Batten Down the Hatches [Mature]

[Flamebird]

Well, everything involving Leoric was turning into a land of confusion. As they had been swinging on the M.A.D. equipment, Felicity had been flooded with questions of what he had just told Seamus about her... and himself.

In the air it was easy to forget a battle and lock inside, but once they hit the ground, Felicity was back to earth. She could not help but snort at Leoric's pun, but was quickly reminded of the intensity of the situation. As fighting immediately broke out, Felicity stuck with her one free hand as she clutched her explosive toy in the other. Grabbing a pirate's sword arm and whacking his head with the metal bird, Felicity scowled, "Seamus!" Be useful for once!

As if her shout had reminded him of his purpose, Seamus reached into his pocket and pulled out some kind of small object. "I have a bomb! Go boom!"

Everyone flocked to Seamus like seagulls to a single piece of bread.

Felicity took the opportunity. Shouting good luck to Leoric, she darted for the entryway below deck. Okay, I have to disable the canons. But how?

Opening the door, Felicity was met with the dim lights of a constricting hallway. A single pirate stood guard in the hallway. Felicity slammed the door behind her as he shouted a warning towards the direction of the canon room and drew a sword. Felicity let her bird take flight, floating above them with flapping metal wings. Here, an idea entered her mind. Of course, she had to get through this guard first. Felicity pulled one of her arming swords out and in this tight hallway, half sworded it. Two hands safely gripped the blade as she closed the distance between them. Having seemed to have never learned this technique, the man awkwardly tried to swing his sword, but clanged it against one of the walls. As he grimaced, Felicity aimed a small slit for his leg, then immediately rammed the pommel into his thighs, hitting a weak spot.

The man crumpled, dropping his sword as he gasped in pain. She slipped into the canon room, commanding her bird to follow. Inside, two men were about to release a round! Images of everyone on board her ship entered Felicity's mind first, then memories took her further back. The moment she heard of her uncle's death. The terrible, bloody death of her cousin before her eyes.

"No!" Felicity cried, running up to them with her sword. Unable to defend themselves so quickly, each man was served a dish of pommel and crossguard bonks to the head.

As they reeled from the stars in their heads, Felicity wasted no time. She directed her bird to the fishing net in the corner, it snatched it up, gifted it to her, and Felicity properly tied the men up. Dragging them away from the canons, Felicity heard one of them moan about some bounty. Ignoring them, Felicity brought them to rest at the doorway as the hall monitor still tried to stop the bleeding in his leg.

Felicity could initiate her plan.

Felicity looked around the dark room. She needed something certain. It was hard to read the different barrels in the dark, but she squinted as she tried her best to read the fine prints. After reading enough tradespeech labels, Felicity came across a random elvish label. Felicity had been to Raiaera before, had gazed upon the lettering of signs she could not read. This appeared to be the same language, but the letters were more printed and refined than the elegant letters of the high elves. Was this Alerar produced? Could this be it?

Felicity pulled open the lid. A satisfactory smile spread across her face as she gazed upon her prize. As she commanded her bird to land on her shoulder, Felicity was assured that her plan would work.

Grabbing one of the iron shovels laying around, Felicity got to work. Hard labor for most people, Felicity was strong enough to effortlessly shovel and fling black powder across the room, specifically at the canons. Lining the entire canon set up with gunpowder, Felicity was sure to drizzle some into the canons and on top of them. As fighting could still be heard above deck, Felicity finally was happy with her work. She pulled her bird off her shoulder and stuck it into a large pile of gunpowder.

Felicity's bird was lined with gunpowder itself, and could be detonated at will. Knowing it would take a while for the bird to reforge itself and return to her, Felicity had rarely used this feature. Now, she knew she could set off a chain reaction by activating the explosion near gunpowder. With that small bird, the canons would go goodbye in a glorious flash.

Making way towards the door, Felicity snatched the three men she had beaten and made way towards the deck.

"Wha-" One of them muttered from within the net, "Where are you...?"

Felicity kicked open the door. Tasting sunlight again, she thought to herself. I'm disabling the canons, not taking lives. I'm saving lives. We're on opposing sides, but I won't leave these people to be caught in that explosion.

Stepping onto the deck, Felicity thrust the men onto the floor. Felicity looked up and saw another pirate glaring as he watched Felicity man handle three grown men. "Great job, Nicodemus! I bet you guys let her sabotage the canons too!"

Felicity smirked.

The man drew his sword and charged towards her, "That redhead sabotaged the canons!"

Felicity drew her sword again, speaking a single word as she blocked his blow.

"Boom."

Underneath them, the bird exploded. Followed by the chain reaction that caused the ship to teeter and sway like it was in a violent storm.