we walked for three hours before we got to their ship and by that time the bruising was taking it's toll my legs quaked with the pain as he tugged on the rope to make me keep pace with him and my head span from what felt like concussion and on eight different occasions Buster had offered to carry me but I refused and he seemed to have some sort of civility for me and after that eighth time he asked no more. when we had got to the ship we had to wait for the rest of the group and I could see I was not the only one who was tired I notice men stumbling with sides heaving. then the group boarded the boat by moving up the ramp that had been left out for the return of the men Buster and I were the first ones to set foot on the ship that quaked and shook with out combined weight. I was then temporarily tied to the mast so Buster could tend to other things. I sat down with sides heaving I bit my tongue in pain as every breath I took felt like I was being attacked by a sledge hammer I dropped my head and just as I did shadows loomed over me I looked up and saw the familiar faces of the two of the three men I had battled and Solvent they all banged their clenched fists against the palms of their hands

"oi" said familiar voices as Neon, Gallent, Forum and Khan intervened before they could throw a punch and as a group shoved them back they turned to me

"hello little one" forum said

"how you holding up?" asked gallent

"I don't feel 100% but I'm good enough" he nodded as the ship lurched into life as the tide took it out I saw Buster come forwards dagger in hand Neon, Gallent, Forum and Khan looked to me

"move to the side" I heard Buster growl I nodded and they shifted reluctantly Buster moved behind me and began sawing at the knot I took in a sharp breath as it rubbed against my bruising he stood up holding the length of rope

"you can move now" he said smiling "but before you do I want you to tell all these men to line up against the railing"

"why me?" I grumbled

"because" he said "they listen to you" and with that he turned and walked away I slid up the mast

"doubt that" I muttered

Neon closed the gap between us and the rest went their own way

"what are we going to do?" I said "without a captain these guys won't listen to anyone"

"not exactly" said Neon

"what?" I said

"well" Neon began

and he began to tell me the way crew roles work and he told me that the first mate always takes command when the captain dies

"oh" I said

he brushed past me and cleared his throat making all of the crew look to him

"okay" Neon said "I need every one to line up against the railing" they looked at him blank faced then it was Altar who was the first one to laugh

"and who died and made you captain?"

the crew laughed like idiots and my hands balled into fists I caught Khan staring at me and he smiled a little I gave him a questioning look but he kept smiling

"I think Angel should be captain" he said calmly I looked to him with disbelieve my jaw hung open my hands dropping to my side as he got to his feet and stood beside me "anybody with me?"

they all looked amongst themselves as Gallent, Reed, Gero, Alec and Alex, Hal, John and countless others until I had around 23 on my side that had to be at least half the crew I looked to Khan

"but?, I don't want to be captain?" I told him and he chuckled

"well we're going to make you captain even if your not a good one" I sighed

"if she wants to be captain she has to prove herself" said Barium

I swallowed as he stepped forwards he was much bigger than me and bigger than Rikard and Gallent combined okay maybe not that big but you get the point he was huge

"and what do you say it a good test?" Khan asked

"fight me" he said with a smile "if Rikard can beat me you must be able too as well" Khans eyes widened as he looked to me

"you don't have to" he told me "if you have to fight this guy you don't have to be captain" I looked at him unhappily

"but I want too now" I told him

I pouted causing the people on my side too laugh loudly I also wanted to be able to give the captaincy back to Rikard if he was still alive which he most likely isn't I stepped forwards

"I take this test" I told him and he smiled

"I'm going to turn you into a throw rug" he chuckled leaning forwards slightly as he discretely mocked my small size "after I beat that pretty little ass of yours into next week then I'll become captain and ... i'll give you the benefit of the doubt" I swallowed hard then tried my best to smile at his sincere and probably real threat I forced myself to look him in the eye

"aww you called my butt pretty" I said as I fluttered my eye lashes innocently "well if that's the way we are going to play I'm going to turn you into my bitch and have you grovelling at my feet in lets say" I tilted my head from side to side in a thinking manner "mmmm ten minutes?"

there were smirks and chuckles from both sides as the smile dropped from his face

"brave words for mince meat" he sneered I smirked

"three words buddy bring. it. on." I told him "anything you can dish out I can throw it back at you te--two times harder!"

his face turned red and his eyes gleamed with anger then suddenly he charged at me and I jumped and he ran right under me and I kicked him in the back sending him barrelling into the mast he growled in pain as his shoulder hit it I swallowed hard looking to Khan he shrugged

'taunt him' he mouthed quickly

'push him around a little'

my eyes widened in fear how the hell was I suppose to push him around Barium looked to me and I froze he growled some curses towards me in a different language I swallowed my fear and smiled cheekily I beckoned him with two fingers

"aww did that hurt I'm sorry" the smile fell from my face "I think I did it wrong"

I battered my eyelashes innocently again as I dashed at him hitting him right in the chest with my shoulder the air was forced out of his chest but none the less he grabbed me and threw me sidewards along the deck sending me skidding across the wood I got to my feet holding an arm to my injured stomach I zoned out of our fight to watch as people began shifting from his side to mine and vice versa I looked up with hazy eyes I staggered sideways my head span as my stomach lurched

'oh god' I thought swallowing hard

looking up just as he charged at me again pushing me against the wall showing his pirate side he started to strangle me I gasped and that's when I kicked him hard down there he lept away squealing like a girl as he haunched over holding his hands to his third leg as he whimpered like a baby I dashed out of the way but when he made no sign to follow I walked behind him and I kicked him hard up the ass making him face plant people gasped and I heard laughing I walked up to his head nudging it with my shoe for fear that I had killed him. he groaned with pain and I breathed a sigh of relief he was not dead

"please no more" he pleaded looking at me through blood shot eyes I grimaced

"okay" I said to him shrugging

he seemed surprised as I walked back to the group with my arms crossed and my head held high but stopped when most of them were on my side while others were in the middle and seemed undecided but after a few seconds they looked to me smiling they walked over to my side I felt someone behind me I looked up it was only Barium he sighed

"I'll follow" he said "but I won't like it" I smiled happily

"I told you I was going to make you my bitch" I said to him "and dish every thing out to you five times harder" he frowned

"you said two?" he said

"that's not what I heard" I shouted over my shoulder

I walked over to the group but he grabbed my arm

"about what happened back there" he said pulling me back from the group

"stays between us I understand"

"yes" he said "that and Rikard didn't stop until he pounded me into next week" I smiled sweetly

"well as you can see" I said motioning to my body "I am clearly not Rikard" he smirked

"well I can see that clearly"

and they all cheered as Barium joined they spent the next few seconds congratulating me when Neon nudged me and I remembered what I needed to do I cleared my throat

"I need you guys to line up against the railing please" they looked at me and laughed

"that's not how a captain talks" Barium chortled and I arched an eye brow

"okay then I tried to be nice let me rephrase that, line up against that railing or I'll give you all concussion" I yelled narrowing my eyes for effect every body jumped then smiling they playfully gave me a wide girth

"well" said Neon "that works too"I nodded smiling motioning with my head

"you too" I told him and he sighed

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Buster had seven men standing beside him then he looked the lined up men from left to right then he point to six random people who looked on with terror

"you" growled Buster to all of them "step forwards" they did so reluctantly then he looked the line up and down again then pointed to Gallent "you as well" he bark

and as Gallent stepped forwards Buster drew his sword and pointed it at the big man's chest and the seven men that were beside him fell on the six men who yelled out in fear five had swords to their chest while one was held by one man while another was threatening to cut off his hand I felt a tremor of rage and I finally knew what he was about to do all together we had killed six of his crew and rendered one of them with out use of his hand thus having to have it amputated I bit my lip suppressing my rage for his thirst for revenge until finally no more could I suppress it he looked to me and I narrowed my eyes the other men I didn't care too much about but Gallent I did Buster beckoned me forwards I stepped slowly out of line

"now tell me captain what do you think?" he said looking back to Gallent who stood tall and brave but I knew him he was worried I had to be careful here "an eye for an eye wouldn't you agree?"

"no way" I said

stepping closer to him but took half a step back as he pointed the sword closer to his throat he smiled smugly at me. Reed the unlucky man whose arm was about to be sawn off by a very blunt blade, tried to pull unsuccessfully away from the sword blade

"that draws the line" I growled

Buster looked over to me lowering his sword allowing Gallent to slink back into the line and the others did so as well except for Reed who was kept secure by his two capers there was no line to be drawn in the first place he snapped back at me

"well......um" I said "if there was I just did it" I took a step closer in fury

"but there isn't" he bellowed also taking a step closer we were almost at each others throats all crew members that were on deck had stopped to watch the argument that slowly progressed into a blame game

"well I wouldn't do this if your crew did not kill my crew" he said his brown hair seemed to flare up and his calm blue eye gleamed angrily at me

"well we were only trying to protect ourselves from your crew" I snarled back

I felt my stomach churn he thinks this is my crew... well it is now for the time being. The argument got more intense I was surprised he didn't draw his sword and run me through but instead he shoved me in the chest sending me coughing, staggering and cringing with the pain all the while feeding my uncontrollable anger and I was millimetres from exploding into a absolute rage I stood up and shoved him in the chest savagely he staggered back his face betrayed his surprise he got to his feet his anger renewed

"stupid women" he snarled

that comment finally pushed me over the edge and it was only then did two of the crew grab both my arms

"why you sonofa....."

i was cut off as the crew lifted me off the ground and took me backwards then set me down again trying to force me into a sitting position when that did not work they simply kicked my legs out from under me and held my shoulders tight before Neon came over and slapped me around the face leaving a red hand shaped mark up the side on my cheek and it was only after that happened did I finally come out of my rage I lifted a hand and Neon stepped back slightly frightened

"ow" I said

putting my hand to my cheek I rubbed it he sighed and the two men who were holding me let me go I slowly got to my feet and from what I could see Buster had calmed down too the men parted and Buster sighing deeply signalled for his men to let Reed go he merged back with the group gratefully Buster called up a few of his men whose names were unpronounceable then he split the crew up calling them back into those three groups they were in before and after a bit of confusion they were all nicely lined up except for me but Buster took no notice the last person pressed up against the railing. when they were all sent off and the deck was cleared he looked upon me were he looked me up and down and I did the same his hair was brown and the same build as Rikard though he was a little slimmer his eyes were blue and very beautiful now that I think about it not as fierce looking as mine though. the deck was empty abandoned of all life he grabbed my arm and dragged me behind him I resisted quiet a bit but was no match for his strength he dragged me below deck on the opposite side to where all the men were working he took me into what I gathered as his quarters where he let me go then turned to me

"you" he said pointing a finger with a smile that was half smirk half grin "are a girl that's hard to handle"

"tell me something I don't know" I snarled

sliding out under his arm he grabbed me around the waist and I cried out in pain and he loosened his grip I pinched him so he was the one to yell out

"and" he said rubbing his arm "there ain't many like you around"

"are you sure" I said "I don't think your looking very hard" he cornered me again and this time restricted my escape

"your cunning fast and graceful yet fiery and dangerous" he continued naming me before he came to a conclusion "your like a panther yes" he said "a black panther"

"why are you saying all this" I asked

"because" he said raising a hand to stroke my face but a foul look from me made him stop that motion but instead his hand quickly grasped my wrists pushing them above my head

"hey" I yelped

"I find you intriguing" he breathed

"well good for you" i choked out "leave me the heck alone" he smirked at me

"you can't tell me what to do Angel" I yanked my wrists out of his grasp he smiled down at me

"who do you think you are?" I snarled prodding his chest with my index finger he smiled

"glad you asked I am Buster Tetra king of the Brack Ballas" his smile disappeared when he saw that I wasn't shocked

"sooooooo?" I said he snorted

"well" he asked "who are you?"

"glad you asked" I said mimicking his tone "I am Angel Plin princess of Allen's Burg"

his mouth gaped open I shut it with a gentle finger

"you could catch flies with that trap" I said with a smirk

then I ducked out from under his arms and went for the door with him sill watching me and I left to go above deck

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most of the men were working under the deck leaving me to freely roam around I knew that Buster was looking at me from the railing when Solvent and his gang approached me. He started by shoving me backwards sending me staggering and falling onto my butt and I stood up straight away turning heads and tails when he followed me then I made a bee line for the mast where I ran at the mast just as he came after me hoping that it was not pine I ran up it jumped back and did a spin kicking him in the face twice sending him falling back out cold his little gang took one look and ran off with their tails between their legs Buster laughed and clapped approvingly then motioned for me to come up I sighed and did as he asked climbing the stairs to the front of the ship where Buster was waiting for me he came forwards

"so what part did you play on your ship was it just to look pretty did you dish out punishment were you your captains toy?" he said smiling "because I don't think any ornament would have the skills you just showed even if you are a princess" I lifted an eyebrow

"what?" I said "me a stupid women ?" his face turned red with embarrassment

"well" he said

"save it" I said

turning my back on him only for him to grab my arm and pull me back

"it's just" he said I looked back at him

"yyyeeesss?" I said relaxing slightly he let my arm go

"never mind" he said "just go back to beating up my crew but just leave enough so I can operate this ship" I smiled

"what ever you say captain" I saw him grimace

'that's something I will remember for later use' I thought to myself

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