The Love of two Blue Rogues

Chapter Three- Quest for the Warriors Heart.

The sky darkened as the Albatross II slowly sailed out of the port from Crescent Island, The winds seemed to shift in her favor as she took a northern course that would run her and the crew past Nasrad and on a course to Pirate Island. The crew scurried about on the deck doing their jobs, they were after all sailing under one of the greatest captains that ever lived, no one wanted to disappoint Vyse on what many considered a "mercy" voyage.

Yes no one wanted to upset Vyse including the two girls who were currently down in the engine room, Usually by Vyse's side Fina and Aika had decided that a serious talk had to take place concerning on how Vyse was to be treated on this trip.

"Fina…I think we both agree that Vyse has to choose which girl he…well you know", Aika stated with as much confidence as she could muster, neither girl had been able to fully discuss the whole deal with each other. Yet both knew the time had come...Fina was just as impatient to know...both girls felt the longing and emptiness and fear over who Vyse would choose...the feelings were strong that neither girl felt that they could wait anymore, They had started to discuss the idea just when Vyse went into his funk and the idea to go sailing had sprung from those discussions...The need to know...the want to know, had finally destroyed any barriers that had once prevented the girls from doing anything to really find out...yet all that was going to change on this trip. "It's who he loves that counts…but that doesn't mean we can't try to encourage him to choose"

Fina nodded before turning around to make sure Hans was still busy fussing over the engine before speaking "Aika…I just want to say…well right now no matter which one of us he chooses I want to remain friends…"

Aika just smiled and put her hand on Fina's shoulder "Don't worry about it Fina…we can't let someone like Vyse get between the two of us right" 

"So Aika…lets settle this then…each day one of us tries to be extra nice to Vyse to see how he reacts…the other one finds time to be somewhere else for the day unless he orders otherwise…what do you think?"

Aika looked concerned "Won't he catch on that were acting strange and never both in the same place?" Both girls stopped to think this problem over when Han's nearly turned the corner, But seeing both girls there and knowing that they didn't have a any reason to be in the engine room he stopped and waited.

Fina looked at the wall for inspiration when it came to her "He won't really know…if we take turns in the day…we can divide it between us." Aika looked shocked at her friend's sneakiness before smiling and answering her.

"Wow Fina I didn't think I would rub off on you so quick that's a prefect idea!" at this Aika rummaged around in her pouch and found a gold coin. "Ok we'll flip to see who gets to choose when to be around Vyse…I'll call heads".

Han's watched as both girls held their breath until the coin fell to the floor, Hans didn't need to see the coin to see who had won, With a barely continued shout of joy Aika leapt in the air knowing Vyse enough to know when the perfect time to be around him was. "I'll take mornings…He can be so cute when he's cranky you know". Fina looked at her best friend with a slight smile playing on her face " I didn't know you thought that you Vyse was cute in the mornings Aika".

Blushing Aika stepped back before resuming her tomboyish exterior, "Yeah well…just don't go telling him I said that…otherwise if you do our whole plan will be spoiled!" both girls giggled shyly at the thought of what they had planned and that Vyse would never know. Hans casually stepped out from where he was hiding looking at a clipboard with various minor problems with the engine that Vyse had asked him to go over, He pretended not to see the girls who had nearly jumped at the sight of Hans. "Oh hello Miss Fina…Miss Aika what ever are you doing down here in the engine room?" He asked as politely as his father would have in the situation.

Fina turned to Aika for an answer when Aika suddenly came up with the perfect excuse and a way to kick off their quest " I had overheard Vyse asking you to check on the engine and we thought we could help…and that's why Fina here wants to see if she can help you, Right Fina?" 

Smiling weakly but then giving Aika a cold stare she turned to Hans. "Yes that's right…do you need any help Hans?" Hans looked over his clipboard as though he was trying to find something for Fina to assist him with. "Well...I was just about to go over the moonstone power regulator...would you care to help me check the readings?".  As Hans lead Fina away Aika grinned shyly to herself "Sorry Fina but we can't have Hans spilling the beans on this one," Aika slowly made her way up onto the deck hoping   to look busy before finding a reason to go to Vyse on the bridge.

"Aika?" A hand reached out and touched her on the shoulder, causing her to turn and smash head first into the person who had touched her.

"Ouch Damnit Aika why did you do that"? Vyse said rubbing his head while Aika rubbed hers. "Well you shouldn't sneak up on me like that Vyse…your lucky I didn't knock you out!" Vyse just smiled slightly and shook his head slowly " Well in any case I need your help can you come to my cabin for a bit?"

Aika nodded feeling very nervous for some reason as she followed Vyse back to his cabin "Perhaps today is the day he tells me…is that why he's bringing me to his cabin?" Aika mentally slapped her self "Stop being so air headed…in any case this will be a good opportunity to tell him how you feel".

Vyse opened the door to his cabin and headed straight over to his desk where he kept his charts and pulled one out and spread it out on his desk. Aika looked it over as if interested in what was on it but in her mind she was thinking of a way to tell Vyse how she felt without a lot of blushing and strutting that she had been doing every time she tried to talk to Vyse about the subject.

"So I was thinking of making a stop at Nasrad first, just to see what kind of trade goods we can pick up while there and to see if there's any truth to the rumor of increased Black Pirate activity around the Straights". Vyse said musing to himself before turning to Aika. "What do you think Aika…where should we go after Pirate Island?"

"Umm… why not Horteka…. I'm sure we can get a good price for anything we can buy at Nasrad". Aika lent over the chart looking it over suddenly interested, her thoughts turning towards the task at hand. "I agree with you Vyse I think we should see about those Black Pirate's…if they are causing problems trade in this area won't be going to well and we both know that Nasrad can't afford to lose trade"

Vyse nodded as he unconsciously moved next to her and traced his finger along a route "If what those last pair of traders who came by a few days ago were correct then they saw black sails along this route through the straight" Both of them were engrossed in the discerning of information from the chart that neither realized that both had put their arms around each other. Aika unknowingly snuggled against Vyse as she poured over the chart herself.

"Well then I say we make sure to load up on any extra powder and ammo when we make port at Nasrad, if we can help it I say we deal with those Black Pirates" Aika closed her eyes and sighed " I'm not to sure I want to fight again so soon but we can't let those bastards keep stealing from Nasrad…they still need time to get back on their feet…"

Vyse nodded as he gently squeezed Aika. "Wait…something's…" Vyse looked down to see that he was holding Aika close to him and that she was leaning against him with her eyes closed. "I…can't believe that were holding each other so close, she's always so worried when ever we get this close nowadays…I better…"

As if she could hear what he was saying Aika stiffened up and tried to apologize "I'm sorry Vyse I didn't mean…" Vyse let go of Aika and smiled at her to show he wasn't upset about the whole thing "Aika don't worry about it ok…but lets keep this to us ok…I don't know if I can plan with two girls on my arms"

Aika gave a nervous laugh before slowly backing out of Vyse's cabin "Umm Vyse…me and Fina have decided that you need some regular food in you…so were going to be cooking for you ok well bye". Vyse stood confused as Aika dashed out of his cabin yet the King of Rouges had a strange sense of foreboding for some reason.

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A few days later~

Urala was in such a tizzy, ever since they had left Crescent Isle, neither Aika or Fina had left the ships galley. Each girl had been cooking for the captain trying her best to show that captain that they could do more then just fight or sail. However…neither girl could boil water in Urala's opinion yet they made such a mess after breakfast and lunch that Urala barely had time to make everyone dinner.

Opening the door to the galley Hans expected to see his loving wife to smile and give him his breakfast  while they sat and talked of many things before his shift , However today he only noticed her standing by the door looking upset and a little angry at something.

"Urala what's the matter dear?" Urala turned and looked at he husband before turning back to watch the kitchen.

"Darling…Aika and Fina just kicked my out of my own kitchen…". Urala walked over to her husband and lead him to where he could get a good view of what was happing.

Hans had to keep himself from laughing as both Aika and Fina were covered in flour and other ingredients as both busied themselves in making Vyse something to eat that tasted better then what the other girl was making, Their laughter could be heard as well as the sounds of their labor. It seemed to Hans that even though both girls were trying to out do the other neither had lost the friendship both had for each other. Which the whole crew was grateful for, seeing Aika and Fina and Vyse together was a hearting thing to watch during the boring parts of sailing.

'I'm telling you Fina, Once Vyse tastes these Keota eggs he'll never want to have anyone else cook for him again", Aika stated proudly while scrambling the eggs the way Vyse always ate his eggs.

"Ha I bet you anything Vyse likes my Mid Ocean fish sandwich that Polly taught me how to make, and I'm even going to add in her secret ingredient", Fina was readying her ingredients and mixing up her secret ingredient that Polly had taught her before going back to her tavern with her husband Robinson.

Urala sighed in frustration and glared at her husband to do something, anything about the two girls who had taken over her kitchen. "Hans… please do something, I can barely make the crew breakfast or lunch  because of those two!"

"Urala dear…both girls are just trying to find out which one Vyse likes the most…its been a few years since the Crystal War and he still hasn't hinted…they feel as though he might not choose them and their worried". Hans sighed and wrapped his arms around his wife "they came up with this plan just as soon as we pulled out of port, I would tell the captain why he's been getting bothered by them day and night but I'm afraid that might shove me overboard if I told"

Shaking her head at the thought Urala noticed that Aika was done with Vyse's breakfast and was leaving the kitchen with a cocky smile on her face "Good luck with the fish Fina, I'm sure it will taste good since Vyse will ask me to make him lunch too, and don't think I don't know what his favorite lunch dish  is either." Aika had to taunt as she walked past Urala and Hans smiling to herself.

Urala sighed once again as she leaned against Hans. "I know my dear but still...does my kitchen have to suffer because of them?..." Hans laughed as he led his wife to their cabin so they could share some time in peace. He figured their captain and thus the rest of the crew would have very little peace or quiet to till they hit port.

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Vyse's Cabin

"Vyse…VYSE!!"

Vyse awoke with a start at the yell and looked around wildly for the cause of alarm, "What! Did we catch on fire! Did someone go overboard!?" Vyse nearly leapt out of bed but stopped when he heard a gasp….a very familiar gasp coupled with a feminine giggle that didn't appear to often from the owner of both the gasp and giggle.

"Aika what the hell are you doing yelling and coming into my cabin without knocking, and why the hell are you giggling too!" Vyse grumbled as he rubbed his head from the sudden headache that appeared when was woken from his slumber so loudly. Aika set down the food she had brought him but continued to stare and giggle as Vyse rubbed his eyes, Noticing that Vyse wasn't awake Aika had decided to wake him up, however she hadn't known that Vyse had been so tired from  rigging the sails yesterday  that he had just tossed off his usual set of clothes and passed out on his bed without changing.

Vyse stood dumbfounded yet growing angry as Aika eyes continued to stare. "What in the hell is so interesting to her…?" Looking down Vyse noticed that all he had on was his boxers. Immediately knowing that was why Aika was staring and why her face was turning as red as her hair. he grabbed his clothes and put them on as fast as he could, All  the time grumbling under his breath that this was not the way he wanted to start off the day.

"Vyse why didn't you tell me you've been working out", Aika said half teasingly and half compliantly. "In any case I've made you breakfast…just the way you like it you know",  setting the plates down on Vyse's desk Aika watched as the still embarrassed Blue Rogue grabbed a fork and gingerly  poked the concoction that his best friend had made him.

"Well…what are you waiting for…quiet playing with it you dummy and eat it!" Aika was starting to get upset at the fact that Vyse didn't quite seem to like her cooking as she had hoped he would. Looking up into Aika's face and then back down on to…whatever she had made, Vyse took the less dangerous path and took a small bite of the food.

"What do you think Vyse…Isn't that the best damn scrambled Keota egg you have ever ate in your life" Aika prepared herself for the shower of praise that Vyse would heap upon her for her good cooking.

"…It tastes like gunpowder mixed with rubber…you know we need all the gunpowder we can use Aika" Vyse closed his eyes and tried to will the bad taste in his mouth, he didn't get to far with that idea because as soon as he opened his eyes again he saw the look on Aika's face. "Oh moons…I'm dead".

Aika surprised him at what she did next, Smiling sweetly she reached over and ruffled his brown hair before lowering her hands to the side of his head. "Your right Vyse…I'm sorry, if my cooking bothers you so much i won't make anything else for you ok...I'm really sorry".

Vyse just was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Aika slammed his head into the plate of food rubbing his face in it as she let out her aggression.

"I'm sorry your such a jackass who doesn't know good food even when its all over his damn face!" Rubbing Vyse's face into the plate of eggs one more time she let go of his head and stomped her way out of his cabin.

Vyse was not in a good mood at this point, not only did he get woken up far to early, had to endure putting up with Aika in the morning while he was pretty much nude and forced to eat horrible food but now he had it all over his face. Not thinking of the repercussions of his actions Vyse grabbed a jar of Loqua berry jelly that she had brought in with her and chased after the still angry Aika.

"Aika…how's about something alot sweeter then you!" Aika turned to late as Vyse dumped the jelly all over Aika's long red hair. Vyse laughed in a loud false bravado knowing what kind of hell he was about to catch. "Stick to sailing Aika because you could burn water!"

Aika stood in shock and embarrassment as all the crew that were on deck watched what would happen next. Seeing red she did what she did best "Vyse!!! I'm going to kick your ass so bad you'll wish you never learned to walk!!" With a howl of rage she leaped on Vyse taking him down to the deck.

"Lets see how well you see though a black eye you jerk!" Aika took aim and punched Vyse square in his right eye which caused him to snap back and punch her in the eye as well, crew members raced to tear their captain and their friend apart as both fought intent on causing the other one pain.

"Ha I hope you like your own black eye too!" Vyse was glad when Timmus finally pulled Aika off him and stood between them while Matt the former deckhand, now in charge of the ship whenever Vyse or the girls were unavailable kept the rest of the crew from getting involved.

Both combatants drew deep breaths and took a minute or two to calm themselves down, neither were really that angry at the other anymore,  both knowing that each of them had pretty much deserved what they had gotten. Matt shouted orders at the rest of the crew to return to their business while Timmus tried his best to calm down Aika. Both of them had watched Vyse and Aika fight before and this was no different then the time Aika had stolen Vyse's eye patch or when Vyse had pushed Aika into the mud back on Pirate Isle.

"Aika…I'll see you in my cabin now…and that's an order" Vyse turned and walked back towards his cabin while Aika steadied her nerve's and also headed towards Vyse's cabin.

As soon as Aika had closed the door to Vyse's cabin Aika had expected Vyse to launch into her about the fight. She was surprised to hear him laugh instead, "What's so funny Vyse…I thought you might be mad that I punched you in front of the crew?" Vyse only smiled as he sat down on his bed and motioned for Aika to do the same.

Aika sat down on Vyse bed looking a bit worried that he had some kind of elaborate revenge planned but she put aside those thoughts when he spoke " You know Aika…its been awhile since me and you fought…I kind forgot how cute you look when your outraged…"

Laughing at his compliant but also blushing on the inside she retorted "Yeah well your pretty good looking when your swinging your fist at my eye too." Both of them laughed at this before Vyse held up his hands

"Look Aika I think that for now you shouldn't bring me breakfast…I'd rather not wake up each morning thinking that a fleet of Black Pirates were heading straight for us ok." Aika only nodded at this before wiping a bit of Kota egg of his face and trying it for herself. Aika grimaced as the taste hit her and she had to resist from gagging.

"Uh your right…I do deserve to be punched for cooking something like that" Aika got up and grabbed the plates of food, planning on throwing the contents of the plates into deep sky and thoroughly wash the plates themselves.

Vyse got up himself and went to look in the mirror, a black eye was already forming on his right eye and he grimaced and wondered how he would explain it to Fina when she came by for lunch. "Maybe I'll tell her I hit a corner or something…no that won't work".

"Hey Vyse…why don't you use my goggles to cover up that eye of yours…it wouldn't do for our famous hero to go around looking like he lost a fight eh?" Aika reached up to grab her goggles to find them missing from her head and turned quickly to glare at Vyse.

Vyse just smiled and held up Aika goggles "Heh well, you were to busy pounding me to notice me taking them….I don't think I'll use them...wouldn't do for the legend to wear pink girl goggles...still you can use my sky seer eye patch to cover up that eye of yours". Vyse reached up to take his eye patch off but soon returned Aika's glare.

Aika grinned and held up Vyse's eye patch before putting it around her left eye. "There, do you think anyone will see my black eye with this on?"

Grinning himself Vyse put Aika's goggles back on her head. "I don't think so…but I do wonder what everyone will think about your wearing my eye piece."

"I'm sure everyone knows by now that we fought…expect maybe Fina…Knowing some of the crew they'll think it funny to keep her in the dark". Aika shook her head before turning to leave " You know Vyse…I'm glad you haven't changed in all these years…after all we've been through I can count on you being the same good ole Vyse".

Grinning Vyse gave Aika  a thumbs up "I'll always be me Aika just like you'll always be you…". Vyse got up himself and headed for the door, where Aika was standing "Uh you going to move…I've got to go take over for Don."

Aika did something that surprised her and Vyse, she turned and wrapped her arms around him holding him close to her as all the memories of the war came flooding back for some reason. The pain from all the fighting and dieing, The horror from seeing the results of the Rains on Valua. None of those compared to how scared she felt at the thought of Vyse changing from his warm, gentle self. Worse to her was the thought of him not choosing her, she loved Fina like a sister but Vyse…Vyse meant so much more to her.

Vyse had no idea why but he could feel her sadness and her terror but of what he had no idea
but he knew he had to comfort her "Aika…."

Aika looked up into his face and saw why she had become so emotional of late, why her tomboy like style was melting in front of him. Those eyes bore so much, they had seen her grow up, had seen her injured, had seen her dance in victory. Aika had always loved Vyse but as she grew older that love intensified so much she could no longer hold it back. Aika did what she would later think of as a snap decision.

"Vyse…I….Love you!" Before Vyse could react she lunched her self at him and gave him a kiss, holding him very tightly to her she kissed him for what seemed like an eternity but was only a few seconds. Vyse was far to surprised to do anything but breathe for the next few minutes.

"I'm….sorry" Aika turned and ran out of his cabin, feeling ashamed for some reason. She had told him like she had wanted to for so long but now that it was said and done her fear that he would reject him took over her mind like a bad dream that wouldn't end.

Vyse just stood dumbfounded, she had never taken such a bold move before. Vyse could only stand and wonder how tensions would raise on the ship after this, He knew she would want an answer to her question, A return of the love she had briefly  shown him. Vyse knew he would have to come to terms soon and tell her how he really felt…tell them both but he still felt as thought he wasn't ready. "Why must she know now…Fina doesn't seem that pressured to tell me…".

He knew which one had stolen his heart, his talk with Izmael back on Crescent Island had reveled that much to him. But it still didn't make it easier for him to come out and say it, The girl who he loved would be overjoyed and the one whom he loved like a friend…even a sister would be so devastated it would break his heart. He could imagine both the tears of joy and of grief untold being shed that day, yes it wasn't that easy to tell the girls but he had no choice and Aika's actions hadn't helped any.

Vyse looked one last time at his cabin before stepping out and closing the door, He knew what he must do but it didn't make it less harder on him or the girls. Sighing one last time he made his way towards the bridge praying to the moons for help.

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Bridge

Lunch time~

Fina balanced the tray of Vyse's lunch on her head she had prepared for him while she opened the door  to the bridge "One of the more useful skills Moegi taught me before she married Enrique and became Empress."  Fina thought to herself as she opened the large double wide doors, 

She was surprised to see no one else on the bridge except Vyse himself and he was at the helm "Vyse…?"

Vyse turned his head to look her way before turning back to steering the ship. Vyse said nothing though his mind raced like the wind itself, He knew Fina would ask about his missing eye patch but his mind couldn't come up with any thing other then the truth.

Fina sat the tray down next to Vyse as she glanced over at him. "Vyse I brought you some food…everyone says you've shut you're self in here since what happened this morning".

Vyse grimaced as Fina spoke, he had hoped no one had told the Silvite girl that Aika and Vyse had gotten into a fistfight but apparently someone had a bigger mouth then they had common sense "Heh well I'm guess I'm glad I don't have to explain why Aika is wearing my eyepatch". Vyse had to laugh, the fool who had opened his mouth had actually saved his captain a lot of trouble.

Frowning she put a hand on his shoulder "Vyse you know I don't like it when you too fight like that…I know you've done it since you were kids …, But I still can't get used to seeing you two walking around all bruised and black eyed " Fina shook her head and continued to frown at Vyse. "Can you promise me you won't fight with Aika again on this trip?"

Vyse's face betrayed his annoyance but he wisely kept it in check knowing her to be right, no matter how much fun Aika and Vyse had beating each other senseless. "Ok Fina…but only because you don't approve… I take it that Aika has already agreed?"

After awhile of no answer tuned around once again to see Fina looking very sad and guilty "Fina what's  wrong?" Vyse hadn't seen Fina this unhappy since Aika nearly broke his leg and vice versa.

"Vyse I talked with Aika and she agreed we should tell you…the reason we have been cooking for you, scrubbing the decks, and just doing everything we could for you is that…" Fina looked away and gathered her courage for what she was about to say, " Me and Aika both love you and we have to know Vyse…which one of us do you love…we can't wait…its been three years since the end of the war Vyse and you haven't even made mention of it yet!"

Stunned once again Vyse barely kept hold of the helm as her words him home. It all made sense to him now, and why Aika had broken down and kissed him. He had known that both girls were growing restless to know but to resort to this…

"Fina…please leave me alone for awhile." Was all Vyse could say as he turned his head back to the sky, Vyse was fighting anger, annoyance, and creeping dread at what had taken place and what would take place. He felt as though he really needed time alone.

Nodding looking as though she was going to cry Fina slowly walked herself back to ladder, she and Aika both had known that ramifications of what they had decided to do to Vyse but both girls felt as though if they didn't know soon they might do something even more drastic.

"Vyse before I go…Matt said that the lookout had seen land…said we should be in Nasrad in a day or two."

The silence between the two nearly broke Fina's heart as she slowly made her way out the door and out of the bridge which seemed to have grown very cold in the past few minutes.

"Oh Vyse…I'm so sorry for what we did…deceiving you like that but…we both love you so much...I love you so much and …" She couldn't finish the thought as she closed the doors.

"When we get to Nasrad…I'm going to disappear for awhile." Thought Vyse to himself "I need some time to think on how to tell the girl I love how much she means to me and the one I can't love anymore then a friend why, Plus I need to find some information on that Black Pirate gang that's been praying on the shipping, Info I just can't find anywhere else but the underground " Vyse shook his head of the though of an oncoming battle, no matter how much he wanted to fight again he still had to think of his crew first and what they wanted. "But no matter what reason I choose I'm still running out on the girls…why am I such a coward in this matter?"

Once again the silence of the room answered his question, Vyse knew he could only carry on as best he knew how, knowing that tomorrow the girls would demand of him the answer. Somehow Vyse felt much better about fighting Black Pirates then answering a simple question.

The Sun set slowly beyond the western horizon as the Albatross II swiftly sailed towards her goal. Her crew and her captain not knowing what fates await them but all knowing that the question the world of Arcadia had been waiting to hear since the hero first became known would soon be answered. At what price or cost not even the three who's futures hinged on the outcome knew.~

Cappy= Ok I lied....your not getting the very first versions....the desire to fix things up even slightly is to strong...and about the rant thing to sorry....but ever chapter i read over makes me think what the hell I was even doing writing...not to brag but i like to think I've gotten alot better then this...still...thanks for those who have stuck with me so far...hope you got some enjoyment out of it.