A Surprise Assignments [Minion Island: Contestation Arc - Part 1]

Behind the freshly appointed Rear Admiral, exactly three steps behind in fact, stood a stern figure. Yumiko still carried the deep wounds of her recent failure. Heavy layers of bandages peeked from beneath her concealing outfit. Her arms were wrapped up to the wrists. One of her eyes was hidden behind the white bindings. Yet again she was defying the doctor’s orders to simply rest and recuperate. Despite her rough condition, however, she stood unwavering and retained an air of icy calmness. Like a frozen lake on a winter morning. Silent and serene... Outwardly anyway.

Behind the steely gaze, the sam... The swordswoman was constantly trying to silence the whispers of shame. Not being able to drink made it worse... So she channeled her entire focus on protection duty. Self-imposed. Ever since she had been able to walk, she had shadowed her superior’s every step. During daily routines... Training sessions... Meals... She even had briefly insisted on bathing alongside him, just in case. Luckily, the suggestion had been swiftly withdrawn when she realized it might give her superior the wrong impression. So she had chosen to stay behind the door instead. While it had been peaceful lately, she refused to drop her guard. That was exactly what their enemies wanted. They wouldn’t get the drop on her ever again.

Though Anton took the wonderful news somewhat... passionately, Yumiko allowed herself a small smile. The cold chime of her voice drowned beneath all the shouting. “Congratulations, Master.” She offered the appropriate amount of applause as well. Five claps and no less. As outlined in the Marine Code. This promotion was only further proof that her master was worthy, not that she needed it. He had proven himself on the battlefield. She was glad beyond words that she could serve as his weapon.

Meanwhile, the Petty Officer herself had not received any accolades or official recognition. Of course not. She had nearly gotten herself killed through her own ineptitude. If anything, she could count herself lucky her only punishment had been writing ‘I shall not disobey my superior’ a thousand times. ...Also self-imposed. She had, of course, suggested a traditional ritual seppuku. Several times in fact. But for some reason her master opposed the idea vehemently... he hadn’t given her any sort of punishment for her failure either. Local traditions were so very strange.

When a suitable silence presented itself, the swordswoman cleared her throat. “Sir, if I may speak freely, I believe thy sensei must have his reasons.” Her hand reached for his shoulder, offering gentle comfort. “Our superiors are infallible. We simply must have faith.” She underlined her unshakeable conviction with a firm nod. Of course, her faith applied to Anton as well. In her mind, his word was absolute. ...Except when he implied he might be anything less than a shining example of leadership. That was utterly untrue, so... It had to be a test, yes. A test of her judgement. “Perhaps thou are angry because thou are receiving glory thou never sought. Might thou consider it frivolous?” Hm, yes, that was definitely it.

Ryoma would bellow a yell so loud he thought he saw the ship shake.

-----Meanwhile-----

Since there were no claims to the contrary, Yumiko considered her guess correct. Of course a heroic soul would consider unnecessary glory frivolous. Crossing her arms, she closed her eyes and nodded to herself. As expected of her noble Captain. Hm, or would it be Rear Admiral now? She would have to ask when she got a chance... Catching a certain name snapped the swordswoman out of her thoughts. “Hornigold...? Might thou mean the noble Vice-Admiral Hornigold?” Her usually cold eyes twinkled with child-like wonder when she spoke the name. “‘Tis a great honor. I solemnly swear we shall not let him down.” While she considered all her superiors noble heroes, some were more heroic than others. To think her Cap... erm... Rear Admiral...? ...had gained the attention of the legendary Vice-Admiral... Ah, her heart fluttered at the mere thought and her burning admiration began blazing even brighter.

When a beastly bellow echoed across the area, Yumiko visibly winced. It felt like someone had hit a gong inside her skull... Sensitive hearing did have its ups and downs. Just like having a sharp nose was a pain after physical training. ...And on laundry day. Once the sting subsided, she was wary about trying to catch any other distant sounds. That had come from outside. What manner of monstrous lungs did this mysterious person have anyway?

Hearing a pair of footsteps approaching, the samurai turned towards the door preemptively. One of them sounded much like Julius of Black. She had already learned to recognize the calm and quiet way he sauntered. The other steps, however, were unfamiliar. Much too heavy to be any of her crewmates... Her voice was low, barely a whisper. “Master... That loud shout... Was that someone thou know?” If not... Her gaze grew colder. She already brought her hand to her blade, sliding it just an inch out of the sheath. Ever since the assassin incident, she had been a little... on the edge. Despite her injuries, she was ready to defend her master from whatever was approaching.

Step by step, the heavy presence drew closer. Each echo resembled a sledgehammer pounding against the wooden floor. Hm, well, maybe that was just imagination running wild... Yumiko tensed as the door practically flew open. The man who stepped inside was anything but imaginary. Slowly she craned her head upwards, only to find a chilling smirk. Her glare grew colder and her grip on the sword tightened. She had never been particularly tall, but for the first time in her life she felt... small.

When the stranger stepped past the self-appointed bodyguard, she made no move to stop him. Instead, she slid the sword back into the sheath and politely stepped aside to give the large man some room. Why? Was it because he was accompanied by someone she already trusted? Julius of Black wouldn’t lead anyone dangerous here. Or maybe because he didn’t have the smell of danger on him. Poison, gunpowder... blood... All of them had very distinct scents that clung to a person. But... He didn’t smell like any of those. Perhaps beneath that intimidating exterior was a person who didn’t engage in senseless bloodshed. ...Or one who bathed regularly. Both were, sadly, a rarity at the seas.

As soon as the swordswoman recovered from her initial shock, the introduction rang through her head. Ensign Nobunaga... Without missing a beat, she dropped down to one knee and bowed her head. “Sir Nobunaga! I am Petty Officer Yumiko, at thy service.” Naturally, anyone who outranked her deserved nothing less than her utmost respect. She didn’t even raise her head as she continued. “I vow to assist thee ‘till my final breath.” It was the least she could do for her new ally, especially one who clearly understood the greatness of their Rear Admiral. ...Luckily, the ringing Den Den Mushi spared everyone present from the awkward silence that often followed her... dramatic declarations. It was better this way.

Yumiko straightened her back while her superiors discussed the assignment. She had never heard of this... Island of Mini Oni? However, hearing Rear Admiral’s comments gave her some clue. Cold suited her fine, for it was heat she couldn’t stand. Desolate places she was used to seeing, even back home. As for the last point... She gave her sword a reassuring pat. Once they were done, the pirates would all be behind bars. This was the perfect opportunity to sacrifice her life for greater good! With renewed fire in her heart, she hurried after Anton. Wherever he went, she would follow. Always three steps behind...

Two Days Later...

Sometimes, a careless word without any ill intent could hurt more than the gravest insult. Yumiko flinched when the stranger called her a samurai. Just a few weeks ago, she would have raised her head, puffed her chest and met the kind recognition with a warm smile. But not anymore. She... hesitated. And bowed her head even lower. “My deepest apologies, but thou are mistaken. I am no samurai...” Not anymore. “A simple weapon has no title, no clan and no other name.” Finally she raised her head, hiding her hesitation behind her cold composure.  “I am only... Yumiko.” That much she could still allow herself. Anything more would’ve been presumptuous. An insult to the man who had earned his name and his title. Without any further explanation, she hurried after the Rear Admiral. There was work to do.

-Two Days Later-

Yumiko tasted the crisp sea wind. She had always preferred the open deck to the stuffy cabins. Even as the air got nippy, her usual outfit proved warm enough. She stared keenly into the distance. Two whole days of peace and quiet had left her nervous. Antsy. The strange kind of itch she just couldn’t scratch. Even now she was trying to distract herself. That slowly growing mound of white had to be the island of Mini Oni. Imaginary ideas gathered above her head like bubbles as she quietly wondered how the place had gotten such a curious name. Perhaps... No, no, couldn’t be. But maybe...

A sudden shout popped the bubble of vivid imagination. The hunter’s ear twitched. She caught the lookout shouting something about... ships? Immediately her gaze swept across the sea. Just as warned, two wooden ships were approaching. She didn’t need a sharp nose to smell their wicked plan all the way here. Her fur bris-hm, hair stood up, but not from the cold. It was the anticipation. Finally her wait was over. However, as much as she wanted to simply take flight and try slicing the boats in two, this time she wouldn’t move an inch. Not without...

An order!

Anton had barely called when Yumiko appeared before him in a blur. Her arrival brought a gust of chill wind. “Sir!” She dropped to one knee and bowed her head. “Awaiting thy orders, sir!” When it came to ocean combat, she was unfortunately a complete novice... And a hammer on top of it... But... If she followed his every word precisely, she couldn’t possibly fail this time.

Upon receiving a command, Yumiko bowed her head. “Sir, yes, sir!” She sprung up on her feet and spun towards her other superior. “Sir Nobunaga! I trust the rallying of the troops to thee! Please watch over me!” Naturally the other marines would be inclined to follow someone who outranked them. As for herself... Without wasting a moment, she sprinted towards the side railing... And jumped off the ship. Faster than one could say hammer, a gust of wind howled around the ship. It twisted into a whirlwind, dragging the swordswoman high into the skies like a living kite. Sleeves flapping, she swooped towards the enemy ship further away.

Meanwhile on said ship, up in the crow’s nest, a bewildered pirate peered through a beaten spyglass. “Whuzzat...?” He wasn’t sure if he had been drinking too much... or not enough... but he could swear he saw a woman flying right at them. Not wanting to risk his captain’s wrath, he raised alarm anyway. “Oi! Incoooming!” The raspy shout roused action across the deck. When people couldn’t spot any boats threateningly close, their eyes soon turned towards the skies. A burly, bearded figure behind the wheel bellowed. “Look alive, boyos!” He took a long swig from a bottle before bothering to continue. “We be getting company!” The pirates immediately gathered a welcoming committee, armed to the teeth.

Yumiko landed on the deck with a whistle of dying wind. Sweeping her icy gaze over the numerous foes, she took a stance and demanded their undivided attention. “Halt thou firing, buccaneers! Thou are all under arrest! Thy crimes catch up to thee and there is no escape from thy vile deeds! Surrender at once or...” She unsheathed her blade with a dramatic flourish. Winds whirled around her frame, making her clothing billow. [LT][“Defend thyself!”] The shout left behind a pause in the chaos, accompanied by awkward silence. Only the floorboards creaked beneath approaching steps...

A huge, pot-bellied pirate emerged from the crowd. He was guzzling down grog until it spilled past his lips and dripped down his soaked beard. Once the bottle was empty, he suddenly bashed it against the mast. Shards of glass scattered across the deck as he brandished his new, sharp weapon. “Now ye lissen here, missy. We *hic* might be scoundrels, thieves and murderers, but we be not buccaneers, *hic* whatever that means.” His men agreed. “Aye, we be proud pirates! And ye be dead!” With a drunken roar, they all charged. [LT][Gang Up]

Before the foes could swarm the swordswoman, she bounced backwards with a blast of wind. [LT][Gale Warning] It was heavy enough to push the rowdy pirates back. However, despite all the staggering and swaying, they were soon back on their feet with minimal injuries. Like they were used to stumbling around... Yumiko’s eyes narrowed and nose twitched when the supposed captain pulled out a flintlock and took aim. [LT][Flintlock Snipe] As the shot rang out, it got deflected by a deft swing of blade. While she lacked any firearms of her own, she had her ways of fighting at range. Another swift swing sent a curling blade of wind towards the foe. [LT][Weasel's Tail] With a raspy curse he dropped the gun. The two fighters rushed across the deck and clashed, blade locking against... erm... bottle. [UT] [UT] Despite the weird weapon choice, she nearly buckled beneath the impact. This man... His size wasn’t just for show...