"You remember the plan?" Kris whispered as she and Fuzzy made their way towards the shack.
The chain around Fuzzy's neck jingled as she nodded. "I remember."
After some more… persuasion… Sterling had admitted everything to Fuzzy and Kris. The two crews were taken to a nearby island to be held until they were taken off to a local slave market. Sterling had said that they wanted to evaluate each of the crew members to evaluate their health, or some nonsense like that, to make sure that each of them were strong enough to be sold off. Morgan and Alan, on the other hand, had been kept on the Sirius, which was docked on the other side of the island. When Kris had asked why they were being kept separate, Sterling stated that the traders weren't going to be selling the two captains, but would be taking full advantage of the reward money on both of their heads. Something about wanting to appear like legitimate sailors to the navy, so that they wouldn't question them about their trading's. Kris and Fuzzy had then, after Sterling had confessed everything, knocked him unconscious and tied him up, placing him on one of the spare life rafts the small boat had, and sent him drifting off to sea.
"I still can't believe you volunteered to wear that thing." Kris whispered, looking at the apparel Fuzzy was currently fashioning. When they had discussed their plan in the Sterling's quarters, finding things to wear, Fuzzy had found a particularly interesting garment and had been determined to sport it. A dog collar like chain wrapped around her neck and fed into a leash that Kris was now holding. Not even wanting to know why this particular thing had been in Sterling's place, Kris merely held on as they walked in front of the shack.
"Well, the way I see it, they need something to look at while we're doing this. And as I see it, they're gonna wanna see me in all of my sexy glory!"
"How do you see that?"
"Who's the more seductive one of the two of us?"
Kris smiled. "Good point."
Kris secured the scarf around her neck and pulled the large Captain hat down on her forehead. She'd stolen a large coat that resembled that of Captain Morgan's red coat, but instead was dark navy in color. Being much taller than Fuzzy, it had been the logical choice for her to be the one to dress up in this manner. She tucked her swords further into the coat, out of eyesight as the two walked inside the small shack. It had to have been the right place, it matched Sterling's description to the T. Opening the door and stepping inside, they were instantly greeted by two large men, guards Kris presumed.
"Who the hell are you?" The taller of the two demanded.
Fuzzy stepped forward, batting her eyelashes at the two men. "This is Captain Kristopher, and I am his humble servant. My master wishes to purchase some of the pirate prisoners that you keep on this island. He is particularly interested in those brought in from the Sirius and Rika."
The second guard stepped closer towards Kris, eyeing her suspiciously. "Well then, why doesn't your captain say so himself?"
Fuzzy smiled and waved her hand. "Oh now see, he would if he could speak. Injured in battle a while back you see and hasn't been able to talk since. He uses me now to communicate with others." The two guards nodded, falling for Fuzzy's simple explanation.
"Why the Sirius and Rika crew then? We have plenty of other pirates on this island."
"My master wishes to have the crew from these two ships to even an old score, should we say, against both crews. And my master is willing to pay handsomely for your troubles." Fuzzy purred smoothly, looking to Kris. Kris then wordlessly pulled a coin bag from her large pocket and dangled it in front of them. The bag filled to the brim with coins that they had taken from the Captain's quarters earlier.
The two guards exchanged looks at one another, smiling. "Well then, let's do some business shall we?"
"My master would like to take a look at the prisoners. Make sure they're healthy enough for work."
"Sure, follow us." One said, stepping past the two and leading them outside.
Following behind, Fuzzy and Kris walked behind them. Keys jingled at the taller one's side, and Fuzzy exchanged a knowing glance at Kris, who nodded back at her. Just a matter of time and they would make their move. They followed the two men deeper into the woods, stepping lightly on the woods foliage around them. Kris made quick mental landmarks of their path, hoping to remember the path back so that they could escape in a timely matter.
In the distance, Kris could see what looked like a large animal cage. Large enough to hold numerous enormous creatures. But what was inside lifted her heart slightly and brought hope to her. There, sitting inside the cage, were the Rika and Sirius crew. Two more guards stood at attention in front of the large cage, guarding the men trapped inside. Kris's heart ached as she came closer, and saw her friends and comrades all sitting on the ground, their bodies bruised and beaten. Their hands tied behind their backs. Her eyes found Nathan, sitting in front of the cage's bars, his eyes on the ground. He looked pretty bad, and Kris had to fight the urge to go to him. To gather him in her arms. But she had to wait. She had a job to do first. She was going to get her friends out.
"Here they are Captain. All well and healthy… for the moment, that is." The taller man bragged with a smile. Kris nodded at the man, and then with a sly look at Fuzzy, walked towards him.
"My master seems pleased with their condition, and would now like for you to make sure the total payment is correct." Fuzzy said, eyeing the taller man's hip where the keys to the cage were. In the cage, Russell looked up, upon hearing Fuzzy's voice, and sat up. A hopeful look in his eyes.
"Of course," One guard stated, taking the bag of coins from Kris's hand and walking over to the nearby table to count. As the group of guards followed after Kris, Fuzzy quickly went for the keys. She had told Kris earlier that before joining the Rika, she had been a pickpocket, and would be able to get them with no problem. But as she skillfully removed the keys from his side, stepping away with them behind her back, the keys jingled against one another.
The man instantly spun around and grabbed Fuzzy by the throat. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Like a flash of lightning, Kris unsheathed both of her swords at her side and pressed one against the man's throat, holding the other out at the other guards. Feeling the cold blade against his throat, the guard released Fuzzy, who instantly ran over to the cage to free the others. The Rika and Sirius crew, seeing the events unfold, were all on their feet, watching intently as the four guards surrounded Kris.
Grabbing their own swords, the guards all ran at Kris at once. She ducked the incoming attacks, blocking off two of the guards with one sword, and blocking off the other two with the other. Her swords moved with majestic grace and skill as she sliced through the air at the guards. Both her arms moving at a frenzied pace as she fought all four men. All their swords whistled as they flew through the air, the men's swords slicing at her, but unable to land a single blow.
Kris began to notice, the longer the fight drew out that like so many other men she knew, the guards all depended on their strength to fight. Chopping at her with un-fluid motions that indicated both a lack of training and a dependence upon the strength of their blow. And not enough on their own agility. A weakness Kris exploited with great ease, quickly stooping and kicking her leg out, knocking two of the guards to the ground. The two on the ground went to get back on their feet, but Kris back-flipped, hitting the other two guards in the face with her feet, and landing on the other two's chests. Effectively knocking the two on the ground unconscious. As a safety precaution for herself, as the other two men regained themselves, Kris slammed the butt of her swords against the two men on the ground's temples. Ensuring that they were now completely unconscious for the time being. Kris grinned at the two guards standing. Two down, two to go. They came at her with a frenzied pace, rage taking over their better judgment and fighting capabilities.
She quickly glanced over her shoulder to see Fuzzy freeing and untying the crew in the cage. But Kris's moment of un-focus allowed one of the remaining guards to slice his sword forward, Kris barely managing to move out of the way in time. She felt as the tip of his sword cut her face, slicing upward from her cheekbone up to the top of her brow, knocking the hat from her head. She winced, but moved quickly despite the pain radiating from her face. In the distance, she heard Nathan call her name, but she focused on her two remaining attackers. She needed to end this fight quickly so that she could get the others away safely and find Morgan and Alan.
A warm liquid trickled down the side of her face as she made her final move. She swiped out at both men, anticipating their instinctual reaction to jump back to above the blow. And as they both quickly regained composure and ran at her, she waited until they were both almost upon her, and then swiftly dropped to the ground. Hearing as the two men collided with one another above her. Then, with the butt of both swords, she jabbed up into the two men's jaws, and sent them both flying. Landing with a loud thud, the two men laid on the ground, groaning in pain, and Kris stood to her feet, patting off some of the dirt she'd acquired.
"Amateurs." She mumbled, cracking her neck on both sides.
But both men recovered quicker than she expected and ran for her. Before she could even move a muscle though, she watched as Nathan and Eduardo jumped the two guards, forcing them to the ground and pummeling them until they both ceased moving, unconscious. The rest of the crew joined Kris at her side, watching with great amusement as both men beat the guards who likely were the ones who had been the source of all of their bruises.
Once Nathan appeared satisfied of the guard's unconsciousness, he stood and looked at Kris for a moment, a look that Kris had never seen before, but would be something she'd never forget. A look of utter relief, love, and hope all rolled into one. Not breaking eye contact with her, he took a few long strides and pulled her into his arms. He crushed her against his chest like he were afraid to let go, afraid that someone would try to take her from him. His grip firm and yet tender all at once, he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck. Inhaling her smell as if it was the most important breathe he would ever take.
"You're alright." He whispered. A statement more than a question, but Kris simply nodded into his chest.
Kris grabbed his face and stroked his face with her thumb. "Are you okay?"
"Never better now." He answered, bringing his hand up and rubbing the cut running down the side of her face. She closed her eye and let him wipe some of the dried blood away, watching him. Though he looked a lot rougher than she did, he still seemed more concerned about her. Typical Nathan.
Next to her, she heard Russell clear his throat. "Glad you two are alright. The guys were worried about you."
"Oh shut up Russell you were worried too." Christopher said with a laugh, elbowing him in the side.
"I was not!" He protested immediately, a blush forming on his face.
"Yeah Russell, you were pretty upset. You even said Fuzzy's name a few times in your sleep last night." Thomas said, smiling up at the now red-faced Russell.
"I did not!"
"He did?" Fuzzy asked, stepping forward with a slight blush of her own.
"He sure did. Besides Nathan, he was the most adamant that we had to get out to find out where they put you two."
Russell looked away. "You guys are lying…"
Fuzzy suddenly went up next to him and placed a firm kiss on his cheek, furthering Russell's flustering. "Glad to know you care so much."
Russell cleared his throat a few times before taking notice of her wardrobe. "What the hell are you wearing anyway?"
"You guys like it? I thought it would help out in my role as Kris's servant slave!"
Nathan turned and looked at Kris, raising an eyebrow at her with a smirk. But Kris held her hands up in the air. "Don't look at me! It was her idea!"
"Sure as hell was! I'll have to beat you boys away from me with a stick with this outfit on." Fuzzy stated, placing her hands on her hips.
"Well, we're glad that you two are alright." Christopher chimed in, trying to hold in his laughter.
Kris smiled, feeling Nathan hug her more tightly into his side. "And we're glad you boys are alright too. Now, we have to go get Morgan and Alan back."
Eduardo wiped some sweat from his forehead. "Where are they?"
"They're on the Sirius under some pretty heavy guard. Sterling told us that they're planning on turning them into the navy for the reward money, and so the navy doesn't get suspicious of some of their trading's that they're doing."
"Wait a second, did you just say Sterling?" Nathan asked, turning to look down at Kris with a surprised look on his face.
"Yeah."
"I thought his ship was already overtaken?" Russell asked, taking off his coat and draping it on Fuzzy's shoulders.
"It was. Sterling made a deal with them to help catch Morgan and Alan in exchange for his own hid," Fuzzy answered, eyeing the jacket on her shoulders now, "And what the hell is this for?"
Russell visibly blushed. "So we don't have to look at this weird outfit of yours."
"That damn snake! We should've known he would've done something like that. Where is he now?" Nathan asked, ignoring Russell's embarrassment.
Kris grinned. "He's on his own private boat to the middle of the ocean."
"You let him go?!" Eduardo thundered.
"No stupid we tied him up and threw him into a lifeboat and sent him out to sea. You think we're stupid or something?" Fuzzy countered before Kris had the chance to.
Thomas stepped in between the two before a fight could break out. "So what's the plan then?"
"We're gonna go get our Captain's back and take back the Sirius." Kris replied, earning a cheer from the two crews.