The Revival Dawn Combat Bot has been released on 
Goldmonger
[tracker=/t1979-dax-morgan#10865]
Name : Dax Morgan
Epithet : Goldmonger
Age : 25
Height : 6'5"
Weight : 250
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Shichibukai (Future)
Crew : Gold | Works
Ship : Cleopatra
Devil Fruit : Goru Goru no Mi
Bounty : [ber=r] 27,900,000
Quality Score : S
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -25%
Balance : [ber] 57,500,000
[[hardboiled]][[berryprinter]]
[[ancientzoan]]x2[[logia]][[firstaidkit]]
Posts : 194
![[Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck Empty](https://2img.net/i/empty.gif)
[Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Mon Jul 24, 2023 11:57 amRubeck, a dark, dreary island that no one with any importance ever thought twice about save for its thick fog and dangerous coastline. Perfect for a seedy criminal element to grow unchecked. An island that would one day be known as the birth of one of the world's great criminal organizations.
Right now the gangs of Pebble Beach have united and are currently on their way to ask for help from a powerful would be allu. Located deep in the mountain, he is known to frequent the hot spring pools in the snow capped peaks. Known only as the mysterious mountain boss!
Meanwhile, Hina and Dax are following the gangs into the mountains! But they will have to make it through the dangerous environment to do it.
Moletown is preparing for all out war and have recruited a powerful friend who's only out to save his own neck. But there's a mystery going on in shanty town that could determine the fate of the entire island! It will be up to a certain Doctor to save the day in Moletown once again.
As night fell over the little island nestled in the frigid dark waters of the North Blue, a dark cloud began to lurk in. A cold rain descended from the heavens, light at first but that did not last long. The rotating beam of light from the tower barely visible as it made its trip around and back.
A pair wandered through the downpour and deep into the wooded wetlands behind Pebble Beach.
"Really coming the fuck down.." Dax mumbled as he peeked out from under his golden umbrella. "Oi! Ain't you cold?" He shouted to the girl marching ahead of him.
"No way!" Hina called back, her pace was purposeful, a woman on a mission. No way a little freezing rain was gonna stop her. "I've spent my whole life here, this ain't nothin!"
"Fuckin people..." He mumbled, doing his best to keep up.
His eyes wandered upwards, most of the rain now blocked by the thick of the tree tops meeting each other. Then back down to the soft, squishy mud amongst the pools of dark water.
"Ya gotta be careful around here!" Her words accompanied by the muffled round of rain from above and the light splashing below. "There's a really nasty fish skulking about.." Her eyes carefully studying her next step, careful not to spend to long knee deep in the grasping mud.
"A fuckin fish?" Dax scoffed as he held out his hand, several gold pieces now rotating around each other. "You are high you think I'm walking in that." The gold pieces now intercepting his foot with every step, keeping him a foot away from the muddy water.
"Now that's a neat trick. I've seen you do some pretty crazy stuff, you must be one of those fruity guys I've heard so much about."
"What gave it away..? And no, we aren't fruity guys. We are fruit users. Big fuckin difference I can promise ya that."
"Yeah, yeah, I know a guy who's got fruity powers. His aren't like yours though."
"They aren't fruity pow...?! What the hell is that?!" A massive fish with a murderous mouth launched itself out of the muddy waters and knocked Dax from his golden pedestal, tumbling down into the mud.
"That's it! The fish I told you about! It's a Bananawani Gar."
"This ain't no fuckin fish... It’s got jaws like a damn lion..!" Dax grunted as he used his golden hands to keep the animal jaws from crushing him. "Ahhh...Fuck…! Ahh.." His panting accompanied by an audible crack and a sudden silence. The Gar now floating motionless as Dax was covered head to toe in the black mud.
"Not a fuckin word, ya hear...?"
"Hehehehe, of course not!"
WC 612/12,096/13,500
Right now the gangs of Pebble Beach have united and are currently on their way to ask for help from a powerful would be allu. Located deep in the mountain, he is known to frequent the hot spring pools in the snow capped peaks. Known only as the mysterious mountain boss!
Meanwhile, Hina and Dax are following the gangs into the mountains! But they will have to make it through the dangerous environment to do it.
Moletown is preparing for all out war and have recruited a powerful friend who's only out to save his own neck. But there's a mystery going on in shanty town that could determine the fate of the entire island! It will be up to a certain Doctor to save the day in Moletown once again.
As night fell over the little island nestled in the frigid dark waters of the North Blue, a dark cloud began to lurk in. A cold rain descended from the heavens, light at first but that did not last long. The rotating beam of light from the tower barely visible as it made its trip around and back.
A pair wandered through the downpour and deep into the wooded wetlands behind Pebble Beach.
"Really coming the fuck down.." Dax mumbled as he peeked out from under his golden umbrella. "Oi! Ain't you cold?" He shouted to the girl marching ahead of him.
"No way!" Hina called back, her pace was purposeful, a woman on a mission. No way a little freezing rain was gonna stop her. "I've spent my whole life here, this ain't nothin!"
"Fuckin people..." He mumbled, doing his best to keep up.
His eyes wandered upwards, most of the rain now blocked by the thick of the tree tops meeting each other. Then back down to the soft, squishy mud amongst the pools of dark water.
"Ya gotta be careful around here!" Her words accompanied by the muffled round of rain from above and the light splashing below. "There's a really nasty fish skulking about.." Her eyes carefully studying her next step, careful not to spend to long knee deep in the grasping mud.
"A fuckin fish?" Dax scoffed as he held out his hand, several gold pieces now rotating around each other. "You are high you think I'm walking in that." The gold pieces now intercepting his foot with every step, keeping him a foot away from the muddy water.
"Now that's a neat trick. I've seen you do some pretty crazy stuff, you must be one of those fruity guys I've heard so much about."
"What gave it away..? And no, we aren't fruity guys. We are fruit users. Big fuckin difference I can promise ya that."
"Yeah, yeah, I know a guy who's got fruity powers. His aren't like yours though."
"They aren't fruity pow...?! What the hell is that?!" A massive fish with a murderous mouth launched itself out of the muddy waters and knocked Dax from his golden pedestal, tumbling down into the mud.
"That's it! The fish I told you about! It's a Bananawani Gar."
"This ain't no fuckin fish... It’s got jaws like a damn lion..!" Dax grunted as he used his golden hands to keep the animal jaws from crushing him. "Ahhh...Fuck…! Ahh.." His panting accompanied by an audible crack and a sudden silence. The Gar now floating motionless as Dax was covered head to toe in the black mud.
"Not a fuckin word, ya hear...?"
"Hehehehe, of course not!"
WC 612/12,096/13,500
Maxwell![[Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck Vk6odI4](https://i.imgur.com/vk6odI4.png)
[tracker=/t139-richard-maxwell#516]
Name : Richard Maxwell
Epithet : Plague Rat
Age : 49
Height : 6'0" / 183 cm
Weight : 160 lbs. / 73 kg
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Supernova
Bounty : [ber=r] 243,000,000
Quality Score : S+
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -10%
Balance : [ber] 777,182,375
[[bookworm]][[firstaidkit]][[berryprinter]]
[[identitytheft]][[identitytheft]]
Posts : 281
Re: [Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Mon Aug 07, 2023 1:55 pmLong shadows stretched across the streets of Loguetown. A sharp-dressed rat scurried beneath the moonless sky. He was finally back home. After all these years, he had found his courage at last. His steps quickened, carrying him faster and faster towards a familiar building, a tavern in the distance. In his haste, he never wasted a thought on questions such as when and how he had gotten here. Only one thing mattered now.
“Help... me...”
A weak voice drifted from the tavern. Richard burst through the door into a bleak, dusty mess. Broken tables, fallen chairs and shards of glass littered the floor. A disheveled woman leaned against the counter. Her fiery red hair cascaded down her shoulders like a flaming waterfall. Drip drop, countless tears painted the pale cheeks.
The rat’s heart lurched, threatening to sink into his stomach. “J-jana... My love... I... I am so sorry. P-please forgive me...” He dropped his suitcase and staggered closer. As the apologies ran dry, the excuses began to flow. “B-but I had to do it, see. They framed me, took away my medical license. We would’ve lost everything. The clinic, the bar, everything! I had no choice!” He pleaded with honesty he should’ve used years ago, before any of this had happened.
“Help me...”
Hearing the wavering voice broke the old doctor’s heart. He shambled closer, carefully cupping his former wife’s hands in his grasp. “Yes, I will. Please, let me help. I’ll do anything. I have connections now. Money, food, medicine, anything you need, any...” His breath hitched and blood ran cold, as the weeping specter reared its head.
That was not Jana.
“HELPME!!!”
A piercing screech shot through Richard’s skull. He jolted awake, springing up from his tangled bedsheets like a jack-in-the-box. Icy sweat dripped from his features and crawled down his back. He wiped his face with a shiver. “A nightmare... Just a nightmare...” The quietly muttered mantra failed to make him feel any better.
The rat scanned his dim surroundings with weary eyes. Darkness was an old friend, giving substance to the murky shapes. He was still in the same, shabby guest room he had fallen asleep in last night. Still trapped in Moletown... His fumbling hands eventually found his watch. Barely four in the morning... Much too early to get up, yet a little too late to get much sleep. Now wasn’t that just swell? He flopped over and tugged at his blanket.
For the next few hours, sleep toyed with the poor man. It promised a restful slumber, but refused to commit. Shadows danced at the edges of his vision, never quite encompassing him. In the background, the pitter patter of the rain played with his imagination.
And that scream still echoed in his ears...
Eventually, the morning deigned to show mercy. Perhaps the sun was somewhere out there, behind the curtain of clouds. Life began to flow through Moletown once again. The tired rat staggered down the stairs into the bar, feeling and looking like crap. His half-lidded eyes swept across the room, finally stopping onto a familiar face beckoning him to take a seat at their usual booth.
Reluctantly, the entrepreneur took a seat opposite of his business partner. He raised a brow, however, when there was no immediate invasion of personal space. That was either a good sign... Or a very, very bad one.
The octopus woman seemed lost in thought. She turned an unlit cigarette between her fingers idly. “So, Richie... Remember how you asked about weird deaths and bite marks yesterday?” Her conversational tone was a poor match for the grim topic. Savvy folks could guess it was probably intentional. She did love her little games.
“Y-yes... Did something happen?”
Venoronica stopped playing with the cigarette and placed it between her lips. “Yeah, one of the waitresses got whacked last night. Found her corpse in the back alley.” A politely offered lighter sparked a couple of times, before a flame took hold. She let out a wispy breath. “The weird thing is, what’s left of her was riddled with bite marks. That sick fuck ate her.” If she was rattled, she didn’t show it. The Contraband Queen did not get rattled.
Richard, meanwhile, would gladly get rattled on her behalf. Yesterday’s rumors ran through his head like a sped-up snail recording. It ended with the piercing scream that was starting to sound all too real by now. He was a little upset that he didn’t feel worse, actually. There was no pity towards the dead girl. When had he gotten so desensitized that he no longer got sick in the stomach hearing something like this?
Meanwhile, the mermaid blew out a ring and shrugged. “Oh well. You win some, you lose some.” Her comment was met with mild disbelief. “Waitresses...?” She barely even dignified it with an answer. “Sure. Weaklings die. Big deal. That’s the Moletown way, darling.” Another smoky ring drifted into the first one, scrambling both.
The cold woman shook her head. “I’m only annoyed because it was my property that got offed this time and right in my backyard too... Whoever did this is either crazy or pretty fucking stupid...” She regained her smile a little too easily for the rat’s liking. “But that business can wait for a little longer. Now, let’s get some breakfast. I’m starving~” And there came the tentacle, creeping into his personal space again.
Words: 902
Total: 9907 / 13 500
“Help... me...”
A weak voice drifted from the tavern. Richard burst through the door into a bleak, dusty mess. Broken tables, fallen chairs and shards of glass littered the floor. A disheveled woman leaned against the counter. Her fiery red hair cascaded down her shoulders like a flaming waterfall. Drip drop, countless tears painted the pale cheeks.
The rat’s heart lurched, threatening to sink into his stomach. “J-jana... My love... I... I am so sorry. P-please forgive me...” He dropped his suitcase and staggered closer. As the apologies ran dry, the excuses began to flow. “B-but I had to do it, see. They framed me, took away my medical license. We would’ve lost everything. The clinic, the bar, everything! I had no choice!” He pleaded with honesty he should’ve used years ago, before any of this had happened.
“Help me...”
Hearing the wavering voice broke the old doctor’s heart. He shambled closer, carefully cupping his former wife’s hands in his grasp. “Yes, I will. Please, let me help. I’ll do anything. I have connections now. Money, food, medicine, anything you need, any...” His breath hitched and blood ran cold, as the weeping specter reared its head.
That was not Jana.
“HELPME!!!”
A piercing screech shot through Richard’s skull. He jolted awake, springing up from his tangled bedsheets like a jack-in-the-box. Icy sweat dripped from his features and crawled down his back. He wiped his face with a shiver. “A nightmare... Just a nightmare...” The quietly muttered mantra failed to make him feel any better.
The rat scanned his dim surroundings with weary eyes. Darkness was an old friend, giving substance to the murky shapes. He was still in the same, shabby guest room he had fallen asleep in last night. Still trapped in Moletown... His fumbling hands eventually found his watch. Barely four in the morning... Much too early to get up, yet a little too late to get much sleep. Now wasn’t that just swell? He flopped over and tugged at his blanket.
For the next few hours, sleep toyed with the poor man. It promised a restful slumber, but refused to commit. Shadows danced at the edges of his vision, never quite encompassing him. In the background, the pitter patter of the rain played with his imagination.
And that scream still echoed in his ears...
Eventually, the morning deigned to show mercy. Perhaps the sun was somewhere out there, behind the curtain of clouds. Life began to flow through Moletown once again. The tired rat staggered down the stairs into the bar, feeling and looking like crap. His half-lidded eyes swept across the room, finally stopping onto a familiar face beckoning him to take a seat at their usual booth.
Reluctantly, the entrepreneur took a seat opposite of his business partner. He raised a brow, however, when there was no immediate invasion of personal space. That was either a good sign... Or a very, very bad one.
The octopus woman seemed lost in thought. She turned an unlit cigarette between her fingers idly. “So, Richie... Remember how you asked about weird deaths and bite marks yesterday?” Her conversational tone was a poor match for the grim topic. Savvy folks could guess it was probably intentional. She did love her little games.
“Y-yes... Did something happen?”
Venoronica stopped playing with the cigarette and placed it between her lips. “Yeah, one of the waitresses got whacked last night. Found her corpse in the back alley.” A politely offered lighter sparked a couple of times, before a flame took hold. She let out a wispy breath. “The weird thing is, what’s left of her was riddled with bite marks. That sick fuck ate her.” If she was rattled, she didn’t show it. The Contraband Queen did not get rattled.
Richard, meanwhile, would gladly get rattled on her behalf. Yesterday’s rumors ran through his head like a sped-up snail recording. It ended with the piercing scream that was starting to sound all too real by now. He was a little upset that he didn’t feel worse, actually. There was no pity towards the dead girl. When had he gotten so desensitized that he no longer got sick in the stomach hearing something like this?
Meanwhile, the mermaid blew out a ring and shrugged. “Oh well. You win some, you lose some.” Her comment was met with mild disbelief. “Waitresses...?” She barely even dignified it with an answer. “Sure. Weaklings die. Big deal. That’s the Moletown way, darling.” Another smoky ring drifted into the first one, scrambling both.
The cold woman shook her head. “I’m only annoyed because it was my property that got offed this time and right in my backyard too... Whoever did this is either crazy or pretty fucking stupid...” She regained her smile a little too easily for the rat’s liking. “But that business can wait for a little longer. Now, let’s get some breakfast. I’m starving~” And there came the tentacle, creeping into his personal space again.
Words: 902
Total: 9907 / 13 500
________________________________________________________
Wanted Dead or Alive: Richard 'Plague Rat' Maxwell
- Goldmonger
[tracker=/t1979-dax-morgan#10865]
Name : Dax Morgan
Epithet : Goldmonger
Age : 25
Height : 6'5"
Weight : 250
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Shichibukai (Future)
Crew : Gold | Works
Ship : Cleopatra
Devil Fruit : Goru Goru no Mi
Bounty : [ber=r] 27,900,000
Quality Score : S
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -25%
Balance : [ber] 57,500,000
[[hardboiled]][[berryprinter]]
[[ancientzoan]]x2[[logia]][[firstaidkit]]
Posts : 194
Re: [Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:34 pmNight before the Assualt | Rubeck Mountains | Base of the Mole Hill
"Holy smokes, this mountain is huge!" Shohei exclaimed with childlike innocence. Stating a fact that would be obvious to anyone with eyes as Mole Hill was the tallest in the range.
"Kishishishishi.... N-Not to m-mention.. c-cold..!" Ichiro chattered back, the cold wind biting his slender frame to the bone.
"Yeah, would have been nice if we had a chance to stop and get coats... Oh, wait. We did." Koji mumbled sarcastically, leering at Ichiro.
"Will you guys shut it!" Kazu barked back. "Im thinkin ova here!" Mumbling as he tried to make heads or tails of the map in his hands.
"Well that's first.."
"Shove it, Koji!" The delinquent barked again. "Why don't you fucks make yourselves useful and keep an eye out for a shack.."
"A shack?"
"Yeah, Sho, a shack. Ya know, a wood building with four walls, a roof, and a door. One of those, yeah?" Koji quipped.
"Kishishishi.. you t-think.. they'll h-have h-heat..."
"Oooohhhh myyyy, god.. Will you guys just shut up for like two sec-...?!"
"HEY!" Sho shouted from a distance.
"S-Sho?! How the hell did you get over there?!"
"I think I found that shack you guys were looking for!" Sho pointed off into the distance, a shack with a smoke stack could be seen nestled in a bed of fresh snow.
Pebble Beach
"Lets go!" Nise shouted amongst the scrambling civilians, "Why we have a break from the rain let's get to it!"
The people of Pebble Beach came from every direction carrying wood, metal, and nails. Frantically readying their defenses for the impending invasion. The clanging sound of metal on metal rang out through the air as homes were boarded and roads were blocked.
Muddied footprints littered the ground, every pass making it harder and harder to move gracefully. Children ran supplies from one side of town to the other, while women readied fires and gathered up all the medical supplies in town.
"Oi! Nise!" A man shouted out.
"Yes, what is it?" The knockoff king responded, stroking his long beard.
"Some of the men have been asking, and, well..-"
"Let them know they are in safe hands, yes?" The tone projected confidence, "I, the man once hailed as Nise the Tactician shall guide our small town through this dark hour. A title I more than earned at the great battle of Goat Town far off in the East Blue during my time with the Navy.. Hmm.. Yes. It was a great battle indeed!"
"A battle where I single-handily fought off a horde of-....?
"No, no, no.... Sir, that's not what. No. The men are asking where Boss Okuma is?"
"Boss Okuma, you say..?"
"Yeah, frankly, we are scared shitless right now and you aren't exactly the man people believe in. Ya know?"
"Whaaa..?! What do you mean?! Did you not just hear me?! I was once known as Nise the Navigator! Hero of Briss!"
"Thought it was Nise the Undefeated, hero of the Kano Kingdom. The legendary champion who single handily saved the emperor's daughter" A passerby spoke up.
"I heard it was The Great Builder Nise, the man who made Water Seven float." Another chuckled.
"T-They are all true, y-you could say.. You could say that I am a man of many names!"
"Right. Sure. Point is, we would all feel a heck of a lot better if we knew where the Boss went."
"W-well... ya see, the thing is...." Nise chuckled nervously.
The Foggy Boggy | Rubeck Wetlands
Okuma and his pair of loyal men marched through the Foggy Boggy, a strange, almost supernatural quagmire found between Pebble Beach and Moletown.
Unlike the rest of the island, it was warm, an effect caused by underground hot springs heating the muddied wetlands above. Which, when the rising heat comes into contact with the cool surface air, creates a layer of fog so thick you could barely see what was in front of you. And, unlike the fog that came and went over the rest of this island, this patch never quite seemed to disappear.
It is widely avoided by locals due to the thick fog, dangerous terrain, and cast of predators that account for dozens of missing persons a year. This has led to it becoming a subject of ghost stories and sailor folklore for as long as anyone can remember.
"Kawkawkawkaw.. Just like old times, eh?" The crow cackled as he trailed behind Okuma and Momoiro.
"Old times? Since when is walking around this creepy shithole apart of those shitty old times!?"
"Kawkawkaw. Oh, I had forgotten how superstitious you are. KawKaw"
"I ain't superstitious ya shitty bird, its just, this shitty place man, it gives me the creeps, ya dig shitface?!"
"Wooooooo... So spooky, big scary, look at me I am scared little shit. That's you! Kawkawkawkaw!"
"Look here ya shit..!"
"Hmph.." Okuma grunted, interrupting the pair, "This is why I said I would handle this myself.."
"Speaking of that shit, you got some kind of shitty plan for when we get there?"
"Yes." The bear grunted. "I do."
Momoiro waited out the silence for a moment before responding.
"Well, are ya gonna tell us this shitty plan or what?!"
"No."
"Kawkawkawkawkaw!"
"Will you shut your shitty beak, ya scarecrow shit before I shut it for ya!?"
"Kawkaw! I'd like to see you try, shit boy!"
"Will you two just...-?!"
A blood-curdling scream pierced through the silence of the swamp, freezing the trio in their tracks.
"What the shit was that?!"
WC 895/12,991/13,500
"Holy smokes, this mountain is huge!" Shohei exclaimed with childlike innocence. Stating a fact that would be obvious to anyone with eyes as Mole Hill was the tallest in the range.
"Kishishishishi.... N-Not to m-mention.. c-cold..!" Ichiro chattered back, the cold wind biting his slender frame to the bone.
"Yeah, would have been nice if we had a chance to stop and get coats... Oh, wait. We did." Koji mumbled sarcastically, leering at Ichiro.
"Will you guys shut it!" Kazu barked back. "Im thinkin ova here!" Mumbling as he tried to make heads or tails of the map in his hands.
"Well that's first.."
"Shove it, Koji!" The delinquent barked again. "Why don't you fucks make yourselves useful and keep an eye out for a shack.."
"A shack?"
"Yeah, Sho, a shack. Ya know, a wood building with four walls, a roof, and a door. One of those, yeah?" Koji quipped.
"Kishishishi.. you t-think.. they'll h-have h-heat..."
"Oooohhhh myyyy, god.. Will you guys just shut up for like two sec-...?!"
"HEY!" Sho shouted from a distance.
"S-Sho?! How the hell did you get over there?!"
"I think I found that shack you guys were looking for!" Sho pointed off into the distance, a shack with a smoke stack could be seen nestled in a bed of fresh snow.
Pebble Beach
"Lets go!" Nise shouted amongst the scrambling civilians, "Why we have a break from the rain let's get to it!"
The people of Pebble Beach came from every direction carrying wood, metal, and nails. Frantically readying their defenses for the impending invasion. The clanging sound of metal on metal rang out through the air as homes were boarded and roads were blocked.
Muddied footprints littered the ground, every pass making it harder and harder to move gracefully. Children ran supplies from one side of town to the other, while women readied fires and gathered up all the medical supplies in town.
"Oi! Nise!" A man shouted out.
"Yes, what is it?" The knockoff king responded, stroking his long beard.
"Some of the men have been asking, and, well..-"
"Let them know they are in safe hands, yes?" The tone projected confidence, "I, the man once hailed as Nise the Tactician shall guide our small town through this dark hour. A title I more than earned at the great battle of Goat Town far off in the East Blue during my time with the Navy.. Hmm.. Yes. It was a great battle indeed!"
"A battle where I single-handily fought off a horde of-....?
"No, no, no.... Sir, that's not what. No. The men are asking where Boss Okuma is?"
"Boss Okuma, you say..?"
"Yeah, frankly, we are scared shitless right now and you aren't exactly the man people believe in. Ya know?"
"Whaaa..?! What do you mean?! Did you not just hear me?! I was once known as Nise the Navigator! Hero of Briss!"
"Thought it was Nise the Undefeated, hero of the Kano Kingdom. The legendary champion who single handily saved the emperor's daughter" A passerby spoke up.
"I heard it was The Great Builder Nise, the man who made Water Seven float." Another chuckled.
"T-They are all true, y-you could say.. You could say that I am a man of many names!"
"Right. Sure. Point is, we would all feel a heck of a lot better if we knew where the Boss went."
"W-well... ya see, the thing is...." Nise chuckled nervously.
The Foggy Boggy | Rubeck Wetlands
Okuma and his pair of loyal men marched through the Foggy Boggy, a strange, almost supernatural quagmire found between Pebble Beach and Moletown.
Unlike the rest of the island, it was warm, an effect caused by underground hot springs heating the muddied wetlands above. Which, when the rising heat comes into contact with the cool surface air, creates a layer of fog so thick you could barely see what was in front of you. And, unlike the fog that came and went over the rest of this island, this patch never quite seemed to disappear.
It is widely avoided by locals due to the thick fog, dangerous terrain, and cast of predators that account for dozens of missing persons a year. This has led to it becoming a subject of ghost stories and sailor folklore for as long as anyone can remember.
"Kawkawkawkaw.. Just like old times, eh?" The crow cackled as he trailed behind Okuma and Momoiro.
"Old times? Since when is walking around this creepy shithole apart of those shitty old times!?"
"Kawkawkaw. Oh, I had forgotten how superstitious you are. KawKaw"
"I ain't superstitious ya shitty bird, its just, this shitty place man, it gives me the creeps, ya dig shitface?!"
"Wooooooo... So spooky, big scary, look at me I am scared little shit. That's you! Kawkawkawkaw!"
"Look here ya shit..!"
"Hmph.." Okuma grunted, interrupting the pair, "This is why I said I would handle this myself.."
"Speaking of that shit, you got some kind of shitty plan for when we get there?"
"Yes." The bear grunted. "I do."
Momoiro waited out the silence for a moment before responding.
"Well, are ya gonna tell us this shitty plan or what?!"
"No."
"Kawkawkawkawkaw!"
"Will you shut your shitty beak, ya scarecrow shit before I shut it for ya!?"
"Kawkaw! I'd like to see you try, shit boy!"
"Will you two just...-?!"
A blood-curdling scream pierced through the silence of the swamp, freezing the trio in their tracks.
"What the shit was that?!"
WC 895/12,991/13,500
- Maxwell
[tracker=/t139-richard-maxwell#516]
Name : Richard Maxwell
Epithet : Plague Rat
Age : 49
Height : 6'0" / 183 cm
Weight : 160 lbs. / 73 kg
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Supernova
Bounty : [ber=r] 243,000,000
Quality Score : S+
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -10%
Balance : [ber] 777,182,375
[[bookworm]][[firstaidkit]][[berryprinter]]
[[identitytheft]][[identitytheft]]
Posts : 281
Re: [Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Tue Aug 08, 2023 6:50 amEmpty plates and glasses chimed softly as tender hands carried them away. The octopus woman lounged lazily in her seat, picking her sharp teeth with a fish bone. “Ahhh... Much better. Can’t plan on an empty stomach.” She mused.
Coiling tentacles brushed gently against the legs beneath the table. The venomous mermaid leaned closer, locking eyes with her dear pawn. “Now, about that murder business... I’ve got my hands full with the war preparations. So, I want you to find out whodunnit. You have a nose for this stuff.” She underlined her plea with a playful poke against the man’s sharp nose. “Won’t you help me, Richie~?”
Richard flinched at the words. Like a red-hot brand, they burned a mark against his mind. He averted his eyes. “Er, well, you know I can say ‘no’ to you...” He wasn’t talking in a figurative sense here. Even if he ignored the mesmerizing way this woman could bat her eyelashes, he couldn’t ignore the powerful tentacle clutching his ankle like a ball and chain.
Venoronica clasped her hands together with a light laugh. “Hmhmhm~ Always the charmer~” She flashed a knowing smile. “I’ll send Bob with you. He can make sure you don’t get lost.” A tentacle rose to beckon the burly barkeep closer. “Oh, Bob~! Be a darling and help Richie here with whatever he needs.” Her orders were met with an affirming grunt.
...Though the man didn’t look thrilled about it.
Taking any excuse to slip away, the rat squirmed free from the predator’s grasp. “I-I’ll get right on that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take a look at the victim, the crime scene and so forth.” His desperate retreat sparked an amused hum. “My, playing a real detective, are you?” The comment made him squirm more. “Oh, nothing of the sort. It’s simply... professional curiosity. Worked as a coroner for the marines for a while, see.” He lied.
In reality, the shady doctor’s motivations were rooted purely in self-preservation. He was no stranger to gruesome injuries. You saw all manner of ghastly things in the aftermath of pirate battles. Like with most lethal ailments, if he could deduce the cause of death, he could try to devise a cure. Or avoid the problem altogether.
The unwilling pawn scrambled onto his feet. He took half a step towards the exit, when he ran into the bartender. The man moved fast for someone so big... An empathetic arm wrapped around the pawn’s shoulders and guided him towards the backdoor.
After the doctor-turned-detective had left, the Queen’s towering enforcer lumbered closer. Clearly he had been waiting for his chance. “Queen, we’ve got a problem.” He slipped her a bounty poster, a song and dance familiar to them both.
Mind-numbingly familiar, actually.
The long-suffering leader made a show of rolling her eyes and heaving her shoulders. “Ugh... Would it kill you to bring some good news for a change? A treasure map, maybe?” However, the act slipped when her gaze wandered onto the picture. “Hm...?” She studied the bounty, drinking in the details.
Taking the pause as an invitation, the enforcer elaborated. “The spies spotted him at Pebble Beach, getting real familiar with the locals. What should we do?” When the silence threatened to grow awkward, he carefully leaned closer. “Er, Queen...?” His eyes shifted between the leader and the poster. Honestly, he failed to see what was special about this one.
The Queen drifted back from her thoughts with a mysterious mutter. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend... But I won’t say no to some gold~ Hmhmhm~” Humming to herself, she clicked her fingers. Several eyes turned to her, awaiting orders...
“Look, Bob, I’m flattered by the escort, truly, but I know my way around. And I would never dream of trying to bail. The Queen and I have a deal, see. You can trust me. Would I lie to you?”
“Yes. Yes, you would. And the reason why nobody believes you is because you say shit like that.”
The great detective had tried and failed to shake his enormous assistant several times now. When he had inspected the body for the wounds and bite marks, the man had hovered over his shoulder. Snooping the crime scene for any peculiar footprints or dropped debris went the same way. And now they were here, drudging through rain and mud, following a trail that he had honestly just pulled out of his... Er, well, never mind.
Right now, the most crucial thing was finding a chance to slip away. The seasoned liar had managed to distract the lackey by spouting nonsense deductions about his findings. Oh yes, the teeth marks were made by a human, so that ruled out any animals. Then there were crumbs of bioluminescent mushrooms on the body and the crime scene. Of course, these particular mushrooms only grew in the darkest corners of Moletown caves. Gah, why couldn’t he have found fish scales and made an excuse to head for the port?!
Luckily, the bartender was still talking. “‘Sides, I want this shitheel caught as much as anyone. Tanya was a good gal. Smart, polite... Great rack.... This is personal.” He gestured at the looming, damp caverns ahead. “Now listen up, these caves are a damned maze if you don’t know the route. So don’t...” He turned around to find himself talking to empty air. “...wander off. Fuck.” His eyes dropped onto muddy footprints leading into one of the caves. He grunted.
The Queen was going to have his head if he let this guy slip away...
Meanwhile, the rat was bolting down a winding tunnel like his tail had been on fire. A wild echo bounced between the walls. He had no direction in mind aside from forward. Even the embrace of darkness was better than the embrace of that venomous menace. Now that he had managed to slip free, he could finally see light at the end of the tunnel.
Uh... In a strangely literal sense...
As the escapee arrived into a larger cavern, the fearful sprint devolved first into a staggering jog and then further into a wheezing stop. He scanned his surroundings warily. The air was thick like soup. Soft light painted shadows across the floor. Peculiar, glowing mushrooms lined the walls, drinking greedily from the plentiful moisture. The echo doubled every footstep. Tap tap... Tap tap... Tap tap... There was an odd bundle on the ground, resembling a pile of discarded clothes, or a bedroll, or... His breathing stopped and a single thought shot through his mind.
Why is that shadow moving?
-CHOMP-
Words: 1110
Total: 11 017 / 13 500
Coiling tentacles brushed gently against the legs beneath the table. The venomous mermaid leaned closer, locking eyes with her dear pawn. “Now, about that murder business... I’ve got my hands full with the war preparations. So, I want you to find out whodunnit. You have a nose for this stuff.” She underlined her plea with a playful poke against the man’s sharp nose. “Won’t you help me, Richie~?”
Richard flinched at the words. Like a red-hot brand, they burned a mark against his mind. He averted his eyes. “Er, well, you know I can say ‘no’ to you...” He wasn’t talking in a figurative sense here. Even if he ignored the mesmerizing way this woman could bat her eyelashes, he couldn’t ignore the powerful tentacle clutching his ankle like a ball and chain.
Venoronica clasped her hands together with a light laugh. “Hmhmhm~ Always the charmer~” She flashed a knowing smile. “I’ll send Bob with you. He can make sure you don’t get lost.” A tentacle rose to beckon the burly barkeep closer. “Oh, Bob~! Be a darling and help Richie here with whatever he needs.” Her orders were met with an affirming grunt.
...Though the man didn’t look thrilled about it.
Taking any excuse to slip away, the rat squirmed free from the predator’s grasp. “I-I’ll get right on that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take a look at the victim, the crime scene and so forth.” His desperate retreat sparked an amused hum. “My, playing a real detective, are you?” The comment made him squirm more. “Oh, nothing of the sort. It’s simply... professional curiosity. Worked as a coroner for the marines for a while, see.” He lied.
In reality, the shady doctor’s motivations were rooted purely in self-preservation. He was no stranger to gruesome injuries. You saw all manner of ghastly things in the aftermath of pirate battles. Like with most lethal ailments, if he could deduce the cause of death, he could try to devise a cure. Or avoid the problem altogether.
The unwilling pawn scrambled onto his feet. He took half a step towards the exit, when he ran into the bartender. The man moved fast for someone so big... An empathetic arm wrapped around the pawn’s shoulders and guided him towards the backdoor.
After the doctor-turned-detective had left, the Queen’s towering enforcer lumbered closer. Clearly he had been waiting for his chance. “Queen, we’ve got a problem.” He slipped her a bounty poster, a song and dance familiar to them both.
Mind-numbingly familiar, actually.
The long-suffering leader made a show of rolling her eyes and heaving her shoulders. “Ugh... Would it kill you to bring some good news for a change? A treasure map, maybe?” However, the act slipped when her gaze wandered onto the picture. “Hm...?” She studied the bounty, drinking in the details.
Taking the pause as an invitation, the enforcer elaborated. “The spies spotted him at Pebble Beach, getting real familiar with the locals. What should we do?” When the silence threatened to grow awkward, he carefully leaned closer. “Er, Queen...?” His eyes shifted between the leader and the poster. Honestly, he failed to see what was special about this one.
The Queen drifted back from her thoughts with a mysterious mutter. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend... But I won’t say no to some gold~ Hmhmhm~” Humming to herself, she clicked her fingers. Several eyes turned to her, awaiting orders...
A short while later, at the fringes of Moletown...
“Look, Bob, I’m flattered by the escort, truly, but I know my way around. And I would never dream of trying to bail. The Queen and I have a deal, see. You can trust me. Would I lie to you?”
“Yes. Yes, you would. And the reason why nobody believes you is because you say shit like that.”
The great detective had tried and failed to shake his enormous assistant several times now. When he had inspected the body for the wounds and bite marks, the man had hovered over his shoulder. Snooping the crime scene for any peculiar footprints or dropped debris went the same way. And now they were here, drudging through rain and mud, following a trail that he had honestly just pulled out of his... Er, well, never mind.
Right now, the most crucial thing was finding a chance to slip away. The seasoned liar had managed to distract the lackey by spouting nonsense deductions about his findings. Oh yes, the teeth marks were made by a human, so that ruled out any animals. Then there were crumbs of bioluminescent mushrooms on the body and the crime scene. Of course, these particular mushrooms only grew in the darkest corners of Moletown caves. Gah, why couldn’t he have found fish scales and made an excuse to head for the port?!
Luckily, the bartender was still talking. “‘Sides, I want this shitheel caught as much as anyone. Tanya was a good gal. Smart, polite... Great rack.... This is personal.” He gestured at the looming, damp caverns ahead. “Now listen up, these caves are a damned maze if you don’t know the route. So don’t...” He turned around to find himself talking to empty air. “...wander off. Fuck.” His eyes dropped onto muddy footprints leading into one of the caves. He grunted.
The Queen was going to have his head if he let this guy slip away...
Meanwhile, the rat was bolting down a winding tunnel like his tail had been on fire. A wild echo bounced between the walls. He had no direction in mind aside from forward. Even the embrace of darkness was better than the embrace of that venomous menace. Now that he had managed to slip free, he could finally see light at the end of the tunnel.
Uh... In a strangely literal sense...
As the escapee arrived into a larger cavern, the fearful sprint devolved first into a staggering jog and then further into a wheezing stop. He scanned his surroundings warily. The air was thick like soup. Soft light painted shadows across the floor. Peculiar, glowing mushrooms lined the walls, drinking greedily from the plentiful moisture. The echo doubled every footstep. Tap tap... Tap tap... Tap tap... There was an odd bundle on the ground, resembling a pile of discarded clothes, or a bedroll, or... His breathing stopped and a single thought shot through his mind.
Why is that shadow moving?
-CHOMP-
Words: 1110
Total: 11 017 / 13 500
________________________________________________________
Wanted Dead or Alive: Richard 'Plague Rat' Maxwell
- Goldmonger
[tracker=/t1979-dax-morgan#10865]
Name : Dax Morgan
Epithet : Goldmonger
Age : 25
Height : 6'5"
Weight : 250
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Shichibukai (Future)
Crew : Gold | Works
Ship : Cleopatra
Devil Fruit : Goru Goru no Mi
Bounty : [ber=r] 27,900,000
Quality Score : S
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -25%
Balance : [ber] 57,500,000
[[hardboiled]][[berryprinter]]
[[ancientzoan]]x2[[logia]][[firstaidkit]]
Posts : 194
Re: [Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Fri Aug 18, 2023 9:28 amBase of The Mole Hill | Largest Mountain on Rubeck
"Oi!" Kazu banged on the wooden door. "You there old man?!"
"Y-y...you think he went s-s-s-somewhere...."
"Just give 'em a minute, eh Ichiro?!" The pompadour delinquent barked. "Oi! Geezer! It's Kazu! Get the fuck out here, yeah?!" His fist slammed into the door harder and louder with every word. But only silence was received in return.
....
"Gee, great plan, boss." Koji sneered, "Old fart probably croaked."
"Shut it Koji. Oi! Will you hurry the fuck u...!!"
The door swung open, revealing a wrinkled little man sporting a large, caterpillar-like mustache.
"Oh..........Kazu........." His words were slow and soft as he hung onto every word. "It's........you......."
"Finally!" The delinquent and his gang brushed passed the man and into the home.
"Come.........on....................in........................"
The door swung shut behind the geezer as he shuffled in his pink slippers across the room at a snail's pace.
"So..........its.........that..................time........................again........"
"Oh my fucking god," Koji mumbled at the sloth-like man's inflection. "This is ridiculous."
"Gramps, we are gonna need a lift."
"Oh.................well...............that's....................fine..........."
Shuffling across the floor the Wharf rats watched, and waited, as the old man made his way to a door in the back of the shack.
"Seriously....?" Koji grumbled, "There's no better way to do this...?"
"Not unless you wanna climb the side of Mole Hill yourself? No? That's what I thought, so just shut yer trap, eh?"
Kazu glanced over at Ichiro who was happily warming himself by the fire. "Kishishishi... I'll pass on being outside. I hate it up here."
"Oi! Sho! Keep yer mitts to yourself, huh? This ain't our stuff to touch."
The little grandpa finally made it to the door, swinging it open with enough force to rock the knick-knacks on the wall, and with it a gust of dry hot air filled the room. "This.............way.............."
The door opened up to a vast labyrinth of caves that seemed to stretch endlessly.
"Kishishishishi! It's so warm!" Ichiro shouted gleefully.
"Wow...." A rare expression of anything other than sarcasm slipped out of Koji's mouth. Admiring the grandiose complexity of the tunnels.
"Pretty cool right?" Kazu smirked as came up behind the pair. "They run throughout the entire island, and Pops here is the only one who knows the way through em."
"This little geezer can remember all that?"
"Well...." Kazu paused, "You'll see." He snickered as the old man pulled out a large whistle from his robe. Something that he promptly blew into, the sharp pitch echoing endlessly throughout the labyrinth. Leaving the Wharf Rats with little to do aside from covering their ears to dull the sound.
This was followed by a brief moment of silence, a silence that was quickly shattered by a thunderous pitter-patter of four-legged galloping.
Out of the shadows, two large moles came to a squealing stop in front of the group. They were bigger than bears and wore hard hats on their heads.
"Woooooooaaaaahhhhh!!" Sho shouted, "I've never seen a Digger Mole before!"
"That's because not many are left." Kazu mumbled, "Those fucks over in Moletown hunted the hell out of em when they first got here. Good eatin, or so they say."
"Used to be this island was full of em, their the ones who dug out all this out after all."
The group climbed onto the backs of the Mole's, each one fitted with a saddle that allowed two riders to fit comfortably on each mole.
"Everything.........should..........be........ready.........to.........go........"
"Thanks old man!" The words echoed as the moles took off into the darkness, leaving only the lonely old man and his lantern.
"Be........careful......."
Northern most part of the Eastern Pines | Rubeck
"C'mon! Keep up!" Hina shouted as she jumped from rock to rock, avoiding the waters below as she crossed the river with ease.
"Holy shit..." Dax panted with his hands on his knees, his breath now visible due to the temperature change. "This bitch just doesn't stop..." Groaning as he did his best to keep pace with the young woman ahead of him.
The further north they traveled and closer to the mountains they got, the colder it became. The rain turned to snow and the green trees were now capped with white.
Hina stopped for a moment and turned back to her gold clad partner. "You know, you sure do complain a lot. Surprised the cold isn't bothering you too."
"Tch..." Dax snarled as the snow on the ground melted under every step. The Goldmonger using his powers to heat the gold he wore, maintaining not only his body temperature but also keeping his bare feet from submerging in the mounds of white.
"It aint the fuckin cold that's bothersome." He snapped back sarcastically.
"How much further we got to go?"
"See that?" Pointing out the Mole Hill looming in the distance. "Thats where we need to go."
"The fuck..?" Dax mumbled. "My ass sure as hell aint climbing all that bullshit."
"Hehehe. Don't worry, we wont be climbing the outside of it." She giggled, "We just gotta get to Gramp's house, that's all."
"Gramps..?"
"Dont worry, you'll see! Try and keep up wont ya? We gotta get there before Kazu does!" She shouted as she quickened her pace once again and disappeared into the trees.
"Fuck me...." The Goldmonger moaned.
877/13,868/13,500
"Oi!" Kazu banged on the wooden door. "You there old man?!"
"Y-y...you think he went s-s-s-somewhere...."
"Just give 'em a minute, eh Ichiro?!" The pompadour delinquent barked. "Oi! Geezer! It's Kazu! Get the fuck out here, yeah?!" His fist slammed into the door harder and louder with every word. But only silence was received in return.
....
"Gee, great plan, boss." Koji sneered, "Old fart probably croaked."
"Shut it Koji. Oi! Will you hurry the fuck u...!!"
The door swung open, revealing a wrinkled little man sporting a large, caterpillar-like mustache.
"Oh..........Kazu........." His words were slow and soft as he hung onto every word. "It's........you......."
"Finally!" The delinquent and his gang brushed passed the man and into the home.
"Come.........on....................in........................"
The door swung shut behind the geezer as he shuffled in his pink slippers across the room at a snail's pace.
"So..........its.........that..................time........................again........"
"Oh my fucking god," Koji mumbled at the sloth-like man's inflection. "This is ridiculous."
"Gramps, we are gonna need a lift."
"Oh.................well...............that's....................fine..........."
Shuffling across the floor the Wharf rats watched, and waited, as the old man made his way to a door in the back of the shack.
"Seriously....?" Koji grumbled, "There's no better way to do this...?"
"Not unless you wanna climb the side of Mole Hill yourself? No? That's what I thought, so just shut yer trap, eh?"
Kazu glanced over at Ichiro who was happily warming himself by the fire. "Kishishishi... I'll pass on being outside. I hate it up here."
"Oi! Sho! Keep yer mitts to yourself, huh? This ain't our stuff to touch."
The little grandpa finally made it to the door, swinging it open with enough force to rock the knick-knacks on the wall, and with it a gust of dry hot air filled the room. "This.............way.............."
The door opened up to a vast labyrinth of caves that seemed to stretch endlessly.
"Kishishishishi! It's so warm!" Ichiro shouted gleefully.
"Wow...." A rare expression of anything other than sarcasm slipped out of Koji's mouth. Admiring the grandiose complexity of the tunnels.
"Pretty cool right?" Kazu smirked as came up behind the pair. "They run throughout the entire island, and Pops here is the only one who knows the way through em."
"This little geezer can remember all that?"
"Well...." Kazu paused, "You'll see." He snickered as the old man pulled out a large whistle from his robe. Something that he promptly blew into, the sharp pitch echoing endlessly throughout the labyrinth. Leaving the Wharf Rats with little to do aside from covering their ears to dull the sound.
This was followed by a brief moment of silence, a silence that was quickly shattered by a thunderous pitter-patter of four-legged galloping.
Out of the shadows, two large moles came to a squealing stop in front of the group. They were bigger than bears and wore hard hats on their heads.
"Woooooooaaaaahhhhh!!" Sho shouted, "I've never seen a Digger Mole before!"
"That's because not many are left." Kazu mumbled, "Those fucks over in Moletown hunted the hell out of em when they first got here. Good eatin, or so they say."
"Used to be this island was full of em, their the ones who dug out all this out after all."
The group climbed onto the backs of the Mole's, each one fitted with a saddle that allowed two riders to fit comfortably on each mole.
"Everything.........should..........be........ready.........to.........go........"
"Thanks old man!" The words echoed as the moles took off into the darkness, leaving only the lonely old man and his lantern.
"Be........careful......."
Northern most part of the Eastern Pines | Rubeck
"C'mon! Keep up!" Hina shouted as she jumped from rock to rock, avoiding the waters below as she crossed the river with ease.
"Holy shit..." Dax panted with his hands on his knees, his breath now visible due to the temperature change. "This bitch just doesn't stop..." Groaning as he did his best to keep pace with the young woman ahead of him.
The further north they traveled and closer to the mountains they got, the colder it became. The rain turned to snow and the green trees were now capped with white.
Hina stopped for a moment and turned back to her gold clad partner. "You know, you sure do complain a lot. Surprised the cold isn't bothering you too."
"Tch..." Dax snarled as the snow on the ground melted under every step. The Goldmonger using his powers to heat the gold he wore, maintaining not only his body temperature but also keeping his bare feet from submerging in the mounds of white.
"It aint the fuckin cold that's bothersome." He snapped back sarcastically.
"How much further we got to go?"
"See that?" Pointing out the Mole Hill looming in the distance. "Thats where we need to go."
"The fuck..?" Dax mumbled. "My ass sure as hell aint climbing all that bullshit."
"Hehehe. Don't worry, we wont be climbing the outside of it." She giggled, "We just gotta get to Gramp's house, that's all."
"Gramps..?"
"Dont worry, you'll see! Try and keep up wont ya? We gotta get there before Kazu does!" She shouted as she quickened her pace once again and disappeared into the trees.
"Fuck me...." The Goldmonger moaned.
877/13,868/13,500
- Maxwell
[tracker=/t139-richard-maxwell#516]
Name : Richard Maxwell
Epithet : Plague Rat
Age : 49
Height : 6'0" / 183 cm
Weight : 160 lbs. / 73 kg
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Supernova
Bounty : [ber=r] 243,000,000
Quality Score : S+
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -10%
Balance : [ber] 777,182,375
[[bookworm]][[firstaidkit]][[berryprinter]]
[[identitytheft]][[identitytheft]]
Posts : 281
Re: [Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Fri Aug 18, 2023 9:29 amDarkness swallowed the startled rat. ...Or tried to chew him up something fierce, at least. Slimy teeth gnashed far too close to his head. Robbed of light, he pushed against the mighty jaws and tried to desperately ignore the fear rising like bile up his throat. If the mere maw was this massive, he didn’t even want to think about how huge the beast itself had to be... Well, he did still think about it, but against his will.
With desperate strength, the criminal managed to lodge his legs against the roof of the mouth. No suitcase... Must’ve dropped it... His hands desperately fumbled through his pockets. Clothing rustled, glass chimed and his heart hammered. Bottles, poultices, vials... Why was it that you could never find what you were looking for whilst in a terrible hurry? Under any other circumstances, it would’ve made for a fascinating rese-
A knife!
Richard resisted the odd urge to hold the implement triumphantly above his head. He brought it down violently onto the fleshy pillow beneath him. The entire maw lurched mid-bite. A bestial howl of pain erupted from the depths of the pitch-black throat.
Approximately half a second later, the sharp-dressed ball of spit was ejected into the cave wall. Shaking his head, he scrambled to find his legs. One was stuck behind his head and the other was trying a solo career in yoga. He yanked himself upright -cursed as he probably sprained something- and brandished the blade against the beast with false bravado. In truth though, he was not at all ready to fight this fearsome...
...Llama?
The furry creature staring back turned out to be, well, still rather tall at nine feet or so, but certainly not the building-sized monster he expected. And a little more clothed too. Once the surprise wore off, the details started to register. A closer look revealed a pair of dark boots, ripped jeans and a positively garish, pink shirt. It was hanging open to show off the goods, of course. The wild, blonde pompadour was a strange clash against the otherwise gray fur. Numerous other fashion statements decorated the animal man’s body. Something about him seemed vaguely familiar...
Blood dripped like drool, as the Mink glared at the human. “Fffuck, man! You ftabbed my ftongh!” His long tongue lolled, as he tried and failed to assess the damage. “You’re an affhoe!” He spat indignantly, before reeling the injured tongue back into his mouth. Didn’t seem to slow him down all that much, actually.
Richard snapped back to reality, trying to find some words, any words really. “Uh, well, y-you tried to eat me. It was self-defense, see.” ...Wait, why was he getting sheepish over here? He had almost gotten eaten! And why did something about that Mink tug at a distant memory?
Before the puzzled doctor could voice his thoughts, the skittish Mink lifted his hooves in some vague approximation of a karate stance. “Back off, man! I bite!” All he managed in response was dry snark. “So I’ve noticed.” Stupid mouth, always working faster than his brain...
However, the llama man seemed too wrapped up in his anxiety to notice. “I knew you’d come for me. I’m warning you, I ain’t ‘fraid to kill a man.” He chopped the air and clicked his teeth for a good measure. “Who sent you? Loha? Firebear’d? Or are you a government schmuck? Fuck, I knew Cipher Poll assholes would come for me... Game over, man, game over...” He rattled off in some sort of delirium.
The doctor swept his gaze around. Numerous bite marks lined the cave walls, including the moss and the glowing mushrooms. What a peculiar jaw shape on this fellow, distinctly inhuman... Though more importantly... “Have... Have you been eating these mushrooms?” He asked pensively. If he wasn’t entirely mistaken, some of these were mildly toxic. Induced varying degrees of delirium and paranoia. The locals used them for... recreational purposes.
Perhaps that was the reason for the stranger’s state. “Fuck off, dude. It’s a free island. I get hungry when I’m nervous.” Or maybe he had some absurd drug tolerance and was just an inherently paranoid mess. You could never quite tell with these types.
“Not... even remotely my point, but I digress.”
Hold on...
That last line set off a line of dominoes inside the involuntary detective’s mind. ‘I bite... I ain’t ‘fraid to kill a man... I get hungry when I’m nervous...’ Those words swirled around his skull like ink sloshing in its bottle. The splatters painted patterns that started to look a little too familiar. Slowly, silently, his hand slipped between the lapels of his coat, reaching for his holster...
---
Meanwhile, back at the entrance to the underground labyrinth, Bob the temporary rat-sitter was not having a good day. He held a tiny snail upon a trembling palm, awkwardly reciting the story so far. “...and then he just, uh, ran off.” He swallowed nervously.
The snail smiled sweetly, relaying a venomously sultry voice. “Oh, I’m sorry, darling... The line is pretty bad. It almost sounded like you said that you let Richie get away~” Its half-lidded gaze narrowed expectantly, letting silence fill the line.
“...”
After what felt like a chilling eternity, the snail let out a breath sigh, sans the smoke. “...Right. Listen, since you’ve been a loyal, little puppy all these years, I’ll give you a chance.” The sweetness vanished from the voice, leaving only the venom. “You get one hour to un-fuck this situation, before I make you into an example. Do I make myself clear?” A rhetorical question.
Bob gulped down his fears, but they just kept bubbling. “Y-yes.” His answer was met with a squint. “Yes, what?” The voice demanded irritably. “Yes, Queen.” Click.
After the call ended, the bulbous man snuck the snail back into his pocket ever so carefully, like one wrong would set it off again. His eyes reluctantly focused on the maze ahead of him. With a deep breath, he briefly pictured what he would do that rat once he got his hands on him... Better start with the legs... Couldn’t run away with no legs. He licked his lips and marched into the darkness.
Words: 1023
Total: 12 050 / 13 500
With desperate strength, the criminal managed to lodge his legs against the roof of the mouth. No suitcase... Must’ve dropped it... His hands desperately fumbled through his pockets. Clothing rustled, glass chimed and his heart hammered. Bottles, poultices, vials... Why was it that you could never find what you were looking for whilst in a terrible hurry? Under any other circumstances, it would’ve made for a fascinating rese-
A knife!
Richard resisted the odd urge to hold the implement triumphantly above his head. He brought it down violently onto the fleshy pillow beneath him. The entire maw lurched mid-bite. A bestial howl of pain erupted from the depths of the pitch-black throat.
Approximately half a second later, the sharp-dressed ball of spit was ejected into the cave wall. Shaking his head, he scrambled to find his legs. One was stuck behind his head and the other was trying a solo career in yoga. He yanked himself upright -cursed as he probably sprained something- and brandished the blade against the beast with false bravado. In truth though, he was not at all ready to fight this fearsome...
...Llama?
The furry creature staring back turned out to be, well, still rather tall at nine feet or so, but certainly not the building-sized monster he expected. And a little more clothed too. Once the surprise wore off, the details started to register. A closer look revealed a pair of dark boots, ripped jeans and a positively garish, pink shirt. It was hanging open to show off the goods, of course. The wild, blonde pompadour was a strange clash against the otherwise gray fur. Numerous other fashion statements decorated the animal man’s body. Something about him seemed vaguely familiar...
Blood dripped like drool, as the Mink glared at the human. “Fffuck, man! You ftabbed my ftongh!” His long tongue lolled, as he tried and failed to assess the damage. “You’re an affhoe!” He spat indignantly, before reeling the injured tongue back into his mouth. Didn’t seem to slow him down all that much, actually.
Richard snapped back to reality, trying to find some words, any words really. “Uh, well, y-you tried to eat me. It was self-defense, see.” ...Wait, why was he getting sheepish over here? He had almost gotten eaten! And why did something about that Mink tug at a distant memory?
Before the puzzled doctor could voice his thoughts, the skittish Mink lifted his hooves in some vague approximation of a karate stance. “Back off, man! I bite!” All he managed in response was dry snark. “So I’ve noticed.” Stupid mouth, always working faster than his brain...
However, the llama man seemed too wrapped up in his anxiety to notice. “I knew you’d come for me. I’m warning you, I ain’t ‘fraid to kill a man.” He chopped the air and clicked his teeth for a good measure. “Who sent you? Loha? Firebear’d? Or are you a government schmuck? Fuck, I knew Cipher Poll assholes would come for me... Game over, man, game over...” He rattled off in some sort of delirium.
The doctor swept his gaze around. Numerous bite marks lined the cave walls, including the moss and the glowing mushrooms. What a peculiar jaw shape on this fellow, distinctly inhuman... Though more importantly... “Have... Have you been eating these mushrooms?” He asked pensively. If he wasn’t entirely mistaken, some of these were mildly toxic. Induced varying degrees of delirium and paranoia. The locals used them for... recreational purposes.
Perhaps that was the reason for the stranger’s state. “Fuck off, dude. It’s a free island. I get hungry when I’m nervous.” Or maybe he had some absurd drug tolerance and was just an inherently paranoid mess. You could never quite tell with these types.
“Not... even remotely my point, but I digress.”
Hold on...
That last line set off a line of dominoes inside the involuntary detective’s mind. ‘I bite... I ain’t ‘fraid to kill a man... I get hungry when I’m nervous...’ Those words swirled around his skull like ink sloshing in its bottle. The splatters painted patterns that started to look a little too familiar. Slowly, silently, his hand slipped between the lapels of his coat, reaching for his holster...
---
Meanwhile, back at the entrance to the underground labyrinth, Bob the temporary rat-sitter was not having a good day. He held a tiny snail upon a trembling palm, awkwardly reciting the story so far. “...and then he just, uh, ran off.” He swallowed nervously.
The snail smiled sweetly, relaying a venomously sultry voice. “Oh, I’m sorry, darling... The line is pretty bad. It almost sounded like you said that you let Richie get away~” Its half-lidded gaze narrowed expectantly, letting silence fill the line.
“...”
After what felt like a chilling eternity, the snail let out a breath sigh, sans the smoke. “...Right. Listen, since you’ve been a loyal, little puppy all these years, I’ll give you a chance.” The sweetness vanished from the voice, leaving only the venom. “You get one hour to un-fuck this situation, before I make you into an example. Do I make myself clear?” A rhetorical question.
Bob gulped down his fears, but they just kept bubbling. “Y-yes.” His answer was met with a squint. “Yes, what?” The voice demanded irritably. “Yes, Queen.” Click.
After the call ended, the bulbous man snuck the snail back into his pocket ever so carefully, like one wrong would set it off again. His eyes reluctantly focused on the maze ahead of him. With a deep breath, he briefly pictured what he would do that rat once he got his hands on him... Better start with the legs... Couldn’t run away with no legs. He licked his lips and marched into the darkness.
Words: 1023
Total: 12 050 / 13 500
________________________________________________________
Wanted Dead or Alive: Richard 'Plague Rat' Maxwell
- Goldmonger
[tracker=/t1979-dax-morgan#10865]
Name : Dax Morgan
Epithet : Goldmonger
Age : 25
Height : 6'5"
Weight : 250
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Shichibukai (Future)
Crew : Gold | Works
Ship : Cleopatra
Devil Fruit : Goru Goru no Mi
Bounty : [ber=r] 27,900,000
Quality Score : S
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -25%
Balance : [ber] 57,500,000
[[hardboiled]][[berryprinter]]
[[ancientzoan]]x2[[logia]][[firstaidkit]]
Posts : 194
Re: [Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Tue Sep 19, 2023 3:42 pm Night before the Assault | Eastern Pines | Rubeck
The once torrential rains had gone, replaced by a salty fog that seemed to cling to the island with all its might. It rolled across the rocky coasts and into the dense branches of pine that covered the treacherous landscape of Rubeck.
"God damn.." Dax mumbled, "I can barely see wha-....!"
"FUCK...!" Clutching his head, he heated the gold on his hand to a glowing red, illuminating the tree that had just assaulted. "This place can suck a fuckin dick man..."
He glanced around the sea of white around him, "Oi...." He shouted, "Girl, where ya at...?" He paused for a response.
"YO..!...Ya there...?!"
Once again, the only response he received was the sound of rain falling from the trees.
"Well, shit..."
Foggy Boggy | Rubeck
"This shit eatin' fogs getting even thicker.." Momoiro muttered as his feet splashed in the puddles.
"Kawkawkaw.. still spooked eh..?" Karasu cackled.
"I'm telling ya, there plenty of reasons to be scared of this shitty place-..." A chorus of piercing howls echoed through the bog, causing him to trail off.
"See ya shit!? That right there, fuckin Sea Wolves..."
"Kawkawkaw! Scared of a few overgrown mutts?!"
"Overgrown mutts?! These ain't just any kind of shitty mongrel, eh?!" Momoiro snapped back.
"Do you two ever shut up." Okuma barked, "Sea Wolves stay to the coasts and edge of The Pines. Everyone knows that."
"Kawkawkaw! Scared for nothin, as usual. Kawkawkaw!"
"... The Gar though...." Okuma mumbled before Momoiro could respond. "Jaws like lions and invasive as hell..."
"One or two ain't so bad... But around here..? They are everywhere." By his tone, you thought he was telling a campfire horror.
A collective gulp could be heard as Karasu and Momoiro's eyes locked onto the murky waters that surrounded them.
"Now then, less yapping more walking."
Mole Tunnels | Inside of Mole Hill
The pitter-patter of the Giant Digger Mole's feet echoed through the vast labyrinth as it raced through the darkness, with only a tiny headlamp lighting the way.
"Woooooooooo!" Shohei shouted as he sat towards the front of the saddle. "This is so cool!!"
"So you two have had access to this the entire time, and never thought once to tell us...?"
"C'mon Koji.. It ain't like that." Chino pleaded, "We just had to keep it under wraps, ya dig? Couldn't let word get out this is how we get all over the island all secret-like."
"Right. Sure." Koji responded coldly, preferring to stare at the dancing shadows on the blurred wall as they rushed passed.
"Leave him." Kazu barked, "We got more important things to worry about than his moody ass."
"This is it boys... We get him on board and there ain't no way we can lose to those Moletown cucks."
"Oh yeah..! Last leg of the race! Kishishishishi!" Ichiro chirped.
"Hehe! I can't help but get all excited, this time tomorrow, we are finally gonna be free!" Chino smiled, "Been a long time comin! Jajajajajaja!"
WC 504/14,372/13,500
The once torrential rains had gone, replaced by a salty fog that seemed to cling to the island with all its might. It rolled across the rocky coasts and into the dense branches of pine that covered the treacherous landscape of Rubeck.
"God damn.." Dax mumbled, "I can barely see wha-....!"
"FUCK...!" Clutching his head, he heated the gold on his hand to a glowing red, illuminating the tree that had just assaulted. "This place can suck a fuckin dick man..."
He glanced around the sea of white around him, "Oi...." He shouted, "Girl, where ya at...?" He paused for a response.
"YO..!...Ya there...?!"
Once again, the only response he received was the sound of rain falling from the trees.
"Well, shit..."
Foggy Boggy | Rubeck
"This shit eatin' fogs getting even thicker.." Momoiro muttered as his feet splashed in the puddles.
"Kawkawkaw.. still spooked eh..?" Karasu cackled.
"I'm telling ya, there plenty of reasons to be scared of this shitty place-..." A chorus of piercing howls echoed through the bog, causing him to trail off.
"See ya shit!? That right there, fuckin Sea Wolves..."
"Kawkawkaw! Scared of a few overgrown mutts?!"
"Overgrown mutts?! These ain't just any kind of shitty mongrel, eh?!" Momoiro snapped back.
"Do you two ever shut up." Okuma barked, "Sea Wolves stay to the coasts and edge of The Pines. Everyone knows that."
"Kawkawkaw! Scared for nothin, as usual. Kawkawkaw!"
"... The Gar though...." Okuma mumbled before Momoiro could respond. "Jaws like lions and invasive as hell..."
"One or two ain't so bad... But around here..? They are everywhere." By his tone, you thought he was telling a campfire horror.
A collective gulp could be heard as Karasu and Momoiro's eyes locked onto the murky waters that surrounded them.
"Now then, less yapping more walking."
Mole Tunnels | Inside of Mole Hill
The pitter-patter of the Giant Digger Mole's feet echoed through the vast labyrinth as it raced through the darkness, with only a tiny headlamp lighting the way.
"Woooooooooo!" Shohei shouted as he sat towards the front of the saddle. "This is so cool!!"
"So you two have had access to this the entire time, and never thought once to tell us...?"
"C'mon Koji.. It ain't like that." Chino pleaded, "We just had to keep it under wraps, ya dig? Couldn't let word get out this is how we get all over the island all secret-like."
"Right. Sure." Koji responded coldly, preferring to stare at the dancing shadows on the blurred wall as they rushed passed.
"Leave him." Kazu barked, "We got more important things to worry about than his moody ass."
"This is it boys... We get him on board and there ain't no way we can lose to those Moletown cucks."
"Oh yeah..! Last leg of the race! Kishishishishi!" Ichiro chirped.
"Hehe! I can't help but get all excited, this time tomorrow, we are finally gonna be free!" Chino smiled, "Been a long time comin! Jajajajajaja!"
WC 504/14,372/13,500
- Maxwell
[tracker=/t139-richard-maxwell#516]
Name : Richard Maxwell
Epithet : Plague Rat
Age : 49
Height : 6'0" / 183 cm
Weight : 160 lbs. / 73 kg
Species : Human
Faction : Pirate
World Position : Supernova
Bounty : [ber=r] 243,000,000
Quality Score : S+
Income Bonus : +0.20 (to all allies)
Shop Discount : -10%
Balance : [ber] 777,182,375
[[bookworm]][[firstaidkit]][[berryprinter]]
[[identitytheft]][[identitytheft]]
Posts : 281
Re: [Arc] [Rubeck Island Conquest][Part 2] Last Tango in Rubeck
Sun Sep 24, 2023 1:16 pmParanoia was a poison worse than any other. Seeping into your mind, it corrupted your thoughts and rotted your reason. It had a habit of hampering judgment and slowing down every action by a crucial fraction of a second. In the worst cases, it blinded you to everything around you. Or right behind you...
With slow, shaky steps, Richard backed away, until a wall bumped against his back. His constricted pupils focused like crosshairs on the llama man in front of him. Gunmetal gleamed in his grasp. He leveled the shaky barrel... And felt a massive hand grip his shoulder.
...This wasn’t a wall.
Heavy breathing bore down on the rat in warm waves. It stank foul. Drool dripped like thin rain. His arm moved before his mind. ...Only to be intercepted by another meaty hand grasping his wrist. A gunshot pinged against the cave ceiling.
Bob did not appreciate almost getting shot. Not one bit. His beady eyes measured the sharp-dressed traitor. “Hey, you’re right-handed, right...?” He didn’t even wait for an answer, before squeezing the wrist. Hard. Bone cracked and the rat squealed. There, now he had one less thing to worry about. And folks said his slow demeanor made him shit at problem-solving. No, sir.
Next, the hungry glare found the furry creature. Compared to the towering bartender, the tall llama might as well have been a regular-sized llama. The two stared at each other with clear distrust. It was a powder keg waiting for a spark.
The hungry enforcer hoisted the rat up by the broken arm. Looking at the dangling legs, he licked lips. A little lanky for his tastes... He liked some meat on the bones... But this would do. His jaw stretched. There was a sickening crunch. Blood dripped like barbeque sauce.
Richard’s scream got stuck in his throat. Only wheezed air managed to slip past. The pain was like a needle, injecting adrenaline into his skull. He didn’t need a medical degree to recognize the sensation of a horrifyingly botched amputation. His right leg was missing a lot below the knee, including parts of a major artery. The crimson sauce kept flowing...
Everything had happened so fast that even the motormouth Mink caught up only now. He retched in horror. “Yooo...! What the fuck, man?!” Green coloration painted his features. Swallowing the bile rising up his throat, he aimed an accusing finger at the monster. “The fuck is wrong with you?! You with the Queen?!” Despite putting up a brave front, he was slowly inching backwards.
Bob really didn’t have patience for this nonsense. He wiped his mouth and shrugged. “Yeahhh, it’s a long story...” Much to his surprise, however, the claim was shot down immediately.
The llama mink was a number of things. Nervous, paranoid, high as a kite... But he wasn’t stupid. He could put the two and two together. “It really ain’t! You work for the Queen and you’re fucking crazy. End of story.” His mouth expanded to an impossible size and took a massive bite out of the cavern wall, stone and mushrooms alike.
Somewhere in the depths of the pain cocktail that was Richard’s mind, the pieces of the puzzle rearranged. He stared at the enormous bite mark with glassy eyes. Elongated jaw, long spaces between the teeth... It was a peculiar, animalistic shape. Memories of the consumed corpse flashed before his eyes. The ink splatters from earlier took new meanings.
Then it hit him.
Slowly, the doctor craned his head downwards, just enough to assess the stump. Bite marks... Distinctly human bite marks... The cold caress of blood loss was nothing next to the icy realization trailing down his spine.
“...It was you.”
Suddenly, the mink snorted like he was hawking up a loogie and... Spat a wad of wet debris. It struck the boulder of a bartender right in the face. However, he didn’t even stagger. Instead, there was a series of chomps and soon the whole clump vanished down his throat. ...Exactly as planned.
Wearing a wicked grin, the llama pumped his fist. “Fuckin’ knew it! I knew you’d eat it! You’re a nervous eater, just like me!” The declaration received a puzzled stare. “And...?” It only served to fuel the victorious fervor. “And I hope you packed your bags, buddy... ‘Cuz you’re going on a T~R~I~P...”
Bob wasn’t sure why that last word had such a weird echo. Or why his legs were trying to go their separate ways. All he knew was that the cavern walls looked nice in all those pretty colors. Even the gun barrel poking between his eyes looked beautiful in its rainbow glory.
Then, a single gunshot painted everything black.
Richard dropped to the ground and collapsed. His heart was hammering a million beats a second. The smoking gun clattered free from his left hand, as he feverishly rummaged through his pockets. A green vial was injected into his hide. Soothing sensations seeped through his battered body. All he had to do was breathe and not get killed in the next couple of...
A distinctly llama shaped shadow stopped over the downed crook. He was chewing up debris like bubblegum. “So... You wanna explain what the hell is going on, dude? Cuz I’m freaking the fuck out!” ...Well, at least the two strangers finally had something in common.
Words: 893
Total: 12 943 / 13 500
With slow, shaky steps, Richard backed away, until a wall bumped against his back. His constricted pupils focused like crosshairs on the llama man in front of him. Gunmetal gleamed in his grasp. He leveled the shaky barrel... And felt a massive hand grip his shoulder.
...This wasn’t a wall.
Heavy breathing bore down on the rat in warm waves. It stank foul. Drool dripped like thin rain. His arm moved before his mind. ...Only to be intercepted by another meaty hand grasping his wrist. A gunshot pinged against the cave ceiling.
Bob did not appreciate almost getting shot. Not one bit. His beady eyes measured the sharp-dressed traitor. “Hey, you’re right-handed, right...?” He didn’t even wait for an answer, before squeezing the wrist. Hard. Bone cracked and the rat squealed. There, now he had one less thing to worry about. And folks said his slow demeanor made him shit at problem-solving. No, sir.
Next, the hungry glare found the furry creature. Compared to the towering bartender, the tall llama might as well have been a regular-sized llama. The two stared at each other with clear distrust. It was a powder keg waiting for a spark.
The hungry enforcer hoisted the rat up by the broken arm. Looking at the dangling legs, he licked lips. A little lanky for his tastes... He liked some meat on the bones... But this would do. His jaw stretched. There was a sickening crunch. Blood dripped like barbeque sauce.
Richard’s scream got stuck in his throat. Only wheezed air managed to slip past. The pain was like a needle, injecting adrenaline into his skull. He didn’t need a medical degree to recognize the sensation of a horrifyingly botched amputation. His right leg was missing a lot below the knee, including parts of a major artery. The crimson sauce kept flowing...
Everything had happened so fast that even the motormouth Mink caught up only now. He retched in horror. “Yooo...! What the fuck, man?!” Green coloration painted his features. Swallowing the bile rising up his throat, he aimed an accusing finger at the monster. “The fuck is wrong with you?! You with the Queen?!” Despite putting up a brave front, he was slowly inching backwards.
Bob really didn’t have patience for this nonsense. He wiped his mouth and shrugged. “Yeahhh, it’s a long story...” Much to his surprise, however, the claim was shot down immediately.
The llama mink was a number of things. Nervous, paranoid, high as a kite... But he wasn’t stupid. He could put the two and two together. “It really ain’t! You work for the Queen and you’re fucking crazy. End of story.” His mouth expanded to an impossible size and took a massive bite out of the cavern wall, stone and mushrooms alike.
Somewhere in the depths of the pain cocktail that was Richard’s mind, the pieces of the puzzle rearranged. He stared at the enormous bite mark with glassy eyes. Elongated jaw, long spaces between the teeth... It was a peculiar, animalistic shape. Memories of the consumed corpse flashed before his eyes. The ink splatters from earlier took new meanings.
Then it hit him.
Slowly, the doctor craned his head downwards, just enough to assess the stump. Bite marks... Distinctly human bite marks... The cold caress of blood loss was nothing next to the icy realization trailing down his spine.
“...It was you.”
Suddenly, the mink snorted like he was hawking up a loogie and... Spat a wad of wet debris. It struck the boulder of a bartender right in the face. However, he didn’t even stagger. Instead, there was a series of chomps and soon the whole clump vanished down his throat. ...Exactly as planned.
Wearing a wicked grin, the llama pumped his fist. “Fuckin’ knew it! I knew you’d eat it! You’re a nervous eater, just like me!” The declaration received a puzzled stare. “And...?” It only served to fuel the victorious fervor. “And I hope you packed your bags, buddy... ‘Cuz you’re going on a T~R~I~P...”
Bob wasn’t sure why that last word had such a weird echo. Or why his legs were trying to go their separate ways. All he knew was that the cavern walls looked nice in all those pretty colors. Even the gun barrel poking between his eyes looked beautiful in its rainbow glory.
Then, a single gunshot painted everything black.
Richard dropped to the ground and collapsed. His heart was hammering a million beats a second. The smoking gun clattered free from his left hand, as he feverishly rummaged through his pockets. A green vial was injected into his hide. Soothing sensations seeped through his battered body. All he had to do was breathe and not get killed in the next couple of...
A distinctly llama shaped shadow stopped over the downed crook. He was chewing up debris like bubblegum. “So... You wanna explain what the hell is going on, dude? Cuz I’m freaking the fuck out!” ...Well, at least the two strangers finally had something in common.
Words: 893
Total: 12 943 / 13 500
________________________________________________________
Wanted Dead or Alive: Richard 'Plague Rat' Maxwell
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