Of Pirates and Ninjas {darkest_Sylvene}

[darkest_fate]

No ninja should take to the sea alone. If a ninja should do so, they should hide themselves, hide to the shadows, hide who they be. For on the sea lays the true mortal enemy of the ninja, the reverse of their self-same coin. For on the sea lies those who will fight the ninja, who will steal from the ninja, who will kill the ninja. The sea is the enemy.

For on the sea, there be pirates.

How many times had Sumiko heard the chant? The young woman's head bowed, staring at the deck, seeing the stained wood that lay just before her knees. The bright color of her kimono (oh, how she hated wearing those: they only served to reinforce her slender body, built more like a snake than a woman) clashed with the deck, making her look as nearly out of place as she felt. Her clever eyes darted this way and that, seeing those who had bested her, bested her father, bested the hirelings who should have protected them. Among them were some of Sumiko's own clan: fine warriors who should have been able to effortlessly deal with scum like this.

But ugh, pirates. Pirates, so crass and rude and loud, pirates had bested them. They had been warned: the Northeast Sea was filled with them. They had drifted into the waters, came close to plaguing the territory. But her father had insisted, had stated that he needed to take the ship through a shortcut. They would make it in time to present the clan's offering for the new moot, and possibly raise their standing. It had been an honor mission, one that had to be rushed due to... complications.

One of those complications carefully let her eyes flit to watch the captain now. She was female; not Sumiko, but the captain. That had surprised her. Almost as surprising was her... build. The woman was... womanly. She made Sumiko acutely aware of her own lack of... development. Constant training had left Sumiko lean, athletic, slender. She had grace. She had some beauty, which she used as a weapon as best she could. When her brows were not furrowed, her face looked almost doll like. Supposedly this could disarm a man, could make them look away at precisely the right moment. They'd already taken her weapons: she'd made the mistake of drawing them and attempting to fight. Were she not wearing this damn kimono: so binding, so confining, she would have easily dispatched her foe. instead she'd found herself... groped.

Flushing, the ninja studied more. The ship was impressive, she supposed. Better than theirs. Theirs still floated nearby, and Sumiko could hear the discussion of it already. Her attention drifted back to the captain: they'd said something about "the girl."

Now came the tricky part. Men wanted a woman who was demure, shy. Sumiko was... neither. She licked her lips, and purposefully tried to find the captain's eye. Then, the moment she knew the captain looked back, she lowered her head, looked away, forced a flush onto her face. All the while her eyes kept flicking, her ears stayed pricked. Yes, they were definitely discussing what to do with "her" and there was only one her worth discussing.

 

[Sylvene]

"I want her"

Captain Amelia Blackwater was not a woman who was used to being denied what she wanted. Standing proud on the captured ship, she glanced behind her at the bound young woman, a cruel smile upon her lips before she returned her gaze to the defeated man before her. No, not even a man. A fool. It was a well known fact that Amelia and her crew prowled the waters of the Northeast Sea and for a clan of Ninja like the ones captured, they had to know that sailing through her waters would be like dangling a mouse in front of a hungry cat.

"The girl" Amelia repeated, her voice as casual as if they were discussing the weather "She will be the price you pay for safe passage. Be grateful we have already had fill of pillaging for the day. Mercy...is not a quality I am known for"

Her crew chuckled at that. They hovered around their captain like moths to a flame. The ship on which they stood 'Poseidon's Breath' was not Amelia's ship. It had belonged to another, a cruel man who cared little for his crew. No one dared to think that such a woman would be able to run a ship, much less lead a revolution of men against a feared captain. Women like Amelia were assumed to be useful for one thing and one thing only and it was that very fact that she used to her advantage. On the fateful day Amelia had come aboard, it took her just over three days to mobilize the crew to action and now the former captain's skeleton hung from the front of the ship. A message and a promise to all who would care cross her.

A promise the Ninja Master might soon learn himself.

The older man looked to the young woman, his daughter. Amelia understood the man's dilemma but could see in his eyes that the choice had already been made before he made his move. Bowing to Amelia, he returned to his cabin while Amelia and her crew disembarked from the Ninja ship, Amelia approaching the captive with a sultry smile on her lips, leaning forward as the rest of her crew untied the enemy ship and giving the young woman a generous view of her own cleavage "Well, well, well...so much for that rumored Ninja honor. Your father has sold you into my care, in return for safe passage through these waters of mine. A fair trade I'd say, seeing as how..." A stray finger traced down the young woman's neck towards her chest "...you seem to be lacking certain feminine qualities"

With a soft chuckle Amelia straightened up and looked out at the sea at the retreating ship "But how about a chance at revenge? Say the word and we'll blow your father's ship to splinters and leave him and his worthless crew to sink" Her lips curved in a slender smile, beckoning the young Ninja to her "No need to be shy, we're all terrible people here"

 

[darkest_fate]

The girl? Sumiko's eyes flicked toward the boisterous captain, quite certain she'd heard correctly. Relief flooded her as she heard the terms: exchange one of their own for safe passage? Yes, she would no doubt feel great personal suffering, but she would be renown throughout her clan, likely throughout all the clans. A brave ninja, born of a leader, who had sacrificed herself so that an important mission could go through. Sumiko and her father did not even need to exchange looks or share words:

the decision had been made before they left port.

If Sumiko had looked, perhaps she would have seen the hesitation. The man was giving up his daughter; his expertly trained, lovingly nurtured, and wholly supported daughter. Any ninja would have made the sacrifice, and any leader knew to take it. But they did acknowledge, at least in passing, their humanity, and the leader took a few moments to let that wash over him. Only moments: Sumiko could hear the agreement and hear her own people leaving.

The ninja daren't look up, not even as the captain hovered above her. There was a slight temptation to act as if she didn't even understand the captain's words. Or to attempt to bite or attack as the busty woman leaned forward. The finger nearly made Sumiko tremble as it was. However, at that last, a little of her carefully constructed facade dropped. Her eyes flashed with a sharp flare of anger, darting up to narrow toward the pirate. It barely lasted a moment before she steeled herself again, but even Sumiko knew that she'd shown a weakness.

The next words sank both anger and her momentary joy. The ninja immediately prostrated herself, nearly slamming her forehead into the deck of the ship. "Please!" she said, making sure to use their language and showing little of the accent of her people. "I beg of you, upon your captain's honor!" and she didn't even choke on those words. "Live up to your promise and do not harm my people! I will do... as you ask," she licked her lips and swallowed, her eyes closing as she heard all the gathered crew. How could she hope to sway a woman toward her? Gods, how many of the crew was this busty pirate bedding? Sumiko had to win her over, but she knew not how. Women did seduce other women from time to time, but...

 

[Sylvene]

For a few moments Amelia regarded the bowing ninja, looking down upon her as one might observe a curious object. A finger tapped against her thigh as if in thought, her expression revealing nothing as the moments seemed to stretch on forever. The crew around the pair remained silent and watched with a hungry eagerness. They had some inkling of what was about to happen. they'd seen how their captain worked the captives they'd taken on before and relished in the sight of it.

"Captain's honor?"

Amelia's silken tones cut through the air like a warm knife through butter, a smile cracking through the emotionless facade as the pirate looked down upon the kneeling ninja "Oh you sweet child...did they teach you nothing about your own enemies?" Her tone was almost pitying, expression a mixture of amusement and disbelief as her gaze returned to the seas and the retreating ship "We have no honor. We are cutthroats and thieves who will slit your throat without a moments hesitation, even beneath a white flag of surrender. The only thing we trust are the moans of our lovers and the weight of coin at our side" A cheer went up from the crew at these words and a few pistols were fired off as a show of support.

"But...I can hear the passion in your voice and see this is a matter that matters dearly to you" Amelia purred as her crew quieted down and her gaze returned to the ninja bowing on the deck of the ship "We all have things that we are passionate about, after all and I would like to see how passionate you are about saving your father's ship"

Again she leaned down, whispering just softly enough for her new captive to hear every word above the sounds of the sea lapping against the side of the ship "So stand up and kiss me with all that passion you have inside of you. Make me believe you want it and we can sail off without another word of all this"

 

[darkest_fate]

Moments ticked by. Sumiko held perfectly still, her attention sharp. Would the captain try something? Or the crew? How many could Sumiko attempt to fight? Not many, given her current position and garb. But if need be she would try. The captain repeated Sumiko's phrase with something like disdain. The ninja felt like hissing or glaring, but fought to keep herself calm, serene.

The captain kept going, and Sumiko's body stiffened. It sounded almost as if... as if they would attack. She had heard rumors to that effect, promises that pirates would take any advantage they could find, that they would attack without mercy. Some of those same rumors floated about some ninja clans, however. Sumiko simply refused to believe: she needed the hope, needed this. She definitely didn't need to hear the crew cheering about the thought about attacking.

That sent her head up. She looked at the captain with a mixture of anger and pleading. The gaze returned as the pirate purred, and Sumiko found herself flushing, fighting the urge to avert her eyes. The captain spoke of passion, and the ninja began to get some idea of what she meant. Down she leaned, and the words dropped into Sumiko's ears. Her eyes widened at the realization, and further still at the implication. Either the captain wanted to humiliate her (the most likely explanation) or she actually, genuinely, wanted the young ninja to warm her bed. Either way, it wasn't as if Sumiko had a choice for her next action.

The girl nodded. Smoothing her kimono, she rose gracefully to her feet. Her head rose, and she lunged forward, almost as if to attack. But instead of drawing knife or blade of moving to one of the attacks her body screamed for, Sumiko aimed her lips at the captains. She nearly slammed her lips against the redhead's, feeling the slight jarring pain of collision. But Sumiko didn't hesitate. Her lips mashed against Amelia's, desperation outweighing skill. Sumiko's lips moved with great fever, working and prying. She slid her tongue into Amelia's mouth, thrusting it in as she would a blade. The muscle flicked to try and get Amelia's own to move, before pulling back. At one point, the ninja found her lips going between teeth. Whether the pirate bit or the ninja erred in kissing, she couldn't say, but the sharp rap of pain hit her. She kept going all the same: Sumiko intended to keep kissing until the pirate pulled her away, and she'd likely lunge toward Amelia again after.

 

[Sylvene]

Whether Amelia was to receive a kiss or destroy a ship, she would be happy. A kiss undoubtedly would be more pleasing for Amelia but she could see the struggle going on behind the young ninja's expression and was fully prepared to give the signal to blow the retreating ninja ship out of the water. All around them the pirate crew waited like hungry animals waiting in trained silence for their master's signal. In an instant they could pin down the poor girl and force her to witness her father's demise...but as the young ninja slowly rose from the deck, it appeared that such action would not be needed. They remained on guard nonetheless, ready for any ninja trickery.

As the girl lunged forward the captain moved forward to meet the ninja halfway, crushing the young woman's slim form against Amelia's voluptuous body and moved a strong arm around the ninja's waist to hold her in place. They must have looked like quiet the pair, the prim and proper ninja with her humble kimono kissing the much more outrageous looking pirate captain. The kiss itself was by no means skilled. Amelia must have truly scared the poor ninja with her words as the way the girl pressed her lips against Amelia tasted the desperation in her movements and allowed her lips to be pried as a tongue thrust itself between her lips.

She had some skill to her but the poor girl was simply too terrified to be effective. That was fine with Amelia. Effort was more important to her in this instance, she needed to be convinced of what the ninja would do for her clan and her family. The first few seconds of the kiss had been all Amelia required to know everything she needed but was having far too much fun to break the kiss so soon. The hand around the ninja's waist traveled lower, gripping her rear through the kimono's material as Amelia's tongue slithered between the ninja's lips and dove into her mouth with skill. Purring in pleasure, Amelia pulled away and chuckled as the ninja attempted to kiss her again, a finger going to the young girl's lips as the crew around them cheered.

"Save some of that for later"

Keeping the arm around the ninja's waist, Amelia motioned to her cabin "Come along. We can discuss more inside...and as for the rest of you!" Amelia's voice suddenly cracked like a whip and the crew around them went deathly silent. A few tense seconds passed before Amelia let out a laugh and motioned to treasure that had been looted from the ninja ship "Sort that out among yourselves and get back to work!" With a cheer, the pirate crew descended upon the loot as Amelia steered the ninja under her arm towards the cabin "If anyone of them touches you, tell me" She whispered as they walked "You're mine and they should know better..."

The captain's cabin was a surprisingly sparse room. A dresser of clothes was set against the very back of the room beside a bed covered in silken crimson sheets. A pair of golden cat statues sat perched atop the dresser with shimmering red rubies for eyes. A pair of crossed swords were bolted above the bed and an ornate dining table with a pair of seats situated just in front of the door. A jade bowel of fruit sat in the middle of the table, with a bottle of wine. Grabbing herself a peach from the bowel, Amelia moved to the bed and sat herself down, smirking across the room at her new plaything "What's your name?"

 

[darkest_fate]

Something gripped Sumiko's hands, and it took all the ninja had not to squeal and use some arts to escape the grasp. How dare the captain grip her body in such a possessive manner? In front of the crew, no less? Sumiko's ears burned at the humiliation of it all, and she wished she could retaliate in some form or fashion. But Amelia held all the cards: if Sumiko stepped out of line, they'd simply blast her family out of the water. They couldn't couldn't have that. So Sumiko let the captain fondle her. let her lips be parted. Felt her tongue starting to duel, her own skill seeming to increase in response. A pull back, and Sumiko, flushed with anger and perhaps a little something else, blinked. The captain teased, and again the flush of anger rose, and, again, the ninja battened it down.

A hand snaked about her waist, and again, the ninja couldn't quite stop herself from stiffening. She did nod along as the captain passed the order, going along with the suggestion. The whisper had her eyes widening. "I shall,' Sumiko said, her voice a little wobbling. Why would the captain even care? Ah, she'd lose face if her little prize was caught in the arms of another. Something to perhaps log away for later, if there were any aboard ship that Sumiko could tolerate.

Losing a visible audience relaxed Sumiko intensely. She nearly collapsed as they stepped into the cabin. The hardest part had surely ended. It took her a few seconds to gather herself, long enough to hear a question that she should have answered false. Instead: "Sumiko," came out before she could stop herself. The ninja tried to keep her face toward the captain while subtly examining the room. The sheets could perhaps be used to strangle. The swords would be almost too obvious, though if Sumiko could get them, she wouldn't think twice about using them. The bowl may be of use, though jade was a little fickle. Not that Sumiko could actually do anything right now: the crew would retaliate, first on her, then on her family. No, she had to keep playing along.

So the ninja dropped her gaze, shuffled her feet, tried to look every inch the blushing virginal beauty. Considering that she was already two of those three, it wasn't that hard of an act to perform.

 

[Sylvene]

"Sumiko"

Amelia spoke the name aloud before taking a bite of the peach she'd picked up from the bowl. Her eyes studied the ninja in front of her, the captain's gaze much more leisure now that they were alone and separated from the eyes of her crew. The Captain's cabin was off limits to them and Amelia had done her part in severely punishing those who trespassed "No need to be so shy, my dear. No one will bother us here, so if you feel the need to take your revenge upon me you can take your chance" The pirate teased with a coy smile at Sumiko's blushing appearance "Don't tell me a little kiss is all it takes to render you helpless?"

Chuckling to herself, Amelia took another bite from the sweet tasting peach, licking at the juices that escaped from the corners of her mouth "Do you plan on standing there until I order you to do otherwise? You're not a slave, you know? You're simply...mine" The pirate smiled as she spoke as her eyes glittered in the sunlight coming in through the windows "You put up an impressive resistance when we boarded your ship and I would hate for that fiery defiance you held to be snuffed out simply because I managed to take your ship" Amelia said without any hint of being patronising. She spoke true with her words and hoped that Sumiko wasn't about to turn meek on her.

"Your skills as a ninja will prove valuable to me. You have talent, talent that would be wasted in the honorable profession of your people. Already I can see you looking for ways to outdo me but I think you also know how silly that would be, considering your current position aboard a pirate ship in the middle of the sea. Plus, did I not spare your father's ship as I promised and only for the price of a kiss?" Amelia purred with a mockingly innocent smile "I am but a simple pirate with simple needs. Surely you can see how lucky you are to find yourself under my flag and in my company?"

 

[darkest_fate]

The captain must have noticed her, and apparently had noticed Sumiko earlier. It was almost flattering that Amelia had noticed Sumiko in action: that had to mean that the ninja had been noticeable, or at least enough for the pirate to pay attention. The bit about being shy nearly had Sumiko snorting, and her eyes flashed at the mention of revenge. Muscles tensed, and Sumiko's clever eyes darted to three spots in quick instances: From sheets to swords to even the bowl of fruit. Oh, how many ways Sumiko could take out and get her revenge. The bit about kissing only made it all the worse as far as the ninja was concerned.

But Sumiko had patience. She also knew the captain wanted to hear her own voice a while longer. The ninja had to wonder just how it was she could literally belong to someone but not be a slave. The two seemed to be pretty complimentary. And again: reminders of resistance. "I never guaranteed my skills as a..." Sumiko began, before closing her mouth. Her gaze dropped again, mind whirling. The pirate had apparently been paying attention, but maybe Sumiko could still try?

"I--I don't know what you're talking about, Amelia-san," she said, adding a little more stammer to her talk this time around, all but forcing a flush onto her pale cheeks. "You must have been mistaking me for one of my brethren. I am told we look quite similar to outsider eyes," though there weren't that many people wearing kimonos and whirling about. Still, Sumiko figured she should stick with the lie, at least for the time being. She shuffled again, still not quite moving. "What... what would you like me to do for you?" she asked, finally raising her gaze to look directly at the pirate, genuine curiosity in her eyes.