Smoke and Mirrors
Ch. 2: Unwanted Guests and a New Companion?
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The Bloody Lullaby's crew cheered as they watched their first merchant ship sailed away empty handed after being attacked. The 'Lullaby's captain couldn't have been happier.
The crew cheered as Brezan, their young captain, tossed some of the gold to them. "I can't believe our fortune! Lady Luck is on our side today." The brunette couldn't help herself but celebrate on her first merchant raid. It was the same day when they departed from Brezan's home and happened upon a French merchant ship heading back to France. Of course the nation jumped at the first chance of attacking. And it was loaded; the fine fabric found among the loot was going to be her sister's. She knew how much Seran liked silk.
Hours went by while Brezan watched as her men drank their fills of rum as she settled down, putting the newly obtained precious items away.
Her first mate came up to her, "Want some rum Cap'n?" The man handed her the rum only for it to be pushed back into his grasp.
"Naw ghujeo, Mr. Krant. I'm not one to drink alcohol," the nation shrugged.
Mr. Krant was about to reply when the lookout began shouting down to her, "Captain, there's a ship heading toward us!"
Brezan frowned as she walked over to the side railing. She took out her spyglass before brushing her bangs aside. Through the glass she couldn't make out what ship it was only that it looked armed.
"Captain, she bears the Jolly Roger!" the lookout called down.
At this the nation gritted her teeth as she made out the infamous crossbones and skull woven into black fabric. Brezan lowered her spyglass before glancing around the crew on deck. They had stopped drinking and seemed ready for any orders to follow. Brezan shook her head at herself. They had lowered own pirate flag once the merchant ship sailed away earlier that day. "Let's wait until the ship is closer before flying our colors, Mr. Krant," the brunette said.
"Aye sir," the first mate responded.
"Here," Brezan handed the man her spyglass. "Find out what nationality that ship is if you can."
Mr. Krant nodded, "Aye, Cap'n," the man looked into the glass.
"I'll be in my office. Get me when you find something out."
"Aye sir."
Brezan looked back over to her crew before waving them off. At the silent order the men went back to their work as the brunette walked to her captain's office.
Outside Mr. Krant looked through the spyglass. It was getting tough to see the ship's details as the sea waves were choppy, but he could make out a blonde seemingly watching The Bloody Lullaby. 'Maybe that's the captain of the ship?' the first mate questioned himself. He wasn't sure if the ship was going to attack. But then again the ship was tailing them and seemed to be shortening the distance between the two ships.
Mr. Krant frowned as he lowered his captain's spyglass. He decided to go inform the captain of what he noticed. It wasn't long before her door came into view. Mr. Krant knocked on the dark oak door, "Cap'n, it appears the ship is fast approaching."
He heard a curse before the dark door was whipped open. Brezan looked irritated as she walked past the first mate. Mr. Krant quickly followed suit.
Once the two arrived outside, the island nation took back her spyglass. She held up the item after flipping her bangs to the side. It only took a mere second for Brezan to choke on her own saliva.
The first mate looked at his captain a bit worried, "What is it sir?"
Brezan gritted her teeth hard as if she was biting a bullet. "Naw naw naw," the brunette hissed.
"Cap'n?" the man looked at her expectantly.
Brezan lowered her spyglass, giving him a glance before returning her gaze back to the tube's glass. "Nahno chajo. Mr. Krant?"
Said man stood ready, "Sir?"
The nation gave her first mate the spyglass, "Raise our flag and give him three warning shots." At that the man went off. Brezan pushed her bangs back into place as she watched her flag being hoisted into the strong whipping salty winds. She felt her ship turn in the water until its side was facing the fast approaching ship. Next came the vibrating booms of the three fired warning shots.
Brezan raised her head heaven wise, gazing at the sky's colors. The sky was painted in an array of pleasant colors such as yellows, oranges, reds and purples. The clouds were fluffed up with soft pinks and purples. The horizon glowed with all the fire of the sun, the open water like a mirror to the sky above.
Brezan looked back at the ship tailing them. It seemed the flag and warning shots worked. 'At least for now…' the nation thought. She crossed her arms as she sent an unseen glare at the ship. 'So you're going to follow me, eh chajo?' the brunette smirked. "If he knew about this, he'd sink your ship without a second thought," Brezan muttered to herself. She looked up to her flag whipping about, watching it. It was a black flag with a snow white fox with bleeding coal black eyes in front of a pair of swords with blood dripping down. The nation felt a spark of pride from her flag.
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As the sun descended beneath the waves the ship behind The Bloody Lullaby stayed close to her. The ship, Le Rose, had her captain on deck gazing at the ship in front of him.
Another captain walked next to him, "Vhat's up freund? Still eyeing zhat ship?" the albino asked.
The pompous Frenchman grinned hungrily, "Oui, the captain I saw earlier seems to be quite the catch. With a woman for a captain, it shouldn't be too hard to take the ship."
Prussia grumbled something about Hungary when he was younger. Getting his attention back on his friend, he looked at the dimly lit ship ahead of them. "I couldn't see vho vas zhe captain. Vhat did she look like?" the nation asked with a raised eyebrow.
The blonde shook his head, making his long glossy hair swish side to side against his neck, "Non I couldn't see much. But she has long brown hair." The Frenchman placed his hands on his cheeks as he swooned. "Ooh lala," France said to himself as he dreamed to himself.
Prussia rolled his eyes as he smirked at his friend's antics.
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On The Bloody Lullaby the crew was beginning to stir as the sun's morning rays graced the ship's deck. It wasn't long before the crewmen began taking shifts between working and eating. The blue ocean waters sparkling in the morning light as the salty winds blew in the cream colored sails, pushing The Bloody Lullaby along the watery surface. There was not a cloud in sight in the clear sky as its colors ranged from pink to orange to the beginning of bright blue.
All was at peace but too good. Within the ship's galley, Brezan was cooking her breakfast… But moments later what food she was attempting to cook burst into flames. The brunette yelped from surprise. The nation quickly tried to put out the fire but only made it worse, making the flames blaze.
Before Brezan could do anymore damage the cook came rushing in with a pail of water and quickly extinguished the fire. The room was full of black smoke, making Brezan cough from lack of clean air in her lungs.
Brezan covered her eyes as they teared up from smoke exposure. The nation had her back against the wall before she was able to recover her sight. With the smoke dissipating, the room soon became clear again. The brunette rubbed her eyes only to see the cook glaring at her. Brezan grinned awkwardly at the angry man.
It was only at that moment did Brezan hear a lot of commotion up on deck. Hearing this made Brezan frown at the ceiling above her head. She quickly grabbed her blue coat that was folded on the counter next to her. Forgetting about the cook and burned food behind her, the island nation rushed through the halls of The Bloody Lullaby. Brezan quickly put on her eye patch as another smoke induced coughing fit hit her. She couldn't stop coughing as she finally made it on deck.
Thanks to her eye patch and bands covering her eyes, Brezan didn't get blinded by the sudden sunlight. But instead of blindness, the poor nation came out hacking out the remaining smoke from her lungs, promptly running into someone's back.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here mon ami? The captain of this ship?"
"Keseseses."
Hearing these two distinctive voices made Brezan freeze. She coughed as she looked up at the blonde and albino nations before her.
'Nahno, I didn't know Prussia was with that chajo too,' she thought. Brezan frowned as the two older nations stared her down.
"So Vhat's your name, mädchen?" Prussia asked leaning forward.
"And why is your face so dirty, mon amour? It doesn't look becoming of a woman as beautiful such as yourself," France said with a smirk. "Did something happen?"
Brezan coughed a few before glaring at the pompous Frenchman, "Just a kitchen incident." She turned to face Prussia with a smirk. "And why should I tell you my name?" the brunette crossed her arms.
Prussia grinned as he leaned closer to her, his red eyes sparking with lust, "Because ve're going to have an awesome time later."
Brezan glanced around her ship, watching her crew fight the opposing pirates. It seemed France's men were holding them back at the moment.
From the way the brunette was glancing around at the battle on the deck, the two older nations glanced at each other before looking back at the captain of The Bloody Lullaby. France gave her a questioning look, "How can you see? Isn't it difficult to see?"
Brezan turned her head back to the older nations, "I can see perfectly fine this way."
Prussia rolled his eyes before drawing his sword, pointing the tip of the gleaming steel at her throat, "Enough talk mädchen, are you going to come quietly or resist?"
The brunette smirked but immediately frowned at the arrogant albino, "Threatening me won't make me surrender, Prussia."
France's eyes widen hearing the brunette say his friend's name, but Prussia only narrowed his eyes, "So you know I'm a nation? How, pray tell, did you come across zhis information?"
Brezan snorted towards France, disregarding Prussia's blade that was closer to her skin. "And I also know who you are, France." Brezan smirked again at seeing France's shocked face. 'Such a French drama queen,' Brezan mused, 'the worst kind.'
Not a moment later the brunette jumped back while whipping out her sword. Without missing a beat Brezan launched into attacking Prussia, completely ignoring France. The albino though reacted faster by blocking her many swipes. Prussia pushed Brezan back making the brunette parry.
"You haven't said vho you are," the albino tried cutting her from the right only to have it blocked instantly.
Brezan frowned at the older nation, "I don't take kindly when someone goes for my blindside." The brunette made a few large slashes to make Prussia back up. "Fine, if you must know," Prussia forced Brezan into a corner as their swords grinded into one another. Brezan grunted as she was pressed up against one of the masts of her ship.
Prussia grinned widely down at her, "Ja? Vhat's your name, mädchen?"
The brunette growled as the entangled blades inched closer to her neck. Luckily for the younger nation, she had planned for particular question. Brezan grunted as she managed to push the swords away from her throat, "My name, is Kitsune." The brunette slowly slid her unoccupied hand behind her back.
Prussia eyed her curiously, "Kitsune? Vhat a strange name…"
"Tch," Brezan loved the Japanese word and how it translated into fox. It was why she chose that as an alias.
"I like it zhough. Very unique," Prussia had a new grin spread across his lips as he leaned into her much closer, making Brezan very uncomfortable.
Brezan growled in irritation before she quickly pulled out her gun and shot at his feet, making the older nation jump back.
"Keseses, sneaky I like zhat too," the albino snickered as Brezan pointed her sword at him. "I'm liking you more und more."
"Look around Prussia, my men are gaining back fast." Brezan gestured around them at her men forcing France's crew back. "I want you and France, off my 'Lullaby."
Prussia frowned at the situation. He glanced around until he found his French friend fighting one of the crew members. When the nation turned back to the brunette he was surprised to see the captain had disappeared. He looked around rapidly at the battle scene only to find her fighting France along with her crewman.
France grimaced when Brezan jumped into his fight, having to take on two people on at once. He felt himself being pushed back on the defensive. The blonde took a fast glance over to Prussia as the albino was coming over. But too soon another crew member took on the nation.
Brezan grinned giving her crewman a look before sending a series of slashes, making France back up. It didn't take long for him to lose his balance. The crewman then flicked his sword around the Frenchman's blade, whacking it out of the nation's grasp.
Taking that queue the brunette tripped France and pinned him to the deck with her sword tip just inches from his throat. "It's time for you and your men, along with Prussia, to leave my ship," France growled as he gripped his hands into fists, noticing the crewman had already left the two, "before I skewer your stomach." Brezan threatened.
France didn't like the fact that he was bested by a mere woman. But now that the two weren't swiftly fighting nor her face covered by soot anymore, thanks to the sweat rolling off her cheek, the brunette looked younger than an adult but more like a teenager.
France was quickly brought out of his stupor by the brunette tapping her blade's tip under his stubble chin rather impatiently. "Give up Frenchie?"
France frowned disliking the position he was put in. He was sore, sweaty, embarrassed and covered in cuts along with a decent sized gash in his side. The blonde strongly disliked this feeling of defeat. "Fine we'll leave." Brezan kept her sword at France's throat as he rose to his feet. "Tout le monte retraite!" France called out to the remaining fighting pirates. France turned back to the victor as Prussia walked up to the blonde, "You are quite the fighter, taking us on like that. Don't think you'll stay as the victor for long, mon petite fille."
Brezan scoffed as she tossed France's sword back to him, "I think I can handle a pushover like you France. You see," Brezan grinned, "I have a mutual friend who despises you very much. Not without a doubt he'll maim you if you lay a finger on my widdle head," she sounded like a child at the end with a very childish pout.
France bristled at the way the girl was mocking him, acting all innocent. The blonde turned on his heel went back to his ship.
Prussia eyed Kitsune intrigued as she crossed her arms, still holding her sword ready for an attack. A warm breeze picked up between the two nations. It made the brunette's bangs move, flowing a bit in the salty breeze. Brezan suddenly could see quite clearly on her left side. At this the brunette felt her eyes widen surprised from the sudden strong wind. Taking a step back, she jerked her head to the side, having her eye patch facing the Prussian.
This didn't go unnoticed by the other nation. Prussia smirked at her, "Don't zhink ve von't see each ozher again." With that said the albino hopped aboard France's ship before sailing away.
Brezan felt the sudden breeze disappear before fixing her bangs back over her eye. "Nahno, wish I had my hat a moment ago…" the nation grumbled to herself as she watched the other ship sail further away. The brunette sheathed her sword as she walked around a bit, watching her men getting rid of dead Frenchmen and sending some fellow dead crewmen to their watery graves. Brezan rested against the mast she was pinned to earlier.
The nation recalled the feeling of the albino's breath on her skin, making her skin crawl. Brezan scrunched up her nose in disgust. During the fight she had smelled the odor of rum was evident on the arrogant Prussian's breath. 'Foul liquid,' Brezan thought. She hated the smell. It could turn the most respectable man to a bumbling idiot or worse. The nation briefly recalled a memory from long ago when she and her sister were much younger. Brezan was curious of what her caretaker was drinking one time. When he wasn't looking, she had snuck a sip from his drink. Brezan frowned, remembering she had ran from the room immediately and almost threw up outside in the quart yard.
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It's been about a month or so since The Bloody Lullaby encountered Le Rose and things have been peaceful, excluding the occasional merchant ship that crossed her path. It was fine time that the vessel headed in for port. When The Bloody Lullaby was docking, her captain walked out onto the deck to observe the area. Brezan pulled her blue coat closer around her lithe form as it was a chilly morning as it had rained recently in the area. The brunette pushed her hat a bit further against her head to keep it from being blown away in case a strong gust would make itself known. Brezan took in a breath before releasing it as she looked at the still cloudy sky.
The brunette walked over to the side of the ship and down the wooden gangplank to the pier below. The nation pulled her black lacy fingerless gloves on tighter, shoving them into her coat pockets. "Mr. Krant," the nation called walking over to said first mate.
Mr. Krant looked up from a list of need supplies, "Aye Cap'n?"
Brezan felt a bit stiff as another chilly wind whipped by the two, "Make sure you get everything we need, got it?"
The man nodded, "I take it yer going out?"
"Aye, figured I could stretch my legs and take a look 'round the port for anything interesting," Brezan said looking at the other ships docked, all aligned around the pier. There were plenty of them. But there was something vaguely familiar about one of them.
The ship was large and it looked like it has seen quite a number of battles but still well conditioned. It seemed to be in port for minor repairments though. Brezan was about to look at the flag that flew above the ship when another ship docked, obscuring the nation's view. The brunette hummed in thought. Brezan gave her first mate a pat on his shoulder signaling her departure. She didn't look back as the man watched his captain leave before going back to work.
The streets were bursting with activity as Brezan made her way along the pier. The brunette had a feeling whose it was but she needed to know for sure. The nation noticed as she walked that the wind was blowing rather roughly at that moment into town. Brezan held onto the rim of her hat as she mentally groaned in annoyance as her bangs were swept to the other side of her face. Letting the winds do as it pleased with her long bangs, the brunette continued walking toward the ship she was so curious about.
As the approaching nation got closer to the ship, there was small mewing sound to the left of her. Brezan paused in her step puzzled by the sound. When the brunette made to walk away, thinking it was her imagination, another mewing resounded. But this time it was closer.
A new found curiosity peaked the nation's interest, commanding her body to follow the peculiar mewing. The mewing sounded strained as if pleading help. Brezan followed it until she came across some abandoned crates near the edge of the wooden dock. Brezan scanned the immediate area, trying to locate the enticing sound. 'Where is that coming from?' the nation thought as she looked around. Finally Brezan looked down at the water below.
The wind caused the waves to be pretty rough against the pier, roughly ramming and crashing into the pier's posts. The water was dark as it churned around under the wood she stood on. She scanned around the water. Looking into the dark water was like looking at a stormy night sky. There. The nation felt her heart go out to the mewing cat below just to the right and clinging to the wet wooden post for dear life. Brezan could see that the post had multiple claw marks engraved into it.
"Oh you poor thing," the brunette murmured as she moved closer to the post feline clung to. Brezan did a quick look around, seeing that nobody was closeby, she knelt down having an idea on how to rescue the distressed cat. Brezan pulled out her sword from within her coat, took hold of the end of the steel so that the guard would dangle over the pier's edge. Supporting herself with her left hand, the nation lowered her sword to the frightened cat below.
"C'mon lil' fella. Its ok, I'm here to help yah," she coaxed. Brezan moved her sword's guard closer to the feline's paws. The cat eyed the brass guard before hooking its claws onto it. With the sudden added weight the steel slid through the nation's hand but she managed to keep the cat from returning to the water.
Brezan then eased up, pulling her sword back to her side. Placing the blade next to her, Brezan gently pried the soaking cat from her weapon's guard. The poor thing was soaked to the bone.
"That was a good save lad," a voice said behind the brunette.
Brezan went stiff as a board. That voice was all too familiar…
Translation:
Naw = No
Ghujeo = Thank you/Thanks
Nahno = Dammit/Damn
Chajo = Frog
Freund = Friend
Oui = Yes
Non = No
Mon ami = My friend
Mädchen = Girl
Mon amour = My love
Ja = Yes
Kitsune = Fox
Tout le monte retraite = Everyone retreat
Mon petite fille = My little girl
~So who's this? Anyone?
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