Chapter 13- The Benizakura Part 4
"What? Katsura's followers? Prepare the ship to dispatch!" said Takechi to the panicking sailors. "If they got off a shot from above we'll sink."
The silver vessel of the Kiheitai began to rock from the barrage sent by the fleet overhead. The crew scrambled to their stations—unsettled and in a state of fear. Takasugi and Okada had both been unaccounted for since the first shot had fired. It was left to Takechi and Matako to deal with the threat at hand.
Amidst the attack, the Kiheitai strapped the prisoner to the bow of the ship. She was tied spread eagle onto a cross made of scrap wood. Matako stood behind her holding to her face a megaphone.
Matako began to shout through the megaphone. She said, "Hey, listen up! We know what you're after! It's this girl isn't it?"
"We know you want to rescue her. But if you keep shooting, you might accidentally hit her."
The enemy flagship swiftly fired another cannon shot. The explosion was dangerously close to where Matako had been speaking. It left her hair charred and her face in a state of disbelief and annoyance.
She turned to Takechi and said, "Takechi-Senpai, that's not what was supposed to happen!"
He said, "Although I guessed wrongly, the cannons have missed us, so the scales are balanced."
"I think your brain has been fried as well!" Kijima said.
The prisoner turned her head and laughed at them obnoxiously.
"Ha ha! You guys are so stupid. I have nothing to do with those people! You guessed wrong! How embarrassing!"
"What are you laughing at?" said Matako, "You're the one in the most dangerous position!"
The flagship sent another blast hurdling towards them.
"Not again!" said Matako. She and Takechi furiously dashed away from the beakhead.
Matako could hear the prisoner ask, "Hey what about me?!" At that very moment, she was engulfed in fire and smoke. Kijima covered her eyes from the sting of the black fumes.
"Cheh. She didn't prove useful at all." said Matako. It was right then that she saw a second silhouette in the smoke. A gust of wind sent by the overhead thunderstorm cleared it. A young man with short black hair and glasses was holding up the girl's crossbeam.
He told her, "Sorry to keep you waiting Kagura-chan."
"Shinpachi!" she said joyfully.
Their greeting was short lived as the ship began its abrupt take off. It rocketed through water, gaining altitude at last. The passengers found themselves being pulled to the back of the ship as it lifted skyward.
Matako ran frantically uphill to avoid being dragged into the superstructure. Debris was raining all around her. Other members of the Kiheitai were unluckier than her. They were either too slow to outrun gravity or were hit by the falling wreckage. Kijima found herself directly behind the Kagura girl and her rescuer.
Matako said, "Who are you? Oi, answer me!"
"Matako-san, we'd better focus on running, or we'll end up like that guy!" said Takechi pointing to his left as an unfortunate Kiheitai was knocked off his feet. Just then, a glass bottle connected with his face. Takechi fell unconscious into the pile of collateral damage building up on the back of the ship. Matako hadn't time to worry.
Again an explosion nearly scorched her. She covered her head as it threw her into the deck. The ship immediately leveled itself out much to her relief. She noticed the spectacled teen was reaching into the crater left by the cannon fire. His companion seemed to have fallen in. Matako looked away and started to search for Takechi.
A deafening crack came from above. The ship that was assailing them was no more. Matako could make out the small shape of one of her vessel's speeders escaping the sinking ship. She heard Shinpachi shout, "Elizabeth!"
She turned around to see what had become of the two teenagers. Matako was dumfounded. Holding up the two strangers from the edge was the hulking white figure of a duck. Something so strange took a moment for her to process.
"You came all this way!" said Shinpachi. Rather than respond verbally, the duck used the odd gesture of raising a signboard. Matako felt another presence. One she was truly familiar with. Right then the duck was cut clean through. The teenagers it had rescued were left frozen in horror.
The sleek black handled katana she knew to be none other then Shinsuke Takasugi's. He asked, "Oi, oi, since when has this place become a venue for cosplay?"
"This is no place for kids." he added.
Shinsuke-sama
Matako smiled. She found that she had regained her spirits since he arrived on stage. She felt confident his reappearance would easily tip the scales in their favor. He wouldn't tolerate anymore of these inconveniences.
"I'm not a kid-"
The voice had broadcasted from the decapitated suit. A human rose out of the duck costume and slashed Shinsuke across the chest. Takasugi's eye reflected the shock he felt from the identity of his foe.
Shinsuke…sama… Her thoughts were frozen in time. She saw his body fall to the ground. His blood snowed down on the burning deck. It all seemed impossible to her. The man she looked up to had been cut down. She didn't feel disappointed. She simply felt fear for his life. It was a type of fear she had never experienced since becoming an assassin. He was the first person to return this emotion to her. And now he was dead.
Reality hit her. Not a second had passed. She saw his attacker emerge from his disguise.
"-I'm Katsura" he said. It was a man with mid-length black hair and dressed in a blue kimono.
Matako was by Takasugi's side a moment later. She pressed her hand against his heart and shook him.
"Shinsuke-sama!"
She shut her eyes in despair but continued to call out to him.
"Shinsuke-sama! Wake up Shinsuke-sama!"
If you die, I'll be left all alone again. So please….
"Shinsuke-sama!"
"No way!" said Shinpachi, "Katsura-san!"
Katsura said, "I had unfinished business so I returned from the underworld."
Matako's blue eyes were brimming with joy. She felt her heartbeat slowly return to normal. Takasugi was slowly raising his back off of the metal flooring. His wound was shallower then it had first let on. Matako noticed a tattered book was held in place by his kimono. The slash running through it proved it had absorbed most of Katsura's swing.
Matako wrapped her arms around Shinsuke and helped him sit up.
"I can't rest in peace after being slain by an old comrade." said Kotarou, "Right Takasugi? Don't you agree?"
Matako moved her head closer to examine him. Takasugi was smiling. She wondered why he was so cheerful despite his condition a moment ago.
"A comrade?" asked Shinsuke. He supported himself on his blade as he stood up. "I'm surprised you still view us that way."
Matako stood up as soon as Shinsuke was on his feet. She put her hand to her waist and faced their enemies. Her mind had recovered for the time being.
Shinsuke said, "But that's an unwelcome thought."
"You still carry that with you?" asked Katsura. He placed his hand into his kimono until pulling out a book. It was the same as Takasugi's in every way. A bloody cut was also running through it.
"So that's what saved you from the Benizakura." said Takasugi. "Memories are something to be treasured aren't they?"
Katsura said, "No, it's thanks to your incompetent subordinate. He got so high from chopping me down that he took off after cutting my hair, without even confirming my death. What an impressive assassin."
"So you're not just good at running, you can play dead now too. So have you come all this way for revenge? Do you think I was the one who sent him?"
"I don't care if you sent him or if it was his own decision. I can't just stand aside and watch what you're about to do."
A fireball engulfed the cabin behind them. Takasugi knew that it had been set off by Katsura's specialty—explosives. The Benizakura factory had been obliterated.
Katsura said, "I'm sending your ambitions to the bottom of the sea."
Author's Notes: I apologize for how many chapters its taken to tell the Benizakura. And to think, it's only Matako's parts typically, which is only a part of each episode. I trimmed the chapters down but it still took five. So yes, the next chapter will be the finale of the Benizakura.
Thanks for the new review and follow! I'm glad you find everyone in character. :)
