To Sail the Spanish Main...
By: Daferge...
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"Tenchi Muyo!" and characters were created by Hiroki Hayashi and Masaki Kajishima, and is the property of AIC/Nippon Television, Geneon Entertainment and FUNimation Entertainment.
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Chapter 12... Conflict...
( The Caribbean, A bright day... )
There was the sound of timbers creaking and moaning as two large ships came together in open water...
The sounds of battle as rifles and pistols were discharged and metal met metal, trying to cut through flesh...
This would be a fight to the finish, for no quarter would be given and none asked for, ALL or nothing...
And for what seem like hours, that was all there was...
On one side, a group that had spent the a good time doing what ever they wanted, to whom ever they wanted...
For at last, some one had come to collect on all their fun, people out to avenge those cried out for justice and could do none...
And at last, revenge proved more powerful than the will to live...
The deck of The Soja was covered with both bodies and blood...
Even the water around the ship had a reddish color...
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A red-headed female stood to one side, holding on to the arm of another female, with the help of another female...
Washu and Nagi were doing their best to keep Ryoko from charging into what was happening on the blood-soaked deck...
Dressed just like the others in the crew, they too had blood on their clothes...
Some of it might even be theirs, for they all had fresh cuts on them...
Washu was concerned also, but to try and help could do more harm than good...
Two figures were out in an open area, facing off against each other...
The exhausted members of the crew watched and silently cheered for the younger of the two fighters...
The only sound was from the contact of metal on metal...
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Tenchi and Kagato were crossing swords with each other and Tenchi was giving as good as he was getting...
When the last of his crew fell and a calm fell over the deck, Kagato had up and with a smile on his face, he spoke...
" Captain Tenchi... Perhaps you and I can put an end to this, here and now?... "
Washu's eyebrow went up, she knew he had to being up to some thing, but she was tired and it was difficult to think quickly...
She knew there was little she could do but support Tenchi as he stepped forward...
That and hang onto Ryoko...
An area had been open on the deck, which was slick from all the blood by dragging bodies to the side, out of the way...
Some were even tossed over the side...
And so every one was watching as the two fought it out...
To most of them the two seem evenly matched, but Washu knew different...
As the fight progressed, she noticed several times when Tenchi had left an opening and Kagato had passed each chance to take him down...
She realized that Kagato was just playing with Tenchi, keeping the fight going...
For he knew that as soon as it was ended, so would his life...
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Trying his best to just stay alive, Tenchi didn't notice the patch of blood and slipped, landing on his back...
As he opened his eyes he discovered Kagato's sword tip only inches from his face, pointed right between his eyes...
Releasing his grip on his sword, allowing it to drop to the deck, he closed his eyes, no quarter would be asked or given today...
But it wasn't the point of a blade that he felt next, it was a body that hit him, moving him across the slick deck...
He opened his eyes to find that some one was on top of him...
Some how he wasn't surprised that it had been Ryoko who had thrown herself on him, to protect him...
Even though she was trembling, she was holding him so tight that he could barely breathe...
Smiling he managed to reach up and stroked her hair...
Her eyes open and she smiled back at him, their faces only inches apart...
That was when Tenchi did some thing that he had wanted to do for some time...
He moved his head closer and pressed his lips to a surprised Ryoko's...
She closed her eyes as tears began to flow...
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Those around them just stood there, each reacting differently, Washu sighed, but smiled...
Nagi smiled to and managed not to laugh...
Tenchi's grandfather smiled and nodded his head...
The rest of the crew were smiling and beginning to cheer, some calling out encouragement to ether Ryoko or Tenchi...
Only Kagato was not amused, this had not been the way he'd seen this ending...
He spoke up, causing the cheering to end...
" SO!... Are you to be my next opponent?... "
Before Ryoko could reply, another voice spoke up...
" That would be me... "
The crowd parted to reveal Washu standing there, a sword in one hand, a pistol in the other, both hanging down...
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Kagato had to smile as he began to get ready for his next fight...
This was sure to be a much better match and last much longer...
" So, I get a chance to cross swords with Morgan's infamous Flame... I'm honored... "
He cut the air with his blade getting ready for what was to come...
" This will be some thing... We'll all get to see if you are indeed as good as they say... "
However, a small hole appeared in his forehead, above his eyebrows before any one even heard the sound of a pistol going off...
Kagato had a surprised look on his face as he watched the smoke rise from the pistol in the hands of a smiling Washu...
His last though was of why there seem to be a cannon pointed at him...
The last sound he heard was Washi's voice...
" Fat chance... "
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As Kagato fell forward onto the deck, she looked at all the faces staring at her, a wicked smile formed on her face...
" What?... I came here to kill him, not cross swords in a duel with him... "
Her eyes narrowed as she continued...
" Any one got a problem with that?... "
When no one replied, she looked down at the two figures, laying on the deck, covered in blood, still holding each other and staring at her...
There was a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke...
" Are you two going to lay there all day or are you going to get up and help up us clean up this mess?... "
She noticed Ryoko mumble some thing as they helped each other up and then they both blushed...
She couldn't help getting in the last word...
" It wouldn't do for Ayeka to show up and find the two of you rolling around on the deck... The last thing we need is another major battle... "
She saw both of them turn even redder...
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Turning she found her first mate standing there watching her, shaking his head, a slight smile on his lips...
It had been a while, but this was his old captain...
She had come out here for one reason and one reason only, kill Kagato...
He looked at the body on the deck and smile...
She always kept the word...
Looking back up he saw her looking over his shoulder...
Her smile had faded and her eyes widened as they all heard a voice speak up...
" So, we meet again... Flame!... "
A chill ran down Washu's body...
For she had noticed a figure standing next to the railing, a figure she had hoped she would never see again...
A male in old tattered clothes, white hair under his hat and a good bit of white beard...
The smile on his lips and the gleam in his eyes sent another chill down her spine...
" Permission to come aboard?... "
Noticing that several of the crew had started towards the new comer she quickly held up her hand..
" STAND BACK!... "
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But some one had already moved between them, a sword in their hand...
Smiling she reached out and put her hand on Tenchi's shoulder...
When she couldn't pull him back, she slowly moved around him...
As he started to protest, she smiled and put a finger on his lips...
Seeing Ryoko about to advance, she held up her other hand and shook her head, stopping her...
Looking back into Tenchi's eyes, she spoke softly...
" This is old business... Just between the two of us... "
She turned back, to face what came next, the old man was smiling, never a good sign...
But she was startled when Tenchi put a hand on each of her shoulders, took a firm grip and stepped close behind her...
Her eyes widened as he whispered softly in her ear...
" I know!... "
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She couldn't move as he stepped around her and nodded to the old man...
Washu felt fear as she saw the old man smile at this...
A number of thoughts suddenly ran though her mind...
Each worse than the last...
What if his business wasn't with her, as she'd thought?...
What if?...
She felt a hand take hers and she looked up, into Tenchi's smiling face...
She managed to calm down, smile and nod her head...
Taking a deep breath and sighing, Tenchi smiled and turned to face the old man...
" Permission to come aboard... Granted... Cap'n Van der Decken... "
With those few words the rest of those on the deck froze in their tracks...
For every one knew that nothing good ever happens when the Flying Dutchman appears...
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To be continued...
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Please feel free to comment and review for any errors...
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Author's note: Sorry for the long wait... Reality always comes before Fantasy... No matter how much we prefer the 2nd... More to come... Here and else where...