The Leopard of the Seas
Captain Juri Arisugawa of the privateer Ohtori stood
proud on the rear deck, her hands on the ship's wheel
as her triangular hat provided some small shelter from
the sun. Her flamboyant garb, fine cloths mixed with
sailor's leathers marked her as a pirate, and the
sword at the orange haired woman's side showed much
use.
"Cap'n," Akio Dios purred, the purple haired young man
standing nearby. His dusky skin marked him as a local
in these southern seas, and his knowledge of the many
islands came in very handy. Sadly, he lacked the
respect a crew member should have to their captain.
"Akio," Juri nodded coldly, suspecting what the slim
young man wanted.
Drawing his sword with a deadly hiss Akio said, "Me
and the lads were talking, an' we came to certain...
conclusions." He smiled like a snake, "They all think
they'll be better served with me as captain, not you."
Juri swept the young men and women standing behind
Akio, weighing them in her eyes. Kozue, Togua and
Saionji were clearly behind Akio, as were Mikage and
Mamiya. Nanami stood off to one side along with her
three lovers, and the others who liked to consider
themselves neutral. Finally Utena and Miki were firmly
behind her as well as a few others.
"An' who's going to remove me?' Juri drawled.
"We are," Akio said as he and his buddies moved
forward.
"No," Utena declared as she stood beside Juri even as
Miki took the other flank, "we'll settle this the
traditional way, damn you."
"Move aside," Touga said as he waved his sword
threateningly, pure red mane of hair tied back in a
long ponytail.
"Do you want another scar?" Miki purred, nodding to
where a thin line raked across Touga's from when he
had challenged him last time.
"What do you say, Nanami?" Juri asked, forcing the
woman to take a side.
Nanami scowled, the blonde clearly feeling annoyed at
being draw in to the dispute. "If the crew goes to war
it will sink us just as well as any enemy could," she
said reluctantly, "let Akio and Juri settle it alone."
"Fair enough," Akio scowled, clearly unhappy to be
facing Juri without support.
The crew cleared a space around Akio and Juri, making
a sort of arena on the deck of the great ship.
Shrugging off their jackets both foes studied each
other warily, circling as they looked for any
weakness. Akio moved like a dancer, smooth and oily,
while Juri had her own sort of grace as the taller
girl catwalked smoothly.
Suddenly in a flash of silver Akio lunged, only to be
stopped by Juri's blade. Metal rang off metal as saber
and sword met, separated and struck again. Sweat
dripped into their eyes as the sun beat down, dancing
across the deck as they searched for any sign of
weakness.
"You're slow, Akio," Juri purred as she batted his
sword aside tauntingly, "no wonder Anthy left you for
Utena..."
"Bitch," Akio lunged, seized by a sudden anger.
With stunning speed Juri stepped aside, then blood
splashed red on the deck as she struck once. Akio
jerked, eyes wide, then slid bonelessy to the tar
stained wood at their feet. Juri yanked her blade free
then turned to face Touga and the others, "Does anyone
else want to try?"
"N.. no," Saionji stammered out, his green hair
matching the ill look on his face, standing
protectively by Togua.
"Then get back to work you scurvy dogs!" Miki
bellowed, prompting everyone to jump to their work
once more.
"Well done, cap'n," Utena congratulated her softly,
her long pink hair shining. Even in pirate leathers
there was a odd nobility about her, a sense of
something greater. More than once Juri had been
tempted to ask how she had become a pirate, but each
time she stopped herself.
"What do you want to do with this?" Miki asked coldly,
nudging Akio's now cooling body with his boot.
"Toss him over the side, let the sharks have him,"
Juri said dryly. She looked towards Utena, "Would
Anthy want to...?"
"She'll be happy he's dead, I think," Utena said
flatly.
Juri paused, "Then the stories I heard about Akio and
her were true?' Juri asked quietly so that no one
nearby could over hear.
Utena nodded, "That's why the bastard went to sea an'
forced her along. Truthfully, I intended to challenge
him soon, you just did me a favor."
"Glad to help," Juri laughed dryly as she returned to
the wheel, feeling glad to know they weren't all that
far from their destination.
It less than a week to reach the secluded island,
pulling up to the docks of Crystal Tokyo where busy
sets of wooden ramps reached out over calm blue
waters. Many larger and smaller vessels were tied up
there, but they were all dwarfed by the two great
ships sitting beside Juri's own Ohtori. Men and women
raced to tie the ship up to the dock, then more ramps
were set into place as the unloading began.
"I'm always stunned by how fast this goes," Utena
murmured as she watched all the stock from the Ohtori
being loaded up on carts then hauled up the road to
the bustling town.
"It's incredible," Anthy agreed, the dusky skinned
beauty standing beside Utena, gazing up at her with
adoring eyes.
"All right everyone, leave's on," Juri yelled, "but
mind your manners! This is Cap'n Minako's island so
treat the people with respect or I'll keel haul ya!"
With a cheer the crew streamed off, racing up the road
towards the remarkably neat town, looking much like
the country places of old England, the pirates greeted
with happy cries as they approached. Many of them
raced into the tavern to join in the revelry there
while others peeled off to renew their friendships
with the prostitutes loitering about, everyone
determined to have a good time.
Juri grinned as she walked into town, seeing a
familiar figure and a newcomer approaching from a
large house in the rear of the town. "Welcome back,"
Captain Minako Aino nodded, the blonde pulling Juri
into a friendly hug.
Juri stiffened a bit then made herself relax. "Good to
be back," she nodded. Looking curiously at the black
haired woman by Minako's side she said, "Have we net?"
"Meet my lover, Hotaru Tomoe," Minako introduced her.
Juri took her hand and bent over it to kiss it gently,
"Charmed." She looked up at the blushing girl, "Minako
has spoken of you often."
"Oh?" Hotaru looked up at Minako curiously.
Minako actually blushed, "I told her a bit of our
times in London, love, that's all."
Juri fought back a smile, glad to see her friend so
besotted by love. "If you'll excuse me, I need to see
to the tavern," she laughed, heading off. Simply
called Arisugawa's the club was Juri's contribution to
the busy town and her home, maintaining a room
upstairs with her longtime partner.
"Ho, Juri," Bones nodded, the tall bouncer standing
just inside the doors, the old seadog carrying her
usual staff. Having lost a leg at sea Bones had
retired as a pirate, taking a job here and quite
happily romancing the ladies.
Kozue was already sitting at the piano, her lovely
playing sweet in the air, the tables filled with men
and women from the various ships at dock here. With a
unerring sensitivity Juri strode through the crowd
across the sawdust covered floor, grinning at her
buxom bartender. "Hello May," she grinned, "is she
in?"
May smiled back, her long brown hair shimmering. "Of
course," she said as she poured a drink for another
customer, "I think she's waiting for you upstairs."
"Thanks," Juri snagged a mug of ale then strode
towards the stairs, taking them two at a time to the
upper level. She made her way to the end of the hall
then knocked.
"Come in," a familiar voice called.
Juri opened the door then froze, gazing at the figure
on the bed. Shiori lay back in a corset, neglecting to
wear her bloomers and undershirt, revealing creamy
flesh. Beside her were twin glasses of wine, and
nearby a cold meal awaited them.
"Welcome home," Shiori purred.
End
Notes: this fic is set in the same world as my story
"The Pirate and the Lady: A Tale of Minako and
Hotaru." I was inspired by a pic on deviantart by
Utenafangirl, of a very nice looking pirate Juri, so
this story is dedicated to her.
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