Letter of Marque
Sequel to Between the Devil and the Deep
A Rurouni Kenshin AU Fic
by Gemini
Rated R: For cursing and other naughty things
Disclaimer: This Rurouni Kenshin franchise is owned and operated by Earl "Nobuhiro" Watsuki,
Tim "Shonen" Jump and "Sony" Jones. There are also a few silent partners I can't recall.
The events in this story take place one year after the end of 'Between the Devil and the Deep'
Chapter 13: Revenge
Soujiro skidded around the corner of the warehouse, breathing hard. Ahead of him, he heard the sound of Aoshi's voice, calling out to Niimi and Kanryuu, promising pain and death. He cursed and pushed himself to run faster, he had to get to Aoshi before something bad happened. The navigator was good with a blade, everyone on the Kami Kaze was, but he was no match for two armed pirates who would have no compulsion to play fair when cornered.
From the general direction he was going, Soujiro guessed that Niimi and Kanryuu were heading to their ship for reinforcements. He suddenly wished that he had told someone where he was going before running off after his crewmate. If the two pirates made it back to their ship, he and Aoshi would be screwed.
As if to confirm the grim turn his thoughts had taken, he heard the sound of a gunshot. Soujiro cursed, worried since he knew Aoshi didn't have a gun. The navigator had dropped it in the melee, which meant that either Niimi or Kanryuu had decided to waylay their pursuer.
Soujiro ran faster, careening around yet another building and into a dank alleyway. He heard yelling and the rhythmic thudding of feet rushing away from him. He prayed that he wasn't too late. He let out a gasping breath of relief when the sound of his crewmate cursing loudly reached his ears, and ran towards the voice. His crewmate came in to view seconds later, prompting another relieved gasp. "Aoshi!" Soujiro called out, skidding to a halt beside his friend. He took a moment to catch his wind before speaking up again. "What…?"
Grimacing, Aoshi waved him off and rose to his feet, his right hand holding tight onto his left shoulder, which was bleeding sluggishly. "They ran like fucking cowards to their ship." He growled angrily.
"Maybe we should take this as a sign and get back to the others." Soujiro said while nervously looking around, hoping that Niimi and Kanryuu weren't already on their way back with reinforcements. "We can take on a dozen armed men, not a hundred."
"I can't let them go, Soujiro. I can't."
"Aoshi, now isn't the right time. They got away, but Kaoru promised you vengeance and she's never let any of us down before." Soujiro put his hand on Aoshi's good shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "Now come on, let's get the hell out of here, Misao's waiting for you back on the ship."
Aoshi's shoulders slumped. He took one last look in the direction where the two pirates had disappeared before allowing Soujiro to steer him back towards the warehouse.
They ran into Sano halfway there. He was pale, covered with blood and looked worried. "Chou's been badly hurt, we gotta get back to the ship." He said gruffly, eyeing Aoshi's arm. "And you look like you need Megumi, too."
Aoshi nodded stiffly, still angry that he had been denied his vengeance.
Sano glanced at Soujiro who shook his head slightly, ending any potential questions before they could be asked. With nothing left to say, the three of them walked silently back to the docks.
The rest of the crew was waiting by the long boats, watching over Chou, who was cursing loudly. "Where's the Captain?" Soujiro asked as Aoshi boarded the boat and gingerly sat as far away from Chou as he could without jumping into the water.
"She's inside, with Captain Himura." Sano said with a small smirk.
Soujiro raised his eyebrows and glanced over at the doorway of the warehouse. "What about the Admiral? And Katsu?"
"She's taking care of it."
Kenshin grabbed Kaoru's hand and kissed it, his eyes alight with happiness. "I'll find you, Kaoru, I promise."
She grinned and pulled her hand away, a slight flush spilling over her face. "Well then that's settled."
"This is very romantic, really, but what about this asshole?" Katsu asked, getting their attention as he gave the Admiral a swift kick in the ribs with his good leg. The Admiral grunted in pain.
"Thanks for reminding me, Katsu. Now where's my gun?" Kaoru replied, looking around Kenshin to where he had thrown her gun earlier.
"Don't kill him, Kaoru." Kenshin said quietly.
"He deserves it." She murmured darkly, her eyes flashing with anger.
"I agree completely." Kenshin glanced down at the prostrate man. "Admiral Hijikata has plans for him, plans that probably involve Captain Saitou. I personally think that whatever Saitou has in store for the Admiral is much worse than death, don't you?"
Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise briefly, but then that expression vanished and was replaced by one of amused satisfaction. "Why, Kenshin, I think you're right."
The Admiral whimpered.
"Captain, I hate to interrupt, but I think we'd better get the fuck out of here." Sano yelled through the doorway. "If Captain Himura could find us, then the Navy can't be too far behind."
Kaoru waved him away and looked down at the Admiral. "Frankly, sir, I have to say, you would have been better off with me since I was only planning on torturing you a little before I killed you. Captain Saitou, however, strikes me as the kind of man who likes to take his time." She knelt down by where the Admiral was slumped and looked him straight in the eye. "If, by the grace of some foolish god you survive your meeting with the Captain, then I might feel motivated to finish this conversation. It all depends on Katsu's good will." She straightened, and then, glanced back down at him for one last parting shot. "Oh, and I wouldn't bother escaping if I were you. I have very good aim and a very short temper, so sit back and await your fate like a good little admiral."
She turned away and smiled genially at her lover. "Kenshin, help me get Katsu to the longboats, would you?"
Kaoru and Kenshin held Katsu up between them, helping the injured man limp quickly to the waiting boats. Sano took him from the two and lowered him next to Chou, who was taking being injured very badly. The moment Katsu was settled, Sano and Shikijo pulled the boat loose from its moorings and began rowing quickly away, taking the injured to Megumi. The other boat, with the rest of Kaoru's men, waited patiently for the captain.
Before Kenshin could say anything, Kaoru grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him into a fast, rough kiss. "Don't say goodbye." She whispered against his lips, before pulling away with a very cat-with-cream smile. "I'll be seeing you, after all."
He smiled back and brushed back a stray bit of hair from her face. "Indeed you will, Kaoru."
She jumped into the longboat and pulled the rope from the dock. "You'd probably better get out of here, too, Kenshin." She said with a grin as her men began rowing away. "It might be difficult to explain your presence since you are just a civilian now."
He raised his hand in acknowledgement and watched her boat as it moved quickly towards where the Kami Kaze lay in wait, at the mouth of the harbor. He watched until he couldn't see her face anymore and then, hearing the yells and general clatter of soldiers on the march towards the warehouse, he slipped away, and was gone when Lieutenant Okita and his men stormed the warehouse and found only dead or wounded pirates and one mewling, sniveling soon to be-former admiral raving about conspiracies, pirates and duplicitous Navy captains.
A/N: Short chapter, but the story is not over! There's one more chapter and then...happy sigh
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed everything thus far. You know, I've never asked before, but I'm working on setting up
a little sub-site just for BTDATD and LOM, and I'd love to get some fan art for the page. ChiisaiLammy sent me a wonderful
illustration of the party scene at the beginning of LOM (you can see it at my fanfiction page) and I would really like to get more.
Mostly because it makes me happy. Thanks for your support and your nice reviews!
Happy 4th of July for you Americans out there! For everyone else, um, have a nice weekend!
Sequel to Between the Devil and the Deep
A Rurouni Kenshin AU Fic
by Gemini
Rated R: For cursing and other naughty things
Disclaimer: This Rurouni Kenshin franchise is owned and operated by Earl "Nobuhiro" Watsuki,
Tim "Shonen" Jump and "Sony" Jones. There are also a few silent partners I can't recall.
The events in this story take place one year after the end of 'Between the Devil and the Deep'
Chapter 13: Revenge
Soujiro skidded around the corner of the warehouse, breathing hard. Ahead of him, he heard the sound of Aoshi's voice, calling out to Niimi and Kanryuu, promising pain and death. He cursed and pushed himself to run faster, he had to get to Aoshi before something bad happened. The navigator was good with a blade, everyone on the Kami Kaze was, but he was no match for two armed pirates who would have no compulsion to play fair when cornered.
From the general direction he was going, Soujiro guessed that Niimi and Kanryuu were heading to their ship for reinforcements. He suddenly wished that he had told someone where he was going before running off after his crewmate. If the two pirates made it back to their ship, he and Aoshi would be screwed.
As if to confirm the grim turn his thoughts had taken, he heard the sound of a gunshot. Soujiro cursed, worried since he knew Aoshi didn't have a gun. The navigator had dropped it in the melee, which meant that either Niimi or Kanryuu had decided to waylay their pursuer.
Soujiro ran faster, careening around yet another building and into a dank alleyway. He heard yelling and the rhythmic thudding of feet rushing away from him. He prayed that he wasn't too late. He let out a gasping breath of relief when the sound of his crewmate cursing loudly reached his ears, and ran towards the voice. His crewmate came in to view seconds later, prompting another relieved gasp. "Aoshi!" Soujiro called out, skidding to a halt beside his friend. He took a moment to catch his wind before speaking up again. "What…?"
Grimacing, Aoshi waved him off and rose to his feet, his right hand holding tight onto his left shoulder, which was bleeding sluggishly. "They ran like fucking cowards to their ship." He growled angrily.
"Maybe we should take this as a sign and get back to the others." Soujiro said while nervously looking around, hoping that Niimi and Kanryuu weren't already on their way back with reinforcements. "We can take on a dozen armed men, not a hundred."
"I can't let them go, Soujiro. I can't."
"Aoshi, now isn't the right time. They got away, but Kaoru promised you vengeance and she's never let any of us down before." Soujiro put his hand on Aoshi's good shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "Now come on, let's get the hell out of here, Misao's waiting for you back on the ship."
Aoshi's shoulders slumped. He took one last look in the direction where the two pirates had disappeared before allowing Soujiro to steer him back towards the warehouse.
They ran into Sano halfway there. He was pale, covered with blood and looked worried. "Chou's been badly hurt, we gotta get back to the ship." He said gruffly, eyeing Aoshi's arm. "And you look like you need Megumi, too."
Aoshi nodded stiffly, still angry that he had been denied his vengeance.
Sano glanced at Soujiro who shook his head slightly, ending any potential questions before they could be asked. With nothing left to say, the three of them walked silently back to the docks.
The rest of the crew was waiting by the long boats, watching over Chou, who was cursing loudly. "Where's the Captain?" Soujiro asked as Aoshi boarded the boat and gingerly sat as far away from Chou as he could without jumping into the water.
"She's inside, with Captain Himura." Sano said with a small smirk.
Soujiro raised his eyebrows and glanced over at the doorway of the warehouse. "What about the Admiral? And Katsu?"
"She's taking care of it."
Kenshin grabbed Kaoru's hand and kissed it, his eyes alight with happiness. "I'll find you, Kaoru, I promise."
She grinned and pulled her hand away, a slight flush spilling over her face. "Well then that's settled."
"This is very romantic, really, but what about this asshole?" Katsu asked, getting their attention as he gave the Admiral a swift kick in the ribs with his good leg. The Admiral grunted in pain.
"Thanks for reminding me, Katsu. Now where's my gun?" Kaoru replied, looking around Kenshin to where he had thrown her gun earlier.
"Don't kill him, Kaoru." Kenshin said quietly.
"He deserves it." She murmured darkly, her eyes flashing with anger.
"I agree completely." Kenshin glanced down at the prostrate man. "Admiral Hijikata has plans for him, plans that probably involve Captain Saitou. I personally think that whatever Saitou has in store for the Admiral is much worse than death, don't you?"
Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise briefly, but then that expression vanished and was replaced by one of amused satisfaction. "Why, Kenshin, I think you're right."
The Admiral whimpered.
"Captain, I hate to interrupt, but I think we'd better get the fuck out of here." Sano yelled through the doorway. "If Captain Himura could find us, then the Navy can't be too far behind."
Kaoru waved him away and looked down at the Admiral. "Frankly, sir, I have to say, you would have been better off with me since I was only planning on torturing you a little before I killed you. Captain Saitou, however, strikes me as the kind of man who likes to take his time." She knelt down by where the Admiral was slumped and looked him straight in the eye. "If, by the grace of some foolish god you survive your meeting with the Captain, then I might feel motivated to finish this conversation. It all depends on Katsu's good will." She straightened, and then, glanced back down at him for one last parting shot. "Oh, and I wouldn't bother escaping if I were you. I have very good aim and a very short temper, so sit back and await your fate like a good little admiral."
She turned away and smiled genially at her lover. "Kenshin, help me get Katsu to the longboats, would you?"
Kaoru and Kenshin held Katsu up between them, helping the injured man limp quickly to the waiting boats. Sano took him from the two and lowered him next to Chou, who was taking being injured very badly. The moment Katsu was settled, Sano and Shikijo pulled the boat loose from its moorings and began rowing quickly away, taking the injured to Megumi. The other boat, with the rest of Kaoru's men, waited patiently for the captain.
Before Kenshin could say anything, Kaoru grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him into a fast, rough kiss. "Don't say goodbye." She whispered against his lips, before pulling away with a very cat-with-cream smile. "I'll be seeing you, after all."
He smiled back and brushed back a stray bit of hair from her face. "Indeed you will, Kaoru."
She jumped into the longboat and pulled the rope from the dock. "You'd probably better get out of here, too, Kenshin." She said with a grin as her men began rowing away. "It might be difficult to explain your presence since you are just a civilian now."
He raised his hand in acknowledgement and watched her boat as it moved quickly towards where the Kami Kaze lay in wait, at the mouth of the harbor. He watched until he couldn't see her face anymore and then, hearing the yells and general clatter of soldiers on the march towards the warehouse, he slipped away, and was gone when Lieutenant Okita and his men stormed the warehouse and found only dead or wounded pirates and one mewling, sniveling soon to be-former admiral raving about conspiracies, pirates and duplicitous Navy captains.
A/N: Short chapter, but the story is not over! There's one more chapter and then...happy sigh
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed everything thus far. You know, I've never asked before, but I'm working on setting up
a little sub-site just for BTDATD and LOM, and I'd love to get some fan art for the page. ChiisaiLammy sent me a wonderful
illustration of the party scene at the beginning of LOM (you can see it at my fanfiction page) and I would really like to get more.
Mostly because it makes me happy. Thanks for your support and your nice reviews!
Happy 4th of July for you Americans out there! For everyone else, um, have a nice weekend!