Marines in the Marketplace: C.H.I.M.E.R.A.'s Initial Assault

[Suriko]

Suriko smirked once more in the fight, proud of his team's effectiveness in situations like this. They had managed to deal with their opponents easily, so now it was the swordsman's turn. Focusing his gaze on the towering man in front of him, he reached down for the hilt of his newly forged katana. It needed to be tested some time soon, and now would have been as good a chance as any. The metallic blue of the edge shimmered in the light sunlight, akin to an ocean wave cresting in the sea. After his team had finished defending themselves, they focused on the ensign, waiting for orders. The samurai merely shook his head as he stared down the half giant. He wasn't going to let them do all the work now. "Pretty brave of ya, kid. Thinking you could take me on all by yourself. Do you know how many marines these fists have destroyed? You won't amount to much more than a stain on my iron." As the pirate continued on his tirade, Suriko rolled his eyes. Why he kept running into the guys that monologue was beyond him. Waiting for the criminal to finish, the samurai yawned. Seeing this Malcolm seethed in anger, crashing his fist down on the cyborg in a rage fueled attack. Seeing the mass of metal and man sent careening towards him, the ensign shifted to the side. He lifted his blade up as the fist crashed into the ground, attempting to slash at the straps holding the gauntlet to his arm. Iron fist yanked it away, causing the blade to miss its mark. The samurai growled a bit at this as the larger man swept his arm back towards the marine, attempt to smack him away. Suriko brought his blade to bear the force of the blow, the edge biting into the iron gauntlet and Malcolm's fist.

The wind whipped past the swordsman, the force of his opponent's attack launching him into a nearby shack. The shoddy wooden structure did little to cushion the cyborg's fall, a cough echoing as dust and dirt was kicked up around him. He pushed up with his arm, "Hell, I think that idiot might have actually hit harder than that colossus in Lab 3." The samurai felt to see if anything was broken, though his cybernetics seemed to be intact this time. No doubt Flynn probably strengthened them a bit after the last fight he was in. Pushing himself back up to his feet, he had just managed to regain his footing as a massive silhouette formed in the rising dust cloud. "Where are you, you piece of crap?" a soft sigh passed the young man's lips, sheathing his blade. Not up for banter, Suriko stared down his opponent. His hand hovered over the hilt of Umi no Ibuki, poised to strike once the swordsman was ready. Choosing to go on the offensive, the samurai rushed the half giant. Once in range, his blade was freed from its sheath once more. Dodging such an obvious charge, Malcolm laughed as he figured that a mistake had been made. Not letting the momentum die, the cyborg marine had grabbed his sheath. Yanking just as he would a sword, the ensign slammed the end of his scabbard into exposed forearm on the underside of the gauntlet. Hearing the sickening crack of bone, it was certain that his sneak had hit its mark. Bellowing out in pain, the pirate captain staggered back. His good hand clutched at his other arm, trying to stem the pain somehow.

The scabbard had not been undamaged though, the lacquered wood showing cracks from the impact as well. The swift wind samurai sighed as he looked to Malcolm, his gaze turning dark as he glared at the pirate. Mal had flinched momentarily, but recovered as he responded with a strained growl. It was clear that the man's pride was guiding him to stay and face the swordsman to the bitter end. A weak effort to move the damaged arm had been answered with a sharp pain through the big guy's arm. It was likely the bone had at least been severely cracked from the strike, if not shattered. "This keeps up, you may lose more than your arm, Iron fist." The soldier tried his best to seem stern and unforgiving, hoping to steer this away from more fighting if he could. It was a quirk he had developed becoming a marine, unsure of how to balance justice and his own morality. It was almost on par with the new guy's truthfulness, or lack of in case he had been lying. The pirate captain steeled himself, still a bit angry on how easily his crew had been defeated. Pushing his resolve, the brawler raised his good fist. His stance suggested he was being a bit more serious, which meant the swordsman had to respond in kind. Launching his fist forward with all of his remaining strength, the pirate captain would not go down without a fight. Unfortunately, neither would the marine. Finding a calm state of mind, he emptied himself. The act seemed to work well as Suriko leaned into the side, moving very near the criminal as he evade the strike. Crouching down low, the tension in his body gather before he sprang upwards. Aiming to incapacitate the large man, the samurai hit Malcolm square on the jaw. The force had been enough to knock him out briefly, his body lumbering backwards into another shoddy shack.

Placing his sword back at his hip, the young marine made sure that Malcolm was unconcious. Once he was sure, he turned to see that his team and Egon had taken care of the rest. Even better, the steam powered cyborg had even regained his final limb. All things had worked out rather well as he motioned for his team to continue. The ensign wanted to speak to Egon alone briefly. Walking up to the fellow swordsman, Suriko grinned as he looked him over. "Like night and day compared to how you are without this big limbs. Though...." As he spoke, the soldier looked down to himself, realizing how similar their situation was now. "I suppose it'd be the same for me as well." Suriko chuckled as he began to move towards the extraction point, hoping Egon could keep up. "so I can't guarantee it fully, but with your skills, I think you'd be great for our division. We'll have to wait what Flynn says though, I suppose." Ending his tone with a grumble, the samurai only hopped they could avoid further delays.

[Vio]

SPOILER: Click to show

Just calm yourself, Mari... The Warrant Officer thought, taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes. Still the pirate at her heel tried to pull her off, but his efforts were in vain. Miss Anette simply extended her arms out to her sides, the steely strings that connected her to her companion pulled taught the the strings of a piano. And then, using her delicate fingers, she plucked at them. One. Two. Three. The silvery streaks trembled in the moist air of the Pirate's Market, humming softly among the sounds of battle, vibrations travelling down into the body of the massive marionette upon which she stood. By now, three of the four offenders were upon Sequoia's body, attempting to topple the sturdy giant and render the puppeteer useless. In just a matter of seconds, the tremors of the steel wires were resonating within the puppet's body, channeled through the 'muscles' that made him mobile and passing into his very frame. And then, as the pirate relinquished his grip and raised his blade, the carven colossus reacted violently.

"Die you- Wait, wha-AAAAH!" Her attacker's words were cut short, the massive arm of Sequoia upon which he clung had suddenly begun to lift up and outwards, as had the opposing limb. Arms as thick as tree trunks swung outwards, forcing one of the men to jump down from the idol's body, but the other two were not so lucky. Both men were lifted into the air before being tossed to the ground by the lumbering motions of Mari's friend, almost as if the puppet himself had come to life in an attempt to protect his partner. Truly a spectacular, and perhaps even a frightening sight to those who looked upon it, the bronzed behemoth's raised arms lost power and crashed down on the ground again with open palms, but not before shifting his thick legs. Indeed, the carpenter's musical plucking of the strings had empowered him, turning his body about in a steady motion and embodying the protective nature of the brutish creation. The thunderous crash of massive arms upon the earth was one thing, but maintaining this style which she called 'A Bene Placito' was another.

I'm sorry, Sequoia, but that's all I can let you do... Flicking the control bars, the cherry blossom-haired girl stopped the consistent vibrations which had invigorated the mammoth mannequin, aware that such a power as this was limited by the very strings she used to channel it. If she could find a way to move them without need for the strings, it was more than probably that she could allow her carven comrades free reign. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and Sequoia's own highly protective personality meant that prolonged use might force him to break free of the bonds. That would have been disastrous. This was nothing like the peculiar powers which Flynn Toctic demonstrated, the crackle of electricity having caught her eye beforehand, but it was potent all the same. As she looked down from her position, she could see the four pirates scattered about her. One had hit his head on landing, it seemed, and was out of the fight. The other was already recovering and climbing back to his feet, clutching the side of his body upon which he had crashed down. Of the three that remained, all of them wore an angered expression, but none of them could compare to the puppeteer in pink. What had triggered this? The appearance of subtle cuts in the wooden flesh of her comrade.

"You... You hurt Sequoia!" Mari yelled, glaring at the men with her rosé eyes. She looked almost tearful, her face reddened, but all she could feel within herself was a trembling rage. To her it was like Sequoia was the Earth, and the very planet itself was shaking with vengeful fury. Pirates had been responsible for so much upheaval in her life, but that was exactly the reason she had chosen to become a Marine! These pirates were looking for trouble, and trouble was about to hit them like an earthquake! Swinging her arms back, the gigantic doll's arms were pulled into the air once more, enormous fists clenched and ready. Instinctively, the men scrambled back and divided themselves, prepared for the inevitable attack that was coming their way. Or at least, they thought they were. What looked like the build up to an attack she had used previously was in fact a ruse, the tempestuous teenager plucking at the strings with her fingers once more.

Sequoia! It's up to you! Even her thoughts were like shouts, entrusting her companion with the strength she provided him and allowing him to do as he pleased. Mari's own hatred of pirates combined with the protective nature of Sequoia? Well, you could probably imagine what kind of force that was. For the pirates, however, such things could not be understood. The trembling cables once more resonated within the beastly body, causing a similar reaction as before. What made it different was the way in which she was pulling the wires, restricting some movements but allowing for others. Unable to move his arms bound by string, the gladiator instead opted to barrel forwards a few steps. By no means was it fast, but the heavy footfalls and intimidating size made it seem so. It took two or three seconds, during which time the men had tried to react by surrounding them again, but Sequoia was now in position for another attack.

"Diminuendo!" Allowing her own muscles to slacken, the furious female felt her arms pulled forward by the weight and tension of her comrade's own, stressing her body somewhat and causing a slight painful twinge to travel across her elbows. Still, she steeled herself against it and did her best to go with the flow, even if it did nearly toss her from the back of the behemoth. Another heavy smashing attack landed, but this time upon a person. The pirate she had managed to throw off earlier had been unlucky enough to take a full force blow, unable to react quickly enough to avoid it. There was no cracking of stone this time, but instead the clatter of a sword bouncing off the ground and a resounding crunch of bones. Sequoia's attack had felled the crook and managed to break his leg, and perhaps a few other bones as well. He was out of the fight entirely, though there was no pained scream, the fall and combined agony having knocked him out cold. On her back, Mahogani seemed to nod her head, perhaps impressed by such strength? Or perhaps more the fact that Mari was proving her capabilities.

"Right, who's next?" she said sternly, whipping her head around to look towards Flynn, who seemed rather shocked - both literally and metaphorically. Indeed, now that she looked at him properly, the power he demonstrated was overwhelmingly terrifying. There he was, his outline normal, but everything else rather different. His body seemed darkened and bizarrely coloured, vicious serpents of blue coiling through and around his body. She had seen the flickers of energy before, but her state of mind had dismissed it at the time. And, to be completely honest, she wasn't exactly expressing her shock at what she saw, either. This part of herself was not fazed by such things easily, most of her concern being the defeat of the pirate forces, and so she turned back to look at her attackers. One was charging her again, letting loose a battle cry as he ran towards the exposed back of the giant puppet. Stretching out her arms once more, tightening the slivers of silver, she plucked away at them as if they were the chords of a harp. Sequoia once more responded, left leg slowly shifting as his body was charged with energy, limbs creaking with every heavy motion. A wooden fist came arcing around as the duo completed the turn, the action once more pulling at Mari's right arm as a ferocious punch was thrown and slammed into the incoming pirate to send him flying.

"W-woah! Be careful, Sequoia! You nearly fell over," quietly commented the carpenter, resisting the effects of momentum for both herself and the marionette to try and stop them from toppling. The centre of gravity had shifted drastically from the use of that attack, much like how a ship could capsize if it tried to resist the wind and the waves. Both massive feet were now firmly rooted to the ground, the rest of her creation's weight now stabilised by two massive arms that rested on the ground; the left with an open palm, the right with the elbow. Now all that remained was one more of the criminals, but he was nowhere to be seen...

Where did he go? He was there just a moment ago... Looking around at the ground below, Miss Anette was thoroughly confused. He had been there just a second ago, right? Unless he could move at the same kind of speed as Captain Toctic, there was no way he could have eluded her so easily. Perhaps he had fled? It seemed so, and the other marines present had managed to fend off the other pirates. Once more, she swept the area for signs of other threats, but it seemed there were none remaining. Taking in a deep and sharp breath, she held it for a moment before exhaling, calming herself. Her body was trembling, even aching a little, but it was nothing she could not handle with a brief period of rest. She let her body fall slack, kneeling upon Sequoia's back and trying to gather her strength up again. Controlling the colossus was no easy feat and it had certainly taken its toll.

That was... Really quite hard to do... Mari thought, still struggling to steady herself as she looked towards her fellow law enforcers. She had heard Suriko's voice coming from the Den Den Mushi in Flynn's hand, the devil-horned doctor now having returned to his usual self, perhaps looking a tad worn down like she was? However, there was a look on his face that screamed of surprise, his cold eyes focused upon something on the street floor, then shifting back up towards the rooftops. Before she could look up to see what it was he was staring at, he spoke to her, providing both a suggestion and what seemed to be an order.

"...I suspect the vanguard just arrived," the silver-haired cyborg added, eyes narrowing as he continued to stare up at the roof. She wanted to know what it was he was looking at, but she was apprehensive. Was it wise to look? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Looking at someone, or something, could be like issuing a direct challenge. On her back, Mahogani shifted slightly, reassuring the puppeteer that she was not at all weak, nor alone. Swallowing, she nodded at Flynn, bringing herself back to her feet and then casting her eyes towards Lesovik. The bearded CPO was already on the job, it seemed, Den Den Mushi in hand.

"C-could you do that f-for me, Mister Lesovik?" She stuttered, more out of weakness than timidness. Already she could feel her cold beginning to creep forward again, phlegm starting build in her throat as the infection spread and mucus once more starting to clog her sinuses. Colds were the worst. Realising that such an ailment as this was doing little more than lowering her potential, she agreed with the scientist's choice of action and began to turn her steed's body about and continue to march on. "Um... Actually, I-I'll do it."

"Very well, ma'am," responded her second-in-command, already swiftly moving alongside her and holding out the snail, just as before, "though I suggest we clear the area first, as the Captain asked."

"Mhm," Mari nodded, doing her best to avoid issuing an unspoken challenge to a silhouette present in the corner of her eye. A dark figure in a hat was all she could make out as the image reflected dimly from her fuchsia hues, but it sent a cold shiver down her spine. Though she said or did nothing else, Mahogani's own amber eyes glared at the Captain for a moment, almost as if she were telling him something, though Mari did not see it. Be careful, Flynn...

SPOILER: Click to show

Heh, another massive post, I know. Tried to keep it as close to 2000 as I could, though I suppose this says how much I enjoy writing for Mari and CHIMERA?

Next post may be a little shorter, but more laid back. Mari'll be moving to the extraction point, but there could be some delays along the way!

[Deleted]

 As the fireteam headed off down the street, the longarm noted somewhat idly that the sounds of chaos had died down somewhat. He had known full well that their attack would only be a brief flash-fire. It was why he ordered organized chaos in a very small area. Any farther, and they'd have been at the mercy of most of the Pirates Market. As it stood, they were currently using guerrilla tactics in enemy territory, and such a gambit would last precious little time. Still, they had accomplished their main goal. Multiple important locations to the southern point of the island had been severely damaged structurally, and would have to be entirely rebuilt. This den, no, this breeding ground, had to be eradicated.

 Given the option, the World Government would likely elect to simply overwhelm the place with troops, massacring the people within. It was a target rich environment, but even if every person here had been a criminal worthy of swift and painful retribution, slaughtering the island wouldn't have worked. The resources required would strain the Marine forces for likely the entire Blue, and most competent Marines, much like most competent pirates, ended up making for the Grand Line. The heart of the long, fragmented war that the seas had become swept most of the powerful men and women of the world up, and never let them go. However, those few who stayed behind were formidable opponents. 

 The person on the rooftop didn't move, simply staring at the Marine below through his black mask. With a kick to the ground, Flynn lept upwards, bouncing off the opposite building and landing atop the roof, shingles creaking beneath his feet. "Well, here I am. What do you want." The Jack cocked his head, and tapped it. Seeing the expressionless stare Flynn was giving him in return, the cloaked figure sighed, and said, in a deep voice, "Your head. I'm here for your head." Spreading his arms, long slender blades slid from his sleeves into his hands, and the man lept forward, slicing at empty space. Flynn had dove to the side as soon as the blades came into view. Spinning back into a combat stance, his arms flickered, and a cone of air-slashes flew through the air, intended for The Jack.

 Moments before impact, however, the killer flickered his knives in a strange pattern, and the center of the cone was met with a much smaller air-slash, impacting just before the Gunnagrain reached it's target. A triangular wedge bit through the cone, and aside from a small ruffling in the edges of his clothes, the black-wearing man was totally unharmed. There was a beat, and then Flynn frowned. "Really. You can just cancel air-slashes." The Jack lunged, and the scientist kicked upwards, lifting into the sky. Using Geppou, he hopped the divide, crossing quickly over to the other roof. 

 Cocking his head again, the merc said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Really. You can just walk on air." Running across the roof, he lept across, catching a window ledge and spinning himself up, landing on the edge of the building. Swiping, the longarm tried to catch him while he was off balance, but The Jack ducked, grabbing his arm and spinning around it, nearly knocking the cyborg over with the sudden weight, and kicking at his face. However, the foot whistled past, the doctor leaning his head back. Sometimes, having unusual biology helped, and screwing up a trained assassin's sense of measurement was a good use of his heritage. Catching the leg with a pair of arms, the cyborg spun in place, and tried to slam the body into the ground, only to have him twist, rolling out of the grip just before impact and across the roof.

 The pair stared each other down, and after a moment, the Captain narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting out of this? Revenge for attacking your home?" The Jack shook his, or possibly her, head. It was hard to tell, but the deep voice sounded male. "It's just business." The words set Flynn's mind racing. Someone who would want him dead.... His thoughts flickered over his opponents over the course of the last several months, on his slow climb to the top. Augustus? No, that wasn't even worth considering. That panda seemed unlikely as the type, and the pair he had fought in Loguetown had NOT been this skilled. Nor had they seemed like they would have the ability to hire someone like this. It also seemed strange someone would hire an assassin that operated almost entirely on one island. 

 Something suddenly clicked. They had just eradicated a mole from a rival organization. A group that had infiltrated the Science Division. CHIMERA had been checked over, but all of G-6 had the possibility of learning where the crew was going, if someone wanted to listen in to the christening of the Avernus. If Malvorkis's comrades had known he was coming to the Pirates Market... "Well, that answers the question of why and who, anyway. I don't know if one of the doctors hired you personally, or via proxy, but it doesn't really matter." Bringing all four of his limbs into a ready stance, the Machine Marine's cold blue eyes hardened. "I'm afraid my men and I are taking our leave of the island. My Logistics officer will have my hide, what's left of it, if I'm late." He half-turned, as if to leave, and then whipped his arms around. A trio of green blobs ignited, flying towards the startled Jack, who didn't quite manage to dodge.

  The Marine officer became a blur, zipping across the roof, his hands just barely missing the figure who had just dived off the roof, the rush of air strangling the burgeoning flames on his body. Landing on a roof 2 stories below, and a street away, the tiles shattered under his feet, and he turned, hurling a pair of daggers and, after a pause, an ax that had been up there for some reason at Flynn, who was pursuing. The Jack took off again, and Flynn followed, the pair exchanging blows, but for the moment, locked in a stalemate.

[Roin]

The comments from the now shorter man had drawn a bit of a frown from Egon. While the Professor had made the limbs for Egon, they weren't the sole reason he was strong. They simply... helped him move. Even before he could retort the whole "big difference" thing as how he'd viewed it, the other cyborg and his group had started off again. Cursing under his breath, the Marine started after him. And then the man mentioned getting put in the group's division. There was one thing Egon was, truthfully, and that was a man of truths.

"Truthfully, I don't know why I'd want to be assigned to your division, even if you saved me... truthfully, you seemed to think I need my limbs to fight! That alone is an insult that makes me wary of what the rest of your bunch is li-"

The voice of the cyborg cut off, his gaze turned to the sight of something... not so great. Lowering the blade, Egon went into a half-spin with his pace, the large sword knocking an object from the air and harmlessly across the street. It looked like some blade, but Egon cursed under his breath before picking up pace. If it hadn't been for the glint of the weapon in the air, that slow falling knife might have still hurt someone! Who the hell throws knives through the air like that without considering it'd keep flying!?

"Hell, I don't care at this point! Truthfully, the sooner I get away from these damned pirates the better!"

Rushing forward to catch up, Egon carefully angled the weapon back and down, the tip occasionally sparking off the path they walked. The extraction point wasn't too much further, but the truth was that the cyborg was hoping for one last fight... specifically with the bastard who'd given him his brand the day he arrived and the one who'd taken his arms off... someone as bad as they come. And as the duo ran up the street, the sound of a whistling cannonball sounded only briefly before the street before the fireteam and their plus one could reach the next "spot" in their journey. The cyborg came to a sliding halt, cursing under his breath before raising his cybernetic arm and releasing the shield from the slightly damaged metal structure. Thanks to his size and positioning, the shield's size was just enough to shield the others behind Suriko and the Cyborg from shrapnel. Then, standing before them, was a very... strange sight. A woman with a very big wrench had just walked out from one of the nearby buildings, evident from the open door.

"Ha~Ha, seems you're taking my prize, eh? That big lug is my prize, ya know... and women don't like losin' their prizes! Especially this woman!"

The woman lifted the wrench as if it weighed nothing, pointing it directly at Suriko and Egon... except Egon wasn't there. The man had moved behind Suriko, the larger cyborg sweating at the sight of the woman. It had been the pirate mechanic that stripped him of his parts and branded him when he refused to inform her of how they worked... and truthfully, she was one opponent Egon didn't wish to face, but rather get revenge on.

"T-Truthfully, we should capture her... she is no pirate from my knowledge, but that woman... she knows how to disassemble Cyborgs... such a threat to all Marine cyborgs shouldn't be allowed to remain out of custody!"

There was a time and place for Egon to discuss his wounds and why he acted this way... but the truth was that the woman was now walking her way toward them, the large wrench once more on her shoulder while staring up slightly to Suriko and the larger cyborg behind him. It was only when she could, at last, see the fireteam behind the duo that she stopped, a frown on her face. At first, the truthful Marine was relieved... but then the woman idly smiled and pointed to the larger Cyborg beyond Suriko.

"You give me him back to tinker with and I'll gladly show you a faster way out of the port. The pay in this market is bad... and I could use a better employer." "T-Tinker with me!? I am not some toy-" "The man behind you has a core that my old man helped design... I heard through him yelling a while ago that you wanted him in your division... that man's core will need the original blueprints if you all want him to truly help you out! The name is Ida Kare."

That line at last brought the comical moment to an end in replacement of a serious one as the girl extended a hand toward the gap of space between the group and herself. If she was telling a lie, she was good at it with that smirk on her face... but if she was telling the truth, then the girl who had been responsible for his brand and loss of limbs was equally capable of repairing the core he had. And the Vapor Core had been a design that not even the Professor had been able to salvage into a completely new design... if there was someone smart enough and that had the blueprints to repair him... then Egon would have to play along. At last, the man sighed and whispered toward Suriko despite his awkward positioning behind the smaller cyborg.

"I'd be willing to join you... but I need us to at least bring her along for now. If your division can keep her from pulling me entirely apart... then I suspect she might even be capable of upgrading me or even giving me a name. She has to know something if she knows about my core..."

There were a few things Egon truthfully hated... one of those things were opponents who knew how to pull him apart without force, but rather knowledge. And if he were to join this group... then at the very least they could take one of those enemies off the market and into their fold. Better an ally than a foe, right?

[Suriko]

As they kept moving, the swordsman could hear egon's protests. Sighing, the man knew that he had probably been misunderstood. The fact wasn't that he need those limbs to fight, but more that he was fairly agile with them as well. And as a martial artists himself, the cyborg knew how important movement was in that regard. Hell, the larger cyborg could have been able to fight with the sword clenched between his teeth, but it'd be nowhere near as capable as he would be with all of his limb. "Truthfully, you need to calm the hell down. I never said you need your limbs to fight. I believe the little bodyguard act back there proved that. I never needed mine to, but it was part of my joining Chimera." Truthfully, he hadn't even used his limbs in the way they had been designed yet. He hoped flynn hadn't found him to be a regretful choice because of it. Nearly to their destination, S"And honestly if you wouldn't like working for the science division for the marines, that's your choice. But you may be able to upgrade yourself a lot easier with us. if you were inclined to such."

Just as he had finished speaking, the swordsman heard the whistling from the cannonball. Preparing to brace himself for the coming impact. Seeing the seaman recruit move in front of the group, he seemed to release some sort of defensive measure. It seemed rather useful, and yet another reason why the cyborg was a little better with his limbs than he was without them. Honestly, it made suriko wonder if he should talk with Flynn about any potential upgrades to his own cybernetics. He looked up as the smoke and dust cleared, spotting a woman in front of them. She must have been residing in on of the buildings. The samurai was astonished that she hadn't been taken out by that blast earlier in that case. As she claimed to have some hold over Egon, the cyborg marine smirked. He shrugged his shoulders a bit as he responded to her, noticing how the larger cyborg was now behind him in a cold sweat. "Oh I must have forgotten today was when marines took orders from random people. Sure I'll hand him right over to you." He then looked back to Egon as he spoke of capturing her, which unfortunately wasn't a high priority for their group as a whole. "Truthfully, Recruit, you look like you just shit your shorts to me." He chcukled a bit as the man had mentioned something about her being able to disassemble cyborgs. "Gotta be honest, I doubt she'd be able to get close enough to me to do anything." His attention turned back to the mechanic or whatever she was, the ensign looking her up and down. The fact she worked with machines was apparent, giving the amount of oil she was covered in. Much to everyone's displeasure, the cyborg samurai reopened the conversation with a joke.

"You know if you weren't a woman, I'd make some comment about over compensation here. But it just seems inappropriate." Noticing the frown on her face, Suriko knew she would avoid trying something with so many marines against. He then cringed as she proposed a different solution, one that had even the swift wind samurai a bit leery. "Not sure how much my Captain would like me bringing freelancers along, though I have feeling you'd follow us anyway. The marine was contemplating the decision in his mind, as the two began to bicker a little. The next comment was what tipped the scale a bit. If she was familiar with at least some of what egon had, she'd be a bit more useful at maintaining him than anyone else in G-6. Unfortunately, her only other bargaining chip was a bit useless. She was assuming they had arrived by a traditional ship, not that she'd be wrong with any other marines. The young man was about to speak before Egon began to whisper to him, a smirk forming as he listened to her. "Sounds like you want her to play with you, Egon. Can't promise anything but we could definitely take her into custody. Alright we should be moving quickly now. The rest of the island is coming out to play."

Figuratively taking Ida into custody, Suriko, Egon and the rest began making their way through the last part of the town before they reached the southern tip. Other than the occassional small fry here or there, the journey was relatively painless. Reaching for his Den Den Mushi, he had to let the Avernus know they were coming. This is Ensign Miyami, We nearly ready for extraction. No word from the captain or warrant office Mari just yet." Suriko didn't want to take their extraction if it meant the other two would be waiting for them to come back, but it was also dangerous to just sit on a shore and wait for the rest of the island's forces come to them. There was always the option of swimming to the Avernus. He was fairly certain it was close enough, and that their respirator mask could get them there. But with his plus 2, that'd mean two of his team would have to stay behind. That was a thought that the swordsman didn't not want to give any prolonged thought to. Ultimately the Ensign decided to wait for at least Mari, she'd be less likely to try the option of swimming than their Captain. As the reached the coast close to the Sub, the marine motioned for his team to make a perimeter around them. Egon, Ida. I realize you both can probably take care of yourself, but my team and I can take care of this. worst comes to worst..." The cyborg eyed the sea, seeing no sign of what was beneath its waves. ".. Well I just hope you can swim."

Honestly, Suriko was surprised they had been the first back. With the hold up with that odd man, as well as the time spent to bringing their plus two along with them, he figured they'd be the last group to arrive. The thought only worried him more as this meant something powerful was holding up Flynn and Mari, or worse. Pushing back the darker thoughts, he focused on one of the points that more pirates could emerge from. Hopefully the next person coming around the corner would be their pink puppeteer, her hulking beast in tow. Well technically it'd have her in tow.

[Vio]

Now the group was headed for the extraction point, albeit at quite a slow pace. Mari Anette's previous exertions, coupled with the rapid onset of what was to be a rather bad cold, had definitely taken their toll upon her fragile form. Every joint ached, her fingers starting to feel stiff and even a slight muscle cramp forming in the calf muscles of her left leg. But, this was nothing. As frail and as delicate as she always seemed, she was still somewhat durable. Learning her craft had not come without consequences; splinters often found their way into her skin, the strings occasionally snapped and whipped back at her, and the odd accidental cut with a carving knife was not uncommon. Carpentry was difficult work, but it was also something she lived for, her skills having come a long way since her humble beginnings as a little girl in her grandfather's workshop. She was not yet, however, capable of replicating the late artisan's works. Even some of his simplest creations, puppets who had yet to gain names and faces, were more fascinating than her own. At least, that was how she thought, but just because a marionette was not utterly exquisite did not mean it was not a person.

"Chief Petty Officer Lesovik speaking. Captain Toctic has ordered all divisions to return to the extraction point immediately," she heard her second-in-command announcing into the Baby Den Den Mushi, his words carried across the southern quarter of the Pirate's Market by some unknown method and recited by the mouths of the many other molluscs that formed part of the equipment of their forces. Again the bearded officer repeated his statement for clarity so that all the men and women who comprised the ranks of C.H.I.M.E.R.A were aware of the goings on. The pallid puppeteer, still stood upon the back of Sequoia as it lumbered through the streets towards the southernmost shore, was curious. She was still a young lady, not even truly into adulthood, perhaps a little naive as to the way everything worked. Up until the recent revelations, she had little clue of her grandfather's roles as an officer of the law, and getting an understanding of her own duties was difficult enough. It was a burden, but one worth bearing.

"Atchoo!" Unlike her her cold, which was a burden she wished would go away as she sneezed into her sleeve to try and stop the germs from spreading.

"Bless ya..."
"Gesundheit!"
"Ola."
"Odaiji-ni," responded the other members of her fire-team, some less enthusiastically than others. The cherry blossom-haired girl often wondered what they all thought of her as individuals, but she was aware that it was Brennan himself that kept the others in check. Indeed, Lesovik was essentially the leader of the group, whether Mari herself was present or not. The others followed him without question, but they seemed uncertain of her own abilities, almost as much as she was. A leadership role was not something she would have taken on so willingly, but it had been forced upon her to some degree by her commanding officers. Had it not been for her practical skills, she would likely have ended up as little more than a CPO, or even remained a Seaman (Seawoman? Seagirl?) for a while longer. That sort of thing was what differentiated officers in the World Navy. Commissioned officers, such as Flynn and Suriko and Alyss, and the non-commissioned officers. Her rank lay somewhere between those two, and maybe that was why her comrades seemed to hold that uncertainty? She did not know.

"Th-thank you," Miss Anette replied, inhaling sharply through her nose and yet not getting much from it. In complete honesty she was not at all looking forward to boarding the Avernus again. Looking up to the blue-grey canvas that hung over the island, she silently prayed that, by some miracle, she would just be transported instantly to somewhere comfortable. With chicken soup. Apparently that worked wonders for colds, though she was not entirely sure why that was the case. But it was as she looked up that something peculiar caught her attention. A small, shadowy silhouette was soaring through the skies above.

A bird? Maybe a seagull? But, I don't remember ever seeing a seagull that looked like that... Bringing Sequoia to a halt, she continued to observe the strange avian entity with rosé eyes, watching intently despite the sense of vertigo that was beginning to take hold. There was an odd feeling of familiarity about that creature, a sort of warm sensation in the middle of her chest that gradually grew more and more intense. That feeling. She had had it before, when Mahogani had first truly laid eyes upon Mister Miyami. Still the puppeteer in pink was uncertain of what had triggered that sensation beforehand, but whatever it was it was not unique. On her back, the bundle of fabric shifted strangely as the curious carpenter exhaled a raspy breath.

What's wrong, Mahogani? she asked without words, squinting a little as she strained to follow the airborne spectre. Why was it that she felt as if she had seen it before? The fatigue induced by her illness tried to hold back her thoughts, her neck beginning to feel stiff. The creature shifted, darting to the side before swooping down, arcing about and vanishing among the rooftops. Whatever it was it was gone, and chasing it was not a necessity. Dismissing it as some rare species of bird native to the South Blue, the frail femme resumed the manipulation of her mammoth mount. Forward they began to march again, keeping up with the fire-team members as they headed towards the coast. Getting to the Avernus was the current priority, she reminded herself, stifling another sneeze. When this was all over, she needed to rest and recover, something she was sure the devil-horned doctor would tell her to do anyway. There was nothing more hindering to a military force than unhealthy soldiers, and that was something to do with Flynn's own goal, no? Those clones of himself - the Cazadors - were strange mixtures of man and machine, forged from steel and the damaged bodies of men and women who wanted to stay in the fight. Were they brave and noble? Or were they just foolish and war-hungry? She hoped to herself that it would always be the former, and never the latter.

"I- I wonder if w-we're the first back?" the timorous teenager quietly questioned to her group, none of whom seemed to pay any more attention to her, aside from a few glances. Again, that uncertainty was as thick in the air as the phlegm in the back of her throat, but she understood why. They had likely all heard her talking to her carven companions at some point or another during the last few days and, as such, probably attributing her quieter queries to the whispers she posed to the puppets. It was not often that she spoke directly to them, but it was just something she had always done, and always would do. They were just as much her friends and family, if not more so, than any living people she knew.

I guess not... As the group turned the corner, the Warrant Officer spotted the gathering of uniforms that indicated the presence of her comrades. The divisions were beginning to amass at the extraction point, patiently awaiting for the steely leviathan that was the Avernus to resurface. Among those men and women was a more familiar face. Ensign Suriko Miyami, the swordsman whom had joined the Marines at the same time she had. His face was hard to forget. Like her, he was clad in civilian clothes; an intricate part of their disguise when the assault had initially begun. But now, as she drew closer, she could see some far less familiar forms. Neither of them were existing members of the division, that much she could tell, so who were they? One was a curious man with brown hair and a fair complexion, albeit still a healthier colour than her own porcelain tones. Tall as well, though she and Sequoia still towered over him to extremes. The other was a woman, also brunette, wearing a rather revealing outfit and armed with what appeared to be an excessively large spanner. Now that was unique. Nervously she approached, the massive wooden hands of the colossal creation now resting upon the ground and bearing the beast's weight.

"Um. H-hello, Suri- Uh! Ensign M-Miyami," Mari stammered to Suriko, nervously avoiding eye contact with the other two. Their ship was nowhere to be seen, which was a little troubling. Still, she dismissed any negative thoughts about being trapped on an island where every man, woman and child would likely want revenge. Instead she focused upon the swordsman, taking the opportunity to sit down upon Sequoia's back and rest her arms and legs, placing the control bars upon her lap and allowing the giant idol to rest as well. His timber frame creaked a little in satisfaction, pea green eyes staring down towards the taller male entity.

I guess I'd best use this again... Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the handkerchief and the vial, first taking the time to blow her nose. It was beginning to feel sore already, which was perhaps a bad sign, but she could do nothing about that. What she could do, however, was make use of that medicinal substance. Stuffing the hankie into the pocket of her dungarees and taking up the vial, cautiously holding it away from her face before pulling the bung out. It had very nearly knocked her off her feet last time. Still, somewhat prepared for what was about to bombard her nostrils, she pulled it close and took a light sniff. She coughed and spluttered a little as she resealed the glass container, stowing it away. Just as potent as ever...

[Deleted]

 
  The chase led over rooftops, below and around obstacles, and for brief moments, through the empty space of the sky itself. While the Jack did not appear to be able to air-jump like Flynn, he or she was very quick, and it was hard to build up speed when every jump cut his momentum, the Geppou technique slowing him down as he lept from building to building. The Jack kept throwing knives at him as well, and a few had managed to hit. His metal implants helped counteract the amount of damage normally done, and he wasn't seriously bleeding, but he was definitely injured. Thanking whatever deity was in charge of things that his opponent wasn't a bruiser. One or two blows from someone like Wermengard would have put him on the ground. 

  Suddenly, he realized the Jack had stopped, and skidded to a halt, standing cautiously atop a roof, the canyon of the street dividing them for a moment. Turning about, the black clad figure stared down at the docks behind him. There weren't any more buildings to battle on, and just beyond the edge of where his opponent stood, the sea glistened. Blue waves lapped against the stone walkways and wooden structures, and a crowd of white-coated Marines stood, weapons out, forming a semi-circle with the ocean to their backs. The Heavy Weapons soldiers were spaced out along the streets that led to the area, and anyone with a longer range weapon was behind crates, tipped over stalls, or in one case, a very large pile of fish. Towards the middle, Suriko and Mari were visible, along with some other Cyborg. It wasn't one from CHIMERA, but he was wearing a Marine Uniform. There was some other woman as well, but before he could focus on her, his foe spoke. 

 "This was significantly harder than I had anticipated. I see now that the information I received was not very accurate. I was informed you were a middling fighter, at best." Flicking his wrists, and letting his coat fall open, he revealed that he was carrying dozens of knives, lining his coat like a suit of armor. Pulling an especially long pair out, he tossed one casually skyward, catching it by the handle. "It'd be a stain on my reputation if I let you get away, but I admit, trying to kill a machine isn't generally something I have to do." If this was intended to irritate Flynn, it had failed. The monologue had no apparent effect, besides the slightly glazed eyes of the cyborg it was directed at. "... Are you.. really. Hey, Pay attention." Raising an eyebrow, the Marine shrugged. "Why should I. You seem fairly skilled, true, but so far, it's been hit and run tactics against the exact same thing. If I was a brawler, this would be a serious issue, perhaps."

 Spreading his hands, the Longarm shook his head. "However, this has come down to speed against speed. If I managed to hit you hard enough to get you to pause, I could probably kill you. If you managed to injure me sufficiently to prevent my dodging, I would be more or less unable to stop you. You can jump farther, but I can run faster. Unless some condition changes, it's at an impasse." Smirking slightly, an arrogant tone crept into his voice. "Let me tell you now, going to street level or trying to fight me hand to hand would be a poor idea. I have more limbs and longer reach than you. That fight would not go well." Staring at the Marine, The Jack nodded slowly. "You're right. So, I'll give this a shot. Ruins the mystique a bit, but one has to be practical."

  From his coat, the man drew a pair of what looked like Pistols. However, there was a long, metal magazine in the front, and the barrel was longer than normal. Aiming it at the chimney on the roof next to him, the criminal pulled the trigger. With a crack, the bricks shook, and then crumbled, the slug embedding itself in the roof a short distance away. "Armor Piercing rounds. Should be able to break through that metal body of yours." Outwardly, Flynn shrugged. "Mmm. Probably." Inside his head, however.... "Ffffffffuuuuuuck fuck fuck. This is bad."

 Leaping off the rooftop, the longarm tried to close the gap, hoping he would be able to get close enough to disarm the man before he could fire. This did not exactly go as planned. Whipping the guns up, The Jack ran along the roof, pulling the trigger and sending bullet after bullet Flynn's way. Kicking the air as rapidly as he could, the cyborg tried to dodge, but with a crack, one of the shots hit his leg, piercing straight through the shin, and exiting the other side. With a crash, he hit the roof, sliding across it until his body collided with the shattered chimney. Stalking over, and stopping a yard or two away, The Jack raised the pistol, aiming carefully at Flynn. "Well, looks like I managed to catch you, after all."  

  Breathing heavily, Flynn stared up at the barrel of the gun, his eyes roaming over the design. It was something significantly different from the usual weapons used by Pirates and even the marines. That shot had managed to break right through the mechanical bits of his leg. He would be able to walk on it, but for the moment, Chenso Atmosphere was impossible. That was assuming he survived this, anyway. The shot was lined up with his torso, and there was no way of dodging it. With a pained gasp, he slowly began to stand. The gunman kept the pistol steady, his other hand hung at his side. As Flynn reached his full height, standing a few feet away from the edge, his crowds of subordinates below, the Jack pulled the trigger.  Down below, the numbers of pirates and criminals who were trying to enter the area where CHIMERA was holding out was increasing, one or two at a time.

[Roin]

Not only had Egon been exposed to a horrible truth, but the woman who branded him was now hopping along for the ride. The rest of the run to the dock had been comical in the sense that the large man kept on the opposite side of the group, well away from Ida. Truthfully, it was possible she might try to take him apart if he wasn't careful. On top of that, Egon could have sworn he spotted the woman wink his way! Truthfully, the girl was just about too much for Egon to tolerate for information on his core... but thankfully, they reached the dock.

As Suriko began his talk, Egon mostly ignored it in part to not being too worried about what they might have to do. Oh, and the fact that Ida had seemingly started trying to approach him once more. And the wrench girl was making more faces as she at last forced Egon to hold his ground, lest he ran back into the town.

"You sure can swim... your legs are clearly incapable of falling, unless I've misunderstood their design, but you could swim all day with those bad boys..." Immediately, the Marine looked down... and remembered that all he had was the shorts rather than his normal pants that kept the legs overall hidden from sight. It was like being naked with the limbs on display! "T-truthfully, you need to worry about your safety and not about my legs!"

A wink from the woman only made Egon look away. Why was this woman so insistent on messing with him? If they found out she had been the one to brand him, it'd ruin her! Surely messing with him like this was trying to start a fight or something... but before she could even persist in her endeavors... a particularly unique sight came rolling around the corner. One that made Egon gawk slightly. It was a giant monster-like... construct? It was only as it neared that Egon was able to accurately place it as a puppet. Stranger yet, the thing had a smaller woman riding on it... and the slightly innocent sound of her voice could only make Egon stare. Who were these people to have a young woman like that riding around on some monster puppet? Ida, however, could only smile up toward the girl and her puppet, idly swapping her wrench to the right shoulder.

"That's a big toy you got! You ever consider-"

A hand had quickly covered her mouth, leaving Ida blushing and quickly finding the source of the Human arm... only to make a face with Egon's hand still over her mouth. The Marine was tired of her talking so much and had, quite literally, shut her up. Removing his hand, Egon quietly turned toward the coast with a sigh.

With luck, we'll be out of here before she messes with anyone-

A clunk nearby and a sudden loss of sensation made Egon turn back with narrowed eyes. Ida had used the large wrench to rather quickly detach his arm. And now she had it in her arms with a big smirk on her face. Try as hard as he could, this woman wouldn't give Egon peace of mind at all! Reaching out, and failing horribly, Egon got involved in a small chase with Ida while constantly cursing under his breath with each failed attempt to retrieve the arm... and then the shot happened.

Ida paused instantly, Egon looking toward the source but being unable to spot anything past the large puppet... and then the two crashed into each other. The mechanic and the Marine went down, the woman beating him on his shoulders immediately while gasping for air. Not only was the arm between them, but Egon was heavy! The cyborg male quickly rolled off her, the arm in his good hand by the time he moved to sit up, Ida following and hitting him on the chest without any clear strength behind it.

"You big-ass baffoon, why are you falling on me!? You could have crushed my arm!" "Truthfully, it's my arm." "I'm not talking about your arm, I'm talking about my arm, idiot!" "We should be worried about that sho- you have a cybernetic arm?"

Egon had been distracted from the recent shot as fast as it occurred... and made quite the shocked face and gasp at the sight of the girl removing a cover from her right forearm... and revealing a shining, intricate silver base. She was a cyborg!? No wonder she knew how his arm came off! It even looked like a similar model and design to his own! Quickly rising to his feet, Egon reattached his arm and didn't seem to remember manners to help Ida up. The mechanic got up in quite the huff as she reattached the arm-plate and recovered her wrench, kicking Egon's leg rather harmlessly as the Marine made a face.

"This woman isn't the last one? Who else are we waiting on? Truthfully, those shots sound quite close for us to be waiting around!"

[Suriko]

The ensign looked to the unruly pair, as he finished up his little speech. For a recruit that seemed so composed, Egon sure was getting flustered by their tagalong. And her behavior wasn't really helping either. It had the marine debating his choice to bring her along, even if it was at the behest of their new recruit. Sighing, Suriko looked off towards the entry point, seeing the hulking mass that was Seqouia. A sigh a of relief was made as it was a clear sign that the warrant officer was alright. Smiling to the pink-haired puppeteer as she spoke to him, the swordsman nodded his head."It's good to see that you are alright, Mari." He looked tot he rest of her fireteam, noticing the look they gave her at that time before raising a brow. It had been the same with Flynt, back at G-6. The diminutive marine had not given Mari the chance to properly prove herself, chiding her at ever turn. It didn't help that she wasn't the most of confident of people either. "It looks like Sequoia became a valuable member of your team." The cyborg samurai raised a brow as he watched the meek teen pull out some bottle, eventually bringing it closer to inhale. As the girl sputtered and coughed, Suriko wondered what was up.

Turning his attention to the two, he resisted the urge to bark orders at the both of them. He didn't know what power this mechanic woman held over the recruit, but their antics were driving him crazy. He winced once he heard a crash behind him, seeing the two all jumbled in mess of machinery and man. and woman, he supposed. Once Egon spoke up again, the ensign's patience snapped."We're waiting on our commanding officer. Truthfully, he's the one that'll be deciding whether or not you come back with us or not." Truthfully, The swordsman expected the captain to be the first on here, coordinating the extraction. Now that Mari was here, as well as the other division, they needed to be moving. Any moment later and they'd likely be overran by the rest of the inhabitants of the island. Damnit, Captain. Where the hell are you? The sounds of yells and gun fire in the distance only confirmed what they all knew. Seeing that all but the Mechanical Captain were currently present at the shore, the Ensign made a quick decision. Reaching in for his den den mushi once more, he made the call to the Avernus. "This is Ensign Miyami. All teams and divisions are accounted for, minus Captain Toctic. We're about to be overran, prepare for extraction."

It was then that the den den mushi morphed to portray one of the marines tasked with communications on their sub. "Where is the Captain?" Hearing the approaching mob, the cyborg began to grit his teeth. "I don't know, but the rest of our unit is here and soon so will the rest of the goddamn island." Hearing orders being made to surface, Suriko turned towards those on the beach. "Alright, grab what you can and make a barricade. Once the Avernus surfaces, get all injured on first. anyone who wish to stay behind as the rear guard is welcome to do so." He continued as those around began grabbing tables and boxes normally used for the dock, piling them into a makeshift wall between themselves and the angry criminals coming after them. The sound of water rushing from some massive object could be heard from the sea, signaling that their submarine had surfaced. Looking towards those who chose to stay"We need to hold the line to let our comrades board, to keep them safe. The Captain is likely fighting for our sakes, so we need to do the same for his." Seeing that his fireteam had stayed, Suriko smirked as he looked towards Egon and Ida. "You two should join the first group on."

Once the Avernus fully surfaced, a team on ship began setting planks to the docks. Once they were set, the injured and those helping them made their way on to the submersible seacraft. Just as this was going on, cutthroats and thugs began pouring out from the streets, brandishing swords and pistols. Seeing the growing crowd, the young marine unsheathed both blades, moving to the the top of the barricade."Pick your targets, do what you can to slow them down." Responding with rifle fire, the remaining marines fired upon the crowd, shots hitting shoulders and legs as pirates and criminals fell to the ground. Seeing that some had managed to make it past that first salvo, the ensign acted. A katana raised to meet one of the approaching swords, the samurai pushed back. This sent the attacked back into a group that had been trying to climb the barricade once more. Seeing more gather as bullets whizzed past him, the martial artist inhaled before yelling out as best he could. "Flynn. I don't know where the hell you are, but there won't be a lot of us left if you don't get here now!!"

[Vio]

"It's good to see that you are alright, Mari," Suriko said to her, smiling and nodding before commenting on the value of Sequoia as a member of the puppeteer's own crew. Indeed, considering that this had been his first major run, the mammoth marionette had certainly done what he was intended to do. Not only was the additional height he provided her a blessing when surrounded by malevolent men, but Mari Anette had also had the chance to demonstrate an insane degree of physical strength that she would otherwise be incapable of mustering on her own. A colossus such as this would certainly prove valuable again and again in times when brute strength was a necessity, but despite her carven comrades - now totalling four - and the many men and women with whom she worked, she still felt a little empty. There was always something that seemed to be missing. A void that, no matter how hard she tried, she could never manage to fill. However, one thing she had noticed as of recent was the fact that said emptiness seemed less of a burden to her. It eased her soul in a way that she could not describe with words, and to Ensign Miyami, she smiled back.

"That's a big toy you got!" An unfamiliar voice startled her a little, the timorous teenager's smile being quickly replaced by a worried blankness as she cast rosé eyes towards the source of the sound that had been cut off so abruptly. It was the strange woman with the spanner, her face a cheerful one, but now silenced by the hand of the other fellow. He was, now that she took the time to observe him properly, most definitely a cybernetic organism. A cyborg, as they were often called. That strange combination of man and machine that always seemed to disturb her at first, but now she was at least a little more comfortable with the concept. Still, this man's legs - and even his one arm - were bulky and mechanical. Clearly they were durable, designed to be able to withstand a decent amount of damage. At least, that is how she saw them. A carpenter like herself was a specialist with wood, knowing the ins and outs of nearly every type of lumber. But metal? Metal was beyond her. Musical wire, the strings with which she could puppet her friends, and the blades of the carving tools which she used to craft new companions. These were the only examples of metal she ever truly worked with. As far as she was aware, this gentleman's metallic limbs could be as flimsy as cardboard.

He seems unusual, doesn't he? But, at least he has a way to defend himself against swords and other blades. We don't have that benefit... Unless... That was when an idea struck her, even more clearly when her meandering eyes glimpsed a light shimmering effect upon the surface of the ocean. There was one type of timber whose traits were renowned amongst all those who worked with wood. Lumber that was especially popular in the shipbuilding industry, as it was both sturdy and highly resistant to the weathering effects of water. But the most distinctive quality of it was how tedious it was to craft with. From what she had seen of her grandfather working upon it, a single piece could take hours longer than any other material to craft, simply because it wore down the blades of any carving tool. Once more, the void in her heart seemed to close up a little, forgotten as her mind immediately started to weave together schematics for what would become her fourth creation; her fifth companion. And his name would be Teak.

"This woman isn't the last one?" quizzed the unknown cyborg, snapping Miss Anette free of her idle daydreaming. Indeed, she had allowed the recesses of her imagination to take her once again, but now she emerged from that wonderful workshop where the impossible became possible. And with her, she pulled along a fresh idea. First, she would have to obtain the correct materials, which would not be all that difficult given her status as an officer of the World Government's main military force. All she needed then was time. A lot of time, given the current complexity of her idea, but even she could understand that some of her mind's little sketches and ploys were going to be impossible. She would most definitely have to tone it back a little until the concept became more feasible.

"Flynn... Please, hurry..." Whispering to herself as she turned about to scan the rooftops, the pallid puppeteer could not help but allow a tinge of worry to creep up around her. Though she had known him a relatively short time, the many-armed man had claimed a spot in her heart. Much like her grandfather and her carven companions, Captain Toctic was an irreplaceable figure in her life. The longer he lingered, fighting some unknown force, the more she worried about his safety and well-being. Again, a little wooden hand pressed against her shoulder, Mahogani trying to comfort her. The giant puppet creaked and groaned. And, from within Sequoia's body, she could tell that Alder and Sycamore were also moving subtly. All of them were trying to comfort her. What else were friends for? Exhaling, clearing her throat, she calmed herself as best she could. Flynn could look after himself, right? There was nothing at all for her to worry about. Quite often it seemed as if he was the one worrying about her. How ironic it was that the tables had been turned.

A wall... Sequoia, I'm sorry to ask this of you... But, could you please do your best? We need to hold off the enemy until the Avernus arrives. I know, you're hurt, but I promise I'll fix you up good as new when we get out of here. Is that okay with you? Closing her eyes, the cautious carpenter spoke silently to the brown-bodied behemoth upon which she currently stood, knowing full well that the pirate forces of this island were not going to let them flee without a fight. Things had taken a drastic turn now that the initial shock of Marine invasion had subsided. Now, all that was left was an amassing army of thoroughly aggravated and vicious saltwater scourges. Pirates from across the island, the best of the best that this end of the South Blue currently had to offer, were likely sweeping towards the extraction point from all across the market. Both on land, and at sea. They were lucky that the Avernus had that advantage of being able to travel beneath the waves, rather than along them, for that would guarantee their escape. It would, of course, if they could embark in time. The strange leviathan of the depths had started to surface, but it would still take some time until boarding was an option, and it was impossible for all to board at once.

"Pick your targets, do what you can to slow them down!" Ensign Miyamu yelled out as the thugs began to pour out from every visible nook and cranny that the marketplace before them held. A wall of stalls and barrels and crates and more had quickly been put together to cordon off the malevolent from the Marines, but such a barricade would only be effective for so long. Still, the allies responded with volley after volley of rifle fire, lead slugs flying through the air quicker than the eye could see. A shiver ran down Mari's spine. That was one sound she did not want to get used to. Ever. Still, she turned the timber titan to face the approaching enemy ranks. The guns had cut swathes into the first wave of the pirate hordes, but still they kept coming; a relentless tide of bodies, armed with pistols and swords and other weapons of warfare. A flash of steel caught her eye, drawing in her attentions as Suriko climbed to the top of the makeshift fortifications, now standing at a similar height to herself, but she still seemed to tower over him.

Mahogani? On her back, the regal redwood twitched in anticipation, as if expecting a challenge. It was similar to how Sycamore would twitch with excitement, but more reserved. And now she felt that strange warmth in her heart once more, as if the swordswoman were trying to tell her of her desire to fight. Understandable, given the fact that Suriko now stood there fending off an attack. And so she surrendered to the need. For so long, she had been protecting Mahogani from thieves and from harm, but in reality it had been the intricate idol that had been her guardian since the loss of her loved one. Now it was, once more, time to let her draw her blade and fight as any honourable samurai should. Pulling the strings free from Sequoia's body, hanging precariously over his shoulders to undo the furthest ones, she instead hooked them to the body of the samurai puppet herself after resting her upon the giant's back as well. With a soft tugging and coiling, the strings gave life to the marionette once again, animating the warrior woman.

If you wish, then you may... It's your turn to perform, Mahogani... Do as you will... A few graceful flicks and pulls of the silvery strings and the mousy maiden's most glorious comrade sprang into action, hopping from the back of Sequoia and onto the barricade before him so that she stood just a couple of yards from where Mister Miyami himself now stood. The streaks of metal that hung in the air were as taught as ever, extended to their full length to allow for the distance between puppeteer and performer, but unable to give much in terms of leeway. Indeed, there was a reason for that. Both of them were ready, a delicate set of dark digits wrapped around the lavender hilt of the wooden katana, ready to draw it in one swift and silent motion. Sure enough, a figure had started to climb the barricade, the familiar hands of a beefy pirate clutching to the wooden frame of a toppled market stall and using it to haul himself up and over, only to come face to face with those unblinking amber eyes. Delicately frail fingertips danced across the strings, their taught strands quivering silently in the damp air and an unheard melody travelling into the little doll's frame as the pirate loomed over her. Without so much as a pull or a twist of the strings, Mahogani drew forth her sword in a flash, eyes focused on her foe before the beautiful blade of wood whipped through the air. First into his knees, causing the crook to step back from the sharpness of wood against bone, and then in a single leap she sliced upwards. The blade smacked into his jaw, knocking him back and toppling him over the edge. Down the man fell, bringing down another two as they had tried to clamber up in his wake.

Excellent performance, Mahogani, the Warrant Officer thought, a soft smile upon her face once more as the elegant female creation continued to listen to the unheard sounds of plucked strings. A gentle sheathing of her wooden blade signified her calmness, her resolve and her confidence. It was strange. Indeed, the cherry blossom-haired girl had not taken note of it before, but it was if Mahogani was responding more fluidly to A Bene Placito than to any other method of puppetry she knew of. How peculiar. It was almost as if this was intended in her original design. The something caught her eye. A dark shape flitting through the sky to her right, dancing along through the mist. It was the same figure from before, but something else called for her attention more so than any other event. Not again... It can't happen again...

"F-F-FLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYNNNNNNNNNN!!!"

[Deleted]

As the Jack pulled the trigger of the gun, nothing happened. Nothing besides a click. The guns only had a limited magazine, and he had used that one to demonstrate the weapon. The other gun, however, the one hanging by his side, was still able to fire. And so, bringing it up like a whip, just enough to line the barrel up with the Longarm's torso, the crack of the bullet came, not from the gun aimed at his head, as the scientist would expect. But instead, from below, preventing him from dodging correctly. The armor piercing round would break through any metal in his body, the killing shot putting the mechanized Marine down. 


At least, that was what was supposed to have happened. From down below, a yell could be heard of the slowly increasing pirate presence,. "Flynn. I don't know where the hell you are, but there won't be a lot of us left if you don't get here now!!" The Jack took an unsteady step backward, staring upward at a very, very angry Flynn Toctic. This was... not how things went. He had missed. No,his shot had gone just how he wanted. The entire battle, he had watched how the speedster dodged, watched his movements, his rhythm. He should have been situated perfectly into the shot, trying to dodge the slightly telegraphed shot to the head that never came. How had he managed to move like that. It was as if he had started moving before his opponent did. However, to anyone below, all they had seen was a crack and sudden jerk. They hadn't seen Flynn move, almost dreamlike, to one side, just a soft movement of the upper torso, almost lazily allowing the single bullet to fly past. To anyone below, it appeared that he had just been shot in the head, the bullet piercing straight through his skull. The scream from Mari, the long, piercing wail of his own name snapped the cyborg back to the moment.


Straightening up, the look on Flynn's face was terrifyingly enraged. The scientist was a cold man, generally. His hair was a bit mussed, his uniform somewhat stained by oil if he got on a bender of creation. However, he kept himself very neat. He was like a machine before he ever became a cyborg. It seemed that something had succeeded in provoking him, however. Ironically, it was not the attempted murder. The pain in the voice of his subordinate helped, but although he would not admit this, it wasn't even the main reason. It was the fact that, to his logical brain, the sudden rush of insight and emotion, the split second burst of what was known as Observation Haki, in it's rawest, most untrained state, made absolutely no fucking sense. This was rather unfortunate for the Jack, who was seriously questioning why he had agreed to kill a massive murder cyborg who could apparently see the god damn future, and was giving him a look that could only portend tremendous amounts of pain.



It was especially unfortunate that, despite his rage, Flynn was not about to ignore the sudden opening. With a blur, he flicked his arms out, and right when it mattered, the extra reach of the Longarm came into it's own. Snatching the Jack by the collar, he whipped himself about, knocking the assassin off balance, and then, with a twist, sent the pair off the edge of the building. As his feet passed the edge, the faceless mask of the Jack hiding an expression of sheer shock, the captain said, calmly, but in the loudest voice he could, "Do not threaten me, do NOT threaten my crew. We are CHIMERA, and we will be back. Today was merely the warmup." The cyborg's feet slammed sideways, impacting with the building, and the grappling lines from his arms fired outward, carrying the Jack into the empty air. With a gritting of teeth, Flynn's body was wreathed once more in lightning.



With a twist of his body, Flynn sent himself into a spin, muttering "Chenso Vortex" as the electricity traveled up the metal cables to impact the Jack. As the spinning continued, the whirling cyborg traveling sideways down the building, the cables pulled taught, and the assassin was spun around and around, smashing into the ground repeatedly, like the misplaced car on some demonically malfunctioning tilt-a-whirl ride. The man was slammed into the ground, then spun back skyward and slammed down again, and again, traveling along the axis of a giant wheel. Wincing, the scientist could feel the strain on his injured body as he continued the spin, forcing himself to turn as fast as he could. The cable kept shortening as it was pulled in, and even the spin and contact with the wall couldn't totally defy gravity. By the time he ground out of the spin, a few feet above street level, the Jack was limp in his fists, mask partially ripped, and mouth hanging open. As he tossed him to the ground, grunting, a sound made him look up. His white,now slightly battered sun-hat, which had been blow off the cyborg's head during the rooftop battle, wafted down.



Snagging it out of the air deftly, he placed it on his head, and ran for the Avernus, the local mob square mostly empty of Marines, but quickly gaining people as locals snuck in. As he passed, moving as fast as he could with his injuries, he called out to the embattled samurai. "I apologize for not sticking to your meticulously planned schedule, Ensign Suriko. Perhaps next time you can include a time allowance for legendary assassins attempting to kill me?" Sliding into the open hatch of the sub, he paused to bring his arms down, flickering them towards the approaching crowds. "Tine Mear!" A trio of fireballs spun out, scaring the vanguard of opponents. "Get everyone on, then take us down and let's get out of here. I can already here bullets pinging off the hulls." It galled him a little to seem like he was running away, but he wasn't sure if he had more than a dash or two left in him, and while the cyborg had very few ranged techniques, he could at least provide a little covering fire.



Leaning against the metal wall of the door, Flynn slumped a bit, the electricity dying once again. It had been a hell of a day, what with the absolutely ridiculous moment of insight, the fighting, Mari's new wooden creation, and the recruit and mechanic who he was FAIRLY SURE he had not brought along on this mission. As he tried to regain his breath, readying himself to repel boarders if necessary, a thought occurred. Suriko's yell had sparked a memory.... A second later, the Captain's brow furrowed, and he called out to the samurai, a very flat tone in his voice. "Sur, when we get out of here, we are having a discussion about your terrible disguise skills."

[Roin]

Bangs and crashes had left Egon rather confused... but when the figure of a tall, strange cyborg appeared it only boosted that confusion. Ida had gawked and eyed his tech, no doubt wanting to strip Flynn and analyze his tech... truthfully, it wasn't perverted, but an interest in technology! Truthfully, however, Egon had enough time to view the scene while ushering Ida onto the sub while slowly following along. The pirates were truly a pain, rushing forward with clear intent to take down the invasive marines. The fact they were out of range irked Egon more than anything... and made it painfully clear that his current arm just wasn't going to cut it. The Marine that had appeared while seemingly ended a fight proved that his opponents weren't going to be beat by a simple shotgun and shield.

"Come on, Eggy! We don't got time for your gawking!"

Egon turned and had been about to snap at the woman... but instead simply made a face at the mechanic gawking at Flynn. It was clear she had equal interest in the other cyborg as much as she did in the Vapor Core-cyborg. Without another word, the Marine moved forward and began the descent into the sub. The fighting was left above, Ida's mumbles beneath him acting as a guide. Something about plans and designs... but all of that wasn't important to the truthful man. What had Egon's focus was instead a collection of thoughts that were forming over a great idea... an idea to use the Professor's blueprints, rather than modify the arm. Egon's skills weren't good enough to imitate the level of craftsmanship his "father" had, but it was enough to follow the schematics and modify them for combat. The design and power systems could be similar... and with the proper technology these people would have...

"Get off the ladder already, Eggy!"

Snapped out of it, the man released the ladder to clunk to the floor of the sub's inner chamber before shooting a frown at Ida. "Truthfully, my name is not Eggy, it's Egon." The comment had come fast, but all the mechanic could do was shine her own toothy grin, the massive wrench in her arms. The sub had room near the ladder... enough that rather than move out of the area, Egon simply moved to the closest wall before lowering in a slide, back pressed to the wall. Ida remained standing, viewing all who would follow after them, but the large cyborg had raised his right hand, human hand gently pressing a release button in. It was a button that needed to be held for ten seconds... but at last the hand of his arm disconnected, clunking to the flooring and revealing a small chip. Gently lifting it into his human hand, the cyborg Marine rested against the wall at last. The hand hadn't been fixed back, but that didn't matter.

If I can just convince them to let me use their supplies... then perhaps I could make an actual battle arm to use in the field instead of the Professor's arm. One of thicker metal... perhaps even a rocket launcher or extending fingers...

Safe to say, out of all the people waiting patiently within the sub now... Egon was one of the most distracted and distant of the bunch!

[Short, but it feels like the thread is really starting to wind down. Don't wanna post more than I need.]

[Suriko]

The young soldier had slid down the barricade quickly, a blade in each hand as he stared down the approaching horde. Standing at the base of their make shift wall, Suriko brought his metal arms to cover his face, blocking the incoming fire. The swordsman could hear shots whizzing past his head, cracking the wood behind him. The sound of bullets was followed by the sound of fierce yelling as the pirates armed with knifes and swords approached the cyborg samurai. Taking a deep breath, the ensign pushed back his exhaustion. Grip tightening around the hilts of his blade, he blocked an incoming sword. The cyborg relaxed his arm, letting his opponents momentum push him as the split second block was enough time to shift his body in the right direction. The force of the attack caused the marine to spine rather quickly, the back of his other blade landing squarely against the back of his attackers neck. The defending blade planted itself firmly in the gut of another criminal, attempting to get past the marine officer. Both men lurched forward towards the ground, falling to their knees as the mob continued forward. The young swordsman maintained his focus, his mind calm as he held both katanas at his sides. Clenching tightly, he swung upwards, two blades of wind shooting forth from the attack. The wind attack itself seemed dull, sort of blunted as it impacted with a group of charging pirates. The force of the impact staggered the group, knocking them back away from the barricade.

The young man began to hop as best he could, making his way quickly back up the makeshift barricade. He was treated by the sight of watching another criminal being knocked from top, though not by one of the typical members of their unit. It had been none other than that amber-eyed samurai puppet, belonging to the timid, but talented puppeteer. Honestly, with the display he just witness, the swordsman wondered if he may have just spotted a proper sparring partner. He considered asking Egon once he was settled in, having seen his abilities with a sword. But the way the warrant officer skillfully mastered the small puppet, it was hard to treat the masterpiece of wood as a mere object. Reaching the top, heard Mari's cry for flynn, looking the same direction to see the the large cyborg captain on the roof. Not a second later, he watched as his commanding officer flung a man ove rht eside of the building. The crazy events that followed barely registered with the ensign, these actions becoming commonplace within CHIMERA. The samurai watched as Jack was turned into a human yo-yo. As the cyborg commander reached ground, the ensign could help but smirk as it was a rather intimidating move on his part. And it had incapacitate what the swordsman had to assume was the delay that Flynn had. He chuckled as heard flynn rather snide remark to him, shrugging. "Well if it were my schedule, legendary assassins are normally taken into account. Unfortunately we are on their time right now." The swordsman pointed to the now stunned pirate mob, a majority of them staring at the limp body of one of the islands greatest.

The staring did not last long, as Suriko's captain spewed his signature fire mixture towards the crowd, covering their escape with a rather minimal blaze. Seeing that it had scared back the initial vanguard, the marine motioned for the last of the defenders to board the submarine. Once they did so, the bullets still ping off the outer hull of the Avernus, the swift wind samurai rushed back to the sub. He blinked as he heard Flynn call out to him, mentioning his disguise skills. The ensign looked confused to the massive cyborg, only to show a surprised expression as he was reminded of his time before becoming a marine. His cheeks darkened considerable before it switched to a smirk, looking to the marine captain with confidence. "to be honest, Flynn, you didn't recruit me for my stealth skills." Finishing with that statement, the samurai should have been the last to enter the submarine, aside from Flynn himself.

Once inside, Suriko made his way towards the ladder, hearing the voices of their new guests before waiting to slide down the ladder. He was wondering how mad Flynn would be about that as well, hoping their skill would be enough to convince the four armed marine to let them stay. Beyond that, the samurai had another thought plaguing his mind. Making his way to his small quarters, the ensign reflected on the events of the day. Those dark red eyes still sharp in his mind, only shadowed by the clear image of his prize. This rogue warrior had the one great treasure his family still had claim to. And the darked haired fighter had vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. Choosing to save the subject for now, the swordsman began to look over his blades. They needed at least a good deal of maintenance after today. Leaving the door open in case he was need, the officer began focusing on the task at hand.

[Vio]

For a moment, one that seemed like hours, all seemed utterly silent. Mari Anette's eyes were wide with fright, gazing up to the rooftops upon which Flynn Toctic and an unknown assailant stood. She tried to play through the events in her mind, barely able to keep up with her own racing thoughts as grim images of her past flickered before her. The smile of her grandfather as he took his dying breath, lying there is a pool of his blood. A man who had seemed immune to all had been slain by the power of a gun, but even as the echoes of a firearm crackled in her ears, the terrified teenager was taken aback by the events as they played back to her. It seemed utterly impossible, but the would-be-killer of Captain Toctic had somehow failed to land the final blow, the scientist having managed to evade an unavoidable shot in the blink of an eye. But, how? Through all the puzzles she had solved, for all the finer details she was so good at taking notice of, there was no explanation for that event. It had been almost as if Flynn had expected it. Just what was it that he was capable of? She thought she had seen the bullet strike, but it had not. How in heaven had it not? Well, that thought was put to the back of her mind. The important thing was that he was alive. Alive and thoroughly ferocious.

Utterly speechless she was, standing there without even the words of her own thoughts present, watching in awe as the lanky Longarm hauled both himself and his opponent from the building. That frightening flicker of lightning enveloped the man's body again, but so too did it wrap itself around the masked offender. It was horrific to watch, but rosé hues could not draw themselves away from the act as time after time the figure was smashed into the ground, trapped in the furious winds of a storm like no other. Finally the tempest subsided, the devil-horned doctor landing upon the ground and leaving his foe battered and broken, a dark silhouette lying limp like a puppet whose strings had been severed. That was it. The battle was as good as over.

It looks like we can leave now, Mahogani! I'm sorry to cut this play short! Mind and body infused with adrenaline, giving her thoughts a swiftness like that of the wind, Miss Anette stretched both arms far forwards and then wrenched them back in twisting motions. With the power of her manipulator behind her, beckoning to her, Mahogani kicked up from the peak of the weakening barricade and was drawn back through the air and into the embrace of the one she fought beside. As hastily as she could she plucked free the connecting clips that locked the strings into the body of the Samurai, fumbling slightly with nervousness as she did so. A couple of bullets whizzed by, missing her by a few feet as they pierced the damp and salty air, only serving to prolong the rush that had taken a hold of her fragile form.

"Officer Anette! Don't worry about Sequoia, we'll return him to the Avernus. Get yourself aboard," called the familiar voice of CPO Lesovik, the bearded gentleman's eyes meeting her own as the pallid puppeteer looked towards the source of the shouts. Sure enough, her subordinates were there and prepared, readied with a flat and wide wheeled wagon of sorts upon which they intended to transport the colossal construct. At first she was hesitant, but there was no choice but to agree. It would take around a minute to reset the wiring through which she could command her carven comrade, only due to his immense size, and that was sixty seconds that she did not have to spare. Rapidly she returned the regal redwood to her throne upon the backpack, coiling the steely cables around the control bars and pocketing them before climbing down from the titan's back. All of a sudden she was reminded of just how short she was in comparison to many of the men and women with whom she worked, and it did not help that her worsening ails pained her joints, forcing her into a soft slump that knocked no less than a couple of inches from her usual stature.

"A-alright... Th-thank you..." Hesitant to leave her friend behind, it was only the knowing smile of the Chief Petty Officer and the resonant words of their Captain that drove the Warrant Officer into action. Towards the submarine she ambled, only now starting to feel the pain of bruising around her ankle, likely the testament of her involvement in this skirmish from back when pirates had tried to pull her from Sequoia's back. Still, she was better off than some, but the seriousness and number of wounds withstood by C.H.I.M.E.R.A as a whole were minor and minimal. Nervously she glanced back, eyes settling upon the bronzed and now battle-scarred behemoth as his bulk was balanced upon the trolley by many hands. Quietly she told herself not to worry, and her thoughts were backed up as glowing globules of fire arced through the air overhead, creating a burning wall of flame which would help to hold the enemy force back. Fire was a frightening thing, especially for someone who worked with wood, but at the same time it was a comfort.

Disguise skills? What do you suppose they mean, Mahogani? Catching the exchange of words between Ensign Miyami and Captain Toctic as she boarded the Avernus, the cherry blossom-haired girl was curious as to what was meant. Alas, it did not concern her, and so she abandoned the thoughts, instead letting another one take precedence as she descended into the lower decks of the submersible ship. Even the presence of two additional bodies did not allow her mind to wander too much, for now she knew that she needed to seriously consider something. Defence. All that was left to do now was for them to return to G-6, where she hoped she would be able to prepare the next puppet to join her team...

~~~~~

"Welcome back," said a tall and slender figure wrapped in a black robe, his voice melodic as he addressed a similarly dark silhouette. A shadow that fluttered down from above, sleek black legs resting themselves upon the deck of a dark ship as membranous wings wrapped around its form. There is stood, no taller than a child, cloaked in inky darkness save for an effeminate, bone white visage defined by still black lips and unblinking black eyes. It seemed to smile as it looked up at the figure, silent and unnerving to the other men and women that milled about the deck, adjusting the rigging and otherwise discussing unheard subjects with one another. All about the vessel echoed a silent song. The Captain smiled back, squatting down and extending a hand towards the dark doll, palm presented as if expecting it to hand him something. It did. Unfurling its wing, the entity revealed a piece of paper rolled up and strapped to a tine of the inner wing, which the man reached out and pulled free.

Silence thick around them like fog, the man with a mop of jade locks unfurled the parchment and gazed upon it with eyes a pale green. Scanning the document thoroughly, the soft smile upon his face dulled into a frown. He let out a soft 'hmph', to which the winged devil replied with a curious tilt of the head, as if it wanted to know what had been written upon the page it had been commanded to carry. Figures gathered around, all dressed in cloaks of variable shades of ochre, apart from three. A taller figure wrapped in a shroud of carmine, a shorter one dressed in aubergine, and the third a plump form in royal blue.

"What's the word, Captain?" asked the portly spectre, his own vocals a deep and smooth baritone. The Captain shifted his gaze to him, and then to the rest, before letting out a rich and dramatic sigh. The bat-like figure raised its wing and covered its smiling mouth, body shaking slightly as if it were stifling a giggle before strutting along to the leader's side upon fine wooden legs.

"A World Navy attack on Pirate's Market. By a division calling themselves 'Chimera'. I'm not quite sure how an entire battleship's worth of troops managed to sneak up on them, though."

"Does that bother you at all?" This time the shorter figure spoke up, identifying itself as a woman with a strong and high voice, almost regal. Calmly the Captain met her eyes, staring into dark violet hues before he cracked a reassuring grin. One that she returned.

"Of course not. A rookie Marine division is no threat to us, especially given what we've just accomplished." Away the Captain turned, cloak billowing behind him as he waltzed along the deck of his ship and towards the starboard side, gazing upon the silhouette of another vessel that currently sailed toward the horizon. "Soon enough we'll have everything we need, all thanks to our new allies and their agreements. Besides that, unless another discovers the secret behind our force - which is highly unlikely - we are practically invincible!" His words succeeded by a loud and energetic cheer from his crewmen, the Captain laughed heartily, the winged shadow extending its wings and taking flight as he did so, circling the mast of their ship with gusto...

[Deleted]

     As the Avernus's hull sank beneath the water, the Marines inside breathed a collective sigh of relief. Helmets were removed, and gas masks pulled off. The logistics officers walked down the rows of lockers, checking the faces being revealed against the images on the locker doors. It would have likely amused the soldiers of CHIMERA to find out that the Ensign in their unit was the one who had inspired that particular policy, but that was the point. Every man, woman, and in one instance Okama there was part of something very strange. Most marines would likely regard it as yet another military experiment that would yield minor results, if anything. The people who had participated in the raid mere minutes before, however, were already talking among themselves. As stories circulated, people did as well, moving from group to group to hear what had occurred. A few of them had seen Suriko and Egon fight, and those that had not witnessed Flynn's final cataclysmic blow to the Jack were giving skeptical looks to those who had. When the ship made it back to G-6, there would be quite a few of them looking at the Cybernetics experiments in new light.

 A level below, the few pirates that had been captured were being put into cells. The men and women now lying unconscious in cells were all captains. The crews they represented were weak, but without their leaders, they were weaker still. As the guards shut the doors, they mused on the design of the cells. It was the first time they had seen airlocks used as jails, but it was agreed that the threat of their small rooms being opened to the outside was a disincentive for the 5 pirates to try anything. From the Den Den Mushi, it would be plain if anyone was outside of their cells. The pair of guards took up positions at opposite ends of the room, and waved up to the snail. The strange little animal speaker took on a serious look, and a pair of horns, and said "Excellent. Call if they try anything." 

 From his position in the Command Center, Flynn took one last look at the screen projected by the Mushi, and nodded. Alyss Shuman, carrying a clipboard and looking a bit shocked at the state of her captain, entered and coughed slightly. "Fly- I mean, Captin Toctic? We finished the check-in. We are at 102% capacity."Arms folded behind his back, the cyborg nodded, then stopped. "Wait, 102%? You mean we don't fit in the Avernus?" The woman shook her head hurriedly. "No, no, We still fit, I mean that, of the Marines sent out, all of them came back plus more. We have a Seaman Recruit and an unknown mechanic who were found by Ensign Miyami during his mission." Sighing, the silver haired man rubbed his forhead. "We aren't going to end up starving due to two extra, but this would be good to know BEFORE we were deep below the ocean's surface, and heading through the calm belt. Well, when we get to the Calm Belt, we should surface anyway, just to keep from ramming any deep Sea Kings. I'll take the pair onto the hull and get their story."

 Cracking his neck, he sank down into the Captain's chair wearily, the U shaped desk before him dotted with controls. It was shocking how many people were needed to drive this Submarine. He wasn't even really driving it, he was just directing the people who were. It was admittedly fairly amusing, and fitting, that the crew had already begun referring to it as the Captain's Personal U, or CPU for short. His feet stretched out, and he felt the tips of his boots stop at the wooden barrier of the desk. The pale blue eyes were about to close, but a snuffle sent them snapping back open. His reactions were slowed, the damage from the fight with the assassin still painful. It took his brain a second to register the dark shape underneath as a four legged creature he had seen not long ago. From beneath the desk, the snout of a black-furred hound pressed into his lap, and the thump of a wagging tail against the control panel snapped him out of his shock. 

 "How did you sneak on here? And... How did you know this was my desk?" It was silly, but the sniff he received in response almost felt derisive. It was like the dog was saying "Don't underestimate my nose." With a chuckle, the captain reached down, and with one shaky hand, scratched the Labrador on the head. Wincing a bit, he rubbed a shoulder, and reached out for the microphone. "Attention, all Marines of CHIMERA." His voice echoed through the ship, the calm, measured tone hiding the actual pain he felt. He would likely need some helping stitching his wounds, but this was more important.  "I cannot express in words how proud I am. Most divisions would have charged in, attacking head on with no intelligence." Several men chuckled, but most stayed silent. 

 "I ask a lot of you. I'm asking you to be better than anyone you face, in a world where the leader of the Marines can transform into Lava, and people live in the sky. I'm asking the impossible. But I believe, especially after today, that you can deliver that. We may not be ready to tackle the Grand Line at this moment, but I want you to think about what just happened." Taking a pause to clear his throat, he continued. "You attacked the main home for Pirates for a Quarter of the World. 1/4 of the Blues, and you appeared among them like the god damn Legions of the Damned, appearing as buildings blew apart and gas filled the street. We did not slaughter, we did not cut down innocents in our haste to kill one Pirate. We planned, we coordinated, and I'm willing to bet my right arms that we just gave them a scare they won't forget!" Standing up, the cyborg was grinning now. "In 6 months, if the name CHIMERA doesn't have them staring over their shoulder, then it just means that they will be too scared to see us coming!

Sitting back down, Flynn exhaled once, letting the fervor leave his words. "I may be the Captain, but I hope that, if I go down in the middle of battle, it won't matter until you're deciding where to fit my rusty carcass on the ride back so the XO can steal my room. We may have had a smash and grab, but I honestly think we've begun a trail that will define a new Era for the Marines. Get some rest, we've got a few days trip ahead of us."