Fight For The Right

45~ Legend Becomes Reality

A/N: Wow, two updates in one day! The picture is Alexis Bledel, who I am basing Maddie's appearance off. And I apologise in advance as this is probably the longest chapter I have written so far - mainly a filler but still with key things in it. The inspiration I got to help me write the scene at the end of this is from the Cliffs of Insanity fight scene in The Princess Bride. Enjoy :)

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*Maddie's P.O.V*

I brought my knife out of my boot and dug the tip into the railing, bored. A lot is going through my mind, mainly worrying about Elizabeth because I do not trust Sao Feng the slightest bit. The Empress is long gone, as is the Endeavour, and the Black Pearl is now sailing soundly in general direction of Shipwreck Cove. I admit, I am rather excited about this big pirate meeting, because at least it means we're not just sitting around waiting for our kind to go extinct. We're actually doing something.

My curiosity sparked when Barbossa walked over with a familiar twinkle in his eye. I turned my head slightly and raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you up to that you're not sharing with the rest of us?"

He smirked. "Old wives tales, don't worry yourself over nothing."

"Oh, I am already worrying... about Elizabeth and whatever is in store for us next," I answered, digging my knife into the railing again. After a moment I turned to him. "And... thank you for saving me, for not letting Sao Feng take me with him."

He flashed me a genuine smile, something rare in Barbossa's case. "You're welcome. You've done many a favour, I was merely returning it."

"But why?" I placed my knife back in my boot and turned fully to face him. "Why do you value me so much as to save me from drowning and then stop someone from killing me, another pirate lord, no less?"

He snorted and looked out at the open water. "Do you really think Grapple would let me live it down if I let you die when I could've stopped it? And I already lost you once; Maddie, you're the only one I consider the closest to a daughter. Surely you overheard Grapple and I arguing about that day you first joined my crew?"

I smirked at the membery, the same day we'd all gone swimming and Grapple and had our first kiss. "Yes, I remember quite well."

"There you go. You mean something to others besides your sister, you know."

He patted me on the shoulder then moved away and I sighed, running a hand through my messy hair before clasping my hands over the railing in front on me. The sun is high in the sky now, bathing the decks of the Pearl and meaning lots of space to sunbathe and warm up but also few areas to cool off. Still, as a pirate you learn to get used to that and soon shade becomes as rare treat but most pirates, myself included, prefer the sun unless we absolutely have to avoid it.

Looking out at the open water, with the sounds of the crew lazily moving around the ship behind me, I couldn't help but think of that day back in my bedroom in Port Royal almost 9 years ago... when I was 11 and Elizabeth was 12, the day Elizabeth and father got back from England and he had brought Will with them. Wow, that was so long ago; I'm now 20 and Elizabeth is 21... Time had flown since we were taken aboard the Black Pearl for the first time.

I remember Elizabeth and I sitting at my bedroom window, looking out over the harbour and what you could see of the ocean. I remember dreaming of sailing the seas so much and now that dream has come true, I never want to leave because I cannot imagine living anywhere else.

"We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me 'earties yo ho!" I hummed quietly. "We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot. Drink up me 'earties yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life... for me." As usual, I whispered the last words, something of a habit for me whenever I sing that song. However, it seems my peace and quiet was not to last for long; what I recognized to be Pintel and Ragetti's voices came from behind me: