Morg: Heyo! Are you as surprised as I am that I'm updating this story so soon?

Ikuto: Actually, yes.

Amu: You really don't need to.

Morg: Would you rather I update one of my other stories?

Ikuto: I think you can do both.

Amu: I don't think you need to update any of them.

Morg: Well, this whole thing about me not being able to tell you what to do works both ways.

Ikuto: Hell yeah it does. Write it up!

Amu: Great. Just great.

~The Eighth Sea~

Ikuto stared at Kairi as the doctor mulled over what Ikuto told him. They were far enough away from the rest of the crew on the beach that he didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing them, but close enough that if something happened they would know quickly enough to do something about it. "Well?"

Kairi ran a hand through his hair before looking out at the ocean's dark waters. "That plan has merit. There are definitely some details that we'll have to work out with Utau and Kukai."

"Of course."

Kairi sighed as he took in as much of Ikuto's face as he could see in the twilight. "A decoy will only work if we're able to truly convince Tadase and Kiseki that you and Amu are on the ship. The fact that you want us to use The Lynx while you take a different ship helps. And Ran can double for Amu. Tadase already fell for that once. The problem will be finding someone who can double for you."

Ikuto paced a few steps away before moving back to Kairi's side. "We can put a wig on Kukai if it comes down to it."

"I don't think that would work. He's not as tall as you."

Crossing his arms, Ikuto turned until he could lean his hip against one of their rowboats. He faced the giant bonfire burning brightly on the beach. "We'll have to think of something. This is the best plan that we've got."

"It's more of a thought that a plan."

"Yes, but Kukai and Utau will have some input. Along with other members of the crew once I start explaining what I think we have to do."

"Between all of us, we should be able to come up with some great ideas. How did you come up with this?"

Ikuto nodded as he watched the flames. He could make out the members of his crew sitting around the fire. "Amu said she'd build me a small sailing ship if it meant that I could find the last piece of the map and reach the Eighth Sea to rescue my father. It clicked in my brain that a great way to prevent Tadase and Kiseki from getting there and a good way to keep those of you who don't want to be anywhere near it far away is to make it seem like we are not actually at the entrance."

"Like I said," Kairi said as he stepped back from Ikuto to turn back to the bonfire. "This idea has merit. Dia will be the best person to let you know if it might actually work."

Ikuto nodded and let his crew member walk away. He turned his back on the fire to stare out over the cove at his ship. So much could go wrong with attempting to open the portal that he really didn't want anyone who didn't want to be involved anywhere near it. This gave them the opportunity to split the crew without it seeming like he was abandoning them.

Kairi was right, though. It was more of an idea still rather than an actual plan. He needed to talk to his sister and find out what she thought about it before he brought it up to the rest of the crew. Kairi was also right in that he would need to talk to Dia, probably in private, before he brought it up to the rest of the crew. He didn't want to put her on the spot again. Her visions took enough out of her that she didn't need to have them in public as well.

"Did your chat with Kairi go well?"

Ikuto didn't bother to glance back over his shoulder at Yoru. "Yes and no. He approves of my idea but made sure that I knew that I didn't have a whole plan."

"Ah yes," Yoru said with a grin. "The doc is always a voice of reason."

"Considering I didn't let him know about my plan with the sirens, I figure I should probably make sure he knows about this one."

Yoru stepped up next to Ikuto and moved closer to his captain's side until he could worm his way under one of his arms. "Do I get to know what this idea is?"

Ikuto sighed as he pulled the younger male to his side in a real hug. "I know that life with me is always a little bit dangerous, Yoru, but things are about to get more dangerous and I need you to know that I will always protect you the best I can."

Leaning into the hug, Yoru grinned even though he knew Ikuto couldn't see it. "You've taken good care of me since you found me, Ikuto. I don't think that's about to change."

"We all have some major decisions to make in the next few days. I'll tell you more about it after I can talk to Utau and Kukai, but like with everything else, I will listen to your reasons for why you want to do what you want to do. And then I will make the final decision about whether or not you can do it."

Yoru giggled at that as he stayed at Ikuto's side. He never once doubted his captain's ability to take care of him. "I'll listen to you like I always do."

Ikuto knew exactly what the younger male meant, but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to get a better promise than the one he already had.

XXX

Amu swiped her hair back out of her face as she worked in the hot sun to repair the holes in the side of the ship. She was glad to have the support of the other girls. Their skills, while not as good as hers when she first joined them, were nothing to scoff at. They'd all learned a lot from each other over their time together.

"Just a little lower please!"

The plank that Amu was sitting on was lowered another few inches toward the top of the water. She steadied herself by hanging onto the rope before continuing with her task of sealing the board they'd just replaced.

As much as she would have liked to have dived from the mast and gone soaring through the air, it would have been counterproductive. That and she knew she didn't need to show off to do the repairs she was doing.

Sometimes the best way to do things was also the easiest.

They had two teams going. Amu was to repair the holes and seal the boards on her side of the ship while Miki did the other. Once the hull was fixed, they could work on some of the damages that they'd found inside the hold and up on deck.

A ship that was at risk of sinking, even if the risk was small, was dangerous. Amu was not about to let them sail back out onto the open ocean when there was something she could do to minimize the risk.

"Almost done, Amu?"

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Amu finished sealing the new board. "Yeah, I'm ready to move along to the next spot!"

Nadeshiko waved over the side of the ship before talking with Nagihiko to begin shifting Amu along the side of the ship. They'd found that it was just easier to slide her along the side of the ship rather than bringing her up and lowering her back down at the next spot.

Amu braced herself and her gear before making a hand signal to show that she was ready.

Slowly and surely, they moved her along the side of the ship to where the next hole had been She'd already repaired it from the inside. All that was left was to seal it on the outside.

"Only one more after this one, Amu! Then we'll pull you back up!"

Amu waved to show that she'd heard before dipping her brush back into her bucket of sealant. She'd be done in plenty of time to clean up before they had the meeting that Ikuto had called for that night. She was eager to hear what she'd said that had given Ikuto such a good idea.

XXX

Ikuto paced through his cabin as he waited for Utau and Kukai to say something. "Well?"

"I think Kairi was right in saying that it's more of an idea than a plan," Kukai said slowly.

Ikuto scoffed before he turned to his sister. "I want to know what you think."

"We'll never be able to get someone to impersonate you. That part won't work, but I think the rest of it could."

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah," Kukai said as he turned to Utau. "What do you mean?"

Utau huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Rumors spread quickly over the ports when the right people get a hold of information. Let's say that I'm seen with a girl with pink hair and we're searching for specific ingredients. Let's say we're even seen with our ship doctor entering certain shops while looking worried. What do you think people will say about that?"

"That someone is sick."

Utau nodded at Kukai. "And if no one has seen Ikuto at any of the ports…"

Ikuto smacked the side of his hand into his other palm. "They'll think I'm sick and that you're trying to find a cure for me."

"So we won't need to replace you," Utau said with a shrug. "We just need to make it look like you're out of commission. Like you can't get out of bed."

Ikuto continued his pacing while running his hand through his hair again. "You'll have to keep most of the crew with you. It'll be too noticeable if suddenly you're missing half our usual people."

"That doesn't mean it'll just be you and Amu," Kukai cut in. "We have enough people with us that we can still send a few extra people with you to help. You still have to sail."

Utau nodded at that before sighing again. "And we have to figure out how we're going to get a second ship without that information spreading. Because that will lead to more rumors that would hurt the story we're trying to make everyone believe about Ikuto being sick."

Ikuto turned once he reached the far wall to make his way back across his cabin. "What if Kukai and I have a falling out?"

"What? Why?"

Ikuto shrugged at his first mate. "It could be for any reason. Maybe you asked to marry my sister and I said over my dead body."

"Maybe I'd take that as a challenge rather than a refusal."

Utau groaned as her brother and her boyfriend got more and more excited. "What are you talking about?"

"I'd only need to spend the evening in one tavern looking forlorn. I'd only have to tell the story once or twice. I asked my captain for his blessing to marry his sister and he said no."

"But not just no," Ikuto added. "I insulted you."

"So I challenged you to a duel!"

"Do I get any say in this plan?" Utau asked dryly.

She was ignored.

"And you injured me but I didn't die."

"And Utau was so pissed that I hurt her brother that she refused to marry me and so I had to leave the crew and the ship!" Kukai nodded frantically.

Ikuto nodded his head as he thought it over. "You'd have to get your own ship. There's no way that you'd want to stay in a port. You love the ocean."

"And obviously some of the crew would follow me since I'm an awesome first mate."

Ikuto turned to his sister. "All I'd have to do is smuggle myself onto Kukai's ship without anyone knowing. We could easily do that out in the middle of the ocean. We'll have to decide who is going where to make the departure of part of the crew public in one of the ports."

Utau sighed again before rubbing the bridge of her nose. "This is all very dramatic."

"It'll get exaggerated every time it is told. I'm sure it's just the right amount of drama to have people talking about it," Kukai said with a nod. "We need people to talk about it. We need the story to spread."

Ikuto stopped at one of his portholes and looked out over the cove they were anchored in. "Kiseki will think this is his chance. He'll come after The Lynx because he'll think I'm injured and won't be able to escape like I usually do. He'll chase you down, Utau. You have to be prepared for that."

Utau shook her head before looking at the two men suddenly both staring at her. "I can take care of myself. I don't need either one of you here to make sure that I'm fine. I know this ship and I know this crew. Whoever stays with me will listen to my orders. We're family. We'll be fine."

Kukai grinned as he stepped up to Utau's side and took one of her hands in his. "When this is all over, I really do want to marry you."

Ikuto groaned and was promptly ignored by his sister and his first mate.

Utau rolled her eyes before pulling her hand out of Kukai's grip. "Who says I want to marry you?"

Grinning still, Kukai turned back to Ikuto. "I think it's time to talk to Dia. I'm sure she already knows a bit of what's going on but you should make it official."

Ikuto nodded once before heading for the door of his cabin. He paused just before he walked out to look back. "If you did ask me, Kukai, I wouldn't give you an answer. I know better than to agree or disagree to a choice that has always been Utau's to make."

Kukai's smile widened as he turned to Utau. "What do you think, babe? Want to make me the happiest man on the seven seas?"

Shaking her head again, Utau cupped one of Kukai's cheeks with her hand. "Baby, I already do. Marriage won't change that."

Kukai's smile didn't dim as he watched Utau stride out of Ikuto's cabin. He knew exactly how lucky he was.

.

Morg: So we've got a plan.

Ikuto: It is an interesting plan.

Amu: Meh.