[A/N: So, this is the last Disney based world. To be completely honest I've been dreading the Pirates of the Caribbean chapter since I first started this story because I couldn't think of anything and I really didn't want to sit through the fourth movie. That being said I hope I didn't butcher Syrena's character. I read up on her on the wikia page for the movie so hopefully that was enough. Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy the chapter!]
This world seemed a little different than the others. They were on the docks of Port Royal, but there were no ships in the harbor.
Juliet turned to Akio and Clementine. "So, I think we should split up. I'll take Akio and we can explore the town while Clementine swims around the ocean."
Clementine looked out at the dark foamy waters and wasn't exactly feeling excited to go swimming. "And where do you propose I swim out to?"
"Anywhere, just see if you can find some people."
She looked back at the ocean before sighing. "Fine, fine I'll go look for people. I just hope they won't freak out if they see a mermaid."
"We'll meet back here after we've thoroughly explored everything, all right? And Clementine just because you're in the ocean doesn't mean you have to explore the whole ocean."
"I know that." Clementine watched them go before turning her gaze back to the sea. "At least this way they'll have some alone time and who knows maybe Akio will finally get the guts to tell her how he feels, but I doubt it. All right let's do this." She had one of her shoes disappear and dipped her toe in the water. "That's cold….I guess the best thing to do would be to just jump in." Clementine took a deep breath before walking off the edge of the pier.
Thanks to her tail Clementine was able to propel herself through the murky frigid water. "This is nothing like swimming in Atlantica. It's brighter there and this ocean is really dark, but maybe I should swim under water just in case I come across a ship." She ducked under the water and just like she thought it was even darker.
However, what surprised her was that she saw the flash of a tail disappear deeper into the water and it looked too big to be a fish. I wonder if there are mermaids here too. I guess I could go find out. Clementine followed the tail deeper into the ocean.
After swimming towards for what seemed like forever she saw a brunette hazel eyed red tailed mermaid ahead of her. "Wait, wait a minute can't you see that I'm following you?"
The mermaid looked back at Clementine before darting away again. "Go away."
"I just want to talk to you don't be scared."
The mermaid hesitated for a minute and looked back at Clementine before swimming up to her. "I've never seen you before. Where did you come from?"
"I'm not from around here, but if you could answer my question that would be great."
"Where are you from?"
"Its called Atlantica I think you'd like it there. There are lots of other mermaids and it's a lot brighter then here. I'm Clementine by the way." She extended her hand. "What do they call you?"
The mermaid only looked at her hand in confusion before gingerly shaking her fingers. "I am Syrena."
"Ok, Syrena would you mind answering my question now?"
"I didn't hear the question."
Clementine frowned and could feel herself starting to get annoyed. "I was just wondering what kind of people lived in this world."
"I've never been above the water before."
"Never?"
"No, never."
"Well I'm going to go take a peek." Clementine started to swim towards the surface when she felt a hand on her tail that was trying to pull her back.
Syrena pulled again on Clementine's tail. "You can't go above the water."
"Why?"
"Because there are awful things up there."
"What kind of awful things?"
"Pirates."
"I thought you said you'd never been above the water."
"My sisters told me. You can't go."
Clementine swam back down to Syrena and smiled at her. "I can handle myself just fine there's nothing to worry about, Syrena. Pirates wouldn't dare try and do anything to me. "
Syrena bit her lip still looking anxious. "They'll want your tears."
"My tears? What for?"
"I don't know that's just what my sisters told me."
"Well they can't have my tears." Clementine jerked her tail free and continued to swim towards the surface leaving Syrena behind. When her head was above the surface she saw a large ship off in the distance. "Pirates maybe? I should go check it out." She could see a smaller boat coming towards her and ducked under the water just in case the people in the boat weren't friendly. Clementine felt the boat graze her back as she swam towards the ship.
When she got close enough she saw ropes hanging off the side of the ship and began to pull herself up which was a bit more difficult than usual since she didn't have the use of her legs. Clementine looked through one of the little holes on the side of the ship which opened out onto the deck and saw several less then pleasant looking men on board. I wonder if these are the pirates Syrena was so worried about.
One of the pirates began to walk towards Clementine prompting her to let go of the ropes and jump back into the water. She decided that it would be best to try talking to the men in the boat instead of announcing herself to the pirates on the ship. Clementine was faster than the boat and easily caught up with it when a thought occurred to her. Why not even the playing field? If they're in the water it will be a lot easier for me to talk to them as long as they can swim that is. She got under the boat and easily tipped it over.
There was a startled yelp followed by cursing as both men fell into the water.
Clementine went a little deeper under the water in hopes that she wouldn't be spotted quiet yet and saw that one of the men had dreadlocks that were tied back in a red bandana while the other was heavy set with an impressive set of mutton chops. She waited until both men were clinging to the overturned boat before swimming back to the surface.
The man with dreadlocks spotted her first and didn't look angry at being pushed out of his boat. On the contrary he looked extremely pleased. "Now, didn't I tell you Mr. Gibbs the mermaids would find us not the other way around."
Mr. Gibbs didn't look at all pleased with being tossed out of his boat and was still spitting sea water from his mouth. "Yeah she found us, but did she have to push our boat over?"
"Yes, that was entirely necessarily." Clementine was swimming circles around them. "You're pirates aren't you?"
"Missy you are looking at the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow."
Clementine looked at Jack for a few minutes before resuming her swimming. "And that's your ship over there?"
"Yes, my beautiful Black Pearl. Isn't she beautiful?"
"I'm not impressed. Actually I don't know why Syrena was so afraid of you. You don't seem terribly dangerous at all."
Jack was busy trying to help Mr. Gibbs push the boat up right again. "Well, mermaid if you'd tried to push the Black Pearl over you'd have a lot more trouble than with this dinghy."
After several failed attempts Clementine thought she'd help them out. "So, what are pirates like you doing so far away from Port Royal?"
Mr. Gibbs snorted under his breath. "Port Royal? Now why on Earth would we want to visit Port Royal? That place is a pirate's worst nightmare thanks to one man."
"Who's that?"
"His name is James Norrington and he's made it his life's work to eradicate pirates."
I hope he doesn't mistake Juliet and Akio for pirates. "So, if you're not going to Port Royal then where are you going?"
Jack wrung his shirt out over the side of the boat and pulled off one of his boots to dump the water out. "I don't think that's any of your business, mermaid."
"I could help."
"No you couldn't. You need legs for this job."
"I can give myself legs."
"How?"
"Magic."
Mr. Gibbs snorted under his breath. "A magic mermaid now I've seen everything."
Clementine found herself becoming angry. "Its true I can give myself legs if I so desire it."
Jack pulled his other boot off. "So, show us then magic mermaid."
With a bit of difficulty Clementine pulled herself into the boat and changed her tail back to into legs. "Have I convinced you?"
Both Jack and Mr. Gibbs were sputtering in shock. Jack was the first to get control over himself. "What did you say your name was?"
"Clementine, now tell me where you're going."
"We're looking for my former first mate. A scoundrel by the name of Hector Barbossa. Heard of him?"
Clementine shook her head. "No."
Mr. Gibbs was still looking Clementine up and down. "Jack, doesn't she remind you of that lass dressed all in red who just showed up a couple days ago?"
"Hold on, did you say woman in red? Does she have lots of black hair and have her stomach exposed?" Clementine saw both Jack and Mr. Gibbs nod before she jumped back out of the boat nearly knocking it over.
"Where are you going, mermaid?"
Clementine stuck her head back out of the water. "Her name is Antonia and she's evil."
Mr. Gibbs grabbed onto the oars and began to row the boat back towards the Black Pearl. "I kinda got that vibe, but Jack wanted to keep her around."
"What can I say mate I have a weakness for beautiful woman."
Clementine tried to suppress a gag. "Well, Antonia is bad to the bone."
"Perfect she'd make a great match for a pirate."
"No, you don't understand Antonia is really evil. She'd take your heart if the mood suited her."
"She can have my heart any day."
Clementine rubbed her temples in frustration. "Look, I don't know how to put this any plainer to you Jack, but…."
"Captain Jack Sparrow if you'd be so kind."
"Whatever, Antonia will mess you up bad and she wouldn't bat an eye at it. She's working for this man named Erik and there's this boy named Puck who's just as bad and why I bothering to explain this to you? I need to go stop Antonia." Clementine ducked back under the water and speed off like a bullet. She could hear Jack yelling at her from off in the distance and sighed heavily before doubling back to push the boat forward.
Once they got back to the Black Pearl, Clementine climbed up the ropes again making sure this time to change her tail back into legs before she started. After she pulled herself over the railing she spotted Antonia standing towards the other side of the deck. "Here to cause more trouble, Antonia?"
Antonia looked over at Clementine before her face broke out into a toothy smile. "No more trouble than usual, jackass. Oh, and there's something I need to tell you. I know you and I had a thing, but it needs to end."
Clementine raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
"You see I've met the most wonderful woman. I met her the last time I was in Radiant Garden and what can I say I'm a sucker for dimples so you and I are over."
Clementine was still feeling confused, but brushed it off. "I don't care if you're in some relationship I'm only here to stop you from causing trouble."
"Am I really causing trouble? I'm just spending some time with these delightful pirates. And I use the term delightful loosely." Antonia moved her head to the side to avoid being hit with a bolt of lightning magic. "But if you really want a fight I suppose I can give you one." She didn't give Clementine any room to argue and threw a ball of blizzard magic at her.
Jack and Mr. Gibbs had just gotten back onto the ship's deck and Jack was about to get between them when Mr. Gibbs pulled him back. "Stop blowing holes in my ship."
Clementine ignored him and threw a fire ball at Antonia nearly catching her hair on fire.
"Really you're going for my hair again?"
"You seem to like your hair that's why I'm aiming for it."
Antonia cast a gravity spell at Clementine, but it just missed her. "Hold still jackass all I want to do is pummel you into the ground."
"I'd like to see you try."
"You sure are taking this break up badly."
"We were never together, Antonia."
Antonia cast aero on herself before throwing another ball of ice at Clementine. "So you're telling me you never loved me?"
"How could I love you when you're evil?"
"See now that hurts my feelings. And since you've hurt my feelings I think I'm going to have to hurt you back now hold still." Antonia nearly knocked Clementine over only to be knocked away by a fire ball which caught her in the stomach. She doubled over holding her stomach gasping. "Ok, ok you don't like me I can understand that, but why lead me on like that?"
Clementine didn't know whether to laugh or continue to hit Antonia again. "I wasn't leading you on because I never liked you. You've done nothing then make my life a living hell."
"Ouch, you've hurt me." Antonia straightened up and walked around Clementine towards the side of the ship. "Well, since there never was an 'us' this won't hurt me." Without any warning Antonia threw a fire ball at Clementine hitting her in the cheek. She heard a pained yelp before summoning a dark portal and walking through it.
Mr. Gibbs walked over to Clementine who was cradling her face. "We could get someone to look at that for you if you like."
"I'm fine just give me a minute." Clementine cast a cure spell on the burn and she didn't know this at the time, but the scar would never fully go away. "I need to go tell Juliet and Akio that Antonia was here maybe they ran into Puck." She swung her legs over the side of the ship and jumped back into the ocean.
On her way back to the harbor Clementine didn't see Syrena or any other mermaids and quickly pulled herself up onto the harbor deck. She didn't see Juliet or Akio and began to pace in a nervous circle. "Where could they be? This is really important." As she said this she saw two shadows making their way towards her and for a minute thought it was Antonia and Puck.
"Oh hey Clementine how did it go?"
Clementine relaxed when she saw Juliet and Akio. "Antonia was here. I found these pirates and they said she'd been here for a few days knowing who knows what."
"Is she here now?"
"No, I ran her off. She thought the two of us had a thing."
Akio was the first to notice the burn on Clementine's cheek. "What happened to your face? Did she burn you?"
"Yeah, she threw some fire at me before she left. It's nothing to worry about."
Juliet was swinging her arms. "Well we didn't find anything too important besides some woman named Elizabeth Swann and her Father. She thought we were pirates when she first saw us actually. So, you met actual pirates."
"Yes, but weren't you listening? Antonia was here. And the more I think about it the more I think maybe there's a connection between her, Puck, and that mystery woman Akio saw back in Land of Dragons."
"Yeah maybe…..I think I know of someone who could answer our questions."
"Who?"
"Erik."
Clementine looked over at Akio then back at Juliet. "Are you serious? He's probably the connection."
"Well, there's no harm in asking him. Come on let's go."
