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piratethornton · 8 years ago

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Pirates of the Clawribbean

Chapter 2: Pirates!

Fandom: Zootopia

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Sleek, dark wood, three masts, and a black flag with a canine paw outlined in white. It looked every part a classic pirate ship, and it was swiftly heading towards the Cloverleaf.

The cheetah and rabbit stared at it open mouthed as the lemmings hurried this way and that to prepare defences. If she hadn't been so distracted, Judy would have been amused as the once highly-organised crew scattered about the deck in panic. Then the cannons started.

Clawhauser was the first to wake up to reality. "Lady Judy! We need to get below deck!"

Judy was transfixed. The pirate ship glided closer and closer, puffs of smoke lining its side each accompanied with a loud BANG! The Cloverleaf jolted as it was hit again and again. The lemmings ran frantically in an attempt to dodge the debris. It was as if she were in the middle of one of Jack's stories. She could practically hear his voice narrating the chaos surrounding her. She was pulled out of her stupor when a paw grabbed her arm and dragged her below deck.

Just as Clawhauser shut the door behind them, the cannon fire mercifully stopped, though this was probably because the pirates were now close enough to board the merchant vessel. They placed wooden planks to bridge the two ships and charged across, swords flashing in the sun. One of them, a female honey badger with a single golden hoop earring and bright red hat, raised her weapon straight into the air and addressed the merchant crew.

"Listen up, you knaves! Surrender or die!"

The lemmings froze, looked at each other and as one raised their hands.

"Clawhauser! We can't just hide!" Judy struggled ferociously against the cheetah who was now carrying her towards the galley.

"We don't have a choice!" he replied, not stopping. "Those are pirates! Real pirates! With swords! All I can do is file paperwork and - no offence, but you don't really have much experience."

She managed to wriggle out of his grasp. "I have a weapon. It's in my cabin. I'll go get it -"

"Judy!"

"You have the box, right?"

Clawhauser patted his jacket. He made sure to have it on him at all times.

"Then go hide. I'll be back soon." She was off before he could argue.

She ran as fast as she could towards her cabin, trying not to grow anxious at the fact that it was now much quieter than a few moments ago. She had to focus on collecting her pistol and rejoining Clawhauser. Once she was at her destination, she quickly and silently opened the door and pulled out one of her suitcases stored underneath her bed. Just as she was about to open it, she saw a long piece of metal enter her vision and settle across her throat.

"Alright sweetheart, I'm sure you know the deal here. Do something I don't like, and I'll do something you really don't like."

Her entire body froze, except for her heart which pounded wildly against her chest. She was too terrified to even shake. She looked down and along the sword hovering an inch from her neck to see that it was being held by a dark red paw, and the body heat behind her told her that the mammal the voice belonged to was somewhat larger than her.

"Let's make this nice and simple. Where's the cheetah?"

Cheetah? Clawhauser! The box! Judy took a deep breath and summoned all her courage. She would not betray her friend and the Navy.

"Cheetah. You know...yellow, cat, covered with spots, wider than he is tall."

The insult made her stiffen her resolve further and she stood up straighter.

The stranger gave an annoyed sigh. "Fine. We'll do it the hard way."

His other paw grabbed her left arm and he led her out of the room, his sword still under her chin. Just before they left Judy caught a sight of her captor in the mirror.

A fox.

A red fox.

A red fox holding a sword and wearing a pirate's hat on his head.

Her father would be having a heart attack.

Panic quickly grew back inside her and her breathing became quick and shallow. If only she had gotten to the pistol in time. If only she had stayed with Clawhauser. And now she was in the clutches of a fox that could easily kill her, sword or no. She swallowed, hoping she wasn't drawing attention to herself.

The fox walked through the bowels of the ship, sniffing every so often, his eyes scanning every inch they passed. Judy prayed that her friend had found a good hiding spot, and she had a pretty good idea where that was.

It seemed the pirate had come to the same conclusion; when they reached the galley he stopped.

"Alright, Mister...Clawhauser, is it? I suggest you come out so we can have a little chat."

Silence.

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt ya. This cute bunny on the other hand..."

There was rustling and clinking of jars. Between some shelves two cat's eyes shone through the gloom.

"OK, I see ya. Come on out. Don't be shy."

Slowly but surely, Clawhauser shuffled out of his hiding place, knocking over some plates as he did so. He was shaking like mad and had his paws curled into his chest. Judy tried to send him a silent apology with her eyes, but she couldn't be sure it got through.

The pirate smiled. "Let's cut to the chase. You got the map?"

"M-m-map?" Clawhauser stuttered.

"Don't play dumb," said the pirate, rolling his eyes. "You know what I'm talking about. Where is it?"

Clawhauser's eyes darted to Judy before he moved a shaking hand towards his pocket.

"Clawhauser! Don't -!" Judy's pleading stopped when she felt the sword press closer to her neck.

Eventually the box was withdrawn and held out so the pirate could see. "I give you the map, you let Judy go," said Clawhauser, managing to put some authority in his voice. "OK?"

"Actually..." the pirate replied, feigning embarrassment, "you're gonna have to come along, too."

The cheetah's eyes widened in horror. "What?" he asked in a small voice.

"Don't worry, you'll like my ship." The pirate gestured to the small chairs stacked in the corner. "It's furnished for mammals larger than rodents."

Clawhauser gaped at him, any bravery regained completely vanished. Judy could practically see his mind racing as he desperately tried to think of a way out, but he looked at her again and his face crumpled in defeat. He quickly gathered himself and stared down at the fox.

"Fine," he said, "but you have to let her go."

The pirate gracefully stepped aside, still holding Judy. "Lead on."

Clawhauser glared at the fox for a moment, ignoring Judy shaking her head frantically, then walked past them through the doorway, pocketing the box again. The pirate followed close behind.

Judy started struggling, though all this accomplished was the fox wrapping his arm around her body so that he was almost carrying her. Kicking his shins seemed to have no effect either. As they got closer to the deck they started to hear the rest of the pirates roaming the ship, clearing the cabins and cargo hold of anything they thought would be valuable. Outside the lemmings were ordered to the row boats, where they sat in neat little rows without so much as a squeak of complaint as they waited patiently for the boats to be lowered into the water. One of the pirates, a male kudu, then used a large pole to push them away from the ship.

The other pirates were loading their vessel with the goods they had found, supervised by the honey badger. A cougar caught Judy's eye as he walked along the makeshift bridge between the two ships carrying a couple of suitcases she recognised.

Clawhauser hesitated when he reached the edge of the Cloverleaf, but a quick poke from the fox's sword had him crossing over to the pirate ship. He threw several nervous glances to the fox and rabbit behind him as he was coerced to the belly of the vessel, and gave any other passing pirates a wide berth. The inside of this ship was much gloomier than the merchant vessel, though was still fairly clean, and as the fox promised the passageways were indeed larger so as to accommodate the large mammals that made up the crew. This offered little comfort as the rabbit and cheetah went further and further below until they reached the brig, the darkest and dankest room in the entire ship, lit by only one lamp swinging from the ceiling. The lone cell was marked by an old but sturdy metal barrier, and the only items within were a small wooden bench and bucket.

Clawhauser gave one more look to the pirate who gestured with his head towards the open cell door. The cheetah complied and then turned around.

"Now, if you could just slide the map over here, that'd be great," the fox said with a smile.

Dutifully the box was brought out and pushed out of the cell. The fox's smile grew. He then walked up to the door and roughly pushed Judy through, Clawhauser barely catching her in time.

"Hey! You said you'd let her go!" he said, angrily.

"I did let her go," replied the fox, closing the door and locking it. "Into the cell. You need to learn to be more specific, Spots." He leaned against the metal bars and smirked lazily at his prisoners. "Welcome aboard the Black Paw, the fastest ship on the sea. I am Captain Nick Wilde, and I hope you enjoy your stay, however short it may be." He turned around, picked up the box and walked away.

Judy's rage had reached a point where she felt she had to yell something at the fox's retreating back. "You won't get away with this!"

"Already have, Carrots," came the reply just before the fox was out of sight.

"Carrots?" exclaimed Judy, confused and insulted.

"Ohhh!" Clawhauser moaned, sinking to the floor, his head in his paws. "Bogo's gonna kill me!"

"It's going to be OK," reassured Judy, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"'Protect it with your life,' he said." Clawhauser was now rocking back and forth. "'It cannot fall into the wrong hands,' he said."

"We'll fix it," insisted Judy. "What was so special about that map anyway?"

Clawhauser sighed and leaned against the back wall, his hands falling limp at his sides. "I guess you may as well as know. It's a treasure map."

Judy's ears pricked and her eyes widened. "A treasure map?"

"Yeah," he replied, thoroughly depressed. "Apparently it was found in some ruins west of Bunnyburrow. They think it belonged to the pirate Captain Maul."

Judy took a sharp intake of breath. Captain Maul was a legendary pirate, thought to have ruled the seas for a great deal of time before disappearing about fifty years ago. Very little was known about him, as any vessel lucky enough to find him was quickly obliterated. Even Jack Savage had no personal encounter with him. It was said that he was pure evil, and had possessed some super natural powers that aided his exploits. Thanks to his success he amassed a great wealth that would rival all the kings in the world put together.

"They hoped it would lead to his treasure trove," Clawhauser continued. "It would be worth millions. Thing is, no one can read it. That's why I was taking it to Zootopia. To find a translator."

"It's in a foreign language?" asked Judy.

"I think so. There were all these weird markings."

"Do you remember what they looked like?"

Clawhauser reached over and used his finger to draw on the grimy floor, his brow furrowed as he tried to recall what he had seen on the map.

Judy studied the symbols below her, her mind running a mile a minute as a plan began to form in her head.

"I think I might have an idea."

"HEY!" shouted Judy again as Clawhauser hit the bucket against the bars. They had been doing this for several minutes.

"I know you're out there!" Judy called. "I can hear you shuffling around. Rabbit ears, remember? I demand to see the Captain!"

"SHUT UP!" The kudu pirate finally revealed himself. "You're not seeing the Captain until he wants to see you."

"As his guest I have a right to see him," said Judy firmly, folding her arms.

"You're not his guest, you're a prisoner!" replied the kudu. "You don't have rights!"

"I am currently residing on the vessel he is in charge of," stated Judy, primly, "and therefore he is responsible for my wellbeing. He needs to be aware of and respond to any problems I may have, and I have a problem."

"Uh - wha - huh?" The kudu gaped at her, then shook his head to right himself. "Tough! You're not seeing him!"

Judy narrowed her eyes slightly at the kudu, then turned her head and nodded to Clawhauser, who cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Non voglio rinunciare, no, non voglio cedere!"

"Ah!" The kudu clapped his hoofs to his ears in a vain attempt to shut out the cheetah's screeching. "Make him stop!"

Judy simply smiled back as Clawhauser kept singing, his eyes closed and his body swaying to the aria.

"Please!" the kudu implored when Clawhauser reached a particularly high note. "OK! OK! I'll take you to him!"

Clawhauser's jaws snapped shut. Both he and Judy grinned in triumph. With a scowl on his face, the pirate opened the cell and stepped aside to let Judy out. Clawhauser sat down on the bench to wait, feeling more hopeful than he thought he would be having been kidnapped by pirates. He watched Judy follow the kudu out of the brig and sighed softly to himself.

"I knew Gazelle would save me someday."

The Captain's Cabin, like the rest of the ship, was lined with dark wood though was brightly illuminated thanks to its many windows and candelabras. The room was divided into two by a large red curtain, behind which lay the captain's living quarters. The other side was taken up by a long wooden dining table, though instead of food it was currently covered by several maps and navigational charts. Studying these were three pirates: the Captain, a fennec fox and a honey badger. Captain Maul's map lay straightened out in the middle, its box having been easily broken into, and was the primary focus of the pirates' attention.

The honey badger sighed. "Sorry, Cap. I haven't seen any of these markings before."

"You're supposed to be the expert on these things!" replied the frustrated Captain.

"I'm an expert on curses and legends, not codes," she argued back, putting her hands on her hips. "We all knew it was supposed to be difficult to read when we stole it."

"That's why we brought the cat, right?" The fennec fox gave a small gesture with his head towards the door.

"Yeah, maybe it's time to see what he knows." Captain Wilde made to get up but raised his head sharply when some knocking was heard.

"Err...Captain?"

Captain Wilde huffed in annoyance. "Kinda busy, Pronk."

"Bucky."

"Whatever. Can it wait?"

"...Not really."

The Captain rolled his eyes. "Alright. What is it?"

The door opened just enough for the kudu to poke his head through. "The - er - rabbit wanted to see you."

The fox blinked, confused. "What?"

"The rabbit," Bucky repeated. "She's very insistent. She wouldn't shut up about it."

"And you would know all about that," the honey badger muttered under her breath.

The Captain was sitting ramrod in his seat, thoroughly taken aback. He quickly relaxed in his chair and replaced his hat on his head. "Send her in."

The door widened further and Bucky stepped aside to let Judy through. She entered the room with her back straight, her head held high and her hands folded exactly the way her Aunt Margaret had taught her. She tried not to flinch when she heard the door close behind her, and she surveyed the three pirates before her. The small white fennec fox on the right had a brown hat squeezed between his huge ears and a scowl on his face, the honey badger on the left had her head tilted, making no effort to hide her confusion, and the Captain in the middle was leaning luxuriously in his chair, wearing a huge smirk.

"Good afternoon, Miss," he welcomed. "What brings you to my cabin this fine day?"

"I have something I wish to discuss with you," she answered, thankful that she managed to keep her voice level.

"Well, I'm very busy right now," he said, condescendingly. "I am Captain of an entire ship, you know. I'm sure whatever problem you have we can sort out later."

Judy narrowed her eyes and decided to jump straight to the point. "Having trouble reading that map?"

The Captain wrinkled his muzzle in response, his jovial manner disappearing. "I fail to see how that's any of your business."

"May I see it?"

He gave an exaggerated eye roll and lifted the map with one paw so she could see it. The map itself was made up of a few smaller maps, each containing different parts of the sea and covered with arrows and markings similar to those Clawhauser had drawn in the cell. Judy's eyes raked over them and she smiled.

"As I thought. Lapine."

"La-what?" asked the Captain, confused.

"Rabbit language," Judy explained. "It's very old, and not used much anymore, however my grandmother was insistent that we remember our heritage."

The badger's ears pricked in surprise, but the fox snorted. "Yes, a fearsome pirate would write his map in bunny."

"It is kind of ingenious," mused the badger. "No one would associate rabbits with pirates, and it's rarely used nowadays..."

"Ingenious," agreed the Captain, "and convenient. You're saying you can read this?" he asked Judy, dubiously.

The rabbit nodded, still smiling. "I look forward to you navigating U Zornhain. It's sounds like lots of fun."

The Captain stared at her, then at the map. He slowly turned back to Judy and put the map down.

"I assume you have some sort of deal in mind," he said, leaning back in his chair again.

Feeling much braver, she stepped closer to the table. "In return for reading the map, I want a share of the treasure."

The fox opened his mouth to argue, but she interrupted him before he could say anything. "Just enough to get me £100,000. Plus however much Mister Clawhauser would like. Don't worry, he's not greedy."

The Captain raised an eyebrow.

"Not when it comes to money," she reassured, sighing softly in exasperation. "It's a fraction compared to what the entire trove is worth. I also insist that while both Mister Clawhauser and I are on this ship, we are treated with respect and given proper meals and beds. And we'll more than willing to help out with the chores."

He studied her for a moment, still suspicious. "You want to join the crew?"

"Only temporarily," she answered. "Then you can drop us off on the coast near Bunnyburrow and enjoy your new found wealth in peace."

"Or...I could threaten to throw the cat overboard if you don't read the map right now."

Judy's breathing hitched. She forced herself to keep calm and thought fast.

"I could give you false information. By the time you find out the Navy will have caught up with you."

"Ooh, the Navy." The fox was smirking again. "I'm sure we'll run into them out on the big, wide sea."

Judy's anger flared. "I am Lady Judy Hopps, daughter of the Governor of Bunnyburrow and fiancée to the future Sir James Buckington, member of the Royal Court. They'll be looking for me. And the map."

"Oh, I apologise, milady," the Captain responded, tipping his hat. "I had no idea we were hosting for nobility. I'll be sure to notify the cook serve our finest gruel. Do you need us to curtsey?"

The badger and fennec fox beside him tried to stifle their giggles.

Judy was seething. "You need me."

"Are you the only rabbit who knows lapine? No, no you're not." He leaned forward and rested his head on his hands. "You should have given this a bit more thought, Carrots."

Fear had been completely replaced with rage, and Judy fought to keep her paws from shaking. She took a deep breath and tried to think. What was it her mother said? If you want something from a male, let him believe he is the smartest mammal in the room. But looking at his smug face, knowing he was the reason for her current situation and that he was flat out refusing to take her seriously, she couldn't do it. At least, not directly. Her eyes trailed to his scabbard.

"How about a challenge then?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow, confused. "Challenge?"

"Yes. If I win, then you accept my deal. If you win, then I'll read the map for you and you can dump us on the first rock you come across, or wherever you wish. How does that sound?"

The Captain thought for a moment. "What sort of challenge did you have in mind? Embroidery? Carrot farming?"

"Well, I - er - had a couple of fencing lessons when I was younger," she suggested, smiling weakly.

There was a roar of laughter from the three pirates. Nick pounded his fist against the table, and Honey wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. Judy barely managed to fight off a scowl. Calm down, she told herself. Play it naïve. Play it cute.

"Are - are you sure, Fluff?" asked Captain Wilde, still trying to recover.

"Yes, yes I am," she said pleasantly, with the air of a kit who didn't need help from their parents. "When shall we do it?"

"Right now if you're still serious," he replied, chuckling. "Just give me a moment and I'll meet you on deck."

"Very well." Judy held out her hand to the fox. He stared at it for a second, then smiled and shook it.

"Finnick, please escort the young lady out," he said, standing up. "Honey gather some swords. Nothing too heavy. Oh, and bring out Spots. He has a right to watch this."

Judy let the fennec fox lead her out of the cabin, glad that she didn't have to look at the Captain's smirk anymore. Though she held her head high and her expression was one of serenity, inside she was a bundle of nerves. Had she been too impulsive again? Would her plan work out? Did she really have a plan? She quickly went through all the sword fighting tips that Jack had told her, choosing which ones would be the most appropriate for her upcoming duel. Judy had only ever sparred with Captain Savage, and while he had been a strong opponent, she was now about to face someone much younger, fitter and a completely different build. She didn't know what Captain Wilde was like in a fight, and if she lost she and Ben would be worse for wear. Thinking of her friend, she stiffened her resolve and told herself that she would not fail.

She blinked several times when they arrived on the open deck. The afternoon sun was shining brightly and there was a strong breeze blowing in the black sails hanging from the tree masts. The timber seemed old but in very good condition, strong and sturdy. There were only two mammals on deck: the cougar Judy had spotted earlier and a gemsbok. They sent questioning looks as the fennec fox led the rabbit to side of the ship and leant against the railings, folding his arms and waiting. Judy was bemused by the tiny crew, but reminded herself she had more important things to worry about. She looked out to sea and was not surprised that they had sailed far enough for the Cloverleaf to be out of sight. The feeling of isolation only added to her nerves.

The door that led below deck opened and out came the honey badger, Pronk the kudu, Clawhauser and a polar bear that Judy couldn't help but feel she recognised. He was holding a chest which she presumed contained the swords for the duel.

Clawhauser was looking around, clearly nervous and confused, and soon his eyes landed on Judy.

"What's going on?" he mouthed to her from the other side of the ship.

She tried to give him a confident smile to reassure him, but unfortunately it came out as a grimace.

Every head turned as the door opened again to reveal Captain Wilde. He had left his hat and coat behind, wearing only his breeches and a white shirt opened at the collar. He was still smiling smugly, and confidently strode to the middle of the deck. The badger took the chest from the polar bear and made her way to join the Captain, who was looking expectantly at Judy.

She gulped. This is it. Back straight and head high, she walked over and stood next to the badger, opposite Captain Wilde. He grinned down at her.

"It's not too late to back out now," he told her.

She narrowed her eyes at him and turned to the badger, waiting for her to start proceedings.

"OK, everyone," the badger began, "I want a nice clean fight. This isn't one of those 'to the death' type of duels. First one to be incapacitated or surrender is the loser. The fight will be confined to the deck and you are not allowed outside help. Understood?" She looked to the fox and rabbit who both nodded. "Great. Choose your weapon." She opened the chest and inside were several swords of various sizes and types.

Captain Wilde gestured to the swords. "Ladies first."

Judy scanned the chest's contents and was pleased to see there were swords just her size. She chose a long narrow one, similar to those she had used when training with Captain Savage, and even though it was a good weight for her she put on a show of fumbling with it when she pulled it out, causing the pirates to chuckle. Captain Wilde picked a similar sword, slightly larger to suit his build.

"Face your opponent," ordered the badger, backing away.

The duellers positioned themselves accordingly and raised their swords.

"And... GO!"

Judy expected the Captain to attack immediately, however he remained in his starting position, smirking and quirking an eyebrow. He wanted her to make the first move. So she did.

Very soon the air was filled with the sounds of clashing steel as Judy and Captain Wilde swung their swords at each other. They moved across the entire deck as they dodged lunges and parried blows, neither one quite getting the upper hand. Captain Wilde had more power thanks to his weight, but Judy's speed and small size meant that he couldn't get a hit in. Even then, Judy could tell the Captain was holding back, and she started to panic. It didn't help that the kudu and gemsbok were hollering and offering a colourful commentary. She focused on Jack Savage and his teachings, and suddenly she could hear him as if it were another of their lessons.

Swinging your sword is all well and good for defence, but don't forget your attack. Otherwise you'll just run out of energy.

He's right, Judy thought, barely moving her ears before Captain Wilde's sword sliced them off. She needed to attack, to find an opening. She increased her ferocity and tried to get closer to the fox's body. She ducked under his sword again and made a wild swing towards his midriff. He easily dodged this by turning, which she anticipated and responded by spinning so she could reach his back. He turned around completely and used the added force to push Judy's sword away, with Judy along with it. She felt herself falling, so quickly turned her stumble into a roll and struck a defence pose, panting slightly.

Captain Wilde was looking down at her, sword poised to attack. "Do you want to surrender yet, sweetheart?"

"Do you?" she asked back, suddenly grinning.

Nick Wilde felt his clothes shift and looked down. His trousers had fallen to his ankles, the waistband having been cut by Judy's sword. He was too busy gaping at the material covering his feet that he failed to prevent his own sword twist out of his grip to land in Judy's free hand. She pointed both weapons at him, looking as if she had done this a million times before.

There was a long moment of silence.

"She hustled you."

Nick turned his head to Finnick who was walking towards him and laughing heartily. He reached up and grabbed Nick's shirt so he could shout in his face.

"She hustled you good!"

The small fox then made his way to Judy. "You're part of the crew now!" he told her. "You're gonna need one of these!" He took off his hat placed it upon the rabbit's head. He rejoined the crowd who had started laughing as well.

Scrunched up in irritation, Nick's face glared at his highly amused crew, before finally settling on to Judy. She was leaning on her sword, wearing a smirk that he had only seen when he looked in a mirror.

"So, about that map?" she asked, expectantly.

Nick's scowl deepened even further. He pulled up his trousers and turned on his heel, heading towards his cabin with his snout in the air.

"Right this way, milady," he replied, lightly.

As a smug Judy followed him, Ben cheered loudly, "Woo! You go girl!"

#Zootopia #zootropolis #pirates #pirates of the caribbean #PotC #fanfic #chapter #pirates au

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