The atmosphere inside the TARDIS was tense. Everyone stared at Shiryu, who had returned without Stella and with a grim look on his face. The Doctor said nothing, simply watching him closely, waiting for an explanation.
Finally, Shiryu took a deep breath and spoke:
—It was my fault. I couldn't stop her… I tried, but…
It all began a few hours earlier.
In the hideout, the situation had become increasingly unbearable. Minoru Mineta and Denki Kaminari wouldn't stop making awkward advances toward the girls. While most tried to ignore them, Stella Vermillion had had enough.
—Could you shut up for one second? —she snapped, glaring at Mineta—. If I'm going to risk dying, I'd rather do something useful.
She stood up and let her magical power surge. A crimson aura surrounded her as she summoned her Inherent Device, a majestic sword wrapped in flames.
—Stella, wait! —Shiryu stepped in her path—. Going out now is suicide. We have no intel, no plan.
—Then stay here. I'm not going to sit around with idiots like these —she replied coldly.
Shiryu tried to calm her with reason, pleading for patience. But Stella had made up her mind. The conversation escalated into confrontation, and when words failed, tension turned to battle.
—Are you really going to stop me by force? —she asked, sword at the ready.
Shiryu didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't let her run into danger alone. What followed was a brief but intense clash. Sword versus fist. Fire against will. The others watched in stunned silence.
Then, Mineta tripped over Denki during a petty argument, triggering an accidental electric burst that shook the hideout. The distraction was all Stella needed.
With a swift, agile move, she broke free from Shiryu and slipped outside, vanishing into the shadows.
—Damn it! —Shiryu growled, rushing after her.
Outside, chaos erupted.
Mineta and Denki, still trying to impress someone, started bragging about their powers.
—Hey! I can shoot lightning! —Kaminari said, sparks crackling around him.
—And I can trap anything with my sticky balls! —Mineta shouted proudly.
But before they could act, a girl suddenly fell from the sky, crashing right into them.
—Aaaahhh! —the girl screamed as she landed.
She was a blonde young woman, soaked and disoriented, clearly out of place. It was Elizabeth Swann, though no one knew her name yet.
Erina Nakiri, Usagi Tsukino, and Hauka quickly rushed to help her up. While doing so, Usagi noticed an old golden medallion had slipped from the girl's clothes.
—What is this…? —Usagi whispered, picking it up.
Suddenly, a strange energy pulsed through the air.
The sound, the magical disturbance, and the medallion attracted the undead pirates.
They emerged from the mist of the sea: living skeletons in tattered uniforms, armed with rusted blades. Upon seeing the medallion, they grew excited.
—The medallion of Billy Turner! We have it at last!
But unsure of who the descendant was, one gave the order:
—Capture everyone who was near her!
Elizabeth, Erina, and Usagi were taken, and Hauka, caught in the moment, was seized as collateral.
Shiryu arrived just in time, confronting the pirates with all his strength. However, there were too many, and worse, they were immortal. Every one he knocked down simply stood up again.
Mineta and Denki barely escaped thanks to their quirks—though more by luck than skill.
Overwhelmed, Shiryu was forced to retreat. Stella was nowhere to be seen.
Back in the TARDIS, Shiryu dropped to his knees, frustrated.
—I told Komatsu to look for you, Doctor. We don't know where Stella went. The others… they were taken.
—And the medallion? —the Doctor asked urgently.
—They have it —Usagi said, voice trembling—. They saw it and took her with it…
The Doctor nodded, processing everything rapidly. Then he slowly stood up, adjusted his coat, and spoke with resolve:
—Then there's no time to waste. If we want to get the girls back and stop those cursed pirates…
…we're going to need a ship. And set sail.