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SUNRISE FROM A TROPIC ISLE Author: Captain Cheesehead Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with Pirates of the Caribbean or Disney. The Treasure Island is a real hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, and I don't own that either. I guess you can make that the beginning setting. Summary: Everyone's off again to save Elizabeth's best friend, Annabelle, from some of Jack's old rivals. Lots of adventure, lots of fun, and you get to join in. * * * * * CHAPTER 1 You stand on the eleventh floor balcony of the Treasure Island hotel, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The wind whips your hair and the sky darkens as the sun disappears under a blanket of thick, gray clouds. Your eyes get cloudy with tears while you think about how much this place means to you. You would never be able to leave your friends and life. Starting all over in a new place terrifies you. You could never replace the friends you have, they were one of a kind. You loved your school as well. Even if most people would tell you that liking school was for geeks, the sight of the clock tower in the courtyard every morning represented a day of euphoria as you would always have a good time with your friends. The teachers were cool also, you were passing all your classes, and life was good, that is, until you found out you had to leave it all behind. You have been living in the Treasure Island for about three weeks now after selling your house. You stayed in a suite on the highest floor. You enjoyed to sit on the balcony and watch the pelicans fly lazily by. They were so close that it seemed as though you could reach out and touch them. Tonight is the last night you'll be spending here. That thought brings a fresh wave of sadness surging through you. You start shaking from trying to hold your tears in. You snap out of it as your phone rang. You rush inside the door, and search your bag frantically for your old cell phone. "Hello?" "Hey." You were greeted by the comforting voice of your best friend. You both talk for about thirty minutes. Your friend spoke to you the words you needed to hear the most. But it also upset you a great deal. Tears were pouring out of your eyes by the time she said, "I doubt we'll ever find another person as pirate obsessed as you are." Hearing this made a smile creep across your face. You have been devoted to learning every fact about pirates every since you bought the computer game Tropico 2: Pirates Cove. You were a walking dictionary when it came to pirates. After about another half hour of tears, you get off the phone and walk back out on the balcony. Your parents were at work, finishing packing their offices, and your little sister was off at a friends house until later. Your eyes dart from the still swimming pool below to the beach. The sun was setting, and the last cars were making their way off the beach. The sun was setting in the opposite direction, but its light reflected off the clouds and into the water, making everything look pink and orange. You dream of being out there in the water, doing whatever you please, to be a pirate. You half expected to see a ship along the horizon, coming to take you away from every bad thing you were feeling. Let all your problems vanish as you sailed along the Spanish Main, taking in the beauty of the clear, Caribbean waters. Suddenly, you feel the need to escape. You run into the room, past your abandoned attempts at fan fiction laying on the table, and out the door. You run down the hall to the elevator and push the buttons. It doesn't come fast enough for your liking, so you run back to the opposite side of the hall and down the stairs. You skip steps as you rush down ten floors, finally emerging in the lobby. Not knowing what you were really doing, you walk out to the pool deck. The water looks so calm and inviting. It looked peaceful. But then you look out to the ocean. It looks wild and mysterious. You didn't have to think twice. It was instinct that you were drawn to the ocean. You take off your shoes and stand on the beach for a minute, taking the whole scene in. The beach was deserted, save for a few people down by the pier about a mile north. You slowly walked into the water. The waves crash against your legs, making your pants stick. The water was cold, but you continue walking in, as if drawn by something. The water reaches your waist, and you dunk your head under. It seemed peaceful, being out there all alone. You were going to miss the freedom of coming out here whenever you felt like it. You float on your back for a few minutes, and then hear a loud roar. You jump and turn around, seeing a huge wave coming right towards you. You look back at the people sitting on the pool deck. The don't seem to notice anything. The wave grew larger and closer. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and hope for the best. The wave washes over you and sends you spinning in a torrent of foam and water. You feel your legs turn over your head and accidently get a noseful of water. You twist back and forth, feeling your arms scrape the sandy bottom as the wave drags you on the beach. You sit there for a few minutes, a little disoriented. You open your eyes, and the salt stings them. You try to get the water out of your nose and sand out of your shirt. Your elbows were scraped raw on the sand, and they bleed and sting. You figure you've had enough of the beach for one day and turn around to head back up to the room to take a nice long shower. But the only problem is the hotel isn't there... * * * * * CHAPTER 2 You look around in disbelief. In place of the normal tourist attractions and A1A, there is nothing but a beach, and a sloping tropical forest. You can see that there are large hills that sloped up to form some cliffs and a cove you were standing in. Rock walls obstruct your viewing of the rest of the beach on either side. "Where am I?" You think to yourself. There were certainly no cliffs like these in central Florida. That wave couldn't have taken you very far. It only had you for no more than ten seconds. You turn back towards the ocean. The water was a clear, turquoise. Quite different to the blue-gray you were used to seeing. "Well," you thought to yourself, "I can't just sit here all day. But which way to go?" The sky grows darker and darker. You start worrying. You start walking around the left side of the cove. You give a sigh of relief as you see a port and a town right around the wall. "Perfect," you say out loud to yourself. You make your way down to the town. It looks very old-fashioned. You can make out some docks, a fort, and a small bridge leading from the docks to a street of shops and houses. They look like they were from the seventieth century or something. But they didn't look old. You walk past the docks, getting very strange looks from the guards in red uniforms. In fact, you get strange looks from all the people that were still out. They all look like they belong in some play, or a movie set. You walk across the bridge and try to find someone that will help you. All the buildings are dark, and the only people who are out give you a disgusted look and hurry inside. There are lots of people in a small pub, but you'll use that as a last resort. Drunk people scare you. Finally you see a shop light on. You walk into what seems to be a blacksmith shop. There is a man at an anvil working on something. He doesn't seem to notice you. You walk up to the man before speaking. "Hello?" The man gave a small jump. You guess that he was lost in his work. He looks at you and you feel instantly attracted to him. His eyes were a light brown color and his dark hair is pulled back. His skin was tanned and his arms were muscular and strong. "Hello," he says very politely. "What can I do for you miss?" "Um... I know this might sound strange, but I was wondering if you could tell me where we are, sir." You say, mimicking his proper way of speaking. He gives you a quizzical look. "Port Royal. In Jamaica." You rack your brains trying to remember where you heard about this place. Then the lightbulb turns on. "Oh. You mean The Wickedest City on Earth. This is supposed to be a pirates haven, am I right?" "Well, it used to be, before the King decided control needed to be taken." He seemed to think for a minute. "But there are a select few that still roam these areas." "Still? I thought the pirates were wiped out in the eighteenth century." Once again, the man gives you a weird look. "Where exactly are you from?" "Daytona Beach, Florida." He still looks confused, and you quickly add, "In the United States." "Where?" Now it's your turn to give him a confused look. "Umm... what year is this?" "1691." "1691?! But that means I have traveled back in time. Wait a second. You aren't one of those actors they put in tourists attractions to make things seem authentic, are you?" "Miss, are you feeling all right?" The man gives you a concerned look now. You decide that he's telling the truth, and somehow, that wave brought you back in time. You tell the man everything that happened since you went out for a swim. He looks at you like you're crazy, but is still polite nonetheless. "Well, it seems to me that you are in quite a predicament. If you need a place to stay, you are more than welcome to reside with my wife and I." "Okay. Thanks." You reply. "If I'm gonna be staying with you, I might as well know your name." "Will Turner. And you are?" You tell him your name. "Okay Mr. Turner. Which way to your house?" "Will is fine. And right this way." Will started to walk out the back door. Right before he touched the door, it burst open. Will is knocked to the ground as a man comes charging in. He spots Will on the floor and makes to help him up. "Will! Glad I caught ya, mate. I need a favor from me best mate in the world. The Pearl's rudder chain busted again, and it'll take a few days before she'll be all fixed up. Anyway at all I can stay with ye for the time being?" Will looked at the man, rubbing his head "Of course Jack. Elizabeth would be more than happy to have you again." You look at the man while he and Will talk for a few minutes. He was a little bit shorter than Will, but a lot more eccentric. He dressed in an odd assortment of clothes, complete with a tri corn hat. He looked like a pirate. His hands moved about as he talked, he was very animated. His face was very handsome. He had high cheekbones and captivating eyes. You stop staring when Will speaks to you. "This is Jack Sparrow, a friend of mine." "That's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow," he corrects as Will rolls his eyes. You tell Jack your name. "Tis a pleasure to meet ye Miss. So you're from the future, eh?" You nod. Jack continues, "So obviously you've heard of me? I'm a bit famous." You stifle a giggle at his cockiness. "Can't say that I have, Captain." Jack looks a bit offended at this, but then Will makes his way out the door. He locks up and then you are all off to Will's house. * * * * * CHAPTER 3 You reach Will's house. It is relatively large. There is a drive that leads up to the front door, and on the way up, you saw that the house overlooked the ocean on the other side. A beautiful variety of flowers line the house. There were a few palm trees in the yard as well. Will opens the front door and you and Jack follow him into the foyer. You are greeted instantly with the smell of a well-prepared meal. Jack seems to notice too. "And what's your lass cookin' for dinner tonight?" He licks his lips expectantly. "Roasted Chicken, I believe." Will turns into a side room. It was a parlor of some sort. "Your welcome to sit down. I'll tell Elizabeth you are both here." He walks out of the room. You take this time to examine the interior of the house. If you thought the outside looked nice, it was nothing compared to the inside. The furniture seems too nice to sit on. The candle fixtures are silver with mahogany tapers. "A bit much, isn't it?" Jack asks you. "Yeah, it is." You say, now looking at the maple floors."I'm afraid to sit on the furniture." Jack plops down on the nearest chair, obviously not taking any care. "Ah. Will and Lizzie won't mind. They might look rich, and talk rich, and they probably are rich, but they're pirates and adventurers at heart. In fact," Jack started up his hand gestures again, "Yer quite lucky to 'ave caught them at home. Always out at sea, those two are." You imagine having this house as your own, and being able to go out on an adventure on a real ship whenever you wanted to. You wonder if that's how they met Jack. "How did you meet the Turners?" You ask, finally sitting down on a chair opposite Jack. He thinks for a few moments, and then says, "It's a long story, luv. I'll 'ave to tell ye about it some other time. How'd ye come to be in Port Royal?" "That's another long story. Besides, you'd think I'm crazy even if I did tell you." He looks into your eyes and says almost in a whisper, "Ye have no idea what qualifies as crazy in my eyes." You think about this for a few minutes. Was he trying to be creepy? Trying to scare you for the hell of it? Or maybe he has an unusual story about him as well. Whatever it was, you were a bit amused. Will walks into the room, this time accompanied by who you took to be Elizabeth. She was wearing a very nice dress, it was a light green fabric with many layers. Her hair was pulled up in a bun directly centered on the back of her head. "Hello Jack. I'm glad you're staying longer. Two days seemed barely enough to catch up on things." She then took note of you, eyeing you with amusement in her eyes. "Hello," she said, overly politely, "I'm Elizabeth Turner." You tell her your name, also trying to sound polite. She nodded. "I'm very glad you'll be staying with us as well. I need another woman in this house, with Jack being here and all." You both smile as she leads the three of you into the dining room. Will pulls Elizabeth's chair out for her. You make to sit down, but Jack rushes forward. With a mock-proper voice he says, "Oh no, dear. Allow me." You laugh at his version of a proper bow, his hair filled with beads flying every which way. Elizabeth scowls at him. Will is trying to stifle a laugh. You take the chair offered. Putting on a proper voice of your own, you respond, "Why thank you good sir. May your socks always be dry." Now it was Jack's turn to laugh. Will joined in too and Elizabeth manages a small giggle. Jack took his seat and the food was brought out by a few servants. It smells delicious. There is chicken, corn, baked potatoes, fruit, and what looks to be some sort of cake. You lick your lips expectantly. Everyone starts to help themselves to food. You feel kind of rude when you see that Elizabeth has only the daintiest bit of food on her plate, and you were eating almost as much as Jack, who had a least two large helpings of everything. Conversation was good. There are many jokes, mostly Jack's. You all talk about all sorts of things, ranging from Elizabeth's exotic chicken recipe to a wild story of Jack's about him being made chief of some tribe. You can't help to notice that he can talk for hours, of about anything. He held everyone's attention and never got boring. His stories seem far-fetched, but every time this thought crosses your mind, you brush it away, silently reminding yourself of your current situation. That's precisely the subject where the conversation headed. You recall the whole time-travel ordeal once again. Elizabeth gives you a look of concern. "I wonder what could have brought you here. Do people normally travel through time in the future?" "Not that I know of, at least from when I was from.." You pause to recall anything unusual happening before you went for a 'swim'. "All I remember is wanting to get away from everything right before the wave came. I didn't want to go through the pressure of losing everything in life I loved." Everyone was silent for a moment, not really knowing what to say to you. It was Will who broke the silence. "It's a bit late, and I have an early morning, shall we retire?" Everyone stands up. You notice Jack stuff an apple up his sleeve. He saw you staring at him and winked, causing you to slightly blush. "Jack, you can have the room you've been using." Elizabeth states as you walk back out into the hall. "I'll show you where you'll be staying." She guides you up a staircase and to the last room down the hall. You gasp with excitement after she opens the door. Before you was the most beautiful bedroom you've ever seen. On one side was a large canopy bed, with thin, light green drapes hanging from it. Next to the bed was a nightstand with a small pile of books and an oil lamp upon it. Your eyes drift from the bed to french doors leading out to a small balcony. Small trails of moonlight traced the outlines of the doors onto the floor. There was a vanity and a partition to change behind on the other side of the room. You also notice a small trunk hidden in the corner. "I hope it's good enough, this is one of my favorites besides the one Jack is occupying. I like to think this one is more feminine though." Elizabeth says. "Of course it's good enough! This is the most beautiful room I've ever seen!" You rush towards the bed. "Well, good night then." Elizabeth says to you. "Good night," you respond rather lethargically. As soon as your head hit the pillow, you were out like neon in the 1600's. * * * * * CHAPTER 4 Images form in your head as you sleep. You see quick flashes of all your friends and family. You see the pelicans drifting lazily by the window. You walk out on the balcony to touch them. But your eyes are distracted as they drift across the horizon and lock on a ship. The wind picks you up of the balcony, and you hover over the swimming pool one hundred feet below. You start flying towards the ship. You are about halfway there and the wind dies. You scream in terror as you are plummeting into the sea. Everything turns black and you start to suffocate. But you don't feel like you are under water. It feels remarkably dry. Suddenly you feel something jerking your legs, pulling you down. Then you hear a faint voice. "And then he sailed off with me ship, once more leaving me and Lizzie stranded on that god forsaken spit of land." You recognize Jack's voice. It seems to get closer. "Jack?" You manage to choke out his name. He doesn't seem to hear you. "So Elizabeth decides she's going to burn all the bloody rum..." "Jack!" You scream as the force drags you lower. Your feet feel like ice. "Don't let them take me, please Jack!" "It's all right, luv. No one's takin' ye anywhere. It's all right..." The darkness ebbs and your lungs feel like they are expanding back to normal. Your feet are still freezing. They are sticking out from under the blanket. You notice the lamp by your bed was lit. You hear a voice come from the opposite side of the bed. "You all right luv?" Jack's face was weirdly illuminated by the light. Before you could ask what he was doing in your room, Will and Elizabeth rush in. "What's wrong?" Will asks, out of breath. "We heard screaming all the way across the house!" Elizabeth looks at you incredulously. You yawn while you try to speak, but Jack speaks up for you. "The lass was only avin' a bad dream is all. All takin' care of." The Turners are still looking at you like you killed their cat. "I'm fine," you assure them. "All in my head. Sorry to bother you, but I'm all right now." Will and Elizabeth leave, and Jack stretches and yawns as he stands up. "Thanks," you say to him, threatening to doze off once again. He turns to leave, and he stops in the doorway. "No problem. And if ye have trouble sleeping again, you know where I am." You can see the gold glint in his grin before he turns and walks back down the hall. You reach over and turn down the lamp before shifting back down into the pillows. The last thoughts that drift through you mind before you fall into a dreamless sleep kind of bugs you. Was Jack being suggestive? * * * * You wake up the next morning to the sound of ocean and birds. The sun was streaming through the window and it was the perfect morning. Except the fact that you were on the floor. One leg was up on the bed, while the rest of you lay tangled in the sheets on the cold floor. 'I've must've been in a deep sleep' you think to yourself. You get up and try to unwind yourself from the mess, but your legs get pulled together even tighter and you fall flat on your face on the wood floor. You moan as a maid walks in and almost trips over you. You apologize while she helps you to your feet and gets you untangled. "'Scuse me, miss, but Madam wishes you down for breakfast," the maid says. You look at her curiously. You weren't use to having people address you all proper-like. You tell the maid to call you by your first name, and she seems somewhat relieved that you didn't care about such matters. You make your way downstairs, and find Elizabeth and Jack eating. "Where's Will?" You question impulsively. "He, unfortunately, has to be at the shop at before sunrise. Too much work if you ask me." Elizabeth looks a little upset. You take a seat and look to see what's for breakfast. Some fruit, something that looks like oatmeal gone bad, and some sort of little pastries. You take some helpings of the fruit and pastries, but leave the mystery soup be. "I've got to go stay at dear Annabelle's today. She's feeling dreadfully lonely since Daniel's been away," Elizabeth pauses, as if expecting a reaction from you. You couldn't care less who Annabelle or Daniel was, so you pretend to be interested in your food. "I hope you two can manage today. Maybe Jack can show you around." "Good idea. I can show ye me ship as well." Jack says, swelling with pride. You imagine him swelling like the girl in "Willy Wonka" and eventually exploding. You try to hide the smile threatening to creep across your face at the thought of Jack turning a deep violet color. "Jack, please be careful. You know what will happen if Norrington finds you here. You don't want him hanging your crew as well." Elizabeth warns him. He just shrugs. "I'm not afraid of 'im. I escaped from 'im a couple times as I recall, and still have me head." Elizabeth doesn't seem satisfied, but doesn't carry on about Jack anymore. Her attention turns to you. You get a little scared of what might be coming next. "You obviously need something new to wear. How about we find something upstairs for you?" Yep. You were right. Before you could make any sign of protest, Elizabeth grabbed you by the arm and was practically dragging you upstairs. * * * * * CHAPTER 5 You look down at Jack with a pleading expression on your face as Elizabeth drags you upstairs. He smirks and disappears when you make it up. Elizabeth directs you into her bedroom, and takes you straight to the huge wardrobe she had in the corner. Before you even have time to look around, she shoves several dresses into your arms. You feel a bit worried about the fanciness of the dresses she was handing you. "Um, Elizabeth, I don't think I'm careful enough to wear these dresses. I'm a bit clumsy, and I don't want to--" "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, these are not the ones that I'm overly fond of." She notices the look on your face. She quickly added, "Not that they aren't nice of course..." She picks out a few more dresses and throws them on top. You are up to your nose in dresses, and your knees start to buckle under the weight. "Mmmph!" "What was that dear?" Elizabeth continues digging at the bottom of the wardrobe. "MmmMphMphhh!" The weight was too much and your legs collapse, sending the dresses falling all over the floor. Elizabeth turns around. "I thought these shoes might be GOODNESS!" She drops the slippers she was holding and pulls you out of the pile. "Are you all right?" "Yes, thanks." Elizabeth starts to pick up the dresses, and a particular skirt catches your eye. You pick it up, and notice how unlike the others it is. It had only two layers, and was made of cotton, rather than the heavy silk and velvet the others were made of. The bottom layer was a white cotton that was very thin. The outer layer was a light plum color. The purple layer fell short, exposing a little bit of the white under layer. Edging the hems of both layers was a gold trim, making small patterns. Gold thread twirled its way up the outer layer, making tiny flower shapes that became less dense as they got higher. On the right side of the skirt hung several strands of leather, with shells, beads, and golden coins hanging from the end of each. Elizabeth notices that you were admiring that particular skirt with great interest. She steps over too you and makes a face at the skirt. "Wouldn't you want one a bit nicer? This one isn't that appropriate." "Then why do you have it?" "Well, lets just say it's a gift." "Really? From who?" "If you must know, it was a wedding gift to me from Jack. Most likely stolen no doubt. Probably from a gypsy or one of his whores." She looks shocked that she said that. You smile at the thought of how she would react to the language you were use to hearing. "I think it's beautiful." You hold the skirt up to you and notices that it falls just over your ankles. Elizabeth starts digging in the wardrobe again, and passes you another dress, only to realize you weren't standing there anymore. She turns around and notices you twirling in front of the mirror. She sighs in defeat. "Well, if you're so inclined in having that," she says it like a dirty word, "Then we must find an appropriate shirt and petticoat." She is once again digging, and pulls out a white shirt and a white petticoat. She hands them to you, and you go behind a partition to change. The petticoat was a little tight for your liking, and you make struggling sounds while getting it on. Elizabeth appears and asks if you need help. Then she notices your problem and loosens the laces in the back. "There," she said. "At least it's not a corset." You pull the skirt and and shirt over the petticoat. The shirt is loose and puffy on the sleeves. It tightens around your chest, adding a very desirable effect. Elizabeth looks at you with approval. "It does look nice, I suppose. But we still need shoes." She pulls out several heeled shoes that make you cringe at how uncomfortable they look. You'd rather go barefoot than wear those. And soon you get your wish. After pulling on several pairs with no success, Elizabeth sighs. "We could always go to the shoemaker. I'm sure he could fit you with some proper shoes." You inwardly groan at the thought of spending the rest of the day in a stuffy shop trying on shoes. "I'll be okay. Besides, nobody will even notice me. I'll be hanging out with Jack, so I won't look that bad. Besides, if I looked noble, then Jack would seem more suspicious hanging around me, am I right?" Elizabeth sighed in defeat. "I suppose you're right. At least the skirt won't sit there gathering dust any longer." You hug Elizabeth and thank her for the new clothes. She pats your back awkwardly and leads you downstairs. You like the way the trinkets clink together as you walk. "Now where has Jack gone?" Elizabeth looks around the house. She finally spots him out on the balcony and rushes there. He hears her coming and quickly stuffs something in his jacket. You can't tell what it is, but Elizabeth certainly knows. "Jack Sparrow! How dare you drink in my house?" "It was only a little, to calm me nerves. You know how stressed I am since me Pearl's been sick..." "THAT'S NO EXCUSE! HAND IT OVER!" There is a moments silence when Jack just stares at Elizabeth like she was mad. You wonder who Pearl was. Finally Jack sighs in defeat at the look she was giving him. And who wouldn't? To you, she looked downright scary. Completely different from the innocent housewife you were use to seeing. Jack passes Elizabeth a small flask he was hiding, and she immediately pours it out over the balcony and pockets the flask herself. "Now," Elizabeth's voice is back to normal and she acts as though she didn't just finish yelling. "I have to go to Anabelle's soon. Are you going to be okay?" "Of course!" Jack says. "She's with the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow. She'll be perfectly fine." Jack stands up and for the first time notices what you are wearing. "At least someone enjoys me gift," he scowls. You guess that he's still sore about Elizabeth pouring out his flask. "Ready, luv?" Jack stands up and starts walking to the door. "Bye Elizabeth! Thanks!" You wave back while trying to keep up with Jack's long strides. You see her wave back and smile. Jack slows down after you put a distance between yourselves and the house. "So, where are we going?" You ask Jack while looking at the various streets around you. He shrugs. "I can show ye the town, and me Pearl." "Who's Pearl?" You ask, really hoping Jack wasn't involved. You were thinking about him earlier, and not that you wanted to admit it, but he really caught your eye. You felt more comfortable with him than you did Elizabeth or Will. It was if you knew him a long time. "No need for ye to look so jealous. Pearl's me ship." "Oh," you respond, with a little relief. "I wasn't jealous." "Well, ye should be. Pearls me one and only." "And what makes you think I wanted you?" "Because I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, luv. No girl can resist me charms, well, for the rare exception of Lizzie." You roll your eyes. "You are so full of it?" "Full of what?" You walk ahead of him rolling your eyes again and look at where you were. There were quiet little shops all around, and some houses overlooking the street. You saw that the street winded it's way down to some docks, the same ones you passed when you first arrived. "Where first?" You ask. "We have to go somewhere I won't be noticed. I've been in the jail here a few more times than comfy, savvy?" "Umm, ok." "So that excludes the docks, and most public places." "Fine. Then how about your ship?" You ask, a little annoyed that Jack couldn't be seen where you wanted to go. "To me Pearl it is." |