Warm Welcome In A Cold Country [Dusk Pirates 1]

[Blaka]

Kulira Cheteria Akuvutika's little rowboat hit the shores of Sedna Island. It was quite the journey from Micqueot to Sedna on a little nutshell of a vessel like hers. Just barely had her boat fit in between the few big ships that completely took up any space in the unusally tiny port. But finally Chete had something solid to stand on again.

Lighting a cigarette before she got going, the blonde stepped on the small wooden docks. Her mouse gray fur boots made a quiet crunching sound as they met with the thick layer of snow that covered the island currently. Looking up, her ice blue eyes could see the heavy gray clouds that were hanging above the isle. Soon, it would start snowing again.
I need something against the weather., thought the curlyhaired lady as she stomped up the narrow zigzag road up where the houses stood. Lila had no idea where exactly she was, so she'd probably have to ask someone. She hated that thought, conversations were always annoying.

A few minutes of nothing but the sound of her in- and exhaling smoke and her feet strolling through the white sludge on the ground, the woman with the guitar case on her back entered some sort of main street. Said street was full of shops, multiple clothing stores and weapon traders. The town here didn't exactly look welcoming. For starters, nobody was outside. The only thing that indicated living citizens around were a few lights in some of the shops. Secondly, the houses around here: stark gray buildings did little that would make a normal person want to enter. That said, Miss Akuvutika wasn't a normal person. The time where she actually cared about aesthetic architecture had long passed. All she needed was information: Where was she and where could she get a proper coat, a place to stay, a target to kill and a warm drink?

Alas, the emotionless lass flicked her dead cigarette to the side and entered the first clothing store she passed. The inside didn't look more encouraging to stay than the outside: A single room dirty white walls, a gray carpet floor and a few isles of exclusively black winter clothes.
As her customer entered, a woman at the counter at the far end of the shop looked up from whatever she was doing and stared at the person in the door with surprise.
"Good morning." Kulira greeted her as she walked through the isles closer to the counter. "I wanted to ask a few things."
There was no friendliness in her voice, she was just stating facts.
The store owner, a woman in her late twenties with pale skin, pitchblack hair and hazel brown eyes simply nodded slowly as the stranger was approaching her. It was clear that she didn't like seeing this lady in her store. The closer Chete got, the more she noticed a nevous trembling. Anyone else would have probably found that strange, but again, Lila just didn't mind.
"I just arrived at the port. Where exactly am I?"
The saleswoman blinked a few times and shook her head as if such a question was unheard of. Then she put on a nervous smile, likely taking the whole situation for a prank. But the blonde just stood there watching through the curtain of curly blonde hair, obviously not kidding.
"Sedna Island, madam." she finally responded "You aren't from around here?"
"No." stated Cheteria, with a deadpan expression.

Sedna...She had heard of this place before. 'Emotionally coldest island in the North Blue' or whatever. Lucky me. From what she had heard, the people weren't exactly kind to new people, which meant that there wouldn't be a lot of pointless conversation.

"I need a coat against the weather." the cyborg lass continued.
"S-sure, if you have the money. People I don't know don't get my discount, so it could be expensive. Better try somewhere else."
As if everything had been said, the vendor turned her attention back to the papers on her counter. For a few seconds she concentrated on that before she realised that the coldfaced woman hadn't moved one bit.
"Try the Frost Kingdom a few miles from here. They should have something for you there!", she mumbled without looking up.
"That's another island. I need a coat now."
Clearly annoyed, the storekeeper looked up again, frowning now.
"6000 Beri then."
"I don't have 6000 Beri."
"Tough luck. Then leave please."

Still without an actual facial reaction, Kulira shrugged, turned around on the spot and walked out. She had everything she needed.
Where was she? Sedna Island.
Where could she get a proper coat? Probably from the shopkeepers closet.
A place to stay? The shopkeepers living room.
A warm drink? Likely the woman did have something at home.
A target? Clearly a fitting first victim would be madam impolite right here.

As Lila stepped out of the clothing store, the familiar cold air immediatly made her shiver again. With a sigh, she sat down on her knees next to the shop's door so she wouldn't block the entrance. Immediatly the snow soaked her pantlegs. Usually that would have bothered her but her focus was on something else. Until the vendor would leave her shop, she would be able to pass the time with some songs. Just maybe some passers-by would even be kind enough to give her a few bucks for the music.
Placing her case in front of her, the young musician opened took out the acoustic guitar inside.
Music. That was what she lived for.

After a few a short tuning up of the instrument, Lila closed her eyes and started playing. A slow, relaxing tune, like she always preferred them. The freezing air was all but forgotten within seconds. Memories flashed before her eyes as her fingers hit the strings. The sisters Onya and Chete chasing after the mice in their home... The first time she walked with her new metal leg Onya had built for her... How happy her big sister looked that her little fighter was still alive... That one time, when they shared a drink after she had almost won the tournament... A better life...

[stroud]

It was bloody cold and the stark conditions of the dinghy he'd ridden into town were anything but accommodating. The small port had made it nearly impossible for any ship to even come to dock and the young pirate was incredibly irritable about this fact. Sending a finger up into the air, the boy opened his mouth to two crewmen who had paddled him into the town.

" What kind of pathetic village has not a port to receive us? Useless filth of a village, disgusting! I demand that this sleight be added to the list!" 

The high-pitched whine of adolescence still yet to fully emerge from puberty. The arrogant and sure tone of getting what he wants. The voice would have to belong to some spoiled brat of some noble lineage, surely...and yet what swaggered down the snowy path was a dirty little boy in typical Captain's garb. The two cronies followed behind him all the while nodding and agreeing with whatever drivel escaped his petulant little mouth. As odd as all this way, odder still was the fact that this little boy was carrying a massive hammer almost larger than he, himself, was!

" Roddert, find me a place to rest my legs. Ed...that was your name, no? Never you mind it, fool! It matters not as henceforth I declare you Ed! Ed, find a peon to squeeze and get me the local info...that means now or shall I have you flogged!" He screamed, he pointed, he continued whining and then he harrumphed as he continued walking without his entourage towards where a young woman was playing music on an instrument he'd never seen before.

" You there, girl. A god has deemed fit to speak with you, answer me thusly! What is that object you finger there? Quickly now, wench!" He gestured to her impatiently with the shaft of his hammer, fingering one of his pockets with his free hand for any spare coin," Your luck fails you, I've not the time to bless you with a gift," A shrug at the continuation of speech and disrespect, a gesture so casual that it just further demonstrated his lack of caring for whatever this person's station may be or personal opinions or feelings. All things were beneath the megalomania that infected the boy's mind and made him a god to his own imagination.

[Blaka]

SPOILER: Click to show

@grader: Control over the NPCs has been discussed beforehand

A shrill, annoying voice interrupted Lila's daydream.
"...declare you Ed! Ed, find a peon to squeeze and get me the local info...that means now or shall I have you flogged!"
The determined musician still continued, but started to play a wrong note here and there, which distorted the entire melody. Disappointed, she stopped and opened her eyes again.

This was why she rather played alone somewhere instead of getting payed for it, like her roomate Yoyamba used to do it. Out on the streets, even if there was money in it for you, there were too many other noises that could disturb the harmony. Not to mention that you actually gathered people around you, which was Kulira's least favourite thing to do. Out here, with bad weather approaching, the chances of somebody even being outside were very slim. Thus she had thought herself safe. Apparently not.

A group of three was coming up the Sedna Main Street towards her. Two men and a kid; pirates, obviously. The men were of average build, both sun-tanned, clean-shaven and wearing black bandanas. One of them, who seemingly was just declared Ed, was wearing red baggy pants while the other guy was wearing dark blue ones.
The kid in the middle was something else though. Chete had lost the ability to find things funny a long time ago, so this boy looked just...kind of odd. An abnormally skinny boy, couldn't be older than 12, maybe 13. Any clothes on his body all seemed a tad to big, not to mention an outfit like this was not at all matching his age. The lad was clad in an orange coat, a brownish red shirt, black shorts and no shoes. On his head someone had put a typical pirate's tricorn. Even that had was ridiculously large for the small head. The guitarist herself had to be almost half a meter taller than him. Nothing of the above was really so odd though. The thing that puzzled her were the weapons. Apart from the 4 revolvers strapped to the brat's chest, there was also hammer, a huge and heavy weapon in comparison to its wielder.

Kulira didn't show any sign of surprise on her face however. All she did was follow the trio with her eyes, a blank look on her face that could have meant just about anything. Why were these two grownups following a child playing pirate?
As far as she could tell, they weren't only following but acting out orders without question!
'Ed' and the other guy stomped past the blonde on the ground and entered the clothing store. From inside, one could hear frightened claims that the shop was closed, followed by statements from the two men. Statements Chete couldn't understand outside, because the bratty captain started speaking to her.

"You there, girl. A god has deemed fit to speak with you, answer me thusly!"
A god? It really was a shame that humor eluded Miss Akuvutika. Or maybe a saving grace. Instead of breaking out in laughter, she continued to stare at him instead.
"What is that object you finger there? Quickly now, wench! Your luck fails you, I've not the time to bless you with a gift!"
Wench? Clearly there was no reason to occupy herself with this fool for any longer than necessary. Instantly, her defense mechanism set in. Insulting people until they went away usually worked.
"Who taught you manners brat?" she responded while looking him straight in the eye "That's not how you talk to a grownup."
Nothing in her voice indicated that she was insulted, all Kulira did was state some facts.
"I don't play guitar for money."

Calmly, Lila put the instrument back in its case, grabbed another smoke and closed the case. While doing so, her ice blue hues did not continued to stare in the boy's small, slanted ones. After a deep drag, the lady blew the smoke in the ridiculous supposed god's face.
"Although you look like you could need some bucks for food." she added. Usually this was the point where people simply stopped wanting to have anything to do with her.

Before the youngster could respond, the doors of clothing store flew open and the shopkeeper landed face forward next to Chete on the ground There she stayed, motionless, while her blazer jacket slowly soaked up wetness from the snow. Only her right hand twiched a bit, indicating that there was still some life in her. Not that that mattered much.
Ed, apparently angry about what he had found out, yelled from the inside:
"There are no inn's here captain! Not a single one!"

[stroud]

The pirate captain didn't even hear Ed speak. The woman laying on the ground after being beaten thoroughly wasn't processed at all. His own crew could have merely been background for Mik to look beyond. It was the guitarist, this girl who had just blown smoke into his face and casually told him off that had his full and undivided attention.

Mik could not believe his ears. Someone of his station, his reputation and obvious power should be inflicting fear and awe in this regular girl. For her to have the gall to insult him, the audacity to speak to him in such tones, the indifference to belittle their apparent statuses...it was ridiculous!

" B-b-brat!?" He squealed with widening eyes. His mouth stood slightly ajar as the woman merely continued to address him so casually and without even the attempt to care. She did answer his question, indirectly but still answered.

Mik gathered himself and pointed down at her sitting position," Your folly was thinking yourself safe from my wrath, girl. Fear! For man or woman makes no difference to Mik Rouz, all bow or be crushed under the Laughing Hammer!" He stated ominously, obviously intending to intimidate the musician. Still pointing, Mik nodded his head towards his crewmen at last.

" Move aside, fools! Your god shall execute judgement personally. Witness and remember as to why you serve me,"

With that said, the boy kicked the shopkeeper's prone body away from him and perhaps this motion would finally reveal the last oddity of Mik to Chete. The shopkeeper's body easily flew through the air and impacted soundly into the wall nearby. Strength that would easily be placed on a man four times Mik's size was as easy for him to execute as clenching a fist.There was hardly a pause, no indecision or hesitation in the boy's eyes as he then hefted his hammer above his head effortlessly and quickly brought it down towards Chete's head. The miniature teeth on the face of the weapon glinted malignantly as Mik waited to see the crushed and bloody body of the girl in a few moments.

" Regret your sin in oblivion, wench!"

[Blaka]

Annoyed by the how the boy insisted talking to her, Kulira sat there almost motionless and watched him rage out. Every few seconds she slightly moved the cigarette out of her mouth and blew out the smoke.

"Your folly was thinking yourself safe from my wrath, girl."
Inhale. Well of course she thought herself safe! It was a surprise how he could even carry the hammer he had with him, let alone hurt anyone with it. So the worst he could do was send his two minions with differing pants to attack her. Dealing with those two would be doable. If they really thought they were lead by a god, if Chete took that leader hostage they'd quickly let her go.

"Fear!"
uuuuh....no. Exhale.

"For man or woman makes no difference to Mik Rouz, all bow or be crushed under the Laughing Hammer!"
Inhale. So he really did plan on hitting her with the hammer. Interesting. The lack of care when he mentioned his name further supported the blonde's theory that he was just a local runaway with a few idiots behind him. Perhaps some rich lad paying them to play along for a day? Her thoughts wandered off. It was pretty inspiring to imagine how she would first knock him out, then use the hammer to break his two followers' limbs and squeeze what was left of her life out of the shopkeeper. Far more interesting than listening to the brat at least. Exhale. Some of the coats in the shop had looked really nice. Nobody would notice a missing jacket when there were a dead citizen and the 3 responsible pirates caught to look at.

Little Mik took a break and continued pointing at her. Just now Cheteria noticed how off-putting his face was. Up-slanted eyes, a ton of freckles, a pointy nose and slim hard lips. Esspecially the latter seemed completely misplaced. Inhale. For a moment the smoking lady thought about throwing another insult at him, but clearly the child was already so enraged it wouldn't have done any difference. Exhale.
"Go on.", she finally ordered.

And go on he did. After ordering his crewmen to move aside, who strangely immediatly listened and started to back off, he kicked the poor shopkeeper away as well. As he did so, Lila got a chance to see that he wasn't wearing any shoes. Previously, the feet had been hidden under the layer of snow. Wasn't that insanely cold? The pale woman coughed up blood as she hit the wall of her store and dropped back to the ground. Now she wasn't even twitching anymore. Either Ed was really efficient with getting information out of people or (more likely) he had done a really pisspoor job in getting the "peon to squeeze" alive and squeezable to his captain.

All this went through the young musician's head before she realised what a feat that kick had been!
Suddenly, the situation wasn't all that unimportant anymore. Without a pause, Rouz raised far over his head - with only one hand - and let it crash down towards the more than surprised female's head.
"Regret your sin in oblivion, wench!"

An attack like that would have completely crushed the body of any normal person. With no time to dodge, all the hammer's target could do was raising her right arm in front of her face to protect herself. If she hadn't sat on her knees at the time, the cyborg would have used her leg as well, but that was currently impossible. Even though it was impossible to predict just by sight, this movement saved Miss Akuvutika's life. Unbeknownst to the godplaying child, the layer of skin on her right arm hid the prosthetic underneath. A prosthetic made of solid steel.
Metal hammer met metal forearm. A loud metallic clank echoed through the quiet street. The cigarette flew out of Kulira's hand and off to the side. The impact shook her entire body and she was hurled backwards and pressed into the ground at the same time. Due to how she was sitting there, this resulted in the staggered lass bending over backwards while simultaneously being flung in the wall's direction. Head first, the helpless android smashed into the storefront. Pain shot through her skull. For half a second everything went black.

Gasping, Chete regained her conscioussness and opened her eyes again. She was lying on her back, leaning with everything from chest upwards against the wall. The back of her head was warm and wet, bleeding from its encounter with the stone bricks.
Who was this kid?
Clearly she had underestimated him. Insane strength was necessary to handle a weapon like that one-handed with such a force behind it. Instead of quickly getting rid of the guys, the blue-eyed girl would have to carefully get away now! Observe, get in fighting gear, then strike back when would least expect it. Still trembling, she pushed herself up so she could sit up straight while still supported by the brick surface behind her.
"Is that...ouch...was that all you got?" Stubbornly she stared at the pirate with the same blank face as before, though a little bit of fear graced her eyes. While most emotions eluded her, being afraid was not something she could get rid of easily. The question was mostly just stalling until she could gather the strength to get up and run. But it was also a risk, as after a strike like the last one, a serious attack could very well take her out.

[stroud]

The insults continued but Mik had far reached a point in which everything that came from the woman's mouth was dismissed as the final words of a dead woman. 

His eyes widened suddenly as he felt a vibration through his hammer, the force of the blow momentarily halting before continuing it's plunge to the ground. Had she parried him, his strength?! It was unbelievable, his mouth twitched in both disbelief and a sudden grudging respect for her tenacity. Even god's could be moved by the plights of mice and men. He did regain composure as he sighted her new position and realized he'd blown her back with considerable force.

Blood dripped from her head, a small stain upon the wall behind her and her crumpled form finally laying before him. He was mildly pleased by this development, this was how he was supposed to be approached by the ignorant and how he dealt with those beneath his station. He savored that glimmer in her eye and licked the corner of his mouth as he prepared to end her life once and for all!

-Is that all you got?-

Jaw dropping, Mik could not help but briefly gape at the woman. Still mouthing off to him! The raw insolence of the girl, knew she not that groveling and begging for her life might sway his merciful side? She must know that his power was not mere talk, must know that her life was in danger and yet she still chose bravado. Such a thing was not common to Mik, fear and respect he demanded with his presence and yet it seemed he could not break this girl's spirit even if he could shatter and crush her body.

" Are you truly such a fool? Surest be that you have realized the difference between your mortal coil and mine own magnificence? Do not cast sand into these eyes and besiege me with your lies! You lay broken, beaten and still have you not respect for a god?! You repulse me and yet I pity you, wench. This shall not be clean," It was the weight of finality in the statement that caused his crewmen to come forward, hands raised as if he were a wild animal they were attempting to placate.

" Lookit, Cap'n...she got one of those robo thingy-majigs! She ain't a human, Cap!" 'Ed' stated loudly, pointing rapidly and backing off once again.

This peaked interest in Mik, his eyes glancing over the woman yet again and taking note of the exposed metal peaking out from under her torn shirt. His rage was suddenly forgotten, his noble posturing and air of grandeur vanishing as his more base instincts took over.

" Y-y-you're a robot?! What else is metal, are you a secret project for a crazy doctor or something?!" It was odd, the snobby tone and elegant speak vanished for guttural speech and sudden brightness.

[Blaka]

Mik's speech about mortal coil and magnificent gods gave Kulira enough time to think. The easiness with which the freak swung the gigantic hammer was a danger that was hard to calculate into her escape plan. Too quickly would he be able to surprise her with a deadly blow. Yet, if she just stayed down here, esspecially after her latest provocation death would be imminent.
Barely listening, to her adversary's rambling, the battered woman concentrated solely on finding something in her surroundings she could use to get the surprise factor on her side. Just anything she could use to stun the enemy for only the second she needed to get out of her current predicament: One couldn't run away with one's back against the wall.
Then there was the issue of the guitar case. The coffer was lying between the two of them, slightly right to the pirate's bare feet. From what she had observed, if she could flee without her posessions the instrument most likely wouldn't survive the raging brat. Something Lila would heavily dislike.

However, nothing in her surroundings could be used to throw little Mr. Rouz off. A thick layer of snow was all the environment had to offer. Perhaps, with a lucky kick she could hurl some of it into the boy's eyes and make a run for it. Chances of success were less than unlikely though. Yet, she had to take a shot.

"This shall not be clean."

Prepared for the worst, Chete raised her right arm and left leg in defense - when she was saved by the voice of Ed. Apparently, even his own men rather intervened instead of having to witness whatever was about to follow. The mook correctly pointed out the metal composition that was glancing through a tear in Miss Akuvutika's shirt. Seemingly, the teeth of the hammer had ripped away some of the artificial skin hiding it. The coldfaced cyborg hadn't noticed herself until now, since there was no way for her to sense damage done to her prosthetics.

All of the sudden, the hostile attitude previously displayed by her opponent disappeared. Instead, the kid in him seemed to win over his god complex.
Interesting. Being a robot didn't immediatly mean creepy to people. That was a new experience for Cheteria. Sadly, being damaged as she was, the curlyhaired lady failed to see the feeling of awe in the kid in front of her. Which in turn meant she missed an opportunity to gain his sympathy.
"No..." she responded to Mik's questions, still leaning against the wall "Someone saved my life with these...twice now."
Yes, of course the killer she had become was the result of a crazy doctor's experiment. But neither did her sister intend to create her, nor had the replacement limbs been part of the experiment.

Even though she didn't get what it was that brought forth this sudden change of heart in the captain, the emotionless lass could still use the lack of a deathblow to enact her plan:
With both hands, she thrusted herself foward, up from the ground. Simultaneously, her left boot kicked upwards as well and hurled an entire batch of white sludge into the distracted lad's face. All these movements provided her with enough momentum to be able to let herself fall forward on top of her guitar case. Pushing it forward with all of her body's weight, case and musician slid past the imaginably furious child.

Granted, the unusual sleigh didn't get very far. With a dull thud, the sledge hit the opposite wall. Having arrived there, the guitarist realised how this move didn't help her at all. Thankfully, a third party intervened. Half a second after the android's temporary escape, the bang of a gun being fired sounded from further up the main street.
As the blonde turned her head in surprise, she saw a middleaged man in a black suit and a matching top hat cowering standing in front of the entrance to another tailor, approximately 50 meters up the road. In his hands, a smoking two-barrel shotgun. The shot clearly didn't hit anyone, as far as Chete could tell. But the guy, obviously another native, didn't seem to care.
"What are you doing here?! Get the hell of our island intruder!", he shouted from the top of his lungs

[stroud]

She was a robot! How fricking cool was that?! He had so many questions to ask her and it was a given that he'd need to know how he could get some kind of cool robotic attachment. These thoughts, as numerous as they were and how easily they'd distracted the boy, were still quickly discarded as the sudden feeling of cold and the taste of Earth met his face and lips.

A feeling not quite unlike an egg being cracked on the back of your neck slowly slinked it's way down the boy's body. Mik could feel his rage welling up as the cyborg woman slid past him in what he perceived as almost gleeful disregard for his feelings and his station. He'd shown her mercy! Interest! He had halted his judgement out of true enjoyment in what she was and she'd literally thrown her own feelings towards the situation in his face. The time for pleasantries and playing around was over, no one insulted Mik and got away with it!...Let alone twice!

" You stupid freak!" He shrilled, turning and swinging his hammer behind his back in preparation for a home-run swing. He almost loosed the attack before a resounding bang assaulted him and he prepped himself for the sudden concussive force and burning pain of bullet impact. When nothing happened, he followed the sound and sudden shouting towards an older gentleman with a still smoking shotgun. Judging purely on appearance, the man was most likely a local militia member or part of the island's police-force. Regardless, Mik was thoroughly pissed and in need of crushing something to alleviate his anger.

Ed and Roddert had quickly grasped their own flintlock pistols and had them ready to fire before noticing their Captain's sour mood and tightening grip on his weapon. They knew what that meant and muttered their intentions to go back to the Port before scurrying off to avoid the collateral damage.

Mik, on the other hand, placed his hammer directly in front of him and was nearly entirely covered from view by the weapon- a perfect makeshift barricade and battering ram.

" I am going to count to three...then I am going to start destroying every single thing that get's in my way," It sounded utterly ridiculous. Anyone would laugh at the declaration and at the little boy who uttered it...but the venomous tone and the lack of tremble in the voice gave way to an icy realization that Mik meant every word he said and had every intent to follow through on them.

Of course, no officer traveled alone and let it be known that the Universe is never so kind as to make things easy or simple for anyone, let alone a pirate. The sound of a whistle could be heard coming from the left of Mik, Chete and the plaza and the appearance of another uniformed gentleman was quickly rushing on them with saber drawn.

[Blaka]

Kulira didn't waste any time. All that mattered was that the man with the shotgun was giving her enough time to actually survive. After a quick look at the what could be assumed to be the town's sheriff, the musician rolled to the right off her makeshift sleigh just for good measure. Afterall, the boy with the hammer could have completely ignored the shooter. An attempt to crush her legs would have been more than unpleasant.
Afterwards, she pushed herself off the ground. Ignoring whatever Mik was doing, the cyborg lady picked up her case, shouldered it and started running back down the main street. First, she'd have to get away from the coleric brat. Then she could think about getting her due kill.

However, the blonde didn't get very far.
The sound of a whistle accompanied another, younger man who came running out of one of the many side streets. Obviously he was with the shotgun guy, made evident by the same uniform: Black suit, white button-up shirt underneath and a matching top hat on his head, although a slightly shorter one. The older man had been too far away to see it, but this younger dude had a gray nameplate stapled to his suit's jacket, revealing him to be a certain "Dep. Lumo". Lumo was relatively slim and tall, taller than Lila by just a tad. His rather pale face was clean shaven and the hat completely covered any potential hair.

Startled at the cop in her way, Lila slowed down and came to a halt about two meters in front of him. The policeman pointed with both hands in the direcation he had just come from.
"This way please! We need to evacuate the area!" he yelled with a stressed voice.
Usually, Chete would never have listened, but this seemed the safest route to get as far away from the hammer maniac as possible.
Without hesitation, she nodded and did as she was asked, running into the little alleyway. Behind her Miss Akuvutika could hear the deputy closely following her. The snow under their feet scrunched with each step, drowning out most of the noise coming from the main street. After a few seconds, Cheteria raised her voice:
"Where are we going?"
"To the precinct!" Lumo answered "Sheriff Singano will take care of these murderers by himself!"
"The precinct?" she yelled back "Why do I need to go there?"
"It's the safest place until you can leave in peace!"

Instantly, the android lass stopped. The two had barely gotten a dozen houses away from the principal road. The lawman almost ran into her. Surprised, he barely came to a standstill before crashing into her.
"Hey! Keep going!"
Calmly, Kulira turned around and looked the man in black straight in the eyes.
"I don't plan on leaving to anywhere." she stated.
"Well you can't stay here, alright!" The relatively conflict-free attitude of the deputy vanished in favor of scowling brows. "Sedna isn't for strangers like you!" To underline his words, Lumo raised his saber so that it pointed in the direction of the woman's throat. "Someone probably died already, as always when outsiders show up!"

A blank stare was the only response at first, as usual. While she didn't fathom the anger in Mr. Lumo's behavior, the refugee did realise how sudden the shift in tone had happened. Clearly, the whole evacuating had all been an act to get her off the island as well. There had been no reason to evacuate, surely sheriff Singano's style wasn't all that dangerous to bystanders. Perhaps he was just didn't care if strangers were in the way, contrary to this here deputy who at least tried to make them leave on their own?
Either way, Chete had found a surrogate victim. And said victim was even leading her to its home. Taking a step away from the angered swordsman's weapon, she nodded once more.
"Lead the way."

[stroud]

Of course it had to be this way. 

His prey was getting away with another officer. His prey whom had disrespected, looked down upon and assaulted him with the slushy filth covering the ground of this little town. The audacity of these puny peasants and lesser beings!

Mik had seriously had enough of trying to be a merciful god. 

The officer who had first arrived upon the scene had now taken it upon himself to fire at the young pirate, the ball of shot ricocheting haphazardly off the hammer's surface and irritating Mik even further at the dull ringing tone it gave off. The shots continued to come one after the other in a rather monotonous pattern.

Bang...kerchuk...bang!

The officer was sighting his target, firing, reloading and then continuing the actions again and again until Mik could swear he had the breathing down pat. At one of the intervals between the shot and the reloading sound, the boy began dashing up the hill at the officer with his hammer still located in front of him as a barricade. The officer continued to fire but had refocused his aim towards the ground and the only area not fully covered by the weapon, hoping to graze his target's feet.

As luck would stand (and obviously the track record proved otherwise), a hot razor seemed to slice Mik's left shin at the side in a minor blow but enough to shut out almost all other thoughts within the boy's head. He bellowed as loudly as he could, cocking the hammer back and behind him as another shot spat snow and rubble into his face from the impact.

He was just within range and began to swing his hammer around his body like some sort of demented spinning top. The officer began to retreat but for some reason his body was slowly being dragged into the force of the swing and the pocket of air it was creating. Mik was creating a small whirlwind around his body and snow, pieces of debris and refuse from the area around him began to orbit the boy at waist level before he thrusted his hammed straight up towards the sky and the whirlwind released itself from the constrained circuit.

The officer let out a gasp as he was suddenly facing the sky and butterflies took off within his stomach. Before he realized he was aerial, the sudden impact of cobblestone knocked the rest of the air from his lungs and caused him to bite his tongue. His consciousness, luckily, hadn't faded and he quickly rolled over and drew his saber in a defensive gesture.

Mik regarded this with heaving breaths, his rage momentarily diminished and his focus fully returned. He once again cocked his hammer up behind him and spoke out with a sense of finality.

" If you raise your sword against me, I shall inflict my final anger upon you...know you this; mine is not the fury from whence one can return from..."

With a minor groan, the officer stood up warily and finally revealed his name tag. Sheriff "Singano" swung his left arm around, loosening the muscle and transferred his saber to his left hand," You're out of your god damn mind, kid. I ain't much of a shot, mind you- up close and personal be the way I handle me problems, thank you much. Come on then, give us a go if ya feeling up to it. I reckon I might be a bit more sprightly than you give good credit for, eh?" An odd tempo of assurance mixed with a cockney accent not unfamiliar in lonely islands.

The young captain merely gritted his teeth before slamming his hammer down before him in a thundering shock-wave of force and power," BIG CRASH!" He screamed as the very floor beneath him dented in on itself and cracked from the raw might of the attack. The cracks spread out in spiderweb-like veins and transferred the damage and the force of the attack into their surroundings, causing the officer to jump back nimbly and return with a light slash that sent a flickering wave of air towards Mik.

Throwing himself into a roll, the pirate narrowly avoided the projectile attack and reassessed the officer standing away from him in a duelist's stance. The man hadn't been lying about being much more assured with his blade and was capable of dodging the younger man's careless attacks. This was not someone Mik could simply bludgeon to death and walk away from...this would require (and oh, how he dreaded these words!!!) actual thinking.

[Blaka]

Faint sounds of the sheriff's shotgun in the distance, the Deputy and his guest arrived at the precinct. It was located on a corner a couple of blocks away from the main street. Rather unremarkable, it stood among the regular citizen residences. The only thing that made it stood out from the mass of plain gray cubes was a sign nailed to the door.
'Sedna Police Station' it said there.

Kulira had been following her future victim without any further protest. The only words they had changed along the way had been a permission to light another cigarette, which was already finished by the time they arrived.

Lumo took out a key from the breast pocket of his suit and unlocked the door. Stepping aside, he ordered the his company to enter:
"Ladies first."

The lady walked past him into the building and found herself in a relatively large office that took up the entire first floor. Her steps went from crunching in the snow to almost inaudible as she stepped on the light gray carpet floor. A wooden counter seperated the entrance area and the are behind it, about 2 meters in front of the door. The counter was cut off on the right so one could go further into the room. Behind it, two large desks were standing parallel to the counter, both creaking under the weight of a ton of paperwork. The short ends of each desks were placed directly next to the right and left wall respectively. A chimney fire behind the left desk as well as a window above the door provided a warm light. Furthermore, the last third of the room was taken up by a singular holding cell. Here, the carpet had been removed in favor of a cold stone floor.

The lawman with the top hat followed the blonde inside and shut the door behind him. Lila's hard started beating faster. Soon.
"We don't really have anything for guests, so if you please take to the cell until the docks are safe again. I'll get you something to treat that wound of yours."
Yeah, no.

Without a word, the android woman raised her right fist, turned around on the spot - and created a loud clanking sound as her metal arm met the swordman's blade.
"Outsiders Witch!" Lumo's face was screwed with anger. Apparently he had anticipated such a reaction and preemptively raised his weapon in front of his face. Both combatants leaped backwards, she hit her back against the counter, he against the wall.
Gripping his saber with both hands, the policeman stared at her, obviously furious at her betrayal.
"I spared you!"
"We all make mistakes..." stated Cheteria as she got into a proper fighting stance: Right foot in front of the other, same with fists.
"I don't understand you people!" The deputy's hands trembled in anger "Why would you even come back here with me if you planned this all along!"
"I enjoy it this way." As usual, Miss Akuvutika started opening up more when faced with an enemy "I planned on following that tailor to her home and beat her to death."

Lumo's eyes widened.
"STOP TALKING!" Kulira's words had triggered something inside her adversary. Charging at the cyborg, he put one hand behind his back while the other one swung his sword at her from the right. Just in time, Chete stepped out of the way so that the strike missed her face by an inch.
"Lipenga!" she responded as she brought her metal fist down on the weapon arm's elbow.
Once more, both fighters stumbled backwards, away from each other. Now both of them had the counter next to them.
"Your arm!" bellowed Lumo as he held his own to suppress the pain. "What is that?!"
His opponent ignored the question.
"I would have challenged her to a fight. Slowly, I would have broken every single one of her limbs. Until she wouldn't have been able to move anymore."
"AAAH!" Clearly he didn't have any more words left for this disgusting woman. Switching his swordarm, Lumo charged again, aiming to stab her this time.
In response, Lila bend over backwards, effectively dodging the attack once more. Her left, steel leg shot up, kicking the cop's attacking forearm against the counter's hard surface. Groaning in pain as his arm was jammed between steel and wood, the man let go of his blade before retreating the limb.
"Then I would have killed her. You spared me. Now I will do it all to you."

[stroud]

Well, this was fine.


He'd been in worse situations but none so casual an encounter as this. While Mik was to every extent...less-than-intelligent, he was also very much assured in his own ability to survive and fight for his own life if nothing else. His hammer did exist as more than just a tool to execute with and could be used in battle fluently.


" You. You I have underestimated and one such as I in so lofty a station should never be in the same realm of foolishness as you mortal beings," Mik admitted, showing a semblance of respect for the older man's prowess while also furthering his demonstration of his mental oddities. Slowly, following his statement, Mik allowed himself to assume a more crouched position with one leg (the left) slightly more extended out than the right. His upper body hunched marginally in and his hammer was placed horizontally to his right side and extended out behind his back. This was his actual combat-ready stance without preamble or pompous showboating.


Singano grunted to himself, years of travelling the seas, being on the force and repelling rowdy outsiders had all given the officer something like a sixth sense when it came to dangerous situations. Even with Mik's outrageous and showy use of strength, Singano hadn't felt in danger even once during their first exchange. The kid hadn't been serious and he wasn't going to hold back out of honor or some other convenient bull crap.


" Well then! Looks to me like you finally decided to get your thumb out your ass and pull your big boy pants up. Let's have it then, ain't got the time to be wasting or the kindness to letting you off," He prompted again, hoping to edge in on Mik's weaknesses and figure out how best to go on the offensive while continuing his defense against that gigantic weapon.


Mik (for once) didn't respond to the provocation and merely swung his hammer in an almost casual arc despite the distance between them. Oddly though, a solid 'thwack' could be heard as a concussive duplicate (to the more elegant air-slash Singano had used) of weaponized air was projected at the officer who could only raise his sword to parry the blow in his bewilderment. Ranged melee attacks were not something that just everyone used or could use and the idea of someone with a concussive weapon using it had never once crossed his mind. Adding on to the fact that this was a ball of air as opposed to a smaller slash- the wind was harder to cut with no momentum behind the parry and the sphere of air merely pushed the sword back against the older man and sent him sprawling to his back.

Leaping instantly at the fall, Mik capitalized on the moment and rushed the distance to the downed officer with his hammer coming full circle around him before being prepped in the air. The officer would yet again raise his sword but fights always ended at the first mistake and Singano knew that his life was forfeit. He opened his mouth to spout one last witty remark or scathing insult but the younger pirate was not stopping to gloat, monologue or demonstrate mercy.

The hammer fell quickly and suddenly, shattering bone and crushing the flesh of Singano's leg in a single cruel moment. Before the man could yell though, the hammer fell again, and again....and again.

And again.

It just kept coming in a sickening beat of the weapon on flesh and stone, the stamina fueling the boy being nothing but cold determination and ruthless hatred for things lesser than he. He didn't stop until the area around him was literally rubble, the stone reduced to dust and the officer having vanished but for a red paste smeared over the surroundings. Mik spat to the side, letting his lips stay open as he named the attack aloud to no one in particular.

" Big Crash...Beat," And then he turned on his heels and began to march for where he'd last seen the robot girl.

[Blaka]

While Mik was on his was to the precint, Kulira was taking her sweet time with the helpless deputy. The two of them still stood next to the counter. Each time Lumo's fist flew threw the air, his target simply took a step back or bend out of the way before bringing her heavy metal arm down on the limb. By now, she had kicked the saber behind her, where it was no use to the policeman anymore.

This had to be the 20th time the top hat cop tried to finally land a hit. He hadn't said a word since he had lost his weapon. The horrible stranger was explaining the now averted fate of the tailour woman Mik and his men had killed now. All Lumo did was respond in enraged yells while trying the same thing over and over again.
"...and then, when her arms would have refused to move..."
One more time, he raised his shaking fists. It was true, this was likely the last try before he would have to rely on his legs.
"...I would have pushed her down and broken the bones in her feet. Then her shins..."
"SHUT UP!"

With a gleeful glimmer in her eyes, Lila observed how the furious young man leaped forward. His aim was so far off by now that it was more than easy to duck and use her healthy, left hand to grab his attacking right arm by the wrist.
Caught off guard, the lawman's eyes widened.
"I dont't like you as much though. I think I have to speed this up."
With these words, the slammed her metal palm against the inside of Lumo's shoulder. A loud crack signaled the breaking of the joint, accompanied by a scream from the top of his lungs.
Chete let go of his hand and her victim dropped to the ground, groaning in anger and pain.
"I will start with the right one. It will be fun watching you trying to stand up." she stated. In a move that showed her prosthetic's flexibility, the cyborg lady raised her left leg above her head, then, without hesitation, let it fall down heel first on her opponent's shin.

To now her own surprise, instead of the expected cracking sound, a metallic clank sounded through the room. Her foot was repelled by some sort of shin guard, which almost caused her to fall backwards. Startled, the android stumbled back.
"Hehehe..." All of the sudden, Lumo started chuckling while still on the ground. "You know..." he grinned, which clearly cost him quite a lot of effort. "I wanted to get you alive after what you did... I can't really control the strength in my legs yet...I'm sorry you might not survive this...Secateurs!"

Miss Akuvutika was simply not prepared for what happened next.
In one fluent movement Lumo pulled both his legs back and kicked in the murderous woman's direction. While he didn't hit her, there was still a blunt force of such a magnitude that it lifted her off the ground. The blast was so great that it shot her straight back against the wall behind, once more hitting her already bleeding head on the stone. The bricks were dented by the attack as Kulira lost conscioussnes.

Opening her eyes again, she first noticed that her entire body hurt like hell. Whatever Lumo had done, it would leave her with bruises all over.
Secondly, she noticed that she was in a different part of the room now: behind bars.
And lastly, there was Lumo. The arm with the broken shoulder had been bandaged up, as had the wound on her own head apparently. But the proud smile on the policeman's face was all she actually saw.
"Gotcha!"

[stroud]

CRASH!...

Not here.

CRASH!...

Not there either.


Mik had been systematically caving in the walls of each house he passed with a monstrous swing from his hammer. The simple wooden constructs were designed against wind and hail, insulated to hold heat- not to resist solid steel being rammed against it. Each house was empty but kept in an orderly way as if the occupants would return at any moment. Odder still was the feeling of slight remorse that twanged Mik's stomach every single time a child's room was ruined by the attack.

He had to let go of such feelings, he was searching for the robot girl and had neither the patience nor the cool reasoning to just let it slide. For the most part, this town had nothing left to offer him with seeing how empty it currently was. No one to pillage or plunder, no deals to be made and no slaves to be had. Add in the murder of an officer of law and even Mik was capable of acknowledging potential repercussion if he overstayed his welcome and some other lawmen or military unit happened by.

Hammer raised, Mik was moments from caving in another wall before he noticed two sets of footprints leading away and down another pathway. He was no tracker and definitely not an expert of putting pictures together in his head but even he noted the general lack of scuffle and that the footprints seemed to be together as opposed to fleeing one another.

Anger roiled up inside him like a wave of hot lead, the idea that he'd been made a fool of just fanning the emotional heat. Was the girl a cop too? Had this all been a ploy to arrest him or get him killed from the get-go? Mik could handle certain things, certain...rudeness that came with being a Pirate or being a thug. He could handle being cursed, hated and scorned. There was one thing, however, Mik could not stand and had to be addressed every single time it was brought up within his mind.

That was being treated like a child; led by the nose. He was young, yes- but he had accomplished and lived through more than any 'adult' he'd ever met in his short life! No one had the right to look down on or disregard the Laughing Hammer and let any who dared tremble in the shadow of his wrath!

---

Gathering himself with a shaky breath, Mik began to follow the footsteps to whatever destination his rude friend had headed to. Who was with her, another cop? A pirate seeking to overthrow him? Maybe her family? She did seem comfortable enough here, maybe she'd just been on her way out of town when he'd caught her outside that store.

Speaking of which, where were Roddert and Ed?! They'd vanished earlier during the confusion and it was just fitting that perhaps they too were to blame for this! Maybe they were allied with the robot wench! IT ALL MADE SENSE!


" SHOW YOURSELF, COWARDLY WHORE!" He raged at the sky, running now to find his prey and get revenge and answers.

[Blaka]

For a solid minute, the two people in the precinct were staring each other down through the iron bars. Lumo had taken one of the chairs from one of the desks and had placed it so he could comfortably sit directly in front of his prisoner. Grinning from ear to ear, he no longer let himself disturb by the empty stare of the horrible woman.
He had to look down, as said woman had nothing but the cold stone floor to sit on. There she sat cross-legged, leaning against the wall. While her face didn't tell, her heart was racing even faster than before. Caught in a cage like some animal! What a joke!
The smiling lawman opened his mouth and started speaking to her, but she was too busy imagening what she would do to him the moment she would get out. Break his legs first, that was for sure! Then smash his annoying grin againt the iron bars! Again...and again...and again... Why was he smiling anyway? Because he had managed to make her black out long enough to toss her in here? Was that supposed to be an accomplishment?
It took a while before attention focused back on what the cop was spouting.

"...Sheriff will be back with your buddy soon. Or what's left of him, he's not as nice to outsider scum as I am! Maybe he'll even change his mind about you when I tell him what you tried! Haha, maybe you are lucky enough to freeze in the storm before he..."

Kulira zoned out again. Her gaze wandered over to the guitar case leaning against the counter behind the blabbering Deputy. What she would give for a smoke and a song right now! But the instrument and her cigarettes were definetly out of reach...so she decided to look at herself first.

"...You see, I only trained my legs all my life. Secateurs is my trump card, no outsider ever escapes me once I use it. I heard some people can even jump on the air by kicking really hard. I thought I could just push the force in the other direction. Because if you..."

Her body and clothes were mostly intact, save for her head and her right forearm, where her shirt was ripped and part of her skeleton there revealed through the scratches in her skin. That and - what she only now noticed - Lumo had handcuffed her. Thin, iron cuffs with a little chain connecting them, not unbreakable. But still incredibly inconvenient. Her annyoed grunt in reaction to this threw her enemy out of his monologue.

"Are you even listening?" The policeman's smile had vanished. Enjoying one's victory was not as fun if the defeated party didn't seem to care at all.
Lila looked up from her hands again, this time with a reproachful face.

"Why didn't you just kill me?" she asked. Not in a desperate manner or anything, just as a simple question. Really, she just didn't understand. "You could have used your Secateurs without breaking your arm."

"Kill you?" Lumo knit his brows "That's what people like you don't understand." His happy attitude was completely gone by now. "There is still hope for you. Nobody is just a bad person. Inside we are all human, even pirates."

"Hope..." mumbled the android lady. Back home, her sister had used this word often. But it had lost all meaning, maybe due to saying it too much. It was just noise now.

Troubled further and further by the evident lack of care of the murderous woman, the Deputy's voice got louder:
"You know who that was back there? I knew her since we were little kids. And you people just kill her! If you can't see, prison is still worse than death for people like you! Maybe you just - "

Without reacting to the loudness in his voice, Chete just interrupted him:
"Leave me alone at least."

Lumo groaned and stomped with his boots on the ground.
"Fine! I hope the fire goes out and you freeze in the blizzard you monster!"
With these words, he got up and strutted towards the door. Finally.
As he opened it, a cold wind howled through the entire room, giving even Cheteria at the far end shivers. A few snowflakes could be seen outside. "Everyone's in with their loved ones in the better protected houses. Because here on Sedna we take care of each other."
A last angry look back at the unimpressed murderer, then he stepped outside and closed the door.

Just before it snapped shut, another, very familiar voice could be heard from a distance. The shutting door cut off the last word, but the sound of it still send shivers of fear down Kulira's spine. The last person she needed to meet right now was on his way:
"SHOW YOURSELF, COWARDLY - "