Book 1: Sakura Heart (Kiba Love Story)

Chapter 10

Sakuya's P. O. V:

Kyo asks, "What was that about, Sakuya?"

Ren adds, "Yeah. I wanted to look at more of their stuff."

I say as I hug Homura to my chest, "I would just feel a whole lot better once we get out of here."

It wasn't until a few minutes later that Hotaru returns and stands before us. She informs my teammates and I, "Alright. We'll be joining Eihei and her crew tonight to look for the thieves. There's no doubt that they're close by, so we'll spend the day with on their ship."

The uneasy feeling returns as I speak up. "Are you sure about this, Hotaru? I'm getting really bad vibes from them."

"Yeah, and I think that they're pirates in disguise of "high risk traders,"" Adds Ren, doing air quotes.

I add uneasily, "Not only that, but the guy I was talking to earlier sounded like he wanted to sell me on the Black Market."

Hotaru's eyes widen slightly as do Kyo's. Ren asks in confusion, "What's a Black Market?"

Kyo explains, "It's where bad people such as pirates and bandits sell things illegally—including people with unique or special abilities, right?"

Ren's teal eyes jerk wide as Hotaru nods her head and confirms, "That's correct, Kyo. How did you know?"

He responds, "I've read about that stuff."

Ren asks, "So, that's bad, right? But why would they target Sakuya-chan?"

Hotaru says, "Because she's the princess of the Fujikami clan, that's supposedly a myth."

I say in exaggeration, "We're not a myth. We've just been in hiding from the outside world because of what people would do for our powers." I frown at that.

Ren tells me assuringly, "Don't worry, Sakuya-chan, I'll protect you from the pirates!"

I raise a pink eyebrow at him as Kyo asks with an exasperated sigh, "What even makes you think they're pirates, anyway? They're just normal traders."

Ren says persistently, "They really are pirates!! Do normal traders look like that?! And have a Captain with an eyepatch?!"

"It'll be fine," Hotaru assures us. "They seem nice, if a little rugged. And I promised Kakashi I wouldn't let anything happen to Sakuya. Come on. Let's prepare for the mission."

My teammates head back onto the ship but I trail a little behind.

I just have a really bad feeling about this mission...

                      🌸🌸🌸

We spend the day on the ship and I stick close to Kyo and Homura wouldn't leave my side, because I didn't want to be left alone with the pirates and I feel safer with them too.

However, Eihei, the Captain, comes up to us and smiles at me. "My crew tells me you're a Fujikami?" She begins.

I reply with weariness glinting in my eyes, "They're not wrong."

Eihei gives a smile that makes me shudder as she swings her arm over my shoulders. "I thought your clan was a myth. How would you like to join my crew? We could use the abilities of a Fujikami member."

"Thanks, but no thanks. My place is with the Hidden Leaf," I decline, removing her arm as Kyo grabs my hand and pulls me away. I add with a glance over my shoulder, "Besides, we're not a myth; we're as real as you are."

A few hours after dinner, about an hour before dawn, we set sail down the river to look for the thieves.

Eihei asks Hotaru as he steps up to her, at the prow of the ship, "How did you come by a Fujikami? And their princess, to be exact?"