The Betrayed Marionette

~.~.~

When the anchor finally fell, disappearing beneath the swell of the deep blue, crowned by the hail of sea foam falling and glittering as the many crystals of a chandelier, the whole ship groaned, straining against the weight of her own broken spars and the crew groaned with her.

None of them could quite believe just how they had even made it to this place, battered, limping along like a dog on its last, beaten legs towards the edge of this hitherto unknown atoll, surrounded on all sides by the white, chalky embrace of steep cliffs; a narrow inlet, shielded gratefully from prying eyes. There was a gargantuan break in the reef, most probably in memory of some other ship's passage, and slowly, expertly, it appeared that they had just enough strength to allow Ikuto's helmsman to sail them safely into the protected, leeward shelter of this emerald isle. Had they not been so preoccupied, Amu would have worried that they'd become beached, but the inlet was deep and, as it was, things aboard the Shining Black were far too chaotic to allow for any more concern.

All around her men were shouting. The yards were shrieking - wailing in the wind - and the planks were slick with blood. Boot marks. Handprints. Long, shining trails of half-blackening crimson swept like the passage of some gruesome sidewinder - as though some dark, deathly creature had lurked deep down within the hold behind the confines of the companionway, taking their men by surprise, dragging them kicking and screaming, down, down, down into the darkness. A bloody trail marked the creature's path. And, unwillingly, Amu had to follow it. Souko was in tow behind her, her face pale, but her eyes determined, carrying a little wicker basket full of oils and ointments and a number of other things in wax-capped phials that Amu couldn't describe, but the scent of what seemed to be frankincense and something sweet that Amu thought might have been honeycomb trailed about through the smoke behind her.

They dove bravely down the hatchway, taking care not to slip on the stained rungs. Debris littered their path. Bits of wood and plank and spent powder grit like sand beneath their feet, mingling with all manner of unpleasant things until the entire expanse of Shining Black's first gun-deck became swamped in a fine soot. And, now that the smoke and the fire and the choking fog of fumes had lifted, the carnage of their seaward battle was laid bare for all to witness. Just to Amu's side, the sun was streaming in through the great wound in the ship's starboard. She tried not to think of just how long it would take to patch up.

"O, thank heavens!" Yaya sprang to her feet, for once looking unusually flustered. Her cheeks were pink. There was a smear of deep, dried crimson streaked across her brow. She puffed; "Yaya needs water! Yaya needs clean water an' spirits an' any loose linen we've got to spare!"

Wordlessly, Souko proffered the basket in her hands. Beneath the many jars and what looked to be ointments, there were bundles and bundles of crisp, clean bandage wrappings. Not enough to go around by any means, but it was something and, evidently, Yaya was glad for it.

In the dim light of the gun deck, their men were lain strewn across the floorboards - some unconscious; some in too great a pain to move; some looking as though they would never budge again. Amu's heart was in her mouth. The reek of iron and smouldering metal was overwhelming her senses, prickling at her skin, she could taste it like acid on her tongue. She felt detached from her body as Yaya and Souko got to work beside her. She could barely think, for the smell of death was overpowering. It was then that Souko looked back over her shoulder and her features softened. Amu realised she must have been looking as white as a sheet because the blonde woman gently took her by the shoulders then and whispered kindly;

"Water, Amu. Go see if you can take some of the men in search of water."

It took a moment for the words to process, but eventually Amu nodded numbly. Finally feeling the strength to move, she gratefully scampered back up the companion and left the ill and wounded behind.

Up above deck the remainder of the crew were surveying the damage. Their masts and spars were in grave shape and the creaking of wood was deafening, but dazzling was the light of the sun as it landed about the face of the isle. Spots were dancing in Ikuto's vision, for the pale grey of the cliffs was near blinding in the brightness. A bustling, lush-looking forest of rich, deep jade and bright emerald hues engulfed even the walls of the inlet themselves, their roots digging furiously into the rock, broken every now and then by the weathered faces of great, rocky crags peeking out from beneath the foliage. At the foot of the cliffs - straight ahead at the very base of the cove - there was a small, shallow beach; a short, pale stretch of sand littered with various-sized hunks of weathered rock. Behind it the land rose sharply and eventually all utterly vanished into the deep, thick green of the trees.

It was a colourful place. A tranquil place. Or so outwardly it seemed.

Ikuto snapped his spyglass shut. "We'll need supplies." He uttered. He cast his eye over what he could see of the forest, scanning the line of the trees for what thick, sturdy-looking trunks he could find throughout the sea of greenery. "Wood. Reeds. Maybe animal hide." He went on, almost to himself. Utau was trailing behind him, continuously glancing back over her shoulders as she followed him down the companionway. "Freshwater for the wounded is our priority. Have Yaya lead a team out into the forest and search for food and water once she's seen to everyone below." And he paused, seeing Amu waiting for him at the base of the companion, her pale skin still smattered with spots of black and red. "We may as well take advantage whilst we're here."

Ikuto cast a glance at her then, though his tone provided no room for argument. Amu nodded dutifully. "Souko has a handle on the wounded." She reported. "Though I doubt Yaya will want to leave the men for too long."

"She need only go beyond the edge of the cove." Ikuto pointed towards the short, sandy beach, glowing under the afternoon sun.

Amu looked warily towards him. There was blood on his shirt and she was not wholly convinced that it wasn't his own. "And of you?"

"I will lead a group in search of timber." He said. "Perhaps freshwater too, if Yaya can't find it."

Again, Amu nodded. She thought that perhaps she looked quite shaken, for Utau was the one who offered to go below in search of Yaya and relay their Captain's orders. She and Ikuto were left to regard this new isle with a cautious air. The trees rustled gently in the breeze. The waves lapped peacefully upon the shore. For a charted isle, Amu had a hard time believing that such a place could remain uninhabited. After all, isles such as these made for convenient stopping points for ships passing through these waters. She'd heard tales of such things in her youth and been kept awake at night by stories of smugglers on faraway shores such as these.

But, as the sun passed its midday point in the sky above and the birds cried faintly in the distance, Amu thought then that this place looked for all the world to be a haven of privacy. Whether Amu knew it or not, Ikuto's thoughts mirrored her own.

Quietly, they hoped that the calm wasn't deceiving.

As predicted, it was hard to tear Yaya away from their fallen troops. The girl was duty-bound to the last, it seemed, and it took quite some convincing from Ikuto and Utau's mother to get her to so much as think of leaving the injured in the older woman's care. Only at the prospect of a swift return did she budge from her position and, pausing only briefly to change her soiled clothes and don her best hiking boots, she reluctantly left with Amu at her side and clambered into the little longboat that would take them to shore.

They rowed with Ikuto and his team of able men. They could only spare a handful of people. Utau and Kukai were as ever by their Captain's side and four other men there were to aid them. The rest of those who had not been put out of action by their little escapade with the privateers were left to make what repairs they could with what little supplies they had on board. Ikuto was keen to rebuild his ship swiftly, for they could not rely on their isolation so close to the waters where the merchants of Seiyo made their rounds to the east. In truth though, Amu thought he was just relieved they had made it to this isle unhindered. There was a crease in his brow and a rigidity in his shoulders that made her think he'd been just as reluctant to leave as Yaya. Privately she thought that he would rather have remained to aid his own men had his duties of leadership not bound him so.

They drew up onto the shallow beach, abandoning their longboat on the shore. Amu and Yaya hiked up their skirts with one hand as they left the waters, laden as they were with baskets and empty waterskins in anticipation of whatever they would find in the thickets beyond. Amu's cutlass was heavy in its baldric, securely draped over her shoulder. Fleetingly she wondered just when such a thing became so natural and necessary a defence upon her.

"Yaya needn't go far!" The girl said, pointing into the foliage. "Yaya can see plenty as it is."

"Well, in that case, feel free to load up the boat with your spoils." Utau told them. She and Kukai had just dragged the thing up onto the beach. She looked over at the line of the trees. "By all means, venture into the forest in search of water, if you must, but do not go needlessly far. We may find some further inland yet."

Amu nodded. She didn't particularly want to go too far into the trees as it was. She was too preoccupied thinking about the state they had left the ship and its crew in. She had journeyed aboard the Shining Black for so long now that it was almost as if she had begun to think of the vessel as sentient and to leave her behind in such distress tugged at her heartstrings more than she'd anticipated. Besides, they were not here to explore as they had been on their other stops on this journey. No, this was a quick pit-stop purely for their own survival. To grow distracted and wander off at leisure would be foolish, if not insulting to the wounded who still lay but a stone's throw away out in the cove.

Ikuto's little group prepared to make off. Yaya was already off inspecting a tree bearing what looked to be custard apples, taking her basket off with her into the long grass at the forest's edge. Before he disappeared with his men, he turned back if only to share a pointed glance with Amu. She understood it well enough. It said "Be careful".

And with that they parted, vanishing into the foliage.

'Believe me,' Amu thought; 'I have every intention of being careful.'

~.~.~

The pirates had been traipsing through the forest for perhaps half an hour before anybody spoke. They had been too preoccupied with their task - with scouring the landscape for suitable trees to fell. They went in a tight-knit group, sticking close together in this unexplored place. Daichi flapped above the branches, following along above them.

At first, Ikuto was put in mind of the second isle they had visited during the course of their long and, so far, fruitless journey, for vengeance, but it soon became apparent that this place was not quite so sinister. In fact, this place was not such a jungle either. The grass was long and green, growing deeper and taller the further inland they went. The air was warm and down by the beach the sand had been hot beneath the sun, but it was not nearly as humid. Relief came in the form of light, inland breezes, probably funnelled in through the leaves by the inlet they had anchored within. The trees marched on for miles, but, though they trekked further and deeper into the forest, their trunks never quite closed in as that first jungle on the Isle of Spirits had and the sun poked timidly through the leaves so that the whole forest was filled with light. The earth was compact and somewhat sandy, pocketed here and there by banks or ditches, sometimes overhung by great, green clusters of enormous, leafy shrubs, covered by a net of twisting, trailing roots.

And, most thankfully, Ikuto had the ultimate impression that there was nothing otherworldly beneath these trees. To his relief, nothing seemed to skulk about in the shadows and Ikuto felt like he could breathe, safe from the unknown - from the invisible horror that other place had wrought upon them.

Presently, they passed under a particularly dense cluster of sky-high palms with thick, stern trunks webbed with a network of brightly flowering shrubs and Ikuto knew that they would be in good hands here. The further they went, the more suitable the plant life seemed to become for timber and, God knew, they needed plenty of it. They continued on, daring to grow optimistic, as the land sloped steadily upwards, high enough so that they were treated to the brightest, bluest glimpses of sky when eventually the ground fell away and they found themselves heading for the windward side of the isle towards the north.

"So…" Kukai began quite casually, his musket draped over his shoulder. His voice seemed loud after such a period of silence. "What're we lookin' out for here? Predators? Big snakes? Temperamental natives?"

From their approach, that was, Ikuto had thought this place far too small to support any sort of population - human or otherwise - but he'd already learnt throughout his brief time in this world that façades could be intentionally deceiving and so he picked along the forest floor cautiously, his cutlass tight and firm in his grip, his pistol a weight in its holster, treading carefully alongside the shadows of the tallest trees.

"All of the above." He whispered. He peered through the tree trunks. All was moving in a constant rhythm - all was dancing and whirling oh-so gently in the slight of the breeze - but there was nothing untoward about it. Not yet, at least. "We'll scout a little further north." He decided. "And then we regroup. I want any man left who can wield a saw to fell these trees. With any luck we can haul some timber down to the beach by nightfall."

Kukai nodded quietly, trailing his feet through the dust as they passed through something of a clearing where the ground was rent by a natural ditch - the age-old impression of a fallen tree, most probably, but it had long since decayed and now the hollow was filled with the twisted claws of roots and dry shrubs. Ikuto took his cutlass up to a tangled array of creepers that had seen fit to wind about the tail of his coat when there was a soft, feeble 'crunch!' beneath the weight of his boot. When he looked, the remains of egg shells - tiny, leathery-looking things - lay just out of reach beneath an overhanging canopy of ferns. Curiously, he peered down at them.

At that moment, a shrill squawk echoed through the forest rooftop and a trail of lush, green leaves filtered down from the canopy. Daichi's bright emerald plumage could just about be seen amongst the branches. Kukai hummed.

"Huh. A bird's nest?"

"No." Ikuto nudged at the things with the tip his boot. "It looks reptilian." And, kneeling down, he ran his thumb over the soft, silvery shell. "Look on the bright side," he said; "we can't be far from water."

"Looks like a caiman nest, that does." One of the accompanying pirates said, inspecting the remnants of the nest himself.

Ikuto looked up at him in disbelief. "You can tell that just by the sight of them?" And he stood. "Impressive. Come on. These trees look suitable for timber. We'll find water, wherever it is, and bring some more men back to this spot."

"Aye, Cap'n."

And so again Ikuto took up his cutlass, ready to fight through the foliage to clamber out of this ditch in the forest floor when suddenly far above them there was a squawk - an ear-splitting cry out of nowhere. There was a fluttering of feathers and a trail of loose leaves as Daichi cried out, his voice ringing through the trees for all to hear, but for what reason they could not guess. Kukai whistled at him to no avail, but he was gone.

There was a pause.

And then, near-obscured by the thick green of the foliage, the pirates caught an unnatural flash of red through the trees.

Panic struck into their hearts.

Ikuto urgently motioned them down and the pirates crouched hurriedly, finding a deep, dark dell concealed by a thicket of long, lush grass, overshadowed by the trunks of some bent-over trees. They watched silently, the tips of their muskets and pistols and the blades of their cutlasses just pointing out through the thick of the brush. And there they waited with breaths held and hearts pounding.

In fact, Ikuto was almost beginning to think that his eyes were playing tricks on him when they heard it. Voices. His heart leapt in his chest. Faint voices were apparently locked in conversation a little way away, talking quickly, rising and falling in the animated pitch of a language he didn't understand. Briefly, he thought back with a cold chill to the undefined whispers they'd heard on that second isle, but there was no mistaking it this time. These voices were as clear as day. Through the trees, Ikuto could spy as he peered between the blades of grass two men - young men - dressed in red and white (if grass-stained) uniforms, sweating profusely beneath their tricorn hats. Long muskets were propped upon their shoulders as they trekked half-heartedly through the foliage. Gold hilts glinted at their belts.

The pirates were forced to lay in wait, breaths held, locked in place for some time lest they be discovered and, when finally, after what felt like an age, all was still and the voices carried away by the breeze, they stood. The men had disappeared into the forest. Ikuto shared with Utau a worried glance. They turned to each other, feeling wary and over-exposed, their voices hushed;

"Those were no natives," Utau whispered, her gaze bright and steely even beneath the shadow of the bush.

Ikuto shook his head. "No pirates, either."

"Privateers?"

The mere mention of the word set Ikuto's teeth on edge, but he shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "Those men are official."

The pirates seemed to agree. After all, if Kiseki and his band of unruly men were a typical example of the class of a privateer, then they were truly worlds apart. They had been dirty, thin in the face and poorly dressed. These men were anything but - dressed in fine uniform and armed with the cleanest, highest-grade of weaponry to be found anywhere outside of Seiyo. And, at this realisation, the group became torn.

To warn the rest of the crew was their first thought. After all, any newcomers on this isle were a threat to Ikuto's men, especially with injured and wearied members lying defenceless aboard the Shining Black. To stay sat in that cove would surely be suicide. These uniformed soldiers could come upon them at any moment and they had not the might left to face any form of attack. But, on the other hand, they resolved that they had to know what sort of danger lay ahead. Perhaps they could steal some supplies - food and weapons and water.

But, whatever the case, Ikuto found himself spurred on unexpectedly. He would pick them out through the line of the trees if he must. Without even stopping to consult his crew, he made off into the grass.

"Ikuto!"

But Ikuto didn't listen to Utau as she hissed after him, trailing head down through the foliage, barely caring as the fronds grew thicker, biting at the bare skin of his wrists as he brandished his blade before him. Behind him he thought he heard the pirates following after him, but he paid them no mind. As Captain, he had to know what dangers they faced. His mind was set; his determination as stern as steel and, quietly and carefully, off they crept, staying concealed as they made their way through the greenery, flattening the grass thickets, sweeping under tall palms and over bushes until, at last, the forest opened up around them and they found themselves stepping into the daylight upon what appeared to be the very edge of a crest. From their vantage point, the very world opened up around them. The forest was tumbling away before their eyes. The sky was clear; the sea blue and glittering. Below them the forest dropped, levelling out and gradually sloping down to the expanse of a wide, sandy beach where the waves sloshed lazily upon the shore.

But that was not what took their breath away. No…

Down by the treeline, where the forest thinned and the dusty slopes gave way to the flat, endless sands of the beach, they beheld an enormous garrison - a fort-like building, piled out of wood and stone and rough, metal bars overshadowing the line of the ocean. Longboats were lined upon the shore. Out to sea, jigs and jolly-boats were ferrying back and forth towards the forms of many ships bobbing about the waters. Most were carracks, all anchored and rising and falling gently beneath the sun…

But there, beyond the waves where the water deepened and the shoals gave way to open ocean, there sat amidst them a mighty galleon. Polished and gleaming in the light of the day, it's woodwork was gilded gold; it's stern speckled by stained glass windows beneath a red and golden flag. Ikuto looked over the fleet. All of them were raising such colours - their flags fluttering to and fro in the breeze until the waters were positively teeming with them.

They were not nationals of Seiyo, that much was for certain.

Faintly, Ikuto was aware of Utau beside him as she dove numbly into his pocket for his spyglass. Their quartermaster crouched down in the grass, peering over the edge of the outcrop they remained concealed upon. Her breath was heavy; her mouth hung agape;

"They're carrying cargo…" She reported after what felt like some time.

Ikuto could not find the words to respond. Luckily, his crew were just as curious as he.

"Cargo? What kind of cargo, ma'am?"

Utau hesitated. "Crates. Barrels… Looks like munitions." And she lowered the instrument, looking as though she was trying hard to gather her thoughts. "They're heavily armed."

In the poignant pause that followed, Ikuto took the spyglass back and scrutinised the cove for himself. At the sight of the true might of this foreign fleet, Ikuto's mind travelled back to his own sorry craft and his blood ran cold.

"We have to get back to the ship." He said. There was a lump in his throat. "Now. Kazuomi's next isle is close. It'll have to do."

Wordlessly, the others agreed. They hastily disappeared back into the safety of the forest, hunching into the grass and the shadows and made to flee back the way they came. Ikuto led the way, passing swiftly through the forest as soundlessly as ever, but his companions were not so graced with agility as he. The grass may have dampened the fall of heavy boots, but every footfall fell like thunderclaps in the Captain's ears. He was forever peering through the trees, searching the line of the forest for shadows, listening with all his might so that he might discern the telltale chatter of foreign soldiers or the cry of Daichi far above, though where he had gone they could not tell.

They made it as far back as the ditch in the forest where the caiman nest had been, perhaps a few metres more, when they spotted red again. They dove quickly into a tall thicket of waving grass, cursing that there was no better cover to hand. There were more men heading through the trees, quite thankfully away from them, but Ikuto guessed they were making for the garrison they had spotted to the north. He wiped the sweat from his brow and tried to keep his breathing steady, crouching amongst the vegetation. Only when they could hear naught but the whisper of the leaves and the gentle chirruping of Daichi overhead (evidently he had found them again, but they had no time to think on it) did they dare move from their cloaked position and, even then, they stood in silence for a few minutes just to be safe.

In that moment, Ikuto, with a jolt of horror, remembered that they had left Amu and Yaya down by the cove. His heartbeat faltered. He felt faint. He could only hope that they had had the good sense to remain near the water for a quick getaway, but there was nothing he could do. Perhaps foolishly, this only made him press on quicker. A renewed sense of urgency flooded throughout his very being.

They carried on, picking their way over creepers, trampling over the grass. Ikuto unsheathed his blade and carved them a path. For a moment, they thought they heard shouting, but they couldn't tell, for the men they had passed were downwind and here, deep in the undergrowth, the music of the crickets and flies and all manner of other tropical insects was magnified. Whatever it was, it was far off and, besides, there was little else in the Captain's mind other than their hasty retreat and the golden-eyed woman he'd left behind at the beach.

In fact, his mind was so occupied with that fiery hue, that he barely even registered the commotion that occurred behind him. There was a 'snap!' and a 'thwack!'. They heard Utau gasp. Leaves littered onto the forest floor. The men turned only to find their companion suspended by the ankle - thick rope wrapped around her leg, tied to the branch of a tree metres above. Kukai gasped;

"Utau!"

It was a trap.

Panic was evident in Utau's eyes - strong, fearsome Utau - as she wriggled to free herself, but to no avail. There was definite shouting in the distance now, but the pirates could barely pay attention to it as they sought to help their quartermaster. Kukai took a running leap at the tree and attempted to climb up to the branches above, but it was no use. Thankfully, Utau was armed. Soon her dagger was in her hand, her blade sawing away at the rope. She dropped to the ground with a 'thud!' and a little billow of dust, but just as she made to rise there was an almighty 'crack!' and the bark of the tree beside her exploded in a shower of splinters, a bullet hole smouldering in its trunk. They caught the sound of cries in that same foreign tongue that they didn't recognise. Ikuto cursed. Up above, Daichi squawked horribly and took off in a plume of emerald feathers, his cries echoing all around them. Without a doubt, the entire guard would have been alerted now.

'What déjà-vu,' Ikuto thought.

By this time, the sound of footfalls was growing closer.

With a resigned, yet determined demeanour, Ikuto raised his pistols and prepared to fight.

~.~.~

Amu wasn't sure just how long they'd been trailing through the thickets before they'd found water. It was not a particularly full stream, nor was it as close to the cove as they'd hoped, for they'd had to trek a fair distance into the trees to find it, but it looked clear and clean to them and so the women had been glad at the sight of it as they pressed further into the forest.

Amu had filled up their waterskins already. Her mind kept drifting back to the state of the ship and the devastation their little brush with the privateers had wrought upon them, but she shook her head before those thoughts could run away with her, reassuring herself that they'd make a full recovery now that they were safely anchored away from prying eyes. At the very least this isle appeared to be full of useful supplies. They'd already discovered fruit and nuts aplenty the closer they'd come to the watercourse, plus Amu was sure she'd seen the telltale signs of animal life. Nothing major, but the upturned earth of an abandoned den and the occasional sight of tusk marks against the bark of a tree pointed to at least a small population of native fauna flourishing on this tiny isle.

Presently, Amu breathed deeply. A wave of exhaustion overcame her now that she had a peaceful moment to reflect on all that had happened - now that she could step back from the situation and look upon their predicament as an outsider to a string of unfortunate events. She glanced briefly at the waterskins beside her, cast aside momentarily upon the grass. She could only hope it would be enough. But, she reasoned, that if they were to stay here a while then at least they would be close to its source. She could always come back to refill. With that thought in mind she relaxed a little. She bent down and took a moment to wash her face in the cool water as it rippled noisily at her feet.

Behind her, Yaya was evidently in a delightful sort of mood, judging by the way she nattered on continuously in the background as she flitted to and fro between the clusters of berries that grew at the water's banks. She was currently regaling some long-winded tale of the exploits of an eastern pirate, though admittedly, having only been paying half-attention, Amu had to say that his name escaped her.

"An' so with a crew of near four-hundred-an'-fifty he stole the galleon to add to his fleet, he did, an' he went due south to the colony an', takin' up from the landward side of the southerner's fort, he sacked their defences an' took the lake city by surprise, Yaya tells you! But the Cap'n was fooled, ya see, for the people had taken their gold an' hidden it away someplace secret! You can imagine, Ya Maj'sty, that the Ca'pn weren't best pleased with that!"

Amu hummed somewhat noncommittally. She had noticed by now that the grasses were becoming thicker and longer the further they went and she was sure that the presence of certain wildflowers in their path could only mean that the stream had come from a greater source. Perhaps it was the tributary of a greater river where they'd find more substantial produce and so she picked her way into the forest, only half-listening as her companion babbled on;

"Well, o' course, you can imagine how he tortured 'em, so desperate he was to get his hands on the loot, he was! Those poor souls didn't last long, for the Cap'n was a renowned torturer of his captives. Some horrible methods, he used, but they did the job, they did, an' soon he had the fort an' the gold an' the city itself all in his possession! They were there for two whole months, they were, burnin' an' pillagin'." And she laughed, if a little inappropriately. "The ol' bastard even went an' held the whole city for ransom! An' the southerners paid it! Imagine that, Ya Maj'sty! No official would stand for that now, you mark Yaya's words! But it did wonders for the Cap'n's reputation - they even called him the Bane of-"

'BANG!'

It came out of nowhere. But it was unmistakable. The girls stilled, words cut off entirely. Their eyes met, faces pale. As the women eyed each other warily, that one, deadly shot still echoed through the trees.

They immediately abandoned their task.

"Ya Maj'sty-"

"I know," Amu whispered. "I heard it too."

There was a pause, a moment of uncertainty. And then;

"What d'you s'ppose we do now, Ya Maj'sty?" Yaya whispered frantically, eyed wide and alarmed. "That didn't sound far off, that didn't!"

Amu opened her mouth, but no words came out. She was in two minds as to what to do next. Suddenly she felt very exposed here in this thicket of thin trees. She looked briefly down at the dagger secured at Yaya's belt, then to her own cutlass. It wasn't much and it certainly wouldn't do against any dangers they came across within the forest. But, that being said, the thought of retreating - of throwing down their weapons and abandoning their cohorts to whatever dreadful end they might face… Well, it was just unthinkable.

"The Cap'n an' the others!" Yaya hissed, drawing her back into the present. "Supposin' they're in trouble!"

Amu nodded. "I know, Yaya," she said breathlessly. Her palms were growing sweaty as she drew out her cutlass and stared off into the forest, but she knew now. She could not leave them. And so she turned to her companion and whispered; "Come on."

They noiselessly crept off into the trees, avoiding the low bushes and creepers so as not to make a sound, and swept through the grasses towards the last lingering echoes of that dreadful shot. All Amu could hear was the frantic thumping of her own heartbeat and the ringing in her ears as they advanced to higher ground.

The sun was beginning to set now, making their progress all the more difficult. The shadows began to hide obstacles in their path and often they would find themselves stumbling, defeated by a concealed ditch or tangle of roots, but they continued on nonetheless. Before long, they reached a small clearing where the trees thinned out. To their horror, two men were lying in the dust, their coats glowing crimson in the failing light. The air was thick with iron and the ground stained with blood. Amu hung back, stock still in shock as Yaya hurried forth and inspected them.

"Bless me!" She whispered. "They've taken a fair amount of bullets, Ya Maj'sty! But Yaya's never seen the likes o' this 'ere crest before!"

Amu wandered numbly into the clearing, though she had a sinking suspicion that she would recognise exactly what Yaya couldn't. There, sure enough, she looked down at the dead men to find the emblem of none other than the Emperor to the east whom she had almost been unfortunate enough to marry. For a moment, the astonishment blocked out all else, but then something of an ire overcame her - she could feel it burning fierce and fiery within her blood. Her fists clenched, for these were her father's waters, after all. To find members of the rival empire so openly upon them…

She shook her head, ridding herself of the thought as quickly as it came. After all, what should she care, she thought bitterly? She was not responsible for her father's empire anymore.

In the end, Amu wasn't sure whether it was out of concern for her fellow men or fury for the east's encroachment that she finally forced herself to move on.

"Come on, Yaya," she said stiffly. "They can't be far."

And she was once more off through the trees, picking her way uphill, weapon at the ready. She heard Yaya scampering behind her. Evidently the sight of the dead men had struck dread into the young girl's heart.

"N-Now, let's-let's not be hasty, Ya Maj'sty!" She stumbled over herself, fighting to keep up. "Yaya and Her Maj'sty can't hope to fight 'em all by ourselves! Yaya must go back to the ship and warn-"

"We have to find Ikuto and the others!" Amu cut in. "We can't leave them!"

There was a silence behind her at this, broken only by the 'thwack!'ing of plantlife and the out of breath puffs of her companion, but still Amu went blindly forth. Though, the more she looked about her, the more the forest seemed to close in. Paths and trails closed off. Branches grew thicker. The grass became taller. Frantically she turned on the spot, desperate, only to face the fearful reality that she had no idea where to go. There were no more bloodstains, no more bodies, no sign of any further commotion. At a loss, she came to an abrupt stop beside a little dell and looked around, biting her lip in frustration.

'Where the fuck have they gone?' She thought desperately to herself, turning in every direction in the faintest hope that they might discern something - or someone - recognisable. 'Where have they gone?'

She was breathing heavily now, feeling an overwhelming wave of despair wash over her body. Yaya must have sensed this, for she came up beside her then and carefully laid a hand on her arm in what she thought was a comforting gesture.

"Yaya don't doubt they're still out there, Ya Maj'sty," the young girl said quietly; "but Yaya and Ya Maj'sty won't be any good to 'em lost in this jungle."

Amu said nothing, her breathing still heavy. She lowered her head, crestfallen, but she knew deep down that Yaya had a point. After all, there was only two of them, with nothing save their tiny weapons no less, and god knew how many of them crawling about beneath the trees, blending into the shadows, just waiting to pounce at the opportune moment. And these men were not to be taken lightly. No… Seiyo's rival was known worldwide for their ruthlessness - for their cunning and deceit. And so, finally, Amu conceded. She gave a small nod - barely there, inconsequential to anyone else, but Yaya caught it all the same and she knew then that she'd won.

Dejected, but determined to return with backup, the two women started picking their way back through the trees (or, the way they thought they'd come from at any rate), hurrying along at a fast pace, for there was no time to lose. Amu could hear nothing save from the blood pounding in her ears, her heart thumping dangerously in her chest. She couldn't help but worry. How many men were upon this isle? Had they spied the ship? What were they doing on her father's land? All these questions swirled and spun about her brain at such a dizzying rate until she could barely keep herself focused on the present.

This, as it happened, turned out to be their downfall.

They had just managed to retrace their path back to the stream - to the wildflowers and the berry bushes and their abandoned supplies - when-

'Crack!'

Amu whirled, broken quickly from her reverie, pulse pounding as there came a movement from the trees behind them. There was no time to react - no time to run - as all around them the foliage seemed to come to life.

"Yaya!"

"Ya Maj'sty!"

They had not even taken a step forward before the sea of red coats surrounded them, silver barrels and bayonets at every turn. They stood together, back-to-back, teeth grit in defiance as the circle closed in around them.

Outnumbered and overwhelmed, Amu cursed.

~.~.~

A/N: Back at it again with the latest chapter after, *checks notes*, four whole months. Sorry about that, as usual.

This island has been partly inspired by the novel Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton. This was completely unexpected. It's not one of Kazuomi's, so I never planned for it when I first started, but the idea for this little side-quest absolutely thrilled me. It wouldn't leave me alone. So here it is. Happy days!