This one was fun to write. Do not own SC characters. Hope you like it!

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Chapter 14:Voyage with a Not So Ordinary Maiden

Taki and Sophitia had both been discreet on the ship that has been out to sea for about a month and a half, they were halfway there. But to Taki it was only a matter for time before the men became suspicious.

Sophitia's process had become complete by now; she now had light bronze fur that had the length of a short-haired cat. Taki specifically told her that she must keep her cloak on at all times, no matter what. She even had to keep her hood up because of her cat-like ears with the tips going above her head. Taki had also told her not to look straight at a man she might speak to because they might notice her canines that grew in as well. Her clawed hands weren't really a problem because the sleeves were long enough and Taki didn't think that anyone would really notice anyway.

Taki could remember when her fur first started to show, Sophitia was so annoyed by her own fur that she tried to shave it off with her sword, but it was no use it would just grow right back in a matter of minutes.

She could also remember how Sophitia thought that her ears had an advantage and disadvantage; the advantage was that she could now hear what all the men were saying so if any said that they were suspicious, she would know and lower her profile. The disadvantage was that she could hear when men would speak rudely of either her or Taki by saying how badly they would like to sleep either of them. She would almost lose her temper in a split second if she heard them say that about Taki, she was even liking the idea of walking up to them from behind and stabbing them in the back and listening to their final yell of pain, but she tried her best not to do so.

Taki watched with a smirk on her face as Sophitia stared at the water passing below them, her eyes were fixed on something, she didn't even blink.

"What kind are passing now?" Taki asked the cloaked figure next to her with a smile.

"Blue fish, lots and lots of blue fish..." Sophitia informed her eyes never moving to another target. Taki tried her best not to giggle as Sophitia licked her lips. This certainly was the first time Sophitia stared at fish on the voyage. She started doing this even before her fur grew out, not only this, but when the crew would bring the wind sail up and down, Sophitia would eye the rope with in their hands, Taki could tell she had a strong urge to bat it with her clawed hand.

'Poor girl has countless cuts on her lips because of those canines. She can eat meat without utensils now; she can rip right through them. I've seen the crew stare at her in awe as she eats meat like she hasn't eaten in days. I'm sure her meat of choice right now is fish.' Taki chuckled, though of course she would be interested in nothing but fish; she's a cat-beast!

Sophitia suddenly jerked a little over the railing of the ship, staring at her target in even greater awe; looks like her target is playing with her senses and the predator inside of her is enjoying her prey's little game as it swam in the ocean.

Taki's eyes widened; 'She looks like she's about to jump over!' Taki was about to pull her back to bring her back into reality but then she noticed something moving excitedly inside her cloak near the hem. "Sophitia! Your tail!" Taki tried to whisper as she grabbed her tail from the outside of the cloak to stop it. Her tail moved frantically in her hands for a few seconds then stopped. She looked up to find Sophitia looking down at her with eyes betraying surprise, then slowly relaxed. It seems that Sophitia didn't notice that Taki yelled at her to stop her tail, she was too busy eyeing the fish below.

"Sorry... sometimes I do things and I don't even notice remember?" Sophitia spoke in a soft voice.

"Yeah, well, these 'things' are happening more often that you think." Taki let go of Sophitia's tail and stood up straight looking right at Sophitia. "Do you know what'll happen if people start noticing that something's moving underneath your cloak!?"

"Yes, yes, I know, I'm sorry." Sophitia's head lowered as she looked out to sea.

Taki sighed and rubbed her hand across her face. "Just watch yourself, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you. I mean my finding you sleeping on the railing of the boat is one thing, but climbing over it to get some fish!?"

"I couldn't help it! It felt like the fish was challenging me to try and catch them, and I could feel my mouth watering at the thought." Sophitia defended.

"I know it's difficult but try to remember who you really are, okay?"

"I know perfectly well who I am!" Sophitia suddenly turned to her, looking at her straight in the eye as if Taki's sentence almost a threat.

"I know you do but that seems to be slipping from your knowledge lately." Taki stated.

"I-"Sophitia suddenly stopped and yelled loudly as she bent over and placed her hands over her ears. Everyone nearby turned to stare at her for a few second then slowly turned away thinking it was nothing, just being dramatic over something.

"What's the matter?" Taki walked closer to place a hand on her back, but she stood up before she had a chance to. Sophitia kept one hand on her head, her face portrayed confusion.

"My head hurt for a couple of seconds." Sophitia rubbed her head, her face showing slight pain by trying to remember the feel of the strange happening. 'It was like the sound of a high pitch screech of some sort.' "But I'm fine now." Sophitia stated plainly as she turned to look at the sea again as if it never happened.

Taki just watched her with concern spread across her face. 'What was that about?'

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The sea glistened with the colors of the twilight sky, Sophitia hadn't moved much; she figured it'd be for her own good if she didn't look straight down because otherwise she'd spot another school of appetizing fish. She never knew why she liked the thought of just diving in and catching one, she would just become entranced by them and start to feel a sudden hunger. Once she caught herself thinking 'you can't get away from me...' when she watched a school of fish race against the boat.

What happened earlier that day in her head was the strangest thing; it was like receiving a sharp migraine for two seconds then suddenly disappearing, it couldn't be because of the sea; it would be too sudden.

She was thankful that Taki was here though, otherwise she would jumped off the boat days ago. 'She may be strict at times but she looks out for me.' She looked up to Taki's direction, which was on the edge of the boat and a few feet away from her.

She gazed at the woman who leaned on the railing and stared at the amber sky. Her tied up ebony hair swayed in the wind and seemed to shine the colors of the sky as it did. Sophitia stared even more at Taki's focused eyes that reflected the light of the ocean and sky together. Her eyes almost looked like they were divine. She wanted nothing more than to walk over and wrap her arms around her waist and watch the remainder of the sunset with her. 'But if I do that, knowing her, she'll probably just get suspicious and push me away.'

"Argh!" The pain in Sophitia's head struck her again, this time it was longer and a little harder, making her fall to her knees and grabbing her ears again as she fell. Grunting until the pain stopped, which was five seconds later, she felt soft yet strong arms around her, keeping her from falling over. She looked up to see the same sky-light eyes that she marveled at a few seconds ago. Her gaze softened as she felt so comfortable in her arms and let her head fall back on Taki's shoulder and closed her eyes just to savor it as long as she could.

"It happened again!?" Taki asked the figure who leaned upon her. Sophitia merely nodded, her eyes still closed. "Does this always happen to you when your on a boat?"

"No." Sophitia answered plainly. She heard footstep that became louder and louder as they finally stopped before her. Taki and Sophitia looked up to find the first mate looking down upon them with a face that could either be a smirk or a scowl, it was rather hard to tell.

"Listen, Greek, you're making an awful lot of noise for such a frail-looking woman." He stated, to both their surprise, in Greek.

"How should you know how frail I am when I'm under a cloak idiot?" Sophitia suddenly asked sarcastically. This was the first time she had ever spoke to someone like that, but considering that he broke a moment that could've grown and that he was willing to take Sophitia for his own, she was in no mood to be considerate. Plus the beast within her was speaking mostly and she let it say whatever it willed her to.

"Well I can get the hint by how weak you seem to be. Do you have any idea how annoying and noisy you've been?" He raised an eyebrow.

Sophitia's eyes narrowed. "Depends upon how long you've been watching me. That and the fact that I don't care."

"Oh you don't care huh? Okay, well then just for that you've been labeled as stowaways, unless I take your 'ninja' friend here as payment. I would enjoy the extra fun." The first mate grinned evilly at Taki, who narrowed her eyes and was ready to pull out her Rekki-Maru, but Sophitia already jumped in before she did.

"I'm sorry, but over my dead body." Sophitia stated as she stood up right in front of him.

He chuckled. "That can be arranged."

"Oh I'm sure it can." Sophitia stated sarcastically as she suddenly had the urge to show the first mate what he was really dealing with. She removed her hood and watched as the first mate's smirk turned into an expression of surprise and horror. She heard Taki gasp in surprise.

"What're you doing!?!?" Taki scolded. The first mate pointed at Sophitia with a fear shaken hand.

"DEMO-"Before he could say anything else, Sophitia's canines pierced his neck. Taki just stared wide-eyed as she did so. The two watched as Sophitia's victim slid from her canines and fell to the floor. Sophitia could taste the blood that enveloped her teeth.

"You could've just stabbed him at least! Why did you bite him!?" Taki whispered so that the others wouldn't hear, although her whisper was a failed attempt. Sophitia just stared at her victim, in silence.

"It... It was a reflex, I didn't know that I was going to do that, but..." Sophitia gulped. "I think someone whispered in my head to do so." Sophitia lowered her voice, she slowly looked up as if she just disregarded what just happened. "That's what he gets for almost calling me a demon."

"Someone whispered it?" Taki asked in a tone of disbelief. "Maybe it was just your inner beast speaking to you."

'Maybe." Sophitia looked down at the first mate's corpse, his face still portrayed horror. Taki figured his yell might have attracted others so she thought the only way to get rid of the body was to dump it over board. Taki did it herself thinking that Sophitia had done enough.

"Well, at least he won't give us anymore trouble." Taki stated as she watched the body hit the water.

"Heh... right." Sophitia didn't pay much attention to what Taki said, only to the whisper that she heard, the voice was sounded like someone whispering to you from the other end of a labyrinth; it was so dim. 'Maybe Taki was right; maybe it was nothing.'

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You'll find out where the whispers are coming from in the next chapter: "Divine Intervention" This one poured out of me as well and I know that Sophitia biting someone's neck like a vampire is a bit of a shock but I had to do it.

To better explain Sophitia's headache, think of it as the sound that happens when a microphone and speaker are too close together and is ringing loudly in your head.

To Aeris Savior: Link would be a good addition, it's just finding a place to stick him in is the problem....

To PriestessLennoue: Yeah, I feel bad for Sophitia as well, not much you can do besides pound them into the ground to teach them a lesson. Lol.