Silver Infinity ((Kamukura X Komaeda))

Chapter Eight: Steady Sail

  A fog seemed to settle around the dark ocean waters as the distant shape of nearby land encroached.
"Land at 2'oclock, Captain!" A woman in the lookout called from above. What could she see from there? Could her eyes perhaps catch a display above the thick fog?

Komaeda's curiosity peaked in interest whilst making his way to the front of the ship. Even as he peered with all his might, it was a lost cause.
It was getting close to nighttime but even still, this was too much.

"Everyone to deck!" A man called before a figure suddenly appeared at Komaeda's side, startling him to jumping back and clutching the rail. The man chuckled, turning his eyes back to the seas.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He brushed his fingers through his thick purple hair. "You're the new guy, right? Captain Kamukura has been known to allow anyone who asks to join the crew, but never once has another pirate Captain been close to him. I mean, most pirates just try to kill him."

"He allows just anyone?" Komaeda couldn't help but question. Surely he would at least make sure they're fit enough to take care of the ship or hold themselves in a battle? Izuru's crew seemed plenty strong the night they met.
"Well yeah," The man rolled his shoulders before leaning against the railing. "Women being forced into marriage, men too weak to get jobs to support a family, children without parents, there are people like that all over the world, he gives them a place to feel... Welcome, and at home, you could say. It's not really for him to question if they're unfortunate enough to welcome aboard. I don't think he really cares anyway."

The purple-haired male outstretched an arm and pointed back towards the deck. When Komaeda followed his gesture, his eyes landed on two young boys arm wrestling on a barrel. Although details were difficult to make out with the fog, Komaeda could clearly see they seemed no more than eleven or twelve.
"There, Nagisa's parents wanted him to be admired by young ladies when he reached marriage age. They abused him in their hopes of perfection until he ran away and was picked up by luck."

"Luck, huh?" The words ushered from Komaeda's lips before he bit back saying anything weird. Luck could be said for everything that's happened to him. Such wonderful good luck, such horrid bad luck, all bundled up into a little pile, compiling how he even stood there now. Could the same be said for Nagisa? Would him finding his way to Izuru's crew be good or bad luck?
The Captain couldn't decide, but it was as though Izuru had been giving all these people hope. Why did that feel so fantastic in his heart?
It felt like every minute that passed, Komaeda was more grateful that he had lowered his sword.

"I'm Kaito, by the way." The man gleamed but didn't offer his hand. "Sorry, I should've introduced myself earlier."
The Captain was quick to wave it off, "Oh it's fine!" He forced an awkward smile. "I'm Nagito. If you don't mind me asking, are we getting close to Japan?"
"That's our course?" Kaito's face dropped in hesitance before he looked back out to sea. "I knew these waters felt familiar. I would say so, but why Japan?"
The fog felt like it was growing thicker by the moment, even Kaito's face looked blurry by this point.
"Izuru mentioned something about tracing back Hajime's roots to find the treasure. Is there something wrong?"
"Yeah," The pirate frowned in response. "Our Captain used to work for the empress and they didn't exactly leave off on a great note."

Before Komaeda could let the words 'you're kidding' leave his mouth, the thunderous slamming of a door snapped his attention to the Captain's Quarters where Izuru stood tall, as still as a statue with his eyes narrowed and locked onto something beyond the fog.
The man's hair flowed softly around his body like a shadow, or perhaps a cape of eigengrau, free of the bounds of the large hat he had been wearing before.