Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-Hime.

Note: Have in mind that temperatures change drastically in this universe.

Finished on 07/03/2015

"Rise the colors, you salty wenches! Else you dance with the sharks tonight!" The hollering of their captain got them moving even before the warning bell was rang. The Dirty Princess rocked softly with the splash of the waves, oblivious to the upcoming battle between two old enemies. Captain Natsuki smiled for a second before patting her precious helm with love not often shown to others. She stood straight and barked her orders, holding tightly onto her loyal friend.

"Blast ye, mutt!" Nao had been on watching duty for a whole day. She had been napping when her captain called, and thus she was the least pleased of her mates. Natsuki, however, was not worried by the lack of sleep her second in command had gotten. She was as cunning as the sirens of the north and had gotten out of worst situations, her and Natsuki.

"You better stop acting like a damn common pirate, Nao. Everybody knows you grew up in a loving farm 'till you got tired." A fact the redhead did not want to be known. She was Barracuda Nao, feared among the Seven Seas and wanted in more countries than she cared to count. And Natsuki took every chance she had to make her origins known to just about anyone.

"Let us see how cocky you are when The Snake gets here and cleans the deck with your ass. Again." She did not need to turn around to see the captain's blush. No matter how many times she used that line, the evoked reaction would be the same. Her captain being a prude was a fact she could never get tired of. Certainly not The Snake either.

It was common sea knowledge that Viola "The Snake" and Natsuki "No Heart" Kruger were eternal enemies, sworn from the moment they crossed paths back in their younger years of looting. Viola was two years Natsuki's senior and she was the Queen. No foolish enough soul dared to defy her reign. It was when she was at the highest when Natsuki made her fall. A young woman fiercer than any animal and a will stronger than the seas they sailed challenged "The Snake" when she and three of her most loyal sneaked into her ship and stole Viola's precious snake-shaped ruby, a gem worth twenty galleons and Viola's most valuable possession at the time. An object "The Snake" never again saw in her life, for Natsuki never revealed its location.

That was the start of a vicious game of power, one that both Queens delighted in. The world believed them to hate each other, but their crews knew better. The moment Viola and Kruger clashed swords they became something unexplainable and wonderfully twisted. Viola admired the courage shown by the blunette and in exchange Kruger respected her for similar reasons.

"The Seductress ahead, captain!" Natsuki's heart thumped as a thrilling feeling she remembered too well crept up her back. Squinting her eyes, she devised the ship and changed course towards it all too eagerly. Her crew prepared without any need of yelling from her part. This was almost routine for them. Nao smiled to herself and shook her head as she rang the bell, warning The Seductress that they were coming. They responded in the same way, so close the ship that they could hear the excited shouting from the seawomen on board.

Viola's red eyes made a beeline to Natsuki's green orbs without missing a beat. They surveyed each other after two months away from each other, exhibiting their lack of new visible scars, showing once more that no one else could surpass them in a fight. They felt the harsh sway of their ships as The Dirty Princess and The Seductress met in an impact. Impatient, Natsuki jumped onto Viola's bowsprit, sword unsheathed, and sprang to action as the other captain walked airily her way.

"Fancy meeting you here, Kruger," The brunette cracked up an easy smile as she too unsheathed her sword. "Ready to get beaten again?" She taunted. In truth they were quite even in their fights. However, it was an unspoken rule that the winner of the last match would have goading rights until the other beat her once more. Although Viola was quite sure that none in her ship could compare to Baracuda Nao in the teasing department.

Natsuki glared, "Are you?" She didn't wait for a response as she used the advantage of the first attack in her favor. Viola merely smiled as she surged forward and met her sword with a swipe of her own, more collected than Natsuki's forceful thrusts. The Snake marveled at the untamable beast in front of her. Every time, without fail, the blunette's spirit would amaze her and render her in silent awe. Of course, she'd rather have her tongue cut than voice her thoughts to the other captain.

"Trip 'er down, capt'n!"

"Do the swipe thingy like last 'ime!"

"Punch 'er in da tits!"

As stated by their unspoken tradition, their crews cheered them on as they fought. Natsuki had the slightest suspicion that they didn't even bother with the initial fighting anymore, so it was just an act they put up now. She was pretty sure Viola and her were the main attraction every time their ships had a face off, and that Nao's last scheming had landed on gold with a betting ring she monopolized. Now, if only she found out how she communicated with Viola's ship without her noticing...

"You heard the lady, Kruger!" She was just in time to dodge a rather mean fist to her chest, but a second too slow for the leather boot that almost busted her knee. On the bright side, Viola was not using those damned high heels she wore on special occasions, like Natsuki's birthday. Because, of course she'd pierce her thigh with them and rob her of the gold she had worked so hard to steal and wish her a Happy Birthday with her damned smile and her damned pearly white teeth.

"Err... Mutt?" The blunette quickly got to her feet before her pride fell with her. She spat on the floor and gave Nao a sideways glance, lifting a challenging eyebrow along with her glare. Her gaze turned questioning when she saw the shorter woman pale and nervous, the last rays of sun casting shadows on her face.

Nao pointed behind them and took two steps back. The captains stood still for a few seconds, looking at each other, then in the direction Nao had pointed out.

That's when the cannonballs took down the Dirty Princess. The Royal Navy had finally caught up on them after so long. And Natsuki honestly do God did not care for all the 'captain goes down with the ship' bullcrap, but she did leap into the water without a second thought as the hull of her Princess quickly disappeared into a bed of bubbly water.

"Natsuki!" Hell broke loose as Nao and Haruka, Viola's second in command, restrained the captain from also throwing herself into the dangerous waters. The older captain gripped onto the side of her ship as she yelled all sorts of profanities at the missing captain, the upper part of her body completely outside the limits of her boat. She slammed a calloused hand on the wood and then yelled her orders to her crew to fend them off as they waited for the blunette to come up to the surface. It was childish to hold onto hope, but she was sure that Kruger wouldn't let herself die in the same waters that had a great part in them meeting.

The Seductress was taking big hits, but not important ones so far. It had been two entire minutes and Viola was not the only one feeling restless. The Navy was getting closer at rapid speed, and more ships were slowly joining them, though holding back their attacks. Viola knew they were not just for intimidation purposes, and it annoyed her that they thought so little of them once the Princess was out of the picture they got so cocky.

Half her crew was waiting for new orders, while the other was half-expecting another attack soon. Natsuki's crew stood by their side, though they had the same look she had. They were waiting for Natsuki. Viola found herself having to make the hardest decision in her whole life.

She took her gearing off and pushed it into Haruka's arms with a grunt. With a deep intake of breath she jumped into the water, her eyes never leaving the spot Natsuki had disappeared to. For a moment she fretted, when the darkness of the sea engulfed her and she did not know whether she was going up or down, but the waves above her head got stronger, and she held in the air she was using so as not to sigh in relief. Haruka had understood her decision and they were now retreating.

Below her, a mane of midnight blue hair floated with the warm current.

The crackling of the fire resting on dry wood soothed her, though it did little to help her warm up in a cold night like the one they were experiencing. She didn't know whether it was good or bad luck to get stranded on a small island, but they were. And Viola was, on top of freezing, hungry, sleepy and confused. None of them made up for a good combination in any situation. Beside her, Natsuki was unaware of their situation, but she was alive and resting. And she was naked. And Viola was naked too.

However, that was far less interesting than the object the blunette was holding onto dear life when Viola found her in the ocean, half-way towards her death. Not that it wasn't interesting; just less important at the moment. Certainly Natsuki's perky mounds would make for good conversation in the future.

The blunette stirred in her sleep. Viola feared she was coming down with a fever, not that she'd be surprised if she did. She herself felt a little dizzy after all the getting lost in the cold waters of the ocean, but at least she hadn't nearly drowned, so there was less chance of her going into shock.

She grunted softly as she dragged the other captain across the sand, closer to the fire. She did her best at making her a bed with leaves and sand, but she was no islander. She had a comfortable bed in her ship. She had wine, food, women and warmth.

She glanced down at her companion and smiled gloomily. Well, she had the women part down, and the fire was resisting the wind so far, so she wasn't freezing completely, but there were not enough leaves for the both of them, and, again, she hadn't been the one to drown. Besides, she wanted the blunette alive for questioning later. And maybe, finally, she'd get answers. Because Natsuki was all about making her life a living Hell and at the same time the most exciting ride ever.

She was just having a hard time deciding which one it was at the moment, with the blunette firmly hanging onto the snake-shaped ruby, the precious gem she had stolen so long ago from right under her nose.

And Viola cracked a genuine smile, because really, Natsuki, you are something else.

When Natsuki finally awoke it had been five days. Her limbs felt oddly numb and her lips were chapped, though it was an irony considering the way she was about to die. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and confirmed that the pastiness she felt was not just an exaggeration of her mind. With more effort than she ever needed before she rolled onto her back. The first thing she notices was the soft sand beneath her, and the caress of a leave on her right cheek. Then she opened her eyes and shut them immediately with a hiss as the rays of sun filled her sight.

She put her arm over her head and opened them again, slowly. Her mind was slowly catching up with the situation. She remembered diving into the water and entering her cabin inside the sinking Princess. She quickly cracked open the secret safe under her bed, well, the place where her bed had been; by then it was floating somewhere around with her desk. Once she secured the gem in her hands she got out of the ship and swam up as fast as she could.

Her hand slowly made way to her throat. The feeling of salty water penetrating her body and shutting down her senses was now there. She felt herself die, and there had been no greeting from family and friends long gone, nor a white light at the end of a tunnel. Natsuki snorted; load of bulllshit.

"Ara..." The blunette froze. She'd recognize that sultry voice anywhere. "Finally awake..." Natsuki frowned and hurried to locate Viola. There was just something about her voice that rubbed her the wrong way. "Good." The blunette pushed herself up with her weak arms and frantically looked around. It didn't take long to see the other captain half buried in the sand in such way Natsuki almost thought she was missing the lower half of her body. She was facing down, and Natsuki was glad, because she was naked as the day she was born. The side of her breast was still visible though, and Natsuki felt uneasy when a dry purr threatened to come up her throat.

"Viola," Was the only thing she could come up with. Oh, she had many questions. She had figured out she was the one that saved her, but that only prompted even more questions. Mustering up strength and courage, she stood up on wobbly legs and dragged herself to the honey-haired captain. Looking up close she observed that the usual shine in her skin was almost completely gone, that she too had chapped lips, and the dark rings under her eyes were far from flattering.

Natsuki kneeled before her and went to check for injuries. She stopped when she noticed the long white sleeve ending at her wrist, which was odd because she didn't remember her clothes having tiered ruffles. She connected the dots when she looked down and Viola's extravagant jacket was there. Natsuki scowled for a frivolous second and thought they looked horrible on her. She scoffed and took the jacket off, finding her own, more moderate one underneath. And then she felt the winds and her head snapped to where Viola was lying.

"Viola..." Natsuki wasted no more time and turned her on her back like a ragdoll. She was fast to undress herself from her companion's clothes, and her own jacket, and struggled to put them on the unconscious woman. With her recovering strength she carried the captain to where she had been sleeping before and placed her carefully on the 'bed'. It worried her even more when she didn't even stir. She didn't know for how long she had gone without food or warmth, but she did know that she needed to do something and fast.

She never thought the skills her bastard of a father taught her would ever be needed, but now that they were she sent a thank you and a curse up at the sky as she made her way to the small fire Viola had started and got to work.

The smell of food brought Viola back to her senses. Her eyes fluttered open and she was glad there was a piece of white clothing covering her eyes, as the sun felt particularly intense on her skin and bright even through the material.

"Don't move," Natsuki warned her. "You're just too weak yet. Here, let me," Viola could figure out her silhouette through the material. The other captain was kneeling at her side, and she was holding something that carried the food, though she couldn't figure out whether it was a leaf or a piece of wood. "I took out the spines. It's disgusting, but it's not like they sell salt out here." The lighthearted joke made the brunette crack a smile. "Eat." She opened her mouth as Natsuki gave her her first meal in days. It was truly disgusting, but it was also true that she couldn't complain.

After they had finished the fish and Natsuki supplied her with fresh water, which she would ask about later, they lied in comfortable silence. It was the first time in their lives they felt so at ease with each other, considering they were always fighting and robbing the other. But maybe it had to do with the fact that they were unarmed, as Viola had left her weapons with Haruka and Natsuki lost hers somewhere in the sea.

"We need to get out of here, Viola." The Snake hummed as she felt her ribs with her hand. She had lost too much weight. "You look like crap, by the way." And Viola laughed because really, Natsuki, you are something else.

They managed to get to a nearby, much bigger, island, thanks to Natsuki's surprisingly good surviving skills and in part to Viola's better judgment on the grounds that if we die together, Kruger, it should be in a place fit for two Queens, not a sea turtle. Natsuki simply didn't want to start a fight when they were getting along just fine. Also the Queen bit got to her, if only a little.

They had lost count by then, but they were sure it had been around ten to twelve days. Their memories got a bit foggy between the time Natsuki slept and Viola passed out from exhaustion, but they were sure it couldn't have been more than that. By now they had set a routine that worked for the both of them. At morning Natsuki would hunt their food, mainly fish and mushrooms (if they were lucky, bird), and give it to Viola so she would cook it on the fire they had set the moment they arrived. Then they'd spent the rest of the day minding their own business until night arrived and the process repeated itself.

On the fourth night of their arrival to the second island Viola decided she had had enough. With the same determination she showed to her crew before a looting she marched towards Natsuki, who was lying on the sand under the biggest tree she could find. Above her the mechanism she used to gather water was slowly working and dropping the fluids into a makeshift recipient made of wood and leaves. When Viola had found out about it she was skeptical about anything that came from inside a tree, but when Natsuki rolled her eyes and drank the equivalent of a pint by herself she shut her mouth and drank the rest.

"We have to talk." If Natsuki was startled by her demeanor she didn't show it. However, her lips curved up and her eyes suddenly opened and reflected the scarce sunlight. Shizuru was blinded by the raw emotion behind them; she felt floored. And suddenly she remembered why Kruger was the only human capable of putting up a fight against her. It ashamed her that she was turned on by Kruger's insolence and recklessness.

"Alright, Viola, what is it?" The blunette backed up against the trunk of the tree and took out the mechanism before licking off the remaining water. The Snake looked anywhere but to the tempting tongue wrapping around the object. Then she remembered why she was there in the first place. Her hand dove into her pant pocket and she took out the one thing that was making her stay miserable. Natsuki's eyes widened in recognition at the gem dangling from Viola's hands. She had thought it was lost somewhere in the depths of the dark waters, but then again she didn't remember letting go of it.

"You risked your life for this. Why?" The blunette shifted under the older woman's piercing stare. That question was something she was not prepared for, certainly not in this situation. But it was because they were stuck together for an indeterminable amount of time that she had to lie through her teeth. But how could she trick someone who could smell falsehood from a mile away?

Natsuki sighed and ran a hand through her dirty locks, "It's just a prize, Viola. It proves that I was able to surpass the great Snake. What would I flash to the skanks to get them into my bed for free if not that precious?" She felt guilty immediately when she saw the anger and hurt flash across Viola's crimson eyes, but she rather be an arse than a fool.

"So that's it?" Viola asked, arm crossed. "All these years and this is it?" Natsuki shrugged one shoulder, and it made Viola's temper flare up some more.

"I don't know what you expected. We are enemies, Viola. There was never more to that, and you are crazy to think otherwise." A minute went by without either speaking.

And just maybe, fate was playing them like pawns, because the second Viola threw the gem at Natsuki's face in a bout of anger the tell-tale sound of the Seductress' bell rang through the air. Natsuki covered the fresh gash that ran across her right eye with an impassive face, the gem resting at her feet where you couldn't tell what was stone and what blood in the sand. From the opposite side of the island, they heard Natsuki's rambunctious crew yell and cheer. In the midst of doom they were saved, and yet they were miles apart from where they had started.

"Keep the stone. Not a thousand harlots will help warm that heart of yours," She threw on her jacket and made her way in the direction her ship was coming from. Natsuki watched with her good eye as Viola The Snake left her behind without looking back. Worst of all, she watched her tears disappear in the hot sand of the island they had briefly called home.

Natsuki snorted humorlessly as she wobbled to her feet and raised her hand for her crew to see. Because Natsuki was something else.

Epilogue

"How's the eye?" Barracuda Nao asked gently as she entered her captain's cabin without permission. The blunette sighed as she sat up on her bed, the sheets falling from her naked torso onto her lap.

"Better. Harada thinks I will be able to see with it, but it will never be the same." She caressed the bandage with the hand that wasn't holding her up. "I deserved that, I guess." She nodded to herself with a heavy heart; she had not been quite herself ever since she left the island, three days prior.

The redhead smiled ruefully as she leaned on the doorframe with loosely crossed arms, "You were an asshole; of course you deserved it. But why did you do it?" It was the question worth ten treasure chests. Unfortunately, Natsuki herself doubted the answer. Fear? Stupidity? She couldn't quite decide which emotion she felt at the moment she told Viola such lie.

"I will tell you," Sultry like the finest siren, there she was in all her glory. The reason of Kruger's dreams and nightmares. "It was love. All this time. When she robbed me, when we fought, when she dove for the gem, when I saved her, when she saved me... " The gem was again dangling from her hands. Nao had disappeared the moment she saw her, spooked yet oddly happy for her friend. She also had to find whoever was in charge of patrol around the ship because they sucked at it.

"When you lied to me, it was love... Wasn't it?" Natsuki pursed her lips before she looked up to Viola with those challenging eyes (eye, Viola reminded herself with no small amount of guilt).

"And if it was?" Her raspy voice sounded oddly loud in the silence of her cabin. Viola smirked without an answer. She suddenly threw the gem back at a bewildered Natsuki.

"Then I don't think we need that anymore, do we?" And Natsuki laughed, loud and hard, clutching at her sides. Only Viola could figure out the real reason behind her fixation on the rock and why she had kept it so close to her all these years. Some boys pulled on the hair of the girls they liked, and that gem made Kruger no different, which was sort of pathetic on its own endearing way.

"Really, Viola, you are something else."