Taking a deep breath of the sea, the young pirate stretched out her limbs having a basic idea of what to expect. The smell of salt and fish was strong here and as she stood by the docks, Caitlyn came to realize some things. She needed one of those wrist maps that points a Pirate to where they needed to go first, she also needed a boat, she needed provisions for said boat, she needed belli’s for said boat and provisions, and most important of all: a crew for said boat.

“Welp, can’t exactly go home now crying to mother now can we?” She asks wryly to the waves which naturally didn’t have anything back to say to the girl who had thought to come out here without any other thought than: ‘get out there, become Queen of the Pirates, then reveal my parentage’. Not much of a plan that, especially as the Age of Pirates was now getting its momentum back once more.

She could always see if there were ships hiring crew of course. She scrunched her nose as her spirit recoiled at the idea. Go at this all out, or not at all it seemed to say. Then she grinned. What other way to become a pirate than to steal all of the things she needed? Including that boat! With that plan in mind, she first sought out those wrist maps.

Location - Loguetown - Before they set sail for the Grandline

"Ah, it has truly been ages since I had a motivation like this. Years of pirating have returned me to the beginning of my first novel. 'The Brilliant Gold Roger' written by 'the equally brilliant Nikko.'" The writer stood at the helm of his ship, and could do nothing about his smile. It had been too long since he'd been allowed to participate in his personal hobbies. And his crew, despite a bit annoyed that their captain had taken them from their usual poaching grounds in the Grand Line, had returned them all the way to the East Blue for another book. Sure, he'd done it before, but most of them hadn't joined the crew yet when he wrote his first novel.

Nikko though, was obsessed once more. "Now, Luffy didn't rob anybody here, but rather he destroyed the execution platform. I don't have lightning like he did, but I can easily set it on fire. So, while the rest of you can go onto the island and do as you wish, don't do anything to get yourselves sent to the execution platform. I plan to destroy it. It's the only way I can really share empathy with great pirate king, Luffy."
"Boss, you really can't get empathy for somebody by burning stuff..." One crew member mumbled as the captain of the Red Lion pirates swanned about on the deck of his ship.
"Nonsense, Shigeuchi knows exactly how I feel." Nikko retorted, naturally referring to his First Mate. Well, his father's first mate, and now his. He'd have to visit his father at Impel Down again one of these days.

With that said, the ship rocked as it finally made dock, and the crew of nearly a hundred pirates shared smiles. One by one, they began to move into Loguetown. Snatching a necklace, threatening somebody in a back alley, or just causing general trouble. While their Captain, the glorious Nikko, turned his eyes down the main road, and began to follow the notes he had amassed. He was going to burn the whole city to the ground, in emulation of Luffy's own action. And once he was done...

He'd return to the Grand line, and continue his novel there.

Brilliant.

The gentle swaying of the ocean waves rocked the little dingy like a baby's cradle, stings of herds, drying in the sun,tied to the mast bobbing in time like a mobile hanging over the weathered man sprawled across the hull of boat. His formal shirt beneath his doctor's coat, both worn and stained by ocean spray and the beating sun.

A sudden bump and grinding sound startles his awake, jumping up to get a face full of pungent herb, flailing as attempts to gain his bearings. The boat beneath his feet suddenly very still despite the churning and sloshing in head. He takes a moment to ponder whether this was because of how long he had been out to see since fleeing the Navy, dehydration, the rum that likely contributed to his dehydration, sunstroke, and/or moderate starvation. He lifts his little wooden medicine cabinet upright, opening a small drawer to pull out a root, clinching it between his back teeth before slinging the wooden box over his shoulder and putting his arms through the leather straps. He surveys the scene around himself as he picks up with lines of herbs, absentmindedly nawing on the root. It had all the taste and texture of an old leather boots that had been overcooked in the sun, but it had enough nutrition to keep him alive for this long.

Come to think of it, he hadn't expected to survive this long...he half expected to die in the process of getting the Navy off of his home island, even then he hadn't expected to get away. Only supplies he had were what he could scrounge up in the night. Least he had the where-with-all to steal the money from the dead Mariner's pockets. He grin at the prospect of an actual meal as he scratches his shabby beard, "I guess I'm a pirate,now," he States with a resigning chuckle, hopping off the little boat, leaving it ground into the beach as he made his way into town.

It wasn’t every day that an Assassin and a Courtesan met, and it wasn’t every day for that Courtesan to ask to bring back a target to her side ALIVE no matter what happened. It peaked the Assassin’s curiosity but she went out, having been paid her due, and went to seek out this wayward sheep that left its hill.

It took a couple of days, a lot of veiled threats, and wrong directions for her to finally get to the docks and seek out her target. Wait. Wrong word here, she was quite certain of that since her job was to bring back the girl alive. Goods? Nope. Sounded like she planned on selling the girl. And as her mother had been near the Alabastan palace at one point, that would be a detriment that idea. Then girl. She’d settle on ‘girl’. There were lots of people going to and fro, but it shouldn’t be hard to notice a white curly haired girl in this crowd certainly.
“The girl looks exactly like me only younger.” The mother had told the Assassin. So when she spotted a dirty white haired girl surrounded by a crowd doing...tricks...with water, Lexi was understandably very perplexed. These sorts of things she probably learned while watching the other ladies of the night no doubt, but how was...Caitlyn keeping the water as solid as it appeared? It was almost impossible if not for the fact staring right back at the Assassin.
”Holy stars. She ate a devil fruit.” Lexi murmured to herself shocked. This catching and apprehending thing might have gotten that much harder to pull off. Especially if she was a Pharmacia now.

“Just let him do his thing. It’s a waste of time trying to talk sense into him.” Shigeuchi descended the gangplank, stepping onto solid land for the first time since leaving the Grand Line, and looked around the bustling port of the infamous Loguetown. This was where Roger began and ended his journey, becoming Pirate King somewhere in the middle, and it was also where Luffy’s journey began according to some; it was where he first drew the world’s eyes to himself anyway. It was also where Nikko began and ended his first novel and where he planned to start his next one.

The captain dismissed the crew, as he usually did whenever they reached port, before diving nose first into his notebook. Shigeuchi grabbed one of the crewmembers as they walked past him, placing a hand on his shoulder to bring him to a stop and consequently stopping everyone else behind him as well. “Hold on. Before you all run off, you guys unload the treasure we got during the last raid and try to fence it in the city; not all of it, we don’t have time, but as much as you think you can manage. The rest of you head into town and buy supplies; Captain’s about to cause enough trouble we’ll be running all the way back to the Grand Line in a hurry, so this is the last chance we’ll have for a while.”

As the group dispersed, some to have fun and others to help keep the ship running, Shigeuchi turned to follow Nikko down the main road towards the centre of town and the execution platform that was the end of one Pirate King and the beginning of another. There was a poetry to it that wasn’t lost on Shigeuchi, though he didn’t have quite the same appreciation for such things as his captain did. Rather, it was a continuous point of annoyance that the boy preferred following the footsteps of other pirates instead of making his own. “Have you ever..." Here we go again; despite telling the crew not to try and talk sense in Nikko he was about to try doing the same thing. Again. "Have you ever considered making your own story, instead of writing about someone else’s? Why write about the last Pirate King when you could become the next one?”

@Reflection

Location - Loguetown - Before they set sail for the Grandline
@King Cosmos

His pen was in his hands. Already making notes of the walk up the pathway. The long shadow of the execution platform lay before him, and Nikko had to pause. As he stood there in the shadow, he had to take a moment to write the opening line to his novel. The second in his series of great pirates. As pen met paper...

The beginning of the journey is the end of somebody else's adventure. Wherever you step, you are stepping on land already traveled. Perhaps that is why the Pirate King Luffy found himself much like Roger. Old enemies on either side, but were one journey ended alone before a great crowd... Luffy was not alone. The wooden supports of the execution platform had rotten, while the pirate king to be had found new supports in the pirate crew he had found. A-

He was interrupted from his writing by Shigeuchi... The Red Lion looked up from his notebook, and turned his gaze to his right, where his eyes met with the other pirate.

"Have you ever considered making your own story, instead of writing about someone else’s? Why write about the last Pirate King when you could become the next one?”

There was a pause, as silent wheels ran through the captain's head. His gaze matched Shigeuchi's for the longest time. His first mate, who had seen him through far too many trials. Mostly in the sense of 'No I don't want to start a fleet like my dad' only to end up starting a single boat because they keep burning down the old ones. It's an interesting relationship.
"Oh right, I didn't tell you about that, did I?" Nikko said, finally breaking a silence that might have gone on forever. He then reached into one of several pockets on his vest, and pulled from it the most neatly folded piece of paper ever seen. Cared for, and protected despite the date marking back nearly a decade. As it was unfolded, it became more and more clear as an article from a newspaper. One of the few notable ones that managed to break the boundaries between islands. "Ahem... Let me read a review written by a... E. Oda. It's probably my favorite review on my novel."

"Ahem... 'The glee that the author has when following in the footsteps of...' I skipped ahead a little, to get to the important parts. 'The glee that the author has when following in the footsteps of Gold Roger is felt in every sentence of this bloated novel. So much is said in a fanboyish charm that one can forget how otherwise uninformed the writing truly feels. Great detail is etched into each of Roger's actions, but the author fails to ask the question 'why must Roger make these choices?' He is addicted to the Pirate King, but does not understand the Blah Blah Blah and in short does not understand the most fundamental part of Roger's character. That part is 'What must the stress of being a king do to a man that makes him do such things.' This failure to understand Roger's position leads to a biography that reeks not of understanding, but fanb- BLAH BLAH BLAH!"
In a flash, it was folded back up, and Nikko returned to a smile that said 'nothing is wrong.' But there really was something wrong.

"That was the ONLY negative review my biography ever received. Out of hundreds of reviews, critical and fan-made, I have been lauded as a genius. But, because I did not understand 'what it meant to be a pirate king' my novel was shunned by one particular critic!" Where it not for his overall calm appearance, one might think he was mad. He was mad, of course. "So, I have made quite a few plans. Not only will I be writing a new biography on the Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy, but I will be doing so with the exact insight I lacked last time."
That folded paper began to burn, and that ash fluttered away into the air.


Behind him, the execution platformers rotten boards began to creak. A heat having caused the boards to expand. A heat that radiated from Nikko's body. Then, once the heat had groan too intense, the rotten boards could not handle the strain. Cracking, and finally erupting into a blaze of light. A crackling bonfire suddenly shooting up the sides of those boards, and turning the platform into a pyre. A blazing light that shone in the center of Loguetown. Marking the eyes of all, and drawing attention to the two pirates who stood there. It was a romantic vision. Two men illuminated by the burning throne of pirate kings.

"Now, we're going to Alabasta. I recall that Pirate King Luffy traveled there with a princess, fought a pirate, and then stopped a bomb from blowing up the city. I need to see that city destroyed by the blast of a bomb, otherwise I cannot visualize the force of such an action in my head."
There was... Something cruel in the way he said that. Perhaps he was just taking his new novel a bit further. "Though, I suppose we can hold the city for ransom, and then blow them up anyway after we're paid."

“Not quite what I had in mind but…” Shigeuchi looked up at the burning platform, the musty, rotting wood going up in seconds when subjected to the heat of Nikko’s Devil Fruit ability. “I guess this is a good start.”

Shigeuchi had long thought that Nikko had the potential to be one of the great pirates of the age, something he had tried to foster in the brat for years now to little success. He had an incredible Devil Fruit ability, one of the strongest Shigeuchi had ever seen, he had pedigree in being The Golden Lion’s son and he had a determination, or perhaps a better word would be obsession, which would let him reach any goal he set for himself. More than that however there was just something about him, a presence that made him seem larger and more there than others. It wasn’t always there, but Shigeuchi caught glimpses every now and then.

The only problem was that Nikko… was Nikko. He was more interested in his writing than anything else and while that might occasionally lead him to pretend to be a pirate every now and then, the writing was always his priority. Their first journey together had been one with the aim of researching the life and career of Gol D. Roger and any piracy they committed along the way was only done coincidentally for the most part; stealing and raiding when they needed something and fighting when Nikko went too far. The marines were more annoyed with the contents of his novel than any crimes he might have committed. Now this journey looked to be the same, but instead of just following the footsteps of the last King they were going to be walking them as well.

Not exactly what he meant by ‘making your own story’, but it was sure to lead to big things nonetheless.

When Nikko spoke about going to Alabasta, to visit the city where Luffy had defeated one of the Shichibukai, and said that he needed to see the city destroyed so that he could relive what Luffy must have felt in that moment, Shigeuchi saw another glimpse of that presence. He’d been part of Shiki the Golden Lion’s crew. He’d seen Whitebeard and even Roger himself during battles fought against their fleets. He’d met pirates and marines both who would go on to do great, terrible, huge things with their lives. They all had the same feel to them, the same intensity, the same presence that Nikko did right now.

Shigeuchi turned away from the burning platform. The crowd of onlookers seemed frozen in place by something, a spectre of the past perhaps? At the back of the plaza he could see the first marines rushing down the main road, encountering the civilians and trying to push their way through to reach them; they’d have to fight their way back to the ship. The first mate of the Red Lion pirates drew he sword. “To Alabasta then.” To Alabasta and beyond. To Impel Down and Marineford. To Fishman Island and Wano. To the New World and all the way to the end of the Grand Line.

For someone who only wanted to write a book, sure did act like his father at times.

@Reflection

Alabasta Docks

Caitlyn heard the soft words as if from nowhere, and it was only her training that she got from her mother (to if not follow in her career than to be proficient at it) that kept her head snapping up. She did look over the crowd bending over her knees to provide some children cold drinkable water that they cried for in delight. She could tell something dangerous was close if not specifically where. ”So good at hiding.” She muttered to herself in thought and several ideas popped into her head but there were two distinct possibilities that made sense. A pick pocket. Or a killer. So which one was it?

Not thinking much about her plan, she picked up the belli’s she’d earned with her small tricks, and smashed her hand on her little stage creating a large splash creating a distraction. Yes, she was learning just how far these odd abilities gave her, but she was her father’s daughter, and was very clever. She may not know these streets as well as her home town’s, but she had a few days to get acquainted with these streets. She just needed to steal a ship, so she had to stay close by.

That brat! Just her luck that the girl had somehow known that not only someone was there, but for what reason. Lexi knew how to look for people without others knowing you were doing it, and Caitlyn had done so, very aptly she was forced to admit.

Lexi took in a breath and made her way after the direction the girl had dashed to, after creating that huge splash. What kind of fruit had she eaten? What else other than creating and controlling water could the girl do? Then other good questions popped into the assassin’s head. Was it ALL water? Most everything in this world had water in it. Even poisons were sometimes liquid. Hell the human body was made mainly by it. How dangerous could this girl be now?
”You seem very dangerous. And I could use some dangerous gals in my crew. Wanna come with me?” Lexi tilts her head up to see the girl whom she’d been ‘following’ seeing Caitlyn grin cheekily at her. A flash of a picture of a wanted poster with that same grin popped into her head. It was at least a decade old or something, and the man had died a bloody and horrible way. She shook her head figuring she got that wrong somehow.
”What makes you think you can afford me?” Lexi retorted, making Caitlyn giggle.
”Cause. I’m gonna be Queen of the Pirates, and find Luffy’s treasure!” Caitlyn exclaimed her eyes glimmering with the fever of dreams.

The scruffy old doctor stumbles through the sand up to the road, he had been rowing for several days and the tiny boat he had didn't offer much opportunity to stretch ones legs, he was a bit out of practice with walk. He looks around, dammit, there was always one near the port, some sort of bar or pub full of old salts where he could find a ship to get on that wasn't liable to capsize with a slight bit of chop. He pats down his pockets, pulling out a tin case, flipping it open for a hand rolled cigarette. Lighting it up, this wasn't your normal leaf, but a strong herb with muscle relaxing properties, though is anyone else were to take a drag they would end us a wet noodle, he had built up a tolerance. Considering recent events, rough sees, paddling for miles, and uprooting his entire life, he could use a bit of relaxing. He shoves his hands into his pockets, keeping the money he had close at hand in case of pickpockets, and the modified surgical knives at the ready. Listened close, following the sound of glassware and jaw waggling, ducking into an open door frame to a dark room smelling of smoke and booze. Taking a seat at the bar, "A bottle of grog and something that's warm and use to be walking." He had enough of dried rations and cold fish.

Location - Alabasta - Port District
@King Cosmos

Alabasta. The land of the desert. The pirate crew of the Red Lion Pirates gazed down upon that endless desert, and whispered to themselves. Astonished by the size, the lengths, and the howling storms of sand that rushed across the surface of the island. Anybody else might forget about the ocean beyond the sand, but not the pirates who could see the island from the ocean. That, and they were so above the island that they could see the ocean in the distance.

Because the Red Lion's ship, the Golden Lion MK II did not sail like other pirate ships. No. That was absurd. How else would they have gotten to Loguetown if they had completed the full trip through the grandline required to do such a thing? Nikko had taken a page from his father's book, which involved a flying ship. Now, he couldn't control the ship like his father with the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, but he had other means to make a ship fly. In particular, he was an exploding sun that never rested.

Literally.

The ship used several hot air balloons, with a rigging system just in case one or another was broken. From the captain's seat in the center of the flying ship, Nikko sat on a throne. Around him where various pipes that led to the many balloons, and he sent heat to each in order to control the vessel's height, speed, and other factors. Though, at the moment, the heat of that chamber could boil a man alive, resulting in Nikko having to use a computer system to communicate with his crew.

"Boss, Alabasta is in view!" One of the voices said, as his visage appeared on one of the multiple monitors Nikko used to keep an eye on things.
"Thank you dear... Floyd. You're doing a great job. If you can, gather the men to make sure the rest of our plans are ready. We're going to be replicating Luffy's time on Alabasta on a tight schedule, and I need it to be as accurate as possible. That means, bomb, captive princess, and we're going to be so busy setting it all up." Nikko sighed as he stretched back on his make-shift throne. The temperature slowly dropping as the ship descended downwards. It's shadow drifting over Alabasta, as finally it made water. The vessel shaking as balloons were retracted back into the vessel proper. Already plans were in motion.
__________________________________________________
Several minutes later...

Nikko stepped from the metal room in the center of the vessel, wiped his brow and smiled.
"Now, some crew shall stay on board, and the others shall begin work on their various parts. Squad A, shall join me and Shigeuchi on the island. The second team... Squad B, shall be setting up in Alubarna, as we discussed earlier." Nikko explained to the surrounding crew he had gathered. So many pirates under his lead, just to recreate a scene for a book. Naturally, it was only that to Nikko. He let them plunder as they wished otherwise, as long as it didn't ruin his scene.
"According to my research, the pirate Crocodile was aiming to get his hands on the secret weapon, Pluton. While Pluton's plans are no longer a thing, as you will read in my chapter regarding Water 7 and the Pirate Franky, it is not a complete loss. Rather we'll just fudge some of the showing and merely make it a classic hostage situation. You dig?" Nikko already knew the details. He just needed the raw emotion that came with a city in peril to write his novel. Anything else would just... Be a side benefit. Though he'd probably grill the Queen Vivi for more... Information later.

As the boat pulled into harbor, and anchor was set down...

Nikko the Red Lion stepped onto the shores of Alabasta, and thus the plan was set into motion. "Shigeuchi, we have some time to kill before Squad B is ready. Would you like to get a drink or something before we make our move on the palace? We're working in broad strokes here."

”Now THAT is a ship worth stealing!” Caitlyn declares as she and her assassin First Mate watched the ship full of balloons dock ship. Lexi’s eyes were more astute and sharper than Caitlyn’s though.
”It belongs to the flamboyant looking one, with the long hair and spectacles. Plus it and it’s captain are on wanted posters, which you should have studied more. That is the Golden Lion Mark II if I’m not mistaken.”
”What if we painted the figure head red?” Chuckled the girl. Lexi just shook her head. The young and the foolish. She hadn’t had the chance to be either, but recognized it here. ”So whose the bookish Captain miss know it all?”
”His work on writing about Gol D Roger’s time is infamous according to some. What?” For there was an odd look to the girls face, which she wiped off unconvincingly. ”So. If I’m partial to guessing, I would say he’s recreating Luffy’s adventures now too.” Sigh. “Which means the young prince is in trouble.”
”So that puts us in Luffy’s shoes and kicking their asses! Sweet! I get to put my tomboy fighting skills to the test. Let’s follow them!” And that said, Caitlyn jumps down from the observation spot they’d spied the Red Lion’s ship, and went to see which way these ruffians were going.

>>Currently, at the docks at Alabasta<<

"Ahhhh...its such a bother..." Jōichirō said, trudging along the banks of Sandora river towards Alubarna. "Its so hot here too...ahhhhhh...." Jōichirō sighed. Looking up, there was nothing but blue skies, a scorching sun, and endless sand. He might as well have locked himself in a hot cell in a marine jail somewhere. At least there he might get some water or something...

Alas, here he is, in Alabasta, looking for a way to gain the freedom he so desired...

There are ships, somehow, within his view. Even though he might not be able to man an entire ship by himself, it might be better than to simply walk to exhaustion and die of dehydration in this desert. He spots a ship, and approaches, trying to commandeer it for his own use...

@ladyonyx04

Alabasta

The former captain of the Black Dragon Pirates, feared throughout the West Blue, sat hammered at a bar listening with increasing impatience to another drunk narrate his whole life.

"We came to...shis island you shee. But it washnt no island, no shir. It wash..."

Balthier sighed. He came for information, not to listen to this old fart spin yarns.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure the goldfish was huge." He interrupted with a wave of his hand. He leaned in closer and said in a low voice. "Now, why don't you tell me a little story about a certain ship that docked here about a month ago. Pirate ship, big one. Lots of cannons. Dragon Skull flag. The Nidhogg. Ring a bell?" The alcohol that warmed his belly goaded him to simply beat the information out of the man. He ignored it. There was a heavy Marine presence here today. Several ships where docked here to resupply on their way to the Grand Line. Much as it chafed at him, he had to lay low.

At mention of the ship, recognition slowly dawned in the grey-haired and balding man's eyes and fear tore through his drunken haze. He paled and the flagon in his hand began to shake. "Ah uh, 'm not s-sure what you mean, young man. M-m' memory 's not what it used to be." He started edging away, his eyes flicking around the room.

Balthier smiled and leaned back as the sweet scent of fear filled the area.

"A-anyway. Need to get home. The missus uh...that is she don't like me stayin out drinkin too late." He tossed a handful of beli on the counter. "Here ya go, this round and the next on me." He scuttled out the door with surprising coordination.

Balthier watched him go over the rim of his flagon. Not an unexpected reaction, though a bit inconvenient. He was hoping the man had been too drunk to put two and two together. He'd deal with him in a moment. But first, since he had been so kind to buy a round...

"Hey! Bartender! Get me some of your top-shelf stuff!"

---

About an hour later, Balthier came stumbling out of the bar, head buzzing pleasantly. The bar had been a shithole, but the owner really knew his drink. That had been some really good booze. Maybe it was the drink, or maybe his nose was still clogged with all the gag-worthy smells that hung around a seedy bar. Whatever it was, he didn't notice the smell of anticipation and barely constrained bloodlust until there was a click of a pistol and he found himself staring down the bore.

Oh.

He slowly slid his eyes pass the gun to the man holding it. Small wire glasses, plain hair, plain eyes, plain face, five-foot two. Absolutely nothing remarkable about him. Which, in a way, was remarkable. Balthier knew him. "Oh hey hic Taliesin. Is that a gun in your hand or are you just happy to see me?"

"Save it, Syd. By tomorrow, your bounty will be paying off my tab." Several more bounty hunter emerged from their hiding places. At least six on the rooftops with rifles, two brandishing swords and pistols to the north and south, and a big brute grinning and cracking his knuckles squeezed his way out of the bar's doorway behind him. Finally, cowering in the darkness nearby was the same old man who had rushed out earlier.

Balthier calmly straightened and looked around at the assembled mob. "Are these the new hires?" He asked calmly as he pulled off his coat, and folded it over his arm, his movements slow as not to provoke his captor.

Taliesin snorted, sharp eyes following his every more. "In this economy, everyone's looking for part time work. Now, come quietly, or we'll have Marines swarming us in no time. Then we'll have to kill you, and that would be such a pity."

Balthier grinned at him. "The poster does say 'dead or alive' so why not just shoot me and be done with it?"

Taliesin smiled back. "Because I believe in maximizing profit. Two birds with one stone and all that. And, I'll be doing you a favor. So, before we turn you in, how about you tell us everything you know about the Black Dragon pirates and where we might find them."

Balthier barked out a rough laugh. "Thank the gods for the greed of men. If you somehow manage to kill that treacherous worm, Alistair, I'd gladly go with you and sleep peacefully."

Taliesin lowered his gun. "I'm glad you could see reason."

"But. There are some on my crew I still care for. As Captain, I can't let you harm them."

Behind his glasses, the bounty hunter's eyes widened. He brought his pistol up. "Fi-"

Balthier transformed. In a fraction of a second, his body grew in size. Muscles bulged as his body changed shape, his skin rippled and peeled as black and purple scales formed. Horns grew from his head and down his body, tearing though his shirt. Fangs like daggers grew from his jaw, which shifted and stretched as the bones rapidly changed shape. From his back, burst might wings, topped with wicked spears of bone, fully destroying his shirt. A long, sinuous tail swayed from side to side, helping him balance as his legs became digitigraded, ending in massive talons. Each of his fingers lengthened, the nails growing in length until he bore five razor-shape claws.

"-re!"

Guns roared as they unloaded bullets into the monstrous form where the man had been seconds before. Sparks flew as the bullets ricochet harmlessly, though he twitched his head to the side as one quite nearly took him in the eye. It stung, and produced a trickle of hot blood. Balthier wasn't worried about the men. He could easily take on several times their number, especially if they didn't have Haki, as these poor saps clearly didn't.

Taliesin was a different story. The man was a crack shot with any firearm and very very dangerous. He had no devil fruit powers and yet he had taken down scores of pirates who did. Those who underestimated him rarely got a chance to see the error of their ways. He had been hounding after Balthier off and on for nearly three years. The pirate was heartily sick of running into him.

If he stood and fought now, the Marines would be all over them. Worse, there was a very good chance Taliesin would be able to kill him.

He surged forward in a blur of movement, fainted left, then pulled right as another volley exploded in the night. Most of them went clear, save one, which knocked scales from the side of his neck. Taliesin backed up slowly and calmly took aim again.

Balthier ended his dash right next to the old man. "You're coming with me." He leapt into the air, then snached the man in his talons. He screamed in terror as beat of his powerful wings pushed them both toward the sky.

Below, he could hear Taliesin's voice ordering his men not to shoot. They didn't want to accidentally hit the old man he thought with satisfaction. As soon as that thought crossed his head, a sharp pain in his wing followed a gunshot. A small hole, trailing blood appeared in the membrane. Damn that Taliesin. Putting as much force into his wings as possible, he fled into the night.

---

Once he was reasonably sure he was out of range, Balthier angled his flight toward a precipice. The old man clutched in his claws was still gibbering away. He dropped the man on the edge before landing himself. Quick as a flash, he seized the man by his shirt and held him out over the abyss. "I'm out of time and I'm out of patience. The dragon growled. "Tell me about the Nidhogg or I drop you."

The man struggled futilely. "The Grand Line!" He shouted. "The Grand Line! T-they went to the Grand Line! He said something about stopping in Alabasta! Please that's all I know!" Tears and snot streamed down his face. Balthier shook him once, pops from the seams in his shirt tearing could be heard.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I don't know! I just didn't want to go to that cursed place. Please...have mercy captain."

"No mercy was afforded me when you sided with him and left me on that godforsaken island. So why should I give you any?"

"P-pluheesh...mershy..." He sobbed.

For the briefest second, Balthier seriously considered dropping the poor bastard. Do it. Came the whisper.

But the rage left him. With a careless toss, the threw his former crewmember on the ledge. "Find your own way down." He told him. Then he leapt off the ledge, talking flight and headed back toward town.

Alabasta Kingdom. It was a very long way away. Why was that crazy bastard going to the Grand Line? Could he really be after the One Piece, first hid by Roger, then Luffy? He always did have a fasciation, nay, obsession with those old legends. Always chivvying him to set sail after it. Balthier didn't really see the point. With Marines focused on the Grand Line, pickings were good elsewhere. A man didn't need legendary wealth to be wealthy. Or world wide fame to be notorious.

But that was for another time. For now, his main goal was to catch Alistair and strangle the life from him with his bare hands.

Alabasta

---

Balthier crashed-landed on an outcropping of rock. Not his finest moment. He rolled a pace before coming to a stop, his dragon form dropping. He lay there, staring up at the sky, breathing heavily. Flying, he found out, in the Grand Line was risky. It's unpredictable weather and tempestuous seas meant that flying took a lot of effort, severely cutting the distance he could travel. He'd been able to get a ship near Reverse mountain, but as the crew was unwilling to go further, he'd had to fly on his own up the mountain. He'd been prepared with good information and a log poise, but along the way here, he had also managed to get his claws on an eternal pose for Alabasta.

He'd ship-and-island hopped, avoiding Marines and Bounty Hunters alike. This last flight had been the longest yet, over turbulent seas and through tornados and storms. Sleet and hail, lightning and rain, and weirder things: massive gysers out of nowhere, blood-sucking birds, an island that spun like a top. Here on the Grand Line, it seemed to him like logic was a thing that's only purpose in existing was to be soundly ignored.

His thoughts whirled like the birds overhead. He groaned, every muscle in his body aching. He was going to lie here for a while, rest his body.

Then maybe find a drink.

A few minutes later, he found himself standing outside a bar, realizing he was completely broke. "Damn. Change of plans."

He began walking away. He had to find someone who saw where Alistair had gone. More than likely, he had missed him, but it wouldn't hurt to check the docks for the Nidhogg. If she was here, his search would be over. He set his steps through the sandy streets toward the docks.

Alabasta was, Shigeuchi quickly decided, far too hot for his liking; the sun too harsh, the wind too dry and the desert too endless. That might sound strange coming from a man who served as first mate to a living sun, but where Nikko simply burned the sun above Alabasta seemed to press down on you instead; an oppressive heat that drained your energy as much as anything else.

“A drink, sure. Nothing like dulling your senses with alcohol before trying to take over a country.” Despite the sarcasm, as Nikko suggested a drink Shigeuchi’s eye drifted over to front entrance of a building that seemed to be a bar judging by the sign over the door and the stream of noise that he could hear even from the ship. He began to walk in that direction, counting on his captain to follow him as he made his way through the crowded docks, weaving past sailors and locals alike until he reached the swinging, saloon style doors and pushed his way through.

The interior was exactly what you would expect from an establishment that mostly catered to mariners, pirates and alcoholics. In other words it was dimly lit, unhygienic and filled with a mixed scent of smoke, stale sweat and saltwater; the clientele looked as hostile as they were drunk and the man behind the bar looked like he could have had a bounty on his head at least as large as his or Nikko’s, which was almost a requirement when it came to keeping a place like this running and in one piece. Shigeuchi approached the bar and got the bartenders attention by placing some belli on the counter. “I’ll take the best bottle of whiskey this’ll buy me.”

As Nikko arrived Shigeuchi turned to him, giving him a considering look for a moment before pouring out a shot of whiskey and drinking it. “This plan… is more ambitious than anything we’ve done before. This is the first step towards becoming a legend instead of just writing about them; are you sure you’re ready for that?” The plan, although just a quick and dirty approximation of the plan Crocodile enacted more than a decade ago, was the kind of thing that made the whole world stop and pay attention to you. Threatening the capital city of a kingdom, kidnapping the royal family and holding them to ransom, especially when that royal family was one with a history like the Nefertari’s, was a big deal to say the least. “How far are you going to take this? Not just here, but the whole journey. Luffy did some amazing things, if you’re planning on recreating all of his actions every step of the way, you may not get chance to publish this book you write.”

@Reflection

Location - Alabasta - Saloon
@King Cosmos-@ladyonyx04

The saloon was... Not what Nikko had meant. He had imagined a nicer restaurant. Maybe stretched out with a fancy goblet, and spending a little cash to soak in all the splendors of Alabasta. But, it made sense that if one was going to enjoy the highs of a land, they should start with the squalor and the lows. So, stepping into the bar, with several other pirates from his crew, he found a large enough table for all of them, with a few moving to their own table.

Following Shigeuchi's lead, Nikko placed several Beli on the bar. "I shall take lemonade." He said. The bartender looked surprised, and then nodded. After all, there was nothing wrong with choosing to be a designated driver, or simply having no interest in alcohol. Though it was more likely that the bartender didn't care. The cup of lemonade slammed down onto the table was... Well it was certainly lemonade. That was about all that could be said in its favor.

“How far are you going to take this? Not just here, but the whole journey. Luffy did some amazing things, if you’re planning on recreating all of his actions every step of the way, you may not get a chance to publish this book you write.”

"Shigeuchi, can you list out for me the number of books banned by the World Government?" Nikko asked, before taking a long sip of his drink. Waiting to see if his first mate could list even one. "And do you know what I realized when I managed to get my hands on those forbidden tomes? Bad books don't get banned. Nobody cares if the story is badly told, or that the spelling is that of a child. Books are banned because they are ideas. Important ones. Ones that challenge what we see as obstacles. Why, in the story 'The King's Fears' which is about a king's paranoia killing the citizens of his kingdom. And the world government watched. Even when they had the means to interfere, or get involved, they didn't. Many died, suffered, and cried as the king's abuse killed their loved ones. Do you know what made the world government get involved at the end? Money. The king wanted to change the exchange rate." There was a pause for dramatic effect. "The government was furious to be portrayed as heartless, and as such the book was banned. And yet, the meaning in those pages stuck with me far longer than anything related to... Whatever drivel wasn't banned at the time."

"I would rather have a banned book, than a book that is safe in the Government's eyes. A book that raises concerns and questions, and pushes people to react. Besides... I have you to protect me. You'll make sure I finish my biography. Well, you and my editor." As he finished, he took another drink of his lemon flavored pig swell, and slammed the glass down. "It's funny... I shall never feel quenched. It's such a shame."

Ending the conversation, there was a tap on the table, turning Nikko's attention to one of the pirates by his side. A turban'd man from one of the Grandline's many islands, and one of the best archers in the Red Lion Crew. "Captain, we were followed. I spotted a girl with white hair and another following us earlier. I suspect they're hoping to try and claim your bounty."
"Ah, that's a shame. Well, they're free to try. Though I suspect we'll only run into weaker foes this early on. Alabasta is a lovely country, but it's not exactly the New World now is it?" Nikko's eyes drifted to the doors, waiting for Caitlyn and Lexi to come barging in.
"So, Shigeuchi, how much do you bet they'll start by trying to deliver a speech about how they're going to bring me to justice? I wager you the usual, one beli."

”Stay here.” Lexi commanded knowing that to the girl who wanted to be Queen of Pirates, that would rub the wrong way. ”You stick out like a sore thumb with your Snow White hair and sea like eyes. Just stick to the shade for now. I’m more suited to sneaking than you will ever be.” And with that, the Assassin began to blend with the crowd of people figuring that with Cat’s (a nickname Lexi had heard the mother told her) coloring that the Captain of the Red Lions knew by now he’d been followed. She didn’t barge into the bar, sneaking behind a bigger man to slink inside, and sit near enough to the Captain and yet far enough to not be considered suspicious. She did touch the various weapons on her person though, being certain she could take out nearly everyone there if she had half the mind to do so.

”Should I dye my hair?” Caitlyn frowns gently at the white tresses she held in her fingers, staying in the shadows letting the power of the mysterious fruit hide her. If she could control it to the degree she already could, she figured she could blend in with any environment like most water poured. She could help the Assassin, but knew Lexi was right. She was more used to sneaking.
”And I used to live in a house where all you could do was sneak to avoid being caught going out and having fun.” She muttered to herself getting a bit bored the more time passed by.

She was concentrating on making the water in the air condense and disappear in the air when she ‘felt’ something new cross her warning system. A new pair of footsteps.
”Can’t be too abnormal. We are close to the dock. But what is it?” She felt as if something fascinating was getting ever closer.

>>Docks of Alabasta<<

Walking over, Jōichirō spotted some ships. " I'll take one of these and sail out of here before I die of dehydration..." He said, as he made his way around the docks. Sure, he had some berris with him, and he really should spend them on more essential things. But for the time being, some sort of beverage was deemed as essential.

Making his way into a bar, he carefully made his way around the doors, making sure not to clip the doors with the scabbards of his swords. Sure, these swords are not named, but to him, they are quite valuable. He did forge them himself after all. "Oi, Inn Keep! Give me the coldest pint you have!" He called out, dropping a few coins onto the counter as payment.

Of course, the Inn keep delivered his drink to him without much of a word and took the coins before walking away. Spotting a flamboyant guy with red hair chatting with an old guy with an eye patch, he quickly decided that these guys should either already have a ship or know their way onto one. So. staying a small distance away, he tried to pry some information about them by listening to the contents of their conversation...

@King Cosmos@Reflection

Shaking his head Shigeuchi poured out another measure of whiskey, his earlier comment about getting drunk apparently forgotten as he downed the shot and immediately refilled the glass. “I’m not talking about the book being banned; we both know it’s going to be banned and I know that’s not going to stop you. I’m talking about you getting us all killed when you try and attack Impel Down for chapter whatever of your story…” The pirate paused at this point, glass raised halfway to his lips as he remembered why Luffy went to Impel Down in the first place; to save his brother, according to the stories at least, who had been arrested and was scheduled for execution.

His brother, who happened to be Ace of the Whitebeard pirates, whose capture led to the Battle of Marineford between the Whitebeard pirates and the Marines, the death of Whitebeard and the rise of Blackbeard, and a shifting around of the members of the Shichibukai. It was arguably one of the three most important moments in pirate history, along with Roger’s death and Luffy finding One Piece, with Whitebeard’s dying words kick starting the second golden age of piracy. Luffy was at the centre of all of it, not yet a household name like the Yonko or the Shichibukai but someone with a growing reputation and the world’s eyes on him at that moment.

Before all that however was Impel Down. The not-yet-Pirate King broke into the most infamous prison in the world, defeating the supposedly invincible warden and freeing a number of high profile prisoners all in an attempt to rescue a family member.

Shigeuchi gave his captain another wary glance, gears turning as he tried to somehow read his mind and find out if he was planning what Shigeuchi was afraid he was planning, if he had even planned that far ahead at all. Eventually he gave up, closing his one eye and shaking his head; if it came to that he would just have to adapt to it and do his best to keep the brat alive, just like he said.

“Roger, Whitebeard, Shiki, Luffy; you're heading down the same road as them, even if your just trying to follow their footsteps. Just tell me you’re taking this seriously and that’ll be enough for me.” Being first mate was always more trouble than being the captain.

At the mention of being followed, Shigeuchi’s eye began to move around the room, head still pointing forward as he tried to surreptitiously scan the room without alerting whoever was following them that they had been made. It took three passes before he noticed her, but eventually he saw a scrawny young woman in dark clothing sitting a few tables away; she didn’t draw any attention to herself and managed to blend into her surroundings quite well despite not looking like the kind of clientele this dive usually catered to. If he hadn’t been told to be on the lookout for a young woman he might not have spotted her, but once he saw her she stood out from the rest. “Over there; hood, mask, lots of weapons. Doesn’t look like the type to spout off about justice if I had to guess.”

In his searching he had also seen someone else. A man with long hair and strange facial scars standing at a nearby table, trying to listen in to their conversation with much less subtlety compared to the woman in black. It seemed they had attracted a fair amount of attention this time; that tended to happen when you arrived at the docks in a flying ship, but this much focus was still somewhat unusual. Shigeuchi leaned back in his chair, downing the shot he had poured earlier before speaking loud enough to be heard by either of their shadows. “Lots of eavesdroppers today. Maybe we should find somewhere else to drink?”

@Reflection@ladyonyx04@KillBox