[Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Mon Jan 03, 2022 11:25 pm

Saga:

Anton waited quietly for his officers to gather in the ship's meeting room. He had summoned them all the instant he had received word. Behind the Rear Admiral was a black board with three words written on it.

Davy Back Fight.

He waited until the last of them were in and seated before Anton rose to his feet. "Thank you for coming. First off, let me just say, welcome to Paradise, as twistedly ironic the name of this sea is. And we have received our first assignment here in this part of the world." He pointed to the words on the black board. "Anyone know what this means?"

He waited a moment before continuing. "For those who don't know, A Davy Back Fight is an event of sorts between two pirate crews. Members of each crew take part in sporting events, the winners claiming members from the losing team as their own. However, we're not here to talk about a Davy Back Fight. What we're talking about is this."

He reached back and erased the word "Fight", before writing a new word in its place. Brawl. "Davy Back Brawl?" Celia asked. She had never heard of such a thing.

"I hadn't heard of it either until the higher ups told me," Anton explained, "But apparently, a Davy Back Brawl is similar to a Davy Back Fight, only instead of two crews facing eachother, we've got six involved."

"Six crews facing off huh? Interesting," Doc Black mused. "You can say that," Anton continued, "Anyway, sources tell us that one such competition is going to be happening soon. And that is where we're going."

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Tue Jan 04, 2022 10:52 am

When the Rear Admiral summoned his crew, there was no time for socializing. The officers were expected to drop whatever they were doing and answer the call. Thus, now before the captain sat a row of brave men, women and a cloth-wrapped mummy directly from Alabasta.

...Hold on.

Actually, said mummy was a rather well-bandaged samurai. Her entire body was covered in layers of off-white gauze. A single eye peered from between them, the usually piercing stare now seeming hazy and unfocused. Clothing was lazily draped over her, barely covering anything. Not that there was much to cover on her lean frame.

Ever since Amazon Lily, Doc Black had taken some drastic measures to ensure the injured swordswoman recovered properly. Bandages, stitches, sedatives and mushy food... Whatever it took. Healing wasn’t always an easy process. Especially on the mental side.

Had to take it one step at a time.

Yumiko, on the other hand, stewed in a pot of mixed feelings. While she was grateful, yes, she felt this was excessive. For the past several days, she had been only eating, sleeping and occasionally reading. Anything strenuous, training especially, was strictly forbidden. She felt like she was stagnating, while her allies grew stronger around her by the day...

The wounded woman snapped out of her thoughts, when the Rear Admiral started the briefing. She listened closely, as always, but understanding was a whole different challenge today. Every sentence spoken sparked several questions. Despite the best attempts, even Anton couldn’t answer them all.

Yumiko’s single visible eye narrowed. “Mafhter...” She struggled to raise her hand. A muffled voice expressed concern. “Thifh one believefh fafhing fhix crewfh at onfhe ifh recklefh. I know thou are fhrong, but I implore thee to reconfhider.” There was a line between bravery and foolishness, one she would not let her master cross.

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Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:00 pm

Thud... Thud... Thud. Thud, thud thud. Each thud was followed by a loud exhale, and all of those exhales could be heard from the training room. In that said training room, besides other marines, the man with pompadour was throwing vicious punches at the punching bag. When looking at the wall behind the punching bag, one could see two other punching bags, from which sand was already flowing out. Over the years, a regular punching bag was slowly becoming useless for him, as one does not last long enough.

"Attention!" a voice came from the doorway. The marine sent to deliver the message was demanding attention, which the marines, after the latest ordeals, gave him, Ryoichi included who stopped the punching and was resting his fist against the punching bag. "Main officers please gather into Rear Admirals office!" the message was delivered swiftly for everyone to hear but was meant for only a few to follow in that said training room.

Ryoichi nodded slowly, removed his boxing gloves, and placed them on the bench nearby, from where he grabbed the towel which he used to wipe some sweat off of his forehead and adjusted his pompadour, which had become a bit loose from the sweat, leaving some strands of hair hanging over his forehead. He was then on his way to the aforementioned office.

Moments later, Ryoichi opened the door and entered the room. Compared to previous times when he had arrived at the meetings, he was dressed up in his regular uniform, this time, he was missing the marine-issued sleeveless shirt. Instead, he was wearing a tank top, but still had the marine-issued pants and tank boots. A cherry on top, he had the towel hanging over his shoulder. Proper training gear surely.

"Petty officer Ayugai reporting in." he performed the salute and walked away from the door, falling in line, where he was at ease and waiting for the instructions. Interesting things he had heard about. Davy Back Brawl. Certainly, as a certified fighting fan, he had heard of it before. Not to mention, it appears they are going at it!.. But why?

His attention was then caught by a muffling voice, coming from right next to him. He blinked as he looked down a bit... And then he blinked again. "WHEN DID WE DIG UP A MUMMY?!" a shocking question came from Ryoichi whose eyes were widened up. It was only then that he had begun to think where he had heard of the dialect. "YUMIKO?! When did we wrap you up to preserve you?"

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Tue Jan 04, 2022 9:33 pm

Anton looked over as Yumiko expressed her concern. And rightfully so. "I agree whole heartedly Yumiko, and if command had ordered us to do such a thing, I would have headed to HQ immediately to smack them upside the head." Celia blinked in surprise at that remark. Hearing Anton talk about command like that was something new. She still remembered when Anton had been terrified of failing them.

Anton smiled. "Which is why it's a good thing we have NOT been ordered to do that. One of the crews that was going to attend has already been captured. We are going to assume their identities and infiltrate the Davy Back Brawl!"

Melanie game an amused chuckle. "A stealth mission huh? Interesting. Color me interested. However, there are a couple of problems that need to be addressed." Anton looked over at his navigator. "Fire away." However, it was Celia that spoke up first. It seemed like she was on the same page. "Well, we're not exactly unknown individuals," she glanced at Anton and the bound Yumiko, "particularly you two. It may take some extra disguising to hide who you two are." Melanie nodded in agreement, "And then there's your Devil Fruits. Those are a dead giveaway."

Anton nodded. Those were both good points. "Well, in Yumiko's case, she's most well known as a samurai. Disguising her as anything else might make her a bit less noticable. And for me, perhaps a mask of some kind?" He thought for a moment. "A good point about the Devil Fruits too. We'll need to avoid using them, or at least using them openly." He looked to Yumiko and Ryoichi, "Think you two can manage?"

"I can simply go without my mask," Doc Black replied, "And Celia and Melanie aren't as well known. Though I do have a possible idea. In order to hide you better, perhaps one of us could play the role of captain." Anton thought for a moment. "Hmm, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. After all, people wouldn't be looking at a lower crew member for a Rear Admiral. OK, let's do it. I'll let you all decide who gets the role. Oh, and Doc?" "Yes sir?" "Can you please remove some of Yumiko's bandages. She's hard to hear under all that, and she does need to move around." "Yes sir."

Anton looked to Melanie, "They have the pirates' ship waiting for us. Here are the coordinates," he handed her a piece of paper, with a thankful nod from the Kuja. "Now if you all will excuse me, I need to go to my cabin and prepare." And by prepare, he meant untangle the bundle of nerves he felt like right now. He quietly left the meeting room.

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Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:44 am

Yumiko completely missed the utter tactlessness of Ryoichi’s rather rude commentary. Instead, she gave him a nod. “I know not what thifh mummy ifh, but I agree thifh feelfh a little exfhefhfhive.” Her polite protest was met with a dismissive hum from the doctor.

“Hm, to be fair, you left me no choice.”

As the conversation continued, the makeshift mummy soon recoiled with shock so pure it was visible even through the bandages. The single visible eye went wide. “M-mafhter! That would be mutiny!” She took his remark as the absolute truth. Jokes and jesting had never been her strong suit.

The shock continued to grow, when the Rear Admiral instead revealed a stealth mission. It sparked immediate worry in the overly honest woman. This sounded an awful lot like... deception... It was not the way of a true warrior. Ah... But... She couldn’t really call herself a warrior anymore, could she...?

Finally, the order regarding the fruits was like a splash of fuel to the sparks. The Petty Officer’s worries flared like flames inside her soul. They consumed her mind, burning away her options one after another. Her head awkwardly jerked upwards. “But mafhter, I...” Too late. He was already gone.

Yumiko’s head drooped like a withering flower. Her shoulder sagged with a solemn sigh. Gloom hung over her like violet mist. ...Well, perhaps the last one was just imagination playing tricks, but the rest of the depressing aura was all too real.

What could she even do...?

Meanwhile, the doctor moved to loosen the lamenting woman’s bindings ever so slightly. He parted the layers in front of her lips, letting her speak normally. Then his deft hands checked the bandages around her joints, returning some range of motion. Anything more he refused to do, however. He was responsible for her recovery after all.

While the other officers were deciding the role of the captain, the wounded woman remained quiet. She simply stared at her empty hands. Her mind dwelled on murky thoughts. A hollow mutter left her lips. “Without mine fruit... I am nothing.” First she wasn’t worthy to wield her blade, now this...

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Wed Jan 05, 2022 2:55 pm

An awkward chuckle was let out as he noticed that his mummy statement had completely flown over Yumiko's head, but no matter. Perhaps one day she'll understand. He then proceeded to listen to what Anton had said. One could consider Ryoichi surprised. Them, to become pirates, to infiltrate. A stealth mission?! For him?! And of course, for the rest of the crew. Oh, this is going to be a fiasco.

"So, what's the plan?" shortly after the question, he also got the answer. The disguises were to be worn, and another thing. They were to refrain from using their powers... But why should Ryoichi be restricted? "I have never been featured in news coo, unlike you and Yumiko here. I should be all fine.", but the statement was voided by Anton, who handed out the last of orders and left the room to go to his quarters to prepare.

A sigh escaped Ryoichi's lips as he stopped standing formally, leaning himself against the wall. "He left so fast I couldn't even give out my suggestion to Anton." he was performing a childish and playful pout while mumbling that out hearably. "I was ready to ask Lieutenant Adder and Staff Officer Celia for some of their clothes for Anton. He could highly likely pull off the look." what a disappointment the situation was! But what could he do?

He turned his head towards Yumiko's direction who was now being unwrapped. "Feeling better, Yumiko?". He had not had the chance to see her for a couple of days, but considering the bandages are being removed, she is probably feeling better by now.

But, that feeling was probably physical. Mentally, Ryoichi could easily see that she was feeling gloomy, and he got confirmation to that theory after her own muttering, this time without the muffling tone. After he had stopped leaning and approached Yumiko, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder and patted. "Do not let that get you down. One fruit does not define you unless you let it do that. If you don't have your fruit to use, you have your sword. If you don't have your sword, well, then you got your body. The body can be a lethal weapon.

He smiled as he then stepped in front of Yumiko, but he created a bit of distance. His right hand then raises up, open palm facing Yumiko. "Go on, show me your straight punch." The location was not the best for this kind of training, but the moment was better than ever. One might aswell take it. Perhaps, it can inject some confidence into the young samurai?

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Wed Jan 05, 2022 10:33 pm

Celia raised an eyebrow at Ryoichi's idea, "I think Anton will punt you all the way to Minion for that one," Celia replied, though she couldn't keep a small amused smile from her face. Doc Black chuckled behind his mask. "Indeed, it was a hassle for him to debunk the cross dressing rumors that Celia started last time." The second in command's face turned beet red. "I had only said he would LOOK good in a dress! Not that he wore them!" She looked away in embarrassment, muttering to herself, "I get a little tipsy ONE TIME..."

Melanie glanced over at the glum Yumiko, who seemed disheartened to not be able to use her fruit. She smiled at Ryoichi's attempt to cheer her up, but he wouldn't need to go it alone. "If you're nothing without your fruit, then learn to be something without it. Ryoichi's right. You still have your swordsmanship. Besides," she gave that familiar, cunning smile, "He said to either not use them, or use them discretely. Consider this an opportunity to work on how you use your fruit. There have been some zoan users who learned how to partially transform. And you possess a mythic fruit, correct? Perhaps you can find ways to use your fruit's powers while maintaining your human form. See this as a challenge to overcome and get stronger." Their trip to Amazon Lily had taught her the best way to get to Yumiko. Through giving her goals to strive for.

"Now then," Celia interjected, wanting to change the topic away from past rumors, "We need to decide who will be acting as Captain while we're there." Melanie rose to her feet, "I will have to bow out. I have coordinates we need to follow. We have a ship waiting for us after all." She gave them all a smile before sauntering out of the room.

"I'll need to decline as well," Doc Black spoke up, "I feel it would be best for me to remain the ship's doctor. So that just leaves you three." He looked from Celia to Yumiko to Ryoichi, "While Celia is second in command, Yumiko and Ryoichi are both stronger. It would make sense for the crew to have a strong captain." Celia gave a small nod in agreement before looking at Ryoichi and Yumiko. "Well, it's between you too. So, who wants to play the role of pirate captain?"

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Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:34 am

While Ryoichi lamented the failure of his master plan, Yumiko’s stray thoughts briefly wandered onto an idle question. Wasn’t Sir Anton too short to wear Miss Adder’s clothing? ...Why yes, that was the only flaw she saw with the plan. And she didn’t even fully understand it.

Snapping out of the distracting thoughts, the former samurai shook her head at the boxer’s question. “Nay. I am still a disgrace to my country.” Her answer was direct, blunt and brutally honest, like a bop from a rolled up newspaper. It was not honorable to lie, especially not to close allies.

Yumiko’s gloom only grew, when her two comrades brought up her blade. “I... am not worthy to carry mine blade anymore...” Her cold voice drifted across the room. “‘Tis a samurai sword, thus only a samurai is allowed to wield it.” She explained, as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world. Well, it was obvious in her culture.

The weasel woman clutched her fingers into a fist. “Mine powers are fickle. I can only call forth simple gusts in mine human form. To truly summon the slicing winds, I need something sharp at hand.” Such was the nature of the kamaitachi. A wind without sharpness behind it couldn’t cut anything.

Reminiscent of a marionette with broken strings, the disheartened warrior reluctantly rose from her seat. “As thou wish. Mine body is not worthy to be called a weapon, but I shall humor thee.” She took a stance...

Which was utterly incompatible with boxing.

The swordwoman’s legs were apart, but her weight was leaning forward. Her arms were low, near her waist. Meanwhile, her hands were curled into empty fists, as if she was trying to clutch an invisible stick. With a form like that, the only person she might hurt was herself.

Suddenly, Yumiko’s gaze narrowed with odd intensity. She stepped forth, throwing a sluggish punch. Or more of a thrust, really. Her awkward fist hit the open palm with the weight and fury of a marshmallow thrown against a pillow. Less than a tap, to call it a punch would’ve been an insult to boxers everywhere.

“How did I do?”

Utterly ignorant of the lousy attempt, the wounded woman stared at the boxer expectantly. Her question was a dangerous one to answer. She had trained hard to learn the ways of the blade. Perhaps some of that knowledge would transfer over to punching. ...So she silently hoped anyway.

If Ryoichi dared to stall for time, however, Celia would come to save his hide. The question of who should be the captain stole Yumiko’s attention. Her gaze drifted between the gunslinger and the doctor... “Then the choice is most obvious.” ...before finally focusing on the boxer again. “Sir Ayugai should take the mantle of captain, for he is the strongest of us after the Rear Admiral himself.” Slowly, carefully and ignoring the protesting wounds, she forced herself to kneel and bow her head.

“I pledge mine loyalty to thee, Captain Ayugai.”

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Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:21 pm

"Hey the shock on his face would be worth it for a trip back to Minion." he chuckled as he for a brief moment had taken his attention off of Yumiko to chip something in, but that was just for a brief second, enough time to shift his sight back to Yumiko who was ready to punch... Perhaps she could have fooled an untrained set of eyes, but she could not fool Ryoichi with her stance, but he played along to see what she's got.

And what she got was, almost nothing? Sure it's not like Ryoichi did not feel anything hitting his palm, but that kind of punch can maybe hurt an untrained person. He lowered his palm and rubbed his chin, thinking now, how to answer Yumiko's question. Should he lie? Or should he be honest? The previous history has shown him one thing though, that it is best, to be honest with her. She was not happy about him not telling about his history on Notice... But she did not ask either.

Nevertheless, Ryoichi nod slowly and answered Yumiko's question. "My honest answer. It certainly needs improvement. You got the base idea of punching, but lack technique. Here, let me show you." and just as he was moving to show Yumiko some of the basics, Celia came in to steer the conversation in a completely different direction, along with Yumiko's attention. The topic of this discussion now... Who shall be the new captain?

Of course, this captain would be the temporary one, not to mention one who would be the leader of a fake pirate crew entering some brawl undercover. He was certain that one of the higher-ranking officers of the crew would take the spot now that Anton had decided he won't... But that was a false way of thinking. One by one, the most probable choices fell off... First Melanie... Then the Plague Doctor... And then with the help of the Plague Doctor, Celia aswell.

This left only two choices in this very room, both equally bad in many people's eyes. As he was about to say something, Yumiko beat him to it to voice her opinion. "Wait wait... Am I the pawn here? Isn't there anyone else to do it? Guys? Gals?" he looked around, but all of the eyes were now on him... The strongest one, whatever they mean by it. "Come on... The strongest one is too far-fetched, I am no...-"

He couldn't even finish his sentence before Yumiko was down on her knees, pledging her loyalty to him. "We don't do that here Yumiko... I... Fine..." with some reluctance on his part, he accepted the position, as the captain... Of the fake pirates!

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Thu Jan 06, 2022 10:02 pm

With the crew's new 'captain' decided, the rest of the small trip went by rather uneventfully, with everyone going to prepare. Though, how exactly did you prepare for something like this? Going into a battle was one thing, but an infiltration mission was something else entirely. They were walking right into enemy territory, and a single mistake could throw you into a very dangerous situation.

At least, this was how Anton saw it, as the Rear Admiral paced back and forth in his cabin, trying (and failing) to calm his nerves. If he knew how these things worked, something will always go horribly wrong. And then there was the fact that one of his officers had to act as captain. How would they handle it? Especially if it turned out to be Yumiko. The woman was very set in her ways, and infiltration was already outside her comfort zone. Not that Anton couldn't relate. He never returned to his.

He had taken the time to read up the information on the crew they were posing as. Apparently they had been called the Red Cap Pirates, their captain a man named Oberon. The second in command had been a woman named Titania, so whether the 'captain' was a man or a woman, they could make it work. Among the crew had been members known as "Puck", "Mustardseed", "Peaseblossom" and Cobweb". Strange names, to be certain. He could only imagine what sort of people these pirates were.

Finally, there was a knock at the door. "Come in." Hopefully talking to someone will help ease his nerves. Celia poked her head in. She had a peculiar look on her face. "Um, we've reached the pirate ship...I think." Anton paused. That uncertainty I'm her voice brought him no comfort. "What's wrong?" "Oh, erm, nothing," Celia quickly replied, "Just a question. Who were these pirates again?"

Anton's stomach was starting to turn into knots. "The Red Cap Pirates...why?" Celia thought for a moment. "Hmm, makes a little sense I guess" she said before stepping out. Anton hurried after her. "Why? What is it?"

-----@^@-----

"It's a mushroom..." When he heard the term "Red Cap", he thought they had a thing for red hats. Nope. It turned out the term was referring to a red cap MUSHROOM. Particularly the enormous one that seemed to grow out of the otherwise very colorful ship, hanging over it like a giant umbrella.

Of course it had to be something strange. Anton sighed, leaning on the railing of the Grand Steamer, "Trust a crew with folks like Puck to have a ship like this."

Celia looked over at him with a quizzical look. "Puck?" Anton waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah. Puck, Mustardseed, Oberon, that sort of thing." Celia paused for a moment as her mind pieced everything together. "Anton, those are the names of characters from a play." A play? Anton turned to her. "A theatrical bunch, were they?" A group of eccentric pirate actors. Guess that explained some things. Celia looked a little sheepish. "Yeah. But, um, those names in particular. They were all fairies."

There was a loud clang as Anton's head connected with the steel railing. Suddenly it made perfect sense why they chose him for this assignment.

Once this is over, I'm heading for HQ and smacking whoever came up with this idea!

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Fri Jan 07, 2022 7:08 am

Akin to a boxer weaving between punches, Ryoichi managed to land a brutally honest review right before the distraction. Yumiko’s brow furrowed. A frown tugged at her lips. Still, she nodded. “I understand. I thank thee for thy insight.” The aura of doom and gloom lingered strongly behind the cold words. She appreciated the honesty, more than anything, but she was still disappointed with herself.

Oh well.

There was no time to dwell on personal failures. The swordswoman was far more eager to bottle up this shame and bury it with the rest. “Nay, ‘tis only proper to pledge loyalty.” She immediately refused the boxer’s refusal of her gesture. This was no game!

Fortunately for everyone involved, Ryoichi eventually accepted his burden. With that, Yumiko pushed herself up from the floor, gritting her teeth against the pain. “Sir Ayugai... Nay... Captain.” It felt weird saying that, even to her. “If thou will please excuse me.” She was hoping to take this opportunity to... Uh...

She could feel Doc Black glaring needles at her back.

...Erm, yes, the patient was hoping to return to the medical bay. That’s all. She bowed one more time and silently shuffled away. As she walked down the cold hallway, she clutched her side. Every breath was like pins and needles against her chest. Hopefully she hadn’t torn a stitch just now...

While others went to prepare, the wounded woman reluctantly rested. The orders still taunted her. She had tried considering both Melanie’s and Ryoichi’s suggestions, but... Hesitation gunked up her mind like tar. Her thoughts were stuck in place. She looked at her bandaged hand and flexed her fingers. Specs of dust danced in circles, playing in the weakest of whirlwinds.

Not good enough...

---

However, soon a loud clang rattled Yumiko’s sharp hearing. It came from the deck! Springing onto her trembling legs, she tried to hurry. ...And nearly tripped on the stairs. Her limbs were not cooperating today. “Master, what is-?!” The question died on her lips.

Nothing could have prepared the swordswoman for the sight that greeted her outside. She came to a screeching halt by her comrades. Her eyes went black and face contorted into utter shock. “Huuuh?!” Slowly her gaze scaled the odd umbrella, until she nearly fell backwards.

In the wake of the shock, several questions swirled inside her mind. A plant...? Wait, was that even a plant? Her confusion only grew. She wanted to ask why it looked like that, yet she also wondered what it was. Thus the question that came out was something in between.

“Why... is that...?”

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Fri Jan 07, 2022 1:20 pm

"I guess I'll go and get prepared, then." he performed the salutation as the meeting had finished. As he had left the room, he was on his way to the crew cabin. There was preparing to do. While on his way, he couldn't help but rub his chin and hum a bit. "Hmm... Hmm...Hmmmmmm." decisions, decisions, and once more, so many decisions. What's worse about this whole situation, he completely lacks any information about what he is supposed to look like. His only conclusion to this is that he can look like whatever he wants.

"Oooooh look, it's pirate captain Ayugai! Shall we have him arrested?" the word spreads fast. The moment Ryoichi had entered the crew cabin, he was already being laughed at, all in the good nature of course. Some of the more recent events have shifted the view of the marines a bit, having them tone down a bit.

"Ah laugh all you want, at the end of the day I am still your ordinary petty officer." he responded to the seeming mockery as he headed towards his hammock, more specifically, to the chest that was down under the hammock. Popping it open, he could see his own civilian clothes as well as some of the spare marine-issued uniforms. As he had opened the chest up, he was set back into his former head-crushing way, with his left fingers rubbing his chin. "Hmm...."

But it had actually helped. The heavy thinking had led to an idea. He bent over and grabbed a hold of a pair of black pants, a pair of standard marine-issue tank boots, and lastly, a light-gray trench coat. All he needed now was a quick shower. He had been training before, and the sweat had to be washed off. This also was part of his transforming process.

Some time later

Ryoichi took steps out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and began to dry himself. Slowly but surely he was dried up. As he was standing in front of the mirror, he moved his hand to wipe off the moisture from it, only to see himself from the reflection of the mirror. The shower had washed off all the gel again from his hair, leaving the long hair hanging, reaching almost down to his shoulders. "Perfect."

As he grinned, he moved his hand towards the hair to gather it up in his hand, while the other one moved towards the shower 'closet' that was next to the window, taking one rubberband from it which he then used to tie the long hair up into the ponytail. Now all that was left to do, was to get back dressed up. Dark black pants on, tank boots on, and lastly, the light-gray trench coat on, without anything under it, leaving his abs and claw markings visible. "All I need now... Is a hat."

Just as he was ready, he could hear the rattle. He and multiple other people seemed to have the same idea. Go out and look. When he made it out, he couldn't help but widen his eyes once more at the sight. Red cap... Tall white 'leg' holding the red cap up. IT WAS A GIANT MUSHROOM. "Wha... Whe... WHAT?!"

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Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:06 pm

The sounds of two familiar voices in utter disbelief caused Anton to take a look behind him. Lo and behold, there were Yumiko and Ryoichi, the latter of whom had gotten a head start in dressing like a pirate. "That," he said with resignation in his voice, "would be the ship we're using for this assignment. It would seem the pirate's we're posing as were a rather...colorful bunch." He looked at Ryoichi's outfit, "Which would mean your outfit might need to be a bit more...flamboyant. Nice try though. Fortunately they left us outfits on the ship."

At that point Melanie and Doc Black came on deck as well. Both simply stared up at the massive mushroom on the ship. "OK, Now that we're all here," sighed Anton, wanting to just get on with this, "Who's playing who?" "Well, we decided on Ryoichi taking the captain role," Celia answered. Anton nodded and looked to Ryoichi, "OK then. The captain of the Red Cap Pirates was a man named Oberon, so you'll be taking that name. Their second in command was Titania. Can you take that, Celia?" Celia nodded in the affirmative. It was good to have the real second in command close by to help him.

"Next was their swordswoman Mustardseed. Yumiko, that will be your alias. Next is their navigator Peaseblossom, that'll be you Melanie, and the ship's doctor was Cobweb," he paused, "Though, I believe the report said Cobweb turned out to be a girl. Hmm, well, she looked ambiguous enough we can perhaps pass off Cobweb being a man." Doc Black shot a sharp glare at Celia behind his mask, while the shorter woman gave a small smile. Fortunately, both went over Anton's head. "And who's your role?" Melanie asked. "Me?" Anton replied, "I'll be playing as Puck. Not exactly sure what his role in the crew was. He was just, well, there."

"Well then," Celia spoke up, "We've got a skeleton crew prepared to watch the Grand Steamer while we're gone." "Good," count on Celia to be prepared, "And like I said, thry will have our disguises waiting for us on board. So once we get up alongside, we'll hop on, get changed, and head out." He stopped and sighed, "Let's hope this doesn't take too long."

Before long, the Grand Steamer pulled up besides the Red Cap ship. The rest of the crew were just as surprised as Anton had been. The gang plank had been brought across, and soon this merry crew of undercover pirates were coming aboard their new ship for the next couple of days.

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Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:43 am

Yumiko’s blank stare slowly shifted to Ryoichi. Perhaps she sought some manner of comfort from a comrade who was as confused as her. Instead, she found a thuggish stranger. It took a moment before she even recognized him. “...Wait, why are thou dressed like that?” During the briefing, she had completely misunderstood the meaning of infiltration and disguises.

Suddenly, the wounded woman brought her hands up and slapped her stunned face back into its usual shape. Fortunately, the bandages hid the reddening cheeks. She nodded keenly at the answer. “Mm, I see.” Stepping closer, she raised a hand. “Master, I now have additional questions.” No, she had not understood a thing thus far.

Rest assured, it wasn’t getting any clearer from here.

Anton’s explanation garnered a suspicious stare from Yumiko. “...Outfits? On the ship?” Her eyes narrowed, as she shifted her gaze between the man and the strange ship. “Master, thou cannot possibly mean we should steal someone else’s clothes?” Deception and thievery was not her strong suit, to put it lightly.

Sadly, deception was exactly the name of the game. The overly honest woman clamped her mouth shut, before she questioned the plan further. Instead, she focused on trying to memorize, if not understand. So she was to assume the role of this... Mustardseed... “Such a strange name...” She muttered, oblivious to the irony.

Stewing in silent disappointment, Yumiko watched as the gangplank was connected to the strange ship. She was the very last to cross, hesitating even on the precipice. It felt... wrong... to invade someone else’s home like this. Just who were the real criminals here...?

Wandering around, the reluctant invader just so happened upon a cabin door bearing a familiar name. Mustardseed, the door proudly declared in blocky letters carved with a large knife. She took a deep breath to steel herself. “Please forgive me, Miss Mustardseed... ‘Tis mine duty...” The door creaked in disapproval, as the intruder stepped inside.

At first glance, the cabin was pleasantly average. It had a huge bed, a towering wardrobe and a tiny window overlooking the sea. A wanted poster had been framed on the wall. It depicted a bulky woman with braids the color of mustard.

Yumiko’s eyes were drawn to a weapon rack that housed a single sword. Though to call it a sword felt a little lacking. It was a huge chunk of steel with a thick blade and a cross hilt. In a faraway land, where stories of fairies were born, this kind of blade was called a claidheamh-mòr, more affectionately known as... a claymore.

Yumiko immediately faced three problems. One, it was incredibly rude to wield another warrior’s blade without permission. Two, the aforementioned blade was as tall as her and far too heavy. And three... It was cursed.

Now, while the former samurai wasn’t quite as superstitious as some of her countrymen, she still believed in certain tales. Monsters, spirits, curses... There were many strange things in the world. Strange and wicked things. Merely brushing her hand against the cold steel gave her unnatural chills.

This weapon was dangerous.

The swordswoman stepped away from the haunting blade. She shifted her focus on the almost equally imposing wardrobe before her. Right, she had to find a disguise... As was ordered.

Words: 544
Total: 2141

Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:56 am

"Wait, that's our ship?" the question contained a certain shock factor. He had seen some funny ships in his life, but never one that carried a giant red mushroom. He couldn't help but scratch the back of his head, "I thought we were supposed to go undercover. Even if openly, we should have heads turn at us like that." but it is what it is, his suggestion may have been heard, but it was now too late to change anything.

Another set of disappointment struck him when he was told by none other than Anton that his current costume is not good enough, lacking the effect of flamboyant. "Flam what now?" he looked at Yumiko, hoping that she'd know what that word means. When their eyes met, he did not get a reaction out of her... Did she not know who he was? That's a good thing though, means his disguise works! But eventually, Yumiko had figured out who he was. "What do you mean? We were told to get disguised. I am now known as this Oberon fellow... Just darker version of him apparently."

As he was simply standing there and listening to the names being handed out, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "Wait those are real names? I know mother told me not to laugh at anyone's names... But how can I not at such occasions?". The names truly were ridiculous for his ears, especially when not knowing the meanings behind them.

Shortly after that, the gangplank was laid out for the crew to board onto their new ship. "Lets go crew! We got some dressing up to do!". As he and the others had boarded, Ryoichi moved over towards the captain's deck where the steering wheel was, and behind the steering wheel, a wooden door that lead straight into the captain's quarters.

Upon entering the room, he was immediately met by pots full of flowers. Red flowers, green flowers, yellow flowers, heck even purple flowers. The colors all struck out in the room, and they blended in nicely with the wooden decor of the room's furniture. Was that what others consider flamboyant? Who knows but slowly Ryoichi began to piece it together and started to understand what Anton meant as he saw the inside of the clothing chest. "I'll look ridiculous..."

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Sun Jan 09, 2022 12:58 pm

It took Anton a bit to find Puck's room. The man's quarters were tucked away in the depths of the ship, the sign with his name on nailed to the door. The inside of the small cabin wasn't much better. The place was cluttered with all sorts of knick knacks. There hadn't been much information on the man, but what was there suggested he was a little bit of a kleptomaniac. Anton had to remind himself that he would only be staying in these cramped quarters for a few days.

He looked around before finding what he was looking for. They had said the outfit would be in a chest in the rooms. Anton threw back the lid, taking a look inside. He rummaged through the clothes before his face blanched.

"Oh no..."

-----@^@-----

Up on deck, Celia, Melanie and Doc Black had gathered, after finding their respective rooms and getting changed into their outfits.

Celia's made her almost look like a lady in some fancy aristocratic court. An opulent dress with plenty of white and silver, with some pink accents. Many frills, and yet despite that the dress was surprisingly easy to move in. Or it would if the dress wasn't a bit on the large side. Whoever had picked the costumes didn't account for Celia's height.

"I'm sure the ship's tailor can fit it for you," Melanie reassured her. Her own outfit was floral and green, with many flower like patterns, and quite form fitting, as if designed to show off her 'assets'. She even had flowers in her hair. Apparently Peaseblossom had a habit of taking various lovers, and the navigator was beginning to suspect Anton had given her the role as some quiet payback for Amazon Lily. Well, joke's on him, she was going to flaunt it!

"I don't know. Seems a bit much for me." Celia replied. She was missing her more modest, business-like attire. "Well, we all have our roles to play," Doc Black said. The doctor had removed his beak-like mask and was now clad in a black and purple longcoat that reached his feet, as well as a wide brimmed purple hat. He almost looked like some sort of alchemist from a fantasy story. "Still, these outfits aren't too bad."

"I guess," Celia looked around. The rest of the crew had a more casual attire. The most noticable thing was that they all wore red caps, like the bulb of a mushroom. "I wonder how the others turned out."

"This is rediculous!" grumbled a familiar voice. All three looked as their esteemed leader came on deck.

Anton's outfit consisted of a pair of brown trousers held up by a pair of slacks, and no shirt, showing off his toned physique. He also wore a pair of brown boots and gloves, but what was really drew everyone's attention was what was on his head. It was a mushroom cap, similar to those the crewmen wore, but much larger, resembling the very mushroom above the ship. The cap was so large it fell over Anton's eyes. "How the hell does he even see in this thing?" He muttered, trying to adjust the cap.

Celia's eyes bulged, her hands clasping over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Melanie and Doc Black couldn't help but chuckle. "Behold our leader, the quintessential Red Cap," Melanie teased with a smile. "Yeah yeah, laugh it up," Anton grumbled. He couldn't blame anyone but himself. He picked the role after all. "Anyone seen Yumiko and Ryoichi? Or rather, Mustardseed and Oberon?"

Post Word Count: 590
Total Word Count: 2,710

Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:47 pm

With a tired groan, the old wardrobe opened. Yumiko reached a reluctant hand inside. She rustled and rummaged quietly, struggling to find something not utterly scandalous. Unfortunately the true owner of these clothes must have been quite proud of her physique...

Why didn’t any of these have sleeves...?

Several pieces of clothing later, the swordswoman stopped to study reflection... And shuddered. Never had she thought something could be considered simultaneously shameless and shameful. Well, today she learned something new.

Soon, the sulky woman shuffled back up to the deck. Her wary gaze shifted between her allies, all of whom seemed... flamboyant, was the word? Finally her stare stopped onto the Rear Adm-erm... Puck. Words fled her mind like a flock of startled birds.

She could only stare silently.

‘Mustardseed’ wasn’t exactly pleased with her borrowed outfit either. A sleeveless green halter top was accompanied by a yellow skirt. It was sewn together from thin strips in the shape of petals and leaves, giving the impression of a freesia flower turned upside down.

The wounded woman kept trying to adjust the dress. A wasted effort. “‘Tis... much too loose around mine chest and waist...” She admitted glumly. Indeed, the clothing looked pretty baggy. Clearly it was made for someone much bigger than her. At least she didn’t have to worry about the skirt being improper, with how it swept the deck.

In addition, the warrior had washed away the signs of her heritage. The touches of red makeup were gone. Even her hair was tangled in something vaguely resembling a braid, like the ones she had seen on the wanted poster. ...Yes, she was going to need a helping hand to make this disguise at all convincing.

Words: 286
Total: 2427

Mon Jan 10, 2022 11:44 am

"Oh for griff sake... Why can't they make clothes for normal-sized people?" The struggle was real. Those who by coincidence stood behind the door could hear heavy grunts and swearing coming from inside the captain's quarters. One might even think that there is a fight going on in that said room.

The struggle was real, but it bore some fruit. The first piece of clothing was on... But that was far from fully dressed. There were still a couple of more pieces of clothing to put on... Each was as challenging as the previous one, all due to the same reason. They simply did not fit Ryoichi's buff body.

There was, luckily, some good news regarding his clothing. The fabric was stretching. While tight at first, the fabric stretched enough to give him some mobility... But the fabric can only stretch so far before giving in, so despite that, it still looked like that clothing was way too small for him, but thankfully, it was mobile enough for easy movement.

Lastly, Ryoichi bent over and picked the last part of the clothing, and sighed with disgust. "Do I really need to wear this? This is absurd...". Reluctantly, he put on the last piece of clothing. Turned himself around and began to head towards the exit of the room.

Upon opening the door, if the crowd looked up at the captain's deck, they could see a figure exiting the room, coming out sideways. First, they could see some cardboard with some paint on it come out of the darkened room, then they could see a humanoid wearing light blue and white exit the room. It was Ryoichi, who was heading down the stairs after the exit.

It was then that the entire crew could see the abomination that he was forced to wear. Starting from the top he could be seen wearing a golden crown around his head that popped quite well thanks to his let-down black hair which was tied up into a ponytail. Moving down he could be seen blue long almost dress looking clothing which had white sleeves that were wider from the upper arm and tighter for the rest of the arm. The blue dress also had some gold-colored lines of fabric and cords.

All the way down, white long socks could be seen, almost like stockings... And the tank shoes were replaced by odd, very aristocratic, old royal-like shoes, which laces formed a flower... Very uncomfortable those were, especially due to the fact that they had short heels. Over his shoulders, hanging all the way down, there was a light blue cape. The cherry on top of this whole abomination of flamboyant clothing were fake, cardboard wings. It seemed that all the budget went for the clothes, and the cardboard wings were rushed.

There he was standing, in the whole glory. "This world does not know how much I want to punch someone's teeth out."

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Tue Jan 11, 2022 12:46 pm

As if on cue, Yumiko arrived on the scene in her outfit. Honestly, not that bad of an outfit, though it could use some resizing. He could sense the Wano woman's discomfort though. Maybe some additions would be necassary to make her feel more at ease.

Then came Ryoichi and, well, Anton suddenly didn't feel so bad about his outfit. The clothes had clearly been designed for someone with a more slimmer frame. And the wings. Did...did the actual Oberon wear those, or was this a sick joke? Made all the more worse when Anton realized they had perhaps expected HIM to wear that instead.

"OK, I think some of these outfits need some modifications," Anton spoke up, before calling out, "Phillipe! Front and center on the double!"

Seemingly out of nowhere a young man appeared. Probably in his late teens, with shaggy blonde hair and big blue eyes, the young man could easily be described as spritely. He smiled big as he saluted. "Seaman Phillipe reporting sir!"

Anton turned to the others. "For those who don't know, this is Phillipe. He's been the one patching up our clothes whenever we ruin them in fights." He turned to the young man, "Phillipe, we need some modifications done to these outfits. Celia needs a resizing, as does Yumiko. Maybe add some sleeves or something for her as well. And Ryoichi...please help him." Phillipe's eyes scanned to the 'captain' and a glazed look swept over his eyes, that smile clearly freezing on his face.

He quickly snapped out of it as he looked to the others. "Yes sir! Right this way folks! I'll have you looking amazing!" That glazed look returned as he looked at Ryoichi again. Then, in one fell swoop tore those fake wings from the man's back and threw them into the ocean like they were on fire. "There will be no abominations worn by this crew!"

-----@^@-----

While Phillipe waged his war against terrible fashion, Anton had gotten the coordinates to the Davy Back Brawl and handed them over to Melanie. The ship's tailor would have plenty of time to work, especially since they were now relying on wind power, rather than the engines of the Grand Steamer.

It had been several hours before one of the crewmen approached Anton. "Sir! Miss Adder has word from the crow's nest." The ship's crow's nest was situated atop the large mushroom that covered the ship, with a shadt travelling up through the mushroom itself. A few quick leaps sent the disguised Rear Admiral quickly up to the compartment, where the lookout and Melanie were waiting.

"Dead ahead sir. I'd say we're about five hours away at our current speed." Anton looked over the vast, empty expanse of blue, before he saw something peeking out over the horizon. The top of a tower.

"Odds are they probably can see us too," Anton mused, "You could probably see any ship coming from miles off. It would explain why the marines didn't just send a raid to this place. Everyone would have too much warning." He looked to the lookout. "Head on down and let the others know. We've got five hours before it's showtime."

"Yes sir!"

Post Word Count: 533
Total Word Count: 3,243

Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:11 am

Fate had a wicked sense of humor. None of the disguises seemed to match up with the people wearing them. In fact, it was like unseen forces had purposefully mixed them for the most awkward combinations possible.

‘Mustardseed’ recoiled in wide-eyed shock when the new captain appeared. As her loose top began to fall again, she instinctively tugged it. “I can imagine some of thy pain...” She muttered in agreement to the boxer.

And fate laughed at their misery.

Fortunately, the sullen swordswoman got something else to think about when the crew’s tailor stepped onto the stage. She stared silently at him. His energy felt overwhelming and yet... Somehow, he reminded her of a friendly dog, a golden retriever just really happy to be here. Cute... The thought almost slipped past her lips, but she barely caught herself and coughed instead.

When it was the wounded woman’s turn, she kept her request brief. “Please grant me fitting clothes... And sleeves...” Much to her surprise, the tailor flashed a smile so bright it seemed blinding. Honestly, her ears completely missed his response, but she appreciated it nonetheless. “I shall forever be in thy debt.” She bowed, before excusing herself.

Even a swift tailor surely needed time to work.

While waiting for the adjustments, Yumiko strutted along the strange ship’s deck. Her steps were slow, hesitant, as if she was a burglar sneaking through someone’s home. She glanced up at the sails. The vessel was so quiet, without the rumble of the engine... Was it strange to already miss something that usually tested her patience?

The weasel woman focused her hearing. Winds sang in the sails, ushering them along. Up above, someone was talking. She only caught bits and pieces from here and there. Five hours...? She clutched her bandaged arm anxiously. So this was her next challenge...

Figuring out how to spend five hours on an unfamiliar ship.

Her instincts suggested seeking out some dark hole and curling up in there...

Words: 330
Total: 2757

Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:35 pm

"Whoever was supposed to wear this is a micro-man." he was standing there, grumbling out a rather over-exaggerated statement, as the clothes really were not the size for a micro-sized man, but since they were fairly tightly on him, he couldn't help but feel that it was designed for that kind of person.

Fortunately, help was on the way, and fast. On Anton's call, a certain energetic fellow called 'Phillipe' arrived, and fast at that. It appeared that the eager young man was a tailor in trade for their crew. His task was simple, but it probably would be hard and time-consuming to do. His and the rest of the crew's clothing were to be refitted for this mission.

Given the situation, young man Phillipe was their best choice to do that. Before Phillipe began to work on Ryoichi's clothing, he tore off his cardboard wings and gave a promise that no one here will wear any abominations. "I'll hold you to that.". Thus the man proceeded to work on each person's clothing, taking them on one by one, first measuring, and then starting the work.

For some odd reason, however, the entire work happened on the main deck, out in the open. Though given the current weather, it was actually quite pleasant. It eventually was the time for the crew to strip down from their clothes. Of course, the wisest of the group went into their quarters to remove the clothes for remodeling... Ryoichi however, decided to be not so wise.

The man removed his tight clothing swiftly and placed them not so neatly down on the ground, leaving him almost naked. The only thing the boxer had left on was a pair of boxer briefs, which were light gray in color, and had small red boxing gloves all over it as a design. "Aaaaah, freedom!" he walked out into the sun, off from the shadow of the red mushroom, breathing in the fresh air and watching out into the horizon as they were moving towards their destination. Whatever shall await them.

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Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:39 pm

The next five hours seemed to absolutely drag on. Mainly because unlike the others, who at least had their refitting to keep them occupied, Anton had little to nothing to do but wait. He really couldn't even give out many orders. As they got closer to the island, Anton had to keep up the act that Ryoichi was in charge. At least Anton got a chance to order Ryoichi to put some damn clothes on. A captain turning up to this event in just their underwear...and the man had though he looked rediculous before?

As they got closer, more of the island came into view. Hell, Anton could almost hear music, a fact that was confirmed as they got closer. "It's almost like a carnival," Celia pointed out, coming back on deck in an outfit that now seemed to fit her much better. The dress had been altered as well to make it less bulky and make it easier to move in. Anton could only nod in agreement at her observation.

As they got closer, Anton could make out two of the pirate vessels already docked. One was large, steel, with a highly industrial look, while another had an almost imperial look to it. Like a high class war ship. Some small dinghies had been sent out to help guide their ship in to their own dock. Whoever was setting this place up put in a lot of time, money and effort.

The island seemed to include four large arenas, surrounding a central pavilion, which had the massive tower that they had spotted on the way in. The remaining space was occupied with various stalls, resting areas and the like. It was just as Celia said. The place was like a carnival.

As they pulled into the dock, the crew, now fully prepared in their disguises, prepared to disembark. Ryoichi would lead, naturally, followed by Celia and then the others.

On the dock, a young woman greeted them with a smile. "Welcome to Battle Island!" she said perkily, "You guys are the last to arrive. We were almost afraid you weren't going to make it. Can any ship's doctors please report to the medical tent? You'll be part of the medical team for this event." "Guess that's my cue then," said "Cobweb", stepping past the others. "I'll see you all at the games."

The woman gave a nod as the doctor was led away. "Any cooks are also asked to head to the pavilion to help prepare for the opening feast. With everyone here, the opening celebration will begin in about two hours. Feel free to explore the island, or you can head to the pavilion and wait."

Post Word Count: 448
Total Word Count: 3,691

Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:13 am

The samurai made a mistake of glancing at the boxer, only to find him in an extremely indecent state. A crimson blush flared across her features and she quickly looked away. Truly he had no shame, nor reason to be ashamed. A twinge of envy pricked at her heart.

Five hours was a long time to simply stand around and fret. It would’ve been better spent preparing, planning or even training. Sadly, the wounded woman was much too anxious to even try. Who could she have even approached for such a selfish request...? No, it was better to stay out of everyone’s way.

Clearly her crewmates agreed.

Eventually, the strange ship reached an even stranger island. Jaunty music played in the passing winds. Smiling, laughing, people mingled freely. Excitement filled the air like static electricity. It truly was a festival. ...For dangerous criminals.

The weasel woman was less than starstruck. She kept glancing around and turning in circles like a caged animal. Whenever someone walked a little too close, she took a hasty step away. Everywhere she looked, she saw danger.

Meeting the smiling greeter did nothing to ease the stiff swordwoman’s anxiety. Her instincts were snarling at her, telling her to find a way out. It had a point. If they got caught, they didn’t stand a chance. Securing an escape route was the least she could do.

Unfortunately, some habits had a tendency to die hard. Especially the kind of habits that had been drilled into a soldier countless times. An overly honest soul couldn’t simply turn them off at the flick of a mental switch.

Thus ‘Mustardseed’ stepped up to the flamboyantly disguised boxer. Moving on pure reflex, she clicked her heels together and saluted. “Captain! Requesting permission to explore!” Loud and clear, just as she had always trained.

Too bad this was neither the time nor the place.

The shout garnered several suspicious stares from the crowd. Whispers were traded, some more amused than others. Someone needed to teach the crew’s worst liar proper pirate manners -and fast- before she blew their cover.

Words: 347
Total: 3104

Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:40 pm

Time is supposed to fly when you are having fun, but it was not flying. As a matter of fact, it turned itself into a snail and was now moving in 'lightspeed'. Of course, the key to having the time fly, one needs to have fun... But there was not much fun to do. He could have done some more training, but even he has an exhaustion point, there was no reason to push it, especially since they are going on an assignment. All that now was left to do, was lay down, and relax, maybe catch some sun on the skin. He was nearly naked after all.

Soon enough, the five hours passed, and the land was awaiting. It was right at that time when Phillipe had finished with the readjustment of the clothing aswell. When Anton ordered him to get dressed, Ryoichi was already on his way to do so. And as the luck has it, the clothing fits him perfectly... But that did not mean that they were comfortable, especially the shoes. And to top it off, he still looked extremely ridiculous.

But, there was no time to complain. It was time to go off the board and onto the land. This truly did not look like some sort of fighting event, it was a whole carnival. Lots of laughter, bands playing loud music, lots of drinks and food. Ryoichi could not help but feel the saliva build up in his mouth... Hunger was kicking in. "Lets go! I am hungry!" Ryoichi, or in this case, Oberon, handed out the order to head off the ship.

When taking a step on the land, they were greeted by a smiling young woman who gave them the instructions and information regarding the whole event. "Hohoho! Excellent! But a question to you young miss... Where is the meat table?" the captain spoke out, expressing his desire, to eat. But he snapped out of his hungry thoughts and listened to what Yumiko had asked.

While the crew was adjusting fairly well to their newly found roles, Yumiko had some hard times, going so far as to almost blow the cover with her behavior. "Mustardseed, how many times have I told you not to salute me? We don't tolerate such behavior on our ship and in our crew! And yes, you may but explore but be back soon." one can hope that this was enough to have the suspicion cast away.

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Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:23 pm

Old habits died hard, and it was clear Yumiko was having difficulty pretending to be someone other than a marine. Thankfully, it seemed Ryoichi had a hand on it. "Sorry about that. Child soldier," Anton spoke up, trying to cover for her, "Had that mentality ingrained into her head." The young woman gave a nod of understanding. "Ah, I see." She looked back to Ryoichi, "Well, we have plenty of stalls around, so feel free to take a look. Just don't fill yourself up though. Remember, there's going to be a feast I a couple of hours."

As she was talking to Ryoichi, Anton slipped over to Yumiko, whispering to her. "OK, just go and explore for a bit. Remember, we're supposed to be undercover. Try not to pick fights with anyone and PLEASE, resist the urge to arrest anyone. I know it will be hard, but I know you can do this." He looked back to Ryoichi, "I'm gonna check out the pavilion if you don't mind captain," he said, before heading off in the direction of the tower.

-----@^@-----

Anton had been let in easily enough, coming into the massive hall that had been set up for the opening ceremony. The room consisted of one giant stage, surrounded by many tables and chairs set up. The seating area appeared divided into six distinct areas, with each of the crews' Jolly Roger's set over each one. There was even distinct tables for the respective captain's. The lights were a little dim as servers mulled about, getting everything set up.

"Well well, what 'ave we 'ere?" came a voice, "Someone might wanna tell the folks 'ere there's a bit of a fungal problem."

Anton looked over. Sitting nearby were a group of five people, each one decked out in rough, punkish attire. The one that had spoke was a gaunt, pale man with a scarred face, a bright red mohawk and a black leather jacket. He gave a smirk as his associates sniggered behind him.

Greed "Anarchist" Nay:

Anton could have ignored the insult, but there was something in the man's smile that told him that wasn't the best way to go. "Ah, you must be the comedy act they hired for the ceramony." There was a low whistle from one of the punkish pirates as the man gave a small snort. "Funny words from a man hidin' his face in a giant mushroom." "Trust me. Your face could use some hiding."
At that moment, the man's smile faltered. He rose to his feet and quickly walked up to Anton, until the two were right in front of eachother. It seemed like a fight was about to break out.

Then the man laughed and gave Anton a playful punch to the shoulder. "Oh, I like you mate! What's yer name?" Anton smirked, poking fun back had been the good way to go, "Puck, of the Red Cap Pirates." The man grinned, "The name's Greed. Captain of the Misfit Pirates. Yer know, I think we just found someone worth winnin' in this thing. You play at all?" Anton gave a small shrug, "I played some piano when I was younger. Haven't done it in a while," his smirk widened, "or I can skip the music lesson and win YOU for MY crew."

Greed laughed, "Dream on mate. I ain't dressin' up like no mushroom!" "Don't worry. We'll dress you as a pixie." Another round of laughter from the Misfits.

"The competition hasn't even started yet and already you're picking fights."

Anton looked over, noticing another young man who had been watching quietly. A blonde man, dressed in what appeared to be a white robe. He seemed bored, possibly even annoyed.

Orion "Consol" Caesar:

"Oh come off it Orion," Greed spoke up, "We're just havin' fun. You know, fuunn? Somethin' I doubt you've 'ade in years." Orion rose to his feet, giving an annoyed sound as he walked past them and out of the pavilion. Greed shrugged. "Aw, don't mind 'im. Bloke's got a stick up his arse or somethin'. Come on mate, let's grab a drink!"

Post Word Count: 678
Total Word Count: 4,369

[Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

[Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

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Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

Re: [Saga] [Part 1] Enter the Red Cap Pirates!

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