Editing Dantega:Volume 4 Chapter 1

Chapter 32: Pursuit on the Water


(PART 1)


"Wow take a look at this place!" Strauphius says loudly while wearing a childlike face.

All of them have their eyes widened and glued to the scenery, it is the color of the blue ocean as far as the eye can see. Little islands tatter the area like lily pads in a large pond and looking closely they see signs of human life, they themselves are at a place as bustling as any town could possible be.

They had just exited the first Gate of Purgatory and entered a large port-city much to the akin of a Mediterranean paradise, people are running all about and numerous boats of every size are being unloaded and restocked. The sound of pelicans and waves crashing exemplifies the smell of seafood that reaches their noses and the voices of people shouting their deals of the day on fish and other goods.

"This is a huge difference from just a few minutes ago." said Napoleon as his eyes scour the crystal clear waters surrounding the hundreds of ports.

Strauphius ignores the thought of such an irregular thing and runs onto one of the ports and jumps in the air when he shouts, "Look at the size of this boat!!! It's Huge!"

Daey sighs and says, "Let the children be children."

Just about everybody in this particular group are under the impression that Strauphius acts much younger than his age, so they have gotten to the point where they accept his antics like it's a normality.

Trojia giggles a little and turns around to see the area in which they had just came, to her surprise she finds that there is no sign of the massive and beautifully designed Purgatory Gate that they had just passed through. Instead there is nothing, it is like they had just walked through the side of the hill that rests there.

She grabs onto Ubica's sleeve and asks, "Um, where's the Gate?"

Ubica raises eyebrow and is genuinely confused when he answers, "I have no clue."

"Each Gate leads to a random place on the next level, I've heard stories where people who were able to pass through one of the Gates ended up stranded on a desolate island, alone on top of a mountain range, and like us, in the middle of a city." added Messor.

Ubica scratches his head and says, "Well it looks like we lucked out then"

Daey happened to overhear what Messor said and responds to it, "So that means that Niera and the others could be on the opposite side of this level..." she looks disappointed as she stares down to the ground. "I thought that we were going to catch up to them."

This makes Ubica feel a bit saddened about her situation, he knows that she wants nothing more than to see her sister again. He puts her hand on her shoulder and says, "We'll see them soon."

Paying no mind to the atmosphere, Tsubiri butts in, "I'm hungry!!! The smell of the food is driving me mad! Let's eat!"

Without even asking the others, she grabs Ubica's hand and yanks him away from the group. Ubica has shown himself to be completely helpless to Tsubiri's demands so all he can do is mutter "Waaah!?" as he gets dragged into town.

Messor's jaw clinches up as she tries to force a smile onto her face. "Shall we follow them?"

Napoleon turns to her and replies, "First thing's first, you seem to know a good amount about this place... What I want to know is how we go about finding the second Gate."

"I couldn't tell you where it will be if that is what you are implying, the Gate's from here on out don't have a set location, they can change at any random time of the year."

Napoleon frowns at this disposition, "How troublesome, we were lucky to find Aria and Strauphius, even more so because they happened to have a map. If it's true that the Gate's location changes throughout time then we really need to make finding this one quickly our top priority."

Messor shrugs her shoulders, "I agree with that, I guess we'll just need to get lucky again."



--------------------------



Tsubiri takes a deep breath through her nose to smell the aroma of food and exhales loudly in pleasure, "This is the place that delicious smell is coming from!"

The building that they are outside of is somewhat rundown due to the constant barrage of salt filled air coming from the sea, but that's not a good enough excuse to explain why it is this building is in such bad shape, the others around this port city look just fine in comparison.

Ubica stares at the sign above the door that reads 'SCALLYWAG'S' discouragingly, he then shifts his gaze just a few buildings down and sees a great looking restaurant where soothing gentle music is being played for the patrons sitting on the outside patio.

"Hey Tsubiri, that place looks way better."

Tsubiri doesn't even look to where he is pointing when she replies, "No way, we're going here."

"Ugh."

Still holding his hand she drags him into the sling door that is reminiscent of an old western entrance to a saloon; as soon as they enter the loud noises of rowdy drunken blowhards laughing and loud ear torturing music is heard.

Ubica glares at all of them dejectedly and they all stare back at him like, 'Who the hell is this guy?'

The occupants of this place are all chiseled and big men, some have beards down to their belly buttons and some have scars on their face, in the corner of the room there even sits a burly looking man with a peg leg. Tsubiri pays no mind to these threatening looking men and drags him straight to the bar table, they sit down on the stools and she looks over to her side to see a massive and scary looking black man wearing an eye-patch munching on some fish and chips. She sticks her face all up in his business and he becomes very annoyed.

Ubica turns blue with fright but stays silent so he doesn't make a scene. But he doesn't need to worry about that, because Tsubiri makes one big enough for the both of them when she yells to the bartender, "This is what I've been smelling! I would like two orders of what this guy has and two beers!"

The bartender is cleaning a glass with a rag and he stares at her oddly, she gets mad at his look and sharply says, "Make it snappy."

The bartender sighs, he puts his glass down and bends over to grab some wooden mugs, he then flips the nozzle of a large wooden keg and fills the mugs with some ridiculously dark beer.

"Here, your food's comin' soon."

She smiles and cutely says her thanks to him, he clicks his tongue and gets back to cleaning the glass.

Ubica didn't like how that entire interaction between them went and is extremely uncomfortable. "Do we really need to eat here? We're sticking out pretty bad thanks to your big mouth."

"Shut up, you should know that nobody can get in the way of this hungry girl. Once my mind is set on what food I want I'll get it to my belly no matter what."

Ubica releases a sigh of resignation and says, "You really are a piece of work."

"Heeee heee heee, I am meee."

Ubica laughs and grabs his mug of beer, he looks at it like it is something out of a horror film and asks, "You don't actually expect me to drink this stuff do you?"

Tsubiri grabs her mug and chugs a good portion of it, she lets out an obnoxious exhale after her drink and replies, "Of course I do, I'm paying for it."

"That's not the point, this looks like motor oil and I'm sure it tastes like it too."

"Oh stop being a baby and just drink it, you'll never know how it tastes until you try."

He again sighs and puts the mug to his mouth, he shuts his eyes and thinks to himself, 'Bottom's up!'

He downs as much as he can until he starts to feel like he is choking on something thick. He slams the mug down and starts coughing, he isn't used to drinking anymore and to start off the day with a beer that tastes like carbonated coffee doesn't help his cause.

"Hahahhaaha what a bitch."

"Hey! I'm not a bitch!"

"Hehehe well you drink like one."

"No I don't! I just hate dark beer!"

"What kind of man can't drink dark beer?"

She nudges at the massive black guy next to her and asks, "Right?"

The black man slowly turns his head to Ubica and sternly says, "Bitch."

"Whaaaaa!? Why are you agreeing with her!"

The black man faintly smiles and lifts his own mug, he easily chugs the entire cup and signals the bartender for more.

He didn't say a word, but his actions hit Ubica like an arrow in the chest. 

He puffs up on his chair and says, "Fine! I'll show you both that I'm not a bitch!"

He then takes his mug, pours the dark beer into his mouth and begins drinking.

The black man and Tsubiri stare at him with anxious looks on their faces while they wait to see if he can finish it. Ubica is so determined to plug it down that he tries to ignore the bloated feeling forming in his stomach, but it seems that he can't avoid it any longer, the foam of the beer that's causing him to be bloated comes rushing up through his throat and it all comes right back out into the cup. He coughs wildly and his eyes spin as the foam comes firing out of his mouth like a volcano eruption and sprays in many different directions.

This is a sign of someone that really can't hold down his liquor, and to put it in the words of Tsubiri's standards, a bitch.

Tsubiri and the black man lean away from the mess he's making and laugh loudly, the black man's laugh is so loud that it makes the entirety of the rowdy bar stop and watch in surprise.

"Hahahahahah holy crap Ubica you are so pathetic!" Tsubiri says while slapping her knee.

Ubica glares at her while throwing up foam and attempts to say shut up but it comes out sounding gurgled, and that only added fuel to the fire.

The black man stands up with a big smile on his face and finally speaks more than one word, "I don't remember the last time I laughed that hard." He turns to all of the men in the bar and raises his mug and says loudly, "Everyone, give these two a round of cheers for making me laugh."

Every last man in the bar stand up and smile, they hold their mugs up and say "CHEERS!!" and then immediately start drinking in their rowdy nature once more.

The black man holds his huge hand out and says, "My name is Ernest Vanderbilt. Also known as Captain Black Dandy."

Tsubiri smiles and shakes his hand. "Tsubiri, I have a last name but I don't know it."

"Interesting enough."

Ernest holds his hand out again and this time Ubica shakes it. "My name is Ubica... Uh, I don't think I have a last name."

Ernest smiles and says, "If you'd like I can make one for you, it can be about your drinking skills."

"Then please don't!"

Ernest's whole demeanor switched from a bitter one to a jolly one, "Buahahaha you two are quite the characters, where did you guys come from?"

Ubica doesn't know how to answer that, he can't just tell him who they are and where they came from because it could sound like they are crazy. He stalls for a moment trying to find something to say when Tsubiri blurts out,

"We just came from the first level of Purgatory!"

As soon as she said that the loud music comes to a screeching halt and all the men once again become dead silent.

Ernest looks at her in shock and asks, "Come again..?"

Ubica has a bad feeling and stands to his feet; Tsubiri instantly feels awkward when she senses the glares of all the men but she still finds the courage to repeat herself. "W-We just came from the first level of Purgatory."

Ernest takes a step back and looks at her square in the eye. "Are you telling the truth?"

"I don't have a reason to lie."

"Then answer me this, do you know of Earth?"

Ubica takes a step in front of Tsubiri and answers his question for her. "That's where we're from."

Ernest smiles and says, "That's where we're all from... And that is where we are going."

Ubica raises his eyebrow and asks, "So you are aware... Do you have an idea of where the Gate is?"

Ernest laughs smugly and pulls a rolled up piece of paper out of his coat pocket, he unrolls it and it looks like a map. "No pirate doesn't know where he is going."

Ubica looks at the map with eyes widened in disbelief, he looks around the room and back and asks, "Who are you guys?"

All the men in the room stand up and smile proudly. Ernest puts his hands on his side and declares, "We are all pirates who know of the real world and sail on a ship called 'The Black Dandelion'."

Ubica and Tsubiri look at each other in amazement that there are this many people all in one group who know of Earth, this is when it hits them, these men have a map to the second Gate. Ubica's hand slowly reaches to the hilt of his sword as he contemplates attacking them and stealing the map, he has no intentions to kill any of them, but he knows that if he flips his sword over he can at least incapacitate them. This seems ruthless and mean but importance lies primarily in getting the rest back home so they can stop the war and save the world.

Ernest doesn't notice Ubica's subtle switch to attack mode and asks him, "Since you two were able to pass the first Gate, that means you were able to defeat a Gatekeeper... You guys have strange abilities right?"

Tsubiri answers this question simply and follows it with one of her own, "Yes... Do you?"

Ernest's demeanor turns a little guilt stricken when he replies, "Sadly enough, only I do... This has been our demise every time we set sail for the Gate, there are dozens of other ships that attempt to pass the Gate, and it has become a large competition between the underground pirate crews so we all battle to get there first. Our problem is that all the other crews have those strange powers whilst our crew is filled with ordinary men."

"Why can't they learn? I thought that it comes natural once they become 'aware'." asks Tsubiri.

"Well that happened for me, but the others haven't been able to attain them so we are desperately trying to find someone who can teach us."

Ubica and Tsubiri again stare at each other and their faces light up. 

Tsubiri smiles and remembers how she got the powers she now has, with a body language full of confidence she states, "Well it looks like you found them!"

Ernest takes a deep breath and quickly asks, "Really!?"

All of the other mean wear the same expressions as well and she answers, "Yes really, I can go get her right now!"

The men all cheer loudly in happiness and drink merrily, but that happy atmosphere is cut short by Ubica's serious voice.

"That gift can be arranged... But it'll cost you."

Ernest and the men glare at him in a way that gets Tsubiri so awkward it makes her cringe slightly.

"What is it that you want boy?"

Ubica smiles and blows air out of his nose at his question, being called boy is something new to him.

Ignoring that, he shoots Ernest a steely glare and answers,

"In return for teaching you guys, you have to let me and my comrades on your ship to accompany you on your journey to the Gate."

This request is actually something he doesn't expect them to go for; in his mind, since they are pirates they would rather kidnap them and force Ubica and the rest to give them the ability. But it seems that they want to avoid any unnecessary conflict with people who have enough power to pass the first Gate.

Ernest glares at the faces of all his men, they look like they have no doubts in their minds so the answer becomes obvious. He holds his hand out and says, " Deal."

The two shake hands and sign an invisible contract, and with that simple action another adventure awaits them.



---------------------------



"Wow I can't believe that just happened." said Tsubiri while eating her meal out of a to go box.

Ubica nudges her shoulder and says, "Don't talk with your mouth full, it's gross."

"Oh shut up."

"But what you said is true, things really turned out great for us, and it happened really fast too."

"Now it all depends on what Messor says about the whole thing, she'll say yes right?"

Ubica scratches his head in wonder, "Uh... I think so, she works in random ways but I'm pretty sure her goals are the same as ours."

"Then there shouldn't be a problem then."

Walking towards the two and weaving their way through the mass of people running around the city is Messor and the rest.

"Speak of the devil." said Tsubiri, and Ubica flinches at how close that statement actually compares to her.

"So there you are, you shouldn't run off without telling us where you are going Ubica." said Messor in subtle anger.

"Me!? How is this my fault!?"

Messor smiles at him and he can feel her anger when she says, "You know exactly why."

Ubica is at a lost for words and he knows from past experience to just agree with her.

He drops his head down and says, "Sorry..."

Sensing that this conversation is going nowhere, Tsubiri gets straight to the point. "Hey Messor, we have a favor to ask." 

Messor tilts her head as to ask what it is and Tsubiri answers her look. 

"We have found a way to the second Gate."

All of them jolt in shock at her declaration, but Messor seems wary and asks, "Where do I come in?"

This is when Ubica steps in front of Tsubiri and states, "There is a group of pirates we just met who are 'aware'. And they have a map to the Gate and a ship to get there, the problem is that they don't hold any of the abilities that go along with it. But I made them an offer..."

Messor chuckles and says, "You want me to give them powers in exchange for a free ride to the Gate."

"That's right... Will you do it?"

Napoleon chimes in to encourage Messor. "It looks like we just got lucky again."

Messor shows no change in expression when she answers, "That would be the case... If I was obliged to agree to such a thing."

The group all take a gasp.

"You're saying no!?" Ubica inquires.

She walks to Ubica and puts her finger on his chest. "Come with me."

Ubica turns his gaze to the rest of the group who are awaiting her answer anxiously, he knows that the reason behind her words can't be said around the others so he figures that only he can convince her otherwise.

"Okay..."



----------------------



The two walk off and leave the rest of the group, they walk in silence as Ubica wonders what is going on in her head. They reach a small portion of a sandy beach that is slightly excluded from the rest of the town. There is a little bench resting in the sand that is used for a viewpoint and the two take a seat and sit in silence for a few moments until Messor speaks. 

"I bet you are wondering why I'm refusing right?"

"Of course I am, I don't get why you wouldn't want to get back to Earth."

Messor chuckles and responds, "That's where you are mistaken, I don't get why you think that I want to go back to Earth."

"Huh?"

"Think about it Ubica, I have no goals or aspirations on Earth, as far as I'm concerned I have all of eternity to spend here if I damn well please."

Ubica frowns and raises his voice, "There is a war going on right now, we have to get back in enough time to stop it."

Messor crosses her legs on the bench and says, "That's got nothing to do with me."

He grits his teeth and looks away. In a solemn tone he says, "I thought you said that you wanted to help me..?"

"I do want to help you, but you don't seem to understand that everyone else don't mean anything to me."

"The others have become a second part of me, if you want to help, they come along as well."

Messor looks at him with eyes that are steadily becoming more and more frustrated. "I don't believe you are in any position to order me around. It's not the past anymore, you said yourself that I am no longer your puppet."

Ubica stands to his feet and scowls at her. "That's right! You are my friend!"

Messor is taken aback by this and stares at him in surprise.

"Friend?"

Her surprised face turns into an angered one, it seems that her temper has risen with each word he has said so far and what just came out of his mouth put her over the edge. 

She stands to her feet and shouts, "Fuck being friends! I'm not your friend and I never was!"

"What are you talking about!? Of course we are friends!"

Messor instantly slaps him in the face, she bites her lip and her voice wavers when she says, "I don't want to be your damn friend..."

Ubica puts his hand on his face to relieve the stinging feeling left by her slap. 

"W-Why not..?"

Her eyes start to water and an emotion never shown by her begins to surface. 

"Because I want to be more than that... I'm supposed to be more than that.. I am more than that!!"

Ubica is at a loss for words and literally couldn't mutter anything even if he had something to say; the person Messor is now, is a person that he doesn't know. Ever since their reunion her entire personality has morphed into someone he is unfamiliar with, this has caused him to doubt how he should treat her.

Messor punches him in the shoulder and grabs his shirt collar with both of her hands, her grip progressively gets stronger as she shouts, "That's why I want the old you back! The old you would have told me to kill those worthless humans and steal that map! He wouldn't ask me to give them a portion of my power like I am an expendable resource!"

She shakes him with all her might and he just lets her do it, guilt is written on his face as he realizes that he never took her feelings into consideration. 

He grabs her shoulders and embraces her tightly to calm her down.

"I'm sorry..."

Messor punches her clinched fists into his back and softly says, "The old you wouldn't apologize to me either..."

Ubica only has one thought in his mind that can escape his mouth so he repeats himself, "I'm sorry..."

"Damn it Ubica... Just stop it."

He squeezes her tighter as her slim body sinks into his chest, the confident aura around her shrinks into one that shatters her guard.

"What do you want me to do?" Ubica asks, "I'll do anything in my power as the person I am now to convince you to do this for me."

"I bet you can guess what I have in mind." Messor replies.

He sternly answers, "Fine."

She takes her head out of his chest and looks at him with widened eyes. 

"Really?"

He lets go of her and begins to walk away when he says, "Yeah... I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep my friends safe and to stop Damien's plans. Even if it means that I have to lower myself to my old standards for a brief moment in time."

Messor frowns and laughs at the same time, "So you are saying that I'm low? What a subtle insult."

"Take it as you may, if you don't like it I'll find my own way to get us out of here..." He turns to her with a tender smile and finishes, "I just hope that you are by my side on our way."

"Hmph so you're going to put it that way. How sly of you to put me on the spot like that." 

Messor sits back down on the bench and stares at the sea, she turns her head away to hide her unusually frail face, her shoulders relax and she asks him a question that depending on his answer would decide whether or not she'll help them or not. 

"Let me ask you... What do you intend to do when we get back?"

"...?"

"Do you intend to run off and live happily ever after with one of those three girls? Do you intend to play the role of vigilante and police the world through the shadows? Or do you intend to disappear again and leave everyone behind? Just like you did with me."

Ubica thinks about her questions and comes to the conclusion that the answer best suited is...

"I haven't thought that far yet."

Messor is completely disappointed in his answer, she expected something far more specific and is frustrated at how indecisive he has become. Little does she know, Ubica has had a plan for the future all along, a plan so big that he wants no one to be involved in it, so he keeps it a secret. This situation calls for that secret to be told, it calls for him to forgo all of the doubt he still holds towards her, by revealing this he shows her the trust that she wants so badly.

"But I'll tell you one thing that I must accomplish... I intend to right the wrongs of my past and destroy all of Hell with my own hands."

This is the type of answer that she wanted, this is the type of determination that she is willing to follow to the edges of the Universe. 

She stands to her feet and smiles, "Then let me join you for that goal... That is the one and only condition to get me to help those humans."

Ubica smiles as well, "Are you sure you want to stick by me for this? It's not going to be easy fighting our old comrades and forsaking what we once were."

"I already told you.. You and I are one, the past means nothing as long as I know that I will be with you in the future."

This is what Messor has been wanting to get through to him this entire time, she was begging for his old self because she knows that Ubica the Anti-Christ would never separate from the False Prophet. She understands that if he was his old self, she would always be wanted and will always have a use, he would always trust her no matter what. But if those days can't come back, the next best thing in assuring her position at his side would be to join him in destroying everything they once represented.

Ubica holds out his hand for a shake and says, "Then we're back to being partners once again?"

Messor smiles happily and slaps his hand away, she again puts her face into his chest and hugs him tightly.

"Hmph, don't be stupid. We've never stopped."

He hugs her back and replies, "You're right."



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Under the shining sun and bright blue sky of the next day, the entire group are sailing the deep blue sea on a massive black wood ship along with about fifty pirates. The pirates are working hard to set the sails by pulling and maneuvering tons of rope, on the large white sails is the emblem of a black flower, a dandelion to be exact, one that fits the name of the ship led by the Captain who's nickname is Black Dandy. The Captain's name needs no questioning as to why it is so, the answer lies in his appearance, he stands at least 6 and a half feet tall and his body stature is large with muscle; but what fits the most is his dark skin color, with this along with the name of the ship, his pirate name has been Black Dandy for as long as he's been pirating.

He is standing at the helm of the large ship with a happy smile on his face because he knows that new abilities will be bestowed upon his crew members, this is thanks to the happenstance of meeting an odd couple at their home bar.

One of oddballs from that group is standing next to him with an excited look on her face. "Woaaah!! This is the first time I've ever been on a boat before! This is awesome!" Tsubiri shouts.

Ernest laughs loudly and says, "It sure looks like you have gotten your sea legs quickly, I can't say as much for your friends though."

Looking down on the deck they can see Strauphius, who was once so amazed at the size of certain boats at port now blowing chunks over the side of the ship. Napoleon is fast asleep leaning up against a crate with his arms folded. Daey is struggling to stand up due to the constant swaying of the ship. Trojia is grabbing onto a pole and asking everybody she sees if the ship was going to sink or not. Messor is more toward the front of the ship by her lonesome and looking very miserable being on the water for some reason. Ubica on the other hand has a big smile on his face and is helping out others with manual labor and enjoying every second of it.

Ernest watches Ubica work and says, "Your boyfriend is doing just fine though."

This causes Tsubiri's face to turn bright red. 

"B-B-B-Boyfriend!?"

"Yeah, Ubica is his name right? I can see it in him, he truly is someone special. The entire crew like him already and he seems to enjoy helping others." He slaps her on the back and laughs, "You'd better hang on to that guy."

Tsubiri puckers up and looks away and then back to the happy face of Ubica. 

'Hang on to him huh?' she thinks to herself.

And then the image of him and Messor holding each other pops into her mind. She never got a proper explanation for that night and couldn't help but become worried when Messor told him to come with her in private yesterday.

With these thoughts flowing through her head she starts to feel uneasy when she softly says,

"I'll try."



-------------------------



Now with the sun set and the stars shining there are very few people on the deck of the ship, many of them are in the barracks sleeping and some are still lazily working inside. A pirate on guard duty sits high above in the crow's nest but is passed out due to the long day. But there is one person who doesn't ever seem to sleep who is sitting on the very tip of the bow and enjoying the cool ocean breeze flowing through his silver hair.

Zoning out on the numerous sensations he feels, he doesn't notice the presence of Tsubiri behind him, she walks up the stairs that lead to the bow and taps him on the shoulder.

This surprises Ubica and he jolts, causing him to topple over the side of the boat.

"Ooowaaah!?"

Tsubiri grabs him to hold him up, and he also keeps himself from falling by wedging his legs on the rail, but that doesn't keep him from awkwardly hanging over the side.

"What in the world are you doing you airhead!?" he shouts.

Tsubiri frowns while keeping her firm grip on his arm. "It's not my fault you're clumsy you jerk!"

She lifts him up and due to his body weight he flings over the rail and plows into her, causing them both to fall hard on the wooden floorboards.

"Owww!" Tsubiri groans as she rubs the back of her head. She opens her eyes and notices that she is in the shadow of something that the three moons are shining over.

It is Ubica, he is casting over her, holding himself up with his arms. But he is not moving, he is just staring at her with his bright green eyes. He has a straight face and this causes her to become nervous.

"Umm..."

Ubica hangs his head down and his hair cascades over his eyes, a smile surfaces on his face and he begins to laugh.

"Hahahaha you are way more of a klutz than I am."

He slides off of her and lies on his back to look up at the stars.

This is about to turn into another one of those arguments they always have and Tsubiri knows it; it's not that she doesn't like teasing him but this time is different. The words that Ernest spoke to her earlier have been ringing in her head all day and the reason why she even came out this late to talk to him was to get something off her chest.

She suddenly jumps on top of him and he shouts in shock, 

"H-Hey what are you doing!?"

Tsubiri gently puts her finger on his lips and says, "Shut up."

He can tell she is serious so he doesn't mutter a word.

She takes advantage of his silence and begins to speak.

"You know... Since I've met youk I've almost died twice."

Ubica shows a face of trouble when she said that because she made it sound like it is all his fault that she has been put in danger, and the worst part about it is that this is exactly the case. He is about to open his mouth to apologize but he is stopped by Tsubiri's hand.

"I know what you are about to say, but that's not where I'm going with this. What I'm trying to tell you is that in what I thought were my last moments... I was only thinking about you... No one else, it was only you." 

His eyes look at her like he is asking why and she answers his glare.

"You are the most important person in the world to me Ubica."

A strange feeling in Ubica's chest begins to rise, it is a pounding that warms his body up and makes him feel as light as a feather, it is his beating heart. That non existent heart of his has shown itself once more and the emotion of happiness fills his mind.

But words can't seem to escape his mouth and this causes Tsubiri to be insecure. 

She looks him square in the eye and reveals a broken smile, "So what are you going to say? I'm sorry? The typical rejection phrase... Is that what you are going to say?"

Ubica stays silent for a for a moment and then lifts his hand, he presses it against her face and softly caresses her cheek and says words that are completely opposite to her expectations.

"I tend to forget about all my worries when I'm around you, and in turn I always have so much fun when you're around... With that in mind... I don't see anything there for me to apologize about."

This is the closest thing to him admitting that he accepts her feelings without actually saying it, and Tsubiri's heart skips a beat.

She holds his hand that is on her face and moves her head closer to his. With their noses touching she shuts her eyes and readies to do something that she has been longing to do for a while now and Ubica is not about to deny her.

The two slowly inch closer to each other until the warmth of their breath beat across their faces. But sadly, before they can reach the desired point of contact they are interrupted.

BOOOOOOOOM!!!!

An explosion rips into the water just a few feet short of the ship and sends it rocking violently, water splashes extremely high and sprays all over both of them. They both jolt to their feet and quickly try to find the source. They look to the area from which the explosion came, and out in the dark ocean the moonlight shines over the white sails of a different ship with an emblem of a sword on it.

It's a pirate ship.

The man in the crow's nest wakes up and through his binoculars he sees men on the other ship's deck preparing to fire another cannon. With all the energy in his half asleep body he shouts, 

"IT'S AN AMBUSH!!!"

As soon as he says this, dozens of pirates begin to run from the inside of the ship and on to the deck to prepare for battle; Ernest follows calmly out of the Captain's room and starts ordering people around. Napoleon rushes out of his barrack and out in the open with a demeanor ready for battle and the rest of the group rush closely behind.

Tsubiri and Ubica still stand at the bow and as if the attack from the enemy isn't even happening she shouts, "You've got to be kidding me! We were just about to get to the good part!"

Ubica lightly shoves her and pulls out his sword, he jumps off the steps and starts walking on the deck. 

Through the shouts of all the pirates he turns to her, smiles and says, "Rain check?"

A blue light twirls around Tsubiri's body, she is readying her power of lightning in order to defend the boat along with the others. She tenderly looks at him and also smiles when she says,

"Deal."










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