[FIC] Cruise Part 4

[Magsnus]

Alright!!!

Here it is, chapter four...I cant really imagine that I have written a story this long ever before...oh man, I guess that this will either make my writing spirit die or blossom even more?

Anyways...please read and review, I think that it has been abit slow on the critiscism, that can only be because of two things: For instance I could have written such a perfect story so that it dosnt have to be critiscised at all....or you lads just dont want to make me feel sad when you point out everything that is wrong!

Well I promise that I wont cry...so please write a comment or something! I have realised that it is the comments that makes you feel good, not how many persons it is that have read your chapter...so just drench me in comments, ideas, thoughts or something.

Now read!

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Sunday Afternoon:

Kaname, Sousuke, Kyoko and Shinji were standing on the walking deck on the starboard side of the luxurious cruiser ?Pacific Pearl,' watching as the seamen prepared to leave berth. When they turned around and looked behind them, they could see a grey-haired man that Sousuke identified as the captain.

When Kaname asked how he possibly could know that, he looked surprised and said, ?Can?t you see his badge of rank??

?It looks exactly the same as the one we saw on the steward when we got onboard," she replied in an irritated voice.

?Negative, there is a huge difference . . . the angle and the small symbol above it tell you that this man is working on the deckside and that he is a captain.?

Kaname looked furious for a moment, but then she inhaled heavily and let out the air with a sigh. There was no use getting angry; they were, after all, supposed to have fun.

As they were standing there, some of their other classmates came up to them, also wanting to see the departure.

?What are they doing?? Mori asked, pointing at some men down at the pier. ?They are going to be left behind.?

?They are boatswains," Sousuke explained. ?It is their job to release the ship's mooring lines when the captain gives the order.? He continued. "Look." He pointed up toward the bridge. ?That is the captain, and the man next to him is the pilot. His job is to assist the captain in taking the ship out to sea.?

?Oh, how do you know all this?? Ryo asked.

?I told you all when I came to this class that I was interested in maritime affairs, so I read some books and manuals about both military and civilian seamanship,? Sousuke explained. It was not a lie . . . he had read books and manuals, but he also had seen ?Tuatha de Danaan? both leave and arrive at its base numerous of times.

?What are they doing now?? Ono-D asked.

?They are loosing the mooring lines. See, now the boatswains are finished and they are leaving. The ship is on its own now.?

?What is going to happen now, then?? Maya asked Sousuke. She had, like the others, accepted him as the authority on ships.

?Most likely they will use a bowthruster to push out the bow before turning around and sailing out . . . yes, there it is.? Sousuke pointed down at the water which was being pushed from the bow of the ship.

The ship started to turn slowly, and then began to move forward. His classmates were cheering and waving at the people on the pier.

Sousuke was thinking about the maneuvre that he just had seen. He was more than pleased. The captain and the crew had been acting like one; there had been no hesitation on any of the maneuvers. It felt good to have seen that; without doubt they were also specialists.
Not miltary, of course, but specialists nonetheless. That was a comforting thought.

He felt a tugging at his sleeve and when he turned to see what it was, he saw Kaname standing there. The others had begun moving away.

"Hey, Sousuke," she said, "we have some time before dinner, so we're to go check out the pool and maybe take a swim."

?That is a good idea, " he answered. ?It is quite hot, though, and you should be careful not to get a sunstroke . . . the sun is always much more intense at sea because of the reflection.?

?Ohhhh!!!? Kaname began turning red, not a good sign . . . rather a sign that the halisen would soon come into use.

?I will accompany you," he added quickly, bracing himself in case a blow came, but none did.

?Good, go and get your swimming suit and we'll all meet at the largest pool in five minutes.?

"Affirmative," he answered and began walking toward his cabin.

When Sousuke arrived at the pool, the others were already there. Shinji was lying in a deck chair reading the latest issue of Armor Slave Monthly, and Kyoko was snapping photos of just about everything, it seemed, with her camera.

Ono-D, Ryo, Maya and the others were playing volleyball in the water. There seemed to be an awful amount of splashing, and tickling involved; ?but maybe this isn't regular volleyball?' Sousuke thought to himself.

He walked around the pool and closed the distance to Shinji and Kyoko; he was heading toward an empty deck chair that was next to them. When he got closer, he noticed that Kaname was lying in a deck chair as well. He had not been able to detect her because Shinji and Kyoko had blocked his view.

He was almost stunned . . . almost.

Kaname's left knee was bent at a forty-five degree angle, showing off a little extra of her upper thigh--not that her swimming suit kept much hidden, anyway.

She had bought a new bikini, Sousuke noticed, another white one. The last one had almost given him a heart attack, causing his blood to flow to parts where it didn't usually belong . . . he wondered how he would ever be able to pretend that he didn't take notice of this one, either.

He thought of all the other times that he had been staring or admiring her, and the time when he accidentally had touched her breast, and the time when he saved her from being run over by a truck. She had yelled at him and called him a pervert. He didn't want her to think that he was a pervert--actually, he didn't want her to think badly of him at all--so he couldn't let her see that he was taking notice of her bikini . . . no matter how hard it would prove to be.

He walked up to Kaname and sank down into the deck chair next to her.

?Ahh, Sousuke, you came at last," Kaname said when he sat down next to her.

?Of course! I said that I would come, so I came.?

?Yes, I just want . . . you know . . . ahh geez, just forget it," she said when she saw his curious, innocent look.

?How can anyone possibly be so clueless?? she thought to herself.

?Anyway, do you feel up for a swim? Or do you want to join the others in their game??

?I will leave that for you to choose, Kaname. I am confident that your choice will be sufficent.?

?All right. Let's swim some lengths, then, work up some appetite before dinner.?

?Very well.? Sousuke stood up and offered Kaname his hand.

She took Sousuke's hand, and he pulled her quickly to her feet. Kaname, however, had not been ready for such a quick motion. As she came to her feet, she slipped on the wet floor and found herself falling forward. Sousuke took a quick half-step toward her as she fell, obviously trying to catch her, and Kaname fell into Sousuke's arms.

What he hadn't calculated for was the wet ground, Kaname's movement forward as she took as quick step to stop herself, and the fact that HE also slipped when he caught her.

*S P L A S H*

They both fell into the pool, sending sprays of water over Shinji and Kyoko, as well as some older people who were lying a few feet away.

They came up at the same time, both sputtering, pool water, Kaname turning crimson red. She blushed because of her predicament, her clumsiness . . . just like a certain Captain of a great assault submarine . . . but most of all because she had fallen into Sousuke's arms. She could still feel the touch of them around her . . . and it had felt good. She felt hot over her body where his arms had been . . . his bare arms against her bare skin . . .

?You...you...MORON!!!? She grabbed Sousuke by the neck and began shaking him violently.

?I'm sorry, Kaname.?

?Argh! Why me? Why always me?? Kaname yelled into Sousuke's ear, making him half deaf.

?I don't know, Kaname.?

?That was a RHETORICAL question, you moron, you aren't supposed to answer that.?

?I understand.?

She sighed heavily, trying to calm herself down since she realised that she had been making a scene.

The old couple smiled and discussed the incident. ?Ahh, young love," the woman said. ?I remember how I used to treat you, dear. I wonder how you managed to put up with that.?

?That was easy, dear, I cared for you," the man answered.

?Just as that young man seems to care for the young woman??

?Of course. I wouldn't be surprised to find that they belong together.?

Kaname overheard their conversation and immediately began blushing more fiercely than. she already was. She sighed and then smiled again. ?I guess it's okay, Sousuke; we were going to get wet anyway. What about that swim now??

?Affirmative.?

They began swimming, side by side, fifty meters there and back. After ten lengths Kaname had had enough.

?I'm going up to try to get some of the last sun before we have to leave for dinner.?

?Understood. I will swim some more. It's been quite some time since I had the opportunity to do any exercise except my usual morning program.?

?You do that,? Kaname said with a sly smile. It was just like Sousuke to take every opportunity to do some extra training.

She climbed up out of the swimming pool and got back to her deck chair. She sank back into it and felt the last few weeks of tension let go of her; it had been quite a trying time . . . with the tests, and being class rep and Sousuke. She thought for a moment about the geography test that they had taken a few days before they left. She wondered if she had done well, but then she pushed those thoughts away . . . after all, they were on a class trip; they were supposed to relax and have a good time.



Sousuke was feeling good. It had been quite a while since he was able to get some extra training done; usually he only had time for his morning and evening training, and he felt that that alone wasn't sufficient for him. He needed to train more. Ever since he'd joined up with Mithril, he had been either training, exercising or off on missions, and despite the fact that he liked his current mission in a personal way, he could seriously use some extra exercise . . . guarding Kaname was a full-time mission.

He thought about himself, Mithril, Kaname, the class trip he was on, Kaname, fishing, Kaname, the latest book he had bought and brought with him and Kaname. He suddenly realised that he spent a lot . . . A LOT of time thinking about Kaname. He thought of the times when she was happy, sad, laughing, crying and all the other moments that he had shared with her.

?What does all of this mean?? he thought to himself. ?What is this feeling I have within me??

He remembered how they had been studying in the library just a few days ago--he had felt the same way then. He had also felt the same way when he called her over to help him choose his new clothes. He realised that he almost always felt like this when he was close to her.

?It's like that time in Khanka . . . in the forest, we were close, it was the same feeling.? He remembered how she had first put her hand on his face, smiling, even though he just had threatened her . . . then she had slid in close to him, and if Kurz hadn't woken up right then . . .

?Hey, Sousuke!!!? Kaname's shout woke him up from his thoughts.

He swam to the ledge and looked up at her. ?What is it, Kaname?? he asked while he looked around. ?Is someone bothering you? Do you feel unsafe??

?Moron. No, nothing like that, we are just going to leave.? She pointed at Kyoko, Shinji, Maya, Ren and Ono-D.

?I see, I will take my leave as well, then.? He pulled himself out of the water and followed Kaname back to the others.

They all headed back toward their cabins, chatting happily about what they would wear during the dinner and the following festivities. Maya had seen a poster that said that there would be a dance club in the ?Blue Lagoon? for youths between fifteen and eighteen. Alcohol weren't allowed so it seemed perfect for them . . . even though some of the boys most certainly would have liked a party with beverages instead.

They split up at the lobby and headed in their own directions to prepare themselves for the evening to come.



Sousuke entered his and Shinji's cabin. Before he'd separated from Kaname, he had pulled her to the side and had a short, hushed conversation with her, and now he knew what uniform he would use for the evening. It was most likely best to trust Kaname's judgement in this matter. His own experience in civilian clothing was limited, to say the least, and he felt much better now that he knew that it was Kaname herself that had assisted him in choosing his outfit.

He would wear a navy blue tuxedo and a pair of black shoes; with that he had bought a new watch, a Certina which fit ?like a hand in a glasshouse,?to quote Kaname. He didn't really understand what she meant, but he was positive that it was something good, at least.

?Good. I'm all set! What about you, Shinji??

?I'm ready.?

Shinji was wearing a black tuxedo, quite like the one Sousuke was wearing, but it had some different angles here and there. They exited the cabin and made their way up to the lobby where most of the other from the class was already waiting. Sousuke looked around but couldn't spot either Kaname or Kyoko.

?I guess that we will have to await their arrival.?

?Yes. They are perhaps doing their hair. My mother is always late when she and Father are going out because of her hair,? Shinji said.

They still had fifteen minutes before they had to leave, so they stood and waited for the rest of the class to come.



?Hurry up, Kyoko! We're almost late,? Kaname yelled into the closed bathroom door.

?We wouldn't be if you hadn't taken so many showers.?

Kaname had showered four times, each time trying out yet another body lotion, perfume or moisturizing crem? and finding that it didn't cut it.

?That may be true, but YOU didn't have to redo your hair so many times, either.?

?It ain't easy to make a ponytail. I think that I should thank that weird masher for showing me how nice a ponytail can be. Don't you think so too, Kaname??

?Yes. It's very nice, much nicer than the one HE did. Hmmpff!?

?I think that your hair is very nice also, Kaname.?

?Thank you.? Kaname beamed a smile towards Kyoko. She was also satisfied with her hair; it had taken a long time to do it this way. She had made a fancy hairstyle with curly locks flowing down from her head over her left shoulder. The glitter that she had put in her hair was sparkling as she turned her head.

?Sousuke had better like this,? she thought to herself.

?And your clothes are nice also," Kyoko said. "Your dress is new, right? I haven't seen you wear that before.?

?Ahh yes, I bought it a week or so before we left. I found it when I was out shopping in Ginza and I couldn't resist buying it.? I know the feeling.

It was a light blue dress, with a high collar. It went all the way from her neck down to her feet, with a long slit in the right side that went a bit up on her thigh, showing some leg but not too much.

?Are we ready now?? Kaname said when Kyoko came out of the bathroom.

?Yes. Let's go.?

As they exited their cabin and walked up toward the lobby, Kaname was certain that this was going to be a night to remember.

[SOULS_LEADER]

This thing is sooooo adicting
and thise part really made me laugh

"She had bought a new bikini, Sousuke noticed, another white one. The last one had almost given him a heart attack, causing his blood to flow to parts where it didn't usually belong . . . he wondered how he would ever be able to pretend that he didn't take notice of this one, either. "

Man keep going on this it really good

[TimeShifter16]

Awesome! This is a great fic; very entertaining! Thanks for writing, and thanks to your beta reader too! Keep the chapters coming; I must read more!!!