Re: [Abandoned] A Fool's Errand

Mon Aug 29, 2022 8:20 am

Receiving the order with a firm nod, the samurai sprung to her feet. “As is thy will.” Without another word, she rushed off, back the way she came. She was not in the habit of asking unnecessary questions. Instead she focused on trying to find her way back onto the rooftops.

This wall looked promising...

However, a sudden surprise assault dropped the hunter back to the ground. Writhing in agony, she clasped her hands firmly over her ears. It didn’t help one bit. “Hnngggh...! Gods above, please, make it stop...!” She had witnessed many horrors, but never anything like this. It felt like an ogre’s spiked club trashing inside her skull.

Utterly paralyzed by the cacophonous music, the weasel woman was unable to reach her gentlemanly ally. Indeed, any conversation around her drowned beneath the horrendous wailing. Even the gunshot was left second to the horrifyingly impressive pipes.

Fortunately, the torture eventually came to an end. Yumiko struggled back onto her feet, still trembling. Twin trickles of crimson ran down the sides of her head. A phantom echo still rang in her ears. Only one thought had remained intact in her rattled mind... Find the source of that awful racket...

And silence it!

Moments later, the hunter had tracked down the culprit. Standing on top of a shipping crate, she stared down at a veritable sea of enemies. At the very center sat the unholy musician. Their eyes met.

[npc=pirt]“Lookie here, a filthy blue!
My boys have been looking for you!
No running now, time to get trashed!
Courtesy of the next Cuzco Cash!”[/npc]

The realization struck Yumiko almost as painfully as the music. Somehow, their foes had seen through their disguises. Questions swirled around her head. How? When? And most important of all...

“Whomst?”

"Gurdy" Brow recoiled, yanking the crank so awkwardly that the sound resembled a record scratch. His jaw dropped and eyes went white with sheer shock. A question lingered on his lips, but he failed to put it into words. How could someone not know who Cuzco Cash was? The man was a genius!

“Hrm, no matter... Thy wicked deeds have gone far enough! Innocent lives are at risk because of thy endless greed and violence... No more! This one shall not let thou run free any longer! Know this, vile villains! A samurai wavers not before a mere army!”

Yumiko drew her blade, aiming a sweeping point at the sea of enemies.

“Have at thee!”

...And the crowd erupted into laughter.

The foe said nothing. Instead, he grinned like a hungry wolf and started cranking his beloved instrument of musical destruction. [npc=pirt]“Oooo~!”[/npc] The beginning of a tune crawled from the depths of his throat.

As soon as the first awful notes pierced the air, Yumiko visibly cringed. “Do not dare!” She swung her sword, launching a shimmering blade of wind. It flew like an arrow towards its target. ...Only to suddenly miss, as the surprisingly swift man bounced to the side with what looked like a dance step.

Intent on keeping the initiative, the samurai leapt into the fray. She practically flew through the air, carried by a mighty gust of wind. Ignoring the small-fry, she beelined for their loud leader. Sparks flew as her weapon clashed against the instrument, which proved far sturdier than looks suggested. Every impact felt like striking invisible steel...

A messy exchange of blows ensued.

On one side, the samurai unleashed a frantic series of moves, a war dance with a dizzying tempo. Winds whirled around her, forming shimmering phantom blades that mimicked her every move. Together they bit into cloth and flesh. Any minions foolish enough to intervene were cut down in the chaos

Yet, the opponent was no slouch. Every note he cranked out felt like razor blades going through the ears. Each word he bellowed threatened to shake teeth loose. And when the swordswoman strayed too close, missing a swing, he brought his instrument down like a sledgehammer. Bones cracked beneath the impact.

Coughing blood, Yumiko collapsed. The world was spinning. She could feel the foes swarming her, their fists and weapons bashing and slashing against her hide. Sweet, blissful darkness was creeping close, calling her name... Promising an escape from the pain...

...No.

NEVER.

Suddenly, the samurai’s features twisted with a beastly snarl, taking on a more fitting shape. Humanity faded from her eyes. A dark coat of fur burst through her pale skin. Likewise, the bloodied hands warped into monstrous claws shaped like sickles. A long tail grew behind her, its tip thin and sharp like a scythe. In moments, the woman was gone and in her place stood a weasel bigger than any average man.

Howling winds erupted from nowhere, engulfing the mythical monster. She shook the assailants away as if they were water from her fur. Extending the massive claws, she rushed towards the true target. A frenzied storm of slashes tore through the crowd.

Finally reaching the foe, the claws clashed against the instrument... But only briefly. Power... Her body begged for more power. And her indomitable will answered. Turning harder than steel and sharper than swords, the claws carved right through.

With a splatter of crimson, the dreadful troubadour went down. Skidding backwards, he hit a shipping container with a hefty thud. Wheezing weakly, he struggled to find his legs... Only to collapse onto his ass. His wounds were deep, but not life-threatening. As its final service, his trusty instrument had saved his life. For better or worse.

However, the mythical creature wasn’t in much better shape herself. Crimson wounds marred her tattered clothing. Her vigor was leaking out with every drop. The howling winds were falling quieter. Yet she stubbornly turned to face the remaining foes. “Whomst... is next...?” She asked between raspy wheezes, her gaze burning with peculiar madness.

---

Words: 970
Total: 4344
Group: Hunting Party
Approximate time frame: Between 10:20 A.M. and 11:55 A.M.

Thu Sep 01, 2022 12:42 pm

Stone Okirama uses [HT] Kodiak Flex on himself
Stone Okirama uses [LT] Pawlm Shove on Reno Grande - Miss
Stone Okirama uses UT on Reno Grande - Hit

Reno Grande uses [LT] on Stone Okirama - Miss
Reno Grande uses [LT] on Stone Okirama - Hit
Reno Grande uses [LT] on Stone Okirama - Hit (Crit)
Reno Grande uses [UT] on Stone Okirama - Hit

COMBAT TRACKERS:

PLAYER STATS:

PLAYER RATIOS:

USED 2 TECHNIQUES | 0 TOGGLES | 0 HAKI:

1 TECHNIQUES ACTIVE | 0 TOGGLES | 0 HAKI ACTIVE:

2 TECHNIQUES COOLING DOWN | 0 HAKI COOLING DOWN:

OPPONENT STATS:

OPPONENT RATIOS:

OPPONENT TECHNIQUES USED:

Thu Sep 01, 2022 12:42 pm

The member 'Stone Okirama' has done the following action : Dice Roll

#1 'Reflex Check' : 3, 19

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

#2 'Reflex Check' : 4, 11, 20, 8

Thu Sep 01, 2022 12:51 pm

Stone Okirama uses [HT] Breakfast Cannon on Reno Grande - Miss
Stone Okirama uses [LT] Kuma Slash on Reno Grande - Miss
Stone Okirama uses UT on Reno Grande - Hit

Reno Grande uses LT on Stone Okirama - Hit
Reno Grande uses LT on Stone Okirama - Hit (Crit)
Reno Grande uses LT on Stone Okirama - Miss
Reno Grande uses UT on Stone Okirama - Hit

COMBAT TRACKERS:

PLAYER STATS:

PLAYER RATIOS:

USED 2 TECHNIQUES | 0 TOGGLES | 0 HAKI:

1 TECHNIQUES ACTIVE | 0 TOGGLES | 0 HAKI ACTIVE:

2 TECHNIQUES COOLING DOWN | 0 HAKI COOLING DOWN:

OPPONENT STATS:

OPPONENT RATIOS:

OPPONENT TECHNIQUES USED:

Thu Sep 01, 2022 12:51 pm

The member 'Stone Okirama' has done the following action : Dice Roll

#1 'Reflex Check' : 4, 2, 13

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

#2 'Reflex Check' : 8, 20, 2, 14

Thu Sep 08, 2022 11:28 am

ff66ff - [Abandoned] A Fool's Errand - Page 3 ObMuotG

Lockjaw (破傷風)

Buckling Oyster
The time is 10:55 a.m.

A nervous sweat befell the white knight Revolutionary as he sat in the waiting room of the 'meeting’ point. The ladies ushered us into the room, scantily clad, offering various wines and finger foods to munch on.

"I-I- Is this what the revolutionaries are spending our hard earned budget on... B-B-Brothels?! " Sabian muttered to himself, his eyes forced shut in frustration at the awkward situation his superiors had placed him in. In Kano, these kinds of establishments were indeed great sources of intel, but he didn’t quite strike the Revolutionary Army as the type of organization to meet in these kinds of establishments.

One of the leading ladies, a brunette with an athletic figure, came over to whisper in the squirming blonde’s ears. "Well. Mister. Will you be taking on any of our ladies here today? Or maybe you’re the kind who wants to... sample all of us. To see which one you like," the head matron inquired.

The half-man, half-dinosaur stammered on his words, "They'll be no sampling of any sorts! U-I-I’ll be waiting for my superiors to arrive at this location! I don’t indulge in affairs of the heart during working hours!" Sabian exclaimed, as a small droplet of blood escaped his nose, complementing his mind’s wildest scenarios.

Rubbing her hand beneath the nobly dressed revolutionaries' jacket, "Oooh, superiors? What exactly are you? Lackluster Crime Boss? No. You're too clean-cut for that. " The woman theorized. Sabian’s novice-like reactions were like shark bait in this pool of sensual servitor predators. They could smell the new car scent that was his prudence and couldn’t help but toy with him.

The panting short-pint snarled at Sabian, marching over to the couch he was sitting on, and grabbed him by the ear, hopping onto the couch’s cushions to even out the height difference.

"I figured you’d be dumb enough to end up here! Tackling Whale, I told you, how did you end up on the Oyster? God. Ladies. My apologies. The boss is kind of slow when it comes to these kinds of things. He’s going to have to pay you lot' a visit at a later date. Right now, we have some serious business to handle. " Figaro explained, his eyes squinted shut for most of the declaration.

"Ah. Figaro. He’s with the rebels then. Fine. Just because it’s you, I’ll let him go, Figaro. Do bring him back later… I love the innocent ones. First times are my favorite to take away. " The head matron declared in immense glee.

Embarrassed but using the cue to buckle his shirt and escape, Sabian bowed to the ladies and left, being dragged out of the place by his ear by the twelve-year old.

In the streets of La Crima, a few minutes away from the Tackling Whale and the dock segment of the city, Figaro dragged Sabian to a safe spot before commencing the debriefing. A back door tea shop that was owned by an old lady who served caramel tea with crumpets.

Placing the order for the duo, the old lady hobbled to and fro from their seating fixtures before leaving them alone to work on their order. Figaro explained everything that went down in the meeting, their new mission orders, and the contact- 'Three Eyes’ that the commanders had established.

"Ta’al and Bracken eh? Not exactly two of my favorites. One I can’t even understand and the other never shuts up. " Sabian exclaimed dramatically. "Such divas."

"You’re one to talk to..." Figaro thought to himself, as he watched the man shake around in his chair like a child being taken to a restaurant for the first time. "Look, Do you understand the mission now? " Figaro inquired.

"Yeah." Sabian paused for a moment, picking at the crumpets placed on the table. However, each time he'd reach for a crumpet, it'd magically disappear into thin-air. "We’re supposed to investigate the docks. Figure out why the marine-scum are there. Don’t get caught. I’m honestly relieved that the Revolutionaries weren’t behind those bombings... but honestly, even so, that’s why I took up this mission. To confirm that for myself, I’m too good with plots or whatever. " Sabian declared.

Figaro was truly shocked at how easily it was debriefing him. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as the reports explained. He figured he’d have to run through this conversation umpteen times until it truly drilled home. "Sneaking around, however ain’t my thing. I usually leave that part to Jojo. Since she seems to be missing in action, There's really only one thing for me to do at these docks...Beat up a marine and gain some intel! " Sabian shouted, with a devilish smile.

Finishing his tea and shooting up from the table, the tall blonde dashed elegantly towards the docks at full speed. At first, Figaro was frozen at the table by his stupidity at first, but in realizing how bad this could potentially get, the kid tipped the old Baba and chased after the revolutionary with great uneasiness in his heart.

Docks of La Crima
Approximately 10 minutes or so later,

"Ah. I’m so glad I took precautions beforehand. " Figaro whispered to himself. Covering Sabian’s mouth in several strips of duct tape, the child chaperone took on the responsibility of the adult in this scenario, to ensure that Sabian’s mouth didn’t land them in trouble. Sabian was also blind-folded and given a walking stick.

The story was simple; he was escorting his blind and dumb brother around the docks to find their father, who was a worker loading the local ships. It wasn’t the best story, but it beat Sabian's running around busting on random marines for information.

The situation at the docks was indeed tight. Hiding behind a few crates, the marines swarmed the place, searching from container to container for only God knows what.

@Subarashi @Johanna Freud @Alexi @Pikasso

Team Note:

Word Count: 2,384

^{Sabian'sTracker}

Thu Sep 08, 2022 9:56 pm

Adonis stretched out comfortably on the bed, slipping his hands behind his head as he looked around the hotel room. He needed to set up his station somewhere on this island so that they could properly interrogate whomever they were sent here to capture, kill, maim, or extract information with.

Unfortunately, Adonis wasn’t exactly aware of why they were here. All he knew was that they were here because it was Skarlet’s will to be here and that was more than enough of an explanation for himself.

Did he consider himself a simp? Absolutely. But he could care less about the opinions of those around him.

He existed to do one thing and one thing only. To cause a specific kind of torture to whomever he came across for the sake of his customers. He once functioned as a mercenary, but his word was his bond. No one had the ability to buy out a contract he had already accepted. Loyalty meant a lot to the man. Even now.

As she returned, he didn’t say anything to her immediately but he did give her a smile. Knowing that her comments were of a rhetorical nature and even the thanks she muttered under her breath was something he didn’t want to point out to her now.

“Oh ho, a missive. Squeezazaza!~ How quaint. You and your pen pals planning some fun??”

Taking the note, he’d read it fairly easily. Not because he was good at decoding messages, but because this was hardly the first time that he had seen a message of this type, having worked for the organization for quite some time.

He could get the gist of it, nevertheless, and listening to her provide him with the missing context he found his face twisting into an even larger smile.

“Whomever this Crow person is, I’ve never heard of them myself. Then again I don’t make it a habit to know people.” He spoke with a matter-of-fact tone.

He’d slip his hands behind his head before falling back, staring up at the ceiling.

“Finding Antonio is the objective, I see no need to go on any side adventures. But gathering some contacts while we are here would be beneficial in the long haul. So perhaps we don’t find him ourselves? If we get someone to do a favor for us, we’d owe them a favor and we can establish a… working relationship.”

The bigger picture mattered more to Adonis than whatever trivial little fetch quest that Curtis sent them on. He knew that she was a big fish in a small pond. She needed room to stretch. But that wasn’t easy to do when you were beholden to those who… stifled your growth.

With that being said, he’d sit up. Hopping up to his feet and making his way over towards the nearby ottoman. Opening it and reaching inside to take out a long suitcase he had placed in there while he unpacked earlier.

Placing it on the bed and popping it open to reveal his rifle in multiple segments. With a bunch of oddly colored vials being above the parts. Filled with various liquids.

“Violence suffocates this place, however. I can smell it thick in the air. So no matter what we do… doing it peacefully isn’t an option. I think we should start by just… seeing who all is in this building. We might find someone who has the information we need. Hopefully, they will also be discreet.” He winked at her before fumbling around with the pieces of his rifle.

“Whatever we do, I’ll follow you into oblivion and back. So don’t fret.” He flashed her a toothy smirk, before waiting to see what she felt about his idea.

{ 622 | 1697 | 10000 }

sucré @ gs

Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:02 pm

Draconia heard and understood the assignment but wasn't sure if she was going to be following what the other Marines were assigned to do. There were more than enough bodies on the case as it sat, and she wasn’t going to go out of her way to be just another cog in the machine. At least, not on this particular outing.

She chose, instead, to lead the members of her faction that were assigned to her. Although she was sure she could be recognized for her contributions towards taking down their target if she took down another notable individual she figured that that would have just as important of an impact.

Crossing her arms and looking over towards the small group that had come underneath her she spoke very clearly to them, unfortunately, one of her long-time underlings was around to make sure that everyone understood what she said.

“If’n ya wannae kno wat we doon, we finna fin’ a fawky boi wit tew muc’ knokno. Goon bring’em down n’ rack ‘is noggin. (We will join back up with the main detachment later, for now, we must make a detour into the center of La Crima. Our objective is to investigate the whereabouts of one of our criminal informants.)”

She wasn’t a member of CP, but she figured that didn’t matter much. At least one of her men took the time to relay what she said word for word to the others here.

Her head turned towards one who seemed to have the most potential in the group, the one that looked as though he was still a little green, a little wet behind the ears. This wasn't a big deal to Draconia however, since she was fully aware that looks could be deceiving.

This did not deter her from her end goal, there wasn't a great deal of opposition usually. Just didn't mean she would be off her guard however, this was a pirate Haven after all. She may have been arrogant but she was not stupid.

In the end, so long as she could secure her commodore spot again that was all that she could hope for.

“Watcha kno bout dis place fella? Ye’ tink ye got big knokno? Or do ye tink ur cucumber shade is tew strong’n? (Do you know anything about La Crima, or are you still too new to know you should research an island ahead of time?)”

She was very straightforward. Her second reiterated her thoughts to the newcomer succinctly.

With that, she was out the door and she expected those underneath her to follow her closely. It didn't take much time before she was already in a location far away from the main detachment of marine forces.

Because of the nature of her objective, she didn't want to draw too much attention to herself right away which was one of the main reasons why she didn't change completely out of her costume. Things are going to get a little rough, she needed to interrogate a certain weasel that she had learned a great deal about the currently inhabited Island.

He was known to hang out and had some sort of seedy hole in the wall. And the one thing that she was hoping for more so than anything else was a peaceful resolution to this information-gathering excursion. She turned to face Yugo.

“K newblud, watch’n learn! Dis how ye gather knokno easily. (Watch and learn, I’m going to teach you a thing or two about how we Marines gather intel.)”

There was supreme confidence in the movements that she made, her chest was puffed out, her stride was deliberate, and her focus was unrivaled. As her eyes scanned the small room, she did her best to recall the features that this supposed criminal boasted. Looking for a man with a set of thick lips, small squinty eyes, and frizzy chartreuse hair. It didn't take long for her to find him amongst the drab and dull.

The authority in her movements showcased a seriousness that had been rumored yet never shown. For once she's being serious.

{ 683 | 1414 | 5000 }

sucré @ gs

Fri Sep 09, 2022 1:13 pm

Yugo was... kind of at a loss for words. He didn't know how to deal with the voluptuous woman that was now shouting orders at him. She didn't look like she was the leader type. The good variety anyway. Not to say you couldn't be wierd. Yumiko-san was, but she was at least righteous enough to not give the impression you were up to no good. Though, to be fair, this whole sting operation was something that required them to play the part. Perhaps this...turtle lady was just super good at playing the bad guy.

Could she at least do it without spouting absolute nonesense he couldn't understand?

There was a guy doing the translating thing, but he knew that unless you yourself understood what was being said, a translation could hide things that you could otherwise understand. Then she had to go and ask him what he knew about the place in the most generic way possible. Sure he was a new recruit but even besides the fact his entire past carreer had been spent in intel gathering and witness protection this kind of operation wasn't something you just...do however the hell you please. It took coordination, you can't half ass things and wing the rest of the way to the goal.

Then, after asking and waiting barely moment more, not even letting him ask if she wished to know tactical location or possible hotzones the big woman just stormed off with the entire court following behind. Yugo's tabi boots squeaked lightly as the rubber sole bent to give him the grip he needed to dash forward and catch up. He figured that he should just be the good soldier and follow orders. Go through the motions, show you're worth a rank or two more and go back to Mini Oni with the Guardian Knights. He wouldn't have minded joining Yumiko again to help her with her endeavors, but he understood that his inexperience with his Logia would hold his team back more than anything. Yumiko wouldn't be able to fight at full potential if she had to babysit him through the whole mission.

Thus there he was, following a lady he knew very little about. Lady who seemed to have taken an interest in him for...whatever reason. Sure his outfit and look was an eyeturner, he wasn't exactly from this part of the world, but he was more than sure that outside his look his rare powers weren't really a known thing outside the Knights. Otherwise he would probably not have been thrown in the cannon fodd- the rank and file marines.

The big lady told him to watch and learn, or so the translator said. He would nod and stick to the sidelines, naturally blending in with the environment as his own body just defaulted into the muscle memories of years of stealthy assignments. If she was trying to be covert...she was failing miserably, though that might be the point. No one would suspect you are hiding something if you show them you have nothing to hide.

WC: 1000/10.000

Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:08 pm

“Y...yeah no problem. Next time I'll just fist you. I mean fist bump you,” stammered Bill awkwardly after Volo woke up.

A cold gust of wind blew over him from the ocean and the gunslinger suddenly felt very self-conscious of the fact that he was soaking wet and nearly naked. Without another word he quickly made his way back to Emelia.

Bill paused just long enough to see Karl emerge from the wreckage. The vice-captain barely bothered to acknowledge his crewmate, only giving the bartender a quick nod, before he silently made his way below deck and into the crew quarters. While Volo talked about adventure, the gunman got ready.

Discarding his disguise, Jeremy no longer felt the need to pretend to be Bill. He quickly donned some simple street clothes that he had picked up at the crew's last stop and made sure to grab his guns along with plenty of ammo and grenades as well as some money that Cipher Pol had sent him. As quietly and discretely as he could he slipped out of a hole that had been conveniently ripped in the hull during the crash. He was so focused on getting to Dexter Eyeland unseen, unheard, and putting the recent awkwardness behind him, that he never noticed that he was being stalked by Susu.

Jeremy trudged up the beach and to the old dirt road where it was only a short hike to the nearest tourist trap of a town. While not quite bustling this early in the morning the town still had its visitors. The smell of coffee, baked goods, and other breakfast foods wafted in from the various breakfast joints that had been open since dawn. Shop keepers were getting ready for the rush that would surely come at noon and visitors with fishing rods and boating gear were walking towards the coast where the beaches and the docks would allow them to catch some fish or hit the waters.

Jeremy's stomach growled and his nose carried his eyes towards a food cart with fresh food and fresh coffee proudly on display. Six hundred berries got him a great tasting breakfast burrito (eggs, cheese, sausage, and spices wrapped in a flour tortilla) and a cup of okay tasting coffee.

With his hunger satiated and some fresh caffeine in his system, it dawned on Jeremy that he didn't really know where he was or how to get to La Crima and find The Soiled Trousers as Cipher Pol had instructed him. After a bit of wandering and a bit of pondering, he saw his sign.

Literally.

A giant wooden sign advertising “cheap trips to anywhere in the Jolly Keys” in big, bold painted letters. The man apparently giving these trips was an old fellow wearing a yellow raincoat. He sported a big gray beard that went down to center of his chest and his left leg had been replaced with a wooden peg. His ship, if you could call it that, looked more like a large rowboat with a single, makeshift sail in the center than a proper sailing vessel.

“How much?” asked Jeremy curtly as he approached the old captain.

“Arrr, that depends?” responded the old man.

“On what?”

“On where yer headed?”

“La Crima.”

“La Crima's a big place, she is. Yer gonna need to be more specific.”

“You ever heard of a place called The Soiled Trousers?”

“Arrrr, that I have. Real shit hole.”

“I ain't surprised. Can ya get me there?”

“That I can, fer 1200 berries.”

“Deal,” nodded Jeremy. He reached into his pockets and handed the old captain.

“Fer an extra 500 I'll sing ya a sea shanty then fer an extra 200 hundred on top-o that I'll stop singing,” joked the captain.

“Nah, that's okay,” laughed Jeremy. “Just the ride will do.”

The trip to La Crima went smoothly and Captain Bhad, as Jeremy came to know him, proved to be a good traveling companion during the short ride. The old man was a talkative sort of fellow who seemed happy to share his knowledge of the Jolly Keys with a young traveler like Jeremy.

It was about 11:30 by the time Jeremy arrived at The Soiled Trousers, where upon arriving, he made a beeline to the bar and ordered a bourbon neat. The sun had risen high in the sky as the day had grown hot. By then the area had become bustling with tourists and locals alike as the businesses were open and most people in the area had begun to go about their day.

All Jeremy needed to do was wait.

Word count: 767
Total word count: 2354
Group: N/A

Tue Sep 13, 2022 2:46 am

The gentle-weapon checked over his shoulders to see if anybody had followed him into the warehouse; finally a stroke of good luck, he was alone. His footsteps echoed throughout the empty space as he made his way up a set of scaffolded stairs towards the foreman’s office. On attempting to make his way in he was stopped by the door’s sturdy lock.

Guess it can’t all be this easy. He thought to himself, flicking one of his fingers out and transforming it into a stiletto. After a couple minutes of jimmying the lock open, he was in.

As Moreau rummaged through the office he largely found useless and haphazardly organized paperwork, however, amongst these documents, dotting the bottom of each paper related to Carbuncle was a single signature; whether it was a name or an alias, the consistency was noted by the snoop.

Perhaps these are the signatures of a key player. I’d best hold on to them to be sure. The nosy gent thought to himself, folding the pilfered papers and tucking them into the pocket of his slacks.

Though the Marine heard no calls for help from outside he did hear the voice of his feminine comrade yelling from outside; for a moment he wondered what she was up to. The quiet man’s contemplation was broken by the sound of razorblades screeching against shipping containers, followed by the pained screaming of several men.

“Purupurupuru.” The denden on the man’s desk rang suddenly, the lone investigator startled at its volume. The snail chimed another couple of rings before the thought struck him, collecting himself from the floor and clearing his throat the Ensign would give his go at impersonating a gangster.

He hoped that things would settle down outside as he picked up the receiver, but at this moment he heard fighting erupt from the courtyard. The sounds of a distant but clangorous battle would make an interesting backdrop for the would-be spy’s conversation.

Moreau stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth and affected Reno’s voice as best he could before answering. His heart raced and a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead as he spoke. “Heya there boss, how ya doin?”

A sputtering and saliva-laden impression, serviceable, but unlikely to fool an astute listener. Whoever was on the other side of the phone would be the judge of the Marine’s act; Moreau grit his teeth as he awaited response.

Spoiler:

Tue Sep 13, 2022 11:14 pm

Bell’s Gears and Grease | Port TearDrop | 10:05am

"Eh? Who's d'ere..?" An elderly prune of a woman groaned out from behind the counter. Adjusting her inch-thick spectacles to get a more clear view of the odd pair in front of her.

"Ehhhh...?!!" The dinosaur repeated herself, holding the Listen Gooder as close as she possibly could. "Did ye say something, miss...?!" Shouting as she hovered just in front of the pair.

"Granny!" Winny shouted, "You gotta use the Listen Gooder!"

"Whaa...?! Use the... I be using the doohickey!" She shouted back, swinging the large device in a violent motion as she turned towards her grandson.

"Grandma! Take it out of your nose!"

"Whaa, me nose?!"

"Your ear...! It goes in your ear!" Motioning to his ears as he enunciated his shouting.

"Ehhh? Me n... OH! Gogogogogo!" Grandma Pinako chuckled as she readjusted the device to her ear. "Winny, me boy, 'twas in me nose. Gogogogo!"

Winny let out a heavy sigh before turning his attention to the customers in front of them. "Sorry bout that." Rubbing the grease from his hands with a blackened rag. "Most of our specialty parts are over in the corner, anything you don't find though, your's truly can probably make."

"I am the local mechanical genius after all." Snickering with arrogance as he tried to appear cool by swiping his nose with his thumb. Though all he managed to accomplish was applying more grease to his face.

He turned with a feeling of accomplishment, feeling as though he nailed the interaction, and sauntered into the back full of inspiration. The boy slapped on a welders mask and started up a grinder as he took it to the metal clamped down before him.

Ding... The bell chimed again, shortly after the previous pair had entered the shop, this time a young green-haired man sporting a pair of goggles on his head and a bright red scarf around his neck.

The sound of grinding metal echoed throughout the small shop as Volo snapped his head back and forth to scan the area, noticing the couple in the back, before addressing the raisin before him.

"Heya!" Giving her a nod as his attention moved to the sparks spewing into the air like a horde of fireflies, landing only long enough to scramble across the reinforced floor before fizzling out. The smell of oil and grease was thick in the air, something that made Volo feel right at home.

"Granny!" Winny shouted from the back room. "Hey! Granny!" Shouting again without turning off the screaming machine.

"What is she..." The boy grumbled as he kicked off the grinder, setting it aside before stripping off the thick mask that covered his dirty face. "Granny! Are you still using the Listen Goode-..? OH! Another customer!"

"Welcome to Bell's Gears and Grease. This is my grandma. She's the head honcho 'round these parts. Me? Well, I'm glad you asked." The boy snickered arrogantly, "I'm the head mechanic and inventor extraordinaire, known in the surrounding area as, The Machine Lor-..."

"WINNY!" Pinako shouted, "'LIL WINNY WHER-...!"

"I'M RIGHT HERE GRANDMA?!" The boy shouted next to the old woman.

"Eh!?.... There ye are Winny..." The woman smiled faintly as she pointed to the door. "We 'ave ano'der customer..."

Winny let out a sigh. "Thanks, yeah, I got it grandma... Wouldn't have to yell if ya just used the Listen-Gooder like I told ya..." Grumbling as he tried to force down the embarrassment he just endured.

"So, 'Lil Winny, huh?" Volo interrupted with a snicker.

"Yeah?! What's it to ya?!" Puffing out his lower lip in defiance. His chest swelled up as he got closer and closer to Volo, doing his best to bluff the man down.

"You gonna be the second guy Machine Lord runs outta here today...?"

"Who's running who out now..?" Volo barked back as he fell for the child's taunts, puffing out his own lip as he leaned in to call the Machine Lord's bluff.

"You heard me, I'll run ya outta here just like the guy who made fun of me for the flying ship earlier!"

"Flying ship?"

"Yeah!! I saw a ship flying through the sky, you gonna make fun of me fer that too?! Huh, Owlhead?!"

"Owlhead.....?" Volo stared back blankly trying to register the insult before responding, "And what do ya mean, make fun of you for that? Why would I do that?"

"Because it's silly to think ships can fly!! That's why!" Winny spouted back, "Everybody knows that! They all tell me so!! Grandma Pinako's the only one who doesn't think I'm silly for dreaming about such things!! She's the only one who doesn't think they are just dreams."

"Who cares what people say? Believe what you wanna believe."

"Wait, y-you mean, you believe me?! You aren't gonna make fun of me for saying a ship can fly?! For saying that I saw one?!"

"Nope. I believe you." Volo reaffirmed, "There are all kinds of things that are unbelievable in this world... " He paused for a moment and took a deep drag of his cigarette, "And there are all kinds of people who will make fun of you for what you believe."

"And so what if it's just a dream. That's what everything starts out as anyway. At least until people have the power to make it real.., as long as you got a dream, you should chase it. That's what being free is all about.."

"Well, that's just what I think anyway."

Winny stared back blankly at Volo,You know, he seems like he would be an idiot, but that was kind of deep.

"Maybe..." Winny mumbled.

"Besides, I think it's pretty cool someone else has a flying ship like me. Must be getting pretty common these days."

"Whaa...?!" Winny exclaimed, "The flying ship is yours?!"

"Huh..? Well, I guess if you only saw one crash landing through the sky this morning then that would have to be mine, yeah." Volo stroked his chin as he connected the dots.

Nope. He's an idiot...!!

Before the child mechanic could form a proper response, his eyes caught something in the background that made his jaw drop.

"Woah....!!"

The young ginger's eyes lit up like stars, prompting Volo to quickly turn around and access the situation for himself.

Woah.....! The pi(lot)rate's eye's lit up like stars in the sky as they locked onto a tall man with skin the color of a corpse. Dark brown hair pulled into a low-hanging ponytail and an eyepatch covering his left eye.

But, most importantly, the customer's robotic arms danced along the rows of specialty parts he had been directed to.

"That's so cooooooooool!" Winny and Volo shouted in unison as drool hung from their lips. The pair rushed towards the duo shopping in the specialty parts section with reckless abandonment, blinded by the star gazed tunnel vision.

"This is such a cool day, first a flying ship and now a real live robot?!?!"

1,154/4,386/10,000

Wed Sep 14, 2022 1:20 pm

Over the discordant sounds of someone's odd attempt at music, the Marine Captain could still perfectly hear the voice behind him. Turning around, Stone stared down the blue frog-man. “If I worried about getting myself into trouble I wouldn’t be able to call myself a Marine!”

Stone pointed his axe at the frog-man for dramatic effect, continuing to answer the criminal. “Good options? I wasn’t planning on running anyways!”

The frog’s grin grew ever wider with each word that Stone spoke. To the point where the man broke into a loud laughing fit, his long tongue flying haphazardly. “You think you can stop me, Reno Grande? You’re not the first Marine I’ve fought and you surely won’t be the last! Kerororororo!”

Still laughing, Reno swiped his poison-covered hands through the air, hitting Stone’s stomach and arms. The Marine Captain grit his teeth, even with the adrenaline the poison still left Stone feeling nauseous. The Kodiak looked up and was met with three Reno’s waiting in anticipation.

“Well, I suppose one of ‘em has to be the real one.”

With white knuckles, Stone gripped his axe and charged one of the Reno’s in an attempt to hit him with a powerful overhead slash. And Stone’s attack would have gone off without a hitch… If he had hit the real Reno that is.

By the time that Stone realized that he had picked the wrong target, it was already too late. Laughing, Reno ducked down and swept the Captain’s legs out from under him, causing him to hit the ground with a resounding thud and his axe to go flying into a nearby container.

“Kerorororo! It’s just like I told you bud. You’re not the first, and you’re surely not gonna be the last!”

Coating his frog-like hands with more poison, Reno struck downwards. Only to be met with surprise when the marine’s arms blocked the strike. “What are you crazy!? Quit fightin’ already you fool I won!"

With no more words to say to the frog, Stone shoved back as hard as he could. Reno flew through the air for a few seconds before he regained his balance and landed on top of a large shipping container. By the time Reno had recovered, Stone too was back on his feet. Though in the marine’s case it was more like his last leg. Stone slowed his breathing and closed his eyes. The young captain grew larger and dark brown fur spread across his body. The Kodiak's hands and feet became more bear-like as sharp claws grew from his nails. When the transformation was done Stone let out as fierce a roar as he could manage.

Opening his eyes, Stone looked around to see that there were now many more Reno’s than before. If only there was some way to-

Stone sniffed the air and was immediately hit with an overpowering smell. “What is that!? Who would even think to put that much cologne on!?” Stone answered his question upon looking back at the many Reno’s looking down on him. “You know what? That checks out.”

Despite Stone’s reveal of his powers, Reno’s arrogant attitude did not waver in the slightest. “Well, I didn’t expect you to be an ability user too. But it’s too little too late, friend.” The frog gangster crouched down before jumping off the shipping containers, with the false Renos following suit. Stone remained motionless and closed his eyes once more, not that his vision would help him anyways. It didn’t take more than a couple of seconds for the Captain to get a lock on where the real Reno was. Once the frog-man was ready to strike he leaped directly towards the Kodiak.

Unlike the previous clashes, this time Stone was ready. Shockingly fast for his size and current state, the Kodiak sidestepped the poison-covered kick. Reno’s grin faded when he opened his eyes to see a large fur-covered fist instead of Stone’s head.

The punch sent Reno hurtling into the very wooden container that his axe had been embedded in, causing the box to break apart, partially burying Reno and freeing the axe. Stone reverted to his human form and recovered both. It would be irresponsible to just leave Reno after what had just taken place.

Stumbling out of the shipyard, Stone was followed by the marines who had also raided the area. Half conscious, Stone’s attention was grabbed by one of the marines he had sent to look for a ship.

“Captain Okirama! We found a suitable vessel, it’s not too far so just follow me.”

Stone, exhausted from the poison, could not do much more than nod in approval and follow.

Some Minutes Later

The ship certainly did fit the requirements of sturdy and nimble. The boat was just big enough to fit all of the forces, though Stone could have done without the flame pattern that decorated the hull despite his men’s insistence that it actually made the ship even faster.

Sitting on the dock next to the boat, Stone sat under an umbrella sweating profusely. The undercover marine’s salmon shirt was now unbuttoned and resting on his shoulders. The effects of the poison had not worn off since the battle with Reno. If anything, they were getting worse by the minute. Stone just hoped that he would be back on his feet by the time they got to Carbuncle.

Stone leaned over and questioned one of the soldiers standing guard. “Wait a minute, we’re missing some people. Where the hell did Moreau and Yumiko go?”

Word Count:

RP Group:

Wed Sep 14, 2022 1:29 pm

Eloise watched the resulting exchange between the old woman and the young boy, whom she assumed was her grandson. It was almost like a comedy sketch, with the old woman trying to use the device to hear. A part of her wondered whether this was all staged, but wisely kept herself from laughing. Odds are the woman really was deaf, so it would be very rude. All the while, Amadeus' face remained blank and neutral. Eloise tried to remember if she ever saw him smile.

Fortunately, they were pointed towards what they were looking for, before another man came in, getting the boy's attention. There was some discussion between them, but Eloise paid little mind. Did she hear something about a flying ship?

Amadeus was already over by the parts, looking them over before Eloise joined him. "So, what exactly are we looking for?" Amadeus asked, not taking his eye off of the various pieces before him. Eloise shrugged. "Basically any parts for maintenence, maybe even upgrades. We could certainly use something to fix that punch of yours." Amadeus looked over at her curiously. "What do you mean?" Eloise gave him a teasing smile. "Well, it would help if you didn't blow out your elbow every time you used it. Patching up your coat every fight takes a lot of work." She thought for a moment, "How's your blade arm looking?"

Amadeus brought up his arm, with a loud clank, the blade slid out of his wrist. Eloise eyed it critically. "Hmm, we need to work on the sheathing system. Sounds like something's grinding in there. Could replace the blade as well."

"Woah!"

Instantly recognizing that someone was looking at them, the two spun around, Amadeus' blade sliding back into his arm. The young boy and the newcomer ran up to them, their eyes wide with...wonder? The boy referred to him as a robot, like it was the coolest thing he had ever seen. Amadeus did not know how to process this. He had people react to him in many different ways, but never like this.

The bewildered look on the bounty hunter's face caused Eloise to let out a laugh. So, something was able to break that stony expression other than anger. "Actually, he's a cyborg," she corrected with a smile, "He's still human underneath it all." She had a teasing smile on her face as she leaned in and said in a hushed tone, "Even if he doesn't act like it."

Post Word Count: 413
Total Word Count: 1,666

Fri Sep 16, 2022 5:09 am

'On The Rooftops of La Crima One Quick Nap Later...'

A nice morning nap was just the cure for the stress of the travel into such a challenging environment. Sure, La Crima wasn't the sort of vacation destination she had recently been graciously treated to, but...

There had to be an upside somewhere, but the grog of waking up in such a seedy environment made it impossible for the mink to nail it down. The blank, fluffed face of the half-asleep red panda stared up from the rooftop she had chosen as a napping spot.

As she turned back to glance at the canvas she felt somehow fated to return, she found it to be...

...Completely vanished. And not by her hand! Indeed, the sound of scuffling paws brought her face-to-face with an almost uncannily mirrored image of a fluffy face, round black nose, and dark beady eyes that reflected the rounds of her own lenses.

And in its little clutches was the unfinished painting.

"...Wait, that's mine! Well, I mean... Not exactly, but... youteia better give it back!"

The raccoon wielded what Pikasso could only identify as some sort of rusty old tongs and seemed to be carrying a strange basket on its back. A chittering snarl made it clear the small creature had no intention of returning the prized refuse.

Aya's fur prickled and she sneered in return. She pulled her backpack onto her shoulders as she moved to a poised crouch. The tiny thief seemed just as ready. Two fluffed-up striped tails puffed in the rooftop showdown.

And without a second to waste, they were both off. The raccoon skittered on all fours in a desperate scramble down the sills and heaps of bins and discarded crates that lay in the alleys below. Aya followed close behind, only visible for brief flashes as she nearly got her claws on the thief.

Each time she was left just barely empty-pawed as she hopped over small partitions and followed into strange winding alleys that seemed nearly otherworldly in their shadows. The city was sleeping here.

At least it would have been if two small fluffballs hadn't been rushing full-speed through the cavernous walls of buildings that looked as if they had seen much better days.

If she didn't get that painting back, she might miss out on her chance to return it! La Crima didn't seem like the sort of place people tended to stick around if they could avoid it.

"I'll trade youteia! I've got a different one! I'll even paint you on it!!" Her pleas fell upon deaf ears as she picked up the pace. A crackle of electro filled one dark paw.

"...Come on, don't make me hurt you!"

Aya's quiet voice carried a distance nearly as short as her visibility was brief.

After a few minutes of chase, the thief seemed to have escaped. Aya panted softly as she tried to sniff it out. Instead, she picked up the sweet scent of caramel in the air.

A little treat wouldn't hurt...

To her surprise, the quaint hole-in-the-wall establishment was currently serving a familiar face. What were the chances? Pikasso took a glance over her invisible shoulder to check the street outside. No sign of the canvas.

Some things just weren't meant to be.

Those crumpets, however, were meant to be hers.

The wallflower was trying her best to attend to the conversation while still sneaking pastries out from under their noses. Trying, but failing. The details confused her, but if she was picking up the basics...

She had fallen into the lap of any easy success just by chance! Maybe red pandas were lucky after all.

As she picked up her attention away from the plate, she caught a glance of a furred fiend with an unfinished painting tucked under his little elbow just outside the door.

Aya's eyes narrowed. A few crumbs fell from mid-air and onto the floor beside the table.

With careful, quiet steps, she rounded the table and dashed for the exit. A few menus fluttered after the invisible girl in the wake of her hurry back to the streets.

The race was back on, but only momentarily.

As another one of this island's strange surplus of old lesser mink grandmas crossed her path towards electrified attack she was brought to a screeching halt. The granny seemed to struggle to understand what she was looking at.

[npc=misc]"Not another one of those damned trash bandits. I swear they get bigger and bigger every year.." [/npc]

As the little artist struggled to find a way to explain that she was not a 'trash bandit' for mere moments before the very thoughts were knocked straight out of her oversized ears with a swift bash of a folded umbrella to her noggin.

"...O-ow! W-what? No, lady, I'm not a... I'm... Ugh, he's getting away... Look, I'm a tanuki, alright? And if you let me pass I will uh... g-grant you a-"

[npc=misc]"A TALKING RACCOON?? AIIEEEEEE!"[/npc]

"Ow! Ow! OW! Curse you, you old bag! CURSE YOU!!"

Well, it was worth a try.

'An Alley Somewhere Just Outside the Docks of La Crima' ~11:00-11:55

This reeked. Literally. Docks smelled like sewage and rotting fish on a good day on a nice island, and this was neither of those. And Aya's sensitive nose was beyond overwhelmed. Even the sweet taste of strawberry-flavored hard candies, the spice of burning cloves, and a paw clasped over her nose, she couldn't seem to drown it out.

What was more frustrating than the stink itself was the way it seemed to be playing with her perceptions. She could have sworn she picked up the hints of some sort of ursine or mustelid presence. But considering the next moment her nostrils were burning with the aroma of hot garbage and spoiled goods, it was hard to tell.

Her pursuit of the little thief had proved a success. She had cornered the creature and given it no choice but to leave the canvas behind to escape the larger predator. Just as she went to lean down to collect it, the clamor started.

The red panda disappeared, imperceptibly holding her ears as she tried to protect them against the assault. It felt like she was bracing and wincing for an eternity. Was this how she would be ended? The cruel irony, being slain by some strange twisting of the musical arts. Perhaps that was being a bit dramatic.

But she would have vastly preferred claws across chalkboards.

Suddenly, she was freed from the painful spell and gifted with quiet. She vowed silently to give whoever had saved her from such a fate the biggest and sweetest garchu she could a runty red panda could muster. Truly a hero worthy of praise.

With the canvas in hand, the clear mink began making her way towards the sound of some sort of fighting with cautious curiosity.

Off in the distance, she could have sworn she had seen the other artist during her pursuit... strangely gagged and stumbling with the child from before.

Maybe this place was getting to her.

What the hell was going on at these docks?

Puffs of smoke trailed after the invisible sneak as she tried to savor the last of her cigarette before she got close enough for someone to really notice.

{1,218/3,118}

{Sabian ~ Pikasso ~ Subarashi ~ Alexi ~ Johanna}

Fri Sep 16, 2022 8:15 am

Hesitation gripped the pirate swarm, stopped them in their tracks. The closest foes staggered away from the monstrous weasel, clutching their weapons. Some looked ready to fight, others seemed on the verge of surrender. An army without a leader was sure to collapse. It was only a matter of time...

And violence.

Yumiko, for one, didn’t wait to see if the villains might surrender. She had neither the time nor the mind to read every criminal their rights. Claws scraping against the stone, sending a shower of sparks, she charged wildly back into the fray.

Winds howled. Steel clashed. Blood splattered. At one point, a pained, baffled and honestly offended yelp from an unfortunate foe announced that he'd been bitten. Granted, the language used was far more... Colorful.

While these pirates could be accused of many crimes, cowardice was not among them. They fought back fiercely. Sheer numbers couldn’t bridge the gap in strength, but it came close. Much too close...

Soon, thanks to brave efforts, the marine forces emerged victorious. They spread out to suppress the last stragglers. Fallen foes littered the ground like leaves after an autumn storm.

With the veritable horde of hundreds quelled, the weasel woman could finally release a sigh of relief. Relaxing her fighting stance, she stood up on her hindlegs. Following deep, calming breaths, her body started shrinking. Slowly, the dark fur receded, revealing the pale skin beneath.

In a moment, the monster was gone and the warrior returned. Her stained and tattered disguise clung to her body weakly, like it might fall apart at any moment. Similarly, she was bruised and wounded... But still standing. Despite the sorry state, she held her head high.

Just as Sir Nottinham had earlier declared, justice had indeed prevailed.

As the adrenaline rush died down, the samurai glanced around. A nagging feeling kept insisting that something was missing... Wait! Captain! Sir Moreau! Sir John? Where had they gone?

The weasel’s sharp nose twitched feverishly, trying to pick up familiar scents. In all the chaos, she picked up all sorts of strange smells, from blood to cigarette smoke and... some sort of foreign animal musk she didn’t recognize. Only then she realized a fatal mistake... She had no idea which odors belonged to her allies. Gah, she should have sniffed her comrades thoroughly when she had the chance...

Fortunately, the orders still rang clearly in the soldier’s mind. 'Identify and arrest the criminals in charge...' She steeled her resolve. Her comrades were capable. She had to have faith in them, while focusing on what she could do right now.

Brandishing the blade, the samurai marched back over to her wheezing foe. She trapped the man between steel and stone. Shooting him an icy glare, she read him his rights. “Foul noisemaker, thou are hereby under arrest for the crimes of piracy, treason and musical assault. ‘Tis thy right to remain silent (and this one would prefer if thou did). Cooperate and thou shall be granted a fair trial at the Lobby of Enies.”

“Gurdy” Brow said nothing. Rather, he glanced up at the warrior, cracked a broken smile... And started laughing. The raspy, mocking noise echoed across the noisy shipyard. His belly jiggled, like this had been the best jest he had heard in ages.

Frankly, the reaction left the samurai rather speechless. She blinked twice, losing her icy composure. Her pointed blade drooped weakly. Had she said something strange again...?

---

Words: 575
Total: 4919
Group: Hunting Party
Approximate time frame: Between 10:20 A.M. and 11:55 A.M.

Sat Sep 17, 2022 10:36 pm

Meanwhile…

Yukina had already set her sights on a rustic-looking building that gave off the impression that it was a saloon. She was already feeling particularly dehydrated and figured that their investigation would be better served if they could have some liquid courage. With that in mind, she didn't hesitate to steer herself toward the building.

The small feminine figure on her back would pipe up in confusion at the detour. This is despite the fact that Subarashi clearly had no idea what they were looking for or why.

He was distracted by the notion of performing a new song, one that would get his crew a wild payout from all of the brutes and louts that seemed to fill this isle to the brim.

A simple goal, but not all persons who set sail need large ambitions in order to succeed in life.

Subarashi finally spoke up, leaning lower so that his maw was near the ear of his beloved battle matron, letting her know his displeasure in the only way he knew how.

Ravenously flirting with her.

"Cuckukuku, naughty girl. My darling, what are you up to? This was not the plan, you choose to delay our performance?"

His voice was genuine and held the slightest twinge of judgment. But Yukina was quick to express her intentions. Leaving virtually no room for any miscommunication.

"Master~, you know a girl my size couldn't possibly be of any use sober." She began with a sultry voice, capitalizing on his weak libido. "Catchin’ criminals without dullin’ our pain receptors is such an amateurish mistake, wouldn't ya agree?"

Her words were quick in their effectiveness. Subarashi immediately recalled that their so-called performance was not a display of his musical prowess.

Rather it was their need to capture a fearsome bounty! He would have felt so bad about getting distracted from this task if it weren’t for the fact that Subarashi had the attention span of a goldfish. Still, his acting skills were second to none, in his own mind at least. So even if it was clear that he was lying through his teeth, he said such lies with the utmost confidence. Enough to make it seem as though he believed himself.

“Ah yes, my honeysuckle,” Each of his girls had a different flower he associated them with, “You’ve passed the test with flying colors. Let us make way to the booze-house.”

Before they had a chance to make their way to their agreed-upon location, however, something caught Yukina’s eye. Something that brought a great deal of stress to her when she noted it. It was… a shame really. To be forced into a situation in which she’d have to go about her business sober was a true punishment. But one she had no choice but to readily accept.

Turning on her heels she spoke to her beloved idol once more, informing him of the postponement of their drinking escapade. She was determined to make it back to that inn for a drink. For now… she had to do her job.

“Beloved, there is someone familiar lookin headin into that alleyway, looks like he had one of ‘em symbols on him from the Huntsly crew.”

“With such clear bravado, they display their coat of arms? How fortuitous, mi amor. Let us hunt the Huntsly.”

She blushed, but it did not hinder her movements in any way.

She thought about contacting Kiyomi, if only to confirm the information that was discussed the night before.

---The Night Prior---

Within the main tent, above the pleasure hall, atop the Eros Basilius, stood three figures. Each one looked down at a withered map of the Jolly Keys, with a bunch of small flags with different colors pinned on various islands. Standing at the head of the table was Hifune herself, who had both of her arms crossed underneath her chest. Her eyes were fixated on the map itself.

“Alright, let us go over some details while we still have the chance, Kiyomi, what did you discover thus far?” Hifune’s eyes glanced over towards the woman in question.

“Surprisingly enough, we know very little about them. Tori send a message about an hour ago, confirming that Huntsly is in fact on Dexter Island, somewhere in the town of La Crima.” She’d gaze over towards Hifune.

“Her agents saw him with a group of individuals who were human, but we aren’t sure if they are his henchmen or allies. Could just be some locals he is spending time with.” Kiyomi would run her fingers through her brown hair slowly.

She stood to the left of the table, her attention never flipping back to the map itself.

“If they are non-essential, I say we just slaughter ‘em and be down wit-it.” Yukina spoke after rubbing her lips with the back of her left hand, belching loudly as a follow-up.

The gourd in her right hand sloshed around slowly before it raised once again to her mouth. Where she’d return to lapping up the sake within. Cheeks now flushed red in her hedonism.

“You all know my stance on such matters already. If they lack any monetary value, their lives mean little. We can kill whomever so long as we take the primary subject alive.” Kiyomi’s indifference was showcased on her face clear as day.

Leaning back, Hifune clapped her hands together. As to get the attention of the other two women.

“Let’s not be too hasty now. When we touch down we can meet up with the rest of the Yūjo under Tori’s command. She would probably have more information that we can use. If we aren’t prudent in our behavior, we might draw unwanted attention.”

“Itza pirate Stronghold, ya? Pretty sure violence is commonplace amongst the rabble, we’ll be fine. Slushihihi” Yukina stated with a strong bellow as she pulled her bottle from her lips.

“You do have a point, but still. Let’s at the very least cover our bases before we resort to violence.” Hifune rolled her eyes, before looking back down at the map.

Yukina scoffed and tossed her bottle forward with a great deal of strength, causing it to fly over the railing and fall down to the floor below. Smashing into the tiled floors with enough impact to scare the women beneath their current location.

“No promises. But fine, whatever.” Yukina was not a fan of this, but she wasn’t going to complain more than she needed to.

Without any reaction to the outburst, Kiyomi flipped her hair and focused on Hifune. As she found Yukina’s behavior to be that of a child and therefore she’d give said child no attention.

“Good, I am glad we all are on the same page for once. Rare given the large gap in… well never mind. As for how we deal with the issue of keeping Master safe…”

---Currently…---

Clicking her tongue against her teeth in annoyance, she sped up until she entered the maw of the alleyway, catching a glimpse of someone’s ankle and brown leather boot turning at the end of the alley itself.

She knew it wasn’t safe to take her master with her, especially since she didn’t have any backup, but she figured that it was better to gather this intel now, as opposed to walking around with no way to find their target.

The fact that she found someone who worked for Huntsly wasn’t exactly a mistake either, there was a reason that all the women split up in the first place. She had an equal chance of finding evidence as anyone else. She just wasn’t the kind of person who could handle said info happily.

With that said, she made her way down the alley, reaching down towards the left side of her curvy waist, taking hold of her sword’s grip, and turning down the left portion of the alley quickly as she drew her blade. Letting the metal fly out towards nothingness. Only inches away from what appeared to be an iron door with small bars covering a window-like opening.

Almost immediately her blade returned to being sheathed. She huffed in disappointment as she approached the large metal door. Tapping her knuckles on the metal before a deep raspy voice rang out.

“Password?” There were no follow-up statements, purely silence.

“Wait…wha?” Yukina was taken aback.

She hadn’t prepared for this. If this was some sort of exclusive hole-in-the-wall. She had no idea how she was going to gain entry here. Especially given the fact that she was by far the least charismatic of all the women in this crew.

Fortunately, Subarashi was here. He’d take a deep breath, clicking his heels against his woman’s thighs so that she instinctively knew to turn to the side, like a good horse.

He’d speak in a fairly feminine voice.

“Open the door you bitch ass motherfucker! Don’t piss me off.” He pouted and puffed his cheeks out, actively degrading the man behind the door.

Through the silence, Yukina focused. Waiting for some sort of response. She readied herself just in case. But after a few seconds without any responses whatsoever, she found herself rolling her eyes. Why?

Because the door made a large thud noise, before swinging open and allowing the pair entry.

The man posted at the doorway visible now due to the light flooding through the door flame. His face blushing profusely in his rapture.

These simps were wild.

Growl R. Huntsly

Sabian -> Emmy -> Subarashi -> Alexi -> Pikasso

{ 1568 | 3568 | 10000 }

sucré @ gs

Sun Sep 18, 2022 9:00 pm

"C-C-C.... CYBORG...?!!" The bewildered pair exclaimed as they drooled over the mechanical arm before them.

"Wowie!" Winny exclaimed as he grabbed the arm without the owner's consent, beginning to inspect it up and down. "The craftsmanship on this is so interesting....." The words trailed off into incoherent muttering as the boy continued to fawn.

"I've never met a cyborg before!" Volo shouted gleefully as he leaned in over Winny's shoulder. "You know! You should join my pirate cre-...!"

Puru Puru Puru The sound echoed out from behind the counter.

Puru Puru Puru The sound continued to chime as Pinako stared blankly.

"YELLO??!" Granny shouted into the receiver. "WHAT'S THAT YEE SAY?!? SPEAK UP, EH?!?!"

"EH?! AN ORDA...?! AH!"

"WINNY!!!" Pinako shouted from behind the counter, cutting Volo off and preventing the machine man from responding. "WINNY!! We got’a work orda for da factory!!!" The receiver clicked back into place.

"OH!" Springing back from the man, the preteen bounced around the room. "Another one already?!! That storm must’ve done some serious damage!"

"What’s going on?" Questioned Volo.

"Hehehe." Winny snickered arrogantly, "Oh, nothing. Just the factories calling for the almighty Machine Lord’s help again!"

"oh."

"DON'T SOUND SO DISAPPOINTED!!" Shouting as the boy shot an annoyed look at Volo.

"Now, now, Winny, dear boy..." The dinosaur whistled as she spoke, having readjusted her hearing aid. "Why don'cha take yee, new friend ova wit’ya, eh? The boy seems to be a nice one and ya cannea leave me here to close up dah shop till I can meet’ cha boys down there, eh?." Adjusting her glasses as she looked the pi(lot)rate up and down.

"But Granny....." Winny moaned as he glared at Volo.

"No buts boy! Now get ye self outta here, go on now, shoo!" Pinako swept the pair out with the rest of the garbage "And now monkey bidness, ya 'ear me, boys!" Waving her finger in each of their faces before slamming the door.

"Now den, how cannea help ya, folks? Eh?" Turning with a smile to the remaining two customers in the store.

outside of the store

"Yes, Granny...." Winny moaned with rolled eyes even though she could no longer hear him. "C'mon, follow me."

"Soooo...." Volo started as he glanced at the passing buildings, "Where we going?"

"Carbuncle." Winny's voice was short and blunt. "It's a factory town, Granny and I have to go there all the time to help fix stuff." Like a tour guide, Winny's mouth continued to run.

"Only way to get there safely is to stick with a local like me, ya? Just follow me to the ferry, okay Owlhead? It's the only safe way to get to the port without ending up in the ocean."

"Granny and I get called all the time to help them fix stuff. I love going there cause I got this friend in the factories ya see, he helps me get ahold of all kinds of awesomely rare parts for my super awesome inventions!"

Volo glanced over his shoulder while the grease-covered child rambled on, his words eventually all but lost on the pi(lot)rate. I hope Bill and Susu are okay... And where's Karl, he should be done at the doctor's by now...

"Here we are!" Winny shouted as he proudly pointed out the ferry, showing it off in a way that you'd think he built it. "There she is! My mom and dad helped build it right before I was born! I never got to meet em... But I always feel like they are close by when I get to ride it."

"Attention all passengers, the ferry for Carbuncle will be leaving in five minutes. All those who have yet to board, please make your way to the passenger docks. Again, the ferry for Carbuncle will be departing in five minutes, all passengers please make their way to the boarding docks. As the ferry will be leaving at 1130 hours. Thank you."

"C'mon, Owlhead! Let's go!"

639/5,025/10,000

Sun Sep 18, 2022 11:43 pm

While it was not at all surprising that Adonis knew how to decipher the letter, Ebony couldn’t help but be mildly impressed that he had the skills to do so. After all, not everyone in the family knew how to do so. Much less those outside of their small circle so it truly showed what a remarkable man he was. Not that it bore any importance to her aside from making their communication much easier from here on out.

“Whomever this Crow person is, I’ve never heard of them myself. Then again I don’t make it a habit to know people.”

A questioning look flashed briefly across Ebony’s face as she watched Adonis fall back into bed. How unfortunate for her that he wasn’t fully integrated into the affairs of the Golden Wolves. He had been in the family long enough for them to trust him but it seemed that Crow’s identity was still being kept under wraps. Not that it mattered in the long run considering that Crow wouldn’t be alive for much longer than needed.

“Finding Antonio is the objective,” Adonis said as he continued to stare at the ceiling. How he could remain nonchalant was beyond her. Regardless, Ebony nodded in agreement as she made her way back towards her suitcase. “I see no need to go on any side adventures.” Picking up the luggage, Ebony placed it on top of a dresser as Adonis continued.

She, too, did not see the need to waste time with trifle matters outside of their main goal. However, Antonio was vital in making sure their plan went smoothly. He was, in fact, the only one she could count on to not only give her the rundown but also the support to escape. The only issue was that finding him would be a pain in the- click. At the click of the button, the bottom of the suitcase propped open revealing her well-cared for arsenal.

Ebony carefully removed her gloves from its compartment and fitted them onto each hand as the gears in her head whirled into action. What Adonis was saying made perfect sense. It was time for them to get aggressive and La Crima provided the perfect escape for them. They now had the opportunity to fully commit themselves into their new roles and identities. Ones that separated them from the Golden Wolves entirely.

However, they still needed to take great care in throwing Curtis off of their tracks. At least, just until the time came for them to finally introduce themselves as strong contenders in the underworld. Hubert, on the other hand, provided no real threat. Even so, Ebony knew that Curtis had the capacity to dispose of her if her plot against them both came to light. Their relationship, although familial, was, after all, simply business.

“We’d owe them a favor and we can establish a… working relationship.”. Ebony frowned as she flexed her fingers to test the gloves’ fit. Without a doubt, they were obviously starting from ground zero. In La Crima, this meant they were easy targets to the more seasoned men crawling around in the streets. Without her normal backing, things could get ugly real fast.

Fortunately, it seemed like Adonis had the same idea as he pulled a hidden suitcase from the ottoman. “Violence suffocates this place,” Adonis remarked as he opened the luggage to reveal his rifle. Ebony, in turn, accessorized herself with hidden blades and a concealed revolver. So no matter what we do… doing it peacefully isn’t an option.”

Ebony grinned her Cheshire grin as her eyes glistened in excitement. A large grin that she’d soon hide with her mask. Things were definitely about to turn interesting. For, if painting the rooms red wasn’t considered fun, then she had no idea what was. ”We might find someone who has the information we need. Hopefully, they will also be discreet.”

Ebony would miss Adonis’ wink as she tied her hair up. However, his next words were ones that caused her to look his way. “Whatever we do, I’ll follow you into oblivion and back. So don’t fret.” She studied him for a moment before turning her attention back down to her suitcase. Taking one of her spare masks, she tossed it over to him as her eyes gleamed in anticipation.

“Then what are we waiting for? Ebony asked him in a semi-playful tone as she closed her suitcase. If there was one thing she knew about Adonis, it was that he was loyal to her. Not that she could understand why but it still meant he was someone she could depend on. All she could hope for was that he wouldn’t betray the trust she had placed in him. “Will you do the honors?” He had suggested it so why not have him lead the way?

805 | 3.012 | 10.000

Buckling Oyster The time is 10:55 a.m.

Docks of La Crima Approximately 10 minutes or so later,

Comments

Buckling Oyster
The time is 10:55 a.m.

Docks of La Crima
Approximately 10 minutes or so later,