Nishikino Maki rarely ventured out of her tiny attic loft in the lazy seaport, on the tiniest island in an archipelago known mostly for the rogues and buccaneers who wanted to take advantage of the no port tax. There were three bars, one barber, one butcher, two fishmongers, a farmer and fisher collective, two tailors, and one scribe. Maki would sometimes tie her hair up in a scarf, put on a dark gray oversized coat, the least threadbare of her breeches, and boots she never took the time to polish. Then she would climb out her window, sticking to the shadows, and order tomato bisque, fresh bread, and a Bloody Mary. The bartender threatened to start calling her that, but Maki's scowl discouraged that. Her ability with a knife, after she'd pried several musket balls out of pirates, had stuck the nickname "Cutty" on her back.

Tonight, Maki paused in her normal route to the back door. New sounds drifted her way, surprisingly lively, a light, cheery mezzo soprano soaring, singing sea shanties full of smiles not storms.

Maki, a rare grin on her face, stepped through the back door of the Mermaid's Kiss.

"Hey, Cutty." Nozomi Tojo, tavern owner, waved.

"Not my name." Maki growled.

Nozomi raised an eyebrow, then continued polishing the bar.

Nozomi's wife Ayase Eli brought Maki's usual to the table.

"Having a good day?"

Maki liked Eli. She was polite and unlike her wife never asked intrusive questions.

"Heard some singing."

Eli grinned. "Yeah, the Singing Schooner is in port. The Captain's an old friend. You might see her in here later."

Maki shrugged and dipped her bread in the soup.

###

The doors of the Mermaid's Kiss slammed opened.

"We need help." A blueblack haired sailor rushed through, supporting the weight of a smaller woman, the injured woman's captain's hat half falling off her head. Eli immediately rushed to help, guiding the newcomers to a table in the back. Maki headed to the bar without a second thought, reaching underneath to grab the medical kit she kept there and a bottle of rum.

She hurried to the table, putting the bottle in front of the Captain, a woman with sable hair and sharp, ruby eyes, shrewdly examining Maki's expression.

"Drink that."

"Nico hates rum."

"Pirates can't hate rum." Maki had cut off the sleeve. An arm wound, at a very odd angle, the bullet had barely penetrated into the very firm muscle of the bicep.

"Hey, watch it." The Captain swatted at Maki's probing fingers.

"If you drink the rum, you'll feel less pain."

"If you took better care of Nico …"

"Cutty here is the best on the Island, Nico-chi." Nozomi chided.

"At least bring me my tequila!" Nico winced as Maki began to press on the bullet.

"Not too much penetration, you'll be fine. Superficial wound." Maki was still puzzled by the wound. Had the gun been shot off at a distance? Or too close with not much powder. "Were you in a fight?"

"Stop asking questions, start fixing Nico." Two fingers of tequila were poured in a shot glass, Nico swallowed, and repeated twice.

Maki sat back, surprised at the rapidity of Nico's motions, waiting for an explosion of drunken emotion.

The woman who had carried the Captain in looked sympathetically at Maki. "We've been through some rough seas recently."

Maki had noticed dangerous clouds our at sea through her telescope so that part of the story checked out.

"Nico is the number one captain on all seventeen of the seas and always comes safely into port." Captain Nico's words had begun to slur.

Maki prepared her tools of choice, considering how she could keep the Captain talking.

"How long have you had your ship?"

"It's my dad's ship. Nico inherited it, fixed it up, Umi and Honoka helped me crew her and we've been finding treasure ever since."

"You're pirates?"

"Shocked?" Nico giggled out tequila breath.

"Only technically." The blue-haired woman corrected. "Mostly we're treasure hunters who slide around blockades."

"Nico is hunting the best treasure now." Nico winked as she poured a sloshing full glass of tequila. Maki slid it away from her, becoming increasingly intrigued by the two women in front of her.

With a deft twist, Maki removed the bullet, disinfected with rum, and bandaged the wound.
"What's the treasure?"

Nico stayed silent during the process.

"The treasure's a secret." Nico glanced at the bandage. "Good job. What's your story, smart, pretty lady?"

Maki put the bullet on a tray, wiped her hands, not meeting Captain Nico's glance.

"Did you just wash ashore?" Nico asked.

"That's what we figure." Nozomi added from the bar, "Her clothes look wrecked."

"Hey." Maki glared, suddenly embarrassed by the breaches in her breeches.

"No one ends up in the Lost Cay by accident." Nico pulled back her overfilled drink.

"Serendipity." Maki closed up the bag, ready to head back to her loft. This had been too many people. "Change the bandage regularly."

"What keeps you here?" Nico was sounding suspiciously less drunk.

"The stars." Maki smiled. "I have a telescope."

Nico nodded, whispered something to Umi, who headed to the bar.

"Nico's hungry. Umi's going to grab it."

"Your first mate?" Maki guessed, wondering if they had any other relationship.

"Most reliable woman on the high seas."

"Polite for a pirate."

Nico raised an eyebrow, but took the conversation back with another tack. "Have you ever seen the stars at sea?"

Maki remembered a journey stowed away in the hold of a cargo ship, always hidden or bundled in something, barely enough food and water to survive. This is where she'd run out, the Lost Cay, this is where she stayed. What would a ship be like, full sail, quiet on a calm sea, stars stretching up forever?

Maki shook her head.

"You did a good job on Nico. We need a doctor. Nico pays well." Nico glanced at Maki's threadbare breeches.

"You can't steal our curmudgeon, Nico. I don't have enough people to tease." Even if there had been other customers in the bar, Nozomi would have paid them no attention.

"So close up this place. I know Eli misses the salt air and her sextant. There's never been a better navigator."

Nozomi glanced down the bar. Eli looked away, cheeks flushed.

"Ask her." Nico said.

"Why." Maki said, pulling the conversation back to her.

"Why?"

"Why would I join your crew?"

Nico, words not slurred at all, held Maki's glance. "People are harder to find at sea."

Maki read so many things all at once in those deep red, dangerous seas. She shoved back from the table.

"That was a self inflicted wound. You came for me."

Nico's voice was low. "I said I was looking for treasure."

Umi's hand was suddenly on Maki's arm, preventing her from rushing off. "We've come a long way. Someone's been selling stories about you. We ran through a storm, two days ahead of your father."

Maki still couldn't look away from Nico. "Trust Nico."

Nozomi brought a water pitcher to the table, voice a whisper. "Eli and I will cover your tracks. I've got a red wig that'll fit Eli and she can sail for Swordfish Cay." Her hip slammed Nico, 'Then come back and pick us up next trip."

Suddenly Nico had Maki's hand, their palms connecting with a startling warmth, both on their feet. Maki felt dizzy. "What do you need?"

"My telescope." Maki hesitated. "And I have a map."

"Nico knows."

Maki pulled away. "I don't trust you yet."

Nico reached into her cumberbund, pulling out a pistol and a small case embroidered with flowers, smelling of gunpowder, She handed them to Maki.

"You will. Nico can wait." Another disarming wink. "But first you're going to see all the stars Nico can show you."

As Maki's hands trembled, finally accepting someone else's help, for the first time in months, Maki felt a small sprout of hope. And a tingle of excitement.

A/N: Genre I have never written before challenge. Thanks Idol Fanfic Heaven for the challenges.