Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Legend of Nüwa

Chapter One - Finding A Goddess

Smells upon smells filled Jack's chest as he maneuvered his way through wooden poles and walls along the streets of the city. He could still hear the waves crash against the support beams on the shore and listen to them run back into the sea. Usually, the village would be full of noise, but recent news sent everyone home with worried thoughts and nervous stomachs. 

"Oi," Jack whispered to a man slumped on the ledge by a fish house. "Oi! You know where anything is 'round 'ere?" he asked. The man ignored him. To be fair, he had no idea what the dirty man was saying. Jack slumped forward slightly.

"Min Yeoh. She here?"

His head lifted suddenly, as if he was struck with something. He nodded, looking around. His weak and wrinkled finger pointed down a narrow alleyway to a wooden shack with yellow light glowing through the shades. He tipped his hat at the man and sauntered off towards the hallway.

Pots clanging and papers shuffling about echoed louder as he stepped closer. The door was propped open with a heavy pot, and he leaned to one side to see what was going on within. 

A tall, blonde woman hunched over a too-small wooden table. She was making room for maps and papers with scribbled symbols. He knocked on the door and for the second time tonight he had been ignored.

"Ahem," he coughed, knocking again. "You have a visitor--"

"Leave, Brit," she spat, lifting a scroll above her head and to the light. It was a map. Apparently, she was not satisfied with it, as she threw it behind her after a second of observation. Jack raised an eyebrow. 

"It's been a while. I understand if there are... mm... hard feelings," he teased, letting himself in the shack. He sat at an uncomfortable wicker sort-of chair and looked around. It looked like the room had been set up the way it was in a matter of minutes, like it had to be inhabited or else there were consequences. When the next map was no help, she threw it down and turned to him. Her anger subsided for only a moment.

"Bastard," she hissed, throwing a feather drenched in ink at his chest. It landed and slid off, leaving a dreadful blackish-blue mark. He looked down at it as she stomped over and repeated, "You bastard!

"Do you even know what's going on? This whole village along with the rest of the country is preparing to die! Someone knocked over the Northern sky support!" she hissed, grabbing the collar of his white undershirt. He swallowed and laughed.

"Sky... support..." he said. "That's what you said?"

"The four legs that hold up the sky!" she exclaimed. "What keeps the sky where the sky should be! These supports have been there since the first days of human life," she sighed. Her face, however angry it was, could not hide the sorrow and fear in her eyes. Of course, Jack didn't feel all that bad about a fable, but she was an old friend. 

"You are the smartest... woman I know," he said, standing up. She crossed her arms against her chest. "But... an old legend that the sky is being 'eld up? And how do you even know?"

"The ground rumbles beneath the feet of those North of us and kills my brothers in their own homes. The world is crumbling from the top and will only continue to come down," she explained, putting on a show with her hands. "Nüwa put those legs up many many years ago--"

"So let's get her to put up another!" Jack spat, spinning with joy. "Problem solved all thanks to me--"

She grabbed him again, their noses nearly melding into one. After a deep breath she whispered, "You want to find an eternal goddess and ask her to put another leg in the sky to keep it from falling?"

He paused, confused.

"Well, what else would we do?"

She dropped him in defeat and groaned loudly. She swiped all the maps off the table and sat on it, looking down at the cracked floor. 

Even if it had been a few years since they'd seen each other, she still looked the same. Long yellow hair, a tall and slender frame, and wearing those silly glasses she wore when she was reading or studying. He'd never seen her without a book or something to write on, and that was what got her so far. She wasn't really a true pirate, but maybe the teacher of all pirates.

Most "pirates" from China were fishermen. She had no interest in fish or the act of catching them, so she snuck on the boats and watched how they sailed. After years of studying and practice, she finally set sail on her own.

Now here they were. Jack the full-fledged pirate she dreamed of being and Min-- still nose deep in books she'd probably already read.

"When's the last time you were in a fight, Minny?" he asked, sitting down again. She shook her head. He had finally gotten a smile out of her.

"Too long ago," she mumbled. "I sail all day, but I surely don't do what you do anymore. Sometimes I miss it. Other times I'm glad I'm not constantly worried about dying."

"Mm."

"Why are you here anyways?" she asked quickly, lifting her head and shoving her glasses in the front pocket of her makeshift, oversized qipao. He leaned back and stared at the roof.

"Compass," he said, tossing it at her. "Pointed this way. Ended here. Ship's sittin' outside waitin' for another adventure. I guess what I wanted most was to see ya."

"Backhanded way of saying you missed me," she said, caressing the magical object. She opened it, and it needle spun around and pointed at her. Or maybe something behind her. She furrowed her brow.

"Find Nüwa, huh, Jack?" she said. He shook himself away from the roof and back to her. She laughed, "Alright, you've convinced me. Let's go find a God."