Twas a long time ago when our tale occurred. A time when the age of kings and emperors was replaced with an age when dukes, counts, and lords ruled the regions of our world. Some ruled entire regions. Others ruled sections or islands. Whatever the case, the people of nobility governed the world. Some were born into noble families, giving them the right to rule when their parents passed, while others from wealthy families became nobility through marriage. Many who married into nobility did so for political power, financial comfort, or out of lust for the man or lady ruling the land. Still, there are occasions when the noble and the non-noble desire one another for no greater reason than love.

It began one evening with a ship sailing from the Kalos region to the Alola region. Members of Kalos high society were sailing for a retreat the Duke of Akala Island was hosting. Lords and ladies ate and drank in merriment inside the ship's dining hall, disregarding the rain and thunder outside.

The ship's commanding officer, Captain Drake, entered the dining hall with his uniform drenched, eager for a warm meal before going back outside. He was a tall, well-built man with a crooked white mustache and had been commanding passenger ships since before his fellow sailors were born. After ordering a bowl of stew to a waiter, he looked around until he found a table occupied by one of his sailors. The sailor had black hair that reached his shoulders, and he ate his supper quietly, his light blue eyes fixed on his stew as though he was alone in the dining hall. The sailor saw Captain Drake approaching him and stood up to salute with his saluting hand still holding his spoon.

"Captain," the sailor greeted.

"At ease, Mr. Woodward," Captain Drake said.

Coovers Woodward nodded and returned to his meal while Captain Drake sat opposite him. They ate their supper quietly, ignoring the rowdy, wealthy passengers. This was not their first voyage where they had to deal with the nobility enjoying their comfort while the crew worked hard. Coovers took a swig of his mug of beer to wash down his bread, then looked out the window, where he could see it was still raining outside.

"I hope it doesn't take too long for this storm to pass," Coovers said.

"Storms like this come and go. It's the way of things," Captain Drake said. "Truth be told, Coovers, I'm more unsettled that we're so close to the Kanto region. We shouldn't come across any of their ships in this weather, but it's not a place I like to be around."

"I hear that, sir," Coovers said. "I've had some bad luck in Viridian City myself."

"Indeed? Better make sure you keep that to yourself. You never know when that information can be used against you," Captain Drake said.

"Yes, sir," Coover said.

Captain Drake nodded in approval before he and Coovers returned to their meal. Then, they heard a piano playing, and they turned their heads to see two women in their mid-twenties with honey-blonde hair dressed like Arabian dancers. The women wore face veils covering everything but their green eyes. One woman played the piano while the other stood beside it, facing the nobility, The passengers focused on their food and conversations, however, only half-hearing the pianist pay an upbeat tune while her companion began to sing.

When daisies pied and violets blue

And lady-smocks all silver-white

And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue

Do paint the meadows with delight,

The cuckoo then, on every tree,

Mocks married men; for thus sings he:

"Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo!" the pianist sang in a low voice.

All eyes turned to the pianist as the audience wasn't sure of what they had just heard. The pianist's voice was so low that it sounded more masculine than feminine. The singer looked at her companion, who continued playing as though nothing was wrong, and then at the audience. After a couple of beats, she cleared her throat and continued singing.

O, word of fear,

Unpleasing to a married ear!

When shepherds pipe on oaten straws,

And merry larks are ploughmen's clocks,

When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws,

And maidens bleach their summer smocks,

The cuckoo then, on every tree,

Mocks married men; for thus sings he,

"Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo!" the pianist sang in a low voice again.

Everyone turned to the pianist again. This time, they were sure she sounded like a man. Captain Drake and Coovers looked at each other, confused, while the nobility whispered amongst each other. The singer let out an annoying "Hmph" with her hands on her hips, then took off her companion's mask to reveal a man with a brown goatee. The audience laughed, confident that the truth was revealed, until the pianist stood up and removed the singer's mask, revealing an identical goatee. The singer frowned, grabbed the pianist's goatee, and ripped it off.

The audience laughed louder as they realized the goatee was fake and hid the pianist's radiant features that proved she was, in fact, a woman. The pianist grabbed her companion's goatee and pulled, making him squeal to confirm his goatee was real. The singer pretended to poke the pianist in the eyes, and the pianist yelped as she let go of his goatee. The pianist backed away, covering her face, then turned her back to the audience. Captain Drake, Coovers, and the nobility waited in anticipation until the woman turned back to face them, holding her green contacts that hid her ocean-blue eyes with her fingers. With a childish pout, the woman grabbed the singer's honey-blonde hair and pulled it to show his short brown hair.

"Hey, give that back, Serena," the man said.

"You want it, Timothy? Come get it," Serena said before biting her thumb with a mischievous smirk.

Their audience roared with laughter as Timothy began chasing Serena around the hall like children playing tag. Timothy continued demanding Serena to give back his wig while Serena taunted Timothy, saying he was too slow. They ran around the audience several times before they exited the hall with Timothy still demanding the return of his wig. Captain Drake, Coovers, and the nobility continued to laugh while the head of the ensemble got on stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for our twin performers, Timothy and Serena Durbin," he said.

The audience applauded, with some still laughing. The nobility then returned to their food, drinks, and gossip as though the performance never happened. Captain Drake and Coovers returned to their stew, but Coovers looked at the stage as though Timothy and Serena were still there. He was amazed by their talent in sounding like the opposite of their respective sex and how their makeup made it easy to look alike. It was a rare performance, and the twin siblings had been doing it for a long time.

Suddenly, a loud rumble and flash came from outside, startling the passengers. The thunder and lightning were quickly followed by the ship rocking violently. Passengers screamed as cups and dishes fell off the tables, and people standing up lost their balance. Captain Drake and Coovers got up and went outside, where the rain came down harder, and the waves were bigger. Sailors panicked as they tried to close the sails and secure the rigging. Coovers's face became pale as water reached the main deck, causing his fellow sailors to slip as they tried to keep everything together.

"I can't hold the helm much longer!" the helmsman screamed.

"Mr. Snivley, hold on to that helm and keep us leveled! That's an order!" Captain Drake shouted.

But, the waves were too powerful for the helmsman to keep hold. A wave hit the ship on the port side, causing the helmsman to lose his balance and grip on the helm. Captain Drake raced up the steps and grabbed the helm, but keeping his grip on the wheel took all his strength. As he tried to maintain the ship, the waves became more violent. Water continued to crash onto the deck, knocking sailors off their feet. Eventually, a sailor ran up to the helm and stopped before Captain Drake, holding his arm up to shield his face from the rain.

"Captain, she is taking on more water," the sailor said. "There is already flooding in the lower decks. What are your orders?"

Captain Drake furrowed his brow and looked at the crashing waves ahead of the ship. He had never lost a ship to the weather in all his years. A fact that he took pride in. Still, even Captain Drake knew this storm was beyond his experience, and he needed to act quickly. Captain Drake clenched his teeth as he tried to think of another way before he sighed and turned to the sailor.

"Abandoned ship," he commanded. "Get the passengers outside and put them into lifeboats. We make for nearby land."

"But, sir, there's no guarantee that the passengers will fare any better in the lifeboats," the sailor protested.

"Either they get off on lifeboats and try to get to land, or they stay here in a foundering ship," Captain Drake said. "I will not lose any lives under my command if I can help it. Now go!"

"Yes, sir," the sailor said.

The sailor returned to the main deck and relayed Captain Drake's orders to Coovers and the other sailors. They returned inside to collect the passengers while the rest focused on keeping the ship level. Before long, sailors came back on the main deck with the passengers and began loading them into the lifeboats. Some passengers tried to bring their suitcases, but the sailors took them and threw them into the sea to secure room for the lifeboats. As the lifeboats were being lowered away, Captain Drake silently prayed to the Lord of All that the passengers would find their way to shore.

Finally, the crew loaded the last lifeboat with only a handful of people left on board, including Captain Drake and Coovers. It was getting harder to control the helm with no one managing other sections of the ship, but Captain Drake would not let that stop him as long as he had the strength to hold on to the helm. The few passengers that were left huddled together for warmth as Coovers and the other sailors prepared to lower the boat.

"Wait!"

Coovers, who had just helped a lady into the lifeboat, turned to see Timothy and Serena in their regular clothes coming up on the main deck. They were carrying a large chest with one carrying it by the handle on each side. Timothy and Serena ran to the railing on the port side, only for Coovers to step in front of them before they could lift their chest to the lifeboat.

"Forget your possessions. There's not enough space," Coovers said.

"This is all we have. My sister and I are nothing without our equipment," Timothy said.

"Better you lose that than your life," Coovers said. "We're already at risk without chests taking space on the -"

"Watch out!"

Timothy, Coovers, and Serena turned to see a massive wave from the starboard side. The wave crashed into the main deck, and Coovers, Timothy, and the other sailors grabbed onto the railing, but Serena wasn't quick enough. The water swept her off her feet and knocked her over the railing, sending her screaming into the ocean below.

"Serena!" Timothy screamed.

Timothy began to climb over the railing to jump, but Coovers grabbed him by his jacket from behind and pulled him back. Timothy struggled with Coovers until he removed his jacket, freeing himself, and dived into the ocean. As though on instinct, Coovers took a couple of steps back before he ran toward the railing, jumped over, and dived into the ocean head first.

"Woodward!" Captain Drake shouted.

Coovers' fellow crewman called out to him as they looked over the railing, while others focused on launching the lifeboat, knowing they could do nothing for Coovers, Timothy, or Serena. Suddenly, a wave half the ship's height hit the starboard side, shaking the ship so hard that Captain Drake lost his grip on the helm. The helm spun rapidly, and the ship began to capsize on the port side. Passengers and sailors screamed as they fell off the lifeboat or over the railing. Captain Drake fell on his back and slid down to the railing. With no other choice, Captain Drake jumped off the ship and swam away before the ship turned bottom up on top of him and sank into the sea. When Captain Drake's head got out of the water, he searched for the passengers and sailors who fell off the last lifeboat, but he could hardly see anything with all the rain apart from the capsized ship's silhouette.

"Timothy! Timothy, where are you?! Timothy, help!"

Captain Drake turned in the direction of the voice and swam toward it. As she looked for her brother, Serena struggled to keep her head above the water. When Captain Drake reached Serena, he wrapped his arm around her, and she grabbed him by his jacket.

"Timothy?!" Serena asked.

"I'm afraid not," Captain Drake said. "I need you to follow me right now."

"But I can't find my brother!" Serena protested.

"There's no time looking for him. We must swim to shore before we tire of keeping our heads above water and drown," Captain Drake said. "Now, come and follow me."

Captain Drake pulled Serena while he tried to swim with one arm. Serena continued to struggle while still calling out to Timothy. Eventually, she saw half a dozen people swimming behind her and Captain Drake. It was too dark to tell if Timothy was among them, but since she couldn't see anyone else, she reasoned that Timothy had to be there with them.

Feeling certain, Serena turned around and followed Captain Drake. They swam till they saw a beach and a cliff ahead. When they reached the shore, Serena, Captain Drake, and the others lay on the sand, for they had been swimming for hours. After a few minutes, Captain Drake stood up and offered Serena his hand.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I think so," Serena said as Captain Drake helped her. "Where is my brother?"

Captain Drake looked past Serena and gave a look that made her heart sink. She turned around to find the storm had subsided, the sun was rising, and barrels, crates, piano pieces, and her and Timothy's chest washed ashore. The few people who swam behind them were a count, his wife, a knight, a steward, and two sailors. Serena looked ahead, hoping more were coming, but there was no sign of Timothy or any other person in the water coming toward them. Serena whimpered, and her mouth quivered before she ran toward the ocean. Captain Drake grabbed her by the hand to stop Serena from returning to the water as she cried out.

"TIMOTHY!!! TIMOTHY!!!"

Serena's legs gave out, and she buried her face with her hands. As she wept, Captain Drake kneeled beside her and rubbed her back. He closed his eyes and hung his head, letting out a heavy sigh as he felt the weight of so many people losing their lives. Guilt overtook him as it hit him that he failed to save most of his crew, including Coovers, all but 4 members of the nobility, and the poor performer's dear brother.