"I. MADE IT!"
"...You should pay more attention to the time, Captain."
"Ahaha. S, sorry, Misa. The club meeting ran late."
"Now that you're here, we have an interesting job request I think you'll want to accept."
"Oh? It must really be something, if you're that excited. Let me see...ah! Hmm. Wait. This is from."
"Yes. Keeeep reading."
"Um. Standard, standar- EEEEEEEEH!"
"Sounds like fun, don't you think?"
"Is something like this even allowed?"
"It's never been done before, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. The other party has been sent a copy of the request as well. We'll arrange a meeting to discuss the fine details...and persuade them to accept. It shouldn't be a problem. I trust in our Captain's ability to convince people to do something almost completely against their nature."
"...Thank you?"
"Agreed!"
"Eh! That easy?!"
"I do have some stipulations, of course."
"Ah, yes. Of course. Let's make a deal then!"
"I know it's unusual, but we've sent in a modified deal."
"I've just finished reading it. I don't have any objections to the changes. In fact, let's make this a little more rewarding for us all.."
"Aha. Why do I suddenly feel scared?"
The night was going beautifully. The anniversary cruise for her company's best customers was turning out to be a huge success. The guests mingled, she'd received many donations, and made even more business connections.
A stray blaster shot sounded, and many of the women screamed. Lynn, standing tall and confidently next to her, snickered. She glanced sideways at the amused young woman, taking yet another moment to appreciate the tailor made suit her partner was adorned in, and how it highlighted all her best features.
"Wishing you were out there causing chaos with the Barbaroosa crew?" Jenny asked, trying to not smile too much at the joy in Lynn's face.
The smirk directed at her made her innards tingle. "I'm exactly where I want to be." She snorted when another scream erupted from a group of women being "mugged" and grinned deviously. "But I sure did enjoy being a pirate. Besides, watching Chiaki is plenty fun."
Jenny spotted the girl in question and let out a laugh. The third year appeared to be battling between letting loose and shadowing her father in, to her two former classmates, was clear suspicion at the demand for her presence on the "raid".
"The best part is yet to come."
"Oh?" Lynn looked at her curiously, wondering if she should be slightly afraid of that hint of a smirk.
She didn't have time to voice further questions before the pirates below suddenly halted their thieving in alarm. The noise died down for several tense seconds, and the hacker had just enough time to note the supremely satisfied smirk on Captain Kurihara's face before firing resumed.
Outside the ship.
Every person in the room was baffled as yet another ship appeared, firing on the pirates. The crew erupted into chaos, the Captain barked orders, Jenny sipped her wine, and Lynn and Chiaki stared, jaws dropped, at the newly arrived Bentenmaru.
What in the galaxy was going on?
"What is that?! Who's firing on us?! Everyone, run back to the ship!"
"Hold on, it's the Bentenmaru!"
"ATTENTION! THIS IS CAPTAIN KATO. THIS SHIP IS NOW OURS. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RETREAT, BARBAROOSA, OR ELSE FACE THE CONSEQUENCES."
"Has that girl captain gone insane?!"
"I don't care who they are, they aren't getting away with this!"
"Eeeeeek! A pirate battle!"
Kenjo Kurihara, proud father and Captain, could not remember a time when he had had so much fun as both. The reactions, from his daughter and his crew, as the Bentenmaru made their flashy entrance alone was almost payment enough for this job.
Almost. He'd have to ask for a copy of the recordings from the security cameras at some point. The young Captain might appreciate copies as well.
"WELL? DON'T JUST STAND THERE! GET READY FOR A FIGHT!" His powerful yell tore through the chaos, and his men instinctively ran about to obey. They were catching on that this was part of the act. Good. They'd be annoyed at him later for only telling the crew left on the ship about the "attack".
"Father, what is going on?! Why is the Bentenmaru here?" Chiaki, of course, was not so satisfied. In fact, he mused with magnificent unconcern, he'd never seen her so livid.
In lieu of responding, he stroked his beard and observed her critically. The outfit that had been provided to him for her was perfect. All white with gold trim and detail, it boasted a slim unbuttoned pirate styled jacket on top, and a white hi-low dress underneath, with white high heeled boots to complete the outfit. He'd overruled her initial rejection of the outfit by claiming that it was required for the job.
"Hahaha! You should get in place. Your favorite captain is about to arrive."
It wasn't a lie, he'd merely never explicitly stated which part of the job it was for. Chiaki was not going to be pleased.
"SHE IS NOT."
Except, he knew, she really would be.
"Alright, form up men. Before that door opens, we'll duck under and start firing. Throw them off guard. Kurihara's crew should also have modified weapons, so if any of you have the audacity to allow yourself to be hit, you'll only collapse for a moment or two."
"...Only?"
"This is not normal at all."
"Stop whining. And Captain?"
"Eh! Ah, yes?"
"Just focus on your part, and leave the rest to us."
"Right."
"Your training and hard work won't be in vain!"
"That's right! You'll definitely last a few minutes now!"
"Ahaha. Ha. Was that meant to be encouraging?"
"Good luck, Captain!"
Chiaki stood next to her father, enraged that she hadn't been informed of this apparently long planned turn of events. It helped that the rest of the crew had similarly been kept in the dark. Mostly. She pointedly ignored the part of her that was hurt about Marika not saying anything.
The guests had been herded to the edge of the room, and the Barbaroosa crew were waiting with blasters at ready. They hadn't expected the smoke bombs, though, and not thirty seconds later, before the door could have possibly opened even halfway, it all started.
Chaos. That was the only way to describe what happened next. Blaster fire and exclamations of pain created a harsh symphony, and she was sure guests were watching with wide eyes and baited breaths as they waited for the smoke to clear.
Their tension did not find relief when it did. Instead they found themselves witnessing a tense stand off, with a couple bodies already on the floor. The two captains stared at each other defiantly.
She didn't care what anyone would say later, but she was not staring at Marika! It was just, she was different.
Her stance.
"So that is the game you wish to play, eh Captain?"
Her attitude.
"Indeed, it is, although I don't think it will be much of a challenge."
Her devilish smirk.
"Impudent brat. Do you know who you face?"
Even her new, slim, minimalist outfit.
"Why bother learning the name of someone so below my ability?"
Frankly, it was irritating, and completely, utterly reminded her of Quartz Christie.
"Know this, you shall not win against me." The ringing of a sword being drawn echoed.
"We will see, Captain." A second sword was drawn in challenge.
Wait. Where they really about to?
The two captains attacked, while the Bentenmaru crew immediately began firing on them, not willing to allow their captain's battle to be interrupted by some bold crewman. Her and the rest of the men, not knowing what the script was, were caught by surprise. They scattered, and slowly began to fire back, keeping one eye on the sword fight and one on the opponent.
The biggest surprise of all was that Marika was actually keeping up with her father. This level of skill was nothing compared to what she had last known her friend to be capable of. Kato Marika was an amazing captain to be sure, but sword fighting had never been her forte.
"Got you!"
All firing stopped at the proclamation, and turned in time to watch the younger, much smaller captain, get tossed halfway across the room. Right into Chiaki.
She'd deny it later, but the yelp she let out when their bodies connected was especially high-pitched.
The part-time pirate stared at the ceiling in a daze, waiting for her vision to catch up with her sudden introduction to the ballroom floor. The body on top of hers was heavy, and some hair had wound up in her mouth. It kind of tasted like apples...
"Hey! Stay away from my daughter!"
"Ugh. You're the one who threw her on me!"
She pushed the body off of her in anger. Marika jumped up, fixing a perfect look of annoyance and condescension on her face. Then, it switched to smug confidence, and before anyone could blink, Chiaki found a sword at her throat.
"Game over, Captain."
Eh?
"Why you. Coward!"
What?
"Pirates win at any cost." And with that, the lights and gravity went out, a smoke bomb was deployed for good measure, and she found an arm at her waist, hauling her over a thin, padded shoulder as her entire body went numb. Blaster fire erupted, from where she couldn't tell.
"Let's go!" Oh, she was going to have words with her father and Marika. And Jenny-senpai, who had to have had a hand in this.
"Chiaki!" Behind the enraged and pained cry, there was laughter. She just knew it.
Somehow, the girl who had kidnapped her made it to the exit without any trouble. Marika didn't stop running until they were safely on the Bentenmaru.
"Phew! That was fun. Where's everyone else?"
FUN?! She wished she could speak, but she settled for glaring while being handed to Schnitzer.
"We'll put you in my room until the toxin wears off. I'll be there once I've made sure we all made it on board." Marika told her, suddenly back to her normal attitude, sheepish smile included.
She continued to glare the entire trip to the captain's quarters, and even continued until the captain herself arrived. By then, she was starting to gain some feeling back.
"Are you feeling alright?"
Glare.
"I mean, aside from the toxin?"
Glare. Twitch.
"Don't worry! Misa assured me that it would wear off in thirty minutes!"
A growl.
"Ahaha. It was. It was part of the plan?"
"You." The anger behind the one word was enough to cause the captain to start sweating, and back away just a bit. She was content to let her (former, she was thinking) friend wait out in silence. Her plans were destroyed when Marika, with a sudden smile, jumped into bed next to her.
Had she been able to move, she would have jumped clear off the thing in alarm.
"What are you doing?!" Oh look, her voice worked again.
"Well. I kidnapped you. That means you're mine to do with as I please." Marika laughed, then yawned, and no, it was not cute.
"What, what does that mean?!" She could feel her face turning red, and the hands that grazed her suddenly sensitive face to take off her glasses did not help in the least. Nor did the arm that was thrown around her.
"I'm gonna. Take a nap. Tired." There was no way she could have made herself move, even when the numbness wore off. She couldn't say how long she lay there, stiff as a board as Marika held on to her tighter and tighter in her sleep.
Eventually Misa peeked in, curious as to where her captain had disappeared to.
"Oh, she fell asleep. That's not surprising. She worked hard over the last month to be ready for the sword fight. She had to spend more than a few nights on board, she was so tired! Anyway, here's some food in case you get hungry."
And then she was left alone to get some sleep of her own, apples invading her dreams.
End~
Edit 1 - Time; Approximately five mintes after publishing - FFN apparently ate all my neat little breaks.