“…Ah!” TJ loudly cleared his throat, his face burning with embarrassment upon realizing the kind of shout he just made. “I- AHEGHM- I must have gotten something stuck in my throat just then! Yes, yes…” He glanced side to side to make sure nobody else was around to witness his embarrassing display. It was unbecoming of a gentleman to shriek so ungentlemanly, he figured!

“Ah, anyway, did you see that just now? The thing that barreled right through here?” TJ asked as he looked further down the road, making note of what seemed to be a hole in a building at the end of it.

Scabbard stared blankly at the man as his spoke, taking the occasional bite out of the cabbage he was holding. It was difficult to tell if he was truly paying attention or not: With his bleary, baggy eyes and neutral expression, he looked like his head checked out of the conversation before it started.

"...Barreled?...Ah, man, nah..." He eventually replied with his soft voice. "I didn't see nothin'....Was just on my way to grab a bite to eat for breakfast at this restaurant I like....They got these little doughnuts they put powdered sugar on n' stuff, you ever been there? Great place....."

A pause.

"............Wait......I don't got any money......"

Another pause. A bite of cabbage.

".........Anyway, where'd that veg-killer go?"

Name: Chamber R. Wesson
Location: Logue Town - Guard Post - Headed to the Gun Shop
Mentions: Nose Ring

---

Turning Nose Ring into the guard post had been too easy, and he might had not believed it to be that simple until the Post Steward finished counting out his bounty. Just hearing every coin clink into the coin bag had put a smile on Chamber’s face.

I was expecting to have to fight a room full of thugs to get to this guy. It’s a good thing that there were some diversions in the area, the rifleman mused.

“There, 50,000 beli,” came the Post Steward. He slid the fat money purse across the counter and Chamber snatched it up, pressing the bag to his cheek as he nuzzled it like a kitten. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

Shouldering his rifle, Chamber gave the fakest and the most heroic-sounding of laughs.

“Oh, I know where I’m going to spend this. Don’t you worry old man.”

Chamber left the post with a cheerful sway in his stride and head as though he had a cheerful tune in his head: Guns, grog, and wenches; guns, grog, and wenches; guns, grog, and wenches—WHAT! Guns grog, and wenches—OKAY!

It sounded like some modern rap song. It didn’t take much to make one now a days. He was heading straight for the Gun Store. He always made more money trading his old projects for fresh new materials and parts. Being a bounty hunter wore them down quick and so he was in the market for sturdier equipment.

"What, for real?"

Giko cocked her head and scratched her temple, thinking. She could hve sworn that those people earlier had been looking behind her. Had her stalker run off? Or maybe it really was just her imagination? Whatever it was, it would be impossible for anyone to make a move on Giko as long as she was with someone else. She replaced her sketchpad in her bag, along with the pencil. The other girl grabbed her arm and invited her along.

"Well, if you say so... But is my face really that scary?"

She patted her cheek awkwardly. Her skin didn't feel chafed, but after sailing around you could never- hey, hold up, did that girl just invite Giko to do something? Were her eyes not made of lifeless, vacant glass, they'd be sparkling. A person who wanted to talk to her. Nobody ever wanted to talk to Giko! Maybe she even wanted to be friends! Giko took back every bad thing she had thought about Loguetown- this place wasn't scary at all!

"My name's Giko G. Gearbox!", she said over the distant bangs and crashes of the shopping district, stumbling a little but more or less managing to keep up with Claribel's pace, "What's yours?"

Name: Gold Dorado Jr.
Location: Logue Town - Ad Hoc Clinic
Mentions: @Poke @thespacephantom @Zeroth

---

"How does someone break their jaw by eating too much..."

Despite the grumbling, the speaker was a happy man. Despite being a well traveled man, Gold had never stepped foot in the near-legendary Logue Town, and at this rate he was unlikely to leave. Business was good, and the more criminally-inclined visitors didn't seem to care too much if their doctor lacked a doctorate. All they wanted was to be fixed up somehow, and they paid well enough for the effort Gold put in. At this rate, he'd have his debts paid off in...

In...

Gold brought a hand to his narrow chin as he began to consider the debts, lips pursed in contemplation. Average income per year if the work was consistent, compared to the (estimated) grand total he had among various casinos, money-lenders and other such institutions, considering any additional debts he's likely to rack up with his bad habits leads to...

"Three lifetimes." He concluded in a groan. Unless he made himself immortal, Logue Town wasn't going to cut it and it was only a matter of months until Sharks and knee-breakers started showing up. Not that it was necessarily a problem, but it was a nuisance and one which made life unenjoyable. For a man who valued his good life, staying in one place and thinking about his problems wasn't a life he wanted to live. So the matter of the next location came to mind. Where to go next? He elected to take his thoughts with him on a walk, moving out of the dingy, run down little room he'd turned into his surgery and clinic, cigarette smoke and the smell of mold hanging in poorly-lit room. Hey, the clients didn't seem to care about the conditions. They didn't complain, he wasn't going to spend the money to fix the place.

Taking his very, very expensive fur coat off the rack (which he bought on an impulse a year or so back) and slinging it over his shoulder, he embraced the salty air with a deep breath, rolling his shoulders.

He'd walked into a mess, apparently. A rocket-powered mess. The sight of a bug-lady, a wano-enthusiast, rocket-man and a collection of thugs made for an odd way to start the afternoon, but if anything it was just another day in Logue Town. One thing stood out to Gold though, above the other obvious oddities. They looked as if they were fifteen. Oh to be a teenager again, going from town to town, wasting the days away and... getting into debt. Mistakes were easier to make when you were young, not to say he did not get into trouble now, but he'd have less issues now if he had the same mindset he had now. Were these poor children, no older then twelve and without adult supervision likely to suffer similar fates? Regretting their choices in the years to come?

The good Samaritan in Gold found its feet and pushed him to act. He approached the colorful collection with a confident stride, regarding the three with simple smile and calming hand gesture.

"Swords, explosive limbs and antenna away, if you'd be so kind. Wouldn't want to attract the Marines, we'd all be in trouble!" He played it off with a good-natured chuckle, hoping to defuse whatever had occurred between them. If push came to shove, he could put them on the naughty step and hope the Marines did not pick up on the fuss.

"Because of that weapon!" Zehst growled, shaking his fist at the ninja. His happy-go-lucky attitude had changed in seemingly the blink of an eye, once he had seen the explosions. Unbeknownst to anyone else, his mind immediately went back to that day on the beach. The day so many people had lost their homes, and their lives, because of something his parents had created. And now here was someone using something just as dangerous with reckless abandon. "If that was designed by Messerschmitt Industries, you'd better tell me right now! Or else I'm gonna...I'm gonna..."

Zehst paused mid threat to turn his head, ever so slowly, to take in the giant praying mantis now looming over the two of them.

"Whoa..." he said, just before his eyes lit up. The happy-go-lucky seemed to be back. Then he pointed at the ninja with a serious expression. "YOU! If you have a net we can use to catch this cool huge bug thing, I'll forgive you for misusing that weapon just this once!"

Then someone else entered the fray, with the intent to calm rather than amplify the chaos. He encouraged everyone to stop fighting, so as to keep the Marines from coming.

"The Marines!?" Zehst yelled, before looking back at the ninja. "You better not be working for the marines, cool-outfit-guy! They shouldn't have those weapons either!" Then he suddenly pointed at the man in the fur coat with an equally serious expression. "And YOU'd better not be just trying to get us to leave so you can steal the huge bug thing for yourself!"

"Ah, yes! I know what you're referring to," TJ nodded to Scab, "I haven't eaten breakfast yet either, though..." He gave Scab another look over, a mite... put off by his appearance, but if the man claimed to have no money who was he- a gentleman who had money- to not offer any help?

"Lay down your floor cabbage, my good man, I shall treat you!" he loudly declared. He sounded very sincere about it too, but he just couldn't help but peer down to the end of the road again. "...Unless, of course, you'd like to search for the whereabouts of our Crooked Cabbage Killer?"

Scabbard blinked a few times, looking at the man, before realizing that he had been offered food. He sheepishly scratched the back of his head, flattered. He'd never been treated to food before, he always had to just quietly swipe it when everybody was looking away.

"....I'd love to!" He said, eagerly, before pausing a moment to rethink his answer. "But...We oughta go after the Cabbage Guy, yeah.....but I'm pretty hungry......but if we catch the dude, we'll have bounty money to spend on food......but I could get food now....But then the Cabbage Dude might get away......I gotta think about this....."

And so he put a hand to his chin and thought.

And thought.

......Aaaaand thought.

He stared blearily at nothing, muttering to himself about which option to choose, for what felt like ages. It seems the decision would ultimately fall on the gentleman's shoulders.......

Claribel cooed, "It's not your face that's scary!" Under her breath, she whispered, "Kinda." She insisted, "Anything can be scary if you don't know it's coming likeRIGHTNOW AH!" Claribel hopped towards Giko suddenly, but the two were about the same height, and Claribel's scale leaned all to way to cute as opposed to creepy, so it didn't have much impact.

Backing up, Claribel insisted, "Hmm, that one didn't work, but it could have! Anyway, I'm Claribel!"

Looking around, there was something she just needed to...aha! Running over to a certain open restaurant stall, she offered up some cash, getting some freshly baked, sugar coated little doughnuts in two little baggies, one for each of them. Taking Giko's, she speared one of them with a toothpick, holding it up to her. Claribel's eyes sparked with a clear interest in watching Giko eat.

TJ could feel a breeze pass through as he watched his disfigured companion fall into a cycle of thought. Maybe he would pick now? No… Now? No… Noooooow? It was becoming increasingly apparent to TJ that he wouldn’t be reaching a conclusion on his own anytime soon. But he couldn’t just impose his own will on him! That would hardly be gentlemanly!

………

His iron will crumpled as his overcooked friend entered yet another cycle of indecision. Clearing his throat, his voice cut into his train of thought like a deer stepping onto a busy road. Abrupt. “My good man! I say we capture this Cabbage Felon first! If he is indeed wanted, I see no harm in taking a detour from donuts if it means filling our pockets for spare food funds!”

He paused, realizing that his proposition required teamwork. And what sort of team didn’t have names to address each other with? “Ah,” he continued, “If we are to go ahead with that, we cannot simply remain enigmas to each other, correct?” He held a hand out to Scab. “Teodore Jay Dugrass! TJ for short! Good to meet you!”

Hearing the reasoning of the rocket man had managed to clue Tenmon in to what he meant.

Clearly, he had feared the amazing cutting power of Yugure - the high-quality ninjatō of the Tamashi Clan. While it was true that Yugure was a weapon capable of great feats in the hands of Tenmon, it wasn't so dangerous that he needed to be elbowed in the face for fear of him using it. Not at all; Tenmon would clear up this misunderstanding with haste - that's what ninjas do, after all.

"This weapon was designed by my clan, not an industry." Tenmon explained, dusting himself off.

"You don't need to worry; I wasn't going to kill them. I'm a ninja, aft—" His elaboration was cut off by the sounds of excitement from his attacker.

"YOU! If you have a net we can use to catch this cool huge bug thing, I'll forgive you for misusing that weapon just this once!"

Misusing the weapon? Tenmon didn't even get the opportunity to use the weapon, let alone misuse it. He wasn't the kind to misuse weapons anyway, especially not Yugu—

"The Marines!? You better not be working for the marines, cool-outfit-guy! They shouldn't have those weapons either!"

"What? The Marines don't wield weapons like mine." Tenmon replied, doing a series of demonstrative slashes before intending to sheathe the weapon.

But before he had even started to sheathe Yugure, the rocket man had already started yelling at talking to someone else. The intense topic shifting here was a tad too fast for Tenmon to bother following - especially considering the fact that there were still some gangsters inside the store that needed to be dealt with, albeit some were just standing there in shock from the many different figures that had appeared over the course of their raid.

Surrounded by people of all kinds, Tenmon just, well, he waited: a lot had happened just then, and it would make more sense for him to hear out the mantis-woman before he did anything else, in addition to preparing for any impromptu attacks from that rocket guy again.

Scab's train of thought struck Dugrass's metaphorical deer at full speed, flying off the rails and soaring into outer space. He blinked as he looked back up at the gentleman, hearing his suggestion....Go after the Cabbage Killer, or course! Why didn't HE think of that?

He smiled a lazy smile at Dugrass and gladly accepted the handshake, lifting up his free hand and taking hold of the gentleman's. His skin was unsettling to touch: gnarled and knotted like ground beef, yet coarse and rough like sandpaper.

"Call me Scabbard, man..." He replied. "Like, uh...y'know, a sword. Like this one I got. Not like, uh....Not like 'Scab', like, uh.....like that thing that gets made when you get like a cut? That gross thing....People make that mistake sometimes, and it's kinda embarrassing, y'know? Like....Who wants to be called something gross like that...."

As he rambled on, something became increasingly apparent: Despite his odd, wispy demeanor, his handshake was quite firm! Very quite firm. Really very quite firm oh GOD his GRIP.

“There, 50,000 beli,” came the Post Steward. He slid the fat money purse across the counter and Chamber snatched it up, pressing the bag to his cheek as he nuzzled it like a kitten. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

Shouldering his rifle, Chamber gave the fakest and the most heroic-sounding of laughs. “Oh, I know where I’m going to spend this. Don’t you worry old man.”

With a cheerful sway in his stride and head as though he had a cheerful tune in his head, Chambers left the post, probably hoping to spend the money he had earned.

The windows of the post were shut and the doors were immediately locked by the guard. The steward then turned to the unconscious Nose Ring and offered him a glass of water.

“You okay, boss?”

His eyes suddenly opened as he slapped the glass of water away. Sitting up, he spitted out a copious amount of blood along with a tooth. “That punk got me good, huh?”

Those who were in the post were tensed and stood in silence, fearful of the man in front of them. “Anyway, we’ll deal with those kids later. For now, can someone get me a cigarette?”



The anger and frustration from the Spice Boys apparently disappated as most of them were now laying unconscious and flat on their face while the rest had fled the seen. Their utter defeat had crushed their spirits and the fact that they were dealing with mere children wasn’t helping them feel any better. To be fair, they had explosions and rockets on their side.

“I jad waned do take tome ol mahn daun.” Mumbled one of the downed goon as he tried his best to keep his weeping unnoticed.

“Pipe down.” Said his fellow mook who was apparently piled on top of him. “They might come back for us and finish the job.”

Keeping quiet was a difficult task giving the flood of emotions that were filling him up; but since he was a Spice Boy, he had to do what he was told; biting his bottom lip was the only thing he could think of to lessen his snivelling. “Tory, I was dus tinkin o wa appen to da boss.”

Another lackey that was laying on top of the previous two suddenly spoke. “A bounty hunter took him, but don’t worry. Since it’s a Tuesday, we’ve got the post covered."



The beautiful sunrise most sought out had already passed as the sun was almost at its peek. Time definitely flew and it was obvious who among the participants had the least amount of fun. With the rowdiness suddenly dying down, the shop keeper rushed towards the outside with bated breath, hoping to quell whatever what was left of the brawl that had started inside his store.

“Now, now. Let’s stop all this fighting!” said the old man as he grabbed the arms of both Tenmon and Zehst.”We definitely don’t want those marines to notice this little rumble, now do we?.”

He then turned to Gold and Lucretia, not being phased by the appearance of the large mantis beside him. “I’m not sure how the two of you got involved in all of this, but thank you for intervening.” The smile he projected made everyone feel how heartfelt his appreciation was for their help. “The important thing is that its all over now.”

He finally was able to let out a sigh of relief. “Now then, I can’t offer much, but would you allow this old man to treat you to some food?”

"Nice to meet you, Claribel- and thanks for lunch! Or I guess this is more brunch, really."

She plucked the doughnut off the toothpick and crammed it into her mouth. So this was what having lunch with someone was like. It was nice- even if the other girl was kind of weird, and had shouted at Giko for no particular reason all of a sudden, but Giko was sure Claribel had her reasons. She leaned against a lamp post, across the street from the stall. It was small, ugly, and a unique cooking-oil-and-gunpowder aroma lingered in the air about the place. Three-fourths of the stall's face was dominated by a counter and a long, wooden bench. The remaining fourth was taken up by a workbench, above which hung a sign.



A small, ratlike man presumably named Pete worked behind it, frustratedly cleaning a pepperbox revolver and muttering something about "these damned newfangled Marine toys" as he did. Giko watched him absentmindedly as she ate, mangled bits of mashed-up, greasy dough falling out of her lifeless mouth as it worked up and down. The puppeteer, for his part, just eyed the doughnuts with obvious hunger, wiping a little drool off on the back of his sleeve. He seemed to be making do with just smelling them. Giko looked back to Claribel, the lower half of her face covered in crumbs and powdered sugar.

"So what's with the, uh-", Giko tapped the side of her head, "-The shells? Are they some kinda fashion around these parts?"

Lucretia blinked her gross, compound eyes in surprise at… well, everything! This wasn’t going how she planned it at all, but… well, they weren’t fighting now, or plotting to catch her anymore? At least, if she understood them properly - but who can tell with pirates? Soon-to-be pirates, at least… that she was certain of.

Her stomach rumbled. Oh, right… That’s the unfortunate thing about running away from home in time for the sunrise - why, there’s simply no time at all to eat breakfast! And, besides… she could hardly say no if it was on the old man’s dime!

“I would be most obliged, my good man! Here, let me just change into something a little less frightening and also perhaps less awe-inspiring...”

Lucretia spun around with a practiced flourish, shrinking back down and losing her weird, mantis-ish features until she resembled nothing more than some young noblewoman in an ostentatious dress. She smirked, looking back at the rest of the group.

“I might not have a name for this ability yet," she said, "But it is positively grand, is it not? Hold your applause -- this is nothing for me, the great Lucretia Savaronitelle!” She laughed haughtily, curtsying to an imaginary crowd.

Watching Giko eat, Claribel had to stuff a bite of her own food into her mouth to keep from giggling. She really ate it! This was making her day. What else would Giko do?

Claribel's ear twitched as she caught the shopkeeper's remark, and she paused before taking another bite. She looked over at Giko again...naaaw. Marine thing? No way! Claribel passed over Giko's portion...was the puppeteer eyeing it? Whatever.

"So what's with the, uh, the shells? Are they some kinda fashion around these parts?"

Claribel blinked, tilting her head as she mumbled, "Eh?" Eyes widening, she gasped, "Eh!? Are you kidding!?" Crossing her arms over her chest, she began, "They're TDs! Er, Tone Dials. They're only the best invention, like, ever~! Back when the Soul King was getting really, really huge they started making these so people could listen to music easier! And now tons of bands put them out so I can music without having to go watch someone play! Here!"

Pulling her silvery pair off her ears, she threw them over Giko's, giggling, "This is a new one. Try it!" Claribel tapped the button on the side, letting it play for the puppet. Looking down at Giko...wait...she was wearing...blue and white? Claribel unmistakably glanced sideways at the puppeteer...

Name: Chamber R. Wesson
Location: Logue Town - Guns & Donuts!
Mentions: @Zobozun@Pacifista

---

Strolling down the street, the rifleman came across a sign that read: Black Powder Pete’s Powder Doughnuts and Firearms…

The advertisement had been enough to stop the man in his tracks.

“What? Guns and doughnuts?” Chamber exclaimed. He then smiled. “I got to go meet the genius behind this business strategy.”

He meant no sarcasm. Doughnuts and guns; it was ingenious! The owner must had made over a thousand beli a day. As Chamber approached the store, his blue eyes happened to stray over to two young ladies who were casually listening to music. The rifleman’s pace slowed until he stopped and stared at them. A rosy hue blossomed on his cheeks as his eyes began to twinkle with………………………………………..LOVE!

Lips stretching into a firm line of determination, Chamber marched over to the woman of his dreams, fist swinging with purpose like a toy soldier. He stopped right behind Claribel, invading her personal space. His eyes were tensely staring passed her. SHE WAS IN THE WAY!

“You!” Chamber exclaimed. He then stepped around Claribel to face Giko while she was engrossed in Claribel’s music. He took her wooden hand in his own, which he saw her as being as real as any babe made of flesh, and took a knee in front of her. Gazing up at her from the proposal stance, he frowned and declared: “I have been blinded by your beauty. You…we…are destined to be together. I have found my true love.”

As the ninja explained himself, and stated that he didn't intend to kill the thugs, Zehst finally seemed to fully relax again. True, the explosions hadn't been super huge...and they seemed to be mostly light and show, if the force behind them was only enough to knock the bad guys out.

"Well...if my parents didn't make it, and you're careful about how you use it...then I guess that's your freedom, huh?" he said, before nodding to himself. "Sorry about hitting you, then. I just...have a thing about weapons of mass destruction." He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled bashfully. "I'm Zehst, Zehst Messerschmitt, by the way. I ate the Roke-Roke Fruit, so now I'm a Rocket Man!" A small set of turbines opened up in the hollows of his ears, spitting flame to emphasize his point, before with a "shwoop" they withdrew.

The old man they had inadvertently helped offered to feed them, at which Zehst's stomach rumbled like a B52 jet. He nodded heartily to the geezer, but then the cool giant mantis said, in a surprisingly girly voice, that she had to change first. The mantis spun and shrank, mandibles and arm-blades disappearing as chitin became skin, and in its place soon stood a lovely young lady, who introduced herself by name. Zehst pointed, his jaw dropping and eyes bugging out.

"Ah, cool-outfit-guy! The giant mantis can turn into a pretty girl! How're we supposed to catch her now!? I'm no good with girls!" he said, his voice rising an octave higher. Because he'd been cooped up in his mansion with only his parents and his tutors and a babysitter for company, he'd never really interacted much with kids his own age. Now he was older, certainly, but he still hadn't gained any of the experience needed for proper social interaction. Especially not with girls, who were destined to be an enigma to even the most experienced of fellows.

"Oh, they're surprisingly comfy!", piped Giko as Claribel placed the TD set over her head, "So how do they OH WOW THAT'S REALLY LOUD."

Giko continued her attempts to eat, a small crowd of gulls gathering around to pick up the mashed-up chunks of food as they rolled back out of her mouth. The puppeteer seemed firmly focused on the bag of doughnuts to the exclusion of all other events presently occuring, but that didn't seem to keep Giko from interacting in the slightest.

"SAY, SO CLARIBEL.", Giko shouted, apparently oblivious to how loud she was, "NOW THAT I GET A GOOD LOOK AT YOU, YOU'RE PRETTY CUTE! WHAT DO YOU USE FOR YOUR MOISTURIZER, ANYWAY? NORMALLY I USE A CORNSTARCH MASK, BUT I'VE BEEN THINKING I SHOULD SWITCH TO COCONUT- OH! SORRY, GUY, I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE!"

Apparently, while she had been talking, some blue-haired guy in a duster and some kind of tunic had come up and grabbed her hand. He was saying something, but it was too quiet to make out.

"WHAT?", Giko responded, "SORRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? I CAN'T READ LIPS OR AUFUGHAH"

She whipped her hand out of Chamber's grasp, flailing blindly at a particularly opportunistic seagull that had gotten itself lodged in her mouth.

TJ had to bite his lip to prevent himself from reacting too wildly from the feel of Scab’s hand. He suppressed a disgusted groan as the gross sensation managed to get through his thick hands. Most things he touched normally didn’t faze him, so to have something as vividly… gross as this one was a shocker. Maybe he should focus on something else to get his mind off it. Like his introduction!

Scab…bard. Scabbard. TJ understandably nodded along as he related his Scab story. Nobody would want to be called a scab… Those are gross! At some point, TJ realized he hadn’t let go of Scabbard’s hand yet for some reason. Or rather- Scab hadn’t let go of his hand yet. What was this man’s grip?? Surely he had to have a fine one if he hoped to even lift that giant sword on his back, but this was getting ridiculous! TJ was making a very concentrated effort to slip out of it now while still maintaining his understanding expression. Come on… COME ON…

Roughly, TJ managed to jerk his hand from Scabbard’s. However, in order to maintain his gentlemanly airs, he fluidly transitioned his arm jerk into a hefty pat on Scab’s shoulder. “Yes!” he loudly stated, “I understand… It is unbefitting of anyone to have a less than admirable name no matter their appearance! You needn't worry about me referring to you as such, my friend. For now, though!” He pointed out down the road, “I believe that way is the road to our Cabbage Crasher!” Taking the lead, TJ started off for the shop Zehst broke through.