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A cold ocean breeze can be felt across the Bronze Sea. The bustling noise of boats full of cargo and merchants getting ready to departure for their docks is heard all throughout the morning; with the Sun's rays slowly brightening as the day goes on.
However, in the Grand Navy base, a young criminal feels nothing of the sort. They feel no joy, no, sadness, no anger— just dissatisfaction.
‘Connors’ was a man whom the Navy knew well.
His face was often plastered around every city and town; all with varying charges and offenses.
They had been arrested multiple times for numerous petty crimes, yet never ceased to end their way of criminal activity.
They hadn’t done enough to cause some real damage, but based on their rising bounty, things might not turn out so well if they don’t clean up their act soon.
As the brown-haired assassin sat in his cell, facing towards the back wall, an older man steps before the cage.
“...Commodore Kai." The prisoner greets him.
“Connors." The Commodore replies in return.
The other shoots him a cold look— turning his head back to the wall.
A moment of silence rings throughout the base; with the only sounds heard being the morning breeze and their own breathing.
"This is the 7th time you've been arrested this month."
The other scoffs. They cross their arms, pulling their knees closer towards their chest.
"Yes, I’m very much aware of that. Thank you for the comment,” they drawl.
The older man doesn’t appear phased by the less-than-friendly response he’s given in return.
Regardless, he sits down cross-legged in front of the acolyte’s cell. Connors refuses to face him.
Kai silently inspects the inmate, wondering if they even recognize the wrongs of their own actions.
It was clear that the kid delinquent wasn’t exactly focused on caring for themself. He thought to ask if they even had anyone to lean on in the first place.
The stifling silence of the hall breaks as he chooses to speak up.
”Do you..” he starts. “-remember what happened to you? When you had disappeared all those months ago?”
They bristle at the elder. “…none of your fucking business.”
He stares down the young lawbreaker. Bit of a touchy subject, he supposes.
”One moment, you were here,” the Commodore leans a little closer towards the cell.
”The next, you had left. Suddenly. We were tasked to find you, kid. Your father had said he hadn’t talked to you in weeks.”
He doesn’t flinch as Connors abruptly slams their handcuffs against the metal bars.
”Shut. Up.” They growl. Their piercing blue eyes feel as if they’re trying to burn a hole through his head.
Unfortunately for them, he’s going not backing down. Not when he’s this close to cracking open such a case.
“You used to be one of us. What happened to you?” Kai stares right back at them. He knows something’s up.
For someone who was once so loyal to the Navy’s cause, it was entirely unusual for them to have abruptly switched allegiances.
He wanted answers, regardless of whether they liked it or not.
“You’re not the first to go up and running away from their duties. But that doesn’t mean anything when I know you were never the type to run, Cain.”
”……” The assassin remains quiet. Their gaze never falters, but the malice within it shifts to something softer. More melancholy, in a way.
They’re the first to break eye-contact. They turn their head towards the nearest wall, slumping their shoulders as if in defeat.
They speak as if they’ve just swallowed a stone. Particularly, one of their own pride.
”…I don’t remember.”
Commodore Kai tilts his head ever so slightly. He raises an eyebrow. “Pardon?”
The outlaw hisses through their teeth, as if trying to barge through whatever dignity they have left, just to utter their next words.
”I said, I don’t remember. Amnesia. I lost my memory somewhere a few months ago, woke up on a damn island, and just went from there.” They grit out, punching the walls of their confinement.
The acolyte stomps their foot a little against the floor. They huff in mild frustration at their lack of words for the situation.
The old man before him just sits wordlessly, letting the youngling finish his sentences. They can’t quite make out his expression.
“Whoever you knew me as before all of this is dead. It don’t matter none about what was done to me, since there’s no point in going after ‘em.”
The Commodore hums. He lightly drums his fingers on his knee as he watches the mildly-overwhelmed young man in front of him.
Connors just wants to get out of here and find somewhere to hide out for the next few days. They’re not quite sure they’d be able to face the other for a bit after this.
”I see. Then I suppose you’d have no attachments to anything here, then. My apologies for bringing it up in the first place.”
They blink in disbelief. An apology. From him? Must be their lucky day. Or they’re hallucinating. Who knows?
They just kinda awkwardly nod in response. “Uh.. no problem, or whatever. Just don’t assume I care about this shit just because you brought it up, I guess.”
Somehow, their words elicit a small huff from the man. Is that a laugh? Did they just make him laugh???
”Very well, then. I see no need to keep you here today any longer. Consider this my release on you getting out on ‘good behavior’.”
The Navy guard unlocks the cell door, stepping inside to remove the acolyte’s cuffs. Their eyes widen not unlike those of an owl’s.
”Wait- you’re serious? Just like that?” They narrow their eyes in suspicious, clearly distrusting of his potential motives.”
He gives no sign that he’s playing a trick. Then again, from what they know, he’s good at faking. Merlot told him so, at least.
”You’ve helped me clear up some confusion and questions that’ve been surfacing around. Think of it as a reward, if you’d prefer.”
Connors stares for a few moments longer, before rushing out the closest door without a second wasted. They’re not staying before he changes his mind, after all.
The elder just walks out to the entrance, listening to the chaos erupting from the other members of the Grand Navy alone.
By the time anyone tries to react, the assassin is already gone. Commodore Kai sighs.
He looks at the faint silhouette of the criminal in the distance, who proceeds to hijack a group of pirates’ ship and sail off with it.
He shakes his head. His heart felt heavier than before, and yet a flicker of hope arises once more.
He mutters into the wind— mainly to himself, and a wisp of it towards the husk of the loyal child-soldier he once knew.
”Let’s hope you learn your lesson next time, hm?”