"Hah?" Lina blinked, before taking a look at the papers she had. After a few moments of staring...

"Snrt."

"Are you guys children!?" the man growled, snatching the papers from their hands. All of them collected, he began to put them into his briefcase, but he instead held a few up to his face.

"You're looking too!" Lina yelled.

Blushing, the man growled, "Well, I had to check to make sure I wasn't delivering dick drawings!" Lina snorted again. "That's not what they are!"

Returning the papers and closing up the briefcase, the man rested his head on it, groaning, "Aw hell, I'm dead..."

Lina blinked, "What's wrong?"

"Secrecy is kind of a big deal in my organization..." he groaned.

Lina gave a nod of understanding, before wondering, "What's your name?"

"It's Macario," he began, before stopping. "Our names aren't secret."

"Just checkin'."

Eyeing the two, Macario said, "Well, I probably don't know about you two. You don't know what you saw, but...people are still after this. You might be in trouble."

Lina waved her hand. "I doubt it."

"I don't think you know who you're dealing with."

Crossing her arms over her chest Lina said, "Likewise." She was ignorant to the echoes of numerous footsteps audible amongst the other buildings,

The many footsteps grew louder, as the two pirates conversed with the stranger. Chester was annoyed, his head hurt and he still hadn't had a drink. He was getting hungry, too. What an annoyance.

The steps got loud as the six men were upon them, brandishing weaponry. "HEY! YOU! HALT!" They shouted, their cutlasses and guns in hand. Chester laughed as he turned to Macario "This who we might be dealing with?" He asked, turning to Lina, a small grin on his face. "Are you a spy?" He asked Macario, ignoring the armed goon squad behind him, their hands on their swords and their crosshairs aimed at Macario and Chester.

"Because if you are, that's super cool."

Turning around, he threw a punch, into the guy whom was heading towards him, Chester picking up his footsteps, the man was drawing his sword when he was met by Chester's fist, sending him flying into his four allies, knocking them all onto the floor, the man's teeth all hitting the stone tiles on the floor. "These guys however - not so super cool." He said, walking past Macario. "Lina, I need a drink. Where's the nearest bar, again?" He asked, completely nonchalant about the assault he had just commited, people around yelped in surprise, yet, they weren't terrified, they were apparently somewhat used to sudden bursts of violence in this town.

What a bunch of weirdos.

"Spy? Well-" Macario began, but he was interrupted by Chester's burst of action. His mouth hung open as the line of Quartz Company goons were laid out flat. Blinking, he continued, "Um, no. I'm part of a group called the Scholastic Advocates. We're researchers. These guys probably wanted whatever what I was studying, not that I blame them."

Light bulb going off, he snapped his fingers, before suggesting, "Tell you what, I'll get you a drink. You helped me out there." Waving his hand, he admitted, "Plus I'd really just rather you forgot this whole thing."

---

"Ahaha! Man they got wrecked," Jeko laughed.

Turning around from his vantage point on the bridge, Jeko scratched at his chin, saying, "Well, we could try again, but I dunno if we can take them. Two on three isn't my style unless I'm with the three.

Looking at the surly face of Isaac, he said, "Plus, maybe we could kill two birds with one stone. Get me a stone!" Isaac blinked, before looking around on the clean bridge. Spotting a small rock, he opened his mouth, but Jeko interrupted, "Old cyclops. I meant...sigh."

Macario explained to Chester that he was a researcher - a scholar. "So you're a nerd? Neat." Chester said with a chuckle, before frowning again, he really did need that drink. And like the nerd could have read his thoughts, he suggested to buy him a drink. "Best nerd in town!" He exclaimed chipperly.

Making their way to the Magnet Trail Inn, they sat down at a table, the bar was pretty empty, only a few patrons nerby, one surly man was at the bar, chatting with the innkeeper, a barmaiden came to ask the trio what they wanted to drink. The oak wooden interior was worn down, the floors stained with beer - and blood from last night's brawl, no doubt. Someone had lazily mopped the floors with great haste a few hours earlier, the shoes of the patron dragged in enough mud to dirty the place up, anyway.

"Bottle of grog. The stronger the better." Chester said, as he looked at Lina. "No alcohol for the kid, though. She's drinking apple juice." Chester said - almost paternally, his face stern and stoic.

Then he cracked into a laugh. "Who am I kidding, she'll drink beer." Ignoring any protests Lina might have.

***

Back on the bridge, the already drunk swordsman looked over at his partner. "You want me to go get One-Eye? Screw off Jeko, go get him yourself." Isaac told Jeko, he was in a bad mood, poor spirits after losing a drinking contest for the first time since he was 7 year sold.

And to some kid he had never even heard off, either. Didn't this guy know who he was? He was Isaac Newgate; The Drinking Blade, the man of a hundred livers! How dare he challenge his authority? He was the best at drinking in the whole north blue! Surely, the kid must have cheated.

He couldn't stand for this. It was a matter of pride, and he was gonna have to settle this score sooner or later, but Jeko was right as usual They would probably need help, considering how easily that guy laid out the Quartz guys - and since he's accompanied by the Scholar.

Taking a seat, in the quiet, mid-morning tavern, the odd trio didn't take long to order.

"Sure, I'll try beer. But weren't we looking for food?"

"This place some good fries. Have some of those. And I'll get some...nah, just a beer," Macario said, glancing at Chester before noting, "I'm only buying your first drink."

"He'll have one whole barrel of grog."

"Hey!"

A few minutes later, Chester and Lina were served a couple baskets of fries while Chester got a bottle and Lina and Macario got their mugs of beer. While Macario took a casual sip, Lina was a bit more apprehensive, taking a sip before gagging.

Tears rimming her eyes, she bleched. "Wha? It...it..." Looking up and making sure none of the employees were around, she hissed to Chester and Macario, "Why did I get the sensation of piss." Cringing, she grabbed some fries and chucked them into her mouth.

Taking another sip, Macario said, "It's just one of those dark facts of life that people accept. War rages, the poor starve, and cheap beer tastes like piss. You'll get used to it. Or find better beer."

Looking back at her mug, Lina turned a bit green, before flashing red with determination, deciding, "Or make better." Clamping down on her nose, she turned the mug bottom up, doing her best to drain it, managing half before relenting, clearing holding back some retching as Macario chuckled.

As she held firm, as is savoring the bitterness of the taste, she asked, "So, what do the Advocates do?"

Macario lit up a bit as he began, "Well, after the War finally ended, some people looked around to see that we lost a lot of knowledge. Libraries destroyed, you've got stories of all these great inventions that are stupidly hard to find nowadays... The Advocates take on jobs to do heavy research into specific subjects as objectively as possible: history and science, usually. The files we turn up are pretty valuable: national secrets or developments in some scholarly field. We get a lot of money for a job in exchange for a limited non-disclosure agreement before releasing the files, so new stuff is always pretty valuable to other parties. The threat of a country's past on subterfuge being reveal usually leads to them trying to make amends before word really gets out, or they try to take on the Advocates but that's part of why we're so secretive. If we find something that might be a good invention our secrecy on the inner workings can allow someone to try and get a business going off of it."

Looking mildly interested, Lina noted, "Sounds like you like your job..."

Chester began laughing, maniacally as Lina grimaced and cringed at the taste of beer. "It'll come to you, kiddo." He explained, taking a swig off his grog, almost finishing the bottle in one go. "Hey, Barmaiden, another bottle of grog, if you please." Disregarding what Macario said about only buying him one drink. Chester had after all saved him from those yellow coat-guys.

Much to his surprise, Lina chugged her drink, he smiled. "Better beer is always the solution." Chester added. He listened - sort off, anyway - to what Macario said. Macario was talking about his job, about the research he did - truly fascinating stuff.

"Oh, so you're really nerdy spies, then." Chester exclaimed, much too loud for the rather sensitive subject. "Like, super nerdy ones. Gotcha." The pirate noted.

***

Isaac and Jeko walked into another tavern, the Bilgerat, the Quartz Company's watering hole. It was empty - for now. Isaac opened the door, only to get met by the click of a gun as it was cocked. "Stand real freaking still." The cold voice from inside of the tavern spoke, drinking from his glass of cider as the seven feet long rifle was resting with the bipod on the table, aimed at the door. "You move a muscle, and I'll put a fresh new hole in your chest." The sniper threatened Isaac and Jeko, whom froze.

"C'Mon Kuhn. Drink getting to you already?" Isaac asked.

"You don't wanna shoot us, old man Goldenrod wouldn't like that." Isaac reminded him - showing that the drunken swordsman was still in the know, somehow.

"We have work for you."

"And stop drinking that piss cider. Grab a beer or a grog, man." He added, before the three would eventually leave the tavern - not for grabbing another round.

***

Chester yawned and stretched, Macario and Lina were still talking, he was not paying attention - he was now six bottles in, and Macario still didn't seem to have been clued in that Chester was gonna leave him with the tab.

"I'mma go take a leak." He said, as he stood up, heading towards the bathroom. He returned a minute later, after the door had already swung open - and the other odd trio walked in, Kuhn in the front, Chester didn't see him, but Kuhn quickly made his way to Chester as he came around the corner from the bathroom, the gunner clotheslined Chester, taking him by surprise, putting one hand around his throat, forcing him to the ground, and with the next, he aimed his sawed off shotgun - from his high, at Chester's forehead.

"You're gonna have a pretty bad day, bucko." Kuhn told Chester, whom snarled.

"Not as bad as you are."

"Hey, what!?" Macario growled, standing roughly, eyes on Kuhn.

Moving from her second mug of beer and nearly emptied basket of fries, Lina looking up, snarling, "You! Pay up!"

Macario blinked, wondering, "Hey, what about your friend?"

Jeko waved his hand. "What do you think we're doing?"

Lina insisted, "He can take care of himself."

There was a small click from Macario's briefcase, sitting on the ground. As he caught the glint of a small, barbed needle jabbed into the side, Jeko pulled his arm back, sliding the briefcase over.

Snarling, Macario gave chase, Lina drawing her sword and heading after him. As she took one step, Isaac was already upon her. She made a slash, but he gave a wild swing, and her blade was flung from her grasp before the point of his sword came to a stop at her neck.

As Macario closed in on Jeko, briefcase still sliding along, Jeko snapped his hand up, the briefcase hurtling into the air. Macario raised his arms as Jeko jumped, briefcase trailing along behind him. Waving his hands around Macario's, he came to a landing behind him before pulling one hand forwards. Macario's wrists were drawn together, manipulated by Jeko's hands. As he struggled, lines of red blood appeared, some dripping down what appeared to be strings, seeming to point at Jeko.

Gritting his teeth, Macario hissed, "Shit."

The cold metal of the muzzle of the gun pressing against Chester's forehead was a odd sensation. He certainly wasn't afraid of the gunner pulling the trigger, the physical sensation was somewhat painful, due to how hard the gun was being pressed against him, yet, it was somehow relaxing, the cool metal made him feel relaxed.

Kuhn snarled at Isaac as he fought the girl. "Idiot-Swordsman, leave da pretty girl alone." Kuhn shouted, pulling his pistol from his hip with his other hand, aiming at at Isaac. "Or I'll put down two drunk idiots today."

Isaac frowned. "Fine." He said, his sword being taken away from Lina's neck, he twirled the blade in his hands, graciously spinning it back into it's sheath that he carried, the strap hanging loosely from his shoulder. He walked over to Kuhn, whom had now put the long-barreled gun to Chester's Ribs, in order to encourage him to stay still.

"Sorry 'bout all dis'. Business is business." Kuhn told him, as Isaac pulled out the handcuffs and the chains, promptly locking down Chester - whom was doing surprisingly little resistance.

Or talking.

"... He's asleep, Isaac. This fucking idiot fell asleep with two guns pointed at him." Kuhn said, in disbelief.

"What the fuck." He continued, as Isaac shrugged, slinging Chester over his other shoulder. Kuhn put his shotgun back in it's place, twirling the pistol on his finger, before he put it back in it's holster, as well. Walking past Lina, he tipped his hat. "Sorry 'bout all the ruckus." He seemed to genuinely apologize - despite being as smug as ever.

The intruders leaving as quickly as they came, Macario managed to unbind himself, looking closely at the string that bound him. Lina still stood where she was left, her sword dug into the wall behind a bartender, who was only just now daring to rear his head. Her head was low, her arms shaking lightly.

Noticing her, Macario said, "Hey, it's normal to be a little shaken u-"

"SLEEPING!?" Lina roared, throwing her hands up. As Macario flinched, she growled, "I was thinking about going to save him but now I'm thinking he can rescue his own damn self!"

Macario stared blankly. "Uh-huh." Brushing himself off, he began, "Hey, do you know where their place is? I really need that briefcase back and if I rush them down now I'm not sure if I could handle all of them." Lina shook her head. "...Great."

With the two in silence, both contemplating, Lina went to get her sword. Taking it, she felt her hands start to shake again. Drawing in a breath, she sheathed it, shaking her head. Start to calm down a bit, she turned to Macario beginning, "Well...I can't exactly leave since I can't sail our ship, so maybe we could help each other out a bit..."

Isaac, Jeko and Kuhn walked through the town, the crowds parting as the three walked - the swordsman carried his wooned sword in it's iron-plated sheath on one shoulder, the blade hanging down in front of him, instead of on his back, like most other swordsmen would. On his other shoulder, was the heavily bound by chains and ropes Chester D. Arnold.

Whom was still asleep, a big bubble had already formed from his nose, snoring softly. The One-Eyed gunner peered his eye backwards, and around, constantly aware of his surroundings. He certainly wasn't paranoid, he was just hyper-aware, a trait you'd do well to pick up as a gunner.

Jeko, too, was keeping his eyes peered. Peered on all of the money around. He was keeping his ears open, for any opportunity to make money.

While the other two were hyper-aware, Isaac? He was barely aware at all. His thoughts were barely on a big, warm meal and a nice bed. And a good glass of beer. But first, they would have to bring this cheater he carried on his shoulders to Goldenrod.

Shaking off his fists, Macario muttered, "We lost them, didn't we?"

Tapping her foot to one of the unconscious Quartz goons, Lina sighed, "Yup."

Scratching his chin, Macario clicked his tongue, "That guy was paying a lot of attention. I guess we'll have to find some other way."

"Haven't you been here long enough to know where they are?"

Macario frowned. "Well, they're probably holed up in the old town. Or at least most of their non-public stuff is. They have their main building here but who knows where they're taking Chester."

Putting a hand to her chin, Lina thought for a moment before reaching down and pulling out her blade. She smiled, "Someone has to have seen him, right?"

A bit put off, Macario admitted, "Y-yeah..."

---

With a thump and a clang, Chester lay on the cold hard floor, the iron bars shutting him in. The three stayed assembled for some time, an empty chair resting outside of the cell.

Some time later, Chester was still asleep.

Jeko clicked his tongue, mumbling, "Who has time for this!? Wake up, asshole!" Realization dawning on his face, he snapped his fingers, suggesting, "Oh, actually, I need my stuff. I mean, you only need your liver sometimes." Grinning, he added, "And that liver is one I want to see." Giddy, Jeko practically pranced out of the room.

Kuhn glanced at Jeko, when he proposed stealing his organs - the business Jeko and Isaac were in disgusted the gunner, they were vile people, and he hated every second he had to work with them - but he still had to work for Goldenrod, weather he'd like to, or not. "Let's hold up on that one. Da Old Man wanted to talk to him first. But he seems out cold', so, let's go talk to ol' Goldenrod." Kuhn announced, as he began walking, locking the cell door before doing so.

Arriving in the big hall, where Goldenrod sat on in his luxury chair, his yellow clad guards - the Whitney Warriors, they were called around town, The Quartz Company's elite soldiers, named after the boss's daughter, Whitney.

A very attractive daughter, to such an ugly man, too, Kuhn made note off. Whitney was however out of the city for the past week, at boarding school, Kuhn had been told. A shame.

The trio arrived in front of Goldenrod, Jeko was about to speak, only to get knocked to the floor by a gunshot. Kuhn smirked, even if it didn't harm the doctor.

"We captured da man' who 'hustled' these two idiots yesterday. He's sleeping in de cell, we tried waking him up, to no avail." Kuhn announced.

***

The guard sat outside, drinking a bottle of whiskey, like most jailers, he wasn't one to really pay attention to his work. Too focused on his bottle, he failed to notice the sound of rustling chains, only noticing it once the cell door behind him was pulled open - the lock breaking with ease as the dazed pirate made his way out. The Jailer was in disbelief "E-escape!" He man shouted, as he stumbled to his feet, heading towards the main hall.

Chester headed around the corner, standing and taking a piss, assuming he was in a bathroom - obviously wrongfully so. Once he was done, he wiped his hand on the wall, and headed back to his cell, to sleep again, even closing the door behind him, not quite aware of where he was.

Nostrils flaring, Goldenrod stood. Holstering his pistol he headed out, grumbling, "Let's get on with it."

Leading the pack, made up of the trio and a pair of Whitney Warriors, groups parted and nodded in respect as he passed, though his hunched figure made him easily the smallest in sight.

Getting down to the holding cells, Goldenrod blinked at a clearly flustered guard, watching Chester's sleeping form. "Hey, where'd his chains go?" Jeko wondered.

Noticing that the lock was broken, Isaac growled, "Bastard!" As he drew his sword, he stepped forward, as if to stab it through the bars.

"Don't touch him, idiot!" Goldenrod growled, raising his gun and firing.

"Ow!" yelped Jeko as he fell back. "Why did you shoot me!?"

Goldenrod clicked his tongue, ordering, "Move him to another cell!" Pointing to Kuhn, he added, "And you'll be watching him. He's tough, ain't he?"

---

"I'm cutting you off, madam."

"I haven't even started yet!"

Though the sun was not quite low enough the tint the sky orange, it still beamed brightly into the late afternoon droll of Stein's Cauldron. It was only just beginning to pick up when a girl with wavey orange hair and round glasses over her weepy looking eyes was cut off. She wore a pair of short overalls over a pale yellow short sleeved shirt.

She pounded her little fists on the table, whining, "I'm an adult and I want to drink!"

The bartender shook his head. "You've been drinking too much. Take a break."

"I'll tell my poppa!"

The bartender sighed, before relenting, "Fine, one drink." She beamed proudly, before he filled a glass and handed it over. She took a sip, before nearly choking. It was just water. She glared, but the bartender didn't react.

Lip quivering, she lowered her head onto the bar, taking a moment to mope. Whitney may have been the beloved daughter of Head Goldenrod but that didn't give her all the power she wanted. Money was power, or something.

Hearing a shuffling behind her, she looked up to see a huge guy in a dark purple coat with black hair. He was looking at her, but given Whitney's put-off expression, he seemed to back off. As he went away, Whitney returned to mope, not catching a bit of giggling from somewhere behind her.

A few moments later, a voice asked, "Are you okay?" Looking up, Whitney turned to see a younger girl with red hair, her finger to her lips in concern.

Getting a bit self conscious, Whitney wiggled in her seat a bit, before explaining, "Er, I just...got dumped."

The girl seemed a bit too eager, slipping into a chair rather quickly, but Whitney didn't mind. She didn't look like she was around here so she was probably just a concerned tourist. "That sounds terrible. What happened?"

Thinking about it, Whitney felt her eyes water as she began, "Well, we never actually went out, but...we never even got that far."

As she put her hands over her face, she felt the other girl pat her on the back. "There, there..."

Out of her line of sight, Lina turned back to Macario and gave a satisfied thumbs up, Macario still a bit flustered at their earlier interaction.

Isaac and Kuhn threw the sleeping Chester in the other cell - he was still asleep when he hit the cold stone floor with a heavy thud. "He could sleep through a storm, huh." Kuhn stated, as Isaac shrugged "After a night of drinking like that, he sure could."

" He drank you under da' table, I heard. How embarrassing" Isaac hissed, drawing his sword, Kuhn put his hand on his shotgun on his thigh, both of them drew their weapons and pointed them at the other in a blink of an eye. "He cheated!" Isaac shouted. Kuhn smirked, from under the shadow of his hat. "Tsk. I heard you and Jeko were up to your regular tricks." Kuhn began "I don't think you've beaten anyone in a honest drinking contest, you lightweight." The gunner taunted, as Isaac gritted his teeth, about to attack.

"Cut it out!" Goldenrod shouted, with a gunshot ringing.

"WHY" Jeko cried from a few feet away. "Leave him be. Newgate, out of here. Leave the pretty boy to watch the prisoner. Call for me as soon as he wakes up." Goldenrod insisted.

"Whatever" Kuhn responded, holstering his weapon as Isaac did the same. "This ain't over, Cyclops." Isaac told Kuhn. "Quiverin' in my boots."

Kuhn grabbed the chair and sat down, leaning against the bars on Chester's new cell. He was taking apart his revolver and cleaning it, tinkering with his different bullets for quite some time, the drunken pirate waking up on the other side of the gate. "D-Drink.." Chester wheezed, his mouth dry. Kuhn lazily shove a bowl of water across the floor to him. Chester took one sip, then spit it out "T-This is water!" He exclaimed, and Kuhn snorted. "Duh. What else would it be"

"I can't drink that, give me booze!" Chester commanded, and Kuhn laughed. "Aren't you hungover?"

"That's why I need the booze"

"Sorry, can't. I'm supposed to call the boss once you've waken up."

"I'm going back to sleep then. Wake me when you got booze"

"What"

"Zzz"

Kuhn, dumbfounded by the once again fast asleep drunk, he walked into the cell, poked him with his steel-toed boot, before softly kicking Chester in the ribs. To no avail. "This son of a bitch." He commanded. He saw some schmuck from the Whitney Warriors walk past, and Kuhn blew a whistle at him. "Hey, servant!" He called.

"I'm no servant, I'm Mikael, a proud member of the Whitney Warriors, and you, you dirtbag, should treat me with the respect I deserv-" Kuhn cut him off by putting his newly reassembled revolver's barrel against his forehead in a lightning quick motion. "If I call you servant, the only thing you'll say is 'what can I do for you, sir'. You got that, shitbag?" To prove a point, he pulled back the hammer on his pistol, and pulled the firing ping.

"Bang." He said, as the gun clicked. "Oops. I only put in five rounds. Suppose you got lucky. Won't happen again. Now, go fetch me a bottle of grog."

Kuhn sat back down as he waited for the warrior to return. "Idiot."

Kuhn...

As that name echoed in her mind, Lina walked along the routes of Kesrizu's fringe with Macario at her side. They weren't far from the shore, but they were still a mile or so into the dead outer city.

"Where have I heard that name before?" Lina muttered.

"Hmm?"

"I think I...ah! I did meet that Kuhn guy! And the drunk!"

"I thought you knew Chester."

"No, the other drunk! The swordsman!" Lina reiterated. Thinking for a moment, she realized, "He didn't seem like a bad guy, and Whitney liked him...what's doing in the Quartz Company?"

Macario stated, "Well, the Quartz Company hires a lot of mercenaries. Most of the grunts have some fighting skill but their mostly expected to manage some form of money. That's power in their structure, I've heard."

"Hmm...." Lina replied. Stopping, she looked up at the large building. It was less dilapidated looking but there were clearly two guards posted outside. One of them caught their eyes and waved his hand, implying Macario and Lina should move along.

"Well, this looks like a place they might be hiding something important," Lina said, quoting Whitney.

Macario added, "And something about Goldenrod not wanting Kuhn snooping around, right?"

"Sure, sure. I'll look around the upper floors. I want those winnings!"

"If you see my briefcase, hold on to it will you?"

"If you see my idiot..."

"Yeah, yeah."

One pair of eyes unknowingly at their back and two at their front, Macario flexed his arms as Lina drew her sword. The two goons drew their weapons and moved forwards, a good few meters between them.

Pulling back his fist, Macario held it for a second, before punching out. "Xun!" The air rippled, and the two goons, lined up neatly, were blasted back, hurtling into the door and smashing through it.

Lina blinked, wondering, "H-how did you do that?" Shaking her head, she insisted, "Never mind." Leading the way, she charged in, Macario running after her.

---

Eyes glinting from the previous corner, Whitney watched as Macario and Lina broke in. She frowned: Whitney wasn't the smartest, so she couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but...

The Warrior returned with a bottle of grog, his posture was now more reserved - he was scared of the rawhide-clad gunner. "H-Here you go, one bottle of booze.." He said, Kuhn peered his cold eyes at him "S-Sir!"

"Good boy." Kuhn said, taking a swig from the bottle, wiping his mouth, he tossed it at the warrior, whom barely caught it, fumbling it in his hands. "OH GODOHGODOHGOD" The warrior said, as he eventually got a firm grasp on it, holding it in his arms - the same way one might hold an infant.

"Watch him. I'm gonna go take a leak."

"But Boss Goldenrod sai"

"Do I have to see what's in da other five chambers in my gun?"

"N-No sir"

Kuhn got up and left, his duster fluttering as he walked away from the prison - towards the warehouse part of the building, heading towards the quartermaster. He needed another shot.

***

B-Booze.. a faint, hushed whisper were heard from inside of the cell where the guard had just sat down, taking a cup and filling it up with grog that he was now sipping carefully. "Booooozzzeeeee" The voice cried from inside of the cell, the guard still didn't hear him.

"Boooooooooooooooooooooozzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

"What?" The guard asked

"Gimmeee" The man pleaded.

"No, fuck off. This is mine." He said, cockily.

And that was his mistake, as he was met with a blindly fast punch to the back of his head, sending him flying in the air, performing half a front-flip till he hit the other bars on the other end of the cell block, the bottle was spinning in the air, getting caught by the same hand that had just sent the yellow clad guard flying.

Taking a long drink, his eyes opened wide, with a furious expression

"WHO THE FUCK GAVE ME THIS CHEAP CRAP?!" The pirate's words echoed through the halls, sending the nearby soldiers checking his way

Those soldiers were sent flying faster than quick, piling up on top of each other. Reinforcement arrived, Chester hit knocked the first one so hard he knocked down the four guys behind him. Chester held the knocked out man's head in his fist, dropping him down. "Where's the cheap-ass who gave me trash watered down grog?!"

"WHERE IS HE?!" Chester asked the man he had just dropped, whom had tears running down his eyes from the pain from his wounds. "W-who"

"YOUR BOSS" Raising a fist to strike again

"OHGODPLEASENOHE'SOVERTHERE" The guy cried, trying to pull his hands up to block his face. Chester nodded. "Thanks. You can rest now." He said, throwing the man to the side, crashing down the wall to his side.

Chester now had corridors filled with soldiers to tear through - the rest of the Whitney Warriros had been alerted of his escape, and were arming up to take him on - to protect their boss - and earn their paycheck.

"Screeeek! Password."

Macario grimaced as he went down the mazey paths. Echoes from the bird seemed to peter out as Macario went onward, but the halls filled with goods (and the occasional unconscious Quartz goon) seemed to blend into each other.

"Just keep going left, keep going left..." Macario decided. But before long that dumb parrot started screeching at him. Stopping, he looked up to the raised ceiling and called, "Shut up!"

"Screeek! Password! Or I'm telling Head! Screeek!"

"I don't care you dumb bird!"

"I know you are but what am I?"

Macario let out an exasperated sigh. This was really happening. Still, it looked like there was no sign of either Chester or his briefcase down here: just a bunch of guys who understandably didn't want him snooping around. He did pass a window to some kind of quartermaster desk earlier but there wasn't anyone there. Maybe he should go ask for help? Yeah, that'd go over well.

"Screeek!" cried the red and yellow parrot, which swooped down in front of him. Macario growled before snapping at it, clamping down on its beak with his teeth, snapping it shut. Macario shook his head before spitting it, watching as it flailed away. Macario spit, grumbling, "Annoying animal."

Looking a bit closer at the nearby walls, he noticed a slightly loose covering to a crate, underneath a pile of things, but on closer inspection the debris wasn't actually holding the crate lid down: Macario slid it out with no trouble. "Hmm?"

---

"Oh, nice view," Lina noted. Turning from the big window in Goldenrod's empty office, Lina looked to the desk to see a familiar briefcase resting underneath. Pulling it up, she opened it to find the...they weren't dick drawings but they weren't too far off. Whatever they were it was Macario's. Taking it in one hand and her sword in the other, she stepped back outside, wondering if her idiot would come to her. For now she'd just head back down...

Rumblings were heard through the entire mansion - really more like a castle with all of it's floors, some with wooden interior, some with stone. Screams and yells were heard through the entire lower block as the escaped pirate tore through the guards whom came to stop him. Till he came to a big open room, the colors were dark, he could barely see, nothing but a faint light in the distance, a wizzling in the air, and in the last second, he leapt out of the way from the two blades that hit the floor, the two capes of the coats the two yellow soldiers donned were flowing in the sky. One of the laid out guards Chester had dealt with before smirked. "Now you done it, criminal scum" He coughed.

"T-That's the Whitney Warriors. And they're gonna stomp all over you--" He finished, before falling unconcious from his injuries.

Chester looked over at him, and at the two shapes in front of him. Then a bright spotlight blared, he realized he was surrounded, 10 of them in total. "You defeated 6 by trickery. There was no honor in your fight, you are a scoundrel and a bandit, and we will not stand for that." All ten of them spoke in unison, word for word. Chester was enthralled. He had never seen anything quite like it.

"Before we duel, tell us your name."

Chester looked up, snapping out of his enthrallment as they called for him to answer.

"I-uh. This is weird. Ehem."

"We are waiting."

"Don't rush me"

He propped himself up, taking a more relaxed stance. "My name is Chester D. Arnold. And one of your dudes called himself a Whitney Whiner, too, and he pissed me off. So get out of my way, or I'll go through you. All ten freakishly-synched of you."

"You think you can go through us? Let us laugh"

Their laughter echoed.

"ENOUGH TALK!" Chester shouted.

They all drew their weapons at once, holding their swords in both hands, readied for the fight. "LET'S SCRAP!" They shouted.

"Scrap?! Fucking serious-"

The pirate was interrupted by swords coming at him, he dodged, he blocked the blunts of the blades and he avoided each hit as best as he could, the warriors kept him on his toes, making him move backwards to the onslaught of blades coming his way, till finally, his back was against the wall.

The ten of them attacked him in unison, coming from behind one another, one blade after the other attacked him, he blocked the first blade, twirling in close to the guy, elbowing him in the face, the next one was above him, leaping down on him, he grabbed him by the ankle and threw him down on the first one. The third one came from his right, he dodged down, dodging his blade, the blade colliding with another behind him, protecting him from getting cut from behind. He pulled his arms out, and smashed his palms together, releasing a vibrating thunderclap that shook the whole room.

Blood gushed from the small cuts he had on his arms, a couple of his face as well, his eyebrow was cut, blood pouring onto his face from the somewhat deep eyebrow cut. He looked at the ten warriors with cold eyes, they charged him again and in a few more moments - of loud bangs, crashes and screams, even a couple of "OH GOD NO's" were heard.

He asked about Goldenrod, where he was. He needed to see him - he seemed like the only one in this whole place who could tell him where he could get a decent drink. As he emerged from the room, the door fell of it's hinghes as he walked out, his hands were bloodied - not his own, and so was his shirt again. Inside laid the broken Whitney warriors. Arms broken, noses broken, legs, backs and wrists broken. Their swords were in too many pieces to count and their broken teeth laid scattered on the floor.

He left the big hall, heading up some stairs, he came across another room, where a couple more guards stood, and on a chair, Goldenrod sat. His eyebrow raised as Chester busted through the door.

"HEY YOU!" Chester shouted, as he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Turning, he was met by the blunt force of Isaac's wooden sword, hitting him like a bat in the face, sending him skidding on the floor.

"I know what ya' said boss. Should wait to hit him till you finished talkin' with him. But I got a lil carried away." The Swordsman said, as Chester crawled back onto his feet.

The ground shook lightly under Lina's feet. She started to descend the stairs but now she wasn't so sure. It must have been Macario getting into a fight but...if it was with those three from earlier then he'd need help, right? Taking a breath, she grabbed her rifle, rarely used, before making her way down.

---

One hand patting the outside of his pants pocket, Macario kept going, but at this point he was lost. The windy passages without landmark had become too indistinguishable, so he resigned to turning left.

Thankfully, he returned to the quartermaster desk he'd seen earlier, and better yet, there was someone there: a crotchety looking old man. Stomping up, Macario growled, "Hey!" Thumping his arm on the stone above the window, he demanded, "You guys took a briefcase from me: I want it back!"

The man didn't move. Macario leaned down, hissing, "Hey, I'm serious, don't play with me."

Macario blinked as the man pulled out a spiral bound pad of paper. Flipping through, he showed one page to Macario through the window. 3 in stock.

"...I want my briefcase, asshole!"

Flip flip flip. Everything on this floor is my property until transaction is made.

"Let me see the briefcases then!"

Preview of goods is not allowed. Look with your hands, not your eyes.

"That's backwards you..." Spotting a nearby door, he growled, "I'm coming in."

As Macario turned to the door, there was a knock on the window. Flip flip. Refusal to comply with protocol means sensitive goods will be destroyed.

Macario gnashed his teeth. Looking into the window deeply, he was pretty sure there was no one else but him in the room, so he just needed to...knock out the man in one hit?

...He thought about it, but he couldn't move his hand. Macario sighed. "How much for the briefcases?"

He pulled out a scrap of paper. Skrtch skrtch. Hundred thousand beli each.

"THAT'S SEAWAY ROBBERY YOU OLD FART." Macario pulled his fist back. He was really reconsidering is ideals...

---

Kuhn was surprised by the shaking inside of the building. He wanted to find out: he was gonna make his way down there soon enough. But first, he had to swing by Goldenrod's office to get his vouchers. The humiliation of needing to ask for such a simple thing as living was enough to almost break his spirit. Then again, there was one thing that always picked his spirits back up.

Pretty girls. And as luck would have it, a girl he recognized was in the building. Kuhn would normally pull his gun on a intruder, but not on this one. She didn't see him as he walked around the corner: he caught her in the reflection on the window, a trick he often used in combat to know how many foes were around a corner.

He smiled as he made his way around the corner, graciously moving out of the way, so they would not walk into one another. He put his arm in front of her and smiled, warmly, resting on the wall. "Hi there, little lady. What are you doing in this cesspit of a mansion? Need new cannons? Maybe a new rifle? Something made in dis century?"

Lina hopped back, mouth contorted into a grimace. Eyes widening, she pointed a finger. "You!" After a moment, her eyes glanced down to her rifle, but it still wasn't pointed in Kuhn's direction. She never took as well to guns as she did to blades...

After a moment, Lina closed her eyes, upturning her nose and looking away, displeased. "Hmph."

Kuhn grinned, taking a match step backwards, and pointing his thumb back at himself. "Me!" He let out with a smile. A move that usually worked on the ladies. His grin faded rather quickly, though, as he seemingly recalled where he were, and what urgent mission he had on his plate. "You can't be here, this is a restricted area. If any of the guards would find you, you would be in trouble. You're not much of a fighter, not with a ancient rifle and a all but dull blade."

Lina insisted, "I can handle myself. I'm better with a sword than you are with women, I can say for sure."

"Then you would be da fiercest warrior on all six seas." Kuhn retorted.

"Whitney says otherwise."

Kuhn's posture changed, and he frowned. "I think you're an all right girl, so I'm gonna ignore you said that. You have to leave, now. Your friend is not coming back. Goldenrod will put his claws in him, and he'll never be da same." Kuhn told him, walking past Lina. Purposely bumping into her with his shoulder, sending her to the floor. "Forget about him, and your money. Get out with your life." He said, heading towards the office.

Speaking of lives, I have to save mine.

Footsteps fading, Lina didn't dare get up until Kuhn was gone. Huffing, she finally stood up, growling, "What's his deal!?" Moving to head forwards, she realized that she was about to head down, but the upper parts hadn't been fully cleared, though Kuhn was around. She sure wasn't leaving, but...

Reaching the staircase, she noticed an open doorway with another, smaller staircase heading up. Lina wasn't sure what else about it was different, but she imagined that it was a good place to hide something. Heading through the doorway, she headed up. Just as she reached another door, she heard a voice...singing?

Gingerly, she creaked open the door.

"Bid farewell to kidney town!
Say so long to liver owned.
Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're running off!
Nab the gold and silver coins,
wallets filled with easy gains.
Day'n night to our delight,
the profits never end!"

The song sounded really familiar but also off. Still, it sent chills down her spine as she caught a scent she'd caught going by the mortician's as a child. There was a clattering of metal tools as Jeko worked over a table. There were a number of jars with things Lina didn't want to describe, but they made her stomach turn.

As Jeko stepped away from his freshly organized table, he stopped down, seeming to grasp at the air. Scratching his head, he then stood, turning to the door, eyes locking with Lina's peek.

"If the bottom door is open, it means no one's supposed to come in, little trespasser."

Before Lina could try to scramble away, Jeko yanked his hand. Lina felt a slight bit in her ankle, looking down to see a string loop around her ankle. With another yank, Jeko pulled, causing Lina to lose her balance and fall, being forced to push through the door. Her yellow sun hat flopped off her head and her rifle clattered to the ground.

Hands twitching like the legs of a spider, Jeko grinned, laughing with a glee that made Lina retch. "The rule is that if a Quartz goon comes in, I get one organ, but a trespasser means it's a full house!"

Lina felt her face pale. Maybe Kuhn had a point after all...

Arms resting on his knees, shoulders slouched, Goldenrod had his eyes turned as Chester stood. Straightening his back a bit, Goldenrod said, "Nah, I'm not mad. I only get mad when Jeko's around for some reason. Tapping his gun on his thigh, he looked Chester over, before beginning, "Offer after offer keeps coming to mind but...you're a handful. I don't like that."

Chester got up, about to turn around and give the white haired son of a bitch a piece of his mind - but he was met with a sharp stab of the wooden blade in his ribs. "Eyes forward, prison boy." Isaac told him, keeping him at the full length of his blade.

"Yeah, well? I don't like you." His wit was unmatched.

Goldenrod pondered for a second, before continuing, "Yeah, I figured. Tell you what. In exchange for twice what you won from this yoke and his buddy, I'll let you work for me. All three of you. In fact, I'll pay you all the same rate. But if one of you steps out of line you're all dead."

"Three? Swordsman over here isn't with me, idiot." Isaac delivered another swift stab to his ribs. "Ow."

Goldenrod blinked, before pointing to Isaac, asking, "There were three of them, right? The girlie and..."

"Think so. Might've been six of them, I didn't count."

Goldenrod slapped his palm to his forehead before standing up. As he made away, he said, "Screw it. Kill him." Ducking his head, he bowed out, not interested in the outcome.

As the command came out, Isaac dragged his blade backwards a few inches, about to strike Chester, the latter turning around as the blade came towards him, sending a punch, his fist colliding with the wood, shattering the blade into a million pieces, leaving Isaac with but the handle. "Getting really tired of all this talking." Chester exclaimed.

"Holy shit." Isaac let out. Staggering backwards. “Y-You're really something, aren't you, kid.” Isaac asked with a slight giggle in his voice. Chester looked at him with tired eyes, his face bleeding from the previous hit Isaac had given him with his wooden blade, blood dripping on the floor.

Isaac threw the broken handle to the side, and put up his hands, a guard in front of his face – like a boxer. “You think I haven't been in a bar brawl before? I've been fighting with my hands before you were even born, kiddo!” The drunken swordsman shouted, as he charged at Chester, whom saw him coming – matching his jabs blow for blow, each of his blows sending a small shockwave into Isaac's fists.

Isaac and Chester both threw punches, hitting the other in the face, sending both of them to the floor, in opposite direction with a loud bang. Isaac felt the pain in his hands from hitting Chester, whom began climbing onto his feet. “You're pissing me off, whiteboy.” Chester exclaimed:

“Did you just racial slur me?”

“What?”

“Man, we're both white, the fuck”

“No, I meant your hai- You know what, fuck you.” Chester exclaimed, running towards Isaac, delivering a knee towards his chest as he tried getting up, sending him through the wall, into the next room – the armory. Isaac grinned as he pulled two wooden swords on Chester, swining them both at the pirate with great ferocity.

X Marks the Spot Isaac's word echoed as the two blades hit Chester in the chest, a cross-cut that sent him flying back through the hole he had sent Isaac through.

“You think you're hot shit, huh?!” Isaac taunted him, swinging the swords in his hands in the air to show dominance. Chester had two surprisingly deep cuts in his chest – considering how he had only been hit with wood – not metal, his shirt was once again ruined, and his scars from his face with the not-talking bear had torn, more blood was pooling onto his face and torso.

“You know what? I actually do. Hotter than you, anyway. You not only suck at drinking, you suck at fighting, too.” Chester spoke, his words held a quiet rage. He vanished, and appeared in the air – leaping at Isaac, his leg outreached – Isaac slashed at him, unleashing the cross-cut technique from earlier again.

X Marks the Spot

Bacardi Bullet

The two drunks attacks collided, dust flying everywhere in the large room, the entire room shook under the impact. As the dust settled, Chester was bleeding from his leg, and splinters from the wooden swords laid everywhere. Isaac's limp body was inside of the armory, one leg in the opening. “You dead?” Chester asked.

“No..” Isaac responded, melancholy in his words:

“Whatever.” The pirate responded.

“ I can't believe this.”

“That you'd lose? That's twice to me.” Chester said, turning away from Isaac.

“No.”

“I can't believe that I'll have to do this against a nobody like you.” He was no longer laying in the doorway, Chester was walking out of the room, he really needed a drink now. “Stop.” Isaac commanded, and Chester's feet stopped. “What the hell do you want?” He asked, angered, clenching his fist. Behind him, he saw Isaac stand, a katana in his hand – one made out of steel.

“I'm a scoundrel – a thief – a thug and a liar. But once upon a time I was a honorable warrior. Donning a metal blade means I have to follow my old ways.” Isaac explained to Chester – for once, he sounded clear, almost sober. He pulled out the blade from it's sheath – it was a very nice katana, very high quality that he had taken out of a locked chest in the armory. He also held two small bottles of alchol in his fingers. He threw one of them to Chester. “Only one of us is going to walk out of here. This is a duel to the death. One about honor, not about money.” Isaac told him.

“One last drink – for one of us.”

Chester drank, without saying a word. Isaac drank half the bottle, before pouring the other half onto his blade. The white haired swordman was serious – focused and surging with deadly instinct.

“I am Isaac Newgate, the Rounin of Redrock. And that shall be the last name you ever hear!”