Okay, so I feel reeeeeeeally guilty for the extreme lack of updating.

It's the summer, I swear. It really gets to ya… But, of course, that's no excuse.

Enjoy this chapter, and celebrate my return!

Disclaimer: I do not own any anime. I never have. I probably never will. Ah, disclaimer, why must you torment me so?

Chapter Five

Something was wrong.

Something was very very wrong.

Yahiko hadn't had the time to think about it before, but now that he was here on this tiny ship with its tiny crew, he had to wonder.

Why were these people leaving so abruptly?

Sure, it was odd that they'd invited him, and, sure, they could just be a little on the eccentric side.

But why were they going so fast?

Were they being chased?

It was a distinct possibility, and Yahiko almost had the nerve to ask Kaoru about it…but then he realized how truly clueless she seemed to be about the whole situation.

Maybe not even clueless, but…uncaring?

Which brought up the whole thing about Karou. She didn't act like most people her age should act. She didn't wear the right clothing, or brush her hair every day, or put on ladies' perfume, or even seem to care at all what others seemed to think about her.

Not that all that mattered, Yahiko told himself sternly. They were giving him shelter, a food, and a ride. That was all he needed, as long as everything went according to plan.

"Yahiko!" Kaoru bounced down next to his little nest of cushions. She yanked and pulled some blankets and pillows around them, until they were in a small lake of fabric under the big window. "Are you excited?"

"Yep, very much."

"Me too. I want to go to the markets and see what all there is. I've heard you can get nearly every computer book ever written." She leaned closer, eyes wide. "Can you imagine?"

"Nope."

"Why are you excited?"

Yahiko paused. It couldn't hurt to tell her a half-truth, could it?

"I'm hoping to find someone." He faced the window again. "They…they know my family, and I hope to find them."

"Really?" Kaoru showed a polite expression of mild interest, but then reached casually over one shoulder, unzipped her backpack, and pulled out her laptop. Then she started typing. "Doesn't this thing go fast?"

"Eh?" Yahiko looked at her, confused. "The ship?"

"Yeah. And the guns are pretty cool too. Misao once told me she trained to use those types of guns. She showed me, once, how to fire them."

Guns? They were on an armed ship? Things were looking odder ever minute.

After all, if they had guns, they had to be expecting something to happen.

Kaoru's computer bleeped.

"Look at this. I've got pictures of the planet from satellites." She pushed the slender machine into his lap, and pointed at the beautifully colored photos of a crowded Devicia. "Lots 'n lots of stuff to do," she told him. "Libraries and restaurants and theatres. But I'm most excited about the theatres, 'cause I've never seen on before. I saw a restaurant once, and it wasn't all that great, but I really wanna see a theatre."

"They're pretty big," Yahiko said.

Kaoru gaped at him.

"You've seen a theatre?"

Yahiko felt embarrassed with all the admiration.

"It wasn't that big a deal…"

"Yes, it was! It's a big deal!" Kaoru leaned one shoulder against the window. She closed her eyes and thought about the mansion and the library and her family. Misao and Mr. Aoshi had been good to her, but… "This is a very, very big deal."

Yahiko frowned and remembered his plan, his decisions, his actions—all of it.

And he couldn't help but agree.

---------------

Saito nodded as Kenshin pulled the wires carefully away from the back of his neck.

Kenshin frowned at the jumble of cables in his hand. Brainsweeping isn't painful per say. But it is not comfortable, mentally or physically.

On one hand you're having your most personal thoughts probed, and on the other, you've got an annoying little headache.

No fun, no fun at all…

"You're clean enough." Glancing briskly at an expensive-looking watch, Saito gave a nod to the two men. "We'll reach Devicia in just under eighteen hours. I suggest you get some sleep."

"And Devicia is where we're meeting this boss guy, right?" Sano asked. "And find out exactly what we're going to be hired to find? And where we're actually supposed to look? You're not really being all that helpful."

Saito gave a fierce glare…the effect of which was somewhat diminished by the fact that this Sanosuke had a point.

A good point.

Damn.

"Yes. You will be meeting your employer. Now, if you wish, my men shall show you to your cabins."

As much as Kenshin tried, he couldn't think of a single thing wrong with all of this.

He really would have liked to be able to refuse all this. He really would have liked an excuse. Nearly anything was better than being flown across the universe without having any say in it.

But this would be good, easy money.

Kenshin looked bleakly at their cabins, which had separate bathrooms and private quarters, and bunk beds—(even though there was only one man to a room).

This was unfair.

Bunk beds were just plain spiffy.

How could Kenshin fight bunk beds?

Sighing, he sat down on the lower mattress, and half-listened to Sano talk excitedly about the possible money, the possible women, the possible all-of-it…

Nothing new, Kenshin thought. Nothing new is going to happen.

But it was at this precise moment when their ship did attacked—rather than were attacked—a small passing vessel. It was at that precise moment when said smaller ship returned fire with some pretty impressive ammunition of its own.

And then, just to make things more interesting, the pirates showed up.