have had more faith, too. After all, if you didn't think we could make it, then why leave your first mate behind?"
Jack pursed his lips and mused silently, "The lad has a point there," and was rather happy Mr. Gibbs was already down below and out of earshot of the turtle's words. It wouldn't have gone over well had he heard them. Battle indeed!
As Leonardo came alongside his brothers and as Raphael re-sheathed his weapon, Jack called down to the remaining mutant, "Are ye satisfied, Donatello? Yer brothers are a'board now, so t'would be a good time t'…"
Suddenly, another large explosion interrupted Sparrow. The resonating boom struck fear in both crew and turtle alike and everyone looked up, staring wide-eyed across the darkened bay towards Isla de Muerta. It was easily identifiable, now, with bright streams of magma overflowing the volcano's mouth, and down its near side. The orange destructive cascade caught fire anything in its path, too, and before long, it seemed as if the entire upper mountain was ablaze.
Jack's eyes grew large with worry. Urgently, he called out to Donatello, his voice strained with anxiety, "An' the quicker we get tha'gold stowed, mate, the sooner we can be on our WAY!" He yelled to his crew, "AS SOON AS EV'RYONE'S A'BOARD, WE BRING UP THE GOLD!" He turned back to his on-board crew, "EV'RYONE ELSE, GET THIS SHIP T'SEA!"
"AYE, CAP'N!" several voices chorused back.
Eager to join his brothers, Don moved forward, feet moving carefully along the sides of the boat. When he was close enough to the stern of the first boat, Don executed a perfect, forward flip, landing effortlessly. He looked behind him, a little concerned. When saw that the treasure remained steadfast, with not a coin out of place, and the boat stable, Donatello smiled. "Ninja training works just as well on water as on land, it seems!"
After Elizabeth and Turner disembarked, followed by the rest of the crew, Donatello was next, working his way up the ships boarding ladder.
While Turner led Elizabeth to the captain's quarters in order for her to change out of her wet clothes, Don watched as some of the crew gather up a large, heavy-duty cargo net. The netting itself was attached to a triple block and tackle boom, which he assessed would provide enough leverage in order to lift the heavy load.
As a few of the men made their way past Don to the ladder to the boat below, Don looked down at the treasure chest and had a sudden thought.
"Captain."
"Not now, laddy," Jack waved the turtle off as Don approached him.
"This is rather important, Captain."
Jack sighed heavily and glanced irritably at the terrapin, "I'll give ye ten seconds, beginning at the count of five."
"I suggest we wrap the chest in some material before lifting it out of the boat; maybe using a spare sail cloth - that is, if you have one."
Jack gave Don a longer glance, "An' why would I want t'waste m'time doin' that?"
"Well," Don replied, rubbing his cheek thoughtfully, "in case some of the coins dislodge from the chest when you move it. Wrapping it up will ensure that you don't lose any of the gold."
Sparrow looked fully at the turtle now, a slow yet steady realization blooming on his face. He smiled, "Ye sure are a smart one, Donatello, I'll give ye that!" Then, another loud boom from the island had Jack ordering a crewman to fetch a spare sail from one of the storage chests on deck.
With practiced ease, the men had the treasure in the net in quick order, and the net encased and tied up within the extra sail, thereby entrapping any misguided coins.
As it turned out, Don's suggestion had indeed been a good one. With every rumble from Isle de Muerta, the ocean had become choppier and more unstable, causing the Pearl to roll and pitch against its mooring.
"As sure as I'm Jack Sparrow, mate," he glanced at the turtle, "…if not fer your idea, Donatello, b'now I'd be sending a few of the crew into the sea t'fetch wayward coins."
Don smiled, "Glad to be of help, Captain."
As the cargo boom groaned under the weight of the stone chest, one crewmember standing on an overhead yardarm thirty feet up announced loudly, "Captain, the fish are panicking!"
Sparrow watched from the side of the ship as a pod of porpoise streaked under the meager light of the Pearl's lanterns. Racing through the waters, phosphoresce glittered along the mammals' backs as they hurried towards the open sea. They darted in among each other, desperation edging their movements. Counting near to twenty and all in a matter of seconds, it was apparent to Jack that something had vexed the creatures and he wasn't sticking around to find out what it was, either.
"HURRY UP, MATES… WE NEED T'SET SAIL, NOW!" and then as an afterthought, "AND BATTEN DOWN TH'ATCHES!"
Jack pushed away from the bulwark, with Don doing likewise, both going over to inspect the treasure. Just as Don had assumed, when they took the sailcloth from around the chest, they found some of the coins had indeed fallen from the container.
Jack smiled, "Never would'a thought to swaddle th'chest." The pirate slapped the turtle good-naturedly on his shoulder, "Ye'd be an asset to me crew, if ye cares to join!"
Don shook his head and smiled, "Thanks, but I have enough to do keeping my brothers among the living."
Jack chuckled at the irony of the turtle's words and then went about overseeing the stowing of the chest of gold.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew had already unfurled the sails. With the anchor raised and in place, one of Jack's men steered the Pearl out to deep water. The wind had picked up as well and thankfully seemed to blow in the direction they needed to go. It filled the sails to brimming, forcing the Black Pearl through the water with all the speed and grace of the very porpoise that Jack had seen earlier. True to her legend, his ship quickly distanced herself from the tumultuous island of Isle de Muerta, which continued to rumble louder and louder behind them, with frequent explosions indicating its impending demise.
From the back of the ship, Don and his brothers watched as the drama play out on the main deck below. There wasn't much for them to do, where they weren't all that familiar with trimming sails and whatever else one did on a sailing ship. Still, despite their lack of experience, all four road the Black Pearl's undulating course with confidence, their legs splayed, and feet steady against her wooden deck. As the crew worked, some climbed masts to yardarms, and fiddled with the lines and sails to coax as much speed from the wind as it would allow.
After a few minutes, "So, Donnie," Mike finally asked, "…do you know anything at all about sailing ships?"
"Well, not a lot, but I do know," Don turned and grinned at his brother, "that where we're standing, they call it a poop deck."
It only took a moment for Don's words to sink in and when it did, Mike found himself dancing on his tiptoes, looking furtively around the wooden floorboards for something icky, his eyes wide, "Y…you're kidding me, right? Ew, ew, ew…"
Chuckling, Raph added to his little brother's dismay, "Hey, Mikey, with all these…guys on board, ya know they'd have t'go somewhere…and what better place than at the back of the boat!"
"Okay, I'm sorry Mike and, Raph, the Black Pearl is a ship, not a boat, and that's not why they call this a poop deck." Don rolled his eyes and smiled, "Poop is Latin for puppis, which means 'stern of a ship'. It's also a star in the Southern Hemisphere, but…" he turned his attention to his dancing brother, "…anyway, Mike, it's a nautical term for an elevated deck, like what we're standing on. Nothing more."
Apparently satisfied with Don's explanation, Mike relaxed, but then perked up, "Yeah, but…where DO they go, then?" Mike giggled, adding his thoughts to the subject, "Maybe they just…hang over the railing and…"
"Guys, enough!" Leo laughed, "When the time comes, I'll ask Mr. Gibbs."
"Or Elizabeth!" Mike added, "Bet that'd get the ol'girl blushing!"
The four had a good laugh over the thought and then turned around, watching the backwash of the ship as the Pearl sailed further away from Isla de Muerta.
After a few minutes, Leo remarked, "Pretty fast ship, if I do say so myself." He smiled wistfully, "And I have to admit that I've always wanted to know what it would feel like to sail the open sea." He looked at his brothers and admitted cheerfully, "Except for the curse, I think this adventure has taken a positive turn!"
Raph cuffed his brother lightly in the arm, "You sayin' you want t'go pirate, Leo?" He hooked at thumb back towards the main deck, where the crew continued to work, "Not a very honest bunch, if ya ask me."
"No, that's not what I meant, I meant, I mean, I said…oh, never mind. We're here and you know as well as I do that we won't get this chance again. Pirates or not, curse or not, we're doing something we'd never get to do normally."
"Yeah, bro," Raph nodded, smiling, "have t'agree with you there." He noticed Don and Mike smiling as well, apparently in agreement with their older brothers.
Despite the distance, another loud explosion from the island broke through the casual conversation. All four brothers now stared with growing worry towards Isla De Muerta. The island was well behind them and, other than the glow coming off the volcano's molten sides, mostly shrouded in night. Suddenly, a large and very bright plume of magma-enriched steam shot from the volcano mouth like a geyser, followed by another loud boom. The hot gasses lit the smoke and cloud-filled sky above with a burst of yellow orange, as debris jetted from the mouth of the caldera, and rained down around the bay surrounding Isla de Muerta.
The quartet of turtles watched as some of the flaming projectiles hurtled towards them, their comet-like tails of hot gas raking across the darkened sky with an almost blinding brightness. The sounds of hissing water came next, as the fiery bombs plummeted into the bay at intermittent frequency. Most fell far from the ship, but a few seemed too close for comfort, causing the waves around the Black Pearl to undulate angrily.
"Wow, guys!" Mike declared, "...this is like the Fourth of July, only better. I mean, it's kind of sad, knowing all the birds and lizards will probably die - and the mango trees, too, but I didn't think I'd ever see something this gnarly."
Raph and Leo smiled warily, apparently as entertained - and as clueless - as their youngest brother. However, their anxious glances to Don told him that they weren't entirely unaware of the danger the island presented.
Finally, Leo moved over to stand next to Don, whispering, "You think we'll make it, Donnie?"
"Depends on how fast this ship can sail and when that island blows." Don replied, swallowing apprehensively, his brow pinched with worry. The more he watched the island spectacle, though, the more he wished the Pearl would indeed hurry up, and the more he thought about what might happen if it didn't, the more nervous he became.
As the ocean waves swelled in size and seemed more unstable than before, Don suddenly turned and announced, "I need to see the captain, I'll be right back."
Then, Donatello rushed downstairs to the next deck in search of Jack Sparrow, muttering as he ran about tsunamis and boats and total annihilation…and for the first time thankful for curses.