A/N: Dear all,

Yes, I know. Yet another story that just popped up and will take me years to finish.

Well, actually, this one had been stewing for a good three years. It was going to be a "mid-quel" for the HUS/EvAft universe… but then I didn't think it would fit so I put it to the side to just stew for a bit while I got on with EvAft by popular demand. Eventually though… I caved.

An entirely new universe was born (just like with AnR). Yes it's another world full of nobles and plots and intrigues at every turn (one hopes), but it's slightly different. More over to the point that the vast majority of the cast this time around have equal amount chance of being dangled like tree decorations if they get caught red handed or if they're careless (yes, morbid image. I'm sorry.)

I've been struggling a little with AnR. Been struggling for some time. I don't know how to progress it, and I don't know how to go about the central issue of the story. That's why I'd like to put it here. Right now.

Arashi no Rakuen will be on a temporary hiatus. Just until I've figured out how to get past the wall I've come across. This way, I'll still have three projects on the run (those being Ever After which is my primary concern (and which I've only just figured out past THAT wall I had come across), Kingdom Knights as my stress reliever, and this one. I'm afraid this story, Whispers of the Sea, will be a tertiary concern since AnR will come second in my things-to-do list.)

Even so, I still hope people read this and enjoy it. I'll try to get as much of information as correct as possible (you know, mizzenmasts and bowsprits and the rest), but I will put the disclaimer here: there is a chance that I will probably, at some point, be a little inaccurate.

Right. Time to do the housework.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the characters or locations shown here. The vast majority belong to Square Enix and subsequent creators, and the Disney corporation has a splattering of ownership among some of the characters too. Any character or location that does not belong to either of these companies is most likely a very minor character only added for a splash of colour (therefore, mine unless stated otherwise) or a deserted island.

Warning: Do not read if you are opposed to piracy. Or to bloodshed. Or to cursing. Or to homosexual love. Or to abuse (which may or may not turn up; we'll see how it goes). Possibility of OOC moments: very likely. Do not read if you are opposed to German for some reason (but why would you be?)

Extra Notes: German language appears heavily in the beginning. This will NOT be translated; I want my readers who don't speak German to feel sympathy to the plight of the characters that also don't really understand the language either. (but a note to those who can speak German; my German is poor. Very poor. I don't think I'd be able to get around Berlin. I'm not even sure any of the German here makes sense.)

And I think that's everything. Thank you for reading this essay of an author's note, and thank you for choosing to read Whispers of the Sea. I hope we end up having a… (dare I say it?) a swashbuckling good time. (A think that's a joke that's been done to death…)

His name was Cloud; Cloud Stratus of the Noble House of Strife of County Midgar, Hollow Bastion if you wanted to be absolutely pernickety about details. He was the second eldest son of a second wife to the Seventh Lord Strife of County Midgar, brother to the current Eighth Lord Strife of County Midgar, Vanitas.

As expected of someone with a fancy title as his own, he grew up among the bluebloods and nouveau riche of Hollow Bastion society, had certain expectations to uphold, and even had to deal with the odd amorous affections that weren't particularly wanted –especially from older men, which irked him greatly. What irked him more was the fact that he was seen as just a bartering tool. Of course he could fight, of course he understood politics, of course he had a good education to back him up, but at the end of the day, there was one use that he and his three younger siblings shared to his elder brother.

That, he found out in dismay, was as a tool to create an alliance with Hollow Bastion to another country and also as a means of gaining more status. Now he would have just sucked up his feelings and stoically went ahead with his elder brother's harebrained schemes. However, there was something about this particular scheme that was irking him even more.

"You three shouldn't be here."

Sitting across from him in their box carriage was his triplet siblings; two identical twin boys and a non-identical girl. Their birth had ultimately killed their mother, coupled together with a mediocre doctor and fumbling nursemaids. If they had done their job better, then maybe she would have survived. At least, that was what their father had said time and time again when he was in a drunken stupor. He never once blamed the triplets for what had happened at the time of their birth.

"You know what Vanitas is like. Why marry one off when he could try to marry all four of us in one swoop?" Naminé sighed. Although the youngest of the triplets, and the quietest and clumsiest, Naminé had a very wise head on her shoulders. However, her meekness meant that she could never say no to her brother Vanitas, which was why she had found herself suddenly engaged to a man twice her age in a country far away from her own home.

"If you ask me, I think he's trying to get rid of us," Roxas grumbled, leaning back on his hands. The middle child of the triplets, Roxas was brash and wasn't afraid to voice his opinions. Vanitas had ordered for at least a score of guards to try and keep the youngster from killing him since Roxas had disagreed greatly to being promised to a girl he had never even met before. Or maybe 'disagreed greatly' was too mild a phrase.

"I'm sure he's not," the eldest of the triplets, Ven, defended their eldest brother. Not as quiet as Naminé, but not as brash as Roxas, Ven was a sensitive boy but he always fought for what he believed in. He may not necessarily agree to being married off to some person he had never met, but he understood why he had to. Vanitas was helping Hollow Bastion by creating stronger alliances, and yes he was increasing the status and power of the Strife name at the same time. It was common logic in the richer circles of society, where social status and wealth spoke volumes. "His reasoning was sound."

"It was also lining his big fat purse with gold," Roxas seethed, almost spitting tacks. "Why should we agree to this?-! What was wrong with finding someone that you'd want to spend the rest of your life with?-!" Let it be known that despite his brashness and hot temper, Roxas was in fact a romantic at heart. His romantic notions usually brought on a cascade of sighs from his blond siblings.

"Roxas, you know that there's very little chance for people like us to actually be able to find something like that. Think of how many of the lords and ladies of the court actually have lovers on the side," Cloud pointed out.

"So? Why should we have to follow in their footsteps?" Roxas pouted. "Why can't we make our own decisions?"

"Because we're too young," Ven replied. "Or at least, we three are. Cloud's at least old enough to be considered a man."

"And I'm a woman," Naminé added. "You know that girls have little to no say in society. We don't even have the power to vote on local government. Not unless we're widows and landowners and those are few and far."

"I'm sure it's not all that bad," Ven said, trying to be optimistic. "Maybe we'll become good friends with our fiancés if we're lucky."

"Or maybe we'll end up killing them in their sleep," Roxas shot back, glaring out as Balamb Port loomed towards them. "Or maybe if we're lucky the ship will just combust before our very eyes and prevent us from going."

"I don't think the Lord of Kingdom Hearts will be that merciful," Cloud dryly commented. Part of him hoped that the benevolent ruler of the skies might just be in a generous mood though.

His name was Leon. Or at least, that was his preferred name. His full name was Squall Leonhart, captain of the pirate ship Ragnarok and Duke of the pirate haven Destiny Islands if you wanted to be precise. Of course, he did have many other titles to go with that, but that was neither here nor there; as far as he could tell, they were only ways of inspiring fear into enemies, not an actual reflection of the person himself.

What could be said about this particular pirate with his title of ownership of a small set of islands? Well, unlike most pirates, Leon did not go out of his way to pillage and plunder ships willy-nilly. He was calculated and only acted upon necessity. He didn't really like fighting and would try to avoid it at all costs if he could and he didn't rule Destiny Islands with an iron fist as expected from a man like him. If anything, he was a reasonably decent man who judged firmly but fairly. Not at all like the pirate captains you might have heard of who killed men just for looking at them wrong.

Right now though, the Ragnarok was docked in Balamb Port under the guise of the Palamecia, and he was returning back as the captain of the 'merchant ship' in fancy clothes that he hated so much that he wanted to take off. His advisor-come-navigator had insisted on the garish costume so that he could come and go as he pleased without attracting attention to himself. He ignored the snickering coming from his so-called friends as he boarded the ship.

"If you've come to insult me, you can jump overboard and drown for all I care," he grumbled in his mother tongue.

"Oh don't be such a grump," his first mate and pilot grinned. A tall bizarre looking man, he had been denied access to the shore due to his appearance. Not that the man cared; Leon was almost certain he had gone to the local whorehouse in the night. "So, we've got our marching orders?"

"Intercept the Ifrit. Grab precious cargo. Make sure they stay as far away from Hollow Bastion and the Disney continent for as long as possible," Leon replied, barely moving a muscle as he felt an arm flump across his shoulders. He was used to the camaraderie from his red-haired first mate. "What we do with them is up to us, so long as we don't actually harm them."

"Oh ho, so the old geezer of Balamb doesn't want us pirates to pillage and plunder, rifle and loot or say 'drink up me hearties yo ho'."

"Your sarcasm could freeze beer."

"What can I say? I think it's a bit stupid to ask a pirate to do what he does best."

"What you do best, you mean," Leon responded. He knew that his first mate was more of a pirate than he was. So was the man's sister, Leon's third mate and boatswain. Her gender alone made her unique among pirates. "Keep an eye on the Ifrit. As soon as it sets sails, we set sail after it but keep your distance."

"Aye Cap'n."

As the white sails of the Ifrit unfurled, the carriage carrying the Strife siblings rolled up to the dock. Cloud recognised one of Vanitas' right hand men: the odious, hunchbacked, greased black haired form of Hojo, complete with thick, moonshine glasses, frockcoat that had seen better days along with the rest of his attire. He was meant to be a scientist, but Cloud saw him as a madman for the most part. Especially since he was so obsessed with the movement of the body, and the possibility of becoming a creator of life. He tried his best to keep his younger siblings away from him, but it appeared this trip would be much harder than usual. Hojo was bound to follow them wherever they went.

"Do we have to spend time with him?" Ven sighed; he didn't like the man very much either.

"Let's just try to make this as painless as possible," Cloud murmured, feeling the carriage grind to a slow halt. He could see burly, muscular seamen moving to and fro, barrel upon barrel of provisions, gunpowder and precious fresh water being loaded into the bowels of the ship. The door was opened by the footman that had accompanied them on the trip. Cloud and the twin boys were first out, Roxas and Ven helping their sister out of the carriage. She didn't hesitate, though in her white lace and muslin day dress she stood stark amongst the grey and dreary of the port. Her appearance of small divine beauty attracted stares from the surrounding sailors, as if in disbelief that the girl on the dock was a mortal such as themselves. Hojo then approached them.

"Your Graces," he greeted, bowing very slightly to them. None of them bowed back, though Naminé very subtly curtsied. "The ship is ready to depart."

"To the Disney continent then," Cloud murmured. Once there, he knew that the four of them would be separated. Ven would go to a place called the Enchanted Domain; Roxas would disappear to the Land of Dragons; Naminé would leave for the small desert kingdom of Agrabah to the south of the continent and he would go to a small military power called Land of Departure. The likelihood of any of them seeing each other again once they parted was slim.

It was just something all of them accepted. This was their fate; there was nothing more that they could do. Cloud had been the first to board the ship, tired of fighting against something he had very little power over and tired of trying to defy fate. Roxas and Ven followed, but Naminé found herself tripping again. She was thankfully caught before she did any damage to her white attire. Cloud turned when he heard the surprised sound.

The man who caught her was a dirty blond with a strange hairstyle, sporting bedraggled pantaloons with only a coloured blue sash holding them up by the belt loops. Feathers of wandering seabirds and beads as blue as the deep, deep sea were threaded into his long hair that had a few braids plaited into the dark blond strands, a dyed blue bandana tied around his forehead. He didn't look like the other sailors. The man looked about to speak, but he was hit in the head by some unidentified projectile that fell into the gap between dock and ship. The man glared up at the sailors who were yelling at him.

"Don't touch her! Filthy scum like you ought to be punished!"

The man only glared hard, but he let go of Naminé. The girl had watched all that in amazement, but hurried aboard the ship. Cloud turned to Hojo, about to inquire into what had just happened, but the greasy-haired man already had an answer. "That was a slave the captain of the Ifrit just bought. Tribal man. They're savages really even though they might look like us. He won't even take those ridiculous feathers and beads out of his hair."

"What exactly sets him apart from others?" Cloud asked; although he had heard of slaves, he hadn't ever really seen one so up close.

"He doesn't have the same beliefs. To him, there's no such thing as Kingdom Hearts, or a lord of it."

"Then what does he believe in?"

"Some nonsense about there being a god in every creature, or something ridiculous like that," Hojo dismissed. Cloud realised then that his escort really cared nothing for religion, especially if it wasn't the social norm. He also couldn't help but realise just how little he really knew past the gilded cage he had been locked up in while growing up. "He's a heathen. Nothing to concern your Grace with."

"A heathen…"

"Come along. We have a long trip and you have much to learn of your respective new homes."

Cloud didn't immediately follow, still watching the heathen man as he gruffly continued his work, ignoring the stones being pelt at him by a few sailors who thought his punishment was not yet done. He was about to turn to leave when their eyes met.

What really separated them apart? Because visually, there was nothing. They had the same blond hair, pale skin and eyes, even if the heathen's was darker because of his time spent under the harsh sun. Other than that… all that had separated them was different beliefs if Hojo's words were to be taken as truth.

"Your Grace!"

"Coming!" Cloud bit back, turning suddenly and disappearing into the bowels of the ship. Their journey was about to start.

Cloud had no inkling that the journey was already off to a bad start.

The young lordling was starting to realise something about travels on the sea as they reached the third day of their trip. He wasn't sure if it was because he was pretty much at a loose end for the most part or if it was because Hojo just bored him with details about his soon-to-be new home, but sea travel was dull. His status prevented him from helping the sailors but they had not made themselves very approachable either. He felt like they were always watching him, judging him, or maybe just snubbing him for being someone who was naïve to the world.

However, one thing did keep him dying from boredom. For the past two days, Cloud would watch the heathen boy swing about the rigging like one of those monkeys given to nobles as amusing pets. Each movement and swing was precise and graceful as he moved about so high up the masts, tending to the sails and checking the ropes, tightening them when they needed it, repairing them when a tear appeared. It was almost like watching a master craftsman at his work, or like watching Cid the blacksmith creating new swords for display and use back home. Truly though, the heathen seem to come to life at night. Twice now, Cloud had sat a little in the shadows, listening to the heathen as he sung in his foreign tongue mystical words that sounded like an incantation. Whether it was to ward against evil or invoke it he could not say, but he surely believed that it must've been for protection. They had had perfect weather for three straight days now. He was absolutely fascinated by him.

Today, the heathen was looking out to sea in the crow's nest, seeming to search for something behind them in the distance. Cloud wondered idly why anyone would look where they had been rather than to where they were going, but he assumed the heathen had his reasons. Who was he to stop him? He watched as he saw the heathen untie the blue scarf wrapped around his head, tie knots into it and then waved it about, muttering something loudly in his mother tongue. Cloud dismissed it for some tradition as he was called back below decks; time for yet another lecture.

"Demyx has started waving to us."

Leon looked over to the shorter man standing next to him, finally brought out of his boredom. Three days of waiting was enough to try a man's patience but the pirate knew that it was that very virtue that had served him well so far. "Waving?" he asked.

The man turned, a solitary indigo eye that twinkled with a superior intelligence not found often in men staring at the captain. "Waving. Which means that something is about to go awry."

Leon sighed. "Let me guess. He's waving his headscarf."

"And he's knotted it thrice."

"Thrice?"

"Thrice."

"Shame we never came up with a code about what pirate is about to mutiny against that poor captain."

"You know that Demyx still hasn't quite grasped Bastionite. He only understands the important words."

"You need to be a better teacher Zexion," Leon commented.

"Oh please, anyone else would give up on him," the shorter man replied, rolling his eye before turning back to looking through the telescope. "He's still waving of course. No subtlety at all that man."

"Hope no one's caught him in the act."

"He had better hope that they're all too busy to pay attention to a heathen 'slave'."

Leon couldn't help but share that sentiment, but he knew that Demyx could take care of himself. He wasn't an active member of the crew for nothing. "I'll get the men together. Let me know if you notice anything mutinous happening on that ship."

"Aye sir."

He pushed himself off the railing that he had been leaning heavily against, heading towards the back of the Ragnarok where the wheel and his first-mate were. He nodded his head to the third-mate as she bellowed out orders, waved in greeting to the second-mate and his assistant who were busy tending to a few flesh wounds gained from the hard labour. His crew greeted him with respect and smiles, something of a far cry on most pirate ships where fear was used to instil reverence and obedience. For Leon, this was just a code of honour that his family had always believed in; respect your people and treat them fairly, and they in turn shall respect you.

It was probably for this reason why some of the more weaker-willed pirates ended up joining his crew; mostly young boys and old men that should have been thinking of their pensions. He was happy to take them aboard, but he often left them on Destiny Islands to follow whatever path they pleased once he returned to his island home. In Leon's eyes, the elderly should be kept on land to just enjoy what they had left of their lives and the young should decide for themselves whether they wanted a life at sea or not. Not to mention that neither really served him well; youths when they didn't want to be seamen or pirates proved to be rebellious and the elderly were too frail to perform the hard work.

Of course, he would never actually say that to their faces. He nodded to his flame-haired first-mate, standing at his side and watching the Ifrit as she made her steady progress across the sea. "Demyx sent word that there's a bunch of pirates on board planning mutiny."

"That was the headscarf knotted three times right?" the first-mate asked idly; he never really paid much attention to the officer meetings but sometimes he could recite perfectly what was going on while he was looking elsewhere in a bored fashion.

"Glad to know you heard that part," Leon droned lightly. "Keep her steady and the Ifrit in sight. If even a hair on those four is injured…"

"The Guv'ner's going to tan our hides, have our guts for garters and our skulls for teacups. I know the story." Axel then snorted. "Hmph… you'd think he'd be more careful with how he addresses a pirate."

"Privateers, Axel. We're currently privateers."

It was as the sun began to sink into the depths of a darkening sea and the sky turned into shades of pinks, oranges, golds and purples that Cloud had begun to wonder if something was wrong. Hojo seemed to be spending more time with certain members of the crew rather than with the captain of the ship. The crew themselves were starting to look at the Strife brood with smug smiles of flashing teeth; sometimes toothless, sometimes capped in gold. Most worrying though was the look Naminé was receiving from the ship's cook, a tall fat man with one eye and eye patch, a wooden leg and a parrot that liked to curse and swear at anyone that tried to speak to it as a companion. The look from that solitary eye was almost predatory; Cloud did his utmost to stay close to her as they left supper in the Captain's quarters, opting to escort her to her bedroom before heading for the one he shared with the twins.

"Lock your door tonight," Cloud warned, holding his sister close.

"What?" she questioned, turning her blue eyes to her brother's profile.

"It's just a feeling, but something isn't right. Lock your door and if you hear anything strange, don't come out."

"That's very vague dear brother," Naminé replied, but she didn't appear to doubt his words. "Why… do you think something's wrong?"

"Best not talk of it," Cloud said, shepherding her into her room. "Goodnight Naminé. Try to rest." She just gave him a sheepish look but nodded her head; she did trust her elder brother's judgement, but she was more afraid of the fact that he was saying nothing of what sort of danger she was in. She closed the door and locked it. Cloud did not leave until he heard the door lock, this unsettling feeling still causing him to question what was going on. He was glad he had snuck on some form of protection while on board; while the long knife was by no means going to win in a fight against a gun, he could at least use it to protect himself in close quarters.

He turned to walk back to the room he shared with the twin brothers and noticed the heathen was watching him, teal eyes glancing at him with a knowing roguish smile. Cloud felt his hand stray behind him, where his knife was.

"Don't fight," the heathen said in broken Bastionite. This surprised Cloud; he had been almost certain the heathen had no grasp of their language. "You live if no fight."

"You know something's going to happen."

"Yes."

"Then tell me."

"I no tell."

"Please," Cloud pleaded. "You have to. If it endangers my siblings-"

"No fight. You live if no fight. He come for you."

"Who will come for me?"

The heathen smiled lightly, murmuring something and turning away as he walked. Cloud just about heard the strange phrase through the creaking of the worn out wood. "Rex Pirata."

Night had fallen; they were blessed by a full moon by the gods; a round moon of pure silver, her face shining a gentle light that reflected off the dark waters of the sea, while her starlight children glimmered and danced in the sky, each one winking mischievously at the humans on the surface world. When he was a child, Leon had been told that those that worshipped the world as a living god believed that the moon was the world's wife and the stars were the souls of humans that had left their Father Earth to join their Mother Moon. In the sky, the souls would forever be children and ageless, only dying as shooting stars when it was time for them to return to their Father Earth. Back then, he wanted to believe something like that too, for the idea instilled a sense of hope of a life after death and a chance of resurrection. In that respect, he was envious of the 'heathen' peoples.

"Nice night for a mutiny, huh Leon?" Axel asked, joining the captain at the bow of the Ragnarok. He was trying to bring some light to the situation, but he knew it was a fool's task to try and cheer up his long time friend.

"It's also a nice night to fight totally blind," the captain responded. "I don't like it… not knowing what we're up against."

"How were we to know that a pirate crew had a leader that was smart enough to come up with a plan like this?" Axel replied. "Especially a leader that can muster a crew that's willing to help take over a ship that big."

"Probably someone that spoke honeyed words and then when they least expect it rules them with an iron fist," Leon replied with biting cynicism. "I only worry that our 'cherubs' will get hurt in all this."

"You need to give Demyx a little more credit." Axel took a deep breath of the sea air. "He may be a bloody coward but he's slippery bastard. Zexion wouldn't trust him on this if he didn't think he was up for the job."

"I don't doubt that." He leant against the side. "What worries me more is will the boys try to fight even if Demyx managed to warn them. They have a sister; that's enough reason to want to fight."

"Maybe if we're lucky she's like Kairi and can handle herself," Axel grinned.

"Axel… I don't think there's another girl quite like your sister in this world."

"Maybe. But we shouldn't just write that possibility off." Axel then peered into the distance. "Hey… does that look like something to worry about?"

Leon peered towards the Ifrit; the deck was suddenly alight with flame and sounds of fighting with blade and gunpowder was echoing in the still night air. They were starting. "All hands on deck! Now!"

Cloud woke with a start when he heard gunshots coming from the deck, slipping from the uncomfortable itchy bed and grabbing his knife. He knew something was wrong! He quickly rushed over to the twins' bed, roughly shaking both sleeping boys to rouse them from their dreams. "Up! Get up! Both of you!"

"Nnn?" Roxas groaned, yawning heavily as he struggled to wake. Ven tried to ignore but his slumber was ultimately disturbed. "Wh…at…?"

"There's fighting onboard. Both of you need to-" The weak timber door was kicked at harshly, screams of the three of them to get out leaking into their room. That was enough to wake the other two from their sleep, jumping out of bed.

"Wh-What do we do?-!" Ven cried.

"We need to get to Naminé and find a way off this ship. And fast," Cloud replied. "I'd rather take my chances at sea than deal with a mutiny!"

"What makes you so sure it's a mutiny?-!" Roxas demanded.

"A little bird hinted to it; look now's not the time to ask about details! We've got to-!" The door was slammed at again. "We've got to find a way out of here!"

"Your Graces! Come out this instant!" Cloud nearly started at that; was that Hojo's voice? "If you don't come out, you endanger your sister!"

"Don't tell me…" Ven started.

"They've got Naminé!" Roxas exclaimed, his anger starting to bubble and boil like a cauldron. "I swear if they've hurt her…!"

"Quiet!" Cloud hissed, coming over to the door and holding the knife tightly, teeth clenched as he spoke. "Explain right now what's going on!"

"The ship is under mutiny; the captain was killed and a new captain has been established." There seemed to be a snicker coming from the messenger whom Cloud had definitely concluded was that slime ball aide Hojo. If they got out of this alive… "I must say, their offer of payment was much greater than your brother's negotiations. The ransom on your heads could pay off an entire crew until retirement!"

"You son of a-!" Roxas yelled, just about to run at the door, but Ven managed to hold him back.

"Come out and no one will get hurt."

Cloud growled angrily, looking down at his knife and sighing, attaching to the belt loops of his trousers. The twins looked at him incredulously. "Cloud?" Ven questioned.

"We haven't got any better options right now, and Naminé is in their hands." He hated admitting that though. That he was powerless to do anything. "Let's just… try to bear with it."

"I can't believe we're…" Roxas grumbled furiously.

"Cloud's right. We don't have a choice," Ven consoled his twin brother. He then looked over to Cloud and nodded his head; he was ready to turn himself in if it kept their sister safe.

Cloud was unsure if he was entirely ready to do such a thing though. He barely thought of it though as he opened the door. As expected, a bunch of the crew came in and surrounded them, grabbing them roughly so that they had no chance of escape if they felt lucky enough to try. Cloud's eyes were on Hojo the entire time, glaring in anger at being betrayed like this.

It was good to know that you couldn't find loyalty in anyone these days.

"Any sign of our little birdie on board?"

"I haven't seen anything yet of him. All I can see is mutineers."

"Hope he hasn't been caught… that'd be a bit of a problem."

"Knowing him he's probably keeping his head down and waiting till we arrive." A turn of the wheel and the sound of a gun being cocked. The captain leant forward. "All quiet! Attack on my command!"

Cloud forced himself not to wince as he felt his knees get slammed onto the deck, eyes glaring up at the new captain of the ship and Hojo. The triplets were formed in a row alongside him; the boys kept stern faces while Naminé was fighting not to cower and be as strong as her brothers. Strifes were not to show fear in the face of the enemy. They were meant to always look straight into the eyes of Death and feel not a shred of emotion towards it. Even so, the urge to tremble was hard to ignore.

"Four little ransoms, lined up in a row. His Lordship was nuts to think he could send them all in one swoop and not expect them to get captured."

"Yes, Captain," Hojo smiled lightly. "The girl's dowry alone is worth more than her own weight in gold. Imagine how much Lord Vanitas will pay for their safe return."

"You're wasting your breath," Cloud commented. "Our brother would rather see us dead than pay a ransom for us." The mutineer captain suddenly punched the young noble across the face, the force behind his bulbous fist sending the young man sprawling on the deck.

"Do ye good to stay quiet lad." The captain –the cook that had been giving Naminé lewd looks earlier- turned to where the heathen man was. He was sitting on the edge of the ship, not really paying much attention to the mutineers that were still sitting about. "What say ye, heathen? Willing to join a pirate crew? Ye'll get a fair share of all the spoils despite your religion."

He turned to face him; his teal eyes were no longer playful but they held a spark of knowing something that they didn't know. He walked over to Cloud and helped him back to his knees, ignoring the new captain and Hojo entirely.

"Hey! I just gave ye a very generous offer!"

"No interest." The heathen stood up to his full height; he was almost at an eye level with the pirate captain. "I stay, no want any treasure."

"Well I'll be…" the captain murmured, hobbling over on his wooden leg. "A pirate that's going to work for free! Now I've heard it all!"

"Captain Silver, does this not raise a suspicion in you?" Hojo inquired.

"How can it? He's just a stupid heathen who barely understands us," Captain Silver shrugged. "What could he possibly-"

"Merchant ship coming towards the starboard side!" one of the pirates on the rigging yelled, pointing towards a small, unassuming schooner coming towards their brigantine. Cloud could only imagine what sort of greed the thought of a lone merchant ship was eliciting in the hearts of these pirates. He felt Naminé next to him huddle closer to him.

"Looks like we're getting two ships for the price of one!" the captain laughed uproariously. "Put the hostages below deck! Everyone gather yer arms! We'll be drinking tonight!"

As Hojo tried to protest at just how too convenient this had been, the heathen man gathered the four together and shepherded them down below decks, gesturing them all to be quiet as they made their way past all the swarming masses to the armoury of the ship. Roxas finally spoke.

"Why are you taking us here?" he demanded once no one was around.

"Safe place," the heathen replied. "Many guns. Many swords. Good hiding spot." He closed the door behind them; the room was totally dark save for the flickering smouldering lanterns that were close to drowning in a pool of liquid wax. The heathen took a small knife hanging from his belt and cut the ropes that had restricted the four Strifes' arms. "Stay here. You safe." He nodded his head towards the door. "Hear three knocks it me. Hide or shoot other."

"You're going to help them?-!" Ven exclaimed.

"No help them. Help Rex Pirata." The heathen smiled lightly at them. "He come. I here to watch you." He grabbed a rifle from the side, waved at them lightly and was out of the armoury, leaving the four nobles alone with the sounds of gunshots and agonised cries. Naminé finally broke down into terrified tears; Ven was trying to console her.

"Rex Pirata…" Cloud murmured. "That's the second time I've heard that today."

"He already said something to you earlier?" Roxas asked as he picked up two revolvers and checked their barrels. They may not have had much experience with firearms but the Strife boys knew their way around a revolver in case they ever needed to fire one.

"He mentioned it to me. In fact… he warned me this was going to happen."

"So he was in on it?" Ven asked, holding their terrified sister close to his chest.

"I don't think he intends on letting us be prisoners to these pirates but… I have to wonder about his intentions."

"We should just shoot him when he gets back then," Roxas growled, snapping the locks of the revolvers into place.

"How will that help us?" Cloud asked his headstrong brother. "We're going from one crew of pirates to another. You kill one of theirs and they'll show you no mercy."

"So we just let them take us?-!" Roxas screeched.

"If we have a better option, please tell me now." The two brothers glared at each other but it was Roxas who conceded. Cloud sighed and shook his head, taking the last rifle off the wall and checking that there was some ammunition inside. "Ven, stay with Naminé."

"But I-"

"If you want to help, you'll make sure she stays safe," Cloud interrupted, bringing the rifle up and aiming for the door. "If we are transferring to another pirate crew I want to be sure she's not going to be harmed in any way."

"…Alright." Ven helped their sister to her feet and quickly stashed themselves away behind the barrels, the pair huddling close together. The ship creaked under them as above them the sounds of battle rang in their ears. Although he had been keeping the bravest face of them all, Cloud was in reality scared. He didn't want to die, and he didn't want to be held hostage by pirates. What scared him the most though was the fate of his younger siblings. What would happen to him if he was killed tonight?

It didn't bear thinking about.

Another pirate fell dead to the deck, a gunshot wound in the middle of his forehead. Another was killed after the deathly wind produced by a round spiked wheel. As time went on, members of both crews were beginning to fall into the depths of Davy Jones' Locker, and yet it had been the enemy crew that was suffering the most.

Leon had been watching this from his spot, picking his targets carefully and aiming for the most vulnerable weak spots. A shot to the head here, a shot to the chest there, a splattering in the back; no pirate was safe so long was he had his vantage point. He was Death incarnate. He was the Grim Reaper with a rifle. He was the judge, jury and executioner of these poor fools that were fighting for their lives for they knew that the Ragnarok was here for their blood. He spotted Demyx in the skirmish, seeing that their heathen friend was reuniting with Zexion. He also saw Axel, with his two exotic chakrams, cleaving his way through the hoards with no real intention, making him all the more deadly. He noted his second and third mates were still fighting strongly, as was his crew who were hellbent on downing this ship, some more than others. The Ifrit held some bad history in its wooden planks, history best left at the bottom of the sea.

He trained his eye on the peg-legged man that the enemy crew seemed to be trying to protect somewhat, the same peg-legged man that was screaming thousands of curses in the Bastionite tongue. His fingers twitched around the trigger, waiting for the opportune moment to arrive.

The man turned, facing him. Leon pulled the trigger.

It had gone deathly quiet on deck, which made the two blond youths grip their weapons tighter as they waited by the door. Ven had managed to soothe their sister into an uneasy rest, having rocked her gently against his form. When she was scared as a child, the brothers would do this when they were not being watched by the eyes of the world. It seemed appropriate to do it now as a last resort to comfort.

"Did they destroy each other?" Roxas asked Cloud quietly, looking over to his older brother.

"I don't think-" He was interrupted by a gunshot erupting into the air. He swallowed a lump he hadn't known to have formed in his throat. "Someone won. I'm not entirely sure if we're going to like the result though." He brought the rifle up and aimed at the door, prepared to shoot as he heard the boards creak under the weight of someone. Roxas took his cue, fingers twitching around the triggers of the two revolvers in his hands.

The footsteps stopped outside the door. Three knocks followed. Cloud signalled to Roxas to not drop his guard while he reached for the door and opened it. The heathen had returned, blood-spattered, chest heaving from exertion and sweat-covered muscles twitching. But he was smiling at them like a giddy fool. "Pirates gone. You safe now."

"How?" Roxas demanded. The heathen looked at him, surprised to see a pair of guns trained on him but he didn't seem too startled.

"Rex Pirata. He here to save you." He then grinned broadly and outstretched his arms wide. "He King of Pirates. No one fight him and win."

Well, the saying 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' seemed to ring true here. They get captured by pirates, and then 'saved' by their king. He was probably some grizzled old seadog who would be just as cruel and ruthless as that ruddy peg-legged stereotype that-

"We go," the heathen suddenly said, urging the nobles to follow him. "You come on own free will, less trouble later."

"Why should we go?" Ven asked quietly, bringing Naminé up with him as he stood.

"Safe with Rex Pirata. Safe on Ragnarok." He then brightly chirped. "And we paid by Governor for saving you."

"Governor?" Cloud asked. "There's a Governor involved? Which one?"

The heathen shrugged his shoulders. "Emm… ich weiß nicht."

Cloud's eyes widened at that. That was unmistakably Gardenian right there. Did that mean the pirate crew that attacked them was Gardenian? This was one of those moments where he wished he paid attention to his instructors… he might be able to communicate better with the heathen then. Roxas looked about ready to pull the triggers. "Alright, we'll go."

"We what?-!" Roxas and Ven cried simultaneously.

"We are going," Cloud said firmly. "I'd rather take the path of least resistance at the moment."

"Great! Kapitän Leonhart wird sich freuen!" The heathen was quick to lead the nobles along. "Let's go!"

To the frightened survivors of the mutinous crew, the redheaded pirate cut a fearsome sight. He was stained with blood from head to toe, black tattoos merging with the redness of his image, throwing his chakrams up into the air and catching them again in morbid playfulness. Many Bastionite whispers claimed that this was Rex Pirata, the most feared pirate in all the seas under the moon of Kingdom Hearts.

They were right that he was a feared pirate, just not the most feared. He suddenly called out in his native Gardenian to a small slate-haired man who was reading a book now; he had ordered a pirate from his crew to fetch it from their ship for him now that the 'commotion' was over.

"Hey, Zexion. Wie lange müssen wir für Seine Hoheit warten?"

"Wie soll ich das wissen? Sie wissen, dass er dinge tut, in seinem eigenen tempo."

"Ack," the redhead grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Ich werde ein alter mann sein, als er beschließt, zu erscheinen!"

"Seien sie versichert, sie werden immer noch jung. Jetzt aufhören, zu jammern."

"Wohlige wie immer, huh."

"Oh mund halten das paar von euch." The two pirates looked towards where the new voice had come from. A tall brunet with a rifle strapped to his back and a cutlass and revolver hanging from his belt had swung aboard from the other ship, walking between them. "Hat Demyx wieder noch?"

"Noch nicht. Vielleicht sind die gören sind ihm schwierigkeiten," the redhead replied.

"Ich hoffe nicht. Das würde den weg nach hause ein ausgabe," the slate-haired one commented. "Ich möchte lieber nicht, damit umzugehen." The three men's attention was taken by the appearance of the heathen and the four nobles, the heathen greeting them loudly in Gardenian. The brunet barked an order for the nobles to be taken aboard the Ragnarok, which the crew that were still energetic enough after a fight were getting very competitive about grabbing the girl. In the end, the heathen had been the one to carry her over. Followed by the two younger boys. The eldest was going to be the last to cross. The brunet finally spoke to the surviving members of the crew, stepping over the corpse of a hunching man with greasy hair and now broken glasses. He changed to Bastionite.

"Good evening, gentlemen. As I'm sure you're well aware by now, we've taken the ship and hostages. But I don't feel like carting a huge brigantine around with me as well so I'm left with two options. One: let you be on your way to lick your wounds in relative peace or Two: sink the ship with you all on it." The brunet leant forward a bit, staring straight into the eyes of the terrified masses. "I can already tell which course of action you're hoping I will take."

"Oh stoppen verlängerung der unvermeidlichen und sich zu bewegen Kapitän!" the slate-haired one yelled back.

"Unterbrechen sie mich nicht Zexion!" the brunet yelled back, momentarily taking his eyes away from their captives. He quickly turned back to them. "As I was going to say, I know which option you prefer I'd take, but I don't much feel like deliberating over my choices so…" He pulled his revolver out, cocking it so that it was prepared to fire and aiming its long body to the ship's bell. He watched with smug, sadistic satisfaction as the faces of the mutineers changed to one of absolute horror. "I'm sure you've heard stories about Rex Pirata. How he's a miserable old bastard who takes pity on no one, not even on toothless orphans or bawling babes, or how his ship moves on its own accord and will not have any other captain, or even how he looked straight into the eyes of Davy Jones and spat in his face." His trigger finger twitched; the masses gasped but no gunshot was heard. "I'll tell you now that there is only one truth to the stories you've heard and it's this one: how I decide the fate of ships I don't particularly want to keep or let go." His finger twitched again, and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. "If the bell tolls, the ship sinks. If it doesn't, you live. I'd start praying if I were you."

He watched as the mutineers took his advice to heart; some bowed their heads, some cried to the heavens, some begged the Lord and others made empty promises of mending their ways and become good little followers of Kingdom Hearts. It almost made him sick just how insincere those that made those promises were. He pulled the trigger.

With a loud clang, the bullet ricocheted off the brazen bell and shot a man in the back of the head, a yelp of shock from his neighbours echoing in the gentle night breeze. The brunet nodded his head and wordlessly walked to the plank that kept the two ships joined. There was a sudden buzz of activity on the Rex Pirata's ship.

The plank was taken away, the cannons on the port side of the pirate ship aimed at the Ifrit.

"Feuer ohne gnade," the brunet's voice ordered. The voice was even but the volume was loud enough to deafen the mutineers' ears. The sizzle of the cannons before firing followed his voice. The mutineers closed their eyes. Some cried for the first time in years.

In the relative safety of what Cloud could only decide was the captain's cabin, the Strife siblings jumped when they heard cannon fire screech in the air, followed by the sound of wood being blown to pieces as each heavy cannon ball hit the enemy ship with aplomb.

"The Ifrit…" Roxas breathed, somehow knowing the fate of the ship that had doomed them. Ven was holding a still terrified Naminé, as if trying to protect her from the evils shown to her on this terrible night. Cloud's hands were pressed against the cool glass of the window panes, watching as the ship they were on pulled away and the burning remains of the Ifrit drifted. Although the mutineers deserved the punishment, he was still in shock at how callous the act had been. Was this the work of the Rex Pirata the heathen had spoken of?

"What do we do now?" Ven asked softly.

"…I don't know," Cloud replied honestly. "All I know is that we stick together no matter what and show a heart of stone to our new captors." He turned to face his siblings. "We're Strifes. Strifes show no weakness."

"Another job well done," Axel merrily celebrated, looking like he could just about jig at any moment. He took a sort of grim pleasure in seeing mutineers and other unsavoury types getting their just punishment, not to mention seeing the end of a bloody job being well done. Leon was much more sombre; unlike most pirates, he wasn't particularly fond of killing with or without reason. He knew that some of those mutineers were just men which circumstance forced them into the lifestyle; very rarely did a pirate choose to become a pirate.

"Question is," Zexion began, standing to the other side of Leon, "what do we do with our guests now?"

"Simple. We were paid to keep them as far away from the Disney Continent as possible," Axel answered matter-of-factly. "So we do that. I'd say head home. Destiny Island is as far away from the Disney Continent as it can be."

"I guess there's logic to it. Not like any of the countries on the continent will look there since it has such an unassuming appearance despite its links to a certain pirate."

"Oh please. If the stories being passed around about Rex Pirata are to be believed by the vast population of the world, then they're all going to think Leon is just some old seadog with a hook for a hand and a monkey called Jack on his shoulder."

"I am here, you know," Leon muttered, pushing himself away from his seat. "And as I see it, we should try to make all four of them feel as welcome as possible on the ship."

"The crew might see that as favouritism Captain," Zexion pointed out.

"I'm sure we can break them in to hard work eventually," Leon refuted, dismissively waving off Zexion's point. "I'm going to go talk to Terra. I need to know how many casualties we have." He stalked off; Zexion and Axel knew that their captain and friend was putting off the inevitable. Terra down below decks in his 'practice' would soon scold him for not doing his duties.

"For all his talk, Leon's still not very good with people is he?" Axel remarked.

"He's probably trying to figure out the kindest way possible to tell the aristos that they're either part of his crew or his hostages," Zexion shrugged. "Can't say that will be an easy conversation to have."

"Glad I'm not in his shoes."