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

Time flies by when you're having fun, so enjoy this one with me!

Tenshi sat in the brig, leaning against the wall tirelessly as she crossed her arms over her stomach, a yawn of boredom escaping her lips.

Kenshin came down with Sano on his heels, smirking as he raked his eyes over the mermaid's form. "You see, Sano? I wasn't wrong when I said she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Soon there will be a wedding on this ship, and everything will be all right again."

Sano's chocolate eyes surveyed the woman and he shrugged. "I can't say she is, with that utterly bored look on her face."

"Sano! If you don't think she's the avatar of desire, then your eyes must be decorations on your face!"

"If you say so, Kenshin. Next to Megumi, who smiles whenever she thinks of me, this girl just isn't bright and happy, she's dark and melancholy."

Tenshi looked up at the younger man and spoke for the first time since they'd arrived to see her. "Your eyes aren't clouded by my beauty I see, young human."

Sano nodded. "I'm a married man, and the most beautiful woman to me is my wife."

Kenshin snorted, came over to the cell and reached into it through the bars. "You know what I desire, demon mermaid. I'll let you out if you proclaim your heart is mine."

Tenshi rolled her eyes. "I don't even know you, and why would I love my captor? You should know that trapping me will do nothing if you don't get to know me. Besides, that deal is uneven and rude."

Sano winced dramatically. "Ooooh, that must have hurt, Kenshin."

Kenshin raised his hand to silence his first mate. "That is the only way to buy your freedom, so why refuse?"

" 'Freedom'? What you call freedom, I call a worse trap than sitting in this cell. I won't marry a demon man, even if I was forced into the ceremony. You'll never hear me accept you as my husband," the woman of the ocean hissed, eyes narrowed dangerously. "You would be dead had you not made these bars indestructible with your magic. I would've burned you to a crisp."

Sano took a step back at the threat, but knew she wasn't talking to him.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he slipped his hand away from her, flames of anger in his amber orbs. "Then you will stay in here for the rest of your long life, rotting away until the loneliness consumes you. You'll be begging for me to marry you then, and I won't oblige."

He turned away, his ponytail swishing over his shoulders as he stomped up the stairs again. Sano looked back at her, pity in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, biting his lip as he followed his friend out of the dark and dank space.

Kenshin called out to the crew, "All hands, gather!"

Sano shouted, "All hands, gather to the captain!"

Everyone, even the women, gathered below where Kenshin stood at the helm. "As you all know, we have imprisoned the mermaid that I've been searching for all these years. If any of you even approaches the brig for any reason, you'll be dancing the gallows jig! There will be no exceptions!"

Allen and Sano looked to Van, who looked wary, but not afraid of the threat. Misao and Megumi laughed at his warning.

"You won't catch me trying to woo her, Taisho!" Misao chirped.

"No temptation at all, Ken-san!" Megumi added, her laugh turning foxy.

Kenshin rolled his eyes and ordered, "Get on with your work! Dismissed!"

Man, I totally forgot about the update! Sorry, everyone! I was really busy these last few days and couldn't drag myself from it until now!

Please review!