Snippet #2489504

Shalua had enough trouble trying to tie up her dinghy at port with all of the much larger ships pulling in, the waves rocking her boat side to side. “Hey! Watch it!” She called out to the other boats, knowing that they couldn't hear her and if they did they certainly didn't care. She managed to keep her boat steady enough, hopping from it to the dock to quickly moor it in place. The young woman brushed her forearm across her brow and looked out upon the hustle and bustle of the port town, a smirk crossing her face as she took a few animal-like sniffs of the air.

“Ahh~ so this is Tune Island, huh?” Shalua mused aloud, quickly making her way down the dock past several other workers and sailors after gathering her belongings in her rucksack. Her high-heeled geta clicked with every step she took, a heavy clunking noise being made upon the wooden docks. The young woman had very high hopes of gathering a few more provisions before she departed, also wondering if she could find any information about navigational tools and practices in the local area. She didn't make it very far.

“HOLD IT!” An obnoxious voice barked out, causing Shalua to hunch over in frustration. She looked over her shoulder to see the dock authority and his minuscule lackey with a clipboard rushing towards her. “You there! Girl! You didn't pay the fee for docking your ship at our port!” The man was surely as annoying looking as he sounded: a wide, broom-like mustache, hair curled up like a bulbous scorpion tail, and a beady little set of eyes that always seemed to be crossed no matter what angle you caught him from. “The price is five thousand Berries!”

Shalua's jaw dropped. Five thousand? No way. “Uh, I don't have five thousand Berries to pay for that... That's insane.” She retorted, watching the man's cheeks swell up like a balloon.

“THAT IS THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID!” He huffed, stamping his boot along the dock. “All ships must pay this fee.”

“But I don't have a ship. I have a boat.” Shalua explained, motioning to her very small vessel. “If anything, it's an accessory to a ship. How much would you charge for an accessory?” She asked the man, seeing him puffer up for a moment. He shifted his gaze to his subordinate, a minuscule porcine man with a long horse-nose. Neither knew how to respond to this type of questioning, and it seemed that the two weren't used to fielding questions. Typical Marine's it seemed.

“Tell you what: I'll pay ten Berries to dock it. Take it or leave it.”

The man puffered up again as his tiny partner stepped in front of him. “You cannot negotiate dock prices with Port-Master Peekso! They are what they are and will be what they be!”

Shalua leaned forward, startling the little man as she gave him a flick on the nose. “Listen here, Little Man: When I get a ship that is the size of that--” She pointed to a large pirate vessel docked beside where this altercation was taking place. “--THEN I'll pay your five thousand Berries. You wouldn't want the Marines to look like common Pirates, now would you? Extorting a poor, innocent girl of all her Berries...” She began to sniffle, her eyes watering as she hid them from her accusers. She began to howl and cry, the two men not knowing what to do.

“Fine fine! Ten Berries to dock your accessory!” The Port-Master replied, not wanting her to cause a scene.

“Thank you~!” Shalua beamed, completely unfazed as she dropped the ten Berries on the little man's clipboard and whistled as she walked away into town, proudly swinging her arms at a job well-done. “Have a good day, boys!”

“We've been bamboozled...” The Port-Master said, standing awestruck alongside his tiny partner as they watched the female disappear into the crowd.