An unlikely pirate.

[Himura Suzume]

.It was tuesday evening on the last week of the semester. Suzume wandered through one of the shopping districts of the capital city. She needed a new dress for the evening, and a matching pair of shoes. She made her way to one of the classier stores, she had a reputation to uphold. The store she entered was the kind where you're not welcome unless you are rich. She didn't like the concept but she sure liked the clothes.
."I think you might be lost, little girl." a woman in the store said patronizing. "The arcade is pretty far from here."
.Suzume gave her a cold smile and handed over her cred-chip. The woman swiped it in a little handheld reader and shortly after her demeanor changed drasticly.
."I'm terrably sorry, Miss Himura." she said, bowing slightly. "I did not know you were a regular customer. What can I do for you today?" she asked as she led Suzume into the store.
.Twenty minutes later Suzume was glad to finaly step out of the store and away from the insufferable woman. And with several bags of new clothes. She started walking home. As much as she loved flying high above she also liked walking the streets of the capital city. Districts changed often and distinctly. One step you could be in a business district with large glass facades and fancy lobbys and with the next step find yourself in a food market, buzzling with people, sounds and smells.

.As she walked down a street lined with small stores selling everything from holovids to small hand crafted toys she suddenly recieved a hard bump in the back. As she stumbled to regain her balance she felt the bags slipping from her grip as someone yanked them away. A man, middle aged, unshaven and with bright white scar across his left cheek looked at her for a second before he took off with her newly aquired clothes.
."Hey! Stop!" Suzume yelled as she set of after him.
.The man rounded a corner and before Suzume reached it she heard a crash. As she turned the corner she saw the man lying face down in a pile of trash. Above him, a young man stood, holding her bags. The young man turned to Suzume and smiled. Suzume couldn't help but stop and smile back. The man was very good looking and in his mid twenties. He had black, ruffled hair, a slight stubble on his shin, a wide, bright smile and deep, dark eyes.
."I belive these are yours, miss." he said and held out the bags to her.
.Suzume blushed slightly and took the bags. "Thank you mister." she said, bowing slightly.
."Please, call me Masaki." he said with a wink. "May I ask for your name?" he asked.
."I'm Suzume, Himura Suzume. I want to thank you, do you want a reward?" she asked as she opened her purse, looking for cash.
.The man laughed. "I don't want your money, Himura Suzume. But I would love to have a coffee with you." he looked deep in her eyes.
.Suzume blushed and glanced at the ground. "I'd like that, she said."
."Great!" Masaki exclaimed. "I know the perfect little place just around the corner."
.
.Suzume followed the young man to a cozy little café. They sat there for a couple of hours, talking. Masaki was very interested in Suzume's time at the flight academy and explained that he himself would be leaving on a trip in a couple of weeks. A trip to travel space and see new places. Suzume thought it sounded wonderful and when he offered to take her along she could not see any better way to spend her summer vacation, so she accepted. They parted ways after exchanging contact details. Suzume went home, prepared herself and spent the rest of the evening partying with her friends.

."No, father, I've told you." Suzume said, talking into the viewscreen of her long range communicator. "I'm not coming home to work for you during summer break."
.Her father had that look she hated, where he seemed to think she was still a child. "Little Suzu." he said and Suzume gritted her teeth. "It's a great opportunity to learn. When you finish school and start working for me it will be great to know how everything works."
."I've said no." she answered. "In fact, I've already decided to go on a trip. To see things, experience things."
."You mean like a cruise?" her father asked. "You can come home after the cruise."
.She shook her head. "Not a cruise, father. A trip, in a ship, fly wherever we want."
.Her father's face turned stern. "We?" he asked. "Who are we?"
."Me and a, a friend." Suzume said, trying to sound assertive but stumbling over the words.
."A boy?!" her father spit the words out. "You are going on a trip into space with some boy!?"
.Suzume straightened up. "Yes! A boy!" she replied. "It's my life father, I can do whatever I want. and I don't want to spend another summer with your stupid rice transports!" she yelled. "I'm a grown woman!" she finished.
.Her fater looked at her blankly for a while before speaking. "Very well, if you are a grown woman I'm sure you can take care of yourself and not rely on your father." his voice was cold in a way she had never heard it before. He continued, "I will give you a choice. The semester ended two days ago. I will give you another week to get back to Kyushu. If you are not here by then, I will not transfer any more money to your account." he leaned forward and she could see his finger on the disconnect button. "Your mother says hi."
.The screen went black. Suzume sat there, shocked. It took her almost a minute to notice she had another incoming call. She gathered herself and hit the recieve button. It was Masaki.

."Suzume, sweetie!" he exclaimed. "I'm so glad you answered. Look, plans have changed. I have to leave tonight. Can you pack your things untill then?"
.Suzume could see he was calling from within his ship, she had been there a couple of times in the past week since she met him. Suzume chewed her lip, not sure of what to say.
."What's wrong, sweetie?" Masaki said. "I don't like that look on your face, you're not coming with me." he said with a sad look. "I should have guessed I wasn't good enough for you."
."No, Masaki." she said. "That's not it at all. It's just... my father."
."He won't let you go?" Masaki asked concerned. "What's the worst that could happen, he gets mad and yells at you for a while, I'm sure that has happened before?"
."You don't understand." she replied. "He's threatening to cut me off completely if I go. I'll have no money."
."Well, you still have your own account, right?" Masaki asked.
."Yeah, but it wouldn't last me forever." she said.
.Masaki smiled at her. "You're not only the prettiest girl I've met, you are also the smartest. I'm sure you can find a way."
.Suzume blushed. "Yeah, maybe. I could work part time I guess."
."Exactly!" Masaki exclaimed. "Besides, once our trip is over and you return to your father I'm sure he'll forgive you. You are his daughter after all."
.He was right, there was no way her father couldn't forgive her. He'd be angry, of course, but he could never resist her puppy eyes. She took a deep breath.
."Alright, I'm coming. I'll start packing right away."
A few hours later the two of them took off in Masaki's small ship. They headed for their first stop. Ames Research Station, Kepler system.

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To be continued