Morg: Heyo! I'm sure none of you mind quick updates.

Ikuto: No, but what's the reason for them?

Amu: Nothing ever comes easily with either of you.

Morg: I just want to write pirate fics right now.

Ikuto: Uh-huh. Sure.

Amu: Likely excuse.

Morg: Wow, so disbelieving even if I am telling the truth.

Ikuto: We know the truth.

Amu: And it's that you don't own us.

Morg: Fair enough.

~The Eighth Sea~

"So that's your plan!?"

If it had been anyone besides Kukai that had spoken out, Ikuto wouldn't have been happy. However, his first mate was allowed to question him every now and then. This just wasn't exactly one of those times. "We all know the legends. Sirens can be deadly, but that's only if you hear their song."

Kukai narrowed his eyes as he stared right back at the captain. "Right, but having the rest of us plug our ears with wax while you get tied to the mainmast isn't the plan that seems likely to end well!"

Sighing, Ikuto crossed his arms over his chest before looking at his crew. Some of them definitely looked apprehensive. He couldn't blame them for that. Still, they needed to trust him if they were all going to get through this alive. Besides, he was their captain. "I have complete faith in all of you. If I could see another way through this then I'd take that option. We can't all have our ears plugged in case something goes wrong. We also can't all fall victim to their song and forget what we're doing."

Stepping forward to place a hand on Kukai's back before he could answer, Utau looked over at her brother. "But it doesn't make sense if it's only you that doesn't plug their ears. The rest of us won't be able to hear you if you have to tell us something."

Ikuto knew that this bit of the explaining the plan part wasn't going to go all that smoothly. Still, he'd already made up his mind. "I will not risk any of the rest of you. To be fair, I'm not risking myself either. I'll be tied to the mainmast and won't be able to move even if they try to lure me. I'll be in no danger."

The crew still didn't look convinced. Amu knew that they were worried for their captain. "Being that I'm not a part of this crew, I think it would be fair if I also didn't plug my ears."

Miki and Rima instantly straightened their backs before turning to the pinkette.

Su was quick to place her hand on Amu's shoulder, "No, dear. We couldn't let any harm come to you."

Grinning at the other members of the crew that were her friends, Amu gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Sirens lure male sailors to their deaths. I'm not a male so I should be all right."

"Then none of us girls should have to plug our ears!"

Amu grimaced before smiling again. "Let me rephrase that. I'm a girl that isn't at all interested in other girls in a sexual way."

That definitely made a few of the female members of the crew shift in their spots.

Ikuto cleared his throat before speaking. "I'd rather keep our personal lives personal even if that's difficult on this ship. If all of you plug your ears then you can do that. Besides, I'd rather not have some buried or repressed desires make themselves known to sirens. You will all have wax in your ears before we come within two leagues of that cove. I will also be tied up before then. We'll be using our hand signals to communicate. Any other questions?"

Yoru stepped forward into the circle of his crew. He loved all of them dearly since they were his family now. "Who is going after the seventh piece of the map?"

Frowning at the younger boy, not because he was angry with the question but because he didn't quite know how to answer it, Ikuto thought over his answer. "We aren't certain where it is. The riddle seems to hint that it's on a wrecked ship. We'll have to search them all. I won't be going. It is up to the rest of you."

"So," Kukai stated slowly. "We'll be in that cove until we can find the map piece and get back out."

It wasn't a question but Ikuto nodded his head. "I'll be counting on all of you."

Amu didn't like this. Ikuto would be exposed to the siren's song for as long as it took them to find the map. She definitely wasn't going to be plugging her ears even if the others wanted her to. Someone had to look after their foolish captain.

Speaking up again, Utau nodded to the horizon. "There's the island. I suggest we all start getting ready."

There were some members of his crew that Ikuto would rather have down in the hull or in the sleeping quarters for their trip into the cove. He wanted them somewhere where they could be safe, but he knew that they all had to be topside to help. "We've already got the other six pieces. The seventh will not stop us now!"

The crew cheered, though it was lacking some of its usual merriness. They wouldn't let their captain down.

XXX

The cove was eerie. Though Amu didn't know if that was because of the trepidation in her heart or because there was some sort of haze in the air that made it so. They were ready. As ready as any of them could be, at least. Ikuto was tied in place and every member of the crew had wax in their ears.

Their progress was slow. Mostly because everyone had to stop and turn to Kukai to see him sign his orders before they could carry them out. Amu quietly removed the wax from her ears that Su had placed there for her. The others didn't want her in harm's way, but Amu knew that she wouldn't be. She wasn't pining for a lover. Amu wouldn't fall to their curse.

Moving toward the mainmast, Amu stopped when she stood by Ikuto's side. The captain was relaxed as he stood with his back to the mast and a length of rope keeping him there. "Captain, this is a terrible plan."

Looking over at the girl, Ikuto couldn't help but smirk. "I've had worse."

Turning, Amu gave the male an unimpressed look. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

Narrowing his gaze, Ikuto frowned back at the pinkette. "Where is your wax, Amu?"

Shrugging, Amu turned back to the cove. They were almost inside of it now. The shapes of wrecked ships could be seen through the mists. Definitely wasn't a place she wanted to go. "I don't need it."

Ikuto didn't bother to argue. There would be time enough later for him to be angry that she was disobeying a direct order. Then again, she wasn't an official member of the crew and didn't have to follow his orders. "If it turns out that your soul is unworthy then no one will be able to help you."

Laughing at that, Amu moved away from the male still tied up. She was someone that knew how to fix ships. She wasn't someone that knew how to sail them. So, for the most part, she just stayed out of the crew's way.

The mists of the cove only seemed to get thicker as the ship moved into it. None of the crewmembers showed how much it scared them to be where they were. They had a job to do and they would see it done quickly so that they could get out of there.

Kukai signaled for the sails to be caught and for the anchor to be dropped. They weren't going in further than they had to. The crew moved to the boats and dropped them over the edge before climbing down into them. They'd explore the wrecks and return to the ship.

Ikuto watched them go. Amu was the only one that heard him call out. "Be safe, my family."

Moving aboard one of the ships, Amu glanced back at the captain. He was calm as ever where he was tied. Still, the pinkette couldn't help but think that something was going to happen that day. Something beyond the expected.

Ikuto stayed where he was. Mostly because he was tied up but also because there was nowhere else that he wanted to be. His crew was already well on their way to finding the map piece. They'd get it and get out without a problem. The captain was sure of that. What he wasn't sure about was why there were no sirens.

A low buzzing sound came from further in the cove. Ikuto strained to hear what it was. Then it dawned on him. It was singing. It was singing from far away. The sirens were trying to tempt his crew as they moved into the cove. They would all be fine with the wax in their ears. They probably couldn't even hear the song.

The buzzing grew louder. Ikuto started picking out voices and a tune. The song was rather pretty, though the captain figured he should probably not think of it that way. He knew the sirens were getting closer to the ship. Soon they would be on it and trying to tempt him like they were the others.

Ikuto couldn't help but worry for a moment about Amu. Then a siren moved over the railing and he was distracted from his thoughts.

XXX

The songs started not long after they'd taken to the water. There were quite a few boats that they were going to have to search, but Amu wasn't so worried about that. Only a couple members of the crew had stayed behind. The rest of them would quickly move about the wrecks and hopefully find the piece of the map.

The first siren she saw had Amu pausing. The creatures seemed to be made of water and seafoam. They were shimmery beings of blues and greens. Their hair moved wildly about their faces as if it was still caught beneath the water and moving with the currents. They were beautiful and stunning. Amu had no doubt left in her mind why sailors would be quick to follow them.

Scanning the others in her boat and the ones nearby, Amu was satisfied to see that while the other members of the crew could also see the sirens, they didn't seem to be tempted into getting closer to any of them.

In fact, several of the girls in her boat actually looked frightened of them. Amu knew that they had reason to be. Sirens were deadly. All the stories spoke about them luring sailors to their deaths by their songs, but no one ever talked about what happened if those sailors resisted.

So far the sirens were still just singing. Amu liked their tune. It was sweet and captivating. The promises that were woven into it made her smile a bit. However, it wasn't tempting. Amu had been right to assume that whatever the sirens would sing, she would not go to them. She would not let them drag her beneath the waves and steal her life from her.

One moved closer to their boat. Amu listened as the song changed. There was no way that she could have possibly known, but Amu did. She knew that the song switched from the promise of a lover to the longing of a family. They were promising to take her back to her family if she went with them.

For a second, Amu hesitated. Her family was the only thing she longed for. Having been forced to leave them all behind, Amu thought about them every day. She couldn't help but pray that they'd made it safely away and that Tadase was no longer torturing them. She wanted to go to them and see them again, but Amu wasn't a fool. They were weeks away from her old home. Magic or no magic, she would not be able to see them if she went with the sirens.

Looking back at the beautiful creature, Amu shook her head. "I will not be tempted by you."

The creature stared at her for a moment more before it frowned. All its beauty vanished.

XXX

Ikuto tugged against his bindings. Not because he wanted to go to the sirens, but because he was trying to get away from one. The creature was singing sweet songs to him, but Ikuto ignored them. This thing before him would never compare. They could sing and tempt all they wanted, Ikuto had nothing to fear.

A slimy finger ran down his cheek and his neck. Ikuto turned away as the siren continued to sing to him. She was promising love and devotion. She was promising him everything if he'd come with her.

Smirking, Ikuto turned his head back to look right back at the siren. "Sorry, honey, but my heart has already been given away and you are no match for her."

Rage. Pure and simple rage crossed the creature's features before she struck.

.

Morg: Probably shouldn't have done that.

Ikuto: But where is the lie?

Amu: This was sort of interesting.

Morg: I'm glad you think so.

Ikuto: I'd never be tempted by anyone other than my Amu.

Amu: But it doesn't even say if I'm the one you gave your heart to.

Morg: Seriously?

Ikuto: Don't worry, my heart is all yours, Amu-koi.

Amu: I think that siren hit you harder than we thought.

Morg: Ridiculous.