Chapter 4 - A Ships SOS

Ryder could be described using many words, not all of them kind at times, but at the moment it would likely be ecstatic. And that largely had to do with the beautiful masterpiece of a ship he had been given by Zen.

It was magnificent!

Beautifully crafted, colored, and decorated!

It truly was worthy to call his own, his first ship! The Empress!

The longer he spent on this ship, the more he grew to love it. A few hours had passed since Ryder and Rex had set sail, a few hours feeling the ship glide across the sea, feeling how well the ship handled at the helm.

Every time he thought about it, whatever aspect, it brought a smile to Ryders' face. The boy in Ryder always loved ships. Why wouldn't he? He was a young pirate! It was his first step on his journey as a pirate. Every crew needed a ship to carry them, and The Empress was the perfect ship for the job!

"The positive aura coming off you is so intense it's almost infectious." A voice cheekily chimed in from his right.

The young captain turned to see Rex, his first companion even if it wasn't official membership to his crew, standing by the railing. Head tilted down, a hand gently resting on the railing, but a small smile gracing his lips.

Ryder grinned wider, "Hey, I can't help it! I've always dreamt of what my first ship would be like and this- The Empress -exceeds what most would ask for!" Ryder used his left hand and arm to gesture across the deck as he spoke. He knew Rex couldn't see it, but Ryder was a very animated individual. He couldn't sit still.

Rex hummed in acknowledgment, "I am inclined to agree, feeling the ship under me, I can feel how strong it is." He turned his head to Ryder slightly, "I may not be able to see the beauty of the ship, but I can feel its strength, her strength. If she in any way compares to that, then she must be something special."

Ryder smiled at the analysis, and he couldn't agree more with it. Zen really outdid himself with this ship!

Ryder hoped he'd get to stay at the helm of this for a long time to come.

However, something off in the distance caught his hawk-like eyes. Over a considerable distance, Ryder spotted what appeared to be a ship.

But from what he could tell, it appeared as though the mast was gone. A ship at sea with no sail was dead to rights.

"A ship in the distance," Ryder informed his comrade, gaining his attention. "Doesn't look like it has a mast."

There was a brief pause as Rex used his observation haki to sense the surrounding area. It took a bit longer than he expected for Rex didn't realize just how far away Ryder had spotted the ship.

But he did sense it.

"How did you spot that ship all the way from here? We have to be a few miles away, minimum." Rex asked, curious as to how he spotted that with his eyes before it being sensed with haki.

"I'm a sharpshooter and a gunslinger." Ryder chuckled slightly, "I've got eyes like a hawk."

"Noted," Rex nodded his head in the direction of the ship he'd sensed, "So, what is it that you wish to do now? Are we to investigate further? Help them if needed?"

"Ay, no use leaving them out here." Ryder agreed, confirming his answers to Rex. "We'll see if we can't help them with their ship, and if not, see if they need us to bring them to an island nearby. We could use a trip to one, anyway."

"And if they're pirates or raiders?"

Ryders grinned turned feral, "Then we have a party on our hands." Adjusting the helm ever so slightly to align with the ship in the distance, it wouldn't take them long to reach it.

Rex smirked in agreement as well, for Ryder was right. Either way, whether they get a fight or to investigate what happened to this damaged ship, this might prove interesting.

This really wasn't Elvas' day.

Besides being quite overworked, and quite concerned at the moment, she felt she'd done all she could at this time.

The ship she was on was that of traveling merchants and traders ship, and she had decided to join them for a small period as another doctor on board. Elva didn't plan to remain a part of this crew, as she was only heading from one island to the next on her way to the Grandline, but she felt she could help them make it to the ring port island of Miklagard, the trade center of the blue sea. And a stopping point most take on their way to the Grandline.

A win-win for her, as she got to help others, and help herself along the way.

Except, things didn't go so smoothly.

Currently, she had finished tending to many wounded merchants and traders to the best of her current abilities, alongside a few other traveling doctors, but she was hard-pressed with their currently lacking supplies.

A highly skilled doctor she may be, but if you could barely patch up wounds with clothes and bits of clothes, what could you do?

Elva couldn't help but bite her bottom lip nervously, her pointed ears twitching slightly, if these people didn't get to an island soon, she feared some would succumb to their injuries.

And with their ship in ruins, they weren't going anywhere.

"A ship!" A voice called out, startling her from her worries. Eyes swiftly shifting in the direction of the voice, seeing the person in question leaning over the side, facing the oncoming ship.

Hope welled up inside her for a moment.

Then a dreadful thought pierced that hope.

What if they were pirates?

As the ship drew near, she readied herself. If anyone was gonna deal with what was to come, it would be her. Elva was gonna take charge of negotiation, diplomacy, or combat with whoever they came in contact with. Whatever it came to be.

But why did it feel as though something… odd… was coming?

Ryder had been right.

The ship was in an awful state. As he and Rex neared the ship, you could see the damage inflicted on it. Holes in the hull, a shattered mast, torn sails, a devastated deck, and even a small fire by the rudder.

Some would consider this a disaster. But Ryder knew better. This was an attack by another ship. Fires started, cannons shredding the hull, deck, and sails, and left stranded here? Yeah, this recked of a pirate attack.

And here he was, a young pirate himself, coming to their aid. Ironic.

Ryder closed in on the ship, entering boarding range. With a push of a lever, he released the sails, bringing The Empress to a shop alongside the half-sunk ship next to him.

If The Empress didn't look impressive already, comparing it to the size of this small ship next to it made it look quite imposing.

"Let's go take a look, shall we?" Ryder asked as he walked past Rex, who turned in step silently with him as they neared the railing of The Empress, peering out over the deck of the other ship.

"Yo!" Ryder called out, waving a hand to grab the attention of everyone on the other deck.

All eyes were on his figure in an instant, whispers and murmurs broke out soon after. Ryder just brushed that off as his eyes roamed the deck, looking to see if he could spot anyone in charge, or at the very least someone not injured that he could speak to. Anyone really.

His eyes caught someone just as said person called out to him.

"My name is Sorin Elva, a temporary doctor, and herbalist, aboard this ship." She stepped forward as Ryder examined her.

She was a petite woman, standing at five feet, four inches. Her skin was as white as snow, her purple eyes and black hair contrasting her skin tone greatly. Her hair was long, a few strands hanging between her eyes. But what stood out the most was the way her hood n cloak covered her head in a specific way, almost as if hiding something. Something that Ryder quickly noticed, judging by the little poking bump on the hood. As for her clothes, she wore a simple crop top which Ryder suspected was for the heat. It could get hot at sea in the baking sun. Shorts and sandals finished her outfit along with her cloak/hood combo.

"She mustn't like sharing that secret." Ryder thought to himself, thinking of what could be hidden under her hood, before she continued.

"And who might you be?" Elva eyed Ryder as well, noting the guns in his holsters. As well as Rex and his swords. Armed individuals were usually armed for a reason, and that reason wasn't always self-defense.

"I'm Captain Rangetsu D. Ryder, a pirate," Ryder responded bluntly, causing many on the ship to shuffle around nervously.

Rex sighed, "And I'm a bounty hunter," Rex spoke out in response to their nerves, both in an attempt to ease their worry and introduce himself, "Minos Rex." At that, some appeared to calm down, thankfully, but most seemed confused. Why were a bounty hunter and pirate traveling together?

Rex leaned over to Ryder to whisper, "You could have been a bit more subtle about being a pirate, they could have been recently attacked by pirates."

"Oh, they were sure as shit attacked by pirates. I know a ship boarding when I see one, and this screams it."

"And you thought it was a good idea to just tell them you're a pirate as well?"

"Heh, I'm an honest guy." Ryders' small chuckle did little to help his case.

"As subtle as a brick to the face, Ryder." If anyone could make a blind man roll his eyes, it would be Ryder. Honesty was respectable, right up until the moment it landed you in a world of shit. Ryder didn't give a fuck.

Unbeknownst to the two comrades, Elva had heard their private conversation amongst all the whispering and shuffling done around her. A nice little perk of having ears like hers. Not that anyone else could see, as far as she knew.

"Honest, huh?" Elva thought, eyes peering into Ryders'. She could practically feel the honesty oozing off him, which was a welcome surprise from a pirate.

"I need to ask something of you then, captain." Elva called out, respectful of his title more so out of politeness than anything else, "We have wounded aboard after a recent pirate attack," she heard him mutter the words 'nailed it' at the mention of pirates, "and have no supplies to aid them. We have nothing left, and if we're left here, I fear we won't make it." If honesty is what he gave, then she would give it in kind.

Ryder glanced and Rex for a moment, as if they both wondered the same thing, before continuing, "We don't actually have any supplies of our own, to be honest." To which Ryder shrugged, "But I can take everyone here to the nearest island if that helps." He leaned on the railing, waiting for Elva to respond.

She did notice how his eyes lingered on her specifically as if waiting for her to come to the decision for everybody on this ship.

Elva glanced around her, seeing others looking so uncertain, nervous, but still tempted by it. They must have come to the same conclusion as her. They needed his help, it wasn't much of a choice.

"Can you promise me nothing will happen to any of these people?" Elva asked, gesturing to those around her, her final question before she would make their choice.

"On my life, you'll all make it to the island of your choice." Now, Elva was usually an excellent judge of character, mostly due to a special side effect of her ears, and when she looked at Ryder, she saw something in him that she could respect. Admire even.

Honesty, loyalty, determination, and something… more. Something she couldn't quite pin down. But all in abundance, in his character.

And traits like those in pirates are rare, most people knew that.

Yet Ryder displayed them, and from how honest he had been until now, he likely wore those traits on his sleeves.

"Then we're in agreement." Nodded her toward Ryder in gratitude.

Ryder smiled, "Alright!" He called out, drawing everyones' attention once again, "Everyone get aboard, take the injured below deck, and whatever small amount of supplies remain! We set sail soon!"

There was shuffling, which swiftly evolved into everyone hurrying about the deck, gathering whatever they could, helping to move some of the injured. A few went to get a boarding plank and bridge the gap between the two ships.

Elva watched all the activity for a moment, seeing how everyone came to the aid of the injured. That was something she loved to see but, to her surprise, someone else joined in. Landing on the deck of the ship, a few people, including Elva, turned to see that Ryder had jumped aboard their ship.

He didn't wait, ask, or care for anyone looking at him, and instead went over to the most critically injured to help move. Where some struggled to lift the wounded, Ryder had zero issues.

Elva couldn't help but linger on Ryder. He was an odd one for sure, and she had wondered if anyone else also thought that. Her eyes glanced to his comrade, Rex, still aboard his ship. He hadn't moved to help but instead watched over everyone as they moved about. It was fair for him to guard the ship since Ryder wasn't aboard, but she caught sight of something about Rex.

Even she could pick up on the faint smile across his lips.

A lot of the day had passed. From the time it took them to set sail with Ryders' new ship, to the time they spent sailing, before arriving this moment and time, helping a crew of stranded traders and merchants to the next island. They only had a few hours of daylight left before they'd have their first night aboard The Empress.

An interesting experience, no doubt. But that was for later.

At the moment, Rex stood by the helm, sensing the bodies moving about around him. He could sense some of their pain, their strife. Whoever did this deserves the retribution they get in their future.

Maybe Ryders' path will cross them in the future, and he will be the one to make them pay. Who knows? The young pirate, Rex considers his comrade, seems the type that would fight them head-on.

Rexs' thoughts then moved to Ryder. Once again his comrade surprised him. Ryders' laid-back attitude to most things is a curious thing, back when he had engaged in combat so whimsically against both himself and the pirates impersonating the marines, then just turns around to aid random civilians for no obvious gain to himself.

Most would ask for a reward, or bargain for one after helping, but Ryder did not. And Rex had his doubts about him asking for one either. He didn't seem the type to care.

Rex could respect his chill attitude, as Rex was pretty laid back as well, but the swordsman suspected Ryder took it a step further than he did. How exactly, he could not say, but Ryder didn't seem to be a subtle character.

Ryder probably lived on the extremes of whatever traits he embodied.

Although he didn't know his friend very long, he'd wager he could hazard a decent guess as to the type of man he was.

Perhaps this called for a deeper investigation?

He was drawn from his inner musings as he sensed the devil himself approaching, alongside another person whose aura shown brighter than the civilians around them, and by what he sensed, Rex figured they had finished loading up the people and moving them below deck.

"Finally back, Ryder? Ready to set sail again?" He asked as the captain approached, with Elva beside him. She must be the one handling this exchange on behalf of the other civilians.

"As ready as we'll ever be, but we aren't setting out just yet." Ryder turned to Elva, "Are you certain everyone and everything you need is off that ship?"

"Absolutely certain, why do you ask?"

"Just making sure we're all good before I finish this." He answered both honestly, yet vaguely, confusing both people present.

Much to the confusion of his two comrades, Ryder moved away from the helm and down to the deck of his ship. Of all the things taken from the half-sunken ship as 'supplies', a barrel was among them.

Both Rex sensing and Elva watching the young pirate, his movements, and what he was up to. Attempting to figure out what he was planning exactly.

Ryder broke off two pieces of wood off the barrel lid and jumped across to the civilian ship, he moved across the ship to the torn sail that lay tattered across a portion of the deck. Ryder ripped up pieces of cloth and wrapped them around the two pieces of wood he had taken from the barrel lid.

Rex sensed, and Elva saw him move to the rear of the ship, to where the fire was still burning and smoldering the rudder. Ryder leaned over the railing, placing both home-made torches into the fire, and waited for them to ignite.

It took a mere ten seconds before Ryder held in each hand a burning torch. Turning back, he walked across the deck until he reached the cabin entrance. He tossed one torch in there, and the wood inside instantly caught fire.

"What are you doing?!" Elva called out to him, staring in shock as she watched him set fire to the devastated ship. Ryder tossed the other torch over to where the remainder of the tattered sail lay across the deck, and that too went up quickly.

With his work done, Ryder leaped from the deck of the ship and onto the railing of his own.

Both Rex and Elva approached as he turned on the railing to watch the ship burn.

"Want to explain what that was all about?" Elva asked, her eyes shift focus from the burning ship to Ryder. "That wasn't your ship to burn after all." Both his comrades here were curious as to the reasons for his actions.

Rex remained silent on the matter, curious as to what Ryder would say.

"That ship was dead, there was no salvaging it. Best give it a burial now before it is forgotten." He responded, watching the fires turn to that of a blaze across the deck.

"You would bury a ship?"

"Like an old friend." He responded, a soft smile gracing his lips, almost happy with his handy work, "I was always thought to respect a ship when I was learning to helm one, especially the one you call your own. Although this one isn't mine, nobody else would come for her, not in this state. It wouldn't be right to just leave her here to rot, alone."

Rex hummed at his response but did not respond himself, choosing to remain silent, allowing the crackle of the fires to fill the silence.

"Time's a wastin!" Ryder suddenly chirped, drawing people from their thoughts, before hopping off the railing and making for the helm. He glanced over his shoulder as he ascended the stairs, "Are you gonna tell me which island we're heading to or not?" His tone was almost jovial in nature as he spoke to Elva.

Elva blinked twice before realizing he was asking her where they wanted to be taken, he had said he was going to take them where she decided.

Elva hopped to it to catch up with Ryder, reaching his left side at the helm. She'd prepared to discuss this Ryder as she'd been the one to make the deal with him.

"Not much of a deal when he gets nothing out of it." Her mind corrected her.

The young doctor unfolded a map of the South Blue, it took a moment but she zeroed in on the location where they should be, last they checked.

"We're here," She pointed, before dragging her finger across the map to a rather large, ring-shaped island by the name Miklagard. "And this is the island we wish to travel to, this was the original heading of the ship we had been on."

"So, head in a northern direction and we should reach it, correct?" He asked as he twirled the helm to face the direction he knew was north. Rex joined him on his right side. Ryder now being flanked by Elva on his left, and Rex on his right.

"Yes, we should arrive there within a few hours."

Ryder turned on her with a rather cheeky smirk, "I bet I could get us there quicker."

Elva, however, didn't notice his smirk, "And how do you plan to do that?"

"Don't worry, I know a shortcut!" The young pirate responded before laughing, to which Rex only hummed in amusement.

"Somehow you'd manage to have this ship hit the only rock in a hundred-mile radius on this trip." Rex sassed, "It sounds like something you could pull off." Ryder just shrugged it off with a smile still on his face.

"Oi! I'm a better helmsman than that! No rock is sinking this ship!"

"It's not the rock, but the trouble it'll cause. I'm blind, and I'm still better at avoiding trouble than you are." All Ryder could do in response was laugh, because he couldn't argue it.

His laughter though was contagious, and if Elva was honest, she found his sense of humor and joy endearing. She smiled at him all the same.

Nearly an hour had passed since departing the burning wreck, and the sun was beginning to set as well.

Elva had excused herself for a brief moment, roughly half an hour, to check on the injured below deck. She'd no doubt return to them, both to check on them and reassure herself that she and the injured below weren't being steered off course without them knowing. Seemed far in Ryders' mind. Trust had to be earned, and he hasn't earned theirs yet. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

Without Elva, that left Ryder and Rex to stay the heading at the helm.

"You seem at peace, Ryder," Rex commented, breaking the silence the pair had momentarily fallen into, "Are you that pleased with how this day turned out?"

"You could say that." Ryders' eyes remained focused ahead of them, one hand on the helm, casually steering his ship. "What can I say, I'm pumped that I'm finally on the sea again, on a ship of my own!"

"I couldn't even fathom the type of island that held you back long enough for you to end up like this."

Ryder smirked at his comrade, eyes flick to him and back to the sea ahead, "As if they could hold me back, I only stayed because of a promise I made. Once I kept that promise, I had to start the journey of a lifetime."

"A better time than any…" Rex thought, "What's the reason behind all this?"

Ryder turned to face the swordsman, "What are you on about?"

"Why start this journey to begin with? Why become a pirate? Why set out alone?" Rex rattled off. He'd decided back on the island that Ryder was a curious individual, and respectable in ways, but he wished to begin his own attempts in understanding the young pirate. What made him into who he was now?

To be honest, the swordsman didn't expect Ryder to explain in detail the reasons for his actions. But he was hoping for something, anything, that might help him understand the young captain's psyche.

Ryder remained silent for a few seconds, contemplating the question. For a moment, Rex thought he might not answer.

"I suppose I have numerous reasons to start my adventure!" Ryder chirped in reply, tilting his head in Rexs' direction. "Three reasons: A promise, a dream, and… a vendetta."

"A vendetta?" That was an unexpected reason, especially one he didn't expect from Ryder. He seemed too carefree, too hyper for a vendetta. Although Rex was curious about his final reason, he remained silent, waiting for Ryder to elaborate at his own pace.

"Those three reasons are what drives me to take up this journey. At first, when I was young, it was just my own dream. I dreamed of adventure! Journeying across the world, creating the greatest legend with my adventures! Fights, treasure, exploration, letting nothing and nobody stand in my way! My freedom! The world was mine to adventure in! I knew I had to set out one day. One day, I want to say I experienced the world at its best, and worst moment, but as long as I sat on my home island I was never gonna achieve it. I'm not the kind of guy that waits for others to push me forward, I'll chase my own dream with all I have! Even if I have to chase it alone." The hype in his voice only reinforcing the excitement and determination in his dream. He spoke with determination, and the sparkle in his eyes confirmed the intent.

"But why become a pirate? It's not necessary to become a pirate to fulfill that dream, you could have simply become a bounty hunter, a treasure hunter, anything really. So why a pirate? A captain of your own crew as well?"

Ryders' smiled changed, from one of excitement and confidence to a more subtle, gentle smile. Rex might not have been able to see it, but he sensed it, sensed the shift in Ryder.

"That is the promise. A few years ago, I lost a younger sister. We grew up together, spending every day together along with my other brother and sister. We trained, fought, and played together, as all siblings do." He laughed, "Well, some more than others. I still remember some of the scoldings I got from Big Sis whenever I came back with hundreds of new scrapes and bruises. But we were a family." Both men smiling, one at the memories, one at the imagery. "But unfortunately, that wasn't to last. I was only eleven at the time, and she was ten when she was killed. Killed by someone I thought I could trust, someone we all thought we could trust."

"Who killed her?"

There was a pause before the answer practically slammed Rex.

"Our older brother."

That answer…

Rexs' hand clenched onto the railing tighter, the hand resting on his sword did the same. The swordsman wasn't one to claim to understand what that was like. He had some sympathy for Ryder, as losing a beloved family member was never easy, but to hear of who did it? Disgusting.

Rex understood why people killed others, he knew many didn't have righteous reasons, but there was one area that was frankly unforgivable when it came to killing.

And that betrayal.

To kill your enemies, is one thing, but to betray your own family? That was an unforgivable crime, punishable by death.

"He damn near killed me and our older sister too. We barely survived, but to be honest. We lost a part of us that day, we lost two family members, yet only one died."

"Bastard." That word barely even described scum like that, in Rexs' opinion, but there was no denying Ryders' brother certainly was a bastard at heart for what he did.

"The reason I became a pirate…" Ryder continued, fully pulling Rex back into their conversation, "was because my sister wished to be." A nostalgic smile made its way across Ryders' face as he gazed out over the sea. Watching as the sun continued to set on the horizon. "Every day she'd speak of how badass pirates were, how she always wanted to be one, how she'd surpass them all and become the King of the Pirates!" Ryder laughed at the memory, "Not a day went by without her mentioning being Pirate King."

"And that's your promise? Fulfill her dream for her?"

Ryder nodded toward the swordsman, "Got it in one, partner. She might be gone, but her dream still lives. Lives in me, lives in my promise to her, and her dream will be made legend when I become the Pirate King! Being Pirate King is the ultimate freedom too which aligns with my own dream. I brought the two of our dreams together, both to remember her but also to honor my own dream. And to become Pirate King, I need to lead my own crew. A Kings Crew."

"I won't bother asking of the vendetta then."

Ryders' face shifted again, but not to one of anger, or even hatred, but of simple determination. "Yeah, doesn't take a genius to figure out who I'm going after. No matter where in this world he runs, no matter who he has by his side, it won't save him. One day, he will pay his debt for the actions and choices he made that day. And I will be the one to collect on that debt."

No doubt, no uncertainty, just simple fact. A statement of what is come.

Rex thought that might be the end of the conversation, accepting that they might slip into silence once again. Yet they didn't.

"Freedom and Revenge." Ryder spoke, "That's why I set out. With my promise, dream, and vendetta, I had every reason I needed to set out alone, become a pirate, and power on through anything that comes my way. It's not just my own dream on my shoulders, hasn't been for a long time."

"That is a respectable goal, Ryder. Far more honorable than most I've ever had the pleasure, or displeasure, of meeting on my travels." Rex conceded, "Pirates are often seen as the villains, yet you hold better values than most marines I've met."

Ryder just waved him off, "Shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Not all pirates are bad, not all marines are good. That goes for everyone in the world. I've learned to look at people for who they are, not what they are."

"Wise words." Rex smirked, "Wiser than I had expected from the likes of you."

The young captain chuckled, "Well, I learned to never underestimate my foes but I figured it worked just as well not to solely judge by appearances."

"Now that sounds like something you'd come up with."

The pair shared a small laugh. But as the pair laughed, the door to the decks below creaked shut. Someone had been listening in on the conversation, and if Ryder or Rex had to guess, they figured it would be the one that had claimed they'd return to check on them.

Ryder just smiled, still carefree as always, but Rex had to question it.

"You're very open about yourself, Ryder." Rex tapped his foot in the direction of the door, "Don't pretend like you didn't know she was there."

"Oh I knew, I just don't care all that much."

"Not many people are as open about themselves, about their past, about their losses as you are, Ryder. Many wish to avoid others' judgment of them, either wishing to be seen in a good light or not be seen at all. Yet you openly share your secrets regardless of who is around to hear them." Rex explained, "Why?"

"I'm not afraid of other people. Simple as that." Ryder smiled again, still as cheery as ever, "Others have called me a fool for the dreams I chase in the past, and they will in the future no doubt, others think I'm some young no-good punk, others won't even give me the time of day, but that's on them, not me."

"You are a strange one, Ryder."

Ryder smirked at his comrade, "That's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me!"

Yet again, Ryder managed to make a blind man roll his eyes at his antics. Even if said man was still amused by the answer.

By the time Elva returned to the top deck, the sun had set. She'd planned to return to speak with Ryder and Rex again, but she hesitated when she had intruded in on their conversation. Elva had planned to wait for their conversation to finish before joining them but after hearing the pair speak, of Ryders' past and ambitions, she'd pulled away. Retreating back into the ship to look over the patients again.

She hadn't the heart to approach them after that. Elva had been left with some things to think about, Ryder himself being one of them.

Hearing of his convictions, his values, she had decided to trust Ryder that bit more. See if he was as honest as he claimed. Elva had always been a good judge of character, thanks to a certain trait of hers in all honesty, she found Ryder to be as honest as they came.

Admirable.

He claimed to be a pirate, a captain no less, yet he held himself to his own word. Elva couldn't say she had all the experience in the world when it came to dealing with people of all sorts, but most people agreed that honor was dead in the life of a pirate, or worse.

Yet Ryder held himself reasonably well. He never claimed to be perfect, in-fact she doubted he would ever claim such a thing, and she assumed he wasn't clean of any wrong-doing himself but he had a sense of honor in his words.

Maybe he was different when it came to his enemies or was he just naturally pleasant to innocent people that do him no harm? One couldn't fault someone for acting differently when confronted on those two fronts.

But for now, she had to focus on her patients, the wounded and injured aboard the ship. She had to make sure they made it to Miklagard soon.

She emerged from below deck to the darkened night sky, the moonlight illuminating the sea and ship with a soft, white light. The starry sky, with the cool breeze, made for a beautiful at sea.

The young doctors' eyes trailed across the sky briefly.

It was sights like these that drove her to travel in the first place, to see how beautiful the world could be, to use her skills for a purpose.

Her eyes traveled across the sky before landing on a certain duo, with the young pirate captain manning the helm with his comrade to his right.

It seemed as though the two had fallen into a comfortable silence judging by the satisfied smirk on the pirates' face, and the neutral one on the bounty hunter.

"No better time like the present." Elva thought as she moved to approach the pair. It was clear they both noticed her before seeing her as they both inclined their heads in her direction.

"You're up late," Ryder commented, yet he didn't seem surprised by the fact, nor did his comrade.

"After the events of today, I'm surprised I'm still standing." Elva stated honestly, nodding to the young pirate, "We had our work cut out for us, dealing with pirates, patients, and being stranded."

"You made it through," Ryder countered, "Despite all that, you pulled it off. You are one hell of a doctor to save so many with so little."

His open praise of her skill had her blush, cheeks going a light shade of pink, "Thank you, but all that effort would have been fruitless if you hadn't come along." She stated, "I'm grateful for that."

Ryder just shrugged her off, "Eh, don't worry about it."

The pirate doctor combo both smiled at one another.

Ryder chimed in again, "Oh, we're almost to Miklagard."

"Really?" Elva asked, turning to face him, honestly surprised by the fact. Given the known distance they'd between their ship and the island, Elva had figured they'd be another hour at least.

Ryder just smirked at her, "Yeah, told ya I knew a shortcut." He joked before turning to look out over the horizon, "We should be able to see it soon-" Ryder cut himself short as his expression changed to one of concern before shifting to a serious one.

Both Rex and Elva noticed the change with Elva looking out in the same direction as Ryder, in the distance, she could barely make out a little hint of light. Why that caused Ryder to pause, she couldn't say.

"What's wrong, Ryder?" The bounty hunter asked from his other side. Elva had already taken notice of the fact he was blind, heard him mention it earlier too, so he probably didn't know what was wrong either.

"I can see Miklagard." He stated flatly, both his companions now even more confused. How the hell did he even see that all the way from here?

"You can see it from this far away?" Elva asked, eyes going back to the young pirate. To her, it was a tiny spec on the horizon.

"I can." The pirate replied simply, not revealing the how part.

"Then what's wrong?" Rex asked again, trying to identify the problem for both himself and Elva.

His answer surprised, shocked, and worried the pair.

"It's on fire."

Been far too long...

Disclaimer, I obviously don't own One Piece. All OC' go to their respective owners and such.

AlcatrazDGold - Till the next chapter…