Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).
**This Chapter is in the process of editing, please expect changes in grammar, syntax, content, and spelling to occur within the next week or so.
Chapter Forty-Five
We Fight to Live
Inuyasha lost his footing as a powerful cannon blast made contact with the old wood of a rather large vessel. He grabbed blindly for the railing, his hands just barely gripping the already broken banister tightly causing it to splinter under the pressure of his anxiety. The ship bobbed violently, the vessel beside them causing the water between the two ships to push up and swell, as it tried desperately to sink them into the depths of the Puerto Rican coast.
"To yer post men, to yer post!"
A voice rang out above Inuyasha's head causing his ears to twitch in its general direction. He knew that voice anywhere, he knew it awake, knew it asleep, knew it even after sixty years of not hearing it but in dreams. A loud explosion caused him to wince as another cannonball made contact with their ship, this one nicking the front haul, causing them to spin dangerously to starboard. He heard something snap as the ship spun out, his well trained ears knowing instantly what it was.
"The cordage." He whispered breathily as his eyes looked upwards, the whole world seeming to move in slow motion as he took in the sight of a broken rope; one of the running rigging's had been ripped from the mast, leaving the sail with one corner unsecured and flapping dangerously.
"Inuyasha to yer post!"
"Aye, Captain!" He yelled snapping out of his slow motion trance.
He let go of the side railing of the ship in favor of pushing himself towards the main mast, which had been damaged. The fabric of the sail was slowly being shredded by the harsher than normal Puerto Rican winds as it was violently flung this way and that.
"My men to tha' sail." He called out to the men in his command as he put all his weight in his toes and pushed off, leaping high above the deck to the very tip top of the lose sail—a good fifty feet above the rest of the crew, which was struggling to keep their ship from falling apart.
With the balance of his breed, he stood on the interwoven pieces of the shrouds that rested on either side of the mast, the yard directly in front of him running the mast's length, and as if his hands had a mind of their own grabbed for the robes that were flinging about loose in the wind. Within moments several men joined him, Myoga included, making a line on the upper yard beside him and on the lower yard beneath him, each man gathering a lose rope and a section of sail to hold it in place as the rest of the crewman tied it back into position—trying to gain control of the damaged mast.
"Hold tight!" Someone yelled suddenly from somewhere below them and without a thought Inuyasha and the other men grabbed blindly for anything to secure them. Desperate, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around the yard, his claws digging into its strong wood as he silently hoped the menial action would be enough. Not seconds later the ship rocked violently as the vessel attacking them rammed into their side.
"Mother fu—," The words didn't even get a chance to leave his mouth as the ship shook violently again men screaming as they tried with every ounce of strength they had not to fall the fifty feet downwards as the sail went out of control, ripping even further, an extra sound among the pleading wails of the crew. Inuyasha gritted his teeth, holding on for his life—knowing that he might survive a fall from this height unlike the humans, but not wanting to find out.
The shaking finally ceased and his eyes snapped opened frantically seeking out his Captain on instinct but the man was nowhere to be seen. "Fuck." The word slipped from his lips when the vessel was jarred for a third time by two simultaneous cannonballs. Closing his eyes he held on tight, gritting his teeth hard as he heard a rather long yell and then a loud crunching, snapping sound—a gargle following and then the smell of blood. He opened his eyes slightly and closed them instantly once again. He had no desire to see the human that had just fallen as he laid dead, his neck turned at an impossible angle.
"Inuyasha-sama, the helm-u!"
His eyes snapped to Myoga who was also holding on for dear life, his already abnormally large eyes growing rounded and larger as he looked between Inuyasha and the lower decks.
Gulping he followed Myoga's line of vision, hoping and praying, that it wasn't the Captain Myoga was panicky fixated on, but he saw no one—no one was on the helm, no one was even standing on the helm's deck. "Shit!" Inuyasha's eyes widened, there was no one directing the ship, the wheel was just spinning back and forth matching the hits made by their attacker. It was their only way out, to get away, to turn and try to flee but to do that, someone had to be in control of that wheel.
Without a second thought, he released his claws from the wood of the yard and stood, balancing with great talent above the danger of death that rested below. Not even an ounce of fear coursed through him as he threw caution to the wind and leapt from the sail all the way to the helm's deck, the sound of Myoga screaming his name easily ignored as he practically flew.
The ship was hit again when he was in midair and his eyes widened in alarm as he realized it would be impossible to land on his feet without falling. Determined, at the last second he angled his body for a well planned roll and hit the helm's deck hard, right shoulder slamming into the wood first. His knees knocking together as he made himself into a ball and rolled past the wheel, only to hit the railing with backbreaking force—he was lucky that neither his back nor the rail broke upon impact.
He hissed as he tried to stand, his body protesting as instant bruises littered his skin, bruises his demon blood was already healing. Forcing himself to stand, Inuyasha rushed the wheel, grabbing it and turning it violently away from the other ship. Only briefly did he realize that this was the first time he had ever touched that wheel. After all, there were far more important things to think about in a time like this.
Inuyasha's eyes opened slowly, instinct waking him from his peculiar dream. "A dream," The words seem to echo just slightly in his mind as he took a deep breath leisurely, his eyes closing, "No," He thought the memories of his dream flashing behind them as brightly as if he had been staring at the sun before he closed his eyes. "It's been a long time—hasn't it?" He thought as he yawned and took a deep breath, "Since I dreamed about the past."
Slowly, his eyes opened, once again looking around taking in the soft light of the room. He blinked and tilting his chin backwards glanced at the window behind his headboard, where a small almost minuscule amount of light was making itself known.
"Dawn," He barely registered as he closed his eyes once again, the warmth of the morning sun hitting his face lulling him back to sleep as the flowery scent of his cabin relaxed every muscle in his body. He inhaled deeply, the origins of the smell not fully registering in his still sleeping mind as he turned onto his side and released a soft faint and happy growl. "I need to get up." He told himself but his voice lacked any true determination as he actually snuggled down deeper into his blankets, the gentle scent that was wafting to his nose soothing him.
A faint smile came onto his face unconsciously as he inhaled deeply taking in the scent of flowers and the sea intermixed with his musky scent of trees and the wild. It was so reassuring, so natural. It was simply, "Home—mate, mine." The words left his sleepy mouth before he could stop his sleeping mind. Instantly, his eyes popped opened and he set up, his mind still not really registering its subconscious thoughts as he looked towards where he knew Kagome was sleeping.
Swinging his legs around the bed he peered over at Kagome who was snuggled deep within her sheets, the young Shippo, merely a lump underneath the covers. He frowned softly as he took in her delicate morning face, soft and almost fairy like in the predawn light. Her hair mused and wavy, a flowing wild frame around her subtle and innocent features. Her lips parted in her sleep, catching his eyes as the light pink in dark contrast to her cheek's rosy red moved, as if she was about to speak.
She looked so surreal, the splitting image of all the folklore he had ever known or been told; wild and untamable, dangerous and yet oddly timid, beautiful and almost deceptive—as if her beauty was created just to draw moths to flames, to lure the unsuspecting to fates worse than death. A fairy, a sprit, a pixy, perhaps even a siren: she looked the part of all these unknown creates who drawled susceptible men to their deaths and bad men even farther into hell.
"You're such a contradiction Kagome." He thought to himself as he placed his bare feet onto cold solid wood and walked the short distance to stand above her. She furrowed her nose sweetly and for a second he thought she might open her eyes and show him the grey depths that just added to her mystery but she didn't, her face relaxed and he was left to simply gaze at her and take her in.
She was beautiful, the most beautiful woman he had ever truly seen and yet—she was the barer of more power than he had ever known. His mind wandered to the days that had past, to the change of heart she had created for Jinenji, to the barrier at the mouth of the Mississippi, to the very first light that had left her fingertips destroying Manten.
There was no doubt that she was powerful, no doubt at all but that power was dangerous, not just for those around her but for her as well. "That power will kill you, Kagome." He whispered into the ever growing light. He had been thinking about that fact for quiet sometime. Wondering what he should do about it, wondering if there was anything he could in fact do about it. "I want to protect you from everything and anything but how—," His voice cut off as he looked down at his bare feet and sighed heavily. "How do I protect you from yourself?"
He didn't have an answer for that question, at least not one he could bare to put any real thought behind. Not wanting to push his thoughts any further so early in the morning he walked languidly over to his chair where his jacket and boots were waiting for him. Absently, he tucked in his shirt before slipping his jacket on, leaving it opened for the time being as he set down in his chair and prepared to put his boots on his feet.
Shoving one foot inside he preceded to lace the shoe up as his mind wandered over the much safer events of the past day rather carelessly. It had been a nice outing with Kagome the day before, small and uneventful—the first uneventful outing he believed they had ever had. They had simply walked together, he had haggled for good prices for their merchandise and bartered for good prices on the supplies they needed for their next journey and then without preamble they returned to the ship allowing Myoga to go out and finish the rest of the negotiations in favor of the Captain staying close to home in case of any unwanted repercussions from their previous discussions with the crew.
"It was almost—boring yesterday." He thought with a slight smirk on his face as he finished lacing up his first boot and grabbed for the second, shoving his foot inside. "Maybe—," His hand stilled on the laces. "It would be better for her to live a life like that—." He looked down at his hands and bit his lip as he lowered his head hiding eyes that no one could see. "She'd never have to use her powers in a peaceful town like Charleston." He felt a cold sensation start in the pit of his stomach. Part of him knew it would be ridiculous to leave her, "She'd never hear of it." He mused to himself a slight smile hinting at his lips. "But—to know she's safe, to know she's somewhere more suited for her, isn't that more important than what she wants—than what I—."
Inuyasha felt a pang in his heart and frowned deeply no longer wanting to deal even slightly with these thoughts. Pushing them away he busied his hands tying his laces, moving them expertly and quickly before he stood, his eyes traveling to Kagome, watching her as she breathed peacefully in her sleep. He stared for a moment, finding it actually hard to move from his spot as he took her in, a peaceful smile forming on his face.
"Such a contradiction." His mind whispered as he gulped. He turned and walked out the door shutting it quietly behind his back. For several seconds he stood in front of it, taking in the small hallway without really seeing anything that rested in front of him. His mind seemed to toy with him as he stood there, that one thought still plaguing his mind. "Such a contradiction." At this point, he honestly wasn't sure if he was talking about her or his own words.
He brought both hands up to run over his face then, wishing he had some water to clean it as he felt a bit of dirt grind against his skin. "I'll never get used to the west." He told himself before turning to his right, going down the hallway towards Miroku's room.
He stopped before the room and placed his ear against the door, the sound of soft snoring the only indication that anyone was actually alive within. Snorting, his hand griped the handle and threw the door opened not bothering to knock. "Get your ass out of bed Miroku!" He yelled into the room. "Sango you can sleep." He added as he slammed the door shut in hopes of actually waking the boy before he headed down the hallway with a smirk on his face. It had felt good to slam something after so much early morning contemplation.
Rounding the corner of the hallway, Inuyasha stepped out onto the main deck of the Shikuro, the early morning sunlight hitting his eyes causing him to wince as his animalistic pupils immediately constricted in response. He shook his head trying to clear his vision and brought a hand to his face rubbing over the bridge of his nose out of instinct. "Damn its bright." He muttered as he stepped forward even more into the sun, stretching his arms up above his head as he moved towards the staircase that lead to the helm's deck. For a moment he stood unmoving, watching as his crew moved about, already getting ready for the ship to launch.
He smiled despite himself as he watched the men under the direction of Myoga, the old demon easily giving orders for preparations as Inuyasha had requested of him the night before. "You're a good man, Myoga." He thought with a smile, only vaguely recalling the Myoga in his dream as members of his crew passed by him, some of them nodding in acknowledgment while others waved or simply gave him a glance of affirmation (all appropriate in their own way this early in the morning).
The sound of a door opening in the direction he had just come from caused him to pause and turn, looking at his young and half asleep son as he rounded the corner of the hall that housed both their rooms. He smiled at the almost disheveled look of Miroku, knowing that the man had gotten dressed in a hurry. His boots weren't laced yet and his shirt was only halfway tucked in still hanging lose from the back, he was still in the process of hastily throwing on his jacket with only one arm completely in a sleeve (the other still being tugged into place) and atop his head a three cornered hat clumsily rested laying slightly off to the side as if it had been thrown on as an afterthought.
"Ohayō," Inuyasha called to the boy who looked up at him with sleepy eyes. "Gozaimasu."
"Ohayō," Miroku grumbled barely even managing to return even half of the early morning greeting as he made his way over to his father with a sleepy yawn. "It's way too early." He mumbled as he smacked his lips together and blinked his tired eyes a few times before yawning once again. "Why are we up so early?"
"We need to get out of here." Inuyasha reasoned as he started towards the stairs keeping one ear on Miroku to make sure the tired boy was following him as he placed his foot up onto the first step. "I don't like staying in," He paused looking for the right phrase as he walked. "Such—you know—clean ports for longer than we have to." He nodded to himself firmly. "And we either leave on this high tide or the one tonight."
"But we weren't even here two days." Miroku grumbled as he too trudged up the stairs slowly, his feet practically dragging along the stairs as he walked behind his father. "We were here just barely long enough to sell some of that stuff and resupply." He continued. "I haven't even left the ship once. Only you and Miss Kagome did."
Inuyasha merely smirked, as he came to stand on the helm's deck looking over at the wheel of the ship with a fond sort of pride. For a moment, his dream flashed before his eyes again and he saw himself standing at that wheel, yelling out across the deck, giving orders he wasn't supposed to give but knowing there was no choice.
"Tame 'hat sail! Gunners hurry up und fire!"
He blinked, the memory instantly fading as he listened to Miroku yawn once again before responding to the boy's original question. "We only needed to sell the cargo and resupply, that's done so we should be on our way." Inuyasha told Miroku as he came to stand in front of the wheel, eyeing the young man who was walking lazily towards him. "You of all people should know how easy it is to outstay your welcome in this kind of port." He gave him a pointed look. "They'll only tolerate us for so long, even if we do look like a merchant ship—they're not dumb."
Miroku only sighed before catching himself halfway through another yawn with the back of his hand. He glanced down below at the quarterdeck taking in the hustle of their waking crew as they went about fulfilling orders being given to them by Myoga. "It's way too early." Miroku repeated with a stretch of his hands above his head. "What time is it, anyway?"
"You whine a lot pup." Inuyasha grumbled as one of the sails above their heads was released from its binding, falling downwards with a loud ruffling sound as it caught a favorable wind instantly. The men scrambled to trim the sail back down, knowing it was too soon from the sail to be completely unraveled. "It has to be at least six already, I bet?" He muttered as he looked behind them at the rising sun. "Yeah, 'bout six judging by the sun."
Miroku frowned darkly, he had never been a morning person (unless he had gone to sleep at a reasonable time the night before) and last night he had not gotten to even go to his cabin until practically one or two in the morning. There had been way too much to do to insure they would be able to leave on time today and he had to direct most of the action because—well—that was his job. And when he had finally gotten to his room he had, accidently of course, awoken a sleeping Sango, who (much to his delight) had woken up in a rather charming and delicious mood. "Bah," He rubbed at a watery eye. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
Inuyasha snorted and gave him a pointed look. "And whose fault was that?"
"Sango's." Miroku commented without pause as he blinked blurry tired eyes.
Inuyasha snorted as he gripped the wheel, running his hands over the smooth wood fondly, his dream still teasing him from the back of his mind. "Most men," He said distractedly. "Wouldn't complain about having a good bed fellow keeping them up at night."
Miroku's eyes opened slightly more awake as he took in the Captain's distant look before he smirked, ignoring the word fellow in favor of teasing the Captain instead. "Jealous?"
Inuyasha glared and told him with a taunt grouse to, "Shut up." They grew silent for a moment as the men started to check over all the sails, checking the standing rigging one last time for any problems with the tautness of the lines that supported the mast. "Did we lose anybody?" Inuyasha asked quiet suddenly, his voice bringing Miroku out of a sleep induced daze.
"Hm?" The younger man voiced deep in his throat as he tried to comprehend what the Captain had asked but he hadn't been listening to.
Inuyasha sighed but his voice came out patient. "Did we lose anybody, you know, yesterday after you handed out shares?"
Miroku let out a noise of understanding and leaned his head back in thought, delighting in the sun hitting his face slightly now that it could breach threw the brim of his hat. "We only lost two crew members total." He said after a few seconds of thought, lowering his head back down frowning in disappointment as the hat covered his face, hiding it from the warmth of the dawning sun. "Disappointing still, I really thought I had won all of them over with that speech, but after I handed out the money—," He shrugged grimly. "The two just left."
"They bent to the will of the crowd." Inuyasha grumbled with a shrug of his own. He remembered the two men Miroku was talking of, they had never been to—understanding—of anything really, especially when it came to the possibility of losing shares. In the end, that made it a loss for the better; an unseen gain as it were. "And when the crowd dispersed so did they."
"Sure seems that way." Miroku agreed as Myoga's voice from below halted their conversation.
"All riggin' is-su secured, Captain!"
Inuyasha and Miroku both looked down at the small flea demon, watching with intrigue as the man pointed to each sail individually, receiving a sound off from the man responsible for each one.
"Alright," Inuyasha called out as soon as each man had sounded off for his sail. "Drop all the sails, let's open her up to the wind."
A round of voices hit the air, yelling to their Captain, "Aye, Captain!" in varying degrees. Inuyasha watched fondly as the men scurried about on the deck, performing each task with such practiced ease that it was unnecessary to call out any further orders for the moment. The men already standing in among the shrouds, got to work releasing each sail, the ship straining against the anchor.
"All rowers down below." Miroku called out knowing the ship would need some minor help getting out of the port just based on the somewhat off kilter direction of the wind this morning.
"Aye, master!" The men responded just as quickly and smartly as they had to Inuyasha, running about the deck quickly to get down below.
"Totosai," Miroku called feeling lazy and unwilling to direct the rowers. "Direct!"
"Yes, Sir!" The old man replied in his ancient raspy voice as he moved across the deck glad to have something to do. As a carpenter on the Shikuro, he was rather useless during anything that had to do with sailing the ship but even he could keep time for the rowers of the vessel. At the very least, it gave him something to do.
"Feeling lazy today, huh pup?" Inuyasha smirked as he took the rope that held the wheel in place off, freeing the wheel so it could strain against his hands instead of against the hemp made rope.
Miroku didn't bother to respond to the question as the last of the sails came tumbling down, the men on the deck below pulling on the standing riggings until they were completely secure and the men above carefully finding the happy medium between too lose and too tight for the running riggings above. "Raise the anchor." He yelled into the air. "Rowers at the ready." His voice carried all the way down below, a chorus of hearty responses meeting his ears. "Let's get the hell out of Charleston."
"Glad you're on my side now." Inuyasha mumbled as he turned the wheel out waiting for the anchor to be raised completely onto the ship.
"The sooner we get out of port," Miroku responded dryly as he too watched the men raise the anchor. "The sooner I can go back to sleep."
"Good to know what you're priorities are." The sound of Sango's voice startled both men, causing them to turn where the sound had been produced from. "Good morning gentlemen." The woman disguised quite adeptly as a man greeted as she mounted the helm's deck.
"Good morning, my pet." Inuyasha responded with affection in his voice. "I was growing sick of this one, all he does is complain." He pointed at Miroku. "You are far better company."
"I resent that." Miroku grumbled but there was not bite in his voice as he looked on at his wife with affection. "Good morning Sango, I hop—," He started to say but stopped when he noticed the other woman who was just now reaching the top of the stairs, a small red headed child tucked in her blue jacket clad arms. "I hope you both slept well, how are you Miss Kagome?"
Kagome smiled in response as she came to stand beside Sango on the helm's deck, her soft black wispy hair catching in the wind as she glanced around at the commotion going on about the ship. "I'm quiet fine, thank you, and yourself Mr. Miroku?"
"Please call me Miroku." The young man told her firmly as he smiled kindly.
Kagome smiled back, a sparkle in her wide awake eyes. "Only if you stop calling me Miss would I even consider calling you by just your given name, Mr. Miroku."
Miroku sighed exasperated but his tone didn't match the sentiment at all. "What a diplomatic answer Miss Kagome."
Kagome smiled and giggled sweetly as the tired Shippo in her arms yawned, his small hands coming up to fist in her shirt as he mumbled something about loud adults under his breath.
"You should put him back to bed." The Captain spoke up from his spot, his words actually catching everyone off guard; not their nature, mind you, but just the fact that he had spoken. "He was up late last night helping out."
"Oh?" Kagome whispered her voice soft and steady as she took in the Captain for the first time this morning.
She had of course seen him when she mounted the helm's deck but she hadn't really been able to pay him much attention because Miroku had stolen her own. As she looked at him now, however, she found that he looked just as handsome as ever, especially now that the hat he had worn yesterday was no longer on his head. Not that she minded the hat but she did (however shyly) find that she liked his ears out in the opened. The way they reacted, the way they shifted, the way the light seemed to catch them: the silver strands shinning so supernaturally in the sweet sunlight—it all was breathtaking.
"Forgive me if I'm wrong," Sango interjected before Kagome could speak. "But shouldn't he be working, he is our Cabin Boy?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "He's a pup, first." He told them all smartly. "Pup's need to sleep."
Miroku nodded from his spot beside the Captain absently as he watched the men haul the anchor on board completely. "Yeah, you never made me get up this early as a boy if I had worked the night before—," He stopped for a second his eyes narrowing resentfully. "But all good things must come to an end."
"You're so abused." Came Inuyasha's automatic response before he yelled out over the crowd. "Alright, Totosai, it's yours."
"Yes, sir!" The old man responded from his position below the deck in the belly of the ship. Instantly, a slight beating of a drum was heard and the oars began to moved, peddling backwards against the tide with incredible demonic strength. Slowly, Inuyasha turned the wheel of the ship, directing them as they paddled backwards, turning them into the high tide.
Kagome looked down at the tiny Shippo who was sleeping in her arms and smiled faintly. She knew it would be best for her to go ahead and place the child back within his bed but at the same time she found that she didn't want to leave the deck for fear of missing even a second of this delicate and intricate dance.
Her eyes lit up as she took in the sight of the Captain, the muscles underneath his jacket tense as he turned the ship fraction by fraction, the rowers moving at a slow and deliberate speed as trusted men stood on the sides of the vessel, offering hand signs with directions that Miroku translated. The Captain's ears twitched on his head in response, listening to each little bitty direction intently, his hands reacting almost simultaneously to the information being offered.
His deep gold eyes stared at the floor in front of him, his concentration never broken by outside sights as Miroku feed him the information expertly. It was such an elaborate scheme, one that had the potential for completely falling apart at any time. It would only take one mistake; one man on the side with a wrong signal, or Miroku misinterpreting the information incorrectly, or the Captain's ears not managing to pick up the words just quickly enough to avoid disaster. So many things could go wrong in those little instants and yet—nothing did, not one little thing went wrong, it never did.
"No matter how many times I see it, it still seems so incredible." She thought as her eyes studied the Captain as he turned the boat slowly, inch by inch, foot by foot, so patiently that it was almost unnatural.
"That's it," The object of her affections said suddenly. "We're turned enough give the command."
"To the fore." Miroku called out without even having to ask who the Captain was talking to. Instantly the rowers switched directions, causing the ship to lurch forward as the vessel found its movements suddenly changed.
The sails above their heads caught the wind greedily as they did, the large sections of material filling with the invisible life force that was needed for any seafaring vessel. Gulls that had been roosting about the very tops of the mast screamed into the air at the sound, having not been disturbed by the men at work but having been greatly put off by the wind in their feathers.
"Hm," The Captain grunted as he watched the seagulls fly about the ship, a mass of white mixing with his own dingy and dirty off-white sails. "Looks like lady luck is smiling on us today—the gulls are going to follow us out." He commented as he turned the wheel forcing the ship even more into the wind as they started forward at a good speed.
"Rower-u dismissed-o." Totosai's command rang out above their heads but neither Miroku nor Inuyasha commented, after all the wind was with them today making the rowers useless.
"Um," Kagome hummed from beside Sango as she watched the seagulls. "Why are gull's so lucky—," She asked no longer afraid to speak among these people what so ever. "They seem just horribly loud and annoying."
"I agree." Sango commented dryly from beside Kagome as she watched the birds flying skillfully between mast. "And filthy." She wrinkled her nose as the gulls excrement fell in plain view.
Kagome nodded darkly in agreement, shaking her head in disgust.
"They're the souls of lost sailors." The Captain answered the question evenly as he turned them outwards into the open sea, they were still a few miles away from leaving the inlet completely but it shouldn't take long with this sort of strong wind.
"Lost sailors?" Kagome repeated, her brows knitted together in a look of pure curiosity.
"Yes," Miroku answered this time, a quiet look on his face. "According to many an old salt, seagulls stay with ships because they're the souls of lost sailors and its all they know." He looked up at the birds fondly. "They have no life on land and all they can remember is a life at sea—so they glide above all ships they wish to be on and protect them as if it was the ship they had known in life."
Kagome blinked a few times at the sweet sentiment behind Miroku's words, her eyes gazing at the seagulls who were loudly calling to one another as they flew along the sails, happy and alive. "That's so sad."
"Really?" Inuyasha mumbled in return as he tilted the wheel to larboard absently. "I always thought—it was a nice idea." He smirked to himself, his earlier dream or memory or whatever it was coming back to him. The Captain of that ship, a man he hoped was among the gulls above his sails. "I've know many a man who would rather be on the sea for an eternity than up among the clouds."
Kagome didn't comment on his words, neither did Sango nor Miroku—instead the group grew silent, as if knowing that replying to the Captain would be the equivalent to walking on molten lava in bare feet.
The ship continued to cruise along the channel, the sharp wind pushing them onwards at a brisk and insane pace. At this rate they would break into the sea within thirty minutes, the small league that they had to cross to get back into opened water, nothing compared to the speed of this ship.
Without warning the Captain's grip on the wheel suddenly tightened and his back went ridged and straight catching Miroku, Sango, and Kagome off guard as his bright eyes flashed, lighting on something in the distance.
Instantly alert Miroku turned his head and looked out across the ocean as they came out of the mouth of the peninsula that led into Charleston. "A ship?"
"It's probably a merchant ship." Sango reasoned with a shrug as she leaned against the railing of their own vessel looking causal and unworried.
Inuyasha bit his lip in response to her words as he turned his own ship slightly larboard, positioning their heading so they were moving away from the other vessel and more up the coast. "Look at the flag." He commanded his voice eerily calm.
Miroku squinted but his human eyes couldn't make out the far off image. "I can't—."
"Get your spyglass." Inuyasha bit harshly as he turned the ship more fully, the sound of his voice causing Kagome and Sango both to move a little closer to Miroku on instinct.
Ignoring the biting voice Miroku reached into his jacket bumbling for a small inner pocket that kept his spyglass (a gift from his father) housed. Extending it quickly he held it to his eye, fixating it on the flag with interest. The image was blurry at first but came back clear with little adjusting revealing a strange black flag, the likes of which he had never seen. There was an animal in the middle, face flared and eyes yellow, sharp, and almost unnerving. On all four corners a large paw print laid, four claws to each one, all of them piercing into the black flag with a stunning silver color. Slowly, he lowered the spyglass and glanced at the Captain, "I don't recognize it."
"Neither do I." Inuyasha replied as he licked his lips. "But I do recognize the animal."
"What?" Miroku's head snapped back to the vessel, his eyes growing round as he tried to see without the spyglass unsuccessfully.
" Ōyamaneko." Inuyasha groused in his native tongue with a distasteful scowl on his face.
"Oyama—e—what?"
"The animal on the flag, it's an Ōyamaneko." Inuyasha repeated, his eyes hard and dark. "It is a—a kind of cat. I'm not sure what the English word for it is."
Miroku frowned and grabbed his spyglass, studying the strange animal on the flag, it was spotted almost like a leopard along its back, the spots becoming lines as they descended around its sturdy neck and face. The fur around said face was fluffed outwards along the same lines as the felines whiskers, in stark contrast to its almost nonexistent tail. "A Lynx?" He thought out loud as he pulled the glass away calmly. "I've only seen pictures of them in textbooks but the animal on that flag looks similar."
"May I?" Kagome asked informally as Miroku held the spyglass at his side, giving Inuyasha a curious look.
"Aaa—sure." He grunted as he handed it to her, his eyes going back to Inuyasha. "But why would there be a flag with a lynx or that cat thing?"
Kagome adjusted Shippo on her arm and somehow managed to open the spyglass back up, holding it at an awkward angle to her eye. Her brows furrowed as she took in the sight of the animal's piercing eyes and almost apparent frown, if she didn't know any better she would have thought the cat like creature looked almost sad.
"Hm," She mumbled as she took in the sight of the animal, her knowledge of Lynx's in the back of her mind. Once, when she had been small she had seen a Lynx in England on the countryside. That animal hadn't had spots so close together and its fur hadn't been exactly the same deep gold—it had been more white. It's ears hadn't been the same either. The Lynx's ears had been pointier and had black spurts of hair along their edges. This creature, on this flag didn't have either of those traits, pointed ears of black tuffs of fur along their edges. It looked similar though—very similar—like another creature she knew. "I don't think that's a Lynx."
Her voice caused both Inuyasha and Miroku to turn in surprise as they watched her look through the spyglass her expression taunt.
"I've seen a Lynx before—as a little girl and it—," She lowered the spyglass pursing her lips in thought. "Well it kind of looked like that but not quite the same."
"What do you think it is then?" Miroku questioned before even the Captain could gather his wits about him.
Kagome bit her lip, hoping her hunch was at least somewhat correct. "A bobcat."
"Bobcat?" Miroku repeated before his eyes grew huge. "I've heard of those. They are said to look like Lynx's."
"Let me see Kagome," Sango motioned with her hand, receiving the spyglass and holding it to her eye—she too knew of bobcat's and what they looked like.
"Maybe lynxes and bobcats are related." Inuyasha suggested offhandedly as he watched the ship that had turned and changed its course to match their own. He gripped the wheel uncomfortably, his eyes sharp as he tried to force them to see more than he was capable from almost a league away.
"A bobcat is on that flag sure enough," Sango commented as she dropped the spyglass back down to her side, only giving it to Kagome once again when the younger girl motioned for it shyly. "The prints above its head are the sure give away—," She told the younger girl as she watched Kagome look through the spyglass slowly, balancing both it and Shippo with great skill. "Don't you think?"
"Oh yes." Kagome whispered sincerely as she lowered the spyglass and handed it back to Sango, her arm feeling insanely tired.
"Miroku," Inuyasha suddenly whispered interrupting them, his voice eerily calm and steadfast. "Gather the crew and get them to their post's again."
Miroku narrowed his eyes darkly at the Captain's calm voice—he knew that voice and he also knew every implication of it. "Captain?" His own voice came across stern yet full of question.
"Sango," Inuyasha spoke evenly ignoring Miroku. "Take Kagome below and don't come back, stay together." He glanced at the sleeping kit lounging in the crock of Kagome's right elbow. "Keep Shippo with you too, he's too young, I won't have him on deck."
Miroku's eyes widened and he turned to the ship just in time to see what had the Captain so worried. "There cannons?" He whispered furiously, his voice dipping low, dropping octaves as every hair on the back of his neck stood on end. It was not the presence of the cannons that necessarily worried him—it was the fact that they were out in the opened, the hatches that kept them hidden from sight opened plain as day. Those cannons were ready to attack and the only thing to attack in a three mile radius with the Shikuro and the port of Charleston; and right now, that ship wasn't heading towards Charleston.
"We got about fifteen minutes before they're in range." Inuyasha told them firmly as he bit his lip. "Prepare."
"Aye!" Miroku yelled suddenly turning and running down the stairs as he called out orders. "Men to your post, Master's at the ready, gunners, riggers," His voice carried all the way to the tip of the crow's nest to the bottom of the cargo hold. "All hands on deck!"
"Sango," Inuyasha ground out, his whole body tense as his eyes looked out across the Atlantic, fixated and absolutely focused on the ship that was heading on a collision course for them. The older girl didn't even turn at the sound of her name, her own eyes locked and her own shell shocked, disbelief written on her face. "Sango." Inuyasha growled his voice stern and full of unexplainable warning. "Take Kagome and Shippo below and protect her," He repeated his voice so tight that she could feel the unvoiced fear in it down to her core. "Now!"
His firm snarl drew her out of her stupor and she backed up, grabbing for an equally still Kagome. No matter how long she was on a pirate's ship, she would never get used to this kind of fight. Guns she liked, fist she longed for, even knifes were easy for her to defend against or use but cannons—there was something terrifying about cannon fire. It was uncontrollable, there was no personal recourse or protection that she could utilize. She could only rely on the Captain and Miroku who knew how to function in such fights and (although she trusted them, she trusted both of them with her very life) it still terrified her to acknowledge that there was nothing she could do but pray.
"Aa—a—aye," She said after a second, her voice still caught in her throat. "I will protect them both with my life, Captain." She grabbed Kagome's hand and turned to the stairs, following Miroku's lead as the younger girl stood on weighted feet confused.
"Sango." Kagome gasped as she looked about her trying to figure out what had happened in the past few minutes. "What's—?"
"I'll tell you below," Sango informed her quickly as she practically yanked the girl after her and down the stairs hitting each step hard as she rushed to do as she had been commanded.
Kagome barely had time to look back at her Captain, catching only the dark worry on his face as she was dragged by Sango past the final step and around the side of the staircase towards the hall to the minimal safety the Captain's cabin had to offer them.
-break-
Inuyasha held tight to the helm as the ship that was pursuing them finally got to the point of being way too close for comfort. His sensitive nose twitched, taking in the smell of gun powder, whether it was the powder of his own ship or the powder of the other, he wasn't sure of just yet, either way it still irked him that he could smell the powder at all.
"What the hell could they possibly want with us?" He hissed under his breath as he turned the wheel more to larboard, pushing them hastily away from the other ship.
It was almost a lost cause, however, the ship that was currently gaining on them was unexplainably fast and all of Inuyasha's crewmen were focused on preparing the cannons for a fight—they didn't have a single man to spare for the oars. It took at least two men to man just one cannon effectively and he currently had fifteen cannons to a side, all of which were manned. That put sixty of his men below but unable to take up the oars and row. And the rest of his men were stationed elsewhere: preparing to fix damage, to secure sails, for the possibility of a hand to hand fight.
"Fuck," He cursed as he turned the ship even sharper, they were nearly out of the inlet that lead to Charleston and in opened water. He hoped he would be able to make it all the way out before the fight commenced, a fight was much easier in opened water. "If only I had seen them earlier, reacted quicker, we could have gotten out of here with plenty of time." He nodded to himself as his eyes scanned the now easily seen flag. "I don't recognize it as pirate but it definitely doesn't belong to a crown. Crown's don't have black flags with fucking bobcat's on them."
He ground his teeth together as the sails above his head strained in the wind. They were turned to full tilt, taking in as much air as they could without tearing the sails or the risking the rigging's busting lose from the tension. They were getting nowhere fast, the other vessel had too much speed and too much of an advantage.
"Damn it," He bit out his mind racing for possible safe solutions. Normally this would have been no big deal, he would have gone blazing into battle with confidence and assurance that he would win without even having to try. He was, after all, the great pirate Captain Inuyasha of the Shikuro; the man women used as bedtime stories for misbehaving children, the man that was spoken about in pubs with hushed whispers and shifting eyes. He was unbeatable, he was invincible, he was as badass as badass comes.
None of that mattered, however, not when he could smell her scent on the deck even though she had been gone for almost twenty minutes. It didn't matter when he could see her, still and pale, laying on the ground, her lips losing their pink texture as she faded away. It didn't matter when he saw that dream, the one that had haunted him for days—it didn't matter when he saw her ashen face shatter as she fell to the ground. It didn't matter when he heard her voice, breaking on the wind, asking him:
"Why did you let me die, Inuyasha?"
He closed his eyes tightly, a lump forming in his throat as her words distressed him deeply. This wasn't about him being a badass anymore. This wasn't about him having something to prove or a reputation to keep intact—no—this was about him having something to protect, something far more precious than a name or a reputation. "I might not be able to protect you from yourself Kagome." He thought darkly as his eyes snapped opened, blazing gold in the bright morning sun. "But I sure damn will fight to protect you from everything else!"
Determined, Inuyasha turned the ship to a safe heading and grabbed for the rope that would tie the wheel down and keep them locked in that same position. Now was the time to prepare for a true fight, the first true fight the Shikuro had seen in quite a few months—a fight that if he lost would not only kill his crew, his son, his daughter, but also the cargo that rested so safe below his feet—the most important person, the one person he had promised above all else to protect.
Wheel securely in place he jumped clean over it landing in front of the railing, looking out over his crew who were hustling quickly, attending to their jobs as best they could. For a moment he was reminded of his dream, the still vivid memories of over sixty years ago dark and blunt in his head:
He gripped the rope on the side of the wheel locking it into a heading that was directed far away from the attacking vessel. The ship rocked from cannon fire and he winced, nearly losing his balance as he searched desperately for his Captain with panicked gold eyes. The ship was in chaos, he had to do something—anything.
"What do I do?" He asked himself as he looked up towards his post, the rigging's of the main sail. He longed to be there with the other riggers, he knew what to do there, he knew how to control the winds, control the ropes, the cordage, the yards—down here upon the helm's deck, he knew nothing, he had no idea on how to control this new chaos. "What do I do?"
His eyes caught sight of Myoga, the older demon was moving with the speed of fleas, his six hands working incredibly fast to secure as many ropes as he could between cannon blasts. He was so calm, so steady. Inuyasha gritted his teeth, wishing he felt the same.
Suddenly, Myoga looked down at him, the flea's eyes lighting on him bright even against an already bright sky. He mouthed something but Inuyasha couldn't read his lips. A cannon hit the side of the haul and he nearly fell but caught himself against the now secured wheel at the last possible second.
Vaguely, he heard a voice in the back of his head, a voice he had known all his life, since the moment he had been born. The demon in him screamed loudly, its strength flowing through his veins, accompanying his adrenaline as it coursed to his heart causing it to pound.
"I have to do something." He found himself whispering as that adrenaline combined with demon blood calmed him to his very soul. The world seemed to slow down, the terror that was lodged in his mind started to ebb and he—he knew exactly what to do. "All hands!"
"All hands," Inuyasha yelled his voice just as loud as it had been those sixty years ago, carrying all the way to the other vessel, a fact that made him smirk as the memory and old decisions faded. The men on his deck froze instantly at the sound of his voice, their eyes looking at their chosen leader with anxieties and worry. Inuyasha smirked darkly, giving them the look that had made him a Captain.
He gritted his teeth tightly as the men looked at him, shocked that a mere rigger, not even a master rigger yet, was yelling as if he were a Captain. He panted, the demon in his subconscious was howling, giving him directions without needing to tell him a word.
Taking a deep breath he stilled all his features, smirking darkly his bright golden eyes shining with an inner confidence he had known since the night of his very birth—a gift from the blood of his father, from all of his ancestors, even the ones that he hated and the ones he despised. "Prepare to fight men!"
The memory coursed through his very veins as he repeated those words. "Prepare to fight," He called out as he turned his face to stare at the ship with confidence burning in his dark pupils, that memory tickling his every sense as it played in the back of his mind. "For today!"
"For Today," He raised one hand above his head, pumping it with pride and force and determination. He demanded respect as the words left his mouth for the very first time—
Coming back to the present Inuyasha took a deep and hearty breath, those words ripping from his mouth just as they had, on this very deck sixty years ago."We fight to live!"
His men roared in response just as those other men had so long ago, all trepidation removed from them as they pumped their fist in the air and whooped loudly in defiance of the men that were attacking them. The loud explosion of a cannon, the only thing that interrupted there loud cries.
"Fire!"
He heard Miroku yell from below in return as their ship lurched from the surprise hit. Without further thought and knowing that his crew had enough confidence running through them now to make it to the end, Inuyasha jumped from the helm's deck down to the quarter deck, his boots pounding on the ground as he ran towards the small ladder that lead down below to the belly of the ship. Pressing his ears all the way down to his skull, he stuck his head through the slight opening yelling down to Miroku, "Keep 'em firing, I'll direct the men above!"
"Aye!" Miroku's muffled voice called back as the loud sound of their own cannons firing cut off anything else he might have said.
The smell of flint assaulted Inuyasha's nose as he pulled his head back up, his expression dark as he watched the other ship get closer and closer—they were just in range for only cannon fire at the moment but give or take five minutes and they would be close enough to board. Feeling the adrenaline in his veins beginning to pump in anticipation, he reached for the side of his clothes, feeling for his guns. His eyes widened as his hands came back empty, he hadn't put them on this morning—he didn't have a single gun on him, not even a sword.
"Shit!" He cursed loudly as he turned on his heel and ran towards his cabin. This was not good—he had to have some kind of weapon in his hand, he was a good fist fighter, hell he was probably one of the best in the seven seas but guns usually were the best weapon against guns, just as swords were typically the best weapons against swords.
Flinging himself passed the stairs, he rounded the corner sharply entering the hall without preamble, his hands grabbing for the door to his cabin, nearly yanking it off the hinges as he entered the room.
"Captain!" Sango cried out as she saw him, her, Shippo, and Kagome huddled together on the bed, the younger girl wrapping her arms tightly around the elder, Shippo pressed between them.
He froze as he took in the sight of her normally beautiful tan skin, which was now stained with twin trails of tears. Every instinct in his body told him to go to her, to comfort her—to take her into his arms and tell her that she was safe, that nothing bad would ever happen to her as long as he drew breath but, the realistic part of him knew that the only sure fire way to protect Kagome was up above on the deck, not here comforting her with his arms and words.
He pushed the thoughts aside telling them bluntly instead, "I need my guns," as he reached for a belt hung upon a peg in the wall—a number of pistols tied to it securely by different types of ropes and even colored sashes.
"Are they boarding us?" Sango's voice came out strong as Kagome squeaked clearly terrified.
"No and don't get any ideas, even if they were you can't help." Inuyasha told her as he hastily tied the strange belt around his waist, his hands actually shaking as he took in the smell of Kagome's tears. "I need you here, protecting her." He grabbed one of the guns, undoing it from the rest before he tossed it almost carelessly towards Sango who grabbed it with practiced ease. "Shoot anyone who comes through that door."
Sango took a look at the gun, Kagome's hands tightening around her waist as the younger girl stared at the foreign weapon. "Anyone?" Her words were full of meaning as she held the gun tight against her chest.
Inuyasha gave her a dark pointed look as one clawed finger pointed at the pistol in her hands. "I want you to pull the trigger the second you see flesh," He gave her a look that made no room for arguments. "I don't care who's flesh it is, you aim to kill, understand?"
Sango nodded her head firmly, no fear in her chestnut eyes.
Satisfied, Inuyasha grabbed for a sword that hung upon the wall, a standard cutlass that he very rarely used unless a situation absolutely called for it. The ship rocked violently as he sheathed the sword at his side, using the belt of guns he had just tied to his waist as the perfect place to secure it.
Behind him Kagome gasped, a small cry or sob escaping from her lips muffled by her face pressing into Sango's stomach. He felt his heart clench in his chest, angry that she should have to suffer such terror at his hands. "Don't worry." He said without looking back, the rustle of fabric telling his well trained ears that Kagome had in fact turned to see him. "It'll be over soon, I promise." He didn't wait for her reply as he existed the room, calling behind him, "Lock the door."
The second Inuyasha reached the deck he found a baffled Miroku running towards him, panting as if he had been searching frantically for him. "Captain!" He yelled as he reached him his eyes wild with complete disbelief.
"What?" Inuyasha responded automatically, feeling strangely uncomfortable as he eyed the actually frightened Miroku. On instinct he looked passed the boy taking in the vessel that was attacking them, realizing that despite all the cannonballs they had fired, the other vessel had no damage whatsoever. "Do the gunners keep missing?" He asked before Miroku could catch his breath enough to speak.
"No." Miroku replied his whole body anxious and panicky as he tried to catch his breath, one of his hands pointing out towards their attacker as the other clutched at his heaving chest. "Something's wrong," He panted as he took deep breathes. "Watch our cannonballs when they fire."
Inuyasha nodded his head as he turned to look out towards the other ship, his sharp vision able to pick up one of their cannonballs as it flew outwards across the short expanse that separated the two galleys. The round was perfectly aimed, just like all the other half dozen rounds that were flying across the slight channel with it soaring through the air at great speeds, headed right towards the Bobcat ship only for every single round to stop as if they had been grabbed in midair by some unseen force and thrown into the water.
"Holy shit!" Inuyasha's voice caught in his throat, he had never in his nearly sixty years as a Captain and over a hundred years at sea seen that happen—ever. "What the fuck was that?"
"That's what I want to know!" Miroku yelled back equally scared as he watched one of the enemy's cannonballs come right towards their own ship's front hall. Luckily, it was not very well aimed and fell short before hitting them dead on; the resulting wave pushing violently against the ship, however, did manage to make most of the humans on their ship simultaneously lose their footing.
Grabbing the railing for support Inuyasha watched as another one of their cannonball's flew towards the enemy vessel, only to drop to a watery grave before it had made it a little over three fourths of the way. "I've never—."
"Could it be a demon?" Miroku interjected as he too held onto the railing, his balance far worse than his father's in situations such as these.
Inuyasha ground his teeth in thought and shook his head dazed. "Maybe a wind demon but damn it," He paused for a moment completely at a lose. "It would take a lot of force to stop a fucking cannonball in midair!"
Miroku bit his lip as another cannon from the other vessel flew towards them, this time hitting their ship dead on. The wood of the forward railing farthest from the attacking ship exploded into an array of splinters, the cannonball itself skidding off the deck by the grace of god and falling into the sea where it could do no further damage but take out the larboard railing.
"Holy shit." Inuyasha felt his heart about to explode in his chest as he grabbed for Miroku, holding the boy who had nearly lost his balance in the aftermath of the vessel lurching from the force of the hit. "This isn't good—this isn't fucking good."
Below their gunners fired another round of cannons, Inuyasha and Miroku both watching them, looking for some kind of clue as the ship tried to stabilize itself against the previous hit, tossing dangerously up and down in the water. With rapt attention Inuyasha's eyes followed only one cannonball, hoping beyond all hope that he might catch something, anything, some little nuance that might tell him what was going on. Just as before the cannons flew towards the other ship only to stop at a certain point dead in the air before falling heavily into the sea. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, there was something strange about the way they stopped dead and fell: they didn't fall all at the same time as they would of if it was a wind demon using burst of air to prevent the cannon fire or some other magical offensive force, no, they all fell at the same exact position as if there was something in the way preventing them from going further. Inuyasha's eyes widened as realization dawned on him like lighting ripping down his back, his sharp eyes catching onto the secret easily as the next cannonball fell heavily into the ocean.
"Shōheki," He whispered as his heart dropped all the way to his stomach and then down passed his feet. "Watashi wa, shōheki o sore o shinjiru koto ga dekinai," Fear gripped his heart, he had seen something like this before but on a much smaller scale with Kagome. When the men attacking Jinenji had shot at Kagome's barrier, the barrier had deflected all the shots easily causing them to fall in midair, just as the cannonballs were being deflected now. "Sore ga miko desu ka?"
Miroku shook his head as he tried to figure out what the Captain had just said. In fact the only word he had caught was 'miko,' which really only served to confuse him more as he looked out across the ocean, his eyes just managing to catch sight of the ever slight shimmer that surrounded the other ship. "Miko—," The word suddenly caught within his mind. "It's a miko barrier."
"Maybe—," Inuyasha whispered, there was not a doubt in his mind that it was at least some kind of barrier; if not a miko's barrier then something similar "We gotta," He started to say but the words died on his lips, there was no time for talking. Darting away from Miroku without a word, he mounted the stairs that lead to the helm's deck, not bothering to even take them two at a time, instead choosing to jump all the way to the top in one giant stride.
"Captain?" Miroku yelled after him, running to catch up, mounting the stairs hastily trying to race up them as quickly as his human body would allow. "What are we going to do?" He yelled as he finally reached the top having taken the stairs four at a time, the maximum number he could jump.
"If that is a Miko barrier," The Captain said hastily as he undid the rope that held the wheel, instantly turning them hard to larboard, away from the other ship. "We could all very well die."
"But—." Miroku's mind raced for anything, any solution he could think of. "What about Kagome," The name tumbled from his lips. "She's a miko, can't she do something?"
"Are you forgetting what I told you—her powers could kill her." Inuyasha bit out as another cannonball sailed towards them, this one aimed expertly at their foremost sail, hitting it squarely, the sound of splintering wood loud as the mast broke away from the ship, propelled forward and away from them only by the velocity at which the cannonball had made contact. Like a tree in a silent forest, the mast fell loudly into the ocean, the sail that it held ripping deafeningly as it plunged into the sea.
Both men stared in disbelief, neither one able to comprehend what had just happened. Without that sail they had no chance of escape, without their cannons they had no chance to fight unless they could board the other vessel. But the other ship was still, as if it knew this and refused to let them take advantage of it.
"My cannons are useless." Inuyasha felt the thoughts trickle into his head as he tried desperately to formulate some kind of plan. "One of the sails is destroyed—we can barely move, just limp along." Inuyasha felt a cold sensation run all the way to the pit of his stomach—a sensation he had never in his life felt before terror—complete terror. Not for himself, but for that which he wished above all else to protect. "How do I protect her like this?"
"What do we do?" Miroku's voice sounded small, sounded like it had almost eleven years ago when Inuyasha had laid eyes on him for the very first time in a dingy gutter in England. The boy fell to his knees as another cannonball ravaged their ship this time missing just barely as it was flung over their heads, landing to their left, the backlash of it entering the ocean sending a spray of saltwater into the air that dosed them both.
Inuyasha gulped, the water from the sea spray streaming down his face. He tried to open his mouth, to say something reassuring but no words left his lips and just one phrase barely even entered his brain. "What do I do?" He heard that same small voice in his head, the same voice he had heard all those years ago, on this very deck, in this very same situation and for the first time since then, the first time in sixty years—he found that he had no idea.
End of Chapter
Please Review
Congrats to SweetHunniiBunnii for being review number 1150! Edited for accents 6/5/2013.
Japanese Translation:
Watashi wa, shōheki o sore o shinjiru koto ga dekinai, sore ga mikodesu ka: I can't believe it, a barrier, is it a miko?
Ōyamaneko: The Japanese word for Lynx.
Bonus Point:
Yes or No: Does the North American bobcat actually belong to the Lynx family?
Last Chapter's Bonus Point:
The answer is the British Flag! The word "jack" was actually in use before King James I introduced the British flag in 1606. It was the word for any flag flown on a ship. By 1627, all ships flew the British flag but men still called the flag a "Jack," eventually morphing it into "the King's Jack" or "His Majesty's Jack" in order to make the name more respectful. By 1674, the flag was officially dubbed the Union Jack, a name that never changed. Congrats to the winners:
Orchid678, Nina Morenos, theunbestest, LittleMargarita, Alice's Secret Lover, Leomae123, HeavenlyEclipse, Purple Dragon Ranger, Litle C, SweetHunniiBunnii, Laken, TheRealInuyasha (Lovin' your friends answer BTW), Coka Cookie Cola, Summer Jasmine
P.S. If your name doesn't show up for some reason—I am truly sorry. I've noticed that fanfiction does not like some usernames, especially ones that have a lot of repeating letters, so sometimes it actually will not let me put your name. I'll try to think of a solution to this, I promise.
Notes:
Shrouds – A shroud is the web like links of robe that seamen used to climb/navigate the riggings; their actual purpose, though was to help keep the mast upright.
Cordage - The term cordage refers to the ropes, called lines, that connect and manipulate sails. There are two types: running rigging and standing rigging.
Running Rigging - The cordage used to control the shape and position of the sails; it is very flexible in order to allow smooth movement of the spars and sails.
Standing Rigging - A cordage with a fixed position; it is almost always between a mast and the deck, using tension (created by covering it with tar) to hold the mast in place.
Yard – The cross section of a mast. The mast is the part that runs horizontal to the ship, the yard is the piece that runs vertical to the ship. The sails are connected to it and are set from it.
Next Chapter:
A Decision Unmade
See you then!
UNEDITED
POSTED 2/13/2012