Things are already tense as we start here with Mary Kate, Wildfall, and the other two. And that tension continues to grow in this one.

 
Warning: Frequent language and tense situations

"Boobs, I think we should go back to Wildfall and his redheaded floozy, they are getting too cozy for my liking," said Mary as she turned to walk back to Wildfall. The redhead had on a cheap leather top and worn out old sweatpants, complete with holes on the legs.

Mary stormed in on Wildfall and his redhead and blasted away. "I knew you had a reason to send me away and now I see you cozying up to this redheaded floozy. Was anything between us true or was it all a part of your game? You suddenly send me away and turn to this creature. Well I hope you are very happy together and glad I found out about you before I made the biggest mistake of my life," Mary screamed at Wildfall while fighting back the tears.

"By the way, Wildfall, in case you give a damm, this is a friend of Captain Horatio's. Boobs McGuffin, meet the man I thought was in love with me. I was asking him if he had heard anything about what was going on here but he'd just arrived before us."

"Hello, Mr. Wildfall," said Boobs, extending his hand, wondering what was going on and not sure he really trusted either the man or his redhead. "I think I better stick close and keep an eye on this. Captain Horatio would be furious with me if I let anything happen to Mary," he mumbled to himself.

Wildfall looked him over suspiciously. Before he could answer, his redheaded companion jumped in. "Careful, soldier boy, there's probably some regulation against touching riffraff like me and.. um.. guy here."

Wildfall, for his part, played it cool. Actually, he played it pretty cold. "S'up? Yeah, don't worry, I can take care of the gals just fine myself. You probably got deck pooping duties or something to get to."

Boobs took a step toward Wildfall. "If you think I am leaving Miss Mary alone with you and your redheaded piece of trash, you're seriously out of your mind, Buster."

"Honey," the redhead jumped in. "All we'd have to do is walk down a block and you'd be out of breath. Besides, I'm sure she'll be back to you for plenty of alone time later."

"Don't you 'Honey' me, you dirty little tramp, couldn't wait to get into his pants, could you? What'd you need from him besides his body, and maybe him spending his earnings on you so you can dress like a human?" screamed Mary as she doubled up her fists to deck the redhead.

"Don't call me a tramp, you little witch!" The redhead refused to back down, screeching, "At least I'm not dressing up in baggy clothes like some kind of a homeless person! Is that why you wanna get with this smug sailor here? So he can get you into an outfit like his? Or do you just wanna get him out of his outfit?"

"Why you dirty little whore! You wouldn't know decent traveling clothes if they jumped up and bit you and as far as this 'smug sailor' is concerned he is a friend of my family friend, Captain Horatio and you have no right to talk about him like that. You have probably laid every man or animal in Seaside Town and now you want MY MAN. Well you are not getting him as long as I am alive. So get lost Bitch and go peddle your wares elsewhere, this man is taken," Mary fired back at the redhead.

"What?" the redhead sharply shot back, refusing to be intimidated (well, refusing to admit she was, anyway). "Sailor Moonbutt isn't enough man for you? Cause he looks like enough man for about three skanks like you. And for your information, I'm going to buy some better clothes when I get enough money to buy my own, thank you. I didn't wanna ruin my nice clothes out fighting hobos and unlike some people who have sailors to throw money at them every time they bat their eyes, I wanted something comfortable and practical. Besides, I don't have any fat to hide, honey."

"That's true," Wildfall chimed in. "You're really skinny. You ever think about three meals a day?"

"Be quiet.. guy!" the redhead snapped. "By the way, I'm not trying to sleep with .. um.. guy here. You're crazy, missy."

"It's Wildfall," Wildfall chimed in.

The redhead refused to take her eyes off Mary. "Uhh.. I knew that."

"Why your dirty little tramp," Mary said, closing in on the redhead. "Don't you dare talk about my friend or my man that way. If you don't apologize to them right now, I am going to knock your block off!" Mary took a swing at the redhead as she attempted to get behind Wildfall but hit him instead, sending Wildfall back and nearly off of his feet.

Wildfall stood for a moment, doubled over, holding his jaw and obviously fuming.

Mary rushed up to Wildfall and grabbed him to keep from falling forward as she said, "Oh My God, Jarlsy I am so sorry. Never meant to hit you, honey."

Wildfall pulled his arm back, glaring at her. "What in the realms of Hey Daze, woman?! Are you out of your mind?!"

Realizing what he said, Wildfall winced back like he was sure she was going to take another swing at him.

Mary was devastated that Wildfall would pull away like that, like she would actually strike him again. "Wildfall, if you are that afraid of me maybe I need to just go away and let you be with the slut here. You seem to prefer her and the way she is talking to me instead of giving a damn about how I feel." Mary turned to leave, glaring at the redhead.

Boobs had been standing there watching the whole mess and was doing all he could to hide a chuckle. "Miss Mary, I've never seen you so riled up and please remind me not to get on your bad side. That's one hell of right hook you've got there, Missy. Don't you think you might have overreacted to this whole thing? Yeah, they had their heads together but they might not have wanted to draw attention to what was being said. You and I were whispering too, remember?" Boobs looked over at Wildfall and the redhead.

Mary turned to Boobs and replied, "You haven't seen me riled yet."

"I disagree!" Wildfall commented from the side.

Mary ignored him. "And besides it has been years since you last saw me. I think you have a point there. I might have reacted and misunderstood what I saw and, yes, we were also talking in whispers, but our heads were not together implying an intimate conversation."

"Nothing was going on! What's wrong with you?" The redhead said loudly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell, but nothing was going on. I just didn't want anyone to hear what we were talking about. Especially people that keep calling me riff raff."

She glared at Boobs McGuffin with that last comment.

Boobs blushed as he looked at the redhead and said, "Mary had nothing to do with that remark. I was the one who made it and would like to offer my apology, ma'm. I had no right to call you names, since I don't even know you."

Mary looked at the redhead and said, "I am sorry I yelled at you and called you names as well, but anyone trying to take my man is going to have a huge fight on their hands. I'm taking you at your word that there's nothing between you and Jarlsy, but you have to admit it could give the wrong impressions."

The redhead sighed, blushing heavily. "I don't always think my actions through, so I'm sorry, too. I could tell he's with you, and I'd hate to split up what might be a mating couple, honey. Forgive me? But I promise you, I'm not trying to sleep with Wildfall or Jarlsy. Is he the .. um, big one here? Anyway, call me 'Tomato.' I think I'm gonna go with it. Matches the hair." She paused and muttered to herself, "and my face right now."

Both Mary and Boobs broke out laughing. Mary was the first to speak, "Sorry we're laughing but your name is as funny and my friend's here. My name is Mary Katherine but everyone calls me Mary, Mary Kate or MK depending on how they are feeling at the time. Jarlsy is my childhood nickname for Wildfall. Boobs here is called that because of his size. His real name is Norman, but no one ever calls him that.

"Let's start this over again and shake hands. Pleased to meet you Tomato," Mary held out her hand to Tomato.

Boobs reached out to shake hands with both Wildfall and Tomato and said, "Pleasure to meet you both. I just had to make sure that Miss Mary would be safe with you both."

"Come with!" the redhead Tomato suggested, even though she was still blushing quite heavily. "I was just about to tell Wildfall and his lady friend about the Council's mission. Maybe we could find a way in together!"

Meanwhile, Wildfall reluctantly shook the sailor's hand, with Tomato putting her hands over theirs as they did. "Come on, Mary, all for one and one for all?"

"Well, why not." Mary laid her hands on theirs and said, "Just like the four Musketeers."

It would seem things are cool with the four although as we'll see, there's still lingering tensions with the crew. Honestly, I like the way it plays out, though. I get a bit of a guilty pleasure at MK and Tomato going back and forth, hehe.

After all, conflict drives stories. The voter liked how Sailor McGuffin played the role of straight man here. And those girls really got fire, huh?

We won't have to wait long to see how this plays out, either. More Mary Kate/ Wildfall is next!