Pirate’s Den hired many pirates, rogues, and thieves. So many that Kathy could not personally do each and every single application. It’d become far too tedious. New recruits wanted to either challenge Kathy, be like her, train them, or something like that. So she didn’t want to handle that kind of work any more. Especially with the rumors… well facts and stories…. circulating about her now.
The fact that Kathy led a group of four to defeat some weird hell hound in an underground tunnel spread like wildfire the moment she left that tunnel. The fact that she had, not only been the first to beat the trial of the mysterious arena, but was also the only person to break the golem inside it and return more information about the trial, spread even faster some how.
She didn’t mind taking the spot light personally, especially back a few months ago. What she minded was someone weak trying to challenge her because they thought she wasn’t truly able to do it. Sometimes it was men, who thought that a “pretty woman” like her couldn’t even harm a puppy. Kathy showed the first dozen out the door, forcibly. Since then, few doubted her for those reasons.
Today seemed a bit different. Today a gorgeous tan woman walked up to Kathy, obviously eyeing her in more ways than one. Kathy did keep her best appearance up at all times. Her blouse would always be a bit tight with a button undone, her jeans fit her perfectly, and of course she never bothered to hide the strand of lightning scars going down her left arm. In truth the scars went down her entire body, but most of it couldn’t be seen. But this woman… she just seemed to be a bit too confident for her own good.
“Oh yer the new hire right? Dancer and Pirate Selena… Canoe? Nah that can’t be right.” Kathy mused teasing the woman. “Alright, yer a cute girl and frankly I like a strong woman. But…”
Kathy walked up to the tan woman and brought a finger just under her chin, making Selena’s head rise gently to look Kathy straight in the eyes. Kathy’s gaze didn’t falter, it didn’t give any sign of weakness, and it didn’t over compensate either. It was truthfully strong.
“I don’t think yer ready ta handle me. Yeah, ya’d kick my ass dancin’ that’s fer sure. But unless yer challengin’’ me ta dance I think ya best train some more.” Kathy teased, trailing her finger up the woman’s chin and tapping her nose. “Plus I don’t want ta bruise yer gorgeous skin in a fight.”
Selena liked the energy Kathy brought to the table; she was confident and sassy right off the bat, something Selena found refreshing. However, she tensed as soon as the woman made fun of her last name. Kanoa was her family’s name - the only thing she had left from her homeland. From her parents...
Selena stood her ground as the other woman teased her, waiting for the right moment to correct the blonde. Her expression was a bit more tense, but she tried to enjoy the banter, despite her employer’s slip. They were both young women trying to make it in a business that wanted nothing more than to see them fail. She just had to remember that for the moment...
The woman couldn’t help but smirk as Kathy tapped her nose. “You’re certainly right about one thing. I would own your ass at dancing.” She gave a light chuckle, trying her hardest to keep her mood light. “I’m flattered that you’re worried about bruising me, though, but I’m tougher than I look. Besides, I look hot when I’m all bruised and battered,” she purred.
She flicked her hair off of her shoulder and then let a finger run down Kathy’s arm, taking her hand and turning it over so she could see if the other woman had the many callouses that came from a life of pirating. Running a finger over the lines on Kathy’s hand, she said, “I’m sure you’re strong. Judging by your scars - which are incredibly attractive, by the way - you’ve seen some shit. However, I have a policy I learned from my old captain: always judge a person’s skills yourself.”
She took a pause and dropped the taller girl’s hand suddenly, inhaling deeply and letting the breath out in a hiss. Glancing back up at the blonde, she cocked her head sweetly, and her smile turned toxic. She grabbed Kathy’s shirt and pulled her down so that they were at eye level. “That being said, no matter how strong you are, I cannot let the insult to my family name stand. The Kanoa name lives on through me, and I’m going to protect it.”
Her eyes scanned the other woman’s face, ensuring that her message was received. Any other insult would roll off Selena’s back except that one, and she wanted to make sure Kathy knew it was her one and only boundary. Honesty was important between pirates if they were working together, even if they weren’t exactly honest with anyone else.