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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: I THINK YOU'RE PERFECT
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"Hus... husband..?"
Ichiro stared in awe at the sight of Mizu and Sogo intertwined like lovebirds. She comfortably sat on the man's lap, as if his seat was made for her, and he held her bottom close with his wrists interlocked. Those hands of his were firmly fixed on her ass, and Ichiro couldn't help but feel a wave of unwarranted jealousy.
"How can it be? We're... we're still engaged! Why, it hasn't even been a week since..."
Sogo unsheathed Mizu's katana and stabbed it into the table between them, leaning forward. Ichiro jumped in his seat, fear-striking his heart. In her tainted yellow sundress, she was the bride in blood. Mizu could've stopped this of course, but instead, she watched in amusement and a subtle smile.
"That Sogo died the moment you threw her into the ocean," she hissed, glaring at him as her wrists trembled with anger, gripping Mizu's katana.
"I... I was wrong... Forgive me.."
"How's this? I'll bind your wrists and legs together, throw you in the ocean, and we're even," she leaned closely, glaring daggers through him, wondering what in the world she ever saw in a man so small.
"I'll help," Mizu offered, resting her chin on one hand as she tilted her head to watch.
He trembled. "Please, see it from my perspective... What could I have done? What could I have done?!"
"You were the captain, you idiot! Why is it that men are granted all the power in this world, yet when it actually matters, when it can be used to protect the woman they love..."
Her voice shuddered, breaking. It became heavier like she was fighting a round of enraged tears.
"...they're all just cowards?!"
Ichiro stared into Sogo's siren-like eyes with fright. This was his reckoning. Mizu stifled a chuckle and caressed the small of Sogo's back as she leaned over the table in front of her.
"Darling. He's going to piss himself."
"I want to see him bleed."
"N—no!" Ichiro looked to Mizu for help. She simply crossed her arms, hands-off in this situation and allowing what will be to be. The reserved table was closed off with a sliding door, so they had all the privacy in the world.
Sogo pulled out Mizu's katana from the table and struck downward. Ichiro flinched, fixed in his seat in fear. I deserve it, his final thoughts as he braced himself.
A sharp slice was heard. He opened his trembling eyes and saw that the katana had stopped an inch from his throat, digging into the seat behind him.
Above, Sogo stared at him in hate. He'd never seen her with such a gaze. She was always doting, in love, and even inspired by him and his adventures. Now, he was a mere insect, not worth Mizu's blade.
"Oops. I missed," she said, sarcastically.
Speechless, Ichiro glanced down at his lap as his piss soaked his pants. Mizu could smell it, and she turned her head, stifling her laughter. She couldn't hold it in anymore, and she threw her head back, belly-laughing at the pitiful man.
"You will see our pirate corpses and compensate us," Sogo ordered. "Right now."
"Y—yes ma'am."
"What the hell are you doing in that disgusting uniform for pigs?"
"It's..." he dropped his gaze, shameful to be owned by the Dutch settlers.
"Speak."
He flinched. "After your death, I—I was haunted by you. I brought our ship to the nearest port. It was here. I drugged my men's drinks the prior night, so they slept throughout the day. By the time they woke up, Dutch officials surrounded us all and executed them. I was next to die. I wanted to."
Hot tears rolled down his face, dripping on his uniform. Sogo stared down at him in disgust, not the slightest inkling of pity.
"They weren't so kind as to grant me death. They made me into this... what you see before you."
Sogo glared at him for a moment, and then answered coldly, "It's what you deserve. Fitting for a coward. Only heroes deserve to die in glory."
She pulled Mizu's katana out of the seat behind him. More piss tinkled on the floor, going through the hole of his pants, truly like a pig in his own filth.
"To our ship," she said. "Hurry up."
She gave Mizu back her katana, and the samurai sought her gaze with a little smirk, entertained by it all.
Sogo did not look at Mizu. Her stare was fixed straight ahead to get this over with, ignoring everything around her. Distant and cold.
*
The three of them were quite the sight making their way from the city center to the shore. People who were out for festivities turned their heads, wondering what the new official was doing with two foreigners and looking so pitiful. The smell of his urine followed them, and they gagged. A few men who have already been victim to his womanizing ways, and have had their wives coveted, smirked.
In the back of Mizu's mind, she thought of Fowler, and if he was gagged tightly enough so his screams wouldn't alert anybody. But, she took one glance at Ichiro from the corner of her glasses and saw he was a mere husk of the man he was.
Even if Fowler screamed for help, they had nothing to worry about.
Ichiro stared in awe at the state of the corpses. Their deadly injuries were numerous. They had their throats slashed by Mizu's blade, their chests caved in and bloody, their faces still contorted in a scream. They all had tattoos of Ryujin. Ichiro recognized some of them, and his stomach turned.
Sogo stared out into the water, in a trance. She had been extremely quiet, more than usual, and lost in herself. The wind blew her hair back as she stared into the setting sun. The blood on her dress was hard now, but it didn't bother her.
Seeing Sogo preoccupied, Ichiro quietly waved for Mizu. He was standing by the corpse of the deceased captain. He noticed the gashes of teeth marks in his throat, just like the ones his former steward had.
"He shot me," Mizu spoke, "I fell unconscious, woke up, and found Sogo beside him. You know the rest."
Ichiro felt a cold shudder of fear grip his heart. He thought his words carefully, something a man as brazen as he never did, but the last hour had humbled him.
"Mizu... just... be careful."
He put his hand out, resting it on her shoulder in a friendly way. With his other hand, he gave her the bounty as promised — and then some. The pouch of coins was heavy with fortune.
"And," he dropped his gaze, his cheeks burning as he forfeited. "Congrats on your marriage, brother..."
Just then, they heard the cocking of a gun. They both looked over and saw Sogo was pointing it right at him. Mizu recognized it immediately as the captain's pistol she had given her.
"Get your hands off my husband, dog."
Ichiro immediately took his hands off Mizu. The samurai took a small look at him, finding a morsel of pity.
"Mizu, my love, come to my side," Sogo said, putting her free hand out with a smile. The other clutched the gun fixed on Ichiro.
The samurai couldn't ignore that her companion was... different. She was darker, like playing with Ichiro so much was a game and she loved to torture him. Part of what made Mizu attached to her was how soft and full of light she was. It made her feel more human.
So, what did that mean for her then? That Mizu was making her inhumane, more like a demon? Bloodthirsty for revenge?
The man's wild eyes fell on the samurai in a way to say please don't leave. Please help me.
Pitiful, Mizu dropped her gaze and walked silently to Sogo.
"Let's see... do you recognize this gun, Ichi? Did the ships you raid ever have these?"
He started crying. He knew how this would end. His nose ran, and he wiped it.
"Y—yes."
"How many bullets does a gun of this kind hold?"
He shut his eyes, shaking.
"Hm.. let's find out for ourselves, shall we?"
"Sogo," Mizu whispered. "It's okay."
She snapped, whipping her head to her companion. "No, it's not okay! He was telling you to be careful around me, wasn't he?! Men like Ichiro turn you into a monster, and then they DARE to call you one!"
"Forgive me... forgive me...." he fell on his knees, hands and palms up.
Mizu winced, unable to watch. She pitied him on the level it made her cringe. Perhaps Sogo was indeed rubbing off on her... to see a grown man beg and grovel was...
Bang!
He stared in disbelief, frozen in fear.
"Aw," she whined, tilting her head. "You're a lucky boy."
It was empty.
She lowered her gun, her face turning deadly serious. "Run."
After a few seconds, Ichiro snapped out of it and ran off the ship in fear she'd start shooting behind him.
With a guilty conscience, Mizu stared at him sprinting away. The mix of raw emotions was impossible to describe inside her when she recognized what was happening.
She was becoming like her.
The ningyo sighed and put her gun in the pocket of her kimono. "I'm guessing he told you everything."
"Yes."
With a forced smile, she scratched her blushing cheek. "Ah.... how embarrassing. I'm sorry he bored you with those irrelevant details. Rubbish."
As she was passing Mizu, the samurai suddenly grabbed her hand, stopping her before she could pass her face. Their cheeks were nearly touching, and Mizu stepped back to look Sogo in her eyes as she held her hand. Her thumb gently caressed her skin. Sogo's stare dropped down to it, surprised by this affection.
"You don't have to act like it doesn't pain you. Not around me."
Sogo pressed her lips together, forcing back any emotion. A part of her wanted to scream out, but her lips were stitched together so tightly, denying it. The pain of Ichiro's betrayal scathed too hotly and cut too deep to address. The reason she could torture and hate him so much was because she once loved him so deeply.
"It doesn't pain me anymore."
She started to walk again, and Mizu stopped her, this time putting her hand across her hips.
"Don't lie to me," she persisted firmly, yet with a glimmer of worry, "Don't lie to me when it concerns your well-being."
The coldness reminded her... of herself. There was a time when she fell even deeper into her own darkness, and Ringo helped bring her back into the light... Now, Mizu wanted to be that same lighthouse for her. Stopping her before it consumed her.
"I understand you," Mizu continued in a soothing voice this time, though it was moments away from ripping in half. "Let me be there for you. I want to."
A forced smile broke on her face. She lifted her empty stare to the taller woman, refusing to budge and be vulnerable.
"Mizu... you're so cute."
She didn't like this response, and her eyes widened. The Sogo she knew was drifting further away, like someone lost at sea.
Finding it amusing earlier was a mistake.
*
They went down to the brigs to feed Fowler. Unfortunately, no opium yet, but tomorrow morning the shops would open up again, and they planned to enter each one the second they could.
"How are you feeling?" Mizu asked as he used his hands to feed himself through the bars.
"I keep thinking I'm back in Ireland..." he grumbled, briefly out of his daze. "I need a damn doctor."
"Not happening."
Fowler's bright eyes lifted from Mizu, and by the doorway of the brigs, he saw that same Sogo. Staring silently like a ray of light pouring from the creaks of the ship.
He smirked back to Mizu. "Still with that one, hmm?"
She didn't reply. He brought his spoon to his lips and forced down the salty fish soup. He cleared his throat with some water like it was his last meal.
"She looks even lovelier now. An angel you have there... One you haven't ruined yet, anyway."
A few minutes later, they had finally left the ship. Fowler was re-gagged, and the corpses were thrown into the ocean, useless now that they had their bounty.
As they walked side by side on the dock, Mizu was lost in deep thought. Nearly tormented as she rethought the last two hours over and over again.
"What a day..." Sogo sighed stretching her body. "Mizu, let's relax! Don't you agree..? We need it."
"Relax isn't really in my vocabulary."
She giggled.
Then, Mizu grabbed her wrist, turning her around and staring intently at her. She repeated, this time a bit more desperately than before. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"
She groaned like a child not wanting to be scolded again.
"I just," Mizu's gaze nervously darted away, haunted by Fowler's words. "I... don't want... you to end up... like me."
Sogo's brows shot up. Mizu had a subtle blush on her warm cheeks as she felt her heart race.
"I think you're perfect. If I were to rub off on you... I'll be damned forever."
"Mizu, if I could only be a little bit like you, I'd be so happy."
She softly laid her hand on her cheek. The samurai's eyes widened, her body tensing up yet melting all the same at her touch.
"You don't really know what you're saying," she insisted, shaking her head. "I'm no role model or samurai."
"Mizu—"
Before she could deny those words, Mizu stepped in closer, "No, it's true! I have horrific impurities, omens, and evil footsteps following my path. They call me onryō for a reason. It's not mere superstition. I'm cursed..."
Sogo's heart broke at these words, and she wished she could wash Mizu's pain, traumas, and struggles with self-worth away.
Then, it came to her.
She smiled, bringing her other hand to cup Mizu's cheek. Now, she had her thin, chiseled face in her hands and stared deeply at her. Mizu's blue eyes were heightened with worry, and Sogo's loving gaze tried to calm them.
"I'm cursed, too," she replied softly. "Come. Let's cleanse ourselves and be pure."
The hot springs.
人魚 。
a/n: yup it's happening