1 A Stoic Mind And A Courageous Heart

The untamed winds and roaring tides could do little to scare this child. She stood with intensity and a hardened gaze, something not uncommon in veterans of many wars. Despite being only a small defenceless child, the violent swaying did not intimidate her. If anything, she grew more courageous every time she saw the hardened sailors fall to sea-sickness. If only her Courageous heart could harden her staggered determination.

"Excuse my bluntness, lass. But are ya a mage? I ain't seen a lad or lass as sea hardened in my many years sailing these waters." As a captain, he would be foolish not to acknowledge the little one. Especially when his men were dropping like flies around him.

The girl jumped a little in surprise, she had been too caught up in reminiscing to hear his approach. She dropped her arms to her side and turned around, though not before wiping one or two tears from her delicate cheeks.

"Ehm, I don't know. I am not a member in any guild and I think only they are called mages." She only learned of guilds a few days ago, from a recently departed friend. She hardened her heart just to not break down and cry again.

"Whatcha talking 'bout?"

"I am not an official mage." She said, "Though that is my goal." She added under her breath.

"Buncha crap, all that!" He said irately. "If you cast magic, you're a mage, ain't ya? It's not so damn complicated. You mages always search the grey zone. I see life as black and white. You cast magic, you're a mage." He added a smirk and a chuckle at the end seeing if he could cheer up the lass.

To his surprise and relief, she showed a slight smile and nodded calmly. "Maybe it is so."

"H-hey, can I ask a question?"

"Go ahead, lass. I don't know anything about wielding magic, but I have plenty of experience in mortal affairs." He laughed heartily and took a drag from his pipe. In a show of experience, he blew out a large ring of smoke.

"Do you think women can be powerful mages?" She wasn't strong enough to save her friends, so could she truly ever overcome her weakness?

"Hahaha!" With heartfelt laughter, he gripped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Aye, women are a fearsome and ferocious breed. My mother sailed on this here ship when I was but a young lad. She ruled this deck with an iron fist for forty-odd years. I've seen the most hardened sailors break down crying under her gaze."

"I remember the cold nights I was forced to clean the deck because I failed to wash dishes properly."

"She was nothing but a woman, not an ounce of magic in her for all I know. I bet ya are gonna be a fierce mage in a couple of years."

"T-thanks, captain."

"Aye, I must take care of my crew, temporary or otherwise. On a ship we work together, we live together. This here is my home and every man, woman or child who steps on is my family."

"Is that not dangerous? What if bad people come?" She looked around with a careful analytic gaze.

"I haven't lasted this long by being useless. I've thrown a couple of mages overboard myself. Magic doesn't save you an ass-kicking from us normal folk, we have our ways to get around it." He smiled kindly as he noticed her drifting gaze.

"You need not worry, lass. I've checked them myself, these pathetic scoundrels couldn't hurt a fly." He glanced over the men who collapsed on the deck from the violent waves rocking the ship from side to side.

"Now, I'm done prying into your private life. Get inside with, lass, 'bout to get real cold now when the sun is setting. There are some blankets inside for ya." He motioned for her to run along, which she did after nodding and thanking him. He only smiled and took a puff from his pipe. Enjoying the taste and feel.

'A powerful lass, that one. I'll pray for her enemies.' He snickered to himself before heading towards the captain's cabin.

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She stood by the railing again staring outside the boundaries of the ship. The silent caress of the wind confirming she still existed. The days since her escape had been unreal. She felt like she was only there, not really existing. It was a surreal feeling.

While she went over the recent events, her eyes glanced at the surface of the waters, finding it calming. She suddenly saw the oddest thing, something that looked like a tiny black spot in the ocean. No fish, she was sure of that, but it didn't look human either. This was only until the calm waves turned the object around and she saw a clear human face.

"Man overboard!" Her hand stretched toward the horizon.

She stood still just staring at the sailors staring at her, creating a truly awkward atmosphere. That was until the captain rushed down the steps from his cabin.

"What'd you say, lass? Where?"

"There!" She pointed, having been brough out of her stupor by the one person on this ship that calmed her down. His old and somewhat wrinkly face brought some comfort to her. She felt she could trust him, her instincts told her so.

"Aye, you are right, lass." He waved for his men to act.

"Pull him up!" He raised his voice. They moved clumsily, fumbling for some rope to use.

"Decades of experience and still lacking in everything." He explained as a sigh followed after.

As the crew tried with many failed attempts to pull up the person in the waters, the captain and the girl watched their embarrassing display of skill. After many painful minutes did they finally manage to achieve success. What they pulled out from the sea was a young man, shoulder-length black hair, looked to be around late teen to early twenties. Surprisingly not a single injury on him despite being unconscious and having just floated around in the water.

"I presumed he had been killed or knocked unconscious in a battle, but look here, completely fine. Must be a mage, a powerful one I reckon." A crewmember, one of the captain's most trusted said calmly.

"Aye, I'd have to agree with that. Strange clothes, never seen anything like it." A black cloak with red clouds spread upon. He hadn't met every mage in the world so he wasn't an expert by any means, but he hadn't seen cloaks that distinct before.

"Looks almost ceremonial. Maybe something required to wear in an organization, it's too unique for a guild I feel." His men agreed with their captain. The mages they had run across dressed much simpler than this. Usually, a cloak was unique in itself but black with red clouds. Something extra.

"Lad, you awake?" The captain lightly kicked the young man in his side. No reaction whatsoever, except the furious glare from the ship doctor.

"Lay off, captain! What if his internal organs are heavily damaged, you don't wanna make it worse, do ya!"? His long blonde braided beard added an extra level of intimidation that even made the captain stop kicking the unconscious man.

"Hmph, if he were to die from a simple kick like that, even if he had internal bleeding he would live out his days in paradise in embarrassment." The captain refuted calmly.

"I...I think he is waking up!"

Midnight black-coloured eyes slowly opened to spot beautiful scarlet-coloured hair. "A-am I dead?" He said and coughed up a mouthful of water. 'What is this salty taste in my mouth? Was I fished out of the ocean?' He tried sitting up but the bearded man forced him down.

"No straining yourself until my checkup is complete. Doctor's orders. Obey or I'll knock your teeth out, lad." The threat was very much real, but the delivery was so mild that it made it ten times as frightening.

"What's your name, boy?" The captain asked and blew smoke into his face, for no other reason than to antagonize the ships doctor.

"Itachi." It was commendable that he could hold such a stoic expression despite the circumstances.

"Where am I?" Itachi asked in a firm voice. His eyes scanning every inch of the ship and crew, and his emotions were kept perfectly in control.

'Hm, such discipline in a young man. Probably military, he's too austere to be a guild wizard. All those mages are over the top with energy. This man is different. Legal guilds hold a stigma against killing. This man has killed before, that I know.' The captain took another drag before sighing and answering.

"In the middle of nowhere." he chuckled. "We're approaching Hargeon, a port town. Should be there by nightfall, lad."

'Hargeon. Port town. I've been all over, explored more than the majority of shinobi will in a lifetime. I've never heard of this town. Best I keep a low profile, for now, I could be very far from the Elemental Nations." Itachi kept his stoic look through the whole conversation, never letting surprise or shock show on his face.

"I see. Would you mind another passenger? I do not have any currency currently on me, but that can be discussed later. I would work my debt off on the ship." Itachi bore a stoic expression, but his inner heart was pure. Very few knew, he only hoped Sasuke would understand what feelings reside deep in his heart of hearts.

"Think nothing of it, lad. The lass is riding for free also. The boys and I usually don't mind more company. As long as you don't start any trouble with my lads, you can rest easy." He mentioned the girl who sat and stared at Itachi. A slight blush creeping on her cheek.

'I wonder if someone sculped him.' She shook her head instantly. Ridding herself of such ridiculous thoughts. She went back to studying his clothes instead.

"I-Itachi, a-are you a mage?" She asked. She was careful not to speak with disrespect. She held awe but also a lot of fear against mages. She had heard what powerful mages could do.

"I believe introductions are necessary for two parties to converse as equals. You know my name yet I do not know yours." With his military tone and stoic look, he looked a hundred times scarier than the captain or the doctor.

"E-Erza Scarlet. I'm a mage, that's why I wondered if you were one as well. Y-You, look like one." What she had seen back at the tower was still causing nightmares, but now, seeing Itachi, there might be someone else soon occupying her nightmares. His stare caused shivers to run up her spine.

"Erza, I mean you no harm." He said, his gaze softening slightly after seeing the obvious signs on her.

"As for your question; I apologize, I can not answer that at the moment. My head is a little fuzzy still and my thoughts sporadic. I believe some rest should remedy my condition. I shall answer your questions at a later date."

"O-Of course! I didn't mean to cause trouble!" She bowed her head thinking she had screwed up. Little did she know Itachi was fine and in need of no rest. He just didn't know how to answer her question.

'Mage. I have never heard about mages. Except for party tricks, making cards disappear. Sleight of hand. All smoke and mirrors. Her tone suggests reverence. She sees mages as civilians see shinobi. Maybe... No, that is impossible." As far as he knew, real magic existed only in fairy tales. But, time and space ninjutsu did exist. What if...

'To people ignorant of shinobi, our abilities would indeed sound like things from some fairy tale. Could magic truly be real?' Itachi observed Erza. She looked defeated in a sense like she had given up on life. He recognized the look. He had seen it everywhere in the Elemental Nations.

'She should be easy to manipulate, just a bit. I apologize Erza, but you are my only source of information currently.'

"Erza. Magic is a gift, it is something rare very few get to experience." He could see confusion in her face, but he knew he had her wrapped around his finger. He could see the fear of magic in her, the same fear he had seen in his allies as well as enemies about his Sharingan.

"Magic is neither good nor evil. The mage makes the magic. With a good and brave heart comes good magic. I believe you are good, so, you need not doubt your abilities." He only needed her to confirm magic for him, then he could work from there. He was a master at information gathering. With only a fraction of the whole picture, he could piece together even the largest of puzzles. Currently, he said the most generic thing he could think of, simply switching ninjutsu to magic and it would work fine in this place. A quick display of something energy-based so he could confirm and compare against chakra.

Erza's eyes shone with something other than despair for the first time since boarding the ship. The captain looked genuinely surprised. He also forgot about the fact that he hadn't even asked Erza for her name. He rarely ever used someone's name when addressing them, very few captains did. It was mostly finger-pointing and yelling. He felt a tad guilty for not trying harder to sheer her up.

"Aya, lass. Like the lad said. You'll be a force of nature soon enough." The captain laughed. He felt relief when Erza smiled ever so slightly back at him.

"Erza, what kind of mage do you want to be when you grow up?" Itachi asked.

"A-A brave one! I want to protect those I care about, I don't wanna lose anybody else!" A few pebbles around the deck rose ever so slightly off the ground as the air got thick with her magic. For the crew, her aura was almost suffocating, but Itachi smiled inside. He finally got confirmation on what the strange new energy inside of him was. It matched perfectly with what Erza was releasing.

'So, I have magic as well. No doubt that is what I feel is occupying a second location next to my chakra. Chakra is denser, more powerful, but magic is clearly more versatile. More fluid as well. I need to experiment with this.' He grabbed hold of her shoulder when some of the crew started passing out.

"Calm yourself, Erza. Bad memories can only hurt you if you let them." His tone changed to a somewhat kinder one. Like he used to speak to Sasuke. Surprised by the sudden boldness of the young redhead. She rushed in and buried her face in his chest.

"Never have I seen anyone garner the trust of a child as quickly as you, lad. Well done. She hasn't slept much since getting here, and look at her now. Already passed out." Erza had indeed fallen asleep.

'With all the evidence, there are two definite conclusions. One; I am on the other side of the world where shinobi doesn't have a presence. This one is less likely. Conclusion two; I have crossed dimensions and am no longer in the same dimension. Not to mention the fact that the last thing I remember was the embrace of death right before Sasuke's eyes.'

Itachi was soon after led into the room Erza stayed in. He carried her carefully and placed her into bed. He sat down against the wall by the door, mentally going through everything that had been said since he awoke. Tomorrow was gonna be a long day, he feared.

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End