HAPPY HOLIDAYS! And more specifically for today, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday today!

Once again, I apologize for the late update, I shall do better!

I.O.N.

Enjoy!

Chloe looked up from her drinking competition when someone at the bar started shouting, "ISN'T THERE ANY DECENT SERVICE FOR TWO HARDWORKING SAILORS!?" With a snort, Chloe resumed destroying the three bigger men at her table as the two boys at the bar continued to demand service. Finally, after the last man flat out refused to order another round, he could just sense that his wallet couldn't afford to take on the young blonde any longer, Chloe decided that she was bored and that the yelling was getting obnoxious.

She smirked and waited for one of the staff members to get the total for the table just long enough to make sure the losers didn't try and elphant, before grabbing Adrien and sitting at the bar. When the bartender got to them and asked for their order she said, "Well personally what I really want is for those two to shut up." The man behind the bar huffed agreeingly. "But aside from that I'd like a mug of your strongest rum and take it over to the small pink-haired woman on the edge of your bar."

The bartender gave Chloe a once over and gave the same treatment to Adrien, who looked confused and slightly worried. "That'll cost extra."

"Money is of no issue."

"Alright then... no guarantee she'll drink it." He mumbled the last part to himself.

Alix glared at the two sailors, ready to force them to shut up when the bartender returned and set a drink in front of her. "The two blondes down there bought you a drink." He explained to her annoyed glare. Alix followed his thumb and saw Chloe smirking as she sipped her drink and Adrien trying, and failing, to talk her out of something.

"Well, it would be rude to refuse a gift," Alix smirked and downed the mug, already figuring that whatever Chloe wanted her to do could wait until after she'd had a few words with the screaming duo.

The next morning found Alix holding her head in pain as she emptied her stomach into the sea, as the other captains were all in similar states of distress, that left Kagami as the only one capable of tending to any of them. Which she did grudgingly, wishing she could have a hangover and leave the rest of them to suffer.

When the last of her supper left her, Alix looked up blearily, "What happened?"

Kagami actually laughed as she made Marinette drink some water, "I'm pretty sure you did."

Much later in the day, after everyone was feeling much better and after Marinette had scolded Chloe on using Alix's low tolerance for alcohol for evil, the seven captains began discussing when they would leave.

Alix was all in favor of leaving that night, to avoid the embarrassment of starting such a big fight, but this was voted down when the others voiced their desire to do a little 'shopping', and it was decided that they would leave early the next morning. "You sure you don't want to come?" Kim asked as he finished tying his mask into place.

"No thanks."

"Suit yourself." he shrugged and left her alone in the growing darkness.

As Alix set herself up for a cool night on deck, content to let the stars and the gentle rocking of Duusuu lull her to sleep, she was interrupted by a voice shouting, "Hey! Is anyone up there?" With a sigh, Alix sat up and went to go see who was making such a racket.

Looking over the brim Alix saw a young boy, maybe thirteen, shouting up at her. "Who or what are you and what do you want." She deadpanned, looking him over once.

"My name is August and I'm here to speak to the captain of this ship!"

"And how do you know you aren't speaking with her?"

"Because the captain has to be old, duh." The kid had guts, Alix would give him that.

"Well, I'm older than you, so who's to say I'm not?"

"You're just a kid! If you were old you'd be older than my mom."

"Is there a reason you came here trying to wake the dead, or did you just want to insult a sea captain?"

"I want to join your crew!"

Well, Alix certainly wasn't expecting that. "Aren't you a little young to be wanting to join a crew?" she asked, feeling just a little bit like a hypocrite.

"Momma says that some ships take on kids even younger than me!"

"Yes. Pirate ships." Alix didn't know why, but she felt like she had to at least try and steer him away. "Besides, even if I was looking for more crew, what could you bring that a more experienced adult couldn't?"

"I'm hoping to find a pirate ship!" August shouted. He started to continue but Alix quickly shushed him.

"Get up here before you bring the whole navy down on me!" She hissed.

When they were standing face to face Alix sighed and waved her hand for him to continue. "I want to find a pirate ship so I can meet Paon!"

"And why would you want to do that?"

"They were like a bedtime legend! They could do anything! And, if I can meet Paon, they might even introduce me to the others! I could be a pirate!" August seemed really excited by the whole idea, and Alix almost hated the idea of being the one to bring the harsh reality to him.

"Kid, it's not that easy. Being a pirate is a lot of work, and really dangerous. What would your mom say?" Alix asked, hoping that by bringing up the kid's mom, it would shock him into thinking for a second.

But she would be disappointed, "My mom is the one who sent me here! She worked with a trading company last year and actually met Paon when her ship was boarded by them!"

"Last year?" Alix asked confused.

"Yep! It was awesome!"

"Huh."

"Is something wrong?" August asked, worried he had said something that would end this little interview.

"No no. Just something I'll have to talk about with the others."

"HA!" August shouted, making Alix jump, "You admit that you aren't the captain!"

"I'm the captain, but I work with other ships and this is something we'll need to talk about."

The kid gasped excitedly and started jumping around spouting theories, getting wilder and wilder. Alix sighed, "You're not going to leave unless I say you can join are you?"

"Nope!"

"Fine."

"Really!?"

"Yeah. Go pack your stuff, tell your mother goodbye and be back here before the moon sets or I leave without you."

"Yes, ma'am!" August saluted and jumped over the edge in his haste, and despite herself, Alix smiled. He had potential. He was an overeager pain in her neck already... but he had potential.

That certainly took a turn!

Comment what you thought!

Hope you enjoyed!

See you next year!