Cutter and Darling

I suddenly snapped to a groggy state of near consciousness as the rapid tapping of hooves galloping across the tiled floor toward the lounge hit my ear. Stretching my arms with a groan, I smiled as I realized my nap had ended just as Orange made it home with Lily, and so I sat up to face the door as she came galloping in.

However, when I saw her downtrodden face, my smile vanished. Upon seeing me she spread her wings and fluttered up before curling against my chest with a sad grumble.

I wrapped my arms around her in a hug. "What's wrong, Lily?" Orange came fluttering in just then and set Lily's school bag behind the sofa before sitting down next to us.

"None of my friends can play after school," Lily murmured with a sniff. "I keep asking if they could go play in the park that got built but they said their mamas and papas keep saying no." I furrowed my brow with a hum.

"Oh," I replied, gently petting her back. Looking up at Orange in confusion, she met my eyes with a strange and severe look. After locking eyes with me she reached forward and gently patted Lily.

"Well, now, Lily, that's not entirely true, is it?" She urged. Lily poked her head out to look at her for a moment before grunting.

"Oh yeah," she sniffed before looking up at me. "Daisy's papa said she could play tomorrow, but only if you and he came to watch us at the park." I flinched at her words and glanced at Orange, who again had me fixed with a strange look. Disregarding her, I nodded at Lily.

"Oh, that's- fine, I can do that," I said causing her to perk up.

"You can?" She squeaked, a smile slowly forming on her face. "You won't be too tired?" I laughed at her question.

"Nah! I'm not that old!" I declared, ruffling her mane and drawing a giggle out of her. "I just needed today to relax, I'll be fine." She reared up and clapped her hooves.

"Yay!" She cheered before flapping her wings and fluttering off of me. "I'm gonna go do my homework. I can't wait!" I smiled at her as she zipped out of the room, snatching up her bag as she flew. I stared after her for a moment before sighing and facing forward.

"What's up?" I pressed, causing Orange to scoot closer.

"Daisy's dad's a shipping magnate," she said in a low tone, causing my brow to furrow. "I dunno for sure, but I think he's part of the reason all the other foals are getting told they can't get chummy with Lily." I choked and shot her a shocked scowl.

"What? Fucking why?" I asked, leaning forward on my knees.

"I think we might've robbed one of his ships once upon a time," she said with another severe look. I flinched and then grimaced.

"You think he's planning to pull something?" I asked as I rubbed my chin and stared ahead. Orange scooted closer and hooked herself under my arm to nuzzle me.

"I dunno, but it's weird, right?" She asked back.

"Very," I murmured before sighing and looking down at her. "I'll deal with it though." She blinked and tilted her head.

"You sure?" She asked, to which I offered a weak smile and scratched at her ears. Despite the action, she squinted one eye and fixed me with a concerned frown.

"I'm sure as hell not going to walk back what I just told Lily," I explained.

Thanks to my efforts at sea, a fancy little park had been erected in the middle of the Griffish Isles, halfway between Eagleland and Trottingham and nearby a few small clusters of houses kept by the settlers all around the island, and near the school that Lily attended. While it was mainly presented as a spot to rest while traveling from one end of the island to the other, the upper class of the island had also pressed for a few attractions both for adults and kids.

That meant plenty of benches and a gorgeous marble fountain at the center of it all, but also a few swings and slides and shit like that. I sat on one of the benches with my arms folded and my foot tapping as I scanned the brick path that cut through the park. Beside me, Lily, who I'd taken the liberty of collecting from school for once, sat practically bouncing with barely restrained glee. The sight of her alone was what kept me waiting on whoever Daisy's father was and whatever the hell he wanted if anything at all.

All around the park, other families carried on, but some glanced my way and whispered before increasing their pace and trotting away. As a result, most of the park was fairly vacant by the time Lily gasped and shot into the air beside me.

"Daisy!" She squealed, shooting forward and galloping to meet her earth pony friend. Once they made contact they tumbled against each other in a hug. As the two fillies giggled, my attention fell hard upon the stallion who'd arrived with Daisy.

He was a silvery-blue earth pony in a beige suit jacket and flat cap, with thick glasses he leered at me through as he approached my bench.

"Admiral James Cutter," he said with a slight nod.

"The one and only," I grunted in response. He stared at me for a moment with an even expression before glancing back at the girls.

"What do you wanna do first?" Lily chirped, frantically prancing in place. Daisy wilted at the question before shaking her head.

"I don't know," she murmured before looking around and gasping. "Oh! Wait! Follow me!" She took off with Lily close behind, leaving her father and me alone. The stallion hopped up on the bench beside me and a tense silence fell between us that seemed to deafen the sounds of the birds above us and the fillies in the distance.

Finally, and to my frustration, he chuckled. "How long has it been?" He asked, glancing at me with a wry smile. "Four, five years?" I furrowed my brow at him and shook my head expectantly. In response, he faced me fully with a nod.

"I heard you became her guardian shortly after the pirate Charcoal Stain fell afoul of you," he explained with a thoughtful look. "And everything that followed that." I hummed with a nod as he turned back to watch the girls.

"I'm surprised she's so well adjusted," he hummed before his smile took a darker tinge. "Considering the beast raising her." I glared hard at him before facing forward with a deep breath. Another silent period followed, during which time more traffic passed us by and the girls laid claim to a merry-go-round Lily used her wings to spin at high speed.

"You don't know me, but I know you," he eventually declared, his tone completely absent of the faux amicability he'd had up to now. "You robbed one of my frigates a good many years ago." I furrowed my brow again and could see out of the corner of my eye that he'd done the same.

"You and those other three," he grumbled, waving his hoof at me. "The feline and them, I mean." I hissed through my teeth and clutched my sides to keep from smacking him. After a moment, I grunted with a nod.

"And I can understand you feeling some kind of way about that," I grumbled back, as Lily and Daisy collapsed off of the ride with a mutually dizzy expression. "But our girls seem to be keen on each other, so maybe it's best if we both put aside what we might feel against each other."

He flinched at my words and fixed me with a confused look. "Each other?"

"Yes," I hissed, shooting him a sharp glare. "I find myself inclined to educate you on just how much of a beast I can be when irritated." His look shifted to a stern glare, but he was otherwise unshaken by my words. As a result, I fixed him with a grim smirk.

"But I don't think Lily would appreciate me doing that to her friend's father," I added. We held our stare off for a few moments before he scoffed and looked forward.

"You aren't the only pirate I've been troubled by," he said with an impatient tone. "My sister was abducted by a rogue near Mount Aris a few years ago and held for ransom." I scoffed back and faced forward as well.

"What? You want sympathy?" I chortled, shaking my head. "Why didn't you report it?"

"I didn't have time," he murmured with a sigh. "That Stain fellow turned up immediately after I received the ransom letter." I saw him leer at me through the corner of my eye.

"Additionally, I was still more than a touch agitated by the identity of the fellow I'd be trusting her safety with if I did report it," he added, drawing a bitter grimace out of me. His expression softened then, as did his tone.

"Regardless, a week after that, she was returned safe and sound," he said with a hum. "The foal nappers had heard what Trottingham's Admiral did to Stain's crew and were disinclined to draw his attention."

"Is there a reason you're telling me all of this?" I demanded. He considered my question for a minute before sighing.

"Yes," he said quietly, sitting up straight. "I consider this playdate your girl requested to be an opportunity to clear the air between us." I raised an eyebrow at him and he did likewise.

"You're a villain, James Cutter," he accused in a dire tone. "A devil on two legs." I grimaced at his words but he nodded.

"But your presence is appreciated, though I'll be the only one willing to say it to your face," he shrugged weakly before looking forward. "In fact, most of the other parents across this island are scared stiff to let their little ones anywhere near you or your girl." I gasped quietly and my attention shot forward. Lily and Daisy had recovered from their ride and were now chasing each other through a little wooden castle. The sight, mixed with his words and worst of all, the sad look on Lily's face yesterday hit me like a cold wind in winter and I felt my stomach sink.

Before I could despair too long, Daisy's dad nudged me.

"Look over there, but with your eyes, not your whole head," he said, subtly nodding toward one of the other benches. There, I saw a pegasus mare with her mane done up in a beehive and three strands of pearls around her neck. Scurrying around the bench were a pair of ponies Lily's age, but her attention was solely on us. "That would be Ginger. She has a lot of influence with the other school mothers due to hosting the book club in Trottingham." I blinked at the revelation before he nudged me again and faced me, leveling a hoof at me.

"Everypony knows the profits you cost me during your escapades and the grudge I personally levy against you," he explained with an expression that didn't match his tone. "So, the sight of me here with you, seemingly as an act of letting bygones be bygones should smooth things over for dear Lily and her attempts at befriending others." He slowly nodded and his expression turned more severe.

"I am willing to give you credit for my sister's safe return and thus am willing to call it even for the cargo you robbed," he said in a low tone, before gently jabbing me with a hoof. "But more importantly, I know Daisy won't have to worry about being abducted either while you hold this post." He faced forward and then beamed at the sight of our girls, causing my attention to be drawn that way as well.

"So, while I hold you in contempt, in exchange for my peace of mind, I am willing to extend this proverbial olive branch," he declared with a nod. "For her sake." I watched the girls for a moment, just chewing on his words. Then, to my surprise, I noticed the ponies scurrying around Ginger paused as she whispered something to them. The pair smiled and shared a look before galloping off toward Lily and Daisy, who jumped at their sudden approach before all four beamed and resumed the game the girls had been playing.

I slowly leaned on the arm of the bench, bringing my hand to my mouth and blinking away the stinging sensation in my eyes I felt coming on. "Thanks," I finally whispered in response.