Crystal's Barnacles

[Captain Hector Barbossa]

Chapter 1: The Flying Ducthman

“Check for survivors. Bring them to me,” the infamous Davy Jones shouted at his sea creature crew.

“Aye, Captain,” replied the first mate. Some of the crew went off the Flying Dutchman to search among the debris of the Lady Emerald for any potential crewmembers. A hammerhead shark crewmember spotted a living girl on a piece drift floating very close to the Flying Dutchman. The crewmember jumped on to the driftwood, upsetting the girl’s balance on the driftwood. The girl slipped off the driftwood and landed with a splash into the ocean. She started to tread water, glaring at the hammerhead crewmember.

“Who the hell do you think you are!” she snapped at him, continuing to tread the water, since the hammerhead crewmember was standing on her floatation device.

“I wouldn’t speak with that foul tongue of yours around the Captain, especially if you intend to join the crew,” the hammerhead replied.

“I already have a Captain, thank you very much!” she hissed at the hammerhead. “Besides you’re just a creature, not a human. Only humans have Captains.” The hammerhead groaned.

“Not anymore. Your Captain is probably dead. Anyway, I was once a human, same as you, except I have been on this ship for fifty years. The sea grows on you on this ship, literally,” the hammerhead replied. “The ship and our Captain are the terror of the seven seas.” The girl kept treading water.

“It’s not the scary. I don’t see where the ship is such a terror. I cannot speak of your Captain since I have never met them,” the girl said. The hammerhead rolled his eyes and grabbed the girl out of the water. With the girl in arms he climbed back aboard the Dutchman. He threw her down in front of his Captain.

“Captain, she’s a live one,” the hammerhead informed his Captain.

“I can see that,” his Captain responded. “Go back to your duties.” The hammerhead left them. The girl stared at the feet of the Captain. One of his feet was covered in a sea-encrusted boot. The other foot was a crab leg. She got to her feet and saw the Captain’s whole body. The Captain grinned at her.

“Hello, Miss Barbossa,” the Captain said.

[Captain Hector Barbossa]

Chapter 2: Davy Jones

Crystal stared at the squid faced Captain in confusion.

“Who are you?” she asked him.

“You are intelligent girl. You should know who I am,” the Captain replied. Crystal thought for a minute.

“Terror of the seven seas…” she muttered to herself, thinking back to her days as a barmaid in the Faithful Bride Tavern. “Of course… What is the name of your ship?”

“The Flying Dutchman.”

“As I suspected. You’re Davy Jones, aren’t you?” she said.

“Aye,” the squid faced Captain told her. “Now lets see here. I have absolutely no use for you. You are neither dead nor dying. You are alive and healthy. So feel free to leave, unless you have any other business here, which I doubt you do.” Crystal smiled as a plan hatched in her mind. Davy started to walk away and Crystal followed him like a dog.

“Surely the…” she started and looked at him closely. “The powerful and handsome Captain Davy Jones can help me?”

“For a price,” Jones said, without turning around and continuing walk, up the wooden staircase, towards his cabin, secretly smiling to himself at her compliments, since they sounded sincere, even though they really weren’t. Crystal continued to follow him.

“A deal then,” Crystal replied. “You help me and I will match your price.”

Jones stopped right before the door to his cabin. He turned around and looked at the brunette.

“I’m listening,” he said simply, expecting a deal for a ship or power or good sailing along the ocean.

“I want to find my parents. Even if I see them only once it will be enough to satisfy me,” she whispered softly. Jones heard her and backed up to the door, surprised at her humble request. He knew if he had his heart still, it would be crying out to help her anyway he could in her quest. But his heart was gone and he felt no emotion about her request. He was speechless for a split second. When his voice returned to his throat he told her: “I can show you the way. You will only see them for one day, from the time you find them to the next time that time rolls around you will be able to see them. At the end of that time, I will collect you.”

“Collect me?” she echoed.

“I will ask you for what I ask of all of my clientele, your soul,” he clarified. “Deal?”

He held his squid tentacle hand. She stared at it before she grinned. She grabbed his arm and shook it.

“Deal!” she said.

[Captain Hector Barbossa]

Chapter 3: The Guide

“Good,” Davy said. “Now if you intend find your parents you will need guidance to lead you to them.”
“You have a guide for me?” Crystal asked, hopefully.
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t!” he said and laughed at her. Crystal glared at him and yanked a bunch of his tentacles.
“I suggest you give me that guidance unless you want to be my dinner!” she shouted at him, meaning it.
“Oh, and what does a girl like you plan to do with me?” Davy wondered.
“I know where your heart is and I can take it any time and make you my squid henchman. Doesn’t that sound fun!” she retorted.
“My heart?” he echoed.
“Aye. Jack Sparrow’s carelessness let the heart end up in the hands of the East India Trading Company. Lord Cutler Beckett will soon use you as his little puppet to gather up and kill every man and woman what calls themselves pirate. Do ye want that?” she snapped at him.
“NO!” Davy cried, not believing it.
“YES!” she replied. Davy looked at her, knowing that she was telling the truth. She let go of his of tentacles. Davy walked in his cabin and shortly returned to the door. In his tentacle-like hand he held something.
“Open your hand,” he demanded. Crystal did and Davy placed his music box in her hands. “This is a one-of-kind music box. Lose it and I will make sure that you will die the instant you lose it. Understand?” Crystal nodded wearily. “This will guide you to your parents. Just wind it up and play it. Oh and you have three days to find them and retrieve me my heart back. If I get my heart back, I will not take your soul and I will give you one thing you want that you cannot get by other means. Do we have an accord?”
“We do, Squi-I mean Captain Jones,” she replied, shaking Davy Jones tentacle hand with her other hand.
“Alright. Now get off my ship!” he hissed.
“I’m working on it!” she told him.