Whether it was the excitement or the sweet scent of alcohol that wasn’t weak ale, Ruby in her normal chaotic nature switched her pn slightly and waited for the pair to pass her before softly clearing her throat. “Even’n Howard.” Ruby offered and showed enough of herself so that the two guards saw her clearly.
“Ruby One-Eye.” Howard looked around for others who might be with the dashing dy pirate. “Aye, a’fore me scream for help..” Howard patted his fellow guard on his chest, “...Mayhaps me inquire as to why you're here?”
Grabbing the bottle of whiskey from the man she knew, Ruby slugged down the brown liquid until her stomach began to tingle. “You be know’n why Ruby is haunting you.” She let the bottle dangle down at her side, “Our st game. You be owe’n Ol’Ruby a hefty bit of coin, ten gold as me muttered mind recalls.” Focusing her deadly hazel eyes on both men, Ruby added, “I’ve come to collect, as it were. Pretty sure Pearly not gonna mind if Ruby collects a debt…or mayhaps we talk to yer captain about’s it.”
“That’s gonna wipe me out, Ruby.” Howard stalled and looked to his companion, “Me won’t have noth’n ta spend in port. How’s about five now and I’ll catch up with ya next round?” He wiggled his eyebrows, “Or…I say we go double or none.” Howard smiled, “Whatcha say, Ruby?”
Noticing that the twin guards had dropped their guard enough to parley, Without warning Ruby swung out the mostly empty bottle and smashed it against Howard’s head. When the man stumbled back and fell, her other hand came to bear and stabbed the remaining guard in his chest, dropping him like a sack without so much as a cry for help. While Howard was still stunned and dizzy from the initial hit, Ruby knelt and grabbed him by his long brown hair. “Aye, ya can’t pay the ten, Ruby not gonna be have’n you in for twenty to me, savvy? Me has other pns, as it were.” Much like she’d done many times before, Ruby used her namesake dagger and ended Howard’s life with a swift jab through his chin and into his skull before pulling it free.
{“Nerice. There should only be the two on the dock. I only counted six in all. Don’t kill’m love. I want them to tell Pearly.”}
{“Where’s the fun in that?”}
{“You’ll get your fill once we have the ship. I had to.”}
{“Promises. Promises. I do find it’s name quite fitting, and seems like destiny given how easy this is going. Just a moment.”}
Spotting Nerice walking slowly with her white cane towards the remaining guards, Ruby whistled and when the two turned she simply waved at them. “Even’n boys.” Initially fshing her hallmark enchanting smile, Ruby began to count down from five and once she reached one, a streak of blue hammered into both men, binding them to the dock as though they were held firmly by a set of ropes. With a wink to Nerice, Ruby blew her lover a kiss. “Damn. That is impressive no matter how many times I see it.”
Stepping up to the two guards who’d begun to scream, Nerice waved two fingers and instantly silenced the men. “Quiet you two.” Nerice clicked her tongue and got a small image of the pnk and ascended it slowly. “Thank you, Tanya.” Nerice raised her eyebrow after saying Ruby’s name aloud. “Oops.”
“You did that shit on purpose, devil woman.” Ruby retorted and then waved to the helpless guards. “They obviously can’t live now.”
A happy, yet devious smile crossed Nerice’s bck lips. “Obviously, you bck-hearted snake.” She reached the end and kissed Ruby softly. “Allow me.”
“By all means.” Ruby affirmed.
With a few chirps toward the water, Nerice watched the fins of sharks begin to circle the dock. “Watch this.” She ughed and sent a small blue streak of light to the men, causing them to float. With a flick of her wrist, Nerice had them over the water and whistled. Instantly the sharks leapt out of the water and took multiple chunks out of the men until they’d been devoured completely. Dropping her magic, Nerice looked over the edge and blew kisses to the ring of sharks. “Thank you so much for your help, lovelies.” First dropping the pnk into the water, Nerice hopped and turned to Ruby cpping. “Tanya, that was…” She ughed and her visible scales flushed bck briefly, “...fun. She’s all yours…Captain.” Nerice smiled.
“Almost.” Ruby hugged Nerice tightly and sheathed her dagger before climbing the main mast and rather than untying the main sail, Ruby simply cut the rope holding it and watched it unfurl. Years of being a rigger on all of the ships she’d worked on paid off for the pirate as she took the time to get the sails she needed to leave port and get into open water. “We could use the tide and a little wind, Ner-Ner.” Ruby commented as she worked as fast as she dared in getting the sails ready.
Taking the cue that her dymate was ready, Nerice used her magic and untied the ship from the dock and raised the anchor so that the sloop was free to maneuver when Ruby took the helm. “As you wish, my love and Captain.” Nerice took a small blue vial from her waist and drank the contents before she began casting once more.
Slowly shifting its direction, Ruby felt the wind turn and favor their escape. Rushing to the helm, Ruby kept the boat wheel steady as the tide and wind under Nerice’s influence pushed them away from the dock. “Brilliant, Ner-Ner.” They’d managed to get clear of the dock when Ruby spotted a rge gathering of people standing on the street with Pearly at the front with a smile on her face and cpping. “I’ll get ‘The Dancing Dagger' back to you at some point, Pearly! Until then, have a kiss on me.” Ruby with her normal fre pced two fingers on her lips and waved them to Pearly Pieces of Eight. “They are worth an absolute fortune!”
Standing confidently at her new helm, Ruby closed her eye and enjoyed the heavier wind and salty air of her first command. “Nerice, love.” Ruby hugged the blind mermaid tightly to her side, “Captain Ruby-One Eye is born.”
