Let's Save The Day! (RK & Squashie)

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The cool rocking waves, salt ridden and moist, crashed gently against the wooden surface of the sailboat. A soft mist ran across the air in milky tendrils all around his figure as his body moved forward across this foreign sea. Here he stood upon this modest vessel of lumber, made from handmade materials and all, sailing slowly into the harbor of an island whose name did not cross his mind. The scenery was nothing out of the ordinary and not certainly anything he'd write home to but was reasonably appealing enough for the average person. A hard thud at the anterior end of the boat brought the sailor's mind back to attention on the duty at hand. Now was not the time to sightsee but the time for action! After all, this was a matter of his mission, his lifelong objective, and not the time to be dillydallying about like a prepubescent child. Scarlet clad hands wrapped the appropriate amount of rope to dock this aquatic steed in place. Intricately, the fingers worked around and about the various holes and loops of this tan fabric chain until they managed to secure a tight hold onto to the wooden stump that held his boat in place. With a step back, he looked satisfied at his dexterous handiwork and shifted his view to the nearby city. A dopy smile ran across Max's innocent face.

His large cloth wrapped feet shuffled across the umber dock as he looked on around as far as he could. From the lack of buzzing activity around the pier, it had to be safe to assume everyone was simply on their lunch break. After all, what else could explain this many people suddenly disappearing from their work stations in the middle of the day? Then again, Max noticed he was just about the only person on the island who came to visit as there was only one other boat on the dock next to his. Perhaps the dockers here were merely working for trade and not for a friendly chat? Well that sounded like a bizarre labor culture for the boy of Memory Peak. His whole life had been filled with the most garrulous field workers, talkative to a fault that even he wished not to interact with them for too long. But now he was overcome with a bitter loneliness that was seldom felt in his upbringing. This was a strange island indeed. However for the superhero of the seas, there could be no time to feel awkward but only time to save those in need. Max's steps finally left off the docks and landed on the stony surface of a path leading to a nearby town. "Now who on this island requires my assistance!" The confident dolt shouted out into the air, alone and beaming. When no answer obviously came to meet his inquiry, the masked man decided to move on lest he be late in saving the day.

Max walked on with poise, showcasing himself as the marvelous character he wished to appear as. He had his shoulders back, chest inflated and fists armed at the ready. It certainly had some level of heroic imagery if one could say so. Heroes were supposed to have incredible looks and pose themselves as grand figures. At least, that's what the stories of his childhood talked of. Regardless, the composure heightened his sense of self and gave him faith in his abilities. If anyone in the North Blue could serve a community it had to be him. No one else in these seas could possibly possess or match his powers. Because despite not being a braggart, Max was aware his strength could outmatch just about anyone he encountered in this part of the world. With this proof, he surely would never have to struggle in defeating enemies of the public. He'd be a true hero.

The cobblestone road ended at a scene most peculiar. Dull and muted aptly described the architecture while moody and unwelcoming perfectly painted the residents. A closer inspection at their faces revealed an answer to an earlier question. Oh my god. These guys look terrible! No wonder everyone left the docks! Now he could see just why no one else arrived to this island. These people were terrifying! So scary! Max shuddered at the sight of steel-pierced flesh on the several faces of a young teen gathering. Their eyes were lined in dark and even their clothes radiated a feeling of dread. How horribly inappropriate to wear such attire, he thought. But business was business he assumed and if that meant interacting with introverts, then so be it.

In the midst of silence, he walked on over to the youthful congregation only now his body was anxious and shaking. The prior confident pose he felt so proud to present melted into a tightened state of weakness. Words formulated in his mind danced on the tip of his tongue and slid down his teeth. Max tiptoed his way to the closest person, a young girl about a head shorter than him with dark blue lipstick and hair to match. His dual colored eyes passed over the soulless pits embedded in her skull. "Uhh-uhm. D-do you guys have uh tr-trouble around here? I'm he-he-here to s-save the day?" The maws of darkness glared right back at his and as the nervous convulsions spread across Max's face, the surrounding members all did the same. Oh dear...not good.

[RK]

A man was sitting on a small sailboat, wrapped in several sets of clothing. He was in no way used to the frigid temperatures of the North Blue. He was wrapped up in about everything he had. Well, not that. However, that was reserved for only the appropriate occasions...even though its pretty much the smartest thing to wear right now...

NO, it's only for when evil is afoot! The man bundled up tighter, but could feel the chills of the ocean nipping away at him as he approached the island of Sedna. He would have much rather landed at any other island, but this is the closest one, so he'd have to make due. He had heard about this island. It was famous not for its cold environment, but for its cold people. The inhabitants of Sedna are emotionally and socially detached from everyone else in the world, including each other. However, there was no civilian who was not under the protection of Captain Mask, whether they were thankful or not. He wasn't in this for the gratification. Captain Mask was doing this for the self satisfaction.

Shotaro reached the docks of the main village, named Sedna Town. The cool air wafted into his face, and in that moment he realized that he couldn't move from his bundle. If he did, he would surely freeze. He didn't understand how people could live like this. To top it off it was the middle of the day! The early mornings and nights must be brutal! Shotaro only had one option. He would have to spend his entire time here, as Captain Mask.

...

The people of this island are of course, in dire need of some blankets and a hot cup of cocoa. However, The Spectacular Captain Mask had none to spare. CM tied his boat up nice and snug as a bug to the docks of the island. There seemed to be another small sailboat nestled in the water, linked to the docks. What a curious sight! He was sure that there'd be nary any visitors here. However it seems as though Captain Mask has been one up'd!

The Stupendous Captain Mask climbed up onto the docks. It seemed as though the town was having a bit of a communal nap time or something, because there didn't appear to be anyone anywhere. Captain Mask trotted along, the faint sheet of snow beneath him parting under his heroic steps. The town before him was so simplistic and similar that it would actually be not too hard to get lost in it. The houses were all so basic and lifeless that they'd make good hideouts for villains. The Superhero took a moment to scan the area around him. There were just buildings and snow. No open doors, not many lights, and most importantly, no people.

"Uhh-uhm. D-do you guys have uh tr-trouble around here? I'm he-he-here to s-save the day?" An unfamiliar voice called out. Captain Mask couldn't recognize it at all but...those words. He's here to save the day...there's no way. Could there really be another person calling themselves a hero out here on the sea? The Incredible Captain Mask followed the sound of the voice. It seemed to be coming from a nearby road.

However, seemingly out of nowhere. An extremely tall man in a black trench coat over a black tuxedo, with black gloves, black dress pants, and black army boots walked up to CM. His face was being obscured by a Gas Mask. "Do you know who I am?" The man stated in a mellow, deep pitched voice. Captain Mask looked the man up and down. He had to be at least 9 feet tall. His arms were lanky and thin, and he stood perfectly straight. "I can't say that I do...do you know who I am?" Captain Mask responded rather inquisitively. This guy didn't seem to be all there. He seemed to be slowly striking a sort of strange pose, he bent over and left his arms to dangle in front of him, with his head facing down. He then began to speak, his voiced seemed to be much more composed.

"An eternal guide..."

"The Walker of the Abyss"

"The Man of Zero Emotions."

"But One Million Minds."

"I am Gas Mask."

Gas Mask spoke in a chilling tone. Colder than the air around them. All that could be heard was the heavy breathing of the man called Gas Mask. CM didn't like the looks of this guy. He was ominous, scary, and worst of all, he totally copied his catchphrase, but put his own spin on it. Strangely enough he didn't seem to be doing anything else. He was standing there almost frozen. As if the cold air around them had turned him to ice. The Invincible Captain Mask was about to open his mouth to speak before remembering that he had heard someone off in the distance..someone who sounded like they were a Hero. Captain Mask bowed slightly before Gas Mask and took off towards the direction of the voice. He hadn't even given a proper introduction to this man, but hey, he was pretty creepy anyway.

Turning the corner, the hero he was looking for seemed to be the man who stood out from a nearby crowd. He was certainly wearing what seemed like heroic attire. However he seemed almost...afraid? That would explain the stuttering earlier. Captain Mask had assumed he was just cold. He wasted no time in walking over to the group and trying to assess the situation. "You're a hero aren't you..." Captain Mask said eagerly, he was excited at the prospect of meeting a fellow follower of heroism and the good of the people. "I am Captain Mask, pleased to meet you." CM said bravely, holding out a his hand, hoping to shake the hand of this hero. Though it appeared as though these teenagers, the youth of Sedna, weren't too keen on either of them being here.

[Deleted]

All around him were unfamiliar faces, tainted faces with darkened spaces. Black soulless eyes all peered in direction, encasing him in a petrified state of fear and nervousness. It seems as though that living a comfy life of harmony and happiness back home didn't prepare him for the cruelties of culture in the outside world. But still, a hero couldn't just stand down especially when challenged by children! Max tried to regain his heroic posture and cleared his throat, "Now listen here, everyone. I'm not trying to get on your bad side, okay?" He was well aware the first step to building trust was to establish himself as a nonthreatening factor. If they could just accept he really intended to come to their island as an act of beneficence, then maybe the boy had a chance on saving someone after all! He waited for their response.

First, there was murmuring amongst the kids, clandestine whispers passed through their lips and into their ears only for the process to repeat for every other child within the group. The only one who wished not to participate in the secretive palaver was the girl Max approached early on. The whole time that he observed their actions, she had kept her eyes locked on him almost menacingly and not just in a way that expressed xenophobic sentiment. It felt as if she sincerely hated him for some bizarre reason. But being the dolt he is, Max kept this thought to himself and only wished to hear the opinions of his audience. Surely they would listen to reaso- "You think we care about what you're trying to do?" Well apparently not then. "We know what your kind really does. "Saving the day." What a joke. You're nothing but a menace to society." Max stepped back in shock at this belligerent damsel, incapable of processing this insult through his broken consciousness. A menace? Is that what people outside of Peak thought of heroes like him? Was heroism regarded as villainy in the outside world? Max had done various good deeds before in the past couple of months but he never heard such an upfront address of aggression such as this. What exactly got these introverts to think this way? And more importantly, why did this girl in particular call him one of "your kind"? What incident occurred around this island to cause them to treat figures of integrity with such malice and abhorrence? He had to dig into this mystery before getting these people to trust him any further.

"I'm sorry you think that way but I swear everything I do is of good intention! You guys had to have met some imposter of justice or something! Believe me, I'm not like those people you call 'my kind'." Max's hand waved around in desperate endeavors to expressly convince these people that he wasn't some violent maniac trying to wreak havoc across their island. But the more he talked the less assuring his act became. Their eyes grew duller and their scowls grew meaner with each word that left his mouth. Residents nearby began shutting their windows so as to block off the commotion outside. Hope was running thin and it seemed as if this would be the first island Max would fail in. His shoulders sank and his body bent at the weight of the situation. "Okay...I get it. You guys clearly don't want me around. But can you at least tell me who you saw that automatically made me a bad sign? My so-called 'kind.'?" From the quiet abyss of hostile fleshbags rose a soft yet somber voice. The girl in front, once again claiming authority over the group's vocal responses. Only now, her tone adjusted itself from one of malevolence to that of sadness and pain. Something definitely happened here on this island that deeply hurt these people. Max awaited for her account of events patiently.

"Ohoho, I'm so sure you don't know what I'm talking about, menace...But if you really want us to relive it, then know just what exactly your partner did to us." The jacket clad paragon was in suspense, waiting for the truth to be revealed when suddenly- "You're a hero, aren't you?" Max jumped up in surprise at the sudden interruption and twisted quickly to see who ruined this moment of revelation. What awaited the wood man startled him even more than the mere break in pace. It was almost like a...reflection. For the man who stood in front of Max resembled his own appearance to the point of perfection. He wore a dark suit lighted in red, with the same hair color and height to match! What was with this island?! First there was not a single person working at the docks, then an entire town gives him the cold shoulder and finally this nutcase dressed exactly like him interrupts a vital epiphany. If it weren't for his godfather's teachings, Max wasn't sure if there'd be a dead clone on the ground right now.

Calm down...this is just...this is just a coincidence. A really bizarre coincidence. He must mean peace since he's not attacking me right now. A good look back at the man and Max saw that they differed in at least one aspect, accessories. While the bewildered hero and this intruder looked alike, the former was not a fan of unnecessary articles that were not relevant to the theme of heroism. A scarf and hat did not portray oneself as a knight of honor and justice so clearly they were not on his person. Whatever the case, he had to reciprocate this greeting. His red gloved hand stretched out to shake...another red gloved hand. Max's face slightly sagged at this discovery.

 "Hi there, Captain Mask was it? The name's Redwood, I obviously can't give you my secret identity in front of these townsfolk. And you should know how troublesome giving that away can be?" Max chuckled at this comment, trying to lighten the mood after the dark encounter he had with this group of teens still brooding behind him. "Anyways, formalities aside, what brings you to this island? Are you here to- uh -save the day?" As he said those last few words, he snuck a peek back at the girl from before who looked only more furious after that abrupt interjection. He really wished to resume hearing the youth's story but knew how rude it would be to ignore another person of his caliber. It was rare after all to hear of people acting for the benefit of others and not for themselves. Perhaps this Captain Mask could redeem what little honor a title of superhero had so this young gathering could see just how selfless they really were? Perhaps.

[RK]

Redwood? What a cool name! This guy certainly had the heart of hero within him. Captain Mask looked the man up and down, his outfit was certainly reminiscent of his own. However, Shotaro was a bit more keen on covering his face, his black shades and wool cap did well to cover up most of his head. It wasn't so cold that he needed to cover up his mouth however, so his lower face was exposed. The hero saw no harm in keeping it uncovered. These kids were probably more focused on him, rather than what he looked like.

Redwood had asked Captain Mask a rather interesting question. Was he here to save the day? However, Redwood had said it with a bit more hesitation, adding an 'uh' in the middle. Captain Mask didn't exactly wan't to call the man out on his mistake, but it was one all heroes should strive to avoid. Never seem like you're unsure. A Hero must always be sure.

"Well Redwood, I'm always trying to save the day, I'm sure you know what I mean. The ever present fight against evil, striving to help all in need whenever possible." Captain Mask didn't actually realize that he had dodged around the question, mostly because Shotaro would have answered it better. Something along the lines of My boat essentially drifted into this place, so I guess I'm stuck here for a little while.

Captain Mask looked over to the group of teenagers. Shotaro was technically still a teenager, but as Captain Mask he was much more mature. These teens had clearly very recently been affected by some villain, or rather, maybe a misunderstanding. "Ma'am, if what you're saying is true, then please excuse me for thinking that what might have happened to you might not be a very accurate representation of heroes." Captain Mask inserted his feelings into the matter. He didn't want to come off as rude, but he wouldn't stand idle by and let someone talk bad about heroes. If this person really was a menace as this girl claimed, then they clearly were not a hero. Captain Mask crossed his arms and looked at Redwood, then back to the crowd of teenagers.

"Redwood, I'm not sure what exactly went on here but...let me reassure you, this group is not angry at you." Captain Mask looked at the hero beside him. Taking a moment to try and decipher the meaning of his heroic moniker. Perhaps he it represented the red on his cloths, and the wood...whatever. To be honest, It didn't really need to represent anything, Captain Mask didn't actually have a mask as part of his costume. He sorta just liked the name a lot, he's been using it since he was a kid after all. Maybe he should fix that sometime soon. "Redwood, I'm sure you've been a teenager before, they respond to things they're afraid of or that confuse them with anger and bravado. It's a natural response. First and foremost, I think it would be wise to find out what exactly happened to these people to make them spiteful of heroes.

Captain Mask turned to face the group of teenagers. The seemed to be waiting patiently enough, though some of them seemed to be talking among themselves. Captain Mask took a deep breath and struck a striking pose. "If I could have your attention for just a moment, I'd like to tell you all a story." Captain Mask's voice rang loud making sure he was heard by all the teens. He struck a different pose, and continued what he was saying.

"Through the many seas of the world, a story is passed down. This story tells of a hero, but not just any hero. A hero who, since the day he took up the responsibility of protecting others, was ostracized and hated by those around him. Fellow heroes and citizens alike both wanted nothing to do with him. However, in times of great crisis, when they needed a hero like him, he answered the call, despite the fact that he had been treated so poorly in the past. This hero's story has rung true in the minds of heroes for decades. Don't we find ourselves in a similar situation. You've only just met Redwood, and you've already decided how you feel about him without getting to know him. What would happen if Redwood here is nothing like that legendary hero. What if some crisis befell this town...do you think he'd be there to save you after how you've treated him?" Captain Mask was really getting passionate here. His voice was raising up out of character, and he was even starting to sound like Shotaro a little bit. "The answer to that question, I'm sure, is a yes. Not because he'd want to prove any of you wrong. He'd do it because he wants to prove himself right. That he is a hero, and even if he's not accepted or wanted. If he's needed, he'll be there." The Hero was panting now, cold air filling his lungs, his speech done, he covered his face with his scarf and crossed his arms again.

"You may be suspicious of him." Captain Mask said firmly, motioning his head towards Redwood. "But I just got here, what exactly did this person do to gain so much of your ire?" CM questioned, his adult sounding voice must have sounded off putting to these teens, however, he needed to be as direct as possible about this.

[Deleted]

This man, this Captain Mask, was ironically the true hero here today. Where Max failed in crowd control, this stranger stepped up and handled the situation like a professional. There was no half-baked speech on cooperation or some childish rant to quell the masses. This was a hero at work, maintaining the situation at hand and stabilizing this hostile mood that nearly got the young man into trouble. Max was just as tall as his acquaintance but at that moment looked up to him as a man to follow. His eyes beamed with amazement at such a great display of simple heroism at its finest. Whoaaa. This guy's the real deal! Why, the man's words were filled with profound meaning in each breath of air that left his lips. Frankly, Max did not actually understand what the Captain was saying but knew well enough he was trying to get the crowd to calm down and fetch some answers. The biggest question, well technically the only question to answer, was the matter of who led these xenophobic introverts to become even more belligerent and hostile towards men of integrity such as themselves? That question had to be answered before any action could take place. Max turned back to the girl whose story was cut off from before.

"Two 'heroes' now? Today's just getting better and better..." Her rolling eyes and persistent frown made it abundantly clear she was more displeased with having another member of their 'kind' on Sedna. Nevertheless, she did agree to unravel the mystery behind why heroes were hated so much on the island. With a sigh and one last dirty look at Max, she resumed her prior tale, "...Two days ago, someone dressed as stupidly as you guys came onto our island in search of a criminal. Apparently the guy was wanted by the Government and had a decent bounty on his head. We had no clue and didn't wanna get involved with any foreign affairs...But that girl." Strangely enough, the girl's eyes moved back at Max for an instant as she took a breath. "That girl did more damage than any good we've ever seen. Almost half the time she was here houses were being sacked, our stores were being robbed, and some of our neighbors were attacked. Just a tragedy." The friends behind her all shifted uncomfortably and their visages reflected pain rather than the hate Max was welcomed with. "She even destroyed our ships which I'm sure you noticed from our empty docks out there..." The light skinned hero looked at his darker companion with unease. While he knew that his observation about the desolate harbor had not been for naught, he had realized something eerily creepy. With his boat out there along with Captain Mask's, that did not make two. There were three boats on this island, one of which did not belong to these heroes. Something was not right here.

"She 'saved' us, she said...The criminal was gone, she said...Justice had been served, she said..." Her eyes began to fill with moisture, dripping down in jet black streaks and staining her rosy red cheeks. Even the girl's voice broke into a sudden sob at times during her talk. "Well, I'll tell you what. She says this and she says that. I say that 'heroes' like you are nothing but trouble everywhere you go. You people ride your high horses looking down on the common folk like we can't look after ourselves. Check back into reality, you fools. You're the ones who need saving." 

For a moment, his heart was the only thing he could hear. Neither the blistering cold winds or rustling foliage above dented his hearing. In a way, this revelation had shattered his tiny perception of reality. What exactly made a hero? The intention? The actions? What are people truly at their core when these two factors don't align? Evil? Misguided? Should they be forgiven? And to what extent? Max had not encountered such a puzzling scenario before. He had never questioned himself to this degree of inner analysis. He simply believed being a hero was doing what was right and that his definition of right was helping the people. But what happens when one person's right is in the wrong for another? Does he pursue them with the same tenacity as he would for a villain? What are the answers for these conflicts? For all he knew, this person had gone and made a mistake, a fatal error, but nonetheless it was never meant to happen. That much he could understand and that much he knew could be forgiven. It wouldn't be a favorable opinion but hopefully he could make up for it. He had to, for the sake of the people.

He raised his crimson hands towards the sun and amplified his once shy voice into a roar of honor. "People of....this island!" Great start. "We are aware of your pain and the one who has hurt you all. But do not hate them, they meant no harm. Though actions speak louder than words and words speak louder than thoughts, I do believe they can be pardoned for their mistakes and you all can move on from this incident!" A rumbling of displeasure soon started to form around them as doors and windows opened at the wake of this speech. The sobbing child in front of him locked her tear filled eyes at the holes of his dark mask. But these things would not deter him from speaking his mind. "But do not fret, citizens! WE are here! And we are here to help! The enemy still lives on this island." His hands shifted places and pointed into the distance. "We will take him down and come back to exact your revenge! This I swear to you or my name isn't MAX BYRRO- I mean...Redwood!"

The boisterously bold boy posed as heroically as can be, shining his glory over the townsfolk regardless of their disdain for heroes. If there's one thing he and Captain Mask could do, it was to at least help them capture the man who was responsible for starting the whole mess. And unbeknownst to the rest of them, his Devil Fruit power would serve as a nice miracle for these ship-less inhabitants. Today was actually starting to look up for the two of these righteous men of justice!

[RK]

Captain Mask could tell that this girl was losing her patience. He eyes rolled in their sockets, and her voice sounded of disdain and displeasure. However, The Captain couldn't help but realize that she was starting to look slightly upset. The girl then began to tell a story. A story about a hero. This hero had come to Sedna, and apparently, devastation and misfortune followed in her wake. Like a walking choo choo train of badness. However, it appeared as though she wasn't the villain she was talked up to be, as she was apparently here on the trail of a wanted man...someone that the government had put a handsome price on. Though Captain Mask didn't care much for the amount under the picture, he was curious of it, and usually used it to gauge the power of his enemy. The girl also mentioned that this hero had destroyed the ships of this town, leaving them with no way to set sail...

Meaning that the third ship in harbor right now...wasn't just some random passerby. The girl began to look visibly upset, he eyes becoming heavy with tears. She spoke of how the hero woman said she saved the village, that justice had been served. "Well, I'll tell you what. She says this and she says that. I say that 'heroes' like you are nothing but trouble everywhere you go. You people ride your high horses looking down on the common folk like we can't look after ourselves. Check back into reality, you fools. You're the ones who need saving." The girls words echoed in the back of the Hero's mind. "...What?" Captain Mask spoke slowly. His voice hummed along with the chilling winds. "I'm not trying to be rude but...I think you might not know what you're talking about." Again, the Hero spoke with a dulled, soft voice. "Do you know why I became a hero, girl? Do you think I do it for the fame? For the recognition from citizens or peers? No, that would be wrong. I've known since I was only a small child that I wanted to devote my life to protecting anyone and everyone. I may not be able to be everywhere at once, and I'm sure that if I was here a few days ago I would have helped the situation, but I'm here, and I'm living in the now. The one thing that has always stuck with me throughout my life is that I should do things for others, whenever I can for whatever reason...The man, that wanted man. He's still here, I'm sure of it, and if something isn't done then he will come back when he's ready, and the girl who helped you before wont be around to save you." Captain Mask was raising his voice to a very inappropriate degree. This wasn't very nice of him to do, but this girl was, at the current moment, losing her faith in the ability of heroes to protect those who need help. "Heroes DO NOT see common people as beneath them, why would someone protect something beneath them. The only thing beneath me, are villains who would dare harm innocent lives. I am not the one on the horse here, there is no horse. There's you, and there's me. I am your axe, and it is my pleasure to chop down the tree of evil for you." Captain Mask walked up to the girl and placed his hand on her shoulder. The man behind the sunglasses couldn't help but shed some tears. "I'm sorry that I raised my voice at you...but please, you need to find it inside you, all of you here, to trust in me and him" He spoke in a much softer voice, but not angry like before he started his rant. He pointed towards Redwood as he spoke, implying he was a part of this. Redwood then stepped in, his voice louder than he had previously displayed. With his hands in the sky, the hero behind him let out a triumphant speech, talking of the value of actions over words, and that the two of them, Captain Mask and Redwood were here to help. Captain Mask was sure that he heard a name slip out during that speech...but he decided to forget about it, it was probably nothing important.

"That was a fine display of words, Redwood. Well done." The Well read Captain Mask responded with a thumbs up. The disguised Shotaro turned to the group once again. "All we need is time...but once this guy does appear, you can be certain that he will be greeted by Redwood and Captain Mask."

"YOU HEAR THAT, YOU DAMN PIECE OF TRASH, WE'RE GONNA DRIVE YOU INTO THE DUST!" Captain Mask said as he began panting, he hadn't realized how much he had been talking just now. Nonetheless, he stepped away from the group. "Redwood, we should go do some planning, see if we can find out anything about this guy before he makes his move." The Procedural Captain Mask said in a breathless voice. He needed a break, and some Donuts...

If they were gonna find this guy, they would need a few things. Since he was a wanted man, a wanted poster would help tremendously. If anyone knew anything about his attack patterns, that would also be useful. Most importantly, Captain Mask would try again to open the crate on his little sailboat. If he could get it open, the contents might allow him to fight a bit more evenly. This garb wasn't exactly great for defense, and offered no tactical or offensive advantages either. If was exactly what he thought it was, a new suit, then he may just have a fighting chance against this wanted man...fighting...

"Redwood, this may be a bit blunt to ask but, what exactly do you do...er, that sounds rude. How do you defeat villains. How do you fight?" This was certainly the question on his mind...how does a guy named Redwood fight?

[Deleted]

He was glad. Glad that an honorable man such as Captain Mask would be his partner in fighting crime. The past few months had been an arduous solo effort but embarking on this endeavor with a companion who could mutually support him was relieving to say the least. Max was only beginning to feel mighty fine and confident about the future capture of this criminal when his ally inquired him of something he hadn't yet revealed.

"H-How do I fight?" A blank stare looked back at the Captain as he tried to recall the specific name his grandmother and Maxwell had told him. It wasn't a hard term to remember, it simply wasn't a piece of knowledge he had decided to keep locked away. A Devil Fruit was what it was broadly referred to but what exactly his power was he could not recall right away. "Um, it's kinda like...It's sorta like a...like a pun on wood? Ummm." The name was just on the tip of his tongue but he was well on his way to recollecting the memory of his Devil Fruit's name. A pun on wood. Barkamecia? No, that sounded contagious. Zoakan? No, no, that wasn't it. Log? Logs? Loge? A sparkle ran through his eyes as the name rushed into him. "Logia! I ate a Logia Devil Fruit! Haha sorry about that!" The wood man grinned a nervous grin, his mask shrinking as his cheeks and brows formed a rather innocently naive expression. 

After his reveal, Max soon noticed he hadn't actually explained what exactly his power could do. Realizing the mistake, he went on to clarify just what he was able to do. "Anyways, my LOG-IA, hehe get it? Ahem, my Logia allows me to basically become like wood! It lets me become wood, make wood, I can even break down wood that isn't mine and use it myself! Pretty neat, huh?" Bragging wasn't his strong suit so he didn't feel the need to embellish his abilities with tales of fancy. The simplest truth was that he was a wood man, no more and no less. If anything, Captain Mask may not be on the same level of overall power as he was but surely a seasoned hero like him had to be on the same degree of base human strength. I really do wish I can see him in action. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps! Max lightened up like a childish fanboy on the inside but tried to maintain some level of professionalism around these children.

Speaking of these kids, just about every one of them were perplexed by both speeches he and Captain Mask had given. Well, not really perplexed but they were more of less concerned awaiting any future action. After all the two heroes had essentially declared war on the criminal who 'caused' all this trouble around here. With the damage that a single hero had done, it was no surprise these residents were on edge with TWO of the same maniacs running around. Hopefully I won't wreck anything like that girl did. Grandma wouldn't like that one bit... It would be best to have caution when searching for their antagonist lest they destroy the island even further. However, even with all this hype in the air, Max did have a strange feeling at the back of his mind. All throughout the girl's story, she had kept her eyes on his the moment she introduced the prior hero was a woman. Though it may have had simply to do with the fact he was just an unenjoyable presence around her, there was something personally disdainful in her look. It appeared as if she had seen him in the past which was strange seeing as how he had never visited this island prior to this incident. And she certainly couldn't have met him outside the island what with the xenophobic culture surrounding these people. It was all a strange occurrence that Max couldn't leave alone and wanted to dig into once this villain business had all been sorted out.

Maybe she just finds my eyes interesting...Considering Max possessed heterochromatic eyes, this could perhaps have been the reason behind that cold staring contest. Maybe, just maybe. Speaking of which, his dual colored hues momentarily looked back at the girl's again. She was no longer conversing with the dynamic duo and chose to secretly discuss something with her surrounding company. They occasionally stole glances at the pair but quickly directed back into whatever conversation was transpiring in this exclusive circle of friends. "Anyways, Cap'n." He pointed back at the path he originally arrived from. "What do you say we head back to the docks and check out that third boat? I'll bet my secret identity he's left something valuable down there." The plan was in motion now. This current situation with the belligerent adolescents had to stop so that the heroes could get to work. Max and Captain Mask were on the job to hunt down some baddies and no one was going to stop them! 

The dark masked man stood proudly at the town that, to his knowledge, still hated his and Mask's guts. Being hated by the people wasn't enough to deter him from trying to reach out and seek harmony. His life back home on Peak was an example of that. If an island of former Marines, Pirates and Bounty Hunters could all live together in tranquility then surely these ice shouldered citizens could learn to warm their hearts. "We shall be back, folks! The investigation begins now!" Max raced off without a second thought toward the sea, hoping his enthusiasm would signal his dedication to the people. If a cheery mood couldn't get these people to drop their hatred for a second, then this whole ordeal would be quite troublesome for the wooden warrior. Let's get things started...

[RK]

The hero Redwood swiftly responded to the Inquisitive Captain Mask's question, "How do you fight?" However, it seemed that he was struggling to remember. He claimed that it was some sort of wood pun? Oh! Was it a Woodrill. It's a drill that makes a woo sound when its used. That's totally what it was...though there didn't seem to be a drill anywhere on Redwood's body...so that wasn't it. However the fellow hero seemed to have recalled his ability, and spoke the words aloud to Captain Mask. "Logia" He said.

...Ah yes...A Logia...

Thankfully for Captain Mask, his scarf was covering his mouth, or else Redwood might have seen the heroes gaping jaw. A Logia fruit user? As in, the fruits that are invincible? Captain Mask couldn't believe what he was hearing. After a quick pun, Redwood went into depth of his Log-ia. A Wood Logia, as he explained, it let him turn into, manipulate, and use wood as he pleased. Wow, such an incredible power, in a world where wood is extremely prevalent in construction of houses, ships and even some weapons, Redwood wielded a power of extreme variability and applicability to many situations. "You have such a tremendous power, Redwood, and I assure you I understand your name now. I'm glad to have someone so strong on my side." Captain Mask said in a vibrant and energized voice. The Captain placed a hand on the back of his head and chuckled. "It almost pains me to say that you're probably our best chance of even getting close to beating this guy...this wanted man. I...am not very strong physically...well, I'm extremely capable, but in comparison to most people here on the blue sea, I might appear somewhat...average." The Radical Captain Mask spoke with a forced chuckle behind his words. He was in no way lying. Redwood was certainly much stronger than the Captain in basically every way, except maybe heroic etiquette. However, there's more to being a hero than just being strong physically. Sooner or later a heroes mind will be tested, and that will be the true test of heroism. The Captain placed a fist outward. "As long as I have my determination, I can combat any opponent. With your help, I'm going to make myself into a powerhouse of heroism." The Captains voice rang throughout the block of the village they were in. He looked back at the teens they had previously been talking to, it seemed as though their attention was on each other now. Redwood then recommended that the duo head down to the town docks and check out the third boat in the harbor, as it most likely belonged to the man they were trying to apprehend. "Excellent idea, we should head down to the docks at once. There's no doubt that they may have some sort of clues on their boat." Captain Mask said with gusto and made his way down to the docks of Sedna.

The docks were much more chilly than the village. Since they were closer to the ocean, the smell of salt water also filled CM's nostrils. He looked at the docks, of which three boats were docked. His own boat, which he would check on momentarily, and two other boats. One of which belonged to Redwood, the other...the villain. CM walked slowly, he could feel a sort of kick in the wind as he approached the boat of the villain. Seems like he had picked the right one out of a 50/50 chance. This one was littered with bottles of alcohol, a half eaten fish, and some crumpled papers. The Intrigued Captain Mask grabbed at the papers, of which there were several wanted posters. "Hm...lets see here...Star-Ear- no this isn't it...The Dig- nope, this one ain't it either." The Captain tossed the two posters into the boat...there was one more however. "Wait...this one, this is it! 'Last Light' Alexius...Yes this is it!" Captain Mask was relieved, there was no doubt this was the poster of the man they were looking for. He could tell since the other two posters had skulls drawn on them, however this poster had "not a very flattering picture" written on it. CM turned his attention towards the number.

...

41,000,000 Beri.

Ok, this is doable. Besides, he had a fighting force of two now! Surely Captain Mask and Redwood would be able to take down a man worth 41 million. Captain Mask turned to his partner in heroism and walked towards him. "Here, look this over, I need to tend to something." The Captain said in a rush as he handed the poster to Redwood and dashed over to his ship.

Thankfully enough, the crate was still here. Though there was no real way of opening it at the moment. He couldn't help but try again. CM lifted his hands up and reached over to the crate, doing his best to try and pry it open with his bare hands. The metal covering it however...it was just too sturdy. "Dammit...what am I doing wrong?" Captain Mask spoke under his breath.

"Looks like you could use some assistance." A familiar voice spoke softly, and emerged like a shadow behind Captain Mask. The hero turned around to see the stunningly tall figure in front of him. "G-Gas Mask. How did you even sneak up on me...? I should have heard your footsteps on the wood." Captain Mask's voice was quiet, he didn't want to inadvertently draw Redwood's attention. He didn't need to be a part of this altercation. The hero stood tall against the height of Gas Mask. "What do you want from me. Have you been following me since I got here?" The Captain nearly prepared himself for a fight, however, there seemed to be no intent to fight in Gas Mask's posture or words. Then again, this guy was pretty chill all the time. "No no, I was told to come here by my superiors." Gas Mask spoke in a bit more of a stern tone now, like he was putting some effort into speaking. The man in black looked behind Captain Mask, and set his eyes on the crate. "I'm here because of that box you've got." Gas Mask spoke and walked at the same time, and seemed to almost, phase past The Bewildered Captain Mask, not in a literal sense, but more that, his movements were so serene and precise, he essentially moved right past the hero. "Wait...no you can't touch that! It's not supposed to be opened until the time is right!" Captain Mask turned around, and raised his voice a bit. However, the tall, lanky man in black, Gas Mask, seemed to have turned his head 180 degrees and looked at Captain Mask. "Sorry, there's been a change of plans." Gas Mask said as he jabbed his hand into the box, breaking clean through the metal and wood protecting the inner contents. Captain Mask was once again standing with his mouth wide open behind his scarf. Captain Mask could see the inside...it was exactly what he thought it would be...

"Now then, let me make one thing clear." Gas Mask turned around, and took off his mask. This would have been the most surprising thing if what was under the mask wasn't so surprising. Gas Mask's true face was comprised mostly of a robotic jaw, his eyes were black and lifeless, and worst of all, it seemed as though he had many screws holding his face down. His hair was bright white, and he had no nose. "Your future holds many different hardships and trials, if you prove useful to S.T.R.Y.K.E.R. then you may just get to attain the power that I demonstrated to you now." Gas Mask was speaking, but Captain Mask couldn't comprehend what was going on...why did he open the create, who or what is Stryker, and why is Gas Mask made partly made of metal??? I that moment, Gas Mask placed his mask back on, and nodded to Captain Mask, the hero still ripe with questions. Gas Mask then looked out to the ocean momentarily, before jumping into it. He didn't seem to come back up...maybe he was swimming underwater? Regardless, Captain Mask stepped onto his boat, the box now open, he looked inside to find the contents finally revealed to him. It was a new outfit, as he had theorized...but this one, was way more fancy than the one he was currently wearing. This one had a proper helmet, with a head crest in the shape of two antenna, and a large orange visor. The torso piece had plating on the chest and shoulders, the gloves had plates on the back of the hands. The rest of the torso was a very dense cloth material. Further down, the suit came with a belt, a pitch black metal belt with the letters CM on the front...Captain Mask. further down it seemed to mostly just be the same softer material. With the boots being plated. This...costume...no, this armor. This is what Dad had packed for him...this final farewell gift. Shotaro rushed into the small inner compartment of the sailboat and immediately changed into his new duds.

The armor was mostly red, with black accents. The back was also armored a bit, but there was something missing. Shotaro went back over to his old outfit, now to be hung up forever, and grabbed the scarf from it. His scarf was very important to him, and he would continue to use it with this new armor. Shotaro wrapped the scarf around his neck. He felt complete, he felt powerful. He felt like now he wasn't just someone with the heart of a hero, he had the look of one too. Wherever Gas Mask was, he would have to thank him later. Captain Mask emerged from his sailboat a new hero. He stepped out onto the docks, trying to get a feel for the new suit. The padding on the boots felt much better than his old shoes. The hero practiced a few punches and kicks, the low amount of armor allowed him to retain flexibility and speed. This was so perfect. He couldn't wait to show Redwood. "Redwood, it looks like I've gotten a little power up." The very excited hero said aloud as he began jogging over towards his partner.

[Deleted]

Back at that sandy coast with ally at his side, Max stared intently at that third wooden vessel with unease. He felt nervous just thinking of all the potential kinds of enemies that lurked this island. For all that the two knew, this villain could very well be beyond their level of strength. If a woman powerful enough to smash ships to smithereens couldn't handle the man then what hope could two amateurs have in confronting a situation like this? Max shook his head vigorously as Captain Mask walked on toward the boat in search of any clues to the identity of this diabolical fiend. Now wasn't the time to feel discouraged by what could be. As the situation stood now, they were facing an enemy with the numbers on their side. An advantageous statistic if he did think so himself. 

Mask continued rummaging through the foreign compartments of this third boat as Max trailed behind him. From a single scan over the tiny area, he could tell they weren't dealing with the most studious of people in the school of sanitation. Leftovers and booze riddled the interior and created a reeking scent that mixed with the salty mist and left a bad taste in his nostrils. If it weren't for him standing a few steps on the dock behind his partner, the smell alone would've knocked him out. Just then, Mask exclaimed with assurance at the name of their target, "'Last Light' Alexius? I can't say I've heard of the guy around these parts. Then again I've only been in the North for a few months..." Now wasn't the time to act like a rookie. Max was just about keep his chin up whilst his friend kept himself busy with bounty posters when the pose was interrupted by a rugged brown scrap of parchment. "Here, look it over, I need to tend to something." said the Captain as he made his way over to what seemingly looked like his own sailboat. Max simply watched the other hero jog off and looked again closely at the bounty poster that was handed to him. 'Alexius'...

The name still had no memory dwelling in his brain so the wood man left it at that. With Mask gone off to 'tend to something', he was free with his own thoughts for a moment before prepping for battle. He made his way over to the edge of the dock where the wooden stump kept his tiny umber steed in place. Right where I left ya. The gray coated grinner sat down at the seat of his humble vessel and simply waited for the cue to head off. But even after the town was out of sight and the group of children no longer creeping him out, he still simply could not get that one thought out of mind. A heroine who bashed up valuable property without remorse and leaving without confirmation on the villain's defeat? That sounded incredibly irresponsible and didn't seem at all like a seasoned hero. In fact, she didn't impress Max in the least as he was capable of just about the same feats. As a wood man, he learned just how strong the material can be and how fragile certain ships were at the might of his red gloved fist.

Speaking of his costume, did the girl from the town not mention how the two of the heroes wore similar attire to hers? Was it merely a coincidence that people in the Northern sea had similar taste in heroic fashion? Red was indeed a popular choice of pigment as well was yellow. But gray, red and gold all in another costume? It couldn't possibly be a freak accident. She may very have been a fan of either one of the two and based her outfit on them. Even then, the possibility of those odds couldn't possibly be that high. If Mask and Max weren't popular by name then why would an extraordinarily strong woman such as that heroine follow their footsteps? It almost seemed as if she wasn't even trying to capture the villain at all. It almost sounded as if...as if she was drawing attention for her 'heroics'. Holy hell. Was that the reason for her actions!? Had she simply smashed up the place to demonstrate her power and used the man as an excuse to show off her strength?! No, no, he had to relax himself. Judging others based on preconceptions was a mistake his godfather aptly warned not to do. But even so, this heroine was not painted in a favorable light and Max could see just why. He looked back at the paper Mask handed to him. A 41 Million bounty sounded high but numbers weren't everything. For all he knew the criminal may have simply done numerous petty crimes and amassed a large value. Besides, Max had never encountered a stronger foe than himself (and his grandmother) and would certainly retain that pattern if he was to be a true hero.

Getting back to the point of the woman, the frustrated fighter felt angrier thinking about it. A weak bounty surviving attacks against a woman of that magnitude made no sense. If Max could capture this man alone then surely this heroine could as well. She had to be after something, maybe even someone. Why else would she dress up in their own manner and run around the Northern sea hunting pirates for sport and leaving behind a path of destruction, claiming it was all for the good of the people? This behavior was not befitting of a true hero. A true hero would have no trouble in taking down scum like this Alexius...Then again, he was blessed with the curse of an incredibly powerful ability. And it wasn't as if these seas had any fighters capable of using Haki, the very same power Granny Camilla used to punch him in his wooden form. The very memory of that strike caused his face to grimace in pain and his body squirmed in discomfort. Even his arms crossed over his stomach, trying to settle a phantom pain that endured to this day. If that guy does have Haki...we're gonna have a serious problem. The contemplative grandson barely heard a splash behind him what with the crashing waves interfering with outside noise. As he turned to face what made it, steps approached him on the dock. It was...Captain Mask?

"Whoah! Wh-where did you get that sweet outfit!?" He jumped up in starstruck excitement. All that time he had been sitting there thinking and his friend was dressing up in style! A shame that his own costume could not compare to the luster that Captain's clothing had. Regardless, the code of color embedded in the fabric was enough to keep Max confident in his choice of attire. The suit and pants were nothing fancy but at least he wore his costume with the same principles he lived by. Still though...Mask's was pretty darn amazing.

"Okay, so I took a good look at this Alexius guy..." he lied as his eyes frantically scanned the poster for certain details. All he needed were traits that would help the duo in identifying the menace. Hair colour, facial structure, distinguishable injuries, weapons. All of these were what he looked for. "So far, I can see this guy's a bit overweight and probably pretty slow right? That must mean he's still somewhere around the island limping and shoveling his load around!..." Max tried to keep this find convincing but went ahead and looked for further information. Hair color, eye color, any color that could help them spot this guy from a mile away. Ah! "...He's got dark purple hair and some dumb star shades so that'll be easy to find. Also, I think with the way his photo was processed, his clothes may be a bit more saturated so his shirt must look about orange with some sunflowers on it." So far so good. Max knew that the two of them could spot this guy even in a thick jungle during a blizzard with such a bizarre fashion sense. iAll they needed next was any information on how the guy fought. His blue and green eyes looked over every corner, every tangent, even the most spontaneous dots of ink and found nothing so far. "As for his fighting style...the poster doesn't show his weapons so he may be a hand to hand fighter? I'm hoping for it though, he won't even be able to touch us!"

Max chuckled as he rose an friendly fist up at Mask. Just to have some fun, the wooden man decided to transform his appendage into the very element he was blessed to control. A soft rumbling coursed through his veins and muscles as his deltoid and biceps started sagging and shifting to a dark brown hue. His forearm began to loosen in substance, spilling a mouse's mouthful of umber dust onto the wooden dock below. Finally, the red gloved fist that awaited the Captain's started to 'rust' over in a brown tint. "Pound it, CM. Let's do this thing."

SPOILER: Click to show

By the way, you can do whatever you want with this ending. It can be a subtle brofist and end up having CM freak out or he can already panic at the browning of Max's arm. Whatever the case, Max is gonna laugh his ass off.

[RK]

"Lets just say it was a gift from a friend" The Captain lied as he placed his hands on his chest, still marveling in the glory of his new outfit. This 'gift' that he gained access to thanks to Gas Mask, was more of a blessing from an angel in a black coat. The Captain placed his hands on his belt, running his fingers over the large letters CM, which of course stood for Captain Mask. The hero stopped in front of his ally and looked at him with intent eyes. "So, what have you gathered on Alexius then?" The Captain placed his hands on his hips, he was still a bit confused as to the recent situation involving Gas Mask, but it seems as though Redwood hadn't noticed it, so the Bewildered Captain Mask wouldn't bring it up.

Redwood seemed to being taking his time, but surely enough began to explain the appearence of the man known as 'Last Light' Alexius. As Redwood had described, he was an overweight adult male, with dark purple hair, and star shaped shades. Along with that he wore an orange shirt with sunflower designs on it. That's pretty much all they had to go on. They couldn't get a clear idea of his fighting style from his poster, though with no weapons, Redwood claimed it was safe to assume that he was a hand to hand fighter. However, CM knew better than to assume anything from a picture. "Well, for all we know he could use guns or something, stay on your toes once he shows himself." Captain Mask pointed at Redwood, looking at him with an intense facial expression...that he couldn't see. His new mask covered his face entirely. Suddenly, Redwood placed a fist out towards the Captain, however, it seemed as though something was wrong with him. His hand was changing...oh, this must have been part of his Log-ia power. Redwood's hand seemed to now be completely...well, wood. Redwood certainly seemed pumped about this whole situation. "Pound it, CM. Let's do this thing." Redwood exclaimed proudly, holding his wooden fist out towards the Captain. It seemed safe enough, it was just wood, it's not like he ate an explosion log-ia or anything. Captain Mask slowly but surely raised his hand up, and with no regrets, slammed his fist into Redwood's fist, solidifying their agreement to take down Alexius.

"No matter what, this guy is gonna see what happens when real heroes get involved."

'Real Heroes'

Captain Mask brought his hand down and looked off to the sea. It seemed as though he had a bit more time to think about the things that Gas Mask had said. The most prevalent thing on his mind was something that Gas Mask said in regards to opening the crate containing this new suit. When Captain Mask said that the time wasn't right, Gas Mask said that there had been a change of plans. What was he talking about? Does Gas Mask know my dad...? Captain Mask's expression sullied a bit. It was only a moment ago that he saw Gas Mask jump into the ocean below. He was clearly some kind of agent, he made it clear that he was working for people. His superiors told him to open the box? These superiors at Stryker? Just what is Stryker?

"...what does Stryker wan't with me...?"

[Deleted]

To his disappointment, Captain Mask had not struck the wooden fist as hard as Max anticipated. The trickster had planned on disintegrating his arm to sawdust once the two hands had connected but that 'brotherly-knuckle-tap" did not go as planned. Regardless, Max let his limb loose for a while even after Mask turned around to face the sea. The lumber lad played around with his arm, spilling some dust in between the space of the boards beneath and even trickling down a few wood chips that floated on the surface of the water below. Balsa, his current wood state was using balsa. Of all the wood types in the world, the only three he had ever been able to use were Balsa, Birch and an oddly named lumber called Quebracho. The latter two were hardwoods and denser than water which is why he had chosen to use the first for the floating wood chips before. Max wasn't sure why he had done it but the display of those wooden fragments all dancing on the surface of the water soothed his anxiety for the upcoming battle. Speaking of which, when were they ready to go out?

Captain Mask had been standing there by himself with the ocean in view for quite some time. Was he too deep in thought at the marvel of nature's mightiest force? Could it be that this knight in shining armor had the same feelings of pre-show butterflies as he has? It would certainly encourage him that this incredibly confident fellow was just as nervous as he was but that just didn't seem likely at all. Mask's faith in himself as a hero outshone Max's despite the latter being much more powerful or so the former claimed. Even with such little to go on, the elaborately suited companion still had the courage to head into danger whereas the man with the power of havoc and ruin cowered before it. It was all considerably ironic and a bit humorous had it not been Max's own situation to play out. Mmm, I should be able to do this on my own right? I mean if that girl can do it, so can I! I'm totally stronger than her! He played the message over and over in his head, convincing himself little by little that perhaps the task ahead wouldn't be as difficult as he made it out to be.

The black masked male looked back at his friend who still continued to stare at the tides rather than following the mission. Maybe this is my chance...I know that Cap'n could probably handle himself in a fight but I don't know what I'd do. Feet shuffling across the floor, hands rustling in between pockets and lips smacking in boredom. If Mask was going to stand there all day then Max wanted nothing to do with it. As much as he admired the guy, he wasn't about to let some jerk ruin his and all other heroic reputations just because some random female fighter decided not to finish the job. He was tired of standing around on this damn dock and decided to do the most daring deed of his damn life.

"See ya later Captain!" Max sprinted at full force toward a distant timberland without looking back at his shining armored partner. No more waiting. No more sitting around. Now was the time..."FOR ACTION!"

---

Fallen foliage surrounded the fallen man at the foot of the bark clad construct. All around, the thick trees were visibly harmed with even thicker scars decorating their mangled bodies. The bloodied blade of a pole arm sat in the grass, staining the hairs of growth in the moist red droplets of life. His breathing was heavy yet faint, an almost strained panting that barely left its vessel. But even the most minimal efforts by the man's own exhaling expanded the large gut that hung past his flower embroidered dress shirt. 

As his frantic wheezing came to a calm, he cleaned the blood off of his blade and wiped further fluid onto the green ground around him. And as his eyes looked toward the sky, his sunglasses reflected what little light passed through the leaves above. "Just wait for me, Lady V..." The man wiped blood once again, not from the blade but from the mangled gash that sat atop his chest. "You haven't seen...the Last Light of me!"

SPOILER: Click to show

Alexius= Lavender

[RK]

That's the spirit Redwood...go out and forge on of your own volition. The man they were looking for was out there on this island, Sedna. Captain Mask looked down at the sawdust on the docks, most of it had fallen through the cracks between the planks, but some dust was still visible, piling up on the edge of the cracks like tiny hills. The Captain watched as his partner ran off towards the nearby woods. That area was most likely where the townsfolk acquired all their wood to make ships. "Well...in an environment like that...a Wood Log-ia user would be exceptionally strong wouldn't he..." Captain Mask said aloud, not sure why he was still using log-ia, instead of the proper logia. It seems as though the pun has stuck with him, and he will continue to use it, until he meets another Logia that is. Something he isn't exactly looking forward to. The masked Shotaro began treading back towards the center of town, where he was previously. Though most would advise against splitting up, CM was confident that Redwood would know to signal him, and in the event that CM found Alexius first...crap. CM felt a little embarrassed, he had no special powers, nor any real way to get a signal into the sky. The Captain looked around him, trying to think of a way to make a signal. However, there was no one around anymore. All the teens had run off, and there didn't seem to be any weapons like guns or rifles lying around to use. "Hm...well, I suppose it will be the most convenient if Redwood finds Alexius first then..."

The Captain kept on walking along. His new armor keeping him nice and warm, it's red plating shining in the sun. It seemed to be around 2 o'clock in the afternoon now. The sun was slightly lower in the sky, but still very high. The Captain could look at the sun directly thanks to the protection from his visor. The orange tinted visor allowed him to look at very bright objects without needing to avert his gaze, though everything did have a slight orange tint to it. If only he could see clearly without having to take off the helmet- Oh. Captain Mask's response was exactly that, a big fat "oh" as he was moving his hands around on his helmet. In the process, he accidentally pressed a button, which caused the visor to slide up, revealing his eyes, but allowing him to see clearly. The world seemed odd, since he had been looking at it with an orange lens for quite a while now. This would take some getting used to. CM pressed the button on the right side of his helmet again, causing the visor to come snapping back down. That would certainly be useful in the future. However, he didn't really have a good idea of what the future held. Gas Mask, Stryker, the power that Gas Mask said he could be chosen for...

Chosen by whom exactly? This whole prospect seemed so strange to him. How did anyone even know about him, he hasn't been doing anything major, just helping people with daily tasks and being a good person. This man, Last Light Alexius, would be his first fight against a real villain. Sure he had fought against bullies when he was younger, but he'd never gotten into a fight with someone who might have the intent to kill him. Captain Mask wasn't scared, but he was nervous. He would have to fight like his life was on the line, because in truth, it is on the line. This guy may still be injured, maybe not, but in either situation, if Captain Mask isn't on his toes, then he'll end up on his back.

There were only 3 ways he could go, left led to the forest the Redwood had ventured off to. To the right, were the rocky shores, too primal to make homes or docks on. He had seen them a little while ago when he had first arrived here. Finally, if he were to go forward, it would lead him to the mansion, visible from town. He had no idea who owned the mansion, if anyone. However, he did know that there were no other houses in the area, just more forest. The space between town and that mansion was a perfect hiding spot anyone trying to escape from battle. "This is my best bet, he's either in the forest here...or in that mansion..." Captain Mask spoke boldly as he raised a finger and pointed at the thicket of trees. He waited for a moment and then began dashing towards the woods for a life and death game of manhunt.

[Deleted]

He was running through the sticks with his toes, wary to avoid the gnarled roots that riddled every patch of grass ahead of his feet. The growth below wasn't nearly as menacing but they were splotched with clues to the location of his future opponent. Every now and then, without looking up, Max would find a lonesome droplet of blood on the ground beneath and use that to track the next. He would occasionally peek a look above but return to the floor in search of any hints to where he should next head off. "I'm so close I can feel it!" It seemed as if Captain Mask wasn't needed after all on this expedition. That wasn't to say Max thought poorly of the man's skills, he was more surprised by the fact he hadn't needed to rely on someone to get things moving along. Detective work was unfamiliar labor to the persistent searcher but apparently he had a knack for it.

Even without looking up at the scenery above, Max was certain that he had been heading deeper into the forest. Drop after drop only encouraged the lad from raising his head for longer than a second when a particular detail derailed his visual inquisition. Wait wait wait wait wait...Didn't I just see that twisted tree root a few minutes back? The man thought to himself, concerned and confused of this recent discovery. He took a few retraced steps back, face still directed toward the floor, and saw the exact same spot once again. This had to be a coincidence, he thought to himself. But sadly not. As the wood man frantically sprinted back and forth across moist green petals he detected several instances of similarity between different spots that could only mean one thing. He had been running in circles this whole time. A firmly issued slap to the face was all he could muster in this miserable situation. "This can't possibly get any worse..." Oh, but it did. For it was only once his eyes rose up in horror that Max realized just what exactly he was up against.

"Oh my god..." Were the only words he could bring to mind in reaction to the carnage that lay before him. Before his dual colored eyes lay a scene of biological slaughter of the most extreme degree. Trees as thick as he was tall were all found eviscerated with their inner grain laid bare for the  whole world to see. Their trunks were permeated in a picture of pure destruction, with wide gashes and scars now comprising most of the plants' outer appearances. For some, it was merely \a miracle that they were able to stand with such minimal composition to prop their once mighty bodies upright. As a man of lumber himself, Max felt a phantom pain with every glance he made at his deceased brethren. Their cuts ran deep into his own flesh, empathically slicing into his essence and pushing his inner self to the point of anger. "Alexius...you monster." This display of bloodshed could not be tolerated. Trees were life, they were what allowed humans to exist in the first place. By killing them off with such disregard must be the acts of a man who has no appreciation for the welfare of others. It was no wonder at all that this man was a wanted criminal of a high degree.

Max walked on over to the trunk nearest beside him and placed his gloved red hand upon the mutilated grain of this once proud pillar. "Don't cry, my friends. This madman will get what's coming to him." As a last show of respect to these dying flora, Max widened his arms and as they melted away to brown grains they spread out over this entire portion of the forest. He knew they had to exact their vengeance against the menace who took their lives. "I'll give you all one last chance to make things right...Believe me." The earthy particles all coated the injured trees, encompassing them the whole round way without a breach in its layer. Slowly but surely, a subtle humming could be heard coming from the trees. The buzzing began softly but grew in volume as each second passed. Max kneeled down onto the grass with his wooden appendages now blanketing over a vast area. ...Shredder... At once, the prior buzzing instantly skyrocketed to a violent whirring whose boisterous bedlam ripped the air of the woods, filling the vast timberland with the sound of weary trees now departing this world. Their bark was grinded straight from their walls and their walls were torn chip by chip without hesitation. In a matter of two minutes, the dying congregation of trees had been reduced, no, reborn into an ocean of coarse, abrasive dust. All around him he could see that their sacrifices would not be made in vain, with the strength of a forest on his side and the power of the Zai Zai no Mi, Max knew he was unstoppable. "Prepare yourself, Alexius." Sawdust arms mixed into the sea of sienna and shifted them beneath the feet of 'Redwood'. The woodman rose up above the trees for a better view but with the canopies in the way there was no possibility of catching any sight of that maniac. Nonetheless, this army of death turned life would be more than enough for Max to triumph over the 'Last Light'. He bent his knees, shifted his chest forward and directed the sawdust below with wooden hands of authority. "I'm coming for you!!"

[RK]

Chicken...

No wait, beef...

Nevermind yeah chicken. Chicken will do just fine.

With that out of the way, Captain Mask looked on at the ever expanding forest in his field of vision. The trees each had a story to tell, just by looking at how they grew and the shapes they took. The winds blowing through the leaves and branches sent a shiver down the spine of the hero. Not because he was cold, but because it made him feel a strange "presence", like when you shiver for no reason. Maybe there's a ghost hanging around. Captain Mask hasn't ever met a ghost, but he's certainly open to the idea. The armored hero could now make out the mansion above the tree tops...this thing was certainly large. Large and foreboding. There was still some ground to cover, and with a quick nod of reassurance, Captain Mask began to run again, towards the mansion.

The man of many faces skillfully sprinted through the woods, jumping over stray fallen branches and stumps. He could certainly feel the weight of his new suit affecting his agility, but it wasn't anything too major. It felt the same as putting on new shoes for the first time and learning how to walk again. These trees however...they certainly were getting thinner and thinner...in terms of numbers still standing. It seemed as though someone had come through here to alleviate some anger, many of the trees were either completely severed from the ground, or wounded heavily. "My...what would Redwood say if he saw this. He'd certainly be cross now wouldn't he..." Captain Mask spoke softly, speaking with a slight hint of sarcasm. He was certain something like this would peeve the Wood Man, but it wouldn't do so much as to cause feelings of anger, that'd be just silly. "Well, I guess nature happens, humans are a part of nature after all." Captain Mask's voice raised up a bit as he walked over to a nearby tree, a large gash running down its face vertically. It was a deep, splinter ridden wound. To be honest, Captain Mask didn't exactly know how to feel. He did know however, that as a hero, he must always hold two emotions close to him at all times. Courage and Sympathy. The courage to fight against those who harm others...and the sympathy to try and understand why. Captain Mask placed his hands together, taking a deep breath in and holding it for a moment before exhaling. The hero in red placed his hands directly over the wound of the tree. Shotaro, his counterpart, was a skilled practitioner of the healing art of reiki, so by extension, he too could use it. Though he tried not to use it on the same person as both Shotaro and Captain Mask, that would be a bit too suspicious. The palms of the hero would supposedly transfer his life force into the tree, allowing it to heal, provided that reiki even worked on trees...provided that reiki even works. "I don't have time to treat everyone here...though i'd love to. I've got an important mission I need to get back to, so make sure you share with everyone else here, well...the ones who could use it..." Captain Mask's voice lowered to a sullen tone as he glanced over at the trees that were far beyond repair. "See ya tree ya." Captain Mask waved at the trees as his face under the mask began to turn sour. What hell is a tree ya.

The trees had all but completely thinned out to a field by the time Captain Mask had made his way to the entrance of the mansion. Well...mansion was one word for it. It looked more like an asylum. Its large spiked gates were clearly installed to keep people out, not surprising considering the island he was on. Captain Mask couldn't exactly see any signs of entry...there weren't any tracks around so he must have been the only person to come here in awhile. Aside from the owner that is. The Perceptive Captain Mask could clear as day see a light coming from the "mansion". Though it was dim, that was certainly a gleaming light, perhaps a candle of some sort? Captain Mask wasn't about to trespass on someone else's property, that would be just plain rude. The hero lifted his mask up a little bit, just to get some fresh air. The sweet, chilly air of Sedna felt good in his lungs, cold air was always much more enjoyable than hot air. At least when it came to breathing. However the heaving hero nearly choked on nothing when he suddenly heard a loud whirring sound coming from the south west. This was no doubt the signal. Redwood must have found Alexius! Captain Mask placed his helmet back on his head, and began to stumble around. Should he go immediately or check out this mansion. It was clear that Redwood would be needing assistance as soon as possible, but there could be valuable clues here, maybe the person who owned this place would know something about Alexius.

"Ah screw it" Captain Mask blurted out as he began dashing towards the direction of the signal, mentally preparing himself for a fight with a foe that very well could be many times stronger than him. Regardless, he would rather stand up to a threat and die than run away just to save himself. If he didn't handle this appropriately now, and finish off Alexius for good, he would just terrorize the village again. The reputation of all heroes was on the line here as well. He needed to defend the honor of all vigilantes. With that thought in his mind, and a faint scent of sawdust in the air, Captain Mask ran at full speed to assist his friend. "Redwood! I'm coming to help you, we're gonna thwomp this sucker!"

[Deleted]

   The timber tides slowly crossed a vast wasteland of fallen trees. One after another, each downed brother only fueled the anger Max held for his future opponent. It had been bad enough to perceive the man as an obstruction of justice and goodness but now he had gone and made the woodman see it as a personal issue. It was highly unprofessional for one's feelings to interfere with the mission but if it would increase any incentive he had in taking the monster down, then heroic etiquette could be disregarded for just this one moment.

Of course, somewhere at the back of his mind, he was well aware that objectively confronting Alexius should be the ideal method of handling this situation. It was just human emotion after all to go off and act spontaneously out of your own sentimental whim. There was no helping it though, his occupation as a hero was scarce in experience and the boy had yet not learned enough. Perhaps this ordeal with 'The Last Light' may very well change all that; it may all end up serving as an essential lesson for Max later on. Whatever the case, his wave of wood would not stop until the star shaded man was found.

---

"What was that?..." Alexius stared off into the bark filled abyss, the only audible sensations were coming from far away but were also loud enough to reach his location. The rough grinding of what he could detect as wood echoed all through the trunks until they made their way here. As expected, the only reason the man was sure the grinding belonged to that of wood was because of his violent rampage days before. Without giving the uproar much thought, he ignored it. The wounded warrior had simply been camping out in the woods by force, unable to venture off to the coast without recovering his full strength. Surely he was capable of wiping out this island's inhabitants alone even with his low stamina, but in this state he was not a man of risk. In fact, staying patient in the timberland had been a wise choice what with the speedy recuperation that transpired within just the past 24 hours. Prior to this half-dead condition, he was on the edge of oblivion's threshold. Just the memory of his pain caused Alexius to clench his fist with unmatchable fury. It's all because of that damn bitch...Ohhh, if only I had gotten my hands on her! She'd never see the Light again! A recollection of his fight with the mysterious maiden drove him to an expression tied in knots of anger and malice. Under his breath, he whispered to himself, "Lady V...you shouldn't have kept me alive. You'll get what's coming to you soon enough. Hahaha!"

Alexius sat in his patch of grass, his gash still open and his body beaten without mercy. The pain had been unbearable moments before but now with the thought of teaching that heroine a lesson, he was simply driven to a joyfully morbid stupor. The wide bellied criminal relaxed his head on the bark of his tree, ready for a nap when suddenly in the distance a voice cried out, "Redwood, I'm coming to help you! We're gonna thwomp this sucker!" 

...A dead man approaches. Alexius reached over for the bladed weapon beside him.

---

   Something is very wrong here... Though Max had to that moment surfed on his sawdust current without a break in movement, a detail in the trees had taken his eyes off the prize. Now, with an enormous stash of sawdust at his feet and posterior, the masked man walked on over to yet another slashed up sibling. Others sharing this tree's pain were scattered all about but only amongst these particular ones had a certain glaring injury been brought to his eyes. Max removed the glove off his left hand and physically sensed the rough, crumbling texture of the trunk. It was a hardened, jet black shell of bark that covered its flesh inside. Without meaning to rub its exterior, his hand slipped on the surface and a dark smudge tainted his otherwise pale palm. "These trees aren't cut up...they're burnt..." A clear observation now that he had had a chance to perceive this peculiar feature. What wasn't clear about this situation was how and why these parts of the forest were suddenly up in flames. A closer inspection revealed that not even the entirety of the trees were scorched but visible patterns that all held similarity, almost as if the flames were seared onto the bark as a painter smears medium to a canvas.

Max shook his head in confusion, unable to digest this information. First they were dealing with a criminal who just so happened to hate nature and now there was a possible pyromaniac roaming these woods? And by the looks of it, these burn marks weren't exactly recent. Max could detect that however little grass was affected by the flames had just began to grow back, a feat impossible for heated events that happened today. "Whoever did this had to have done it at least a day before...So that must mean...Oh my god." It was finally starting to click in the woodman's brain. 

Two days ago, someone dressed as stupidly as you guys came onto our island in search of a criminal... Alexius. They were in search of Alexius. She even destroyed our ships which I'm sure you noticed from our docks out there... Max realized he saw no wreckage of broken ships at the harbor, a fact that only proved this idea further. A glance back at the burnt bark and it all came together. "A woman who can destroy wooden ships so hard they disappear..and now I have these burn marks at the same site where a criminal in pursuit cut up these trees..." Something was very, very wrong here...

A memory flashed over his eyes. It was only a small scene, a picture really. But it was a picture that spoke a thousand words in just one minor aspect. His granny Byrrona, wrapped in flames, as her fiery fist dug into his stomach. "...This isn't right." Max's pile of sawdust behind began to trail off into the wind as his shattered mind tried to comprehend the situation.