A/N: OK, question time. Should Reino get killed off in this fic? I'm not going to reveal the who, how, and when. I just can't decide if I should or not. Let me know what you think (in reviews of course). Thanks.

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to disclaim we go.

Chapter 9: Aftermath

"Kanae, can we please go check now?"

"No, just wait a bit longer."

Kyoko pouted at her friend but the female pirate wasn't budging. The cannon fire had ceased over half an hour ago and, after an extremely harrowing and turbulent ride, the ship's speed had reduced, so she assumed that they weren't in danger of being caught.

Right?

As a precaution, she and Kanae had barricaded themselves in the galley. Kyoko was currently cross legged on the floor, leaning against the island and facing the door. Beau was perched in her lap and she was gently stroking the hen's feathers as Kanae paced furiously, glaring at the chicken every once in awhile.

For some reason, the young woman had a love-hate relationship with the bird: she loved to hate it and the feeling was mutual. It was always amusing to see how the human and chicken interacted and normally, Kyoko found the situation hilarious. However, at the moment, she was only anxious to see how the Dark Moon had fared in the battle.

Finally, there came a knock at the door. Not just any knock, this was obviously a code which Kanae returned with her own code before unlatching the door and admitting the first mate. Kyoko was glad to see that he looked none the worse for wear, save for a bit ashy.

Gently removing her pet from her lap, the cook stood and approached him. "What were you doing, Mr. Yashiro?"

"Running powder for the cannons," he answered, attempting to wipe his face clear of soot with a handkerchief. It was a rather unsuccessful venture as it only served to smear the ash further.

"I'm guessing we won?" She asked tentatively.

He beckoned her to go forward. "See for yourself." Smiling nervously, she followed Kanae up on deck and took in the scene before her.

There was smoke hanging in the air and the deck was littered with bits of planking and other detritus. Looking to the side revealed several holes in the hull and railing. Since nobody was panicking and shouting about sinking, she assumed that none of the cannonballs had hit below the waterline.

She glanced around and did a mental head count. All the crew was accounted for, save one. She was beginning to fret when the clearing of a throat brought her attention to Mr. Yashiro. He tilted his head up towards the wheelhouse and the tall silhouette standing there. Her heart thumped painfully as she nodded her thanks then made her way up to the captain.

He'd apparently heard her coming, for he turned just as she reached the top of the stairs. At some point he'd put his coat back on and with its tails billowing in the wind as he steered, Kyoko thought he looked like the epitome of a pirate captain. He grinned and offered her the spyglass. "Come and see what's become of our pursuers." She approached and accepted the piece. He pointed off the stern. "Just there." She raised the piece to her eye and searched out what remained of the Vie Ghoul.

Great billowing smoke was coming from the holds and Kyoko could see tiny men scurrying about with buckets. 'Fire,' she thought with a small twinge of sympathy. She swung the glass around and surveyed the gaping holes that had been blown in the hull by their cannons. However, the greatest destruction was to the main mast.

The large beam had fallen and was laying across the deck, trailing its sails in the water. Such damage would take ages to repair. She lowered the eyeglass and turned to Kuon with a grin. "Well, I guess they won't be following us anytime soon."

The captain threw his head back and laughed heartily. "No, they won't and it was all thanks to your plan."

She blushed happily. "Really?"

"Yes." He retrieved the spyglass from her and tucked it into his pocket. "When we made the turn towards the rocks, they panicked and went the opposite direction, giving us a perfect target. We were able to incapacitate them and escape at the same time."

Kyoko was amazed. She hadn't thought her idea would be that much of a success. She'd only hoped that it would help them in their flight. This outcome was unexpected.

"Come," Kuon said, grasping her shoulder and steering her down the stairs. "Time for a celebratory drink." They reached the main deck just as Mr. Yashiro cracked open a wine barrel and began passing out the libation.

The captain accepted two mugs and handed one to her before letting out a piercing whistle. This brought everyone's attention straight to him. Once their eyes were on him, he raised his wine and shouted, "To victory!"

All the crew cheered and drank deeply from their cups. Some had to refill as the captain continued speaking.

"We had a close call today, men, I won't lie. But fortune smiled and we left our enemy in kindling!" He let them shout for a moment. "Now, every man played his part, but I believe the lion's share of thanks should go to Ms. Mogami." All of the crew faced her and she wanted to sink into the floor. "Without her, admittedly crazy, plan, we wouldn't have had our victory. To Ms. Mogami!" They toasted her with loud whoops and hollers and Kyoko felt her heart swell.

After the toast, Kuon ordered the crew to take an inventory of their damage. They were limping along at the moment, but they had to know what needed to be repaired in order to decide on their course.

He called for a meeting in one hour's time, then retreated to his cabin. Unsure of what she should do, Kyoko grabbed a broom and began sweeping up the debris on the deck. She'd been at it for a only few moments when the handle was suddenly jerked out of her hands.

It was Tom. He was a bit bruised and battered but still in one piece. He smiled knowingly at the girl before shooing her towards the stairs. At her confused look, he shrugged and said, "Captain won't look after himself, but mayhap he'll let you do it." With that cryptic message, Tom picked up where she'd left off sweeping.

Nodding to the old pirate, Kyoko made her way to the captain's quarters. She was surprised to find the door swinging open, a cannonball sized hole in the frame. She stepped gingerly over the wreckage and entered.

The bookcases had been shattered, glass and torn pages everywhere. Splinters of wood and twisted metal littered the floor and the bed. The desk chairs were mostly kindling, although one had managed to survive intact. A gaping hole had replaced the bay window and she could feel the wind blowing through it.

She found Kuon digging in the mess around his desk. He glanced up when the piece of glass she'd stepped on cracked. "Be careful," he warned even as he continued to sift though the debris.

"What are you looking for?" She asked as she tiptoed past several piles of what used to be books.

"Aha!" Kuon finally tugged a large box from beneath a portion of the desk. "Found it."

Kyoko recognized the box now. It was where he kept the scroll the Pirate King had given him. "It's safe?" She was astonished that it had survived.

"Appears so." He hefted the box onto what remained of his desk. As he did, she noticed that he seemed to be favoring his right arm, keeping it close to his body and not putting any weight on it. This must be what Tom had been talking about.

She moved towards her friend. "Kuon, what happened to your arm?"

He flinched and turned away. "I don't know what you mean," he tried to deny.

'Alright then, tough love it is,' she thought, determined to help. "I mean, this." Kyoko stole up beside him and thwapped him on the arm, feeling only slightly guilty.

Kuon gasped in pain and gripped his bicep. Once he regained his composure, he glared at her. She glared back. "It's nothing," he insisted. "Just a scratch."

Scoffing, Kyoko went in search of his medical kit. "I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much. Now, off with those sleeves, if you please."

"You know," he groused as she dug through his cabinets. "I can take care of myself."

"Obviously not. Aha!" She found the kit, miraculously undamaged, and dragged it out. "Otherwise, Tom wouldn't have sent me. Now sit," she ordered as she pulled out witch hazel, a cloth, bandages, and a thread and needle just in case.

"Tom. I should've known," he grumbled. "Bloody busybody."

"He's just concerned." Gathering her supplies, she turned back to the captain. "After all, even the smallest cuts can get infe-ehehe-" Everything ground to a halt as Kyoko's brain tried to process what was in front of her.

"Kyoko?" Kuon cast a worried look at her as he tossed his shirt on top of the coat he'd already placed on the bed. "Are you alright?"

"Gah-" Her brain was valiantly trying to restart itself after the unexpected exposure to the naked torso of her captain. The hard planes and smooth skin made a shipwreck of her thoughts while the sight of his toned stomach made warmth spread all over her body. Finally, she managed to wrench her eyes away and close them, shaking her head vigorously.

Placing a hand to her forehead, she asked, 'Why did you take off your shirt, Kuon?"

He looked down in confusion. "You said 'sleeves'. I thought you meant-"

"You know what?" She interrupted, desperate to change the subject. "It's fine. Please sit down." He obeyed her order and sat in the one remaining chair.

'I can do this,' she tried to convince herself as she arranged her supplies on the desk. She took a deep breath and spun to examine her friend's wound.

It really was just a scratch albeit a long one. Thankfully it was shallow and wouldn't require stitches to keep it closed. She glanced up from her examination. "How did this happen?"

"It was just after you showed me the rocks. A cannonball hit the railing and I was hit by flying splinters. Ow!" He complained when she poked a little too hard..

She grimaced. "Sorry." She reached for the cloth and witch hazel to begin cleansing the wound.

As she swiped at the blood, Kuon hissed in discomfort. "It stings."

"Oh, some fearsome pirate captain you are," she teased

The indignant look on his face made her giggle. "I'll have you know I was injured in the line of duty."

Kyoko's smile faded. "Yes, I know." She ducked her head as she wrapped the bandage around his arm. "Thank you. If it hadn't been for me-"

His hand on hers stopped that thought from being spoken. "Don't start down that path, Kyoko. I know where it leads. Just know that I wouldn't have done anything differently. OK?"

The heat from his fingers was starting to disable her thoughts once more. Her mouth refused to form words, so she simply nodded. His eyes caught hers and Kyoko felt herself being drawn into their depths.

"Excuse me, captain, but I- oh, I beg your pardon." Mr. Yashiro's entrance broke the spell between the two occupants. Kyoko's face erupted into a fiery blush. Hastily, she finished tying off the bandage.

"There you go, captain," she spoke quickly, doing her best to avoid his gaze. "You're lucky you didn't need stitches, but we should keep an eye out for infection," she chattered as she cleaned up the medical supplies. "I'm sure you and Mr. Yashiro have important things to discuss, so I'll take my leave."

She was almost to the door when Kuon spoke. "Ms. Mogami?" She turned and flicked her gaze up and over his shoulder, still refusing eye contact. "I expect you at the meeting with an inventory of our supplies. Understood?"

"Of course, captain." She bowed, then made good her escape.

O.o.O

Ren was really trying his best to avoid Yashiro's knowing smirk as he changed shirts. Eventually, the pressure of the look beating against his back became too much.

"Did you have something to say, Mr. Yashiro?" He growled, finally turning and facing his first mate.

"Not at all, captain." The grin only stretched wider as Yashiro dusted shreds of paper from the desk. "Just curious as to what happened with Ms. Mogami, is all."

The captain rolled his eyes and began gathering up the maps that had scattered about the floor. "Nothing happened. She was only helping me with this." He indicated his wounded arm.

"Of course, sir. I understand."

Dear God, he could actually hear the smirk forming again. Annoyed at the run around, he confronted his friend. He slammed the intact maps on the desk. "Why don't you come out and say what you're thinking, Yukihito? It would save us both a lot of time."

He savored the dumbfounded expression on Yashiro's face for about three seconds before he received his own shock.

"If you insist, Ren."

He was surprised on two counts. One, that Yashiro would agree to the straightforward conversation. And two, that he had used his christian name. His first mate was normally reticent, preferring to maintain a professional distance. Ren could only remember one other time it had occurred and that just after he had saved the man's life.

Still slightly bewildered, the captain motioned for Yashiro to take the chair while he settled on the bed. The first mate steepled his fingers and lay them against his lips, all while maintaining eye contact.

After a moment or two of intense scrutiny, Ren began to feel distinctly nervous. Usually that piercing gaze was turned on others, merchants or enemies, not him. Now, being on the receiving end, he could understand how Yashiro inspired dread in his crew.

The silence had just become unbearable when his friend finally spoke. "What is Ms. Mogami to you?"

"What do you mean?" He asked bemused by the question. "She's a part of the crew."

"No," Yashiro shook his head. "It's more than that. You said you knew her before?"

Ren sighed. He knew that his friend would not let this go. He could be quite tenacious when he wanted to be. Rubbing a hand over his face, Ren groaned. "Yes, alright? We knew each other in London, back when we were children."

Yashiro seemed surprised. Despite being the captain's closest confidant, he knew hardly anything about Ren's past. "So, what happened?"

"My father was given a position in the Caribbean, so we had to part. The next time I saw her was when I hired her in Tortuga."

"But you didn't recognize her?"

"No," he shrugged. "Though I'm not surprised, it was ten years between meetings."

"And now?" There was a suggestive look in Yashiro's eye and the smirk was making a faint reappearance.

Confusion flashed through Ren. "And now what? We're friends again, if that's what you mean."

The first mate blinked incredulously at his captain, all amusement wiped away. He shook his head in wonder. "Good Lord, you don't realize, do you?"

Ren tilted his head. "Realize what?"

"You're in love with her."

He was floored, his jaw dropping in astonishment. In love? With Kyoko? He tried to laugh off the suggestion, but the sound stuck in his throat. He swallowed the lump that had formed instead. Why would Yashiro think that? His friend was nothing if not logical, so he must have some evidence.

"What makes you say that?" He finally asked, attempting to sound only interested rather than flabbergasted.

"Various reasons." Yashiro waved his hand as if to indicate the multitude of occurrences. "You have the habit of seeking her out whenever possible, not to mention speaking of and to her. And your reaction to the threat of the bounty hunter." He leaned forward. "Ren, you've practically been a beacon. I'm surprised she doesn't know herself."

The captain thought back on his interactions with the girl. As he reviewed his memories, he began to see how his first mate had come to that conclusion. The most glaring example had indeed been Ren's reaction after San Juan.

Now the important question: was Yashiro right?

Thinking of Kyoko brought a rush of affection. But was it more? Ren thought of her unruly black hair that danced in the wind, her sparkling laugh that warmed his bones, her hot temper when he refused to eat. Then her golden eyes appeared, so expressive and full of life. He could spend all day gazing into-

His mind jolted in realization. 'My God, he is right!'

His revelation must have shown on his face, because Yashiro's smirk grew to an obscene degree.

The captain was staggered. He'd never been in love before. Sure, he'd had lovers, but in love? He turned to his friend, panic rising in him. "What do I do now?"

"Do?" Yashiro asked, amazed at his captain's discomposure.

Ren grimaced in embarrassment. "I've...never been in this situation before."

"Oh. Well." The first mate paused. "I suppose you could tell her how you feel."

He contemplated that for exactly five seconds, before shaking his head. He remembered how she had stumbled over even saying the word 'love'. He didn't want to burden her with his fledgling feelings when she felt such an aversion to the concept. "No," he eventually responded. I don't think she's ready. I don't think I'm ready."

If Yashiro felt any surprise at this statement, he hid it well. He merely shrugged. "I don't what else to tell you then, Ren, except perhaps good luck."

"Thanks," he mumbled, somewhat distracted.

A knock came at the doorway. It seemed that the hour designated for damage assessment was at an end. His head crew, Hikaru, Kijima, Ogata, and Kyoko, all trooped in to give their reports.

Fortunately the damage was not as bad as it could've been. There were holes in the hull, but none below the waterline, so sinking was not a danger. One of the sails had been disabled and would need to be replaced, but there were three others that could get them to their next port. The supplies had been spared for the most part. Now all they needed was a destination.

"Alright, as I see it, we have two options," Ren announced as he unrolled one of his maps and pointed to a small island. "The first is that we can make for Dominica. It's only a few hours away and was our original destination before this whole disaster. However," he raised a hand to forestall any comments. "It is also very close to that French bastard and could possibly be where he plans to make his own repairs."

The crew murmured their agreement, while Ogata raised a hand. "What's the second option, sir?"

He pointed to another island that was south and slightly east of Dominica. "We head for Barbados. I have...connections there that could make this a safe harbour for us." He glanced around at his crew. "But it would take another week's sail, perhaps more, to arrive. What say you?"

His crew shared a look. Hikaru was the first to speak. "I could try to rig up an extra sail to gain some speed and shorten our voyage.

Kijima nodded his agreement. "There are some timbers in the hold I can use to patch up the worst of the hull damage. That should be good enough to get us there."

"Good." The captain clapped his hands together. "What about food and water? Ms. Mogami?"

Kyoko met his gaze and he was impressed by the determination in her eyes. How had he not realized his feelings earlier? Oh, right, he was an idiot. "We have enough for two weeks, maybe three with some scrimping."

He nodded. "Are we agreed then? Barbados?"

A resounding "Aye!" was his answer.

"Then let's get under way. Dismissed." One by one his crew left on their appointed tasks. Soon only Kyoko was left, looking at him in concern.

"So," she drawled. "Barbados?"

"Yes." He rubbed the back of his neck, knowing that she would see through to his internal nervousness. "It's honestly the best option. Far enough away that Reino wouldn't guess we'd go there and close enough that we can make it safely as crippled as we are. Besides," he admitted with an introspective smile. "Maybe it's time for a family reunion.'

"Kuon." She approached the desk and lay a hand on the map. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to. I'm not worth it."

"I'm not doing this for you. Or," he added in order to avoid any miscommunication. "At least not just for you. This really is the best solution for all of us. A safe harbour while we make repairs would be a blessing." He paused, then made a choice. "And you are worth it, Kyoko." He gave her a gentle smile, imbuing it with his deeper feelings.

She blushed a bright crimson and averted her eyes. "How long has it been since you've seen them?" She asked gently after a few moments.

"Over five years."

"And no contact in all that time?"

He shook his head, both relieved and disappointed in the change of subject.

"Then I guess it's time to go home." Kyoko smiled, understanding in her eyes, her embarrassment seemingly forgotten. She then retreated, leaving him with his thoughts.

As he watched her go, Ren ruminated over his newly discovered feelings. He also wondered what she would think if she knew that he considered anywhere she was to be home.