Justice In All It's Forms [Vio, Rocko, Fushi, Konaa]

[Vio]

Yet another relatively normal day in Loguetown, East Blue. The sky was cloudy, with sunbeams cutting through the cloud cover. It was late morning, when the town was at its most active. Townsfolk shopping, trading and selling goods to one another to maintain a stable economy, as was the way of the people. When you lived in such a famous place, it was only natural that the economy thrived. However, even with the presence of the Marine Base, B-3, Loguetown was never truly safe from the menace of pirates.

As ships entered and left the harbour, there was one such vessel approaching from the horizon, flying a black flag. Loguetown was the last stop to be made for East Blue pirates on their voyage to the Grand Line and the Moonsilver Pirates were no exception to this rule.

"A'right men," bellowed Elatha, captain of the Moonsilver Pirates, as he stood on the upper deck of the Moonflower, "we're not 'eaving East B'ue unti' we've proven ourse'ves. No better chance for testing our ski's than here at 'oguetown, so 'et's trash the p'ace!"

Elatha's words were met with a resounding cheer from his crew as they tossed hats into the air and shared a round of sinister laughter. The captain himself was a tall, relatively handsome man with fair skin and groomed, rich blond hair. Dark red eyes accented his beautiful face, and on his narrow lips a smirk formed as his subordinates readied themselves for the madness ahead. It would take another hour before the Moonflower reached the island, but the bloodthirsty crew were charged and ready.

"This wi' be fun," Elatha whispered to himself, straightening his golden coat and placing ringed fingers on the pommel of his crescent moon cutlass. He looked up, devilish eyes fixing on the flag of the Moonsilver Pirates; a night sky with a silver moon, marked with dark shadows that resembled a skull.

~~~~~

As she walked through the town, Aluco kept vigilant eyes on her surroundings, eyeing potential troublemakers. As a marine, she believed it was her ultimate duty to prevent crime and procure justice, tackling even petty crimes without leniency. It was far more dull today than was usual, but the air was quite dry, no sign of rain. The last thing any marine would want was to be stuck on patrol while it was raining, though, come rain or shine, Aluco would perservere for the sake of justice.

Looking down at her hands, Aluco saw the lightly bruised scars on her knuckles. A painful reminder, more mentally than physically, of her disappointment in herself. She took a deep breath, keeping focused on the task at hand; patrolling the town. For some reason, the higher-ups had decided to increase the number of marines on patrol, apparently to reinforce the prepared defences in case of a pirate attack. Two major pirate attacks on the island had really sharpened up the marines over the last couple of years, and Aluco was proud to be a part of it all.

"What is it with pirates and hats?" Aluco asked herself, unsure of the answer, as she thought about the last major incident. She was thinking rather naively, believing that nothing of the sort would occur while she was on patrol. She had never experienced anything like it before, so it was probably more wishful thinking. She could handle the small fry, rookie pirates who were just starting to form crews, but against the bigger fish she was just another pitiful recruit to swat aside when the fighting started.

As she continued on, Aluco kept tenacious amber eyes on her surroundings, swivelling her head around to get a look at what was going on. Everything was normal, a bustling town getting on with life, showing no signs of doubt in the capabilities of the marines who protected them.

[rocko52 (Drago)]

Gumdrops was strolling through town, not heading anywhere in particular. Sure, he'd like to find a crew relatively soon, this was the gateway to the Grand Line and all. He couldn't journey out there alone, like he had during the entirety of his wanderings in the East Blue. However he was picky. He wanted only the best captain. Or, the best in his eyes. He hadn't found anyone who had met that criteria...or a crew that would accept him.

He was fat, very fat in-fact. However, he wasn't grotesque, he was actually quite muscled. But still fat. And pink haired. He had a tattoo of a cross on his left arm, a tattoo of a gumdrop on his right. He was wearing a blue shirt that had the words SUGAR!!! emblazoned on them, jeans, a belt, and a pink vest and a purple cap, also sporting a gumdrop. He had a sack hanging from his side, and was carrying a large, odd rifle. He had an infectious grin.

Happily chewing his favorite treat, gumdrops, he continued to walk about Loguetown. Ordinary people doing ordinary things. It made him happy to see people happy. People being free, following their dreams. He loved it so much.

He also saw the Marines, patrolling the streets. He sneered whenever he passed them, Marines were utter trash. Their souls were sold when they signed up. They were ghosts, patrolling the Earth, restricting people, enforcing cruelty.

They were disgusting, cowardly creatures. The ultimate embodiment of corruption. He couldn't stand them. They violated justice completely. They ruined lives, oppressed the people. They were the worst sort of being in existence. And Gumdrops had made it his personal duty to wage a never ending war against them, a war that would never end until someday, he faced down the Gorosei in Mariejois itself.

He lost his serious nature for a moment, chuckling. That was way off. That day would only happen when he had a crew by his side, and was far more powerful. Yes, that day, when the Marines and the World Government's reign of tyranny was far off. He wasn't nearly powerful enough at the present, not even close. But, even if it took years, his ambition was there.

Still nothing could spoil his mood today. No injustice was happening at the moment. Although he felt the urge to attack some of the Marines, he restrained himself, last time he tried he wound up seriously wounded and almost captured. Yes, he'd have to wait a bit before he was ready to fight those dogs again...but it was tempting.

Well his happiness was suddenly spoiled by smoke and screams coming from the harbor area. He knew well what this would be. Clearly a pirate crew, of the more sinister type, were making a stop in Loguetown to spread their name. Typical. They might cause a bit of havoc, but they;d be shut down.

He readied his Gumdrop Rifle, and loaded it with his special custom Explosive Gumdrops. He got ready to face the injustice that had just landed at port. Those who harm the innocent, pirate or Marine, would have to answer to him. He started to make his way to the docks.

[Konaa]

The universe, clearly, followed a very specific pattern, contrary to whoever believes in pure chance. Every day, it asks the question, "Would X be either inconvenient or outright unfortunate for Konaa? If so, let's make it happen." That was how he found himself pressed into townside patrol duty for the fourth day in a row. Command was stepping up Loguetown patrols, ostensibly in fear of a potential incursion, but Konaa's personal theory was that it was because they were all a buncha grey-haired scowley, fun hating bastards. There was plenty of gabbing on in the briefing room about THE HONOR OF B-3, the last point before the Grand Line in East Blue, meant to be a bastion of stability and to step rookie pirates before they got any bright ideas about following in Roger's footsteps, but frankly, Konaa didn't care. He didn't even know any of that. He hadn't been paying attention...naturally.

And yet he found himself, on this cloudy day, the kind MEANT for sleeping in, down in the port district, tasked with making the rounds for HOURS, observing the oncoming ships, and detaining suspicious individuals on the docks themselves. Detain them with what, he wanted to shout, his razor wit? But no, higher ups were notoriously blind to humor. A sad thing, since sarcasm seemed to be the only way he could communicate with people.

So here he was. The port was absolutely bustling at this hour, not too long before lunch time, with all sorts of people going back and forth, unloading and loading cargo, ships coming in and ships departing. He'd only been at this for maybe two hours but he was already bored out of his skull and uncomfortable as hell. Konaa hated tight places and lots of people, and what do you know it, the port had both. It's true that he was able to just seat himself on a barrel some ways apart from the crowd and watch the general proceedings, but it was a lot, lot closer than he'd prefer to be.

Sighing heavily, he rested his chin on the palm of his hand, fingers drumming against his cheek. At least nothing was going to happen. That he could be sure of. All this heightened security was completely pointless. What kind of pirates would attack Loguetown after it'd already been made old news by the ole Hardhat? Nope, nothing was going to happen AT ALL and he didn't care how much willful denial he had to employ to keep that a reality.

[Vio]

As the Moonflower approached the harbours of Loguetown, Elatha, captain of the Moonsilver pirates, cleared his throat. The cannons of his ship were locked and ready, at his command a volley of cannon fire would be unleashed.

"B'ow them out of the water!"

Sure enough, his crewmen fired the cannons as soon as they heard is order, a barrage of shells whistling through the air following the thunderous rumbling of the cannons. The marine battleships that were docked at the harbour never stood a chance as the strategically aimed artillery shattered masts like bone and rent gaping wounds in hulls, disabling the vessels and preventing a quick response.

Elatha watched the destruction unfold, the greatest issue was now terminated and the captain smiled a sly smile. His smile turned into a low chuckle as a figure approached from behind.

"So, this was your plan, Captain?" Asked the woman, clad in sleek silvery armour, her eyes a frosty blue and hair the colour of the moon.

"That's correct, Diana. A fine p'an, don't you think?"

"Most 'efinitely, Captain. Most 'efinitely! What is our plan now?"

"We wi' dock in the next few minutes, and when we do, the crew can go wi'd! I've al'eady dispatched some men to accompany the attack, so they wi' keep those marines busy so we can 'and in peace."

Sure enough, several crewmen had arrived on smaller rowboats and were already causing mayhem. Armed to the teeth and trained well by their captain, the Moonsilver pirates were a force to be reckoned with by the standards of other East Blue crews.

~~~~~

Aluco's ears pricked up, the distant rumble of cannon fire alerted her to something out of the ordinary. Always one to be up to date with training regimes and such, the female recruit knew there was no scheduled cannon training. That could only mean that criminals were out at sea, approaching the harbour, she thought.

Instinctively, Aluco raced towards the harbour, ready to respond as she believed any good marine should. However, the conflict in store for her would be greater than she imagined it would be. The wind whistled past her face as she continued her sprint, a plume of smoke emerging from over the buildings alerted her to the escalation of the conflict.

I need to get to the harbour as fast as I can. I hope everyone else gets there, too. I... Realisation began to sweep through Aluco's mind, her scarred knuckles tingling slightly, "I'm not strong enough, yet..."

The truth was always an ugly thing, but at least Aluco could accept it. She knew where she needed to go, but the road would be a long and strenuous one. This event was the first milestone, provided she could survive the ordeal.


(OOC: I have decided it best to skip Mirra's turn this once due to the time that has surpassed, but hopefully will not need to do so again. I will be lenient due to the current time of year.)

[rocko52 (Drago)]

Gumdrops raced towards the harbor, and was stunned by the sight that greeted him. Before him, the harbor was smoking and flaming. The Marine Ships in dock had been reduced to smoldering wreck, and the pirate ship slowly entering port. It looked like a demon, thanks to the flag bearing a nightmarish skull on a silver moon, as it went past the flaming wrecks.

There were already several pirates, maybe a few dozen, who had landed in rowboats, and were burning, pillaging, and killing as they sought fit. Already several innocent blood was spilled, and the corpses lie stunned on the ground. Gumdrops clenched his hand into a fist, burning with rage as his internal sense of justice flared. The men who committed this act would pay!

The pirates were all lurking around, some standing by and admiring the carnage, a few looting bodies, some running wildly, another removing the sword from a now lifeless body, and there yet another burning a shop.

Gumdrops turned to see a knife wielding pirate with a maniacal grin cornering a woman, who's face was plastered with pure terror. The pirate appeared to almost be giggling, as he held the knife. Disgusting.

In a few second flat, the man had been dispatched. Gumdrops had run up in a moment of vengeful fury, and blast the man point blank with his Gumdrop Rifle, sending the wretch off his feet, and back into the water with a splash. A stream of blood had come from his head as he had flown through the air.

The other pirates stopped what they had been doing, and stared at the fat, pink haired man who had just seriously wounded, or maybe even killed a crewmate. The look in his eyes was one of pure fury and determination. The woman who had been cornered had long run off.

A group of six pirates surrounded Gumdrops, two holding flintlocks, three wielding swords, another wielding a knife. It didn't phase him at all. He had it locked in his mind that these pirates wouldn't make it past the port, they had already spilled so much blood, cause so much injustice. They would pay. Dearly.

The pirates were chuckling menacingly.
"Hey yo' pinkie, what you just blew ol' Jim's head out for, eh'? Tink yo' so tuff eh'?"
The pirates laughed.
"'Ow bout we 'lice 'em up real good fo' cap'n, don need 'im to see dis punk, do we?"
The pirates all readied their weapons.

Gumdrops finally spoke.
"You pirates...you think you know what it means to be a pirate? A pirate is free from the oppression of the Marines, the only true form of justice on the seas. Their main mission is to protect, explore, and have fun. You aren't pirates. You, along with many other pseudo-pirates are just perversions of what an actual pirate is! All you care about is money, blood, and fame! You scum are worse than Marines, and for that I cannot forgive you!"

"Kill 'im!"

The pirates roared and charged. Gumdrops fired his Gumdrops Pistol at the two holding flintlocks, one was blasted off his feet and into the ocean, another got a wound on their leg. The three sword wielding pirates swung and Gumdrops narrowly dodged them, before jumping in the air.

"GUMMYDROP DROP!!!" With that, he came crashing down onto the chest of one of these sword brandishing ruffians, knocking him out. The other two, and the one with the knife all took wild slashes at Gumdrops, which he blocked by holding his rifle vertically, before jamming the butt of the gun into one of their guts.

The other pirate with a flintlock took a shot, and nailed Gumdrops in the shoulder, and he cried in pain, before firing another volley at that one. He didn't have time to check, but he heard a splash, ensuring the pirate had fallen into the sea.

Now there was only the knife wielding pirate and one holding a sword. The blood loss from Gumdrops' shoulder was bothersome, but not too much of an impediment. The knife pirate stabbed forwards, but Gumdrops caught his hand, and delivered a powerful punch to the face, knocking him out. Seeing his only opponent left now was the one with a sword, he fired at him, and the explosion knocked the scoundrel down the street a bit.

Gumdrops breathed heavily, knowing this had been just a small number of the crew. He looked around and saw there were about eight more regular pirates, who all looked outraged, but there was one taller than the rest, with long, flowing blonde hair. He wore some glasses, a grey vest, and a red shirt. He was wearing trousers, and a sheathed katana was attached to it. He was clearly of higher rank than the others.

Gumdrops quickly got into a stance, wondering what would happen now.

[Vio]

It quickly became apparent that, after previous pirate incursions, B-3 was not letting its guard down easily. It was almost as if the higher ups had predicted the arrival of the Moonsilver Pirates and had mobilised the unusually high number of town patrols ready for them. While Aluco had not yet encountered another marine since the pirates arrived, the truth was that they were dotted about the place and, like a swarm of ants attacking an enemy, were all converging on the docks.

Striggs pressed onwards, ready to incapacitate any pirates who got in her way, but she was unsure of herself. If this crew was strategic and tactical enough to get into the port already, then it was likely that their captain was more intellectual than the average rookie. That was a dangerous thing for a rookie like herself to encounter. For a long time, recruits had been swatted aside by tougher pirates and overwhelmed by smarter ones. One mistake could cost Aluco her life and she knew it.

Tch! Do not let your fear of losing get the better of us. Darker Aluco whispered in her mind, lurking in the shadows of her mentality. Her control of her two personas was something in need of development. Incidents like before could cost her a lot; her friends, her job, her life. Currently, she had returned to the balance of one practically forgetting the other was there, and that was a good thing. As long as she could maintain that state of mind, she believed she could be at her strongest.

"I can't let fear get the best of me." (Di)Aluco gasped as she bolted down the streets, closing in on the harbour. She could see the masts of the ships, plumes of smoke emerging from navy battleships, screams of pirates and marines and civilians. The thing that caught her eye, however, was the pirate's flag as it billowed in the terror-filled breeze.

~~~~~

"It appears Jari'o has encountered some resistance at the docks. No matter, he can hand' himse'f." Elatha said, eyeing the scenario that was playing out on the docks below with his deep red eyes. His crew had made it here from the farthest reaches of the East Blue, the Grandline lay just beyond the horizon. He had planned this out for months and, so far, everything seemed to be going on without a hitch.

"I woul' be surprise' if Jarilo lost," Diana commented as she strutted serenely towards the side of the Moonflower. In her left hand she gripped the black handle of a two-metre-long weapon, the head of which was a large silvery sphere of solid steel. Despite her dainty elegance, Diana was possibly the strongest member of the entire crew in terms of sheer physical power. "He has incre'ible agility and skill with his swor'."

"He certain'y does, Diana. Now, go and have some fun before I decide to join the fray!" Elatha grinned and sinister grin as Diana nodded, leaping from the deck of the docking ship, and headed off in a different direction to where Jarilo was currently fighting. Elatha himself rested his left hand on a red leather box, patting it gently with ringed fingers and chuckling to himself.

The question is, do I sell you? Or do I use you?


(OOC: I have decided it best to skip Konaa's turn. However, Konaa, you are still welcome to post out of turn order if you can and are able.)

[rocko52 (Drago)]

Breeze rustled through Gumdrops' pink hair as he stared at this new opponent. The man's wavy, long blonde hair were flowing in the same breeze that had just passed through Gumdrops' hair. He stared straight into the eyes of this pirate, clearly a man holding some sort of authority on the crew.

Just seeing the man enraged Gumdrops, these pirates were the worst kind, the type that went around spreading injustice, looting, massacring, and doing evil deeds. A true pirate was nothing like that. More true pirates is what this world needed, kind, adventurous folk who chase dreams, seek freedom, and protect the innocent. These bastards were anything but that.

All around him, the sights and sounds of the attack were everywhere. The marine battleships, now smoking wrecks in port. The dead innocents on the ground, as well as the handful of pirates Gumdrops had taken care of. There was fire, laughter, crying, yelling, gunshots, and the quick marching of feet off in the distance. Marines.

Gumdrops looked down again briefly at all the dead. These had been people who had dreams to strive for, lives to live, happiness to experience. And these pirates had taken all that a way for a moment of fun, some beri, and a reputation. Absolutely sickening. As much as Gumdrops despised the Marines, he became completely consumed with a far more intense burning hatred for these pirates. During the year he'd spent sailing the East Blue, he'd encountered some ruffians, but he'd never witnesses such horrid disregard for human life.

The group of pirate grunts were motioned to stand back by the blond haired swordsman, who started to slowly approach Gumdrops.
"Why are you interfering with the Moonsilver Pirates boy? What we do doesn't concern you, this has been our plan for months now. The gods of the moon have already ordained that his will be a successful attack, you can't possibly beat us."

With anger burning and increasing exponentially with each passing second, Gumdrops tightly gripped his rifle. His eyes were so full of wrath that any common person might actually take a step back in temporary fear. But this swordsman was no ordinary man, he was a pirate.

Continuing down the paved road towards Gumdrops, the swordsman continued to shoot an inquisitive look at Gumdrops, before stopping a few feet from him.

By now the other pirates had returned to looting and pillaging, leaving the pair to what was inevitably going to be a confrontation. None of them seemed to be too interested, as it seemed clear to them who would win.

The winds continued to whip at both of them, and all throughout this small, port area. The MoonSilver Ship was already docking in port not far away at all, only a few hundred feet by the docks. All around, blood and bodies filled the ground.

Gumdrops continued to stare at his opponent, waiting.

The man then again said, "Why are you doing this boy? You have nothing to gain."

With fury in his tone, Gumdrops lashed out, "I'm doing this because justice needs to be served, the likes of you cannot be allowed to do things like this!"

Gumdrops then moved his arms and the rifle so that they were pointing straight at the man.

The swordsman started to chuckle. "Well I guess you've made up your mind then. For utterly no benefit to yourself, prepare to die at the hands of Jarilo, ace swordsman of the Moonsilver pirates."

"With pleasure you bastard!"

At that comment, Jarilo smirked, and dashed forwards. In a split second, he unsheathed his katana, and in the half a second he had to react, Gumdrops held up his rifle as a means of defense.

As the two weapons clashed, Jarilo quickly drew back his blade, side-stepped, and slashed towards the stomach. Gumdrops had barely enough time, but was able to block again, feeling to force of the katana recoiling down his arms as he held up his rifle.

He knew he was no match for a swordsman in close-quarters combat, so he knew he needed to make some space in order to fire.

Gumdrops narrowly dropped his level, to avoid being decapitated by the swift, fluid, and artful movements of Jarilo. As he crouched down, he attempted to kick Jarilo in the legs, who gracefully leapt over them, and landed behind Gumdrops.

Gumdrops jumped into the air quickly to avoid an elegant slash of the swordsman's katana, and shouted, "GUMMYDROP DROP!!!"

With that he smashed his feet onto the chest of the swordsman, using the full force of his weight. The swordsman staggered back, and coughed a bit of blood.

Javrilo glared at Gumdrops.
"Bastard, this whole time I've been just playing, now you've really pissed me off!"

With those words, he got up and continued his fierce, yet beautiful attack.

[Vio]

"I do find it fascinating," Elatha began, talking to himself in a quiet voice as he considered his options. This captain was not your run of the mill rookie, nor was he an experienced veteran. The captain of the Moonsilver Pirates had a gift, a knack for manipulating people and gaining their trust. He was not without friends, however, but he never showed remorse and would always pay his respects to those he confided in. He was an unusual pirate, somewhere between adventure-seeking and power-hungry.

"Fascinating that Jari'o and Diana are comp'ete opposites. The quartermaster, e'egant and gracefu' in every motion, yet with an awkward'y short temper. The first mate, brutish and powerfu', yet de'icate and calm," the captain slowly walked down the steps to the main deck, twirling his cutlass around his fingers rather casually. He stopped, red eyes scanning the harbour area as he observed the unfurling duel between Jarilo and his plump adversary. But which will fall first? The sharply tempered? Or the bluntly collected?

~~~~~

Meanwhile, as her captain observed Jarilo's progress, Diana had already progressed further into the town, accompanied by several lackies who were causing sufficient chaos as the first mate scattered wave after wave of oncoming marines. The mighty swings of her oversized mace crushing ribs and breaking limbs as they connected with weaker seaman recruits. Diana was possibly the strongest, in terms of sheer power, on the entire Moonsilver crew, bested only by her captain.

"Weaklings, all of you!" Diana exclaimed as she swung the club once more, batting away a marine nearly twice her size and sending him rolling back a good couple of yards. The head of her weapon was covered in shallow pits, like on the surface of a golf ball, reducing drag and thus helping to convey her strength.

Another well placed swing brought down another two marines, one being tossed into the other by the massive force of the attack. She knew her job, clear a path to the base, but she could not help but enjoy herself a little more than was necessary. Still, the first mate longed for a decent challenge. And, she was about to get one, hearing the desperate voice of a young woman coming from around the corner she had just recently passed around.

~~~~~

As Aluco closed in, she could see several bodies of her fellow marines littered about the place. It was like they had all been flattened by a giant flyswatter. Some were conscious, albeit in extreme pain, while others were out cold. The recruit dared not attempt to count if any were dead, but the stark reality was that several of them had been fatally wounded. Not by the force of the blow that had hit them, but by the shattering of their own ribs. Lungs and hearts punctured by the very structure that was meant to protect them.

"Who did this!?" Aluco asked, desperation in her voice, as she knelt down beside a fellow recruit who had propped himself against the wall of a building. He had survived a run-in with death, but he was winded and his left leg broken. He did not speak, unable to catch his breath, but instead raised an arm and pointed around the corner.

Aluco stood up again, quite slowly, but turned the corner anyway, overcoming her own nerves. Regardless of what happened now, she would try to uphold justice, for that was what she lived and strived for every day. The very reason she had become a marine.

"You did this, didn't you?" Aluco asked, drawing her sword. She already knew the answer, it was plainly obvious as she stared at the figure through her wide, amber eyes. A woman of sleek proportion, clad in silver armour that accented an already impressive physique. The gathering of scruffy-looking men around her and the massive steel club that glittered like the full moon on a clear night was all the evidence that recruit needed.

The woman turned on her heel, piercingly cold blue eyes locked with Aluco's own warm ambers. Both stared, one with intrigue, one with intent, at each other. For some reason, despite the cold analysis that the pirate woman was giving her, Aluco's nerves had calmed. She raised her sword, taking on a defensive stance, expecting her opponent to make the first move. It was moments like these that she had trained and prepared for since joining the marines.

Do not let me down, my other half. Both our lives are in your hands.


(OOC: In the absence of Mirra and Konaa, I've decided to continue on without them. I have no idea when either of them will be back, so I'm effectively removing them from the thread. If either returns, they are welcome to enter the thread again without issue. Also, I'm allowed Alex Riluka (Fushimi) into the thread from this point on, which will hopefully add more to the story than two people can offer.)

[Deleted]

The beginnings of the day had been quite slow for the gateway town of Loguetown. There weren’t any pirate attacks or heavy marine presence on the streets at this time of day. It was actually rather odd seeing as marine security had been increased in this town. However, the quietness worked in the favor of an unusual visitor to the town. Having arrived the other day, a young, finely dressed adventurer had made his way to Loguetown in hopes of finding transit into the Grand Line. It was a young man named Alexander Riluka, a person that had gained the named “Rogue Blood Noble”. His semi-long, dark red hair blew in the cool, gentle breeze while his sea blue eyes moved from store to store. His elegantly designed attire made him stick out from the normal crowd; leaving passerby’s to glance at him strangely as he walked. “Alright, so I need to go pick up my saber, go get something to eat and drink, then head to the docks to find a way to the Grand Line. I’d rather find normal transportation than go to the Marine Base. I might be able to get some headway if I can convince them I still have nobility status.”

The first stop was at a small smith’s shop. When Alexander stepped in, he was greeted with a smile and his sword ready. “I see you finished with my saber. Let me see how well you did.” He walked over and picked up his saber, unsheathing it and examining it closely. “Excellent finish, polished guard and sharpened quite nicely. Doesn’t seem to be crooked or damaged in any way. I’m very impressed by your work sir.” And with that, he sheathed his sword and got it on his belt before paying the man for his work. Alexander would leave and make his way through town to the nearest pub he could find. Alexander had a weakness for alcohol; a trait that he really needed to keep in control. He would sit down at the bar, ordering some rum and food. He was getting glares from people in the bar that looked like they just wanted to jump him all at once. If they tried, Alexander would most definitely be ready.

As his rum was handed to him, there was a loud ruckus coming from outside. Guns firing, screaming, and a man running into the bar panting. A pirate crew is attacking! Just what Alexander needed; a band of idiots coming in and starting trouble for everyone. “Guess it’s time I got out of here. I don’t need to be around when things get ugly.” He quickly finished his rum and fled the bar with everyone else that was trying to flee. Outside, there were pirates wreaking havoc of all kinds on buildings and civilians. He quickly drew his sword, dashing at the brutish pirate lackeys and slashing at them. He managed to cut down a few before the rest in the immediate area readied to attack. “Well, at least they won’t make it too easy for me.” The pirates charged at him, Alexander ducking and weaving to avoid slashes while delivering his own attacks when he could. It took a bit, but Alexander managed to cut down all the pirates in the immediate area. Panting a bit, he ran down the street and down an alley.

Alexander stopped just before exiting the alley. What he saw was a situation he was sure he didn’t want to get into. A woman in silver armor and carrying an oversized mace; behind her a group of lackeys and at her feet were downed marines. There was one lone marine girl with a sword raised. “Does she really intend to take on that group by herself? It’s completely suicide even try.” He could run the other way and never have to worry about what would happen. It would suit his notions of looking out for himself above all else. The marine girl could just run away and save her own skin; not to mention what was happening was no concern of his. “Just turn around and walk away like you never saw anything Alex…Put yourself first and worry about what happens later.”

He just couldn’t do it. He clenched his first before grabbing his pistol with his free hand. “I know I’m going to regret this.” He stepped forward, his pistol pointed at the head of the woman with the mace. “I normally don’t do this kind of thing since pirates and marines are none of my business. However, a girl about to throw her life away by attacking a group that’ll kill her in less than a minute just doesn’t sit right with me. I’d really rather not fire, so just move on before I’m forced to fight.” Alexander then looked at the sole marine girl left standing. “I suggest you get out of here before you wind up like all your friends on the ground.”

[Konaa]

At least he could take comfort in the fact that the top brass were just being paranoid geezers. Nothing was ACTUALLY going to happen down here. At the very least, it wouldn't be anything that he couldn't ignore...

And that was when everything started to go significantly more wrong than usual. It all began with a distant, muffled BANG, a strange sort of scream - sounded like something hurtling towards the air? - and then a series of explosions suddenly shattered the peaceful scene like delicate glass. Waves and giant chunks of wood came hurtling through the air, crashing into the harbor and instantly sowing chaos. As for Konaa himself, one such wave had his name on it, falling right down onto the corner he was seated, instantly knocking him to the ground and drenching him in water.

For the young Marine, this was quite disconcerting, to have your peaceful rest suddenly changed to a freezing cold, noisy whirlwind. The lack of oxygen wasn't attractive either. Luckily the wave rescinded fast enough and he leaned up, gasping for breath. What the hell was going on!?

Oh, that was made abundantly clear once he picked his head up. Rowboats were already on their way ashore, filled with screaming pirates, all ready to plunder, kill, and otherwise do very rude things to the people of Loguetown. For a moment, he just sort of stared at them, before the realization of what was happening hit him like a hammer. "Pirates...are actually attacking. Oh my god, why." Konaa put his hands to his cheeks, brain going haywire with panic. This was supposed to be a SAFE posting! The safest in East Blue! And why, when there was an attack, did it happen at the very place HE was stationed at? What had he done to deserve this kind of luck!?

Wait. What am I doing? I gotta get OUTTA here! Picking himself up off the ground, he cut away instantly, ducking and weaving through the panicked crowd and heading for the exit to the harbor. What could he do against this? If he wanted to fight these pirates, he would have to link up with a squad first - and he would fight back. As much as it pained Konaa to risk his life to that degree, when the entire town was under a pirate siege, he was well aware that running away would only delay the inevitable for him. Best to fight back while they were as strong as they could be.

It was, however, a little late to escape completely unscathed. Barreling towards the ramp up to the rest of the town, Konaa nearly ran smack into a pirate, the man brandishing a cutlass and sneering down at a merchant holding a barrel of goods in his hands. "I don't got all day, so jus' handit over!" Turning his head, the larger man squinted at Konaa, uniform sadly obvious. "Unless ye be havin' a problem wit dat, sir." He gave an ugly laugh.

There was an odd sense of calm that had washed over Konaa. Rather than panic further, he simply looked from the pirate to the quivering merchant. What he had to do here was surprisingly clear. Slowly, he turned to the merchant and placed his hands around the barrel, expression blank.

The vender gave a cry. "N-no, this cost me a fortune! I'll be ruined-" A roaring laugh cut him off. "Tha's right, th' laddie gets it! Give it here!"

"If you insist." The young Marine swung the barrel as hard as he could, the sudden movement catching the rogue off guard, and he answered for it with a face full of splinters and iron rigging as the metallic contents burst through the wood and floored him instantly, the man dropping out cold. Exhaling, the young marine gave a brief nod to the paralyzed merchant. "...Sorry, I'm not on cleanup duty. Bye!" He was up the ramp and headed for the town before the man could so much as raise a complaint.

[rocko52 (Drago)]

As the swordsman continued his assault, it was rather interesting to note the contrast between his fanciful, elegant attacks and his raging eyes. It hadn't taken much for him to loose his cool, but that was to be expected of a horrid pirate. Despite loosing his temper, his attacks didn't let up or get any worse. On the contrary, they were now more ferocious than ever, each stroke spelling certain death.

The sugar loving sniper took a narrow step backwards to avoid being impaled at the hands of this pirate. All around him the sounds of further chaos were spreading. The crew had clearly made it past the port and well into the town. This wasn't good at all. Gumdrops had no more time to waste with this horrid pirate. Then again, if he could defeat this man, it would certainly lower the morale of his troops, perhaps causing them to scatter. However, despite all this, justice would need to be paid. The blood of countless innocents stained the ground, it needed to have its consequences.

It was all the fat man could do to avoid Javilo's blows, even though (despite his size) he had incredible agility and speed, this man was clearly a bit beyond him, close enough that there was still a chance of victory. One of the strokes of the katana managed to break through Gumdrop's defense, and brushed over his right shoulder, causing it to bleed.

Gumdrops growled in the man's face.
"What do you fight for you scum? Why is it you do things like this?"

Seeing as he was seemingly winning thus far, the man's face of anger turned into one of cocky confidence.
"I do what I do for my captain, as well as all the benefits that come along with following such a man."

Dodging another strike, Gumdrops responded,
"And what about the innocent lives that held so much potential, you think you have the right to just end them?"

"If they're in my way of getting what I seek, than yes I have every right. Not that you'd understand you barely qualify as a pirate despite you speech. Even if you could pass as one, you're bottom of the barrel quality. The likes of you don't last long, even in this ocean of all oceans, East Blue, home of the weak."

The pink haired man snarled with acid in his voice,
"The likes of me? Pirates like me, regardless of our physical power are far greater than a pirate like you could, or ever will be! I must defeat you, because I have justice on my side!"

With that Gumdrops broke the chain of dodging and striking, by smashing the but of his rifle into Jarilo's stomach. Blood flew out of the swordsman's mouth as he stumbled backwards. Before he had a chance to breath though, Gumdrops was swiftly slashed across the chest by a beautiful stroke.

Jarilo stood over the pink haired sniper, who fell to the ground with a thud. Anger fully covered the face of the pirate and he locked eyes with Gumdrops.

"Game over ya damn idealistic rookie."

Jarilo held his katana up in a dramtic motion. Gumdrops hurredly pulled back the cock, held up the Gumdrop Rifle, and fired straight at the man point blank. With an explosion, the swordsman was flung far from Gumdrops, all the way off the docks. He landed in the water with a splash.

Gumdrops fell to a knee, coughing up blood. His chest hadn't been cut too deep, but it still was bleeding heavily and stung horribly. His shoulder which had also been nicked was bleeding too. Still, he couldn't believe that he had defeated Jarilo so quickly.

Near the docks however, a burned hand grabbed the damp wood, and pulled itself up onto it. The swordsman wasn't down yet, but was completely enraged now.

[Vio]

As panic continued to spread throughout Loguetown, screams of terrified civilians and the battle cries of pirates and marines filled the air, carried along, like the smoke of raging fires, on the cooling ocean breeze. The layer of clouds overhead had thickened, shrouding the island in ominous shadows that accented the malice of the Moonsilver Pirates as they murdered and pillaged wherever they could.

A subtle chill passed through Aluco's form as she stared, poised for action, at the figure of Diana, first mate of the villainous pirate crew that were responsible for this mess. From the ambient noise, one could tell that other battles between justice and piracy raged throughout the town, but this recruit felt like she was alone in the world.

Diana simply smiled, the shadow on her face defining it as a grin of malicious intent. However, while Aluco gazed at the first mate, she failed to notice the sound of footsteps approaching her. A figure suddenly entering her vision startled the marine, her whole head turning to observe the being. If it was another one of the pirates, chances were she was dead already, but the well dressed male, sword in hand, was pointing a sidearm at the pirate.

"Hm? Who might you be?" Diana asked after the newcomer had finished speaking, raising a neatly trimmed white eyebrow as she observed both targets with icy blue eyes. The silver haired femme was clearly unfazed by the flintlock, a fact which was in itself quite worrisome, and barely even made a move. Her lackeys instead began to mobilise, spreading out slowly and attempting to box in Aluco and her unknown ally. Each was chuckling to himself rather sinisterly.

"I'm not going to run," Aluco said sternly, determination radiating from her entire face, carried along on her voice, as she turned her head back towards Diana. It was the middle of the day, so (Noct)Aluco - her other persona - was effectively asleep, silently watching through the very same eyes. "I'll stay and fight, even if it costs me my life, for the sake of justice!"

Her mind was in a neutral state, (Di)Aluco in control, (Noct)Aluco observing. This was the norm, the way it should be, but not always the way it would be. Scarred knuckles tingled slightly as the female marine recalled previous events, a point where the two sides had conflicted and where she had, as a result, very nearly injured a fellow recruit. I hope Konaa is alright.

Oh, I am sure that he is fine.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, at the harbour itself, Elatha, the captain of the Moonsilver Pirates, continued to watch the unfolding duel between a portly pirate wannabe and Jarilo, the quartermaster. The captain gazed with devil-red eyes upon the two men as they fought, the pudgy gunman on the defensive for the most part, while the elegant swordsman unleashed timed strikes with his sword, eventually drawing blood from his prey's shoulder.

That fool is no match for Jarilo, Elatha confirmed in his mind, fully aware of the swordsman's capabilities, even when enraged. His knowledge was further confirmed by a swift slash that sliced through the skin on Gumdrops' chest like a hot knife through butter. There are reasons why I invited him to join the Moonsilver Pirates. He would probably be dead right now if it was not for my intervention, back then.

Elatha recalled a previous raid, several months ago, when he had met Jarilo for the first time. The swordsman was a bounty hunter back then, but despite the skill he possessed, Elatha's abilities had quickly overwhelmed him in combat. However, while the captain could have easily just executed the blond warrior then and there, he had shown mercy, impressed by Jarilo's own skill and determination. As such, the devil clad in golden clothes had invited the hunter to his crew, promising a better life. Jarilo, without any particular attachments to anyone at the time, had accepted the offer and, in a matter of months, had risen to his current rank.

"What?" Elatha's eyes widened, not necessarily out of shock, but more out of intrigue, as his quartermaster flew backwards and tumbled off the docks and into the water. An explosion produced from the pink-haired porker's rifle had sent the swordsman reeling. Quite an unexpected turn of events, but the captain simply grinned and laughed as his subordinate clambered out of the water and back onto the docks.

"They seem to be having fun," Elatha chuckled to himself, sheathing his cutlass and securing the box under one arm. He turned to a few of his crewman and nodded to them. They would remain aboard the Moonflower and defend it from any potential looters and such. Elatha himself stepped up onto the figurehead of the ship, a demonic golden angel, then jumped off onto the port. "I think it's time I had some time to p'ay!"

[Deleted]

Standing between the pirate gang and the young female marine, Alexander couldn’t help but contemplate on his motives for getting into this mess. A marine girl that was sure to die if she stayed and a band of pirates that were decimating naval forces; he could’ve just walked away and not have to risk his life. The fact that he would be leaving a young lady to the twisted hands of vagrant pirates was a fact that he couldn’t bear to accept. If they didn’t flat out obliterate her where she stood, the brutish pirates could overwhelm her and put her through a far more traumatizing experience. The thought of what these pirates could be capable of made him sick. If Alexander just walked away, he’d be no better than the putrid rabble destroying the city. No…he would stand and fight in order to buy time and put the pirates in their place.



The leader of the group just stood there eyeing him with her icy blue eyes. Unfazed by the fact there was a gun pointed at her face, Alexander began to worry a little. If she didn’t have any concern that he could blast her face off, then the shot might be wasted if he fired it now. Flintlocks took a bit to reload, so he wanted his first shot to count. A lackey could get in the way; she could be able to dodge or block the bullet; she might have some hidden trick up her sleeve…any number of possibilities. She wore silver armor, so his sword would probably not be as effective against the silver haired woman. His best bet would either be a piercing stab or getting an opening to successfully shoot her. However, while he was thinking the lackeys of the group began to move and surround both him and the marine girl. Just what he needed; now both he and the girl were trapped with no escape.



The pirate woman asked who he was. She was definitely more curious than fearful or intimidated. “I thought it was common courtesy to give one’s own name before requesting the name of another. But I guess I shouldn’t expect much from a group of pathetic scum that would gang up on one young lady.” Alexander looked around. The situation was not in his favor in the least. He would need to think of a way to get the band to focus on him instead of the girl. It would give her time to escape. “The name's Alexander Riluka, and let’s just say that I’m a far more valuable prize than the girl behind me.”



The marine girl then spoke out, and her words made him want to turn around and slap her. She wanted to stay and fight instead of running away. She would rather throw away her own life than protect it and try and get reinforcements. Of course Alexander would have to try and save such a stubborn girl. Another other person would have happily fled; but nooooo, he got the stubborn and pigheaded girl. “There is no justice if you are going to fight a battle you know you’ll die in. Throwing your life away by challenging a group of pirates that can easily kill you or much worse serves no benefit for your precious navy.” He gritted his teeth and put his pistol away. He no longer had a clear shot with the pirates around him. “You could’ve gone and gotten reinforcements, but instead you decided to stay here….You better not die and make my coming in to save you meaningless. I hope you are as skilled with a sword as you are a stubborn girl.”



Alexander gripped his blade tightly, eyeing the pirates around him. If the girl was going to stay, it would make the odds of survival a bit higher. However, he also had to take into account the armored woman. If she attacked while they were dealing with the lackeys, it could spell very deadly trouble for both him and the marine girl. He would need to keep on his toes and keep a sharp eye on her while they fought. “Well I guess none of you are going to back down…” That was when Alexander charged forward, sword at the ready to slice down his foes. The pirates came at him, the intent to kill obvious. “…Too slow.” Alexander unleashed a flurry of slashes against the assaulting pirates. It was no surprise that they would go down easily since lackeys tend to be little challenge to people with skill and accuracy. He finished with a stab right through the heart of one pirate, kicking the brute off his blade and letting him fall. Crimson blood dripped from Alexander’s blade as he glared at the remaining lackeys. “So who’s next?”

[rocko52 (Drago)]

Gumdrops stared in disbelief at the man who was now standing drenched but heavily burned on the docks. Despite the obvious damage he had taken, his form was not off in the slightest and his face was consumed with rage. That had been a point blank fire of the Gumdrop Rifle! How was he still standing?!?

The swordsman's wrathful face randomly cracked into a smile.
"That was your trump card was it? That was the best you got?" He started to laugh.
"That might have caught me off guard just now, but now I know just what to expect!"

Gumdrops, still barely standing on his knees, and bleeding heavily, started to realize just how strong his opponent was. Jarilo began to slowly walk towards the sniper with gleeful anger, with his katana unsheathed.

Frantically, Gumdrops cocked his rifle and desperately fired at Jarilo. However, the swordsman merely sidestepped the bullet, which flew past him and eventually exploded harmlessly over the ocean.

Jarilo smirked horridly.
"Like I said, I'm expecting that crap now. Just accept it. Your death is inevitable. There are thousands of rookies out there like you, none of them even measure up to me. You should be glad I crushed your hopes when I did, now you know just how futile your career as a "true pirate" was. Goodbye, you fat bastard."

Jarilo kept his slow pace, gleeful enjoying the building horror he assumed as filling up inside of Gumdrops. Instead, what was building inside the pink haired man was even more pure hatred for this scum pirate. He fired another round at Jarilo, this time the swordsman cut the explosive gumdrop in two as it soared towards him, the two halves of the bullet exploding behind him.

The quartermaster continued to walk towards the fat man, and he was now well past the docks, and only a mere few meters from Gumdrops. All around the port and the city were locked in chaos, but for these two opponents, the only thing they could sense was each other.

Gumdrops, painfully, started to stand up.
"Oh, still fighting are you?" Snarled Jarilo.

"I have to fight...because if I die here...who will bring justice to the world?!?!"

Jarilo began to chuckle even harder.
"You?! Don't make me laugh rookie, justice is an incredibly subjective term. Why don't you leave it to these marines to carry out justice eh? They seem to be doing a fine job. You are a pirate, you should have concerned yourself with treasure and power, but instead you've wasted your pitiful little life. How idiotic."

The pink haired sniper began to slowly walk towards Jarilo.

"Just give up, it'll make your death quicker."

Jarilo glanced at the fat man's eyes and was taken aback by what he saw. What was contained in those two eyes wasn't a look of fear, or even desperation. It was determination.

"I can't loose to you. My victory is inevitable, the universe demand that justice be carried out, and I answer its call faithfully!" Gumdrops was clearly starting to go a little bit over it, thanks to his blood loss.

The pair finally reached each other, now mere feet away from each other. They both waited a few seconds, starring into the other's eyes. Then Jarilo roared, and elegantly slashed his sword at Gumdrops with full force. Remarkably, Gumdrops managed to jump over the blade, and smash his feet against the swordsman's head, using his full weight. He then landed behind him and punched him hard in the back of the skull.

Jarilo cried in pain, as blood started to flow from his wounds.
"YOU!?!?"

With that, he turned around and Gumdrops felt cold steel piercing his side. With a horrible pain coursing through him, the sniper fell to the ground.

[Vio]

Jarilo seems to be having plenty of fun. I'll have to see what Diana is doing. Elatha, Captain of the Moonsilver Pirates, continued through the town. Despite being clad in a golden suit and certainly appearing very regal, he seemed to slip by almost unnoticed, save for a few Marines who attempted to block his path. However, in mere seconds, each one was on the floor, sliced through by a swift, unseen slash. "I have no time for pests such as you. I have an important date to attend."

The numbers of Marines had increased, most of their attentions focused on the pirate attacks rampaging inwards from the harbour area. Very few actually attempted to challenge the mysterious, red-eyed captain, and those that did were cut down in an instant by the crescent moon-shaped cutlass. As skilled a swordsman as Jarilo was, as powerful a fighter as Diana was, neither compared to Elatha's own power.

"Oh? It appears Diana is having troub'e? How entertaining, I suppose. Elatha stopped, remaining several yards away from the scene, like some sort of Emperor overseeing a coliseum match. The gladiators? Diana, Aluco and Alexander.

~~~~~

Despite her words of courage and determination, Aluco was actually insulted by Alexander's comments. However, rather than risk another unnecessary conflict with someone who was on her side, she simply let the insult pass her by like ship in the night. In a way, she knew he was right, but her willingness to risk her life was what allowed her to maintain her honour as a Marine.

The battle itself started very quickly, with Alexander being rapidly confronted by several of the Moonsilver's grunts. Though it appeared quite difficult, he seemed to have the skill and finesse needed to take down such people. Aluco, on the other hand, was overwhelmed almost immediately. Or so it would appear.

Just keep calm and remember your training, Aluco. The first two pirates' attacks were fluidly evaded by the recruit, allowing her to follow with her own counterattacks, aimed at the legs, to bring them both down to the floor. The third was a little trickier, but Aluco parried his own sword with hers, repelling the blade and converting her defensive manoeuvre into a stab directed at the pirate's left shoulder. Crippled, he fell back as she withdrew the sabre.

I'm doing well, I think. No, don't question yourself. Aluco stepped back swiftly, dodging another pirate as he attempted a downward swing of his mace. Pivoting on her heel, the amber-eyed soldier brought the blade around, slamming the hilt into the back of her attacker's neck and knocking him to the ground. Pirates five and six met similar fates, the unusually skilled recruit rolling under the synchronised attack, cutting the knees of one with her sword and kicking the legs out from underneath the other.

Standing up, Aluco caught her breath, steadying herself and turning towards the armoured woman. She had not moved from that spot since they had first confronted one another, until now, that is. Diana, first mate of the Moonsilver Pirates, smirked and even laughed a little before darting forward. Unnervingly quick on her feet despite carrying such a heavy weapon, the silver-clad femme closed the gap between herself and Aluco in mere seconds, taking a swing at the marine.

Reacting instinctively, Aluco dropped herself to the floor, ducking beneath the wrecking ball of a weapon. The force of the swing displaced the air so greatly that she actually felt the gale wash over her, her hair flickering about in her face for that brief moment. Unfortunately, Miss Striggs was now a sitting duck to a follow up attack, which Diana herself could see, shifting the weight of her club overhead for a crushing strike.

"Say goo'night, marine!" Diana shouted, a massive grin of pleasure spread across her face as she brought down the mace. The ground shuddered with the force of the impact. Aluco herself had rolled to the side, somehow avoiding the blow and getting back to her feet. Her incessant training and overworking had finally put her into a state of peak physical condition. Despite being a meagre seaman recruit, her physical capabilities matched - if not surpassed - that of slightly higher ranking Marines.

"Goodnight." Aluco whispered, bringing the point of her sabre to the exposed throat of Diana, slitting it with unnerving precision. Normally, Aluco would have debilitated her opponent and arrested them. In this case however, for that brief period of time, her other persona had taken over. For that state of mind, pirates, lawbreakers in general, deserved the harshest of punishments. Diana collapsed to her knees in a pool of her own blood.