Drink Up, Me Hearties } Prologue
Word Count: 2155
Genre: Action, Adventure (eventual romance?)
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Ships?: Vaguey-vague Luxord/Tifa
→Friendships?: Lots of Luxord&Vivi
Characters: Luxord, Xigbar, Tifa, Vivi, Naminé
→Cameos: Eiko, Freya, Eiko's Moogles (all from FF9)
→Mentions: Barret (FF7), Xaldin
Rating: PG
Spoilers: KHII - Second visit to Port Royal
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any related characters. This was written out of enjoyment of the series, and no profit is being made.
Notes: LISTEN OKAY. I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN I'M CONTINUING THIS OR HOW ALL THE LITTLE SCATTERED IDEAS ARE GOING TO CONNECT. IT'S ALL SPARKISM AND NINJA_BUTTERFLY'S FAULT ANYWAY.
In which Captain Luxord obtains his newest crew member.
Drink Up, Me Hearties
Prologue
“Evasive action, Miss Crescent! Steer us out of range of that island, please!”
“Aye aye, captain!”
Never had this particular captain been more grateful for the Burmecian’s cool head than he had been in that moment. He turned back to the railing, looking out from the quarterdeck over the ship. He surveyed his crew with expert eyes, even through the blistering wind and stinging rain. Mister Wallace was securing the cannons; the sails were already secure. He needed to get everyone below deck and quickly. This storm wasn’t going to let up until morning, he knew. Just tie everything down, lower the anchor, and get below deck.
“Master Vivi!” he shouted over the din.
“Reporting, sir!” The boy appeared through the night gloom, holding his tricorne to his head. (The captain was reminded why he had given his hat to the boy in the first place: he would’ve never had the dedication to hang onto it like that. His long blue surcoat was much easier to keep track of.) The wind whipped his eyes into golden slits within the darkness of his face.
“Can I trust you to drop anchor, Master Vivi?”
The boy hesitated for a fraction of a second before saluting. “Aye aye!” He dashed off, his lifeline trailing behind him.
“Captain Luxord!” a voice drifted down from the crow’s nest. The captain shielded his eyes against the rain and looked up.
“Yes, Mister Xigbar?”
“A ship off the starboard bow, sir!”
“Is there a possibility of a collision?”
“If we drop anchor, it’ll most likely miss us.”
“Did you hear that, Freya?” he shouted over his shoulder.
The rat-like dragoon nodded, her short white hair flying in the storm. “Aye, cap’n.”
He nodded in return. “I trust our fate in your hands, my good woman.” He turned back to his lookout. “Are all hands well and accounted for, Mister Xigbar?”
“As far as the eye can see, cap’n,” he responded, single gold eye glinting as he grinned. Even in the middle of a deathly storm, the captain thought, shaking his head, the poor man never loses his sense of humour.
“Make sure everyone gets safely below deck, please,” he said. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
“All hands, below deck!” Xigbar’s voice carried over the wind and rain. All of his crew was moving towards the stairs that would take them below, untying their lifelines from around their waists.
With that, the captain launched himself over the railing and hit the deck running. He needed to make sure the young Master Vivi was alrig-
He felt the anchor hit the seabed and the ship beneath his feet stop moving. He reached the fo’c’sle just as Vivi turned back around from the railing. He still clung to his hat against the wind. “You weren’t worried about me, were you, captain?”
The man laughed, pushing the boy’s tricorne down over his eyes purposefully. “With someone like you around, I worry considerably less.”
Vivi laughed shyly, pushing his hat up above his eyes. He focused on something behind his captain, looking a little distraught. The man followed his gaze, feeling his heart sink with dread as he saw what the boy saw.
“And with her, I worry considerably more.”
The woman standing on the railing of the deck wore no lifeline. Her long hair was tossed everywhere by the wind, like an ink splotch in the air. She was poised to jump into the stormy ocean.
“Miss Lockhart!”
She only locked eyes with him for a second over her shoulder. “My apologies, captain,” was all she said before she jumped into the water below.
Vivi squeaked and Captain Luxord didn’t move.
“Oh, bloody hell.” The captain started taking off his surcoat. “Please hold onto this for me, Vivi,” he said, tossing the garment to the boy before taking a running jump off his ship and into the sea.
He wasn’t sure if he landed right-side-up or sideways or which way in the water. But his limbs started moving, started him swimming in whatever direction she had gone. Over his shoulder, Vivi shouted his throat hoarse for them both.
Luxord wasn’t sure how long he had been swimming when a plank of wood drifted by. He thought briefly of the other boat, off starboard bow, but swiftly forgot. He clung to the piece of wreckage, using it as a buoy. “Tifa!” he shouted.
It was dark, but scant moonlight glinted off the waves. Patches of water were dark, spotted with the dull shine of splintered wood. “Where are you?”
“Captain, help!” He could tell from the woman’s voice that she wasn’t afraid of drowning at all in the current situation. She just sounded a little frustrated.
Tifa Lockhart was trying to tread water and hold something above the surface at the same time to his right and two planks of wood away. He started swimming over, trying to use the planks as a substitute for stepping stones. “Tifa, what in your right mind were you thinking?”
As he approached, he could see why she was struggling to stay afloat. Tifa had a baby clutched to her chest, its head up on her shoulder. It was disturbingly quiet amidst the waves.
“Apparently, I was thinking with my wrong mind, cap’n,” she said. She was breathing hard, trying to stay afloat. He grabbed onto her, wrapping himself around her shoulders, being careful of the infant in her arms.
Somehow, this was going to work.
The water around them burst upwards like an explosion. They were moving upwards, the air pushing down hard on their heads and the only thing Luxord could think to do was say, “That was sooner than expected.”
The deck suddenly appeared under their feet, even though neither had noticed moving downwards at all. Vivi jumped slightly a couple of feet away. “Captain! I panicked, and… My powers, they -”
“Vivi, excuse my interruption, but is Miss Crescent below deck?”
“Yes, cap’n.”
“Then we must follow. You have the eternal gratitude of me, Miss Lockhart, and this baby.” The captain unwrapped himself from his boatswain and kneeled slightly to retrieve his surcoat from the boy’s arms. He crossed the deck swiftly and disappeared below deck, holding the door open for Tifa as she ran past.
The boy followed him down the metal stairs quietly asking, “The baby?”
Luxord laughed exhaustedly. He could hear the clamour Tifa was creating down below already. As the two soaked sailors stepped onto the metal floor, one of the six moogles flew out of the galley, looking frantic. The captain sighed. “Well, swabbie. Looks like we’ve got a situation.”
They walked down the hull and through the doorway into in the warm galley. Eiko was commanding her remaining five moogles from her spot by a huge pot on the stove. “Chimomo, go help Moco get more blankets! Mocha, stir this for me!” She hopped off her stool and poked at the firewood beneath the cauldron. Barret had told her he could install a more modern fire source, but Eiko had insisted that she have wood in her kitchen. It was what she had worked with for four out of the six years of her life.
Tifa sat on her side, wet hair clinging to the back of her neck. She turned and gave a terse smile to her captain, who tried in vain not to smile in return. Vivi discreetly picked up the fire with a bit of his own magic. Eiko, satisfied, returned to her stove.
“She’s alive,” Tifa said as Luxord sat next to her. “Xigbar removed the water from her lungs.”
The captain and the swabbie looked about to see Mister Xigbar sitting on one of the shelves, watching the child in the boatswain’s arms solemnly. He raised his hand in greeting.
Moco and Chimomo swooped back into the room and dropped a load of blankets into Vivi’s arms, piling higher than his head. He stumbled slightly, but made his way over to Tifa.
She laughed and relieved him of some, wrapping the baby tighter. Luxord peeled off his gloves, and moved the blankets covering the baby’s face away. The babe’s skin was cool to the touch, but warming. There were fringes of blonde hair on her head. “She sort of looks like you, captain,” Vivi noted.
“I just can’t comprehend how you knew she was out there,” he said to Tifa.
“I don’t understand how anyone else couldn’t,” she replied simply.
---
The next morning, the sea was quiet. Freya steered the ship, her face grim.
They sailed between jagged cliffs of rock, towering over the tip of the main mast. Remnants of green fields and towns clung to the sides of sheer ridges. Chunks of civilization had fallen into the sea.
They had been sailing by Radiant Isle last night. (Tifa remained expectedly quiet.) The only thing that remained was a torn hole in the map.
The crew was a line of mourners along the railing, removing their hats and bowing their heads. Even Eiko had come up from the galley to see. She clung to Mog, burying her nose in the moogle’s thick fur.
“Mister Xigbar,” Captain Luxord addressed the man standing behind him. “Do you have any conceit about what could’ve undertaken such a heinous task?”
“Hm. Had a feeling in my bones that was no ordinary storm.”
“Captain Xaldin?” Tifa ventured to ask.
Everyone on deck stiffened. Save one.
Vivi was holding the baby, watching her blink big blue eyes and smile. Eiko nudged him. The deckhand looked up, seeing everyone stare at him. He flinched slightly. “Sorry, cap’n. I was-”
“Vivi!” Eiko interrupted. “You didn’t get scared!”
He blinked at her. “Huh?”
“Tifa just said Captain Xaldin!”
Immediately the boy shook from head to toe. “I-I… Why?”
The crew laughed into the cool morning air, feeling slightly relieved. “I’m not sure if it could be him,” Xigbar pondered. “You know as much as I do. But I wouldn’t put it past him to be getting more powerful.”
They watched half a church building fall off a distant cliff as Freya steered them past. “Vivi, bring the girl, please,” Captain Luxord said, turning away from the railing.
The boy approached and handed the bundle of blankets over as gently as he possibly could to the crouching captain. Luxord stood, but not before giving the boy a grateful smile.
He looked into the face of the child Tifa had saved. She smiled serenely beneath her hood of mismatched colours. “Well, little pigeon. It seems you don’t have a home to fly back to. I suppose… we’ll just have to let you roost here.”
“Oh… Oh, no. No no no no no,” Xigbar was saying. He cut into the Captain’s good pacing path. “We are not taking in another one.”
Luxord raised his eyebrows at the man and skirted around his lookout. “Excuse my sometimes-first-mate, love. He also tends to believe he’s my father sometimes. He’s known for teetering on the cusp of well-intentioned-insanity.”
“This is going to become a floating orphanage soon.” Xigbar stomped his way to the main mast and started climbing to the crow’s nest, apparently having had enough. Vivi and Eiko exchanged glances and started giggling in that way they had.
“Time to get started. All hands!” The captain addressed the crew. “To your stations!”
There was a bustle as the members of the crew dispersed. Tifa was the only one who remained, approaching him. “May I ask the name of our newest crew member, cap’n?”
It only took one glance out at the waves before the three syllables rolled off his tongue. “Naminé.”
Her brow knit together at the odd ease the name had come to him. “Naminé?” she repeated.
He nodded, turning back to the girl. “Is that alright: Naminé?”
The girl only gurgled, freeing one tiny arm from her blanket casing and touching his face with an impossibly small hand. “Oh, damn it all. If you’re going to be this ridiculously charming, this’ll be more difficult than it should be.”
Tifa laughed and took off, leaving the captain to deal with the baby on his own. He watched her leave, and looked away with convenient timing when she tossed a glance over her shoulder.
The Captain walked to the bow. “Well, where to begin? Hm. That there,” he pointed to the spar piercing the horizon in front of them, “That’s the bowsprit. And those tall things, those are called masts. And the big white clouds hanging from them are sails. Savvy?”
Naminé only blinked, trying to get a better grip on his face.
“Good. And that platform up there,” he pointed far up, above all the rest of the ship. “That’s the crow’s nest. And above that,” he couldn’t help his chest balloon with pride, “is our flag.”
The white pentacle flapped in the wind, crossed by two swords.
“I welcome you, pigeon, to the Wheel of Fortune.”
Glossery
Burmecian: a race of rat-like beings who live in Burmecia and Cleyra in Final Fantasy IX.
Quarterdeck: the part of a weather deck that runs aft from the midship area or the mainmast to the stern or poop of a vessel.
Fo’c’sle: the forward part of the weather deck of a vessel, esp. that part forward of the foremast.
Bow: the forward end of a vessel or airship.
Starboard: the right-hand side of or direction from a vessel or aircraft, facing forward.
Prologue → Chapter 1
Chapter Listing
Genre: Action, Adventure (eventual romance?)
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Ships?: Vaguey-vague Luxord/Tifa
→Friendships?: Lots of Luxord&Vivi
Characters: Luxord, Xigbar, Tifa, Vivi, Naminé
→Cameos: Eiko, Freya, Eiko's Moogles (all from FF9)
→Mentions: Barret (FF7), Xaldin
Rating: PG
Spoilers: KHII - Second visit to Port Royal
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any related characters. This was written out of enjoyment of the series, and no profit is being made.
Notes: LISTEN OKAY. I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN I'M CONTINUING THIS OR HOW ALL THE LITTLE SCATTERED IDEAS ARE GOING TO CONNECT. IT'S ALL SPARKISM AND NINJA_BUTTERFLY'S FAULT ANYWAY.
In which Captain Luxord obtains his newest crew member.
Drink Up, Me Hearties
Prologue
“Evasive action, Miss Crescent! Steer us out of range of that island, please!”
“Aye aye, captain!”
Never had this particular captain been more grateful for the Burmecian’s cool head than he had been in that moment. He turned back to the railing, looking out from the quarterdeck over the ship. He surveyed his crew with expert eyes, even through the blistering wind and stinging rain. Mister Wallace was securing the cannons; the sails were already secure. He needed to get everyone below deck and quickly. This storm wasn’t going to let up until morning, he knew. Just tie everything down, lower the anchor, and get below deck.
“Master Vivi!” he shouted over the din.
“Reporting, sir!” The boy appeared through the night gloom, holding his tricorne to his head. (The captain was reminded why he had given his hat to the boy in the first place: he would’ve never had the dedication to hang onto it like that. His long blue surcoat was much easier to keep track of.) The wind whipped his eyes into golden slits within the darkness of his face.
“Can I trust you to drop anchor, Master Vivi?”
The boy hesitated for a fraction of a second before saluting. “Aye aye!” He dashed off, his lifeline trailing behind him.
“Captain Luxord!” a voice drifted down from the crow’s nest. The captain shielded his eyes against the rain and looked up.
“Yes, Mister Xigbar?”
“A ship off the starboard bow, sir!”
“Is there a possibility of a collision?”
“If we drop anchor, it’ll most likely miss us.”
“Did you hear that, Freya?” he shouted over his shoulder.
The rat-like dragoon nodded, her short white hair flying in the storm. “Aye, cap’n.”
He nodded in return. “I trust our fate in your hands, my good woman.” He turned back to his lookout. “Are all hands well and accounted for, Mister Xigbar?”
“As far as the eye can see, cap’n,” he responded, single gold eye glinting as he grinned. Even in the middle of a deathly storm, the captain thought, shaking his head, the poor man never loses his sense of humour.
“Make sure everyone gets safely below deck, please,” he said. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
“All hands, below deck!” Xigbar’s voice carried over the wind and rain. All of his crew was moving towards the stairs that would take them below, untying their lifelines from around their waists.
With that, the captain launched himself over the railing and hit the deck running. He needed to make sure the young Master Vivi was alrig-
He felt the anchor hit the seabed and the ship beneath his feet stop moving. He reached the fo’c’sle just as Vivi turned back around from the railing. He still clung to his hat against the wind. “You weren’t worried about me, were you, captain?”
The man laughed, pushing the boy’s tricorne down over his eyes purposefully. “With someone like you around, I worry considerably less.”
Vivi laughed shyly, pushing his hat up above his eyes. He focused on something behind his captain, looking a little distraught. The man followed his gaze, feeling his heart sink with dread as he saw what the boy saw.
“And with her, I worry considerably more.”
The woman standing on the railing of the deck wore no lifeline. Her long hair was tossed everywhere by the wind, like an ink splotch in the air. She was poised to jump into the stormy ocean.
“Miss Lockhart!”
She only locked eyes with him for a second over her shoulder. “My apologies, captain,” was all she said before she jumped into the water below.
Vivi squeaked and Captain Luxord didn’t move.
“Oh, bloody hell.” The captain started taking off his surcoat. “Please hold onto this for me, Vivi,” he said, tossing the garment to the boy before taking a running jump off his ship and into the sea.
He wasn’t sure if he landed right-side-up or sideways or which way in the water. But his limbs started moving, started him swimming in whatever direction she had gone. Over his shoulder, Vivi shouted his throat hoarse for them both.
Luxord wasn’t sure how long he had been swimming when a plank of wood drifted by. He thought briefly of the other boat, off starboard bow, but swiftly forgot. He clung to the piece of wreckage, using it as a buoy. “Tifa!” he shouted.
It was dark, but scant moonlight glinted off the waves. Patches of water were dark, spotted with the dull shine of splintered wood. “Where are you?”
“Captain, help!” He could tell from the woman’s voice that she wasn’t afraid of drowning at all in the current situation. She just sounded a little frustrated.
Tifa Lockhart was trying to tread water and hold something above the surface at the same time to his right and two planks of wood away. He started swimming over, trying to use the planks as a substitute for stepping stones. “Tifa, what in your right mind were you thinking?”
As he approached, he could see why she was struggling to stay afloat. Tifa had a baby clutched to her chest, its head up on her shoulder. It was disturbingly quiet amidst the waves.
“Apparently, I was thinking with my wrong mind, cap’n,” she said. She was breathing hard, trying to stay afloat. He grabbed onto her, wrapping himself around her shoulders, being careful of the infant in her arms.
Somehow, this was going to work.
The water around them burst upwards like an explosion. They were moving upwards, the air pushing down hard on their heads and the only thing Luxord could think to do was say, “That was sooner than expected.”
The deck suddenly appeared under their feet, even though neither had noticed moving downwards at all. Vivi jumped slightly a couple of feet away. “Captain! I panicked, and… My powers, they -”
“Vivi, excuse my interruption, but is Miss Crescent below deck?”
“Yes, cap’n.”
“Then we must follow. You have the eternal gratitude of me, Miss Lockhart, and this baby.” The captain unwrapped himself from his boatswain and kneeled slightly to retrieve his surcoat from the boy’s arms. He crossed the deck swiftly and disappeared below deck, holding the door open for Tifa as she ran past.
The boy followed him down the metal stairs quietly asking, “The baby?”
Luxord laughed exhaustedly. He could hear the clamour Tifa was creating down below already. As the two soaked sailors stepped onto the metal floor, one of the six moogles flew out of the galley, looking frantic. The captain sighed. “Well, swabbie. Looks like we’ve got a situation.”
They walked down the hull and through the doorway into in the warm galley. Eiko was commanding her remaining five moogles from her spot by a huge pot on the stove. “Chimomo, go help Moco get more blankets! Mocha, stir this for me!” She hopped off her stool and poked at the firewood beneath the cauldron. Barret had told her he could install a more modern fire source, but Eiko had insisted that she have wood in her kitchen. It was what she had worked with for four out of the six years of her life.
Tifa sat on her side, wet hair clinging to the back of her neck. She turned and gave a terse smile to her captain, who tried in vain not to smile in return. Vivi discreetly picked up the fire with a bit of his own magic. Eiko, satisfied, returned to her stove.
“She’s alive,” Tifa said as Luxord sat next to her. “Xigbar removed the water from her lungs.”
The captain and the swabbie looked about to see Mister Xigbar sitting on one of the shelves, watching the child in the boatswain’s arms solemnly. He raised his hand in greeting.
Moco and Chimomo swooped back into the room and dropped a load of blankets into Vivi’s arms, piling higher than his head. He stumbled slightly, but made his way over to Tifa.
She laughed and relieved him of some, wrapping the baby tighter. Luxord peeled off his gloves, and moved the blankets covering the baby’s face away. The babe’s skin was cool to the touch, but warming. There were fringes of blonde hair on her head. “She sort of looks like you, captain,” Vivi noted.
“I just can’t comprehend how you knew she was out there,” he said to Tifa.
“I don’t understand how anyone else couldn’t,” she replied simply.
---
The next morning, the sea was quiet. Freya steered the ship, her face grim.
They sailed between jagged cliffs of rock, towering over the tip of the main mast. Remnants of green fields and towns clung to the sides of sheer ridges. Chunks of civilization had fallen into the sea.
They had been sailing by Radiant Isle last night. (Tifa remained expectedly quiet.) The only thing that remained was a torn hole in the map.
The crew was a line of mourners along the railing, removing their hats and bowing their heads. Even Eiko had come up from the galley to see. She clung to Mog, burying her nose in the moogle’s thick fur.
“Mister Xigbar,” Captain Luxord addressed the man standing behind him. “Do you have any conceit about what could’ve undertaken such a heinous task?”
“Hm. Had a feeling in my bones that was no ordinary storm.”
“Captain Xaldin?” Tifa ventured to ask.
Everyone on deck stiffened. Save one.
Vivi was holding the baby, watching her blink big blue eyes and smile. Eiko nudged him. The deckhand looked up, seeing everyone stare at him. He flinched slightly. “Sorry, cap’n. I was-”
“Vivi!” Eiko interrupted. “You didn’t get scared!”
He blinked at her. “Huh?”
“Tifa just said Captain Xaldin!”
Immediately the boy shook from head to toe. “I-I… Why?”
The crew laughed into the cool morning air, feeling slightly relieved. “I’m not sure if it could be him,” Xigbar pondered. “You know as much as I do. But I wouldn’t put it past him to be getting more powerful.”
They watched half a church building fall off a distant cliff as Freya steered them past. “Vivi, bring the girl, please,” Captain Luxord said, turning away from the railing.
The boy approached and handed the bundle of blankets over as gently as he possibly could to the crouching captain. Luxord stood, but not before giving the boy a grateful smile.
He looked into the face of the child Tifa had saved. She smiled serenely beneath her hood of mismatched colours. “Well, little pigeon. It seems you don’t have a home to fly back to. I suppose… we’ll just have to let you roost here.”
“Oh… Oh, no. No no no no no,” Xigbar was saying. He cut into the Captain’s good pacing path. “We are not taking in another one.”
Luxord raised his eyebrows at the man and skirted around his lookout. “Excuse my sometimes-first-mate, love. He also tends to believe he’s my father sometimes. He’s known for teetering on the cusp of well-intentioned-insanity.”
“This is going to become a floating orphanage soon.” Xigbar stomped his way to the main mast and started climbing to the crow’s nest, apparently having had enough. Vivi and Eiko exchanged glances and started giggling in that way they had.
“Time to get started. All hands!” The captain addressed the crew. “To your stations!”
There was a bustle as the members of the crew dispersed. Tifa was the only one who remained, approaching him. “May I ask the name of our newest crew member, cap’n?”
It only took one glance out at the waves before the three syllables rolled off his tongue. “Naminé.”
Her brow knit together at the odd ease the name had come to him. “Naminé?” she repeated.
He nodded, turning back to the girl. “Is that alright: Naminé?”
The girl only gurgled, freeing one tiny arm from her blanket casing and touching his face with an impossibly small hand. “Oh, damn it all. If you’re going to be this ridiculously charming, this’ll be more difficult than it should be.”
Tifa laughed and took off, leaving the captain to deal with the baby on his own. He watched her leave, and looked away with convenient timing when she tossed a glance over her shoulder.
The Captain walked to the bow. “Well, where to begin? Hm. That there,” he pointed to the spar piercing the horizon in front of them, “That’s the bowsprit. And those tall things, those are called masts. And the big white clouds hanging from them are sails. Savvy?”
Naminé only blinked, trying to get a better grip on his face.
“Good. And that platform up there,” he pointed far up, above all the rest of the ship. “That’s the crow’s nest. And above that,” he couldn’t help his chest balloon with pride, “is our flag.”
The white pentacle flapped in the wind, crossed by two swords.
“I welcome you, pigeon, to the Wheel of Fortune.”
Glossery
Burmecian: a race of rat-like beings who live in Burmecia and Cleyra in Final Fantasy IX.
Quarterdeck: the part of a weather deck that runs aft from the midship area or the mainmast to the stern or poop of a vessel.
Fo’c’sle: the forward part of the weather deck of a vessel, esp. that part forward of the foremast.
Bow: the forward end of a vessel or airship.
Starboard: the right-hand side of or direction from a vessel or aircraft, facing forward.
Prologue → Chapter 1
Chapter Listing