Starring:
Date: October 1, 2014
Summary:
Needing a faster way to build the Mizukage's trust, Eremi thrusts Renai into a voyage that leads the pair onto the seas within the Land of Water only to end up captured by Pirates.
"Coalition Cleansing - Major Chitan: The demise and rise of a Captain"
Land of Water
"Wake up." A bag of supplies would land either on or next to Renai, tossed from the girls doorway by Eremi. It was an hour or so before the sun was to rise, so it wasn't unexpected for Eremi to believe the girl to be sleeping. After the comment was made, Eremi had already turned about, heading back to the entrance while he waited for Renai to get ready. What it was he hadn't said, so it would be up to the girl to figure out what the day was going to bring.
As for himself, Eremi was doing another check of his own supplies. They were quite limited like normal, though a few extra additions had been added. Aside from his normal three gourds hanging from his side, there was also a small pouch strapped to his back. Contents unknown. Upon his forearms was a sight not seen for quite some time. Bandages. Tightly wound as they made their way from his fingerless gloves and stopping just before his elbow.
What ever the day or following days were to bring, Eremi was prepared…To an extent.
It was the hot winds again. Renai stood on the edge of a beach where dry earth meets water and scorching winds blew through her hair, moving it out of place. Everything was serene otherwise, sharp angles and stark colors. Quiet. Blessed quiet. Not even the birds made noises. She looks down to the water as the smell of sulfur invades her nose. Tears fall down her cheeks in the dream. It's as though she has lost something precious. The lava rolls in behind her. She's been running from it. Her lungs still catch in gasping breaths. The water is high though. A wave of tsunami proportions. And then the sand swallows her, filling her lungs. "Wake up."
For once, Renai was actually there. The girl is usually gone way before dawn, but for whatever reason, today, she was sleeping in. The pack lands beside her, causing her to flinch awake rather violently, her long limbs tumbling backwards off her pallet and tangling her up in her blanket.
"What?" is her breathless reply. Renai sits up and rubs the sleep from her eyes before looking blearily around. The pajama-clad girl gets up and fumbles around for a few minutes, getting dressed. "Where are we going?" She yawns the question as she starts dressing, her uniform clean and pressed already. The girl runs a comb through her hair and then binds it back into a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. A quick stop for cookies and a bottle of tea and she's ready to go, the bag he tossed at her secured to her back.
Her eyes focus on him now that she's awake and able to see things more clearly. His level of readiness gives her pause. If even /he/ is that ready, then things just got serious. Her gaze lingers on the bandages for a moment, wondering, and then lifts to his face. "We're doing something dangerous, aren't we.."
Even with a new level of preparedness, Eremi was still traveling relatively light. Most of what they would need was now carried by Renai or waited for them further down. The final check completed and Eremi would finally look towards the girl, eyes following her as she moved about the house. The few questions asked would be ignored, save for the last.
"Yes." Stating simply. He wasn't going to sugarcoat it, there was no need. The two of them were headed for danger and Renai needed to be ready for it. "If you've got all you need, we're leaving right now." Seeing the bag secured to the girls back was all he cared about as he reached for the door and headed out onto the docks.
Within the Fish Market, not much stirred awake. The stars in the sky blocked out by the low lying mists and fogs that typically cover the Land of Water. Visibility was low. Though once the sun crested over the horizon, the market would be filled, which is why the two were leaving at such an early hour. As they reached the docks, not surprisingly, there was actual activity. Fishermen having already come and gone, dragging in their hauls before the markets open. Other were heading out again for another catch.
Eremi moved past them all, heading in a specific direction. Occassionally his eyes would glance toward Renai, making sure she was keeping up and holding firmly toward the bag. Their destination would lead them to a man that waited just before a pier. At the end was a dinghy class boat, with a single sail and a pair of oars. Approaching the man, "Tanu. I hope we aren't late. You have what we need?" Tanu shook his head, "It's fine and I have what you need so long as you have what I need."
Renai doesn't ask anymore questions once he says they're leaving. Instead, she nods and follows him, taking only a moment to lock the door to their apartment behind her. She quietly munches at the cookies, tasteless things, more like crackers than anything, and sips her tea. It's not a good breakfast, but it will hold her over until she can get something decent. She's tempted to buy a fish as well to take with them, but fish is not a stealthy food. Too aromatic. Her eyes pull away from the markets setting up.
The girl keeps up with Eremi, only a few paces behind him and keeping her distance from most everyone else. Her steps are careful and well-placed as they move out to the docks. She steps over nets and ropes, careful to not get tangled in any as they are tossed about, wet ropes on salt-sprayed hardwood. The sounds of creaking lumbers and rolling carts are all around them as they move toward Eremi's destination. That and more natural things. The sounds of water rushing to shore and battering the undersides of fishing catches and ships, and the calls of early birds as they stalk the fishermen, waiting for one to leave his bounty unattended.
Her eyes fall on Tanu when they stop, roaming over the creature as she takes a quick appraisal of his character. So it is to be a barter then? Renai looks to Eremi, curious. She hesitates to pull the bag from her back, unsure if this is 'what he needs.' She looks out to the boat with a slight grimace all the same though. That must be what they're getting in exchange. Renai /hates/ being on the water.
Eremi nodded at the man before gesturing to Renai and the bag she carried. She wasn't wrong in her assumption. "Of course." Tanu extended a hand, waiting for Renai to hand it over so he could peer at what was inside. To which the man would find an overflowing amount of ryo. More than satisfied, Tanu clutched the bag tightly to his chest. "The boats all yours. You'll find it to your liking." With that, Tanu stepped away, moving into the shadows.
Watching the man disappear with his money, Eremi could only hope the ANBU of Kiri weren't watching the duo's movements and felt a need to apprehend Tanu for questioning. Something that couldn't be avoided. "Come on. Our boat waits." Walking along the pier until reaching the dinghy, he'd inspect the vessel as if he knew what he was looking at before climbing aboard and moving toward the oars.
"Take a seat if you'd like, the journey will be long. The few crates you see are filled mostly with fruits. Oh and don't worry. We won't be leaving the Land of Water…I know how Meruin feels about that."
Renai hands over the bag willingly enough once it's known that's what it's for. She watches Tanu as he looks inside, her own eyes widening when she catches a glimpse of the ryo. Well, then. She probably would have been ten times more cautious if she had known what the bag held. But, then again, that's probably exactly the type of behavior Eremi wanted to avoid. She'd draw attention to herself. Well played.
The girl hesitates before getting into the boat. She's tempted to run down off the docks and fill up a crate with sand just in case. But, the girl restrains herself and climbs in. She doesn't sit though, not yet. "I was wondering if I needed to make a scene. Thanks for the reassurance though. So what is this all about?" She walks around, inspecting things. The girl would lift the lids of crates that she could and peer suspiciously at those she couldn't. Eventually, though, she'd sit, her legs drawing close to her as she peers out at the seas.
Once Renai boarded, Eremi wasted no time in untying the dinghy from the pier and pushing off into the waters. Now free, he'd take a position at the oars and begin a slow rowing motion that led them out into sea. Eyes stayed focused out on the waters in front of them even as Renai poised her questions. "Regardless of passing the test Meruin had placed before me, I'm sure he still has a short leash on the two of us. At least until as a pair, we can show our value to the man. I don't have time for such games, so instead of slowly building up to what the Mizukage expects of us. We're going straight to the finish line." His rowing continued, never faltering. Behind them, the docks of Kirigakure were still in view.
"There are talks of Pirates within the Land of Water that could potentially be a threat or at least a nuisance were they to attack at any time with the SIlence still a serious issue. Taking care of them now is sure to grant huge favor from the Mizukage. Perhaps enough to extend our own restrictions to beyond the boundaries of the Land of Water. If not…." He shook his head, knowing it won't come to that. "From what I've been able to gather, the Pirates are skilled and competent as far as pirates go. So this will be quite dangerous. Perhaps too much so for even you to be accompany to, but by having you here shows that I can protect you."
With Renai looking through the crates, she'd see that the ones that would open are in fact mostly fruit. The other ones however…"They're weapons. The crate on your right are projectiles, while the one on your left is," A smile crossing his face as he rowed, "Well, that ones a secret." Snickering softly, "Oh, and if you're thirsty there are some jugs of water, but try to ration it some."
Renai watches him as he starts to row, her eyes moving between him and the disappearing land. She frowns slightly. "You're showing him you can protect me by putting me in a situation where I can be killed." Her gaze shifts to focus on Eremi, direct and accusing. It lingers for a moment and then she breaks out into a soft giggle. "I should have thought of that."
As they move into the misty waters, she would hush, keeping her voice low as they talk. Even with the cover as light as it is, voices can carry in weird ways in the fog. It will be at least another hour or so before it clears entirely. She takes note of the water and her eyes linger on the 'secret' crate. She has a mind to bust the side of it open, but holds herself back, letting Eremi have his fun. The girl would smirk at him and then lean back, moving some things to make a makeshift bed for herself. "Well, wake me up when we get there." Renai knows how useless she is out here. Without the earth beneath her feet, she is effectively blinded. It would be much better for her to catch a nap than to worry herself into a fit over what she can't see.
Eremi glanced curiously at Renai, "You're not worried are you?" Something he hadn't considered. She puts up a brave front, but how did the former-Touketsu actually feel. "Well, to be honest. You're a shinobi, so any situation you are a part of is a chance for you to be killed. This just increases those chances, but with me around lowers that chance. So..take that as you will I guess." His attention shifting back to the waters and his breathing. The rowing only increasing slightly. Were the winds more favorable he'd hoist the sail, but for now he's forced to be the power for the ship.
"Nap if you'd like, but…Eh, nevermind. Go ahead and nap." For some reason he couldn't find a reason to tell Renai that there was a good chance they might not find the pirate ship today or even tomorrow. Perhaps doing so she'd decide against napping and even request to go back to Kirigakure. The truth was that unless by luck there was a good chance they weren't going to find the pirates. The land of water was vast and covering it all in mere hours was not possible. Of course he'd row in the direction where the pirates were last spotted, but even that depended on the pirates remaing where they are. A constant thought as the dinghy moved into a thick cluster of fog.
Renai didn't actually land up sleeping. Is she worried? She's always worried. That and the rocking of the boat as Eremi rows keep her from falling into anything restful. The girl is just dozing along the surface, lost in lingering dreams and thoughts about his words and what they will find.
Eventually, she sits up though. Renai seems little for words, her mind preparing itself for what is to come. She wants to keep Eremi from harm as much as possible which means she needs to be smart. Keeping herself out of precarious situations will keep him out of them as well. That is most ideal. Should they find a boat swarmed by pirates, perhaps they can take it by surprise, eliminate the captain efficiently, and then deal with the others on the way out. Her hand moves briefly to the dagger at her waist, her fingers wrapping around the hilt as though to assure herself that it's still there. Pirates are a plague to Kirigakure. Well, /some/ people would see them as such. Personally, she would wish to not kill the underlings. With the right leadership, they could be an opportunity.
The thick patch of fog made it difficult to see much outside of the boat itself, but Eremi continued to row in a single direction, hoping it would clear sooner than later. There not being much to look at, his soft gaze turned to Renai. Watching as she stirred about before eventually giving up at catching a few more hours of rest. A smirk would cross his face, but he refrained from saying anything.
Some time would pass and eventually Eremi would finally speak, "How do you think we should handle these pirates? It's very unlikely we'll be able to get the drop on them unless the fog continues. If we're lucky, they won't fire cannons at us due to the boat being so small, but that's wishful thinking. We're a small boat this far from the coast…" He shrugged through the rowing.
The girl would look up at Eremi when he speaks, studying him for a moment. She releases the hilt of the dagger and rubs her palm against her thigh as though something sticky or dirty was on it. "Well.. It's possible they could be bought. And if I were in charge of Kirigakure, that's what I'd be doing." Renai shrugs. She isn't, so that isn't an option. "If we come upon them on open water, it will be hard to sneak up on the ship. If we could come up on them while they're loading or unloading though.." She taps her lips gently. "We could stow away in a crate or something, wait for the ship to leave, and then take out its Captain directly. The loss of leadership might cause disunity among the crew and make the situation far more efficient. But if we could take the crew as prisoners.." She's trying to think of a way to achieve the mission without so much loss of life.
"What do you think, Eremi?"
Eremi hummed silently while he thought about what Renai offered up for suggestions in dealing with the pirates. "Sneaking up on the ship will be the tricky part. Even if we're unable to do so, if we keep our focus purely on killing the Captain, there's a good chance the crew may still end up in disarray. From there we could take control of the ship and hope the crew follows along."
The fog started to clear and a gentle breeze picked up from behind the ship. Needing a break, Eremi pulled in the oars before moving over toward the mast and hoisted up the sail. The wind would catch and slowly the dinghy lurched forward. Still standing, Eremi's long hair flowed behind him and he smiled in the process. He was enjoying this.
Renai nods in agreement and watches Eremi as he hoists up the sail. She knows nothing about ships. The most she could probably do is be menacing and boss people into some form of order. As the sail catches the wind, she moves, lifting the lid of one of the crates and fishing about. Finding a couple of oranges, she takes two, one for herself and one for Eremi. The girl tosses it at him, hoping he's not too distracted to catch it. She begins to peel her own and tosses the peel into the water. Despite her lingering anxiety about being off the solid earth, she's having fun as well. She feels secure. So, that's enough for now.
"So what's in the secret crate?" Renai nudge said crate with her foot. Her eyes lift to him, a gleam in them. She's hoping to get him to tell her, but will likely continue a playful banter should he refuse, just for fun.
Seeing the orange, Eremi didn't hesitate in catching the offering before ripping it in half and digging in. Having missed breakfast to prepare for this rather spontaneous 'mission', he was happy to get something in his belly. Even if it was just the fruit. "Well…" Pausing between bites and slurping the juice from the orange. "If you want to know, I'll tell you, but it really isn't anything great. You might be let down if you think it's a huge secret. Just something I thought might be helpful."
Renai is more delicate with her own orange, peeling every bit of the skin off before sectioning the fruit out and nibbling at it piece by piece, making it last. "Hmm. Better tell me now then. It would probably be better if I know what cards I have to lay on the table before we find them. I don't usually like to go into dangerous situations ill-prepared." Which is sort of what she is doing. Had she known an excursion involving pirates and ship was in her future, she might have cooked up a few scrolls. Supplies at least. But Eremi is here so everything will be fine, right? Renai grins at that thought.
Finishing off the orange, Eremi licked his lips as he tossed the remains aside. "Unlike me and most others, your talents are many." He'd drop to his knees, rocking the boat some and shift to the side to wash off his hands in the sea. "You are a Taijutsuist, Ninjutsuist and Genjutsuist. It is quite the resume." Flailing his hands about to dry them out before moving to take a seat once again, "Unfortunately, because your skills are spread so thin, if you can't use one of your specialties, you're only two/thirds useful. Which is no good for this mission." He'd start to grin, as if proud of himself. "This time around though, I took care of that." Gesturing to the crate. "I'm sure if you focused your chakra you'd know what's in there already, but I assume because it's still early and things are a bit peaceful, you didn't realize that the crate….Is full of sand."
Renai listens to him quietly, her cheeks flushing a bit as he describes her abilities. She's appreciates whatever god made her able to wield all three forms of jutsu, but it has been a bit of a thorn in her side. Because of that, she has developed much more slowly. It's caused a lot of problems for the girl. A lot of jealousy toward others and much directed at herself from said others.
When he says the crate is full of sand, she blinks in surprise. She hadn't been sensing so she had no idea. Renai sets a hand on the side of the crate and forces a small amount of chakra from her palm. "Oh!" She straightens, seeming much more confident. "You really are a knight in shining armor. You know that?" The genin pulls on the material within and a small amount finds its way out of a crack beneath the lid and between her palms. Her face lights up and she starts to amuse herself by molding it into different shapes. Renai looks up to him with a pleased grin. He always thinks of everything.
Eremi's grin grew wider, but quickly disappeared as the ship started to rock about. A hand would raise before him and a finger touched his lips. The fog was still present, but thinning with each passing moment. Still, Eremi peered about in hopes of trying to detect anything that would be making the waves. "It's possible." Breaking the silence. "We're in the wake of a large boat. Maybe even the pirate ship." WIshful thinking, but it was possible nonetheless. Unfortunately it was hard to tell.
Renai's smile fades when his does, catching the note of tension that fills the air. She gathers the sand into a solid, hard ball and wraps her hand around it as he looks about. Renai turns to look ahead of them, wishing she had a bit of ground beneath her feet. She has dull perceptions. The fact of that is a constant nagging ache in the back of her head. It's something she needs to fix.
Her eyes are all but blinded in this fog. So, she turns back, looking to Eremi for direction. Instead of getting worried though, the girl simply closes her eyes and begins focusing on her inner being. She gathers chakra into herself slowly, letting it build in a way that hopefully won't tip anyone off, but will leave her ready to defend herself if needed.
This was somewhat frustrating. The pirates ship could be right in front of them and they'd have no idea. Eremi sighed as he moved to the starboard edge and put his hands in the water, feeling the waves as they pushed into the hull. "Can you see anything? Anything at all?" He questioned, but before an answer could be given, Eremi disappeared. The only indication as to where he had gone being a splash of water that raised high above the boat. After which, there was silence. The waves had settled and even the breeze seems to have disappeared. The dinghy was motionless on the vast sea, surrounded by blinding fog in all directions.
A few more moments of silence would pass before a thunderous splash was heard through the thick fog. Nothing followed until Eremi flew into view and crashed into the mast, destroying it and the sail with it. He didn't stop though, his body continued through only to peter as he skipped off the water and vanished into the fog once again. Though he didn't stay gone long, reappearing in full sprint. "Be ready. It's coming!"
Renai's eyes grow wide when Eremi quite ungentlemanly-like hurls her back into the boat. Her sand, luckily, is kept with her with an extra force of will from the girl. However, she lands ungracefully in the boat and the material seems to collapse around her, unbound by her chakra.
She pops up to peer over the side, listening to Eremi's words and pushing back her irrational anger at him. The girl rises back up to her feet and dusts herself off with small pats, eyeing the tentacle warily. "So. Should we try to kill it? Or should we run?" She seems neutral and willing to do either really. Too bad they would have no real way to transport it back. That meat would probably make them a killing at the market.
"I…" Eremi didn't want to admit he didn't know what to do at this point. Most of his opponents are actual people. Only once has he fought a creature he couldn't explain and coincidentally enough it was in the Land of Water, during the chuunin exams and in their Blood Marsh. "If we try to run, leaving the boat behind, we risk being on open water. If we try to run with the boat, the sail is destroyed, I think splashing into the water might draw it's attention…"
Regardless of their choices, the beast was ready to attack. Surrounding the boat several tentacles sprouted up. They twirled about then one by one fell toward the boat. If the crates are damaged, it's fine, however if the oars are destroyed, it's a long walk home a top the waters…
Her face hardens as she watches the creature attacking them. The girl would move swiftly, flipping up into the air with the first tentacle attack directed at her. She lands lightly on the water and then quickly jumps back to evade the second.
Renai would move toward one of the crates and rummage through it, making some clanking noises. Not finding what she needs, she tugs the dagger from her belt and looks to Eremi to ensure he is alright. "It needs to die. Right now." It would not do for them to be wearing themselves out on this creature only to have a band of pirates show up and finish them off. The girl grimaces and looks down at the dark water, wishing fervently that she could use it.
The sand he brought her is forgotten for now. If the boat is destroyed, it would be lost to her. Fighting with earth is rather difficult to do on the water anyways. She takes a deep breath and rather suddenly drops beneath the surface. Her body floats for a moment and then the girl kicks, moving toward the creature, salt stinging her eyes. They need to get at its heart. Fighting tentacles will get them no where.
The first tentacle that came for Renai did not find the girl, instead splintered into the bow, sending chunks of wood flying. "We can't take more of those." Eremi offered while focused on the tentacles that came his way. He didn't avoid them though, but brought up his arms to catch each one and hold tightly. The force of the creatures attack, forcing the boat to bob harshly in the water, creating ripples that went out in all directions.
"Get back here!" Eremi shouted as Renai dived into the water. He couldn't stop her though, too engaged with the tentacles that his fingers were digging into tightly while his feet pressed into the boat in an attempt to pull the creature out of the water like a caught fish. Despite his efforts though, the creatures size was too grand. Knowing his efforts were futile, he released the tentacles and they quickly submerged back into the waters black depths.
Which was a bad thing for Renai. The fog still hovered above the water, filtering out any light from the night sky that might have piereced its surface. Another hour or so and the sun would have crested the horizon, burning up the fog, but that wasn't the case…The creature feeling the motions in the wave sends several more tentacles in the direction of Renai, ignore the boat for the time being.
Eremi though, was panicking. Diving into the waters wouldn't help either of them as he couldn't see any better in the abyss than Renai could. Both could end up being killed, but he couldn't leave Renai alone to fight the beast. Her life was his to take care of. Cursing, he jumped off the boat and began to push open several chakra gates. Each one increasing his abilities as well as changing his physical appearance as his skin turned a shade of red and his muscles twitched and veins began to bulge throughout. As more gates opened, a green 'aura' encompassed Eremi and a vortex formed beneath him as the over flowing amount of chakra began to course through and without his body.
Renai probably didn't think things through as much as she probably should have. She /can't/ see down here. The first tentacle takes her by surprise. She feels the rush of water and attempts to move, twisting her body, but it takes her in the back regardless, shoving her several feet farther down into the depths of the sea. It takes her a moment to recover, having lost some of her precious air in the assault. The other two are blocked and pushed away from her, the last only barely.
Gritting her teeth, she whips the dagger down in an attempt to anchor herself in last offending limb, keeping a strong hold on the hilt just in case she succeeds and the creature decides to flop her about. She can see it, though dimly, more of a silhouette than a clear picture. But it's eyes glow and that alone is enough to send a shiver down her spine.
Six of the eight Chakra Gates opened, Eremi jumped high into the air. A single leg tucked into the other and both arms stretched out. Once he reached the height of his ascension, he began to punch in rapid succession. Each punch so fast and with such force, it strikes against the air creating friction in the process, igniting his fists and sending flames into the waters below. Though the attack is powerful, when it impacts against the water, the force is practically stopped and the flames disperse, losing their intensity.
It is an unusual move for Eremi to make, but the brightness of the flames, even as it crashes into the surface of the water, is enough to send flashes of light to the depths below. Giving brief glimpes of the creature as more than just a silhouette. It is an odd creature, round in shape with several tentacles protruding from all sides and two beady red eyes and a beak that make up its face.
The attempted stab from Renai would be missed as the beast brings its tentacles back only to lash out at the girl once again. Feeling the massive force above, causes it to send more tentacles at Eremi as well.
Renai looks up at the surface of the water as everything seems to light up. What is that? Cannon fire? No time to think about it. She's going to run out of air and things will get bad for her. Her gaze shifts in time to see the attacks and the girl twists, kicking violently to cause her body to shoot off in one direction and then another. She's slowed by the water, but efficient enough to avoid the attacks.
Having caught glimpses of it, Renai knows where to attack and she starts kicking again, tightening the grip on her dagger and moving in on the rounded body. Those red eyes are a weak point, or so she thinks. Once close, Renai kicks, pushing herself in to attempt piercing one of the eyes with two quick slashes of her dagger.
As Eremi dropped back down to the waters, two tentacles reached out for him, whipping about. He brought his hands up to block the first and while it reduced some of the damage, it sent Eremi flying toward the boat and crashing into the boat itself. There was a crunch and more wood chunks went flying. The next tentacle that struck, while it had equal force, merely forced the boat to bob up and down on its water while Eremi braced himself.
The tentacles above twirled about until suddenly retreating back into the depths. Eremi leaned up against the boats side and peered at the water. While he was desceneding he had caught glimpses of the beast, but more importantly…Renai. She was still alive. He breathed a sigh of relief, but how long would that last.
The beast writhed in pain, drawing in all its tentacles to cover itself in a protective barrier when its eyes are slashed. It was in pain, clearly, but far from being killed. Still, it had suffered a huge blow and began to sink deeper into the sea.
When the beast starts retreating, the girl watches for a moment, making sure that it isn't attacking her again. The darkness of the waters would swallow her and she looks upward, kicking slowly to begin her ascent up to the surface.
There's a slight splashing noise when her head breaks through the water and then the sound of a deep, pained gasp. She pauses for a few moments, taking deep gulps of air like a fish. Eventually, she rolls and focuses chakra into her feet, getting herself atop the water. She's hurting from the blow dealt to her back, but it's just deep bruising. At one time, that kind of attack would have broken her in half.
Renai doesn't move for the moment, glancing about in her quiet manner to find Eremi and the boat.
The Morning Peacock from earlier, the heat it put off managed to burn away a large portion of the fog that was in the vicinity, so when Renai pops out of the water, Eremi is quick to call her over. "Hey! Get over here, quick!" He'd shout, momentarily forgetting that voices could carry and the pirates could be nearby as well. Though if the pirates hadn't heard the battle that had just ensued, then shouting shouldn't be out of the question.
Hearing his voice, Renai turns, spotting Eremi and running toward him. She climbs into the boat and inspects the damage, her body still ringing wet. Hands move up to push her wet hair out of her face and she looms over him, looking and peering with a concerned expression. "Are you okay?" Her chest is still heaving in the effort to get enough air inside her body to quell her burning lungs. Pirates are out of her mind and whatever that thing was. Renai is entirely focused on Eremi. "What.. What was making all that light? I thought the pirates came up on you. Have they gone?"
As Renai approached, Eremi couldn't help but inspect the girl for injuries. "I'm fine. Are you okay though?" It looked like she had suffered some wounds, but they appeared to be minor. Relieved, he leaned back only to jump up suddenly and pull a sliver from behind his back. "Seems the oars were destroyed. That's…going to be interesting." Sighing as he rooted about, picking up the fragments that littered the ship and tossing them overboard. "No, it wasn't pirates. I made that light. I don't think we have to worry about pirates anymore though, maybe dehydration…" The dinghy a little cleaner he moved toward the aft of the ship and dropped before spreading out his legs and making himself comfortable. "Nothing to do now except wait for the fog to clear so we can make our long walk back to shore. Hopefully the current doesn't carry us out too far."
She watches him intently, eyeing his motions and wondering what he had done. He always seems to do something really awesome when she can't exactly witness it. It's actually sort of annoying. She inhales deeply with a slight wince before answering, "I'm okay, I think. Just took a hit to my back. It hurts to breathe, but nothing feels broken or fractured." If there is any pain Renai knows best, it is that of broken ribs. People seem to like to hit her in her torso.
The tall girl moves around, moving things to find their water. She grasps one container and thrusts it toward Eremi. Another is grabbed for herself. They deserve it. Her eyes fall on the sand littering the bottom of the small vessel, appraising as she drinks. A lot of it seems wet, which can be a little problematic for her. She sits and starts quietly sorting the dry material back into the empty crate and rolling the wet stuff around with some of the dry until the water content starts to thin out. That should help the rest to dry more easily.
Eremi watched Renai as she moved about, curious to her actions. When some water was produced and hurled his way, he caught it, but held it to his side. Seems if she wasn't taking care of him, he'd forget to eat or drink. "Thanks" A drink of the water would finally be taken, though only a small one. Important to conserve after all. "I think there's still at least a half hour or so until sun rise. We can begin moving when that happens or rest longer if you'd like?" Tilting his head back, he'd peer up into the fog, eyes slowly closing. Opening up so many gates and using such a powerful move takes a lot out of him.
Renai pauses with the sand to take another small sip and closes her container. The water is put back where she got it from. "I think it's important we try to be rested before we head out.. in case we meet another one of those.. things or, you know.. pirates." Her lips turn to a frown as she watches him. He seems abnormally tired. It has her worried.
She allows a few moments of serene silence to pass before she reaches forward to place a hand on his leg. "Eremi." Her voice is low and serious, "Please be careful. I know you're supposed to protect me, but you shouldn't push so hard if it's dangerous. I'd rather have you alive and both of us in grave danger than dead." Her hand retreats then and she moves to search through what remains, finding them both some fruit to eat. The girl is quiet as she divvies it up between them-a couple more oranges, bananas, and a mango. There's more, but she's trying to conserve that as well. Plus, fruit only goes so far to fill the belly. She may have to improvise a fishing line before long.
Resting is exactly what Eremi had planned to do, sleeping at least, but Renai seemed to have other ideas. Feeling a hand touch his leg, a single eye would open in response. He'd listen to what the girl had to say before closing his eyes once again. "No need to worry about me." He shifted in his position, "But if it makes you feel better, I don't plan on dying any time soon. So while it seems I'm pushing myself to my limits, I've only barely scratched their surface."
With Renai rummaging about, Eremi drifted off once again. It didn't take long afterwards before the fog that covered much of the sea had disappeared, burned up from the rising sun off in the distance. With a clear line of sight, there was nothing but water that surrounded the dinghy on all sides. Without any current, the ship remained motionless.
She leaves him alone after that but is too awake and bottled up with anxiety to rest herself. Quietly, the girl continues working on the sand, drying it as best she can and moving it back into the crate. The lid is put on quietly so that she doesn't disturb him.
Renai glances up when sunlight touches her face. She takes a moment to orient herself, placing the sun on her right side and mapping out directions in her mind. Her lips press together. She more or less knows where they are, but, with no sight of land, she has no idea how far out to sea they've gone. A soft sighs escapes her. She's tempted to leave the boat and go walking a bit, but the girl restrains herself. She must stay with him. Renai goes about eating her fruit and sipping a little more water to replenish herself, waiting for Eremi to rest up
The sun would continue to rise and eventually shine on Eremi as well. The warmth causing him to stir a bit before he opens his eyes and sits up. Peering about, he wasn't sure how far out they were, but knew Kirigakure was to the East. Walking would be dangerous, but perhaps their only option to return back to the village with a failed attempt at trying to be proactive. Turning to look at Renai, he'd wonder if she got any rest or simply relaxed. "Did I miss anything?
Renai watches Eremi as he rises, her fruit peelings having been discarded over the side of the boat. The girl shakes her head at his question. "I think we're pretty far out. I haven't seen very many birds." Her eyes turn in the direction of where she thinks the land is, seeming longing, yet regretful. She turns them away and glances back out to the sea with a sigh. The idea of returning with a failed objective is one she loathes. "What's the plan? We could try to keep searching, but I'm not entirely sure it will do us any good. There's a lot of water to cover."
Eremi thought on the question for a bit. He knew of a sure fire way that would help get them back to the shore easily. Though doing so would definitely be overkill. Something to save for later if the situation requires it. "There is a lot of water to cover so without oars or a sail, I'm not sure how we would go about doing that. Neither of us can manipulate water or wind, so not exactly sure what to do except wait for some waves to hopefully take us toward some land. If we end up in Konoha though, that could be bad." He'd pick up the water near him and take a drink.
Renai hmms softly and looks about. The issue is that they need oars. A sail would be better in the event of wind, but she isn't keen on the idea of having them both strip down and make one out of the clothing. After a long moment of pondering and thinking, she finally just gets up with a huff of impatience. The girl steps neatly off the boat and sinks beneath the water again. It takes her a moment to orient herself, but she eventually starts swimming toward the bottom, looking about to see if she can spot any wreckage or anything they might use to make their situation easier to manage.
Eremi shrugged as he leaned back in his seat, not really caring how long they were to stay out here. The day had only just started, so spending the rest of it relaxing on the boat wouldn't be too bad. Though hopefully they'd be found before it got dark once again or another strange creature of the deep were to show. "Well…" Then Renai jumps into the water. Eremi would rise from his spot and hurry over toward the edge of the boat, only to see the girl starting to swim deeper into the water. At least that meant she wasn't grabbed by a creature. Would have made more sense, "That girl is going to freeze to death."
Not wanting to go for a dip himself, Eremi waited on the ship, but didn't have to wait long until their was an explosion off in the distance, followed by a massive splash in the water near the dinghy. Looking about, Eremi would see a large ship off in the distance. Their sails hoisted high on the masts, the symbol…hard to see from this far, but he knew what it was. This was terrible timing. Their own ship was in no condition to take on that of a pirates, so he wasn't sure why they were shooting at him. Target practice? Wasting ammunition if you ask him. Still, Eremi reached for what ever part of their own sail remained, tearing off a piece of the white cloth and waved it about.
Renai stops swimming rather suddenly when an iron ball drops through the water a few feet away from her. She almost loses her air in surprise. She thinks a very bad word and starts kicking herself back up to the surface.
Moments later, she pops free of the water and climbs noisily back into the boat. Her eyes light upon Eremi and his sailcloth. Surrender? Perhaps. She looks to the boat, unable to identify the sails.
That may be their only chance. Renai moves to rip off a piece of the sail as well and rises, waving hers about with Eremi. Even if is the pirate, they would stand a far greater chance being captured than floating around on a boat that can't move. Well, unless they took off running. That's always an option as well. Come to think of it. That doesn't sound like a bad idea.
With the white flags waved, there wasn't any more shots being fired. Either the pirates had accepted their surrender or the first shot before was simply a warning. Either way, the pirates ship dropped anchor as it moved several yards closer beforew lowering a smaller ship filled with a few passengers that started to move in Eremi and Renai's direction. "So, do we fight or let them take us?" Eremi mumbled to Renai, yet continued to wave the flag in the process. The pirates would be on them soon, so an answer would be needed before that time came.
She frowns as she sees the people coming toward them. She doesn't wave her cloth anymore but keeps it above her head as a gesture of good faith. "Let them take us." Her voice is soft as she speaks. "It's a risk, but we can do more damage if we start from /inside/ the ship, aye?" Renai looks to Eremi and then falls quiet as the pirates approach. Letting herself be captured is not something she's very comfortable with, but it seems better than trying to fight the crew while guns are pointed at them. They need to be smart, not brash.
"Well, I could easily put my fist through the ship, but you said you wanted to try and capture the crewmates. So, we'll do it your way." The pirates reached their ship, four of them, each in varying sizes, but all smelling the same. "Oh, ho, ho. What have we here?" One of the pirates called out as they boarded the dinghy. "Looks like some weapons and fruit" Another pirate offered as they rummaged through the crates. "Someone to throw off the plank." A hand would rest on Eremi's shoulder. "And something to keep us company during our long journey." The last pirate looking hungrily at Renai. "Alright boys, load em up." The crates would be taken one by one, while Eremi and Renai are led to the other ship.
The girl watches them quietly, trying to keep herself from reacting to them. Her eyes linger on the crates as they are taken, glad she got to eat a bit of the fruit before they were found. She watches the crate of sand, hoping they'll take it aboard too. The pirate that looks at her 'hungrily' would get narrowed eyes and a wrinkled nose. That one will die. Her mind is made up about that much.
Renai goes without a fight, but tries to stay close to Eremi. She would really rather not be separated from him. Her eyes lift up to the ship as they are led to it, briefly running through her brain what she knows of ship construction and how the thing is likely to be set up on the inside.
Once everything from the damaged dinghy was loaded onto the small boat, the pirates pushed off and started toward their main ship. Once it reached the hull, the crew worked to secure the boat before it could be hoisted up and reach the deck where every thing would be unloaded and Eremi and Renai would be brought aboard. There were at least fifty pirates, give or take, from what Eremi could see. A few moving the crates to different sections of the ship. The weapons would go one direction, the fruits and water in another. As for the sand, they weren't exactly sure what to do with it, but it seemed like it would be thrown overboard soon enough.
"Come on. The Captain wants to meet you to decide your fate." The two would be taken toward the Captain's quarters and brought inside. The room was quite large, with several 'claimed' items decorating the walls. Toward the end was a large desk, with an equally large man sitting behind it. "A kirigakure shinobi and a…?" Eyeing Eremi, "Merchant down on his luck?" The Captain steepled his fingers and sat forward in his chair. "Putting two and two together, you" Gesturing toward Renai, "Were sent on a solo mission to protect this man as he delivers his goods across the sea. Where I don't know and it doesn't matter as you've had the misfortune of coming across our path. For I am Major Chitan and you will not be leaving this ship alive."
Renai goes along with things willingly enough. The only time she seems to give any fight is when someone tries to push her. Then, she'd stop and glare until hands were taken off of her. Eventually, she would find herself standing in front of the large man and listening as he evaluates their situation. She drips water onto the deck in a somewhat undignified manner, having not had any time to properly dry herself off.
Hands move once he says they'll be dying to push her wet hair out of her face and attempting to dry herself with her sleeve a bit. "Are you sure you want to make that call, Major Chitan? Isn't going to war with Kirigakure something Captain Masami should decide?" She exudes confidence like someone much higher ranked than herself. The girl even smiles. /He/ thinks Eremi is a merchant. And Renai is content with letting him believe what he wants.
Major Chitan titled his head slightly to the side before chuckling loudly and banding a hand on the desk, "That's cute girl. You talk big, but know little. What are you getting at, if I kill you, we go to war with Kirigakure?" He'd laugh once again, shaking his head slowly, "I could care less about what happens in Kirigakure. The seas belong to us girl and besides…" He'd stand up in his seat, reaching his full height of 6'2 "I said you wouldn't be leaving this ship alive. Which just means you won't be leaving this ship at all. Your merchant friend on the other hand…"
During the conversation, Eremi remained silent and tried to act sheepishly, keeping up the act of a merchant that is in a situation he'd rather not be in. With shaky hands, he'd reach for a gourd and take a sip as if to try and quell his nerves. The pirates nearest to Eremi watched his actions before yanking the gourd from Eremi's hand, "Share what ye got!" The pirate would take a drink from the gourd, only to immediately start choking, "What is this, gasoline?"
She listens to the man, considering. Well, this man is stubborn. Renai has no patience for it. The girl frowns. She would really not have any of this come to bloodshed. When someone takes the gourd from Eremi, the girl's eyes widen. "That.." she says, pausing for emphasis. "..was stupid."
Renai moves suddenly, her slender frame leaping into the air. She lands on the door and there's a heavy slam as she pins the thing shut, trapping those who are in here in the room. The girl stay attached to the door, one foot on it and the other on the wall, peering down at them like a hawk. She forms seals to focus her chakra, feeling it build within her being. Briefly, she tries to sense for the sand, but it is too far for the girl to reach.
Two of the four pirates went down, succumbed to the effects of the genjutsu. The other two pirates stayed with Renai, moving as she did, swords still poised to cut into the girls flesh for a more mortal strike this time around. Chitan however, despite the girls comments, remained seated. "If I had better looks, girl, I wouldn't be a pirate. Maybe a politician, a Daimyo even, but these are the cards life dealt me and I'm content with it."
Eremi clambered to his feet and reached for another gourd, larger in size then the one taken from him just moments earlier. He'd fumble with the cap and then take a large drink of the contents before dropping the canister to the ground. It bounced against the wood floors, but nothing spilled out. It was empty.
The girl narrows her eyes at the man. When the other two pirates attack her, she looks away though, moving and twisting her body to evade their strikes. "Well, if that's how you want it.." She doesn't say anything else after that. Her eyes focus on the two men remaining up and she presses into their senses as well to attempt forcing them to the floorboards along with the other two. One hand moves to the hilt of her dagger and she pulls it free from her belt in a smooth motion. Eyes lock onto Eremi's and the girl shakes her head with a solemn expression. The bridge for saving lives has been burned. Or, at least that's how she sees it. Whether or not the other two crew mates fall, Renai would move past them with her knife and attempt to leap over the larger man's desk and drive the blade into his body.
Another guard would drop from the genjutsu, while the two that dropped earlier were starting to regain their senses, moving to their hands and feet. The commotion within the Major's quarters finally draw the attention of the remaining crew members outside and start to push on the door. Eremi seeing this, began to sway from side to side before stumbling towards the door, tripping over two of the down guards before he crashes into the door and slumps to the floor. Closing it shut.
As Renai lunged towards Chitan, he slammed his hands into his desk before flipping it up to halt the girls advancement and potentially pin her underneath the desk. Standing up, the Major pulled a blade from his side and a revolver from the other. "You are over stepping your bounds, girl."
Renai falters when the desk is moved to block her attack. She backs up a step and turns to peer at the commotion and Eremi's.. stumbling. Renai turns her head back in time to see the desk coming for her. She attempts to move out of the way but just can't get enough speed. The heavy piece of furniture comes crashing down on her and pins her to the floorboards as the man had intended. There's a groan of pain from her and she starts trying to move again, pushing at the desk and trying to wiggle her body free. Her eyes lock onto Chitan as he speaks. She sees the revolver and sword and starts to move with a little more panic before he should decide to skewer her while she can't move so freely.
"Silly, girl." Chitan commented as he stepped toward the desk that covered the girl, "If you would have submitted, you could have spared your life, instead you have forfeited it. Shame." His sword would raise high above his head before bringing it down to cut into the girl, delivering a coup de grace.
That was Chitan's intention, but Eremi was quick rise to his feet, push off the door and charge at the man with a spiraling corkscrew into the mans gut. Falling to the ground from the attack, Eremi rose up once again, grabbed the desk that pinned Renai and threw it against the door.
Renai's eyes go wide as Chitan move toward her and lifts his blade, seeing the intent written across his face. Then, Eremi is there, driving him away. When the desk is pushed off, she rises to her feet, recovering herself and looking up to him in thanks. "I don't know if saving the crew will be an option. Maybe if we cut off his head, they'll listen?"
Her eyes move to Chitan. He seems the type to inspire loyalty, even if he is a bully. She frowns and points at the man with her dagger. "Surrender now and the lives of your crew will be spared. If you continue to fight, we will eliminate everyone on this ship." Or, he might just be a money-grubbing donkey face. His answer will make that decision for her. "Your ship will be seized and your operations near Kirigakure will end one way or another."
The gut check forcing Chitan to lose his step, tripping over his feet, only able to regain his footing once finding a wall. "I see. You are no mere merchant, but what were you two doing out this far? No matter." He nodded to the remaining crew mates that were in the room and they moved to get behind Eremi and Renai's back. From outside, blades were clanging against the door, trying to cut through to reach the Major. "The crew fight for me. Their lives belong to me. Our cause outweighs any of your threats. This is the end for you." The gun would be raised and without hesitation, fired at Renai. The two crew members would charge Eremi at this point, aiming to cut into him with their blades.
Renai sees the gun lift and moves. All that matters is getting out of the aim of that firearm. The bullet tears through the wall where she had been standing and Renai rushes around the room, trying to get closer to Chitan. She'd rather take a sword over a bullet any day.
Closing in on the man, she clenches her hand around the hilt of her dagger and aims to punch him in the face. Her second fist follows shortly thereafter, aimed at his gut. This is perhaps not the best plan of action. While she has excelled in taijutsu recently, it still is not her strongest form of jutsu. Finally, Renai follows up with a slash of the dagger, attempting to leave a cut down his torso.
The gun would raise and Eremi thought about getting in the weapons path, but he had to trust Renai's abilitiies to get her through this on her own. It's what she had wanted. So his focus shifted to the pair behind them just in time to see swords baring down on him. The first blade would be deflect by the largest of his three gourds, plucked from his side and smashing into the flat side of the blade. He'd do the same with the second, but use the momentum of the attacker to send the blade into the other crew mate, before stepping forward with curled fingers to knock the mate out.
Chitan watched Renai avoid the gun shot only for the girl to quickly go on the offensive, forcing the man to move out of the way of the following blows. Which he did easily enough, save for the slash that caught his torso. Cutting through his clothing and into his chest. The gun would drop and he'd clutch the wound. "Stupid girl. Know your place!" Swinging the blade fervently in hopes of taking the girl down immediately.
Renai backs away as the slashes come for her. Her eyes are alert, waiting the taller man, trying to predict his movements. She desperately wants to see how Eremi is doing, but doesn't dare take her eyes off her opponent. She feels outmatched and doesn't expect the man to give her such an opening again.
Regardless, she tightens her grip on the dagger and moves into his guard. She attempts to drive the blade into his gut only to quickly pull back and repeat the action a few inches higher. The hits she gets in need to count and if she can land a few in the right places, maybe he'll go down.
Both crew mates went down, slashed from the others blade and knocked out when hit upon the head. At the door to the Major's quarters, a large gap was cut into and a pirates head poked through, "We're coming, Chitan! Just'n hold on!" The pirate would poke through just in time to see Renai's blade meet the Major's gut." Major Chitan!"
The man stumbled backwards, hand moving down his chest to his gut, holding it tightly. "I've been through worse. If this is all you got. I've got nothing to worry about." Raising his blade up again, he'd swing it at Renai a couple more times.
The remaining crew mates within the room going down, Eremi turned about to face the Major. "Dynamic Entry!" He'd shout as he flew toward the man whose focus was mostly on the girl, aiming with a foot for the mans head.
Renai attempts to start using genjutsu to buy herself time and give herself more of an advantage. And, that is a grave mistake. His blade takes her across the front, slicing from ribs to waist in a diagonal line. Her clothing parts to reveal a line of red quickly dripping from the wound and saturating the dark fabric. The navy turns black with her blood, but it seems to stop. It's not fatal, not incredibly deep. Her free arm moves over the slash as if to hold herself together.
The fight is taking a toll on her. She's breathing heavily and the pain of her wounds is seeping in, making her hurt. Renai goes on the defensive, backing away from Chitan and keeping her guard up.
"My place is between Kirigakure and her enemies. I know it well." The girl glares at him, hate seething from her eyes for this man. She will kill him even if it means giving up her own life to accomplish it.
Chitan hears the shout from Eremi and turns only to take a foot to the face that sends the man crashing into the wall. He was down, but not out. Much like Renai though, this fight was taking a lot out of him. "If you kill me, you'll get nothing out of it. Surrender now and you may yet live." He was growing desperate, his life was on the line. Feeling about on the ground to pick himself up, his hand would touch a familiar object. It was his gun from earlier. There would be no pause in his movements from there as he brought it up to shoot at Eremi, the closer of the two.
The bullet would fly toward Eremi and with nothing but reflex, he'd step out of the way, allowing the bullet to travel past him as he continued his momentum towards Chitan. Eremi had seen the condition Renai was in before he closed the distance between himself and the Major, which was enough to build up his anger as he reached out to grab the man by the throat before sending his fists into the mans face.
Renai is about to attack again when Eremi is there, beating him up. The new development gives her pause. She hesitates, unsure of what to do. When Chitan lifts his gun though, she emits a scream and rushes forward to help, pulling her arm away from her bloodied stomach. Terror has filled her as images of Eremi getting shot flow through her mind. The girl moves in close to the two and maneuvers herself behind him. Her slender arm would snake over his torso and Renai thrusts her dagger up and beneath his ribs via the man's back, careful to not hit bones. Should the strike hit, he would die. Her aim is for vital organs.
Her eyes lift to Eremi then and move past him to the door. In all the confusion of trying to take down this man, she has all but forgotten about the crew.
Pinned to the ground as he was, Chitan was unable to do anything against the beating Eremi was giving him. Messing up his face as it was, he could feel he was starting to lose consciousness and then…the cold steel of the blade found its way. He'd gasp as he tried to clutch at his side, but it was already too late. Opening his mouth, he had something to say. His lips move, yet no words came out. His eyes glossed over and he slumped in his position, he was dead.
At that moment, the door to the Major's quarters had finally been destroyed enough to allow a few men to push the desk out of the side before the entirety of the crew pushed forth, filling the room up with as many men as they could. Shoulder to shoulder, there was no way past them and they had their weapons ready to prevent such. However, they had just watched as their Captain was killed. They were without a leader and unsure of what to do. They looked between Renai and Eremi as well as themselves, wondering who amongsth them had the courage to attack first. The person that did would be the new leader and they knew it. Slowly one man stepped forward and then another.
Renai seems tired, but they aren't done and she knows it. The girl jerks her dagger out of Chitan's back with a quick motion and reaches for his sword. She pries the weapon out of his hand and lifts it, pointing to the man that is closest to her. He seems to have the most authority. "You're 'Captain' here was unwilling to save your lives. Surrender now and Kirigakure will show you mercy. The Coalition's activities will end. Today. One way or another. You can live to fight another day or die now."
Despite her wounds, she is trying to look strong and in charge. She's a shinobi. The girl is wearing the symbol of her village. She's supposed to have authority in this sort of situation. It's probably a duty she would pass to Eremi if he were to ever swear his allegiance, but, since he hasn't, she must fill the role. As for what kind of 'mercy' Kirigakure will show them.. She can't make promises. But, Renai definitely knows she doesn't want to man a ship in her condition and with only herself and Eremi all the way back to the docks.
Eremi released his grip on Chitan and rose to stand next to Renai. The two were impossing figures. Different in ages, but similar enough in appearances to give the crew a second thought about attacking. Renai with her blades, despite the wounds she had incurred during the fight, it was clear she wasn't to be messed with. While Eremi simply stood with his hands at his sides, blood dripping from his knuckles.
The crew paused in their movements, the closest finally deciding to speak up. "Even if you capture us, the Coalition's activities will not come to an end. Captain Masami still lives, you've only managed to slow our progress." He thought for a moment, how the crew mates easily outnumbered the two, but with no Captain to follow, there was no reason to risk their lives. His sword lowered, before falling to the ground.
Renai's heart leaps in her chest when the man drops his sword. She doesn't let her glee show on her face. Instead, her eyes lift to Eremi. "Help me with that desk, will you?" Renai pushes her own blades into her belt and turns back to the man who spoke. "I assume you are Major Chitan's second in command. I will speak with you. The rest of you will prepare the ship to embark toward the Land of Water."
The girl pauses to pick up the ship's log and flips through it for a moment before finding what she needs. She points to one crew member, ordering, "Find the ship's surgeon and send him to me." The book is closed with a snap of finality. Her finger moves to a pair of men, "You and you. Get rid of this body." She gestures to the dead Major Chitan.
Renai is quaking a little on the inside. She's never been this bossy to anyone that wasn't a ninja or ninja in training. It's all she can do to keep herself from bursting into laughter from both amusement and exhaustion.
Eremi turned to Renai and nodded before moving to help with the desk as asked. It appeared the girl was going to be taking charge and he had no problem with that. Taking out Major Chitan was his goal and now that it was complete, he'd take a backseat to the following events.
Technically, now that the other four crew mates were killed, the one Renai was pointing at was indeed the second in command. The girl would issue her commands to the rest of the crew, "You heard her. Quit standing around and get to it!" Reinforcing what Renai was saying, the crew sheathed their blades and got back to work. One went to retrieve the ships medic, two started rounding up the bodies to bring them beneath deck and the rest prepared the ship, changing course and moving toward Kirigakure.
The second in command would nod approvingly before turning to Renai, "Will that be all…Captain?"
When he asks if that is all, Renai holds up her hand. "One more thing." She nods to his dropped sword. "Pick that up. I'll have an armed crew." Sure, it might be better for them to be unarmed and unable to defend themselves. What she's giving him is a gesture of respect. She'll not have them weakened by circumstance. They should have the right to defend themselves against her, Eremi, or any other threat. "Dismissed."
Once the man is gone, she watches the door for a moment. Then, Renai tugs the chair back into place behind the desk and collapses into it, her arms crossing back over her stomach. She leans back in the chair, forcing her body to not curl in on itself in pain, and looks to Eremi. "Well, that went well. I hope they aren't all executed when we get to the docks." She can't help but grin a little at that. It would be terrible. And, would probably make her feel like an enormous donkey butt.
"I think you just saved my life." Her eyes linger on the man, watching for his reaction. Are they even now? Does he see it that way?
The pirate nodded as he went to pick up his blade and sheathed it before turning to Renai and offering a bow. "Thank you." He'd then turn and walk out. If the door still remained, he'd close it, that not being the case the privacy between Eremi and Renai was left to whomever was in ear shot of their conversation. Considering most were scared of ending up the same as the dead bodies that were being taken below, they kept their distance from Renai's quarters.
Eremi moved over toward an available chair, setting it up right before taking his own seat, "It's hard to say. They'd be valuable to have around. If the Mizukage treads carefully enough, they not only increase population, but military strength as well. During these troubling times, with the threat of the Silence always lingering about, the more help, the better…"
He leaned back in the chair, before glancing about. Eyes catching sight of a glass vial, he'd rise up once again. "Huh?" Replying to Renai as he picked up the vial, pulling off the stopper and taking a drink. It was decent enough. "If you have to think about it…" Turning to face Renai, "Then it's not true. Don't worry, you haven't gotten rid of me yet."
"Good. I was hoping it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of you." She smiles to him lightly and then grimaces, pain shooting through her arm. The girl grumbles softly and searches through the desk for a few moments. She finds a flask, opens, sniffs, takes a sip, nearly gags, takes another, closes it, and then tosses it to Eremi. Restored somewhat, or numbed at least, Renai rises to her feet. "Where is that surgeon? I'm going to bleed out if he doesn't come soon." She straightens her back, forcing the motion and starts to stroll out onto the deck to find him. She keeps one hand on the hilt of the Major's sword, as if in reminder to the crew.
Before Renai could step out of the room, the surgeon was already there to greet her. "Please, find your seat." Directing the girl back to her chair. "Your wounds aren't critical and if you were anyone else, I'd just leave you to bleed. If you survived, you were meant to live. Also, scars are important to a pirates appearance after all." He'd plop his bag on top of the table and begin rummaging through it. Finding his tools he'd start working on cleaning the wounds, closing them and bandaging her up.
The flask flying his way, Eremi would catch it and tuck it into his waist. "Might as well sit back and relax. The hard parts over." Moving back to the chair, he'd take a seat and relax. The ship would suddenly lurch forward and shift in its direction. "We've already begun moving. We'll be back to Kirigakure in no time and you can explain every thing to the Mizukage."
Renai sits back and pulls her bloody shirt off to let the surgeon have access to her wounds. She does have something on to cover her chest, but her tattoo down her spine is revealed, "Glory in death." Fitting. She seems to not like the medic much, fighting him here and there when he hurts her in applying the bandages. But, by the end of it, she is clean and wrapped up with only a scowl to show for it.
"Yeah, there's that. I'm not sure he'll be happy." She lifts the shoulder on her uninjured side in a shrug. "It is what it is." Once the surgeon is finished, she looks to him. "Thank you. Have the galley send us something hot to eat." It's an order, not a request. She would rather not give these men any reason to question her. And, she is absolutely starving.
Finishing up his work, the surgeon gathers his stuff and heads out the room, "I'll be sure to let someone know." The man was only aboard the ship for his talents at keeping others alive, not to be a messenger. So he wasn't thrilled at the orders he was given. From the Major to this shinobi.
Eremi took another drink from the vial before putting the stopper on, "Some real food would be nice for a change. Good call. Considering all we've had so far is fruit…anything the cook can whip has to be better. Right?" He'd think about it for a time, wondering at the crews loyalties up to this point. Poison wasn't out of the question, "Then again, with the massive ship already moving, it won't be long before we've reached the docks. Maybe waiting would be better."
It wasn't long when a crew member showed up with a couple trays, placing them on the desk and leaving. The tray was simple, with two cuts of fish on each. Eremi leaned forward, poking at the food. He didn't doubt Renai could strike fear into the hearts of any man, but this was tempting fate. "I'll wait. We'll be at the docks soon enough and get some real food. My treat."
Time would continue to pass and the ship started to slow before coming to a complete stop. Looking out one of the windows from his position, Eremi could see land. "We're here." Standing up he'd grab a few more vials," "Let's disembark so we can wrap things up. Go home, get cleaned, you can send your briefing to Meruin, take a nap….What ever order works." He'd wait for Renai to rise and head off the ship with her.
