Sailor: Your highness.
A member of the Hitomi Navy approached Samuru on the deck of Hitomi Pride with the latest reports. Samuru quickly looked over to him, worry and weariness clear in his eyes as he awaited news of what was happening to his younger sibling. The sun had set and the skies were dark, marking that she had been in captivity for a whole day. But to him, it had already seemed like weeks.
Samuru: Yes, sir?
Sailor: It appears the enemy’s vessel has made port in Tsurro.
Samuru: The pirate lair?
His eyes widened, his heart sinking at the thought of his baby sister in the hands of pirates.
Sailor: Yessir. From our telescope, we saw the men leaving the ship, and they seemed kind of lost. However, the girls have stayed aboard.
Samuru: What do you mean “lost”?
Sailor: Well, they started down one side of the beach, and then turned around, and then just finally entered a thicket and we lost visual.
Samuru: I see… (Well, if they’re lost, I’d doubt they’ve been there before. And their boat doesn’t have a pirate flag of any sort. I don’t think they’re actual pirates… That must mean they’re just waiting on that island for us to turn around so that they continue on their journey without being followed! But won’t that mean that they’re in danger?)
Sailor: What are your orders, Your Majesty?
Samuru just stood his ground on the deck of the navy ship, looking out over the seas to the shores of the pirate island, the vessel of his half-sister’s captors visible from a distance.
Samuru: Drop the anchor. We stay here for now.
Sailor: But Your Majesty, we can’t just leave her on…!
Samuru: We’re not going to leave her. Just trust me. I have a plan.
Amaya: So remind me why we hafta stay on the boat and stay silent while the boys go out there and negotiate?
The three girls sat around in their bedroom, Amaya obviously disgruntled about being treated like she wasn’t good enough to be going along with the men, Yume worried about the men that had gone, and Takara paranoid about the island of notorious pirates where they were docked.
Takara: Do you want to be killed!?
Amaya: Oh, I won’t be killed. I don’t know about you two, but I know how to defend myself.
Yume: Well I think we should be glad the guys are watching out for us. After all, we all know how dangerous this place is. It means they care about our safety.
Amaya: Blah blah blah. I still wanted to go. But then stupid Mokoto shoved me in the room and locked the door. Hmph.
Takara: I’d rather be in here than out there. Out there…with the most notorious pirates of the Eastern Seas…
A chill ran up her spine.
Takara: I just want that ship to leave us alone already so we can get out of here.
Yume: Well, Keiji said that he has a friend that owes him here. If what he says is true, then we’ll probably be fine to stay here for just a bit until the boat goes away.
Amaya: There you go again, trusting everything that boy tells you.
Yume: What’s the matter with that?
Amaya: He kidnapped you! Why does that not send a red flag up in your pretty little head?
Yume: Well, I, but, he, you see…!
Yume fumbled over words, not yet finding the right ones to respond to the last sentence. However, those words were the only ones that Amaya needed as a reply.
Amaya: Oh my gosh.
Takara: What’d I miss?
Amaya: She’s falling for Keiji.
Yume’s eyes grew wide and her face turned red with embarrassment.
Yume: AM NOT!
Amaya: You are too. Good lord, I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner…
Yume: I’m not falling for him. We just were talking earlier, and I really think that we can be good friends. I mean, he listens to me, he apologized for everything he’s done, and he’s a really nice person once you get to know him…
Amaya: Ugh. You need to get out more often, princess.
Yume: No, no I don’t. He’s a nice person and I trust him.
Amaya: Okay. Think what you want to about Keiji. I still don’t think he’s so great. Though I’d say he’s better than Mokoto. That self-absorbed, woman-hating, conceited knucklehead… I swear, if he insults me one more time and I’m going to show him just how great I am with a pair of knives…
Takara: AT LEAST THEY AREN’T CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT’S UNDER YOUR CLOTHING!
Amaya: Well, Keiji actually saw what was under Yume’s.
Yume: That was an accident!
Amaya: Mm-hm. Right. I’m sure. He just accidentally walked into the bathroom while you just happened to be bathing. It makes perfect sense.
Yume: Amaya, you’re so hateful.
Amaya: Yume you’re so naive.
Takara: Takara you’re so beautiful!
She smiled at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed through her wavy blonde pigtails. The other two girls ceased their argument to chuckle at the third’s vanity.
Takara: Hahaha! Wait, what are we laughing at?
The other two rolled their eyes and grinned.
Takara: Heh…really. What?
There was a bit of silence as Yume made her way over to the cabin window and looked out, trying to see if she could get a glimpse of the shore. Instead all she saw was the endless ocean. She just sighed and continued to gaze at the beautiful waters as waves rushed in towards the beach only to retreat back to their origin in the aqua blue bay.
Yume: I hope the guys are okay… They’ve been gone an awful long time.
Amaya sighed.
Amaya: They’re probably fine. They’re idiots, but I think they know what they’re doing right now.
Just as the words poured from her mouth, the bedroom door was kicked down and landed on the floorboards with a loud slam. That sound was followed by shrill screams from Yume and Takara, then the sounds of footsteps and shouts from the intruders. Five scowling faces of five terrifying pirates were seen by the three girls. Takara fainted at the sight of their blades and fell forward into one of the man’s arms. Yume was backed into a corner by two especially sharp swords and the sneering men wielding them. Amaya stood her ground, doing her best to try and look like she shouldn’t be messed with.
Pirate1: Well looky what we got here. Three pretties: one unconscious, one scared, and one thinkin’ she’s tough enough to take us on.
Amaya: What, you think I’m not?
Pirate1: Not necessarily. I just think we can beat you.
Amaya: Why do you say that?
Pirate1: Because we’re the ones with weapons.
Without another word, three of the pirates charged towards her, one thrusting his sword towards her but getting it smacked out of the way by the fierce woman. She then punched him in the face as he was taken aback by her previous action, but that gave time for the other two men to reach behind her and grab her arms.
Amaya: HEY! LEMME GO!
Despite her struggling they continued to hold her in their clutches. Finally, one of them raised his sword and knocked on her head with the handle. At last, her body fell limp and her pleading stopped. Yume was now the only woman in the room that was alert and conscious.
Pirate2: Aw, look at this little one. She’s scared…
A pirate taunted as he cornered Yume, her eyes fixed on his face, scared stiff and praying for mercy.
Pirate3: Listen, doll face. There’s no way around it, you are going to be coming with us. But you can either go the hard way or the easy way. It’s your choice.
The man lowered his weapon and held his hand out in front of Yume, beckoning her closer like a person bribing a puppy with a treat. However Yume just shook her head back and forth and backed even further against the wall.
Pirate2: I guess she’s picking the hard way.
Pirate3: You asked for it.
With that, he raised his blade high over his head and knocked the opposite end powerfully on Yume’s head. She let out a painful shriek, and then everything went dark…
Keiji: Princess…Princess wake up…
A voice rang distantly in Yume’s ear, louder than the whines and cries from Takara and the yelling between Amaya and Mokoto. She felt a hand on her shoulder, nudging her gently in an attempt to wake her from her slumber.
Keiji: Yume…
Her eyelids began to flutter, and then finally opened, seeing the face of Keiji hovering over hers. She was quite startled and sat up straight with a little whimper, making him jump backward in surprise as well.
Keiji: Oh. Heh, sorry about that.
Yume: It’s…it’s alright…
She spoke simply, stretching her arms and neck, and then rubbing the top of her head, feeling a small knot already forming.
Yume: Why does my head hurt?
Keiji: I think they knocked you out physically.
Yume: Oh.
Slowly recollection of the sword’s collision with her head came back to mind, along with the memory of the pirate ambush on the ship. She looked around to see that she was no longer in the cozy bedroom on the Horizon, but somewhere dark, damp and dirty: a prison cell in the depths of Tsurro. The walls and floor were made of stone that was damp with unknown matter. The gate was made of iron bars blanketed in a coat of rust. It was cramped and uncomfortable, especially for six people. Currently Amaya and Mokoto were complaining and arguing about the fact that their feet were touching and that the other person should move. Takara was sobbing about the fact that she was imprisoned by pirates. Tears streamed non-stop from her bright green eyes and down the sides of her face. It was very pitiful. Akio stood to the side of her, trying to provide comfort, but was being completely ignored by the girl. And of course, Yume had been knocked out in the corner, Keiji there the whole time to make sure she was okay. Someone had to do it, after all.
Yume: So I’m guessing the negotiation didn’t go as wonderfully as you’d have wanted?
Keiji: It actually didn’t happen. We were walking around the jungle and were close to the center of the island—where the hideout is—but before we even had a chance to say a word to anyone, they ambushed us, arrested us, took away our weapons, and threw us in this cell. I guess they found the ship too, cuz an hour later, you guys were in here too.
Yume nodded silently and sadly.
Yume: They had us cornered in our bedroom. Takara passed out as soon as she saw them. Amaya tried to fight back but was outnumbered and they knocked her out. Next thing I knew, I was unconscious too.
Keiji hung his head in despair.
Keiji: I’m sorry. It’s my fault we’re in this mess. I thought we’d be fine over here, but I guess not. Now I don’t know what’s going to happen.
Yume: Intruders here are killed automatically. At least, that’s what my mum always told me…
Keiji: Then why’d they throw us in jail, first?
Takara: I don’t know…b-but I kn-know it’s not g-good.
She joined into their conversation between her sobs.
Akio: It’s alright, Miss Takara. We’ll get out of here just fine. You’ll see…
Takara: LEAVE ME ALONE!
Akio: Okay, alright…leaving…
He was about to scoot away, but he was startled by the sound of footsteps echoing down the long tunnel.
Mokoto: Someone’s coming.
Amaya: Hmph. Good. I can finally give these low-lives a piece of my mind.
Takara: We’re all gonna die!
Akio: Calm down. We’ll be fine.
Yume: Do you think he’s right?
Keiji sent a reassuring smile in Yume’s direction.
Keiji: If he isn’t, I’ll make sure that at least you three girls get out of here safely.
He took her hand into hers and looked her square in the eyes. Just the sight of those aqua blue eyes staring back into hers was enough to make her heart stop and her cheeks blush redder than a rose.
Keiji: I promise.
Yume: A-alright…
She nodded as he rose to his feet and helped lift her up to hers, the two of them keeping eye contact at all times. Amaya coughed loudly from beside them, making Yume shake her head to snap out of the daze. Keiji just looked around to see if anyone had seen him, though he knew if they did, they’d be pretending they didn’t.
The footsteps grew louder and louder with every passing second, as did Takara’s whimpering. At last, a tall, skinny, bearded pirate approached the rusty iron gate with a clever sneer and a bloodthirsty gaze. At the sight of him, Keiji took Yume’s arm and pulled her behind him, as if to shield her from his sight.
Jiro: Welcome to Tsurro.
He grinned sinisterly, revealing three golden teeth and a history of bad dentistry with the rest.
Keiji: What do you want with us?
Jiro: Better question. What did you want with us?
Mokoto: Ugh. We’re not here to harm you. We’re not here to spy or give away your location. We’re just here hiding out from the Hitomi navy.
Jiro: Well that doesn’t help you either. This is a pirate hideout. We bought this island with the money we collected from years of plundering and pillaging. It was meant to belong to us so that we may live out our years in peace from the Navy that was trying to arrest us for our previous deeds. It is our island, off limits to everyone that isn’t or never has been a pirate. And I didn’t see any pirate flags on your little boat.
Akio: Well…we’re…we’re treasure hunters. Couldn’t that be considered a sister trade to piracy?
Jiro: More like a second cousin. Not close enough.
Keiji: So what is to become of us?
Jiro: Well, in a few minutes a couple of my good friends will direct you down to Town Square for your trial.
Mokoto: Trial? I thought everyone who comes here is just automatically killed?
Jiro: Well, yes. Of course there’s always the matter of where and how.
Takara: So…so we’re gonna die?
She managed to mutter out a sentence in between sobs and coughs.
Jiro: Most likely.
Amaya: Just because we came here to hide out for a day?
Jiro: Listen, kid. If we let one group of people get away with staying here, then more will think they can do the same thing. Before we know it, this place will lose its reputation of being off-limits. And then of course the Navy will come prancing in here, ready to arrest us all for…well…everything.
As he finished the speech, echoes of more footprints began bouncing off the tunnel walls. Five more pirates appeared, all with the same terrifying smile and blood-lusting eyes.
Jiro: Ah. Here we all are.
He pulled a ring of metal keys from his pocket and flipped through them, a metallic clink ringing through their ears every time a pair touched. Finally he located the correct key and placed it into the lock.
Jiro: Best be saying your goodbyes, kids. Might be the last time you see each other.
With that statement, Takara let out a groan and fell to the ground, her wavy golden pigtails sprawled all over the dirty floor and her eyes closed tightly. She’d fainted for the second time in three hours. The pirate who’d been speaking to the teens just rolled his eyes and opened the gate wide.
Jiro: Ugh. Someone just pick her up.
A bald muscular man with several earrings stepped into the cell and lifted the girl up over one of his buff shoulders. After he had left, the remaining five pirates filed into the cell, taking their choice of which prisoner to escort. Akio was dragged out by a skinny red head with a mustache without struggle. Amaya struggled and tried to punch out her attendant, but he finally just picked her up over his shoulder and let her hang upside down and beat on his back. Mokoto refused to be touched and instead just walked straight ahead of his guard as the man behind him held a knife at his back instead. Mokoto didn’t mind it though. He’d rather have a weapon held to him than be dragged off somewhere. He felt like it hurt his dignity.
Keiji: It’s alright, Princess.
He whispered to the girl cowering behind him softly, as to keep her calm, just before a pirate took him away from her.
Keiji: A promise is a promise.
Yume: K-Keij—
She reached out for his hand, but it was already out of her reach.
Jiro: And last but certainly not least, you miss.
He made his way into the cell and bowed as he reached for her hand and kissed it lightly. She just responded quickly with a slap across his face.
Jiro: Humph. Y’know, I was going to let you walk down there without me forcing you, but you’ve just lost your chance.
With that, he grabbed her arm tightly and forced her roughly out of the cell and down the long, dark tunnel.
A mob of at least sixty pirates had begun to form not long after the six teenagers had been taken to the center of Town Square. The place was large and paved with cobblestone streets and lit by oil lamps, just like an actual town. The center of the square was surrounded by various buildings, all painted and functioning as you’d expect them to. You would never imagine that this place was in the center of a dense jungle.
Their hands were tied and their escorts still all had an eye on them to make sure they didn’t try to run for it. Takara was awake and crying again. Akio was once again trying to console her and getting ignored. Amaya was pouting over how she had been beaten by a man once again. Mokoto kept his head held high and his eyes on the crowd, doing his very best to keep his head where it needed to be in such a sticky situation. Keiji had his eyes on Yume, who was overwhelmed by such a mean-spirited crowd. She was used to adoring peasants of Hitomi fawning over her and the rest of the royals. This was completely the opposite. They were already shouting out ideas for punishments, and also just trying to mess with the minds of the convicted.
Pirate4: Hey there, Blondie. No need to cry. We don’t bite…hard.
Takara just sobbed louder.
Jiro: Now, now, hush.
He led the trial from behind Yume, still clutching her arm so tightly that it was going numb.
Jiro: I know we’re all excited. It’s been years since the last time we’ve gotten any intruders, but we don’t want to get too rowdy. Don’t you remember what happened last time?
Pirate4: Heh… Well Chuck’s better now! He got a new glass eye!
Jiro: Yes, yes. Still. We do not want a repeat occasion. Anyhow! Any suggestions?
Pirate5: Hang them!
Pirate6: Drown them!
Pirate7: Burn them at the stake!
Pirate8: Oh, I’ve got an even better idea.
A tan, shirtless man with an eye patch stepped up next to Jiro and took Yume’s opposite arm into his hands.
Pirate8: How about we hang the boys, but then leave the ladies. That way we can do what we want to with them...
The men in the mob started to yell and cheer, laughing and smiling at the thought, already. Yume whimpered and looked over to Keiji, who stared back at her with wide eyes. Takara shrieked loud enough to make some of the men in the audience plug their ears. Amaya just started yelling about how if any man put their grimy hands on her, she’d punch the living daylights out of them.
Keiji: No! Please leave them alone! They’ve done nothing wrong!
Haku: Well if it isn’t Keiji…
A shorter pirate with tan skin, sandy brown hair, and icy blue eyes emerged from the crowd and took a couple steps over to Keiji.
Keiji: Haku! Oh thank God… Please, Haku, let them know that I helped you out that one time, that I owe you!
Haku: Keiji, you gave me a check for ten thousand dollars to pay for my boat and let me leave the service of your mansion in Sedai. But ya know what? I tried to cash that check, and it was invalid.
Keiji: IT WAS NOT!
Haku: Was to. Some little moron named Keiji forgot to sign it. I owe you nothing, Keij.
Keiji: But…
Jiro: Well I think everyone here agrees with Mr. Hikari’s idea to kill the boys and…let the women stay a while.
The cheers continued, even louder than before, but then everything went silent as a door slammed from an upstairs balcony adjacent to the square.
Nami: And what do you think you’re doing to these poor kids!?
A shrill voice from the balcony above them boomed as Jiro hung his head in shame.
Jiro: They were intruding, Mistress!
Nami: They’re just teenagers!
Keiji: Who is that?
Keiji questioned the pirate holding him hostage.
Pirate10: That’s Mistress. She’s the only woman on the island.
Keiji: Really?
Pirate10: Yeah, but don’t think of her like that. Sometimes she’s like a sister, but at the same time, like a mom. She’s nice and fun to hang out with, but she also keeps us guys in line.
Nami: Were you actually going to kill them?
Jiro: Um…no…
Takara: LIAR!
Jiro: Shut up!
Nami rolled her eyes and made her way down the staircase that led to the Town Square.
Nami: I swear. To wonder what would be going on around here if I wasn’t here to stop you…
She reached the bottom of the stairs and took a few steps closer to the teenagers.
Nami: Untie them. The poor kids didn’t…
And there she froze, taking one look at Yume, and Yume looking back at her, gaping wide.
Nami: …do anything wrong…
Nami saw those long wine-red curls, and those sad hazel eyes. Yume saw the same long, wine-red curls pulled up in a ponytail, those hazel eyes still bright and adventurous, even after years of exploring the seas. It was if they were looking at the future and past versions of themselves. But they both knew what they were actually looking at.
Nami: Y-Yume?
Yume: Mum?
Starlite.Starbrite Community Member 
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