Hooray! Chapter 6 is finally up! ^0^ This is, so far, the LONGEST chapter. I had a hard time coming up with a title, too. Anyway, I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: (Don't know why I haven't done this to a few of the other ones... o.o) I do not own YYH or Leiko. Oh, nor do I own the PPG, since they're somewhat mentioned in this chapter. (You'll find out what it is)

Now, I'm going to give a few answers to my reviewers, since I at least owe you that. ^^

Answer #1: To Bijoux25, I know it may seem rushed at times. Like, probably during the storm, and when Kurama announced that he was a prince. I know it seemed rushed, and you're probably not the only one who noticed. Sorry about that, guys! It's just how I write, sometimes. You see, when I'm not really sure how to make it longer, deep inside, I grow somewhat panicked and feel as if I need to finish it as soon as possible, or else I'll lose the idea. I normally do that, without the rushing part, though. And, yes, I'm aware of my grammar and spelling mistakes. x.x Even after re-reading it, I guess there are still a few out there. But, if you're talking about the way the other pirates are speaking, then it's supposed to be like that.

Okay, now that that's finished, ONWARD WITH THE CHAPTER! ^_^

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--At Noon the next Day

Leiko awoke with a start, bolting upright in bed. Her breath came out fast, as if she had run a mile. She took a deep breath and sighed, calming her nerves. Looking down at her hands, she noticed that there was a white sheet lightly covering her. And her arms, including her hands, were bandaged. Raising one of her arms, she inspected it, wondering how it got there to begin with. Lowering her still tired arm, she gazed about the room she was currently in.

There was a cherry wood desk at the other end of a room, completely clear except for a picture. Squinting slightly, she managed to see a woman, a man, and a small red headed child. They all looked so happy in the photo. Blinking a few times, Leiko continued to investigate the room, taking in all of the details. There was a tall lamp located near the desk, blending in nicely with the dark colored wood. The bed she was currently in was right underneath a window, which was probably where Kurama sat when he had looked out at her the prior day.

She sighed heavily, the nightmare of last night still playing vividly in her mind. Just then, the door opened and Kurama entered, his green eyes flashing when he saw her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like crap…" She responded groggily, her voice hoarse from yelling so much. Clearing her throat, she watched as Kurama came to sit next to her.

Taking her left arm into his hands, he gently massaged it, feeling where it was tense to help relieve the pain. "How are your arms?"

"Eh…they could be better…" After watching him massage her arm for a while, she suddenly began laughing, pulling her arm out of his reach as she clutched her stomach.

Blinking, Kurama could merely watch, wondering what she was laughing so hard about. Wiping the tears out of her eyes, she looked at Kurama, her brown eyes full of life again, she said. "Sorry! I'm just remembering the last time my arms were this tired." She sighed happily. "I had just finished beating this one kid when some big dude tackled me from behind. He claimed that he was going to rape me, or something. Me, being me, didn't allow it. SO, I beat him up." She began laughing again. "It took so long to beat him that I got extremely tired… With the last of whatever energy I had left, I gave him a good right hook, and knocked him out."

"Hm. You're not like other princess, Leiko."

"Tell me about it! I hate those snobbish bastards, like my father, who do nothing but abuse their power over others."

A small smile appeared on his face. He then sighed, hanging his head slightly. "I want to apologize for the way I acted earlier. I shouldn't have assumed that you were like your father."

"Are you kidding? I hate the bastard! I could care less what happened to him…" She replied, crossing her arms.

He looked back up at her. "I understand that now." Standing up, he smiled normally at her. "If you don't mind, I would like to add you to my crew. I'm sure they could use a bit of action. Not in that sense, of course. But, with your rough-housing, they may be whipped back into shape soon. So, are you in?"

"Hm…I dunno…" She thought aloud, "I mean, if I am going to be a pirate, I can't be going about in this get-up." She motioned to her tattered and torn dress. "But, what the hell, I'm in!"

"Excellent." He walked towards the door before turning back to her. "Get your rest. I'll wake you when we have landed."

Nodding, Leiko snuggled down into the warm blankets, not having slept in a real bed in a while now. Closing her eyes, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep, lulled by the gentle motion of the waves. Kurama glanced back at her one more time before quietly closing the door behind him.

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A knock on the door awoke the princess from her peaceful sleep. She sat bolt upright, her eyes barely open, her hair a complete mess. She turned her sleepy gaze to the door, blinking slowly. A man poked his head inside, but he did not enter.

"Uhm… the Cappin wants to see yuh…" He slurred, then closed the door.

Blinking sleepily, Leiko lay back down and went back to sleep, nothing registering. The door opened again, a few minutes later, quiet footsteps entering the room. They came to rest at the side of the bed.

Reaching a hand out, Kurama gently grabbed Leiko's shoulder, shaking her slightly. "Leiko…Leiko…"

Muttering incoherently, Leiko shifted slightly before becoming still once again, not rising from her slumber. Kurama crossed his arms, pondering as to how he would wake the princess from her sleep. Having a sudden idea, he quietly went over to the door, opened it, then, with all his force, slammed it shut. The bang echoed off of the walls of the small room, and even out over the ocean. It was enough to cause the princess to jump half-way out of bed, her head resting on the floor while her legs remained in bed. Blowing a piece of her hair out of her face, she glared mildly at Kurama, who now stood over her, arms crossed with an amused look on his face.

"Have a nice sleep?"

Leiko finished falling on the floor before standing up and brushing herself off.

"I was, until you woke me up." She turned to him slightly. "And what is it you want?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that how you're going to act? I could just tie you back up to the mast…"

"Hmph. You know nothing on how to sway the ways of a woman's heart." She replied, crossing her arms while looking away defiantly.

"I wasn't trying to." He responded simply, shrugging slightly. "I merely came here to inform you, princess, that we have docked on a merchant island, and that you would probably find a dress suitable to your liking."

"Dress?" She turned to him in a flurry of anger. Her eyes were narrow, and her face contorted with both pain and hatred. "Dress?! I don't want a freaking dress! I can barely move in one! I hate dresses!"

Amused by her anger, he continued. "Well then, why don't you come with us? That way we are able to know what your likes and dislikes are."

"Hmph. That's for you to find out." She replied haughtily, crossing her arms while turning away slightly yet again. "And as for clothes, just get me a shirt and some pants. I could care less what color."

Looking her up and down, Kurama nodded. The princess was currently wearing a tattered white and green dress, and she did indeed look good in it. Well, she did, if he hadn't kidnapped her and destroyed it. Apparently, she hated it, so she couldn't be happier. Looking back up to her face, since she had gone back to dusting herself off, he now asked,

"What type of weapon would you like to use?"

She glanced at him, then down to his sword. (Not that type of sword, PERVS! lol) "Hm… I like your sword… May I hold it?"

Kurama suddenly went red, blinking as he stared at her. She blinked, looking at him confused.

"What?" She pointed at his sword, hanging from his waist. "I merely asked if I could hold it. May I?"

"Oh...uh… Of course." He unsheathed it and carefully handed it to her, trying to control his racing heart.

She weighed it in her hand, checking it for balance and if the weight was spread evenly through the entire sword.

"This is a finely made sword…" She commented, gazing at it with bright eyes.

"Yes, indeed. My friend who's a blacksmith made it. He lives on this island, now that you mention it." He responded, taking his sword back and re-sheathing it. "We will be back soon enough. Most likely as the sun is setting. Be mindful, and do not go downstairs, below deck. There will be stragglers, and I advise to you that it is unsafe. You may go on deck, or stay in here. You may choose. Do not try and set sail on your own, however. It takes a strong hand to do so. Are there any questions?"

Glaring at him, Leiko responded, "No mom, no questions. Any other rules I should take into consideration?"

Giving her a mild glare, Kurama turned and exited the room, his boots thumping loudly on the smooth wooden floor. Sighing heavily, Leiko sat down heavily on Kuramas' bed, her mind wandering off to a place much more appealing.

---Around sun set

Knocking on his cabin door, Kurama carefully opened it and peered inside, wondering if Leiko had fallen asleep again. He opened the door fully, not seeing her on his bed. His eyes landed on the princess, who was standing in front of his desk, his picture frame in hand. Upon hearing the door open, she jumped and turned slightly, looking at him with big, innocent brown eyes. Her eyes traveled back to the picture, then back to the clearly older Kurama.

"I'm sorry, I grew curious…" She then smiled slightly as she turned back to the picture, "You look like such a happy family." She turned back to him. "But, I wonder… If you're here, and your father's somewhere… Where is your mother?"

A dark look crossed his face suddenly as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Gently placing the few packages on his bed, he walked over next to her, his eyes focused on the small picture.

"She died…" He said huskily, trying to control his voice.

"I'm so sorry…" Leiko said quietly, her eyes returning to the picture. She handed it back to Kurama, who placed it back on his desk, facing his bed once more. He did not turn away from the picture, but merely stared at it, his eyes mystified as if re-living an old memory.

Moving quietly away, Leiko made her way back over to his bed, her eyes focused on the packages.

"Your clothes are scattered a bit, but you'll find them in there. When you've finished changing, come back outside. You'll find me near the rear of the ship." Without turning to face her, Kurama left the room, his head slightly bowed.

The feeling of sadness almost overwhelmed her as the door closed, but she pushed it away. Turning her attention back to the packages, she began the process of opening them and arranging how she would wear them.

---With Kurama

The wind gently caressed his face as he leaned against the railings at the rear of his ship. His eyes were focused on the distant stars as he looked straight ahead, his mind else where.

---Flashback

"Mother! Look what I found!" A young boy with fiery red hair called, running over to his mother with his hands outstretched.

Bending down slightly, the mother smiled sweetly. "What is it, Shuuichi?"

Trying to catch his breath, Shuuichi lifted his arms more so that she could see it more closely. Her smile only broadened as she looked into her small son's hands.

"It's adorable! What is it, though?"

"It's called a Mie (me-eh). They're really rare. I can't believe I found one!"

She looked somewhat as if she didn't know what she would do with him, but smiled nonetheless. "But, it looks so small and innocent… poor thing… Where did you find it?"

"I found it sleeping on a leaf! I was gathering some herbs when I spotted this little guy!" He lowered his hands to where he was looking into them himself, a broad smile on his face.

In the center of his hand sat a small orange fur ball. It was most likely the size of a marble. It had soft orange fur, large white eyes, and small cream colored feet that poked out at the bottom. (If you've ever seen the Powerpuff Girls, there's an episode of this red creature. A Mie is just like that, except they come in multiple colors. ^^) He looked up at the small boy with large, fear filled eyes, shaking from head to foot.

"Aww… Poor little guy… Shuuichi, you should let him go. He misses his home and his friends."

Shuuichi's large green eyes turned to his mother, tearing up slightly the way they usually did when he wanted something and she said no. "Can I keep him? Please?"

Standing back up straight again, his mother sighed. "What am I gunna do with you, Shuuichi Minamino? The poor thing needs a proper environment to live in."

"I know! I've already prepared a good place for it to live! I know what its favorite foods are, and everything!" He replied, full of hope as his face brightened.

She gazed down at her six year old son. "And how is it you know?"

"I read it in one of father's books! I could lend it to you, if you want."

"No, that won't be necessary, Shuuichi." She smiled down at him as she caught eye of his lip quivering, along with his large green eyes. "Oh, fine… You can keep him. Just make sure that you take care of him!" She said, having to shout the last of it as he raced off.

---End Flashback

A small smile came onto Kuramas' face as he remembered his first pet. "He grew, and grew, until mother made me let him go… He was my best friend, always there to listen to one of my problems…" He whispered into the wind, closing his eyes for just a moment.

"Kurama?"

Turning at the sound of his name being called, Kuramas' eyes widened slightly at what he saw. Leiko stood before him, wearing her new clothes that he had bought for her. Wearing a white, long sleeved, buttoned down shirt, she also had a slightly torn green vest hanging over it. Covering her legs were a pair of black pants, pulled up slightly at the bottom for being a bit too long. On her feet were a pair of almost flat bottomed boots, in which her pants were tucked into. Around her waist was a black belt with a golden buckle, showing off her figure slightly. Hanging from her waist was a silver hilted sword with jade embedded into it. Her long hair was pulled up into a low pony tail, somewhat like his, although it was looped slightly and tied as such.

She looked slightly worried as he continued to stare at her. "How do I look?"

He was speechless; absolutely speechless. Normally, he would have said things normally, as if nothing were wrong. However, in this current situation, he obviously couldn't just do something that blunt. He found himself tongue-tied, unable to say how he felt, for there were too many emotions raging inside him for him to pick one out.

"You look…beautiful…" He caught his breath, not able to help himself as he said that.

Leiko stopped her fidgeting and stared at him. "What was it you said?"

"Uh.." He went completely red once again. Turning back to facing the ocean, he said, "I said, you look good. You look like a real pirate now..."

"Oh…" She seemed somewhat let down, but pushed it aside and leaned on the railing next to him. "You know…I've been thinking…" Seeing as how Kurama was currently silent, she continued anyway. "What is a prince, such as yourself, doing way out here in the middle of the ocean? I mean, you look like a nice guy, when you're not mad. So, why choose to be a pirate?"

"Because my father was, and still is, one." He replied quietly, his gaze re-focusing as he spoke.

"Yeah, I understand that, but why? There has to be some reason. I mean, yeah, your father was a pirate. But, why did you become one? It couldn't have been just to follow in your father's footsteps, could it? It seems too unexplained that way…" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Kurama turned to look at her, his eyes searching for something within hers. She merely stared back, confused.

"My real name is Shuuichi. My mother named me, and she loved me with all her heart. But, one day, when I was 10, she fell gravely ill. She died three days later… All my life, I had spent reading most of my father's books, imagining what a life on the ocean could be like, along with learning royalty level academics. I had also been planning on sailing away with my father, so that we could travel together…"

"Wouldn't that leave your mother alone?" Leiko asked quietly, going along with the story of his life, since it was the only thing that actually made sense in this whole kidnapping situation she was in.

"Exactly. I didn't want to leave my mother alone on an island in the middle of nowhere. I stayed with her as long as I could, but, in the end, she died… Thus leaving me alone. Father was there, but he didn't even offer to take me with him. I asked, but he said no. 'You have to live life on your own, son. Remember where you came from, remember your mother and me, and remember who your friends are. They will help you, in the end. I will assist in the creation of your own ship, but the way you run it will be your own.' That was the last message that he gave me before he left."

"Didn't he build that ship for you?"

"No, a few of his men did. He had sent them to do so, then at the end of it all, sent word to them to meet him somewhere on the island at a certain time. I found out the next day that they were gone because I was completely alone on the island. He abandoned me…"

Leiko suddenly hugged him, hugging him tightly and fully. Kurama blinked, surprised by this sudden action. He stared down at her, his eyes wide with shock. She glanced up at him, and it was then that he noticed that she was trying not to cry. There were tears brimming her eyes as she stared up at him, trying her hardest not to cry.

He grew concerned suddenly. "You shouldn't shed tears. Especially for other people you barely know…" He tried to wipe her tears away, but she merely buried her face into his chest, not wanting him to see the tears spilling over.

"How?"

"How what?"

"How did you get the name 'Kurama'?" Came her muffled question, her face still buried.

Pursing his lips slightly, Kurama then looked over the railing once again, his throat drying suddenly.

"After my first few heists, people began to call me Kurama, after the legendary Youko Kurama, who is the most feared pirate of them all. They began calling me Kurama because of my cut-throat ways and such… That is how I became so popular so quickly…"

She backed away from him, drying her eyes with her left hand. Making sure that her eyes were dry, she looked up at him and into his emerald eyes.

"You've certainly earned that name… Kidnapping me, along with practically starving me to death! Not to mention any water!" Her anger was beginning to control her again, although she knew the time was not appropriate.

Kurama stared at her, his eyes flashing in the darkness. He said nothing, but merely turned towards the sea, his mind else where once again.

Taking a deep breath, Leiko managed to calm her nerves. "I'm sorry, Kurama… I guess I'm still angry at-" She was cut off by Kuramas' lips meeting hers suddenly, silencing her. Closing her eyes after the first few seconds, she managed to relax in his arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him back, not wanting to part from his soft kiss. His lips were soft and tender, not to be expected from a cold-hearted pirate who had been on the seas for the past few years, apart from frequent trips to small islands every now and then. Finally parting, Leiko could only stare at him, her face completely red. Kurama stared back, his expression blank. He suddenly turned away and disappeared. The sound of his cabin door closing signified that he had gone inside, not to come out again for a while.

Leiko could do nothing but stand there, completely stunned. Placing her left hand gently over her lips, she couldn't help but smile slightly. With that last thought in her heart, she turned and faced the ocean, enjoying the night breeze on her face.

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And that's the end of Chapter 6! I hope you liked it, and don't forget to review! ^_^