Post by odango on Jun 1, 2015 15:15:57 GMT -5
*I really, really hope I don’t die.* the young brunette thought while staring down the rows of posters in a rather cozy town square. She stood out, to be honest. Compared to the others, Tsubaki didn’t have an interesting hairdo or a quite unrepeatable sense of general style. She was there in a pair of black, slim trousers and her white marine shirt, still a couple sizes too big for her and partially hiding her curvy figure, yet one would still be able to tell she had a really ample chest area. The marine logo on her back was covered by her waist long hair so some might have not even noticed her affiliation. There was a katana on the left side of her waist and a pouch with long needles strapped to her right thigh. Taking that in account, for this island, she just seemed too ordinary looking, so to say.
The hazel eyed nineteen year old was not there to view the cultural event announcements. No, she was once again looking at a specific “wanted” poster. *Honestly, why would anyone want to be called Frilly Beard? Is he an Ivankov fan? Yet, in the picture, he has no make-up… then again, he doesn’t even have a beard – just a curly, hanging mustache.* she thought while staring at the picture of a middle aged man with a tan complexion, thick neck, square jaw, slanted eyes, quite bushy eyebrows, round nose and a mustache with curls going down both sides. The bounty for him was thirty million. That was thirty million more than any bounty she had ever gone after. Correct, the young marine had never gone after a bounty. She had read about such cases, she had heard about them, she had seen people catch them, but she had never really participated in one of these missions.
*Yeah, I’m probably going to die… and by the hand of someone named Frilly Beard. I get Whitebeard didn’t really have a beard but why must they make a trend out of it. And why beards?!* Tsubaki was a bit confused. Perhaps these thoughts were also a result of that cold feeling in her gut. Needless to say, she was a little nervous. She knew how to fight, in a way. She was also aware of her ability to quickly adapt do different surroundings. However, what if this person was superior in all categories? Well, perhaps not wisdom since his name was after all Frilly Beard… but what if she can’t outrun him? He’s too big for her to budge? She could always try to stab him with something, if need be, however – she had no idea of his swordplay capabilities. The marines did thorough research on the bigger bounties. Under a hundred million, they just listed names and pictures… In short, there was no way of knowing if Tsubaki could actually complete this task.
”Where should I even start looking?” she gave out loud, mostly asking herself than anyone else, in a thoughtful manner. She figured that if he had any friends, they might not give him up to a marine. They wouldn’t give him up to anyone in this town, if they’d look “normal”, probably.
”Oh, I know where he might be.” said a voice next to her.
… … ..
*Wait, what?! This isn’t a prank or a hallucination, right?* Tsubaki looked to her right to see an old man, leaned over from his old age and a cane in his hand, the man reached up to only her waist. She was surprised she hadn’t noticed him as he approached, to be honest.
”Excuse me, you might know where Frilly Beard is?” she asked, deciding to believe she wasn’t imagining the situation. It was something she had not expected in any scenario… The man nodded and smiled, not looking up at her yet, but glancing sideways, over the square and raising his hand slowly, then extending his index finger to point. ”There, in that street there is the place called “Pint Shack”. He comes around now and then to tell everyone how he once again escaped getting caught… it’s getting old. Even for me.” the man gave a heartfelt laugh at his own words. Come to think of it, he looked surprisingly ordinary. While he was wearing a cap with several feathers on one side, the rest of his figure was covered by a beige cloak. He had a wide smile, bits of grey – almost white hair sticking out from under the cap and a pointy chin.
The young marine didn’t see a reason why she couldn’t at least go and see what was happening at the place. Perhaps she might even find some more information if nothing else. ”Thank you very much, sir.” she said politely with a warm smile and a light bow of her head and headed to the place he had pointed to.
*So… what will I do if he’s there?*
The hazel eyed nineteen year old was not there to view the cultural event announcements. No, she was once again looking at a specific “wanted” poster. *Honestly, why would anyone want to be called Frilly Beard? Is he an Ivankov fan? Yet, in the picture, he has no make-up… then again, he doesn’t even have a beard – just a curly, hanging mustache.* she thought while staring at the picture of a middle aged man with a tan complexion, thick neck, square jaw, slanted eyes, quite bushy eyebrows, round nose and a mustache with curls going down both sides. The bounty for him was thirty million. That was thirty million more than any bounty she had ever gone after. Correct, the young marine had never gone after a bounty. She had read about such cases, she had heard about them, she had seen people catch them, but she had never really participated in one of these missions.
*Yeah, I’m probably going to die… and by the hand of someone named Frilly Beard. I get Whitebeard didn’t really have a beard but why must they make a trend out of it. And why beards?!* Tsubaki was a bit confused. Perhaps these thoughts were also a result of that cold feeling in her gut. Needless to say, she was a little nervous. She knew how to fight, in a way. She was also aware of her ability to quickly adapt do different surroundings. However, what if this person was superior in all categories? Well, perhaps not wisdom since his name was after all Frilly Beard… but what if she can’t outrun him? He’s too big for her to budge? She could always try to stab him with something, if need be, however – she had no idea of his swordplay capabilities. The marines did thorough research on the bigger bounties. Under a hundred million, they just listed names and pictures… In short, there was no way of knowing if Tsubaki could actually complete this task.
”Where should I even start looking?” she gave out loud, mostly asking herself than anyone else, in a thoughtful manner. She figured that if he had any friends, they might not give him up to a marine. They wouldn’t give him up to anyone in this town, if they’d look “normal”, probably.
”Oh, I know where he might be.” said a voice next to her.
… … ..
*Wait, what?! This isn’t a prank or a hallucination, right?* Tsubaki looked to her right to see an old man, leaned over from his old age and a cane in his hand, the man reached up to only her waist. She was surprised she hadn’t noticed him as he approached, to be honest.
”Excuse me, you might know where Frilly Beard is?” she asked, deciding to believe she wasn’t imagining the situation. It was something she had not expected in any scenario… The man nodded and smiled, not looking up at her yet, but glancing sideways, over the square and raising his hand slowly, then extending his index finger to point. ”There, in that street there is the place called “Pint Shack”. He comes around now and then to tell everyone how he once again escaped getting caught… it’s getting old. Even for me.” the man gave a heartfelt laugh at his own words. Come to think of it, he looked surprisingly ordinary. While he was wearing a cap with several feathers on one side, the rest of his figure was covered by a beige cloak. He had a wide smile, bits of grey – almost white hair sticking out from under the cap and a pointy chin.
The young marine didn’t see a reason why she couldn’t at least go and see what was happening at the place. Perhaps she might even find some more information if nothing else. ”Thank you very much, sir.” she said politely with a warm smile and a light bow of her head and headed to the place he had pointed to.
*So… what will I do if he’s there?*