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Chapter 41 - Ah Shit, Here We Go Again
🕑 Added 2025-05-05 05:30:19 +0000 UTCDiving quickly toward the bottom, Puss soon saw for the first time, just a few meters away, the beautiful Miss Elizabeth Swann. Fortunately, the place where she had fallen was very close to the cliff, so it wasn't very deep.
Reaching her, he quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her as he swam upward.
With his strength, agility, and stamina, it wasn't hard to swim while carrying Elizabeth and her heavy, soaked dress.
Splash!
"Haah!" Emerging from the water, Puss exhaled his held breath and pulled Elizabeth out of the water.
Due to his size, he couldn't wrap his arms around her body to keep her head above water, so he simply spun her and grabbed her by the collar, letting her float on her back as he towed her.
Swiftly approaching the nearest dock, where the Interceptor was stationed, he pulled her to the ladder and began to climb when two clumsy redcoat guards rushed over to help pull the unconscious Elizabeth up.
Puss saw the men's shadows and, with a bit more strength, lifted Elizabeth's body by the collar.
"Ooh! I got her." The two quickly grabbed her arms and pulled her up as Puss let go.
He then finished climbing just as the guards laid her down on the ground.
The chubbier guard, nervous, brushed the wet hair from her face, and placing a finger under her nose, gasped.
"She's not breathing!" He shouted.
Puss, wasting no time and fully aware of what was happening, stepped forward.
"Step aside." Despite his small stature, he had no trouble pushing the guards out of the way, opened her dress, and before they could react, ran his claw along the front line of the corset and ripped it open.
Elizabeth suddenly opened her eyes and turned to the side, coughing up water.
"Cough! Cough! Gasp! Haah!" She struggled between coughing and trying to breathe at the same time.
"Never would've thought of that." The chubby guard was impressed.
Puss didn't reply. He wasn't sure he would've thought of it either if he hadn't seen the movie.
His gaze shifted to a golden necklace around Elizabeth's neck, and while everyone was distracted, his right paw fluffed up in an instant. Without anyone noticing or reacting, the necklace vanished from her neck and appeared in his paw.
He then let the necklace slide through his hand, hidden beneath the black cloak, and slip into his boot, completely stealthy.
A crowd of footsteps sounded, and Puss lifted his gaze from the girl and looked up.
At that moment, the sound of swords rang out, and the newly arrived soldiers didn't say a word before pointing their blades at him.
At the front was Norrington, his face dark as he glared at Puss. It wasn't enough that his fiancée had been touched by other men and had her corset opened in public—it had all been done by a suspicious figure who had arrived alongside a pirate ship and was suspected to have come from it.
Puss narrowed his eyes. This was already the second time he'd performed a heroic act only to be rewarded with swords pointed at him.
"Mi amigo, I suggest you lower those swords before someone gets hurt." His heavy voice with a Spanish accent rang out, surprising those around him.
But his words didn't make the swords drop—instead, they tightened their grip.
"Spanish." Norrington said with disdain.
Puss rolled his eyes, remembering that this was an English colony, and they usually didn't get along with Spaniards.
At that moment, Governor Swann also arrived in a hurry.
"Elizabeth!" He called to his daughter, who finally awoke from her daze and was helped up by her father.
The girl quickly hugged him but looked worriedly at her savior.
Governor Swann also looked at Puss once he saw his daughter was safe.
"Who is he? And why is he so small?" He demanded, looking at Norrington.
"I don't know why he's so small, but he's apparently Spanish," Norrington explained, still pointing his sword.
"Spanish? Then arrest him and interrogate him. He might be a spy." The governor didn't hesitate to order.
"My exact intentions, Governor," Norrington agreed, and was about to give the order.
But Puss's demeanor grew colder.
"I won't repeat myself. If you don't want to get hurt, lower your weapons. I am not a spy, nor do I care about your affairs," He said in a sharp and impatient tone.
But just as a fight was about to erupt, someone interrupted.
"Everyone, stop!"
Elizabeth shouted, cutting through the tension.
"Father, Commodore, he saved me! Are we really going to imprison my savior based only on suspicion?!" She said seriously and angrily.
The governor fell silent before his beloved daughter's fury.
Norrington also said nothing, and after looking at the beautiful Elizabeth—whom he planned to marry—he reluctantly gave a small nod to the soldiers, who then lowered their swords.
But Norrington himself did not lower his.
"I can't let a possible spy walk freely through the city without at least seeing his face, even if he's your savior, Elizabeth," Norrington said seriously, not taking his eyes off the suspicious figure.
Unfortunately, Puss was planning on being stubborn when threatened by a sword. He was fearless and didn't shy away from a fight—even against an entire battalion of guards.
"I am innocent, and I know it. I owe no explanations to anyone," Puss said boldly, not caring that his words only made him look more suspicious.
The guards' swords were raised again, pointed at Puss, ready to strike. The cat also placed his paw over the hilt of his sword, hidden beneath his cloak.
"No! Wait!" Elizabeth's shout halted the battle once more.
She looked at Puss, her eyes pleading.
"Please! I beg you, if you're innocent, remove your hood. I don't want to see my savior fight an unjust battle," She pleaded sadly.
Puss, upon seeing her beautiful, imploring face, felt a bit embarrassed about continuing to be so hard-headed.
All they could see under the black hood were a pair of green eyes that had once been firm, now looking a little helpless.
"Haah, what wouldn't I do to make a beautiful lady smile?" He sighed, lifting his right hand from under the cloak and grabbing the edge of the hood.
"What the hell is that?!" Some guards exclaimed upon seeing the furry paw.
Even Elizabeth, Norrington, and the governor were startled by it.
Then came an even greater surprise as, lowering the hood, the face of a handsome orange cat was revealed.
"A cat?!" People exclaimed.
"Not just a cat—a talking cat!" The chubby guard standing nearby said, stunned.
"I know what he is!"
This time it was the skinny guard who spoke, drawing everyone's attention.
"He's a creature from fairy tales!" He said with certainty.
"Fairy tale creatures don't exist!" The chubby guard immediately denied.
"Of course they do! Isn't that one right there?" The skinny guard, irritated at being called a liar, pointed firmly at Puss, who rolled his eyes at the scene.
'Murtogg and Mullroy... those two idiots really haven't changed,' He thought, amused.
Stared at by everyone, Puss remained fearless and even smiled at Elizabeth, giving her a charming wink, which made the beautiful lady blush slightly.
Norrington noticed as well, and his jaw clenched.
"Well, now that you've seen my face—are we going to fight or not?" Puss said, noting that Norrington and the soldiers still had their swords pointed at him. He smiled and raised an eyebrow as he spoke.
The newly promoted commodore stared at him for a moment and, after hesitating for a few seconds, sighed and sheathed his sword. The soldiers followed suit.
"I believe not," He said, putting on an emotionless expression.
"Fairy tale creatures… so they're not just rumors," Elizabeth said, admiring Puss.
"No, they're not. They're just uncommon in the places we live," Governor Swann explained to his daughter.
He wasn't too surprised—after all, he knew more than most, being the governor.
"They say the kingdom of Far Far Away and its surrounding lands have many of them," Norrington added, eyeing the orange cat, who was listening to the conversation with interest.
In Spain, Puss was used to curious stares when not in disguise, but it wasn't to the point of people believing fairy tale creatures were mere legends.
Perhaps in English lands, fairy tale creatures were rare—or perhaps they had simply been driven out, like what Lord Farquaad did to the lands of Duloc.
Elizabeth was surprised and intrigued by what she heard. She had always had an adventurous spirit and couldn't help but gaze at Puss with a curious, admiring look.
Seeing her attention, Puss threw the cloak off his shoulder, revealing his arm and sword. He placed a paw on his hip and struck a pose he found flattering. He even flexed his arm a bit to show off some fine muscle, not forgetting to give her his best smile.
Elizabeth, watching the gallant cat shamelessly flirting with her in public, couldn't help but fan herself lightly with her hand, feeling a bit warm in the cheeks, and unconsciously bit her lip.
"Elizabeth!" The governor exclaimed, incredulous at the scene, snapping his daughter out of it.
As for Norrington, he was barely restraining himself from drawing his sword and killing the cat on the spot.
"Everyone's seen enough. Let's go!" He said through clenched teeth and, with the guards, escorted the governor and Elizabeth away.
Being escorted, Elizabeth couldn't help but place a hand over her chest—her heart was beating fast from the flirty encounter. But when she touched her chest, she noticed something was missing.
'The necklace!' She exclaimed mentally, and instinctively turned her head—only to see Puss wink at her with a mischievous smile.
'He took it!' That was the last thought she had before losing sight of him completely.
The only ones left in that place were then Murtogg, Mullroy, and Puss.
They exchanged looks and then stood in front of Puss.
"This part of the dock is off-limits to civilians!" The skinny guard said, making Puss chuckle.
"Understood, señores." Puss smiled and, unfazed, pulled his hood back over his head, turned around, and walked away.
The two then watched the cat leave—with great relief.
