AN: Like I say, I've having an awesome time writing this fic. ...There's something about hanyous and jolly rogers that shoot my cannonball, if you know what I mean... :D
Thank you to Ace of Spades and Menchi-Pie (The Incredible Karen) for their lovely comments. *grins* I'm so full of inspiration now I could just pee. :D
Onward, ho!
Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 3
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was as if she were watching the movie of her life. ...Sorta. Eyes closed, lying on the deck amidst the dull roar of a far off flame and the screams of people, Every noise that entered her ear painted vivid pictures in her mind. She could feel the vibrations of the wooden deck as both heavy and light feet pounded next to and around her, oblivious to everything else except their own plight.
But she couldn't move... matter how hard she tried. She could feel the pain of a burn on her leg throbbing with heat as she lay, strewn and helpless.
A woman screamed in the near distance. Kagome shut her eyes as tightly as she could. The raspy voice of another spoke with harsh amusement. "...Now, now, lil' lady! ...I ain't gonna hurt you just as long as you give me what I want." Then laughter.
The woman was crying and pleading, saying she'd give him anything... just to let her live. Kagome heard the familiar jingle of a coin purse along with the tearing of clothes. The woman screamed again.
With a sickening sound of shearing metal, Kagome braced herself for the abrupt cut-off to her screams. 'Pirates...' she thought. 'My gods... they have to be pirates... but how?' The sounds of more pirate voices could be heard joining the first, laughing and talking.
"Hey, Manten. Drop the broad and grab this sack!" Said one. Sadistic laughter came from another. "Yeah, some fat lady on b-deck carried a lot of pennies." Kagome heard the gurgle of the woman, then the thump as she was thrust on the ground.
"Aw, shucks... And she was pretty hot, too. ...Nice legs."
"Nah... Too noisy. ..I don't like the whiny ones."
Kagome felt an extreme wave of hot wind blow her way. ...The fire must have been getting closer... She needed to get out of there... now. The crack and groan of wood seemed to be coming from everywhere. A smaller, lighter voice approached the laughing men urgently.
"Hey, hey guys! Guys! The captain says to report to the bow, now!"
The second man snarled. "Get out of our sight, y'little fox brat." The third hoisted up the heavy sack and said to nobody in particular, "...Damn the captain for not letting us keep trophies. ...At least, trophies with breasts." With a squeal following the sound of a breaking bottle, the smaller voice left yelling, "I'm telling the captain!"
The first man seemed to have sudden disappointment in his voice. He didn't appear to have heard or acknowledged the child. "There has to be a hotter woman on this ship... It's always the country barges that are dry..."
"Don't get too discouraged... we can always pick up a few on that tavern on the coast."
Kagome knew she was partially hidden by a metal rigging... but her legs... her legs were out and bare for all the world to see. ... Move, Kagome! Move! You're going to burn...
"C'mon, Manten. Lift that sack and let's get out of here before the captain skins us."
White-hot heat was building up around the metal rigging. Kagome shut her eyelids tighter and felt tears of pain escape from underneath them unwillingly. God-DAMMIT, KAGOME! She tried moving her arms, but felt nothing more than movement in her fingertips. 'I'm going to die...' the realization struck her with an empty, hollow pang in her chest. '...Isn't this a dream...? Isn't it?"
"Yeah, yeah... I'm coming... but not before one last look at my beauty queen, here." The first voice came closer again.
"She's dead, y'sick bastard!" Said the other pirate. "Control yerself, and grab the goddamn loot!" ...Manten, or whatever his name was, groaned and grumbled, and Kagome heard the wood creak as he stood.
At that moment, a piece of burning... something, fell on Kagome's thigh. A flash of pain seared through her spine and finally came out... as a soft cry. Kagome felt movement returning to herself like a wave of the tide.
But, there was another creak. With the realization that she had made herself known, Kagome tensed up once more, preparing for the inevitable discovery by the ruthless pirate.
Her eyes opened halfway, just in time to see the man peer around the metal rigging, a smile growing on his face.
"Why, hello... Aren't you the shy one?" the dark voice spoke from a toothy grin.
Kagome recoiled in horror at the face that grinned with such perversion at her. He was a giant, wide-mouthed youkai with narrow slits for eyes and a three-haired forehead. She found herself unable to speak. ...With no obvious surprise.
The man reached out with massive arms and picked her up, away from the flames and steadied her against a wall. ...One of the other pirates, a skinny, lanky man with a hooked nose and scrunched up face rolled his eyes and scowled. "Forget her, Manten. Just grab her money and kill her already. We don't have time to fool around." ...The other looked on in amusement. "Hey... that one's a lot better lookin' than the other one y'snuffed. ...You should keep that one!"
"Piece of shit fool... The captain said no hostages! ...What're you trying to get us flayed?"
"The captain never has to know... And don'cha raise yer lousy voice to me, ya' sack of shit! ...I know where yer mother lives."
"Why you fucking..."
Kagome's eyes were fixed on the massive face in front of her in fear, while the other two spewed curses to each other's mothers in the background. Manten put his finger under her chin, raising her face a little more. "Hmm... you're quite the sneaky little vixen. ...Hiding from uncle Manten like that." Kagome felt his hand reach up her thigh. ...She gritted her teeth... not only from the pain of having her wounds pressed, but utter disgust as well. ...If she was going to have to be groped by this hideous creature, she'd rather die.
"Is there a name that comes with that pretty face?"
Kagome wanted to speak. She wanted to move her arms and slap this guy across the face, but they were being pinned down, along with her chest. She gasped for air. His clammy hand moved further up her thigh.
She couldn't take it. Anything was better than being violated by the human toad. "Grrtff...." she managed to gurgle.
Pleased, Manten's crushing grip was temporarily released. "What was that my sweet? ...Greta..?"
With a rush of air to her lungs, Kagome gasped, "Get your goddamn hands... off me!" With a sudden strength, she freed her pinned arm and raked her fingernails across his face in a painful slap.
He was knocked back a few feet in both pain and surprise, hand covering his face.
The two arguing pirates had suddenly stopped arguing, and stared. Manten's eyes were wide. ...One of the pirates started to laugh.
"Hahahaha! Way to go Manten! One woman on the ship left and you get the one that fights back!" The bald brute was a little less pleased. He growled, narrowing his eyes.
Oh Gods... Kagome thought with mounting fear. Here it comes... Her life was about to end. Was this what it was like?
"You little bitch. You think you can just hit me and get away with it?!" He rushed up to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing against the wall. His face was so close, Kagome could feel his hot breath and see the rake marks she left on his face. "Nobody hits me! Nobody hits Manten!" With a heavy fist, he punched her on the side of the jaw. Her head smashed into the wall behind her.
Already enduring pain from her burns, disgust from the man's touch, fear from the situation and now the second blow to her head, Kagome felt she was only holding onto consciousness by a thread.
The third pirate tried hard to keep from laughing. "...Isn't that how you like 'em, though? Feisty? Just grab 'er and sneak her into yer cabin, Manten. The cap'n ain't gonna find out."
Manten glanced back at his sea-chum, growling. His angered scowl froze for a moment, before gradually being replaced by a growing smile. He glanced to the other pirate. The second gave him a scowl and hoisted his sack. "It's your ass, you bloody fool. I know nothing about it."
Her worst fear was coming true. Kagome was going to be taken onto this dirty pirate's ship and be used like a piece of tissue... Maybe... if she could get close enough, she could jump over the side of the boat and end it right here. The man's hand was around her throat by the time he turned around with a grin on his face.
"Looks like this is your lucky break after all..."
...My ass. Her teeth gritted again.
With a wider cruel grin, he boxed Kagome in the face once more, sending her into her second blackout. With the other two pirates leading the way, he hoisted her over his shoulder and walked down the flaming deck.
~*~
All was rampant, fiery chaos, and Inuyasha stood at the bow of his own ship watching with gleaming eye. ...This was fun. Miroku had long since jumped ships and was now somewhere below, watching over the rowdy excited men from better vantage point. ...Inuyasha stood watch over the loading of his ship, arms crossed and pleased.
...Sweet, hot, succulent Ramen. ...Soon you'll be all mine... Inuyasha's eyes closed for a moment with mouth watering bliss, quickly straightening his face with the passing of an underling. ....His ears flattened for a moment, thinking of the embarrassment that would ensue should his men ever find out about his... inspiration for the raid.
Keh, he thought. ...But I have a simple solution for laughter... Instinctively, his hand closed around the scabbard at his waist.
"Captain! Captain, sir!"
Dammit. ...There came that infernal squeaking. Clenching his teeth, Inuyasha looked down.
The smallest pirate on board had come bouncing up to the captain's deck with an excited fanged grin. A round pouf of orange and brown, dressed in a tiny striped shirt and single earring, he danced around the hanyou's feet before standing up straight in a customary pirate salute.
Inuyasha growled, suddenly in a bad mood. "...Didn't I tell you that I didn't want more than five minutes of you a day?"
The little fox boy appeared to pay no attention. "I have come to make a status report, captain! All of the hostages have been subdued, and all the food stores emptied, like you asked!"
"...Okay. Thanks. Bye." The kitsune dodged Inuyasha's foot and feigned a hurt look. "...You kill me, captain..."
"If only you'd hold still. ...Do you have anything important to say, Shippou?" Shippou jumped up to the railing and gave the narrow-eyed captain a sly look. "...Well... I did see a few interesting things... now that you mention it... But it'll cost ya."
Less than a second later, the tiny fuzzy pirate was flailing in the air held by his tail, yipping. Inuyasha held him close and growled. "Okay! Okay! Gomen! Gomen!" ...He landed on the floor with a bonk.
Standing up aristocratically and dusting himself off, Shippou ahem'd and leaned close. "Yeah, well... just between you and me, I saw the newcomer Toma slipping some jewelry into his own pockets, instead of bringing it up on deck..."
Petty info. "Yeah... and what else?"
"Ennui and Rapa were bad-mouthing the Second in Command. ...Called him a lecherous wussy."
...That... would be Miroku to a T. ...But Inuyasha never tolerated insubordination. He made a mental post-it note.
"Yeah... and I saw Manten carrying off some chick."
Inuyasha crossed his arms. "So, what else is new?"
"Maybe... he wants to keep another one?"
Inuyasha growled again, sick of hearing the high-pitched voice. ...It was starting to ring in his ears. "Get out of my face, you little weasel... and com-"
"...I'm a fox!"
"-Come back when you have better shit to report."
The little kitsune hopped away, looking back when he was sure he was out of hearing distance, grumbling. "...Hardass."
"I heard that!"
Shippou hauled ass away from the captain with renewed fervor.
...Standing up on deck, watching, the scene below, a small ocean wind blew past Inuyasha from the south. The men looked like they were about done, Inuyasha noted. ...There was quite a large pile of loot on deck, including several unopened trunks, bags of grain, a life-preserver, (He snorted at that one...) a yellow backpack, and some barrels of what was most likely good, strong sake. ...Good... there were going to be festivities tonight...
Another wind blew past Inuyasha, lifting his hair and carrying with it, a few lingering scents of flame and destruction. He glanced behind him, to see nobody there.
He turned around once more, keeping both eyes plastered to the events below, yet scanning behind him with his sensitive ears. There was something... off... he was searching for.
One of the men below rolled up a large barrel from below. ...Labeled on its side, in large red characters, was the word 'Ramen.' Involuntarily, Inuyasha felt his mouth water. There were definitely going to be festivities tonight.
...From behind him, a shadow saw it's opportunity.
A sudden whoosh swept past Inuyasha, cutting him off from his dinnertime fantasy and seemingly, also cutting his face with the air pressure. He spun round, dodging. That's what was off. The breeze blew again. ...This soft feminine scent, it came from none of his men.
Inuyasha looked up. A huge, bone boomerang sailed back into the arms of a woman clad in black, her long dark hair swaying with the wind as she glared upon him with fierce, brown eyes. Swooping down, she made another swing at Inuyasha with the large weapon, which he promptly dodged, jumping up on the lookout.
His eyes narrowed in irritation. "...Who the fuck are you?"
"Hyah!" She wasted no time with a response, leaping upward, letting the bone boomerang slice over his head. "Shit!" A few silky strands of hair landed on his lap. "I LIKE my hair long, wench!"
She landed in a graceful flip on the mast, catching her weapon once more. "...You are Inuyasha, are you not?" She said to him, coldy.
His eyes were amber slits by now. "...Who wants to know?"
Hers did the same. "I'm Sango... a bounty hunter." Inuyasha keh'd. ...She lept a little closer, pulling the Hiraikotsu close to her body in preparation. "...Do you realize... that not only are you worth a hundred and forty million yen... but that you have also just set fire to my entire summer wardrobe?"
Inuyasha tensed for a leap. He spat to his side. ...This one was the fourth bounty hunter in eight months. ...They really did piss him off. "...Cry me a fucking river."
Both leaped at once. The men from below turned their heads in unison to see their captain in hand-to-hand combat with a blurred shadow. Sango flew past Inuyasha, knocking him in the gut. He grasped his side and did a backwards leap onto the main deck.
...Shit, that really did hurt.
"Alright, bitch." Inuyasha bared his claws and scowled... "...No more nice puppy." Leaping from the lower deck, to rig, to the captain's deck, he feigned a right forward attack, which he saw the tajiiya anticipate, instead swinging around the mast, catching the bounty hunter by surprise. He struck her with a backward blow, knocking the boomerang out of her hand and causing her to fall... towards the main deck of the ship.
She landed with a heavy thud, lying still for a few moments before trying to get up.
Unfortunately for her, that's when Inuyasha made the whistle. Two pirates ran up to the deck, grabbing the woman and pinning her back. ...Inuyasha himself lept down once she was subdued. Walking up to them, he looked her squarely in the eye, arms crossed. "...You bounty hunters *really* are pains in the asses..." He motioned to his men. "...Disarm her and take her below decks. ...I'll settle on a punishment, later." The men nodded and dragged Sango off, disappearing within the ship. ...Looking away, Inuyasha never noticed the small, catlike animal hiding behind a coil of rope.
He looked out over raided ship. ...The fire seemed to have been controlled. ...He called to the rest of his crew, motioning for them to begin loading things on board. It was dinnertime.
~*~
...Light flooded Kagome's eyes... But... it was not yet morning.
...Stiff, and sore, she blinked slowly, trying to adjust to the light. ...She was lying on a bed of stale hay, and there was a lantern hovering over her... Along with a very familiar... and very unwelcome shadow.
"...Good evening, my vixen... Welcome to your new and last home." ...And a peal of malicious laughter ensued.
~*~
AN: Wow... It's three in the morning... Who knew I'd get so caught up in this? I did leave you with another bit of a cliffhanger... Gomen, gomen...I'm trying to be a good girl.
And by the way, to RogueRebel... *grin*