"Hey Ryuuji, i'm starving!" grumbled Taiga. The next morning Hazuto and Ryuuji had awoken quite early, Ryuuji had started working on the breakfast while Hazuto started thinking about where to go next.
"It's almost done. Just a few more minutes." Taiga was sprawled lazily on her futon with her auburn her going everywhere. While Ryuuji was cooking, Hazuto had ventured through the whole ship. He had found many different documents all with places that were popular trade routes and areas which pirates were welcomed. There was a key as well, some of the trade routes had more advanced ships that were made out of metal and looked incredibly big. These were places Hazuto would try to avoid. He had found some old cannons and many cannon balls on the ship. He had also found some firearms and a lot of gunpowder. Jeez, this ship really is an old timer.
"Yo guys, you might wanna have a look at this."
"What is it?" Taiga inquired.
"Well, what does it look like?" Hazuto said with an unimpressed expression.
"Um, a piece of paper?" Taiga answered. Suddenly without any signs Hazuto used is amazingly long arms and threw Taiga as high as he could in the air. Taiga full of fright screamed "AHHHHHH!" Hazuto caught her professionally like one of those trapeze clowns in the circus.
"Now that your awake. I'd like you to tell me. What do you think it is?"
"I feel sick." Taiga said feeling quite nauseous.
"Hahahahaha! The look on your face, but still you better answer me." Hazuto said looking quite amused.
"No wait you sausage-dog! Ok I'll answer you. Err i think it looks like a document."
"Your on the right lines, but be more specific." Hazuto said
"Uh..Is it a map?" said Taiga hoping she would be right.
"Correct!" Hazuto smiled. He picked up Taiga again and this time spun round and round and finally let go into the air. This was the last straw, Taiga enjoyed roller coasters but this one gave her the biggest fright in her life. When Hazuto caught her and put her down, she started walking funnily and eventually collapsed.
"Hey are you ok? You look like a pokemon that's fainted." He chuckled lightly.
"Ok breakfast's ready." said Ryuuji as he walked out the door.
"Well, it looks like i'll be eating Taiga's share." teased Hazuto. Suddenly Taiga sprung into life and shouted
"What the heck! First you throw me like a doll and now your gunna steal my food!?"
"Well, it's part of my brother job description. And besides steal is an overrated word. I'm just borrowing on a long term basis." Hazuto said nonchalantly.
"You take things too seriously Taiga." Ryuuji added.
"Dumb dogs." grumbled Taiga. Everyone started to laugh at this, even Taiga. They put their hands together for thanks and started breakfast.
"Wow Ryuuji, you sure make good food." Complimented Hazuto
"Don't mention it." As they finished breakfast Ryuuji started clearing up while Taiga picked up an old telescope and started fooling around. She's just like a kid. If Ryuuji didn't tell me she was 19 I would've thought she was generally a child. Hazuto went back to studying the maps, there was a local trade route nearby where they could sell the cargo on their ship.
"H-HEY! Hazuto! Ryuuji! L-look!" said Taiga looking as if she saw a ghost
"What-what is it?" said Ryuuji as he popped his head out the door where he was washing the utensils.
"Hand me that telescope, Taiga." said Hazuto. His face suddenly lost all it's colour.
"Ryuuji, have you ever hurt someone?" asked Hazuto.
"No. Well, not really." responded Ryuuji.
"Well, that may change today. Because there is another ship coming straight towards us. It looks like there is about 7 men on it, but that's not the problem. They just dropped a sail right now. And that sail says...Yakuza."
"Y-your kidding right?"said Ryuuji in a shocked voice.
"Why would the Yakuza be after us!" shouted Taiga.
"Because, that captain we knocked out yesterday. He's on that ship too." responded Hazuto.
"No way. No no no! This can't be happening! The Yakuza will never let us live! If we mess with one of them, they all come after us." said Ryuuji looking troubled.
"Well, there is only one thing we can do. Fight back. I know we might not win, but still it will give us time. Ryuuji can you steer the ship?"
"Yeah, I guess. Don't worry i'll try and steer away from them and confuse them. You know a bit like that British sailor. I think his name was Drake."
"Taiga, your with me. Don't worry if your stuck, just call my name and i'll be there. Now I don't want you to kill anyone. It will make matters much much worse. If anything don't attack them unless they attack." Hazuto said cautiously.
"Got it, you better not die. If you do i'll kill you!" Taiga promised.
"Same goes for you." replied Hazuto. Hazuto picked up the gun that the captain had dropped yesterday. Full magazine Hazuto thought.
"Guys, just because your not going to kill them, doesn't mean they're not going to kill you." said Ryuuji looking very concerned about Taiga.
"Oh by the way Taiga, you might want your katana back I assume?" said Hazuto. Hazuto went to the bottom deck and pulled out her katana. Only it was much more dangerous. In the night Hazuto had sharpened the end a lot, so now it did the same job as a metal one just didn't cut as finely.
"You sharpened the end?" asked Taiga. "So you knew we were going to run into trouble, sausage-dog?"
"Haha, we're pirates you see? 'We pillage and plunder' as the saying goes. Just tell me a pirate who didn't fight? mocked Hazuto. The boat driven by the Yakuza was very close now but as Hazuto inspected it, the members of the crew looked inexperienced and worried. Fresh bloods, huh. The only men that looked like a challenge was the old captain and a rather burly man, he had a machete in a scabbard and a menacing look. He may be a problem. Ryuuji had steered the boat so that the bow was on the right of the ship. Both ships had started to become dangerously close and Taiga had noticed something dangerous. They had started to pick up grappling hooks.
"Hazuto! They plan on boarding our ship!" Taiga exclaimed.
"Alright i'll cut their ropes, I need you to try and cover me. Ryuuji shake them off by using the serpentine manoeuvre." Hazuto ordered.
"Looks like we're gunna have the time of our live! Hahaha!" Hazuto shouted gleefully.
"Zushiko , take them out. I do not want any failures." ordered the burly man. The old captain did what he was told, he saw the enemy ship come nearer and threw a grappling hook. He saw a small woman with auburn hair threatening him using a wooden katana. This is their defense? Look's like this is gunna be a helluva lot more fun. thought Zushiko who was also known as the old captain.
"Taiga you ready?" Hazuto asked. The small girl nodded, she readied her sword in a fashion across her left shoulder. She held the sword with two hands and waited for the grappling hook to reach their ship. The grappling hook whistled through the air and found itself on the side of the ship. Taiga saw the old captain expertly climb across. Before she knew it, she was facing such a large opponent. He was carrying a small dagger in his hand.
"Little girl. I think you've wound up with the wrong troupe eh?" Zushiko sneered at her.
"Di-did you just call me little? YOU BASTARD! I'LL WHACK YOUR BRAINS LOSE, YOU RETARDED DOG!" screamed Taiga in an outrage.
"Calm down, take a few shots at me. I'll just dodge them as easily as I can eat ric-"
WHACK
"Sh-shit! DAMN YOU! Damn it that hurts!" Zushiko snarled. While Zushiko had been sneering at Taiga, she took this opportunity to hit him at full swing in the ribs.
"Zushiko! Pay attention, I don't want to send these men to clear up your mess now do I?" The burly man had announced. During all this drama, Hazuto had managed to cut the grappling hook.
"Look's like you won't be getting backup any time soon. Ryuuji! Steer away!" Hazuto shouted. Ryuuji acknowledge and went in a zigzag sort of line, by this all the Yakuza members were dumbfounded. They hadn't expected this and suddenly tried to steer around to pursuit them. Zushiko was on his own.
"So, look's like i'll have to prove myself. Well no holding back!" Zushiko screamed and threw his dagger at Taiga's head. She knew that he would throw it and dodged to the right, she jumped up and kicked his head. Zushiko stumbled but stood his ground, he threw a left hook which Taiga blocked. Zushiko was starting to struggle, he had lost his main weapon and was against a person who was skilled in the arts of sword fighting. Taiga started to move her katana up and down to show that she was about to attack, this also let her flow and allowed her to dodge anything her would throw at her. Zushiko threw a jab, Taiga ducked in a limbo style but suddenly she fell. Zushiko had kicked her using a right low. Taiga hit her head hard on the deck. She fell unconscious and blood started seeping through her hair.
"Taiga!"shouted Ryuuji.
"No! You steer the ship, I'll handle this." Hazuto said full of confidence and rage. Zushiko was surprised at how he had suddenly snapped but he just smiled Let your rage out, get tired. I'll finish you off soon.. Hazuto picked up the dagger which lay on the ground. He threw it as far as he could into the bottom deck. It would be extremely hard to find now. Zushiko had nothing but his fists. Hazuto had acknowledged this and got into a stance which meant Come at me. Zushiko liked his confidence and threw a combo of a jab, a left hook, a right uppercut and head kick. Hazuto, being so lanky, could easily move around quickly and strike from a distance. He ducked the jab, blocked the hook, returned the uppercut with a limbo duck and had dodged the head kick with ease. He then quickly headbutted Zushiko in the chest, where Zushiko had stumbled. Hazuto ran at full pace and threw punch after punch, kick after kick. Zushiko fell straight to the floor and as he expected Hazuto was fatigued. He was breathing very quickly and before he knew it Zushiko hurled his body at Hazuto. Hazuto knew how to counter this without using his fists, he crouched down and threw Zushiko's own body weight against him head first over Hazuto. They had been so close to the deck that, although Hazuto never planned to do this, Zushiko went flying into the sea below. Hazuto had noticed what happened and looked over the side. He was nowhere to be seen. Oh damn! Argh first things first. He ran over to the unconscious girl on the floor. He checked her breathing, it was at a normal rate but she was losing a lot of blood quickly. Hazuto took off his jacket and tried to stop the blood from flowing quickly by applying pressure. By this time Ryuuji had left his post and was extremely concerned about his wife.
"I'll look after her." said Ryuuji. "You steer the ship away from those Yakuza members." Hazuto nodded and looked behind him. The Yakuza had stopped pursuing them and went to the spot where Zushiko had fallen. They had brought out small rowing boats and diving gear. Look's like the Yakuza really do care about their members. Thought Hazuto. He then steered the ship towards the safest port he could find.
"Ah, Taiga what am I going to do with you." Ryuuji said as he thought out loud. He had cooked a lot of remedial food and soup using the herbs he could find on board. Hazuto had started on Ryuuji's and his own food and occasionally brought water for Taiga to drink. Although she was unconscious they had managed to feed her a surprising amount.
"Look's like she's natural to consuming food. Even unconsciously." joked Hazuto. Ryuuji started to chuckle a bit then yawned.
"It's getting pretty late, I doubt she'll wake up soon. Might as well wait till tomorrow." state Ryuuji. Hazuto nodded in agreement. They both went to their futons and drifted off quickly as they were both extremely fatigued.
"I think he'll live sir." reported a Yakuzan diver. They had found Zushiko moments after they reached the spot he fell.
"Wake up Zushiko." The burly man spoke with a gruff voice. He kicked Zushiko hard in the ribs and he suddenly awoke. He spat out water and shivered.
"Zushiko you failed me, as part of our code I will give you one more chance. If you fail me again you will be exiled from our clan. Do not disappoint me. The burly man left Zushiko on the deck cold and wet.
Damn those blasted kids! I'll get them one day..You just wait and see...
