Queen of the Seas
Prologue
Young Henriette was forced to hide as angry pirates stepped off their ship, scowling and swearing at each other. "Ai, yee be acting like a lady if I didn't know better, Petey!" A dog growled to his shipmate.
"Oh you think so, Blubber?" Petey responded as they walked by Henriette's hiding spot.
"Ai," was the answer.
"I be havin' an idea or two with my musket here, lad, shut yer yap." Petey ended the conversation and Henriette stayed were she was until the silence became her friend.
When she crept out from behind the whiskey barrels, the wooden plank stood before her-The pirate ship only steps away. Henriette took a deep breath and stepped forward, one foot in front of the other.
"HENRIETTE COOPER, What on earth do you think you're doing?!" Suddenly, Rioichi was behind Henriette, pulling on her arms and making her come back.
"But pa, I am tired of being the only 'coon who doesn't know how to sail!" Henriette defended herself.
Rioichi grabbed his daughter's hand and walked her back to their home, explaining on the way, "Henriette, Dear, I don't want you going out to be exposed to Clockwork, Please, just stay home and let yur pop," Rioichi placed a hand on his chest, "Provide for the family."
"Oiy. It's not fair! I'm plenty old to be out on the seas! You know I can take care of myself, pa." Henriette swished her tail back and forth, annoyed. "I just want to sail, pa. I just want to sail." She looked at her feet, and her voice was sad.
"Henriette," Rioichi tried, but his daughter left him alone and closed the door to her room. "Oh, dear. Henriette!" Rioichi looked around for a minute, and finally made a decision. Quickly, he began digging through his trunk at the foot of his bed. After pulling just about everything out, he was able to open the secret hatch in the bottom. Rioichi looked over his shoulder, checking to see if Henriette had followed him, and then he pulled out a small Cooper cane styled dagger.
Rioichi knocked on Henriette's door, standing quietly with his hood down. "What do you want?" Henriette's angry voice echoed through the door.
"Henriette, please open the door."
"No."
"Henriette. Open the door." Rioichi tried again.
"No."
Rioichi leaned on the door and sighed. His daughter was not going to come out, so Rioichi put the dagger-cane in front of her door with the Cooper symbol on top. "Goodnight, Henriette." He whispered and pulled his hood over the top of his head.
Rioichi paced back and forth a little, before grabbing his Cooper Sais and heading out the door. Once outside, he wished his daughter had more appreciation for her protection, but he could only wish for now.
Rioichi pushed into a huge jump, soaring off their elevated home and falling gracefully towards the town below. The lamp posts were lined up just well enough that Rioichi had perfected his new move every time he left the house. Easily, Rioichi spun midflight and dropped on top of the lamp post quietly. He flicked his tail and held his Sais gingerly, hopping from one post to another with a graceful sweep every time he landed and took off again.
Rioichi got to the edge of town and looked back at his home, now a simple brown speck on the hill side. When he turned back, metal echoed through the skies, wind was pushing at his face to the beat of wings, and Rioichi knew who it was. "Clockwork!" he yelled, balancing himself against the wind, "Show your self!"
"If you so desire!" a metallic voice hurt his ears, and the giant silhouette pulled himself out of the forest below. One of Clockwork's wings was solid steel, the other flesh and feather. His eyes showed their natural glow, but bits and pieces down his body were metal chunks. One of the Clockworks claws flexed with metal talons, and Rioichi's eyes showed more fear than he liked. "Rioichi Cooper," The voice of Clockwork hovered, "I will end you're bloodline tonight!"
Rioichi snapped back to reality and just as Clockwork dived for him, he jumped up and over the crazy bird, aiming for the forested floor. "Cooper!" The bird cursed and spun around to catch him, but Rioichi was already on the ground, running and weaving through the trees. Up ahead, a clearing poked through the forest and Rioichi wondered if he could make it.
Just as Rioichi reached the clearing, Clockwork bomb dived and flexed his talons for the raccoon running from him. "Die Cooper!"
The metal talon's wrapped around Rioichi's body and he dropped one of his Sais. "Clockwork!" He screamed at the bird as they started heading back towards the Japanese town. Pushing on the talons squishing him, Rioichi raised the one Sais he had and swung at the one flesh leg Clockwork still had, and cut it deep.
Clockwork yelled and tossed his head up into the sky, dropping Rioichi high above the town.
Rioichi flipped around, now heading for the town feet first, aiming for the point of a sign. Clockwork had gathered himself again and was diving after Rioichi, screeching still. He caught a drift of air and pumped his wings furiously after the Cooper. The gust of wind Clockwork's wings provided threw Rioichi off balance and the sign was too close to correct towards.
Rioichi hit the ground with a loud crash, rolling over barrels and smashing boxes. Clockwork slowed, hovering again, above the town. He watched as Rioichi was still for a while. Clockwork landed beside the dying Rioichi and rolled him over with his claws. "The Cooper family has been defeated!" he said triumphantly as Rioichi took his last breath.
Clockwork flew away happily having defeated what he thought, was the last of the Cooper line, but Henriette still lived; a pirate dream in her heart, and revenge for her father's death on her mind.