Batten Down the Hatches [Mature]

[Flamebird]

And... The moment was ruined.

A couple seconds after the captain had welcomed her, the man he had been talking to poked quite an insult. Her... forehead? Felicity lifted one of her gloved hands and grasped it as memories swayed in her mind.

In a snow laden village, Felicity rested her back against a pine wood wall. The Eiskaltian winds rustled the window shutters above, yet failed to drown out the horrific noise. The little girl, wearing a heavy fur dress and coat, was crying. Two girls, her age, stood in front of her, taunting her.

"Hnegh!" One of them stuch out her tongue, clenching her own black hair. "You are so ugly! Your hair is red like a bull's. Probably scruffy and smelly like one too!"

"Yeah!" The second one taunted, "And what about that forehead! It's so big, it could be mistaken for one of Eiskalt's mountain ranges!"

"And your eyes," The first scoffed, "Green like some sort of weird poison! No one else looks like that!"

It was true. Felicity had red hair, green eyes, and a big forehead. Why was she so different from them? As she huddled against the wall, tears falling, the second girl stalked closer to her. Felicity winced, raising her arm up in defense.

"My mother says she's neanderthal, just like the brutes in the mountains." She crossed her arms.

"Oh yeah!" The leader scoffed, "Why is she here? My dad says all neanderthals deserve to die!" Without warning, she kicked up snow and pebbles, hurling it at Felicity. The girl squealed, sputtering as debris splashed against her face and got in her nostrils. "Ack! Stop!"

"No!" the second girl closed the space and kicked her in the gut, "Your kind murdered my father! You monsters deserve to suffer! Each and every one one of you demon spawn!"

"I-..." The child looked up at them, only to be blinded by the cold winter sun.

Tears flooded her eyes as the young adult looked at the stranger in shock. Her... her forehead was too big. She had heard it before. She lowered her hand, eyes glazed in memories of pain. It hurt. Everything hurt. Indeed, it hurt... And it filled her with rage.

Clenching her fist, she took a couple steps towards the bully, pulling her arm back. She had enough of being mistreated her whole life. She would not be mistreated now. She was stronger. Of course, she also had anger issues and the temper of a raging bull.

"Who asked you, you jerk!" She landed a solid punch, obviously influenced by martial arts training, on his chest. She hit him hard, sending him flying back.

"Ah!" The redhead recoiled, grasping her fist. Her other glove had one finger flapping in the cold wind, due to that hand only having four digits. Beneath the other glove, Felicity was positive her hand was red. She was sturdy and durable, but man it felt like she hit solid metal! Then, she looked around.

The entire crew turned from their duties and grappling hook swinging to observe the scene. The captain himself kept glancing between his two guests; unsure of what to do. Felicity stood there, holding her fist, crying. Her cheeks burned red. A scene had been made, it was his fault, and Felicity had been humiliated for the last time. She turned and stormed off. Despite Salvar's cold, she was hot in embarrassment as salty tears leaked down her cheeks.

"I'm below deck!" Felicity shouted at the captain without pause, making way towards the door leading inside the ship. She needed to be alone.