New Beginings [WW Act 1]

[Aubs]

They touched down without word, just the two of them by circumstance really. Just the Captain and his new First Mate, from a crew formed only hours ago out of desperation. Faced with superior odds they had fought tooth and nail for survival, only to be written off as worthless desperado’s, incapable of amounting to the dreams they desired. Measured, weighed, graded, they were the newest band of misfits on the Grand Line, and their first order of business? To save some dying marines of course, what else could you expect?

Captain Meador walked out first, shirtless at this point. He didn’t much see the point in ruining another of his few pieces of clothing. Instead his full length sleeve tattoos were finally revealed to the night sky, the light of the full moon washing over them like the waves of the endless sea around the man. They appeared blue tonight, with colored flowers and symbols traversing the length of his small arms. His colored, mostly hempen jewelry also appeared shining in the light, making him a rather large target really. His khaki shorts, tattered at this point were all that rounded out his appearance. Whether it was luck or his strange design, his body was miraculously free of bruises scraps or cuts from his fight a few hours before. In it, his crew had managed to flee up Reverse Mountain, fight off a blockade of Marines, defeat both a Commander and Captain of the Marines, steal one of their ships, and make off with all the loot they could muster. The response from the World Government and its many Ministries had been underwhelming at best. It did leave an interesting moment for our young pirates to decide what to do with themselves as they moved unwanted through the waters. Again however, they decided to stop and try to save a sinking ship of the same people who would be chasing them.

Besides him, First Mate Justin Weeks, sometimes called “Icarus” for the strange fighting style he had used as a member of the Marines himself, before changing his stripes and joining his long-lost friend the Captain. The two of them made a strange pair, both unintimidating and strangely powerful. Perhaps it was just their conviction that lead them to this threshold, but even so it was clear that these two were headed places. Their rambunctious crew, now including a Skypiean of all things would be their vessel to this world they envisioned, but those introductions will follow.

Seeing the destruction around them, Aubrey rolled the nearest body over with his exposed, hardened foot. He looked down at a battered marine, eyes full of terror before he had succumbed. The ship around them was torn asunder, slowing sinking into the abyss of blue, but before they could be off this hell-hole they would need to see just what was left. In the worse case, Justin was still dressed like a marine, as he had no other clothing, so perhaps that would be helpful. Aubrey however, only wanted to find anyone living and transfer them aboard the Flight behind them. Ren had taken the boat in sharply, close enough to lay out a board to walk on. His skill, even with his eyes closed far outclassed the sailors that Aubrey had met in the East Blue. The rookie noticed the collapsing wood around them, the tiered deck-system of this massive ship becoming obvious. He decided that they had best split up and search.

“Justin, you check down that hole there, it seems pretty deep. The rest of the damage is kind of shallow, so I’ll check the main deck. See if anyone is still alive.”

---

It was not long before he heard the calls of his friend, turning to the noise the wannabe saw his compatriot drop a large lump, bigger than either of them at the foot of the staircase he had just come up. The racket caused might have woken the piles of dead around them. Looking down, he saw that it was in fact a man, dressed eerily similar to how Aubrey had himself been clothed. Though his bright orange hair was vastly different, and he was much better built than our hero honestly. But strangest of all, he appeared to be the only non-marine on the ship. From what Justin told him, he actual believed this man to be a cause in all this from the way the destruction had laid around him inside the ship. When and how he had passed out was a mystery, but he was certainly alive, which was more than could be said for all the others Aubrey had encountered. His crew didn’t have the time to dig anyone out, nor were they inclined to save anyone really. Though Aubrey had wanted to save who he could, it didn’t seem to have that option aside from the man before him.

As he thought to himself, a stirring towards the back of the ship got everyone’s attention, for it seemed to move everything all at once. The largest pile of rubble that Aubrey could see on the vessel started to wiggly as a large hand rose slowly up and out of the dense wreckage that covered whatever monster lay beneath. Standing there motionless, like a deer caught in the light, the two friends watched as a man much larger than any they had ever seen lifted himself out of some monstrous hole and sat himself on the deck, cross-legged of all things. The man they saw was a titan, with long braided hair and a muscles chest. Even with his coat gone he seemed to embody the justice that they had heard about. Then, suddenly that mammoth seemed to notice the ants around him, and he looked up at the two pirates. It was Aubrey that broke the silence.

“Mr. Weeks, it seems we have made a terrible mistake. I’ll grab the baggage and you make a distraction.”

---

It was only a few hours later that the ship made port. The sun was high enough to be considered morning, and the pink hue was long gone from the sky. The clouds were gone for the moment, displaying the vast blue above and below their deck. The Marine vessel that Ponte and Marius had taken led the crew in this time. Justin was the only noticeable figure on the deck. It appeared as if the Marines had captured some small boat on their tour of the surrounding water. Aubrey had managed to grab a uniform from inside, though he held his breath while dressing out of protest. It wasn’t a bad plan however, using marine ships and uniforms to dock before changing and moving on. His first objective was to sell everything on the Flight they didn’t need, then hand over both ships to Sean for refit. Across the horizon land began to show…

Finally, they had reached their first island.

---

---

[Weeks]

-The short meeting that took place inside the Captains cabin had the young sniper thinking more and more on their situation. He had remained oddly quiet in the time that had passed since they had evaded certain death or capture. Aubrey, who had been calling most of the shots during the battle, had been out cold until later in the evening, and the endgame of the battle had been relayed to him late in the game. In his absence, Justin had taken somewhat of a step up, unsure if any of them would even want to listen to a word he said. It seemed almost to easy however, as the crew had kindly and curly gone along with any command he gave. Perhaps it was more out of respect, or simply that in this time, everyone needed a little direction. None of them really knew where the ship was headed, except for perhaps Ren, but Justin had no time to question it in the time he spent stitching and bandaging his crew.

-The injuries that had been sustained by the crew were even worse than the last battle, but once again, somehow they were all pulling through just fine. Sean's wound was by far the worst, yet with a cool head, the Medic/Sniper had been able to sew up the hole in his chest. Kaille on the other hand, had been battered into a pulp. The bruises were starting to form badly by the time he had been able to attend to her, and his stomach curled every time he glanced over her face. He couldn't help feel like she had suffered for him, something that he had never intended anyone to do for him. Shepard had been his burden to bear, his scar, but the young girl had charged in to help him regardless of the dangers. Her flowery attitude, combined with her almost childish ignorance had struck a chord with him, compelling him to protect something so innocent and pure. She continued to remind him of his own childhood, and things that he had long ago left behind him. She had brought them so much closer to him though.

-As the day turned into night, Kaille had eventually been moved into the Captains room, Aubrey had awoken, and Ren had been called from his post at the wheel. Though many things were discussed, Justin only interjected in a few key moments. His eyes continuously darted between whomever was speaking and back to Kaille, still asleep on the bed. Finally, the sight of her had become to much for him, and he crept through the door to the deck without a word.

-Had it been from choice or simply forgetfulness, Justin had not yet bathed or washed in any way. His five o'clock shadow was long past due, but was barley noticeable from his blackened face and clothing. Almost every inch of him had been covered by what was left of 1,000 pounds of detonated explosives whiten close proximity to him. His white uniform was soiled beyond any sort of washing or cleaning, and that wasn't even counting the red stains from Sean's blood on his sleeves. Whatever his mangled appearance, he appeared to go on without even noticing, perhaps having been through worse, perhaps still to shocked from the days events to fully become aware of everything.

-Yet even as he pulled the last cigaret from his jacket pocket, his break had turned into another frantic moment of panic.

-From the shadows of the sea, a massive hulking structure seemed to appear as if from no where. Yet it was in fact so large, that it became inherently obvious as to what it was in moments. A galleon, larger than anything the ex-marine had ever seen crept nearer and nearer to them. Though huge, it was apparently sinking slowly into the Grand Line, crippled by something unexplainable.

-"AH...AH..." was all he could muster for a moment as the cigaret fell between his fingers, rolling off the deck and over the side.

-"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUBREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" he shouted with all his might, the captain bursting through the door of his cabin with all due haste.

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-As they boarded the ghostly ship, Justin found himself in almost a daze. Whatever he had been expecting of the Grand line, it had been blown away the moment he had spotted this ship. He knew of the line, that strip of ocean that the brave and foolish men sailed. He had always heard the stories and Intel that came from it, but everything was so much more awesome in depth than he could have ever have imagined. For the moment however, he simply took his orders from Aubrey, who seemed almost unfazed by the sight. Men littered the broken ship, some dead, most of them beaten into submission, unable to move.

-“Justin, you check down that hole there, it seems pretty deep. The rest of the damage is kind of shallow, so I’ll check the main deck. See if anyone is still alive.”

-"Aye, Aye." he replied, scanning for the entrance to the hold.

-His ribs still broken, the First Mate nearly limped down the stairs. In this situation however, he felt a little comfort in knowing that dressed as a battered Marine would bring him a little safety. He was in no shape to fight at the moment. He hadn't slept yet, and nearly every drop of adrenaline had been sucked from his body at this point. Using his lighter to guide the way through the darkened halls, he looked for anyone or anything out of place. At this point, he would have been more than happy to get back onto the Flight and be on their merry way. Orders were orders however, and he passed by each body quietly, leaving the dead be and the unconscious to sleep soundly.

-He made for the bottom deck first, thinking it would be wise for him to search from the bottom up. As he descended, he realized that that the deck had been punched into, as if god herself had decided to sucker punch the unsuspecting crew. Perhaps lucky for the crew of the Flight, as a galleon of this size could have simply rammed and sunk them in a moments time.

-Keeping his mind once again on track, he searched the lowest bowls of the ship, finding that the search was almost to easy. From the hole in the top deck, the silver moonlight shined through, illuminating a figure. Human in nature, he looked to be just around Justin's age, with striking orange hair. He certainly wasn't a Marine, and...he certainly had made this hole. On a hunch, Justin could only assume that this man had caused this damage. Weather or not he had been helped by another crew, or explosives, he had no idea. The one thing he knew was that he needed to get this man out of here. Once the Marines woke up, he would most certainly be killed.

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-Clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk was heard as the orange haired (Who Justin assumed was a pirate) man was pulled up the stairs. Justin had pulled on of the mans legs over his shoulder, bending it at the knee and letting the rest drag behind him. He could only assume that the back of the mans head was slamming on each stair step on the way up. However, carrying the man conventionally proved impossible the moment Justin had attempted it. The man had to weigh a quarter of a ton. His "Rescue" was going to perhaps hurt a little in the morning, but at least he wouldn't be dead.

-"AUBS! AUBS YOU ASS HELP ME OUT HERE! THIS GUY WEIGHS LIKE A MILLION POUNDS!" he exaggerated.

-His call went unanswered however, perhaps Aubrey had left, or was busy. Whatever the circumstances, Justin, heaving and sweating was able to lumber the giant man onto the deck, nearly tossing his away as the wood creaked beneath his massive weight.

-"Oh no I'm fine, no help required here." he muttered to himself, using his rifle to lean on as he began to inform Aubrey of the situation.

-The story was short lived however, as they were interrupted by what had to be the most massive person Justin had ever laid eyes on. That was in contrast to a few hours ago, where he had seen the largest man of his life. Now however, this behemoth had taken the illusive free cake.

-“Mr. Weeks, it seems we have made a terrible mistake. I’ll grab the baggage and you make a distraction."

-"Oh yeah, THANKS. Your a real pal." he replied, turning back the the massive man.

-"Distraction...Distraction..." he muttered, checking over his pockets for anything he might use. It was almost comical, but he pulled out a set of keys that he had found lying about the ship, apparently keys to chests and doors.

-Justin grinned stupidly, holding them before his face and shaking them vigorously. Yet his jaw dropped as the man held his ears, apparently in horrid pain from the sound caused by the jingling keys.

-"WHAT? COME ON! REALLY?" he yelled, the man growing even more upset as he thrashed about.

-But his thrashing on the already flimsy upper deck crumbled beneath him, sending him another deck below, to thrash in his own solitude.

-Gaping at how the event had unfolded, his distraction complete, Justin simply turned, and walked back to the flight, his face stunned by what had just happened.

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-After the nights events, the First Mate had said nothing to no one after he had returned to the ship. He had gone right to sleep, assuming that he was loosing his mind. He had slept more than soundly. In fact, he was still sound asleep by the time they had made port. Nothing had been able to waken him, not even the seagull that had apparently found a warm mound in which to perch on for the night. The mound was of course Justin, who was sprawled out on top of the crows nest, a blanket wrapped tightly around his entire body. He looked like nothing more than cargo they had secured atop the mast. Still sleeping soundly, he dreamed of some far away place, where the sun shinned at a comfortable temperature all year round, where things were more sane and no one tried to kill him more than once a day.

[donnervark]

Perhaps free falling down several smashed and smoldering decks had not been the best idea he'd ever had, but it was all he had to work with. Even with his enhanced physique, and his high tolerance for pain, Donner was simply beyond his normal limitations. Maybe under better circumstances he'd have been able to follow through with his intention of detonating the ships ammo stores. However even after his final attack, and his dramatic fall, all he could manage was to groan when his body finally came to a halt. Looking up at the devastation he'd caused, into the sky above through the hole he'd made, he slipped into unconsciousness. His dream was a familiar one. As Donner found himself back on One Eye's ship, he stretched out with a sigh.

"Well....never thought I'd die in my sleep....crap..." Cannon sat up, looking around. He wondered why his dreams were so lucid as of late. Usually his sleep was filled with normal stuff, eating, beautiful women, exotic places, occasionally punctuated by moments of extreme action and violence. Of course, then there were the bad ones, the ones about his uncle, and the year he spent being 'rehabilitated' by the Marines.

"You aren't dying yet Cannon." Donner turned his head at the sound of his old captain's voice. He half expected the skeletal version he'd dreamed about last time, however this reunion was nowhere near as somber, as One Eye Dodger was not only in perfect health, but dressed like a jester. He didn't quite get the symbolism, if there was any, but it was definitely humorous to see the massive man in colorful tights. He was standing at the helm, steering the ship with careful movements. Again they were the only people on the ship. Still, if he was dreaming, might as well move the sequence along.

"Well, I was fighting two people miles out of my league..." Donner retorted.

"Many miles..."

"I was exhausted from fighting without rest or recovery..." He continued.

"Like a sissy..."

"And the ship I had almost destroyed was sinking with me in it..."

"Which doesn't bode well for you..." Donner tried to comprehend his dream captain's logic. But failed.

"You know something I don't old man?" He asked as he stood up, just realizing that they were surrounded by a thick fog. It made seeing beyond a few feet impossible.

"I know you. And I know you don't get to die in the bottom of a Marine ship. That would make me look bad." Donner laughed and stepped up beside One Eye, trying to see where he was steering to. "Don't worry. You ain't done yet. A whole lot more world to see!" Don turned to look at his old captain just in time to see a bright red gloved hand flying towards his face. He dropped down just in time, feeling the wind brush his hair as he dodged the attack.

"Too slow!" The follow up almost checked him, but he dodged that too. His dream One Eye was getting sloppy. "Ha! Ooof!" In his excitement he failed to see the third hit coming, which nailed him square in the gut.

"Wha..." Just like before he shot awake upon impact, jumping up and spinning around, half expecting to be surrounded by marines. But now Donner was confused. He was in a ship, but not the one he'd wrecked. This one was still intact, at least this part of it anyway. More importantly, he wasn't bound, which meant he wasn't with marines. Wondering how long he'd been out he stretched, groaning as his muscles screamed in protest. He was energized, but his body still sore. Being alive was good enough for the moment, his bruises would heal. "Well now...suppose we ought to see who's running this ship." Being unfamiliar with the design, it took him a little bit to find his way up to the deck. When he arrived, he immediately shielded his eyes from the sun and scoured his beltline for the padded leather pouch containing his uncles old sunglasses. They had managed to survive the whole ordeal un-phased, which wasn't surprising. The things had an lucky charm about them, and they'd been through hell without taking a single scratch. He slipped the gold-rimmed glasses on and headed for a rail, trying to get an idea of his situation.

"Hmmm..." He clicked his tongue, now quite curious. There was no one on deck, no one handling lines or maintaining the helm. Not a single sailor keeping watch. He decided to explore a little more, try and figure out who had saved his life. Even as sore as he was, he was fairly relaxed. As he headed from one end of the deck to the other he was just happy to be feeling the sun again, and the salty ocean breeze. Once he was certain that there was in fact, no one topside, he figured the last place to look was the captains cabin. He approached the door and gave it a soft rap, then cracked the door open, peering inside. The first thing he saw was a young woman, sleeping.

"Oh! Sorry I...oh damn..." He found himself caught off-guard by the state she was in. Someone had done a number on her, leaving her bruised and severely injured. He suppressed a growl thinking about what kind of bastard could do that kind of damage to a woman, it was just.....wrong. Still, he didn't know the circumstances, and seeing as he still didn't know who had saved him, he decided to let her be. "Sleep tight doll." He said as he closed the door. "Well....now that I'm really confused..." Donner ruffled his shaggy hair with a groan and tossed himself down near the mast. At this point all he could do is wait. However, with the warm sun overhead, and the cool breeze on his skin, it didn't take long for him to fall asleep, propped up against the mast.

[Doc]

If there was ever a thing to be more hated then the government and the pesky marines, it was getting patched up after a hard battle. Ren had sailed the ship several miles from the site of their ordeal before handing over the marine he'd made a prisoner and getting his wounds treated. The crew's sniper was also an accomplished field medic and had set about attending to everyone aboard. Ren had fidgeted slightly as the large wound on his forearm was stitched up, but for the most part he thought their makeshift doctor was doing a fine job.

His shoulder wound, much smaller in comparison, had just been bandaged up. All the while he had been carefully steering the ship, opening his eye every so often to glance at the log pose to make sure that they were going in the correct direction. Afterwards he'd been left with his thoughts, occasionally raising his left arm and moving about his fingers. He was unsure if the wound would affect his arm in the future, so he thought it best to see what pained him and what could be ignored.

He remembered casually closing and opening his hand, a responding throb of pain shooting back in response, when he noticed a vessel off their starboard side. The vessel had seen better days, as it was horribly mangled from what he could tell, and was slowly sinking. As he started to turn the wheel to skirt the sinking behemoth, he was called to the Captain's quarters. Puzzled, he jammed the shorter blade at his waist between the wheel and the floorboards, holding the ship's course straight as he went to answer the summons. Upon arriving, he first noticed that the woman who'd stowed away was dozing on Aubrey's bed. Cocking his head to the side, he opened an eye and carefully examined her bruised features before taking the open seat in the corner.

He was momentarily astonished when Aubrey ordered that he bring the ship closer to board. He snorted slightly, a lazy smile creeping across his features. "If you say so. Careful you don't find anybody too dangerous, yeah?" Returning to the helm, Ren removed his blade and brought the ship along the other vessel's length. He managed to expertly maneuver the ship just close enough to lay a plank across the short gap that separated them. Dropping anchor, Ren gave a lazy salute to the Captain and his First Mate, the boarding party for this particular endeavor. Thinking on it, it would make the most sense for them to be the only ones going aboard. Everyone else was still recovering from their injuries, himself included.

Stepping outside the helm, Ren leaned lazily against the railing on the upper section of the ship. After a moment, he hopped up on the railing, allowing his legs to swing a few inches above the deck. After ten minutes or so of waiting, he was surprised to see Aubrey returning, but he wasn't alone. He was carrying a rather large man, well built and with a mane of orange hair. Hopping down to the floor below, Ren helped his captain put their rescued prisoner below deck, hearing a loud commotion behind him on the other ship as he did so. After properly situating the new arrival, Ren returned to the deck to find Justin already on boarding, pulling the board back from the gap.

Deciding not to bother questioning, he made his way back to the helm and steered them clear of the wreckage of the ship which was now quickly fading into the sea. Sailing through to the next morning, an island finally came into view. "Bout time," Ren said with a slight sigh. Docking at the port within the hour, Ren followed the Captain's lead and nabbed a marine uniform from the ship's hold, quickly donning it before moving about the deck.

As he moved from the ship's bowels back onto the deck, he paused for a moment. He tapped the ground with his foot, unsure of what he was feeling. It felt as though someone was as heavy as Aubrey, perhaps heavier. The weight was stationary, but it definitely was a person. Following the rebound of his sonar like foot steps, Ren arrived at the mast. Opening his eyes, he gazed down at the man they had rescued several hours before. "And just what are you doing up here?"

If anyone else say him just laying there, it might compromise their disguise. He tried to lift the man and drag him below decks, but he was astounded by how heavy he was. He realized that the captain had probably taken the bulk of the weight when they were carrying him. Thinking quickly, Ren ran back downstairs to his room, yanking the blanket from his bed. Returning to the deck, he flung the blanket over the man, arranging it to look like there was nothing but luggage beneath it. Satisfied for the time being, Ren moved to the ship's upper railing near the helm, looking out at the town, making a few casual remarks aloud to Aubrey, who he assumed was still nearby.

"We could easily raid this town. With this get up, nobody would be prepared for our attack. Or at the very least we could take a look around. Maybe hit a bar, get some real food. Rations are alright, but I could use something a bit more solid, more filling..."

[Mr. Moshypocrite McSlowbro]

Submerged deep within the seat of the mind, caught somewhere between the conscious and unconscious mind, lies the empyreal land where dreams reside. A wondrous and fanciful place, free from the laws and inhibitions that rule the natural world. When the kind men offered her the bed, she had put up a meager resistance, which faded only seconds after her head touched the soft pillow. Fatigued both physically and mentally beyond her limits, it was here that the Kallie's psyche retreated to while her body slowly knit itself back together. Images flashed before her eyes without any coherent order or progression, just random faces and expressions that sprung out from the crashing waves of colors and sensations, only to fade back into the kaleidoscopic sea.

Occasionally, a noise would pierce through the young artist's semi-delirious state. Heavy footsteps, the banging of a door, or a hushed voice, would send ripples through her flooded mindscape like a rock tossed into the center of a pond. The words were incomprehensible to her, the concept of speech itself seemed almost alien. But the those waves bounced against one another, churning against the metaphysical walls ferociously, until finally the vibrant sea spilled out the mouth of the vessel that contained it. A sensation took hold of her, a billowing tempest that enveloped her body and soul, and thrusting her upward into the sky.

Kallie's eyes cracked open.

Groggily, she blinked away the grit which remained in the corner of her eyes. Gradually, her mental facilities began to return to her. The last thing she remember was being soaked to the bone, and someone scooping her off the ground gently. The rest was just... fuzzy. Kallie attempted to sit up, only for her senses to be assaulted by a wave of dizziness, which forced her back down to the bed with a groan. She had not noticed the dressings that now populated large sections of her body. Softly, she drew a hand across the white bandage that covered her left eye, only to wince in pain. It had to be swollen something fierce. How long had she been sleeping?

(Image)

Lifting herself again, slowly this time, she managed to move into a sitting position, and finally get a good look at herself and her environment. It was fortunate that someone had the foresight to keep the lights off for the fitful dreamer, as her vision was still iffy at best, but she could still make out the vague outlines of what was around her. A large bedroom, complete with amenities, of which she was the only visible occupant. Moving the sheets aside, she was pleased to see her legs were still attached. She wiggled her toes experimentally, who danced in turn. Aside from the angry purple-black bruises, they seemed to be in relatively good condition. Which was good. Kallie had broken her leg before, and was restricted to crutches for several months. It was not an experience she had any desire to relive.

Despite the sharp protest that cut into in her side, the bandaged woman swung her legs over the side of the bed. She might not be positive about how much time had passed, but she certainly had gotten enough rest by this point, and didn't need to be laying around any longer. A healthy body is an active one, after all! Sitting beside her bedding arrangements was her messenger bag, still looking somewhat damp on the bottom. In a manner most monkey-ish, she managed to grab the strap between her toes and drag it closer. With a foot on each side, she applied pressure inward, and lifted the bag up enough for her to grab it and set it on the bed beside her.

The top flap was ripped in several places, but what concerned her more was the break in the seal that usually kept water out. With a sudden urgency, she tore open the bag and rummaged through its dripping contents. Underneath a layer of various water-damaged snacks and art supplies, she pulled out a box, roughly the size of her head. Inspecting all six sides carefully, she was relieved to find its individual seal to have held. A second sealed box, this one much wider, and populated by small letters, was similarly intact. Kallie breathed a sign of relief. What would she tell her customers back in the Blues if she lost a delivery?

Business out of the way, she continued to check the status of her belongs. Her sketchbook had survived somehow, with only a few wet spots, bu to her great dismay, it seemed the majority of her paints cans had either been spent or lost at sea. The only ones she had left were the two cans in her paint gun. Which was a terrible obstacle for the girl. How was she supposed to paint something with only two colors?

Grumbling quietly to herself, she extracted an oversized sweater. It seemed that her artistic medium was not the battle's only casualty. Her shirt, one of her favorites at that, had been reduced to strips of cloth, which left her undergarments on display. She didn't care much about leaving herself exposed, but frankly, the room was rather chilly, and her bag held just the remedy for that. An oversized sweater, chestnut brown, which despite the clinging moisture, was still a step above the near-nudity her torso was currently presenting.

The process of slipping it over her head was a difficult one, given the very limited range of motion her arms seemed willing to grant her. A few minutes of struggling and whimpering later, she was finally able to fit it over her head, the heavy fabric settling around the sides of her shoulders. Rolling her shoulder, she slipped her wings out into a more comfortable position, but instead found herself subjected to an excruciating jolt of pain. Kallie could not help but cry out in agony.

She had a splinter in the pinion of her left wing. This may not sound like much to a non-Skyopeian, but the soft feathers on her back were in fact incredibly sensitive, and any injury afflicting them, even minor ones, were incredibly painful. The sensation could be likened to having a metal nail jammed up underneath one's fingernail, mixed with the sound of a screeching chalkboard in one's ears, and a cardboard papercut slicing across one's eye, all at once. It was horrendous.

Desperately, she attempted to stretch her arms backwards to grab hold of the offending sliver, but it was in vain. Her arms were far too battered to bend as much as she required, and trying to push beyond that limit sparked even more pain for the poor woman. She had to grind her teeth to prevent from letting out another shout. Still, she endured, reacting more out of instinct than logical thought. Twisting her body as best she could, despite the burning in her sides, she felt she could almost reach it. If her hand would just stretch a little... further...

Suddenly, the fabric slipped underneath her, and she fell face-forward, slamming into the ground with a majestic thunk. Now, her forehead was hurting with the rest of her. And the worst part? She could still feel the wooden shard digging into her delicate wing.

"Uuunnnggggh." Kallie groaned. Even her ridiculously cheery attitude was having difficulty finding the joy out this situation.

From behind her, she heard more shifting fabric. Her fall had successfully loosened the sheets on the bed enough to dislodge her bag as well, which promptly fell down on top of her, dumping the majority of its wet contents all over her.

"UUUNNNGGGGH."

[Aubs]

Out in the Grand Line…

---

Light was just eking over the horizon as Aubrey’s face slide down the wood paneled wall at his back. He had passed out unceremoniously against the wall after dragging their new catch on board. His quarters, which were more like their guests quarters at this moment, were occupied by the red-headed woman that had snuck aboard during the chaos. From what Justin had described however, she seemed fairly capable however, though Aubrey was sure that Justin had alterative motives for saying such. Our hero had decided then, if his bed was going to be preoccupied by the injured lady then he would just have to find somewhere else to lay his head down. Before he ever got the chance however the poor guy had fallen asleep on the floor of his room, utterly exhausted from the fighting of the last few days. It was unfortunate then that the sun had so terribly woke him up at its arrival, causing him to roll over and slide the few feet to the floor. He was still shirtless, though he felt better than he had a few hours ago. As his eyes slipped open, Aubrey took stock of the room. The girl was still asleep, Marius and Ponte were no longer in his room, neither was Sean Justin or Ren, and overall things looked peaceful. That was a gripping thought, a moment of rest in all this madness.

This of course spurred Aubrey to his feet, partially out of disbelieve, but also out of necessity. They would need to be ready by the time they hit port. So as he stepped outside the Captain began to piece the true scene together. A large blanket was lying on the deck, probably from where someone had slept. No one was there at the time though so it was of no consequence. Looking up, Aubrey also spotted a potentially enjoyable scene. Sleeping somewhat peacefully above him, high in the crow’s nest was Justin, and their new visitor, the red haired man from the sinking marine ship. While part of him wondered if something bad would actually happen, another side of the new pirate was screaming at him to let the moment unfold. After a brief exchange of words, the two men seemed to break away. Turning at that moment, Aubrey only caught a glimpse of motion in his peripheral before the loud thud echoed across the deck. Smirking to himself, Aubrey walked towards the bow. Marius had beat him there however, and was sitting cross legged on the headpiece that their new ship had carved into his prow. A large red bird wings expanded outward along the front. Without looking back the sitting swordsmen spoke.

“We are going to have to bluff our way in.”

“Yeah. I’ve got an idea though.”

“I can’t wait to see this.”

Marius leaned back, turning to face his sworn brother and smirked. Aubrey returned the gesture as he turned towards the helm. He would have to check in with Ren and Sean before things could be finalized. He ran into the first of those two men quickly, and was quickly engaged in small talk with his “blind” navigator. The swordsman appeared ready for combat, but he did have to right idea. They needed time to recover, get rid of their treasure in return for beri, and fix up the Flight. So, nodding a few times Aubrey waited until he had the idea locked in. “Alright then, let’s get into port. It’s going to be a trick though, so I’ll need you to stay on this ship, we will have Marius dock the marine one. After we convince the port authorities that we are simply marines after a long battle, we can have our run of the island. Try to stay out of trouble huh?” Aubrey gave his navigator a pat on the back, hoping to earn the man’s trust after he so pointedly detailed his dislike for Aubrey only a day before. Perhaps our hero could sway him after all.

Walking out onto the deck once again the rookie began his work in earnest. “Justin.” He said nonchalantly to the bump on the ground. “Enough playing around. We need you on the Marine Ship. Marius, you too! Grab whatever uniform you need and get to it. Everyone else, you stay with me in our hold.” His gaze careened over to the heavily built man they had taken off that sinking ship, and decided it was time to speak with him also. “You too stowaway. We need to talk.” His smile was genuine as he approached one of the hatches below. He especially needed to be hidden, as did Ren after their new bounties had gone up. Additionally, he needed to understand what had happened on that boat. Changing his mind, Aubrey stopped and turned slightly to face his door, then walked in, leaving it open for the man to follow.

Inside he saw the red-haired angel of a girl tied up in his sheets, struggling all over the floor. Titling is head to the right, Aubrey laughed slightly at the spectacle and moved forward into his quarters. “Need any help there?”

Two stowaways, one stone.

---

At the Current Moment...

The port was within a large cove of some kind. A large mass of wooden piers and docks almost overlapped each other, creating channels and watery highways. A thousand springs of pink coral lifting themselves here and there, into which houses and shops were built, Bridges and walkways connected the city’s two different halves, each set to one side of the main channel through the water, which led to a large set of wooden stairs and a heavy gate, marking the end of the cove and the beginning of the island proper. A few larger, circular platforms intruded amongst the winding piers and floating boats, which appeared to serve as platform gardens, playgrounds, or market square. Beyond this scenery, the dense forest behind the town, which had been cut back a few hundred feet to show a long walkway leading up to the heavy wooden gate, added a rustic feel just out of reach. The large wooden courtyard directly below that gate and its stairs was full to the brim today, a festival of sorts must have been going on. The docks were packed for whatever reason, but it worked nicely for the ruse that the crew had concocted.

The marine ship, headed by Marius and Justin, moved its way into one of the outermost pegs, where the water around them so shallow and clean that you could see all the way to the bottom with ease. The cove that Enkai rested in was so calm it almost felt like they were in the Belt still, which might have been accurate considering the closeness of the island to that body of water. Tied behind it was the Flight, containing the rest of the crew, hoping that their First Mate could talk the dock-workers into letting them stay…

---

---

[Mr. Moshypocrite McSlowbro]

Kallie was not entirely positive how long she spent lying on the cold wooden floor, flailing weakly. Each attempt to pry herself off the ground ended in another jolt of pain, which would inevitably cause her to crumple, like a puppet whose stings had been cut. They best she could manage was a sort of kicking motion with her legs, which did not achieve much since she could not get up onto her knees. In essence, all she had managed to achieve so far was make herself look downright foolish.

Now, she would never wish harm on anyone. It simply was not in her nature to take any pleasure in dealing pain. That was not to say she was not capable of such, and she was indeed fully aware that some people needed to be smacked around a bit to get their head on straight. That was just tough love, after all. But as a general rule, she avoided it whenever possible. With the single glaring exception of the man known as Calix. She wished nothing but a thousand flaming deaths upon Calix. But that’s a story for another day. The point is, violence was not part of her usual mindset. But the searing pain that coursed through her now was making her feel that whoever decided that boats would be made of a material that, which broken, quickly transformed into a shower of tiny dagger-like objects deserved to be subjected to some form of punishment. Wood is good and all, but there are other materials that float! Styrofoam! A boat made out of Styrofoam. That would work. And you know what? When some jerk in a white uniform starts tossing you through walls, the worst you’ll get is some tiny white flecks stuck to your clothes. And you certainly won’t end up paralyzed on the floor next to a bed because of some blasted sliver! Further provoked by her own line of thought, she gave another go at pushing up off the ground, only to fall again. Frustrated beyond belief, she could do naught but wiggle her limbs is displeasure.

And that's when the door opened.

“Need any help there?” Came a deep baritone, accompanied by similarly heavy footfalls. It wasn't a voice she recognized, but that seemed relatively inconsequential at this point. Her face was red, either from the exertion, from repeatedly smacking her head against the floor, or simple embarrassment at the situation she had gotten herself into. Similarly, a small portion of her wing bore a red trail, dripping from the spot of soft flesh in which the splinter had so cruelly been driven. Struggling to raise her hand, Kallie could do little else but let out pitiful cry.

"...Please."

[Weeks]

-The enjoyable feeling of being half awake with the gentle and cool sea wind whisking across the young mans tired body was simply exquisite. Though some would call it a death sentence to sleep atop of the mast in the narrow crows nest, Justin had always enjoyed the seclusion he could find from the hustle and bustle of the main deck, let alone in the leaky cargo hold. Not only that, but at a time like this, when things were simply to crazy for the introverted sniper to handle, it was his escape from the world, something he could count on at the end of the day.

-However, as tired as he had been when he had finally closed his eyes, he had forsaken the fact that the railing atop the crows nest had been completely destroyed during the battle. As if to try his luck, he had slept there anyway, merely pulling a heavy blanket over him and forgetting about everything else. Of course it was stupid, but so were the things that had happened in the past few days, who would have guessed that this one choice would backfire on him. Not counting the explosion on the ship he had never intended, that was defiantly not his fault of choice, or so he told himself.

-The gravity of the situation dawned on him very quickly, literally.

-The seagull that had decided to perch itself on Justin's torso flew away once they had come close enough to the island, apparently setting him off balance. As he fell below to the deck, he eyes pried open in an instant, just long enough for him to realize what had happened. Like a ton of bricks he fell on his face, smashing into the deck and cursing up a storm that could make the saltiest of sea dogs wince. Rolling around in pain, cursing the heavens for his misfortune, he came to a rest to let the pain subside. Still looking like he had just exited a volcano, dried blood from nearly every crew mate staining his front, he pouted for a moment, pounding a fist on the deck. The underside of his eyes were a dark purple, he had barley gotten a few hours rest from the excitement from the day and night before. Feeling abused physically, he simply pulled the blanket over him again, muttering to himself bitterly.

-"Justin." said Aubrey, who Justin assumed had seen the entire spectacle and done nothing.

-"UUUUUH?" he replied, his voice croaking and cracking.

-"Enough playing around."

-"I hate you so fu**in' much it's unreal." he said from under the covers, fanning out his leg blindly, attempting to kick his friend.

-"We need you on the Marine Ship. Marius, you too! Grab whatever uniform you need and get to it. Everyone else, you stay with me in our hold."

-"By all means Captain. You go ahead and have yourself a nice break, you've earned it." he muttered once he was out of earshot.

-Complaining to himself for a few more moments, he finally shoved the covers away, infuriated.

-Fighting to massive urge to shoot Aubrey in the back of the head, as it would waste precious ammo, the what seemed to be first mate of the crew stormed off.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-As they moved closer and closer to the docks, Justin's mood soured only further. The sun was beginning to beat down on him, the rocking motion of the waves coupled with his exhausted body were beginning to make him slightly sick. Marius had taken the helm at Justin's urging, explaining that the lowest rank usually took it, not the navigator. Marines had an odd way of working. Instead of putting the most skilled in charge of a job, they would usually just let it be handled by some one below them. Apparently steering was some sort of punishment, and the hands of high ups had no place being there.

-Maybe it was just his bad mood at the moment that caused his mind to linger in such places, so for the moment, he used it to his advantage. As the ship slowly rolled in to the docks, several Marines were already there to meet them. Knowing the drill, they threw lines onto the flight, pulling her into another parking spot by hand. Marius cut the line instinctively, keeping his cool and saying nothing as more ropes were thrown onto the Marine vessel, as they were also pulled into the docks.

-Justin watched carefully, making sure that not a soul boarded either one of the ships. He knew how to go about this, he just had to be sure that they played it cool, or everything was going to end badly.

-"Chief! What the hell happened here?" asked a questioning looking Marine from the deck below.

-"Oh I'm sorry Petty Officer, If I knew you were going to inspect ME, I would have washed up." Justin spat back, causing the petty officers face to go white.

-"I meant nothing by it Chief, I was only thinking of your well being."

-Before they continued the conversation, Justin kicked down the gangplank, whistling for Marius. He quickly moved, making sure he was right next to Justin before he Reached the end of the Gangplank.

-"What happened?" asked the Petty officer once again, a Medic instinctively going for Justin.

-"Cigaret." replied Justin.

-"What?"

-"Ci-ga-ret. Who here smokes?" asked Justin, a few soldiers turning out their pockets. Eventually through fumbled hands a pack was passed up, and Justin lit up, breathing in deeply. His mood instantly improved from mad as hell to pissed off, that was better than nothing.

-"Captain Horace decided it would be a good idea to send pretty much the whole fleet from Lougetown to re capture that trading ship. Apparently it belonged to some noble, things didn't turn out so great as you can see." he explained, the Petty officer nodding.

-"And you two...are you..." he said, afraid to finish his sentence.

-"Yeah...were all that's left."

-It was dead quiet for a moment as Justin took another drag. The Petty officer was still a little wary however, and decided that the pleasantries were over.

-"I need your ship papers." he said, not able to make eye contact.

-"Yeah, figured you would." replied Justin, searching through his mangled and blackened clothing. What should have been an envelope with an official seal had become a water logged ink smeared nightmare, yet it seemed that most of the information was ledgeable, as well as Justin's portrait and description. Justin however shot Marius a look of disgust.

-As The petty officer went over the information, Justin regaled the story to his "Brothers in arms". He explained many things down to minute details, how the fleet had fought over the grand line, the Pirate crew that had been there undoing. He even mentioned ways in that the Pirates had finally been killed off.

-"I heard something about "Bulletproof" Meador. How did you manage to take him down?" asked the Petty officer.

-"How else do you deal with a Devil Fruit user? You chuck his ass into the ocean and watch him sink like a rock."

-That got a good laugh, even from Marius.

-"And the swordsman? I head something about Holiday to."

-Justin pulled his revolver from it's holster, grinning slightly.

-"He wasn't as bulletproof as the captain."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-The crowd that had begun to form was quickly dispersed at Justin's urging not long after. Him, Marius and the Petty officer were all that remained on the secluded dock. Though not everything in this situation was according to the book, the Petty officer had no choice but to believe the story for now. With no higher ranking officer available, Justin was now acting captain of both vessels. They were officially once again property of the Government, and that would give the crew a little time to relax. Justin suspected that Horace, Shepard, as well as the rest of the crew they had battled with were going to take some time getting off the seas with no real mode of transportation. Dead however? Justin knew better than that. Even Shepard's little ride from a cannon wouldn't be enough to take him down for good.

-"So here's the deal Petty Officer, we need to keep this dock private until my superiors send out reinforcements to collect both. And...I'm sure you understand this can't go on the books, if word of this got out to the papers, we would never hear the end of it." explained Justin, the Petty officer nodding in agreement.

-"You don't have to tell me Chief. Your just lucky you didn't land at the main port on the other side of the island, the port authorities would have strung you up as the bad guy." he joked.

-"Yeah, I could see that." chuckled Marius.

-"Thanks for all your help. I'm going to head into town to find a few men to work on these, spruce them up before the brass can inspect them."

-"Right. Take care Chief, be sure to get some sleep, you look like hell."

-Justin had to agree with that one. Once the Petty officer was out of sight and out of mind, he nudged Marius.

-"Alright, go ahead and let them know the coast is clear."

[donnervark]

Fortunately Donner's sleep wasn't intruded by bizarre dreams this time, and he napped soundly, even as someone tried to move him. However this only lasted until someone crashed into the deck nearby. He started awake to find himself in darkness. There was no way he'd slept that long...duh. He pulled away the hot blanket with a groan and found the ship to be in a much more energetic state. The people he assumed to be his saviors were up and about now, and they were getting ready to make port. So he had to take it all in a short time. There was a man giving orders, average height, but well toned with extensive tattoos on his arms. He assumed this to be the captain, the way everyone listened to him. The lump on the deck was a sharp looking young man, even besides the awkward position landing had put him in. Not much to go on there. The others were already moving away, and the tattooed man inviting him to follow....and calling him stowaway.

"Yeah. I'll follow, for the moment anyways." Donner brushed himself off and stood up, for the first time realizing how messed up his clothes were. Crusted with sea-salt, blood, and grime from his ordeals. He must look like hell. More importantly, he finally noticed the serious aching in his jaw. It took a second to recall where he'd got it, but he remembered the shot he took from Hawnty back on the ship. Still, he ignored it, it was probably the least of his current worries. "I'd also like to point out that I"m not a stowaway. I was sinking rather comfortably on a Marine ship before someone rescued me." He stated jokingly as he closed the cabin door behind him. "Thank you for that by the way." Once inside he could see the girl from before was awake, and looking to be in considerable pain. He didn't particularly enjoy watching people in pain, unless they deserved it. Then they got the full measure of his more sadistic nature. And being able to see the girl in normal light, and awake, he could tell she was quite attractive, in a cute sort of way, even with the bruises.

"Damn...lets get you back on that bed." Donner moved to help her up, then saw her wings. At first he wasn't sure what he was looking at, then he thought they might be decorations. But they looked very real, and the subtle movements of the feathers gave them away. "Wow. Dodger told me stories about angels on the Line. Always thought he was kidding me." He took it in stride. Dodger had tried to impress upon him that there were hordes of things he'd never imagined on the road to the New World. Specifically, he wanted Donner to be ready for anything, to help him adjust to new things no matter how abstract. And really a girl with wings wasn't that abstract, maybe a bit kinky to some, but not that out there. While he waited to see if she'd except his help, he turned his look back to the man.

"Would I be right if I guessed you guys were pirates?" He winked. "No offense, but you don't particularily strike me as Marines or Wuggies....um sorry, that's short for World Government Lackies." He couldn't help but notice the girl seemed to be in a lot more pain than she should. He wasn't a doctor, and she already seemed to be patched up, so he hoped she didn't have internal damage or something.

[Doc]

After an exchange of words with Aubrey, Ren sat for a moment on the ship's railing. Thinking on it, he didn't really need the uniform that he'd swiped, since he was going to be waiting below decks on the Flight. Glancing at the uniform that adorned him, he shrugged, hopping from the rail to return to the helm. Removing the blade that he had holding the wheel, he quickly went to the front of the ship to examine the tether that held both ships together.

Satisfied for the moment, he headed below decks. He couldn't help but wonder why anyone would use that method to navigate a captured ship. Sure it was a good way to move the ship if you didn't have another person to take the wheel, but it could have serious complications. While the lead ship could easily steer itself around things, the rear ship had no one to do the same. It wouldn't be able to turn on a dime, no matter how you looked at it.

For some reason the thought irritated him. Leave it to a marine to care more about capturing the ship then getting it returned in one piece. He saw the Captain detouring off into his room with the stowaway, and decided to change back into his own clothes before joining them. Moving to his own room, he removed the uniform, tossing it on his bed in favor of his own normal garb.

As he was putting on his shirt, he did something that he normally didn't do. He stopped and peered at himself in the small mirror in the corner. He looked a little tired, and he seemed to be without his casual aloof air. He frowned, pulling the shirt over his with a bit more force than was necessary. With a snort, he left the room.

It didn't take him long to arrive at the Captain's room. He knocked lightly before nudging open the door with his foot. The door didn't open fully, bumping into something on the other side. Edging into the room, Ren saw that the door had bumped into the captain, who was bent over the girl from earlier.

She laid sprawled out on the floor, covered by a blanket and pieces of what could only be her own equipment. Cocking a head to the said, Ren joined the other two occupants in staring at her struggle weakly on the ground beneath her miniature burden. "It's like watching a penguin struggle under the weight of a snowball..." he said in a matter of fact tone.

Leaning down closer, he seemed to notice for the first time that she had a small pair of wings nestled on her back. He leaned in closer to examine them. "Wings. Interesting. Can you fly with them? They don't seem like they'd be big enough to get you off the ground. Are they real, or crafted somehow?" squatting down, Ren reached out and touched a feather. "Huh. Very interesting... By the way, should we...pick her up?"

[Aubs]

As Aubrey bent down to help his new angel, at least that would be her nickname to him, with the wings and all, he couldn’t help but smile. Part of it was from the remarks of the other stowaway as he approached the room, while the other was from the need to be supportive. It was clear to the de facto captain that this particular warrior-ess was not too experienced in the art of fighting Marines. As gently as his heavy, cumbersome frame could allow Aubrey unwrapped the girl from her blankety prison. He brushed against her only a few times, though it did make him wonder what his body felt like to others at this point. Was he cold and unreal, or did he at least seem…um…normal? Either way, he lightly lifted her into his arms, bearing her small weight effortlessly. From the voice behind him Aubrey could tell that Ren had also arrived, though uninvited. No matter, the rookies would have to bond, and it might as well be now. Ren had proven his worth a dozen times over even in only a few days, perhaps the animosity between them would dissolve soon.

As Aubrey set Kallie onto the bed, he gave her a small wink, as if to say that he did not mind the wings that everyone seemed to be concerned about. Justin had been informing Aubrey that there were many surprises to find on the Grand Line after all. Returning to his full height, as unintimidating as it was really, the newbie pointed towards one of the chairs arrayed near the bed and moved towards one of the crates that had been stacked up from the night before. The implication was that Donner would take it, and he assumed that Ren would understand that as well. Sitting down and leaning forward, just enough that his elbows balanced on his knees, Aubrey thought for a moment about what should be said before deciding on his course of action. “Welcome to the Flight.” He said happily, tapping his foot at the word Flight to symbolize the place. Because he was so heavy and dense the tapping made quiet a impression.

“We are the White-Wing Pirates, and right now we are docked at the island of...Saisho.” though he seemed confident in the answer, his face portrayed a bit of confusion as Aubrey looked towards his navigator Ren for a confirming nod before he continued. “My name is Aubrey, and this Ren our Navigator. I’d like to thank you...” he motioned at Kallie. “for helping us over Reverse Mountain, our First Mate says you were very helpful. And I’d like you…” he motioned at Donner this time. “to explain just what happened on that Marine ship out there.” There was a pause as the young man’s face changed to one of slight frustration as his finger came up to his chin and starched, his eyes fading for a moment before he chuckled to himself, starching the back of his head now in his embarrassment.

“Sorry, I’m kind of new at this. What I mean to say I guess…Is that I’d like to get to know both of you, if that’s alright.”

It was not much of an introduction he supposed, but at least Aubrey had been honest. Something told him that he could not just drop this two off into the city and be done with them. Before anyone could answer however a knock came on the door, which quickly opened itself, pushed forward by Marius. He was half dressed in a Marine outfit, though without the jacket thank goodness. He was quick in his report. “We have landed, Justin is going out to change over the treasure.”

“Excellent, enjoy the island Marius. Ren, go get that steak you wanted, and let everyone know they can leave. We will join ya’ll at the nearest bar later, drinks on me.” He nodded every so gentle to Ren, a sign that he needed the room to himself for the moment, and he did remember that Ren wanted to eat real food, and probably needed some new clothes too. His gaze returned to the odd pair of Donner and Kallie, and a wry smile crossed his face. “Now where were we?”

---

The island was a thither with excitement outside the crews little secluded corner, shaded nicely by a huge piece of coral behind them. The small cove of this dock led into the dock-town proper, as the pier expanded outward into a large platform, where more pathways shot out. The water highways all around were full of tiny boats, selling wares and moving from place to place. It was so strange that such a city as this was actual full of people, made of wood and straw for the most part it looked as crowded as any city. Some type of festival celebration was going on today. The people were out and about, music was everywhere. That would make getting around harder, but blending in even easier. The Marine presence was noticeable, but they were still outnumbered by the public. There seemed to be two kinds of people in the crowd. Some were wearing light, breezy clothes and had darker tans. The other group seemed to be more sharply dressed, with a lighter tan, though still a healthy glow by East Blue standards.

The crew was told to go enjoy it too, though they were all meeting back up at the nearest bar this evening, mostly to discuss what would come next. Sean however insisted on staying in, and for good reason. Along with the gaping wound that Justin had barely been able to Sean together that crossed his torso, Sean had the distinction of being the Shipwright around these parts, and had a long night ahead of him stripping the Marine vessel and refitting their own. Justin had the fun job too, exchanging all the materials on their ship for beri, and it could be assumed that the rest of the gang would hang around until he could hand out some money for them to spend. The rest would return with him to Aubrey, who would find a place on the ship for it, then maybe he could enjoy the port also. They would need a plan soon, supplies as well. But for now, why not just enjoy the island, hell a party was going on. Maybe the townsfolk would have some good leads for what to do next as well.

---

In amongst the Marines that were keeping the peace today however, a small man with a thin frame stood off towards the end of a particularly large group of enforcers, who were breaking off to watch different sections of this confusing little town. He had light purple hair, almost lavender in its hue, with thin glasses shaped with round lens and thin frames like his own. A long coat symbolizing his rank as an officer was draped across his small shoulders, and his hands were hidden behind his back at the moment. Smiling a tiny grin, the man looked just about the same age as the young crew of pirates that had just landed in port unbeknownst to the do-gooders. Just a lowly grade officer enjoying the festival, until the den den mushi on his wrist rang quietly.

“It’s time to begin Babet.”

“Yes Sir.”

---

---

[Mr. Moshypocrite McSlowbro]

Kallie suffered through the stares and comments of the hodgepodge that suddenly decided her room (She had been here for long enough to consider it as such) was the perfect gathering place. Now, under ordinary circumstances, she would have delighted in the social interaction afforded by a room-full of diverse individuals in close proximity. However, she was finding it very, very difficult to make small talk when she was effectively paralyzed, laid out across the ground in a pile of bedding and soggy art supplies. Fortunately, all the other members of the room generously offered to help right her, though it was the first fellow to offer assistance who did indeed move to carry out the aid as promised. The others offered a few inquiries as to her status, and that of her fluffy appendages, to which she tried to reply amiably given her circumstance.

"Hehe. Wuggie is a funny w-ow ow ow" A pair of hands attempted to move under her arms for leverage, but in the process brushed against her tender wing, causing her to wince and whimper audibly.

The hands retreated for a moment to reassess their approach, and then made the wiser decision to wrap themselves around her waist. "Wait, 'course my wings are real! You guys are silly. And nobody can fly with just these. At least not anymore. That's what my skates are for."

The good Samaritan lifted her as easily as he might a doll. She knew she weighed very little to begin with, another peculiarity of her avian heritage, but this was ridiculous. The guy's skin felt like he was built in some kind of secret underground lab. Though was of course ridiculous. There's no way he could be a... Could he?

She stared incredulously at the man as he turned her upward, carefully placing the young artist upright on the bed again. Oddly enough, he looked rather normal, all considering. No obvious spinning gears or antennas. Still, the evidence was there. Super strength, metal skin, heavy footsteps. These were ominous signs. However, on the other hand. He was nice enough to give her a bed, had helped her up. And everybody deserves love, even if they are filled with whirling gears! Plus, she was pretty sure Papa could take down any form of robotic uprising before it gained any real momentum.

"Thank you." Kallie said, smiling through her pained expression. He gave her a playful wink, which made the girl chuckle, before moving to business. The other people in the room stood at attention as he addressed them, introducing himself as Aubrey. An awesome name, to be sure. Why? It (sort of) rhymed with hers! She was a bit sad that Fancy Coat wasn't there with them. The squinting guy next to him, whom she could vaguely recall from the melee back on the other ship, was apparently named Ren. Which sadly, did not rhyme. Tin? Bin? Pen?

He continued on to mention that they, were in fact, pirates. Which explained a great deal! She had been raised on stories of pirates, performing deeds of great villainy and heroism. She was inclined to believe this lot leaned towards the latter.

Aubrey dismissed Squints, and he slipped out the door, leaving only her and the Wuggies guy.

“Now where were we?”

"Um. I guess since since you already introduced yourself... My name is Kallie! Well, Kalliope. But that's harder to say. Um. I'm not a pirate. I'm just a courier. I deliver stuff. Oh, that reminds me!" Straightening herself as best she could, she tried to give a proper display of appreciation.

"Thank you for letting me ride with you over the mountain! I tried to cross it myself, but I ended up getting stuck. So I had to, um, 'catch a ride'. I'm sorry for any trouble I caused." She started to bow, but the pain from her splinter, minor as it may seem, was debilitating.

"C-can I ask one more favor, if it's not too much trouble?" The winged girl asked, motioning vaguely toward the afflicted area.

[donnervark]

Ah the fine and illustrious art of the 'gentleman block'. It was something one of the sleazier members of Dodgers crew had taught him about in full. The precise act of stepping in to aid someone before another could do so. Even as he stood there, with arm extended, everyone crowded in to help the angel, and he was left again feeling the bitter sting of the 'GB'. Somehow he felt like he could actually hear the laughter of that crewmate, basking in his failure to take the initiative. Still, with as much grace as he could muster he stood up and headed for a seat. It wasn't like he'd be much help anyhow. She definitely looked like she needed a doctor, and a doctor he was not. He decided not to sit on the crates as this Aubrey had motioned, considering he'd probably break them under his weight. Instead he found a nice clear section of wall and slid down to the floor with his arms behind his head.

While they were helping the angel he took a chance to survey the new person who'd entered. He was the swordsman from above deck, but now he had more time to size him up. He was small in comparison to himself, but that usually didn't mean much in a fight. Hell everyone on the ship was small in comparison to Donner so far, but he had a feeling about Aubrey. Of course he had no real evidence to back it up, but he had a strong gut feeling that they could all handle themselves. It was just mild observations about the way they handled themselves, their body types, their weapons or lack-there-of. He needed to be observant with his skills, and it never hurt to size up his allies....on the off chance they turned out to be enemies. The girl though was an odd one out. He didn't really get a strong vibe from her, she seemed very light-hearted, especially given her condition.

"Damn....so you guys went over the mountain huh? Lucky sots....though I get the feeling things didn't go that smoothly for you either.." He remarked casually as Aubrey thanked the girl, but he let her go first. While Aubrey had a brief discussion with someone named Marius he took another look at his clothes. They were in a terrible state, and in bad need of replacement. Once...IF he was able to leave the ship, his first order of business was a bath, then new clothes for sure. Well...perhaps he'd get a drink first.

It seemed that this Kallie was a stowaway, out of necessity which wasn't surprising. She didn't exactly have the air of an experienced pirate or sailor. But a courier? Didn't they have ships of their own? He didn't know that much about the trade, but he thought courier services had entire fleets of Corvettes and other small, but fast sea-vessels to ferry packages back and forth. In the end he saved any questions he had for later. They were mostly small things like the aforementioned curiosity, and they could wait. When she asked for another favor, he glanced at the spot she mentioned, his well trained eyesight catching the problem. A large splinter of wood was stuck in her wing, which he had to imagine was quite painful.

"Now that I can take care of..." He got up with a groan and moved over to the girl. His hands were fairly nimble for their size, and they had to be for a gunner. Clumsy fingers meant badly sighted weapons and shoddy marksmanship. Not for his powers of course, but for real weapons very much so. "I'm pretty sure you already know this will hurt so..." As gently as he could he held her wing steady with one hand and yanked the splinter out with the other. It was a nasty little thing. He could just imagine how much it would hurt to have it stuck under his fingernails....Donner then proceeded to muse over the comparison of wings to fingernails. What exactly would be the comparison h he wondered....maybe the armpit? That would be quite uncomfortable as well. Regardless, it was out, and hopefully she was better off for it. "And there we are ma'am. Hope that helps." He then dropped the chunk in her lap and headed back to his spot.

"Have to say, you guys had good timing. Any sooner and you might have been taken out, any later and I'd have been a bit to soggy to save." Donner sat down with a grunt and flicked his hand, transforming his forearm into one of his small cannons. He then mock-saluted with it. "Donner Vark. Cannon-man, Gunner, Pirate, and generally awesome individual at your service." He hated winded introductions, besides, he didn't know these people quite well enough for more than that yet.

"Honestly my story is rather unremarkable. My boat got swept into the calm belt by a nasty squall. Then I got picked up by the Marines. I then proceeded to escape captivity, doing as much damage to their ship as I went." Donner leaned back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. That had been a rough spot, not one he really expected to escape the moment Slive came into the picture. "I fought the commander, only to find myself completely outclassed." That part would bother him for a long time. He couldn't stand the arrogant nature of the Marines. But Slive was a piece of work, and insulting to boot. At least most of the others he could put in their place. But he'd never been so outmatched before.

"To make things worse he was only the second-in-command. I didn't even bother fighting the captain....freaking beast of a man, nearly as big as a house." They didn't need to know that he planned to die taking the ship out beneath them. That wasn't something he made a habit out of, but under the circumstances, he wasn't going to let them win. And he most certainly wasn't going to Impel Down. Nope. Better to die in a blaze of cannonade than chained up in that hell-hole. "...unfortunately the ship was falling apart. And at that point fatigue didn't let me fight any further." A lie of omission. One he could live with. "And that's all there is. What about you guys? Looks like you've had a fair bit of hell yourself!"

[Doc]

When Marius arrived with the good news, Ren sighed deeply. "Well now that that's settled, I think it's time for me to have a little bit of fun. Don't wait up," he said with a grin. Giving Aubrey a brief nod, he exited his cabin, heading towards the deck. He began to mentally plot out everything he would do as soon as he reached the village. The first thing, was to get some real food. Eating nothing but rations had nearly given him a stomachache. He wanted to enjoy something that he couldn't get normally, maybe try something that was a special of the island. He was licking his lips as he quickly crossed the board that connected their ship to the pier and got his first real look at the island.

It was a fisherman's paradise. Docks and piers dotted every area that was near the water, numerous bridges and walkways connecting the many houses and docks to the bigger section of the village. For whatever reason, the square that acted as the center of the village was packed. Apparently there was a festival or some sort of celebration, because people were jammed elbow to elbow, singing, dancing, drinking and enjoying food. Dotting the crowd were a few performers. Because of the magnitude of people, Ren couldn't have walked with his eyes closed if he'd wanted to. There was far too much going on at once, the joyous nature of the crowd plastering a rye smile on his face. "First thing's first. Grub," he said, moving his way through the crowd to a bar nearby. He made sure not to pick the one closest to the ship, since according to Aubrey, that's where they'd meet up for drinks later. No point in sitting in the same spot the entire time.

Reaching the bar he'd been aiming for, he looked up to read the neon sign that blazed 'Mermalair'. That almost dissuade him from entering, but he was hungry, so he pushed the door open and strode inside. As soon as he stepped in, he was blasted by a wave of noise. The bar was jampacked, everyone inside either busy eating or drinking and singing loudly. The atmosphere of the rest of the town had missed this bar, that was to be certain. Still smiling, Ren walked over to an empty table, and no sooner had he sat down then a beaming waitress came to greet him. "Hello sir, welcome to the Mermalair, what can I get for you this evening?" Still unsure of what he wanted, he gave her a wink before replying "Surprise me. Whatever the house special is, and a bottle of..." he looked over at the rowdiest table in the bar, a group of 4 men seated at what resembled a table thats top had been replaced with empty bottles. "And a bottle of whatever they're having,"

The waitress nodded, turning around and being lost from his view in the crowd. He didn't know why, but his mood was suddenly lifted just by walking onto the island. This place was great, he'd never been anyplace like it. The waitress returned a short time later holding a small bowl filled to the brim with strange small, flat looking disks. She set them on the table and turned to go. "The house special?" he asked, puzzled. Turning back around, the waitress shook her head. "No no, that's an appetizer. Fish puffs. Very popular around here. And don't worry, they're my treat," she said, giving him a wink.

She disappeared back into the mass of people, as Ren eyed the strange dish before him. Reaching out a hand, he grabbed one of the fish puffs and took a bite of it. It was like an immediate explosion of flavor in his mouth. He rocked back in his chair, staring at the half eaten fish puff in his hand as if it had just tap danced across his palm and asked him to marry it. "Holy crap. This is good!" he exclaimed, popping the rest of the puff in his mouth.

He proceeded to inhale the remaining puffs, drawing attention from one of the side tables. "Ha ha! Slow down chum, save some room for the main course!" Slightly abashed, Ren slowed his pace, eating the puffs 5 at a time. Before he knew it, the bowl was empty. Rubbing his stomach, he waited eagerly for the next course.

[Weeks]

-Before he had set off, Justin had collected a few things from the ship, instead, leaving behind his guns, ammo, and anything combat related. The ships cargo manifest, a few empty burlap sacks, a light wallet, and Ponte, had come ashore with him. He was relived that at least for now, he could venture about without fear of retribution from the Marines. The sniper knew however that in a few short days he would be a wanted man. Commander Shepard wouldn't take kindly to being shot from a cannon through a ship's deck.

-The town reminded Justin of home. Simple, quiet, it was that kind of place that constantly made you feel nostalgic. He could almost see a few people he knew, but every time he got close, something would be completely different about them. Still, it was quaint. No paved roads, not a building in sight over two stories, the smell of fresh bread in the air. Yes, it certainly reminded him of home. However, Justin's mind was currently drawn to a heated conversation between himself, and one of his crew mates.

-"So tell me again why your tagging along?" asked Justin, Ponte sighing in disbelief.

-"For the third time, I'm here because you look like your about to fall over. Plus, people are a little put off when your covered in blood and...whatever else your covered in." he said, rolling his eyes as he pondered about their so called "doctor".

-"First off, it's not my blood." began Justin.

-"That's even worse, don't tell people that, I know, and that's to many people." interjected Ponte.

-"SECOND, If I don't take care of this kind of crap, no one here will. So far from what I've observed, we have Aubrey, the apparent captain who expects me to do everything."

-"Well, you did shoot him in the head several times."

-"Irrelevant! Next we have you and Marius...what do you two even do?"

-"I dunno...Everything you should be doing when your sleeping?"

-Justin pretended not to hear a single word of that.

-"Then we have Squints-"

-"Squints? ....Are you talking about Ren?"

-"Obviously. I've never even seen his eyes. The man is blind for all we know!"

-"He's not blind, he pilots the ship doesn't he?"

-"He could just be really lucky! And plus, I can never tell if he's asleep or awake! That's just weird."

-"Well he doesn't sleep standing up, so when he's standing up he's awake."

-"But you cant tell can you?! The man is so god damned peaceful all the time!"

-"Except for when he's talking to you."

-"F*** you Ponte."

-"You were saying about the crew?" he grinned.

-"Right, then we have...wait...what was her name?"

-"Kaille I think. Just caught her name as I was leaving."

-"Right, for one, she's adorable."

-"No argument here, that a problem?"

-"No, but I think she's been sniffing paint. She just wandered into a battle between Pirates and Marines without a clue as to what was going on."

-"Well, your the one who made that confusing, since you were fighting Marines in a Marine uniform."

-Once again, Justin ignored Ponte's logic.

-"And then theirs that guy we just picked up, better yet, I picked up."

-"What about him? You haven't even spoken to him yet."

-"He weighs like a thousand million tons! That's not normal!"

-"So you dislike him immediately because he's overweight?"

-"....Yeah?"

-"Your a real class act Weeks."

-"And your an ass**le Ponte."

-"So what your getting at is...Your not an overweight, paint sniffing, squinty eyed, lazy slave driver, and because of this, it means that you, out of everyone else on the crew, are the most qualified to go into town and sell off the cargo that we stole?"

-"...Alright now your making me sound like the ass**le here..."

-"You did that yourself." chuckled Ponte, shaking his head.

-The two walked in silence after this, excluding Justin who continued to mumble to himself stupidly, Ponte catching horrid words that would make any ones mother cringe. The walk however, was short, and they arrived at the towns perhaps only general store, more or less a wooden shack attached to a small warehouse. The entire building seemed to be poorly taken care of, needing a new paint job and repair work. The inside was just as bad as they opened a creaky crooked door. Dust covered many of the shelves, items strewn about in no particular order.

-"Maybe...I'll wait outside..." whispered Ponte, making an abrupt stop and turning around almost instantly as he spotted the man behind what was left of the stores counter.

-Justin grumbled as he walked up the counter. The man had to be at least 80, skinny, with thin white hair in odd patched on his head and face. It looked as though he had been tearing out large chunks for the past few years.

-"Buying or selling?" he croaked, scratching himself, ruffling his unwashed and multicolored stained cloths.

-"Both." replied Justin.

-"What your got and what you need?"

-"See for yourself." said Justin, passing the haggard old man the ship's cargo manifest, even signed by a noble in Lougetown.

-The man took more than a few moments to look over the contents of the manifest, first struggling to find his glasses, then struggling to put them on. It was more then infuriating to see the man in action. Every verb that this man acted out used to most complicated and odd way he could possibly find. Weather it be turning a page, or better yet, reading, witch apparently he had to do in alphabetical order. If Justin was right, then the man was looking for every word in the leader that began with A, then B, and so on. Was it even possible to read that way? What should have taken only a few minutes took over ten, and Justin found himself smoking in the shop, tapping his foot on the wood with his arms crossed.

-"20,000 Berri." he finally wheezed, putting the manifest down on the counter.

-"WHAT? That's like robbing me!" shouted Justin, realizing that what he had robbed was nearly being robbed from him.

-"Can't do nothin' with it. It's all goods meant for Coast Nostra. You got...candlesticks...writing paper...quills...things like that. Can't sell em for nothin' here." he spoke calmly, slowly, just agitating Justin even further.

-"All this is worth AT LEAST 50,000 Berri!"

-"In Coast Nostra it is. This is the Grand Line sonny. You got Powder? It's worth more than it's weight in gold here."

-"We need the powder we have! Look, it's not like any of this stuff will go bad! You have a warehouse full of crap like this! And some of this stuff you can sell off to passing trade ships!"

-"Not here. Should have gone to Minato. I assume you are selling it here because it's stolen."

-"...I'm....I'm not even going to dignify that with a response..."

-"Uh huh..." the old man simply nodded, confirming his own suspicions.

-"Look...if you think you can pull a fast one on me, you better forget it. Maybe you can't sell it full price on this side of the island, but you can at least buy it for 50, you can still make a profit on that!"

-"I'll give yah 30."

-"No way, common, at least go to 40, I'm going to buy from you anyway."

-"Hmmm....alright....40,000 Berri for the goods. What else did yah need?" asked the man, scratching his patchy smelly beard.

-"First aid supplies for 10, food stuffs for 1 week, including citrus....and I'm going to browse your clothing section."

-Have at er'. That'll bring yah down to about 32."

-"Thirty two!? ....ugh...Alright, I'll take 32, you got a deal old man."

-"Pleasure doin' business with you."

-However infuriated Justin was before he ad entered the shop was paled in comparison to how he was now. The old man was certainly a good trader, if not one of the worst human beings he had ever seen or met for that matter. He hadn't even bothered to really try on sizes of cloths or check the good he had bought. In reality, it didn't really matter in a store like this. Everything inside was crappy, even the outside of it. The sacks now full to the brim with food, medical supplies, as well as Justin's new wardrobe were tossed out the door like potatoes, and Ponte nearly jumped when Justin slammed it shut.

-"Take that s*** back to the ship. I need a drink." he heaved, steaming like a tea pot.

-"Uh...yeah...think I'll do that..." replied Ponte, his voice sounding vary wary and small.

-Justin stormed off without another word, tearing down the street with all due haste to anything that even had a whiff of alcohol. He didn't have to go far however, and ended up at a place by the name of Mermalair. He didn't wait for anything before he tore through the facility, parked himself at a stool by the bar, and ordered himself a whiskey sour. Not a word was uttered from him as he sipped on his drink, smoking cigaret after cigaret in between gulps.