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Bakura sniffed the damp, limp form in his arms; making sure that the mage was truly unconscious before he eased the limp form over one shoulder. The steam still clearing made his tail droopy with dew and his hair was saggy, a thin sheen of sweet stood out over his body.

The two fighting ships collided against one another and wood splintered, the ambassadorial ship’s bowsprit cracked. The damage was long coming, Bakura was surprised they hadn’t started sinking the galleon earlier, but from the way the dynamite the pirates had thrown hadn’t even scorched the masts, he’d bet a few copper pieces that the currently unconscious mage had had something to do with that.

“A bit wild… ne, Bakura?” Jounouchi asked, coughing a bit as he stepped out of the thickest part of steam, eyes glowing with enchantment to help him see through the ever so slowly thinning vapor, his blonde mop of dirty hair was soaked to him and the human bore several scorch marks as if his own magic had hit back at him. One particular mark looked back enough to scar, a long tear in Jounouchi’s flesh, big and split right down the middle, still welling with blood.

When the magic’s had collided the initial impact had actually fanned back on Jounouchi before the fire and water had began to steam, the steam around Jounouchi had been terrible and at first the human had almost choked half to death before he managed to spit out a clearing spell. If the steam had of cleared naturally the galleon would have taken several hundred years to evaporate.

“For a mage, I wouldn’t know. For Malik, he’s practically a drop-bear.” Bakura answered, patting the unconscious form over his shoulder snuggly on the ass.

Jounouchi sniffed, coughing a bit more. “He packed quite a punch though, but his skills weren’t very good.”

“What makes you say that? He seemed pretty impressive to me, he was summoning water everywhere.”

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. “This is why I’m the spell caster and ye’re the fur ball. He was using a wand, only novices or mages with no control use wands.”

“So you’re saying there’s probably a teacher out there not even aware that their student is as good as dead?” Bakura asked in his sultry purr, ignoring the insult.

“Prolly’. But he could be a full mage, just with no control… there was enough punch in that spell…” The blonde rubbed a scorch mark gingerly and winced. “I’m going to need patching up.” That of course, was an understatement, but he hardly needed to mention that his first stop back aboard their ship would be to the galley to get healed by Anzu, the ship’s cook.

“Okay.” The were-tiger turned, now visible through the still filtering steam was the rope bridge they had used to get across, bodies of pirates and knights alike littered the wooden decks around the make-shift bridge.

The blonde human sighed and ran to catch up. “Ye’re not taking him with us?” He asked suspiciously.

Bakura nodded. “Yes. I am.”

“Do ye’ have any idea what kind of damage he could cause?” Jounouchi all but exploded, glaring at the limp form across the were-tiger’s shoulders with malice. Evidently he didn’t like being almost squared off against the robed mage.

“Probably not much, without this.” Bakura held up the mage wand with a smug grin, the question as to where and how he’d grabbed it was probably nicer to remain un-asked.

Jounouchi shook his head. “He’s still a mage, no matter how bad or fresh to the art. Even without something to help channel the power he might try making a glass of water and end up sinking the whole ship!”

Bakura turned, halfway up the rope, brown eyes dangerous. “It is MY decision, Jounouchi. In case you’ve forgotten; I answer directly to and only to, Yami. Your concerns are noted; but I don’t give a fuck. Now shut up and get back to work while I secure my bounty.”

Jounouchi growled, swallowing down his pride. “Ye’… sir.” The mage ground out; turning and heading back to help the pirates with their slowly losing battle against the expertly trained knights protecting the target. There were only five pirates still alive, two of which were Yami and the captain’s bodyguard; Honda, the wood-golem.

The mage frowned, the odds were against them; they would have better luck trying again when the gem was delivered and everyone’s guard was down. Coughing a bit of smoke up and grimacing at the ache in his lungs Jounouchi pointed to the knight that fought against Yami.

“Flare!” lightening crackled out and the guard seized up dead even before he hit the ground when Yami cut his head clean off with the Millennium Puzzle in the momentary pause. The battle axe shone with a collection of magic and blood, it looked as if Yami’s fighting skills increased with each kill he made, as if the battle axe fed all the energy of its victims directly to the pirate captain or gave worse gifts.

“Jounouchi, we’re retreating! Get back on the mother!” Yami barked; wine coloured eyes obviously displeased with the fact that he would miss out on money.

Jounouchi nodded and skillfully ran up one of the ropes nearest him with ease, helping a few of the crew sever the locks as the Carrack pulled away swiftly and skillfully. It was rare for any ship to survive an attack from the holder of the Millennium Puzzle, so rare that it had never happened. Weather the battered knights aboard the ambassadorial ship knew this or not, they must have known, at least they were lucky, for they did not even try to pursue their attackers.

“He who fights and runs away, lives to steal another day!” Jounouchi yelled in passing, throwing a parting bad luck spell at the ship.

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Sweet notes: Lol! I edited this quite a bit, you’ll have to excuse my lack of knowledge on pirate-speak. Thanks the Dragon-chan for the piratical terms, you’ll see how good an influence it’s been, obviously. Also thanks to my readers, and my reviewers, if you read anyone’s stories, it always helps to review, that said, if I don’t get reviews, I won’t write, simple as that maties.

Yugi: Where am I? Its three chapters in and I haven’t made an appearance yet!

Yami: Lol, *sets paper down* Edit the next few chapters, Sweet-chan, it really sucks.

Sweetdeily: It WHAT?

Yami: *points* see, look, you’ve got these things here and here, and that’s all well and good there but… the story line gets finicky.

Seto: *frown* I seem a bit stuck up in the next chapter too.

Ryo: and I’m violent… what’s up with that?

Sweetdeily: AHHH!! Stop asking so many questions!!!!! Okay, first, Kaiba-kun, take a long look in the mirror. Now, Ryo-kun, think. And Yami-san, STOP criticizing everything I do, you’re just reading ahead to the rough copy, which you shouldn’t you evil little minx, and for another point- *pauses for air*

Yugi: Hmm, I don’t seem to have much personality, and I sleep like the dead…

Yami: We could play with the dead part…. *horny smirk*

Yugi: Umm… no. I quite like being sane in this story.

Yami: Whatever, oh, Sweet-chan, what’s with me and ‘t’is’ ?

Sweetdeily: T’is personality babe, like Jounouchi, and the way you guys speak will really affect a lot of stuff. *shoves back in closet* Okay, reviews. Now.