Pirates Make Legends

15

Annabelle Davis had many questions about why they were in a small lifeboat sailing through a murky swamp with people staring at them, but Will asked what may have been the most important.

The man turned to Gibbs. "Why is Jack afraid of the open sea?"

"Well, if you believe in such things, there is a beast that does the bidding of Davy Jones. A fearsome creature with giant tentacles that suction your face clean off and drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness. They call it the Kraken, it's said the stench of its breath..." Gibbs shook his head. "Imagine the last thing you know on Gods green Earth is the roar of the Kraken and the odor of a thousand rotting corpses."

Annabelle curled her nose at the thought, leaning into Will for comfort from the thoughts. "And the key will spare him this?"

"Now, that's the question Jack wants answered. He wants it bad enough to visit... her."

"Her?" Annabelle raised a brow.

"Aye."

After reaching a dock, they tied the boat down and Jack stepped up to the dock. He looked down at his crew. "No worries, mates, Tia Dalmatia and I go way back. Thick as thieves, inseparable we are. Were. Have been. Before."

Annabelle rolled her eyes. "In other words, you don't even know if she'll help us."

Jack scowled at her, but Gibbs broke up any potential fight. "I'll watch your back."

"It's me front I'm worried about." Jack muttered, but kept on.

Gibbs looked back at Will. "Mind the boat."

And so, a long line of "mind the boat" started, until only Cotton was left, even his parrot leaving him.

The crew approached a hut before walking in.

"Jack Sparrow." She said simply.

"Tia Dalma." Jack said as he almost knocked his head on a jar. Annabelle looked at it, seeing it was filled with eyes.

"I always knowed the wind was going to blow you back to me one day." Tia said as she approached Jack, but spotted Will and pointed to him. "You. You have a touch a' destiny about you, William Turner."

"You know me?" William questioned, and Annabelle felt envy rise as this woman spoke to her partner.

"You want to know me." Tia said, leaning in. Annabelle quickly grabbed the arm of Will and pulled him back.

"There'll be no knowing here." Jack said as he intervened and Annabelle, for once, was glad for the pirate she called a friend. "We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." Jack then took Tia away, murmuring to her.

"William Turner, I was right here!" Annabelle snapped at him and with her glare he felt as though daggers were in her eyes.

"I didn't mean it! It's as though I was placed under a spell!" The boy said and slowly backed away. Annabeth when you snap at him again, but Jack motioned them over.

"What service may I do ya?" Tia said, beginning to caress Will's face, who once again looked as though she placed a spell. Annabelle fumes and pulled him back. "You know I demand payment."

"I brought payment." Jack said before whistling and a cage was brought over, revealing a monkey. Annabelle almost laughed, as this was no other then Captain Barbossa's monkey. Jack then shot towards the monkey, causing a yell from Annabelle. "Look! An undead monkey! Top that!"

Tia let the monkey out, and it ran to a low table, Gibbs letting out a sigh.

"You've no idea how long it took us to catch that." Gibbs groaned.

"The payment is fair." Tia said, dismissing the concerns of the man.

"We're looking for this." Will said, placing the parchment with the drawing of a key on the table.

"And what it goes to." Annabelle finished. Tia turned towards the Captain.

"The compass you bartered from me, it cannot lead you to this?" She questioned at him.

"Maybe. Why?"

"Aah. Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants. Or do you but you are loath to claim it as your own? Your key go to a chest. And it is what lay inside the chest you seek. Don't it?" Tia questioned. Annabelle looked up at Jack.

"What is inside?"

"Gold? Jewels? Unclaimed properties of valuable nature?"

"Nothing bad. I hope."

"You know of Davy Jones, yes?" Nods came from the crew. "A man of the sea. A great sailor. Until he run afoul of that which vex all men."

"What vexes all men?" Annabelle questioned.

"What indeed." Tia said and touched Will's hand, of which Annabelle quickly traded places with him, tired of the woman and her flirting.

"The sea?"

"Sums?

"The dichotomy of good and evil."

"A woman!" Jack cried, seemingly annoyed at the answers the crew was giving.

"A woman. He fell in love." Tia nodded.

"No no no no. I heard it was the sea he fell in love with." Gibbs interrupted.

"Same story, different version!" Tia yelled at him. "And all are true. See it was a woman as changing, as harsh, and untamable as the sea. He never stopped loving her. But the pain it caused him was too much to live with. But not enough to cause him to die."

"What exactly did he put in the chest?" Will questioned.

"Him heart." Tia answered, her hand placed above her heart.

"Literally or figuratively?"

"He couldn't live, putting his heart in a chest. Could he?"

"It was not worth feeling what small, fleeting joy life brings. And so, him carved out him heart, lock it down a chest, and hide the chest from the world. They key he keep with him at all time." Tia answered the guesses. Annabelle frowned. This woman seemed to know the story well, too well for her liking.

"You know this." Annabelle said and looked at Jack.

"I did not. I didn't know where the key was. But now we do. So, all that's left is to climb aboard the Flying Dutchman, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save your dear friend, aye?" Jack said, but Annabelle knew him all to well.

"Let me see your hand." Tia said. Jack showed a hand, wrapped up. A black spot rested in his hand.

"The black spot!" Gibbs gasped and did a weird spit, spin thing, Pintel and Ragetti following suit.

"My eyesights as good as ever, just so you know." Jack said with an unamused face. Tia went around her space, rummaging around, talking to herself. She came back, a jar in her arms.

"Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but once every ten years. Land is where you will be safe, Jack Sparrow, and so you will carry land with you." Tia said, handing him the jar.

"Dirt. This is a jar of dirt." Jack said, and took it.

"Yes."

"Is the... jar of dirt going to help?"

"If you don't want it give it back."

"No."

"Then it helps."

"It seems.. we have a need to find the Flying Dutchman." Annabelle and Will said at the same time. Both of their cheeks turned a shade of red, looking up at each other.

"A touch..." Tia said and she picked up items and dropped them on the table. "...of destiny."

A/N:

OH MY GODS GUYS IM SO SORRY FOR NOT POSTING IVE BEEN SUPER BUSY WITH MY LIFE. TRYING TO JUGGLE EVERYTHING AND ADDING THIS ONTO IT IS VERY STRESSFUL.