The Girl Who Cried Wolf…

[Vio]

^{Morgan #1}

---

“Of the twelve specimens captured, four did not survive the imbibing process and one… well,” muttered a man, face cast in shadow by the cloth hood, where only moonlight reflected from yellow eyes. Sat upon a simple log from a fallen tree, something in his grasp glimmered in the dull, silver beams — a glass tube supported within a frame of silver — its contents a dark and murky golden brown. “Hahh… No matter,” he sighed, casting his gaze across to the reinforced containers that sat on the other side of the camp, where dimming embers smouldered and slight snores could be heard from nearby tents.

Branches snapped.

^{“Who goes there…?”}

^{“We found that snooping rat,” another said:
“A damned Marine bilgerat, too!”}

^{“H– Hold on…! Ugh!”}

Thump! A man in white and blue was shoved to the dirt, face bloodied and uniform scuffed and torn from what had likely been a losing scuffle in the undergrowth. He visibly winced, rolling onto his back and clutching his forearm, stymying the gash in his flesh where a blade had carved through. Through stinging eyes and exasperated breaths he looked up, moonlight blotted out by the shadow of the hooded figure who now loomed above him.

^{“Wh– Who are you people…?!”}

“I’m the one who asks the questions, seaman,” he replied, one hand grabbing the fallen comrade’s shoulder and hoisting him to his feet — a little further to the point where the toes of his boots barely scraped at the earth. No longer did he hold the vial. Now, instead, a simple dagger danced in his fingers. “Now, what’s your business out here in the black of night…?”

^{“As a Marine, I refu–!”
Shwick…!
“Gyaaah…!! Stop…!”}

^{“Hm… Sixteenth Branch,” he mulled over with suspicion:
“One of Captain Nezumi’s boys… Come, I’ll show you…”}

^{“Sh– Show me what…?”}

“An up close and personal glimpse of what we’re doing here,” the hooded menace growled, dragging the man along without issue despite the seaman’s resistance, straight towards the containers on the camp’s other side. Barely past the campfire’s charred remnants and the iron and timber crates began to rattle and rock, whatever was inside them disturbed by the scent of fresh blood mixing with the smoky scent of burnt tinder. “I’m sure the Captain will be interested in our little science experiment, but it’s a bit too unpredictable right now to place in the World Navy’s hands. Here. Take a look for yourself,” he smirked, pressing the Marine’s face against the iron barred front of one of the containers — the bars spacious enough to allow an arm’s reach, but no more.

^{“Wh– What is…?!”}

Grrr… From within, a low growl permeated, eyes opening in the darkness and striking the Marine with fear. From each cage, rabid growls and snarls came forth, and the last two sounds that pierced the nightly air of the camp were a bloodcurdling scream and…

^{—— The Next Morning ——}

Awooooooo…! Morgan awoke with a start, very nearly tumbling from the bed as arms flailed in protest. Eyes wide, sweat lining her face and form, she stayed sitting up for a moment — staring at the doorway of the quaint little room she had rented at a small inn — as she caught her breath. For a few seconds, she rested her face in her hand, nausea lingering in the anxieties of a nightmare once lived through, now repeated in dreaming states. She brushed fingertips down from her face, finding the start of scar tissue upon her stomach and tracing its length. Mind eased somewhat, though her ears still ringing a little with the phantom howls of a bad memory, she slid from her bed and took time to wash and dress.

Gosa Village had been her place of stay. Once turned upside-down by the corrupt wrath of a group of pirates, a bit over two years had passed since Arlong and his crew had been defeated and their grip over the Conomi Islands loosened. Captain Nezumi and the Sixteenth Marine Branch had helped to rebuild the once ransacked settlement, now repopulated with its rightful residents who had survived the ordeal. Llywelyn Morgan’s presence had not been unwelcome, by any means, but seldom did she ever feel a need to stay. Her wandering had purpose and, as she stepped out into the midmorning sun, she looked to find her bearings…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>Mysterious figures act in the night, and Morgan awakes from a nightmare regarding her past.

Notes: Mr. Moon, Kami-Gaz, Sam</sub>

---

Llywelyn Morgan | #733635
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #1

After the disaster that was Python´s tournament, Gabriel´s life turned upside down. Gone were the days when he truly believed that all he had to do to get his old life back is to win the next fight. From history teacher to man to whom dozens of other swore their loyalty, several wanted criminals among them. It was nothing short of miracle, that his own face didn´t appeared among the new batch of posters. Right now he was supposed to be on his way hone, not sailing alone across the East Blue in an attempt to locate assassin, whose face was the only thing he knew about him.

But what happened happened and there was no need to cry over spilled milk. With each passed day the Professor was becoming more and more accustomed to his new role just as he eventually accepted the monster inside of him and his own capacity for violence.

“Woo?”

Asked Beast, the large female malamute who was his only companion on this journey since Myra had to attend to her family matters.

“I don´t know.”
Moon replied to her, focusing most of his attention on getting their ship to the port safely. Over the past few month he became better at handling ships, but still was far away from being confident about these things.

“Let´s just hope that Namkhai won´t be late.”

It was early in the morning and so most of the people were still fast asleep, with only few morning birds walking on the streets. That meant they have at least whole day before their appointed meeting.

Bing accompanied by large, wolf like dog, Gabriel plan was to introduce them as quietly as possible, but this plan failed just a he and Beast left their ship with silent “Awoooooo!” Coming from the nearby forest. Knowing her way too well, the Professor looked on his dog with warning in his eyes.

“Don´t even….”
But it was too late as Beast, happy to hear another canine raised her head towards the sky and answered in similar manner.

“Awo wo wooooooooooo Awooooooooooooo!”

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER 4 // The Girl Who Cried Wolf...

Boring, most islands in this blue were boring. Just simple fishing or farming villages with peaceful lifestyles. Places like these were a dime a dozen in the East Blue, and for a pirate, this was the perfect place to hide. No one would suspect them in such a place! That's exactly why Koda had been sent here, supposedly Risa had been last spotted in Mirrorball alongside some red-haired man making a run for it. So maybe her next stop was this island? Goa was next on Koda's list for places to visit and check for Risa. But Conomi Island simply seemed like the most plausible.

"Yooooo!"

He exclaimed brushing some calligraphy across a parchment, he gave the simple piece a wide toothy grin. At the very least his voyage here was peaceful, a hardy sailor called Thomas Granger had been the one to sail him here, a humble merchant. You know the sorts, those guys that give off cool uncle vibes.

"Oi, Yukinaga! We're here! Remember we're sailing away in two weeks so if you wanna leave with us finish your business before then, lad."

Koda looked up from his calligraphy session, the bright sun beaming down on his clammy face. There he was Captain Granger of the Flippy Dolphin greeting him with a wide smile. His skin tanned a dark brown and his blonde hair baked by the sea's harsh sun.

"Gahahaha! Watcha got their boy? Chicken scratch?"

The Captain got closer looking down at the calligraphy Koda had down. Normally the agent would be offended by this, but Granger had an aura to him that was different. It was almost like a child's... so Koda didn't mind the statement.

"Ah well, it's just some calligraphy sir. Where I come from it's a form of art."

Koda explained calmly as he rolled up the parchment and put it away quickly along with his art supplies. Quickly the Cipher Pol agent stood up, he saluted the friendly sailor.

"Right, well I'll go put my things away and roam around the island to get my job done. See you around, Captain."

-- NAME // Koda Yukinaga

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Vio]

^{Morgan #2}

---

“Thanks,” Morgan uttered. A quick stop at a local general store had been needed. Basic supplies for her wanderings were a must, though she was certainly strained for cash yet again. It was the ultimate adventurer’s dilemma. Hardly could the oathsworn lady take the time to settle down for a month or so and recuperate her funds — there was no time for that — as her strange meanderings across the seas and isles were an important aspect of her life. Cheap non-perishables such as hardtack, hard cheeses, and dried fruits were a good selection for the long term, while a few fresh tangerines were a nice change of pace. Food, plus more general supplies.

With a casual wave to the cheery shopkeeper, the woman with deep red locks continued on her way. Money was becoming scarce again, but the concern was practically second to most other needs. If push came to shove, she was more than capable of roughing it in the wilds; basic survival skills had very much been taught to her, or otherwise learned by necessity. What she lacked was comfort. But then, was she ever comfortable in her current state? Perhaps not. Still, she exited the store and looked left and right in search of the vaguest idea of where to go.

^{“Awoooooooooo~!”}

A strong howl pierced the air. Morgan tensed, eyes shut tight. It was just a distant memory, no? The fatigue of her very state of being and the thoughts that hounded her. With a shake of her head, she banished worry and walked onwards, green eyes opened again. If she wasn’t before, she was at her most alert now. A hallucination she was sure it wasn’t, but she had to reassure herself in some manner.

“Come on, Morgan… It’s just somebody’s dog, or maybe a regular wolf in the forest,” she whispered to herself, feeling the cold sweat cling to her back as she walked on down the sloping street to the village’s jetty. “You’re in no danger,” she added, taking in the sights. Busier than it had been when she had arrived, Gosa’s modest dock seldom ever supported more than a few small ships. The town fishermen’s ship, mercantile ships that perused the Conomi Islands, and maybe the occasional small-time traveller making a pitstop were about all a place like this would ever experience.

Then she saw it…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>As Morgan takes care of supplies, she hears a howl, but steels herself and heads towards the docks.

Notes: N/A</sub>

---

Llywelyn Morgan | #733635
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #2

„Awooooooooooooo!“

The giant malamute girl greeted her distant cousins with a laud howl, eagerly waiting for their response, but to no avail. No one was responding and so her excited expression was slowly turning into disappointed one with every passed second.

“See, you probably scare them off. I already told you, you are too big for other dogs. Even wolves are only this small.”

The professor gestured something around 80 cm whole meter bellow Beasts current height.

“Wooo”

She whined sadly, with her head bowed and tail lowered to the ground.

“Oh come on you big silly, don´t be sad. I already promised that we will find you someone big enough to play with. You just have to wait until we´ll resolve this matter. Come...we have to find the inn Namkhai was talking about.”

Trying to cheer her up, Gabriel patted her large head but with no success. Still depressed, Beast was loitering behind him as they were walking from the port towards the local market.

It was there, when it happened. Just as they turned the corner, one elderly fisherman who was preparing his stall for the morning market raised his eyes and noticed the giant wolf like dog who was accompanying the professor.

“Sweet mother of the seas what is that beast!?”

As he gasped for the air in shock, Beast raised her head and waged her tail.

“Woo?”

She asked, thinking that the stranger was calling her name to be her new friend.

“You...you there, are you insane? Taking this monstrous beast here...what if it...”
“WOOF WOOF!”

His remaining words disappeared in Beasts happy barking as she either unable or unwilling to read in his tone of voice decided, that this man indeed wanted to be her new friend.

“WOOF!”

She started running straight to him, forcing the few other people on the street to quickly jump away. And while she was smiling and wagging her tail in the display of pure happiness, all the fisherman could see was large, wolf like monster with big teeth, that was charging straight against him.

“WHAAAAAAAAA NOOOOOO!”
Falling to the ground he screamed in terror while Gabriel was trying to calm him down.

“What...no, no, no, she just wants to…play...”
He sighted as he realized that through all that yelling and barking no one could hear his words.

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER 4 // The Girl Who Cried Wolf...

A pair of dress shoes hit the docks as Koda hopped off his ship and onto the wooden planks below. It was a busy place, various fishermen coming in and out carrying buckets of fresh tropical fish. A gentle breeze blew over Koda, this island might be just another boring island in the East Blue... but at the very least it was pleasant to be on. His dark purple hair ruffled slightly as he paced down the docks.

"Awooooooo!"

That's when he heard it. It was a howl, a familiar one too. Koda turned about looking for the source... he didn't see much so it must be a bit farther down. That's when he heard the barking and in instant, he knew whose barks it was. Following the noise, he found her, Beast! Damn, she had grown a lot.

"Beast!!"

Koda's eyes widened as he smiled widely! Just as expected she was playfully chasing after a fisherman too. The sight was enough to make the Cipher Pol chuckle.

"Wait."

That's when it hit him, if Beast is here then... No... Koda looked around to find Gabriel and Myra. He hoped and hope the man wasn't around. As soon as he'd been overcome by happiness he was now overcome by pure dread. What was worse is he was too distracted looking for Gabriel that he didn't even notice he had bumped into him. Moreover, he had spotted a different figure... a woman with dark red hair and fair skin. Normally she would blend into the crowd with her looks but something about her radiated a strange aura to Koda.

"Pardon me si- EEEEEEEEP!"

Koda screeched noticing Gabriel was the person he'd crashed into. His eyes opened wide as his pupils shrunk to a small almost non-visible size. His mouth gaping in fear and his hair standing on end. This was a worst-case scenario if there ever was one.

-- NAME // Koda Yukinaga

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Vio]

^{Morgan #3}

---

People scattered as an enormous canine thundered along in pursuit of prey, and that prey just so happened to be an unfortunate fisherman whose terrified screams only served to escalate the emotions that Llywelyn Morgan was currently experiencing. Heart practically stopping as she laid eyes upon the beast, the redhead was thrust deep under the waves of memories still vivid, scar stinging and breath shallow. As if the nightmares themselves weren’t bad enough, a single lucid moment very much made her wonder if she was still asleep, but that very same moment of clarity let her steady herself.

Action was taken.

I didn’t swear this oath just to abandon it to fear, she assured herself, bursting into a dash towards the monstrosity and its victim. A hand moved to her shoulder, ready to grasp the hilt of her weapon, but before she could do so something struck her as odd — an obvious anomaly that did not line up with previous patterns. Wait… Is she not…? She can’t be… There’s no signs, so maybe… Worries rapidly abandoned as realisation washed over her, the woman’s pace slowed as she approached the scene, eyes getting a better look at the massive malamute and noticing a distinct lack of all too familiar traits and a rapidly wagging tail.

“Easy there,” Morgan spoke, reaching a hand out towards the dog’s cheek, fingers vanishing amongst lush fur as she found the animal’s chin and worked to raise it from the downed gentleman. The sheer size of the animal would have dissuaded most, even as it stood taller than the woman herself, but oversized creatures were rather low on Miss Llywelyn’s list of things to worry about. “I don’t think she means any harm,” she said, voice raised enough to be heard clearly as she observed the animal more closely, confirming her suspicions. This really was just an abnormally large dog, though she hadn’t really paid mind to its master as yet, nor anyone else at first.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>As Morgan prepares to attack the beast, but realises that something isn’t quite right and attempts a gentler approach.

Notes: N/A</sub>

---

Llywelyn Morgan | #733635
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #3

Too many think happened all at once. Beast sprinted towards the poor fisherman who was trying to hide behind his stall. The professor inhaled to call her back, but then he noticed pretty redhead that moving to her direction, with a hand on sword.

“Wait, she…!”

The professor shouted, prepared to use his “Blink” technique to get between his dog and the unknown assailant, but before he could do so, someone crashed him from behind. Stumbling, Gabriel had to take a quick step forward to prevent any further loss of balance and possible fall. Controlled by his reflexes honed by the time he spend with Myra, the professor turned around with the fingers of his right hand pointed and pressed together to form the Spear hand, his favorite weapon.

At the moment it was only reflex, nothing more. He had no intention to truly attack whoever bumped into him by accident.

“Ah, that´s alright, nothing...”
He stopped with his hand half relaxed, when he realized how familiar is the face in front of him.

“Hmmm, Mustang long time no see...”

Gentle smile appeared on the Professor´s face, as he stabbed the Kabuki actor through the chest using his “Spear” technique.

“WOOF?”

Hearing the name Mustang, Beast who used the slightest excuse, in this case Morgan´s hand on her chin, to roll over, exposing her belly for a rub, jumped straight back on her feet, completely ignoring any possible damage she could cause by such sudden change of behavior.

“WOOF! WOOF WOOF!”

Happy to see her old friend again, the large malamute lady jumped happily on the place before springing straight at him.

As his attention was aimed elsewhere, the professor didn´t realized the the danger, until the reckless fur-ball hit him from behind, knocking him and probably Koda as well to the ground.

“WOOF!”

Another happy barking and tail wagging was accompanied by an attempt to thoroughly lick any face, that came within her reach.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spear}
Improved version of the previous technique. By learning how to concentrate all of his strength into his fingertips, Gabriel will learn how to actually pierce through human skin, flesh and even bones with it. Gaining incredibly powerful and versatile weapon into his arsenal. Although this technique is very similar to Shigan from Rokushiki in it´s basic concept the two of them are actually very different. Where Shigan is very fast and subtle Spear is way slower and more straightforward relying more on raw physical strength to do the job. Because of that comparing this two techniques is like comparing gun with actual spear.

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER 4 // The Girl Who Cried Wolf...

Furrowing his brow Koda looked at the other man, Gabriel had given him a friendly greeting. But the Kabuki knew what was up, this man wanted him dead especially after what happened to Python! Not that Koda had anything to do with it, he had made a deal and kept his word. Besides, none of his assignments involved capturing Python or getting rid of him.

As far as Koda was concerned Python being around was none of his problem! In fact, one might even say he ignored the 50 million Beri pirate the entire time he was with M.A.R.I, simply because he didn't want to bother. He had small fry to catch in the East Blue, not big names from the earlier levels of the Grand Line.

"W-wait!"

Koda stuttered as the technique's name was yelled out! Gabriel's entire arm was pushed right through the kabuki's chest sending terracotta-colored clay flying around! Spluttering the ground as ripples were made in the once-solid seeming man. Koda looked down at his chest with a grimace, there was no way Gabriel was going to hurt him. His pleas were for a whole other reason... looking around the general area. All the townsfolk watching had expressions of horror on their faces. Watching a man get lacerated in public wasn't something you saw every day. A display of violence that was unsettling, to say the least. But what came after was perhaps worse.

"Ugh! look at the mess you made. We're in a public space! You're freaking them out!"

The Kabuki grumbled as he stepped back, the hole in his chest closing up. He dusted himself trying to remove some of the globs of clay that now stained his shirt. The people watched in horror from the sidelines as the clay man effectively reformed and closed up his wound like some sort of freakish experiment of nature. It was like nothing they'd seen before! The people of this blue having little knowledge about fruits and fruit users were simply baffled by the sights they'd seen.

"A zombie! He is a zombie!! RUUUUUUN!"

Yelled a random man in the crowd, and it didn't take long for others in the crowd to agree with the statement sending everyone in the general vicinity running away. Koda looked at the lot of them, he grumbled audibly... great. So much for staying undercover.

"Look at what you've done now! Ho-"

His line was cut off as Beast slammed into him tackling him to the ground licking his face. The loud happy barks resonating across the street, the good girl was happy to see him... and well so was Koda! But he didn't have time to greet Beast yet. He had to deal with Gabriel first, or at least get away from him. Something told him he'd get attacked like that multiple times... and while Gabriel's attacks couldn't hurt him.... having to deal with them was annoying nonetheless.

-- NAME // Koda Yukinaga

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // Shigan

[Vio]

^{Morgan #4}

---

Apparently, Morgan’s efforts were not appreciated by the old fisherman, though that might have been due to what transpired so soon after she had tamed the savage beast. Apparently easily distracted, the animal was quick to sacrifice the chance at a belly rub in favour of a new face — perhaps a familiar one. However, it was as the redhead looked up that she realised exactly how strange the situation was, spying a man’s hand leaving a gaping hole in another man’s chest. What spattered here and there was not blood, but something else, though really it was far from a concern to the bystanders.

^{“A zombie!” a man yelled:
“He’s a zombie…!!”}

Panic exploded like fireworks at a new year’s festival, spreading through the sparse crowds and serving to make them sparser still as men and women alike screamed and fled. Even the elderly fisherman who had already had quite the fright had found a spring in his step, making a mad dash back into the village proper. Emerald eyes watched for a moment, but soon thereafter turned to the two men and the dog that had so merrily tackled the ‘zombie’. Most everyone else had scarpered, but not she. Was it a strange sight? Certainly. But by no means was she fazed by ‘strange’ anymore.

Well, at least it’s not because of that… Whatever he did, she noted gratefully, eyeing the men. One was a tall and stern man, perhaps a few years older than herself, bearing a stubble-lined jaw and black hair littered with flecks of silver. The other was mostly buried beneath a mass of fur, but was far from a regular soul, standing likely well in excess of what one would consider normal and boasting strange facial features and deep purple hair. Of course, what made him stranger still was his bodily composition.

For the moment, Miss Llywelyn simply stared blankly.

^{—— ON THE OTHER SIDE ——}

Branches snapped and leaves rustled, bracken snatching at fabric and scratching at flesh. As fast as little legs could carry her, a girl perhaps no older than seven or eight forced her way through the undergrowth, tripping and tumbling only to right herself and continue. Tangled brown curls billowed in her wake as — despite grazed knees and cuts on her elbows — she approached the small settlement.

^{“Kid! Other way!” a man yelled:
“There’s a dangerous freak back there…!”}

“Tch! I’m not scared of some freak!” the girl yelled out, running against the tide of fleeing townsfolk despite more than a few adults’ attempts at stopping her. A little more centrally, she cupped her hands about her mouth and bellowed. “Everyone…! The wolves are coming…!!” Such an outcry prompted strange looks from some, worried ones from others, but none of that dissuaded the child.

^{“Dammit, Arabelle!” an old man shouted:
“The wolves won’t come so close to town!”}

^{“They will and they are–?!”
“Awoooooooooo~!!”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>As Morgan watches the unusual spectacle without much worry, while a girl named Arabelle warns of approaching wolves!

Notes: N/A</sub>

---

Llywelyn Morgan | #733635
Arabelle | #71bc78
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #4

Failing to realize that he is the only person present who knew about Mustang and his abilities, the Professor let his anger and frustration to get the better of him as he stabbed the traitorous agent through his chest, frightening all the local townsfolk in the process. It wasn´t much like him, but in his current situation such reaction was quite understandable. After all, the cold fury he felt when he saw the agent in front of him was almost tangible.

“What I have done?”
The professor snapped in anger as he grabbed the large dog for the skin on the back side of her neck, pulling her again from the strange Kabuki.

“You and your comrades murdered my friend, almost destroyed his dream and forced me to chase after huge octopus mermaid across half of the East Blue. And now you have the nerves to ask me what I have done?”

Whining silently, Beast tried to calm her master down by licking his face, but Gabriel wasn´t in a mood where something like that could soften him.

“The good news is, with the sniper dead you and the mermaid are the only one remaining on my list. So...”

Completely ignoring Morgan´s presence, at least for now, Moon leaned towards the Kabuki with cold expression on his face.

“Now, you will either tell me who ordered that murder, or I´ll drop you into the ocean. It seems that it can kill your kind quite well.”

Just as he finished his thread, loud, howling sound appeared, again. This time much closer to the village the before. For a second, the Professor ignored it, focusing solely on the agent in front of him, before he realized, that something was off.

“These wolves...they are getting closer?”
He muttered confused as pack attacking a settlement of this size would be something unheard off, especially outside of winter. Was he mistaken? The last glimpse of hope was quickly stomped into the ground by frightened voice o young girl, screaming her warnings on anyone who was willing to listen.

“Beast don´t let him run away.”
With that, the Gabriel jumped up, kicking the air under his feet so fast, that he disappeared in a blink of eye, only to reappear dozen or so meters in the air to get a better look on what was happening. It probably wasn´t anything serious, but risking the lives of innocent for the sake of his personal vendetta was against everything he stood for.

Meanwhile on the ground, the usually carefree malamute lady pricked up her ears and sniffed. Something in the scent she caught was probably very off, because instead of welcoming the approaching canines with a happy barking she bristled her fur and silently growled.

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER 4 // The Girl Who Cried Wolf

There was no denying that the professor was angry, he seemed so fixated on the matter that he even ignored the red-haired woman. Speaking of, she was the only one that hadn't run off, although there wasn't much Koda could say right now considering he was being accosted by Gabriel and his pet.

"Eugh, I don't know jack-shit! I didn't kill Python. You know how I operate, that man was more trouble than he was worth. So there was no way I'd get tangled in a mess with him."

Koda weakly got up, although Gabriel was still being very upfront about the whole situation. Threatening to throw him in the ocean if he didn't tell him the truth. Truth be told, Koda wasn't afraid of such a threat... he could melt between the professor's fingers. The man couldn't touch him unless he let himself be touched.

But perhaps more surprising was the talk about an octopus mermaid. Immediately an image of his mother was flashed before his mind... a giant thirty-foot octopus mermaid dressed up in a typical geisha outfit. Certainly, his mother couldn't be the one Gabriel was talking about... she was in paradise... with his father in Kabukimono.

But then again, octopus merfolk were very rare... and his mother was in the assassination business. Often operating behind the scenes, so it wasn't completely out of the question. Although, why would his mother want to dispose of a harmless fool like Python? Maybe he owed money to the wrong people in the criminal underworld? Perhaps this was a matter that required some personal investigation of his part.

"Besides, how can you believe anything I say? As far as you're concerned I'm a natural liar... so what then? You'll kill me regardless of what I say? Seems... a little unfair, Gabriel."

Just as he spoke those words a shrill howl broke through the town. It seemed he wasn't the only one to pick up on this oddity as Gabriel was quick to get a move on... ordering Beast to keep the Kabuki in place. The long lanky man stood up, grimacing slightly and dusting himself. He turned to the woman who was staring blankly.

"Oi! What's a matter with you?"

Koda inquired, all these happenings and she had been paralyzed this whole time almost lost in thought. Perhaps she was one of those aloof sorts? Or perhaps she was someone who'd come straight of the Grand Line and wasn't surprised by what she saw. The latter seemed like a more reasonable explanation considering the reaction of all the villagers in the area.

-- NAME // Koda Yukinaga

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED //

[Vio]

^{Morgan #5}

---

That howl… Senses on high alert once more, Llywelyn Morgan’s stance shifted, again placing a hand upon the haft of her weapon out of instinct rather than discipline. It’s closer, she assessed, scanning the streets as the yelling of a young girl’s voice echoed. The commotion of already fleeing townsfolk was made worse, significantly so, when an agonised screech pierced the air. The sound of a man perhaps mortally wounded by a vicious assailant almost made the redhead flinch, again harkening back to past traumas.

^{“Oi!” asked the man accosted:
“What’s a matter with you?”}

“Mm,” Morgan grunted, eyes shifting to the bizarre man and the canine beside him. The latter’s hackles were raised, teeth slightly bared in a subdued growl. It was no secret that animals possessed keener than average senses, able to see and smell and hear that which most humans could not, and so it was a firm indication that the animal was well aware of something. “She knows… And I think you’re about to find out,” Morgan added, taking a breath to steel her nerves before drawing her blade. A precaution, perhaps, but a necessary one.

Crash! Debris erupted from a small grocery store, and with them a morbid sight as a man’s body was tossed some yards. None too far away, emerald eyes spied the small silhouette of a girl with wild hair, soon to settle again upon another figure that emerged from the hole in the woodwork. Miss Llywelyn’s grip tightened, for the eyes of a beast had settled upon her, and they weren’t the eyes of your average forest predator.

“Ah, f*¢<… It just had to be wolves,” she murmured under her breath, scar burning in phantom pain as the ragged grey fur of a pack hunter stepped out. Another followed, and another — a trio of such animals whose leader sniffed the air as the others snarled. That was all the redhead needed to see to understand that these weren’t just wild animals driven to desperation, but something tainted, for in their eyes she could see soft luminescence. She raised a hand, gestured to the girl whose own gaze caught hers in a signal to back away.

Slowly and quietly.

Arabelle — not that her name was known at the time — nodded and stepped back. A small shoe clipped a piece of debris. Lupine ears pricked. Morgan cussed. Bursting into a dash, the oathsworn woman raced to intercept as one of the wolves turned its focus to the youngster. A beast with a glimmer of red in its eyes had found prey, stalking towards the child with fangs bared. But before she could even get halfway, another of the three responded; eyes tinged with cyan locked onto billowing deep red, the wolf bursting into a dash of its own.

^{“Grrr…!”}

Slam! Morgan’s body was knocked to the ground, near enough in the blink of an eye, for now that wolf with cyan glow loomed over her with quivering jaws and a rabid look. The third wolf, its eyes tinted green, began its approach of the wounded male that had been tossed.

^{All different…? Morgan noted:
That makes this complicated…!}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>As Morgan tries to defend Arabelle but is knocked to the floor by an incredibly fast wolf.

Notes: So, red means it’s incredibly strong for its size, cyan represents incredible speed, and green means it’s astonishingly tough.</sub>

---

Llywelyn Morgan | #733635
Arabelle | #71bc78
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Mr. Moon]

Gabriel #5

Mustang was right in one thing. Gabriel didn´t trust him a word. But, if he thought that he would kill him just for that, he was sorely mistaken. As angry as Gabriel was on him, there was way too many holes in the story Mr. Katsumasa was pushing about Python´s death. Holes that only Mustang or that mysterious Octopus Mermaid could fill. But, this wasn´t the best time to think about it as there were way more pressing matters at hand.

Just as the professor flew high in the sky to take a look around, wounded men was thrown from his shop followed by three wolves.

“What the...is this rabies or something?”

The professor thought for himself, while he was freely falling back to the ground. The situation bellow him escalated quickly. Young girl, the one that was probably chased by the wolves all the way here was attacked by one animal, the swordswoman by another one and the third one approached that wounded man, probably to finish it´s job.

Driven by her instinct, Beast sprung into action, making desperate dash towards Arabelle, hitting the infected monster with her shoulder and knocking it back, before she straddled, standing between the girl and the beast with warning growl.

One girl was well protected, at least for now and the other one was armed and unfazed by his display of violence and Mustang´s abilities, meaning, she should be more than capable at least protecting herself, meaning…

Just a split of second, before he would hit the ground, Gabriel kicked the air again, accelerating his body so much, it became basically invisible to a naked eye. When he appeared again a split of second later, he was just above the third wolf, the one that was trying to finish off that wounded man, driving the heel of his right leg towards it´s neck in fast axe kick.

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER 4 // The Girl Who Cried Wolf

It all happened so suddenly, just as the woman's words had left her lips everything seemed to burst into pure chaos. Suddenly her words and Beast's growls made sense! A trio of wolves pushed out from the depths of town. One harming a man in the process and the other ready to attack a girl. Gabriel, the mysterious woman, and Beast all leaped into action leaving Koda behind to decide on what to do next.

He could leave now... avoid this place altogether? Act like he saw nothing and be on his merry way to go back to chasing Risa. After all, this was all above his pay grade as an espionage-based Cipher Pol Agent. But something tugged on his moral heartstrings which were there somewhere. Besides, it was his chance to finally use some techniques he'd come up with his fruit.

"Soru!"

Koda lept into action taking care of the wolf with the blue glare who was over the red-haired woman. Everyone else was accounted for in saving meaning she was the only one who needed aiding. Using Soru he closed the distance and found himself right in front of the wolf leaping in the air.

"UDON SPECIALE!"

He yelled out, his hand turned into a clay tendril which he used to smash the wolf's head into the pavement. The impact was such that it caused dust clouds to form and an impact was left on the ground. Blood and clay sputtered around! Once everything had settled down, cracks in the shape of a wolves' cranium were now revealed to decorate the cobbled street. Of course, this wouldn't be enough... the wolf shook his head, slightly dazed but with more than enough power still in him. The purple-haired man turned to Morgan for a split second.

"Sh*t, lady... if you know how to use that sword I suggest you make use of it."

-- NAME // Koda Yukinaga

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // Soru, Udon Speciale