One Piece 1. Birth of the Skull Pirate

_**Wealth, Fame, Power. The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, Gold Roger. The final words said at his execution sent many Pirates to the seas. **_

_**"My wealth and treasures? Very well, I'll let you have them, but you'll have to find them first. I left it all at the Grand Line!"**_

_**Now Men, chasing their dreams, set sail for the Grand Line. This world now enters the Grand Age of Pirates!**_

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_**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**_

_**Chapter 1: Birth of the Skull Pirate! Escape from the Marine Fort!**_

Cherry Island. A tiny, miniscule island in West Blue. On it is a relatively small Marine Base. The entire island is quite unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Not many Pirates go there, not because they fear the Marines but because, as previously said, there is nothing there of interest.

However, one Pirate accidentally found himself brought to Cherry Island by a fateful breeze. He was promptly captured, and is currently being escorted to a cell in the Marine Base. Let's turn to him, shall we?

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"Keep hold of him, dammit!"

"I'm trying, but he's like an eel!"

"Lemme go, you damn Marines! I didn't do anything!"

"Shut up Pirate, and get in there with the cross-dresser!"

One of the marines stepped forward and brought out the keys to the cell, leaving his comrade to restrain the struggling pirate. Opening the door, the marine stepped back as his friend attempted to shove the criminal through the door. As a last ditch effort, the pirate put out his arms and legs against the door-jam.

This proved to be futile, however, as the marine slammed his club into the back of the pirate's head, the impact slamming him through the door. Hitting the ground hard, he put his hand to the back of his head, wincing as it throbbed. _"Gonna feel that in the morning...if I'm not dead by sun-down." _

"You two!" He lifted his head and blinked. Standing at the back of the cell as a uniformed marine, dressed in the colours of an officer. "I, Vice-Admiral Garp, demand you let me out of here!"

Rather than saluting however, one of the marines simply snarled, "Shut up, you damn Cross-Dresser! You won't be acting so smug once you're at the gallows tomorrow!"

The marine slammed the door, and the sound of the key turning in the lock was heard, then footsteps walking away. Getting to his knees, the pirate looked up at the marine officer, who was looking at him cooly. "So, I guess you're not this Garp guy?"

His cellmate shrugged. "I suppose there's no point in maintaining this disguise if even a person like you can see through it." Lifting his foot, he turned around in a quick circle. During this moment, the pirate blinked. By the time his eye-lids had made the full circuit, his cellmate was no longer a marine officer, but instead a tall neat-looking man in a smart three-piece purple suit, fair contrasting with his ragged clothes. His slicked back hair and neatly trimmed mustache were both the same colour of black.

The pirate said the first thing that came to his mouth. "So, I guess you're the Cross-Dresser?" Surprisingly, the man did not lose his composure. He simply tweaked his moustache slightly. "Indeed, I am. Although I don't really see how having some class makes one a Cross-Dresser. To each his own, I suppose." The pirate chuckled. "I guess. My name's Jack Bones. Good to meet ya." He extended his hand.

The suited man took his hand and shook it. "Bones...a fine name for a pirate. Gerald Riviera. So, what are you in for?" Jack shrugged. "For being a pirate. What did you expect?" Gerald returned the shrug. "Something a bit more interesting, I suppose. As for me, something about impersonating a Marine Officer. In my defense, I did not know this was a crime."

Jack snickered. "You're a funny guy, Gerald. Nice to have ya as my cell mate." Gerald smiled weakly. "I also could have envisoned worse partners. Though our meeting is somewhat bitter-sweet, as we'll both be sharing the gallows tomorrow. Unless you have a plan to break out of here, that is."

Jack smiled. "As a matter of fact, I do." He then shoved his hand down the back of his pants. Gerald blinked as Jack moved his hand around with an intense look of concentration on his face. His eyes then lit up. "Ah, there it is!" He then pulled his hand back, and with it came a small fruit that fit into his palm easily. It was relatively un-remarkable, it's colour being a dusty white. However, Gerald's eyes lit up at the sight of it. "Is that a..."

Jack grinned widely. "I see you're no dummy, Gerald. You're right. What I'm holding here is a fruit harvested by the Sea Devil in his un-earthly garden: a Devil's Fruit. I fished it out of the sea, and I've been saving it for a special occasion." Gerald nodded. "I see. You intend to eat this fruit, and then grant whatever ability it grants you to break us out of this cell. And then what?"

The ragged pirate shrugged. "I can't think too far ahead right now thanks to that lump the marine gave me. Now, I suppose you might say it's pretty stupid to eat this without any idea what it might do to me..."

"Actually, it's my opinion that if you're brave enough to eat that fruit after it's been down your pants, any other side-effects are not really your concern." Jack grinned. "Alright then; past the teeth, and through the gums, look out stomach, cause here it comes!" With that, Jack popped the fruit into his mouth, and gulped it down in one swallow. The fruit was visible as a bulge in his throat for a moment, before it dropped into his stomach.

Jack stood there for a moment, then frowned. "I guess it was just a rumor after all. Man, what a-" His eyes then suddenly bulged. Gerald gasped as his new friend dropped to the floor.

"Jack! Jack, what's wrong!?"

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Groaning, Jack swam back into consciousness. _"Aw geez...the stories about these things never mentioned the horrid taste. It feels like I just ate a pile of bones raw..." _Slowly, he eased himself up. Vaguely, he felt that the lump the marine had given him had disappeared. _"At least that's one bonus." _

He got to his feet. Looking over at Gerald, he blinked as he saw his cellmate staring at him in shock. "What's wrong, Gerald? Is my face green or something?" Slowly the suited man shook his head. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a small pocket mirror and handed it to him. "Is it that bad?"

He flipped the mirror open. For a few moments, he thought this was some sort of trick mirror that showed you a Jolly Roger flag. Then his mind clicked, and he realized he was looking at his own face. Jack's face had been changed into a skull. All of the skin there had disappeared, leaving white bone in it's place. His eyes had been reduced to sockets, his red eyes peering out of them. His nose had not been spared from this. Sniffing, he was relieved slightly as air was still drawn in. Thankfully his teeth were still intact. Reaching down, he pulled up his pant leg. Bone. He did the same with his shirt arm. Bone. He pulled up his shirt. An open rib-cage and spine.

He suddenly heard snickering. Jack looked up and glared at Gerald. "And just what is so funny!?" Gerald wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, nothing. At first I was shocked, but then I realized that you're the spitting image of a Jolly Roger flag! A perfect appearance for a pirate!" Jack was not amused. "I'm happy you can laugh at my misfortune, but just how is this supposed to be of use to anyone!?"

Gerald coughed. "Very well; I'll explain. You see, there are three types of Devil's Fruit. The one you've eaten is most likely a Paramecia type. Those are the most common, and allow the user to manipulate their body in some way. They also usually have the side effect of changing a person's body permanently. Since this Devil's Fruit turned you into a walking skeleton, I think we should call it the **Doku Doku no Mi**. And you were right. This power will allow us to escape from this place."

"Oh yeah? How?" Jack asked sceptically. Gerald pointed to the corner. "Go ly down there with your head down. I'll handle the rest."

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"HELP! HELP! COME QUICKLY!"

Gerald's yells sent the marines running to the cell. Jamming the key in the lock, they opened the cell door. "What happened, Cross-Dresser?" His hand visibly shaking, he pointed to Jack lying in the corner. "My cell mate; he just suddenly fell apart into a skeleton!" The other marine staying near the door, the first cautiously approached. Kneeling next to the skeleton pirate, he gasped. "What the hell happened to him..." Lifting up his chin, he nearly screamed as Jack's eyes lit up and he smiled. **"Hello there." **

The marine simply stood there, frozen in pure terror as Jack stood to his full height. Putting a finger on the marine's forehead, he pushed. The marine fell to the floor, already fainted. The other marine however, seemed to be made of tougher stuff. He drew his cutlass, holding it with hands that shook slightly. "Y-you're not going anywhere, monster!"

"Actually, we are." Gerald neatly chopped the marine in the back of his neck, sending him to the floor to join his comrade. Gerald smiled and nodded to Jack. "An excellent performance, Jack. Now then, shall we be off?"

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_"Attention all Marines: Two pirates have escaped from their cell! Pursue and recapture them immediately!" _

"Heh, pretty quick on the draw for marines, huh?" Jack asked.

"Indeed, and it certainly doesn't help that we don't know heads or tails of this place." Gerald replied.

At the end of the corridor ahead, a crowd of marines suddenly turned the corner and began running towards them. "Crap, this way!" The two turned around a corner to their left. Behind them the marines continued pursuit. "That way leads to the gallows! It's a dead end, so we've got them now!"

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Jack and Gerald ran out of the open doorway. Both of them skidded out as they saw ahead of them was a wide sandy yard. In the center was the gallows, a platform with several hanging ropes, and trapdoors that were operated by a lever. Surrounding the field was a high fence. Gerald gulped. "Rather ominous, don't you think?"

"I'd say we'd better get out of here if we don't want to see it up close!" They both turned to see a crowd of marines blocking the doorway back into the building. "We've got you now, pirates! Give yourselves up!" Gerald turned to Jack. "I'd say it's a good enough time to test out your Devil Fruit, isn't it?"

Jack nodded. "I've got a hunch about it, so let's test it out!" Grabbing hold of one of the bones in his ribcage, he tugged. It neatly seperated from his body immediately. Grinning his skeletal mouth, he pulled his arm back. **"Doku Doku no...Boomerang!" **Letting the bone fly, Jack smiled as it slammed into the marines, sending them all knocking to the ground. He then grabbed it as it came flying back, neatly popping it back into his ribcage.

Gerald nodded. "So, it lets you manipulate and control your bones. Interesting ability." Jack shrugged. "It made me look like this, so it better be useful!" Nodding to eachother, the two pirates ran forward over the fallen marines and back into the building.

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Jack and Gerald came out of another doorway. Shortly after this one was a long flight of stairs, leading down to a harbor. Docked there were three ships. Jack grinned. "Bingo!" His companion frowned meanwhile, as he saw another group of marines running up the stairs at them. "Don't worry, I have this one." Kicking off his shoe, Gerald picked it up and shook it over the stairs. A flood of ball bearing poured out, scattering over the marine's feet, tripping them up and sending them rolling to the bottom. Jack grinned. "Hidden weapons; impressive." Gerald shrugged. "That's nothing compared to the things I have in other compartments."

The two ran down the stairs, stopping in front of the ships. Two were large war-ship types, but the one in the middle was a small, speedy looking cruiser. Jack nodded. "We'll take that one." All three of the ships were tethered to the dock to prevent them from floating away. Stooping, Gerald flicked his wrist, a knife instantly appearing there. He immediately began sawing away at the rope. "Keep an eye out for any marines, will you?" Jack nodded. "Got it." He turned to look at the stairs. "Oh."

"What, more marines?" Jack shook his head. "Nope, I think this guy's the boss." Standing at the top of the stairs was a young man dressed in the garb of an officer. He stood there, looking at them. "Sorry, but it's light's out, boss! **Doku Doku no Skull Boomerang!" **The officer stood there, impassively watching the projectile approach him. Then, swift as wind, he reached behind his back and brought out a Bo Staff. Spinning it around in an arc, he deflected the bone, sending it back into Jack's hands.

The officer shook his head. Stooping, he leaped into the air, neatly coming down a few yards from where Jack stood. He gave the pirate a look of contempt. "Did you really think that would work on me, pirate?" Jack shrugged. "It already worked on your underlings, as I'm sure you noticed."

"Maybe so, but I wonder if your tongue is the only real weapon you have. If you and your friend want to steal The Majestic, then you'll have to go through me, the Deputy Captain of Cherry Island's Marine Base: Ryoga Hitachi!" Reaching over, he cast off his marine uniform, revealing a yellow and black martial arts uniform underneath. Jabbing the pole into the cobblestones, he pointed at Jack. "I've never fought a person with the power of the Devil's Fruit before, but I'm confident enough in my skills. Are you?"

"Hah, you think you can take me on with a stick? Then come on!" Jack snarled, assuming a vague combat stance. Ryoga smirked. "Very well; prepare yourself!" Crouching, Ryoga tensed himself, then sprang forward. Easily ducking under Jack's sloppy punch, he slammed a chop into the skeleton's chest. Jack swung a cupped fist down towards the marine's head, but he simply dodged back and countered by slamming his staff into the side of Jack's head.

The skeletal pirate stumbled back, gasping. "Alright...two can play at that game!" He grasped hold of his left arm with his other. **"Skull Skull Club!" **As he pulled it out, the hand fused together into a hardened edge. Jabbing it forwards, Jack slammed it up against Ryoga's bo staff. "You know, I've always wondered; why do people become Pirates? Isn't honest life enough for you people?" The marine mused.

"Well, I can't say I'm the spokesman for the pirate population, but for me it's because it's the only job in the world that gives you any kind of freedom. If I was a marine, I'd be a bully. If I was a bounty hunter, I'd be a scavenger. If I was a common worker, I'd be bored. And be honest: fighting pirates is what you marines live for, isn't it?"

"Don't kind yourself! I joined the marines to protect the citizens from pirates like you!" Shoving Jack backward, Ryoga slammed his staff into the skeleton's arm-club. Jack grinned. "I'm not saying that's the only reason...but without us around, you wouldn't have learned how to fight like this."

"Shut up!" Shoving Jack backward again, Ryoga let loose with a dazzling array of punches and kicks, forcing Jack backwards. "I'm not letting a dirty pirate talk down to me!" Jack sighed. "Who said I was talking down to you? All I meant was that your fighting skills are your most defining characteristic, right?"

Ryoga smirked. "You're right about one thing, pirate; it is. And now I'll show you why!" Casting aside his bo staff, he pulled his fist back, his hand immediately bursting into flame. **"Ryoga Hitachi's Ultimate Technique; Ryu no Ken!" **He then drove his fist forward. Gerald gasped as it slammed into his friend's head dead-on. "Jack!"

Ryoga smiled victoriously. "As if I'd lose to a filthy pirate like you..." He then looked up and gasped. "What!?" Jack snickered. His skeletal head was now hovering above his neck. Ryoga's fist had gone straight through the space between. "Sorry Ryoga, but never underestimate Jack Bones!" Reaching up, he grabbed hold of his head with both hands. **"Doku Doku no...Hammerhead!" **

He the slammed his skull right into the deputy captain's head, sending him stumbling backward. "And now, the final blow!" Reconnecting his head, he shoved it into Ryoga's chest. **"Doku Doku no...Cannon Ball!" **Ryoga was sent bouncing back along the ground as Jack's head fired into his chest with the force of a cannon. Finally his head struck the ground. _"Jack Bones...I'll get you for this." _He then fell unconscious.

Jack reconnected his head and panted. Turning back to Gerald he nodded as he saw the rope had been cut through. The suited man looked vaguely concerned. "Are you all right? You took a few shots to the head." Jack shook his head. "I'm fine. Let's get in this ship and get out of here before _his _boss shows up."

"Sounds like a plan. What did he say this ship was called? The Majestic?" Jack shook his head. "That's not what we're calling it. From now on, this ship is called...the Flying Skull." Gerald shrugged. "Fine, I don't really care either way." Walking over to the side of the ship, the two climbed aboard. Adjusting the ropes, Gerald smiled as the sails unfurled, immediately catching the wind and moving out of the dock. "Well, we're off. Now what?" Jack shrugged. "Well, what's the nearest town?"

"Charity Town, I think." Jack nodded, pointing out across the ocean. "Alright then, set sail for Charity Town!" Gerald rolled his eyes. "Aye aye, captain."

"And what's that supposed to mean? You wanna walk the plank!?"

_To be continued..._

**Next time, Jack and Gerald reach Charity Town. Unfortunately, due to their actions on Cherry Island, a high bounty is issued for the two of them by Ryoga's superior. Soon the two find every bounty hunter in the town after their heads. Oddly enough, the biggest threat comes from the most harmless looking source.**

**Next chapter, "Five Million Bounty! Charity Town is a deathtrap!"**

**Attacks  
**

**Jack  
**

**Doku Doku no Boomerang: **Jack pulls off one of his arms, changes it into a boomerang shape, and then tosses it at a foe.

**Doku Doku no Hammerhead: **Jack plucks off his head, and smashes it into a foe hard.

**Doku Doku no Cannonball: **Jack fires his head off with the force of a cannonball. This attack's power is on par with Monkey D. Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Bazooka.

**Ryoga**

**Ryu no Ken: **Literally, 'Dragon Fist'. Ryoga summons his Ki in the form of a Dragon's Head surrounding his arm, striking a foe with it. Would have been devastating, had it hit.

(Believe it or not, I actually wrote this whole thing in one go, fueled by nothing but two bottles of pop. One Piece is the property of the man who wrote it, which I do not care to look up right now.)


	2. Five Million Bounty?

(One Piece is property of Oda-Sensei. All of the characters that have appeared thus far are property of me. Got it?)

"My deepest and gravest apologies, sir!" Ryoga bowed low, his nose almost touching the tile floor of the office. Plastered all around the room were pirate bounties, as well as several posters of women in...indecent fashion.

The marine sitting in the desk shrugged, tipping back the bottle of whiskey to his mouth and taking a swig. "No reason to be sorry, Ryoga. Like you said, your opponent was a Devil's Fruit user. Even if your martial arts are top-notch, you're still just a normal human. And it's no big deal. If those pirates took my ship, then we'll just chase them and get it back."

"Well, that's true sir, but the Majestic is a fast ship, and they have a large head start on us." The officer shrugged non-chalantly. "So we'll put out a bounty and let a hunter do the work for us. Does Five Million Berry sound about right to you?"

Ryoga blinked. "Five Million? That sounds rather large for a no-name pirates, sir..." Another shrug. "Maybe so, but I liked that ship. Get on the horn to head-quarters and have them print a new poster out. You said this guy is a walking skeleton? At least he'll be easy to track down. But I have to say..." He paused to take another swig from the bottle.

"The Skull Pirate, Jack Bones...it kinda has a ring to it."

_**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**_

_**Chapter Two: Five Million Bounty! Charity Town is a Death Trap!?**_

Charity Town was the same traditional port slash market place that were commonplace around the four oceans of the world. Due to this, it was visited frequently by both pirates and bounty hunters.

In a bar downtown, the door to the building was suddenly kicked open as two such hunters entered, swaggering and giving dirty looks to the pirates seated at the bar and tables, who quickly returned the glares. Slamming his hand down onto the bar, one called out, "Alright Bandock the Butcher, give yourself up! We know you're in here!"

From the back of the building came a low, rumbling chuckle. "I'm back here. Now quit bugging these people, they're trying to eat." Drawing their swords, the two bounty hunters walked to the back, where Bandock and his crew were sitting.

Even sitting down, Bandock was a huge man, over ten feet in height. Since no chair the bar could offer would hold him, he simply sat cross-legged on the floor. The knife and fork he was using to cut his steak looked ridiculously tiny in his giant hands. "And what do you two want?"

"You know exactly what we want, Bandock! Your bounty is Ten Million Berry, and we aim to collect it! Now will you come quietly, or do we have to make this rough?"

Bandock simply sat there, eating his steak. "You know, I find that Butcher nickname to be quite rude. I am a perfect gentleman...until you piss me off, that is. If you two bounty hunters continue to bother me during my meal, then I can assure you that will happen."

"Enough of this! Even if you're dead, we can still collect the bounty!" One of the hunters stepped forwards, raising his blade and slashing downwards.

Bandock moved swiftly for his size. Dropping his utensils, he raised his hand and grabbed the blade, stopping it cold. He then quickly jabbed his other fist forwards, slamming it into the hunter's face hard enough to send him flying out through the door and into a wall on the other side of the street.

Cool as a cucumber, Bandock picked up his knife and fork and resumed eating his steak. "Why you..." The hunter's partner stepped forward with his sword. Bandock sighed. "Can't I have any peace? Mute, take care of this, will you?" A chair slide back as one of the giant man's crew stood up, clothed in a simple purple hood that covered his entire face except for his eyes, which glowed like lanterns. Contrasting with his captain's massive frame, this man was tiny. If Bandock stood up, he would only come up to about his knees.

Stepping past Bandock, Mute raised his hands at the bounty hunter. Carried in his hands were two Marionettes. The odd thing was that there were no puppets on the ends, only strings. The bounty hunter sneered. "What's this little shrimp gonna do? Outta the way tiny, all I'm interested in is your boss."

Mute silently shook his head. He raised the marionettes, he raised them to point at the hunter. Immediately the strings jerked in his direction. Mute then raised the marionettes to point at the ceiling. The hunter blinked, then gasped as his feet left the floor. "W-what kinda trick is this!?"

Bandock chuckled. "Just because I'm a giant doesn't mean that all powerful men are, you know. Mute here is a Genius Puppet Master. He can make control any human with those marionette strings of his. Mute, send this idiot to join his friend." The little man nodded, jerking the marionettes forward. The hunter immediately flew out of the bar and slammed into his partner, pushing them both further into the wall.

Bandock sighed. "Now if there are no further interruptions, can I continue with my meal?" The bar was silent. He nodded. "I'll take that as a yes."

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A short while later, the door to the bar opened again, and a man entered, though this one was obviously not a bounty hunter. "Okay, I've got a batch of new bounties here, so where can I put these?" The bartender gestured vaguely at a free wall.

Bandock cleared his throat. "Hey, let me see those." The man looked over. "A-ah, sure." Gulping, he walked over and handed the posters over, then turned and walked quickly out of the bar.

Smiling, Bandock took off the top poster, which was a picture of his towering frame. "Heh, how about that, mates? I'm still holding at Ten Million Berry!" They all laughed.

"Ah, and my first mate Mute is still at Two Million, I see!" The silent puppeteer nodded in acknowledgement. "Heh, and pretty soon we'll be the highest paying pirates in West Blue, and then the Grand Line!"

However, as he shuffled through the rest, he frowned. "Bah, all of these pirates are boring; nothing interesting about them at all. If only I had some real compet...oh ho, what's this?" Sneering up at him from the wanted poster was an over-exaggerated caricature of Jack's skeletal frame. "Jack Bones, the Skull Pirate, eh? He sounds...interesting."

Bandock slowly stood up, his head almost brushing the ceiling. Turning to his crew, he smiled. "Alright mateys, let's find out what this Jack is made of, shall we?"

"AYE AYE, CAPTAIN!"

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A few hours later, the newly rechristened Flying Skull was sailing towards Charity Town, which was now visible and quite close by. Gerald leaned over the rail to observe Jack, who was hanging from a rope and painting over the ship's name with it's new monicker. "I'd be careful if I were you. People who've eaten a Devil's Fruit sink like a rock in water. Even this close to port it's dangerous."

"What are you, my mother? Now quit buggin' me, I've got to get this done before we reach port. I don't want anybody thinking we're marines; it's bad for reputation."

Gerald rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

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A short while after, the black prow of the Flying Skull eased itself into Charity Town's dock. Gerald hopped down nimbly and raised a hand to the approaching Port Master. "Hello there, sir. A fine day, isn't it?" The official shrugged. "Fair enough, I suppose. There's a ten berry fee to dock here. Either pay up or get out." Digging into one of his pockets, Gerald brought out a coin and handed it over. The port master inspected it before slipping it into his pocket, then brought out a clip board.

"Name of ship?" Gerald cleared his throat. "The Flying Skull." The official raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and wrote it down. "Number of crew?" Gerald held up two fingers. "Just me and the captain, and he's asleep."

"Reason of visit?" Gerald shrugged. "Nothing special. We only came to get supplies." This was not entirely a lie. Although they had found a number of things inside the ship's hold, there had not been much supplies. Fortunately they had found a cache of Berries in the captain's cabin.

The port master looked over the details once more, then nodded. "Don't cause any trouble." He then turned and walked away. Gerald waited until he was gone, then leapt back onto the ship.

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A few minutes later, Gerald exited the dining cabin. Frowning, he turned around and looked at the still open door. "Jack, get out here already. You look fine." The pirate's voice wafted out of the cabin. He sounded miserable. "I look ridiculous."

"This is hardly the time for a pirate to be self-conscious, Jack. Even if the marines weren't after our heads, how do you think people would react to a skeleton walking around in broad daylight? Now get out here."

"Okay, fine. But if you laugh, I'll kill you." Despite this warning, when his comrade exited the cabin, Gerald could barely contain his laughter. To dispell Jack's frightful appearance, Gerald had produced a can of flesh-coloured paint from within his coat. Gerald's idea was that by painting Jack's body with it, it would look like the pirate's missing skin. Unfortunately, this made Jack look more like a freakish sculpture than a believable disguise.

"You don't look...too bad." Jack simply glowered.

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Meanwhile, in Charity Town's plaza, Bandock and his crew were waiting. Bandock had his massive form leaned up against the fountain in the middle of the clearing, looking up at the sky with a serene expression on his face. Mute sat on the edge of the fountain, dangling his tiny legs over the side. The rest of the crew were lounging in various positions around the area.

Bandock lifted an eyelid as one of his crew came running into the plaza, stopping in front of him. "Captain, I've got news!" The giant man shrugged. "Well, don't just stand there. Spit out." The underling nodded. "Apparently a ship that looks just like the one that Jack guy stole from the marines has docked in the harbor."

Bandock nodded. "Okay, that means Jack is here somewhere. Go find him and bring him here." The pirate saluted. "Right away, captain!" He then turned and ran out of the plaza the same way he had come. Bandock blinked as Mute poked him in the shoulder. He turned to regard his tiny first mate. Mute pointed to himself, then in the direction the pirate had ran off in.

Bandock slowly nodded. "Yeah, that is a good idea. This Jack guy has a Devil's Fruit power, so if he decides to get violent, we might need some muscle. Okay, send "it" out." Hopping off the fountain, Mute motioned to a group of the crew that was nearby. They all saluted, then jogged off into the group. They quickly returned, lugging a large, plain black box. Lowering it to the ground with the caution of people handling fine china, they all stepped back.

Laying his hands on the box, the silent puppeteer closed his eyes for a few moments. Opening them, he stepped backward, pointing his marionettes in the direction the pirate had left. The lid to the box suddenly banged open as a black blur exited, moving swiftly across the rooftops in the direction Mute had indicated.

Unbeknowst to Bandock, Mute, or any of the pirate crew however, a thin, masked form was perched on a nearby roof, watching them. Despite being in plain sight, he was invisible to their eyes. Nodding to himself, he leapt gracefully across the rooftops, shadowing the thing from the box.

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Another short while later, Jack and Gerald were in Charity Town's market place, a wide street littered with various vendors and shoppers. Jack's disguise seemed to be working well, although a few people shot him confused looks.

"Hey, Gerald, you can handle the shopping here, right?" Gerald gave him an odd look. "I suppose, but what are you going to be doing?" Jack shrugged. "I just need to blow off some steam, that's all. I'll meet you back at the Skull later." With that, he ran off. **  
**

"B-but, Jack, I...oh, dash it all." Beside him, a woman nodded sympathetically. "My husband is the same way."

Gerald only sighed.

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Jack slammed open the door to the bar and entered. Striding decisively up to the table, he slammed his hands down on the table, pointing a finger into the bartender's face. "Hey, I need to know where I can get a map of the Grand Line!" Immediately all talk in the bar ceased as the patrons turned to regard this newcomer.

The bartender blinked stupidly. "What's wrong with your face, pal?" Jack shrugged it off. "I have a skin condition. Now answer the question." The man scratched his head. "Gee, I don't know. A map like that isn't exactly common around these parts, cause nobody is brave or stupid enough to go there. Well, other than..."

"Other than what?" Jack pressed. "Well, I guess Bandock the Butcher and his crew might have one. Last I heard, they were in the town square. I guess you could join his crew if you want to go to the Grand Line so badly."

"Alright, thanks." Jack turned to go, then stopped as he caught sight of his bounty poster on the wall. _"Do I really look like that? Five Million, eh? Nice to be wanted, I guess."_

A few feet out of the bar, one of Bandock's crew accidentally bumped into him. Jack frowned. "Watch it, pal." The crew member looked apologetic. "Sorry, but if I don't find this Jack Bones guy, the captain'll have my head!"

Jack blinked, then smiled, gesturing to himself. "Well, if you're looking for Jack Bones, you just found him." The pirate blinked. "Really? You don't look anything like your poster."

Jack shrugged. "You know the marines; they like to exaggerate." The crew member nodded. "I guess that's true. Come on, the captain's waiting in the town square." The skeleton pirate nodded. "Yeah, as a matter of fact I've been looking for him too."

As the two walked away, the thing from the box quickly followed them. Seated on top of the bar, the lithe man nodded to himself, then leaped off; in the direction of the market.

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Gerald sighed as he looked over a stand of fruit. _"This is certainly not what I had envisioned in my future, I can say that much." _Looking up, he asked the the merchant, "Tell me, how much are these..." His question died on his lips. The vendor was simply standing stock still. Gerald looked around. The other people in the market were effected as well. The only one not frozen was him.

The next instant, he was grabbed around the shoulders and hoisted upward. The next instant he found himself on a nearby rooftop, facing a lithe form. It raised it's hand and snapped it's fingers. Gerald looked down as the people began to move again. He turned and regarded the figure. "If this is some sort of attempted kidnapping, I'll tell you right now that I don't swing that way. And for that matter, who are you?"

A chuckle came from the man. "Who am I...a fair question, to be sure. I am a shadow upon the sea, one of many. An agent of justice responsible for dispensing justice upon these troubled waters. As a group, I am part of a large force, known as _Shinobi. _Individually, I am called..." With that, he cast off his dark cloak, revealing a colorful uniform. A red cape hung from his shoulders, clashing wonderfully with his bright gold jumpsuit and hair. Finally, his face was covered by a crimson red mask shaped like an Oni, the only part of his uniform that wasn't completely offensive to the eyes. "I am the brave, valiant and mighty Shinobi of the seas, Frank Goldfinger!"

Gerald clapped slowly. "How impressive, I'm sure, but you still haven't explained what you want from me." Frank straightened up and nodded. "Ah yes, how rude of me. As I've said, I am part of a secret sect that patrols the seas, capturing or eliminating dangerous pirates that harm, extort, manipulate, or otherwise negatively affect the innocent. Unlike the marines however, we are not so black and white. We can see that some pirates are different. Pirates like you and your friend Jack Bones, who is currently walking towards his certain demise!"

Gerald took a step back. "What? How?" Frank nodded gravely. "Currently present in this town is the terrible pirate, Bandock the Butcher. That moniker isn't for nothing, and Bandock could kill Jack with the simplest of ease. I have been sent to this town to take care of him. We must join forces in order to rescue your friend!"

"But, why would Jack try to attack Bandock? It makes no sense." Gerald protested. Frank nodded. "Bandock holds a map to the Grand Line, which Jack wants to acquire." Gerald frowned. "Well, I do wish I had been consulted about this."

Frank nodded. "Yes, it is indeed a sad thing when lovers keep secrets."

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU, I DON'T SWING THAT WAY!"

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Bandock looked him over, slowly from top to bottom. "So, you're the skull pirate Jack Bones, eh? I guess the nickname was just a rumor. You don't look like a skeleton at all." Jack shook his head. "Nah, this is just make-up. I can't exactly walk around like that in public, can I?" Bandock chuckled. "I suppose so. But if you really are Jack Bones, then you'll have no problem showing off your Devil's Fruit power, correct?"

Jack shrugged. "No sweat. Stand back and be amazed." Placing both hands on either side of his head, Jack tugged, his head easily seperating from his neck. Bandock whistled, his crew gasping in amazement. Mute remained impassive. "Heh, that is impressive. I guess you can do that with any part of your body?" Jack nodded. "More or less. I haven't tried it out completely yet, though."

Bandock smiled. "I like your attitude, Jack; how about you join my crew? With your Devil's Fruit powers, we could conquer the Grand Line." Jack grinned. "Well actually Bandock, I've got something a little different in mind. What say you give me that map, and I won't have to get ugly?" A moment of silence followed this declaration, before Bandock raised his head and laughed at the sky. "HAHAHAHA! You're a funny man, Jack Bones."

Jack bent back his arm. "I'm not joking, so quit laughing at me! **Doku Doku no Rocket Knuckle!" **Bandock's crew gaped as Jack's fist shot out and slammed into their captain's face dead on before bouncing off and reconnecting to his arm. Slowly, Bandock raised his arm to feel the wound there. He frowned as blood leaked out from between his fingers. Raising his free hand, he pointed at Jack. "Kill him. KILL HIM, MATES!"

Jack sighed as Bandock's crew spread out and surrounded him on all sides. "Now see, if you had just given me the map, I wouldn't have had to do that. Just like I'm gonna do the same to your crew right now." Grinning, he extended his arms to point at the pirates around him. "ALRIGHT, LET'S DO THIS!"

_To be continued..._

_**The battle between Jack Bones and Bandock's crew begins. However, Jack quickly finds himself outmatched against Bandock's top officers. Frank and Gerald quickly arrive to help, but can just the three of them defeat the Butcher Pirates?**_

_**Next time, "Brawl in Charity Town! Skull Pirates VS The Butcher Pirates!"**_


	3. Brawl in Charity Town

(Blah Blah Blah, I don't own One Piece, Yadda Yadda, let's move on.)

Gerald held on tight to Frank's shoulders as he propelled both of them over the rooftops in the direction of the town square. "Are you all right back there?" The ninja asked. Gerald nodded. "Just hurry. If this Bandock is as fearsome as you say, Jack will get eaten alive if we aren't there soon!"

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Three: Brawl in Charity Town! Skull Pirates VS Butcher Pirates!**

"**Doku Doku no Boomerang!" **An enlargened bone from Jack's ribcage slammed into three pirates, knocking them flying. Jack ducked as it flew back, letting it slam into two others who had tried to sneak up behind him. Grabbing it out of the air, he popped it back into place, then pulling out his arm and turning it into a club. "**Doku Doku no Club!**"Spinning it around in an arc, he floored a further five crew members.

"Now let's try out something new." Reconnecting his arm, he pointed his hands finger first at a cluster of charging pirates. "Doku Doku no Finger Bullet!" His fingertips fired out, slamming into the pirate's eyes, sending them stumbling into eachother. The bones quickly returned and connected with his fingers. "And now for something with the legs."

Pivoting on his right leg, Jack reached over and tugged out his left one. "**Doku Doku no..." **Raising it over his head, he jabbed the leg into it, the bone shifting into a thin pole shape. His other leg quickly did the same. "**Top!**"Spinning around in a circle, he slammed into further pirates, knocking them over like bowling pins.

Reconnecting to normal, Jack frowned as he realized the majority of Bandock's crew were still conscious. "**Doku Doku no Boomerang!**" Another few grunts went down.

A bandage now covering his wound, Bandock turned to Mute. "Alright, I think that's enough. Do it." Mute nodded, raising his Marionettes to point at the still fighting Jack.

The skull pirate gasped as his arms were suddenly pinned to their sides by a pair of powerful arms. "What the hell!? Lemme go!" Jack turned his head and bit back a scream as he realized he was being pinned by a nightmarish cross between a marionette, a nutcracker doll, and a spider, which chattered it's mouth up and down in a chilling laugh.

Bandock smiled. "A shame, Jack, you could've been a good partner. Mute, have your toy squeeze his neck. Tightly." The silent puppeteer motioned with his marionettes, and Jack gritted his teeth as the doll switched two of it's eight arms to squeeze his neck, beginning to choke him. Despite how hard Jack struggled, the doll retained it's crushing grip.

Slowly, Jack's vision began to dim. "Damn it, is this how it ends...didn't see this coming." Vaguely, his ears picked up an approaching sound, like a breeze...and then the creature screeched in pain, it's grip loosening and dropping away.

"Jack! Jack, wake up!" The skull pirate snapped fully awake as Gerald slapped him across the face. The first thing Jack saw was the maniacal doll crouched in front of the fountain, whimpering in pain like a dog as Mute petted it on the head. Jack then turned and assessed Frank, who had straightened up after slashing the thing, katana still in hand.

"Uh, thanks for the help...whoever you are." Frank immediately crouched to the ground. "You wish to know my name? Very well, I shall tell you. I am a member of a group of-" He winced as Gerald slammed his fist down upon the shinobi's head. "We don't have time for that right now!"

He turned back to Jack. "What's important is he's on our side and he's not trying to kill us, unlike the pirate crew you just set on us. For god's sake man, what were you thinking?"

Jack shrugged. "I thought I could take them. I didn't know they were gonna sic the world's ugliest marionette on me."

Bandock cleared his throat. "Ahem, if you gentlemen would care to pay attention, my crew are still attacking you." Indeed, the crew were still advancing, weapons drawn. Frank straightened up and struck a pose. "Do not worry. I shall deal with this rabble." Pushing past them, Frank flicked his wrist, a slip of paper with writing on it appearing in his hand.

"**Tao Scroll; Firestorm Explosion!**" He then threw the paper into the crowd of pirates, the slip attaching to the forehead of one of them and glowing red. Realizing what was up, they turned to run, but were too late as the paper exploded, throwing the remaining crew to the ground, scorched.

Jack turned to Bandock and smirked. "Hah, what now Bandock? With you're crew done, you're pretty much finished!" Another moment of silence followed, before Bandock raised his head and laughed at the sky. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, you really are funny, Jack. But, the fact is you haven't even begun to see the power the Butcher Pirates are capable of!"

Raising his hand, he pointed into the crowd of pirates. "Kamikaze, quit playing possum and get up. I need your talents for this." The three comrades went bug eyed as one of the pirates picked himself up and dusted himself off, looking perfectly fine. Jack had been preoccupied fighting the crew, and so he hadn't noticed this man's bizarre appearance. A large red and black coat was draped over his form, strewn with fancy badges of various explosives. Stamped onto the front were the letters TNT. The man's gaudy red sunglasses fit perfectly with his slicked back blonde hair. A massive steel backpack was strapped to him.

"B-but that's impossible!" Frank pointed to the man. "After my Firestorm Scroll, you shouldn't be moving!" The man opened his mouth to retort, then gagged, coughing up a cloud of smoke. He straightened up afterward and grinned. "Shaa, you thought a little junior explosion like that would drop me? Please. You're talking to the crowned king of blowing things up; the explosives expert of the Butcher Pirates, Mr. Kamikaze!"

Hopping off the fountain, Mute landed squarely on the back of his creation, leaning over and injecting his strings into the puppet's head, functioning like the reins of a horse. Frank levelled his katana. "I'll handle Mr. Kamikaze. His explosions will be no match for my skills."

Gerald sighed. "Which means my choices are a giant and a psychotic doll and it's puppeteer. I suppose I'll take the lesser of two evils." He walked over to stand across from Mute and his mount. Jack grinned, thrusting a fist into his palm. "Which means you're all mine, Bandock! You're gonna wish you'd given me that map when I asked the first time."

Bandock began to chuckle again. Slowly, he stood up from his sitting position. Jack gulped. Bandock was intimidating when he was sitting, but standing up, he towered over you like a building. Bandock smiled wickedly. "Oh really, Jack? Or did you think you were the only one who ate a Devil's Fruit? **Geki Geki no**.." (Rage Rage)

"**BLOODLUST!**" A red aura began to line Bandock's body, and a wicked smile slowly spread across his face. Reaching behind his back, Bandock produced two giant meat cleavers, a perfect fit in his massive hands. Jack snickered nervously. "Y-you think that scares me? Bring it on, I'll take you any day! "**Doku Doku no...**"

"**Retreat!**" Jack turned and fled out of the square as fast as his legs would carry him. Frank sweatdropped. "Perhaps I overestimated his abilities..." Gerald merely face-palmed. "GET BACK HERE, INSECT!" Giant feet cracking the ground, Bandock quickly chased after the fleeing pirate.

The two remaining Skull Pirates assumed a back to back stance. "How about we take care of these two before we go bail him out?" Gerald inquired. "That sounds fine to me, friend." Frank answered. "Right. On one...two...THREE!" As one, they both leapt off and landed in front of their opponents.

"Shaa, I'm afraid your captain's as good as dead, dude." Kamikaze smirked. "Once Captain Bandock activates his Geki Geki Fruit, there's just no stopping him. He'd eat him alive, 'cept that there's no meat on him!" Frank merely levelled his sword. "Enough talk. All I am concerned with now is my opponent!" Letting out a battlecry, he leapt forward, bringing his sword down in a slash.

"Shaa, quit with the theatrics, dude." Tapping his heels together, Kamikaze grinned as the tops of his shoes opened and wheels slid out. Snickering, he skated out of the way of Frank's slice, then kicked the shinobi in the chest, sending him flying across the cobblestones.

Gerald wasn't faring much better. The most he could do was dodge out of the way of the doll's eight scratching arms. With Mute riding it, the marionette was much more coordinated. Digging into his pocket, he retrieved a paperweight, chucking it at the marionette's head. The creature chattered it's mocking laugh as it uselessly bounced off before resuming it's attack. Grimacing, Gerald feebly kicked the creature in the side of the head. It responded by latching onto his shoe with it's teeth. Letting out a cry, he pulled his sock out, letting the creature eat the shoe in one bite.

"Tch...at this rate we'll be more concerned saving our own skin than Jack's."

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"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!"

These were more or less the thoughts going through Jack's head as he ran down one of Charity Town's streets, which were vacant now that all of the citizens had evacuated. He supposed that the city's police force should be here, but could he really blame them? He had the powers of a Devil's Fruit, and he was running for his life.

"ONCE I CATCH YOU, I'M GOING TO DEVOUR YOU, BONES AND ALL!" This declaration made Jack run faster, if that were possible. "GEKI GEKI..." Jack turned his head around and gaped as he saw the same red energy grow in Bandock's open mouth. "BEAM!" Jack threw himself to the left and into a side street as the red energy beam shot past, tearing up the street. Quickly he got back to his feet and continued running for his life.

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"**Explosive Roller Bombing!**" Frank threw himself out of the way as Mr. Kamikaze shot past on his roller skates, tossing explosives out behind him from his backpack, the bombs detonating shortly afterward. "As long as he's using those Roller Skates, I'll never catch him! Wait...it could work."

Getting to his feet and leaping into the air, Frank came down in front of the fountain. "Explosives Master, what a joke! I bet you can't hit me from over here, Kamikaze!" Mr. Kamikaze's eyes glinted from behind his sunglasses. "Shaa, Kamikaze, dude? That's MR. Kamikaze to you, dude!" Grinning, he produced another bomb from the backpack and tossed it. He blinked as Frank darted out his hand and caught it in his gloved fist. "W-what are you thinking, dude? Those have a fuse length of one second!"

"That's half a second more than I'll need!" Reaching down, Frank stuck the bomb to the side of the fountain. He then leapt swiftly leapt out of the way as the bomb exploded, sending a stream of water in Mr. Kamikaze's direction.

"**Tao Scroll; Absolute Zero!**" Tossing the slip of paper into the water stream, Frank smiled as it began to frost over. "Shaa, you think a little water scares me? Dream on, dud-what the heck!?" Mr. Kamikaze gaped as his wheels became stuck in the ice. Smiling confidently, Frank landed in front of him, feet perfectly steady despite the ice. "A true shinobi is trained to handle any opponent! **Ittoryu**; **Precision Slash!**" Mr. Kamikaze let out a yell as the strike hurled him backwards, smashing his roller skates to pieces.

Gerald frowned as one of the marionette's claws ripped his suit sleeve to ribbons. "Right, that will be quite enough of that!" Reaching into his pack, Gerald pulled, producing a golf club. Nodding, he swung it experimentally. "A Five Iron should be enough for this." Pointing the club head first at the puppeteer, he smirked. "Engarde!"

The puppet continued it's assault, but this time Gerald was prepared. Despite his weapon being unorthodox, he managed to block and counter the puppet's eight arms with it, even managing to get a few good licks in on the marionette's head. That was, until his foot struck one of the pot holes left behind by Mr. Kamikaze's bombing run. Keeling over backward, he struck the cobblestones hard. Before he could get to his feet, Mute and his marionette were on him. Lifting the golf club, he blocked the creature from attacking him as it battered away at the weapon.

"This might get me killed, but I think I have just the thing for this..." Removing one hand from the golf club, Gerald winced as Mute's assault seemed to increase. Reaching into one of his pockets, he dug around for a moment, before his eyes lit up. Pulling a ballpoint pen from his pocket, he shook it up, then aimed the pen at the marionette's eyes. Jabbing the button down, he smiled as a wide stream of ink shot into the doll's eyes. Immediately it removed it's arms and began to shriek and thrash, bucking Mute around like a mad pony.

However Gerald wasn't finished yet. Casting aside the pen, he reached in and pulled out a pair of scissors. Leaning in carefully, he neatly snipped Mute's strings. The puppet ceased it's struggling and appeared to be stunned. Mute looked at his severed strings, dumbfounded. Looking up, he sweatdropped as Gerald raised the golf club. "**Killing Blow; Hole in One Smash!**" Smacking Mute in the side of the head, Gerald grinned as the small puppeteer was sent bouncing along the cobblestones to come to rest against a wall, out cold.

"Shaa, I'm not finished yet, dude." Mr. Kamikaze got to his feet, stumbling slightly because of the ice. Frank readied his katana. Reaching behind his back, Mr. Kamikaze pressed a switch on his back pack. Instantly a panel on the top slid out as a helicopter blade popped out, and two handles slid out to the front. Grinning, Mr. Kamikaze took hold of the handles as the helicopter blade took him into the air over the square. "**Explosive Copter Bombing!**" The back of the backpack slid open as dozens of bombs dropped out. "Bombs are away, dude!"

Frank turned and ran from the approaching line of explosions, but was finally caught up in them, thrown to land several feet away, scorched. "Shaa, I dunno who you are, ninja dude, but I'm afraid you're toast; literally!" Laughing, he guided his copter towards where the ninja lay. Slowly, the shinobi began to rise, using his katana as a crutch. Standing straight up, he glared up at the air-borne pirate, cape fluttering in the wind. Raising his katana, he pointed it at him. "Tell me, Kamikaze; do you know the name of this sword?"

"Shaa, why would I care about some piece of metal, dude?" Frank raised his hand and ran a finger along the flat of the katana. "This blade is known through-out the world as **Momotaro**, one of the **O Wazamono.**"

"This sword was given to me by my father, and it is proof of my status as a Shinobi. I was trained to defeat villains like you, and I will not fail in this mission!"

Sheathing Momotaro, he began to form a set of intricate hand signs. "Ninja Art; Speed of 10,000 Gales!" Turning, Frank ran, his speed triple that what it was before. Easily outrunning the bombing run, he leaped as he reached the wall, rebounding off of it and sailing towards Mr. Kamikaze.

"Shaa, dude, you aren't supposed to do that!" Instead of drawing his katana, Frank drew another slip of paper. "**Tao Scroll; Shroud of Eternal Darkness!**" Slamming the paper down onto the pirate's forehead, Frank grinned as darkness spread out around them.

Mr. Kamikaze looked around. The surrounding area was nothing more than an abyss of pitch black shadow. "Shaa, you think I'm afraid of the dark, dude? Get real!" Hearing a noise behind him, he turned and threw a bomb, but frowned as the explosion delivered nothing but silence. Another breeze whispered by on his other side, and he tossed another explosive, but this one also hit nothing but air.

This continued until Mr. Kamikaze lost it, tearing at his hair and snarling. "SHAA, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS, DUDE! FIGHT FAIR!" A pair of golden eyes lit up behind him. "Okay." Mr. Kamikaze began to turn...

"**Ittoryu;** **Yami Oni Giri!**" The darkness dispelling, Frank fell to the ground in a crouch, sheathing the Momotaro as Mr. Kamikaze fell to the ground behind him, sliced to pieces. "I told you...I will not die yet."

Gerald turned and began to walk back to Frank when a chattering sound caught his ears. "It can't be. Impossible." But when Gerald turned around, the marionette was indeed getting to it's feet. Quickly he snapped his head over to the unconscious puppeteer. Despite his lantern like eyes being shut, Mute was moving his hands back and forth. "He can even control that thing when he's unconscious!?"

Letting out another chatter, the doll extended it's two front arms, the fingers popping out and strings shooting from the holes. Gerald grimaced as the rope-like strings wrapped around his legs, tripping him to the cobblestones. Jerking it's arms in one direction, it tossed him like a wrangled steer into the nearby wall. Barely giving him a chance to recover, it threw him in the opposite direction, bashing him into the side of the fountain.

Now apparently tired of this game, the doll straightened up on it's back legs. Letting out a screech, it's chest popped open, revealing an array of whirling blades. Slowly the strings began to retract, pulling Gerald slowly towards them. "Hmmm, that's not good. I don't think I've understood what 'Cut to Ribbons' means until now."

Digging into his pocket, he brought out a match...but no match book. "Bugger. Well, this had better work." Scratching the end of the match against the ground, Gerald frowned as it produced nothing but empty sparks. "Come now Lady Luck, have you forsaken me completely?"

He smiled as the match burst into flame. Touching it the flame to the strings, Gerald grinned wider as the fire caught, shooting down and touching the marionette, which immediately burst into flame. Screeching in pain, the doll began to flail around, desperately trying to put itself out. Finally, it leapt over and into the fountain, the fire extinguished almost immediately. Slowly, it began to rise...until Gerald began to bash it in the head with his golf club, only stopping when he was sure that it was not getting up again.

Sighing, he walked over to meet Frank halfway. "Well, that's two down. Where's Jack?" Frank pointed. "Speak of the devil, and the devil appears." Indeed, Jack had appeared from one of the streets leading to and from the town square. Stopping in front of them, he began to breath air back into his lungs. "Okay...I think...I lost Bandock. How did...you guys do?"

Gerald shrugged. "Well, I nearly got cut in half and Frank nearly got blown up, but we're fine; no thanks to you, I might add." Jack glared at him. "Hey, I've had my own problems! Bandock chased me halfway around this town! He blew up a street with his breath!"

That was when the street beneath them began to rumble under their feet. Looking up at eachother, they nodded, then gulped as one. The three of them turned as Bandock pushed his way back into the square. Drifting his gaze to look at the three of them, the giant man's grip on his meat cleavers tightened. Baring his teeth and letting out a roar, he charged.

_To be continued..._

**Now the Skull Pirates face the captain of the Butcher Pirates, the feared Bandock the Butcher. Quickly the three of them learn this name isn't just for show. Frank comes up with a plan to defeat him, but can they pull it off?**

**Next time, "Conquering the Giant! Escape from Charity Town!"**

**Attacks  
**

**Jack  
**

**Doku Doku no Top: **Attaching one of his arms to his head, Jack spins around like a Top, knocking around anyone foolish enough to get in his way. Generally used in crowd situations.

**Doku Doku no Retreat: **Jack bolsters his courage, prepares himself...and runs away with his tail between his legs.

**Frank**

**Tao Scroll; Firestorm Explosion: **Frank tosses a Scroll enfused with the power of Fire, creating a large explosion of flame.

**Ittoryu; Precision Slash: **Frank executes a carefully aimed slash with his katana, dealing precise damage.

**Tao Scroll; Absolute Zero: **Frank tosses a Scroll enfused with the power of Ice, freezing an area solid.

**Tao Scroll; Shroud of Eternal Darkness: **Frank tosses a Scroll enfused with the power of Shadow, creating a blanket of darkness.

**Gerald  
**

**Killing Blow; Hole In One Smash: **Gerald executes a move you should most definitely not do at an actual golf course.

**Bandock  
**

**Geki Geki no Bloodlust: **Bandock infuses himself with his rage, transforming him from a generally genial man into a red-skinned berserker. Most normal attacks don't phase him in this form, and his attacks are more powerful, but in exchange his capacity for rational thinking is lowered severely.

**Mr. Kamikaze  
**

**Explosive Roller Bombing: **Zipping around on his roller skates, Mr. Kamikaze launches bombs everywhere. Lacks a certain amount of precision.

**Explosive Copter Bombing: **Activating the Copter mechanism stored in his backpack, Mr. Kamikaze drops bombs from up above.

**General Terms**

**Momotaro: **Frank's katana, named after the Momotaro from Legend. One of the O Wazamono.

**O Wazamono: **Meaning, "Great Grade Sword", the O Wazamono are 21 Swords considered to be masterpieces of craftmanship. No two are the same, and owning one is considered a great sign of honor among swordsman.

**Malchior the Draco** - I do believe you just gave me an idea for a new attack for Jack. Kudos.


	4. Conquering the Giant

"Sir? Captain Brandy, we're currently approaching Charity Town. We should reach the harbor in a half hour. Sir, are you awake?" Ryoga knocked again on the door. He sighed as a low groan reached his ears. _"He's at it again. He'd be an admiral if it weren't for this habit."_

A series of thuds, clatters, and muffled curses proceeded the door to the captain's cabin opening. Captain Brandy looked terrible. His marine cap was backward, his uniform was askew, and his eyes were blood shot red. Stumbling slightly, he saluted. "Good evening, Ryoga. Care for a drink?"

"Sir, it's noon. And you know I never drink." Brandy made a disappointed sigh. "You're too much of a stickler, Ryoga. What's the use in being a marine if you never live a little?"

"In any case sir, you should go ly down. I can handle this by myself." Brandy shook his head. "Nonsense. I've never felt more able. Now then, shall we..." Abruptly, his eyes turned back in his head and he collapsed unconscious. Sighing, Ryoga picked him up and layed him back in his bed.

"Rest easy, sir. I'll get your ship back, I promise."

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Four: Conquering the Giant! Escape from Charity Town!**

Bellowing like a beast, Bandock charged towards the three, lifting up one of his meat cleavers and chopping downward. "SCATTER!" Jack yelled, prompting the three of them to dodge in different directions. Gerald and Frank went left and right, while Jack jumped backwards, missing getting chopped in half by the giant blade by inches.

"And now, counterattack! **Doku Doku no Rocket Fist!" **Jack's fist shot out and slammed into Bandock's face. However, when it deflected and reconnected to Jack's arm, Bandock didn't seem phased at all. Jack then jumped as Bandock swung his other cleaver around sideways, cleaving the fountain in half, a flood of water pouring out to soak the already wet square to the bone.

Landing, Jack grimaced as his feet slid out from under him on the slippery cobblestones. He then scrambled out of the way as Bandock slammed his foot down where he had been a second ago. _"Dammit, how do you stop this guy?" _He then gulped as Bandock opened his mouth, a red light growing in his throat. **"Geki Geki no..."**

"GERALD, MASK GUY, OUTTA THE WAY!" Yelled Jack, scrambling out of the way. **"BEAM!" **With force surpassing a cannon, the beam fueled by rage shot out from Bandock's mouth. Jack covered his eyes from the red light, lest it blind him.

When he uncovered his eyes, he gaped at the aftermath. "Oh, _bugger." _He heard Gerald gasp next to him. Not only had the blast ripped through the wall around the square, but it had blown apart several houses before finally fading away.

"So, uh, anyone for running back to the ship and getting the hell out of here?" Jack put in. Gerald nodded. "In this case I'm inclined to agree." They both turned to see Frank blocking their way. He pointed an accusing finger at them. "Nonsense. What sort of warrior would you be if you ran like a coward?"

"In case you haven't noticed, he's got about five feet on us, and he just blew up part of the island. Not to mention those meat cleavers he's carrying around. How can we fight a guy like that?" Frank nodded. "With careful planning, that's how. Now listen up."

After a quick minute of him running them through it, Jack nodded. "Sounds good, but can we pull it off?" Frank nodded decisively. "We must. That is all." Gerald pointed behind them. "Either way, we should get moving now. Our big friend is coming to his senses."

Swiveling his head to look at them, Bandock began to stomp over towards them. "One, two, three, go!" Turning, the fellow pirates ran into the nearest exit and down the street, the giant pirate in full pursuit.

* * *

"What on earth..." Ryoga mused, looking at the dust clouds rising over Charity Town. _"No way Jack Bones could be responsible for this, at least not alone." _Turning to the nearest marine, he asked, "What other notable pirates are currently at this town?"

"Well sir, we did get a report of Bandock the Butcher and his crew docking at this town." Ryoga stared, aghast. "What!? That madman is here, and I wasn't informed?" The marine recoiled sheepishly. "Well, Bandock is usually docile unless he's provoked. Perhaps that Jack Bones we're chasing is responsible?"

Ryoga nodded. "Well, that's another crime we'll hold him responsible for; if he's still alive, that is." The ship sailed closer to the island.

* * *

Bandock stalked down of the town's streets. The three pirates were nowhere to be seen. He briefly considered using Geki Geki no Beam to flush them out of hiding, but quickly dismissed it. A direct hit from it would kill them outright, and he wanted them alive.

"Excuse me, Mr. The Butcher?" Bandock snapped his head around to see Gerald standing at the top of a sloping street that curved upwards, leaning up against a stand of barrels. At the sight of him, Bandock began to charge up the slope. Smiling, Gerald kicked the stick holding the barrels in place away, then grinned as they began to roll and bounce down the slope.

Snarling, Bandock sweeped one of his cleavers around, smashing the barrels to pieces. He continued up the slope, then let out a confused grunt as his feet suddenly stuck to the cobblestones. Gerald nodded. "In those barrels was a powerful industrial adhesive used for repairing ships. I'm afraid you're quite stuck."

Despite this, Bandock began to roar and struggle, but no matter how hard he did, the glue held fast. "Didn't you believe me? And now, Frank, if you would be so kind..." Gerald gestured to a rooftop overlooking the slope, where the shinobi was perched. "Step one: using the simple-mindedness of our opponent, lure him into position and prevent him from moving."

Frank flicked his wrist, sending another slip of paper into his hand. **"Tao Storm; Absolute Zero!" **Flicking it across, Frank grinned behind his mask as it landed on one of Bandock's cleavers, quickly encasing it in ice. The giant man stared at it, confused as Frank prepared another. "And now..."

**"Tao Scroll; Fire Storm!" **The second the paper collided with Bandock's frozen weapon, it literally exploded in a spray of metal. Bandock yelled as the shards slammed into his face, putting a hand there as he screamed in pain. Leaping across the gap, Frank quickly drew the Sandai Kitetsu and quickly slashed down Bandock's wrist. His hand spasmed, causing him to drop his other cleaver.

Frank easily landed on the opposite roof, sheathing his sword. "Step two: by manipulating the elements of ice and fire, as well as with my own blade, force the opponent to drop his weapons, evening the odds for our side." He then leapt as Bandock slammed his fist down onto the roof, crushing it.

Bellowing like a beast, Bandock began to struggle again. Amazingly, his legs began to pull free from the glue as the street below him cracked away. Landing next to Gerald, Frank lifted his hand and showed him three fingers. Gerald nodded, both of them turning and running as Bandock charged after them.

* * *

Leaping nimbly off the ship, Ryoga looked to the left, where the Majestic was docked. "There's the ship...but where's Jack?" He winced as another crash came from in-land. "I suppose that answers my question." He ran off in that direction.

* * *

**"GET BACK HERE!" **Gerald wheezed as Bandock bellowed from behind the two of them. "Are you positive this is going to work? Even without his weapons, I'm not so sure Jack can take this monster." Frank shrugged. "There's no use worrying about it now, is there?"

"No, I suppose not. Even so, I'm still doubtful unless it's a one hundred percent chance of success. I'm a bit of a worry wart, I suppose."

* * *

Running out, the two of them entered Charity Town's square for the second time today. The little area had lost most of it's charm during the fight, however. The fountain was demolished, the walls were covered with cracks, and one of them was destroyed entirely.

Jack stood in front of the ruined fountain, clothes fluttering in the slight breeze. The two of them stepped to the side as Bandock stopped dead at the sight of him, breathing low. The skeleton pirate pointed upward at Bandock's face. "So, you gonna hand over that map now, Bandock?" Baring his teeth, the giant man pulled his fist back. **"Geki Geki no..." **Jack sighed. "Alright, have it your way."

**"Genkotsu!"** Jack leapt upward as Bandock's fist, covered in the crimson red aura, slammed into the ground below him, smashing a crater into the ground. **"Doku Doku no Stamp!" **His feet bones changing into circular clamps, Jack came down hard on Bandock's hand, causing the giant to bellow in pain. **"Doku Doku no Spike Knuckle!" **Fists changing into spiked gauntlets, Jack slammed them into Bandock's upper arm, scaling up it like a mountain.

**"Doku Doku no..." **Leaping off Bandock's arm, Jack sailed in front of the giant's face. **"Roundhouse!" **Swinging his leg around, he smashed his foot into the side of Bandock's head, sending the giant stumbling backward.

Straightening up, Bandock suddenly began to tense his muscles up. Jack blinked at this, before his eyes widened as Bandock leaped into the air. **"Geki Geki no..." **The last thing Gerald and Frank saw before Bandock's weight came crashing down was Jack running to get out of the way. Then he was blocked from their vision as the giant man crashed down, sending a cloud of smoke upwards. **"CRASH!"**

**"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" **Raising his head, Bandock roared victoriously at the sky. **"NO-ONE CAN DEFEAT BANDOCK THE BUTCHER! NO-ONE!" **

"OH YEAH!?" Bandock's eyes widened. **"Doku Doku no...Barrage!" **Bandock looked up as a storm of bones came sailing down from the sky. First came Jack's fists, which slammed into both of his eyes, giving out impacts that would undoubtedly leave a pair of shiners. Then came Jack's arm and leg bones, hitting Bandock in the arms and legs hard. Jack's feet then came down, hitting the top of Bandock's head and bowing it downward. Lastly came the pirate's skull which impacted directly in the giant man's throat, plowing him backwards into what remained of the wall around the square.

Flying upward, Jack's bones reconnected to his head. The complete man then landed back on the cobblestones and smirked. "That's a lesson everyone who's met me has learned; never underestimate Jack Bones."

**"THAT'S IT..." **Pushing free of the wall, Bandock opened his mouth. **"Geki Geki no..." **Jack turned to his two friends. "FRANK, NOW!" Until now, the shinobi had merely been standing and observing the battle. Now he sprang forwards, springing into the air.

Cupping his hands, Jack boosted the shinobi up into the air, coming level with Bandock's mouth. **"Tao Scroll; Fire Storm!" **Flicking the paper slip out, Frank smiled as it sailed into Bandock's open mouth.

Rather than the destructive crimson-red beam from before, all that came out of Bandock's mouth was a plume of smoke. Then the inside of his mouth exploded. The detonations continued down Bandock's throat and finally erupted in his stomach. Bandock's eyes rolled up in their sockets and, swaying, he fell backwards, landing on the pavement with a giant crash.

Jack grinned. "Nobody defeats Bandock, huh? Then, it pleases me to be the first." Frank tapped him on the shoulder. "I think you mean 'us', Jack." The skull pirate smiled sheepishly. "Right, right, of course. Oh yeah..." Cautiously approaching the fallen giant, Jack rooted around in his pockets, smiling as he produced a rolled up scroll. "Here we are; one map of the Grand Line."

Gerald tapped his foot, looking annoyed. "And why, pray tell, do you want to go to the Grand Line so badly?" Jack shrugged off-handedly. "We're pirates, right? Where else are we supposed to go?" Gerald tweaked his mustache. "Ah yes, the age old dream: find One Piece, get the money, power, the women. As I recall, there's one man who already did that. What happened to him...oh yes, he was beheaded." Jack sighed. "Look, let's just get back to the ship and we can figure this out later."

Gerald frowned. "Fine. After this commotion, the Marines can't be far behind. I'd rather avoid getting executed this early in my grand career as a pirate."

"Same here. Now let's go." The three of them ran out of the square for the upteenth time that day, Gerald and Jack taking the streets and Frank taking the rooftop.

* * *

"Hold it right there!"

Not five feet out of the square, Gerald and Jack were stopped by Ryoga, who was standing in the middle of the street, Bo Staff held in a karate stance. Jack sighed. "Aw, come on Ryoga, I'm really not in the mood."

"Silence, pirate! You two are coming with me this instant!" Jack sighed. "Alright, fine. But you are wrong about one thing; there's not just three of us." Smiling, Jack pointed up. Ryoga glanced upwards, just in time to catch a glimpse of Frank's foot before it smashed into his face, knocking him to the ground. Jack grinned skeletally. "Now let's go."

* * *

Groaning, Mr. Kamikaze slowly came back into consciousness. "Shaa, dude...can't believe I let that shinobi dude wipe me out." Glancing around, he gasped at the destruction Bandock had wrought. "Shaa, they must've pissed the captain off somethin' fierce. Well, at least he..." He trailed off as he noticed Bandock's prone form. "...Shaa, the captain lost? Bogus, dude."

Walking around the giant man's body, he gulped at the marionette's scattered body, lying where it had came to rest after Bandock had destroyed the fountain. "If that creepy thing is there, then where's the puppeteer dude?" He nodded as he saw Mute lying against the wall. "Ah, there you are. Shaa, wake up, little buddy, we gotta get moving."

Slowly, Mute's lantern eyes lit back up, and he tottered to his feet, giving an appreciative nod to Mr. Kamikaze, who shrugged. "Anytime, dude. Now let's wake up the captain. I dunno where everyone else went, guess they must be back at the ship."

Walking over, Mr. Kamikaze reached over and slapped the captain's face lightly. "Shaa, captain, wake up dude!" Slowly, Bandock's eyelids opened. "Ghaaa...what happened?" Mr. Kamikaze shrugged. "I guess that Jack Bones guy wiped you out, dude. Anyway, we gotta get outta here, captain. The marines'll be swarming this island before long, and it'd be radical not to be here when they do."

"Yeah...that's a good idea." Slowly getting to his feet, he felt his head. "Ugh...I have to stop using that Geki Geki Fruit for so long." Mr. Kamikaze looked concerned. "Shaa, you sure you're cool, captain? We don't need you tubing out on us, 'cause carrying you is not cool, dude."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Now let's get out of here." Much like the pirates that had left the crew minutes earlier, Bandock, Mute, and Mr. Kamikaze left the square. Stopping momentarily, Mute pointed his strings at the marionette. Slowly rattling to it's feet, it ran after them.

* * *

"Hold it...right there..." By now Ryoga had gotten to his feet, and now pointed his bo staff at Bandock. "You're coming with me...Bandock the Butcher." Mr. Kamikaze frowned. "Shaa, no way dude. The captain's tired from his brawl with Jack, so buzz off." Mute raised his strings, jerking Ryoga into the air with a cry from the marine. Jerking his strings, Ryoga was thrown aside. Bandock and his crew then continued on their way.

* * *

Jack and his friends were met with another problem as they came out onto the harbor. The port was swarming with marines. Fortunately, this turned out to be quite a minor problem.

**"Doku Doku no Boomerang!"**

**"Tao Scroll; Fire Storm!"**

**"Hole in One Smash!"**

Jack and his crew leapt onto the Flying Skull, leaving dozens of battered marines behind them.

* * *

Immediately, Jack began barking out commands. "Gerald, untie the ship and get us out of here. Frank, do whatever shinobi do on ships. I'll be in the captain's cabin, looking over the navigational charts. We'll need to stop at another island to get supplies."

As the Flying Skull began to glide out of the harbor, one marine turned to another. "Should we pursue them?" The other shook his head. "No, we can't leave Deputy Captain Ryoma behind!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Bandock and his crew had made it back to their ship, where the rest of the crew had fled after Bandock began his rampage. "C-captain! We were just waiting for you to get back, y'see..." Mr. Kamikaze shook his head. "Shaa, no thanks to you, dude. What a total buncha cowards you are." He looked to Bandock. "Should we chase after that Jack dude, captain?"

Bandock shook his head. "No. He ain't worth it. Let's just get going to the Grand..." He frowned as the hand digging in his pocket closed around nothing but air. "Why that little punk...belay that order, mates. We're heading after that Jack Bones!" The crew roared their approval."

* * *

The marines sighed as Bandock's ship left the harbor. "Damn it, they're getting away! Where the hell is Deputy Captain Ryoga!?" Suddenly, the sound of the door to below decks opening reached their ears. They both turned to see Captain Brandy take a swig from his bottle of rum and rub his blood-shot eyes. "So...what did I miss?"

_To be continued..._

**_With another mouth to feed, the need to replenish their supplies grows ever more important. To that end, the Skull Pirates travel to Rose Island, a resort island reknown for it's wide flower gardens and plentiful bounty of food. However, they soon realize that something is wrong with the island, and the strife revolves around the island's female population._**

**_Next time, Rose Island's flowers! The Dictator and the Dancer. _**

**Attacks**

**Jack**

**Doku Doku no Stamp: **Changing his feet into larger clamps, Jack stamps down hard on a foe.

**Doku Doku no Spike Knuckle: **Jack changes his hands to have large spikes on the ends.

**Doku Doku no Roundhouse: **Jack swings his leg around and hits an opponent with a roundhouse kick. Not technically a Devil's Fruit attack, but he does the chant anyway.

**Doku Doku no Barrage: **Splitting his limbs apart, Jack attacks his foe with all of his body parts at once. Can be very powerful if used in the right way.

**Bandock**

**Geki Geki no Beam: **Bandock expels a massive beam of force from his mouth, the destructive capabilities of which are devestating, as shown in this chapter.

**Geki Geki no Genkotsu: **The giant unleashes a giant fist powered by his anger. Because of his size, this technique can easily pulverize even tough foes. (Genkotsu is Japanese for 'Fist')

**Geki Geki no Crash: **Bandock leaps into the air (a feat, given his size) and comes crashing down to earth, creating a shockwave using his Devil Fruit.

(Next chapter marks the arrival of two named female characters. So if you had an idea for a Yaoi story, you can stop right now.)


	5. Rose Island's flowers

(A slight revision of the title shown in the preview. Sorry if that bothers anyone.)

"Forgive me, sir!" Ryoga was once again bowed almost to the floor in shame. "I let both Jack Bones and the Butcher Pirates get away! I'm a disgrace to the Marines, sir!"

Brandy sighed. "Do I have to go through this every time you make a mistake, Ryoga? Seriously, you sound like an old man. Anyway, contact Marine Headquarters. I think Bandock needs a slight adjustment to his bounty after this little fiasco. And notify all marine bases in West Blue to keep a look out for Jack Bones. For now, that's really all we can do."

"Yes sir." Ryoga again bowed hastily before leaving the room. "What am I gonna do with that kid..." Brandy mused, removing a wine bottle from his desk and uncorking the bottle. Sniffing the top, he smiled at the fine aroma.

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_A few days later..._

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Groaning, Jack felt his stomach, wincing at the painful rumble that responded. Looking up at the crow's nest, he called up, "See anything, Frank?" The shinobi leaned over and shook his head.

"I hope you're happy. This is your fault, you know." Jack looked up and glowered at Gerald. "How is it my fault that the marine that owned this ship stocked it with little else but alcohol?"

"Maybe not that, but it is your fault that we couldn't get supplies, because you had to have a map of the Grand Line." Jack glared. "Why did I make you first mate, again?" Gerald shrugged. "Probably because they were only two of us when we left the marine base, and you wanted to be captain?"

"So Gerald, have you ever heard the phrase 'rhetorical question'"?

"Oh! Um, uh, oh blast, what do you say on a ship...ah! LAND HO!" They both turned to look up at the crow's nest as Frank vaulted down. He pointed to starboard. "An island, over there!"

Running over to the starboard rail, Jack gazed out in that direction. He could glimpse a small sliver of land. _"What...why is it multi-coloured?" _Walking up beside him, Gerald consulted the book he had produced from his coat. "Hmmm, according to this, the only island near this area is Rose Island. It's an island famous for it's flower gardens and beautiful women."

Jack eyes immediately lit up. "Alright! Gerald, set course for Rose Island!"

_**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**_

_**Chapter Five: Rose Island's Flowers! The Dictator and the Dancer!**_

An hour later, the Flying Skull entered Rose Island's harbor. Up in the crow's nest, Frank stared in wonder at the flower gardens around the island. _"Wonderful. In the summers, this island must be beautiful."_

Jack leapt out onto the pier, then scratched his head as no Port Master approached them. _"Guess that isn't necesary here."_

"Gerald, Frank, come on guys! I need some food in me!" This was followed by another ravenous growl. His two crew members quickly followed. Jack gave Gerald a look as he noticed he had another basket in his hand. "What's that for?"

Gerald shrugged. "I figured if noone minded, I might pick a few flowers." Jack sweatdropped. "That's another thing I've been thinking about. We need a girl on the crew."

"And what for, pray tell?" Gerald questioned. Jack shrugged. "I don't care what way you look at it from: three men alone on a ship doesn't look good." Gerald tweaked his mustache. "Glad to see you've thought this out so clearly."

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Frank had been so preoccupied looking at the beautiful flowers that he hadn't noticed another thing on the island. At the peak of a large hill was a four-storied extravagant mansion. Flower gardens were planted in a wide circle around the building, as well as several hedge sculptures. The entire property was surrounded by a tall wrought-iron fence, topped with spikes. Standing guard at the gate, the entrance to the house, as well as patrolling around the property were armed guards. The odd thing was, all of these guards were women.

At the top floor of the mansion was a throne room that could equal a castle's. Guarding the massive double doors were two more armed women, and stationed between the pillars on either side of the red carpet were others. The source of all this protection was sitting in the throne at the back end of the room.

Uttering Queen Adianne's name on Rose Island was enough to make a man curl up into a ball and suck his thumb like a little baby. This was not to say she wasn't beautiful. The way her shapely frame filled out her black and red ballgown dress would make a man drool; if their lips weren't dry from terror, that was. Her long auburn hair was something a man would like to stroke; if they weren't afraid of being flayed to pieces by her iron spiked whip. In short, although Adianne was beautiful, she was also extremely dangerous and unpredictable.

The double doors were pushed open as a female guard entered. Approaching the throne, she dropped to one knee and bowed. "Adianne-sama, a pirate ship has entered the port. Your orders?" Adianne folded her legs and leaned forward. "Oh? And what of the men?" The guard nodded. "Yes, apparently the ship was stolen by Jack Bones, a pirate, as well as two others." Adianne heaved a sigh. "No no no, I meant what do they look like?"

"Ah, of course." She stepped forward and handed the woman Jack's Bounty Poster. Adianne looked it over a moment before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it away. "He's ugly. I don't care about men like that. He's simply no match for my dear Martin." Smiling, she gestured to the right of her throne, where the only man in the room, nay, the only man in the mansion stood. Dressed in a plain and simple blue suit and dress pants, his brown bowl-cut hair and green eyes were soft without being overly feminine, his height was tall without being a giant, and he was muscular without being freakish. In essence, the perfect man.

"Now then, these men..." Adianne trailed off as she noticed the guard's gaze drifting to Martin. Frowning, she leaned forward. "Are you looking at him?" The guard immediately recoiled. "Ah n-no, of course not, Adianne-sama!"

"Don't lie, you were. You want him, don't you?" The guard shook her head desperately. "You know, one of the best lessons one can learn is to accept the things you simply cannot have." Snaking out her whip, Adianne wrapped it around the other woman's neck, pulling her close. "So, if I catch you looking at him again, I'll skin you alive. Got it?"

Weakly the guard nodded. Adianne removed her whip, reattaching it to her hip and allowing the women to quickly retreat from the room. "Now, speaking of men, I believe it's that time again, isn't it girls?"

The women around the room began to grin.

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"Frank, Jack, do you think this looks strange?" Jack looked to his first mate and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Gerald gestured around them. "First, the buildings in this area look pretty run-down, don't you think?" Jack nodded. "Yeah. I thought this was supposed to be a rich island." Gerald continued. "Not only that, but the only people we've seen so far are men. Don't you think that's odd?"

"Yeah. I didn't come to this island to look at men. Where are the women?" The effect of saying this was immediate and quick. An elderly man snatched up his cane and ran to a building, opening the door and disappearing inside. A middle-aged man picked up the child he had been watching and did the same. In moments, the street was empty. Jack blinked. "All I did was ask where the women were..." A window opened and an old man leaned out. "You think that's funny, you damn pranksters? I nearly had a heart attack!"

Frank adjusted his mask and blinked. "This is very odd. What do you make of it, Gerald?" The first mate of the crew was glancing up the street, and cupping his hand around his ear, listening carefully. "Gerald?" The suited man nodded. "Yes, something is definitely coming." Jack blinked. "What's..." He trailed off as two sounds reached his ears. The sound of unified feet, like a military march, and a drum being hit rhythmically. Then the source of the sounds came over the hill.

A column of women, all of them carrying rifles, one of them holding the drum around her neck. Abruptly, they came to a stop in the middle of the street. Producing a megaphone, one of them stepped forward. _"Attention all men of this neighbourhood! You know what time it is, so come out now! Don't make us do this the hard way!"_

Doors began to open as men stepped out, their faces ranging from miserable to downright terrified. They filed in behind the women like cattle. One of them approached the pirates, motioning to the line. "You heard her. Get in line, now."

"Now wait just one minute! We're not going-" Jack stopped talking as the woman pointed a rifle in his face. "Right, getting in line now."

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They began to walk. The women kept their rifles trained on the men, but they all kept their heads down, not daring to do anything. Jack could see other groups of rounded up men joining them. Eventually the groups started up the hill to the top of the island, where Adianne's mansion stood. _"Why do I have this feeling of impending doom?"_

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Soon the pirates found themselves in the mansion's foyer. Their escort had disappeared, but with two women guarding the door and two guarding the staircase leading up, and more guarding the doors around the foyer, they weren't going anywhere. Poking one of the men near him, Jack whispered, "Hey, what's this all about anyway?" The man turned, his eyes downcast. "I guess you aren't from around here, are you?" When Jack shook his head, he continued. "In a few moments, the leader of these witches will come down and we'll get led to the dining room, where they'll feed us full of food until we're about to burst. Then, they'll lead us to the bedrooms, where they'll...they'll..." He burst into tears.

_"Clearly this guy has a very different opinion than me of what's horrible." _Jack lifted his head as he heard the sound of footsteps. Slowly descending the stairs, Adianne smiled delicately, casting her gaze over the men, who cringed away. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Adianne bowed elegantly. "I thank you all for coming. I am happy to be able to spend another delightful evening with you all."

"But before that, we must go through a simple formality." Raising her finger, Adianne began to recite. "We are not worthy to be in your prescence, Adianne-sama, or the prescence of any other woman. We are lower than low, inferior to pond scum. Thank you for allowing us to bask in your glory, Queen Adianne."

Lowering their heads, the men began to recite the insulting phrase by memory. All except for three. "What are you babbling about? There's no way I'm saying that feminist propaganda crap, you crazy woman!"Adianne blinked, gloved hand stroking the bannister. "Oh? How silly. This isn't feminism, it's the truth. Women are superior to men, and that is the honest truth."

Jack folded his arms. "Oh yeah? Well..." Pushing back his sleeve, Jack bent back his fist. "Maybe this will knock some sense into you! **Skull Skull no Rocket Fist!" **Adianne cringed as Jack's fist rocketed at her face. "Ah!" However, the projectile was intercepted as Martin leapt from behind her, easily stopping the fist in an open palm. "How dare you try to hurt Adianne-san, you pirate!" Shoving, he pushed, sending Jack's fist back to it's owner, the bone slamming him in the head and knocking him over.

From behind Martin, Adianne chuckled. "You see how quickly my dear Martin leapt to my aid? Without women, men would be utterly helpless, you see? And as for you..." Removing a small remote from her dress, she pressed the button. Getting to his feet, Jack blinked as the floor suddenly dropped out from him. "Why is there a trap DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR..."

Gerald looked down the trap door where his captain had disappeared down, then up to Adianne. "Could you repeat that? I don't think I had it the first time."

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For how long Jack dropped, he couldn't really tell. Eventually however, he struck hard ground as the drop abruptly ended. "OW! Son of a..." Rubbing his bottom, Jack stood up. He was standing in a small cage, with no obvious exits other than the door. Iron bars prevented escape in every direction. Looking to the corner, Jack gulped as he saw the remains of corpses there. Running forward, he began to hit the bars desperately. "DAMMIT, LET ME OUT OF HERE, YOU B-"

"_Oh la la, _do you talk to your mother with that mouth, _Monsieur Ossements?_" A jilting voice called from the darkness outside his prison. "W-who's there? Show yourself!" Footsteps clacked on the stone floor as a girl stepped forward. Jack blinked. _"Cute..."_

That seemed to sum up the girl's appearance quite well. Her outfit was a simple red blouse, ending in a black skirt. She wore a white barette on her head, and had pink hair tied in two pigtails. Her eyes were a deep shade of violet. She was quite petite, being at least a foot shorter than Jack. Finally, she wore a clasp shaped like a rose, pinned next to her heart.

"My name is Jack Bones, not whatever the hell you called me. And who are you, anyway." Sighing, the girl rolled her eyes. "I know that. _Ossements _is French for Bones, you simpleton." Turning on her heel, she curtsied. "As for my name, you may call me Mary. _Bonjour, Monsieur Ossements._"Jack sweatdropped. "You know, talking in a language you know someone doesn't understand is pretty obnoxious."

Mary pouted. "Well, excuse me for trying to show some class, _Monsieur Ossements._" Jack glared. "Well, what do you want, anyway? Are you supposed to guard me, or what?" Mary smiled, then held up her right hand, where an iron key dangled. "Well, I _could _lose track of this key for a moment, if you could do me a favor." Jack leaned up against the bars. "Name it."

Mary's eyes glinted. "Very well. _Monsieur Ossements, _I want you to defeat Adianne."

_To be continued..._

**_Mary releases Jack from his cell, and the two work together and free Gerald and Frank from the women's clutches. Retreating to a safe place, they quickly plan their assault on Adianne's Mansion. However, Jack and his crew find that Mary is more than she appears._**

**_Next time, "The Summer of Love! The promise in the Flower Garden."_**

(Well, the next few chapters should be quite interesting, that's all I can say.)


	6. The Summer of Love

(Warning: this chapter is rated M, for Mushy.)

The mansion's dining room was just as extravagant as the rest of the building. In it, the men sat at the table, eating the banquet Adianne's women had set out for them. Though the fact that there were armed guards at the doors took some of the enjoyment out of the meal.

Looking up from the steak he was eating, Frank leaned over and poked Gerald, who was picking at a salad. "Gerald, are you sure it is alright for us to be feasting like this when our captain might be dead?" Gerald speared a piece of lettuce with his fork, deposited it in his mouth, and chewed. Swallowing, he shrugged. "He's probably fine. What's the use in worrying about something when you don't know the outcome?"

Frank sighed. "Still, my mind would be more at ease if I knew what was happening to him right now."

_**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**_

_**Chapter Six: The Summer of Love! The Promise in the Flower Garden.**_

Jack blinked. "I don't think I heard you right. You want me to _what?_" Mary rolled her eyes. "Do you have wax in your ears, _Monsieur Ossements? _I said I want you to help me defeat Adianne. If you agree, I will let you out. If not, then you can rot in there for all I care."

"Uh, not that I care, because I was planning on giving that women a piece of my mind anyway. But why the grudge? Did she do something to you?" Mary's eyes narrowed and appeared to darken. "_That _is none of your concern, _Monsieur Ossements. _All you need to know is that she stole something important from me. Now, will you help me, or shall I find someone else?"

Jack shook his head. Jerking a thumb at himself, he grinned. "That won't be necesary, Miss Mary. If it's an uppity hag you need ousting, I'm your man." Mary rolled her eyes again as she unlocked the cell. "If you're trying to impress me, _Monsieur Ossements, _don't bother. You're not my type."

"_I'm _never _anyone's type." _Muttered Jack inwardly. Mary pointed down the corridor. "We should hurry, _Monsieur Ossements. _Dinner should be finishing up, and your two friends won't last long in what comes after." She took off down the hall, Jack in quick pursuit.

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Gerald held up his hands and gave an uneasy smile. "Miss, could we just talk about this for a second?"

"No." Gerald backed up until he was leaning against the wall. "I don't really mind, but couldn't we get to know eachother first." The women shook her head. "That won't be necesary." Gerald gulped as she grabbed him by the shoulders.

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Frank's 'partner' for the evening motioned to his mask. "Take it off." The shinobi folded his arms. "I refuse. The Shinobi Code states that an operative may not remove his mask while on a mission. If I did, I would have to kill you."

"_Hopefully she won't figure out that harming women is _also _against the Shinobi Code." _

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Soon Mary and Jack came to a bend in the hallway. Glancing around the corridor, Jack glimpsed a group of women standing guard near a flight of stairs leading upward. "Handle this, would you?" Mary whispered at him. Jack nodded. "Of course. These women are no much for my...Skull Skull..." Groaning, he fell to his knees as his stomache let out another whine. Mary sighed. "_Pourquoi Moi? _Never trust a man to do a ladies job."

Rolling her eyes, she stepped around the corner. One of the women lifted her head and blinked. "Who are you?" Smiling, Mary raised her arm. **"Rose Rose no Broche Fouetter!" **(Thorn Whip) Mary's arm changed, transforming into a thorny green vine. Flicking the appendage neatly, she smirked as it arced across the small space, colliding with the women and sending them into the wall, out cold.

Jack whistled. "A Devil's Fruit user, eh?" Mary smiled slightly as her arm changed back to normal. "Yes, with the Rose Rose fruit, my entire body can become a beautiful flower. A bit better than what you got, eh, _Monsieur Ossements?_" Jack sweatdropped. "You got me there...but anyway, let's go." He started towards the stairs. Mary rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. If we went up there, we'd be seen immediately. I have a better way in mind."

Walking over to the right wall, Mary laid her fingers on the stones and began to study them. After a moment, she smiled. "Here we are." Pressing one of the stones, it slid inward, and with a grinding noise, the wall began to slide away, revealing a hidden passage. Jack gave her a look. "A secret passage? You've gotta be kidding me."

Mary shrugged. "It may be contrived, but at least it's useful." The strange duo set off into the passageway. After a few minutes of walking, they came to a series of stairwells leading upward. Mary gestured to them. "These lead up to the bedrooms. Unfortunately, we don't know which ones your friends are in, so we'll have to check them all."

"Wonderful." Jack sighed.

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_A number of incorrect rooms later..._

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_"Remember Gerald, even in this situation it is important to maintain your dignity." _The fact that he was currently wearing his birthday suit, and handcuffed to the bed's headboard was currently impending this, however. Smiling, the woman began to unbutton her top. "Now, then..." Climbing onto the bed, she grasped hold of his chest...then shrieked as electricity coursed through her body.

Frowning, Gerald pulled back the crackling taser, kicking the stunned woman off the bed. "A women should understand the phrase 'no means no', miss." The closet door suddenly opened and Jack jumped out. "Gerald, are you all right? I heard someone screaming!" Gerald jerked a hand at the woman. "That was her. I like to think I scream a bit more masculine than that. Now would you get me out of this?"

"Okay, hold still." A hard punch from Jack smashed the handcuffs to pieces. Getting up, Gerald began to collect his clothes and dress. As he did the woman began to stir, but a hard kick from Jack knocked her right out again. Buttoning up his suit, Gerald nodded. "Now let's get Frank and get out of this mad house."

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Back down the stairwell, the two found Mary leaning up against the wall. "There you are, _Monsieur Ossements. _And this is your first mate, I assume? Hmmm, he's not so bad to look at, especially compared to you." Gerald smiled. "I don't know who she is, but I like her already." Mary dipped into a curtsy. _"Bonjour. _I am Mary. A pleasure to meet you." Stooping, Gerald kissed her hand respectfully. "And I am Gerald Riviera, and the pleasure is all mine, miss."

Mary giggled. "How charming. Much better than your captain, I must say." Jack glowered. "Can we just go get Frank now!?"

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_After a few more wrong rooms..._

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"Get down here!" Frank, who was perched atop the wall, shook his head. "I refuse. As a shinobi, I have no time for such wasteful acts of false pleasure!" Frowning, the woman raised a pistol at him. "I'll just shoot you down, then. You don't need to walk for what I need you for." Frank gritted his teeth as she cocked the pistol and aimed.

She was the one getting hit however, as Mary's vine arm burst out from the closet and slammed her into the far wall. Frank hopped down as the three exited the hidden passage. "I appreciate your assistance, Captain, although I had the situation completely under control."

"Yeah, I could see that from how you almost got shot. And you should really be thanking Mary." The petite girl sniffed slightly. "He doesn't look like a pirate at all. Where did you find him?" Jack shrugged. "He's an operative for some secret organization. He's weird, and his fashion sense could use some work, but he's useful." Mary shrugged. "Ah, _quoi que. _Now, shall we leave?"

_"What's wrong with my fashion sense?" _Frank wondered.

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Back in the secret passage, Jack snarled as they came to a blank wall. "What the hell, Mary? This is a dead end!" The petite girl sighed. "Have some patience, _Monsieur Ossements._" Moving her hands over the wall, she pressed in a stone. The wall began to lower into the ground, the night breeze beginning to blow past them.

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A short while later, they were back on the streets in the fancy part of town. "Where are we going, Mary? My legs feel like they're gonna fall off, and I'm starving!" Jack grumbled. Mary rolled her eyes. "Are all men such complainers? We're almost there, now hurry up. They'll be leading the men back soon, and we don't want to be caught out here by them. Okay, we're here." She walked over to a quaint yet cozy house on the left side of the street and knocked at the door.

A few moments later, the door was opened by a short woman holding a cane. Taking one look at Mary, she huffed, "Oh, it's _you._" And began to slam the door. Mary stuck her foot out into the doorjam. "Yes, it's me, the person who is still paying good money to rent out your spare room. And as such, I think it's the least you can do to be civil, old woman."

"Actually, the _very _least I could do would be to give you a blanket and make you sleep outside. I have half a mind too, as well." Her verbal opponent shot back. "Well, _I _have half a mind to use my Devil's Fruit to show you exactly why I am called _L'epine. _(The Thorn) But I do not. _Only _because you're _his _mother. Be grateful for that, old woman."

The old woman let out a snort. "Don't waste my time with useless threats then, Mary. Come in or stay out, I don't care. Same for your friends." She disappeared inside. "That's about as close to a welcome as we're going to get, I think." Mary called over her shoulder before entering the house. Jack and his crew shrugged before following.

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The inside of the house was more spacious than it looked. A short walk from the entrance brought them to the kitchen. Mary was already seated at the table, while the old woman was bustling around the kitchen. "So, break any more men's hearts today, Mary?" She asked conversationally. "No, but I did pick up someone interesting from the mansion dungeons. Old women, meet _Monsieur Ossements. _He has a grudge against Adianne was well, so naturally we have a lot to talk about."

As Jack and his crew sat down, the old women let out a snicker. "Oh, does he? Tell me, young man, did this girl tell you who she is, and _why _she wants to defeat Adianne?" Jack blinked. "No, why?" The old woman let out a short cackle. "Let me show you something." Walking over to the drawers, she opened one, taking out a slip of paper and putting it down in front of him. The paper was a bounty poster with a picture of Mary on it. "That girl's true identity is that of Mary the Thorn, a dangerous pirate."

A moment of awkward silence followed, during which Mary simply sat silently. Then Jack shrugged. "Should I care?" The old woman blinked. "You realize that she's a dangerous pirate, don't you?" Jack nodded. "Yeah, and so am I. So why does she want to attack a fellow pirate?"

The old lady smiled. "She arrived here last summer and rented out my spare room. While she was living here she developed a crush on my son, Martin. When Adianne arrived here in the fall, she used the power of her Charm Charm Fruit to hypnotize him and all of this island's women. And now Mary wants revenge. It's nothing more than a feud over a boy."

The dishes let out a rattle as Mary slammed her fist onto the table. "Shut up! It's more than just a simple crush! It's love, pure and simple!" The old woman snorted. "Whatever you say. I'll leave you to your delusions."

_"Catin." _Mary muttered. She then winced as the old lady cracked her cane over the younger girl's head. "I don't need to understand it to know that was an insult."

_"So how much is she worth, anyway?" _Jack looked closer at the poster, and his eyes bugged out. "S...six...six million berry. You're...worth six million berry?" Mary looked up and shrugged. "Yes, why do you ask?"

"Oh, ah, no reason. A pretty decent bounty, but it's not nearly as large as the pay-out my infamous name carries!" Gerald sipped his tea gingerly. "He's lying, his bounty is really only five million." Smiling, Mary fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Oh, really? Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of, _Monsieur Ossements. _After all, you're young, and there's plenty of room for growth."

The captain glared at Gerald, who was trying and failing to use his tea cup to conceal the fact that he was laughing. "Laugh while you can, Riviera. Next time we need to get fish, I'm using you as bait, and I'll run the hook through that stupid mustache of yours."

Gerald coughed to clear the air. "So, how did you and this Martin first meet, Miss Mary?" He asked conversationally. "Well, I don't usually like to kiss and tell..." She paused to let the old women snort derisively. "But since you're helping me, I suppose I am oblidged." Coughing to clear he throat, she began.

"It started innocently enough, but doesn't it always? I had just arrived here on this island, but unfortunately all of the inns were full of tourist idiots that came here to watch the flowers bloom. And then..."

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_Last summer..._

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_"Ah, quoi que, quoi que? You'd think this backwater island would have at least one open hotel room!" Crying out in frustration, she kicked a nearby tree trunk, immediately wincing and cradling her injured foot. "Still though, I suppose it isn't all bad." Smiling, Mary looked over the flower garden she was in. On Rose Island, the gardens were almost as big as parks, and were open to all. "If I have to lay low, this is the best place to do it in." _

_So enthralled was she with looking at the flowers that Mary did not notice the person walking towards her until she had already bumped into him. Colliding with the person, she let out a squeak as she fell over. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! Are you alright, miss? Are you injured? Severely hurt? On the brink of death? Shall I get a doctor? A surgeon? A team of highly trained specialists!?"_

_So genuine was the man's distress that Mary began to giggle. "It's alright, sir, I'm perfectly fine. It was my fault anyway; I was wasn't watching where I was going." The young man shook his head. "No, I accept the full blame. I had the whole garden to walk around in, but I still knocked you over. Please forgive me."_

_Mary was adamant. "It's obviously my fault. I only just arrived at this island, so it's my fault for wandering around like that." The young man made an X sign with his arms. "Well, then I'm doubly at fault for both knocking you over, and adding to the stress of an unfamiliar island! The faces so cold, the buildings so barren."_

_"W-well, I _did _have trouble getting a room at an inn, but that's hardly-" Mary let out another squeak as the young man grabbed her by the hands and bent down to look in her eyes. "And to add to it all, you are forced to sleep on the streets?" The young man turned and began dragging her by the arm. "Come. My house has a room for rent. To pay back my mistake, please stay there."_

_"Well...if you insist, but you're really making too much of this, Monsieur..." The young man jabbed a thumb at himself and smiled. "Please, call me Martin." Reaching up, Mary adjusted her berette and returned the smile. "And you may call me Mary, Monsieur Martin." She dropped into a curtsy. "It's a pleasure to meet you."_

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_"Good news, mother! I found someone to rent out our spare room!" Smiling, Martin clapped Mary on the back. "Go on Mary-san, introduce yourself!" Snapping out of her momentary trance, Mary curtsied. "I am very pleased to meet you, Miss. My name is Mary, and I hope we can get along well." A moment of excruciatingly awkward silence fell. Martin coughed. "Well, I suppose I'll just go put Mary-san's things in her room now." He then left the room as fast as possible._

_As soon as Martin was out of earshot, his mother pointed her cane into Mary's face. "I don't like you." Mary blinked. "W-what? But, miss, you just met me, and-" The old women silenced her with a wave of her hand. "Don't bother. Once I decide I don't like someone, they can't do a thing to change that. Now..." She folded her arms. "Even if I don't like someone, I'm still willing to tolerate them. Rent is Ten Berry a month, which is a much better deal than you'll get at any inn here."_

_"Now, I didn't rent out this room to make money. Martin..." She sighed. "His father left for the sea when he was very young, and most of the young folk here did the same. Martin...he's not brave enough to be a Pirate or join the Marines, but he's not boring enough to take a simple job. He's lonely...he needs a friend."_

_"BUT..._just _a friend, catch my drift?" Mary snorted. "As if. I'm not really interested in young men who live with their mothers. Gah!" This comment earned her a sharp rap on the head from the old woman's cane. "And I'd warn you to be a bit more respectful around me, missy. I'm the closest thing this town has to a mayor since the one that lived in the big mansion on the hill passed away."_

_"I'll...try to keep that in mind, miss." Mary winced. _

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_"Contrary to her warning however, we began seeing eachother. For him, I'm sure it was that I was the only woman on this island that wasn't old enough to be his mother. Aside from my natural charm, of course. For me...I'm still not sure. He was just so...stupid, that I guess I fell for him. Like I said, it was love, pure and simple, and I knew it."_

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_"Can I open them yet?" Mary asked. "No, not yet. Don't worry, you'll like this. Okay, now." He removed his hands from her eyes. Mary smiled as she realized they were in the flower garden where they had first met. They had been coming her a lot this past month. Spinning her around to meet him, Martin removed a small box from his pocket. "W-well, I bought you this, and it's probably not that good, but I figured you'd like it, and, well," Martin probably would've rambled on forever if Mary hadn't coughed. "Open the box, Martin." _

_"Well, I, okay." He opened the lid. Inside was a small but beautiful clasp, shaped like a rose. Not saying a word, Mary carefully removed it from the box. "A rose...y-your favourite flower. Do you like it?" Martin stammered. Pinning it carefully to her blouse, she smiled. "I love it." _

_"Y-yeah, that's good, because I wasn't sure what to get you. I mean, we've known eachother for a month, and I don't know anything about your tastes, w-what kind of boyfriend am I to have to buy you things on a hunch, anyway!?" Sighing, Mary seized his shoulders. "Martin, shut up and kiss me."_

_So he did._

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_"It way be a bit cliche, but it's true: good things never _do _last forever."_

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_Mary was getting ready for bed when a knock came at her door. "Come in." She called pleasantly. Martin's mother opened the door, standing there motionless. Mary blinked. "Is something wrong, miss?" Silently, the old woman held up Mary's bounty poster. "Do you have an explanation for this?" _

_The petite girl slowly sat down onto the bed. "Look-" The old woman interjected. "You realize if he finds out about this, it will break his heart. You know that, don't you? Were you just leading him on all this time? That's just something a pirate would do, isn't it? Pretend to love someone, then leave them behind when it becomes inconvenient for you!?"_

_"SHUT UP!" Martin's mother jerked backward as Mary raised blazing eyes on her. "Don't you think...I knew this would happen when I got involved with him? Yes, I knew. And...I DIDN'T CARE! Because...I am a pirate...WHO IS IN LOVE!" _

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_Later, in the dead of that night, the back door banged open as Mary stumbled out of the house. Wiping a tear from her eye, she went off into the night._

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_"Mary-san? Mary-san, where are you?" The light of Martin's lantern illuminated the girl lying up against a tree, knees curled up to her face. "Mary-san, what's wrong?" Mary turned her face away. "Go away." Martin blinked. "Excuse me?" _

_Fresh tears began to fall from the girl's eyes. "I said, go away, Martin! You shouldn't be around me!" Getting up, she turned and began to flee, but Martin reached out and grabbed hold of her arm. "Mary-san, please, tell me what's wrong!" Removing her arm, she slowly reached into her bag, removing her wanted poster and pressing it into his hands. _

_Martin studied the poster for a long moment. Shoulders shuddering, Mary turned away. She let out a surprised gasp as Martin hugged her from behind, enfolding the girl into a tight embrace. "I don't care if you're a pirate or a criminal. To me, you're only Mary, my friend, and the girl I love. You should know that." _

_Mary turned around and looked him in the eye. "Then...promise me something, Martin. No matter what happens, we'll meet again in this flower garden." Martin smiled. "Okay, I promise, Mary-san." Smiling again, Mary returned the embrace. "Thank you...Thank you, Martin!"_

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_"And of course, you know the rest of the story already. A few days after Adianne and her crew had arrived and conquered the island, I returned to this house to find..."  
_

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_Mary opened the door to the house and stepped inside. The last few days had been extremely hectic. Adianne and her crew had arrived, and lacking a proper police force, the island was quickly subdued and conquered. The men of the island were now put under martial law in the slums, while the women enjoyed lovely accomidations at the mansion. I didn't really care, as it didn't effect her living arrangements at all. This Adianne women was someone she could relate to, although they had not yet spoken personally._

_Moving past the entrance, Mary entered the kitchen, grimacing as she saw Martin's mother sitting at the table. Despite Martin's acceptance of Mary, relations between the two had not improved at all. "Old woman, where is Martin?"_

_The old lady lifted her head and shrugged. "He's gone. They took him." Mary cocked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Who took him?" Martin's mother sighed, then continued. "Adianne came and took him away. He didn't even put up a fight. She looked him in the eye, her eyes glowed, and then he followed her out the door like a lost puppy."_

_Mary stood there for a moment, then turned and began to leave the room. "And just where are you going, Mary?" The petite girl looked over her shoulder. "Obviously, I'm going to break into that witch's mansion and choke her until she releases whatever it is she did to Martin. _That _is what I am going to do."_

_The old woman snorted. "Are you stupid? Even with your Devil's Fruit power, you can't hope to defeat all of Adianne's crew. You won't get near her before you're brought down." Mary turned angry eyes on the woman. "And what do you want me to do? The man I love has been kidnapped, and you expect me to do nothing?"_

_The old woman stood up, walking over to Mary. Lifting up her cane, she brought it down over the girl's head. "I don't expect you to do anything. But, keep this in mind; if you get yourself killed, Martin really _will _be heartbroken."_

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"And that is more or less the size of the situation." Mary leaned back and sighed. "So, will you three help me?" Jack shrugged. "I already said I would. That woman has it coming." Smiling, the petite girl leaned over and gave Jack a grateful peck on the cheek. "Thank you, _Monsieur Ossements._"

Gerald looked over to Frank, who had been quiet during the story. "Frank, are you crying?" The shinobi reached inside his oni mask and sniffed. "It was a beautiful story..."

_To be Continued..._

_**In the dead of night, Jack and company begin their attack on Adianne's mansion. While Jack and Mary run on ahead, Frank and Gerald face off against two of Adianne's top officers. Unfortunately, Frank's Shinobi Code prevents him from attacking women. Can he overcome this, or will the two be defeated?**_

_**Next time, "I cannot strike! The shinobi's dilemma."**_

(I warned you. And if you need any help translating Mary's french, use this: 


	7. I cannot strike

Sighing in disgust, Ryoga shut his spyglass and put it away. _"Can't see a thing..." _This was the sad truth, as the marine ship and her crew were lost in a fog so thick they could barely see in front of them, let alone find _The Majestic_. "Where's the captain?" He questioned a passing private. "Ah, I think he's still in his cabin, sir, sleeping off a...you know."

Ryoga sighed. "Yes, I know." Frowning, he turned back around and felt the the rail. _"That man cannot handle his liquor. If only he hadn't eaten that Devil's Fruit."_

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If Captain Brandy was one thing, he was a snorer. Leaned back in his chair, the noise came out of his gaping mouth like a motor. From within his desk came a low noise, although it was loud enough to stir the captain out of his slumber. Groaning, he reached over and opened the drawer, bringing out a Snail Phone, which was vibrating and giving off a noise to signify a call coming through.

Taking the receiver off the snail's back, he fit it to his ear. "Hello?" He listened as the orders from Marine Headquarters were relayed to him. "Relocating to the Marine Base on Newport Island? That's the one with the funny smell and the Merman Reservations, right? Right, I'll tell the crew. See ya." Putting the receiver back, he shut the Snail back in the drawer. _"That guy in charge of Newport...Helsing, I think his name was...I've been hearing some funny rumors about him from the Marine Bases in West Blue...'spose me and Ryoga might as well check if they're true while we're there."_

_**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**_

_**Chapter Seven: I cannot Strike! The shinobi's Dilemma.**_

"What? You're saying that you were attacked by Mary the Thorn? You'll excuse me if I'm a little sceptical." As Adianne leaned back in her chair, one of the women in front of her shook her head. "I'm positive, Adianne-sama! There's no doubt that the woman who assaulted us was Mary the Thorn!"

"Huh...Mary the Thorn and Skull Pirate Jack Bones on the same island...tighten security around the mansion. I'm not afraid of that idiot Jack Bones in the slightest, but if he's working for Mary, then he'll have the direction of someone with a brain. I like it here, and I don't want any disturbances. Is that clear, ladies?"

"Yes, Adianne-sama!"

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Jack nearly spat out what he was drinking when Frank suddenly appeared sitting across from him. Pounding his chest to make sure his heart was still working, he glared at the shinobi. "Are you _trying _to give me a heart attack, Frank? Because if you keep doing that, that's what going to happen." Frank bowed apologetically. "My apologies, captain. I have finished my analysis of the mansion and the surrounding area, and I have come up with a plan of attack."

The skull pirate shrugged. "Why do we need a plan. Two of us are Devil's Fruit users, and you're no slouch in a fight either. Can't we just break in and beat them up?" He winced as Mary reached over and flicked him in the forehead. "Are you an idiot, _Monsieur Ossements? _Adianne's crew outnumber us by ten to one, and they have guns. Rushing in will only get us shot to pieces. Please, _Monsieur Goldfinger, _tell us your plan."

The shinobi nodded. "Yes, Mary-san." Removing a rolled up sheet of paper from within his cloak, Frank spread it out over the table. Written on it was a hastily drawn sketch of the mansion area. "Now, we are here." Frank marked one of the houses with a checkmark. "And the entrance to the mansion is here." He marked that with another checkmark. "Now, as Mary-san said, a frontal assault is inadvisable and would more than likely result in failure. However, I have considered this and come up with what I like to call the Stealth Pincer Attack."

"Which is..." Jack prompted. Frank nodded. "Precisely at midnight, Gerald and I will stage a frontal attack on the mansion. While we have the attention of Adianne's crew, Jack and Mary-san will enter through the back entrance and with any luck, make it to the top floor, defeat Adianne and free the captured Martin. Overall, I'd say the odds of success are about 90, give or take. Any questions?"

Gerald raised his hand. "Is it absolutely necesary that I take part? The last time I fought I was nearly sliced to pieces by a maniacal doll. If that Adianne women is reflective of the entire crew, I could be in serious danger."

After this sentence, Frank fell silent, not saying a word. Slowly he looked up. "Gerald, in the place I come from, they have a saying for missions like these. 'With Comrades, 100. 'Without, 0.' What this means is that no matter the mission and no matter the plan, if you and your comrades are not in synch, the mission is already a failure! Without the full crew, the success rate is 0! Jack's leadership, my cunning, Mary-san's grace, and your ingenuity; all are crucial pieces in this plan of mine. Without you, there is no mission. There isn't even a crew!"

With that, he settled back in his chair. Jack and Gerald stared, bug-eyed. This was the first time they had heard Frank speak more than short sentences, and never so spirited. Coughing gingerly, Gerald raised a finger. "Frank, do you understand the meaning of a rhetorical question?" The shinobi sweatdropped, obviously embarassed. "Well, that is, er, I don't usually talk like that. Forgive me for yelling at you, I shouldn't have done that, you are my superior on this ship..." He trailed off as Gerald shrugged.

"Don't worry, I get your point. However, if I get killed during your plan, I'm going to haunt you." Frank's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his katana. _"I know more about spirits than you know, First Mate. Isn't that right, Nidai Kitetsu?" _

_"They're idiots, all of them. But, I like them anyway. I suppose that makes me an idiot too." _Mary mused.

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_Later that night..._

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At the top of the hill, two of Adianne's crew stood guard in front of the gate. Shouldering her rifle, one turned to the other. "Exactly why are we out here, anyway? It's not as though any of the men have enough nerve left to attack us." The other shook her head. "No, apparently there are other pirates here. One of them even tried to attack Adianne-" The women stopped as whistling reached their ears.

Clothed in the garb of a plumber, Gerald stepped around the hedge on either side of the fence and began to approach. The guards lifted their rifles warningly. "What do you want?" Shrugging, Gerald motioned to the toolbox he was carrying. "I'm the plumber, I've come to fix the pipes." One of the women adjusted her rifle to point at his face. "They've been fixed."

Gerald nodded. "Ah, I was afraid of that. And so was Frank, which was why this is just a distraction." The guards recoiled in shock as a katana was drawn directly behind them. Before they could turn halfway around, Frank had already knocked both of them out with the flat of his sword. "Excellent work, Mr. Plumber." He declared.

"Couldn't you have just done that without me dressing like this?" Frank folded his arms and shook his head. "No. We must follow my plan exactly. Now, by now, Jack and Mary should have reached the secret passageway..."

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And true to his prediction, they had. As they walked down the corridor, Jack turned to Mary. "Hey Mary, how about you join my crew? We could certainly use you, and you _are _a pirate." Mary shook her head. "Not for long. Once we're through with this, I'm going to marry Martin and live happily."

Jack shrugged. "So bring him along. The more the merrier." Mary reached up and adjusted her beret. "I will think about it, _Monsieur Ossements. _But right now, we should get moving. According to _Monsieur Goldfinger's _plan, by now they should be..." A large crash came from above. "_Exactement. _Let's hurry."

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Swinging a cricket bat around, Gerald slammed it into a woman's face before turning and punting away another sneaking up behind him with the golf club in his other hand. "That's five so far for me, Frank!" Sidestepping a bullet, the shinobi knocked the gunner out with the flat side of his katana. "Only three for me, First Mate."

"I'd step it up if I were you. I'm only using sports equipment, and you've got a-" Gerald was cut off from his undoubtedly witty monologue as he was punched hard in the gut, the impact hard enough to send him skidding across the foyer. "First Mate!" Hearing the sound of a sword being drawn, Frank spun around and held up his katana to block a sword that would've sliced his head clear off.

"Rather sad, don't you think, sister? These men are so weak it's pitiful." The armoured blonde-haired woman holding her sword in a deadlock with Frank shrugged. "Oh, they're no complete weaklings, sister. This one managed to sense my attack in time to block it. Impressive." The brown-haired women dressed in animal furs cracked her knuckles and shrugged. "Well, too bad I can't say the same for fancy-pants here. Couldn't even take one of my punches."

"Oh...really?" Spoke up Gerald, who was getting to his feet. Retrieving his weapons, he stood up. "Well, I might not have the super-human qualities some of this crew might have, but I can certainly take a few punches from some trumped-up feminist!" This exhibited a snarl from the brown-haired women. "Is that so? Well, I don't think you two know who you're dealing with. My name is Fran!"

"And I am Ada." The sword-carrying women calmly stated. "And we are Adianne's strongest warriors, the Amazoness Sisters!" Gerald scoffed. "We don't much care who you are, do we Frank?" The shinobi shook his head. "No. We will fulfill our role in my plan, no matter who stands in our way."

"Really? Those are strong words...let's see if you can back them up!" Ada lunged out with a kick into Frank's stomach, breaking the deadlock. As he stumbled backward, she lunged forward with her blade. Leaping backward, Frank went into a series of backflips; kicking off the floor, he straightened out, flicking a Tao Scroll into his hand. **"Tao Scroll; Fire Storm!" **

Ada scoffed as the projectile flew at her. "Oh, please." Swinging her blade smartly around, she cut the paper scroll into two halves which fluttered to the floor. Landing, Frank frowned as he saw a bloody gash on his jumpsuit's right leg. _"I was careless..." _

Ducking under a spinning kick, Gerald blocked a right hook with the handle of his bat, wincing as he heard it crack. Swinging his golf club downward, he jerked his hand back as Fran backhanded it away to clatter against the stairs. _"Well, bugger." _Ducking away from another punch, Gerald threw himself into a roll, coming up near the golf club and retrieving it.

Turning, he threw the bat and club up to defend himself from another of the Amazon's punches, the equipment shuddering from the impact. Kicking out, he struck Fran in the kneecaps, forcing her to kneel, then quickly thrust his bat forward and into her nose, knocking her over. Getting to his feet, he turned and ran as the amazoness scrambled up and chased after him with a roar of anger. "GET BACK HERE!"

Ada frowned as Frank took a step backward, countering her sword with his katana. "What's wrong? I can tell you've got more skill with your blade than this, and yet all you've done is counter my attacks." She glared as Frank knocked her weapon aside once more. "Don't tell me...you're going easy on me because I'm a woman!"

Frank stopped cold, sweating behind his mask. "T-that's not true whatsoever! I-it's just, I have a code I must uphold, you see, and..." Ada leaped forwards suddenly, driving her blade across his chest. "You can't afford to make exceptions in a fight, you fool!" The force of the blow blew the shinobi off his feet, sending him flying across the room to smash into the far wall back first. Slowly he came to rest on the floor, not moving at all.

"Frank! Frank, are you alright?" Gerald gulped as no answer came. He began to sweat hard as both Amazons turned to look at him. _"Oh, BUGGER."_

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_"Frank...Frank Goldfinger, wake up...wake up...OI, I SAID WAKE UP!" _Frank jerked backward as a spiritual force smacked him across the forehead. "There, that's better." Looking over, the shinobi blinked as his eyes came into focus. He was sitting on the flat top of a long pillar of rock. A few feet below him it disappeared into mist. On a similar column across from him sat a strange-looking old man. Despite being clothed in white robes adorned with ornaments and symbols, the most unique feature of his appearance was his mustache. It was extremely long, stretching beyond his face, over the pillar, and down into the mist.

Raising the cup of tea he was holding to his face, he slowly took a sip, then looked over at Frank, who was bowing to the ground in reverence. "You may rise, Frank Goldfinger. It is good to see you again, young one. Unfortunately, I must say, you certainly are getting your ass handed to you by that woman." Straightening up to his knees, Frank adjusted his mask and bowed his head. "Forgive me, Hokage-sama, but Rule 34 of the Shinobi Code prevents me from fighting to my full ability. N-not that I'm blaming you, that is. I would never do that."

Pausing to take another sip, the Hokage looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. "Rule 34...which one is that again?" If he hadn't been in the prescence of the Hokage, Frank definitely would have face-fallen. "T-the one that prevents any shinobi of our village from attacking a woman, Hokage-sama. I would think you'd remember that, since you made them..."

"Well, there are over five hundred of them, Frank, and I am getting on in years. Now, what exactly is the situation here." He waited as Frank began to explain the situation to him. "Well Hokage-sama, the captain I have sworn my loyalty to has decided to help a woman whose beloved has been stolen by the pirate who has taken over this island. Unfortunately she and her crew are all female, so you can understand the conondrum I find myself in."

The Hokage stroked his legendary moustache for a moment. "I see. Now, let's see." He gestured with his hand and a large, golden trimmed notebook appeared in his hand. This was the Master Shinobi Guide. Changing this original copy would immediately change the text of all notebooks held by shinobi operatives. Gesturing with his other hand, a pen appeared in the Hokage's hand. Flicking it open, he penned something new, then flipped it closed again. "It is done. Now go show off your Ninjitsu to these witches, Frank Goldfinger."

The shinobi nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama!" The dream world began to fade away as he came back into consciousness.

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Gerald had been put through the ringer. One of his eyes had an impressive shiner, his nose was bloody and probably broken, and he was fairly sure his left leg was sprained. This was along with the various bruises and cuts he had sustained from the two Amazons. And they showed no signs of stopping yet. Fran smiled and cracked her knuckles. Ada, more composed, simply prepared her sword.

"Leave our ship's first mate alone, you witches." Fran and Ada turned to see Frank getting to his feet. "Alright, then we'll just clobber you!" Gerald facepalmed as Fran leaped into a flying kick which slammed directly into the side of Frank's head, knocking him across the room. Laughing, the amazon dusted herself off. "He acts confident, but he's really just an - eh!?" Fran went wide eyed as Frank lightly hopped back to his feet, ignoring the bloody bruise on the side of his head. "What the...well, take this then!" Charging forward, she slammed her first straight into the middle of his face, bouncing him across the floor like a rag doll.

Snickering, she cracked her knuckles again. "This time he's positively down for good!" The two sisters gaped as the shinobi got to his feet, his nose cracked to the left, but not looking effected at all. Snarling, Fran pointed a finger at him. "How the hell are you doing that!? Ada cut you up, I pummeled you, but you're still getting up like it's nothing at all! WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

Spitting out a glob of blood onto the floor, Frank wiped his mouth. **"Bloodline Limit; Goldfinger Invincible." **Ada pointed her sword at him. "Invincible? What the hell are you taking about?" Frank adjusted his mask. "My ancestor was a stuntman, and was also named Frank. He perfected this move to be a perfect stuntman, and passed it on to his ancestors. By concentrating, I can store all pain I take from attacks into a reserve in my mind. Although my body registers the pain, my brain does not, making it a perfect defense technique. Strike all you can, I won't feel a thing."

Ada smirked. "Very well, then I will!" Frank lifted up his katana and once again countered the amazon's blade. "Hmph, it's just like before; you're too much of a coward to attack a woman!" She cried out as Frank suddenly kicked her in the stomach, then backhanded her away. Taking out his copy of the guidebook, he flicked it open. "Rule 34 of the Shinobi Code; no operative is ever allowed to harm a woman. HOWEVER! Amendment Number One: This rule is rendered null and void if said woman have done anything to harm a comrade you hold dear. Show them no amount of mercy, and show them the same pain they gave your comrade!"

"I don't care about your comrade! Take this!" Ada leapt to her feet and charged, swinging her blade. Frank countered easily. "You don't...that does not surprise me."

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_A few days earlier..._

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_Jack turned to look at Frank. "So, who are you again?" Frank nodded. "As I have told the First Mate already, my name is Frank Goldfinger, a shinobi from a secret village in the Grand Line. I had been sent to capture and turn in Bandock the Butcher. I have accomplished that goal, and now I have joined your crew to bring other criminals to justice."_

_"Really? So basically, you're going to help us, right?" Frank nodded. "Exactly. I have now sworn loyalty to you as part of your crew. We are now comrades, Jack Bones. Order me as you will!"_

_Jack shrugged. "Whatever. You've got good eyes, right? Get up to the crow's nest and be the look-out." The shinobi saluted. "Aye aye, captain!"_

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He shook his head sadly. "I would not expect someone like you to understand the concept of a comrade. A shame. Because of this, you cannot beat me!" Striking out, he knocked away Ada's sword. He then dropped his own to the floor and grabbed Ada hard around the waist. "W-what are you doing? Let me go!"

Ada then gasped as a red light appeared from within Frank's clothes. **"Stuntman Ninjitsu; Douteki Bakuhatsu!" **(Dynamic Explosion) Fran cried out as the Fire Storm Scroll detonated, the explosion carrying over half the room. "Sister!"

Gerald nodded. _"I see...using that invincible technique of his, he turned himself into a bomb, knowing it wouldn't hurt him...completely insane, but effective." _As the explosion dissapated, Ada's scorched form dropped to the floor, while Frank stood tall, effected the same by the bomb as everything else thrown at him so far. "That...was for Mary-san."

"How dare you do that to my sister, you cowardly man!" Fran suddenly felt a tap on his shoulders. She turned to see Gerald draw back his cricket bat. "In case you've forgotten, you're fighting me! **Number Four Gutsy Bat!" **Fran's eyes slid up into the back of her head as the hard end of the bat cracked her on the head before snapping in two. She slid to the floor to join her sister. Tossing the broken weapon to the floor, he sighed as he turned to Frank. "Well, that was certainly-"

He gasped as Frank dropped to the floor, smoke rising off his body. "Frank!" Rushing to his side, he shook him hard. "What happened? I thought you said you were invincible!" Weakly the shinobi turned to look at him and chuckled. "The fatal flaw of the Bloodline Limit is that after the battle is over, all the pain returns at once. My ancestor only used it to avoid flinching when he performed his stunts. I'll live, but I don't think I'll be fighting anyone else anytime soon."

Gerald sighed, leaning back. "Same here. I suppose it's up to Jack and Mary then."

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**"Skull Skull no Boomerang!"**

**"Rose Rose no Broche Fouet!" **

Jack nodded in satisfaction as the latest of Adianne's crew to block their way slid to the floor. "I think that's all of them." Mary nodded. "Yes. Now, all that's left is their captain." They both turned to look at the double doors in front of them. "Shall we?" Jack asked.

Mary turned to him and smiled. "We shall, _Monsieur Ossements._"

Simultaneously, they both turned and kicked the doors open.

_To be continued..._

**_Jack and Mary face off against Adianne at last. Mary fights Adianne, while Jack must deal with the brainwashed Martin without hurting him. Can the two of them emerge victorious, or will Jack's tale end here?_**

**_Next time, "Farewell, Rose Island! Skull Pirate's fourth member!"_**

(Hooray for Frank!)

Luda59 - Jack is just a cool name. Jack Sparrow, Jack Bauer...it's universal.

Malchior the Draco - ...Not sure what you mean by that.


	8. Farewell, Rose Island

"So Ryoga, what do you make of our new orders?" Brandy and his second-in-command were sitting across from eachother, a chess board on the table between them. Several pieces had already been eliminated. Reaching out, he moved a bishop across and took one of Ryoga's knights.

"You said they told you that they needed extra security for the Mermen Reservations, right? No matter what species they are, it's our duty to protect them, as Marines." Moving one of his Rooks forward, Ryoga seized a Pawn in retaliation.

"Heh, if only that were true, Ryoga." Slashing a knight down, Brandy took his subordinate's other Rook. Ryoga blinked. "What do you mean, sir?" Moving his Knight out, he took a Rook and waited for his captain's answer. "Well, I've recently been hearing some rumors about the way the captain of the marine base on that island does things. All I'm saying is, keep your eyes and ears open while we're there.

"Of course, sir!" Brandy nodded and smiled. "That's a good boy." He moved his other Knight out and took a Bishop. Ryoga moved his Queen out. "That's check, sir."

"Oh, not bad. Checkmate." He stood up and left the room, leaving Ryoga staring at the board. _"How does he do it? He acts like a drunkard, but when he does things like this..." _He grinned. _"That's why he's my master!"_

_**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**_

_**Chapter Eight: Farewell, Rose Island! The Skull Pirate's fourth.**_

Jack whistled. "Huh...I guess there were a few more of them than we thought." Mary nodded. "Yes. How many do you think are here, _Monsieur Ossements?_" Raising a hand, the captain began to count the number of women currently pointing guns in their direction. "Let's see. One, two, three..." He trailed off as he counted the rest in his hand. "Forty. That's a nice round number."

He turned to his companion. "Think you can handle this, Mary? Wide attacks aren't really my strong suit." The petite girl smiled. "Of course. Remember who you're talking to." Inhaling, she extended her hands. **"Rose Rose no..." **Adianne's subordinates lifted their rifles and fired at the girl. "Sorry, but incase you've forgotten, she's not the only one here! **Skull Skull no Buckler!" **His right arm changing into a shield, Jack threw himself into the path of the bullets, the projectiles deflecting off his hard body.

"Thank you, _Monsieur Ossements. _Now, as I was saying; **Rose Rose no Dansant Parterre!" **(Dancing Flower-bed) Both her arms changing into thorny vines, both of Mary's limbs shot out downwards, smashing through the floor. Tunneling underneath the women, they slammed upward into the crowd, immediately whipping around, scattering the guards into the walls, pillars, and floor of the room.

Jack whistled as Mary retracted her limbs. "That'll teach them not to mess with you." The petite girl smiled. "Naturally, _Monsieur Ossements._" They both looked up as they heard clapping coming from the back of the room.

Leaning back in her throne, Adianne applauded the two. "Very impressive. That the two of you could break in here alone is indeed impressive." Jack shrugged. "Of course. Remember that you're dealing with Jack Bones." Adianne scowled at him. "Don't flatter yourself. If it weren't for following Mary, you wouldn't have gotten past the front door."

Jack cracked his knuckles and snarled. "Sure, you talk big now. But incase you can't tell, we're both Devil's Fruit users, and you're out of bodyguards." Adianne smiled. "And once again, you prove yourself to be an idiot. I'm afraid I have one more. **Charm Charm no Servant." **Leaping out from behind the throne came Martin, snapping into a flying kick at Jack. Putting out his hands, Jack grabbed hold of the boy's leg and threw him over his shoulder.

Easily landing on his feet, the hypnotized boy charged back towards the captain. Jack looked to Mary. "Okay, so what's the etiquette here?" Mary stared. "You break his bones, I break yours. Is that simple enough for you?" Jack gulped. "Uh, yes ma'am." Turning, he ran at Martin, putting out his arm and clotheslining the boy out the door and into the hallway.

Adianne turned to regard Mary. "Now that your pet monkey is gone, we can talk rationally. Now then Mary, exactly why did you burst into my home like this?" The petite girl smiled and shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing important...but when you and your crew came to this island, you took something precious of mine, and I would like it back."

"Oh, really? And what might this precious thing of yours be, Mary?" The petite girl gestured back to the door. "Why, it's your hypnotized bodyguard, Martin, the boy I love. Now, please return him to me, Adianne." The woman frowned. "Well, while I am sympathetic to you as a fellow woman...I didn't become a great pirate by giving things back. So I am afraid your request is denied."

"Well, that is a problem. Or, it would be...if I had been _asking_." Mary flicked out her wrist, sending a thorn vine out at Adianne. Swiftly leaping out of her chair, Adianne glowered as the attack cut the back of the throne in half. "I liked that chair, Mary." Unstrapping her whip from her side, she snapped it out towards her opponent.

Mary cried out as the spiky weapon bit into her side. "D-damn you! **Broche Foutter!" **Laughing mockingly, Adianne spun out of the way. "Ah, you Paramecia types are so delightfully predictable!" The petite girl gave a cry as the whip struck her again, stumbling against one of the pillars. _"Tch, she's better than I thought. Obviously I can't end this just with force. Fine." _

Jumping forward, Mary turned and slung a vine at the pillar, the appendage wrapping around the column and going taut. **"Pilier..." **Leaping up, she glided around the column as the vine unwinded itself. On the other side, she released her grip, letting the momentum carry her straight toward Adianne. Sighing, the woman sidestepped and snapped out her whip. "Oh, please. I thought you were smarter than this, Mary."

"Who said I wasn't?" Mary called. Snapping out a second whip, she wrapped it around a pillar on the opposite side of the room. The added grip changed Mary's path, causing the whip to shoot harmlessly over her shoulder. Releasing her grip, Mary landed right next to Adianne. **"Glissent Broche Fouetter!" **(Pillar Glide Thorn Whip)

Adianne screamed as the vine slammed into her stomache, sending her tumbling over to land on her back. Mary smiled. "I would step it up a bit, Adianne; if you want to keep up with me, that is."

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**

Jack sighed as Martin charged at him for the fifth time. Grabbing him by the shoulders, he threw him back down the hallway. Landing easily, Martin ran at him again. "Come on, cut it out. I feel like a bully." The boy gritted his teeth at the pirate. "I won't forgive anyone who tried to hurt Miss Adianne!" Ducking under a choppy combo, Jack shoved him back down the corridor. "I don't know if you noticed, but your 'Dear Adianne' is kind of, well...a pirate."

"How dare you call Miss Adianne a criminal! I'll make you pay for that!" Seizing a vase off a nearby table, Martin threw it at Jack's head. Not blinking as it shattered over his head, Jack scratched his skull. "Are you sure there's not some other girl you should be obsessing over? Like that one that was with me?"

"I'm not interested in any woman that's with you, pirate! If she calls you a comrade, then she must be a worthless, heartless, BI-" He stopped talking as Jack grabbed his fists in a crushing grip, stopping his charge. "...I don't give a crap if you _are _hypnotized, brat. Nobody talks about a lady like that in front of me!"

Still holding onto him, he angled his head to point at Martin's face. **"Doku Doku no Cannonball!" **Martin let out a yell of pain as Jack's head spun into him hard. Reconnecting his skull, Jack let go, letting the boy slump to the floor. (Doku means "skull". I decided to change Jack's attack chants to fit this. Sorry if this bothers anyone.)

Dusting his hands off, Jack stepped over Martin's prone body and started back to the room. _"I'll go give Mary a hand. If she hasn't already torn Adianne apart, that is."_

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Mary had not. The fight had now turned into a stalemate. Both opponents were smart and agile enough to dodge each other's whip attacks, and it seemed like the two were an equal match. "Hmph, I must admit Adianne; I didn't expect you to put up this much of a fight. However, I'm afraid you're not going to defeat me! **Broche Foutter!" **

Sneering, Adianne slung out her whip as well. The result of this clash was both whips being tangled up in eachother. Grimacing, Mary tugged in an attempt to free her limb, but to no avail. Adianne smiled. "How unfortunate for you, with your arm tangled up like that. You know, when I heard of your Devil Fruit ability, a question came to my mind. What would happen if someone were to...do this?"

Smiling, Adianne removed a large dagger from beneath her dress. Mary inhaled sharply. "Ah, I see my theory was correct. Those vines of yours might be powerful, but they can still be cut just as easily as skin. So..." Twisting the dagger around, she slammed it deep into Mary's vine arm. Adianne smile widened as blood began to escape from the wound. The cruel woman then began to slowly rotate the blade, deepening the wound. But despite the obvious pain she was in, Mary simply gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out.

Adianne's smile vanished as she saw this. "Hmph, if you won't cry out, then what's the point?" Removing the dagger and releasing her whip, she lunged forward and kicked her opponent in the stomach, sending her sliding across the floor.

Mary began to slowly get up. "It's...not over...yet." Wincing, she clutched her arm, which was now sporting a bloody gash along most of it's length. "I can't back down or run away. This...is battle for _amour._" Slowly, Adianne's features shifted into a cruel glare. "Love? Hehehehe...HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Wiping a tear from her eye, she looked back to Mary. "Oh, sorry. It's just that you said that with such a serious face that...oh haha, there it is again."

Tilting her head, Mary reached up momentarily and adjusted her beret. "Adianne...if you were trying to rile me up by saying something so ignorant, I'm afraid it won't work. After all, it's really only natural that you'd say such things about love; after all, the only way you can keep a man is with that Devil's Fruit of yours."

Adianne's eyes narrowed. "In just a moment I'm going to make you regret saying that." Mary smirked. "Then try it." Snarling in utter rage, Adianne slashed her whip. "I'M GOING TO SHUT THAT MOUTH OF YOURS UP!" Springing her legs, Mary leaped lightly out of the way of the attack, the whip easily shooting past where she had stood seconds ago. "A whip only has so much length, Adianne!"

The cruel woman's smile deepened. "Oh, really?" Twisting the handle of the rope, she depressed a hidden switch. **"Kakuhan Enchou!" **(Whip Extension) Mary gasped as the whip suddenly doubled in length, circling around and locking around her legs. "Wha-AH!" Losing her balance, she fell to the floor. Laughing, Adianne jerked her whip to the right, slamming Mary into a pillar. Not even giving her opponent a chance to recover, she flicked her whip in the other direction, sending Mary to collide with the opposite column. "More, More! Let me hear your crescendo of agony!"

Sighing, Adianne began to approach, licking the blade of her knife. "Now then, I believe that playtime is over." Mary lifted her head, chin held high. _"If I'm going to die here...alright. At least...I _tried _to get you back, Martin..." _

**"Doku Doku no Cannonball!"**

Adianne quickly sidestepped as Jack's head shot past, arcing in a boomerang effect to reconnect to it's owner's neck. Straightening it, Jack sighed. "Geez. I leave for a few minutes, and you can't handle one crazy woman? I guess I misjudged you, Mary." Stooping, he dropped a large bulk to the floor. Adianne's eyes bugged out when she was what it was.

"Y-you terrible man! How could you do that to my Martin!?" Jack shrugged, then grinned. "I'm a pirate. It's sort of in the job description. And by the way, he's not yours." He jerked a thumb over at Mary. "He belongs to her. And we'll be taking him back now. You have a problem with that?"

Adianne's glare deepened. "As a matter of fact, I do." Tugging on her whip, she pulled Mary up next to her, quickly putting a knife to the girl's throat. "Come one step closer, and I'll slit her throat!"

Jack frowned. "A hostage situation, huh? Well, I figured you'd try something like this, so..." Jack held up his hands. Or rather, didn't. His hands ended at the wrists. Adianne had time to register this before she was grabbed from behind, her whip torn from her hands as her wrists were tied together, a large weight clamping down on them. Looking behind her, she gasped as she saw Jack's hands, now changed into circular rings, holding them in place.

Jack grinned. **"Doku Doku no Tekase." **(Handcuffs) Pulling herself free from the whip, Mary walked over to stand next to Jack. "Thank you again, _Monsieur Ossements. _That's three times you've helped me." Jack shrugged. "No big deal. Now then..." They both turned to face Adianne.

Changing back to normal, Jack's hands leaped to the floor, running back to their owner and reconnecting. Snarling, Adianne retrieved her whip. "Don't come near me!" Quickly, she snapped it out. Snorting, Jack stuck out his hand and grabbed it, completely stopping it's momentum. Tugging, he tore the weapon out of her hand, throwing it over into the corner.

Smiling, Mary pulled her hands back. **"Rose Rose no..." **Both her arms changing into vines, Mary shot them out towards Adianne. The cruel woman gasped as both of them wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly. "T-this can't be happening..." Smirking, Mary began to turn in a pirouette, lifting Adianne off the ground, and rotating her in a circle. "I'm afraid it is! Now, take this! **Tourbillon!" **(Whirlwind)

Picking up speed, the spin reached the apex of it's momentum. "And...NOW! **Deux..." **Mary released her grip, the momentum beginning to carry her higher into the air. However, Mary wasn't done yet. Snapping her vines out, she slammed them both into Adianne. **"Cingler!" **(Two Whips) The impact increased Adianne's momentum, throwing her higher into the air. "You're not getting off that easily!" Roaring, Jack charged forwards. **"Doku Doku no..." **Throwing his arms forward, both limbs shot out, changing into a boomerang shape before slamming into Adianne's gut. "AND..." Hopping into the air, Jack's head began to spin rapidly before it shot out too. Flying through the air, the projectile hit Adianne in the face with the force of a cannon. **"Skull and Crossbones!"**

Jack's remaining body parts, his torso and legs, deconnected and flew up to him. Reforming his body, Jack grinned. "I've been wanting to do this all day!" Smile widening, he clasped his fists. **"Doku Doku no..." **Bulging, his hands changed form into a massive sledgehammer. Slowly he pulled it back, before thrusting it into Adianne's gut. **"HAMMER!" **

Landing, Jack dusted off his hands as the momentum carried Adianne into her own throne, crushing it and smashing a hole in the floor. He grinned as he heard her hit the floor below. "Typical feminist; they can talk tough, but they just can't back it up." Turning, Jack then walked over to Mary. "Now then..." Reaching up to his arm, Jack tore a strip off his sleeve. Gently grasping Mary's wounded arm, he wrapped it around the cut as a makeshift bandage. Throughout this, Mary simply stared.

Tieing it tightly, Jack nodded. "Okay, you should be fine now." Staring at the bandage, Mary nodded. "Thank you...Jack." Saying nothing, Jack returned the nod. A rising groan caught their attention. Immediately, Mary's face bloomed into a wide smile. "Martin!" Quickly she ran back to where the boy was rising.

As Mary kneeled down next to him, Martin slowly blinked as he noticed her. "M-miss Mary...where are we? I have a bad headache...what happened?" Mary seemed to consider this for a few moments. "...Oh, you walked into a door while we were in the Mansion and fell unconscious. I've been waiting for you to wake up all this time." Slowly Martin nodded before moving his hand over to cover his nose. "I walked into a door...yes, that must be why nose is broken...

_"Jack..." _Mary shifted her gaze to look at the door as it slowly swung closed. From behind it came the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps.

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_"Stairs...so many bloody stairs...reminds me of home." _Using his cricket bat as an impromptu walking stick, Gerald stopped on yet another landing and caught his breath. After Frank had treated their injuries, they'd started up the stairs toward Jack and Mary. They'd encountered a few of Adianne's crew, but about half of them were disoriented and confused-he surmised these were the hypnotized women from the island-and the other half ran at the site of them. He turned to regard Frank, who was doing worse than he was, mostly because he was still patching himself up from a first aid kit he'd pulled from somewhere. "If you're tired Gerald, I could carry you and jump up to the next floor." The shinobi offered.

Gerald snorted. "I think not. I put up with it last time because it was urgent, but I'd rather not be carried by a man if I can still walk fine, thank you very much." Frank shrugged. "I just thought I'd ask." They both looked up as Jack came running down the stairs, quickly passing them. He tossed his head over his shoulder and called back, "Oi, Gerald, Frank, we're done here! Steal every bit of food that isn't nailed down and get back to the ship!"

Frank saluted. "We're on it, Jack!" Before Gerald could put up a fight, Frank grabbed him and flipped him over his shoulder, then turned and quickly followed their captain.

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_A few minutes later, outside in the town..._

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At a bakery in the middle of town, the owner and a passersby turned to look at the hilltop mansion. "Sounds like theirs some commotion at the mansion." The owner remarked. "Yeah. With any luck, someone assassinated that witch Adianne." The owner nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it. H-hey, what's that?" He pointed up the street, where a small whirlwind was gathering, spinning around the trash left in the gutters.

"Now what the hell..." Before either of them could step forward to investigate it, they were grabbed by the shoulders and slammed into eachother headfirst. Slowly they tumbled to the ground. Frank offered an apologetic nod to the two. "Sorry about this. I assure you, your baked goods will be going to a good cause...I suppose."

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_Meanwhile, at the Grocer..._

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Hefting a sack of vegetables over his shoulder, Gerald called back, "It's alright if I take these without paying for them, right?" The owner of the shop couldn't answer, mostly because he was unconscious with a growing lump on his head. "That's about what I thought." He began to whistle as he left the building. _"I will admit, being a pirate is much more simple."_

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_Also Meanwhile, at the Butcher Shop..._

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Jack sighed, adjusting his tricone hat as he exited the meat shop. _"Honestly, the guy didn't have to go at me with a butcher knife. It's just meat..." _Throwing the sack of food over his shoulder, he ran off towards the docks.

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"What the hell do you mean no!?"

Martin's Mother shrugged. "You heard me. I don't want you marrying my son." Mary pointed a finger into the old woman's face. "I saved his life." The old lady nodded. "Yes, you did, and I'm grateful, and so I'll tolerate you being around him, but marriage is something else entirely."

"You, you can't do this!" The old woman managed a wrinkled smirk. "I'm his mother; I'd say I have a say in who my son marries." Mary began to seeth. "I love him." Martin's Mother made a "Pfffft" noise. _"Guivre! Corneille! CATIN!" _The old lady just looked amused. "Like I said, I can't even understand your insults. The fact is, I don't want you marrying Martin, and that's that."

Mary clenched her fists until the knuckles cracked. _"I don't intend to lose Martin...to anyone, especially not you."_

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**

_Earlier, in the underground passageway..._

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**

"By the way, _Monsieur Ossements, _once you leave here, where will you go?" Jack shrugged offhandedly. "Well, I guess I'll get a few more people on my crew, and then head for the Grand Line." Mary went goggle-eyed. "That dangerous place? Are you _Torve? _You'll be killed!" Jack shrugged again. "Maybe. But maybe we won't. And I'll say this; I'd rather die young being a pirate than grow old under someone else's rules."

Mary blinked momentarily, before smiling coyly. "You know...you are an interesting man, _Monsieur Ossements._" Jack shrugged a third time. "Who the hell said I wasn't?"

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**

Mary slowly lifted her eyes to look the old woman in the eye. "Old woman...I will make you a wager." Martin's Mother cocked an eyebrow. "What?" Mary leaned back in her chair before continuing. "As you know, I am a pirate, and a strong one at that. Both of us think that we can treat the man we love better than the other. But _you _are wrong. My wager is thusly; if I can sail through all of the Grand Line, and return here with proof of this...then will you allow me to marry Martin?"

The old woman lifted her hand to adjust her spectacles before responding. "You would...go through that hell of a sea just to marry my son?" Mary nodded. "Yes, I would." Her voice showed no hesitation at all. "Then do it." Getting up, Martin's Mother left the room. Mary smiled. "I'm not doing it just because you tell me to...but fine...old woman."

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**

Martin watched Mary pack with an intense expression of worry on his face. "Are you completely sure about this, Miss Mary? The Grand Line is dangerous!" Mary nodded. "Yes, extremely." Martin persisted. "You could be killed!" Mary nodded once more. "Yes, quite possibly." Martin began to flail his arms in the air. "Aren't you worried at all!?" Mary shrugged. "Not especially."

"But...wouldn't it just be better to marry someone else?" Mary looked up at him, eyes alight. "No." Martin looked down towards the floor. "But...I don't want you to die because of me...Miss Mary...because...I love you." Tears began to well in the young boy's eyes. Reaching under his chin, Mary gently raised his face to meet hers. "Don't worry, Martin. I won't die. After all, didn't we promise to always meet again...in the gardens on this island?"

Martin broke down into tears. "Yes...yes, Miss Mary!" Smiling, she leaned forward and kissed him.

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Gerald ascended the stairs from the galley and dusted his hands off. "Right, it's all stored away. Shall we set off, Jack? Jack?" Leaning up against the railing of the ship, Jack shook his head. "No. Not yet." Gerald tweaked his moustache. "What are you talking about?"

The skull pirate chuckled. "Well, if I know anything about women, it's that they get really ticked off when you leave without them." He called over his shoulder. "Hey Frank, is she coming?" Suddenly appearing next to Gerald and causing him to recoil in shock, the shinobi nodded. "Yes captain, she should be here in less than a minute."

True to the shinobi's instincts, a few moments later a thorn vine wrapped around the ship's railing as Mary roped herself aboard. "I was wondering when you were gonna show up." Jack said casually. Mary shrugged. "I had to pack." Jack pointed to Gerald. "Okay, now we can leave. Gerald, you handle the steering. Frank, get back up to the crow's nest."

"Yes, captain." The shinobi replied before running back up the pole. "If I may ask captain, what are _you _going to do?" Gerald glowered. Jack stopped at the door to the cabins. "I'm going to bed. It's nearly five in the morning, for pete's sake." Entering, he slammed the door behind him.

As the sails caught the wind and the Flying Skull began to ease itself out of the harbor, Mary was surprised to see Martin run out from the street. Dashing out to the end of the pier, he raised his hands to his mouth and yelled:

"Miss Mary...BON VOYAGE!

_To be continued..._

_**Caught in a storm, the Flying Skull nearly capsizes, but is saved thanks to Jack's quick thinking and navigating skill. The Skull Pirates then find themselves on Newport Island, home to a sizable Marine Base, and a Reservation of Trout Mermen. The crew soon finds, however, that they aren't the real criminals here.**_

_**Next time, Newport Island! The Mermen Reservations and Big Brother Drake.**_

Malchior the Draco - I can assure you, unlike the Straw Hat girls, Mary - as well as another female member I have planned - are not nearly useless in a fight.

Luda59 - If there is ever a situation where darts and bowling balls could be useful, then yeah. And Star Wars...I was going for Naruto-esque.

The Dude of Doom - Get your mind out of the gutter, boy!

The next arc is one I'm particularly proud of. Look forward to it!


	9. Newport Island

Flanked by a squad of guards from their ship, Brandy and Ryoga marched through the middle of Newport Island. The island itself had three villages - each with a Merman population of about forty. The topography of the island was an odd mix of forests and quarries, the latter of which led to a network of caves that criss-crossed under the entire island. Or so he was told.

The reservations were set up so the three of them were set up around the Marine Base in a triangle formation. Paths had also been cleared between the three exits of the base and the villages, allowing a marine to move between them with a mere ten minute's travel. Officially, the marine base had been established on the island to protect the Mermen there from harm. With Merman Criminals, such as Saw-Toothed Arlong from East Blue terrorizing the seas, many who has lost loved ones to their rampage had begun seeking retribution...by attacking the more vulnerable of the species.

At least, that was the intention. But now, observing the faces peering out from the houses and alleyways on either side of them, Brandy began to doubt this was the case even further. The expressions on the mermen's faces ranged from caution to downright fear. _"That's definitely not what people being protected should look like...and where are all the men? I only see women and children. Something is definitely fishy here, pardon the pun." _

Abruptly, a rock flew out of nowhere and smashed against the side of Ryoga's head, sending him spilling to the ground. Immediately, the marine squad unshouldered their rifles and pointed them in the direction the projectile came from. Brandy shook his head. "Cut that out, guys." He turned to his subordinate and offered his hand. "You alright, Ryoga?"

"Y-yes sir. It only grazed me." Brandy pulled his subordinate back up to his feet. "Okay then, let's get going." Brandy turned and looked in the direction of the Marine Base. Brandy was of the opinion that these bases should be like a Doctor's Emergency Room; tucked away enough that you don't see it, but you still know is there when you need it. Or something like that, anyway. Helsing's Marine Base however, broke this rule several times over. As it was in the center of the island, it was the focal point of the place; and more than likely, the lives of everyone who lived on the island. The building was on a hill, so therefore it loomed over the people living under it. Lastly, and probably most important, was the feeling it gave off. 'I am better than you, and I know it.' was how Brandy would describe it. A rich man's aura. Not good. Not good at all.

Raising his bottle of rum to his mouth, Brandy took a swig. Suddenly his throat felt very dry.

**_One Piece: The Skull Pirates_**

**_Chapter Nine: Newport Island! The Merman Reservations and Big Brother Drake!_**

"Uh, Mary?" The girl turned to regard Jack. "Yes, Jack? Is something wrong?" Jack scratched his forehead and shrugged. "Well, no...but what are you doing?" He gestured to where Mary was putting together several small wooden logs in a rectangle. Mary stood up, giving him an odd look. "You know Jack, when I was looking at the food stores on this ship, I found something a little unsettling. The amount of meat products is more than twice that of the Fruit and Vegetables. Have you ever heard of Scurvy, Jack?"

"Well, yeah, but-" Mary cut him off. "You're aware that if you keep eating so irresponsibly, that's what you're going to contract, right? You might not be aware of this - since I heard from Gerald that you only recruited me to safeguard your sexuality - but I'm also a dietician, and a botanist. Since I'm now part of your crew, it's my job to make sure you all eat properly. So..."

Resuming her work, Mary soon had all of the logs connected, forming a long trough. Turning, Mary picked up a large bag of soil. Opening the bag, she poured it out into the trough, effectively making a long planter in the middle of the deck. Stepping up to the middle, inhaled deeply, then exhaled, dropping a seed into the soil. She repeated this several more times, until the planter was filled with seeds.

Smiling, she dusted off her hands. "There. These _semailles_ are extremely fast growing, so in just a few days we should have some proper fruits on this ship." She turned to see Jack stroking his chin. "Yes?" Jack switched to scratching his nose. "So...does that mean when you go to the bathroom, you make fertilizer?"

Mary stared at him for a moment. _"Idiot."_ Jack raised an eyebrow. "That isn't french."

"Regardless, you're still an idiot."

"Excuse me, captain?" Spoke up Frank, from right behind them. After Jack was busy smacking his chest to restart his heart, he turned to regard the Shinobi. "Frank, I realize the fact that you can move around so fast without being heard is really useful, but you have got to stop doing that on the ship. I don't want to have a heart attack at twenty two."

Frank scratched his head. "Sorry about that, captain. It's just normal to move like that where I come from, so I keep forgetting." Jack nodded. "Well, yeah, but you have to remember that not everything happens elsewhere the way it does from where you come from." He pointed to the shinobi's mask. "I mean, you don't wear that thing when you're at home, right?"

"Actually, yes, everyone does. Even the women." An awkward pause then came as Jack stared dumbfounded. _"Does he expect me to believe that? An entire island where everyone wears a mask? Hell, there's a better chance of there being a walking skele...okay, nevermind."_

Clearing his throat, Jack continued. "Now, what is it?" Frank pointed to the sky off the other end of the ship. "I was up in the crow's nest when I spotted some storm clouds on the horizon. Perhaps we should move the ship away from them."

Smiling, Jack draped an arm around Frank's shoulders. "Listen, Frank...I guess I can excuse you for this, since you're a newbie and all." He motioned to where Frank had pointed. "But on the sea, you can't go treating every black cloud you see as if it's a typhoon. You'll drive yourself crazy that way. It's probably not gonna even head our way, and if it does, it'll probably only be a drizzle anyway. Don't worry about it."

"Ah...alright, if you say so captain." Said Frank, looking less positive. Turning, he climbed back up to the crow's nest. Jack turned back. "Now, Mary, you were..." He sweatdropped as he saw the petite girl on the deck, fainted out cold with swirls in her eyes. "...Yeah, Frank's definitely gonna have to work on that."

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**

Marine Captain Helsing Swing was a very...neat man. That was how Brandy could best describe him. His uniform was perfectly in place, with not a speck of disarray about him. His office was the same; it contained no frivilous items, only things that were necessary for his work. Sterile, like an operating room. Like most captains in the Marines, Helsing's uniform was a custom job; rather than the normal white-blue colour scheme, his was entirely black, with red at the collars.

Stepping forward, Brandy saluted. "Captain Brandy Swallow from Cherry Island, reporting for duty." Penting his fingers, Helsing leaned forward and smiled. "Welcome to Newport Island, Captain Brandy. I hope we will get along well while you are on assignment here." Brandy nodded. "Yeah, sure. Let's drink to it." Lifting his bottle of rum to his mouth, he drank. Helsing sweatdropped. "Ah, no thank you. I don't usually drink this early in the morning. Speaking of which, are you sure it's proper to be drinking liquor in front of your subordinate?" He motioned to Ryoga.

"Ah? Oh yeah. Ryoga, you forgot to introduce yourself. That's a bit rude..." Ryoga straightened up (Moreso, anyway), stepped forward and saluted. "Ryoga Hitachi, Deputy Captain of the Cherry Island Marines, reporting for duty, SIR!" Helsing nodded. "Such enthusiasm...but, I would much rather prefer your _formal _rank, son." Ryoga blushed and deflated slightly. "Ah...Chief Petty Officer, sir..."

Helsing nodded and gave a little smile. Brandy, who had already decided he didn't like Helsing that much, frowned inwardly. Helsing motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. "Now, please, take a seat." They did so. "Now then, Helsing, why did we get assigned here?" Helsing leaned back in his chair. "Of course, you've been assigned here to provide extra security for the Merman Reservations here." Brandy spoke up. "Yeah, that's the _official _reason. But there's something else, right?"

Helsing gave another efficient little smile. "Ah, you're as sharp as they say, Captain Brandy." He leaned forwards. Brandy and Ryoga mimed the action. "Several months ago, my men started getting attacked while out on patrols. At first it was only a few at a time, but one week ago, the attacker struck at the base itself. Over half of the men here were severely injured. Some are still in the infirmary recovering. The men who were attacked can't recall anything about whatever attacked them, but judging from the damage to the men's bodies, whatever it was must have been extremely strong. It also seems to operate on a hit and run basis, striking quickly and then fleeing into the forest. As you might expect, the terrain of the island means it could be hiding anywhere.

Quite frankly, Captain Brandy, my men are spooked. The ones who aren't injured are refusing to go out on patrols. If pirates were to attack now, I'm not sure the base would hold. I have heard of your incredible strength and intelligence, and I'm certain you can do it. Please find this menace and bring it to justice!"

Brandy smiled. "Sure. I assume your base and records are open to me?" Helsing's smile faltered slightly. "Certainly, although I'm not sure how this will help you capture the criminal." Brandy took another swig. "Okay, let's go, Ryoga." The two stood up, saluted, and then left the office. _"He might suspect something, but he probably doesn't know that Headquarters didn't send me here just for that, or because Helsing asked. Although, I am interested in just who this attacker might be." _

As the door swung shut behind him, Helsing turned to the corner. "So, what do you make of him?" A shadow on the wall seemed to split off as a man clothed in black stepped forward. "A drunken fool...at least, that's the mask he was wearing. After all, you don't become a Marine Captain by just being average...but I'm sure you know that, don't you...Captain Helsing?"

"Quite. I assume the records were switched for the fake ones?" The man in black nodded. "Yes. And the doors to the underground cavern are hidden and locked, and the equipment in the quarry is hidden. He won't suspect a thing. But, if he does..." Helsing drew his finger across his throat. "I assume the famous assassin from West Blue, Hokushin, can handle one old man, right?" Hokushin toyed with the blade in his hand and smiled. "I assure you, your operations here will not be disrupted, Captain. After all, you were the one who faked my death record and let me work for you."

Helsing nodded. "Simply my nature. If something can be useful for me, I will use it. An Assassin like you, other criminals...this island...and even the Mermen on it."

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**"**You know Jack, I'm very glad we have your wonderful intuition. Otherwise, we might find ourselves in situations like...oh, like the one we're in right now, for instance." Gerald quipped. "Aw, shut up Gerald! This was a fluke, that's all!" Jack shouted back. Shouting was necessary to be heard over the wind. The storm had not, as Jack had predicted, blown over, but had instead overtaken their ship. Jack was manning the steering wheel, his eyes searching the horizon for a suitable place to land and wait the storm out. _"If these guys are this shook up by a West Blue storm, they're gonna freak out when we get to the Grand Line. Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I guess."_

Frowning, Gerald took a hand off the rope he was holding to ring out his moustache, then bit back a yell as the rope nearly dislocated his shoulder as it nearly pulled out of his grip. _"I wish I was still in jail. No, wait, that's not true. I wish I'd ditched him there." _Frank was running around the ship, armed with a hammer and nails to pin down everything that wasn't nailed down in the first place. _"If this ship capsizes, I'll never become a true shinobi. So, I must now use my mediocre skills of using a hammer to bravely - GAH!" _His train of thought was cut off as his lip poked into the sharp end of one of the nails he was holding in his mouth.

Mary meanwhile, was inside, at the helm. Gritting her teeth, she tried to keep it steady. with her Devil's Fruit Power. _"Why did he assign me to this job? I'm not suited for it at all!" _She was nearly sent spilling to the floor, as another wave buffeted the side of the ship. _"But even so, I've got to do it."_

In many ways, this storm was the first hardship the four of them faced as Nakama. And certainly, it would not be the last...

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"Captain Brandy, I presume?"

Brandy and Ryoga both turned at this hail...and immediately, several key muscles in parts of their bodies untensed themselves. Brandy supposed this young woman would have this effect on any man. Part of it had to do with her uniform, which was (Probably intentionally) cut short at the bottom and top, the latter of which only accentuated the large size of her chest. Another was the look in her eyes, which said quite plainly that she _knew _she was arousing you, and was extremely amused by it. Another interesting aspect about her was her shoulder-length hair's color; which was a unique Aquamarine Color. She was also quite tall, standing at roughly six feet tall.

Grinning widely, she held out her hand. "Special Inspector Jade Marinas from Marine Headquarters. It's a pleasure, sir." Brandy returned the smile. "Aaaah, what a pretty young lady. A sight for sore eyes for someone who hangs around men all day, I must say." Quickly realizing where this was going, Ryoga tapped his captain on the shoulder. "Sir, I should point out that you certainly don't need another sexual harassment charge on your record, and definitely not on another Marine."

Jade suddenly leaned forward, an extremely unlady-like lecherous smirk on her face. "Well...if Captain Brandy really _wants _to harass me, I don't see why that can't be arranged..." Brandy looked rather indifferent to this. "Well, don't think I wouldn't enjoy that, but I'd never be able to keep up with you. But, maybe Ryoga could you take you up on that." Before Ryoga could react to that, Jade had grabbed him by the shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "Hmmm...yes...that naive face...those innocent eyes...why, he's absolutely adorable!"

"Um...Inspector, could you please back off a few feet? This is making me a little uncomfortable, if you don't mind..." This almost seemed to encourage her. "Oh, and he's shy too. What can we do about that, I wonder?" She lifted one hand from Ryoga's shoulder, shifting it to the back of his head, which she slowly tilted downward, giving Ryoga an exquisite view down her shirt. "I'm not a prude, so go ahead, Ryoga-kun, and look all you like..."

At this point, Ryoga's nose simply could not take anymore of this, and promptly burst open, sending blood down the front of Ryoga's face. The shock force of this also apparently drove him unconscious, as he went limp and fell to the floor.

"I think you broke him." Brandy offered.

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Later, shut off in a side room, Ryoga shoved kleenex into his nose while he listened to his two superiors converse. "So, Jade-chan, you mentioned something about being an inspector from Marine Headquarters?"

Jade nodded. "That's right. I was sent here to inspect the...well, the rumors. They're not very pleasant, you know." Brandy raised an eyebrow. "All the way from the Grand Line? Seems a long way for you to come all the way out to West Blue, Jade-chan. If you don't mind me asking, what's the deal?"

Jade looked taken aback for a moment, before her cheerful expression returned and she shrugged. "Let's just say that it struck a chord with me and leave it at that, okay, Brandy-san?"

Brandy shrugged before taking another swig of rum. "Okay, fine. If you don't wanna tell me, then I don't have to know." He leaned back in his chair. "But anyway, it doesn't take a genius to see that there's some something fishy going on here, but I'd like to hear your opinion, Jade-chan."

The woman leaned back, tapping her chin with her finger. "Well, it's obvious that Helsing's lying about a lot of things, but it's not as if we can call him on it without any proof." In the corner, Ryoga looked up. "But Captain Helsing is a Marine Officer! Why would he lie like that?"

Jade looked over at Brandy. "He's cute, but he's a little dumb, don't you think?" Brandy shrugged. "Yeah, maybe, but he has his uses. Besides, he draws most of the negative attention away from me, you know?"

_"He's talking about me like I'm not here again..."_

"Oh yeah. Jade-chan, this bogeyman that Helsing's talking about, is that a lie too?" The women shook her head. "Nope, not unless his men are willing to inflict pain on themselves to make us believe it. Plus, I've seen him myself." Ryoga raised an eyebrow. "Really? What did he look like?"

Jade shook her head. "Sorry, Ryoga-kun, I promised him I wouldn't say. Although," She added, the lecherous look rising in her eyes again, "I can say that he's nowhere near as cute as you are."

"...Inspector, could you please stop that? It's really improper conduct for a Marine." Jade suddenly appeared behind Ryoga's chair and glomped the Sergeant around his shoulders. "Ryoga, if you don't want me to get attracted, then stop being so cute. Oh, but from what I've seen, I guess that's impossible for you, isn't it?"

Ryoga blinked. "Cute? Me? Really?"

"Hell, if you were a girl, I'd date ya." Brandy put in.

"..."

"What?"

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A short while later, the three exited the base's infirmary. Ryoga leaned up against the wall, a pondering look on his face. "What do you think, Sir?" Brandy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, definitely." Jade looked from one to the other. "Am I missing something here?"

Ryoga looked to the woman. "The injuries the men in there had...they were precise. And it wasn't just power, either. Whoever did it knew what he was aiming for. Inspector, that man is a Martial Artist, like me and the Captain, right?" Jade shrugged. "Well, I don't really know anything about that, but if Ryoga-kun says so, then I guess it's true."

Brandy took another swig from his bottle and shrugged. "Well, if we run into him, I guess I'll have you take care of him, Ryoga. Don't worry; if you die, I'll give you a classy funeral."

"At least then I wouldn't have to put up with your so-called humor, sir."

"Keep that up and I'll dock your pay."

"Actually sir, you still owe me about a Thousand Beri."

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Another short while later, the three were back at the side room. A large number of files were strewn on the table in front of them. With a disgusted sigh, Jade threw down the one she had been reading. "Honestly, does he think we're idiots or something? A monkey could tell there's something wrong here!"

"Well, yeah, Jade-chan, but it's not as though we can call him on it without direct proof." Brandy remarked. Ryoga shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to stay up all night until we can get something from this." Brandy turned a bit pale. "Then that means..."

"Yes, sir. Coffee." Ryoga responded with a satisfied smirk.

"I _hate _coffee..."

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_The next morning..._

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Jack slowly opened one eye. _"Still alive, somehow." _He gave himself a once over. _"Nothing broken. At least not for me, anyway." _He spoke up. "Hey Gerald, you still alive?" A groan came from nearby. "No, and I'll thank you not to bother me while I'm busy being dead, Captain."

"I'll keep that in mind. Frank, what about you?" A rustle in the air and a light knock on the deck floor preceded the ninja's response. "I've been up for a while, captain. I bit my tongue last night, though, so my ability to do tongue-twisters may be impeded slightly." Jack nodded. "...That shouldn't be a problem, Frank. Mary?"

"Ah, a bit waterlogged, but otherwise I'm _amende, _captain." Jack nodded and began to sit up. "Okay, now that we know we're still alive, where the hell are we?" He walked over to the railing of the Flying Skull and looked over. And immediately groaned. "Aw, you've got to be kidding me!"

"Something wrong, Captain?" Frank asked, walking over. Jack silently pointed. Frank looked, and quickly saw the problem. The front of the ship was currently wedged into two large rocks on the shore of whatever island they had landed at.

Frank blinked. "Will that be a problem, Captain?" Jack turned a cynical eye on him. "Gee, I dunno Frank, do you think the ship not being able to move sounds like a problem? Of _course _it's a problem, dummy!"

"So, now what?" Asked Mary. Jack shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to get some people to help us move it; assuming anyone lives on this island."

"Because of course, we're such good, upstanding citizens, right?" Quipped Gerald. Jack glared at him. "I thought you were dead?"

"I got better."

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A few minutes later, the crew was gathered on the shore. "Okay now, once you find someone to help us, just come back here. And if you see any Marines, just avoid them. Got it?" Gerald nodded. "Understood. And I take it you'll be employing the, in your own words, "Kick their asses" tactic, Captain?"

"Of course. Who do you think you're talking to?" Jack smirked. Gerald sighed. "I honestly wish I knew, Captain, I really do?"

"And just what the hell are you implying, Riviera?"

Mary sighed. "Jack, can we just get moving? We can leave without you, you know." Jack turned to the petite girl and grinned. "Maybe you could try whipping me in the ass to hurry me up?" Mary smirked back. "I could, but it would be nowhere near as pleasant as you think it would be, Captain."

Frank turned to Gerald. "I don't get it; wouldn't getting whipped be really painful and not pleasant at all?" Gerald patted him on the head. "You'll understand when you're older, Frank."

They split up. Gerald went north, Mary and Frank went East and Northwest, respectively, and Jack struck off west. Unfortunately for the Skull Pirate Captain, he never noticed that he was being followed.

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Gerald struck off through the forest. It wasn't very dense, and any obscuring branches were knocked out of the way with his baseball bat. After a while, the forest ended. Peering out, he could see a well-trodden path. He smiled. "Might as well partake in the convenience..." He stepped out and dusted himself off. He looked down the path and gasped, as he saw a five man Marine squad heading in his direction, all holding rifles. He quickly ducked back into the treeline. Hugging his back to a trunk, he waited quietly until they were gone. He breathed a sigh of relief when they did so.

"Are you hiding from them too, Mister?" Gerald looked down to see a little girl poke her head out of a nearby bush. She looked just like a normal girl, until she came out fully, which was when he noticed the gills on her neck and the fins protruding from her head. "Indeed I was, Miss. Might I ask why you were?"

The girl stooped to brush some twigs off her dress - which was little more than a rag - then looked back up. "Well, if they saw me on the path, then I'd get in trouble. We're not supposed to leave the villages. But Mister, why were you hiding? You're not a Merman."

Gerald shrugged. "Well, that's probably because I'm a Pirate, Miss." The merman's mouth opened in surprise. "A pirate? Really?" The gentleman nodded. "Indeed, although I consider myself more of a gentleman than most, including my captain." He noticed the girl was frowning. "I say, is something wrong?"

"Um, no, but if you came here with other pirates, then Drake-aniki might not be very happy. He doesn't really like pirates." Gerald shrugged. "That's not really anything new? Is he a merman, like you?" She nodded. "Yep, but he's much taller, and really strong! He can punch rocks apart!"

Gerald gulped inwardly. "You...don't say?" Inwardly he was sweating. _"A pirate hating merman, just what we need. I guess I have to hope noone runs into him before we leave...oh bugger, I probably just jinxed it."_

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Jack sneezed. Growling, he rubbed his boney nose. "Note to self; punch Gerald in the back of the head." He looked around. Woods, and more woods. "Damn, this island's boring! I was half-expecting something interesting to happen, too, since we got stranded here."

Abruptly, the woods ended in a large clearing. Jack looked around, a low whistle on his lips. "Damn..." The entire clearing was littered with various debris; pieces of rock, and split apart tree limbs and logs. A few still intact boulders stood at the end, albeit with large chunks knocked out of them. At the end of the clearing stood a large cave.

_"What kind of monster could do stuff like this? And more importantly, where is he? I feel like shaking his hand!"_

**"Shark..."**

"Eh?" Jack began to turn around. A big mistake.

**"MORDER!" **

The first thing Jack glimpsed was a blue-skinned fist coming at him, before it slammed into his face and sent him flying across the clearing, plowing through one of the boulders before tumbling to a stop in front of the cave.

"What...the...hell?"Jack slowly got up, coming to his feet and getting a good look at his attacker. He was a Merman, and a Shark one, if his teeth, spiked nose, and the dorsal fin protruding halfway up his neck were any judge. He was a little short by Merman standards, and although he was muscular, he wasn't overly so. He had brown hair, cut short on his head. He wore what looked like a Martial Arts uniform over his chest, though it was cut loose, leaving his chest exposed. A bandana was tied over his head.

Raising a finger, he pointed straight at Jack. "Pirate scum, leave this island immediately." Although Jack could tell he and the Shark Merman were about the same age, his voice sounded much more mature. Jack's mouth slowly drew itself into his familiar sneer. "You're asking me to leave, huh? Well, since you made such a bold declaration, I have to ask...or else what?"

The merman raised his fists and cracked his knuckles, then popped his neck. "Or else...you'll leave in pieces."

Jack grinned. "Huh...that sounds like fun!"

_To be continued..._

_???: This Island already has enough problems without you here. There's no plunder for you here Pirate, so leave!_

_Jack: Make me!_

_???: Alright then, if you insist. Piranha..._

_Jack: Doku Doku No..._

_???: ESCUELA!_

_Jack: HAMMER!_

_Gerald: So, that's the story behind this place... _

_Next Time, Pirate VS Merman! The Sad History of Newport Island! _

Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Also, if this Shark Merman bears any resemblance to Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star, that is entirely intentional. Oh, and that's also not mine. Though I do like to insert "You Are Already Dead" into my day to day speech. It's great fun, especially to people you want that to happen to...like my brother.

But I digress. Thanks for your praise of last chapter, and for those who disliked the previous arc's sappy content, then you'll be happy to see this one is more action oriented.

Till next time, Justin Brett signing off.


	10. Pirate VS Merman

"Ah..." Ryoga rubbed his eyes. "Man, I'm tired. Inspector, what time is it?" The woman next to him sighed. "Oh, I don't know Ryoga-kun, it must be at least dawn by now." She pointed to Brandy, who was looking at some of the papers with an intent look. "I guess we're still inexperienced; just look at the Captain, he's so alert."

Ryoga snorted. "Actually, Inspector..." He leaned over and poked Brandy in the forehead. Immediately he keeled over, his face striking the desk. "Captain learned to sleep with his eyes open while he was still in the Academy. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to understand that it's _really annoying_." Brandy lifted his head, looking annoyed. "Hey, learning to sleep when you shouldn't be is an important life skill!"

"No it isn't, sir. No it isn't."

Brandy sighed. "Whatever. Anyway, I'm going to the bathroom." The Captain got up and exited the room. In the hallway, he looked both ways down the corridor. Satisfied, he cleared his throat. "Oi, Raven, I need to talk to you." Seemingly from nowhere, a black clothed figure appeared. He had no special features about his appearance, other than the Katana at his side and the Mask we wore that was shaped like a Raven's beak.

He shook his head and glared at the Marine Captain. "One of these days I'm going to figure out how you're able to do that, old man." Brandy shrugged. "I've got good eyes, I guess." The masked man sighed. "Well, what do you want, anyway?" Brandy grinned. "Come on now, Raven, you know what. I need you to check if there are any secret rooms or anything on this base. You Ninjas are supposed to be good at that, right?"

"We prefer 'Shinobi', Captain. Anyway..." Raven paused as he did some mental math. "One Thousand Beri. An extra fifty for each lock I have to pick, and an extra hundred for any guards I have to take care of."

Brandy frowned. "You're a skinflint, you know that?"

"And you're a drunkard."

"Touche."

_**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**_

_**Chapter Ten: Pirate VS Merman! The Sad History of Newport Island.**_

"What's the matter? Got nothing to say?"

The Merman only glared. "I have nothing to say to someone like you. There's no treasure for you to plunder on this island. Leave. Now." Jack only sneered. "Make me!" The shark blinked. "...What?" The Skull Pirate pointed straight at him. "What do you mean, 'What'? Acting like a bad ass just because you got a lucky shot in...that pisses me off!"

Walking over to one of the few still intact boulders, Jack pulled back his hand and then punched, easily breaking it to pieces. "Think you're the only guy who's strong? Guess again! I don't know who _you_ think I am, but I happen to be kind of a big shot around these parts! I'm Jack Bones, a terrifying pirate with a bounty of five million beri!

How about it? Ya scared yet?" The shark merman simply stared before retrieving a scroll from his belt and tossing it over to Jack, who caught it and blinked. "What the hell is this...?" He unrolled it and blanched.

**WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE**

**"Fist of the Sea" Drake**

**25,000,000**

"Aheh...heh..." Jack looked up and grinned nervously. "You know, these things only measure threat level, you know?" Drake cracked his knuckles. "So I've heard. Are you going to fight me or not?" Jack blinked a few times, then sneered again. "Yeah! Screw your bounty, I'm gonna kick your fish ass!"

He charged forwards, throwing a punch at the Merman's face, only for Drake to easily sidestep the blow, slamming his knee into Jack's gut in response. As the pirate stumbled backward, Drake pulled back his arm. **"Shark Morder!" (1) **The ensuing blow knocked Jack back across the clearing, where the side of a boulder stopped his flight.

"Damn it...freakin' asshole..." Jack got up again, glaring daggers at the Merman. "Alright, try this on for size!" He pulled back his arm, spinning his fist around. **"Doku Doku no Rocket Knuckle!" **Jack's fist shot off from his arm, flying across the clearing towards Drake. Frowning, he simply stuck out his hand and easily caught it. "You don't think I know a Devil Fruit when I see it? Walking skeletons aren't exactly common, even in this day and age."

"...Uh, don't suppose you'd be willing to throw that back over here, wouldja? I kinda need it." For a second, Jack thought he could see the corners of the shark man's mouth twitch a little, but it was gone before he could make sure. Either way, Drake tossed the disconnected hand back, and it quickly flew back and reattached to Jack's arm.

The Skull Pirate sneered. "Time to kick your ass for real!" He ran towards the Merman once again, this time jumping into the air and then locking his hands together. **"Doku Doku no..." **His hands bulged, taking on the shape of a hammer. Drake pulled his fists back. **"Piranha..."**

**"HAM-"**

**"ESCUELA!" (2)  
**

Before he could even begin to think of hitting Drake, Jack felt dozens of impacts hit him as the Merman punched him rapidly in the stomach and chest. Over the sound of fists thudding into his flesh, Jack picked out the Merman yelling something.

"ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!"

Finally, Drake ended the barrage with a final blow to the head, sending Jack into yet _another _boulder. Jack got up - a little more slowly this time - his glare replaced by a confused stare. "What...what the hell was that?" Drake simply stared. "A technique of mine." He deadpanned. Jack held up his hands. "No no, I don't mean _that, _I mean what you were yelling while using it!"

"I was yelling something?" Drake tilted his head to the side. Jack blinked. "Yeah! Don't play dumb, you were screaming the same thing over and over!" Drake shrugged. "If I was, I didn't notice. Or are you trying to stall, because you can't win?" Jack glared. "HOW DO YOU NOT NOTICE SOMETHING LIKE THAT!? And anyway, I can beat you with both hands tied behind my back, Needle Nose!" He charged again, only for Drake to dodge, and unleash several blows before knocking him across the clearing...again. "Quit fooling around. You won't beat me with silly tricks like that."

"Okay...okay..." Jack slowly got to his feet, reaching up to crack his nose back into place. "Alright pal...you wanna get fancy, I'll get fancy too!" Drake blinked as Jack held up his fists in front of his face, both a short distance away from the other. At the same time, Jack's feet began to move in an arrogant, almost drunken swagger.

**"Shipwright Boxing Style..."**

_"Boxing? What sort of stance is that?" _Jack's voice cut into Drake's thoughts. "Pay attention, Needle Nose!" Drake quickly punched again, only for Jack to duck under the blow and smash a right hook into the Merman's face. **"Starboard Hook!" **While Drake stumbled backwards from the hit, Jack jumped around to his left. "You like that? Here's some more! **Port Jabbing!" **Drake grunted as punched him rapidly in the chest, looking similar to the attack he used earlier. The blows driving him back further, Jack pulled back his arm and grinned. **"Bow-" **

Drake's arm suddenly jutted out and grabbed onto his, immediately stopping whatever attack Jack had been about to make. Effortlessly, he tossed him across the clearing and into a tree. Growling, he got to his feet. Drake frowned. "How many times are you going to get up? It's just going to end up the same." Jack only sneered. "Just shut up and fight!"

Raising his hands, he charged the Merman again. Growling, Drake prepared for another clash.

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"Lyn, how many times do I have to tell you not to leave the village? And bringing a stranger here? He could have been one of Helsing's men, for all you know!" Lyn looked over to the table, where Gerald sat nursing a large bump on his head. "Well, if he was, don't you think he would have dodged that pole, Karen-onee-chan?"

"I guess you're right. This guy's pretty pathetic, anyway." Gerald turned and gave the black haired merwoman a dry look. "Why thank you, miss, for such a lovely compliment." The girl shrugged. "I'm just saying what I think. But, thanks for bring Lyn back."

"And anyway, Lyn..." Karen suddenly turned to the other girl with a stern look. "You were going to see that guy again, weren't you? I told you, he's trouble!" Lyn shook her head. "No, Drake-aniki's a nice man!" Karen sighed. "I'm not saying he isn't, but guys like that always bring trouble. You should stay away from him."

"But - but Drake-aniki saved my life once! Remember?"

Karen sighed. "Yeah yeah, I remember..."

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_"P-put me down, please! I won't do it again, I promise!" _

_"Shaddup!" _

_The Mergirl cringed away. She was being held in the air by a giant, mohawked man who looked like he'd been taking one too many steroids lately. "You were told to stay in in the Reservations, right!? Or are you Fish Freaks too stupid to understand that?"_

_"..." Lyn only whimpered. "Hah...you can't even talk! Hey, boys..." He looked down, to an assortment of smaller men, all of them also sporting mohawks. "I know Helsing said we aren't supposed to harm the guppies...but I don't think he'll notice if it's just the one, right?" Chuckling, he moved one of his hands to the girl's neck._

_"Heh, do it slowly, boss! Let her scream a little first!" One of the Mohawks put in. "Yeah, it's no fun if it's over too quickly!" Another shrieked. The giant man laughed. "All right boys, if you insist..." He slowly began to twist the girl's neck..._

_CRACK_

_"BOSS!" One of the Mohawks screamed as a large, jagged rock suddenly appeared in their leader's forehead. "Ugah..." Removing a hand from the girl's neck, he ripped the rock out, sending blood trickling down his forehead. "WHO DID THAT!? I DARE YOU TO SHOW YOUR FACE!" _

_"I did."_

_The giant looked to the edge of the clearing to see Drake slowly walking towards him. "Oh, so you're the smart ass, huh?" He looked down to his cronies. "GET 'EM!" Letting out a collective yell, they all charged the Merman. Without even slowing his pace, Drake jabbed out his fists, sending all of the Mohawks flying screaming across the clearing, each with at least one broken bone._

_Reaching the giant man, he gave him a quiet stare, and cracked his knuckles. "Put her down. Now." The giant chuckled. "Yeah, sure, I'll put her down, right after I break her neck!" Her quickly moved his hand to the girl's neck again, preparing to snap it._

_But Drake was faster. _

_"AAATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!" His fists becoming a blur, the merman pounded the mohawked giant relentlessly, sending him sliding backwards. "ATATATATATATA...ATA!" With one last blow, the giant toppled over. Falling out of his grip, Lyn fell into Drake's arms. Nodding, he turned and began walking away._

_"And just where do you think you're going, huh!?" Drake turned his head to see the giant man rising to his feet. "You think I'm gonna let you get away with doing that, Shark Boy!? No, get ready, 'cause I'm gonna-"_

_Drake's eyes suddenly narrowed in a hard, piercing glare. "Beat it." He said quietly. Although Drake was much smaller than the other man, these words seemed to have a profound effect. "..." Slowly the large man began to tremble, first his hands, then his knees. Finally, he turned and half ran, half scrambled out of the clearing._

_The look left Drake's eyes, and he looked down at Lyn. "Are you all right?" The girl slowly nodded. Drake smiled. "Good. Let's get you home." He turned and walked out of the clearing._

_"But...who are you?" The merman looked at her kindly. "Call me Drake."_

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Gerald rubbed his mustache. "That's quite the story. But," He added, looking at Karen. "Who is this Helsing fellow you keep mentioning?" At this, Karen turned and looked out the window, going silent for a moment. "He's the Marine Captain in charge of the base on this island...but he's anything but a man of justice. He's nothing more than a common criminal."

"Oh, like a pirate?"

Karen shook her head. "Worse. At least pirates are up-front about their crimes. Helsing pretends to be a hero, all while stabbing us in the back." She turned to Gerald. "You must have noticed while you were entering the village that there are elderly and children, but no grown men, right?" Gerald nodded. "It did cross my mind, yes."

"There's a good reason for that. See, the base on this island was installed to protect us from people who'd try to hurt Merman. But that's bull. He wouldn't give two cents about whether we lived or died. Well, at least not us. But the men are a valuable resource to them."

Gerald sighed. "I think I can see where this is going. Slave labor, right?"

Karen tapped her nose and nodded. "Exactly. Mermen are strong, everyone knows that. There's nobody better to use as workers." She held up a hand as Gerald started to open his mouth. "I know what you're gonna say; what's on this island that's worth kidnapping people over? Well, it turns out there's a very valuable resource under this island..."

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"This island should be beautiful, but...there's just something _insolite _about it." Mary mused as she picked her way through the underbrush. Hopping over a root in her path, she looked at a nearby tree and frowned. "And I think I know what it is." Walking over to it, she held out her hand as thorns extended from her fingers and thumb. Inserting them into the tree, she immediately frowned. "Just like I thought, it's _mort_." She looked around the area. "Is it like this around the whole island?"

Stooping, she scooped up some soil with her hand and looked at it. "The _terre _too? Then, something under the ground?" Turning her arm into a thorn vine, she jabbed it into the soil. It passed through the earth for several feet before hitting something. "What's this?" Pulling it back to her, she changed it back to normal. The botanist saw her hand was now coated with a black, liquidous substance.

"This is..."

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"Oil?" Gerald echoed. Karen nodded. "Yeah, oil. I overheard a bunch of Helsing's cronies talking about it. Turns out there are huge pockets of untapped oil running under this island, worth a fortune. And who better to dig them up then us, huh?" She laughed bitterly. "He might be a crook, but he's clever, I'll give him that."

"Hmmm." Went Gerald.

Karen glared at him. "'Hmmm?' That's all you have to say?" Gerald shrugged. "Well, really, why are you telling me all this? You don't even know me." Karen shrugged back. "Just felt like getting it off my chest, I guess." She looked out of the window, where Lyn was playing with some other children. "Lyn calls me her sister, but the truth is, we're not really related. Her parents died when she was young, about the time Helsing came to the island. She's been living with me ever since.

All the others...they're trapped down there, in the dark. I can't imagine what must be happening to them right now...

I don't really want to, either."

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_Meanwhile, underneath the Island..._

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Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

This was the sound that was constant in the cavern, that of a pick-axe being swung down into rock. It was very dark underground, with only a sparsely placed lanterns to light the gloom. The Mermen were constantly watched, either by Marines wielding Rifles and Sabres, or Mohawked degenerates wielding more primitive weapons, such as spears or axes. If any of them stopped working for too long, they were quickly 'encouraged' to come up with a second wind, with a rifle stock to the face if necessary.

None of the Mermen were manacled or chained up. There was no need; with their loved ones in the villages being held hostage, they couldn't do anything.

In a corner of the cavern one of them lifted up a pick-axe over his head, then lowered it, his hand going to his chest and breathing hard. A spear shaft was suddenly cracked over his head, forcing him to double over as a Mohawker glared at him. "Get back to work, ya stinkin' fishstick!" The Merman just turned his head and glared at him.

"Whaddya looking at me like that for!?" He pulled out a long machete. "You wanna die, huh!? DO YA!?" Before the berserker could make due on this, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder. "Be still, my dog of war."

"B-boss..." Standing over the mohawker was a large, muscular man. His clothes were dirty and tattered, a ripped vest and pants. What most stood out about him however was the large, spiked iron helmet he wore over his face, obscuring all but his eyes. Strapped across his back were several different weapons, the most prominent of them being a pair of clawed gauntlets.

He shook his head sadly. "Really now..." Jabbing out his arm, he grabbed the unfortunate merman around the neck and slammed him into the rock wall. "My dog of war, do you get angry when a disobedient pet bites your hand? No. You merely discipline, and hope it one day learns it's lesson, no matter how stupid it might be."

The underling snickered, replacing his machete. "Yeah, yeah. Guess you're right boss, nothing to get worked up over." The man patted him on the shoulder. "Exactly. Now go take a break, I'll handle this here."

As his cohort turned and walked away, the large man turned the merman around, looking him in the eye. "I'd like to ask you a question." With his free hand, he jerked a thumb at his face...well, his mask, but you get the idea. "Who am I?"

"Who...who are you?" The man nodded. "Yeah, of course I know who I am, but I like to hear people tell me. So, who am I?" The Merman gave him a look of pure venom. "They call you Wez. You're..you're the leader of this band of lunatics!"

Wez chuckled. "Lunatics, huh? Well, I won't say that isn't accurate, but you're not really in any position to criticize us, since you guys are our prisoners and all.

Well, I say 'prisoners', but it's really just volunteer work, isn't it? With the payoff being your families lives. So, do yourself a favor and get back to work."

Chuckling, he walked away, leaving the merman to heave up the pickaxe while seething with anger. On a wooden shelf nearby, a Den Den Mushi hummed to life. Walking over, Wez picked it up. "Hello?"

_"How goes it, 'Road Warrior'?" _Came the voice of Captain Helsing.

"Good, Captain, real good. You can hardly swing a pickaxe in here without striking some of the stuff." As he said this, Wez watched as the swing of a pickaxe from a nearby merman yielded a gush of oil. Shoving the merman out of the way, too mohawkers carried a steel drum forward, letting the black liquid flow into the container.

_"Good, good. Anything else?"_

"Well..." Wez looked up near the ceiling of the cavern, where an array of pipes led out into another passage. "We think some of the pipes we set up to get the waste and other stuff we couldn't use out of the cavern have been springing leaks. If it gets into the soil, it'll kill it pretty quick."

_"Who cares? I prefer the view of material things." _

"Yeah, yeah. By the way Captain, I just have to say that me and the boys really appreciate this arrangement we have."

_"I would say you should, considering you'd all be in prison awaiting execution if it weren't for me. And you also have all those lovely prisoners to play with, as well. Speaking of which, Hokushin says hello."_

"Uh, yeah, yeah, great guy, that Hokushin." In his head, he shuddered. _"You ask me, a guy like that's better off dead." _

"Anyway, boss, what's the news on those marines on the island? Any chance they're gonna give us trouble."

_"No. If this drunken fool is supposed to be a Veteran, then I'm glad I wasn't born in his time. Not only that, but he has this idiotic subordinate that follows him around like a lost puppy; it's pathetic! Well, I set them to work going after our night attacker, so if we're lucky, at least one of our problems will disappear."_

"Heh heh heh, you're really good at this kind of thing, Captain. How come you never became a pirate?"

_"Oh? What are you talking about, Road Warrior? I am not a criminal. I am merely a Marine Captain, a loyal servant of the World Government. That's all."_

"Right, of course. Well, have a good day, Captain."

_"Yes, keep up the good work, Road Warrior."_

Grinning underneath his mask, Wez hung up the phone. "Hah, he's a very cruel man...well, I guess it takes one to know one, eh? Heh heh heh heh heh."

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"..."

"..."

"So...you ready to give up yet?" Jack breathed. He didn't look well. Bruises covered his body from Drake's attacks, and he was almost sure a few of his ribs were cracked. Then again, the Merman didn't look too well either. One of Jack's punches had given him a black eye, and the ground was littered with sets of his teeth that the pirate had knocked out.

"No." Jack grinned. "Didn't think so. Well, let's go again, then!" Pulling back his arm, he ran at Drake. For a second, he thought he saw Drake's eyes flicker to the right, but ignored it. Reaching him, he was about to punch, when Drake grabbed his arm. Quickly, the Merman pushed him backward.

Before his eyes, Jack saw an arrow zip past where his head had been just a moment ago.

The tip of the projectile embedded itself into a tree and remained there, quivering. Wordlessly, Jack looked at Drake, then in the direction the shot had come from. Standing there at the tree line was a crowd of wild looking men armed with weapons.

"Damn, it jigged!" Growled a man with red hair, glaring over the bowgun strapped to his arm. Strapped to his belt were two axes, and a spear was slung over his back. An eyepatch was slung over his right eye.

Drake looked at him. The man grinned. "Aw, you remember me, shark bastard!?" Drake nodded. "Yeah. You tried that trick before on me, and that's how you lost that eye." He thumbed at the man's eyepatch.

"Why...WHY YOU...!" He motioned to the men following him. "GET EM!" They all charged at once.

Reaching the merman first, the red haired man swung his axes downward. Drake simply sidestepped and smashed a backhanded blow into the bandit's face. He grunted and stumbled back, blood coming out of his nose.

Drake frowned. "Come on, was that your best shot?" Seething, the man turned to his friends, who were standing cautiously nearby. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU STANDING THERE FOR!? CUT HIM TO PIECES!"

"Uh...y-yeah!" Howling, they all charged at the merman. As the crowd rushed at him, Drake shut his eyes, clenching his fists. "..."

_"What's he just standing there for?" _Jack thought.

"Your mistake was grouping yourselves together. I'll make you pay for that right now." The Merman spoke quietly. Crouching, he tensed the muscles in his legs. **"Shark..."**

"DIE, FISH!" Screamed the bandit at the front of the pack, swinging a saber.

**"COHETE!" (3)**

Drake kicked off the ground and flew into the group of thugs, smashing them with his fists and knocking them flying. Flipping over, Drake landed smoothly on his feet.

Slack-jawed, the red haired man took a step backward, looking at his fallen cronies. "You...you killed them!" Drake shook his head. "No, they'll live. I wouldn't waste my techniques killing scum like you."

The axe-wielding man's eye twitched. "You smug...AAAAAAH!" Raising his axes, he charged, only to be knocked out as a fist shot into the back of his head. Jack shook his head as his hand came back. "Man, he didn't even notice me. This no recognition thing is starting to piss me off."

Grinning again, he turned to Drake. "Okay, now that that's through, back to business!" Drake nodded and assumed his stance once more. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed and his teeth gritted in pain. His hand went to his stomach. "Damn...it opened." Jack could see blood staining the inside of Drake's shirt.

"Hey...are you alright?"

Drake gave him a weak grin. "You...like to ask stupid questions, don't you?" With a grunt, he collapsed.

"HEY!"

_To be continued..._

**Next time...**

**Jack: Those scars...**

**Drake: He gave them to me. I'll never forget that day...or the man who stole everything from me.**

**Next chapter, "Tragedy on the Sea! Drake's Past!"**

**??: You're Already Dead...**

Well, seems like the plot's heating up, eh? Hope you like Drake's attacks, because you're going to be seeing a lot of his style.

**(1) Shark Morder (Shark Bullet) - One of Drake's more basic attacks. Drake tenses the muscles in his arm, then jabs it straight forward. What it lacks in complexity it more than makes up for in power, as it can easily smash stone into pieces, as Jack will no doubt tell you.**

**(2) Piranha Escuela (Piranha School) - Punching rapidly, Drake deals a fast series of blows to his opponent. As it's name implies, the attacks quickly eat the enemy alive.**

**(3) Shark Cohete (Shark Missile) - Tensing his legs, Drake launches himself hard like a Missile. Essentially a copy of Arlong's _Shark on Darts _attack, only done with his fists instead of his nose. This similarity is purely coincidental, as Drake has never met Arlong.**

Also, the ATATATATATATATATATATA thing? That's based off of how Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star yells out when he attacks. If you don't like it, let me know and I'll stop typing it out.

Kilnorc - You know, it's funny; when I started this story, I had no idea Brook existed. And now he's my favorite character. Funny how that works, eh?

DarkLightZERO - I appreciate your constructive criticism. I've often felt that my writing could use a bit more...something. I actually thought that if someone was going to criticize something, it would be my overusage of commas. Oh well, at least I don't use them incorrectly as periods like some people...who are not Kilnorc.

And to your question, I actually plan on revising the first chapter, and several others, as there were a few things about them I didn't like,

Hero Slayer - Why thank you. And uh, there's a very good reason for why I haven't updated that, and uh...OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THAT! Runs

Luda59 - Get your hankies ready.

Malchior - Well, there you go. Looks like your Martial Artist has another rival, eh?

Well, until next time, which hopefully won't be in a month, see ya!


	11. Drake's Past

Night was falling over Newport Island. In the Marine Base, a Marine dutfily patrolled the corridors, his rifle slung over his shoulder.

Turning a corner, he immediately slowed his pace, holding his rifle tightly to prevent it from clanking. Captain Helsing's office was on this hallway, and loud noises irritated him. It was this marine's philosophy in life that you didn't get very far in life by irritating people higher up than you.

Although he didn't know it, there was another person who needed this recruit to not attract any attention. Standing a few inches behind him was Raven, matching his pace easily. Even if the Marine had turned around, he wouldn't have seen anything.

_"Hah. **Kage Ninjutsu; Hitokage. **Works like a charm." _Every few steps, Raven reached out and tapped the wall with his hand. He'd been doing this for the last few hours, and he was starting to get annoyed. Finally, the tapping yielded a hollow thunk. _"Finally."_

Darting away from the marine's shadow, Raven was visible for a mere half-second before he merged with the shadow of the wall. Running his hand along the wall, he pressed in a hidden switch on a board. Instantly that portion of the wall slid out and inward, revealing a hidden room. Raven darted inside and the entrance swung shut.

His eyes near instantly adjusting to the gloom, Raven looked around. The room was quite small, having only room for two shelves and a table shoved against the back wall. The shelves were lined with scrolls and papers.

_"Now what do we have here?" _Taking one, Raven unrolled it on the table. It was a letter.

As he read it, Raven frowned. _"Oh...this guy is pretty slick. Keeping all of these records wasn't very smart, though." _Smirking, he rolled it back up and shoved it into his belt. He turned to leave, but then stopped. Quickly, he threw himself aside just as a throwing dagger whistled past where his head had been.

Whistling, the shinobi looked to where it had come from. "You saw me. Not bad."

Smiling, Hokushin stepped out from the corner of the room. "And you managed to dodge. Also not bad." He pointed to the scroll in Raven's belt. "I hate to skip the banter, but I'm going to need you to put that back. Captain Helsing keeps me out of jail, and I'd prefer to keep it that way."

Under his mask, Raven smirked. "Well then..." His wrist shot out, and suddenly the small room was filled with smoke. Half a second later, Raven was out into the hallway, darting along the hallway's shadows. "Catch me if you can."

_"Smoke bomb? Not bad." _His feet a blur, the assassin dashed after him. "I'll take that bet. And your head too, when I catch you."

_"Tch." _Raven ducked as another throwing dagger shot past his head. _"Brandy's paying double for this."_

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Eleven: Tragedy at Sea! Drake's Past.**

"Damn, you're heavy..." Grunting, Jack entered the cave, Drake slung over his shoulder. Laying Drake as best he could against the wall, he looked back to the interest. _"When those guys get back, they're gonna be pissed, and this guy's in no position to fight. I'm not exactly raring to go, either."_

"Boulder..." Jack turned to Drake, who was pointing to the side of the cave's entrance. Sitting there in an indent was a boulder about the same size as the entrance. "Hah, clever."

Jack walked over to it. "Don't bother getting up, I'll get it." he muttered. Gripping the rock, he rolled it over the entrance. Dusting his hands off, he turned to Drake, who was watching him. _"Okay, kind of awkward."_

Clearing his throat, Jack approached the merman. "Alright, I'm just gonna...don't freak out on me, okay?" Bending over, Jack lifted up Drake's shirt. "Just for the record, I like women, alright?"

Thankfully, the wound wasn't deep. As best Jack could place it, it looked like it was caused by a stab from a thin blade. But something else was odd.

"What the hell?" Coming out of the wound wasn't just blood, but a strange black liquid. "What is this?"

"The...Marine Captain here has a Devil Fruit. He did that to me when I tried to attack him." Drake spoke up.

"Oh, no kidding? Hold still." Jack bent over, and Drake stared as the pirate put his lips to the wound, beginning to suck up the fluid.

**(A/N: Go on, I dare you. Say something. You know you wanna.)**

Finishing, Jack turned his head and spit out the liquid, coughing. "Tastes disgusting...okay." Tearing off a piece of his shirt, he moved behind Drake and tied it tight around his wound.

"Why are you helping me?" asked Drake. Jack shrugged. "Just feel like it, that's all. Now hold still."

Drake winced as Jack sinched the makeshift bandage tight. Jack snorted. "What are you, a baby? I thought you guys were supposed to be tough."

"I thought the same thing, only about pirates." Drake deadpanned.

"Oh, _funny. _You're a regular comedian." Walking back around him, Jack sat down and crossed his arms. "Well, now what?"

"What do you mean?" asked Drake.

Jack shrugged. "Well, I can't beat up a wounded guy, can I?"

"I don't see why not. You are a pirate, after all." Drake replied. Jack glared. "You have kind of a bad attitude, you know that? Not all pirates are bad guys."

He thumbed at himself. "Take me, for example; do I look like a scary guy to you?"

"You're a walking skeleton."

"Well, okay, yeah..." Jack sweatdropped. "But that doesn't mean I'm a bad guy, does it? I mean, you of all people should have an open mind, right?"

"...What do you mean by that?" Drake folded his arms.

"Uh..." Jack scratched the back of his head. "Um, well, you know...you guys."

"You mean, Mermen?" Drake frowned.

_"Crap crap crap crap crap crap!" _Jack began to stammer. "Uh, well, I, I just mean, you know, everyone thinks you guys are evil, right, but some - I mean, most - of you aren't, right?"

"...You have a point." Drake admitted. "Of course, it's opposite for pirates. Most humans think mermen are evil, but most of us are good. However, most pirates _are _evil."

"Well, alright, but you know's a pirate? Arlong. You kind of look like him, too. The nose doesn't help, either." Jack reached out and flicked Drake's nose, causing it to boing up and down.

The merman caught it, looking annoyed. "If you must know, I'm only half saw-shark. This nose is from my mother."

"Oh, really? What was your dad?"

Drake grinned. "Great White."

_"Why do I always get the weird ones? Why couldn't I meet a normal half-fish man?_

_...Well, guess I answered my own question there."_

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"WHERE THE HELL IS HE!?" Screamed the red-haired man, flailing both his axes around. His eyepatch had slipped down, revealing a disfiguring scar across his eye.

"C-calm down, Red, calm down!" Shrieked one of his gang, ducking under one of the axes. "He ain't here, that's for sure!"

"I CAN SEE THAT, MORON!! GO FIND HIM AND THAT OTHER GUY! THEY COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN FAR!"

A noise suddenly came from the pocket of Red's pants. Furiously he reached in and pulled out a vibrating Den Den Mushi. He tore the receiver off the shell and held it to his ear. "WHAT!?"

_"That's not a very nice way to say hello, Red."_

"B-boss?" Red's voice instantly faltered.

_"You sound surprised to hear me, Red. Maybe because you're somewhere you aren't supposed to be? Like above ground, maybe?"_

"N-no boss, I was just-"

_"Out hunting the white whale, huh? Or shark, in this case. You're certainly a glutton for punishment, Red. He already took one of your eyes, you wanna give him an arm or a leg now too? Well, I won't fault you for enthusiasm, but I will fault you for being a stupid ass. What happens if one of those Marines from off the island see you? Our whole cover will be blown. Get back down here, right now."_

"But...but..." Red stammered.

_"Red. Get back here. Now. Or I'll come up. And you don't want that."_

Click. Red stared at the silent snail in his hand before cursing and throwing it to the ground. He whirled on his cronies, who were staring at him. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT, HUH!?"

Red seethed with anger. "Let's...let's just get back to the cave. We'll harpoon that shark later."

"...don't you harpoon whales, Red?"

"SHUT UP!"

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"Where _is_ he? I know he said he would get into trouble, but I didn't expect him to vanish completely!" back at the Skull, Mary paced back and forth across the deck of the ship, looking worried. "And now it's nearly dark out, and this island is full of marines! Not to mention that Gerald's disappeared too."

She turned around. "Frank, you're sure you didn't see him while you were out today?"

The masked ninja shook his head. "No. Although I did see many marines patrolling the island today, I did not see the Captain, nor did I witness him being captured or fighting. If I had to guess, I would say he is safe, but unable to come back to the ship for whatever reason."

"You're right." nodded Mary. "If anything had happened to him, I'm sure we'd know about it. He's that sort of man, after all." she walked closer to the shinobi. "Frank, you're sure those marines won't find the ship, aren't you?"

Frank nodded. "Definitely." Unclasping one of the scroll canisters on his belt, he rolled out a sheet of paper on the deck. Mary leaned closer for a look and saw that it was a sketched map of the island. The ninja pointed to a set of dotted lines going in and around three Xs. In the middle of it all was a large circle.

He traced the lines with his finger. "This is the path the marines took in their patrols. They don't come near where the ship is located, so we should be safe."

Mary smiled. "You managed to make a map of the island that quickly, Frank? That's very impressive."

Frank adjusted his mask, looking embarrased. "Not really." he said modestly, "this is a basic shinobi skill. Back at home, there are people who can draw entire copies of islands, right down to the animals and people!"

Mary folded her arms. "Frank, you should be more confident with yourself! You can do lots of things that other people can't,

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**

"So anyway, how come you hate pirates so much?"

Drake looked up at Jack's question. "Why do you ask? It has nothing to do with you."

Jack shrugged. "Nothing, really, I'm just curious. I have a habit of running into people with interesting backgrounds."

Drake considered it for a moment. Then he nodded. "Alright." He reached up and began to take off his shirt.

Jack recoiled. "For the last freaking time, I do _not _swing...that...way..."

What had caused the pirate to trail off was the sight of Drake's chest. The merman's front body was riddled with scars. Four puncture wounds were most prominent. Two of them were at the top of his chest, set across from each other. The other two were set on the bottom of his chest, near his gut.

Dividing those wounds was another; a long jagged scar split his chest straight downward, as if someone had attacked him with a dagger. Dividing _that _was a similar scar straight across, overlapping the horizontal wound halfway down.

This formed a pattern that was very familiar to Jack, and he quickly realized why. _"Looks like someone tried to draw a map of the world on his chest with a straight razor. Doesn't look like they're that recent, either."_

Drake looked distant. "A pirate gave me these scars...after he killed my parents."

The cave was silent for a moment after he said that.

Jack fidgeted and scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry. Guess that's not the kind of thing you want to remember, huh?"

Drake shook his head. "No. The past isn't something that can be forgotten. Someone important taught me that. I'll tell you, since you want to know. Just remember that _you're _the one who asked."

He began his story.

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_Years ago, on an island on West Blue..._

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_In the ocean of West Blue there was an ordinary island; one of many, it stood out in no way, other than that it was rather small. It had one small town of fishermen and divers, who lived normal but happy lives._

_One way the town was not normal was a family of Mermen who lived there. A great white, his wife a saw shark, and their child, boy. Despite the difference in species, they got along well with the people in the village, and were soon accepted as one of their own._

_The family lived a happy life there in that village..._

_That was, until the pirates came..._

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_The town was ablaze. The pirates had set fire to one building, and since they were so close, soon the whole area was alight._

_In a street in the middle of the town, a great white shark merman stood in front of a house, a heavy club in his hands. In front of him was a wide stream bisecting the roads in a canal; it ran through the center of the town. _

_Hearing footsteps from down the road, he turned as a pirate holding a dagger and a cutlass ran at him. Dodging a jab from the knife, he swung the club into the pirate's arm, breaking it with a crack. With a pained curse, the pirate swung his cutlass. Jumping back to avoid the swing, the merman then leaped forward and swung his club. With a loud crack, the club connected with the pirate's head, knocking him straight into the stream, quickly carried out of sight._

_Nodding, he shouldered his club and turned back to the building as a female saw shark came out, what possessions she could carry loaded into a strap on her back. He walked up to her._

_"Are you ready?" he asked. When she nodded, he pointed down the road and out of the village. "The rest of the families are heading to the caves on the other side of the island. I want you to stay there until it's safe to come out."_

_"What about you?" she looked at him. _

_"I'm going to go help the rest of the fishermen hold off the pirates. They've been good friends to us, so I have to repay the favor."_

_The woman nodded. "Alright. But..." she reached forward and gripped his arm. "You'll be careful, won't you?"_

_The merman smiled gently, reaching forwards and brushing a strand of hair from his wife's face. "I will. I'm from Merman Island; no pirate will kill me."_

_Sudden movement behind his wife made him glance down. What he saw was a small merman boy, practically hiding behind the woman and glancing around fearfully. Inwardly, the merman sighed. Drake, their only child, was small for his age, and seemed timid of everything. If not for his fins, you wouldn't think he was a merman at all._

_Stooping, he laid a hand on his son's head. "Drake." At the sound of his voice, the boy immediately looked up. He admired his father a great deal for being bigger and stronger than he was._

_The merman looked at his son kindly. "Drake, I have to go now. Stay with your mother, alright?"_

_The boy looked up, worry in his eyes. "B-but..."_

_"Drake, listen to me. I know you're scared right now, but I need you to be brave for now, and look after your mother while I'm not there. Can you do that for me, Drake?"_

_"..." After a moment, Drake nodded. His father smiled. "That's my boy." He stood up and faced his wife again. Leaning forward, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Then he pulled back, gripped his club and set off down the street. His wife took one last look at him, and then hurried in the opposite direction._

_She didn't know it yet, but that would be the last time she saw him alive._

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_As Drake's father reached a corner, he paused, listening. From around the corner he heard approaching footsteps. They were uneven however, as if the person was staggering, or wounded. He gripped his club and waited.  
_

_The footsteps came closer, until the person came around the corner. The merman took a step back in shock. The man before him was clearly a pirate, but he didn't look like he'd be fighting any longer; one of the man's arms was gone, with nothing left but a bleeding stump. The pirate's left foot was also gone, forcing him to hobble on the one he had left.  
_

_Seeing the Merman, the pirate stretched out his one arm towards him. "Help...help me..." _

_The merman took a step backward as the pirate lurched unevenly in his direction. "It hurts...help...me...ah...AH...AHHHH!" Without warning he collapsed, blood pouring out of his mouth as he died painfully._

_"What in the Four Seas?" The merman breathed. The merman tightened his grip on his weapon. Whoever - or whatever - killed this man, it must still be close. _

_That was when he heard it; footsteps, coming in his direction. They were light, and without any threatening heaviness, but even so the merman felt sweat slowly trickle down his forehead. His knees began to feel heavy, and his fingers trembled.  
_

_The footsteps came closer. Carried by the wind came the sound of whistling. The wordless, cheerful tune chilled him to the bone. He seemed frozen to the spot, unable to move lest he turn his back to whatever was coming. That would be suicide.  
_

_Finally, the footsteps stopped at the corner, and their cause turned it and came into view at last._

_Had Drake's father been made of less sterner stuff, he might have thought that the devil was looking at him. For a moment, he nearly did. However, he quickly realized the person standing before him was a Merman, like himself; a Barracuda merman, to be precise, with a wide mouth filled with teeth, glossy black skin, and predatorial black eyes._

_He was dressed all in black and purple, with long black hair down to his back. Although he wasn't as large as he was, he was tall; nearly as tall as him, and that 'almost' was only because he was leaning forward in a seemingly perpetual slouch._

_When he saw Drake's father, his mouth opened in a wide smile, and he raised a hand at him. "Heya, brother. How's the night treating ya?" The hand he had raised was dripping with blood, and his clothes were covered in the red liquid as well._

_Drake's father didn't answer. Answering...talking to this merman would be akin to sticking your head into a hungry sea king's mouth. The barracuda held up a cupped hand near his ear. "What's the matter? Can't talk? Eh, whatever."_

_He walked up to the dead pirate's body, pulled back a foot and kicked the corpse. He nodded. "Yep, definitely dead." He looked at Drake's father and smiled widely. "Didn't think he'd run this far; amazing what people can do when they're scared of dying, ain't it?"_

_This statement immediately unfroze the merman. Brandishing his club and teeth, he growled at the other merman. "I've never seen you on this island before. Who are you, and what are you doing here!?"_

_For a moment, the barracuda didn't answer, just staring at him. Drake's father tightened his grip on the weapon. "Answer me. Now!" _

_The barracuda grimaced and stuck a finger in his ear. "Damn, no need to shout, I'm standing right here and I can hear you just fine." He looked up and sighed, looking like he was thinking. "Well now, who am I...that'd be a long story, and I can tell you're busy, am I right? And, what am I doing here..." He smiled toothily and shrugged. "Eh, just hanging around."_

_"Don't screw around with me!" Drake's father pointed his club at the stranger. "What do you want!?"_

_"Sheesh, quit yelling already." The barracuda flipped a stray strand of hair out of his eyes absent-mindedly. "What do I want...well, there's really two answers to that question; long-term and short-term. I guess I'll answer the second one, since it's the one that concerns you..._

_Basically, what I want is to kill everyone in this town, including you. Well...is that a good enough answer for ya, brother?"_

_He smiled and took a step forward as Drake's father stood frozen. "What I wonder is why you bothered with all those questions. I mean, you saw the blood on me, right? What the hell did ya think I was doing?"_

_The shark merman's body reacted as the barracuda advanced, taking a step backward in response. Drake's father gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the terror that was welling up within him. "Don't come any closer...or else!"_

_"Heh Heh, alright, I'll bite: or else what?" smiled the Barracuda, not dropping his sickening cheery nature for a second. _

_"..." Drake's father couldn't speak; the barracuda's killing instinct had stolen his voice._

_"No, wait, I can guess: if I come any closer, you'll do to me what I did to that guy back there, right? After all, I might be able to kill guys like that, but you're a cut above 'em, aren't ya?" He took another step closer._

_Another. "What, aren't you gonna tell me if I guessed right or not? That ain't very nice." _

_One more. He was right in front of him now. "So...is anything wrong? Maybe it's just me, but you seem kind of...scared. Terrified, even. But maybe it is just me. People tend to get that way around me so much, maybe I just started seeing it everywhere, huh?"_

_Finally, he leaned in close, looking up into the eyes of the shark merman. His smile widened. "Sooooooo...I'm just gonna go ahead and kill ya, 'kay?" His left hand, which until now had been still, suddenly flexed and sprang forward with the speed of a cobra._

_Self-preservation caused the great white's legs to start moving, jumping backward to avoid a blow to the neck. As he landed, he swung his club in a wide, powerful sweep. The barracuda leaned back lazily, letting the weapon swing past him. He then acted with the same sudden quickness as before, jumping forward with a kick aimed at the shark's leg._

_The great white quickly recovered from the momentum of the wide swing, bringing back his club to block the kick, being pushed back slightly as the wood splintered. The barracuda hopped backward to avoid another attack, then yawned._

_"Damn, you're a pain. I can understand the whole not wanting to die thing, but it's pretty unsporting for me, ya know?"_

_Drake's father bared his teeth. "What kind of monster are you? You think murder is some kind of joke? That it's funny!?"_

_The barracuda snorted. "Man, that's so cliche. If you're gonna call me names, at least make 'em original, alright?" He scratched his head. "Better think fast, though. Since, y'know, I'm gonna kill you and all. I mean, kinda hard to talk when you're dead. Guess it's not from personal experience, though."_

_"Stop talking like that..." The shark man's eyes momentarily turned to slits. "If you say you're going to kill me, be more serious!" _

_The other merman shrugged. "You really don't listen, do you? I just got done telling you I don't like cliches. What, should I cackle maniacally to the sky, or drink blood, or eat a puppy? Heck, why not all three at once? Then you'd _know _I was evil!"_

_He then smirked, and pointed a finger at the shark man. "And as for being serious...well, by your perspective, this fight must be pretty even, right? In your favor, even. You're bigger than me, and you've got a weapon. But, see, by my perspective...it's a bit different. You might not know this, but every living thing in this world that lives in the ocean gives off a special kind of energy. The people who know about this energy call it the **Ripple**, as in ripples on a water's surface. Few people know about this energy, but there are certain people who are able to harness this energy and summon it within themselves. _

_But I tend to ramble, so why don't I just show ya?" saying this, the merman began to breath, exhaling and then inhaling rhythmically. As he did, something came out of his body; an aura, the color of the deepest part of the ocean, where this barracuda had likely come out from. It spread over his body and across the ground, like a ripple in a pond. Drake's father shivered. This aura was like the barracuda's killing instinct given form. _

_The barracuda smiled widely, looking very pleased with this result. "One last thing. Most people know that energy as 'The Ripple of Life'. Mine, though...is more like the Ripple of Death."_

_The merman disappeared, and then just as suddenly was standing right in front of the shark man. Before he could make a move, the barracuda struck out with his fist, hitting the other merman in the face. While he was reeling from the hard blow, the murderer swung out his leg, knocking the shark man down the street._

_Drake's father tried to get up, but with the wind knocked out of him it was painful to even raise his chest. Running toward his downed opponent, the barracuda lept into the air, coming downward with a hard punch. The shark rolled to the right, the barracuda's fist plowing into the pavement where he'd been laying a moment ago._

_The barracuda pulled his fist out as Drake's father got back up, and smiled. "Should be right about...now, I think." as soon as he finished his sentence, the shark merman began to choke, his free hand going to his chest as he coughed up blood. Rather than attacking him at that moment, the barracuda simply watched with a smile on his face._

_The great white lifted his head and stared at the other merman with venom in his eyes. "What...did you...do?" the barracuda cocked his head to one side. "Man, you _really _don't listen, do ya? When I said it was the 'Ripple of Death', I wasn't just being metaphorical. Even the slightest bit of my Ripple's energy can be poisonous to any living thing not trained to deal with it...like you." he chuckled. "See what I mean now, brother?"_

_The barracuda watched as Drake's father stood up. "Still standing? Aw well. When I fight people, they usually brag a whole lot, but after I hit them the first time, it tends to get pretty sad. They start begging, kissing my ass, trying to bargain...asking me to spare them, because they don't wanna die. Pretty pathetic, I gotta say. You'd be surprised what even the toughest guy will do to save his own hide. But you probably think that you're different, am I right? Made of sterner stuff than those weak humans? Well, I can't blame ya for thinking that, but-"_

_"DO YOU EVER SHUT UP!?" roared the other merman, suddenly charging at the barracuda and swinging his club right at the murderer's head. The barracuda shrugged, sticking out his hand and stopping the weapon completely. "I dunno. Guess I just like to have the last word. Of course, being what I am, I usually do. **Kokkai Ken!**" _

_Drake's father let out a grunt of pain as the barracuda's fist shot into his gut like a cannon. The sadistically cheerful merman stood back and watched as his opponent stumbled backward, more blood coming from his mouth. "Y'know, I feel like I should point that I could probably kill you more or less instantly in any number of ways. But I'm not gonna. It's like when you're eating a good meal. You don't just gulp it down, right? You eat it slowly, savoring every bite. Uh, not that I'm a cannibal or anything, that was just the first metaphor that I thought of."_

_He slowly began to walk around the shark as his poison worked away at the merman's insides, looking not unlike a shark himself, circling his intended victim. "This is kinda ironic, isn't it? 'The hunter has become the hunted', something like that, right? Course, I am a predator myself, but I'm sure you get the drift, right? Yeah, I bet you do."_

_He continued to circle, watching the other merman be wracked with pain. He then frowned as he saw Drake's father was simply gritting his teeth, watching him calmly with hard eyes. "...Hasn't your mother ever told you it's rude to stare like, brother?" the barracuda deadpanned._

_"You're one to talk. It doesn't seem like your mother did a very good job of raising you, murderer." the great white shot back coldly. For just a moment, he thought he saw the barracuda's face twist in anger. Then the calm smile returned. "Alright, we've pretty much established that you're not afraid of me. But...why is that? Hmmm..."_

_He snapped his fingers. "Ah, it must be because there's someone else you're scared for, is that right?" his smile stretched wider as he saw Drake's Father freeze up for a second. "Ah, ding ding ding, we have a winner! You're scared for your family, is that right, brother? Well, hell, no reason to be ashamed of that._

_Cause, I find that of all the races of the world, us Mermen have the most reasons to be afraid. Every fear is compounded ten times, plus a few special ones just for us. Fear of prejudice, Fear of enslavement, Fear of just being feared. And Fear of all of that happening to our families. It's a real bummer, right?"_

_He stopped as the shark man charged at him. The merman appeared to swing his club, but at the last second feinted and threw his fist forward instead. The barracuda snorted, stopping the attack cold with his palm. Undeterred, Drake's father swung his club for real. The murderer stopped this the same way. Then, smiling, using the club and arm as leverage, he boosted his legs off the ground. "**Makai Nagare!**"_

_The great white gritted his teeth in pain as his stomach was pounded by a barrage of kicks. The barracuda finished with a forceful kick that sent Drake's father sliding backward. Steadying himself, he sneered. "Is that _all _you've got-" he suddenly let out a choking noise and fell to his knees, large cuts appearing on his arms and legs._

_The barracuda clicked his tongue. "That's what's called 'tempting fate', brother, and it's usually frowned upon by people with common sense." slowly, he walked up to the_ _other merman."Well, I guess I might as well-" he blinked in surprise, then jumped back as Drake's father swung his club hard at him._

_The shark man slowly got back up, breathing hard and bleeding from the mouth. The murderer whistled in amazement. "Damn, you don't give up easily. Are all sharks like that?" _

_Drake's father glared at him. "I don't care what kind of power you have...I WON'T LET YOU KILL MY FAMILY!" roaring, he threw himself toward the barracuda, swinging his club again and again. "You know..." mused the barracuda, dodging a swing from the left, "you guys that just won't give up and die, because you have family or whatever..." he sidestepped an overhead blow, "to tell you the truth," he stepped back to avoid a thrust, **"...you really piss me off." **_

_The merman's eyes suddenly turned blood red. As the club was swung again, he swung out a swift punch, and knocked the weapon out of the shark's hands and down the street. Before Drake's father could register this, the barracuda was in front of him. **"Ankou...Mure!"**_

_The murdering merman's fists moved so fast it looked like he had extra arms, striking the great white's body with powerful force. With each blow, Drake's father could feel more of that poisonous energy enter his body. He was quite sure that soon he would be dead. The barracuda seemed to know this. Throughout the barrage, his sick smile had grown larger, and his breathing was like an animal's. _

_Finally, it ended as the barracuda punched the other merman backward. Drake's father was clearly on his last legs; his breathing was choked, his skin was dark from internal bleeding, and he could barely stand. But even so, he still forced his hands to raise up. The barracuda chuckled. "Doesn't matter now. You're Already Dead. Good try, though...well, you never really had a chance, but good try anyway." _

_Smiling, he walked by the dying merman. "Well, see y- gack!?" suddenly, the shark's strong hands were wrapped around his throat, squeezing hard. "Wha, what the hell!? Let go of me, asshole!" he punched the other merman's head twice, then blinked as it slid passively backward. Then he saw that his eyes were milky and blank. Drake's father had died, using the last of his strength to give his family a chance to get away._

_"Come on, leggo...c'mon! Stupid rigor mortis..." gritting his teeth, the barracuda punched at the arms gripping him tightly, but they didn't bunch. "Okay, wanna play it that way? Fine." reaching up, he grabbed hold of the dead merman's elbow joints, gripped hard, and shoved upwards. Insantly the arm broke, and the hold loosened, allowing him to slip free. Once he did, he immediately shoved the corpse over, kicking it repeatedly. "How's that, huh, how's that!? Jerk!" _

_Sniffing, he stopped. "Once again, I appreciate the effort, but it's not gonna do you any good...not that you can hear me, but anyway..." stooping, he laid a hand on the merman's cooling skin for a moment. Then he got up and looked around, his eyes turning red once more. "Heh, gotcha." he grinned, then began to walk off. He stopped. "Huh...wonder if that thing about crapping yourself when you die is true...aw, who cares?"_

_He walked off, whistling the same song he'd been when he'd run into the great white...and soon, his wife and child._

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_Something was wrong. Drake's mother looked around, growing very nervous. Even after becoming a mother, her instincts had not deserted her. If pirates were attacking, why did she hear no sounds of combat? And why hadn't they seen anyone since they left the house? She looked down at her child. Despite his father's reassurances, Drake was still staying close to her. She reached down an arm and pulled him closer. They turned a corner, and stopped dead._

_Leaning up against the wall was the barracuda. He raised a hand and grinned. "Yo." instantly, the merwoman shoved Drake behind her and was on guard. The murderer took a step closer, rubbing a finger in his ear and looking bored. "Look, Mrs...uh, don't know your name...but anyway, I wasted a lot of time with your husband, so I'll just make this succint. See, I am going to kill you and your kid behind you, and you, are going to...um, die. I'll try to make it quick, since even I don't like to hit a lady."_

_He then snatched out his hand, grabbing a knife the merwoman had thrown at him out of the air. "Buuuuuut, apparently that doesn't go both ways. Okay, fine, but let the record show that I _tried _to be progessive. Most husbands hit their wives, but I, the freaking mass murderer, tried to be nice, and I get a knife thrown at me. Real good."_

_Slowly, methodically, he stepped closer, and closer. Drake's mother backed up with each step he took, until they were at the edge of the river that ran through the village. The merwoman looked down at her son. "Drake...please, live...I love you." she then shoved him backward._

_The last thing Drake saw before the water overtook him was the barracuda raising a hand toward his mother, and then everything went dark._

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Jack leaned back against the wall, scratched at his forehead, and let out a long whistle. "So, this guy shows up, says he killed your dad, says he's gonna kill you and your mom, and you only made it out because she did that...that's a bummer."

"Is that all you have to say?" said Drake. Jack shrugged. "Well, there's really nothing else I could say, is there? But...if it makes you feel better..." reaching down, Jack tugged, revealing a chain around his neck, connected to a pendant shaped like a skull. He looked at it for a moment. "...I _do _understand how that feels."

He put it away. "But one thing I don't get: you say you hate pirates, but what makes you think that guy was a pirate? It would make more sense if you hated other Mermen. Not that that would make sense, but-"

Drake interrupted him. "It's not only pirates. People who use their strength to hurt people weaker than them, and do it for their own amusement...anyone like that is my enemy."

Jack nodded. "Fair enough. But guys like that aren't always pirates...just like they're not always mermen."

The merman said nothing for a moment, and then smiled. "Fair enough, Jack."

The pirate motioned to him. "Well, go on."

Drake blinked. "With what?"

"With your story, of course. You're still alive, right? So of course there's more to it."

"...Alright." nodding, Drake continued his tale.

_To be continued..._

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates...**

**??: If I hadn't fished you out, you'd probably be dead by now...**

**Drake: I'll kill you...no matter what, I'll kill you for this!!**

**??: You're weak, and I'm strong. That's the way the world works, kid.**

**??: Very well. If that's your wish...then I'll train you.**

**Chapter Twelve: Inner Courage! The Power of the Ripple!**

Alright, alright, I know this one took a while. _Again. _But I promise you that the next chapter will come sooner.

Anyway, yes, Mr. Barracuda will be a main villain later on. And yes, I did have way too much fun writing him. You'll find that I do that with villains. Not that this says anything about me, or anything...

**Terms and Attacks:**

**Kage Ninjitsu; Hitokage: **Literally, "Shadow Art; Person's Shadow". By blending in with a person's shadow, Raven can remain undetected by the bare eye. This skill is understandably useful for infiltration.

**Ripple: **A spiritual form of energy. Unlike Ki or Chakra, which exist inside one's self, the Ripple is gathered from the ocean, and the living things found within it, through use of a special breathing technique. This energy can be used for healing, or for combat, and although normally benign, it can be twisted by a certain technique and transformed into a deadly poison. The effects of either form of the Ripple can be fought off, if the person has great spirit.

**Kokkai Ken: **Literally, "Black Sea Fist". With a straight punch, a small amount of the Dark Ripple is transferred into a person's body, causing internal bleeding and great pain.

**Makai Nagare: **Literally, "Hell Stream". A blistering flurry of kicks, administering the Dark Ripple in a way designed to disable an opponent's limbs.

**Ankou Mure: **Literally, "Sea Devil Swarm". A storm of punches, each carrying a bit of the Dark Ripple. This attack is extremely dangerous, as even if the punches do not harm you, the poison carried with them most certainly _will_.

**Reader's Reviews:**

**DayDreams1920: **You're very welcome. I must admit, writing is quite fun. Of course, I like to think that true for all of my characters, really.

**Charzonsos: **Oh ho, why thank you. When I read you comment, I could barely believe someone said that about me. Thank you very much, sir.

**Malchior the Draco: **Stammer Well, uh, I, ah, just meant, y'know, um, since you're always, ah, talking about, ohhh, having rivals and stuff, that I f-figured...Wilt

Well, see you next time..._soon._


	12. Inner Courage

Now for the cliche, stereotypical martial arts training montage!

_Yay..._

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"Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo doo dooo..." whistled a tuneless Brandy as he relieved himself, thankfully where he was supposed to, in a urinal. There had been some...incidents in the past.

"Oi, Brandy."

"GAH!" Brandy gave a startled jump, then whirled around to see Raven eyeing him cooly. "Dammit Raven, could you not have picked a better time? Like one where being surprised won't make me risk injuring the little guy!?"

"Considering this Hellsing guy is having you, your sidekick, and that inspector watched, no, I couldn't have, and I'd appreciate not getting chewed out for doing _your _grunt work."

"Being _paid _to do my grunt work." Brandy added.

"Whatever," Raven scowled. "Just take it and buzz off." He shoved the scroll into Brandy's hands. The marine unfolded it and read it. As he did so, his eyes widened and his mouth tightened.

"Good work, Raven. This is the proof we need to take this guy down. I appreciate it. Now, for your payment..." He reached down for his wallet.

"I already took it." The ninja was gone.

Brandy opened his wallet, and drooped. "I'm glad he's not a pirate... then again, if he were, I guess he wouldn't be ripping me off directly, huh?"

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Twelve: Inner Courage! Power of the Ripple!**

Meanwhile, in the cave, Drake continued his story.

_My mother had pushed me into the sea to protect me, to save my life from the man she was sure was going to take it away. But the current that night was strong, and because of my lack of size, I was pushed and battered around by the waves. If things had gone differently that night, I wouldn't be here telling you this. But as it was, I was rescued, by the person I would come to respect the most in this world._

Slowly, Drake opened his eyes. Immediately, pain ran through every part of his body. Cuts, bruises, and all of the other injuries he'd received in the ocean combined together to form a cocaphony of agony, as if his body was getting back at him for being unconscious.

For a few moments, the merman had no knowledge of where he was. Then his mind brought him up to speed. Although Drake was only a child, he was no fool. He had seen the look in the eyes of that barracuda. He was quite sure that his parents were now both dead.

Tears stung at his eyes. He had loved both his parents dearly, and knowing they were dead drove a knife through his heart. He lay there for a long while, feeling the deep pain in both places. If he had been alone, he likely would given into despair.

But then, he heard a door open nearby, and footsteps coming closer. Then the sound of someone sitting down at a chair. Drake hadn't spared a thought to where he was now, and turned his head gently to see whoever it was.

It was an old man, sitting in a chair, looking down at him silently. He wore the clothes of a fisherman, and although his hair and beard were gray, he was nonetheless physically fit and muscular. The man's eyes...they had a mysterious look about them, that Drake couldn't explain.

The two looked at each-other for what seemed a long while, before the man broke the silence. "I fished you out of the sea about one week ago. You were in bad shape, and you would have died if you hadn't been pulled out." He spoke frankly. There was no guile, no beating around the bush.

"Do you have a name?" The man continued.

Drake thought about it. If this man had meant him any harm, he wouldn't have pulled him from the ocean in the first place. "I'm Drake." he replied.

The old man nodded. "A good name. My name is Samuel Stevens. Nice to meet you, Drake."

This seemed to be all the introduction needed. Drake knew he was in no danger from Samuel, and Samuel didn't see Drake as any different from him. They both trusted the other.

Samuel got up suddenly. "Don't move." he told Drake. Reaching down, he gently pulled the covers off of Drake. Even so, the merman winced slightly. Drake hadn't seen how his body looked until now, and although the bruises and cuts had been cared for, he still gulped. When he saw his leg, he averted his eyes; it was twisted at a bag angle, and the skin around it was darkened.

Samuel looked at the limb. His expression was hard to place. Then a sound reached Drake's ears, and he could see that Samuel was breathing, in and out, in a rhythmic fashion.

As he did so, Drake blinked, sure he was seeing things. But no; appearing on Samuel's body was a light-blue aura, spreading across his body from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. Strangely, Drake felt as though he had seen this before. He would realize shortly afterward exactly where.

Still breathing, Samuel moved toward Drake's leg. Looking down at the limb, he nodded. Moving his hands across from each-other, he paused...and then with a yell, drove the two fists into the merman's leg.

This action should have caused tremendous pain, but the reaction was just the opposite; as the blow hit him, he felt a deep euphoria, a sense of intense pleasure. It only lasted a few moments, and then Samuel was standing up. Drake's leg had been reset properly, and the skin around it had returned to it's normal shade of color.

"Do you feel alright, Drake?" Samuel asked. Drake nodded slowly. Samuel smiled. "Good. You must be hungry. I'll go get you some food now." He turned and left the room. At that moment, Drake felt certain that he was safe here.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A few days later, Drake got up. He did so gingerly, but he needn't have bothered: whatever Samuel had done to his leg had healed it almost completely. Soon it would be as if it hadn't been injured in the first place.

He had wondered about that over the last few days. What was that light that had come out from him? For that matter, just who was Samuel? Did he live here alone? Where was this place, anyway?

He hadn't gotten a chance to see the room for a while after he'd woken up. In truth, there wasn't much to see. It was a small, plain room: aside from the bed, only a bookcase, placed against the wall, and a small table next to the bed. Some fishing equipment was placed around the room; Samuel was a fishermen, so this was nothing unusual.

Walking to the door, he opened it and walked through. This seemed to be the kitchen, with cubboards, cabinets, and a sink. Some dishes were in the kitchen, but Samuel was nowhere to be found.

There were two doors leading out of the kitchen: one on the north side of the room and one on the west side. Drake walked up to the one on the north side and tried the knob. No good, it was locked, and Drake wouldn't feel good snooping, anyway.

Next he walked to the door on the west side. It opened freely, and led outside. It was a beautiful day out, and the sun was shining. Nothing like that night that seemed so far ago now. Drake shook his head. Thinking about that night would only lead to sadness, and he'd felt enough of that for a lifetime. No, now he had an entirely different feeling on his mind.

Samuel's dwelling was in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by trees on all sides. A fire had been made, which was currently roasting a pair of fish on sticks. Most of the meals the old man had prepared for him had been fish. Drake supposed that made him a cannibal, but he'd been too hungry to care.

Walking around the fire, he made his way to the edge of the treeline. He frowned. He had no way of knowing where Samuel had gone. But then he heard the sound of faint splashing, coming from a path leading downward. Drake walked down it.

As he went, the ground became more steep, and the trees became less and less dense. Finally, they broke, at the shore of a large lake. The sunlight was hitting the surface of the water, making it sparkle beautifully. Numerous small fish swam to and fro in the shallows.

And in the middle of the lake was Samuel, standing in the water up to his waist, silently. As Drake watched, the glow slowly appeared on his body once more. It spread across him and into the water, rippling across it as easily as it had across him. The fish in the water had been affected by the glow, and they circled around him as if mesmerized.

Drake was, as well. He hadn't been able to truly appreciate it the first time he'd seen it, but this light was truly a beautiful sight. He stared, entranced for a long while.

"So you're up then, Samuel? That's good to see."

Samuel's voice woke him from the trance, and Drake blinked to see Samuel wading in from the water. "That's good." He walked past Drake, and began making his way up the slope. "Come back to the house. We'll eat, and then I'll check your leg."

Drake watched him go, for a moment chickening out of talking to him. Then he remembered why he wanted to. "Mr. Samuel!"

The old man turned around. "Is there something wrong?"

Drake paused a moment, and then spoke. "That light, that came out of you...what was it? I know it's not something normal, and you were able to fix my leg with it so easily...who are you, really? I might be young, but I can tell you aren't a normal fisherman."

Samuel's expression hadn't changed. "That's nothing for you to be concerned about, Drake. Your leg is fixed, and that should be all you need to know." He turned away and continued up the path.

"...I've seen it before."

Samuel whirled back around, looking shocked. "What...what did you say, Drake?"

Drake looked at him, an odd look in his eyes. "I said that I've seen it before. On that night that I fell into the ocean...I saw it from the man who...killed my parents!" He forced the last part out, as if he didn't want to admit it himself.

A long and uncomfortable silence followed. Then Samuel turned and began up the slope again. "Follow me, Drake. You have a right to hear this."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Once the two were back at the house, Samuel immediately crossed to the locked door. Placing his hands on it, he breathed out and in, once. Instantly, the door clicked. Turning the knob, the door opened without resistance. "Come in."

Walking in after him, Drake stared in amazement. This room was much, much different than the rest of the house. Extremely wide, it was devoid of any furniture, the floor stretching freely from wall to wall. That is, aside from the far wall, where a pair of disused torches stood. They were flanking a tapestry that hung between them.

It was a beautiful sight, depicting the ocean, with it's currents and waves. In the center of it was a small circle, surrounded by a larger one, and another, each growing larger as they went. A ripple. Drawn in and around the ripple were sea animals, frolicking among the waves.

Samuel walked in and sat down with his legs crossed. Drake tried to copy him, but ended up sitting down normally.

"You said you saw an aura that looked like mine, Drake?" Samuel said bluntly.

"Yes, that's right." replied the merman.

"But it didn't _really _look like mine, did it?" said Samuel, darkly. Drake slowly shook his head. "Instead of being blue like mine, it was black, wasn't it? Black, like in the middle of the night. Black like a dark pit in the ocean that seems to go on forever. Black like-"

"Death." Drake said quietly.

Samuel nodded. "Yes. Like death." He coughed, and resumed speaking.

"The truth is, Drake, I'm not a fisherman. I'm a martial artist, someone who trains in a style of fighting, using their hands, feet, and mind. The style I practice is known as **Umi no Ken**. It's a style based around gathering energy from water, and all things that live within it. This energy is known as the Ripple. Water is revered in this world as a life-giving force, and the style is the same; the energy gathered from the water is pure, and good. But also like water, it can be a powerful and dangerous force in the right circumstances.

Umi no Ken is a benevolent style...but there is a darker side to it. A style known as **Umi no Yami Ken**. Like my style, it draws the Ripple energy from the water to fight. But it twists the energy, transforming it into a cruel power that exists only to hurt other people, which users of the style have no problem doing. They're merciless, all of them. I've seen them snuff out the lives of innocents begging for mercy without a hint of remorse. They roam the seas at will, attacking and killing whoever they please. No-one should ever have to encounter anyone like that."

He bowed his head slightly. "And I'm deeply remorseful that you had to, Drake. I'm very sorry." He then fell silent, and Drake was too for a moment, and then spoke up.

"You said the style you use is like their's...does that mean it can defeat them?" he asked quietly.

Samuel looked slightly taken aback. "...yes, it can. The two are opposite styles, so one is a perfect match for the other in combat. But why do you ask?"

"Train me."

Samuel now looked surprised. "What?"

Drake had that look in his eyes again. "I want revenge. I want to get the person who killed my parents, and make him pay for what he did. If you teach me Umi no Ken, then I can do it!"

Samuel sighed, and then shook his head. "No, Drake, I cannot."

"Why not?" Drake yelled. "If that power is drawn from fish, then I should be able to use it, since I'm a merman! So why can't you-"

Samuel hit him. The blow knocked Drake onto his back, and he sat back up, bleeding from his lip. Samuel now looked angry. "And if I do train you, Drake, what will you do? Go after him? And then what? You'd likely die, and do you think your parents would want that, after your life was already spared once? And if you defeated him, then what? Would you kill him, and continue the cycle of violence he started? Then you'd only be a murderer, Drake, and that's what seperates my style from their's."

The old man shook his head. The anger was gone now, replaced by reminiscent sorrow. "Even if you did kill him, it wouldn't bring your parents back. I should know. I was once part of a group of students training under a master of Umi no Ken. We were attacked by a master of Umi no Yami Ken. I was the only one who made it out alive." He shrugged. "After that, I didn't want to associate myself with the style any longer. But even so, I made this room. I suppose I didn't want to forget them."

He sighed. "If you forget about people who have passed on, then they really do die. Don't forget that, Drake."

"...aren't you just running away, then?"

Samuel looked up, surprised. Drake was looking at him with those determined eyes once more. "If you have the power to defeat someone like that, then why are you living on this island, alone! Shouldn't you be trying to stop him, then? If you have the power to save people...to protect them from harm...then should you really be lecturing me, Samuel?"

The old man looked distant for a long while. "Perhaps I _was_ running away. Perhaps after seeing someone commit atrocities like what I saw, I wanted to leave humanity behind forever. The people I was training with were great friends of mine, and the man training all of us was like a father to me...perhaps I'm the only one left alive who knows the style."

Drake nodded. "You mentioned my parents wouldn't want me to go off and die. Would they want you to hide away like this, feeling miserable about yourself? I don't think they would!"

Samuel was silent once more. "Perhaps they wouldn't...no, of course they wouldn't. But..." He looked down at his hands. "The person that attacked us...he defeated us all, so easily...I'm sure he wasn't even trying. It made me feel...weak. Like I couldn't do anything. I'm not sure I _could _train you, now."

"That's not true!" Drake yelled. "That's what I'm supposed to say, not you! I'm the weak one here. I'm tiny, I'm timid, and I couldn't even protect what was important to me. But that doesn't mean I have to stay that way! I'll get stronger...I'll become brave...and next time, I'll protect what's important to me!"

He clasped a fist over his chest. "I swear it! I'll become stronger, and not be weak any more! I won't protect just what's important to me, either! I'll help anyone that's in danger, so they won't have to go through what we did! And if you won't help me, I'll do it myself!"

Samuel's face was unreadable. For a moment Drake thought he'd hit him again. But then he heard a sound coming from the old man. He was chuckling. "Well. You're naive, you're petulent, and you're hotheaded. You remind me of a complete fool that I once knew."

Drake bowed his head slightly. Then the old man smiled. "A young man by the name of Samuel. You're right, Drake. People _can _change. I'm glad you reminded me of that. Very well, I'll accept you as my pupil."

His face grew sterner. "But don't expect this to be easy, Drake. Training in Umi no Ken is a process that takes many years. It will be hard, I won't lie to you, and it will change your life forever. Do you still wish to accept?"

Drake nodded. "Yes, I do."

Samuel nodded back. "Very well, then. From now on, you can call me Master."

_Samuel was right. That day, my life changed forever. For the better, I think. If I hadn't met him, my life wouldn't have any meaning. He's the person who I respect the most in this world._

_Yeah, can we take a break? Because this is taking a while._

_You're the one who wanted to hear it._

_Well now I regret it. It feels like you've been telling this story for six months!_

_  
Tough._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A loud grunt, and then the noise of something sliding across rough ground. It stopped after a moment, during which tired breathing could be heard. Then the sliding sound resumed.

"You're sure that you don't want me to help, Drake? I don't mind."

Drake looked over at his master, who was sitting close by watching him. Leaning against the large rock he'd been pushing, Drake shook his head. "No, master. Tradition says I have to do this alone.

He pushed again, moving the rock closer toward a small pile of them that he'd made. Although there would be no residents to it, this was a grave. It was Merman custom to bury lost loved ones next to the ocean - or as close as possible - so that they might rest in peace, their souls returning to their ancestral home.

Finally, Drake lifted upward, pushing the rock onto the top of the pile. Then, he stepped back, wiping the sweat that was covering his forehead. "There. Now they have a place to rest. Even I can do this."

"Hm." grunted Samuel, looking at the grave while scratching his chin. "That's an interesting method of burial." He smiled slightly. "I wouldn't mind being buried like that, myself."

Drake said nothing as he walked past him, on the way back up to the house.

"...and I hope you don't end up in one of those because of your desire for vengeance, Drake."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Tell me, Drake, what do you feel?"

Knee deep in the water of the lake, Drake thought about this question. "...wet? Cold?"

"No, no." Sitting on the shore, Samuel shook his head. "I don't mean how it feels against your body. You see, Drake, there are two ways of feeling things. One is physically, with your five senses - touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell. The other is with something that most people never use: your Sixth Sense.

The Sixth Sense is used to feel and sense things that are otherworldly, that would ordinarily be invisible to a normal human's eyes. Ordinarily, this Sixth Sense is very weak, or not there in the first place. But by training in special arts, you can strengthen and hone it. The Ripple is only one of such arts in the world. When you complete your training and heighten your senses, you'll no doubt encounter many of them."

"I see." said Drake thoughtfully. "I guess even powers like yours are common to some people, aren't they, Master?"

Samuel nodded. "Now, close your eyes. Then, relax, and try to distance your mind from your body as much as possible."

"Yes, Master."

Drake closed his eyes. He did as his new master instructed, and tried to relax. It was hard; standing in place with your eyes closed wasn't exactly interesting, nor was it terribly relaxing.

"Don't try and force it, Drake. That will only aggravate you. Focus on the water, and try to feel it with your Sixth Sense."

Drake nodded. He felt the water as it lapped gently around and against his legs. He listened to the gentle splashing noises it made. As he did so, a pattern formed in front of him. It was light-blue in color, and always moving, never looking the same as it had just a moment before. Looking at it gave him the same feeling of warm contentment that the Ripple Samuel had used had. Then he realized.

"Do you see something, Drake?" Samuel's voice entered his thoughts, sounding strange and foreign.

"I think I...see the water, Master."

"That is the Ripple energy that this lake is giving off, Drake. Good work. Now, start breathing, in and out. Try your best to match the water's flow. Use the pattern that you see before you as a guide."

Drake obeyed, and watched the pattern before him carefully. When it moved, he breathed in; when it moved again, he breathed out. Again and again, he did so.

"You've done it, Drake. Open your eyes now."

Drake did so, and he saw that both his arms were covered in the Ripple energy. But without his breathing to support it, the aura quickly faded away.

The merman frowned, but Samuel smiled. "You did well, Drake. I could only manage one arm the first time I did it, but you did it with two." He scratched his beard. "Perhaps it's because you're a merman?"

He shrugged. "I think that's enough for today. Follow me back up to the house, and we'll eat. Then, I have a story to tell you."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After the two had eaten, they moved to the Dojo Room. Samuel instructed Drake to wait for him, and returned carrying a large basin filled with water. Setting it down in front of Drake, he sat down on the other side, cross-legged.

"Since you are training in the art of Umi no Ken, Drake, it is important that you learn of the style's origins. Listen closely, and I will tell you the tale."

Placing his hands on the water's surface, Samuel began rhythmically breathing. The light of the Ripple spread from the water, to his hands, and then back down to the water. As he did so, images began to appear in the water's surface, and Samuel began to talk.

"Two thousand years ago, the great oceans of this world, the four Blues as well as the Grand Line, were still here. And I'm sure they will be here two thousand years after this, as well."

The first figure that appeared was that of a man, sitting on the shore. Next came the image of a fish, which swam up and approached the man, swimming in front of him. "Men had used the sea for many years; for fishing, for transportation, and for many other things. But until then, they hadn't truly understood the sea...until the sea decided to approach man. It did so to a man who had been in a shipwreck, and was stranded on a deserted island. The man's name, and who he was, have been lost to history. But not what he was responsible for: founding the style of Umi no Ken, as he was the first person to harness the power of the Ripple."

The water rippled, and the images displayed within it changed. Now, the man was standing on the shore, with the fish swimming back and forth in the water in front of him. The man was copying the fish's movements, and soon a familiar glow appeared over his body. "Appearing in the form of a small fish, the ocean tutored him in the style. He became the first student of Umi no Ken, and eventually, the first master, as well."

The image changed again. The setting was now the outside of a dojo at the shore of the ocean, the man at the head of a large group of students, all of them copying his movements as he had copied those of the fish. "The man used the gift the ocean had given him wisely. He gathered willing youths, and trained them in Umi no Ken as he had been taught. They travelled the oceans, helping people in danger, and protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. For a few generations, everything was fine...

But, then arose problems...dark ones."

The image rippled and changed once more. It appeared to be the inside of the dojo, and a different man and a youth were standing across from each-other. From their body language, it was clear the two were arguing. "Whenever any power is given to people, there will always be those who seek to misuse it, much like those who have eaten Devil Fruits. One student argued that instead of using the Ripple to help others, they should use it to help _themselves. _His master disagreed, and this led to an argument. Which, unfortunately, led to blows."

In the water, Master and Student began to fight. The fight likely lasted a long while, but the image rippled again, and the image came back to the student kneeling on the floor. "The boy's master only meant to subdue him, but during the battle, a stray technique severely wounded the student's right eye." The student turned, and Drake shivered at the horrific wound, even obscured as it was by the student's hand. Snarling like a rabid beast, ignoring his master's noiseless shout for him to come back.

"He fled from the dojo that day, to the deep regret of the master, and he didn't believe he would ever see the student again. But when the student stopped running, his wound had enflamed the ambition he had had with feelings of resentment, which quickly became outright hatred. These feelings of hate and anger twisted the Ripple, changing it into something foul, and ugly. He desired revenge, and the poison his hatred had turned the Ripple into had already begun to eat away at him, turning him into something twisted and evil."

As he said this, one half of the water in the basin turned black, swirling around the normal blue water. "He became the first master of Umi no Yami Ken, as well as the first user of the Dark Ripple. And that, more or less, is the history of our style. Remember this, Drake: Good and Evil often come from the same source, and the line seperating them is often very thin, so thin that you might step over it without realizing. I don't want to see that happen to you."

Drake shook his head. "It won't, master."

"Can you guarantee that, Drake? Revenge has a way of twisting your morals. Even if your reason is just, can _you _remain just in your quest for it?"

_I still think about what he said, then. When I do finally find him - and I will - what will I do? The thought of sparing someone like that turns my stomach...but I've never taken anyone's life before._

_Neither have I. Sort of an easy thing _not _to do, really._

_As easy as not interrupting someone when they're talking?_

_Oh, not nearly._

Drake averted his gaze, and then spoke back up. "Master, with such a long history, Umi no Ken must be well known throughout the world, isn't it?"

Samuel was silent for a moment, and then smiled slightly. "I'm afraid not, Drake. Umi no Ken is barely known outside of those who practice it. I remember that while I was still studying the style, we once came across a martial artist of a different school. When he learned of our style, he expressed some contempt at it, calling it weak. I got into an argument with him over that, before my master stepped in, and offered to have a match with him. He defeated the martial artist easily, and he changed his tone slightly. He expressed the same thoughts you did; why was such a strong style so little known? I suppose it's that we never truly used it in combat; most schools become famous when their practicioners participate in tournaments. We were never concerned about that sort of thing, however."

He chuckled. "When I was younger, I always wondered what it would be like if that were true. I thought that if many people trained in the style, and used it to help people in need, the world would be a much better place. I suppose you might say it was my dream." He shrugged. "But I never told anyone about it, for fear I'd be told it was silly, and impractical. That's the case for most people, I think."

Drake furrowed his brow. "I wouldn't know about that, master. I don't have a dream of my own."

"You will, Drake. Someday."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake stumbled backward, and then fell to his knees, gasping heavily. "You're...you're strong, master."

Samuel lowered his arms, not looking tired at all. The two had been sparring for the last hour, and he didn't look tired at all. Drake, on the other hand, looked exhausted, sweat rolling down his forehead in rivelets. The old man shrugged. "I've trained in fighting longer than you have, Drake, so there's no shame in your being weaker than me."

Drake wiped off his forehead. "Well, I don't think I'll ever become as strong as you, master."

Samuel shook his head. "You'd be surprised, Drake. With time, even a small trickle of water can become a wave."

Drake stood back up, stretching himself. "Okay, I'm fine now. Let's go again."

Samuel looked surprised, and then chuckled. "Very well." He moved back into his stance once more, and gestured for Drake to come at him.

The merman did so.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_For several years, that was how I lived. Samuel would train me in fighting, as well as tutor me in drawing upon the Ripple's power. He would tell me great stories about his training in the style, as well as tell me of the mythology surrounding it._

_Please don't tell me those._

_...fine. As I said, it went like that for a few years...until we had a visitor._

_How do you make things sound so ominous like that? Is it a skill?_

_The same way you make nearly everything you say sound idiotic._

_Hey now, that's hereditary. Can't control it. But when you make everyday words sound like they're the end of the world, I have to wonder if you aren't doing it on purpose._

_I wonder if _you _can't control running your mouth off like that._

_Nope._

_...well, I'm nearly done, so you won't have much else to snark about._

_Hey, don't be like that. I find this interesting, really. I just like snarking._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back and forth, back and forth, went the sticks. Drake frowned. There was plenty of smoke issuing from the fireplace, but not what they needed, fire. He sighed, wishing Samuel kept matches. He kept rubbing the sticks, trying to get just one good spark. He and Samuel switched off chores every day, and it was his turn to stoke the fire for their dinner.

Drake had grown much in the years he'd spent training under Samuel, both mentally and physically. He was now into his adolescence, and was far taller, his body growing much more muscular from sparring with Samuel, as well as other exercises. But despite his new strength, he could simply not get this fire going.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps, coming closer from the woods. He paused. Samuel was out catching fish right now, but this couldn't be him. Samuel always made himself known when he walked, but whoever this was stepped lightly and quiet. If not for his training, Drake likely wouldn't have noticed the approach at all, and even then, only faintly.

A sudden shiver ran through him, his arms getting goosebumps. For some reason, he had become deeply afraid. Whoever this person was, he was dangerous. _Very _dangerous. Every instinct in his body was telling Drake _not _to turn around, whatever he did. But he knew that putting his back to whoever it was would be even worse. So, steeling himself, he turned around.

He immediately froze, his heart skipping a beat. Eyes widened, he looked at the person in front of him silently, the moment seeming to last an eternity.

It was him. The barracuda. Drake had grown older, but he looked the same: the black hair, the blood-stained clothes, and the look on his face that made you want to curl up into a ball. Although the sun was out now, with no trace of the storm that had been present the night Drake had first seen him, the fear the merman felt at that moment increased tenfold just from laying eyes on him.

Strangely, though, the barracuda seemed not to notice him. He was looking around the clearing, looking perplexed. He scratched his head. "Aw, damn it. Couldn't just be in plain sight, could he? No, of course I have to look for him..."

Then, finally, his eyes settled on to Drake. Another shiver ran through him. The barracuda's lips spread in a smile. This did absolutely nothing to make him less intimidating. "Oh, hey there, brother. Listen, I don't suppose you could tell me if you've seen someone around here? He's, uh, old...and...and...dammit, guess I don't know what he looks like."

As he spoke, Drake realized one thing. The barracuda didn't recognize him - he must not have even noticed him on that night all those years ago. This simple fact drove an emotion into his mind at full force: pure hatred.

With a wild roar, he seized one of the logs at the fire and threw himself at the barracuda, swinging the blunt object wildly, wanting only to see it hit the monster standing before him.

The next thing he knew, his back was digging into a tree on the far side of the clearing, the barracuda's arm gripping his throat very tightly.

The smile had left the barracuda's face, and now he was just the same as he had been that night all those years ago.

The barracuda drew his face in close to Drake's. "Now," he breathed, "that wasn't very nice, was it? I ask you a simple question, and you fly off the handle!"

Drake let out a gasp as he punched him in the chest. "Really, didn't your mother teach you any MANNERS!?" Another punch to the gut, but Drake didn't notice.

"Yes. She did." the shark merman forced out. "Before you killed her!"

This made the barracuda blink. "...huh. You say I killed your mother?"

"And my father!"

"Oooooh, a two-fer. Wow, that's interesting. Small world, isn't it?"

It was Drake's turn to blink, before his rage returned, twice as bad as before.

The barracuda just smiled. "And since I know what you're gonna say, no, I don't really care. Or remember, for that matter. To put it in appropriate terms, your parents were like a drop in the ocean. While it's true that they're part of something great, alone they don't matter at all. It's the same about whatever you felt when you knew they were dead."

"You-!" Drake struggled.

"Oh, please. Even if you're a merman, compared to me, you're weak. So are most people, and that's the way this world works. You're weak, and I'm strong."

"Not...anymore!" Drake grunted.

"Then why are you the one getting held against a tree, huh?"

Drake growled, and then calmed himself. He began breathing, in and out in a rhythmic fashion, just like Samuel had taught him.

The barracuda's eyes bugged out as the light-blue aura slowly formed over Drake's body. "Wha, what the hell!?"

Letting out a yell, Drake kicked out hard with his legs, knocking the barracuda backward. Landing on his feet, Drake dashed forward, throwing a punch at the barracuda.

Quickly endowing himself with his own black aura, the barracuda matched the blow, and returned with one of his own. Quickly, the two entered into a deadly dance, each of them dodging and attacking. Both of their auras flared up, the contrast between them as deep as the one between the two combatants.

It became obvious to Drake that the barracuda was enjoying this, his surprise at finding another Ripple user quickly replaced by simple bloodlust. His long mouth was pulled back in a wide grin, and his eyes were wild and excited. Drake wondered if this was the same look he'd had when he had killed his father.

Suddenly, the barracuda's hands snatched out, locking around Drake's. He grinned wickedly. "I didn't expect to find another person trained like I was, least of all here. Here, let me show you something interesting. **Gaidoku Hamon!**"

The black aura flowed over Drake's hands and arms, and over his body, engulfing the blue aura that Drake's body had. Drake let out a scream of pure pain as the Dark Ripple burned into his body. Slowly, he was forced onto his knees, the barracuda staring down at him, still with the wicked grin on his face. Slowly, Drake's arms and legs grew cold and numb, and dark corners began to form on the edge of his vision. Slowly, he began to close his eyes.

"NO!"

The barracuda's grip was released, and Drake fell, weakly putting out his hands to avoid falling on his face. He looked up to see what was happening.

Samuel was facing the barracuda, a look of anger and hatred on his wrinkled face. The merman, by contrast, had returned to a calm smile.

"Not again..." growled Samuel. "I won't lose anyone else to you monsters!"

The barracuda shrugged. "Okay. Monster. Sure. Are there any other names you want to call me, or can we get down to business? I'm sure you must know why I'm here. Hell, I'm sure you must have been waiting for me."

Despite the casual tone the barracuda took, at that moment Drake knew why he was here: the martial artist intended to kill Samuel. His legs gaining new strength, he forced himself upward, taking a step toward the two.

Samuel held out an arm, stopping him. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I have. I think I've been waiting for your arrival from the time that I began living on this island. In fact, now that you're here, I feel somewhat relieved."

The barracuda grinned happily. "Aw shucks, just from little old me? Stop it, you're gonna make me blush."

Swift like a snake, he moved back into his fighting stance. "Well, since you've been waiting for me all this time, I'd hate to keep you waiting any longer. Let's go."

A moment passed, during which Drake felt Samuel's gaze flicker onto him. Then, the old master shook his head. "I cannot."

The reaction was startling, and more than a little frightening. The barracuda's face seemed to _crack_, his casual smile suddenly twisting into a jagged snarl, and his eyes losing all the calmness they had held, becoming like a wild animal's. He clenched his hands hard enough to draw blood, and grit his slooping teeth together so hard you could hear the crack they made.

"Why...not?" he hissed, sounding nothing like he had just moments ago. He now sounded...empty. Empty of everything that made a person what they were. What was left was pure primal instinct, more like an animal than anything human. "I came...all this way...and now you say...no?"

Samuel shrugged, the barracuda's breakdown not fazing him. "If you had arrived earlier, then I would have no problem with it." He paused and looked back at Drake. "But I have a student now, and I obviously can't teach him if you kill me."

The barracuda's eyes twitched visibly, flickering between Samuel and Drake. The merman shivered; he was quite sure the barracuda was pondering killing him, if it meant getting what he wanted, whatever it was.

Samuel seemed to know this as well. Sparing a brief look at Drake, he stepped forward, without adopting a combat stance. A word of warning was on Drake's lips, but he stopped himself. He trusted his master, and he knew whatever he was about to do was the right decision.

The old man stepped in close to the barracuda, grabbed his arm, and leaned forward, appearing to converse with the Drake's throat tightened. For a moment, Drake was sure the barracuda would cut him down, like he had his father. But then, Samuel stepped back. The barracuda's face was unreadable...and then abruptly, he changed back to his casual smiling self.

"Oh, is that all?" He shrugged. "Why didn't you just say so?"

He began walking past the two. "Well, I might as well get out of your hair. Don't let me keep you."

Suddenly, he stopped, snapping his fingers. "Oh yeah, there's just one thing."

Quick as a flash, the barracuda was suddenly right next to Samuel. Before the ripple master could move, the other martial artist stabbed his hand forward into the old man's neck. Samuel let out a pained grunt, his eyes rolling back. The barracuda released a moment later, and he fell to the ground.

"Master!" Drake yelled, getting to his feet and running toward him.

The barracuda blocked his way, smiling widely. "I'd be worrying more about myself, if I were you. But then I'd be you, and being you is gonna _really_ suck in a few seconds."

Drake threw a punch, but the barracuda caught it easily. Sweeping out with a leg, he knocked Drake to the ground. Before the merman could get up or roll away, he grabbed his wrists, pushing him down into the dirt.

The merman moved his face in, inches away from the other merman, who had not lost the defiant look in his eyes; if anything, it had grown.

"I s'pose you're wondering why I have you in such a compromising position, huh?" he breathed, an excited, no, ecstatic look in his eyes. "Well, you see, as you might have guessed earlier, I'm really bad at describing people, and I'm also not very good at remembering them, either. Not unless they have something about them that matters to me. The fact that you've vowed vengeance against me would count, but like I said, you're not really unique in that department. So when you finish your training and come looking for me, I might not even remember you. And that would just be a pain for both of us, wouldn't it?"

His smile grew wider, if such a thing was possible. "So, the only thing to do is...give you something for both of us to remember the other by. Aren't I so...NICE!?"

In that moment, the barracuda's left hand released it's grip on Drake's left arm, snapped up, and with the pointer finger, stabbed Drake in the top half of his chest.

If someone else was in this position, they would have screamed until their lungs ran out of air, and maybe even after that. Drake did not. He glared into the barracuda's face, inches from his, teeth clenched and eyes full of defiant anger.

The barracuda laughed at the site of it. "Well, I've seen _that _look before! We got a live one here, folks!" With that, he stabbed Drake again, on the bottom of his chest this time, directly opposite the first.

Drake's fingers clenched into the dirt, the merman biting back a cry with all of his might. He refused to allow this monster the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

The other merman seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. "Wow, not a peep, again. Now you're two for two. I've met guys more than twice your age who couldn't even manage one. Kudos. Now, number three..."

This time a hole was made in the center of Drake's chest, on the left side. Drake was now aware of dull pain coming from the holes that had been pierced into him; he had no doubt the barracuda had made them using the Dark Ripple. The tendons on Drake's neck stood out, and his eyes had diluted to slits, his mind going into the species' ability of Merman Rage to preserve himself. Due to this, a guttural growl was coming from Drake's throat, but he still had not cried.

"Well well, I guess you're a tough guy. You Umi no Ken guys always are. We Umi no Yami Ken fellows, though...we're more PERSISTENT!"

A fourth hole was made, across from the third. A pattern had been made in Drake's chest, formed by the new wounds. The barracuda grinned again. "I travel around a lot, so there's no telling where we'll meet again. So I'll give you a handy little map you can use to find your way around. Ain't I nice?"

Drake's only response was an angry snarl. He looked remarkably similar to how the barracuda had before.

The other merman shrugged. "Well, that's the four Blue seas done. Now then, how about the Red Line?"

His finger plunged into the left-side hole, and slashed rightward, making a long, horizontal scar across Drake's chest.

The barracuda's excitement was reaching a fevered climax. His breath was quick and rapid, and he was even drooling slightly "And laaaast, but certainly not least, The Grand Line!"

He slashed with his finger again, only vertical this time rather than horizontal. The 'map' was now complete, and the barracuda lowered his finger. "There. Now you'll definitely remember me, won't ya?"

"...yes, I will." His eyes still in the state of Merman Rage, Drake's gaze stared right at the barracuda. "You didn't need to give me this mark; even if a thousand years passed, I'd still remember you. But now, whenever I look at this scar, I'll be reminded of you. Of how you killed my parents, and everyone else you've killed, and how you talk about it like it doesn't matter. But it matters to me, and everyone else that you've hurt. When I look at this scar, I'll be reminded of why I'm going to kill you."

The barracuda smirked. "Oooh. Those are some big words, kid."

"My name is Drake." The shark glared back.

"And _my _name is Shin. Nice to meet you." He pulled back his fist. "Nighty night, Drake."

The blow hit him, and then there was darkness.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"...Drake. Drake, wake up."

Slowly, the merman's eyes opened. Groaning, he looked around. He was lying in the bed at the house, and for a moment he felt nostalgic; this was how Drake had first come here, after all.

Samuel was sitting in the chair next to the bed, and breathed a sigh of relief when Drake awoke. "Thank goodness you're alright, Drake."

His face grew regretful. "Forgive me, Drake. I underestimated him. It's been a long while since I've dealt with their kind..." He gestured to Drake's chest. "I checked your wounds. He inflicted them using the Dark Ripple, so I am afraid I cannot heal them. You'll bear them for life, and they'll no doubt cause you great pain at times."

Drake shrugged. "It doesn't matter, master. I'm not vain enough to care about scars like this, and any pain it causes won't be enough to stop me."

Samuel looked slightly taken aback, and then smiled. "Well. You've certainly grown far stronger than the nearly-drowned boy I fished out of the sea all those years ago, haven't you?"

Drake nodded. "That's all because I met you, master." He hesitated slightly, and then smiled. "I'm very glad that I did."

His master smiled back. "So am I, Drake. So am I."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_From that day onward, I trained myself even harder, with the knowledge that the barracuda - no, Shin - was out there, and he seemed to want to fight me as much as I wanted to him. Why, I didn't know, but it drove me._

_Sometimes the scars pained me, and when they did, I thought about him, and wondered if he was thinking about him, too. He probably was._

_My skills gradually grew, as I did myself. Finally, Samuel deemed me ready for the final test in Umi no Ken training; defeating the master who trained you in combat. _

_I won't bore you with the details; I will say that it was the most difficult fight I've been in so far in my life. But I gave him no quarter, and neither did he to me. We both respected each other, as men, and we both fought to the best of our abilities. Despite Samuel's age, he was a fearsome opponent: I can only imagine what he must have been like when he was young._

_But finally, the battle ended. And then..._

_It still hurts to think about it._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Samuel let out a grunt of pain and stumbled backwards, one of Drake's blows smashing through his defenses and hitting him hard. He was breathing hard, and sweat covered his body, staining his clothes dark.

Drake was much the same way. He had no idea how long the two had been fighting: time didn't seem to matter in a battle like this. Both of them had their Ripple Auras out, and thus their blows were amplified by several times.

Samuel leapt forward, swinging his leg around in a wide kick. Drake held up his arm to block it, and gritted his teeth as the impact ran up and down it. Shoving the leg away, he dove in swiftly with another fist attack.

Apparently opting not to dodge, Samuel struck forward with a fist of his own.

A loud impact echoed throughout the clearing. Both of the men's fists had hit their opponent square in the side of the face. A moment passed, and then the two stepped back from each-other.

Samuel smiled. "I see that there is nothing more for me to teach you, Drake. You have mastered all of what you can learn from me. That's good...now I will not have to...worry..."

Suddenly, the old man's face twitched, a strangled noise coming from his throat. His legs gave way, and he fell forward.

Quickly, Drake leapt forward and caught him before he could hit the ground. "Master! Master, what's wrong!?"

Samuel looked up at him, and Drake gasped. Samuel's face was pale, and black lines spread across it, his throat, and carried on downward below his clothes. Drake knew what these lines were. "Master, you..."

The old man smiled weakly. "When that Dark Ripple Master defeated me, he didn't kill me...but he did leave me with something special...that was what he called it." He coughed raggedly, and blood trickled out of his mouth. "A special technique using the Dark Ripple that he had devised...after I was hit with it, he told me that from now on, summoning the Ripple would cause my body great pain, and eventually cause my death. He challenged me, asking me if I could continue to help others if I knew it would mean my demise. What valued more to me; my own life or the lives of strangers, who might not even remember me afterwards?"

Samuel looked deeply remorseful. "...it will forever shame me, but the decision I made was to run away from the world, and hide like a coward. You really were right about me in that respect, Drake." He smiled sadly, and then coughed again, more blood coming from his mouth.

"Don't talk, Master!" Laying his teacher down on the softest patch of ground he could find, Drake summoned the Ripple and, laying his hands on the old man's chest, allowed the energy to flow into Samuel's body.

The old man shook his head. "Don't bother, Drake. This poison has been racking my body for years. No-one could heal it now."

A thud came as Drake punched the ground. Tears stung at his eyes. "It's my fault...all my fault! If I hadn't forced you to train me, this wouldn't have happened...but now..."

"I'm going to die?" Samuel asked. He slowly shook his head. "No. If you hadn't come to this island, Drake, if you hadn't entered my life, _then _I would have died. I would have

fell into despair, given up on myself, and slowly withered away. But because of you, I was able to remember what was important to me. Thank you, Drake. Because I was able to meet you, my life was given meaning again. I don't mind dying this way, not at all."

"I'm...I'm pathetic!" Drake cried. "Because I wanted revenge, now you'll have to die...I'm despicable! I'm-"

Samuel's fist collided with his chin. It wasn't a particularly strong punch, but it still knocked Drake backward onto the ground. He looked up to see Samuel looking at him fiercely. "A real man doesn't cry about the past, Drake. What's done is done. You should look to the future. Pay attention to me, now."

Drake listened as his master began to speak. His words were strained and delivered in pain, making Drake wince. But even so, he had strength in his voice, his spirit far outweighing the poison within him. "After you leave here, find people. People who will care about you; people who will trust you and allow you to place your trust within them. People who will believe in you, and your dreams. Your triumphs will be their triumphs, and your sorrows will be their sorrows. You will have a connection, a bond with them that will be stronger than any tragedy or turmoil that may occur.

For me, these people were the students I trained with, and the master who taught us. He had a word for them. Nakama. Find nakama of your own, Drake, wherever you can, and use the skills I have taught you to protect them, and help them achieve their dreams. And in turn, they will do the same for you. This is my last command to you as your master, Drake. Don't let what happened to me repeat with you. Letting a nakama die is like losing a bit of your soul. Let it happen to you, and you may end up like me."

Drake reached out and held Samuel's shoulder. If his master was going to die, it should be with a warm hand on his body. "Master, if that's what a nakama is...then I'm _your _nakama."

Samuel smiled. "And I am prouder to call you my student then I can possibly put into words, Drake."

Drake paused, gathering his words, and then spoke. "Master, you mentioned that it was your dream that Umi no Ken become famous throughout the world, didn't you?" He clasped his other hand over his chest. "Then, I'll do it. I'll make your dream my own, and spread knowledge of the Ripple throughout the land, and make sure Umi no Ken will never be forgotten! I'll fulfill your dream for sure! I promise!"

Samuel looked at him, and then chuckled. "So, that's the dream you've picked for yourself, is it? That of a dying man? Are you sure it's not just because you feel sorry for me, or because of your guilty conscience?"

Drake shook his head. "No, master. It's because it's _your _dream. If that's the case, then I don't mind if it's borrowed! If I can make your dream, the dream of the man who saved my life, who trained me, and was like a father to me...then that's the least I can do to repay you! This way, your memory won't die!"

Samuel smiled sardonically. "Well, if that's what you've decided to do, then do it, like a man. I don't much care if I'm remembered, but if you've decided to make that your dream, then so be it. Take it with pride, hold it dear to your heart, and no matter what, believe in it and don't give up on it, no matter what happens."

He shuddered, and coughed up more blood. It was hard for Drake to see this.

Samuel reached up and took hold of Drake's arm. "...thank you, Drake. You gave me my life back to me, and no matter how long it was for, you let me remember what was important in this life. If you consider me to be like your father...then I'd be honored to call you my son. I'm grateful to have met you."

Tears again stung at Drake's eyes; this time of happiness. "Master...thank you. For everything."

_I stayed with him then, until he passed away. Peacefully, next to a loved one. How everyone should pass from this world, I think._

_...that sucks, man._

_...are you crying?_

_W-what? No! Shut up!_

_...alright, just making sure._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"...Done."

Drake looked over the structure he had made. "Heh. I remember that took me quite longer, last time." He looked behind him. "Another thing I have to thank you for, master...and can't."

He walked over to Samuel's body, stooped, and lifted it carefully. It was light, as if the old man's weight had disappeared along with his soul, wherever it had gone.

"You mentioned you wouldn't mind being buried like this, didn't you, master?" Drake asked, carefully placing Samuel's body into the grave. He took one long, last look at the man who had been like his father throughout all these years, and then laid the final rock on top, completing the tomb. It lay next to the grave he had made for his parents.

He then began his rhythmic breathing, and a Ripple Aura quickly formed over his body. Stepping up to the tomb, he concentrated. Then, letting out a yell, he drove his fist down onto the top of the tomb. From the point of impact, the light of the Ripple spread and flowed over the grave, the energy sinking into the rocks and changing their texture into that of crystal.

Now Samuel's grave was safe from decay and destruction, and the old master could rest peacefully for eternity. Drake knew this wouldn't be enough to repay the debt he had with the old man, but it was all he could do now.

A similar treatment was given to his parent's grave. With that complete, Drake looked around at the island that had he had come to know as his home. Then, he turned aside, looking at the ocean that spread out across the horizon.

Taking a deep breath, he waded into the water, and when he almost out to sea, he looked back at the graves.

"Father, you gave your life to try and protect me and Mother. Mother, you protected me, even in the face of death. I'll always remember you, and I won't allow your deaths to go unavenged. I will track down your killer and give him the justice he deserves. I swear it.

Master, you saved my life when I could have died, and trained me in the style you held dear to your heart. You gave me courage when I most needed it. I can't ever repay what you've done for me...but I swear, I'll make your dream come true, and make Umi no Ken famous throughout the world!" He took a deep breath.

"I SWEAR IT! I PROMISE!"

Then, he turned and swam through the water, his strong legs pushing him quickly through the water, and towards whatever future lay ahead of him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"That was two years ago. Since then, I've journied throughout West Blue. I came to many islands, and helped many people in need. I kept Samuel's thoughts in my mind always, and with each town I passed, I asked around about Shin, but so far, I haven't learned anything. And eventually, I found my way to this island. It didn't take me long to find out what was going on."

Drake clenched his fist. "I'm going to help them. I'll wipe off their tears using my fists, and drive those marines from this island!"

Jack leaned back, arms behind his head. "Well, that's a pretty good plan, but judging from that wound you've got there, you haven't been doing a very good job of it."

"Really?" Drake deadpanned.

The pirate nodded. "Yeah. See, what you need is someone to help you out. Someone who has a long history of dealing with marines, is pretty strong, and happens to be the captain of a group of guys nearly as strong as him."

"Are you talking about yourself?" Drake asked.

"Was it obvious?" Jack grinned.

"Well, yes. You're very good at talking yourself up. But I wouldn't have expected someone like you to be a captain. Not to offend you, but you hardly seem like someone who garners respect."

_"Kinda scary how accurate he is on that..." _Jack sweatdropped, but then quickly recovered. "So, how about it? I'm sure you know that taking on an entire base of marines isn't very good odds, even with how strong you are."

Drake furrowed his brow. "Why offer to help me? I attacked you, if you'll recall."

"Uh-huh, you did. And you also saved my life from that arrow, if you don't remember." said Jack. "I dunno if you do, but now I feel like helping you out. You're just trying to help out these guys, right? I can get behind that, and so can my crew. We've got nothing to do while we're here, anyway."

"It will be dangerous, you know. You could die."

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. So far I've done at least three things that could have left me dead, and I got out just fine. And hey, you aren't the first person I've decided to help because they told me their life story. Come on, it'll make us even." He paused, and then shoved out his hand, grinning. "Partners?"

Drake stared at him, thinking. _"He really wants to help me, doesn't he? I only met him today, and that was when I attacked and threatened him. It's true that I saved his life, but I didn't even expect a thank you, and certainly not this. He's foul mouthed, rude, has a short temper, and enjoys fighting...but he's also honest, empathetic, and has a good heart, and holds no cruelty within him. For a pirate, he's practically unique."_

He smiled back. "There's nothing I could do to get rid of you anyway, right?" He took Jack's hand and shook it firmly.

"Heh, nope." Jack settled back against the wall. "Yeah, me and you will show this Helsing guy how we do things in West Blue..." He moved his hat over his eyes. "Later. Now we sleep."

"Agreed." muttered Drake, adopting a similar position.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sleep was a luxury afforded to everyone, rich and poor, moral and amoral, and at this moment it was one being partaken by everyone across the island, regardless of what type they fell into.

Well, _almost _everyone. Inside the underground cavern, a lantern illuminated an out of the way side tunnel, casting light across the dead end as it listed back and forth on it's hook. What it illuminated was a small group of about twenty of the Mohawked Pirates. Standing at the head of them, his bright red hair seeming to glow in the light, was Red.

"I s'pose you're wondering why I called you guys here, huh?"

They said nothing, and fidgeted, as though they assumed the first person to ask why would get a punch in the nose - or worse. You couldn't quite tell with Red. He apparently hadn't been expecting an answer, and continued on. "Well, today I had an...what do you call it, an ephiphany. What the hell are we doing, down here? We're the **Road Warrior Pirates**, feared throughout the West Blue!"

This was an exaggeration, but no-one actually said anything about it. Mostly because they didn't know what exaggeration meant.

"And what are we doing?" He shoved his spear point-first into the ground. "Hiding down in a hole in the ground, scared to death of _one _merman! It's pathetic!"

"Well, maybe, but Wez told us not to-"

"To hell with what Wez says!" Red snarled, immediately shutting up the one who had spoken. That was why he had picked these men; they were spineless, and good at taking orders for anyone who had more backbone than them.

"Now, listen up. Tomorrow morning, me and all of you are going fishing. We're going to track down that shark and gut him, like we should have done the first time he messed with us."

"But how, Red? It's not like he's gonna show up on his own, and the last time we tried flushing him out, he picked us off one by one."

Red grinned. "I'm glad you asked that. I've been hunting this shark for a long while, and to do that, I've had to get into his hand, and know what he thinks..." He sneered.

"And I know what his weak points are."

_To be continued..._

_Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates:_

**Jack: **Hey, do you smell smoke?

**Brandy: **I have to ask...why?

**Red: **Don't move a muscle, or her pretty little head gets one big hole!

**Battle in the Town! The Way is Revealed!**

**Frank: **I think I found something like that, captain...

**Attacks**

**Shin**

**Gaidoku Hamon: **Japanese for 'Poison Ripple'. After grabbing a person, Shin uses his Dark Ripple aura to engulf them, the poisonous energy being fatal to anyone not trained to handle it, and slowly sucking the life from them. Even a user of the normal Ripple can be easily killed by this attack if they are weaker than the user of it, as Drake was unfortunately shown.

**Terms**

**Umi no Ken: **Literally 'Fist of the Sea'. A style of Martial Arts practised by users of the Ripple. Using the aura summoned with it, their strength and defense are amplified with the Ripple's power. Practicioners of the style base their techniques off of the ocean, and the creatures that live within it. They are also forbidden from intentionally killing any living thing, as all life is sacred to them. 

**Umi no Yami Ken: **Literally 'Fist of the Dark Sea'. The dark side of Umi no Ken; like it, it focuses on drawing the Ripple from water, but perverts it in the deepest way possible, turning it into a deadly poison capable of cutting down even the hardiest person. Their techniques are focused around causing pain in whatever horrible way the user wishes. They, obviously, do not share their sister style's pacifism.

**Road Warrior Pirates: **A pirate crew situated in West Blue, lead by Wez, 'The Road Warrior'. They were believed to have been routed and captured by marines some time ago. This is true; unfortunately, the marine responsible was Helsing, who set them to work in another field.

**Malchior the Draco - **You'd be surprised with what you can do in five minutes in this kind of setting, miss. That amount of time seems to form some sort of time dilation field that stretches to the amount of time needed to defeat the villain. Funny how it works, really.

**Luda59 - **From JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, most likely. It doesn't really have anything to do with the Ripple from that, except for the name. I'd feel bad about taking the name, except it was quite clear Araki didn't want it anymore after Battle Tendency ended.

**The Dude of Doom - **Funny you should mention that it's been a while...heh heh...anyway, yeah. I mean, look at One Piece itself; most of the villains in it are completely despicable, but for some reason you end up liking them anyway. I mean, Crocodile would have destroyed an entire country without batting an eye, but he was so _good _at it. But that's just good writing, in my opinion, and shows that even villains have admirable qualities, if not moral ones.

So, you all may notice that it's...been a little while since I posted a chapter in this story. ...Okay, six months. I do have some excuses; whenever I had an opportunity to work on it, my computer broke down in one way or another. And when I had it close to completion, my computer was reformatted, without my consent. So I have not forgotten about this story, believe me, and I intend to have a more active release schedule from this point onward.


	13. Battle in the Town

See? I wasn't lying! Really!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So, are we all ready, here?"

Ryoga nodded to Brandy. "Yes, captain. Helsing can't be allowed to get away with this any longer! He's a disgrace to the Marines!"

Jade nodded. "Well, I wouldn't put it exactly that way, but Ryoga-kun has the right idea. The fact that he's been able to do it for so long is a crime in and of itself."

Brandy nodded. "Alright then." He turned to the Inspector. "Jade-chan, I don't mean to offend you or anything, but you'd better take the guys and head back to our ship. Not because I don't think you can handle this, but because I don't trust Helsing not to try and monkey around with it while we're up here."

The woman looked surprised, as was expected. "But if I take everyone, then that'll leave the two of you on your own, and there's no telling what Helsing has in store. He doesn't strike me as the stupid type. The slimy, smug type, but not stupid."

Brandy nodded. "Yeah, I guess you have a point there." He looked to his second-in-command. "Ryoga, you can head off with her too. I can handle this myself."

Ryoga facefaulted, then quickly leaped up. "I take offense to that, captain! I didn't get to the position I was in for nothing, and certainly not by ducking out of a fight!"

Jade stepped in close to Ryoga, pouting. "Eh? You don't want to protect me, Ryoga?" She looked down. "You're so mean..."

Ryoga stepped back, hands up and shaking his head furiously. "N-no, not at all, Inspector! In fact, given a choice I would gladly do so, but there are certain responsibilities I have as a member of the Marines, as do you, and, it isn't as though I can be in two places at once, s-so..."

Brandy clapped his hands once. "Okay, that's enough of that. You can tease Ryoga later."

Jade immediately straightened up. "Alright." She walked to the door. "Don't get killed, 'kay, Ryoga-kun?"

Ryoga saluted. "Yes, ma'am!"

When the woman had left, Ryoga relaxed, leaning against the wall.

"Thinking about somethin', Ryoga?" Brandy asked.

The second-in-command looked to his captain. "Sir, why do you think Helsing did this? He's a Marine, isn't he?"

Brandy nodded. "Yeah, and he's also doing things that aren't right. If you're asking me _why_, I dunno. I can't read minds. But as Marines, it's our duty to take down people who commit evil acts, and sad as it might seem, those aren't always pirates, but people in power, who are supposed to protect people. Since Helsing forgot about this, it's our job to do it for him...and _to _him."

Ryoga smiled, and then saluted. "Yes sir!"

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Thirteen: Battle in the Town! The Way is Open!**

In the clearing, the boulder covering the cave slowly shifted, and then slowly rolled to one side. Jack and Drake emerged, blinking their eyes in the bright sunlight. They began walking out of the clearing and down the path.

Jack stretched. "Okay, can't say I want to try sleeping in a cave ever again. My bones are aching."

"Is that a pun?" Drake asked.

Jack looked honestly surprised. "What? No, my bones really are aching! I slept against a rock wall, why would I make a pun about that?"

"...no reason."

"So, anyway," Jack folded his arms, "what's the plan, here? Do we just charge in the front door?"

Drake looked aside. "That...didn't work very well last time. Before you arrived, I was hoping to try and catch one of those men you saw yesterday. They seem to be working with Helsing, and if I talked with one of them, I'm sure they'd tell me where he's keeping the villagers." He punctuated this with a crack of his knuckles.

Jack grinned. "I get your meaning, Drake. It shouldn't take too long, either. I know from experience that anyone who dresses like a tough guy usually isn't."

Drake nodded. "But the problem is finding them. They're much faster than they look, and wherever they're hiding, it's somewhere they can disappear to quickly."

"You seem to be pretty popular with them, though." Jack remarked.

"Not exactly. It's been that same group each time. The leader of them - the one with the eyepatch - seems to have it in for me, because of the injury I gave him."

Jack nodded. "I kinda gathered that from his frenzied ranting, yeah."

"I doubt he's the leader of them all, though; I assume that most of them decided to leave me alone after they saw what I was capable of. People like that usually only bother with people weaker than them."

Jack patted the Merman on the back. "Now, now, nobody likes bullies, we've established that. Now, if these guys are after you, then all we have to do is...hey, Drake?"

"Yes?"

"You smell smoke?"

"...no."

"Phew! That's good, 'cause-"

"I _see _smoke." Drake pointed.

Jack followed Drake's gaze, and sure enough, saw plumes of smoke slowly rising above the tree-line. The pirate gulped. "That can't be-"

But Drake was already several yards away, running as fast as his legs could carry him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, well, well...what do we have here, boys?"

Mary sighed. Frank fingered his katana, his eyes darting around, standing slightly in front of the girl.

At morning's light, the two had decided not to wait for Jack any longer, and to go looking for him. They had then run into a group of Road Warrior Pirates, who were currently standing around them in a circle, hands on their weapons and wide grins on their faces. Mary sighed again. _"I _blamez _you for this, Jack...so I'll just pretend that they're all you."_

One of the Mohawks stepped forward. "Man, I can't remember how long it's been since I've seen a _human _woman." He gestured to her. "Come on over here, girly. We'll treat you right, won't we, fellas?"

They all laughed as one. The laugh of people with no reservations against doing terrible things.

"Um..." began Frank, timidly. The pirates hadn't appeared to notice him at all. "I wouldn't really...do-"

Mary cut him off, pushing him away gently. She then slowly turned her gaze to look at the Mohawk who had spoken. As their eyes met, the man shivered. This girl was more than two feet shorter than he was, and wearing a beret...and yet he suddenly felt very afraid.

Mary smiled, like a lady. "You...don't know who I am, do you, _monsieur criminel_?"

"...no." He answered automatically.

"Oh?" Her smile grew. "That's a shame. **Broche Fouetter!**"

"Look out, she's got a-" was all one of the pirates was able to get out before the thorn vine that had been Mary's arm slammed into him and several others, including the one who had spoken before, sending them all flying off their feet.

"Get her!" One of the still standing pirates helpfully put in, as the rest ran at the girl.

Frank, who had apparently still not been noticed (granted, he was a ninja, but _some _recognition might be nice, if not for his occupation, then his self-esteem), non-chalantly retrieved a smoke bomb from his belt, reached out and covered Mary's mouth with his hand, and then dropped it.

The projectile exploded when it hit the ground, and being a smoke bomb, it quickly released a large cloud of the gas when it did so. Sadly, the Road Warrior Pirates were not a group that was particularly savvy about things like tactics and strategy, and so simply blundered headlong into the cloud. The result was them colliding with each-other, in a wild tangle of bodies and weapons, all of them flailing wildly within the smoke that had cast a veil over their senses.

Frank landed outside of this, holding onto Mary's arm. He let go and stepped politely away, bowing slightly. "Please excuse me if I was rough, Mary-san, but I thought it best to act quickly. I apologize if it was not to your satisfaction."

"Not at all, Frank." The girl curtsied. Behind his mask, Frank's cheeks reddened. Mary motioned to the smoke cloud, which was filled with sounds of yelling and bludgeoning. "Will you do the _honore_, Frank?"

"Ah, of course." A flick of his wrist, and the slip of paper adorned with red symbols appeared in his hand. Mary wisely stepped back. **"Tao Scroll; Firestorm Explosion!"**

The paper sailed through the air as well as any throwing knife, into the cloud. There was a faint, red glow from within, and then the slip of paper exploded. There was a single, unified scream of pain as the men were hurled across the clearing, fresh burns covering their bare skin.

Mary smiled. "Now then, shall we get back to our business, Frank?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Drake...Drake...wait up, man..."

Jack wasn't unatheletic by any means, but Drake's running speed was far too fast for him to keep up with. He had tried, however, which was why he was now gasping and out of breath, doubled over as he followed behind Drake. Slowly. "Come on, man...slow down..."

Then his head hit something, and he looked up. Drake was standing there, his expression unreadable. "Drake? What's wrong? Why'd you..."

Jack's words trailed off into nothing as he looked around the merman. "Aw, man..." he whispered.

The village was on fire. The dry wood and straw that the buildings were made of were perfect kilding for the flames, which illuminated the scene before them.

Lying prone on the ground were the mermen residents of the village - women, children, and the elderly. Each of them were kept that way by a member of the Road Warrior Pirates holding something sharp next to them. All of them were bruised in some fashion, and while most were conscious, said nothing, keeping their faces close to the dirt.

And standing in the middle of it all was Red. He and the rest of his group were all grinning widely as they looked at Drake. They didn't appear to have noticed Jack yet.

He looked to Drake's face again, and realized his expression wasn't unreadable at all. _"He's pissed...really _really _pissed."_

"So," said Drake, staring hard at Red, his voice sounding very cold. "So, you went to all this trouble to draw me out? Well, you succeeded; now let them go."

Red chuckled slightly. "Well, you get to the point quickly, don't ya? Then I guess I will, too."

He jabbed a thumb at his eye patch. "Since you gave me this thing, it's been throbbing like crazy, every damn day. No matter what I do to indulge myself, it won't go away. So, I thought, and I thought..."

Now the thumb pointed at Drake. "And I realized; the only way to make it go away was to off the guy who gave it to me!"

He sneered. "But unfortunately, you haven't been too cooperative with that, have ya?"

"I don't generally cooperate with people who want me dead, no." Drake replied.

One poor sap standing next to Red had the misfortune of letting out a snicker at this. Red promptly spun around and slammed the handle of his spear into his comrade's face. He went down, nose gushing blood. Red turned back to Drake like nothing had happened.

"So, you think giving me this wound was funny, do ya?" He snarled.

"Nowhere near as funny as you seem to think shooting people with that bow of yours is." replied Drake evenly, gesturing to Red's arm-mounted weapon.

Red blinked. "People? You mean you guys?" Then he laughed again. "That's funny! Real funny!"

Drake didn't seem to care. "I'll ask you again to let them go. This isn't about them."

Red smiled smugly and shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so. If we do, the instant they're out of the way, you'll start doing that kung-fu crap of yours, and we'll all get laid out in two seconds."

He gestured to the merman. "Now, what I want you to do is, come over here. Slowly. And if I see you twitch even one of your fingers, they get it. All of 'em."

A moment passed, and then Drake slowly walked towards him, coming to a stop in front of Red, the other pirates closing in on him. In the process, they removed their weapons from the mermen; all but one, who remained crouched, a dagger to the throat of an elder. Red smiled widely. "Don't even think about it, fish breath. I'm sure even killing one of these guys would be too much for you, wouldn't it?"

Drake said nothing.

At this, Red snarled. Gripping the handle of his spear hard, he swung it through the air, smashing it into the side of Drake's head. The impact swung the merman's head to the left, but he didn't move.

Red's mood changed instantly. Grinning widely, he motioned to his friends. "Come on, guys, it's open season on mermen! Join in!"

The desire and opportunity to deal pain onto someone that couldn't fight back far outweighed the pirates' hesitance. They quickly surrounded Drake and began hitting him with any weapon they could find. Thankfully, they stuck to blunt weaponry only; apparently so it would last longer.

The butts of spears, clubs, and even bare fists pounded away at the merman, blindly beating away at any spot they could find on him. Bruises quickly formed on the Merman's flesh, and these soon became bloodied. Even so, Drake grit his teeth, bearing through the pain. If it would protect the people he had vowed to defend.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Drake! Drake!" In the treeline surrounding the village, Lyn struggled in the arms of her adoptive sister. "L-let me go, Karen! They're hitting him!"

"And they'll hit you if you go out there, and _us _if they hear you! So be quiet!" Karen whispered in the little girl's ear.

Leaning out from behind a tree next to them, Gerald winced as he watched Drake being pummeled. "My my, they certainly aren't sparing the rod, are they?" 

"Yeah, no kidding." said Jack from right beside him.

"Quite, captain, quite." Gerald said, and then blinked. "Where did you come from, incidentally?"

Jack shrugged. "Well, obviously I came from wherever I was before I came here. Duh." He replied, apparently feeling philosophical at the moment.

Gerald nodded. "I see, I see." He gestured to the two merwomen. "This is Karen and Lyn, Jack. Karen, Lyn, this is, sadly, my captain, Jack Bones."

"Uh, hi."

"Hello!"

"Nice to meet ya." said Jack casually. "'Scuse me, now." He turned and began picking his way through the bush, heading toward the village and the sordid scene taking place in it.

"And if I may ask, captain, where are you going _now_?" Gerald asked.

"To do something heroic, my good first mate." Jack called back without turning around.

"Oh?" said Gerald, raising an eyebrow. "Let me guess: you ran into him, got into a pointless fist fight, and somehow from that, became friends with him."

"Yeah, actually. How'd you know?" 

Gerald sighed. "Have you looked at yourself recently? You look like you lost a fight with a brick wall."

Jack blinked and looked down. "Oh. So I do. Anyway, I better go help him before he gets turned into paste. Be back in a minute."

He turned and began making his way toward the houses; not particularly quietly or carefully, it had to be said, but with the racket that the Road Warrior Pirates were making, they wouldn't have noticed if he had set off dynamite at the moment.

"Shouldn't you tell him to be careful?" asked Karen.

Gerald snorted. "Him? Please." He jabbed a thumb toward the pirates. "It's _them _that need to be careful."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"...Dammit!" Red suddenly swore, loudly, the word passing from his lips viciously. Stunned at this, his men stopped mid-pummeling, turning to look at him, and then stepping backwards as Red stalked forward, stopping inches from Drake's face, albeit with somewhat of a height difference. His mouth had twisted from the grin it had had to a cross between a snarl and a sneer.

"I wanted to hear you cry out in pain, you know. To hear you beg me for mercy, and then see the fear in your eyes when I didn't give it."

Suddenly letting out a wild scream, he raised his spear and jabbed the point repeatedly into the ground, over and over, as if he had sworn vengeance on the dirt and grass, too. "SO...WHY...WON'T...YOU...DO IT!?"

A moment passed, and then Drake replied. "I'll gladly stand still, and let you hit me to your heart's content, if it will help the people I've vowed to defend. But I can't do things that are impossible for me, and one thing that's impossible for me is being afraid of someone like you. Sorry."

Red looked dumbfounded for a moment. Then, he grit his teeth and drew his spear back. "Then I'll at least get some pleasure from looking at your corpse! DIE!"

He thrust the weapon forward, seeking to plunge it straight through Drake's head.

It didn't move.

"My, my..." Red looked behind him to come face to face with Jack, who was gripping the end of the spear with one hand, stopping it completely. Jack let out a whistle as he looked at the weapon. "Man, if you're not careful with something like this, you could put your eye out."

His gaze travelled upwards, to Red's face. "Oh, _wait_."

Insults directed at him tended to stir Red into action. "Who the hell are you?" He growled, tugging at the weapon to no avail. "Let go!"

"Okay." said Jack, and promptly did so just as Red pulled again, the momentum sending the handle flying into the man's face with a loud crack.

Red stumbled back, nose bleeding down his face. "My...my nose! You broke my nose!"

"Well, yeah." Jack admitted casually. "But you were going to break his whole head, so it was kinda disproportionate." He suddenly grinned widely. "But, actually, holding senior citizens hostage, a sustained beating to someone who couldn't fight back...no, that might be _too _disproportionate. C'mere." He cracked his knuckles.

Angling his spear around at the pirate, Red growled. "You're with them, huh? Why the hell should you care!? We humans are superior to them anyway!"

"Don't really care." said Jack, and took a step toward him.

Quickly, Red aimed his bowgun at the nearest merman he could find. "If you care about these freaks at all, don't take another step! I'll do it! Don't think I won't!"

Jack stopped, but shook his head. "Nah, I really don't think you will."

Red grinned, glad to be the one in control again. "And why not?"

Jack grinned back. "Because of where you're standing right now, and who's behind you."

Red blinked at this...and then went pale as he realized that the sounds of Drake getting hit hadn't resumed themselves.

And then he was grabbed by both shoulders, the arm with the bowgun on it forced downwards, and the spear clattering to the ground as it was wrenched from his grip.

Having lost their nerve by Jack's appearance - he could be intimidating when he wanted to be - Red's comrades had retreated, moving away from Drake, who was now holding Red firmly in place.

This particular act of discretion hadn't been lost on Red. "What the hell are you doing, ya pack of cowards!?" he growled, thrashing around in Drake's arm like a rabid dog. "_Help _me!"

Some of them fidgeted, but none moved any closer.

Jack stepped up in front of the pirate. "Hey, Drake, looks like he's calling out for help."

"Really now? That's funny." said Drake coldly.

Red was still struggling, but his eyes had changed, as though he had realized he was now being held by someone who could punch through rock with his bare hands.

"Let me go, ya fish coward!" The thug yelled, still struggling futilely in Drake's iron grip.

Drake spun him around. Red immediately ceased his struggles, his face going pale as Drake stared into his eyes.

"Let you go? So you can do what? Mock, threaten, and harm these people, just because they look different than you? No, I don't think so."

He pulled back his head. Red resumed his struggles, but far too late. **"Lobster..."**

**"Astillar!"**

With a crack that resounded across the town, Drake headbutted him hard, forehead colliding with the pirate's. He then released his hold on Red, allowing him to fall to the ground...and then, remarkably, weakly attempt to rise to his feet.

Letting out a surprised whistle, Jack stepped up. "Man. Some people get good common sense, other people get good skull structure. Funny how the world works, sometimes." His musing finished, Jack then promptly kicked Red in the head. The barbarian finally collapsed, eyes rolling back in his head.

"Okay, then..." Jack dusted off his hands, and then walked around Drake, looking at the rest of the assembled Road Warriors.

He leaned forward at them on his heels. "You guys want to start something too? 'Cause if not," he jabbed a thumb backward at Red's prone body, "then pick your trash up when you go."

This made them shift uncomfortably once more. For a moment, it looked like one or two of them might have ran forward, but another good look at Drake and Jack made them quickly disperse, fleeing back into the trees from wherever they had come from.

"Well, that was easy. You alright there, Drake?" asked Jack casually.

Drake shrugged. "I'm fine. Most of these are from you, anyway."

"Naturally. Anyway, now that we're done here, what do we-"

"Big Brother!"

Both men turned to see Lyn running toward them while waving, her eyes and smile both full of relief.

It was by unfortunate coincidence, however, that she happened to pass by Red's unconscious body. Well, _supposedly _unconscious.

Jack saw it first; tactics like this were a specialty of his. But before he could shout a warning, Red had jumped to his feet, grabbed the girl and pulled her in close, and shoved his loaded bowgun up against her head.

"Now...let's try this again." Red breathed. "If either of you freaks moves one step closer, she's dead. Understand?"

"Yeah, and then so are you." Jack replied. "Seriously, haven't you been paying attention?"

"Shaddup!" Red barked. "You think I'm gonna go crawling back like a scared little dog? I'm going back with your head in my hand, merman, or not at all! Now, come over here, or I swear I'll put this arrow right through her little head! I'll do it, don't think I won't!"

Jack shook his head, and sighed. "Man, you're so full of crap I can't believe it. Like we're gonna - hey, Drake, where are you going?"

To the pirate's surprise, Drake was walking past him, toward Red.

"No. No, I don't think you will. Because I think you know that whatever you do to _her_, it won't compare at all to what I'll do to _you_. And even if you don't admit it, I can tell that you're scared of me. Because I'm someone who's bigger than you, and stronger than you, and you're used to being that person. And you know that I can do to you what you do to people that you're bigger than."

Drake stopped right in front of him. "And I _will_. Unless you let her go, right now."

Red looked up, into the merman's eyes. At this moment, in what passed for his mind, the man's sense of pride, instinct for self preservation, and plain thirst for blood all engaged themselves in a metaphorical...let's say a fist fight, considering who it was.

Jack shuffled uneasily from his position. He knew he couldn't move fast enough to do anything if Red actually did decide to shoot the girl, and after such an impressive threat, there really wasn't anything for him to say, either. Either way, though, making any sudden movements in this situation would be a bad idea.

Finally, self preservation won out, and Red released his grip on Lyn. Quickly, the girl ran behind Drake, while the merman continued to glare at Red.

He pointed over the Road Warrior's shoulder. "Now, go. I'll let you go this time, but if I see near here, or any of the other villages, then you'll have to get a new eyepatch. And if I find that you've done something like this again...well, I think you can figure it out."

Drake then gave Red a hard shove to the chest. This seemed to jumpstart him, and he promptly turned, even as he stumbled, and ran straight out of the village.

"So..." began Jack, suddenly beside Drake and watching the pirate flee. "I take it threatening people isn't against your code?" 

"Master didn't mention it during my training. It's proven effective a number of times throughout my journey. Almost always, actually."

"Gee. Wonder why."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Red panted as he ran, while inside his head thoughts of vengeance were already forming. You had to admire his enthusiasm, at least.

Stopping, he leant up against a tree, glaring daggers back the way he had come. "You fish freak...just wait...I'll come back, with a hundred guys! I'll cut you to pieces, and, and then I'll devour the remains!" He was clearly running out of things to rant about, at this point.

And then, two words came from very close by that chilled Red to the bone.

**"Dead End..."**

Even before his mind had fully processed why these words were being said near him, his legs were already in motion, trying to run.

Emphasis on 'trying'.

**"Ripper." **There was the distinct and familiar sound of a metallic edge piercing into human flesh, and then Red found he wasn't on his feet anymore. He looked down, and saw, in a detached way, that a very familiar iron claw was sticking through the middle of his chest. Blood was already running down his front, and if not for the claw, other aspects of his insides would be on full display.

Behind him, Wez gave a heavy sigh. "You know what your problem is, Red? You just don't listen. You're like a little kid, really. I tell you not to do something I don't know how many times, and then you do it anyway. Really, I could have told you that was going to happen. That merman's no fool, which is something I can't say about you. You know, ever since we took this deal, I felt like you started thinking less of me. Which probably goes a long way toward explaining these numerous rebellious outbursts.

I guess you're just one of those people who can't see a good deal, even when it's right in front of your face. But I can, and I see that we've got a good thing going on. Which is why I'm the leader, and you're the one who's impaled through the chest."

With his other claw, Wez reached up and pried Red off of the other, letting him drop to the ground. "There. I guess you thought that someday you'd be looking down at me in this situation, huh? Which might have come true, if I wasn't smarter, bigger, and generally more competent than you in all respects."

Wez then leaned forward, as he saw Red motioning for him to come closer. "Something you want to say, Red?" 

Red then mouthed two words at him.

Wez sighed. "That's what I thought." He pulled back his claw...

Moments later, Wez was walking back to the cavern entrance he had used. He frowned behind his mask. "I kinda figured he'd be a bleeder, but man, it's gonna be a pain to clean these..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, well..." Helsing sat back, a pleasant smile on his face. "Even with your reputation, I certainly did not expect you to report back this soon." He adopted a look of anticipation. "So, tell me: what is the identity of my men's assailant? Did you manage to capture them?"

Brandy leaned back as well. "Well, see...no, we didn't. As a matter of fact, we didn't even look."

A beat passed, and then Helsing leaned forward, looking at the two from over steepled fingers. "...and why, may I ask, is that, Captain Brandy? Moreover, why have you called for me, when you have absolutely nothing to report? I don't mean to sound rude, or ungrateful, but I _am _Captain of this base, and I have certain duties I must attend to. So, if there is nothing pressing here at the moment, may I take my leave?"

Brandy stroked his chin. "Well, there was something...just this one little thing..."

Beside him, Ryoga frowned. This sort of thing wasn't really his style, but then, he wasn't the one in charge.

Helsing raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what might this be, exactly?"

"This." With a flourish, Brandy removed the (severely bent) scroll from his pocket and slapped it down on the desk in front of the other captain, the paper unfurling as it did so.

Helsing reached out with one hand and drew it closer to himself. His eyes quickly skimmed across the writing, recognition already plain on his face. Ryoga wondered how many times he had written down what was on that scroll. He quickly shook the thoughts away; it wasn't a subject you could dwell on for long without feeling sick to your stomach.

The expression on Helsing's face had now changed from a pleasant, amicable one, to the face someone makes when they know they've been caught, but don't want to admit it, neither to themselves or to the person who has just caught them.

Helsing coughed slightly. "Now, I know what this must look like-" he began.

"Really now?" Brandy cut him off. "Well then, why don't you just tell us? I'm quite curious about your opinion on the matter."

Helsing looked taken aback. Brandy's voice had changed from his normal, lethargic tone, to one that could be easily compared to cold steel.

"W-well, I, I..." Helsing stopped himself. _"Why is this old drunkard making me stutter?" _

"Oh? You don't have one?" interrupted Brandy once more, a calm smile on his face that didn't match his eyes. "Then let me offer mine. What I think this looks like is a marine captain, a person meant to protect people that can't do it for themselves, using his position to do things that disrespect and demean everything that the marines stand for."

Brandy's words were strong, but it was his stare that made Helsing fidget in his chair. It seemed like it was imbued with everything that Helsing wasn't - courage, integrity and dedication were just a few - and as a result it peered through the corrupt captain like he was a pane of glass.

Helsing said nothing, however, and shrunk back in his chair when Brandy pounded on the table, looking him in the face with blazing eyes. "You don't care, do you?" He pointed at the scroll. On it was listed financial records. Ugly ones. "You've enslaved hundreds of mermen, seperated families, probably killed dozens of them through overwork, and to make matters worse, even sold some of them off as slaves to other people like you. And all for oil, and money. You disgust me, Helsing."

Helsing simply stared back at Brandy throughout this tirade, eyes narrowed behind his spectacles. Then, he shrugged. "You nailed it right on the head, Captain Brandy. I _don't _care one bit about these creatures. And let me tell you something; if you honestly think that the World Government cares at all about these tiny reservations, then you need to face reality. It was obvious to me from the moment I arrived here that this was nothing more than a publicity stunt to distract inquiries concerning their 'supposed' practice of mermen trafficking. The resources this island was given wouldn't have even been enough to support a human population of the same number, let alone suit the needs of such superhuman creatures. A fresh recruit could have seen that."

"So, you saw all that...and then did nothing." said Brandy. "That's not as worse a crime compared to everything else you've done here, but it's close."

Helsing's frown deepened. "So, I should have risked both my position and reputation, requesting help for a race the World Government views as nothing more than talking pack mules? The people who question their treatment of them are in the clear minority, and becoming one of them would not be productive toward living a happy life." 

"And you share these views, I take it, Helsing?" asked Brandy evenly. He was still staring straight at the other man.

"Oh, I more or less share their opinion, yes." Helsing said, adjusting his spectacles. "I am of the mind that if the government believes in something, then it can only be in my best interests, as a faithful enforcer of their will, to also believe in it. It makes things easier for everyone. And, as long as we are talking, may I say something?"

Helsing's voice grew bitter. "Exactly how would you feel, Captain Brandy, if after years of training, of clawing your way up the ranks and finally becoming a captain...you were assigned to a backwater island, and stuck with the role of glorified zookeeper? Forced to _protect_,and _serve_ a race that the World Government has all but condemned as animals - and to do it all with a _smile_!"

Helsing's fist came down on the desk to punctuate this last word. The blow caused a stack of memos to slip off the desk, scattering to the floor. There finally came a pause in the confrontation then, during which the corrupt captain panted, his hateful words overworking his lungs. Despite the lull in the conversation, the tension did not relax one iota.

"I disagree, sir."

Helsing's gaze first shifted upwards to Brandy, who shrugged, nodding his head to the side. Ryoga had spoken up, the first time since the two had entered the office.

Brandy's subordinate bowed his head. "I apologize for interrupting, sir. But your viewpoint is flawed."

"My...viewpoint?" Helsing growled.

Ryoga nodded. "Yes, Captain Helsing. You've been talking about how you'd feel as a captain. But what you should be thinking about is how you'd feel as a seaman recruit."

"...what?" Helsing said, confused.

"I apologize if I was unclear, sir." The Deputy Captain apologized. "What I meant to say was, how would you feel if, after training hard for months and years to become a marine, you are given a very special assignment, on an island with people that require more protection than perhaps anyone else in the world?"

Ryoga's voice turned sharp. "But then, upon arriving on the island, you found out that your Captain, the person you are meant to follow, is just as much a criminal as the pirates they trained to fight? And how would you feel if you were then ordered to enslave and demean the very people you were sent here to protect? How would you feel, knowing that you were going against everything the marines stood for? How would that make you feel, Captain Helsing!?"

There was a pause, and then came a sound, rising in volume and quickly filling the room. Helsing was laughing. You might not have been surprised to hear that it was not a very pleasant laugh; but rather, the laugh of someone who usually directed it at the misfortunes of others. The laughter continued for about a minute, during which Brandy and Ryoga sat politely.

Finally, Helsing stopped, reaching up to wipe a stray tear out of his eye. He looked back up at them, his smug smile present once more. "Oh, forgive me. I just found that very amusing, coming from you, Deputy Captain."

As he spoke, Helsing slowly eased open a drawer in his desk. With a sudden flourish, he drew something out from within it, slapping it down on the desk.

It was a bounty poster.

**WANTED**

**DEAD OR ALIVE**

**"Red Dragon" Ryoga**

**$30,000,000**

Ryoga looked at it, saying nothing.

"Now, then..." Helsing said, leaning back in his chair. "I don't mean to make assumptions, Captain Brandy, but wouldn't it be somewhat..._unfortunate _if headquarters were to learn of this, hm?"

Now it was time for Brandy and Ryoga to pause. After a moment, Brandy looked to his subordinate. "Hey, Ryoga. Now that I look at it again, that's not a very flattering picture of you, is it?"

Ryoga nodded. "Well, I do admit that I look quite a bit scruffier than I do now. But people always find bad things to say about photos of them, don't they? Even if it's one by Attachi-san."

Brandy nodded back. "I don't know how he does it, but any picture he snaps turns out a masterpiece. He'd probably make a fortune if he weren't in the marines."

"Ahem. Pardon me..." Helsing interjected, looking ready to explode. "Were you gentlemen listening to what I just said?"

Brandy blinked twice. "Oh, yeah." He looked over at his subordinate. "Hey, Ryoga, you care about this at all."

Ryoga shook his head. "Well, no, Captain. It's already public knowledge, as far as I'm concerned."

Helsing frowned slightly. Then, he shrugged. "Well, alright then. If you're fine with carting around a known criminal-"

"Better well known than hidden." Brandy put in.

"-then that's none of my concern. Besides," he said, suddenly smiling, "if the easy way becomes closed, I have no problem whatsoever in taking the _hard _way."

He raised his hands, and clapped twice. From behind Brandy and Ryoga came the sound of the door slamming open, and the sounds of several rifles being cocked.

Looking over their shoulders, the two marines were not at all surprised to see the business ends of at least a half dozen of the firearms being pointed right at them. Alhough the faces of the marines holding them were clearly reluctant, Brandy doubted that that emotion would reach their fingers in time. Behind the marines, Brandy could also see a contingent of the Road Warrior Pirates, all of them holding at least one rusty, bladed weapon.

The two marines looked back to see that Helsing had gotten up, and was standing next to the left wall of the office. Laying a hand on the wood panelling, he pressed down, the spot depressing into the wall. Immediately, that section of the wall slid away, revealing a hidden passage.

Helsing gave the two a small wave before stepping through, the wall closing back up behind him.

Brandy frowned. "A hidden passage, and a pack of armed goons. In my day, marines had originality."

"There are a few things I'd put over that in importance, Captain." Ryoga replied shortly.

"Well, yeah, but either way, he's really racking up the offenses here, isn't he?"

"...yes, Captain." Ryoga sighed.

The marines at the doorway were polite enough not to simply shoot them while they had this conversation, which was about to cost them. Dearly.

Suddenly raising their legs, the two marines kicked out hard at the desk, sending the chairs they were in sailing backward. Caught off-guard, the marines stepped away from the doorway, as the chairs hurtled past them. Flipping up from the seats of the chairs, the two leaped, landing on their hands on the second floor railing. As the marines turned, beginning to point their rifles at the pair once more, they quickly hopped backward, smoothly landing back on their feet in the first floor foyer.

The numerous doors leading out of the room all opened, and more of the Road Warrior Pirates stepped through, the vicious smiles on their faces as sharp as the weapons they carried. The ones on the second floor quickly leapt down to join their comrades, before spreading out and surrounding the duo.

Brandy tilted his head. "These guys look awfully familiar, Ryoga. I don't think we've run into them before, though, have we?"

Ryoga shook his head. "No, Captain. By the look of them, these are the Road Warrior Pirates. They were quite active on this sea for a while...until they disappeared, about a year ago."

"Gee, wonder if there's a coincidence there." Brandy said sarcastically. "How many of them are there?"

"About two hundred. At least, that's how many were reported the last time a headcount was made of them. It wouldn't be a mistake to assume their numbers had grown since then, however."

Brandy nodded. "An expert analysis, as always, Ryoga."

"Well, I am somewhat familiar with this sort of thing, sir."

Brandy nodded. "Well, might as well even the odds a little, I guess."

He stepped forward. Something in the way he did this made the Road Warrior Pirates step back. Raising a hand, he coughed.

"Ahem, ahem." he grunted, clearing his throat. Then, he raised a hand and pointed right at the marines.

"Hey, you guys. Quit being jerks."

Clearly, the marines had expected something a bit more...well, something a bit more. They looked to each-other, caught off-guard by the baffling statement.

Brandy nodded. "Yeah, you heard me. Shame on you guys. You look like smart kids - you must be able to tell a rotten apple when it's right in front of your eyes. I'm sure you know that what's going on here is wrong; probably even more than I do."

As he spoke, the expressions of the men changed from bafflement to shame. But they still did not lower their guns.

"Tell me, what do you write about in your letters to home?" Brandy continued. "Good stuff, right? People you helped, heroic deeds you committed...stuff like that, right?"

The marine captain frowned. "But not this. It really isn't the sort of thing you'd tell your mom and dad about, is it? I suppose Helsing has you thinking that you're as much criminals as he is, so that you're too afraid to tell anyone."

Brandy shook his head. "But that's not true. You're as much victims of this as anyone else. But that doesn't mean you can turn away from something you know is wrong; you're _marines_, for pete's sake, and it's not too late to start acting like it. It's _never _too late."

He spread his arms, indicating the room they were all in, the extravagant base, and the entire island. "Come on, guys," he said saidly, "is this what you really wanted to do as a marine?"

This answer to this question seemed to be a unainomous 'no'. Without a moment of hesitation, they swung their rifles over to point at the Road Warrior Pirates, far more morally appropriate targets. The thugs in question were blinking, confused expressions on the faces. Perhaps they were just now realizing that they could have simply ran up and cut Brandy into pieces while he had been talking.

Brandy stepped back, putting his back to Ryoga's, and smiled. "Well, how about that, Ryoga? Pretty good, right?" 

Ryoga nodded. "Yes, you're very good at summoning up the guilt within people, sir."

"Yeah, I - HEY!" Brandy shot his subordinate an indignant look.

"Well, that is what you did, isn't it, Captain?" Ryoga said casually. "It's not as though we need the help, either."

"You don't have to say it so literally, though..." Brandy sighed. "And hey, this'll look good for them on that report I'll have to do later." The captain said the word 'report' with the same affection one might direct towards toe fungus, or a particularly tenacious hangnail.

Abruptly, one of the Road Warrior Pirates raised the shaft of his spear and pounded on the floor with the butt end of it.

Ryoga and Brandy looked up. "Oh. Right. Sorry." said the latter.

The pirate in question shrugged. "No problem."

With these pleasantries out of the way, the battle for the Newport Island Marine Base began.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

"You know, I'm not sure what you want from me. I saved the town, and everyone in it."

"And _why_ did you have to do that, huh?" Karen stood next to Drake, glaring at the much larger merman. At the moment, it was debatable which of them was more intimidating.

"I'm really not sure what you want from me." said Drake simply, passing her a bucket filled with water. He and the villagers had formed a bucket chain from a nearby lake in order to put out the burning huts. The lake water was muddy, but it was wet, and there were only a few fires still going.

"Because Helsing wants to kill _you _just as much as you want to kill him, and he and this thugs will tear apart this entire island to get you!" Karen persisted.

"I've told you many times, I don't intend to do that. I couldn't, even if I wanted to." Drake replied, passing back another bucket and taking the one passed up to him.

"Is she always like this?" muttered Jack, who was standing next to Drake in the bucket chain. Drake nodded.

"Don't try to dodge the issue!" Karen snapped, taking the bucket Drake passed her, and passing back her own. "And for that matter," she pointed at Jack, "why are you hanging out with a guy like this? I thought you hated pirates!"

"He's different."

"Yeah, uh," Jack interrupted, glaring at the merwoman from behind Drake, "you're welcome, by the way. For me saving your kid sister's life, I mean."

"Yeah, I was really impressed with the way you hid in the woods until Drake got into trouble." Karen shot back sarcastically.

Gerald, who was standing next to Jack, had no comment.

This seemed to shut Jack up, which was no small feat. The work continued in silence, until at last the final fire was extinguished.

Jack sat back, wiping his bony brow. "Man, I'm beat. I'd rather have a bloodthirsty pack of thugs any day."

"Well, that makes one of us, Jack."

Jack looked up at the voice and smiled. "Yo, Mary. Nice to see you."

"Salutations, Mary." said Gerald, waving.

"Hello Jack, hello Gerald." said Mary briskly. She didn't sound terribly happy. "It's nice to see you two were keeping yourselves busy, while worrying Frank and me."

"Oh yeah. Sorry about that, but - wait, where _is _Frank?"

"Right behind you, Captain."

Jack jumped forward, and nearly out of his skin. He turned around, looking at the shinobi. "Frank?" 

"Yes, Captain?"

"Stop doing that."

"Sorry, Captain."

"Anyway..." Jack coughed, trying to regain his composure. "Now that the gang's all here," he jabbed a finger over his shoulder, "meet Drake. He's the big, fishy guy."

"I'm actually not that big, you know." said Drake. He nodded at the two of them. "Hello."

"Hello, Drake-san." said Frank, bowing slightly.

"Hello, _Monsieur _Drake." said Mary as well, curtsying.

_"...what, that's _it_!?" _Jack wanted to scream aloud. But that did seem to be it, neither of the two crew members having any apprehension or fear for merpeople.

"So..." Mary continued, looking around the burnt town. "What happened here? I'll give you two some _creditez_, and assume you aren't responsible for it."

"Thanks," said Jack, and then shrugged. "Nothing much. Some thugs just torched this place, and I had to save everyone singehandedly. No biggie."

"That's actually true," put in Drake, "if not for him, I would have been in trouble."

"Oh, I believed him." smiled Mary widely. "If there's at least one thing our captain is good at, it's brute force."

"Yes," said Gerald, nodding sagely, "if it's not in commanding, strategy, or negotiation, then at least he has skill in brute force."

"...no respect, no respect at all..." Jack muttered, hanging his head.

"So..." coughed Drake. "You two are the ones who Jack was talking about, aren't you? I hope you're stronger than Gerald is, or we could be in trouble."

Mary's face turned confused for a moment, and then her smile returned. "Jaaaaaaaack..."

"Uh, I think I'll just-" said Jack quickly, getting up.

He let out a sudden choking noise as one of Mary's vines wrapped around his neck. One strong yank and a downward tug later, and Jack found himself face-to-face with her.

"What is _Monsieur _Drake talking about?" she said, leaning forward. "You wouldn't be trying to drag us into something without telling us, would you?"

"...n-no..." gasped Jack, futilely trying to strain his neck to ease the pressure on it. No good, though; as vines, Mary's limbs were surprisingly strong.

"No? That's what it sounds like to me." mused Mary dangerously. "Don't you agree, Frank?" she added, turning to look at the shinobi.

"W-well, I-I-" Frank stammered, caught off guard. "I mean...I suppose so?" he finally wilted.

"I must admit, that does sound like what you've done here, Jack." chimed in Gerald, smiling much like Mary was. Drake was watching all of this, looking non-plussed.

"Well, it seems like it's unainomous, Captain. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Mary's smile grew larger, and she loosened her hold on Jack's throat.

Realizing that a single misstep would spell his untimely demise in an undoubtedly unpleasant manner, Jack thought fast.

"W-well, see, those thugs I told you about were working for the captain of the marine base here. He's captured all of the men on this island, and is holding their wives and children hostage to force them to dig up oil for him. Drake told me about it, and I figured, hey, why not? I mean, it's not like they have anyone else to help them, right?"

Mary released her hold on her captain, allowing him to fall to the ground. She smiled. "Well, that's fine, Jack. I just wanted to make sure you weren't trying to get us to do anything bad."

Jack got up, rubbing his neck. "Okay then..." He turned and flashed Drake a thumbs-up. "I got my crew ready, Drake. You ready?"

From off to the side, Karen sighed. "You've got to be joking. You're going to storm Helsing's entire base with just four people?" 

"Ahem. _Five _people, thank you."

"Alright, _four-and-a-half _people. Either way, those aren't very good odds."

"She has a point." Drake pointed out. "Helsing's base is well-guarded at all times, and our chances with a frontal assault aren't good."

"Well, damn, _now _you tell me." Jack scratched his forehead. "Isn't there some other entrance into it? I mean, how else could those guys have come out of nowhere like that?"

"Um, Captain?"

Drake shot Jack an irritated look. "I _have _been looking for something like that. It's not like I've spent my time on this island doing nothing. But there are hundreds of places where something like that could be, and searching for hidden passages isn't exactly what I'm suited for."

"Ah, I might-"

"Well this is a fine state of affairs, isn't it?" Jack frowned. "Even with five of us, we can't search this whole island. Are we supposed to just sit here?"

"If you would just-"

"If you have any suggestions, I'd like to hear them." growled the merman slightly.

Finally, Frank sighed. With a flick of his wrist, a smokebomb hit Jack in the head, engulfing the pirate captain in the expelled cloud of gas.

"Captain, may I interrupt?" Frank said politely, after the cloud had disappeared and Jack had stopped coughing.

"You have my...undivided attention, Frank." Jack said, still coughing a little.

"If it's a hidden entrance you're looking for, I saw something like that just yesterday."

Jack looked right at him. "Well, sheesh, Frank, why didn't you say something earlier, then?"

"..."

"Anyway, where did you find this entrance, Frank?"

"Well, yesterday, when you told us to search the island..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_In the middle of Newport Island's jungle, there was a clearing, seemingly ordinary and not unique in any way. _Seemingly_, anyway, but as the world continually pointed out, 'seemingly' did not equal 'was'._

_Stealthily, or at least what he thought of as stealthily, one of the Road Warrior pirates crept out of the trees and into the clearing. It should be noted that his fly was undone._

_Crouching, he rapped his fist on an apparently non-descript part of the jungle floor. A moment passed, and then he repeated the action, hissing, "Come on, open the damn door! I'm not sticking around out here with that damn merman hanging around!"_

_The stretch of ground lifted upward, revealing itself to be a trapdoor, disguised with fake astroturf. Underneath it was a sloping tunnel, stretching off into darkness. _

_"Well, hurry up!" growled another member, who was holding up the door. "And zip up your fly, dammit, no-one wants to see that!"_

_"Oh yeah, sorry." the pirate complied, chuckling a little. He then slipped past his comrade and into the passage, stumbling a little on the steep tunnel._

_Shaking his head, the guard lowered the trapdoor back into it's hidden position. _

_Sitting in a tree nearby, unnoticed by either of them, Frank made a mental note of this. It might be important later on._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So this is the place, Frank?" Jack asked, indicating the ground in front of him.

"Yes, Captain, I'm sure of it. If there's one thing I'm confident of, it's my memory."

"Alright, then." Jack said crouching. Moving his hands across the stretch of ground, he finally grinned. "Got it!"

A strong tug from the pirate, and the trapdoor revealed itself, swinging upward easily. Assuming you were looking for it, the entrance wasn't that hard to find at all. But then, neither the Road Warrior Pirates nor Helsing knew that much about camoflauge.

The door guard, a different one this time, looked upward, blinking at the sunlight. Then he saw the group of five, and his bewildered expression changed to one of shocked outrage.

"Hey, who the hell are-"

Jack kicked him in the chest mid-sentence, and the unfortunate hurtled backwards, the steepness of the tunnel doing the rest of the work. A few seconds after he disappeared from view, there was a loud thud as he hit the end.

Jack whistled, both in amazement and slight sympathy. He looked behind him, at his crew and Drake. "Well, everybody ready?"

This seemed to be the case. Mary was stretching herself, preparing to use all of her limbs to attack. Frank had unsheathed his katana, and was checking his supply of throwing weaponry. Drake cracked his knuckles. Gerald...well, he _looked_ ready."

"Alright," Jack grinned, moving his hat down over his eyes, "let's go take these guys out."

_To be continued..._

_Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates..._

**Jack: **Damn, it's dark down here!

**Gerald: **...my, there certainly are a lot of them.

**Mary: **I suppose you're their leader, hm?

**Frank: **I...I know who you are!

**Underground Melee! Throw off your chains and Fight!**

**Helsing: **Let them fight. They have no idea what they're in for.

**Attacks**

**Drake**

**Lobster Astillar: **Spanish for 'Lobster Hammer'. Drake uses a fierce headbutt to attack an enemy; as it's name suggests, it can break through even the strongest defenses.

**The Dude of Doom: **The same way Luffy can sometimes get hurt by people punching him. Jack can still get hurt, even if he's a skeleton. Otherwise, the fights in this story wouldn't be very exciting, would they?

Well, until next time, see ya.


	14. Underground Melee

Now, for the climax! Finally!

* * *

Brandy swiftly ducked under a swung axe, before turning and swinging a punch of his into the gut of the pirate who had tried. He crumpled like a ton of bricks.

"Hey, Ryoga." Brandy called, sidestepping a charging pirate wielding a spear and taking him out with a chop to the back of the neck.

"Yes, Captain?" replied Ryoga, dodging away from the blades of two swords before dispatching their owners with a pair of kicks.

He looked over at his superior, who gestured vaguely to further on in the base. "You should head after Helsing; I can handle these guys here."

Ryoga blinked. "Are you sure, sir?"

"Oh, I think I can manage fine on my own. Besides, it's getting pretty crowded around here - it'd be a shame if you tripped."

Ryoga looked around, at all of the unconscious members of the Road Warrior pirates that were littering the floor of the base. Most, if not all of them, had been knocked out with a single blow. The battle was, to put it lightly, going reasonably well. None of the thugs were a match for Brandy or Ryoga, and the marines of the base were proving quite unlike their coward of a captain, fighting with fierce determination and courage.

The deputy captain then nodded, running off in swift pursuit of the fugitive captain.

Brandy slowly turned back to the still standing pirates, who were watching him cautiously. A loopy grin slowly spread over the marine's face, as a rosy tint appeared on his cheeks. His posture began to slip, and he adopted a stance that was...somewhat unprofessional.

"Come ooooooon, guysssss..." Brandy called, slurring his words, and then hiccuped twice. He gestured toward himself, still smiling. "Don'tcha think you can taaaake...*hic*...one old guy?"

The Road Warrior pirates once again proved easily provokable, rushed at Brandy as one.

Brandy began to move, ducking and weaving between the weapons that were swung at him - far more clumsily than he had been doing until then, but no less effectively.

Suddenly thrusting out a fist, Brandy nailed one pirate right in the head, flooring him. Then, appearing to suddenly stumble, he swung a leg around, knocking over several more of them. Rising from that, the marine captain hit another beneath the chin with the flat of his palm, the pirate falling to the floor and knocking himself unconscious. The remaining pirates showed amazing discretion by backing off for the moment.

The Road Warriors looked at eachother with some confusion. The old guy had been more than a match for them while he was fighting normally, but his fighting style seemed to have completely changed. The speed of his movements had increased by several times, and become completely unpredictable. What the hell was going on?

One of the pirates seemed to know, for he pointed right at the wobbling captain and said fearfully, "I...I know what he's using! That's **Drunken Boxing**!"

The rest of them looked to the pirate in question, and then back at Brandy...who raised a finger to point at him. The pirate flinched visibly.

"Bingooooo." said Brandy, sounding oddly cheerful. "I'm surprised some common thug knows about such a...*hic*..._renowned _art."

He clapped twice. "Kudos, Congratulations, Salutations, and all that."

"But how can that be?" One pirate questioned. "He hasn't even drank any alchohol!"

Brandy wagged a finger at them. "You...*hic*...shouldn't assume I didn't drink any just because you didn't _see _me do it! I'm a master at drinking when I'm not supposed to, see!"

He suddenly shook his head. "But...*hic*...no, that's not it. Y'see, I might look like just an ordinary man-"

The Road Warrior pirates let out a collective snort.

"-but it just so happens that I have a Devil Fruit power! It's known as the **Hebe Hebe no Mi**. Basically, y'see...*hic*...it lets me store away a certain amount of alcoholic...*hic*...content whenever I drink booze. Then, I can just," he brought his hands together, "summon it up, whenever I feel like it."

"So, basically," said one of the Road Warriors, scratching his head, "it lets you get drunk?"

"Bingo agaaaain." Brandy said, grinning like a hyena.

"THAT'S STUPID!" they all yelled.

Brandy frowned, pointing an accusing finger at them. "Maybe you'll...*hic*...think differently when you get a few more mouthfuls of my...*hic*...Drunken Boxing!"

Looking at eachother, the Road Warriors shrugged. It wouldn't be the first time, after all. Then, they all charged as one at the drunkard captain.

Brandy again began to dodge quickly. As two swords were swung at him from different sides, Brandy suddenly did a standing backflip, dodging them completely. Then landing, he manuevered his hands underneath one of the pirate's feet. **"Flipping the Table!"**

The captain quickly performed another flip, his legs moving back to their right positions as the pirate fell to the floor, cracking his head and falling unconscious.

The other pirate gulped as he abruptly realized that Brandy had used that flip to launch himself directly toward him. He turned and tried to run, but-

**"Shake the Bottle!" **Brandy's fist caught him in the top of the skull with a downward swing, crushing him in one blow.

Rising to stand straightly, Brandy lurched to one side, narrowly avoiding getting his skull smashed in by a mace. Grabbing the perpetrator by the shoulders, he smiled briefly.

**"Bouncer's Rush!" **The forward throw he executed sent the thug sliding into the wall, his head smashing through where it collided.

Brandy frowned in disgust for a moment. "Usually when you say a base is weak, you mean it metaphorically..."

He turned and faced the rest of them. "Well? Come on...*hic*...already! Or are the Road Warrior pirates not even brave enough to lose with...*hic*...dignity?"

And, sure enough, the Road Warriors charged at him once more.

Brandy grinned slyly. _"Hope Ryoga's having as much fun as I am."_

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Fourteen: Underground Melee! Throw off your Chains and Fight!**

"Damn, it's dark down here."

The laws of the universe, as well as narrative casuality, dictate than an utterance like this in a very clearly dark cave simply can't go away without comment. Therefore, it was good that he had recruited Mary and Gerald, for when these situations came up.

"Oh? Did you hear that, Gerald? Apparently it is quite _obscurite _down here."

"Really? That's certainly news to me, Mary. It's a good thing we have Jack here to tell us these things, eh?"

"Isn't it? I'm sure we'd be _perdis_ if it weren't for him."

"Okay," Jack growled, "I get it. But can you explain to me why _I _have to walk in front? I can't see more than two feet in front of me, even with those set up."

He jerked a thumb at one of many crude holders they had seen since entering the cavern. Each contained one dimly lit candle, which, despite the frequency of these holders, did almost nothing to light up the cave. Some of them were even burnt out entirely, or the holders had broken off and laid forgotten.

"It's a little ironic, when you think about it." Gerald mused. "These fellows have probably been down this path so often that this doesn't effect them at all. But when someone else, like us, tries to go down it..." he finished with a shrug.

"I notice that you didn't answer my question." Jack growled. "Why exactly am I in the front, then? Especially considering that we have a _ninja _on our crew."

"Shinobi, Captain." Frank said, from behind Mary and Gerald.

"Whatever. You guys _can _see in the dark, right?"

"Actually, captain, that seems to be a common misconception most people have about us. While darkness can often be a great ally to us during our missions, our capability of seeing in the dark varies from person to person. At the moment, I can only see about as well as you can."

Jack looked back, looking shocked. "Well, that's a fine thing to tell us _after _we came down here, isn't it? I can't believe this, I-"

Suddenly, Jack walked right into a wall - or, rather, Drake's back, which was essentially the same thing. The merman looked back at him and lifted a finger to his lips, then pointed past himself.

They had reached a sharp turn in the cavern, and beyond, at least two people could be heard.

While they had been expecting this, that didn't make it any less of a problem. The layout of the cavern prevented any hiding spots, and even if it was just two pirates, that was more than enough to raise the alarm. And while that was probably going to happen anyway, having it happen here would be bad.

"Frank, I don't suppose you could-"

"Right away, Captain."

Only the fact that they were trying to be quiet kept Jack from jumping. From his position right next to Jack, Frank slipped past Drake (not a terribly easy task) and moved around the corner.

"Hey, who're - ugh..."

"I'll handle him, you get to th - gah!" 

The apparent third guard didn't get out anything more than a pained grunt.

"He's far more skilled than he appears." Drake noted as they walked around the corner to join the shinobi.

"It's a shame he doesn't think that." Mary murmured to herself.

"Well, what did you think, Drake, that he was just some guy with a mask fetish?" Jack asked.

"I wasn't sure what to think, and I'm still not." Drake replied. "Keep in mind, you're the only member of your crew that I've seen fight."

"Oh yeah, that's true, isn't it?" Jack said, nodding. "Well, try to keep your curiosity from distracting you during the fight, okay?"

Drake said nothing.

Frank stood over the third man, who was a short distance away from the others. He pointed at him, and then to a bell on a small beam, attached to the cavern wall close by.

"This one seemed to have heard us slightly, Captain, and had moved closer to this. If we had been waited just a bit longer, he would have alerted the entire cavern."

Gerald nodded. "They might look dumb, but they understand enough about fighting. Well, I suppose that _is _their job here."

"Yeah, and I'm sure you know _all _about fighting, don't you Gerald?" Jack said sarcastically stepping past the unconscious guards. "Come on, let's go. And none of you touch the bell."

"Oh, thank you for the useful _conseil_, Jack. We were all clammoring to, you know." Mary called from the back.

If the guards were still conscious, the sound of Jack's palm colliding with his face would have certainly alerted them.

* * *

_"Damn it, this base is a maze! Did he have hit designed like this on purpose?"_

Ryoga felt like he had been running in circles for hours, even though it had only been a few minutes. Helsing's base was a labyrinth, and beyond the few rooms they had been given access to, it was unfamiliar territory for the marine. Side passages led to nowhere, corridors went in circles, and he had even opened a few doors to find nothing but blank walls behind them.

_"It's not as if I expected him to leave a trail of bread crumbs, but I didn't think he'd cover his tracks this well. Was he expecting to be confronted eventually?"_

Ryoga was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice when his shoe coming down didn't elicit the familiar sound of leather on wood, but instead a dull squelch.

The marine skidded to a halt, and turned back. There, against the wall, was a small puddle of-

"Oil." Ryoga murmured, touching his finger to it. Standing up, he looked hard at the wall before him. He drew back his fist. **"Ryu..."**

A moment later, Ryoga stepped over the unconscious pirate who had been standing behind the hollow wall, and looked over the hidden hallway he had uncovered. It was short, and very thin, obviously built to be as discreet as possible. At the end of it was a flight of stairs, leading down, obviously much further than the base's foundations reached.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ryoga plunged onward into darkness.

* * *

"You know, I've been thinking. And shut up with the stupid remarks for a second, guys, I'm being serious."

Jack pointed upward, at the low roof of the cavern, and then to the sides of the passage, where piles of strewn rock were visible constantly. "Some parts of this cavern might be natural, but I really doubt that's the case for the one we're in right now. And this can't be the only one."

Gerald nodded. "Well, of course. They must have been digging for days to make all of them. You have to admire their initiative, at least."

"Well..." Jack began, somewhat gravely. "What I'm wondering is, if they built all of these paths underneath the island, just how stable do you think all of them are?"

The implications of this statement made the group come to an abrupt halt.

"It certainly isn't impossible," Mary murmured, sounding nervous.

Frank gulped.

"Hey, hey," Jack held up his hands placatingly, "I didn't say it _would _collapse. And if it does, it probably won't be for a while...probably."

Judging by the looks on their faces, this did little to soothe his crew's minds. Drake was impassive as always.

"Sheesh," Jack said, scratching his head, "excuse me for trying to bring something to the table!"

* * *

"I don't even know why we're bothering, really. I mean, can you even tell the difference between before and now?"

Karen's bitter statement didn't seem to faze any of her fellow mermen, who were working to rebuild their burnt homes as best they could. It was tough going; they had nails, but no hammers, so they were forced to use the weapons the Road Warrior pirates had left in their hasty retreat.

"But, Bis Sis," put in Lyn, who was standing just beside her, handing the older merwoman spare boards, "once Big Bro Drake and his friends beat them up, this'll be the last time we'll have to do this, won't it?"

Karen turned and looked at her adoptive sister's bright eyes, and earnest smile. She took the board from her, ruffling her hair as she did so. "Yeah, I guess you're right, kiddo. C'mon, we should try to finish before he gets back."

Lyn nodded eagerly. "Yeah!"

* * *

"So, now what?"

After progressing further through the tunnel, the Skull Pirates (and Drake) seemed to have found the central area of the caverns. It was wide, and large enough to hold the bulk of the Road Warrior crew, as well as the mermen slaves.

Ducking back behind the large pile of debris piled near the tunnel opening, Jack turned to his crew.

"Well, any ideas?" he whispered, although he needn't have bothered. The constant clank of the mermen's digging tools, combined with the shouting from their slavers, made enough of a racket that Jack could have shouted at the top of his lungs and still be unheard.

"Well," Gerald mused, stroking his moustache, "we can't exactly start a war in there without putting those fellows in danger, can we? No offense to you, Drake, but even if they're mermen, they're bound to be malnurished from all their time down here. Not to mention those shackles..."

Frank nodded. "And just as Karen-san said, the threat of something happening to their families is being held over their heads. Even if they were healthy, they may be hesitant to listen to us. Additionally, there are no places to hide within that cavern, making stealth nearly impossible. Well, maybe not for me, but of course I am a shinobi."

"The fact that they outnumber us _dix _to _une_ goes without saying, doesn't it?" Mary concluded.

"Yeah, yeah," Jack said, nodding decisively. "So, I take it none of you have any ideas?"

Abruptly he grinned, making the rest of the party feel very uncomfortable. "Well, it just so happens that _I've _come up with a plan, for once!"

This feeling discomfort turned to a sheer feeling of impending doom. But nonetheless, he was their captain, so they listened.

They had to admit, it didn't sound like _that _bad a plan...

* * *

"Alright, keep moving!"

The Road Warrior Pirates, as well as the mermen, collectively raised their heads to watch as Drake stumbled forward into the cavern, falling to his knees. He was covered in bruises, and was panting heavily. The other mermen began to murmur to themselves; was this the merman they had heard rumors about, who had been attacking the marines and pirates?

The sound of a boot stomping on the cave floor silenced them, as Wez himself stepped forward, watching the merman curiously as two members of his crew stepped out of the tunnel. The rest of the Road Warriors did the same; most of them had been subjected to at least one beating by Drake since he had come to the island, and the thought of two of their crewmates finally defeating him was certainly pleasant, but also quite bewildering.

Drake tried to rise, but one of them stepped forward and clubbed him in the back of the head, knocking him down. "What do you think you re doing, merman!? How dare you try to rise before our glorious leader! Bow down, now!"

The pirate in question was dressed in a long, dirty coat, that was ragged and covered in holes. Below that, he was wearing pants that appeared to be meant for camoflauge. Finally, a cowboy hat sat perched on his head. The man's fashion sense went without a second glance, however, as all the Road Warriors dressed like that.

"Hmph. Some people just can't respect authority. Not that you can call them _people_, of course." Spoke the other. His wardrobe was quite different from the other crew member's, wearing an equally dirty emerald jacket that sported several meaningless badges, and a long pair of flashy pants that stretched down past his shoes, which were apparently non-descript.

Wez stepped forward slightly, eyeing Drake with an air of caution. "So, this is the mysterious merman that's been attacking us, huh? Not so much of a boogeyman in the light, is he, boys?"

As the truth of the matter began to sink in for them, the Road Warriors began to sneer, and snickering made it's way through them.

"But..." Wez pointed at his two crewmates behind the beaten martial artist. "Tell me, because I'm bad with names...who are you two, again?"

The first pointed to himself. "Kacj, boss. The j is silent."

The second did the same. "And I am Ergdal. I apologize if it's difficult to remember."

"Uh-huh." Wez nodded. "Now, if I may ask, how exactly did you take care of him? From what I've heard of him, he's pretty strong."

"Well, uh..." began Kacj. "...so are we?"

Ergdal nodded. "After all, we are _your _men, aren't we? Of course we're strong enough to take down one merman, ha ha."

Wez nodded. "I see. Well, I won't have you bore me with the exact details, then. Drag him over here, and we'll...interrogate him."

Kacj and Ergdal nodded, and, walking around to Drake's front, they each grabbed ahold of one of his arms.

"...oh, yeah." spoke up Wez from behind them, something apparently having occurred to him. "Can I ask you guys one more thing?"

"What is it, sir?" asked Kacj, without turning around.

"Well..."

Sensing movement from behind them, Kacj and Ergdal jumped away. Drake did the same, and the three just barely avoided getting smashed into the cave floor by two massive iron claws.

Turning back to their 'leader', the two watched as Wez raised his claws from the cracks they had made in the cave floor, and watched them carefully from behind his mask.

"What I was wondering was, exactly how stupid do you two think I am? It's obvious that you're not part of my crew."

"Dammit," 'Kacj' growled, snapping a finger in irritation, "how'd you know?"

Wez shrugged. "Come on. Have you _seen _my crew? Did'ya really think I'd buy two random guys taking this bruiser down when whole groups of them have tried and failed, repeatedly? Just because I lead a group of idiots doesn't make me one."

'Ergdal' nodded thoughtfully. "He has a point, captain. We probably should have thought this plan through."

"Hey, c'mon! This guy looks as dumb as a sack of hammers; how was I supposed to know he was actually smart?"

"Hell," continued Wez, ignoring the insult, "it doesn't even look like you two hurt him that badly."

"Hey, I _tried_! It's like punching a wall!" 'Kacj' yelled indignantly.

Wez shook his head. "So...who are you guys, anyway?"

A grin crossed 'Kacj''s face, and in one motion he dramatically flung off his clothing, revealing that, surprisingly, Kacj was actually Jack!

His smile widening, the pirate jabbed a finger at himself. "Captain of the Skull Pirates, Scourge of West Blue! Jack Bones is the name!" 

Ergdal did the same, revealing himself as, shockingly, Gerald! "First mate of the Skull Pirates, no-one in particular. I am Gerald Riviera."

"..." Drake turned to see the two looking at him expectantly. "...what? I don't think they care who I am."

"Well, I care more than about these two." Wez cut in. "I've never even heard of any Skull Pirates before, and somehow I doubt you have that many people back there in the tunnels. Hell, you look like you're half-dead, so excuse me if I'm not intimidated."

"'Scuse me?" Jack growled. "I'll have you know I've already taken down two bounty heads, _and_ I have the power of a Devil Fruit, the Doku Doku no Mi!"

He pointed directly at the enemy captain, sneering. "So, what do _you _have, huh!?"

Without saying a word, Wez pointed back over his shoulder, where his crew had drawn their weapons, sizing up their outnumbered opponents - Drake in particular - with very pleased grins.

"Oh." Jack blinked. "Oh yeah."

Seizing the initiative, one of the Road Warriors drew back his spear and flung it forward, directly at Jack's head. Nonplussed, Jack simply tilted his head to the side, allowing a thorny vine to to snake past and grab it out of the air.

"You do need to stop putting your _patte _in your mouth, Jack," Mary said airily, tossing the weapon away before stepping forward, "even if you _can _do it literally."

Seeing her, some of the Road Warriors' expressions changed from sadistic confidence to recognition, and then to slight apprehension. Apparently they had heard of her; not to mention that this made two Devil Fruit users (or at least one, and another who claimed they were) and a very angry merman that they had to deal with. Gerald was, as per usual, left out of this equation.

Wez looked out over them all. "So, before I sic my boys on you guys, I feel I should ask: why'd you come down here, anyway?"

Drake pointed at him. "The people that you've enslaved down here. Return them, now."

Wez paused for a moment, and then he chuckled. "I figured it was something like that. Fair enough, but while I can't speak for myself, our employer here wouldn't be very happy if we just allowed you to take them."

Jack shrugged at this statement, and lifting his hand up to his hat, leaned it down over one eye. "Well...it's a good thing we weren't planning on asking, then, isn't it Drake?"

The merman cracked his knuckles. "Yes."

Wez looked unimpressed. Well, presumably, under his mask. "Figured that was coming, too."

He jabbed a claw at the group. "Get 'em."

And get them they did.

* * *

Captain Helsing considered himself a man of high class and good taste. Or at the very least, wanted to one day _be_ a man of high class and good taste.

It was for this reason that he was currently strolling calmly through the tunnels, instead of what other people would be doing in his situation - namely, running as fast as their legs would carry them. Helsing reasoned that, if he was now officially a criminal, then he may as well be a refined one. If you had to run, you clearly weren't very refined.

And he didn't have to run. Thus far, he had passed several forked tunnels, taking a series of turns that only he had knowledge of. If any of those marines tried to follow him - assuming they found the entrance, he reminded himself - they'd be lost for hours. And hours was far more time than he needed. A discreet tunnel leading off from the main cavern led to a hidden shore, where a small, fast boat was docked, stocked with food and money. He wasn't done just yet.

Suddenly, Helsing frowned. Even if he had made a conscious effort to avoid any hands-on training, you didn't make captain without picking up a few things. And right now his ears had picked up some noise from further down the tunnel.

"Hokushin."

The assassin appeared next to him instantly. "You rang, boss?"

"Exactly what is going on down here, pray tell?" Helsing said icily.

Hokushin shrugged. "Nothin' much. Just a few interlopers, attacking those Road Warrior idiots."

"What!?" Helsing yelled. "Who!?"

The assassin shrugged again. "I dunno who anyone else is, but that merman that attacked you is there. Guess he's trying to free his buddies."

"Do - do I have to tell you to do things!?" Helsing screeched. "Get in there and kill them! That's your job, isn't it!?"

"Not unless someone tells me to, no." Hokushin eyed the captain carefully. "I take it things went badly up there?"

Helsing snorted, brushing past him and continuing further on. "You could say that," he muttered, regaining some of his composure, "now, go take care of this problem, like a proper assassin."

"Alright, alright, I'm going." Hokushin replied, and then disappeared.

As he shot off down the tunnel, passing Helsing in an instant, the assassin thought to himself. _"I know what that look means. This ship is sinking, and he's not going to be here when it does. Well, neither will I. I'll go through the motions for a bit, and then jump too. Hm...I guess he won't need those mermen now, will he? Heh heh heh..."_

* * *

"Hm."

Ryoga stared at the blank cavern wall in front of him, frowning slightly.

"I suppose I took a wrong turn. Again."

Resolutely, Ryoga turn and ran back to the fork he had taken, turning down a different path this time.

"This won't stop me. You can't run away from justice forever, Helsing!"

Thud.

"Ow!"

* * *

If it was one thing that had been constantly beaten into most of the Road Warrior Pirates recently, courtesy of Drake, it was that quantity wasn't always superior to quality. And for the members that hadn't been shown this fact, the Skull Pirates were more than happy to demonstrate it for them. 

"C'mon, c'mon! Is that all you got!?" whooped Jack, bobbing and weaving among the various weapons being thrust, swung, and flung at him. He responded with a simple but very effective barrage of hooks and jabs, smashing noses, cracking chins, and pounding stomachs.

An honorable warrior might feel ashamed at having to fight so many people that were weaker than him. Jack, on the other hand, was having a wonderful time.

Jack half-grinned, half-sneered at his remaining foes. "Are you guys done already? I'm gettin' bor-"

He cut himself off and blinked as several of the Road Warriors he had punched out rose to their feet, anger in their eyes.

"Okay..." Jack muttered, "guess at least some of you guys are tougher than you look."

His smile returned, and he slammed a fist into his palm. "Not that I'm complaining, of course!"

Nearby, Drake was giving similar treatment to the crew members he was fighting. As usual, the Road Warrior pirates weren't a match for him in the least, their weapons and bodies breaking beneath his mighty fists. In contrast to Jack, his attitude for this battle was far more tranquil, but that did not mean he wasn't enjoying this as well.

But...something felt wrong. Somehow, Drake felt like his anger was about to explode, and plunge him headling into the state of merman rage. He couldn't let that happen, or he would betray everything his master had taught him.

There was a lull in the combat, and he looked around at his temporary comrades.

Mary was fighting as elegantly as always, gracefully dodging her foe's attacks, and countering with an array of thorn vines from her arms and legs. Her strikes were not as blunt as Jack or Drake's, but they were no less devestating.

"Really," she sighed, flipping out of the way of a double bladed axe and quickly kicking her attacker away, "I'll never know why pirates like always need to have a theme."

Back-flipping to avoid a sweep from a spear, she landed on her hands, spinning around to hit several more of them with her transformed vine-feet. "**Amarrant Parterre!**"

Landing smoothly back on her feet, Mary a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and shrugged. "I know you're trying to be unique, but it just makes you look worse than other crews. I mean, I didn't get my surnom intentionally, you know?"

She frowned as, again, the Road Warriors she was fighting got back up._ "It's true that I don't have much stopping power, but you'd think they'd stay down for at least a moment."_

Then, smiling, she licked her lips._ "Oh well. It would be boring if it were over that quickly, wouldn't it?"_

In another area of the cavern, the Road Warrior pirates were quickly learning that the group didn't have just four people, but instead, five. Frank had moved into the cavern at about the same time Jack and Gerald had, and was now making his presence known, if not exactly seen.

The Road Warriors turned to look as a loud flash bang went off, distracting their attention for one brief moment. But long enough for Frank to approach, quickly hitting one in the neck with a quick chop, dropping him.

As a nearby thug began to turn at the noise, Frank quickly leapt behind him and attached a scroll to his back. **"Tao Scroll; Absolute Zero." **He whispered.

Then he kicked the man into the brunt of the crowd. The ensuing explosion sent a blast of cold temperature out among the Road Warriors, and they fell to the ground, chilled to the bone.

Not willing to take the chance of being seen, Frank leapt back into cover. He then frowned, as he saw them, again, getting gradually to their feet, albeit less swiftly than the other groups.

Drake saw all this, and nodded to himself. _"Something is definitely wrong." _

He turned to look at a thug who was getting up. Specifically, at the man's arm, which was bent at an entirely wrong angle.

_"With injuries like that, he shouldn't be standing, and I've given similar ones to most of his friends."_

Drake began to move, dodging several more attacks and delivering some of his own, before putting his back up against Jack's.

"How's it going, Needlenose?" Jack asked casually, knocking out a charging foe with an especially low kick.

"Fine, except that our enemies don't seem to feel like staying down." Drake replied, smashing down a foe with an overhand blow.

"Yeah, I could tell something funny was going on. I'm not really an expert on this whole 'spirit energy' deal, though. You have any thoughts?"

The two spun around themselves, attacking two charging foes at the same time.

Drake concentrated for a moment, but then shook his head. "They're definitely being affected by an outside source...I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it seems to be making them fight with heightened ferocity, and ignore the pain from any wounds we inflict on them."

"Well, that's one way to make these losers tough, at least." Jack said snarkily. "Sounds like a Devil Fruit power to me."

Drake nodded. "It could be. That would explain why I can't track it to the source; unlike spirit users, those with Devil Fruit abilities don't give off auras."

Jack shrugged. "Well, if these guys are gonna keep getting up," he grinned, "then all we have to do is beat them down until they _stay _down!"

"As good an idea as any." Drake replied, before moving back into a stance.

"Let's go!"

* * *

If the Road Warriors had been paying attention at, they might have noticed that only four members among the group of five were attacking them. This was helped by Frank's appearance coinciding with Gerald's disappearance...as well as the fact that this was all part of Jack's plan.

In truth, the captain had not only expected the prisoner gambit to fail, but had _counted_ on it. No-one would expect a plan that stupid to have anything more to it. But, much like Jack (sometimes), it had hidden depths.

Gerald's exact location was as far away from the fighting as he could get: very close to a group of a shackled mermen. Despite the bloodlust that had swept through them, the Road Warriors had still retained enough common sense to keep the battle away from their meal tickets. The captured minorities were watching the battle apathetically; so long as none of them got dragged into it, they didn't really care.

Whistling a merry tune, Gerald slowly and carefully picked his way over to the group, making sure not to attract the attention of any of the Road Warriors. It was a skill he had honed over many, many occasions. But those are stories for another day.

Spinning on Gerald's finger was a large ring, on which several keys were attached, each of them for the shackles binding this particular group of mermen. Some recon on Frank's part had located the crew members that held the other keyrings as well, and the shinobi had made sure to knock them out as soon as the fight had begun, leaving them helpfully at the edge of the cavern.

Clearing his throat to catch their attention, Gerald strode up, the mermen watching him warily. Somewhat wisely, Gerald stopped a few feet from them

"Hello there!" he called, smiling in what he hoped was a disarming way. "I, ah, can see you're all in a bit of a fix at the moment, aren't you? Well, not to worry..."

He flashed the keys. "I've got the answer to that problem right here. I bet you're happy to see these, aren't you?"

The mermen said nothing.

Gerald coughed slightly. "I'll, um, take that as a yes, I suppose."

Carefully, he eased up to the shackles. Stooping, he fumbled with the keys, and after a few failed guesses, unlocked the segments one by one. The mermen looked down, showing no visible reaction to their sudden freedom.

Gerald stepped back and gestured to their now free legs. "...well? You're free to go, if you haven't noticed."

One of them, a grown adult covered in scars and bruises, looked back up at him, and shrugged apathetically. "So what?"

"So...what?" Gerald echoed, mystified.

The merman looked him in the eye. His held a deep pain, that Gerald imagined had been long in forming. "I'm not sure what you all are trying to do down here, but it's pointless. Even if you defeat them and rescue us from this cavern, even if we take our families and leave this island...even if we're promised something like this will never happen again...it will. What's the point? Can you answer me that, human?"

Gerald said nothing.

The merman shook his head. "I thought not." He and the rest of the group turned to look away.

"Oh?" said Gerald, suddenly blinking in recognition. "I'm sorry, my good man, but I'm afraid I was lost in thought there for a moment. Terribly sorry. Now, as for your question..."

He smiled. "Why don't I answer it with another question?"

Something about the human's voice made the merman reply. "What?"

Gerald's smile grew. "Oh, I was just pondering, hypothetically; if I were to go back up there, to the villages, and find your family...I wonder what they would say if I told them that the husband, father, brother, what-have-you that they've been waiting for all this time...is nothing more than a craven coward that's too busy feeling sorry for himself to think of his loved ones."

The merman bristled. "What!?" he growled, his voice rising.

Gerald stepped in close, face to face with the merman. His eyes were narrowed, and his lips pressed tightly together. Despite the fact that the merman could probably break him in two easily, that somehow didn't make him the more intimidating figure.

"You heard me." Gerald said calmly. "There are _scores _of people in this world who are hated merely for existing. So it's a matter of race with you. So _what_? You think that's a good enough reason for you to just give up!?"

He gestured widely across the cavern, at his friends that were fighting. "I've heard many stories about how fearsome and evil all of you mermen are. My friends have as well, I'm sure. And yet here we all are, risking our lives to help you. Why? Because we want to, blast it, and it's the right thing to do! Why _else_ would we be down here!?"

The merman stared down at him, his expression slowly turning to astonishment.

Gerald's remained the same. "But if you don't even _want _to be rescued yourselves, then why should I even bother talking to you? Just stay there gaping like idiots while we fight. If you're lucky, then we'll all die, and you'll never have to admit to your families that you were cowards. Now, good day to you."

He turned to go, but the merman's hand fell on his shoulder.

"Human," he said, his voice now tinged with slight respect, "what must we do to avoid being cowards?"

Gerald looked back at him. "Either run, or help us fight. But don't just stand there. Really, do I have to tell you this?"

The mermen looked at each-other hesistantly. What he was saying made sense, certainly. But could they really take action, after all this time?

"...well, well, well, what do we have here...?"

Suddenly, Gerald found himself with a jagged sword pressed right up against his throat. The Road Warrior who owned the blade leaned in, grinning.

"One of...them, huh?" he sneered, baring his teeth. "Hidin' back here...I guess you're the weak one, aren't you? Hah, when I bring Wez your head, I wonder what I'll get as a reward?"

He suddenly noticed the mermen staring at him, and directed a vicious glare at them. "What the hell are you freaks all staring at, huh!? Get back to work!"

They said nothing, continuing to simply look at him.

If the crew member were in a normal state of mind, he would have been slightly unnerved by this, and he may also have noticed that the mermen's shackles had been unlocked. That he wasn't was about to prove quite unfortunate for him.

"What, are you so stupid, you forgot our whole arrangement? Then let me remind you! I'll even speak slowly, so you can understand! Get...back...to...work...or...your...families...are...CHU - ARGH!"

The crew member went flying, his nose broken at the very least, as the merman at the head of the group decked him in the nose. He slid several feet before coming to a halt, and didn't get up again.

The merman turned to Gerald. "I choose to fight."

"Really." Gerald deadpanned. "Couldn't tell, for the life of me."

Evidently the other mermen had made their choices as well. They grabbed up any weapons that were on-hand; the shackles, rocks, even their own bare fists.

Then, they stared across the cavern at the people who had locked them up down here, and tormented them for so long, threatening to hurt their families if they dared to ever rise up. They stared...

And then they charged.

One of the mermen stayed back: the one who Gerald had spoken with.

"Where did you learn to talk like that, human?" he asked plainly.

Gerald just shrugged. "I don't suppose you'd believe I was winging it?"

He then ran off, to release the other mermen.

* * *

The combined charge of the mermen caught the Road Warriors off-guard, bowling them over before they had a chance to defend themsleves. They recovered quickly enough and fought back, but it was obvious from the start that the mermen's anger greatly outweighed whatever force was empowering them. Years of imprisonment away from your family will do that for you.

Regardless of whether their entry into the battle was enough to turn the tide, it certainly made it all the more hectic. Despite this, however, there was an area of the cavern that the Road Warriors were giving a wide berth. There was a very good reason for this.

At the sound of his men letting out screams of pain, Wez looked behind him, and frowned. "Damn. Who let them out?"

Without looking back ahead, he drew one of his claws in front of himself to block a thorn vine that was thrust at him.

"Sorry," he said, as the transformed appendage drew back to it's source, "didn't mean to ignore you, there."

"Oh, that's quite all right, _Chemin_ Warrior," said Mary airily as her arm changed back to it's normal state, "you're more than allowed to be distracted by the fact that your plans have reached a...dead end, shall we say?"

Wez snorted. "Your tongue is as sharp as your attacks, The Thorn."

The two of them had run into each-other a few minutes ago, and so far their fight hadn't progressed any further than the opening formalities. The rather..._odd _nature of this bout probably had something to do with it, but neither of the two fighters had chosen to comment on it - Mary because she honestly didn't care, and Wez because that would mean admitting his crew had no women to speak of, an embarassment that would probably kill a lesser man.

But now it seemed that that was over. The two pirate's eyes locked, and as one, they moved. The deadly dance had begun.

* * *

At about the same time, in a rush of air that no-one heard or saw, Hokushin arrived in the cavern. He looked around at the fighting that was going on, his only reaction an indifferent shrug. _"Now, the question is, exactly what did Helsing mean by 'all'? Kind of a vague order, especially for someone like me."_

Of course, Hokushin wasn't stupid. Working with Helsing for so long had given him some insight into the man's mind, and he knew the captain was fully aware there was no order he could give that would fix _this _problem. This schem had become a sinking ship, and Helsing a fleeing rat. He, on the other hand, had become the designated scape goat. Fair enough, but Hokushin had no intentions of getting caught here. He could get off this island just as easily..._but..._

Well, working for someone like Helsing for so long, being bogged down and shackled with so many rules...it would make anyone want to blow off some steam.

Hokushin's gaze swept around the cavern, focusing on all of the different parties involved in the battle.

_"Wez and his pathetic crew...no, no, there has to be _someone _to take the fall. These intruders...no, they're all right in the middle of everything, it'd take too long to get close. The mermen..."_

A small smile appeared on his lips. _"...I don't see why not."_

His gaze shifted again, moving from mermen to mermen, looking for just one...

There. One of them was nearby grappling with a member of Wez's crew, and his position gave Hokushin the perfect angle toward his unprotected back.

From a standing position, Hokushin instantly burst into movement, racing toward the mermen. A knife appeared in his hand on the way, and he drew it back, preparing to plunge it straight into-

Something that caused the knife's blade to shatter into pieces.

Hokushin reacted quickly, moving fast enough to dodge most of the shards. One, however, still nicked him in the cheek, creating a wound that would surely scar.

Stepping back, the assassin clapped a hand to the cut, letting out a growl as he felt it. "Who...who did that!?"

"I did, I believe."

Raising his head at the voice, Hokushin glared at Frank, who had interposed himself between the assassin's blade and the merman. Well, his mask, to be exact; the shinobi had bent slightly so that the knife hit it rather than his neck. It was anyone's guess as to why the weapon had shattered altogether, though - the decoration must have been crafted out of sturdy material. It was quite lucky for Frank that this had been the case...Hokushin's knives weren't of the kitchen variety, after all.

Before Hokushin could fully process this, Frank lashed out quickly, punching him right in the jaw. Being of somewhat light stature, the blow sent the assassin flying back a short distance.

Getting to his feet quickly, Hokushin glared at Frank. "You little punk...how dare you get in my way! And to top it off, you cut my - hey, are you listening!?"

"Ah," Frank said absently, "yes, of course."

Of course, this wasn't really the case, but for good reason - the shinobi was currently cradling the hand he'd just punched with, wincing in slight pain. _"I...I think I sprained it..."_

Hokushin growled irritably. "Seems like everywhere I go lately, I'm running into freaks with masks. Well, if you're so willing to die, kid, I'll gladly show you what happens when you come between an assassin and his prey!"

Frank looked back up at Hokushin, his expression swiftly changing behind his mask, even if his opponent couldn't see it. "So, assassins kill for both money _and _pleasure, now? That's news to me."

Hokushin just shrugged. "If you can't get any personal satisfaction out of your job, then why do it? And there's nothing that gets me satisfied more than wiping out self-righteous idiots like yourself."

Pulling another knife out from wherever he had gotten the last one, the assassin's smile returned. "Heh heh...I wonder how many slices from this you'll be able to take before that tough guy act of your's crumbles. Is that stupid mask really supposed to scare anyone?"

Frank said nothing for a moment, and then shook his head. "You shouldn't simply wonder about things like that - any answer you receive will be a hollow one, whether it's positive or not."

As Hokushin stared blankly, he held up a finger. "For instance, I would not say 'after this battle, I wonder if you will fear people with masks'. Rather, I would say, 'after this battle, you _will _fear people with masks.' That is far more appropriate...because you will."

Hokushin continued to stare for a moment, before his expression changed to a sneer. "Are you trying to threaten me, kid? You must not know who I am, then...although I suppose I can't help that." He tapped the flat end of the blade against his other hand. "Now, try not to wet yourself. I am-"

"-Hokushin, Assassin of the North Star. An assassin that was very active in this sea until about a year and a half ago, you were infamous for taking jobs with women and children as the targets. These actions earned you a bounty of seventeen million, one that was finely collected on by an enterprising bounty hunter. You were supposed to have been executed...and yet here you are, standing in front of me."

Frank tilted his head. "Is that about correct, Hokushin?"

The assassin shrugged. "Just about, except for the part where I was _caught_. That guy couldn't have hunted his way out of a paper-bag. He was just some guy a made a deal with; I gave him my bounty's worth in cash and a reputation he didn't deserve, and he gave me the opportunity to lay low for a while, take the heat off me. That guy they hung was...well, he wasn't me, and that's all I cared about."

"Letting an innocent man be killed to save your own skin..." Frank breathed. "You're truly a despicable person, aren't you?"

"Well, of couse." Hokushin replied airily. "It's in the job description, isn't it?"

He resumed toying with the blade. "Now, do you have any more stupid questions you'd like to ask, or can we get started already?"

"Gladly." Frank replied, and drew his katana.

Both fighters then disappeared, taking their fight to a realm invisible to the untrained eye.

* * *

Mary took the offensive, sprinting across the distance between them with long strides. Wez stood where he was as she approached, and slowly pulled back one of his claws.

**"Dead End...RIPPER!"**

Mary was so shocked by the attack name that she almost forgot to dodge, flipping over the claw and touching her hands down on top of it. _"You must be kidding. I was only _joking_, really."_

Wez quickly moved to throw the girl off, but Mary was faster, leaping off the weapon and moving behind the large man, kicking him in the back of the head as she went by. While the Road Warrior wasn't injured at all by the attack, thanks to his mask, he did stagger momentarily; long enough for Mary to land and sweep out with a vine leg, knocking the enemy pirate to the ground.

Wez began to push himself back up with his claws, but in just a moment Mary was next to him, pulling back a transformed leg.

**"Broche...Marche!"**

The kick sent Wez spinning across the floor of the cavern, a gash spreading from the middle of his chest to his right side. He came to a stop and, growling with irritation, got to his feet, without any interruption this time. When he did, he frowned behind his mask, as the first thing he saw was Mary, who had immediately begun advancing toward him.

The girl allowed herself a slight smirk. _"He has power, but nothing else. I outclass him in both _galoper _and _allonge_, so this shouldn't take long. Hm, any member of our crew would be more than a match for him."_

As Mary neared him, Wez drew back both of his claws. **"Gridlock Crusher!"**

Both of the massive weapons slammed together with a resounding crunch - and hit nothing but air, as Mary threw herself in a sharp roll to the left, her small height allowing her to pass under the blades unharmed. Flipping to her feet, she lashed out with another kick, this time to Wez's left flank.

Stumbling backward slightly from the blow, Wez moved before Mary could attack him again, leaping through the air at her with his claws out-stretched. **"Overpass Dive!"**

Mary didn't even have to move - she simply bent back, lower than the claws that had been aimed at her head. As Wez's face passed by her's, she smiled, and not in a friendly way.

**"Sauter Godot!"**

The fierce upward kick caught Wez right in his stomach, knocking him out of the air and sending him bouncing across the cave floor. A piece of his mask broke off on a particularly sharp rock, sailing right past Mary's head. The girl didn't flinch.

Growling, Wez got to his feet, now bleeding slightly from the collective lashes the girl had given him. Immediately, he lunged at her again, beginning to strike out rapidly with his claws in a flurry of stabs and slashes. **"Freeway Frenzy!"**

_"...what?" _was all Mary had to say, beginning to gracefully flip and dodge the attacks, and responding with her own whenever there was an opening.

Finally, Wez stopped his charge and stepped back, panting slightly. If it were possible for him to wipe the sweat off his forehead at the moment, he would have done so.

Mary smirked again, hopping lightly back and forth. "Oh? Are you tired already, Chemin Warrior?"

Wez didn't reply, simply pausing for a moment. Then he nodded. "Okay. I think that's just about enough."

Mary blinked. "Huh?"

Suddenly, the Road Warrior lunged forward - far faster than he had been so far. While caught off-guard, Mary still acted quickly enough to throw herself to the side, barely avoiding the razor-sharp claw thrust at her.

The girl landed smoothly, far less confident than she'd been until now. _"What's going on? Was he just holding back until now?"_

Her eyes flicked to where Wez had previously stood. Sitting on the ground over a spider-web of cracks in the rock floor were two metal bracers.

"_Poids?"_ Mary gasped inwardly. Her gaze turned back to Wez, whose claws were indeed missing a section.

The Road Warrior seemed pleased. "Are you surprised? You didn't really think I was that weak, did you, Thorn? By removing those weights, I can greatly increase my speed. Now then, shall we continue?"

Again he lunged toward her, forcing Mary to dodge again lest she find herself impaled on one of his claws. That wouldn't be pleasant, to say the least.

Wez brought back both his claws. **"Freeway Frenzy!"**

This time the shoe was on the other foot, as Mary's dodging was far less smooth than it had been earlier, and the attacks came too quickly to attempt any counter-attacks.

Finally, Mary jumped backward from a swipe that went wild, putting some much needed distance between the two of them. Breathing hard, she reached up and adjusted her beret before smiling. "Well, it seems like even without those weights, you still can't hit me, _Chemin_ Warrior."

Wez's eyes glinted slightly behind his mask. "Oh, really? Is that a challenge, Thorn?"

Mary took a cautious step back, her face changing to disbelief mixed with dread. _"...I had to open my big mouth, didn't I?"_

Raising one foot, and then the other, Wez kicked both of them backward. This sent two smaller, but no doubt equally heavy weights thudding to the floor.

Mary slowly gulped, readying herself to dodge the coming attack.

Wez smirked. **"Dead End...RIPPER!"**

The Road Warrior surged forward like a projectile from a cannon. At the same time, Mary threw herself in a cartwheel to the side, putting more speed into her movements than she'd been until now...

...and crashed to the ground, tumbling out of the air with all the grace of a toad.

Slowly, Mary pushed herself up. _"W-what...what happened..." _She suddenly grit her teeth, feeling a sharp pang from her left side. Hesitantly moving her hand there, she winced as she felt dampness - blood. The attack hadn't hit her dead on, but it had grazed, and even a minor wound from a weapon that large - especially when factoring in her small size - was enough to tear open Mary's side considerably.

_"It hurts..." _the girl thought. _"But...I'm _not _going to whimper."_

Slowly, she rose back to her feet, grabbing her fallen beret and placing it back on her head.

Wez waited, apparently not wanting to attack the girl while she was down. "You're still going to fight? I'm surprised." He sounded somewhat impressed.

Despite her wound, Mary smiled fiercely. "Aren't you the one underestimating their opponent now, _Chemin _Warrior? I'm not some frail little girl - I can still fight."

She moved back into her stance. "Shall we continue? You're about to see why I was truly given the name _l'epine_. I do hope you'll be grateful."

Wez hmphed derisively. "You're still so confident, even with a wound that large...well, I can certainly fix that."

Mary's smile changed to a smirk. "You can certainly _peiner_, at least."

* * *

Even with his usual self-deprecation, Frank honestly hadn't thought there could be any foe on this island that could match him. And, owing to the laws of the universe, he had been proven quite wrong in the form of Hokushin.

The assassin was easily his match in terms of speed, if not moreso, easily parrying Frank's katana with his dagger. In a head-to-head confrontation, the smaller blade would surely lose against the sword, struck away or broken underneath it's weight. But Hokushin seemed fully aware of this, and used his speed to his advantage, only attacking his opponent's sides or back. Frank didn't doubt that the assassin also knew where to hit him so that he didn't get up again. He couldn't afford to make any errors in this battle.

Leaping backward after another clash between their two blades, Hokushin was motionless for only a moment, before he dashed forward at Frank once more. Sliding around at the last moment, he thrust his blade toward the shinobi's right side, aiming for in-between his ribcage.

Frank reacted quickly, swinging his blade to intercept the dagger. With a clang, the smaller weapon collided against the flat of the other, stopping Hokushin cold.

Frank then drew back his leg, hoping that a kick might prove less...double-edged for him. However, he suddenly saw something unpleasant; the assassin, smiling.

Hokushin flicked his wrist, the motion faster than any normal person could react to. Of course, Frank was a shinobi, and not a normal person by any definition. His hand quickly moved, getting between the knife Hokushin had thrown and his vitals.

Despite his sneak attack failing, Hokushin smiled momentarily, hopping backward before Frank could counter-attack. _"Gotcha, mister halloween mask..."_

Suddenly however, he frowned, as he took a closer look at the wound he'd made. _"What the...even with all that covering he's wearing, that should have gone straight through his hand, and out the other side!"_

He watched as Frank, eyeing him carefully, sheathed his katana before grasping hold of the blade with his other hand.

Hokushin scoffed. _"He can't seriously intend to..."_

The assassin was then forced to eat his words, as the knife was gradually pulled free. Tossing the weapon aside, Frank drew his katana and leapt towards his opponent.

Hokushin responded, and the high-speed battle began once again. But the assassin was slightly distracted now. _"How the hell did he pull that out so easily? That wound should have been bigger, too...did it glance off, somehow?"_

So caught up in wondering about his opponent was the assassin, that when Frank's katana slipped past his dagger and cut into his side, it came as a complete surprise. Letting out an uncharacteristic yelp, Hokushin kicked away, using a series of short hops to put some distance between them.

With the slight lull in the combat, Frank's eyes shifted behind his mask, looking toward his injured hand. Despite the ease with which he'd pulled out the dagger, the pain from the wound was enough to give him a permanent wince. However, that wasn't quite what he was concerned about.

_"It was very fortunate that his weapon hit there...but I'll have to mend that glove after this. I doubt Hokushin will notice anything in the middle of battle, so I should be fine. I must make sure to keep him occupied, however."_

He watched carefully as Hokushin looked irritably at his new wound, before glaring at him. "You're not supposed to be this tenacious, dammit...but if you're so dead set on it, then why don't I show you something interesting?"

Frank watched, quickly shifting into a ready stance, as Hokushin adopted an odd posture; his head and arms hung down loosely, making him resemble a sleepwalker. Slowly, he began to sway back and forth, almost like a pendulum.

He spoke up as he did so, albeit with a growing lethargy. "I picked this technique up during a trip to East Blue. It was the signature move of a famous pirate there, who I was hired to kill. Heh, he nearly did me in with it, too. I had some free time afterward to lick my wounds, so I decided to learn it myself."

The swaying continued, and Hokushin's eyes began to dull. "Wasn't really that hard, either...genius in it's simplicity, you might say...basically, the user wills himself into a trance-like state, relying purely on instinct to fight...this lets them move much faster than normal.

Frank frowned. "Faster...by how much, exactly? If I may ask, that is."

"Well..." Hokushin drawled. "I've never really thought about it...not in terms of multiplication, anyway. But while I'm in this state...I can move fast enough that..."

He lifted his fingertips slowly, displaying them to Frank. "...my feet touch the ground ten times...in the blink of an eye."

A moment passed, and Frank nodded. "Very well. If you think an ability like that will allow you to defeat me, then please, go ahead."

Hokushin grinned. "...alright."

**"Shakushi!"**

* * *

"Hmmm..." murmured Wez, lunging at Mary with one claw, only to have her evade the weapon, as well as the other that came sailing in from the side. "I wonder, were you

holfding back a bit, thorn?"

Mary smiled calmly in mid-dodge. "Oh, _peut-etre_...or maybe you just became slower, _Chemin _Warrior?"

Indeed, it seemed like Mary was moving faster now. Ducking under a wide swing from Wez's left claw, she struck out with a transformed leg, hitting him in his open stomach, smiling all the wile.

Stumbling a bit, Wez quickly recovered, and then lunged toward Mary with one claw, apparently executing another Dead End Ripper attack.

Mary moved instantly, executing a far more successful cartwheel to evade the attack....however, when Wez was perpendicular to her, something in his boots suddenly gave a click, and the Road Warrior rotated ninety degrees before thrusting the other claw at her. **"Intersection Turn Cutter!"**

Having just returned to her feet, Mary didn't have enough time to dodge, or even comment on the stupid name.

Wez chuckled as he felt his claw thunk into Mary's body...

"_Wait...'thunk'?"_

He looked down, and his expression changed to one of shock. "What the!?"

The spot on Mary's chest he had aimed his claw at had erupted in a layer of small, interlocking thorns that stopped the weapon cold. Aside from being forced back a step or two, Mary was unharmed.

"**Broche Enseigne."** The girl said calmly. "Don't tell me...you thought those_ vignes _were all I could use my DevilFruit for, didn't you? That was the case for many people who fought me. But they were only speaking for themselves, and their own _petit _imaginations. Hm, if they had attained this power, I bet they wouldn't even have bothered learning what flower it allows you to turn into." She looked up at him. "Would you like to know, Chemin Warrior?"

Wez tugged at his claw hard, releasing it from the thorns that held it, and backed away carefully. He'd been a pirate long enough to know that people didn't start making speeches mid-battle for nothing. She had something up her sleeve.

"_And here I am, with nothing else up my _mine_. This could be bad."_

Mary cleared her throat, and began to speak, sounding like a teacher giving a lecture. "It's scientific name is _Arcus Rosa_, which translates to Rainbow Rose. But that _is _a bit pretentious, so most prefer to call it by it's nickname, 'Support Rose'. It's a very...meaningful name."

Wez remained motionless, watching carefully.

Mary smiled. "You're a very good listener. You see, the _Arcus Rosa _is a very unique flower, in almost every way. For instance, unlike other flowers, which can grow alone and often do so, the _Arcus Rosa _will _only _grow near large patches of it's own kind. It doesn't seem to matter which, but multiple varieties appear to be preferable for it. Now, why do you think this is the case?"

Wez didn't say anything. Evidently botany wasn't one of his strong suits. Who would have figured?

"Well..." Mary continued. "After the _Rosa _sprouts and blooms, it enters into a symbiotic relationship with the patch of flowers nearby. You see, when it undergoes photosynthesis, the _Rosa _far more nutrients for itself than a normal _fleur _would. The excess amount it shares with the other flowers, helping them to grow, aiding them, hence the name."

Wez snorted. "Well, unless you want to do some gardening, I don't see-"

"I wasn't finished." Mary interrupted. "This last part applies much more to you, so you should pay attention. You see, the relationship between the _Rosa _and other flowers is one of give-and-take. They receive the _Rosa's _excess nutrients...and in turn, when it distributes the food to them, it takes something in return."

"...and what's that, Thorn?" Wez asked. He didn't like where this was going.

Mary smirked. "To put it simply, my dear _Chemin _Warrior, it absorbs a portion of their DNA. No botanist has ever figured out exactly how the _Rosa _is able to do this, but it can, and after it does, it can then duplicate certain aspects and abilities of that flower."

"In other words," she said with a glint in her eye, "it's a flower that can _evoluer_ infinitely, with limitless potential. Helping others to become strong yourself...hm, I think that suits me very well."

She paused momentarily, to take in the look of shock that shone clear through Wez's mask, before shrugging. "But, unfortunately, I'm not nearly at that level yet. I was only told about this ability about a year ago."

Mary waited a second or two, for Wez to visibly relax, before adding, "sadly for you, it was on an island covered with flowers. Would you like to see some of them?"

Lifting up her hand, she revealed a small flower that had bloomed on the palm of it. It had blue petals, and every so often, released a puff of gas the same color."This is _Curro Flos_, a flower with an interesting defense mechanism. When it senses a predator coming - usually a small animal, like a chipmunk or a _ecureuil_ - it releases a special gas, that when inhaled, increases the speed of whatever has done so. Unfortunately, for simple creatures like them, this causes their minds to be unable to keep up with their body. They quickly go mad as a result, running around frantically and usually killing themselves with their _encheri_ speed. Even if they survive long enough for it to wear off, they won't dare go near the flower again. Hah, nature can be very cruel, _non_?"

Her smile grew. "You aren't a fool, _Chemin_ Warrior, so you must have realized by now. Ever since you cut me, I've been inhaling the gas from this fleurissez. My mind is a little more complicated than a squirrel's, so it has no negative effect, while at the same time making me faster."

She shrugged. "Of course, I'm a bit bigger than any predator of the flower's, so it takes a larger portion of the gas to affect me like that."

Then, Mary suddenly curtsied. "That's why I should thank you. You're very polite, standing there all this time and letting me talk."

Wez blinked, abruptly realizing the blunder he'd made.

"As a reward, I promise not to _blesser _you too badly."

As Mary crossed the distance between them quickly, and drew back one leg, one thought was at the forefront of Wez's mind. _"...well, crap."_

The young girl looked up at him, her beautiful eyes shining with anger that had been restrained until now."This is for helping someone do something this _affreux_! **Un!**"

Wez grunted as the wide, sweeping kick caught him in the middle of his chest, the thorns creating a shallow but painful cut across it. He stumbled backward a few paces, but rallied just in time to see Mary leaping toward him, foot outstretched.

"This is for every terrible thing your men have done to the people here! **Deux!**"

This kick caught Wez square in his throat, sending him reeling back another couple feet. When he was righted, he immediately began to cough and gag, the kick screwing up his air intake momentarily.

He didn't have much time to worry about that, however, as on the rebound Mary had landed on her hands, and after pushing off the ground forcefully, she was now in the air above him.

"And this is for being stupid enough to think you could defeat the Skull Pirates!" Beginning to flip around repeatedly as she came down, she finally threw both her transformed legs downward in a powerful double kick. **"TROI! Broche Danser; Premier Construire!"**

The thorn vines slammed down onto the top of Wez's mask, dashing the pirate to the floor and knocking a few more shards off his mask.

Mary landed gracefully, but she didn't seem to be finished just yet. "And _finalement_...this is from me!"

The girl lifted her leg, and slowly began to rotate in a pirouette, gradually picking up speed.

Pushing himself to his feet, Wez growled. "As if I'm going to hit a dead end here..."

He pulled back one claw. **"Dead End...RIPPER!"**

Putting as much force behind the thrust as he could, Wez lunged toward Mary quickly...

...but not quick enough.

**"BROCHE PRIMA FINALE!"**

The kick hit Wez square in the stomach, releasing all of the momentum Mary had built up in one mighty blow. The Road Warrior was stopped cold, his attack completely interrupted.

Wez groaned, feeling the kick shift his insides slightly. _"Damn it..."_

Then he was sent flying away, bouncing across the cavern floor before slamming face-first into the wall with a massive crash.

Amazingly, however, Wez was still conscious after this, and he moaned as a spider-web of cracks spread across his mask, before the whole thing broke apart.

What was under the mask was somewhat of a disappointment; Wez's rough face and corn-yellow hair weren't exactly handsome, but nor was he particularly ugly, either. Put simply, he looked average. What a let-down.

_"Dammit..." _He thought to himself again. _"Why did someone like her...have to show up...?"_

As he began to fall unconscious, he looked around at his crew, who were apparently now realizing that they shouldn't still be standing. This was resolved very quickly by them crashing to the floor, for good this time. He groaned again.

_"Without me, they're all...useless..."_

And then the Road Warrior fell unconscious, his role in this little affair having come to a close.

* * *

Frank jumped to the right as Hokushin flew past, barely missing him with a swing from his dagger. He took a moment to catch his breath. Hokushin hadn't been making an empty boast, it seemed. In fact, he'd barely been able to avoid his opponent's attacks since he had entered this trance.

The assassin came toward him again. Frank swung his katana at the same time as Hokushin thrust his dagger, and immediately felt the assassin's weapon collide against it with all the force of a cannonball. Frank strained against the force as best he could, but was ultimately bowled over by the strength of the attack. As he fell, Frank fell to the left, using the transferred momentum to carry himself out of harm's way.

Rolling to his feet, Frank watched as Hokushin quickly spun around, not halting for a moment, before charging at him once more.

Frank smiled. _"Very well. If speed is your expertise, then I'll simply nullify it."_

His hand snapped out of a pouch, holding one of his scrolls. **"Tao Scroll; Absolute Zero!"**

The em to projectile was tossed, not at Hokushin but at the ground in his path. The slip of paper exploded, the power contained within creating a miniature ice field in the cavern. Glittering, it was beautiful in it's foreigness; so much so that even people involved in the battle were distracted by it.

Hokushin, however, didn't seem to notice. In fact, he was running across the ice like it wasn't even there. In an instant, he was upon the shinobi.

Time seemed to slow down momentarily. Hokushin pulled back his dagger, while Frank, gulping, took a step backward and began to raise his sword. It was far too late for it to parry the weapon, however, and it was aimed directly at his heart. It seemed the battle was decided now...

...and then the gods of fate decided to smile upon Frank, as they often did - and just as often, _didn't _- for people in these kinds of situations. For, you see, Frank had mis-aimed a bit when he had thrown the scroll. Not by much, but enough so that a tiny bit of the ice had been created underneath _his _feet as well. Now, surprised by this, he tripped, sailing underneath the thrust dagger.

Despite hitting his head somewhat hard on the icy surface, Frank still acted quickly. sweeping out with his legs and knocking Hokushin's out from under him. The assassin's head met the ice with a sickening crack, and he lay still.

Getting to his feet, Frank angled his katana to point at his opponent's throat, then exhaled heavily. _"Just like I planned...hah, I wonder if anyone would believe me?"_

Clearing his throat, he addressed the assassin. "Now get up, Hokushin, and no sudden movements, or you'll regret it."

However, something was wrong. Hokushin wasn't moving, and what's more, Frank couldn't tell if he was breathing, either.

Frank gulped._ "Did...did he hit his head harder than me?"_

Any other shinobi probably wouldn't have cared, but Frank didn't particularly want to become a murderer. He leaned in, listening for any life signs...

And stumbled backward, a knife wound in the right side of his stomach.

Hokushin leapt to his feet and hopped backward off the ice. He was laughing. "How stupid are you? Really, _how_ stupid are you?"

Frank didn't seem quite prepared to reply, for he was surveying the wound he'd been given. Hokushin had only intended it to surprise him, so it hadn't been delivered as accurately as it could have, but it was still a dangerous injury all the same.

Hokushin smiled, toying with his knife. "I guess that was just a fluke after all. Hah, I don't know why I was worried in the first place."

Frank raised his head to glare at him. "So, you are a coward as well."

The assassin just shrugged. "I'll freely admit that. But aren't you one, as well? You couldn't kill me when you had a perfect chance..." He began to sway again. "...and too bad for you, because that's the only chance you're gonna get."

"**Shakushi!"**

Once again, Hokushin shot toward Frank like a rocket. The shinobi responded by diving to the left, tossing out a flurry of shurikens as he did so.

Hokushin swung his blade wildly, easily swatting the projectiles out of the air, before altering his course to pursue his fleeing opponent. His speed easily allowed him to overtake Frank, and he drew back the knife once more, preparing to stab him in the back.

However, Frank suddenly whirled around and threw something in his hand at the rushing assassin. Hokushin didn't notice it in his state, of course...until there came an explosion of light and sound, overwhelming his senses and knocking him out of his trance state.

Letting out a scream and stumbling backward, Hokushin clapped his hands onto his eyes, dropping his knife as he did so. His vision was overcome by white, and he couldn't see a thing, while his eardrums screeched in pain, the only thing he could hear.

"Bastard..." he muttered to Frank, even though he couldn't see him. "When I get my hands on you, I'm going to make you _suffer_..."

A blow he didn't sense coming hit him in the stomach, bowling him over. "You stab me in the stomach, and then say things like that over only temporary injuries? I did not know that assassins were so petty."

It was being dismissed so easily that did it. People didn't ignore him when he made threats. They cowered, they begged, they tried to negotiate...they _didn't _fight back, _didn't_ wound him this much, and _didn't_ insult him! That wasn't how it was supposed to work! It WASN'T!

A low growl made it's way out from Hokushin's throat. "I'll slice you to pieces...and those into _smaller _pieces. I am Hokushin, assassin of the North Star! And you're dead!"

Drawing out yet another knife, Hokushin then made an unexpected movement; namely, hurling himself to the side - right at a large rock.

With a sickening crack that made even a trained shinobi like Frank wince, the assassin collided hard with the side of it, assuredly knocking himself out cold. Of course, since this was hardly a problem for him in a fight, he almost instantly rose, back in the Shakushi trance once more.

As before, Hokushin wasted no time in dashing towards Frank at a speed most people couldn't hope to achieve, or even witness with their own eyes.

Frank himself didn't believe he could ever do anything of _that _calibre...but, dealing with a technique like this? Maybe.

When Hokushin had begun to rise, Frank had sheathed his katana - an odd move when your opponent is about to attack, but perhaps not when you had a plan in mind.

Now, with the assassin lunging toward him, dagger held outward, Frank unsheathed the blade and swung it forward, all in one motion - an _Iai _technique.

Immediately, there came the grinding of metal, as Frank's katana met Hokushin's dagger once more. The North Star assassin seemed to have put more force into this rush than the last one that had hit - almost instantly, the shinobi felt his arm start to shudder under the force of the attack. If Hokushin was feeling something similar, he wasn't showing it. He probably couldn't feel much in that state, Frank realized.

Slowly, despite Frank's best efforts, the dagger began to force it's way down the length of the larger blade. Gradually, it inched toward Frank's body...

The shinobi grit his teeth. _"If I die here...then he'll go free, and never be punished for his crimes, won't he?" _

The thought of such a thing summoned up hidden adrenaline within Frank._ "I can't...let that happen!"_

With a mighty swing, Frank overpowered Hokushin, sending his dagger clattering away on the stone floor. Before Hokushin could think of drawing another knife - Frank held no doubt that he had one - the shinobi raised his blade aloft.

**"Ittoryu Hissatsu; Ryusei Shougeki!"**

Frank's blade slashed straight down the middle of Hokushin's body, sending a torrent of blood...

...no, wait, it simply sent him crashing to the ground, a lump forming on his head. Frank had hit him with the flat of his katana's blade.

However, the assassin seemed a bit more resilient than Wez had been. He lifted his head wearily, and choked, "how did...you see..."

Frank shrugged modestly. "Any shinobi would have been able to do it. You are fast, I'll freely admit, but you made a critical mistake by assuming that since I couldn't see or keep up with you, that I couldn't counter your attack.

On the island where I grew up, we were trained to fight against people who could move twice as fast as you claim to. Ever since you began using that ability, I was thinking and watching carefully, for any weaknesses or openings that I could find.

You must not have noticed, but the distance between us when you executed that last rush was exactly the same as when you used Shakushi for the first time. Back then, I counted off how long it took you to reach me, and used that knowledge when I swung my blade just now."

Frank tilted his head as Hokushin slowly processed that statement in his head. "Is that surprising? You also shouldn't assume your opponent will be easy beaten just because they look odd."

Bending low, he thrust the end of his katana's hilt into Hokushin's head. That did it, and the assassin slumped backward, out cold.

Conveniently, Frank's Goldfinger Invincible picked that moment to run out. Or perhaps not, for Frank was suddenly forced to realized he had a large cut on his hand, a dangerous stab wound in his gut, and a general aching all over. As a result, he executed the most appropriate action - he fainted.

However, as he did so, a small smile grew on his face. _"I did it...again."_

* * *

Whatever had been making the Road Warriors so determined in battle, it was now over. The mermen stood back, their pent-up anger fading away, and began to tend to any injuries they had sustained in the fighting. Jack looked around at the ones he'd been fighting and frowned.

"Man, and I had just broken a sweat, too."

He looked over at Drake. "Well, looks like we're done here, needle nose. Let's get these guys back up top, huh?"

The shark shook his head. "I agree, but I'm afraid we're not quite finished yet. Look."

He pointed across the cavern to a side-tunnel, which a black-clothed figure was ducking into.

"Helsing." Drake supplied.

Jack grinned. "That's our Big Bad, eh?" He cracked his knuckles. "Well, we know what we have to do, don't we?"

Drake only nodded.

Quickly, the two ran towards the tunnel. It was time to end this.

_To be continued..._

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates!**

**Ryoga: **I'm afraid I can't let either of you pass.

**Jack: **Whatever. Punch him a couple times for me, Drake!

**Brandy: **Ryoga can take care of himself...he had to, before he joined us.

**Shark VS Dragon! Which is the Strongest Style!?**

**Drake/Ryoga: **I...WON'T LOSE!

**Attacks**

**Mary**

**Amarrant Parterre: **French for 'Lashing Flowerbed'. Moving into a handstand, Mary transforms both her legs to execute a wide, spinning kick in all directions. Ideal for attacking multiple foes at once, but obviously undesirable for fighting single foes.

**Broche Marche: **French for 'Thorn Step'. Essentially the same technique as _Broche Fouetter_, but done with a foot instead of an arm. It does come with the possible side-effect of making it easier for Mary to lose her balance, however.

**Sauter Godot: **French for 'Leaping Flowerpot'. Bending over backward, Mary executes a powerful kick directly above her. It has shorter range then most of her other techniques, and does leave her open to attacks on the ground, but it can be very useful against enemies that like to jump or glide around.

**Broche Enseigne: **French for 'Thorn Shield'. Sprouting a number of tiny thorns from her body, Mary assembles them together to block enemy attacks. Not an indestructible barricade by any means, but helpful in a pinch.

**Broche Danser; Premierre Construire: **French for 'Thorn Danse, First Act'. A series of three powerful blows, executed with deadly grace. Mary usually uses it to soften an opponent up before finishing them off. As the name implies, the first in a series of techniques.

**Broche Prima Finale: **A powerful finishing technique used by Mary. Building up force and momentum by going into a pirouette, Mary releases it in one powerful kick, that as shown in this chapter, can send the enemy flying. The 'Prima' in the name is a reference to the title of 'Prima Ballerina Assoluta', given only to the most exceptional dancers. Whether Mary qualifies is arguable, but the devestating force of this attack is not.

**Frank**

**Ittoryu Hissatsu; Ryusei Shougeki: **Japanese for 'One Sword Style Finishing Blow; Star Crash. Switching his katana to the flat side, Frank strikes a foe hard on the head, in an attempt to knock them unconscious. Useful for taking down an opponent harmlessly, and even moreso for someone who dislikes the sight of blood. Like Frank.

**Wez**

**Dead End Ripper: **Pulling back one of his claws momentarily, Wez lunges forward with it, attempting to impale his enemy on the weapon's edge. Due to the nature of the attack and the weapon used, it can also pierce through certain armor.

**Gridlock Crusher: **Spreading two of his claws apart, Wez slams them together hard, attempting to, as the name implies, crush whatever happens to be between them. Afterward, it also provides a handy shield for blocking frontal attacks.

**Overpass Dive: **Displaying surprising acrobatic 'talent' for a man his size, Wez leaps through the air, seeking to either crush his foe beneath his weight, or impale them with his claws.

**Freeway Frenzy: **Wez goes into a fierce series of combo attacks with his claws, attempting to overpower the enemy with his strength, or back them into a corner and leave them unable to dodge. Not very abundant in finesse, granted, but Wez didn't have much use for that in general.

**Hokushin**

**Shakushi: **The famed technique of one Captain Kuro, a famous pirate from West Blue. After the user wills himself into a trance, they display a noticeable increase in their speed and agility; however, at the same time, their ability for rational thinking is nullified and they can'r fully see where they're going. The ability increase is arguably worth it, however, as it allows the user to rival the speed of even CP9's _Soru _technique.

**Brandy**

**Flipping the Table: **Grabbing an opponent somewhere below the waist, but usually the feet, Brandy uses their weight to their disadvantage, flinging them off their feet like a domino.

**Shake the Bottle: **Brandy hits an opponent over the head with one fist, causing dizziness from or two sources, depending on whether his Devil Fruit is active at the time.

**Bouncer's Rush: **Dodging around an attacking foe, Brandy uses their momentum against them and hurls them into the nearest hard surface available.

**Terms**

**Drunken Boxing: **Essentially, exactly what the name says; a martial art practised by drunkards. The techniques utilized by students of the art use inebriation to it's fullest extent, for a variety of quick, unpredictable attacks.

**Hebe Hebe no Mi: **Translates roughly to 'Drunk Drunk Fruit', and for good reason. A rather...odd Devil Fruit, that allows the eater to store a small amount of alcohol within them whenever they consume anything that has it, and release it at a later date. This can allow them to turn themselves drunk, other people drunk (provided they're touching), or with the right amount of power, make an entire room plastered. Although useless at first glance, it can be very deadly when it needs to be...just like the person who ate the fruit.

**Sanjiandse - **Well, I apologize, but I can't think of anywhere I could fit this character. Just a suggestion, but perhaps you could make a story of your own to put her in, instead of expecting someone else to do it for you? You have stories of your own on your profile, after all, and you'd probably write better for her than I.

Well, until next time, see ya.


	15. Shark VS Dragon

And now the fight I've been building up to since this arc began! Enjoy.

* * *

"Ahhhh..." Brandy breathed out in satisfaction, lowering the bottle from his lips. "The after-effect's okay, but I prefer the taste, myself."

All around the marine captain were unconscious marines and members of the Road Warrior crew. He'd certainly earned a drink.

Brandy looked over as one of the defecting seamen of the base approached. "Oh, hey. Thanks for the help, guys, really. Are you all okay?"

The seaman nodded. "We've got a few injuries here or there, but no casualties, thank god. Well, more like thanks to you, sir."

The captain shook his head. "Nah. You guys did most of the work."

"No, no," replied the seaman, shaking his head, "we'd never have had the guts to stand up to Helsing if not for you and the deputy-captain."

He looked around. "Where is he, anyway?"

Brandy shrugged. "Ah, he ran after Helsing when the fight started. Should be catching up just about now, actually."

"W-what?" the seaman said in a surprised tone. "Sir, Helsing's stronger than he looks. Are you sure Ryoga can handle him."

Brandy nodded. "Ryoga's a bit tougher than you might think, too. He can handle himself just fine...he had to, before he joined us."

He suddenly frowned irritably, shifting his position a bit. A large piece of paper tends to poke into you when you roll it up and stick it in your back pocket, but between an uncomfortable seat and his subordinate being distrusted for life...well, he'd take the latter, thank you.

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Fifteen: Shark VS Dragon! Which is the Strongest Style!?**

With Wez and Hokushin taken care of, and the Road Warrior pirates unconscious, it seemed that Helsing was the only one left. Once he was finished, this would all be over, and Drake and Jack were the ones to do it.

With nothing left to get in their way, they ran forward after the corrupt captain. Nothing could stop them now.

"WAAAAAAAAAIT!"

...okay, maybe _one_ thing.

Someone suddenly sailed over their heads, spinning around to face them before they landed.

It was, of course, Ryoga.

A moment passed, and then Jack snapped his fingers. "Oh, hey! It's you...uh, Ricky? Roger? Ramone? ...Reggie?"

The martial artist grew increasingly red during this, until he finally burst out, "RYOGA! MY NAME IS RYOGA, AND YOU KNOW IT IS!"

"Oh yeah. Well it's been a while, man. Cut me some slack."

Growling, Ryoga pointed right at him. "Jack Bones! You are under arrest for the act of piracy on the high seas, as well as the wanton theft of a marine vessel! How do you plead?"

"Whichever way makes you buzz off. We're busy."

Ryoga would have started the fight right there, if Drake hadn't stepped forward.

"He's right. You're in our way, so please move."

Ryoga looked up at the merman that now towered over him.

"No." he said.

Drake nodded respectfully at this. Then his fist shot forward at Ryoga's head. He held back a bit, though; it didn't seem like he was involved in this at all.

The merman needn't have worried; Ryoga's own hand flew up, stopping the blow cold. His own fist flew out at Drake's mid-section; a quick attack delivered by reflex, the ripple user could tell.

Drake blocked with his own arm, grunting slightly at the force of the attack. He pushed off and hopped back next to Jack.

"So, you know him?" he asked Jack quietly.

"Long story," the pirate replied, "but trust me, no way is he gonna just let us by. Look, I'll distract him, so-"

Drake shook his head immediately. "No. Only I can fight him."

Jack turned to him in shock. "Wait, what do you - huh?"

The 'huh' came from the fact that Drake had just grabbed him strongly by the back of his shirt, hoisting him up off his feet.

"Wha, what the hell are you doing, Drake!? Put me down!"

"That's the idea."

"What do you me...no, Drake, don't do it, no, no no no no - AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Drake threw Jack with all his might, sending him sailing right over Ryoga's head. He hit the ground hard, but quickly began to get back up.

"Not so fast!" Ryoga ran forward at Jack, drawing back a fist...

Only for Drake to intercept, two swift punches forcing Ryoga to block and then retreat.

The merman looked to Jack as he got up. "Now hurry up, and go take care of him. I'll handle things here."

Jack readjusted his hat and frowned. "But, you're the one who..."

"You think I care? As long as Helsing faces justice, I'll be satisfied. Now hurry; if he gets away, I'll give you twice what I did when we met."

Grinning, Jack nodded. "If you say so. I'll make sure to punch him a couple times for you!"

And then he was off, running down the tunnel.

Ryoga watched him go, knowing that Drake would block him if he tried to pursue. He looked at the merman. Proper regulation dictated he attack him right now - he had just voluntarily assaulted a marine officer, after all - but he was honestly curious.

"Sending a pirate to met out justice...if you don't mind me saying so, that's a bit skewed."

Drake shrugged. "Right now, I trust him more than I do any marine."

Ryoga's eyes narrowed at this. A moment of eerie silence passed in the cavern.

The merman shook his head, breaking it. "Perhaps that was a bit unfair. You're with another group of marines, correct?"

When the marine nodded, he continued. "I'm not foolish enough to believe all marines are like most of the ones stationed here. But, well...this has been going on for several years, and you're only now showing up. I'm sorry, but letting you people be the heroes after all this time wouldn't be right."

Ryoga listened to this patiently, and when Drake was through, he nodded. "Obstruction of justice, eh?" His eyes turned forceful. "Well, I didn't come down here to be held up by you. I came here to catch a criminal! So get out of my way!"

Drake jabbed a thumb at himself. "If you want to uphold your justice, then do it with your fists. If you're really meant to capture Helsing here, then you should have no trouble defeating me."

Ryoga nodded. "Of course. At the hands of a marine, justice is sure to prevail."

He flung off his uniform, revealing his martial arts outfit. He then pointed at Drake. "I don't fight an opponent without first exchanging names. I am Petty Officer Ryoga Hitachi, Deputy-Captain of Cherry Island's marine base. You are?"

"Drake." the merman said in a much more subdued manner. "Just Drake; I have no titles like that."

Ryoga nodded. "Drake, then. I assume you're the one responsible for the attacks on this island's marines, yes?"

The merman didn't respond to this, but Ryoga chose to take that as a yes. "When we came to this island, Helsing tasked us with catching you. It seems I'll get to fulfill that false duty. Now...

FIGHT ME!"

Ryoga dashed forward, and Drake was all to happy to mirror the action. The two met in the middle of their paths, the battle beginning with an almost literal bang as both sides erupted into a flurry of punches, kicks, and other complicated moves.

After a long moment of this, he two fighters broke off momentarily to catch their breath. Then Drake suddenly rushed forward, hoping to catch his opponent off-guard. **"Shark MORDER!"**

Using his smaller size to his advantage, Ryoga quickly ducked. The blow still caught him on his shoulder, but didn't seem to effect him much. Quickly, he captalized on the opening he'd made. **"Kibatsu Ryu!"**

Drake grunted as the powerful blow hit him in the side; despite being shorter than the merman, Ryoga hit almost as hard.

...and apparently just as fast, too. Before Drake could counterattack, Ryoga had already put distance between them again.

The merman frowned. _"He's my equal in every aspect shown so far. Fast, strong, not to mention whatever that was beneath his eyes...this could be trouble."_

He clenched his fists tighter. _"But even so, I have to win."_

Drake moved again, rushing toward Ryoga at an impressive speed. Rather than using his fists, however, he leapt into the air, attacking the marine with a flying kick. **"Dolphin Patada!"**

Not one to be outdone, Ryoga too jumped into the air, striking with a kick of his own. **"Hishou Ryu!"**

The two fighters clashed briefly in midair and landed on opposite sides of the cavern, their backs to each-other. Both Drake and Ryoga looked to their sides to see sizeable slash wounds where their opponent had hit them.

Ryoga frowned. _"Hard enough to cut skin...he's really not fooling around. But neither am I. The oath I took when I became a marine is something I can't let down. No, __**won't **__let down. But I will grant him one thing, though."_

At that moment, the same approximate thought ran through the minds of both combatants.

_"He's _good."

* * *

Unlike all of the other tunnels that winded through the cavern, Helsing's escape tunnel was nothing more than a linear path. Presumably this was a choice forced upon him by the environment, but it could have also been a pragmatic one. Getting lost in the haste of escaping would be quite embarassing...and quite possibly fatal.

But that didn't mean the tunnel was empty. Helsing had installed many fun things along it's length; things like tripwires that sent stone weights indistinguisable from the ceiling crashing down, pressure plates that activated hidden arrow launchers, and a host of other dangerous traps, all designed to make the good captain's pursuer(s) waste time dealing with them.

But Jack wasn't interested in wasting time here; he'd said he was going to do something, and he wasn't going to make himself a liar, traps or no traps. He barrelled through the trip wires, barely dodging the stone blocks that fell just behind him. He stepped on the pressure plates without a care, smashing the arrows out of the way. This obstacle course had been made with normal humans in mind, and Jack was no longer in that category.

Sidestepping around a swinging axe from the ceiling without slowing down, the captain of the Skull Pirates grinned. _"What, is this all? Considering how much everyone talks the guy up, I expected a bit-"_

Tempting fate tended to make it show up, and this time was no different. Another tripwire was cut, and several something dropped down from the ceiling. They weren't stones, either.

Splat. Jack stopped dead in his tracks, his nose smelling something foul.

He looked down. He was covered head to toe in oil. On the ground were the remains of a burst sack.

"...heh heh. Insult to injury. So you have a sense of humor, eh?" Jack said after a moment, grinning.

Then he was off like a bullet, his speed nearly doubling. "I WONDER HOW FUNNY YOU'LL THINK MY FISTS ARE!?"

* * *

Lowering the binoculars from her eyes, Jade frowned. _"Still nothing...Helsing could be long gone already, and we wouldn't be any the wiser."_

She turned as a marine walked up. "Have any of you seen anything yet, boys?"

Keeping his composure despite the tone that came with the last word, the seaman shook his head. "No, Inspector, I'm afraid not. But don't worry, he won't get by us!"

Jade resisted the urge to point out the numerous ways Helsing could slip away undetected from them; breaking the moral of people she'd been put in charge of would be unmarinelike, after all.

"You're doing a good job. Keep up the good work." she smiled.

The seaman walked off, trying to keep his knees stable.

When he was gone, Jade resumed watch, but frowned as she did so. _"Drake...are you down there, fighting? I hope you're alright."_

She laughed inwardly. _"Well, I _know _you are. I'm not stupid."_

* * *

Down in the cavern, the fight between the martial artists was still raging.

Jumping over a sweeping kick and then bending low to avoid a punch, Ryoga drew back his arm, the palm of his hand flat** "Ryu Soshaku!"**

Drake grunted in pain as the attack hit him in the stomach with far more force than a simple palm hit ought to have.

Dodging another blow from Drake meant to drive him away, Ryoga drew his bo staff in one swift motion. **"Ryu...SHIPPO!"**

The marine felt the thrust collide with his opponent with some satisfaction...a feeling that vanished instantly when he saw that Drake had grabbed the end of the staff with one hand, stopping it from hitting his face.

The merman looked down at the end of the weapon, which was now glowing red like a fire poker. As was his hand, with no small amount of pain along with it.

"A ki user, I see." Drake said calmly. He pulled back his free arm. **"Whale...DERRUMBAR!"**

The blow hit Ryoga dead on in his face, knocking the marine backward. He flipped around in midair, landing a bit clumsily on one knee, and caught his staff when Drake threw it back to him.

"That's right." Ryoga said, getting to his feet. "I'm surprised you didn't notice before; other martial artists I've fought have sensed it almost instantly."

Drake shrugged. "I wasn't trained to sense Ki, and I don't really need to, either."

"Ah." Ryoga replied politely. He began to stretch a bit. "Since that's out of the bag now...how about we both stop fooling around, and get serious?"

The merman nodded. "That's fine with me; otherwise, this will probably go on forever."

"Alright, then." Ryoga closed his eyes, and his entire body tensed up. "I'll go first."

A look of intense concentration appeared on the marine's face. Slowly, the air around him seemed to grow hazy. Drake took a step back as the temperature around the two of them began to rise.

Then, finally, a ki aura burst into being around Ryoga's body. It resembled burning flames, and it lit up the dank cavern with it's glowing radiance.

Drake raised an eyebrow. "Impressive."

Ryoga waved a hand at the merman, gesturing for him to go ahead.

Drake complied. In contrast to Ryoga's stance, he let his body go slack, and relax itself. Then he began to breath, in and out, just as his master had taught him.

Slowly, he felt energy from the ocean around Newport Island slowly come to him. Every living thing, from the big to the small, granted the merman a small amount of their own strength - and this collective power came together in an aura that resembled the shifting sea.

Ryoga stared at the display before him, his mind racing. _"W-what is that? It's not ki, or any other energy I've seen before...I can't even sense it! Just who is this guy!?"_

His thoughts were interrupted as Drake took the initiative, quickly closing the distance between them and lashing out with a punch. His movements were far quicker than they were before.

But so were Ryoga's. He struck with a punch of his own, and the two fists collided head-on. The effect was immediate; Ryoga's firey ki clashed with Drake's ripple, and sent up a cloud of steam as the two auras fought each-other.

Both combatants grunted at the backlash, but neither was willing to be the first one to retreat. They both struck again, again, and again, the sound of their fists smashing together filling the cavern.

Drake grit his teeth. **"Piranha..."**

Ryoga tensed up. **"Ryu..."**

**"ESCUELA!"**

**"ARASHI!"**

The speed and rate of the two's punches more than doubled as they both let out their battle cries. The result was a whirlwind of fists as Drake and Ryoga fiercely attacked their opponent. Most of the punches collided with eachother and simply cancelled out, but a few of them slipped past the barrage and gave glancing blows to the martial artists.

Slowly, they slid backward, the force of the rapidfire punches moving even their planted feet. Then, finally, they broke away from eachother, both of them panting slightly.

"You...fight well." Ryoga complimented.

"You too." Drake replied. "You're...very skilled. Your master did a good job training you."

Ryoga nodded, smiling proudly. "Yes, he did. And you're about to see just _how _good!" Let's continue, Drake!"

The merman nodded, and the two martial artists charged eachother once more.

* * *

Drake and Ryoga were too focused on the battle to notice, but they had a small audience that had been watching them since they'd begun.

"Really," sighed Mary, leaning back to try and get more comfortable on the rock wall her back was to, "it doesn't look like this is going anywhere at all. It's a bit ennuyeux."

Beside her, Gerald shrugged. "Well, that's what happens when two fighters of the same class fight. I imagine they've both been trained to watch for stances and such, so this deadlocking for a while is inevitable, really."

Beside him, Frank nodded in agreement. "That's right. According to some stories back at my village, there have been duels between shinobi that lasted whole days at a time!"

Both Gerald and Mary were silent for a moment as they thought about this. They both came to the same conclusion; if Frank said it, it was probably true. He didn't have it in him to lie.

"Hopefully that won't be the case here, then." the moustachoied man murmured. "At least not if if they expect us to watch the whole thing, anyway."

His friends nodded. Everything had a limit, after all; even a fight as impressive as this one.

* * *

Drake ducked low as Ryoga swung a leg upward in a wide kick. The marine promptly sprang nimbly backward when the merman attempted a counterattack, but...

**"TIDAL...ABLANDIR!"**

...before he could complete the flip, he was nailed in the back by a portion of Drake's aura, which the merman had sent flying off his arm with a strong punch.

Ryoga landed in a heap, dazed momentarily. To his credit, though, he rose back to his feet quickly enough.

"Ha ha," he chuckled, "I didn't see that coming at all. My error, I suppose; even if you aren't a Ki user, no martial artist worth their stuff _wouldn't _be able to do a fireball technique."

He smiled. "For instance..."

**"RYU KYUUTAI!"**

Ryoga's hand snapped outward, a burst of his firey ki flying out of it, right toward Drake. The merman struck out at it with one fist as it came near, and after a brief struggle the ki blast burst, Drake grunting as the heat washed over him.

Unfortunately, while blocking one had been easy enough, blocking the two ki blasts Ryoga had fired shortly after the first was a different matter altogether. They hit Drake on either side of his shoulder, and the merman grunted in pain as his blue skin reddened from the burn. He didn't have time to worry about that, however, for Ryoga was upon him.

Letting out a cry, the marine spun around, lashing out with a fierce kick. As the leg came up toward his neck, Drake's hand snapped out, stopping the limb's movement with one hand.

Not one to let up so easily, Ryoga then attacked with a punch. Drake blocked this too, cupping his hand around the fist.

Letting out a slightly irritated growl, the marine struck out with a kick to the merman's stomach, driving the two away from eachother once again.

As the two fighters settled and regained their breath, Ryoga sighed. "We aren't getting anywhere like this. Any blow I give you, you duplicate effortlessly." This last sentence sounded impressed.

Drake nodded. "We do seem to be equals. What do you suggest, then?"

"Simple." said Ryoga. He shifted back into his stance. "We finish this with one blow. Your strongest technique against my own."

A moment passed, and then Drake grinned. "Alright."

* * *

From their positions against the wall, Mary, Frank, and Gerald watched as the two fighter's respectives auras began to slowly grow in size and intensity.

Gerald rose from his sitting position, beginning to walk away. "Right, I'll just be in the tunnel if either of you need me. Far back, mind."

Mary and Frank watched him go, and after a momentary pause, followed.

* * *

If any of the Road Warriors were still conscious, they probably would have run too; the glow from the auras had grown even brighter, red and blue clashing like twin stars. Small stones were picked up and hurled away from the combined force, and cracks in the ground even began to form where the two stood. It was truly a sight to behold, even from cover.

Slowly, the energy from the two fighter's aura's began to shift, gathering toward one point on their bodies; for Drake, his left fist, and for Ryoga, his right.

As the Ripple and Ki focused themselves, their user's hands began to glow with pure light; Drake's the color of the sea, a beautiful aqua-blue, and Ryoga's a scarlet red, the color of searing flames.

The two of them drew their glowing fists back.

**"Sea King..." **said Drake.

**"Ryu..." **began Ryoga.

As one, they both charged, crossing the distance between themselves with lightning speed.

**"TERMINAR!"**

**"KEEEEN!"  
**

Finally they clashed, fighting against eachother with all of their strength. It only lasted a moment, even though it seemed like much longer. And in that instant, one thought ran through both Drake and Ryoga's minds.

_I...WON'T LOSE!_

A massive backlash of power ripped through the cavern.

* * *

Then, it was over.

The cavern was in far worse shape than before they had come in, that was for sure; cracks in the floor were everywhere, and the piles of rocks stacked up against the walls had all but been obliterated. Some of the unconscious Road Warriors had been unfortunate enough to be scorched by Ryoga's ki, or blown away by Drake's ripple. Waking up wouldn't be very pleasant for them. Well, moreso than for the rest, anyway.

Drake and Ryoga were now on opposite sides, their backs to the other. Both were breathing heavily, and neither had gotten out of the clash unscathed. Drake now sported scorch and burn marks all over his front, and he was sweating, the heat effecting him greatly as a merman. Ryoga had bruises all over him, and one of his arms was now

broken, bent painfully at the middle. A cut on his forehead was the cherry on the top. The two fighters were breathing heavily, their auras gone.

"...ha ha..." Ryoga was the first to speak, laughing wearily. His knees were shaking. "I...guess you wanted to win...a little more. Oh well...it was a good match...Drake..."

Then he fell over, unconscious.

Drake looked at him over his shoulder for a moment, before taking a step back toward Helsing's escape tunnel...and falling over as well.

_"I'm completely sapped of energy...hah, the first time in a while I've been this exhausted."_

Just before it all went dark, The merman tilted his head up to look at the tunnel's entrance.

_"It's up to you now...Jack..."_

_To be continued..._

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates...**

**Helsing: **And just who are you supposed to be?

**Mary: **If he's there, then we don't need to worry.

**Brandy: **Wow...

**Jack VS Helsing! The End of Ambition and Tyranny!**

**Jack: **After this, you're gonna know who I am. I guarantee it.

**Attacks and Terms**

**Drake**

**Dolphin Patada - **Spanish for 'Dolphin Kick'. Drake executes a strong, either from the ground or in the air. It's strength is rougly equivalent to _Shark Morder_.

**Whale Derrumbar - **Spanish for 'Whale Crash'. Winding up a punch, Drake unleashes a strong blow. Although powerful, it holds a disadvantage in terms of speed.

**Tidal Ablandir - **Spanish for 'Tidal Wave'. Drake expels some of his ripple energy in a wave of force. The strength of it and other Ripple techniques depend on Drake's proximity to the ocean and the creatures within.

**Sea King Terminar - **Spanish for 'Sea King Finish'. Drake charges up one of his arms with a large portion of Ripple energy, and then unleashes a it in the form of a punch. An extremely powerful technique, Drake usually reserves it as a finisher, hence the name.

**Ryoga**

**Kibatsu Ryu - **Japanese for 'Striking Dragon'. Ryoga delivers a simple punch, not with much force, but with great speed.

**Hishou Ryu - **Japanese for 'Flying Dragon'. Taking to the air, Ryoga executes a flying kick. The martial artist's small size and speed make this attack particularly effect in certain situations.

**Ryu Soshaku - **Japanese for 'Dragon Bite'. Ryoga hits his foe with a palm strike; although weak, he can augment this attack with his ki to potentially stun them.

**Ryu Shippo - **Japanese for 'Dragon Tail'. Unbuckling his bo staff, Ryoga thrusts out with it. He can also heat up the end with his Ki.

**Ryu Arashi - **Japanese for 'Dragon Storm'. Increasing his speed, Ryoga unleashes a devastating array of punches, all with the strength of his Ki at the end. As shown, it can easily match Drake's _Piranha Escuela_.

**Ryu Kyuutai - **Japanese for 'Dragon Orb'. Ryoga tosses out a simple - but powerful - ball of Ki at an enemy. Ryoga has trained well at this technique, and can easily do it multiple times in short succession.

Well, until next time...see ya!


	16. Jack VS Helsing

Up in the base's foyer, Brandy suddenly lifted his head and looked at one of the side doors leading out of the room. "Huh?"

The seamen with him blinked, and also looked...but there was (seemingly) nothing there.

Brandy then turned and looked behind him. "Yo."

Frank blinked, surprised. "Oh. H-hello." he said, sounding like a child who's been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Brandy pointed at the ninja's shoulder, which Ryoga was slung carefully over. "Guess you're returning him, huh?"

The shinobi looked apolegetic. "W-well, his arm seems to be broken, a-and we couldn't just leave him-"

Brandy silenced him with a wave of his hand. "No problem, I get it. Lay him down here."

Frank complied, setting the marine down as gently as he could. He tried to avoid Brandy's gaze; the older man made him nervous, somehow.

"That's fine right there." Brandy said in a friendly tone. "Thanks. Now, you better get back to what you were doing."

The masked man blinked. "Huh?"

"It's important, right?" Brandy said, smiling. "So get back to doing it."

Something about the marine's eyes encouraged Frank. He even saluted! "Yes sir!"

Then, with a quick movement of his feet, the shinobi started on his way back. Once he was out of eyesight, however, he promptly collapsed into smoke.

The assembled marines stared; they weren't quite sure what to make of the scene they'd just witnessed. Then they gave a collective shrug. Even if this wasn't the Grand Line, in the kind of world they lived in you were bound to see at least one bizarre thing in your lifetime. It was just fortunate that this one had been harmless.

"Nice guy," mused Brandy to himself, "shame all those guys can't be so friendly."

From right nearby came a voice. "I heard that, Brandy." growled Raven.

"Yeah. I know."

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Sixteen: Jack VS Helsing! The End of Ambition and Tyranny!**

"FOUND YOU!"

Helsing paused momentarily, frowning. Then he rose from his position - crouched near an alcove in a wide cave at the end of his escape tunnel - and turned around.

Naturally, Jack was there. "Finally cornered you...you...bas..."

He bent over, gasping for air. Running through all those traps had exhausted him; were _all _of those necessary, really?

Helsing turned back to his previous position. "Take all the time you want. I'm not going anywhere."

"Thanks...thanks a lo - HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!"

Jack suddenly overcame his lung problems and pointed a finger at the corrupt captain's back. "You're Helsing, aren't you!? I've been looking for you, you dirty rat!"

"Really." said Helsing somewhat irritably. "It seems like I've become a popular person as of late."

He turned back around again, giving Jack a quick once over. "You're not a marine, and unless there's a special breed I'm unaware of, I highly doubt you're a merman either."

Taking the cue, Jack jabbed his thumb toward himself, grinning. "That's right, I'm not either of those things: I'm a pirate! I, Captain of the Skull Pirate crew, Jack Bones, have come to kick your ass!"

"Never heard of you."

Jack facefaulted. "Dammit, Why do people keep saying that!?"

Helsing shrugged. "Because you're a nobody? That wouldn't particularly surprise me, if you act this idiotic all the time."

Instead of getting angry, Jack just sneered. "I'd rather be a good guy and be a nobody than be famous for the kind of stuff _you've_ done."

He cracked his knuckles, grinning. "And anyway...after I take you down, _everybody's_ gonna know who I am! Now, are you gonna come quietly, or will this have to get...huh?"

As he said this last sentence, Jack had taken a step forward, and rather than the familiar firmness of the cave floor, he felt the ground...squelch underneath his feet.

He looked downward to see that the area between the tunnel's exit and Helsing had been coated with a viscous looking black liquid. Oil.

"What the..." Jack tried to pull his leg back, but it was useless; he was stuck fast.

"So, you're going to 'kick my ass', hm?" asked Helsing. "You'll excuse me if I'm skeptical of that, when you can't even be bothered to check for traps."

He watched as Jack continued to tug at his leg, trying to loose it from the oil. He sighed. "This is truly shameful."

Letting his walking stick fall to the floor, Helsing reached into his pocket, and withdrew a small ornate-looking box. Flipping it open, he retrieved one of several cigars. Fitting it to his mouth, he replaced the box and then pulled out another, far simpler one: a box of matches.

Seeing them, Jack redoubled his efforts, for all the good it did him.

Lighting the match and fitting it to the cigar, Helsing breathed in. "Ah...it's a bad habit, I know, but I can't help but want one of these after I do something particularly satisfying...or even just before."

With a swift, easy movement, he raised his fingers to the cigar and flicked it toward the layer of oil.

Jack continued to struggle, as the wrapped lump of tobacco slowly flew toward him. And then, just before it hit, something occurred to him.

_"Oh...oh yeah."_

Helsing smiled as the oil went up in a roaring bonfire. No-one could survive something like that.

_"He'll probably begin screaming in a moment or two. Oh well. He won't be heard by anyone this far back."_

Then, there suddenly came a whistling in the air, and Helsing quickly ducked to avoid a spinning fist that whizzed by his head.

He turned to watch as Jack landed - holding his shoes in his teeth - and the pirate's hand reconnected with the rest of him.

"So, you have a Devil Fruit power." Helsing said calmly. "I suppose I should have expected; when people look like you, they generally aren't up and walking around."

Jack grinned. "Yeah, that's right. I ate the Doku Doku no Mi, so now I'm a skull man!"

"Ah," said Helsing, "how very quaint."

Suddenly, his leg snapped upward, kicking his walking stick up into his waiting hands. Then with a quick motion, he snapped it outward at Jack. **"Oil Line."**

The top end of the piece of wood suddenly popped off - but underneath wasn't a hollow space, but more oil, which flew out at the pirate like a snake.

Fortunately, the distance between the two made dodging the attack trivial, and Jack did so with a quick roll to the left. As he came up, though, he promptly had to do a standing leap to avoid the oil snake when Helsing swung the cane in that direction.

The marine repeated the motion immediately after, but Jack could see where this was going, and he didn't want to follow. Leaping into the air again, he promptly shoved himself downward when the trail was beneath him. **"Doku Doku no Stomp!"**

A Liquid generally can't withstand the impact of a Solid, and the oil was no different. A significant portion of it splashed to the ground under Jack's foot before Helsing was able to draw it back within his cane.

"A hidden weapon," Jack breathed, "that's dirty fighting, 'Captain'."

"Oh, my." said Helsing in feigned shock. "A _pirate _is accusing _me _of trickery?"

His voice returned to normal. "Well, yes, one could say I do prefer a more...pragmatic approach to combat. And why shouldn't I? The average enemy of a marine couldn't care less about what was 'honorable'. They cheat. They sucker punch. They backstab...

...they lower your guard with an attack aimed to miss."

Just as Jack realized where he was still standing, Helsing tapped one shoe on the cavern floor. **"Oil Geyser!"**

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The oil below the Captain of the Skull Pirate's feet abruptly exploded, sending him flying straight upward. Helsing smiled in satisfaction as Jack's head smashed into the low roof, the skull man tumbling to the floor shortly after.

The corrupt captain leisurely strode up to Jack's prone body. "You've likely realized by now that I have a Devil Fruit power as well. It is known as the **Seki Seki no Mi**, and it grants me the ability to produce and control Oil." He held up his free hand, oil oozing out of his fingers. "And before you ask, yes, I am _well _aware of the irony."

Casually, he pulled back his cane. The oil inside began to writhe and coil, like a nest of snakes. It thrust out, aiming for Jack's heart...

...only for Jack's body to split apart, his limbs flying everywhere so that the oil hit nothing but air.

Helsing quickly whirled around to see Jack recombine in midair. Quickly, the Skull Pirate sent both his fists flying out toward the corrupt marine captain. The fists rotated mid-flight, aiming toward the man's face and stomach.

**"Oil Net." **said Helsing calmly, bringing his palms flat together before spreading them out wide. Linking between each of his fingers and thumbs was a thin strand of oil, and all together they did indeed resemble a fishing net. Quickly, Helsing brought it up between the flying fists and himself.

Having landed, Jack grimaced. It was too late to change the trajectory of his limbs, or to call them back. They hit the net, quickly losing the momentum they'd collected and getting tangled within the 'oil ropes'. On the other side of it, Helsing smiled at Jack smugly.

The skull pirate growled, calling at the limbs with his Devil Fruit power. The fists tugged backward, sluggishly at first, but finally pulled free of the net and flew back toward Jack.

Helsing, for his part, didn't seem concerned, dispersing the net and sending the oil slithering back into his fingers.

Jack grinned as his fists snapped back onto his arms. "Okay, now you're in for -"

The marine captain raised a finger and snapped it. **"Oil Bomb." **

"BWAH!" Jack yelled in pain as the oil that covered his body quite literally exploded, sending him flying backward into the wall. His teeth slammed together as he collided with the rock, and he fell to the floor, not moving.

Helsing watched for a moment, and shrugged, turning back to his business. "Hmph. Thought he would last longer, with all that bravado. I suppose I gave him too much credit."

* * *

"Alright now, you all had better cover your eyes..."

Making sure they had done so, Gerald shoved the door to the tunnel open before climbing out to make room for the recently freed mermen.

They stepped out into the sunlight, striding, stumbling or limping. They looked around, blinking in the sunlight, at the island they hadn't seen for many years, some of them far less restrained than the others. Climbing out the tunnel behind Gerald, Mary and Frank took in the sight alongside him.

"Sort of makes you..." began Mary.

"...feel good, doesn't it?" finished Gerald.

"Well, of course!" chirped Frank cheerfully from behind them. "We did the right thing, after all."

The other two turned to him and smiled, but then noticed something unusual. Even for Frank.

Gerald cleared his throat and pointed it out tactfully. "Frank old boy, is there any particular reason you have a man slung over your shoulder?"

The shinobi glanced over at Hokushin's prone body, and then back to Gerald. "It's a...shinobi matter."

"Ah." Gerald nodded understandingly.

Frank looked slightly uncomfortable. "Um, if you two will just excuse me for the moment..." With that, he ran off into the woods.

"A unique profession is often considered embarassing by it's holder." Gerald mused philosophically. Mary just sighed.

* * *

Once Frank was far enough away, he stopped, and gently lay Hokushin down - like a bounty hunter, he was careful not to harm the bounty head, and conversely, his reward.

Once that was done, the shinobi's hands moved with the purpose of one who has read or been taught how to do something, but little to no actual experience. First, he reached into one of the pouches on his belt, retrieving a...small blank card. Another holder produced an ink quill pen, and, trying his best not to smudge or misspell, Frank wrote down his own name on the card. Then, he kneeled, slipping it tight inside Hokushin's belt.

Then, Frank reached into another pouch. This one was set further away from the others, so the shinobi couldn't confuse it with another in the heat of battle. From it, he produced a scroll. This one was unlike the element scrolls he had used before, however. It was colored gold on black, and looked unique, important.

Rising, Frank pinched it carefully between his index finger and thumb before throwing it at the assassin's body. It hit dead-on, and exploded much like the element scrolls, producing a massive amount of smoke. Keeping his mouth firmly closed, the shinobi waited until it dissipated. When the smoke vanished after a few moments, it revealed...nothing. Hokushin had vanished.

Frank wondered about the smoke. Was it necessary for what went on in the process of the scroll? Or did it hide what actually went on, deemed unsettling for shinobi eyes? Either way, the assassin would arrive at his home village in a moment, and after making sure of his identity he would be tried and punished, money equaling his bounty being added to the funds of Frank's household.

Speaking of which...

"Huh?" Frank said as he suddenly found himself grabbed around the legs and flung upside-down.

As whoever it was began to shake him up and down violently, they spoke up from behind him. "You stole mybounty, Frank. That wasn't nice."

"A-ah! R-ra-raven-san! It's ni-nice to see you aga-ain!"

Raven stopped, and then sighed disgustedly. "Can't even intimidate you properly...tch."

He dumped Frank on the ground and shrugged. "Oh well. Guess I can't get too mad about it. After all, someone like me can't just go chasing after every weakling criminal that somehow gets a bounty, can I? That's what you weakling shinobis are for."

Frank pushed himself into a sitting position. He didn't seem terribly upset, smiling widely. "I'm glad to receive praise from you, Raven-san. Tell me, how are the others doing?"

He found himself face-first in the dirt once more as Raven shoved him in the back with his foot. "Only you could call that a compliment, Frank. And I'm the wrong person to ask on that one; I haven't heard much of anything from the family since I came here. And yeah, that includes Asakura. Sorry."

"Oh." Frank's face fell. "That is a shame."

"I guess." shrugged Raven. "Anyway, I have to get back to my client." He turned and began walking away.

"Client?" Frank blinked, and then he was on his feet, staring at the other shinobi's back. "You mean that marine that's up in the base right now?"

Raven stopped, and turned around. "...how did you..."

Frank shrugged. "Well, Raven-san wouldn't work with someone evil, so it became obvious by process of elimination."

The other shinobi paused, and then just sighed before turning and walking away. "Right. Of course. See you around, Frank - try to take care of yourself, will ya?"

"Understood, Raven-san!"

Raven just groaned. It was too early in the morning for dealing with Frank. Or any time, really.

* * *

"Ah. Done." Helsing said to himself, over the crackling of the still burning fire. What the marine captain had finished preparing was a small red box, with what appeared to be a handle coming out of it's top. If one looked carefully, they'd see a multitude of wires extending off from the back, disappearing into the dirt on the cavern floor and heading back out through the tunnel.

The corrupt captain took one look back, sighed slightly, and lifted the plunger...

Then quickly snapped around, holding up his cane to guard against one of Jack's fists. The two odd weapons were held in a deadlock for a moment, before Helsing shoved the hand backward. He watched as it reconnected with the rest of the skull pirate, and frowned.

"So, playing possum, hm?" said Helsing, a bit irritably. "You're certainly better at it than actual fighting."

Jack didn't rise to the insult, just scoffing. "Psh. Don't kid yourself, oil slick. I was just waiting to see what you were doing there."

He pointed an accusing finger at the corrupt marine. "And now you make me sick even more! Your own guys are still back there, you know!?"

Helsing shrugged. "Oh, really? A shame - I had intended to use them as scapegoats, but I guess there's no hope of that working now. And since I am considered a pirate now, I should start following the 'pirate code'."

"Every man for himself, huh?" Jack questioned angrily. "Don't start comparing other people to you; I've never known a pirate that would sell out other people to save themselves! You're just some damn thug afraid to get his own hands dirty!"

"Well, yes." Helsing said without a hint of shame. "Why else would you have subordinates? Using lessers to do your dirty work is the mark of a leader...or at least, a _smart _leader. You coming down here yourself shows me just how much of a fool you are, Jack Bones. And someone as idiotic as you...SHOULD JUST GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

With that, the captain snapped out his cane, sending the oil snake out to attack Jack once more. The skull pirate rolled to the side to the side to dodge the first strike and came up running at Helsing, only to be forced back to his starting position as the whip lashed back around.

_"Tch..." _Jack growled. _"I can't even get near him! And I'd be pushing my luck with this guy if I tried that trick again...there's gotta be some way to...eureka!"_

This time when the oil whip came toward him, Jack ducked low, the oil scraping his shoulder. He then charged forward at Helsing again, getting no small amount of satisfaction from seeing the marine's face suddenly flash with panic. Helsing quickly yanked the oil snake back in order to plung it forward again, but he wasn't as fast as Jack's fist, which plowed upward into his face, sending him flying.

Not willing to let up on the offense, Jack ran forward, and as Helsing landed he struck out with a kick, aiming for the other captain's mid-section.

**"Oil Slick." **Suddenly, Helsing's entire body swung to the left in a wide circle - leaving him with a perfect shot at Jack's open back.

But he had other plans than a mere impalement. He quickly spread his fingers out and pointed them at the pirate, who was turning around too late. **"Oil Snare."**

Countless oil strands leapt out of Helsing's digits, quickly splitting apart and growing ever larger as the tyrant pumped more of the liquid out of himself. It wasn't something someone with Jack's fighting style could hope to dodge - they an arm first, then a leg, and soon the skull pirate was tangled up from head to toe.

Helsing smiled coldly, just out of reach of Jack's flailing arms - he'd liked to have said that was intentional on his part, but the fool just didn't know when to quit. A bad quality, in someone who wishes to stay alive. Slowly, the captain reached up and touched his face where Jack had struck him. A nasty bruise was there - it would surely last for days. He still kept smiling, however. Like a child with an magnifying glass does, before they hold it up to the sun.

"You hit me." Helsing said, in a tone of disbelief one might also use for 'you accidentally called in a Buster Call on a government facility?' (or as it will be known in the future, 'pulling a Spandam'). "No-one hits me, Jack Bones...

...because they're afraid of what I'd do to them. Here..._let me demonstrate_." he finished with a hiss.

Helsing made a grandiose motion with his hands, turning them upside-down and throwing them upward. "**OIL...**_**CRUSH**_**!"**

The oil on Jack's body suddenly swelled, surging forward and tossing the skull pirate to the ground. His body was free for only a moment before the combined mass of the substance crashed down onto him, covering him completely.

Helsing smiled as he looked over the oil bubble he'd created. "And that...is checkmate."

He raised a hand, and slowly began to squeeze...little by little, the bubble contracted as he did so. The captain grinned as the outline of Jack's body became ever more apparent beneath it. Why, he was already only barely struggling! It wouldn't be long at all before-

Jack burst out of the oil, his arms and legs rotating at top speed. Bladed edges were now present on their sides, and they had cut through the oil like scissors through paper. Of course, the tricky part had been actually getting them spinning, but he had done it, somehow.

As the skull pirate leapt up and toward Helsing, he was rewarded with seeing that look of panic appear again, and more pronounced this time.

**"Starboard HOOK!"**

Jack's right fist collided dead-on with the corrupt marine's other cheek, producing a satisfying crack. As Helsing stumbled away, Jack drew his hands in front of himself. **"Port..." **he growled.

**"O-oil..." **Helsing forced out.

"Too slow! **JABBING!**"

Countless rapid-fire blows began to hit Helsing all over his body as Jack unleashed the fruits of his boxing training. Without time to prepare any of his oil defenses or tricks, the villain could only take the punches on the chin...and the face, and the nose, and the mid-section, and the lower...well, you get the idea. And this wasn't something Helsing seemed particularly adept at, and not just because of her stature. The disbelief the captain showed had been genuine - evidently his training regiment back at the academy apparently hadn't included learning to take a punch.

Finally, Jack ended the barrage with another hook, sending Helsing spiraling end-over-end across the cavern. Then, before the marine could think of getting back up, the pirate charged forward, preparing to knee him in the face. Probably unfair, but neither was trapping almost an entire island's worth of mermen underground and forcing them to work themselves half to death.

But just as he got near, Helsing lifted his head to look at him...and smiled. Then, suddenly, a pillar of oil leapt up from the cavern floor right underneath the marine, reaching almost to the roof.

Jack skidded to a halt to avoid slamming into the column, and looked it over. A few seconds passed, and he started tapping his foot.

Another few, and he sighed. "What, are you trying to build suspense? I'm from the Grand Line, buddy; no stupid trick you pull is gonna scare me."

"Oh, really?" Helsing's voice came faintly out of the oil pillar. "I _am_ sorry for wasting your 'valuable' time. I suppose, then, that you wouldn't even be frightened by..."

The pillar dispersed, revealing exactly what Helsing had been up to. The marine was now covered head to toe in oil - and then some. It had formed into arms, legs, and a torso, hardening to form a body about eight feet tall. At the top was Helsing himself, acting as the head. He smiled down at Jack. "This? **Oil Giant!**"

"Oh, CRAP!" Jack cried, jumping backward and throwing his hands up, his eyes widening. "You got _kinda bigger_! I'm _doomed_!"

_"I-impudent pirate...I know for certain that you're bluffing. No pirate from the Grand Line would be caught dead on this backwater hole." _Helsing growled, gritting his teeth.

Jack lowered his arms and sighed. "Well, gave it my best shot, but..." He pointed a finger at the suped up marine. "I already fought a guy bigger than you a like a week ago, and he probably wanted to eat me. So you're gonna have to try harder if you want to scare me, Helsing."

The captain tilted his head. "Really? Well, that's fine. I couldn't care less if I _frightened _you, Jack Bones."

With surprising speed given his current size, Helsing suddenly charged forward, swinging one of the oil titan's tree-trunk arms toward the skull pirate. Jack quickly leapt aside as the arm smashed a large crater into the floor.

"I want to _break _you." Helsing punctuated.

Jack nodded. "Yep, I get that a lot."

Helsing continued his charge, repeatedly throwing punches that Jack was forced to dodge, lest he risk becoming part of the cave's scenery. The length of the arms combined with their speed made it hard to close the distance and attack, but if he just kept at it...

Finally, there was a small opening in the attacks, and Jack was quick to take advantage of it. He ran in and punched with all his might - he'd tear down this dumb suit, then get back to wailing on Hels-

Squelch.

_"Eh? Squelch?"_ Jack thought. He looked over at his fist...currently caught inside the spot on the oil armor he had punched, which had changed back to a liquidous state at that instant. With the force he had used, his arm was sunk into it up to over his elbow.

The skull pirate sweatdropped. _"Guess I should have seen that one coming, huh? Heh heh, just great."_

Jack started to pull at his arm to free it, but then heard something move above him, and a moment later found himself face first in the floor, hard. He began to rise, but another blow hit him, and then another.

"You know, I don't use this ability that often," came Helsing's voice from above, "and right now, I honestly wonder why. I'm having a _wonderful_time!"

Jack grit his teeth as the blows rained down upon him. His head and back burst with pain, and his trapped arm didn't feel too hot, either, especially at this angle. He tried to push himself up, only for Helsing to stomp down on him with one of the titan's legs, driving him further into the crater.

The captain sighed. "I must confess, Jack Bones, that I don't understand people like you. You charge down here, seeking to defeat me, free the mermen, right all wrongs you view as such...and are then pummeled into the ground by me. Whereas_ I _make rational, intelligent actions, acquire a healthy sum of money for my troubles, and will get away without a scratch."

He lifted the foot, and then sent it down again, producing a short cry of pain from Jack. "So I must ask, if only for curiosity's sake: why? Why fight a battle you can't win for these lowly mermen? Even if you are victorious, no-one will give a pirate like you any credit or praise, and this incident will be covered up for the public to avoid besmirching the, ha ha, good name of the marines."

Another stomp. "...well? Aren't you going to answer me, Jack Bones? Or can't you? You don't even _have_ an answer, do you!?"

He lifted his foot again, and sent it crashing down...only for it to stop short. Helsing blinked in confusion and looked down, and his eyes widened as he saw Jack holding back the massive with just one hand.

"Sorry about that," he growled, panting, "had somebody's big fat foot in my face? Now, you were asking me why I decided to come down here and fight you and your merry band of creeps, is that it?"

Helsing's eyes grew wider as Jack strained, the oil titan's foot slowly but surely getting forced backward.

"My answer..." Jack began slowly, "...well, it's pretty simple. I decided to do it because...

I'M NOT A BAD GUY, DAMMIT!"

With a final mighty push, Jack shoved the oil titan's arm off him, standing up and tearing his arm free as Helsing teetered backward.

"And _you _are!" the skull pirate growled viciously. Helsing's eyes widened even more.

Quickly, he righted himself, but Jack sprang forward quickly, landing perched on the oil titan's rough surface. He drew back one arm. **"Doku Doku no...DRILL!"**

Helsing grit his teeth and tried to draw himself back as the now conical edge of Jack's arm spun against his oil body, bits and pieces of it flying everywhere. Of course, the captain couldn't actually feel it, but if the drill hit his actual body that would be a different story.

One of the oil titan's arms swung toward Jack, aiming for his open side. He could regenerate the damaged parts afterward, and he'd make sure this pirate wouldn't get the chance again.

**"Doku Doku no Buckler!"**

The marine captain choked down a cry of irritation as Jack's leg shot up, the kneecap shifting into a wide shield. It withstood the blow, Jack still hanging tenaciously on. Helsing was beginning to get angry. He lifted up both the oil titan's arms, clasped them together, and brought them down on Jack's head. At the last second however, the skull pirate leapt away and the blow hit nothing but air.

Helsing looked up to see Jack back up a few steps, appearing to be sizing the marine and his 'suit' up. Changing his arm back to normal, he held up his fingers and made a little window to view his opponent through.

He was completely open, and didn't seem to be paying attention at all...which meant that Helsing wasn't going to attack him - he wasn't stupid. Besides, time would be better spent repairing that hole the lout had made.

The oil began to spread over the 'wound', as more of it was generated by Helsing. However, that had the sideffect of putting his position on that and away from Jack, a mistake he'd regret very quickly. The skull pirate's fist began to change, adopting the same appearance as the entire arm had a short while ago. It then, of course, began to spin, and he pulled it back behind himself.

At that moment Helsing looked up at what Jack was doing, and after a moment's consideration charged straight at the pirate, albeit while devoting some of his attention to repairing the oil construct.

Jack grinned fearlessly as his opponent closed the distance quite quickly. **"Doku Doku no..."**

"DIE!" Helsing screamed, drawing one of the massive arms back.

**"**_**DRILL **_**KNUCKLE!" **With that mighty roar, Jack sent the fist flying off his arm, grunting as the vibrations shot through his body. The projectile sailed through the air and impacted on Helsing's oil body, which was unable to stop at the speed it had reached. For a moment it held there, spinning rapidly against the armor...and then broke through, instantly undoing the captain's repair work.

And that wasn't all - the fist then sailed straight inside the oil armor! Helsing looked down, his face turning to one of panic again, as a grinding noise was heard.

Then, Helsing let out a scream as the drill knuckle came sailing out of his oil body's right shoulder, at such an angle that the arm attached to it broke clean off, crashing down to the cavern floor.

Before the captain could think of reattaching the arm or growing a new one, the hand flew back over his head and reattached to Jack's arm as he charged forward. Quickly, Helsing swung the other arm as the pirate came near; it was a rash and brutish blow, not fitting of him at all...but he didn't want to let this pirate get close. Somehow he knew if that happened, it would be _very _bad for him. Quite astute of the man, but not to an extent that would save him.

With a push of his legs, Jack sprang out..._toward _the oncoming blow. Cupping his hands, the skull pirate grinned as he felt his body change. **"Doku Doku no...**

**...HAMMER!"**

With a mighty swing, the bone hammer collided head-on with the oil fist, in an impact that sent a wave of air rushing through the cavern. A moment passed, during which the two attacks deadlocked. And then...the arm simply shattered into pieces.

Jack landed and looked up, staring into Helsing's face. "Well? Now what?"

His opponent's face showed he clearly didn't have an answer. Jack grinned. "Okay, I'll tell you. Now...I kick your ass."

With that, Jack suddenly moved, crossing the distance between him and Helsing with a sprint. When he reached the oil armor's legs, he jumped, landing perched on the construct's torso. It was a precarious position, but not one he had to hold for long. Slowly, Jack drew one of his fists below himself.

**"BOW..."**

"...n-no..." Helsing whimpered.

**"UPPERCUT!"**

The blow caught the corrupt captain straight on his chin, the force of it ripping him free of the oil armor and sending him up toward the ceiling. Without him to empower it, the oil giant began to crumble and fall to the floor.

But Jack wasn't done just yet. With a strong pump of his legs he leapt from the armor, heading straight at Helsing. Half-way there his body parts suddenly all disconnected, the various limbs all flying at the skull pirate's foe.

**"Doku Doku no BARRAGE!"**

This time Helsing's scream was much more pronounced and prolonged as he was beaten and smashed between two leg and arm bones, blind-sided by twin feet bones, and finally hit in the back by Jack's two fists and his head, sending him right into the ceiling. And even then, Jack wasn't done; calling his limbs and their connecting bones back to his torso, he sent them flying out again. Over the next few moments, Helsing was hit in nearly every part of his body by nearly every part of _Jack's _body. Each blow rebounded him off the ceiling, and back into the waiting flurry of attacks. Suffice to say, the captain could do nothing to prevent this.

And throughout this beating, he could hear Jack's voice ringing in his ears.

"Well? Was all that money worth _this_, Helsing? Was stepping on these people to get yourself higher satisfying!? Did you think that you'd never get caught!? Well, you were WRONG!"

One of Jack's fists caught Helsing on the cheek, spinning him around so that he saw the skull pirate's face. It held an expression of pure fury.

"All that oil you had to have..." Jack growled, as his hand flew back and reconnected to it's arm, "can it help you here now?"

With a mighty punch, he sent the fist flying back at Helsing. It hit the marine captain directly in his face, sending him flying into the cavern floor yet again. And only then did Jack decide it was over.

Landing smoothly back on the cavern floor, he waited a moment before Helsing did the same, far less so.

Jack grinned. _"And that, as they say, is that."_ He walked up to the now unconscious marine and grabbed him by the collar. _"Can't just leave him here, I guess. Damn."_

Throwing Helsing over his shoulder, Jack took a step back toward the cavern's tunnel entrance...only to stumble as the ground began to shake underneath his feet.

_"That can't be good." _Jack thought to himself. He looked upward - the roof was shaking, too.

Jack sweatdropped._ "Didn't think I was hitting him _that _hard..." _

He ran toward the tunnel quickly - but fate apparently decided that wouldn't be very entertaining. The first of the rocks that fell down from the ceiling was just large enough to block the entrance.

The skull pirate looked up as the rest of the rocks began to fall down toward him.

_"Oh, crap...."_

_To be continued..._

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Frank: **W-what happened to the Captain?

**Brandy: **Sheesh...a pirate overshadows us in the hero department, of all things...

**Karen: **We'll never forget any of you.

**Celebration of Freedom! Goodbye, Newport Island!**

**Drake: **It's time for me to go.

**Attacks**

**Jack**

**Doku Doku no Drill - **Transforming one of his arms into a drill shape, Jack thrusts it spinning into a foe. Can crack through defenses or barriers, given enough time.

**Doku Doku no Drill Knuckle **- The same general principle as _Doku Doku no Drill_, except in projectile form.

**Bow Uppercut **- One of the more powerful moves in the Shipwright Boxing Style, this powerful upper strike can floor even the most physically tough opponents...and Helsing. As seen here, it can also set Jack up for aerial combos.

**Helsing**

**Oil Line - **Using a portion of oil hidden within his hollow cane, Helsing uses it to attack in a whip shape. Primarily used for sneak attacks, but can prove quite effective in a fair fight as well.

**Oil Geyser **- Helsing makes oil underneath his opponent's feet explode upward, smashing them around. Can be extremely deadly if unexpected, or used in a confined area.

**Oil Net **- Helsing uses his Devil Fruit power to create a net of oil, which he uses to block or catch an opponent's attacks.

**Oil Bomb **- With a quick command, Helsing has a batch of nearby oil burst, creating a physical explosion that knocks a foe backward. Like most of the 'good' captain's attacks, it relies on being unexpected.

**Oil Slick **- Generating some oil underneath his shoes, Helsing makes a quick movement to dodge an attack.

**Oil Snare **- Grabbing a foe with a few strands of oil, Helsing quickly multiplies the substance and entraps them completely. Is usually followed up by...

**Oil Crush - **After covering his enemy with oil, Helsing has it constrict, slowly crushing the opponent. Generally not used in public; bad PR, you know.

**Oil Giant **- Helsing creates a large, muscular body of oil, with him at the head controlling it. Is capable of feats of great strength, but heavily lack subtlety - thus, the captain doesn't use it unless angered.

Malchior the Draco - You mean, kind of like what happened when you fought Black Dragon? You shouldn't underestimate your opponents...miss.

Shinobi-dono - Well, I'm glad you like this story as much as my other - I try to give them equal attention and effort, and I'm glad to see it shows.

Well, until next time, see ya.


	17. Celebration of Freedom

And at long last, this arc finally draws to a close...phew.

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Seventeen: Celebration of Freedom! Goodbye, Newport Island!**

Brandy and Helsing's former men were just about to go searching for Ryoga - he had to have finished up by now - when the shock of Jack's little quake hit the marine base. Most of the seamen tumbled to the shaking floor, but Helsing and a few others were able to stay standing. Several of Helsing's prizes weren't quite so lucky, falling from their perches and shattering. The marines barely noticed.

Soon enough it was over, and those who had fallen got to their feet, looking around cautiously.

"What was that just now, Captain Brandy?" asked one of the seamen.

For once, he looked stumped. "Well...I don't know. But if it happens again, I think we should all be out of here when it does; this isn't a good place to be in an earthquake. Come on, and grab the wounded."

He slung Ryoga's unconscious form over his shoulder and walked out the door. The marines began to pick up their unconscious enemies before leaving; there were enough that they'd have to make multiple trips. But most of these marines had been their friends or acquaintances - just because they hadn't shown people mercy didn't mean they should have the same done to them.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake felt the quake too, just as he was climbing out of the hidden tunnel. With the wounds Ryoga had given him, walking back down it had taken longer than earlier.

Without hesitating a moment, he turned and ran back into it. "Come on!" he called back to the Skull Pirates. They followed quickly.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile at the village, Karen quickly grabbed an elderly merman nearby her before he could fall under the weight of a heavy wood board.

"Dammit, what _now_?" she growled. Hadn't this island seen enough problems without bringing natural disasters into it?

_"...you'd better be alright, Drake..."_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"W-what on earth?"

Gerald's reaction was understandable. The four of them were staring at the remains of Helsing's escape tunnel, slightly in awe.

"_Jack _did this? _Vraiment_?" Mary murmured in disbelief.

"W-wow..." Frank breathed.

Without comment Drake walked forward, stooped, and began digging away at the cave-in, his great strength more than enough to move a few rocks.

Quickly he was joined by the Skull Pirates, each shifting the debris as best they could.

It was slow work; whenever they moved a rock out of the way, it seemed two more fell down to take it's place. But they kept at it, and if anything Drake even sped up his pace, tossing rocks as big as he was out of the way.

They worked for what felt like hours, and was probably at least a few. One by one the Skull Pirates grew exhausted and sat down against the tunnel wall, but Drake kept going, sheer adrenaline holding the pain of his wounds at bay.

Then, at last, Drake threw away a small rock to reveal a very familiar bony hand. The merman's eyes widened, and he redoubled his efforts, focusing on the rocks around it. Slowly the rest of Jack's arm came into view, followed by his torso.

The merman was about to move another rock, but suddenly shook his head and turned around. "Come on. Help me pull."

Having all caught a second wind they got up, walking forward and grabbing hold of the skeleton pirate's arms.

"One, two..." Drake counted down. "...THREE!"

Each of them pulled as hard as they could to free the captain. At first it seemed to have no effect at all, Jack's body and legs held fast by the rocks. Then, he slowly began to squeeze free, inch by inch. Finally, with a hard pull and a sudden pop he was ripped right out of the rocks, sailing over his companions' heads and face-planting in the ground behind them.

"...ow..." he slowly groaned.

Drake nodded. "Well, he's alive."

Quickly the rest of the Skull Pirates gathered around their captain. Mary gently moved him into a sitting position, and Frank held up two digits in front of his face. "How many fingers am I holding up, captain?"

"Too many to have shoved in my face after I got hit by a cave-in, thanks." Jack muttered.

Gerald chuckled, smacking him on the back lightly. "Well, if you're well enough to complain, you should be fine. A thousand pounds of rock are no much for our captain's hard head, eh? Hah hah."

"Tell that to it. But not my doctor...agh...I do get one, right? Saved the day and everything, so I think I'm...oh...entitled."

"That could be a problem." said Drake. "There are no doctors in any of the villages here; the marine base might have one, but considering you just buried their commander under ten feet of rock..."

Mary smiled. "I don't think they'll be lacking in motivation." A thorn poked out of her index finger.

Drake nodded knowingly. "Alright then. Excuse me."

The three of them stepped aside, allowing the merman to stoop and lift up Jack. They all began walking back to the entrance.

"Aw, dammit, didn't we have enough of this earlier!?" the skull pirate protested verbally, but lay still.

Mary tilted her head. "Hm? Earlier?" Her lips spread in a devious smile. "What does he mean by that, Jack?"

"Nothing." Jack said instantly. "Forget it."

Drake shrugged. "Nothing much. We just had to spend the night in a cave, that's all."

"Oh, really?" the girl purred. "How _curieux_."

Jack glared at her. "Nothing happened. At all. So keep any weird fantasies to yourself, okay?"

"Oh?" Mary raised an eyebrow. "You seem more fixated on this than me, captain. Aren't you being a bit defensive?"

The skeleton ground his teeth and shut up. No matter what he said Mary managed to twist it into something else...if she weren't a woman...

They reached the slope upward, and something occured to Jack. "You know, with all that digging that went on everywhere, it's kind of amazing I only caused one cave-in, huh?"

Beside Drake, Gerald frowned. "Really, Jack, at least wait until we're above ground before you start gloating. Just saying 'If I had _really _been trying, I could have caused _five _earthquakes!' won't make it come tru-"

He was interrupted by a rumble from just behind them. He sighed. "Right. I'll accept the blame for that one."

"Um...run?" suggested Frank, as the sound of rocks falling neared.

They began to - thankfully they had all regained some stamina since earlier. The collapsing rock was just as fast, however, and the sloped, cramped nature of the tunnel made it difficult to run in; evidently cave-ins hadn't been factored into it's construction.

Somewhat amazingly, Gerald was able to keep up with the other three quite well. But then, he hadn't contributed much to the battle physically, had he?

Just before the collapse was about to overtake and crush them, the Skull Pirates (and Drake) reached the tunnel's exit. Diving out in a rush of dust, they all ended up sprawled on the grass.

The five of them coughed wildly before the cloud dissipated, and when it did they looked at each-other...and started to laugh. Near death situations could be hilarious provided that was all they were. Besides, all of them were in a good mood.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Some distance away, on the other side of the cave-in, a few rocks fell away from to reveal something shimmery and black: a bubble of oil. It split open, revealing a battered, beaten, bruised, but still very much alive Helsing.

The captain panted, spitting up a bit of blood. "D-damn pirate..." He muttered.

Climbing up out of the rock pile, Helsing dusted his uniform off, trying in vain to make himself look presentable again. Then he began to walk forward barely even stumbling as his thoughts swam. _"...d-damn pirate...how dare he do that to me!? But..." _

He looked over his shoulder, at the rock pile. The captain grinned. _"Hah. He got what he deserved, didn't he?"_

The beach was ahead, and there was his boat. He could easily spare some money for a doctor...he just had to get off this island, and they'd never find him.

Helsing was close enough to touch the small craft now. He reached out to pull himself in, when he heard a noise behind him.

Gulping, the captain slowly turned around...just in time to catch a liquor bottle to the face.

"Yo," said Brandy cheerfully as Helsing collapsed. "Not gonna make a snarky comment, or anything, but...you're under arrest. It's over."

Helsing let out a pitiful moan, falling unconscious for good this time.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Alright, does this hurt?"

The doctor instantly regretted it; people in his profession tended to develop durable eardrums, but even he had to wince at Jack's yell. "...alright then, I'll take that a yes."

They were back in Karen's village, and oddly enough, so were the local marines. Evidently their doctor and his assistants had been treating the mermen here, but exactly why the Skull Pirates didn't know. They hadn't really asked, frankly, just glad that Jack was included among the patients. It was quite a tense atmosphere despite that fact, and they were trying to remain inconspicous. It wasn't really working - three out of five of them had bounty posters, after all - but thankfully they didn't seem to care.

"Well," began the doctor, "as near as I can tell, your friend has a badly sprained leg and arm, a few cracked ribs, and numerous other damaged bones. He should be fine without any casts, but he'll have to take it easy for a while."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, I'll try not to get hit by another rockslide any time soo - OOOOOON!"

"Sorry," said the doctor, "my hand tends to slip when I'm mocked."

Mary sighed in relief. "There's a load off our minds." She cocked her head. "Should I be wondering why he isn't almost dead?"

Gerald shrugged. "Well, it's probably safe to assume his Devil Fruit makes him a bit tougher than normal. We're still not sure about everything it does, frankly."

"Yeah," said a voice behind them, "that's the way it works with those things. We don't have complete knowledge on even half of them."

The Skull Pirate's first mate nodded. "Yes, that's certainly...true?"

The crew turned around to see Brandy standing there. He raised a hand at them. "Yo."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The captain leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. "So...the Skull Pirates, eh?" He nodded. "Pretty original, I guess. Just..."

"'Just' what?" Jack asked indignantly. He wasn't in the mood for people to make fun of his names.

"Weeeeell," Brandy wheedled, "Just...why the Skull Pirates, exactly? I know your name is Jack Bones, but there's plenty more than just that one in a body, you know."

He grinned. "Like, why not the Femur Pirates? Or the Spine Pirates? Heck, the Cervical Vertebrae Pirates has a nice ring to it!"

Jack looked unimpressed. "Yeah, sure. Sorry if getting chased around by all your goons didn't make me very creative."

"Hey," Brandy shrugged casually, "you should never understimate what good marines are capable of."

While her captain fumed silently Mary cut in. "Um, Captain Brandy, you said?"

The marine smiled. "That's correct, Miss The Thorn - or is it just Thorn? What do you need?"

"Either one is fine, thank you." Mary smiled back. Pirates and marines generally called each-other by their bounty head / authority nicknames, in an odd way of one professional addressing another.

She clasped her hands together on the table. "You seem to be beating around the bush, if I may say so. Are we under _arreter_, or not?"

The situation wouldn't be good for them if the answer was yes. Marines were one thing, but this captain looked like a bumbling idiot, which, if their captain was anything to go by, meant he could beat them all single-handedly. His ship also had to be docked somewhere nearby, likely with the cannons readied...not that that mattered, since _The Flying Skull _was still dry-docked.

Brandy leaned back in his chair, spinning a bottlecap slowly between two fingers. "Well, let's count up your crimes here then, shall we?"

He began to tick off the fingers of his free hand. "Firstly, you trespassed on marine territory without anyone's knowledge, hid your presence here for quite a while...but another pirate crew was already doing that, and for way longer.

A second. "You then proceeded to attack that same pirate crew, beating them all into the ground. Not really that big a crime, and one that's actually encouraged so long as civilians don't get caught up in it. You also did that after saving this town from getting burnt to pieces, which is sort of the exact opposite of a crime."

"However..." Brandy's face grew grave. "Then there's the matter the vicious beating your captain awarded Helsing. By the time I found him, he was barely standing under his own power."

A moment of silence came, during which the other Skull Pirates shifted uncomfortably, while Jack just folded his arms and stared.

Finally, Brandy's mouth spread in a smile. "Which I'd give you a medal for, Jack, if I could."

The pirates all relaxed. Jack put his elbows on the table and looked Brandy in the eyes. "Well, thanks, but that doesn't really answer her question, does it?"

The captain's smile didn't change. He shrugged. "Kidnapping, slavery, extortion, harvesting a precious resource for his own gain...the crimes Helsing commited right under the noses of us marines is almost unbelievable. But, a crew of just five pirates showing up here, discovering all these crimes, and saving the day all by themselves? Who'd buy a whooper like that? Kinda makes us look bad, y'know?"

He leaned back. "I can't exactly arrest people who were _clearly_ never here, can I?"

Jack returned the smile. "No...no, I don't think you can, Brandy."

The Skull Pirates relaxed again.

"Anyway..." the marine captain looked around. "I have enough work to do here without apprehending you guys. Rebuilding everything Helsing dismantled will take a long while. We'll have to get another replacement captain here, and-"

"Excuse me." a voice cut in. They all turned to see Karen standing there. "Can I say something?"

Brandy nodded. "Of course, miss. Go ahead."

"Well..." began the merwoman. "We don't _want _another captain on this island. We never wanted to come here in the first place. It was a stupid idea; there's probably plenty of people in West Blue that hate mermen, but cooping all of us up here won't do anything to change that. No matter what kind of amnesty we get, it won't change other's opinions if they really think we're monsters."

The marine nodded. "I see your point, miss. I can't imagine anyone really thought this idea would be at all productive. But what do you want me to do?"

Karen shrugged. "Just...leave. Don't send another captain here, and let us live for ourselves. That's all we need, really."

Brandy leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head. "Hmmmm..." he hummed to himself. "Well, let's see here..."

The Skull Pirates watched intently, as did the mermen. Finally, Brandy nodded. "Okay, I'll see what I can do."

There probably wouldn't have been a cheer, even if the answer had been a definite yes. After receiving the short end of the stick for so long, it just stood to reason the mermen didn't react too hopefully, especially not for what was essentially a 'maybe'.

Then a sound pierced the silence; two stomaches growling in unison.

Brandy frowned in mock-sternness. "Letting loose such a baser noise in front of a marine officer; don't you have any shame, Jack?"

"Doing the same thing in front of the guy who _did your job for you_." snarked Jack pointedly. "It's pretty obvious you don't, Brandy. If you didn't have other good qualities, I might not like you."

"Oh no," Brandy deadpanned, "a pirate likes me. What a blasphemy on me, my record, and the entire marine organization."

He turned to look at the collective mermen. "Hey, you guys hungry too? I'm guessing yeah, right?"

An embarassed shuffling of feet and murmuring told him this was indeed the case. Brandy turned to the Skull Pirates. "How 'bout you guys? You want something to eat?"

Jack shrugged. "Sure, why not? I already took your ship, so at least there's a precedent, right?"

Brandy scratched his head. "Don't remember offering you that..." He turned to some of his men. "Hey, you guys run up to the base. I'd bet good money Helsing had some 'un-noticed' rations in his pantry."

As they walked off, he turned to another group. "You all, move some of these tables into the middle of town."

There was an average of one table to each household, and they were one of the only competent pieces of furniture within them. Dragging them out was relatively easy, and Brandy turned to the mermen. "Can some of you guys tell your friends to come over here?"

They did, and finally he looked back at the Skull Pirates. "I don't suppose you guys could contribute a little to this? At least my booze, anyway."

Jack blinked. "Oh. That alchohol we threw overboard?" He grinned apologetically. "Sorry."

"...what."

Jack shrugged. "Hey, I did feel bad about it, for what it's worth."

"Well, you-"

"I mean, even if they're corked and in that box we stuck 'em in, any fish that goes near is dead meat for sure. Sure, I'm a pirate, but causing serious environmental hazards is something I try to keep off my conscience."

"Some of those bottles were older than any fish!" Brandy cried. "And you!"

The skull pirate nodded slowly. "Yeah, I could tell. The explosion from a cannonball hitting them probably would have been spectacular; a sight to see for _miles_. I'm just so sorry my partiality to staying alive had to deprive the world of such a sight."

"Yeah...yeah, you _better_." Brandy said sulkily. That seemed to the end of the subject.

"I still think we should have kept some of those, captain." put in Frank. "You never knew when a corrosive acid can come in handy."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

About an hour later, the tables had been set up, and laden down with food a good sight better than the rations these people had been receiving until now. The merman were all seated at them, staring at the meal like it was a mirage.

Brandy stood up, clearing his throat. "Excuse me. Can I have your attention?"

The mermen all looked to him silently. Brandy gulped slightly, grinning hesitantly. "Uh, hi...most of you probably don't know who I am, huh?"

Silence. Brandy scratched the back of his head. Maybe he could tell a joke...the only ones he could think of were about fish. Probably not a good idea.

He sighed. "Well, my name is Captain Brandy. I'm a marine captain that was sent to investigate this island's situation. And I have to say one thing..."

Everyone assembled there blinked as he bowed low, nose nearly touching the wood surface. "...I apologize. I can't begin to say how sorry I am for what's happened here. It's a disgrace to the entire marine organization, and I'm ashamed you had to be the victims of it.

If you never trust another marine officer again in your life, I'll understand, and I know just giving you a good meal won't do anything toward making up for this. But I have to show you not all of us are like Helsing, and that the law isn't just a tool foe evil. That's what our duty calls us to do, and that's all I _can _do."

Brandy sat down. "So...that's all. Sorry."

An awkward silence then came. Jack looked around; no-one seemed sure what to say to that. The mermen looked unsure, while his crew seemed shocked: who knew Brandy had a speech like that in him? Ryoga and Jade (who had arrived along with the marines from Brandy's ship) were looking at the captain with expressions of slight awe.

So, abruptly, Jack clapped his hands together. "Welp, how 'bout we eat?"

Instantly the spell of silence was broken, and the impromptu party began.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Broken arm in a sling, Ryoga turned to his superior. "Commander, I have to protest again about breaking bread with these pirates."

"I can hear you, y'know."

"I'll admit they were responsible for Helsing's arrest, but the fact remains that they're criminals; just ignoring their presence is extremely irresponsible."

"Very commendable of you, pushing this after your arm got broken."

"After all, we came here in the first place to root out illegal activity, and here it is right now!"

"Drake, do you think he would shut up if you gave him _autre_?"

"...I really don't know, actually."

Ryoga looked across and glared at the Skull Pirates. "Do you people mind? I'm trying to talk to my captain."

"Shut up and eat, Ryoga."

"...yes, sir."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A couple of the mermen looked down at the body that lay before them.

One shook his head sadly. "It's really terrible when young people can't hold their liquor."

"Yeah..." deadpanned the other. "Especially when they only drink a third of a bottle."

"Hey, did you smell that stuff? I'm surprised he could even do that much."

"Yeah," the merman nodded, "but I'm even more surprised that captain said he meant us no harm, and then let us drink that stuff. Seems counter-productive. At least the stuff they gave us down there didn't give off fumes...usually."

"...nee-san, why can't I sleep with you...?" murmured Frank after hiccuping. Apparently the shinobi laws of conduct didn't count when you were inebriated. You'd already broken most of them by that point, anyway.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Um, excuse me?"

Mary looked up from her meal and blinked. "Hm? Pardon?"

The marine shifted uncomfortably. "Well, uh...you're really Mary the Thorn?"

"The last time I checked." she said, offering him a smile. This didn't help his awkwardness much.

"Uh, um..." he looked around and then finally held up a sheet of paper, along with a pencil. "Could you please give me your autograph? Even if it's just the initials, I don't mind..."

Mary smiled. "Well, why didn't you just say so?" Taking the slip of paper, Mary wrote down her name and bounty title, with neat, graceful strokes in cursive.

"There you are," she said, handing it back to him, offering another smile.

"...t-thank you." he mumbled, walking away. The target of the mumbling quickly changed to himself.

Mary looked amused. "Nice boy, I suppose..." She sighed. "Even if he can't hold a _chandelle_ to Martin."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It was terrifying! He must have been ten, no, _twenty _feet tall! His very steps quaked the earth!"

The children were all held captivated, and even some of the adults stared attentively as Jack recounted his fight with Helsing. Of course, he was embellishing events _slightly _(apparently he had taken on all of the Road Warriors singlehandedly, after his crew were tied up), but considering how the fight had ended he'd more than earned the right to boast.

"He swung his fist forward, and the air shook! I blocked, but the blow pushed me back, back, back...it seemed like I was _doomed_. But THEN!" He shouted bringing his hands up in a grandiose motion.

"Then I remembered that my crew, and you guys, were all counting on me! So I struck out, punching at Helsing with all my might! A left, a right, another left...slowly but surely, I gained ground! Then, with a mighty uppercut," Jack paused to thrust a fist into the air, "I sent that rat sailing straight into the ceiling! Why, he hit it so hard, the very cavern collapsed around us!"

This didn't have quite the effect Jack had been looking for, unless he'd been fishing for silence. Appropriately enough, a cricket chirped somewhere.

One of the mermen child coughed politely. "Um, mister, you don't have to exaggerate. You're already a hero."

"...who's exaggerating!? I totally did that!" Jack yelled, knocked right out of his storytelling persona. "I'm like, really strong, so it was easy, too!"

"Yeah, seriously, come on." put in one of the adults in-between bites. "Even for a pirate captain, that's pretty far-fetched."

"IT HAPPENED!"

"Okay, okay, sure." the merman said reassuringly.

Jack ground his teeth in frustration. _"Goddammit...no respect, no respect at all..."_

"Problem, hic, Jack?" Brandy said from behind him, sounding greatly amused. He took a swig from his battle.

Suddenly, inspiration struck Jack. He walked over quickly, sitting down in front of the other captain and leaning over at him. "Hey, Brandy, I wanna talk to you."

Brandy did the same. "About what, hic, pray tell?"

"I saved this island, and you'll be getting the credit for it, right?" when Brandy nodded, Jack grinned toothily. "So I want something in return. Listen up..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake watched all of this going on, and smiled slightly.

"Fruits of our labor, eh, Drake?" said Gerald, appearing suddenly and handing the merman a drink. "Nice to see, isn't it?"

"It is," Drake agreed with a nod, "after all this time, I'm glad I was able to save these people." He turned and smiled at the first mate. "With all of your help, of course."

Gerald nodded, and sighed. "Rather odd, isn't it? We're meant to be pirates, but we did something like this, just...because, really."

"...well, people like to help other people." Drake said simply. "That's the case, more often than not."

The first mate nodded, patting "A very nice view of things, I suppose, ha ha."

Drake stared down into his glass. "You're drunk, aren't you?"

"You know, a gentlemen could get very irate at an accusation of that magnitude." Gerald admonished. "You're just lucky I have more self control than most. Why," he paused to let out as distinguished a burb as he could manage, "you can barely _tell _I'm drunk! Not as easy as I make it look, either, let me tell you."

"I wouldn't know. I don't drink alchohol, or anything else like that. It clouds the mind, you know." with that, Drake dumped the offending liquid onto the grass.

Gerald nodded. "The general idea, or so I am..." he paused to pinch one cheek, "...often told. I only partake of it on special occasions, though, don't worry. Ha, Jack won't even touch the stuff at all - hardly befitting the image of a fearsome pirate captain, eh?"

Drake shrugged. "Well, he's certainly not as tough as he'd like to think." He smiled. "But that's because he's a much kinder man than he lets on."

"It's why he's our captain, after all." said Gerald, returning it. "He has this odd way of attracting others to his side, despite outwardly being a fool." His expression grew ponderous. "Someone could really misuse such a talent...good job he's not clever enough for that, eh?"

"...I can't deny either of those points."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ryoga sighed, picking at his food. "Captain, I'm aware your authority is uncircumventable to me at my rank...but, again, I'm not happy about this."

He suddenly shivered as a pair of slim arms wrapped around his chest from behind. "Hmmm...Ryoga, are you happy about _anything_? Like me, for instance?" Jade purred.

"I-inspector, I-I'm not sure that's a very proper question to-"

"That's a-a...no, I think, Jade." Brandy slurred nearby. "It's like, like, hic, not crying when you see a mewling kitten; the p-precedent, don'tcha know."

Jade pouted. "Awww...that makes me so sad..."

"W-w-wait, Inspector," Ryoga backpedaled instantly, "I d-didn't say that, really!"

Brandy snickered as Jade tightened her grip. He turned to Jack, who was also watching the display with the usual expression other men had when the fairer sex were around Ryoga, which was a lot. The captain cleared his throat to draw his attention away.

"Anyway, Jack, are you sure about this? I mean, I get that you have an ego, but is seems like a bit much."

This didn't actually work, as Jack bristled for that reason instead. "What, you don't think I'm tough enough to deserve it? I'll have you know, I'm a pretty rough customer when I need to be!" He punctuated this by slamming the table with one fist - the wood cracked in response.

Brandy looked impassive. "Right, okay, real tough. But I don't think you're quite getting what these things are for."

Jack shrugged. "Does _any _pirate? We all just wave them around like they're yard sticks of how manly we are, instead of, you know, _death threats_. We're stupid, crazy idiots, what can I say?"

"Ah." Brandy nodded slowly. "Kind of an eloquent description of 'em, Jack...albeit deflated a bit by the fact that you want a higher one."

The skull pirate shrugged, a grin crossing his face. "Well, I'm pretty stupid and crazy myself."

"Heh, I can drink to that."

"I would too, but I want to live."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The party went on for most of the night, and by the time morning came most everyone who'd been involved were fast asleep. Almost everyone, anyway.

Stretching, Jack rose, gently lowering a merman who'd been leaning against him to the ground. Looking around, he quickly located his crew and walked over, nudging them gently. "Hey, guys, time to go." he whispered.

"W-what...oh, yes, alright..." Gerald muttered, getting up and holding his head.

Mary rose, yawning as elegantly as she could before looking around and nodding. "Ah...leaving before the marines awake? Good idea, Jack."

"..."

Jack walked over to their third member and nudged him with his foot. "Hey, Frank, wake up."

The shinobi bolted straight upright, drawing his katana and putting it to Jack's throat. The skull pirate looked unimpressed, flicking the shinobi's mask. "Right, great shinobi trick. Now knock it off."

Frank shifted, and stepped back, sheathing the blade. "I apologize, captain - my reflexes can't distinguish friend from foe."

"Right sure." Jack nodded. "Be grateful you're...you, Frank, or I might be suspicious at that."

"Of course, captain."

Case in point, really. "...anyway, we're moving out now, so come on."

Frank nodded. "Right away, captain."

Together they quietly left the merman village. At it's edge, however, Jack looked up and stopped. "Hey guys, go on ahead. I got something to take care of."

"Ah, right, of course." Gerald said with a knowing nod. Mary mimicked the action.

They turned and started walking off. "...um, why were you two nodding?" Frank asked.

Watching them go for a moment, Jack turned and walked toward the forest that bordered the town. On it's edge was Drake, sitting silently against a tree.

"Yo, Drake." Jack called as he came close. The merman's eyes were closed, and they didn't open to his call. The pirate frowned - reaching down, he snapped his fingers. "Oi, Drake, I'm talking to you. Wake up."

Still no reaction. Jack sighed wearily, and then nodded to himself. Balling one hand, he drew it back and threw a punch forward as strong as he could.

Without opening his eyes or shifting position at all, Drake caught the blow easily, the force of it pushing him deeper against the tree trunk. "Was there something you wanted, Jack? I can't train properly if you distract me."

The skull pirate pulled his hand away. "If you don't want to be distracted, don't train where I can see you." He pointed off toward the shore. "Well, me and my crew are leaving now, and after everything that happened on this island, I figured I should come say...goodbye, you know?"

Drake raised an eyebrow. "Saying farewell to someone who tried to kill you? You're a strange man."

Jack shrugged. "No duh. But hey, we fought together, and you saved my life twice." He extended a hand. "Even if you're a big blue jerk, I'm glad I met you, Drake."

A moment passed before Drake smiled slightly. He grabbed Jack's hand and shook it firmly. "Same here, I suppose. Goodbye, Jack."

With that, he leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes again. A moment passed. Jack tapped his foot on the floor.

"Well!?" the pirate finally shouted. "Are you coming with us or not!?"

This got Drake's attention, and his eyes snapped open. "W-what? Why on earth would I do that?"

Jack nodded firmly. "It's just how it works - I'm supposed to make a manly farewell to you, and you're supposed to go "no, wait, take me with you!", or at least say _something_! What are you, made of stone?"

The merman. "Well, excuse me if I don't fit in with tradition; but I don't really have any desire to join your crew. Just the fact that we fought together doesn't mean I'd fit in with you at all."

"What do you mean?" Jack frowned. "Me and the guys don't have a problem with you, and I'll even put up with your needlenose just fine."

His face grew serious. "More than that, we're headed for the Grand Line - and if you're gonna find _him _anywhere, it'll be there."

"..." Drake slowly shook his head. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, Jack...but I swore to find and kill that man myself. I can't accept outside help, and I won't drag you into it, either."

Jack was silent for a long moment, and then sighed. "Fine, then. But don't whine that I didn't offer later!"

With that he turned and walked off. Drake watched for a moment, before shutting his eyes again.

"So, you're just gonna let him walk away?" a voice asked from close by. Looking up, Drake saw Karen standing there, hands on her hips.

The merman shrugged. "I'm sure you heard me; I have no reason to travel with them."

"That's crap," Karen said curtly, "and you know it. Ever since you arrived here, he's the first person I've seen who's made you act like that. You want to go with him right now, I can tell."

Drake turned away. "I doubt that, Karen; I'm not a very understandable man."

Karen snorted. "Well, _he _does, and you're turning away for no good reason." She frowned. "Well, there probably is one; you're a coward."

"...what?" was all Drake could say in response.

"You lost someone, didn't ya?" Karen asked, looking him in the eye. "Anyone here could see that, since we all have too. You're scared that one day you'll lose them too, huh?"

Drake was silent.

"What are you, a goddamned wimp!?" Karen yelled. "So someone you cared about died; but that doesn't mean you should never care about anyone else! That crew have all lost something, too, but they're together now. Hell, if it weren't for Lyn, I probably would have lost my mind when they dragged my family down there!"

She pointed at his muscular frame. "What's the point of you being that strong if you can't even protect your own heart, huh?"

As if on cue, a brief gust of wind swept through the trees; Drake was silent. Then finally, he stood up, grabbing his dufflebag and starting away.

"Karen." he said, stopping briefly. "...Thanks."

With that, the merman was gone.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Not long after he had set off, Drake heard the pattering of tiny footsteps behind him. He stopped moving. They stopped as well.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping, Lyn?" he said to thin air.

Meekly, the mergirl walked out from the trees. She shuffled her feet. "Drake-aniki...you're leaving now, aren't you?"

Drake frowned deeply. Stooping, he nodded. "I'm afraid so, Lyn - I've kept my promise to you, but now I must go. There are other people who need protecting out there, and I have to go find them." He smiled, ruffling her hair. "You'll be a good girl, won't you, and not cry anymore?"

Lyn looked up at him, eyes slightly misty, and nodded. "Uh-huh! I'm not gonna cry, not even once...but you have to make another promise!"

"Oh?" Drake smiled. "What's that?"

The mergirl sniffed. "You have to promise...to come back here one day! A-alright?" She extended a hand.

Drake's smile didn't waver in the least. "Oh, is that all?" He gripped her hand gently and shook it. "Alright then, if you like."

"Y-you have to promise!" Lyn said again. "I'll never forgive you if you break it!"

"Well, then I'll just have to make sure I don't, won't I?" Drake said pleasantly. "Be a good girl while I'm gone, alright Lyn?"

The girl nodded, and he ruffled her hair once more before standing up. "Well, I'll be off now."

Drake turned to walk off, and Lyn watched him go sadly. Cupping her hands, she called to him.

"GOODBYE, DRAKE-ANIKI!"

She smiled through her tears as Drake turned to wave.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Oh."

The skull pirates were currently staring at _The Flying Skull_, which was right where they had left it: On the rocks.

Gerald slapped his forehead. "Yes, I _knew _we had come to this island for some reason."

Mary sighed, restraining herself from doing the same. "I suppose we're probably under arrest, then."

"Should we go back and ask for assistance?" said Frank.

Jack shook his head behind them. "Nah, that won't be necessary."

"Drake's coming up behind us, isn't he?" Mary asked without skipping a beat.

Jack, who had been raising his finger to point, drooped. "How the hell did you know that?" he grumbled.

Mary just shrugged. "Well, _I _did, didn't I?"

"Oh." Jack blinked. "Yeah, right, you did."

Drake slowly approached, and gave Jack a nod. "I decided to change my mind - I hope that's not a problem."

The skull man jabbed a thumb at their ship. "Not if you can move that, it's not."

"Hm?" the merman looked over at _The Flying Skull_. "_That's _a problem?"

Walking past the Skull Pirates, Drake approached the ship. Dropping the dufflebag, he cracked his knuckles slowly before putting his hands on the ship's surface. Then, Drake _pushed_.

With a slow grinding noise, the ship began to move, slowly sliding off the shore. Drake grunted as his muscles bulged, until finally _The Flying Skull _was back in it's correct terrain. Nodding, the merman dusted his hands off while the Skull Pirates watched, wide-eyed.

"...I coulda done that, too, I was just worried about hurting the ship." Jack couldn't stop himself from putting in.

Mary shook her head. "_Non_, you couldn't have."

"But I-"

"You know, you keep attracting people who show you up in some way, Captain." Gerald mused. "Perhaps you have a self esteem problem?"

"..." Jack began to mutter under his breath. The word 'no respect' could be picked out here and there.

Drake called to them from afar. "Are you all going to board, or should I? Assuming that's alright, of course."

"Right, right." Jack recovered quickly, walking up to the ship. As he passed Drake, he slapped him hard on the shoulder. "Welcome aboard, Drake. Just remember, I'm the boss." He yelped as a thorn vine caught him in the legs, scything him straight over.

Mary smiled daintily as her own leg came back. "Just _ignorer_ him, Drake; we all do when he gets like that."

"I'd already figured that out, but thank you anyway." the merman said with a polite nod. "I hope we can all get along."

"Shan't be a problem, I should think." Gerald said, grabbing his hand and shaking it firmly. "Good to have you, Drake."

Mary curtsied. "Indeed - it will be good to have another gentlemen aboard, even if I'm still the only lady on the crew."

"Oh, and _you're _a-" Jack was cut off with a choked gasp as Mary stomped down on his windpipe...in lady-like fashion, of course.

Frank nodded stoicly. "As we gain new friends, we ourselves grow, and become stronger. Ancient shinobi saying."

Jack got to his feet. "Think I got that one in a cookie once." He dusted himself off. "Alright, boys and girls, shall we blow this popsicle stand?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Captain." Frank's mask looked apologetic. "I'm all out of explosives at the moment. Would freezing it be a good alternative?"

Jack resisted the urge to slap his face. "Figure of speech, Frank...and freezing popsicles wouldn't really - nevermind."

With that dramatic line well defused, the now five Skull Pirates all climbed their ship's gangplank, Drake pulling it up behind them. Instantly, Jack was all business, or at least as professional as _he _could be.

"Frank, crow's nest. Gerald, Mary, take care of the rigging." He turned to Drake and jabbed a finger toward the ship's interior. "Drake, take the helm - it's in the mess hall there, don't ask me why."

Drake raised an eyebrow. "Did you only recruit me so I could lift things for you?"

"...partially. And anyway, this is _pushing, _completely different!"

The merman sighed. "I probably should have expected...what will you be doing, then?"

Jack grinned, jabbing a thumb at the ship's wheel. "What other job is the captain capable of?"

"Certainly not our own, at least." Drake said simply, walking toward the mess hall. Watching him do so, Jack drooped.

"Yeah, I can see you're gonna fit in _juuuust _fine." he muttered low.

Straightening up, Jack walked over to his ship's wheel, grinning as he grabbed hold of the spokes.

"Alright...let's GO!"

Turning, _The Flying Skull _sailed away from Newport Island, and toward further adventure.

_To be continued..._

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates...**

**Mary: **I've heard rumors about this place before, but I never imagined it really existed.

**Drake: **This is 'their' territory...we shouldn't be here.

**???: **I'll never let any of you set foot here!

**Mysteries Abound! Adventure in the Rainbow Archipelago!**

**Jack: **This...I can't forgive this.

LordGambit508 - Yeah, that line just sort of came to me. Sums up Jack's character quite well, doesn't it?

Shinobi-dono - As always, I'm glad I lived up to your expectations. Helsing will probably make the case at his trial that the sheer odds of a guy with oil powers finding something like this was a sign from on high. Not a very GOOD case, admittedly, but when has that ever stopped guys like him.

At long last, this arc has drawn to a close, and the Skull Pirates have acquired a fifth member. Look forward to the next arc, where a new setting, quest, and villain will appear...and be resolved in less than a year. I promise. Really. Until next time, see ya.


	18. Mysteries Abound

Well, here we finally are at the next arc, with new characters, new villains, and a new story. Hopefully it'll be just as good as the last.

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Eighteen: Mysteries Abound! Adventure in the Rainbow Archipelago!**

"Yo. Drake."

The merman didn't open his eyes, concentrating on his training – or at least trying to, anyway, however futilely. You'd think he'd have caught on after a few days onboard.

The sound of snapping fingers disturbed what should have been calm, tranquil darkness. "C'mon man, I know you're not dead. Is talking to me _that _annoying?"

Sighing inwardly, Drake bid farewell to the spiritual depths and opened his eyes. "You wanted to talk to me, Jack?"

The skull pirate grinned. "Was it that obvious?" He jabbed a thumb behind him. "C'mon; you've been here more than a day, so it's about time I show you around."

Drake raised an eyebrow. "I've been getting around fine until now. I don't really need a tour."

He didn't close his eyes again, however. A moment passed as Jack folded his arms, tapping a finger against one of them.

Finally Drake sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone until I agree, are you?"

"Nope."

"Alright, then, lead the way."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Jack first led Drake to a wide room on the main deck, placed in-between the stairs leading upward. "This is the mess hall," he said while swinging the door open, "not that I need to tell you that, of course."

Drake nodded as they walked in. "It seems a bit excessive for a ship so small, but as you said, this used to be a marine ship."

"Hey, can't beat it for room." Jack shrugged. "Besides, we'll be getting more crewmates: at least five or six."

The skull pirate pointed near the door, to the sturdy-looking handle set into the wood flooring. "That's the tiller there. You two have gotten pretty familiar, I think."

Drake nodded again. "Right: especially since you recruited me just to push it back and forth."

"…oh yeah, forgot to mention. Mary and Gerald are pathological liars. You can just ignore anything they say."

"Actually, they said you might say that."

Jack shut up, walking toward the back of the room. "Now, these are the kitchens. We don't have a cook yet, but we can handle our own meals well enough…without any fires, at least. It's honestly pretty hi-tech – there's some stuff in there I've never even seen before."

Drake opened the door and looked in. It was an equally wide room, equipped with an oven, sink, and several kitchens. There was even a dishwasher, a rarity among ships. Various cub-boards were around, no doubt containing ingredients, and a pantry door was near the back.

Nodding, the merman closed the door. "Well, I hope we have enough fish."

"…that was a joke, right?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

The second Jack led Drake to was the sole one on the upper stern, directly above the mess hall. The railing before the door formed a pseudo-balcony, allowing someone a view of virtually the entire deck – being in charge gave you certain aesthetic perks.

"Now, this is my room. The captain's quarters, the leader's lair, the sultan's suite, if you will."

Drake looked around at the sights before him. There were so many things to note that he decided to just go for general terms.

"It's kind of a pig-sty, Jack. I take it you don't like cleaning up after yourself?"

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Gee, that's a pretty interesting tone to take with your captain…and anyway, I'm used to my rooms looking like this. It'd probably make me _less _comfortable if I kept 'em neat."

Drake stared. A fly buzzed past his ear. "…I see."

"Anyway…" Jack waved a hand at the room. "There's my bed, and right next to it's my desk, where I do all my important work."

"…of course."

The pirate jabbed a thumb at the large map hanging over the back wall. "That was a lucky find – a map of the entire West Blue, so easy even an idiot could read it!"

Drake decline to comment: blatant rudeness was frowned on in Umi no Kenusers, and the only possible responses certainly fell under that.

"Oh yeah, we're gonna be having a meeting in the mess hall after lunch, to readjust our course. Just to let you know."

Jack then indicated the book-cases on either side. "These are the captain's books, for use in my captainly duties. Very important for them, they are."

Drake opted not to comment on that. "Why are some of the holes circles?" He said, pointing at one of them.

Jack looked uncomfortable. "Well, uh…the previous captain had different ways of making himself productive than me."

The merman martial artist raised an eyebrow, before sniffing, using his heightened senses. He nodded after a moment. "Ah, I see."

"I make a point of not touching that stuff, just to let you know." Jack nodded decisively.

"You don't really seem to need it."

Jack frowned at the comment before continuing. "This isn't the only little 'feature' to make tipping back more convenient that I've found, either. Kinda disgraceful, considering this used to be a marine ship."

Drake paused, and then chuckled slightly. "Sorry – it was just weird, seeing you with an opinion like that."

His captain raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I'll have you know I can be high-class about a lot of things." He looked around. "Besides, I rest way happier knowing my room is free of potential explosives, thanks."

"I can't say I'd mind much, either."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay now, this is Gerald's room. You better get ready, by the way, 'cause these guys tend to be doing some pretty weird stuff whenever I walk in."

Drake cocked an eyebrow. "Mary doesn't seem to be that odd."

"She's a _girl_. Besides, you haven't seen that plant fetish she has…anyway." He pushed open the door without knocking, and instantly sighed. "Yeah, see what I mean?"

Gerald looked up and smiled. "Jack, Drake – I didn't hear you two coming." He lied cheerfully. "Excuse me if I don't invite you two in, but I'm busy, as you can see."

Various objects had been strewn about in specific patterns, transforming the inside of the nobleman's room into a…golf course? Yes, in as far as some books, mugs, and other implements could form proper obstacles for the sport. Gerald lay astride them like a contortionist, hands clutching a golf club that he was hesitantly drawing back and forth. The ball rolling with the deck probably didn't help, despite his efforts to clamp it between two paperweights.

While the merman watched, not quite sure how to react, Jack tapped a finger against one arm irritably. "Yeah, I do. How long have you been at this, exactly, Gerald?"

"Oh, couldn't be more than a few hours. Really helps to keep the mind active, having a hobby. You should try it some time, Captain."

"Just being in charge of this ship's enough of one, thanks." Jack muttered under his breath.

"Hm?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just showing Drake around the ship." He jabbed a thumb at the merman. "Getting him acquainted y'know?"

"Ah, surprisingly sensible of you, Captain." Gerald murmured, leaning back for a shot and thinking better of it. "You're one of the crew now, Drake, so it's a good idea to get familiar here."

Drake bowed. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

Gerald's eyes narrowed as he looked down the shaft's length. "Oh, don't mention it. Did you two need anything important?"

"Yeah," said Jack, "we're gonna have a meeting about our present course, and whether or not to change it. Right after lunch, assuming you can't drag yourself away from this game of epic proportions."

With that he closed the door, starting down the hallway to the next occupied room. Only a moment after, there was an audible clatter from Gerald's domicile.

"Ha ha, hole in one!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay, this is Frank's room. Huh – now that I think of it, you two haven't spoken that much, have you?"

Drake nodded. "I got the impression that he was a bit nervous of me, and still is. It's understandable; not many of us hang around humans for very long, so they don't much chance to get used to us."

"Yeah," Jack said, scratching his forehead, "maybe they don't have mermen on his island. He doesn't talk about it much, so I guess anything's possible.

Raising his hand, the skeleton knocked on the door. Nothing happened for a moment. Frowning, Jack knocked out.

"…ah, you can come in." came Frank's voice from the other side, sounding more timid than usual.

Offering Drake a shrug, Jack pushed it open and entered. In contrast to the other members, the shinobi's room was completely bare aside from the bed, desk, bookcase and wardrobe – even the baser possessions of the previous occupant had been moved, and now lay in a respectful pile in the corner.

One thing the room _also_ lacked at the moment was Frank himself…at least until Jack turned his gaze upward.

"H-hello there, Captain," said Frank, his mask somehow looking sheepish, "a pleasant day we're having, isn't it?"

Jack didn't reply for a moment, blinking several times to process what he was seeing. Even Drake looked mystified.

Finally, the Skull Pirate just sighed. "You know, Frank, this is a question I never thought I'd have to ask, and I grew up in the Grand Line: why are you on the ceiling?"

The shinobi adjusted his mask and shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Well, it's a part of my training, Captain, and as you know, I prefer to keep a rigorous schedule, but-"

"Just spit it out, Frank."

"Um…" Frank looked away. "I can't get down."

Jack's hand quickly rose to meet his face. "Okay, alright, that's a legitimate…concern. Just say calm, Frank, and I'll figure out some way to-"

He blinked as Drake silently stepped forward, grabbed Frank around the arms gently, and turned the shinobi right-way around before depositing him on his feet.

Frank bowed. "You have my gratitude, Drake-san."

"Don't mention it." the merman replied with a casual shrug.

"...or we could do that: seems to work just as well." Jack said vaguely. It was probably just his imagination, but when Drake had grabbed Frank, it seemed like the shinobi's body had tightened up slightly - weird.

The skull pirate nodded. "Okay, problem solved. Just...be more careful when you're standing on the ceiling, okay Frank?"

"Of course, Captain."

Jack nodded. "Alright, then. We're gonna have a meeting in the mess hall after lunch, Frank, to decide about our course."

"Alright, I shall see you then, Captain." Frank said with another bow.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Now the two were at the third door. Jack waved a hand at it, expression turning serious. "Last but not least, this is Mary's room." he said, adopting a slightly grim tone. "Piece of advice, Drake; one thing you have to make sure of is to never-"

The door opened. Drake blinked – with speed that even master martial artists would envy, Jack had swiveled to face the wall.

Mary smiled approvingly, patting Jack on the shoulder. "That's very _bon_, Captain. We don't want a repeat of the incident my first night here, do we?"

"No." Jack said, in a tone more neutral than some negotiators. "We definitely don't. Ever again."

The girl's smile grew. "No, that _would_ be a shame, wouldn't it?"

Noticing Drake, she flashed him a more genuine smile. "Hello, Drake. You are having a pleasant _journee_, I hope?"

"Fair enough, Mary." Drake replied, before gesturing to his Captain. "Jack is showing me around the ship. It's been...interesting, so far."

The skull pirate's sole female member nodded empathetically. "Ah, I see."

Stepping aside, she motioned for the merman to come in. "In that case, allow me to show you my room, Drake."

Drake looked to Jack who was still intently studying the wall. Shrugging, the martial artist entered.

Mary's room didn't really _look _any different than the three others he'd been shown so far. But even someone unused to interacting with women (as Drake was, regrettably) could sense the unique, latent aura of a domicile to the fairer sex. To a trained martial artist it was nearly solid.

In any case, the girl's taste in decoration was appropriate not because of her gender, but her role on the ship. Potted flowers dotted the bookcase, desk, and certain parts of the floor. Overhead, certain parts of the ceiling had been removed to allow sunlight to shine down on them. Drake sniffed; the various scents of the flora had mingled together to form a constant, shifting aroma that was both impossible to pin down, and very pleasant to the nose.

Mary gestured to all of this and smiled politely. "My duty on this ship is as its Botanist and Dietician; I know your physical _sante_ must be important to you as a martial artist, so don't hesitate to call on me if you ever start to feel worse for wear."

Drake smiled back. "I'll keep that in mind, Mary. I'm sure any remedy you came up with would work wonders."

"_Naturellment_, my _pechent _friend," replied Mary, curtsying. "Will that be all? I do have some work to attend to."

"No, don't let me keep you." Drake started back out, but turned back at the door. "Oh – and Jack wanted to tell you, there's going to be a meeting after lunch today in the mess hall. Apparently the ship's course could be altered, depending on our opinion."

Mary sighed. "I'm sure that will be very interesting. I guess I'll see you then, Drake."

"Mm-hm."

Closing the door, Drake watched Jack for a moment before clearing his throat politely. "Mary said she would be there, Jack. Shall we continue?"

Jack turned around and nodded, trying not to look utterly cowed. "…right. Sure we will."

As they continued down the corridor, there was silence for a moment until Jack spoke up. "Drake?"

"Yes?"

"That…never happened, 'kay?"

"What never happened?"

A beat passed, and then Jack grinned. "I'll make a pirate out of you yet, Needle Nose."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The rest of the rooms on that floor were empty, their former marine occupants not having their domiciles sullied just yet. A few rooms were on the next floor (maybe as a sign of importance, Jack thought; marines got into that frat boy stuff a lot), but it was mostly odd-and-end rooms, along with the hold.

It was, well, a hold. A large room with plenty of stuff in it that couldn't be stored anywhere else – all you could say about it, really. A grate in the ceiling let in some sunlight as the two stepped in-between various crates and parcels.

"It certainly is full down here, Jack." Drake remarked.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Jack replied with a nod. He waved a hand at the assembled luggage. "We still haven't figured out what some of this crap does. Other than contribute to the ocean's biggest junk heap, that is."

"Better here than _in _the ocean." Drake reasoned, tapping a luggage pile out of curiosity, and stepping back when it wobbled in every direction possible at once. He followed after Jack – the merman had a feeling anyone unfamiliar with this room could easily get lost in it for hours.

The skull pirate nodded. "Yeah, that'd be pretty irresponsible." He looked around and shrugged. "Sailors say you can tell a lot about a captain by looking at his ship. So what's this supposed to tell me about that marine, huh?"

Behind him, Drake smiled slightly. "Well, I don't think anyone would have trouble telling what kind of person you are, Jack."

Jack interpreted this in the nicest possible way, and smiled. "Gee, thanks. I don't like to think I'm really stealing this ship, but it's nice to know I've put my mark on it."

He stopped and looked around for a moment. "Huh…you know, I don't really remember what I brought you down here to see in the first place. Let's get outta here."

"Fine by me." said Drake. "I've had enough tight spaces for a long while."

The merman followed Jack as he walked back past him…and then stopped at the next intersection, looking around for a moment. A _long _moment.

Drake folded his arms. "Jack…" he sighed.

"I'm _thinking_!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lunch (and every other meal) in the _Flying Skull _was a…unique affair. The mess hall was designed to accommodate a ship's worth of marines rather than just five people, resulting in the entire crew sitting comfortably at a table meant for about twenty.

The Skull Pirates had yet to recruit a professional cook, but thankfully all of the current members were mostly able to fend for themselves. As one might expect for such a radically diverse group, their tastes in food and preparation of it were equally different.

Jack, to go with the simplest example first, liked meat. Any kind of it, really: pig, cow, bull, moose, bear, cougar, mountain lion, goat…anything that wasn't kept as a pet or small enough to fit through holes in walls, really. Watching him eat was an equally rudimentary sight – he grabbed the food, and then ate it. Those two steps appeared to be all he required, or, possibly, had heard of. One's senses quickly got used to it, though: even if you didn't see him eat, the sound easily substituted.

Gerald's palate was significantly wider; from what Drake could tell he'd eat anything…provided, of course, there were condiments for it. Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, garlic (oh _gods_, garlic), and countless spices…according to Gerald, they were 'the proper armaments for a refined gentleman's meal', whatever that meant.

Mary was nearly Jack's complete opposite. While she usually took some meat with her meals, most of it was taken up by greens. Drake could recall several plants around Steven's island that they had used for medicine and meals, but Mary made the old man look like an amateur. Countless herbs and vegetables he'd never seen before were littered across her plate, and often, to his considerable regret, Jack's.

Frank ate nothing so extravagant. According to the shinobi, his training encouraged fasting as much as possible – from what Drake had heard of it, it must have been a very harsh regimen. Meager foods like rice, bread, water and beans were acceptable, with greater dishes only allowed on special occasions. His first meal with Frank, Jack had asked the shinobi why he followed such a silly rule. Who would know, out here? After a moment's thought, Frank had replied, 'I would'. A pirate didn't have much to say in the face of an answer like that.

Finally Drake looked down at his own meal. Maybe it was because of Steven's training, but he had never really minded eating fish, even if other mermen felt otherwise. Other than that, however, his menu was quite large, making sure to contain all of the necessary food groups.

When the meal was over, Jack left for a moment before returning with his quarters' map, which he slapped down on the table.

"Okay," Jack said as everyone crowded around, "right now, we're about…here." He pointed to a spot on the map about a few inches away from Newport Island's marker.

"Now, West Blue has a couple islands near the Grand Line's entrance, but if we want to stock up properly, the place to go is probably…here." He indicated a rather sizable marker on the map's edge, and squinted at the name.

"Avalon Isle…sounds like a nice place, huh?" The captain looked back up to varying expressions of disbelief.

As well as worry, courtesy of Frank. "Um, Captain, Avalon Isle is home to the Kingdom of Avalon, West Blue's largest form of government." he ventured gently. "They are part of the World Government, and control a sizable militia. They might not take kindly to pirate visitors."

Gerald interjected with a shake of his head. "As strange as it might sound, Frank, Avalon actually quite tolerates Grand Line related tourism. It makes up a good chunk of the island's income each year, and several shops almost owe their livelihood to the grand Age of Piracy."

Mary nodded. "So long as _someone _doesn't provoke them, we should be _eminent_."

"Always gotta single me out, of course…" Jack grumbled as he moved his finger across the distance between Avalon Isle and _The Flying Skull_. "Anyway, if we keep up this pace, and keep moving in a straight line, we should get there in about two weeks. What do you guys think?" He looked up to once more see varying expressions from everyone but Frank – this time, of horror.

Drake cleared his throat carefully. "I…don't think that's a very wise idea, Jack."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

The merman pointed at the map this time, to a large dot right on their ship's current heading.

"That's why." the shark murmured ominously. "You're not from West Blue, Jack, so you wouldn't know, but these islands have a reputation among sailors here."

Mary nodded. "The Rainbow Archipelago…you hear stories about it all the time. They say the entire area is haunted, and any ships that enter never leave again."

"It's dangerous enough even without anything supernatural." said Gerald, his tone serious for once. He indicated the marker again. "See how there's nothing else there? That's pretty much the entire map of it – no Cartographer has ever returned from the Archipelago. The unique air pressure or something around it makes for constant storms, or so I heard from a weather man once."

Frank gulped. "That doesn't sound very good."

Jack listened to all of these objections carefully, fingers steepled, nodding at all the appropriate points. "I see," he began solemnly when they were through. "So what you all mean is, these islands are probably more dangerous than any place we've been to so far, completely unknown to everyone, and maybe even filled with horrible monsters, eh?"

The pirate's grin split his face. "Well in that case, let's go!"

He watched as his brave and loyal crew face-planted in unison onto the table, only to instantly rise with the usual complaints.

"You know, I don't understand how your mind works, Jack; I _really _don't." Gerald said. "'Oh, the Jungle of a Million Billion Man Eating Lions? Sounds lovely! The Bottomless Pit of Absolute Terror? I think I've found my next vacation spot!' I can certainly understand altruism, but suicide is another matter entirely."

Jack grinned sardonically. "But Gerald: if the Archipelago is completely unknown, how can entering it be suicide?"

This bit of wisdom earned the captain a thorn vine around his neck.

"Please don't try to sound clever, Jack," Mary said sweetly, "it doesn't suit you. Even on just hearsay, the fact that no-one has come back from the islands should tell you enough. Going around them will only take a few extra days, and likely spare us looking like you, hm?"

The other three nodded firmly. In reply, Jack raised his hands and let out a faint gurgle.

Mary blinked. "Oh, pardon me." Releasing her grip, the girl stared as her captain stood up dramatically, slamming his hands down on the table. He looked around at all of them, expression very stern.

"Well, so now you guys show your true colors, eh?" Jack said gravely. "You all act like guys – and one lady – when you joined me, but when we run into something that might be a little difficult? You want to run and hide under your beds!"

He began to walk around the table, arms behind his back like a general addressing their troops. "You're talking about getting to the Grand Line in one piece, but do you think _that_ ocean is sunshine and roses? Hell no! Compared to some of the stuff there, this Archipelago can't be more than a molehill!"

Clenching his fists, Jack spread them wide at his crew. "If we don't test ourselves now, then who knows? Maybe later on there'll be an even greater challenge and we'll all get wiped out, along with our dreams."

He let them reflect on this momentarily, before his grin returned in full force. "Besides; what's pirate but another name for explorer?" he boomed. "We could be the first crew to explore this place in maybe forever! Don't you think that would sound good on the Skull Pirates' reputation?"

The crew looked swayed, but not wholly convinced, except for…

"Well, when you put it like that, Captain, it does sound interesting." Frank said brightly. "If it's such an unknown place, then there could be anything there…hidden treasures, or perhaps even animals or plants the world has never seen!"

Mary's eyebrow shot up like an arrow, and so did Jack's – for once, he hadn't been thinking with his stomach.

Gerald sighed. "Majority vote then. Crafty buggers, both of them." He looked over at their newest member. "Guess we'll just have to grin and bear it, eh Drake?"

The merman looked mystified. "What? I didn't say I was against it; only warning about the danger." He grinned, an unfamiliar expression for anyone besides Jack. "Just because I'm a martial artist doesn't mean I can't appreciate something interesting."

A moment ticked by and then Gerald sighed again, louder. _"Crew full of lunatics…and I'm one of them."_

From the mess hall's open door suddenly came the sound of squawking. Jack's eyes lit up. "The News Pelican's here!" he cried, running out onto the deck.

Mary frowned. "Has anyone else noticed how excited Jack's been about the _nouvelles_ lately? And not just the funnies, either."

"I don't know," said Gerald magnanimously, "perhaps our captain has simply begun taking an interest in current affairs? It's not _impossible_."

Frank's mask scrunched up in thought for a moment, and then he shook his head. "No, I think it might be, Gerald-san."

The suited man rolled his eyes momentarily, and stood up. "Well, shall we go take a look?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

When the four exited out onto the main deck, they found Jack digging around in his pockets, while a sash-clad pelican sat on the railing, looking about as bored as a bird could.

Finally the Skull Pirate produced a beri coin, which he flicked into the pelican's waiting beak. It handed him a newspaper from out of the satchel, as well as a stack of new and updated bounty posters. The bird then took flight, searching for other customers.

Jack, meanwhile, was looking at the front page with a wide, manic, and slightly _worrying _grin. "Finally…" he breathed, "finally, finally, finally! It's here!"

"Take some deep breaths, Jack." Gerald said calmly as they neared. "Don't want to pop a blood vessel, after all. What's here?"

Their captain's grin turned friendly as he swiveled to face him, the newspaper clasped to his chest. "Something pretty awesome for us, Gerald, that's all. You remember back at Newport Island, when we met that marine, Brandy?"

Mary sighed. "How could we forget? He was like another you, after all."

"I'm in such a good mood I'll ignore that, Mary." Jack replied cheerfully. "Anyway, I talked to him and made a deal: we both knew he was gonna get the credit for taking down Helsing no matter what, so I arranged for us to get something too."

He thrust out the newspaper for them to take, grinning like a dog. "Surprise!"

Staring at the clump of journalism like it was a live bomb Gerald took it and stared, Mary Frank and Drake crowding at his shoulders. The front page headline instantly drew their eyes.

**NEW WEST BLUE PIRATE CREW AT LARGE**

**BEWARE OF THE SKULL PIRATES!**

Below the massive bold letters was a collage of Jack's, Mary's, and Drake's bounty posters, with photos of Frank and Gerald also present. The man himself began to read, voice thick with disbelief.

"Attention, citizens of West Blue: there is yet another looming danger seeking to shatter this ocean's peace, which we must make you aware of on behalf of the Marines. As the headline indicates, a new band of pirates has stepped forward to join the countless others: their name, the Skull Pirates. They are a very small crew, boasting only five members as of this article's writing, but rest assured, they are all extremely dangerous.

The Captain of the Skull Pirates is one Jack Bones, a mystery man who supposedly hails from the Grand Line itself. He is the eater of the _Doku Doku no Mi _Devil Fruit, which transforms the user into a walking, shape-shifting skeleton – a power and appearance befitting the title of Skeleton Pirate. Aside from the base crime of piracy, Jack Bones has been convicted of resisting arrest, breaking out of jail, assaulting several marine privates and at least one officer, and stealing a marine vessel right of its dock. Additionally, Jack has been credited with the defeat of two other infamous West Blue pirates, in the form of Bandock 'The Butcher' and 'Queen' Adianne. While his original bounty was a mere five million, taking this additional knowledge into account the Marines have seen fit to raise it up to twenty-six_. _After all, anyone capable of defeating people like them with not even ten crewmates is dangerous indeed!"

Mary pulled the paper from Gerald's loosening hands and took over.

"But this increase is far from due to just his strengths; the few crewmates Jack Bones has recruited are each strong in their own way, and in the case of two, have acquired their own bounties as well. Mary 'The Thorn', West Blue's femme fatale flower has been confirmed as part of the crew, her _Rose Rose no Mi _powers and deadly personality making a powerful ally, and _enemy_. Rest assured that her pleasant appearance conceals thorns well befitting of her namesake."

Drake started reading now.

"Perhaps more impressive, though, is the presence of a merman in the Skull Pirates, quite unusual given their pirates' tendency to band together and their distrust of humans in general. Not just any merman, either, but 'Fist of the Sea' Drake, a mysterious and fearsome shark martial artist who practices a unique style thought lost until now – _Umi no Ken_, or Fist of the Sea. Little is known about this art, but with a bounty of twenty-five million, it must indeed be fearsome: Drake acquired his bounty by savagely assaulting both entire pirate crews and marine/government officials on islands across West Blue. The few witnesses to these attacks say the merman fought like a whirlwind, easily defeating opponents at even five to one odds."

Frank blinked as the newspaper was handed to him next.

"Bounty heads aside, the Skull Pirates also contain two members who have yet to acquire such fearsome reputations, or in fact any reputations at all! One is an enigmatic masked man, concealing his appearance, identity and history from the world. As you know, dear readers, rumors have come in from around West Blue and our sister seas of mysterious figures in similar garb, with fantastic powers comparable to Devil Fruits – perhaps he is one of them?"

Letting out a nervous gulp, the shinobi handed it back to Gerald.

"The second is a very odd case. He wears no mask, his appearance should be distinct enough to easily place a name to…and yet, despite our best efforts, we cannot even guess a possible identity for this gentleman. The scant bit of information we have is that he broke out of Cherry Island's jail along with Jack Bones. Even the marines who arrested him have no idea who he is – very mysterious, especially for a pirate!

If you should encounter the Skull Pirates on the open seas, readers, use extreme caution, and do not attempt to restrain any of them yourself. Report to the nearest group of marines as soon as possible, and then get behind any cover you can find; the areas they fight in tend to suffer even more than their opponents, as Charity Town and Rose Island can attest. Rest assured we will be following the Skull Pirates' path through West Blue, as well as the careers of any other notable pirate crews – for more information, please check the back pages and enclosed bounty posters. Farewell for now, dear readers, and make sure to stay safe."

With that, Gerald neatly folded the paper, dropped it onto the floor, and began to stamp on it wildly.

"I thought it was pretty good journalism, myself." Jack commented dryly.

Instantly, his first mate's pointer finger was one inch away. "Why…would you even…URGH!"

"Use your words, Gerald." Jack snarked again, then regretted quickly when he was grabbed around the collar.

For once, Gerald didn't look happy. "How are these two? _You idiot_!" he shouted. "Who makes a deal to RAISE the amount of people that want them dead! Nobody except for Jack _bloody _Bones, that's who!"

The skull pirate frowned. "Hey, it's not like you have a bounty – I couldn't spin your averageness into anything _really _scary, sorry."

"That's not the point!" Gerald said vehemently. "The point is, you should think before springing surprises on us that will make this journey even more dangerous. As the captain of this ship, you should have some responsibility!"

"…" Jack sighed, and shrugged out of the grip effortlessly. "So what, Gerald, you thought we'd get out West Blue without becoming a major blip on their radar? Just making it to the Grand Line is enough of an excuse for the marines to raise bounties, and sometimes just existing at all. If you're gonna be first mate on a pirate crew, then you should expect things like this."

Suddenly, Jack stepped in close, expression turning serious. "I know something's going on here, Gerald." he said quietly. "If there's a reason you don't want to be found, tell us if it's so important. Otherwise, shut up."

Gerald frowned deeply as Jack withdrew, standing silently for a moment. Then his usual smile returned as he stepped aside. "Fair enough, fair enough, I see your point, Captain: complaint officially withdrawn."

The smile turned slightly nasty. "Besides, I should at least be supportive, considering who else wants to talk with you."

Jack blinked. "Eh, what do you – HURK!"

Mary leaned down, looking her snared, bent double captain in the eye. "So, I have a _deadly _personality? I wonder what they meant by that…do you have any idea, Jack?"

"A-artistic license maybe, Mary?" Jack smiled, the same way a particularly slow sheep would do to a charging wolf. "After all, these reporters only want to make stuff sound good, so naturally they wouldn't know you for the kind, sweet, innocent…uh…"

"Keep going."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

"PULL!"

With a mighty throw Jack's bounty poster, now scrunched up into a ball, rose up high, silhouetted itself against the sun…and then was eclipsed by a blast of crimson-red energy that vaporized the paper completely.

Lowering a glowing hand, Bandock the Butcher frowned deeply – not very hard, given his size.

"You feel better, Cap'n Bandock Dude?" Mr. Kamikaze ventured gently.

The giant sighed. "No, not really – anyone can kill a _picture_, but the meaning behind it tends to be much more durable. I'm afraid I won't be satisfied until I twist off our friend Jack's head, preferably in front of a wide audience." He smiled. "Well, what do you know? _That _cheered me up."

Kamikaze grinned, nodding. "Sheyeah, those guys are gonna seriously get it when our waves cross paths."

He held up three bounty posters. "After all, no way in heck they coulda missed these." The bomber crowed. "A nice big thirty mil for you, Cap'n, twelve for Mute here," beside him, the silent puppeteer nodded, "and ten mil for me."

Bandock nodded appraisingly. "Maybe, maybe not – with his attitude, I wouldn't put it past Jack." He grinned, showing off all his teeth. "But if so, it'll be a nice surprise for him, won't it boys?"

A cheer went up across the ship. Bandock gazed around, looking apologetic. "Oh…and I'm real sorry about that, fellas. Guess I still need to work on my temper, huh?"

Instantly a chorus of 'no's, 'not at all's and 'if anything, you're _too _nice's came from everyone else present.

The giant captain nodded. "Well, thanks."

Sighing quietly in relief, his crew returned to the task of clearing up the wreckage of anything that hadn't been nailed down when Bandock read the Skull Pirate's article.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

On another ship not very far from Bandock's, an all-female crew ran in circles to evade the lashing sting of a spiked iron whip, its wielder possessing a far more constant temper than the giant's.

"Please calm down, Mistress Adianne!" Aya of the Amazon Sisters said, holding up her arms in a placating manner. "It's really not good for your blood pressure!"

The swordswoman ducked as the whip came at her next. "BLOOD PRESSURE!" Adianne roared as she swung the weapon expertly, even in anger. "Do you honestly expect me to worry about such trivialities, Aya, when things like _this _greet me in the morning!" She flung out her whip again, spearing the newspaper on Mary's face and pulling it close.

"Look at it." Adianne whispered dangerously. "A front page headline devoted to that little _weed _and her rabble, while I? Receive barely a whisper."

The whip lashed out again, grabbing one hapless woman around the wrist and dragging her forward. "Does that sound fair to you, girl?" Adianne asked while smiling reassuringly – or at least what she thought was.

"No, of course not, Mistress," said the woman quickly, "this entire sea should be singing your praises, as we all know! That they haven't here is utterly criminal!"

Adianne nodded slowly, as though processing the very information she wanted to hear. "Yes, very true, is it not?" She looked away at the sea, tapping her chin. "And after all, we haven't done much for the public to report on…a disservice on my part, certainly."

The woman strode away, dragging her still caught crew member along. "What better way to attract the spot-light than snuffing out someone else's?" Adianne said, sneering. Yes, I'll let Mary have her little moment in the sun...before I snuff it out. She deserves nothing less for taking my Martin away from me."

At this, the ensnared woman blinked. "Um…I've been wondering about that, Mistress. If Mary isn't at Rose Island anymore, couldn't we just head back there, hypnotize him with your powers again, and le – EAVE!"

Without visibly reacting at all Adianne had twisted her whip to floor the woman, and then dug a heel into the back of her neck. "No." she said sweetly.

"…a-alright…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Many days travel through both the physical and societal realms from the two pirate ships, there sat a man in a tall tower, just now finishing his lunch. He would have preferred dining earlier, but duty was duty, and there were oh so many things to do.

Lifting an elegantly crafted cup to his lips, the man savored the taste of the equally refined tea held within. He sighed in pleasure – overall, it had been a lovely morning, and the afternoon was looking quite good as well.

Reaching out he took hold of the daily news, untouched until now, and spread it out with one hand. For the next few minutes he read, nodding thoughtfully at all the points that leapt out at him.

Then he folded the paper neatly, set it down, and nodded. "Gisborne," he said neutrally, in a perfect indoor voice.

The room's door opened, and in sidled an armor-clad man, well-trained to hearing calls for him. He saluted widely. "Yes, milord?" he barked.

In response, the man held up the newspaper. "Take a look at this, will you? Something within may draw your eye."

Taking it freely, Gisborne peered closely, squinting preemptively to read the tiny print. The man watched with curiosity as, like a spill of white-out on a painting, all the color drained from his face at once.

"W-well, milord, I had no idea – there's no way any of us coulda known he'd-"

A raised hand silenced his placating. "Rest assured, Gisborne, that I am equally surprised. But the press has been quite providential here, has it not, to alert us of such a…troublesome matter before it arrives. And if we deal with this now, it cannot become an actual _problem _later, hm?"

Slowly, Gisborne nodded. He'd never understood why his master felt like beating around the bush so much, when 'go have this bloke whacked' would get the message across just as well; probably _better _to someone like Gisborne.

"You'll find the Den Den Mushi in the usual place. Send someone new this time – the guild had their graduation just a week ago, and eagerness would be most helpful here."

"Yes, milord." echoed Gisborne as he hurriedly left the chamber. Assassins weren't much better company, but they were at least a brand of thuggery he understood.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Man…" groaned Jack, nursing his sore neck. "You're just lucky I'm so chivalrous, Mary, or you might get a reckoning one of these days."

The flower girl raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Oh, and you can**_foncierère _****that up, hm?"**

**"…well, maybe." Jack muttered lamely. "It'd be close, anyway."**

**"Of course it would."**

**Frank was still looking at the newspaper. "This…isn't that bad, right? We shinobi have been noticed by the world before, so I shouldn't get in too much trouble."**

**Sitting in a deckchair nearby reading, Gerald shrugged. "Look on the bright side – it can't be as bad as you make taking off your mask out to be. You should be fine."**

**The shinobi chuckled, surprisingly enough. "Well, that's like saying a broken arm is better than being executed outright, Gerald-san. But you're probably right. After all, just having a picture is useless against a truly skilled shinobi…and even one like me."**

**Gerald raised an eye away from the page, looking over Frank's colorful costume. "Oh, yes, can't imagine that happening."**

**Drake had returned to his position against the mast, meditating easily despite the conversations going on around him. However, he suddenly lifted his head, an uncommon smile appearing, enough to get his new friends' attention.**

**"Well, there's something you don't see everyday." the mermaid said, striding up to the starboard railing. As the others followed, he pointed, smile widening.**

**Stepping up next to him, Jack leaned over the rail, eyes widening to saucers. "What the heck…" he murmured, "…are those?"**

**Roughly a hundred feet away from the ship was a school of massive whales, each big enough to be a small island by itself. The Skull Pirates' Captain watched with wonder as they floated still in the water like giants, braying their mysterious song all around. Next to him, Frank's reaction was very similar.**

**"Those, Jack, are Island Whales," said Gerald informatively, "one of West Blue's claims to fame. They live only in this sea, and grow to be the biggest thing in the ocean that's not a Sea King."**

**Mary nodded. "They've been classified as an endangered species by the World Government. Just seeing one is rare, as hard as that is to believe – ha ha, I wonder if this is good ****_chance_****?"**

Jack watched them, smiling. "Heh, I'll buy that. It's too bad we can't take one with us as a pet, huh?"

"Only you could come up with that sort of _trouvaille_, Jack," said Mary with a smile, "imagine; a ship with its own pet whale?"

"…well, when you put it like that, yeah, it does sound kinda silly." Jack admitted after a moment, frowning.

Gerald nodded. "I think we've already filled our slot for that particular category, no offense meant to you, Drake. We should try to brainstorm on what other sorts of minorities to recruit; if that's the angle we're going for, anyway."

Jack raised an eyebrow, well aware his first mate was still in a bad mood. But before he could think more about why, or say something, Drake's face caught his eye: it was uncertain, which was surprising all in itself. Other than when speaking of his past, the merman had seemed as solid as a rock back on Newport Island. What could shake him so?

"Something's wrong." Drake supplied with his usual succinctness. "With their size Island Whales don't usually cluster together aside from families, and there's too many for that. All they're doing is floating there…and they sound worried."

None of them could say much for the second point, but the first was spot on, which Jack had also noticed. The roughly half-dozen (it was hard to tell them apart without their faces visible) were facing away from the ship, clustered before a rock spire that jutted straight out of the ocean. It was impossible to tell from the deck what they were interested in, but their voices suggested it was something very important.

Frank started for the mast. "I'll go up to the Crow's Nest and look, Captain."

Jack stopped the shinobi with a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "Nah, that'd take too long." he said breezily. "I think my 'unique talents' can do the job here."

Reaching up, he grabbed onto his head and tugged, the bone coming off easily at his touch. As the others stepped back to give him room, he wound up hard. "Here comes the pitch…" said Jack's head, now a moving blur. "And…THROW!"

The head quickly sailed up above, rising higher than even the crow's nest. The other Skull Pirates waited patiently as it reached the peak of its height…

Crash – the pirates jumped as Jack's body moved, swinging a fist down to utterly pulverize the railing before it. They stared, large splinters flying past, as his head came down and reconnected with its eyes shut tightly. Instantly Jack began to shake, and not out of sadness.

"What kind of…" Jack growled through grit teeth, tightening his grip on the bits of wood embedded in it, "…what kind of person would...no." He shook his head slowly. "What kind of _MONSTER _would do that!"

His crew stepped back from the roar. None of them had ever seen Jack like this - it was a little scary.

All except Drake, that was. He didn't budge an inch, instead laying a firm hand on his captain's shoulder. "Jack. Calm down, and tell us what you saw." the merman said calmly.

Amazingly, Jack did so. In explanation he pointed toward the rock: at that moment one of the whales shifted, allowing the Skull Pirates to see what had caught their attention so well. It attracted them, too.

Each of the five's reactions to the sight before their eyes was different, but all were the same in horrification. Jack's eyes somehow darkened more than they already had. Gerald took a step backward, his whole body drooping (even the moustache). Mary gave a sharp intake of breath before looking away, gulping. Frank took one look, unblinking, before running across to port – retching was heard.

And, wearing a stony expression, Drake tightened his grip on the rail until it cracked.

Most people, who hadn't _really _ever travelled the oceans, liked to say in informed tones that they were 'a haven of general lawlessness, filled with some of the worst brigands you could ever hope to find'. For the second point this was true, at least for high society's grand standards. But while most pirates would deny it, there were laws (although 'guidelines' was probably a better example) even out here.

A lot of them were, fittingly, stolen from island laws, or at least the ones they liked: don't hurt your friends, don't harm women (in ways they dislike), don't start anything you can't finish, don't pee in the sea…

…and dolphins and whales are off limits. The others were guidelines, surely, but this one was a _rule_: something every decent sailor, be they pirate, marine or otherwise, made sure to follow. It may have been hypocritical, sentimental, and nonsensical, but they were different than other fish. People viewed them as good luck, fellow companions on the waves, and perhaps just one or two steps away from humans themselves. Hurting them was, for whatever reason, not allowed.

But recently, someone had broken that rule.

Draped across the rock spire was the corpse of an Island Whale. It was a mess: gashes and stabs covered the once beautiful creature's body, some even reaching down to its equally vandalized bones and organs. Whoever the culprit was, showing mercy obviously hadn't been on their mind – blood from the whale's collective wounds had painted the rock red. A flock of seagulls were perched on the body, pecking wherever they could find room.

"I feel a bit ill," Gerald broke the silence queasily, "and not in my stomach, either."

Mary shook her head slowly. "How could someone do this?" she asked to no-one in particular. "Island Whales are protected by law; the marines come down _penible _on anyone caught harming one. Even poachers aren't brave enough to try it."

"No." Jack shook his head. "A poacher didn't do this." His voice was calm now, but with the frightening quiet that came with absolute fury.

Drake raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that, Jack?" He asked in the same tone – a very dangerous one to have company.

In reply, the skeleton pointed at the whale's carcass, unpleasant a sight as it was to look at. "Take another look. It's cut up everywhere, yeah, but it's also _whole_. If a poacher was responsible, this guy would be stripped clean to the bone, I guarantee it. Hell, they might have taken those, too."

His finger shifted, indicating the innumerous wounds, or at least the ones they could see. "And no way did these come from any whaling tool I've seen. Poachers are always precise; injuring something in the wrong place can spoil your profit, so they make sure the first wound is usually the last."

Jack turned to his crew and jabbed a thumb at the sight, expression stony. "But that's like some butcher hacking away with a knife. Like whoever responsible was just hurting something for the sake of it." He spat onto the deck. The other Skull Pirates were silent for the moment, both from slight fear of their captain's anger and surprise at his analysis.

"There's one thing you haven't explained though, Jack." Drake said, holding a fist to his temple in thought. "Island Whales are gentle by nature, but won't hesitate to defend themselves if provoked. I can't imagine many people winning a fair fight with one; they're bigger than any ship."

"Whoever said it was a _fair _fight,Drake-san?" said Frank, suddenly perched on the railing between the two. They would have jumped in any other situation, but now simply looked to him expectantly.

The shinobi cleared his throat. "That is, I only got a short glance at it before…well, look." he finished shyly, pointing a third finger at the whale. "I thought I saw something on the wounds…there, do you all see that seagull?"

Naturally they didn't; at this distance telling humans apart would have been hard, and seagulls looked the same (that is, like bastard rats with wings) to any non-zoologist. Thankfully the singled out bird decided to make their search easier, by tipping over and falling into the sea like a brick.

"Poison," Frank supplied, "either a lot of it, or one strong enough to kill something so large so quickly. I'd have to inspect it close-up to figure out which, but I don't think that's possible now."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, best to let 'em pay their respects in peace." He stalked back across the ship, fists clenched again.

"But I'll tell you guys one thing," The Skull Pirate said, growling like a wolf, "that couldn't have happened too long ago, and if we run into who did this…well, I'm not gonna be saying high, okay?"

Not to Jack's great surprise, his crewmates nodded as one.

Gerald shrugged airily. "With our unique brand of luck, that'll probably happen anyway – and it would be ungracious not to share some."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Intentionally or not, Jack had posed a puzzling question, one currently being pondered by someone else: what kind of person, if they could be called one, would kill such a peaceful creature to receive no apparent compensation? Even among these corsair-ridden waves, they'd have to be someone completely devoid of morals and common decency. They'd have to be brutal, savage, and yes, maybe more than a little monstrous. Someone like…someone like…

"_Like Ahab." _'Iron Tusk' Michaels finished the train of thought with its obvious answer. As people went, he was quite similar to Jack, which also extended to how he'd react to anyone who pointed this out. People with things in common often up quarreling over the slightest differences, and in this case it would be their professions: Jack a Pirate, while Michaels, a Whaler." 

It was often remarked by sympathetic people how vilified pirates were by, well, everyone. It was often remarked by Michaels' crew that those people were idiots. While the marines seemed to spend more time saying how Very Very Bad Pirates Were than actually catching the guys, being one still meant you had an entire army to call your friends, however distantly. But they didn't make warning pamphlets, or proper guidelines for dealing with whalers. It would probably be considered a waste of paper.

When Michaels and his crew came into port, people bought things, sure. Other people threw things, usually rocks, and usually sharp ones; the throwers themselves ranged from toddlerdom to old age, and you had to feel bad about that even if they _were _crappy shots. Sometimes even pirate crews joined in. Actually going into town was also a surefire way to get spat on, even by dogs and _pigeons_! When a race that only did three things (one of them on people) was looking down on you, you knew things were bad.

This was truly a shame, because to defy a stereotype, Michaels wasn't that bad of a person. He was generally friendly to everyone without provocation otherwise; he was kind to animals (although not, of course, the ones he worked with daily) and he devoted an annual portion of his profits to charity. Whaling was an occupation to him, not a lifestyle, and he made certain to act professionally, if not environmentally friendly.

Most people would have been surprised to learn this, however, because of his rather unfortunate appearance; it was sadly appropriate for the man's job. He was big, a little more than six feet tall, and like most whalers had grown muscular out of necessity. As if this wasn't enough, he also had dark-brown hair which managed to be wild no matter how short it was, eyes of the same color that seemed locked in a slight perpetual glare, and a face that wouldn't be unfitting for at least a Shichibukai. No matter how you squinted or viewed him from different angles, Michaels looked like a thug and had for most of his life, except perhaps the birth. His dark, dirty clothing also supported this, and even his choice of weapons; 'Iron Tusk' came from the two curved tonfas he wielded, currently strapped across his back.

But at least on the inside, Michaels wasn't a bad person – and he didn't deserve the company of someone who _was_.

"_Things like Ahab never happen to _bad _people, though_._" _the whaler thought to himself after a few moments. Michaels wasn't a slow thinker by any means, but he was simple (like Jack) and subjects that required a lot of deep thought didn't often occur to him (like Jack). So to ensure he got them right, he summoned the same concentration as when stalking particularly elusive prey. The harpoon practically appeared in his hand.

And you couldn't help thinking of Ahab, after you'd spent enough time around the man (or far more likely, him around you). He had a strange aura around him that was like a whirlpool, funneling your mind downward until he was at the forefront of it. A lot like how he'd affected this ship, Michaels thought. Comparing how Ahab acted to any natural disaster was something no-one could argue with.

Michaels remembered the day he'd first showed up. As with many things in life, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. Volunteers for this job were few and far between, and Ahab even had his own group of workers. Sure, they looked weird, but that was no reason to judge…in hindsight, he probably should have. It would have saved them all some grief…and more than one whale would still be alive.

He wasn't a psychologist by any means, but he imagined Ahab had been the kind of child who pulled the wings off flies, and squashed ants on purpose. Not burning them with a magnifying glass, though: that would take too long. But he was also the kind who could tug his sister's hair sharply, then make their parents think it was her fault. Slowly he'd risen from a worker to a supervisor, and supervisor to…well, Michael's position, at least unofficially. He still wasn't sure how. Ahab had a gift for public speaking that was boosted by no-one ever wanting to interrupt him. _Somehow_ it felt like a bad idea.

"Hey, boss." the rough voice of one of his crew broke into Michael's thoughts. He turned, regarding the long coat and black, visor-equipped mask. That was the uniform for their team, more or less, although one he had obscured. As his ship's captain, the whaler reasoned, he was their face to the rest of the world. If it was only he who actually had a face, then people's abuse would naturally gravitate toward him…and that was fine; Michaels liked his crew.

The whaler captain cleared his throat. "Yeah?" he asked, equally casual.

Somehow, the young man managed to look uncomfortable through the frosted visor. "Ahab, boss: he wants to talk to ya."

His expression jumped to Michaels. "Uh…huh. Okay…uh, did he say what for?" He tried to resist the urge to gulp.

"Dunno – he didn't say, and I sure as hell didn't ask." replied the other whaler. "Probably about our destination, though." he added, giving a meaningful stare.

Michaels looked apologetic, and shrugged. "Well, thanks for tellin' me. I'll go talk to him right now."

He set off quickly across the deck, watching his crew going about their business. Michaels' ship was steam-powered, probably one of the few in West Blue, and made of dark wood plated over with iron in several places. Harpoon gun emplacements, ropes, and other whaling equipment were placed all around, and kept in perfect working order that contrasted vividly with the deck itself. This was far from an easy task, and he took pride in seeing his crew routinely accomplish it.

His expression turned less pleasant as he saw, here and there, Ahab's men watching them intently. Unlike their leader they never said a word, moving as silently as statues until ordered otherwise. They wore more covering clothing than the whalers, and underneath…well, it didn't bear thinking about, especially not for him.

As Michaels approached the stairs leading down to the cabins, and the 'handling floor' below them, there was a soft thud as someone dropped down next to him.

"Crew's worried, Tusk." said a cold, quiet voice. It belonged to his second-in-command, a thin, lankly women with longer limbs than a normal human. She too wore no mask, displaying her lengthy hair and eyes of the same color freely. She hadn't had a name to give him when they might, so with his natural creativity Michaels had dubbed her Spider.

After giving him about half a second to reply, she continued briskly. "We shouldn't be heading for the Archipelago. Bad mojo inside that place. Real bad."

Spider was Michaels' exact opposite in many ways, but most obviously in speech. While he spoke endlessly and didn't think hard about much, she seemed to think about everything, and only expelled the results in short, clipped sentences. Michaels liked this arrangement just fine – quiet or not, she was reliable.

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. But it's not like we can do much about it, right?" His tone was bitter.

"Could try." Spider said with a shrug. "Better than going in there."

Michaels frowned, looking around at his crew. "Speak for yourself, Spider. Besides, we don't _really _know what's in there…"

Spider raised an eyebrow. "Know _he _wants something. Isn't enough?"

Indeed, the prospect of exploring an unknown territory and discovering what lied within did not go well with Ahab's personality. It was like trying to shove a circle peg into a square hole, while it tried to bite your hand off. Michaels wasn't very good with metaphors, either, but he knew if someone like him wanted to go somewhere like that, it wasn't just to take in the scenery.

"Well, I'm gonna go talk to him right now." Michaels said as bravely as he could. "Whatever answer is behind this trip, I'll find it; you can bet on that."

Spider nodded, not looking convinced. "Luck."

"…_wonder which kind it'll be." _Michaels said, walking down the stairs.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"The door's open, come on in." Ahab called through the door when Michaels knocked on it (as softly as he could, part subconsciously).

Steeling himself, the whaler opened the door. Ahab's cabin used to be his, a fact he still hadn't managed to get his head around. Along with maps and charts, there were various bits of information concerning his occupation pinned on the walls. On some now were doodles in red marker; circles and arrows around the 'good parts'.

Standing there in the middle was Ahab, practically filling the room as his head scraped the ceiling. He was a very big man, about two feet taller than Michaels, and as wide as two normal people standing side by side. His right hand was a massive hook, while his left was a blunderbuss.

No, not _holding _a blunderbuss, it literally was one. A big model, too; you could easily mistake it for a ship's cannon at first.

Some elaboration was perhaps in order. Ahab, you see, wasn't fully human, at least not anymore. Michaels wasn't sure what kind and didn't really _want_ to know, but the man had been caught in an accident years ago while out sailing. Over half of his body had been destroyed by the merciless ocean, leaving him almost completely crippled.

Another man might have died, or if not, gotten on with their lives as best they could. Something like that could only be bad luck, after all.

But Ahab wasn't 'another man', he was wholly unique. To compensate for every broken limb, for every ruined bit of muscle, he had rebuilt himself, with iron and steel. There was perhaps more of it now than skin – half of his face was nothing but a metal plate, while the right eye was made of brittle glass that was intensely uncomfortable to look at. His left leg was now a steel peg ending in a sharp point, either because the one it replaced had been too badly damaged, or simply for fear. Maybe both, Michaels thought sardonically. Any other augments were hidden by the large blue coat he wore, buttoned constantly.

A moment passed before Ahab turned to regard him, grinning widely. He didn't flinch, having built up immunity for the horrible smile lined with metal teeth. The green eyes and bald head didn't help matters much, either. Calling it nightmarish was probably an insult to nightmares.

Michaels watched as his ships' usurper gestured with his claw. "Well, are you just going to stand there? I think I told you to come in."

Given the descriptions so far, you might be inclined to think Ahab had a deep, booming voice. This was not the case; in fact his voice was high pitched and squeaky, as though he swallowed five balloons' worth of helium before every conversation. This was quite humorous…until you paid attention to what he said with it.

The whaler nodded as he stepped in, without shutting the door. "Right, right…me and the crew have been wondering about that, too."

"Huh?" Ahab's voice rose (yes, it was possible) in curiosity. "So there's something you all want to know?"

Michaels tried not to gulp. Ahab's curiosity could kill more than the cat. "Well," he began, "we're kinda nervous about going into the Archipelago, 'specially since you've been so vague about what's actually _inside _it."

"Aaaahhhh…" Ahab sighed as though a great burden was taken off his mind, nodding sagely. "I get it, I get it. You guys must be a little worried, eh?"

He sounded almost _genial_. Michaels wasn't fooled. "Well, yeah. We're heading toward a place riddled with storms, rocks and who knows what else. It's only fair you tell us what the reward is, right?"

Ahab was silent for a moment. "Fair…" he said slowly, as if savoring the word. "I guess so."

Michaels didn't know how he was able to move so fast. Only that one minute Ahab was in front of him and the next he was right behind, patting him friendly on the shoulder. With his hook.

"Now, Michaels, I can tell you're a man like me." Half-leading, half-pushing, he walked the other man over to the map of their surroundings. "You want nothing more than exactly what you deserve."

With a sweep of the blunderbuss, he indicated the Archipelago. "Inside the Archipelago is said to be a great treasure connected with the ocean. According to legend, anyone who holds this relic can call and control any living thing within it." His tone took on a wondrous quality when speaking of it.

Michaels' eyes widened. Discreetly his eyes flickered to Ahab's neck; hanging there on cord was a small, blue whistle. He'd seen a lot of what it could do lately.

Not discreetly enough, however, as the cyborg smiled, grinning down on it. "Oh, this little baby?" He shrugged. "Nothing but a toy compared to what it's said to be capable of!"

Ahab patted Michaels again. "Of course, I'd never forget the people who helped me to find such a treasure, and you and your lads would stand to profit greatly from something like that. Why, we might even draw in species from the Grand Line itself."

The whaler would have stayed silent, if not for one word. "'We'," Michaels echoed, "that's what this is?"

Smile widening, Ahab nodded. "Oh, of course it is, Michaels. We're both helping each-other get what we deserve, after all."

Then, in one swift movement, he turned the hook sideways and smashed it against the back of his head. With a grunt, Michaels pitched forward and crashed into the desk chin-first. Before he could rise, Ahab's hook thunked several feet into the wood less than an inch from his head.

"And if you decide at any point that you don't like this arrangement," hissed the cyborg's raspy voice in his ear, "just tell me, and I'll be sure to reduce it to just me. Completely. Do we understand each-other, Michaels?"

Keeping a tight grip on his nerves to keep from shuddering, he tilted his head slightly more.

Ahab chuckled. "Good, good. I like dealing with smart men."

He released Michaels and the whaler calmly but quickly walked to the door. He stopped once there, as if remembering something, and turned back. "Didn't you want to tell me something, Ahab?"

The half-metal man shrugged his shoulders, the grin still on his face. "I did already. Couldn't you tell, Michaels?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Miles away from either ship, inside the Archipelago, a small figure stood on one of the many islands that formed it.

_The two ships approach by the hour, _said a formless yet omnipresent voice in the air. _They will attempt to enter these islands._

The figure nodded. "Yes. I know."

_Then you know too, what you must do to protect this land, and all who dwell within it, _the voice said firmly.

Another nod. "Yes…my duty."

They looked down at the object in their hands, and lifted it to their lips…

_To be continued…_

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates…**

**Mary: **Another storm, just _parfait…_

**Drake: **No…not all of them are mermen…

**Jack: **I'm gonna use your ass to repair my ship, tin man.

**A Stormy Collision! The Skull Pirates VS Ahab!**

**Ahab: **I'd like you all to meet my big friend…

LordGambit508 – For me it sure did, and I'm glad to finally be done with it. Now I can move onto this chapter…which took over a month to get out…oh god, it begins again…D:

ThePirateProphet14 – No. He'll know of Luffy's existence, and react to things he does and events he causes, but I can say for certain they'll never meet directly. Besides, do you WANT to see Jack get pummeled?

Well, until next chapter, see you guys.


	19. A Stormy Collision

Who is this mysterious figure, and what are they doing to affect the Skull Pirates' journey? What's Ahab up to, and what does it mean for West Blue? Will Jack punch someone?

The answer to one of these questions will be revealed this chapter! See if you can guess which.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Silently, Ryoga slid the tray containing a bowl of gruel, a slice of bread and a spoon underneath the cell doors' slot. As he did so, he averted his gaze pointedly from its sole occupant.

This wasn't enough. It never was with people like Helsing. "Young man, I am aware that I'm currently under arrest, but-"

The martial artist held up a hand, shaking his head. "Then you know that nothing you say will have any meaning, ex-Captain."

Gaze flickering to his Sea Stone leg cuffs, Helsing frowned. "Yes…of course." He nodded. "As I have committed a crime, I must now go to jail – those are the rules, fair enough."

With a wave of his hand, he indicated the entire cell around him. "But surely, even as a _former _marine official, I am entitled to better accommodations than this…?"

"No." Ryoga said, cutting the hanging sentence down like a snake in the jungle. "I'm afraid you aren't, Helsing." Turning, the young marine walked back toward the door.

But people like the former captain couldn't help but have the last word, and the warning tone in Ryoga's voice hadn't been enough of a sign for him. "Oh, please," he said 'pleasantly', probing at a different angle, "there's no need to talk to me like a marine, now. You might say that now we're, ha ha, thick as thieves."

Ryoga said nothing, standing silently as though waiting for him to continue.

Somehow, Helsing decided doing so was a good idea. "Yes indeed; I'm not sure what you must have done to acquire a bounty that large, but becoming a marine officer afterward is nothing short of miraculous." That was a gross estimation, of course, but it never hurt in situations like this.

"I became a marine through training, ex-captain." Ryoga replied smoothly. "There was no Act of Gold involved, I'm afraid."

Helsing frowned for a moment before rallying. "Perhaps – I _have_ heard Captain Brandy is the forgiving type." He leaned forward in his seat, smile quickly reappearing. "But surely, as a formal criminal, you can understand my-"

Snap. Blinking once, the prisoner stared at the length of wood now barely an inch before his eyes. At the other end of his bo staff, Ryoga glared.

"Why don't you just shut up, Helsing?" he said coldly. "Because I'm not really interested in understanding anything you have to say."

Slowly, Helsing's lower lip moved back up to meet its opposite number.

"That's good," replied Ryoga evenly, "very good. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

He walked out from the brig silently, while watched by another prisoner. After the Petty Officer had gone, Wez looked across at Helsing, mouth still gaping from the young man's cold, cold eyes.

The thug shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

"…oh, shut up."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Climbing up from the brig to the main deck, Ryoga stood in the mid-day sunlight. As if in defiance of the Rainbow Archipelago's constant storms, the area around it was truly beautiful – certainly more befitting the name. There were no clouds nearby, allowing sunlight to sparkle off the waves and illuminate their rolling depths. On either side of the ship were many small islands, each quite appealing to the eye in some fashion.

In this kind of atmosphere, it was easy even for marines to become relaxed. A few slouchers snapped to attention as Ryoga frowned at them. Their Deputy Captain's reputation as a stickler (in the mud, one might say) was well known, which was perfectly fine by him. _Someone _on the ship had to a strict authority figure, especially now that-

"Ryogaaaaaaaa!" Inspector Jade sang out, draping her arms around him like a vice-grip. Being used to this by now, Ryoga jumped slightly less. He hadn't quite worked up the nerve to ask how she moved so silently, but it seemed to be a talent reserved only for him. He wasn't really sure why _that_ was, either.

The woman currently bore the wide, cheerful smile that Ryoga had come to dread. "I haven't seen you all day," she said reproachfully, pouting, "I've been getting lonely."

Uncomfortable though they made him, he had to admit; learning how to deal with these…conversations was good discipline. Ryoga replied evenly, "There are other people on this ship, Inspector: an entire shipful of them, actually."

Jade shrugged impassively. "Maybe, but you and the Captain are the only ones who really _get _me, y'know?"

"…not really." Ryoga confessed. The idea of 'getting' the Inspector had never really occurred to him. "I only just met you a week ago." he added meaningfully.

This didn't work. "Hmmmm, but isn't that more than enough time to get acquainted?" she said happily. "I think so, myself." Her grip tightened slightly.

"If you say so, Inspector," Ryoga answered, again keeping his tone neutral. Jade had senses better than a shark when it came to discomfort.

Finally the woman sighed, releasing Ryoga and throwing her hands up exasperatingly. "Alright, alright, I get your point Ryoga." Chipper attitude making a comeback quickly, she winked while smiling. "Good things should come to those who wait, after all."

"_She really knows no concept of surrender…" _Ryoga thought, the idea almost making _him _give up.

A topic switch was in order. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I was going to go ask Captain Brandy about our next move. Would you care to join me?"

"De~lighted to, Chief Petty Officer!"

Brandy stood at the prow of the boat, bearing the focused look of someone trying, against all odds, to stay alert and awake despite their own body's insistence. It had become an old friend to him over the years.

Approaching, Ryoga tapped the Captain's shoulder, getting no reaction – even a dulled Brandy's senses were expert.

"Helsing's still not giving us any trouble, Captain." he reported smartly, saluting, "at least not physically. He seems kind of put out, with his men gone."

By the time Brandy and his crew had woken up, the Skull Pirates were already long gone. Not one to let a little mistake like that ruin his day, the good Captain had quickly arranged to have the criminals they _had _captured taken away. This had included the Road Warrior grunts and marines particularly loyal to Helsing (although there weren't many of the latter), but on a separate ship from their respective ringleaders. The brig on this ship was quite small, but built to contain a higher class of criminal, and without anyone to command them the thugs wouldn't be any trouble, especially with the friend Brandy had called in.

The nearest marine base (or at least the nearest one Brandy put his faith behind) was close to the Rainbow Archipelago, their current destination to drop off the former captain and his partner. It was a shame they hadn't managed to grab the third member, but hey, you couldn't have everything. Ryoga wondered briefly if Brandy had picked this one because of the scenery, but that was impossible; if the Captain ever came up with a way to blot out the sun, he'd only have to think about it for a moment.

"Well, don't let his mind games get to ya, Ryoga." Brandy said distractedly. "That's why you're his jailer, after all."

His second-in-command nodded. "I won't, sir. He doesn't really know anything about me, and I don't intend to make him think otherwise."

With that formality out of the way, Jade stepped in. "So tell me about this base we're heading towards. I'm not from around here, so I haven't really memorized them all, hehe."

Brandy nodded. "Oh yeah, sorry about that, Jade. Right now we're heading for Providence Isle, a base captained by an old friend of mine. He's not as strong or handsome as yours truly, but I think he'll be more than enough to hold one snake until his trial, don't you?"

His answer came with the grin widening. "If he's anything like you, Captain, I think our two problems will be in good hands!"

Ryoga stared as they conversed like old friends, and sighed. _"They really do go well together…ah, maybe I'm just jealous." _Looking away as he thought, something on the horizon caught his eye. If he was a different kind of person, he might have whistled at the sight. In the sky far away from the ship was a cluster of pitch-black clouds – a storm was building there, and a big one by the look of it.

"_I suppose what they said about the Archipelago being a storm magnet was correct. Can't say I envy anyone who's sailing through there…well, it would take a real fool to do something like that."_

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Nineteen: A Stormy Collision! The Skull Pirates VS Ahab!**

If the storm clouds were impressive from Ryoga's perspective, then they were awe-inspiring from the Skull Pirates'. But, shockingly, none of them really seemed focused on their aesthetical aspects at the moment.

The advantage of height proven pointless even to someone so attuned to it, Frank dropped down from the Crow's Nest and stared at the oncoming clouds. It seemed like the Captain had managed to accomplish his other annual goal: making someone angry. In this case, an entire stretch of islands, apparently – what a record.

"…well, they only look a little worse than the storm before we met Drake-san," he said nervously, "at least for the moment…"

Nearby, Jack shrugged while pulling at the rigging. "Whatever you say, Frank. As for me, I say it looks pretty – MMM!"

Before the pirate could finish his sentence, three pairs of hands slapped down across his mouth, courtesy of Gerald, Mary and Frank. The trio looked to each-other expectantly.

"You think that was fast enough."

"Hard to say; this _is_ Jack we're talking about here, after all.

"…well, I'm sure we'll find out soon."

Drake watched with confusion written on his face as Jack started to struggle beneath them. "I take it this sort of thing happens often on this ship?" The question was obviously rhetorical.

Shoving his crewmates aside, Jack adjusted his hat and shrugged. "Man, you would not _believe_ this bunch of babies, Drake! A little shower starts, and suddenly it's all complaints: 'Jack there's lightning nearby!' 'Jack, we're taking on water!' 'Jack, we're all gonna die!'" He grinned. "Hard to believe this is the crew of the soon-to-be greatest pirate from West Blue, huh?"

"Maybe the _bottom_ of it, if you don't get back to work."

Ignoring the comment and the glare that came with it, Jack waved a casual hand at the oncoming clouds. "So what do you think? Have we angered Great Poseidon?" He paused. "You guys have something like that, right?"

Drake shook his head, brushing off Jack's accidental racism. You couldn't get angry at it more any more than someone coughing on you. "I _wish _our religions were as simple as that." he said with a frown. "It doesn't help stereotypes much when some of us still worship giant squids asleep on the ocean floor."

"…giant squids?"

"Don't ask."

Jack shook his head to dispel the image now within it. "Anyway," he said briskly, now speaking to everyone, "my point is even if this storm _is _a little bracing, that's all it is. If you start thinking every bad thing that happens is because of some curse, you'll never get anywhere in life _or _the Grand Line."

He jabbed a finger at himself, grinning with his usual cockiness "I only believe in something if I see it with my own two eyes. If there's something in these islands that wants us gone, then it'll just have to say so face-to-face."

The grin widened. "But if it really thinks this little storm will stop the Skull Pirates, it's sure as hell welcome to try!"

The smile moved to the others as well. Even if Jack could be tiresome at times (well, _most _of the time), his attitude was still downright infectious; somehow you couldn't help but rise to his expectations. It was a damned good thing the man himself hadn't noticed this, was Gerald's opinion. Or didn't _seem _to, anyway…

Mary uttered a short giggle. "I'm surprised, Jack; you actually managed to say something _refroidir_ for once."

"Heh…wait," Jack said, rounding on her, "what the hell's that supposed to mean!"

"Well, _refroidir _means-"

"_Not _what I meant!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Now even closer nearby, Michaels would have paid good money to have that kind of atmosphere back on his ship. It seemed like so long ago, now.

Smiling widely to everyone from the prow with his standard of cheerfulness, Ahab clapped both weapons together. "You're doing a wonderful job, fellas. Keep up the good work."

The crew ignored this as much as they dared, working on readying the boat for its battle with the storm. It wasn't as lengthy or uncertain as with a galleon, but preparations still had to be made.

Turning away, the cyborg turned to Michaels and waited expectantly until the whistle was brought up to his lips. The whaler stared as Ahab blew. Whatever noise the instrument gave off was silent for humans (and presumably its player, although you could never be too sure), but his friends heard it clear as day. Within seconds one of them was nearby, taking a small, dried-out scroll from Ahab's belt and unrolling it before his eyes. Without waiting for the order Michaels did the same with their much more recent one. On it was marked the steamships' rough location.

This had become usual procedure recently, repeated about twice a day. With each rehearsal Michaels grew more and more curious about what this treasure was. In the books he'd read, treasures were usually underground, and pretty small too – not the kind of thing marked on a map. And out here, underground and underwater meant the same general thing: gone. He felt a pang of gratitude for the old map then, as the scenario of breaking that fact to Ahab played itself out within his mind.

Ahab was nodding slowly as his gaze flickered from one record to the next. "Yes…" he hissed, "it's changed a bit over the years, but it's still fine."

"See something you like, Ahab?" Michaels couldn't stop himself asking.

The metal man's one good eye glinted, but he shook his head. "Oh, no, no, nothing at all," he said casually, "I was only rechecking our right. Maybe I'm paranoid, but you know how maps can become unreliable over the years, right?"

"Oh, oh yeah." 'Especially when there are no maps of where you're going', Michaels added mentally. He wondered what the point of Ahab lying anymore was. General principles, maybe, or general vindictiveness…the whaler snorted; this was making wonderful psychology training if he ever felt so inclined.

His 'subject' turned and began walking away. "Keep going on, Michaels, full speed ahead. Call me if anything comes up, will ya?"

Michaels opened his mouth. "…alright." was what came out of it, to his hatred.

But he couldn't be too mad, since Ahab was gone for now. Now it was just him at the head of the ship, and he could fool himself into thinking he still owned it. As Michaels thought about this his instincts stepped in to fill the gap, and the man's gaze wandered freely, finally settling, by sheer chance, on-"

"_Another ship?" _Michaels thought in disbelief. _"Out _here_? We're not in the desert, so it can't be a mirage…but who the hell could be as stupid as us?"_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Oh, will you look at that, Jack." Gerald called cheerfully above the noise. "It's someone else as crazy as we are." Even though the storm had yet to fully overtake _The Flying Skull_, wind and rain already covered the ship, forcing its crew to steel themselves as both aspects struck out at them vindictively; it was like the weather had a life of its own.

"The word is _adventurous_, Gerald." shot back his captain in a similar tone. Now that his challenge had been recognized and risen to, Jack was in a good mood, one that couldn't be spoiled by the first mate's usual sniping. What was just about to happen on the other hand could make a _very_ good whack at it.

Gerald shrugged in reply. "Well, that's what I see on my end, and since I'm _fairly _certain I haven't gone blind in the last ten minutes, maybe you should come take a look?"

The skeleton man rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, I'm coming."

Leaving the ship's wheel to Frank and tugging his hat down across his eyes, Jack sidled across the rolling deck to port, where Gerald peered out over the railing. Stepping up next to him, he squinted hard – Jack had always been a bit nearsighted, and this storm wasn't helping matters.

But no-one could mistake what was gushing from the vessel's smoke-stack, not even from this distance. It was practically an actual part of the ship.

"Steam, huh?" Jack said, in the slightly contemptuous tone of an 'old school' sailor. In his experience (of never actually being on one), all you had to do with one of those was point it in the right direction, and they'd do the job for you. What the hell was the _point_?

He scratched his head. "What the hell's one of those doing in a place like this? They're usually worth a pretty penny, and a storm tough enough to threaten _us_'ll flatten it sooner or later."

Gerald rolled his eyes, and then instantly regretted giving the spray a wider target. "Good to see you have such higher hopes in your fellow sailors."

"Glad to see _you're _keeping such a chipper attitude in the face of adversity." Jack shot back. He turned and began walking back to the wheel. "Thanks for the info, Gerald, but I think we can ignore 'em safely. Huh, it's not like they're gonna start shooting at us in this weather, right?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Michaels tried to make himself scarce as possible as Ahab looked out at the other ship. It was nearly hidden by the wind and rain, but – the whaler felt a pang of revulsion as his 'captain's' glass eye rolled. He greatly doubted the horrible spare was just for show.

"So, Michaels," Ahab said pleasantly without taking his eyes away, "what do you think these guys are out here for, exactly? It seems to me there can't be _too _many personalities."

The shorter man tried to resist a gulp. Ahab wasn't a ponderous man; when he asked a question to you like that, it meant he had already found the answer.

But there was no getting around it. "Well," he began carefully, "if they're this close to the Archipelago and the storms, it's probably a safe bet that's their destination, Ahab."

"Ah…" the cyborg nodded sagely. "That's exactly what I was thinking, Michaels. I guess the saying is true after all, huh?"

Michaels nodded. "So, what are you going to do about this?" The idea that Ahab didn't think they were after the same thing failed to cross his mind somehow.

"_We_, Michaels," Ahab corrected swiftly, before grinning, "and I'm not sure, actually. When you think about it, I don't really have to _do_ anything – in a storm like this any wind-powered ship is fish-food eventually. I'm surprised it hasn't happened by now."

With a clank of pure doom, he slowly lifted up the blunderbuss, aiming with a hungry stare at _The Flying Skull_.

"So there shouldn't be any harm in helping 'em along, should there?"

Smiling wildly, he fired, sending a large cannonball sailing through the storm toward the frailer ship. Ahab leaned out over the railing, grinning widely.

Only for it to fade from his face after a few moments. "Wh…where's the kaboom?" he squeaked.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

There were in-fact _two _reasons for the kaboom's absence, and they were currently hovering right in front of _The Flying Skull_'s vulnerable side, fingers clenched tightly around the errant projectile.

After a moment to let the feeling come back into his fingers, Jack slowly brought his hands back up and reconnected them. Hefting the cannonball, he whistled: something this heavy would have sunk them before they knew what was going on. Thank goodness for his quick reflexes. Or blind luck, he wasn't sure which. He became aware of the guys staring at the thing in his hands, and his relieved smile faded. There wasn't any doubt in what someone had just tried to do to them.

"Frank?" he asked, voice low.

The shinobi almost jumped, but nodded. "Y-yes, Captain?"

Jack gestured to the cannonball like it was nothing at all. "Earlier on you were kind of an expert on weapons, weren't ya?"

"I…suppose so, Captain."

"Right," he said, gazing at the jet-black surface, "so, just for curiosity's sake, do you think this thing would match up with any of the wounds we saw on that whale?" The pirate's tone was perfectly friendly, yet Frank shivered.

Nearby, Gerald, Mary and Drake's faces also grew serious.

"Do you really think so, Jack?" the latter spoke quietly.

Walking slowly over to the railing, the skeleton shrugged. "Dunno – _could_ be coincidence, I guess." He hefted the cannonball. "What do you think, Frank?"

Reasoning that this was important, Frank thought back (regretfully) to the image of that poor whale. After a moment, he nodded hesitantly. "I…think there might have been a few, Captain."

Jack nodded slowly. "Alrighty then," he said, pulling back his arm, "that gives me _another _reason to do THIS!"

With a mighty, anger-filled throw, he tossed the cannonball back toward its origin point. The force he put behind it rivaled any mere gun – and, quite possibly, any mere cannon too.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

"Maybe that cannonball was faulty, Ahab?" Michaels said politely as the cyborg stalked past him.

A bloodshot eye was turned on him. "Don't make jokes, Michaels," Ahab hissed, "my cannonballs are perfect! The only way they _couldn't _explode was…if…" His voice trailed off as he looked up. So did Michaels.

The more prescient of the two, he instantly threw himself down away and onto the deck. It wouldn't do much, given what he'd seen of Ahab's cannonballs, but when the source came from _him _he'd defy death until his last breath. Which, barring a miracle, would probably be coming in less than a minute. Oh well, it'd been a good run…

…but this time, it was Michaels' turn to ask where the kaboom went. Taking his hands off his head (relieved to find he still had them), he looked up to see one of Ahab's men standing at the railing, holding the projectile to its chest. Exhaling hard, Michaels wiped the sudden burst of sweat off his brow. Intimidating they might have been, but the damn things were useful in a pinch.

What happened next, he almost wasn't sure did. One second the cloaked figure was standing there, the next it was gone, replaced by Ahab with his foot extended. The man's demeanor seemed to say this wasn't anything particularly significant. Sighing and stretching his leg a bit, he turned to those still present, answering the various gapes of horror with a grin.

"Well that was cutting it a little close, wasn't it? Good thing we're all fine."

There was a dim rumble from below, and a fountain of water jetted up from the sea.

Caught between two unpleasant sights to look at, Michaels opted for a third pick. He looked across the waves, wondering how the culprit on that ship, whoever they were, had managed such an impressive feat…and caught a glimpse of several white objects heading rapidly toward their ship.

"_What the hell are-"_

Then, abruptly, they stopped being objects and became a very white, very _angry_-looking man. Who was, Michaels thought with some resignation, on the right course to land directly on top of him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Jack straightened up, popping his muscles around. The whole detaching thing was useful, but it left him sore all over every time. But that didn't matter right now: if he had hands, he could punch with them, and that was all there was to it.

Standing up, he ignored all of the people staring at him wide-eyed. His gaze swept across the deck, encompassing all of the equipment set up on it. There were harpoons, tight nets, and a whole array of other fun toys…Jack's fists clenched as he saw them all. Only then did he notice the audience he'd gained, and slowly gave them the grin a skeleton gives to the still-living.

"So," Jack said, stepping off whatever he'd landed on, not hearing the groan it gave, "evening folks! Or it is afternoon, I can't really tell."

One of the crew was shoved forward by his friends, and he spoke up like a frightened rabbit. "Who – who are you?"

Any other time, Jack would have felt sorry for him. Today, though, the smile was fixed on him. "Glad you asked that, buddy." he said pleasantly. "I'm…well, I could tell you, and for a while, but I'll be succinct. I'm from that ship someone just tried to oh so rudely blow out of the water." He took a step forward. "So, who might that 'someone' be?"

In his calm as ice state, Jack saw the hook come toward him like it was in slow motion. Rolling away, he listened to the blade slice through the air like it owed money, then came back up to his feet and looked at the culprit.

After a brief pause he adjusted it upward slightly. The man before him wasn't as big as Bandock, but had apparently taken the extra size and smeared it across his face in ugly. With a can-opener.

"Wow, you're pretty damn ugly," Jack said cheerfully, "so you must be the one in charge."

Seeing the twisted face twist a little more, he leaned forward and grinned cheerfully. "You're welcome for returning that cannonball, by the way – those darn misfiring guns, eh?"

A tense moment passed, and then the man's face twisted upward, into what must have passed for a smile to him. Jack would have needed a coin to decide which was worse. "Oh, that was you? You have my thanks, bone-man."

With a quick snap, he lifted up the blunderbuss. "As a reward, _have another_!"

If Jack hadn't been able to see _that _one coming, he'd have quit being a pirate – and being _alive _– right then and there. Since he wasn't an idiot, though, he quickly leapt away, leaving the explosive to destroy part of the ship besides him.

Landing, he gestured towards himself happily, his form high-lighted by the burst of smoke and fire. "Hey, c'mon, c'mon! If you're a big enough man to shoot at the Skull Pirates, then you gotta be tough enough to fight their Captain!"

His grin faded. "Or…am I not as good a target as that whale you killed? That was more 'fun', wasn't it?"

"…" the metal-head's mouth slowly moved into a sneer. That got the grand prize, Jack decided. "Oh, so we have a pirate with a conscience here? How nice. Well, can't say I care what crew you're the captain of – you punks all look the same to me."

With an ominous flourish, he unhooked the whistle from his neck and raised it to his grinning lips. "But, don't worry: I have something just perfect for a fish-lover like you. Watch carefully, now." he added mockingly.

"Like I care," Jack said calmly, folding his arms, "nothing a scavenger like you does will ever faze me."

The man's sole fleshy eye glinted. "And sea sludge like you won't ever defeat me, Ahab! You won't even get the chance to _try_!"

He blew the whistle. Jack raised an eyebrow slightly, not appearing to react at all…but his skin, sensitized by years on the Grand Line, could sense danger like dogs could sound and smell. When no sound came from the whistle, his thoughts instantly turned to what _had _heard it. It wasn't something everyone would think, at least not so quickly, but Jack Bones wasn't a usual man.

Fortunately (at least, as Mary would put it) he didn't have to wonder very long. There came several sounds from behind him, and the pirate turned to see several figures in long cloaks line up before metal-head, standing straighter than…than...something that was really straight. Jack had fought a small city's worth of goons in West Blue alone, but these guys put him on edge as much as what had obviously summoned them.

Very quickly, they told him why. Reaching up, the men flung off their coats…

…to reveal that they were only _half _men. Underneath they were mermen, although not like any of the species Jack had met before. Marring their amphibian bodies were awful wounds visible from across the deck, and despite the raging wind, they stood silent and motionless. Not quiet like Drake, though: with him you could tell there was more underneath, even if he didn't show it most of the time. In these guys' case, though, there was nothing. Nothing except-

In defiance of the storm all around them, Ahab's fingersnap rang out loud and clear. Leaving the finger raised, he slowly brought it over to Jack, grinning in a way that would make the devil blush. The mermen followed the finger, swiveling around like dogs to face him.

"Get him."

Jack only had time for one quick thought as the mermen burst into feral movement and lunged for him, letting out a unified bubbling screech – you can probably imagine what it was by this point.

Their movements were savage, inhuman (or was it inmerman?), and unskilled. Fortunately, their opponent was someone who chose to fight like that: the good captain could fight unfairly against a dozen opponents just as easily as one-on-one.

Lashing out with a fist, Jack smashed in one swordfish's nose as it lunged at him head-first, and then used it as a springboard to kick away a charging pufferfish. Landing, he was allowed the briefest of respites before what looked like some kind of eel clawed at him clumsily.

"_I should bring a book about these guys next time I run into a pack of crazy ones." _Jack though, grabbing the clumsy hand and throwing its owner into the rest, buying him more time to think. _"…and actually _get _a book about them, first off." _

It was well spent, all things considered. Then the screeching returned as they charged again. He cracked his knuckles, smiling. _"At least metalhead's kept this day from getting boring. I'll have to think him for it while I kick his ass."_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Behind and below the rapidly escalating chaos, Drake was propelling his way through the waves. He didn't like leaving the ship in a situation like this, but since he was the only other Skull Pirate capable of getting across to the steam ship there was no choice, assuming they wanted to get their captain back in one piece.

Even bolstered by the water's embrace, it was slow going; storms like this effected things beneath the waves even more than over them. He'd already had to force his way through several currents going the opposite way, and double back from some especially treacherous whirlpools. Mermen often mocked humans for living on land, but Drake could see exactly where they were coming from.

They had all seen the underwater explosion from afar, and he now wondered if Jack had too. If that was the case, there would likely be a few more soon.

"_His anger was almost physical..." _the merman mused, negotiating a sneakily jutting rock, _"even I've never felt that way before. But," _he added darkly, _"in that state of mind, he won't know any discretion. I have to hurry." _With a mighty kick Drake increased his speed.

Finally, the steamship loomed ahead, a dark shadow in the water. He swam around it a bit, frowning. Even a well-kept traditional ship usually had some hand-holds in its frame, but this steel was perfectly smooth, rust not-withstanding. Well, there was more than one way for him to get up there.

Pushing his powerful legs, Drake swam down close to the ocean floor. It was calmer here, and much quieter. Drake stopped for a moment to catch his breath – he'd just swum the merman equivalent of a hundred-meter dash, after all. He then began to concentrate hard, tightening his whole body like a cork. This wasn't an _Umi no Ken _technique, but something every member of his race could do second-naturedly. Not to say his training didn't help, of course.

With a mighty spring, he shot upward through the water like a cannonball, unaffected by the raging waters that tried to divert him. Breaking through the water's surface, he crested as gracefully as a dolphin, momentum carrying him up above the ship's deck. He sensed people on it staring upward, pointing, but only in the sense that a bird noticed the ground. However, several figures stood out, and their scent reached him from even this far away.

Turning his body around feet-first, Drake braced himself, and let out a grunt as he touched down far lighter than someone his size should have. Raising his head, he looked around, taking in the surroundings. There were humans in black clothing, no doubt the supposed whalers, all staring at him wide-eyed. They'd probably never seen a merman before like this.

But his attention was really drawn by the figures lying prone on the deck: fellow mermen, five in total and all unconscious.

The rest were currently clustered together, all pressing against someone hidden by their forms.

Drake walked over. Any of the whalers remotely close to him shied away, and the mermen didn't appear to notice. _"Of course they wouldn't." _he thought sadly.

"Do you need any help, Jack?" he asked into the dog-pile.

"Who, me?" The mermen were thrown away easily as the Skull Pirate's captain burst up for air. He grinned. "Nah."

"I didn't think so." Drake said with a brief smile. He looked around at the fallen mermen, already stirring with various growls. Without a word the two went back-to-back.

Jack looked behind him as they were slowly ringed in. "See anyone you know? Mind telling 'em they're setting a bad stereotype?"

Drake frowned. "They wouldn't listen to anything I or anyone else had to say, now. They're rabid; feral."

Slowly, Jack nodded. The thought had crossed his mind more than once during the battle. They acted more like attack dogs than people, and their eyes and demeanor showed nothing but pure violence. Animal was really the only proper word for them, sick as it sounded.

"Big Bad over there's got a whistle." Jack tilted his head toward one side. "He can order them around somehow."

Drake nodded back as the other mermen inched forward. They were animalistic, but Jack had given them good pause with the only method they understood. "They tend to be sensitive to certain things after they become like this, and follow anyone stronger than them." He looked over meaningfully at Ahab, watching the proceedings with a shaken smile.

"Oh, wonderful," Jack said, picking up on what that meant immediately, "just once I'd like to fight someone _weaker _than we are. Mix it up a bit, y'know?"

"Well, that would be boring, wouldn't it?" Drake said with a chuckle.

There came a thump as Ahab took a stamping step forward. "So, you have some friends, eh?" His smile reappeared, contriving to look nastier than ever before. "Well, I wonder: can they _swim_?"

Raising the whistle to his lips again, he blew; this time the mermen didn't react at all. Somehow, despite the storm, a curtain of silence spread across the deck. Looks of pure horror spread across the whaler's faces.

One of them ran up. "N-not that, Ahab! Don't call It _here_!"

Both of them couldn't help but wince as the man got his answer, in the form of a backhand with the hook's flat end. He fell to the floor, clutching his gushing nose.

"Aw, what's the matter? Don't wanna have your fearless leader get shown up in size _and _brains?"

The mermen weren't attacking either. As one, they stared across the waves toward _The Flying Skull_. Jack hesitantly lowered his arms. "Hey, Drake, what'd that guy just do? I really don't like the looks of this, especially when they're looking at our ship."

"_So fish are my department, hm?" _Drake thought with slight annoyance. Aloud, he said, "I've heard of whistles like that before, but never seen one before. The noise they give off can influence certain types of fish, like dogs. It wouldn't do anything but annoy a merman ordinarily, but with them in this state…" he shrugged.

Jack bit his lip. "Damn." The thought of things like that being widespread put a bad taste in his mouth. Trying to shake it off, he followed the rabid mermen's gaze across to the ship.

His face went whiter than it already was.

"Hey, Drake?" he asked in a quaking tone, his throat suddenly very dry.

"…yes?" the merman replied, slightly hesitant. When Jack was scared (even if he wouldn't say so) something was up.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Can you see anything, Frank?" Gerald asked, squinting into the wind with no avail. You wouldn't think it would be possible to run a ship with three people, but they were certainly making a good try at it. Thankfully Jack had made things easier for them before his sudden departure.

While the first mate and botanist clung to ropes nearby, Frank stood calmly on the ship's railing. "I am not sure, Gerald-san. I can see several people on the deck, but they are too far away to make out clearly. Two are standing quite close together, however."

His voice was calm. _Deathly _calm, Gerald couldn't help but note. That was the thing about Frank; one moment you'd be talking to an eccentric, flashily dressed, slightly _idiotic _young man with a certain partiality for masks…and then, when danger reared its head, he'd be a rigid iron bar in the next. It was remarkable, really – and a little frightening.

"How many are _inconscient_, Frank?"

The shinobi leaned forward another fraction, Gerald resisting the urge to pull his legs back. "Oh, I think quite a few, Mary-san. About four or five, from what I can tell."

Mary nodded firmly. "That settles it, then: Jack wouldn't stand to die taking so few people with him."

Gerald and Frank took a stab at this feat of logic, and found it quite unbreakable.

"Well," Gerald said, "with Drake over there as well, all we have to do is keep the ship floating and there shouldn't be-"

He stopped, suddenly, and his smile turned brittle. "Frank?"

"…yes, Frank?"

"Why did you let me keep going on with that?"

"I really could not say, Gerald-san."

Shrugging, Gerald wordlessly held up three fingers, and counted them off, one second each. Immediately after, there came a large splash from behind; the sound you get when something _big _lands in water…but in reverse.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

He listened to Jack lick his lips before speaking carefully, almost like he couldn't believe them himself.

"Would Sea Kings be considered fish, technically?"

An echoing cry flew up above the storm.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Even among the many, _many _varied species of the world, _Mare Maris Regis _(or Sea King, in the layman's tongue) was considered to be almost miraculous with its existence alone. Or, as some theorized, _their _existence: it wasn't wholly inappropriate to consider each its own subspecies. Like snowflakes, each was unique in its own way, evolving in seemingly infinite myriad ways to suit their territory. Ones in the four Blues were almost normal, while those dwelling in the Calm Belt's center were said to be so alien they defied description.

This one was firmly in the latter category.

Mary took a shaking step backward as oily tentacles bigger than herself lazily curled around their ship's frame. Creatures like this could wait a long time for meals. They showed up sooner or later, although usually not in one piece.

Frank stepped down from the railing quietly, trying not to flinch as the creature's multiple eyes shifted onto him, in a brief moment that went on for far, far too long. Each of the eyes was about as large around as his whole head, and could apparently move independently from all the rest. In the Calm Belt, being unaware of what went on behind you was tantamount to suicide.

Gerald took a long, stuttering gulp, staring at what drew his and frankly all of their attentions the most: namely, the massive gaping maw, brimming top to bottom with jagged teeth designed for ripping, that took up most of the thing's face. Certain Sea Kings could swallow their pray in one monstrous gulp, but this one apparently liked to prepare its meals thoroughly.

"Why…" he whispered.

"Isn't it…" Mary continued.

"Attacking?" finished Frank.

The creature hung in the air like a harbinger of doom that could straight at any moment. Its eyes moved away from the three bite-sized morsels before it, and across to the steamship.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

"See that?" Ahab asked, sneering as sharply as the hook he now pointed with.

Jack could barely keep his hands raised. "Yeah, I see it, asshole; where'd you find him?"

The cyborg shrugged. "I don't know the gender, or care enough to figure out. It fell into my lap one day, along with these boys. I usually let it eat people dumb enough to mess with me." He waggled the whistle before his mouth. "If a bone-man and a walking chum pile are anything to go by, they probably taste awful, but not everyone can have gourmet every meal, eh?"

"You think that's funny?" Drake asked quietly. He'd been pretty calm ever since he arrived, Jack thought. Good. It was definitely just the calm before the storm, but having someone level-headed around right now was fine by him, even if it was only temporary. Right now it was taking all the restraint he didn't usually use to keep himself from lunging at Ahab, fists flying. Indeed, the only thing stopping him was that goddamned whistle…

"Well?" he asked with as much defiance as he could muster in this situation. "I already know nothing I say will stop you blowing that thing, so why don't you go ahead?"

For a moment the sneer remained on Ahab's face, and then collapsed into an annoyed grimace. "What? You're not going to beg, or even grovel? That's a damn Sea King sitting right there, you know!"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I know. I've seen plenty before; they're not _that_impressive. You gonna blow it?"

To his satisfaction, Ahab's face twisted further. "It'll kill your friends. Eat them whole, while they scream in terror, and then digest them slowly. After a few weeks, they'll be begging for the end to come!"

The Skull Pirates' captain whistled in impression. "Wow, that's really something. And all you have to do is just blow that whistle, eh?" He folded his arms. "The suspense is _killing_me."

Ahab's shoulders began to shake slightly. "Well, aren't _we _brave! If you aren't going to plead for your life, then you're useless to me – and so is your crew!"

He threw back his head, and gave the whistle a mighty blow.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was like someone had reached inside the thing's head (not that that appeared difficult) and flipped a hidden switch. People would probably assume it was marked something like 'kill', 'maim', or 'annihilate', but these people lacked proper understanding of predatory creatures: what the switch actually said was 'number two', for Go. Numbers one and three were Stop and…well, Go again, but in a _different_ way.

The point was, the Sea King before them very quickly stopped being motionless.

Its massive tentacles swinging in random, vicious patterns, it struck at the ship, ignoring the Skull Pirates entirely. Understandable – in its home territory they'd be helpless, and one of them was a hammer besides. With the storm, it barely had to exert itself at all. One of the appendages snapped across, heading straight for _The Flying Skull_'s mast.

"Oh no you don't!" Mary cried, propelling herself into its path with a strong leap. **"Broche Marche!"**

Her transformed leg slammed into the oncoming tentacle with the usual force of one of her kicks. But size was on the thing's side, and it had quite a lot of push. After only a moment it swung outward, flinging Mary down into the deck. She landed smoothly, but her legs gave a shudder. _"It's strong…far stronger than any Sea King from this _marin_."_

That had gotten its attention, at least. Rearing up, it swung another tentacle down like a mallet, one meant to crush her into paste. It very well might have, too, if one of its bulbous eyes hadn't suddenly exploded into a black cloud. Mary sniffed in distaste – the smell of boiling-hot pepper was palpable even from down here. It was amazing how much could fit into a tiny ball; even the wind and rain couldn't disperse it all instantly.

She curtsied to Frank as he landed nearby. "_Merci_, Frank – in the nick of time, as always."

She tried not to smile when he looked away, trying to let his mask hide the blush. "Y-your praise is unneeded, Mary-san…"

"If you two can quit socializing for a moment, will you get out of the way!"

They turned to see Gerald wheeling around one of _The Flying Skull's _cannons, largely unused but still perfectly loaded, around to point at the beast. "I might not be a monster like either of you, but I can still do this!"

Drawing a match out from one of his suit's many pockets he cupped it within his hands to light it. Almost miraculously, it did, bursting into bright flame against the dark storm.

"And…" Gerald said, bringing the flame down toward the fuse with a flourish.

For a moment, he thought it went out suddenly, but the truth was far more. Looking up, he noticed Frank hanging in mid-air just in time to see a small spark leave his hand.

When Gerald thought back on it later, it seemed plain that normal pepper wouldn't have exploded like that. It must have been a special batch. Then he laughed at the top of his lungs until the others gave him odd looks. Not that it was a particularly _large _explosion, mind, but even the most powerful Sea King could ignore a very large fire cracker straight to their eye. An unearthly screech escaping its maw, it flailed its tentacles about. One came down towards Mary once more.

She grinned. "_Trois _doesn't always have to be the charm."

Bowing low quickly, she sprung upward with a push of her legs. As she ascended toward the tentacle, the girl began to flip around rapidly in the air. Just before they collided, both her legs transformed, the vines coiling smoothly together.

"**Broche…DEUX GODOT!"  
**

At the apex of her final rotation, Mary kicked upward with the unified vine. Again the plants clashed with the flesh, but this time the result was very different; with an ugly squelching noise the tentacle was hacked into two, severed chunk falling into the raging sea below. Discolored blood poured from the stump as the Sea King's screeches increased. By now the smoke had dispersed, revealing an ugly, bloodshot eye.

Landing, Mary took a small bow. "And not a single drop on me: impressive, _non_?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What the _HELL_! Why isn't the ship in pieces yet!"

Ahab stomped the deck hard, his peg leg cracking the desolate planking. His face was contorted again, the metal fused to it squeaking heavily. He snapped his fingers, calling one of the rabid mermen over to oil him.

Jack nodded, watching the chaos with an approving eye. "Yep, that's pretty much what I expected." By this point the whalers had joined in, after a few meaningful glares from their fearless leader. Ducking under a swinging hook from one of them, he lashed out with a quick punch to knock him away. Or her; it was hard to tell with these guys.

"After all, it's not like they're incompetent idiots or anything," he said, dodging a further three weapons before retaliating on their owners, "unlike some _other _crew I could mention!"

If Jack was making fools out of Ahab's men, then Drake was turning them into children. It seemed quite beyond even his brethren – most of whom he was fighting now – to even lay a hand upon him.

The Skull Pirate grinned. _"Once we take these guys out, all that's left is Mr. Big Bad himself. Hah, this is no sweat for us!"_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

"Ugh…anyone get the number of that galleon?"

Groaning heavily, Michaels slowly awoke to being shaken. The first thing he saw was Spider's face, looking as worried as possible for the stoic woman.

"Spider…damn, what the hell hit me…what's going on?"

In answer, Spider pointed across the deck at the continued melee. "Pirate ship showed up. Ahab shot at it. Captain didn't take it very well."

Michaels sighed. "So now he's pummeling his and our guys, huh? Great – I figured this would happen sooner or later."

He rose to his feet woozily, watching the battle. "You decided not to join in, I guess?"

"Didn't ask to, Tusk." Spider said calmly. "Not that you could."

The whaler nodded. "Right, right." He whistled. "Those two are pretty damn strong, though – it might not be too good for us if they win."

Spider gave him a careful look with one eye. "Enter, then?"

Michaels thought for a lengthy moment, then sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess we better, huh?"

He stood up straight, and unhooked the tonfas from his back. "Let's get it over with, then."

Unfortunately, someone _else_ decided to finish things at that moment.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_They are still approaching, _stated the voice calmly, but in a way that would make all who heard it shiver. All, that is, save for who it spoke to now. _A storm of this caliber is no match for them, it seems._

The figure nodded. "Yes, they are both very persistent."

…_, _the voice was silent for a moment, and then spoke again. _The answer is obvious, then. Summon forth a larger one._

They nodded, slowly lifting the flute they held up to their lips. Inches before the instrument touched them, it halted.

_What is wrong? _asked the voice. _They are pirates, marauders of the seas, come to ravage these lands and everything that lies within them. Striking them down is nothing to feel hesitation about. They do not deserve pity from one such as you._

This got a hesitant nod. "I know. It is my role as your chosen one."

_Then do your duty, now._

"Yes," they said after a moment, quietly. Exhaling, the small figure brought it up to their lips and blew heavily, producing a far longer and mournful note than before.

Across the waves, things began to shift slightly, like an anthill viewed from above.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Sea King abruptly stopped cold in mid-swing of one of its tentacles, its many eyes opening wide. It had been given quite a number of wounds by the Skull Pirates since the battle began, but none appeared to even be slowing it down. Yet all the same, it suddenly halted and disappeared in a flash, its giant bulk disappearing underneath the churning waves.

The Skull Pirates immediately began looking around. They weren't stupid; when something that large turned tail and ran, it had to be for a good reason. If three people attacking it at once hadn't produced such a reaction then that meant something _bigger_ was coming, which didn't bode particularly well for people less than a fifth its size.

It didn't take a keen eye or a genius IQ to tell what the Sea King had felt instinctively – it happened almost immediately afterward. The winds, already quite vicious, began to strike even more savagely, and rotate in a very specific motion. The raindrops began to fall sideways, and sting like hail. The waves began to crash against _The Flying Skull _like it owed them money. With these few but significant changes, the storm had graduated to a-

"HURRICANE!" Gerald shouted. No-one could really begrudge him for stating the obvious.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Aw, dammit," said Jack stepping back as rain buffeted his face, "what _now_?" Hurriedly he clapped one hand over his head to keep his tricorn from blowing away. Sadly, he couldn't prove the relevant saying true, as the whalers were all occupied battening the steamship's hatches down, while the rabid mermen had all jumped overboard, oblivious to their alpha male's angry whistle blowing.

It was a very good thing that the whistle made no noise; otherwise Jack might not have heard the sound of a peg leg thumping rapidly toward him, and found himself sporting a new hole in his skull. Turning, Jack flung up both hands to pin the weapon inches away from his forehead. They held like that for a moment, both straining in the other direction – and the sight of Ahab's face straining was a sight that shouldn't have been beheld by any good-hearted man.

Taking his eyes away from it momentarily, Jack looked to Drake. "Hey, don't just stand there, go help the guys! This is gonna get a lot worse before it gets better!"

The merman frowned. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine!" Shoving Ahab away, Jack let loose with several punches to his jaw. It was like punching a bear trap.

Watching this for a moment, Drake nodded. "Alright – just don't die."

He turned and leapt overboard. Jack nodded with a confident grin. "No problem there," Dodging aside the hook once more, his roundhouse kick hit Ahab in the side, the skeleton-man concealing his wince admirably, "like I said: this guy's just small-time!"

Ahab's lips curled in burning anger. "Small-time, am I? Well, I think I have something _just _big enough for you…" He lifted up his blunderbuss, flipped a large switch on the back end…and then looked over Jack's shoulder.

"Well, well, look at that."

Jack whirled around quickly, and his breath stopped cold at the sight that met him.

Slowly, ever so slowly, like a mountain-wide avalanche, _The Flying Skull _began to tip over, the great galleon forced onto its side like a wounded whale by the wind and waves. As its captain watched, the mast splintered and snapped in half, the sails tore down the middle, and a massive gouge was made in the hull by a wayward rock.

Within a few horrible moments, it had disappeared beneath the waves completely, along with its skeleton crew.

"No…no, that can't be…" Jack whispered, barely able to keep upright. "GUYS!" He fell to his knees. "…guys…"

He barely felt the hook slash down his back, and the thud when he collapsed to the deck. Just as the ship began to tip underneath him, he shut his eyes, and fell into deep unconsciousness.

_To be continued…_

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates…**

**Ahab: **We made it…this is what I've been looking for!

**?: **You do not belong here. Leave, immediately.

**Frank: **D-don't take that off…

**Where No Pirate Has Gone Before! Enter the Rainbow Archipelago!**

**Jack: **What the hell have you done with my crew!

Malchior the Draco – No problem, man; that just means you had more to read, right? And, sure, whatever you say, Kurai.

Raidentensho – Once again, I have to confess I came up with Drake when Jinbei hadn't appeared. Learning he could do pretty much what I said _Umi no Ken _could was…embarrassing, to say the least. Thanks for the review.

Shinobi-dono – Well, I kinda hope you don't enjoy _this _one, or I'm probably doing something wrong, heh. And no, Frank has nothing against mermen – Drake is just the first real one he's actually seen, as was guessed last chapter. He's just a bit nervous.

Kai Orihomunon – I was wondering when someone was going to ask me about that. The 'Doku' here is actually short for dokuro, the Japanese word for skull. I thought it would be more appropriate for a guy named the _Skull _Pirate than just saying bone. Glad I could clear that up.

Thepirateprophet44 – Ouch, sorry; definitely wasn't on purpose. And yeah, while Drake has Ryoga (and Shin, although not for quite a while), Frank doesn't really have a rival…yet. Not that I'm implying anything, of course. Glad you liked the chapter.

Until next time (hopefully sooner), see you guys.


	20. Where No Pirate Has Gone Before

Sorry for the schedule slip again, guys, but I at least have sort of an excuse: another story I'd been planning for a while. I guess I let myself get caught up in it, heh. Time to finally get to the setting of this arc!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So, Ryoga," Brandy drawled as he leaned over the railing, looking bored out of his mind, "how close are we to that prison, exactly? I got time for a you-know-what?"

The Petty Officer frowned. "We should be arriving there in a few hours by evening at the latest, sir…" He sighed. "So go right ahead, I suppose; it's not like you ever fail to shake it off when you're meeting someone besides us, anyway."

"Not _my _fault if you don't want to take it as a compliment." Brandy shot back. "So, how's the ship doing? About time for our cargo's heaping of daytime gruel, isn't it?"

Ryoga nodded. "I sent one of the men down there to give it to them a moment ago, sir. It's a shame I couldn't find anything more deserving inside the cargo hold, but I guess even rats have some standards."

Brandy patted him on the shoulder. "Don't let it get to you. Remember, we're only treating them well so they'll be conscious enough to appreciate how horrible prison actually is. If there were some psychic punishment we had, I wouldn't do even this much, heh heh."

His subordinate raised an eyebrow. "Probably a good thing we _don't_, then."

"Exactly."

Pondering at this odd use of logic, Ryoga heard footsteps coming up the stairs to the lower quarters. "Um, Ryoga, honey?" came Jade's voice.

'Don't call me honey, please, Inspector', died on the martial artist's lips when he felt the oppressive air that had gathered, and the minute yet hesitant way his crewmates were stepping back. He turned around.

"Ah, such a nice day, isn't it?" Helsing said with a wide smile. Behind him, Wez held a knife to the young woman's throat.

Ryoga resisted the urge to charge. As fast as he was, he wouldn't bet Jade's life on being quicker than the blade. "Helsing, you dirty-"

The disgraced captain waved a hand at the accusation, as though shooing it away. "I don't need to hear a former pirate calling _me _dirty."

That might have sent the young man's fists flying if Brandy hadn't laid a firm hand on his shoulder. "So, what's this then, Helsing?" he called over. "Holding the beautiful maiden hostage to escape scot-free? You gonna find some sea-train tracks to tie her down to next? At least the extortion racket was a _little _original."

"I prefer to go with what works," Helsing murmured, his smile growing, "I apologize if that isn't worthy of publication here. Now then, we will need your finest boat, some provisions, Wez's claws," he held up his hands, "oh yes, and the key to these damnable cuffs, if you please."

Wez snickered. "They look good on you, boss."

Helsing cast him a glare, before somehow managing to snap his fingers. "Chop chop, now."

Growling, Ryoga took a step forward, but the larger man twitched the knife a little bit closer, making Jade wince. "Hang on there, kid. If you keep making a face like that, I might accidentally flinch, get my drift?"

His smaller associate rolled his eyes. "_Very _subtle, Wez." He shrugged. "Well, he made it fairly clear. Do it, or she dies."

A few of the men moved carefully toward the hold. Brandy's gaze snapped toward them. "Did I give you guys an order? Stop right there."

Helsing frowned as they did just that. "Oh? I wouldn't have pegged you as that cold a man, Captain…or are you? Wez, give the Inspector a little beauty mark just below her chin, will you?"

"You're not going to do that." Brandy said.

"Oh?" Helsing raised an eyebrow. "That didn't take very long. Admirable, I su-"

Brandy shook his head. "No, no. I mean-"

The Captain was standing at the bow of the ship, while Helsing and Wez were near the stairs, in about the center of the deck. This put at least ten feet between the two groups, and at least a handful of that for every other crewmate. It would take someone who could move like the wind to reach Wez before he cut Jade's windpipe.

And that was exactly what Brandy did.

Ryoga stared as Wez's bulk went sailing back several foot without slowing down, only stopping when he smashed helmet-first into the mess hall wall (thoroughly ruining several marines' lunches, unfortunately). Jade was now standing behind Brandy, blinking in surprise at her sudden shift in position. The knife was in the Captain's hand, and as Helsing stared wide-eyed at it, his gaze landed on him. Stuttering some explanation, he stepped backward once, and that was all the time it took for Brandy to hurl the knife at him. It hit Helsing right between the eyes hilt-first, dropping him in an instant.

Both Ryoga and Jade could only stare.

Brandy turned to the latter quickly. "Jade, you alright?"

"Uh…yes, I think so."

"Good." he said, and glared at the unconscious men. "Somebody get these pieces of trash back to the brig."

The Marines didn't ever move faster for an order than then.

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Twenty: Where No Pirate Has Gone Before! Enter the Rainbow Archipelago!**

"…_ugh…what the hell hit me, a tidal wave or a three day bender?"_

Slowly, Jack opened his eyes, immediately betting his chips on the latter (nevermind that he hadn't touched the stuff in years), as he sat up, head pounding like a drum. Holding it tight, he looked around wearily, all the other moments when he'd woken up like this passing in front of his mind's eye. To his credit, it took him much shorter than usual to remember _why_.

"GUYS!" Jack shouted, leaping straight up and whirling around. His voice reached nothing – he was completely alone. The pirate currently found himself on the far side of a wide clearing, trees and other vegetation he'd never seen before everywhere. That nearly included the sky, too; many of them reached straight over his head, looking more like mountains to someone whose main idea of flora was driftwood. The clearing itself seemed free of them, though: the only ones inside the circle were four trees in the center, arranged in a square. In-between them was what looked like a boulder from this distance.

The pirate got to his feet when another memory suddenly trickled back up. He felt his back quickly, and sure enough, felt wetness there – but with no pain to go with it. Bringing his hand back, he saw it was covered with odd-looking leaves, pleasant to the smell and sticky to the touch. _Really_sticky: gritting his teeth in annoyance, he waved his hand wildly until they stuck to each-other instead. Well, that explained part two of why he was still alive, but the jury was still out for part one.

With a shrug, he walked over to the square of trees. After all, nothing _really_bad had happened the last, oh, four times he'd done similarly, right?

When he got closer, Jack saw that the rock apparently represented a bit more than a rock to some people. It was covered in sketches of animals, crude ones, but that special kind of crude you got when people put their all into a drawing, even when there was no actual talent to go around. There had sure been enough people; the red and black beasts very nearly, but not quite, overlapped in many places.

The stone itself was wide and set at about chest height, the top of it smooth and painted over with strange symbols. Most four-legged animals wouldn't find it much of a chore to reach up there. Scattered between the trees and rock was a carpet of sticks, all broken into several pieces.

"_So, some kind of ancient tribal hoo-hah, I guess."_Jack rubbed his chin, and then shrugged. _"Eh, fair enough."_What people did on their own islands wasn't really any of his business, and if 'civilized' people could be so touchy about this kind of thing, he didn't intend to bring it up to natives of a lost world.

Assuming this really _was_the Archipelago and not just some island that had been nearby. Sitting down on the altar (it couldn't be sacrilege if there was no-one around to call him on it), he thought. If this sort of sacrifice was annual, then if he stayed here, he'd run into people eventually. On the flipside, if he stayed here, he'd run into people eventually, and his appearance would probably mix as well with fervent belief as ink and water.

Besides, he had a crew to locate. He didn't doubt for a moment that they were all fine. They _had_to be.

"Pretty quiet island, though," he muttered as he walked off in the direction that felt right, "haven't heard a single animal yet. You'd think they'd want to hang around a free meal ticket like this."

As soon as the pirate's footfalls had vanished, one of the drawings – a _far_ more detailed one despite its size – glinted, wavered like a mirage, and slowly faded into the altar's stone surface.

Then, what could only be described as _lines_appeared in the air, each growing and tracing itself around a vague shape, which quickly began to become more distinguished…

…and larger - _much_larger.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ah, Mary, wherever did you go astray? I only wanted to get out, see the _mondiale_…ah, and then you met him. And then him, too…"

Mary looked around at her surroundings and sighed. "It isn't any fault of mine, really. Who could imagine that the second destination they'd travel to with a crew would be a deserted stretch of islands no-one has visited in decades. I'm not psychic, after all."

She wondered if whatever was following her really cared. She _didn't_ wonder if there really was something following her. You couldn't be a pirate, even a 'lady' one, without gaining some survival instincts; more than a few earnest admirers had tried what whoever-this-was was trying, although with considerably less subtlety (and, naturally, success).

It seemed to prefer travelling through the underbrush, and was very adept within its chosen territory. Every so often, there came the sound of a twig not _quite_being broken, the whish of a tree branch or bush _trying _to be swept aside stealthily. Mary wasn't an animal expert, but it wasn't hard to imagine that something that couldn't quite manage to be subtle in the wilderness was probably quite large. But if it came to that, so had been several of her admirers. It hadn't helped them much at all.

As she walked, limbs prepared to sprout thorns at a moment's sign of trouble, Mary couldn't help but begin to muse. She had no doubt in her mind that she was the first – _one of_the first, she chastised herself – to set foot on this island in a long, long while; she hadn't seen a single one of these plants in any of Martin's books. Once she had met up with the rest of the crew, there would certainly be some time made for researching.

It was strange, though. While plants were almost battling for territory (and there were more than a few she'd read of that would, given half an excuse), not a single animal had appeared in her path since she'd woken up. Why could that be? It wasn't like she was _scary_, was she?

"_I wonder what Jack would say about that?"_Mary thought, stopping for a moment. She folded her arms and shrugged. _"Well, it's not like he's an_eprouve _source on it anyway."_

She continued, the thought making her smile as she walked.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Er…oh dear."

Saying that didn't really make Frank's situation any better, but it made him feel relieved all the same as something he _could _do. At the moment, with thick vines ensnaring him from the tips of his toes to his mask, that category didn't seem very big. He couldn't budge his body an inch. It was a slight blessing he was alone – if any of the cadets from the village saw him now, they'd surely laugh at him.

Sighing, he looked around at the vines. They were about as thick around as the average human's arm, and lined everywhere with far deadlier looking thorns than Mary-san's. Anyone clothed thinner than him would have been rendered unconscious long ago by the pain, rather than the deeply unpleasant prickling he was currently experiencing. So, that was two things to be grateful for. Frank concentrated on them…for a few moments.

"_Any of them would have been free hours ago. No, what am I saying? They wouldn't have ever gotten caught in the first place."_

He had been careless, there was no denying that. The plant's predatory reaction was painfully simple: if it heard a noise, it would slowly, carefully, _silently _slither toward it, its vines spreading out to surround and engulf the prey. At least, that was what Frank assumed – it had certainly happened to him easily enough.

Anyone else would have seen it coming, Frank cursed to himself. Raven-san, Asakura-san, Reika-san…any one of them would have found this child's play. But not him. He was stuck here until one of the others found him. At least, if they ever did.

Frank wondered how long it would take something like this to consume a human. …well, he had a bit of time, then…hopefully.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to certain danger we go…"

As someone might have surmised from his little ditty, Gerald wasn't much worried about the prospects of possible hazards on this island. Which was the key factor, really: it wasn't a _prospect _if you knew it was going to happen, eh? He'd only been with Jack for a few conquests (if you could call them that, really), but he already knew what to expect from being in the Skull Pirates' presence. People like him attracted trouble.

Which was fine, for Gerald. Other people might not have seen it his way, but to him, knowing you were going to be thrust into danger was far more desirable than having it sneak up on you. Within reason, of course, he added. _"Some things you don't want following you, hidden or plain."_

His thoughts were broken up by the sounds of what was probably a latter case approaching from ahead. With so many twigs scattered on the ground, it was impossible to walk around without announcing your presence for a few feet in all directions. Quickly Gerald ducked behind a tree as the sounds approached.

Soon enough, the people making them came into view. He raised an eyebrow: it was Ahab, and a contingent of his rabid merman. Not that he had an idea of who they were, of course, and wasn't keen on finding out. People with hooks nearly as big around as his entire waist and metal bolted to their bodies could walk where they pleased, in his view. _"Under surveillance, that is."_

One thing was clear: the man didn't look happy. Sweeping his gaze around at the surrounding greenery like he held a grudge for it, he swung his hook wildly at the surrounding greenery. "Damn it, I can't stand this place! There's nothing but weeds everywhere, and," he sucked in a loud, rasping breath and spat, "that disgusting smell is _everywhere_!" He turned and sneered. "Maybe once I actually find what's on this map, I'll have you torch the place. Would you like that?"

Gerald raised an eyebrow, keeping himself out of sight of the wavering, bloodshot eye. _"A map? To what, I wonder?" _

He had his suspicions about who this fellow was – you typically didn't get more than one crew going to a location of legend at the same time, so three would be really be out of the question – but there wasn't much he could do about them now. As Ahab continued stomping forward through the trees, Gerald followed, careful to make less noise than the cyborg. Not that that was hard.

"I'll tell you all one thing," Ahab growled to his minions and the forest at large, "Johnson better have that girl at the spot by the time I arrive, or I might rethink how useful he is to me. Huh, slippery bastard probably will, though."

"_He's certainly not very tight-lipped." _Gerald thought bemusedly as he edged his way around a particularly large specimen. _"It's just lucky for him that I have _

_no idea what any of this means, or he'd _definitely _be in a mountain of trouble!"_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake's eyes snapped open at the sensation of someone's warm hands on his body. Rising to the sound of a surprised gasp, he reached down and snatched hold of their hands. Part of Stevens' training had been to prepare him for any possible sneak attack – several styles specialized in such cowardice, including the one he had trained to fight.

But the merman released his grip almost instant when he realized the hand he held was several times smaller than his own. Blinking the sight of a possible assailant away, he saw a little girl staring at him fearfully, clutching her hand.

Clapping his hands together, he bowed. "I'm sorry if I frightened you. Are you alright?"

She stepped back a bit from his gaze. Drake looked her over. The girl was about the same age as Lyn, actually, and even about the same height. Funny. She had short brown hair and blue eyes, the latter crowned by a circlet of colorful flowers. Her clothes were far more fanciful than the mergirl's, however; Drake didn't know much about religions, but the colorful patterns reminded him of Steven's tapestry.

When Drake swung his legs to the ground off the bed, she backed away even further. He held up his hands reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm not sure if you've heard any stories about evil mermen, but I promise I'm not one of them. You don't have to be." His voice was as gentle as possible: humans in the villages he'd passed through always tended to be a bit skittish around him, even after he'd helped them with their troubles.

Finally her nervousness seemed to subside, and she gave the merman a long once over. "Are you a merman?"

Drake blinked. He'd heard his race called by their name in a number of ways, but never in one quite as solemn as that. "Yes, I am," he said gently, "a shark merman, to be exact. I hope that isn't a problem, is it?"

As he spoke, his eyes stole glimpses of the surrounding area. It appeared to be a clearing, seemingly not man-made, surrounded on all sides by a lush, vast forest. Some of the trees seemed to go up for miles. In addition to the cot he'd woken up on, there was a small table nearby set low to the ground, and a little ways beyond that, near the trees, was an odd-looking rock formation.

"Yes, of course it is." said the girl, now smiling. "I merely wished to make certain." He could tell from the way she spoke that she was trying to sound older than she actually was.

A moment passed, and then Drake asked, "So, may I ask for your name?" He paused briefly before adding, "I don't suppose you know what island this is, also?"

For a moment, the girl looked very uncomfortable, fidgeting in the spot she occupied. "I am Emelia," she said after a short while, "and you are on Crete, one of three islands in this Archipelago."

"The Rainbow Archipelago?" the merman asked.

Emelia fidgeted a bit before replying. "I do not know of that title, but this is the archipelago."

Before Drake could ask more, she turned and began walking down a path further into the forest. "Please, come with me."

"But-" he began, but suddenly felt something strange in his head. It was like something was, very subtly, suggesting that going along with her was definitely a good idea. Eerie – if his mind hadn't been quite as honed, he might not have noticed it at all.

Trying to keep his mood straight, Drake nodded. "Alright, if you say so."

Without a further word, he followed Emelia, both of them silent. He tried to avoid looking around at his surroundings, or thinking about it in any overt way, but that wasn't necessary to confirm what he felt at the moment: something was definitely in the air around this area. Something very powerful.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"The islands in the south…are warm…"

If there had been any birds present to listen to Jack's 'singing', the noise of them relocating to halfway across the island probably would have been heard, well, from halfway across the island. Funny how that worked. Of course, that was part of the pirate's plan. If any of the guys were around, they'd find him just to make it stop. Hopefully it wasn't Mary, though.

Raising his head high as he walked, hands on the back of his neck, Jack continued the verse. "Their heads get really hot…and they're all idioooooots!"

The leaves on the trees all around him rustled slightly. _"Too bad none of them have ears," _he mused, _"they're missing out on a great show." _Clearing his throat noisily, he began the second verse. "The islands in the north…are cold…"

He stopped suddenly, tapping his foot. "Cold…how did that next one go?" Jack folded his arms, trying to remember. "You'd think a song I made up would be easy to memorize."

Absent-mindedly, he flung up his leg, smashing apart the trunk of a falling tree that had been about to land on him. Amidst the splinters that flew into the air from the shattered wood, Jack slowly turned and fixed what had caused the collapse with an ugly look. "And it sure is hard to remember a stupid song you thought up to pass the time when somebody's tearing up the forest behind you. I could barely hear myself…think…"

The massive boar, each of its tusks as long as the tree's branches and nearly twice as wide, returned the glare (given the average boar's default expression, this wasn't very hard) as it pawed the ground slowly. It didn't take a rocket scientist to tell what it had in mind, especially when you saw the bloodshot look in its eyes.

Jack gulped, holding up his hands. The boar was bigger than some bears he'd seen. "Now, just hang on a sec. Couldn't we talk about this? _Nice _giant boa-"

Trying to sweet talk a giant, angry pig went about as well as you might expect. Letting out a fierce bellow, the boar charged, tusks lowered to gore holes in Jack's non-existent flesh. Big though it was, the thing was _fast_; letting out a rather unpiratelike yelp, Jack would have turned to run, but it was on him far too quickly. Flinging out his hands, he grasped hold of the only spots available – the boar's tusks.

Grunting as it abruptly found a moving skeleton draped across its nose, the animal grunted, beginning to snap and headbutt away at the annoying obstruction. For his part, Jack kicked out with his legs, trying to keep its jaws away from, well, any part of him really. The pig definitely wasn't going to give up that easily, though: even getting a kick right in the neck or eye wouldn't make it budge.

And all the while, the boar carried them both down the path with its charge. Jack risked a look behind him, and gulped. _"Oh, crap!" _In the center of the path ahead was a massive boulder, jagged at the front. Slamming into it at this speed would be…messy.

Quickly Jack began to struggle a bit, but his position was way too precarious to get out of without getting gored, bitten or trampled. After a few moments of this, he realized something that almost made him slap his forehead. _"Gee, it's too bad I can't just _separate _or anything. Dumbass."_

Jack proceeded to do just that, the boar's eyes widening as the man split apart and flew out of its path, heading back behind the boar. First his hands grabbed a hold of the animal's tiny tail, producing a high squeal from it with his super strength grip. His torso and legs came next, the latter digging deeply into the dirt. Gradually, the boar's pace slowed down until it came to a stop near the boulder, struggling to escape from the Skull Pirate's grasp.

"Well, now," he said as his head came down and reconnected, "I guess I better take that as a no, huh? Hope you don't mind doing it the hard way, then – I sure don't!"

Strengthening his grip, Jack tensed himself before throwing his arms up, lifting the boar by the tail and hurling it overhead and into the ground behind him. To its credit, the boar stirred mere seconds after colliding with the earth, but unfortunately, it was still in the captain's grasp. "And now…" Jack began to spin slowly, sliding the boar across the ground for a moment before it rose into the air, picking up speed.

"…here you go AGAIN!" he cried, throwing the boar directly at the boulder. Amazingly, the mammal's tusks won out against the rock's spikes, smashing it to chunks on impact. This blow seemed to have succeeded in stunning it, fortunately, as Jack walked around it. It was just beginning to stir, letting out a low groan, when he leaned down into its eyes.

Jack grinned. "So," he pulled back his fist, "ever hear of the Rule of Three?" With that, he punched the boar hard, causing it to explode.

…er. _"Wait, what?" _Without the safety net of alcohol to explain it, he was forced to admit that what he was seeing was true. Looking around, he stared at the bright symbols that had scattered from the space the animal had occupied until just now. For the next few moments, rather than panicking, Jack went over a few concrete facts. One, although assuming so would certainly be flattering to his ego, he doubted he could _accidentally_ punch animal hard enough to make it explode. Two, although he didn't have an first-hand evidence, he imagined that animals, upon being punched hard enough to explode, would probably do so into blood and guts and whatnot, instead of neon alphabet soup.

And third, it was way too early after waking up to run into something like this.

Finally, he shrugged, realizing point four: he was currently on a mysterious island shrouded in myth that he had wanted to come to _because _it was shrouded in myth. Why was he questioning this stuff?

Putting aside the singing plan for some high-pitched whistling, Jack begun his stride again, walking further into the trees. Behind him, the leaves rustled in a way some might have called aggressive.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My my, you certainly are determined little _punaises_, aren't you?"

Mary had never really understood why some girls were afraid of bugs. Honestly, even she had at least four feet on even the largest ones, and the worst most of the ones around civilized islands could do was make your skin swollen. Hm, maybe that was why; some of the girls back home had always been a bit vain. Anyway, most insects were tiny, and harmless.

These ones apparently hadn't got the memo, though. Circling around the gardener was a swarm of mantises, mosquitos, and beetles, no two quite the same but each roughly half the size of the average human. They buzzed angrily, and the way they held their pincers, scythes and other assorted appendages made it clear there was only one way this standoff could end.

Brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, Mary gestured toward her. "This _petit _psyche-out trick isn't going to work on me, I'm afraid, so you may as well – oh."

Quickly she sprang away from where she had been standing as most of the swarm rushed toward her. The key word being 'most'; the remainder quickly flew toward her, jaws snapping. In reply, Mary smiled daintily.

"**Navigant Broche!" **

Each and every one of the girl's limbs became vines, whipping around with graceful, deadly power in all directions. The insects buzzed in pain as they were scattered away by the thorn-tipped appendages, allowing Mary a safe landing. She then spun on one leg, sending a leg as a curved vine lashing straight through the middle of the other group.

Dazed though they were by the blows, the insects weren't yet down for the count, and quickly circled her again, this time from the top as well. If she was such a slippery opponent, the best way to kill her was giving her no room to escape, correct? That was a reasonable assumption, certainly, and it might have worked out for the swarm if Mary wasn't…well, Mary.

She sighed a little as she squatted low to the ground. "I hate using this one. It's so unladylike."

Mary's legs and hands sank freely into the dirt beneath them, leaving the rest of her body sprouting above it like a human-shaped flower. Unperturbed by the odd movement, the bugs continued, heedless of the slight shifting going on in the ground.

"**Sauvage," **she said, and then took in a deep breath, tensing her body, **"JARDIN!"**

There came a chorus of noises almost like gunshots, followed by a series of meaty thunks or crunches. Opening her eyes, Mary looked around. The vines that had burst up from the ground, multiplied from her those of her limbs, stood poised to the sky like small tree-tops, impaling some of the insects on their tips or smashing them apart entirely. Thorns had also erupted from enough parts of her body that could be done without unduly endangering her clothes, taking out the rest. Despite her lack of fear toward insects, she had to twitch her nose a little at their twitching corpses being so close.

She didn't have to put up with it for long, though; after a moment the bugs all burst into the same glowing symbols Jack had encountered. Mary stared at them for a few seconds before sighing, retracting the thorns and returning her limbs to their normal state. Rather than getting up, she sat on the ground, catching her breath: that technique was rather impractical as far as stamina was concerned.

While recovering, Mary thought on what she had just seen. Those bugs were the only animals she had seen on the island so far, and they'd disappeared like that…there was definitely something strange going on in this island, to state the obvious.

Getting back up, the girl exited the clearing she was in; as soon as she found the others they were going to get to the bottom of this, she decided.

Behind her, another breeze came and went.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Oh…dear."

Frank had to admit, and not for the first time (something he would also admit), that he had been wrong about something: in this case, plants. Specifically, this plant and how it ate. As it turned out, it wasn't nearly as patient in its methods as he had thought.

Looking down at the massive, teeth-lined bud that had sprouted up from the ground underneath him, the various vines leading off from it, the shinobi gulped. The vines' pull had increased quite a bit since it had appeared, and it certainly looked as hungry as a plant possibly could. _"And I suppose convincing it I would only be stringy is quite out of the question…"_

He looked back up, at the branch he was dangling from. The burst of adrenaline from the terr – _surprise _he had felt when the bud appeared had been enough to carry him up to it, if not free him from the vines. His fingers currently held onto it like a vice, and fortunately it seemed to be quite sturdy.

Suddenly, a blur of brown darted through the sea of green, stopping on the branch to reveal itself as a short, skinny monkey. It leaned over the branch and stared down at the shinobi, looking quite pleased with itself.

Frank smiled. "Oh, hello there, monkey-san." He chuckled. "I suppose I must look quite strange now, don't – oh. D-don't do that, please…"

Still smiling, the monkey had begun his hands inspecting with somewhat worrying intensity. After a moment of prodding the fingers on one with its own, it opened its mouth, revealing a surprising number of pointed teeth.

"Um, bad monkey-san," Frank murmured, "please get away from – ow!" He flinched as the monkey bit down on his fingers, but didn't let go of the branch. That would be…bad. But the little troublemaker wasn't content to leave him be after just one mouthful; it continued snapping its jaws down on the masked man's gloved fingers, quickly staining them red. Eventually the hand couldn't take it any longer and slipped away, leaving Frank dangling by just one. He doubled his grip there, but the monkey, chattering in a very mocking way, moved to the other quickly and grinned at him.

Naturally, Frank's arm was quickly snared by the vines before he could reaffirm his grip with it, leaving him in an even worse place than before. A normal person would have been a little surprised to see that such an event were even possible, but Frank simply frowned. He had been in quite a few undesirable situations before and escaped, so there was no real need to panic.

"_Although I must admit, this does not look very good…" _he was forced to ponder as the monkey began nibbling and scratching on his other hand. As though sensing its hunger would soon be sated, the bud began to slowly snap upward. Unconsciously Frank drew his legs up as much as possible, even though he was still too far for it to reach.

The biting went on while he thought wildly for some path of escape, but there was nothing he could find. Slowly, finger by finger, he began to lose his grip…

Snap. The biting stopped - along with the pressure on his legs - when what felt like a miniature sonic boom swept through the area, snapping the vines easily and spooking the monkey. It looked around, chattering in a frightened way, when it was suddenly smashed off the branch and sent flailing into a tree trunk. It too burst into the glowing symbols that quickly vanished, but Frank was more interested in what had landed on the branch in its place.

His eyes grew wide with grateful surprise. "Shitei, it's you!"

Standing perched on the branch was a keen-eyed, dark-furred eagle, staring down at him with the usual uninterested stare avians had for things too large to eat. Tied around its neck was a small scarf, a leaf symbol drawn upon it, and within its beak was a bag it lowered down toward Frank.

"Ah, my supplies!" Frank reached up and grabbed the bag with his freed hand, nodding thankfully to the bird. "Please give my thanks to the rest of the family! I appreciate it very much!"

Shitei gave him an impassive look as the shinobi tried to juggle his grip and the bag, until Frank held up the bad hopefully. "Er, I'd be even more thankful if you would-"

Rolling his eyes, the eagle dug its beak into the bag and rooted around for a moment before producing a Firestorm scroll. Lifting up its wing and chirping what were probably a few sentences, it dropped it straight into the waiting maw of the bud.

The plant unwittingly snapped up the paper bomb, shutting its mouth right over it a moment before the flame burst up. The bud quickly flailed in pain as they released their victim, its tentacles smashing off the bark on nearby trees and causing other such destruction before it finally collapsed, body blackened. _This _time Frank couldn't help but notice the explosion. "What on earth?"

Dropping to the ground, he stared at the slightly mesmerizing sight before nodding sagely. "Of course; I had sensed that something was amiss all along!"

Above him, Shitei gave a cry that seemed to indicate he thought otherwise before taking wing, flying out of the forest as easily as he had come. Frank waved to him as he left, chuckling to himself. "I suppose I didn't have to worry after all, hm?" Putting the bag on the ground carefully (having a smoke bomb go off in your face was embarrassing even without anyone around), he sorted the supplies into his various pouches and belts before nodding decisively. "Alright, now I must find the others. Who knows what's happened to them if I was nearly killed here?" He paused. "W-well, probably not much…but still!"

With a hop and a bound, the shinobi was off hopping through the trees again, oblivious to the wind.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The real nice thing about people hiring dumb muscle, Gerald mused as he followed the band, was that the kind of person who would hire lackeys so stupid often held some of the same personality traits they did. Crudeness, overconfidence, a general lack of subtlety, a tendency to go 'hurr hurr' and hit things…the list went on for a while, really, but the one most advantageous to him at the moment was loudness: as collectively loud as the cloaked men were, their leader trumped them all in noise. Every step he took was onto some branch or twig, and produced a metallic squeak all on its own. That would have been enough of a cloak for Gerald's movements easily, but Ahab took it one step forward by _never, shutting, up_.

"Who the hell could live in a place like this, anyway?" he asked, glaring around at the greenery. "It's disgusting! There's no hygiene anywhere with all these weeds around!"

The goons showed remarkable tact by not answering him, Gerald thought. Ahab continued, though, spreading his arms in a grandiose manner. "I can't even count how many times I caught something from backwater holes like this. They should all just get stripped for firewood: they'd at least be _useful_ then."

Gerald rolled his eyes. _"What is he, the villain of a bad environmental play?"_

"But there is one good thing about this island!" Ahab suddenly cried with a wave of his hook. "I haven't seen any walking hairballs or annoying bugs like you usually find on-"

"_Aaaaaand there we are." _the Skull Pirate's first mate nodded as a large bear burst out of the surrounding trees and tackled him to the ground. _"I'd be worried if this island _didn't _follow that rule; just because it's a mysterious island of frights doesn't mean you can just ignore these kinds of things."_

Unfortunately, karma seemed like it would be losing this particular bout. Lashing out with his hook, Ahab gouged several holes into the bear's hide as they grappled, before the men quickly swarmed upon it, tearing with their bear hands. Gerald winced as…_parts _came off, before there was a bright bang of light. He covered his eyes and looked back just as Ahab started screaming

"What the hell was that! Bears don't just appear out of nowhere, last time I checked!" Absently, he kicked one of the cloaked minions in the head before they got to their feet collectively. "I told you something funny was going on in this shithole!"

From his position, Gerald winced slightly at the thump the whaler's foot made as it collided with the hapless minion. _"I hope they're getting paid well, at least…"_

"Kinda painful to watch, isn't it?" a sympathetic voice said from behind him.

Gerald nodded. "It certainly is. Nothing worse than an employer – oh."

The 'oh' came both because of the long rope he suddenly found wrapped around himself, and Micheals suddenly throwing him over one shoulder as easily as a bag of groceries. Walking out of the trees with Spider by his side, he waved to Ahab. "Ahoy there, Captain; glad I found you again! And look, I think I just wrangled an eavesdropper of you and your guys!" With that, he dumped Gerald onto the ground roughly.

Ahab turned around. "Eh? Oh, it's you two. Survived, huh?" He cast a beady eye onto Gerald. "Who the hell is this guy?"

"Happy to see you're so pleased, boss…" Micheals muttered under his breath.

The first mate found his head yanked around by the whaler's normal hand, letting out a grunt of pain at the strength it had. "Well?" the cyborg demanded. "I asked you a question, dandy. Not that I need to know the answer, really," he added with a sneer, "unless there were three ships out there that night, I'm guessing you're a member of that skeleton bastard's crew, ain't ya?"

Grinning, he motioned to one of the cloaked men, who picked Gerald back up with maximum roughness. "You'll be some good insurance in case he shows up." Ahab said with an evil grin. "An idiot like that around could be a major thorn in my plan; if he gets mad over some stupid whales, I wonder how he'll feel about his crewmate being in harm's way? Hah!" 

"_Well, I figured out something at least." _Gerald thought dimly as the group started walking again. _"I know I want Jack to punch this fellow in the face as hard as he can."_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Excuse me, Emelia?"

The girl had been rather quiet since they had begun their walk, and took a moment before she look back at the merman. "Yes?"

Drake couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable when Emelia spoke, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why. And that only made it more disconcerting. "Well," he began, "we've been walking for a while, haven't we? But I haven't seen signs of any villages, or even anyone around. Where exactly are we going?"

"You will know soon." the girl replied cryptically.

The shark frowned. "I take it there's no chance of me knowing now, then?"

Emelia said nothing.

"Alright." Drake said with a shrug. In lieu of any pertinent information, he looked around at the landscape. "This is a very beautiful island. I'm sure you must enjoy looking at it from day to day."

"It's…okay." Emelia said, dropping the formality for a moment. "You get used to it after a while." While she might have appeared quiet outwardly, though, in was another story.

_Do not say unnecessary things. He is more perceptive than the rest. Making him suspicious will not help our goal._

"_He is _already _suspicious." _the girl thought back. _"I do not know why Johnny can't-"_

_I have told you already; he is unworthy of such a task. Speak no more of him._

Emelia frowned deeply at that comment, but continued walking. Johnny would do it fine, she knew, and could never understand why he would always refuse.

Behind her, she heard the merman's footsteps suddenly stop. She turned around to see Drake looking around at the nearby trees, his eyes narrowed and fists raised. "I-is there something the matter?" the girl asked, the sudden movement making her a little nervous. He didn't answer, however, tensing himself as he finally focused on the right side of the woods, stepping in front of Emelia quickly.

A moment later, the shrubbery and leaves began to shift, shortly before something burst out with a crash.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The good news: Jack had remembered how the lyrics went.

"The islands in the north…are COOOOOOOLD!"

The bad news: it had inspired him to sing louder.

"Their heads shiver, all AROUUUUUUUND! And they're AAAAAAALL IDIOhurk."

Mary stepped around to his line of sight, one hand clapped over an ear, the other no doubt the thorn vine wrapped around his mouth. "Jack, I'm so glad I found you! Thank goodness for that song of yours!" She smiled. "Never sing it again."

He nodded, and she let him go. Grunting in annoyance, Jack rubbed the area around his lips. "You know, Mary, one of these days I'm gonna-"

"Is there no-one else around?" she asked, ignoring him while looking around. "You'd think Gerald would be as eager to stop you as me."

Jack shrugged as he turned away, readjusting his hat. "Dunno; haven't seen hide or hair of anyone but you since I woke up. This island must be huge. And to make matters worse," he frowned, "nothing's happened at all other than-"

Snapping his fingers, he looked back to Mary. "Hey, just out of curiosity, have you been running into any weird animals here?"

"Depends what you mean by 'weird', Jack." she replied, putting a hand on her hip. "If you mean ordinarily weird animals, like a Hiking Bear or a Kung-Fu Dugong, then no. If you mean normal _bêtes _that explode into graffiti, on the other hand, then yes, I have as a matter of fact."

The captain nodded. "Guess I wasn't just seeing things, then. Did you get attacked by what you ran into?" When Mary nodded, he frowned. "In that case, I think it's safe to say someone on this island knows we're here – and they don't like it."

"Who?" the girl asked. It seemed the most obvious question. "This island is deserted; what could be here worth protecting so violently?"

A grin slowly made its way onto Jack's face. "If you ask me? Something _expensive_." Walking past Mary, he gestured for her to follow. "First we find Drake, Gerald and Frank. Then we find whatever it is."

Mary rolled her eyes as she followed. "You don't even know if something exists, and you already want to steal it. A proper Grand Line pirate, I suppose…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Owwwwww!"

Drake frowned as he felt the nose. "I don't think it's broken, just bleeding. You don't have to be so dramatic about it."

"_Dramatic_?" the nose's owner whined. "You punch me in the nose right away, and you say _I'm _being dramatic? You j-j-ahhh!" He threw back his head and let out a wail.

'He' was an anglerfish merman, a fact Drake found somewhat problematic, as every few seconds he was forced to brush the light-tipped antenna away carefully, all while trying to reassure him that he was, in fact, not going to die. For obvious reasons this was a slow-going endeavor. "Could you be quiet for a moment, please? Your voice is a bit distracting."

The other merman's plump face screwed up in shock. "Huh? Are you – are you calling my voice _annoying_?" He turned to Emelia in dismay. "Emelia, did you hear that? What dirty trench did you meet this lout in?"

For his part, Drake wondered exactly how the girl had met this member of his race as well, but kept quiet. Closing his eyes, he applied a small dose of the ripple to ease the angler's pains, which had the thankful side effect of quieting him down. Thank goodness for small favors.

Releasing the appendage, he stood up. "Well, it should be fine as long as it doesn't get hit again very soon. Again, I'm very sorry about that." Reaching down, he tugged the tubby merman to his feet. "My name is Drake. I take it you're a friend of Emelia's?"

The anglerfish still sported a frown, but nodded. "Yeah, I'm Johnny." He extended a wet, clammy hand. "Me and Emelia how known each-other fer, uh, a while now I guess. Nice to meet ya, Drake."

"My pleasure." Drake said, shaking the hand; he couldn't help but notice how Johnny winced at the grip.

"So," Johnny said, rubbing his hand slightly, "what exactly are you doin' here? Not that I'd ask otherwise, but, well, this place_ is_ kinda – yowch!"

Emelia had pinched him in the arm, and now fervently shook her head. "Uh, I mean," he stammered, before looking away, "nevermind."

Drake looked between the two of them for a moment before clearing his throat carefully. "Well, me and my friends were sailing nearby when our vessel capsized, and I woke up here. I was going to go look for them, but apparently Emelia wants to meet someone first. I'm sure they'll be alright, though."

"Oh, I getcha." Johnny nodded. "Yeah, I understand." A dismayed look overtook his face, and he made to leave. "I'll just get outta your hair, then…"

The sharkman blinked. "You don't need to go just because-"

"Nope, I know when I'm not needed, and this is definitely one of those cases! I'll see you later, Emelia!"

Drake watched him blunder back through the trees where he had come. He looked back to the path. "So-"

Emelia was already walking again, shoulders hunched slightly. Although the merman couldn't see it, she had closed her eyes.

_Blundering oaf! This will be difficult enough without him meddling in things. If he interferes again, I may have to-_

The girl concentrated briefly.

…_I…_may_ have spoken out of turn. _the voice admitted, tinged with…pain? _In any case, he is away now. Please, continue._

Still with the melancholy expression on her face, Emelia continued leading Drake, who now had his own worries about this situation.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Despite the fact that he was now held between two men who felt like they could rip him in half if they were so inclined, and was trying _very _hard not to call attention to himself because of that, Gerald had been able to pick up some information on the unruly band so far. You'd think someone would keep quiet about their secret plans while a stranger was around, but Ahab didn't seem to think he was anything of importance. Or he was a few crumpets short of a full tea tray. Probably both.

From what he'd managed to overhear from him talking to the big fellow, although the group didn't appear to have any path in mind, Ahab was looking for some contact of his that was on the island…somewhere. He didn't know exactly where, which was beginning to become a point of frustration for the whaler – _remarkable_, given the patience he had!

"If he doesn't show his face soon, I might just feel like giving him a taste of what you boys got to make you like this, eh?" he asked the rabid mermen following behind him. They said nothing, and he shrugged. "Like I expected an answer; maybe it's just my fault for working with such a flake."

Michaels' voice spoke up nearby. "So, what exactly did this guy do for you, Ahab? Sounds like he's more trouble than he's worth, the way you talk about him."

Ahab paused for a bit and then crooned, "Oh, I suppose I can tell ya now, Michaels. Y'see, I may have gotten this map to the island, but we'd never have been able to get near these islands without the info I got from him on the surroundings: every reef, every rock, everything." His tone grew less pleasant. "Everything but those damned storms, of course. If we didn't have that steam ship of yours, we'd have been sunk for sure."

"Glad it could be of use, Ahab. Uh, speaking of, how is it-"

"Where the hell is he!"

A voice came from the left. "Right here, Ahab. No need to wake up the whole jungle."

He seemed to turn, as did the thugs, including the one who held Gerald – giving him a nice view of the back of the coat of someone facing in that direction. He pricked up his ears nonetheless; this sounded important!

"I was wondering where your smelly hide had gotten to," Ahab said pleasantly (for him anyway), "it's nice to see my business partner in person after so long."

The other voice chuckled. "I'd say the same, but well, we both know I'd be lying." He came closer. "I'll get straight to the point: there are some other people on this island at the moment, and that girl is leading one of them to_ there_. Doesn't really look like anything your crew won't be able to handle, but hurrying probably wouldn't hurt."

Ahab growled. "I knew that crew was going to be trouble just from seeing one of them!" He paused, and then barked, "Well? What the hell are you all just standing around for!" Then came the meaty thud that couldn't have been anything but him hitting whatever poor sap was near. The group began moving again afterward, with Gerald finding himself nearly bouncing from the increased pace. Not so much though, for him to miss the small spots of blood that littered the forest floor. He frowned in sympathy. _"Some people just don't know how to treat their employees…"_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What…on earth?"

Frank had seen many weird things travelling about the seas, and especially back in his home village – when you were a shinobi, a 'normal' childhood was a very relative thing. But even growing up on Konoha, he didn't think he had ever seen something like this. He was in the center of a wide clearing that, somehow, seemed to have several paths running to it, even the one he had taken through the trees. It gave off the unmistakable feeling of being the center of things.

And on the far side of the massive clearing was a wide cliff, cut smooth as it bisected the forest suddenly. In the center of the cliff was…a door. It was massive, easily taller than three of Drake, and wider than any two of the crew (well, maybe not Mary…) laying down head to toe. Strange markings unknown to the shinobi littered it, and even from his position he could see they weren't simply for show: a chill slowly ran down his spine from the aura it was giving off.

Unconsciously, he took a step backward, but slowly, as if something was scrutinizing him closely. _"B-but that's ridiculous, of course…"_

He couldn't help but doubt his own words. _"Even so, though, a doorway like this wasn't made to imprison something. I'm sure it's a gateway…_

_But...to _what_?"_

_To be continued…_

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates…**

**Jack: **Looks like we have a good old-fashioned standoff here, eh?

**Michaels: **Aw man, I _hate _situations like this…

**Frank: **Um, I don't think starting a fight here is a good idea…

**The Gated Power! What lurks in the Archipelago!**

**Ahab: **Afraid you're not the only one with a trump card, 'friend'.

LordGambit508 – Things that usually work screwing up is kind of annoying, isn't it? Glad you liked the chapter, and sorry for the massive delay!

Until next time, see you guys.


	21. The Gated Power

Although it wasn't something he would admit very freely, Ryoga Hitachi had certainly faced death before. Only Captain Brandy knew of this, and even then, only about a few of his mishaps as The Red Dragon. But, strangely, the one method of death he had never been confronted with was drowning. But it seemed like that had just been luck all this time, the martial artist mused as he sank deeper, water pouring itself down his lungs like they were a drain.

At the very least, it wasn't something anyone could have really prepared for. The storm they had seen yesterday so far off hadn't faded away like they'd assumed, but had been lying in wait, building up steam to unleash its wrath upon another hapless boat. Unfortunately, that had been them. The wind, rain and waves had all come crashing down on the ship at once, knocking several people who'd gotten surprised, had less than honed reflexes, or were just plain unlucky overboard. Ryoga hadn't been any of these – he'd only fallen trying to help someone who would have otherwise.

Hopefully no-one had seen him go over. This was a bad enough situation without the panic that would come from the loss of a superior, not to mention anyone that got it into their head they could save him: in the state the waves were now, it would be a death sentence for anyone who didn't have gills. Someone who was in a position to view Ryoga and his thoughts might have thought it quite admirably that he was concerned about his men even in the face of death. A slightly different person, on the other hand, might have thought it sad that all he could think of was the well-being of _other _people. The values of a marine who could think that hard about protecting civilians were often preached, inside the organization as well as out, but those who did really failed to consider the exact psyche someone like that would have.

As if to spite him, not only was the ocean quickly snuffing out the candle of his life, it was also making Ryoga delirious: through the fading and blurred lens of his eyes, he almost thought he could see something coming down toward him. _"Ha. Fooling me like this…that's very…cruel of you." _Not wanting to see such a taunting mirage, he shut his eyes with a heavy thud as he sank deeper into the churning waters.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Of all the memories that he could have remembered now, at the very least his mind decided it should be a good one._

"_D-dammit!" the noise of the captain's anger was audible even from inside his quarters. Ryoga preferred the open air, and the porthole in the small room was kept open at all times. It didn't do much toward making the room any more pleasant, but the sound of waves was calming. The sounds of battle had begun a while ago, but he hadn't joined for the same reason he thought of the captain as 'the' instead of 'his'. He would come when the pirates decided his presence was needed, and not before. _

_Another male voice came wafting through the open portal; a slightly slurred one. "Now that's just bad language, son. I mean, I can see you probably planned this out for a while, or at least a while for _you_, and then I came along and ruined the whole thing, but…" he paused, "okay, I guess I'd be a little upset if some idiot showed up and ruined everything I'd planned."_

_While the captain let out an angry scream, Ryoga nodded. Yes, he had been planning on conducting a raid against a marine-protected island for some time now. Sending a message to those 'do-gooder babies', as he called it. Even if they weren't directly antagonizing them, pirates often seemed to consider the mere presence of marines as a personal affront. The crew had boasted at length of what they intended to do to the marines there, and afterward, the people. It was…rather unseemly._

_But it had nothing to do with him. _

_He heard the captain's footsteps – brash and arrogant, much like the man himself – come closer. "You think you're so smart with those fancy moves, huh? Well, I just so happen to have a secret weapon that's perfect for an old fart like you! Come on out, Red Dragon!" The last part had been shouted, as though to drown out another comment the other man was about to make._

_Well then. He rose, pausing briefly to grab his bo staff, and then left the room. As it happened his quarters were right by the stairs, so it did not take long for him to ascend to the battle. Amidst the sounds of clashing swords and rifle shots, along with their causes, Ryoga took in the fighting with a brief glance. Just that was enough to see that the marines would be winning this battle. The pirate crew may have had numbers (aside from the captain, only he had a room to himself), but it was obvious their opponents outstripped them in skill, something that mattered far more in a defensive battle. Whether from the fortifications on shore or boarding the pirate's vessel, they fought with the ferocity of people protecting what was important to them; the pirates couldn't hope to match such strength._

_He looked across from him. Standing there on the deck, calmly amidst the chaos, was who could only be their commander. Older, more hardened-looking, and carrying a feeling of experience Ryoga could sense from several feet away. He was sizing the Red Dragon up in the same way, and for a moment he wondered exactly what the man was seeing in him._

_The pirate captain, naturally, saw none of this. He sported a bloody nose and bruises in several places, the martial artist noted. None of that said anything about the marine, though; a hardy child might have been able to do the same with luck. "How's about this, old man?" The man said with a wide grin, and jerked a dirty thumb at Ryoga. "Have you heard of him? Hah, you must've, with the stories going around about him. 'The Red Dragon would suck people's blood just to survive!' 'He doesn't have a heart; someone ripped it out and he didn't notice.'" He chuckled. "Man, I can't wait to see what he'll-"_

"_Shut up already." the marine said with the same pleasantness he'd heard earlier. "So you were smart enough to actually bring someone tougher than you – don't get a swelled head over it."_

_This suitably baffled the pirate enough, him quite obviously not being the kind of man who ever heard those two words, for the marine to turn back to Ryoga and say casually, "So, you're 'Red Dragon' Ryoga, huh? 'scuse me if I say so, but you look…"_

"_What?" the young man spoke through the pause, narrowing his eyes slightly. What the marine had to say would determine much about his opinion of him._

_He shrugged. "Nothing, really. Your bounty poster just made you look a little taller, that's all."_

_The martial artist's mouth dropped open, while his eyes widened to their fullness. The overall effect was the complete opposite of how many people typically saw him. Like many unusual sights however, it lasted for only a moment, as Ryoga quickly recovered and pointed his bo staff at the older man, glaring. "Are you mocking me?"_

_In response, he received an impassive look. "Uh…no. Just saying, I thought you'd be a little different. False perceptions, y'know?" Despite the glare he was the target of, his voice hadn't lost that friendly drawl. "F'r instance, I don't know how many people treat me like a hero when we first meet," another swig, "but after just a few hours, they think I'm some drunken idiot! How 'bout that, eh?" He grinned._

_"…" the pirate captain hadn't really caught up on what was going on, but he at least understood that his ace in the hole very clearly _wasn't _pummeling the old idiot who'd sassed him. "Hey, Red Dragon! What's the hold up, am I paying you to stand around flapping your gums!"_

"_He hasn't really said anything." Brandy pointed out mildly._

_Ryoga looked at the marine with a frown, before shifting into an offensive stance. "I'm sorry. This isn't personal."_

"_Nothing to be sorry about, son," his opponent said with a shrug, quite pointedly not doing the same, "this is your decision, after all, isn't it?" He took another swig, and after he had lowered the bottle, narrowed his eyes. "After all, it'd be a shame if you didn't really want to do this, wouldn't it?"_

_Startled, the young man looked up, unconsciously taking a step backward. As soon as he realized this, he clenched his teeth, reaffirming his stance two-fold. "Enough talk! Fight me, if you want to protect this town!"_

_The marine captain shrugged as Ryoga dove forward. "Tough guy act huh? Alright, if you insist: like I said, it'd definitely suck to do something that your heart isn't in. Especially fighting me, if I do say so myself."_

_At that time, Ryoga assumed that statement was a simple boast. This was a mistake, in hindsight._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ryoga's eyes opened. The first thing he saw was the wood planking of a ceiling above. He was still alive.

"Ryoga, sir!" It was abruptly eclipsed by the face of one of the marines. "You're awake."

The deputy captain pushed himself up, unable to keep from uttering a groan as he did so. "Yes, I can see that – and feel it, too." He looked to the marine. "What happened, Bosley? I blacked out after I went overboard; is everyone alright?" Even as he asked, he knew the answer wouldn't be good, but that was his duty as a superior officer, after all.

Bosley shifted uncomfortably as he answered. "Er, just about, sir. The ship took some damage, of course, from the winds and such, and a few people went overboard, I'm afraid. We did our best to get them out quickly, and, well, you were…one of the lucky ones." He fell silent for a moment, turning his head away and biting his lip.

Ryoga looked down, frowning. "I see. That's unfortunate. But," his brow furrowed, "_how _did you get them out? With how it was storming, even the strongest swimmer on this ship would have been in danger."

For a long moment, Bosley looked exceedingly uncomfortable. "Well, um, er…it was actually the Inspector who handled most of it, sir."

"The Inspector?" Ryoga repeated. The image of a smiling Jade appeared in his mind. "Really?" Jade pouted and vanished.

"Oh, um, yes," Bosley said, quickly nodding, "as it turns out, she's very…experienced in underwater rescues."

The undertones of the statement flew right over his head. "I see. I had no idea; she certainly doesn't look she has experience there."

"The rest of us were a, er, bit surprised as well, sir."

Ryoga nodded. "But it's good that we have someone skilled in that area onboard now. I hope everyone gave her their gratitude?"

From Bosley's mouth gave a sudden cough that someone else might have identified as a barely contained laugh. "Yes, we certainly did – sir, you can't get up now!"

"And why not?" his superior said as he swing his legs up onto the floor, only wincing slightly. "I've definitely been sleeping for a while, and you can't tell me all of our wounded are just staying in bed. I've been up fine after worse than a little water, don't worry."

"Oh, really?" a voice said behind the door, which was quickly pushed open to reveal Jade. For once the young lady wasn't her cheery self, a severe frown marring her features.

The martial artist smiled as she walked up. "Good morning, Inspector. It's good to see you're – ah?" He murmured dimly as she pushed him right back down with shocking strength. Folding her arms, Jade shook her head at Ryoga for a moment before turning to the other marine in the room. Bosley jumped as she did so.

"Bosley, go tell everyone that Ryoga's not to leave this room, alright? He'll be taking the day off."

The bespectacled marine looked between the two officers and seemed to quickly decide he didn't want to get in the middle. "Yes, ma'am," he said, nodding and backing away, "I'll go tell everyone that right now, then!"

Ryoga frowned as the door shut. "Inspector, I'm not quite what you think of me, but I assure you-"

"'All I did was nearly drown, I'm perfectly fine', huh?" Jade finished in an imitation of his voice. "I might not know everything about you, Ryoga, but I do know you can't just walk away from that." She leaned forward. "Unless you want to spend a week in that bed, you're taking today off. Understand?"

Even if she was exaggerating a tad, Ryoga was surprised. He'd never seen her like this before. "Is that your professional opinion, Inspector?"

She nodded. "Yep. I don't want to pull rank on you, but I will if I have to."

Ryoga returned the stare a moment more, and then sighed, lying back under the covers. "Alright, then, I suppose I'll bow to your expertise, Inspector. Consider me out for the day."

"Yay!" All at once, the woman's cheerful disposition reappeared, like the sun coming out from behind a cloud bank. "Then just call me Nurse Jade, Ryoga," she said happily, "I'll make sure you're taken care of all day!"

Ryoga gave another, lower sigh as she tucked the covers in tightly over him. "Of course you will." Not that he could underestimate her _too _much today. "I heard from Bosley that you have other talents than just inspecting," he said as she reached down to fluff his pillow, "thank you. It's good to know there was someone there who could take care of the ship."

"Wow, a _compliment_. This is a special day." she remarked, rolling her eyes slightly. "Really, though, I didn't expect everyone be as surprised as they were. It was a little embarrassing."

He couldn't resist a chuckle. "Well, Inspector, you have to admit-"

"Really, you'd think they'd never heard of a mermaid before."

His voice shut up instantly. "…pardon?"

Jade nodded, an odd look in her eyes. "Yep, a mermaid, with the tail and everything. I can show it to you later if you want."

"I…see." Ryoga said, somehow feeling guilty. "I had no idea, Inspector."

"What's that supposed to mean, exactly?" she replied, folding her arms. "Mermaids are all supposed to be beautiful women, aren't they?"

He might not have been used to dealing with women, but Ryoga had been in the marines long enough to know when something was expected of him. "I'm sure when they say that, they're thinking of someone like you."

She nodded matter-of-factly. "They _do_, don't they? Stereotypes are really a problem, huh?"

"Oh, certainly." said her new ward agreeably. "Most people wouldn't think a mermaid would want to join the marines, for instance, what with the…" He let the sentence hang in the air rather than saying 'what' was outright. None of it was really proper discussion in front of a lady, especially one with a fish tail.

Jade raised an eyebrow. "That's sure an odd thing to hear from you, Ryoga." She shrugged. "It seems like everyone back on Fishman Island had a problem with the marines, or the World Government, or _something _at least. I just decided not to make it my problem, and it turned out that the recruiters didn't much feel like it, either. Not many people who want to sign up can swim as fast or as well as me, and I was good at getting into places other people couldn't."

While informative, it was clear none of that was answer to _why _she had chosen to join the marines. But it was equally clear he wasn't getting one at the moment. "I see." He smiled. "I appreciate you wanting to tell me, Inspector. I'll try not to do anything that will make you regret it."

The woman shrugged, but Ryoga could sense the smile behind it. "Well, everyone else knows now, so someone as important as you shouldn't be out of the loop." She clapped her hands together. "Anyway, I should go get you some breakfast. Try not to miss me, okay?" Winking, she departed.

Ryoga settled back, listening to the rapid footsteps retreating. _"I think I passed that test, more or less." _He frowned. _"Still, though…since she has legs, she has to be at least thirty. Her conduct just gets worse and worse…"_

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Twenty-One: The Gated Power! What lurks in the Archipelago?**

"Well…this is a little creepy."

Mary sniffed. "I'd call that an understatement, but it would be an understatement _too_."

"Glad to hear you agree with me."

It was dumb banter, but if there was ever a time they needed some, it was now. Not that it really kept some shivers from running down their spines, but hell, anyone would be a little skeezed out at something like _this_.

Jack looked up and down the street they were on, as if he was expecting something, anything to happen. He was standing in the middle of the road: going any further in either direction didn't seem like a good idea to him, in the same way that most people don't like to walk near gravestones.

Houses, squat, humble and made of stone, stretched away on either side of him in this clearing they had found. All of them had been constructed of the same white material, and they looked almost uniform, which didn't help his cemetery comparison _or_ his nerves in the least. As pristine as they looked, though, there wasn't a soul around. The average town would have been up in arms by now with such a fearsome pirate in the middle of it, but they hadn't laid eyes on a soul so far.

Looking down, Jack spied a rock. Picking it up, he tossed it up and down in his hand thoughtfully a few times, before tossing it lightly at the front wall of one bungaloo. It hit with a noisy clack that rang like a bell, before falling to earth without any fanfare. Silence reigned again as the skeleton rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Mary watched him. "What are you thinking?"

"Not really sure," Jack said honestly, "but I think it's pretty obvious we didn't just catch this place while _everyone _was away. There's a story behind it, and I'd bet a dozen chests of gold it has something to do with how this area got so mysterious in the first place." He paused. "Well, maybe half-a-dozen. You never know."

"Ha ha." the botanist rolled her eyes and walked over to a stand near one of the larger buildings. It was definitely the kind that held food from a merchant, but there was nothing inside it now other than the bare bottom. "We're probably the first ones to set foot here in decades, if the stories have it right," she murmured, "but even if something happened to them in the meantime-"

Jack nodded. "There'd still be some signs that they were here, right?" Not wanting to get shown up, he'd poked his head into the door of one house – there was no-one there.

Slowly, Mary shook her head. "I don't like this, Jack. I feel like…we shouldn't be here."

Any bravado-filled comment the captain had prepared fell short. He'd never heard her sound this scared before. "Yeah," he said, nodding, "I know what you mean. We'd better find the others, and fast. I _would _bet a dozen chests that they all ran into the same stuff we did, and there's no telling for sure if they were as lucky."

"You think animals could really hurt those three?" she said, raising one eyebrow, but with a bit of hesitance in her voice.

Jack shrugged. "You really want to expect anything from this island?"

She had to admit, he had a point.

Once they had gone in a hurry, silence reclaimed the hamlet, which now had one difference to it. The pebble Jack had thrown had been done so lightly, with barely any of his great strength behind it. Nonetheless, though, a small mark had been left on the wall, marring its uniform beauty slightly. A moment passed as the sounds of the pirates' footsteps faded into the distance, before the damage was covered by a slight, ethereal glow. If either of them had seen it, they would have been reminded of the ocean almost instantly.

After a moment or two of the light show, that part of the building was completely restored. It was as though it had never been damaged in the first place.

Once the harm had been undone, the presence turned its eyes toward the two, seething with a formless mouth. _They will both pay _dearly _for that_.

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"Er…Mr. Micheals, wasn't it?"

"Huh?" the whaler, who had fallen silent as they walked, looked down at Gerald a bit suspiciously. "I'd keep quiet if I were you, moustachio. Begging's not gonna get you anywhere."

The first mate had to concede that he was probably right on the money there, but he plunged on regardless. "Excuse me for saying so, but you seem a bit…out of place around here."

Micheals continued to frown for a moment, but then just shrugged. "I guess not. Just don't look tough enough, eh?"

"It's the face, really"

"Thanks," he sniffed, "I'll have to work on that. Yeah, I'm out of place in this crowd. No freakin' kidding." He stole a cautious glance at Ahab, but the captain's constant muttering covered up any words that weren't shouted. "If somebody had told me a month or so ago that I'd be on a hidden island in the middle of nowhere, following a guy like this and trying to do…I don't even know, I woulda laughed at 'em. How's that for hindsight, eh?" He spat.

Gerald raised an eyebrow. "So why are you associating with him, then?"

"Well, I-" Michaels paused, and then glared down at the captive pirate. "Wait, why the hell am I even telling you this?"

He shrugged. "I couldn't say. Some people _have _said I'm a good-"

Apparently Iron Tusk wasn't, though. His fist sailed across the distance and smacked Gerald in the side. He winced as the whaler sniffed. "There. Now be quiet, if you know what's good for you."

"Shut up back there, Michaels! I'm trying to think!"

"…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"You know, ordinarily I'd be pretty happy to see someone else on this island," Jack brought his arms up and down rapidly, shaking what he currently held in them like a soda bottle, "but I think I'll consider one of you guys an exception."

Even as it was bouncing up and down and the wrong way around, the man in black's face strove to indicate that the feeling was _very _mutual.

"But hey, it's your lucky day!" Jack grinned, stopping momentarily. "I have way bigger fish to fry right now, so I don't wanna waste my time dealing with a nobody like you." He resumed with new vigor for a few seconds. "So how 'bout you tell me everything you know, okay? It'll be easier on both of us. More for you, though."

Off to the side, Mary rolled her eyes. They'd been pretty lucky to come across one of the enemy crew all alone like this, but sadly her captain had decided to take charge when it came to interrogation. Trying to play good cop didn't really work when the worst the bad cop could come up with was making you _derapage_. "He is telling the truth, for what its worth." she put in. "Unless you're _very_ attached to whoever you're working for, I'd spill the beans, _tout de suite. _Oh," the botanist snapped her fingers, "and I should mention that he's been known to uplift trees when he gets angry. Just to tell you."

The man's eyes widened, unsure, but Jack raised a non-existent eyebrow. "What? I've never done that, Mary." Their captive's face changed to annoyance, and he started to open his mouth. "Yeah, I've broken a couple rocks, and caused a cave-in, sure, but never anything like that."

"…how about I just tell you everything I know?"

"Aha," Jack said triumphantly, "figured out what's good for ya, huh? Smart man!" Unceremoniously, he dumped the man on the floor, sitting down cross-legged before him. "Well? I'm waiting, pal." He was too pleased with himself to hear Mary sighing behind him.

Sitting up, the man rubbed the back of his head, grumbling. There was no way he could get away from these two, and this jerk knew it. "Hah, you pirates are sure confident, aren't you? You really don't know anything about that Ahab, do you?"

Jack picked out the word 'that' in the same instance he noticed the lack of anything resembling respect. "Nah, I don't, actually. Other than that I want to punch his face in, but somehow that doesn't really make him anything special. So why don't you enlighten me?" He grinned. "Don't want to find out I shoulda done it harder, right?"

The whaler tried, unsuccessfully, to conceal a gulp. "Look, I don't know what you guys think about us-"

"I wouldn't say what I think about you with a lady present, pal."

"-but that bastard sure as hell isn't with us. And I'm not your pal." He finished defiantly.

Mary leaned back against a tree, quirking her mouth. "He's just in charge?"

A moment passed, and then their captive sagged. "Yeah, exactly," he muttered bitterly, "even if none of us can stand his guts, that bastard and his pets have taken over. Even the Captain doesn't dare cross him now."

Jack couldn't help but feel a _little _sympathetic – the guy looked miserable, and he'd seen enough of Ahab to know it must have been hell being on the same ship – but he wasn't about to say that aloud. "Okay, got it, he's bad news. But _how _is he bad news? What's he here for?"

For an answer, he received a sarcastic look. "You think he'd tell some mook in a crew he brow-beat into working for him? But all of us _know _it can't be good, whatever it is." He looked around, as if he were afraid Ahab himself – or something else – would pop out from nowhere. "I've heard dozens of stories about these islands, and even one of them's true, the idea of a guy like him making a big score here is enough to keep me awake at night."

He looked them both in the eye. "I'll tell you both this. I might not have any idea what he has planned on this island, but I wouldn't get between him and it for all the gold on Raftel. He's crazy and driven. I don't think there's anything he _won't _do."

"Whatever." Jack stood up, bringing the man with him by the collar. "He probably eats puppies for breakfast, too, but I don't really give a damn." He jabbed a thumb at himself and sneered. "I'm a pirate, and I don't like his face. So I'm gonna smash it down like a bad nail, that's all. You can watch, if you want."

The whaler groaned. _"And I thought this wouldn't be too bad a day when I woke up…wonder why."_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake looked around carefully as he walked, pursing his lips. This whole situation was peculiar, and it didn't take a very perceptive person to see there was something strange going on here. But that was just it; the only thing he was sure of in this situation was its strangeness, and it bothered him. But despite that, he didn't sense any outright danger from whatever was watching, or the girl in front of him. At least not for now. But if they thought he would go along with this without a word of objection, they were both quite mistaken.

"Emelia." he called out, softly but firmly. The girl kept walking, but he continued. "I can see for myself that this island is deserted, even if you want me to think otherwise." There was silence. "But," the merman continued, if there's some reason – _any _reason – you need my help, you don't have to worry that I'll walk away. I'm not the kind of person who would leave someone in trouble."

"I'm not in trouble." the waif said calmly with a brief shake of her head.

Drake couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "It doesn't sound that way to me."

"_I'm _not in trouble." she repeated, and paused.

"But someone is?" It wasn't a very hard conclusion that that was the prompting she had expected.

Emelia nodded. "Yes, in great need. Only someone of your race can-" She paused, shook slightly, and spoke again. "I will explain more later. These woods are not private."

The sharkman stopped. "I don't think there'd be any harm in telling this to my friends. Our captain in particular is a very…straight-forward person." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Unless there are other people in the woods now? Bad people?"

Again, he didn't have to look very hard to see the flinch. No matter how strange one was, children were still easy to read. Emelia nodded shakily. "Yes. Very bad people are on the island now. It would be bad to have them find us. Very bad." She fell silent, continuing forward, and then let out a squeak as Drake stepped forward, scooped her up in his arms, and sat her on his shoulders. "W-what are you-"

He smiled up at her. "If they're that scary, we should get where we need to be quickly. Just point me in the right direction; I might be better underwater but I can still run fast enough."

A moment passed, and she returned it. "Keep going on ahead," the girl said with a point of her finger, "you will see the path before long."

"Alright, hang on."

Emelia squeaked as the trees began to fly past quite quickly.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Jack suddenly stopped. "Wait."

"Hm?"

"W-what?"

He jabbed the whaler in the neck. "Did I say you could talk, buddy? Shut your trap, I think I heard something."

With as notable as that was on this island, you'd think picking out the source of it would be easy, but this island had a funny way of messing with your ears anyway. He shut his eyes as a long few moments went by, pricking them up intently to search for whatever the noise was. His crewmate and captive helpfully went along by keeping themselves quiet (the latter a bit more than the former, it seemed like: breathing wasn't _that _noise). Close to a minute passed within the void of sound that was the forest.

"Are you looking for me, CaptAH!" 

Jack lowered his fist instantly, staring guilty as Frank flew head over heels…and back to his feet, landing and rubbing his mask. "Uh…whoops. Sorry, Frank."

"N-not at all, Captain. You only pushed the mask into my face a _bit_. And besides, you have told me not to do that many times."

The skeleton pirate cleared his throat carefully, shaking his hand discreetly as he did. Whoever made those masks sure didn't do it half-assed. "I think I can excuse it this time, though. Nice to see you're okay."

"Quite." Mary added.

Frank nodded. "Only just barely, Captain; this island is far more dangerous than it appears."

"Yeah, we both saw that first-hand." Jack frowned. "Gerald's not with you, is he?"

He could sense the ninja mimicking him through the mask. "No, I didn't, unfortunately. I had hoped he might be with you."

A snapping noise carried through the clearing, and the captive whaler flew forward to land between the three of them. Mary stepped forward, placing her foot delicately on the man's back. "Well, I can think of one place where he might be. Me and Jack found this gentleman earlier: apparently he's a member of another crew on the island."

"Dammit, it's just like that idiot to get caught." Jack said with a momentary scowl. A grin replaced it one moment later. "Good thing we just got a hostage, eh Frank?" He looked up when no answer came. "Frank?"

"Another crew, you said?" the masked man asked, the demonic visage quickly turning to regard him. "On this island, now?"

Jack nodded, a little weirded out. "Uh, yeah, according to this guy. No worries though, dude, we're gonna get Gerald-"

"Yes, of course we must rescue him," Frank interrupted, his tone grave, "but there may be something of far more concern with another pirate crew on this island."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

Mary sighed. "It might seem odd to you, Jack, but not _every _pirate crew picks their next destination based on _tourisme_. If they're here, it must be for something in particular. Right, Frank?"

The skull pirate glowered. "Yeah, I _know_ that, Mary. What I meant was what are they here _for_? There's a ton of stories about this place!"

"Unfortunately, I may have an idea about that, Captain."

Jack turned back to Frank, raising an eyebrow. Ever since he'd joined the crew, the shinobi had been almost like a canary in a mineshaft: when he got serious, you knew something was up. Exactly what, though… "You have an idea about it, Frank?"

"Indeed I do. And if I have even a chance of being right, we have to hurry." The shinobi turned and leaped over the three, quickly moving back where he'd come.

_That _was something new too. Jack stamped his foot, annoyed. "Dammit Frank, explain already before you go running off!"

Frank paused, looked back and shook his head fervently. "There is no time to waste, Captain. If someone with wicked intentions finds this island's secret…" He took a deep breath, looking between his two friends. "Then this entire sea may be in danger."

_To be continued…_

TheDudeOfDoom – Oh, uh, he'd be a fishman, yeah; I just prefer using merman for some reason. Dunno why, guess I just got used to it. I could switch it up if it's really confusing.

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates…**

**Jack: **I got your guy, you've got mine. Do you really wanna see which one makes a better punching bag?

**Drake: **Come on, if you really want to. I won't let someone like you lay a hand on her.

**?: **I'm really sorry…Emelia.

**Power that can shake the Waves! The Guardian Awakens!**

**?: **_I am…displeased._

Well, here's a chapter that took just four months short of a year to complete. And it…definitely doesn't show it, does it? I'm not sure what exactly happened. I do have another story that I've been working on, and that could certainly be part of it, but I think it's just that I lost interest in this one for a while. I've been trying to undo that, though, and I'll be making this next chapter a priority in my schedule from now on.

So until next time, see you. Here's hoping it will be soon.


	22. The Guardian Awakens

_When Ryoga awoke next, it was to a blindingly white light. He shut his eyes partway instinctively and it lessened, quickly revealing itself as a hanging lantern. Blinking, he frowned at the flickering flame. That wasn't something he wanted to see right after waking up…how bothersome._

_He rose - and instantly pain wracked his entire body. "W-what!" Shock ran through him at the same time just as bad. A martial artist he might have been, but Ryoga had never felt this…beaten before. Both his arms were sprained, if not broken, and his legs didn't feel much better. At least two of his ribs were broken for certain, and his neck was sore all the way around. There were many other injuries, but those were the most grave._

_All this was processed in a moment, after which he doubled over in agony, breathing hard. A moment later, though, a pair of firm, gentle hands grasped him by the shoulder and eased him back down onto the pillow. "Easy there, son, don't want to be moving so soon." said a familiar, friendly voice._

_Ryoga went with it and laid back down, but he turned instantly toward the voice, ignoring the pang from his neck as best he could. "You." _

"_Oh yeah," Brandy said, nodding, "don't think I got around to introducing myself, did I?" He extended a hand, smiling almost obliviously. "Name's Brandy, Brandy Swallow. Try not to laugh, it'll probably hurt worse."_

_That didn't seem to be a problem. Even some of his co-workers (or the new kids trying to impress him, heh heh) were less stony than the look the kid gave him in reply. "What happened? Why am I here?" If anything, the words almost made his gaze look soft._

_Brandy replied with a good-natured shrug, trying to withdraw his hand casually. "Well, you're here 'cause I brought you in. Couldn't just leave you here with how beat up you were. Especially since I uh, kinda caused it. Sorry about that. No hard feelings, right?" He grinned._

_Ryoga stared. "That doesn't answer my question. Why did you bring me here when I am a pirate?" He looked around the small room, taken up largely by the bed he was in. "The crew I was with certainly aren't here. Are they in cells this nice?"_

_The captain had to give pause at that. It was pretty rare that anyone was able to make a coherent thought after a fight with him, never mind form an accusation like that. "Yeah, your cells are different. But that's because you are too. I wasn't gonna put a kid in-"_

"_You're wrong." the martial artist's words cut through the sentence like a knife. "I'm no different from any of them. There's no point showing sympathy to a criminal because of his age. Especially not for a marine of your rank."_

_Brandy leaned back, trying to keep his low whistle inside his head. If he had a choice, he'd take the guys who kicked and screamed about how lousy he was any day: it was a damn sight better than the ones who did it the other way round. "It's funny how word always manages to get around about how marines do things with people who aren't actually, y'know, _members_. I mean, the other day I heard a rumor accusing me of having chronic alcoholism…which was a pretty bad rumor, since that's probably true." _

_A moment passed without either side speaking (which was typical of people meeting Brandy for the first time), and then Ryoga said, a bit confusedly, "That doesn't answer my question, I'm afraid."_

_The marine sighed. "I swear, senses of humor are going extinct nowadays. Listen, son-"_

"_My name is Ryoga."_

"_Okay, fine, Ryoga. Good to see we got your name right." Brandy said, getting annoyed. "What I was _trying_ to say is, even if you don't think you're different, _I _do, and that's why you're here." He held up one hand as the young man started to protest. "And don't argue. I'm the one who put you in that bed to start with, and I'm in charge of this whole base, so I can pretty much do what I please with you." He snorted. "If you ask me, you could stand to be a bit more grateful – West Blue's not the toughest sea out there, but it has a few hard-asses, and I don't consider myself one of them."_

_Ryoga stared coldly. "I do not feel grateful about a defeat."_

_Brandy ignored this. "Anyway, I think you've asked about enough questions now." He reached off to the side and grabbed something, and then a very familiar sight was held in front of Ryoga's eyes: his wanted poster. "What I'm curious about is how exactly a young man like you gets one of these in the first place. It's not exactly Nico Robin territory, but still a pretty big amount to have your head be worth, even if it can still be attached." _

_Replacing the scrap of paper, he waved a hand at his dumbfounded captive. "From what it says, you're responsible for quite a lot around these waters: attacking ports, brutalizing civilian guards as well as marines, raiding supply ships – made a lot of people annoyed they didn't get their caviar – littering…that's probably just a typo, and a whole lot of other stuff. But my question is why. You're never with a pirate crew for very long, and you every time you seem to leave just before they get busted." _

_Ryoga said nothing._

"_Clamming up, eh? Fine, I'm not done talking anyway." He waved a hand at the room's sole window, where the sea could be seen sparkling in the distance. "The guys I meet out there typically aren't nice guys – but they all want _something_, even if it's just stuff like a pile of cash, or a proper bed to sleep in." Brandy looked down at him. "But you? I didn't get that vibe from you, and that was just from your bounty poster. Now that I've met you in person, I'm almost certain. What is it you wanted from hanging out with those guys? Anything at all?"_

_A quiet, uncomfortable moment passed, and Ryoga looked away. "I don't know."_

_Well, there was an answer for you. "Okay, then…" the marine began. "How about we start at the beginning; would that be better?" The way he said it, the question might have been for him too. He rubbed his chin. "If Ryoga _is _your real name – and I hope so, I hate fibbers – then how about we start where you grew up? What was your hometown?"_

_He half-expected another pause, but Ryoga looked right at him and murmured, "I never had one."_

…_this was going to take a while._

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Power that can Shake the Waves! The Guardian Awakens!**

Being tied upside-down and carried like a hunk of meat typically didn't lead one to heavy thinking (or at least not heavy _productive _thinking), but Gerald was giving it a very good try at the moment. And besides, it wasn't like he typically had that happen to him, either, so why adhere to rules?

What he was thinking on was this: if he struggled loose from the ropes right here and now, exactly what were the odds of him making it to the trees without being skewered? He didn't make as big a target as the average animal on this island seemed to, but with the eagerness Ahab used that hook, it might very well not matter. Of course, there was also his crew to consider, and they had probably been hired more for their skill at tying limbs together than knots. Yes, a whole plethora of reasons not to try it now.

But if for instance, a certain boisterous skeleton with questionable dress sense happened to come charging in, the confusion might well be enough to slip away, eh? Even if the odds of that were…pretty good, actually. Hopefully it would be sooner rather than later, though: the ropes were getting a bit too loose all on their own, and Ahab probably – _certainly _wouldn't take that very well, even if he wasn't actually the cause. Then again, his mood seemed to have improved quite a bit.

Now, why did he think for a moment that this was a _good _thing?

** 0**

If Jack had grown up in a different sea, he would have scoffed at the idea of anythingbeing powerful enough to pose a threat to an entire stretch of water. Even East Blue was tougher than that, probably. But, and not to exaggerate, he had seen some _shit_ in the Grand Line; if you measured his suspension of disbelief when it came to crazy stuff it would probably be up near the moon. And considering this came from another resident of 'Paradise', there was no reason for him to doubt it at all.

A shame a certain gardener didn't share his worldly experience. "You're really sure about this, Frank?" Mary asked, giving the shinobi a doubtful look. Even how competent he could be at times didn't quite stretch over a statement like that for her, evidently. "You haven't even told us just what this _affreux _thing is, let alone how it can do anything like that. I don't mean to be a skeptic, but it sounds fishy to me."

Frank shrugged, not speaking for a moment. One hand was near his katana, the two couldn't help but notice. "If I merely told you, Mary-san, I am sure you would not believe me. It is best you see for yourself."

Mary frowned slightly, folding her arms. "The way you talk, it's something I'm not smart enough to understand."

Ordinarily that would have sent Frank into a sputtering apology, but all that happened was the ninja turning to look at her closely. The girl blinked, feeling a pang of unease go through her.

"No, Mary-san," he said after a moment, "quite the opposite, in fact."

He fell silent after that, and so did Mary, not wanting to be the target of that stare again. Jack was lost in thought himself, and so it took her a minute or two to realize she had no idea what that meant.

** 0**

When the sound of crashing came through the trees behind them, Drake moved quick as a snapping eel. Bunching his leg muscles, he jumped up to the first branch of a nearby tree, setting Emelia down with a squeak from the girl. He came back down in a combat stance, ready for anything. Whoever wanted this girl, they would have to go through him.

As the cacophony of snapping branches came closer, a new noise was added along with it: a high pitched whine. Drake narrowed his eyes. Perhaps a child would be intimidated by that, but they would need something more concrete to frighten him. Somehow he doubted anyone who _would_ target a child could muster up anything like that.

Of course, holding onto that anger would lead to mistakes. He relaxed slightly and concentrated further. The first person to show their face would receive his strongest blow. No source of water was nearby, but he hardly needed the Ripple's power against someone like this. Finally, the trees before him broke open, branches scattering everywhere, as a massive bulk forced its way through, bulging chest first. A body-slam: from a sumo wrestler, then. Unique, but it wouldn't help them against him. Drawing back his arm, he prepared to unleash a-

"Wait!"

Surprised, Drake looked back toward Emelia, which left him open just enough time for the intruder to tackle him. He grunted as his back hit the dirt path, pinned underneath the massive weight.

It was then that he realized that the wailing he'd heard wasn't quite that – it was some rather sad snivelling. The merman became aware of his chest becoming wet with someone's tears.

"E-E-E-Emeliaaaaaa!" a very familiar voice cried wetly. "Whe-where are youuuuuuu!"

"Wait, you're-" Drake grunted out as he shoved, but it was no use: the weight was too much even for him.

Behind him, he heard the sound of Emelia climbing down and walking over. "Johnny, what's wrong?"

Indeed, it was the anglerfish. He looked up at her voice, and his mouth spread even wider. "Emelia! You're alright!"

Johnny rose with surprising speed, not even giving Drake a glance as he rushed over. "I'm so glad! This forest is dangerous now, and I was afraid you'd been cauhahauught!"

"C-calm down, you're making me nervous…" Emelia murmured, toying with her flowers as she patted him on the head. It was a bit of a surreal sight, even to Drake's eyes. "Tell us what's wrong."

Still sniffling, the merman raised his head and stammered out, "P-p-pirates! Here, on the island!"

Emelia blanched. "Pirates?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Johnny said, nodding desperately. "I just saw them a little while ago! Ooooh, they were a nasty looking bunch!"

Rising to his feet, Drake asked calmly, "Maybe you should explain who they were, then, so you do something more than frighten your friend."

His fellow fish looked at his expression and gulped. "Yeah, right. I was just about to, sure."

To the martial artist's embarrassment, Johnny explained himself, making broad motions with his hands as he did so. "There were a ton of 'em! Ooooh, I barely got out of there with my lure intact! But it seemed like there were a bunch of ringleaders – the big bosses, you know?"

Emelia's eyes widened, while Drake remained impassive. "I see. Who were they, then?"

Trying not to look nervous again, the angler began. "The first of 'em was this tall, creepy guy, with a face that looked like a demon! He had a sword almost as big as he was, too!"

The effect this had was two-fold, and opposite in both ways. Emelia's expression of fear deepened, while Drake's grew even more unreadable. The latter didn't matter much to Johnny, however, and he continued his little descriptions. "They had to have some devil fruit users in their crew, too! One woman was almost a monster: more plant than human! And even their regular guys looked scary!"

Drake tapped his foot, waiting for him to finish.

"But none of them were half as bad as their leader! He was…was…"

"W-was?" Emelia quavered, clutching at her dress.

"Nothing but bones." Johnny finished dramatically. "A skeleton from head to toe!"

As the girl let out a gasp of fear, Drake stepped forward, nodding his head firmly. "I see. In that case…" Quickly moving over to Emelia, he scooped the girl up and placed her back on his shoulders. "…we should get moving. Emelia knows a place that's safe, right?"

The other merman rose, scratching the back of his head. "Y-you sure you want to carry her? You make kind of a big target."

"And you make a wide one."

"Y-you didn't have to say it like that…"

** 0**

Jack looked upward slowly. "So, this it, Frank?"

Mary gave him an odd look. "Is this it? Captain, unless there are other giant _portes _around, I think the answer is yes. And no, Frank, I wasn't actually asking."

"I see."

Ignoring the peanut gallery, Jack marched up to the door, holding his captive out at arm's length. "Well, buddy? This what Ahab's looking for?"

"How the hell would I know, you bony-" He grunted as the insult got him a punch to the head.

"Everyone thinks they're a comedian around here." the pirate grumbled. "How the hell would I know, either? For all we know this place could be the local café or something."

Behind him Mary opened her mouth, and then paused. _"Am I crazy or did that make a weird kind of sense? Or maybe it's just him infecting me…ahhhh…"_

Her captain looked back at them. "So what now? No way do we have the key to this thing, and Drake and Gerald are still missing. Not like I'm worried, but shouldn't we-"

In a flash, he shoved the whaler to the ground and ducked low. Behind them the door was caught in an explosion as a cannonball hit it straight on. By the time Jack looked up, both Mary and Frank had prepared their weapons.

"Heh, heh, heh…" A high-pitched chuckle filled the clearing as Ahab grinned over his smoking gun barrel. "Sorry to interrupt, but it seems like your friends shouldn't be the ones you're worried about, Mr. Pirate." The grin widened as he motioned to the band of whalers and mermen behind him. "Oh, and speaking of which."

The frown Jack now wore grew deeper as two of the former brought a feebly struggling Gerald forward. "One of your crew, if I'm not mistaken. He was wandering the island all by his lonesome, so I took him in. A regular saint, I am."

"If there's a saint of assholes, maybe," the skull pirate said, spitting on the ground, "and what are you so smug about, huh?" He lifted the whaler up by the collar and shook him like a white flag. "I got a hostage too. Or is your vision squeaky too?"

Ahab's eye shifted slightly, and he appeared to notice the crewmate for the first time. "Oh."

Another shot rang out through the clearing, the cannonball a black blot against the sky before it fell elsewhere. After a moment the cyborg turned one twitching eye to the side. "And just what do you think you're doing, Michaels?"

Slowly, the head whaler took his hand off the gun's barrel. "Nothing much. J-just thought it might be a bad idea to piss off a Devil Fruit user when you have a hostage, that's all." Jack couldn't help but notice at least two of his fingers were in a bad way.

This was beyond Ahab's perception, however. "Huh. Well, do us all a favour and don't think again." Thumping Michael in the side with the gun, he stepped forward. "In case it wasn't obvious, I'm not as much of a bleeding heart as this lug. You can keep him; just one grunt isn't worth anything."

"You can go rot in a damn trench, Ahab!" the member spat. "No way Michaels is gonna leave me like this, right boss?"

Michael drew back as he suddenly became the center of attention. "U-uh…I-"

Ahab slowly angled the gun until it was pointing into the side of his head. "Well? Don't stutter, Michaels – I'm a bit curious as well."

From the other side of the clearing, Jack saw the man's Adam's apple bounce up and down. "Um, uh, I just-"

The whaler-hater's eye glinted. "Didn't I tell you not to stutter? Just spit it out…or is it something you think I won't—"

He paused, then reached up and patted his ear; a small trickle of blood fell onto his fingers, which shook. Turning to Jack, whose hand was just returning to the rest of him, the glint became a twitch. "You're a really big fan of getting in other people's business, aren't you?"

"Yeah, uh, pirate? Then again, I'd probably do it anyway; your face is just _asking _for it."

Ahab's gun shook along with his eyelid. "And you're awfully smug for someone who can't do a thing! Now surrender, before your friend's head gets replaced with a-"

"PULL!" Jack shouted, his muscles suddenly bulging as he shoved hard, sending the captive whaler flying across the clearing. By the time he had enough realization to scream, it was about one second before he bowled his lug of a boss over. The bigger boss didn't actually shoot, but probably just out of surprise, he reckoned. Anyway, it was a distraction, and now they had their guy back. So it was only fair he got the same, right? "Now, Mary!"

"_Oui_!" the girl cried back, flinging out her transformed arm at the crowd. Still in confusion from getting hit with their own man, the whalers couldn't quite react in time as the vine roped Gerald around the waist, tugging him out of their grasp and dragging them into the ground.

Jack gave his first mate a once-over to make sure he was alright, and then turned to grin at Ahab's expression. His good eye had narrowed to almost a pin-point (an ugly one, that you'd never use) as he shook. "Well would you look at that? No more hostage."

Slowly, the metal pirate aimed his blunderbuss at the one made of bone. "Like it really matters," he snarled, "only three of you can actually fight, and my entire crew is here!" A few of the whalers glared at him, but he either didn't notice or didn't care. Probably both, really.

To that, his new foe cracked their knuckles. "Why don't you come try it, then, 'stead of standing there talking." Behind him, Mary tapped her foot on the ground while Frank drew his katana, and Gerald…ran behind the three of them. "If it's just three pirates, then it should be child's play for a big guy like you, huh? Unless…" he slowly grinned. "You're _chicken_."

He could never figure out why _everyone _got so mad at that. How did chickens equal total cowards now, and why did people go along with something that dumb? You'd have to be a total maroon…just like Ahab. Jack watched as he aimed the gun at his head. One cannonball from that could probably take it clean off; he was sooooo scared.

"KILL HI-"

Suddenly, from the edge of the clearing, a twig snapped noisily.

The metaphorical pin-drop wasn't enough to defuse Ahab's fury (that was a miracle beyond any mortal man at this point), but it did draw it elsewhere, almost like a reverse canary. Whirling at where it had come from, he snarled, "Who did that! Come out before I bury you underneath those damn trees!"

Jack turned to watch as, shaking the trees with his girth, Johnny came out into the open, hands held up pitifully. "O-okay, I came out, alright? Ju – just don't shoot!"

"Oh…" Ahab's face quickly twisted from anger to sheer disgust. "_Another _of you fish scum? This sea's practically infested!" With the look of someone about to swat away a fly, he cocked his arm cannon. "Well, I know how to deal with that _perfectly_."

The angler-fish shook, moving his hands to cover his face, for all the good that would do. "H-h-hey now, j-just hang on a second!"

The only thing this got him in return was an ugly grin. "Alright." He aimed upward at Johnny's head. "There: one second!" The blunderbuss let out an ominous click.

"NO!" someone unfamiliar cried out, and the bushes parted again as a young girl threw herself in front of the merman (or at least, _some _of him). "Don't shoot him, PLEASE! I'm the one you want, aren't I?" Tears welled up in her eyes.

Ahab's expression changed again, faster than the weather had yesterday. "Ahhhh…" He stared at Emelia like she was a chest stuffed to the brim with loot. His smile gaped like a shark, ironically enough. "Of all the places to find you, it's here. Oh, and with a bargaining chip, too: aren't I lucky?" Gripping his whistle, he blew it sharply, summoning two of his mermen to come forward.

He didn't really know what was going on, but Jack still wanted to deck this guy, and this just gave him another reason to do it. Before he could make with the bone smashing in every sense of the term, though, the trees shifted _again_. The cyborg glanced over the two with a look of irritation: evidently he was getting sick of this too.

Another thing it didn't take long for him to get sick of was seeing his guys hit the dirt, judging by his expression as Drake leaped from the greenery, hitting the mermen with twin kicks before he touched the ground. "Yes; absolutely _infested_!"

Drake ignored him. "Get back to the forest. No-one will follow you: I'll make sure of it."

Johnny nodded shakily, still looking scared. "Yeah…yeah, we'll do that. C'mon, Emelia…"

The girl's eyes didn't move from her new friend's as she was hoisted up. Drake gave her a reassuring nod, then turned back to Ahab. "I don't know what you want her for, but it won't be happening."

As his mermen got to their feet, Ahab slowly lowered his gun, and then – smiled. "And you're going to stop me then, are you? That could be a problem: you're tougher than any human, certainly, and maybe be a handful than me!" He took a step backward. "So it's quite a good thing that…"

Emelia let out a cry.

"I don't have to lift a finger."

Drake and the rest of the Skull Pirates whirled to find that Johnny had picked up Emelia, alright: with both hands around her neck. The girl kicked limply, like a fish dragged out of water.

Jack hadn't actually seen his new crewmate get really _angry_, even when talking about his past. But he got a quick glimpse of what that was like as Drake stepped forward, growling. "I knew there was something suspicious about you."

Fortunately, this time Johnny didn't flinch. Gulping was still well and present, though. "F-for all the good it did, right? Shou, shouldn't have let me get my hands on her in the first place t-then!" He adjusted his grip, making Emelia squeak. "Move a step closer, and I'll…I'll…do something, alright!"

Behind them all, Ahab let out a chuckle, tapping his hook hand against his forehead. "Not a bad piece of acting, wasn't it? Johnny here works for me you see. Ordinarily, of course, I wouldn't let a coward like him within ten inches of my crew." The anglerfish looked down at the dirt. "But he does have his uses. Worming his way into people's lives, for instance." He grinned nastily. "But it's not all that hard when they're a little brat living in the middle of nowhere. Even _I_ might have been able to do it."

The girl opened her mouth, but the current situation put a bit of a damper on any objections she had. Jack, on the other hand, was free to think of quite a few. It was nice of the whaler to give him some more stuff to work with. "So, let's see here…" he began with fake cheer, punching one hand into the other. "You've murdered, let's see, probably roughly a ton of endangered species for money, recruited a bunch of guys screwed up in the head to do your dirty work, and now you took a little kid hostage!"

"So, only question: is all that three really big punches, or should I split it up somehow?" He began walking toward Ahab, smiling the way people do when they know they're about to do the right thing. "What do you guys – ah, I'll figure it out."

Johnny took a step back, almost holding his hostage up like a shield. "D-didn't you listen, pal? If you move I'll-"

Jack gave him an 'are you an idiot' look; a rarity actually coming from him. "Sure you are. I don't know what you want that kid for, but no way you came all this way just to use the one person on this island as a bargaining chip. You need her for something, so I think you're both bluffing."

This fish guy definitely wasn't as good at the poker face as _his _fish guy. Johnny's knees quaked slightly even as he kept his mouth shut. Ahab gave the display a sneer of contempt. "Honestly – at least my men are presentable for the race." He waved the angler over. "Just get over here, you idiot. He can act like a smart aleck all he wants, but let's see him attack you without hitting the brat, eh?"

The Skull Pirate stopped midway, frowning momentarily, but the bony grin resurrected in a flash. "Hey, you actually might be right about something, good job!" He pointed off to the side, shrugging. "Maybe I can't, but I wasn't really planning on it in the first place. In case you didn't notice, you didn't just piss me off."

With deathly quiet, Drake finished popping his shoulders. He'd been doing this slowly since Jack first opened, his gaze fixed on Johnny. "So, which side of your face would you like me to start with? Assuming you don't let her go now, that is."

Squirming further, the angler merman held up his friend-turned-hostage further, almost using her as a shield at this point. Emelia herself looked up weakly and shook her head at Drake, but his attention wasn't on her now. "I…I can't! So back off, okay!"

The martial artist took a step forward. Scowling, Ahab lined up a shot at his back. Jack growled, charging forward, with Frank and Mary preparing to join him. Ahab's 'crew' prepared themselves as well, some readier than others.

All of this was about to happen, when a voice came through the clearing.

_I…am displeased._

Before anyone could even look around at where the quaking voice resonated from, a blinding light formed in the air, quickly filling the clearing. Within mere moments, everyone had vanished.

_To be continued…_

_Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates_

**Ahab: **Even easier to put one over on than a human, eh?

**Johnny: **I'm…I'm really sorry…

**Jack: **I don't think it's possible for today to get weirder, just saying.

**Window to the Past! Face to Face with the Ocean Master!**

The Dude of Doom – Compared to all the other screw-ups 4kids had in their version, that's not too bad, really. And I've done a few flip-flops in this story myself, too. I keep meaning to go back and edit older chapters, but…well anyway, hope you're not upset I pulled the rug on that expectation.

I meant to get this chapter out way earlier than today, but things just happened, sadly. Hope no-one minds that it's a little shorter than usual, but next time will make up for that, believe me.


	23. The Ocean Master

"_You're getting awfully good at that, you know?"_

_Ryoga looked away from the group of pirates he had just dispatched, face dispassionate. "You don't have to say that just for my sake. Being good enough to defeat people like this isn't much of a compliment."_

_Brandy smiled. "Yeah, but you still did it. From where I stood, it wasn't much of a challenge at all."_

_He frowned. The way the marine always seemed to know exactly what to say bothered him, even as he'd grown used to it day by day. He shrugged his shoulders, the uniform he'd been forced into weighing on them heavily._

"_I'm only following the arrangement we agreed upon." he replied calmly. "When I make a promise, I don't follow it through half-heartedly."_

"_A good quality for a man," his new handler remarked, "and not just when you're dealing with men, either."_

_That was another quality about the Captain; he knew what buttons to press. Unable to quell his blush, he turned to walk away. "I'll return to the base. I assume you're able to deal with jailing them, if you came down here personally."_

_He could sense the pout from behind him. "Your attitude still needs some work."_

_He couldn't quite quell the smile afterward, either._

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Window to the Past! Face-to-Face with the Ocean Master!**

After a few searing moments that seemed to risk burning out more than their eyes, the light slowly died down, replaced in the pirate's senses by the reedy whistle of a flute. Despite the pressure around her neck at the moment, Emelia blew into the instrument as hard as she could, as though her life depended on it – which just went to show, even idiots and brats could be smart twice a day. Ahab smiled at the empty clearing where the Skull Pirates had all stood moments before, that annoying fishman along with them.

"It's about damn time something worked out how it was supposed to." Ahab muttered, turning his nose up at the whalers. "Not bad work, Johnny, considering."

"C-can I loosen up a lil' now, Ahab?"

"Huh? Oh, if you really want. But if she gets loose, I'm taking her weight out of that balloon you call skin."

Striding up to the girl, he leaned down and smiled; it might have been possible to give a less reassuring one, but only if you lived in the Calm Belt and were bigger than most ships. With a quick snap of his fingers, he retrieved the map from one of his fishmen and spread it out before her eyes. "Tell me, girl, does _this _ring a bell?"

She turned her head away, refusing to look where he pointed. Still smiling, Ahab snapped his fingers. Letting out a slow whine, Johnny jerked her head toward it. "Sorry…I'm really sorry…"

The machine-man nodded. "Well? I'm waiting – unless you think I'll really believe you could live on this island for years and not know where it is. I wouldn't recommend that."

Emelia shook her head. "I won't show you. Someone like you…should never be there."

Ahab smirked. "Oh, I shouldn't? Well then, I'll just – go home!" Growling, slapped her across the cheek with the flat of his hook. "I don't think you quite get the situation you're in, brat."

He pulled the blow, but that didn't keep a vicious red mark from forming there. The child shook, but did not waver. "I won't."

Snarling, he raised the hook again, but seemed to realize how _that _would end, sooner or later. Gesturing to the waiting fishman, he moved aside as it took a step forward, jerking Emelia mechanically out of his brother's arms. Johnny blinked stupidly as Ahab stepped closed to him.

The girl barely kept in a cry as he tumbled to the ground, a blunderbuss-shaped bruise forming on his forehead, but Ahab wasn't nearly done there. Planting one foot on the angler's bulbous stomach, he rained more blows upon him from his feet and weapons. "I'm sure you've realized by now. This fish was working for me the entire time you two knew each-other. I ordered him to worm his way into your heart, and he did it to save his own skin. Isn't that awful? Do you have anything to say for yourself, Johnny?"

The fishman said nothing, whimpering behind the blood that now pooled across his face.

Ahab leaned in closer, metal teeth grinding against each-other intently, and shook his head. "I guess not." He aimed the blunderbuss not an inch away from his face. "I don't think she'll mind much if I do her a favor, then, do you?" The gun let out a click that was a cacophony in the silent clearing. The whalers all looked away; Michaels kept staring for them. It's not like he could claim to be any better.

"NO!"

He bolted upright at the yell, aware he'd been shaking for the last few moments. Not half as much as the girl, though: he couldn't see her eyes from where he stood, but the ground underneath was damp. _"Try to make me feel worse, why don'tcha…"_

"Don't…don't do it, please." she whimpered. "I'll take you to anywhere you want; just don't…"

Johnny let out a low moan.

Ahab lowered his foot and gun, smiling. "Ah, I guess not. Isn't a child's heart just _wonderful_?"

** 0**

how he felt after the light came over him was a perfect example of the _other _side. Reminded him of the time he'd stepped on a jellyfish on the beach. Though, the first thing he'd seen after waking up had almost been worse…

When the light finally died down and the spots in his eyes had gone away, Jack found that was much the case here. Well, okay, maybe not _quite _as bad.

The clearing with the doorway had vanished, replaced with one in roughly, uh, the middle of frickin' nowhere. Dark-looking trees towered up in every direction as far as he could see, and mist spread between them like soup. And as far as he could see wasn't much all that much, considering a tree's branches currently held him like a vice. Gerald, Frank and Mary were held the same way, but he couldn't see Drake anywhere.

The middle of the clearing dipped down, becoming a deep, wide lake. The surface of it glowed, and combined with the mist bathed the area in an eerie light. It was thickest over the center, but underneath the edges Jack could glimpse more ruins like before; the remains of pillars, and even a sunken set of stairs sitting just below.

But there was no time for sight-seeing. He didn't know what this place was, but he knew it wasn't somewhere they wanted to be for long. Everyone else looked unconscious, so it was up to him. How hard could it be, to break…tree branches, right?

"_Okay, pretty hard." _But there was more than one way to skin a cat. He wondered how the wise guy would react when he split apart, came back together and- _"Why isn't my fruit working?" _Try as he might, Jack simply couldn't separate. Not even a pinky toe would come off.

It was only after he had given up trying that someone spoke up – in the privacy of the very skull he'd been trying to pop off.

_Your power of the devil will not avail you here, pirate._

'Pirate' was spoken like a curse (well, alright, _most _curses), and the voice speaking it rang through his head like a bell. He winced. "Who the hell are you!?"

The branches increased their grip sharply. _You believe you are in any position to make demands? How typical of such bandits._

Jack struggled, but with his limbs bound the way they were he couldn't do much but feel the air getting slowly crushed out of him. "S-so somebody's a tough guy, huh. Why are you talking crap…where I can't see you, then?"

The voice paused, as near as he could tell, before the branches loosened. _Snuffing out your life would be an easy task, rest assured. But I am no longer in any position for such grand gestures. I intend to put that spirit of yours to work._

"Not inte-"

_You assume it will be a choice of yours? I regret not. _

"_Jackass."_

_I hardly care what a common corsair thinks of me. Your companions are awakening now._

This was probably one of the things you definitely didn't want to see when waking up, but his crewmates took it well.

"What in the _enfer _is going on here? Who is responsible for this!?"

Relatively.

_Hm. I see you are not the only one with such forbidden powers. And something even worse besides. But no matter. Listen and listen well, knaves."_

Gerald frowned behind his mustache. "I don't see why we should listen to someone who-" He was cut off as Frank's mask gave him a meaningful look.

"I do not think this is someone we should back to, Gerald-san."

The voice gave a harrumph as it spoke again. _At least one of your number understands proper respect. Look to the water, land-dwellers. _When the pirates did (again, was there any choice in the matter?), the still lagoon began to move and ripple, displaying an image within as clear as looking through a window. It was Drake, moving through the woods as carefully as a six-foot-plus blue fishman could hope to.

_Despite your role as bandits, you have managed to win the loyalty of a child of the sea – the beings you know as Fishmen. It is not my concern how this came to pass, but it has earned you a small chance. I have informed him of the situation, as I will now tell you. _The image shifted, showing Emelia being carted through the woods by Ahab and his crew. _Due to the distraction you have all caused, this girl has been abducted. This is unacceptable._

"And just how the hell is that _our_-" Jack was cut off as a branch tightened around his neck.

_Was that explanation not enough for you? Or are you willfully ignorant? This girl is important to this land; certainly more important than all of your lives. _

The pirate's answer was a muffled yell, but it was obvious to everyone what the general gist was. Frank cleared his throat carefully. "So…you would like it if we retrieved her, then? But it may help if you explain why that must happen."

Everyone else half-expected the voice to work its powers again, but one moment later a sigh went through the clearing. _I suppose there will be no harm in that. You will know what matters you are dealing with, at least. It may take a while – from your perspective – but you are not going anywhere at the moment, are you?"_

"Smug son of a-" Jack began, but even he had to stop and behold as the water shifted again, displaying a far more elaborate portrait this time.

It was a sky view of three islands in a triangle, sitting in a glittering sea. The crewmembers couldn't help but find the sight familiar, but the answer to be gained from that was just a tad hard to swallow.

_There is no reason to doubt your memory, pirates. These islands are the very lands you now intrude upon, long ago. Does the sight amaze you?_

The Skull Pirate looked around at the trees, and shrugged. "Couldn't be anywhere close to today, right?"

The unearthly voice didn't seem to disagree. _Indeed. This was the state of these islands far before any of you had been born, I am sure. _It 'spoke' reminiscently. _The lands were quiet back then – you humans had not yet spread as far as you have now. _Judging by its tone, 'humans' were in about the same category as 'rat'.

One island was focused closer upon, showing many different animals within its trees, almost none of which the Skull Pirates had laid eyes upon during their time here. _Beautiful, isn't it? I was here for many years; it was a peaceful place, free from those who would wish to do me harm. _

Jack raised an eyebrow.

_But that all changed, suddenly. _In the picture, ships began to arrive at the islands, carrying with them passengers, supplies, and livestock. _Sailors arrived, disturbing these calm waters and the tranquility of these islands. They were noisy. _Before them, houses and eventually villages were erected within the woods. _And destructive. _Hunting began, and animals were brought in for food, among other things. _Many fell to their scythes…and yet…_

In the portrait, an altar that looked very familiar to Mr. Bones was erected in the center of a clearing likewise. A generous offering from the people's stocks was placed upon it; the air was respectful, almost solemn. _They also did things like this. It confused me, unfamiliar with humans as I was. She in particular attracted my curiosity. _A woman stood at the front of the group, bowed with her hands clasped. Her bright clothes clearly marked her as some sort of priestess.

The voice had changed quite a bit, becoming almost tender. _After watching their ceremonies for some time, I decided to reveal myself to her. The people had been here for long enough that I had grown used to them. And it was impressive, how they had traversed the harsh waters surrounding these islands. _

Now the image showed the villagers and their priestess gathered at the water's edge, all of them praying. _She was quite amazed by me once I revealed myself to her. As a gift, I taught her many things, and she passed them onto her fellows in turn. They plainly had respect for the land, but respect for the sea soon followed. _Smaller ships launched from the beaches of the three islands. _With these skills, normal villagers became skilled fishermen. In a way, they worshipped me._

Another sigh went through the trees. _This land prospered. She was very pleased about that; they had come from far away, and having a symbol to look up to was quite a boon._

And then, the image disappeared with a quiet ripple, as though it had never been there to begin with. "But…" Mary began.

_I would not be telling this story to _you _if it ended happily, pirate. _The water rippled once more, now turning red the shade of blood. _It was about ten years after the people arrived here – I had left the island to meet with others of my kind, and on my return… _The water suddenly flared like fire. _This was what lay before me._

Jack saw Mary, Gerald, and probably Frank all shut their eyes. He didn't; there were a few truths you couldn't just ignore growing up where he had, and one of them was that most pirates weren't in it for friendship or the thrill of adventure.

But it would be nice to say that most of them weren't in it for _this_, either. Assembled in the bay between the islands were a group of ships flying the Jolly Roger. Their decks were mostly empty, explaining the state of things on-shore: fire and smoke billowed up from the villages, spreading toward the forests as animals fled. People laid on the beach, unmoving. The water near them ran red.

_Destruction, pure and simple, and against your own kind. Even those who were helpless… _In the village, a sword was lifted over the priestess. _…were not spared. _It came down.

_I had ignored pirates before, fit to let them have their petty struggles. But this was something I could not ignore. _The water around the ships, still a moment earlier, began to churn and froth, like pure wrath had been unleashed beneath the surface. Well, not exactly 'like' – it had been. And the water there must not have gotten the memo about whirlpools not appearing out of thin air. The ships spiraled in, collided, and were sucked under, all in less than a minute.

It was a nasty sight for the shore party, to say the least. Less so because they were now stranded on the dead island, and more because of why they had come running back to the ships in the first place. Slowly, a group of predators moved out onto the beach, fanning out around the pirates. _Nor was it something I would forgive._

The picture cut out before they actually saw the massacre. Thank goodness for small favors. "So, what's with the girl?" Jack asked as his friends opened their eyes again.

He half expected to pay for that, but it seemed their storyteller was a tad too caught up in the memory for that. _One of your own kind, lucky enough to wash up here following a shipwreck. I could not simply abandon a new life to die, especially in a land that had seen so much death. She has grown up here, under my care._

"Yeah?" Jack suddenly growled. "So go get her yourself, then."

Everyone's eyes moved to him, even the ones with no body attached. A single, barking laugh came from the voice. _Do_ _you think I would demand the aid of pirates if it was not necessary? I have granted the same talents to her as I did the people before. Enough to cancel any influence I have out._

_And there is another problem, besides…_

** 0**

"You stupid animals really don't know the meaning of 'finders keepers', do you?" Ahab snarled at the pack of wolves that now surrounded them. "It means I took the girl, and you'll – have – to deal – with it!" He roared, firing into the crowd. Most of the wolves dodged, but some weren't quite so fortunate. The remainder didn't charge, circling around the group.

A sneer spread across the whaler's face, and he looked from them to Emelia, still hanging limp in the arms of two fishmen. "Johnny! Get the brat to tell these mutts to get lost. This is a waste of my valuable time."

The angler cringed, bending low as he stepped closer timidly. "E-Emelia – you know what they'll do to me if you don't help, don't you?"

She looked into his eyes as her face scrunched up further, but lifted the flute to her mouth. A sharp piecing hum came from the instrument, flattening the wolves' ears in submission almost instantly. They slunk away into the trees, and above them came the sounds of others leaving with them. Ahab smiled. "Perfect."

But not quite everything had left. From the greenery, Drake watched as the group moved on. The voice was speaking to him as well; some of it had been the same as what his crewmates had heard, but a few parts were far more interesting. He'd been listening to it silently ever since his crewmates had been taken away.

"I see,"he replied at last, "if what you say is true, then, this goes far deeper than a mere kidnapping. But either way, I don't intend to let him get away it. And," he added, expression darkening, "I could care less what you request me to do while you have my friends held hostage."

The voice uttered something, but he ignored it, moving forward after the whalers. "Whatever that girl represents, it's none of my concern. Nor is whatever you have intended for me. I'm going to get her away from him, and maybe you as well, depending on what I decide. Do you have a problem with that?"

Only silence came in return, but Drake felt the presence's eyes on his back for a few moments afterward. For once it was a shark that felt locked in a predator's gaze.

** 0**

_One of the fishman under that man's sway has kept hold of his mind, and works for him willingly. For several months, he has pretended to be a friend of Emelia's – perhaps a better one than I. I did not think she card so much for…_

_But no matter. That will be a concern for-_

"Shaddup."

Like everyone else he'd met who hadn't heard that word before, the voice was speechless a moment. Of course, so was his crew. _What did you-_

"You heard me, jerk," Jack said, leaning as far forward as the branches would allow, "and just as long as you're listening, I'll say something else: no way are any of us lifting a finger to help someone like you."

Mary got over her tongue-tiedness first. "Jack, I don't think-"

The trees quaked. _You dare speak to me in such a way, human?_

"You're damn right I am." he growled. "I dunno what you are, buddy, but talking about how you're so much older and wiser than us is pissing me off! So something bad happened here a while ago; what right does that give you to talk to us like it's our fault?"

A contemptuous snort came from the voice. _"You fly a flag that labels you as criminals, and then claim innocence? What bad comedy."_

Jack narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak up, Gerald did for him. "That's right, we do. And I'd say that's better than claiming we're something we aren't." Before the voice could speak up again, he drove on. "You helped out some people here, but that doesn't make you a god, and you're daft if you think we're going to treat you like one."

_I could kill you all with a thought! _

"So what?" Mary demanded. "Why should we be afraid of someone who won't lift a finger to help a child? If she's important – _really _important to you, you'd go help her no matter how _dangereux_ it was. Is someone like that really worthy of fear? I don't think so."

A noise of frustration filled the clearing. _I am ORDERING you to-_

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Giving orders to pirates? You really _don't_ know much about us. I don't take orders, I break 'em." He grinned. "But I'll try one out now: if you want us to help that girl, you're going to ask us nicely. Hell, more than that; you're going to _beg _us, or we aren't lifting a finger!"

…_You would dare-_

"Of course I would, idiot – you just called us criminals, didn't you? If you think I'm a crook that bad, then why shouldn't I act like one?" His eyes glimmered. "And it's not like you have much of a choice, if you really want to save that girl. So get out here already and bend over, buddy."

Everyone expected the voice to answer immediately, especially Frank, who looked rapidly back and forth from the pool to his captain. He gulped. "Um, I don't think you should have-"

Before he could hope to finish, the water churned, making the previous waves look like something out of a kiddy pool. It rose up, foamed, and then burst, showering the trees and their captives. Jack blinked desperately as his eyes were assaulted, feeling like they'd be blown out of their sockets by the force of it. But no way was he going to look scared in front of this turkey. He opened his eyes wide.

"..." There were more than a few words to describe what lay in front of them, but Jack was…uh, too surprised by what lay before him to put them through his mouth. He had had some suspicions about what it was they'd been talking to, but actually seeing it in person was as different as this ocean was to the Grand Line.

A massive, white whale lay before them, even larger than the Fortress Whales they had seen earlier – the pool seemed like it could barely contain it. And it was old, you could tell that at a glance; scars from countless old wounds littered its body, including one just over the eye currently fixed upon the pirate captain. Its mouth (large enough to swallow him whole, Jack couldn't help but notice) was open in an odd expression.

Finally, it 'spoke'. _So, now you see me as I truly am, pirates. Something seen as prey by most of your kind, I'm sure you are aware. And a rare breed like me would be worth a fortune to you. There are many names for those of you who travel the waves, but all of it is meaningless: ultimately you treat the sea as nothing more than a trove to benefit from – you think nothing of what you hurt, even if it is your own kind." _Its voice was tinged with anger.

Jack stared.

_Yet you claim to be different. And you show no fear, when another would surely be quaking._

Before the whale had surfaced, Jack had felt something wash over him that wasn't just the water. It felt like he was an ant being crushed under the foot of a giant.

But he wasn't an ant. He was a pirate, and one that wasn't afraid of the ocean or anything in it. Lifting his head, he glared back, hard.

A few moments passed, where the eyes of someone who'd thought he'd seen it all met the eyes of someone who'd seen far, far more. Finally, the latter bowed.

_My name is Ketos. Some of the people called me the Ocean Master. Please, help me._

Jack grinned. "Now, was that so hard?"

_To be continued…_

_Next time, on the Skull Pirates_

**Ahab: **What do you mean they're catching up!? This is a damned steam ship!

**Michaels: **I never should have listened to you, or this insane plan!

**Jack: **I think it's about time he learns what prey feels like, eh?

**Pursuit! The Skulls Strike Back**

**?: **Didn't you know? All the best cons are two-man operations.

Gambit508 – Glad you enjoyed it. To be honest, I've been realizing I should have thought about this arc a little bit more about what I wanted to happen. What's going on right now really isn't what I first had in mind. But the next one will be better, I'm sure of that.

Thepirateprophet – Yeah, that's part of why I gave him that personality to begin with. Hope you liked this chapter too.


	24. Pursuit

_With a heavy sigh, Captain Brandy shut the door, casting one quick look at its sole occupant. Dumb, young idiot..._

_He barely had room or time to turn around, though, because as it turned out the infirmary's hallway was jam-packed with Marines. Some were wounded, but not more than the person in bed, and all looked at the ground, eyes downcast. Finally, one spoke up. "Do they know if he's gonna be alright, sir? When they took him away, he looked pretty..." he trailed off with a gulp when he saw his captain's face.  
_

_"Well now, not very good," Brandy said, wiping his brow with his cap, "he took a lot of hits to the back, y'know, getting you fellas outta there. Some internal bleeding, couple broken bones...definitely not good."_

_He took a closer look at the privates. "You're Johnson, aren't you?" the captain asked, even though he knew perfectly well. "If I recall, you were giving Ryoga a hard time a day or two ago. Something about him used to being a pirate...?"  
_

_He could have recited the whole conversation, but that was more than enough to make him spill his guts. "Y-yeah, and for the past little while, actually. Me and a bunch of the guys. Never got a rise out of him, either...and now..." the lad shook his head. "After all that, he still got us out of there first. W-what were we thinking?"_

_Brandy patted him on the shoulder. "What you thought was right, son. I've done it more than a few times, myself." He jabbed a finger toward the infirmary door. "For now, why not think about what you'll say to him after all this? I know he'll pull through, and he'll have plenty of time to listen."_

_The marine strode off then without a further word, flashing a little smile. The first step was already taken - but he hadn't expected it so soon._

**One Piece: The Skull Pirates**

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Pursuit! The Skulls Strike Back**

Almost as quick as they had come, the Skull Pirates reappeared exactly back where they had been in the stand-off, none the worse for wear except some sore limbs.

"You know, I must admit," Gerald said after they'd exhaled for a moment, "when I joined you in that prison it never quite crossed my mind that I'd see you haggle with a talking fish."

"_I _never imagined I'd be more worried about something than Martin's mother finding us-" Mary said, before realizing exactly what she was saying.

Up came two of Jack's fingers. "Gerald, whales are mammals, and that one can probably still hear you right now. Mary, you can tell everyone about that later."

Before she could make the captain regret that remark, Frank saluted. "What are we going to do now, Captain?"

Jack turned to him, the smile he gave bigger and nastier than anything Drake could have managed. "You have to ask?" he said. "Catch up to that squeaky bastard, smash him and his buddies, and make them all wish they'd had the whale to deal with!"

_I do not think you could have forgotten my name so quickly, pirate._

"_Stick it up your blow-hole."_

Ketos fill silent.

"…_uh, after you tell me where our ship is, anyway."_

** 0**

Drake had reached the shore. He stared out at the sea, frowning as he saw the row-boat off in the distance, heading toward the steamship docked safely away from the currents. Looking down at the water, he pondered them. It would be difficult, but…

_I can-_

"_No. Whatever deal Jack has made with you, I don't need it. I'll save that girl by myself."_

Without a word, he jumped into the ocean, kicking toward the boat as fast as his muscles would carry him. Before he'd got more than a few feet out, some part of him regretted that pride – the currents around the Archipelago weren't something to underestimate. At the moment they were threatening to take him in three different places at once, and if he was careless they'd be more than happy to share him; lurking just beneath the surface were rocks sharp enough to puncture a steel hull. They'd never have gotten past if it weren't for Emelia. But he would.

Almost as soon as that thought left him, though, the current shifted without warning, undoing his forward stroke in an instant and dashing him into a rock fin-first. He grunted in pain, but the water was already pushing him off it, towards others that were somehow worse. Slapping out a hand, he gripped hold of an edge; the water around it turned red as his hand came down on the point. The sharkman barely noticed, shifting his feet to rest against the rock's surface and kicking back into his stroke, remaining alert to the slightest change in the sea's flow.

** 0**

After a moment of everyone staring, Jack cleared his throat. It felt a bit like shouting in a church (or he imagined it did; for some reason, churches and the Grand Line didn't really mix well), but hey, they had work to do. "Guys, you can spend time thinking about how the whale probably parked our ship better than I could later."

That did it well enough – sometimes not getting any respect was a good thing. Maybe. "Oh, that's a bit unfair, Jack, comparing yourself to something that can control water."

"Well, it doesn't seem like he has very good self-esteem, Gerald. I wonder why that could be?"

Frank looked between the two, scratching the back of his neck. "Um…sometimes I think the captain smells. A little."

"…"

"…"

He shrunk. "I wanted to say something…"

Jack sighed. "Let's just get on the boat."

Michaels felt a lot better once he was back on the boat. Both because a man's ship couldn't help but comfort him when it was under his feet, even if it was only his on technicality these days, and because it let him look somewhere other than at the girl. She'd sat there the whole time, looking down at her knees. He'd never seen anyone look that worse off in his life – not even in the mirror.

He clenched a hand as he saw Ahab motion to the angler to stop her in the middle of the deck. He patted her on the shoulder, then stepped back with a gulp. Michaels wondered what the guy had on him. Family? Would he…dumb question, of course Ahab would. Then again, just plain old threatening would probably work with this guy.

The bastard snapped his fingers, and one of his pets spread out the map. He pointed to a space directly between the three islands. Now that Michaels took another good look, he saw they were arranged almost like a triangle; weird.

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you what this is, do I girlie?" He tapped the spot with his hook, smiling. "We're going there now, and I want you to open it up."

One of Michaels' men glanced toward him, and he nodded, feeling like a barnacle for it. The whaler turned back just to the girl shake her head forcefully. "No. I don't care what you say you'll do to me, I won't let you in there!"

Ahab tapped his hook on the side of one steely cheek. "Oh? Not even if something bad would happen to your friend?" The business end of the blunderbuss slowly twitched to point over her shoulder.

Michaels heard Johnny gulp again, louder this time, and watched as the girl's shoulders quaked. Then she spoke. "N..no. Even then, I won't do it."

He couldn't be positive, but the whaler could have sworn he saw Ahab's face twitch in sheer surprise. It was only there a moment, and afterward Michaels saw why.

"Really, Emelia?" said an unfamiliar voice behind her. "That's awfully _disappointing_."

The next second, Michaels stepped forward, uttering a cry choked back at the last second. In one violent motion, the angler snatched the girl – the one supposed to be his friend – up by the neck, throwing her forward into the deck's steel surface. It barely took more than the blink of an eye, like the fat tub from before had just been a figment of their imaginations.

He stepped back as the girl shook on the ground, probably more from the shock of what had just happened than the pain. Johnny's speed wasn't the only thing that had changed; a wide sneer now marred his once-friendly features, making him uncomfortably resemble Ahab. "Ah…you don't know how long I've been waiting to do that, kid. But then, you don't know much, do you?"

Emelia stirred on the ground, lifting herself up to her hands and knees. A nasty bruise was already forming on her face. "…why?" she asked quietly.

"Surprised?" Johnny asked with a mocking edge. "I thought my acting was a bit much, but good enough to fool you, huh?" He crouched down, staring at her calmly. "Truth is, you should have listened to your friend. I've been working with Ahab since before I showed up at your waste of an island. Isn't that right?"

The metal man nodded, watching the presentation with some enjoyment.

By now the girl had pushed herself, slowly, into a sitting position. She was shaking her head now. "Don't quite get it, do ya?" he asked pleasantly. "That's because you're a sucker, kid. Any good con takes two people, and I was the one you don't see until it's too late." He leaned forward, watching with curiosity to see what she'd do.

"But…your family…"

"Made 'em up." he said coldly. "I figured that sinker would work on an orphan brat like you. And what do you know, I was right.

That was more than Michaels could stand. "You sunova-" he said, starting forward and groping for his tusks. It probably wouldn't have gone well for him if someone hadn't tugged him back quickly. Spider shook her head, silently. He gave her a pained look – of course she was right, but he sure as hell didn't have to like it.

Johnny gave them both a look of disdain, then turned back to see Emelia giving him one of betrayal. "You…you know what he'll do if he gets there, so why-"

He sent her out of his face with a flick to the forehead. "Money. Ahab offered me a cut of what he's gonna make, and it'll be a fortune if he pulls it off. There doesn't have to be any reason other than that. Or is that something you're too stupid to realize?" The anglerman shrugged, smirking; he looked pretty damn pleased with himself. "Then again, you did trust me, didn't you?"

Lifting his head, he uttered a loud, braying laugh around the deck.

As the girl's eyes began to fill up with tears, still partly from disbelief, the fishman walked over to stand by Ahab. "Well, now that that's settled, shouldn't we get going, Ahab? Some lazy help you've got here, that's for sure."

Ahab caught Michaels' gaze; he returned a glare, but motioned for a crewmate to get them underway. He disappeared down the stairs to the engine room, looking glad to get away. Michaels couldn't blame him.

** 0**

A pair of wide trees spread back like an honor guard as The Flying Skull took off from the lagoon. An hour or two ago, Jack would have been pleased as punch to get off it, but now he actually felt kind of anxious. At first he'd patted himself on the back for such great negotiation skills, but thinking about it, if the tub of blubber was this worried, then what the hell were they being sent to stop?

He half expected him to chime in, but nothing came. Jack frowned, but something else tugged at his mind: the vicious currents circling around the islands. Quickly he leaped up onto the ship's prow, looking downward at-

-water that could have passed for a millpond's. Well, that explained Ketos actually shutting up.

He didn't need a telescope to spy the blasted steam ship on the horizon – especially not with that plume of smoke coming off it, damn! Jack looked up to the sails, blown by no more than a breeze. If it didn't pick up more before they got the engine started, they'd never catch up. The one time he wanted a crew full of rowers, they weren't there. His crewmates were making themselves busy, but it wasn't like any of them could move the wind, could they?

_Somehow, I do not think you will have to worry._

"_Tell it to my head, pal."_

** 0**

"Hm." Michaels said pensively. He _did _have a telescope, and was now watching the Skull Pirates' vessel approach them on the horizon. No-one else had noticed, with his crew scrambling to prepare the engine and Ahab struggling to stay standing. You couldn't make sea legs out of metal, apparently.

He knew enough about ships to know there was no chance for the galleon to catch up with them, and even if they did, so what? There were only five of them; no problem to deal with at all.

So it really wouldn't matter if he just…didn't happen to tell Ahab, right? After all, with everything going on it wasn't like he was paying attention to-

"See something interesting down there, Michaels?" spoke a voice behind his ear.

Hell of a time for the guy to find his legs. Turning around, he came face to face with Ahab, Johnny rubber-necking in the back. "See something interesting out there, Michaels? Don't mind if I take a look, do you?"

The whaler growled, but handed it over to Johnny. The fishman smiled as he stepped back, but wasn't anymore when he put his eye up to the telescope. "Wh-what!?" He cried, his assured demeanor quickly cracking. "It's those pirates!"

"WHAT!?" Ahav screeched, fitting his own widened eye up to it. "How in hell's heart did they escape from the whale?" He cast a glare toward the nearest thing that could be blamed: Johnny.

Bad minds thought alike, and the angler did the same. "T-that girl must have fed me a pack of shit! I'm gonna-" he said, starting off across the deck.

At that moment, a massive crash shook the deck, sending both him and Ahab spilling over. The latter did so away from Michaels, which he was more than thankful about. Not so much something hitting his boat, and even less when he picked up the communication tub on the nearby wall to find a hole had been opened in its hull.

"Well, get it patched up, and fast! Don't let water get into the engine room!"

What the hell could have caused an impact like that? They were sitting still in the water!

Drake was covered in cuts, scrapes, and now a massive bruise from running into the steamship's hull at top speed. It hurt, but a few more and it wouldn't be going anywhere. Of course, in just a few moments he'd be receiving some company, but that wouldn't matter. For their sake, he hoped the crew could swim.

He pushed away from the wounded boat, picking up speed as he swam away. The archipelago's currents began to work at him, but he'd grown more than familiar with them. Just as one began to pull him into its deadly embrace, he swerved to one side, riding the momentum of one going the opposite way - right back toward the steamship.

When he was about halfway there, however, the water's surface above him rippled and broke as a dark shape dove through. It was big, larger than him, and quickly swam down to place itself in-between him and the vessel.

They were obscured, but Drake had an idea of who it was. Fair enough, then - it would come to this sooner or later. He sped up, not expecting what happened next.

Perhaps it was arrogance on his part, charging in like he did, but what followed almost shouldn't have been possible. A foot or so away from the blocker, they made a motion with their hands, and the shark's momentum vanished like a blown bubble.

Then, almost casually, holding him tight, they turned and thrust him face-first ingto the steel of the hull, again and again. When they were through, the water around them had turned red. They let go, and Drake dropped.

Ordinarily this wouldn't have kept the sharkman down for long, but he was wounded and fatigued from his trip through the currents. He felt his eyes creep closed as he drifted downward.

The last thing he saw was Johnny grinning down at him.

_To be continued..._

**Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates...**

**Drake: **Now that the truth is out, I can fight to my heart's content.

**Jack:** Same trick again? You getting rusty or something?

**Ahab: **I found it...I found it at last...

**Arise! Ahab's Ambition and the Ocean Palace.**

Gambit508 - I was worried it might look a bit cliche, but I'm glad you liked it.

smilingdamnedvillain - Well, that's a real compliment right there. Thank you sir.


End file.

One Piece, Humor