Hongjoong stepped out of his cabin and into the bright light of day. Before the sun even had a chance to shine its unforgiving light at his eyes, he already pressed his gold-lined tricorn on his head. The days were getting warmer out at sea, but he was still thankful for his thick fur coat that kept spring's chilly winds at bay.

Passing San on the wheel with Wooyoung perched on the railing next to him, Hongjoong's heavy boots thumped down the stairs. Down on deck, he oversaw his busy crew for a moment before he travelled over to the rigging with long steps. Yunho's tall form stood next to their lookout Youjin and discussed matters with him. When Hongjoong neared, the two of them turned their heads to face him. Neither appeared too happy with the information they were about to convey.

"Jolly mornin', Cap'n, eh?"

Hongjoong smirked at Yunho but focused right back on Youjin.

"Any new findings?"

"Found feckin' water, cap, a 'ole lot o' it. No trace o' the trail."

Humming, Hongjoong dismissed him and turned to march off. Yunho followed him to a quiet spot on the railing. The waves licking at the hull of their ship were tame today. No spray hit them as they leaned their backs against the sun-warmed wood. Hongjoong crossed his arms in front of his chest to ponder.

"They ran a rig on us. What else do we 'ave?"

"Wooyoung already spied out a nearby island. Wants to ask 'round there. It be two days' voyage from 'ere." As much as a frown marred Yunho's voice, the news of their progress also spurred them on. Hongjoong took it far better to hear that they had another lead at the ready than maintain the days of uncertainty when they just floated over the oceans, waiting for destiny to catch up with them.

"We'll visit it. Take care o' the provisions while we be there." When Hongjoong turned to interview his navigator, his coat swished behind him. It gave his form an imposing aura that alerted the crew of his presence. As they scurried across the deck, all of them avoided his near surroundings. The ones that brushed by his fur were too close.

Just when Hongjoong rose his leg to drag his weapon-heavy hips back up on the quarterdeck, a voice above them bellowed over the entirety of the ship.

"Sail, Ho! Jack Tar be on the 'orizon!"

"Ugh."

Hongjoong jumped up a few steps to garner the attention of his crew. All slacking disappeared like a flash of lightning as the bunch of rowdy men awaited his orders. Their gleeful mood switched over to icy determination.

"Step to! Run a shot across their bow an' prepare fer scuttlin'!"

The crew got moving instantly. They hurried past each other to ready cannons, grab their weapons, or adjust the sails to turn the ship. Alert and quick on their feet, nobody bumped into each other as they dodged their bodies like dancers on a rope.

Hongjoong joined San back up at the helm and took the spyglass from his hands. The navy ship up ahead was still far, but they had grown distrustful of the pirates already. Their soldiers moved around just as fast as the pirates. Big and swanky, their blindingly white sails with the blue seagull on it closed in on them.

"Just one?" Better chances for their crew, but suspicious to Hongjoong's eyes.

"They might be on a different mission. Think it be important?"

The warning shot from the pirates was countered with another one by the naval ship, indicating the willingness to fight.

Hongjoong shook his head as he returned the device to his dark-haired helmsman. The prospect of a fight had San narrow his eyes to a threatening glare.

"No. Give no quarter."

Back in his cabin, Hongjoong got his sword to add to the pistol and knives already on his belt. As the steel slid into its scabbard smoothly, passionate anger on the enemies ignited a fire in his heart. Hongjoong had had his fair share of bloody encounters with the navy. Enough that he ignored the option to put a spring on his ship a lot of times and instead fought those bastards. In a perfect world, he would diminish them from the face of the planet just like they wanted to do to the pirates. Since he was but a mere captain, however, he could only do so much. A ship less in their fleet was a bitter win for him.

Hongjoong stepped back out to oversee the frenzy of his ship. His men had their grappling hooks braced, Yunho stood nearby to give orders, and the cannons were loaded and ready to fire.

Skilfully, San made use of his firm arm muscles to yank the wheel around and steer them alongside the navy ship. Neither of the opposing crews showed an ounce of fear or reluctance.

The pirates fired first. The warning of Fire in the Hole had them all ready their weapons. When the first booms thundered across the peaceful ocean, the screaming of men mixed in the noise. Agitated, the water between the two ships trembled when both vessels shuddered from the force of their exchange. Hongjoong stood at the railing and fired his pistol at the gunners in their white uniforms over at the other ship. For every man that went down, another one followed. And yet, their progress slowed.

Hongjoong shrugged off his coat to land in a heap at the ground as he grabbed the rope a crew member swung over to him. When he turned to yell at his men, Yunho copied his every word to spread it through the bunch of bloodthirsty men.

"Scuttle boat, ye scallywags! Show no quarter!"

The cheer from his crew came in the same moment that a cannonball hit their side. Hongjoong avoided the loss of balance by swinging over onto the unfamiliar deck. While in the movement, he already shot down a man that pointed his bayonet at him.

He knew Mingi would take good care of their ship while they were in battle. Hongjoong never had to question his trust in his crew.

The battle was ruthless. The moment the pirates boarded the other ship, both groups sunk into chaos. It became impossible to tell who was who, and Hongjoong slashed away at anyone that came at him. Blood dripped from his sword and hatred from his eyes.

Bodies littered the floor, and the smell of gunpowder clung like a cloud to the air between them. All sense or need for orders was forgotten as every man fought for himself. Cries of triumph turned into cries of sorrow.

The tides were in the pirates' favour. The continuous hits of cannonballs into the navy ship made her sink quickly. The soldiers remained unsure whether to save their ship or fight for their lives. The second of hesitation sufficed for the pirates to blow down every man still standing. Not even an hour passed until only their roughened up forms patrolled the ship and searched for anyone whose life they could end.

Hongjoong never robbed navy ships. They rarely carried anything of worth.

The pirate cleaned his blade off on the uniform of a man on the ground once the last opponent in his vicinity sunk. His shoulder hurt from the exertion, but the minor scratches he had sustained would heal quickly. With a laboured breath, he undid the laces of his shirt, finding the day quite hot after all. The first seagulls already sat on the rigging to wait for their time to enjoy their meal. Pillagers, just like them.

Yunho stood on the plank between the two ships and ordered his helpers around to steal every bit of food that they could find. He pressed his bunched up shirt against a bullet wound in his shoulder but he had yet to decide he needed to see their surgeon. When Hongjoong passed him, he glanced curiously at the soaked fabric. The wound looked nasty but Yunho's face was still calm and collected. The blood had yet to drain from him.

"Ye got 'it? That rarely 'appens."

Yunho was Hongjoong's first mate. The two of them had gone on many troublesome voyages together. And the number of wounds Yunho had sustained on all of them was lower than the number of Hongjoong's fingers. His second-in-command was a naturally lucky guy and blessed by the oceans. Even more cumbersome that he got hurt by a minor battle such as this.

"Their damned captain 'it me. They send able sailors so rarely that I forgot there might be one." Yunho rolled his eyes. His ease with the situation reassured Hongjoong. The wound couldn't be that bad, and Yeosang would fix Yunho up in no time. For now, the surgeon could take care of their emergencies in peace that were already getting dragged over to the sickbay by their mates.

Just when Hongjoong turned to retire to his own ship to scout out the damage they had taken, voices behind him got loud. A group of his men stood in a circle around something at the far railing, giggling and poking fun at it. Between their feet, Hongjoong spotted a pair of long legs that were stretched out lifelessly. Black leather pants were neatly tucked into matching boots.

A memory flashed in Hongjoong's mind. An old but painful memory. A memory of him on his knees and a man sitting above him to mock him.

One of the pirates looked around searchingly to a nearby person with power. He found their strongest man Jongho as he carried a crate of food from the cargo hold on to the deck. Hongjoong moved off the plank to let him pass, stepping back down onto the tilting navy ship. Jongho left a trail of wet footsteps on the otherwise bloodied deck. Not long until the water filled the ship to the brim and any explorations downstairs would be blocked.

"Shall we bring the commander to the capt'n?"

"Do ye 'ave tomatoes on yer ears? 'e said no quarter," Jongho snapped back. When he passed Hongjoong, the captain still tilted his head hesitantly.

Just when the man turned again to throw the soldier overboard, Hongjoong's curiosity got the better of him. He pulled his sword once more as he marched over towards the group. At his threatening yell, they flinched and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Avast! A moment o' quarter fer this one."

Curious, Yunho followed him as Hongjoong disrupted the moment. Intimidated, his men parted to unveil the view on the slumped man.

The same uniform. Down to the black corset and the bright hair.

The oceans were far. The possibility that this was the same man was far below Hongjoong's expectations. Yet, he stooped in to check.

Hongjoong nodded at Yunho. Something in his eyes must have changed since his first mate reacted instantly. He stepped over to the fallen man and rammed his blood-caked boot down on his hand before it could flinch back to pull his weapon. Outsmarted, the man startled. Not so asleep as he had pretended to be.

Yunho reached out for him.

The pirate fisted a hand in the naval soldier's hair to wrench his head back. Full of hatred, those cold and steely eyes stared up at Hongjoong defiantly. The same eyes. They didn't seem to recognise Hongjoong, but Hongjoong remembered them all too well.

The captain's lips pulled into a smile as he brought the tip of his sword to the man's exposed neck. His throat bobbed against the gleaming blade as he swallowed nervously.

"This be the one ye wanted?" Yunho's voice was breathless and pinched. He knew of the captain's unhealthy obsession. Through the years, they had searched countless navy ships for the captain's nemesis. To find the man with the eyes of steel. They had given it up a while ago, but fate clicked together for them today.

"Aye," Hongjoong purred, his eyes gleaming "this be the one."

The soldier's dark brows pulled together to form a deep crease. He met Hongjoong's eyes, full of defiance. Hongjoong delighted in his rage and puzzlement.

"Whatever it is you promise yourself from this, pirate, be assured that you won't gain it."

When Yunho tightened his grip on the man's hair, his face contorted into a grimace. What a beautiful expression. Hongjoong had always thought the man's face was made of stone, but he appeared to be able to feel emotions. Currently, he seemed extremely displeased.

"I be sure the pair o' us will 'ave a lot o' wonderful conversations together. I know ye be skilled at those."

Confusion clouded the naval officer's eyes. Then he tightened his jaw.

"Scum of your like aren't interested in any conversation worth my time. Just throw me into the ocean."

Hongjoong chuckled. The tip of his sword trailed up the man's chin, forcing his head further back to expose his throat. Just when the perfect moment to slash open the commander's throat arose, Hongjoong let it pass. Instead, he put his sword away. When Hongjoong casually crouched in front of his enemy, Yunho released his head. The pirates remained nearby to intervene in case Park dared to attack.

The commander stared straight over Hongjoong's shoulder, not meeting his eyes any longer. Not even the disapproving click of Hongjoong's tongue got him to react.

A yell tore out of the sailor's throat when Hongjoong dashed forward to grab his hair. With a brutal yank far stronger than Yunho's earlier, he forced the man's head back. He basically had to crawl into the naval captain's lap to reach, but the warning weapons pointed at him kept Park from lashing out. He grit his teeth when Hongjoong pressed his lips against his ear, murmuring in a voice low enough that just the two of them heard it.

"Glad to spy ye all 'igh an' mighty. Show me 'ow much be left o' that pride after ye been chained an' starved to the mast fer a week. I will attend yer lashings personally." Hongjoong angled his head so his hot breath directly brushed the man's ear. When the commander shuddered beneath him, Hongjoong's smirk broadened further.

"Welcome aboard The Grief of The Damned."

Pure poison dripped from his words to infiltrate the commander's mind. When no other reaction came, Hongjoong pulled back to stand. His hand beckoned his men back over to collect the naval captain and bring him over to their ship. The glee that filled Hongjoong's dark heart made up for their earlier miss at finding their goal.

This was the best present any ship they sunk had offered so far.

Hongjoong's men grabbed Park to pull him up on his feet. The soldier stumbled, probably hurt somewhere, but nobody stopped to care. They dragged him over to throw him right down into the bilge. Hongjoong couldn't wait to swab the ship and use the commander's body as decoration for all world to see.

When Hongjoong nodded at Yunho to desert the ship, the man passed the order on. When they returned to their own vessel, the questions burned brightly in Yunho's eyes. Hongjoong merely gave him a devious smile.

"Give 'im as much quarter as 'e wants."

With those words, he picked up his coat from the ground to change out of his blood-stained clothes. His excited anticipation to visit the commander in the evening kept him in a good mood for the entire day.