A/N: yay! I finally finished this story! I am amazed that I've written what amounts to a small novel. Almost 80,000 words and over 200 pages. Whew! I'll continue with my weekly updates though. I still have a few re-reads to do to make sure you have the best story (you wouldn't believe how many times I go over each chapter, looking for mistakes and making improvements). After this update, only four more chapters.
Now on to the part some of you have been waiting for.
To disclaim or not to disclaim, that is the question.
Chapter 13: Adversary
There was something very strange about impersonating a solider Kyoko thought the next morning. The rigidity of the march, the synchronicity, the uniform. All of it spoke of order and control, things she was finding to be very dull indeed.
When she had served on her frigate, even though she had only been a galley servant, Kyoko had been aware of the differences between the Army and the Navy. In her mind, the Army had been all about orders and the soldiers unable to so much as breathe without a command, while the Navy was relatively more flexible. The officers and sailors had to be able to make split second decisions and couldn't wait around for someone to tell them what to do.
She supposed that her outlook was heavily biased, but Kyoko had never had the opportunity to have her mind changed. Until today, that is.
At the moment, she and her fellow crew members were blending in with a squad of soldiers, 12 in all, led by Lt. Brown. The captain of the garrison had apparently been highly amused by the idea of pulling such a trick over on the exceptionally rude Navy captain. His sanction of the plan was what allowed Kyoko, Kuon, and Mr. Yashiro to don the red coat of the British Army.
Even if it was highly uncomfortable.
Kyoko tugged gently at the starched collar of the uniform. She could swear that it was slowly cutting off her air supply and she couldn't wait to switch back to her normal attire.
"Stop that."
At the hissed remonstration, she canted her eyes to her neighbor, Kuon. Kyoko was quite honestly impressed that Lt. Brown had managed to find a uniform that would fit her tall, broad shouldered friend. The crisp white and brilliant red of the coat lent a rather distinguished air to the pirate captain, but she found that she much preferred his normal garb over the uniform any day.
Facing forward once more, Kyoko muttered out of the side of her mouth, "So what exactly is the Plan again?" She could feel his glare on the side of her face before he released a heavy sigh. She wasn't surprised by his reaction since they had gone over the details several times the previous night. And in actuality, Kyoko didn't need to hear the instructions again. She just thought her nerves would be more settled if she heard his voice.
Kuon began listing off the points of the Plan. "First, infiltrate the squad. Next, use our cover to join up with the naval guard in order to 'capture' the Dark Moon. Then, somehow trick them into the hold, where we can prevent them from sounding the alarm when we sail away. Once we're a safe distance away, dump them over the side."
She could hear the maniacal grin in his words and she rolled her eyes. Her captain had a vindicative streak in him. "And that's how it worked in Cuba?"
"Weeell," he drawled. "Mostly."
Kyoko turned her head and arched a brow. "Mostly?"
"There was a lot more mayhem and a lot less support from our infiltrated group," Mr. Yashiro piped in from her other side. Kyoko swung her head between the two men before sighing heavily. Was there ever such a plan where so much could go wrong?
"Quiet in the ranks!" Lt. Brown's voice carried over their heads and Kyoko brought her attention forward. They had almost reached the docks and she could see the furled sails of the Dark Moon rising above them. Thanks to Mr. Yashiro, the crew would be ready and waiting for the 'surprise' attack.
'Company, halt!" came the order from the lieutenant and all the soldiers stomped to a standstill. Kyoko glanced between the shoulders of the men in front of her, trying to get a glimpse of the naval officers. Since she was the one being hunted, it had been decided that she and her friends would be at the very back of the squad. While this was ideal for hiding, it made it difficult to see what was going on.
The soldiers shifted and Kyoko was instantly granted a full view of their counterparts. The naval squad appeared to contain the same number of men, all dressed in the dark blue coats of the British Navy. As she watched, one of the figures stepped forward and presented himself to Lt. Brown. He was of middling height and slim build. Light brown hair was pulled back, revealing clear gray eyes and fine features.
Kyoko thought he looked like a good-natured sort, but there was something that struck her as off about the officer. She couldn't quite pin down the feeling, so she shook it off.
He saluted the lieutenant. "First Lieutenant Shoko Aki at your service, sir." His melodious voice was of a higher pitch than Kyoko had expected.
"Lieutenant John Brown at yours." Lt. Brown saluted in turn. He then gestured to the Dark Moon. "Is that the ship in question?"
The first lieutenant nodded. "Indeed. I have been informed that it is a pirate vessel, so have your men be on their guard."
Kyoko caught the smirks on the captain and first mate's faces and was hard pressed to suppress her own. Oh, the irony of warning pirates to be wary of a pirate ship.
Lt. Aki turned on his heel and led the way onto the ship.
It didn't take long to subdue the crew as they had been expecting the commandeering. Kyoko found great amusement at the various ways her friends 'surrendered'. Hikaru and his brothers were certainly the loudest and most melodramatic, prostrating themselves with wild abandon. Kanae was the most reluctant. She had been clearly itching for a fight, but her captain's orders forced her to submit with little resistance, which she did with much grumbling and insincerity.
Soon, all of the pirates were bound and awaiting their fates, as docile as kittens. "Hmm," Lt. Aki rubbed at his chin before turning to Tom. "Is this the entire crew?"
The grizzled old pirate shrugged and offered a smug grin. "Well, I'm not sayin' it is and I'm not sayin' it ain't."
Lt. Brown stepped forwarded, his sword unsheathed. "Why don't you take your men and search below decks?" He suggested reasonably. "My men can see to these blackguards." He sneered and thrust the point of his weapon under Tom's chin.
The first lieutenant considered the proposal for a moment before nodding his agreement. "Very well. Men, search the lower decks," he bellowed. "I want all of the scoundrels found."
Kyoko watched as all of the naval officers swarmed down the stairwell and she couldn't help but wonder at the level of intelligence for most of them. Tom apparently shared her concerns. "Buncha idjits," he muttered, completely ignoring the sharp and pointy sword at his throat.
"Indeed," Kuon agreed. He nodded to his crew, who sloughed off the ropes that had been only loosely binding them. He turned to his first mate. "Secure the door and get us ready to sail. We don't have much time."
Aye, sir." Mr. Yashiro began directing the men to either block the lone entrance to the lower decks or to prepare the ship.
The captain approached the young lieutenant, who had sheathed his sword and was now issuing instructions to his soldiers. Once he was finished, the men all saluted and proceeded to make their way off the ship.
Kuon extended his hand to Lt. Brown. "I can't thank you enough for your help."
The lieutenant grasped the offered hand and grinned at the pirate. "It was my pleasure, captain. I told you that I would do anything I could to repay you."
"Then I suppose we're even now," Kuon said, lips quirking into a half smile. "We've both managed to save something precious to the other."
"If you say so, sir." The lieutenant seemed perplexed by Kuon's statement.
"I do." The captain inclined his head to the gangplank. "You'd best be off if you don't fancy yourself a pirate."
Lt. Brown chuckled. "Not this time." He saluted Kuon smartly. "Sir." He turned and bowed to Kyoko. "Ma'am." With that, he was gone.
Kyoko and Kuon reached the railing in time to see the young lieutenant disappear into the crowd. She sighed. "I'm going to miss him," she announced. At her friend's strangled protestation, she giggled and grinned up at him. "Not that much though."
Kuon glowered at her for a moment before whipping around and shouting at his men. "C'mon, boys! I want movement."
A muffled thump at the stairwell proved that the Navy had finally cottoned onto their trick. Luckily, several heavy barrels were settled in front of the door, making it impossible to escape.
The entire situation suddenly struck her as so utterly ridiculous that Kyoko burst out laughing. She doubled over and released all the tension from the past few days out in great peals of laughter. Eventually, she managed to control herself and with only a few titters escaping, she straightened and swept her unruly hair back from her face.
When she arose, she was confronted with the bemused face of her captain. He wore a half smile and seemed to be concerned for her sanity. "Sorry," she said, not really sorry at all.
He shook his head. "No, I understand. It's been a crazy time." Kuon turned introspective.
"So," Kyoko ventured after a moment. "Now we run?"
Kuon nodded. "After we drop off our guests," he waved his hand towards the door that was still rattling from the efforts of the naval officers. "Then, yes, we run." He met her gaze, seriousness clouding his green eyes. "You realize we may have to keep doing this. Are you sure you don't mind?"
She cast her eyes down. "Not as long as I'm with you, I don't," she admitted, blushing furiously.
With her head down, Kyoko completely missed the happy grin that bloomed across her captain's face.
O.o.O
"Well, that went better than expected," Mr. Yashiro observed an hour later as he, Kyoko, and Kuon watched a lifeboat full of naval officers make its slow way back to Bridgetown. It was a small boat, barely able to hold all 12 men, with only one set of oars. It would take a fair amount of time to reach the port, especially if they didn't want to capsize.
"Yeah," Kuon pouted. "They hardly fought back at all. No fun." Kyoko smacked him in his arm, earning a wince from her captain. "What?" He complained, doing his best to hide his grin.
Kyoko just shook her head. Mr. Yashiro had been right; it had been too easy. When they had finally consented to release their 'guests', the officers had meekly relented and allowed themselves to be bundled into the boat. The only resistance had been when Lt. Aki had spat at the captain, but twenty bristling pirate swords and pistols had quickly curtailed that rebellion.
Now that the excitement was over, she could get back to her duties. She stretched her arms over her head and arched her back. It felt so good to be back in her usual clothing and to be rid of that stuffy army coat. Twisting side to side, she reveled in the freedom of movement she had now.
"Enjoying yourself?" Her captain asked, his amusement obvious.
She shot him a smug grin. "Just glad that it's over. For now, at any rate." Kyoko turned from the rail and began to make her way to the galley. "I better go check my inventory and see how Beau is doing."
"Alright," Kuon agreed. "I still can't believe you named that chicken."
"What, she's sweet," Kyoko protested, lips quirking into a smirk.
"It's a chicken."
She stopped and crossed her arms, ignoring the first mate's wide grin. "You never had a pet before?"
"Not one I could eat."
"Well, I-"
The banter was interrupted by Mr. Ogata running up to them. "Captain, we've got a problem."
The pronouncement sobered all parties. "What is it?" Kuon demanded.
The pale man pointed to the lookout position at the stern of the ship. Kyoko could see Tobacco Tom standing there, a spyglass pressed to his eye.
Kuon didn't hesitate for a moment, springing forward and dashing up the stairs, the cook and first mate soon hard on his heels. With his longer legs, Kuon reached Tom first and was already staring through the glass by the time the other two caught up to him.
Mr. Yashiro joined the captain at the rail, while Kyoko turned to the old pirate. "What did you see?" She asked, already dreading the answer.
"Sails, lass" was his grim response. "On a British frigate flying naval flags."
"Damn it!" The captain swore, slamming the spyglass closed. "They must have had a watch out. They'll be on us soon." He pounded a fist onto the rail. "I was counting on the extra time to get us away. We need more speed." He turned to his first mate.
"On it, captain." Mr. Yashiro saluted then hurried away, shouting orders.
Kuon ran a hand through his hair, growling. "I've got to go check my maps, see if there's something I missed." He stared off into the distance before turning to Kyoko, offering her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we'll figure this out."
Her own platitudes stuck in her throat, so she simply nodded and attempted a smile. Kuon held her gaze for a instant longer, before finally breaking away and rushing down the stairs.
Kyoko closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and released it. Fear would do her no good. What she, what they, needed was a plan. She opened her eyes to find Tom watching her.
"What?" She asked, suddenly self conscious.
With a chuckle, Tom shook his head. "Just thinkin' on how much you've changed, lass."
"Oh?" Kyoko was surprised.
"Aye, such a lost thing you were when first we met. Now look atcha." He smiled proudly. "Ready to take on the entire Navy, you are."
"Well, maybe not the whole Navy," she grinned cheekily. "Just one ship will do." She glanced at the spyglass that the old pirate was holding. "May I borrow that?" She asked, holding out her hand.
Wordlessly, he handed it over. With a nod of thanks, Kyoko stepped up to the rail and raised the glass. She searched the horizon until she found the ship that was coming for them. As she swept her eye over the rigging and hull, she began to feel a sense of familiarity. Normally one frigate looked much like another, but this one was triggering all sorts of memories.
Then she saw the figurehead at the bow of the ship and anxiety bloomed in her chest. The statue was the nude upper torso of a woman bound in chains. Kyoko knew that it was based on the old Greek tale of Andromeda and Perseus and with that knowledge, an idea started to grow.
As she watched, a billow of smoke began to rise from the stern of the ship. It took a moment for the significance to set in. She lowered the eyepiece, collapsing the instrument as she pondered their options.
"What is that?" Tom asked, peering out across the waves. "Smoke? Are they on fire?" There was hope in his voice that Kyoko was loathe to shatter, but she had no choice.
"No, Tom, they've just lit their signal fire."
"Signal fire? On a ship?"
"Yes, they must have another vessel anchored close by." The implications suddenly hit her. "Oh, god," she whispered desperately. "I've got to warn the captain."
With that, she pivoted and hastened to Kuon's quarters.
O.o.O
"Blast, blast, blast!" Ren tossed the maps he'd been surveying into the air. They wafted down around him as he sank heavily into one of his new chairs. A majority of his cabin had had to be repaired so there was a thick scent of resin and wood in the air. His crew had managed to restore everything to almost perfect condition, save that his three chairs no longer matched and his bookshelves were empty. There had been no time to replenish his library.
Now there might never be time.
The reason he was so frustrated was that, no matter how hard he searched, there was nowhere for the Dark Moon to hide, no place to run. At least, nowhere that they could reach in time.
Resting his elbows on the desk, Ren buried his hands in his hair, despair clouding his thoughts. There was no escape, no chance they could fight their way out. Nothing.
This was the end.
He had failed. The Navy would catch him and his crew and they would all swing for piracy. Even Kyoko.
That was the thought that burned the most. Save for her accidental desertion, Kyoko was innocent of any wrongdoing. She had never been on a raid with them, never raised a sword against anyone.
Ren blamed himself. He should've been quicker, smarter, more stealthy. Any number of things that would've resulted in any other outcome.
He truly was worthless.
He was pulled from his spiral of self-loathing by his door crashing open. In rushed the very person he was lamenting about.
"Kuon," she panted as she came to a halt in front of his desk. "There's something I need to tell you."
Examining Kyoko's beautifully flushed countenance, Ren decided that he may as well go out with a bang. "I, as well, Kyoko," he said as he took in her parted lips and panting chest, wondering if she would allow him a kiss before the end. He inhaled deeply, knowing that he would rather she know how he felt than die with the secret still in his heart. "I want you to-"
Then as quickly as it came, his courage deserted him. Kyoko waited patiently for him to continue, but Ren couldn't. "To go first," he finished lamely, mentally pummeling himself for his cowardice.
"Oh." She blinked, nonplussed. "Um, alright. Well, two things." She held up one finger. "The ship following us has lit a signal fire."
Ren cursed. "That means they have at least one other ship out there, possibly more."
Kyoko nodded in agreement. "Which brings me to point two." She held up a second finger. "I know the ship that's following us."
It was his turn to be shocked. "What?"
A knowing smirk pulled at her lips. "The H.M.S. Prisoner, to be precise."
The captain flopped back in his seat, flabbergasted. "How did you know? I didn't think we mentioned the name of the ship."
"Because that was the frigate I served on. I'd recognize her anywhere." Her expression was verging on hopeful which he thought a bit premature.
Shaking his head, Ren sighed. "That's all well and good, Kyoko, but how does it help us?"
She bit her lip nervously, dragging his attention away from where it should be: on the danger. "Well," she finally ventured. "I had a rather good rapport with the captain before I...left. Perhaps he'd be willing to talk to me."
"Wasn't this also the ship that what's-his-name was on?" He asked curiously.
She frowned at the reminder. "Yes, but he served as first lieutenant and the person we met today was-"
"Ah," Ren said, understanding her confusion. "And you think he may not be aboard any longer?"
Kyoko shrugged. "I couldn't say."
The captain considered the young woman in front of him. Her cautious optimism was shining out of every pore and he found that he couldn't break her heart with the full reality of the situation. He didn't want to terrify her.
Chuckling gently, he flashed a half smile and threw up his hands. "You win," he conceded. "We'll try it your way. But, remember," he cautioned, shaking a finger at her. "We are already in a bad position. If you see anyway to save yourself, I want you to take it. Promise?"
"But I-"
"Un-uh. Promise?"
She huffed and looked away from him, arms crossed defiantly. She held out for a moment before finally caving. "Fine, I promise," she grumbled.
Ren nodded, relief flooding his body. "Good."
Relaxing her rigid stance, Kyoko glanced at him curiously. "What was it you were going to say?"
Of course she would remember. Ren had hoped that the uncertainty of their circumstances would have distracted her, but it seemed that it was not to be. Besides, they had bigger concerns at the moment. "It doesn't matter now," he said, shaking his head. At her disbelieving look, he chuckled. "If we make it through this, I tell you, alright?"
"Ship ahoy!" came a faint cry from the deck.
"Looks like the rest of the gang has arrived," Ren commented, standing. He moved around the desk and approached the lovely young woman who had stolen his heart. He looked down into her trusting face and found that he hated himself for involving her in this lifestyle. But it was pointless to regret. She was here and so was he. They would have to face the consequences. "Shall we go and meet them?"
Kyoko smiled and held out one delicate hand. "Together?" She offered.
Ren smiled warmly, marveling at her strength. He reached out and intertwined his fingers with hers. "Yes," he answered, leading them to the door and their fate. "Together."
O.o.O
The question of why a French privateer would be interested in a British deserter was seemingly answered as Ren watched Reino's ship, the Vie Ghoul, pull up alongside his own. Grappling lines were cast over and fastened onto the railing. He could see the crew working hard to drag the two ships closer in order to board.
He glanced over his shoulder to see that the naval ship was still a fair ways off. They had, perhaps, a good quarter hour before she would be close enough to begin the boarding process. Enough time to get a few answers from the Frenchman.
Bang!
The sound of the gangplank making contact with his ship drew Ren's attention back to his most immediate concern. The captain sidled closer to Kyoko, who was managing a cool exterior in spite of the amount of danger they were in. In the face of overwhelming odds, he could only admire her confidence. Reaching her side, Ren placed a hand on her shoulder, earning him a surprisingly sunny smile which tore at his heart.
"Bonjour, mes amies." The smug voice announced that Reino had made his entirely undesired appearance. Ren and Kyoko turned their attention to their first obstacle.
The infernal Frenchman was decked out in his customary colors of black and silver with the addition of a sheathed rapier at his hip and a pair of flintlock pistols tucked in his belt. Ren couldn't help the sneer that came to his lips as the bounty hunter approached. "Reino," he growled.
"Oh, come now, capitaine," Reino simpered. "Is that any way to greet a guest?"
"You're no guest, dog." Ren was surprised by the vehemence in Kyoko's voice.
The Frenchman honed in on her. "Ah, ma petite. I did say I would see you again, did I not?" He paced languidly to the cook and reached out a ringed hand as though to pet her.
With a snarl, Ren knocked his hand away and reached for his sword. "Don't touch her," he warned.
Reino had the audacity to chuckle. "I don't think you're in a position to fight back, Ren. You are decidedly outnumbered."
The captain maintained his protective stance and smirked at the privateer. "For now. Tell me, Reino. How did you come to align yourself with the British Navy of all things?"
The Frenchman shrugged nonchalantly. "They offered me what I could not refuse. Money." He tilted his head and arced a sardonic brow, lips twisting into a malevolent smile. "Besides, she intrigued me. The little girl pirate who ran away."
Ren's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. "You're a sick man, Reino," he bit out, anger thick in his words.
The privateer leered at Ren.
"Captain." The voice of his first mate brought Ren's awareness to the frigate that was now looming on their other side.
"Ah, it seems my employer has arrived." The Frenchman stepped back from his rival captain and began issuing orders in rapid French, causing his men to leap forward to aid the Prisoner's boarding.
Once Reino's attention was diverted, Yashiro took the opportunity to whisper to Ren, "So what's the plan, sir?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Ren could see his first mate already taking stock of the scene before them. Surreptitiously, he cast his own gaze around.
The entirety of the Dark Moon's crew was on deck, guarded by an equal number of French sailors. The Ishibashi brothers were crouched by the mast, whispering softly to each other. Kotonami and Tom were positioned by the railing, with her standing slightly in front of the older pirate. The female pirate was scowling and had one hand resting on her blade, while Tom had his head down, apparently fiddling with one of his pistols. Kijima, Ogata, and the others were all in various degrees of readiness, each with easy access to their weapon of choice.
That was the only advantage that his crew had, Ren realized. Reino's overconfidence in his numbers had left the Dark Moon crew armed. If Kyoko's plan to persuade her former captain failed, perhaps fighting was an acceptable backup plan. Sure, they would all be killed, but at least it would be a death of their choosing.
"Attack on my command," he muttered, gaining a disbelieving stare from his friend.
"Really, sir?" At Ren's raised brow, Yashiro heaved a resigned sigh and made his slow way to the nearest crew member in order to pass on the message.
While this exchange occurred, the gangplank from the British ship had finally lowered. A number of officers trooped over, including a rather irate Lt. Aki. Apparently, the adrift lifeboat had been picked up en route.
The lieutenant glowered at Ren, who smirked back. This caused him to cross to the captain and grab him by the collar in an attempt to drag the taller man down to his own level. "You seem pretty pleased with yourself, pirate," he spat venomously. "I bet you think you're clever."
The captain shrugged, unconcerned with Lt. Aki's anger. "Pretty clever, yeah," he agreed. The lieutenant growled, releasing Ren's coat and reaching for his sword.
"That's enough, Shoko." A deep and arrogant sounding voice came from the gangplank, drawing a gasp from Kyoko and causing the lieutenant to back away. Ren didn't have time to acknowledge the girl behind him as he was too busy studying the new captain that had entered the fray.
The man was young, shockingly so. There was no way that someone younger than Ren himself could become a captain without wealth, influence, or duplicity. Or some combination of the three. As the captain approached, Ren noted the swagger, the rugged handsomeness accompanied by blond hair and blue eyes, and the cavalier attitude. He could sense that he and this prideful...puppy would never see eye-to-eye and he would never trust a single word that came out of the boy's mouth.
The young man stopped just shy of Ren, who was pleased to see that, although this new rival was tall, he was still shorter than the pirate captain. "Captain Ren Tsuruga, I presume?" He asked haughtily, as if he didn't already know whom he had captured. Then his gaze shot past Ren and landed on the young woman standing at his shoulder. "Hello, Kyoko. It's been awhile."
Kyoko stepped forward, head held high. "Shotarou."
Shocked, Ren whipped his head around to stare at his cook. "What?" He blurted out, completely stupified.
She didn't shift her gaze, too busy staring down the naval captain. "Captain Tsuruga, this is Shotarou Fuwa, apparently the new captain of the H.M.S. Prisoner." Her good manners had taken over, forcing the introduction. "Although, how he became captain is beyond me."
"It was simply my God-given talent," Fuwa responded, his expression growing even more smug, if such a thing were possible.
Kyoko snorted and crossed her arms. "Probably more like dumb luck," she snarked.
"I'd watch your tongue if I were you," he snapped. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, don't I?" She retorted.
Fuwa growled and advanced, hand outstretched as if he were about to grab Kyoko. Only to be blocked by Ren's hard grip on his wrist. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned, thrusting the boy's arm away.
The naval captain hunched over, grasping at his surely bruised appendage. When he looked up, Ren knew that there was no way they could possibly escape. He was about to shout the order to attack, when all the air was driven out of him.
Fuwa had sucker-punched him in the stomach.
Ren collapsed to his knees, clutching at his abdomen. Kyoko loosed an inarticulate cry and knelt beside him, trying to help him back on his feet.
"Damn it, Shotarou," she shouted. "What's your problem?"
"My problem?" He scoffed disbelievingly. "My problem is that you seem to have thrown your lot in with this pirate trash."
Kyoko stood up straight. "This trash," she indicated the Dark Moon crew, "is a far sight more honorable then you could ever be."
"What!" He roared. "How dare you!"
"Oh, I dare!" Kyoko yelled, advancing on the young man. "I dare because you are a self-absorbed," she poked his chest hard, "egotistical," poke, "unfeeling," poke, "coward!" She laughed mockingly. "You didn't even have the guts to admit that a woman helped you achieve your position!"
SMACK!
The ringing sound of flesh on flesh shocked all of those present. Ren looked up to see Kyoko, her eyes fierce, raise one hand to brush at her now reddened cheek. He glanced to Fuwa and was surprised to see a muted shock on his face. Apparently he hadn't meant to strike her. The revelation didn't cause him to like the young captain any better, but it did make him reevaluate the relationship between Fuwa and Kyoko. Perhaps the brash young man was more inclined towards the cook than previously thought.
'Over my dead body,' he thought savagely.
That scenario was becoming more and more likely. Fuwa's shock quickly wore off and he grabbed the still stunned Kyoko by the arm. He shoved her at his men. "Put her in my cabin," he ordered, before glaring down at Ren. "And put them in the brig." He sneered and turned away.
"Wait," Ren coughed, struggling to his feet. "Wait." It was time to use his final backup.
Fuwa faced him with a condescending look. "Yes?"
"You know who I am, don't you?" He stood up straight. "I'm Captain Ren Tsuruga, Scourge of the Navies. Turning me in is bound to win you great prestige with your superiors, not to mention the reward." He gestured to his crew. "If you release my crew," he looked at Kyoko, "all of my crew, I'll come quietly."
"No," shouted Kyoko, along with the rest of his men.
"Silence!" Fuwa ordered and the noise level dropped. He paced over to Ren and met his gaze cooly. "That's a very generous offer, Captain Tsuruga," he said thoughtfully. "There's just one problem." He leaned forward, his lip curling into an ugly sneer. "I already have you in custody. You have no leverage." With a boisterous laugh, Fuwa turned away.
Ren's heart sank. The brat was right. His final bargaining chip was worthless. The captain hung his head in defeat.
"What about treasure?"
Kyoko's voice cut through the fog of his mind. Ren raised his head and saw that she had her gaze fixed solidly on Fuwa.
The young captain looked intrigued. "What treasure?"
"The Heart of Gold."
The rival crews laughed uproariously, Fuwa being the loudest of the lot. It took a good while before his laughter subsided enough to speak again. "That's a myth," he chortled.
She shook her head emphatically. "It's not. And what's more, I know how to find it." That got the naval captain's attention. Fuwa examined the young woman, hand on his chin. "C'mon, Sho, you know me," she urged. "I'm not a liar."
A few more moments passed and Ren fervently prayed that the foolish captain would take the bait. This could be the opportunity that they needed.
"Very well," Fuwa finally agreed. "But keep in mind that if you mislead me, the pirates will be the ones to pay."
Kyoko flashed a quick, distraught look at Ren. He smiled grimly and nodded. She swallowed thickly and faced Fuwa.
"Deal."