To Mai's great and utter surprise, Taeil woke up earlier than everyone else that morning.

"Did hell freeze over?" She asked as he shambled in, yawning and scratching at his eyebrow piercing. "I mean, seriously. I thought you were impossible to wake up."

"Depends on when I do said awakening," Taeil replied, slumping down onto the table. "If it isn't too much trouble, can you make me something to eat? Whatever's easy."

"Since you asked nicely," Mai grinned. "So, why ARE you up this early?"

"I sent a ransom message to the Fukushima family via radio about an hour ago."

"You did? How much money?"

"Uh, I think Zico said the price would be about ... 1 088 210 000 won*?"

"Jesus Christ!" Mai nearly dropped the frying pan. "They'll pay that?" Her head swam at the amount. She never had that much money before. Ever. At least, not before those diamonds.

"That's just the asking price," Taeil added. "Zico's gonna worm as much dough as he can out of their pockets, you wait and see. I wouldn't be surprised if that number doubles when we're finished with this whole thing." 

"It's been, like, three days since she's come on board," Mai said, knowing full well she sounded like a whining brat and not caring anyway. "When will she leave?"

Taeil chuckled and chugged down some coffee. "All in due time, Mai. Please be patient. I'm sorry, you've only just gotten comfortable in your room and you already have to share with someone."

"Well, at least YOU are sympathetic about it," Mai grumbled, sliding a few slices of bacon and a couple eggs for Taeil and handing it to him. "The others just laugh."

"Well, if you think about it, we've all been sharing a room for the past three years. We've kinda gotten used to the snores and smelly feet."

"Well, at least money-bags doesn't do either of those," Mai said, grabbing some toast and sitting at the table too. "Although she sometimes grinds her teeth. She thinks I'm lying when I tell her."

The kitchen door slammed open and Zico strode in as if he owned the place -- which, Mai rather grumpily remembered, he technically did.

"I'm starving!" He declared. "I wanna eat!"

"Give me a second," Mai snapped. She still had half of her slice of toast left to finish.

"Hell no, woman! I want it NOW!"

"Jeez, fine, you big baby!" Mai crammed it into and stood up to make more bacon and eggs. 

"You sent it, right?" Zico said, yawning widely, to Taeil. Taeil nodded. "We should expect an answer any day now. Rich fathers tend to worry for rich daughters."

"Well said, my friend," Taeil said, patting him on the shoulder as he walked out. "I need to go watch the controls. Do me a favour, won't you?" He leaned in and muttered to Zico, "Try not to pick on Mai too much. You'll regret it when she leaves."

Zico scowled at him but didn't say anything.

"Here, your Highness," Mai said as she ed the plate of food against his chest. "You know, why can't money-bags cook too? I'm the only one that does any chores around here and I can barely walk!"

"You really wanna know why?" Zico grimaced. "Because last time you made her help you cook, I found egg shells in my omelette rice. Just let her sit around all spoiled and we can get her out of here as soon as possible."

Mai snickered, secretly feeling a bit glad that Zico only kept her from doing work because she made a mess. "Better not spoil her too much or she might like it here. She already flutters her eyes around Jaehyo."

Zico snickered. "Don't worry about me, I'll get her out of here. Jeez, that jealous?"

"I'm not jealous!" Mai snapped, feeling herself bristle up like an angry cat. "Shut the up!"

"Maaaiii Darrrllliiiing!!!" U-Kwon squealed, slamming the door open and launching himself at Mai, who couldn't get away in time. "Good morning to you! Did you sleep well? Is your hair still short?"

"Get off of me!" Mai raised the frying pan warningly. "I'm serious!" Zico was laughing, the jerkass.

"Hey, leader!" U-Kwon said excitedly, bouncing up and down and looking too darn hyper for so early in the morning. "Jaehyo picked up something interesting on the radio!"

"What?" Zico said, shoving half a bacon into his mouth at once. "If it's something boring don't tell me. Or I'll punch your face in."

"Ha ha! No, he heard some news: a treasure hunt!"

"Boring."

"No! no wait! Zicoya! Grand Leader-ssi!" U-Kwon waved frantically at him before Zico could walk away. 

"Dude, come on. You know those stupid treasure hunts they keep talking about is fake. If they were real, someone probably got to the junk before us."

"No, this one is real! I swear! They found old maps of a treasure buried by Ching Shih!"

Mai watched curiously as Zico froze, one hand on the door. He slowly turned around. "... Say that again."

"They found old maps of treasure bu --"

"Ching Shih! Are you ing serious?"

"Who's that?" Mai asked. Zico turned to her, his eyes wide and excited. Once again, he reminded her of a hyperactive schoolboy. "Don't tell me you don't know! Ching Shih was a famous Cantonese pirate in the early 19th Century. She was a powerful , she had more than 80 000 pirates under her command! She was a freaking inspiration!"

Mai wondered if he studied pirate history before. 

"But didn't she keep her loot when she retired?" Zico added, frowning, at U-Kwon.

"Not all of it, apparently. Look, they have the old maps. Her great-great-great-who-gives-a--how-many-greats-grandson offered them up to the government. They've been passed down for generations. She left a small share of her gold and buried it somewhere on an island."

"What island?" Zico demanded. "Show me! You come too, woman!" He called over his shoulder as well. Mai, more than happy to ditch the stove, stumbled after them as best as her twisted ankle could go.

She staggered after them to the control ship, where Taeil and Jaehyo were sipping coffee and staring at the machinery. Every time she went in this room, Mai's brain hurt from all the buttons and levers and tracking devices.

Zico pulled out what appeared to be several maps and spread them out, tossing aside the ones he didn't need. Mai caught a glimpse of a world map, a map of North America, a map of the Pacific, a map of Asia -- then U-Kwon yelled "Stop!" and settled on a map of Japan.

"It's here, they said." U-Kwon pointed. "Tori-shima, a small uninhabited island a few kilometres south of Tokyo. That's apparently where Ching Shih hid some of the loot."

Jaehyo walked up and added, "The appraisers estimated the amount to be worth millions. We'd be rich if we got that before the government."

"Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Zico said with a widening grin.

"What about Tomoyo?" Mai interrupted before Zico could get too carried away. "Unless you're planning on bringing money-bags with us to this treasure hunt ..."

"Ah, ! Can't we just throw her overboard and be done with it?"

"Is that your excuse towards everything?" Jaehyo responded, shaking his head wearily. "Throwing pretty girls over the ship?"

"What about the ransom?" Taeil asked, frowning.

"Who gives a ! We only asked for a billion won. If we get this treasure, we can get quadruple that!" Zico grabbed the map and ran out the door, shouting something along the lines of "GUYS! WAKE YOUR SORRY ASSES UP! WE GOT A HUNT ON OUR HANDS!"

"He's too hyper," Jaehyo whined. "After all that trouble with kidnapping Tomoyo, we're just letting her go."

"Who cares?" Mai snorted. "Personally, we'll do better without money-bags lugging along with us any longer." She paused. "Er ... we're not actually going to throw her overboard, are we?"

"No, don't be ridiculous," Jaehyo said, patting Mai on the head. "Zico says a bunch of crap, but he doesn't really mean it. Probably. This Tori-shima island is close to Japan, we can always drop Tomoyo off and head there."

"No way," Mai argued. "The second we hand over money-bags, the Fukushima family will be on our asses. We'd have to get lost quickly, not hang around their borders!"

Taeil shrugged. "Let's wait for Zico to gather everyone, then we'll decide on what to do."

There was a short silence.

"I hate how sensible you are sometimes," Jaehyo said.

"Okay, chumps. We're getting this treasure if it's the last thing we do!" Zico snarled, smacking the map for emphasis. Mai rolled her eyes.

"If you say so, hyung," P.O said reluctantly. "But I thought there's no such thing as treasure maps and buried chests of gold."

"Don't hurt his inner child's feelings, P.O," Kyung said with a smirk. "Let him play pirate."

"Shut up! I'm serious! Do you know how much freaking prestige I'll get if I steal Ching Shih's treasure before the cops? I'll be the envy of every sea-dwelling criminal in the world!" Zico had a manic gleam in his eye and looked capable of murder. Mai edged slightly away from him and slid behind B-Bomb.

He smirked at her.

"Shut your face."

"Wait a second!" Tomoyo burst out. Mai almost forgot she was there -- she was standing near the door, arms crossed. "What about me?"

"I don't care," Zico said bluntly.

"We can deal with the ransom before the treasure," Kyung suggested.

"That's what I thought," Taeil added.

Tomoyo frowned slightly. She looked a bit disappointed. "What if my father doesn't agree to the ransom?"

"Don't play us for a fool, of course he will," Zico said dismissively. "Whatever, do what you want. But we're getting that before the navy, you hear?"

"Dude, relax!" U-Kwon said, grinning. B-Bomb nodded slightly. "By the time we manage to get to Japan, they will have an offer for us and it'll be over."

"You're doing the sensible thing now too!" Jaehyo complained. "I don't like it!"

"Shut up, Derphyo."

"Then is it settled?" Zico snapped. "Are we going after Ching Shih's loot or what?"

"HELL YEAH!!!" Block B cheered, pumping their fists.

Mai shook her head and fought back a grin. Those idiots will take anything that sounds exciting, no matter what.

Then she noticed Tomoyo had disappeared.

Frowning, she slipped past the others (who were now yelling excitedly about every single pirate movie they've ever seen to aid them on the quest -- mostly just Pirates of the Carribean) and hobbled after Tomoyo's retreating figure. Someone had to keep an eye on that chick. What if she tried to escape or wreck the machines?

"Hey! Money-bags!" Mai called after her, just as they reached the deck. "What's your hurry?"

"Nothing! Go away!" Tomoyo yelled after her.

"Shut your face, I just don't want you running off," Mai snapped back. "What's your deal, anyway?"

"It's not going to work!" Tomoyo said through gritted teeth. She sounded a bit desperate, almost upset -- not what Mai was expecting.

"What's not going to --"

"The ransom! That stupid ransom! Just leave me at some port and go to your stupid treasure hunt, okay? They aren't going to pay the money, it'll waste your time."

"What the HELL are you talking about?" Mai nearly yelled, feeling her frustration reach breaking point. "You're acting crazy. Why are you --"

"I'm not her!"

There was silence. Mai felt her breath catch in . "What ... did you just ... say?"

Tomoyo's face was contorted with her pained emotions. She struggled to get the words out. "I ... am ... not ... her."

"You ..."

"I am not Fukushima Tomoyo. In fact, Fukushima Tomoyo never existed."

*1 088 210 000 won = about $1 000 000 CAD