A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, I couldn't stop from uploading again! Also, the pirates and the Empress are based on the One Piece universe, but I am working on more historically accurate mannerisms for them all. This is one of my favorite chapters, so enjoy!
A few hours had passed since the previous enemy attack. After a short interrogation Bart and Lucy had concluded that the pirates were normal pirates set to plunder. Ed had explained Lucy that the waters they would be sailing through were scarcely patrolled by the navy and a lot of raids happened out here. They would be passing a port in Caelum in a few days and attacks would be fewer.
Ed and Bart got rid of the enemy pirates and Lucy returned to her cabin for a few minutes. Her clothes were sweaty and she needed to wash off any blood she had gotten on them. After a quick shower, the blonde left her cabin and went below deck where the crew slept. She had been on her way to see Dagger when the pirates attacked and finally had the chance to go see him. She was curious as to what the old man had seen. Maybe he had some clues for solving the mystery of the attacks.
Lucy made her way below deck and found a lot of hammocks strung to different poles and beams. In the far back, she could make out the dim light from a candle. Taking a few steps forward, she almost stepped on a bundle of clothes and carefully trekked through the littered floorboards.
"Dagger?" She called out nervously. There was something about being below deck that made her uncomfortable - and it wasn't just the smell of man. There was hardly any light and anyone from the enemy crew could have snuck down here sometime during the fight. Lucy had to remind herself that even though Dagger was old, he was still a pirate, and she doubted that he'd go easy on enemies.
"Over here, lass." A raspy voice called out from the far back of the room. Lucy approached the back wall slowly, careful of where she was setting her feet.
"Where are you?" She asked out loud. There was a snicker and a cloth fell down from between two huge crates. It was so tightly strung between them that it looked like there was a third crate in the middle. Lucy had to admire the old man's cunning. He was completely concealed from view. Being old and frail, he was physically unable to fight, but being able to hide himself that well was most likely what had gotten him so far.
"An old man's gotta do what an old man's gotta do." He snickered. He reached his hands towards Lucy, so that the blonde could help him up. Carefully pulling him up, Lucy asked if he was hurt.
"Nay lass, only me back is giving up." He rubbed his back with a wrinkly hand and stretched carefully.
"Get me to the galley, will ye?" Lucy nodded and led him back up and towards the galley. On the way back, she explained her thoughts to him about there being a system in the random attacks. She asked for his opinion and what he had seen the night before.
"Something fishy is going on, lassie. Me eyes be old, but never deceive. A ghost is haunting the ship and it makes the sea wail. Ever noticed the weeping of the waters? Aye, no human can do that. Someone will feed the fish, and better not be this seadog."
"Feed the fish?" Lucy asked. It didn't sound very innocent. It sounded rather ominous, she decided.
"Someone will die, lass." She was right.
It had been hours since Lucy had spoken to Dagger and she was at a standstill. His words had been ominous, but there was something bothering her. If a ghost was controlling a large amount of people, it had to be incredibly powerful. Was it after the entire crew then? Could be an old crew member or lifelong enemy? Lucy sighed and slumped over the railing. She was still on watch, so she would have to ask Bart later. She had dispelled her spirits and opted for keeping watch on her own to conserve her magic.
"Hey Lucy!" Kai popped up beside her with a huge grin on his face. His golden eyes were shining from excitement.
"Hi." Lucy raised a brow at him and waited for him to talk.
"You were amazing earlier! I didn't know you could fight so well." Kai praised her.
"Aye, we were both surprised." Mateo appeared on her other side. He greeted her with a tiny smile.
"Thank you." She beamed. Being so used to her own skill, Lucy never considered how others saw her, but the fruit of her hard work was finally showing.
"Did you find Dagger?" Mateo asked her. He was curious as to what Lucy thought about the possibility of a ghost.
"I did. He saw something dark float over the deck, and it disappeared the second he stepped closer. I'm thinking it's an evil spirit or someone with ties to the Empress. Do you know of any previous crew members that would want to harm the crew? Someone who died with a grudge or anger towards the Empress or the crew?" The blonde asked the brothers. She immediately felt the mood drop and the older of the two tense beside her.
"No." Mateo stated bluntly and turned on his heel. Lucy stared after him with confusion.
"Did I say something wrong?" She asked Kai. He was looking incredibly dejected as he shook his head.
"Not really. You just… Mateo, he… err… ye see, the reason we joined the captain was because our mother was sick an' our father had left us. He used to be part of this crew, but only Bart and Ed know. He betrayed Bart long ago and ran away like a dog. Bart knew our mother and came to visit often. Then she fell ill." Kai's eyes darkened and his jaw tightened.
"It was the same disease that took our sister from us. We had a little sister, ye see? So bubbly and full of life, but one day, she couldn't get up. She withered like a flower and one day she was dead, just like that." His eyes glistened and Lucy could hear the raw pain in his voice. He must have loved his sister dearly and in that moment she could truly see how young Kai was.
"I'm so sorry…" Lucy whispered and took his hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze and Kai smiled mournfully.
"My mom knew she wouldn't make it. She recognized the symptoms long before we did and for months she would play it off as just being tired. Bart came to us when she was at her worst. He offered to take us in and mom told us to go with him. Mateo was too ashamed to accept. He was embarrassed by our father and felt so humiliated over Bart taking pity on us."
"But Bart would never-" Lucy started, but Kai stopped her.
"Aye, Cap'n only did it from the goodness of his heart, but try explaining that to a boy who has been abandoned by his father. I guess he'll always feel that he owes Bart." Kai shrugged and looked out over the ocean. Lucy felt bad for the brothers, but at the same time, she felt a new connection to them - one of understanding. She could relate to what Kai had told her and she understood why Mateo was cautious around others. Why he had never opened up to others.
"Our father was jealous of Bart and tried to start mutiny several times. When that failed, the bastard leaked secrets to one of Bart's enemies and nearly got the captain killed. We'll never forgive him for abandoning us, but Mateo, he despises him, wants to feed him to the fish actually." Kai grinned. He was back to his usual cheery self and reminded Lucy a little of Natsu.
"I see. I'm sorry for bringing it up." Lucy turned her head towards where Mateo had disappeared to. She guessed he was seeking solace behind the cabins or in the crow's nest.
"Don't be, ye couldn't have known. He'll be fine, just needs some time to cool down." Kai patted Lucy's arm and smiled warmly. He then helped Lucy keep watch and discussed her theories with her again. The sun started setting and Kai had to take care of his other duties. Waving at the blonde mage he left her alone with her thoughts.
Lucy summoned Virgo and Aries and had them watch, while she left to get something to eat. Romano had cooked something that reminded her of meatballs in a sauce with a serving of rice to the side. As always he kept her entertained and explained his cooking to her. With a glint in her eye the blonde rose from her seat.
"I shall take my leave then." Lucy exaggerated her exit after finishing her meal.
"No, fair maiden, please humble me with your company, I am but a servant not worthy of your grace."
"Farewell servant." Lucy laughed and made her way back outside. Checking in with her spirits, she decided to walk around the deck again. Being on scouting duty was rather boring, she found.
'I'll ask Capricorn to do some extra training tomorrow.' Lucy thought. Getting some extra training in wouldn't hurt and now she could focus on herself only. That had been the purpose of the whole mission. She briefly wondered what her friends at the guild were up to. Erza had been taking S-class missions again recently, so Natsu and Gray were definitely taking requests resembling S-class.
Lucy caught a glimpse of something in the water to her left and stopped mid-stride. Sea monsters weren't uncommon, so Lucy quietly watched the surface for a few seconds. It had looked like something scaly disappearing underwater. Her muscles were tense as she warily watched the surface of the water. She could have sworn she had seen a pair of glowing, red eyes.
"Lucy?" Mateo's surprised voice sounded from behind her. Lucy spun around startled. She had nearly pulled her whip loose from her belt, but loosened her grip on the weapon, when she recognized Mateo's voice.
"You surprised me." She admitted with an embarrassed smile. Mateo was sitting on the floorboards with his back resting against the walls of the cabins and had his legs bent in front of him.
"Sorry." He muttered and returned his attention to something between his hands. He was fiddling with a frayed piece of rope, twisting and pulling it, forming several knots across its length.
"What are you doing?" She asked him and cautiously took a seat beside him. His eyes flashed in her direction for a moment and then returned to the rope again.
"Tying knots." He answered bluntly. Lucy watched his fingers as they easily maneuvered the rope around his hands. He was skilled, that much she could tell. His silvery eyes shone in the weakening light. The sun had almost set and bathed the two in a warm orange glow.
"Kai told you about our mother." The pirate concluded more than guessed, his hands tying away. Lucy guessed it was his coping mechanism, since it had seemed to calm him a little, considering the fact that he was actually speaking to her. The blonde nodded in reply.
"She used to have a picture of him in a frame beside her bed. I have his eyes." He spoke quietly, but Lucy could detect the underlying rage and pain in his words. He was hurting much more than he let on.
"…I was always told I'm the spitting image of my mother." Lucy confessed. She had a feeling he needed to hear about her family, before he would understand that Lucy more or less knew how he felt.
"Where is she now?" Mateo asked slowly. He had an inkling of the answer, but waited for her reply anyway.
"She died when I was little." Lucy smiled sadly. She remembered the days she spent by herself, while her dad worked in his office. All the tears she had shed by herself and all of the time she had spent with her mother's spirit as her only company. Her fingers ghosted over the keys hooked to her belt and she could almost feel the faint hum of magic in response.
"My father locked himself away in his office. For years his business was his life. I ran away when I was seventeen and joined Fairy Tail, and he only remembered me when he hired a guild to kidnap me, so he could arrange my marriage for his political gain. Fairy Tail had become my new family by then." Lucy felt a tugging at her heart at the memory of entering the guild for the first time.
"Blimey." Mateo sounded genuinely surprised. Lucy giggled a little at his response. It got quiet between the two. Lucy stared at the vast ocean and it hit her how much she missed her friends. She could feel her companion's eyes on her, silently observing her form.
"When you laugh, you remind me of our sister, Elyana." Mateo told her. His hands were completely still now. Lucy was shocked that he would share something so personal with her and was about to respond when she heard boots on the floorboards.
"It's true." Kai appeared from around the corner, carrying a plate of food for Mateo. He handed his brother the plate and sat down in front of the two. Lucy put her head sideways in wonder.
"Really?" She was tempted to ask them about her, but decided it would be rude and had to be something they would tell her of their own accord.
"Aye." Kai grinned and stretched his arms above his head. It had been a few hours since he had gone off to help on the ship.
"Ye done scrubbing the deck, nipper?" Mateo teased his brother. He was back to his usual self and Lucy smiled inwardly at his display of affection for Kai.
"Devil take you Mateo!" Kai growled with narrowed eyes, which only made his older brother laugh. It was the first time Lucy heard Mateo laughing so freely and she couldn't help but feel a smile forming on her own lips. It was a nice sound. Kai was relieved to have his brother back, so he cursed under his breath, but with a smile on his face nonetheless.
"We'll reach New Caelum tomorrow night Lucy. We'll take ye with us." Kai announced excitedly. He was smiling so brightly it almost blinded her. Kai loved the marketplaces around the port. They had docked there a few times before and he knew his way around. He couldn't wait to show Lucy his favorite spots.
"Sounds great." Lucy nodded. She was looking forward to being on land again. She enjoyed being at sea, but wouldn't mind a couple of hours on solid ground again.
"Aye, there'll be booze onboard again tomorrow." Mateo mused. Lucy briefly wondered if the parties on the Empress were anything like the parties back in the guild. She would have to wait and see. She sat with the brothers for a while, before deciding she should go back to her room. Once inside, the blonde couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She knew there was nothing to do other than wait for the ship to make it to New Caelum, but that didn't keep her from covering the porthole in her cabin.
The following day went by without any incidents happening, other than the crew being restless about reaching the port. The story of the Empress being haunted had spread and some of the men were feeling rather antsy. Lucy had summoned Capricorn during the day and had him practice her ability to keep three gates open at once without draining her.
"Breathe slowly and feel your magic around you," he instructed, "now take the magic and mold it. Push it outwards and keep it balanced. Don't focus on one point, feel all of it. Your magic can be extended even farther, Lucy, but for now, this is enough." He praised her. By the time they were finished practicing, Lucy was panting. She could now summon Virgo while having Aries or Leo out as well. One of them had to stand still though.
The rest of the day, Lucy tried to relax by keeping watch. She had dreamt about evil, red eyes ripping her apart and they still haunted her. What if there really was a ghost after the crew and it now saw her as a threat? Lucy had spoken to Bart and he had mentioned a few old pirates who left for one reason or another. Some of them died during battles and had their coffins set to sea, but none of them died with a grudge. She was lost in thought when Ed approached her and told her to take the night off once they hit land.
She was escorted by the brothers and they had a great time walking around the marketplaces. They had great food and there was music playing. The port was busy as ever, and while the Empress restocked, the trio traded with the merchants here and there. Lucy bought a new belt for her keys with a tricky click-on mechanism that made her the only one able to remove them. The vendor insisted she take a set of bathing salts with her free of charge. He had found her incredibly charming and gifted her generously.
Lucy spent the evening laughing alongside her two new friends and forgot all about ghosts and red eyes. She was almost sad to leave the port and continue towards Green Bit. She had really enjoyed spending time with Kai and Mateo and they had had so much fun. Lucy decided that if she ever needed a vacation, it would be somewhere around New Caelum. The brothers had taken her into town and showed her how beautiful it was.
Getting back on the Empress, Lucy stopped feeling bad for herself and joined the party that was thrown. She learned to dance a jig and alternated between dancing with Kai, Mateo and Bart. The stellar spirit mage had left Taurus on deck, though she didn't expect any attacks for a while.
Two more days passed without anything happening. Lucy had spent her time guarding and helping Romano in the kitchen and just spending time with the crew. She especially enjoyed her talks with Dagger. He would come up while she was on guarding duty and tell her stories of his younger days. What amazed the blonde mage the most was how wise and philosophical the old man was. Bart's description of him had been spot on, and more than once, Lucy had been rendered speechless by the old pirate.
That day, he hadn't shown up and it was close to midnight. Lucy guessed he had fallen asleep or was busy doing whatever old pirates did, so she didn't give it much thought. She had once again been having nightmares about the scaly creature she had - almost - seen a couple of days prior. It had terrorized her dreams again that night and she could have sworn she heard a wailing throughout the night, but none of the crew had heard it.
Kai and Mateo were worried she was getting sick and hallucinating. They had offered to let her sleep in the hammock beside theirs, but Lucy had kindly passed up that offer, claiming she wouldn't be able to stand the smell of the crew gathered below deck.
Lucy had been walking along the railing when she noticed a thin fog creeping up. The night sky had been clear just a few minutes earlier so it could only mean one thing. Enemies. Scanning her surroundings, Lucy looked for a spot where she wouldn't be as exposed to attacks. The fog was dense now and she could barely make out the lanterns near the cabins.
Lucy briefly considered summoning her spirits, but decided she would wait until she had a count of the attackers. Her spirits could very well be the deciding factor of the fight and she wanted to have the element of surprise on her side. Lucy had her whip ready and was listening closely to the sounds. Now that her vision was blurred, she would have to rely on her hearing and instincts.
She jumped to the side when she heard the floor creak in front of her and barely dodged the punch her attacker threw. It was a male, she could tell from his silhouette and it didn't seem like he was carrying weapons, but she took no chances. She snapped her wrist and caught the arm of her attacker with her whip, pulled him in and kicked him in the stomach as hard as she could.
He grunted in pain and tried to get his arm free, before he lunged in Lucy's direction. He only grazed her, but he could throw a hell of a punch. Lucy lost her balance and wobbled backwards while trying to see her opponent, but he was fast and aimed a kick at her ankles. Lucy fell with a shriek, but rolled away and jumped up again. Her attacker was behind her and caught her arm, trying to punch her again, but Lucy was small and fast. She wriggled free of his grasp, grabbed hold of his arm and threw him over her shoulder. He landed with a thump in front of her, but back flipped insanely fast.
He punched again and Lucy dodged again. They repeated this pattern a few times. By now, Lucy was sure he was alone, so she decided to take him out by herself. She cracked her whip again and caught his legs, sending him straight to the floorboards.
"Damn it!" He hissed angrily, the sound muffled by the floorboards. His legs were locked and Lucy was ready to deliver the final blow, when she heard him cry out.
"Ice make: Floor!" The floor froze instantly and Lucy barely managed to jump back. Ice make?
"Gray?!" She squeaked loudly. There was no mistaking his voice or his magic. Still lying on the floor, his head snapped towards her voice.
"What the- Lucy?!"
How do you like the cliffhanger? Until next time (=w=)/