The Thirteenth Colony (State Humans/Country Humans)

Chapter 24: Cabin Showdown

Georgia was quick to make a move, stepping forward with his saber drawn to cover for his friend so he could gather himself. Florida went on the attack, picking up a wood cutting axe and charging at the pair.

The English colony tried to keep his blade in a spot to block his assailant's strike, but he struggled to predict the serpent like movement of Florida.

Eventually, the axe head fell onto the saber's blade with almost enough force to break the steel in two. Now in a disadvantageous lock of blades due to his choice of weapons, Florida chose to salvage the situation by shifting the direction he pushed from Georgia to the floor, sending his axe flying into the wooden floor, blocking access to the sword now underneath it.

Bye now, Missouri had stood up and drawn his blade as well, covering for Georgia whilst he looked for a weapon as his friend had whilst he recovered.

Same Time

"So much for no man left behind." South grumbled as he watched the British ships leave the harbor. The decision to stay had been, deep down, a easy one, but not one any of them had been eager to make. The general consensus among the southern colonies was that they had been, in a word, abandoned.

"The one time I don't have a cigarette handy." North mused. Although common from time to time for most states, North and Virginia had always been the two biggest smokers out of the thirteen. The only ones who didn't smoke were South, who claimed that the smell of other people burning leaves in their mouths was bad enough for her, and Georgia, due to Connecticut's threats aimed at anyone who planed to get her brother hooked on anything other than moonshine and peaches.

Reaching into his breast pocket, Virginia pulled out a small pipe, with the worn out words, 'Gentlemen's DeLight' inscribed on it. It had been a gift from England himself, sent to him upon hearing of the success of the colony's successful tobacco fields. Taking a quick smoke from it, he held it out towards North, "It may not be made of paper, but it's still quite effective at calming your nerves.

North stared at it for a second before taking it and smoking from it as well. Exhaling deeply, and with a big smile on his face, he said, " Not to bad, for a overpriced piece of wood at least."

"If you two are done?" South said, tapping her foot on the ground, "We have preparations to make. Let's get this place fortified."

"Shouldn't we be out looking for Georgia?" North asked. South bit her lip and paused for a second before replying, "We'll keep a eye out for him, but we need all hands on deck here. Chances are if he's in trouble, there won't be any way we'll find him in time to help him."

"Dark words coming from the group doctor." Virginia mused. South gave a smile that contained amusement, but no happiness, "I'm not a doctor. I'm just the closet thing to one around." That got a few nervous laughs out of the trio. In the back of his mind, South's words resonated with North still. He hoped like hell they wouldn't need to put South's claim about not being able to save Georgia from a threat in time to the test.

Three Minutes Later

Both Georgia and Missouri stood panting. Florida had put up more of a fight than either of the two had anticipated leaving the pair exhausted and covered in cuts and bruises. Their opposite number, on the contrary, almost seemed to get more lively as the fighting went on, never giving off the impression that he was so much as a little tired.

Instead of using the window he had whilst the colonies were catching their breath to attack, he sneered, "What, out of breath all ready, things were just starting to get fun."

Georgia looked from his ally to his enemy a few times, then got back in a fighting stance, "Your awfully cocky for someone who's outnumbered." He knew damn well that Florida had every right to be confident in himself if the fighting of the past few minutes was any indication.

"Your awfully confident for someone who just got his ass kicked by a unarmed man when you both had swords." It was true, they had started the fight very much in the advantage, having their weapons ready. But Florida managed to eliminate that advantage and disarm both his opponents.

"Hoping to charge while his enemy was distracted, Missouri charged towards the Spanish colony, intending to tackle him to the ground. Only once Florida had grappled his over his head and on to the floor behind him did he realise the mistake he had made.

Florida turned around towards the grounded Missouri, taking a step towards him before hearing footsteps behind him. Turning again towards the sound, he saw Georgia attempting another reckless charge out of sheer desperation. Managing to parry the attack just in time, he locked fists with Georgia. Looking the English colony in the eyes, he saw the same emotions a deer cornered on a hunt had. Fear, desperation to survive, and a knowledge that this was likely the end.

Getting the upper hand, Florida managed to lower Georgia's hands and fling them to the sides, slamming his head into his opponent before he had a chance to react. The would be assassin fell to the ground unconscious. The attack had failed. Florida had won.