The following takes place during the early 1800s within a world, which Britannia is taking more and more control over. During this time, many young people from the nations of the world susceptible to fall to Britannia's influence resort to a life of piracy to either retain their freedom or live on the outskirts of Britannia's draconian law. The Japanese are surprisingly apt to join the ranks of the French and British pirates due to the stringent trade-laws the Britannian Empire has imposed on Japan.
"Captain Zero, we've captured a Britannian who stowed away in the cargo."
"You don't need me to deal with a stow away. Or does your incompetence exceed even my least charitable estimation?" I swatted Tamaki away as I would a fly before returning to the chess board. C.C.'s loss was imminent, I'd felt certain, and no deckhand was going to lose me a victory. However, in the sheer instant I'd turned my attention to the pock-marked dolt, C.C had put me in check.
"But Captain--"
I sighed in irritation. "Interrogate him! Find out who he works for--"
"That's the thing, he's obviously military, isn't that cause for concern?"
Sighing in defeat, I stood and pushed the chess board away. "This isn't over," I said, glowering at C.C. who leaned back in her chair with a smug smirk on her face, twirling the scarlet plume of her hat around her finger.
Tamaki hobbled down the stairs under the deck and lead me to where the Britannian was held captive with unprecedented glee. His wooden leg clacked against the floor boards as he went. He lead me into the cellar, where I had to duck to make my way inside, though the hobbling deckhand's hunched posture was so low, he had no trouble barreling in. I startled when I saw a tall, slim figure bound to the farthest wall. He wore a pure white tail coat and tights; a silver, double-breasted vest; pale blue shoes with silver buckles; and a matching three-point hat topped with a snow owl's feather.
"Ah, I see you be admiring the latest goods we've acquired," Tamaki cackled.
"What on earth are you prattling on about? He's a man!" I cried.
A grin writhed into place across Tamaki's thin face. "Aye, but he be as fair as a maiden,"
"Ugh, don't you have some brine to clean up on the poop deck?" I hissed, tearing my gaze away from the prisoner, eying instead a rat I then snuffed on the floor with a sinister black boot.
Tamaki cackled once more. "Aye, Capt'n," he said, grinning back at me before limping up the stairs.
After waiting for the clacking of Tamaki's wooden leg to fade, I approached the captive. "So...who might you be?" The stow-away said nothing, his head hung low so that his curling brown hair obscured his eyes. Despite myself, I clutched the man's chin and tipped up his face to better regard it. My eyes widened in surprise as I relinquished my hold on the man and turned away.
"Ah, the famed Suzaku of the Seven Seas, pirate turned Britannian boot-licker. Thought I'd never see the day."
"Never see the day that what?"
"Ah, so he does talk! Even to scoundrels beneath him!"
"Whatever you're planning to do with me, make it so. Ask me your questions, you'll get nothing out of me. In the name of Holy Brit--"
"SILENCE!" I struck him before I realized I'd moved. Suzaku's right cheek was raw and turned to me and my hand stung in the pause. "If it's your wish, I can show you terrors and misery beyond your wildest nightmares, my pretty. Look at you all gussied up in your Britannian finery! You've forgotten the wretched world of the sea, haven't you? Too bad you didn't remain pampered in your Britannian palace--"
"You think earning the Royal Family's trust as a former pirate is a wade at a beach? I toil harder in one day that you will in a life time, sea rat!"
"Sea rat!" I screamed, gripping Suzaku's hair and yanking his head downward. "Do you know who I am?"
Wincing, the man smiled petulantly, "'fraid you're reputation's lagging behind you." I wrenched his head down harder. This time, Suzaku moaned audibly.
"They don't call me 'Captain Zero' for nothing, twit," I grumbled into his ear, relishing the look of anguish etched in his delicate features."They say that there's never been a man who's crossed me and survived. Zero survival rate. Get it?" I released the traitor to better observe the fear in his eyes. However, they became half-lidded and dead-pan.
"Yes. You've certainly laid it on thick enough." I kicked him in the shin.
"Let us be reminded who here is in power. Who here is bound." Suzaku took in a stifled breath through his teeth.
"You're nothing but a spineless criminal taking advantage of the weak. Fight me fair and square, slime!"
"You're one to talk, Suzaku of the Seven Seas. Pillager and plunderer, rumored to have sunk seventy battle-ships and bedded seventy-seven unwilling women!" I laughed.
Suzaku rolled his eyes as if he'd heard this many times before. "Don't you think it's a little odd how all those numbers contain sevens! They're all fabricated! I've hardly sunk seventy battle ships! And I've never bedded even one--"
"YOU'VE NEVER BEDDED A WOMAN?"
"I wasn't going to say that--"
"Never an UNWILLING women?"
"Why is that so shocking? According to the rumors I overheard on the poop deck, you've never taken a women back to your quarters after a plundering—in fact, you've never even allowed any female captives on your boat. And you call yourself a pirate!"
Truly taken aback, I recoiled fumbling for the next thing to say, when I noticed a strange protrusion in Suzaku's pants.
"What are you looking at?" Suzaku demanded. His eyes traveled to the general area mine were fixed on. He gasped. "It's men you're after isn't it? That explains it all!"
"WHAT?" I continued contemplating an area below Suzaku's waist thoughtfully, "I just noticed, a strange bulge on your right leg. You weren't stripped-searched were you? Tamaki truly IS incompetent!"
"Strip searched! Ugh! The rumors of the Flamboyant Captain Zero must be true!"
"What rumors? I thought you'd never heard of me!"
Suzaku said nothing and gazed at the ground. "Don't you dare use a 'strip search' as a cover up for your faggotry--"
"FAGGOTRY?" I gripped Suzaku's right arm and sunk his nails deep into it. A knife fell with a clatter onto the floor. "If brilliance should be now deemed faggortry than call me a faggot! For I've prevented your shrewd escape, Suzaku of the Seven Seas!" I peered behind Suzaku's back, where he'd indeed cut through half the rope around his wrists. "A strip search is certainly appropriate, considering your possession of this dagger!"
"I never thought anyone could use the terms 'strip-search' and 'appropriate' in the same sentence. And you call yourself a pirate?"
"SILENCE, FOOL!" I cuffed him across the face again before I went about unbuckling his pantaloons.