Saguru hated this. He really hated this. If there had been any other way, he would have gladly taken it. "Come on commander," Kaito said, a smile plastered onto his face as he wrapped an arm around the blond. "Why do you look so upset?"

"Maybe because the last time I saw the two of you," He began through gritted teeth, "You left me and my entire crew shackled to my boat as you sailed off with our provisions."

"What's in it fer us?" Heiji asked, biting into an apple.

"If you help me capture this pirate, I won't attempt to arrest either of you for anything you do during the time you are assisting me."

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "You say that as though you actually could arrest us."

Saguru felt the tick in his eyebrow at that statement but unfortunately couldn't refute it. "Any actions you take during the time you assist me you will never be tried for should you be captured by the royal navy, as decreed by his majesty."

Heiji tapped his chin as he thought about it. "So ya mean we could do anythin' an we won't be held accountable fer it?"

The commander grit his teeth. "That's correct." He still couldn't believe it himself.

The dark skinned man grinned and Saguru got a bad feeling. "Alright commander. I'll help ya. One one condition." He leaned in close and said, "Ya call me captain. Fer da entirety of our time helpin' ya."

The instant refusal died on his lips as he remembered his commands. He was to capture the wanted pirate captain at all costs, and unfortunately for him meant getting help from other pirate captains. Eyes swearing revenge, the blond bit out. "Fine." Heiji put one hand to his ear and Saguru nearly spat out, "Captain."

Heiji's grin was nearly razor sharp as he laughed. Kaito smiled in amusement and said, "If we're going to help you, you're going to need different clothes." His smile didn't bode well for the blond, but Saguru kept his mouth shut. He just hoped by the end of it he'd still have a bit of his pride left.

"Follow us den," Heiji said, turning and striding away, "Commander."

Saguru wanted nothing more than to arrest the two and bring them back to face the noose, but he forcefully stamped down that thought and trudged after the two captains. "By the way," Kaito said, the tone of his voice alone letting Saguru know he wasn't joking anymore. "We saw him." The blond wasn't sure at first what the indigo eyed male was saying. When it clicked, he almost stumbled.

"You saw him?"

The two nodded. "Exactly da way ya described 'im," Heiji said. "An he was gone before we had da chance ta see 'im up close."

There were multiple things Saguru could have said, but he simply nodded. "How long ago was this?"

"A few months," Kaito answered. "After he vanished we thought we could find his ship at least, but it wasn't there. We even asked around but nobody had seen anyone with that description."

Heiji shoved his hands into his coat's pockets. "Maybe he really is a ghost."

"Don't be absurd Hat-" He frowned at the glare tossed his way and ground his teeth together, "captain. Ghosts don't exist."

Kaito grinned without amusement. "Maybe they do."

Saguru was not happy. He'd been forced to spend more time that he'd ever wanted to with the two pirate captains and their crews and they were no closer to catching the man he was after. "It's been a month," He ground out. "And we've had no word on Swanson."

"Maybe he's dead," Heiji said with a yawn. It was early morning and they'd just pulled into some port city or another to restock on supplies. The dark skinned captain let his first mate take charge of the supplies as he lazily made his way towards the town.

"If he's dead somewhere we may never know," Kaito said, too happy for such an early hour. "Then you'd be stuck with us commander." Saguru was horrified at such a prospect. The shorter male laughed and clasped his shoulder roughly as they entered yet another of the many bars Saguru had been dragged to over the past month. "Don't look so upset! Maybe someone's heard of Swanson and his whereabouts here."

"Swanson, as in captain Swanson?" The three looked up and Saguru swallowed slightly. The woman in front of his was beautiful. Long brown hair tied back at the nape of her neck, and big blue, almost purple eyes staring at him. She was in a white cotton shirt with a wide neckline and long, puffy sleeves, and a brown vest over that. Her black pants tucked away into knee high black boots. She was arguably the most beautiful woman he'd seen in his life.

A hand snapping in front of his face caused him to jolt back to his senses, a flush forming on his cheeks as he cleared his throat. "Y-Yes. We're trying to locate captain Swanson and his crew. Do you know where we might find them miss…"

"Ran." She smiled and nodded towards them. "I don't, but I think my friend might."

"Would you mind taking us to your friend, Miss Ran?"

"Just Ran, please." She folded her arms over her chest – Saguru forced his eyes to remain on her face – and frowned slightly. "Shinichi isn't fond of meeting strangers, but I'll ask him. Meet me back here around noon." The blond simply nodded and watched as she walked away.

Turning back after she disappeared from view, he ignored the two grinning captains and headed towards an empty table, waving towards a serving girl to bring him some food. He ignored the two as they sat next to him, grins still plastered on their faces.

"Looks like commander-dearest has a little crush," Kaito stated.

"An on a pirate no less," Heiji added.

Saguru frowned at the two. "She wasn't a pirate."

"Oh?" Kaito asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why not?"

The blond sniffed in distain. "Women aren't pirates." The captains looked at each other and shook their heads at him sadly.

"Ya better not tell 'er dat," Heiji said.

Saguru waited anxiously for Ran to arrive with her friend. He was hopeful that they would finally get some real information on the whereabouts of Swanson, but he was also happy to be able to see and talk with her again. His head flew up each time the door opened, only to sigh as it wasn't her. The two captains next to him continued to mock him and wax bad poetry about how in love he, and the blond firmly ignored them.

Hearing the door open again, he turned to look and smiled at the sight of Ran. She was dressed exactly the same as earlier, yet seemed even more beautiful. He almost missed the man standing next to her, though from the glance he sent back to the two captains, they certainly hadn't. He grinned and made a small note to remember to tease them about it later.

Observing the man, he found he was strikingly similar to Kaito, though dressed much more subdued in a simple white shirt with a black vest and black pants tucked into black boots – highly similar to what Ran was wearing. The only difference was the black leather belt that had a sword strapped to it – a beautiful silver handle with a deep blue gem on the hilt. His hair was also neater than Kaito's, and his eyes blue as opposed to indigo.

Standing, he walked forward to Ran and smiled, grasping her hand lightly and bringing it up to kiss is lightly on the back. "It's nice to see you again Ran. I don't believe I ever introduced myself. My name is Saguru."

Ran smiled and laughed slightly before gesturing to the male next to her. "This is my friend, Shinichi."

Saguru's eyebrow raised at the narrowing of the male's eyes in his direction but simple said, "Pleasure."

He didn't get a chance to say much else when Kaito all but pushed him aside and held out his hand while saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you Shinichi. My name is Kaito. Captain of the Phantom."

Heiji grinned at the shorter male and introduced himself. "Names Heiji. Captin' of da Sword." Shinichi didn't bat an eye at the names of their ships and simply nodded in greeting.

Shaking off the oddity to Ran's testament of him not enjoying meeting strangers, Saguru gestured for the two to join them and waited until they were settled to ask, "So Ran tells me you might be able to help us locate a pirate by the name of Swanson."

"I might have heard something," The blue eyed male said quietly, taking a swig of the rum set in front of him. "What interest is he to you?"

"I have some…business to attend to with him," The blond answered.

"Hmm," Shinichi didn't seem to be too interested in his vague answer. He appeared to mull over something before leaning forward and resting his chin on one hand. "I believe I know where he is headed, however I have a question of my own first."

Ran looked at him and took over speaking. "We're looking for somebody. A pirate with long silver hair and blue eyes. He goes by the name Gin."

Saguru frowned. He'd never heard of a pirate with that description or name. From the looks on Kaito's and Heiji's faces, neither had they. Shinichi sighed, reading from their faces their answer. "Last I heard Swanson was on his way to Singapore."

"How old is that information?" It wouldn't do to follow a cold trail.

"Days," The blue eyed male said, standing from his seat. He began making his way towards the door when Kaito's question stopped him.

"Why are you looking for a pirate named Gin?"

When Shinichi turned his head to look at them, Saguru was struck cold. He was the mysterious pirate he'd met all those months ago. The way he looked, the look in his eyes, it had to be him. "He took something very important from me."

Mouth opening and closing as the blue eyed male walked out the door, the blond finally scrambled up and ran after him, only to curse when he got outside. Grumbling to himself, he walked back inside. If nothing else, he now had a name and a face for the mysterious pirate he'd met.

"Da hell was dat about?" Heiji asked as he sat back down.

"That was him," The blond stressed, for a moment forgetting that Ran was still at the table. "The pirate from the hanging!"

It took a moment, but he watched as understanding dawned on the two and they sat back in their chairs, eyes wide. "Shit."

"What do you mean from the hanging?" Ran asked, eyebrows drawn together.

Saguru cursed himself for forgetting about the woman and quickly said, "I saw him at a hanging once but he just seemed to vanish before I could get close."

Ran seemed to think for a moment before standing up and glaring down at him. "Shinichi told me a commander of the royal navy had tried to follow him at a hanging almost a year ago." Saguru opened his mouth but no words came out. "So, commander, stay away from Shinichi. He hasn't done anything to warrant capture or hanging."

"No, wait, you – Ran-"

The woman turned and raised her leg, swinging her boot down onto the table with enough force to smash it and gain the undivided attention of everyone in the bar. Saguru swallowed thickly, fearing the woman before him who now looked highly dangerous. "It's Captain to you, commander."

The blond felt his mouth drop open, as she left, hair flowing from where it was knotted at the base of her neck. Everyone moved out of her path as she strode to the door, shoulders back and head high. Saguru wasn't sure if he was terrified, or in love.

Feeling a hand clasped on his shoulder, he turned dumbly to Heiji who was grinning as wide as he could. "Told ya she was a pirate."

Well, here's the 3rd part. I have no idea where this story is really going. I mainly wrote it because I'd recently watched Pirates of the Caribbean again. As it is, there is currently no plot whatsoever. Okay, that's actually a lie. I do have a vague idea for a plot, but it's a small one. And since this is mainly in Hakuba's POV, it won't last too long. We'll see how it goes though. Let me know what you thought!