Chapter 7

Two Years Ago, I was part of this crew called the "Pike Pirates", One day Ember joined, and we became close friends, even sharing stories of our past and what we wanted to do in the future. But one evening on a village island not too far from here, I spotted her talking to a Chief Petty Officer. At the time didn't know better than to follow the rules that were placed upon me, so... I ended up ratting her out to our captain, causing her to get kicked out and ending our friendship from then on…

Grace gripped onto her pants a bit as she took a heavy sigh, adding on "I didn't mean to end our friendship…I was just getting to know her too and now she's reduced to this…!" she said, gesturing her hand over to Mochiko and Ember.

"Well, you can always repair it."

Yang commented, trying to be positive about it as she looks over at him, replying "like how? She doesn't even want to be around me nor see my face anytime soon.". Yang began to think as it took him a second, replying "Good point, how do we do that…" Not thinking that he'd agree with Graces response.

"God you're heads denser than a sea beast…"

She told Yang, standing up as she made her decision rather quickly and without Yang's advice. Grace walked over to Ember and Mochiko as Yang followed behind. 

"Alright, I've made my mind up."

"For what? Planning your next move to get us all thrown into prison?"

"Enough Rosendale…" Mochiko commanded, she sighed a bit heavily afterwards a bit annoyed.

"Mochiko, I'll take up your terms, I wont rat anyone out anymore, If it means I'll improve in any way possible then I'll do it."

"Oh, that? I didn't expect you to take it so seriously." Mochiko casually brushed it off.

"I— wait you didn't really mean it?" she replied, a bit confused.

"No love, I meant every word." He chuckled a bit as his sense of humor wasn't common.

Mochiko and Yang began heading to the port as Ember rubbed her arm, standing around as Grace turned to look at her. "can't leave you behind." Grace said as Ember began staring daggers at Grace, replying, "Shut the f*ck up…". Ember went to her little hideout as she began packing a sack of things, Grace looked around once more to make sure they were alone this time.

"So, why'd you take both of them in Captain?"

"Originally we were going to take Ember, but if Grace wants to tag along, I'm not saying no."

Yang didn't think of that as he shrugs it off and helps Mochiko with the sails. Ember walked ahead of Grace as she carried her bag and climbed aboard, Grace followed her as Yang picked up the board and slid it onto the Brigade.

Ember took a deep breath as she seemed relieved, sighing as she coughs and looks over at Grace, who was on the other side of the boat, helping to set sail as well. Once they were done Mochiko then left Pirate Town, the sun was beginning to set as Yang looked at the horizon, remembering about his photos as he walked over to Mochiko's room.

My photos should be dry by now.

He looks at the photos as they were indeed dry, picking up one of them as it was a photo of him when he was younger, with his shark mother. Her mother was light blue in color as she had light gray eyes, a scar over her right eye and had short sea blue hair.

I'll find dad mom…The right crew can take me to him…

He looked at the secondary photo as it was his mother sitting in a bed. Her skin looked even lighter than the first picture, her entire body seemed thinner as well, but she still had a confident and bright smile. He began to tear up as he took a big exhale rubbing his eyes.

Knock knock…

The sound of something tapping on something startled Yang as he turned around, seeing Grace standing at the doorway. "Oh…It's just you Grace…" He sighed relieved, rubbing his eyes a bit, and hiding the photos in his jacket.

"What's gotten you so down?"

"Wh-What do you mean?" He smiled a bit, trying to move past the topic.

Grace saw the edge of his mouth twitch a bit, trying to stay smiling as she took the leap of faith rather than moving along. "What were those photos?" She asked politely, Yang replied almost immediately, "T-They're just— uh— photos…Of…my home! Yeah! I occasionally get homesick and view it.".

By then Grace already saw through his façade, seeing several hints of him hiding something else. "You don't have to lie to me y'know, If I wanted to hear you lie all the time, I would have just gone with it." She responded shockingly cold, almost mimicking Mochiko's cold attitude.

"I— fine…"

"Just…Tell me the truth, it'll be between us, I promise." Grace puts her hand out with a pinkie promise.

Yang looked down at her hand as he grew hesitant for a second, knowing about how she ratted out Ember, he was a bit hesitant on making promises with Grace. "I'm not that person Two years ago, I've grown since then Yang." She tried to boost his confidence as she gave him a small but warm smile.

Yang looked at her as he sighed a bit, moving his hand out and making a pinkie promise with Grace. "Fine…But do not tell anyone…" He reminded her as she chuckled, putting up her left hand replying, "I solemnly swear." Mocking the oath swear. They both chuckled a bit as Grace and Yang lets go of the pinkie promise.

"Now, what are really with the photos?"

"The photos…right…" He nodded a bit, revealing the photos to her.

Grace looked at them as she was surprised and a little jealous. "Is that your mother?" Grace asked as she looked up at him. "Yeah…I miss her every day though…" He replied genuinely.

He puts the photos away as he leans on a table, Giving Grace a summary of his mother, "My mom was a pirate…She did what she had to do and…decided she didn't want to live that way anymore…she left her crew…settled down…and later on…she had me…Then she got sick when I was young…deathly ill…then years later we got into an argument and…".

Grace sat there pondering as what was said in that argument, but by looking at Yang's expressions, he seemed to genuinely hate himself on that day. "It's alright Yang, just take your time." She tried supporting him as he nodded, Yang felt his nose become runny, his eyes swell up with tears as he took a deep inhale and exhale.

"…I stormed out of the house that day…I was sick and tired of staying home and I wanted to explore…But after being gone for the entire day I came home and…The neighbors told me she…passed away peacefully in her bed…"

Yang gripped the side of the table tightly as he bit his bottom lip to the point it started to bleed from his teeth. Sniff… He lowered his head a bit as his grip tensed more, cracking the wood as he sighed. "I regret…not staying home that day…After I buried her with the help of the townsfolk, I read through her old diaries and found out my dad had left a long time ago…being a pirate himself and leaving with his crew…"

"So, you want to find where your dad went?" Grace commented, Yang nodding his head to her comment. 

"My mom was an outcast either way…So I have no choice but to find him…"

"I see…I hope we can find your dad if we run into him." She tried supporting his efforts.

"Thanks Grace, and…It's a bit relieving getting that off my chest…"

"Hey, we're a crew now, if there's one thing I picked from my experience, you guys need to talk it out with someone."

Grace and Yang chuckled as Mochiko heard the entire conversation sighing a bit as he begins spinning the wheel to dodge a couple of rocks. I don't think we'll be able to find your pops kid, but if we do, I'll give him a piece of my mind… Mochiko looked at the sky as he also looked at his compass, seeing they're going east.

There's a town this way… a bit farther from both Middle and Pirate but a good place to plan a map heist…

Ember leaned on the railing as she looked at the starry sky, remembering something as she sighed a bit sadly.