Draco: We ended up not writing a chapter for the song's last verse(s) because we managed to end this one in a satisfying way, so this will be our conclusion.
Black Rock Shooter and all related properties © huke. Plot concept © The Longest Johns.
The Brunhild's captain let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her crew letting anchors down, while her first mate stretched with a grunt. "Ready to go and rest for a while?"
Mato chuckled at Yuu's statement. "That I am."
By now, any new addition to their family had been able to get used to travels through the sea, overcoming seasickness if they had it and familiarizing themselves with the rest; there were even those who felt more comfortable simply sleeping at the Brunhild instead of getting a room at an inn. However, after many a day and night on sea, carrying out whatever task was required of them, the crown had finally granted Mato and her crew a shore leave, allowing them to rest until further notice, much to many crewmen's delight. They loved the sea, but surely a time to relax wouldn't hurt.
Yuu could hear the more excitable recruits running to get off the ship, probably excited to see what this city had in store. She snorted at the few bumps hiding under the footsteps, suggesting a few slips and trips. Mato smiled at the sound as well, before heading to leave the captain's cabin. Yuu stepped away to let her pass, and with that they also traversed through the ship until they reached the docks.
Some of the members waved at Mato and Yuu as they left, while others voiced promises of coming back soon to take care of the ship, even if Mato already knew they just wanted to sleep in a place they liked to call home. She smiled as she waved back, Yuu joining in with a wider grin.
"So! I think I'll be going to the market for a bit, check this place out," Yuu remarked casually, "what're your plans? Going to the inn?" She walked away from their ship and into the bustling city, Mato following close behind.
"Yep. I'd rather see the place and get that room before anything else, maybe even take a nap already," Mato mused. She sighed before taking her tricorne off and ruffling her hair; by the gods, did she feel tired, and the sun had yet to set.
Yuu nodded with an agreeing hum, then turned towards Mato. "Alrighty then, I'll be around if ya need me. The inn's Spi o Polnoci, right?"
"I believe so," Mato confirmed. She put her hat back on, adjusting it with care, before extending a hand towards Yuu. "See ya later?" she questioned with a grin.
Wearing a grin to match Mato's own, Yuu shook her captain's hand firmly. "Yes ma'am!"
Said captain snorted at the title, which then gave way to full blown laughter. Yuu stared in confusion, which only made Mato laugh harder. "Don't you think we've travelled long enough for you to quit that formal crap?" Mato chided with a teasing glint in her eyes. Truly a burst of nostalgia, that one.
Yuu raised an eyebrow in confusion before the memory dawned upon her, causing her to let out a few giggles of her own. Dork, Mato was able to hear her mutter between laughs, and with that they happily parted ways.
Mato let out a happy sigh as she traversed the city, walking to where she knew the local inn was. Some people stared at her ragged coat and cap, to which she paid no mind except for hiding her hands within her pockets. Old habits die hard, she supposed.
Once she neared the inn, she made sure to check if she had, in fact, filled her bag with gold; it wouldn't be the smartest thing to show up empty handed. Sighing in relief at the sound of clashing metal, Mato entered the inn, a ringing bell announcing her presence to patrons and staff.
She glanced around for a moment, surveying the people around her. They varied from tired, ragged men to a young lady in what Mato could easily call fancy garments. Staring at her for a moment, Mato shook her head lightly and headed for the innkeeper. "Do you have any rooms available?" she inquired as she set a hand on her coin bag.
"Someone asked us to hold a room for them," the innkeeper answered, "but didn't leave a payment. If you can pay for it up front, you get priority."
"And will this be enough for a night?" Mato countered as she set a handful of coins onto the counter, neutral expression contrasting the innkeeper's shock strongly. The girl sputtered for a moment, speechless.
Behind the captain, the young lady's ears perked up. As the innkeeper started to count out the price, the lady stood from her spot in a corner and approached the captain. "Excuse me..." she uttered in a soft tone, trailing off uncertainly.
Mato turned around in confusion, her eyes widening as she beheld the girl who had approached her. Her golden eyes were rather enchanting. "Yes?" Mato muttered with uncertainty.
"Pardon my asking, but are you a sailor?" the lady asked in a sheepish tone. "M-my name is Kagari, and I was wondering if you'd care to tell me about your travels."
Mato didn't realize she'd been staring; she tried her best to recover with a sheepish, "No problem, if you're willing to listen!"
Kagari smiled. "Thank you..."
The innkeeper spoke up behind Mato. "There's your room paid for the night, ma'am," she replied, sliding a few coins off the counter and leaving most of Mato's offering where it lay. "Here's your key. If you'd like, you're welcome to stay out here with your friend until we close for the night."
"Thank you," Mato assured, "I think we will."
+x+x+x+
Kagari had been all too happy to listen to Mato's stories until the inn closed, and those who didn't have rooms were asked to leave the premises. In fact, when Mato had come down the next morning, intent on finding a place to eat, she'd found Kagari waiting in the lobby again, hoping to hear more if the captain was willing to share.
When Mato had intended to return to the inn that night, Kagari had invited the captain to stay at her place instead - a rather small home, though very finely furnished. One night had turned into two, turned into three, and before she knew it, Yuu had come looking for her out of concern that something had happened. The first mate had been most relieved to find Mato had simply found alternate accommodations... and was awfully quick to tease Mato about having spent many a night at a young lady's home.
Kagari had a most amused smile on her face when she brought Mato home that night. "So, that's your first mate, huh?"
"Yeah," Mato confirmed. "She's been with me since before I was a privateer proper. If it weren't for her, I'd have never been a captain."
"You and her alone make for a colorful crew," Kagari mused. "Does she always mock you when she finds you spending your time on shore with someone?"
Mato turned red. "Um... this is the first time I've spent my time on shore with someone," she admitted. "At least since I got my letter of marque."
Kagari was caught off-guard by that. "...Really?"
"I mean, unless you count me and Yuu trying to make ends meet because we got kicked off a cutthroat crew," Mato replied. "This is the first time I've actually had leave since I became a privateer."
"And you've spent your whole leave with me?" Kagari asked. "Just hanging out with a girl who wants to hear your stories?"
Mato was a deep crimson red by now. "I have," she confirmed. "...But... if you want me to stop..."
"No, no," Kagari assured her, "it's nothing like that." She took Mato by the hand, lowering her onto the couch. "I'm happy to spend time with you. In fact..." She set her hand on Mato's shoulder, gently pushing her back. "I wouldn't mind spending a little more~"
"Huh?!" Mato could feel her heart accelerating as she realized what Kagari was saying. "Y-You want to...?"
"If you don't want it," Kagari insisted, "just say no."
Mato took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, letting Kagari gently lower her until she was lying flat on the surface. Kagari moved to straddle her, gently reaching forward to undo her jacket and push it aside.
"I've had fun these past few days, Mato," she said quietly. "You live such a wonderful life, full of wealth and adventure and prizes... I want to be part of it." She ran a hand up Mato's side. "I want you... to be mine."
"...I'd like that," Mato whispered back.
"Really?" Kagari smiled. "Will you... let me make it official?"
"How so?" Mato asked.
Kagari pressed her body against Mato's as she reached for something under the edge of the couch; then she rose up, and Mato realized she was holding what looked like a small sewing kit. "I want to make it so no one will ever think about taking you away," she mused. "I want them to see you, and know that you belong to someone already. That you belong to me."
Mato was caught off-guard as she drew out a needle and a spool of red velvet. "Y-You want to...?"
"Will you let me?" Kagari asked, threading the needle. "Will you show the world that you have someone? Will you be mine?"
Closing her eyes, Mato took a deep breath... and nodded. "If that's what you want."
Kagari smiled. "Thank you~"
She brought the needle forward, and Mato gasped as the cold metal made contact with her chest... and then cried out as the tip pierced her skin.
+x+x+x+
"Mmf... That was heartier than I was expecting. Maybe I'll pass on dessert today."
Mato was surprised at Kagari's comment. She had introduced Mato to an exceptional restaurant near the marketplace, home to some of the richest meals, finest wines, and sweetest deserts in the port. Kagari had successfully convinced Mato to eat out nearly every day there was an open table, the two of them gradually trying everything on the menu at least once, and Kagari had always sprung for dessert afterwards - until today.
In fairness, Mato realized as she looked down at her not-quite-empty plate, she didn't exactly feel like she had room for anything extra, either. "Probably a good call."
She moved her cutlery to the 5 o'clock position, prompting Kagari to do the same; in short order, their waiter made his way to their table. "Was everything to your satisfaction?"
"Maybe a little too much to our satisfaction," Mato admitted. "We'll not be having dessert tonight."
"Very well, ma'am," the waiter assured her, taking their plates. "I'll have the check out shortly."
As the waiter marched off, Kagari picked up her glass, taking a long drink from it. "I've never had anything that filling before," she observed. "Don't ever let me have it again."
Mato nodded. "No kidding," she agreed. "I swear my clothes feel tighter than they were when I walked in."
Kagari smiled at her. "Why not unbutton a little bit?"
"I, um... don't think that's a good idea," Mato insisted.
"Come on," Kagari assured her, "you wouldn't be the first person to loosen your belt a bit after a good meal."
The waiter returned to spare Mato further conversation, handing Mato the check. "Here you are, ma'am."
"Thank you," Mato praised, taking another sip of her drink before setting it on the table and getting to her feet.
Kagari stumbled slightly as she rose for herself. "I feel so heavy," she admitted. "Maybe we should just head straight home today."
"No dessert and no trip through the market?" Mato asked as they started towards the front counter. "You sure you're feeling okay?" Kagari was usually one to walk off dinner by browsing the stalls in the marketplace for anything that caught her eye (and many a thing had caught her eye, so the trip was rarely wasted).
Kagari reached for her mouth. "I hope I'm just really full," she admitted. "That was delicious, I don't want it to have been something giving me a reaction."
"Step outside," Mato assured her, "maybe the fresh air will do you some good."
As Kagari made her way out, the sailor drew out her coin purse to count out the bill... and was slightly concerned that she had just enough to cover the meal. The waiter accepted the payment without a second glance, and Mato returned her last couple coins to the bag and stepped out to join Kagari, who turned to her with a smile. "A little better," she admitted, "but I still want to head home for now."
Mato nodded. "Sounds good," she agreed. "Once you're back, I might stop by the Brunhild, make sure everything's still as it should be."
"Why don't you just head there now?" Kagari suggested. "I can get home just fine on my own."
"Call me overcautious," Mato admitted, "but if you end up losing your lunch, I'd prefer if you weren't alone."
Kagari's smile widened. "My hero."
Once Kagari was safely home, Mato made her way back to the docks, finding the Brunhild still floating where she had left it. Some of her crew were returning to the ship for themselves; one man, Nico, saw her coming and drew the others' attention. "Hey, Cap'n! Long time!"
"Heya," Mato greeted. "Good to see you."
"Where you been, Captain?" Acta wondered. "Haven't really seen you around since..." Her face fell. "What's that under your collar?"
Mato glanced down and realized her top button was in fact undone - baring a hint of crimson thread - and quickly fastened it to cover up. "Just a bit a of sauce," she lied, rubbing her jacket against her skin to give hint to the deceit. "I just had dinner and thought I'd stop by while there was still daylight."
"I thought I've seen you stopping by way early in the mornings every so often," Nico observed. "What exactly have you been doing that you don't usually have daylight to spare?"
A crimson blush decorated Mato's cheeks. "Don't ask, don't tell," she insisted.
"Hey, fellas!" The voice from behind her drew Mato's attention to find another crewman, Ron, coming up. "Oh, Captain! Excellent timing." He was holding a letter that he quickly handed to Mato. "Letter from the crown."
"Really?" Mato accepted the letter and opened it up. "Has it been so long?"
"Aww," Acta whined, "is leave over already?"
"Not quite," Mato admitted, "but we've got a week left." She folded the letter as she started up the gangplank. "Pass it on to the rest of the crew when you get the chance."
"Will do," Ron assured.
Mato made her way to her cabin; realizing the doors were slightly covered, she elected to pin the letter to one of them before closing them behind her. She and her crew had a strict policy for the spoils they took from attackers - their bounty belonged 'to the ship', and were used to purchases supplies when needed, until such time as they returned home at the end of a job to receive pay; then everyone would receive a fair share of the accumulated spoils.
Mato had been exceptionally thrifty since she had gotten the Brunhild, owing to her and Yuu having had to sell everything but the clothes off their backs in Fūne no Yūgure. The captain had never spent on more than a few celebratory drinks and a soft bed, and so had there been quite a number of full coin purses in her cabin, mostly laid under her hammock or hanging from the wall nearby. To be fair, the sound of coins shifting as the boat rocked on the waves was a wonderful lullaby; still, when they had received shore leave, she had told herself that she was on vacation, it was okay to splurge.
On seeing she only had one full purse left, she wondered if maybe she had been splurging a bit too much.
With a sigh, Mato shook her head. "Guess that's just a good sign we need to head back to sea," she admitted, setting down her empty purse and hooking the full one to her belt.
They say that a man who has suffered on the sea, and come to shore with coin in hand, must be blind to go to sea once more - and though none of Mato's suffering at sea had been the fault of the lifestyle itself, it was a blindness of another kind that made her so eager for shore leave to end.
+x+x+x+
Mato spent the next day arranging preparations, making sure everything was ready to sail home when leave ended - in a desperate attempt to distract herself with her work.
As she walked with heavy steps to Kagari's home, Mato's mind was filled with ways to tell her partner the news about their return to the sea. She hadn't stopped to think how would a relationship like this mix with her way of life, and only now was it biting her back; Kagari didn't seem like someone who'd enjoy living at the Brunhild, but if she was interested in their travels... perhaps...?
Mato kept on thinking until she reached Kagari's doorstep, grasping the doorknob without much thought and letting herself in, only to freeze immediately. There wasn't anyone in the room, but what caused her to stop completely were the sounds coming from the bedroom. Her hearing wouldn't lie to her like this, but she refused to believe it.
She knew Kagari's voice. The whimpers coming from the bedroom were not Kagari's.
Mato felt her breath get caught in her throat, then slowly forced her feet to take her to the bedroom. Her knees felt weak, but even with trembling legs and unable to stand straight, Mato pushed on; she knew this wasn't... her lover's voice. Maybe Kagari had someone over and they were hurt? Yes, that was probably the reason for the trembling cries. She entered the bedroom without fanfare, wanting to simply see just what was going without her knowledge.
What greeted her was Kagari, quite literally red-handed, with a needle and red thread. What made Mato's heart drop was the woman under Kagari, looking as surprised as the captain had felt, with red coming from her chest, both in the form of a thread and liquid. The shape of a heart had been carved into said woman's chest with a pointedly shaky hand, probably the cause of her whimpers and the tears coming from her green eyes.
"K-Kagari, who is that?" she asked meekly as she adjusted her spectacles. Kagari merely turned back hesitantly, pursed lips refusing to speak any word.
Mato let the scene sink in, just as speechless as the blonde, her eyes wide and her breath still. Slowly, her brow furrowed and her mouth curled into a snarl. "Explain," was all she demanded from Kagari. She filed into the back of her mind how the bespectacled girl wore fine clothes, indicating a status above them both.
Kagari struggled for a moment, before seemingly ignoring Mato's order. "P-pay her no mind Yomi, I have no idea who she is-!" She was quickly cut off by the captain.
"Don't you dare say you don't know me!" Mato insisted, prying open the top of her jacket to reveal a scar. Velvet thread, carving a heart in her chest - perhaps steadier than the one she was looking at, owing to her pain tolerance, but the resemblance was unmistakable. Yomi let out a watery gasp at the sight.
Sighing, Kagari tried to backpedal with urgency coating her very being. "Look darling, I was going to tell you, I was going to cut my relationship with her!" She clearly seemed agitated, but still tried to maintain her front of having everything under her control. Yomi looked shocked to her core, wound still bleeding and tears streaming down her face. "She was just... someone I needed to provide for me!"
Mato glowered at her words, only for Yomi to surprise her with a weak, "I could already do that for you." Yomi sniffed, staring at Kagari's hands, still covered in droplets of blood. "There wasn't a need for anyone else.
Still, Mato couldn't hold back the growl that came from the back of her throat. All this time, she was just a walking coin purse? She had given her trust to someone who didn't think of her feelings, but of how much gold she had left? She could feel the familiar sting in her eyes of tears trying to come forth, but Mato simply wiped her eyes and covered them, trying to calm down.
It was obvious to both remaining parties that Kagari was panicking by now. "Yomi, I just want you. I was with this- this brute because I needed to sustain myself!"
"You were just fine before I came along," Mato countered quickly, "and all we ever did was spend money on trinkets and fancy food! You didn't need a damn!" She hadn't fully realized when she raised her voice, only now noting Yomi's recoiling at the sound. Mato didn't know how to feel at that. "Don't you dare call me a brute," she finished with a more controlled, cold tone.
The captain left with one last growl, pulling the door open and slamming it shut.
Kagari sighed once she left, now trying her best to smile gently at Yomi, even if it was painfully obvious how strained it was. "Don't worry about what just happened, my love," she assured, "you're the only one I've fallen in love with. You're the only one who understands me so deeply... and I'm the same for you, isn't that right?"
Yomi bit back a sob, and her hands reached out to Kagari in a weak hug to avoid any pressure on her chest's wound. Kagari smiled in relief as her newest lover burrowed her face on her shoulder. As suddenly as the storm had entered the room, it had left, but rainclouds remained in Yomi's mind.
Those blue eyes and their rage would haunt her, without a doubt.
+x+x+x+
Yuu sighed as she made her way back to the Brunhild. She was going to miss this place. Between the good food, the fine drink, and the pleasurable company, she could sincerely say that she had made the most of her shore leave - a leave that ended when the sun rose tomorrow. In the interest of not slowing anyone down, she decided to spend the last night on the ship, where she could be easily found and awoken.
As she climbed aboard, she found most of the crew already there... and a distressingly somber mood filled the deck. Ron was surprised to see her standing there, stepping forward to approach. "Yuu!"
"Hey," Yuu murmured. "Uh, what happened?"
"The captain came back the day after we got word of the end of leave," Ron replied. "Shoved a list of names at Nico, told us that was everyone we'd need to talk to for preparations to push off, then went in her cabin and hasn't come out since."
Yuu started. "What? But she... That's not..." Panic took hold of her, and she sprinted to the doors to the captain's cabin; the end-of-leave notice was still pinned to one door, and she seized the other one and threw the door open. "Mato?!"
The interior of the cabin was scattered with cloth. After a moment, Yuu realized they were bags - coin purses, in fact, torn open and shredded. In fact, most of the room looked like she'd taken a cutlass to it, with Nana's shrine being an exception. The captain's hammock was not an exception, its strings cut and hanging bare, the sheet lying on the floor... and Mato was lying on it all the same, face buried in her arms.
"Mato!" Yuu dashed up to her, kneeling at her side and setting a hand on her shoulder. "Mato, what's wrong?"
"G-Go away," Mato murmured. "I don't..."
"Don't tell me to go away when you're like this," Yuu insisted. "What happened to you?"
Mato raised her head, tears pouring from her eyes. "She... I thought... But she... I was just... She didn't...!"
"She?" Yuu asked. "You mean Kagari? What happened with you two?"
Wincing in sorrow, Mato turned herself over; her jacket was torn open, the upper buttons broken off to bare her chest... and the heart sewn into it with crimson thread.
Yuu couldn't believe her eyes. "She... did this to you?"
Mato nodded weakly. "And... she did this to... someone else..."
"Mato...!"
The captain's tears began to flow again, and Yuu pulled her into a hug, letting her cry. Sorrow fall thick and fast upon you, she cursed in her mind. You who did this to someone who has already suffered so much...!
+x+x+x+
"What do you think? Doesn't this place look amazing?"
Kagari had convinced Yomi to leave town for some time, and go on a trip inland, just the two of them. They had rented a horse and cart, and were currently riding past one of Kagari's favourite sights - though, as Yomi raised her gaze to observe it, she didn't see the appeal in the giant fissure they were looking out on. "It... looks like the earth was torn open here."
"Doesn't it?" Kagari admitted. "But look - the forest is still in amazing condition on the other side. You can even see a pond from here! It's like some big earthquake tried to say Screw you, greenery, and the forest just took it."
"I suppose," Yomi admitted.
Kagari sat back down and seized the reins again, spurring the horses to resume their walk. "I was thinking we could maybe camp out in that forest," she suggested. "Would be a nice change from the bustle of the city, being out in nature together."
Yomi's gaze fell. "Maybe we could."
After a moment, Kagari turned to her. "You know, you're allowed to talk while we're riding," she insisted. "I'm not gonna get distracted and drive us into the middle of nowhere just because we had a conversation."
"What do you want me to talk about?" Yomi asked.
"Whatever you want," Kagari insisted. "Talk about how your day was yesterday, or what sort of books you've been reading. Talk about something you saw in the marketplace, or what you think of the weather we've been having. What you talk about doesn't matter; I just like spending time with you."
"Doesn't this count as spending time with me?" Yomi argued.
Kagari shook her head. "Not if you're just sitting there. I could do that with a scarecrow." She turned to Yomi with a smile. "But a scarecrow wouldn't be as beautiful, or be able to appreciate the view."
The road had come awfully close to the fissure, by now; the horses were remarkably calm, all things considered.
Yomi took a deep breath. "I did hear some interesting stories recently," she admitted. "About a ship that was in port recently, and a captain who suffered so much."
"Really?" Kagari mused. "How do you go through suffering like that and still call yourself a captain?"
"Well, she didn't start out as a captain," Yomi admitted. "She happened to be in town when a ship came to port whose crew she adored. They let her 'join the crew' when she asked, and then basically made her a slave. And as soon as she couldn't carry her weight, they abandoned her in a port she didn't know, without a coin to her name."
"Then how did she become a captain?" Kagari asked.
"Apparently, the captain who let her on got killed," Yomi replied. "When they came back to that port, someone from the crew sought her out and helped her get back on her feet. Eventually, they applied to be privateers, captain and first mate." She shook her head. "But their crew turned out to be bloodthirsty sorts who thought privateering was an excuse to kill people and take everything they got. And when they realized the captain and first mate weren't going to enable that, they threw them overboard."
"Yowch," Kagari mused. "Figures that killers would just kill the people who stopped them..." She turned to Yomi in concern. "You didn't hear that from the bloodthirsty crew, did you?"
Yomi shook her head. "It was from one of her new crew," she replied. "Looks like the ship went down shortly after they were thrown out, while they washed up in another port. Ended up living together to make ends meet, but they were eventually able to get back to the crown and find honest workers."
Kagari furrowed her brow. Why did that sound familiar?
"And then, one day, they finally got shore leave," Yomi mused. "Some stayed on the ship, and just came ashore to enjoy food that was made to be eaten right away instead of designed to keep. Others went and found bars or brothels to spend every coin they could carry. The captain disappeared, and her first mate ended up thinking she was dead in an alley before they found each other again."
"There you are, Mato! Where the hell did you go? I was scared I was gonna find you dead in some alley!"
"But they say they did see the captain safe and sound, themselves." Yomi's voice had become awfully dark. "They'd see her in the market with someone every so often, browsing for trinkets. Or see her coming out of the finest restaurant in town, trying to keep down the fancy food. All that time the first mate spent worrying that she might need help, and it turned out she didn't need a damn."
"What are you-?"
Yomi rounded on Kagari with a glare. "You never told me the name of that 'brute' who walked in on us when you asked to marked me as yours," she accused. "It was Mato, wasn't it? Captain Mato of the Brunhild. Who overcame so much adversity and came away with riches the likes of which you and I couldn't even imagine - and then spent it all on your dinner bills, and everything that you fancied in the market, because she thought you cared about her!"
Kagari turned away. "And that's my fault, is it?" she demanded. "That she had so much treasure and didn't think to spend any of it? She's the one who jumped to conclusions! I never told her I cared about her! I never did anything to make her think I did!"
"Then why did you brand her?!" Yomi demanded. "The same way you branded me!?"
"I-I..." Kagari couldn't retaliate.
"You think I didn't notice the black hairs on your couch?" Yomi demanded. "Or the fact that you never wanted to spend time with me at night? Or the way you knew exactly how much thread it would take to sew a heart in my skin with your needle!? What number was she, Kagari!? What number am I?!"
"You're not like her, Yomi!" Kagari insisted, turning to face her. "I've never asked you to buy me anything, or foot the bill when we go out to lunch!"
"Or how I make a living!" Yomi threw back at her. "Or where I live, or what I do during the day, or anything but whether I'm in the mood to come to your house and make time fly! If you were willing to spend any money that you'd earned yourself, you'd get the same thing from the brothel! I'm just another thing for you to use until you're satisfied, and throw out when I can't give it to you anymore! So go away!"
Her hand slammed into Kagari's shoulder, and shoved her away; Kagari felt herself slip off the driver's seat of the carriage, and cried out as she tumbled to the ground. One hands tried to grab something to keep her upright, and when that failed the other moved back to try and stop her fall, or at least help her get to her feet fast enough to stop Yomi from driving away without her.
Her legs hit the ground - her hands didn't.
As she started to fall backwards, Kagari turned her gaze around to find everything but her legs were over the edge of the fissure, and she didn't even have the strength to scream before she started to plummet.
+x+x+x+
Fate was a cruel mistress. Mato was hoping that when their leave ended, she would be able to focus on the job and block out the memories of what had happened with Kagari. But their first job had put them on a course rather close to where they had spent their leave - which meant that when an out-of-control civilian vessel had slammed into their hull fast enough to need repairs, they found themselves docking at the same port.
Nico still had the list of contacts that Mato had given him at the end of leave; the crew understood that their captain was in a bad way, and offered to handle negotiations for the repairs on her behalf. Yuu had stayed with Mato; the captain was currently sitting on the edge of the dock, her boots dipping into the water and rocking gently.
The first mate sighed, patting Mato's back gently. "It'll be alright soon," she reassured in a low voice. "We'll get repairs done as fast as we can; then we can get back to sea and you won't have to think about this place."
Mato hummed in acknowledgement, refusing to speak if it wasn't necessary.
The first mate sighed before leaning back. Behind them, the Brunhild rocked; the damage hadn't been enough to sink her immediately, and once the crew had done their patch job, Yuu had tried to convince Mato to just keep going to their destination. But Mato knew that a hasty patch job on the sea was no real substitute for proper repairs at port, and had swallowed her displeasure to insist that they dock and get it fixed properly.
Hasty footsteps approaching drew Yuu's attention; she turned to see a silhouette running towards them, and thought that maybe one of the newer recruits was in a hurry to come back. And yet, as they got closer to the dock, she realized they weren't really dressed in a way optimal for sailors; in all sincerity, this woman wasn't dressed in a way that was optimal for on land, at least not at the sort of pace she was running. As she stumbled to a stop before Yuu, her green eyes were wide and, from her short breath, it was easy to assume she ran a fair distance.
"Where's Captain Mato?" she asked between pants. Yuu stared at her, eyes slowly narrowing in suspicion. "Please, I need to talk to her!"
Yuu opened her mouth to speak, before another voice took her opportunity. "I know that voice."
Mato stood from her seat at the dock, surprising Yuu and making the other woman sigh in relief. "Yomi, was it?" she inquired with a somber tone, to which Yomi nodded with a small smile. From this distance, Yomi could notice the slight bags under Mato's eyes and felt how much it resonated with her.
"Wait, Yomi?" Yuu repeated in surprise, anger quick to appear on her face. "You're the one Mato found that coin chaser with!" She quickly put herself between Mato and Yomi in an attempt to shield the captain. Yomi recoiled at the accusation, taking a step away.
"Calm down, Yuu," Mato chided as she sidestepped her first mate. Yuu went to object, but Mato quickly rose one hand. "We're both victims here, I believe." Once she saw Yuu deflate at her statement, Mato turned to Yomi. "Is there anything you needed to discuss with me, miss?"
Yomi nodded once more with visible relief. "Yes, well..." She paused, glancing around. The small commotion had caused some of the crew who had remained on deck to peek over the railing, and even a few sailors unrelated to them were looking at them with curiosity. "Could we talk for a moment in private?" Yomi whispered, albeit loudly enough for Yuu to hear. The first mate sighed, before giving Mato's back one last pat and heading back to the ship to join the rest.
Mato let out a hum, before walking towards the plank and into the ship. Seeing Yomi stare at her back without following, she paused. "If we are to talk, I'd rather it be in my cabin. No one will interrupt us there." Yomi was caught off guard at this, but she quickly nodded and followed after Mato.
As they climbed onto the ship, many a crewmember stared at them in confusion, but Yomi paid them no mind for now. There was a pressing matter that needed addressing, and she couldn't let the stares make her nervous. Mato opened the doors to the captain's cabin, sighing as she remembered just what state she left it on. What a first impression would Yomi have of her by now; she shook her head and walked in, Yomi taking in the sight in slight shock before closing the doors behind her and focusing on the captain.
"You're not here just to kill me and get Kagari for yourself, are you?" Mato joked with a saccharine smile.
"Kagari's dead," Yomi cut in with no warning or build up.
Mato blinked once. Twice. Then the news sunk in, and her eyes went wide as plates and her mouth hung open in shock.
Yomi took this as a chance to continue. "We were together near a chasm she wanted to visit... I..." she trailed off, an audible gulp filling the brief silence, while Mato continued to stare as she processed her emotions. "I pushed her off. I refused to let her take advantage of those who've suffered as you have," Yomi finished, uncertain as to how Mato would react.
The air felt heavy as neither woman spoke, each with a storm of emotion inside. Although, one of these storms had been brewing for years, with the thunder finally showing its head.
Mato opened her mouth, letting a ragged breath come out. She struggled to find her voice, to which Yomi took a step forward to try and comfort her. She didn't expect Mato to rip her tricorne off, burying her fingers within her head and falling to her knees. Yomi stepped back, thinking Mato would let out some kind of scream.
Thus, the small sobs that followed caught her by surprise for the umpteenth time that day.
Once more, she walked towards the captain, who let out weak cries in opposition to the rage Yomi was expecting. "I'm just..." Mato tried, a sob interrupting her. Yomi kneeled beside her slowly, trying to not startle the captain.
"I'm just tired," Mato sobbed. "Every time I think things go well, they don't, and I'm tired of trying!" Yomi carefully wrapped her arms around her, letting Mato get her words out of her chest.
"The one time I gave someone my heart..." Mato didn't have the strength to finish; she instead clung onto Yomi's clothes and sobbed into her chest. Yomi bit back a wince, her own wound still fresh. The captain continued to sob, finally letting the weight of her pain fall off her shoulders.
Yomi couldn't pinpoint how much time had passed, she was only able to note that Mato had stopped crying at some point. She was able to understand the pain the captain had to go through these past few days, while the rest of her past tugged at her heart strings.
"Mato?"
A tired hum was her response.
"I'd like to be part of this crew."
+x+x+x+
"Easy... Deep breaths. Close your eyes if you have to."
Yomi did so, letting her eyes close and letting her breathing slow. Mato brought her knife forward, holding it by the flat of the blade to make sure it didn't jump about in her hand. With extreme caution, she brought the tip of the blade forward, carefully slipping it under the velvet sewn in Yomi's chest and moving it across to sever the thread. Once both ends were cut clearly, she returned the knife to its sheath and started to extract the thread.
"There we go," she mused once the strand had been extracted. "There'll probably be some scarring, but this way it'll fade over time."
"Thank you," Yomi praised, opening her eyes. Mato moved aside to let her sit upright, closing up her jacket before getting to her feet. "Do you want me to...?"
Mato didn't have the chance to respond before they heard Yuu yelling from outside; "Brace for impact!" She immediately put one arm around Yomi and seized the nearest support beam with the other; a hellish crash echoed across the ship as it lurched to one side, and Yomi found herself clinging to Mato as gravity tried to wrench them into the portside wall of the cabin.
"Another time," Mato warned once the ship was upright again, and Yomi nodded in agreement as they made their way out onto the deck. Helmsman Ron looked like he'd been clinging to the helm during the impact as the Captain made her way to the upper deck, asking, "What happened?"
"Captain!" Yuu turned to her. "Pirates. They rammed us before we could see them coming, and tried to board. We managed to keep them off the deck, but-"
"Then they made the first move," Mato insisted. "Ready the cannons! Boarding party, are we ready?"
"Aye!" cheered their best combatants.
Mato turned to Yomi. "Can you fight?"
"I-I can't fire a gun," Yomi admitted.
"Can you swing a sword?" Mato asked.
Yomi nodded. "Yes."
The captain drew the cutlass from her hip, handing it to Yomi. "You can join Marion and the others to the enemy deck, or you can take defensive position on the Brunhild. Either way, lethal force is for those who respond to mercy with steel. Am I clear?"
With a nod, Yomi accepted the cutlass. "Yes, Captain."
"Then find something to hold onto," Mato instructed, stepping up to the railing. The pirate vessel was coming around, looking like it was intent on ramming them again; it didn't look like they had a dedicated ram, but the ship was moving much faster in the water than the Brunhild was, and given Yuu's report, they were most likely just trying to get on board.
"Lock!"
The gunports opened, and cannons were thrust out to take aim at the attackers.
"Fire!"