With their ship anchored, Kenzo and most of the crew had taken boats to reach the island. The elderly man from the ship was now watching over him. He had learnt that this mans name was ‘Vic’.

Now on the beach, Kenzo and Vic walked across the sand. They however didn’t travel far and remained close to their boat.

The fighting on the beach had stopped and the captain had an ointment of some kind be passed around. It seemed the red mist created by the Blinders had stung the eyes of the ones affected. The ointment was being applied to the skin around their eyes.

Further down the beach—sitting on the sand—were the two most prominent fighters in the battle. 

On the boat ride, it was revealed to Kenzo that these two carried the title of captain. He found out when a crew-mate had congratulated him on hitting them with his first—and only throw of the Blinder. Being captains explained why Kenzo had felt a distinct aura from them when compared to the rest.

The two captains were approached by the female captain Kenzo had met on the ship. He noticed that apart from ‘captain’, the crew—especially Vic, referred to her by a stranger name.

With the skin around their eyes now red, they struggled to look up as Lady Social stood in front of them.

“Really, who starts a negotiation with a fight?” she said.

“You took too long, so we were just warming up,” the captain on the left said.

The captain on the right looked at her. “You seemed plenty prepared anyhow, and it’s obvious you enjoyed this. You’re grinning like a child,” he said.

Lady Social reached into her pockets and threw them two small capsules. They both immediately popped open the top, revealing an ointment inside which they rubbed around their eyes.

“Please, you think too bad of me. I’m just happy to meet my old friends again,” she said.

The captain to the left stood up. “Ha! Please. I’m more friends with the drink on my belt, and it’s only half full.”

“Well, I’d hope for the next few days we were friends John,” she replied, with a serious but still friendly tone.

The captain to the right also stood up. “Considering what you have people call you, it’s ironic you still show such a lack of respect for titles.”

“Come on William, why so formal?” she asked. “It hasn’t been that long has it?”

“It’s ‘Captain’ William,” he replied.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a scream of rage coming from further along the beach. It was the woman fighter who had been fighting three opponents.

“YOU SELF OBSESSED, ATTENTION SEEKING WENCH!” she screamed.

The woman struggled as she was being subdued by two of her subordinates. One was holding her from behind while the other, a younger male, was in front—pushing her back.

“Jet. Calm down. At least get angry after I help you with your eyes,” the young man said.

“I SAW HER! SHE HAD HER MEN THROW MORE AT ME! SHE’S DEAD!” she shouted.

Lady Social smiled and waved at her.

“JETTA!” Captain William shouted. “Do you really want to get emotional right now?”

Alongside a look of realisation—the woman's tone suddenly changed. It was as if she had remembered something important. She soon stopped struggling and her colleague began applying the ointment.

Captain John started to dust the sand off his clothes.

“Surprised to still see her with you,” he said.

“Surprised to still see you with a ship,” Captain William replied.

As anger filled his eyes, Captain John grabbed him by the collar.

“ENOUGH!” Lady Social shouted. “And you call me a child.”

His arm was then smacked away by Captain William—who also started to dust himself off. 

Lady Social walked in-between them. “Three days. For three days you two will be aboard my ship. If you still wish for my services in this negotiation of yours, then it is within your best interest to do as I say from now on.”

She passed a serious look to both of them.

“So how about it friends? We ARE friends right?” she asked.

They both looked and scoffed at one another.

“Whatever.”

“Fine.”

She smiled and clapped twice, “Good good. Now. Since my ship has gotten rather packed lately, you are both only allowed to bring a handful of people including yourselves onboard. And do try to hurry, I think I’ve got sand in my boots.”

Captain William called over the young man who was attending to the woman he called ‘Jetta’. He told him they were departing soon and to bring himself, as well as Jetta, onto Lady Social’s ship.

“Bring two others with you,” he also said, before sending him off.

A burly man who was listening nearby approached Captain John.

“Need me there boss?” he asked.

“No. I need you to watch the crew. I’m not losing another ship Briggs.”

“Yes Boss, of course,” he replied.

A heavy hand then tapped Captain John on his shoulder. It was the extremely large man from the battle.

“What is it Bron? You want to come?” Captain John asked.

The large man nodded and looked over at the young man Captain William had just spoken too.

“Ah, I see. We’re leaving now, go find three extra men to bring. And go bring the chest from the ship,” Captain John said.

Before he went, Bron looked over at Lady Social. She smiled and waved at him.

“Hi Bron,” she said.

There was no obvious change in his stern face at first. However, his cheeks began to glow. 

He was sternly blushing.

The burly man who talked to Captain John hit him on the head. “Bron! Pay more attention to the Boss than her,” he yelled.

Bron stopped blushing and walked off.

All of the remaining people on the beach started to return to their respective ships.

“The boys sure have grown since I last saw them,” Lady Social said, as she walked to the boats alongside Captain John.

“And so has your company it seems. It’s hard to not notice all these high profiles you’ve brought with you,” Captain John said. “What’s someone like you need them for?”

Before she could answer, Captain William walked up from behind her.

“It is well known that lately, you’ve been seen travelling around a lot more,” he said. “Even a few of my crewmen have come across you in several towns playing your usual songs.”

He then looked over at some of the men she brought.

“But what’s interesting is, most of these people you’ve recently gathered are known for their professional rivalry,” he said, as he then looked at her.

“How did you manage to get them all under a single ship?”

“They just happen to really like the songs I played,” Lady Social replied, as she laughed and walked off to the boats.

Both Captains looked at each other with suspicion, but then looked away just as fast.

When Captain John arrived to the boats, he noticed Kenzo—who stood out even with all the unique characters around.

“Hmm, you I don’t know,” he said.

Kenzo didn’t know what to say. At this point it felt like he had been watching a movie—but in person. He had been standing there quietly for so long that someone suddenly talking to him caught him off guard. It didn’t help that there was an incredibly strong smell of alcohol radiating from the man.

However, Vic who was still keeping an eye on Kenzo, emerged from the side. 

Captain Johns eyes suddenly lit up.

“Oh ho, now you I know!” he said. “The one and only Victor Dayne. Even after seeing it, it’s still hard to believe you're working for little miss ‘Social’ over there. Is this some kind of retirement plan?”

The captain started to laugh, clearly amused by himself.

Vic looked up and scanned Captain John’s crew who were now walking back to their ship.

“I don’t recognise most of those men,” he said, as he looked back at the captain. “Did the drunk misplace his crew again?”

Captain John’s smile dropped.

“Why does everyone here got to be so annoying,” he replied, as he walked off to one of the boats and took a swig from the bottle on his belt.

Vic smirked. However, it soon vanished as he saw Captain William approach.

“Good to see you again sir,” the captain said.

“Captain William.” Vic replied with a slight nod.

The captain walked on. 

Jetta, the woman who had been making a scene—followed from behind as she was being escorted by her subordinates. Vic watched as she walked past but did not acknowledge his presence.

Once enough people had made it back to the ship, it was now Kenzo’s turn. Vic guided him onto the boat and they set off. On the way, Vic began to stare at Kenzo.

“If it was up to me, I would of left you on that island. But the Lady seems to want a word with you.” he said.

Vic leaned closer. 

“You better tell her how you got on her ship.”