Chapter 1:

It was a late night, and 5 year old Jack was lying in bed. The door slowly creaked open and Jack's parents slowly walked up to his bed. "Mommy and I are going to be gone for awhile." Jack's dad whispered to him.

Jack and his older sister Alex never saw their parents again since that night. They also wondered when they would return, but soon they that they would never come back. Were they dead?

One of the instructors in the local dojo took up Jack and Alex as students, and became the closest thing they had to a father.

Under his instruction they both learned well. Jack had became a very skilled swordsman, and Alex became a fierce fist fighter.

Alex and Jack had spared with many different fighters. Still the fiercest fights were the times the times fought each other.

"Are you ready?" Jack asked.

"Of course" Alex laughed.

Jack stepped forward and swung his sword at Alex. Alex lunged to the side, then responded with a barrage of punches. Jack bobbed and weaved, dodging most of Alex's punches but he had to block of few of them with his sword.

Jack backed off and lifted his right hand, goading her into attacking him. Alex though was smarter, and held her ground smirking at Jack. Jack slowly approached Alex, lifting up his sword preparing to strike. Before he could Alex grabbed his wrist and yanked it downward. With her other hand she hit Jack with a powerful punch.

Alex let go of Jack, and he collapsed to the ground gasping for air. "Surrender?" Alex said tauntingly.

"I don't think so" replied Jack.

Jack threw a punch at Alex who grabbed it with both hands, big mistake. Jack swung and hit Alex in the gut, giving him time to get up.

Alex charged at Jack again. Jack dodged under her punch and hit her in the ribs. Alex growled and punched Jack in the gut, not a powerful as the last time though. Soon Jack and Alex were reduced to clumsily grappling. Their instructor stood up and ran towards them. "That enough you two!" he shouted.

Jack and Alex separated and backed off from each other. "You fought well." Alex gasped.

"Thanks" Jack replied.

Later that day Alex found Jack sitting on the dock, looking across the water longingly. Alex sat down next to him. They both stared out into the open sea, gazing into its vastness. For them it seemed like the sea went on forever. They knew their parents could be anywhere from on the next island to all the way across the world.

Alex eventually broke the silence. "You know their not coming back."

Jack let out a deep sigh "Yeah I know that."

"Then why are you sitting here waiting."

"I still want them back" Jack admitted.

Alex stood up and put a firm hand on Jack's shoulder. "Jack, if you want something you can't just wait for it. You have to go and find it."

Jack brushed of Alex's hand. "I know that Alex. But how do we start up a crew of pirate all by ourselves."

"We have each other." said Alex. "And their are other people with their own dreams that can help us if we help them."

"Well the most important thing is getting a ship, right now a small boat will do."

"I think I know where we can get the money to buy one."

The Headmaster of the Dojo was sitting in his office when Jack and Alex walked into the room. "We want to be part of the tournament."