![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
30 Kisses Fic 6 - Life Goes On
Theme: The Space Between Dreams and Reality
Title: Life Goes On
Rating: PG
Pairing: Hina/Tashigi
Time: About two and a half hours, with a big gap between the point up to Jerran's arrival in the hospital and the end. I had to work and then drive home and then take care of the animals and then lie in bed for 45 minutes ^_^;;
Word Count: 2382
The cobblestones were still slick from the early morning shower, made all the more treacherous by the break neck pace at which the small pirate clan ran down the back alleys that led to the wharf. Hot on their heels, the four person marine patrol tore after them, paying no mind to the road conditions in their eagerness to capture the pirates. This was Logue Town and they had a perfect record to uphold. Sergeant Tashigi led her men, her focus so intent on catching the pirates in front of her that her semi-infamous clumsiness had disappeared.
She allowed a quick, fierce grin as the lead pirate turned right instead of left. That was a dead end. Skidding to a halt, she beckoned to her patrol. Already the recriminating yells and cries of the pirates could be heard as they found they could run no further. Now was the time for caution. They had the pirates at bay, a band of foxes caught by the clever and determined hounds. But the foxes were not without sharp claws and flashing teeth. The marines were out numbered nine to four, not bad odds really, but only one member of her patrol was carrying a firearm and at least six of the pirates were similarly equipped. Still, her Shigure was quick and deadly. As long as she could keep the pirates boxed in, they could keep them under siege until reinforcements arrived.
Creeping along the side of the warehouse that made up one part of the blind alley, Tashigi carefully risked a look. The pirates were still arguing, only two or three of them checking over their shoulders for their pursuers. A quickly raised fist and then a flicker of two fingers sent Thom and Kenshiro dashing across the mouth of the alley to take up positions on the other side. One of the pirates managed to get a shot off but it went wide, burrowing into the stone wall of the silk factory. It was enough to make his companions shut up, sent them diving for cover behind the rain barrels and a discarded pile of pallets that dotted the alley.
That was all right. Her men were experienced. No raw recruits ran morning patrol during the anniversary month of Gold Roger’s death. Pirate activity was always higher and Captain Smoker, while intent on keeping his record, was not the kind of man to sacrifice men for his own gain. There was no chance that any of the three would be so foolish as to try and rush the alley. All they had to do was hold the entrance until another patrol arrived with the smoke bombs and tear gas. And that, Tashigi smiled, having practiced similar drills every day for the past three months, would take no more than fifteen minutes at the very most. And even if the pirates decided to rush the entrance, there wasn’t enough room for more than four of them abreast. The marines would hold.
Still, she slid two inches of Shigure from his scabbard. Cornered, pirates either fought back like mad beasts or surrendered immediately. These men were clearly in the former category. A faint hint of smoke tugged at her nostrils, and she glanced quickly up and down the road. But it wasn’t deep enough to be Smoker. Thin and weak, with an edge of mildew. Cautiously she moved along the warehouse’s façade and peaked around the corner.
“Shit!”
It appeared these pirates were a bit smarter than most. The pallets that had been clogging up the back of the alley were now in pieces, some smoking sullenly from the damp but the pieces on the bottom were burning merrily. They had a rain barrel burning as well, turned on its side and stuffed with still more flaming pieces of wood.
“Get ready!”
Across from her Kenshiro drew his sword, moving back so that Thom could crouch low and aim the older model front-loading musket down the alley. Shigure was a steady weight in her hand as she got ready to take an attack stance as soon as the barrel passed. At her side Merro was ready as well, his usual laughing eyes gone cold and steely. The seconds slipped by slowly, the way watched grains of sand seem to take forever to trickle down the hourglass.
And then, screaming bloody murder, the burning barrel hurtled down the alley with the pirates following it as closely as they dared. Thom fired, once, twice, a third and a fourth and then the barrel was flying by. A sparking ember hit her cheek but Tashigi didn’t notice. Shigure was red already, one pirate sinking to the ground with his hands clapped over the bleeding wounds to his shoulder and knee. The rush of battle made everything so fast and yet so slow. She saw, turning from her first strikes, the three bodies lying in the alley. She saw Merro dodge a bullet, a sweeping overhand strike knocking both gun and torch from another pirate’s hand. And she saw Thom packing the powder back into his gun. She hadn’t heard the fifth or sixth rounds, but he’d obviously spent them. He didn’t see the crazed grin or the single eye or the pistol aimed directly at his head.
Tashigi’s feet moved before she’d even had a chance to really process all that she saw. Sprinting forward, she dove towards Thom, Shigure falling with deadly accuracy. But it wasn’t fast enough, she realized, as solid force hit her shoulder. Her beloved sword followed the pirate’s gun and hand to the cobblestones as she staggered. Her shoulder was numb but her arm was burning. There seemed to be a lot of blood, but mostly from the pirate. Thom, when she managed to find him, seemed to be shouting, aiming at something above her head. And then there was a flash of heat beside her ear and the world went black.
****
It was a combination of sound and smell that brought her back the first time. Tashigi wasn’t really aware of much. Just that her eyelids were far too heavy to open and that the rest of her body was much too light in comparison. And there wasn’t any smoke. Logue Town seemed to always smell of ash and cinder and dying flame. Factories saw to that. Factories and Captain Smoker. The Marine base reeked of smoke. Smoker’s office had an ever-present bluish haze from the cigars he favored. The odor was impossible to get out. Even her room smelled like some kind of male salon, smoke and boot black and sword polish. Wherever she was now had only a faint trace, albeit one that was getting stronger, hidden beneath harsh lye soap that didn’t quite mask the underlying note of blood. It seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place it. The darkness behind her eyelids was deep and pulling. But she managed to catch a few words before consciousness slipped away again.
Muttered words in a deep voice and a higher one replying. Something about a concussion and first degree burns and shattered.
And then the gruff voice was nearer, bringing the smoky smell. Idiot, she heard, and foolish, and playing hero and custody. That was enough it seemed, for the next thing she remembered was the light stroking of a thumb across the top of her hand.
Her eyelids still didn’t seem to want to open so she didn’t bother. Just let out a little sigh when the faint touch stopped. It was Jerran’s voice; she was awake enough to realize that when his smooth tone started murmuring gently.
“…too much for me. So brave and strong. There’ll be…promotion…love to…but…taking the post…’m sorry.”
She couldn’t catch too much of it still, consciousness floating in that same state that occurs right before waking from a dream, but finality and the small measure of regret came through. There was the briefest pressure of lips and warm breath against the back of her hand, her palm and then she was alone. Perhaps it was the drugs or a concussion (she was sure she'd heard it mentioned), but at the time she didn’t feel very upset. Jerran was a nice boy, dutiful to his father’s dry goods business, but she never had understood what he’d seen in her. She was a marine after all, a career one. She had no intention of leaving the service to be a merchant’s wife. But Jerran had seemed to be fine with that. He was a welcome respite from the base. Captain Smoker was a wonderful commanding officer, even if he did have a tendency to shirk his paperwork. However, as much as she enjoyed working for him and with all of the men on base, being the only woman occasionally got to her.
She was a tomboy, not actually a real boy. Jerran helped her remember that, without threatening to undermine the sense of self-reliance and purpose she had as a marine. Still, for all his good qualities, she hadn’t loved him. In many ways he was more like a good friend than a boyfriend. They’d only ever been on two actual ‘dates,’ both times with Jerran’s parents. His father, at least, would be relieved to see them parted. She’d miss his company though, and the way he’d touched her. They’d never really gone beyond some heavy petting, but the way he stroked her arms or kissed her hands had been nice. He acknowledged her strength and admired it, without being afraid to also see the young woman underneath the marine sergeant.
The room was quiet for several minutes after Jerran left and then a familiar smell of cigar smoke and the sound of heavy marine-issue boots filled the room. He plunked down in the recently vacated seat. She could feel him staring at her. With a small bit of effort, Tashigi convinced her eyes to open, managing a quick bob of her head towards Smoker.
“Captain.”
“Sergeant…so you were awake after all.”
“Sir?”
“The boy passed me in the hallway. He seemed troubled. He’s been here often you know.”
“How long have I been in here sir?”
“About ten days. What do you remember?”
Tashigi sighed and tried to move her right arm. It wasn’t going anywhere. So that much was true.
“We were chasing a band of pirates. We had them cornered and then they decided to try and break through our hold by using fire. I took down one and then saw that Mr. Thom was reloading and hadn’t seen the other pirate aiming at him. I thought I saw an opening and I took it. But I wasn’t fast enough. The gun went off, catching me in the shoulder, right before Shigure sliced through his arm. Next thing I remember is Thom yelling at me and a fierce heat by my ear.”
“Mmmm. Yes, all that fits with the story the men gave. Your shoulder, by the way, will be fine. The bullet did break the bone but it didn’t shatter it. Let it heal properly and do the assigned exercises and you should have a full recovery. The heat was from a burning piece of wood. You got hit from behind with it, right above your right ear. That gave you quite a lump and a minor burn. Thom shot the pirate right after that and his body knocked you into the cobblestones. You hit your head on the left temple. The doctors tell me you had quite the concussion. They were worried for a while.”
“Ah.”
She could still move her left arm freely. There were bandages would about her head and the two spots Captain Smoker mentioned were definitely tender.
“I told them not to be concerned. You, sergeant, have a very hard head. I’ve seen you hit it often enough to know.”
“Um…thank you sir?”
“Anyway sergeant, what did the boy want?”
“I’m not sure sir. I didn’t really feel that awake when he was here. I think his father is sending him to one of his stores on another island.”
“I see.”
Smoker looked at her, suddenly uncomfortable. He fidgeted with the unlit cigar between his teeth.
“And how do you feel about that sergeant?”
How did she feel about it? Honestly?
“I’m fine with it sir. I’ll miss him. He taught me a lot about Logue Town and he didn’t mind listening to me talk about swords. But it’s what’s best for him. His father wasn’t overly fond of me and this is a good opportunity for him to learn about their business. Besides, now that I’ve been injured, I’m going to have to train extra hard to get back to proper fighting shape. I don’t have time for him.”
“I see.”
Smoker nodded to himself, as if pleased by her answer.
“Very well sergeant. You may return to your quarters as soon as the doctors give you leave. After that you’re on limited desk duty until your shoulder heals. You’re free to conduct whatever exercises you wish to strengthen it. But if I see you pushing too hard, I’ll stop burning half the paperwork so that you’re too busy to leave the office.”
She managed to hide the smile at Smoker’s sudden admittance of regulation violation. He really did care about the people under his command, even if he did have an unusual way of showing it.
“Yes sir! I will report for duty as soon as I am able sir.”
He waved a hand over his shoulder as he headed out the door.
“Very good Sergeant Tashigi. By the way, there’s a letter for you from headquarters as well as a package. Attend to them when you can.”
“Aye sir.”
As Captain Smoker vanished from sight, Tashigi let her eyes drift shut. A letter from headquarters? That could be about the promotion she thought she heard Jerran say something about. As for the package? There was no one she could recall who would bother to send her anything. Jerran hadn’t left Logue Town yet and Captain Smoker wouldn’t beat about the bush when it came to presenting her with something. So it was a mystery. At least it would give her something to think about while she waited for the doctors to grant her freedom.
A/N: I like how this started but not how it played out. But in keeping with the earlier fics, no revisions were made to the story before posting.
Title: Life Goes On
Rating: PG
Pairing: Hina/Tashigi
Time: About two and a half hours, with a big gap between the point up to Jerran's arrival in the hospital and the end. I had to work and then drive home and then take care of the animals and then lie in bed for 45 minutes ^_^;;
Word Count: 2382
The cobblestones were still slick from the early morning shower, made all the more treacherous by the break neck pace at which the small pirate clan ran down the back alleys that led to the wharf. Hot on their heels, the four person marine patrol tore after them, paying no mind to the road conditions in their eagerness to capture the pirates. This was Logue Town and they had a perfect record to uphold. Sergeant Tashigi led her men, her focus so intent on catching the pirates in front of her that her semi-infamous clumsiness had disappeared.
She allowed a quick, fierce grin as the lead pirate turned right instead of left. That was a dead end. Skidding to a halt, she beckoned to her patrol. Already the recriminating yells and cries of the pirates could be heard as they found they could run no further. Now was the time for caution. They had the pirates at bay, a band of foxes caught by the clever and determined hounds. But the foxes were not without sharp claws and flashing teeth. The marines were out numbered nine to four, not bad odds really, but only one member of her patrol was carrying a firearm and at least six of the pirates were similarly equipped. Still, her Shigure was quick and deadly. As long as she could keep the pirates boxed in, they could keep them under siege until reinforcements arrived.
Creeping along the side of the warehouse that made up one part of the blind alley, Tashigi carefully risked a look. The pirates were still arguing, only two or three of them checking over their shoulders for their pursuers. A quickly raised fist and then a flicker of two fingers sent Thom and Kenshiro dashing across the mouth of the alley to take up positions on the other side. One of the pirates managed to get a shot off but it went wide, burrowing into the stone wall of the silk factory. It was enough to make his companions shut up, sent them diving for cover behind the rain barrels and a discarded pile of pallets that dotted the alley.
That was all right. Her men were experienced. No raw recruits ran morning patrol during the anniversary month of Gold Roger’s death. Pirate activity was always higher and Captain Smoker, while intent on keeping his record, was not the kind of man to sacrifice men for his own gain. There was no chance that any of the three would be so foolish as to try and rush the alley. All they had to do was hold the entrance until another patrol arrived with the smoke bombs and tear gas. And that, Tashigi smiled, having practiced similar drills every day for the past three months, would take no more than fifteen minutes at the very most. And even if the pirates decided to rush the entrance, there wasn’t enough room for more than four of them abreast. The marines would hold.
Still, she slid two inches of Shigure from his scabbard. Cornered, pirates either fought back like mad beasts or surrendered immediately. These men were clearly in the former category. A faint hint of smoke tugged at her nostrils, and she glanced quickly up and down the road. But it wasn’t deep enough to be Smoker. Thin and weak, with an edge of mildew. Cautiously she moved along the warehouse’s façade and peaked around the corner.
“Shit!”
It appeared these pirates were a bit smarter than most. The pallets that had been clogging up the back of the alley were now in pieces, some smoking sullenly from the damp but the pieces on the bottom were burning merrily. They had a rain barrel burning as well, turned on its side and stuffed with still more flaming pieces of wood.
“Get ready!”
Across from her Kenshiro drew his sword, moving back so that Thom could crouch low and aim the older model front-loading musket down the alley. Shigure was a steady weight in her hand as she got ready to take an attack stance as soon as the barrel passed. At her side Merro was ready as well, his usual laughing eyes gone cold and steely. The seconds slipped by slowly, the way watched grains of sand seem to take forever to trickle down the hourglass.
And then, screaming bloody murder, the burning barrel hurtled down the alley with the pirates following it as closely as they dared. Thom fired, once, twice, a third and a fourth and then the barrel was flying by. A sparking ember hit her cheek but Tashigi didn’t notice. Shigure was red already, one pirate sinking to the ground with his hands clapped over the bleeding wounds to his shoulder and knee. The rush of battle made everything so fast and yet so slow. She saw, turning from her first strikes, the three bodies lying in the alley. She saw Merro dodge a bullet, a sweeping overhand strike knocking both gun and torch from another pirate’s hand. And she saw Thom packing the powder back into his gun. She hadn’t heard the fifth or sixth rounds, but he’d obviously spent them. He didn’t see the crazed grin or the single eye or the pistol aimed directly at his head.
Tashigi’s feet moved before she’d even had a chance to really process all that she saw. Sprinting forward, she dove towards Thom, Shigure falling with deadly accuracy. But it wasn’t fast enough, she realized, as solid force hit her shoulder. Her beloved sword followed the pirate’s gun and hand to the cobblestones as she staggered. Her shoulder was numb but her arm was burning. There seemed to be a lot of blood, but mostly from the pirate. Thom, when she managed to find him, seemed to be shouting, aiming at something above her head. And then there was a flash of heat beside her ear and the world went black.
****
It was a combination of sound and smell that brought her back the first time. Tashigi wasn’t really aware of much. Just that her eyelids were far too heavy to open and that the rest of her body was much too light in comparison. And there wasn’t any smoke. Logue Town seemed to always smell of ash and cinder and dying flame. Factories saw to that. Factories and Captain Smoker. The Marine base reeked of smoke. Smoker’s office had an ever-present bluish haze from the cigars he favored. The odor was impossible to get out. Even her room smelled like some kind of male salon, smoke and boot black and sword polish. Wherever she was now had only a faint trace, albeit one that was getting stronger, hidden beneath harsh lye soap that didn’t quite mask the underlying note of blood. It seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place it. The darkness behind her eyelids was deep and pulling. But she managed to catch a few words before consciousness slipped away again.
Muttered words in a deep voice and a higher one replying. Something about a concussion and first degree burns and shattered.
And then the gruff voice was nearer, bringing the smoky smell. Idiot, she heard, and foolish, and playing hero and custody. That was enough it seemed, for the next thing she remembered was the light stroking of a thumb across the top of her hand.
Her eyelids still didn’t seem to want to open so she didn’t bother. Just let out a little sigh when the faint touch stopped. It was Jerran’s voice; she was awake enough to realize that when his smooth tone started murmuring gently.
“…too much for me. So brave and strong. There’ll be…promotion…love to…but…taking the post…’m sorry.”
She couldn’t catch too much of it still, consciousness floating in that same state that occurs right before waking from a dream, but finality and the small measure of regret came through. There was the briefest pressure of lips and warm breath against the back of her hand, her palm and then she was alone. Perhaps it was the drugs or a concussion (she was sure she'd heard it mentioned), but at the time she didn’t feel very upset. Jerran was a nice boy, dutiful to his father’s dry goods business, but she never had understood what he’d seen in her. She was a marine after all, a career one. She had no intention of leaving the service to be a merchant’s wife. But Jerran had seemed to be fine with that. He was a welcome respite from the base. Captain Smoker was a wonderful commanding officer, even if he did have a tendency to shirk his paperwork. However, as much as she enjoyed working for him and with all of the men on base, being the only woman occasionally got to her.
She was a tomboy, not actually a real boy. Jerran helped her remember that, without threatening to undermine the sense of self-reliance and purpose she had as a marine. Still, for all his good qualities, she hadn’t loved him. In many ways he was more like a good friend than a boyfriend. They’d only ever been on two actual ‘dates,’ both times with Jerran’s parents. His father, at least, would be relieved to see them parted. She’d miss his company though, and the way he’d touched her. They’d never really gone beyond some heavy petting, but the way he stroked her arms or kissed her hands had been nice. He acknowledged her strength and admired it, without being afraid to also see the young woman underneath the marine sergeant.
The room was quiet for several minutes after Jerran left and then a familiar smell of cigar smoke and the sound of heavy marine-issue boots filled the room. He plunked down in the recently vacated seat. She could feel him staring at her. With a small bit of effort, Tashigi convinced her eyes to open, managing a quick bob of her head towards Smoker.
“Captain.”
“Sergeant…so you were awake after all.”
“Sir?”
“The boy passed me in the hallway. He seemed troubled. He’s been here often you know.”
“How long have I been in here sir?”
“About ten days. What do you remember?”
Tashigi sighed and tried to move her right arm. It wasn’t going anywhere. So that much was true.
“We were chasing a band of pirates. We had them cornered and then they decided to try and break through our hold by using fire. I took down one and then saw that Mr. Thom was reloading and hadn’t seen the other pirate aiming at him. I thought I saw an opening and I took it. But I wasn’t fast enough. The gun went off, catching me in the shoulder, right before Shigure sliced through his arm. Next thing I remember is Thom yelling at me and a fierce heat by my ear.”
“Mmmm. Yes, all that fits with the story the men gave. Your shoulder, by the way, will be fine. The bullet did break the bone but it didn’t shatter it. Let it heal properly and do the assigned exercises and you should have a full recovery. The heat was from a burning piece of wood. You got hit from behind with it, right above your right ear. That gave you quite a lump and a minor burn. Thom shot the pirate right after that and his body knocked you into the cobblestones. You hit your head on the left temple. The doctors tell me you had quite the concussion. They were worried for a while.”
“Ah.”
She could still move her left arm freely. There were bandages would about her head and the two spots Captain Smoker mentioned were definitely tender.
“I told them not to be concerned. You, sergeant, have a very hard head. I’ve seen you hit it often enough to know.”
“Um…thank you sir?”
“Anyway sergeant, what did the boy want?”
“I’m not sure sir. I didn’t really feel that awake when he was here. I think his father is sending him to one of his stores on another island.”
“I see.”
Smoker looked at her, suddenly uncomfortable. He fidgeted with the unlit cigar between his teeth.
“And how do you feel about that sergeant?”
How did she feel about it? Honestly?
“I’m fine with it sir. I’ll miss him. He taught me a lot about Logue Town and he didn’t mind listening to me talk about swords. But it’s what’s best for him. His father wasn’t overly fond of me and this is a good opportunity for him to learn about their business. Besides, now that I’ve been injured, I’m going to have to train extra hard to get back to proper fighting shape. I don’t have time for him.”
“I see.”
Smoker nodded to himself, as if pleased by her answer.
“Very well sergeant. You may return to your quarters as soon as the doctors give you leave. After that you’re on limited desk duty until your shoulder heals. You’re free to conduct whatever exercises you wish to strengthen it. But if I see you pushing too hard, I’ll stop burning half the paperwork so that you’re too busy to leave the office.”
She managed to hide the smile at Smoker’s sudden admittance of regulation violation. He really did care about the people under his command, even if he did have an unusual way of showing it.
“Yes sir! I will report for duty as soon as I am able sir.”
He waved a hand over his shoulder as he headed out the door.
“Very good Sergeant Tashigi. By the way, there’s a letter for you from headquarters as well as a package. Attend to them when you can.”
“Aye sir.”
As Captain Smoker vanished from sight, Tashigi let her eyes drift shut. A letter from headquarters? That could be about the promotion she thought she heard Jerran say something about. As for the package? There was no one she could recall who would bother to send her anything. Jerran hadn’t left Logue Town yet and Captain Smoker wouldn’t beat about the bush when it came to presenting her with something. So it was a mystery. At least it would give her something to think about while she waited for the doctors to grant her freedom.
A/N: I like how this started but not how it played out. But in keeping with the earlier fics, no revisions were made to the story before posting.
no subject
Smoker making sure, more or less, that Tashigi was ok with getting dumped was sweet (For all that you can even call him sweet. I guess I should say he was being brotherly, as it sounds manlier.). And his mentioning that Jerran had been by often shows that not only has he realized that that’s something that would be meaningful to Tashigi, but that Smoker himself has been by often enough to notice Jerran there.
Oh, and I thought that Jerran and your other original characters (Merro, Thom, and Kenshiro) filled their roles well without becoming annoying or overbearing. (And it’s sad that I’ve come across so many horrible ocs that I feel the need to mention this.)