Between the Devil and the Deep
Rurouni Kenshin AU Fanfic
by Gemini
Rated PG-13 for one bad mouthed parrot (I blame Hiko!)
For Moonspark, my best friend, beta-reader, hentai buddy and unapologetic Aoshi and Misao love puppy.
Disclaimer: RK is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shonen Jump, Sony and some other people, notably absent from this list is my name.
Chapter 4: Lifelines
Aoshi scribbled feverishly on a scrap of paper, hoping that his current set of equations was correct. If it was,then the Kami Kaze could cut half a day from his first estimate and overtake the Miburo well before it docked. He sketched in a new route using a ruler and checked his solution again. It should work. His shoulders slumped with relief. They should get there before Misao had time to do anything stupid.
He threw down his pencil and stretched, working out the kinks in his shoulders from being hunched over the desk for so long. He had been laboring on this problem for quite a while, ever since Kaoru had told him what Misao intended to do.
He frowned. How could she ever think killing herself was a good idea? It seemed that, since the day they had first met, Misao was forever acting on impulse and emotion, never on logic and common sense. He personally preferred the latter, logic and common sense were familiar and comforting.
Common sense dictated that the daughter of a nobleman learn how to embroider or play the piano, not how to drop kick a 200 pound drunken pirate out a plate glass window or pin another guy to a wall with three expertly aimed knives. A land-owner's daughter should learn a foreign language and how to serve tea, not how to curse like a sailor and drink alcoholics under the table. He shook his head. She had been trouble from the first day they had met, at a seedy wharf-side tavern where Kaoru was conducting business and Misao had gone slumming.
Of course, beautiful, elegant ladies like Misao could not move about unnoticed, even when dressed in rags. That's why those two drunken sailors had accosted her and that's why Kaoru had come to her rescue, only to discover that her help wasn't really needed.
After that, Misao had attached herself to their group, going out of her way to meet and befriend them all whenever they were docked near her town. However, Aoshi hadn't missed her particular attentions to him. She was always touching him, brushing his arm or his hand, smiling and batting her big green eyes at him.
He was puzzled by that and by Kaoru and Megumi's sly smiles and giggles. Even more puzzling was how he, normally a man who did not like to be molested by strange girls, didn't seem to mind all her attentions. And then, he found himself noticing little things, like the way she smelled or how she walked with that certain little swish in her step, and how her entire face glowed when she smiled. He rose from his seat and stared out the port hole, not really seeing anything, his thoughts continuing uninterrupted.
He had found himself strangely upset when he had learned of her arraigned marriage and relieved when Kaoru had announced plans to rescue her friend. But his anxiety was back again, this time, he couldn't stop the what-if scenarios from assaulting his mind. What if they were too late? What if there was a storm? What if...what if...
He rested his forehead against the cool glass and frowned. He couldn't allow himself to dwell on the negative. If he did, then he would go crazy. He had to believe that everything would be all right in the end, that the Kami Kaze would arrive in time, that she would be safe and that he would have more time to explore just what it was about Misao Makimachi that made his heart beat a little faster than normal. Everything had to be all right, he would not allow himself to consider the alternatives.
Yahiko scowled down at the chessboard, his hand hovering uncertainly over the knight piece.
Across from him, Kenshin coughed and shook his head slightly. Yahiko looked up at his guardian and dropped his hand, his eyes darting around the board to find a more suitable move. After a moment, he slowly moved the rook forward, relief flooding his face when he saw that Kenshin nodded slightly.
"I think you're going to beat me this round, Yahiko." Kenshin said warmly, moving a pawn forward.
Yahiko smiled and dropped his gaze, a blush heating up his cheeks. "I wouldn't be doing so well if you weren't helping me, Mr. Himura."
Kenshin shook his head. "I've barely had to do a thing, Yahiko. You're a natural." He paused and cleared his throat. "And I would prefer it if you called me Kenshin. Mr. Himura is much too formal."
Yahiko turned even redder, his shyness almost paralyzing him. "Okay...Kenshin." He managed after a moment.
Kenshin smiled and returned his attention to the board. Yahiko had nervously begun contemplating his next move when a loud knock interrupted them.
"Come in!" Kenshin called out, his eyes half on the board and half on the door.
The door creaked open and a massive shadow filled its entirety. Before the owner of the shadow could say anything, a large, dull colored parrot flew into the room and settled on the bedpost.
"Hey, assholes!" It chirped gaily. "Fuck off! Fuck off!" It ruffled its feathers as it squawked.
"Shut your trap Umidori." Growled a rough voice from the door. Hiko stepped into the room, his peg leg thumping loudly on the wooden floor. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Kenshin.
"So it's true then. You are here." He drawled.
Kenshin stood up so fast, one might have thought his chair was electrified. "You? But...what are you...?" He was too surprised to complete a sentence.
"I see you have yet to master basic speech." Hiko grunted. "The years obviously haven't made you any smarter." He peered at Kenshin critically for a moment. "But you do seem to have gotten shorter."
"I haven't gotten shorter!" Kenshin protested, sounding eerily like his former teenage self. "Your perceptions are probably just warped by the large amount of alcohol circulating through your system!"
Hiko snorted. "Whatever, runt. I don't particularly care about why you're here. I came for the kid." He leveled a blunt finger at Yahiko, who blanched.
"M...m...me?" The boy stuttered nervously.
Hiko nodded and jerked his thumb in the general direction of the galley. "People keep asking me if you're gonna cook any more. It's getting annoying. Frankly, I don't give a shit if any of these guys like what they eat, but Kaoru seems to think that maybe you could give me a few... pointers in the kitchen." He grated out the last part, obviously not fond of admitting that he might need help.
Yahiko goggled at the big man. "Me? You want me to show you how to cook?" He asked, dazed.
Hiko glowered. "Not me, Kaoru. Now come on kid, dinner's in a couple of hours. The sooner it's over with, the sooner I can go to bed."
Umidori, who had been quietly grooming herself, looked up when she heard the irritation in her master's voice. "Fuck off!" She trilled, launching herself off the bedpost and landing neatly on Hiko's shoulder. "More sake! More sake!"
Hiko reached into his pockets and pulled out some crackers. "Shut up, bird." He said, shoving a few of them into the bird's beak.
Yahiko rose unsteadily, not sure whether he wanted to be pleased that the others enjoyed his cooking or terrified of the surly cook. He walked to Hiko's side, casting a half fearful glance up at the big man.
Kenshin, seeing the boy's discomfort, smiled reassuringly. "It's all right, Yahiko. Mr. Hiko's bark is worse than his bite."
Hiko snorted and turned to leave, pushing Yahiko in front of him.
"I'll see you at dinner then, Captain Hiko." Kenshin said quietly, noting how Hiko's shoulders stiffened with the title.
"Don't ever call me that." He hissed. "I gave that bullshit up a long time ago, right about the time that fucking doctor was sawing off my leg." He shot Kenshin an angry glare. "I wouldn't go mentioning it around here, either, Himura, unless you want another ass-kicking, courtesy of your old captain."
Kenshin frowned at the door as Hiko slammed it, wondering why his former captain was the cook aboard a pirate ship. The last Kenshin had heard of the fearsome Naval Captain, he had taken to drinking and gambling, bitter about his unwanted retirement and the loss of his leg. Kenshin slumped back down onto his chair, staring at the chessboard but not really seeing it. It had been years since he had served under the man and he was still intimidating as hell. He shuddered slightly as he remembered his tour of duty as Hiko's first leiutenant. While he would always be grateful to Hiko for whipping him into shape and then reccomending his appointment to Captain, he still couldn't shake the residual fear of the man. "Even after all these years..." He mused, shaking his head in annoyance.
Soujiro wasn't smiling now. In fact, he looked concerned. He didn't need the telescope to confirm what his two eyes were showing him: dark clouds loomed on the horizon, a storm was approaching.
Instead of clanging the bell to call whoever was on watch, he scurried down the ratlines and went in search of his captain.
Kaoru wasn't particularly hard to find. She was holed up with Sano in her quarters, fighting with him. Their argument came out in bits and pieces, Sano's rude voice questioned his captain's judgment on something. Kaoru responded with thinly veiled anger. Whatever they were fighting about, she made it perfectly clear that she would not be dissuaded.
Soujiro didn't bother with knocking. He burst in, interrupting Kaoru in mid-tirade.
"What's wrong, Soujiro?" Kaoru demanded sharply, immediately having sensed his tension.
"There's a bad storm brewing afore, Captain." He said in a rush, his face slightly pale. Storms this time of year were vicious and his fear was not unfounded.
Kaoru cursed and rushed out of the room, Sano and Soujiro following close on her heels. She clambered up the narrow stairs, almost afraid to see what was brewing topside. Kamatari was waiting for her at the top of the steps, but she brushed past him, too worried about the weather to bother with his report. She strode across the deck to the bow of the ship and stood with her hands clasped tightly behind her back, her knuckles white.
Her black coat flapped in the strong wind that was scuttling across the deck of the ship and her hair danced as though it were alive. She stood silently for a long while, staring at the gathering storm as though she could read its intentions.
Sano, understanding that their argument was on hold until the current crisis was dealt with, went and stood by his captain, waiting for her orders. "All hands on deck, Sano." She said absently, still engrossed with the sky.
Sano nodded and yelled out the command. Soujiro went below decks to alert the rest of the crew and Kamatari echoed Sano's command across the deck.
Within minutes, the crew was gathered, looking nervously from the sky to their captain, knowing that trouble was coming.
"All hands assembled, Captain." Sano said quietly.
Kaoru nodded, her eyes still searching the approaching darkness. After a long moment, she spoke up. "Men, this is going to be an ugly one. Secure your lifelines first and then begin preparations."
The sailors murmured between themselves as they rushed to secure themselves to the masts of the ship with stout lengths of rope.
Kaoru didn't bother with such preparations. Instead, she continued her vigil at the prow. Sano approached her a moment later, a thick rope wrapped snugly around his waist. Another rope was clutched in his hand and this he offered to his captain.
"Don't want you blowin' off the ship, Kaoru, at least not until we're through talkin'." He said, handing her the rope. She took it and smiled.
"Don't worry about me, Sano. If I die, it will be on this ship, like my mother and my father."
"Humor me." He said sternly.
She wrapped the rope around her waist and secured it with a strong knot. "There. Happy?"
He nodded.
"The wind's changed direction." She noted. Indeed, it was now blowing her hair away from her face so strongly, that she nearly feared that it would all be ripped from her scalp.
He didn't reply, knowing that she was talking more to herself than to him.
"This seems familiar." Another voice said from behind them. Both Kaoru and Sano turned to find Kenshin, his red hair whipping in the wind, a slightly strained smile on his face.
Kaoru frowned. "Captain, given that you so recently survived a shipwreck, do you think it's wise for you to be on deck?" She asked, her voice concerned.
Kenshin's smile broadened. "I'm heartened by your concern, Captain. But I'm fine. What's a shipwreck or two to a sailor?"
Kaoru's frown disappeared and she almost smiled. "Sano, find an extra lifeline for the Captain here." She said, waving a hand in Kenshin's direction. He nodded and went in search of more rope, but not before giving Kenshin a rude glare.
"You seem almost unnaturally calm." Kenshin observed, his attention fully on Kaoru.
Kaoru shrugged. "I've spent almost my entire life on this ship, Captain. I trust her to protect me." She reached out and patted the figurehead that gazed unblinking into the storm.
Sano returned and handed Kenshin a length of rope. "Here." He said, gruffly, shoving the rope at the man. Ignoring the challenge in his voice, Kenshin thanked him and secured the rope around his waist.
Kaoru turned away from the storm and eyed her crew. "Batten down, men!" She shouted. They scurried about, securing the rigging and a few disappeared down into the bowels of the ship to pass the word to the few crewmembers who remained below.
The wind became fiercer, whipping the water into frothing, rabid waves that slapped the ship hard enough to make it shudder. The first few fat drops of rain hit the deck, preceding the rest of the storm, which was not far behind.
"Lie to, men!" She yelled, giving her crew the order to stop the ship's progress. Lying to meant that the sails would be turned so that they were working against each other, causing the ship to move forward and then back in a holding pattern to wait out the storm.
"Secure your lifelines and watch those sails!" She shouted. "This one is going to be nasty!" It was as though her words gave the storm permission to strike. The wind became almost hurricane like in its speed and intensity, driving the rain against the crew like tiny knives. Kaoru continued to shout orders at her men, but her voice was drowned out by the howling of the wind and the sound of the water crashing against the ship.
The men struggled to move against the gale, their duties as well known to them as their own names. Some struggled with the sails, working their hardest to keep the ship from moving off from its course, others kept careful watch of the lifelines, ensuring that none of their crewmates would be lost to the sea. Kamatari stood at the helm, fighting against the steering wheel, which wanted to spin freely and send them into oblivion. The rest of the crew scurried about, each with a singular purpose whose ultimate goal was to keep the Kami Kaze afloat.
A wave rose higher than the ship and crashed down onto the deck, the force of the impact knocking Kaoru and Kenshin into the railing, their lifelines pulling taut and then snapping them back.
Kenshin wiped the sea water from his eyes and saw Kaoru kneeling on the deck, a trickle of blood coming from her mouth. She had been slammed down into the unforgiving wood hard enough to make her bleed.
"Are you all right?" He yelled, pulling his way towards him. She couldn't hear his question over the storm, but she recognized his expression and nodded, pushing herself upright and swiping the blood off of her mouth.
Before he could come any closer, another wave broke over the deck and they were separated, as far apart as their lifelines would allow. Despite their distance and the roar of the angry sea, Kenshin still heard Kaoru's cry of alarm. He followed her line of sight and gasped.
Soujiro's rope had not been secure enough and the last wave had ripped it free of the mast. He had been so busy worrying about the other's lines that he hadn't attended to his own. Nothing stopped his body as it was flung headlong towards the sea. Quick thinking on his part had saved his life, although it seemed not for long. He dangled precariously off the prow, holding on for dear life, each punishing blow of the sea weakening his grip on the slippery wood.
Kaoru began pulling herself towards him, fighting against the rain and the wind. Kenshin followed her example, both of them inching their way towards the front of the ship. Kaoru reached the front first and tried to climb up on the railing, but her lifeline stopped her. It was not long enough to allow her to climb up onto the prow to rescue Soujiro.
She cursed. Kenshin realized her dilemma as soon as he pulled himself next to her.
"We can't reach him!" Kenshin yelled.
Kaoru cursed again. "I have never lost a man to the sea and I'm not going to start now!" She yelled, pulling her sword free of its sheath.
Kenshin's eyes widened and he shouted for her to stop, reaching for her to grab the sword from her hand, but he was too late. Deftly, she severed her lifeline, the rope pulled so taut that as she cut herself free, it sprang back towards the mast where it was secured as though it was made of rubber. Turning, she smiled at him as she plunged the sword into the deck. "I'll be right back!" She yelled and climbed out onto the prow, one hand holding onto her sword handle, the other stretching towards where Soujiro still clung.
Soujiro reached, his fingertips brushing hers, still too far for her to reach. She stretched further, her grip on the sword handle slipping. Kenshin caught her hand as it was about to slip, holding on to her hand with both of his.
She looked up at him and nodded briefly before turning her attention back to her sailor. With the few precious extra inches Kenshin gave her, she was able to grasp Soujiro's hand and begin to pull him up. As he came closer, he was able to completely let go of the prow and grab onto her arm with both his hands. Meanwhile, Kenshin struggled to pull them both back onto the deck.
Kaoru and Soujiro spilled onto the deck like freshly caught fish, both gasping for breath. Sano appeared with Kaoru's severed lifeline in his hand and a dark expression on his face. "What were you thinking?!" He yelled, barely audible over the storm. "You could have died!"
Kaoru waved him off and grabbed her lifeline, deftly wrapping it around Soujiro's waist and knotting it tight before anyone quite registered what she had done.
Sano's eyes widened and he geared up to give her another lecture.
She cut him off. "Sano! The royals are about to give way! Go and help the men before the storm carries them off!" She yelled, pointing to where a group of men fought to keep the square sails that rested beneath the topgallants from flying away. Sano glared at her a final time and then rushed to help the men, Soujiro following close behind, thanking his captain even as he ran.
Before Kaoru could attend to her own safety, another wave rose up over the railings and crashed onto the deck, fast moving water sweeping everything in its path over the side and into the sea. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fully expecting to be swept overboard.
Instead of being caught up in an icy shock of water, she found herself wrapped in a warm embrace, her face pressed into damp wool. She opened her eyes and stared at the black coat of her savior. Wind whipped strands of waterlogged red hair into her face. Captain Himura, Kenshin had saved her, again.
She could hear the quick beat of his heart, feel how his chest rose and fell with each gasping breath. When he spoke to her, his words seemed to rumble in her ears.
"Are you all right?" He asked, pulling away enough so he could see her face.
She nodded. "That's twice now you've saved my life." She said.
He smiled and she noticed that his violet eyes had gold flecks in them.
"Then I suppose we're even." He said seriously, although his eyes still smiled.
She shook her head. "No, I only saved your life once. Now I owe you." She replied with equal seriousness.
"Well then, I suppose you're right, Captain Kamiya." He said, his grip tightening on her ever so very slightly.
She raised an eyebrow. "I suppose we shouldn't be so formal anymore. You may call me Kaoru, if you'd like."
His smile was back. "Only if you call me Kenshin."
She nodded. "Kenshin it is."
He made no move to let her go and she did not seem interested in pulling away, instead, they looked at each other, scarcely aware that around them, the storm was abating.
***Glossary***
Afore: To the front of the vessel.
Ratlines: Ropes attached to a ship's shrouds that are used as ladders.
Shrouds: Support ropes attached to the masts.
Bow: The very front of the ship
Helm: Mechanical equipment used to turn the rudder
Mast: Vertical spar from which sails and spars are attached.
Royals: Square sails sitting beneath the topgallants.
Weatherdeck: Any deck located where it is exposed to the elements
Topside: Refers to the weather decks, maindeck and above.
Topgallant: Highest of the three spars used to make a mast.
All hands: Entire ship's company.
Batten down: To close or make watertight, usually referring to hatches.
Lie-to: a sailing ship lies to when, in a gale, she keeps her head as steady as possible about six points off the wind, making a little way ahead as she falls off away from the wind to avoid drifting down to leeward. For this purpose, just enough sail is set to give her forward motion as she falls away from the wind, bringing her back up to it. The main objective in lying-to is to keep the vessel in such a position with the wind on the bow that heavy seas do not break aboard.
Lifelines: ropes or wires stretched fore and aft along the decks of a ship in rough weather, so that men can hang on to them in heavy seas as a safety measure against being washed overboard.
Notes to reviewers:
Kitten Kisses: Kaoru meant that she was a pirate. She's not "just a girl". Kamatari isn't gay, just a flashy dresser. Saitou's ship name is a play on the Wolves of Mibu, the cigarette is Marlboro. Thanks for your review! It made me super happy.
Kay Kylo: Patrick O'Brian's novels are on my summer reading list. I haven't read the Horatio Hornblower book, but my mom bought the A&E version on DVD, so I plan on stealing it from her. ;)
swtrkgurlz: Would YOU call Kaoru a hag? (Yahiko: Not until she drops the sword!)
Vesca: Kaoru likes her boots too much to ruin them, but she will definitely beat some sense in Aoshi.
shishigami13: She won her crew's respect because she CAN fight. That will become pretty obvious around chapter 6.
Thanks to everyone else who reviewed! I love you guys! *sniff*
Rurouni Kenshin AU Fanfic
by Gemini
Rated PG-13 for one bad mouthed parrot (I blame Hiko!)
For Moonspark, my best friend, beta-reader, hentai buddy and unapologetic Aoshi and Misao love puppy.
Disclaimer: RK is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shonen Jump, Sony and some other people, notably absent from this list is my name.
Chapter 4: Lifelines
Aoshi scribbled feverishly on a scrap of paper, hoping that his current set of equations was correct. If it was,then the Kami Kaze could cut half a day from his first estimate and overtake the Miburo well before it docked. He sketched in a new route using a ruler and checked his solution again. It should work. His shoulders slumped with relief. They should get there before Misao had time to do anything stupid.
He threw down his pencil and stretched, working out the kinks in his shoulders from being hunched over the desk for so long. He had been laboring on this problem for quite a while, ever since Kaoru had told him what Misao intended to do.
He frowned. How could she ever think killing herself was a good idea? It seemed that, since the day they had first met, Misao was forever acting on impulse and emotion, never on logic and common sense. He personally preferred the latter, logic and common sense were familiar and comforting.
Common sense dictated that the daughter of a nobleman learn how to embroider or play the piano, not how to drop kick a 200 pound drunken pirate out a plate glass window or pin another guy to a wall with three expertly aimed knives. A land-owner's daughter should learn a foreign language and how to serve tea, not how to curse like a sailor and drink alcoholics under the table. He shook his head. She had been trouble from the first day they had met, at a seedy wharf-side tavern where Kaoru was conducting business and Misao had gone slumming.
Of course, beautiful, elegant ladies like Misao could not move about unnoticed, even when dressed in rags. That's why those two drunken sailors had accosted her and that's why Kaoru had come to her rescue, only to discover that her help wasn't really needed.
After that, Misao had attached herself to their group, going out of her way to meet and befriend them all whenever they were docked near her town. However, Aoshi hadn't missed her particular attentions to him. She was always touching him, brushing his arm or his hand, smiling and batting her big green eyes at him.
He was puzzled by that and by Kaoru and Megumi's sly smiles and giggles. Even more puzzling was how he, normally a man who did not like to be molested by strange girls, didn't seem to mind all her attentions. And then, he found himself noticing little things, like the way she smelled or how she walked with that certain little swish in her step, and how her entire face glowed when she smiled. He rose from his seat and stared out the port hole, not really seeing anything, his thoughts continuing uninterrupted.
He had found himself strangely upset when he had learned of her arraigned marriage and relieved when Kaoru had announced plans to rescue her friend. But his anxiety was back again, this time, he couldn't stop the what-if scenarios from assaulting his mind. What if they were too late? What if there was a storm? What if...what if...
He rested his forehead against the cool glass and frowned. He couldn't allow himself to dwell on the negative. If he did, then he would go crazy. He had to believe that everything would be all right in the end, that the Kami Kaze would arrive in time, that she would be safe and that he would have more time to explore just what it was about Misao Makimachi that made his heart beat a little faster than normal. Everything had to be all right, he would not allow himself to consider the alternatives.
Yahiko scowled down at the chessboard, his hand hovering uncertainly over the knight piece.
Across from him, Kenshin coughed and shook his head slightly. Yahiko looked up at his guardian and dropped his hand, his eyes darting around the board to find a more suitable move. After a moment, he slowly moved the rook forward, relief flooding his face when he saw that Kenshin nodded slightly.
"I think you're going to beat me this round, Yahiko." Kenshin said warmly, moving a pawn forward.
Yahiko smiled and dropped his gaze, a blush heating up his cheeks. "I wouldn't be doing so well if you weren't helping me, Mr. Himura."
Kenshin shook his head. "I've barely had to do a thing, Yahiko. You're a natural." He paused and cleared his throat. "And I would prefer it if you called me Kenshin. Mr. Himura is much too formal."
Yahiko turned even redder, his shyness almost paralyzing him. "Okay...Kenshin." He managed after a moment.
Kenshin smiled and returned his attention to the board. Yahiko had nervously begun contemplating his next move when a loud knock interrupted them.
"Come in!" Kenshin called out, his eyes half on the board and half on the door.
The door creaked open and a massive shadow filled its entirety. Before the owner of the shadow could say anything, a large, dull colored parrot flew into the room and settled on the bedpost.
"Hey, assholes!" It chirped gaily. "Fuck off! Fuck off!" It ruffled its feathers as it squawked.
"Shut your trap Umidori." Growled a rough voice from the door. Hiko stepped into the room, his peg leg thumping loudly on the wooden floor. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Kenshin.
"So it's true then. You are here." He drawled.
Kenshin stood up so fast, one might have thought his chair was electrified. "You? But...what are you...?" He was too surprised to complete a sentence.
"I see you have yet to master basic speech." Hiko grunted. "The years obviously haven't made you any smarter." He peered at Kenshin critically for a moment. "But you do seem to have gotten shorter."
"I haven't gotten shorter!" Kenshin protested, sounding eerily like his former teenage self. "Your perceptions are probably just warped by the large amount of alcohol circulating through your system!"
Hiko snorted. "Whatever, runt. I don't particularly care about why you're here. I came for the kid." He leveled a blunt finger at Yahiko, who blanched.
"M...m...me?" The boy stuttered nervously.
Hiko nodded and jerked his thumb in the general direction of the galley. "People keep asking me if you're gonna cook any more. It's getting annoying. Frankly, I don't give a shit if any of these guys like what they eat, but Kaoru seems to think that maybe you could give me a few... pointers in the kitchen." He grated out the last part, obviously not fond of admitting that he might need help.
Yahiko goggled at the big man. "Me? You want me to show you how to cook?" He asked, dazed.
Hiko glowered. "Not me, Kaoru. Now come on kid, dinner's in a couple of hours. The sooner it's over with, the sooner I can go to bed."
Umidori, who had been quietly grooming herself, looked up when she heard the irritation in her master's voice. "Fuck off!" She trilled, launching herself off the bedpost and landing neatly on Hiko's shoulder. "More sake! More sake!"
Hiko reached into his pockets and pulled out some crackers. "Shut up, bird." He said, shoving a few of them into the bird's beak.
Yahiko rose unsteadily, not sure whether he wanted to be pleased that the others enjoyed his cooking or terrified of the surly cook. He walked to Hiko's side, casting a half fearful glance up at the big man.
Kenshin, seeing the boy's discomfort, smiled reassuringly. "It's all right, Yahiko. Mr. Hiko's bark is worse than his bite."
Hiko snorted and turned to leave, pushing Yahiko in front of him.
"I'll see you at dinner then, Captain Hiko." Kenshin said quietly, noting how Hiko's shoulders stiffened with the title.
"Don't ever call me that." He hissed. "I gave that bullshit up a long time ago, right about the time that fucking doctor was sawing off my leg." He shot Kenshin an angry glare. "I wouldn't go mentioning it around here, either, Himura, unless you want another ass-kicking, courtesy of your old captain."
Kenshin frowned at the door as Hiko slammed it, wondering why his former captain was the cook aboard a pirate ship. The last Kenshin had heard of the fearsome Naval Captain, he had taken to drinking and gambling, bitter about his unwanted retirement and the loss of his leg. Kenshin slumped back down onto his chair, staring at the chessboard but not really seeing it. It had been years since he had served under the man and he was still intimidating as hell. He shuddered slightly as he remembered his tour of duty as Hiko's first leiutenant. While he would always be grateful to Hiko for whipping him into shape and then reccomending his appointment to Captain, he still couldn't shake the residual fear of the man. "Even after all these years..." He mused, shaking his head in annoyance.
Soujiro wasn't smiling now. In fact, he looked concerned. He didn't need the telescope to confirm what his two eyes were showing him: dark clouds loomed on the horizon, a storm was approaching.
Instead of clanging the bell to call whoever was on watch, he scurried down the ratlines and went in search of his captain.
Kaoru wasn't particularly hard to find. She was holed up with Sano in her quarters, fighting with him. Their argument came out in bits and pieces, Sano's rude voice questioned his captain's judgment on something. Kaoru responded with thinly veiled anger. Whatever they were fighting about, she made it perfectly clear that she would not be dissuaded.
Soujiro didn't bother with knocking. He burst in, interrupting Kaoru in mid-tirade.
"What's wrong, Soujiro?" Kaoru demanded sharply, immediately having sensed his tension.
"There's a bad storm brewing afore, Captain." He said in a rush, his face slightly pale. Storms this time of year were vicious and his fear was not unfounded.
Kaoru cursed and rushed out of the room, Sano and Soujiro following close on her heels. She clambered up the narrow stairs, almost afraid to see what was brewing topside. Kamatari was waiting for her at the top of the steps, but she brushed past him, too worried about the weather to bother with his report. She strode across the deck to the bow of the ship and stood with her hands clasped tightly behind her back, her knuckles white.
Her black coat flapped in the strong wind that was scuttling across the deck of the ship and her hair danced as though it were alive. She stood silently for a long while, staring at the gathering storm as though she could read its intentions.
Sano, understanding that their argument was on hold until the current crisis was dealt with, went and stood by his captain, waiting for her orders. "All hands on deck, Sano." She said absently, still engrossed with the sky.
Sano nodded and yelled out the command. Soujiro went below decks to alert the rest of the crew and Kamatari echoed Sano's command across the deck.
Within minutes, the crew was gathered, looking nervously from the sky to their captain, knowing that trouble was coming.
"All hands assembled, Captain." Sano said quietly.
Kaoru nodded, her eyes still searching the approaching darkness. After a long moment, she spoke up. "Men, this is going to be an ugly one. Secure your lifelines first and then begin preparations."
The sailors murmured between themselves as they rushed to secure themselves to the masts of the ship with stout lengths of rope.
Kaoru didn't bother with such preparations. Instead, she continued her vigil at the prow. Sano approached her a moment later, a thick rope wrapped snugly around his waist. Another rope was clutched in his hand and this he offered to his captain.
"Don't want you blowin' off the ship, Kaoru, at least not until we're through talkin'." He said, handing her the rope. She took it and smiled.
"Don't worry about me, Sano. If I die, it will be on this ship, like my mother and my father."
"Humor me." He said sternly.
She wrapped the rope around her waist and secured it with a strong knot. "There. Happy?"
He nodded.
"The wind's changed direction." She noted. Indeed, it was now blowing her hair away from her face so strongly, that she nearly feared that it would all be ripped from her scalp.
He didn't reply, knowing that she was talking more to herself than to him.
"This seems familiar." Another voice said from behind them. Both Kaoru and Sano turned to find Kenshin, his red hair whipping in the wind, a slightly strained smile on his face.
Kaoru frowned. "Captain, given that you so recently survived a shipwreck, do you think it's wise for you to be on deck?" She asked, her voice concerned.
Kenshin's smile broadened. "I'm heartened by your concern, Captain. But I'm fine. What's a shipwreck or two to a sailor?"
Kaoru's frown disappeared and she almost smiled. "Sano, find an extra lifeline for the Captain here." She said, waving a hand in Kenshin's direction. He nodded and went in search of more rope, but not before giving Kenshin a rude glare.
"You seem almost unnaturally calm." Kenshin observed, his attention fully on Kaoru.
Kaoru shrugged. "I've spent almost my entire life on this ship, Captain. I trust her to protect me." She reached out and patted the figurehead that gazed unblinking into the storm.
Sano returned and handed Kenshin a length of rope. "Here." He said, gruffly, shoving the rope at the man. Ignoring the challenge in his voice, Kenshin thanked him and secured the rope around his waist.
Kaoru turned away from the storm and eyed her crew. "Batten down, men!" She shouted. They scurried about, securing the rigging and a few disappeared down into the bowels of the ship to pass the word to the few crewmembers who remained below.
The wind became fiercer, whipping the water into frothing, rabid waves that slapped the ship hard enough to make it shudder. The first few fat drops of rain hit the deck, preceding the rest of the storm, which was not far behind.
"Lie to, men!" She yelled, giving her crew the order to stop the ship's progress. Lying to meant that the sails would be turned so that they were working against each other, causing the ship to move forward and then back in a holding pattern to wait out the storm.
"Secure your lifelines and watch those sails!" She shouted. "This one is going to be nasty!" It was as though her words gave the storm permission to strike. The wind became almost hurricane like in its speed and intensity, driving the rain against the crew like tiny knives. Kaoru continued to shout orders at her men, but her voice was drowned out by the howling of the wind and the sound of the water crashing against the ship.
The men struggled to move against the gale, their duties as well known to them as their own names. Some struggled with the sails, working their hardest to keep the ship from moving off from its course, others kept careful watch of the lifelines, ensuring that none of their crewmates would be lost to the sea. Kamatari stood at the helm, fighting against the steering wheel, which wanted to spin freely and send them into oblivion. The rest of the crew scurried about, each with a singular purpose whose ultimate goal was to keep the Kami Kaze afloat.
A wave rose higher than the ship and crashed down onto the deck, the force of the impact knocking Kaoru and Kenshin into the railing, their lifelines pulling taut and then snapping them back.
Kenshin wiped the sea water from his eyes and saw Kaoru kneeling on the deck, a trickle of blood coming from her mouth. She had been slammed down into the unforgiving wood hard enough to make her bleed.
"Are you all right?" He yelled, pulling his way towards him. She couldn't hear his question over the storm, but she recognized his expression and nodded, pushing herself upright and swiping the blood off of her mouth.
Before he could come any closer, another wave broke over the deck and they were separated, as far apart as their lifelines would allow. Despite their distance and the roar of the angry sea, Kenshin still heard Kaoru's cry of alarm. He followed her line of sight and gasped.
Soujiro's rope had not been secure enough and the last wave had ripped it free of the mast. He had been so busy worrying about the other's lines that he hadn't attended to his own. Nothing stopped his body as it was flung headlong towards the sea. Quick thinking on his part had saved his life, although it seemed not for long. He dangled precariously off the prow, holding on for dear life, each punishing blow of the sea weakening his grip on the slippery wood.
Kaoru began pulling herself towards him, fighting against the rain and the wind. Kenshin followed her example, both of them inching their way towards the front of the ship. Kaoru reached the front first and tried to climb up on the railing, but her lifeline stopped her. It was not long enough to allow her to climb up onto the prow to rescue Soujiro.
She cursed. Kenshin realized her dilemma as soon as he pulled himself next to her.
"We can't reach him!" Kenshin yelled.
Kaoru cursed again. "I have never lost a man to the sea and I'm not going to start now!" She yelled, pulling her sword free of its sheath.
Kenshin's eyes widened and he shouted for her to stop, reaching for her to grab the sword from her hand, but he was too late. Deftly, she severed her lifeline, the rope pulled so taut that as she cut herself free, it sprang back towards the mast where it was secured as though it was made of rubber. Turning, she smiled at him as she plunged the sword into the deck. "I'll be right back!" She yelled and climbed out onto the prow, one hand holding onto her sword handle, the other stretching towards where Soujiro still clung.
Soujiro reached, his fingertips brushing hers, still too far for her to reach. She stretched further, her grip on the sword handle slipping. Kenshin caught her hand as it was about to slip, holding on to her hand with both of his.
She looked up at him and nodded briefly before turning her attention back to her sailor. With the few precious extra inches Kenshin gave her, she was able to grasp Soujiro's hand and begin to pull him up. As he came closer, he was able to completely let go of the prow and grab onto her arm with both his hands. Meanwhile, Kenshin struggled to pull them both back onto the deck.
Kaoru and Soujiro spilled onto the deck like freshly caught fish, both gasping for breath. Sano appeared with Kaoru's severed lifeline in his hand and a dark expression on his face. "What were you thinking?!" He yelled, barely audible over the storm. "You could have died!"
Kaoru waved him off and grabbed her lifeline, deftly wrapping it around Soujiro's waist and knotting it tight before anyone quite registered what she had done.
Sano's eyes widened and he geared up to give her another lecture.
She cut him off. "Sano! The royals are about to give way! Go and help the men before the storm carries them off!" She yelled, pointing to where a group of men fought to keep the square sails that rested beneath the topgallants from flying away. Sano glared at her a final time and then rushed to help the men, Soujiro following close behind, thanking his captain even as he ran.
Before Kaoru could attend to her own safety, another wave rose up over the railings and crashed onto the deck, fast moving water sweeping everything in its path over the side and into the sea. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fully expecting to be swept overboard.
Instead of being caught up in an icy shock of water, she found herself wrapped in a warm embrace, her face pressed into damp wool. She opened her eyes and stared at the black coat of her savior. Wind whipped strands of waterlogged red hair into her face. Captain Himura, Kenshin had saved her, again.
She could hear the quick beat of his heart, feel how his chest rose and fell with each gasping breath. When he spoke to her, his words seemed to rumble in her ears.
"Are you all right?" He asked, pulling away enough so he could see her face.
She nodded. "That's twice now you've saved my life." She said.
He smiled and she noticed that his violet eyes had gold flecks in them.
"Then I suppose we're even." He said seriously, although his eyes still smiled.
She shook her head. "No, I only saved your life once. Now I owe you." She replied with equal seriousness.
"Well then, I suppose you're right, Captain Kamiya." He said, his grip tightening on her ever so very slightly.
She raised an eyebrow. "I suppose we shouldn't be so formal anymore. You may call me Kaoru, if you'd like."
His smile was back. "Only if you call me Kenshin."
She nodded. "Kenshin it is."
He made no move to let her go and she did not seem interested in pulling away, instead, they looked at each other, scarcely aware that around them, the storm was abating.
***Glossary***
Afore: To the front of the vessel.
Ratlines: Ropes attached to a ship's shrouds that are used as ladders.
Shrouds: Support ropes attached to the masts.
Bow: The very front of the ship
Helm: Mechanical equipment used to turn the rudder
Mast: Vertical spar from which sails and spars are attached.
Royals: Square sails sitting beneath the topgallants.
Weatherdeck: Any deck located where it is exposed to the elements
Topside: Refers to the weather decks, maindeck and above.
Topgallant: Highest of the three spars used to make a mast.
All hands: Entire ship's company.
Batten down: To close or make watertight, usually referring to hatches.
Lie-to: a sailing ship lies to when, in a gale, she keeps her head as steady as possible about six points off the wind, making a little way ahead as she falls off away from the wind to avoid drifting down to leeward. For this purpose, just enough sail is set to give her forward motion as she falls away from the wind, bringing her back up to it. The main objective in lying-to is to keep the vessel in such a position with the wind on the bow that heavy seas do not break aboard.
Lifelines: ropes or wires stretched fore and aft along the decks of a ship in rough weather, so that men can hang on to them in heavy seas as a safety measure against being washed overboard.
Notes to reviewers:
Kitten Kisses: Kaoru meant that she was a pirate. She's not "just a girl". Kamatari isn't gay, just a flashy dresser. Saitou's ship name is a play on the Wolves of Mibu, the cigarette is Marlboro. Thanks for your review! It made me super happy.
Kay Kylo: Patrick O'Brian's novels are on my summer reading list. I haven't read the Horatio Hornblower book, but my mom bought the A&E version on DVD, so I plan on stealing it from her. ;)
swtrkgurlz: Would YOU call Kaoru a hag? (Yahiko: Not until she drops the sword!)
Vesca: Kaoru likes her boots too much to ruin them, but she will definitely beat some sense in Aoshi.
shishigami13: She won her crew's respect because she CAN fight. That will become pretty obvious around chapter 6.
Thanks to everyone else who reviewed! I love you guys! *sniff*