The storm had damaged the sails, though they had made it through without any major damage. Zico counted them lucky as they pulled into the Northern harbor of Olander; there were ships littering the docks that had broken masts, torn main sails, or worse. He saw one ship very nearly in pieces there in the harbor and felt a chill on his spine... that could be his ship next time.

They took a place along the docks and knotted their ship down, sailors everywhere securing this line and that, scurrying to get everything done. 

"Taeil!" Zico barked over his shoulder, and within moments the short man was there, fixing his already near perfect hair with his fingers. "Yea, Cap?"

"I'm stepping off for business. Make sure everything gets checked; we don't want any holes in the underbelly. And send Kwon and Pyo to get some food supplies. Olander has great fruit." Taeil nodded and started away, but Zico's voice stopped him. "Oh, Taeil? Keep an eye on Kichona."

He hadn't spoken to the pet since the night before, and when Kichona hadn't eaten anything this morning and instead stayed in bed, cringing anytime Zico would come close. "Get some food in him, too... he looks like a skeleton."

"Aye, Cap," Taeil grinned in a knowing sort of way, and Zico shot him a dirty look in response. The Quartermaster choked back his grin and scrambled away, and without a second look Zico headed off for business.

***

Jinyoung woke to the feel of waves, stronger than usual, and as he rolled around in bed to face the door he saw Zico standing there watching him. The Captain had a far away look on his face as he watched Jinyoung, and for a moment Jinyoung wondered why he looked familiar. Then Zico's gaze locked on his and his face hardened, taking any semblance of familiarity away. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Jinyoung promptly turned his back and wrapped up in his silks again, the comforting smell of home already fading from them. 

He heard Zico's snort of derision, and then the Captain opened the door and left without a word. Jinyoung soon fell back asleep, the feel of tears and the pain of fear lulling him to aa fitful sleep.

He woke again to a light touch on his shoulder, Corin's voice calling his name softly. "Kichona, wake up. You need to eat something." Jinyoung blinked to clear the sleep from his eyes as they finally focused on the tall man standing over him, a smile on his face. "Come, eat," he said, tugging on Jinyoung's cocoon of robes to try and unwrap him. Jinyoung complied and allowed Corin to help him stand and move to the table. He noticed the ship was no longer rocking, and as he took a bite of a cold biscuit, the short pirate in the black vest came into the room. 'Taeil,' Jinyoung thought, and it was confirmed when Corin said his name only a moment later. Taeil glanced at Jinyoung, a look of uncertainty as if he were a bit unsure as to how to treat the former pet, and so Jinyoung gave him a small smile.

To which Taeil returned a big, bright smile before turning to Corin and pulling him out of the room. Jinyoung waved goodbye to the tall man and stuffed the last of the biscuit into his mouth. Brushing his hands free of crumbs, he stood and ambled his way on deck, expecting to see endless expanses of ocean and instead seeing...

A town? A small city, by all rights. Jinyoung glanced quickly around and realized that no one of the crew were truly watching him, and so without a further thought he darted down the gangplank and off into the harbor town. No shouts of alarm followed him, no running footsteps, but he knew that in red and gold he would stand out like a sore thumb, so he ran to put as much distance between the ship and himself.

He wasn't sure where he was running to, now that Kiri was done, but anywhere away from the ship and its mean Captain was fine with him. 

***

It was late in the day when Zico arrived back at the docks, a handful of papers and a small pouch of gold coins showing his progress. The sun was just beginning to set over the horizon and the gold shadows it cast in the water brought a smile to the young Captain's face. The water, the ship... the only place he truly felt alive and free, and being back on it made him feel comfortable once again.

Making his way to his cabin, he steeled his face before opening the door, expecting to see Kichona and his judging stare, but instead he was greeted by an empty room. Shrugging it off, he