Kaizoku... ? (Miyata/Tamamori)
Title: Kaizoku... ? (Pirates... ?)
Characters/pairings: Miyata/Tamamori, Kitayama (Tackey and Tsubasa and others from kis-my-ft2 and ABC-Z are there too)
Rating/Genre: PG/ Steampunk pirates AU
Summary: Navy man Miyata is held prisoner on the Shooting Star by the kis-my-pirates. He ends up visiting Tortuga with them and finds something worth the risk of sailing on a pirate's ship.
A/N: There is so much to say about this universe. It was originally meant to be a normal pirate universe, but while writing, it suddenly transformed itself into a steampunk story. I know most of the steampunk stuff is usually Victorian, but here try to think about normal pirates with... steam engines. The universe is huge. There are a lot of stories and characters and they all deserve the same attention. That's why I'm just writing a series of oneshots instead of a multichapter.it's not because I'm too lazy too think about how to write a multichapter I used names of famous places, but this is set in a completely different world. I also did some research about pirates and ships, and now I know more terms about those in English than in my own language.
Miyata was staring blankly at the vast blue expanding for miles till the line of the horizon delimited the sky. He never liked the sea that much. He was part of the Navy and still he couldn’t stand finding himself in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by water for miles and miles. When he joined the Navy he was hoping for some kind of paperwork position, not certainly something that required boarding a ship. But the Navy was all about ships, he found out, unless you are some rich son of someone important. And he wasn’t.
Miyata thought about the main reason why he was sailing. His mother wanted him to be an Admiral one day. She kind of forced him into the Navy, but it wasn’t like he had many other choices. That’s why Miyata never blamed her. He wasn’t even that bad of a job, it was just that sea wasn’t his passion.
Plus, he was a hopeless sailor, that’s why now he was sitting on the deck of that particular ship.
The Shooting Star was a medium sized galleon, with his three masts and two water wheels on the sides, moved by a steam engine. The sails had a system of semi-automatized riggins which allowed the ship to move easily even with a small crew. Also, the guns could be fully controlled only by one person, and shooting in battle was almost as easy as using a pistol. Miyata didn’t know much about the sea, but he knew quite a lot about ships and was able to recognise a good one at first glance.
What was hopeless about him wasn’t only the fact he ended up on a pirate ship, but also that, for once in his life, he was actually having fun aboard.
He was having fun like he used to have when he was a kid, like he used to have before joining the Navy. Sure the sea wasn’t his actual problem.
Senga passed rushing on the deck and right after him Nikaido threw the soapy brush he was using a minute before to scrub the floor, with the intention to hit his target, but Senga was moving fast and despite not having eyes on the back of his head he managed to duck at the right moment. The brush ended up hitting Kawai, the boatswain, on the face. As he was screaming and swearing because of the soap in his eyes, apart from the obvious pain caused by the wooden part of the brush, Fujigaya, the quartermaster and navigator of the Shooting Star, came out from one of the doors of the main deck cabin and started yelling.
“How many times do I have to repeat this: NO RUNNING ON THE DECK!”
“I wasn’t running! I was chasing Kento because he was running!” Nikaido yelled back pointing at Senga.
“I wasn’t!” Senga said looking sideways.
“You totally were! You were also running away from duties!” Nikaido complained now pointing at the bucket that was lying on his side in a puddle. Senga pouted and crossed his arms.
“I’m tired of you two, please shut up and do your work. I’m trying to look at maps to decide the route here, I’m not joking around like you do!”
“The heck are you saying Fujigaya! I just came out from your room and you were totally sewing feathers on your hat!” Kawai blurted out. Fujigaya frowned and gave him a killer look, obviously hit on his belief a pirate should always be fashionable apart from fierce.
“Kawai, you talk too much. Now everyone in their positions and get away from my sight if you don’t want your skin to be used in place of the jib!” Fujigaya screamed slamming the door close behind him.
“He’s quite nervous today, I needed something in that cabin, but like hell I’m going in there now!” Kitayama announced coming closer to Miyata that had been silently staring at the scene from his corner.
“Would you like me to get it for you?” Miyata asked, trying to be helpful. The captain had always being nice with him after all. From the very first moment he set foot on that galleon. Considering that Fujigaya wanted him to walk the plank. Later he found out Fujigaya was just joking, trying to scare him, but at that time he looked extremely convincing.
“No, don’t worry. It wasn’t my intention when I came here to speak to you.”
“And what was it then?”
“You’ve been with us for a while. And you never tried to escape. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but we are not watching you closely anymore, and we don’t tie you up at night.”
“Actually I’m thankful for that. The ropes were bothering me.”
Kitayama smiled and rested his elbows on the barricade of the ship, setting his eyes on a faraway point in the ocean.
“We may be pirates, but we know how to be kind with people who deserve it. But even though we might look polite we are still pirates and you are still a Navy soldier. What is keeping you from escaping?”
“Well, we are in the middle of the ocean...”
“We docked in Tortuga and totally set you free. And you came back on the ship.”
“That place is full of pirates!”
“Ahem hello? This is a pirate ship. This place is full of pirates too!”
“But you’re not THAT scary...” Miyata said warily.
“OF COURSE WE ARE!” Kitayama answered with scorn, “anyway, you are free of doing what you want. But during these past weeks I came to like you... somewhat. I’m concerned about your future.”
“It means I can’t stay.” Miyata said.
“No, it doesn’t. You CAN stay but...”
“But what?”
“I just have to make sure of one thing: do you actually want to be a pirate? I don't mean an occasional pirate, I’m asking if that’s what you want to do of your life.”
“I-I don’t know... I don’t know what I want.” Miyata looked sad. Kitayama understood he had a confused man in front of him, so decided not to ask any further question.
“Just so you know, only people with the real intention of being pirates are allowed to stay on the Shooting Star.” Kitayama affirmed serious. Miyata looked worried.
“I’m not dumping you in the water right now," continued Kitayama, "but try to understand me: you are not of any use for us as a prisoner, and if you don’t want to become a pirate there’s no point for you staying here. We all have something we want to achieve and I don’t want any half-hearted folk on this ship. It might actually be better for you to find your way somewhere else.”
Miyata looked puzzled. “I’ll think about everything before we dock again. I promise.”
Kitayama put a hand on his shoulder. “No hard feelings mate, I wish you can find your answer.” Kitayama turned to walk away but Miyata stopped him.
“I just want to ask one thing...”
“Yes, Miyata?”
“When will we be back in Tortuga? I have to return something to its owner...”
Kitayama grinned shamelessly.
“Are you talking about that guy? What did he give to you? A love token?”
Miyata’s cheeks turned a bit pink.
“No, it’s not. It’s just... That thing! The one you know!”
Kitayama smiled again and walked in the direction of the quarter deck. Miyata sighed.
“We’ll go there soon. It seems like we have no purpose at sea these days,” said Kitayama without turning his head. Miyata’s face was suddenly lit up by a smile.
“If you make up your mind before that time, we could leave you there. I’m sure life in Tortuga would be interesting for you!” Kitayama smirked. Miyata nodded, “I’ll think about it.”
The only thing he could think about was that finally he could see him again. The first time he saw that person he thought he was a mythical creature of the sea. Like a mermaid or whatever was the male version of it. He was simply the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life. Then he spoke to him and found out he was actually a human and he was kind... well, not exactly kind in the way most people believe a kind person is, but he was kind for Miyata, who gladly accepted a total stranger to boss him around randomly.
Yuta Tamamori, that was his name. Miyata said it so many times in his daydreams, while looking at the infinite sea.
They met the first time he went to Tortuga. Kitayama decided to bring his prisoner around town, so he made him change his uniform and wear something more informal, suitable for a pirates headquarter, and he dragged him along to pay homage to the kings of Tortuga.
The two kings were certainly striking people. They had the habit of rescuing young kids from unfortunate situations, so their manor was bustling with boys of all ages. King Tackey and Tsubasa were very fond of entertainment and particularly appreciated performing arts, so many of the kids just danced, sang and played after their duties were over. Some of them were messengers, some were sailors on pirate ships, others worked as apprentices in the town’s workshops and others just hustled around the kings’ palace.
The two kings were respected by pirates and even if Tortuga was populated by some dodgy elements, most of the pirates there feared the kings power and were glad of the shelter the island provided for them.
While Kitayama and the rest of the crew were drinking happily with the two kings, Miyata was left free of wandering in the palace. Well, he wasn’t actually supposed to be alone, but god knows where Senga, who was supposed to check on him, had disappeared.
The palace was built on the side of a cliff of which white walls ended directly in the deep blue water creating a stunning view from the sea. Part of the palace was actually built inside some of the natural caves on the side of the cliff. Those caves formed a maze inside the rock, and a small underground river flowed among them.
Miyata, rambling from one room to another, entered one of the caves. He was amazed to discover how stunning that place actually was. The cave he entered wasn’t huge, but full of small ponds of clear water. The white stone of the cave was particularly slick and shiny near the ponds. Water sprang from an upper pool and formed small waterfalls that poured into other pools under it. On the other side of the cave, stalagmites and stalactites joint at their ends formed a natural window pane that overlooked the ocean.
Miyata stared with his mouth open when he suddenly realized someone was bathing in one of the pools. A guy with black hair and skin as fair as the stones around him, emerged from underwater and pushed his hair back with both hands. The guy opened his eyes and noticed Miyata staring at him with an incredible expression on his face. He suddenly dropped to his knees with a splash, trying to hide his body underwater. A pointless move, since the water was crystal clear.
“Who are you?!?” The surprised guy shouted.
“I’m a visitor... my name is Miyata Toshiya, I came here with Kitayama.”
“Oh Kitayama is here?!” The other fretted in the water, “hurry up! Pass me that!” He adjured pointing at some sort of purple-ish drape that was lying on a stone. Miyata hurried and passed it to him. He wrapped himself shivering then started to look for something.
“Have you seen my clothes? I left them around here I think...”
“I-I don’t know...”
“What are you waiting for?! Help me look for them!” He ordered. Miyata obeyed. When the clothes were found, he quickly dressed and ran back to the main room. Miyata trailed behind him, clumsily following the guy’s fast walk, because he had no idea how to go back to where he came from.
“Kitayama! Welcome” The stranger smiled and went to greet the captain.
“Tamamori Yuta! How are you? You seem taller every time I meet you!”
“Well, I’m still growing...”
“Me too, me too,” Kitayama said, causing king Tsubasa to choke on his drink, “but tell me Tama! Are you doing fine here? Did you decide what to do?”
“Not yet... I don’t know what to do of my life.” Tamamori looked disappointed, but he forced himself to smile.
“Mh... But I see you’ve met Miyata already.”
“Who?”
“That would be me. I thought I told you my name.” Miyata said with a dejected smile.
“Ah. Tamamori Yuta. Nice to meet you!” Tamamori said turning to Kitayama again.
“Can I come with you this time Kitayama?” Tamamori asked eagerly.
“Yuta. I already told you. You must really wish to be a pirate to come on my ship.”
Yuta sulked.
“And how come he is there then?” He asked pointing at Miyata, “I’ll never believe he’s a pirate.”
“He’s a prisoner. Well... sort of. He’s not dangerous at all. Maybe you can show him around! I think you have many things in common.” Kitayama announced, pushing Miyata towards Tamamori.
“B-but!!!”
Kitayama left them there and went to talk with somebody else. Tamamori pouted and stared at Miyata, but he didn’t dare questioning Kitayama’s orders, even if those weren’t exactly orders, so he decided to show Miyata around the place.
While they were walking Miyata tried to have some conversation and actually found out Tamamori was able to reply with proper manners and without showing any more resentment towards him.
“It’s not your fault after all.” Tamamori answered when Miyata said he was sorry about him having to leave the main room.
“Do you like captain Kitayama? I do! I think he’s great.” Miyata smiled.
“What do you know? It’s thanks to him if I’m alive now.”
“Really?”
“I was sailing with my family and we’ve being attacked by pirates. Really scary pirates, not like the scum you see here in Tortuga. They killed everyone in front of my eyes. When one of them tried to kill my mother I made a desperate attempt to save her, but he slashed me with his sword and threw me in the water.”
Miyata listened to the painful story. Surely Tamamori looked like a nobleman, with his clean look and refined manners. It was really unfortunate he had to suffer something so terrible.
“I thought I was going to die. But right then Kitayama, who was aboard the pirate ship for some reason, saved me. Then his crew arrived with the Shooting Star and started attacking the pirate ship. Our ship was already sinking so all the pirates went back to their ship and there was a battle. I was passed out, so I don’t remember anything. They then told me no one else survived. The ship had exploded shortly after they left, the boiler room was damaged and there was fire. I guess it reached the powder room quickly.” Tamamori paused.
Miyata had a serious look on his face and muttered an “I’m sorry” in response to which Tamamori shook his head.
“I’m fine now. The only thing I have to remind me about my past life is this,” Tamamori showed Miyata a chain with a clam shell gold pendant, “this is all I have left; the only memory of my family. At first I was shocked that I had been rescued by pirates. I hated them. I hated them all and I wanted to kill all of them. But I found out that not every pirate is the same. Kitayama’s crew, and all the pirates that are friends with the kings are not as bad. They do have reasons to be pirates. Reasons that are not only gold and treasures.”
“I realized that too during this time on the Shooting Star. Before I thought pirates were all evil. That’s what they teach us, of course.”
“But still, I couldn’t stay with them. I didn’t want to be a pirate and I still hate pirates. They killed my family. I just...” Tamamori hit the wall of the cave with his fist, “I can’t.”
Miyata stared at him. Tamamori had a reason not wanting to be a pirate. What reason did he have? Maybe he should have asked Kitayama not to drop him back to Port Royal on the next full moon.
“I would like so much to sail the sea with them. But Kitayama knows I’m not ready. I’m not good and I don’t know what I’m doing. I can't even go back to my old house, because I know there will be no one there and I'm scared. I’m just a disappointment for him.”
Miyata took the hand of the other guy. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. Maybe this physical pain is nothing, but you are hurt somewhere else.”
Yuta stared into Miyata's eyes. He never felt so comfortable before. He suddenly realized he told a total stranger the turning point of his life. And he wasn’t at all bothered by it.
“How about you? What are you doing on Kitayama’s ship?”
“Me? Oh, I was just caught. You can say that. Well, more like, I kidnapped myself unintentionally. I was following Nikaido. He was our new sailor and I was in charge of him. His name wasn’t Nikaido at the time, I mean, I thought he was called Smith.”
“Tsk, you’re so stupid. You believed that rascal was a Navy man?!” Tamamori said shaking his head disapprovingly.
“I know right? I didn’t even realize he was just sneaking around to find information. One night, when we were still in our headquarters in Port Royal, he sneaked away from his bed and I saw him... I followed him to see what he was up to. He went in the command room and took some maps, I was going to stop him and ask what he was doing, but others found him before I could turn up and they started running after him. I trailed behind and saw the guards pass him, as he was hiding in a niche on the corridor. When I saw him getting out his hiding place, I called him. He just started running and before I could realize what I was doing, I was running after him. When we reached the docks, I stumbled and fell behind some barrels. He turned around and maybe thought he’d lost me. So he ran in the other direction. Without him noticing, I followed his steps along the beach, to a secret bay. And there it was: the Shooting Star, with its sails, the funnel and the pirate flag. I couldn’t believe it! How did no one in Port Royal notice a pirate ship was docked in that bay?!”
“They just check the dock and have no clues pirates can approach the island from other sides, because they know the currents and the tides better than any Navy man! That’s Moontide Bay, you can reach that place only once a month with a ship.”
“I know that now, thanks. Anyway, I saw Nikaido boarding that ship as it was already setting sails and heaving to. Without thinking I jumped from the cliff to the deck of the ship. And that’s how I ended up here.”
Tamamori smiled. “Your story is so stupid!”
“But it made you smile, so it’s fine!” Miyata smiled too.
“No, sorry. Not your story, YOU are stupid!”
Miyata just smiled again. After listening to Tamamori’s story, he thought he wanted to do something to cheer him up. He was glad he managed to make him even a tiny bit happier.
When they parted, Tamamori was sure he had found a good friend and Miyata was sure he wanted to see that guy again. Kitayama approached him on the poopdeck, where Mitaya was mentally waving goodbye to an imaginary Tamamori on the pier.
“So, are you ready to go home? Next week the moon will be full and we can bring you back to Port Royal.”
Miyata nodded without thinking. He was actually glad these pirates didn’t want to hurt him and also offered him a lift home, but maybe it wasn’t what he wanted.
“Or do you prefer staying in Tortuga?”
Miyata just looked at Kitayama’s face without saying a word, his lips slightly open.
Later Miyata was still on the deck with Kitayama when Senga arrived and tried to get everyone's attention.
“Hey! Look what I’ve found!” Senga jumped to sit on a barrel holding his fist up. He let something shiny drop from his hand, but the thing sprang back, and started to swing, as it was held by a fine chain. Miyata looked better and saw Senga was holding a clam shell pendant. Miyata moved Kitayama to the side, totally ignoring his attempt to ask him the same question again, and walked towards Senga that was now bent holding the golden pendant on the palm of his hand to show Nikaido and Tsukada that arrived close to him displaying curiosity.
“Where did you find it?” Miyata asked.
“On the floor, inside the kings’ palace.”
“Has it never dawned on you that it might belongs to someone? Did you even try to ask if someone lost that?”
“As if it wouldn’t find hundreds of owners in Tackey’s house. We are pirates remember? We can lie.” Senga laughed, making fun of him.
“Give it back!”
“Hey, it’s not yours right?”
“I know the owner. It’s not yours either so give it back!” asked Miyata stretching his arm out in front of Senga. Senga looked at him with a defiant attitude.
“How would I know you’re not lying?”
Miyata just frowned then tried to snatch the pendant from his hand. Senga quickly moved his arm away and stood up on the barrel. He jumped on the shrouds and started to climb the foremast.
“Come and get it if you want it!” He said when he nimbly reached a high enough place He was clinging on the riggins, just under the fore topsail.
Miyata tried to reach him as fast as he could, but climbing wasn’t as easy as it had been for Senga, so he barely made it from the barrel to the shrouds.
“Give it back!” Miyata cried desperate.
Suddenly the sail behind Senga moved knocking him over on a pile of ropes on the deck. Miyata ran and took the pendant that had fallen from Senga’s hands to the floor.
“Oops, sorry!” Totsuka smiled rubbing the back of his head with a hand, the other still holding a rope.
“What are you even doing with the sails?! Aren’t you the helmsman?!” Senga shouted scornful. Luckily he was skilled enough not to get hurt when falling from a high place.
“And aren’t you a cabin boy? What are you doing without your brush and bucket? Captain!” Totsuka called.
“Enough now! Tottsu go back to the helm please! I don’t like when Fujigaya steers the ship, it makes me feel dizzy. And Senga, I know who’s the rightful owner of that pendant, so you can leave it in Miyata’s custody for now. It’ll be safe.”
“I don’t care for it to be safe! Well if I can’t have it I don’t care for it, that’s all.” Senga pouted.
“Easy, easy! Stop making a fuss over a small piece of gold. Is that the reason why you became a pirate for?”
“... no.” Senga answered ashamed.
Kitayama smiled and turned to Miyata. Miyata smiled back, holding his precious pendant in his fist, close to his heart.
“I can’t go back to Port Royal, Captain. I have to give this back first.”
Another month had passed since then. Bringing back the pendant to Tamamori had been Miyata’s only purpose all the time. He wasn’t thinking about going back to Port Royal at all. He was actually enjoying his time on board. Spending the days with the crew was fun. He reconciled with Senga pretty quickly, when one day he found him, holding a fishing rod, asking him if he wanted to try catching some fish. He was getting along with everyone and everyone seemed to love him. He still didn’t know what to answer Kitayama, but he felt he had to see that person again. He started thinking about what Kitayama said. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be a pirate, but if he were going back to the Navy, then he wouldn’t have seen Tamamori ever again. Staying in Tortuga was an option as well, but in his heart he felt some sort of emptiness at the thought of not being with the others on the Shooting Star anymore.
Soon arrived the time they were sailing towards Tortuga once again, so he knew he needed to make up his mind quickly, but the only thing he could think about was Tamamori and all the way he could find to make him smile once again.
Comments are ♥
Characters/pairings: Miyata/Tamamori, Kitayama (Tackey and Tsubasa and others from kis-my-ft2 and ABC-Z are there too)
Rating/Genre: PG/ Steampunk pirates AU
Summary: Navy man Miyata is held prisoner on the Shooting Star by the kis-my-pirates. He ends up visiting Tortuga with them and finds something worth the risk of sailing on a pirate's ship.
A/N: There is so much to say about this universe. It was originally meant to be a normal pirate universe, but while writing, it suddenly transformed itself into a steampunk story. I know most of the steampunk stuff is usually Victorian, but here try to think about normal pirates with... steam engines. The universe is huge. There are a lot of stories and characters and they all deserve the same attention. That's why I'm just writing a series of oneshots instead of a multichapter.it's not because I'm too lazy too think about how to write a multichapter I used names of famous places, but this is set in a completely different world. I also did some research about pirates and ships, and now I know more terms about those in English than in my own language.
Miyata was staring blankly at the vast blue expanding for miles till the line of the horizon delimited the sky. He never liked the sea that much. He was part of the Navy and still he couldn’t stand finding himself in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by water for miles and miles. When he joined the Navy he was hoping for some kind of paperwork position, not certainly something that required boarding a ship. But the Navy was all about ships, he found out, unless you are some rich son of someone important. And he wasn’t.
Miyata thought about the main reason why he was sailing. His mother wanted him to be an Admiral one day. She kind of forced him into the Navy, but it wasn’t like he had many other choices. That’s why Miyata never blamed her. He wasn’t even that bad of a job, it was just that sea wasn’t his passion.
Plus, he was a hopeless sailor, that’s why now he was sitting on the deck of that particular ship.
The Shooting Star was a medium sized galleon, with his three masts and two water wheels on the sides, moved by a steam engine. The sails had a system of semi-automatized riggins which allowed the ship to move easily even with a small crew. Also, the guns could be fully controlled only by one person, and shooting in battle was almost as easy as using a pistol. Miyata didn’t know much about the sea, but he knew quite a lot about ships and was able to recognise a good one at first glance.
What was hopeless about him wasn’t only the fact he ended up on a pirate ship, but also that, for once in his life, he was actually having fun aboard.
He was having fun like he used to have when he was a kid, like he used to have before joining the Navy. Sure the sea wasn’t his actual problem.
Senga passed rushing on the deck and right after him Nikaido threw the soapy brush he was using a minute before to scrub the floor, with the intention to hit his target, but Senga was moving fast and despite not having eyes on the back of his head he managed to duck at the right moment. The brush ended up hitting Kawai, the boatswain, on the face. As he was screaming and swearing because of the soap in his eyes, apart from the obvious pain caused by the wooden part of the brush, Fujigaya, the quartermaster and navigator of the Shooting Star, came out from one of the doors of the main deck cabin and started yelling.
“How many times do I have to repeat this: NO RUNNING ON THE DECK!”
“I wasn’t running! I was chasing Kento because he was running!” Nikaido yelled back pointing at Senga.
“I wasn’t!” Senga said looking sideways.
“You totally were! You were also running away from duties!” Nikaido complained now pointing at the bucket that was lying on his side in a puddle. Senga pouted and crossed his arms.
“I’m tired of you two, please shut up and do your work. I’m trying to look at maps to decide the route here, I’m not joking around like you do!”
“The heck are you saying Fujigaya! I just came out from your room and you were totally sewing feathers on your hat!” Kawai blurted out. Fujigaya frowned and gave him a killer look, obviously hit on his belief a pirate should always be fashionable apart from fierce.
“Kawai, you talk too much. Now everyone in their positions and get away from my sight if you don’t want your skin to be used in place of the jib!” Fujigaya screamed slamming the door close behind him.
“He’s quite nervous today, I needed something in that cabin, but like hell I’m going in there now!” Kitayama announced coming closer to Miyata that had been silently staring at the scene from his corner.
“Would you like me to get it for you?” Miyata asked, trying to be helpful. The captain had always being nice with him after all. From the very first moment he set foot on that galleon. Considering that Fujigaya wanted him to walk the plank. Later he found out Fujigaya was just joking, trying to scare him, but at that time he looked extremely convincing.
“No, don’t worry. It wasn’t my intention when I came here to speak to you.”
“And what was it then?”
“You’ve been with us for a while. And you never tried to escape. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but we are not watching you closely anymore, and we don’t tie you up at night.”
“Actually I’m thankful for that. The ropes were bothering me.”
Kitayama smiled and rested his elbows on the barricade of the ship, setting his eyes on a faraway point in the ocean.
“We may be pirates, but we know how to be kind with people who deserve it. But even though we might look polite we are still pirates and you are still a Navy soldier. What is keeping you from escaping?”
“Well, we are in the middle of the ocean...”
“We docked in Tortuga and totally set you free. And you came back on the ship.”
“That place is full of pirates!”
“Ahem hello? This is a pirate ship. This place is full of pirates too!”
“But you’re not THAT scary...” Miyata said warily.
“OF COURSE WE ARE!” Kitayama answered with scorn, “anyway, you are free of doing what you want. But during these past weeks I came to like you... somewhat. I’m concerned about your future.”
“It means I can’t stay.” Miyata said.
“No, it doesn’t. You CAN stay but...”
“But what?”
“I just have to make sure of one thing: do you actually want to be a pirate? I don't mean an occasional pirate, I’m asking if that’s what you want to do of your life.”
“I-I don’t know... I don’t know what I want.” Miyata looked sad. Kitayama understood he had a confused man in front of him, so decided not to ask any further question.
“Just so you know, only people with the real intention of being pirates are allowed to stay on the Shooting Star.” Kitayama affirmed serious. Miyata looked worried.
“I’m not dumping you in the water right now," continued Kitayama, "but try to understand me: you are not of any use for us as a prisoner, and if you don’t want to become a pirate there’s no point for you staying here. We all have something we want to achieve and I don’t want any half-hearted folk on this ship. It might actually be better for you to find your way somewhere else.”
Miyata looked puzzled. “I’ll think about everything before we dock again. I promise.”
Kitayama put a hand on his shoulder. “No hard feelings mate, I wish you can find your answer.” Kitayama turned to walk away but Miyata stopped him.
“I just want to ask one thing...”
“Yes, Miyata?”
“When will we be back in Tortuga? I have to return something to its owner...”
Kitayama grinned shamelessly.
“Are you talking about that guy? What did he give to you? A love token?”
Miyata’s cheeks turned a bit pink.
“No, it’s not. It’s just... That thing! The one you know!”
Kitayama smiled again and walked in the direction of the quarter deck. Miyata sighed.
“We’ll go there soon. It seems like we have no purpose at sea these days,” said Kitayama without turning his head. Miyata’s face was suddenly lit up by a smile.
“If you make up your mind before that time, we could leave you there. I’m sure life in Tortuga would be interesting for you!” Kitayama smirked. Miyata nodded, “I’ll think about it.”
The only thing he could think about was that finally he could see him again. The first time he saw that person he thought he was a mythical creature of the sea. Like a mermaid or whatever was the male version of it. He was simply the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life. Then he spoke to him and found out he was actually a human and he was kind... well, not exactly kind in the way most people believe a kind person is, but he was kind for Miyata, who gladly accepted a total stranger to boss him around randomly.
Yuta Tamamori, that was his name. Miyata said it so many times in his daydreams, while looking at the infinite sea.
They met the first time he went to Tortuga. Kitayama decided to bring his prisoner around town, so he made him change his uniform and wear something more informal, suitable for a pirates headquarter, and he dragged him along to pay homage to the kings of Tortuga.
The two kings were certainly striking people. They had the habit of rescuing young kids from unfortunate situations, so their manor was bustling with boys of all ages. King Tackey and Tsubasa were very fond of entertainment and particularly appreciated performing arts, so many of the kids just danced, sang and played after their duties were over. Some of them were messengers, some were sailors on pirate ships, others worked as apprentices in the town’s workshops and others just hustled around the kings’ palace.
The two kings were respected by pirates and even if Tortuga was populated by some dodgy elements, most of the pirates there feared the kings power and were glad of the shelter the island provided for them.
While Kitayama and the rest of the crew were drinking happily with the two kings, Miyata was left free of wandering in the palace. Well, he wasn’t actually supposed to be alone, but god knows where Senga, who was supposed to check on him, had disappeared.
The palace was built on the side of a cliff of which white walls ended directly in the deep blue water creating a stunning view from the sea. Part of the palace was actually built inside some of the natural caves on the side of the cliff. Those caves formed a maze inside the rock, and a small underground river flowed among them.
Miyata, rambling from one room to another, entered one of the caves. He was amazed to discover how stunning that place actually was. The cave he entered wasn’t huge, but full of small ponds of clear water. The white stone of the cave was particularly slick and shiny near the ponds. Water sprang from an upper pool and formed small waterfalls that poured into other pools under it. On the other side of the cave, stalagmites and stalactites joint at their ends formed a natural window pane that overlooked the ocean.
Miyata stared with his mouth open when he suddenly realized someone was bathing in one of the pools. A guy with black hair and skin as fair as the stones around him, emerged from underwater and pushed his hair back with both hands. The guy opened his eyes and noticed Miyata staring at him with an incredible expression on his face. He suddenly dropped to his knees with a splash, trying to hide his body underwater. A pointless move, since the water was crystal clear.
“Who are you?!?” The surprised guy shouted.
“I’m a visitor... my name is Miyata Toshiya, I came here with Kitayama.”
“Oh Kitayama is here?!” The other fretted in the water, “hurry up! Pass me that!” He adjured pointing at some sort of purple-ish drape that was lying on a stone. Miyata hurried and passed it to him. He wrapped himself shivering then started to look for something.
“Have you seen my clothes? I left them around here I think...”
“I-I don’t know...”
“What are you waiting for?! Help me look for them!” He ordered. Miyata obeyed. When the clothes were found, he quickly dressed and ran back to the main room. Miyata trailed behind him, clumsily following the guy’s fast walk, because he had no idea how to go back to where he came from.
“Kitayama! Welcome” The stranger smiled and went to greet the captain.
“Tamamori Yuta! How are you? You seem taller every time I meet you!”
“Well, I’m still growing...”
“Me too, me too,” Kitayama said, causing king Tsubasa to choke on his drink, “but tell me Tama! Are you doing fine here? Did you decide what to do?”
“Not yet... I don’t know what to do of my life.” Tamamori looked disappointed, but he forced himself to smile.
“Mh... But I see you’ve met Miyata already.”
“Who?”
“That would be me. I thought I told you my name.” Miyata said with a dejected smile.
“Ah. Tamamori Yuta. Nice to meet you!” Tamamori said turning to Kitayama again.
“Can I come with you this time Kitayama?” Tamamori asked eagerly.
“Yuta. I already told you. You must really wish to be a pirate to come on my ship.”
Yuta sulked.
“And how come he is there then?” He asked pointing at Miyata, “I’ll never believe he’s a pirate.”
“He’s a prisoner. Well... sort of. He’s not dangerous at all. Maybe you can show him around! I think you have many things in common.” Kitayama announced, pushing Miyata towards Tamamori.
“B-but!!!”
Kitayama left them there and went to talk with somebody else. Tamamori pouted and stared at Miyata, but he didn’t dare questioning Kitayama’s orders, even if those weren’t exactly orders, so he decided to show Miyata around the place.
While they were walking Miyata tried to have some conversation and actually found out Tamamori was able to reply with proper manners and without showing any more resentment towards him.
“It’s not your fault after all.” Tamamori answered when Miyata said he was sorry about him having to leave the main room.
“Do you like captain Kitayama? I do! I think he’s great.” Miyata smiled.
“What do you know? It’s thanks to him if I’m alive now.”
“Really?”
“I was sailing with my family and we’ve being attacked by pirates. Really scary pirates, not like the scum you see here in Tortuga. They killed everyone in front of my eyes. When one of them tried to kill my mother I made a desperate attempt to save her, but he slashed me with his sword and threw me in the water.”
Miyata listened to the painful story. Surely Tamamori looked like a nobleman, with his clean look and refined manners. It was really unfortunate he had to suffer something so terrible.
“I thought I was going to die. But right then Kitayama, who was aboard the pirate ship for some reason, saved me. Then his crew arrived with the Shooting Star and started attacking the pirate ship. Our ship was already sinking so all the pirates went back to their ship and there was a battle. I was passed out, so I don’t remember anything. They then told me no one else survived. The ship had exploded shortly after they left, the boiler room was damaged and there was fire. I guess it reached the powder room quickly.” Tamamori paused.
Miyata had a serious look on his face and muttered an “I’m sorry” in response to which Tamamori shook his head.
“I’m fine now. The only thing I have to remind me about my past life is this,” Tamamori showed Miyata a chain with a clam shell gold pendant, “this is all I have left; the only memory of my family. At first I was shocked that I had been rescued by pirates. I hated them. I hated them all and I wanted to kill all of them. But I found out that not every pirate is the same. Kitayama’s crew, and all the pirates that are friends with the kings are not as bad. They do have reasons to be pirates. Reasons that are not only gold and treasures.”
“I realized that too during this time on the Shooting Star. Before I thought pirates were all evil. That’s what they teach us, of course.”
“But still, I couldn’t stay with them. I didn’t want to be a pirate and I still hate pirates. They killed my family. I just...” Tamamori hit the wall of the cave with his fist, “I can’t.”
Miyata stared at him. Tamamori had a reason not wanting to be a pirate. What reason did he have? Maybe he should have asked Kitayama not to drop him back to Port Royal on the next full moon.
“I would like so much to sail the sea with them. But Kitayama knows I’m not ready. I’m not good and I don’t know what I’m doing. I can't even go back to my old house, because I know there will be no one there and I'm scared. I’m just a disappointment for him.”
Miyata took the hand of the other guy. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. Maybe this physical pain is nothing, but you are hurt somewhere else.”
Yuta stared into Miyata's eyes. He never felt so comfortable before. He suddenly realized he told a total stranger the turning point of his life. And he wasn’t at all bothered by it.
“How about you? What are you doing on Kitayama’s ship?”
“Me? Oh, I was just caught. You can say that. Well, more like, I kidnapped myself unintentionally. I was following Nikaido. He was our new sailor and I was in charge of him. His name wasn’t Nikaido at the time, I mean, I thought he was called Smith.”
“Tsk, you’re so stupid. You believed that rascal was a Navy man?!” Tamamori said shaking his head disapprovingly.
“I know right? I didn’t even realize he was just sneaking around to find information. One night, when we were still in our headquarters in Port Royal, he sneaked away from his bed and I saw him... I followed him to see what he was up to. He went in the command room and took some maps, I was going to stop him and ask what he was doing, but others found him before I could turn up and they started running after him. I trailed behind and saw the guards pass him, as he was hiding in a niche on the corridor. When I saw him getting out his hiding place, I called him. He just started running and before I could realize what I was doing, I was running after him. When we reached the docks, I stumbled and fell behind some barrels. He turned around and maybe thought he’d lost me. So he ran in the other direction. Without him noticing, I followed his steps along the beach, to a secret bay. And there it was: the Shooting Star, with its sails, the funnel and the pirate flag. I couldn’t believe it! How did no one in Port Royal notice a pirate ship was docked in that bay?!”
“They just check the dock and have no clues pirates can approach the island from other sides, because they know the currents and the tides better than any Navy man! That’s Moontide Bay, you can reach that place only once a month with a ship.”
“I know that now, thanks. Anyway, I saw Nikaido boarding that ship as it was already setting sails and heaving to. Without thinking I jumped from the cliff to the deck of the ship. And that’s how I ended up here.”
Tamamori smiled. “Your story is so stupid!”
“But it made you smile, so it’s fine!” Miyata smiled too.
“No, sorry. Not your story, YOU are stupid!”
Miyata just smiled again. After listening to Tamamori’s story, he thought he wanted to do something to cheer him up. He was glad he managed to make him even a tiny bit happier.
When they parted, Tamamori was sure he had found a good friend and Miyata was sure he wanted to see that guy again. Kitayama approached him on the poopdeck, where Mitaya was mentally waving goodbye to an imaginary Tamamori on the pier.
“So, are you ready to go home? Next week the moon will be full and we can bring you back to Port Royal.”
Miyata nodded without thinking. He was actually glad these pirates didn’t want to hurt him and also offered him a lift home, but maybe it wasn’t what he wanted.
“Or do you prefer staying in Tortuga?”
Miyata just looked at Kitayama’s face without saying a word, his lips slightly open.
Later Miyata was still on the deck with Kitayama when Senga arrived and tried to get everyone's attention.
“Hey! Look what I’ve found!” Senga jumped to sit on a barrel holding his fist up. He let something shiny drop from his hand, but the thing sprang back, and started to swing, as it was held by a fine chain. Miyata looked better and saw Senga was holding a clam shell pendant. Miyata moved Kitayama to the side, totally ignoring his attempt to ask him the same question again, and walked towards Senga that was now bent holding the golden pendant on the palm of his hand to show Nikaido and Tsukada that arrived close to him displaying curiosity.
“Where did you find it?” Miyata asked.
“On the floor, inside the kings’ palace.”
“Has it never dawned on you that it might belongs to someone? Did you even try to ask if someone lost that?”
“As if it wouldn’t find hundreds of owners in Tackey’s house. We are pirates remember? We can lie.” Senga laughed, making fun of him.
“Give it back!”
“Hey, it’s not yours right?”
“I know the owner. It’s not yours either so give it back!” asked Miyata stretching his arm out in front of Senga. Senga looked at him with a defiant attitude.
“How would I know you’re not lying?”
Miyata just frowned then tried to snatch the pendant from his hand. Senga quickly moved his arm away and stood up on the barrel. He jumped on the shrouds and started to climb the foremast.
“Come and get it if you want it!” He said when he nimbly reached a high enough place He was clinging on the riggins, just under the fore topsail.
Miyata tried to reach him as fast as he could, but climbing wasn’t as easy as it had been for Senga, so he barely made it from the barrel to the shrouds.
“Give it back!” Miyata cried desperate.
Suddenly the sail behind Senga moved knocking him over on a pile of ropes on the deck. Miyata ran and took the pendant that had fallen from Senga’s hands to the floor.
“Oops, sorry!” Totsuka smiled rubbing the back of his head with a hand, the other still holding a rope.
“What are you even doing with the sails?! Aren’t you the helmsman?!” Senga shouted scornful. Luckily he was skilled enough not to get hurt when falling from a high place.
“And aren’t you a cabin boy? What are you doing without your brush and bucket? Captain!” Totsuka called.
“Enough now! Tottsu go back to the helm please! I don’t like when Fujigaya steers the ship, it makes me feel dizzy. And Senga, I know who’s the rightful owner of that pendant, so you can leave it in Miyata’s custody for now. It’ll be safe.”
“I don’t care for it to be safe! Well if I can’t have it I don’t care for it, that’s all.” Senga pouted.
“Easy, easy! Stop making a fuss over a small piece of gold. Is that the reason why you became a pirate for?”
“... no.” Senga answered ashamed.
Kitayama smiled and turned to Miyata. Miyata smiled back, holding his precious pendant in his fist, close to his heart.
“I can’t go back to Port Royal, Captain. I have to give this back first.”
Another month had passed since then. Bringing back the pendant to Tamamori had been Miyata’s only purpose all the time. He wasn’t thinking about going back to Port Royal at all. He was actually enjoying his time on board. Spending the days with the crew was fun. He reconciled with Senga pretty quickly, when one day he found him, holding a fishing rod, asking him if he wanted to try catching some fish. He was getting along with everyone and everyone seemed to love him. He still didn’t know what to answer Kitayama, but he felt he had to see that person again. He started thinking about what Kitayama said. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be a pirate, but if he were going back to the Navy, then he wouldn’t have seen Tamamori ever again. Staying in Tortuga was an option as well, but in his heart he felt some sort of emptiness at the thought of not being with the others on the Shooting Star anymore.
Soon arrived the time they were sailing towards Tortuga once again, so he knew he needed to make up his mind quickly, but the only thing he could think about was Tamamori and all the way he could find to make him smile once again.
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