No one's POV:

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"Are you sure?!" Alter asked Geno surprised. They were again up to the deck.

5 minutes ago...

"Alter wake up!" Geno shout-whispered shaking him. Poor priest had fall asleep sitting at his chair while watching Geno, he didn't stand stay awake. He surrendered and slept 2 hours before Geno wake up. He was so tired and sleeping so deeply, snoring lightly, he didn't even hear Geno gasping when he woke up from his dream and approaching him with fast steps.

"No presbyter I wasn't sleeping!" Alter said opening wide his eyesockets and started shaking his head left and right fast. Geno couldn't help but chuckle. But right after the first surprise, as Alter was rubbing his eyesockets, he got in the serious part and told him that he had another dream and more answers.

"So fast?" The priest asked raising his eyebrows(?) curious. Yes and surprisingly, Geno could remember everything again as he said. He asked if they could go up to the deck again. And that's how they ended up there. When he just started from the beginning where Morganna talked about his mom, Alter got surprised.

"I'm as surprised as you." Geno replied to his question (ya saw from the beginning of the chapter).

"Oh Lord! Her, your mom?! What else you saw and heard?!" Alter asked interested. Geno described the next information he heard. His listener was getting more surprised and interested with every revelation. Until the point where Morganna said about his brothers, that he had no one else but them, Geno was talking nonstopping.

But then, he hesitated to continue. The next words Morganna said, that the pirates would use him only for the dangerous stuff, came in his mind and filled him with doubts. He looked at Alter, who was still way too surprised and analysing what he heard to look at his worried expression.

He was way too selfless to think about himself and he was caring more for others, ok yes. But it didn't matter. The other pirates? Maybe Morganna is right. They would just use him, wasn't it obvious? He was trapped without the necklace around his neck, if he wasn't getting it, he couldn't leave.

And freedom was the think Geno wanted more than the answers even when he was thinking about it. To stay away from the pirates and never see them again, especially the one who was giving more on his nerves, the Captain.

"Geno, son? What's wrong?" Alter's voice made him snap out of his thoughts. But he didn't answer and only looked to the horizon. Light had started coming out from the sea, the sun was about to rise. Alter looked there too and they both stayed silent. The sun had started slowly rising.

"If there's something else you haven't tell me, I understand if you don't want to." Alter said calmly after more of half of the sun had rise from the sea. Geno clenched his fists. Something in him was telling him that it was better to keep for himself the last things he heard from Morganna, but at the same time, he just wanted to be sure.

As he thought before, Morganna was probably right with the last things she said, she was right in many things, he could agree... Agree?! But of course! He heard her saying things he was believing, expecting and wanted to hear about the pirates! He nearly believed her words, because of his hate towards them!

And that could be a way for Morganna to agitate him, play and manipulate his mind! They could still be correct, Geno couldn't deny it, but he still had been warned to not trust, hear and believe anything she was saying. He didn't need to hear many times not to, he thought too that Morganna was evil and enemy.

"Don't listen to her and your hate myyy... mom said. Whether Morganna tells the truth, that the pirates will just use me, or not, it's better if I don't listen to anything she says about them. But this doesn't mean I'll be besties with the pirates, my God! I have to be sure... Can I trust him?" Geno thought looking at Alter. He took a deep breath.

"There is." He replied calmly (and yeah, basically he revealed the last paragraph from what Morganna said to the chapter 'abrupt answers'). Alter listened to him without interrupting and reacting. Geno paused for some seconds after finishing. But then, filled with courage, he continued.

"Despite the last night we talked, am I here and ya all just need me because the prophecy said so, the pirates doesn't see me as the chosen, they don't care at all and just want me for the difficult job so they can return to their old habits as fast as they can?" He said all these without taking a breath. He waited for Alter's answer, who lowered his head and looked down to the sea. The sun had rise completely and the sky was light blue now.

"Want me to answer ya with all honesty I have? We, indeed want to save ourselves by bringing ya to the 'Tearful Cave' and do whatever ya have to do. It seems most likely that for this you're here, to finish the job, with us not caring how dangerous it will be for ya and return to our old habits fast, yeah. But if we weren't believing even a little that you're the chosen, we wouldn't even believe the prophecy and look for you. But since we believed it, together with many other factors that brought us serious difficulties, probably many others except just me, believes in ya. And we truly, truly need your help." Alter paused for a little while staring to the horizon, again with that look like he was seeing something no one else could.

"In reality, I don't think the pirates will be totally indifferent from what you'll do. They will also feel very grateful for it. But mostly Captain, who needs the greatest help." Alter continued and regretted for saying this, because he knew what Geno would remember with it. And he wasn't wrong.

"Because of his curse? Pf, yeah sure. Btw, ya didn't tell me yet what the curse did-"

"WHAT'S THE FISHSTICK DOING OUTSIDE?!" A rough voice cutted Geno. Him and Alter looked behind them and saw... almost all the crew gathered to the deck staring at him surprised and suspicious.

Dave was the one who spoke. Geno hissed. His back pressed the gunwale and nailed his fingers at it nervous. But Alter protectively stretched his arm and looked calmly to the pirates.

"Captain Reaper, gave him permission to go anywhere he wants in the ship, even the deck. But he won't leave so don't bother if ya see him around." He said. The pirates looked to each other surprised and confused.

"Hmph! Fine! But if he does anything fishy..." Dave said very serious at first. But then started laughing. The other pirates imitated him. Geno glared at him with clenched teeth, barely holding back his desire and not listen to his instinct to attack and bite him.

"Mind if I ask what's so funny and you're all laughing?" A calm, with some sarcasm, voice made all the pirates flinch and turn to look behind them surprised. The very next moment they stepped aside making road. And in the middle of this road was Captain Reaper, who was standing with his hands behind his back. He was smiling, with his one eyebrow raised as he was looking to the pirates, making him look arrogant, but again very hot and handsome.

"That jackass again?!" Geno thought feeling his face burning a little, again he didn't know why and it was very annoying to him.

"Good morning Sir." Alter said calmly. Captain chuckled.

"Same. 'morning to ya too." He said to Geno and winked his eye. Geno hissed and looked at him with hostility. Captain laughed. "What a wonderful way to say good morning!" He replied to his hiss and the pirates laughed again, making Geno even angrier. He was shaking lightly.

"I'll f*cking kill you sh*thead! One day!" He thought.

"Now! Why ya all are just standing like rocks! Move your asses and go to work!" Captain said suddenly.

"YES CAPTAIN!" All pirates said at the same time and walked away. Only the 3 skeletons didn't move yet. Captain took one step towards Alter and Geno, who hissed again and grabbed priest's wrist. Captain stopped and chuckled again.

"You'll watch him Alter, it'll be better if he's close to ya." He said.

"Yes Sir." Alter replied nodding and looked at Geno. Captain turned his back, but after 5 steps he stopped. He turned his head so Geno could see his smile a little.

"Ya welcome." He said. Even if Geno wanted to ask for what he said this, from stubbornness he didn't ask. But he didn't need to. "Appreciate the fact that ya won't be locked. Enjoy your stay here. See ya." He continued and walked away. For some seconds Alter and Geno stayed silent.

"Geno son, if ya don't mind can ya please let my wrist? I can't feel it from holding it so tight for so long." Alter said.

"Sorry." Geno said and let him. He was holding him tightly because of anger and didn't understand it. But the anger, hadn't leave him yet.

"Appreciate?! Enjoy?! Wtf is wrong with him?! He's sending me to (probably) die and tells me to enjoy my stay?! Like I'm going to thank him for that! Isn't he to kill him?!" Geno murmured with clenched teeth and in the last words he covered his face growling. Alter placed his hand at his shoulder.

"Relax please. You're always finding a reason to be mad with the pirates. You're paying attention to them and what they will say. If ya don't care for what anyone else says to ya, then I think that you're not just finding everywhere a reason but also ya kinda are looking for one to get angry with them..." Alter said and looked to the horizon.

"In that case, it'll be better if ya stay close to me. As Captain Reaper said." He finished.

"The few days that are left for me in this ship, do I have any other choice?!" Geno growled. Alter didn't answer. He started walking with direction the middle of the deck and Geno followed him. He had managed to relax a little and although he was still a little angry, he couldn't help but chuckle. Alter heard him.

"What?" He asked.

"How can someone like your Captain, who's shorter than most members of the entire crew, obey and fear him?" Geno asked. Alter hummed smiling.

"It's not the height that counts but the abilities and the influence someone has on others. And Captain Reaper has both of them in an excellent level. That's why he's one of the greatest captains ever..."

Captain Reaper was staring at the members of his crew silently. At some point, with no one seeing him, took from his pocket the necklace. He looked at it coldly for long, but then clenched it in his hand, crammed it back in his pocket and sighed. When he opened again his eyesockets, his look fell at Alter and Geno. It was like he was seeing Marcus and Alter, years ago.

The first days Alter got in the crew, Captain assigned Markus to show him around and inform him about the jobs they had. Soon they stuck together and they were always talking. And now, Alter was doing what Markus was doing with him. He smiled, but when his look stayed longer at Geno, the smile dissappeared. His hand touched the pocket where the necklace was in and sighed again.

"I don't want to do this to him. But many things happened to convince us that the world is in danger. And I can't, I just... can't stand suffer anymore. He's the last hope for everyone... my last hope..."

The next 2 weeks, Geno thought would pass in mizery. But soon he would realise he was wrong. Many factors were going to distract him from his tough fate. Everyone has a story to tell, good and bad memories to narrate and keep in them. And Geno would learn more about pirates lifes.

Regardless of how he was going to learn, he would admit, many times secretly, that almost all of them had real difficulties and needed to leave things behind with heavy hearts. And without understanding it, the shield of hate that was surrounding his soul and making it tough, would start cracking silently and soften.

The dreams were also going to be another factor that would distract him. And as Alter told him, they would slowly reveal him the answers he wanted. But not just that. Something more is waiting and hiding. Not just answers but... a whole story, where Geno, would find his true destiny and before reaching the 'Tearful Cave', decide how he will end things once and for all.

And it was only the beginning...

My POV:
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ya all reached the end of this chapter... then it's time now... for... THE RESULTS OF THE ART CONTEST OF CHOSEN FALLS FOR A PIRATE!

i'm proud and happy for the ones who participated. thank you. before i give the places, i'll be more specific about the prizes.

3rd place:

votes on all of their stories

2nd place:

votes
tag in a future fanfiction

1st place:

votes
tag
follow

and to all of ya of course a lot of thanks again and wishes, to keep going and stay determined.

so, in the 3rd place, we have...

somerichcatboi!

with this drawing:

he's cute!!! dat face!!!😣

nice try, ya made him adorable (and the tiny crown 😂 aaaw)... give a big applause! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

and in the 2nd place, we have...

@BlackSoulOfShip!

with this drawing:

(not the way i was imagining geno obviously, but!) the move, the shadows, the way the dark colors and the low light are playing, the water, i really like how the atmosphere is. i like how geno is and i like the tail a lot. even though i mentioned the tail was all red, i like how ya made it. realistic and of course with your own way and imagination.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

and in the 1st place we haaave...

EtchyReadz!

and there are, not 1, not 2, 5 drawings, plus some scenes from the fanfiction!

so damn cool, the bandages were a detail i never imagined geno with, i was imagining him with the glitched cloud. 👌noise.

so damn handsome and hot.

but here... the artist wasn't careful when i described alter. still, he looks good.

classic and excellent.

who the hell is chopping onions while i'm fangirling?!!!

and these are the scenes. ya see more clearly how geno looks like with the tail (in artist's imagination of course, which seems excellent).

i'm very glad to meet people who likes and have will to draw. if ya want, go and vote to their drawings, you'll find them in their art books. see ya another time readers, in another chapter and one day (maybe) in another contest.
happy april's 1st, happy april fools and see ya in the next chapter of chosen falls for a pirate. we have 2587 words.👋