Pirates of the Caribbean Canon Fanfic

Life, Liberty and Leverage - Chapter 2

2007-12-03T23:01:07Z

AUTHOR - wool_gatherer
DISCLAIMER – PotC belongs to Disney, not me.
CHARACTERS – Just about everyone.
RATING – PG-13

SUMMARY – Captain Jack Sparrow is a wanted man, but not just by the Crown. He has something that everyone else wants and they will stop at nothing to get it. It's just a matter of who finds him first. Jack as always, knows exactly what he has – leverage. Post AWE.

(Read chapter 1)

Chapter Two – A Bargain is Struck

- - -

“What is it you want most in this world?”

There was only one answer to that question. There had only ever been one answer to that question.

“To save Will, Captain Teague,” she said without hesitation. “I want my husband.” Elizabeth picked up the book and felt its weight in her hands. It was surprisingly heavy for its size.

Teague smiled and pushed himself away from the table. “Ah... Captain Turner.” He picked up his hat and nodded.

“Yes,” replied Elizabeth, lifting her eyes from the book to look at Teague. The light revealed his face once again. He was smiling at her as if he had known what she was going to say. “I want him here with me.”

“You know, Elizabeth,” he said, as he ran his fingers around the brim of his hat. “If a curse can be laid upon a person, it can also be lifted.”

“I beg your pardon.” Elizabeth blinked. What was he suggesting?

“The book, Elizabeth,” said Teague. He placed his hat on his head and pointed to her hands. “It tells you what you want most in this world.” He began to stroll around the table toward her. “You want freedom, freedom for your husband. Freedom from the curse that he now finds himself under.” His voice was a deep, low rumble.

“Yes,” said Elizabeth with a brief nod, “but I knew that already. I know that I want Will to be free.” He wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know. What use was a book that told you what you already knew? That didn't seem particularly helpful.

“Aye, but the book can do more than just tell you what you want; it can give you what you want too.” Teague stopped next to her. He placed one hand on the back of her chair, the other on the table and leaned forward.

“What do you mean?” A surge of excitement welled up inside her. It could give her what she wanted? How? When?

Teague's long hair brushed against the table top as he looked down at the book. “Read on.”

Elizabeth turned the page, careful not to damage the aged paper. Sure enough there were words on the next page. “It says...” Her words stuck in her throat. “It says, 'Over the edge, over again, to the reach between worlds.'.” She looked up at Teague to see him nodding again as he studied the writing. “You mean I have to return... to go back?” she asked, not quite believing what was happening... not quite daring to hope. “If I go back to... back over the edge, I can save Will? He can come back with me?”

“Aye.” Teague stood up straight and looked down at Elizabeth. The light from the candles above seemed to smooth the lines on his face. He somehow looked younger. “Take the book,” he instructed her. “Find my Jackie. Tell him and Barbossa to take you on that precious ship of theirs. Once you find your husband you can lift the curse. The book will tell you what to do. Your husband will be free to return to the land of the living with you.”

“Really?” Elizabeth could hardly believe it still. Why hadn't it occurred to her that she might be able to lift Will's curse? Teague was right. If a person could be cursed, then surely they could be uncursed... just like on the Isla de Muerta. Returning all the aztec gold to the chest had lifted the curse from the crew of the Black Pearl. There shouldn't be any reason why Will's curse couldn't be lifted. It seemed obvious now that Teague had suggested it. And what had he said? My Jackie? How odd. That was the first time Elizabeth had heard Teague refer to Jack in that way. It was the first time he had admitted to her that Jack was his son. Why now?

“Aye. Really,” said Teague, breaking into Elizabeth's thoughts.

“But why would Jack take me?” asked Elizabeth, forgetting about everything other than the possibility of lifting Will's curse. “He wouldn't help me.” She felt a wave of disappointment hit her as she realised that what Teague was suggesting could not possibly work. “Not if it meant going back there... Jack wouldn't go back to the Locker.” He and Barbossa had the charts. They had the Pearl, probably the only ship that would be able to survive the journey, but Jack wouldn't risk it. He wouldn't risk his ship and his life and neither would Barbossa. Neither of them would go back to the other side, not for her.

Teague turned his back on Elizabeth and started to walk back toward the entrance. His coat billowed out behind him in the breeze. “You don't need to go back to the Locker,” he said over his shoulder, “just over the edge.” He stopped and turned to look at her. “Besides, Jack'll do as you ask. Barbossa too. You're the King remember.”

Elizabeth stood up, closing the book. She lifted it to her chest and enfolded it in her arms. “I doubt that I'll hold much sway in that capacity.” Now that the war with the Company was over, there was really no need for a Pirate King. She doubted the pirates would pay any attention to her outside the confines of Shipwreck Cove.

“They'll do as you ask, or they'll have me to answer to.” Teague lay his hand on the butt of his pistol. His voice was heavy with threat. “The code states that the Pirate Lords must obey the Pirate King. The code is the law.”

The code was the law in Shipwreck cove, but it seemed to Elizabeth that the further one ventured from the cove, the less the code was respected. The code ceased to be the law and became just guidelines. “With all due respect, Captain Teague, Jack is a law unto himself.”

“He's a good lad, my Jackie,” he replied as he let his hand drop to his side. “He follows the code. He might take the long way round, but he does what's right in the end.”

Elizabeth thought for a moment. Teague was right. Jack was a good man. He had proved so on more than one occasion. “Yes. If it wasn't for Jack, Will would be dead... I would be dead.” Perhaps Jack would help her. Barbossa was another matter altogether.

“Aye.”

Elizabeth stroked the spine of the book. It still felt warm to the touch. Suddenly, a question occurred to her. “Why are you helping me?”

“It's my duty,” he replied quickly, “as keeper of the code.”

“Come now, Captain Teague,” said Elizabeth, realising there was more to this encounter than met the eye. “I may be new to this...” She cast her gaze around the Great Hull. “But I was not born yesterday. What does it say in the code? Take what you can, give nothing back?”

“As I said, you're not just a pretty face.” Teague's lips twitch into a nervous smile.

“What do you want from me in exchange for this book?”

“Your word.”

“My word?”

“Aye,” he said, taking a single step forward. “Your word that as Pirate King, you will prevent my son from attaining that what he wants most in this world.”

“Prevent Jack from...”

“Immortality, Elizabeth.” Teague cut off her sentence again, but Elizabeth didn't mind. She wanted to hear what he had to say. “I offer you William's mortality, for Jack's,” he said as he stepped forward again. His gaze flickered from her face to the book and back again. As he drew closer, Elizabeth could see a change in him. His shoulders had sagged, he was frowning. All of a sudden, he was no longer the feared and respected Keeper of the Code, he was simply a concerned father. “All his life Jack has been searching for freedom. Once upon a time, he believed that that blessed ship of his would give him the freedom he wanted. Now, he believes that true freedom comes through immortality.” Teague's words rang true. Elizabeth thought back to the night she and Jack had spent on the little island. He had said that the Pearl was freedom, but recent events suggested he wanted more than just the Pearl. He had planned to stab the heart himself, hadn't he? Immortality was what he really wanted. “He is wrong, Elizabeth,” continued Teague, “as you well know. Life everlasting comes at a price and a hefty one at that. He asked me for that book once.” Teague looked again at the book in Elizabeth's arms. She glanced down at it and held it a little tighter. “I knew why he wanted it and I said no because I knew what it would cost him.”

“What would it have cost him?” she asked, although she was fairly sure of what Teague's reply would be.

“His soul.” Teague's eyes grew dark. “Imagine it, Elizabeth... an eternity without a soul.”

Elizabeth clutched the book tighter still. “Much like an eternity without a heart, I'd imagine.”

“Exactly.”

“Can this book really free my husband?” She looked back up at Teague, hope warring with trepidation within her.

He eased backward. “As long as that is what you want most in this world.”

“It is,” she said. “Of course it is.” What else could she possibly want? “Very well.” She straightened her shoulders and drew in a deep breath. “I will take the book. I will find Jack, I will make him take me to the other side and I will free my husband from his curse.” Elizabeth glanced up at the candles spluttering above her. Their light was dying. Her conversation with Teague had lasted longer than she had thought. “In exchange I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to prevent Jack from gaining immortality at the cost of his soul.”

Teague nodded. A smile of relief spread across his face. “Thank you.” His voice was so quiet she could hardly hear him. He obviously cared for his son a great deal more than he wanted anyone to know. She wondered how Jack truly felt about his father. It seemed that now she would have a chance to find out.

“No,” replied Elizabeth, “thank you, Captain Teague.” Another gust of icy wind cut through the room. Elizabeth instinctively hugged the book. She felt a strange reassurance in it's presence. As well as being warm, it was also somehow comforting. It was as if it wanted her to want it. The thought gave Elizabeth an idea. “Just one thing though,” she said before Teague could turn to leave again. “Would it be all right if I were to show Jack this book?”

“Why?” He squinted at her, apparently suspicious of her motives.

“Well, if I know Jack,” she said with a grin as her spirits lifted again, “and I think I do, he will be more likely to help me if he thinks there is profit in it for him.” Her smile broadened as understanding registered in Teague's eyes. “I could show him the book and suggest that I might be willing to let him have it after I have used it.”

“Ah... leverage.”

“Exactly.”

“Pirate!” he said with a chuckle, mirth and respect voice.

“Not just Pirate, Captain Teague,” she replied as she felt her excitement mount further. “Pirate King.”

Life, Liberty and Leverage - Chapter 1

2007-11-28T23:11:01Z

Chapter One – A Little Light Reading.

- - -

Smoke curled upward from the thick tallow candle in the middle of the table; its greasy scent hung heavy in the air. A river of wax ran down the white column, congealing where it met the scarred mahogany surface below. The flame flickered as a breeze blew through the Great Hull. Elizabeth shivered and pulled her coat tight around her shoulders.

“Why is it so cold in here?” she asked as she watched her breath condense in the air before her. Rising from her chair, she reached for a taper. She picked it up and held it in the dancing flame. It hissed and popped as it caught alight. Elizabeth grasped the back of the chair and stepped onto its seat, careful to shield the flame from the gusts of wind at her back. The chair was the most ornate chair she had ever sat in... or stood on. Even her father's mansion had not had anything that could compare with it. Its back was black wood, carved by a Master Craftsman no doubt. Elizabeth couldn't help smiling. Mythical sea monsters cavorted with buxom mermaids beneath a rather florid crown. “Pirates,” she said as she lifted the taper to the candles sitting on the anchor above her head. “Not the most imaginative of creatures.”

Elizabeth lit as many candles as she could reach. It soon felt a little warmer and it gave her more light to read by. She hoped that the wax would not drip onto the books that lay on the table beneath. She might be the Pirate King, but that would not stop Captain Teague from chastising her should she damage his precious books.

Captain Teague. Now there was an unusual man. He was so much like Jack, yet so very different. To look at them, you could see they were father and son, but when questioned as to the nature of their relationship, neither of them would admit to anything more than a healthy distrust of one another. They were an odd pair - not quite peas in a pod. Their faces, their hair, their drunken swaggers – they were all the same. It was the way they spoke that was different. Jack could tie a person in knots with a single sentence, but Captain Teague spoke plainly. He said what he meant and he meant what he said. It made a refreshing change.

Elizabeth climbed down from the chair and blew out the taper. She didn't have time to waste thinking about Jack Sparrow and his relationship with his father. She had work to do. The books wouldn't read themselves. She had read most of them, starting with the Pirata Codex. Captain Teague had insisted that as Pirate King she should know the code by heart. Elizabeth had told him that she did know it; she had been studying since she was a child. Teague had just laughed. It had taken her two weeks to read her way through the mighty tome. The next two weeks had been spent reading several smaller volumes: The Court Chronicles, Piratical Pleasantries and The Corsair's Concordance.

Four books in four weeks.

The chair creaked as Elizabeth sat down. She closed her eyes and sighed. Had it only been four weeks? Only four weeks had passed since the pirate's victory against Lord Beckett and the Crown. Only four weeks had passed since Jack, Barbossa and the crew had sailed off in the Black Pearl and left her at Shipwreck Cove. Only four weeks had passed since... since Will had become the Captain of the Flying Dutchman. Four weeks? It already seemed like an eternity.

“You'd best not be getting wax on my books, young lady.” Teague's quiet brogue jarred Elizabeth from her thoughts.

“No,” she said with a gasp. Elizabeth turned toward the entrance and squinted into the darkness. “I'm not, Captain Teague. I assure you I am taking great care of your books.” Despite her position as Pirate King, Elizabeth knew where the real power lay – with the Keeper of the Code, Captain Teague. She had seen first hand the respect he commanded among the Pirate Lords and she had no desire to find herself at the mercy of his displeasure. Pirate King or not, one wrong word and Elizabeth could quickly be looking down the business end of Captain Teague's pistol.

“Well, that's alright then.” Teague stepped further into the room. The silver crosses in his hair glinted gold in the candlelight as his blood red coat swayed about him. “They're priceless those books. Worth their weight in gold.” His eyes seemed to gleam as he walked around the table. Each footstep resounded through the deserted hall.

Elizabeth frowned. “If they are priceless, how can they be worth their weight in gold? Surely if they are worth something, they can be bought and are therefore not priceless.”

A smile spread across Teague's rugged features. “Not just a pretty face are you?” he said as he slumped into the chair opposite Elizabeth. He leaned back, lifting his hat from his head and depositing it on the table. The candlelight flickered at his movement.

“I should hope not,” replied Elizabeth. She reached for the book in front of her and pulled it closer. “It wouldn't do for the Pirate King to be all beauty and no brains now would it?”

Teague's chuckle echoed around the room. “I suppose not.” He ran his fingers along the length of the feather in his hat, apparently pondering his next question. “Have you found what you're looking for?”

Elizabeth frowned again. “What I'm looking for?” She hadn't been aware that she was actually supposed to be looking for something. She thought she was just supposed to be reading and learning.

“Aye, your majesty.” Teague nodded as he spoke, a curious look upon his face. “There's more than just legends and laws in these books you know.”

“There is?” Elizabeth sat up straight. Teague's words had caught her interest. She still didn't know what it was she should be searching for, but the promise of something more exciting made her want to find it. As a child she would have died to be able to read these books. Now she had them all in front of her. What was she waiting for?

Teague extended his hand. The lace cuffs of his shirt dragged through the dust on the table. He tapped a ringed finger on the book directly in front of him. “I think that you might find this one particularly interesting.” He reclined again and rested his elbows on the arms of the chair.

Elizabeth could feel his gaze on her. She looked down at the book. It was singularly unimpressive. Smaller than the rest, its cover was made of tattered brown leather. There were no markings, no engravings. It didn't even have a title. “That one?” She raised an eyebrow in question. “Are you sure?”

“Aye.” Teague nodded again. The ornaments in his hair rang like wind chimes in a mild, spring zephyr. The candlelight trembled once more.

“And why would I find it interesting?” she asked. As far as she could see there was nothing at all interesting about the book. That was why she had planned on reading it last.

Teague fingered the feather on his hat again. “Perhaps you should take a look and find out.” His voice was quiet, but his eyes seemed alive with excitement.

Elizabeth reached for the book, suddenly curious as to its contents. Teague's strange manner had her intrigued. He wasn't usually so mysterious. “What's it called?”

“It doesn't have a name,” he answered, watching her draw it silently across the table top.

“Nonsense.” Elizabeth peered at the book. It still looked unremarkable and Teague was right; there was no title on the front cover. “All books must have a name. Otherwise how...”

“Not this one,” he interrupted.

“Why not?

“What would be the point in naming that which cannot be named?”

Elizabeth's head snapped up. She looked at Teague. There was something about him. Like father like son, she decided. “You're beginning to sound like Jack.”

Teague grunted in apparent disdain. His gaze drifted away for a moment, but then he looked back. “Open it.”

Elizabeth ran her fingers across the worn leather. It was odd. The book felt warm. It was as if someone had been holding it before her. That was impossible though; it had been sat on the table for the last few hours along with the rest of the books. Her interest now well and truly piqued, Elizabeth opened the front cover. The old bindings cracked, but she paid them no mind. Inside, the pages were yellowed and crumbling, but there was something written in the centre of the first page. The ink was faded. She could just about read it. “Look!” she cried, pointing to the lone word. “It does have a title.”

“What does it say?” Teague's voice was calm. He did not seem surprised by her revelation. It was as if he was expecting her to find a name for the book.

She looked more closely. The word seemed to be growing darker, more prominent on the page. “Freedom,” she said. “It says Freedom.”

Teague smiled and nodded once. “Interesting.” He picked up his hat, placed it on his head and pushed himself to his feet.

“What is?” asked Elizabeth as she stared at the book. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she watched the letters grow brighter and bolder across the page.

“Tell me, Mrs Turner.” Teague placed both his hands on the table and leaned forward. Elizabeth looked up at him. His face was in shadow, hidden beneath his hat and his hair. His eyes, however, glimmered like stars in the night sky. She swallowed hard as she realised what it was he was about to ask her. “What is it you want most in this world?”

How Far Are You Willing…? (Post-AWE vignette)

2007-06-18T07:58:02Z

Hi! New member here. Hope you enjoy this fic.

Title: How Far Are You Willing…?
Characters: The Pirate King, the Captain of the Dutchman, OCs.
Genre: Horror/Romance.
Summary: Takes place after AWE. Anything else will spoil it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or any of the characters of the Pirates of the Caribbean.

( The 'Empress' prowled the waters, looking for prey... )

potc_canon_fic @ 2007-06-10T20:48:00

2007-06-11T03:48:57Z

Title: The Ferryman
Characters/Pairings: Will, Jack and a hint of Will/Elizabeth. This could also be seen as Will/Jack slash, though I wrote it as friendship.
Warnings/Spoilers: Definite spoilers for At World's End (even possibly I guess in the summary), and warnings that if you choose to read it that way you will see slash. I personally see friendship. *shrug* Your call!
Summary: "Ah!" Says Jack. "The Locker. Everyone comes to the Locker eventually, even Captain Jack Sparrow. A familiar face though, can make a world of difference.
Notes: Just wondering how death would change with the circumstances established by the third film. This is me and my purposeful vague-ness. Beware!

Enjoy!

Though it is his duty, he still does not look forward to those moments when the mists part and he comes across a ship, its mast splintered and its flag in tatters, or a raft, full of dry canteens and parched men, their mouths still open.

He is not sure which part he dreads the most. There is the moment when they blink and open their eyes and for one instant he sees the joy of having escaped death light up their faces before he speaks the line he now knows by heart (I have come to ferry you from this world to the next). There is the moment in which they have a choice -- to beg, to plead, to argue, to curse him, and his name, and his kin, and all who sail under him, or to accept their deaths and take that first step into another world.

There is the moment when some of them, the older pirates, or the drunken ones, ask him, isn't there some kind of deal they can strike? Hundred years of servitude, isn't that right? Well a hundred years isn't so bad, so if you please, I'll take --

And he shakes his head and turns away.

"There is no such deal."

And then there is the moment after that, which it does not do to dwell on, no matter how bleak the night.

But to be honest, and though he captains an uncanny ship and an uncanny crew, he cannot help his honesty, the moment he dreads most is that when he must first see the faces.

He dreads the idea that it will be someone he knows. He has seen plenty of them pass this way. When he first took on the job one of the first souls he found, rowing lost through frighteningly calm seas, was James Norrington.

The lieutenant had turned and smiled. "A guide at last Mr. Turner?"

Exactly as Will had remembered him, yet somehow two-dimensional. Lacking something. "Yes." Will had said, not trusting himself to say more.

"Point me in the right direction." Norrington had said. "Many are far more lost than I am."

Always so honorable. Will has a nagging feeling it was honor that killed him. More common ground.

He has seen Gibbs, a rum bottle in his hand and a grin on his face. "Will Turner!" He had crowed. "I know you. No cause for worry boys, I know death!"

Then he'd laughed a drunken laugh at raised an eyebrow at Will. "A few more years then mate? For old times' sake?"

Will had simply turned away.

That night had been a sleepless one.

He has seen Barbossa, and the man he once despised had instead inspired feelings of loyalty and admiration three years gone now. Barbossa at least, had understood.

"Jack's right for once. There's less in this world." He had muttered under his breath. "May there be more in the next one."

That night had been one spent remembering a battle that was by then three years gone, the cheers and the shouts, the convictions that came with fighting for something you knew, knew, was right. And with people you believed in almost more than the cause itself.

It occurs to him one night that he will never see that monkey, and he laughs for a night, and remembers that, after all, he has a ship under his command and someone waiting for him, and his job is not such a bad one after all.

It is more difficult to remember in the morning, when dawn comes up slowly over a flat sea and he sees the dinghy sail toward him, a man slumped against its mast, a bottle clutched in his lifeless hand.

Jack Sparrow.

Will gives orders for a line to be cast, and remembers a time eerily like this six years ago, a line cast. The difference here is that the soul can come aboard. He is captain of the Flying Dutchman after all.

"Jack!" He calls, and the figure's head turns slowly, one eye slowly opening, the other squinched shut.

"Ah!" Says Jack. "The Locker. I s'pose I can't call it Davy Jones' locker any more can I? Will Turner's locker? Doesn't have the same ring to it mate."

Will smiles. For some of the crew, it is the first time they have seen their captain smile a smile that is not wistful, or accompanied by a far away, distant look in his eyes.

"Hello Jack."

"Will Turner." Jack says. "I see you've managed to avoid --"

Here Jack breaks off and wiggles his fingers in front of his chin with a grimace.

"The tentacles?" Will asks, and Jack nods.

"I thought as much." Jack says, shaking his head. "There you go, being responsible. That'll get you into no small amount of trouble mate."

"I've had my share of trouble, thank you Jack." Will says.

"Ah yes! And why exactly? You're always saving someone. Always has to be your bloody responsibility. Well I am happy to report that I will not need any saving, from you or anyone else."

"I couldn't save you anyway Jack." Will says, trying to keep the tinge of regret, or guilt, out of his voice. "I prefer not to have --"

Jack again wiggles his fingers in front of his chin with a sympathetic nod. "I can see where your objection to them comes from mate. They'd suit you almost less then me. I, of course, always have my rakish charm to fall back on."

Will grins. "Of course."

"Well mate, I've got to be going I s'pose. 'Course I can't be going until you show me where to go. Care to point the way?"

"Of course." Will says again, without the smile. "Come aboard."

"Sailing into the next world in style. I like it mate. Finally learned to think like me, have you?"

"Only the best for Captain Jack Sparrow." Will says, allowing the sarcasm to edge into his voice only to recall a semblance of normal interaction, of life among the living.

Jack grins, fishes in his beard, and emerges triumphant. "Peanut?"

Will turns down the offer.

*****

They emerge on the other side of the Gate none the worse for wear, and Jack gives a small half-smile. "Place looks bloody familiar." He comments as they glide towards the godforsaken sand dunes and barren shores of the Locker.

"We aren't stopping here Jack." Will says, and at the helm his father nods and turns the wheel.

"Oh?" Jack asks, and Will taps his wrist. Jack looks down to see his pirate brand slowly fading.

"You've atoned for your sins Jack." Will says.

"Not all of them." Jack says with something like pride in his eyes. Will shakes his head and smiles.

"No." He agrees. "That wouldn't be possible. Enough of them."

They put Jack ashore at a nicer beach -- not a nice beach, but a nicer one. Jack glances at it and grins.

"If I'm lucky rum runners don't stop running rum just because they're dead. Never stopped me."

"Good luck Jack." Will says, and they shake hands. Jack seems more willing to go than Will is willing to let him. A piece of his old life is hard to relinquish, and somehow the fact that it is a lying, stealing, cheating, smelly, pirate piece only makes it harder.

"Jack," Will says suddenly, as Jack prepares to swing over the side, "how's Elizabeth?"

He says it quietly, this thing he has been wanting to say the whole time.

"She's saved my life five bloody times." Jack admits, grinning. "Made up for all those rescues, eh mate? Pirate King and all that. She'll be quite glad to see you. Four more years?"

"And a half." Will says quietly.

"My sympathies mate." Jack says, serious for once. "And good luck with the tentacles."

And then he is gone, gone to knock on trees, sing loudly, and wait for sea turtles.

If they will come for anyone, they will come for Jack.

*****

Hi

2007-06-11T03:11:19Z

Hi all, I am new here!! :) I have been writing Will/Elizabeth stories like madness lately. I won't flood the community by individually posting each one, instead I'll leave you with my author profile on ff.net. :)

Please feel free to read and review!! :D

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1186741/

Somewhere Nice

2006-12-02T05:57:53Z

Fic title: Somewhere Nice
Fic pairing(s): None
Fic rating: G
Fic summary: What prompted Norrington to say so in DMC? This is my way to sort of reconciliate of his behaviour in DMC. A very short drabble.

Read more

Little Did They Know

2006-11-23T05:24:17Z

"In his position, he will never know the meaning of suffering". Little did they know how I truly felt, mused one often overlooked character. Curious? Read and find out who it was. Spoilers for both movies.

Rating:G
Pairing:None
Category:Angst
Also Published At: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3249456/1/

Read more

Corset

2006-11-07T02:43:25Z

A very short ficlet.
A piece of clothing has changed the life of a few people forever. This is the POV of one of them. Don't assume who the someone is. Please read & find out & tell me what you think.

Read it

Norrington drabble

2006-09-18T16:05:32Z

Title: Freedom
Characters: Norrington, Beckett, Mercer
Rating: PG
Length: 200 words (double drabble)
Summary: James' thoughts on freedom.

Link: ( Norrington drabble behind cut! )

Pimpage

2006-09-13T11:21:26Z

Forgive me if this pimpage isn't allowed, but I thought some people here might appreciate it!

Are you fed up with beautiful pirate Mary-Sues? Are you sick of seeing Jack hopelessly out of character? Are you tired of stories with grammar and spelling so bad even a pirate couldn't read it? All in all, do you hate horrible fan fiction?

Then check out piratewank!

potc_canon_fic @ 2006-08-23T13:52:00

2006-08-23T13:03:55Z

Title: The Breaking of a First Class Snob
Characters: Jack Sparrow, Fitzwilliam, Arabella
Time: “A Coming Storm”, to fit between the end of Chapter 3 and the beginning of Chapter 4. I set it in 1700, and Jack Sparrow is about 15 at this point.
Genre: General, humour, some teenage angst, pre-slash
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Disney and I am making absolutely no profit from this.
Notes: The characters, as stated, are NOT my own, but characters from the "The Young Jack Sparrow" books. And also, this is my first proper fic and I’m very, very proud of it. :)
Beta: katrinavt. Thanks, honey! I couldn’t have done it without you.
Words: 2895

Summary: Jack didn’t want Fitzwilliam on his ship in the first place, and perhaps a filthy old pirate boat isn’t the perfect place for a young lord after all. Or is it?

( You know, Bell, you really should have brought rum. )

Tempest's Child (Jack, PG)

2006-08-11T06:03:11Z

Title: Tempest's Child
Author: Shy
Rating: PG
Character: Jack
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and its characters are owned by Disney. I use them without permission or renumeration, but with much love and respect.

Written for the ‘storm’ prompt at potc_dogwatch. Feedback appreciated but not necessary…

Taking my cue from the Visual Guide - Born on a pirate ship in a typhoon, Jack says he was...

Stumbling in late, hands full.

2006-08-03T11:46:11Z

Title: Nothing of Him That Doth Fade
Film: Dead Man's Chest
Characters/Pairing: Jack & Bootstrap, Jack/Bootstrap. Whichever you want it to be.
Notes: I wrote this on a plane between Dublin and New York, right after spending twelve days on a ship. I can blame either the ocean or certain of the themes in my dissertation, but I don't see any reason why I should settle on one or the other. This piece is set immediately after the film ends, more or less. I dislike unanswered questions.
Summary: Think of it as following Jack into dark places, but (hopefully) with a sense of humor.

(Nothing of Him That Doth Fade)

potc_canon_fic @ 2006-07-29T17:58:00

2006-07-29T21:59:50Z

I wrote a Jack/Elizabeth fic called Unsure, It has DMC spoilers, is a one-shot, and is rated T.

Review me?

Captain Jack Sparrow and the 1001 Black Pearl Nights

2006-07-21T04:04:47Z

Ahoy, mates ~

I be sendin' out a call for brave pirates, good writers before the mast. ;-)

blackpearlsails is proud to announce a new challenge - Captain Jack Sparrow and the 1001 Black Pearl Nights!

Here's the deal. We're lookin' for 1001 short stories, vignettes, short-shorts, or drabbles about Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl. Each should be an independent, stand-alone, single-chapter tale with Jack and the Pearl as the primary characters. And just to make things interestin', we'd really like to see Gibbs, the consumate story-teller, as the vehicle of each story.

Now, that can work any number of ways. He could tell the tale as an eyewitness, or he could narrate a story he heard from somewhere else, or something he just plain made up. Picture him, now, holding forth in the Faithful Bride before a rapt audience ... Or you could simply use Gibbs to open the story, and then flash back to the event your story is about. Whatever your imagination gives you. But do use Gibbs as each story's teller - we just think it would be more fun that way. ;-)

For now, though it's only a guideline, we're looking at Labor Day September 4th as the ending date. However, if we still have folks writing or are short of the 1001 fics mark, that date can be extended. Stories can be posted wherever folks like, but please either crosspost them to blackpearlsails or post a link there, so we can keep track of all the entries. Ultimately, we'd like to link to these stories from the Black_Pearl_Sails story archive.

Ratings should be no more than PG-17 to a soft R. No slash please. Well then ... if I've forgotten or overlooked anything, I hope geekmama will take up my slack. So, mates, there's your heading - now set your sails and write! Hope to see your contributions soon. :-)
Cheers ~

Erin

Argo (Jack/Pearl, PG-13)

2006-07-20T21:54:05Z

Title: Argo
Author: Shy
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Jack/Pearl
Summary and author's note: The Black Pearl and her captain at their end.

Phew, this is the most emotionally exhausting story I've ever written. Thank you hereswith for the prompt beta and the vote of confidence. Feedback, including constructive criticism, would be most welcome but is not necessary...
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and its characters are owned by Disney. I use them without permission, but with much love and respect.

Give not one-third but everything... Keep nothing back.

Community pimpage

2006-07-18T17:46:52Z

I hope this sort of thing is aloud. If not, feel free to ~~keelhaul me~~ delete this post.

Us pirates over at port_of_tortuga are in need of more players. Some canon characters are up for grabs, and original characters are always welcome, so long as you follow the rules. The rules are very important and are all listed quite clearly in the user info. In fact, everything you need to know is in the info, including who to contact if you have any questions.

The major qualifications for joining are 1) That you are literate. You don't have to write like you have a dictionary inside your brain or anything, this is not Neopets RPG, so if you submit a profile for a static character littered with typos and netspeak, don't expect to get accepted. 2) If you apply for a major canon character that is liable to be involved with a lot of the plot, make sure you'll be able to keep up. 3) Be nice to people or we'll toss ye overboard. We don't tolerate flaming.

Other than that, just read the rules, do your best to follow them, and you'll be good. We're one of the original PotC roleplay games on livejournal (nearly three years old), and, as one of the founders, I'd like to think we're one of the best. But you can always help make it better ^_^.

x-posted

Negotiations

2006-07-15T17:32:48Z

Title: Negotiations
Author: katiescarlet
Rating: PG-ish
Disclaimer: All belongs to the Mouse. I just like to play with it.
Length: Approx. 1400 words
Pairings/Warnings: None
Crossposted: Just my own LJ so far
Notes: Set immediately after the movie. Just my plot bunny about what happens next, and how Jack gets himself out of his current...sticky situation...

Captain Jack Sparrow landed on the deck of the Flying Dutchman in a heap of sea water and thick, viscous slime. He scrambled into a sitting position and vainly attempted to clear his vision with hands that were just as slimy as his face. "What the bloody hell--?" He shook his head vigorously to get his wits about him. At last he managed to get his eyes open, and found himself staring up at Davy Jones and a solid wall of barnacle-and-algae-covered crewmen.

"'ello," Jack said, somehow sounding casual. "Never thought I'd be glad to see your ol' wiggly face."

There was a horrible squelching noise behind him, and another wave of slime splattered onto his back. Something hit him between the shoulder blades and he reached around blindly to see what it was. "Ah. Me hat. Much obliged," he said with a jaunty salute to the ailing Kraken behind him.

"That'll be all fer now, me beauty," Jones said, signaling to the monster with one of his smaller tentacles.

The Kraken slid down from the railing and submerged.

Jack attempted to wipe more slime off his face but had little success. He stood shakily and leaned on the ship's coral-encrusted railing. "Thanks for the rescue an' all, but I really must be going." He turned to dive overboard but a dolphin-nosed deckhand shoved him back onto the deck.

"Or was there somethin' else?" he turned back toward the ship's master.

"Aye, Jack, there was," Davy Jones growled, stalking toward him with his peg leg clunking loudly on the rotten deck timbers. "Where is it?"

"Where's what?"

Jones clamped his crab claw around Jack's neck and lifted him to his feet. "My. Heart."

"Oh, that," Jack said with a nervous laugh, straining to keep his toes on the deck. "Afraid I haven't the slightest idea, mate."

"It's not in me chest. Where...is it?" Jones ground out each syllable, tightening his hold on the pirate's neck.

"I...don't...know," Jack gasped. "But..."

Jones loosened his grip ever so slightly. "But."

"I may know who does."

"I'm a-listenin'. But play me false and I'll make ye wish ye were never spawned." Jones threw Jack down on the deck and loomed over him, blotting out the sun with his gruesome figure.

"After the sort of week I've been having, that's not much of a stretch," Jack quipped, rubbing his neck.

"Where is it?" There was a tinge of desperation in his voice.

"Now, let me think. Where could that pesky ol' ticker have gotten to? Last I saw it..." He rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, y'know, bein' half-dead meself, and with me poor Pearl in a hun'red pieces at the bottom, I just can't seem to concentrate."

"Yer in no position to negotiate, Jack," Jones snarled.

"Neither are you, mate." Jack found his smile back, his gold teeth glinting. "Now, me...I've already lost everythin' I had, everythin' I ever wanted. The worst thing that could possibly happen to me has already happened: I've lost the Pearl. Again. In pieces, poof, gone, sayanora. Not that you'd know what that feels like...losin' the most precious thing you have..."

Jones stepped closer, slamming his peg leg down inches from Jack's hand. "Spare me yer speeches, Sparrow. Tell me where the heart is or ye'll spend an eternity scrapin' barnacles from the Dutchman's hull!"

"Isn't that sort of the point, though? All the barnacles and crusty bits?" Jack wiggled his fingers. "Adds to the whole ambiance, don't ya think? If ye were to scrape them all off, it just wouldn't be the same ol' nightmare of a ship, would it? Tsk tsk."

Jones glared down at him with an icy stare that clearly showed his waning patience.

Jack stood up, stumbled to one side, steadied himself on a cannon, and fearlessly strode up to face his adversary. "Tell ye what. You restore me darlin' Pearl once more--forever, this time--and I tell you where your heart is."

"And let you go free after all ye've done?"

Jack gave him a pitying look and patted his normal arm. "Honestly now...do ye really want to spend an eternity with me hangin' around? I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" He posed grandly with his arms spread wide. "You may own my soul but ye can't control it. I'd make yer life a livin' hell--er, more than it already is, I suppose," he added, glancing around at their macabre surroundings with an expression of distaste. "Now really, isn't it best for all concerned that we each get what we want, and go our separate ways, never to darken each other's paths again?" He waggled two fingers to mimic walking away.

"As long as ye sail on my seas, we'll cross paths," Jones snapped.

"Ah, but I intend to stay on top of your seas. You see."

Jones scowled, clearly thinking deeply. The thought of an eternity listening to the pirate's cheeky insubordination was hardly an appealing one, and the longer his heart was out of his control the greater the chance that it would fall into the wrong hands. Then again, every instinct in his being was telling him to tear Jack Sparrow apart, limb by limb, and then feed what was left back to the Kraken.

"So what'll it be?" Jack asked. "My ship and your heart, or neither, and we stand here making witty repartee for the rest of time?"

"If...if you tell me where me heart is, and you're tellin' the truth, and I get me heart back safe an' sound...then ye'll get your blasted Pearl."

"Yes, and if all that transpires, your claim on my soul is null and void. Our dealings with one another will terminate perman-nately," Jack said, forcing a rhyme.

Jones squinted suspiciously at him, trying to see a loophole that would give the pirate undue advantage. At last, finding none, he extended a tentacle. Already covered head to toe in slime, Jack shook it without hesitation. "We have an accord, then, Davy ol' boy?"

"Don't press yer luck, Jack," he hissed. "Now, the deal is made, we be bound to it...tell me where me heart lies."

"Not sure where my own lies lately," Jack muttered.

"Eh?"

"Nothing." He sighed, then resumed his jovial demeanor and turned to the grotesque crew listening intently. "All right then, where did you get that chest? Or rather, from whom did you get it? And what might the fate of said person have been?"

A spiny abomination spoke up. "Got it back from dat man in the old blue coat. The scruffy one."

"The scruffy part doesn't narrow the field much, mate, but the blue coat does, a bit. And did you search his body?"

"No chance to. He chucked the chest at us and ran away like a lily-livered coward."

"Ah, I see. So our fine former commodore escaped alive, then?"

"Careless dogs!" Jones roared. "How could ye let him escape?"

"We 'ad the chest already, cap'n," the crewman said. "Didn't figure we needed 'im."

"Ye incompetent worms, I'd feed the lot of ye to the Kraken right now, but that's too good a fate for ye!"

Jack wrinkled his nose and glanced over his shoulder at the sea. "I've had much nicer berths in my day, I must say, but to each his own..."

Jones seized the front of Jack's shirt with his claw and pulled him forward. "So this man has the heart? Who is he?"

"That would be Mister James Norrington, formerly of His Majesty's Royal Navy, more recently a scum-scraping deckhand under the captaincy of yours truly."

"Does he know what can be done with the heart?"

"Aye."

"But I still live, and I still follow my own will."

"Aye, meaning our friend the ex-commodore has other plans for your erstwhile organ."

"Such as?"

"I wager he'll use it as leverage to gain--or regain--that which he desires most--same plan as I had, really. Inconveniently for you, what he most wishes to have is not within your power to grant him. Therefore I predict he'll head to someone who does have that ability."

His tentacles twitching with frustration and impatience, Davy Jones let go of Jack's shirt and once again seized the pirate by the neck. "Where?" he snarled.

Jack attempted to swallow and failed. "Port Royal."

The Penitent Man

2006-07-12T19:36:29Z

Title: The Penitent Man
Rating: G
Author: Bloodrose (ltbloodrose)
Disclaimer: The characters are Disney's. I just like to play with them.
Summary: A pirate finds God.
SPOILER WARNING: Contains spoilers from Dead Man's Chest

xposted to pirategasm and pintel_ragetti

“Bless me, f’r I ‘ave sinned.”

The words came from a blond-haired wisp of a man, head bowed and kneeling in chains amongst the rushes in his cell in the recesses of Fort Charles. The priest sat on the only other item, save the straw, that had ever been living in the room of cold stone and iron – a low wooden stool. His crisp, black priestly raiments contrasted sharply against the other’s clothing, which had deteriorated into mostly tatters.

“The Lord be in your heart and upon your lips that you may truly and humbly confess your sins: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

“Bah,” came a disgusted voice from the next cell. The priest scowled at the short, pudgy man with long, whitish hair extending from just above his ears.

“The Lord shall absolve your sins as well, my son, should you choose to share them with Him.”

There was no answer from the other man, just a scowl in return, as observed his best mate kneeling upon the ground, appealing for salvation from the God he had so often turned his back on. But when thrust into situations such as this, some men became weak and seek out something ‘greater’ than them. It’s weakness; weakness has driven him to it. He pitied his tall, lanky mate for not having the strength to fend for himself.

Now the tall one was repeating after the priest. “I confess t’ Almighty God, to ‘is Church, and t’ ye, tha’ I ‘ave sinned by me own fault in thought, word, an’ deed, in things done an’ left undone; ‘specially…”

The penitent man looked up at the clergyman, as he had left the statement open ended. “This is where you confess all of your sins, Carlo, one by one.”

“Righ’,” said Carlo, and watched the priest turn three different shades of red and one particularly peculiar shade of purple as he recounted the complete litany of his piratical misdeeds. By this time, the man in the next cell could not catch his breath from laughing in remembrance of each item on the list, as for the most part he’d been by his mate’s side as they had been committed.

The priest finally recovered himself and placed his hand upon the blond man’s head, and Carlo repeated after the priest once more:
“F’r these an’ all other sins which I cannot now remember, I am truly sorry. I pray God t’ ‘ave mercy on me. I firmly intend amendment o’ life, an’ I ‘umbly beg f’rgiveness o’ God an’ ‘is Church, an’ ask ye f’r counsel, direction, an’ absolution.”

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has left power to his Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him, of his great mercy forgive you, Carlo Ragetti, all your offenses; and by his authority committed to me, I absolve you from all your sins: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Rejoice, the Lord has put away all your sins.”

“Halleluia!” screamed Pintel, clutching his great stomach in mirth.

“Go in peace, my son,” finished the priest, ignoring Pintel. He rose from the chair and made his way to the door of the cell, calling for the guard.

“Don’ let th’ door ‘it ye where th’ Good Lord split ye!” called Pintel, roaring with laughter. With a stormy glance and a haughty air, the priest left the cell.

As Ragetti rose from the floor and made his way to where the priest had sat, Pintel swore he could see pity as his friend looked at him. What reason did Ragetti have to pity him? He wasn’t the one who had just given away his very freedom to serve another, be it God or not.

“T’will be lonely wi’out ye in ‘eaven, Pinters.”

Fin.

Note: Reconciliation ceremony taken from the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer.

Reccing Ball #2

2006-07-12T14:07:18Z

Your friendly mod here, taking a spin on Reccing Ball #2.

First of all I'd like to comment on how I'm very excited on how DMC has opened up a whole new world of canon pairings. But that's for another post.

My rec for this week is not a fic, but an author, kapunua. You can find her PotC fic archive here: http://members.tripod.com/~jaytori/potcfics.html

Excellently written canon-based fic. I would love to see some more from her; perhaps the new movie will inspire her.

Cheers!

~Bloodrose

Anyone remember Reccing Ball?

2006-06-28T16:49:42Z

Ages ago, over on pirategasm, there was a while when there'd be a weekly post called Reccing Ball, on which folks would pimp their favorite fics.

I propose, in the spirit of the impending release of DMC, a resurrection of this idea, here on potc_canon_fic--brilliant stuff we can all reread in the little-more-than-a-week-left leading up to the opening day. Rec in comments to this post, or start your own, makes no nevermind.

I'll start, with the conceptually-fascinating 9-part Provenance series by daft. The entire series is told entirely through dialogue, and begins in a jail cell, with the actual historical pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read awaiting hanging for piracy. But, maritime history buffs will recall that both women were pregnant when captured...

In the course of the series, daft weaves in both Jack Sparrow and Bootstrap Bill, as well as the origins of both the Jolly Roger used in the film (historically that of Calico Jack Rackham, shipmate to both women) and the trinkets in Jack's hair. A great read, historically and stylistically imaginative, with not a few plot twists that might make you a bit misty-eyed.

Part One: Caged Birds
Part Two: Black Wings
Part Three: Cracks in the Shell
Part Four: Nests
Part Five: Birds of a Feather
Part Six: Plumage
Part Seven: Broken Cages
Part Eight: Flight
Part Nine: Clipped

Treasure Hunt for Pirates II Themed Car

2006-06-09T20:00:02Z

CHECK THIS OUT:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AHOY, MATEYS! VOLVO LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE “PIRATE” TREASURE HUNT FOR A BURIED SUV
Visit www.volvocars.us/thehunt to participate in Volvo’s promotion with Disney for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (June 7, 2006) — Ever wanted to experience the ways of a true buried treasure-seeking pirate? Volvo Car Corporation will support its official promotion of Disney's upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest with a global, multi-media treasure hunt for a Volvo XC90 V8 that has been buried somewhere in the world.

Here’s how she blows, me hearties: beginning June 12 through July 11, individuals nationwide can visit their local Volvo retailer to pick up a free treasure map. Once online, they are asked to go to www.volvocars.us/thehunt to register for the world’s first hunt for a buried vehicle. Treasure hunters then will participate in a challenging, engaging and fun-filled online adventure to solve a series of online clues and puzzles.

The buried one-of-a-kind, pirate-themed Volvo XC90 features a variety of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest-inspired elements, including menacing graphics from the film, black leather seats, custom painted 20 inch wheels and more.

Once registered online, individuals will have puzzles emailed to them on a regular basis. Those who solve the puzzles correctly will continue to receive clues. Individuals can join at any time though July 11, and can catch up with other participants if they correctly answer the puzzles posted online as they are emailed to participants. As the contest progresses, the puzzles will become increasingly harder to solve, with the final online clue e-mailed July 12. Volvo Car Corporation will then select seven finalists from around the world who correctly guess the answer to the final online clue.

In August, those finalists will be flown with a guest to the secret car burial location. Each finalist will then set-off on a manic on-the-ground search for the buried vehicle. The first treasure hunter to unearth the SUV gets to keep it.

To participate, individuals must visit a Volvo retailer to pick up a treasure map. Winners will only be eligible if they can produce the original treasure map upon conclusion of the hunt.

In addition to the United States, other Volvo regions participating in the hunt include the United Kingdom, Japan, Spain and Austria.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest opens in U.S. theaters July 7.

Shameless Community Pimpage

2006-05-17T16:00:18Z

I promised fabu I would pimp here, so here goes:

There is a new community, potc_dogwatch. It will feature news and discussion of PotC 2: DMC and also speculations of what it will feature. It will also most likely be a fertile ground for fanfic ideas, so please join and visit frequently.

All spoilers will be under lj-cut, so fear not. I don't want to see them either.

Oh yeah, by the way, post your fic here too! I've seen a lot go onto pirategasm that could be posted here too. Please don't forget about potc_canon_fic!

~Your friendly mod,
Bloodrose

"Take what ye can!"
"Give nothing back!"
*clunk*

The Sacking of Port Royal (19 & 20/20)

2006-04-10T16:22:17Z

Title: The Sacking of Port Royal (19 & 20/20)
Author: Tortuga Black
Disclaimer: Disney's and Paramount's
Summary: Jack needs a good swordsman, and he knows where to find one. The rest of the story is here. Crossposted to pirategasm. The link below goes to my journal.

Chapter Nineteen: The Taking of the Morning Star,
followed by The Epilogue: A New Beginning

The Sacking of Port Royal (18/20)

2006-04-07T14:13:10Z

Title: The Sacking of Port Royal (18/20)
Author: Tortuga Black
Disclaimer: Disney's and Paramount's
Summary: Jack needs a good swordsman, and he knows where to find one. The rest of the story is here. Crossposted to pirategasm. The link below goes to my journal.

Chapter Eighteen: The Spot and Troubled Waters