AN: I'm sorry about not being so quick to update this one. I've been asked to start two fics that I originally had no intention of starting to write until I was done with this one…. Oh well! I'm gonna start updating this thing every Saturday and Thursday so I don't die from over writing.

The Swabbies

Chapter 4: Sailing the Sea

Summary: Hiei is trying to gather a crew together to rescue his sister. Currently on board: Atticus, Kurama, Shiori, Goki, Jin, Genkai, and Touya. The ship is headed to the Pirate port town Cathra. On with the story!

Jin brushed the sweat off his forehead. "Aw cripes! We work, we eat, we work, and then after we've had a moment's breath to feel the wind we're back to work again! I think-" Jin was interrupted.

"Jin are you getting tried?" Hiei asked as he pulled a rope tight to secure a box. About halfway through the packing of the new supplies, Hiei and Kurama had come down to help.

"Aye!" Jin gasped as he heaved a large box onto his back and carried it across the room to set it down again. Hiei walked over and slapped him on the back.

"Then go up and get some rest. You've worn yourself out Spiritually and physically, I see. Go up and get yourself some dinner and go to bed." Hiei gave Jin a push in the right direction and he was all to happy to comply. "Now the rest of you slackers have to make up for Jin's share!" He yelled at Goki.

Jin walked into the kitchen in a daze. Genkai was pealing some potatoes, which she looked up from.

'Good, he was worn down to exhaustion. It'll make him stronger later.' Genkai smiled to herself as she finished the last potato. Shiori relieved her of her potatoes.

"Thank you for helping out!" Shiori bowed.

"Its alright! Your Captain goes out of his way for everyone on this ship and I'm just trying to not be an extra trip for him." Genkai pulled a chair out for Jin and sat him down in it. Jin was wide-eyed and dazed. "Stay awake. Dinner will be ready soon." Genkai ordered him. Jin nodded.

Genkai began to describe heart-pounding battle scenes to Jin, which kept him awake and herself amused. After a while the rest of the crew came in and sat down. Kurama sat at the head of the table and Hiei sat in the corner opposite the door. Everyone else found a seat. Shiori came in and put plates in front of everyone.

Kurama took the hat he had been wearing off. All the old crew members bowed their heads. Jin, Touya, and Genkai looked at each other then bowed their heads.

"Wind and wave, behave for a clam and speedy journey." Kurama recited.

"Ship and crew, be strong and unwavering for the journey." Shiori recited.

"Fate and luck, stay with us and watch over us." Goki recited.

"Day and night, along quickly and uneventfully." Atticus recited.

"Beginning and ending, come together with a stronger bond of us brothers at sea. From port to port, may the journey call us together, with hope, strength, and faith." Hiei recited. He raised his head up "Wind to your sails! Let's eat!" Everyone snapped up and began to dig into their food.

Jin was too tired to ask questions about that whole poem thing, so he shoved food in his mouth and fell asleep sitting in the chair. Touya had not been much of a heavy lifter, had also fallen asleep in his chair. Hiei chuckled.

"First day's always the longest." Hiei slung the two sleepers over his shoulders and hopped down into the hold. Atticus climbed down to ready himself for bed. The sight he saw made him chuckle. Hiei was tucking the Swabbies in. He didn't kiss them on the forehead, instead he licked his thumb and ran it across both of the sides of their noses. This officially made them Pirates.

"Trust them already?" Atticus walked over and looked down at Hiei.

"They're simpletons. They don't know any better than to be nice. Besides I'm the first person in their lives that didn't treat them like shit. Brothers at sea." He nodded. "I'll sleeping down here tonight." Hiei eyed the unclaimed cot.

"Why?" Atticus raised an eyebrow.

"I'm giving up my room for our guest. I heard Jin's antics this morning, and I think she'll be wanting her sleep." Hiei winked and began to climb the latter. "Atticus, we're shoving off. It isn't your bedtime quiet yet." Atticus sighed and followed his Captain up onto the deck. Goki had untied the boat from the dock and shoved them away.

Shiori stood at the sturn of the ship and used one of her little Reiki abilities she had. She created just enough wind to get them out of the bay without trouble. The sails where pulled open to their fullest as the sun began to set. A strong wind powered their ship in the right direction. Shiori walked back to her room. Her son sat on his bed, completely ready to go to sleep, waiting for his mother to tuck him in. She smiled as Kurama slipped into bed. She pulled the covers up to his neck and kissed him on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams…." Kurama smiled and shut his eyes. Shiori walked over to her bed and saw Hiei smiling in the door.

Yoko Kurama[1] had once been the first mate on Hiei's father's ship. Yoko had been forced to take refuge in the embryo that was Shiori's son. He had promised Hiei's father that he would watch over his son and stand by his side as a first mate for him. During a raid, Kurama and his mother had been about to be killed an Yoko surfaced and saved their lives. Hiei had also been fighting these men and Yoko made himself known to Hiei. And that is how those two had joined the crew.

The reason why Hiei was smiling is because Yoko had been like a second father to him (and still was to some extent) and watching his father be taken care of by a parent, struck him as amusing.

Atticus walked over and tapped Hiei and the shoulder, who nodded and shut the door.

"Good night." Hiei said through the door. Shiori smiled.

'My son's son. What a luck lady I am! To be surrounded by such loving people.' Those where her last thoughts before she went to sleep.

"Atticus, fate smiles on me in the weirdest ways…. I got a second mate from my father, who's stood next to my side through think and thin. And I got my first mate the my father left me back! Then I got a lady who does all those motherly things that keep me from unnecessary scratches and scrapes. I get two simpleton, yet trustworthy Swabbies without trying!" Hiei muttered absently.

"Fate does smile on you. I hope it continues to do so." Atticus went down to the hold, to finally go to sleep.

"Hey midget!" A gruff voice from behind Hiei yelled.

"Yes Ba-san?" He turned around to face Genkai.

"I'm taking first watch. You go and get yourself some sleep, those Swabbies tried you out in ways you don't realize." She informed him with a voice of great wisdom.

"You're a weird women, Ba-san. Sure, wake me in a few hours." He waved a hand at her and went to bed.

Genkai sat on the bow of the ship and looked out at the sea. 'He and I are looking for the same type of people. I think I could stand to stay on this ship for the rest of my life.'

Tougro sat on the bow of the ship he had mutinied off Jaganshi Hiei. Tougro was certain that Hiei wanted his ship back. He was also certain that Hiei wanted his sister back. But Tougro would give the lad nether.

'Too young, too nice. He's a horrible Pirate! I won't let him disgrace his father's blood. He will not have children and Yukina will bare the true heirs to this ship.' Tougro turned to the girl they had sitting in a golden cage. She was sad, but she did not cry. Yukina gazed out at sea.

'Hiei, spread your wings and fly to me!' Yukina thought to herself. She had known that her brother had mastered the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. She hoped he could find her before Tougro decided it was time to create the true heirs to this ship.

The journey was better than Hiei could have hoped. They had cloud cover, which kept the crew from sunburns. The wind had blown rather strongly in the direction they wanted it to. The currents pushed the ship in the right direction and the waves had been small.

He had kept his Swabbies, swabbing and Goki off Shiori's back. Genkai had been a big help too. Everything seemed to be perfect. They drove the ship into Cathra without mishap and docked it. That was when a fat demon with green skin and a large club approached the ship.

"Flee for docking!" He held out his hand expectantly.

"Here it is!" Hiei kicked the demon in the face. "I am Jaganshi Hiei! I don't pay your petty fees!" He bellowed. "Goki! I'm going out! You stay here and watch over the ship! Shiori! Touya! Jin! Go into town and replenish the supplies! Atticus! Kurama! You're coming with me!" Genkai walked over and grabbed his sleeve.

"We had a deal." Hiei looked at her with a smile.

"The money's yours. Take it and be off!" Genkai let go of him and he ran off with Atticus and Kurama hot on his heals. Genkai picked up the bag and gave it to Shiori.

"What?" Shiori held the bag and stared.

"I'm joining your crew, whether or not Captain likes it. That's the ship money now." Genkai walked off.

"What an interesting day!" Shiori put the money away and went off into town.

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[1] A fox demon (kitsune) that was known to be a vicious Pirate.

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AN: I have a question for my reviewers, what's the name of Hiei's father? I'd appreciate it if someone told me. If I don't get an answer I'm calling him 'Kinal'. Anyway in the next chapter: kidnapping, jailing, swabbing, and an encounter with the enemy! If you want another chapter R&R!!