"Gather round, crew!" Hongjoong called as his crew assembled in front of him. "I'm announcing the new pairings for shifts for this month!"
"Gods, is it September already?" Yunho asked, to no one in particular as he joined the crowd. "Time really flies, doesn't it?"
"Indeed it does," Hongjoong smiled. "It's already been more than a year since we all met! ATEEZ, I mean."
"Wow, it really doesn't feel like it," Yeosang said. "It feels like just yesterday we gathered for the first time to have a training session with Captain Mariynne."
"Holy Eterna, that's weird if you put it that way – that was so long ago!" Wooyoung said.
Hongjoong smiled, before clapping to get the attention of the rest of the crew.
"Alright! Here are the new pairings for this month!" he announced. "(And yes, Wooyoung, these were completely random, I swear.) Woojae, I'm with you, Seonghwa you're with Seungho, Yunho you're with Mingi, Yeosang with Jongho, San, you're with Shinoko..."
And so on.
Hongjoong finished calling out everybody's names, and the crowd dispersed to fulfil their duties with their new partners.
"Noko-noona!" San called cheerily, waving as he made his way over to the siren girl. "I haven't talked to you in a while – how have you been?"
"I've been doing great, don't worry," Shinoko smiled as San joined her side. "What about you?"
"Never been better!" San grinned. "We're on inspection duty right now, aren't we?"
"Yep!" Shinoko nodded. "Only food storage, though – the others've already been checked."
"Awesome," San grinned, and the two headed belowdecks.
There was silence, only punctuated by a couple of short exchanges regarding the state of the food supply, and the Magik sustaining it. The two were handling a couple of the packages that had fallen or ended up in the wrong places thanks to shoddy organisation, when San finally spoke up.
"So...you know about how you said you wanted to help pull Cezanne out of the darkness she locked herself in..." he started.
Shinoko perked up.
"Mhm?"
"Do you...have any plans? It's inevitable that we're gonna face off against her again, and all we've done so far is fight her. What even was your idea to help her, anyway? Get her to talk? Did you really think she'd listen to us?"
Shinoko recoiled, drooping in disappointment as she realised she really had been rather naïve about the whole matter. What had she been thinking?
"Sorry," San muttered as he quickly slotted a block of cheese into an empty space on the shelf. "I didn't mean to be that blunt."
"It's fine," Shinoko said, "and you're right. I really didn't think this through."
"So any ideas now?"
Shinoko hesitated, bit her lip.
"Can she be redeemed?" the half-siren asked cautiously, staring the demon down with reproachful eyes. "You're the guy who can see auras, after all."
San considered, before reaching into his pocket, and tossing a small, battered notebook over. His aura notebook.
"Check for yourself," he said. "Do you think she can be redeemed?"
Shinoko very carefully turned the book over in her hands, opening the thing gingerly.
"It's the second black tag – that's Cezanne's page," San pointed out helpfully.
Shinoko turned to the right page.
Cezanne – blood-red (-)
Cezanne's the second person after Big Grey to have a blood-red aura. I remember the first time I saw it on Big Grey – it was honestly terrifying. Back then, I didn't know what it meant, but after seeing Cezanne, I think I do now. It's sadism. Absolute emptiness. A lack of a conscience. Cezanne's twisted, I always knew that – but after everything that happened on her ship when I was captured...I think the blood-red speaks for itself.
Shinoko looked up.
"I—I..." she stuttered. She was shaking, shaking her head in disbelief as realisation hit her. "I was honestly confident that I could bring her back to the old her, but reading this, I—I don't think so..."
San blinked in sympathy.
"Turn to the first page," he said simply, and Shinoko complied.
Seonghwa-hyung – black (killer), dark blue (peacemaker), baby-blue (innocence)
I remember how scared of Seonghwa-hyung I used to be. It was all because of his aura. It was just a fathomless pit of black, even with blood-red seeping in at the edges and it was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen in my short, miserable life. But even then, after I grew closer to him, I began to notice all the other things in his aura. Like the baby blue. And the dark blue. And everything else that made Seonghwa-hyung who he was. He's a good person at heart, it was just that one negative trait that hid all the rest. It gives me hope for everybody else I've seen with a 'negative' aura trait. Gives me hope for Wooyoung, who's just plain annoying. (I'm joking, bro, please don't come after me-)
"What are you trying to say...?" Shinoko whispered, her slender hand brushing over the page delicately as she stared hard at San, trying to figure out what was going on behind that placid stare, that slightly pursed mouth.
"Maybe Cezanne does have a chance at redeeming herself," he shrugged. "Like Seonghwa-hyung, like Cin. They both had other traits as well, they just didn't shine through properly – if we can get through to Cezanne, that could happen to her as well."
Shinoko dared to hope.
"Re—really...?"
San nodded firmly, but the siren girl saw doubt in his eyes. She felt it within herself to ask a question, one that she was quite scared to ask, and more scared to hear the answer to.
"The other person who had a blood-red aura..." she started quietly. "Big Grey...Who is he?"
"Oh, Big Grey?" San smirked, though it was devoid of any arrogance or self-satisfaction. A stark contrast to the usual; it was dead. "We don't talk about him."
"But—!"
"Right!" San said, clapping his hands together, then quickly reaching forward, snatching the packet of crisps out of Shinoko's hands, and putting them in their place in a small drawer secured by Magik. "Looks like we're done here! I'd love to talk more—" It didn't seem that way, "—but I've got a sparring session with Jongho now. Sorry!" San said, and he flew out of the room, leaving Shinoko with his aura notebook, and a precarious sense of uneasiness bothering her.
* * *
Captain Hongjoong sighed as he pored over countless maps. It was late in the night – everyone except those with a night shift were asleep – and he could have been doing literally anything else; sleeping and replenishing his health, perhaps, but stress and anxiety was keeping him awake.
The shock of Seungho's betrayal had yet to sink in completely, and if he was being honest, Hongjoong was at a loss as to what to do. Perhaps it was because of Seungho, the way he had been shaken to his very foundations at the chillingly unanticipated nature of the confession – or perhaps it was because of how he'd considered executing Seungho for his treacherous deeds. That had scared him. Because he'd felt like Cezanne for a moment – like a heartless, sadistic monster, a murderer.
But either way, doubt was beginning to creep in.
Was he really going the right way?
Was he really doing the right thing?
Going head-to-head with Cezanne and her crew, who were years, perhaps even decades ahead in terms of skill and experience. Fighting her off day-by-day, and expecting another result than tragedy.
Was it really the right choice?
Was he really being a good captain?
Hongjoong sighed. Seonghwa had said otherwise – and the same with the rest of ATEEZ. But he couldn't help but think they were biased. They'd been with him from the beginning, they knew him, loved him.
But what would the rest of the crew say?
They didn't know him. Sure, he'd won them over with his speech all the way back in Zeratik almost a year ago, but were they staying because they wanted to, or because they had no other choice? Because he was unintentionally pressuring them to stay with all that bullshit about loyalty, familyhood?
Even Seungho had said so: he didn't want to live at sea at first. It was what drove him to betray the ATINY and her crew. What was to say that none of the others weren't like that?
They'd already lost four crewmates – what was to say they wouldn't lose more? In both ways: to the hands of Arai or the hands of Cezanne herself.
Hongjoong sighed. This wasn't what he should be worrying about – he should be more concerned about Cezanne, and her dogged lust for the treasure. And the treasure itself. And finding it. And what he should do should they ever encounter the kraken – or worse – in the future whilst looking for it.
Hongjoong eyed the rough, makeshift copy of the riddle they'd procured from the island. They'd lost the original to Cezanne now, and so Jongho's self-acclaimed reliable memory was the only thing they had left.
Hongjoong buried his head in his hands.
This was too much; it was getting too much.
He didn't want to anymore.
He didn't want to wake up the next day only to face more and more problems, to have all the responsibility as captain dumped on his shoulders and drag him down. He didn't want to think, to plan, to consider the future and all the problems it would bring with it. He didn't want to live like this anymore.
He sighed.
No use in letting the scaremongering thoughts in.
He got up. Maybe if he went to sleep everything would be better tomorrow. Maybe all his problems would be magically solved.
Foolish hopes, but anything to get his spirits up. Anything to stop that hollow fear gnawing at his insides.
Hongjoong, without even bothering to get changed into his nightclothes, collapsed into his bed, and let the sweet oblivion of sleep melt all his worries away.
* * *
"GUYS!!" was the first thing the captain heard when he woke up the next morning, groggy and bleary-eyed. Jung Wooyoung.
"What is he up to now..." the captain grumbled as he pulled himself out of bed, adjusted his collar and made sure he looked presentable, before slipping on his coat and hat and heading outside.
"Guys!!" Wooyoung was still yelling, pointing frantically at some point beyond the deck of the ATINY. "Look!!"
A lot of the ATINY's crew was still asleep, but a fair few were above-deck, and all flocked to the holin, curious – albeit a little sleepy – eyes transfixed on whatever he was panicking about. Hongjoong was among them, and slipped to the front of the crowd.
"Jung Wooyoung, I swear to the gods if this is a false alarm—Woah."
The captain stopped in his tracks as he looked at the ocean.
It wasn't its usual deep shade.
It was shimmering – quite literally. Sunlight bounced off a pearlescent surface, the constant bobbing of the liquid reflecting shards of opaline glow into his eyes. It didn't look like water; more like oil on the surface of it. But it couldn't have been, because they were miles and miles away from any kind of civilization – these were uncharted waters, and large cargo ships sure as Arai didn't pass through here.
Besides, how much oil would have to have been spilt for it to stretch as far as the eye could see, up to the horizon and beyond?
Hongjoong tore his eyes away from the oceans.
"Holy Eterna, I—"
"See? I'm not always overreacting to everything!" Wooyoung interrupted. Hongjoong rolled his eyes, and the holin stuck his tongue out at him.
"We're definitely getting close," came a voice from beside Wooyoung.
"ACK!" Wooyoung screeched, flinching as he turned. "Seonghwa-hyung, what the fuck? Make some noise when you approach people, it's unnerving!"
"Sorry," said Seonghwa, grinning. "Assassin's habits."
"Assassin, smassassin," Wooyoung grumbled.
Hongjoong seemed to glare at the strange water.
"I think you're right, Hwa, but don't touch it or anything. We don't know what it might do," the captain said, before heading back to his cabin. Time to chart where they were right now.
Wooyoung stared at the water.
"What if I—"
"No," Seonghwa said firmly.
"But I didn't even say anything—"
"It was obvious what you were going to ask and do."
"But—!"
"Listen to your captain, Jung Wooyoung," Seonghwa said. "We don't want you losing a finger or something."
"But you two telling me not to do it is making me wanna defy your orders even more!"
"That's it—Yeosang!" the first mate called. "We have a certain holin over here who wants to be tied to the sail-yards with your Magik!"
"Alright, alright!" Wooyoung said in a disgruntled tone as Yeosang bounded over with an eager – albeit a little evil – grin on his face. "I won't."
"Good," Seonghwa nodded, satisfied.
"Awww," Yeosang pouted as he reached the two. "So we're not hanging Wooyoung from the sail-yards anymore?"
* * *
They travelled along the 'opal water' – as the captain had nicknamed it – as the sun arced across the sky. Unfortunately, there was no other sign of any further kind of godly presence (excluding Jongho). They would just have to wait and see.
The whole-crew training session had just ended, and the crowd was about to disperse, to resume their daily activities. They were just waiting for the captain's dismissal.
Especially Seungho. He had something very important to tell the captain, but in order for that to happen, he needed to be alone with him.
But then Saren raised his hand.
"Yes, Saren?" Hongjoong said.
"There's just an issue I'd like to raise," the ginger said nonchalantly.
Seungho frowned. What the devil was he up to now?
"Which is?"
"I've heard talk about a traitor going around," Saren announced.
Immediately, whispers arose from the crowd of assembled pirates. A traitor? What was going on?
Seungho gritted his teeth, fists clenching in his lap. That bastard. He had no right—
"I've heard that you've known about this, Captain," Saren almost seemed to gloat. He got up, shrugging. "Why didn't you tell us sooner? A bit suspicious, no? If you'd told us sooner, we'd have been able to root out the rat sooner?" He smirked, tasting victory. "Unless you didn't want us to?"
"What are you trying to suggest?" Seonghwa asked sharply, glaring at the ginger.
"Yeah, what kind of absolute bullshit is that?" Wooyoung burst out angrily. "Are you trying to say our own fucking captain is a traitor? The fuck?"
"No, no, I'm just saying, maybe our demon captain was too incompetent to realise," Saren shrugged, that infuriating grin plastered all over his face.
"You little...!" Wooyoung growled, attempting to get up. San held him back, giving a little shake of his head.
"Either way, Captain, you should atone for your mistakes, perhaps, by rooting out the real traitor – I bet you it's one of the demons," he said, giving San a pointed look. San glowered at him, seething silently. "They're known for their fickleness, no?"
Shut up, shut the fuck up, you bastard! Seungho fumed as he glared at Saren. If only he could...!
"Alright, that's enough, Saren," the captain said harshly. "We are not going to go around blindly accusing anyone of treachery."
"Why not? Scared that one of your precious little demons really is a traitor?"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Seungho roared, getting to his feet. He pointed an accusing finger at Saren. "Shut the fuck up, and stop trying to twist the story! You're the real traitor here!"
The pirates began to mutter amongst themselves. What was going on? Why was Seungho speaking with such certainty? Surely this wasn't the truth?
"Are you telling the truth?" Hongjoong asked sharply, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes!" Seungho said. "He's been working with Cezanne all this time, plotting against us!"
More whispers. Leaning towards doubt – what about Seungho was convincing the captain? Surely he was lying? And even if it was the truth...why hadn't he told them sooner?
Seungho, sure that the captain believed him, turned to the crowd.
"I know," he said, gritting his teeth and blowing out, "because I was a traitor along with that bastard! I saw him, talking to Cezanne, doing as she said, whilst I did too."
The captain's expression was stony, and Seungho felt a little more guilt creep in. Yes, he had let the captain down once more.
"I believe you, Seungho, but—"
"GODSDAMNIT!" Saren screeched. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU BASTARD, EXPOSING US LIKE THAT?!"
The half-dwarf lunged at Seungho. It happened so fast and everybody, still stunned from the shocking confession, was frozen. They didn't – couldn't – do anything but watch, dumfounded, like a collection of goldfish.
Seungho cried out at the force of the stocky half-dwarf slamming into him. Saren pulled out his dagger, raised his arm to strike. Seungho gritted his teeth, pulling his leg back and slamming his foot into Saren's crotch as hard as possible.
Saren howled in pain, free hand going straight to his groin. Seungho smiled in satisfaction.
But the ginger, through his streaming tears, lunged forwards doggedly with sword-hand outstretched.
The dagger buried itself deep in Seungho's arm.
It was his turn to howl.
Saren was about to pull the dagger out, to strike him where it would really kill him, when he felt none-too-gentle hands pulling him back, and shouting filled his ears. The doctor's calm instructions, that holin-bitch's high-pitched yell, the commands of the captain. He lashed out, ready to fight and kill every bastard on this ship if he had to, but then something made rough impact with the back of his head, and his mind went white.
When he opened his eyes again, he found that he couldn't move. Cold night air blew in his face, and he could barely feel his body, let alone breathe. He craned his neck, took a look at his surroundings, and found that he was tied to the foremast of the ATINY.
Saren sighed, but he grinned.
No doubt the captain would be too merciful to kill him, and that half-elf bastard was most likely dead by now anyway.