Pending name...

Emilee charged at her brother starting off with a loud grunt as she swung the dull blade low to high. He dodged the blade and she started swinging like crazy slowly backing him up into a corner so that she could strike when he realized too late. He dodged every sword movement with out his feet leaving the ground. She tried to swing low but then his blade swung into action. He blocked her swing with the back of his sword and spun it around sending her blade flying into his hands. He caught her blade's handle and taunted her with it.

“Oh, come now, you must do better than that-”

She then punched him in the jaw.

He stumbled slightly, surprised that he let her have the chance to do that. The blades fell out of his hands and she picked them up ready to strike. He rubbed his jaw and she narrowed her eyes while clutching the handles of the blades waiting for his counter attack. He could grab the knives from the container that he was standing three feet from and throw them at her. He could kick up the chalky mat dust and try to blind her. He could do plenty of things that she tried to mentally prepare herself for. However, giving up wasn't one of them. He waved his hand in the air and stood back up straight.

“We'll call it a draw,” he said rubbing his hand on her pony tail head, “dinner's probably ready.”

Her shoulders slowly dropped as she turned and watched him step off the mat and trail towards the stairs. He walked on like Dad did after a great day in the field. Even with his slight limp, Jer was proud of his work out and proud that he didn't hurt his sister. Her hands were at her sides as she held onto the handles of the blades. They were simple blades just about a yard long, nothing sharp, and nothing as nice as the weapons he used on his trips. These weren't covered in stains of monster blood or held a permanent indent on where he held the weapon. He didn't even have real bullets in the few guns he had in the training room.

It was as if all of this stuff was for show. An empty shell of what it meant to truly be a Pyrate Hunter so that he could show the family that it wasn't so scary or hard to do. Emilee knew that Pyrate Hunting was something you gave a hundred and twelve percent of yourself to it. You needed to be fear less and not afraid to lose a limb or two to finish the job you are given. She didn't want to be saved by someone, she wanted to learn for herself how to survive. Emilee then chucked one of the blades at Jer. He could sense it flying towards him and he quickly spun around and ducked as it flew over the upstairs railing.

“Emilee!”

“Quit giving me a handy cap!”

“Excuse me-”

“Every time you ask me to help you, and every time I ask for you to truly train me for Pyrate Hunting you always give me a handy cap!” She clenched tightly onto the handle of the other blade hoping that she could break it, “I try to give my all when I help you, so why don't you try?!”

His smile faded to a stern frown. He looked more and more like Dad every year. His course black hair and build were just like Dad's while his soft and caring eyes were Mom's. She knew that even though he may look like their strong Dad, he had their Mom's worrying heart.

“Em, I'm not going to do that to you. I've gone through years of training and classes to get to where I am today, you have only been to a class or two and read my books. That is nothing compared to the real thing-”

“How would you know if you don't try to challenge me?”

“The answer is no, Emilee! There will be a day when we can truly fight, and today is not that day. I am going to dinner now,” he turned to leave.

“Dorian would have helped me.”

She said the wrong words. He was storming back up the stairs and took her by the front of her shirt with fury in his eyes. Mom's caring eyes were thrown out the window, only fury remained.

“Don't you ever talk about him like that.”

“You're only doing this because Dorian wanted to be a Pyrate Hunter when he grew up!”

He would have probably returned her the punch she gave him if Mom didn't ring the dinner bell on the porch. The metal bell echoed off in the air and her voice called demanding for us to get inside for dinner before it gets cold. Jer's eyes softened slightly as he let go of Emilee and shoved her to the side. He left without another word and she didn't move until she heard the barn door slam shut. Leaving her inside alone with only a few yellow lantern lights lighting up the upper balcony of the barn.

Emilee went down stairs and picked up the sword cursing herself for going so far with her words. Dorian wanted to be the best Pyrate Hunter there was. Emilee remembered when he ran after them years ago with stick spears pretending to be the master of the village as he defeated a beast Pyrate attacking a local village. The master of the village was Dorian's hero and he wanted to be just like him. A strong Pyrate Hunter fighting monsters and traveling the world. Just what Emilee wanted too. They both just wanted to get out of their little town and see something new. When Dorian finally got that chance to go on an adventure with Dad and Jer...

Emilee placed her hands over her face as she tried to force back the memory and tears of the event.

This wasn't the time. Dinner was getting cold. Zack didn't need to know anyway...

Emilee left the balcony of the barn that night.

And didn't step back into it for a week.