Daughters of the Sea

by Mister E

Unfinished Business (Part 2)

Unfinished Business (part 2)

Now Boots an me had been around a bit. Sailed far an wide under our old Captain. What I’m sayin is, that despite our young age, we weren’t what you’d call ‘green’. But I have tell ya right here an now, when that old salty stallion bent down an peered at us, we like ta near wet ourselves on the spot.

I ain’t never met a pony before or since, that was as intimidating as the one that stood over us that night.

“So you two squibs swindled me mate Scudder out of his ship eh?” He says lookin me right in the eye.

Well, that done broke whatever hold he had on us. There ain’t hardly any way ta make me madder than ta call me a thief. See me an Boots grew up poor. Usually that means doin a bit o petty theft on the side, or if your morals are low, worse than that. But me and Boots are upright mares. Always have been, an always will be, so when this grizzled old blowhard gets in MY face, tellin me I swindled somepony ta get MY ship, well, that set me off.

“WHO THE HELLS DO YA THINK YE ARE!” I yell, grabbing him by his grubby tunic an puttin my muzzle right up ta his. “HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE CAPTAIN SUMMERGALE O' BEIN A THIEF! BY THE SKY STALLION, I WON’T HAVE IT! I WON’T STAND FOR IT! GRAB YER SWORD YA FLEA COVERED SACK O SALT, AN HAUL YOUR ASS OUTSIDE! I WANT SATISFACTION RIGHT HERE AN NOW!”

The whole bar fell silent. I didn’t notice it at the time, but later Boots tole me that Scudder was lookin at me with eyes as wide as saucers. A look matched by the dock master and several other patrons. Now had my blood not been up, this mighta made me a little nervous, but it was, an I wasn’t.

Well, the old stallion, he just didn’t know what ta make of me. He must have thought he grabbed a kitten, and ended up with a hoofful of very loud bobcat.

Finally he closes his muzzle, gives me another scowl, an says “Fine, have it your way.” An he starts hobbling toward the door.

Scudder looks at me an yells, “Oh Sweet Zacherle! What have you done?!?”

“What have I done?!?” I say, rising to my hooves, “I called out a smelly old pony who had the brass ta call me a thief! NOPONY calls me a thief!”

“B-but… but… that isn’t just ANY pony,” Scudder says still wide eyed.

“I don’t care if he’s Captain Colt himself, I want satisfaction, and by the gods, I’m going ta get it!”

“That’s right,” Scudder says, putting his head between his hooves, “that’s exactly right,” he moans.

I rise up from my stool. The bar is still silent except for Scudder's moans. Boots rises up beside me.

“Um, Summergale, he’s a bit… bigger than you.” She says hesitantly.

“Makes for a bigger target,” I say loosening my scabbard.

“And he looks ta be a fair bit more muscular than you,” she adds.

“Means that he’s bulky and slow,” I say, popping my neck.

“Um, and from the way Scudder an the rest of the bar is reactin, he probably has a bad reputation,” she persists.

“That just means he’s been around fer awhile. He’s old. Scudder is old. I ain’t about ta let some old fish, fat on his reputation, make a mockery o' mine,” I say striding out the door.

Outside the old stallion was stretching his limbs, knocking out kinks that had probably been there for years. I unsheathed my brand new cutlass, and swung it a few times, getting used to the balance and the feel of it.

He notices me doing this and stops, then trots over.

“New blade?” he asks, looking at my cutlass. “Do ye mind?” he asks, extending a hoof.

Mad as I was, I knew both courtesy, and the code. I knew he wouldn’t try anything fishy with all his mates watching, so I hoof’d over me blade hilt first.

He spends a minute or two looking it over before he passes it back.

“That be as fine a blade as I ever saw. Good Demarscus steel, and a fine balance. If nothing else, ye know yer steel.”

“Thanks,” I reply tersely. “She was a gift from me last captain. Much finer than what I’m used ta swinging on me old ship, but fitting I think ta be blooded for me honor.”

He snorts in reply. “Filly, you’re too green ta know the first thing about honor. It’s a shame that yer first lesson is also going ta be yer last.” He says, drawing his own cutlass from it’s scabbard.

The weapon looks old. VERY old. There are faint nicks on the blade, that have been honed out as best as could be. For a cutlass, it’s massive. Almost like an overly long cleaver. I couldn’t guess at the weight, but more than I could swing for very long, yet he handled it with ease.

For the first time, a small drop of worry fell into my pool of rage. He noticed this as well.

“Last chance filly. You can sheath yer blade and walk away from this unhurt. Just give Scudder back his ship, as this’ll end here an now.”

My rage rekindled. “Yer right about one thing,” I say, getting into my stance. “This WILL end here and now, and then I’ll be sailing off in MY ship, with one o those dangley bits of yours tacked to the wall of my cabin as a souvenir!” I say, pointing my cutlass at his mane.

Well, for some reason, THAT set him off. He stopped talking, cracked his neck, and settled into a stance of his own. Then, quick as a snake, he attacked.

Now me an Boots are no strangers ta sword fightin. Our old captain taught every member of the crew ta fight. Between uncharted islands, freebooters, an the occasional bar brawl, he figured that the best way ta keep his ship an crew intact, was ta give us all a thorough education in the arts o' fightin. An not ta brag or nuthin, but I was always considered his prize pupil. Me an swords, we got a long well. When I was weldin one, it became a part of me own arm. Add ta that me smaller size, an speed, and I was pretty much a match for any pony on board, except the captain himself.

So I was pretty sure I could handle meself against one old stallion. No matter how big an strong he looked.

I was dead wrong.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the short chapter. I've been working on a sequel to another story.
But I don't want folks to think that this one has been forgotten.
LOL, far from it. Summergale and Fluttershy haven't even left port yet, let alone settled that race.
There are QUITE a lot of surprises in the months to come.

Comments

[ShadowLDrago]

I was dead wrong.

Age equals experience. And she forgot that. She's lucky it wasn't her last mistake.

[rantu1324]

YOU MADE US WAIT FOR ALMOST A YEAR FOR A NEW CHAPTER.

please dont do that again i verymuch enjoy this stories series and want more if it.