Chapter 2

With a groan, Kayten slowly started to wake up. She opened her eyes, and directly above her a small light swayed back and fourth. Tiredly, she rolled to her side. From what she could tell, she was in a small bedroom with a small desk and chair off to the side. Where am I? Did he kidnap me? She thought as she threw off the covers with a small growl. Using her arm, she picked herself from the comfortable bed and tries to stand up. Falling over, she grabbed the chair for balance.

Pushing off from the chair, Kayten started to run to avoid falling and hit the wall hard. "Ouch." She mumbled as she buried her face into the wall. Seeing the door near, she started slowly towards it hugging the wall as if on a cliff. Just as Kayten was reaching for the doorknob, the door swung open slapping her hand and hitting her face.

"Ow!" She cried as she started to fall backwards but something gently took hold of her waist just in time before she hit the ground. With her head hanging, Kayten gave a curious blink at the upside down world she saw before being rapidly pulled up into the arms of Zeratsu.

"Well good-morning Sleeping Beauty." He said dreamily as he moved a piece of hair away from her face giving her a charming grin. Kayten could tell that the burning on her cheeks meant that she was blushing and she gave a mighty push out of his arms, but started to fall again. "Whoa," Zeratsu said taking her arm and thrusting her back into his arms, "That would hurt."

"But since you can't walk I'll just have to carry you to your bed." Zeratsu said raising an eyebrow with an enticing smirk.

She turned her head to hide her blushing; Kayten released herself from his arms with a disgusted look. "No way, I can do it myself!"

"You're going to be stubborn, aren't you? Well then." He sighed as he bent down to Kayten's knees, and pushed them against his shoulder standing up, he had her over his shoulder. "Hey!" She shrieked in surprise as she layed against Zeratsu's back. Zeratsu started to walk towards her bed, ignoring all the hitting to his head and pounding on his back from her. Bending over Kayten slips off his back, and while holding under her knees with left hand, he catches her back in the other hand, smiling at her shocked expression.

Too stunned to even protest, Kayten stared into his black eyes as he lowered her onto her bed, pulling the covers over her legs and up to her waist. Zeratsu kneeled down by her bed, placing one arm over her side while he looked down at her with a big grin spread upon his face. "Don't worry your in good hands." He whispered as he pulled the chair over and plopped into it, crossing his arms over his chest. "This coming from The Masked Rogue who can steal anything, anywhere." She responded

With a knock on the door, Kortez stuck his grinning face into her room. "Hey sis how ya feeling?" He asked opening the door, carrying a bowl of water with a small cloth. "Kortez, what's going on? Where am I?" She asked alert sitting up, but Zeratsu gently push her back down. "Don't touch me!" Kayten snapped at him as she slapped his hand away from her.

"Hey! Kayten, is that any way to treat your rescuer?" Kortez asked placing the things that he had in his hands on the desk. "My rescuer? Him?" Kayten repeated pointing at the swordsman sitting in the chair.

"Yes, he told me that you were being hassled by a group of thieves when he came by and took them on by themselves. You're knee was injured when you were knocked out from behind. So when I showed up, I offered him a position on our crew and he agreed." Kortez explained.

Kayten opened her mouth in shock. "No! No, okay this guy is a pervert and an idiot! First he-" Kayten started to say but Kortez hushed her, giving a smug look to Zeratsu. "Must be delusional, the knock must of gotten her head mixed up." Her brother said.

Zeratsu gave a small shrug of approval. "Then where am I?" She asked through her teeth. "Well, I know you were upset that all we had was a rowboat so I bought us a fantastic ship with tons of room." Kortez answered.

Kayten sat up, this time with a large grin spreaded upon her face. "This is our ship! You bought us a ship?" She asked delighted by what she heard. "Yup, it's called the Fire Fly. It has 14 bedrooms, 1 kitchen, 3 decks, 1 office, 1 training room, I cellar, I inventing room, and 1 grand library which I know you'll spend most of your time in." Kortez replied.

"Wow, this is pretty big how much did it cost?" She asked fixing her pillows so that she could sit up. Kortez turned his back to his sister and coughed into his arm, "Sixty-four million."

Kayten's smile dissapeared off her face like it evaporated into the air. "Did you say sixty-four million?" She asked kicking the covers off and stood up. Zeratsu also stood up going to her, offering her his hand but she slapped it away. "Kortez! That was all our money! Did you buy any food or supplies?" She chided irritated by her brother's stupidity. Kortez shook his head no.

Kayten lunged at him, "You idiot!" She roared as he scratched at his throat but Zeratsu jumped up and grabbed her around the waist, and was pulling her away from her brother. "Alright! ALL RIGHT! Just calm down!" Zeratsu shouted above Kayten's voice and they all looked at him.

Then the swordsman hoisted Kayten over his shoulder and started to walk out, with Kayten cursing at and pointing at her scared brother and brought her out to the deck.

Lifting her down from his shoulder, he held her wrists tightly and turned her around. "Look, we're on our way and it's a beauty so just chill." He whispered into her ear. "We? I don't think so, my brother may have invited you on this trip but I'm the captain here and I say who stays or not." She told him, breaking him from his grasp, she turns on him pointing her finger at him advancing on him, as he backed up.

"Well then, I want to join." Zeratsu said shrugging his shoulders. "Well I say you can't because you kissed me only for your own escape." Kayten told off still walking towards him until there was no room for him to walk backwards to and sat upon the railing with her still scolding him.

She then took a step back and she turned around breathing slowly to lower her temper. Zeratsu slid off the railing and gave a conceited smirk, "About the kiss, I didn't tell you but you're a lousy kisser." He snorted. Suddenly, Kayten spun around and gave a bone cracking punch to the swordsman in the face.

Zeratsu fell backwards onto the wooden deck, his head slammed against the floor. "Pervert." Kayten breathed as she walked away from him and started to look around the ship. She had to hand it to Kortez that he bought a good ship but didn't get anything to live on or any supplies so that they'd have to earn the money.

Massaging her temples with her right hand, she sighs tiredly looking out onto the sea. With the sun shinning brightly on her face, with her hair slowly dancing in the air, a large angelic smile spreaded across her face. Pushing her hair out of her face, Kayten turned to Zeratsu. Looking as if Zeratsu had recovered from his punch, his wide eyes stared at her. His eyes danced with fascination and something else Kayten couldn't describe but it was a weird feeling, a really weird feeling.

"What are you looking at?" She asked harshly, her smile disappearing quickly.

As if he had been in a trance, Zeratsu lifted his head in a daze, "What?"

"You were staring at me, and I don't like it." Kayten shot back leaning on the railing. Zeratsu turned his head sharply to the side, avoiding her glare. For a moment, she thought she saw the swordsman blushing but shook her head of it. Rogan Zeratsu? The great Masked Rogue, blushing? From what?