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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Rumiko Takahashi characters named here, nor do I own Charlie's Angels. I do not own a katana, either.
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"The problem has been taken care of, VD."
Vicious Dragon listened with satisfaction to Dr. Suikotsu's report. "Any trouble along the way?" he asked the physician.
"No trouble except for that woman's seasickness. I've never seen someone throw up their toenails before," Dr. Suikotsu answered. "We transferred them over to a boat outside the harbor."
"Good. Who's watching them?" Vicious Dragon asked.
"Couple of local boys we've used on jobs before. They can be trusted to take care of things and keep their mouths shut."
"And are they clear on their instructions? The woman is useless except as a possible bargaining chip with Naraku, but that child is our backup if anything goes wrong with this assignment. I don't want her harmed in any way whatsoever, is that understood?" Vicious Dragon threatened. "It will be you, my dear doctor, who will pay for any mishaps."
Vicious Dragon ended the call and leaned back in his chair. He was a patient man, he mused. Instead of forcing things like the other fools, he'd simply waited and filled his time quite lucratively with hired murders while quietly planning. But his real dream, his true goal, was now within reach.
At last, he had found what he had been searching for all of these years. Who would have thought she would be right under his nose, in the hands of such a worthless individual? Even now, he could hardly believe it. If he hadn't seen the proof with his own eyes, and by the merest chance of fateā¦ah, but was it chance or was it destiny? He preferred to believe the latter. She was destined to be his, his and no one else's!
Now it was time to get rid of her master, the one whose death he craved so badly that it left the tang of blood in his mouth. How should I do this? Vicious Dragon pondered as he lovingly stroked the smooth patina of his heavy antique writing desk. He wanted the master's death to be payment for the years of forced waiting, for the longing he felt every time he thought at her unique beauty and knew what was missing from his life.
The empty scabbard laying in the stand upon the special glass display case called to him. Vicious Dragon picked it up and held it to the light, caressing the beautiful casing. "Soon," he murmured as he clasped the sheath to his chest in a loving embrace, "soon you will have your mate, your beautiful katana." He tenderly kissed the scabbard before placing it back in the stand.
******
"Sango?" Miroku turned the sound down on the television program they were watching.
"Mmmm?" Sango was draped across his lap, her head lying on his shoulder.
"As much as I hate the thought, you need to let me up so I go back and take care of Shampoo," Miroku said. "I've had her shut in my rooms for a while now and she's probably getting hungry."
"She's probably shredding your curtains right now," Sango warned. "All right, I guess you need to feed the kitty from hell. I'm really sorry I ever found that demon fluff ball." She stood up and stretched.
Miroku watched her lithe figure as she lifted her arms to the ceiling and yawned. She had a cute way of wriggling when she stretched, and it sent waves of heat pulsing through him. He reached out and yanked her back down to the couch, pulling her half underneath him in the process.
"Sango," he whispered in between kissing her hungrily. "Sango, I need you like air." She gave a soft sigh and began slowly stroking her hands up and down his back. Miroku moaned as she kissed his ear and ran a delicate fingertip along the earrings he wore. The sensation was incredible. He slid a hand beneath her blouse and stroked the satin skin of her stomach, reveling in the delighted little breaths she took. Holding her, kissing her, touching her, it made every nerve in his body hum. He could hear his own heart pounding in his ears as his hand moved upwards to cup her sweet curves.
She abruptly pulled away from him. "What?" she gasped, pointing.
The pounding wasn't in his ears, it was against the wall. Suddenly a portion of the wall was knocked away, and through the crumbling plaster stepped the long-haired beauty from the night before. She was dressed in Chinese clothing and Miroku recognized the weapons she carried as being a set of bonbories.
The woman pointed the heavy ball end of the weapon at Sango. "You is obstacle!" she shouted at Sango. "Obstacle is for killing!"
******
"AAAAIIIIIIEEEEE! Make her stop, Hakkaku! Make her stop!"
Kagura awakened and bolted upright from the bunk. Apparently it was the wrong move, because she immediately landed in a heap on the floor, retching. The door to her cabin burst open and a young man sporting a Mohawk hairdo entered, stepping gingerly to avoid the vomiting Kagura. "Quit fooling around, Ginta! We got big problems in here! The other one's awake!"
The one named Ginta poked his head around the cabin door. "Blechh," he commented, shaking his skunk-patterned hair. "You mean she hasn't quit throwing up yet? I thought that doctor gave her something. Ow! Stop that, you little brat!"
Rin was riding Ginta's back and tugging on his hair. "Gittyup, horsie!" she ordered as she smacked his head. "You're supposed to go when I tell you to!"
"No more horsie!" Ginta said as he pulled Rin forcibly from his back. "I've got work to do. Go help your Nanny or something," he said, gesturing towards Kagura.
"Miss Kagura, you're awake! You slept a long, long time! That doctor had to carry you off the boat because you were taking a nap. Aren't you too old for naps? I'm a big girl, so I don't need them anymore, but sometimes I take one anyway because Daddy says he needs a nap. How come grownups are always tired?" Rin tackled her in a bear hug then drew back wrinkling her pert little nose. "Miss Kagura, you don't smell very good."
She probably didn't smell good, Kagura agreed, but she couldn't answer. Her stomach was roiling again and she doubled over in pain. Every time she moved her head the room would spin around her. I can't give in, she thought, not when Rin needs me. The nausea hit her with full force and she whimpered in agony.
Hakkaku picked Kagura up and carried her up the small steps to a small shower compartment on the deck. Yanking the door open, he dumped her unceremoniously inside the enclosure and turned the water on full blast. "Easiest way to take care of that," Kagura heard him mutter as he walked away.
As the cold water sprayed through her clothes and hair, Kagura realized she could no longer swallow easily. Her tongue seemed to be made of some thick leathery material. She licked a few droplets of water running down her face then gave up the effort. For some reason she wasn't thirsty anymore, and anyway, her head hurt too much to move. With trembling hands, she reached up and shut off the water.
Ginta was walking past the shower enclosure and speaking into a cell phone. "Yeah, the broad's awake. Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. I know, I know, don't hurt the kid! We got it already!" Kagura heard him hang up the phone and curse soundly. "Yeesh! Hey, Hakkaku! Is that mess cleaned up in the cabin yet?"
"I think we need to skip the bleach and just grab some gasoline and matches. How can one person throw up this much?" Hakkaku yelled back. "Why don't you get your sorry ass down here and help me?"
"Can't! I gotta keep the kid entertained!" Ginta hollered back.
The sound of Rin's footsteps echoed against the deck. "Hey, mister, come back here! We're supposed to be playing Noble Lady!"
Ginta groaned. "I don't want to play that game anymore!" he told Rin.
"You're supposed to call me 'My Lady', Servant! I, Rin, am a Noble Lady, daughter of the Lord of the Western Lands! Bow before me, insolent wretch!" Rin commanded. "I said 'Bow'! That means you get on your knees! Don't you know how to play anything?"
"Ouch! Don't kick me, you little brat!" Ginta howled. "Hakkaku! Do something!"
"Wretch, bow before your betters!" Rin ordered. "This Lady Rin commands you to show respect!"
"Hakkaku!"
"Dammit Ginta, just play whatever game she wants to play! How hard can that be?" Hakkaku yelled. "And keep the noise down, I'm trying to listen to the marine report!"
"Listen, brat - "
"You will call me 'My Lady', wretch!"
"My Lady," Ginta ground out through clenched teeth. "Okay. Let's play your game. What do you want, I mean, what does My Lady desire?"
"This Lady Rin wishes to dine! Servant, bring bologna sandwiches!" Rin said imperiously. Kagura felt a brief flash of pity for the hapless Ginta. She'd played this game with Rin on occasion, and Rin could be a demanding Noble Lady indeed.
"Didn't your Nanny feed you before you left? No, don't kick me again! Okay, My Lady, we'll do as you command." Kagura heard him stomping down the stairs to the small galley. "But we don't have bologna. How about corned beef?"
"Corned beef? Lady Rin does not desire such common food! This Rin wishes for bologna!"
"We don't have it, kid! Ow! We don't have bologna, My Lady!" Ginta slammed some cabinet doors. "Look! See for yourself!"
Cans were being tossed to the floor as Rin dug through the cabinets. "Then this Rin shall have a peanut butter sandwich!" Kagura heard her exclaim exultantly. "Servant, prepare a peanut butter sandwich!"
A few minutes passed with only the occasional order from Rin telling Ginta to move more quickly or suffer her wrath. Then Kagura heard Rin yell. "Servant! This is not the proper way to cut the sandwich!"
Ginta had apparently had enough. "Listen, you'll eat that sandwich the way it's served or you'll go hungry!"
Rin started to wail. "Miss Kagura cuts the yucky part of the sandwich off! And she knows how to play 'Noble Lady' and she lets me help her make the sandwich! I want Miss Kagura! You don't know how to play the game right and you aren't nice and Miss Kagura is nice and she calls me Littlebit and she sleeps on my Daddy's lap and I like her way better than you! I want Miss Kagura!" She had worked herself into a full blown fit by this time, and Kagura heard her kicking the floor with her feet.
"Stop crying, kid! Please stop crying! I'll cut your sandwich the way you want it cut! Hakkaku, get in here!" Ginta yelled helplessly.
Kagura heard Hakkaku and Ginta pleading with the crying child. Now, she decided, she needed to act now. She crawled from the shower enclosure and slid along the deck. The sun was setting and the wind had picked up, making the boat shift worse than ever. Through the waning light, she could see that they were anchored outside a harbor and there were other ships in the distance. The boats were too far to hear her shout, but if she flashed a distress signal or a flare?
The box containing the safety equipment was labeled clearly. Unfortunately, it was at the forefront of the deck, mounted securely against the railing. Kagura pulled herself to it, keeping an ear open in case either of the men returned. From the sounds coming below deck, they had their hands full with Rin.
All she had to do now was to stand upright and open the box. Grabbing onto the ship's railing, she attempted to pull herself up on shaking legs. It took a few tries, but Kagura was finally able to stay upright. She slumped over the railing for a moment, trying to gather enough strength to open the box.
A large wave washed over the deck and retreated, taking Kagura's helpless form with it. She struggled with the last of her strength to get above the surface of the water and float. As she bobbed along in the waves she could see the boat receding from her vision. A current was carrying her out towards the open sea.
She'd never make it, she realized. She was too weak to keep floating, and no one would be able to hear her cries for help. The waves tossed her relentlessly, and Kagura began to slowly sink lower into the water. So this is what it's like to die, she thought as a peaceful lassitude came over her. Pictures started moving before her eyes, and the quacking sound of the ocean calmed her considerably.
Quacking? Of course, the duck is quacking. The duck looked at her through thick glasses and she reached out to pet it. Such a pretty duck, she thought as she slid into the darkness.
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A/N: Can't have Shampoo without some Mousse, now can we? A few responses:
Elementsofmine: You wish this was a get-the-girl-so-then-the-guy-will-melt situation. My sense of humor is far too twisted to allow them to be rescued by any of the main protagonists :P
Asteria: I don't know what Happosai is doing right now, but you won't see him because I'm keeping him *far* away from my characters. *clobbers Happosai with pervert-smashing mallet*
Jihye-chan: There are no original characters in this fic. For every person presented, I have found an actual character to fill the role (this includes VD). Keep guessing, 'cause I'm not telling!
Thanks so much to all of you for reading and reviewing! *offers slice of leftover pizza*
