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?

60. The Raid

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 Sixty

The Raid

Inuyasha stood next to Miroku looking out at the ship that was slowly gaining on them as they continued towards the decoy ship for no reason other than the fact they were unable at this point to navigate in any other direction. The islands around them were well situated: far too close together for a ship as large as the Shikuro to be able to easily maneuver without running aground on one of the island's slopping beaches but just wide enough to allow passage if careful.

"Did you think the other ship is manned?" Miroku questioned as he pointed at the ship in question absently.

"I sure hope not." Inuyasha took a deep breath as he glanced down at the Quarterdeck below. All of his crew were scattered about preparing basically for the worse. Down below Totosai called out the commands to the gunners who were loading the cannons while up above Myoga gave commands to the riggers making sure to closely monitor the wind in their sails. It would be devastating if they took on too much wind and found themselves moving at dangerous speeds throughout the precarious minefield of islands. "Sango, keep us real tight in the channel, I don't want to knick the banks."

"Aye Captain." Sango nodded her head distractedly, the woman looking out ahead with such intensely focused eyes that it seemed she would not be able to see anything other than what laid directly in their path.

Knowing this Inuyasha risked a quick amused smile before turning back to the deck watching as members of the crew who weren't on the rigging team or the gunners team began to prepare their weapons—guns, knives, swords, anything they could get a hold of perched in their hands ready for the inevitable. Normally, the sight would not have bothered him in the least but as he watched the men load guns and polish swords he felt apprehension build in the pit of his stomach.

"Kagome." Her name filled him with restlessness as he looked at his feet. "You're right down there safe—for now." He forced himself not to shudder as he clutched a fist tightly at his side. "I won't let even one soul near that room—not one." He promised even though he knew such a promise would be hard to keep. This was not a normal raid, this was a navy ship preparing to attack them, preparing to kill them. "They know we're pirates, which means they won't hesitate." He bit the inside of his cheek for perhaps the first time in his life he felt as if it his pirate identity was a curse. "If we had been a merchant ship or a passenger ship they would have left us alone." He closed his eyes feeling condemned. "But we're not because of that little enchanted parchment we don't even have the option of faking it." The dog demon took a deep breath as he pushed the thoughts away the best he could choosing instead to focus on the ship before them.

"It's no more than a quarter of a league away." Miroku whispered as he too looked at the ship, glancing at his Captain out of the corner of his eye as he spoke.

"I know—we're gonna be fighting real soon." Inuyasha glanced at his son looking down at the younger man's bad leg. It was doing much better, Miroku had even discretely stopped using the crutch a few days ago but it was all still worrisome. "How's the leg—and yer shoulder?" He whispered trying to be discrete so Sango wouldn't hear him.

"It's not the best," Miroku admitted honestly as he glanced down briefly at his shoulder before glaring at his leg. "Don't ask me to leap off the ship anytime soon but I think I'm good."

Inuyasha didn't feel any relief from the comment. "Are you sure?"

"Um hm." Miroku grunted. "It's been two weeks—and that medicine from the natives was amazing," The human shook his head with a smile. The medicine had been a godsend, the best he had ever taken in his life. It had made an injury that for a human should have taken at least six months to heal, heal in a matter of three weeks. "It seems impossible." Miroku smirked as he tapped his foot against the deck not wincing from the slight discomfort anymore. "But I don't think we need to worry."

The Captain regarded him with disbelieving eyes but nodded his understanding before continuing his questioning. "Can you shoot?"

"I haven't tried—," Miroku bit his lip slightly and frowned. "But, I wasn't planning on doing anything unless I had to."

"Good." Inuyasha nodded firmly feeling a bit of relief. "Stay up here with Sango during the fight, I don't want you stressing the leg no matter how good yer feelin' you hear?" He sent the boy a taunt glare.

"Yes Otou-san." Miroku agreed with his father as he looked out across the sea. "But seriously," His face turned into a firm straight line as he inhaled deeply threw his nose. "I don't think we need to worry about me, I've gone into many a fight with worse injuries."

"I know but still—," Inuyasha stopped and cleared his throat roughly not liking the overly fatherly tone of his own voice. "You know I don't want you getting fucked up." He finished in his normal gruff baritone.

"I do but—," Miroku shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the railing on his elbows. "There's only one thing I'm actually worried about."

"What's that?" Inuyasha side glanced towards the boy and watched as an array of emotions formed on his face before disappearing into only a line of trepidation.

"I'm a little worried about her." He admitted but very quietly, so quietly that even Sango behind them could not hear—not that she was paying any attention to them anyway.

"You're worried about Sango?" Inuyasha knitted his brows looking at the boy actually surprised. "She's done this a hundred times—maybe not this particular scenario but really Miroku there's no reason—."

"Not Sango." Miroku grunted as he looked deliberately down at the floorboards his eyes almost attempting to look through them. "I'm worried about her." He looked up at Inuyasha expectantly.

The dog demon took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his ears lowering on his head as he turned away from his son only to mumble. "So am I." His voice was soft but his eyes were hard as he looked at the ship behind them. It would be close enough to actually use cannons soon however, the angle was bad so it wouldn't be able to hit them with the cannons unless it came up along their side. "We have every reason to worry still." He continued on only to pause as the image of Kagome's determined face came to rest in his mind's eye. "She wasn't even scared, she didn't even look the least bit apprehensive and—," He forced his eyes to remain opened even as he felt the urge to close them.

"Trust yer gut boy."

Captain Robert's words ran into his head like a pounding headache. "My gut—it knows she'll be okay." He felt a lump form in his throat but ignored it in favor of looking back at his son. "She'll be fine." He concluded out loud to Miroku knowing that his words were true even if they felt a little scary. "I know she will be she can—," His voice felt shaky but he ignored the sensation in favor of giving Miroku his most confident and arrogant smirk. "You've seen it, she can fucking take care of herself if she's gotta."

"If you're sure." Miroku looked at Inuyasha with narrowed eyes focusing on the man's set chin and prideful smirk trying to find any traces of a lie: he saw none but he did see apprehension that was to be expected. "Then I believe you."

"Good." Inuyasha's arrogant smirk didn't falter although his eyes did look a bit strained as he turned back around towards the woman who was staring intently straight ahead. "Sango?" He called even as he watched the set line of her chin and knew she would not hear him.

Sure enough the woman ignored his voice as her eyes darted this way and that mentally calculating the safe zones in which the ship could sail. "Five hundred meters to the right," She told herself as her eyes darted from larboard to starboard. "And more than a thousand on the left." She nodded her head faintly looking past the Captain and Miroku out ahead. "And a league or so to the fore." She licked her lips. "We should have smooth sailing until that ship catches up, no problem."

"Oi, Sango!" Inuyasha yelled a little louder as he watched the completely distracted woman at the helm.

"What?" Said woman practically snapped as her eyes landed on Inuyasha with a firm glare that quickly turned into an almost apologetic grimace as she realized who she was yelling at. "Sorry," She whispered out as she briefly glanced around her at the other men on the ship glad to see no had noticed her disrespect of the Captain. "What do you need, sir?"

Inuyasha chuckled which caused Sango to frown darkly through her unconvincing smile. "We're gonna take in the sails." He informed with a wave of his hand as he leaned against the railing expectantly. "It's time to get this started."

"Huh?" Sango blinked as she allowed her grip on the wheel to loosen substantially in favor of concentrating on the smirking Captain before her. "Why are we taking them in; we don't wanna fight in this close range?"

"Normally yes, but I have an idea." Inuyasha inhaled deeply a fire forming on his face that Miroku and Sango both had forgotten about in recent months. "We're gonna jam them up in this tiny space between islands—maybe even run them aground if we can."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Sango questioned feeling actually intimated by this forming battle strategy.

"I noticed they only have cannons on the side of their vessel. No front ones." Inuyasha informed easily. "That means that they have to come up beside us to attack, right?"

"Of course." Sango nodded as she raised an eyebrow.

"When they attempt to come up beside us," Inuyasha held up his right hand making a fist in order to demonstrate the Shikuro while he held up his left fist to demonstrate the other vessel. "We'll steer into them." He turned his right fist sharply into his left showing the 'mock' ramming of the two vessels. "No smart navy officer would allow a navy ship to sink—so he will immediately attempt to turn away from us but—," Inuyasha looked at them with a glint in his eyes. "The channel with all these islands in the way is too small to do that."

"Oh wow." Miroku whispered as he started to catch onto what the Captain was attempting to accomplish. "So we run them aground and then start a raid."

"Exactly." Inuyasha nodded briskly as he let his hands drop to his side no longer needing them for demonstration. "They won't be able to move to get away from us so we board as quickly as possible, get their gunners incapacitated so they can't fire on us and take everything they have."

"Brilliant." Miroku grinned and looked behind them at the quickly approaching ship. "We should go check out the other ship as soon as we're done too." The younger man tapped his chin and glanced ahead of them at the stationary vessel as he spoke. "It just seems odd that they'd put a completely empty ship in the channel—it has to have some use."

"Yeah," Inuyasha grinned as he looked towards the other ship with a smirk. "You think they're using it for storage?"

"That's what I'm thinking." The other man smirked as he rolled his shoulders back. "If there really aren't any ports around here then why not have two ships," He explained the theory slowly as he looked between Inuyasha and Sango. "One for storage and the other for attack? With both they wouldn't have to return to Nova Scotia as many times in the year to resupply."

"You have a brilliant mind Miroku—," Inuyasha laughed the sound seeming to bounce around them as if bouncing off imaginary walls. "Damn brilliant."

Miroku smiled proudly and clapped the Captain on the back. "Remember that the next time you yell at me."

"No promises." Inuyasha fired back with a brilliant and haughty grin as he felt the swell of power start to build in the pit of his stomach. It was a sensation he had grown used to over the years of his life—the feel of the demon in him rushing to the surface happy to aide in the fight that was about to commence. It was growling and howling, making his blood start to boil over with the potential of it. "A fight—a real fight where I'm not injured or human. When was the last time I had a fight like this—a pirate fight on the opened sea?" He frowned and shook his head trying to keep it clear as the demon blood began to rush loudly in his ears. "If you count the storm before Kagome came—four months."

The demon in him growled loudly waiting desperately to be set free. It had been far too long since it had a good romp, not a little tiff like in Havana but an actual full out battle.

"Captain?" Miroku mumbled from beside him as he watched his father's golden eyes twinge with just the slightest hue of red. "You ready?"

"I was born ready." Inuyasha told him, his voice sounding a little rougher, a little lower and less rich—more demonic. "Don't you dare strain that leg." He grunted as he looked at Miroku out of the corner of his eye sharply.

"I won't." Miroku grinned, his own face starting to cloud over with his own excitement. It had been a while since their last raid and he was anxious for the chaos of battle: for that addictive adrenaline rush pumping through his veins. "It's been a while."

"Yep." Inuyasha grinned and shook his head in much the same way a dog does when he wants to shake off water. "Let's enjoy it." He looked at his son gleefully. "Take our time, do it the old fashioned way."

"You mean do it the stupid way." Sango called from behind them but her voice was only mildly teasing as she too felt the overwhelming rush of battle lust take to her heart. She wasn't one for raids, wasn't one for death or destruction but even she couldn't resist the allure of it all.

"Is there any other way?" Inuyasha fired back with a light laugh on his devilishly handsome face.

"Nope—there ain't!" Miroku agreed with a bright toothy smile directed in his wife's direction. "Don't you think Sango?"

The helmsmen sighed and shook her head, hiding her expression behind her bangs for several seconds before raising her eyes up to look at Miroku and the Captain both. "On this ship?" She paused for just a second as a slow smile began to form on her face. "Fuck no!"

Feeling his demon blood start to take control of his body underneath the surface Inuyasha growled low in his throat.

"Arrrrrooouuu!" He howled out at the top of his lungs raising his hands high above his head as he tilted his chin back towards the sky calling out to any canine demons that might be around—telling them he was ready to go into battle.

Below him the crew paused listening to their Captain's loud call understanding it for what it was. The demon's in the crew even tilted their own heads back repeating the gesture loudly, their calls that of different species but still meaning the same thing: Prepare to Fight!

Beside Inuyasha Miroku too tilted his head back not to howl but instead to command. "Tame the rigging." He yelled above the chaotic noise of his father and the demons of the ship. "Pull us out of the wind."

A chorus of confirmations from humans and demons alike filled the air as Inuyasha stopped his loud baying in favor of whipping his head around to look behind him. His bright gold eyes gleamed as his demon blood started to rise to the surface in a way he was all too familiar with. "Been too long." He told himself as his chest began to rise and fall rapidly. "Way too fucking long." He growled low in his throat as he took a step passed Sango and Miroku towards the back of the ship just as the Shikuro began to slow down allowing the other ship behind them to begin truly gaining an advantage.

Inuyasha's sharp eyes watched the ship as it sailed towards them. He could already smell the scent of its crew on the wind—primarily low ranked demons and humans it seemed but the officers on board were none other than a fox and what smelt to be some type of bear, although he couldn't place the breed off the top of his head.

"That's strange—," He frowned at the knowledge as he sniffed the air a few more times hoping to catch the scent more distinctly. "I can't discern the scent." He grumbled as the smell taunted his nose. "It kind of smells like a black bear but not—maybe a brown bear demon?" He thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes and redoubled his efforts to scent out the creature in question. "Man, I really need to know what kind I'm dealing with so I can react accordingly." He huffed, his mind cataloguing the different types of bear demons searching for a type that matched this peculiar scent.

First, he thought of the black bear demons of the America's which could be dangerous but only typically when they had young nearby or felt cornered, otherwise they were pretty mellow creatures tending to leave more humble and tame life's. Then there were the grizzly bear demons that also were native to the America's. These demons would sooner attack than talk, would sooner maim than reason, and would sooner kill and eat than question the morals of cannibalism. The demon in Inuyasha practically snarled at the prospect of encountering this type of bear but the human knew from experience that they would never agree to work in any sort of military. They would rather die than dishonor their breed in such a way.

"Thank god." The human in the Captain thought even as the demon in him licked his lips in anticipation for the last two possibilities—at least on this side of the word. "That means it's probably either a Polar or a Brown bear." He bit into his lip. "I'd go with Brown, the Polar bear demons almost never leave the north, too hot for 'em." He frowned and took a deep breath. "If it is a Brown bear we'll be lucky they're as mellow as the Black bears of America." He sighed at the conclusion and took a deep breath hoping to catch the scent of said Brown bear but once again came back with a scent he just couldn't place. "What else could it be? It has to be a Brown Bear demon—if not then, what is it?" He growled low in his throat. "Shit—I don't have enough time to focus on this." His eyes darted towards the ship watching as it continued it approach getting closer and closer by the minute. "Focus on the kitsune instead—that's all I can do for now, he's probably the leader anyway."

That was the truth, there was a very good chance that the fox on board was a high ranking Captain. Fox's were not known to be anything less unless they were very young and by the scent of this fox he wasn't. He smelt old, wise, and collected. He had already showed amazing control of his demonic energy by creating the enchanted parchment—and not just one but three of them at once. That meant the fox was not dumb and had to have been training for probably some centuries.

"That's not good." Inuyasha gulped ever so slightly while the demon in him continued to grow more and more excited. "That's more worrisome than not being able to tell what kind of bear we're dealing with." He clicked his tongue. "I'd take an angry bear demon over a well trained kitsune any day."

Bears although big and dangerous, were not as feared as foxes because: for what a bear had in power they lacked in brains and for what a fox lacked in power they made up for with their brains. A fox could devise a plan in a matter of seconds, follow through on it, and deviate from it with no problems. They thrived on trickery and deceit—they excelled at it as this particular fox had shown. Had Inuyasha never seen one of those little enchanted parchments before he would have undoubtedly not noticed it and they would have fallen into the trap easily.

"This is one fucking smart fox." Inuyasha twitched his nose catching the scent of the fox in question on the breeze. "I'm gonna have to be careful how I handle him. Real careful." He huffed causing his bangs to fly upwards from the sudden rush of air. "I'd rather take the bear." Inuyasha grumbled out loud as he eyed the ship coming towards them just now able to see the pressed uniforms of the navy seamen.

He scented the air one more time as a safety measure making sure there was only one fox and one bear on the ship. It was common with navy ships for there to only be one or two higher demons on board. It seemed this ship was no different: he smelt the bear demon, the fox, a few minor rat demons as well as one or two fleas like Myoga but nothing else major—the rest of the crew consisted of only humans.

"That fox is has to be the Captain." He concluded even as relief flooded his senses. "One fox is pretty easy to handle stupid navy needs to learn to better man their vessels."

"Captain?" Sango called over her shoulder rousing him from his musings. "They're coming up fast what do you want me to do?"

Inuyasha looked over his own shoulder back at the woman addressing him and then out towards the ship one more time. "We don't have much time." He noted as he watched the ship start to turn towards their own starboard. "Looks like they're getting ready to come up beside us." He smirked as he watched them play right into his plan. "Alright, I want you to tweak our heading to larboard," He commanded quietly knowing his voice had a good chance of being heard by the sensitive full demon ears of the fox commanding the ship. "Give them some room to come up beside us. I want them to think we're making a mistake."

"Got it." Sango confirmed as she turned the wheel slowly allowing it to thread through her fingertips.

Inuyasha watched the vessel with sharp gold eyes as it turned itself to starboard just slightly more when it noticed their own ship's tilt. "Good," He nodded his head and held down his smirk. "They're falling for it." Turning back around to Sango he watched as the woman concentrated for only a minute before putting his focus on Miroku. "Miroku, we got about five minutes." He told him as he walked the short distance from the back of the helm deck to the front where Miroku rested looking over the railing. "Every ready?"

"Yep." Miroku nodded as he motioned down to the crew. "Just take a look."

Inuyasha grunted and looked down at the crew who were already prepared with weapons in hand as they yelled randomly and shook with anticipation. "Everything's fallin' into place." He grunted as he reached for one of the guns at his side mentally counting how many bullets he had on his person at the moment. "—two revolvers each with six—so twelve plus the singles," He touched the four guns that remained underneath his jacket, each able to fire one bullet a piece. "Twenty—twenty bullets and then," He fingered the saber he had actually bothered to put on for once. "I'm not a big fan of using it but I guess I could." He closed his eyes in thought. "But claws are so much easier."

"Otou-san?" Miroku whispered in a hushed voice causing Inuyasha to drop the saber and glance at him.

"What?"

"I have fifteen rounds on me." Miroku's muffled voice caused Inuyasha's ears to twitch in order to hear. "How many do you have?"

"Twenty." The Captain supplied easily with a shrug.

"Good." Miroku grunted out as he licked his lips faintly his eyes studying the ship as it came towards them. "That should be plenty."

"It should but just in case—," Inuyasha paused and motioned towards the saber at Miroku's side. "Keep that sword on you." He gave him a narrowed glare as he flicked a finger towards Miroku's shoulder. "I know you'll have some trouble fighting with your messed up shoulder but its better safe and in a little pain than dead."

"Don't worry about it." Miroku shrugged off the concern easily. "My shoulder feels fine—has for days now."

Inuyasha winced at the words but knew he had no choice but to listen to his son regardless of his own thoughts on the subject. Miroku was far too old for Inuyasha to babysit like a child—if the man thought he was fine then Inuyasha had to believe he was fine.

"Captain?" Sango's voice came from behind them and both men turned to look at their current navigator. "They're getting close enough to fire." She supplied as she glanced behind them at the ship that was now truly way too close to them.

"Two minutes." Inuyasha whispered to Miroku. "I'll give the signal and then you help Sango ram 'em."

"No problem." Miroku nodded as he came to stand next to Sango casually not wanting to make it look like he might be there for a particular reason.

The men on the lower decks began to get anxious, the sound of mumbling and discourse causing Inuyasha to stifle a snarl. "Steady!" He yelled down at the men as he turned towards the ship that was on their trail watching as a man standing on the helm only about fifty or so feet away from his current location began to wave.

"My name." The man yelled while taking off his hat revealing bright red hair tied back by a little blue bow at the nap of his neck, which shifted in the slight breeze. "Is Captain George Duff—."

Inuyasha couldn't help but snicker at the last name.

"Of his majesties fine Naval force—I implore you sir pirate." He bowed his head as he continued to hold his hat to his chest looking every bit the professional gentleman as he raised back up and looked Inuyasha directly in the eye. "To surrender and be sent to trail for the atrocities you've committed against the crown."

The men on Inuyasha's ship immediately began to howl with laughter at the fox Captain's words but hushed quickly when Inuyasha raised his hand in a silent command to be quiet.

"My name is Captain Inuyasha of the ship Shikuro," Inuyasha called out loudly so the other demon could hear him just as well as he had. "I do not wish to hurt you." He said the well rehearsed lines knowing they were the truth, he never really wished to hurt anyone but that didn't mean he couldn't if need be. "We are in need of supplies and have chosen your ship to fill the role of cupboard." He joked smiling as his own men snickered loudly, even Miroku and Sango. "If you do not resist no one will die."

He put his hands behind his back at that point holding up all five fingers for only Sango and Miroku to see. Carefully, he put down his thumb—

"Captain Inuyasha?" The fox yelled back as the ship continued to gain as Inuyasha put down his pointer finger. "What lie is this, the dreaded pirate Captain Inuyasha never comes this far into the Atlantic?" The fox demon laughed loudly along with the navy crew. "Still—you are a pirate and because of that—," He paused and Inuyasha put down his middle finger slowly. "You'll have to die!"

"Why do you always resist!" Inuyasha called back as he licked his lips watching the ship coming up at their side. "Almost—." He whispered to himself as he heard the familiar clinking of cannons preparing to fire both from his ship and the navy one. "One more second." He whispered as the other vessel's nose came in line with the very back of his own ship—he dropped his ring finger down. "One more." He gritted his teeth before his eyes widened taking in the other ship as its first cannon came in line with them. "Now!" He yelled and dropped the pinky finger at the same time, grasping the rail as Sango and Miroku both yanked hard on the wheel sending them into the other ship.

"Hard to larboard!"

He heard Captain Duff scream hysterically having never experienced such a seemingly suicidal trap.

"Hard to larboard!"

He screamed again as his men practically fell over themselves to get out of the way of the quickly turning ship. Inuyasha smirked from his spot on the railing, holding on as they swung around his eyes practically glowing with fire as he watched the ship turn right into their trap.

-break-

Kagome grabbed desperately onto anything that would hold her down below, her brow knitting tightly as the ship swung around. "What the hell?" She yelled out as Shippo grabbed onto her jacket holding onto her for dear life as his tiny voice squeaked.

"What's goin' on, Kagome?" He asked desperately as he climbed up her arm to her shoulders grabbing hold of her around the neck as he looked at the room in panic watching as glasses fell and some weapons came unsecured from the wall. "What's the Captain thinkin'?"

"I don't know!" Kagome admitted honestly as she held onto the bed tightly, it wouldn't move she knew from experience. "He must have nailed them down." She thought absently as looked out the windows at the back of the cabin at the ship that had come up beside them. "Are we trying to hit them or something?"

The small fox kit held on tightly to Kagome as his tiny tail puffed up like a scared cats. "Why would he turn like 'hat?" The kit's teeth chattered together with fear as his tiny hands barely managed to hold onto Kagome tight enough to keep himself from flying across the room.

"I'm not sure." Kagome grumbled just before the ship hit something and hit something hard. Everything jarred from the impact and Kagome gasped as she lost her footing falling flat on her bottom. "Ow!" She cried out as she saw white from the bruising sensation.

"Kagome!" Shippo held onto her neck tighter looking absolutely petrified as little tears of pain welled in her eyes. "Are ya 'kay?"

"Don't worry," She mumbled even as she kept her eyes closed and winced from the already forming bruise. "I'll be fine." Opening her eyes in surprise she looked through the room amazed that their weren't more things askew than just some papers that had scattered, weapons, and the one or two broken glasses the Captain used from rum.

The ship slowed down even more as she spoke and twisted back the other direction causing Kagome to raise her eyes upwards in question.

"We're turning back?" She shifted herself onto her hands and knees, the bow still clutched tightly in her fingers, before she crawled across the floor thinking it far wiser to stay down than risk standing and falling again. Coming towards the windowsill she pulled herself up on the small edge and glanced outside to her right where the navy ship stood completely still with its sails still opened. "That's odd." She whispered mainly to herself as she furrowed her brows. "Why isn't it moving?"

"What's odd?" Shippo whispered as he turned and looked towards the ship outside his tiny head turning to the side. "'hat 'hip," He pointed with one hand while the other held onto the fabric of her jacket tightly. "Why ain't it movin'?"

"Hm—," Kagome narrowed her eyes scanning their surroundings taking in the islands that she could actually make out from the back windows of the ship. "It's kind of like the mouth of the Mississippi." She thought to herself. "Only those were sandbars, sandbars we could have run aground on if we weren't careful." She bit her lip as she began to draw a slow conclusion. "We're surrounded by islands, right?" She whispered rhetorically even though Shippo answered.

"Yeah—," Shippo frowned darkly his tiny claws starting to dig into her skin as he held onto her. "'Hat's a dangerous place ta be on a ship," He told her as he looked up at her face. "Ya might run up on ta beach sand."

Kagome's eyes widened at the information and she gasped. "That's what it was!" She exclaimed as the sudden sound of a million angry men yelling all at once filled the air. "He ran them aground."

"Really?" Shippo's small tail swooshed back and forth as he looked out the window watching as the navy men on the other ship brought out guns and swords alike as they prepared for the onslaught of pirate men.

"What a good strategy." Kagome commented before covering her mouth and berating herself on rating the techniques used in this affair. It was not that she still disapproved of this sort of thing but, at the same time, it seemed hypocritical to be all for it when she was supposed to be a hinderer of violence.

"It reawy was." Shippo agreed as he held onto her tightly.

A loud thundering from outside her window made Kagome wince and hold onto the small child tightly with one hand while the other clutched her boy. "What's going on?" She thought as she looked out at the ship as the air outside filled with the loud battle cry of several hundred men. "They're charging?"

"They're startin' Kagome!" Shippo cried as he pointed out the glass pane drawing Kagome away from her thoughts. "They're gettin' ready ta jump onta the other vessel."

"Really?" Kagome mumbled as she looked out the window as well, watching as the first wave of pirate's met navy men. Her hands shook as she witnessed the spectacle part of her feeling nervous and another part of her feeling a little excited.

-break-

Back outside the ship, Inuyasha stood balanced easily on the railing of the helm's deck with his arms crossed over his chest. The dog demon snickered as he watched his demon crewmen jump across the small gap between the two boats easily while the humans put down a small gang plank connecting the two ships, "There's something to be said of being a demon." He told himself as the first telltale sounds of swords clashing with other swords met his ears.

His sharp eyes turned to the movement watching as his men attacked the lower ranking navy crewman; their swords being favored over their guns simply because guns were slightly less predictable than swords. You never knew when a gun might backfire or not even fire at all, a sword on the other hand, whether dull or chipped, always inflicted damage: making a fight with a sword overall a lot safer.

The distinctive sound of sword meeting flesh caused his ears to twitch on his head and his eyes to dart towards the first of his crewmen to draw blood. The rapier had sunk into the leg of a small insignificant rat demon causing the creature to hiss and jump backwards, flipping over his head and landing with a snarl before readying his own sword for a hit. Inuyasha's human crewman who had inflicted the injury merely smiled and raised his rapier to the rat's face in challenge.

"Just incapacitatehim Matthew." Inuyasha commanded the human crewman in question under his breath. "I know you want ta do more but just knock him out you know the rules." He grumbled to himself as he watched the human get what he called the killing glint in his eye. He knew the glint well, he felt it whenever his demon blood started to come to the surface—, "Fuck I feel it now." He thought as he inhaled deeply through his nose to calm himself.

"Blood." The demon whispered softly in the back of his head. "Fight—Kill."

Inuyasha growled low in his throat and shook his head quickly. "It's a long standing tradition that we only kill when necessary and now's not necessary." He told the demon inside of him sternly. "Especially with Kagome on board." The mention of the woman the demon saw as its mate immediately cooled its predatorial heat: at least for now.

The sudden movement of the rat demon who had been wounded brought Inuyasha out of his thoughts. Quickly, the rat jabbed his sword towards Matthew who blocked it easily before slashing forward nearly catching the demon again only to have him lean ever so slightly backwards and dodge. With another hiss the rat jumped forward sending a hasty slash towards the human attempting to slice him from shoulder to naval. Matthew was too fast however, and blocked the slashing motion with a quick raise of his own rapier.

Catching the rat demon's blade against the rapier he allowed himself to quickly take a step forward the blade of his sword dragging against the blade of the rat demon's sword all the way up until sword hilt met sword hilt. The sound of the metal swords scraping against each other made Inuyasha's ears practically bleed as Matthew successfully stifled the rat demon's blade.

With the sword incapacitated the human took his free hand and actually dared to grab the rat demons sword wielding wrist twisting it. In the rat demons shock, he dropped the blade and the human smirked as he finished the navy crewman off by elbowing him hard in the throat. The rat coughed up blood, instantly falling to his knees as Inuyasha's human crewman jumped over his body and headed for his next opponent.

"Nice work." Inuyasha smirked even as he itched to join the fight but a deeply rooted instinct nailed his feet down to the railing he was balanced on. Briefly, he looked over his shoulder at Miroku who was standing next to Sango watching as well. "Damn it—," He turned away from his son. The demon in him knew that Miroku was in no position to fight because of his leg and shoulder (regardless of what the boy would have him believe) and thus he found himself unable to move. "I can't leave him unguarded." He dug his claws into his arms puncturing his jacket in the process. "No matter how badly I want to fight I gotta keep an eye on him." He licked his lips as his thoughts turned to the other instinctual cargo below his feet. "And her."

Growling low in his throat Inuyasha bent his ears all the way back on his head as he turned his attention back to the fighting at hand. One of his demon crewman, Julio, was currently fighting bare fisted against two navy swordsmen—something that normally would have been viewed as suicidal—but for this demon wasn't problematic at all. After all, he was an armadillo demon whom Inuyasha had met in Brazil a number of years ago. In Inuyasha's experience the man was practically unpierceable having never once received a knife wound because of the strange scale armor that covered his back, sides, head, tail, legs, arms, hands, and ears.

"I'm surprised he's actually awake though, nocturnal guy he is." Inuyasha thought absently as he watched Julio's mocking smirk as he reached forward with armored palms and grabbed the human navy crewman's sword bare handed before punching him solidly in the jaw. "Ouch." Inuyasha winced but smiled none the less as he watched the navy man fall to the ground knocked instantly unconscious.

Behind Julio, the other navy crewman snarled in response and jabbed his sword forward towards the Armadillo's back. Upon making contact with the man however, the sword shattered much to the horror of the navy officer in question.

"Dumb ass." Inuyasha grunted as Julio turned around and kneed the man in the stomach without thought before slamming his elbow into the back of his skull as he fell forward. "Didn't stand a chance." Inuyasha's amusement was cut short however, as a shadow came to fall over Julio—a insanely large shadow. "What the hell?" His ears twitched on his head as he turned his eyes in the direction of the navy vessel's helm only to freeze. "Holy shit."

Standing to its full height of nearly seven, no, closer to eight feet was the bear demon he hadn't been able to identify before. He was gigantic, with hands the size of Inuyasha's head and a foot the size of Inuyasha's thigh. He had removed the hat on his head revealing strange short white fur that covered his entire face, neck, and arms. Currently, he was unbuttoning his navy uniform carefully with his two large clawed hands revealing that same hair to gather around his torso also. The claws themselves gleamed in the sunlight appearing to be the size of Inuyasha's palms if not bigger.

"What the hell?" He heard Sango whispered with horror edging in her voice from behind him as the bear removed its shirt and bared its canines—they were easily as long as Inuyasha's middle finger.

"It's fur—it's white." Miroku whispered pointing out the one none terrifying thing about the bear as Inuyasha looked on nearly frozen. "A polar bear?"

"No." The Captain whispered with wide eyes as he dropped his crossed arms to his sides unable to even comprehend the monstrous demon that was now starting towards the stairs the fox Captain commanding his movements softly. "A Kermode—," He let the name slip from his mouth. "I've never even fucking seen one." He shook his head as his palm's started to sweat and his heart started to race not with fear but with anticipation. "Just heard the stories."

"Are they dangerous?" Sango whispered as she watched the bear mount the stairs of the helm's deck Captain Duff smirking as if knowing that all hell was about to break loose.

"They're black bears." Inuyasha said hastily as every hair on the back of his head stood on end. "A weird species of them that has white fur ta throw you off—so at the moment yes, he's pretty damn dangerous." Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the sight of the bear demon raising one of its large claws above its head not even bothering with a sword or gun before it smacked its paw right into Julio sending the demon flying into the mast of the navy vessel with a sickening crack. "Shit!" Inuyasha cursed and without another word bent his knees as low as they could go.

"Otou-san!" Miroku yelled concern deeply edged in his voice.

Inuyasha ignored him however, his eyes focused on his fallen friend and crewman. The demon inside of him snarled angrily at the sight of the man he had never once seen hurt laying unconscious on the deck. "Fucker!" He yelled before springing forward towards the other ship. His body sailed through the air catching the Kermode demon's eye as it turned its large body right towards Inuyasha's its deep black eyes shining with expectation as the dog demon landed right in front of him, adrenaline fueling his every step.

The Kermode snarled the second he saw the Captain's feet touchdown and brought his giant clawed hands up by his head before slamming them down rapidly towards Inuyasha's head. With springs practically located in the balls of his feet Inuyasha jumped just before the giant paw could hit him the same way it had Julio moments before.

Landing in a crotched position Inuyasha instantly sprung forward brandishing his claws to slash at the large heavy hand that had yet to move. "You're way too big to move as fast as I can." Inuyasha thought as he started to bring his clawed hand down to hit the large fur covered forearm. "That's every bear demons down fall!" He smiled as he came within inches of slashing the bear before his expression turned to that of horrified astonishment as he watched the bear's large clawed hand move with speed it shouldn't have been capable of right towards his head. "Shit!" Inuyasha barely had time to say before he flipped himself sideways so his legs came in contact with the arm instead of his face.

He bent his knees as the bear's arm made contact with his feet and allowed himself to push off alleviating all of the deadly force that should have killed him or at the very least knocked him unconscious.

The fox demon standing at the helm laughed as Inuyasha jumped. "Do your best dog." The fox yelled at him from his position of safety. "Mr. Henry has never lost!"

Inuyasha growled not saying a word as he looked upwards at the direction he was flying. Noticing one of the low hanging boom's of the mast he smirked and grabbed for it digging his claws into the wood to stop his momentum before throwing himself upwards in a move fitting of many gymnast. Coming to stand on his feet on top of the tall mast, Inuyasha looked down below at the bear demon with wide eyes as the man in question smirked.

"You no hope." He spoke his accent that of a native who had been taught the queen's English. "Come—embrace death dog!"

Inuyasha inhaled sharply and clutched his hands into a tight fist as his mind raced. "This guy—shit—he's a lot bigger than me and fast, I gotta make a plan." The dog demon thought as he studied the other demon who, despite his size, could move swiftly: something that was nearly impossible. "I can keep up with him now that I know but—how to get him? A gun or sword ain't gonna penetrate a bear's skin—I gotta use my claws." Inuyasha told himself as he inhaled sharply knowing what he had to do. "And my brain—bears aren't smart and I can use that against him." Closing his eyes for only a second he allowed himself to calm his mind. "This ain't gonna be easy." He opened them once again and snarled at the bear. "But I know I can do it."

The bear below him roared loud causing the other men on the ship to freeze as their own instincts told them to cower with fear. The scent and feel of a demonic aura this stong wafting to their noses making them bristle with both terror and anticipation. "Come at me Dog!" The Kermode yelled as his white fur stood on end and he brought his paw like hands up towards his face ready to strike.

"Just remember." Inuyasha screamed down at him as he bent his knees once more and opened his mouth to show off his fangs. "You asked for it!" With those last words Inuyasha jumped into the air flipping forward twice before pulling his fist back to his head, the bear demon right below him as he fell back to the deck using the momentum of his fall to generate more power.

The bear lifted a huge paw ready to smash it into Inuyasha's body only to watch in confusion as the dog turned his body around heading towards him feet first suddenly. "What—." He started to say right as both boot covered feet hit him smack in the face knocking out one sharp tooth upon impact.

The crew of the Shikuro cheered as they watched the bear demon's neck snap to the side as the dog demon Captain used the contact's leverage to push himself away from the bear. Inuyasha landed a few feet away crotched down before springing forward towards his opponent using the bear's shock to his advantage. Almost seeming to fly, he brought his hand back to his face before sending it flying right towards the bear demon's gut hitting the man before he had recovered from the surprise kick to the face. The bear demon's eyes bugged out upon contact and it spat, both blood and spit landing on Inuyasha's head as the dog demon pulled back his other hand and hit the man again, and again, and again as hard as he possibly could.

The bear demon howled and jumped backwards the sudden shift of his girth actually causing the ship itself to lean away from the island it had run aground on and more towards the water. The tilt caused many of the men to gasp in horror and grab onto anything they could to prevent falling in the shallow waters.

Inuyasha felt his balance nearly upset from the shift but years of experience kept him up right as Captain Duff's voice rang in his head.

"What are you waiting for you stupid fucking bear!" The fox Captain commanded his eyes red hot with rage. "Fucking kill him Henry!"

The bear demon shook its great head and came back to itself with a vicious howl before charging Inuyasha again. The shift in his weight throwing the ship back onto the embankment once again sending several men overboard into the shallows as others attempted desperately to maintain their balance.

Inuyasha felt his body shift and winced internally as he tried to command every muscle in his legs to lock and keep him in place. "Damn it!" He groused as a large clawed hand came right towards him and he jumped back dodging it just barely, some of the hairs of his bangs shimmering as they flew away from his head. "That was close." He thought before another clawed hand came towards his face. Hastily, he ducked this one nearly marring his cheek before another one came and he gasped throwing himself up in the air so the clawed hand swept under his legs. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He chanted in his head as he tried to find an opening between the two slashing hands bobbing and jumping in order to not be decapitated.

"Captain the rail!" One of his men suddenly yelled from somewhere to his left and Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror as he realized he had unwittingly lead himself into a corner.

"Shit!" He panicked as he felt his back actually touch the railing his hands falling backwards to grip it as the Kermode smirked and snarled all at once preparing to take off his head. Mind racing Inuyasha clutched the wooden rails with all his might and pushed himself sideways right before the claw hit him. The sound of wood breaking filled the air as Inuyasha breathed a quick sigh of relief from his spot now beside the bear. Bringing a hand back to his head he sent it flying into the bear's face catching the man on the temple before raising one of his legs up to kick him soundly in the stomach causing the other demon to double over.

"Bastard!" The bear gasped as he clutched his stomach with one hand while bringing the other up to his face appearing to be touching his already blackening temple. "I'll kill you."

"I'd like ta see ya try!" Inuyasha snarled right before the hand that had been reaching towards the bear's temple turned a well played trick and sailed right into his face.

The sensation of flying backwards was one Inuyasha had experienced before but this time was somewhat different. His eyes were opened seeing the blue sky above his head mixed with the color of strange black cobwebs as his mind struggled not to lose consciousness. He heard the scream of Sango, of Miroku, and the muffled scream of someone else he should have recognized right before his body hit the ground sliding against the wood of the deck before his head smashed into the railing all the way on the other side of the navy vessel, a good fifty feet away from where he had been standing only moments before.

"Ow." He thought vaguely as he felt the blood dip on his face. "I'm gonna feel that tomorrow." He managed to think even as his brain barely connected with his words.

The laughter of the fox Captain and bear hit his ears and Inuyasha tried to force his eyes opened but found himself unable. "Had enough?" The fox Captain yelled sounding close by.

"No." Inuyasha tried to speak but found the words stuck in his head as his hands began to shake. "Something's wrong." He told himself as his mind grew fuzzy but not with unconsciousness. "What's happening?" He wondered as his body began to pulse something deep inside of him snarling at the top its lungs. He felt the blood in his veins actually stop dead. "What the fuck?" He wondered before somewhere inside of him a voice spoke.

"Leave this to me hanyou." It said low and dangerous, the voice one that Inuyasha had heard a million times but not this clear.

"What?" Inuyasha tried to question before his mind went completely blank.

-break-

Back on the Shikuro, Kagome watched in horror as the Captain laid his body nearly hanging off the other ship as blood dripped over the side from his temple. "Oh god." She felt her mind freeze in disbelief. "He's not moving." She realized as she watched the bear demon that had hit him start to move towards Inuyasha just as the fox demon Captain came down the stairs. "Inuyasha!" She felt her heart hammer in her chest as she looked out at Inuyasha with wide eyed terror. "Move." She whispered the command as tears formed in her eyes—he wasn't moving.

"He's hurt reawy bad!" Shippo cried from beside her the tears on his face salty and large. "Kagome whatda we do?" He questioned as he grabbed onto her sleeve and practically shook her as he looked between her and the unmoving Captain. "He's not movin,' why's he not movin'!"

"Someone do something." Kagome commanded as her hands shook and her voice grew raspy. "Miroku—Sango—someone—anyone." She felt her lips tremble as she clutched the bow in her hand tightly bringing it to her chest before her brilliant grey eyes widened with understanding. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down at the bow her mind realizing for the first time that she could do something.

Without thinking, she pushed Shippo away from herself knocking the kit flat on the ground as she turned heel and ran towards the door.

"Kagome?" Shippo yelled from behind her barely overcoming his shock as the girl raced away from him with a speed that would have made any demon proud. "Don't, ya can't, yer justa human!" He cried as he scampered after her. "Ta Captain made me promise!" He yelled but she didn't listen as she clutched her bow tightly to her chest and hit the door full force barely turning the handle to open it as she dashed outside.

She moved without thought or reason, the sight of his body laying there dripping blood pushing her as a panic settled in her stomach. "He can't die." She thought irrationally as she came to stand on the deck of the Shikuro looking around her desperately for any method of reaching the other ship. "It's just like before with the Cherokee—he was so pale—so weak—I can't see him like that, that's not him!" Her mind raced as she came to see a plank that the human crew had put down between the two ships—it was the only one that hadn't fallen when the bear's shifting weight had tilted the other vessel.

Without thought of terror or even acknowledging a childhood fear of heights, Kagome rushed towards the planks crossing them with ease. She jumped down on the other side none of the crewmen even bothering to look at her, all their eyes focused on the place Inuyasha had fallen. Confused, Kagome turned her eyes to the Captain only to freeze as she saw his standing form.

"He's standing." Relief filled her very core before it plummeted to her feet. "Something's wrong." She told herself as she looked at the man's back a strange aura coming from him that she had never once seen even a hint of: it was a deep blood red that seemed to surround him, encompasses him. "It's almost—," She felt the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand on end as she took a step back. "It feels so angry, almost evil." She ventured to say having never thought she would ever associate those words with him but as she looked at his back, watched him as he took a slow almost staggering step forward, it felt appropriate.

She watched horrified as he slowly raised his head, revealing blood red eyes and dark blue pupils that scanned the petrified crew that surrounded him. The strips of color on his cheeks, the markings of a long dead father, shone jagged.

"Inuyasha." Kagome whispered her knees feeling weak as she held the bow a little tighter. "What happened to you?"

The demonic Inuyasha didn't notice it's mate standing behind it. It's red eyes only able to see the fox Captain and bear demon who were both frozen before it. "Enough." It whispered out as its longer fangs glistened with spit and blood. "You're mine." It spoke firmly as it growled low in his throat the air around it seeming to grow denser with its deadly mood.

With speed impossible to any other breed aboard the ship it sprung forward with a loud growl sending its longer claws downwards right towards the fox's body. It hit the fox dead in the shoulder, causing the shoulder blade to literally disconnect from the rest of the demon Captain's body. Kagome nearly vomited at the sight of blood pouring from the opened wound as the arm of the fox demon flew, landing several hundred feet away, limp and useless.

"Ahhhhhh!" The Captain yelled as he fell to his knees, clutching the spot where his blood poured. "Aaaw—ahhh—awwww." He screamed wildly as he felt bile raise in his own throat as panicked and frightened eyes looked at his unattached limb with disbelief.

The demon bear beside the fox snarled and turned on the demonic Inuyasha raising a clawed hand prepared to strike. Before he could even think about it however, the demon moved with speed that rivaled even sound, hitting the bear solidly in the gut sending the demon reeling backwards doubled over in much the same way the bear had done to the half demon Inuyasha earlier.

"Hum." The demonic Inuyasha grunted lightly as it brought its clawed hand up to its face licking at the bloodied nails absently. "Demon's of the navy." It mumbled its voice low and deadly as it shook its head slowly from side to side. "You've forgotten your very nature, haven't you?" It dropped the stained hand to its side and looked straight at the other Captain.

The demon fox stared on, his eyes showing complete and utter dread. "You," Captain Duff said as he stared at Inuyasha, his eyes seeming to come to a state of complete understanding. "You weren't lying, you're Captain Inuyasha." His demonic pupils dilated in his own shock. "The Captain Inuyasha—not a fake like we see sometimes but real—for real."

"The Captain Inuyasha?" The crew began to whisper the name going tense as they backed up knowing better than to be near a demon of this caliber. This was not an ordinary pirate, this was legend, a scary legend that all navy men talked about in tavern's late at night. This was their death sentence personified yet standing right in front of them.

Kagome heard the whispered but ignored them as she studied Inuyasha instead, watching him with complete trepidation. "Oh my dear sweet lord." She felt as her knees shook. "This isn't him—who is this man?" She wasn't sure if she was in denial or was right to think the man before her wasn't the man she knew.

"If only you hadn't resisted." The demonic Inuyasha told the navy Captain, its voice dark. "I wouldn't have had to come out." It stepped forward closer to the man its eyes blazing. "The half demon told you no one would die—as long as you didn't resist" It spat the words almost violently. "All you had to do was simply go along with everything." It stopped and growled low in the back of its throat, the sound known to every demon there, it meant simply: Prepare to die. "Tell me." Its voice was thick as it looked at the man in the most petrifying way anyone on board that ship had ever seen: as if it felt no remorse or care in all this world. "Do you have something to live for?"

Kagome stared at the Captain with eyes widen as his words broke into her mind. "What's wrong with him," She whispered as she watched the Captain stalk towards the man, awaiting his answer, those claws poised at his sides, his face lacking any expression: no desire, no happiness, no pleasure, not even hatred, just blank and scary. It was scarier than any face she had ever seen not because of its quality but because it was Inuyasha's face and it was expressionless. She had never once seen his face expressionless, he was always vibrant and lively, pitifully sad sometimes, or outrageously angry at others but never blank like this. "Where—," She found the words forming in her mind as her own aura started to pick up just a little stronger. "Where did Inuyasha go?"

"Kagome, oh my god Miroku Kagome's on the ship!"

She heard Sango's voice calling to her from the helm's deck but she ignored it. "This man, is this Inuyasha, is this the pirate Captain Inuyasha?" She wondered if this was what she hadn't seen yet, if this was what Inuyasha's really was, yet someone she knew that was a life. "No this—this isn't the real him." She felt something in her chest tighten and coil. "This isn't the man I know."

"Please," The fox Captain held onto his arm blood running between his fingers as his face grew more and more pale as he lost more and more blood. "Please, I have a family, I have to live for my children."

The demonic Inuyasha took a deep breath, its nose twitching and then it looked honestly disappointed as if its faith in humanity had suddenly died. "You had to lie." It said as it had the audacity to smirk before it raised its hand above its head.

Kagome's eyes grew wide as she watched the gesture, "He's going to kill him, his answer wasn't right." Her heart beat picked up in her chest moving so quickly and loudly that she was sure the Captain could hear it from his spot some ten or so feet in front of her with his back turned. "This isn't right—none of this—he can't! The real Inuyasha wouldn't do this."

Somewhere behind her she heard Sango yell her name again, much closer this time. "Kagome, get the hell back over here!"

She closed her eyes as Sango's words filled her head. "This isn't him." She whispered as images of Inuyasha filled her head. She saw him dancing, heard him singing, laughing, telling stories and quoting Shakespeare Milton, playing Sonata's, symphonies just for her. "He doesn't want to do this." She opened her eyes and blinked back tears as his boyish face smiling up at her filled her mind. He was handsome and sweet and caring and kind if not a little rough around the edges. "No." She whispered just as she saw the glint of his claws preparing to strike above his head. The image of his smile, the sound of his voice as he said her name.

"Kagome."

She heard that soft baritone.

"I could play for you, anything you want."

She felt the tears in her eyes overflow as she saw his smiling face proud, boyish, and absolutely charming.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed so loud that every demon jumped in response as they watched her lung forward on sturdy feet.

The demon in question turned and looked at her its eyes barely registering what was happening as, to the shock of everyone (Sango, Miroku, the fox and bear demon, the crew of the Shikuro, the crew of the navy ship, Inuyasha, and herself), she threw her arms around his waist, burying her head into his chest clutching his body tightly to her own refusing to let go.

"I won't let you kill him." She forced out as she held onto him tightly a small nagging voice in her head telling her how dangerous this was; that this wasn't the eighteen year old Inuyasha she knew; that this wasn't the one that played the violin, that sang so beautifully; that this was the dreaded pirate, this was the man who would sooner kill you than talk to you, this was a dangerous demon—out for blood. "That's a lie!" She felt her inner voice yell back knowing that was true. This person right in front of her was Inuyasha and nothing more. "Please," She whispered softly into his chest as she allowed her tears to permeate the clothe. "He said he has a family."

The demonic Captain stood stiffly as it felt its mate hold onto it with her delicate small arms that were attempting to wrap around it and hold it in place. "Mate." It thought just as the part of him that was human pushed to the surface as well. "Kagome!" The human in it called even as the demon strained to remain in control. "He's lying." The demon told its mate as it growled low in its throat the other demons around her recognizing the noise as one that meant it was angry with its mate.

Kagome opened her eyes seeing nothing but his red clad chest as his words filled her. "But—." Her voice was soft. "Is that a good reason to kill someone?" She whispered as she felt her tears slip from her eyes. "Wouldn't that—isn't that just fighting for blood." She looked up at him maintaining a straight face as she looked at the blood red eyes and marked cheeks. "For no reason? Isn't it just creating more hate?"

"Listen to her!" The human inside the demonic Inuyasha yelled as Kagome's voice penetrated his head.

"Please," She whispered so low that she was sure only he could hear her. "I know you don't want to do this." She told him even as her voice broke.

It growled low in its throat the rumbling actually loud enough for Kagome to feel. "I have to do this." It told her honestly. "It's who I am—it is my reputation."

"I know." She said softly once more. "Blame me if you need the excuse." She told him as she held onto him tighter not daring to let go. "No one would question you: after all, to them I'm your woman—." She said the words even though they felt very strange in her mouth. "All men understand pleasing a woman every once and a while right?"

The demon's eyes widened the human inside of it practically shocked with its own delight as the demon at the surface growled low: pleased. "She called herself—she said." It gulped over and over for almost a full ten seconds as its instincts nearly went out of control. It felt his heart hammer in its chest as it looked down at her beautiful grey eyes feeling the sudden urge rip her shirt and lick its mark that rested ever so delicately against the flesh of her shoulder.

"Please—please Inuyasha?"

Her voice broke into its own mind and it growled low again in its throat as the human inside of it spoke carefully. "Let me back in control—you've done enough." The human in its heart reasoned. "You cut the Captain's arm, he's not gonna resist anymore—let me back in control so I can take care of her." The demon closed its eyes and inhaled deeply as the calming presence of Kagome made its control even harder to maintain. "Fine." It told the human half of itself and sighed before looking down at Kagome with a soft gentle growl. "Mate." It whispered in a sexy breath.

Kagome felt a shudder run down her spine as the demon lowered its head and gently licked her chin in possibly the most exotic way she could ever recall being touched.

"For you." It whispered and then closed its eyes releasing all control.

Kagome felt the change in energy instantly and watched amazed as the red aura dissipated replaced by the normal feel of Inuyasha she had grown accustomed too. Her eyes widened in shock when suddenly Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her into him.

"My god." He thought to himself as he breathed in her scent not even believing what had just happened. "What the fuck? My demon—it's never talked before." He felt the panic in his heart grow at the very idea as he held Kagome even tighter burying his face in her hair. "It's never had that much power, that much control of itself." He inhaled her essence of lilies and the sea feeling so relieved that he was back with her. "Even with Manten, it couldn't speak, it didn't have enough control of my body to, I think." He shuddered at the thought. "This time though, it controlled everything my voice, my actions, my thoughts—it could've done anything and I would've been powerless—shit—what if it," He pulled away from Kagome slightly and looked at her with deep dark golden eyes. "What if it didn't recognize her? Thank god," He shook his head as he brought one hand up to gently touch the mark on her shoulder, nearly shuddering when he heard her little gasp from the touch. "With this the demon knew who she was and it didn't hurt her." He exhaled slowly, he knew that his demon side didn't have a great deal of control when it came to the crew or Miroku and Sango but for some reason it did with Kagome. It had complete control, it recognized her—probably because of the mark. "Best decision I ever made." He told himself as he tried desperately to control his own shaking as he pulled Kagome tighter. "Kagome." He whispered so softly that Kagome barely heard him. "Thank goodness you're safe."

Her eyes fluttered at his words and she started to say something before he shook his head and looked away towards the still bleeding demon on the deck's floor.

"This is my bitch." He said with his eyes golden and his expression lively once more. "She's not one for the sight of your disgusting blood." He gently rubbed Kagome's back with one hand while the other bloodied one pointed at her. "You should thank her for that." His voice echoed loudly as he growled and held Kagome to him tighter. "She's the only reason you're still alive." The fox looked ready to vomit as Inuyasha flicked the blood from his claws easily and turned around to look out at his men. "Men—Miroku will help you gather supplies, load them on the ship." He commanded his voice still sounding raspy but less and less demonic with each breath. "And let's get the fuck out of here."

Kagome didn't even wince at the curse as she held on tight to the Captain feeling so thankful that she had been right—.

-break-

Mrs. Dresmont sat in her only rocking chair, gently pushing off the floor with her feet as she held a small handkerchief in her lap, embroidering it with surprisingly steady hands even as her daughter's name began to form underneath them with every little stitch. Slowly, her hand came to a stop as she studied the beautiful blue cursive that made up Kagome's name her eyes flinching back tears as she looked at the wave like pattern she had started to create. It had taken her hours to create the design, which she had to draw out by hand since she had never seen anyone make one even remotely similar before.

The letter K was curved on the left hand side and done in a complicated pattern of alternating shades of blue, white, and tan looking like the surf as it rushes from the sea. As it went across through the A, G and E the letters grew darker and darker flowing through every shade of blue Elizabeth could think to have dyed. They were beautiful shades ranging from the crystal quality of the Caribbean's water to the dark almost black quality of the Atlantics or at least what color she assumed it to be. It had been many years since her crossing from England to Jamaica but she was pretty sure she remembered the ocean being a rather unique color of blackened blue.

The middle aged woman sighed as she fingered the beautiful ocean she had created for her daughter. Her heart grew heavy in her chest as she watched that sea woven into Kagome's very name. It almost looked as if it was lapping against the edges of the white clothe that hosted it, it almost looked real. Elizabeth smiled sadly, knowing it was perhaps her best work but a work her daughter might never see. With a sigh she looked above the name at the already completed ship she had designed from her mind's eye as well.

It was plain compared to the embroidered name but somehow Elizabeth knew Kagome would have liked it. Even as a child Kagome had loved everything there was to do with ships and now that she was currently residing on one she was sure she would love them even more—even if it was a pirate's ship.

"Chérie." The woman whispered fondly into the afternoon sunlight as she lifted her head from the embroidery in her lap and looked out the window. The white curtains moved with the sea breeze and she smiled ever so faintly enjoying the feel on her skin just as a knock from the other room brought her back to herself. "I wonder who zat could be?" She whispered to herself and stood setting her needle work down gently on the chair before walking out of her parlor towards the front door.

Her soft green dress swooshed around her feet as she moved, one hand holding up the edge gently as she walked with dainty steps towards the door. It was all proper and for show—even though there was no one there to see. Coming to stand by the door she moved a delicate hand towards the handle and gently opened it while bowing her head appropriately and adverting her eyes.

"Hello Mrs. Dresmont." The man said on the other side of the door before she could even try to say hello.

"Mr. Hojo?" She raised her head and smiled faintly as she looked into the warm brown eyes of Mr. Hojo. "'ow good to see you, you are Little Eri's 'usband, yes?" She bowed again even as she spoke familiarly and opened the door wider motioning with her head gently. "Come in, s'il Vous plaît." She finished the sentence using the French word for 'please' without thought but the English born Hojo merely smiled having known the woman for several years—he had once been a playmate of her daughter's after all.

"I'm afraid I cannot stay." The boy smiled gently at the older woman feeling distinctly uncomfortable around her as he always did. It was not that he disliked the woman but growing up he had often watched as she had systematically torn down her gentle daughter. It had angered him back then: watching as the cheery sea loving girl was forced to live a life of propriety, especially since he had long had a crush on his younger friend. A crush that was destroyed by the very woman in front of him. "She never would have let me marry her daughter anyway," He told himself digging up too many old mixed emotions from his childhood. "—I was far too low on the social scale." He blushed lightly as his wife's face entered his mind effecting squashing the emotions back down. "Not to worry—Eri was a good match anyway."

"Why not?"

Hojo blinked coming back to the conversation looking at her with a smile. "I have to be back to my post soon Mrs. Dresmont—I'm sorry." He looked down at the ground one of his hands coming into his vision, witnessing the faint scar that still remained there from that day three and a half months prior when his cousin had been taken by pirates and his uncle had soon followed. At the time he had been in such bad shape that he hadn't even known Mr. Dresmont was leaving with Mr. Morgan in search of the girl; it didn't matter anyway however, she was not his wife and he was not her husband. So therefore, it was not his business but only her fiancé Mr. Naraku Morgan.

"Oh," The woman whispered disappointed but soon smiled politely once more. "I am sorry to 'ere zat." She let her hand drop from the door handle to gently rest in front of her, clasping her other hand tightly. "What iz it I can do for you zen?"

"Well," Hojo shifted uncomfortably before reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket and producing an oddly sealed letter. "We found a letter this morning—must have accidently been dropped from the mail but anyway," He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "—its addressed to you."

Elizabeth frowned and reached forward, taking the letter into her hands and looking at it with great interest. Her eyes studied her name on the front, reading plainly "Mrs. Dresmont," with a frown. Not that it was odd for a letter to be addressed in such a way but typically her first name should have been included in the address: it was strange that it was not. On top of that, she didn't recognize the handwriting much to her further suspicion as the only people left in the world that wrote her were her sisters and brothers back home in France and they would have addressed the letter "Mrs. Elizabeth Dresmont," in their familiar scrawl.

"Zat iz most strange." She whispered as she turned the letter over looking at the seal for any clues—the lightning bolt however, offered none. "You 'ave no idea where it iz from?" She asked as she looked away from the letter to the man in front of her.

"I'm afraid not." Hojo told her politely as he bowed. "Now I am most sorry but I must be on my way. I was only allowed fifteen minutes to deliver the letter to you."

"Of course." The woman nodded her head gently and gave him a faint turn of her lips. "'ave a nice day, Mr. Hojo."

"You as well ma'am." Hojo replied before turning and walking down the steps easily to the street. The second his feet touched the dirt road he began to sprint apparently already quite late in returning to his post.

Elizabeth smiled slightly as she watched him before looking down at the strange letter once more. Biting her lip she stepped back completely into the house and faintly closed the door her eyes never leaving the strange seal attempting to remember if she had ever seen it before. Her mind came up completely blank. She walked across the floor back into her parlor to her desk where a letter opener that had been a gift from her mother rested. With a gentle hand she picked up the dangerously sharp object and brought it to the seal of the letter. Slipping it underneath the hardened wax easily, she disengaged the letter from the substance with one slight flick of her wrist. Setting the letter opener back down on the desk and walking to one of the couches in the room she frowned: She did not recognize the handwriting inside either.

Sitting with ladylike precision she unfolded the letter completely watching as the beautiful calligraphy seemed to unfurl as well. "Zey 'ave very pretty 'andwriting." She mumbled to herself as she looked at the first line of the letter and blinked in surprise. "To Ze Wife of One Richard Dresmont." She read out loud as her breath hitched in her throat and she closed her eyes for a split second, her heart telling her that this letter would not contain anything resembling good news.

With shaking hands she opened her eyes once more and looked at the body of the letter, reading silently as her heart began to rip in her chest.

"My name is Hiten Ruiz Salazar and I regret to inform you that another brave, honest, and remarkable individual has left this world. I meet your husband whilst working in the capacity of scrivener under Mr. Henry Morgan Governor of Port Royal. In the weeks leading up to his death both the governor and myself came to know your husband as an honest and decent man, who worked with amazing loyalty and unquestionable tenacity. In fact, we found him to be perhaps the bravest and most heroic individual we had ever known.

Personally, I want you to know that he died in the most honorable of ways I have ever seen upon the sea. He committed himself to death only so that another, an innocent, could be saved: the most dignified of causes that could ever be persuaded. However, despite the bravery exhibited and the nobility of such a heroic deed, I know these words bring you little comfort. So I would like to apologize first hand, although no words in our language could ever hope to express how truly sorry I am, for the pain you must be feeling now.

I and the governor both offer our sympathies from the bottom of our hearts and berate ourselves for being unable to prevent such a pain from ever knowing you. Please forgive us for our inability to spare you and know that we will never live another day in our life's without your husband's name upon our minds and our guilt for his death deep within our hearts—."

Elizabeth stopped reading as the tears that had been gathering upon her lashes with every word finally spilled forth and hit the parchment causing sections of the ink to run. "No." She whispered faintly as she tossed the parchment onto the floor and brought her hands to her eyes. "No itz not possible." She whispered faintly as she felt herself actually slide forward off the couch onto the ground. "Non." She switched to French saying the word over and over again under her breath. "Non, non, non, non."

She stopped as her words caught in her throat which was becoming uncontrollably dry. Hiccupping, she opened her eyes as her heart tore slightly in her chest looking at the letter that laid opened on the floor in front of her: "With Deep and Encompassing Regret, Hiten Ruiz Salazar under acting Captain Henry Morgan" staring up at her in neat cursive.

"Non, Richard." She closed her eyes in complete disbelief as the name and regret mocked her. It all seemed impossible, her husband was dead—Henry Morgan's scriber had said so. Looking at the letter on the floor a few feet away from her she frowned the tears in her eyes growing thick. "It'z a joke!" She told herself even as her heart prickled in her chest in a way it had been off and on for the past week. "It'z a lie, a mean lie." She smiled to herself and nodded but something felt wrong.

Something was not right.

Carefully, Elizabeth Dresmont brought a hand up to her chest and touched the space right above her heart with her fingertips. She could see her husband's face: kind and gentle but tried and weary all at the same time. He had always had a sweet face and soft grey eyes that her daughter had inherited. He had been an exceptionally handsome man and she long ago had been proud to be his bride. They had honeymooned in Deutschland staying in a beautiful 12th century cottage her cousin owned near the Lorelei on the Rhine. It had been spring and although the days had still been cool, and the nights cold, it had been a wonderful spot to consummate an actual love. Yes, they had actually loved each other. Love had to be present for a French born woman to marry an English born man (even if his surname had a French sound to it he had still been English born by many generations.)

She felt the tears wash over her eyes once more as she remembered looking at the Lorelei from the house's window—their bedroom window. She had worn a silken night grown, the fanciest night gown she had owned, a gift from one of her more playful sisters. The cold spring nights of Deutschland had washed over her biting at the thin fabric as the moon rose above that towering cliff where sirens were said the lie.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He whispered behind her in the dark.

"Yes." She whispered back even though she was currently sitting on the floor of a hot Jamaican house.

"I've always loved this region." His voice was soft as he took a step towards her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"We should alwayz come 'ere—it'z." She froze just as she had back then unable to think of a proper English word to describe what she was seeing. "It'z—."

"As beautiful as you." He pulled her back against him and smiled as he nuzzled into her hair. "I love you, Elizabeth." His voice was soft.

"Richard, moi aussi je t'aime." She whispered the sentiment back in French feeling as if she was in a dream and not clutching at the woven rug he had bought for her on their last anniversary.

He held her tighter, the moon rose higher over the Lorelei bright and big and full—all encompassing as his hands brushed her stomach where unknown to them a child already rested. "We had a happy life together."

Elizabeth closed her eyes as she held onto the fabric of the rug tighter, she could almost feel his arms around her. She could hear the difference between the conversation from so long ago and the one now. Gently she rested her hand on her stomach, her blood running cold as she remembered standing in that window not yet knowing that her beautiful Kagome was on the way.

"Goodbye, my beautiful wife."

Elizabeth's eyes opened wide as she felt distinctive hands leave her waist as if she had been back in Deutschland on her honeymoon standing before that window. The tears in her eyes fell as she closed them and she sobbed loudly into the room. She didn't need the letter to know the truth she had always had ways of knowing things. It was a gift she had known she had ever since she was a little girl and her Papa had died. She had known before her mother had even told her and now as she sat in the living room weeping on a dirty floor—she knew that her husband was gone.

"What will I do?" She asked herself as she looked around her home feeling very selfish for even thinking what she was thinking but it was all she could really focus on. What would she do without a husband? She knew no trade, she had been raised to be housewife, to run a household and nothing more. She could not cook nor clean. She could paint, read, write, she could stitch and barely mend, play the piano—none of this was trade worthy. "A governess." Her mind raced even as she thought how silly she would look a servant. "A governess or—." Her voice caught in her throat and she raised her hand to her neck. "Richard—."

She held her neck as she cried again her heart slowly breaking in her chest.

"My Richard, my sweet, sweet Richard." She wiped at her face reaching into the waist of her skirt desperately for the small handkerchief kept there. "Non." She brought it to her eyes and tried to lightly dab as she had been taught but failed as her hands simply pushed the little piece of fabric to cover her face as if hiding some great shame.

"Mama!"

"Souta." She brought her head up and looked out towards the doorway.

"I'm going outside."

"Souta." She tried to speak but the boy had already left the house for the wonders of the ebbing tides. "Non." She shook her head as her heart sunk further in her chest at the thought of her very young son. "What will I do for 'im?" She whispered into the house. Without a father to provide for him the boy would be in grave danger. It was an awful thing to think immediately after finding out your husband was no longer alive; however, this was not a world of leisure where mourning was allowed. "'e needs a father." She thought but immediately forced herself to push the thought aside. "Non!" She yelled into the room, yelled at herself for even suggesting such a thing. "I will not be zat weeman."

With a new found resolve she pushed herself upwards from the floor and back onto the couch knowing she would never remarry. She couldn't. Her marriage had not been perfect, she had been drug half way around the world because of her connection to her husband but she had been happy and wanted and cherished—there was no doubt in her mind—she had been loved. How many women could say they had actually been loved? Even if it hadn't seemed that way in the twilight years of their marriage she knew she had been lucky and therefore, she couldn't bring herself to betray her husband especially after he had given her such a precious gift.

"What do I do?" She whispered into the room. "I will not marry but I—I must provide for my child." She glanced towards the window. "For Souta." She closed her eyes the idea of being a governess although appealing would not leave her opened to raise a son and ensure him as bright a future as the children she would be educating (more likely the daughter she would be educating.) It seemed there was only one choice and one choice only left to her. "Mon frère." She felt the words leave her lips as she nodded imagining her strong blond haired brother with fondness in her heart. "Thorald."

Her brother who still lived in France with his beautiful French wife and several children ranging in age from older to Kagome to younger than Souta. He would take good care of her; he had always been fond of her—even when she had married an Englishman he hadn't objected merely encouraged. All she would need to do was write a letter explaining what had happened, pack her bags without waiting for reply, depart on a vessel (she had plenty of money to pay) and go to him where safety and stability would rest. It would be a good life for her young son, an uncle who was good with children and several nieces and nephew with which to play. Besides, her son spoke fluent French and had been educated very well up until this point in the language, so he would have no trouble adjusting to living in the country. Although, having grown up in hot weather he might at first have trouble with the cold. Still, in the long run weather wasn't hard to adjust to compared to language or education.

Feeling only somewhat comforted by the idea of her brother she rose from the couch one hand clutching at her heart as she looked around the room, imagining leaving the life she had taken years to build. It all seemed somewhat surreal. She had a plan, she knew that her brother would treat her well and yet—she still didn't want to leave. This was her home, Richard and her home. Tears gathered on her lashes as she looked at the portraits that lined her parlor. She had painted some of them: the landscape of the French countryside she had painted during a summer at her grandmother's, her childhood home she had painted when she was a teenager before her marriage, a portrait of Souta and Kagome that had been done several years ago in this very home, and one of her husband she had painted while pregnant with Souta.

With shaking hands she walked towards the portrait looking at the man who smiled softly down at her. "'Is eyez," She whispered as she reached forward and touched the canvas version of him on the cheek. "Zey were so 'ard to paint." She smiled almost sadly at the memory of trying to find that color, of mixing over and over again until Richard had grown aggravated with her almost storming off. "'E was impatient." She dropped her hand down and looked away from her husband's perfect eyes only for her own to land on the chair where her needle work still rested. "Kagome?" She felt her heart drop even farther in her chest. "

She couldn't leave. Kagome was still out there her father no longer searching for her but only her fiancé and future father in law. What if they found her, what if they came back with her and her mother was not there to greet her? She couldn't do that to her child but what choice did she have? She knew her only option to ensure Souta's future was to go back to France to live with her brother as a widow even if it did leave Kagome behind. Kagome was engaged, she would be taken care of but—

"She won't be happy." The thought hit Elizabeth Dresmont like a bucket of cold sea water and she found herself falling backwards onto ironically her one fainting couch. Shaking she barely managed to keep herself from passing out as she thought of the life her daughter would have to live without her: the life she, as her mother, would force upon her.

"Maman! Je veux être un garçon pour pouvoir courir au large!"

She heard the words once more as she watched that tiny child spin around in the sand telling her she wanted to be a boy—she wanted to sail the sea. "Kagome." The woman whispered as she finally found enough ground to push herself up into a sitting position as her lip trembled. "I'm sorry Kagome I wish zere was something I could do—." She blinked lightly as the image of Mr. Hojo formed in her mind. Slowly her hands dropped to her lap and her mouth hung over ever so slightly.

Without a thought she stood, walking towards her writing desk feeling completely numb as she realized the gravity of what she was about to do. She knew that Mr. Morgan was actively looking for her daughter even if her husband was no longer among the crew, which meant it was very likely she would be found and brought back to this life, this tortuous nightmare as Kagome most likely saw it. She had to stop it, she had to help her daughter and her son both and there was only one way.

Shaking slightly, she reached towards the bottom drawer of the writing desk removing a piece of parchment from it so she could compose a letter of her own. "I cannot allow zis." She spoke softly to herself as she looked at the blank paper. "I 'ave wronged you many times Kagome—," She spoke as if Kagome could actually here her. "But not again—no more." Taking a deep breath she pulled out the chair and, sitting against just the edge of it as she had been taught, reached for her quill plucking it out of its little cradle before dipping it into her already opened ink well.

"To my lovely Daughter" she began to write in the same beautiful and talented calligraphy she had taught her daughter long ago.

"If you are reading this Kagome, you have returned to Port Royal under the guidance of your fiancé and his father, thus knowing that your own no longer resides upon this earth. The pain of such a knowledge is rather damaging, is it not? Even as I sit here writing you I find the prickling in my chest to be a greater grievance than I have ever known. Even when your grandmother and grandfather died I did not know a pain such as this. I loved your father greatly and I fear I will never be able to render myself free of the feeling created by the pain of his death.

Love is a precious thing Kagome, more precious than any gold or silver or other ore you might find. Whether it is love of a person, of painting, of music, or even of the sea—love is a precious gift for one to know. That is why I wish to tell you that if you do not love Naraku Morgan then do not feel the weight of obligation that is to marry him. I apologize to you for the things I said and did, all I want is for you to be happy. Wherever that happiness might be found: A pirate's ship, the navy, or even in a new world. I will never again condemn you for it.

If you wish to find me, go to the land of your uncle Thorald. I have decided that upon my widowhood, it would be best for your brother and myself to live with him as I intend never to remarry. I hope that this letter never finds you Kagome but if it does run and never look back.

Your Loving Mother,

Elizabeth Dresmont"

Carefully, she sealed the letter with red wax, her own self designed seal of an elaborate letter E and D intertwined as her initials, making up her crest. She would give to Mr. Hojo as they left and make him swear to deliver it to Kagome should she ever set foot upon this island once again. "I 'ave much planning." She told herself as she thought of everything she had to do. She needed to inform the towns people of her widowhood, sell the house, sell her belongings that would not travel, book passage back to France, explain to Souta that he could never see his father again, and that most likely (hopefully) his sister either.

Feeling faint she closed her eyes not wanting to partake in such a conversation but knowing she would have to. Her fingers brushed up on the desk touching the sealed and prepared letter faintly. Opening her eyes in surprise she looked down at her beautifully crafted seal and bit her lip before allowing her hand to drop once to her lap.

"Kagome." She whispered softly as the faint giggles of her playing son reached her ears. "I 'ope you never come back 'ere but," She looked across to her chair where the needle point rested her daughter's name a beautiful swirling ocean. Standing slowly she walked the length of the room her letter to her daughter in one hand and her other reaching for the needle point faintly. "If you do," She spoke as she pulled the needle point from the chair and brought it to her breast, pulling it as close to her as possible, holding it as if it were not some thread and fabric but her much loved daughter instead. "I 'ope you do turn around and run."

-break-

Hiten stood on the deck of his ship absently steering in the direction of the still allusive shard. Kagura had told him to give it one more day and they would be upon it but in all honesty he was getting rather tired of waiting. "Stupid shard," He grumbled and smacked his lips. "Why couldn't it just stay in one place for a moment." He growled low in his throat before letting everything slide.

Out of the corner of his eye Hiten noticed something landing on the railing of the vessel and smiled to himself before turning his head and looking directly into the sharp eyes of Jonathan the Eagle demon.

"Well then I was beginning to worry." Hiten smirked as the man in question ruffled his feathers lightly before putting them back in place his bare chest a strange sight to actually see. "He looks practically hallow." Hiten grimaced at the anorexic body feeling slightly sickened by the sight of emaciated ribs.

"No 'eed ta werry Captain." The demon spoke with a slight smirk as he jumped down from the railing landing easily on his almost human looking feet if you ignored the fact he only had three toes.

"It is good to see you well." Hiten grumbled honestly as the man ventured towards him rubbing at his shoulders slightly. "Did everything go as planned."

"Eter."

Hiten raised an eyebrow not exactly sure what the man had said. "Good?" He frowned as he spoke but smiled when Jonathan gave him a reassuring smile, knowing he was hard to understand.

"Um—Captain," He licked his lips slowly. "Ya mind if I's askin' ya something?"

"No, good ahead." Hiten shrugged.

"I has a lotta time ta 'ink while I was flyin' Captain." He lowered his voice as he spoke, his sharp eyes looking out for any sign of someone who might be listening into the conversation. "And I gotta 'onderin' if that 'etters dangerous—." He drew the word out slowly turning one intelligent eye to look at Hiten. "What if ta widaw getta figurin' we're pirates un tells?"

"She won't." Hiten whispered as he remembered the contents of the letter. "I only told her that her husband was dead." He spoke bluntly and quietly knowing that the eagle's ears were just as sharp as his eyes. "I never mentioned Henry Morgan's death or that his son was now—um—," He cleared his throat and looked down at his feet for only a second before looking back up. "Commanding us." He sighed heavily. "I told her I was Henry Morgan's scriber."

"Not that itsa too strange er nothin'," The eagle commented as he crossed his thin arms over his chest. "But ya lied ta a widaw?"

"For her own good." Hiten closed his eyes for patients as he too attempted to sort out what he had done and why he had done it. "Do you think she would have listened if I told her a pirate Captain was writing a letter to apologize," He stopped for a second letting the word sink in. "For her husband's death?"

"Probably not sir." The man nodded his head and Hiten sighed in relief both because the eagle had understood and because he had said the entire sentence properly.

"This was the only way I could ensure she would believe me without letting too much information slip out," He continued still speaking quietly as he looked out at the sea ahead of them. "After all, it's only natural for a governor to have a scrivener on board whist he travels."

"'Hat is 'ue sir." The eagle agreed as he released a loud yawn obviously tired after having traveled for so long. "I hope ta widaw will fin' peace from yer wards."

"Yes—," Hiten agreed quietly as he thought of the poor woman and what would become of her. "Hopefully she will."

End of Chapter

Please Review

A/N: And there is a very long chapter done. I had thought about splitting the raid itself up into two chapters but there wasn't quite enough to warrant doing that...still, I think it worked out well.

Leo-mae: Thank you for the note on the accent. I have been researching the Katakana a little bit more and have some ideas for how to write Kagura's dialogue more realistically. It's just kind of a hard thing to perfect by myself but with everyone's recommendations and a lot of thinking I will get there eventually!

Bonus Point:

Name the character who really did lose an arm to Inuyasha in the series. Not necessarily when Inuyasha was transformed but just in general!

Last Chapter's Bonus Point:

Fire Rat fur be the answer or hinezumi in Japanese! Congrats to all that got it:

NurNur, scorpioprincess18, Glon Morski, Guest, Little Margarita, Jemzet A Heart Broken Angel, Starmoongoddess, bonnejean, Angelsnlilies, . , Shrouded Rose, Leo-mae, HeavenlyEclipse, SilverMoonLife, AnimeNerd1, 14inu-kag, Gun Toten Girly, SweetHunniiBunnii, Litle C, Dev Li, Suyurilrig, Sharp 8394, PenNamesAreRelevant, HentaiLemon, kawaiiemichan, TheRealInuyasha, AKEMI SHIKON, L.C, Saria Forest14

Notes:

Scrivener (scribe) - traditionally a person who could read and write usually holding secretarial and administrative duties such as dictation and keeping business, judicial, and history records for kings, nobles, temples, and cities. Scriveners later developed into public servants, accountants, lawyers and petition writers, etc.

Kermode Bear - a unique subspecies of the American Black Bear. Approximately 10 percent of their population has completely white colored fur. Due to their special color and rarity, the kermode bear is revered by local Native American culture. They are referred to as the spirit bear or ghost bear. They can be found in British Columbia and Canada.

Chérie – a term of endearment in French. It can be used on spouses as well as children kind of like the English terms honey or dear.

Kitsune – the Japanese word for fox.

Rapier and Saber – two different types of swords commonly used by pirates. A Rapier has a narrow blade and is a thrust-orientated weapon, a Saber is a (mostly military) curved sword with a broader blade that is suited more towards cutting.

Brazilian Three Banded Armadillo – It is one of only two species of armadillo that can roll into a ball and is native to a small section of Brazil.

Deutschland - the proper name for the region of Germany. Literally, what German's call their country.

The Lorelei - a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine in Germany, which soars some 120 metres above the waterline. It is the most famous feature of the Rhine Gorge a 65 km section of the river between Koblenz and Bingen. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there. It is also the name of a feminine water spirit, similar to a mermaid or Sirene associated with this rock in popular folklore and in works of music, art and literature.

Next Chapter:

The Captain's Demon

See you then!

UNEDITED

POSTED 9/2/2012