Chikko first meeting Cap'n Inia!
The salty sea air was heavy in the tavern. Chikko had just finished her round of work of loading up another ship. The work was tiring and she had few breaks. The other workers would tease her for being a small girl, but she'd show them. She'd show all of them.
It was relatively quiet as Chikko drank a small glass of rum. When she finished she places her glass down and the bartender bends more rum into the cup for her. Watching him, Chikko scowls sharply at his display of waterbending. "Blasted benders..." Chikko mumbles under her breath.
Within seconds, the quietness of the tavern had been violently shattered by the sound of a ship captain and her crew entering. They cheered and hollered as they followed their captain. It was a woman...a short one. Maybe shorter than Chikko herself. Her style of dress was more sophisticated than the rest of the lot, showcasing her high status. The captain climbs up onto a table randomly where another pair of patrons were already seated.
"Aye! Today was a fine day o' raids, me mateys! You done a fine, bloody fucking job!"
The crew cheered once more at their captain while she stood looking down at them. "Of course! You lot deserve a treat so drinks fer every-bloody-body!"
Chikko watched from the bar counter, impressed with the small captain's display. She was a small woman, but she was strong and commanding and obviously demanded respect. The odd eyed girl would be lying if she said that she wasn't inspired at least a little. Watching the captain walk to the bar, she slams her gloved hand down firmly on the counter, her chin lifted high. "Oi, pour rounds fer all me crew until there ain't a drop of rum left!" She orders and the bartenders gets to work right away. The female captain noticed Chikko's gaze and turns sharply to look at her, her eyes shifting to look at the set of daggers on Chikko's waist. A small smile formed at the captain's lips. "Aye, girl. You be a fighter?"
"What? Oh, aye, I suppose."
"Good enough. See lass, I could use more fighters on me ship since some of the men are a bloody bunch of idiots."
Without another word or warning, the captain pulls out a flintlock pistol and aims it as Chikko's head. With the same quickness, Chikko had pulled out one of her daggers and held it to the captain's throat. The woman smiles and lowers her weapon. After a moment, Chikko does as well.
"Aye..." The captain chuckles throatily, impressed with the young girl's sharp instinct and sense. "Do you hate benders?"
Chikko perks up a bit, her lip pulling into a scowl. "More than anything." She replies.
"Ahahaha! Aye, lass! We're gonna get along juuuuust fine. Me name's Inia. Captain of the Captain's Damnation, Night's Misery, Ocean's Widow, an' Sorrow's Bride. And you be?"
Inia takes Chikko's hand and climbs atop the table once more, bringing the lighter toned girl with her. "Oi, listen up, me hearties. Today we did a fine raid and you lot did yer part. As ye cap'n, I'm proud on ye. But we could always use more to join the family, eh? Me mateys, I'd like you all to welcome our newest member and she be a lass at that!"
As the crew roared in their drunken stupor, their clear thinking already out the window, Inia turns to Chikko and passed her a mug of rum. "Aye lass. Chikko. Welcome aboard!"
They push their mugs together with a heavy 'clang' to signal the start of something beautiful.