FYI: that’s part of dictionary.com’s definition of the word pun.
And that‘s, um, just a pineapple. I felt like this section needed to be livened up a little. I swear there’s no joke or funny implication you’re missing…
“Right,” the pirate says, leaping over the gunwale, gripping his sword and looking around with a wolfish grin on his face. “Where’s the Captain? I want to kick him.”
“I’m the Captain,” Dunstana notes. “And don’t you dare stare a kicking war you can’t win.”
“You?” the pirate exclaims. “You’re just a little kid. You’re having me on, aren’t you? Having a laugh at old Foe-Kicker Merton’s expense. No, really, what are you? Like the ship’s mascot, or something? Why don’t you be a good little girl and tell me where your Captain is and warn him that he’s about to get kicked?”
“I am the Captain,” Dunstana notes.
“Oh, you so are not,” the pirate insists.
“Am too!” Dunstana counters.
“Are not!”
Dunstana sticks her tongue out at him.
The pirate rolls his eyes. “What is piracy coming to?” he mutters. “Maniac little girls running around the deck of a ship, mouthing off to their elders? Didn’t your Captain ever teach you manners. Man, I really do have to give him a good kicking!”
“I am the Captain!” Dunstana says.
Dunstana looks up at the attacking pirate. “Have a nice trip,” she tells him.
“Trip?” he asks incredulously. “I’m not going on a trip.”
Dunstana grins up at him.
“See you next Fall,” she says.
“What are you talking ab — Waaah!”
She sweeps his leg out from under him, dropping him to the deck.
Dunstana watches at the pirate hauls him back to his feet.
He runs a frustrated hand over his face and glowers down at her.“I bet you think that was pretty clever, you little wretch,” the pirate growls. “Well, we’ll see who’s feeling clever once you — Waaah!”
She sweeps his leg out from under him.
Dunstana smirks silently at him as he pushes himself back to his feet again.
“Stop tripping me!” the pirate cries. “You may just be a kid. But you’re also a horrible, rotten, ill-bred, irredeemable little scoundrel!”
“I know you are. But what am I?” Dunstana counters.
The pirate lets out a wordless, desperate, animal-like bellow of rage and draws his sword, rushing towards Dunstana.
Dunstana looks over her shoulder. “Hey, Kat!” she calls. “I’m being mortally imperilled. Just thought you’d like to know.”
Kat glances down the deck. She plants the pirate she’s currently grappling with to the deck with a stiff kick and leaps at the pirate facing Dunstana.
At the same time, Jimena also springs into action, leapfrogging another enemy pirate and lashing out behind her with her foot as she hits the deck.
“That’s my sister,” Kat growls.
“— and my Captain —” Jimena adds.
“— that you’re threatening,” Kat declares.
As Kat and Jimena stare down the pirate, circling each other with hands twitching on sword hilts at they all wait for the first move, Dunstana strides forward. Unnoticed by her the pirate, she moves into position behind him.
She sweeps his leg out from under him, dropping him to the deck.
“Heh,” Dunstana chuckles to herself. “Fall. Classic!”
Fall: “noun 28) an act or instance of falling or dropping from a higher to a lower place or position. … 30) the season of the year that comes after summer and before winter; autumn.”
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
See? A pun worthy of Squid Girl.
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