'O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills, For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding, For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;'  O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!,  Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

"There you are Captian Halfmoon!" Minnow's voice called out across the courtyard. Shura, who had been in the middle of trying to pry said captain off of her froze just long enough to allow Halfmoon to gently place a flower crown upon her head. 

"There you go, Haddock." Halfmoon hummed happily, "Shura." Shura corrected frustrated, "Right, my apologies."  As Shura and Halfmoon spoke, Tetra and Minnow made their way over towards the two of them. Tetra hearing Halfmoon refer to Shura has Haddock looked confused and kind of concerned.

"Excuse me Captian Halfmoon, why are you calling her Haddock?" Tetra was the first to speak, her voice sounded even meeker than the voice that she used on Minnow. However, it seemed more like she was intimated by the much shorter female. Rather than trying to appear more ladylike as she had for Minnow.

Shura looking over at Halfmoon annoyed wondered the same, why did she insist on calling her Haddock? Halfmoon looking up at Tetra with a serene look on her face. "Oh...." She paused with a breath, "Well," She continued before slowly turning to Shura.

"I knew Haddock when I was younger." Halfmoon explained coolly, her eyes lazily moved away from staring at Shura over to Minnow. "We were lovers for a short while." She added with a smirk softly resting on her face. 

Shura felt her cheeks burn at hearing this. For FUCKS sake was there NO ONE that this guy didn't sleep with?! Shura covered her face from this embarrassing news. Doing this caused her to miss the furious look appear on Minnow's face.

Minnow's body shook, he felt his blood boil and his face burn. He gritted his teeth trying to get ahold his temper. Taking a deep breath he slowly relaxed. He wasn't territorial... He wasn't territorial.... 

"Something bothering you Minnow?" Halfmoon's breathy tones sounded off, Minnow gritted his teeth feeling his cheeks burn from anger and embarrassment. "N... No." He hissed turning away, only just now noticing his hand resting on the hilt of his sword at his side.

"Alright then." Halfmoon hummed before turning back to Tetra, "As I said before, Haddock and I were lovers." Halfmoon had a soft smile on her face, though it did get a little wider when she heard the growl of Minnow and the groan of Shura.

"Fuck, it's like having an ex without the fun," Shura grumbled under her breath. However, her remark was unheard of most of the group.

Except for Halfmoon...

"Oh, we had plenty of fun Haddock." Halfmoon looked at her over her shoulder, a smirk present on her face. Shura felt her cheeks burn once again. Halfmoon looked back to Tetra who had been watching all of this happening. "Unfortunately, we both had a serious competitive streak which ended the relationship." Halfmoon mused aloud, "Sometimes I wonder... What could've been." Shura winced at this pointed comment. Though, she wasn't sure who it was for... Maybe her...? But if it was for her then why did Minnow look like he wanted to kill someone?

Why did Minnow look like he wanted to kill someone? Shura looked over at Minnow bewildered at his reaction to this. She had been called Haddock by the King and he didn't react like this...?

As Halfmoon and Tetra talked about her and Haddock's relationship. Which was more Halfmoon going off on a tangent than any conversation. Shura slowly made her way over to Minnow. Approaching from the front, because she had a feeling that doing so from the back would end with a blade to her throat. She put a hand on Minnow's shoulder.

"Hey..." She said lowly, Minnow snapped out of his quiet seething when he heard her voice. "You okay?" She asked she saw the anger melt away from Minnow's face and slowly turn into embarrassment. "I'm... Fine." Minnow slowly spoke, Shura frowned "You sure? You seemed upset." She said sliding her arm around his shoulder pulling him close.

Minnow let out a little noise when this happened. But it didn't seem to displease him because he leaned into the side hug. "I'm better now." Minnow relaxed a bit more, he looked away from Shura towards Halfmoon and Tetra. 

"I was just dealing with some... Personal issues." He mumbled, Shura took a breath and then replied. "I get it. But don't get too stuck in your head okay?" She roughed up Minnow's hair with the hand that had been on his shoulder. 

Minnow shot her a smile then smoothed out his hair after Shura had removed her hand from his head. "Okay." he agreed, taking a breath after saying that, Minnow stepped forward to Halfmoon. "Captian Halfmoon." He started cutting Halfmoon off in the middle of a detailed story of her and Haddock.

Halfmoon slowly turned to Minnow, meanwhile, Tetra in the background had a look of relief. "Yes Minnow?" Halfmoon asked blinking slowly, she was continuing to act in her usual relaxed way. (Or at least what Shura assumed was her usual.) But there was a certain sharpness to her eyes that hadn't been there before. Halfmoon seemed more present in the moment than she had moments ago.

Minnow apparently noticed this and winced slightly. It seemed to Shura that Halfmoon being emotionally or mentally present wasn't a good sign. Minnow glanced back at Shura before straightening himself up.

"Captian Halfmoon..." he started once more, "As... Interesting...." Minnow adverted is eyes with a scowl, "This conversation has been." Minnow paused for a beat, "We didn't come here just to chat." He finished, Halfmoon cocked one eyebrow slowly.

"That's too bad... I was enjoying talking about the good old days." She hummed glancing over at Shura. "Hard to believe how long ago it was... Isn't that right Haddock?" Halfmoon remarked, Shura furrowed her brows, "I've never seen you before in my life." She deadpanned, "Also, my name is Shura." She added realizing she had been called Haddock yet again.

It was starting to scare her how easily she got used to being called that name. It was almost like it fit somehow... But at the same time, it wasn't hers. The best way she could describe it was that feeling you get when you wear a friend's clothes. Yeah, it might fit... But it still isn't exactly right. 

Captian Halfmoon went to say something, but Minnow stepped in. Not wanting yet again to be dragged off in on some conversational tangent. 

"Captian Halfmoon, we came here to get Shura enrolled in the knight training program." Minnow blurted out, getting to the point. He had learned that doing this the formal way was not going to work in this conversation. He only wished he had realized it sooner.

It could've saved him twenty minutes...

Halfmoon was silent after Minnow blurted this out. She narrowed her eyes uncharacteristically and her mouth pulled into a firm thin line. After a few moments, Shura looked over at Minnow wondering what was taking Halfmoon so long to respond. Minnow shrugged, unable to give much of an answer.

After what felt like forever, Halfmoon spoke. With a look of displeasure, she said, "Absolutely not." Minnow's eyes widened in shock hearing this answer. He hadn't even considered that Halfmoon might say no. 

Then again, he hadn't considered what history may have been between Haddock and Halfmoon. Though, it was hard to believe that Shura could be the king reborn. Minnow's gaze landed on Shura, she seemed confused and looked angry.

"Why the fuck not!?" Shura shouted having enough with Halfmoon jerking them around for the last half hour. Halfmoon turned to Shura pointedly. "Why would I approve of you being taught things you should already know Haddock?" Shura's face was red once more, but this time, not from embarrassment. 

Her blood boiled red hot as she marched over to the other woman. "For the last fucking time..." She growled out grabbing Halfmoon by the collar. "My name is Shura! YOU STUPID FUCKING HIPPIE!" She screamed in Haddock's face.

As her voice echoed over the courtyard. There was a moment of silence. It seemed as if, at once, the entire world stopped moving. Minnow watching the scene horrified looked to Halfmoon's face. It looked like something was activated within her, a switch of some sort.

"Sh-" Minnow was the first to utter a noise. At that moment it seemed like nothing, after all, it was only one syllable.  Just one single utterance among the many that he had committed in his life. But, in a moment of utter silence... As that moment had been, it felt sinful. 

Then as if for daring to commit such a sin. Punishment for it swiftly followed after. 

Within seconds Shura collided with the western wall of the courtyard. Minnow hadn't even seen what had thrown Shura so far. But the sickening sound of a crack echoed through the courtyard just as her voice did only moments ago.

Crows were startled by this noise and took off in a frenzy, cawing to alert others of this noise. All at once the sound came back into the world and Minnow rushed over to Shura's side shouting her name.

Halfmoon, who was now standing a good fifteen to twenty feet away, slowly lowered her outstretched leg. Tetra, who had been standing behind her, took a step back. Tetra's body shook with fear and terror. To say that she would be frightened by all of this... Was a complete understatement.

Minnow was at Shura's side within seconds. Once up close and the dust had settled, he saw the damage. While Shura seemed largely unharmed, at least on the outside. The stone wall behind her had cracked from the impact. 

"Shura!" Minnow exclaimed grabbing her shoulder, he shook her lightly trying to rouse her. After a few moments, Shura let out a cough and then a groan. She then let out a long and drawn out "Fuck..."

"Oh thank the old kings." Minnow mumbled letting out a sigh of relief, for a moment there he had feared that Halfmoon had killed her. "Are you okay?" he asked moving closer to her.

Shura leaned forward and Minnow's hand moved to her back between her shoulder blades. Shura guessed he was probably checking for injuries. "I feel like I just got hit by a fucking truck." She groaned slowly trying to move.

Minnow let out a soft nervous laugh, "I have no idea what that is." He sounded like he was on the verge of crying. Shura looked at Minnow and started to say, "It's a--." She winced and sighed, "It's a thing." She dismissed the topic with that.

Minnow shrugged this off and then said, "Can you stand?" Shura then, wordlessly, attempted to stand up on her own. However, due to some stumbling Minnow assisted her with the task. 

Hearing footsteps approaching both Minnow and Shura looked up to see Halfmoon standing there with a scowl. "Captian-." Minnow started to say but was silenced by Halfmoon's glare. "Out of the way." She ordered Minnow.

While normally Minnow would've immediately stepped out of the way of his captain. After all, her word was law to him. This time, he felt different. Halfmoon wanted to fight, Shura had no skills or abilities when it came to fighting.

While she did take down that monster... Honestly, it seemed like adrenaline had more to do with that then skill. After all, Shura said it herself, she barely knew how to hold a sword.

"Captian please-." Minnow was cut off again by a cut to his cheek from Halfmoon's sword. Blood leaked from the shallow cut and Minnow felt pain radiate from the source. 

"Next time it'll be your head." Halfmoon hissed, Shura looked between the two of them, "Minnow, do what she says." Shura hesitantly spoke, her instincts screamed to keep Minnow nearby to protect her. But her heart knew that if Minnow didn't get out of the way...

Well, Shura knew enough to know she wasn't worth dying for.

"Shura you can't handle her." Minnow hissed with clenched teeth. As the two of them went back and forth Halfmoon got sick of waiting. So she raised her sword, Shura seeing this happening while Minnow argued with her smiled.

"I know." She replied before shoving Minnow away. Minnow stumbled into some nearby crates and Halfmoon brought down her sword cutting Shura's right forearm. 

"Arm yourself Haddock!" Halfmoon demanded, "I can't fucking do that if you cut one of them off you stupid bitch!" Shura replied scrambling away from Halfmoon. She clutched her cut arm close to her, begrudging the fact that her blood was getting all over her new outfit. Which, thanks to Halfmoon, was effectively ruined. 

Shura ran across the courtyard trying to look for something to arm herself with, or maybe something to use as an escape route. Since it was becoming pretty clear that her physically running wasn't fast enough to get away from Halfmoon. 

Halfmoon charged at her repeatedly attempting to cut her with the blade once more. Somehow, by some manner, Shura managed to dodge most of these attacks. Save for getting even more tears in her clothes. 

"Are you serious! I just got these today!" Shura shouted jumping behind some barrels after Halfmoon cut another hole into her clothes. Halfmoon then proceeded to bust open the barrels in a similar manner that Shura had seen on video games. 

"Jesus Christ!" She swore, using her good arm to shield herself from the bits and pieces of barrels flying everywhere. "Fight back." Halfmoon commanded, "I know you can!" She shouted. Shura scrambled away from her as best as she could. Though it was hard considering that Halfmoon was a trained soldier and Shura was not.

After what felt like hours to Shura. But was probably really just minutes. Shura was out of breath and out of places to run. Backed into a corner of the courtyard. Tetra and Minnow watched helplessly as Halfmoon approached Shura.

Her sword's tip dragged across the stones, creating that sicking noise of metal on stone. Shura's vision was darkening at the edges, she no longer saw color everything was painted in a sepia tone. Breathing heavily, leaning onto the wall of the courtyard she looked at Halfmoon helplessly. 

She tried to search for some sort of mercy in Halfmoon's eyes. However, with her faded vision, she could only find disappointment and indifference. Weighing her options she realized that she would be unable to run in her exhausted state. She leaned against the wall facing Halfmoon. The world was spinning and she felt like throwing up. Halfmoon came to a stop in front of her.

"Fight back." Halfmoon hissed through her teeth. Shura let out a shallow laugh, "I don't know who the fuck you think I am..." She turned her head, resting her cheek against the cold stone. "Do it," Shura ordered after a couple of moments. 

Halfmoon frowned deeply at this, said, "How disappointing." Halfmoon then, rose her sword intending to kill. But at the last second, the sword was blasted out of her hand by something. Halfmoon let out a cry clutching her hand, whipping around to see who done that.

Shura's balance finally gave way, the world went black, the last thing she heard was, "Oh Captian!"