No one's POV:
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Another thing that was distracting Geno and very well many times, was the animals.

At first he had the feeling that the ship was totally untouched by them. But almost from the time he started showing himself more often up to the deck and walking around freely, like the sky and the sea opened, sea birds, mostly seagulls were flying near the ship, escorting it, sitting at the gunwale and masts, even taking walks around the deck when there weren't pirates near to disturb them.

Fishes, many fishes were swimming near the ship, different kinds. Cockroaches, mise, even rats that were hiding before in ship's shadows and corners, were watching and following Geno secretly, everywhere.

The creepiest at first for Geno, because he had still problems to accept his siren side was that he was understanding what the animals were saying and needed to shut his ear holes because their voices were making him nervous and bringing him headaches. The insects and rodents were whispering to each other things like,

"He's a siren!"

"Finally someone who's not a pirate!"

"Have you hear what the sea birds are saying? They're saying that he's a prince! Did you know that guys?!"

The cockroaches and rodents didn't seem to know Geno as a prince. Only the sea birds that could go up the ship unlike fishes were calling him that. And from the dreams Geno was seeing, he had make the conclusion that only the sea birds and fishes (and whatever is swimming in the seas) probably, knew that he was more than just a siren that was getting animals attention in an instant and understanding them easily.

Everything is a matter of tolerance and habit as Alter had say and he was probably right, concerning the way Geno was seeing the animals at first. In less than 2 days, Geno got so much used to their existence and the fact that he was understanding them like they were speaking normally, that not only he wasn't afraid even of the most disgusting animals, but he started befriending them all.

At first he was hesitating seeing them very close, trying talk with him. But soon fearlessly and without disgust, he wasn't just letting them be close to him, he was even letting the smaller animals that were hiding in the ship such as mise, rats, even cockroaches(ew) rest at his hands or hold them at his lap and talking with them.

When he was climbing up to the masts to rest and see the ocean from high, the sea birds were standing next to him and then, he was stroking their tiny cute heads smiling softly. Their company were making him feel better and their conversations and stories were interesting, he wasn't really making any substantial discussion with anyone in the crew (except Alter) so the birds were one of the best companies.

There was only one bird that wasn't approaching him close. Geno had no idea from where it came and why it approached the sea nature, because it wasn't even a sea bird. It was a robin, that was always just staring at him serious and silent. He had observe it many times as he was talking with the other birds and tried many times to call it close to him, to not be afraid. But it was flying away seeing him approaching. It's behavior was really weird but Geno wasn't bothered for long.

There was another thing he had observe when the animals were close to him. Sometimes cockroaches and rodents were climbing the masts just to be close to him, the time Geno had the birds near him. But instead of fighting as different species when they were together, they were actually very calm and not fighting.

It seemed like that when they were close to the siren, they were forgetting that they were different animal species and talking all together. And that was beautiful, Geno was feeling his soul relaxing, seeing the animals all together and calm.

The only times he was getting nervous a little by them, was when he was hearing literally all of them, cursing the pirates, thing they were doing very often when any of them was approaching and gossiping them with the worst comments. Not like he was disagreeing with what they were saying, but if he was close to them, the noise they were making was loud and eventually they were giving on his nerves.

If there was an animal he had become very good friends with, that was priest Alter's pet. A frog Geno hadn't realise it's existence immediately. After some days of the 'freedom' Alter showed it to him and Geno's eyesocket widened up.

"Why are ya keeping this in your room? Where didja even find it?!"

"One time the crews had stop to an island that was mostly a big jungle. It was one of their safest hiding places as I learned later. I went to take a walk, escorted by others to not get lost. They showed me the basic places and signs to learn finding my road. We even passed from a swamp not so far away from where the ships were stopped. When we left again from there and I headed back to my room I realised that something was squirming in my pocket. That small stowaway had get in my pocket when I passed from the swamp probably. Welp, since that day, I'm taking care of him. Wanna hold him? Don't worry, he's not from the poisonous frogs." Alter held with both of his hands the frog and approached it closer to Geno, who stepped back a little seeing the little amphibian staring at him with it's huge eyes.

"Thaaanks buuut... No thanks." He said looking away. Alter chuckled.

"Relax, he doesn't bite." Very waveringly Geno stretched his hands and let Alter place the frog at them. He shivered a little.

"I heard things and rumors that you're a prince from the animals that are hiding in the ship, who heard from the seagulls. If that's the case, then it's a pleasure to meet from closer a prince." The frog said lowering his head to show respect.

"T-Thanks but j-just call me Geno." Geno replied surprised but still shivering. "What's your name?" He asked.

"Kermit. (😂)" The frog replied.

"Kermit?"

"What did he say? His name?" Alter asked. Geno nodded and gave him Kermit back.

"Oh I see. What a nice name." Alter said and pet his frog's head.

Alter seemed absolutely fine with the animals. Geno had hear stuff about how his relationships with them was but all the time he was in the ship he saw it by himself. The few birds that were appearing now and then before Geno come, learned to trust him and were approaching him many times.

Their trust for him was so big, that they were even letting him stroke them. Now that Geno came, many were coming and one time, out of curiosity as they were talking about how asses pirates were, he had ask them what they were thinking about Alter. He heard good comments.

"Just great!"

"The best person we've ever seen in our life!"

"In front of the pirates he's just the personification of the Good!"

The birds were very excited creatures but kinda dumb, especially the seagulls Geno could say secretly to himself. Mise were more holded, a little bit more intelligent than birds but they were more fearful. Geno heard kinda the same good comments from them too, basically that he wasn't scary like the other pirates.

And that from the time Alter came, in the lunch time, they learned that from him they would always find some food and kindness and had learn to wait for their share. They were grateful with his selfless offer. And he was doing this all the years he was in the ship.

"But doesn't Captain ever tell ya to stop feeding them? Not even a time?!" He had ask Alter, who was giving at that moment a small piece of rusk to a mouse. It was the last one that was waiting for it's turn and after taking it's share, ran away. It was lunch time and Geno had finished eating like almost everyone but watching the priest as he was feeding the mouse.

They were sitting next to each other at 2 barrels, away from the others so there wouldn't be trouble between Geno and any pirate. Because that almost happened once and it almost ended to food war. Luckily Captain ended it in time and the misunderstood vanished. Alter chuckled and lifted his head ready to answer to Geno's question.

"The priest never listens! We're telling him to eat normally but if we're not watching him, he's capable to even give all of his food to the animals. Stubborn!" Geno turned surprised and saw Captain standing some meters away from them with a toothpick in his mouth, he had finished eating too. He seemed so badass! And...

"Ho- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" His mind screeched and turned his head in front again burying it in his scarf. Alter chuckled with Captain's answer, not seeing Geno's red face luckily.

"My food, my concern Sir. And sharing is caring!" He replied and Captain sighed.

"Animals doesn't have consciousness silly priest. But for as long as I'm not seeing them around, they're lucky and safe."

"You're the one who can't understand us, f*ck you b*tch!" The mouse that took the piece of rusk last squeaked and lifted his one front tiny leg doing a gesture, not so kind. Geno, who could still see it, covered his mouth to muffle his laughter but he snorted like a piglet and became even more red. Alter looked at him surprised and tried to hold back his laughter.

"Shut up!" Geno screamed at Alter who now couldn't stop laughing and holding his tummy. As for Captain, he had turn his head away and his whole face was now blue.

"For whatever reason he laughed, damnit, that was adorable..." He thought covering his mouth with his hand and walked away fast, leaving the other 2 alone.

The animals that weren't talking very much and were distant most of times, were the rats and the cockroaches. These 2 were also very serious. Geno had guessed that their behavior was due to the fact that they weren't the most clean animals, the truth was that many people were calling them disgusting, dirty creatures.

But despite that he got late from the start to give them time because he was disgusted a little too, he tried and made it to give them a chance and managed soon enough to break the ice with them. The cockroaches were a little bit more energetic than the rats and trusted Geno faster. They were nervous enough but with great speed and stamina.

The rats although uglier than any other animal in this ship were like veterans, with great experience and the biggest intelligence. The stories they were telling to Geno were from the most interesting. They were stubborn, hot-headed but stable to their friendship and careful to their moves and decisions.

The situation with the animals anyways, got very annoying fast. The pirates could hear them walking even if they were hiding in the shadows, or they had to hear birds annoying chirping and squawking everyday.

"Just perfect! The ship is like Goliath's Arc!" Dave had complain once.

"It's Noah. Noah's Arc Dave." Markus corrected him.

"WHATEVER THE NAME IS! BECAUSE THEY'RE FREE TO WALK AROUND, IT'S LIKE THE DAMN ARC!" Dave wasn't the only one who was complaining, almost the whole crew was murmuring annoyed seeing all these animals around. And the thing that was driving them crazy was that Captain had ordered them all to just ignore the animals and not harm them.

If it was possible! Ok, what happened to their real Captain?! Their questions why he had gave that order didn't get answered, but their worries for Captain's behavior at least dissappeared a little after some days. It all happened when Geno...

Was whispering to a seagull something, secretly from the pirates with a cunning smile. He wasn't minding talking loudly with the animals, no one was understanding them anyways and they were minding their own business. That event had happened when Geno's relationships with the pirates were still just terrible.

Back to the event. By whispering to the seagull, one of the pirates, curious and suspicious approached Geno. The seagull flew away. He asked Geno what he was whispering and Geno looked at him with a cunning smile. Bad sign. The pirate who approached him before, talked to the others and everyone putted in their mind, that the fishstick was planning to do something... unpleasant.

And they weren't wrong as they realised soon. Somewhere in the noon, suspicious moves started happening. Many birds stood at the masts and gunwales staring at the pirates intensively. Everyone started whispering to each other concerned. At that moment Geno appeared up to the deck with his hands behind his back and walking like a Sire.

"Ok fishstick, what mischief is on your devilish mind?" Dave asked snarling lightly. Geno chuckled but didn't answer. He looked around and up to the masts where the birds were standing. Silence for a little while, then Geno clapped one time and started rubbing his hands and chuckled.

"Perfect!" He said loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What's perfect?" Dave asked and Geno looked at him.

"WITH MY SIGN!" Geno said and looked again at the birds around. Hearing him, the birds turned their backs and lifted their tails. Immediately everyone turned pale.

"Fishstick, don't you f*cking dare!" Dave snarled clenching his fists. Geno kept smiling cunningly.

"We just cleaned, hell no!" Dave continued. Whether they had their weapons or not, the pirates couldn't kill the birds. Captain's order seemed ridiculous from the beginning but if they were disobeying, the punish wouldn't be ridiculous and small at all.

"Geno please, don't!" Alter said worried and clenched his teeth. He wasn't looking exactly at him. But Geno didn't observe it. He chuckled again.

"READY?!" Geno continued like he had hear nothing. "ATTAC-!"

BAM!

The gunshot scared all the birds. They flew away from the ship chirping and squawking. Geno got surprised too, shutted his ear holes for a while and hissed from the loud noise. When he took his hands from his ear holes, only then he realised that all birds had fly away. He turned slowly to look behind him.

Captain was standing some steps away from him. His expression was cold and showing no emotion. His one hand was raised in the air, holding a pistol, smoke was still coming out of it. He shook his head, sighed and blew the smoke from the weapon.

"Just because I ordered my men to not harm any animal, this doesn't mean ya have to bring disasters. Sailors just cleaned the deck. For this time, none of your little winged friends got harmed. Consider that as mercy and because I don't want the deck to get stained. But if I see even the slightest dirt at my ship caused by the animals, or my men with bites from the rodents..." Captain paused, he didn't need to continue for Geno to understand. He lowered his head, crossed his arms and snarled lightly.

"Fine." He murmured. Captain heard it, turned and looked at his men, placing his hands at his hips.

"The order changes. If he tries to make a big mess in the ship again by using the animals, ya can shoot from now on." He said. Every pirate looked at each other surprised. Captain walked away and Geno stared at him angry, because he had ruin his fun. But he was also curious.

He knew about the order that the pirates weren't allowed to hurt any animal. But why did he even give it in the first place? That answer was going to get answered with another event. But not now.

Despite the first event with the birds and the fact that he couldn't use them to do mess as he wanted, Geno had find 2 other games to play without making mess to the deck, by ordering other animals do other things and without hesitation the animals were obeying and cooperating with him.

In the 1st game, a cockroach was standing at his palm after talking with it and when Geno was waving at one pirate, supposedly friendly, from very close (he was slipping away from Alter when he was busy), the very next moment the pirate was jumping surprised seeing the insect.

Then, Geno had to run away so he wouldn't get hitted by the angry pirate but laughing and murmuring, "So worth it!". Michael had the best reaction and many times he was skirling like a lady as his already pale skin was turning even more pale. Even after the day Geno apologised to him, he was still messing with him, just less.

That game he was doing it mostly when pirates were working. The 2nd game was to send a cockroach again or even a mouse, run to a pirate Geno had put target and climb at his leg. The pirate who wasn't expecting what was coming, when he was feeling something climbing at his leg, he was starting jumping and dancing like crazy.

And if there were pirates laughing with the one who was 'dancing' Geno was finding it even more funny to send a cockroach or a mouse to them too. He wasn't preferring to do this while there was work, Markus was tolerating him a little with the 1st game but not accepting the work get disturbed for long with the 2nd.

So he was using mostly the 2nd at lunch time and breaks. It wasn't like the pirates were afraid of the cockroaches or mise, they were just getting surprised at those moments Geno was messing with them. Even if his games were giving many times on pirates nerves at least they were disturbing them for a while from their job and finding a way to have some fun. From one side it was a break but from the other it wasn't always so funny for the one who was suffering.

But 3 days before reaching the 'Tearful Cave' a prank that was supposed to be 'innocent', was going to end as a little tragedy and would stop Geno from using the animals to anyone. Alter was the only one Geno hadn't send animals like he was doing with the other pirates (yeah, like, because he wasn't an assh*le).

But after some time the curiosity started eating him and he thought, was there anything priest was afraid of? He was so chill and cool but wasn't accepting that he was afraid of nothing! And so, for the first (but last as you'll read soon) time he decided to prank him with the animals. He had make his plan.

(3 days before reaching the 'Tearful Cave' as we said before) as him and Alter were just sitting, suddenly someone called the priest to help with something to the bottom of the ship. Alter got up eager and asked Geno if he would come, who said that he would just stay and to not worry, he wouldn't get on trouble. But when Alter dissappeared Geno took from his pocket a cockroach that was hiding all this time and let it sit at his palm.

"Alright Sandra, tell to the other cockroaches and rats to watch Alter's every move and warn when he'll come up to the deck."

"Yes Sir!" The cockroach named Sandra, jumped from his hand and ran towards the stairs that were leading to the bottom. Geno started rubbing his hands.

"This is going to be interesting!" He whispered.

"What's going to be interesting?"

"NIPPER!" Geno skirled. This was the nickname he had give to Michael. He looked at the boy who stepped back seeing him surprised.

"S-Sorry." Michael said ready to turn and leave.

"Nah, it's ok. I was talking to myself and saying how interesting my experiment will be." Geno said and Michael looked at him curious.

"What experiment?" He asked. But before Geno could answer, his attention turned to a cockroach that was running towards him. Michael stepped back and gulped. Geno huffed with his cowardness, let the cockroach rest at his palm and brought it close to his face.

"Sir! He's coming!"

"Excellent Pablo!" Geno said smiling.

"What are you planning to do?" Michael asked. Geno ignored him and started whispering to the cockroach. The only word Michael caught was "Attack..." Geno lifted his head and nailed his eyesocket to where Alter was going to get out, concentrated.

"What do you want to do?" Michael asked again, concerned and worried.

"Now!" Geno said suddenly and Pablo flew from his hand towards the opening for the bottom.

"But what do you want to do?!" Michael asked for the 3rd time and finally Geno decided to answer.

"I want to see Alter's reaction when the cockroach lands at him!" He said. At that moment he saw Alter appearing to the opening, his calculations when to send the cockroach, were correct. But Michael turned pale.

"GENO WAIT NO! PRIEST ALTER IS-!" The next reaction that happened, was from the unpredictable. The cockroach landed at priest's chest who stopped walking and looked at the insect. The very next moment his irises dissappeared, turned even more pale and after some seconds... fell backwards. Just fell backwards.

Geno with Michael could hear the thuds as he was rolling down the stairs. Then silence. But they weren't the only ones who heard that. All pirates attention had turned from the time they heard Michael's scream and stopped working. Pablo, who had jumped from Alter's chest when he fell, ran towards Geno who crammed him in his pocket to hide him.

Geno couldn't help but start laughing. Alter, who had fight with sirens and other dangerous creepy creatures without 2nd thought, who had face successfully 1000 dangers and other things that could bend and scare anyone, was afraid... of cockroaches?!

"What's going on here?! Michael are you ok?!" Dave asked.

"P-Priest Alter... he fell down the stairs." Michael stuttered and everyone's eyes widened up.

"How did that happ-? WHAT'S SO FUNNY FISHSTICK?!" Dave screamed at Geno who was holding his tummy from laughter and every pirate's attention turned to him. Others got surprised and others angry.

"I can't *wheeze* believe it! He's *wheeze* afraid of..." And he described to everyone everything that happened with the cockroach. Almost everyone started laughing too. Except Markus and Michael.

"Geno that wasn't smart at all! And it wasn't funny! Men! What if Alter got injured? Have you thought about it even a little?!" Markus shouted.

"Markus, son... I'm ok." Everyone's looks turned to the opening and heard Alter's slow steps as he was walking slowly up. When he finally stepped at the deck he smiled. But Geno observed that he was shaking. Anger? Fear?

"Dear Lord Alter! Are you hurt?!Injured?!" Markus approached him and placed his hand at Alter's shoulder.

"It could be worse son. Don't worry, your old man Alter only rolled down the stairs. Nothing more. I'll admit it, wow, that prank was unpredictable, you got me Geno!" Alter was talking calmly and kindly, like the way everyone knew him. He didn't seem angry at all. But he was still shaking. Was Geno the only one who was seeing this?! Because no one else seemed to observe it.

"Are you sure you're-?"

"Markus I'm fine. I'm pretty much alive and standing on my feet. No need to worry anymore." Alter insisted. Markus shook his head left and right.

"You're so stubborn." He said.

"Well well well! Who could imagine that our priest is afraid that much of the cockroaches!" Dave said. And the other pirates started teasing Alter with their turn.

"If the sea creatures were all cockroaches, you wouldn't even think about traveling through the seas!"

"How did you even tolerate to stay in our crew if you're afraid of them that much?!"

"That one time when that f*cking idiot from Nightmare's crew Killer, threw your cross to the sea you dived without second thought just to get it back! You were so damn chill with those 5 sharks that got close to you and you got afraid of 1 little cockroach that landed on you?! (i don't know if i'll ever have the chance to mention that story somewhere, so, or i'll write it after finishing completely the book as just a small random adventure, or if ya want, ask me to simply narrate now)"

"If Sirens were attacking us again and they knew that they can't hypnotise you with their voices to follow them in the water, they would find a way to bring cockroaches so you would jump to the sea!"

Alter was listening stoically, taking all the teases and smiling, rolling his irises sometimes, remembering too the events the pirates were mentioning, laughing with them. But Geno was still seeing him shaking lightly.

"What's going on here and you're all laughing?!" Everyone turned to look at Captain and the loud laughter at least got cutted, but the smiles and some quiet chuckles continued. Dave was ready to speak.

"I fell down the stairs!" Alter talked first. Captain raised his eyebrows(?) hearing him saying that.

"You? But you're so careful! How did that happen?" He asked. Dave was ready to try and open his mouth again. But Markus hitted him gently with his elbow to shut up. Captain didn't want anyone to talk if he was talking with someone else.

"A cockroach... landed on me." Alter described what happened, with the exception he didn't mention that Geno was the one who sended the cockroach. And that made Geno feel terrible. He pranked him and instead of showing the slightest anger or dissatisfaction for the prank that happened to him, instead of 'nailing' him to the Captain that he was the one who started the prank, he was covering him.

Alter was talking calmly but he seemed cheerful like most of times. Even like that however, there seemed to be something suspicious. Geno didn't know if it was his siren instincts, mechanisms or whatever he had. But he had the feeling that Alter wasn't exactly fine as he told Markus before. And from where he was, he could smell something... metallic? Minutes now! That smell, what was reminding him of?!

"Blood..." Geno turned his head and 3 steps away from him, standing to the corner he saw a rat looking at him serious. He recognised it, from the scar at her right eye. Yes her.

"What do you mean by blood Helen?" He whispered.

"The priest is bleeding. I don't know from where, but he is. And minutes now." Geno looked again at Alter, now terrified. It wasn't fear or anger the reason he was shaking. He was in pain! Meanwhile Captain listened carefully to what Alter said, silent and still surprised with the reaction he had with the cockroach. But he didn't laugh. Not even one time.

"Are you sure you're ok Alter?" He asked when priest finished. Alter laughed and raised his right hand in the air.

"Everything's fine Sir. Welp, too bad my little secret got revealed like that. Bad timing with the cockroach landing on me, what can I say? The secret couldn't stay forever secret I guess. Now Michael isn't the only one who knows!" He said and everyone turned to look at Michael who lowered his head nervous.

"Yo cousin, you knew all this time and didn't say it?!"

"I... didn't want to expose him." Michael said rubbing his shoulder.

"What an excellent young man Michael is!" Alter said and turned his back to leave. "Welp, if ya excuse me I must-"

"Not so fast priest. Stop right now." Captain said calmly. Alter stopped but didn't turn to look at him. Now Geno observed it. When Alter was looking at Captain Reaper his left arm was hiding a little behind his back. But when he turned his back he turned it fast so he could have it hidden again.

"Turn to look at me." Captain continued calmly. Alter turned slowly and he did it again, he hid his arm behind his back. Captain approached him with slow steps and stopped in front of him.