A Pirates Life For Me

Hime felt her lip quiver and tears sting her eye's as Mateo took off.

she took in an unsteady breath and looked at Rei.

" you know... i have grown tired of you as well... Humans piss me off " she said kicking him hard causing him to jump in surprise at her anger and animosity.

" Hime... im sorry.... " he said holding his hands out in surrender as she advanced on him.

" the spells gone you know... you have been leaving my side all the time lately... im amazed you didn't realize it.... what are you a damned pet! " she yelled at him.

Rei flinched. he didn't like the way she was doing this... Rei shrugged, "its okay... ive gotten used it it... "

Hime screamed, " go home! go home! go home! " turning and storming out with out him. she moved quickly and managed to get her self lost in the maze of streets but it did not matter.... not like she wanted to find her way back any way...

Rei was stunned she was gone she had left him behind.. no pull of the spell compelled him to fallow... nothing but his hurt feelings...

he sighed shaking his head.... he was done. she had compleatly given up on him.

perhaps she needed time... he turned to the desk and scribbled out a note for Mateo for when he returned. he then left to make his way home.



*Mateo,
Hime will be back soon... she has left up set once again.. me on the other hand am off for a while. i will return though so please watch over Hime for me.... i need to rush home.... "
ah and the spell is broken. easy put seeing as i am gone and Hime is not. i have left money in the volt here at the hotel.
best regards Shugurie.*

The streets around Hime got denser and desnser. More and more people were coming out in the heat of noon and all of the swelled around her in great quantities. Some shoved, others spat phrases in french to her, while most simply ignored her. All except fot one man who walked past her. He recognized her from earlier...the nobel girl with the nobel boy. And now she was all by her lonesome? He tried to find a bag of coins or any jewlery on her person but when he came up short he guessed they must be hidden. He pushed past her, knocking Hime back into an alley way. The crowd instantly took up her space like a disorganized wall, leaving he no way out except for further into the alley...
~~~
Arata sat perched on a crate nearby, his eyes caught by a beautiful woman that giggled in his direction. She was whore from the district obviously, and would rob him blind but he couldn't help liking the attention. He however still couldn't shake that sense that something was wrong...

Hime hated crowds ... and they were getting worse and worse causing her to become scared....

why didnt she just hide in her room.... why didnt she chase every one away...

she whimpered as she backed further into the ally way. she was better off just waiting for the crowed to lessen any way...

" i hate people... " she sighed as she let her body slump as she leaned against the wall trying to decide what to do.

a few min passed and her hunger became worse... she need to get back... maby Rei had not left yet.

she turned to venture further into the ally hopping to find another way out into a less crowded road.

Instead Hime found herself in worse than a small road. It was a dark area, bordering the practical slums of Port Charles. The guards in this area provided no help for a girl in such a shady part of town, since most were paid off or too scared to help. By the water of a small canal that channeled the sewer, a man walked over to her. "Oye, lost missy?" He said when he noticed the black smudge on her shirt, a sign for his group that she was a target. "What have we here gents?" Another chuckled walking up to her from the shadows. The others came out of hiding. "I don't rightly know, seems to be a madam of high stature." A man missing a few teeth said and the others snickered. "In a part of town like this...lucky us. Maybe we can offer some help...for the right price." The man from that had bumped into her joined them palm open and exstended to her. "You heard them missy, no harm if you fork over your valuables."

Hime new what they were talking about... it was money.. and she did not have nor come from that.

" im not .. i dont have valuables " she said pointedly. she only had the cloths on her back.

" so leave me alone " she said trying to walk past the group of them as she shook in fear.

the group of men looked like hell if they took against her will....

The men laughed at her. "Spit fire ain't she." The man laughed, while two others took her arms. "But we aren't in the mood for it hun. We came to collect and unless you want a scar on that pretty face of yours you"ll start paying up." He said as one of the theives grabbed a knife.
"I don't think the lady's what she seems gents." A male voice said making the theif blink as he looked behind him. With barely any time to take in the individual behind him, he was hit in the face with an oar. He staggered back into one of the men holding Hime, knocking the two into the sewer. The other man who had Hime's other arm staggered back and nearly fell in with her but a hand grabbed Hime's arm and yanked her to safety.
"So we meet again, Hime-chan" Arata said with a slight smile when he had pulled her against him. A bellow behind him broke the spell of his surprise and slight relief. He turned to find a knife narrowly miss his head and instantly took in his surroundings, assessing his options. 'two exits, 5 men remaining. All armed. Options...' He thought and internally groaned. He had gotten himself into this mess so easily, all because he had to be the hero when he saw a woman in need. Granted he thought she'd be a nobel girl swept up into the fantasy of a knight in shining armor and fall into his arms..but instead he got Hime, the interesting but just not that easy woman. Arata rolled his eyes and scooped Hime up without so much as caring for her protests. He ran out through another side alley to escape the noise, but was instead met with the sounds of gun fire. The military was here. 'Shit.' He thought, turning a corner away from the shooting but was met with the theives.
"ARATA YOU BASTARD!" One shouted and he instantly recognized the guilds colors on the mans clothes. He owed them ALOT of money. He whirled around and saw another group taking up the chase, men with swords and mean faces. Portsmen...who he owed even MORE money. He shook his head as he ran for his life and Hime's at the moment, looking for any way he could to get away. "You seem to be a magnet for trouble today, Ohime-sama." He panted, still able to flirt in all the choas.

Hime had closed her eye's only to open them when that mans voice sounded and broke into her clouded fear filled mind.

he was then carrying her in no time as he run... this confused her... why save a monster.

Hime did not protest though... she was in rather need when it came to help getting out of there...

Hime watched him as he ran, " were... were are we going " she asked wandering what he had in mind getting mixed in her truble.

" yuo did not need to do that. " she said. " it life... adn dangerous " she remarked.

Arata looked down at Hime and gave her a wink. "I told you I'm not very good at doing things for my own good. Why should I start now, when a pretty face I know is in danger?" He said, looking back up at the street ahead of him. "But I'll make an exception this round and say we're headed somewhere dar away from here and them." He said jerking his head back towards the mobs after him. He picked up his pace when the first shot hit the pavement near his feet and staggered around another corner. Little did he know he'd be hit with a nightmare from his past he had no idea he'd be seeing in this life...
~~~
Mateo kicked up some of the dust at his feet. His mission to help Freya out of jail was a flop. No one was willing to help and what made matters worse most of them spoke french. Not only that but...Rei had just up and left him with Hime, of all people at a time when she hated his guts. He sighed rubbing his forehead in thought. They were all going to put him in an early grave! At that thought he heard shouting up ahead and paused to look up in confusion. A group of men ran by well at least they were a group of all different leagues of life in Port Charles. A collection of theives, portsmen, bar tenders, and even the French soldiers were running after something. He didn't expect that something to come out of a nearby alley, headed straight for him.
When Mateo and Arata locked eyes it was as if everything came crashing down in a big finally. Mateo looked scary angry, something he'd never had before, and Arata looked peeved but frantic.
What was that bastard doing here? And..why did he have Hime?!
Arata could see the fire burning in Mateo's eyes and could already hear the men drawing closer to his stalled position. In a last ditch effort, while Mateo was still stunned and not acting, he lept up onto an almost stair way of boxes,grabbing hold of a rope hanging from a scaffolding and swung out of sight in a nearby side street. He however hit the ground less gracefully, taking a fall to the stone on his ass as rolling a good few feet. He ended up with Hime pinned under him and a painful back ache starting.
"You've got to be kidding me." He huffed, out of breath and in pain.

Aka cried out in surprise when she saw Mateo and grasped onto Arata harder as he started climbing.

she did not want to get caught by any one chasing them.... she could not face Mateo.... not know...

she was suddenly rolling on the ground her body aching when she found her self under Arata, " we... have to keep going " she said trying to get up, " we cant get caught"

she tried getting up only managing to run into him and making her self dizzy.

Hime was struggling to get up but of course in the process of doing so made herself dizzy. 'jeez.' Arata thought and got to his feet unsteadily. "Alright alright, I get it." He said helping her back up and trying to look around him. He didn't see anyone, but then again he had no real direction he was heading in. No where was safe in this city. Not with his reputation at least..."Come on. I think I've got a place we can lay low for a while." He pulled her along the street, keeping to the shadows till they found a smaller, cheaper port side inn. The woman behind the counter went to greet them but when she saw Arata her face first went pale the red with anger. She screamed at him, something quick and in french that he couldn't quiet understand at first but picked up on what she was saying when he heard her call him 'lying bastard'. He said something back to her, something off the top of his head to try and ease the woman's anger. She seemed to only anger worse when she saw Hime under his arm. She spat at Arata and he gave her another quick explenation. The woman didn't look happy, but her shoulders slumped and she seemed to give in.
Finally she handed him a key to a room and looked to Hime. She told Hime something in French before walking away, something that made Arata wince and quickly lead Hime upstairs.
"Um, she said have a nice stay here. Food should be ready in a minute." He laughed, but it was uneasy. He walked into the room they were given and wanted to kick himself when he saw the single bed and chair. There was a bathroom but the space was still very small and cramped. He released Hime and headed to the chair, slouching in it. "Seriously, out of all the people in the world. What the hell is he doing here? I must be having worse luck than I thought." He muttered to himself before looking to Hime. "Sorry, seems I got you in even more danger than you bargained for at first." He said then frowned slightly. "Besides...what were you doing by yourself in that part of town? Didn't your parents teach you the slums are no place for a lady?"

she blinked and looked from the man to the dog "fly...hm... here dog" she said and extended her hand the dog running into her lap. she jumped fear spreading across her face but it supsided when the dog licked her face and sat down

"so soft..." she said rubbing a hand on the dog "ah, i dont know why i am here, i was stuck and then i was lost and now im in here" she said and looked at the dog with tears in her eyes

"ive never been to a place like this i dont know anything about here..." she said and held the dog close when it licked her face and whimpered at her sadness

The soldiers face fell in guilt. "I'm sure it wasn't a capitol punishment...nothing too bad. our general is very...leniant towards women." He said and shook his head at the dog. "He likes you." He laughed and looked to her. "I'm sure you'll be out of here soon."
He smiled. "My names Peter. You are?"

" i told you... " hime started in english adn paused tunring to him.

" look im not some great lady... i have no money... all i have is a good for nothing curse " she stated in there native tongue.

i finally told Rei to go home... so he is gone, and i couldnt stand to here Mateo go on and on about Freya the wander fish.... " she said her face twisting into anger.

" AHHHHHH i hate it!" she flopped down on the bed.

i have no home, no family, nothing" she stated her face sad as it seemed to hit her fully.

she was alone.

Arata blinked looking up at her as she spoke. He frowned when she fell back, and waited for her to say more. When she didn't he sat up to get a better look at her face. She looked so sad...He felt it hit him in that internal empathy that he didn't like to use. However, the girl was stressed, alone and a foreigner like him from his home country. Why wouldn't he feel a bit of empathy for her? "Well, if its any help. You have me, for now at least." He said. Normally he would have split as soon as he knew she didn't have cash but...he felt different this time. Like sticking around might be worth his while. After today's happenings he was trusting that gut feeling.
"And Mateo doesn't know what's right infront of him, eh? Still the same naive guy from when I was around him." He said remembering when they were alot younger and he stowed away on the same ship Mateo was on in Singapor. "I'm not sure what to say about how you two had the misfortune of knowing each other...or the curse you're talking about. And a wonder fish?" He asked with a small smile.

Hime sat up and looked at him with reserve. " its a nick name... if you cant tell i dislike her... even Rei... "

she looked down blushing ashamed at her own thoughts. she denighed them out right.

" i just... its been this way for almost three years now. " she said wanting to just talk.

she only had so long to live any way.... she would soon be as mortal as the man before her...

" three years of this curse that will kill me.... three years to learn a new language.... to live and deal with abuse.... three years of a human hell... "

" and very soon.... i wont be me any more.... hell.... i have not been my self in a while. " she got up and stomped her foot.

" i need out of here... i want to hurt something... " she said clenching her hands only to grumble after looking at them her fire draining. " im so fricken small.... "

she pouted and looked over at Arata.... she used to be taller... just a little bit then he was. her legs so long....

" i hate.... being small " she said simply to distract her self from her jealousy.

Arata watched Hime, his attention caught by her words. Man, she was pissed. Shame for that Freya chick when she got ahold of her…He shook his head. “Hey, 3 years is a long time to survive a curse right?” He said trying to come up with a way to ease her anger. “And being small isn’t that bad. Easier to run and well it suites you, looks good even. Not that I’m saying you didn’t look good tall-just saying something to help cheer you up before you really do hurt someone-preferably not me.” He said then sighed, getting to his feet. “Look emotional convo just isn’t my strong point. Before I say something that makes the situation worse, I think it would be best to get out of this room. Get some lunch even?” He said opening the door for her. “And who knows, fate might give you a better hand come tomorrow. What do you think Hime-chan?”

Hime pause and looked at Arata and nodded her head. " yeah... okay sorry... im getting used to the... people talk too.... "

she shrugged and smiled weakly, " i have not had some one to talk too... in a while so i lost the skill i guess."

She took a deep breath and smiled as brightly as she could " okay, i will try my best to look happy while we have lunch " she said as her stomach growled loudly .

she blushed feeling mortified.... she had not eaten in a day and a half..... " ah.... im hungry "

Arata smiled and nodded. “And I know just the thing to help.” He said walking with her out of the inn. Of course he checked the street to make sure nobody who posed a threat was still around. When he didn’t see anything, he put an arm around Hime’s shoulders to keep her with him, just in case more bad people showed up, or at least that was his valid excuse..They walked down the street and to a small café type bistro, a small place with french doors, a quaint patio and vines growing up the side of stone walls. The place was a favorite among locals and catered to a nice enough clientele that most people after him would steer clear of the place. Besides they made some of the best French deserts known to Port Charles. He offered her a chair at a small table by the veranda, even pulled it out for her cordially. “Welcome to place that serves one of French’s only good creations. The desert.” He laughed as he took the seat across from her. A waitor bustled up, taking one look at Arata and nearly turned his nose up till he saw Hime. His mouth wanted to fall open but he sucked it in and put on that falsetto smile.
“Mademoiselle, anything I can get for you today?” He asked and Arata’s smile twitched a little. The French, gotta love ‘em. Arata sighed handing him back the menu he offered. “Porfa, the chocolate and raspberry cake please, a slice. Tea and water with that please, make sure it’s not too hot for her.” He offered the man some of the gold coins he had and the waiter nodded with a new found smile on his face for Arata as well.
When he was gone Arata rolled his eyes. “Sorry about ordering for you. If you’re not careful the weasel will try and sell you the entire assortment of wines and the most expensive foods they have.” He said and gave her a shrug. “Besides, I thought you might like something sweet, especially after all the stress.” He said, leaning back in the chair. “So, tell me. What brought you here in the first place? You’re obviously not French and you say you aren’t an aristocrat, then why come to Port Charles?”

" just fallowing " she said shrugging.

she shrugged and giggled lightly thinking about it. " to tell the truth i have been wandering about fallowing the one thing i hate most in the world "

she laughed out loud. " ah... i dont know which is worse... men or me fallowing them blindly "

she shook her head," i just dont have a place to go... or things to do so i have been fallowing others... i guess... and ended up here... "

she ducked back down before looking up at him through her hair, " you?"

Arata raised a brow at her. He couldn't stand not being able to see the face of the person he was talking to. "Kinda just woke up here. I travel alot and just stop when I can and leave when I need to." He pushed her hair behind her ear and gave her a soft smile. "Ah, you cut me with your words Hime. Not all of us are that bad." He said with a wink.

Hime paused when he pushed her hair back cauing her heart to flutter with a little fear... but to tell the truth she was not as afraid as she had been .

she smiles at him and giggles," i guess there are a few good men" she said really smiling for the first time.

" ah.... im glad i met you.... really" she said shrugging, " i dont know why but its easy to relax around you " she said blushing at this a little.

she should have notice her fear of men had become less,,, just like her powers...

Arata was relieved to see her at least smiling. It was a nice break form the depression and emotional baggage she was carrying, part of which he had no need for. "Happy to oblige. You're not so bad yourself, you know. A nice change from my usual company." He said with a small uneasy, laugh, just remmebering the people trying to kill him earlier.
~~
Mateo was feeling shit out of luck. He'd been wandering around this whole damn city and hadn't gotten anywhere. What's worse, Rei was gone, Freya was gone in jail, and now Hime had been kidnapped by a horror from his past. Honestly, he never pictured himself ever getting into this kind of drama but...here he was. The sucker in it all. 'Freya, Rei, Hime, hell everyone please forgive me.' He thought until he heard a waiter at a restaurant talking to another. "Man did you see that chick in there? She's what you call a class A rich girl. Hot too. Sad part is she's wasting her time with some guy...damn asians." Mateo blinked and looked up and instatnly found what the man was talking about. How could he miss it. Arata and Hime, having lunch no less. Laughing and talking together like they were old friends...Hime was smiling and...she let Arata touch her? His eyes narrowed. This didn't look like a helpless kidnap situation... then again...Hime was alone and not quite used to the human world. Maybe Arata had used his skills in lying to trick her. He shook his head and couldn't help the scowl that came to his face as he trudged over to them. Arata didn't even notice him, of course till Mateo's hand slammed on the table and startled him. Mateo felt his anger boiling over in his blood when Arata gave him a winded but taunting smile.
“Ah hey, Mateo…I haven't seen you in a while-How longs it been-?"
"Shut it Ara, I'm not in the mood for you. What the hell are you doing with Hime?” He snarled with complete and utter hate, so uncharacteristic to his usually proper way of dealing with people.
Arata clenched his teeth, giving him a testy look. “I didn’t know you two had met... After all, I thought you were in Tortuga swimming with gold or the fishes by now.”
“You made damn sure of that didn’t you, you lying cheat!” He hissed and looked over to Hime, his look softening slightly. “Hime, come on. We’re leaving.” He said to her, not quite angry at her but not without irritation. After all, she was the one out socializing with Arata, the known womanizing, lying, con man of the ports.

Hime got up from her chair her smile faded into a scowl as she turned on Mateo.

" NO, Arata promised to give me some sweet things and i want to stay " she announced like a Nineveh spoiled child.

"that and we have a hotel room so dont worry your self about me go get Freya" she said pouting for the most part.

she didnt want too... but some how she just could not stop her self....

Mateo just got up under her skin," and dont talk to my ... Friend Arata like that."

Hime turned to Arata and looked apologetic," sorry... i guess i should have told you who i had been fallowing... " she said to Arata in jap.

how do you know Mateo?"

Arata watched the whole exchange and suddenly found himself caught in a place between interested and thinking about ditching the two. ‘This is more trouble than its worth.’ He thought but couldn’t make himself get up and leave. “Mateo and I had the misfortune of winding up on a venture together in the south a while back. Let’s just say things ended badly, for one of us at least.” He said and noticed Mateo practically humming with anger. He smirked. “Oh but, seems you two are having a bit of trouble?” He said, just to be an ass.
Again, here Hime was acting so irritating. Even bringing up him wanting to help Freya as if it were some kind of sin, while she was running around with Arata of all people. ‘Oh great not only are they ‘friends’ but he-?’ Mateo froze. Wait what did she say? Before he could process much of what was going through his head, Arata was on his ass on the ground, holding his jaw with a shocked expression. Mateo’s hand hurt a bit from where he’d hit Arata but he didn’t feel one bit of remorse for it, just a bit of unease that he did that without thinking and in front of Hime and the general public.
Now that he was to this point however he didn’t have much choice. He had to roll with his actions and get Hime away from Arata. He was supposed to protect her and he intended to do so. “Hime, look you can be pissed with me. But can’t we save it some other time away from here?” He said and took her arm, bringing her to her feet. He didn’t intend for it to be forceful but he found himself practically dragging her from the café. “But right now I'm just trying to protect you. And trust me , Arata isn’t the kind of friend you want.”

" ah!" hime cried out in suprise as Mateo hit Arata making her jaw drop...

this was no Mateo...was it?

he grabed her forcfully and cried out agian, " ouch!" she said as his hand pushed on her brused arm from her and Arata's fall.

" stop Mateo... your hurting me!" she complained turning to Arata, " Arata... are you okay?! im so sorry.... please forgive Mateo" she called back to him.

she felt so bad adn confused all at once...she just didnt know what to do...