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Story: Captain Allan Steele runs a tight ship. But what will happen when he finds a stowaway aboard his vessel?

(Could you quote me or I will forget...)



I'm here again A thousand miles away from you A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am
Roronoa Zoro/Zolo
I tried so hard Thought I could do this on my own I've lost so much along the way

Zoro looked at the ship. 'So that's Steele's ship... Well, he's so stupid. Only has one guard and the idiot fell asleep at his post...' He thought silently to himself. The green haired man jumped silently onto the ship, hiding himself below deck. He had to get the bounty on Steele's head. The man was worth a lot, and so was his crew.

He did not like the navy, or the military that was against pirates. He just did whatever work he had to do to get by. Even if it meant he had to kill everyone... He had to become the best swordsman. To make his promise come true to the girl, who had died.... "Kunri..." He mumbled as he fingered the sword that was once hers... That he had received after her death... "I'm so sorry." He mumbled as he shut his eyes, falling asleep to the lull of the ship.

Then I see your face I know I'm finally yours I find everything I thought I lost before
The Swordsman
You call my name I come to you in pieces So you can make me whole

((Out.Of.Cause:Sorry it's so short tonight, I have to get to bed but I figured a small post is better than nothing.

Allan woke the next morning just as the sun was coming up. He was a bit behind schedule but it wasn't a problem. It wasn't as if he could leave without the crew anyways. The captain got up and washed his face in a bowl of fresh water he had sitting on a chest of drawers and then ran a wet hand through his hair before getting dressed. He walked over to the large trunk that held all of his fanciest outfits. Almost all of it was stolen. If there was one thing Allan liked, it was dressing the part. Nothing was as good as finding a ship full of loot but...there was nothing wrong with stealing a few bales of cloth. And in Allan's opinion, the more flamboyant the better. The man stepped out of his quarters looking like a true pirate. At the bottom of the gangplank a small crowd was already gathering. His crew.

Allan grinned and waved. A few waved back. Allan motioned for the cabin boy to grab the ledger and a quill and then walked down, sitting down at a table that had already been set up. "Alright mates, you know the drill. Once you sign, you're part of the crew. You'll follow the rules or you'll go overboard or be keelhauled, understand?" There were a few nods of assention and Allan nodded once to himself before handing the quill to the first man. Very good. Eventually it was all done. The men had all come aboard and it wasn't long at all before Allan was standing at the helm shouting, "Heave away!" to a chorus of "aye-aye's". Allan took a deep breath and grinned it felt good to be heading home. Although...he would have to make sure he stopped in and saw his mother after this trip. If she would see him that is. Allan shook his head and looked back out to the open water. But then a shout caught his attention.

w"Cap'n! Cap'n!" It was Samuel, the cabin boy, motioning frantically down at the hold. Allan raised an eyebrow. Either Samuel had invented a very interesting new dance, or something was wrong. "Kelly! Take the wheel." Allan called, motioning for his first mate, William Kelly to come over. The man did so without a word and resumed Allan's spot at the helm while the man went over to Samuel. "Alright boy, quit your shouting, what is it?" he asked. But Samuel only shook his head and motioned again to the hold. Allan's eyes narrowed. His hand went to the pistol in the sash at his waist, pulling it out and cocking it. He nodded to a few other crewmates who were watching with interest. They came over, ready to back him up if there were to be a fight. And with that, Allan descended the steps into the ships hold, ready to face whatever seemed to have frightened his cabin boy so.

Allan raised an eyebrow, silently appraising him. He was....quite attractive, for a bounty hunter. For that was obviously what he was if he was here looking for him specifically. The captain grinned, the pistol in his hand at his side. "That's me, though I can't say the pleasure is exactly mutual." he said, sizing him up in regards to his abilities this time. Three swords. That was uncommon. However.... "No, I can't say I have heard of you." he said. Another lie. He had and it made him a little bit nervous but he'd never admit that. It was better to lie and see if he could get under the man's skin.

Allan continued to smile genially, despite the glint of steel. He tilted his head. "Sorry...Zoro was it? But you should never expect a fair fight when you deal with pirates. I'm afraid you're rather...outgunned." And he whipped the pistol out, aiming it straight between the man's eyes. Certainly there was probably room for the green-eyed man to hack his arm off but...the man seemed to forget that there were a half dozen men standing behind him, all armed to the teeth with cutlasses and pistols. "Now then, perhaps you'll surrender your weapons and we can discuss your options?" Allan's smile never faded but his green eyes were just as sharp and serious as his opponents.

Allan's expression didn't falter as Zoro spoke, but the cogs in his mind were turning as he tried to figure this man out. He was a might sharper than any Allan had come up against before, if he could tell that Allan was lying. At the man's next conclusion however, Allan let out a hearty guffaw. "Something missing?" he repeated. "I'm sorry Zoro, but on that assumption I'll have to disagree." There was nothing missing from Allan's life, surely. What could it possibly be? He had a fine crew, a finer ship and a name for himself out on the open sea. No, he was certainly not missing anything at all. His eyes narrowed a bit as Zoro continued to speak. Half his crew...he doubted it. Zoro was good but...Allan knew for a fact there were more than a few men who were... rather notorious for their ability to defend themselves.

But Allan wasn't worried about that. Seriously, what could the green-haired bounty hunter do in a situation like this? Nothing. Though it frustrated Allan that he wouldn't comply. It wasn't as if he was going to sell the damn things or toss them overboard. The captain could barely make out Zoro's mutterings and when he did he frowned. It seemed as if the man carried a debt of some sort. A friend perhaps? Or maybe a wife or lover? Allan cleared his head with a slight shake of his head, like he were waving away an annoying fly. He stared at Zoro for another second before putting his other hand in the air, motioning his men forward. "Very well. You may keep your swords. But please don't struggle right now. My men are going to escort you to some ah, accomodations." he said in what could only be described as a genial manner.

He waved his men forward, his expression never changing. And then, three of the men grabbed Zoro, on wrapping his own arms under Zoro's and then back around the bounty hunter's neck. The other two held each of his wrists tightly while a fourth drew a dagger, pressing it to Zoro's neck in case he tried to fight. Allan laughed, a deep happy sound. He was pleased indeed. It seemed these men had not forgotten his little tricks after all. "Very good gentleman." There was a murmur of thanks and Allan stepped forward. "Now then. I cannot permit a would-be assassin or bounty hunter to roam free and armed on my ship." he said, his face turning serious for the first time. He reached out with deft fingers, untying the sash that held Zoro's swords. "So, until we can figure out what to do with you, I will be taking these." The more time he spent looking at him, the more he hoped that Zoro would join them. Of course he could always be forced into doing so but... Allan hoped it wouldn't come to that.

The captain carefully gathered the blades into his arms and then turned back to face the captive, who was obviously quite a ways away from pleased. "You have my word. Neither you nor your swords shall came to any harm. Unless provoked of course." he added as an afterthought. He turned to the fifth man standing there and paused for a moment. "Pat him down for any other weapons and then see him to brig. Make sure he's got bread and some water and call me down when that's all done." The captain instructed. "Aye sir, right away." And with that Allan ascended the stairs back to the deck. The majority of the crew stared at him as he came up and Samuel rushed to his side, gawking at the swords. "You like them? Obviously foreign made. Very expensive. Not like the swords we have here at all." he murmued, letting the boy's eyes continue to wander but slapping a hand away when he reached to touch them. The man turned back to his crew. "It's alright lads, nothing to worry about. Just a stowaway, back to work with ya!" he hollered, grinning. Allan sent Samuel on his way as well and carried the swords into his own quarters. He was to be the only one who knew their whereabouts....

The man strode over to the large, ornately carved desk and, feeling around for a moment, pressed one of the carvings in the side. A panel came loose revealing a long, narrow compartment, usually reserved for maps and other such valuables. But Zoro's swords fit nicely. With his task completed, Allan shed his captain's livery -- or most of it at least -- and returned to the deck to guid the ship and wait for his men to call him back below deck.

Allan frowned as Zoro followed him silently. Honestly...this was all it took to defeat the mighty Zoro? He thought about opening his mouth to give the man a good ribbing. After all, not only were the just swords, it wasn't as if they had been sold or destroyed or tossed overboard. They were merely hidden for the time being. He wanted to tease him. But...somehow he couldn't bring himself to. It seemed too cruel. He was obviously very upset by the 'loss' however unmanly the captain might find that to be.

Allan let him into the captain's quarters and rooted around his shelves for a bit before finding what he was looking for. A large, well worn, leather-bound book. At the front of the book were a few pages of loopy writing that outlined the code for this particular crew. Behind that were quite a few pages of signatures, a few of those signatures appearing more than a few times. And behind that was pages and pages of a sort of chart; their intake ledger. A list of all the things they had....obtained. It might seem foolish to keep such evidence written down but it was the only fair way to make sure that all crew members got their fair share of the loot and to lay to rest any disputes.

"Now then. Things become rather simple from here. You can read the code if you want. But once you sign, it's your code to. You live by it, or you'll face the consequences, just like any other man aboard." Allan said seriously, flipping the book to a page of lines where there was space for Zoro to sign. "And cheer up would you? You'll have your swords back soon enough I'm sure. Besides, it's fun isn't it? Breaking the rules?" Allan gave him a handsome, roguish grin and extended a rather ostentatious feather quill to him, waiting for him to sign his life to the service.