For those of you reading Hikari no Game, it's coming to a close! So here is my next story!

To Catch a Pirate (by Jade Parker) is one of my favorite romance books ever and I was reading it again and decided that "Hey...he reminds me of Bakura! He has a British accent, a scar on his right cheek, and is mostly an asshole!" and here we are. :)

If you haven't read my other "based on so so story" fanfics on , then I write these kinds LOOSELY BASED. This is because I like to do things a little differently. So don't be mad if your favorite part of the book isn't in the fanfic, or if it ends really differently from the book. Because it might be different~

I'm going to try to not take ages to update (like I am with Hikari no Game). This is the longest first chapter I've ever written ever!

16 chapters in the book so 16 chapters in the fanfic! Let's go!

1720

Bakura Ryou had been so excited for this trip on the open seas. He couldn't wait for the adventure.

But now that he was looking adventure in the face, and it had a huge scar coming down from it's right eye, he was not so excited. That's right, the ship he couldn't wait to be on had been captured by pirates and one was holding a knife firmly to his throat.

"Hold your tongue or I'll cut it out," he said. He couldn't have been any older than 16, much like Ryou himself, yet the look in his eyes said that he had gone through a lot in his short life. His skin was tanned, probably from being out on the sea for so long, but he seemed foreign. Exotic almost. His hair was tucked under a red bandana, but Ryou could see bits of white sticking out from underneath. The white matched his own hair color, but of course, the pirates hair was cut a lot choppier. He didn't sound like a typical pirate. More sophisticated than Ryou would've thought.

He'd decided to go on this trip, much to his regret at the moment, because his mother and sister had recently succumbed to the fever. When his father was offered governorship of an island, Ryou had immediately asked to go on the ship with him to try and forget about his recently passed family members. Now he couldn't help but think he was going to join them, along with everyone else on the ship.

You see, the ship that appeared, almost out of nowhere, was flying a red flag. This meant two things. One being that no mercy would be given. Two being that this ship was the infamous Phantom Mist, lead by the ruthless Touzoku-ou Kelly. As soon as the ship sailing out of the mist was recognized, the crew started praying and Ryou's father demanded that he go hide in the cargo hold. But as soon as Ryou could hear the sounds of battle, his curiosity got the best of him.

He crawled out of his hiding place, and almost instantly, was slammed up against the wall. That's where he found himself now.

Ryou was drawn out of his thoughts as the sounds of battle on deck started to disperse. He was completely terrified as he heard victorious shouts of the pirates above. Does that mean the crew is dead? Hi father?

"Please..."

"Didn't you hear me? I said hold your tongue or lose it!" the pirate growled, narrowing his eyes. So young. What had happened to this boy that he would end up on a pirate ship, pillaging and killing? Suddenly, his eyes fell to Ryou's neck where a small, golden necklace lay against his skin. It was a ring with a triangle and an eye in the middle. Five points hung off of the ring, dangling. The pirate raised his hand, about to grab the piece of jewelry.

"No! No, please!" As soon as Ryou noticed the pirate about to take his necklace, his fear of losing it overcame his fear of losing his tongue. "It's a useless trinket."

"I said not to talk," the pirate said, getting angrier by the second.

"I only wanted to explain so you wouldn't be wasting your time," Ryou said, cautiously. He was starting to use his brain to try and think of a way out of this. He had to be very careful because he could tell that this teenage boy would lose his temper shortly.

"You don't value your tongue." It was a statement, not a question, as the knife pressed firmer into Ryou's soft neck.

"I value the necklace more," Ryou replied, trying to move his head away from the silver blade. Just then, a loud shout came from the upper deck, getting the pirates attention instantly.

"Akefia!"

Ryou looked around quickly, wondering if he could escape while the pirate in front of him was distracted. Unfortunately, he didn't have time as the teen gathered himself up quickly, turning to Ryou.

"Well I have to take something or Touzoku will be down here shortly," he said, gruffly. Ryou was rather surprised that the pirate (Akefia?) hadn't just taken the necklace. Maybe he wasn't as cold as he tried to seem. Ryou had to think of something fast.

"Take this!" he exclaimed, slowly holding up his right hand and showing the pirate a ring. "It's diamonds. Really expensive." The pirate wasn't buying that so quickly, to which Ryou wasn't surprised. Pirates have no reason to trust anyone.

"Why offer me something of greater value?" he asked. "Quickly. You're running low on time." Ryou saw no reason to lie about this as it would just make him seem suspicious. So he told the truth.

"It was my mothers," he explained. "She gave it to me before she died and it's all I have left of her and my sister to remember them by."

"You want to remember them?" the pirate asked, a confused look appearing in his cold eyes.

"Of course," Ryou said, not understanding. Then teenage pirate looked like he was about to continue the conversation but thought better of it, changing the subject back to the one at hand.

"You know, it's the pirates way to take the finger when you take the ring. If you want to keep your pretty little hand in tact, you'll have to offer me something else," he said, a sudden smirk crossing his face.

"I have nothing," Ryou sighed, getting nervous.

"Oh, but you do," the pirate chuckled. Before Ryou could have a change to react, the pirate dipped his head, smashing his lips to Ryou's forcefully. The kiss was something she'd never experienced before. It was quickly turning more passionate and his knees grew weak. He found himself grabbing onto the pirates shirt to keep from falling. And then...he almost forgot that this man kissing him was a pirate.

"Akefia Bakura! Where ye be? If ye were careless enough to be killed, I'll be drinking yer blood with my supper!"

The pirate drew back, smirking at Ryou as he shook like a leaf. He grabbed Ryou's hand and took the ring off of his finger before letting him go. Ryou pressed his trembling hand to his mouth, shocked.

"A fair trade," the pirate boy chuckled before pointing to a barrel in the corner. "Hide there until we've all left." He turned on his heel quickly, not looking to make sure that Ryou had hidden himself and called up the stairs. "I'm coming, Kelly. Nothing of value down here." And he was gone.

Ryou climbed into the barrel, pulling the lid on top of it quickly. He curled into a tight ball and tried not to cry as he heard the loud crashing sounds from the upper deck. What had become of everyone? The crew? He grasped his necklace tightly, almost as if trying to draw strength from his mother.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the sounds stopped and all was quiet. Were they gone? He slowly lifted the lid and peeked out just as thunderous footsteps were heard.

"Mr. Bakura! Mr. Bakura!"

Ryou felt relief flood through him as he recognized the voice. It was Malik Ishtar, the youngest officer on board. He was known in the ports to be extremely handsome with long, sandy blond hair and tanned skin. His skin color reminded Ryou of the young pirate, but of course, Malik's was much softer due to having a better life than that of a pirate.

"I'm here!" Ryou called, standing up. He saw that Malik's outfit was streaked with blood and torn, but he looked relieved to see Ryou unharmed.

"Your father sent me for you," he said, helping Ryou out of the barrel quickly.

"My father? Is he safe?" Ryou asked, glad to hear that he was alive.

"He's hurt, but he'll live," Malik said, but he wasted no time grabbing Ryou's hand and pulling him up the stairs. "We're abandoning ship."

"Why?"

"Because the pirates set fire to it! Let's hurry!" he exclaimed, pulling him along. Malik's legs were a lot longer than Ryou's and he had trouble keeping up, but the smell of smoke urged them both on. As soon as they reached the upper deck, Ryou felt like he was going to be sick. Dead bodies, bloodied and mangled, littered the deck.

"Don't look at them," Malik said, but of course, Ryou had to or else he would trip and land in the bloody puddles. They made it to the side of the boat where a long boat was sitting in the water already. A thin, rope ladder hung over the edge as Ryou looked down. She saw her father in the boat along with a few of the crew members. The captain of their ship was still on the deck, holding the rope ladder firmly.

"Here we go, Mr. Bakura," the captain said, looking gravely over the dead bodies on his forsaken ship. "Malik will go first so as to catch you if you fall. Then I'll go last. Hurry along now."

Ryou felt awkward as he climbed down, trying not to step on Malik's fingers as he climbed below him. But he felt safer than if he was to climb down on his own. They all three reached the long boat and the captain immediately demanded the crew members row away from the sinking ship so it wouldn't pull them under. Ryou slid over to his father who was bloodied and beaten, but his eyes showed that he was worried more by something else.

"Father?" Ryou asked.

"They took the chest, Ryou," he sighed heavily. Ryou knew what he was referring to. King George had given him a chest filled with gold help build a town on the island and give it wealth. The king thought he should a war ship to protect his money and make sure they arrived to the island safely, but Ryou's father thought that would make them more of a target for pirates.

"You had no choice," Ryou said, trying to make his father feel better, but his father merely looked at the sinking ship again, feeling his heart sink with it.

Ryou looked up, seeing that Malik was sitting right across from him. He tried to give him a shaky smile as a thanks for saving him from going down with the ship.

"You're trembling," Malik said.

"I'm freezing," Ryou replied. "Isn't that silly? We're in the Caribbean and yet I feel like I'm buried in snow."

"You've been through a traumatic experience," Malik told him, taking off his jacket and gently placing it on Ryou's shoulders. Ryou tried to ignore the blood stains. "I'm a bit shaken up myself."

As they rowed further out to sea, Ryou looked at the ship that was meant to carry them to a new life. He watched as it burned, taking with it the poor lost souls of the fallen crew members. Then, he looked to the south where a ship was sailing away boldly. His thoughts turned to the pirate who had found her in the hold.

Akefia Bakura. He would not forget his name. He would not forget his face.

And most of all, he would not forget his kiss.