Chapter 4
"Though you are an accomplished and distinguished knight and the daughter of the General, you are also the daughter of my dear cousin, the only one left next in line for the throne."
"Please grant this selfish wish of mine for once Sire! Please."
A young lady dressed in a knight's attire was kneeling while pleading in front of the throne.
"I treasure you as much as I would treasure my own child. You have once gone through it and now I cannot bear to see you in such danger again."
"One year. Give me one year to find his whereabouts and confirm it myself."
The king sighed when he saw the determined look in his niece's eyes.
"Fine. I shall grant you this wish under the condition that if you do not accomplish your goal before your 21st birthday, you must return to perform you duties."
"As you wish, Your Majesty. I give my utmost thanks for your leniency."
A look of happiness could not be restrained from Momo's face even though she tried to be serious.
Momo's eyes fluttered open in the morning light.
[Why did I dream of that again?]
Momo couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.
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Soon enough, Momo's fears came true.
"Goodness me!", Momo cried out, "This damned storm's gonna to be the end of us!"
She was helping the crew with tying the crates down so that they wouldn't skid around when the boat rocked because of the waves. Water spilled over the deck as most of the crew started getting under deck once finishing up. Shuhei was waging war with the sea as he tried to guide the boat though the raging waves. The wind whipped against the glass behind which Shuhei was relatively unharmed by the storm. Toshiro was there with him just in case. Uryuu was ordering the members around while the riggings had to be checked and the sails were withdrawn, tied to the masts. Suddenly the ship shook violently and Momo was thrown off her feet. Her left arm scratched against a rusty nail as she rolled over the deck. A small gash formed on her upper arm as the rain flushed the blood dripping down her arm away. She bit her lips together to withstand the sudden pain.
Momo's clothes were fully drenched by the rain when she went downstairs. The members were taking turns of checking out the deck and doing what was needed.
As the boat rocked hard, a couple of men became very seasick and the ship doctor, Hanataro had his hands full with trying to cope with his patients when Momo entered with her bloody arm. His eyes widened as he immediately went for the first aid kit he had recently gotten and took out some bandages and disinfectant. Momo flinched when the alcoholic liquid touched her wound and send a sharp pain through her arm.
"Ugh…", Momo grimaced.
"How did you get this?", Hanataro asked her, concern written on his face.
"Rusty nail."
Hanataro sighed at the unexpected answer.
"Ye may be a pirate, lady, but yer still a girl and girls should take care of their skin. The cap'n says that often to the girls on board. If he sees you, he'll definitely say it. He'll say 'Scars don't suit a lady's skin!'"
Hanataro imitated his captain by saying it in a deep voice and with a frown on his face. He tried to be as serious as possible with his boyish voice but failed instead. Momo laughed at the impersonation and Hanataro started laughing as well.
Another hour passed before the storm finally settled down and the sailor dared to poke their heads out. Momo went up to where the helmsman stood. Toshiro had switched with Shuhei who seemed rather exhausted.
"How's it going?", Momo entered the small cabin and gave Toshiro and Shuhei a bottle of water.
"Good", Toshiro answered.
His sight was flicked to the cloth wrapped arm and he knit his eyebrows together.
"How'd you get that?"
"How'd I get what?"
"Bandage."
"Oh, rusty nail", Momo nonchalantly replied.
Toshiro's frown deepened as he scolded her:
"Ye may be a pirate, Momo, but yer still a girl and a girl should take care of herself. Scars don't suit a lady's skin."
"And there he goes again", Shuhei muttered from behind.
Momo was reminded of the ship doctor's antics and grinned. Misunderstanding it, Toshiro scowled:
"Wat's there to smile 'bout?"
"Nuthin' cap'n", Momo replied with a straight face.
Abruptly the door to the small cabin slammed open and a short blonde girl rushed in. Three heads turned at the same time to her.
"Captain, sail ho!"
"Who's it?"
"Captain Aizen!"
"Him again?"
Toshiro's face showed annoyance.
"What's wrong?", Momo asked him.
"Aizen is a pirate captain that likes to kill off other pirates if he sees them in his territory – it's not his territory but he calls it his territory. The storm must have gotten us off track. We weren't supposed to cross waters with him", Toshiro groaned at the thought of trouble.
He turned to the girl standing in the doorway and told her to get Kisuke to his room. He then left the steering to Shuhei and marched off to his quarters with Momo behind him.
#####
"That guy's following even now", Toshiro grumbled.
He had hoped that Aizen would give up once they were out of his waters but looks like he could scrap that idea.
"Uryuu, I want the deck cleared and the guns ready but keep them hatches shut and stay low until I give the signal. I'll try to talk with Aizen but if he ain't listnin'… Ye can tell Shinji to send 'em to Davy Jones' Locker. I'll not be losing me men over this", Toshiro growled.
"Aye Cap'n", Uryuu replied and left.
Once the other ship neared, Toshiro placed himself on the quarter-deck with a telescope. He could see the other ship's captain standing near the rails like him with a telescope. When they were near enough, Captain Aizen shouted to them:
"Good-day to you, Captain Hitsugaya! Lovely weather, isn't it?"
"What d'ye want Captain Aizen", Toshiro demanded cutting straight to the point.
Sosuke Aizen's smile faltered for a moment before replying in a tone as if it were natural:
"I've come for the fee o' crossing me waters."
"Fee? What fee, Captain Aizen? I don't recall 'em being your waters", Toshiro snickered.
Finally Sosuke's smile broke and an ugly scowl surfaced instead.
"I'm trying to be polite but alas yer going too far with that. Men–!"
Toshiro reacted immediately as well.
"Uryuu–!", he cried out and the hatches beneath opened to reveal cannons ready in position.
"Fire!"
Momo hear Uryuu's shout and a moment later the booming sounds rang out as cannon balls shot out. While watching the other ship's deck, Momo realized that there weren't many men on board.
[Strange… very strange…. It couldn't be–?!]
Momo turned around and she was right. Numerous hooks were on the railings of the other side. The first of Aizen's men were already climbing over the railings and entering the deck.
"Toshiro behind us!", Momo called out and the captain whipped around.
"Shit!", he cursed and screamed, "Get yer weapons out! Enemies on deck!"
Momo also drew out her cutlass and looped the nearest head of the pirate climbing over the rails off. She continued to cut off the ropes and the seamen fell back into the waters. The other ship neared enough to put planks across the railings and the pirates rushed over with a roar. Some that arrived on the Ice Ring, tried to secure the planks but not many succeded
The crew of the Ice Ring fought with the trespassers and soon blood was spilling over the ground. Metallic sounds rang over the deck and screams of pain and yells of insults accompanied it. Momo had already killed three men and was onto her fourth one when suddenly both ships shook violently. Many on board lost their footing.
"Cap'n! Secon' ship sighted!", someone called out in the midst of it.
Toshiro scowled as he heard the news:
"Those blasted dogs must've been observing our fight! They think they'll beat us now because we're worn down!"
A black dot was gradually growing in size as it neared them.
"Cannon ball incomin'!", someone shouted as people scrambled to get a foothold.
The ship rocked at the impact. Toshiro lost his balance and his sword flew away from his grasp over the edge of the ship.
"Damn it!", he cried out.
Toshiro gave orders to turn the ship while some fended off the last of the previous enemy batch. The deck was becoming a mess while the enemy approached. Aizen's men were screaming words of retreat.
Toshiro flung out orders to his men to throw off the enemy pirates instead of engaging them for too long. He saw Aizen retreat while leaving his men behind and took out his gun. He shot with it a few times to get attention and roared at the opponents.
"Lookee here! Yer captain's running back with his tail between his legs! Now if ya'll don't want yer livers gutted out and roasted for ye to eat, yer better get off me ship! Or I'll personally blow yer brains out!"
Toshiro pulled the trigger again for good measure. The trespassers faltered as they saw their captain sailing away and the third boat approaching. Most of them decided to jump off and swim back to their ship without further encouragement. The rest stayed behind out of anger. They wouldn't die without a fight, dragging down as many as they could to death with them.
Momo looked around her and calmly observed the situation. The third ship was getting dangerously close. She quickly gave a warning to Toshiro:
"Captain, they will be soon upon us!"
[Damn it. At this rate we're not going make it. Even though I prefer to not use it, if it goes well, they will retreat.]
Momo grimaced at the thought and sighed as she resolved herself. She fought through the some pirates to get near her captain.
"Captain Toshiro", she called out.
"What?!", Toshiro snapped at Momo but she did not even flinch.
"Please give me the order to exterminate our enemies."
"Hah? What are you saying at a time like this?!"
Toshiro was furious. He thought that Momo was joking around at such a time but when he saw her serious eyes he paused.
"Please or else it won't work", Momo pleaded and when she saw the question in his eyes she told him, "I'll explain later."
Toshiro heard the determination in the girl's voice and hoped that she had some kind of plan – but why did she need him to saw something like that?
"Fine", Toshiro relented.
He took a deep breath, praying that he wasn't making a fool out of himself.
"Momo, kill our enemies and bring me their captain."
"As you wish", Momo replied, her usual energy filled voice monotone.
She took out her daggers, crossed them and stepped forward. From her mouth came a chant-like rhyme:
"I am the blade and the blade is me. I will be the death of thee. Reflecting in the mirror is my other side. I am your horror. The nightmare's bride."
Toshiro barely heard her say that within the commotion as she advanced towards the enemies. What happened next left him wide eyed.
As swift as a cat Momo darted in between the bodies on the ground and those still struggling to stand. The enemy ship was nearing and only several meters away. Momo increased her speed and ran upon the plank still laid out from the earlier fight. Once she reached the edge she jumped. Her jump was so powerful that brought her to the other ship's edge but she didn't stop there. With no useless movements wasted her blades flashed in the sunlight splashing red behind them as they cut through the throats of the pirates. An occasional stab in the heart could be seen as well while blades were repelled and brushed to the side.
Toshiro felt as if he was watching an elegant dancer as Momo massacred her opponents – yes, it could only be called a massacre. What else could Toshiro compare it too when the men died left and right beside her but she was left untouched?
Cries of surrender rang out from the other side soon enough. The enemy captain could be seen on his knees as he begged for mercy. Mercy came – Momo looped off his head. Once Toshiro saw that, he felt a tinge of fear seeing the beautiful form of the Ruby Princess stand there with the captain's head in her hand. It snapped him out of his reverie and he cried out:
"Come back Momo!"
He saw the girl's head turn to him and a shiver ran down his back. Her eyes seemed so demonic as if something evil possessed her. Their eye contact broke as she gave a small bow in acknowledgement. Just as fast as she had hopped to the other side, she came back slipping through the enemies. This time the ships were close enough that Momo didn't have to use something to propel her forward.
As she stepped in front of Toshiro, she knelled down and offered the enemy's head to him. Toshiro reached out to take it and realized that his hand was trembling a little. Was he scared? No, he had seen plenty of death and killed several as well, so why should he tremble now? It was simple – the excitement of seeing the Ruby Princess in action had left him somewhat terrified of her prowess. It was a strange feeling.
Toshiro took the head from the girl and turned towards his men who were still standing stupefied at the scene in front of them.
"We got their captain's head already! What're ye waiting for!? Go and plunder their ship but don't kill them! I think they got enough damage already, don't ya think?", Toshiro laughed out loud as he said those words.
Encouraged by their captain, their fighting spirit rekindled and they stormed the other ship with a vicious yell.
After seeing his men off, Toshiro finally turned towards Momo:
"You've got some explaining to do young lady."
He told Uryuu to take over and gestured for Momo to follow him. Momo stumbled a little on the way to the captain's quarters. Toshiro pulled out a chair for Momo to sit and sat down on the opposite side. Momo shook her head.
[Ugh, my sight's a little shaky from the combat.]
Then Toshiro said two words that made Momo sigh.
"Now, explain."
Momo scratched her head with a troubled face as if wondering where to start and sighed again. A little headache was building up.
"Um… well…you see", she said as she fumbled with her hair, "It's a long story…"
"I've got all the time in the world", Toshiro answered firmly.
Momo grimaced at her complicated past and thought about how she should reveal it without giving away her real intentions. Her headache was getting stronger.
"I have a bit of a history with a certain group", Momo started while rubbing her temples, "It started when I was young. I was kidnapped…."
The word 'kidnapping' spurn Toshiro's interest even more but he didn't interrupt her.
"I was eleven years old at the time and my twelfth birthday was coming up. I was playing outside with my friend when some men appeared and took us away. The rest after that is a little vague with becoming conscious and unconscious again…"
Momo laid her arms on the table and propped her head down on them.
Momo's voice trailed off as she tried to find her next words. Memories of the nightmare flashed through her mind. The rough handling of the men. Her friend separated from her and whom she had not seen ever since.
"It was dark most of the time", Momo continued with her head down, "They gave us to eat and if we misbehaved, they punished us."
Toshiro didn't like the direction the story was going but kept listening as he nodded to show his attention. Momo suddenly threw her head up with eyes that showed fear, resentment and anger. Her voice was a pitch higher:
"I was sold off to–"
All of a sudden Momo's body wavered and collapsed to the side. In panic Toshio stood up and ran over to Momo quickly. Her face was flushed. Toshiro had a feeling about what it could be and held his hand against her forehead. He knew it – Momo was burning up with a fever.
"Damn it, you should've told me, idiot", he mumbled and carried the girl to his bed.
Toshiro frowned. Momo was probably saying the truth, but it wasn't also the whole truth. She had most likely left out certain parts, such as her friend. Much to his chagrin Momo was overwhelmed with a fever right at the part when it was important. Such a vague answer left him with a lot of questions but seeing Momo ill in bed made him feel bad. Toshiro sighed:
"I need to get Hanataro. Why didn't I realize…"
Momo was barely aware of her surroundings. She vaguely remembered someone giving her medicine and water to drink. Cool liquid flowed down her throat. Two shadows moved about her saying something but all Momo could think of was that she was feeling miserable.
[That's why I hate removing the limiter…]
Momo's thought trailed off as she fell as sleep.