InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ On The Sea ❯ First Day ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four: Work, and lots of it

Kagome moaned. Her arms were burning, it felt like hot fire was running up her arms and into her shoulders. Corrin had given her a bucket and brush to clean the deck with. And her arms were killing her! The sun was high in the sky and the ship rocked side to side, making Kagome a little queasy.

The sun beat down on Kagome's aching back, she had cleaned this part of the deck a good three times, but each time she thought she was finished with it Corrin told her that she had missed a spot and that she had to clean it ALL over it again. Kagome sighed as she raised an aching arm to wipe the sweat off her brow.

Shaking her head so that her hair fell into her eyes Kagome threw the brush into the bucket and got to her feet. Her hands were red and raw from scrubbing the hard wood and Kagome was sure she had a small collection of splinters in her knees from crawling around on the deck.

"There" She said with a satisfied smile as she propped her hands on her hips and looked at the gleaming deck.

"So you think you're finished?" Corrin's voice came from over her shoulder.

Kagome sighed and turned around slowly.

"Yes sir I do believe I am." Kagome said slowly, as if she knew he was going to make her clean the deck again and wasn't looking forward to it.

Corrin simply smiled at her, it was almost a condescending smile, but one filled with good humor. Kagome had yet to wonder if it was at her expense.

"Well it appears adequate enough. Now you can start on the sails." Corrin said with a smirk.

Kagome wanted to ring his neck so much, adequate!? She'd give him adequate. . .

"Sails sir?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Aye, we had a storm a week ago and the sail was torn to tatters, we need it stitched back up until we can get a new one."

Kagome nearly groaned, she had left High hall to get away from such duties, but sewing beat the heck out of scrubbing more decks.

Corrin smiled and turned on his heel, fully expecting Kagome to follow him.

Kagome sighed and didn't let him down.

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An hour found Kagome sitting on an upturned barrel sewing together the sail, with the help of two other sailors. Corrin wasn't kidding when he said that the sail was in tatters, there was barely enough cloth for Kagome to stitch together. She tried to contain a smile when Corrin went about instructing her how to sew. But she didn't say anything as he showed her how to thread a needle. Kagome made sure her first stitches looked like that of a beginners and Corrin nodded his head, satisfied, before leaving to go do whatever it is that first mates do.

As time wore on Kagome's stitches became more neater, nearly perfect, simply because she forgot to make them any other way. The three of them, herself and the two silent sailors worked in silence.

They had gotten a lot of work done when Shippo burst into the room, a wide smile on his face.

"Ey, Kage mate how's the first day?" Shippo chuckled.

Kagome scowled and opened her mouth to reply when he waved her off.

"Don't answer that mate, Corrin went extra hard on ya today cause its your first day and all."

Kagome blinked her eyes in disbelief, she REALLY wanted to ring Corrin's neck right now.

"But now its time for lessons and then we go and eat." Shippo said waving her to follow him.

Kagome nodded and followed him below deck. Her stomach ached with hunger, all the hard work had worn her out and now her mouth was watering thinking about food.

Kagome and Shippo stepped into a room that was full of bustling people, the room was lit well by lanterns and candles.

"What's going on?" Kagome whispered in Shippo's ear.

Shippo merely grinned at Kagome.

"Lessons, mate, lessons" he replied with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Kagome scowled, `lessons' didn't explain a thing. That's when Kagome noticed the room was filled with not only a dozen or so people, who all appeared to be younger then most sailors on board, but with a dozen or so desks as well. The desks were all nailed to the floor and as Kagome looked around the room she noticed that there was a large black board at the front of the room, behind a larger desk.

"Take your seats" a calm voice came from the doorway. Kagome turned to see Miroku standing there, looking solemn and serious.

"You have got to be kidding me. . . " Kagome muttered to herself.

The loud chatter died down swiftly as the sailors went to their desks and sat with a quiet attention, as if they were eager to learn. Some of the men in the back rested their heads on their arms and slept. Kagome was pulled to an empty desk by Shippo, she found herself in the front row, closest to the door.

Kagome watched in shock as Miroku went about teaching the class. . . how to read! Kagome already knew how to read and write, she could also solve fairly complicated problems in her head. So what was she doing here? `Well it's better being here then cleaning decks and sewing.' Kagome thought to herself

Miroku's voice drowned on and Kagome felt herself drifting off slowly, her head resting in her hand.

"Kage? Kage!"

Kagome snapped out of her stupor and blinked in shock.

"Wha?"

Kagome looked around, everyone was staring at her, Kagome looked at Miroku who was holding a piece of chalk in his hand, he was all but glaring at her.

"Eh heh. . . "Kagome chuckled nervously

Miroku smirked that annoying teacher like smirk.

"I was just asking you, Kage, if you would please come up to the board and write out a few words for the class."

Kagome opened her mouth to protest but Miroku gave her a glare.

"Now would be preferable" he said in a teacher like manner.

Kagome sighed a used her desk to push herself up. Snickers followed her as she walked towards the front of the class, towards Miroku.

Miroku gave her a smile and handed her the piece of chalk.

`Great, just great.' Kagome thought dully as she held the piece of chalk in her hand.

"Kage would you please write the word `Ship'"

Kagome did.

Miroku raised his eyebrow, "Ocean"

Kagome wrote that with a bored sigh.

Miroku narrowed his eyes, a small smile threatening to tug at his lips. "Mutiny"

Kagome wrote that out too.

"Well it appears that you know how to read and write well Kage." Miroku said with a smile.

Kagome nodded her head and mumbled an inaudible reply.

"Please take your seat and I will talk to you after . . . class"

Kagome nodded her head and returned to her seat, a light flush on her cheeks.

The lessons passed quickly and soon enough Kagome found herself alone in the room with Miroku.

Miroku sighed and looked searchingly at Kagome.

"Kage, where did you learn to read and write?" Miroku asked.

"I-

"No forget I asked, its not important. Can you solve mathematical problems as well?"

"Yea" Kagome said nervously. Was she going to get in trouble? They wouldn't know she was upper class just because she could read and write. . . would they?

"Great, Kage I was wondering if you would like to be my assistant." Miroku said with a relieved sigh.

"Assistant?"

"Yes, you see I have other duties then teaching, I am also the Ship healer and I have other duties amongst these. It is sometimes quite hard to handle."

"Yea, I can see why it would be"

"So I need an assistant teacher, sometimes I might not be here to teach a class and you would do it. You would help me instruct the class as well. With your help I'm sure we would progress further. So what do you say?"

Kagome nodded her head eagerly, being assistant teacher was a lot better then sewing or deck scrubbing. Heck, who knew what else they would make her do in this one hour.

"Yea, I'll do it."

"Great"

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Kagome flopped down in the chair across from Shippo. Corrin as well as Captain Sesshoumaru had put her through her paces and she was exhausted. After her agreement with Miroku Kagome spent the rest of the day hauling boxes, learning how to tie different knots, and running errands for both the Captain and Corrin. And god she was tired. Tired and sore, Kagome decided as she ate her dinner slowly.

Shippo smiled at his exhausted friend. "Not as easy as it looks huh?"

Kagome snorted and continued eating, it took all her concentration to lift the spoon to her mouth and swallow that she didn't even notice when Corrin and Miroku came.

Kagome finished her meal and listened to the others cheerful chatter.

"Come on mate, ya look exhausted." Shippo said as he got to his feet.

Kagome sighed in relief and followed him gladly down to bed. Kagome fell asleep almost instantly as she flopped down in her hammock.

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many months had passed since Kagome's first day on the Sea Maiden. She worked just as hard as any man on board, and no one found out about her identity, or that she was a girl. Though every once in a while she would have a couple of close calls. Like when she had her period. Now THAT was a day to remember. Kagome was sitting in class, watching Miroku teach when she felt the familiar trickle pool between her legs. Her eyes had widened in shock and she ran out of the room, excuses streaming after her. Kagome barely made it to the heads (toilets). Lucky for her there was no one in them. Kagome had locked the door and ripped off a piece of her tunic and used it as one of her cloths.

It wasn't hard to get cloth on the ship, And Kagome would purchase more of it every time they docked. It was hard to keep it from her friends though, this secret of hers.

She was always careful about the way she acted and what she said, but she would slip every once in a while around her new found friends. Corrin had asked if she wanted to come drinking with him Shippo and Miroku. Kagome first reaction came out of her mouth.

"It isn't proper." She had said curtly. But she realized her mistake quickly when Corrin cocked an eyebrow at her.

"I mean it aint proper to go without me of course!" Kagome laughed.

Corrin smiled and shook his head "Kage your such a kidder, lets go already then."

Kagome drank very little that night as she watched her friends get drunk off their. . .yea well you know.

Kagome had grown quite fond of all of them, the cold and distant Captain included. She felt this fierce loyalty towards the Captain, one she couldn't explain. Life aboard the Sea maiden was good, and Kagome loved it.

But her new world was about to be turned upside down.

And it all happened the night of the storm. . .

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Okay you guys, this isn't going as fast as I want it to but I get carried away with stupid stuff sometimes. This Fic is a nice action/Romance ^_^ the pairings? I bet you would like to know now wouldn't you. . . hehehehe I wont be evil this fic is intended to be a I/K. the next chapter should be a good one ^_^ So review me and tell me how I did with this one! OKAY REVIEW! Lol, the more reviews I get the faster I will update ^_^ So review please and THANKYOU to all of you guys who reviewed *blushes* I love you all!!! *sniffle*

~Kitten ^_~