The Singer and the Wolf (Rainbow Reboot)

[Dr.Ambs]

How did one end up in the situation they had been placed in? Well, there are a lot of ways to go about this. Perhaps if they hadn't challenged the Marines? Perhaps if they hadn't been so disruptive? Regardless, they were placed in this situation. They were placed in the situation of hiding from the Marines.

Yumeko Mazika leaned against the small cavern wall, hidden deep within the darken forest. Placed in this setting, far within the woods, it barely allowed light from the sun to shine through the thick canopy of leaves. It was the perfect spot to hide from death, from the Marines. Here in this temporary home, the silent wolf could hear the small sounds of birds, the squirrels prancing from limb to limb. She could smell morning dew still lingering from the wee hours. The cool air of the night still shrouded around the forest like a blanket slowly being thrown off the bed.

Red eyes glanced around the outside world before glancing back into the small cavern. The darken corners of the cave hid the small bags, the fire and the two make shift beds. With the outside seeming to be clear, the swordswoman stood up and slowly walked back to the cave. "Legix." Her voice whispered, eyes adjusting to the darkness.

Legix Morre was the singing shipwright. The whole plan was for the two of them to steal a ship while Tayzo Wills and Force were to create a distraction. However with the heavy traffic of marines it was nearly impossible for the two to get to the marine docks. Especially with Legix wounded as heavily as he was. With no way of getting back to Force and Tayzo, the two had to wait it out. Yumeko had slipped into town once since being split up. She had no clue where the other two were, and the marines were still high.

All Yumeko could do for the poor kid was patch him up best she could. The young teenager had had to patch her own self up a few times and even then that was a bad job. She still had scars from her own crappy stitch ups. However with his wounds, it still worried Yumeko to an extent on how well Legix would be and when he would be able to move. She had intentions to find Tayzo and Force, then get the hell off this island.

"How do you feel Legix?" She asked, kneeling down in front of him, her eyes glancing to his wounds before his face.

[Roin]

It had felt like ages since Legix had been brought to the cave. The North Blue Shipwright's gaze was skyward... or at least aimed upward to the cavern's ceiling. Originally here to find work and a way to escape the bad image he'd built in his home Blue, Legix's luck had been so bad that on top of becoming involved, getting into a fight, and getting chased out of town... the shipwright had been shot. The bit of first aid he'd received before the group was split up had left the shipwright stable... but separated from the group had ensured that there was no way to progress it. And now, as his eyes were looking skyward, the newly-created Devil Fruit singer felt horrible.

This... really has been a bad month...

While the singing in his voice had worn down considerably, Legix still felt annoyed that he'd taken such a horrible trade. To lose his ability to work underwater without a suit just for some simple singing fruit was a mockery of everything he knew. The only way it could be worse was if his prized naginata had been damaged during their escape. But at least some sort of Luck Gods favored the shipwright, the prized weapon beside him. The darkness of the cave hid most of the walls, but at this point Legix wished he could just roll over and grab hold of the object.

With his shirt having been torn to shreds, the wounded Working Man lacked the article of clothing, the bandages from his treatment wrapping around his lower torso and right shoulder. Peeking out from the bottom of the diagonally wrapped bandages was the skull-shaped fist birthmark that had been visible before... but it had changed steadily over the days he had healed. It had doubled in width and height, now reaching further down his body and at a slight angle. It was as if the deathly birthmark had responded to the wounded state of its owner. But it had stopped growing the night before, now stuck at its impressive four inch diameter.

"How do you feel Legix?"

Even as the words reached him, the distant-eyed man took a moment to recognize the voice and then change his gaze slightly to face Yumeko. The red-eyed girl had been responsible for keeping him alive so far. What little food he had been capable of eating had been brought by here. On top of that, the makeshift bed had been made with her help. As strong and as hard-working as he may have been... the once-proud shipwright now felt weaker than when he was a kid.

"I~ feel... better~. How do~ things look ou~t there?"

The voice had certainly been reigned in, but the discomfort at the uncontrolled voice was clear on the man's face. But it was quickly replaced with the greater discomfort as Legix grabbed hold of the cavern wall via a small groove. Lifting himself up from the bed, shaking the whole time, Legix at last did something he had done very sparcely since the pair had arrived. The shipwright sat up.

"Tch... fo~rget that. The better question i~s... what day~ is it? If it's a bu~siness day, we might fi~nd a way... off this i~sland."

An internal grimace was all he dared afford at the slip of his control on the new voice. While it was something he had used very little after getting shot, Legix was cursing the inability to at least contain the new-found powers granted by his Devil Fruit.

[Dr.Ambs]

Her orbs watched him move. The poor kid had been a good patient, better than Tayzo in some ways. The kid sat still and didn't complain about most. However, she could still see how uncomfortable and useless he was feeling. Yumeko knew those feeling all to well, having to depend on another person. Having to rely on another person, to trust them to provide care and food. Perhaps that was why she could understand and give space to the poor kid. That and his constant singing.

Apparently Morre had eaten a Devil Fruit, which now meant he couldn't swim. Just great, another Devil. However it almost made her feel human in some sort of way. All her life Yumeko had been called a Devil simply because of her eyes. Yet traveling around she had come across real Devils. Men and women who had consumed a fruit that gave them extraordinary powers at the price of their ability to swim.

It seemed to be a struggle to see the boy sit up. It seemed to take every effort to move. Yumeko went to reach out, to touch his shoulder to push him back down before her hand stopped mid way and pull back. Pushing herself up the wolf looked out the cavern, pondering what her next move was to be.

"It's like walking through a maze on eggshells." Her voice broke through the silent. "Marines are everywhere, this Hawkins woman has beefed up security since we wrecked this town." Exhaling the teenager glanced at the wounded man before walking to her make shift bed and sitting down on it. Truthfully the devil was tired, she had stayed on guard most of the time, letting Legix rest. After all the kid needed it. Her own wounds were healing fine, especially since Force had given her proper medical care. Yet the past days left her sleep deprived.

"Besides." Yumeko spoke as she leaned against the cavern wall, "You can barely sit up. Forget about standing or even walking. If we need to get off this god forsaken island I need you to be able to run. Even if we do plan an escape at night, I still need you able to run." The swordswoman explained as her eyes glanced over back to the singer before shutting her eyes as her head leaned back on the rock wall. "unfortunately we both need rest. We won't go anywhere until then. Lest we do now is just rest and think of a way to find the others and get the hell off this damn island."

With her eyes closed, she could hear the outside world. It would be routine for her, light sleeping while still keeping an eye out, well ear out.

[Roin]

Even with Yumeko saying it, Legix didn't like to believe it. The situation was dire enough that they were still on the island... but considering it was due to his inability to move without support currently was a blow to his pride. All his life, Legix had worked on ships and prided himself in the strength and durability he'd built over the years doing it. Even as the girl moved to her bedding, the man remained sitting up with a hand firmly gripping the wall of the cave. The Working Man had not only been shot, accidentally eaten a Devil Fruit, but to top it all off... because of him the pair were in a steadily more dire situation.

"Because of me... you and you~r friend... were sepera~ted... and that Fishman... los~t his job."

The sing-song method of speech didn't allow for a very serious statement as he wanted, the North Blue shipwright's grip audibly crunching away at the rock handle supporting him. Izlanda and Cormad had both gone off and followed their dreams with the Marines and becoming a pirate... yet here he was simply dragging others down without any sort of intent. Releasing the grip around the stone, the younger of the Morre brothers fell to the bedding with a grunt of exhaustion. The dark cave, the forest outside, and the faint light slipping through the trees all seemed to taunt him. Such a place could possibly have been a nice place to spend the night... but the sea-air seemed so distant. Even with the inability to swim that the fruit bestowed the shipwright, Legix couldn't help but feel disturbed at the forest air that replaced his nostrils. The time since their retreat had been tolerable until the comparison.

Closing his eyes, all he could visualize was the sight of Yumeko helping him away from the Marines, the last moment Force and the hyena had been seen. They all had met him and yet each seemed willing to help him out. At first he'd been some cool shipwright... then some cool singer... and all of that was just what he'd heard for the first time on this escapade. A quiet life seemed further and further away by the instant, Legix sighing one last time.

"Tomorrow~... no matter wha~t... we make our escape. The others wouldn't wan~t us to be like this. I'll ju~st have to tough it out... it wouldn't be the wor~st I've dealt with..."

---

As the sunlight began to peek through the trees outside the cave, Legix was beginning to stir. The pain had dulled somewhat, the bandages lacking blood a sign that the bleeding and wounds were starting to mend. But as the moments went by, Legix's eyes closed but the man steadily waking, the sounds of the forest began to ricochet through the trees and into the cave. Birds, critters, the rustling of leaves, and the distant sound of voices and the town's morning rituals were all blending together like a song to him. Not once during his life had the man found music to be a joyous pastime. Cormad had always stuck around town to listen to bands play, but not the younger brother. Izlanda would listen to their mother sing and hum while working in the garden... but not Legix. Yet as the morning came around and the sounds merged together, something clicked. The chance to finally hear something without anything else to listen to muddying it.

Opening his eyes slowly, Legix took a few slow blinks before reaching to the same hold in the wall. With a careful tug to affirm the difficulty, the Working Man sat up without the same difficulty from the previous night. The wounds stung and his body was sore from the attempts to heal and the residual pain... but it was far better than it had been the past few nights. Reaching his free hand to the side, grabbing hold of the naginata, Legix turned the weapon around in a smooth motion, bringing the shaft's bottom down against the cavern's floor with a firm clank. Lowering his gaze toward his legs, to ensure his feet moved when he made the effort, the North Blue man spoke up at last.

"Yu~meko... I think I wa~nt... to get off this isla~nd today. I~ want to find ou~t... what my brother sa~w in becoming a pirate. Even if it mea~ns... making enemies~... with these Mari~nes!"

[Dr.Ambs]

With eyes closed the woman could hear him move. Although through the whole process Yumeko never broke her uncaring aura, there was a little empathy to be had when it came to Legix. She knew how it felt to be useless. She knew how horrible it felt to rely on others. It was the whole reason she left the village, why she trained under her sensei's law. It was so she could never be useless or have to rely on others.

Yet she understood that right now Legix couldn't jump the gun. He had been shot, not once but twice. The man needed to rest. Pushing himself to his limits would only hinder them leaving any sooner. However, her eyes opened slightly when he mentioned Tayzo and Force. "I'm sure they can handle themselves." She spoke, letting her eyes shut again. It did bother her though. Tayzo and Force, if they had been caught it would have been in the news around the town when she went in. Yet they had yet to come in and look for them in the forest. Had they already left the island? Would Tayzo just leave her? No. No that idiot sailed across the sea looking for the green haired brat, no way he would leave her.

But what would Yumeko do? Would she leave him?

There was a small frown on her lips. She really wasn't a pirate. Yes she had been declared one since the run in with Tayzo's father, but she really had no need for being a pirate. The treasure One Piece did not spark her interest, the need for being free on the open seas did not call to her, to become a great navigator did not speak volumes for her. She was on the sea to find one man. She was a wanderer. She did what she could to get by. She did what she could to get stronger.

So why was the thought of leaving Tayzo behind feeling like a sense of betrayal? Was the lone wolf afraid that she was gaining attachments? They had been through a lot over the past months. From Silia to Pirates Market to even this desolated town. Yet Tayzo wanted to become a pirate. He was innocent in a way. The wolf had one goal to walk in darkness. Tayzo had no place there.

Leaning her head back on the rock wall, her ears could hear Legix declare how he wanted to leave tomorrow. Yumeko didn't respond, only keep her eyes shut. Looks like she would have no choice.

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

When there was noise of someone shifting, Yumeko jolted awake, her hand placed on the hilt of her sword. Ready to lash out at the closest object she could see Legix, standing with the help of his naginata. It took the wolf a few moments to catch herself in reality before realizing that Legix was standing. Yet before she could speak, the man spoke before her, telling her that they were going to escape today, no matter what. Growling to herself, the swordswoman stood up. He wanted to leave, fine.

"fine." her voice came out rough, reaching in her bag. Her hands fumbled inside before finding the cloak she had acquired at Pirates Market. Throwing the cloth to Legix she began to pack what she could, "Wear that then. We don't need you drawing attention. The longer we go without being detected, the better the chance we have of escaping." She explained while pulling out the marine outfit she had managed to swipe. It only took the woman a few moments to throw the attire on over hers in a few minutes before she stood up with bag in hand.

Taking a few steps outside the cave, her red eyes scanned the forest. It was calm again, the few noises of the animals. Yet there was nothing odd about it. Exhaling she turned to the inside of the cave, looking over Legix. Her faith in him able to keep up was thin. Hell, this whole plan seemed idiotic and to be honest they didn't have one. They only had the plan of getting off this island. "Alright hot shot. what's the plan then. Steal a marine ship? Hold a man hostage? threaten to blow the island up if out demands aren't met?" Her voice nearly shouted.

Her emotions were off. She knew they should leave, but she didn't want to leave. Tayzo. Tayzo was still out there. Would leaving be an act of betrayal? What if they left and Tayzo was caught and hanged? It would be her fault. Another person would die because she wasn't strong enough. Or what if they left then Tayzo met up with them later? Would he be angry with them? With her? Gah, this was why she wanted nothing to do with people. They left her like this. Confused and angry.

Looking away from Legix, her eyes focused on the forest. it was starting to become too calm now. The calm before the storm was the worst moment. It was now or never. They needed a plan and they needed it fast.

[Tori Tori Chopper]

'Sooo..'

The recruit peered left and right about the figure.

'Hm?'

The figure responded in kind, tilting its head to the side quite suddenly.

'AH?!'
Damn near tumbled off his makeshift barrel seat.

'I-! Uuh.. I Sorry!' The cloak with legs launched from its folded position, arms nowhere to be seen as it leaned over the barrel to the crumpled remains of the marine, who in turn was still shocked to see the shuttlecock shape even move. 'I-I thought you were a statue!' Its head titled once more, a soothing and eloquent hum emitting from it instead of your typical noise of pondering only provided more confusion to the marine who's eyes darted about the deck for aid on the small shipping vessel, sadly he was alone with this creature. 'Sleep!' It seemed to have had an epiphany. It for lack of a better term wiggles on the spot, arms suddenly emerging from the robes that consumed half its body, before miming generic sleeping poses. The stupidity of the situation did if anything calm the seaman's nerves, hoisting himself back onto his seat and quickly checking how close they were to their location before getting back to the curious case at hand. 'I've never seen someone sleep so quietly and still before...' His company nodded, pointing to itself and nodding. 'Yes! Sleep! Good Sleep...' The voice was pitched, even in simple terms the notable charm was evident, resonating as if each word was a song in its own right. It was clear how difficult it was for it to keep up though, taking moments at a time to collect its thoughts before answering, and even then to call it answering was a stretch. 'D-Do you speak..?' It was strange to hear anyone who didn't understand the common tongue, all his life he hadn't ever had such a predicament place before him, regardless the pondering time gave the acquaintance a moment to formulate. 'Understand? Yes! Speak.. Hnnnn.' It placed its hands in front of itself, pressing its pointing fingers together in what the marine depicted as an embarrassed state.

'I-Its fine! you just caught me off guard is all.'
He adjusted himself and took a seat once more.

'Sorry sorry..'

Its arms retracted into its clothing, going back to its cross-legged position.

He couldn't help but laugh, one moment they looked like an ice cream cone, the next it was sitting and it looked like a teepee with a head. the chuckle seemed to spark curiosity, but he waved it off before getting onto a more polite social form. 'So where are you from? Strange to see someone so exotic on a trade route in the weakest blue.' A single finger raised, it rummaged within its attire, looking like a squirrel was on the loose inside its clothing, before pulling out a arguably really well drawn map of the east blue, the mountain circled with a question mark and a black line trailing all through the calm belt and up to this point.. This exact point when he focused on it! 'H-How do you know the trade route so well?' Noises emitted from the mask, giggling? 'Why are you embarrassed again?!' The conversation seemed to be going nowhere, but much like himself the figure seemed to peer off towards their location every other moment, just as inpatient as he was. 'So you're either here for a reason, or just along for the ride.. Huh..' Talking to himself only seemed to make his social partner curious, as it pointed to the island repeatedly as if that would make the ship faster. 'This is a basic ship.. Uuuh. Girl?' Its body shook, a rumble from its vocal chords most unexpected, it went as far as him feeling the bass of it rippling through his seat.

'I Girl!'

'Of course you're a girl! I wasn't questioning it!'

'Hmph!~'

'It wont go that fast, the winds aren't exactly fantastic today either, not that you'd care, you seem the spur of the moment type.' She nodded, for once not being drastically offended or embarrassed by one of his statements. The island was getting close, and with it the mysterious girl began to hop on the spot, her whole body of clothing moving up and down with every hop and jump all the way up to the plank setting on the dock's edge. Her hums, much like her prior company, began to slowly catch people's attention as they passed, the sensation that washes over them being within her vicinity something completely alien to them.. Coming as no surprise most wouldn't blame a masked person being responsible for a tingle down their spine or deep tone in their eardrums. The marine quickly checked to see if she had any belongings before getting to work, grabbing towers of boxes at a time and bringing them down to the walkway before hoisting others back up, all the while being monitored by this stationary oddity. It got to a point where he paused, lifting his marine hat to get a proper look at her away from the blinding sun rays, his stopping immediately having her flustered and pretending she was doing something other than eyeball his actions for the last couple of minutes.

'I'm staying here for the night if you're wondering, this ain't moving until tomorrow.'

'Tomorrow? Tomorrow..'

'This islands got some history to it, some good food too, dont let me keep you.'

Gruuuuwl~

'Was that yo-.'

'N-No!'

'You're an odd one, I give you that.' He went to pick up a box, suddenly going tense as something light tapped on his shoulder, turning to see her offering her hand.. Well, more taking his hand from his side to be precise, leaving him in a horrible mixture of confusion and fear. His hair stood on end, a tingle surged through his whole body, a warm feeling washed around his chest, all from a single sound. It seemed to almost echo, and while in hindsight it sounded rather silly compared to the norm, the effects seemed to blanket the strange array of octaves and pitch. He didn't really know what happened, and she was hopping off down the street before he could even ask, just left with a lingering word slowly escaping his mouth and his hand locked in the positioning she had held it. It was only when she shouted for his attention did he snap out of it.

'Thank you!' 

'.. Don't mention it?'

He was being very literal.

SPOILER: Click to show

Pechaan - #ebbd88
Delivery Marine - #7bdfcb

[Roin]

With a toss of a cloak his way, Legix had initially feared getting knocked down by the attempt. However, the man's free hand met the cloak mid-toss, clutching it out of the air. The idea that he had to disguise like some poor beggar or vagabond wasn't lost on him, but the idea was smarter than walking through town. Even in his condition, without any sort of shirt and covered in bandages, Legix was far from indistinguishable. There was also no doubt a man or woman trying to find out who ate their Devil Fruit from the day before. Without a complaint, he pulled the cloak around, upward, and then downward around his form, not even willing to attempt to tie it to his form. Movement was easier today, but the amount of effort was still tiring on the man who had never been shot in his entire life.

As Yumeko pestered him with annoyance, for whatever reason he could only guess, Legix turned his gaze to the now Marine-dressed woman. It hadn't been expected... and in a sense she reminded him of Izlanda before she left home. All the same, however, the Working Man started forward in contemplation of any plan. There were more violent options, but their enemy was a Marine's commander and an island's entire force. If they were to not buy into a bluff, it'd be the end of them. If they got in an all-out fight, it'd equally be the end of them. Having his mother as an ex-Marine of extreme potential, Legix wasn't blind to the capabilities of a strong Marine. The two of them would stand no chance against such a foe... which meant they'd use another idea.

"I~'ll be your prisoner... you ca~ptured one of the men on the ru~n. So~, if they ask you can say~ I'm being shipped o~ff for imprisonment in the Nor~th Blue."

The idea was risky, certainly, but it was the only one that kept them low-profile in a very hostile situation. Moving forward carefully and using his weapon as a support, Legix moved forward until he was closer to the leading woman. Carefully standing up straight, testing his own strength, Legix extended the naginata toward her with a clear frown on his face. Prisoners couldn't be armed, of course, but the idea meant that he was giving up his own personally-made weapon for a while. The fact that his fighting was based around the weapon only did more to increase his concern. However, making the plan work was far more important than his comfort in it. It wasn't like he could change just how fast he was recovering with will alone.

"A~s for how to get off of thi~s rock... we'll head to the Mari~ne and sanctioned partners of the Wo~rld Government's dock. Into the be~lly of the beast~... and we're going to stea~l one of the island's cruiser~s. My mother always ta~lked about how islands ha~d various ships to handle fleeing pi~rates... if we take the fastest one they have~, they're not going to catch us with anythi~ng else."

---

As the mysterious and strange woman made her encounter with a Marine of mixed luck, another vessel was coming into dock. The Marine banner and sails flew proudly from it, but the ship was clearly recently acquired with a lack of the blue paint. While there were larger vessels and a few smaller ones, the very design of the ship now taking residence at the island's landing zone was foreign in sheer design alone. With three masts to support the sails, it was a ship that seemed somewhat packed for space on the deck... but a large tarp made it clear how such a ship was tolerable. Much like a forest's canopy, the tarp was stretched along the surface of the vessel protectively and supported with various posts and chain. This was no mere addition... but a true fixture to the vessel. And as the crew began to fix the vessel to their own "slot" in the dock, the standard shouting began between Marines on the island and Marines aboard the ship.

"We're back! Take a look at our newest ship!"

"Eh!? What were you thinking bringing that thing back!? She said bring back a battleship, not some... some... monster ship!"

"B-But we got it on sale! We saved twice the amount we normally would on a ship like this!"

"That's because it's a piece of junk, you idiot! What even is this thing?"

The trade of dialogue continued, even as the ship was secured and the crew had begun to poor off of it, as the Marines tried to make sense of the Xebec and its odd design. Along the starboard bow's lining, however, carved into the wood was a series of words, the first of which was painted and shined to name the vessel. The White-Slider, the font made up to be nice and fancy, with the nation of Lyneel underneath to identify the island of originality. Such a vessel was surely useful, but as the two Marines brawled and bickered with both fist and anger... it was clear they had no interest in how useful it might be but whether the ship was the correct one they had to buy.

The brawling was short-lived, however, as someone made their way down from the ship. With each step, the woman's presence seemed to sink in over the dock. It was only as she neared the brawling that the small sea of Marines parted with both a sense of nervousness and fear. The woman they parted for, however, wasn't one of some monstrous size nor harsh looks. With short hair and a band-aid visible on her forehead, the woman carried a coat of justice over her shoulders with the sleeves tied in a loose knot and hanging in front of her. As she stopped before the two now-yelling men, the woman simply put on a big smile and blinked large, blue eyes at them with an innocent look.

"You two make-up and apologize, now. I'd hate to tell your CO that you'd rather bicker than make-do! My son made this ship, so it should be a fine addition to any Marine fleet!"

The two men looked, the man that had come from the ship paling and immediately nodding. The other, however, a cocky PCO, looked to her with a weird mix of confusion and disbelief.

"Eh!? Who are you!? You surely can't be an officer with a face like-" "My face is quite lovely for a mother of three. I think I've kept my form as well! A mother has to look her best, after all."

The poor guy raised a brow, more confused along with a handful of his squad. The Marines that had poured from the ship had already been taking steps back or trying to slip off the dock to make a dash for the base, but as the man reached a hand out to make a threat on the woman no doubt... it happened. One moment, the man was reaching forward... and the next the woman had struck him. The gesture seemed weak, but the man's face shifted as if he had been struck by metal, the guy falling to the ground with his eyes and face showing clear shock and pain. All she had done was slap him, yet the man immediately began to yelp and shout with a hand moving to cover the impact point's now-forming bruise. The woman frowned to him on the ground, sighing before looking ahead toward the island's base.

"Don't worry, Sharah... you'll get to teach these Marines some manners soon enough. Hopefully their reports are right and I can detain my son before he gets a bounty. I could still get him off the hook if I find him before that. Surely he has to be in this Blue. If he's not... I might run out of vacation time before I find him!"

For the moment, with the Marine mooks grabbing their friend and trying to return to their duties, the woman was left isolated on the dock, the worried mother staring off toward the base in distant thought for a moment before closing her eyes. She'd not used her Haki to search for her son like some lost boy in town in ages... but her sensory skills came to use as she began to scan outward. The good will of others, the strange shapes of their forms, and more were all visible... but of all of them she couldn't detect her son among the dock nor the surrounding buildings. It was clear the search wasn't going to take a day, which meant she'd likely be on the island teaching for a bit before she could head to the next one. Which meant even more of her vacation was going to be eaten up. And while the dock cleared and left her alone and standing by herself, the notion of being stuck in the East Blue longer than she had to be wasn't one Sharah was fond of.

SPOILER: Click to show

Legix: ff5c00
Marine 1: Bold
Marine 2: 454546
Sharah: 4f69a2

[Dr.Ambs]

Become a prisoner? Pulling off acting as a marine would be hard enough for Yumeko, let along for Legix to be a prisoner. There was a slight frown on her lips. "Are you sure you want to do this? Going into the belly of the beast means having to deal with the teeth." Her voice reached him as she turned to him. Her red orbs watched as he placed the cloak on him, before he seemed hesitant about his weapon. It caused her to look at her own weapons. It would be hard for a swordswoman to part with her own swords. The man seemed to be rather attached to his own weapon.

She exhaled, holding her hand out. "I'll take it. I won't be too far from you, so your weapon will always be close." She spoke to him as she kept her hand out, waiting for the naginata. It was a strange custom weapon. It was something that a person like her couldn't handle on the first day. This was a weapon that needed time and patience to conquer the range and weight. It was something that Yumeko would not handle.

Instead, she held out a pair of handcuffs for Legix to put on. They had to make it convincing. She had no intention on letting him die, nor actually get captured by the marines. This would be something she could handle. "You are going to have to trust me, you realize this. Can you trust me? And if you can, why trust yourself to a complete stranger?" She asked him, her red eyes looking into his blue ones.

For the past few days she had been trying to understand the man. How he put faith in a complete stranger. The only reason their lives had cross was because of some freak accident, because of a blue haired hyena. Perhaps if Yumeko had never made the deal with the brat that she wouldn't be in this predicament right now. Regardless, the past was the past and the moment now called that they had to work together and get off this blasted island before things went from bad to worst.

She turned away from him, starting to head off into the woods. Right now her main focus was getting off this island, in one piece.

[Tori Tori Chopper]

'Doon-Dooon~'
'Hahaha! Again again!'

Pechaan was happy to oblige, the children who had gathered around her position just beside the main road of the island unable to contain their overbearing excitement in their small wiggling bodies. She took another deep breath, her armless figure growing in size while her audience seemed to almost mimic her actions. Her exhale was subtle, conserved, a tone emitting from the lowest of her range immediately noticeable and produced a handful of giggles and chuckles as they were tickled by the vibrations that rippled through the ground. Its power amplified, loose cobbles of the path shaking and clattering against one another in her small vicinity as the children let out drawn noises as it was shaken and stuttered by the motion beneath them. The group broke out into laughter on her last breath, getting up to get a closer look at her clothes, poking and clutching at the fabrics as the robed figure too took to her feet. They had stumbled upon her finishing her nap moments before, a group of mothers and their children going for a wander around the island, the parents themselves didn't seem as fascinated by her actions, but were equally willing to find something to fawn over.

'That outfit is so cute~'

'I bet theres an exotic beauty hiding under there, huh?'

'Little shy are we darling?'

'N-No! Mask.. Uhm.. Important!'

They didn't seem convinced, gushing at her simple wording and delicate voice as opposed to actually trying to decipher her.. She pouted, but as always considering her get up, it was to no avail. She went to reason further, a moment of pondering and words without reason emitting from her before being stopped suddenly by the introduction of another laugh a small distance away. She hadn't even noticed the children dash off towards the source, her ears twitching and curious at the tone. She didn't have to see the marine overalls, the plaster that covered an unknown wound, the jingling of her ring agaisnt the metallic buttons on her shirt. She was soothing, experienced, a majority of her life taking someone's true appearance by their voices made that much obvious.. Maternal? She twisted her head almost own like through the appearance of her clothing in the act, only to find the individual in question seemed just as curious about her, wide and wise eyes scanning her being in an almost uneasy manner.. However a humble smile and joyful features put Pechaans mind at ease. She took to her feet as quickly as the woman approached, the children still flocking around her while dangling from her limbs and loose clothing. She folded her arms, angling her head from side to side as if examining the newcomer, a heartfelt single barrelled laugh bursting from her while finding she was being mirrored by the newcomer.

'What brings someone from so far away to an East Blue island?'
'I'm going all place.'

Sounding serious was futile, tipping her head in slight sadness when even the most serious looking lass she had come across on the whole island cupped her cheeks at her attempt to respond in an equally authoritative tone. She was for a moment pulled from the center of attention, despite the presence of two individuals that had the flock of kids using them as jungle gyms, the mothers beckoned them to their sides while they departed. The taller and key-figure female of late introduction seemed to exchange words with most them before they left, Pechaan adamant to wave to each and every child to the point her hand was simply flailing about slightly outside of her robes. 'A journeyman of music, maybe?' She pressed her finger agaisnt her chin in thought, while peeking down at Pechaan attempting to figure out what the word meant by saying it to herself constantly under her breath. 'I'm just teasing you~ Are you hungry?' Her head tilted, looking down then to her stomach that once again emitted a furious growl. 'A-Ah!' She hugged her stomach, curling up in an expression of embarrassment before feeling a hand rest on her head. 'I've heard it enough from my kids to know when someone's hungry, and I'd be disappointing mothers everywhere if I didn't help a young girl get some food.' She began to walk away, Pechaan quickly uncoiling from her position and instinctively hopping off to her side to match her strides, to much trouble she'd admit.

'Nice to see you Ma'am! What'll it be?'

'Names Sharah my good man! Squash for me.. And the special for this little lady here if you could?'

'Of course! Comin' right up!'

They hadn't gone far up the road, quickly into a rather large and seemingly popular place of food and drink, she was seated in what was presumed to be an uncommon spot, even then she seemed to instinctively know what Pechaan was going to ask. 'Heard this guy makes the meanest French toast on the whole island!' What that even was however, was something she would have to find out. It didn't even take that long, the same gentleman with two plates and spreads balancing on his arm came sliding past to serve it across the table, gone in a flash and Sharah was already helping herself. 'While its hot honey, eat up~' She took a moment, it wasn't like her appearance was taboo, nor revealing her appearance to be against her ways.. The Mothers before were right in the end, she was a little shy. She settled on a middle ground, prepping a piece of her food before raising her mask ever so slightly to get to her mouth, then covering back up afterwards and happily munching away. 'You're as adorable as my daughter was when she was your age~' Sharah at times almost completely missed her mouth, being so focused on trying to get a glimpse of her guest. Pechaan on the other hand was lost in thought with her meal, swaying from side to side as she took piece after piece of the meal.

'Many children?'

A topic Pechaan was quite intrigued about.

'Three! Two boys and a girl.'
She hesitated, for a moment seemingly forgetting something weighing on her mind.

'One in particulars being a concern right now.'

'Oooooh..'

munch munch munch..

[Tay]

"Things are about to get ugly guys. But I'll make sure we all get out of here safely."

Those were the last words Tayzo said to his allies. The last words he would probably ever utter to them. The blue-haired teen sat in the corner of a restaurant, wearing a hooded cloak over his messy and tattered clothing. A hot meal of French Toast and Sausage sat in-front of him, but as hungry as he was, he had no appetite. How could he eat, knowing that his allies were somewhere on this island probably starving, or even worse being tortured and punished by Marines? His mind went back a few days ago, when he said those words.

------

"Things are about to get ugly guys. But I'll make sure we all get out of here safely."

Why did he lie to them? When he said it, he felt confident and true, but now he realized it was all for show. Tayzo unsheathed his obsidian-bladed tonfa and dashed through the Marines. He sliced and cut his way through the entire group, sometimes even changing into his hyena form when he felt overwhelmed, continuing to claw threw them. It was all going well. It looked as if he would distract the Marines long enough for Yumeko and their new injured comrade, Legix, to steal a ship and prep it to escape the Marine occupied island. But just as things were beginning to look well, everything went right back wrong. Something hit Tayzo in the back, and then the side. It was so fast, he couldn't even react. He fell to his knees, a group of all the fallen Marines that he had taken out surrounded him. Before he could look up to see what had struck him, a foot slammed into his chin, forcing it upward. The hyena fell onto his back, blood trickling from his mouth. He quickly recovered, forcing himself to his feet and wiping his mouth. A few feet in front of him stood a short, yet athletically built older woman. Around her shoulders draped her coat of justice and symbol of her Captain rank.

"I'm surprised you're still able to stand after my Fan Dance, you're a tough one. But now you will have to meet your end, at the hands of the Steel Hawk herself, Captain Cassandra. What is your name young pirate?" She asked him.

"Tayzo. Tayzo Wills" He said with no hesitation. Her eyes widened for a moment, as if she was shocked that he existed, then she chuckled a bit.

"You must be Mazima's little delinquent. He told me you had run off and become a pirate, earning a bit of a reputation and name for yourself. I didn't believe it until your wanted poster showed up on my desk one day. Now I know why you look so familar. The girl and fishman that escaped me earlier must be with you as well. If I take care of you, there'll be nothing left for them to fight for." She gathered herself into a stance, wielding two bladed fans. "If you're anywhere on your father's level, this should be fun. Come at me, little delinquent. I won't be holding back just because you're his son."

At the mention of his father's name, Tayzo grew interested. After their fight, it sounded as if Mazima was almost proud of him, even though his son had become a pirate. Maybe it was the fact that Tayzo had defeated him in battle, or maybe it was because he was pursuing his own dreams and ambitions and not letting anyone else sway his way of thinking. Regardless, it left Tayzo with a smile on his face, because he was making his dad proud.

He charged Cassandra, bringing up his tonfa in a swift slice, but before he even developed the swing, she was gone. He ducked instinctively, just as one of the bladed fans swiped where his neck would have been. He knew the other one was coming, so he dove out of the way. He turned to face her, just as she threw both fans directly at him. He brought his tonfa up, blocking the fans. They were falling to the dirt, but then Cassandra was right back on top of him, catching the fans and then delivering a straight-legged kick to his tonfa, pushing them back into his own chest, where they dug partially inside. Tayzo jumped backward and pulled them out, leaving two parallel slices on his chest.

He quickly went back onto the offensive, but with all his efforts, he just couldn't hit the woman. She was too fast for him. He was being outclassed in every way, but the goal was to just buy enough time for Yumeko and Legix to grab them a ship.

------

Tayzo was snapped out of his flashback by the sight of two guests walking into the restaurant. A familiar looking woman marched in, accompanied by a mysteriously masked companion. Tayzo had seen weirder things, so the mask didn't very much bother him. Instead, it was the familiarity of the woman that caught his attention.

'Nice to see you Ma'am! What'll it be?'

'Names Sharah my good man! Squash for me.. And the special for this little lady here if you could?'

'Of course! Comin' right up!'

Sharah....nope that name didn't click at all for Tayzo, meaning he must not know her. But why did she seem so familiar? He studied her face hard, but nothing came to him. Maybe it was just his imagination.

As they ate, the masked companion asked her about her children.

'Three! Two boys and a girl.'
She hesitated, for a moment seemingly forgetting something weighing on her mind.

'One in particulars being a concern right now.'

Maybe it was a coincidence, but it finally hit Tayzo. He didn't know the woman Shara, but he knew the "one in particular" that she must have been talking about. This woman had to be Legix's mother! She seemed so familiar because they looked so much alike but... Tayzo's eyes scanned her clothing. A coat of justice draped across her shoulders. Legix, like Tayzo, was the offspring of a Marine.

[Dr.Ambs]

She watched as the man handed to her his weapon. The frown on his face was evident enough that he wasn't too happy about handing over his weapon. Of course, Yumeko couldn't blame Legix, she would feel the same way. A fighter was nothing without their weapon. Exhaling, her hands grasped the staff, her eyes looking over the unique design of the naginata. "It's a fine weapon, a lot of love and care can be felt in this weapon." She spoke, lightly holding it, "My Sensei always said that the weapon is often the soul of the person that carries it." Her voice now directed at the wounded man. For a moment, Yumeko wondered what others would feel in her weapons, in her twin kodachi's. Would they feel hatred? Sadness? Loneliness?

Regardless, the woman focused on her task at hand. The wolf held her hands out for Legix's wrist, silently asking for them to tie them up with rope. Now that he was a devil fruit user, using the Marine handcuffs would render him more useless than he was now. It would only be after she had tied Legix's wrist together that she would pull her hair up into the Marine hat and place her sunglasses on. "Let's get this over with, as quick and painless." Yumeko spoke to the singer.

For the most part, Yumeko was silent as she led Legix through the woods. She could hear some squirrels and birds prancing around the trees. It didn't sound like anything was off. There was no sound of gun fire or shouting. Hopefully when they reached town, it would be the same. It would be a far distant dream, but Yumeko needed some hope one way or another.

As she reached the forest edge, the wolf could only look over to the young man. "This is it. One way or another we will get off this island and be rid of it by the end of the day."

[Roin]

The tranquility of the town was far unlike that of the forest, a sound that Legix took into account as well as he could. Yumeko led the bound man, his eyes aimed at the forest floor as they moved. The crunch of twigs, grass, and leaves could be heard as the pair made their way steadily toward the urbanized section of the island. The chirping of birds and their rustling in the trees was replaced with the movement and shaking of shudders. The sight of beautiful plants was replaced with the organized laying of brick, cut of stone, and lining of wood in the houses. The forest was near the middle of the island's height-scale, meaning it wasn't too far to the dock... but even with Yumeko's words reaching him that they would be rid of the island, the idea of escaping the island felt like a stone's throw from the shipwright.

The Devil Fruit had stolen his ability to swim in exchange for the goofy voice. There was no powers or anything fantastical he had noticed in his body. As far as he knew so far, the wounds he had suffered and the curse of a spiteful fruit were not worth the venture to Shell Island. But as they reached one of many small streets that led to the central-most road of the island, Legix had to say that the island wasn't going to be forgotten so easily. To ensure he lived, this was the island that made him have to cast away his inhibitions as much as he could. The man who had been so against giving up his good name was now accepting the fact that he may become a pirate. And as the pair walked, the looks of kids and adults alike falling on him only further intensified that situation.

"Mama, that man has a weird mark on him!"

"What mark, hun... the one on his chest?"

"I-Isn't that the mark of The Red Rumbler!? He has to be quite the villain!"

"Don't be silly, Mark! From what I heard, that man doesn't even have a crew! It must be his family!"

"So it's safer to assume he's a relative of a Daibukai? Don't be so ridiculous! Why in the world would a Daibukai's family member show up on Shell Island!? He's clearly using the mark to gain fame!"

The arguing continued, growing more intense as the initial identification spread. As one would expect, the people of the East Blue were aware of their identity as the "Weakest" of the four Blues. Even with the identification of Monkey D. Luffy, they had no reason to assume that a Daibukai's crew or even family would show up... but the rumor caught like wild-fire. Legix could only look around in disbelief at the very idea. While the shipwright had never met his father, the mark on his chest had been a birthmark. Not once had he ever heard of this Red Rumbler, but by the time the pair had reached the main-street, the locals were all looking out from their windows and from doorways, gasping and gossiping to the effect that the man in the street was the first-mate and cousin of the Red Rumbler.

"A-Any~ idea what they're ta~lking about, Yumeko~?"

While the Daibukai program wasn't a mystery to him, Legix could only frown at the development. It would certainly make things harder to steal a ship with all the attention but the lack of marine forces in the town proper was... confusing. The majority of the forces had been looking for the man the last few days, yet only civilians and merchants alike were investigating the captive. It seemed they were all arguing (once again) over the ship in their port. With his naginata in Yumeko's hands, the man was wondering if it were better to just throw the cover away... but at last, a single voice called out that seemed to shake the entire island. A voice that, as Yumeko would notice from the tight tug of the rope, made even the wounded Legix lock-up with enough force to hold his position on the wide, open road that led both up and down Shell Island. And that same voice came from below, down the main path from a shop near the docks of the island, drawing the looks of almost everyone on the main-road toward the building it came from.

---

"My-my, you have quite the appetite~! You remind me more of my son Legix when I make his favorite stew, now!"

The woman's smile grew at the sight of the girl's almost gluttonous feast. While she wasn't shoving giant amounts in that mysteriously hidden face, the girl was certainly putting away chow. As she brought a spoonful of her own meal toward her mouth, however, the mother felt a pair of eyes on the duo. It wasn't hard to detect such things when one had Haki on their side, but as the woman turned her face, she spotted a hooded individual within the very same establisment. To see with Haki was hard to explain, but the initial suspicion that the person was her son was quickly marked out. After all, Sharah knew her son's presence very well from the residents of the entire city. But the idea that she and the guest were being watched was certainly a most curious one. It was only with the notification, however, that she had hatched a plan of most devious proportions. With a smile, she once again turned her big, blue eyes to the masked Pechaan.

"I think you might have a young man interested in you nearby... he seemed to be looking our way... maybe you should direct a shy smile his way, eh~?"

The idea that the girl would do such a thing was incredulous, of course, as the shyness to her eating alone had suggested she would do no such thing. But the opportunity to inspire a bit of bashfulness in the young was what the mother loved to do. Izlanda had no interest in finding a husband, last she had checked, and both of her sons were too focused on their dreams. And while Cormad may have vanished, the oldest of her children at least was trying to live his. If she failed to find Legix, it was quite likely he'd follow the same, destructive path to pirate-hood as the elder of the brothers.

The line of thinking, of course, had shifted the woman's smile and gaze away from Pechaan to look off at the wall of ingredients with a distant look and a frown. There was no way for her to be sure of her parenting in an age like this, where pirates were so rampant that even her two boys were drawn into their shenanigans. Sharah was, most certainly, a woman who faced a dilemma unlike any others. There were parents who, of course, had pirate children while serving the Marines. The most infamous was the fact that Garp's grandson was one of the new, troublesome bunch. All of that, however, wasn't for here... but for another time.

"I wonder if I'll ever get my boy to come ba-... back... home?"

The hesitation in her speech wasn't likely to be known to the pair that stood out from the patrons of the establishment in the early morning, but Sharah's scanning had picked up on something. Two figures, one unknown and the other extremely known, had made it to the town's main street. While she could scan most of the island, the ranging and shape of her sensory abilities had resulted in a far more oval-like shape than a circle. The result was that the pair had easily made it into the city, heading down toward the docks no doubt, before she even noticed a thing. The mother could only feel a bit of shame in herself at the lack of noticing. Closing her eyes and leaning her head back, appearing rather goofy in doing so, the woman turned her focus away from the shy girl she was feeding and the hooded youth.

Of the two, Sharah could only identify her son. The blurry images steadily shifted among a sea of colors in the sensory form of Haki, shades and variations of color mold into the form of both Legix and a girl. The girl's attire appeared to be that of the Marines, carrying the prized weapon of the Morre child behind her in one hand and leading him by rope with the other. The girl's emotions were difficult to pick-up on for the Marine, but Sharah could tell she was determined. A good trait in Marines, of course... but that determination was strange in that she wasn't leading the captive son toward the base, but the docks. Perhaps she was in disguise... but Sharah couldn't tell as her focus slipped and her eyes snapped open at the scene around the two. People were looking, pointing, and speaking about him no doubt, the sight alone shaping up to reveal something that made her blood run cold. The confusion in Legix that she sensed was stemming from the crowd's reaction to a partially exposed mark on his chest... and the bandages made it further obvious to the Instructor what may be happening. It was quite likely that the people of the island were connecting her son to the infamous Red Rumbler, otherwise known as Deroux Devilfist.

Quickly standing up, the patrons and the cook all looked her way, confused at the urgency of which she pushed her bowl forward. The soup and squash inside was still mostly there as she narrowed her eyes at the wall behind the cook, slightly angled upward. To many, it looked like she was giving a most-angry look at the corner of the building... and it only became more insane as she snarled and yelled at the top of her lungs, the voice booming with such effect that it would fill the restaurant and spill out easily to the ears of Yumeko and Legix a good hundred feet or so up the lengthy road.

"Legiiiiix! What have you done now!?"

Safe to say, the looks of disbelief piled up almost immediately as she seemed to be turning red with an increasing sense of rage. While she wasn't like her secret husband, the ticked off Sharah seemed ready to wage war on the entire island with her anger. If the island connected her son to her idiot of a spouse, then there was no possible way she could save him from the fate he had started to pursue. Unless she could clean up this mess, the mother was going to lose yet another son to the lust for adventure that made the pirate menace what it was today!

[Tori Tori Chopper]

'Churu~?'

She froze in the action of lifting her mask for her final bite, the suggestion that she was being watched peaked her interests only to realise it was in an arguably creepy fashion, without thinking stuck her tongue out in his direction before finishing the final corner of her delicacy. The red that flushed her face was thankfully concealable as she munched away the end of the meal. Upon a more masked peek at their observer, Pechaan noticed quickly that the rather esteemed and outspoken marine was more of his attention.. Everyone's attention to be more specific. It wasn't really much of her business, as intrigued as she was to know all about this marines life, her adventures and her children, it wasn't really her place to be to forward when she wasn't ready to tell much about her own past.

Personal dilemmas clouded her senses, lost in her own little world while everyone else simply saw a stationary figure seemingly observing the troubled decorated soldier. A passive anomaly that is hard to explain to all but her own culture, the robed mystery couldn't help but feel the rhythm and pace of things, more concerned due to her senses feeling a disruption in her breakfast partner as opposed to any real factual evidence that suggested she was uneasy. She went to speak, break the tension of the situation only to produce a squeak once she raised her head to see Sharah was fixated on what was seemingly a piece of the locales furniture.

The mask whipped looked back and forth, eager to figure out what was so important that she hadn't even blinked in the last couple of seconds, even going as far as to squint and scowl at the many herbs and spices that littered the shelving. Did she have something agaisnt the food? Upon observation she hadn't touched her rather peculiar meal by Pechaans standards, even to go as far as leaning forward and tilting her head at the substance while everyone else in the bar looked on to the Official who rose from her seat and pushed the meal closer towards her. The action did snap her out of her curiosities, looking up to the tensed figure while she continued to glare so hard at the corner of the room, the young girl expected the wall to just collapse from the strain. And if the laser focused glare didn't do the trick, her sudden bellow should.

'Fwut!~'

A strange noise to make in surprise, where most would her a sharp whistle that slapped their eardrums, Pechaan had actually shrieked, her pitch in such an impressive range that out of her control made the strangest sounds. To say the least it was incredibly embarrassing, so in line with Sharah's bellow that its specific origins were left up in the air, and though it effected most of those present and was even heard outside, the shouting of a furious marine was a more on the forefront of peoples mind than a little girl shrieking in panic at the sudden change in a atmosphere. It didn't take long for her to storm out, patrons doing much the same in a dispute that looked eventful for a quiet day, originally unwilling to follow the commotion Peechan quickly opted in with the realisation she had been left alone in a barren establishment, kicking off with a spin to get her in the right direction and hopping along the wooden surface to see the play unfold first hand.

She couldn't really bring specifics to the amount of insults and questions came from the rantings and ravings that Sharah produced, to try and nitpick at specific things would really be a job for who she was directing them at, most of the conversation muffled by the audience that built around them in a semi-circle, every now and again the robed individual having to shuffle from left to right to not only maintain in sight of the happenings, but also have any chance of hearing what was being said. The whole scene was getting a bit too hectic for her liking, turning tail to head back down towards the docks for more of an opportunity to nap only to be met by a group of curious marines strolling up the path. She had no reason to fear them, but her instincts instantly kicked in to go in the direction of the crowd and through it in attempts to avoid them.. A couple of pushes and shoves later had her in the open circle where the three candidates of the conversation were having at it.

'Uhm!'
She tried to get Sharah's attention, to no avail.

'And I don't want a word out of you! Whoever you are!'

Seemingly directed at the woman holding the gentleman, then she targeted him.

'And you! Young man! Have a lot of explaining to do, right this instant!'

She was close to emitting steam from her head at this rate.

The masked girl now apparently in with the commotion took to the desperate act of tugging at the frustrated Mothers jacket, the hint that the gentleman was her son one of the smaller snippets she caught while attempting to gather the whole picture. The tug was met with a furious attempt at resistance, as if someone was stopping her onslaught, realising who is was she quickly reverted her redden'd face and tense expression to as well notice the marine company that was slowly approaching them through the crowd. She had devised a method of escape in moments, and though Pechaan was not even part of the dispute she was seemingly dragged along. The woman tugging bug her apparent son and her robes in one swift motion, effortlessly yanking the other girl along for the ride too.

A few corners were turned before they were all in a grouped fashion herded to one side, the protective marine quickly doubling back before seemingly conversing with the marine who went in pursuit. Pechaan was still stunned, hands clasped together as if in prayer down by her side in a statue like tensed form as her head slowly began to scan her new surroundings once the most manic phase had subsided, glancing over at the two she had been huddled with with a tilted head as her hand emerged from her cloth in a quick wave. Anxiously awaiting the return of their unintentional captor.

'Hai hai~'

[Tay]

Tayzo studied Shara once more, noting the Coat of Justice again. It signified her as high ranking, and she further proved it when she turned to face Tayzo, letting him know that she knew he was watching her. Yep, the woman definitely had skills but what surprised him the most was the masked figure turning his way as well, proceeding to stick her tongue out at Tayzo, teasing him. His face blushed and an awkward sweat rolled down the side of his face. He brought his attention away from the two, trying not to make them anxious. The last thing he needed was the attention of a Marine, not with the current situation he was in. His mind drifted back once more.

------

Cassandra and Tayzo both slid backward, coming to a stare down. "You're no match for me young pirate, or should I say "Laughing Claw". Go on, transform. Show me your true power!"

Tayzo smirked and decided to give her what she wanted. He crouched, closed his eyes, and began to focus. His blue hair began to grow and stretch all the way down to his feet, covering the entirety of his body. His arms pulsed and claws slid out from what was now paws. His legs stretched outward, pushing him up from his crouching position, giving him a few more feet in height. The hyena hybrid opened its eyes, locking them with Cassandra's. Tayzo opened his mouth widely, revealing shining sharp teeth. He began to laugh, cackling at Cassandra menacingly, as his teeth gleamed in the sun. She tensed and gathered herself into a stance. "Let's see how this form fares against my Fan Dance." In the blink of an eye she was gone, but so was Tayzo. All that could be heard was the clashing of claws with steel fans, and the constant bloodthirsty cackling from Tayzo as he performed his Laughing Barrage. The air pulsed from their clashes until blood splattered through the air. The two landed, sliding back once more. Cassandra tried to stand, but quickly fell to her knees, clutching her stomach with her hand. Blood poured into it, and she breathed heavily. Tayzo winced, grabbing his left shoulder where she had sliced him with her fan, but he still stood.

"You fared well. That form definitely made you stronger. You even managed to do more damage to me than I did to you, but you're still not on my level!" She threw both fans in Tayzo's direction. They razored toward him, slicing through the air. The hyena hybrid jumped, his empowered legs lifting him high into the air, dodging the fans. He looked down toward Cassandra but she was gone. His head and neck rocketed downward, and his body flew to the ground. He rammed into the dirt, causing a cloud of dust to veil around him. Cassandra landed back onto the ground and watched the cloud disperse and reveal that Tayzo was gone. "That's right cowardly pirate, run." She fell to her knees, almost fainting, but then she was surrounded by Marines, helping her up. "I want everyone going after them, find them and put them behind bars!" She screamed.

Tayzo fumbled through the woods, dazed and confused. He let his guard down for one second, and Cassandra was on top of him, delivering a kick so fierce it knocked him back into human form. He continued through the woods, falling at times, as his head throbbed. He reached a canopy where the ocean gleamed in one direction, and in the other he could see the Marine Base in the distance. He decided he had gone far enough, and decided to rest there. He dressed his wounds and rested his head. Hopefully he had given Yumeko and Legix enough time to get them a ship so they could escape the island. He waited and waited. Hours passed but the signal never came. He tried to keep his mindset positive, and away from thoughts that suggested the two had been captured or even worse, killed. He knew enough about Yumeko to know that she would never allow herself to get captured. So for two days, he waited, and waited. He snuck around town numerous times to get food and gather intel. He overheard some Marines talking about how Cassandra had been throwing fits and punishing them for not yet capturing the pirates, and how no ships had left so the pirates had to still be there. This confirmed for Tayzo that Yumeko and Legix were still there, but there condition was unknown. His mind raced with questions. What happened with getting them a ship? Why hadn't they tried to find him yet?

------

The blue-haired teen's mind came back to reality as the flashback ended. He looked around him and realized something was wrong. The duo of Shara and the masked figure were gone, and there was a commotion outside. The people of the restaurant were filtering outside, creating a crowd. Tayzo got up and followed. Still cloaked, he entered the circle of people, pushing his way to the front. A scene of an enraged Shara being held onto by the masked figure greeted him.

'And I don't want a word out of you! Whoever you are!'

'And you! Young man! Have a lot of explaining to do, right this instant!'

She was close to emitting steam from her head at this rate.

Tayzo moved around the circle to get a full view of the scene. He gasped at what he saw. In front of him stood Legix cuffed and all, being escorted by a woman Marine. But there was no mistaking those orbs for eyes. Tayzo wanted to rush forward, but whatever was going on, he didn't want to blow her cover. She must have hatched a plan with Legix to get off the island, a plan that didn't involve him....? What happened next shocked him even more. Shara dashed around the corner, bringing the whole scene of them with her without a struggle. The gathering of a crowd had attracted nearby Marines, and they were pushing their way to the front. Tayzo instinctively followed Shara and the crew around the corner, but they were gone. He quickly used his Hyena enhanced nose to sniff them out. He turned a few more corners and found them. Before he revealed himself, he decided to wait it out. Shara may have been Legix's mom, but she was still a Marine, and as a pirate, Tayzo had to proceed with caution. Plus there was no telling what type of ability the masked figure possessed. He had to wait once more, to confirm it was safe to reveal himself.

[Roin]

[/font]

But before they could even move, Sharah had employed the "motherly" strength and tugged them along and out of the public eye. Getting ushered as he was wasn't easy, Legix visibly breaking a sweat from the strain of moving in his state no more easier than trying to climb a mountain might be. However, as fast as the corners, the street, and the people all flickered by... they were through and into an abandoned alley in no-time. The instant they arrived, the Working Man let out a pained groan, turning around and falling toward the ground to land on his posterior. While laying down would have been far better, the North Blue Man had no trust in his body wanting to get back up if he did. And with the strange third wheel waving to them while Sharah handled some pursuer, all Legix could do was look to the strangely dressed person with a frown.

"Are you~ my mo~ther's new pro~tege~? You loo~k kinda weird for~ a Ma~rine."

For the moment, all the shipwright could hope for was that Yumeko would pick up on the sing-song wording and understand that they likely weren't in danger. Despite the occupation of his mother, Legix knew that deep down she'd not even capture his brother if he were to still be out there somewhere. All Sharah had ever tried to do for him and his siblings was ensure they were safe, regardless of the path they chose. And as she returned to the trio, patting her hands together with a relaxed smile, the family resemblance could only be seen more as the two met one another's gaze.

"Okay~! So! Who's this nice girl with you! I can tell she's not a Marine! A true Marine doesn't escort a prisoner alone, even among the strongest of us. Is she your girlfriend? A pirate? Are you a pirate now? And why are you sitting down? You're a strong man now, you should- WH-WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!?"

Carefully squatting down, Sharah's hands reached out toward the bandaged torso of Legix, hesitating as her Haki's sight revealed more than her eyes could've detected. No words came from the wounded man as she seemed to stare at the bandages for the longest time, allowing Legix time to sigh and lean back. It was all pretty normal for him to be looked over in such a way. While Haki wasn't known to him, growing up with a mother who practiced it regularly had practically indoctrinated the man to such bizarre moments. And with one hand finally reaching out to touch his wounds, the woman at last looked toward the two girls. The one from the bar was still with her simply because she seemed like a good girl... but the one who had been escorting her son was another possibility. While questioning Legix, his Haki had said it all... and this woman was certainly no Marine. So either she was a pirate or a criminal... but she didn't seem like a bad child at all.

"You saved my son... for that, I owe you a great debt. I'll overlook whatever crimes you've done, but if you've got my son involved in all this... then I want to know who you are. He clearly followed his gut if it got him shot twice... he must have been helping you. All of my children are too kind for their own good, so I can only assume that's the case. Even Cormad wouldn't turn down a woman's request for help if he had cut himself while cooking all day! I don't approve of my son's company... but I do want to know if this adorable masked friend and I can trust you to not attack."

As she spoke the last part, the woman's posture shifted. Legix didn't seem to pick up on it, but to a more seasoned warrior it would become obvious what the "shift" was, even without Haki. The woman's smile had faded into almost a flat line, her eyes and cheeks losing the lift of happiness and joy and instead replaced with the fixation and strength of a glare. Without moving any major muscles, the loving mother had transformed into someone capable of taking on the entire island alone. It was a strength found only in someone like the commander of Shell Island's garrison or the Marines that commanded detachments and ensured the success of the World Government. But the most severe change was the only true movement she made and it came last. The woman carefully moved her right hand into sight, the smooth skin plagued with the tell-tale scars of hundreds, maybe thousands, of practiced strikes. Her palm was worn, but the outer part of the hand had little to no blemishes. Unlike before, however, something was noticeable. As she wrapped and closed the hand, tightening it into a fist with the soft and almost inaudible noise of muscle tension, Legix seemed to pale.

"Because if you attack me... or if you lie... if I think my son, this adorable woman, or the island to be at risk from you... then I will punch you. And do not take my punch lightly... I've ended the careers of many pirates in my life... and very few of them lived it if I used my fist. So please, tell me who you are and if there are more of you. Tell me everything and anything you think I might need to or want to know... or so help me, you won't be leaving this island, young lady!"

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}
Alright, the threat is made and we're set-up to finally re-unify the cast. Hopefully this will give Tayzo the chance he needs to reveal himself (maybe in fear of getting punched) and give Pechaan some more stuff to gasp, "fwut", and make faces at. And touch people. All of those things :E

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