The ocean today was calm and peaceful, the clouds were few in the sky and the sun shone brightly overhead and was reflected off the surface. The only disturbance came from a massive cruise ship, heading for Haudhiaur Island. Winter sat in one of the cabins below the deck with the door shut, she would have preffered not to do this on a boat but at the moment she didn't have much choice. She winced slightly at what she was doing, the old bandages covering her arm had grown old and worn out, and so she was replacing them with new ones. Once she'd taken the old ones off completely, the skin underneath had felt clammy and sweaty and was red, but the wound wasn't as bad as it had been, it had managed to shrink since the last time she'd seen it but was leaving a scar behind it.

Winter wrapped it up tightly and made a very neat knot at the back just above her shoulder blade, the bandage went down to just above her elbow and covered her entire shoulder. Winter didn't bother rolling up her sleeve again as it would just feel uncomfortable with the bandage underneath. She stood up again and clentched her hand into a fist, moving her arm just to make sure it worked without hurting. She had heard that the person responsible for the wound was on the island and she thought it was high time for a bit of payback. She reached over and picked up the two katanas-both in an 'X' style scabbard to keep the weight of her wounded shoulder-and hefted them over her back before tightening the strap, now she was ready for whatever came at her. She reached up with her left arm, the one without the bandage, and drew the katana on that side. She quickley pulled it out and made a sidewyas slash in front of her in mid air, then did the same with the other one to make sure her arm was fit enough for battle just yet. It worked without too much pain to stop her from fighting and she smiled.

Winter placed her katanas away again, as soon as she did the boat rocked and she almost jarred her shoulder again. She looked up glowing and ran out of the door and up onto the main deck. Looking round, another ship had just crashed into theirs with a black flag swinging from the mast.
"Ruddy pirates," Winter muttered.
She ran forwards, wandering if they'd boarded already and waited for the first ones to arrive.
"Gotchya!"
Winter felt a hand grab her from behind and then twist her amr round her back, a very grubby pirate had just snuck up on her and was hoping for a good time.
"Go find a puppy to play with," Winter spat.
She jerked round and brought her knee into the man's chest, winding him and making him stagger backwards. Winter drew both her katanas and got into a stance that might remind most people of a scorpian, one katana was pointing straight out, the other was over her head in the same direction. Winter's eyes narrowed, waiting.

Morgan lay at the helm of the ship directing it as it sailed. He was its first mate as the captain was donw on deck but he was a Captain he had a ship once but it sank to the bottom years ago thanks to a kraken he barley escaped with his life. He then noticed sails in the distance and souted," Ship Ahoy, raise the misenmasts, bounten down the hatches, man the poopdeck, ready the armerments, run the sweeps, row me hearties row". Then the captain came out on deck and Morgan gave the helm to someone else and said to the captain," Capn ship sir loosk to be a travelrs vessel probably loaded to the keel". The captain looekd into his looking glass and said," AYe Morgan lets get this bird". The Captain shouted orders and son they caught up to the ship. The sent one man first and when he did not come back they sent over garrbling hooks and began to swinjg acroos the ship yelling their furies. Morgan grabbed one and swung over as well saying," Beware ye face Captain Morgan Roberts the most feared Pirate of the Seas run know or be caputred arrrgghhh". He landed and started ruuning along the deck and saw a young woman wit Katanas on the deck. He said," Looke here lads a bonnie wee lass with swords lets have soem fun with her aye lads". The other pirates shouted aye. He the said to the girld," Now lassie put down those toys before you hurt yourself bonnie lass".

Winter had clearly made the pirate mad, he rushed at her drawing a heavy looking cutlass and swung it downwards. Winter however had known what he was going to do and had already stepped sideways out of the way, she span about and raised her foot, kicking the man in the back and knocking him to the ground.
"Enjoy your trip," she muttered.
The pirate grunted and drew a dagger, throwing it in Winter's direction, Winter put a foot forwards and ducked at the same time as moving to the side, the dagger however still brushed the side of her face creating a straight scratch along her cheek. She finished the move, holding her katanas wide apart before using her sleeve to wipe away the blood.

The pirate laughed and gripped his cutlass in one hand but didn't move to attack. Winter raised an eyebrow and stood up out of her stance, it soon became apparant that the rest of the pirates were swinging onto the deck, she could see grapple ropes being thrown over the side and then become caught on the mast and sails as pirates swung over. Winter looked back down at the pirate again and glared, he had been playing for time and now Winter was outnumbered. She raised her katanas in her scorpian stance again and ran at the pirate, this time however the pirate parried her blow and made for a counter attack, Winter rotated her body slightly and the blow missed her, she used her momentum to spin all the way round and then hit the pirate in the back with her knee, knocking him to the ground.

She stood up straight again and span her katanas round in each hand once.
"Sweet dreams," she muttered.
Once down, only probably 50 or more to go. She looked around and saw a new pirate, this one had longer hair and didn't look like as much of a pushover. He also had very bad grammer and a cheeky edge, Winter's eyes narrowed at the comment.
"Go rob a bank," she replied sharply, without a care in the world.

Morgan laughed at her and said," Iam sorry bonnie lass but I cannot I msut take thsi ship and all its occupants these may pay fine a ransom and ye I might let you live so the boys can have a bit of fun te sea is awful lonely". He laughed and drew his longsword and said," Ye may have beaten me mate but you'll not beat the infamous Captian Morgan Roberts, now onguard". He got in a stance and focused on the blade and became one with the sword and became one with everything and another vocie that came from hsi mouth said," Now lass if ye don't want to get hurt I suggest ye lay down your sword and be a good girl and get on the ship".

Winter's expression darkened and her face dropped slightly. The last person to laugh like that and underestimate her had ended up with his own bone shoved at his heart, althought the same man had also puntured the hole in her shoulder and left her quivering for several hours. She put that out of her mind and focused her attention on the pirate, just another 'scurvy dog' to be rid off in her opinion, after all the one thing she focused on most when fighting an enemy was that if it can move, it can die. She put one foot behind her and the other in front, she pointed her first katana in front of her and the other over her head forming her scorpian stance again.

She carefully examined the pirate's own stance, he used one sword but seemed to focus on it extremely well, Winter quickley thought about what he was likely to do, he had only one sword and she had two katanas, so she could probably use one to block his sword and then use the other to attack. Having thought about this carefully she focused her whole attention on the pirate and herself, preparing for the worst.
"What you waiting for?" She asked "The sea to evaporate, so you won't drown when I throw you over the side?"

Morgan was so into the flame and the void he paid no heed to ehr words but noted the two swords he knew that once could block his attacks so his first task was to knock one sword away and only face the other an easy enough task. He drew his longsword up and looekd at his surroundings then circled around his opponent the girl followed him in the circle and then he saw the perfect moement he lunged in, in a guick thrust driving right for the chest but then pulled his sword upwards at the last second to block the second katana he then flipped over her back pulling the second katana with them and then twirled the girl around spinning her as if dancing with her and pushing her back and then circled once more waitign for another opurtuen moment and it came he ran to side of the gril and lunged at her wit hhis sword in his left driving right for the neck a move once used by the great warrior Achilles to rid the world of Arminon the vicous warrior of the East.

Winter watched the pirate carefully as he circled round her, keeping all his limbs within her vision. He was waiting for a chance to strike her, she gripped her katana tighter and waited for him. Finally he ran for her, raising his sword and making for the chest, Winter smiled knowing she could block that with the first katana and then take his head off with the second, she moved her first one to block and once he was in range the second one came down. However he seemed to have noticed this and had brought his sword up and blocked her katana, Winter's slightly surprise allowed the pirate to leap over her and then push her backwards.

Winter forced herself to stop and held her katanas by her side, turning her attention back to the pirate as he began the same circling motion.
Somebody hasn't done their homework,
He rushed for her again, Winter kept a close eyes on his form and face. Once he was close enough to cut her neck off Winter used her reflexes and ducked in the last split second before raising her katana and then driving it forwards attempting to hit him in the side of the gut and maybe spill his intestines.

When his blow failed he quickly rolled to side before the blade that was coming could hit him he then leapt up and got back in his stance this girl was good but he was a swordmaster he could win two ways the pirate way or the honarable way. He didn't circle her this time but what he did he noted a bucket to his left and prented to charge in but rolled to the side and slung the bucket right at her and he knew she would instinctly block it using that he charged in and leapt over turning around his blade aiming straight for her back.

Winter cursed slightly when her counter attack missed, she overshot him a bit then stopped and turned round on the spot riasing her katanas again, she wasn't going to be beaten by a person who couldn't even both to earn a decent living. Again she kept a careful eye on what he was doing, trying to discern what he was going to do next, that part was easy since she saw his eyes dart at a bucket lying to his left. She almost pitied him for thinking she was that gullable. Once he charged Winter didn't raised her katana to block this time, knowing what he was trying to do, she saw him roll aside, grab the bucket and throw it. Winter raised her blade and span a perfect circle before it came into contact with the bucket and cleanly cut it in two.

She smiled again with narrowed eyes, pirates always cheat and it never works. She heard the sound of boots hitting the deck behind her and jujged that he must have used the bucket as a distraction, she didn;t have time to turn round completely and so turned round only 1/4 of a full circle and raised her katana to block his sword, her katana pointed down as it came into contact blocking his attack. She fixed him with a cold glare.

When his sword was blocked he looekd at her in suprise and then had a brillant idea anger always made people blidn he could anger her and thus when the fight. He smiled and put forward his head which hit her straight in the face he then jumped back and came forward barrilign into ehr and kncoking her to the ground he then ran to a part of the deck that was next to a net and got near enough to it hoping it would lure her onto the net.

Winter looked closely at the pirate with satisfaction, he seemed surprised that shed just blocked his sword and she wasn't even finished yet. For a few seconds she stood as she was, keeping her eyes on the pirate. Then she noticed something in his eyes, a sort of spark of glee or maybe determidation. Either way he rammed his head straight into hers, knocking her back and breaking the lock between their blades, she regained her bearings just in time to have him ram into her and knock her over.

She leapt back to her feet as quick as she could and looked about for him, he'd run over to the other side of the deck rather than staying by to try and gut her. She glared at him for a moment and then ran after him, he must be trying to attempt something other than running away after fighting dirty. For now though she just thought about getting rid of him and getting on with what she'd been doing before.

Morgan smield when she came after him and when she was on top of the net he said," Well me bonnied lass its been fun, but Iam gona have to leave ye hangin". He swung his sword and a rope which immediately snatched up the net she was on and he waved goodbye as the net went up. He laughed and said," Leave her hangin thats a good one".

Winter ran up to the pirate and stopped a few feet away fromh him, her eyes narrowed again once he spoke. She looked down and noticed the net beneath her, he'd been playing dirty again and had tried to lure her ito a trap. She looked up at the sound of a thud and noticed he'd cut a rope with his sword and released the net.
"I hate these things," she muttered.
For the next few seconds everything passed in a blur as the net was instantly hoisted upwards with her still in it, Winter closed her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest, causing her katana to fan out over her shoulders parrallel to her wing.

"Not today thankyou,"
Her eyes opened with a snap and she brought both katana's round and put all her streangh into a scissor style slash and sliced the rope in front of her to pieces using her cleaving ability, she dropped from the hole and landed hard on the deck, having to crouch slightly to absorb the shock. She stood up straight again and span her katana round once. A cold smile crossed her face.
"You may be done," she said "but I'm afraid I'm not."

Morgan was suprised when she got free and he said," Blood and Bloody Ashes lass don't you know when to give up". He drew his sword once more and again focused on the flame and the void and said," Iam sorry lassie but this has to end and Iam afraid it isn't gona end well for either of us". He focused on her then ebcoming one with everything and then strarted a new atatck that was an eloguent but complex dance that allowed the person to fight a person with two swords.

A cold smile crossed Winter's face and she seemed amused by the pirate's comment.
"Let's just say I don't like to leave a job unfiished," she replied "such as taking out the trash, in a metaphorical sense."
She put one foot bhind her, forming an 'L' shape with her feet, and raised both her katanas so the both pointed a different way but were parallel, she also held them diagonally so that the left on pointed upwards, towards the mast, and the other aimed downwards at the deck. Winter's face lowered slightly and she blinked once before focousing all her attention on the pirate.

She gripped her katana harder and waited for him to begin his strike, unlike him she couldn't focus on her weapon, but she could slice many objects in half and her reflexes were far beyond his, this wasn't a fair fight, but pirates generally fight dirty anyway.
"Guess I'll be saying my goodbye," she said slyly "once your head isn't on you body anymore."
She waited for him to attack, then once he did she used her right katana to lightly block his sword, then span round and thrust her left katana forwards aiming for the middle of his chest.

When the sword came at his chest Morgan flipped back loosing his grip on his longsword sending it flying into the air. When Morgan popped back up he just smiled and grabbed the nearest pirates Sword and then said," This fight has barely even begun". He looked oevr the girls shoulder and noted where his longsword was and thought for a moment and then decided on what to do he put hsi hand on a bag at his side and charged forward and then started to fight the girl. Finally he unloosed the bag which was full of sand right into her eyes and then grabbed one of the katanas and stuck it fast in one of the ships masts so no one coudl pull it out and said while the girl was clearing sand from ehr eyes," Now the fight is even".

Winter stopped quickley as he backflipped away from her attack and withdrew her katana, she stood up straight, glaring at him. He was beginning to get annoying with his habit of alway jumping out of the way, she tightened her grip on her katanas and drew herself back into her scorpian pse with one katana out, parallel to her frot leg, and the other aimed over her head much like a scorpian tail. She looked up and noticed that he'd dropped his longsword and had resorted to stealing another, ironically from another pirate. She sighed and rolled her eyes, this was getting a little boring.

She kept her stance still whilst watching him closely, his eyes darted to something behind her and back again before a hand wet to a small bag on his belt, Winter thought about it quickley; his sword must have dropped behind her and he was planning on getting it back, and whatever he was planning had something to do with the bag. Winter braced herself quickley. He went for her again, and she brought her katana down to parry his stolen sword, her eyes darted down and saw him open the bag and throw something out. Instinctivly, Winter ducked and the sand flew over her, some went dow the back of her neck but she ignored it and thrust forward.

The pirate however grabbed the katana and stuck it into the mast where it quivered for a few second. Winter stopped and stood up, her head turned to the pirate retrieving his sword. He'd cheated again.
"Hardly," she replied "but try your best anyway, it's no fun fighting a loser when he's doing it on purpose."

Morgan laughed and he said," Well see but Iam a sword master and since its one sword on one sword I will win me bonnie lass". He laughed and then attacked with more skill than he had been previously using and with a bit of more confidence. He was now in a more delicate and complex sword dance his longsword in a blur as it whirled around her there swords always meeting.

"Hm, I don't care if you're a master of fluffy kittens," she retorted "but I'm afraid you don't impress me."
She put one foot firmly behind her and held her katana in both hands so that it was up to her eye and parallel with her vision, she steadied herself and watched him closely.
Come and get me if you think you can
And as fate would have it he did, he may be a swordmaster, but Winter had the ability to read his body languge, this bieng able to tell what he was about to do, and at the same time had incredable reflxes when it came to fighting.

Once he ran at her she threw her weight forwards and thrust her katana outwards, it clanged off his sword and she diliberatly overshot slightly, she put her foot out infront of her and span on it, tilting slightly and parried his attack before stepping backwards and raising her katana so that it pointed down her face and to the ground.
"Pretty good for a pirate," she admitted, although with sarcasm "but I'm afraid you're out of your leuge."
She brought ker katana round so it pointed upwards instead and moved forward, aiming to slice off his shoulder.

Morgan turned from the blow that would have surely slice off his shoulder and said," Now thats not nice lass trying to cut off the nice pirates arm". He smiled and thought " Okay Morg enough playing around now its time to get serious". He smield at her and started to fight madly finally he flipped the swor and aimed right at her abdomen with the sword hilt the part without the blade in hopes of knocking the breath out of her.

Winter smirked.
"Should I try for your head instead?"
She looked carefully at his next movement, whatever he was doing he was beginning to get a little better, but he was still far too cocky to be expected to be a match for her. Winter strafed to one side, out of the way of the blow and rose her katana defensivly in the process.
"Okay, so you know how to use both ends of your sword," she said slyly "cute trick but you missed."
She looked up and saw her other katana imbedded in the mast a little way off and then back at the pirate with narrowed eyes.

"Nice knowing you," she said.
She ducked behind his defense and straked past him to the other side, she leapt up as high as she could and then put all her gained momentum into her foot and hit the handle of her katana, it twisted upwards in the wood and caused it to splinter, Winter then grabbed it and yanked it out of the weakened wood with a satisfied smile on her face.
"Never stick metal in wood," she mutter before turning back to the pirate.

(salright matey)

Morgan turned around and saw the girl had her second Katana back in her hand and said," Blood and Bloody Ashes why is it never easy". He sighed and looked about the deck noticing that the pirates with him had finished looting the shio and had started to watch the fight and he said," What ye standing around for either help me with this bonnie lass or get over to the ship I'll be done shortly any way". He smield and the pirates grumbled obviously wanting to watch and all of them left except for two who had drawn their swords and said," Captain we'll help yr fight her she is quite good but no match for three pirates especially when one of em is you". He smield at the girl and said," Now isn't that nice me mates come to help me out".

Winter's eyes widened briefly, but they quickly became narrower than before and her head lowered. The pirate had used another dirtly little trick and called over two more pirates in an attempt to 'even' the odds.
"Coward," she muttered darkly.
She glanced up at the two new pirates, weighing up the odds on them. They appeared to be just as foolhardy and cocky as every other pirate on the ship, if they'd been fighting her alone then they'd almost certainly be defeated, but right now she was fighting three pirates with nothing but two katanas, and she wasn't able to focues on all three of them at once either.

She sighed and slid one katana back into the scabbard on her back, but kept the other out, held loosely just incase.
"Fine," she said darkly "take me to your leader."

Morgan was a bit spurised when she surrendered and he said," AInt fallin for it lass lay your swords away from your reach then we take you to our leader we aint as dumb as we look". The pirates with him agreed and said," AYe lassie we not be fooled easily". Morgan smield and said," Iam glad that ye surrendered though I would hate to ruin such a pretty face".

Morgan was a bit suprised when she surrendered and he said," AInt fallin for it lass lay your swords away from your reach then we take you to our leader we aint as dumb as we look". The pirates with him agreed and said," AYe lassie we not be fooled easily". Morgan smield and said," Iam glad that ye surrendered though I would hate to ruin such a pretty face".

(opps double posted dang)

Annoyance flashed across Winter's face, the pirate wasn't a dumb as he looked, but he wasn't far off.
"You could've fooled me," she muttered.
Reluctantly she tossed her katana to the ground, then unsheethed the other one and threw that down as well, she kept her eyes on the pirate while she did this, watching for any false moves he might make.
"Happy now?" She asked bitterly "or would you like me to cut my hands off too?"
The pirates snyde comments were beginning to get on her nerves, she had half a mind right now to kick him right between the legs.

Morgan smield and said," Good lass, Miran grap her katanas I'll watch your back". The pirate came forward cautiously and picked up both of the Katanas and Morgan said," You'll get them back once we hit land so don't worry". He smiled and said," Now come on and don't try anything funny".

Winter eyes narrowed in another cold glare, she gazed down at the pirate told to retrieve her katanas and felt extremely annoyed that he was touching them in the first place. She'd have preffered to have kept at least one of them but right now she didn't really have much of a choice, although personally she'd rather not have had to follow the pirate back onto his ship.
"Don't worry," she replied coldly "I don't have a sense of humour."
As far as she could tell she was the only one who had tried to fight back, she felt a great deal of annoyance as a result, if there had been at least one other person then she'd probably have taken her chances against the three pirates.
"So, what are you waiting for?" She asked without any emotion in her voice at all "I've got a busy schedual, okay?"

Morgan smiled and said," This way then lass". He signaled for the two pirates to get behind the girl and then they crossed over to the sip where the Captain waited on the deck and the cpatain said," I see ye had a hard time with one of the passangers don't look lime mutch but the way I saw her fight makes me know that she tis no pushover to bad I wish I could have her on the crew". THe Captain laughed and said," HEr and You Morgan would probably be the deadliest duo outside Branus and Cyaria" Morgan smield and said," No thanks Captain". He then pointed to the girld and said," lassie this here be Captain Dreadsbeard one the msot feared Pirates of the sea and Capatain of Lifes Revenge". The Captain looked at the girl and said," Well now ye gave old Morgan here a run for his money, but it does not matter I think that you should join me in the captains quarters along with Morgan ofcourse".