Even after years of separation, fate allowed their paths to cross once more. But what is there to gain when none can remember what they lost? Axel x Roxas, Sora x Riku.
Hahahha, this is take two of Aye me hearties, yo ho! -now renamed…- Mistakes are corrected, spelling and grammar and so on. But if you spot any still, let me know.
I've added more bits into it too, taken some out. Given it more of a smooth workout, and well, I'm pretty happy with it now.
And I had been so ashamed of it before. But now, not so much.
And yes, I know I should've revamped F.A.C first, but that thing is HUGE! So I decided to take small steps and work on reworking this one instead. No complaints no you hear?!
Anyways, enjoy this new and improved…wait, it's not really new since…ah well, you get me. TAKE TWO! ACTION! -and the camera starts rolling-
"Hey Jack!" a blue eyed, brunet boy shouted as he leaned over the side of a ship with black sails.
The man, perhaps one of the oldest of the crew, rolled his eyes, "It's captain Jack Sparrow to you!" he shouted to the boy with a hint of annoyance.
The boy scoffed and rolled his own eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever 'Captain' Jack. Go starboard; you're going a little too close to some rocks."
"…" he fell silent but complied either way all the while something like, "These little buggers don't know the meaning of respect." as he maneuvered through the rocks that laid about the island of Tortuga.
Sora hummed to himself before beginning the verse of a familiar song. "Drink up me hearties, yo ho." He began as he leaned over the port side of the ship.
A blond boy's ears perked up as he listened closely to this twin brother, older by a minute or so, sing the words of a song familiar to him and his family and pirates alike, "We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot."
Soon, the blond joined in, smiles and all, an arm slung over his brother's shoulder, "Drink up me hearties, yo ho!" they swung together side by side as they sang. "We extort, we pilfer, we filch, we sack-" they sang happily until the boat rocked and shook and shuddered and tossed them all about the deck.
"Ah bugger! You weren't looking out for the rocks again you little runts!" Jack shouted as he went about trying to make sure his beloved ship didn't hit anymore rocks.
"Sorry Jack." the blond named Roxas apologized with a hint of a smirk on his face.
Annoyance laced the man's voice, "It's Captain! Captain Jack!"
"Yeah, whatever. Better set up ashore at the beach and check up on the damages." He shouted to Jack as he pointed to the beach that was sited behind the island of Tortuga.
"We wouldn't have had to set up ashore if it weren't for you nasty little buggers and your wailings!" he shouted as he turned the wheel of the ship and tried to watch out for anymore nearby rocks. Not that it helped any. His own crew weren't much of a help.
"Looks like the rum is gone again." Roxas whispered to Sora and snickered as he grabbed the ropes to haul himself up the sails to sit upon the crow's nest.
"So it would seem." He laughed along with his brother as he moved to one side of the ship to further watch for rocks and things alike.
They managed to bring the ship up to the shores, on the beach behind the island of Tortuga, and got off to check the damages dealt to Jack's beloved Black Pearl.
"No big deal." the blond started as he crossed his arms and stared up at the small gaping hole on the port side of the ship, "Nothing a couple of planks can't fix." Roxas spoke as he brought up an arm to scratch his neck.
"Oh, my beloved Pearl…They'll fix you up my love…" Jack spoke as he placed his cheek on the side of the boat and gently caressed it.
"They?" just who did he mean by they? There were only three on them on the bloody boat. "You mean us…?" Sora asked as he stared at the captain expectantly and pointed a finger to himself.
"Yes, you." Unaware that what the boy meant, or really…?
He pushed the subject aside as he grabbed the ropes and began to climb up back towards the deck.
"Wait, wait! What about you?" Roxas asked coarsely as he ran up to his so-called captain.
"Me? How nice of you to ask. I'll be up in my lodge, drinking my rum." he grinned as he continued to climb before he stopped, almost as though he changed his mind, then turned around to the two boys, "Tell me when you lads are done! Savvy." He spoke as he casually pulled himself back up on deck and walked away.
"Why that useless, good-for-nothing captain." Sora glared daggers at the last spot where he last saw a glimpse of his captain.
Roxas laughed as he grabbed the ropes and started to climb as well, "I'll be back with the supplies."
Sora snorted and waved Roxas off and mumbled something unpleasant about the Captain.
"Pass me another nail." the brunet spoke as he focused on holding up a plank while he reached out to his brother with his free hand.
Soon, a cool piece of metal landed upon the palm of the brunet's hand and they continued to hammer and adjust the planks according to the size of the hole in the ship.
Roxas sniffed nonchalantly as he measured the size of another plank to be cut down to the correct length.
"Hey." Sora started almost suddenly as he finished hammering away on the plank and turned to his brother.
The blond hummed as he started to saw away at the piece of wood, careful not to hurt himself or anybody else. Although he was half-tempted to throw the plank at his captain.
Unknowing to his little brother's inner turmoil, the brunet continued to speak, "Remember when we hid the last of Jack's rum?" he asked, unable to wipe off the smile that appeared on his face, "He went crazy over it!"
Roxas laughed, and almost accidentally sawed off his thumb. That would've hurt.
"He practically tore apart the ship trying to find it!" Roxas laughed harder and decided that trying to saw a plank in half while laughing your black, weasly guts out was a bad idea, so, he stopped, "Makes you wonder which one he loves more. The Black Pearl or his rum."
"Yeah." the blond finished in a sigh and shook his head before he went back to sawing down the plank. "Last one." he spoke as the spare piece of wood fell off the work space and landed in the sandy beaches.
"Come on, we better hurry up and finish this before Jack comes and yells at us."
"As if that'll do any good." he smirked as he exchanged the saw for a hammer and a nail and started to patch up the last of the hole.
Within minutes, their job was done and they commended themselves for a good job well done.
"Alright, we're done. Just in time before the tide comes in." Roxas commented as he looked down at the sand and noticed the sea coming up to greet them but stopped short of touching the heels of their shoes.
"Yup." he spoke as he started to take whatever equipment that he could take back up onto the ship, "Let's go see if our captain is still sober enough to maneuver out of the beach."
The blond scoffed as he rolled his eyes and picked up the last of the equipment, "I hardly doubt that he would be."
Sora held back a snort as he grabbed the ropes and prepared to haul himself back up on deck, "True. I can't remember a time of when he was ever sober." he smirked as he slowly, carefully, and with one hand only, began to pull himself up the ropes with Roxas close behind him.
As soon as they got back up on deck, with slight rope burns upon their palms and sweaty brows, they dropped whatever they were carrying onto the deck and proceeded towards the captain's quarters.
Upon entering the lodge, they spotted their beloved captain with his head on top of the study table and a half empty bottle of rum in his hand.
They laughed, loud enough to be heard by themselves, but not enough to be heard by Jack who continued to snooze away.
"Right where we thought he'd be." Roxas spoke as he walked up to the older man to pull and put away the alcoholic drink while the brunet decided to go outside for a breath of fresh away, away from the odd stench of rum that seem to float about the captain's cabin.
As he closed the doors behind him and went out onto the deck, he noticed a shiny trinket on the floor. Something he was sure wasn't there a bare second ago. "Not where you're supposed to be…" he spoke out as he bent over to pick it up. He assumed it must've dropped out of his knife holder only to vaguely realize that it wasn't his or anybody in the crew, "I don't even own you." He muttered as he turned the handle and closely examined it.
It was shiny, not at all like the knives they owned which was somewhat rusted with wear and use. Then, he heard something from behind him, a creak, a faint noise but his ears perked up at the suddenness of the sound. It didn't feel as though it belonged to either Jack, or his brother.
"Any particular reason why you're trespassing on our ship?" He asked as he turned his head to the source of the noise.
Out from the shadows beneath the stairs, a boy, no more than a year older than him perhaps, stepped into the light. His eyes, green with a tinge of blue stared back at the brunet boy that held onto his knife.
"I suppose this belongs to you?" Sora spoke as he held up the knife.
"Yes…" his smooth voice made Sora's breath hitch but he didn't show it.
The brunet narrowed his eyes a little as he scrutinized the knife in his hands while he kept a clear view of the silver haired boy in front of him, "So…why would a modest looking person like you, be doing on a ship not your own hm?"
"…" the other boy chose not to speak as he continued to stare at the blue-eyed brunet that held onto his knife.
"Not going to answer me?" he spoke as he kept on fingering the knife. "Pretty knife by the way. Doesn't seem to fit your appearance though."
"I didn't steal it if that's what you're implying."
"If you say so." He stared at the silver haired boy and smiled, "But, back to my previous question. What are you doing here?"
"I came to kill the person who sails this ship."
"By kill you mean, stab to death with a little knife?" he asked as he held up the weapon and waved it around.
"No…By kill I mean," he pulled out his sword from its sheath.
Sora made a slight face, "Oh…Didn't see that one coming." He spoke as he quickly pulled out his own sword, his other hand still holding onto the knife.
They both glared at one another, each other at swords' end.
"So tell me, what is it that we've done to harbor such hate from you?" the brunet asked as he casually took a step to the side, which the other boy mimicked.
"You ruined my life."
"I did not." he protested. For one thing, he was still much to young to ruin anybody's life. He hadn't killed anyone. At least, not on purpose. All he did was pillage and plunder. But nothing more.
"You lot ruined me." he spat, his voice laced with anger, hate, and malice.
Sora remained cautious, careful not to make any sort of gestures or faces that would further provoke the silver haired boy, "Ok, fine, so maybe some other pirates did, but not me."
"It doesn't make a difference."
"Of course it does." he scoffed as he took another step, which was also mimicked, "There's a difference between having my hands bloodied, which they are not, and being innocent."
"And pirates, by far, are not innocent."
"So one bad deed from another pirate earns me complete and total blame?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed somewhat, "That's not fair."
His expressions darkened and his eyes sparkled with anger and hate, "Having my mother and my father ripped away from me is hardly fair."
Sora furrowed his eyebrows, his own expression mixed in with sadness and pity. Something which provoked the silver haired boy more.
"Don't." he warned, "Give me that look!" he shouted as he took one step towards the brunet and swung his sword down at the other.
The blow was blocked, another was parried, then he dodged and side-stepped to avoid damage.
"I'm sorry." the brunet tried to apologize, but it only served to make the other angrier than before.
"I don't need your meaningless words of apologies, they mean nothing." he spat as he raised his sword and brought it down on the brunet, only to miss, "They're worthless." he hissed as he thrust forward only to miss again and stab wood, "They won't bring back my parents."
Sora opened his mouth to speak again, but apologizing would probably only bring more trouble. Something which he wasn't all too willing to deal with by himself, "Ok, fine, so, after you kill me, and possibly my brother and my captain, then what?"
He seemed to have calmed down somewhat after that, his expression shifting back to a neutral state and his movements more controlled than before, "Then my first step towards revenge is complete." he spoke calmly as he eyed the other. The one who continued to hold onto his knife.
"And then?"
"I'll take this ship as my own, sail under your colors and kill anybody else like you." he smirked as he turned his arm and straightened his back further and raised his head to look down upon the brunet boy.
Sora fought back a snicker, "Oh?" but the smile appeared on his face. "Is that so?" he started as he took a step to the side, which was again mimicked by the other, "How do you plan on commandeering a ship by your lonesome? You'd need at least two people, yourself included." shortly, Sora wished he could laugh at the look that the boy gave. A sudden realization that he could NOT operate the said boat by himself.
"Uh…" he started, his steady hand lowering down slightly.
At that point, Sora couldn't hold it in any longer and laughed. Loud and proud.
The silver haired boy, although as confused as he was, couldn't help but merely stare as he watched the brunet laugh. Perhaps at his stupidity, which greatly embarrassed him.
Then a crash was heard but nobody turned to acknowledge the presence of the other, "Hey, hey! What's all this racket going on out here?!" Roxas shouted as he stepped onto the deck before halting in his steps as he bore witness to a laughing Sora and a smoldering intruder, both with swords in hand. "Hey…Did I miss something here?" he asked, mainly to himself as he got ready to pull out his own weapon.
The brunet suddenly spotted the blond and stopped laughing momentarily, "Hey Roxas. This guy," the brunet laughed again before trying to continue, "This guy says he wants to kill us all and then take over the Black Pearl by himself!" he laughed again, harder than before.
Roxas stared, and wondered which part was the funny bit, "Err…I don't see how that's funny…" he spoke as he kept a close eye on the silver haired boy who eyes were now on him. The blond tightened the grip he had around his sword.
"Don't you get it?! You can't sail a ship by yourself! And he! And he said that he'll," he couldn't help but laugh louder. Oblivious to the death glare that the silver haired boy gave him. Sure it was funny the first time, but no need to rub it in his face. "Oh my dear lord Neptune…have mercy on my poor stomach…" Sora fell to the ground clutching onto his stomach but still laughing, tears falling from his eyes due to the giggling fit.
Roxas rolled his eyes and proceeded over to the brunet boy, all the while keeping a very careful watch out on the intruder, and kicked him gently on his sides. "Alright, come off it."
"But it's so FUNNY!" he laughed harder, more tears falling from his eyes.
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes and drew his sword. "What other business do you have here on our ship?" he asked, his eyes narrowed at the silver haired boy.
"As I've said before, I've come to settle my reprisal."
"So you've come to kill us because of something we probably didn't do. Tell me, what makes you think you'll succeed?" He listened to the dying laughter of his brother.
"I have the determination to go through with this." he answered without missing a beat as he turned his wrist slightly and his grip tight, "I want to kill the whole of your breed! Your kind of people don't deserve to walk on this earth."
Roxas smirked, "Funny that, we don't actually walk on the land. We sail the seas more like. Savvy."
The silver haired boy's eyes narrowed slightly, angered by the wittiness of the other.
Slowly, the brunet boy's laughter ended in a sigh and he proceeded to get back up to stand on his own two feet, although a tad bit unsteadily.
"Feeling better, brother…?" the blonde asked as he turned his head just a little, not once taking his eyes off the silver haired boy before him.
"Yes, somewhat better." He was no longer clutching his tummy, but he did proceed to wipe off the tears that blinded his vision considerably. "Why don't you go and check up on our dear captain, aye?" he asked as he swung his sword around then held it straight and firm.
"But-" the blond abruptly turned to Sora, shock written all over his face.
"No worries dear brother. I can handle him." he smiled, an air of confidence surrounding him.
"Whatever you say…" he spoke as he stepped to the side, his grip on the handle of his weapon still firm and unsheathed, then turned to leave reluctantly, his eyes fixed on the silver haired intruder.
Sora raised his sword, steadily and pointed it to the other. He waited until the door to the cabin was closed before he chose to speak again, his voice calm and steady as well as neutral and filled with authority, "So, this quest you've set out to do, how intent are you on finishing it?"
"Until I've rid the world of every last one of your kind." he replied in a firm voice.
The brunet winced, as though a little pained, except not really, "Oh, that's a bit of a problem then."
The platinum haired boy stared back with a hint of uncertainty, "Why is that?"
"Mainly because you won't get a chance to kill me, my brother or my captain."
"Your over-confidence in yourself will be your downfall." he spoke as he lunged forward in an attempt to stab the other, but failed.
"It's because I fight for my brother and I fight for the people I care about that I refuse to just stand there and willingly let death claim me. Not when I have people to fight for."
The silver haired boy smirked, "I like you."
Sora suddenly blushed, caught off guard by the off-handed comment that the other made but kept his guard up, "What?"
"See, if I had a family," the boy started to explain as he took a step to the side which was in turn, mimicked by the brunet, "I'd do the exact same thing. I'd protect them with all that I have. Except that I don't and I have nothing to fight or live for. But the concept of revenge gave me a sense of purpose," he paused, eyes strayed for just a moment, his voice hinted with a sort of emotion which Sora could've sworn was regret, "And that is the only reason now, of why I live in this godforsaken earth!" he shouted as he took another lunge forward and sunk the tip of his blade into the side of the deck.
"I apologize for your loss, really, I'm sorry. But I was not the one who so cruelly took your parents away."
"What does it matter?" he spat as he harshly pulled his sword out and pointed it back to the other, "You're all the same."
"No!" Sora cried out, "We're not all the same! Some of us have morals!"
"As if pirates have any sort of decency to have morals." he scoffed, voice filled with disbelief, "That's the one thing none of you have!" he shouted as he brought his sword down again only to be parried once more. He was growing impatient and frustrated. This was proving much harder than he had previously anticipated.
"You think we're different; you and I. But that's not true. We're the same."
The silver haired boy let out a frustrated cry, as though he was being tipped over the edge, "We're not the same!" he shouted as he lost sight of his goal and fought without a purpose. All he wanted was to make the other shut up.
"You're not the only one to have lost parents!" Sora cried out as he gave himself enough distance between him and the other, "You're not the only one having to deal with loss of loved ones!"
The intruder heaved, his breath ragged, his eyes seeing nothing but red, red, red as he swung his sword down with as much force as he could possibly muster, only to miss again, "At least you have someone left!" he shouted, his voice strained and tired, his body heaving with uneven breaths, "It's not fair!"
Sora looked at the tormented boy sadly, his hold on his weapon faltering slightly. He lost the will to fight someone who was as broken and lost as he used to be, "What's your name?"
"None of your business." he spat out as he readied himself for another attack but held his ground.
The brunet frowned, just slightly, "We're not all as bad as you think. I'm just a kid." he started, the hand that had been holding onto the sword so high and proud, was slowly coming down, "What makes you think I know how to kill a person?" he asked, but never expecting an answer, "Let alone a mother and a father who has a child that needs them?"
The boy growled, not liking the way the conversation was suddenly turning around, "Shut up."
"I've never killed anyone before." he continued, careful to be cautious with his words, "And personally, I don't want to." he finished in a slight shrug, "I just hope that you can see that we're not as heartless as you make us out to be."
The silver haired boy made no movement. His breathing calmed, his posture was straight, and filled with pride, his eyes no longer seeing red, "I hate people like you." he stated out of the blue.
"Oh? I could've sworn you said you liked me before." he smirked as he crossed his arms, his weapon swinging leisurely from a curved finger.
The boy scoffed, "You make me think. Too much. And it always makes me lose sight of what I want."
"Which is? And don't tell me that rubbish about killing all of us. It's impossible."
"Shut up." he spoke, although not with as much disdain as it held before, "I just want to kill the man who killed my parents. The captain and his damned crew."
"Then kill the man who killed your parents. It's not Jack for sure, he's gutless when it comes down to killing people who don't deserve it." he shrugged, happy that his captain was sleeping and didn't hear Sora call him gutless. "But. Taking away one life doesn't resurrect the dead."
"I know that." he spoke softly, his determination faltering a considerable amount. "…I know that." he repeated.
Sora watched the other boy, who so closely reminded him of himself when he was much younger, trying to make sense of the world and what he did wrong to deserve having his parents be taken away from him. He didn't understand. He never understood. Both he and Roxas had been so lost. Wandering the blood-stained streets, littered with dead people left and right. They had been so confused, and lost, and so hopeless. Until they found Jack, and found themselves something else to live for, and a new life.
"What's your name?" the brunet asked again.
The boy made no move to acknowledge that he even heard him speak. And a part of Sora wondered if the stranger was mulling over the words he had spoken and was reconsidering his purpose in life. At least, that was what Sora was hoping for.
"I'll tell you." the silver haired boy answered suddenly.
"Really?"
"As soon as you win."
"Huh?" he didn't get a chance to show his confusion when suddenly, a sword was brought down on him and he was forced to go back into action.
What about everything he had said just now? Did it not get into the boy's head? Why were they still fighting? Was it even for the same reason anymore?
"What are you doing?!" Sora shouted as he parried one attack and dodged another.
The boy didn't answer as he swung down his sword, one hit harder than the last, his steps faster than before.
"Why are we still fighting?!" the brunet shouted, not once making a move to attack back. Only doing hid best to avoid any hits towards him, "Hey!"
The silver haired boy frowned, not appreciating the fact that the brunet was taking him so lightly and wasn't doing a thing to fight back. All he was doing was going on the defensive. But why. Why, why, why! Why was this boy, this pirate, so different from the others? Why did this one have to have a heart? Why did he have to end up meeting this one first of all the pirates that are sailing the seven seas? Why?!
"Why?!"
"Why what?!" Sora shouted back as he crouched down to dodge a blow that could've very well sliced off his head and rolled off to the side.
Before another move should be made, the ship rocked violently, and the both of them swayed. Sora remained rooted to the floor on all fours while the silver haired boy struggled to stay upright, only to end up slipping when another violent wave hit the side of the ship and made his head collide painfully with the side railings.
"Bugger." Sora cursed as he watched the boy groan painfully before falling very still. He cursed again when the shipped rocked one more time and the cabin doors burst open to reveal a disheveled blond, "Roxas!"
Blue eyes widened in shock, and suddenly, the blond panicked, "You killed him!"
"I did not kill him!" he shouted, his voice cracking just a bit, "He tripped and fainted." he reasoned as he got up from the floor and grabbed onto the side rails.
Trying to get a ship out from the beach was always a hard thing to do. What with all the tossing and turning.
Relief was written all over Roxas' face, and it was evident in his sigh too, "And here I thought my brother was a murderer."
"Whatever. Just help me get him to the cell blocks." He spoke as he tucked away his sword and the knife and picked up the other sword that belonged to the stranger before he took hold of the hands of the boy.
"What?! Can't we just throw him overboard? You know?! Walk the plank!"
Sora rolled his eyes, "Technically, he can't walk the plank because he's fainted! Now grab his legs so we can put him in the cells." he wasn't quite in the mood to single-handedly drag a boy who was almost twice as heavy as him down a flight of stairs.
"Why are we keeping him there?" Roxas demanded as he walked over to his brother.
"Who knows when he will come about? Besides, he might prove to be quite useful." He smirked. "Now grab those legs and help me haul him downstairs!"
Reluctantly, the blond gave in, but not without a whole heap of convincing from his twin brother, older by a minute or so, before he grabbed the strange silver haired boy's leg and proceeded down the stairs into the hold.
Once the task of heaving the boy to the cells and stripping him of his weapons was completed, Roxas proceeded to steer the ship off the island to their original destination of Tortuga while Sora locked up the gate and spun the key around his finger. He watched the boy as he slept, his silver hair covering his eyes.
His heart wrenched in a familiar emotion.
Regret.
Ayyyyeeee!! This chapter was long! So unlike the others now that I think about it, but oh well, I don't feel like cutting it off and/or extending the other chapters. So, too bad!! So sad!! HAHAHHAHAH!!
No seriously…I'm sorry…