Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or Rurouni Kenshin!

So Allen has joined Kenshin's crew, will Van be next? You'll have to read and find out!

Enjoy!

Van nearly swore as he felt Megumi probing through his feathers and found another bullet lodged in his wing. "Let me go! I refuse to endure this torture!" A/N: I suppose anyone would at least scream if they were having minor surgery without any painkillers!

"Would you be quiet, kid?" the rooster-headed first mate, Sano, growled. "Megumi needs silence to pull out every bullet in your wings. Unless you really want to die of lead poisoning. I just have to tell you, it isn't pleasant, from what we've seen some of our earlier prisoners who kept bullets in their bodies, refusing to be treated."

Megumi used a pair of forceps to extract the last bullet and sighed. "All you need now is some rest and you'll be fine. Your wings should heal with no scar."

Van tried to get up, but Sano held him down. "Hey, where would you be going, angel boy?"

"I have to find the man I fought and kill him. He's the one who killed Allen's crew and destroyed the Crusade!" Van yelled, struggling in vain to get up.

"Whoa, whoa. Don't go blaming the captain for anything. He was just following protocol when we encounter unknown ships flying around. Only demon ships fly around like yours did, although we never expected to find an angel among them," Sano commented, grinning at Van's pure white wings. "These sure are pretty for a guy so brash as you."

"Sano, don't tease him so much," a soft voice that Van recognized chided, the short redhead followed by Allen stepping into the room.

Megumi stood up and smiled. "Ken-san, I've taken out all the bullets that were in this young angel's wings. Remember what you promised when we make port," she pointed out, leaving the room.

Sano's eyes narrowed as he asked, "What did you promise her, Kenshin?"

Kenshin smiled. "That I would show her around the port and perhaps take her out for a drink."

Sano leaped over Van and proceeded to shake Kenshin like a rag doll. "Kenshin, you bastard! How dare you try to flirt with my wife! I oughta hang you from the mast by your ankles for a whole day!"

"Ororororororo…" Kenshin groaned, as he was dropped onto the floor, swirly-eyed.

Allen and Van stared at the scene, the angry first mate assaulting his captain. It seemed wrong and…immature. Kenshin recovered and stood up, waving Sano off. "Sano, go keep an eye out for enemy ships."

"Aye Taisho," Sano replied, saluting and leaving the room.

Van glared at Kenshin as the short man sat in the chair next to his bed. "Why even bother to heal me when you're going to kill both of us anyways?"

Kenshin shook his head. "I wasn't going to kill you. I don't kill angels."

Van's eyes narrowed. "Why does everyone on this ship call me that?"

"We do because you have these wings. No demon would have wings like yours. And you aren't human because of the aura you have."

Allen blinked in confusion, then narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "You talk as if you're neither."

Kenshin stood and nodded. "I'm not human, unlike my crew. Marked by my red hair and amber eyes. I look fierce and merciless because of this, but I'm actually one who won't fight unless I have to. Also, because of protocol, I must strike first or we wouldn't have survived this long. My apologies for shooting down your ship, but there is nothing that can be done. There's nothing that the flaming cannonballs can't burn, so your ship is probably at the bottom of the sea by now, in cinders."

Van sat up, his wings flaring in anger. "So we're stuck here?!"

"There's no helping it, I suppose, until we make port," Kenshin answered, standing and turning towards the door. "If then you wish to part with us, I won't stop you, unless you wish to join my crew, like your friend here. If you do, then you'll be able to walk about the ship as you wish, except for a few locked doors, and carry your weapon. You can also challenge me to a fight whenever you wish. Whether or not I'll oblige you depends on what mood I'm in at the time. Do you swear your allegiance to me and this ship?"

Van considered, then nodded. "All right. Where are you heading anyway, Taisho?"

"First, we'll make port in Tokyo, then we'll be heading to find…her."

Both Gaeans blinked at that. "Her?"

Kenshin merely smiled and walked out, leaving them to wonder.

Kenshin's as mysterious as ever... I wonder what's going to happen. Who will see the mermaid first?

The next chapter or so will reveal that fact!

Please review!