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?

67. Two Ships at Dawn

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 Seven

Two Ships at Dawn

"This is bad." Inuyasha whispered mainly to himself as he quickly closed the spyglass and nearly threw it back into the box.

"It's really the thunder?" Kagome asked from beside him her heart pounding in her chest as the implications of that ship having caught up with them hit her hard. "Manten—the Thunder, his brother's on that ship." She gulped, a lump forming in her throat as she tried to swallow away old guilt.

"I'd know that flag anywhere, Kagome." Inuyasha told her, throwing the words over his shoulder as he quickly made his way across the helm's deck.

Kagome winced at the loud unapologetic sound of his boots banging against the ground of the helm's deck. "That's what I was afraid of." She half whispered to herself, barely registering the slight flick of his ear to indicate he had heard her.

Inuyasha bit his lip at her words, his own mind raging with a million different thoughts all concerning the same three people: Manten, Hiten, and Kagome who had killed the first; hopefully, a fact unknown by the later. "There's no way." He told himself as he crossed the deck ignoring Kagome's words for now. "Hiten can't know she did it, he has to be after me, just me."

Ignoring the unpleasant thoughts, the Captain turned his attention towards the current situation and what had to be done now. Throwing his hand forward he grabbed for the railing that separated the two decks of the Shikuro and without thought used the wood and his own momentum to propel himself upwards and over the old bar. Already in the air he heard the gasp of Kagome behind him but tuned out the noise as he released his grip so he would sail downwards. Like a cat that always landed on its feet (and with no small amount of irony intended) he landed light footed on the ground of the quarterdeck his sharp eyes instantly landing on the warning bell that rested to the left of the staircase.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled as she finally reached the staircase leading downwards, her face filled with worry and horror not for his safety but for the current predicament. "What are we gonna—?"

"Go below Kagome," Inuyasha interrupted her just as his hands reached the little rope that hung down from the bell and started loudly ringing it. "Get Miroku!"

"Miroku?" Kagome barely managed to say before her eyes went huge and she nodded her chin once sharply. "Got it!" She yelled back to him in reply before running as fast as she could down the stairs. Her feet hit every board loudly, so much so that the sound probably could be heard even on the Thunder, but the noise didn't matter to Kagome or Inuyasha or even crewman on the Shikuro. After all, now was not a time to worry about light and quiet feet.

-break-

Naraku Morgan felt his heart race in his chest accompanied by a feeling similar to erotic pleasure awakening deep within his stomach. Holding his own spyglass close to his face he smiled brightly as he looked out across the sea at the ship bobbing up and down in the short break waves of the morning calm. "That's the Shikuro." He chuckled slightly as he lowered the spy glass, a smile which showed off long canine fangs forming on his face. "Good work Kagura." He acknowledged as the wind demon nodded her head next to him.

"Kagura aim-u to please." She spoke quietly and humbly even though inside her words were actually meant to mock.

Standing at the helm, the ship's wheel held securely in his hands, Hiten snorted with pleasure. "Smart girl." He thought as he looked out at the Shikuro, his amusement leaving him as he took in the shape of the other ship's sails. "This'll be the day, plan be damned, this'll be the day." He told himself as his grip on the wheel tightened just a little more. "It's been five—no—almost six months since you took my brother from me."

The thunder demon felt the air around him begin to buzz, the familiar feeling of current filling his veins as his heart ached in his chest. The image of a brother long since dead played in the back of his head. An ugly yet beautiful face far younger than the face he should have remembered. It was almost like Manten was a little boy in his heart again, tiny and smiling with all the adoration, trust, and unyielding respect a younger brother should present his older brother. Hiten felt the corner's of his mouth tug at the sight, his heart long since gripped by hate lightening at the memory of that smiling face. Within seconds however, the smile in his mind fell, the face cracked and disintegrated into ash before being swept away on a phantom breeze from Trinidad.

"Ash." Hiten felt his hand shake as the image of that little pile of ash, in that little boat clouded all other thoughts in his mind. "Nothing but ash." He felt the growl well up in his chest, the hatred, the anger, the swell of absolute disgust. "I will avenge you." He closed his eyes tightly for just a moment the words of Kaede filling his mind, telling him that Inuyasha despite everything was a solution to a problem; a much bigger problem than revenge. "Damn it—," He opened his eyes to the mild sun and found himself staring into the face of the man behind the much bigger problem. "Damn you Naraku."

"Mr. Hiten?" Naraku's voice broke up Hiten's thoughts effectively, bringing the older demon back to reality with jarring accuracy.

Clearing his throat, the thunder demon turned his head only slightly towards Naraku giving the man the minimum amount of attention required so he wouldn't be punished. "Yes sir?"

"How long until we're upon them?" Naraku asked appearing totally nonchalant as he put the spyglass back into his jacket pocket.

Hiten tilted his head to the side, turning his attention back to the Shikuro with contemplative black eyes. "Hm?" He grunted in thought as he mentally calculated the leagues between the two vessels, the wind, and the direction of the tide. "No more than thirty minutes assuming they don't sp—." Before Hiten could finish his sentence a loud sharp ring flooded the air all around them. Instantly, the demon crew members of the Thunder froze, ears of all manners twitching or standing on end as they turned their attention towards the sound. "It would appear," Hiten grumbled with narrowed eyes. "They've spotted us, Mr. Naraku."

"Oh, what a pity." Naraku pouted and brought a hand to his face, tapping one dark claw against his chin as he frowned. "And here I was hoping to surprise them."

Hiten clutched the wheel just a little tighter, disdain for the man—boy—next to him causing bile to rise in his throat. The sound of Kagura clearing her throat made him loosen his grip instantly, the aftermath of his grip merely a few splinters in his palms. Gingerly, he turned his head to look at the wind demon their eyes making contact over Naraku's head. Her ruby irises shinned with something he couldn't quite understand and for a second he felt as if she was trying to tell him something. "Kagura-hime?" He thought her name, hoping to convey the question of it through his dark eyes.

The wind demon merely shook her head in response and turned away from him looking back over the ship. "Now not-to time." She told herself as she focused on the ship out in front of them worriedly. "There so much-i that can go wrong-o now." The wind demon winced at her own thoughts and brought a hand up to rub at the back of her neck absently. "I needs to focus-u on that not—," The sensation of her stomach falling into her knees made the wind demon feel slightly sick. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to close her eyes and regain control of herself. "Focus-u." She whispered into the air even as the impending sense of doom she felt from her stomach to her knees seemed to grow larger and larger.

"Kagura?"

The wind demon blinked in surprise as the voice filled her mind. "Kaede-sama?" She turned and looked towards the old woman that stood on her left shoulder, the opposite of Naraku. In the dawn light every wrinkle on the tired face was highlighted, some of them so old and loose that they actually cast shadows. In all honesty, Kagura could not recall ever having seen Kaede look so old.

"Are you ready?" The old woman's voice was soft in Kagura's mind as if it too knew the truth behind this day and Kagura's worries.

For several seconds, Kagura made her mind go completely blank: a trick she had learned long ago when dealing with real Shinigami. It was impossible to hide real truth from Shinigami mind readers since all minds eventually think truth unlike mouths that can forever spew lies. "Am I ready?" The thought broke through her mental silence even without her consent. "No." She admitted and Kaede turned away from her looking to the front stoically once more. Silence rang between them and Kagura felt in that moment as if Kaede was trying to convey something through her posture alone. She looked so tall then, hovering almost above the world, a mystic quality surrounding her that had never been there before. Her grey hair tussled in the breeze, the wrinkles on her face grew longer, and the old eye uncovered and completely human, blinked slowly appearing dull despite its original bright color.

"Neither am I."

The thought filled Kagura's mind but the wind demon didn't even flinch having understood exactly what Kaede meant.

-break-

Kagome ran down the short corridor that contained both the Captain's cabin and Miroku's, her bare feet still slamming into the ground with a resounding thud. Heart pounding in her chest, the young girl nearly ran face first into the small door, her hand reaching for the handle on instinct. Without bothering to knock Kagome twisted the doorknob violently, her momentum barely wavering as the door burst opened admitting her into the room, "Please be awake." She just managed to think as the sound of the wooden door slamming against an ill placed chair echoed loudly within the room.

Standing in the middle of the room, already completely dressed save the pair of boots Sango was currently handing him, Miroku didn't even cringe as he turned to look at her. "Kagome?" His voice sounded as if it was a question but something in his demeanor said he already knew why she was here. "What's going on?" He spoke calmly but the way he thrust his foot hurriedly into his boot said otherwise.

Kagome gulped as her breath came out in pants, the exertion of running as she just had causing her lungs to burn. After all, she was a girl who had lived the better part of seventeen years of her life as somewhat of a lady (somewhat being a key word). "Out there—," She huffed slightly as she watched Miroku put the other boot on slamming his foot into the ground in order to force it onto his foot: a sign of sheer impatience or perhaps worry. "The Thunder." Kagome just managed to say before Miroku's whole demeanor shifted from somewhat calm to horrified.

"Damn it!" He cursed loudly, gritting his teeth as he finally shoved his foot all the way inside the second boot. "Fuck, how'd they find us?" He growled out before darting across the room pushing passed Kagome with such haste that he nearly knocked her off her feet as he departed without another word.

Surprised, Kagome stumbled forward actually running straight into Sango who was nearly dressed as well. The older woman steadied Kagome easily, not even thinking to ask if the girl was okay as she hastily started securing the buttons on her jacket. "Are you sure it's the Thunder?" She asked without preamble as she finished putting the last button in place with one hand while the other reached for her hat.

"Inuyasha was positive." Kagome told her not realizing her own slip up by calling the man by his first name.

If Sango cared about the mistake however, she didn't let it be known as she turned Kagome by the shoulder quickly and shoved her towards the door. "Come on," Her voice came out fast, the words nearly blurring together, as she somehow managed to put her hat on her head and tuck her hair into it with only one hand. "You need to get dressed."

"Huh?" The younger girl blinked trying to understand what Sango was telling her.

"Your jacket and your hat." Sango spoke sternly as she directed the girl out of the room. "If they come on board and its obvious you're a girl," She gestured unapologetically at Kagome's breast which were easily discernible through the cotton fabric of her shirt. "It won't be pretty."

Kagome squeaked slightly at the prospect allowing herself to be shoved down the hallway that connected the Quartermaster's and Captain's cabins. The sound of men yelling at each other flooded into the hall as they moved, the ship coming to life far faster than Kagome had ever seen. Normally, the men were pretty lazy (at least that's how it seemed to Kagome). Most of them spent the better part of the morning sleeping or eating while they waited for orders that regularly were never given out until well passed noon. To hear those normally slow risers, running and yelling and moving, so early in the morning almost seemed unnatural.

The door to the Captain's room was already opened when they entered it, the violins that had been out on deck only moments before stashed inside the doorway hastily. "I wonder when he did that?" Kagome asked herself offhandedly, even as Sango shoved her inside the room with a blunt and uncharacteristically harsh hand.

"Okay," Sango grumbled to herself as she stepped around Kagome farther into the room. "Let's get you dressed."

Kagome nodded her head absently at Sango's words but her mind barely processed them, her attention having been gripped by something else inside the room. Sitting on the desk, as if it had been haphazardly tossed to the side, the compass silently glowed as if it had been that way forever. "How?" The young girl asked herself as she slowly stepped towards the desk, her eyes staring at the arrow that pointed straight out the window towards the Thunder. "How did I miss it, why did I ignore the feeling of it?" She bit her lip hard in a form of self reprimand. "Why didn't I pay attention?" She chastised with a growl that rivaled that of her Captain and intended.

"Where's your jacket?" The older woman suddenly spoke her voice aggressive as she dug through Kagome's small trunk, which the Captain had given her to keep her clothes in some time ago.

Kagome frowned from the question, trying to recall where she had hung it the night before. "I can't even remember going to bed last night." She thought vaguely to herself as she turned away from the compass for now. "I know I put Shippo's clothes—." Kagome's expression went stark still as she drug her eyes over to her bed to find it empty with the covers thrown hastily to its foot. "Where's Shippo?" She asked worriedly as she looked around for the little kit.

"Probably already on deck." Sango automatically responded as she grabbed for a spare jacket that was laying in the bottom of the trunk, a pretty blue in color. "Catch."

"Oh." Kagome squeaked surprise as she turned and barely missed grabbing the jacket before it simply fell and covered her head. "Ow." She grumbled out of reaction, the jacket landing on her having not actually hurt but only surprised her.

"Sorry." Sango apologized genuinely and winced. "But we have to hurry Kagome—," The older girl pressed firmly as she looked towards the open door. She could just barely hear the yelling from out on deck, Miroku and Inuyasha both calling commands, master's yelling back responses before yelling out their own instructions to the men beneath them. "This is," She started to explain to the younger girl as the stress Miroku and Inuyasha were already feeling came to her from the way their voices called out in the breaking morn. "The last time the Captain rang that bell Miroku was only nine years old."

Kagome pulled the jacket from her head as she listened to Sango, the way the older girl's voice seemed to waver for just a second catching her off guard. "Sango?"

"It's been over ten years, that's a long time." Sango whispered as if to herself before firmly shaking her head and turning back towards Kagome. "And it's not because it's been peaceful, it hasn't—," She stressed her words, the genuine anxiety in her dark eyes causing Kagome to almost flinch. "I've seen this ship go through hell Kagome and he hasn't rang that bell once—even in the dead of night to wake everyone, he does not ring that bell."

"Then this is bad." Kagome felt the words slip from her mouth completing Sango's sentiment. Somehow she had known it was bad from the moment the Captain had whispered the ill-fated name of the other vessel, but she hadn't really allowed the information to sink in. Standing there, in a cabin she shared with perhaps one of the toughest and strongest men to have ever sailed, she felt a wave of sick realization hit her and suddenly she knew why the Captain had rang that bell. "He's really worried about Manten—me." Bile rose in her throat not from the name but the repercussions of the name itself. "I killed him and his brother—his brother, me." Kagome inhaled sharplyand hurried to pull each sleeve of the jacket on. "Let's hurry."

"Right." Sango agreed as she moved through the room. "Where's your hat."

"I don't normally wear one." Kagome spoke with honesty as she finished putting the jacket on now only having to button it with shaking hands.

"I know but—," Sango paused as if trying to figure out how to phrase her next sentence delicately. "Now's a good time to start." She settled on as she looked towards Kagome slowly, hoping her point sunk in. "I mean, remember why we know them in the first place."

A shudder went down Kagome's spin as Sango's words penetrated her normally naive psyche. "I remember." She spoke evenly as the image of Manten whispering in her ear about all the horrible things human traffickers would do to her as a perfect virgin girl filled her brain. "There should be a spare." She spoke attempting to make her voice block out her own thoughts as she turned back towards the desk where a hat normally hung on the wall behind it.

The sensation of something tickling her mind caused her feet to stop instantly, the feeling strange and oddly comforting. For a moment, the whole world literally slowed down around her, the shouting outside, the sound of Sango's breathing, everything faded away as if into nothing. The hands that had been buttoning her jacket dropped, leaving the garment only half way closed. As if by a will of their own, her fingers on both hands opened before clutching tightly together into two balled fist.

"Kagome."

The voice filled her mind and she looked towards the compass half expecting to see its familiar glow but it had gone dark. "What's—," She licked her lips. "Calling me?" Even as the thought formed in her head, an image attacked her mind. She gasped, stepping back instantly as a large animal presented itself in front of her. Sharp golden eyes pierced her making her whole body tingle with the looks importance. The beast growled low in the back its throat, before what could only be called a look of disappointment graced its muzzle.

"Have you learned nothing?"

Kagome blinked surprised at the harshness of the voice that had been so soft before. "I—," She tried to answer but the dog inside her mind merely closed its eyes in response before disappearing completely in a large puff of smoke.

Instantly, the world sped back up again and Kagome choked as her lung's seemed to be filled instantly with an influx of air; as if she had for only a moment ceased to exist and was now coming back to life again.

"Kagome," Sango reached for the young miko worriedly not sure what had made the girl completely freeze and stare at the desk as if it had a second head. "Are you okay?" She pleaded and touched the girl's shoulder with a firm worried hand.

Kagome jumped from the contact, Sango's touch seeming to do more than simply awaken her back into the real world. "The bow." She whipped her head around and looked at Sango expectantly. "With the bow I can make a barrier."

"But—." Sango spoke, a fierce urge to protect the little girl in front of her causing her to shake her head in a firm sign of refusal.

"No!" Kagome spoke loudly as she shoved Sango's hand from her shoulder and looked the girl directly in the eye. "I can do it just like I did when we were in the Mississippi." She spoke quickly as if afraid that if she stopped, Sango would somehow be able to truly deny her. "I did it then without the bow," She took a step towards the older woman, bringing her hands up to grasp Sango's shoulders firmly in a way she had never touched anyone before. "Sango," She looked directly into the other woman's eyes, trying to instill all her confidence into her. "I know I can do it now!"

Sango felt for all of a second that something had happened she had not been privy to but as quickly as the feeling set in, she pushed it aside. There was something about that strange new certainty that swirled in Kagome's twin grey eyes, which told her to listen and not question. "Let's tell the Captain." The words left her mouth almost on their own accord and yet Sango knew she would never have to regret them or take them back.

-break-

"What the fuck are we gonna do?" Miroku asked Inuyasha as he took control of the helm turning the wheel to starboard hastily in order to point their cannon's directly at the Thunder.

Inuyasha growled at Miroku's words as he looked out across the ship watching as the men went about preordained tasks. Up high above him, in the mast a rope suddenly snapped, the sound reverberating in the air as loud as a bullet. "Fuck!" Inuyasha snarled as he watched the foremast break loose. "Whoever did that is gonna die," He screamed watching as his crew began to scramble, every man whose job it was to work on the mast jumping to grab at ropes in an attempt to control the rouge mast. "Damn it to hell." He grunted out as he reached for the railing just about to jump over and tame the mast himself.

"Myoga got-to, Captain!" The sound of Myoga's voice shot through the air as the small and agile man jumped into the fray, moving with speed that every young man envied.

Inuyasha snorted at the words and hastily chewed on his lower lip. "You got five bloody seconds to fix it Myoga!" He shouted upwards into the maze of ropes, sails, and men before turning back towards Miroku who was doing his best to hold the wheel steady. "We gotta come up with a plan pretty damn quick."

"No shit." Miroku replied as his heart raced in his chest, his eyes looking out across the sea darkly. "We got less than thirty minutes." He bit out as he turned the wheel a little more, pulling the ship out of the wind so it would be easier for Myoga to fix the rouge sail.

"What?" Inuyasha growled and turned his eyes back to the Thunder. With older eyes than Miroku, he studied the quickly approaching vessel. "It's moving faster." He realized, his eyes widening as his stomach flipped once. "They spotted us, damn it!" He gritted his teeth and looked directly at Miroku. "I was hoping they were still asleep and we'd have the advantage."

"Well," Miroku groaned as the wheel pulled against his hands a rogue wave pushing the rudder and causing every muscle in his arms to strain. "The world wasn't built on hopes and dreams."

"No," Inuyasha agreed even as his mind raced, every possible battle strategy playing in his head. "It was built on luck," He whispered just as he reached for his neck half expecting to find the jewel his mother had given him all those years ago secured around it. His hands came up empty handed however, and he cursed silently at himself for having forgotten that the gem was now literally out of his hands. "And fucking other people over." He added just as his hand dropped to his side and his eyes blazed, staring at the threatening ship.

"So I guess we prepare for a fight?" Miroku supplied as he turned the wheel out, the feel of a fixed sail catching the wind once again music to his ears. "Thank god."

"What other choice—." Inuyasha started to say but stopped when he heard the stomping of feet on the staircase. Both men turned just in time to see Kagome panting, a bow clutched tightly in her hand.

"Inuyasha," She spoke hastily completely forgetting that it wasn't proper to call him by his first name, especially on deck. "A barrier, I can make a barrier!"

"I think we just found our other choice." Miroku mumbled towards the Captain even as he gave Kagome a discerning look. "Is it really that simple though?" He asked himself not sure if he should entirely believe her or not. "It almost feels too convenient."

"A barrier?" Inuyasha spoke slowly as he looked at the small girl in front of him, holding the bow tightly between her fingers.

"Yes," Kagome took a step forward towards the Captain of the Shikuro her eyes filled with determination. "Like that time after we visited Miss Kaede." She pulled the bow in her hand tighter against her for all of a second in thought. "The barrier—the one that made us invisible." She blinked once before nodding her head sharply. "I can do it again."

Inuyasha felt his heart twist violently for all of a second as every protective instinct which rested in his demon body seemed to come to the surface. But another feeling, one he was just now starting to learn to trust, formed in his stomach. "It's okay." He heard the voice distinctly, the sound of a Captain now since passed filling his head and calming him back down. "Trust yer gut—you know it'll be right." The dog demon swallowed hard as the voice faded away back into nothing, the only thing remaining being the reassurance he now felt. "Are you sure?" He managed to ask as he took a step towards the small yet brave girl, staring her down wanting to make sure she was one hundred percent certain of herself.

"I am." Kagome spoke firmly, eyes ablaze with her own conviction. A conviction Inuyasha knew he had only seen once.

"With the Cherokees." He drew his lips into a thin line as he looked at her. "Your eyes blazed just like that when I met you on the cliff." The dog demon inhaled sharply as he forced the memory away for now. Licking his lips, he looked out across the ship watching as his men ran from place to place in a fit of motion.

He saw Myoga with the riggers keeping all the sails in check, the tiny man screaming out commands in a way that didn't seem natural for his small stature. He saw Totosai with his strange spider like body grabbing for pieces of wood, directing his men to place them in the appropriate places in order to reinforce the ship. He blinked slowly, turning his head towards Miroku who was holding onto the helm, his attention secured firmly on Inuyasha's face begging him to make a decision and make it soon.

The dog demon gritted his teeth as he stared at his son firmly. "You got any better ideas?" He asked the younger man even as the trademark smirk of Captain Inuyasha of the ship Shikuro twisted onto his face.

"Not a bloody one." Miroku replied automatically as he glanced at his wife who nodded firmly as well in Kagome's favor.

"Then," Inuyasha whipped his head back around towards Kagome who was still holding onto the bow so tightly her knuckles were turning white. "Let's do this."

"Yes." Kagome smiled brightly her eyes glowing with happiness that was soon diminished by an inquisitive look. "Um—." She bit her lip and turned to look around the ship. "I don't quite remember where I stood last time—," She fidgeted just slightly, a small lack of confidence filling her voice that was a lot more recognizable than her earlier courage. "So should I just do it here?" She pointed at the ground expectantly while turning back to look at Inuyasha.

The dog demon raised an eyebrow for all of a second, the twisting feeling of uncertainty forming in his stomach this time instead of his heart. "It's okay." He repeated the lost words of his Captain and licked his lips before looking out across the ship. "I think you were on the helm's deck." He tried to remember back to the incident but his whole mind was cloudy, their current situation not leaving him much brain capacity to process memories. "But I don't think that's the best place." He pointed down towards the quarterdeck. "You should stand in the middle down there."

"Why?" Sango stepped in her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Because," Inuyasha growled turning towards the girl with a thin lipped smile. "In theory it should be easier to make the barrier go over the whole ship," He threw his hands out wide in demonstration before flinging them back down towards the busy quarterdeck. "In the middle of it."

"That makes sense." Miroku whispered calmly even as his eyes looked out at the quickly approaching ship. "But I would like to point out that the time for debate should be up right now!" The human finished with a loud growl as he pointed behind them causing three sets of eyes to follow his own.

"Shit!" Inuyasha cursed loudly as he took in the sight of a ship no more than fifteen minutes away preparing its cannons to fire. "Come on, Kagome." He commanded even as he grabbed her upper arm and began to drag her towards the railing.

"What are you doing?" Kagome immediately yelled as he dragged her across the helm's deck, her eyes growing wider and wider with each passing second as they made their way not to the stairs but to the deck's edge. "Inuyasha!" She screamed as the dog demon jumped over the railing only holding onto her by the arm. Not even one member of the crew so much as winced as the sound of the girl's scream reverberated around them. There were too many important things to think about right now.

Landing harshly on the deck, Inuyasha pulled Kagome against him just in time to prevent her from crumbling on the ground. Holding her tightly to his side, he continued across the ship, shoving his men out of his way as he moved, none of them questioning the harshness of the action but instead understanding the severity of their situation.

Held tightly against Inuyasha's side, Kagome panted her feet moving completely by their own agreement as they crossed the deck. "That was terrifying." She mumbled just to herself even as her heart decided to lodge in her throat uncomfortably. Before another thought could so much as enter her head, she felt arms slip from around her waist as the Captain and herself came to a stop in the middle of the Shikuro's quarterdeck.

"Are you ready Kagome?" He asked as he set two hands on either of her shoulders, drawing her attention to his face.

Looking up at him, she felt a moment of insecurity well into her heart. "Am I?" She asked herself as she looked into those intense gold eyes. They were staring at her as if all his faith was somehow in her, as if she was their last hope. "I'm not ready, I can't do this." She could hear a small voice screaming in the back of her head, pleading with her not to let them put all their hope on her. "I can do this." Kagome squashed the voice down with her own. "I'm ready."

Slowly, Inuyasha licked his lips as he looked at her in somewhat disbelief. "It's like she's a totally different person." He told himself as he moved one hand away from her shoulder to trace the outline of her neck. He watched as a faint blush formed on her features and she flinched just slightly her eyes darting away from him to look and see if anyone was watching. "At least she didn't push me away." He smiled ever so slightly to himself before the firm frown he typically wore on his face was put back in place. "Okay." He spoke firmly hoping his voice was reassuring and not just mean.

Kagome relaxed her fingers against the bow as he stepped away from her, his hand on her neck remaining just a second longer than it should have. The feel of his warm fingers retreating from her made her nearly whimper, somehow the loss of his warmth making her feel just a little less confident. "No." She told herself firmly, stilling any sign of weakness before it could leave her throat again. "You're fine." She pulled her shoulders back and closed her eyes tightly. "You know you can do this Kagome." She whispered just to herself forcing confidence to well up inside of her.

"All men," Inuyasha yelled loudly across the Shikuro causing every man to stop and turn their eyes towards Kagome. "Hold steady!" The command rippled through the Shikuro clearly, each and every man looking at the girl they knew as the Captain's whore with no small amount of wonder. They had all seen what the bow could do, they had all experienced the power the girl contained, they had all seen the barrier she had made while they were in the Mississippi; and, collectively, that reassured them all. The Captain's wench was more than just some whore; she was valuable and vital.

Up on the helm's deck Miroku held the wheel perfectly still his dark eyes trained on the small girl, watching her with that same wonder. "You can do this, Kagome." He spoke firmly as Sango came to stand by his side, grabbing the wheel as well to hold even firmer in place as the ocean's currents threaten to jostle the tiny girl.

"Yes she can." She agreed as she gripped the begs right beside Miroku's hands. Their knuckles brushed just slightly and both husband and wife were comforted by the sudden albeit brief contact.

Standing in the middle of the Shikuro, with every eye upon her, Kagome inhaled deeply and closed her eyes searching blindly for the power she had only recently found. "Start in the stomach." She coached herself as she searched for the center of that power, the well in which it all was located. Instantly, she felt a tug in her mind as her stomach nearly jumped with anxiety. "What was that?" She asked herself but quickly decided to dismiss the strange feeling, now was not the time for strange feelings, she had a job to do. "Ignore it, focus."

Closing her eyes tighter she lowered herself little by little to the ground in concentration. Slowly but surely, the sensation of a sudden burst of power filled her whole body. Like a dam breaking, she felt the power in her center burst forth flowing into each and every one of her limbs until it flowed from her head to her toes. She sighed somewhat relieved as the sensation washed over her, cooling her earlier troubled thoughts. With all her attention focused on the power now coursing through her body, Kagome slowly began to direct it.

First, she focused on her right leg, gently persuading the energy that danced throughout the limb to leave it and instead return back into the pool within her stomach. Next, she focused on the left leg, convincing it in much the same way she had convinced the right. The pathways to her legs now closed off she inhaled sharply turning her attention to the bow that rested in her hands. The bright red wood trembled as she brought it towards the ground, setting it down gently on the quarter deck of the Shikuro.

"Put all the power into your hands." She told herself as she felt the energy swirl within her core before flying into her arms and rushing to her finger tips. She gasped as the tingling sensation overwhelmed her for all of a second and opened her eyes. The sight of her hands glowing as they held onto the bow greeted her and she stared in utter disbelief. The power was beautiful, a faint pink that reminded her of the earlier morning sky. "Pretty." She heard herself whisper and only vaguely wondered if anyone else had heard her words.

As Kagome stared at that beautiful soft pink glow a slight doubt started to form in her heart. She had never made a barrier of invisibility on command before. Always it had come from an instinct that she had never known she had. But this time, there was no instinct. There was no feeling or voice she couldn't explain. There was just her, holding all the power in her body in her hands.

"What do I do?" She asked herself as the fear of uncertainty overwhelmed her heart. "Do I just tell it?" She gazed down at the glowing power watching as it changed from pink to almost white. "I want to make a barrier that makes us invisible." She thought, directing all of her words down at her hands; her hands made no show of responding. "What do I do?" She asked herself again, panic starting to make residence in her mind. "Damn it." She cursed and closed her eyes tightly, no feelings of remorse filling her for having said such a vile word. "Damn it."

"Just release it Kagome."

As if broken from a trance Kagome lifted her head, her eyes coming face to face with bright deep gold held in a handsome face. "Inuyasha." She whispered as she looked at those handsome features, somehow more delicate than she remembered.

Inuyasha narrowed his brows as the girl said his name, all the while seeming to look straight through him. Carefully, he took a step towards her, outstretching his hand but stopped when two sets of tiny fingers suddenly grabbed his upper arm. The dog demon immediately tore his hand away from the intrusion and whirled around to look at his attacker only to come face to face with a surprisingly calm Myoga. "What are you—?"

"Someone-e here." Myoga spoke softly not even bothering to look at Inuyasha as he watched the girl; age and experience allowing him to just barely see what she herself was now seeing.

Inuyasha blinked surprised by Myoga's words even as a strange feeling seemed to wash over the whole of his person. Slowly, he turned back towards girl, looking directly at the spot where she stared. He saw nothing, nothing at all but somewhere in the back of his mind he felt something that he couldn't quiet explain. "Where?" He questioned the older demon without actually looking at him.

"There." Myoga supplied simply as a warm sensation he had not felt in many years filled him from head to toe. "Demo, not-to worry Inuyasha-sama." The little demon replied before Inuyasha could question him any further. "This spirit-to—," Myoga whispered softly, affection growing in his voice even though he had no idea who the spirit was. "Help-pu."

Kagome, completely unaware of the conversation going on between the two demons, continued to stare at the spirit in front of her. Listening carefully to every word it had to say, she allowed her power to run freely through her hands for just a second choosing instead to concentrate on the nearly transparent man before her.

"Release your power and it will do," He spoke to her softly, his face the perfect example of a reassuring smile although his features were clearly deem and hard to see. "Just as you desire." He told her as if he had known exactly what was troubling her. "I promise."

Kagome blinked only once before his words sunk in. "Can it really be that simple?" She asked herself only barely registering the fact that the face she had just seen had not been Inuyasha's. "Just release it?" She turned her eyes back downwards looking at the bow with no small amount of understanding. "Release."

The power in her hands immediately reacted to her own command and shot into the bow. Quickly, the energy overflowed from its wooden cage and expanded onto the deck washing over it like a small wave upon the shore. The sound of the crew whimpering in fear hit her ears but she ignored them as she pushed the power through her hands. Even the sound of panicked gasp when the power touched a man didn't bring her from her focus as she allowed all the energy in her body to flow from her stomach to her arms, to her fingers, to the bow and out.

Standing in front of her Inuyasha's eyes widened in complete amazement and slight concern as the power washed over Myoga and himself. No sting met his limps however, as the tidal wave of absolutely pure energy seemed to lift over them rising above their heads. "Sugoi." Myoga whispered as he watched it raise and expand at the same time, growing to encompass the entirely of the ship all the way to the tip of the highest sail.

"Hai." Inuyasha whispered agreeing with the man as the whole of the ship became incased in the pinkish white dome. "Amazing."

-break-

"What happened!?" Naraku snarled and whirled his head around to look at Kagura.

The wind demon didn't even wince as he bared his teeth at her. Instead, she stared in strange fascination at the place the ship had been just moments before. "Impossible." She told herself as she imagined any kind of demon that would have been capable of such a feat; she come up with none. "I'm not-to sure." She told Naraku as she fixated all of her concentration on the now empty space where the other ship had been. Carefully, she licked her lips as she focused watching for any indication that the shards themselves were still there. Suddenly, a little flicker caught her eye and she blinked in surprise. "Wakarimasen."

"Of course you don't understand." Kaede thought just to herself in response to Kagura's slip into Nihon-go. Entertained, the old woman stared at the ship as a slow smile crept onto her face. "Kagome." She spoke the name softly, its pronunciation causing the three demons on the deck beside her to turn and stare.

Naraku narrowed his eyes sharply as the old woman spoke. All the hatred that had been building in him grew tenfold as he looked at what he interpreted to be a smug smile. "What did you say, old woman?" He asked, his voice low and threatening despite no threat at all having come from Kaede.

"That," Kaede raised her hand and pointed towards the place the ship should have been and actually was. "Is the power of the miko, of Kagome."

"The power of what?" Naraku felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise as he took a step closer to the old woman. Somewhere inside of him something winced at the mention of the foreign word, as if it knew what the word meant already.

"A miko," Kaede repeated the term as she too turned herself to look at Naraku, taking a small step towards him. "A priestess in English I suppose." She turned and gave Kagura a slight smile as the wind demon stared at her in disbelief before turning back to the weasel demon to give him a more bold smirk. "The only earthly creature in existence stronger than even a god of death."

Kagura felt her heart lodge in her throat as the wholly comforting Nihon-go word traveled into her ears. "Miko-sama." She felt her heart begin to pound as she realized the possibilities of that one solitary word.

"More powerful," Naraku's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Than the creature that gave Kagura her eyes?" Suddenly, laughter seemed to bubble within his chest. "And you said it was Kagome Dresmont?" The laughter compounded into almost a hysteria as Naraku whipped his head back towards the place the Shikuro had disappeared.

"There is no other on that ship," Kaede replied evenly as she looked back at Hiten whose whole demeanor had changed at the mention of the name. "So he remembers her." She shrugged ever so slightly to herself before continuing. "Who would be able to accomplish such a feat, correct Kagura?"

The wind demon jumped at the inclusion of her name but nodded quickly, understanding that Kaede was using her to keep her secret safe. After all, it made no sense at all for Kaede to know these things without any 'known' supernatural ability but it made a lot of sense for Kagura to know. "Yes," She nodded sharply even as she noticed Hiten looking at her with completely dumbfounded eyes. "Kagome-sama is only one." She confirmed despite the fact that she didn't even know who this Kagome was.

Naraku snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, looking positively amused. "To believe I was engaged to her and didn't even know." His voice paused as something deep within him reacted to his own words. For a moment, his vision went blurry and a tiny feeling of knowledge made its way into his chest. "I already knew." He heard the thought reverberate within him, somehow knowing that it had not been a thought but instead something else.

Kagura blinked at the information having never actually heard of the tyrants engagement before nor of this girl who traveled on Inuyasha's ship. "I feel-u like I'm missing somethin'." She narrowed her eyes and looked towards Kaede. "Somethin' important-to."

As if having heard her thoughts, Kaede turned towards the girl, her old eye muted against the bright sun. "Kagome is the miko who will end this, end all of this." She told Kagura while closing off the ancient eye that rested behind the patch but instead of seeing blackness, her vision was met by the image of a beautiful girl. She could see the little curls upon her head dancing with a supernatural breeze, the bright grey eyes as they narrowed with concentration, and the bow in her hand resting against the surface of the ship, controlling all the power that rested in her young body with skill beyond her years.

"Is Kagome-sama," Kagura ventured to ask as worry started to settle in her mind. "Dark-u or a light-to miko?"

Kaede opened the Shinigami eye slowly, the image of Kagome on the ship disappearing instantly as she was met with the dark patch once again. "That has yet to be fully determined." She told the wind enchantress slowly. "Only time will tell."

"So," Naraku spoke his voice tight as he interrupted the unknown conversation. Suspiciously, he looked out across the ocean, his normal demon eyes unable to see anything at this moment but waves. "Kagome did this?"

"Yes," Kaede responded easily as she looked out across the Atlantic. "She hid the ship with her miko energy."

"Interesting." Naraku smiled slightly and turned his head back to look at Hiten who had remained unnervingly quiet throughout the conversation. "What do you think we should do, Mr. Hiten?"

The elemental demon didn't take his eyes off of the empty space in front of him, his expression fixated and oddly neutral. "I think this is best left to those that understand the girl's power." He whispered, his voice deathly quiet as he continued to look out across the ocean. "A priestess with the power to make a barrier?" He licked his lips slowly, memories of what priestesses could do in his home country coming back to him as well as memories of a brother who had been turned to ash. "No—," Hiten shook his head in an attempt to ignore the connection. "Manten wouldn't have been killed like that. He just wouldn't have."

Kaede frowned as Hiten's thoughts reached her mind, unsure if it was best to leave his uncertainty alone or admit to him the truth. "What good would it do, anyway?" She asked herself as Naraku turned his attention towards Kagura, ripping her from her thoughts.

"Alright then, Kagura," The weasel demon started slowly as he reached out towards the wind demon and touched her cheek. "What do we do?"

The wind demon crinkled her nose in contempt and pulled away from Naraku slightly. "Shard-o." She answered without needing Kaede's assistance. "I can still see-e the shard-o."

"Really?" Naraku smiled and ran his tongue along his teeth leisurely in pleasure. "So with your eyes—."

"Kagome-sama cannot-to hide," Kagura confirmed with a steady nod even as an odd feeling began to build in her stomach. Whether it was nervousness or uncertainty she wasn't sure but at the moment she knew it didn't matter. All that mattered was what was about to happen and her playing her part perfectly. "At least not for long-u."

A slow sickening smile curved onto Naraku's face as he took a step away from the small group on the Thunder's helm's deck towards the railing. Reaching out, his black claws glistening in the dawn light, he grasped the railing tightly as anticipation and adrenaline filled his whole body. "Excellent." He whispered to himself before licking his lips. "Kagura?" He called over his shoulder making the wind demon almost flinch.

"Yes, sir?" She responded, keeping her voice unbelievably neutral.

"Direct Mr. Hiten," He paused for just a second turning his head around to look at all three pawns with a confident smirk making home on his lips. "Right towards them."

-break-

Kagome looked up above her head watching as the barrier solidified right over the last and tallest of the sails. "That's enough." She told herself firmly and closed her eyes, searching the entirety of her body for the spot where her power welled, knowing that sealing off the flow of power in her body was the easiest way she could stop feeding power into the barrier. Tracing an imaginary line that ran from the bow to her hand, to her elbow, to her shoulder, to her heart, and finally to her stomach she smiled relieved. "There." She identified as she sought out the well that rested in her abdomen.

As if closing the lid to a jar with only her mind, she dampened the power, the glow of it going straight out of her body. Around her she heard the gasp of some of the men and the sigh of relief from others.

"The barrier's in place." The Captain's voice rang out loudly across the deck. "Everyone, to yer post. Prepare for the worst!"

The combination of the Captain's yell and the responses of confirmation from his crew made a smile form on her face. She heard the sound of boots running in all directions, the call of commands, the proverbial sounds of a world she was coming to understand and love. A world she was becoming a part of. "I helped." She barely managed to think as she clutched the bow tighter between her fingers, the wooden deck of the Shikuro scraping against the back of her nails as she continued to lean forward.

The hastily approaching foot falls and the swishing of a thick jacket made her eyes flutter open as if she was waking from a dream. Raising her head slowly, the sight of the barrier's familiar shimmering reflection barely registered in her corneas as the Captain's face filled her vision. "Are you okay?" He asked without preamble, one of his hands just starting to reach for her before flinching away as he resisted the urge to grab her and sniff her over to insure his instincts she was okay.

Kagome gave him a gentle smile and pushed herself upwards off of her hands until she was sitting back on her knees, looking up at him with as much reassurance as she could muster. "I'm fine." She told him honestly, watching as the doubt filled his face.

"You're sure?" He grunted as he knelt down before her one knee on the ground and the other bent upwards so he could rest his elbows on it. "I mean, you're positive," His gold eyes burned with a promise of retaliation; seeming to say: don't you dare lie to me. "Right?"

The girl held in a giggle as she nodded her confirmation before reaching out a hand towards him. "Help me up, please." She spoke, her voice soft so as not to be heard but the smile on her face loud, shouting with amusement, at least to his eyes.

"Shut up." He grumbled even as her eyes brightened just a little bit more. Pushing himself back to his feet, he reached his hand down and grasped her own. The familiar tingling any contact between them caused, shot up through his arm and he winced in order to hold back his groan of appreciation. Clearing his throat, and in effect clearing his head, he looked at her seriously. "How long will it hold?" He asked, attempting to take his mind off of her soft hands as he pulled her to her feet.

Kagome relished in the feeling of his hand gripping her own and nearly laughed as the wind rushed around her when he pulled her up with a little too much strength. Her feet actually left the floor for a moment and she gasped as she felt the eerie sensation of floating. Heart skipping a beat, she inhaled sharply and pursed her lips in order to hold in a soft squeak of surprise.

With adapt control, Inuyasha allowed her to lower back down to the ground, one of his hands coming to her hip in order to guide her. The heat of her skin through her jacket made his whole body grow hot and he couldn't help but let a grin slip onto his face for all of a second before he took back control of his expression once more. Stilling his lips into a firm line, he forced himself to repeat the earlier ignored question. "How long?"

"Long?" Kagome repeated as she held back the blush that threatened to wash over her face. Turning away from him, looking at anything but him, she tried to think. "How can I tell?" She wondered as she eyed the strange permeable pinkish white color of the barrier that surrounded them. "I don't know." She answered herself and effectively him out loud.

Inuyasha felt a lump form in his throat. "You don't know." He stated as he licked his lips, the hand on her hip loosening as he whipped his head around towards Miroku, "Then we need to move as quickly as possible." He told himself as a plan began to form quickly in his head. "Come on!" He commanded her as he yanked on her arm in much the same way he had earlier.

The girl grunted in response but moved her feet hastily as they crossed the deck, dodging men who were running back and forth preparing guns, swords, and cannons while their masters commanded them. Instructions flew over her head, responses flying back in answer not even seconds later. Before she knew it they had hit the stairs, his feet slowing down considerably so she was able to keep up. By some strange yet compelling urge, Kagome counted each step as she moved. "One—two—four, seven." She chanted subconsciously, as her feet barely managed to touch down before being ripped back upwards. "Eight, ten." The numbers rattled off as if counting down to some great apocalypse.

"This is fantastic!" The voice of Sango rang out just as they hit the last of the fifteen steps coming to an abrupt halt as Inuyasha let go of her arm and continued on his own towards Miroku.

"Only if we use it to our advantage." He spoke hurriedly as he crossed the deck completely focused and determined. "Miroku, we gotta change course." He commanded as he moved passed the boy, stopping only long enough to grab the spyglass that rested in the small box.

"Why?" Miroku automatically replied as he looked over his shoulder at the older man who was just now putting the spyglass to his eye.

"We gotta use this barrier to its fullest." Inuyasha responded as he looked through the device in an attempt to see not only the vessel approaching but the people on it. Unfortunately, they weren't close enough yet for even the spyglass to shed light on who they were going up against. "All I know is Captain Hiten's on there," He lowered the glass as he thought. "I don't know a damn thing about his crew." He gritted his teeth angrily before biting his lower lip and turning back to Miroku. "They can't see us," He pointed out the obvious, his eyes looking from Miroku, to Sango, to Kagome slowly making sure he had all their attention. "But we can see them, right?"

Miroku raised his eyebrow, giving the man a 'duh' look in response along with Sango and Kagome.

Inuyasha growled in reply to their combined faces and rolled his eyes before going back to his point. "We have the advantage of surprise because of that."

"I get it." Sango spoke up suddenly causing Kagome and even Miroku to blink rapidly in surprise. "We change our heading," She explained easily, her eyes going from person to person, stopping on Inuyasha just long enough to get confirmation that she was right. "And since they can't see we moved, they'll have no choice but to just stay on their own course."

"Exactly," Inuyasha nodded his head in confirmation as he came to stand next to Miroku, dumping the spyglass back into the box without another thought. "Let's go to starboard." He instructed the younger man while pointing his fingers towards their right.

"Aye, Captain." Miroku followed the command instantly, gripping the wheel and turning it hand over hand towards his right.

"Open the sails for starboard!" Inuyasha yelled upwards, the men scrambling to obey as Myoga began to give them directions after yelling a firm 'yes sir' to Inuyasha down below.

Fascinated by their movements, Kagome turned her large grey eyes to the sails as the men moved amongst the various mast. With rapt attention she stared as the men climbed ropes from the quarterdeck all the way up to the lower sails, grabbing at ropes and tying them off without apparent rhyme nor reason. And others, ones who had already been up amongst the mast, disappear between the giant sheets before reappearing dangling from ropes as they swung on them, pulling them into place. "I want to do that." She told herself as she felt Sango come to stand at her side, the warmth of the other girls arm brushing her own oddly soothing to her frantic heart.

"It is pretty fun." The woman whispered to her friend with a slight smile. "We'll have to teach you pretty soon."

Kagome turned her head sideways, her mouth opening ever so slightly as she watched the older woman smile for her without giving her so much as a glance. "Sango?" Kagome whispered the name and watched as the girl twisted ever so slightly to look at her, her slight smile turning towards Kagome.

"Sango." Inuyasha called before Kagome could say a word in response to that silent acknowledgement.

"Yes sir?" She responded quickly, turning away from Kagome and towards the Captain with burning and ready eyes.

"Take the helm." Inuyasha nodded towards the wheel hastily, his eyes already focused on Miroku. "Go below," He spoke firmly, his eyes never leaving the younger man as Miroku handed the wheel off to Sango, touching her forearm for just a second in reassurance before focusing on his father once again. "Make sure the gunners are ready," Inuyasha continued ignoring the slight display of affection more for their benefit than his own. "And that the cannons are all loaded for our first strike."

Miroku's face scrunched up for just a moment in confusion. "We're not gonna run?" He couldn't help but ask even as he started walking backwards towards the stairs.

"Hell no." Inuyasha responded with a hearty laugh, the confidence of both his breed and his person blazing in his eyes. "We fight to live." He spoke firmly as he turned his head for just a second to look back at Hiten's ship. "And what kind of fucked up life involves running away?" He snorted slightly, and started to turn back towards Miroku only to have his gaze fall on Kagome. Instantly, the intensity of his eyes changed going from confident to almost second guessing.

Kagome felt her heart sink into her stomach at the very thought of a man this proud second guessing the right decision. "He can't—he can't change his mind because of me, I don't want—." The thought died in her head, the odd sinking feeling in her stomach replaced by an light realization. She felt her feet move without her permission, felt her grip on the bow loosen without her mind telling it to, and before she knew it, she felt her mouth form words she hadn't thought to speak. "That isn't—I mean running away isn't," She interrupted the conversation her voice starting out weak as Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha all looked at her expectantly, their eyes mixtures of curiosity and incredulity. Kagome gulped slightly under the scrutiny and held the bow a little tighter, the feeling of the wood under her fingers causing the feeling in her gut to lessen just slightly; replaced by strange confidence. "That's not the kind of life," She looked right into his eyes firmly, the confidence growing with every word. "I want to live, I don't think any of us do."

Straight away, a smile broke out on Sango's face as she looked at the girl with pride forming in her eyes. "Well said." She nodded her head firmly as she kept the wheel turned and steady on their new heading.

"Yeah." Miroku agreed with a smirk appearing on his lips. "Couldn't have said it better myself." He turned his head to the side looking at his wife with a sneaky smile on his face. "She's practically a different girl." He mouthed silently, even as he looked at his wife, at her jacket, pants and boots, at her hat hiding beautiful hair, at her dirty face and bright clean smile. "So are you," He told himself the smile on his face changing to almost soft. "A completely different girl." The love for her nearly swallowed him then as he leaned forward, adrenaline and dopamine pumping through his veins, searing them as he kissed her sound on the mouth. "We fight to live." He whispered to her firmly before abandoning his spot on the helm's deck without another word.

The feel of Miroku rushing by him didn't even phase Inuyasha as he looked at the girl who had come onto this ship some month's before. "She's changed so much." He heard a voice whisper in the back of his head. "I almost can't believe I'm looking at the same girl." He blinked slightly at his own thoughts, a surprisingly realization finally hitting him solidly in the gut. "What am I thinking?" He heard himself whisper watching as her eyes fluttered in surprise. "This is the same exact girl." And really he knew, there was only one difference between this Kagome and the one he had originally met: "This Kagome's not scared to be herself."

"Should I maintain course Captain?" Sango interrupted his thoughts, her voice only sounding somewhat apologetic as she glanced at the two out of the corner of her eye.

"No." Inuyasha sent Kagome a soft smile before turning back towards Sango, motioning for Kagome to come towards him. "We're gonna change course so we can get along side them, as close as possible."

Kagome felt her heart swell with happiness at the utter approval from the three closest people to her. "They understand me." She told herself giddily as she stepped towards the Captain. "They know me." With each footfall, her heartbeat became just a little slower inside her chest. "They accept me." She held her chin up firmly as she came to stand next to Inuyasha. Glancing out of the corner of her eye she watched his firm chin as he spoke. His words didn't registered at all in her head as she watched him; feeling, for once, completely comfortable and natural at his side.

-break-

On the Thunder, Naraku held his hand up in a silent signal for Hiten to maintain their course just a little longer. "Steady." He whispered as Kagura tracked the ship (or, that is, the shards,) with her ruby eyes. "We have to lull them into a false sense of security." He told the crew for a second time, even as Hiten practically rolled his eyes at the reminder.

"Shikuro changed-i course again," Kagura spoke up suddenly as the shards seemed to cut across the ocean by themselves, almost flying above the opened water. "The ship-pu cut back."

"They're doubling back?" Hiten surmised as he held the vessel steady heading straight towards where the Shikuro had been when it disappeared.

"Sneaky." Naraku grumbled and lowered his hand with practically leering eyes. "They don't realize we can see them."

"It appears so." Kaede whispered calmly as she stretched all the gifted senses of the Shinigami out across the sea towards the Shikuro. Already, she was completely aware of their actions having heard every word and seen every motion. "It was a brilliant plan, Inuyasha." She thought to herself and closed her eyes. "But you failed to take into account things you couldn't possibly foresee." She smiled faintly to herself, realizing that the poor demon boy never had a chance.

"Should I maintain our course?" Hiten questioned as he gripped the wheel a little tighter feeling antsy. "We're so close, I can almost taste it." He licked his lips slowly images of his younger brother, fat and innocent hitting his brain. "I've waited months to avenge you—months, and now Captain Inuyasha's right here in the palm of my hand." He inhaled sharply, the pile of ash he had found in place of his younger brother filling his mind with doubts. After all, he had never met a dog demon who could turn another demon into ash.

Beside him Kagura watched the way his fingers gripped and re-gripped the aging helm, part of her wondering why he appeared as nervous as he was. For a man like Hiten, it seemed downright unnatural.

"No." Naraku frowned slightly in thought as he answered Hiten's earlier question. "I have a better idea."

"Sir?" Kagura whispered in surprise as she took a step forward towards him. Carefully, she glanced towards Kaede who paid her no mind, eyes still closed and not even an ounce of surprise on her face.

"Change your course to parallel their own." Naraku commanded sternly as he leaned forward on the railing once more, his foot actually bouncing up and down with his own anticipation. "Let's see how Captain Inuyasha deals with surprises."

Obeying without question, Hiten turned the wheel towards the last point Kagura had indicated. With far greater strength than any human he moved the wheel with one hand. The crew down below responded instantly to the change in wind, adjusting the mast so that their heading and the wind in the sails matched perfectly.

-break-

"What the hell?" Inuyasha dropped the spyglass from his eye as he watched the Thunder change their course so that they were angled similar to the Shikuro's own. "Sango change our heading to larboard, double back again." He bit his lip as he held the spyglass close a sneaking suspicion filling his mind. "It's just coincidence." He told himself as Sango responded to his words, turning hand over hand towards the opposite direction.

Up above Myoga predicted the change and yelled his commands towards the riggers. The sails pulled against the changing wind as the men did their best to quickly secure the new direction. Within seconds, they were back in the proper wind, the ship speeding along, barrier still holding firmly in place.

Kagome sighed in relief as she watched her barrier, amazed that it was holding strong. "Please last." She begged it as she watched the Captain put the spyglass back to his eye. "Just a little longer, that's all we need."

Now moving against the ocean's natural current, Sango groaned as she held the wheel tight in place. "Damn it." She cursed silently to herself as she looked out towards the Thunder, her concern over the other ship's sudden change in direction far greater than her burning arms. "Do you think it's a coincidence?" She managed to ask the Captain even as her arms began to strain.

Sensing the discomfort in the girl's voice, Inuyasha turned towards her dropping the spyglass with a frown. "I hope so." He answered honestly as he reached out a hand and grabbed for the wheel.

Instantly, the strain seemed to melt from Sango's limbs and she sighed in somewhat relief. "We're going against the current." She informed and the Captain nodded his head sharply before turning towards Kagome.

"Help her hold the wheel." He told the woman as he jabbed his head towards the wheel to reiterate what he meant.

A feeling of surprise immediately formed in Kagome's chest but she ignored it knowing she had to move quickly before Inuyasha changed his mind. "Yes, sir." She responded properly as she grabbed for the wheel, holding it firmly as bright grey eyes looked at Sango practically giddy.

Sango gave her a gentle almost sisterly smile in return before placing her attention back on the Captain who once again had the spyglass to his eye. "Shit!" He snarled suddenly, ripping the spyglass from his face. "Change the heading so we're pointed right at them." He commanded with no small amount of fury and perhaps panic in his voice.

"Aye." Sango responded and motioned with her chin for Kagome to pull the wheel left. Between the two girl's they moved the wheel until it was hard to larboard, the ship seeming to swing around with a loud swoosh in the ocean. "Turn it back a little." Sango whispered and once again in tandem the two girl's adjusted the heading to the right, the ship swinging back to starboard. "Now hold 'er steady." Sango commanded and both sets of hands stopped all motion.

The ship barreled through the break waves from the change, bobbing up and down as it hit each one straight on. With sea-legs over sixty years old, Inuyasha stood steady, the spyglass held up to his face waiting for the subtle change in the bow of the Thunder should it occur. "Come on." He whispered to himself, a small part of his psyche still hoping everything had been a coincidence as Sango had said. "Maybe they were just turning aimlessly." He stressed to himself even as he noticed the telltale signs of a ship's bow starting to change directions. "Shit."

"No way." Sango whispered as she looked at the ship now directly in front of them. She felt Kagome's hands tighten firmly on the wheel and glanced down at the shorter girl, watching the wide eyed look of horror as it took over her face.

"They can see us." The girl whispered even as her stomach fell into her feet. "How?"

Behind her, mind moving far faster than anyone else's on the ship, Inuyasha ignored the failed plan without any questions. "If they can see us the element of surprise is dead." His thoughts rushed in his head, moving by so fast that even a mind reader would have been confused. "So we don't have an advantage." His eyes darted down below looking at the crew who was already pretty well prepared for a standoff.

The cannons that normally remained covered tightly out on deck were all exposed and loaded already with men stationed before them waiting to fire while other crewmen gathered more ammo stacking it hastily beside the cannons. Totosai was just finishing the last structural preparations to the front hall and the sides of the ship using every spare piece of wood he could find to strengthen the sides of the Shikuro's hull and keel. Swords were being passed out and guns as well among crewmembers whose duties had already been performed. The ship was in effect a well armed killing machine, prepared for anything.

"Good job Miroku." He thought absently as his son suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere, shouting orders left and right. "We might have an advantage after all."

"What do we do?" Sango's words broke up his thoughts pulling Inuyasha away from his men and the battle preparations only slightly.

"We have no choice." He told her, with a nod directed at himself as his feet started to move without thought towards the stairs once more. "Change our heading so we come up beside them." He threw the commands over his shoulder as he began to run with possessed feet, not even sparing them a second look. "If they keep adjusting just keep adjusting right back." His voice faded as his feet hit the stairs at a dead sprint.

"We're gonna fight?" Kagome whispered as his back disappeared down the stairs, guilt welling in her heart. "But—the barrier—."

"Don't worry about it," Sango interrupted her in an attempt to ease her worries. "We were gonna fight eventually anyway." She added as she pulled on the wheel, giving Kagome a slight nod so the younger girl would start adjusting their position with her. "Now we're just gettin' into the fray a hell of a lot quicker."

Kagome nodded accepting Sango's words even while a sneaking suspicion began to form in her mind. Clutching the wheel tightly, helping Sango maintain their current heading, she allowed the small feeling to grow. "How can they see us?" She asked herself as she looked at the barrier above them. "Did I do it wrong?" She bit her lip as the shimmering dome of her own power glistened in the light. "Was the voice wrong?"

"No." Faintly, almost as if just in the very back of her mind, the voice sounded. "It was perfect."

Kagome gulped slightly, not because of the disembodied voice but because of what the words it said meant. "Then how?" She questioned silently hoping the ethereal voice would offer her some insight. "How could they possibly see us?"

Much to her greatest displeasure, the voice chose at that moment to finally remain silent.

-break-

The elemental demon stood with his hands firmly holding onto the wheel of the Shikuro. In his chest his heart began to pound with the familiar sensation of anticipation for the impending fight. Carefully, he licked his lips, narrowing his eyes as he looked out across the ocean towards the quickly approaching Shikuro. It was so close he could almost taste it, taste the very scent of the man responsible for his brother's death.

"Does it really matter—? Is vengeance so important?"

Hiten's heart stopped in his chest for all of a moment, the sound of an unfamiliar voice entering his ears making his eyes widen. "What the hell?" He thought to question as he whipped his head around to look at the people on the deck.

He saw Naraku clutching at the railing his back facing him, he saw Kagura with her arms crossed under her breast a combination of nerves and expectation filling her scent, and he saw Kaede next to Kagura, her one eye closed looking undoubtedly serene. It seemed downright unnatural looking at her, watching her.

"She's just—at peace, like she's accepted something." He narrowed his eyes at the sight and was just about to question that peace aloud when the sound of his own men beginning to growl hit his ears. Turning his head back towards more important matters, his eyes glowed as he smelt the first telltale signs of a dog demon on the wind, mixed with a diverse crew. Raising his chin he growled low in his throat, the sound of another crew just as anxious as his own filling the breeze. Turning towards Kagura he looked at her crossed arms, his eyes wandering to her pushed up breast for just a moment before he shook the thought completely out of his head. "Kagura." He mumbled, waiting for her to shift her expression towards him before he spoke again. "They're here, aren't they?"

Kagura nodded her head as she looked at Hiten her expression tight. "Shikuro will be at the Thunder-ru side," She told him softly, her eyes shifting towards Naraku who had tilted his head in their direction. "Less than five minute-u." She finished now loud enough for the other demon as well.

"Hm?" Naraku muttered and glanced at the Captain and wind demon over his shoulder not bothering to follow the other man's line of sight as Hiten continued to stare at the girl. "What do you suggest we do about it Mr. Hiten?"

"Maintain current course," Hiten narrowed his eyes at the wind demon silently asking her about her strange disposition but the demon merely shook her head in response. "And prepare for a fight." He finished with a stiff expression on his face but a strong voice in his throat.

"Excellent." Naraku nodded sharply a silent signal for Hiten to simply carry on as he would.

"Alright men," The Thunder demon yelled loud enough for Inuyasha to hear from his spot barely a hundred yards away. "Master's to yer post!" His scream was echoed by a million more from his own men as they raised their arms above their head and yelled at the top of their lungs, the sound reverberating all around them, a cocoon of confidence.

As the crew erupted with preparations, Naraku watched his dark eyes glazed from the sound as somewhere in the back of his mind a sensation began to build. He bit his lip as it filled him, an uneasy, uncomforting feeling of vulnerability. A low growl built in his throat, he gritted his teeth and then distinctly felt as if his feet were about to fall out from underneath him. Reaching for the railing, he grabbed it hard supporting his weight as the sensation built and built, his mind becoming paralyzed with the overwhelming feeling of something being wrong.

"Fear." He felt the word in his mind more than heard it. "Why am I afraid?"

Behind him Kaede finally opened her eye, Naraku's words echoing within her. A slow smile built on her face as she opened the Shinigami eye, the faint glow that always surrounded the boy washing into her sight. "Why indeed." She thought just to herself as she watched the little hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "That demon in you knows, doesn't it Naraku, it knows exactly what Kagome can do to you."

Just as Kaede closed her eyes once more the weasel demon inhaled sharply and started towards the staircase un-expectantly. "Keep an eye on everything," He called over his shoulder surprising Kagura and Hiten. "I'll return momentarily."

"Sir?" Hiten called as he watched the man as he hit the stairs at what appeared to be almost a full out run.

"I should like to have a weapon or two on my person," Naraku grumbled just loud enough for the two demons on the helm's deck to hear. "If we're to actually enter a fight, that would be wise." He continued as he practically ran down the stairs and out of sight.

Kagura watched as the man disappeared down the staircase, her blood red eyes tracking him until he could no longer be seen. "That was strange-e." She mumbled towards Hiten a part of her still afraid of being heard.

"It's almost time." Kaede spoke evenly as she eyed the small ship that was steadily becoming bigger and bigger on the horizon; a ship that only she could actually see.

Starting only slightly Kagura turned towards the older woman clearing her throat slightly before agreeing with a slight: "Um," sound.

Hiten licked his lips as he looked between the two women, the plan they had concocted only a few days ago running over and over in his mind. "Are you ready?" He asked Kagura, looking towards the girl expectantly.

"To talk-u to Inuyasha-sama?" The wind demon clarified as she finally uncrossed her arms allowing them to fall to her sides. For several seconds she simply inhaled and exhaled, the wind all around her picking up as she did so: reacting to her very nature. "I've been ready for-u ten years." She spoke firmly sending Hiten a dangerously sexy smirk with her red painted lips.

The Thunder demon felt his gut twist at the sight, his primal instincts reacting to the arousing display. "Damn." The word floated in and out of his head but still an odd unconvincing feeling entered him, as if a part of him didn't believe her. It was almost as if it instinctively knew something was wrong. "Kagura."

"Remember Kagura—," Kaede spoke before the display could grow affectionate in anyway. "You must speak with him," The old woman looked directly at the wind demon, trying to instill exactly what she meant with her one exposed eye. "At all cost."

The image of a man she had long ago known formed instantly in her head, the sentiment of Kaede's words seeming to fall from imaginary lips. "At all cost." He spoke firmly, his gold eyes unwavering, strong, bold, and terrifying.

"At all cost." Kagura repeated the phrase as the image disappeared and she turned her attention to the shards she could just see in the distance.

In the back of her mind, she saw a little boy of no more than five trailing just behind that man. "Onii-san!" The child yelled as he reached out a tiny fist towards the older man, catching his robes between pudgy fingers. The tall man turned and looked down at the boy his eyes bored and stern. But as he stared at that hand, for just a split second, all the affection known in the world shown in his twin gold irises.

"Inuyasha-sama." Kagura thought as she closed her eyes the floppy ears of that pup making her smile before she inhaled sharply. Snapping her eyes back opened she looked straight at the spot the ship had to be in. "It's almost-o done, Sesshoumaru-sama."

-break-

"They're almost on us." Miroku called down as the men began to grow anxious; a crowd of fighters holding onto the side of the ship weapons in hand waiting for the command to strike.

"Hold steady." Inuyasha called to Sango and Kagome at the helm even as his own anxieties built in his chest. This was the first time Kagome had ever been on deck during a fight such as this and the idea was sitting well in his stomach.

"We got just a few minutes." Miroku's voice suddenly appeared beside him, the younger man holding a board sword in one hand while another rested against his hip. "Here." He mumbled and offered the weapon to his father without looking at him, his eyes much too focused on the approaching ship to bother looking at Inuyasha.

"Arigato." Inuyasha replied absently as he took the weapon and automatically fastened it to his belt.

"Daijoobu desu ka?" Miroku asked in his father's native tongue as he sent the older man a worried glance.

"Hm." Inuyasha nodded slightly in answer as he raised his hand into the air, holding it so every man on the ship could see. "Not even five minutes." He told himself as he licked his lips anxiously. "Cannons ready!"

Glancing up at the helm's deck Mioku felt a slight smirk form on his face as he watched Kagome stand next to Sango. "You can see it." He whispered causing Inuyasha's head to whip around.

"What?" The older demon growled out as he held his hand above his head, not realizing what Miroku was referring to.

"You can see it." Miroku motioned towards Kagome just as the girl helped Sango turned the wheel to larboard, straining only slightly as they fought against the current.

Inuyasha blinked at the words his hand wavering in the air for only a moment as Miroku's sentiment sunk in; a memory from long ago surfacing in his mind.

"Should we allow her to do this?" A slightly younger and shorter Miroku asked as he clutched a sword between white shaking hands.

"She'll be fine, you taught her yourself right?" Inuyasha comforted absently as he motioned towards the sword as to indicate what she had in fact been taught.

"But what if—."

"Miroku!" Inuyasha said the name as sternly as possible minor irritation starting to cause pounding in his frontal lobe. Turning his head to look at the sixteen year old, he reached out and placed one clawed hand on his shoulder shaking him firmly but in an oddly reassuring way. "She'll be fine." He told Miroku while giving the boy a sincere grin. "I promise."

The younger man nodded only vaguely even as he turned his head to look up at the hem's deck discretely. "How do you know?" He asked, his voice a little tight with worry as he watched the girl.

Inuyasha blinked once at the question before following Miroku's own line of sight, looking up at the girl standing at the helm's deck as if she had always been there. She was so small but her eyes were confident and her stance more self-assured than he had ever seen her. Normally Sango looked fragile and dare say tiny against the backdrop of the giant ship but today with a sword at her hip and the wheel in her hand she looked oddly happy, relaxed even. "Just look at her." Inuyasha felt the smile form on his face as he spoke, pride filling him for the girl she had become in only a short year.

"Look at her?" Miroku repeated clearly not seeing what the Captain beside him could.

"Yeah." Inuyasha cleared his throat and turned back towards the ship coming towards them. "You can see it, just look at her, you'll see" He motioned his hand towards the girl without actually looking himself. "Just one look and you'll see she's fine."

Inuyasha blinked slight, bright gold eyes focusing on the petite girl standing beside the woman who had also once been just as small. Next to Sango, Kagome looked fragile and dare say tiny against the backdrop of an oversized wheel and a girl three years her senior. Despite her tiny hands and her much shorter stature, despite her overly sized clothes and the hat that was too large for her head, despite everything he could see it: the confidence of a girl with power. The power of a heritage unknown and of a bow that rested now around her body, the string laying against her sternum while the wooden handle barely peaked from around her shoulder.

Even if her earlier attempt at a barrier had not worked the way they wanted it to, it had still been surprisingly well done. Even now as he tilted his chin upwards he could see the glisten of it as the sun reflected against its surface, "Even if they can see us I bet it won't be useless." He licked his lips absently, his mind returning to the barrier she had created when they had met the half demon Jinenji. "It protected us from bullets, so maybe this one could at least do something against a cannon." He let the thought trail off at that, shaking his head slightly as his own anxieties began to melt away. "If she can do that," He turned his head to look at her watching as she held onto the wheel looking just a little taller. "If she looks like that—then I shouldn't worry.

"Otou-san?" Miroku called to him firmly trying to rouse him back into the real world.

"Yeah." Inuyasha whispered faintly but not in response to Miroku's call. "I can see it."

Miroku blinked once before shaking his head. "Damn right you can." He practically growled as he turned his eyes towards the Thunder and yelled. "We fight to live!"

The sound of the battle cry thundering through the Shikuro caused an immediate uproar. All around them, the men screamed, the echo of an old motto running throughout the whole of the ship: "We fight to live!" They screamed as their blood ran hot in their veins. "We fight to live!" They growled as they held onto ropes preparing to eventually board the other vessel. "We fight to live!" They yelled as their lungs burned but their adrenaline pumped, an unknown fuel.

Inuyasha smirked as the sound ran through his brain, the demon inside of him growling, snarling, roaring with its own anticipation. Reaching for one of the long webbed ropes that lead to the sails, Inuyasha pulled himself up, turning his back to the Thunder to look out at his crew. He saw Sango and Kagome first, both girl's with one hand off the wheel yelling along with the crew with excitement brimming in their eyes, he saw Myoga up high in the rigging his voice quiet but his reassuring expression speaking volumes, and then he saw his men yelling screaming, waving both sword and fist in the air: they were ready.

"We fight to live!" He screamed into the air, his hand thrusting above his head as his own scream echoed so loud that every man currently in the Atlantic should have heard the call.

"We fight to live, Captain!" The men screamed in return and Inuyasha howled in response as he whipped his head back around to look straight at the approaching Thunder.

He could hear the roar of the Thunder's men, he could practically see every single strand of hair from beneath hats and bandanas, he could see swords, guns, sticks, knifes, and every manner of weapon a man could possibly use. It wasn't until the smell of their sweat hit his nose however, that he dropped his hand quickly from the air screaming at the top of his lungs, "Fire!"

End of Chapter

Please Review

Edited for Accents 6/6/2013.

A/N: And let the battle commence! I will write the whole battle scene as one chapter which should be verily long. But that's next chapter, it promises to be really really fun, especially since Kagome has no idea that her ex-fiancé is on the Thunder with the brother of the man she killed. That sounded very soap opera-ie didn't it?

Bonus Point:

Well since we got a few ways of saying mother, let's see who knows the ways to say father. Name at least two different words for father in Japanese!

Last Chapter's Bonus Point:

Inuyasha refers to his mother in two ways. The first is Ofukuro which is a way of saying mother that only boys can use. It is not necessarily impolite, it's just not the nicest way of saying mother. It's kind of like saying Ma versus Mother (Haha), Mom (Okaa-san), or Mommy (Ka-chan). The other word is Hahaoya which is typically used only to refer to one's mother in conversation. In other words you wouldn't go up to mom and say "Konnichiwa Hahaoya!" And contrary to some popular belief it is a respectful word for mother. Congrats to the winners!

Word Doc, 14 inu-kag, Kitty-Ichigo1, chronos-girl, LittleMargarita, Glon Morski, KaUiA, Aiydan's Mommie, ladytransformer12, Sharp 8394

P.S. I apologize if I miss anyone, I know sometimes you guys review in other chapters with the bonus and I forget to check to see if anyone did. So if I missed someone because of that please let me know and I will get it corrected.

Next Chapter:

They Meet Again

See you then!

UNEDITED

POSTED 2/2/2013