Shikuro: A Caribbean Fairy Tale

by Inuma Asahi De

Inuyasha was as bad as pirates came, according to his legend. Kagome was a woman of propriety, destined to marry for her family's honor when all she wanted was to live on the sea. What happens when their eyes meet by chance or perhaps by daring fate?

55. Reunited

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).

Chapter Fifty-Five

Reunited

The clearing was absolutely silent as every man stared at the young Kagome Dresmont who held the newly renovated orb in her smooth uncalloused hands.

Onaconah looked at the orb that rested in those youthful hands, his eyes unable to leave the object as it glowed lightly against her fingertips. "How?" He managed to whisper out as the shock that overran his face grew greater with each passing second.

In front of him Kagome shrugged and brought the orb closer to her person looking at it with gentle grey eyes. "I couldn't tell you honestly." She spoke softly as she ran her fingers over the orb which shimmered under her touch responding to its creator as she caressed it. "I just knew it would work, I guess," She glanced up at Onaconah and smiled brightly, her expression causing Inuyasha's heart to jump just slightly in his chest. She looked so natural with that particular smile on her face. "I just—I don't know what I do exactly. All I know is I wanted to give you some way to protect your people still and so it happened."

Inuyasha furrowed his eyebrows at her words trying to figure out how her power's worked. "I just can't figure it out—," He gritted his teeth frustrated with his own lack of understanding. "Does she just have a sixth sense or something?" He relaxed his jaw and licked his lips, his mind going to another woman who had harnessed similar powers with a rosary strewn between her fingers. "How did you learn?" He questioned her even though he knew she would never hear. "I never thought to ask you how you knew, who taught you?" A part of him didn't really want to know but a larger part of him concerned for Kagome's safety felt he needed to. "Maybe we should go see Kaede again—I bet she would know."

Onaconah stepping towards Kagome brought Inuyasha out of his own thoughts and he watched with tight golden eyes as the old demon chieftain reached forward tentatively to touch the orb. He hesitated when the orb glowed brightly at the impending impact and glanced at Kagome who only offered him a reassuring smile before moving the orb closer to him as encouragement. "Are sur—," He started to say his mind racing to what he had seen this woman do only minutes or so before. "Can I, Storm Eyes?"

Sango raised her eyebrow at the nickname and looked at Miroku who merely shrugged. "Don't look at me." He mumbled not waiting for a response before he turned back to Kagome.

"It won't hurt or change you." Kagome spoke gently her voice as honest and sweet as it always was. "This isn't the same power that purified your brother."

The old man furrowed his brow but nodded his understanding. Around him the natives started to grow restless as they watched the danger their chief was putting himself in.

"E do da!" The man Inuyasha and Kagome knew as Onaconah's son stepped out from the crowd his dark eyes shinny with fear as he glared at the orb suspiciously before looking at his father. "Kla." He spoke cautiously in Cherokee as he eyed Inuyasha allowing his gaze to linger for an abnormal amount of time before he turned back to the orb. "Kla ho-wa-a-ye-(lv)-di," He stopped speaking for only a moment, his eyes moving away from the orb to roam over Kagome in a distrustful manner. "`Ge ya."

Inuyasha's ears twitched on his head (despite the language barrier the boy's tone was still not to his liking) and he growled lightly in the back of his throat. He had not caught much of the sentence only the words 'No' (Kla) and 'Woman' ('Ge ya). What the middle part of the phrase had been he wasn't sure but he didn't like to hear 'woman' and 'no' in the same sentence when he knew who the woman was. "Speak in English." He bit out as he took a step forward his ears going back on his head. "Especially if you're gonna insult Kagome by not even using her name."

Onaconah's son opened his eyes wide looking completely shocked as did Miroku and Sango both.

"Yeah." Inuyasha continued his voice blunt. "I know you actually speak English Hakan, you can't hide it anymore."

"You knew?" The demon spoke softly as he looked at the dog demon before him wearily his eyes darting between Inuyasha, Inuyasha's followers, his father and the equally surprised crowd of men.

"Surprised?" Inuyasha's voice was filled with his own barely concealed contempt for this man's words.

"You understand our language?" Hakan spoke as if he had not heard Inuyasha speak. His pupils dilating as he gave the other man a calculating look.

"I learn fast."

The young Cherokee inhaled deeply through his nose as he tried to stand his ground against the much larger demon before him. "How did you figure it ou—."

"Hakan." Onaconah's voice broke into the clearing stopping any further words between the two men. "Now not time."

The young man's face broke out into a surprised wince at the gentle reprimand and he stepped back looking at the ground almost apologetically. "E do da." Hakan's voice spoke the word for father as if it was an apology.

"It okay," Onaconah smiled slightly looking from Inuyasha to Hakan, neither man too sure who the older man was talking to and trying to reassure. Whoever the man was talking to however, both men found themselves silent as they looked at Onaconah whose face was once again plastered to the jewel.

"Onaconah?" Kagome whispered out his name seeming to have ignored both men and allow the issue to drop quite effectively. "Go ahead—," She pressed him as she motioned with the orb in her hands beckoning him to take it. "I want to see."

The old demon looked up at her for a moment staring into her sparkling grey eyes. There seemed to be so much confidence in those eyes as if this girl knew nothing and yet knew everything all in the same breath. A strange state of being that she appeared to also accept and embrace without question. Onaconah smiled gently at her, his heart warming even as fear still welled up within the pit of his stomach. There was something just oddly comforting about her face; about that strange state between knowledge and ignorance that she seemed to float within. "Is it possible?" He started to ask her but didn't wait for an answer before he reached forward with shaking but brave fingers.

The orb glowed brighter the closer his clawed fingers came into contact with it and the men in the clearing all seemed to gasp collectively in anticipation. They had seen what this girl's power had done to Adahy and now the tribes leader was going to touch the orb this girl had empowered of his own free will. It seemed insane—Onaconah seemed completely insane.

The older man's fingertips had just barely touched the orb before the power inside of it seemed to stir just slightly, a gaseous cloud of mixing black and white just beneath the surface of the orb lighting up like lightning in a thunderstorm. Onaconah hesitated only once more before he drew his face into a determined frown that seemed to say 'screw it' and took the orb into his grip. It flashed once with a brilliance none could quite comprehend and then fizzled as it calmed back down fading into a bright yet somehow muted white. He breathed deeply for some minutes, the wrinkles around his eyes drawing tight making him appear younger as he held his face in taunt shock. "It possible?" He whispered once more as if he didn't believe he had just touched the orb without dying.

"I think it is." Kagome replied despite the qualities of the question that had been rhetorical.

"Can I—," Onaconah lifted his head towards her looking like a little boy. "Will it work?"

"It should," She told him honestly as she stood from the ground where she had been kneeling and motioned for him to stand as well. Onaconah obeyed without preamble and holding the orb in front of him stood still as if unsure of what he was to do next. "You should try it." Kagome encouraged gently as she tried her best to sound reassuring. "I think if you use it like the other orb it'll work."

"Like the other one?" Onaconah mumbled out as his face grew slack again and the wrinkles came back to his flesh causing his skin to appear more like the bark off a tree than actual skin. "Just like other." He whispered out again before looking up into her eyes for more reassurance only to be met with a turbulent storm that held no answer. That was one of the finer qualities of Kagome Dresmont's eyes. They were like two paths converging to meet in a yellowed wood. Both were suitable to travel upon and well known to both foot and paw alike but neither had any signs to tell you where they led. Kagome's eyes held no signs, much knowledge like both worn footpaths but no sign telling which way was right and which way was wrong.

Feeling lost for just a moment, his old eyes turned to the orb watching as the white color danced with the black ever so slightly within it. "It's beautiful," He thought as the white and black cloud of colors began to merge mixing into one gray puffed up cloud. "A storm." He realized as the cloud turned over on itself flowing in a small tight circular formation. "Just like her eyes."

He closed his eyes against the sight tightening his fingers on the surface of the glass as he searched as he had learned from his father long ago. He felt the pulsating heat of her power and marveled as it pushed against the crystal underneath his fingertips begging him to be released so it might serve its purpose. With a long exhale he allowed the power into his fingertips and gasped as it practically burned his veins not from its purified quality but instead from its sheer vitality. It felt like an inferno of power that scorched his veins in a way he never thought possible making the old orb look like child's play.

Concentrating, he directed the power to the best of his capabilities routing it through every nerve, vein, and artery in his body until he felt it enter his throat, resting there until there was enough energy collected to do the job he had in mind. It was only a matter of seconds before enough of the power had been gathered and he resisted the urge to gulp as he felt it swell within his throat. It was a familiar sensation that he had experienced several hundred times before but now something felt different. "It stronger." He told himself as he barely managed to hold the power in. "It so much stronger."

With eyes still closed tight, he forced himself to relax his jaw so he could open his mouth and allow the power he had collected from the orb to flow from his trachea shooting out into the clearing as a giant beam of light likened to the one Kagome had produced in order to save herself from Manten. The whole of the clearing lit up as the beam of light entered the sky reaching so far above their heads that they weren't sure where it ended until it suddenly seemed to overflow energy plummeting back towards them in a dome shaped curve.

All around the clearing men who had not seen this phenomenon in years and others who had not seen it to this capacity since before they had been one tribe, gasped in amazement. All eyes watched that power as it came into being, a beam of beaconing light that fell over the entirety of the cove like a curtain falling from a maiden's hand as she shuts her window. The mysterious liquid fabric of Kagome Dresmont's bottled power encompassed them in a shimmering semi-translucent mass of protection. The Indians and pirates alike gasped in astonishment as the barrier came to completion guarding them from no foe and separating them from no enemy instead, it only served to encompass them in a warm blanket that they could only associate with its creator and the power's source.

Still holding the orb in his old hands Onaconah sealed off his throat's passageway stopping any further power from being tempted into leaving the jewel as he carefully closed his month. The last of the energy to leave his month made its way to the very top of the dome that covered them becoming part of the curved shape. For a moment the dome glowed sensing its own completion before it seemed to settle becoming translucent to everyone but Kagome who could still see the shimmer of its fabric like quality with her gifted eyes.

Onaconah inhaled deeply as his shaking hands took in a barrier far larger than any he had ever created. It not only covered and protected all his men but covered the entirety of the half mile wide and quarter mile deep cove as well as the two ships that bobbed out in the harbor. "Impossible." He told himself as he looked at the giant barrier in complete amazement before allowing his eyes to travel to the orb in his hands watching as the smoky quality of its inner power continued to mix. "There still power left." He realized looking into it. "I could make barrier even bigger."

"To know if it really works," Kagome suggested from beside him her bright grey eyes matching the storm within the orb. "You'll have to retract it."

For a moment, Onaconah found himself fixated on those eyes. He never would have guessed four days before that his decision to call her 'Storm Eyes' when he had trouble pronouncing her name would have been so fated. "You right, Storm Eyes." He whispered to her as he brought the orb above his head and closed his eyes. With a deep inhale through his nose he opened the channels in his fingers once more before tilting back his head and opening his mouth.

The energy of the barrier around them began to slowly move in reaction to his opened mouth. The dome rotating in a giant circle that picked up more and more speed the longer Onaconah waited. It wasn't long before the dome began to race around them at the speeds of a tornado, which slowly lifted from the ground instead of lowering towards it. The once clear barrier became tinted with white as the dome retracted moving upwards hastily as the energy continued to circle, coiling like a serphant into a cylinder at the very top of the dome. For a moment it merely whipped around above them growing tighter and tighter and moving faster and faster, a cyclone made completely out of energy that danced above their head. And then, like a flash of lightening it shot downwards hitting Onaconah at point blank range, sailing down his throat finding the pathway of his veins, nerves, and arteries once more as it shot down both his arm to both sets of fingers following the natural passageway until it found its way back within the jewel. The jewel glowed brightly as the energy finally came back to proper home before dimming in the old demon's fingers as if nothing had ever happened.

Onaconah coughed the second the power completely finished making its way through his body and gasped for breath. All around him men watched on in silence trying to determine if their leader was in fact okay or in harm's way. For several seconds, the outcome seemed to be leaning in the least favorable direction as Onaconah coughed and brought one hand away from the jewel to cover his face.

Hakan took a tentative step forward with an outstretched hand looking prepared to grab hold of his father should the older man need any assistance. Onaconah raised the hand holding the orb towards Hakan before the boy could think to try however, his coughing seeming to stop as the hand covering his face moved downwards to rub at his throat. "That different." He whispered to the boy but something in his voice sounded astonished and grateful. "I never—." He started to speak but his voice froze in his throat as he turned to look at Kagome with watery eyes. "It impossible." He told her but smiled none the less. "But it work."

Kagome's face broke into a giant smile as she clapped her hands together in front of her face and laughed. "I'm so glad."

Her words rang out in the clearing as the tension was finally broken and Indian/Pirate alike began to celebrate. Loud calls filled the clearing as the men chanted Onaconah's name with pride and happiness, the hate of the past seeming to melt away as new understandings and feelings came into fruition. Holding the orb to his chest Onaconah smiled brightly as he took in the sight, the wrinkles around his eyes growing darker with his own happiness as men he hadn't seen stand next to each other in hundreds of years hugged and laughed, talking in hurried voices as they made plans for both the future and now. "I never thought." He told himself silently as tears welled in his eyes. "I see such a thing again."

Onaconah gulped feeling his knees start to go weak as he turned back to Kagome watching as the young girl looked at the chaos of celebrating men around her. She looked so young standing there with her hands clasped in front of her chest and her bright grey eyes fixated on the happiness all around her. The smile on her face was wide her teeth almost as bright as her eyes that shimmered excitedly.

"I," He tried to speak. "Sto," He stumbled over his words as he looked at her once more before looking down at the orb in his hands as if it shouldn't have existed. "Storm Eyes!" He managed to say her name loud enough to be heard over the laughter and new hope.

Kagome and her Captain both turned to look at him even though he had only called for her. For all of a second, he took the young couple in imaging all the great things they would do as long as they were by each others sides. They would unstoppable between his strength and her amazing capabilities. The world wouldn't even know what hit it when those two came to the peak of their game. In that moment, Onaconah was sure they would rule the world one day or at the very least fill it with children just as powerful as themselves.

Tears slipped from his eyes as he looked at them feeling so lucky to have met them, to have saved them, to have had the favor returned not only promptly but wholly. "Thank you." He spoke into the loud festivities as some men opened a keg and passed out mugs. "I thank you for everything." He took a deep breath that actually caught in his throat as images of his brother long lost and his granddaughter now saved came into his mind. "I owe you so—."

The brightness of her smile made him stop. "Onaconah," Her voice was crisp in the air. "You owe me nothing," She shook her head as if the thought of him owing her anything was amusing. "I only did what was right."

"You're so modest." Inuyasha grumbled from behind her and the young girl found the blush that rose to her face impossible to push back down.

The old demon smiled at the exchange watching as the girl turned her head away from the man demon society already saw as her mate.

"E do da?" Hakan spoke softly as he reached out and placed a hand on his father's shoulder drawing the man away from the two youths before him.

"Os da." Onaconah replied reassuringly to the unasked question as he patted his son's hand. "Everything is fine." He repeated the basic sentiment in English as he looked at Inuyasha and Kagome with utter affection. "You may take no credit but make everything fine you do Storm Eyes and—," He turned and looked at Inuyasha. "Common Dog."

Inuyasha gave a modest smile as he heard Miroku cough behind him and shrugged before his face grew serious amongst the celebrating all around them. "There is one more matter that needs to be taken care of Onaconah." He spoke calmly but an inner turmoil seemed to already be forming in his deep and solemn eyes. "I need to check on my men, I haven't seen any of them yet." He spoke with a sharpness that caused Onaconah to sit up a little straighter as if just remembering the atrocities that had happened in this place.

He glanced at Miroku behind Inuyasha, his nose twitching as he took in the scent of the boy. "A-s-ga-ya?" He whispered and eyed Inuyasha for confirmation.

"Yes," A look of pride come over Inuyasha's face erasing the tension that had been flooding his features as he glanced back at Miroku. "My son."

"I am sorry." Onaconah bowed his head towards Inuyasha not looking the least bit surprised by Inuyasha's understanding of the term as the rest of the small sequestered group did.

"How did he know that gibberish means son?" Sango whispered to Miroku.

"Why are you asking me?" Miroku fired back as he leaned heavily on Sango his leg starting to throb.

"You're his son." She hissed back as Shippo standing at their feet looked back and forth with knitted eyebrows.

"She's right." The small kit threw in his two cents worth receiving a giggle from Kagome who was standing just close enough to hear and a subsequent glare from Miroku that stopped any further comment from the tiny kit.

Inuyasha gave the small group a look before he turned back to Onaconah's still bowed head. "Onaconah," He said stiffly as he brought a hand up to rub his face. "What do you have to be sorry for?"

"My brother did this." The old man spoke causing everyone in the small circle to stop and watch as the old man bowed his head even lower not daring to look up. "I apologize for his wrong."

For several seconds the small group was silent, the sounds of celebrating all around them loud in their ears and yet barely heard as they watched Inuyasha stare at the bowed head. The dog demon licked his lips and sighed heavily as the sound of men already getting drunk reached his ears. "Don't." He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't go apologizing for another person's mistakes."

Onaconah raised his head just slightly to look at the man before him. "But—."

"Besides—" Inuyasha continued ignoring the man blatantly as he glanced at Kagome out of the corner of his eye pausing as he watched her hoping she would spare him a glance. "If she'd just look, then I'd know—I'd know where we stand at least." He licked his lips ever so slightly, waiting only a heart beat more for her to turn and look at him but her eyes remained focused completely on Onaconah refusing to acknowledge him. "Kagome." He said her name preparing to finish his earlier sentence but paused for just barely a second as he took in the way her pupils seemed to shake as if she was fighting some unknown urge. "Does she want to look?" He questioned silently just as he realized he had been quiet for far too long. Clearing his throat he turned back to Onaconah trying to collect his thoughts. "Ano—," He slipped on his native tongue. "Kagome put an end to that shit, you know? It don't matter anymore."

"Yes." Onaconah raised his head to look at the other man seeming unconvinced if the tension in his shoulders was any judge. "That true but still—Adahy my brother," The old man looked down at the ground remorsefully. "As oldest it my job take responsibility for him, he young not wise, need time grow so have me correct mistakes."

Inuyasha snorted and closed his eyes as he shook his head back and forth seeming amused suddenly. Ever so slightly he opened his eyes and looked down at the ground just as a flash of pain seemed to cross his face. "Sesshoumaru." He thought darkly as he inhaled sharply his mind filled with childhood memories of a man who hated him. Perhaps he was tired or his body was in a bit of pain or maybe he had simply come to the point where he no longer cared what the people around him knew or didn't know. Whatever the reason, Inuyasha looked up at Onaconah then and allowed the words to slip out uncensored. "I've never had the love for my brother that you do—."

Kagome's head snapped upwards as well as Sango's and Miroku's. The three people stared in wonder as Inuyasha continued as if he had not in fact just said something completely unknown, hidden, and before this very moment improbable.

"—but I guess I can understand a bit." Inuyasha turned and looked at Miroku missing the man's gaping expression as he jabbed his thumb towards his son. "I'd do the same for him, feel I was responsible in a way." He lowered the hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "Just don't go beating yourself up over it." He gave the man a lopsided smile with his tired drooping eyes. "Even for a demon life's just too short."

Onaconah finally found the ability to smile at Inuyasha's blunt words. "I'll try."

Inuyasha clicked his tongue before placing his hands on his hips with his elbows flared backwards. "Now as a Captain I need to assess my crew so—."

"I'm sorry," A man stepped forward cutting Inuyasha off and causing everyone to turn in his direction. "But I can't help but overhear."

"You?" Kagome pointed at the familiar face. "You're the guard from earlier."

"Yeah!" Shippo chimed in for the first time as he jumped up onto Sango's shoulder to get a better look. "You're Shiori's guard, you watch'd us."

"Yes." The guard acknowledge but still looked highly uncomfortable under the gaze of the green eyed child. "That was one of my jobs."

"Don't worry Captain!" Shippo exclaimed as he turned to look at Inuyasha with a bright smile on his face. "This guys okay, he was kind'a nice to me 'un Shiori. He never hurt us or nothin'."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at the kit before giving a curt nod and turning towards the guard that had once served Adahy. "Speak." He commanded instantly not even bothering to ask the man any questions.

"Yes sir!" The man replied as he snapped to attention under the gaze. "I—um that is your men are o-o-n board, sir—at least um some of them are, yeah." He spoke rapidly little trickles of sweat going down the side of his face as Inuyasha maintained his stern glare. "We-e-um," He gulped visibly. "Left them in yer brig."

Inuyasha seemed to contemplate for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest once again as he gave the man a scrutinizing look. "What do you mean," He paused for just a second as he leaned forward, years of interrogating people giving him all the tools necessary to scare this guy shitless. "Some of them?"

The guard bent backwards without taking a step, trying to lean away from Inuyasha as far as he could as he wrung his hands in front of himself. "A few joined our ranks." He got out quickly, the look on his face seeming to say don't-kill-me-I'm-just-a-messenger.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in complete shock as he immediately drug his eyes around the clearing looking for any sign of his own men. "I didn't see anyone that I can think of." He told himself as he looked around quickly his nose working overtime to find any familiar scents. "Who would have? I'm on good terms with my men, well, for the most part."

"They said they were only loyal to the current Captain and that Adahy was the current Captain." The guard shrugged as he spoke trying to appear indifferent but his shaking hands getting in the way of his aloft tone. "So they joined our ranks."

"Typical," Inuyasha grumbled as he turned towards Miroku. "Can you think of anyone?"

"None that matter." Miroku spoke evenly as his dark eyes surveyed the celebrating mass. "I think right now we should focus on the ones that're locked up."

Inuyasha gave Miroku a look but decided it was for the best. "Yeah," He turned back to the guard. "So the rest are on the ship?" He pressed the guard his body appearing only slightly more relaxed as he towered over the smaller man.

"Yes," The increasingly tiny looking bobcat nodded. "Except for your officers."

"You mean these two?" Inuyasha pointed behind him at Sango and Miroku who both waved pointedly with matching dry expressions on their faces.

The demon gave them a surprised look and opened his mouth to speak only to come up short. "Well—um yeah." He admitted after some seconds of doing his best impersonation of a fish as he took in the state of Miroku's body knowing that he was part of the crew that had done the damage. "But also um—there's two more."

"Two more?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in curiosity, his hair bristling as he tried to imagine who they might be and more importantly if they had been tortured like Sango and Miroku.

"I couldn't pronounce their names for my life but a—," The guard frowned as he thought, the sweat that was trickling down the side of his face now starting to look more like a small waterfall as Inuyasha stared him down. "Ye-r-r carpenter," He got out as he licked his lips nervously. "And a-um rigger we were using them for repairs—well the carpenter," He rattled off shifting from foot to foot as the Captain before him grew sterner. "The rigger not so much he was pretty angry and—didn't speak English—well um," The man scratched one eyebrow, an obvious nervous habit. "I think he was speaking another language—it was hard to tell."

A smirk formed on Inuyasha's face and he leaned away from the younger man allowing his arms to drop to his sides as he chuckled openly. "Ringing any bells Miroku?" He turned towards his son and laughed outright.

Miroku closed his eyes and shook his head back and forth as a large smile broke out on his face. "I can only think of two."

"Yeah," Inuyasha agreed as he turned back to the bobcat guard. "Myoga and Totosai." He supplied waiting for recognition to come across the boy's face. "Was that the names?"

The guard looked at him with confusion at the sudden change in pace. "I think so—." He nodded as he chewed on his bottom lip appearing paranoid. "Would you like me to take you to them—and then the crew?"

"Are the keys for the Shikuro the same?" Inuyasha questioned hurriedly.

"Yes!" The guard nodded hastily as he grabbed for a ring of keys at his side and sifted through it quickly. "I have the key here." He spoke hurriedly as he pulled a key Inuyasha recognized off the chain and handed it to the Captain.

"Hm," Inuyasha hummed key now in hand as he tilted his chin back in thought, his eyes darting around as if looking for something external that wasn't real but only in his mind. After a few minutes of thought he looked over at Miroku bringing one hand to rest against his chin with his pointer finger and thumb forming a gun that children often used in pretend play. "Why don't you and Sango head onto the ship so you can see the crew," He commanded handing Miroku the familiar key. "Get a headcount going and I'll go after the other two."

Miroku made a point of thinking about it for several seconds before looking down at his leg. "I think that's best—," He glanced at Sango for her approval getting a slight nod in the process.

"The sooner he sits the better though." She spoke up giving the Captain a stern look that caused the man to break out in a smile.

"I know better than to go against the likes of you." His words were harsh but his smile and playful tone spoke otherwise. "If the table for shares is still in one piece take that out," He directed her before turning his attention back to Miroku to finish. "That way you can sit while you work." He finished quickly before turning towards the silent demon some feet away from him. "Onaconah?"

The old man nodded sharply. "Yes."

"If any of my men are hurt can you—," He tapped his chin trying to figure out what he was trying to say. "I don't know—you got a doctor around?"

"I have one ready," Onaconah said without thought. "If need."

"Thank you." Inuyasha spared the man a grin before turning towards Miroku expectantly. "I'll be there as soon as I get the old men. Onaconah here will go with you," He turned towards Onaconah briefly to see if his words were true, the old man nodded the go ahead and without preamble he turned back to Miroku. "If anyone's hurt his guys will be on it—." He trailed off for a second as he looked at Miroku's injuries once more a small pang in his chest causing him to clear his throat roughly. "Have them look at you the second you get a chance, you got that?" He eyed his son seriously, even though he would have liked for Miroku to be looked at first he knew it wouldn't go over well with the crew if there were other men in rougher perhaps life threatening shape. And right now, Miroku's injuries were not life threatening only inconvenient.

"Right." Miroku chuckled as he leaned against Sango and motioned for her to help him turn around. "Let's go Sango," The woman gave him a gentle nod before he turned towards the small kit. "Shippo, I'll need your help with the books, can you do that?" He asked as the little boy perched on Sango's shoulder nodded his head briskly while they walked away.

Kagome glanced around nervously as she watched the three go. "Miroku didn't say anything to me—should I follow?" She glanced at the Captain behind a curtain of thick black hair hoping he wouldn't notice her. "Should I just go with them, would he notice or care?" A blush formed on her cheeks even though no thoughts crossed her brain. It was almost like she couldn't even bring herself to think about the incident; about the ki—

"You ready Kagome?"

She flushed brighter as her thoughts were interrupted by the very proprietor of them. Turning towards him she looked into his bright gold eyes and for all of a single second searched them for any answers—she found none. "Um—," She tried to speak but found her throat a little dry. "Yes?" She forced out trying to sound confident but she was sure her voice didn't come across that way.

"Alright then," Inuyasha turned towards the guard appearing tall and almost militant in her eyes. It was like he was a different man as he quickly shifted into the role he knew better than any other: a Captain. "Take me to my crew." He ordered the guard and Kagome didn't know of anything else to do but follow.

-break-

Inuyasha stood in front of the small hut that was next to the Shikuro his eyes taking in the many, many locks that separated the people inside from the people outside. Beside him Kagome glanced at the locks that covered the shack as well. "They really didn't want these two to get out." She thought to herself with a grimace before glancing over at the Captain who was watching the guard approach the hut with mild interest.

Out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha noticed her glance but despite his curiosity forced himself to ignore her inquisitive eyes. "I need to focus on Totosai and Myoga—they could be hurt just like Miroku was, maybe worse." He shook his head pushing the thought away. "Think logically Inuyasha," He told himself forcefully. "The guard said that they were working on the ship, so they have to be in good health—well Totosai has to be at least." He reasoned before huffing as he watched the guard pull out the giant ring of keys from around his neck.

The small bobcat demon sifted through the keys until he found the one that matched the first lock he needed to open. Carefully, he closed his eyes holding the key in front of him pushing his demon energy into it until it started to glow. Inuyasha raised a brow at the sight but didn't question it as the demon took a deep breath and opened his eyes before putting the key in the padlock and turning it as it glowed brighter and brighter. Suddenly, the light subsided and the lock fell opened with a soft click.

"That's interesting." Inuyasha muttered causing Kagome to turn and raise a delicate brow.

"What was that?" She asked her voice low as the demon recovered the padlock from the chains and tossed it on the ground before looking for the next key.

"A demon lock." Inuyasha offered as the clanking of the keys being sifted through caused his ears to twitch. "His demonic energy ties to the key so that even if you tried to pick the lock it wouldn't open; it'll only open if his demonic energy is being used." He informed as he watched the guard insert the next key into the next padlock. "It's really clever and good for security—I wonder why they didn't do that to Sango and Miroku or the Shikuro's brig for that matter?" He allowed his voice to trail off as the demon guard undid the next padlock dropping it to the ground with the first before going for the next key.

Not sure how to respond to the Captain's words Kagome wrung her hands together as she watched the next padlock easily drop to the ground leaving only two more remaining.

"They probably think those two are insane." Inuyasha spoke up suddenly catching Kagome off guard.

"What do you mean?"

Inuyasha snickered slightly. "If they're willing to go to this much trouble to keep Myoga and Totosai inside then those two must have really freaked them the fuck out." He chuckled as he spoke knowing from years of experience that Western demons were often confused by the customs of his two very eastern friends. After all, the place he had been raised for the first few years of his life had been a lot different than anything he had ever encountered in the west. "I think the only thing I really retained besides the language," He mused to himself. "Was a love for fish and the need to be clean—." He glanced down at his very dirty body and grimaced. "Compared to some of the customs those two still adhere to," He pushed his own dirty body out of his mind. "I'm normal."

"I guess that makes sense." Kagome nodded feeling a little more comfortable as she took in the Captain's almost nonchalant appearance. "Maybe, it was just the heat of the moment after all." She told herself as another lock met the ground. "But if that's the case," She eyed him as she watched Inuyasha look at the door with his arms crossed over his chest and his fingers tapping against his sleeve in impatience. "Then how do I feel about that?"

The last lock fell to the ground with a resounding thud and the guard stepped to the side motioning for Inuyasha who dropped his hands to his sides and took a step forward only to stop. "Stay put." He looked over his shoulder at Kagome as he gave her the firm command while raising his hand to reiterate his point. "I'm going in alone."

Not surprised that he wanted her to stay Kagome nodded and wrapped her arms around her middle. "I'll be right here." She promised and amazed even herself that she actually was sure she would this time.

He gave her a knowing smile before turning back to the door and reaching for the handle not sure what to expect from the other side. Instinctively, he smelled the air that now flowed from cracked door of the hut, "It doesn't smell of death." He told himself as he inhaled. "Or blood or even pain—it just smells like Totosai and Myoga." Not wanting to get his hopes up he blocked the thoughts from his mind and carefully grabbed the makeshift handle and with one hard yank opened the door.

"Anata wa watashitachi ikite iru ni narimasen!" Myoga's voice pierced the air immediately as the limited light from the moon and some of the still burning fires allowed him to see inside. Standing up yet still shackled was none other than Myoga, only four of his six arms actually chained the other two free. "Totosai-kun to watashi wa seppuku o komitto shimasu."

Inuyasha blanched at the words unable to speak. "Commit suicide, you want to commit suicide," He felt his jaw fall open. "What the hell Myoga?"

"Jordan daro?" Totosai mumbled from beside him sounding for lack of a better term like a whinny toddler as he sat on the ground his own shackles around his hands and feet as he looked at his friend from the corner with large tears running down his face. "Myoga-kun onegai!"

"Totosai-kun wa," Myoga continued as he brought his two free hands high in the air making two tight fist that he pumped upwards. "Butsu butsu iu-na." Despite the fact that no one but Inuyasha understood the man, he still came across as sounding inspirational to the none Japanese speakers outside.

"Kowai yo." Totosai responded as the tears ran almost comically down his face. "Watashi ga hoshī subete no fune o shūsei suru kotodesu."

Inuyasha felt his eye twitch as he listened to the man's words. "All you want is to fix the ship?" He internally grumbled as he looked between the two men one who wanted to kill himself with honor and the other who was practically crying at the suggestion. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Baka," Myoga threw back in the other man's face as he shook one of his free fists. "Ittenna-yo!"

The dog demon watched on with an almost regretful face; regret for ever having opened the door that is. "What is wrong with these two, it's like they want people to think they're crazy?" He frowned as he listened to the conversation quickly unfold as Myoga attempted to convince Totosai to commit suicide for Inuyasha's honor. "Maybe I've been in the west too long but these two sound downright insane." He thought to himself as he watched Myoga shake a fist at Totosai as he told him to stop complaining in their native tongue.

As Inuyasha watched on however, he couldn't help a warm feeling that settled in his stomach and then wormed its way up higher to his heart. Insane these two men maybe but they were the only people in the world that truly knew him, everything about him, they had always been with him from the moment he was born—his very first cry they had heard.

"Seppuku ga sono kotaedesu." Myoga continued to yell as Inuyasha took a step forward into the dimly lit room and snorted loudly.

"No one's committing seppuku." He spoke quietly his fondness seeping into his voice without his consent. "Myoga-jii-jii, Totosai-jii-jii."

Both old men froze and turned to him relief and disbelief and happiness filling their eyes as they took in the sight of the pup they had practically raised after his father and mother had died. "Inuyasha-sama wa," The old Totosai was the first to react to the words as he looked at the large figure before him. "Anatadesu ka?

"Yes, it's me," Inuyasha answered the question easily as he took another step into the hut covering up his fond look with a scowl. "Now speak English."

"We—." Myoga began as he dropped the two free hands to his sides with the other four and opened his mouth flabbergasted. "Inuyasha-sama we thought-to yuu dead."

"Well I'm alive and right here." Inuyasha opened his hands up to show off his very much alive body. "As you can see—," He motioned to his body with one hand. "No worse for wear."

"Arigato kami-sama." Totosai whispered as his earlier fake tears turned to real ones, thankfulness overflowing from his eyes as he dropped to his knees looking at Inuyasha as if he was a god come to life.

"Don't go thanking kami-sama so easily." Inuyasha grunted with a shake of his head before motioning both men out of the dark. "Now come on, you'll go blind if you stay in here too long."

"Hai!" Myoga whispered as he used one of his free arms to wipe at his own tears. "Yokatta."

"Yeah yeah," Inuyasha groaned but both Totosai and Myoga knew it was fake. "I'm glad too, now speak English!"

The two men looked at each other their breeding and culture making them naturally reserved. There would be no grand hug or words about a 'son' they would never have or a master who had given them the job of protecting his son, being proud. Instead, they put on matching strong faces with eyes filled to the brim with devotion and relief. "Yes sir!" They said together as they followed Inuyasha out of the hut tall and proud.

Inuyasha sighed and rubbed his head as he stepped out of the hut towards the guard who looked at him perplexed.

"So," The man ventured carefully. "They're not crazy?"

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha gave him a truly confused look as he stopped with Myoga and Totosai behind him.

"Kagome-sama!" Myoga cried out upon seeing Kagome standing only a few scant feet away.

"English!" Inuyasha threw back but the two old men were already too focused on the young girl to hear anything Inuyasha might have to say. In exasperation the dog demon turned back to the guard and rubbed his temple. "What were you saying?"

"Well," The man cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head. "We thought—they were speaking in tongues."

Inuyasha sighed loudly his eyes closing as if he was greatly strained. "This is why," He grumbled not even bothering to look at either Myoga or Totosai who were now in front of him fawning over Kagome. "I wanted you to always speak English."

-break-

Kagura looked around herself in the small dungeon of the ship taking in the steel bars before her with only mild interest. "Pathetic," She told herself for what felt like the hundredth time. "I could break-u them easy." She thought with a slight shrug as she leaned back and glanced over at her companion; watching the old woman with knowledgeable ruby eyes. She had been down in the dungeon with the small frail woman for the better part of what she assumed had been a week and during that time she had found out almost nothing about the woman's origin—not for lack of trying that is.

The wind enchantress turned her head and glared at the back of the current guard's head, trying to convey her great distaste for the little human man with just the death spirit's powerful eyes as her weapon. She noticed the man shudder after several seconds and smirked to herself in satisfaction. This little man was easy to intimidate she had noticed over his past few shifts watching the old woman and herself.

Tapping her nails against a piece of the steel bars she leaned back and crossed her legs her torn kimono, which was draped around her with a makeshift obi she had devised out of rope, coming up short at her knees. "I could kill him right-to now." She muttered internally continuing to tap her nails against the bars watching as sweat began to trickle down the old man's neck. "It's almost-to easy," She mused, chuckling to herself as she began to bounce her foot unconsciously.

"Miss."

Kagura started at the sound of the old raspy voice turning her head gingerly around to get a look at the old woman who was now staring at her with one kind ancient eye. "Yes Kaede-sama?" She spoke without realizing her choice of words but the woman didn't seem to mind them let alone look at her as if they were strange.

"Those eyes you have," The old woman spoke a slight smile curving the corner of her lips. "They're a lovely shade of red."

Kagura frowned and gave the woman a scrutinizing look. "Thank yuu."

The old woman nodded her head slightly before speaking once more. This time her words were not directed at Kagura. "Don't you think they're lovely, Richard?"

Kagura turned around hastily so as to see the man's reaction her ruby eyes catching him just in time to see his whole body stiffen.

"Miss Cummings." The man mumbled but didn't turn around keeping his eyes straight forward as he minded his post.

"You'll have to forgive him." The old woman went on. "He's a nervous creature."

"Miss Cummings." He repeated again his body turning into a smaller and smaller ball the more worried he became.

"Mr. Dresmont." The woman threw back the use of the proper name. "I know for a fact that no one of 'portance is on the ship right now, you told me so by being here." She smiled smugly. "They only put you on guard duty when they leave the ship, Richard." She changed back to his first name once more.

Her words caused Kagura to perk up, her interest in the conversation increasing tenfold. "Kaede-sama used his first name, how strange?" She thought as she looked back and forth between them, the death spirit's normally perceptive eyes not giving her any clues. "They talk like-u they know each other." She licked her lips and glanced around the small cell keeping an ear opened for the conversation to continue. "Dresmont-sama has brought her things since I've been in here." She noted as she took in the water bucket and waste bucket that the man both brought and emptied as well as the bowl of oranges he had smuggled in that was now emptied. "Even the little-u stool Kaede-sama is sitting on—I bet he gave it to her too."

"So now is the time." The old woman continued causing Kagura to turn away from her musings on the relationship between guard and prisoner and move back to the strange conversation.

"Time for what-o?" She butted in as she watched Miss Cummings, the death spirit's eyes telling her nothing about the old woman other than she glowed naturally all the time indicating she had some supernatural powers but not much. "Probably basic healing abiur—abil-ll-ities." She struggled to push the 'l' through the sentence allowing it to catch in her mind.

"The time to talk of course," The woman looked at her with her one good eye seeming to gleam in the frail light. "About who you are and why you have those eyes."

Kagura felt herself shy away, self-conscious from the woman's words. She brought a hand up to touch her face just slightly, her fingers padding over her skin before dropping once more. "What-o yuu know about this?" She asked, the confidence that normally stayed in her voice turning into a stutter of confusion.

"I know many things—," Kaede replied her voice even and focused. "For one," She looked down at the ground gazing in interest as a little bit of water that had become trapped in the brig with them slid as the ship bounced up and down in the harbor. "You are not a western demon."

Kagura pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "What-to the hell?" She thought to herself, her mind momentarily growing uneasy as she watched the one eyed woman looking down at the shifting puddles of water. "Okay," She spoke her own voice even and surprisingly clam. "Yuu've got-to my attention Kaede-sama—how?"

"Well," Kaede replied smoothly as she slowly looked away from Kagura, giving her a little grin. "I've met an easterner before you see and you, my dear." She pointed at Kagura with one wrinkled hand. "Have the same accent."

Kagura blinked in surprise, the information startling her. Eastern demons very rarely came over to this side of the world and when they did they tended to hide, not wanting to make themselves known because of differences in cultural opinion. If this woman had really met an eastern demon and found out of that demon's origins, then the demon him/herself must have been very confident in themselves. "Yuu met-to an eastern demon?"

"Yes," Kaede nodded her head as she carefully watched the woman in front of her studying the girl for any clues about her presence and if she really was who Kaede assumed her to be. "I get the feeling you might know him."

Her words made Kagura's face set into a deep and long frown. "Tell-u me the eastern demon's name-u." She said darkly as she thought of her reason for being here, what she was looking for, and how this woman might be able to help her.

"All in good time." Kaede evaded as she brought a hand up to rub absently at her shoulders. "First, I want to know why you have a death spirit's eyes."

The wind demon snorted at her question crossing her arms over her chest in contempt. "So I can see of course."

"Dear child," Kaede spoke softly while shaking her head back and forth. "No one takes a death spirit's eyes just to see," Her words weren't cold but something in them sounded almost rude. "It is a very painful process—one only takes the eyes," She blinked slowly. "If they have damn good reason too."

Kagura gulped, "I get-to the feelin' that seein' her cuss is a novelty-y." She told herself as she slowly licked her lips. "Yuu shouldn't talk-u of this now." She spoke as she directed her eyes towards Mr. Dresmont trying to convey that this wasn't a conversation they should have in front of their present company.

"Do not worry," Kaede brushed her off easily as she too glanced at Kagome's father giving the man a kind smile. "He's trustworthy."

If it was possible, Mr. Dresmont sunk lower in his chair at the kind words.

"The life of his daughter," Kaede continued as her mind only briefly wandered to Inuyasha and Kagome wondering if everything was going according to plan. "Depends on this conversation."

"Miss Cummings?" Mr. Dresmont turned around finally, his eyes full of panic. "What are you talking about—," His voice was full of concern and interest as his daughter's life entered the balance of the conversation. "What's going on with her eyes?"

"These are no ordinary eyes Mr. Dresmont," Kaede supplied as she gazed at the younger using his full name once more as a sign of respect. "They see what cannot be seen, they find what cannot be found." Her words were cryptic but somehow highly informative. "In the demon world they are a prized possession but they come at a heavy price." Kaede stood at her words and walked over to a nearby water bucket that had been graciously brought to them by Mr. Dresmont. "They say the pain of receiving a death spirit's eyes is the equivalent of being slowly boiled alive."

"I think-ku it," Kagura spoke trying to maintain some of her earlier prowess. "More like being burned alive-e."

"Hm?" Kaede let the noise leave her throat as she drank some of the warm water from the bucket, cupping it between her hands and scoping it up into her mouth. She frowned and smacked her lips at the taste of it before standing back up straight. "I'd love some tea." She mumbled out as she walked across the cell before sitting back down on her small stool that Mr. Dresmont had kindly brought her as well.

"Oh," Mr. Dresmont immediately stood and looked up the staircase leading to the next deck where the kitchen was. "I can try to get you some Miss Cummings." He told her his voice kind and thoughtful. "If they're gone I can sneak into the kitchen easily."

Kaede waved her hand at the much younger man and gave him a genuine smile. "Do not do anything that would put you at any more risk." She commanded him motioning for him to sit back on his stool outside the steel bars. "Tea is a luxury and right now my current accommodations are not—," She continued watching him take his seat once more with proud eyes. "I can accept this."

He nodded in return as he tried to get back into a comfortable position but still didn't look convinced.

"So dear girl," Kaede continued as she looked at Kagura with one narrowed eye. "Why did you go to so much trouble to obtain those eyes?"

Kagura was silent for a moment as she watched the woman. "She knows somethin'," She thought as she shifted almost uncomfortably. "She's not-to askin' to find out, she's tryin' to verify." Kagura leaned back against the bars of the cell giving the woman a dark look. "Why do yuu want to know?"

"It's just curious is all—," The old woman shrugged as she spoke. "Most people who get those eyes get them for a distinct reason." She smiled non-threateningly but the grin came off a little too predatory for Kagura's liking. "So why—what's your reason?"

"Why should I tell-u yuu?" The wind demon fired back as she pressed herself more firmly against the bars as if she might be able to push herself all the way onto the other side.

"Because," Kaede leaned forward, this time her expression actually that of someone who was non-threatening. "I might be able to help."

Kagura watched Kaede for several minutes as she thought, attempting to figure out the strange woman's angle if there was any. "I know Kaede-sama knows about-to the death spirit-o eyes." She told herself firmly. "How to get them so I can assume Kaede-sama know-u their power-o." Kagura bit the inside of her cheek. "If Kaede-sama knows what-to they're used for then—Kaede-sama already has a good idea of why I got-to them. That means," She inhaled deeply through her nose a light breeze filling the room as she did so. "Kaede-sama either really-y wants to help-pu me or Naraku want-to her to get information on me." She frowned darkly at the thought as she exhaled, the breeze growing and pushing through the limited space. "Either way—I'll have-u to play my cards real close to my chest-to." She concluded with a nod before offering up the most minimal of information. "I'm looking for-u something. That's what they're used for, right?"

Kaede smiled, the look on her face making Kagura feel distinctly uncomfortable. "The Shikon no Tama, I can assume?"

Kagura actually felt her mouth drop open at the statement but quickly tried to cover it up the best she could. "Possibly."

The old woman merely smiled at her cover-up before pressing onwards as if Kagura had actually said 'yes' instead. "What do you want with such a jewel?"

"I didn't-to say I wanted it." Kagura fired back quickly, glancing to her side for just a second to see Mr. Dresmont watching the two women with avid interest.

"But you had a shard." He blurted out the second they made eye contact as if sensing that now was his time to become part of the conversation. "And you claimed you could see them because of—." His voice trailed off as she glared at him those eyes seeming to become impossibly lethal.

"I see." Kaede whispered. "So you are looking for the jewels."

Kagura growled and turned back around mentally swearing to deal with the little nervous man later. "So what if-fu I am?"

"I'd say that's a good reason to want such eyes," Kaede continued on once again appearing to ignore the question completely as she spoke. "But I don't think it's your real reason."

Kagura's eyes narrowed as she watched the woman, waiting to see if she would say anything else. After several seconds of staring at each other Kaede closed her good eye with a soft smile of almost motherly affection but remained quiet and knowing. "How," Kagura asked herself as she felt a bead of sweat form on her brow not from the hot sun, which was slowly baking the ship but from her own nervousness. "How does Kaede-sama know?" She slowly licked her lips just as the bead of sweat turned into a trickle that rushed down the side of her face. "If-fu Kaede-sama was workin' for Naraku would she know this much?" Somehow Kagura got the feeling that she wouldn't. "Who is this woman?" Slowly, Kagura stood from her spot and looked down at Kaede feeling very much threatened. "What-o yuu know?" She bluntly asked waiting for the woman to respond before she acted.

"Like I said before," Kaede spoke her eyes still shut. "I think I know the man you truly seek—," Her eyes opened slowly and Kagura felt a pit form in her stomach. "The only other eastern demon I know on this side of the world right now."

The wind demon gritted her teeth, "Could it-to be?" She wondered as she felt her hands start to tremble in her lap. "Demo—how would Kaede-sama know that-to I'm lookin' for-u him?" Kagura reasoned as she bit her lip and gave the other woman a dark look. "What's his name?"

Kaede didn't say anything for a long while as she watched Kagura tower above her, her expression amused. Finally, she closed her eye once more and moved her neck in a slow circle popping some of the stiffening joints before she opened her eye and looked directly into the eyes of a death god, her own iris appearing just as deadly. "Inuyasha."

-break-

"Everyone accounted for?" Inuyasha asked as he stood next to Miroku two days later watching as his son sat on board the Shikuro in front of the small table he normally used for handing out shares. Presently, the table had a roster of the men they employed on it as well as Miroku's foot that was propped up for all intents and purposes to keep infection at bay.

"Yeah," Miroku nodded as he went down the list of names. Most of the names on the roster had a tiny unobtrusive check mark next to them others however, were completely crossed out. "The ones that are gonna stay with us anyway." He mumbled as he tapped the fingers of his good arm against one of the few names that had been crossed out by his quill.

Inuyasha nodded as he looked over the sheet. "Some of the men really decided to stay?" It was as much a question as it was a statement at the moment.

"Apparently," Miroku grumbled as he reached forward to put the sheet down wincing as his good arm strained against the action. "They actually liked the lifestyle here," He leaned back with a huff and glared at the still relatively useless appendage. "They got to know the other men and it seems became friends or something. How that happened is beyond me." He confided with just a bit of bite in his voice that was perfectly understandable.

Inuyasha shrugged as if to say 'what're we gonna do' and leaned his hip against the table being careful not to jar it since Miroku's leg was still propped up upon its surface. "Anyone important?" He asked as he tilted his head back and looked at the quickly falling night, the sound of Totosai working in the background coming to a close as the carpenter wound down for the evening having been working since well before dawn.

"Naw." Miroku replied honestly as he carefully moved his arm rotating his shoulder as the bandage that held it in place strained under the motion. He winced when the Captain flicked him in the back of the head and turned to glare at the older man sourly. "What was that for?"

"Stop messing with it." Inuyasha groused as he indicated the man's shoulder. "You keep doing that and it'll never heal."

Miroku huffed and left his arm alone but didn't say another word as he leaned back in his chair and looked out over the ship watching as Totosai arranged the wood he had been using for repairs so it wouldn't get all too wet if it rained.

The old demon had been working nonstop for the better part of the last week, the pirate Indians' having forced him to start repairs on the vessel they had damaged the very first day of his capture. Totosai, being unable to resist fixing up the ship he had been in charge of keeping afloat for the better part of sixty years, hadn't even argued with the enemy about it. Instead, he merely went to work as he always did without question. In a way, the old man's behavior had been a lucky break for the crew of the Shikuro because they wouldn't have to wait in port for near as long since the demon had already had a four almost five day head start before Inuyasha arrived.

"Thank god for Totosai," Miroku thought while he closed his eyes and tilted his head towards the salty breeze. "This has been a very hard week." He spoke lightly but something in his words caught Inuyasha's attention

"It's gonna be a hard day for ya, hard week at that," Captain Roberts said, the ghost of a smile on his translucent lips as he turned his eyes into the sun closing them as if to take in that warm radiance for just a moment. "That's how you like it though, isn't it?"

The dog demon smiled as the memory faded into the back of his mind. "Captain." He mused as he looked out over the deck watching as Totosai stretched and yawned before walking towards a rather large pile of rope and situating himself within it to surprisingly sleep. "Even back then you slept in the coils when you were working on a large section—before I was even Shikuro's Captain you did that." He frowned so slightly that if someone had been looking at him they wouldn't have noticed it at all. "It seems like so long ago that I wasn't this ship's Captain." He frowned and looked away from Totosai, his eyes landing on the wooden staircase that was in the process of being waterproofed.

In his mind's eye however, the staircase was perfect and he could just imagine himself slowly scaling it, watching each foot as it stepped onto each wooden platform until he found himself at the top on the helm's deck. He could almost see it now, as his imaginary feet touched the crafted wooden floor of the deck, his Captain standing at the helm his bright blue eyes practically twinkling as he inhaled the sea air through a large welsh nose.

"Remember to yell up ta the riggers," He could almost hear the man command him. "—gotta keep them informed about what yer gonna do."

Inuyasha snorted nearly silently and shook his head as the voice echoed within his memory. "The first man to ever really give me a shot at life." He told himself as his mind drifted in and out of that far away place and time when he had not been a Captain but had aspired to be one as great as his own. "Captain," He whispered out and smiled clearly as the image of Captain Roberts and the helm faded away and he found himself once again standing next to Miroku on the Quarterdeck. "You were right," His smile became a smirk. "I do like 'em hard."

"What?" Miroku questioned as he tilted his chin back just far enough to see the Captain behind him. "You like what?"

"I said," Inuyasha leered down at Miroku giving the boy a suggestive and dirty look. "I like 'em hard."

Miroku shook his head and grumbled darkly, "There's something wrong with you."

"I know—," Inuyasha sighed and shook his head from side to side. "People been telling me that for years."

"Only years?" Miroku grumbled. "I was gonna go with centuries."

Inuyasha tilted his head back and laughed loudly at Miroku's sarcastic words feeling for the first time in days relaxed or at least as relaxed as he could be right now. "So how long till Totosai finishes the repairs?"

"Well Adahy's old men are helping us out," Miroku pursed his lips in thought as he tried to mentally tabulate the amount of time it should take with the Indian pirates making all the timber for them. "It should only be another day or two—those guys are great carpenters." He shrugged with one shoulder a very odd sight to behold. "Totosai says they're practically miracle workers."

"Yeah he mentioned that." Inuyasha muttered with a dry look as he glared over at the already sleeping Totosai. "Sometimes I really wonder about him." He thought sardonically before turning back to Miroku. "Doesn't mean they look any better in my book though."

Miroku snorted and gave his father a lopsided grin. "You still plotting murders?"

"And you're not?" Inuyasha grunted out as he motioned to Miroku's many healing wounds.

"Well," Miroku's face took on a very serious hue as he looked down at his leg studying the bandaging that had been done by the same Cherokee doctor who had treated the Captain days before. "I mean I gotta give them the benefit of the doubt on this one." His voice almost sounded apologetic. "You said that the jewel was messing with them and that Adahy's been—," He frowned as he tried to remember the word the Captain had used in his explanation. "Purified or whatever," The words sounded muffled to Inuyasha's ears as Miroku turned away and looked out across the small natural harbor to the moon that was hanging low in the sky. "Now, I mean, I could be mad at them but what good would it do?" He turned back to Inuyasha and sighed. "It's not like it was their fault technically."

Inuyasha grunted at Miroku's words and pushed himself away from the table careful not the jar it. "You sound like Kagome." He muttered out his mind drifting only momentarily to the girl in question before immediately shutting itself off unable to even allow himself to think about how he was going to handle that situation. They hadn't spoken about it in the past two days, they really hadn't even spoken except in passing, or with Sango and Miroku both present and at those times they had only discussed the major events that had transpired over the past couple of days—and the kiss, although major to Inuyasha—was not something he would be sharing anytime soon with anyone else. "Man—this is—this is just messed up." Closing his eyes he stifled a groan so Miroku wouldn't hear.

"You know." Miroku spoke from behind him, his voice light and completely unaware of the Captain's predicament. "I take that as a compliment." He quipped with a smug smile on his face. "After all, she's the one who saved us."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at Miroku's smug look and contemplated slapping him in his injured shoulder to see how the healing process was coming along however, the soft spot in his heart for Miroku panged as he watched the still injured boy catch a yawn in his hand and he relented. "You better get to bed." He told the younger man bluntly as he turned back around and leaned against the rail his eyes coming into contact with the crutch he had devised so Miroku could get around by himself.

"Imposing a bedtime now?" Miroku muttered as he stretched his good arm above his head only to grunt in pain and lower it. "Damn," He whispered as he looked at his bad shoulder glaring at it briefly before reaching for the crutch. "You haven't given me a bedtime since I was twelve." He continued as he carefully attempted to move his injured leg from the table Inuyasha immediately stepping towards him to help without being asked.

"I never gave you a bedtime." He threw back as he carefully wrapped his arms around Miroku's leg moving it off the table before setting it down on the ground with the utmost of care. "No weight on that." He commanded softly but if Miroku heard him he didn't acknowledge it.

"We always went to bed at the same time every night though." Miroku fired back keeping up with the banter as he stood from the chair putting all his weight on his good leg and the crutch under his good arm to support him.

Inuyasha's hands hovered over Miroku's arm for several seconds watching to make sure the boy had his balance before he spoke again. "That's because that's when I went to bed." He informed although most of his concentration was still on Miroku and not the present conversation.

"But you don't sleep." Miroku chuckled slightly his voice sounding as if he was about to be victorious. "Deep breath Miroku." He told himself as he took a step forward slowly with the crutch very much aware and thankful for Inuyasha's hand which was still hovering prepared to help.

"When you were little I did," The Captain spoke on autopilot as they slowly walked towards the small back hallway. "Otherwise you would have a nightmare and come running out of the cabin crying," He spoke in a rush of words that did nothing to match their current slow motion walk. "And I would have to pretend to hate you so the men wouldn't get mad since I was treating you different—god knows why," He shook his head as they neared the entrance to the back passageway making it through gingerly. "And then you would cry worse because you didn't understand why I was being cold." Inuyasha sighed heavily as they walked passed his door where he knew Kagome was currently occupying herself by arranging the cabin as he had asked her to in passing. "—it was a mess, so not wanting to deal with it I always went to bed when you did."

Miroku frowned as he continued to hop along towards the door to his cabin knowing that Sango was waiting for him on the other side, safe and sound in his bed. "How come I don't remember this?" He managed to ask through his own thoughts of Sango.

Inuyasha shrugged as they reached the door. "You either blocked it out or I'm making it up—," He supplied gruffly but his amusement with the whole story was evident on his face. "Not sure which."

Miroku smiled at the words as he reached for the door handle using it to hold himself up for a second as he glared at the Captain. "I should be more surprised by that answer than I am."

Inuyasha laughed lightly and absently reached out to ruffle Miroku's hair. "Sango's waiting to doctor those bandages," He motioned with his head at the door. "Get in there before you get an infection."

"I don't think that's even possible," Miroku told him honestly as he glanced down at his leg and some of the scratches on his arms all of which were already fading to a slightly pink color. The demon herbs the doctor had used were battling the infections marvelously. "Those Cherokee doctors are amazing but—," He glanced up and grinned mischievously. "If it makes you feel better."

"It will," Inuyasha answered but his words were honest and sounded like he hadn't caught on to Miroku's mischievous meaning for perhaps the first time in his life. "Goodnight pup." He offered up instead of a retort and absently placed his hand on Miroku's good shoulder squeezing it reassuringly before he turned around and began to walk back down the hallway.

"Yeah." Miroku agreed although he did give the man's back a critical look as he watched him retreat. "Have a good night." He called as he opened the door still watching Inuyasha as the man waved his hand before disappearing back out onto the deck and into the night.

Inuyasha slowly made his way along the main deck of the Shikuro his eyes looking out over his now semi repaired ship, "What would I do without ya," He wondered out loud as he stopped to look at the man at the front of the ship still asleep in the coiled rope. "Totosai?"

"Yuu only give-u Totosai-kun credit-o?"

Inuyasha would have jumped had he not smelt the familiar scent before he heard the old voice. "Good evening Myoga-jii-jii." He said with a smile as he turned and looked up at the small man who was leaning over the railing of the staircase that lead to the helm's deck.

"Konbanwa Inuyasha-sama." Myoga returned the sentiment in their native tongue before glancing down at his long time friend who laid peacefully asleep. "Totosai-kun can sleep-pu anywhere, that he can."

"I know," Inuyasha laughed slightly as he too looked at Totosai, fond memories of his youth popping up in his mind. He had often found Totosai sleeping in the most awkward of places generally when they were playing games and the old man had fallen asleep half way through. "He's a crazy old man, 'in't he?"

"Hai," Myoga laughed lightly before drawing his face in a tight line. "What-o does-u that say about-o Myoga?"

The much younger man raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders passively. "That you're just as old and crazy." He told the man bluntly as a smirk started to form on his face.

"Inuyasha-sama!" The old man chastised but a smile did form on his face that soon turned fond before becoming sad. "Totosai-kun and Myoga were buery worried."

"Myoga?" Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned away from the man. "I don't—."

"We habe watched-o over Inuyasha-sama since day he born." Myoga cut him off not allowing the younger man to speak as he stared Inuyasha down his expression tired. "Totosai-kun and Myoga thought we lost-to yuu."

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably and looked away from the small man taking in the mixed qualities of his language with a soft pang forming in his heart. Listening to Myoga talk was like listening to home, like listening to his father, like listening to his brother. He inhaled deeply pushing the thoughts from his mind. "You don't need ta worry about me Myoga." He smiled as if trying to make light of everything. "I always come out on top."

Myoga looked at him with firm and serious eyes. "So did Inuyasha-sama's Otou-sama."

Inuyasha knew not to speak, he had been a small boy when his father had died but he remembered the experience thoroughly, he remembered where that experience had taken him thoroughly. "Otou-san." He thought the name but didn't dare to say it.

"It been-u many year-o since then." Myoga continued to speak. "Demo anata," He slipped back into his native tongue for just a second before shaking his head and returning to English, knowing that Inuyasha preferred they spoke English so no one would get wind of who he was. "Myoga worry about-to yuu, buery much Myoga worry."

"I know Myoga."

"Inuyasha-sama is all-u Totosai-kun and Myoga habe left-o. Okaa-sama and—."

"Myoga." Inuyasha spoke softly as he looked down at the floor below his feet thinking of that woman he had known for fifteen years. "Not even a third of my life, hell, when I die it wouldn't even be a fraction." He closed his eyes as a heavy feeling entered his chest. "It seems like such an insignificant amount of time and yet I still miss her," He let the words trail off as he brought a hand up to rub her face. "I miss her so much." He brought the hand down slowly his eyes coming in contact with Myoga's own. The small man looked pitiful and scared, a sight Inuyasha couldn't recall ever having seen. "I'm still here," He felt the need to whisper the reassurance. "Myoga-jii-jii that's not gonna change anytime soon."

"Myoga knaw." Myoga replied calmly. "Just-o."

"Myoga," Inuyasha sighed heavily as he looked up at the man. "Would it help if I said I was worried about you two also?"

Myoga seemed to give it some thought for a second before smiling truly at his Captain. "Hai Inuyasha-sama."

"Good." Inuyasha grumbled as he dropped his hands to his sides and looked away from Myoga out into the distant sea. He inhaled the salty air slowly and closed his eyes as the wind blew off the Atlantic gently, brushing against his cheeks.

Up above him Myoga watched with paternal concern running over his features. "Did Inuyasha-sama," He started to speak drawing Inuyasha's attention towards him once more. "Miss ship?"

Inuyasha paused for only a moment before replying. "Yeah—I did." He said honestly as he gave Myoga a kind look. "You should get some sleep, I'll keep watch tonight." He offered as he looked out at the deck around him.

Myoga took in the look with understanding and made his way down the staircase and to the small hatch that lead down below to the crewman's bunks. "Good night." He called as he disappeared down the ladder without speaking another word, somehow knowing that Inuyasha needed the time alone.

"Good night." Inuyasha replied absently as he continued down his original path walking passed the small table that Miroku had been at only a few minutes before. He looked at the charts that lay across it and the list of men both held down by rocks so they wouldn't blow away in the night's wind. "I should clean those up before I go to be—." The words paused in his mind and he frowned darkly knowing he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

Briefly, his mind wandered to Kagome in his Cabin, "She's probably organizing everything still." He whispered into the darkening night. "Everything was such a mess in there, I lost half my books." He frowned at his own thoughts knowing he was trying not to think of what had happened a few days before. He brought a hand up to rub against his face, "It was just a kiss fueled by adrenaline and demon blood and everything that was going on at the time." He groaned at his own thoughts. "That's the cheap way out." He heard a voice say in the back of his mind and frowned darkly knowing it was right. "I can't do this right now." He told himself as he stepped away from the table and moved over to the staircase, attempting to get his mind off of everything by looking at the now rebuilt banister, inspecting it as it were. His hand touched the smooth surface of the wood running it along the banister as he mounted the first stair. He smiled at the remarkable craftsmanship of both Totosai and the Cherokee men who had helped supply the timber. "The ship's gonna be nicer than it was when I got it." He told himself as he took the next step up and the next all the while checking each little section of banister over carefully.

The Cherokee men had been responsible for the waterproofing of the new wood and although he trusted them since he had never seen their ship or canoes sink, he was still wary of using deer fat as a water proofing agent. Luckily for his peace of mind however, Totosai was going back over the whole of the ship with his own special caulking formula that he had invented over sixty years ago as well as another waterproofing material. Between the two methods, Inuyasha was sure the ship would be safe.

Feeling confident in the ship's repairs Inuyasha moved further up the stairs until he was standing on the tallest deck of the ship. Out in the distance over the sea the moon hung just a little higher than it had been moments before and the stars sparkled against the blackened back drop. He gazed at it for several seconds his ears taking in the little sounds of fires popping, owls, and crickets before a creaking noise brought his attention to the wheel.

Just out of the corner of his eye his caught a shadow that appeared out of place but when he turned to look at it nothing was there. "Strange," He thought as he narrowed his eyes before shrugging. "Probably a trick of the light." Silently, he turned and walked the short distance to the wheel reaching out and touching the old wood. "At least this wasn't destroyed." He told himself as he ran his fingers along the smooth surface his mind running away from him to another time long ago when he had touched this same wood for different reasons.

Inuyasha stood on the ship, his hands running along the wheel, the first wheel he had ever touched, ever directed. His eyes shinned, his expression lit up as pride fluffed up in his chest. "I did it." He spoke out loud to no one in particular but was answered by none other than his Master Rigger Myoga.

"Habe yuu decided what to name her," The small flea demon pressed as he came to stand next to the wheel, his head barely reaching the middle of it as he watched the young boy, now a man, stand before it proudly. "Captain?" He finished the term sounding more like a term of endearment to a child than a station.

"Not yet." Inuyasha looked at the man giving him a look of determination before he glanced back at wheel his eyes staring at it as he took in the old wood enamored. "It was once named for luck, wasn't it?" He questioned Myoga as he tried to think of a name that would be fitting his mind coming up relatively blank.

"The Good Fortune-e," The much older man supplied as he watched the boy he had known since before he was born run his hands up and down the wheel's edge as if believing the old wood might give him a sign. "Captain Roberts-sama named her that."

"The Good fortune?" Inuyasha repeated the name knowing that it wasn't really one he would have picked, it didn't really suit Inuyasha, English names hardly ever did. He touched the wood trying to think of anything that suited a ship, that suited him. A dozen names must have popped up into his head but none of them rang true. "When you name a vessel it has to have meaning." He spoke mainly to himself a fact that his Master Rigger recognized and respected."And it has to strike fear in people's hearts since its a pirate ship." He pursed his lips in thought. "This vessel, it means a lot—," He continued to think now to himself. "So much I can't even put it into words but a name," He thought to himself. "Something meaningful that specks to this ship and where I'm standing right now?" He froze his mind landing on a face that he hadn't thought of in some time—a woman whispering words and encouragement to him, telling him to live upon the sea, bequeathing a violin to him so he might have better odds. She was bright in his head, beautiful and long since gone. "Shikuro." He whispered out the name, something in his voice speaking to Myoga at his side.

The little man worried all six of his hands together as he repeated the name knowing what it meant quite thoroughly. "Shikuro?" He spoke softly each syllable gentle on his tongue. "So the Black Death-i to the English?" He pressed the younger man. "We name it for the plague-e?"

"Yes," Inuyasha shook his head slowly back and forth. "We name it for the plague, but I think we'll say it in Japanese—Shikuro." He tapped the wood of the vessel under his hands. "It has a nice ring to it, you know?"

"Yes," Myoga agreed but his little face drew into a tight line, he too knew the significance of what was going on right now. "It does."

Inuyasha gave Myoga a half hearted smile before silently closing his eyes. One of his hands came up to the gem that rested around his neck, holding it gently in his clawed palm as he gave his mother a brief prayer knowing that in a way he had named the ship for her.

Inuyasha smiled as the memory faded, thoughts of his mother entering his mind. Unconsciously, he brought his hand up to the place the gem had rested only to grab at thin air. Blinking in surprise he frowned for a second before his thoughts turned completely back to his mother.

He hadn't seen her in three hundred and ninety years and yet he could still see her face and tell anyone what her scent had smelled like. She had been a beautiful woman, smart and proud and full of fire and yet somehow proper and dignified. She had taught him everything he knew about the western world, she had encouraged him to learn everything he could about the sea. He hadn't understood it then, why his mother wanted him to live this life on water, but looking back on it now he knew it had been the greatest gift she have ever given him, next to the violin that had somehow survived nestled safe in the corners of his cabin. He took a deep breath as he thought of that instrument wondering if he was brave enough to tempt fate and go below to get it but before he could even ponder the thought further the scent of tobacco hit his nose as well as the scent of an apple. Slowly, he turned around just in time to see a translucent figure leaning against the recently repaired railing an apple poised in his hands.

"Can't believe you nearly destroyed my ship." The man said without preamble not even looking up from the apple he was peeling.

"It ain't your ship anymore." Inuyasha responded flat out as he stared at the man somehow taking the experience in stride without questioning. He felt like he should have been panicked, like he should have been afraid of the ghostly apparition in front of him but all he could bring himself to feel was relief.

"Nope it ain't mine no more." The man tossed his head back and laughed for a minute as his hands stilled on peeling the apple, one large piece just like before. "Gave her to you I did." He smiled as he looked down at the apple absently his hands still not moving as he gave the fruit an almost tender smile. "The only thing in my life I could never regret."

"Captain?" Inuyasha felt the word slip from his mouth with his own astonishment. "I—."

"Don't take it as too big a compliment." The Captain groused as he started to move his hands again, peeling the apple in record speed the peel finally separating from the fruit only to fall to the ground and disappear, none existent. "My life was pretty messed up, it was only a matter of time before I found something about it I could deal with just well enough to not regret." The man replaced his knife in his boot as he finished speaking. "Still, I have ta say boy—you did a damn fine job once you came to your senses." Inuyasha didn't even feel the need to wince at the comment as Captain Roberts stepped away from the railing and walked over to him. "Remember son, this ship is strong and it will never give up on you or fall apart on you as long as you serve it well. And trust yer gut." The man finished before touching his shoulder and fading away into nothing.

"Captain." Inuyasha whispered the words out not sure if the ghost was still present or if that had only been a hallucination caused by self deprivation and too much hard work. "Shikuro." He mumbled out into the night as his heart warmed ever so slightly. "Everything may be going to shit in a handbasket but you—," He touched the wheel's surface where his own Captain's hands had stood so long ago. "I can always count on you."

End of Chapter

Please Review

Edited for Accents 6/6/2013

Bonus Point:

In the anime, what was Totosai's actual profession?

Last Chapter's Bonus Point:

This was a trick question. To get the answer you have to account for both Inuyasha animes. The first is Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale and the second is Inuyasha: The Final Act. In Final Act, Inuyasha and Kagome do kiss once successfully in the very last episode (another time they are very horribly interrupted...and it is hilarious). Beside that though, they do kiss in the 2nd movie The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass so that counts as well. They never kiss in the manga, however. Congrats to the winners!

Bonus Point, AnimeNerd1, HeavenlyEclipse, Guest, RavenShadow, Saria Forest14, L.C, HentaiLemon, Spav12, TheRealInuyasha, Akemi Shikon, Glon Morski, 13 inu-kag, FridayzGirl,

Translations in Order of Apperance:

Kla ho-wa-a-ye-(lv)-di `Ge ya – Do not trust the woman

Os Da – I'm fine.

Ano – Japanese equivalent of saying 'um'

Anata wa watashitachi ikite iru ni narimasen! Totosai-kun to watashi wa seppuku o komitto shimasu. - You will not take me alive! Totosai-kun and I will commit ritual suicide!

Jordan daro? Myogai-kun Onegai! - You're Joking? Myoga-kun please!

Totosai-kun wa butsu butsu iu-na. - Totosai-kun stop complaining.

Kowai yo! Watashi ga hoshī subete no fune o shūsei suru kotodesu - I'm scared! All I wanted to do was fix the ship.

Baka ittenna-yo - Don't say stupid things!

Seppuku ga sono kotaedesu –Seppuku is the answer.

Yokatta – I'm glad.

Next Chapter:

(Something to do with Kagura...)

See you then!

UNEDITED

POSTED 7/29/2012