This story was written by a duo via IM. Wei Xian belongs to me (shown as Y) and Mao Yu belongs to my friend Jin (shown as J). I tried to keep the original format.

I apologize for any misconceptions, errors, etc. Again, We wrote this out of fun, like dumb little kids.

*YAOI warning (later on)*

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CH1 part 1 Introductions

J: "Improvements fills the times, the city of Yuyang doing strong under the empire of Han. We can only move forward and-..no no, it sounds so...so formal. How does it sound scribe?" An older man looked up from his brush and scroll, tierdly rubbing his shaven face. "If the young master does not approve of his own words, should I have faith enough to keep this parchment or cast it aside in favor of new ones?" "Y-..you're right, I should just...but my cousin, I assume he knows of everything I speak- It's just...it sounds unlike anything that makes sense to me." "Young master should not doubt himself." Pacing, a young man of about nineteen years fluttered about in a gold and purple robe. Dressed as nobility. Born as nobility. His father in favor of the late Emperor Wu. Always reminding him of that time he was in service to the great emperor Wu, always of that time. They were the upstanding nobles of Yuyang, the port city beside the kingdom seat of Gaungyang. They were not Gaungyang, but important enough to require a noble to supervise. Luckly enough, his father held such a position. The privileged life of a young noble. Footsteps thundered down the halls of the estate's open halls, "Mao Yu! Mao Yu! Look what mother has sent me! You must look!" The ebony-haired youth sighed as the doors to the room were slid open in a mighty commotion. "Minsheng, please...can you not recognize when someone is busy, I have things to do-" "Mao Yu! Look! Mother sent me a blade, look! Look how lovely it is!" The eldest slowly knelt, taking the young eight year old on his knee, "Fine, scribe we shall continue later, forgive my younger brother of his impatient ways." "As you wish young master." "Ah, let's see...such a fine blade, a dagger, for Minsheng." Mao Yu's green eyes fixed on the jade cut sheath, touching it gingerly. Such was a typical day, his younger brother's doting on his presence, but today was odd, he'd not seen Jinhai since morning. "Minsheng, where is your brother?"

Y: The black seas churned quietly around a fleet of dark junks, their square sails turning against the wind. Ahead of them, in the water was a burning ship, a horse and treasure vessel, now split into large chunks of floating debris, no men alive among the damage. Pirates had overtaken the valuable junk, ramming the hull, knocking loose the large sailing rudder while filthy, haggard men swarmed the high decks and plundered the holds. Among them was a young, pale-eyed scavenger of 'mixed-blood', his dark hair streaked with lighter browns by the salt and the sun. He cried like his fellow raiders, swinging a large curved sword over his head, cleaving another man in two. This was for treasure, but moreover, this was for kicks. The ship was on its way to Guangyang, but would never make it. "Take whatever valuables you can carry, bring back any women alive." His boss had ordered them all, " And no keeping anything to yourself, Wei Xian. I don't want to have to throw you overboard for thievery." The youth had rolled his eyes, a lean, but muscular 20-year-old that the famine and waves had sapped out anything but solid tissue and bone from. His body was marked with many deep scars already that showed just what kinds of weapons had met him. " Let this be a lesson to the Emperor Wu. These are our waters." La Ji boomed to his men as they crawled back to their own junks, storing away goods.

J: Minsheng looked up at his brother with big brown orbs, "Umm, father is scolding him again. He got into another fight while wandering..." Mao Yu smiled sadly, gently lifting the child from his frame, "Jinhai must learn to fight his own battles." "Yeah." The little boy murmured, distracted by his new plaything. Feet thundered down the hallway once more, a vassal looking extremely stressed, "Young master, there has been some news sent of a disturbance caused from a cargo ship on it's way to Guangyang, if you will, your father demands your presence." The man bowed politely, Mao Yu getting up. "I'll be there in just a moment." Minsheng glanced up at his brother, "Why not go play out in the garden today? It's beautiful outside." The boy grinned, "Okay!" Mao Yu smiled, watching the youth trot away, then sighed, running a hand through his bangs, "I'm coming." He muttered, following the vassal.

Y: The pirates spent another hour pillaging the area until the ship had sunken below the gray-blue surface, leaving only a chimney of smoke to finish rising into the sky. The junk fleet sailed on, moving away from the Continent now, to watch from afar. A woman had been recovered from a smaller ship, overtaken that day almost by accident, having just been in the way of the cruel La Ji. It was a fishing vessel that was quickly overturned, the man and his son pierced with arrows and spears and drowned in the seafoam. The wench had been dragged aboard and kept in the hold from sight, though not from the minds of the other pirates on board.

J: Slowly entering the main chamber, the dark-haired youth bowed in acknowledgment of his father. His younger brother sat before the elder, his face carrying a plum colored bruse under his eye. Lord Tao Yu glanced over at his eldest, praising the air, "Ah, so my first born arrives. You have heard the news." "Yes my lord, you seek me? Your advisers provide much better counsel than I." "My son, it is time you met your place at my side. Not just free-footing with the weaponry." "My lord..." Jinhai passed a smile at the other, Mao Yu only frowning as if to scold him, the boy no longer smiling. Sitting beside his brother, Mao Yu looked up to his lord, "Do you have plans to make action on this father?" "I was hopeful about you joining the captain here on the investigation of this crime...but in light of the situation, perhaps this can wait."

Y: Much of the time spent sailing on as ship was waiting, doing little to nothing until an enemy junk came along or they checked into port. Wei Xian lay flat on the deck in the sun, feeling the boat rock, hearing the waves licking at the hull and the sails rustle in the breeze. They were a 4-junk fleet, haunting the seas for weeks at a time before returning to land to threaten food and hospitality out of the shore residents. The salted air fluttered wisps of the youth's dark hair over his pale eyes. They were an ice blue, but ringed with a swollen pink, as if he were constantly ill or had been in a cloud of smoke too long. That was just the way Xian looked. He was a renegade like most of these men. He had no family and had done many ill deeds. But he was a good robber, so he was kept relatively alive and taken care of. Folding his arms behind his head, the male scowled, thinking about demanding his own ship and how he'd been turned down. He was a great pirate, but La Ji had said he was too reckless and dangerous for his own junk.

J: "Now, if I may, I thank you for your presence Mao Yu, please...accompany your brother from my view." The two answering in respect, then left. Mao Yu dragged the other from sight, before stopping and tending to the swollen face. "Ah, Mao, don't touch it!" The seventeen year old pleaded. "Hold your tongue." The elder frowned, "Oh Jinhai, what've you done now?" "Nothing, I swear...I was just out with some friends-" "Those little monster urchins you call friends are nothing but trash." "Mao don't say stuff like that..you sound like father." "Is he not right? Always right...they are the dirt you spit on, I forbid you from going out with them." "You're too late.." Mao Yu looked furious, "You should be glad I've never raised my fist against you brother-" "No..father has already forbade me.. I care not. There are those ships coming in." The older brother sighed, dragging Jinhai behind him, "Push thoughts of the outside from your mind. You are in trouble anyway." "But Mao! Those pirates...the ones who overran the ships for GuangYang. I hear they will be close, you can see them and everything!" "How..close?"

Y: The day slowly faded into evening, the small pirate fleet of junks dropping anchor several miles off the coast. They could be seen in the mist, but the pirates themselves had watchmen to assure they would never be ambushed. It was as if La ji was taunting the Continent to come and destroy him while he rested. -- Or not. Wei Xian frowned as he heard a shriek from his captain's quarters, the woman having been dragged on deck, kicking and screaming, pleading, her long black hair unwound from it's tie, face scrunched with tears. She was mourning the death of her family, and would mourn even more the next day. Xian slid down from the railing and waited by La Ji's door impatiently before bursting in. The older pirate growled, the wench, her clothes torn, scrambling over a desk, hair unkempt, eyes still waterlogged. She clutched the front of her hanfu over her chest.

J: Sitting on the deck, their feet mingling in the grass, Mao Yu gently applied a green salve on his brother's face. "The swelling should stop. Now tell me, what of these ships?" Jinhai grinned, "You'll take me with you if you go?" "Out of the question." Mao Yu sighed, scratching his head. 'Fooling around in the weaponry' his father said. Hah. "I will not tell you...unless you take me with you." This made the eldest angry. "And who will protect you when I am not there? I can not watch over you forever. You get into a beggar's fight and look what becomes of you!" Jinhai looked down, "I-..I just want to be more like yo-" "No. Don't you EVER speak like that. Now you will tell me." Jinhai frowned, "They're on the coast, I was informed and was going to venture tonight. Just as a game, to see how far we could get." "Yes, you and those little hoodlums. I can picture you being hung or cut up as we speak. You will not inform father of my whereabouts. He doesn't think I am fit enough to join the general on sea. I'll prove that I am fully capable." "Mao, please let me!" "I said no, and my word is absolute. Now go...I need to think."

Y: Wei Xian argued with La Ji, raising his voice and lowering it when the other did so. He was not afraid of his captain. The cold youth snapped at the woman to shut up whenever she began her hysterics again in hearing them. He wanted the first go at this new piece of meat, he demanded, arguing that the woman wouldn't be good enough for La Ji. He should give her to the men, because usually he left them with someone only half alive or already a corpse. The sea was a lonely place and they had not been at port for awhile.

J: Mao Yu thought out the idea, finding it reckless and something his father would not approve of. Scowling at the thought, the man looked at the sky, it was getting dark. Changing his dress into tight fitting cloth, much like Wu's assassins wore. The male was aware of the way the Japanese did things. It was efficient, but they were not ninjas. They were merely assassins. Those who he trained with, and one close friend would join him tonight. The problem was he was a spear wielder, not a wire and toggle kind-of-guy. These pirates were bothersome, so he would have to be a bother of his own. Mounting in the dead of night with seven others, the group left. Unbeknownst to Mao Yu, Jinhai was one of the cloaked men riding towards the junks on the coast.

Y: The reckless youth and his captain argued until it came to blows, the nimble Wei Xian avoiding a solid punch, but leaving the quarters anyway. He scowled, folding his arms, looking like a stubborn child, his bottom lip extended. La Ji had told him he was a fool and too bold and that he would not get an inch of any woman for a long time, teasingly telling him to go spend time with the men below deck who would enjoy his youthful flesh. The pale-eyed male stabbed a dagger into the railing of the junk, kicking an oar out of its holder. He stared angrily out at the sea, thinking to steal a smaller boat hanging off the side and visit port for some fun. He could get a real woman if he tried.

J: They could be spotted from the coast, the horses tied down and a boat having been prepared. The group was stealthy, aside from the one who lagged. He was not questioned right away but eyed by Mao Yu as the boat which appeared to be floating junk made it's way out. "Your mission is clear, take out as many as you can as quickly as possible, Li Bai, you stay with me and-" Pointing to the pairs, the man continued, "If you are to die tonight, then think of it as a right of passage, no man should die without taking at least ten other lives. Am I clear?" The others agreed and eventually as the boats came into sight, they knew they would be spotted. Keeping low, the heap gliding through the mist until it lodged against one of the lesser junks. Mao Yu kept his spear by his side, his fingers itching to release it's fury. The others the same with their weapons of choice. Only Jinhai, with the typical sword was worried now.

Y: The look outs gave a call to the men below deck, the captain too "busy" to be bothered. One watchmen prodded the small floating piles with an oar lifting the rags and shuffling some of the material on them. Wei Xian knew better, unsheathing his sword, sitting up on the far end of the boat, watching. More men emerged on the decks, the other junks observing, waiting.

J: The raft seemed harmless enough, now from the farthest junk, the eight men emerging from the depths. Muffled sounds of choking and commotion from the far back. The one with the spear leading the group to dismantle the pirates on the farthest junk. All seven talented men seemed to have their hands full, the weak Jinhai avoiding combat and hiding. They were spotted, but with the jumble at the raft, the men got stuck on one another in turning around. So far the eight had not been struck down, the spear wielder landing the most collateral, appearing to be the most furious and skilled. Two men striking at the spear holder, only to hand their weapons disarmed and end up in the waters behind them. Now Jinhai being attacked, Mao Yu moved in to defend him, gaining a minor slash on his right arm, marking him. "Why don't you fight?" The man scowled through barred teeth, fending the attacker off. Jinhai whimpering, "Mao! It's me! I'm sorry!" At this, Mao Yu's expression grew frightened, calling out to one of the others, "Li Bai! Stay with Jinhai!" The man obliging silently. The figured were all clothed up to their eyes, the only 'visible' part of them.

Y: Despite many injuries, the pirates swarmed back, Wei Xian joining the fray with a taste for combat. If he could not have a woman, than killing would do. He struck one down, but had not finished him, his pale eyes fixing on a small group of the attackers, huddled just outside of the scramble. The cruel youth raised his sword, but was stopped. " Do not kill them. Have these boys captured and held!" La Ji shouted, holding one by the neck, restrained, the mask torn off. They were important youths from the shore and could be used for ransom. " I want them all brought on my deck! Alive! Now get them!" The captain commanded, the sea pillagers surging over the group, Wei Xian seizing a masked youth that had moved away from the huddle, the dark-clothed other putting up quite a fight. Once as many of the ambushers could be found were captured, their cloaks were removed, exposing their faces and identities. They would be kept in the hold in an iron-barred cage until further notice. The woman that La Ji had kept was dead, her throat slit during the attack and her body pushed off the junk into the swirling water.

J: After the others had gone down, Mao Yu found himself the only 'ambusher' left. Sweat trickling down his covered face, his spear held out, daring anyone to come near. Like a trapped animal, rearing to lash out at a hand that would try to grab it. His green eyes shifting nervously. His brother had been taken and Li Bai was the last from him. Swallowing roughly, the youth stood his ground, now in a circle of angry seafaring men. Pirates. At one approaching, the youth quickly did him in, jabbing him in the throat with the blade, then cracking the skull with the end pole. Hoping this would be incentive enough to keep the others at bay for a moment. But regardless, they slowly swallowed the distance between he and themselves; he being a long ranged fighter could not move his spear very much.

Y: A strong, almost fair-skinned hand seized the end of the spear behind the blade, stopping it, Wei Xian smirking at the last intruder. " Surrender. You've been caught. If you don't go quietly, we will maim you until you do." He showed his teeth, the canines pointy and overall white, a few back molars made of silver. Pale ice-colored orbs ringed in sickly pink glared the youth down, the Chinese character for power etched onto one cheek. While subduing the attacker, Wei stood nonchalantly, frowning with disgust at the dead pirate. " Clean up this mess, will you?" He said to the others, getting angry roars of contempt in return, hearing complaints about how the captain would have his head later. The male was practically Mao's age, a teal-dyed coat flapping around his sturdy shoulders, ripped chest exposed, tempting. There was a chunk out of one of his ears, the marred boy still seeming very savvy despite his age and damage.

J: Mao Yu scowled through the cloth, quickly dropped to his feet, swiping Wei's from under him. Re-applying his spear, he pressed the tip into the older man's neck, "So maim me." The male hissed, raising the weapon to jab down into the other's supple flesh, his green eyes blaring with bitterness. No one aside from his father could tell him what to do. No one.

Y: The group seemed amused by this sudden turn of events chuckling as Wei hit the floor, his piercing, fearless eyes glaring at the other with the spear. As the weapon was raised, the cunning pirate rolled quickly to one side, diving into the attacker, knocking his spear from him, pinning the boy beneath his weight against the deck. His own sword had spun from reach, but was unneccessary now. Wei Xian straddled the intruder, tearing his mask off. " Are you really that hungry for pain? You will be locked up with your friends whether you stab me or not, boy." His hands clenched Mao's wrists, pressing them into his ribs, sitting on the other still.

J: Unlike the others, Mao had a prettier face, much like a woman. Though the scowling was unpleasant. Trying to wiggle from under the other's weight, the boy growled, his feet attempting to push himself over, the limbs moving around a bit before he slowly tired himself out. Panting softly, the green eyed male glared up at the other, "Well then I wish I would've stabbed you, it would've made me feel better." With that the younger boy spat at the other.

Y: "You'll wish a lot more before the end of this." Wei sneered smoothly, not flinching as the spit hit his face. He smirked, wiping it off, licking his wet hand, trying to disgust the other. "Take him to the brig with the others." La Ji ordered, the other scallywags scattering off, no longer interested. " And, since Wei Xian here has been so good at capturing the boy, he can guard them all down in the hold. " The youth's toothy smirk became a quick scowl as he jostled the intruder forward, Mao's hands now tied behind his back. The boy was led down into the innards of the large junk and prodded into the iron cage with the others, the snide half-breed taking a seat on a trunk against the opposite wall. He folded his arms, thinking ill of the captain again.

J: After being shoved in the cage, the young noble scowled, sitting against a wall with the others. They were all bound and their visages visible. Jinhai looked sympathetically at his older brother, Mao Yu only frowning in a disappointed way. "Mao! I'm sorry I-" "Don't call me by name, you fool!" "I-...I wasn't thinking...I'm sorry-" "Yes, you weren't thinking. If something had happened, you could've told father...but no, you weren't thinking...This could have been avoided if you had been. I am disappointed in you.." The younger brother looked down while Mao moved a small file from his cloth, clutching it between the tied hands, slowly moving it up.

Y: Wei sat watching the group silently, thinking to himself and listening at the same time. After a while, he slid down from the trunk and went to the cage. " You can't deny your brother what you are going to have." He replied, interjecting, opening the brig door, holding out a hand to Mao. " Give me that blade you're carrying before you cut your wrists. " The pirate wasn't dumb or unobservant. He frowned, sighing. It was getting to be late, the captain and men going to their cramped quarters for sleep, one watchman posted. " If you listen to me, something new will happen. Now give me that blade by dropping it, Mao."

J: The young noble scowled, slowly dropped the file. "It's a file...not a blade." He grumbled, scowling at the other bitterly. The others glanced at one another, then at Wei. At hearing the other say his name, it only displeased the young noble more, "If you please, you horrible creature, call me anything besides that, you bring shame to that name in saying it."

Y: "Well then. I won't be saying it. If you'll all shut up and be silent, you'll be much better off. " The 'sickly' pale-eyed youth left the hold for a moment, the ship just creaking as it rested on the untamed waves. The lantern light flickered orange down in the ship, the pirate returning with rope. " Now, don't ask questions, just hold still. " Wei ordered flatly, but quietly, tying each along the line, making a sort of chain gang.

J: None of them spoke, just watching the loathed pirate do as he pleased. The one who did speak up was the ever defiant Mao. "What are you doing?" He grumbled in an annoyed fashion.

Y: At the question, Wei paused and pressed his face into the other's, only an inch away. "Keep talking like that and it won't be good. Unless you want your brother and your comrades to die on this ship." The strong vagabond pried open the brig door and grabbed the rope. " Now--follow me and stay in your little group. Don't ask any more questions. Don't talk. Don't make any sound."

J: Mao Yu swallowed his pride as much as he could, following in silence. He would protect the others and his brother, despite his anger. The group remained silent as well, feeling a bit of remorse for their defiant leader. He gave them courage, but it seemed his pride needed to be pushed aside for now.

Y: Wei had sent the watchman to investigate some activity in the water at the stern of the junk, something in the debris from the raft, he had said. Now the deck was empty and dark, a sliver of the moon dimly lighting the dark ship and waves. The pirate pulled the group into one of the small lifeboats hanging off the junk's side, lowering the vessel into the water. He had stolen an oar as well, paddling the small ship towards the shore under the slip of darkness. " Stay low in the boat." He advised, his dragon coat flapping in the breeze, showing the lower half of his torso from time to time. Mao's spear and his curved sword were on board, the pirate half expecting the stupid noble to stab him while he paddled their asses back to the Continent.

J: The group obeyed, much to Mao's surprise at the other's action. Maybe this man wasn't so bad, as he'd first thought. Maybe this would be a better break than he thought. Regardless, the binds were not so difficult to deal with and they could easily over power the single man if things fell out of favor.

Y: Far enough from the ships, Wei just let the tide wash them into port, setting the oar back into the boat. He sat back, glancing at the group. "Don't get any ideas. Your last ones were foolish enough." Wei Xian thought of how he could exploit these boys, finding that on land a ransom wouldn't do. Did they have any valuables on them? He guessed not. Smirking, the relaxed pirate didn't seem too worried, just happy to foil La Ji's plans.

J: Mao remained silent, his hopes for the other actually being decent still floating around comfortably in his mind. Why would he take them all off the ship? He didn't harm any of them either, not that he was aware of.

Y: The boat gracefully slid onto the sand near a wooden dock, the pirate slowly getting up and out. " Well, you're on your own now. Go back to wherever you came from." He didn't bother untying them, tossing Mao's confiscated file into the boat and picking up his weapon. Wei shrugged, walking further on shore, figuring they could handle the rest themselves.

J: Mao was surprised but after what seemed like an hour, the group got themselves untied and wandered away as quickly as possible. Their horses were most likely gone and the bunch merely walked back and had returned by dawn the next morning. Aside from Mao Yu's new found mark on his arm, everything was accounted for. The two young masters arrived home safely, nothing being explained.

Y: La Ji was furious when he awoke, tearing up the ransom and instead putting a reward out for the pirate that got ahold of Wei Xian, or at least could present the boy's "severed half-breed head. " So the renegade youth had lost his troupe, but found worth in betraying La Ji. He would find plenty of women here and none would be killed or confiscated from him. And someday, Wei would get his own fleet, or at least his own army, to terrorize some people somewhere. A belled bracelet jingled softly around his wrist, the boy buttoning up his overcoat to hide the brand "Pirate" that was tattooed on one of his ribs.

J: By the morning, the young nobles had returned to their normal duties, Mao Yu having the scribe return to finish his letters and young Jinhai running off despite his father and brother's wishes. The young master wandering the streets dressed in a common folk's attire. The one difference was his hair was neat and his flesh was untainted like many of the urchins that roamed around. "So you actually saw them Jinhai?" "I not only saw them, I fought them too!" The other boys were in awe, Jinhai basking in the false glory. "Yeah, I even had to protect my older brother from this big pirate guy, almost stabbed him if they hadn't pulled me off." "That's so cool Jinhai!"

Y: For once, Wei Xian stayed out of trouble, buying a large-brimmed straw hat to hide his unusual hair and face, and a huafu to cover his unmistakable marked body and seafaring garb. He still stole from the fruit market to eat, but persuaded a good prostitute in the night to ease his tensions. After the plundering and the women however, the bitter youth grew bored. He wanted to fight battles, not live like a peasant.

J: The days drew long and hot. Mao finding himself practicing archery out in the gardens while his younger brother was tutored endlessly and Jinhai continued to sneak around without heed. Li Bai stopped by from time to time to talk, now bearing news as the topless Mao fired arrows into a target. "So, that guy is wanted by his own people? Good. No skin off my bones." Li Bai sighed, "Yes, but I figured you'd like to know the world outside your hobble." "Mmn. Thank you Li Bai, you're a valuable individual." The short haired male nodded, "Don't you ever get bored here?" Firing arrow after arrow into the center, Mao Yu paused to think. "No, not really. I have many things to occupy wasted time. Like this, for example." "Like this, this has been mastered, come with me, we can spy on your brother, or we can chase girls...like normal men should." "Ah, but you see my friend, we are not normal men, we are above normal. When it comes time for a wife, our fathers shall prepare one of each of us, as it is tradition." The youth rolled his eyes, speaking in sarcasm. "Come on Mao Yu...life is more exciting than...nobility."

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*phew* Editing is a pain lol