Ahoy, hearties! Tis been mighty long, ain't it? Apologies for the long absence. This author here had a few dental issues. Knocked me out pretty badly. Piece o' advice to ye, brush yer teeth twice a day and floss, everyday. Other wise, ye be like lil' ol' me, and get root canals in yer early twenties! Hurts like a female dog! Anyways, I be back, so let's get on with this!

Enjoy!

"Come with me."

The now bare-chested captain turns around and heads in direction of his quarters. I don't move, wary of what exactly his intentions are. I throw a worried glare at Joey, but the wolf-man only smiles back and tells me to go on with a sign of the head. Reluctantly, I take a step to follow the captain but turn one last time to the first mate.

"Please watch out for Mokuba," I ask.

"Don't ye worry, miss Shayee!" answers Jaden instead. "Tis me job to watch him. Besides, Mr Bakura still be snorin' like a bear."

Joey adds a nod to that and I jog to catch up to the captain who's waiting for me next to a door under the quarterdeck. He opens the door and mock-bows to me. Something he seems to find extremely amusing.

"Milady," he says.

"After you," I reply in mistrust

"Are you worried that I'll stab you again? Rest assured, if you don't attack me, I've no reason to harm you."

Despite his answer, he walks in first and I reluctantly follow. The morning light passing through the windows is still faint, leaving the room dark but discernible. As soon as my eyes adjust, I realize that this room is full. By full, I mean there's barely enough space to move around. It's not as large as Seto's quarters on the Blue Eyes, but if it wasn't for the mess, there would be more than enough space for one person to live comfortably here. A large portion of the walls are covered in shelves. Some holding books, others decorative artifacts. Most certainly prizes from their looting. A large desk takes up an entire corner. Large maps are sprawled across it. Navigation tools rest on them as well. In another corner, there's an unmade bed with a wardrobe at the foot. In the middle of the room is a low table with a couple of bottles on it along, sheets of paper and empty food plates. I stop near an armchair. More books are piled up next to it and scattered across the floor. I never thought a pirate would be this much interested in reading. But somehow, it suits this particular 'gentleman of fortune'. My mind shows me the library of the Kaiba mansion as well as Seto's office and bedroom. All completely filled with books to the ceiling. Unlike this room though, all are impeccably ordered.

'A man who reads is a man who knows. Knowledge is power if you know how to use it right.'

Following my guardian's logic, Atem must be quite knowledgable. His reasoning and strategic thinking show that clearly. Which again makes me wonder why this man is a pirate instead of a respected scholar or army general.

"Close the door," says the captain, pulling me out of my thoughts.

The order is simple but I can't feel more restless executing it. Still, I don't reply and do as he says. The sound of the shutting feels too loud for comfort.

"You'll have to excuse the mess," he says, glancing back. "I don't often have guests. Have a seat."

"I'm fine standing," I reply.

He lets out a chuckle like he always does whenever I express my guardedness. "Suit yourself. You should dry your hair before you catch your death. I wouldn't want you to get sick."

"Says the man who stabbed me…" I mutter under my breath.

I realize my head feels light and I'm tempted to sit down on the armchair next to me. I'm reminded of what he told me before. Sixteen minutes? Between that and the fact that I was carried by a whale, I could use some time to rest and digest it all. I quickly shake the idea. Sitting down is a position of weakness.

Another shiver shakes me, but this time, it's due to my wet hair and clothes. Using the coat he gave me to dry my hair would also require me to drop my guard. I decide to ignore the throbbing pain in my arm and the shivers all together. I look around the room again. I can't tell what half the objects mounted on the shelves are… I see jewelry, strange masks, statuettes, small weapons, but other than that, the others are foreign to me. They've been all the way to Asia so I'm sure the rest are treasures from different parts of the world. Amongst them, I spot the amayuta.

"Have my little trophies caught your eye?" asks the captain.

He's put his boots on and is now tying a belt around his waist, from which dangles an empty sheath and gun holsters. Reflexively, my eyes go up to his still bare torso. The scars are awful and some look quite old. Judging from the shapes and sizes, he must've been cut by a a hundred different type of blades and shot a couple of times as well. One redder than the rest catches my eye just above his left hip. It's my cut. The only damage I've managed to inflict on him during our duel. On closer look, it's been stitched up. Have I hit him well enough for him to need that much medical care? How did he just brush it off after that?

"Enjoying yourself, love?"

He's stopped moving and stares at me, hand on his hip with that amused smirk of his. It takes a few moments to realize what he means and for the blood to rush to my cheeks. That seems to delight him.

"Raised as you were, I can't imagine you've seen many sights such as this one. So what do you think? Am I to your taste?"

"W-What are you thinking?" I blurt out, looking away as my face turns crimson. "I was just looking at the cut I made, that's all!"

"Ah, yes. The mark you put on me. I never thought you'd be this possessive. It goes to show that books can't be judged by their covers."

"Please stop."

Lewd pirate! Who does he think I am? So far, he's just been teasing me. I'm not foolish enough to think him incapable of acting on his words. Remembering the two pirates from the Whale sends another shiver throughout my body. I become painfully aware that there's only us in a closed room that no one on this ship would dare enter without permission. I take a breath. As long as it remains just teasing, I suppose getting worked up about it only plays in his favor. It might be better if I try to start a conversation and learn something.

"Why am I here?" I ask, forcing myself to face him again and keeping my eyes on his face.

"How does it feel to know that you're inhuman?"

Of course. That's what interests him. Me being a Shayee. Sixteen minutes. The whale crying. How do I feel? Frankly, I can't believe it and my head is searching for an explanation as to why I was able to do all of this.

"…Surreal," I answer honestly. "You didn't seem surprised though. Did you know what was going to happen?"

He laughs. "I am not clairvoyant enough to be able to predict something like that. But having a Shayee on the sea; it was obvious your heritage was going to resurface sooner or later. Frightening, isn't it? To realize you're not who you thought."

I don't answer but he's right. It's terrifying and somehow, thrilling. Wasn't this what I'd hoped for my entire life? To find my people and learn about who we were? I bring a hand up. I'm shaking but not from the cold. What is this sensation? It doesn't feel wrong… but scary. As if I've only just scratched the surface of who the Shayee were. I look back up at Atem. An urge shakes my insides, compelling me to ask him.

"How much do you know about the Shayee?"

"I told you I was a legend hunter. I know a lot of things."

"Why are you so interested in me?"

"Anyone would be fascinated by a living legend, love. There's nothing strange about it. It just so happens that I am the type to research my interests until there's nothing left to know. And like it or not, I am your only source of information concerning what you want."

Being constantly seen through by your enemy is not a pleasant feeling. Especially not if your enemy happens to be a manipulative pirate.

"What would you know about what I want?"

"Playing dumb doesn't suit you. A Shayee that's been kept from the sea for twelve years is bound to have many questions. Especially one with no memories. Any fool would see it in your eyes."

"Are you being deliberately vague?" I ask. "For all I know, you know nothing and you're playing with me."

Poking at him like this is a risk but at this point, I haven't learned anything. There must be a reason behind his constantly dodging my questions. Either he'll answer or he won't. Another smirk takes over his face, as if accepting the challenge.

"No matter how long you stay in water, your skin never wrinkles. You can tell what the weather is going to be like by simply listening to the waves. And your hair never grows past your collarbone."

This immediately silences me. How many times has Maria cursed me for my flawless skin not getting ruined not matter how long I spent in my bath? Or how astounded she was at the constant length of my hair? I've never paid attention to that. Now I feel like a fool for never having noticed. Having him know more about myself than me is frustrating. I want to ask more. I want to know everything he knows. But if I were to start asking questions, I'd be opening myself up to him. And that, is the one thing I must avoid at all cost. Yet the desire to know is pulling at my heart even more strongly than the call.

"Do you know… why they died?" I didn't mean for the question to slip out but it has.

The smile on his face vanishes. "Why? Not who?"

Gozaburo Kaiba often asked me that question in the past. I'm aware of how strange it is for me not to want to seek out who was responsible. But I've always been convinced that there was only one true answer to that; the Shayee died because of the greed of men. I doubt there is more to it and I care not to know more.

"It doesn't matter who," I reply.

Atem doesn't push the subject. Instead, he walks over to the head of his bed and reaches under his pillow. He pulls out something before walking over to me. As he gets closer, I identify the shape of a knife in a sheath.

"Have a look," he says, presenting it to me.

"You're awfully casual about handing me a knife," I say, hesitantly taking it.

He doesn't answer and only smiles as if to dare me to try something. I instead focus on the weapon. There's an inscription on the sheath. Drainer. I unsheathe the small blade. It's much shorter than the thin dagger Seto gave me and thicker. It seems brand new. The metal has no scratches or impurities on it. Anyone would think it's just been forged and has never served. What intrigues me however, is the color of the metal. It's clear and bright like silver, but turns green as it reflects the light. The handle feels warm to the touch and the blade itself, soft like silk. It's no ordinary metal. Somehow, it feels familiar, as if I've seen this before.

"What is it made of?" I ask.

"Orichalcum."

"That metal from greek mythology?"

He nods. "Once forged, it doesn't stain or rust. It does not get damaged nor does it break. "

Unbelievable. It sounded like something out of a fairytale. A Shayee version of Excalibur. I can only imagine what people would do to get their hands on something like this. If this exists, then the world's grandest nations should be tearing each other apart to get it, such as they do for metal and gold. The reason they don't must be because they don't know of it's existence. Pirates, however, were prone to hear a lot more stories and believe them, superstitious as they were.

"When a Shayee was born," continues Atem, "the family forged a piece of orichalcum for the child. Either a blade or a piece of jewelry. But legend says it can take various forms. That it can be weaved into clothes and in liquid form, can be used to treat wounds."

Metal converted into liquid and threads? That's impossible. Yet, I considered what I could do impossible. Is there a reason not to believe his words? He hasn't lied to me so far…

"This is why they died," he states. "They were the only ones who knew where to find it and forge it. Anyone would kill to have so much as this little thing."

My shoulders feel heavy at his words. Yes. I could believe that. Pirates would definitely kill for something like this. A thought comes to mind and I'm suddenly aware that there's only a step between us.

"Where did you get it?" I ask, warily taking a step back.

"I acquired it from a fellow gentleman of fortune. Of course, I had to take it from his corpse. Either he was the island that night, or he bought it from one of them. My guess is the former. No one would be foolish enough to part with this willingly. Not even a pirate. It makes for a far too good trophy."

A trophy? I bite my lips in frustration and something stings my eyes. I'd always expected something like that was the reason my people died. Hearing it makes me regret I asked. What makes anyone do something like that? I look at the man in front of me. He's one of them too. Of those people…

"What makes someone chose treasure at the cost of other lives?" I ask him.

"Life is worth it because we value things above lives, little Shayee." He's serious. "It just so happens that we, pirates, put our prey above our own lives and that of those who stand in our way. Down to the core, we're all the same."

"That's a lie…" I say.

Maybe it started this way. But when you get accustomed to the taste of blood, you can't get rid of it. Tis an addiction one can never get rid of.

"Is it?"

Before I can move, he takes that last step between us and shoves me backwards. I land in the armchair that was behind me, knocking down a pile of books in the process. Every muscle in my body tenses up when he leans in, one hand on the armrest.

"I seem to remember a certain midget lady using herself as a shield to protect a lordling. Was I hallucinating? You knew you could've died, but you still chose that over his death. And you will do anything to prevent it. Am I wrong?"

"…"

For a moment, I only stare back at those merciless eyes, my words stuck in my throat.

"I'm not like you," I finally let out.

A snort escapes him as a half-smile appears on his face. "No, you're not. But you're not like them either."

He isn't teasing. His smile is already gone and he's looking at me with those disappointed eyes again. My insides tighten even more, like an alarm bell but he straightens back up, looking down on me.

"How are you so attached to the people who stole your heritage from you?" he asks, but it feels more like he's thinking out loud than talking to me.

This again? This is the second time he's made it clear that my guardians were guilty of raising me like a human despite knowing I was Shayee. Why it gets to him like this is beyond me. I have to be careful. If I let the name of my guardian slip, I might doom both Mokuba and myself. In fact, the safest thing would be to change subjects. My eyes dart from one side of the room to another searching for something. They land on the captain's scars again.

"I-Is it worth it?"

"Pardon?"

"All these scars, all this stealing and death, this life on the run… Is the result worth it?"

He seems surprised at the sudden question. At least the tension from before is dissipating. "Of course. Did last night's argument get you thinking?"

"You said to Bakura that you'd kill baron Kaiba… In fact, from the way you were talking, it sounded like all of you were after him. Bakura also said that you've been planning this for years. Who are you all really? What are you after?"

For a moment, he only stares back with an unreadable expression. I can't tell if I've overstepped my boundaries or if he's only thinking. Finally, he crosses his arms on his chest and opens his mouth.

"What do you think?"

He wants to be the one to ask the questions. A tactic of domination that Seto is also very good at. I'll bite for now. They were after Seto. For this many people to become pirates and go on a years long manhunt, they must've been angry. Indescribably angry.

"Revenge…" I mutter.

The infamous smirk finally returns and he uncrosses his arms. "Clever girl."

"For what?"

Seto is a harsh man, I know that better than anyone. But never would he wrong someone for the sole purpose of wronging them. He made the necessary sacrifices but not before exploring multiple solutions. This can't be right. The company however, was another story. Seto stood at the top, but his executives held a lot of power as well. And I know for a fact he does not trust many of them. Could it be that one or many of them, have done things behind his back? He wouldn't be surprised. So I shouldn't either.

Instead of answering me, the captain reaches behind my neck for his red coat still on my shoulders and pulls it up to put part of it on my head.

"Dry your hair," he orders before hooking the knife's sheathes to his belt. "I'll have someone find dry clothes for you."

With that, he turns away and heads back for his wardrobe to put on a clean shirt. He can't make it clearer that this is the end of the discussion. The silence makes me realize that my head is all over the place. I've learned things I've wanted for a long time, and I'm desperately trying not to dwell on them at the moment. I'm still no closer to having a solution to get out of here. And we also have a new problem.

'Seto has no idea he's heading straight into danger looking for us. We have to find a way out before…"

The tension in my body calms down a bit and I realize I'm cold again. I bring my hands up to my head to start drying my soaked hair.

"AH!"

The scream tears through my throat when a sharp pain shoots through my arm. Only the pain doesn't fade when I stop moving it either. On the contrary. Pulling the coat off my shoulder, I hold my breath in disgust. The bandage covering my wound is tainted not with blood but a brown yellowish transparent substance.

"What the…"

"Let me see."

I nearly jump out of my skin when Atem —who I hadn't seen approaching—crouches down next to me and starts removing the stained bandages. The moment they fall, the smell of the pus infested wound makes me gag. If I'd had anything to eat this morning, I would've returned it. How did it get like this so fast? Was the cell we were in that filthy? Was that it?

"Damn it." The pirate's tone is calm but the look he throws me, angry. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't feel it until just now…"

My thoughts were far too preoccupied by everything going on around to spare a moment for my arm. And this is the result. Now that I think about it, it should've hurt horribly while I was swimming to get to the whale. Now it looked like it was rotting from the inside out. The captain clicks his tongue in annoyance before reaching for a bottle and a piece of cloth on the low table.

"Hold still," he says before pouring the rum on my arm.

The same sting from the first time burns my arm and I bite my lips waiting for it to pass. In the meantime, Atem roughly wipes the decay off my wound. He then give a light squeeze to my upper arm and I wince in pain again as more pus gushes out.

"The infection is inside the wound," he concludes, annoyed. "We have to burn it…"

"No!"

The pain suddenly becomes nothing. The fact that my captor is this close and touching me becomes nothing. Nothing matters but the fear. My body freezes up, like it does every time this particular fear strikes me. I couldn't move if I wanted. I'm still numb from the cold but I feel my arm shaking in his hands. The captain just stares at me. I expect him to mock me but I don't care. I can't move, I can't think. I can only beg.

"Please, no fire. Please…"

I can barely hear my own voice, but already images of burning people and screams start to fill my head and I want to vomit. I bring my free hand up to cover my mouth and try to control the haggard breaths escaping me. Atem's surprised look is soon replaced by an irritated glare.

"Do you want to lose your arm?"

"Don't burn me. Please, don't burn me again."

I have no control over the pleas pouring out of me. I want to run. I want to go in the water. I want to see Seto. But I can't. I'm here, I can't move and this man wants to burn me. Tears sting my eyes and I can't prevent one from dripping down my cheek. I can't even feel the air reaching my lungs anymore as if an invisible hand is choking me. The screams… I just want them to stop screaming!

"Yugi!"

The sudden shout and a hand grabbing my chin snap me out of my torturous daze. His eyes haven't changed, peering into my very soul.

"Can you hear me?" he asks.

I nod which makes him let go of my chin and reach for his belt. He pulls Drainer out of its sheath and shows it to me again.

"Orichalcum doesn't stain because it rejects impurities," he explains. "I can take them out with it."

I stare at him, perplexed. Is he offering an alternative? Why? My silence compels him to go on.

"If I do this, I'll have to insert it as deep as the wound is. It'll to hurt far more than a little fire."

I don't understand. If necessary, Seto would've strapped me down to do what's necessary. Yet the man who kidnapped me, stabbed, threatened to take my arm and cut off my tongue, who kills and steals for a living is giving me a choice. An option only he has, granted, but an option nonetheless. And pain scares me far less than fire. I nod but it takes a moment for the words to come out.

"… Alright."

Without any hesitancy, he reaches inside the pockets of the red coat behind me and pulls out a leather glove.

"Bite this," he says handing it to me.

Picking up an old shirt from the ground, he straps my right wrist to the armrest. It's going to be agonizing. I remember very clearly the steel going through my flesh. And I'd rather endure this a thousand time than get a single new burn mark on me. He waits for me to put the glove in my mouth and bite down before passing his free hand under my arm and hooking my shoulder to keep me as stable as possible. He throws me one last look.

"You chose this. I'm not stopping once I start no matter how much you beg and scream." My whole body's shaking but I nod back.

The next thing I know, the blade of orichalcum bites into my wound. I jerk up so violently I nearly dislocate the shoulder he's holding down. It's frightening how easily the blade cut into my arm. I bite down on the glove so hard, it feels as if my jaw is going to shatter. I don't scream but I can't help the moans and grunts of pain. It hurts. God almighty, it hurts. I know moving will hurt even more so I flex each of my muscles to keep as stable as possible and curse the shudders.

'Make it stop. Please make it stop,' screams my body.

'It's better this way,' says my mind. 'No more screams.'

It's true. The moment he stabbed me, the screams of my memory died away. I shut my eyes tightly and try to focus on breathing while the moans keep filling the room. I nearly stuff the whole glove in my mouth to keep from screaming my lungs out. I can also feel the pus leaking on my arm and the disgust only adds to my agony.

"Grit your teeth,' warns Atem.

Moments later, he twists the blade, tearing even more of my flesh. This time, I can't keep a scream from tearing through my throat, despite my clenched teeth. Finally, what drips on my arm feels thick and warm. Blood. Clean blood. The pirate finally removes Drainer from my arm. The relief is so that all my muscles give in at once and I fall forward but Atemr prevents me from hitting the floor.

"Stay still, love," he says adjusting my head on his shoulder.

The exhaustion is not enough to make me feel comfortable like this, but for the moment I'm paralyzed while my body tries to evacuate the pain. I pant, mouth wide open while drops of sweat and tears stream endlessly down my face. The humiliation also sets in and my face turns crimson, knowing I've completely left myself at the mercy of my enemy. How pathetic, Seto would say. I never thought I'd miss that.

'I want to see you,' I think to my absent guardian.

The sting of the rum Atem pours on my open wound again pulls me out of my thoughts. I find myself to have enough strength to straighten up while he makes a makeshift bandage with the sleeve he ripped off the shirt.

"I can't believe you stayed conscious," he says, tying it tightly.

Maybe I can't think of anything or maybe I don't have the strength to answer. Either way, I stay quiet. He looks at me, shaking his head.

"You're madder than I am, Yugi Muto," he states.

Mad? No. I just hate fire. A wave of dizziness makes me sink back in the armchair and close my eyes again. I want to sleep but I can't. Not here. Not in front of him. I hear an amused snort and then feel a hand wipe the water off my face. Out of fear, I open my eyes to watch him.

"Coward," he says.

I don't understand what he means. I don't care to. I'm too exhausted. I just want to drown. "May I go sleep for a bit?" I ask, hesitantly.

He stands back up, putting back the immaculate knife back in its sheath. "You'll stay here until you're bandaged up properly. I'll call for the lad."

I let out a heavy breath as he heads for the door. But he stops halfway there and turns back to me one more time, throwing me that dangerous glare. I hold my breath.

"Pay better attention to your body from now on. I don't want you rotting on me. If this happens again, and I find out you've hid it from me, I will burn it until your arm falls off if need be."

We're finally learning about the Shayee, Atem's a scary jerk and Yugi (expectedly) has severe pyrophobia. Can this get any worse?

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