A/N: Here's the second chapter. Please note that most of my knowledge of pirating, ships, and the time period (the eighteenth century) comes from google. Also I will be borrowing from Pirates of the Caribbean, but this is NOT a crossover. There will be no Captain Jack. Sorry.
Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah, don't own, blah.
Chapter 2: Backstory
Kyoko was ecstatic. She'd done it! She still couldn't believe her luck, first in locating the captain, and second in convincing him to hire her. She felt absolutely giddy. Her plan was slowly coming together.
A fight broke out in a nearby alley, bringing Kyoko's attention back to the present. This town was not the best place to get lost in one's thoughts, so she pulled her cap lower on her forehead and sped up, making her way back to the inn.
When she had first arrived in Tortuga a month ago, she had known no one. Fortunately for her, when she began her search for Captain Tsuruga, one of the first people she'd encountered had been Rosalie Okami. Rosalie was the wife of Taisho, owner of the Daruma Inn and Tavern and an ex-pirate with a fearsome reputation.
When she realized that Kyoko was all alone in a dangerous pirate port, Rosalie immediately offered the girl sanctuary. Kyoko quickly found out exactly how lucky she was to have the protection of the couple.
Life was not kind to a female in Tortuga. Even having a protector was no guarantee of safety. Kyoko was grateful to the Daruma couple, even if Taisho was an extremely grumpy and taciturn individual.
His reputation preceded him and if someone didn't know who he was prior to his career change, his glare alone was enough to scare off most harassers. If extra incentive was necessary, his impressive and extensive knife collection always worked to great advantage.
Kyoko thought herself lucky to be counted among the few people who Taisho considered worth protecting. The old man had even taken to giving her slight smiles (if a bare turning up of the lip could be called a smile) when she helped out in the kitchen. He taught her the ins and outs of cooking for large groups of men, the best ingredients for use onboard a ship, and the easiest recipes to please pirates.
Back in England, before she'd begun her treacherous journey, Kyoko's mother had been a cook for a rich family. After Kyoko turned nine, her mother disappeared, leaving her daughter to begin training in the kitchen to take over. However the difference between cooking for upper-crust society and pirates was humongous.
The inn soon came into sight, the warm glow from lanterns spilling out the windows and doors. The Daruma Inn was one of the quieter establishments in Tortuga, catering more to the few honest merchant sailors who passed through the port. They did receive their share of rough pirates, but those managed to behave themselves for the most part.
Kyoko ducked into the side door leading to the kitchens, passing by the one barmaid employed by the Okamis. "Hello, Sarah. How's the crowd treating you?"
The pretty brunette waved absently as she picked up the orders for her customers and exited the kitchen. Apparently the tavern was busy, so Kyoko grabbed the apron hanging on a wall hook and proceeded to help with bussing tables and delivering drinks.
A couple hours later, when business slowed down, Kyoko finally managed to track down Rosalie. The matronly woman was working behind the bar polishing tankards and shot glasses for the next batch of customers.
"Kyoko dear," she said, "Did you find what you were looking for?"
Rosalie had asked this question every evening after Kyoko had revealed her reasons for coming to Tortuga. The concern in her voice always gripped Kyoko's heart. She wasn't accustomed to having a mother figure actually being worried about her. Her own mother, even before abandoning her, had been cruel and unfeeling. Afterwards the other servants hadn't had time for the child. The only one with time and inclination had been the lady of the house.
Lady Fuwa had petted and cosseted the little girl, allowing her treats and to keep her son company. Shoutaro Fuwa had been a rambunctious child and his mother thought that the companionship might settle him down. Instead, his wild nature grew until he eventually ran away to join the Royal Navy at age 15, dragging Kyoko with him.
Kyoko, naïve girl that she was at the time, had followed blindly, disguising herself as a boy and sneaking aboard the ship that he was eventually assigned. She served as a galley servant and had nearly killed herself helping Shoutaro claw his way to the top. Finally, after two years of little sleep and numerous nights of aiding his training, he was promoted to first lieutenant. Kyoko had glowed with pride at the vicarious thrill of his promotion.
Then a few days after the promotion ceremony, they docked in Port Royal to resupply. Kyoko, who had been sent by the ship's cook to gather some supplies, wandered past a tavern and heard Shoutaro's voice from inside. Stopping just outside the door, she'd heard him bragging to one of the barmaids about how he'd singlehandedly managed to rise in the ranks.
Kyoko once again saw red as she thought back on all the instances that Sho would have been made to look like a fool if it hadn't been for her. She had spent all of her time focused on helping the no-good rake and here he was claiming it was all his own effort!
She had stormed in and flung the sack of flour she gotten for the ship's cook all over the ingrate and the doxy he had sitting on his lap. She'd then proceeded to tell him in no uncertain terms that his days of leisure were over. She had enjoyed the look of surprise on his face for about ten seconds before the tavern owner had her escorted out.
The last sight she had of Shotarou was of him wiping flour from his face and sneering at her. "Well, good luck getting back to London, Kyoko. There's no way anyone will help out a worthless kid like you."
She'd sniffed scornfully at the boy and merely said, "We'll see about that." She then turned on her heel and stomped out, intent on finding passage back.
It was only later that she'd realized how right he had been. No respectable ship would hire a random boy, much less a girl, without at least one good reference and since she had abandoned her last post, she didn't have one.
Eventually she managed to make her way to Tortuga, where she heard stories about the infamous Captain Tsuruga. Of course there were stories of all the raids and plundering he had done in his short career as a pirate, but those weren't the tales that interested Kyoko. No, the ones she listened to most were where the feared Captain Tsuruga spared a live.
For it seemed that, despite his bloodthirsty reputation, Captain Tsuruga was an honorable man. He refused to kill women and children and would even spare those he found worthy. It was for this reason Kyoko had searched him out to aid in her newly discovered need for revenge.
While Kyoko had been making her way to Tortuga, she'd had alot of time to think. And the conclusion she reached was 'Why should Shotarou have all the glory?' After all it was in thanks to her efforts that he rose so quickly in the Navy. True, she only knew the theory behind sailing with no practical experience, but surely enthusiasm would count for something. And in all honesty, pirates had always fascinated her.
When she'd been younger, Kyoko had devoured any and all books on pirates she could get her little hands on. She had loved the idea of freedom and adventure on the high seas and she had especially loved the tales of women pirates. Pirating seemed like an occupation that appreciated individuality as opposed to the Royal Navy which stressed uniformity. It also helped, now, that Shotarou detested the lawlessness of pirating.
Therefore, becoming a pirate was a natural first step for her revenge. The only remaining question had been how to join Captain Tsuruga's crew.
Well, tonight she'd gotten her answer.
"Kyoko, dear?" Rosalie placed a hand on the daydreaming girl's shoulder, startling her.
Kyoko shook herself from her trance and turned towards the matronly innkeeper. "I'm sorry, Rosalie. What did you say?"
The woman chuckled lightly, "I asked if you had found what you were looking for."
"Ah, yes. Yes, I did," the girl exclaimed. "I'm sorry though. I must leave tonight."
Rosalie blinked in confusion and concern. "Tonight?"
"Yes. My ship leaves at first light," Kyoko explained. She then embraced the older woman. "Thank you, Rosalie. I don't know what I would have done without you and Taisho." She pulled back and wiped away the tears that had fallen.
"Well," she said, clearing her throat. "I'd best go pack."
Kyoko turned and ascended the narrow stairs that led to the tiny attic room she shared with Sarah. There she gathered the few precious belongings she had and stuffed them into a burlap sack. It wasn't much. A couple of shirts, a spare pair of pants, and some undergarments were the bulk of her belongings. She'd had to sell most of her things in order to buy passage to Tortuga. In fact the only thing she had left from her home in London was a small blue stone that she'd received as a child. This she kept in a small pouch around her neck so she wouldn't lose it.
She took the stone out and caressed its smooth surface. 'Ah, Corn,' she thought dreamily. 'If only you could see me now.' Replacing the stone, she glanced around the room and realized that this was probably the last time she would see this place. This thought caused her to tear up once again. Finally, she shook her head, squared her shoulder, and went back downstairs.
At the bottom of the stairs she was greeted by her three friends. Sarah wrapped the girl in a tight embrace as Rosalie dabbed at her eyes with her apron. Once Sarah released her, Kyoko turned to the final figure.
The stoic Taisho showed no expression, but in his arms he held a long bundle. He shoved the bundle at Kyoko with a stern gaze. "You be sure to remember what I taught you, you hear," he growled.
Kyoko blinked a couple of times before glancing down at the package. She peeled back the wrapping to reveal two scabbards, a sword and a dagger, along with a belt to hang them from. The sword was a fine French rapier with an intricate guard of gold and silver filigree while the matching dagger was as long as her forearm. The scabbards and belt were beautifully tooled dark leather, covered in vines and leaves. The weapons and their accessories had been Taisho's pride and joy from his pirating days.
The astonished girl looked up at the former pirate, choked with emotion. "I can't take these," she managed after a moment.
"You can and you will," Taisho grunted. "You'll have plenty of use for them if you're joining a pirate crew."
"But I'm just going to be their cook," she stuttered.
Taisho shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Everyone fights on a pirate ship. And," he added with a slight upturn of his lips, "an artist needs proper tools."
She blinked at him in confusion. "But I've only been studying for a couple of weeks. I can barely block a strike."
The ex-pirate placed a work-worn hand on the girl's shoulder. "You're a natural. You've got the makings of a great sword fighter in you. Just keep practicing and believe in yourself."
Kyoko blushed at the compliment. "Alright, I'll take them. But only on one condition." She unwrapped the package and fastened the belt around her hips, tightening the leather to a comfortable fit and arranging the sword and dagger to her liking.
"Oh, and what's that?" The old pirate growled.
"This." Kyoko threw her arms around Taisho's neck, knowing that left to his own devices, he would never have initiated such an embrace on his own. "Thank you for everything, sir, " she whispered.
The gruff man folded his arms around the girl he'd come to view as a daughter. After a few moments, he pushed her back and surreptitiously wiped at his eyes. 'Surely those aren't tears,' Kyoko thought.
The girl dried her eyes as well, then turned to face all of her friends. "Well," she said, hitching her pack onto her shoulder. "I'd best be off. Thanks again for...everything." And with one last wave, Kyoko walked out the door and into her future.
O.o.O
Ren sat in the captain's quarters of the L.M.E., watching as Lory fussed around in a chest. He was nursing another measure of rum, this time far superior to anything the Red Rose served.
'At least Lory knows good liquor,' Ren thought, considering his friend's opulent and lavish living quarters. He couldn't see how anyone could live in what amounted to a treasure box. Lush carpets, gilded plush furniture, and gold gleaming from every fixture. There was even a chandelier. A chandelier. On a pirate ship. Ren wasn't sure how Lory maintained such rich decorations in the company of professional thieves.
"Aha, found it." Lory emerged from the chest triumphantly clutching a scroll of parchment. He crossed to the map covered desk and unrolled his find.
Standing, Ren joined him in leaning over what turned out to be a... "What is this?" he asked, when his mind couldn't quite comprehend what he was looking at.
"This," Lory stated, grinning like a fool, "is a scroll."
A long pause.
Ren sighed. "A scroll about what exactly?"
The Pirate King continued to grin as he poured himself a drink. "That's what I wanted to speak to you about," he said, settling into the large gilded throne set behind the desk. "This scroll depicts the location of the Heart of Gold."
"I'm sorry." Ren blinked. "The heart of what?"
"Gold." Lory took a swig of rum. "Surely you've heard something in your travels?" He frowned when Ren shook his head. "Well, they say that long ago, there was a young woman who loved a man. But unfortnately , this man was unfaithful and broke the young woman's pure heart. So she went to the sea goddess, Calypso, and asked her to remove her heart so she didn't have to feel that pain any more. The goddess took pity on the woman and did as she asked, placing the heart in a chest and hiding it away.
"Calypso also placed an enchantment on the heart, so that only a purehearted person could remove it from its resting place. If anyone with ill intentions attempts to steal the heart, they will be cursed for all eternity." Lory paused to finish his rum. "It is also said that the heart can grant a man his heart's true desire. That is, if he can avoid being cursed," he finished ominously.
Ren stared at his friend for a long moment trying to judge whether or not he was being serious. There was no way that the Pirate King could possible believe...
Then again the legend was full of love and tragedy, just what Lory thrived on.
He scoffed, "I don't believe it. A treasure that can lead to a man's true desire? As long as you avoid a curse? Might as well ask me to believe in fairies and trolls."
Lory sat up straight. "Trolls exist. They steal your socks." He stabbed his finger at the scroll. "This scroll reveals the location of the Heart of Gold. If you follow it, it will lead to the greatest treasure of all time. I guarantee it." He grabbed the scroll, rolled it back up, and handed it to Ren.
"Wait, me?" Ren asked incredulously. "Why me? Why not you?"
The Pirate King smirked, "Why, because I already have everything I desire. You, on the other hand," he poked Ren hard in the chest. "You don't even know what you desire."
He rubbed his chest where the older man had poked, a frown creasing his face. 'What does that even mean?' He wondered silently as Lory began cleaning the mess he had made earlier.
Lory suddenly snapped his fingers. "Ah, before I forget." He began rummaging once more, before quickly unearthing a small box and passing it to him. "Here, you'll need this."
Ren opened the box to reveal a compass, except that the arrow that normally pointed north was spinning wildly. "A broken compass?" He asked, once again wondering at his friend's eccentricity.
The Pirate King began ushering him out of the cabin. "No, not entirely. It's a handy little item I picked up in the bayou. It'll help you find where you need to go. Now, be off with you."
"Wait." Ren put his hands on the doorway, stopping his friend from kicking him out entirely. "What makes you think I'll do this?"
Lory blinked at the younger man. "Why wouldn't you? You're a pirate aren't you?" At Ren's nod, he continued, "Well, here's a treasure. Go find it." And right before he slammed the door in Ren's face, he added, "Oh, and keep an eye on that new cook of yours. I think sh- I mean he's going to need your help."
Then he shut the door on a very confused captain.
O.o.O
After being so unceremoniously dismissed from Lory's presence, Ren began winding his way through Tortuga. The port was a relatively safe haven for the unsavory characters that frequented the Caribbean. It also catered to those that wished to avoid the onerous taxations that the British Empire liked to levy on any and all tradable goods.
Tortuga was also home to many misfits who didn't fit into either of those categories. Ren considered himself one of those misfits. As he was making his way back to his ship, he contemplated some of the strange events that had led him to this moment.
As the son of a famous naval officer, Ren had had a somewhat confining childhood. His father had always been away at sea and his mother had been a social creature, always attending parties and gatherings. Whenever he'd been forced to join these outings, he'd been regaled with tales of his father's daring sea battles and accounts of heroism.
The image of his father had grown so large and unrealistic in Ren's mind that he began to feel extreme anxiety anytime he thought of his own future. How could he equal, much less surpass, such a great man? It was such a dilemma that Ren took to running away any chance he got. He would disappear and visit the parks of London, feeling a sense of freedom in the small pockets of wilderness.
There was one such instance that stood above the rest. One afternoon, when Ren was about 11, he had escaped to Hyde Park. While he was exploring the less populated areas, he happened upon a young girl of about 7 or 8 with long black hair. She'd been dressed like a high-end servant, all starched white and black. Although what he remembered most had been her eyes; a beautiful hazel, bright and clear, an almost gold color.
He'd watched her as she played in the dirt, pretending to cook it'd looked like. When he stepped forward to get a better look, he'd accidentally stepped on twig, startling the poor girl. She'd turned and he'd found himself lost in her wide and surprised golden eyes. He had never seen such eyes, before or since.
When she'd asked him if he was a fairy, he'd been shocked to say the least. He knew that he shared the same golden hair and dark green eyes as his mother and the handsome features of his father, but he had never been mistaken for otherworldly before. Figuring that it would harm none, he'd played along with her fantasy. The grin that she'd graced him with was brilliant and beautiful. They then spent the next few hours playing and chatting. He found out all sorts of tidbits about this enchanting girl, while she simply made up fairy stories about him. She'd called him 'Corn', a misunderstanding of his real name.
This didn't upset him in the slightest. It was a relief to the young Ren to meet someone who knew nothing about his connection to Kuu Hizuri. It was refreshing and, for the next few weeks, this was his refuge.
Then his father's retirement had come and with it, the appointment in the Caribbean. Ren had to say good-bye. It was hard explaining to his young friend that he wouldn't be coming back. The easiest way was to maintain the fairy illusion. Saying he had to return to the fairy kingdom both excited and saddened the girl, so Ren had given her a relatively large uncut sapphire that his father had brought back from one of his adventures. It was the one of his many possessions that he actually treasured. He hoped that it would help her someday, even if she had to sell it. The parting had been bittersweet and even to this day, Ren found himself wondering what had become of that carefree young girl.
The sea crossing had been a revelation to the young boy. He finally understood what had drawn his father to the Navy. The beauty and wildness of the open ocean was awe-inspiring. Then they had been attacked by pirates. Instead of being frightened, Ren had found himself fascinated by the ragtag band of mercenaries, including their eccentric captain. He was never really sure how it came about, but one moment he and his mother were being held hostage at sword point and the next Kuu and the pirate captain were laughing and slapping each other's backs, trading stories. Every time he tried to ask Lory what had happened, the Pirate King changed the story, each time more ridiculous than the last.
They finally arrived at their new home of Bridgetown, Saint Michael on the island of Barbados. Everything about this new place was exotic; from the food to the people. Ren had believed that he had come to Paradise. Then he realized that, although he had changed location, his fate was sealed.
At age 15, he had still been struggling under the reputation of his father. Only it was worse than it had been when he was younger. No matter how hard he tried, all of his attempts to find his own place in the world were met with condescension and nepotism. No one wanted to see what he, Ren, could do on his own. He began lashing out, fighting with whoever would oblige him, drinking, and womanizing.
Eventually, everything came to a head. He picked a fight with the wrong man and his only friend was killed in the ensuing chaos. Ren sank into a deep depression. A few weeks afterwards, Lory had approached him in the tavern he'd been drowning his sorrows in and offered him a chance to escape. Join a pirate crew under an alias and disguise and make a name for himself. Needless to say, Ren had leapt at the opportunity.
Thus, Ren Tsuruga, Scourge of the Navies, was born. It was almost too easy.
During his reminiscing, Ren had only been barely paying attention to where he was going. A bad habit in Tortuga, but he was confident in his reputation keeping away even the most dimwitted of ruffians. So it came as a great surprise when he collided with a young boy, knocking the kid down.
"Great, not again," came a mutter from the body on the ground. "Hey, why don't you watch where you're... Ah, captain!"
Ren glanced down at the boy he'd run into, finally recognizing his new cook. The boy was so scrawny it wasn't hard to imagine a stiff breeze toppling him, much less the solidly built captain. "Mr. Mogami, wasn't it?" He asked, offering a hand to aid the boy upright.
"Aye, sir," the boy responded in his piping tenor. He apparently had missed the proffered assistance, as he stood on his own and began dusting himself off. "I was just heading down to the ship."
The captain retracted his arm and nodded his understanding. "I, as well, young Mogami." He watched as Mogami hefted his sack over his shoulder then resettled the weapons he wore at his hips. The pieces were of a much higher quality than any 14 year old could account for honestly. Ren narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Where did you get such fine pieces of steel, may I ask?"
The boy actually blushed. "They belonged to my... Father, sir."
"May I see?" He asked, once again extending his hand. Mogami shrugged and withdrew the dagger, passing it over hilt first.
It was a remarkable piece of workmanship, a stiletto design known for being slender and light. The silver and gold filigree was in the pattern of climbing vines and roses, covering the dagger's guard and extending up the blade. Ren tested the sharpness of the blade on the pad of his thumb, drawing a small bead of blood.
"A beautiful weapon," he commented as he returned the dagger. "Well taken care of. You said it was your father's?"
"Aye, sir," the boy nodded, sliding the dagger home in its scabbard. "I don't suppose you've heard of Taisho?"
Ren raised a brow in surprise. He had heard of the former pirate from Lory. If the stories were to be believed, he had been the best swordsman in the entire Caribbean before he retired to enjoy his remaining years. "Your father is Taisho? As in Steel Taisho?"
The lad clapped his hands in glee, "You know him!"
"By reputation only," The captain tempered. "But I hadn't heard that he had a son."
"Oh, he doesn't." When Ren raised another brow at this, Mogami quickly raised his hands in defense. "What I mean is that I consider him a father figure. I'm an orphan and I only met Taisho a month ago." The boy lowered his head and Ren sensed that there was more to his story than he was letting on. "Taisho and his wife were kind enough to take me in and he began teaching me swordplay. This was his parting gift to me."
'Ah, that makes sense,' thought Ren as he watched the nervous boy. 'Lory did always say that Steel Taisho had the softest heart covered by the hardest exterior.' He clapped a hand on Mogami's slender shoulder and offered a genuine smile to the boy. "Well, Mr. Mogami, we'd best get to the ship and get you settled."
He began to steer his new cook towards the appropriate dock when another question occurred to him. "By the way, what's your christian name?"
"Kyok- ah I mean Kyo, sir," the boy stammered.
"Alright then, Kyo Mogami. Life on the open sea awaits." And with that pronouncement, Captain Ren Tsuruga lead the way to his pride and joy, the Dark Moon.