New Friends [WW Act 2]

[Aubs]

It took a few seconds for the gravity of everything happening around the crew to come to terms. Standing in their circle, closed off from the rest of the troubles around them, they had shared a moment as a unit, a collection of seconds that would forever engrain their dedication to one another. Then just as quickly it was over, and reality beckoned from their long dark hallway like the light that you always walked towards. Life was cruel sometimes, especially when you were having so much fun. Sighing to himself, Aubrey turned to Justin at his side and bent down to pick up the bulletin board notice and its attached map. He knew that he wouldn’t be winning this argument no matter what he said, Justin was drunk and he would be a handful, but there was no way he could let the Ex-Marine drunk off his ass walk out into a Marine street fight.

“Alright Justin. This one’s yours then. That ancient ruin in the middle of the island has got to have treasure in it. Take Ponte and Ren and go see what you can find out.”

Justin had been around the island all day, so it was possible that he knew the rest of the story. Dangerous creatures, dangerous ruins, potential for no reward. But hey, if he actually told that to Justin himself the complaining would be enough to start another fight of its own. Shaking his head, the young captain placed the roll of parchment into Justin’s hand and continued with his divvying up of responsibilities. “Marius, you get back to the ship, make sure nothing happens to it.” Nodding to his bodyguard the wannabe simply walked around the edge of the table and towards the door. A few feet away he came to a stop, and looked back over his right shoulder at those that were not already moving or whining… Donner and Kallie.

“Well, are you coming or not?”

---

The streets were flush with action, much more turbulent in its motion that earlier that day. The sun was still high in the heavens, though it was clearly on its way to the peak, meaning that a good bit of the day was gone, but also that much was left to come. Whether that was ominous or not he didn’t really know at the moment, but either way he could be safely assumed that something big was about to happen. The thrush of Marines near the front gate of the village was visible from even back here in the town. The streets were strangely empty around this section of city, with only a few bits of paper floating by on an invisible wind.

As he walked casually towards the front of Enkai, with its large gate and the visage of jungle behind its walls, Aubrey could hear the shouting of the many angry people.

“It’s those Minato bastards trying to take over the island again!”

“They had been consorting with pirates, we have to stop them!”

“Death to the fake Marines!”

Near the end of the courtyard, behind the mass of people screaming and the high steeps that illustrated the hierarchy of the Marines left in Enkai, our hero leaned against the wall of a building and crossed his arms. This courtyard must have been very nice to look at when it wasn’t in a riot. The many water highways of the city seemed to lead right around here, but this section was firmly entrenched in the earth, with hard stone at the bottom and stone steps leading to heavy wood gates. This place would throw a good party, if the many food carts and umbrellas over entertainment had any indication, though most of that was tucked away, crushed and tattered by the pounds of flesh raging in the once pleasant grove. It would not be good to get too close to this mess, and from here he could clearly hear what this whole thing about. Some Marine Captain had apparently been consorting with pirates and had been killed here in this village. But he wasn’t from here, he like the vast majority of the Marines on the island were the other city on the other side of the island. Those two groups of people must have had a long history, because the vehemence in the air made this look like a festering wound.

Strangely enough one Marine on the steps facing the crowd did not seem mad at all, but rather smug by comparison. Thin, pale, with lavender hair this guy clearly wasn’t from here, this people at least had a tan from living out in a Summer Island. Tilting his head to one side the wannabe looked on as the scene unfolded.

---

The gates flung open as the Marine Commander who had assumed control over this situation. Most of the mess that was the Marines were placed into semi-controlled lines as they marched out into the jungle, though Babet did slip in besides this bearded leader and nearly whispered him to death. “You know sir, you should send in an envoy into the city to bring out the enemy, they won’t expect it.” The Commander looked back at him curiously for a moment before speaking, nodding in approval.

“Lieutenant Babet right? Sounds like a good plan, it will help get the other Marines settled and take care of the traitorous officers. Walk with me.”

His face twitched only slightly as he walked, again almost surprised by how easy this whole thing was. Were all of his jobs going to be this simple? Well, being a spy did have its advantages he supposed, though secretly he wondered how the Boss and the Privateer were doing right about now. Enough of that, that wouldn’t help him destroy the Marines on this island, even though he really needed to level this thing out. It almost wasn’t fair, only 1 of him versus all of their combined merit, they must have been so unfortunate to be on the losing side of that equation.

Through the heavy, dark jungle they went. All the while Babet told this Commander exactly what he needed to do to catch his “enemy” off guard.

SPOILER: Click to show

Justin and Doc have first posts, then they will break off for their own topic. Sorry for the lousy post guys.

---

---

[Weeks]

"Justin's log:

Once we arrived on the island of Enko no Saisho, I was once again put on assignment by the Captain. Arriving in port was perhaps the most nerve wracking, but the port authorities in the town of Enkai hardly had high security measures. I had seen the type before, bored Marines who just wanted to finish out the day on a peaceful island where nothing ever happens. I wouldn't be surprised if they had never made an arrest. To their credit, they weren't exactly looking for us. The Captain's bounty is hardly worth note at this point on the Line, as well as Ren's, our Navigator. I had no doubts by then that I would have a bounty myself by the end of the week, perhaps even sooner than that. Regardless, for the moment we could walk around the island freely, and I was assigned to sell off the stolen cargo from the Flight, what we had decided to name our ship.

I found myself in a trashy part of town in an otherwise beautiful village, surrounded by the most tropical of plants. Since I will most likely be the only person ever to read this log, I will spare myself the details of how infuriating the owner of the shop I decided to sell at. The man looked as though he never bathed, or slept a moment his entire life. Perhaps his worst flaw was his incomprehensible way of organizing. I suppose I did leave details. Sufficed to say, I needed a drink after this, and I sent Marius who had accompanied me back to the ship with the supplies we managed to bargain for, along with each of the crew members share of the Berri.

I ended up in a small Bar by the name of Mermalair, drank down a good amount of Whiskey and managed to smoke about half my pack of cigarets before Ren shuffled my way. I was a bit skeptical of the man at first, but with a little beer he turned into a real class act. I never trusted anyone who was to serious, except for the Captain, but I've known him since I was just a child, and he's been that way forever. In all honesty, when I should have been contemplating our next mood, I began to drink away just about any worry I had ever had. I had almost lost track of the time before we set off to yet another bar to meet with the crew. It wasn't to soon until (I was told this because I don't recall it very well) I was dancing and singing, making a spectacle of myself, and as I was told, breaking just about half the bar. I can't say I regret it. Out of the whole crew, I had the least time out of anybody to myself. The Captain had given himself ample time to bathe, change and get himself looking official. Myself on the other hand, I was still in my bloody torn and blackened uniform from the battle over reverse mountain. Marius himself said that it looked a little odd for me to be walking about in that, but I had no choice, had I not gotten it done, we all would have had not a Berri in our pockets nor a drink in our hands.

It was at that point (When I broke the alcohol shelf behind the bar with my head) that Aubrey sent me away once again into the middle of the Jungle, in the middle of the night with Ponte and Ren. Considering my state at the time, I had no room to argue, in fact, I'm sure I thought that it was a grand idea. So, without a wink of sleep, bath, or tiny scrap of food in my stomach, we departed."

It had been a very long time since the First Mate, formally Marine, had been able to cut loose on such a level. In truth, it was perhaps the first time he had truly felt comfortable interacting with a select group of people since he left Goa over 5 years ago. They were certainly a group that was one of a kind, if you forget your stereotypical view of pirates. I mean, you would certainly have to get past the fact that at least three of them were mild alcoholics. Then they had a gambler, a womanizer, a Captain who didn't know how to loosen his tie, and perhaps the oddest of all, a Skypian with no knowledge of perhaps 99% of the world at large. But...somehow, it already felt like a little family, at least, a family reunion where you only knew one other person.

Yet it had to end at some point, and when it did it was strait back to business. Aubrey had apparently devised some sort of fantasy in his mind about ruins in the jungle that held treasure. Had Justin not been so intoxicated, he would surly have protested, but in his inebriation, the idea was not just good, it was genius. No exact location was given, let alone a cardinal direction, they were to find it all on their own, with just a rumor and alcoholic stupor to accompany them. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to send incredibly drunken sailors into uncharted, perhaps horribly dangerous jungle. In fact, it was a horrible one.

So off they set, Justin linking arms with Ponte to keep each other on course. They inquired from random strangers along the way to where these ruins might be located, only getting very general information. A finger point was enough for them at the moment to motivate them.

Yet as they walked, a tune was sung by Justin, off key and raspy.

"I'm drunk off Pina Coladas, sailing out of the bay
Never has a mixed drink, made me feel quite so gay
If you're really into yoga, then I don't know what to say
I just did a vinyasa, and it felt kind of lame"

The dark shadows of the overhanging vines and trees however were almost cautioning, begging them to stop.

SPOILER: Click to show

I'll have the next topic for Doc and I up soon. For now, post here first Doc, then post in the topic I'll make.

[Doc]

The commotion at the door was lost on Ren. He was so drunk, all that registered was a serious of noises, which he was determined to ignore. Emptying his glass, he stared at the bottom of his drink with a forlorn look, as if he was hoping if he stared long enough it would fill back up. He rocked to the side, half standing, half stumbling to his feet, loosing a light belch. Before he could move much further he heard Aubrey start talking. "..yours then. That ancient ruin in the middle of the island has got to have treasure in it. Take Ponte and Ren and go see what you can find out.” Freezing in place, Ren swiveled to face the opposite direction, pumping one fist in the air. "I heard my name!" he said loudly. "Heard my name, means we're doing stuff..." He belched again, the escaping air making him woozy a moment later.

"ooooh. My head... Really hurts..." he said. All of the sudden, he didn't feel so good. He was bent double, moaning softly as he rocked his head slightly from side to side. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and glanced up to see Ponte, who was either leading or supporting Justin, he couldn't tell which. Taking it as a cue, Ren staggered to his feet, doing his best not to throw up all over the floor. Reaching a hand back, he removed one of his sheathes from his back, using it to lean on as he walked. His head felt like a swarm of bees had nested there and begun to cultivate another, larger swarm, to send forth to invite more bees to his head. Normally he could see with his eyes closed because of the return of vibrations making pictures in his mind's eye. Now all he saw was an enormous block of noise.

Stumbling out of the bar, Ren did his best to keep up with Justin and Ponte who seemed to be stumbling along at a reasonable pace. With every step he took, Ren could feel the alcohol in his stomach sloshing around. He'd never drank so much in one sitting and then got up to do anything. Normally he'd pass out wherever he was sitting. 'God this is unfair...' he thought, grumbling to himself under his breath. After a few more minutes of shuffling along, Ren groaned aloud and called out to Justin. "Where are we going? I wasn't paying attention. And I feel like crap right now...Large amounts alcohol and physical movement...don't go well with me...Think I might heave..."

[Mr. Moshypocrite McSlowbro]

"Oh, uh." Through the course of the night, Kallie had been goaded by the assembled bar patrons into sipping at various bitter-smelling concoctions, each of which seemed to sear her throat worse than the last. However, the crew had eventually been kind enough to steer her towards a drink better suited for such a... sunny individual. Though its exact contents were something of a mystery to her, it lacked the bite the others exhibited, and had a taste that was remarkably similar to apple pie. Entranced by the sweetness, that glass had remained as her companion for the duration of the group's revelry, though her thirst paled in comparison to that of her companions (Fancy and Squints, in particular, displayed a lust for liquid satisfaction that bordered on unsettling). Still, she felt a slight tinge of regret in abandoning her sweat treat, as well as the warm and snuggly feeling that seemed to accompany its consumption. But if this particular jubilee was to continue elsewhere, there was little to be done.

Setting the chalice back upon the counter, Kallie hopped down off the barstool that she had so amused herself spinning upon and trailed after Aubrey. At first she was offset by the strange numbness in her lower extremities, but after a few cautious steps, she was able to recover her balance well enough. "Coming!"

The condition of the city outside seemed to have undergone a drastic change since she had last laid eyes on it: the coming of night's dark shade stifled the lively hustle and bustle of the waking hours, leaving little but an empty metropolitan husk. Her first thought was to question why they had split from the tavern ramshackle comforts only to be greeted by the chill of the evening air, but her answer came before she had a chance to ask. A sudden stream of people burst out from around the corner, speaking among themselves in sober tones as they headed down towards the courtyard, which upon closer inspection, seemed to be well-stocked with others of a similar disposition. While the direct cause for their discontent was unclear, it seemed to have something to do with the local Navy yard. Strange, that the men and women dedicated to protecting the peace would be at the center of a controversy that was so upsetting the populace. She had to assume that this was the reason that Metal Head had roused them, which was kind of him! Though why he had shipped off the other three members of their merry gang off to attend to other matter was beyond her. Ah well. One mystery at a time.

For now, the artist decided to take the direct approach. Flagging down a concerned townsperson as he passed, she asked him. "Excuse me. What's going on?"

"Those Navy bastards have finally shown their true colors! We're gonna tear 'em a new one for all the grief they've caused us..." The man paused for a moment, looking Kallie up and down as if he was just now registering her appearance. "...A marine!"

"What?" Gazing down at herself, the girl finally came to a realization. It wasn't the gull-marked sails of the ship they had come in on, or the Navy monogramming on every section of the outfit she had donned that had triggered her understanding, nor the multiple accusations of being a 'pirate' that had been hurled at her in the midst of their intrepid adventures on Reverse Mountain. No, it took another person pointed out to whom that particular uniform belong to in order for her to make the connection. This was a Marine outfit. That was a Marine ship. The people she had painted and kicked and her way through, and had fired at her in return, were all Marines. That was like ten-million more kinds of bad that she had been aware of. "AHH!"

Her sudden exclamation was met with a similar level of enthusiasm from the agitated citizen, who pointed at her accusingly. "AHH!"

Which only served to further alarm the panicked girl. "AHH!"

Kind of a vicious circle, really. "AHH!"

[donnervark]

Donner was ready to down his drink when Aubrey dropped a bomb the big ginger probably should have expected. Part of him was ready to jump in, agree, and let the good times roll. Of course, this was his future they were discussing, and there was still a lot to learn about this crew. Were they really the kind of people for him? He only knew as much about their goals as he'd picked up from conversations. He then chuckled, realizing how dense he was. These people boarded a marine ship and stole him away from the Marines, not only did he owe them a debt of gratitude, but that spoke volumes of Aubrey's priorities at least. He could have left him there, gone for the payroll reserves, or any of the other valuables that a Marine ship held. Instead he nabbed the only man on board not wearing the uniform and booked it. Plus, looking around, these guys looked like they knew how to have a good time. His mental scales were weighing heavily on the side of the White Wings. What would Dodger say? Nah, that wasn't going to work. Dodger would punch Aubrey and take command if the man couldn't impress him. His mind wandered as he started raising his drink....what would Maple say? For the briefest of moments Donner's expression went completely blank, and then returned his previous smile to its rightful place. He didn't need to think about that now....the dead belonged in the past....and in dreams. A sigh escaped his lips and he grinned even more broadly.

"Very well Captain. I accept your offer!" The big man threw back his cup and groaned as the subtle liqour delighted his taste buds. Whatever he'd been expecting, that was definitely not it. It was positively delectable. As he fell back into his seat, soaking in everything that had transpired over the last two days, only one thought nagged at him. He heard the story, but he still had yet to see these guys fight. Maybe it wasn't the standard with all ships, but Dodger ingrained the necessity of strength into all his Nakama. If he was going to serve this crew, if Aubrey was going to have his loyalty, then he needed to know how strong his Captain was. Donner wasn't going to spoil the mood though, and just went with the flow of the evening. He’d find out sooner or later, and besides, there’s no way a week crew could have fought their way through a whole garrison and come out in any state besides dead or caught. He was interested though to see what this Kallie decided. There weren't any female crew-members on Dodger’s ship, and honestly the scenery would be refreshing. Regardless of her decision, he addressed Aubrey directly.

“Gotta say. Not even a week ago I was saying goodbye to my mentor. I expected to be searching for a crew for at least a month if not more.” Donner shook his head. “I can’t wait to see what kinds of trouble we can get into! Haha, of course I hope you guys are looking for trouble!” The gathering continued as it had for a while until an awful ruckus arose outside the bar. A man ran inside raving about how someone killed the Marine commander on this island, and the Marines believed another Marine did the deed.. “Well that is wonderful fun.” Part of that comment was serious; the other part was a little worried. At least two of their number seemed rather smashed, while Donner himself was well and drunk. He didn’t know what Kallie’s tolerance level was, but considering her size he wouldn’t be surprised if she was buzzed. If they got in a fight, they’d either be unstoppable, or pushovers. Luckily Aubrey took charge and started giving out orders. He sent Justin, Ponte, and Ren off on a separate assignment, while Marius was sent back to secure the ship. Just as Donner was waiting for an order, the man turned back to the Angel and himself, asking if they were coming.

“Oh yeah! I wouldn’t miss this for the world!” Donner was fully fed, fully rested, and drunk, suffice to say he was ready to roll some skulls. Kallie followed them as well, most definitely showing some signs of unbalance. “Oh yeah, this is going to be a blast…” He chuckled, rolling up his sleeves as they went outside. The mood of the city had definitely changed. The people were tense, keeping to the sides of the street, save for a large crowd that the group came across. The people seemed angry, and looked like they were building up to a riot. If they did riot, especially while the Marines were attacking each other….well he knew Marine policies. This could get very ugly very quick. He was so lost in thought that the sudden burst of exclamations from Kallie and a civilian surprised him. What happened? Then he saw the way the man looked at her uniform….crap. The big man stepped in beside Kallie, just in case she didn’t have it under control, and kept a fist clenched. If the guy moved for her, and it didn’t look like she could handle it, then the guy was going to eat his fist. Hopefully his size was enough of a deterrent though….

[Aubs]

The Marines were running off, followed by some angry townsfolk, leaving the heavy gates open, and most of the action gone. There was only one way out of the city it appeared either, that big open gate at the end of the square. If Justin and his team were to get out of here with any success then Aubrey Kallie and Donner would need to ensure it was clear. And just as our hero was thinking over all of this, leaned up against the wall of a building near the back of this large stone and hardwood square, he couldn’t help but hear the screaming of a woman to his left. His immediate action; sigh heavily and shake his head.

Seems that the people of this town were a bit frenzied over the idea that the Marines would be taking their city from them, so much so that the townsfolk were willing to attack Kallie in disguise for her supposed transgressions. While Aubrey mulled over this fact, it also occurred to him that the only way to follow the real Marines and to subsequently get to the bottom of this mess would be to get out the front gate and into the jungle, which is right were Just would be heading in a moment with Ren and Ponte. In order to free up that team to meet its own objective, then this crowd would have to go. Well, time to become the fast talker treasure hunter that had gotten him here…

A gunshot rang out, directing the attention of not only the townsfolk but of Donner and Kallie, as just in time a slightly waddling Aubrey came sauntering into the picture. His walk was longer, more tried and precise, as if his leg had long since been dead from some injury. In addition, his left shoulder was slightly hunched. When he spoke, Aubrey didn’t even sound like himself, more like an angry cousin that had speaking problems. “Back up! Back up! None of yall touch ‘er.” Waving his flintlock, the same one from Lougetown in the air before him, he seemed less menacing and more crazy.

“I know just what ta do with this her Marine lady. And none of ya fuckin’ punks is gonna lay her. Butch, grab her will ya?” Still slumping towards them, Aubrey pointed out in Donner, still in character, and told him to grab the poor girl. “Now get outta here before I open ya up! Nob'dy here to protect ya now!” Waving his gun at the small crowd, trying to push them back as he approached. Just as he did so one man moved towards him, unafraid of his advance “Who the hell are!?!”

He never finished his little threat, as his jaw met untimely with Aubrey’s boot. Swinging his back leg, the one he had been pretending was injured and gimp, around his body, twisting as he did so, Aubrey was able to build enough momentum to move his stiff body into a powerful roundhouse kick that connected with the poor man’s face. Known as the “Gou Gou no Ono” this attack was strong enough to break a man after just one shot, as if a singing axe-head had just ripped into him, but because of the bluntness in Aubrey’s boot the man just went rocketing off to the side, tumbling across the ground and back into an alley to off stage. He would have rather shot into the air again, but he was clearly out of shot from the opening act of his performance, so Aubrey had been forced to hit this unlucky man. Even though the wannabe had pulled his punch, it wasn’t really fair for him to hit someone, considering the nature of his body.

But, at least the people didn’t stick around. As they scattered in opposite directions, parting like the Red Sea, Aubrey spoke in his natural voice as quietly as he dared, and just as quick as his last attack. “Get outside the gate. I’ll catch up.” Aubrey made sure to drop a few berri on the poor man he hit while he pretended to slump outside the city, though by the time he hit the staircase he had given up the charade. Outside the gate he found Kallie and Donner awaiting him as well. Laughing to himself, and shaking his head the Captain spoke to his newest crewmates as they all turned towards the long, well defined and well lit road that took them presumably to the other city. “Told you Donner, we are just lucky, and a bit slick.” As they walked, the few of them discussed what they had gathered from the last few minutes, with most of the info coming from Aubrey. And as they went they tried to work out some kind of plan. It was strange though, because not single Marine could be found, as if everyone on this side of the island had decided to join the mounting coup.

---

Standing above the city on the perch of pristine stone, backed by thick jungle the few Marines with decision making authority looked down the grand staircase that led from the mountain and jungle and into the recessed city on the water known as Minato. Babet stood with this new leader, a stout man with his big beard. Every man that they had passed had either been taken into their growing flock of violent Marines or maimed, killed or beaten. The way was clear behind them, that was for sure. The plan was simple, as small groups of Maries from their coup descended the stairs to grab certain targets in the city. And these leaders stood waiting to move on their own target, the Port Authority building at the back of the island, which was the Marine base on the island. In a few moments however, Babet would be breaking off to find his actual boss inside the city, while the Commander went to call for the surrender of the acting Captain of the Marines, the former second in command of Minato, who was probably unaware of the situation, and simply not guilty of the crime that would be pinned on him with the help of LT Babet.

They were all smiles, sick cruel smiles that told of the lust that the Officers had for “defending” their homes, which really meant killing the Marines they thought to be trying to kill them.

It was all a bit confusing.

SPOILER: Click to show

For the record, it is still daytime outside. Sorry for the confusion. It is only important because we have to coordinate with the other thread. Thank you both for your excellent posts.

---

---

[Mr. Moshypocrite McSlowbro]

Kallie's daze was broken when Donner tugged her away from the growing clamor. If the broad-shouldered cannoneer had been paying particular attention, he might have noticed the distinct ease with which moving the Skypiean girl could be shifted. She weighed much less than appearances would suggest, which is saying something given her already lithe build.

Once they made it to the gate, their pace slowed, as to allow their fearless leader time to rejoin the party when his work was done. As the adrenaline from her brief encounter tapered off, her (semi)logical mind reasserted dominance over her body's impulsive behavior. A few calm breaths, and all was well with the world again. No, wait, the other thing. Chaos. Yeah, something like that. Realizing that crazy guy had acted with rather blatant hostility towards her, and that crazy guy likely had crazy friends (Because that's how crazy works), the young artist made the decision to switch from her current footwear to something a bit more zoom-y. Freeing her skates from the dark leather captivity that was her messenger bag, she slipped off the standard-issue Navy boots she had obtained back at the ship, and equipped her favorite method of travel. Now if a mob of shouting angry people showed it would be Kallie 1, Jerks 0.

Aubrey emerged from the gate only moments later, the persona he had adopted in order to frighten off the crowd dropped in favor of his usual character. And, better yet, there did not seem to be a torch-and-pitchfork mob coming down the street behind him. "Metal-Head! You're okay!"

Together again, their defacto captain herded the lot of them down the path, explaining what he had learned about the current situation with the rest of the group. The impulsive artist drifted backwards, coasting alongside her land-bound friends, to listen to their conversation. After a brief exchange of information, she raised her hand, as if she were in a schoolhouse. It was not until the other two men stopped talking and looked at her that she asked her query; it was only polite, after all.

"Um... So wait. I'm confused." Kallie declared, moving her hand from the air down to prop up her chin. "The Marines are trying to take over the island? Why would they do that? Doesn't the World Government already own it?"

To be perfectly frank, she was not very knowledgeable on Marines. She did not often cross paths with the soldiers in white in her line of owrk. Large, well populated islands more often than not possessed a sizable port, which meant they were more than capable of sending and receiving mail on their own (Though, she would like to point out that her deliveries were typically quicker, and less ruffled as compared to those carried by ponderous mail-bearing vessels. Not to mention service with a smile). No, the courier more often than not found herself carrying letters to small towns, within which the World Government had no foothold. So, with only a smidgen of first-hand experience, Kallie had been forced to base her opinion of the sea's justice off second hand accounts. Which had largely come in the form of storied told to her while being bounced up and down on someone's knee. Valiant warriors, who brave the roughest of seas and clash with the most monstrous of creatures in order to keep the civilized world safe from harm.

But recent events had brought this belief into question. The three ships that had attacked them when crossing over the aptly-named Reverse Mountains certainly reflected none of the supposed morality that she had been raised to expect of them. Certainly not their captain, the foul man she and Fancy-Coat had sent flying. She hoped that fellow spent a long time recovering from that beating. Sometimes the only time to drill kindness into someone was with a clenched fist! And now Marines here were attacking innocent people? What kind of love is that? Pft! She'd teach them a thing or two! Perhaps it was the warmth in her cheeks, just a result of sweet-tasting liquid courage she had sampled, but she could no longer feel the dull throb that had been plaguing her; an echo of the injuries sustained in the prior day. Actually, it was more than that. In the void where her pain had been, a new sensation had taken root. One of boundless bravado, as if she had obtained a state of invulnerability. Metal-Head was on the right track after all! A ragtag band of heroes, moving to thwart the evil plot of a nefarious group of villains? It was so perfect that it literally could not fail!

[donnervark]

Donner was surprised by the sound of a gunshot and spun on his heels, almost drawing up one of his hand-cannons in response. Fortunately he saw Aubrey in time to hold off. As his new Captain began acting quite a fool, the big guy caught on and suppressed a grin. This man was sharp for sure, and a damn good actor. He had the whole crowd very convinced that he was a drunken man looking to join in on the trouble, before delivering a jaw crunching kick directly to the face of the one man who'd stood up to him. Donner played along and pulled Kallie away from the scene. The crowd fleeing from a drunken maniac was far more worried about themselves than the sailor girl, and they made a clean getaway through an alley.

Once at the gate things were much more manageable. And while the strange flying skates Kallie put on caught his attention for the moment, his thoughts were towards what was happening on the island. Considering how easily mobs were already beginning to form, such as the one they just encountered, their wasn't a single marine in sight. He knew their policies too well, this would never slide even under full attack. What could possibly be so huge that not a single Marine could spot such unrest? The thought was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Commander Slive had been a sorely needed reminder of how devious, and how powerful the World Government's lackeys were. He didn't think a simple divide in forces would cause this level of unrest. There had to be more to this, he simply didn't have all the angles.

It was only moments later then Aubrey arrived, having lost the mob. "Nice going. You play an excellent madman!" Donner grinned. "But I think things are gonna get complicated here out." And he wasn't wrong. As their leader guided them through the city he explained everything that he'd learned. Donner had figured most of it, but only because of his experience, which he decided to omit from discussion for the time being. It was too complicated to explain, and they didn't have the time. But adding Aubrey's information and his assumptions, they were looking at a complete division of the Islands forces, which meant there was a lot of bloodthirsty marines out their with itchy trigger fingers. When it came to planning time, Donner was much more prepared.

"Just a few options that I can think of. But it completely depends on whether you want to play this defensively, or offensively." Donner had a good hunch that most of the Marine ships would be empty or have single watchman. That point alone held all kind of opportunity. Payroll vaults, weapons & ammo, cannons, even basic necessities if they wanted to be jerks about it. It was all for the taking. On the other hand, if they wanted to take this opportunity to do some damage, all those ships could be sunk easily without their normal compliment of sailors on guard. Looking at Kallie gave him another idea as well. With all this chaos they might be able to steal some additional uniforms. From there they could play havoc on the Marines little dispute, or sneak into their headquarters and see what they had hidden away in their vaults. As he talked he realized something he needed to do while they still had a little peace. He took that special shot he stole and brushed it off. He then drew his hand-cannons, transforming his forearm into a solid metal barrel, then took a deep breath and dropped the shot into the barrel. Once he felt it clink in the base he exhaled.

"Hou Hou no..." Donner then returned his arm to normal. He hated doing it like that, because it was uncomfortable. There was a brief moment of intense stiffness in his arm, that he masked to the best of his ability, then flexed his hand, working out the discomfort that technique caused. "Alright. Sorry about that. Figured I might as well prepare while we had the time. I wanted to study that before integrating it, but I guess whatever it does will be a surprise now." The other danger posed by his action was that without knowing what the shot did, it could be very dangerous using it. He'd just have to hope his Devil Fruit powers duplicated it properly.

[Aubs]

Slightly puffing, the Captain needed a moment to catch his breath fully as they moved deeper into the jungle after his little performance. His body, for all the stronger it was making him, was still brittle on the inside. He would need more time to really be able to control the changes to his being, as drastic as they were. But for now, he would have to deal with the soreness in his legs and the stiffness in his chest and back. It was a surprise he hadn’t been more grumpy considering that he felt about 150 years old. Moving as best he could along with the gliding Kallie, who seemed to be enjoying her use of air skates once again, which he had only seen her use briefly before; and Donner who had to stop briefly in order to make use of his devil fruit powers. The three of them spoke briefly on a few subjects before getting to the heart of the subject for the moment.

Turning to Kallie Aubrey responded. “From what I can tell, the people of the town we were just in have a bad past with whoever is in the other city on this island. So I’d guess that they have been at odds for awhile, and while the Marines act as a peacekeeper between them, the Marines themselves are divided between the ones from the island and those not from the island. That’s why I’ll guess that the Marine Base on this island is wherever the mob is heading, and they are planning to take that base over.” Looking over to Donner he continued.

“I thought of a plan already, though I’d wager to say it is similar to what you are thinking. But first, we have to find out what’s really going on, and who is killing who. It’s no skin of my back if the Marines fight one another but if they start rampaging around the island then only bad things can happen to the people here. And they said something about the Marine Captain of the island working with some pirates. So if those pirates show up I will want to deal with them. It’s in our best interest to stop the fighting on this island, even if we have to fight both sides.”

Aubrey walked with them for an hour more, working through the thick jungle by staying on the one wide street they had. Cobblestone was laid at their feet in a 10 foot wide trail, along with a series of lights held up by large wooden poles. After awhile the group came to a large circular area in the midst of their road. Made of wood and stone a large amphitheater was lined with white stone and wooden light poles now, with a memorial at its middle or two people side by side, hands locked together with each one looking back down their respective side of the road that led in both directions away from this spot around the amphitheater . All around the seats a long story was written in the white stone, which contrasted sharply with the cobblestone and wood the travelers had seen up til now. But worst of all, at the other side of the structure a few marines could be seen strewn out on the ground, blood pooling around their lifeless bodies. The rookie stared at them for a moment as it sunk in to him just what was happening, and then he immediately darted to the wall and began reading the inscription.

Marines killing Marines, why why why…

---

As one the Marines began to move to their positions, each not far away from an “enemy” Marine, waiting for the order to kill without warning and seize the city in force. Minato was a lively place, and people were certainly out and about at this evening, with the sun just having set a moment or so before. The people were not as valuable as taking out the Marines, so the rebels had been discouraged from killing them. Our friend Mr. Babet however, had a much more important mission. Walking calmly in the crowd he headed for the Marine Base located at the end of Minato’s dock. It was a mammoth structure with an ornate glass roof, which served as a checkpoint and weigh station for the many Marine Ships that entered the Grand Line and onto the Peace Route. Abet only had one job, get inside and speak to the acting Captain, who had been the Commander working as the Second in Command until a few hours ago. That man, Commander Bickson was his target, and just when the coup was about to be exposed to him the man would die. It would make LT Babet one step closer to sealing off the island and working his way into enough influence that he would be selected as the leader of the renewed base. He couldn’t help but smirk as he looked up at the docks and the base. It was all too easy.

But, turning quickly into a small alley Babet walked into the shadows. His real boss was on his way, and wanted to speak to him before he got too close to the docks and the Base. No one would find them here for certain.

---

Later, down the road from where they had witnessed the monument, and after the sun had gone down, the three approached the final strides of their jungle road. Standing above the city of Minato on a semicircle plateau that lead down to a large set of stairs tipped in blue stone dashed on the heavy white rock that made up the vast majority of this busy port city. There was a single house next to them, which must have been a guard station, now left unmanned by the dead bodies outside the door. The descending staircase led crisscross down to the city, but from up here the whole thing came into view. The balloons with their ads floated above them, and the stunning buildings seem to shine in the low light of the moon. With no marines here the wannabe Captain could only surmise that they were already down in the city. Aubrey stood between the small guardhouse and the staircase, leaning against the railing and looking down at the impressive city. He knew now what this fighting was about, thanks to that mural they had come to before, built in the middle of the island if he had read it right. Leaning and thinking, not too sure what Kallie and Donner were doing at the moment, Aubrey took a second to make a final decision about what to do next before turning around and placing his elbows on the rail behind him.

“Donner, help me look inside the house here. Kallie, we need you to go into the city and get close enough to find out whats going on. Just look for the important Officer Marines we saw in Enkai. It doesn’t sound like they are fighting yet so they may be getting ready. Come back as soon as you find someone important so we can know where to find him at please.”

The rookie looked at both of his brand new crew members, waiting on their answers to his orders. All the while his mind was running around with how they could stop an attack they knew nothing about.

---

---

[Mr. Moshypocrite McSlowbro]

The oddball group made fairly good time, hastened by the apparent urgency of their current situation. This time was spent largely in and out of discussion, most of which involving weighty words and solemn expressions; a disposition the sprightly girl found difficult to maintain for long periods of time. Still, being a rather social creature, she found entertainment in simply being present. Furthermore, Kallie found the warm and fuzzy feeling that had clung to her so tightly just an hour before had slowly begun to fade somewhat. Just enough for the girl to reclaim the aerial grace which so delighted her. When the two boys became too engrossed in their own words, or her own attention simply faded away, as it was so want to do, she amused herself by performing small feats of dexterity. At first they were simple: idly circling between Donny (She had yet to give him an alternative designation. But for the moment she decided that his name was amusing enough) and Metal-Head (Who seemed to be their limiting factor in regards to traveling speed. Not that she blamed him or anything. After being drenched at sea, his joints must be rusty!) in a lazy figure-8. She quickly learned that too sharp a turn would cause her ankle to flare up in pain, making her cringe. Closing her eyes, she could feel the bruises where that violent marine guy had grabbed her leg so tightly. It still hurt, but time had reduced it to a manageable level.

However, once she got the hang of what her aching limbs could perform without further aggravating their condition, she was able to ease into more complex tricks. Crisscrossing back and forth, hopping over small obstacles, even performing a few flips, otherwise harsh landings softened by a cushion of dial-produced air. The activity was rather soothing for Kallie. She never liked having her 'wings clipped', so to speak. Meaning her ability to skate, not her actual wings. Though she imagined that was not a particularly pleasant experience either.

The red-haired artist was the first to spot the great monument in the distance, curiosity driving her ahead of the group to investigate. Her first observation was that the structure was particularly colorless, being largely comprised of white stone on top of grey, which given her hobby was something she found particular issue with. Still, there was a certain elegance in the construction, the raised edges of the inscription carved with care and carefully maintained. As tactile a person as she was, she ran her finger along the stone. It was very smooth, and strangely cold to the touch. It was then that she finally glanced to the side, her eyes moving beyond the structure. There, she saw bodies, human bodies, collapsed on the ground. Kallie might have assumed the marines to be sleeping, but the awkward positions in which they were slumped were not indicative of a restful slumber. Worst of all, the sign that not even someone as oblivious as she could miss: their white uniforms, which were stained a vibrant red that seemed to glint in the shining sun. Her eyes grew wide. Part of her wished to move closer, to confirm to her mind what her senses believed, but she found herself frozen in place. To be frank, she was a stranger to death, beyond that of loving pets, which was always a gut-wrenching affair. She had seen dead relatives when she was small, well-dressed and dignified amid a sea of loved ones. But this was a different matter entirely. There was no dignity in these deaths. It was murder, cold and brutal, the bodies left to be carried off by carrion beasts. For someone who viewed the world as a place of inherent benevolence, the sight was terrifying.
Gripped by an abstract horror, she retreated wordlessly to the rest of the party, her sun-kissed skin an ashen white. She followed closely behind as the other two inspected the amphitheater, and its grim contents, hiding behind the two as if they were shields against the frightful scene. When Aubrey addressed her, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Find someone and come back. I-I think I can do that.” Kallie said, in nearly a whisper. His voice had snapped her out of her torpid state. Seeing the violence firsthand had been rather sobering, forcing the girl to fully comprehend the seriousness of their current situation. However, seeing that neither he nor Donny’s knees had buckled at the macabre sight as hers had sparked a mite of confidence in the woman. This was bad, sure. This was really really bad. But she had always been told that bad times were when you got to see the really good people. And she did not intend to disappoint! Feeling somewhat reassured, she turned towards the railing Aubrey was reclined against, pulling her tinted goggles down over her eyes. In a swift motion, she shot a burst of air out of her skates, strong enough to propel her up and over the cliff’s edge. "Um. S-stay safe!” She managed to shout, before gravity became a more pressing matter than interpersonal communication.

The path down the overlook was treacherously steep, which was likely why the guard rail had been there in the first place. Fortunately Kallie was able to glide just above the ground, avoiding the normal hazards one might expect of racing downhill. Though her unique skates did nothing to protect the courier from the dangers of her own growing momentum. Under normal circumstances, she likely would have found the speed with which she made her decent down towards the town invigorating, but- ah, who was she kidding. Terrified or not, it was difficult for her to hold her frown with the wind whipping against her face. Spotting an upcoming ledge, she built up another blast of air, and shot off the rocky outcropping like a ramp, carrying the winged heroine sky-borne, sailing up over the town. Already she could feel the strain her stunt had put on her muscles pulse angrily, but at the moment she was too exhilarated to pay it any mind. In just a few short moments her breakneck speed carried her down to the paved streets. From the looks of things, her landing pad was deserted. But she was well aware that this was a bustling town, so there had to be people somewhere. Besides, she couldn't exactly stop now! Literally!

[donnervark]

Aubrey's plan surprised Donner only in its thoughtfulness. He hadn't expected the man to show such concern for the people of this island. Donner didn't argue either. The old man's policy had been simple.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Dodger growled as his fist sent Donner painfully into the mast. He hit with enough force to shake the sails, and the impact nearly made him black out. The old man was furious. It was obvious because of the lack of laughter, or even the faintest smile on his face. The crew was so used to his violent training that this was the only way they could tell when he was serious. Donner spit out blood and stood up with a groan. That punch might have broken a few ribs.

"I wasn't....they needed help..." He barely spoke before Dodgers fist smashed into the mast beside Donner's head. The impact actually caused the ship to tilt back, and the air it blew outward felt like a shock-wave, making his ears ring painfully. But the old man missed on purpose, otherwise Donner would be dead. Regardless, with knees shaking he stood firm and glared into Dodgers one good eye. "They would have been killed if we hadn't stepped in." Dodger looked like he was about to break the mast off, but he slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Yeah. Maybe they would have." The old man pulled his fist from the splintered wood of the mast and turned around. "But that is how things are. We aren't marines. We are pirates. We don't save people."

"But neither do the marines! They are worse than pirates! How can you..."

"WHAT? HOW CAN I NOT STAND BY WHILE THEY ABUSE THEIR POWER AND AUTHORITY!?" Donner fell silent, but Dodger kept going. "Are we supposed to pay for their sins? Are we supposed to live as wanted men for saving the people who are taught to hate us? HELL NO! I will not turn away someone who cannot defend themselves. BUT I will be skinned alive before I stick my neck out for someone to lazy to even try! Those people had guns, they had smiths, they even had god-damned ships of their own! All they really needed were some damned balls and a little effort to stand up to those pirates. But no. They just waited for someone to save them.....YOU! Thanks to you they are always going to wait, they are always going to rely on others for help and what the HELL happens when you aren't around you little shit!? Did you even think about that?" Donner was caught off guard by his captains rant. He'd never heard this side of Dodger, and it was unsettling to hear him speak so passionately, in his own way. Donner never had thought about it like that. Standing up for the weak had always been a part of him, especially when it was against the strong. "Listen boy. Listen good." Dodger said as he walked towards his cabin. "The world is not kind to heroes. Heroes fight harder than anyone else and get nothing but memories and scars to show for that effort. Better the world learns to live without them, than burn out its few good men as they try to save it."

Donner remained silent through the trip, still thinking. On top of that there really wasn't much to talk about. He thought briefly about asking Aubrey if he needed help, seeing as the man seemed to be having difficulties moving. But as he neither asked for help, nor held them back he decided to let it go. Kallie's skates became a much more interesting spectacle however, as the youth began trying more and more impressive maneuvers their usefulness became more apparent. He started considering how useful she could be as a spotter for his guns, calling out targets and their positions behind obstacles and cover. He could almost completely take on the role of an artillery bombard, assuming she knew some basic math, and he'd also have to figure a way for them to communicate. He was so focused that he forgot to show surprise at the scene at the amphitheater. Instead he tussled his hair and moved to inspect the corpses.

"All marines...killed by marine weapons....things must be really nasty." A marine is as fallible as any other man, only they have very strict rules. For them to just start killing each other in the open like this was....odd, even if they were suspected of treason. Proof had to be found, evidence brought to the high brass, and a response was dictated, not just assumed by the local headquarters. Not for this scale. As he searched the bodies for clues or anything of informative value he pocketed one pair of keys, and tossed another to Aubrey. "Just keys to cuffs, but might be useful." Beyond that he found only pocket change, a few personal effects, and mission papers far to bloody and damaged to be useful. As he finished he noticed Kallie's state for the first time. She'd become much more quiet and was noticeably affected by the sight that he took in so easily. He wasn't good at comfort, so he couldn't come up with anything to take away the grim mood before Aubrey carried them on. Eventually they found themselves overlooking the city near a solitary house of sorts. After receiving orders from Aubrey, Donner was a little quizzical of his suddenly relaxed demeanor. The man must have picked up on something that Donner missed. Regardless he acknowledged him and headed for the house. Completely missing the acrobatic display Kallie put on only just after.

"Hou hou no Handcannon..." Donner said lightly as he headed up towards the door. His right hand transformed, and he prepared himself for any eventuality. The door swung open noiselessly, and the large man was faced with darkness. The dark only increased his awareness, focused his senses. As his eyesight adjusted he made his way through the main entrance. There was two doors on either side of the hall, and it was definitely beginning to look like a home that had been renovated for use by the Marines. Mostly due to the shining rack of sabers hanging just into the hall. As quietly as the big man could manage, which wasn't that quiet at all, he approached the two doors and chose randomly, raising his cannon-hand in a defensive posture. He then jabbed open the door, and was greeted by a deafening shriek which almost made him fire blindly into the room. But the small furry body of a hissing housecat shot past him, making him sigh in relief. "Fuzzy bastard....go find a rat or something...." Donner stopped and barely got his gun up as a wire garrote dropped around his neck and tightened. The cat had provided his attacker the perfect opportunity, and Donner almost lost his head because of it. The wire dug into his skin and his cannon was the only thing stopping it from digging deeper. Still, the attacker had made one mistake, coming up behind him. With a growl he raised one big foot up and shoved off the doorframe, throwing his impressive weight back onto his opponent. The man cried out as he was pinned under Donner's body, and the Garrote went limp.

"Stupid cuss...that's what you get!" Donner gasped out, relieved to be free of the metal wire.

"Took the words right out of my mouth...Pirate." A loud click came and a cold metal ring was pressed to Donner's forehead. It didn't take a genius or a cannon wielding devil fruit to know the gun to his melon was about to take it off.

[Aubs]

Babet found a nearby wall and turned his back to it, leaning his justice coat against its white stone surface. There was a small trashcan by his side, a door next to it. His thin body might have almost slipped away. If not for his wispy lavender hair he might not have been there. Silently his cold eyes stared back into the darkness he had passed through waiting for the tell tale steps from his master. Long before that ever came however there was a thud somewhere above him. Babet looked up for a moment, but didn’t see anything on the high walls around him. Arms crossed in front of his chest, the fingers of left hand tapped gently in rhythm on the outside of his arm. A creaking noise filled the air as a cart of some kind must have been passing by the front of the alley, and only then did the patter begin.

Two feet, dressed in sharp expensive shoes tapped gently on the hard stone beneath. Slowly from the darkness caused by no lambs or streetlights in the long alley came a tall man dressed in black. He wore a sickeningly clean black suit, with not even a pinstripe to ruin its shimmer. His black square toed shoes matched with his dark pants and dark blazer over a sharp white shirt. The black tie was clipped by a small red symbol that might have been a footprint of some kind, it was very small though so who could know. A long black jacket with no seems fell to around his shins, but it was his face that said the most. Dark hair, brown probably in the light, careened around his face, slicked back by some invisible force. It was just short of shoulder length, meaning that he had been working on it for a decent bit of time. One lock of it feel in front of his face in a strand through his cold, uncaring eyes. He had thin lips to match his angled features, he was definitely well groomed and of high stock. His high collar framed what was a cruelly beautiful face as he stepped into the waning bit of light that filled this shallow section of alley. The two men stood for only a second looking at each other before Babet fell to his knees.

Head prostrated down he spoke without looking up at his master. “Master, I am yours to command.”

When he spoke this Master was very proper and controlled in his tone, obviously educated and confident with himself. There no hint of the darkness within him, as that would have done very little to assuage those he ruled. It was deep, powerful and calm, a deadly mix if ever there was one.

“What is next Babet? I assume you will have this wrapped up by tomorrow as promised? What has happened thus far?”

Babet began recalling his tale without pause, unaware of the happenings around him.

“Yes sir. I killed the Captain of the island as instructed and left behind documents tying him to the pirate conspiracy. I began the takeover of the island with the remaining Commander from Enkai, who has brought his entire force into the city and has them readying the attacks. I will head from here to the Marine Base and tell the Commander inside of the trap. I will then eliminate him. Both sides will think I am on their side, and when they are done destroying each other I will call an end to the fighting and take control of the remaining Marines on the island. The Marines you have conscribed should arrive here soon and join our forces, giving us control over the island.”

“Excellent. I will be waiting at my ship in the dock until things are done. The Entitled won’t be in the area for a few weeks, so I’d like to see things in order here before I leave for the next island of value.”

“Of course sir, it will be done.”

The Master was already walking away when Babet rose to his feet, his jacket, hair and face in full view from above as he immediately looked to the skies. “I could have sworn I heard something.” Face tensing he decided that he had been here too long and took off at a brisk walk back into the streets, heading only for the Marine Base and his next objective.

---

Seems like there were two attackers inside the house. They were either deserters from the coup or better yet, a party left behind just in case anyone else showed up. Thugs either way the pair had decided that Donner was the first target of their ire, and one of the two had already discovered how stupid that was. Smiling as he pressed his flintlock down onto Donner’s head, the second of the two marines was just about to pull the trigger when he heard a loud noise from his right. Low and behold a man had staggered into the room, guess he would have to go first. He stood up quickly and fired at the smaller man as he stepped into the light.

The bullet just bounced off of Aubrey’s chest. It was as if it was pebble against a mountain, considering the sheer unconcern that our hero showed the man as he came into the room. The Marine quickly tried to reload and get off another round, something must have been wrong with the last one after all. But before he could ever find purchase in that course of action, Aubrey’s hand shot around his throat and squeezed. It was like he had been caught in a snare, and his neck was breaking slowly. Lifting slightly, the Marine was gingerly pulled off his feet, until he was truly dangling in air, held up by his neck as his body was fighting to stay alive. When the Captain spoke it was almost as if he was acting again. But perhaps now he was just mad and ready for some answers.

“Here’s the deal…I am going to let you go, and you will tell me everything that is going on down in the city or my friend you just tried to kill will blow your fucking head off. Do you understand?”

The response wasn’t immediate, even if only because Aubrey was holding the man’s head in place with his vicegrip of a hand, so Aubrey tightened his grip just enough to see spittle and blood drip out of the enemy’s mouth. “Do…You…Understand?” he got a squeak that time, so he let the man fall to the ground, even as Donner was standing up again, finished with his own ruffian. On his knees the Marine said it all as quickly as he could between frantic breaths and groans of pain.

“We are…inside the city. Waiting to attack. Cannonfire form the Marine HQ is the signal to start the attack. Commander is heading there in hour or two when we are set.”

Aubrey clacked his teeth together, making a very loud and metallic noise as he turned and walked outside. Not even looking back he gave Donner the choice of what to do. “He is your call Donner.” Moving back towards the rail the wannabe went over everything one last time in his head as fast as he could. The Marines were at each other’s throats because one city was trying to take over the other, or at least they thought that they did. The Commander from Enkai had decided to lay in wait before attack everyone. Well that didn’t make sense. He had raised a mob, mobs didn’t wait around they stormed shit and broke stuff. So, someone must be pulling his strings in order to get this very crafty plan and midnight raid. Aubrey thought only of the man with lavender hair. He had been the only Marine officer in Enkai who was not screaming and chanting, he was dead quiet…and calm…too calm.

Something was afoot on Saisho.

---

---

[Mr. Moshypocrite McSlowbro]

The rocky hillside soon flattened out into solid well-paved roads, giving Kallie's legs a much needed break. While every child of age learned how to ride air blades back in the lofty clouds of Skypeia, most sea-dwellers had never so much as seen a pair, so she often found herself having to explain the differences between skating and straight flying. Not that she minded, of course!

Most models came with two modes: a "roller" mode, and a "waver" mode. Roller mode involves coasting along the ground using the well-oiled wheels fastened underneath each skate, with the breath dial providing propulsion. Each wheel is attached to its own independent axis which can be locked in line with the others or allowed to spin freely. The former of which allows the her to twist her body back and forth erratically without accidentally tripping herself, whereas with the latter allows her to generate speed by flexing her knees and pushing each foot outward in an alternating pattern. Both the wheel locks and boosters are controlled by shifting her weight onto different sections of the sole, which is why each set has to be calibrated to their owner's weight before they can wear them. It didn't matter quite as much when rolling, but she always had to be careful that she hadn't packed too much into her bag before trying to take off; otherwise she might accidentally send herself careening off into a wall! This was generally speaking the fastest mode of transit the blades permit, especially if she had her paint with her.

But waver mode was what these blades were really made for. It took months of bruises, scrapes, and sprains before she had been able to manage any decent amount of air time, much less venture out onto the White Sea with her friends. However, when the winged girl migrated down to the Blues, she was delighted to find that the denser air actually allowed the air blades to operate easier. Each skate had ten vents; four on the back of the shoe and three on either side of the wheels. By diverting most of the dial’s air through the bottom vents, a sufficiently light subject could break free from the chains of gravity (Sort of) and take to the skies. The general concepts of roller mode still applied, but without solid ground to support you, the action of simply standing up straight requires the careful balance of every muscle from the bottom of her feet up to the tops of her shoulders. With the back four boosters all but silenced, waver mode is typically slower than its counterpart, and locomotion is achieved namely through mechanical action on the skater themselves. However, the ability to ignore obstacles and friction alike often makes up for this difference in speed. But due to the dial’s need to be close to a solid object in order to form the push required to keep her afloat, it can only hover a foot or so above ground at normal output. An experienced skater builds up strong calves and core muscles, which allow them to execute great bursts of speed without losing control. Shanians, and other avian-esque humanoids have a great boon in the form of a lightweight porous bone structure, which allows more of their thrust to go towards movement, rather than just keeping them afloat. Because of this natural advantage could usually glide for hours at a time, enough for her to hop between islands for deliveries. But reduced as she was in her current state, the strain it generated was too much for her to sustain flight, and switching back to roller mode gave her a well-needed break.

However, her skates were unique in that they had a third mode, “Burst”. A special set of controls in the sole allowed her to cut off both dial’s thrust momentarily, and instead direct the flow of air into a set of auxiliary chamber on either side of the device. The longer these chambers are allowed to charge, the more tightly pressured the air in each canister become. When the time is right, she can release these stored forces, generating a brief but powerful surge that can quite literally send her flying. Unfortunately, using the burst in anything other than short spurts was dangerous, as she still great deal of difficulty controlling the rapid acceleration. Three seconds was her self-prescribed limit, as anything more had always ended with her in the hospital, or some equivalent.

Rolling across the smoothly-cut stone made a world of difference, especially since the girl didn’t have to dodge trees and sudden drops. In fact, there really wasn’t much of anything to dodge. The main street, big enough to accommodate throngs of busy citizens, was barren. Still, as much as she enjoyed basking in the breakneck speed that she had been left with ever since her wild descent down the slope, Kallie did realize that maintaining such a pace probably wasn’t wise in an urban environment, no matter how empty it seemed. So she isolated the flow of air to her front jets, gradually eating away at her accumulated momentum until she reached a more reasonable pace. Locking her wheels and letting the dials do the work, she coasted along quietly so that she could examine her environment. The city appeared as if all its denizens had just stopped what they were doing and run off somewhere. Doors were left open, lights were left on, meals sat out on tables half-eaten. This whole marine thing must really have them up in arms. Metal-Head said she was supposed to try and find someone important, figure out what’s going on, but she wasn’t going to have an easy time with that if everybody had just up and left!

It was by chance that the girl turned into a small market area, littered with a multitude of stalls and carts. Most displayed various forms of fruit and produce, while others held different species of livestock. One stand in particular seemed to have been left with particular haste, as some of the cages it held had been left ajar, leaving their occupants to wander freely without supervision. Slowing to a crawl, Kallie came upon one creature in particular: a small white rooster, which had taken to the center of the square and was flapping its wings vigorously. Normally this might have produced some level of lift, but in this particular case the bird in question could hardly make it off the ground. Bending down, she found that its owner had down something to its feathers, plucked the soft remiges hidden underneath the wings that allow for flight. And yet, the small chicken seemed intent on making it into the sky, unaware that its valiant efforts were all in vain. Watching the sad struggle tugged at her insides. But at the same time, it also gave her an idea. Scooping up the small bird into her arms, she formulated a plan.

“Mr. Chicken? Would you like to fly with me for today?” The critter only weighed five or so pounds, and sans her paint and paintgun, she was feeling a bit light anyway. Besides, it was the least she could do for the little guy, who seemed to react rather passively to being carried. Setting off again with her new friend, she was determined to find a good jump point so that she could maximize her air time. There were a couple of decent spots, a few roofs and hills, but nothing that really caught her eye. In was in the midst of this new search, however, that the excitable woman stumbled upon her original target.

“-yours to command.” Came a voice from the alley she was about to pass. The sound of a voice other than her own stopped Kallie in her tracks. Or skates, as the case would be. Pressing herself against the flat of the wall, she listened in on the conversation in progress.

A second voice came moments later, this one deeper than the one before it. “What is next Babet? I assume you will have this wrapped up by tomorrow as promised? What has happened thus far?”

“Yes sir. I killed the Captain of the island as instructed and left behind documents tying him to the pirate conspiracy. I began the takeover of the island with the remaining Commander from Enkai, who has brought his entire force into the city and has them readying the attacks. I will head from here to the Marine Base and tell the Commander inside of the trap. I will then eliminate him. Both sides will think I am on their side, and when they are done destroying each other I will call an end to the fighting and take control of the remaining Marines on the island. The Marines you have conscribed should arrive here soon and join our forces, giving us control over the island.”

Wait, killed? Images of the dead marines littered across the stone memorial flashed before the girl’s eyes. That meant… was he the one that started all this? A sense of morbid curiosity overcame her mounting fear, and Kallie, employing every ounce of stealth she possessed (Which, admittedly, did not amount to much), peaked out from behind the corner. From her perch, she could make out a thin violet-haired man, his head bent towards the ground as if in supplication. Standing at the other end of the alleyway stood the initial speaker, a tall well-dressed man, with hair that seemed almost as dark as his suit. While she could not see the bowing man’s face, this fellow’s came to her all too clearly.

“Excellent. I will be waiting at my ship in the dock until things are done. The Entitled won’t be in the area for a few weeks, so I’d like to see things in order here before I leave for the next island of value.” With that, the bossman turned and strode off in the direction which he had come, not even bothering to wait for his subordinate’s response.

Regardless however, the purple-haired assassin offered a mechanical response. “Of course sir, it will be done.”

It was roughly around the time that his mouth snapped shut that Mr. Chicken, who up until this point had remained silent as the grave, decided to put his two clucks in on the matter. Recoiling from her vantage point with a look of ghostly pallor, Kallie twisted around to reprimand her companion. “Shh! Quiet Mr. Chicken!” She urged the bird, her voice an insistent whisper.

The next words that came from the subject of her surveillance terrified her like never before. “I could have sworn I heard something.” In that instant, her breath abandoned her, her lungs paralyzed by the fear of detection. The spell was not broken until the next sound came: Footsteps. In her direction. Eyes going wide, she acted purely on reflex, she clamped her hand down over her avian friend’s beak and threw herself behind a set of stacked barrels as quietly as she could possibly manage. The next few moments were quite possibly the tensest of her entire life, as the courier waited for the man called Babet to pass by, half expecting at any moment that he would pop out from either side of the barrel to end her as he had the others. But eventually, the echo of his footfalls grew fainter and fainter, until she could no longer hear them. It took several minutes before the pounding in her heart calmed, and more still for her to muster the courage to come out from her hiding place. Mr. Chicken, freed of his gag, was quick to voice his protests, but she did not have time to debate with him. Standing shakily back to her feet, Kallie wasted no time in kicking her jets into full gear, her weariness temporarily forgotten.

There was a scary dude instructing another scary dude to do scary things. And he was doing them. Not tomorrow, not sometime next week, like right now. She had to find Aubrey and Don. Superfast.

[donnervark]

Donner stared back at the marine in darkness as he prepared to pull the trigger. With his enhanced body, he could take a lot of damage. Some areas of his body could stop bullets, like his chest, simply due to the thickness of his dense muscles. However, even with his hardened bones his skull could at best slow the round. And a bullet didn't have to travel very fast to mess up brain matter. At this point, he couldn't even call for help, though the sound of heavy footsteps showed he didn't need to. Aubrey came sauntering in, casual and uncaring towards the deadly weapon his attacker held. So when the marine swung it around Donner moved to stop him. His massive hand never made it though, as the shot rung out and Donner froze....at the sight of an unharmed Aubrey. The marine was just as surprised and in his rush to reload he neglected to defend himself. Though even Donner hadn't expected the kind of strength that lifted the man off his feet with a gruesome sounding crunch. He put two and two together, no armor that could be hidden under clothes was strong enough to stop a bullet at that range, and his captain had done nothing to deflect the shot, so it was something else. It was either some manner of science he didn't understand, or it was a Devil Fruit power. Given his difficulty walking, and the strange force behind his attacks, something was making his body very powerful, though without further demonstration, all he could do was speculate, and he had more important things to do.

"Believe it buddy. We've all had a rough couple days. So this thing is itching to be used!" Donner helped add to Aubrey's threats by placing his Handcannon up against the side of the Marines head. Though a pistol would have been just fine for intimidation, there was something about a one pound cannon against the skull that made people more motivated to speak. Between this and the threat of feeling Aubrey's steel grip again, the man chose to speak. After he was done Aubrey clicked his teeth and walked away, giving Donner leave to do as he pleased with the man. Donner himself was very ensnared by the strange game that seemed to be playing out on Saisho, so he casually smacked the marine on the top of his head with his handcannon, knocking him out instantly. He really should have killed the man, but his mind was moving too fast at the moment. It seemed someone could be playing both sides, or simply engaging in some seriously underhanded tactics without informing HQ. He couldn't imagine the Marines going to these lengths. If they knew that one side was dirty, they'd send warships, half a fleet even, just to remind everyone what happens when you betray the WG. But no, they were resorting to all manner of odd behaviors, starting riots, killing off marine patrols in secret, and of course there was the issue that both sides seem to think the other is guilty. Donner groaned and ruffled his hair. He was observant, good at spotting details, not necessarily at putting them together. As he knelt down to search the two marines he gave serious consideration to telling Aubrey what he knew, from his old days. The knowledge might help put things together. This decision was heavily fortified by what he found in the pocket of the man he'd crushed.

"Ha....no way..." He pulled a folded piece of paper from the mans jacket, it was purple, which was very odd for orders or a mission statement. Though it did bring up some old pleasant memories. However his smile was destroyed when he opened it and began to read.

"Reports indicate the possibility of a rogue presence on Saisho. How they penetrated our docking procedures is unknown. Accurate portrayals of threat level are unknown. Identities of presence is unknown. Keep on the lookout for outsiders and unusual characters. Do not try to engage, evaluate their abilities and report directly to myself." The information itself was helpful, and particularly important. The marines knew someone unaccounted for was on the island, that someone most likely being himself and his new crewmates. However it was the signature that turned his skin pale. "Signed....Lieutenant Commander Maple." It couldn't be the same Maple, it wasn't possible. They executed her so long ago. Assuming she even survived their escape attempt. Still, he was thoroughly unsettled by the very thought of her being alive, and still working for the marines. Donner folded the sheet and left the house, and found Aubrey preoccupied with thought.

"Captain. You should see this." Donner handed Aubrey the paper and gave him time to read it. "I hope you will understand why I didn't tell you this right away. And I hope you understand why I don't plan on telling you everything....at least not yet." Donner leaned back against the railing a few paces away from Aubrey and took a deep breath.

"I was with the marines a while back, when I was still a teenager. To summarize, I lost someone close to me, and gained my Devil Fruit powers because of the marines. Then so as not to let those powers be 'wasted' on a civilian, they brought me in, and subjected myself and a few dozen others to the worst year of our lives. They wanted to make brainwashed, obedient soldiers out of us. Some surrendered and did as they were told....others didn't make it....some chose not to make it. Two of us though stuck together. We told ourselves that if we could make it through, make them believe we were loyal, then we could use their training to break out. We almost made it too. They had given us actual ranks and position, and we did what we had to in order to keep it that way." Donner rustled his hair again. He hated talking about himself. But this was important. "A very long story short, our time came, and we tried to escape, but she didn't make it." He moved away from the rail and looked at Aubrey.

"The point of this is that I know how they work. I know their procedures and their methods. And none of this makes sense. They are being sloppy, going at each others throats as though someone was putting them up to it. Normally marines don't just attack each other, unless they are corrupt, or they have absolute proof of wrongdoing. I can tell you've been working this out, and so have I. But this situation is going to get much worse at this rate, especially if they are going to start bombarding the island." Donner crossed his arms. He didn't want to bring up Maple. The likelihood of this being the same Maple was low, and this Maple using purple paper didn't necessarily mean anything. It was odd, but it wasn't hard evidence. And Donner wasn't going to open up an old wound if it wasn't necessary.

"You are the captain. So if you want to tell everyone that's your choice. But I'd prefer this remain between us. I only told you because maybe my knowledge could come in handy." He didn't know the rest of the crew, how well they'd take his background. Even with Dodger, it took a good bit of proving before the whole crew trusted him since he'd worked for the Marines. He couldn't imagine Kallie being too critical of him, she didn't seem like the person who cared about sketchy pasts. He waited for Aubrey's response, any questions he might have, and answered as best as he was willing to, but after awhile, he was reminded that Kallie was still gone, and began to wonder if the little thing had run into any trouble.

[Aubs]

After the meeting with the Master, there was little left to do for LT Babet except to finish his mission. The coup had started just as planned, but in order to tie up all the loose ends our assassin would have to finish the plot. First he would have to get inside the Marine Base, which wouldn’t be all that hard. Even if the people of the city had realized that something was going on, or were even joining in the hoopla, the Marines did not have the luxury of knowing who to trust. But, a “would be defector” from the enemy side would be heralded no matter who he was. And seeing as Babet was not only the newest officer on the island but the least known as well. That alone would give him access as a potential ally to either side, oh how simple it was to play these foolish backwater Marines. But yes, the plan…Babet liked to go over them in his head as he moved, made things more clear. So, first it was get inside the base, but then what?

Ah yes, so then Babet was going to find the Commander of the base, the one left holding the bag so to say now that the Island Captain was dead. In much the same way as before he would eliminate this Commander and begin the assault by the Enkai Marines. He of course was to give the signal for the attack just as he had planned with that stupid Commander, who was now waiting in some undisclosed building inside the city. A single cannon shot with a smoking cannonball fired into the air, that was to be the signal. Babet happen to know that the command has just received a new supply of a special cannonball designed to do just that. By morning the conscripted Marines would arrive to help secure the borders along with himself, and they will have successfully taken over the island. The scapegoats; an unnamed group of pirates consorting with the former island leader, and the two blood thirsty Commanders vying for command.

These many thoughts in his head, the murderer silently approached the large Marine Base at the end of the long harbor that acted as the staging point for the World Government in the Peace Route. The closest island to Reverse Mountain was actually Arabara Island, another large city with a very defensible port city. But the advantage that Saisho Island had was its location compared to the Calm Belt. Not much farther than Arabara, and tucked so close to the Calm Belt that most pirates avoided even approaching from the other side of the island, this place made an excellent stopping point long-traveled Marine ships who had just come from the Belts. Between the two islands however, and between them 3 decent sized ports and two large and well defended ports, the start of the Peace Route was anything if not secure. Generally, if something did even try to enter the Peace Route the ships would leave both ports simultaneously, and together make a blockade between the two islands. However this had not been done in a long time, and as long as this island was too busy fighting itself then the Route would be opened, if only for a moment. All of this would only add credence to what Babet’s Master was proposing, and was therefore all part of the plan.

But anyway, finally arriving at the Marine Base, Babet was stopped by a line of guards, all fully armed. The building despite its large size and obulent structure only had one entrance. The large domed structure had six long arms, with only one connected to the walkway and the vast majority of the port. The other five arms, all equidistant from the first went around the circular building and junted out into the ocean. Each arm had offices, armories, and at least two ships docked individually to the arm. At the tip of each arm there was also a raised section with a self-contained firing system to defend the harbor with high caliber cannons. Truly this was one of the safest places in the Line, but what did you expect? The money that came into this area was from World Nobles and lesser Nobles who took advantage of the no tax policies that the World Government had placed on the island stimulate trade through this port. With so much money going through this place, was it in wonder that the city had so much firepower? But yes, standing there in front of the large blue dome and white building, he recited is well practiced lines.

“I am Lieutenant Babet, I am here to speak with the Commander about the insurgency reports that have been circulating.”

“You best back off guy…” one Marine said, motioning with his rifle.

“Do you always speak to your superior’s like that Marine?” his response was well timed all the soldier could do in response was gulp. “I am here to speak with the Commander, because I know what the enemy is planning. This is no drill, they are coming to kill you. Now take me to the Commander, NOW!”

---

Aubrey looked down at the piece of paper that Donner had handed him. Making not of the absence of cannon fire the new captain was happy to know that Donner had dealt with the man who had tried to kill him without overkill, that boded well for their work together. As much as Aubrey wanted to wrestle the World Government away from the islands of the world, mostly out of some concept that his father had instilled in him, he disliked the idea of outright violence to prove a point. Aubrey’s dream was about making a statement, not killing people. Anyway, the rest of Donner’s diatribe said many other things to our friend about the Mr. Vark. All our hero could do was smile at first, before a few chuckles escaped him. Donner might have been taken aback by the moment, so Aubrey tried his best to make his new friend understand.

“Sorry about that. It’s just kind of funny, that’s what you’re worried about.” Aubrey shook his head from side to side playfully. “You’ve met my grumpy First Mate Justin right, Former Chief Petty Officer Weeks…as of 2 weeks ago?” Instinctively Aubrey put a hand on Donner’s broad shoulders. The two men were not that different in height, though the Cannon definitely had size on Aubrey everywhere else. “I took you on my crew, I won’t go back on that now Donner. I’m with you as long as your with me. But I think you’re right…” Turning around Aubrey looked back over the city.

“Something doesn’t add up. Why would an angry mob decide to hide itself inside the city instead of marching to the gates and storming them? Doesn’t make any sense. Someone is pulling strings here and I’d like to figure out who. I don’t want the people of the island getting hurt as collateral damage.” Aubrey smiled again, shying slightly at the same time. “I need to work on this whole pirate thing, I’m not really typical huh?” Looking back for a moment the wannabe gave a nice smile before turning towards the city one final time. “Donner…looks like our break is over.”

Down below, the pair could see the unmistakable form of Kallie zipping towards them damn near like the wind itself. Aubrey was not looking forward to running down all the stairs, but he didn’t have a whole lot of choice.

Putting boot to ass he rushed towards the flight of stairs downward, guess things were about to get more interesting tonight…

---

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Sorry for the wait, and the shitty post. I was in awe of both of your posts, my next will be better i assure you.