Disclaimer: You know it, I know it… sigh.

Finally getting into the action! About time!

It's kinda cute, actually…

Tai looks her up and down, much as I did, and decides to hold her ransom. What a surprise.

Her response to him is a little better. Now that she's recovered from her initial fright, Kari seems to be a capable young lady. She looks him up and down in return. "So this is what a pirate captain looks like," she observes.

He laughs harshly.

Not phased by it, she looks over at me. "So where's your brother?"

Smiling, I call for TK.

He's there in moments, little Torty clinging to his shoulder. TK's reaction to the Princess is priceless. His blue eyes open so wide it amazes me. He chokes out something completely inaudible, and blushes beet-red.

"TK, this is Princess Kari. I want you to take care of her until she gets ransomed, okay?"

"O- Okay." He steals another glance at her, blushing even harder. "Hi, K-Kari."

I flick a glance at Tai. "If that's okay."

He's grinning too. The rest of the crew are hiding various smirks and smiles as they go about their business. I can tell, for the next fortnight, everyone will be pushing these two youths together.

Especially after looking back at Kari; the Princess is maintaining her regal composure very neatly, but there's a hint of pink dusting her cheekbones.

I think she likes him, too.

"Hello, TK," she says softly.

If at all possible, his blush deepens.

"I- I like your kitten."

"Oh- ah… uh… this is Torty." TK gently removes the kitten from its perch, shyly presenting it. "She likes to have her ears scratched."

Accepting Torty, Kari starts to rub dark-furred ears. She casts another look at TK. "You are a pirate, right?"

"Yep." He tries to puff himself up slightly, but just as quickly gives it up.

"Why don't you have an earring?"

He blinks. "Well, my brother's a pirate 'n he doesn't have an earring."

Whoops. I hope no-one else heard that.

I guess they did, though, because a couple of hours later, while Tai and a few of the men are sorting through the spoils, about a dozen of my shipmates corner me in the hold.

"What are you guys doing?" I snap, fighting in vain to stop them from pinning me down. "Leave me the fuck alone!"

"Pirates should have earrings," Izzy grins, holding a thick gold ring before my eyes. "We're gonna give you a present."

I shout in wordless protest. I thrash and flail against them, but they are twelve and I am one. Never, not in my life, have I done something to mark my body this way! I never want to!! I earn my living from this body, I can't have it scarred!!!

One of them- Anton- produces a thin, very sharp knife. "It's clean," he grins.

As useless as it is, I struggle right until the knife touches my skin. Then I still. I'm not so stupid as to thrash around while someone's sticking a knife into me.

"You bastards."

A searing pain in my right ear. Yes, it would be that one, wouldn't it. I don't cry out; I suffer much worse.

Seconds later, the ring is in, a strange heaviness beside my neck. And they let go of me.

I surge to my feet, roaring, and attack them. They don't know how fortunate they are that I'm not holding a weapon, because I truly am mad enough to kill. How dare they do such a thing to me!

Startled, they don't fight back. I land perhaps a dozen good blows, blacking eyes and bruising faces, before they start to react. And then they're striking back, fists pounding into my flesh with explosions of pain.

"What the HELL?"

Everyone freezes at Tai's snarl.

Slowly, I look up, my fist still buried in Anton's gut.

He pushes a few men aside, grabbing my shirt, and slamming me up against a wall. His cold, furious eyes wordlessly demand an explanation.

I give him one. I turn my face to the side, to clearly display the newly-pierced, angry-red ear, the bright blood that trickles down my neck to stain my shirt.

He takes one look, and redirects his fury. Tai's eyes blaze even fiercer as he rounds on his crew. "Who the fuck came up with this brilliant idea, you pack of shitheads!"

The last one of them has skulked off to scrub decks, and Tai and I are alone.

I'm turning away, not wanting to talk to him, not wanting him to see this blood and bruising and imperfection. "Go away," I mumble.

He ignores my words and turns my face to his, examining the damage. I can feel one of my eyes swelling closed, and the skin has split open along my other cheek. "Oh, Matt."

"Go away," I repeat. "I don't want you to see me like this."

Tai blinks. "Why not?"

I swallow hard. Am I actually nervous, or is this part of my act? I'm not sure anymore. "I'm ugly. I don't want you to look at me."

"Matt, you're not ugly," he says gently.

"I am! They made me ugly, the bastards flawed me, I'm not beautiful now and you won't want me anymore!"

Wonder flashes across his eyes. Tai reaches out, resting his hands on my hips. "You think a few tiny marks could make you less beautiful to me? Matt… you're the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. You're- exquisite. Sublime. Incredible."

I let a few tears slip out. "I've kept myself perfect for you… Tai…"

He strokes my cheek. "Does it really matter that much to you, Matt?"

Gravely, I nod.

"Y'know, if we take it out, your ear will prolly heal over." He pulls closer to me, kissing my thin-drawn bottom lip.

A rough, loud sigh slips from me.

"Shall I take it out for you, beautiful?"

"No," I snap, surprising myself. "No. It's there now. Let it stay."

"You're sure?"

I pull sharply away. "I'm sure," I hiss, and storm out of the hold.

He's following me. That just makes me run faster. I cross the decks, and start up the rigging, determined to get as far away from him as I can. I don't know why; this is stupid, illogical.

"Matt!"

I ignore him, climbing faster.

"Matt! Matt, please…"

And my hand slips.

A moment's disorientation- I'm falling!

Tangle of rope-

Distinctly, I hear a snap, followed a tiny moment later by a wet tearing noise.

A strange, strangled noise escapes me.

The pain bursts over me in a dark wave, pulling me under.

Reviews make Matt live longer.