"Jacqueline," Eric murmured. Louder, he said, "You know of this. Please, enlighten Cass and I."

"You killed my parents," I whispered, staring at Taylor. "They were on your Death Note and you killed them."

He tilted his head, the smile never leaving his lips. He chuckled. "I killed your parents."

"Tell me they fought back."

He leaned forward, bracing himself on his desk. "They were asleep, and I killed them."

He killed them in cold blood.

Jack and Adeena are dead because of him.

I fucking saw red.

I was faintly aware of someone grabbing me as I lunged across the desk, screaming curses in multiple languages, eyes wet. Someone dragged me backward, and I kicked at them, panting and letting out dry sobs.

"I was eight," I choked out, staring at the floor. "You took them from me."

He walked forward, swinging something at his side. I didn't care what it was. He leaned down to my level, as I was crouching with someone holding my arms back, and peered into my eyes. "I took them, didn't I?" He pouted, and then smiled. "But the red color was so nice. I'd like to paint you the same."

"Shut up!" Eric roared from somewhere to my left. I frantically struggled so I could see him; he was being held by another member of Sutcliffe's crew. Cass was in a similar situation, but she hung limp and merely watched with fire in her eyes.

"Eric," I whispered. I didn't know he could even be that loud.

"Now, let's see what remains of your ship, shall we?" Taylor grinned, grabbing my collar and jerking me up. "And I'll be taking that." With a small laugh he ripped my baldric from my waist and took my pistol.

"Give them -- back --" I hissed, straining forward.

"They were your parents', right? Oh well," He threw them over his shoulder, then yanked away my locket. "This was Adeena's. I always liked it, let's see," He clasped it around his own neck, "Much better." I trembled with grief and fury. "Now," He looked to his crew. I now noticed that they were Shinigami as well; their eyes were a bright, fluorescent lime. "Come along, Carlos, Even. Bring them."

Eric, Cass and I were dragged out of his cabin and onto the deck. I let my anger simmer beneath my skin, seeing my crew held in similar fashions to us.

But no one was dead. I relaxed, but glared at anything that moved.

"Was there a battle?" Cass asked Ron in a frighteningly even voice. He had strolled up to us, all cocky.

"Yep!" He replied cheerily, swinging a stained cutlass at his side. "They fought well, but...we've lived longer. We've had more experience."

"Shinigami are immortal," I said, staring at the ground. "They can only be killed by a Scythe, or Sickle, whichever you prefer."

"She's smart, knew I liked her," Ron beamed at me. William, standing at his shoulder, gave him a dry look.

"Captain Sparrow, naive girl she is, has subjected you to defeat!" Taylor Sutcliffe sang, sauntering to stand beside me. I glanced down at what he had been carrying; it was a Scythe, silvery and reflective. "Now, she's going to do me a favor!"

"I'm not," I called defiantly.

"She is," He snarled, delivering a kick to my side. I held my breath and only let out a pitiful grunt. Eric growled somewhere behind me. "Or more of your...women shall die."

I blinked. More.

Slowly I met his eyes. "Who did you kill, Taylor?"

"I didn't," He shrugged. "But...Maria, was it?"

My heart sank, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. She was fourteen. Fourteen.

"You sick fuck." I whispered, then raised my head. "Fine. A favor."

"Jacqueline --" Cass exclaimed. I shushed her with an electric green glare.

"Excellent!" Taylor crouched so we were even. "You can take...Eric, with you. Yes, take him."

"The favor." I said.

"You'll be leaving this world and traveling into mine," He said, standing. "There are things I want you to retrieve for me."

"And why can't you do it?" Eric asked coldly.

Sutcliffe glared at Eric. "I'm afraid my friends and I have been somewhat exiled. But if you bring back the First Shinigami's Death Note, that can change. I'll return to my world and leave yours alone."

"I'm in," I said. "I'm not letting you take anyone else's life, nope."

"Lovely," He purred, leaning down to me again. "It's easy enough. Rather anticlimactic."

"Then fucking do it," I hissed.

"Language," He tutted. "Oh well. Here you go, then."

He touched my forehead.

I was blinded by a white light, and that was the last thing I saw.

For what felt like forever, anyways. But suddenly there was light and color, and Eric was standing beside me, his hand clasped in mine.

I stared at our interlocked fingers, then my gaze flew up to his. He said nothing but returned my sudden embrace with just as much fervor as me.

"Oh, gods," I sighed, breathing in his scent. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Me? I didn't do anything."

"You did, I'm sure. I'm glad it's you."

He smiled, cupping my face for a moment before letting me go. "I am too. But..." He frowned. "What of Cass?"

"Oh!" I'd forgotten about Cass. "She can take care of herself. She's a badass."

"No kidding." He agreed. "Do you know where we are?"

I blinked, looking away from Eric's handsome features to the world we'd landed in. We stood on a marble bridge, which stretched across a long expanse of nothingness. In front of us was a long white stone pathway, framed by trees and white flowers. It seemed to lead to a large building further in fine distance. Behind us, the path became a street, branching off in a many directions but eventually leading to another large, white building.

"I don't know. Shinigami Land, I have no clue..." I shook my head, irritated. "I could...break...something."

He scanned the horizon. "His world. We can assume this is where Shinigami live."

"Detective Kendrick."

He smiled. My heart gave an odd flutter. "But I don't see any Shinigami."

He ate his words when suddenly, beside us, a boy looking to be maybe sixteen years of age appeared. Out of thin air. He was just there, suddenly.

"Oh. Hello." He said, giving us a once over. He had a slight German accent, and peered at us from behind large, thick spectacles. His shaggy brown hair hung over his eyes, angular and sharp. "Two humans. What are you doing here? You're from a while ago," He had a Sickle resting on his shoulder, and peered at our clothes.

I nearly laughed -- he should look at his own. Weird violet pants cut off at the knee, and a striped jacket over a thin gray shirt with words on it. They were in German -- they read KEEP CALM AND DANCE.

Eric stared. I spoke. "You know Taylor Sutcliffe?"

The kid laughed. "Ha, say no more! That ass probably sent you to barter with First."

First.

"I can assume," I shrugged. "He said something about the First Shinigami. I wasn't really listening. He killed one of my friends. And my parents."

"Oh. That's terrible. But, so is Death." He said poetically. Then he frowned. "You are a...pirate? I think?"

"Captain Jacqueline Sparrow." I stuck out a hand for him to shake.

He did, giving me another once over. The spark in his eyes when I said my name made me wonder if he knew more than he seemed. "Wow. A pirate." He grinned. "Break the law while you still can, Jackie."

I raised an eyebrow. That was something my parents would call me, so I didn't much appreciate the nickname.

"This is for you, Jackie -- yes, it's my Piece of Eight, are you fucking blind?"

Eric piped up.

"This First Shinigami? Could you take us to him?"

The kid grinned and shook his head. "Dunno where he is. He's the boss and all, so you could check the office or the library."

"And where are those?" I questioned.

He jerked a thumb over his shoulder to the pathway leading into the forest. "Library is that-a-way. Office is the opposite, along with the villas and stuff. Most of the Shinigami live there."

"Most?"

"Twenty Questions, eh?" I had no clue what he was talking about. Whatever. I didn't much care. "Some live in the human world. Like Sutcliffe. Though, he did get kicked out, so..."

"Why was he banished?" I wondered.

The boy cracked a grin, tilting his head. "He killed your parents."

I coughed, shuffling my feet. "I see. Thanks for your help..."

"Shima," He said.

"Shima. Thank you," I said. "Uh, we'll go now."

He tapped my forehead with a finger. "Have fun without phones, lovebirds. Sayōnara, go de o ai shitai to kangaete imasu!" Without warning he disappeared. 

"Sōgo," I whispered, astounded at his fluent Japanese mixed with his foreign vocabulary. I didn't have anyone to speak Japanese with back home. And phones? What are phones?

"Library or office?" I offered Eric.

"He's the boss," He thought aloud. "What do you think they have in the library?"

I let my gaze slide to the large building in the distance. "Souls."

Eric nodded in agreement. "Logical."

"But...First is probably in the office, wouldn't you say?" I tried, "He's got to watch over his underlings, something like that?"

"Well calculated. Lead the way," Eric gave another nod and gestured for me to walk ahead of him. I let him fall into step beside me instead.

"They live in...villas?" I craned my neck to see the tops of the tall buildings, so unlike what we had in our world. There was one large path that branched off into smaller ones, leading to more tall, white towers. "This is so...not like the Caribbean."

Eric hummed in thought. "Do you think the Shinigami exist everywhere, Jacqueline?"

"What do you mean?"

He struggled to find words. "Not necessarily in every place, but...every place in time."

I stared at him. "What are you on about?"

"They exist permanently, in the past, the future, and the present." He tried. "He said some odd things, didn't he?"

I shook my head. "This is so much, I don't even know what to think. That would be interesting, if it were true."

"We'll probably have to do some negotiating." Eric changed the subject, gazing at the offices, which we were approaching.

I huffed. "I'm good at that, at least. I'm a fairly smooth talker."

"Definitely true."

"I'm not sure if that was sarcasm so I'll take it as a complement. Aren't you curious, Eric?"

"Of what?"

"What the Shinigami do."

He nodded, fingering the hilt of his sword. He'd been allowed to keep his. "Mildly. Would you tell me?"

"Of course. Shinigami is a Japanese word, translating to God of Death in English. Grim Reaper, if that's easier." I bit my lip, thinking back to the folklore I used to read as a child. "They collect the souls of the dying, or doomed to die."

"Your parents...they weren't supposed to be killed, obviously."

"No, I guess not," I mused, looking at the marble stone we walked upon. "Sutcliffe, perhaps, has a taste for blood, and decided to pick them as his target? I don't know. But if he was banished for it obviously he was breaking some rule."

"You mentioned a Death Note."

"It what they keep the names in. Of the souls they take."

"How do you know this?" He asked suspiciously.

I gave him a look. "Are you seriously, honestly giving me that bullshit, Eric? I used to read Japanese books as a child when I was learning the language. The Shinigami are a popular thing with them, mythology wise. Don't you dare suggest I have something to do with this."

He was silent. "I apologize."

I sighed, realizing we were nearly there. "It's fine, whatever. Let's go, we need to ask someone else."

We walked up the white steps leading into the white building. Everything was white, and beautiful -- I had to drag my eyes away from the architecture.

We opened the doors together, and peeked inside.

"Well, this is why it was silent outside," I said.

All the Shinigami and then some appeared to be inside the offices, bustling about, carrying Sickles and leather bound books, talking and laughing and discussing whatever. They appeared to be normal humans, except for the Scythes and the random disappearing and reappearing.

And the clothes. Some were dressed to our times. Some wore clothes from years ago. Some wore clothes that must have been from the future. I was beginning to think Eric was right.

Eric went in first, taking my hand. I allowed it, suddenly frightened. These were like the people that had killed Jack and Adeena, along with Maria. These were the same people that held my crew hostage.

"Who should we..." I began, timidly, but my question was answered for us.

"Humans!" A taller man, older than me, sauntered to us, scanning Eric, then me, critically. His hair was half blond, half brown, and partly braided away from his green eyes. His clothes were unlike anything I had ever seen; he wore a white shirt, which wasn't too odd, but it was the jacket he wore over it that fascinated me. It shone in the light slightly, and had an odd texture. Metal...loops hung from the pockets, which seemed to be sewn shut with silver. I gaped at it, then his pants. They were a washed out blue, and I squinted at the fabric.

"That's us," I said slowly, meeting his eyes again.

"How'd you end up here?" He asked curiously with an accent I couldn't place.

Eric pulled me closer. "Taylor Sutcliffe, perhaps you've heard of him?" I asked.

"I've definitely heard of him." He frowned with distaste. "Used to be friends. He sent you here?"

"Yes." Eric nodded. "He told us to speak with First."

"I see." The man nodded, apparently thinking. "I can take you to him."

I stepped forward. "That would be absolutely wonderful, sir! Um, what should we call you?"

"Jon." He gave us a lopsided grin. "Pleasure."

We shook hands. "I'm Jacqueline. This is Eric."

"Ah, I know who you are!" He looked me over again. "Jacqueline Sparrow, right? Cruel of him to use you as his messenger."

I bit back the sour words threatening to come tumbling out. "I suppose so...he has my entire crew hostage, would it be too much to ask that you show us to First now?"

"'Course not," He said, turning. "Come on, his office is this way. Saw him a minute ago."

Eric and I followed, still staring curiously at the offices. "This is bizarre!" I told Jon. "Where we come from, the world is very different."

"Oh, what year are you from?"

I reddened. "I don't actually know...I don't keep track. Out on the ocean you loose track of time. We're somewhere in the 1800s, though, right, Eric?"

"Yes."

Jon hummed. "So, you two are pirates, then? You look the part."

I stood a bit straighter. "I'm a captain. Eric is my first mate."

"How official," Jon grinned. "This way."

He led us down a hallway. I finally noticed the Scythe hanging on his belt. His was longer than Sutcliffe's. "Do all of you carry Sickles?" Eric asked.

"Yep," Jon fingered his absently. "But not all of us use them. Some Shinigami keep records or handle court...we have a society, like you do. But ours is more like a democracy. We have a leader but he isn't a king."

"So...First is your leader?" I thought aloud.

"Right," Jon nodded. "This is his office."

The door we stopped at wasn't any different than the countless others we'd passed, except for a shiny plague on the wood that said First in bold letters.

I stared at it for a moment. "Should we know anything before we go in?"

Jon hesitated before saying, "Well, your first impression will be that he's mad."

"As in, crazy?"

"Crazy." He agreed, "But he still deserves everyone's respect. He's lived a long time."

I stepped closer to Eric. "Fine then. Could we maybe take it from here?"

"Definitely, go on ahead," Jon waved us toward the door, turning on his heel. "Just don't expect him to be happy about your request."

"Our request?" I questioned how he knew we even had a request, but he was already walking away.

Eric grabbed my elbow as I made to walk after him. "Leave it be. Let's just push on ahead."

I sighed, facing the door again. "You're right. Sooner we get home the better." I nudged him playfully. "You need to get back to playing with your dolls, I presume."

His lips lifted in a smile. "You know me so well."

I grasped the doorknob and turned it, swinging it open without knocking.

And Jon had been right. What we were faced with I certainly did not expect.