When Gunther came to, he found himself in a cosy bed in a small cabin, still aboard the pirate ship. So great was his stupefaction when, after being captured by these pitiless pirates and pierced through by their bloodthirsty captain, for this latter to take possession of the information chip he carried inside his chest (the Radenoids, once got a hold of him, used him in multiple experiments, resulting in his carrying one of such chips, removing which would definitely result in his death), he beheld his very daughter, Violet, all grown, right before him!

So many years had passed, yet here she was, watching him with those beautiful dark brown eyes like his, now full of tears, much love, and softness.

"V... Violet..?"

"Dad! You're alright!"

The girl let out a cry of joy and squeezed him in loving embraces.

"W... Why are you here? What happened?"

"She has been here long before you, Mr. Hawthorne," Baxus' deep and playful voice sounded, "It's been long since she has joined our rows".

"A crew of pirates?!"

"Well, it's much more complicated than that, but yeah. She's been longing for you. That one's for sure".

"Ah, longing for him is a mild notion! I'm so... so_" Violet's sobs interrupted her speech. She cried her heart out on her beloved father's chest. She had thought him to be long dead, so beholding him appeared so out of the blue now, was like a miracle.

When the long wave of happiness and tears passed, Violet retold her whole story to her father – of how she was kidnapped by the Reptiloids ten years ago, how she worked as a slave, how she appeared on Sinbad's ship and later on the Blood Diamond's one. She didn't skip the part of her and Baxus being maternal cousins. Soon Gunther was happily rubbing the boy's head:

"You sure look like Marie a lot! Goodness, she'll be into infinite heavens when sees you".

"Haha, I hope! I'm a little nervous, to be honest".

"No need to worry. Even though you're a pirate, I am almost sure you're a good person, Baxus Meelias".

"Anyway, how are you feeling, Mr. Hawthorne?"

"I guess I'm fine. Thank you very much for taking care of me and not finishing me off as normal pirates would do," Gunther laughed bitterly, passing it as a half-joke. "And, I'd prefer you to call me Uncle, Baxus".

"Ah, thank you so much! You can call me just Bax, Uncle. I'm glad you're alright. Captain really worked hard there... He got that chip out of you, but spent a lot of crimson energy trying to keep your heart pumping_"

"Wait, you say what? He removed that hideous chip?! How on Earth_"

"With the power of the Crimson Ardour. It is the red energy, the rarest Daluman power which only his family – the Arruroe Clan – possesses. It is the power of life, so he used it to remove the chip and keep you alive".

"So, back then, he tried to save me and not kill me as I thought?"

"He'd never kill Violet's father and my uncle".

"W... Where is the captain now, Bax?"

"He's resting in his room. He's been there since yesterday evening after he finished treating your father. He still hasn't woken up yet, and probably won't, until this evening".

Violet stayed with Gunther, retelling him many details of her adventures and listening to his ones in return. Baxus left for the ship management affairs since he was the captain's first-mate and, as the captain had retired, it was his job to keep the crew and the vessel under control.

Gunther and Violet were beyond happy – both had regained hopes that they would once reunite with their entire family, and free the Earth from the gruesome aliens' clutches. They talked and spent time together, reminiscing upon their past full of beautiful and sweet memories.

Violet had made a firm decision to visit the captain that evening, for, according to Baxus, he would wake up by then.

***

In the evening, when the time came, Violet indeed walked straight up to the captain's door and knocked. Nobody answered.

She peeped in. The room was dark, windows covered with purple curtains in order not to let any light in. The captain was lying in the bed asleep.

I'd better not disturb him? But Baxus said he'd wake up soon at this hour. I guess I'll wait for him inside.

She sneaked in and carefully closed the door behind in order not to let it creak. Then she tiptoed to the captain's side and sat on her knees on the floor before his bed. She began to contemplate the slumbering young man with much curiosity while her heart pumped with excitement, awe, and some unidentified feelings that overwhelmed her.

He was covered in warm blankets, his head stuck into a big fluffy pillow. Now, with those penetrating, wise, and sly eyes of his closed, he looked much angelic, more so that the divine energy of the Herminoids surged around him and the powerful features of the Daluma had appeared more clearly on his face, while those scars rendered him not hideous but even more majestic and awe-striking, like a true emperor he claimed to be.

If I hadn't known him as the Pirate Emperor, I'd believe him to be an angel come from heaven. To think of it, the Herminoids are indeed counted as a godly race, since they were the primal creators. The Radenoids, who created humans, were given life by the Herminoids, and Captain belongs to that race. So what if just quarter blood? Another quarter part is Daluma, who, if the Herminoids are gods, can be considered angels. If not a pure god, he's definitely a demigod, at the very least.

She felt drawn to him more than she had ever felt for anyone. Her attitude towards Sinbad was totally different from this current feeling. Back with him, she felt overwhelming superiority every time – the dread of a powerless bunny against a mighty hunter, while here, with this young man, she felt almost like a tiny child beside a potent guardian who would always look after her if she were to fall in danger. Back with Sinbad, she always felt fear, while with this man, she felt much awe and much love... no, she couldn't say it was that type of love. She couldn't feel that type of love towards him no matter he was half-human, because to her mind, he was still far above heavens. The love she felt, was the love of a protective deity.

He has brought my father back to me, which was like a miracle since I thought him to be long dead. He even spent so much energy to do the at-one-glance impossible and keep him alive whilst removing that hideous chip from his chest! According to my dad, that chip would most likely end his life very soon, poisoning his body so severely that he was slowly losing the ability to even move. Yet this boy did so much as to put him back on his feet_

A deep, tired yawn interrupted her thoughts. The young man stretched, rubbed his eyes and opened them, to see the startled girl sit so casually on the floor right before his bed in this dark chamber.

"Violet?" he rubbed his eyes yet once more. When the girl didn't disappear, he got assured he wasn't dreaming and rose up a bit to take a better look at her. "Why are you here?"

Violet, struck by that penetrating gaze again, shivered against her will, and cast her eyes down:

"Uhm, sorry if I disturbed you, Captain. I just, I wanted to talk to you... if you are not too tired to_"

"Talk?" Arubah blinked in surprise and sat up on the bed. "Alright. Come on, sit over here," he pointed her on beside him. Much to his stupor, Violet remained seated on her knees before his very feet. "What's wrong?"

"It's just... I'd like to remain seated here. What I want to tell you is very important, Captain".

"Oh? Alright. I listen".

"Well, I... First of all, I wanted to thank you immensely, for bringing my father back to me. My whole family and I thought he had been killed years ago, and seeing him before my eyes, was as if he had been resurrected. He and Baxus told me about that poisonous chip you removed from his chest while keeping him alive with the help of your powers. Baxus said it drained you a lot and that was the cause of you falling asleep for so long..."

"That's true, but you don't have to thank me for that. All I did was fulfill my duty of a kind host. I had accepted your father as my guest even before learning about his ties with you. Hence, even if he were not related to you and Baxus at all, my actions would've been the same".

"Still, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You are a pirate, and pirates are not as benevolent as you've been_"

"Dearest," the young man's vile chuckle that was so like him, interrupted her, "I am not a casual pirate. I am the Pirate Emperor. My actions will always be different from lowly space-robbers".

"I know, Captain. I by no means intended to_"

"I understand what you've intended, don't worry. I understand your feelings of gratitude, but I am telling you there is no reason to feel that way. However, I am indeed joyful I have at least somehow been able to help ease your pain, Violet. I know how much you have suffered, and learning that my actions have rendered you at least a bit happier rejoices me very much indeed".

Violet awaited anything but such attitude from his part. She had never received such grace from any previous alien master of hers, even Sinbad – to be joyful for her happiness... were the Herminoids even capable of feeling so towards humans? Yet, this boy was not entirely a Herminoid or a Daluma, but a human, too. Baxus, a half-human like him, was indeed capable of such feelings. Now, beholding his generous beam upon her, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hmm? What's so funny?"

"It's just... I've been making comparisons for a little while now, Captain, and those words of yours have completely solidified my perception".

"Oh? What comparisons?"

"Well, that is the second matter I wanted to talk to you about. Since the day I fell in Sinbad's hands, he and his crew would often repeat the Herminoids were a godly race. Sinbad too, acted around me as if he indeed were a god, but in the end, he proved a hideous demon... When I met you, however, you always acted so kindly towards me, even though I was an inferior species to you too. I realise you are half-human, but I've seen countless half-humans hate their own race (even humans do treat other humans badly). Baxus was different, and then you too. Since Baxus is my cousin, I can understand the kindness from him. On the other hand, you and I are not related at all, yet you've acted so protectively every time since I found myself in your hands... You've even made me forget I was initially to be your slave. Now, your declaring a thing like that to me – that you are happy for my happiness – you do indeed feel like a god! A true, kind god, who cares for his underlings... At least, that's how I feel, and I thank you. You've eased my pain indeed, and you've calmed my heart".

She took his sturdy, scarred hand, and landed a soft kiss upon it, full of the warm feeling of gratitude.

"A... god?"

Arubah's countenance turned grim and his eyes – full of sorrow. Violet felt his hands softly clutch her arms, raise her up, and place her next to him on the bed.

"What_"

She could not finish her sentence, for the arms of the young man embraced her tightly, almost squeezing her, and pressed her to his bare chest, his scarred muscles rubbing against her cheek.

"Hann mo naen enm, renna Herminn ock maen dah?"

(NOTE: The sentence is in a made-up language, Herminese. Translates as: "You call me a god? You - a girl who speaks Herminese?")

Herminese?! To think of it, since he was quarter Herminoid, he too should know this divine language. His accent was so soft and subtle, so demure... just like Sinbad's! Or maybe, even better.

"I am flattered you called me a god, Violet, but... I cannot accept such high regard. I cannot accept it from you, a human who was capable of mastering fifty languages of the universe and has worked so much and so diligently as to learn Herminese – this divine language that no creature other than the Herminoids was able to pick up. If you ask me, a human who was not born with any prior skills and was still able to master fifty languages (which in itself is not a usual event for humans), is much more of a god than a guy who was born with the genes of superior species, hence it would even be a shame for him to not possess the high skills he has. God? – To you, I am no god but a simple mixed-race of a Herminoid, a Daluma, and a human. Do not ever bow down to me, do not ever kneel before me, you hear? Hold your head high, child – you are one in a zillion, and you deserve all the appraisals you can get! Not only for your talents but for the whole person you are. I adore rare gems like you. Since the day I've taken you on this ship to voyage with me beyond infinite horizons, you've become a part of not just my fleet of the Shark Tooth Pirates, but of my personal crew. You are my treasure, so don't thank me for my benevolence. We, the Shark Tooth Pirates, have a strict code we always follow, to our deaths and beyond – it is to never abandon our treasure. My deeds do not merit gratitude, because I am simply fulfilling my duty as the Emperor of the Galaxy Pirates. The treasure is not only gold, silver, gems, etc. The most important treasure of this world is family and friends. Since my whole fleet is my family, I guard them all with my very life. You are one of my crew members, so I shall guard you with my life too, and see to it that you achieve your goals. I shall support all of my fleet members with their personal ambitions, and shall fulfill my own ones, too. So I promise you – I shall free the Earth, just like you want, and help you find your family again. In return, you must promise me to shine proudly like the rare gem you are. Deal?"

His eyes sparkled so sincerely... He truly seemed to speak from the heart. So, he really thought of her as a rare treasure to be guarded with his very life? No master had_ But was he really a master at all? The way he spoke now, he rather perceived her as a friend than a servant. If there was any hierarchy, then it should be only that of a captain emperor and a crew member. He had already long accepted her in his crew, from the very moment she gave the answer to his question, and had already begun to perceive her as his equal, just like he had promised. She was already a part of the Shark Tooth Pirates, yet she could never realise this simple truth, up until now.

"Thank you..."

She placed her teary cheek against his chest and lay still, listening to his steady heartbeat, whose melody calmed her own heart. His arms squeezed her into the embrace. A joyful smile covered Violet's face, feeling these sturdy hands upon her. Her mind was occupied with a jumble of thoughts, but there was a single phrase that stood out the most, echoing through her ears like a soft whisper:

"You are my treasure"...