A/N: The characters Sarutobi and Keiji belong to the relative owners of the games as well as the creators of the anime and manga (there were far too many names to choose from in that list). Risa is my own character. So this a first attempt at a kind of one shot piece. So please no hating. Well with all that out of the way. I hope you enjoy. Please don't hesitate to review.
"SARUUTTOOOBBBIIIIIIIEEEE-DONO! MAEDA-DONO!" The young red heads enraged voice cracked as she yelled at the man who sprinted away from her alongside Keiji. This time the pranks had gone too far. Risa growled angrily as she chased after the men not caring if she only wore a towel. They ran into the dining hall of the ship chuckling like hyena as Risa kicked the old wooden doors open, fuming at the two men who cowered behind chairs.
All the crew in the room stopped what they were doing as she growled walking towards where the two guilty men hid. Forks clattered against plates as jaws dropped at the sight of the curvaceous red head in no more than her towel. It was the only problem about been the only female on a ship full of men. Keiji looked over at Sasuke and grinned wickedly, pointing at her towel as she lurked closer and closer to them.
"You better start praying for your lives because when I get my hands on you dogs I am going to kill you." Her usual silky smooth voice was laced with venom as she hissed at them.
Keiji stood up bravely, putting his most charming grin he owned on, leaning against the chair, eyeing Risa as she got nearer. "Come on Ri-chan it was only a joke." He tried to reason with the fuming red head but to no avail as he watched her shudder with anger.
She was about an arm's length away from the tall samurai when she noticed a glint in his eye. The same glint he got when he was about to make a prank even worse than what it was leaving the victim mortified. She stopped dead in her tracks glaring at him when Sasuke stood up slowly in a cowardly manner not daring to look into the two soul piercing green eyes that glared at him and Keiji. Risa noticed how Keiji eyed her short towel a devilish smirk playing on his lips. She knew she had already damaged her dignity running after them in the overly short towel but she knew once Keiji got hold of her she would have no dignity left.
She started taking slow weary steps back glaring at the two men as Keiji approached her. His hand shot out grabbing a corner of her towel as he grinned victoriously at her. Her face dropped. Her eyes widening as he pulled the corner up revealing more of her already exposed thigh to the gaping mouths that stared at her. Her hands shot to the top of her towel where it was now loosely tucked in over her busty chest. Keiji took a step closer to her for each step she took back.
"Don't you dare even think of it Maeda." She hissed clutching down as much of her towel as she could. He knew as well as she did, one solid yank and her attempts to keep her towel in place would fail dismally. But the entire ship knew she wasn't easily defeated. She stepped away more from Keiji her glare returning.
"Hmm what is this, all fierce again? How about we change that little fact and kill that spark." He taunted when Risa did the unthinkable. She let go of her towel and jumped up kicking Keiji in the stomach. All the men watched as the scene went by in slow motion. As Keiji fell back into the wall of the ship his grip tightened on Risa's towel pulling it off from her as he landed on the floor. Risa stood shaking with rage as she glared from the fallen Keiji rubbing his head, to the blushing Sasuke. Picking up her towel she flicked it over her shoulder and walked out the dining hall back to her room.
It was dinner time and Sasuke worried about Risa who hadn't eaten anything yet. It was strange, she always ate. He walked to the kitchen and set out a plate on a tray with food and some sake hoping she would accept his peace offering, but then slowly started doubting if going near her would even be a good idea considering how they had mortified the poor woman. He sighed looking out the small window at the setting sun. It set the sky a light, the reds matching the color of her hair.
Keiji sat up on the deck of the ship staring at the red sky, he chuckled thinking of poor Risa. He had to admit. He had got her a good shot there was no doubt she would come at him for revenge. She always did. However he knew it always ended up rather awkward since she was so short. Practically pocket size compared to most of the women he had seen. But it was why the small, fiery haired samurai was so feared. He watched how the sea reflected the sky and smiled to himself.
Risa had left her room and gone to sit in the front of the ship on the figurehead. She sighed. She sat reminiscing about how she had ended up on the ship and how she'd met Keiji and Sasuke. It had been many years ago.
Flash back.
Risa ran into her room closing the door and locking it. Her heart pounded in her ears as she started looking for her escape route. Her mother's screams filled the silence as tears blinded her vision. Her sister's screams soon joined her mothers, with her father and brothers begging and pleading. She knew she was next. She had to run to save herself. Grabbing a coat she used a torn sheet as a rope and climbed down from her balcony. She ran to her stables and took a horse watching behind her as soon flames engulfed her home. It was an image she would never forget. The tall towers of smoke billowing up from her home, greedy flames like hellish hands gnarled to the bone, grabbing and consuming everything in their path, the screams of her family echoing into the blackened sky. As small as she was she knew she had to run. Risa had found herself in the midst of a war and that is when she met Sasuke. The Sarutobi family always cared for her like she was their own daughter even though they never adopted her.
Growing up with Sasuke, she took to following him until she was old enough to think for herself, disagreeing with the path her was following. Ongoing her own way that was when she met Keiji, not long after Keiji and Sasuke had partnered up and she was yet again united with him.
End of flashback
Risa sighed looking down at the small waves as they lapped against the ship. She groaned not wanting to face the members of the ship after they had seen her in the nude. The breeze that drove them forward tugged at strands of her long hair.
"RI-CHAN! WHERE ARE YOU RI-CHAN?"
She grimaced instantly, hearing Keiji calling her. She still hadn't forgiven him for what had happened earlier. She rested the side of her cheek against her arm swinging her small feet when movement behind her caught her attention.
"What do you want Keiji-dono." Her voice slightly muffled against her arm as she didn't move. He didn't answer her he simply grabbed the belt of her skirt and pulled her off the figurehead with his nodachi. Setting her down, he stood right in front of her, staring down at her as she defiantly folded her arms over her chest turning the other way.
"So I see you're still pissed at me."
No answer.
Keiji sighed. "I didn't mean to go this far this time."
Yet again he received no answer.
He shook his head softly looking down at Risa. "So you opted to give me the silent treatment. I see how it is Ri-chan." He purred in her ear standing right behind her.
She sighed and turned around looking up at Keiji."You know you are a real jerk." She groaned looking away from him. She couldn't handle it when he looked at her the way he was.
He chuckled pulling her gaze gently to meet his. "Well it's an upgrade from been referred to as a dog." His gentle laughter laced with the words as he rested his forehead against hers.
He watched as a heavy sigh escaped her lips and roughed up her mane of red hair he had grown to love so much. He chuckled as she frowned like a small child who had been scolded. She felt his gaze on her, never leaving her. But she didn't dare to look up at him. A large hand slipped under her chin bringing her gaze to meet his, as he slowly moved nearer to her his lips inching closer to hers.
He felt her freeze in his grasp as he gently kissed her. Pulling away after he felt her relax he smiled. "I know I'm not exactly forgiven but I do apologize for earlier, I really didn't expect you to jump kick me Ri-chan."
She looked up at him, going back to her usual whimsical self. "Well don't make threats bone head." She faked anger as she smiled at him. She turned to walk away but he caught her by her wrist gently.
"Do you ever think about the days when we were younger Ri-chan? Like when we used to hide away from Sasuke so he wouldn't see us." She looked down at her small hand in his as he played with her fingers.
"Sometimes," She whispered turning away from Keiji. Risa thought about them more than she liked to admit. She missed them. Her nights spent with him under the stars, how they'd play hide and seek with Sasuke and would both hide together where he couldn't find them. She sighed. Keiji's hand felt warm as it still held hers. Slowly she felt her body been pulled towards Keiji's as he held her protectively in his arms. Silently she buried her face in his chest closing her eyes. She was hungry and fatigued from the day she had, but just the little bit of comfort she got from been in his arms made her feel better.
The warm breeze had slowly turned into a cold gale as they stood in the front of the ship silently. Risa looked up at Keiji. "I'm sure Oni-chan can't wait to see Kasuga when we get back."
Keiji smiled knowing Risa always had her brother in mind. He thought it sweet that she had adopted his surname but he believed hers would suit her better. She had only ever mentioned it once before and that was the last time he ever heard it. He looked down at her wondering what seemed to be on her mind, when she rested her head against his chest sighing softly. It was the first time in years she had stood in his arms as she was at that moment. He chuckled as he felt her muscles relaxing; her breathing followed steadying as she closed her eyes. Keiji smiled picking her up gently and carrying her to her room on the ship.
