Rebellious Duo (#Wattys2016)

6: Charmed, Miss Bronte

Kaine let loose a wide yawn and stretched. She blinked slowly in the bright clear sunlight. Then she remembered. She wasn't at home. The rocking deck was not her imagination, nor was the salty sea breeze. Kaine blinked once again. The case. Nori. Akira. The Anacrusis. She sighed. "Where are they?" She said absentmindedly. Kaine wandered back inside and grabbed her hat. "Nori!" She called down the hall. Kaine opened the door to Nori's bedroom. "We're almost at Fuoco! Get up!"

"Die," Nori mumbled into her pillow.

"I'm not letting you sleep through this case! Get up!" Kaine threw the covers off Nori's sprawled form.

"Die twice."

"I'll make some breakfast. Maybe you'll change your mind then. Do you know what Akira wants? I don't think he woke up yet."

"Human flesh. Don't bother cooking it."

"Ooookay, you're still tired and I'm leaving." Kaine left Nori to wake up on her own. She found the tiny kitchen with the icebox. All that could be found was a slab of meat and a bottle of milk. Kaine sighed. "Don't they steal food, or do all they care about is money? Oh well." She found a knife and sliced the meat thin into bacon strips. These she threw them into a skillet, lighting the stove with a match from her pocket. Soon the smell of cooking meat and smoke drew the remaining pirates out of their beds and onto the deck.

"Something smells good. Kaine must be cooking," Akira said, lifting his nose up to the air like a dog.

"Meaning?" Nori asked him skeptically.

"Captain, everyone knows that you are the worst cook on the ship, save for Reiko, and that's saying something," Akira told Nori seriously.

Kaine came outside with three plates balanced precariously on her arms, along with three steaming mugs of milk. "Breakfast!" She shouted, but before she could finish her word, both Nori and Akira had snatched a plate and a mug from her arms. "I suppose you were hungry," Kaine added, chuckling a bit.

"Delicious!" Nori exclaimed, shovelling meat into her mouth with gusto. "But I guess you didn't take my suggestion for Akira."

"Suggestion?" Kaine glanced at Akira.

Melted fat dribbled from the corner of his mouth. He noticed her incredulous staring. "Whuh?" He swallowed. "Have you fallen for me yet?"

"You mean, he's actually a-- a cannibal?" Kaine said in a hushed voice.

"I almost ate Nori. Those were the good days. Now all I get to eat is toast and bacon." Akira took another bite of food. "You really are a fantastic cook."

Kaine decided to change the subject. "Nori, I've been wondering, how exactly did you become a pirate?" She put down her plate of meat. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry anymore.

A dark look crossed Nori's face. "You should mind your own business. I told you all that you need to know. I burned down the place where I grew up. And my friend and I decided to become pirates since everyone thought we were murderers anyways."

"Do you mean Akira?"

"No, I mean--" But Nori couldn't bring herself to say his name. She had been missing Satoru especially of late. He was her better half, and they both had known it. That was why they had been partners in crime for so long. He was the one who convinced her to have a heart, to have pity. And with him gone she had changed. That was why Nori cut even more of her hair away. It was a symbol. "I... I see Fuoco. Let's dock at Wenig. Come on, hurry up, Akira! To your post! And Kaine, come with me, those clothes will have to go."

"I'm sorry?"

"Can I help her with her clothes, captain?"

"No way in hell, Akira, you're docking the boat and that's final. If you come in my room, you'll be cut. If you haven't noticed I've got an impressive collection of katanas in there. Step lively, Kaine, I've got some spare shorts you can use."