Light Within Darkness Chapter 65

Lea, Roxas and Xion walked in a port and Xion wondered, "Where are we?"

"Not a clue," admited Lea. "Although I don't recognize this place, I have the feeling we I have been before."

Suddenly they were run over by somebody and as they looked who it was, the only thing Roxas could ask asked, "Will?"

Suddenly a few dozen blades and guns were pointed at them and a bald man came to them, "Welcome to Singapore!"

"Well… now we know," sighed Lea. "And if we survive this meeting, I am going to burn somebody."

Later that day two pirates were coming to Singapore in their boats, hiding in the fogs of the canals. They watched soldiers patrolling around. Finally they reached a hidden spot where they were meeting with fellow pirates. The two were lead to a bath house. By the entrance they were asked to put their weapons down, which the two did so.

However the woman of the two was stopped and the one stopping her told, "Do you think because she is a woman we would not suspect her of treachery?"

The captain of the two answered, "Well, when you put it that way…"

"Remove. Please."

The woman sighed and began to place down from various parts of her clothes four guns, a set of bombs, a miniature cannon, three daggers, one long blade, an axe and finnaly a bottle of poison from… between what woman's have in front of their body. However she was again told, "Remove. Please."

After a change of clothes by the woman the pirate duo was lead through hordes of man in the bath house, some of them having toads on their heads growing. Finally they reached their bald headed leader who had their back turned to them for now. He slowly turns around and his 'guests' slowlybowed down. Then the man spoke "Captain Barbossa, welcome to Singapore."

Barbossa raised and nodded while the bald man told to a woman, "More steam."

She bowed and pulled on a rope with a rock tied on it and some seconds later steam raised from the ground. Then he stepped towards Barbossa and spoke, "I understand that you have a request to make of me."

"More of a proposal to put to ye," answered Barbossa. "I've a venture underway and I find myself in need of a ship and a crew."

"It's an odd coincidence," was the reply and the woman asked. "Because you happen to have a ship and a crew you don't need?"

"No. Because earlier this day, not far from here, thieves broke into my most revered uncle's temple and tried to make off with these," replied the bald man and raised a scroll into the view. "The navigational charts. The route to the Farthest Gate."

After tossing it to one of his man he continued, "Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?"

"It would strain credulity at that," was Barbossa's answer.

After a gesture to one of his henchman, four people were brought in. But the pirates only recognize Will and Lea… they don't know who the boy or girl with them are. Sao Feng walks to them and told, "These are the thieves. Are their faces familiar to you?"

"How often do we have to tell you?" asked the red haired of them. "We have nothing to do with the adapted thievery of this guy here."

However he was ignored as the pirate captain received 'no' from his guests and spoke, "Then I guess they have no further need for them."

Then he adept to hit one of them with a blade but the woman's reaction stopped him. He put his weapon away and spoke, "You come into my city and you betray my hospitality."

"I assure you I had no idea…" began Barbossa but the other spoke. "That they would get caught!"

He turned away and continued, "You intend to attempt the voyage to Davy Jones' Locker. But I cannot help but wonder… Why?"

Barbossa tossed over a coin and explained, "The song has been sung. The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords, you must honour the call."

"More steam!" was the answer of the Pirate Lord but as none came he shouted. "MORE STEAM!" and short time later the steam came and he spoke. "There is a price on all our heads."

"Aye," answered Barbossa and the Pirate Lord kept on, "It seems the only way a pirate can turn a profit anymore… is by betraying other pirates."

"We must put our differences aside," told Barbossa "The First brethren Court gave us rule of the seas. But now that rule is being challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett."

"Against the East India Trading Company, what value is the Brethren Court?" wondered the Pirate Lord. "What can any of us do?"

"You can fight!" told the woman. "You are Sao Feng, the Pirate Lord of Singapore. You command in an age of piracy where bold captains sail free waters. Where waves aren't measured in feet, but in increments of fear and those who pass the test become legend. Would you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy and yet you sit here cowering in your bathwater!"

"Elizabeth Swann," began Sao Feng. "There is more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? And the eye does not go wanting. But I cannot help but notice you have failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones' Locker?"

"Jack Sparrow!" told Will and Lea asked. "How did he end up there?"

"Got eaten by the Kraken," answered Will and Roxas wondered. "So… your trip is about to bring somebody dead back?"

"Sounds good to me… we bring him back, let him do whatever he is supposed to do and afterwards I grill him," told Lea and then it was Xions turn to ask, "Why?"

"Because of what he did to Roxas!"

"Jack Sparrow sold me indirectly to Davy Jones."

"Lea… please let me beat him up first," told Xion and the red haired guy grinned. "With pleasure!"

"Thought Though… why would you want him back?" asked Lea and Barbossa answered. "He's one of the pirate lords."

"The only reason I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead is so I can send him back myself!" told Sao Feng and Lea panned. "He has lots of friends."

"Let's say… it is easier to count who isn't after his neck," told Will and Roxas asked. "And such a guy is Sora's friend?"

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight," told Barbossa. "He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died. So we must go and get him back."

Sao Feng however told, "So you admit you have deceived me."

Then he ordered "Weapons!" and the pirates on board are showing well equipped. Barbossa tried to reason, "Sao Feng, I assure you, our intentions are strictly honourable."

Then suddenly four blade shoot out of the ground and Elizabeth and Barbossa grabbed them. Then Sao Feng grabbed a man and told, "Drop your weapons or I kill the man!"

"Kill him," answered Barbossa. "He's not our man."

"Great… another party is joining into our mess," groaned Lea. "There are days I should have spent in bed."

And suddenly somebody shouted, "Charge!" and soldiers came storming into the building and the fight began. While everybody was busy with fighting the soldiers, Lea used the distraction to finally burn his ropes and freed his two friends.

Without hesitation they called their Keyblades and began to fight their way out. Reaching Will, Roxas sliced through the stomach of a soldier while using his other Keyblade to cut Will free.

Then two rows of soldiers were formed and their leader told, "Ready."

And on 'Fire' the ground under them explode. Roxas looked to Lea who just shrugged, "Not me… though he said fire."

They began to make their way out of the building and followed the lead of Will and Elizabeth. Xion noticed that more pirates were coming out of the new formed hole and were following the small group. However they stopped at another group of soldiers, which was ready to fire.

Lea noticed and reacted quickly and on the 'Fire' this time… they faced a Mega Flare from Lea. Xion and Roxas were looking at him and he just told, "They said fire."

And they kept on fighting. After Xion sent one of the soldiers to the water she noticed an monkey carrying a rocket around and wondered, "Monkey and rocket?"

Roxas turned to the monkey as the animal placed it down on a chest. Then the monkey lit it with a candle a nearby parrot states, "Fire in the hole!"

"I agree on that," told Roxas and watched the rocket flying into a building… which exploded due to the fireworks inside there. Then they heard from Barbossa, "Thank you Jack!"

They ran up to him, followed by Lea. A woman joined up with Barbossa who saw Will coming to them with a pirate crew.

"You have the charts?" asked Barbossa and Will told. "And better yet. A ship and a crew"

"Where's Sao Feng?" asked Elizabeth who joined up with others as well.

"He'll cover our escape and meet us at Shipwreck Cove," was his reply and then they got to the ship.

The ship set sail and left Singapore. Elizabeth went up to the woman and told "There's no place left for Sao Feng to cower. Do you think he will honour the call?"

"I cannot say," answered the other woman, Tia Dalma. "There's an evil on these seas that even the most staunch and bloodthirsty pirates have come to fear."

The ship sailed the course set by the charts. However Barbossa remembered, "We are lacking the Keys"

"Don't worry," told Tia. "These three bearers of keys will be able to unlock the locks to Davy Jones' Locker."

"Us?" wondered Roxas and she hissed. "Indeed! Nobody of Sora."

"You know?" he asked in shock and she explained. "Here are only a few secrets for me to hide."

They look nervously at each other and hope they were in the right thing. However Tia told, "You are searching for the 20 pieces… one of them is in the hands of Davy Jones! Encountering them is your fate."

Roxas seems to be very uncomfortable about this thought.

They kept sailing and… it got cold… very cold! Lea happened to turn out the most prominent member on board due his fire… at least twelve pirates are always close to him to get some of his fire.

Xion was freezing as well despite Lea's help and they had to prevent her fainting as one of the pirate's broke a frostbitten part of his body off.

Ragetti, one of the pirates complained, "No one said anything about cold."

"I'm sure there must be a good reason for our suffering," told Pintel an Ragetti repliws, "Why don't that obeah woman bring Jack back the same way she brought back Barbossa?"

"Because Barbossa was only dead," was her reply. "Jack Sparrow is taken, body and soul, to a place not of death, but punishment. The worst fate a person can bring upon himself… stretching on forever. That's what awaits at Davy Jones' Locker."

"And we are going there freely?" asked Roxas. "I wish I could leave."

Xion went over to Will who tried to study the charts, "Nothing here is set. These can't be as accurate as modern charts."

"No," told a pirate next to him. "But it leads to more places."

"Like?" asked Xion and the man told. "Legend says to places like Davy Jones' Locker or other worlds."

Then Will read out loud parts of the map, wondering what they mean… Over the Egde. Over again. Sunrise Sets. Flash of green.

They went to Barbossa and Will asked "Do you care to interpret, Captain barbossa?"

"Ever gazed upon the green flash, Master Gibbs?" asked Barbossa and Gibbs answered. "I reckon I seen my faire share . Happens on rare occasion. The last glimpse of sunset, a green flash shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without ever seeing it. Some claim to have seen it who ain't and some say…"

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world from the dead," told Ragetti. He noticed how everybody looked at him and he told, "Sorry."

"Trust me," told Barbossa. "Young Master Turner, it's not getting to the land of the dead that's the problem. It's getting back."

"Yeah… I have my share of this" told Lea. "Same for Xion here."

"You have been dead?" asked Will and Lea told. "Sort of… still very different from a normal death."

They came close to a large ice wall and Tia told, "It is time now."

Lea, Roxas and Xion looked at the wall and noticed three keyholes. They nodded to each other and held the Keyblades out. Each of them shot a beam which hits a keyhole.

Then… the ice began to break apart and revealed an ice cave behind it. The ship went in and Lea mused, "So this is why you needed us. Hope you are not going to throw us overboard now."

"Of course not," told Barbossa. "Or else I would get rid of good people who could fight for our cause."

"Which I still am not sure if the right one," told Lea. Barbossa didn't bother to answer that and sailed into the depths of the cave.

Nothing big happened in the cave but as they came out again… they found themselves in the open seas and it was night. Everybody wondered why the sudden change of surroundings but they didn't complain since it was much warmer now.

Xion and Roxas were looking at the distance and Xion told, "You know… I miss being on the clock tower and eating ice cream with you two guys."

"Yeah. Me too," told Roxas. "In fact I missed you a lot. Well at least as long I was able to remember you."

Xion blushed and smiled to him, "Thanks Roxas."

"Not a problem," was his reply. Then he looked down to the water and notices noticed something, "Odd…"

Xion wondered, "What is odd?"

"We are gaining speed but no additional wind came up,"

"Did you just said speed without wind?" asked Lea who appeared right behind them.

The two jumped in surprise and Roxas asked "Lea! How long have you been here?"

"Just arrived to look at you," told Lea and leant over to look at the water. "We are really getting faster… oh no!"

Lea suddenly rushed forward and was joined by Will and they reached Barbossa and Will told, "Barbossa, ahead!"

"Aye," replied the captain. "We're good and lost now."

"Lost?" asked Elizabeth and he answered. "For certain, you have to be lost to find a place that can't be found. Elseways, everyone would know where it was."

"What is worse? That we are gaining speed without wind or we are lost?" asked Lea. Will didn't waste time and told, "To stations!"

"All hands to stations!" agreed Lea who was running to warn his two friends as the ship went faster. While Will shouted "Rudder full. Hard aport! Gather way," the two keybearers were already staring at what they were closing in. Roxas turns to Barbossa who ordered "Nay! Belay that! Let her run straight and true!"

"Are you crazy?" asked Roxas while the crew went on to see what was going on… and they saw they were going close to a waterfall.

"You've doomed us all," told Elizabeth while Barbossa just replied. "Don't be so unkind. You may not survive to pass this way again, and these be the last friendly words you'll hear."

"If we survive this, I kill you, revive you and kill you again!" told Roxas. Barbossa laughed and told. "Being dead isn't that terrible young Roxas."

Everybody rushed around and tried to get the ship into safety. However they were already caught in the torrents of the waterfall and couldn't get away of it. Roxas and Xion were screaming while hugging each other and Lea was hugging the mast. Everybody followed example and held on something. Barbossa laughed madly while the whole ship began to fall of the waterfall, and for everybody, everything went black.

And a voice told, "Strike your colours, you blooming cockroaches. Dead men tell no tales."

Roxas groaned as he opened his eyes and heard Gibbs saying, "This truly is a godforsaken place."

"Yeah," told Lea who looked through what got washed up from the remains of their ship. "And I fear we won't be staying here for very long… at least not alive."

"We are not dead?" groaned Roxas and was suddenly hugged by Xion who called his name.

"Nope!" told Lea. "But I think we were better off if we were… no water or food left and no ship. Also it doesn't look like we get any resupply from this place."

"And where is Jack?" asked Roxas and Elizabeth told. "I don't see anybody"

"He's here," told Barbossa. "Davy Jones never once gave up that what he took."

"Good to hear!" told Lea. "But doesn't solve the problem we have no ship here."

"Witty Jack is closer than you think," told Tia while stroking… a crab in stone form?

They looked to the direction she was looking and Xion stated "Please tell me I am hallucinating…"

"If you are…" began Lea. "Then we share this one."

From the distance came the Black Pearl, moved by countless of these stone crabs and Jack was standing on the Pearl with proud as the ship got moved from the desert sand to the sea.

"Slap me thrice and hand me to me mama. It's Jack" told Gibbs and Lea stated. "This guy knows how to make an entrance…"

As Jack got on land again, the original Pearl crew ran up to Jack while the others followed them with a slower speed.

"Mr. Gibbs," told Jack to the old man who answered. "Aye, cap'n."

"I thought so," spoke Sparrow. "I expect you're able to account for your actions, then."

"Sir?" asked Gibbs and Jack explained. "There's been a perpetual and cirulent lack of discipline upon my vessel. Why? Why is that, sir?"

"Sir, you're…" began Gibbs. "You're in Davy Jones' Locker, cap'n."

"I know that," told Jack. "I know where I am. And don't think I don't."

"Jack Sparrow," told Barbossa as he got close and Jack replied. "Oh, Hector. It's been too long. Hasn't it?"

"Aye, Isla de Muerta, remember? You shot me after this brat with a Keyblade helped you to best me in combat."

"No, I didn't," told Jack and noticed Tia. "Tia Dalma, out and about, eh? You add an agreeable sense of the macabre to any dlirium."

"He thinks we're a hallucination," told Will and Lea laughed. "Considering how long he must have been here, I am surprised he isn't crazier than before."

"William, tell me something: Have you come because you need my help to save a certain distressing damsel, or rather, damsel in distress? Either one," wondered Jack and as answer came "no."

"Well, then, you wouldn't be here, would you?" retorted Jack. "So you can't be here. Q.E.D., you're not really here."

"Quite a logical thought," told Roxas with a sweat drop and Jack laughed. "Zola! You look different! The clothes are a nice match to you. While the hair… how did you change them?"

"And I thought I look more like Ventus," muttered the blonde Keybearer and Jack turned at the voice of Elizabeth. "This is real. We're here."

Jack stares at Elizabeth for some seconds in confusion before rushing to Gibbs and asked, "The Locker, you say?"

"Aye," told Gibbs and Elizabeth explained, "We've come to rescue you."

"Have you, now?" asked Jack. "That's very kind of you. But it would seem that as I possess a ship and you don't, you're the ones in need of rescuing, and I'm not sure if I'm in the mood."

"I see my ship," told Barbossa. "Right over there."

Jack looked over and told, "Really? Than it must be something very small right behind the Pearl… since I cannot see it."

"Don't tell me these two are figthing about who is the captain of the Pearl," told Lea and Elizabeth told. "It's pretty much the main problem of these two… Barbossa used to be Jack's first mate before the former rebelled against him."

"Tough love huh?" asked Lea. "Well… we have bigger problems to deal aside from who owns a ship."

"We have Beckett having Davy Jones' heart and controlling the Flying Dutchman," told Roxas to Jack. "And he hunts down anybody who is associated with pirates."

"He's taking over the seas!" added Elizabeth in and Barbossa continued. "The Song has been sung."

"The Brethren Court are gathering," finished Tia and Jack mused with a raised eyebrow. "I leave you lot, alone for five minutes, and look what happens. Everything's gone to pot."

"Aye Jack," told Gibbs. "And our world needs ya back something fierce."

"They can't gather without you," told Will. "And you need a crew."

Jack looked at everybody, "Why should I sail with any of you? Most of you have tried to kill me in the past, some thought about it and one succeeded."

Everybody, except the keybearers who had no idea what was going on, looked at Elizabeth who looked rather guilty.

"She didn't tell you?" wondered Jack. "Well you'll have load to talk about while you're here."

Then he walked up to Lea, Roxas and Xion.

"You can burn things… but again you want to burn me for Zora so no," he told to Lea and went for Roxas and Xion. "I don't know you and you are too young…. Now, as dear William mentioned, I cannot crew the Pearl by myself," Jack pointed. "So form a line and I'll select a crew."

Surprisingly, the group obediently formed a line, save for Tai Huang. He stood at the head of his crew of men. Jack began to pace down the line, selecting a few, "Gibbs, you can come. Marty, Cotton..."

"AWK!"

Jack shrugged, "Cotton's parrot, I'm a little iffy. Then again, it'll give me someone to talk to."

He continued his selection with Pintel and Ragetti, "You two scare me, so you're out," he came across Tia Dalma next. "And you..."

Tia snickered, "Now, Sparrow," she spoke gently, running a couple of fingers beneath his beard. "Don't tell me you did not enjoy it at the time."

Jack turned away bashfully for a moment, then nodded, "Fair enough. You can come too."

Then he came up to the next man and asked, "And who are you?"

"I am Tai Huang," was his reply and nods nodded to the sailors behind him. "These are my men."

"I see," Jack acknowledged. "Where do you put your allegiance?"

"I serve the highest bidder," Tai Huang replied.

"I have a ship," Jack offered.

Tai Huang smiled, "Then you're the highest bidder."

Jack smiled, "Good man!" he said and then reached into his pocket. "Prepare to cast off!"

Every crew member he had selected moved immediately towards the Black Pearl while Jack removed his compass from his pocket. Opening it up, he waited for the arrow to settle on a direction. He felt he'd be waiting for a while due to the arrow continuing to uncertainly spin and never settling anywhere for more than a second at a time.

"Jack!" Barbossa drummed his fingers upon the charts in his hand. "Which way you going, Jack?"

Jack was frowing as he realized he had to take all of them with him.

On board of the Pearl Barbossa ordered, "Trim that sail!"

"Trim that sail!" Jack copied.

"Slack windward braces!"

"Slack the braces!"

"Haul that pennant line!"

"Haul the pennant line!"

Barbossa turned to face Jack, "What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Jack demanded.

"No, what are you doing?" Barbossa countered.

"What are YOU doing!?" returned Jack.

"No! What ARE you doing?!" Barbossa continued.

"What are you..." Jack forced himself to cease this argument before he stood firmly before Barbossa. "On a ship, the captain gives the orders."

"The captain of the ship is giving orders!" Barbossa insisted.

"It's my ship," Jack reminded. "That makes me the captain."

"They be my charts," Barbossa countered. "So it be my ship!"

"That makes you chartman!" shouts Jack and then Pintel shouts, "OY STOP IT THE BOTH OF YA THAT'S AN ORDER!"

Everybody looked at him and he told, "Sorry, I just thought with the captain issue in doubt I'd throw in my name for considerations… Sorry"

"I'd vote for you," told Ragetti.

Roxas turned to Will and asked, "Are these two the only ones who can be considered as captains?"

"Sound sad but yes," told Will and Roxas sighed. "This will be a long journey."

In the evening everything was quiet, though Pintel and Ragetting were bored and looked for something to get some entertain while they were fishing in the front of the boat.

Then Ragetti saw something in the water and gasps in surprise as he dropped the pole. Then with Pintel he looked again and they saw bodies floating in the water.

"Eerie," told Pintel. "That's downright macabre"

"Wonder what would happen if you dropped a cannonball on one of 'em?" spoke Ragetti.

They grabbed one of the cannon balls and moved over to drop it but… they just drop it on the ground as they saw Tia giving them a look and Pintel stated "Be disrespectful, it would."

"They should be in care of Davy Jones. That was the duty him was charged with by the goddess Calypso," explained Tia. "To ferry them who die at sea to the other side. And every ten years he would come ashore to be with the she who love him, truly. But the man has become a monster."

"So he wasn't born with tentacles in the face?" asked Lea who joined in and Tia answered "NO, him was a man… once."

"Now it's boat coming," told Ragetti.

The others came to see the boats and Xion hit Gibbs on the leg as he was starting to load a gun. Then she asked, "They are not going to harm us?"

"Unlike the Heartless, we are nothing but ghosts to them," told Tia and Barbossa offered. "Is best just let them be."

They looked once more to the boats. They could see people that did not look dead. They were simply floating by silently in the boats they settled in. There was a large variety. Most of them were English people, still dressed in their everyday attire. Even children were among them.

"Such a bastart," mumbled Lea as he saw the children. In Beckett's attempt to eradicate pirates, even simple families have died.

Elizabeth noticed one figure in particular, "Father?" she got to the rail and looked out. The man wore the traditional uniform of a Gouverneur. "Father! We're back! Over here!"

"Elizabeth?" told Will and Xion added "I don't think we're back..."

Elizabeth took a moment to register what the two mean meant. She gasped softly, then called out again, "Father!"

Governor Swann was not deaf to them, fortunately. He turned his head and looked up. "Elizabeth!" he cried out. "My darling...are you dead?" she shook her head in denial. "I see...I think I am."

"You can't be!" Elizabeth denied. "You're right here!"

"I must warn you while I can," Swann called back. "There was a chest, you see. The one that gives Beckett his power. Inside, there was that heart. I found out that if one is to stab the heart of Davy Jones, the one who does the deed takes his place. The Dutchman must have a captain."

"Nothing new to me," told Lea and Will asked. "How do you know?"

"Made a deal with Jones… Roxas for his chest. Though I never told him that the heart wasn't in there anymore. Still wonder how Beckett got it… I thought Jack had it."

"In truth somebody else had it!" told Willm "And I know who."

"It was silly to die for, in my opinion," Swann chuckled as he registered the information. "But I hope that it helps you."

Elizabeth ran to the deck and took up a long roll of rope. She hurled it out to sea and the rope draped perfectly aboard her father's boat, "Take the line, quickly!"

Swann made no attempt to grab the rope at all. He smiled up at his daughter and his eyes began to water with happiness, "I've seen how corrupt our so-called allies really are, Elizabeth," he admitted. "I see the truth that the pirates are fighting against that corruption," he smiled even more widely, allowing a few tears to flow. "I am so proud that I could call you my daughter."

"Father, take the line!" Elizabeth cried desperately. It slid off the boat and into the water with Swann having never tried to take it. His boat was quickly drifting past the Black Pearl.

"I'll give our love to your mother," Swann promised.

"No!" Elizabeth ran for the stern. "Father, come back!" Will rushed after her, fearing she would do something rash. His fears were confirmed when Elizabeth used the rigging to climb to the railing.

"Elizabeth!" he called. He took hold of her hand and pulled.

"Father, I won't leave you!" Elizabeth squealed through her tears. She struggled more, but Will soon pulled her back on deck. Instantly, she turned around and buried her sobbing face into his chest.

Will held her, as he knew he should. He looked to Tia Dalma, "Is there a way?"

With a grave look, Tia shook her head, "Him at peace now."

During one of the hot days the crew was complaining about the lack of rum while Tia told, "If we cannot escape these doldrums by nightfall, I fear we will sail trackless seas, doomed to roam the reach between worlds… forever."

"Since we are lacking water now," started Lea. "Forever seems to come a little too soon. Not in the mood to die again."

"You were dead as well?" asked Barbossa and Roxas told, "Long story… but technically, Lea, Xion and I have been dead once."

"How was the afterlife for you?" laughed Barbossa and Roxas told "Uhm… like in the body of somebody else for Xion and Me…"

"I woke up back alive once I was dead," told Lea. "But our death was bond with complicated cases. Not so simple like for example cutting your head off."

Xion shock her head, "Why are you talking and not doing anything?"

"Aye," agreed Gibbs. "There's no sense to it."

"And the green flash happens at sunset, not sunrise."

"OVER THE EDGE!" shouts Gibbs "It's drivin' me over the bloomin' edge. Sunrises don't set."

Jack on the other hand was on the map, trying to get a course while mumbling, "UP is down… Well that's just maddeningly unhelpful. Why are these things never clear?"

"Clear as mud, Jackie."

"Mud isn't..." Jack lifted his head. "Wait...who's there?"

Emerging from his dreadlocks, one of the miniature personas of Jack emerged, hanging onto the beaded charm that hung from one of them, "Stab the heart," he urged.

"Don't stab the heart!" Jack turned to his other shoulder to see second version of him stepping out. "The Dutchman must have a captain."

"That's more unhelpful than 'up is down'," Jack replied. "Why not give me the options and consequences so I can think this out?"

"Very well," said the first imaginary Jack. "You could sail the sea forever."

Jack smiled, "I do love the sea."

"What about port?"

"Port's not bad," Jack admitted. "But I prefer rum."

"Indeed," the first Jack agreed. "Rum is good."

"Not that kind of port. Making port," corrected the second Jack. "Going ashore to get the rum," he dropped his voice. "Once every ten years."

"What did he say?" the first Jack asked.

"Once every ten years," Jack repeated.

The first Jack inhaled nervously, "Ten years is a long time mate."

"Longer if you count the defecit of rum," Jack agreed.

"Eternity is longer still," the first Jack reminded.

"How will you spend it, then?" the second Jack asked. "Dead or not dead?"

"Perhaps as 'The Immortal Captain Sparrow!" the first Jack offered tantalizingly.

"Ooh, I like that!" Jack smiled widely.

"Yes you do," the second Jack. "But it won't matter what you like by the time sunset comes around."

Very slowly, the pieces began to fall together in Jack's mind, "It isn't sunset..." he placed his fingers on the centerpiece, which showed two ships opposite each other, one upside-down. Turning it, he reversed which ship was right-side up and which was upside-down. "Sundown. And rise...up!" he arose excitedly from the chart and ran for the railing. "Good God, what's that?!" he leaned over the side of the railing, which attracted a few glances. "Do you see that?"

The others came and tried to find something. As they don't see anything, wondered Xion, "Do see what?"

"There!" shouted Jack and ran to the other side, with everybody following him, trying to see what he sees. As they didn't see anything, Jack runs back to the other side and the ship began to move according the sudden shifts of weight.

"What is he doing?" asked Roxas. "All he does is rocking the ship this way."

Pintel went ot Ragetti and told, "He's rockin' the ship!"

"We'll tie each other to the mast, upside down, so when the boat flips, we'll be right way up."

Barbossa shock his head, "Time it with the swell," and goes below the deck, ordering the crew. "Loose the cannons, you stinking bilge rats! Unstow the cargo, let it shift!"

The below-deck crew untied the nets and the cannons and allowed them to roll and tumble along with the ship. The additional weight significantly increased how much the ship tilted each time.

Pintel and Ragetti were laughing at each other as they were tied upside down on the mast.

"Guys…" began Roxas. "I have no idea how you did that but… WHY DID YOU TIE ME UP AS WELL?" revealing he was tied upside down the mast as well… must to his unfortune.

Xion was just staring and asked, "How did you do that?"

"One more should do it!" Barbossa cackled. "Put all you've got in your miserable bodies into one more!"

The Black Pearl's weight shifted again and the crew made one final sprint during the brief moment that it was level. It was the greatest struggle of all to take hold, but everybody managed to grab onto the railing and gripped it tightly. The force behind the tilt gave everybody only their hands to prevent them from falling. Their legs seemed to kick behind them, as if they were swimming. The Pearl was tipping over very slowly, bringing about its inevitable capsize. One of the man couldn't hold anymore and fell down. He lands landed on the other railing safely… only to have one of the cannons land on him.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Jack announced. "You are witnessing an opposite force at work here," their feet danged beneath them, getting closer to the water. "Now up..." the ship descended more quickly as the weight began to take a toll on it. "...is down!"

Everybody took a deep breath of air while the Black Pearl was completing its flip to allow its bottom to stick straight up into the air. The sudden plung took Will by surprise and he released the railing. Elizabeth released it with one hand to reach for her fiance, who drifted away. She nearly panicked, but Will was resourceful very quickly. He took hold of the rigging and held tightly. Everybody was fully secured now.

Waiting expectantly was the only option the crew had left. The sea water was completely surrounding them and they couldn't hold their breath forever. Were one to be watching the sun on the horizon, they would have seen the setting sun. Its peak dipped down, as if swallowed by the water. The moment it had set was the moment a green flash fired up into the sky.

Around the ship, the surroundings began to change as the realm they resided in began to change. Rather than floating upside down at the surface of the ocean in Davy Jone's Locker, they now clung to a ship that was completely upright and lingering at the dense, crushing depths of the sea. It began to rumble and rise at an alarmingly quick rate.

Then everything shifted once again. The Black Pearl broke the surface of the water. An explosion arose from the sea in the spot where it came up. The sea poured out of every orifice on the ship while the crew was tossed from the railing and scattered upon the deck.

Pintel and Ragetti sputtered and coughed up some water, as upside-down and trapped against the mast as when they had first tied themselves to it, "This wasn't a good idea, was it?" Ragetti thought aloud.

"I warned you," told Roxas with a dry look. "And this was also the reason why I didn't want to be part of this…"

"Blessed sweet westerlies!" stated Gibbs. "We're back!"

"Nice to know," stated Lea. "But couldn't have been done without us getting wet?"

"What's wrong with getting wet?" wondered Xion and Lea answered. "My fire is weakened… though nice to have a sunrise now."

Suddenly Barbossa took a gun out, aiming at Sparrow. Gibbs took his out, aiming at Barbossa. Will aimed for Barbossa, the same for Elizabeth.

Jack took his gun and aimed at Will, who aimed with a second one back to Jack. Sparrow noticed Elizabeth aiming at him as well, taking a second gun to return the favor.

Xion heard another click, turned and saw the monkey aiming a gun at the parrot, the parrot asking, "Parley?"

"Seriously?" asked Lea. "We just made it out and now you are fighting among yourselves?"

"We need our pistols! Get untied, hurry!" shouted Ragetti.

Roxas sighed and asked Xion, "Would you please?"

Xion nods and took the Keyblade out and cut the rope, causing the three tied up man to fall on the floor/deck.

In the meanwhile the gunpointing members of the crew started laughing, lowering the guns, just to point them back at each other.

"Alright then," told Barbossa and continued, "The Brethren Court is gathering at Shipwreck Cove. And, Jack, you and I are agoing. There'll be no arguing that point."

"I is arguing the point" countered Jack. "If there's pirates gathering, I'm pointing my ship the other way."

"The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett," argued Elizabeth. "To fight Beckett, and you're a pirate!"

Then Will intervines, "Fight or not, you're not running, Jack."

"If we don't stand together, they'll hunt us down one by one," explained Barbossa. "'Till there be none left but you."

"Quite like the sound of that," grins Jack. "Captain Jack Sparrow, the last pirate."

"You want to be hunted by the whole world?" asked Lea. "Since no other pirate is left, every single ship out of bounty would be after you."

"How does it fill in your plans?" asked Roxas and Jack replied. "I'm still working on that. But I will not be going back to the locker, mate. Count on that."

Then he fired his gun… or… he would have. But no more than a click didn't came from his weapon. All other are attempting to fire as well and Lea laughed, "Folks! We have been under water for a moment! Didn't you even consider it for a single second that the gunpowder is wet?"

"We can still use them as clubs!" suggested Ragetti and hits Roxas on the head, knocking him out. Pintel told, "Effective."

Then they go for the charts and looked before Will pointed on an island, "There's fresh water on this island. We can resupply there and get back to shooting each other later."

"How about we solve the main problems of ourselves and THEN we go back to shooting?" suggested Lea. "Then we don't have Becket or Davy Jones to worry about."

"He has a point," agreed Will. "But let's just see how things works out"

"You lead the shore party. I'll stay with my ship," stated Jack and Barbossa told. "I'll not be leaving my ship in your command."

"Why don't you both go ashore and leave the ship in my command?" asked Will and as the two captains look at him, he added, "Temporaily."

Xion sighed, "How about you leave the ship on somebody you three trust while all of you three go and fetch the supplies?"

Now all three were looking at her and she asked, "What?"

Some time later they were on the beach of the island and Xion wondered, "Why am I here again?"

"For suggesting that we leave the ship in your command," told Pintel and Ragetti told. "No! For suggesting that pirates are trusting a pirate!"

"But… aren't we all pirates?" asked Pintel and Ragetti shrugs. "What's your point?"

Lea sighed and walked on the beach, then he spotted something together with Jack and Barbossa, telling, "That sucks."

They stand in front of the remains of a Kraken and Barbossa asked Jack, "Still thinking of running, Jack? Think you can outrun the world?"

Then he continues "You know, the problem with being the last of anything… by and by, there be none left at all."

"Sometimes things come back, mate," replied Jack. "We're living proof, you and me."

"Aye, but that's a gamble of long odds, ain't it?" wondered Barbossa. "There's never a guarantee of coming back. But passing on, that's dead certain."

"Why should Jones kill his pet Kraken?" asked Lea, remembering what Roxas told him about the life on board of the Flying Dutchman.

"Proberly Beckett's idea," told Barbossa. "To prove his control over Davy Jones."

"That is bad," told Lea and Jack nodded, "Summoning the Brethren Court, then, is it?"

"it's our only hope, lad" told Barbossa and Lea told. "Last or only hopes sucks due the odd luck with them."

"There is less in the world," told Jack and turns around.

Once the rest of the shore expedition was ready, they moved into the depths of the island to the water spring, only to find a corpse in it.

Xion gasped and Lea sighed after looking at the corpse, "No sense in checking the water. This guy is long enough dead that we would only poisoning us by drinking it."

Ragetti turned the body and told, "Eh, I know him. He was in Singapore!"

"That's a trap!" shouted Lea and got his Keyblade out, only to hear Pintel, "We got company!"

They turn and saw a ship getting close to the Pearl. Then suddenly the crew members from Singapore were pointing their guns at everybody, most of them at Jack who pointed at Barbossa, "He's the captain."

"Seriously?" asked Lea. "That is what you have to say about this?"

Back on board of the Pearl, they saw the ship taken by the crew of Sao Feng, who stood on board othe Pearl. Barbossa walked up to him, "Sao Feng… you showing up here, is truly a remarkable coincidence."

"Especially since we had no clue where we would show up when returning from the Locker," remarked Roxas. "After all we could have shown up somewhere, where this island wasn't the first option."

Sao Feng just grinned and told, "Jack Sparrow. You paid me great insult once."

"That doesn't sound like me," told Jack and got a punch from Sao Feng. Lea leans to Gibbs and asked. "Does anybody living he didn't piss off once?"

"So far I know… it is a very small number," told Gibbs.

Jack got his nose back in position and asked, "Shall we just call it square, then?"

Will came in to view, pointed to Elizabeth and ordered, "Release her."

Everybody looked confused and he told, "She's not part of the bargain."

"And what bargain be that?" asked Barbossa while Sao Feng ordered, "You heard Captain Turner. Release her."

"Captain Turner?" asked Jack and Gibbs explained, "Aye, the perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!"

"I need the Pearl to free my father," told Will and Roxas replied. "You know that you cannot just kill Jones! You would be in his place. And then Becket would still have the upper hand, since he would have your heart."

"It is the only reason I came on this voyage" told Will. Elizabeth stared at will. "Why didn't you tell me about this plan?"

"The same reason why you didn't tell me about you killing Jack: it was my burden to bear."

"He needs the Pearl," began Jack. "Captain Turner needs the Pearl."

"And you felt guilty" he continued, pointing to Elizabeth before turning to Barbossa. "And you and your Brethren Court."

Then he asked, "Did no one come to save me just because they missed me?"

"Well… Sora would have," told Lea. "If he hadn't his hands full with something else."

Some of the Pearl group raised their hands, even the monkey and Jack stated, "I'm standing with them."

However… Sao Feng grabbed Jack and pulled him over and stated, "I'm sorry, Jack, but there is an old friend who wants to see you first."

"I'm not certain I can survive any more visits from old friends," mused Jack and Sao Feng forced him to look at the sea with the words. "Here is your chance to find out."

In the distance was another ship and Lea sighed, "Great… just what we needed."

The ship was from the East India Trading Company and brought Jack to their ship while bringing soldiers on the Black Pearl. Sao Feng went in front of the one leading the boarding crew and told "My men are crew enough."

"Company ship, company crew," was the reply while Will protested. "You agreed. The Black Pearl was to be mine."

Sao Feng nodded, "And so it was."

Then one of Sao Fengs men punches him, bringing him away while everybody got into chains. Xion wondered, "What are they doing with us?"

"Knowing our luck: hanging us," told Lea. "Or at least they will try it."

Sao Feng protested, "Beckett agreed the Black Pearl was to be mine."

However he got as answer "He's not going to give up the only ship as can outrun the Dutchman, is he?"

"Shame they're not bound to honour the code of the Brethren, isn't it?" began Barbossa. "Because honour's a hard thing to come by nowadays."

"There is no honour to remaining with the losing side," countered Sao Feng. "Leaving it for the winning side, that's just good business."

"Losing side, you say?" questioned Barbossa and Sao Feng answered. "They have the Dutchman. Now the Pearl. And what do the Brethren have?"

"We have three Keybearers, one of them a princess of light," answered Barbossa. "Also… we have Calypso."

Sao Feng turned to look at the chained people. Then Sao Feng laughed, "Calypso...Keyblades. Old legends."

"No! You saw the keys. And the goddess herself, bound in human form. Imagine all the power brought to bear against our enemy. I intend to release her. But for that I need the Brethren Court."

Then he grabbed something Sao Feng wore and told, "All the Court."

Then they are talking about what to prose and accepting to each other before Sao Feng told, "The girls?"

"What?"

"What?" came from the said girls and Will told "Elizabeth is not part of any bargain."

"No one takes Xion from us once again!" shouted Roxas but Barbossa just told. "Out of the question."

"It was not a question," countered Sao Feng but then Elizabeth and Xion looked at each other. "Done!"

"What?" asked Will and Lea told. "Not done!"

"You got us into this," told Elizabeth. "If it frees us, then done!" countered Elizabeth while Xion told. "If I can help then I am with her."

"They're pirates!" Roxas tried to reason while Xion told. "Pirates that Sora would be willing to trust!"

"But we aren't Sora!" countered Roxas with Xion telling. "But part of him!"

"We have an accord?" asked Barbossa.