Chapter 1.1

1. Blue Eyes

A pair of blue eyes beamed with excitement. The sun had long risen over the wasteland with it's golden rays touching everything. He had wavy blond hair that danced in the waves not because of how cool the wind blew but of how fast his horse raced across the wasteland.

He took another sip of water from his water bottle to quench his thirst. Noise from a group of horsemen ahead distracted him from his line of thought, he could see that they were armed and hostile.

Great, bandits.-- He thought.

He counted five, nothing he could not handle on his own. They had their weapons drawn as they approached him and yelling strange noises he could not discern. He bowed his head as he passed by them and prayed he would not have to resort to violence.

But… you know. Bandits still have to be bandits every once in a while.

"Hey kid!" One of them barked. "Can't you pay your respects?" They were already circling back at him.

"Yeah!" Said another. "Dishonoring y'is elders can bring ya bad luck ya know."

And no one would want anything bad to happen to such a fine young boy like you." Another chipped in.

Sebastian ignored them and urged his horse forward without showing any regard, much to their disapproval.

"Damn bastard!" The first said as he stopped his horse in front of his prey. "In these lands pretty boy you pay tribute to the black mask pirates. For safe passage, if you get what I mean?"

You are not black, neither are you putting on masks. Or pirates!-- Sebastian thought,-- What a bunch of idiots.

Sebastian kept his head down avoiding any form of eye contact. The bandit started to get riled up as a matter of fact.

"Hey Turnbet!" The third bandit yelled out, "Cut out his balls and make 'im bleed, then he'll talk."

The first bandit who went by the name 'Turnbet' smiled and said to the third, "You know Kam I was just about to suggest the same thing."

He waved his sickle in the air in a paltry attempt to intimidate his odd prey. "How about an eyeball, eh?"

Not getting the reaction he expected he swung his sickle for Sebastian with all his might. Much to Turnbet's surprise Sebastian stops his hand at the last moment. "Hohoho! The boy can dance", Turnbet let out a cackle as he tried to pull back his hand.

Huh? Why is this little boy's grip so damn strong?

As Sebastian tightened his hand on his wrist and Turnbet screamed out in fear, "Let go of me."

Sebastian frees him and watches him fall off his horse. "Oh sorry!" He says with a smile, "Reflexes. But then again I did not expect the first bad guys I meet to be so… um weak."

Turnbet falls on the ground with a thump, he looks up expecting to see the face of a hardcore fighter. To his surprise he finds the boy smiling back at him with his teeth glimmering in the light and his BLUE EYES. What had Turnbet shocked wasn't his smile but look in his eyes, it showed no form of hostility in any way. There was a certain warmth and joy to it, it felt like the longer he stared at it the farther he would get pulled into it.

Are you kidding me? Turnbet asked himself. What's wrong with this kid? Doesn't he know he's getting robbed?

Kam yells out, "Turnbet, what was that?"

Turnbet picks up his sickle and rises to his feet, "Don't know but I'm not gonna let this one slide." He felt he had to show the pretty boy his place.

Sebastian hops off his horse and stands before Turnbet, looking him in the eye. "Sorry, my bad." He apologized as he takes out his handkerchief and dusts the dirt off the bandit. "Hope I did not hurt you too bad."

The mouths of the bandits fall wide open in shock, they were perplexed as to whether the boy was just plain stupid or playing them for fools.

"Hey kid", one of the bandits yelled as he hopped off his horse. "Whatever you're plotting, I Kabali of the Black Mask Pirates am not falling for it."

Kam hops off his horse and pulls out his sword, "Tyrant, I don't like this kid one bit." He says to another.

Sebastian runs his hand down his hair as he takes a step back. "I already apologized. What more could you want?"

He had an unbelievably innocent demeanor that seemed too hard to believe. "Well, if it is money you want I have none on me now. But if you wait here till I get back I promise I'll bring some."

Turnbet snapped, "Hey kid! Who do you think we are?"