(Opening Notes: Ah, Pirates. Such fun. XD
Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, but I do own the idea and all that good stuff.)
Chapter One: Adventure on the High Seas
The sails groaned slightly in protest as wind began to fill them, speeding the boat on its way. The man, standing beneath them, broke into a smile, spinning on his heel to face the others standing on deck with him. "Hey, everyone! The wind's picked up!" He cried, jutting a finger in the direction of the sails, "Let's get going! That shipment's not going to deliver itself!"
"Which means there's going to be some killing that needs doing, right?" Laughed one of the men – though that word is used somewhat loosely.
"Right you are, Jakotsu." Replied the man, grinning predatorily, "Right you are."
"Damn that Bankotsu!" Inuyasha cried, slamming his hand on the map, "He's TRYING to piss us off!"
"I doubt that." Sighed Miroku, sitting leisurely on a chair nearby, "He's never struck me as the type that has the IQ to do that sort of thing."
"Besides that," Sango added, "If you look from the direction they appeared from, you can see that they must have been stranded for a few days. They probably had to cut it pretty close."
She was, of course, referring to the variety of red and blue lines portraying the latest attack by the pirate and his crew. They had been dangerously close to the mainland, so close that had it been any other pirate crew, they would have abandoned it.
Inuyasha, sure enough, had taken it as a personal jibe on Bankotsu's part. Everyone else was wondering how someone such as Inuyasha had managed to make it as a Captain.
"Lord Sesshoumaru's not going to be happy about this." Miroku sighed again, rising from his chair.
"Who gives a damn what that pretty boy thinks?" Inuyasha snarled, mention of his brother only serving to worsen his already irritable temper.
"How about the fact that he finances us?" Sango snapped, also rising and heading out the door of the cabin.
"Keh, as if. I'm a prince too, you know!" Inuyasha called after her.
"Well then, maybe you should act more like one." Miroku commented loosely, passing Inuyasha on his way out.
"And what does THAT mean!" Inuyasha cried, bristling.
Reaching the top of the stairs, Inuyasha blinked, adjusting his eyes to the bright sunlight. Surveying the ship, he nodded approvingly, seeing everything in order. Spinning on his heel, his crimson captain's coat caught the wind and splayed out elegantly behind him, giving him the very image a captain in the western fleet's navy should have.
"Hey Kagome." He said briskly, skipping steps on his way to the helm, "I see you didn't crash the ship while I was gone."
"Ha ha, very funny Inuyasha." She said sarcastically, stepping aside so he could take the helm.
"That's not fair, Inuyasha! You know Kagome's almost as good a helmsman as you!" Cried the small boy sitting on her shoulder.
"The only reason I'm not is because I'm not some pathetic mutt." She muttered indignantly.
"What was that?" Inuyasha said, bristling. Known for their keen sense of smell, people of Inuyasha's heritage were greatly valued as sailors, since they could 'read the wind', and were normally promoted to captain in next to no time at all. Inuyasha was especially good, seeing as how his father had been one of the greatest sailors of all time, though -according to many a person who believed that royal blood should not be mixed with that of commoners - Inuyasha's potential was thought to be half of what it could be.
Of course, to those who had sailed under his standard, Inuyasha was one of the greatest captains of the generation, second only to a select few.
One, of which, happened to be the renegade pirate, Bankotsu, and his crew. No matter what anyone did, they always seemed to slip right through their fingers. This was a complete mystery to anyone, as it was common knowledge that Bankotsu – and everyone in the 'Shichinintai' – were human. And it irked those sailors who had demon, otherwise known as youkai blood flowing through their veins.
It awakened a certain sense of competition between the two groups, as though to prove which was superior - human or demon - the two must hunt each other to the ends of the earth.
Of course the current leader of the western lands, Sesshoumaru, could not have every ship in his fleet with a demon captain hunting down one singular pirate ship. Hence, he had entrusted his younger half-brother, Inuyasha, with the job.
Some people said that it was because of Inuyasha's human blood, so unlike Sesshoumaru's own full-blooded demon heritage, that he had sent him away. Some said that Sesshoumaru just didn't like his younger brother. There were a few who said that it was because of Inuyasha's human heritage that Sesshoumaru believed he could catch the human renegade. Others just said that Inuyasha had simply been a nuisance in the royal court – which was, of course, the most widely believed.
"Okay, everyone!" Inuyasha called out over the ship, "We're heading after that damned Bankotsu and his Shichinintai! Unfurl the secondary sails!" He made a dramatic gesture with his hand, only to be met with silence from his small crew. "That means you, you damned fox." He growled threatening, glaring at the kit out of the corner of his eye.
"Alright, I've got it." The boy sighed, scampering down from the teenage girl's shoulder and climbing easily up the mast to do as he was told.
"Remind me why we keep him?" Inuyasha sighed, steering the great ship – called the 'Zasshu no oke' or 'The Mutt's Tub' in a rare moment of humour on his brother's part – with practiced ease.
"Sail-ho!" The small kit called from his vantage point.
"A sail?" Inuyasha repeated, perplexed, "Who could it be?"
"Jakotsu… if we led good, honest lives, what do you think it would be like?" He asked, his chin on the table, staring broodingly into the bottle.
"Aniki… you're drunk." Jakotsu replied gently, grinning.
Bankotsu snorted, "You're point? We're pirates," He said, pulling himself up and leaning back on the chair, though not without obvious effort, "We're supposed to be rum-drinking, thieving, and bloodthirsty… right?" His blue eyes flicked up to meet Jakotsu's.
"We are already."
"What's with the sombre look, Jakotsu?" Bankotsu asked from his perch on top of the barrel, nearly loosing his balance as he made a dramatic gesture with his hand, "Smile! That last raid must've really stuck a stick up Inuyasha's ass – he'll be on our trail like… like…" His face screwed up as he tried to think of a metaphor, "Oi, Renkotsu! What would he be on our trail like?" He called across the deck.
The bald man looked up, startled. "Uh… like a hound on the hunt?" He offered hesitantly.
Bankotsu burst out laughing, "That's PERFECT! He is, after all, hunting us, right? And he is a mutt!" He laughed again, the drunken flush rising to his face, "To Inuyasha! May he never stop making our lives interesting!" He cried, raising the bottle.
"Here here!" The others echoed, raising their bottles in unison.
"Ah, Inuyasha… I hope he gets here soon." Jakotsu sighed wistfully.
Bankotsu grinned, leaning back. He ran his eyes over his crew, who had fallen into their own little conversations. They truly were a good bunch of guys. He frowned, an unusual thought coming to him, and stared thoughtfully down the neck of the bottle, before grinning and taking another swig. Now was not the time to think such things.
"Aniki." Renkotsu said, walking over to where Bankotsu lounged.
"Nnn? What is it, Renkotsu?" Bankotsu said, looking up at the taller man. Renkotsu had always struck him as having an odd sense of style – why did he wear that bandana? It obviously wasn't to keep the hair out of his face, and if it was to hide the baldness, why didn't he grow his hair? Bankotsu shook his head. Here they came, stupid drunken thoughts. Why oh why did he continuously get himself smashed?
Renkotsu was the smart one of the crew – he had, after all, modified Ginkotsu, their human cannon, into the deadly weapon he was, not to mention he could read and write fluently, something most of the crew could not claim. He dressed simply, but elegantly – more than could be said for Bankotsu. Renkotsu wore comfortable clothes, but they were sensible enough so that they didn't get in his way in a fight - such as tight fitting cuffs, but loose clothes.
"Well… is it so smart to anger the western lands so much? If we cross the line, Sesshoumaru could send the entire fleet after us." Renkotsu pointed out.
"Renkotsu, Renkotsu, Renkotsu…" Bankotsu said in mock severity, shaking his head, "Don't you see? Sesshoumaru won't do that – to do that would be to prove we are his equals, and sure as sharks we know that'll never happen!" He grinned, tapping the shark's tooth he wore around his neck to further exaggerate his point.
Renkotsu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. The captain was so difficult sometimes. You could hardly tell he was the captain – instead of wearing the traditional garb of most pirate captains, he wore a loose shirt, and pants, tucked into soft leather sailor-style boots. They were well-worn, as well – to the point were you would almost call them tattered. One sleeve was almost completely torn off. His long, coal-black hair was thrown back into a simple pony, with a few braids sporadically thrown in, courtesy of Jakotsu and his feminine habits. He had a sash tied around his waist, with a thick leather belt thrown diagonally across his chest. His forehead was adorned with a four-pointed star, or cross, as were all of the Shichinintai – that is to say, they each had their own designs. Renkotsu himself had two stripes extending from his jaw up past his eyes, reminiscent of flames, his own trademark weapon.
Next to Bankotsu leaned his massive halberd, Banryuu. Bankotsu, despite his small stature, could lift the weapon with ease, not to mention spin it easily, annihilating anything in the nearby area. Few other people could claim they could even lift the damn thing, much less use it.
"But still, Aniki…" Renkotsu pressed.
"Don't worry about it, Renkotsu!" Bankotsu grinned, "Just relax. Get drunk like the rest of us." He said, motioning towards the numerous bottles – and barrels, for Kyoukotsu – of rum that littered the deck, most of them empty in celebration of their latest success.
Renkotsu sighed, but took another mouthful of the liquor anyways. Bankotsu never was one to think things through enough…
"It's great to see you alive and well, Kagome." The visitor said, clasping Kagome's hands in his own, "I was worried the mutt might have run the ship aground."
"What was that!" Inuyasha cried, shaking his fist at the other, "Kouga, you wimpy wolf, what are you even doing here!"
"Stay out of this, dog crap." Kouga replied, dropping Kagome's hands - though not without reluctance – and turning to face the captain.
"You damn wolf, get off my ship!" Inuyasha growled, cracking his knuckles threateningly.
"Make me, you dumb mutt!" Kouga replied, returning the gesture.
"Inuyasha, that's enough!" Kagome interjected.
"Poor Kagome, having to put up with those two." Miroku sighed from his place a safe distance away, "I'm glad we don't have any of those problems, Sango." He said, reaching a hand towards her.
"Come any closer and you'll lose that hand." Sango said threateningly, without even turning around.
"Sango, you cut me to the quick! What do you think I was going to do?" Miroku said, acting insulted.
"You act all tough, dog crap, but you can't even catch one human pirate!" Kouga taunted, dodging the hanyou's claws.
"Like you could do better!" Inuyasha retorted, attacking again.
"Kagome deserves to marry someone better than you!" He cried, dodging again.
"Well than it won't be you, so what's the problem!" Inuyasha growled, swiping again.
"Everyone knows you're still in love with her sister!"
Inuyasha froze.
"Oh, boy…" Miroku sighed, slapping his forehead.
"He's done it now…" Sango added, scratching Kirara's forehead as the cat-demon made a noise of agreement.
"You goddamn wolf." Inuyasha growled lowly, his hand grasping the sword he wore around his waist, "Off my ship. NOW."
"What's the matter, dog crap? Did I strike a nerve?" Kouga taunted, oblivious to exactly how deep he had struck.
"Kouga-kun, that's enough." Kagome said gently, touching his arm, "If you have some business, please say it and be on your way."
"Very well, Kagome. For you." He said, grasping her hands again. "The Lord of the Western Lands wanted me to deliver this." He said, pulling out a scroll from his sash, "Until we meet again, dear Kagome." He said, flashing her a fanged smile and handing her the scroll, before leaping over the side of the ship and back to his own.
"God damn it, Kagome." Inuyasha growled, watching the wolf demon's sail fade away into the horizon, "Why do you always defend him?"
"Because he's right." She sighed, "You are still in love with my sister… with Kikyo." She bit her lip, thrusting the scroll into Inuyasha's hands before running off below deck.
Inuyasha frowned, before turning to glare at the others, "What are you guys staring at? We have a pirate to catch!"
-----------------
End Chapter 1
-----------------
Closing Notes: Phew! This has to be among the longest first chapters I've ever written. It just wouldn't end! But, it was easy to write, so that's a plus.
Oh, and for those of you who are stuck with the English version, here're some translations:
Shichinintai -Band of Seven
Aniki - Older brother
I prefer the Japanese, (Bankotsu's English voice makes me die a little inside) so I'll be using those terms.
Oh, and as for Bankotsu's design. I had this idea a while ago, but I was like 'I have NO idea what Bankotsu would look like as a pirate!', so I had a friend of mine, Crazy Mishka (Check out her fics as well, they're marvellous beyond reason. She's in my 'Favourite Authors' list.) draw me a picture of him. It turned out GORGEOUS, so I have scanned it in for everyone to enjoy!
Larger Version: i13. photobucket. com/ albums/ a281/ deadpheonix13/ pirategoodness.jpg
Smaller Version: i13. photobucket. com/ albums/ a281/ deadpheonix13/ PirateGoodness.jpg
Just take out the spacing and add an underscore between 'dead' and 'pheonix13'.
In closing, REVIEW! We authors do love them so, and the more reviews, the faster the update!