Wednesday, December 12, 2007

(Chapter 14: Gearing up for Battle)

A/N O.k. I had to brain storm a little to decide how I wanted this chapter to go so I hope I won't disappoint. Don't be afraid to hide under the covers. *j.k.* Review and tell me what you think!

"Scream! Why won't you scream?!" Taki lifted his arm and brought a three tailed whip down upon Shuichi's exposed back. Shuichi flinched in pain, but held his tongue. There was no way he was going to give this sick fuck what he wanted. He had to maintain as much dignity as he could sprawled out on display and chained up on the main deck. "Shu-chan, if you don't scream I will keep causing you pain. Is that what you want?" The on looking crew laughed evilly.

Shuichi took in a much needed breath before turning his head around as far as it would go, gathering up the little saliva and much blood he had and spitting it directly into Taki's smirking face. "Go. To. Hell." The animal like pirates gasped in surprise.

Taki's smirk faded as the mixture of saliva and blood dripped down his cheek. As it glided past his mouth he stuck his tongue out and licked up as much as he could. Shuichi's head fell onto his chest in defeat. Taki savored the taste of his blood then lifted his arm once again and brought it down.

As the three tailed whip slashed through Shuichi's skin over and over again he could no longer hold his tongue. His head jolted up and he screamed out in desperation. "Eiri!"

"Get your asses in gear, your Captain needs you and this is how you show your loyalty? You scum bags make me sick!" Maiko was in a rage. She stomped back and forth on the helm deck aboard Bad Luck as she watched her crew gear up for battle. "Put your backs into it! Get those cannons in position or I will use your asses as cannon balls!" She watched as the mismatched crew scurried even faster across the main deck to avoid what ever punishment she could think up on short notice.

Rumiko stepped up on the helm deck and stood next to her daughter. "Now, Maiko, don't you think you are being a little bit harsh on them? I mean, we do have twelve hours till we actually meat up with Aizawa's forces at midnight."

Maiko glared at her mother. "They need the threat of punishment to get them moving."

Rumiko smiled evilly and jumped up on the railing over looking the main deck. Maiko has seen that look on her mother's face before and it did not bode well, not at all.

The Madame cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled. "Oi!" The whole of the main deck went still and silent. Rumiko gave the crew the sweetest smile she could muster. And watched as the men's stony hearts melted. "If you work really hard, harder than you've ever worked before..." Rumiko glanced at her daughter and saw the weary look Maiko was giving her. "Then Maiko will stripe for you all after the battle!"

The crew whooped and hollered while Maiko's face drained of all its color. Rumiko jumped down and patted her daughter on the shoulder. "How's that for getting them moving?" Maiko growled and turned to chase after her quickly retreating mother.

Hiro was bent over double with laughter and Ryuichi was already on the floor crying from hysterics. Suguru had turned a light shade of red and Tatsuha was nowhere to be found.

"Aniki?" Eiri was leaning over the railing of Bad Luck watching the other ships get their men ready for battle. "Eiri?"

Eiri slowly turned around and look at his little brother. Tatsuha was surprised to see tears in his aniki's eyes. "Tatsuha, he's in pain. I can feel him. I can hear him scream out my name." Tatsuha felt his heart sink. If he had lost Ryu he would probably have shut down by now.

Tatsuha stepped closer and wrapped his arms around his older brother and was surprised to feel Eiri's arms returning the gesture. Eiri held back his tears, he may have cracked and hugged his brother, but he would never cry in public like this.

Eiri patted his brother on the back to show he was done with showing affection, but Tatsuha held on. "Tatsuha, let go of me or I will shoot you."

Tatsuha quickly untangled himself and stepped back. "Sorry Aniki, it's just we haven't hugged since mom died."

Eiri snorted and began to walk away. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it." Tatsuha chuckled to himself and ran off to follow his brother to Bad Luck's armory.

Pain rushed through Shuichi's bloodied and battered body as the crew of ASK pushed and passed him from man to man. Shuichi had long since left the ship and was now pocked away in his mind escaping the torture and embarrassment.

"Stop!" Taki's voice echoed over the men as they halted in their game of hot potato and let Shuichi's broken and bruised body fall limply to the floor. "Play time's over. Ma-kun put Shuichi-kun in my cabin.

Ma-kun rushed forward and gently lifted the Ninth Pirate King and wrapped him in a clean white sheet, covering his naked, wounded body. Shuichi was brought out of the depths of unconsciousness by the friendly, gentle touch. He didn't have the strength to move his body, but he did find the strength to say, "Thank you." Ma-kun looked down at the blackened captain and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure they are on their way." Shuichi was about to say something more, but Ma cut him off. "Save your strength, you are going to need to get out of here." The rest of the short walk to Taki's cabin was silent except for Shuichi's labored breath.

Ma set him gently down on the mat Taki had ordered him make and readjusted the white sheet to cover as much of him as possible. When the first mate was sure Shuichi was fast a sleep he quickly pulled out a slip of parchment and a small pencil.

He was about to lay pencil to paper when three knocks came on the other side of the door followed by two spaced out raps. Ma-kun quickly ran to the door and opened it ushering Ken-chan inside. They embraced then pulled away to kiss one another lovingly on the lips. "Ma, do you have everything ready?"

"I was just about to write it. Do you have the pigeon?" Ken-chan reached into his bulging jacket pocket and pulled out a docile bird with a tube fastened to its leg.

Ma pulled Ken into a blistering kiss and quickly pulled away. "I'll finish writing it and you get the bird ready." Ken nodded and quickly began to unfasten the tube and open it.

When Ma was done with the note he quickly shoved it into the metal tube and refastened it to the pigeon's leg. They opened the window of the captain's cabin and let the bird fly out into the dark night sky.

K was standing on the helm deck of the NG Flagship with Rumiko, Judy, Eiri, Tohma, Mika and Hiro. "What exactly are we waiting for K-san?" Tohma was growing impatient.

The blond general didn't spare a response, but left that up to Judy. "We're waiting for intelligence."

Everyone looked at one another in confusions. Hiro stepped up and ask Judy the question everyone was thinking. "Judy, what intelligence can he get?"

Judy smiled devilishly and gave a chilling chuckle. "We have our two best agents undercover as Aizawa's first mates. They informed us the moment Shuichi stepped foot on ASK."

Every one's mouth dropped open. Judy just smiled even bigger. "We've been trying to nail this bastard for years; him and his father." She gave a dry laugh and slapped K's ass. "K got the father about eighteen years ago during a pirate raid."

Hiro made an 'oh' face and quickly stepped back just as a bird came out of nowhere swooping down to land elegantly on K's shoulder. K began to coo at the pigeon and Jody began to tap her foot impatiently. Tohma and Mika exchanged skeptical looks and watched as K seemed to be holding a conversation with the bird.

Eiri had just about enough of this and crossed his arms in an annoyed huff. "K, get on with it. You can discuss gossip with the animal later." K looked back at him with a sly smile and hurriedly retrieved the parchment from the pigeon's leg. It took flight and perched itself in the sails.

K quickly scanned the note and looked up at his audience with a grave expression. Eiri's heart began to race. Could Shuichi already be dead? 'No.' K sighed and raised his head. "We're moving out sooner than midnight. It seems that Shindou-kun is in bad shape. The sooner we get to him the better." He looked directly at Judy and Hiro. "Get your ships ready we're leaving within the hour."

Everyone departed for their ships. Eiri, Hiro and Rumiko for Bad Luck while Judy swung onto the for the imperials head ship. K and Tohma were already hard at work preparing NG.

Eiri swore to kill that son of a bitch captain of ASS for putting Shuichi through this. 'Aizawa, I'm coming for you. Be ready for me because you are going to die.'

A/N Thank ya'll for reviewing the last chapter and keep up the support! I love ya'll! Ya'll kick ass!

4