Halló! That's hello in Icelandic (sorry I really like Iceland at the moment... And Sealand).

I've had more motivation for this ever since the last update! I didn't think this chapter was that great. Maybe it was a little rushed? Then again I do need to move it along so I can have even more vague foreshadowing (which, by the way, will also be in this chapter).

Tanoshimu!

Chapter 7: Of wisdom? Or madness?

In which strange voices are heard

"Good morning Hero." Arthur muttered.

"G'mornin' Cap'n Eyebrows!" Hero beamed.

"Still as painfully cheerful as ever I see." Arthur sighed.

"Still a grumpy old man I see!" Hero laughed in retort.

That is how most of their conversations started: Arthur would start with a polite greet and Hero would do the same. Then Arthur would point out one of Hero's nagging flaws and Hero would do the same for him. After that would just be filled with silence until one of them thought of something to say and then the conversation would go from there. It became sort of like a trend really- like a rule. It started off as only once at the end of every week. Then it became more frequent as Arthur got more of an urge to see him. The routine escalated like that until it became a daily thing and the two were seeing each other every day.

They talked about all sorts of things. Somehow the need for conversations never grew old and their reserve of topics never ran dry. The two would just discuss what they felt like, and oddly enough it always seemed to interest them both. Sometimes they would discuss things relevant to them both- like the crew.

"So we got a new member the other day." Arthur mumbled.

"Yeah?" Hero smiled.

"Yes, he's very nice. A great cook. Possibly even a little better than me." Arthur explained.

"Dude, you? Cook? I'd like ta see that someday." Hero grinned.

"Mm. Maybe one day I'll treat you to my special brand of cooking."

"I look forward to it."

If only Hero had realised what he was saying. But sometimes they would get bored of crew gossip and they would discuss the future. Their ambitions, their dreams...

"And so I guess I'm happy being a pirate, but I wish there were some greater calling out there. Something I'm destined for. Sadly that's a rather silly thought, so someday I guess I'd like to fall in love, settle down and maybe have children." Arthur explained.

"D'you reckon you'd be good with kids?" Hero asked.

"I can handle you can't I?" Arthur smirked.

"HEY! I'm not a kid!" Hero snapped.

"Funny, you sure whine like one..."

Occasionally they'd discuss more personal matters- like love.

"One day I hope I meet a nice girl who can respect my heroism and love me for who I am at the same time. Prob'ly a damsel in distress or somethin'." Hero sighed happily.

"Wait you mean you've never met anyone you like?" Arthur frowned.

"Nope. Never. You? I'm you've met some pretty pirate chicks right?" Hero beamed.

"W-well I uh... Uhh..." Arthur stuttered.

It was now obvious that Captain Arthur Kirkland- the man who never got too close, the man who was ruthless and barbaric, the man who had sailed and was known for miles around- was blushing. Quite noticeably so too. In fact it was so noticeable that even Hero, who failed to read the atmosphere most of the time, could notice it.

"I... I haven't met anyone." Arthur muttered.

"Whoa really? Unexpected." Hero nodded.

"Yes, so go ahead and laugh." Arthur sighed.

"Actually, that's fine. It's better to wait for someone you love than to go around with people you don't love right?" Hero asked.

"Have you met Francis?" Arthur joked.

Then the two burst into fits of laughter. At the expense of Francis of course. It was a good friendship the two of them had, and they soon came to know each other very well.

But throughout the duration of the time they had known each other, three things were very wrong with them and their friendship.

First of all was the fact that they never spoke about their past. They'd touch upon more recent years, but they'd never discuss things like childhood or family. There was a specific reason for that, one that they shared- even if they didn't know it.

Secondly, Arthur never let Hero be free from the prison. He never even mentioned his freedom. To him, this seemed normal. He barely noticed the steel bars between him and Hero. And, though one wouldn't think it, Hero barely noticed it either.

The final point was small, yet possibly the most important: Arthur never asked for Hero's real name. To him, he was Hero. That was his name. He'd grown to like the name, and barely realised it was only a nickname he had created on a whim.

So Hero never asked for freedom, and Arthur never asked for his name. It was almost like a deal- an unspoken pact that they had subconsciously agreed on. That was the way it seemed to stay for the next month.

That is, until Captain Kirkland decided to change things.

It was a rather odd decision, one that all the crew members were puzzled by and figured the Captain would have to have some amazing reasoning behind it.

But there was no amazing reasoning, for this is how it was decided:

It was just another simple day. Arthur was calmly sitting in the captain's quarters, legs slightly parted and checking over the ship's records quietly.

That was when it happened.

"Ar... Ur..."

Someone, or something was calling out his name. He looked up and around curiously.

"Someone there?" He asked.

"...N...D..."

"Matthew? That you my lad?" Arthur frowned.

"Ar...Ur... Let... Free... Free... Dom..." The voice whispered.

"Freedom?"

"He...Ro..."

"Hero?"

Then the voice faded away and Arthur was left alone again. It was strange. He had never heard these voices before, why were they appearing to him now? The voices sounded new, odd, exotic yet Arthur never felt any need to raise his sword or be on guard.

But why was he hearing them now and on Captain Ludwig's ship?

Suddenly the door opened and in walked Francis. He looked concerned: his brow was knitted into a frown of worry. Arthur just stood there-speechless and staring at the wooden planked floor.

"Arthur, is somezing ze matter?" Francis asked.

"Where's Hero?" He asked.

"In ze brig, as usual. You know zat. Why?" Francis frowned.

"Move him. Move him out of the brig. Put him where there's room." Arthur mumbled.

"...Oui captain."

Later...

"So you can sleep in that bed... I will sleep below. Please make yourself at home, and if you need anything- just tell me."

As Matthew explained all this, he kept his hands tightly wrapped around his polar bear and didn't take his eyes off Hero.

In all honesty, Hero had no idea what was going on. First he and Captain Kirkland were acquaintances, constantly insulting each other every moment they were together, then they were friends- discussing topics to do with their life with an occasional insult here and there and now Arthur had suddenly moved him out of prison with no warning or heads up.

Well at least his new room was certainly an improvement in comparison to his cell. It may not have seemed that spacious, but that was probably due to the fact that this room was actually furnished. His cell had not been much. Just a dirty, dimly lit place with a corner for him to sleep in and a few empty food bowls scattered about the place. Matthew's room was different. There was a bunk bed at the back of the room and to the right of it a set of drawers. At the end of the room was a small circular window that was looking out to sea and below it was a small chest. In the centre of the room was a rather fancy looking carpet and in one corner were two small barrels positioned like seating chairs in a living room. In the remaining corner was a small pile of soft comfortable looking sheets- most likely to make a bed for Matthew's polar bear.

But the thing that really piqued Hero's interest was the chest underneath the circular window. It looked very pirate-like- sort of like the typical kind of chest that you'd expect pirates to find in 'X-marks-the-spot' places. Hero wondered what was inside, what secrets Matthew had that needed to be kept secret. So he decided to ask. He'd pluck up his courage and ask. That is, if it weren't for what happened next.

"Matthieu! We are under attack!" Francis called, dashing into Matthew's room in a flurry of panic.

"Is it..." Matthew whispered.

Francis gave a grim look and nodded. Matthew paled slightly, holding onto his white fluffy creature for dear life. Hero looked puzzled and confused- after all he knew nothing of the person or people attacking, nor did he have any idea of who Matthew presumed it to be. Hero was completely in the dark. Something he planned to change very quickly.

"Eyebrows!"

Rudely, Hero burst into Captain Kirkland's room with no warning except for the fast-paced pitter-patter of his noisy feet against the wooden floorboards. Arthur simply let out a loud sigh and glared at Hero with annoyance.

"Really, you have to make such a racket and uproar when entering a room. Can't you learn to be a little more-" Arthur began.

"Captain, is it really true that we're being attacked? Who's attacking us? Why now? And why... Why did you move me so suddenly from the brig?" Hero blurted out all at once.

"So many questions, so little time." Arthur sighed. "You said it yourself: we're under attack. And I have neither the time nor the patience to answer your tedious questions."

"But-" Hero began.

"Enough. Now go hide yourself in the kitchen or something along with Matthew." Arthur instructed.

"I refuse."

"What?"

"Don't you know anything about me? I'm the hero that this ship needs, I won't just go hide somewhere!"

The determination of this boy was fascinating- inspirational even. Within him was a certain spark, a fire of confidence blazing deep inside him. It was nothing like the boy he had first met. The boy with the eyes like icy glaciers, the expression like cold steel. A new type of Hero had awoken, or rather re-awoken for Arthur had a feeling that this was the real Hero.

And Arthur knew he was the one that had lured him out, the one who had sparked that fire. It was certainly a good feeling, and good feelings were not ones that Arthur experienced often.

"You... You really are an idiot you know that?" Arthur smirked.

"Hey I'm not an idiot!" Hero frowned.

"Oh? You sure about that?"

"Positive! After all..."

Then Hero lifted his hand and pointed his thumb upwards, giving the captain a thumbs-up with his right hand and placing his other hand on his hip dramatically.

"I'm the hero!"

Anyone else see that coming? Thought so. It was epic though right? Don't you just love America? I mean, Hero.

Don't worry, I won't be calling the guy Hero for much longer, though personally I do like how they call him Hero. But anyway, onto other matters: who here likes NiChu? And who here likes RoChu? Now who would like a Chu pairing in this story?

Recently, I've gotten back into RoChu. But I do still ship NiChu. I am happy to add either in, or none at all but I'd like to hear what you guys think! I've posted a poll on my profile to ask you guys what you think so be sure to vote there! Votes here will not count.

Thanks to MYJEN123 and Ashe-Kuro for reviewing!

Sayonara minna-san!

~Neko