Author's Note: After Eoleo's comment about Amiti's "real clothes" in Belinsk, I have been itching to write a story about these two and their relationship. They seem such polar opposites that I wanted to develop their characters and their interactions with each other. …I don't quite think they are going to be in a full-out relationship, but then again I haven't developed the story all the way yet. By the end of chapter 3, if you all want to see them go further than friends, let me know. Thanks for reading!

Raggy

Disclaimer: All of these wonderful characters are the work of Nintendo and Camelot.

…

The pirate stood near the mast, telling stories of his father to the six people gathered around him. His crew, more pirates, busied themselves around the ship deck.

A burst of laughter erupted from the group of people, and the young man standing at the ship's prow scowled. He didn't know how he felt to have a notorious sea captain joining himself and his companions.

True, the man's father had just died, so Amiti should probably be kind to him…but he did not trust him. There was no way. The peoples of Ayuthay and Champa did not get along. They never had. What would his uncle think if Prince Amiti was out sailing with Eoleo the pirate?

The seas were very rough as they sailed out of Belinsk. So much had just happened.

The fight with Blados and Chalis had left them all weakened. Arcanus' deception and manipulation of Ryu Kou and the activation of Luna Tower had wreaked such havoc on Belinsk. And after fighting monsters in the Opera House and around the city, the group had been happy to reach the docks.

Briggs's ship had been there to take them away, but its captain had fallen to the dark monsters that now overran the city.

Amiti had shown his respect for the dead, as was custom, as Eoleo mourned his father's passing. When Amiti and the others had met Captain Briggs and the other pirates, the Mercury Adept had been very cautious. Briggs was very demanding and seemed a little touched in the head, but he cared for his son and his crew. That was admirable, at least.

And Eoleo? He was the leader of the pirate company now, and the men on the ship seemed to respect him a great deal. But he was rude and caustic, like the other pirates had been. And after the other Adepts had saved him from boiling to death, Amiti had hoped the Champan would show them some respect!

The seas were getting rougher, and Amiti heard Eoleo shouting orders to his men. The Djinn, who had all been zipping about the ship earlier, were clamoring to go belowdecks. The other Adepts and Kraden seemed to be following them.

Amiti sniffed. The seas were rough, but they weren't that bad.

"Amiti?" asked a little voice. He looked down. Mist was bouncing on his foot. "Can we go in please? I want you to be with us."

"Come on, it's just a little storm!" Amiti said, picking the little creature up. "We're fine. And if anything happens, I'm blaming the pirate. We can lock him up in Ayuthay."

"This is bad, Amiti," Mist said in her high little voice. "It's so dark and it's so dangerous out here with the eclipse. Shouldn't we go in?"

"The little one's right." Eoleo appeared out of the haze of rain and motioned towards the lower deck. "You need to get inside. None of you are prepared to be out when the waves are this high, and we can't really control the boat."

Amiti sniffed. "I've sailed before." It had been on his uncle's yacht, but he had still sailed. "I think I can handle myself."

Eoleo shook his head. "No. It's too risky. There is nothin' about these waves that any one of us can handle."

"I know how to stay on a boat, pirate! I'm not scared of this storm!" A wave crashed behind them as he spoke. The other pirates yelled for their captain, and he turned.

"Djinni, you can come with me!" Eoleo barked as he moved away. Mist looked worriedly at her keeper before hopping down from his hands and running off to join the others.

Amiti scoffed. "Ridiculous," he muttered. He didn't trust the pirate or accept his leadership, even aboard the ship. The prince was too clever for that.

A salty stream of water smacked him in the face as another wave buffeted the ship. He spat out a mouthful and wiped the stinging from his eyes. Eoleo was overreacting.

The pirates were the only ones left on deck now. Everyone else had made it downstairs.

Amiti sighed. The waves were pretty rough. But he didn't want to admit that he was scared, or unable to make it through the storm. Especially in front of that damn pirate.

He supposed there were much safer places than the front of the ship. There was hardly anything to grab on to or steady himself with. But he reluctantly took hold of the side and braced himself.

The boat's prow rose suddenly as a giant surge of water crashed into it. Amiti's stomach surged as he was knocked off of his feet and onto the hard deck. He coughed and scrambled back up.

But before he could ground himself or grab onto something, another wave crashed into the side of the boat, and the Mercury Adept flew into the air. He was terrified, screaming for help as he clawed for something to hold on to.

Split seconds felt so much longer as the prince plummeted off the deck crashed into the salty water below. Flailing and thrashing, his head broke the surface. He gasped for air as he went under again, the swelling waters threatening to consume him.

He flailed around, trying his hardest to swim in the direction of the ship. But there was no way his arms could produce enough power to cut through the water. A wave smacked him hard in the head and he was knocked underwater, his ears ringing.

He surfaced and yelled for help, yelled for his Djinn, yelled for the gods…anyone. It felt so futile. With another wave, Amiti went under again, inhaling what felt like gallons of the briny sea. He saw lights in front of his eyes and heard rushing in his ears. Was he…drowning?

And then, suddenly, a pair of hands seized him by the armpits and dragged him up. Amiti surfaced, spluttering, water coming from every orifice of his body. He looked into the frightened face of Eoleo, who pulled him close to his chest and shoved a rope into the Mercury Adept's hand. The captain tugged on the rope, and Amiti felt someone pulling them in.

He was wheezing, his heart pounding, as someone on the other end of the rope hauled him and Eoleo in. He coughed out more water and clung tightly to his savior. His Djinn were zipping around him, calling to him and trying to hold on to him, too. Eoleo waved them away as the rope reached the side of the ship.

The pirate tossed Amiti onto the deck and jumped over after him, untying the rope from his chest.

Matthew, Karis, Tyrell, Rief, Sveta, Kraden and the pirates dropped the other end of the rope and ran over.

"Eoleo!"

"Amiti!"

"Are you all right?"

"Can you breathe?"

"Can you hear us?"

"Did you get hurt?"

Amiti coughed, his vision blurring. Things were going dark, and he heard everything faintly, like an echo across a canyon. He reached out his hand to grasp Eoleo's, muttered "thank you…" and passed out cold on the deck.