Ahoy hearties! Back again only after two weeks! Maybe the quarantine does have silver linings.

ENJOY!

"I can't believe you got hurt again!" repeats Mokuba for the tenth time while applying alcohol to the cut on my cheek with a little more pressure than necessary.

I don't answer and readjust the towel around me, ignoring the sting of my sores. I'm not sure what to tell him. After Atem sent me to the infirmary, Joey went to fetch Moki whose jaw almost hit the floor upon seeing me and my brand new collection of wounds. Before asking anything, he proceeded to dress my arm and disinfecting the rest of my wounds.

There are still many heavily wounded people in the infirmary, some of them almost entirely covered in bandages. So that's what he's been busy doing since the battle with Marik. With his bright mind at such a young age and kindness, I've no doubt he'd make a brilliant doctor.

Meanwhile, I've noticed something about my attire : it's always dried abnormally quickly, and the thin threads don't seem to absorb water at all. Which is not the case for my thick hair that always requires a fair amount of time to dry.

"You all soaked again too," goes on the youngest Kaiba, grumbling like a worried old man.

"Ye should'a seen her, lil' Moki," says Jaden as he walks into the room his usual goofy smile on his face. "She totally caught the cap'n off guard! Went all blue-eyes on him! T'was a sight to behold for sure."

The one-handed boy puts down a basket of clean sheets in a corner before exiting with a salute sign, come and gone like the wind as if to only drop this bit of knowledge.

My brother's eyes widen, dumbfounded as a mix of shock and incomprehension twist his traits.

"You dueled again? Against Atem? And you won?!"

I nod and he incredulously shakes his head at me. "Why?"

"It was the only way I could have him speak to me about our people."

He gives me that inquisitive look again, wondering if I'm telling the truth. It seems I've taken a page from Atem's book of how to tell half-truths. I don't want to lie to him but now might not be the best time to tell him that I was the one who'd provoked the duel in the first place. Instead, I decide to get on with a heavy subject.

"Moki, we'll be arriving on land soon," I whisper, throwing glances at the resting sailors around to make sure none of them are listening.

"I've been thinking about it too," he answers, putting away the cloth and sitting next to me on the bed. "It's our chance to make a run for it. Jaden said that there are two port towns in Beruga and that the crew is planning to stay there two days to rest up."

My eyes widen in surprise. I'm not one to argue that Jaden likes to talk but he's loyal to his crew.

"How did you manage to get this kind of information from him?"

In response, a proud smile stretches out across his face, reminding me oh-so much of Seto. "I saw him eavesdropping on the masters's meetings more than once so I knew he knew something. I caught him stealing food yesterday and got him to tell me about it in exchange for not ratting him out. And nothing too important to avoid arousing suspicions."

Clever boy. I doubt I will ever cease to be amazed by my brothers's cunningness and smarts. Never underestimate a Kaiba, no matter their age. Seto would be proud.

"Knowing the captain, I'm guessing they picked the most inconspicuous of the two to hide," continues Mokuba, pinching his chin. "And I've been thinking; if the second port town is bigger, there might be a navy post there."

The strange conversation between the captain and his two right hand men from this morning comes to mind.

"We are still going to be hiding right under their noses. We must be twice as vigilant", is what Atem said.

Moki's theory makes sense but a twinge of uncertainty nudges me. There's little to no chance that Atem forgot I was there and heard every word. Or the eventuality that we'd try something once on land. And there's one very easy way to make sure both of us stay put.

"They're going to keep us separated," I say. "They wouldn't let any small detail compromise this mission. Not when when it's their one and only purpose."

The smile on Moki's face vanishes and he frowns in realization. "I hadn't thought of that. They've always kept an eye on us. Especially you."

Especially me, indeed. And of course, now there's the matter of finally getting my answers. There shouldn't be any hesitation but there is, and surge of guilt rises in me for it. With great mental effort, I push away my own desires to leave a place to logic.

The most urgent matter hasn't changed; return Moki to Seto as soon as possible. Atem will have his eye on me the whole time I presume. And as long as they have heavily wounded men onboard, Moki will also be too valuable to let go of. Unless…

"Do you know what they plan to do with the heavily injured?" I ask, eyeing the bandaged up people. "It seems unlikely they'll keep them around."

"Reed said we'll leave them on land at the local abbey."

I raise a confused eyebrow. "There's an abbey in a port town on a practically desolated island?"

He shrugs in response. "That's what he told me."

Well that's odd, but not the point. The important thing is that there won't be anyone to look after on the Millennium. Their aim is probably to rest and resupply before continuing there mission. And while they're distracted and Atem has his eye on me… Moki might have a chance.

I grab his hand to get his undivided attention. I know he won't like this. Because I wouldn't either.

"If you see an opportunity, you have to take it," I tell him.

As expected, his face betrays the panic within. "I already told you no! I can't leave you. What would Set…" he begins.

"Moki," I interrupt, placing my second hand on top of his and leaning forward to plunge my eyes in his. "Now might be our only chance. Who knows where the Millennium will be headed after that?One of us has to get back to your brother, it's the only way."

"What about you?"

I smile. "I have the sea remember? If you manage to get away, even from the ocean I can make it back on my own. I'll actually have more chance to flee without you here as incentive. Besides…"

My mind travels back in time to show me the moment the cursed mask had finally cracked and left place to a face unknown to me. The true face of the last of my kin. A long sigh leaves me and for some reason a bittersweet sensation pinches my heart.

"Besides?" asks Mokuba, pulling me out of my daydream.

"We weren't certain before but I am now. He won't hurt me."

It is a strange thing to say after just having been wounded yet again. But this is one certainty sound logic can't seem to fight. Another Shayee trait, I imagine.

Mokuba stares at me, an air of worry about him. I can tell he's struggling with his own thoughts and desires. Bright as he is, he has no trouble seeing the logic in my plan. We might not get another chance like this. And if I've learned anything from our captors, it's that the moment must be seized. He doesn't give me an answer but looks down in defeat and clenches his fists.

Then, running footsteps ring outside the infirmary and we hear people shouting, until one gets close enough for us to hear.

"Land!"

Seto's POV

Daylight is slowly dying and the already rocky and uncertain trails are slowly becoming challenging for the horses. Devlin was right —the ride to Old Beruga is full of traps and hard to follow. Though he hates to admit it, Seto can't help but be thankful for the Tzigane's help. He's unbelievably unnerving but at least he's dependable.

The ride is eerily silent. With them, ride four men from the Blue-Eyes crew all in civilian clothes. Leichter insisted that he didn't go alone as well as take some pigeons with him to send a message for help just in case.

The trails are getting so narrow and steep that it forced their horses to slow down the pace even more. The baron's head is still spinning with impatience and the quick beat of his heart rings in his ears like marching drums. His logical thinking forbids him from doing anything rash but the rest of him is aching to kick his horse to a gallop and get to that cursed town.

"How much longer until we get there?" he asks Devlin, who rides a chestnut mare in front.

"We should be there in about an hour," replies the Tzigane as casual as always. "That is as long as you keep up."

Seto doesn't indulge him with a reply and chooses to click his tongue on his teeth in annoyance. To occupy his mind, the baron retreats into the confines of his mind to plan for the eventuality that they did find the Millennium and Sennen there. He only had four men to count on. As much as he'd love to make the scum pay then and there for their crimes, securing Yugi and the Mokuba took precedence. He'd have to play it strategically. The men who came up with the attack plan on the Golden Whale are not to be underestimated.

The following hour is as silent and slow as the rest of the day. But it's Devlin that snaps Seto out of his daze when he finally stops his horse at the top of a hill.

"We're here."

Seto kicks his horse to a trot to stand by the Tzigane and eyes down. The sun is beginning to dive into the sea, illuminating the tiny port town in a violet light.

Finally.

Old Beruga is much smaller than the New town. The town occupies a large portion of the hill and ends with the port at sea. There are many boats anchored there but only two are big enough to be called ships. He has to fight the urge to kick his poor mount to a gallop before a hand lands on his shoulders.

"You'd do well not to rush in my lord," warns Devlin. "The townsfolk also greatly rely on pirates and their wealth to survive. They'll be in no rush to help you search for your rogue ship and its crew. I advise that you stay discreet during your investigation."

"You don't have to tell me," Seto replies curtly, slapping the invasive hand away. "You seem accustomed to this sort of place. What do you suggest?"

"Keep a low profile. Visit the places you think your sea rats will go to and ask what they would ask for. That's how you'll find them. Either that or enjoy yourself and observe your surroundings. That is if you have the patience."

Again, good point to the insufferable vagabond. He may be an coin-hungry smart mouth but Seto is starting to see exactly what Kisara meant when she called him reliable.

"And remember, I did say they could be arriving in the night or in the morning as well. There might be nothing to see for now. But as long as you spend coin and don't pry too obviously, you should go fairly unnoticed." A familiar smirk pulled on the corner of his lips. "Speaking of which…"

Seto doesn't let him finish that sentence and tosses him another purse of ten doublons. "The rest when you guide us back."

"Always a pleasure working with you," is the cocky reply he gets. "So, how do you want to proceed from now on?"

"How well do you know this town?"

"I don't know anyone well-enough to ask for favors, if that's your question. I've only been here a few times. But I can give you directions."

That means they can't rely on relations to get information. But being Seto Kaiba, he has already anticipated that outcome. Pulling on his reins, he turns his horse towards the men of the Blue-Eyes, waiting for orders.

"Listen up, we'll stick out like a sore thumb if we move together," he tells them. "We'll split up and as around discreetly. Pretend to be looking for work on a ship. Look everywhere the scum would go. Inns, taverns, brothels, armories and everything in between…."

Yugi's POV

By the time the Millennium makes it to shore, evening is already setting. Mokuba and I climbed up to the crow's nest with Jaden to observe the arrival. Beruga is much smaller than Kingtown. Everything looks old and in need of maintenance.

To my surprise, the ship doesn't dock into the port. Instead, it heads a bit further up the coast. There, the crew takes her to a large deserted beach. A cliff and tree-filled hills keep us from seeing the town.

"Why are we anchoring here instead of the port?" I ask the agile sail-man who is crouching with perfect balance on the edge of the nest.

"Not too sure," he replies, shrugging. "Me thought be that the rotten planks o' the docks be too small for the Millennium."

"You've been here before?"

"Yep," he states, popping his lips. "The town be real small and the folks here be quite happy to get anyone spendin' coin here. We give 'em a share of the loot and they give us food and take care of our wounded."

Surprise strikes me but I'm quickly reminded of how unordinary our captors are for pirates. They have been planning this hunt for two years after all. It shouldn't surprise me that Atem would make a deal with other people to keep an eye on things and be sure to have places to hide and resupply during their mission of destroying the Kaiba Company. I wouldn't put it passed him.

Moki and I exchange a careful look. The people of the town might be on our captor's side and therefore untrustworthy. He'll have to be careful if he is to make a run for it here.

"Will we still be going into town?" asks Mokuba.

"Aye. Bit by bit though. We can't very well leave the ship unattended. Mister Reed'll probably need yer help transportin' the wounded to the abbey, lil'Moki. To make sure nothin' be wrong and all."

Again with this. "Is there really an abbey here in the middle of nowhere?" I ask.

Jaden turns to me surprised before bursting out in laughter, and I get the distinct feeling that I've said something silly.

"Not the kind of abbey yer thinkin' off, Miss Yugi," he says after settling down. "The kind where the girls be the furthest thing from nuns, if ye know what I'm sayin'."

His words take a few moments to sink in. Oh. Abbey is just a 'fancy' word for brothel. I see Moki blushing from the corner of my eye while I hold back an expression of disgust. Pirates are known to spend their loot on carnal pleasures of lust.

I suppose being vigilantes at sea most of the time with no wife or child to return to can be lonesome. Still the notion revolts me and I can't help but wonder if Atem partook in this sort of… entertainment. Thankfully, Jaden's loose tongue doesn't abandon us to our embarrassment for long.

"The girls and the folks here be real kind to us ever since we got rid of the previous mayor for 'em," he goes on. "The bastard was workin' em to the bone and kept all the coin to himself. Now they be the one scratching our backs."

Now that sounds like the justice-starved crew I know. After all, vengeance is born from injustice and cruelty. Knowing all of their stories, I have the suspicious feeling that they're all too aware that this quest won't bring them the peace they all seek. Rather, this is all they can do to appease the torments of their souls.

We watch quietly as the Millennium anchors near the shore and a long boat is lowered to the sea. Joey and a few others head out towards the sands and once they reach the shallows, the wolf-man jumps over board and proceeds to taking off his clothes.

"What is he doing?" I direct my gaze to Jaden when he begins removing his trousers.

"Mr Wheeler be goin' ahead to make sure the way to town's clear of bandits and to bring back some carriages to carry the wounded to the abbey."

In other, word he's scouting. Surely there's no better than a wolf-man to do that. If there were bandits, he'd probably scare them half to death with a mere glance. By the time I look at the beach again, Joey has morphed. The horse-sized wolf picks up his clothes into his mouth before bolting swiftly towards the forest and disappearing among the trees.

A whistling sound from below makes the three of us look down. Reed is standing bellow the main mast, hands on his hips.

"Oi, ye three come down here and give a hand, would ye?"

We comply without complaining. About an hour later, after we've prepared the heavily injured for transportation and brought them to the main deck while others brought up part of the loot —as payment for the townsfolk, I imagine— a loud howl rings in the distance, making birds fly away in panic and all of us look up.

"Is that Joey?" asks Mokuba.

"Listen up, maggots," shouts Bakura from the quarterdeck. "Reed and Xao's men, load the wounded onto the longboats and get to shore. The rest of you morons, stay here and clean the ship, got it? Get a move on!"

Without any hesitancy, the men move on to their designated tasks. It always amazes how no one holds the quartermaster accountable for the way he speaks to his crew-mates. Well, no one aside from Joey. I suppose it's because they know that he does care deep deep within. Even I saw it after the battle with Marik.

Moki and I help load the wounded and other supplies they might need until —as Jaden predicted—Reed approaches us with anticipated news.

"Lad, ye'll be comin' with us," he tells Mokuba. "We need yer watchful eyes to make sure nothin' goes wrong on the way. Then ye'll be treated to a scrumptious meal. As thanks for patchin' up the hearties." He then turns to me. "Ye're comin' with us too, lassie."

"I am?" I asked surprised.

It seems unlikely that they wouldn't apply the 'keep the hostages separated' policy. Reed answers my curiosity with one flat statement.

"Ye'll be goin' with the cap'n."

Oh. Right. Atem did say we'd have our talk once we arrived. I just didn't think it'd be at the very moment we set foot here. Even more puzzling, is the reason he wants to be on land for our conversation. Perhaps he has something to do as well?

We embark on the longboat carrying the last wounded with Reed, Carrot-top and a few others. While they row, I admire the clarity of the caribbean sea, gently crashing on the beach of golden sand. It's nowhere near as lovely as the one around my homeland but I'm well aware of how biased that opinion is.

But even at the sight of the calm waves glistening in the light of the slowly setting sun, I can feel my insides twisting in anticipation. I haven't even thought of the questions I'm going to ask him. Will he truly give me the truth? No, that's not why I worry. It's the answers themselves. Unable to calm my mind, I decide to stop overthinking. We'll see when the moment comes.

Finally, we make it to shore. Just as we step onto the sand, and join the others, the sound of neighing horses gets our attention. Joey has returned in human form, riding a gray horse and behind him, a few carriages driven by some unknown people. The first-mate gestures for them to stop before kicking his horse to a trot onto the sand to come join us.

"A'right, hearties! Trail's clear," he declares. "Load the carriages and off ya go."

Reactive as always, the men pick up the stretchers of their wounded comrades and take them to the carriages. Reed goes on ahead and calls for Mokuba to join them. I exchange a look with my brother. I don't have to say anything. He knows.

If you see an opportunity, take it.

His deep black eyes stare back with sadness but determination. He says nothing and instead grabs my hand. I squeeze it tightly for a moment as my eyes water slightly.

"I'll be fine," I whisper, forcing a smile to my face. "I promise."

He nods back in response and we both let go. He goes off after Reed and the others, just as Joey and his horse get close. The wolf-man jumps off his mount and watches the group walk away besides me.

"Don't ya worry, Reed'll take good care of him," he says. "And the folks here ain't all bad at all."

At this point, I can't tell if Joey simply has a really good intuition or if his wolf instincts are reading my moods. Neither would surprise me but I don't have the heart to answer him. I watch the small caravan moving away towards the town until it disappears in the trees. I send a silent prayer.

Please be safe. Both of you.

"Yar escort's here," says Joey.

When I turn back to the sea, another long boat is reaching the shore. Atem and Bakura both jump off and make their way towards us. The quartermaster wears a deeper frown than usual and the captain, a serious and imposing expression —without an ounce of snide on his face, this time. I wonder if the others have noticed the subtle change.

A nervous tingle tickles my hands and I look away when he gets closer. I try once again to formulate my questions in my head only to imagine myself stuttering, and immediately give up on the idea. Honestly, I must be the only person in the world capable of blushing at her own inner embarrassment.

Thankfully, Atem's attention is directed towards his men. "Any clarifications needed before I leave?" he asks them.

"Ya can leave the rest to us, Cap'n," replies Joey.

A heavy, almost growling, sigh escapes Bakura and he shoots me a quick inquisitive glance before turning back to Atem, taking a defying step closer.

"I just ask that you remember your oath," he states. "As long as you do that, I couldn't care less what you do with your free time. Leave things here to us."

Another glare shot my way indicates that if the quartermaster has —somewhat— stopped thinking of me as a complete nuisance, he still considers me a threat to this mission. Or should I say to his captain's resolve.

In that sense, he's not completely wrong.

"I should be a few hours at most," says Atem taking the reins Joey is handing him. "Until then, make sure everyone eats and rests. I'm counting on you both."

With that, he pulls himself up on the horse and turns the animal towards the forest before offering me a hand. Slightly apprehensive, I grab it and he pulls me up with frightening ease. I straddle the horse behind him and take a moment to balance myself properly. Thankfully, my dress doesn't impede any movement. In fact, the multiple-folds design seems to have been made especially to allow free movement.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere quiet for our conversation," he simply replies, before giving me his signature grin. "You might wish to hang on tight."

"I'm an accomplished rider, I'll have you know," I retort.

He snorts back. "Is all that experience telling you that not hanging on while cantering on unknown grounds is the best way to stay on your mount?"

Slightly vexed, I wrap my arms around his waist. I'm beginning to think his teasing habit of his isn't only part of his ruthless pirate persona. Just my luck. At my lack of answer, Atem kicks the horse to a trot away from the beach.

Once we get to solid ground however, he takes us in opposite direction of the town and our mount accelerates to a rapid canter on the narrow unsteady trail. The horse's hoofs rhythmically hitting the ground and rocking us is the only loudest thing around since neither of us says anything. I can feel his deep and controlled breathing in my arm. If he's as anxious as I am, he does a fine job of hiding it.

He takes us up and then downhill, further along the coast for ten long minutes until we stop by another, smaller cliff.

"We'll go on foot from here," he tells me.

We leave the horse attached to a tree near and I follow my captor on a hidden trail downhill, leading at the foot of the cliff. There, he slips into the rock through an opening barely noticeable to the naked eye. My growing apprehension concerning our incoming conversation doesn't allow me to be worried about anything else. I follow him without question.

The dark tunnel doesn't last long and we soon emerge into large cave with a small croissant shaped beach. The cave tunnels towards the sea and a large opening allows us to see the setting sun. If it weren't for the strange tension emitting from both of us filling the cave, I'd be mesmerized by the incredible sight and would surely give in to the temptation of swimming in the beautiful clear water.

But that's not why I'm here.

A rustling of fabric pulls me out of my daze. The unusually quiet captain has taken off his red coat along with his weapons and is now removing his boots, leaving him in just a loose shirt and trousers.

"What are you doing?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Getting as comfortable as I can, given the situation," he replies flatly after putting his belongings on a nearby rock.

I'm more surprised that he actually admitted that he was nervous to my face instead of teasing me about watching him undress. It's concerning somehow. He folds up his pant-legs to his knees before advancing into the shallows and goes to sit on a large flat rock, keeping his feet in the water.

I can't read his face. The crimson irises that I know to be filled with either anger or overconfidence appear discolored and blank. Just like the crew's on the night of the funerals. They're simultaneously empty and distant, looking at a reality I do not know. The very one I must learn of.

"I thought you had questions," he finally says, after I've stayed quiet a moment too long.

"Oh, yes. Well, uh…" I mumble trying to formulate my thoughts.

What should I ask first? Ishizu's vision seems a little too aggressive to start off the delicate topic. Then again, what isn't delicate about this entire conversation? Here we are, the last two Shayee in the world…

No, no Yugi! Now's hardly the time to get melancholic. It's the time for answers and truth. No turning back, no running away this time.

I take a couple of deep breaths, inhaling the scent of the sea salt and fresh wind to appease my agitated thoughts. I suppose I could start with the most obvious. I come closer, still keeping a few feet between us, and I sit in the sand, letting the waves touch my feet.

"How old were you?" I start, looking at the horizon as he does, hoping to see what he sees.

"Eleven."

Dear Lord… He was even younger than Moki is now. My throat tightens in disgust and uncomfortable shivers crawl on my skin. I take another breath, very aware that this won't be the only eerie information I'll get from this conversation.

"Tell me… Tell me what happened on July 7th."

I see him straightening up from the corner of my eyes. A heavy sigh leaves him and for a moment, I fear he might change his mind and retreat into his shell. But then he speaks.

"Everything ended on July 7th, but it began two months before that." Now the anger in his voice in palpable. "When a spy was sent to observe us."

"A spy?"

"I told you the Shayee were too generous for their own good. The spy posed as castaway and was taken to the island to be healed. It was quite the convincing show. He was badly sunburnt, half-starved, and even heavily injured. No one suspected anything. How could they?"

Like Old Tom telling one of his tales on the docks of Domino, Atem tells me a morbid story of the intruder whom the Shayee took in after he claimed to having amnesia and not remember so much as his name. For weeks he lived with them, learned about them, shared their food and everyday life… and mostly, learned about the incoming Summer Moon celebration on the night of July 7th.

Upon hearing this, a fragment of my recently recovered memory resurfaces.

"Shayee celebrations begin at the heart of the village…" I let out, horrified by my realization. "So he knew when everyone would be assembled on the island and away from the sea."

Atem validates my words with a nod. "Little by little, he pretended to regain his memory and left, taking with him all the information he needed. What happened after…"

"…Pirates, ravash sap and fire," I finish, not wanting to awaken the screams and burns of the past.

The surge of absolute injustice I've felt my entire life submerges me, stronger than ever. All the muscles in my my body burn with tension and my clenched teeth seem moments away from shattering. I feel nauseous. How is it that we were undone by our selflessness?

No. That's not it. The cause of our undoing was the greed of selfish men and nothing else.

The sun has begun plunging into the sea, turning the waves of the horizon violet and orange. I focus on the gentle waves going back and forth, touching my feet. The tides of my rattled anger and sadness are far from extinguished but it helps to clear my mind a bit. I might not get another chance to have this conversation so I must hang on.

"Ishizu's vision was right, wasn't it?" I ask, rhetorically. "About you not being on the island that night."

Unexpectedly, my question gets answered by another question.

"What do you know of the legend of Atlantis?"

The change of topic surprises me. "Do you mean the sunken city? Not very much."

"Shayee grow up hearing stories of our original homeland that is said to have been engulfed by the seas thousands of years ago."

Once again, his words ring familiar to me. It might've been an illusion but for a moment, I could swear I saw a smile pull on the corner of his lips.

"As a child," he continues, "you could say I had visions of grandeur. The island was so small and the seas were so vast. There was so much to explore and to see. I'd often get my friends in trouble by swimming too far or too deep from home. It would drive my mother mad."

This time, I can't help looking at him, hypnotized by the gentleness of his expression and captivated by his words. The strange sensation holding my heart seems like it could make me smile or cry, with how much the story borders between sweet nostalgia and bitterness.

I know now. The mask has cracked for good and is crumbling to pieces before my very eyes. He truly is keeping his promise. I dare not interrupt and even hold my breath for fear that I might be too noisy.

"Whenever castaways were brought to the island, I was ecstatic," he goes on. "I'd harass them with questions to know more about the world and all its seas and treasures. I could never have my fill of stories of sunken ships carrying treasures."

His face suddenly darkens again, and the whole cave seems to drop a few degrees. "The spy also had his fair share of stories to tell once he 'regained' his memories. He told me about books that depicted Atlantis in all its glory and how a country called Greece apparently held similar architecture as the one in our legends."

That's one more thing I recalled ; Shayee pass their knowledge through stories and memory. Books weren't part of our everyday life. And if I've noticed one thing in Atem's quarters, it was the amount of books he had.

Like any young boy, he craved adventure and knowledge. But unlike most, he seemed ready to chase them to the end of the earth even at such a young age. Many times, I've witnessed his stubbornness, determination and perseverance through his actions, his words and sometimes, his presence alone.

Somehow, I'm not surprised. Those traits suit him.

"I started going on land to nearby port-towns at night," he says, picking up a rock at his feet and tossing it further into the water. "To hear stories from sailors or break into libraries and teach myself to read."

In one sentence, the streak of tension is severed, leaving me dumbfounded."I beg your pardon?"

He throws me a mischievous smile. "Does it surprise you that much that I was already a fine rascal in my early years?"

"You're right, it shouldn't," I say, half-joking half serious.

The heavy atmosphere quickly returns when he turns away and resumes.

"The more I read, the more I was obsessed with it. I wanted my family, my people to stand together at the top of the world, in that grand city we used to call home. So I decided I'd find it."

Finding Atlantis? A grandiose dream indeed, especially for such a little man. And attainable only by the masters of the sea no less.

"Is that why you left the island? But you were so young…"

"The day before the Summer Moon celebration, my father learned of my nightly activities. When he demanded an explanation, I shared my dream with him. I expected support and was unceremoniously reprimanded for it. He told me there was nothing to look for. Not in the Greek seas, not anywhere."

"I'm sure he was only angry because you worried him," I say, unable to imagine a Shayee crushing the dream of their own child with so little tact.

A chuckle devoid of any amusement escapes him. He brings his bandaged left hand up and open up his palm, staring at the symbol of his death oath.

"My father and I both had fiery tempers. Both of us easily let our anger speak first. Sometimes it took days to reconcile. But at the time, it felt like he'd shattered the most precious thing I possessed. So to spite him, I decided to runaway on the night of the celebration."

He closes his hand into a fist and I can see him dig his nails into his wounded palm. I almost feel them in my own. The soft nostalgia from before vanishes in a mere instant leaving place to a muddy and thick sensation I know all too well.

"I was next in line to rule over the Shayee but I wanted the world and the seven seas. It was never enough for me. And the last words I spoke to my parents —my family, my blood— were words of hate and spite."

The tense atmosphere turns muddy and sticky in mere moments, polluting even the beautiful sight of the sun sinking into the horizon. Bitterness squeezes my heart once again. My eyes water as I begin to discern his weight, crushing him as much now as it has during this past decade.

Guilt.

I sense it around him, like a persistent fog refusing to fade or to let anything or anyone near.

"Atem… you were only a child," I say slowly.

He doesn't so much as snort or glance in my direction to acknowledge my words. Panic comes to twist my insides. I can't reach him. The fog is too thick, like an iron wall refusing to let my words through. No. Like a monster slowly consuming him.

A monster of vengeance, pride, anger and spite.

Fearing he might completely wall himself in his silence and losing this chance, I decide to refocus his attention elsewhere. If I don't now, I might never again. But it seems I must walk on eggshells from now on.

"W-What happened after you returned to the island?"

Giving him an opening to avoid speaking of the horrors of the massacre seems like the best thing to do. To my relief, he relaxes his hand and straightens up again. My relief doesn't last long. The crimson irises are no longer empty. They burn brightly with raw silent wrath. So much that I find myself standing up in a defensive reflex.

"I looked for them," he says.

"Them?"

"The three pirate crews involved in the attack. Took me almost a entire year." A dangerous smile accentuates the fire in his eyes and I shiver again. "I found them. And I dealt them the same fate as they'd brought to the Shayee. Because it was all I could do."

The devilish smile vanishes as quickly as it came, and the fire retreats within the confines of his mind, leaving place to the foggy stare from before. I feel sick as I desperately try not to imagine how exactly his anger driven eleven year-old self exacted his vengeance.

"After the first kill, I knew it was all pointless. The emptiness remained no matter how many lives I took. No blood, no life could take back the words I told my father. Or return my kin to me."

If you knew that then why persist on this path of destruction? Why become unsalvageable?

He answers my thought as if reading my mind. "Letting them go however, so they could continue to tear apart families and strive off of stolen goods, was certainly not an option."

Because back then —with that heart wrenching torturous void— anger was his only means to keep going. His only purpose. His only current left. A single tear finally escapes my watery eyes and leaks on my cheek.

"They were pathetic," he lets out, his voice dripping with disgust. "The moment they saw my hair, they cowered like trapped rats and begged for their lives. I couldn't believe those pathetic excuses for human beings were behind the macabre trap set up for the Shayee. Those cowards oh-so easily spilled their guts when I asked them who was behind it all."

The reality hits me like a horse kick to the gut. I'd pushed the thought away from my mind and yet, it's always been here, burning as brightly as a fire in the night.

The ravash sap, the careful planning, the puppeteering of the pirates… It could only have taken money and power to execute a plan such as this.

It is the common denominator to all the men of the Millennium. And Atem is no exception.

"Someone from the Kaiba Company," I let out in a strangled whisper.

Finally, Yugi and Atem are having a heart to heart. And it's not over yet! Be sure to bring your handkerchieves for next time (You've been warned)

Also, Seto, Moki and Yugi are finally all in the same place! Yaaaaaay...? *insert heavy sweating and nervous laughter*

PLEASE REVIEW (to keep the good streak going!)