Chapter 2: Pale

I have to try

To break free

From the thoughts in my mind

Use the time that I have

I can say goodbye

Have to make it right

Have to fight

'Cause I know in the end it's worthwhile

That the pain that I feel slowly fades away

It will be all right

-Within Temptation

Jim Hawkins rolled his eyes and grunted as he mopped the deck. That stupid Captain Amelia had Long John Silver in charge of him, so that meant mopping the deck. He couldn't believe he had to mop a deck during the most amazing journey. He had to spend his time working for a bossy cyborg.

"Yeah, I got your Mr. Mop," he muttered under his breath.

A giant alien with four arms and grey skin lumbered past Jim, pushing him out of his way. Jim stumbled, holding onto the mop for support and looking somewhat startled. The alien turned back to him with a glare. His face was colored red and both his eyes were looking in different directions, making it hard for him to tell if the guy was high or if he had some kind of sight problem.

"Watch it, twerp," the brute threatened and walked away.

Jim glanced at three aliens who were talking and leaning against two barrels. He couldn't hear them as they were whispering. One of them looked up and shushed the other two. All three turned him.

"What are you looking at weirdo," shirtless alien said.

Then the head of the alien walked off the body and the body opened a part of eyes. "Yeah, weirdo," the body replied.

Jim looked disgusted. "And I'm weird."

A hissing coming from above the shrouds. Jim looked up to see an alien red and black spider with bright yellow eyes.

"Cabin boys should learn to mind their own business," the spider alien hissed.

Jim smiled cockily as he glanced both ways. "What you got something to hide bright eyes?"

The spider got angry at that comment. He gripped Jim by the front of his shirt with his claw. He lifted Jim off the ground and up to his face.

"Maybe your ears don't work so well," he suggested, face close enough to Jim's for his putrid breath to wash over his face. Jim cringed and cocked his head over his shoulder in attempt to get the smell out of his nose.

"Yeah, too bad my nose works just fine," he coughed.

"Why, you imprudent little - !"

"Oh shit!"

Jim was slammed roughly against the mast, the action accompanied by encouraging shouts from the crew. It was pointless for him to fight as he was in no position to do so, but he fought anyway. The spider psycho snapped one of his large claws before bringing the sharp end to Jim's throat.

"Any last minute words cabin boy?" the spider asked as he was aiming his claw at Jim's throat.

But before he had the chance to end Jim's life, his claw was pulled down by a robotic pilers, that belonged to the none other, John Silver.

"Mr. Scroop," Silver said as he bit down on a purp. "Yeh ever seen what happens to a fresh purp when yeh squeeze real hard?!" With that he began to squeeze his arm until Scroop screamed in pain. He let go of Jim immediately who slammed on the ground. He coughed and tried to ease his breathing again.

"What's all this then!" Mr. Arrow yelled as he came down the stairs. "You know the rules, there be no brawling on this ship. Any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the rest of the voyage!"

He turned to face . The two met face to face. "Am I clear Mr. Scroop?"

Scroop glared at him. He wanted to tell him no, but he glanced at Silver, who glared at him with his cyborg eye turning red. He looked back at Arrow.

"Transssperantly", Scroop answered.

The crew groaned and walked away. "Well, done Mr. Arrow, sir. A tight ship is a happy ship, sir," Silver said. He grab the mop and turned to Jim.

"Jimbo, I gave you a job," Silver said.

"Hey, I was doing it until that... bug thing-", Jim tried to protest; without success.

"Belay that! Now, want this deck swoobed spotless. And heaven help ya when I come back it's not done! Morph, keep an eye on this pup. Let me know if there's any more distraction."

Silver walked away, leaving Morph with big eyes watching Jim. He continued to mop the floors of the deck. He felt like Silver was being enmity towards Jim. He didn't like that he was treated like a dog.

As Jim mopped, he heard a thumping sound. He looked around. He looked confused and went back to mopping.

Thump

Jim lifted his head up to scan the deck to find the thumping sound. He heard it again, but it sounded like a fast thumping sound.

"You hear that to right?" Jim asked Morph.

The pink floating blob nodded rapidly. The thumping sound continued. Jim and Morph followed the sound until they heard the thumping noise get louder. Jim scanned the area and heard the thumping sound coming from a barrel. Jim cautiously walked up to the barrel and knocked on it. He heard the thumping sound louder than ever.

"Morph help me open this!" Jim shouted.

Morph turned into a crowbar, so Jim could open the lid of the barrel. Jim pulled on the crowbar and the lid popped open. When he looked in the inside the barrel, he gasped at what he saw. He saw a girl around his age with black hair and navy blue eyes bound and gagged inside the barrel. She wore a torn up white dress with a crescent moon silver necklace. Her arms and leg were covered in blue and purple bruises.

"Oh my god, Morph go get Silver," Jim said.

Morph quickly flew away to find Sliver. Jim looked at the girl. Her eyes were pleading to him, to get her out of the bindings and the barrel. She whimpered as a way of him knowing she really wanted to be free. Jim picked her up, removing her from the barrel and laying her on the floor.

"Lad! This deck isn't..." Silver began to yell until he saw Jim with the girl. "Lad, what did ye do?!"

"Hey, I just found her in the barrel!" Jim shouted. "Go get the captain!"

"This is the only time I'll do something ye say lad," Silver said before going after the captain.

Jim began to untie the ropes from her arms and wrist. He untied her gag and watched as she spit out a balled up cloth from her mouth. She coughed out and took a deep breath. He untied the rope from her legs.

"You can't let him find me," the girl said terrified as she was breathing rapidly. "He'll hurt me or kill me. Don't let him find me, please." The girl placed her hands on his chest.

"Hey, hey, hey, slow down," Jim said trying to calm her down as he held her hand. "Who's looking for you?"

"I didn't mean to leave from the barrel. I was put here by mistake. Please don't let him take me, please!"

"It's okay. Your safe with me. No one will take you. What's your name?"

The girl stared into his eyes as she was trembling and breathing rapidly. She hadn't said her name in years to anyone, but she saw in his blue-gray eyes that he could be trusted.

"M-My name is...L-Luna," she answered.

"Okay Luna, that's a nice name," Jim said calmly. "I'm Jim."

"I don't want to go back to him. I don't want to get hurt anymore. Please, don't let me go back to him. I can't take being with that monster anymore."

Jim took off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. He could see the terror in her eyes as she trembled and looked franticly around.

"What is the meaning of this!" Captain Amelia shouted as she came down the stairs. Silver and Arrow followed her down the stairs. She took one look at Luna and Jim and saw what was going on.

"We have a stowaway here!"

"No, ma'am. I found her tied up in the barrel," Jim said. "She was kicking the barrel, trying to get out."

Captain Amelia glanced at Luna, who looked away from her in fear. She knew that she had seen this young girl some where, but she had to remember. She looked at Luna, as she saw what conditions she was in and what she wore. Then she spotted the clue of who this was on the girl's ankle. A crescent moon as her birthmark. Captain Amelia gasped under her breath. She glanced at Arrow and went back to the two teens.

" , take the girl into my stateroom," Captain Amelia commanded. "Mr. Silver, I will be borrowing Mr. Hawkins for just a minute."

Jim helped Luna up from the floor. Her legs were shaking as she tried to walk. She almost fell if Jim wouldn't have caught her. She looked up into his eyes as he helped her get back on her feet. Jim placed one of her arms around his shoulder, so she could try to walk. The four of them walked into the captain's stateroom. Captain Amelia locked the door, too make sure no one would leave. Jim took his arm off Luna's shoulder, since she had regained her strength.

"Now miss, what is your name?" Captain Amelia said as she circled Luna.

"L-L-Luna," Luna stuttered.

"Full name dear?"

Luna bit her top lip. She had never was able to tell anyone.

"W-Why?" Luna asked.

Captain Amelia knew Luna was scared, but she needed to make sure her theory about Luna was right.

"To see, if my theory on who you are is correct", Captain Amelia responded. "Now your name dear."

Luna sense that Amelia knew who she really was. Luna Moonlight, Princess of the Moon. This was her title back in her kingdom. She was never called that title after she was taken.

"My full name is Luna Moonlight," Luna answered.

Captain Amelia smiled, because she knew it. She had met Luna when she was 6 years old. Amelia had visited the Kingdom of the Moon, ruled over by the Moonlight. She met their king and queen along with the prince and princess. When the news about the death of the king and queen and the princess missing came to her, she couldn't believe it.

"Princess Luna of the Kingdom of the Moon," Captain Amelia added.

Luna's eyes were full of shock. Jim looked at Luna. A princess on the RLS Legacy. He couldn't believe that he found a princess in a barrel.

"How d-did you..."

"You were only 6 years old when I met you," Captain Amelia cut her off. "I was visiting your kingdom. I mean you, your father, mother and your older brother, Jacy. I knew just by your birthmark on your ankle, you were the princess. But my question is, where have you been for 5 years?"

5 years of pain to Luna. She didn't want to talk about it. She still is scared of Captain Marco finding her. She didn't want to return to him.

"I-I-I have been with Captain Marco," Luna answered. "H-He held me as his p-prisoner. He hurt me. I tried to escape, but his crew found me. Please, don't let him find me. I can't live in that hell again."

Luna cried on Jim shoulder. Jim hugged her as comfort. She truly was scared of this Captain Marco. Captain Amelia knew, who Captain Marco was. A ruthless pirate who is wanted throughout the galaxy.

"My dear, that pirate isn't going to lay a finger on you," Captain Amelia said. "As long as you are on this ship, you are safe. You are my guest, you are apart of this crew."

Luna turned to Captain Amelia and smiled. She felt safe on this ship. She felt safe for the first time. She was given a chance for hope to belong in her heart once again.

"Now, my dear I will give you two options," Captain Amelia said to Luna. "You can stay with me and on our next stop, I will call someone close to pick you up. Or you can work as a cabin girl on this ship and come on this voyage. Now as a cabin girl, your true self will not be revealed."

Luna didn't know about this. If she was left for someone to pick her up, Captain Marco might find her and take her again. If she stayed on the ship, she would be safe from Marco and his crew. She glanced at Jim, who was leaning against the wall. She felt safe around him. She knew she could trust him. He did want her to stay on the ship. He feared that this Marco would come and get her. He knew that she was a princess, but she didn't act like one. Jim turned away from Luna.

"I think I'll be a cabin girl," Luna answered. "I feel more safe with Jim than with anyone else."

Captain Amelia glanced at Jim. " , the identity of Princess Luna, must stay a secret. Not even could know about her. Do you understand?"

Jim glanced at Luna and smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

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