'Start'
Tohru fell backwards in alarm as the room began to shake uncontrollably and lights were dancing before her eyes. Her first thought was earthquake! She blindly grabbed around for something to help drag herself up. Feeling the rough edge of the mahogany cabinet somewhere to the side, she gulped down the ball of uneasiness in her throat and held on desperately. The strange shaking began to grow worse and soon her ears were vibrating wildly with a dull roar.
"K-Kyo!" She gasped and dared to open her eyes. The room faded away into tiny particles and blackness was surrounding her, pressing heavily on all sides. "KYO!" She tried screaming and overpowering the effect that the shaking was having on her. No good. No one shouted back neither did they appear. Tohru stared fearfully into the darkness all around her and felt the bile rise from her stomach. What on earth was happening? Where was everyone and where was she?
The infuriating noise and earthquake-like motions stopped. Tohru lifted her trembling hands away from her face and stared.
A cabin.
Cabin?
"K-Kyo? Yuki? Shigure?" Tohru timidly called and thrust her head it all directions, desperately trying to catch sight of them. The cabin was totally empty, save for her, and was only lit very dimly with two red sconces mounted on the rickety wooden walls, giving the room a very secret look. In the middle of the small room, was a wooden table, fully set with dinner plates, cutlery and what appeared to be silver goblets. She gasped silently and clutched onto on of the red velvet dining chairs, suddenly afraid she might keel over and faint on the spot. Panic steadily rose in her and a wave of dizziness began to set in - the room was swaying side to side.. Hang on - NO! The room did actually appear to be swaying. Tohru twigged on rather quickly - she was on some kind of boat!
"Calm down," she whispered and squeezed her eyes shut. "It's just a dream.. It's just a dream.. None of this is real - just a stupid dream." Despite pinching herself hard on the arm until it turned red raw, she was still firmly rooted to the ground, still in the cabin.. Still lost.
A loud bang caught her attention and she swung round to face a grey bearded man, his expression amused at her attempt for a martial arts stance.
"'Choo doin' here for?" He grinned, showing a few caps in his coloured teeth. Tohru took a cautionary step backwards. "I don' recognise yer."
"Um, I'm T-Tohru," she didn't bother to try for a handshake. "Could you please possibly tell me where we are?"
The man stroked his tangled beard slowly; crumbs and dust dropped out and created a small pile on the floor. He sighed and dug a dirty hand under his overcoat for something. Tohru's eyes widened as he pulled out a large knife and waved it about.
"Nev'r been nothin' ol'e Smickey can't chop ter bits!" He cackled and began to advance with his blade. Tohru immediately backed away and groped blindly behind her for something - anything to use as a weapon. She managed to bump into the sharp corner of the dining table and inched her way sideways, pulling out chairs as she went to slow him down. Only daring quickly to look away, she dived for one of the butter knives on the table and held it up defensively. The man giggled, compared to her little weapon, his might as well be a long pole.
Tohru realised that she could possibly not match him, and gasped when she found herself backed up against the wall, no more space to try and escape. The man smiled, his teeth either yellow and cracked, or missing altogether. She sensed that he was enjoying the fact that her heart was beating a mile a minute.
"Capt'n won' need ter torture ol'e Smickey any more now," he grunted. "Now's that I foun' me an intruder - he'll praise me!"
"W-Who t-tortures you?" Tohru stuttered, desperate now to keep him talking for as long as she could. "W-Where are we? Why is the ground moving?"
The man known as Smickey, stopped in his tracks and glared at her. "We's on a ship an' you - you sneaked on! Yer should get beat up - not me!" He shook his head and continued his advance, that sickly smile had returned. Tohru was too scared to scream for help - who know's who or what would come running? She scrabbled on what felt like a small table behind her. Smickey was now close enough for her to smell the stench of alcohol on his breath, it made he feel sick to the stomach! Grabbing the nearest thing she could, she squeezed her eyes shut and lobbed it at the oncoming threat. With a dull 'thud', she heard the candlestick find its mark and was followed by a resounding 'crash' as Smickey lay unconcious on the threadbare rug.
Tohru breathed steadily, relief washing over her but the strange chill had still not gone. Smickey didn't seem too smart neither too dangerous - there was probably a lot more dangers than the stupid drunk - and Tohru had to somehow find out where she was and return home as soon as she could - before the Sohma's started to worry. Would they worry? She didn't know - everything seemed different here. But at least she knew where she was now. Smickey had said they were on some kind of boat. And judging by his appearance and the decor - it didn't take a genius to guess that it was a Pirate ship.
Okay - so I was at home with the others.. The game.. And now I'm on a Pirate Ship. She wrinkled her brow in confusion. Does .. Does that mean that I.. I'm in the game - or something?
That had to be it - she had no other perfect explanation and even worse - no idea of how to return home.
She figured that since the table had been set, she didn't have a lot of time before more people arrived and Smickey wouldn't stay unconscious forever. She pocketed the heavy candlestick (the one she used as a weapon) and slipped through the wooden door. She found herself in a dark crimson hallway and waited for her eyes to adjust to the gloom before venturing further.
The paintings either side, bored their frozen eyes into her body - as if daring her to take another step forward. Tohru ignored the beat of her heart and increased her pace, only calming down when she'd bolted through another door and panted quietly on the other side.
"Hey!"
She froze at the harsh voice. A young woman around the same age as her, stared back defiantly and placed her hands on her hips. The woman had dirty blonde hair which cascaded down to her waist, steely grey eyes and wore some sort of rag, draped carelessly around herself.
"What the hell are you doing in here?" She barked, an English accent to her voice. "Who are you?"
Tohru was just about to stammer an answer, when loud footsteps were heard back in the hall. Tohru silently cursed her luck - she'd be lucky to be alive at the end of the day! The strange woman wasted no time and quickly grabbed Tohru, and bundled her into the nearest cupboard, locking it and slipping the key away. She returned to her spot and pasted on a sickly smile went the door opened and a dirty old man hobbled in.
"Hotrah Nuon," he croaked and downed a bottle of whiskey that was on the nearest table. "Capt'n wan'ed ter know when 'is dinner was ready."
"S-soon." 'Hotrah', quickly spun on her heel and began to tend to a steaming saucepan, on the stove. Tohru suddenly noted that they were in the kitchen. She gave up trying to get out and silently moved the cooking equipment from underneath her, on the self she was cramped on.
"Aye," the man said darkly. "But Hotrah - yer havn't been workin' very well lately, have yer? Even been a rumor goin' round that yer tried ter sneak some o' that rat poison into Davey's stew, last week. What say yer to that?"
"I had no idea it was rat poison," Hotrah replied drily. "Old Davey wanted spices in his stew. The bottles looked the same." She shrugged and whisked the contents of the frothing pot around with a crummy spoon.
The man snorted and whittled up to her, placing his hand on her rump. She made no indication that she even noticed and didn't even flinch when he leaned into her ear.
"Arrrr. Bein' the kind man an' saint that I am - I'm will'n ter over look this .. If yer return the favour, tha' is." He broke into a crooked smile. Hotrah sighed and emptied the contents of the pot, onto a steel tray.
"I can't tonight Bash. I already said I'd dedicate myself to Karnbey's 'needs' tonight."
Bash giggled. "Bu' ol' Karnbey doesn't know of yer li'ttle 'murder' attempts - does he? He doesn't know wha' an evil lil' soul you are. Still, yer more fiesty tha' the time when yer worked in the Sugar Lounge."
Serving drinks I hope. Tohru thought.
Little beads of sweat were dripping down Hotrah's exposed neck. She scratched her white shorts uncomfortably. "You wouldn't tell him would you, Bash? Karnbey will have me strung up by my toes if you let slip."
He shrugged. "Not bother'd. My ol' sharp tongue stays were it is if yer come ter my room tonigh'."
She sighed, defeated. "Fine. I'll make up an excuse to ditch on Karnbey and come to yours instead. You better keep your word though, or the rat poison might end up in your food, Bash."
"Fiesty," the old man smirked and hobbled back out from the room and called back; "I keep m' word!"
Hotrah stood numbly for a few seconds and yanked the steel cupboard door open. Tohru tumbled out with an assortment of cooking utensils and glanced up to see the stranger hold a kitchen knife threateningly.
"You have precisely five seconds before I gut you and serve you to my master."
Tohru quickly found her voice. "I'm Tohru Honda," she gabbled. "To be honest - I've got absolutely no idea why I'm here or even how I got here!" She paused and realised how crazy it sounded. "The problem is - I-I have to get back!"
"Bull," Hotrah sneered. "Your probably some sort of criminal - or spy - here to report us pirates to the authorities!"
"-No!"
"I'll kill you! I'll kill you where you stand!"
"W-wait!" Tohru ducked out of the way of the knife as it tried to slash her to ribbons. "Your name is Hotrah Nuon, right?"
"What does it matter?" The woman cried and unleashed a series of dangerous swipes and slashes. Tohru had only very basic knowledge of how to dodge attacks - she sometimes watched Kyo training with Kazuma - but would it help her now? She bit her lip and concentrated on rolling out of the way and launching various pots and pans at her crazy assailant.
"I'm Tohru Honda!" She said again, narrowly stepping off to the side. "Hotrah Nuon - Tohru Honda .. Both our names are anagrams of each other! See? Rearrange the letters and you'll see!"
"I don't give a crap!" Hotrah spat. "You really think that'll save your life?"
"It proves we're probably connected somehow - I'm not sure, but maybe I'm right!"
Hotrah stopped and twirled the knife swiftly in her hands, she eyed Tohru with suspicion. "Connected? How are you and I supposed to be connected? I'm nothing but a .. Cook and a whore - only called upon to satisfy the needs of these," she gestured with her hands. "Fools!"
"But you're more than that!" Tohru argued and frowned.
"How do you know that?" Hotrah shot back. "We've only just met - and I don't trust you in the slightest!"
Tohru sighed, she was exhausted already, however she wouldn't rest until she found her way back home and was in Kyo's arms again. Thinking this calming thought, tears began to prickle at the side of her eyes and clung to her lashes. Tohru raised her head and stared hard into Hotrah's dark eyes.
"I definitely know. I think we're meant to help each other," the Japanese girl said confidently. "Then I can return home, and you can be helped with whatever you desire."
Hotrah scratched a lone scar on her cheek thoughtfully and gazed out of a barred window, by the corner.
"I wish to return home too," she whispered. "To my children."
"Children?"
"Yes, two of them. Gret and Fran," the woman sniffed and played with the hem of her apron. These pirate scum came to my village one day. Killed everyone. Killed my.. My husband. They spared me and made me work for them."
"I-Im sorry."
"No need. That was about two years ago, it happened. I'll be lucky if my children still remember me-.."
"B-But children never forget their parents!" Tohru cried. "Even if they die - their children still don't forget!"
Hotrah studied the girl for a moment before smiling sadly. "I won't ask to how you got to that notion, but I'll respect it," she placed the knife down and hurriedly began to switch off all the cookers. Seeing Tohru gaze at her questionably; Hotrah replied. "They'll have to go without food tonight. We're going to have to escape." And with that, she lurched forwards and grabbed Tohru's wrists, and they sped out of the kitchen and down the dark hallway once more.
Tohru had spent hours ducking out of the paths of drunken pirates, with Hotrah's help of course.
When they heard the sounds of footsteps, the woman would seize Tohru and send them both flying into a closet or a storage room and hide until it was safe to come out again. After many near misses and the threat of Tohru sneezing at the exact same time as one of the pirates coughed, they had somehow made it on deck. Cleverly concealed by piles of seaweed-covered rope.
Tohru was used to the gentle rocking motion of the boat now, she silently thanked Kami for it. Otherwise she'd be throwing up over the side! The soft breeze calmed her nerves and she let it wash over her like a warm shower, the scent of salt water filled her nose. While seagulls cried way above - hoping to scavenge some free food. She glanced down to her swollen wrist, where Hotrah had grabbed her so many times. Hotrah noticed and smiled.
"Sorry, only way I could have saved our asses."
Tohru nodded and quickly stole a quick glance above the ropes. "So what's the plan?" She asked.
"Well," Hotrah sighed and paused. "I'd rather avoid fighting - even though I am rather handy with a knife!"
Yeah I guessed, Tohru thought grimly, recalling the incident in the kitchen earlier.
"... But if I remember correctly - most of the boys should be out in the little boats fishing and hunting treasure by now. Captain always keeps one or more boats docked to the side if we should have an emergency.."
"So we get away with one of these boats?"
"Yes."
Tohru nodded. "So what if they so happen to see us row away - or return just as we get in?"
"Run like hell," Hotrah growled, eyes dimming with remorse. "Don't let these pigs touch you. God. An innocent girl like you.." She didn't bother to finish her sentence. Tohru was glad - she really didn't want to know what could happen to her in the pirate's eager, dirty hands.
"Should we slip out now?"
"I think so," Hotrah nodded. "It doesn't look as if anyone's out here - be on guard though."
Tohru scrabbled round the side of the pile of ropes on her hands and knees, not longer caring what she looked like now. When she'd get home - she'd treat herself to hundreds of clothes. If... If she got home.
There were random rusty nails standing out from the rickety planks that she avoided with all costs. The planks creaked with protest as she shuffled further over them, not daring to look up but still hearing the reassuring huffing of Hotrah in front. The sun was beginning a set a little, casting a pale orange glow over the sky. The good news was that the girls could keep quite easily to the shadows. The bad news was that the pirates would return from fishing very soon.
They managed to slither all the way around the huge deck and settled in the darkness of under the wooden stairs, leading up to the higher deck tier.
"Right, the boats are just up these stairs," Hotrah talked in a business manner. "The deal is we mosey on up to a boat - any boat, untie it and lower it into the water, and then row on like hell is after us!" She pummelled the air with an excited fist and gnashed her teeth together. Tohru smiled but took a cautionary step backwards. Hotrah didn't notice, but suddenly spun on her heels and prised open a concealed cubby hole, built into the wood behind her. She made a satisfied noise and pocketed a few fishing knives and a broad sword. She handed Tohru a silver katana and a small pistol.
"Use these," she pointed to the weapons. "In the worst possible scenario, ok?"
"O-Ok.."
"I mean it," Hotrah sensed Tohru's apprehension. "These men will stop at nothing to hurt you. Why not send a few to the depths of the ocean while your at it? Rather save your soul than theirs.."
Tohru made no comment. She hadn't even shot or sliced anyone before. She hadn't even come close. Where the pirates really as dangerous as her new friend had made out? She had no more time to wonder. Hotrah nudged her and signalled that they should get moving. The Japanese girl slid the katana into its sheathe and slid it through her belt, deciding to keep the pistol in her hands.
Hotrah again, lead the way and scrambled up the wooden steps, Tohru following closely. She heard Hotrah utter a faint cry from the top, when Tohru had managed to straighten up beside her. She was what her friend was surprised at.
At least six or seven pirates grinned viciously at the two girls, their eyes full of lust and lechery. Tohru noticed that Bash and Smickey were amongst the dangerous group, their very own weapons glinting the fading sunlight.
Is it possible in this game to die? Tohru fingers gripped her pistol tighter. I have to live through this - I have to get back to Kyo and the others.. But how? How exactly am I meant to? Come on, think fast.. Think fast! She hadn't played many video games herself, only glimpsed the odd one when Shigure or Kyo were playing one. In those games, they had special things like.. Like 'Health-Ups' and .. And 'Time 'Limits.. Tohru stopped. Time limits? Could there be a possible time limit on this game or something? If I don't complete this before the time limit's up.. I'll have to complete everything again from the start! Realisation gripped her and a wave of ice washed through her body. She was determined.
"Well well, Bash sold us out - eh?" Hotrah spat at his feet in disgust.
"Team effort," he grunted in response. "Ol' Smickey has quite a tale. Says he 'ad a run-in with tha' there girl, earlier." Tohru blushed.
Hotrah glared. "Step aside," she said dangerously. "Or I'll slice you to ribbons."
"I'm afraid the odds are in our favour," a pirate with several golden piercings, stepped forward. "You see, Captain wouldn't want our cook and .. Ahem, slave, to go running off now, would we? Plus we'd be hanged for letting an intruder slip away."
"I don't work for him. I never wanted to. Now last chance - scuttle back to your sad little cabins and be good boys and pretend you saw nothing."
The pirates cackled loudly in response, slapping their knees and wiping tears from their eyes.
"Cry me a river," Piercings giggled. "On second thought - you probably will when we've done with you. A glistening river of your blood. How does that sound?"
"Delightful." Hotrah darted forward - and long knife in each hand - and began to swipe at the group, drawing three pirates to focus solely on her. Which of course, led Tohru to try and keep the other three busy. Great. Bash and Piercings began to advance upon her. The third pirate - 'Peg-Leggy' kept a suitable distance away, two pistols in his belt.
Tohru ripped the katana out of its sheathe (nearly skinning herself in the process) and swung it clumsily around. Not only a danger to them, but to herself as well. Bash happily danced out of her way, Piercings and Peg-Leggy giggling like school girls in the background. The sword was heavy and she could feel the sweat gathering up at the base of her neck - it weighed an absolute ton! She faintly noted that Bash was leading her into a semi-circle. Is she kept following like this, then they'd be free to surround and probably kill her.
So couldn't let that happen.
Gripping the katana with two shaking hands, Tohru leapt forwards and executed a horizontal slash. Bash barely got out of the way in time, only losing his hat as it was cut to pieces on the deck. Bash growled angrily and swept forward, swords flashing faster than Tohru's eyes could follow. She restricted the urge to cry out in pain as he managed to nick her in more than a few places, her blocks were clumsy.
Why don't the other two join in and put me out of my misery, she thought unhappily, glancing at Peg-Leggy and Piercings. Bash's sword swung up in an arc motion, if she didn't duck quickly to her left, her head would have been chopped off.
She was suddenly very aware that she was holding a gun. Stupid of her really - why didn't she just blow their darn brains out? Because she couldn't. Was she really happy with killing them? Killing fellow humans?
Tohru didn't want to risk a quick glance at Hotrah - she was totally on her own.
Bash roared and prepared to attack. Tohru gulped as he soared toward her like a warrior. She held up the gun and quickly pulled the trigger, faster than he could realise and avoid. The bullet ripped out at a snail's pace (or so it seemed) and tore right through Bash's left shoulder, sending flesh, cloth and blood in every direction. Tohru felt some of it splatter on herself, she ignored those guilty feelings and concentrated on staying alive.
Bash sunk to the deck in a death-howl. Within a few moments of squirming around and cursing - he became silent and his body evaporated in a flurry of pixels.
Peg-Leggy and Piercings were beside themselves with anger, they forgot themselves for a moment and rushed towards the girl, only intent on killing her with no regard to block. Tohru gritted her teeth and jumped over a pile of mouldy crates behind her, she tripped and her knee smashed into the wooden floor, the bone moving painfully beneath her pearly skin.
She cried out in pain hopelessly nursing her sore leg, trying with all her willpower to scrabble up and hobble back to the fight.
"Tohru!" She heard a scream. After a few moments, she found herself staring into the familiar eyes of Hotrah. Yes. She remembered now. Hotrah - her new friend.
"Tohru!" The woman gasped again. "Are you alright? I saw you fall - can you stand?" Hotrah hat a deep cut above her right eye, blood leaking down to the eyelid. She was cut in many places too and silently having trouble breathing.
"Y-es. I understand Kyo will be picking me up soon?"
"Kyo?" Hotrah's brow furrowed. "Who's Kyo? Tohru - did you hit your head? I think you have concussion or something.." She was cut off when a dagger flew from nowhere and landed heavily with a 'thunk' on the wood - next to her hand. Hotrah roared, picked up Tohru's pistol and fired rounds of bullets at one of the pirates she was fighting earlier.
"Tohru - There are only three left now. We're down to half - do you think you can still fight?"
"..."
"Tohru!"
"Yeah."
With Hotrah's help she managed to stand upright, a wave of pain shot through her as she put her weight on the injured leg. She could see properly now that the remaining pirates were waiting patiently together - determined to carry out their torture and deaths. Hotrah glanced worriedly at Tohru - to the gun in her hands.
"Tohru," Hotrah bent down to inspect a cut she had and was whispering out of the side of her mouth. "I'll create a diversion. Listen to me - I want you to go over there to where the boat is - I've already untied the rope, so it's overboard floating down below. First chance you get - jump into the water and climb in - do you understand?"
"What?"
"Do. You. Understand?" Hotrah's voice was low and dangerous. She regarded Tohru with a steely glare. "I'll keep the pigs occupied until then - if they come after you - DAMMIT, row like hell! Geddit?"
Tohru nodded, feeling a seriously headache coming on as black spots danced before her eyes. She heard Hotrah unleash a hail of bullets somewhere close to her ear and a scream of "NOW!" Tohru nodded weakly and hobbled as fast as she could to the side of the ship as fast as she could manage. She didn't bother to jump - she had no strength for that - but let herself topple over the edge. For a second, she thought she was flying. Soaring through the twilight sky - past the twinkling stars and planets - to a world where her family were waiting with open arms, for her to arrive.
A sudden coldness filled her lungs and left her gasping for air. She could feel the water working against her as the current pulled this way and that. Her arms and legs thrashed uselessly underneath.
And then a stupid thought entered her weary head.
Can I even swim?
It didn't matter. She had a goal and Hotrah and possibly sacrificed herself for Tohru's sake - she had to live.
Tohru's head broke the surface and she gulped in as much fresh salty air as her lungs would allow. She kicked her legs in what she hoped was a professional manner and collided with a mahogany floating shape.
She gratefully pulled herself up on the boat and spent a few moments, just lying there. The iciness of the water seemed to have helped with her concussion and she was now able to think more clearly.
Above, she could still hear the faint sounds of fighting and shouting and shooting. Tohru hoped Hotrah would decide to join her soon - she could almost see the returning fishing pirates on the horizon in the other direction - they had to hurry.
Tohru tired to yell up but her voice came out as a mere squeak, she tried a couple more times before giving up and relishing the calmness of the waves.
It felt as if she'd been here forever.
But where was here exactly? She was trapped inside a freaking video game for goodness sake! Here, technically didn't even exist.
She was broken out of her thoughts by a sudden shape, freefalling out of thin air and collapsing into the water nearby. Tohru gathered up her strength and rowed one-handily to where the shape fell. She could see a flurry of dirty blonde below the surface. Tohru uttered a low cry as she noticed the crimson water and stuck her hands in, yanking it up. Hotrah smiled sullenly.
"Thanks," she muttered. "L-let's go." She attempted to seize an oar.
"Hotrah," Tohru gasped. "Where's your arm?"
"My arm?" Hotrah glanced down at her bleeding stump. "I guess I left it back up there." She shrugged.,
Tohru ignored her nauseous feeling and tore the sleeve of her top away. She applied the sleeve to the wound and tried to keep constant pressure on it, within moments the sleeve was completely congealed thick with blood.
"It's alright," Hotrah waved her hand. "It's a small price to pay for getting rid of them."
"You managed to kill them?"
"Yes. Although one of the bastards got the better of me," she nodded towards to where her arm used to be. "I got close enough and tore chunks out of his legs, with my teeth," she shuddered. "Not nice business."
"Ya think?" Tohru wanted to say. She kept quiet and helped to row, the dark boat cutting through the water like butter. She glanced back and saw that the pirate ship was now just a shape in the distance. A shape in her memory, and that's where it would stay. She felt herself falling in and out of consciousness, the yearning for sleep was overwhelming. Beside her, Hotrah was still - her eyes closed and rather pale. Tohru thought she had died, until she saw the rythematic rise and fall of her stomach.
If I let myself fall asleep - will I wake up? Tohru felt her eyes wetten at the thought. She let the oar drop to her side and lay back into the boat. The sky above was a black-pinkish colour. The first stars were beginning to show, twinkling brightly in the distance. It reminded her terribly of the nights she and Kyo used to hang out on the roof, back at home.
"I never thought I would be this homesick," she whispered, trails or tears falling from her eyelashes. "This is hell. Ultimate hell."
She imagined the sky glowing green and momentarily blinding her. Her body sailing through endless space and time, flashes of the past, present and future flying by. The faces of her friends in their own little world. She liked this floating feeling. It made her feel peaceful and calm. For a second, she even thought she saw Shigure's living room, Shigure's house, Shigure's study. It honestly felt like a millennia since they were last there. The green covered her eyes gently, she closed her eyes and let events tale their course.
"I don't want to die."
For a horrifying second, she thought she'd left the cooker on at home.
And she smiled.
Yo!
Man, it took me FOREVER to write this. However, it came out to about 5,000 words so I'm happy (:
Please read and review guys