The Black Moon had been at sea for hours now without any disturbances.

Keith had taken to hanging from the rope and sketching the scenery before him of the vast oceanic horizon.

The sun was high in the sky and the winds had picked up a little but there was no foreseeable storm approaching or so it seemed.

Greg had found a spot in the bow of the ship to watch the ocean below him wishing he'd get a glimpse of some mythical creature like sea captain's told in their stories.

He was sadly disappointed but still he watched the waves as if in a trance, he was back in his youth on a beach with h--.

A loud holler from above ripped him from his memories and he shook off those such thoughts.

He looked up to a frantic Keith hollering for the captain, whom burst out of his cabin looking surprised.

"What is it." He hollered to the mad man.

"A ship, captain!!" Keith shouted back.

"A ship?" The captain yelled in confusion then paused before shouting sternly, "What does she look like?!"

Keith squinted his eyes to make out shapes, "A ship brandishing a--" He started and then made an amused noise, "Is that a Pomegranate?!" He laughed.

"Tis The Karn Evil 9!!" The captain growled.

"What?!" Keith yelled not hearing the captain.

"He said get yer arse are down here!!" Greg yelled up to him.

Keith said nothing and wormed his way down the dysfunctional rope ladder like some kind of spider-like being.

"Palmer!!" The captain hollered.

Carl came out dressed in a pirate coat and holding a map.

"Aye?" He asked.

"Tell the men to prepare for battle!" He growled at the brunette.

Carl gave him a salute then ran off to get the other men.

Greg and Keith were handed a gun each by the captain and told to use it when they were close enough.

"Who are they?" Keith asked.

"They be the bloodiest bunch of seafearrers you'd ever meet. Ye thought we be hard on ye, but son we be nothing compared to them." The captain said with a bit of a stutter as if battling between fear and his anger.

The men looked in shock they've only ever seen Mad Eye with nothing but blood in his eyes never fear.

The Karn Evil 9 began to inch closer as the Black Moon readied their cannons to fire.

She sailed along as if floating above the ocean not slicing through it like the Black Moon.

She docked pointing her cannons at the Black Moon waiting for the order to fire, both just stood facing each other neither making the first move.

A brunette climbed up onto the deck to speak, they wore a deep blue coat and the hat covered them from their audience.

"Mad Eye! I demand you lower yer cannons I'm not here for a battle remember what happened last time!!" The brunette yelled from the Karn Evil 9.

"That be yer sorcerer's doing, they tampered with me weapons!" He shouted back not backing down.

"Ye destroyed our fuckin' mast, ye crazy bastard!!" Yelled a new voice next to the brunette.

"This is yer last warning, next we'll be takin' 'er by force!" The brunette roared.

The captain hated defeat but knew he'd surely die if he fought them so he lowered his cannons and the figures swung on ropes to get onto the Black Moon

The redhead was the first to get on the ship, next came the brunette, after them a ravenette, another redhead, and finally a  brunette.

"Now what was it ye were sayin'?" The redhead replied sounding smug.

"Don't look boys he'll put ye under a spell!" The captain warned his crew.

"That redhead seems a bit short to be a pirate." Greg whispered to Keith.

"Maybe he's a midget?" Keith replied.

The redhead lifted their head and glared at the merchant and painter.

The merchant stopped his laughing as did the painter as if they were in a trance they stared unblinkingly at the stranger's eyes.
 
"I'm sorry about them they can be rude, I'm Carl Palmer of Promenade." Carl said trying to be as polite as possible.

One of the pirate's eyes widened and they fainted right on the deck with a loud "thwack".

This broke the gaze of the the three, the two men shook their heads to clear them and shielded their eyes from the stranger's eyes.

The crew of The Karn Evil 9 looked back to see their ship mate having fainted and looked at each other questioningly, before helping them up.

"Are they alright?" Carl asked with genuine worry lacing his voice.

"You don't be asking the health of yer enemy boy!" Growled the captain.

The captain of The Karn Evil 9 made their way towards Mad Eye, "Ye don't tell him what to do in me presence, they're part of me crew now, Mad Eye." The captain growled causing Mad Eye to back away.

Keith looked confused, Greg took notice of this and wondered why he suddenly wore such an expression.

"Annie?" Keith asked confused.

The brunette's breath hitched and heart sped up at the way he said the name but they refused to look at him.

"Who's Annie?" Greg asked.

Keith just continued to bore holes into the brunette who refused to look at him.

"That's Annie." He answered pointing to the brunette with their back to him.

"Keith, that's not some girl name Annie you know that's a blood thirsty pirate captain, and he'll kill ye if he callin' 'im Annie." Greg shouted to the immovable man.

"That's Annie." Keith repeated this time in a challenging tone.

The brunette turned around and faced Keith for they were not one to back down from the challenge, and he knew this, well.

They got right in front of him and he removed their hat without hesitation or permission, out spilled mid back length brunette hair.

Then came the bandana that covered their face and when he was finished they looked up with the same deep brown eyes he remembered he knew this was in fact his Annie.

"Hello Emerson." She spoke with a knowing smirk.

And then the painter grabbed her face and he kissed her.

~ TBC!!

[pair-of-socks I know you said not to but I swear you're not shipped with him he's just ya know in shock is all he's gonna be with someone else...]

{During the writing Affairs Of The Heart was playing and Greg got me all emotional so it shows but then Taste Of My Love came on!!😅}