[IC] One Piece: The Romance of Blackfin (OPEN)

[Blazion]

”There’s plenty of food if you like the taste of charcoal!” Kailani replied, nearly chirping the words. She wasn’t bothered by the wholesale slaughter or the sight of the bodies, though it was slightly worrisome considering the danger it might present. Still, it seemed like nothing was even moving inside the town, and some of the burn marks were half wiped away – at least a day old. ”Though... unless cake is crispy you’re probably right. Too bad.”

Picking through the remains of Batatoi Island was interesting none the less! There was so many things that Kailani couldn’t even begin to wonder what they were for – charred though they were. Some things just fell apart in her hands. Scarred metal, split wood. It was as though a monster had run through the town and left nothing but a hollow visage in its wake.

It was really neat, actually!

Eventually, not wanting to stray too far from Siobhan just in case whatever happened here came back – Kailani doubted it, considering the signs of time passed since the destruction, but better safe than sorry! - they ended up in the shell of what was once a seemingly large building. Lots of corpses here, though to the sun-kissed girl’s disappointment they seemed just as charred as the rest of them.

”What a waste,” Kailani lamented as she crouched near a small pile of bodies. Her metal-tipped bone-tooth dagger found its way to her hand so that she could dig it into one of the bodies near the top, hoping the seemingly portly corpse hadn’t been completely burned through. Prodding into the incision she had made the jungle girl could only sigh. Nope, not even deeper down into the flesh was it edible.

”So what’s the plan now, Chief? Move on to another town? It looks like someone picked over everything for scraps already, we’re definitely not going to get any use out of anything here.” Oh, shiny. In her stalking around the tavern Kailani happened to kick a small coin, and quickly crouched to pick it up. Brushing off the gleaming silver she appeared quite pleased, quickly pocketing it. No idea what it was for, but it was the only thing she found that wasn’t completely ruined!

”Well, unless you’re taking that love of charcoal to the extreme.”

[Blackstripe]

Siobhan's eyes shifted to Kailani, a brow quirking at the sight of a silver coin and the other woman's apparent interest in it. It was hard not to laugh at how she had stowed it away as if it was something precious. "A hundred beli coin. Guess they didn't get everythin'."

Despite her sarcastic tone, however, she had to admit that Kailani was right. They had pretty much wasted their time coming here...but then, that was also part of adventuring. Not every island they landed on was going to be interesting or useful in their journey, but that just means that they'll learn to appreciate those insane and unpredictable experiences all the more when they do happen!

"Righto, let's head back to the-" Siobhan's words were abruptly silenced when she felt the cold barrel of a rifle press against the temple of her skull.

Her eyes slowly shifting to the side, she was able to take in the visage of the battered and bandaged old man who was holding the gun against her in his ever-so-slightly trembling grasp. "Don't move a single muscle, girl! I won't hesitate to shoot you, even if you're a woman!"

Meeting his gaze with her own, Siobhan noted the mixture of fear and absolute hatred that had consumed those weathered eyes. Her lips slowly turned downwards into a frown as she drew a measured breath to speak. "Oi gramps...if ya don't put that rifle down, then one of us'll get hurt."

"Oh?" He gritted his teeth, those eyes burning with both fury and resolve. "And just who do you reckon that'll be?"

Siobhan's gaze turned cold, her jaw clenching tightly as her knuckles cracked. The old man's trembling became more apparent as his fear reasserted itself. Still, he did not falter as she turned her head to fully face him with emerald eyes marred by webs of red veins. "Me."

"Y-YOU?!" The old man gasped out, his body spasming for the briefest instant, just enough time for Siobhan's hand to lash out and snatch the rifle from his grasp. "O-oh shit...!"

Tossing it casually over to Kailani, the fishwoman incognito smirked to him. "Relax, gramps. We're not with the lot that did this."

The geezer glanced between them suspiciously, his breathing now erratic...likely from having his weapon stolen. "T-then who are you?!"

"I'm Grace D. Siobhan, a pirate!" She introduced herself. "But since there's not much left to pirate here, ya shouldn't be worried."

"Pirates?!" That hatred the man held flashed in his eyes again for another brief moment, before it seemed to vanish as he seemed to deflate. Collapsing to his knees in defeat, his head slumped to the ground. "I...I don't even care anymore. Just do whatever you're here to do."

[Blazion]

”Hi!” Offering a slight wave to the old man that had suddenly appeared, Kailani seemed quite content to watch how he and Siobhan interacted, not making a single move to intervene. The old man seemed quite unhappy with their presence, which the bronzed girl didn’t really understand – they were the only things around here that weren’t charred to a crisp! She was happy enough to see him! People here were strange.

Ooh, fancy footwork!

”Nice work, Chief!” Kailani chirped happily, only to make a startled noise at suddenly being tossed the weapon. ”Wuh!” The jungle girl fumbled for a moment to make sure she had it, surprised by the weight of the seemingly slim item.

She was promptly distracted from the conversation the two were having.

Turning the rifle around in her hands Kailani couldn’t help but admire the creation in her hands. It was like a miniature cannon! Metal, with a wood base. These washed ashore sometimes on Pekelo, or were contained in the belts of men who did. Her people learned quickly they were dangerous from the few times it worked. Kailani herself never really got to handle them, so this was exciting!

Maybe the trip here wasn’t a waste!

”Now how do I...” The dark haired girl lifted the gun, making sure to keep the dangerous end pointed away from the two other people in the charred out building. She knew that much from the Island! ”Oh wait, this bit-” A loud bang suddenly sounded out and Kailani stagged back a few paces from the force of the gun, which had easily blown a hole into the blackened wood of the wall.

Lowering the gun Kailani stared at the hole, then raised hand to rub at her shoulder where the butt had rested against. Then shook her head of the ringing in her ears.

”Ow.” Her interest satisfied Kailani casually wandered over to Siobhan, standing beside her boss while casually holding the rifle in two hands once more. Her eyes strayed down to the man, tilting her head slightly. ”Well I mean, I got to try something new, so I pretty much got what I came here to do!” She lifted the rifle in her hands to emphasis her point, her smile absolutely beaming. After a moment a thoughtful look crossed her face however.

”... What happened here, anyway? I wanted to try ‘cake’.”

[Blackstripe]

Siobhan and the old man both flinched when the crack of the gunshot filled the open air, echoing briefly into the distance.

"Well done, ya maggot," Her eyes darted to Kailani in mild irritation, though she nevertheless smiled when the other girl expressed her enthusiasm at having obtained what was surely something new and fascinating for her. It was easy to forget that she came from an island that had been cut off from the outside world for no telling how long. For her, just about everything would be a new discovery, a new adventure!

It made the halfbreed just a little jealous.

"What in the hells is her problem?!" The old man rubbed his ears, seeming to have been briefly shocked out of his melancholy by the sudden discharge of his weapon.

Returning her full attention to the geezer still sitting on the blackened floor, Siobhan offered him a light shrug of her shoulders. "She's an odd one, but I'd appreciate ya answerin' her question."

The old man shifted his ever suspicious eyes between the two girls for a moment, but ultimately sighed in resignation. Slumping forward even further, he raised a hand to gesture at the devastated town. "Blackwell. The King of Batotoi wouldn't pay his 'tax', so he unleashed a damn monster on this town to make him reconsider."

"Monster?" Siobhan cocked her head to the side. "What kind of monster?"

Releasing a bitter chuckle at her words, the man's dark eyes flickered up at her. "It was that demon swordsman, Mushuro Takeuchi! He wiped our defenses out before we could even really know what was happening...but I served in the Marines for nearly twenty years, and I got a good look at him: a pale-faced God of Death he was, just like in the posters that've been going around."

Siobhan's eyes seemed to instantly light up like a pair of emerald suns, her hands lancing out to seize the old man by the scruff of his shirt as she brought him up to eye level. "Seriously?! Where did he go after?!"

Maybe this trip wasn't such a waste after all.

"W-what in-" The old man stammered at her enthusiastic response. "W-why would you ever want to know where he went, 'less it was to stay away from him?! He wiped out this whole town, and would cut you to ribbons in a heartbeat if he caught sight of you!"

Siobhan shook her head frantically. "I need to know, cause that's my future swordsman!"

The old man stared at her like she was insane for what seemed like half a minute before releasing a heavy sigh. "Whatever, girl. It's your life."

[Dblade26]

Onboard the Nathanial Creed
West Blue

Despite the morning sun that now ascended, the room where it was chained always remained dark when nobody was present. Nobody wanted to stay inside with that thing, even if it was chained deep in the bowels of the their mighty galleon. It was one of Blackwell’s secret weapons, a weapon he had entrusted to one of his oldest captains: “Whip Fang” Barca.

Barca was the only member of the crew that didn’t fear the monster known as Mushuro Takeuchi, and it showed in the way the stairs creaked in his ponderous, heavy footsteps. Standing nearly eight feet in height, his physique was stout yet muscular. A simple lantern light dangled from one hand as his feet settled onto the moist hull that separated them from the water by just an inch of wood.

Striding forward towards the stern of the ship, he stopped roughly a foot away from the beast that had ravaged the small town on the coast of Batatoi Island only a couple of days prior. Shoving the light forward slightly so that it would shine in its eyes, he smiled a crooked grin at the chained up swordsman.

“I know you’re awake, Mushuro,” Barca mocked him. “Wiping out that town shouldn’t have exhausted you that much!”

After all, there would always be some fool King that refused to pay his “taxes” and needed a reminder of who ruled West Blue.

Mushuro tried to make a big show of shooting his own predatory grin back at Barca from out of the dark even as the lantern blinded him, trying to focus in on the captain’s voice.

“Y’know, you’re right Barca I’m not that tired. In fact the second I get loose, I’m gonna do the same thing to your ship and crew that I did to that town back there, and every other town you tossed me into, only a thousand times worse. But I tell ya what! I won’t kill you, no way! I’ll save you for last and throw you to a Sea King!”

Mushuro did his best to jerk out of his chains and break free, but his body felt incredibly heavy and impossibly tired, and he was barely able to make them rattle against the anchor he was strapped against.

A rumbling laugh rose from the towering pirate’s throat at this, his head rearing back. “Brahahaha! You may have everyone else here scared shitless, boy, but not me. I know how to control you, and so I suggest you become comfortable with the idea of being Blackwell’s pawn for the rest of your life.”

Mushuro was almost snarling as the big pirate taunted him, straining at his chains at first “You’d better be REAL confident about how tight you’re holding my leash old man because if you slip up even for a second I’ll...I’ll…” Mushuro’s head sagged and his chains went slack. “What is it you even came down here to do, Captain” he spat the title like it tasted poisonous in his mouth “Just taunt me for fun, or what?”

Barca lowered the light slightly at his question, glancing over his shoulder for a brief moment, though the light made it impossible to see what he was looking at. “We’re going to be paying a visit to another island, soon. The Queen of Cheribo Island has announced that she will no longer be paying her protection fee.”

“You get it, right?” Barca quirked a brow, his lips stretching even further into a full on smile. “This is way worse than usual. Most just quietly stop paying. This is a direct challenge to Blackwell, and his spies say she’s amassed her army in preparation to meet us when we come.”

“I won’t do it.” The answer was pretty immediate, though Mushuro dropped his head down to stare at the floor. “Just take the anchor up on deck and throw me overboard already. I said I’m done.” He didn’t expect it to do any good, but it was the answer he’d given the past few times now, before they sent him out.

Barca scoffed at his refusal, finding it entirely pointless in the end. He knew there was nothing he could do about his situation by this point, surely. “Look, boy, we’re going to take you there like we always do, and you’re going to go wild on them. It’s out of your hands. But this time’s also a bit different.”

“You won’t just be facing underprepared townsfolk here, but the entire Royal Army of Cheribo Kingdom,” he explained, spreading his arms as if to illustrate the expanded scope of the coming operation. “There’s a chance you might run out of ‘steam’ before you can work your way through all of them, so I’m asking you to consider what’s best for your future.”

Once more shining the light in his eyes, Barca elaborated. “When the effect wears off, you’ll have already cut your way through a good number of them. If you just sit there, they’ll kill you. But if you instead keep fighting for us, then maybe Blackwell might consider making you more than just the mere tool you are now.”

“Heh. It all makes sense now, I can see it all so clearly...”

Mushuro mustered what little strength he had left to spit in Barca’s face even though he was blinded by the lamp, using the position of the light and the big man’s voice as a guide. “I see that you’re an evil old bastard, and that I’ll be better off dead.”

Barca groaned in frustration at the response, reaching a hand up to wipe away the spit. Shaking his head at the swordsman, he turned away and began to walk back towards the stairs. “Consider it, boy. If nothing else, you’re a useful murderer! Brahaha!”

And Blackwell always needed more of those...

[Blackstripe]

Meanwhile, back on Batotoi Island...

“It’s been about ten years since his reign of terror started,” The old man - named Caleb - explained, having seated himself at a table Siobhan had set upright for him. Finding enough coffee grounds remaining to brew the three of them each a cup, he greedily gulped his down despite the steam that poured off it. “Bueh…”

Leaning back in her chair with her arms folded behind her head, Siobhan quietly listened to the geezer talk about the situation in West Blue. She didn’t like the things she was hearing, mainly because it was hitting just a little too close to home for her liking. ”I heard he was still a slaver, that Blackwell.”

“Oh, he is,” Caleb nodded, downing another mouth-searing glob of the brown liquid. “Took near every man, woman and child that wasn’t killed or wounded in the fighting, if they weren’t too old to be useful to em’…”

The redhead nodded once in response to this, letting her arms briefly fall to her side before she folded them beneath her chest. ”That’s what he does, sure. All slavers, in fairness.”

Caleb grunted his agreement, staring down at what remained of his coffee. “At least we aren’t those fools stuck in Cheribo. Their Queen has practically put the brand to the lot of them already.”

Now this caught the half-breed’s attention, causing her to quirk a brow as she leaned forward. ”Cheribo?”

“Kingdom to the southeast of here,” Caleb explained. “It’s Queen openly declared that she would no longer pay Blackwell’s protection tax. It’s basically the same as challenging his authority here, and bringing attention to how the Marines turn a blind eye to him. S’why I retired.”

Siobhan’s emerald eyes narrowed at this, a smile slowly playing across her lips. ”Then that seems like our best best to catch up to Mushuro!”

The old man practically slapped himself in the face at this, an amusing gesture to observe, to be certain. “You really have a death wish, don’t you girl?”

”If I die, then so what?” Siobhan shot the geezer a beaming grin, hoping up from her table. She hadn’t even touched her coffee, it wasn’t really her thing. ”But I won’t. An’ if that Mushuro’s really a bastard as ya say, I’ll just bury his arse and be done with it!!”

[Blazion]

What in the world was this?

Dark, steaming, with a scent all too familiar to Kailani, just weakened. She had taken the cup of ‘coffee’ with eagerness, but now could only pout down at the beverage. This wasn’t new or exciting at all, they had plenty of this back on Pekelo - under a different name, but still!

It wasn’t even that good, either.

At least she’d have some part of her island out here, when homesickness set in. Right now that was nowhere close to her feelings, considering she hadn’t even been out here for a week. Still, Kailani politely drank the brew, turning her attention to the other two as they talked. She didn’t know enough about these things to make much comment, but like a sponge she absorbed everything said. Even though she had no idea what some of these words meant.

What Kailani did realize though, was that a fire had been lit under Siobhan. They were going to a new town! And if they hurried, before it got a repeat performance of what happened here…

”Cake!” The bronze skinned girl exclaimed, slamming her now empty cup on the table as she jumped up. Her dark lips curled into an eager, almost manic grin. ”Well, what are we waiting for Siobhan?! We have a pirate crew to plun-der!” The still unfamiliar word was a bit stilted on her tongue, but the intent was obvious. Kailani paused only long enough to grab Siobhan’s coffee and down the entire thing before slamming that cup too - no use wasting the energy it provided - before gripping her new weapon. A rifle! What a silly name for such a dangerous weapon.

At the door, Kailani paused.

”... Speaking of dying, you shouldn’t bury Mushuro if you don’t like him. Seriously, what a waste - let me eat him instead. Burying good food...”

[Blackstripe]

“You’re both insane!” Caleb snapped at the two girls, practically jumping from his chair. “Please leave, before you...I don’t know, bring an even worse calamity down upon me!”

Siobhan snickered at this, and offered the geezer a wave as she joined Kailani at the door. ”Cheers! Thanks for the brew!”

They would need to really push themselves to get there, but with her supreme abilities as a navigator behind them, she wasn’t worried! They would beat those pirates there and either take Mushuro from them, or kick his ass if he was just another slaving bag of shit..Either way, she wouldn’t feel like it was a waste of time!

---

Cobblertown, Cheribo Kingdom
Four days later

Welp, this wasn’t how she had hoped things would go. She honestly didn’t think she would have much in the way of trouble, given that she was pretty much an unknown in these parts. Even if this was apparently the largest trading town on the island, she didn’t figure they’d be aware of Grand Line pirates...but this Queen had apparently done her homework.

“Don’t move, you damn pirates!” The Captain of the Guard snarled, his pistol joining the dozens of rifles that had been leveled in their direction.

Siobhan’s eyes darted about the town. It had been swarming with guards when she first arrived, but she didn’t pay them any mind. She figured they were just here to protect the town from Blackwell’s men. Most of them had likewise ignored her, buying her tradeswoman cover story…

But then that annoying Guard Captain showed up.

“The Queen had me memorize several hundred bounty posters in case Blackwell tried to infiltrate us beforehand!” The Guard Captain sneered at her, being only slightly shorter than herself. “You’re ‘Blackfin Siobhan’, aren’t you?!”

She had, of course, worn her scarf and retracted her fin before coming here. That would normally be enough...but this guy apparently had a really great memory! ”I am! News?”

“What?” He blinked in confusion, but didn’t seem to dwell on it. “I am Captain Guntag of the Cheribo Royal Guard. We know we cannot count on the Marines to prosecute anyone working for Blackwell, so I am placing you under arrest on the authority of the Queen!”

Siobhan pinched the bridge of her nose at this, really not wanting to have to beat up a bunch of stupid, horribly misinformed guards over this. ”Ya really think I’m with a slaver? Are ya sure ya know who I am?”

“I know you’re a pirate! That’s all that matters!” He attested, ushering his men closer.

Siobhan balled her fists slightly, her eyes narrowing. For a moment she considered just laying them all out where they stood...but wait.

RIght, she came here specifically to wait for Mushuro Takeuchi to arrive! If she beat up everyone here, then the guys he was sailing with would probably think something was up and not land. Well, maybe. In any case, it wasn’t a risk she cared to take. No, there was a better way to go about this...and boy was she glad that she didn’t need any weapons to fight!

”Fine, ya got me! I surrender!” Siobhan raised her hands with a disarming smile sliding across her lips. ”I’ll go quietly.”

Nodding once, Captain Guntag directed his men to shackle her wrists, one moving to do the same to Kailani.

[Blazion]

How exciting!

This was a town! Full of people, noises, smells. Everything was colorful and built strangely, with odd designs and odder people. For her first time seeing a town off Pekelo Island - well, an intact one - it was everything Kailani had hoped for!

”Hi!” Except the whole, you know, being interrupted to be held at gunpoint. That was kind of rude. Was she ever going to get to try cake?

Lamenting the fact that she’d once again be delayed in her quest to obtain this treat Siobhan had hyped up so much, a small frown bloomed on her face. Though, it was quickly replaced once more with the Pekelian’s trademark grin as she eyed the rifles in the guards’ hands. It was a different model than the one she kept from the old man - maybe she could get one of them!

After all, Siobhan could probably take these guys on - oh wait, she was surrendering.

… Oh wait, she was surrendering!

Kailani tilted her head as she stared at her Captain, puzzled. After a long moment of contemplation however, the bronze skinned girl merely shrugged. If that was the plan, that was the plan! Offering the man who came over to her a beaming smile Kailani held her hands out, only to pull her wrists close to her face as soon as she shackles were on.

”Oh, these are neat! I suppose it makes sense to make them out of metal when you have so much, huh?” She offered to the guard, but without waiting for a response from the puzzled looking young man Kailani instead glanced over to SIobhan.

”Hey, Chief? Is Blackfin Siobhan like, a nickname? Do I get one? … Also what kind of name is Guntag anyway? People here have such odd names.”

[Blackstripe]

Cobblertown Prison

”Well, we might as well get some rest!” Siobhan exclaimed, easing back against the wall of her cell. Folding her hands behind her head, she grinned over to Kailani in the adjacent pen. ”We want to be at our best when Mushuro gets here!”

The guards had escorted them both to the local prison - just a tiny little place with a few cells, really - without any further incident. The townsfolk had looked terrified of them as they passed, even though they were shackled at the time. At least the guards didn’t get too grabby when they searched her for weapons. Apparently they were all on edge due to the Queen’s proclamation, and one could hardly blame them for feeling that way. From everything she had gathered, Blackwell didn’t take kindly to any sort of opposition to his domination of West Blue.

He had, after all, wiped out the Five Great Families that once dominant the criminal world here and absorbed their remnants into his armada. Unlike those gangsters, he wasn’t content to amass power from the shadows, but nevertheless had connections where they were important.

Namely the World Nobles.

”I wonder what he’s like?” She mused, noting that there were two guards watching over them right now. Probably more waiting outside.

[Blazion]

”Yeah, might as well get rest since I’m not getting that cake anytime soon. This is getting ridiculous!” Seriously, it was like some part of the universe had decided she, Kailani of Pekelo Island, did not deserve to have this sweet treat. Yet she was determined! If she had to slay every single of the Blackwell pirates and Mushuro himself, then so be it, but damnit she was getting that cake! At this point she doesn’t even care if it tastes good or not, it was just the principle of the matter!

Oh, and she supposed she should figure out if Siobhan planned on getting them out anytime soon. That was probably important too. Couldn’t really ask in front of the guards though. Well, then again her Captain probably didn’t care one way or the other, she was kind of like that.

”Mushuro?” Kailani questioned, glancing over to Siobhan. She was currently almost flopped against the bars of her cell while standing up, having been examining everything around them - including the guards eyeing them. ”He’s probably almost as strong as you considering what he did to that town! And big! With teeth that could break a man’s spine!” Bronze fingers rose up to hook on either side of her upturned lips, mimicking teeth and wiggling.

”Honestly, if he’s becoming part of the crew I just hope he’s not like Y’wan. Being proud of your skills crosses over into arrogance really easily.” A pink tongue stuck out of Kailani’s lips as her face scrunched up, before she went back to looking at the walls opposite them. ”... Though, as long as he’s not trying to hate-marry me I guess I can’t complain!”

Blowing out a breath the Pekelian eyed the guards once more, meeting the eyes of the taller one. They narrowed, which only made Kailani brighten before enthusiastically lifting a hand to wave. ”Hi!”

He didn’t seem to want to return the gesture. Also rude.

”Does no one know manners on these islands?” Kailani questioned, not seeming bothered in the bit as her smile remained in place. Tilting her head to look to Siobhan, she quirked an eyebrow. ”Are you gonna let them tire Mushuro out first or something, anyway? That’s why we surrendered, right?”

[Blackstripe]

”That was a surprisin'ly astute observation, for the likes of you," Siobhan noted when she mentioned Mushuro’s strength.

Siobhan then gently shook her head in response to Kailani’s question, always finding her antics amusing. She seemed so perpetually happy and accepting of everything that happened…it was an attitude she could genuinely respect! Have to keep looking on the bright side in a world with so much darkness in it, or it’ll drag you down with it.

”Nah, I just didn’t want ‘em to call off their attack by messin’ up the guards here. Wouldn’t want ‘em gettin’ suspicious, now,” she explained, not caring in the slightest if the guards heard her speaking. What could they even do to her, anyhow? ”Once Mushuro starts tearin’ this place up, that’ll be our cue.”

The guards seemed to offense at this and turned to glare at the redhead. “What was that?! You s-said M-Mushuro Takeuchi is coming here?!”

She nodded only once in reply, the pair seeming to pale in response to this. Glancing to one another, one of them quickly ran for the door while the other continued to stand guard. They were probably going to tell that Captain Guntag what she’d said, for all the good it would do them. If Mushuro could be stopped by the likes of these guys, then he wouldn’t be worthy of being her swordsman.

Though, she had to wonder how he’d ended up working with wankstains like these guys. Maybe he really was just another slaver?

[Blazion]

Kailani’s grin became wider, absolutely beaming as she settled her brown orbs to look at Siobhan. ”Thanks! … Wait, surprisingly?” The Pekelian pouted briefly, the expression obviously theatrical as well as the accompanying deeply wounded sigh.

”That makes sense, though. Don’t want to scare them off.” Unlike the guards, who were almost quaking in their boots just at the mention of this guys’ name! … Alright, maybe that was a little theatrical, too. Still, they didn’t seem excited at the prospect, with how they paled and stuttered. Kailani tilted her head, long dark brown strands of hair falling into her face as she watched the guard scamper away, probably to tell Captain Weirdname.

With only one guard left Kailani returned to watching him, eyes almost unblinking. Their metal armor was neat, as was his rifle and sword. However her gaze lingered on his head, and finally she nodded as though confirming something.

”Siobhan!” The Pekelian declared, finally pushing away from the bars of her cell. The dark skinned girl turned on her heel and came right over to the section separating the two women, only to point back towards the guard. ”Before we leave, I want to get one of their tin can helmets as a souvenir!”

“What?!” Came the sputter from the guard.

”After Mushuro, of course! Well, if you keep him anyway. We’re going to need a bigger boat soon…”

Kailani’s grin became even wider. Oh yes, she couldn’t wait to upgrade boats.

[Dblade26]

Royal Palace of Cheribo
Capital City of Gateau

“I believe her,” Queen Mauriana Elesser exhaled, her fingers lacing together behind her back. “Given the opposition that awaits him here, I have no doubt that Blackwell will send his deadliest weapon to breach our defenses.”

Captain Guntag pushed a lump down his throat in response, thankful that his helmet hid the line of sweat building along his brow. “Your Majesty, we have taken every precaution in fortifying the town. No matter what they send against us, I’m confident that our defenses will hold!”

Queen Mauriana wordlessly swept past him as she moved to observe the map of the town from the war room of her castle. Naturally, Guntag had forbidden her being present in the town itself despite her protests. While she was the Queen, she was still far too young and inexperienced to be anywhere near the sort of violence that would soon engulf the settlement. Much of the population had already been evacuated in expectation of the attack as well, after they had finished assisting with the barricades.

“I should be with my soldiers,” The Queen muttered, running a finger over the model town. “They are putting their lives at risk in my name.”

Guntag shook his head for not the first time today. “No, my Queen. It is far too dangerous there, and if something should happen to you, then the morale of our forces would surely collapse. You serve a far greater purpose here. You give them a reason to halt their attack at the town.”

She was so very like her father in many ways. Headstrong and resilient in the face of danger. It was why his young daughter was forced to take the throne at such an early age, and why the royal family was so beloved here. She was not the warrior he was, however...not that it had saved the King when he had challenged Blackwell to a duel.

Reaching out to place a gauntleted hand on her shoulder, Guntag smiled. “Fear not, my Queen. I and my forces will face down whatever weapon they bring to bear against us...including Mushuro Takeuchi, if necessary.”

“I hope you’re confidence is well founded, Guntag,” The Queen closed her eyes. “The fate of our Kingdom may depend on it.”

---

The Nathanial Creed;
Eight hours later

A rawkus chorus erupted from the deck of Nathanial Creed, the hundred member crew of the Whip Fang Pirates barely able to contain their anticipation for the coming raid. The town was in sight, their ship now close enough to exchange cannonfire with the defenders. Indeed, it had become readily apparent that this was likely the most well-defended port they had ever dared to attack.

If it wasn’t for their secret weapon, then Captain Barca might have been just a little bit worried.

“Alright, the meat’s ready! Bring him out!” Barca shouted down into the hold. At that proclamation, the crew became silent. Though the exchange of fire with the town continued, everyone on deck was focused entirely on the doorway.

The muffled rattling of chains alone had several backing away from the entrance, others leveling their rifles towards the doorway...just in case something went wrong. Finally they saw him, still bound tightly in chains: Mushuro Takeuchi.

Pushed up the stairs and towards the waiting meat by several members of his crew, Barca nodded his appreciation towards them.

“It’s time, Mushuro.”

Mushuro looked even more depressed and worn out than before, which made sense considering the whole process usually involved starving him for at least a few days at a time in order to force him to eat. He was still bound by chains, but not tied to the anchor anymore as he was pushed towards the meat with rifles at both front and back, emaciated and with dark circles around his eyes.

The swordsman stared at the meat on deck, trying to will himself to refuse it and just get shot, but he had been starving for so long in the darkness that second by second, it got harder to ignore his will to eat it and survive. Finally, one of the rifle wielding guards at his back got tired of waiting and clubbed him over the back of the head so that the starving swordsman faceplanted in the big pile of raw steaks.

With the food practically in his mouth already, Mushuro’s resistance broke and he started devouring meat from the pile, tearing up and mildly gagging over it as he ate. Mushuro’s torment didn’t end there, as within a minute or so the captive warrior’s unusual condition and the reason for making him eat the meat became painfully obvious. His eyes rolled back into his head and narrowed until only the whites showed and dark circles formed under and around his eye sockets as part of the allergic reaction. Finally, his lips peeled back in a snarl to reveal teeth that had somehow shifted and grown into a fang-filled, predatory maw.

“He’s changing! Hurry and get him onto the dinghy!” Barca snapped, as his crew wasted no time in carrying him to the small boat that had been prepared for Mushuro.

Once he was inside, one of the pirates - someone who had been given the task due to a minor instance of insubordination - rode it down to the sea with him and began to frantically row them towards the shore. Cannon fire impacted the surrounding water, splashing the two men in the process.

Barca observed all of this through his eyepiece, smirking slightly. Everything was going to plan. By the time the ship reached the shore, Mushuro would be fully in the throes of his allergy and snap the chains that bound him. Hopefully the man with him would be able to jump in the water before that happened, but if not then it was hardly a significant loss.

---

“Keep firing! Don’t let that boat make landfall!” Captain Guntag shouted into his Den Den Mushi from his command tower near the center of Cobblertown. “I don’t know what they’re playing at, but it can’t be anything good!”

Their cannons weren’t really made to hit targets that small, however. Dozens of shots had been leveled at the small vessel, but none had successfully scored a direct hit on it, even if they had caused it to rock wildly on the waves. With his eyepiece he could see...chains? Writhing chains! Whatever that boat was transporting was alive, and dangerous enough to be put into restraints.

“Could that be it? Mushuro Takeuchi…?” He muttered beneath his breath.

BRROONN!!

The night suddenly flashed with an orange glow, a crack of thunder causing the Captain to flinch. They had finally scored a direct hit.

Unfortunately for Captain Guntag, while the explosive cannonball blew up the boat it also blew the chains right off of Mushuro Takeuchi. A moment later as the smoke was clearing to reveal the flaming debris of the boat floating on the water, a figure came rocketing out of the turbulent ocean and crashed down on the shore. The enraged, half-rabid swordsman still had water dripping from his clothes, but he snarled as he walked slowly up from the shore.

“It’s Takeuchi!!” One of the soldiers shouted, immediately opening fire on the figure. His actions were quickly echoed by the rest of the division on the coast, gun and cannonfire soon crackling through the night...this time all focused on one man.

From his command tower, Captain Guntag felt his jaw lock in frustration. More than anything, he had hoped to avoid having the beast successfully land. Now things were going to become far more difficult for them.

Lowering his hand to the sword resting at his waist, the Captain of the guard knew that he could no longer just afford to stand and watch the battle unfold from up here.

Mushuro was able to dodge bullets and cannon fire as easily as he had at the much smaller village, but the sheer mass of lead in the air this time meant that he had a lot less room to dodge and explosive cannonballs would have given him trouble even if he had the space he needed. For the briefest of moments it almost seemed like the garrison of Cheribo would succeed, but then Mushuro drew his swords. The sheer speed and strength behind the quickdraw attack from both swords produced a shockwave in the air powerful enough to knock both bullets and cannonballs back in the direction they’d been fired from, turning the hail of artillery fire into something like a single giant, exploding burst of grapeshot in the general direction of the defenders.

With that attack having failed, Mushuro raced up the beach at inhuman speeds toward the coastal division, looking to finish off the survivors up close.

Captain Guntag watched in horror as his men had their own weapons turned against them by the inhuman strength of the demon swordsman, his body beginning to tremble at the sight before him. He hated that he was being consumed with fear while his men were down there fighting and dying. What kind of Guard Captain was he?!

“Lieutenant!” He forced the word from his throat, his eyes still winced shut. “Take over command here!”

His second-in-command looked notably shocked at this, the younger man’s eyes wide as saucers. “Me?! B-but Captain, what are you-”

“Listen!” Guntag cut him, already descending the stairs. “If I’m unable to stop him, you must sound the retreat back to the capital. We cannot afford to lose everyone here! We can better wear him down there, if need be.”

The battle had continued to rage while their conversation took place, soldiers desperately firing on their lone assailant. But this was simply the start of their woes: beneath the cover of Takeuchi’s rampage, the enemy ship had moved closer to the shore. Now dozens of boats disembarked from it, prepared to deliver a small army’s worth of pirates to capitalize on the success of their secret weapon.

Blackwell’s assault was now well and truly underway.

Charging forward through the deserted town, Guntag said a silent prayer of thanks that they had managed to evacuate the people before the attack. There was no telling how terrible the casualties would have been otherwise.

It didn’t take long for his eyes to settle on the figure of the Demon Swordsman, easily recognizing him from his bounty poster. Probably the highest bounty in West Blue next to Blackwell himself, it set at a bone-chilling forty-four million! This was the man he was about to engage in combat.

To say he wanted to flee with his tail between his legs was a gross understatement.

“M-MUSHURO TAKEUCHI!” Guntag bellowed out over the thunder of battle, holding his rapier high. “I am Captain Guntag, leader of the Queen’s Royal Guard! I challenge you to a duel, man to man! Leave my soldiers out of this!”

Mushuro paused in his slaughter of Cheribo’s soldiers even though he was more distracted by the sudden loud shout from the Captain of the Guard than consciously responding to any actual challenge. Still, even with a brain that was operating in a rage-filled, almost subhuman level of intellect driven more by instinct and animal cunning than anything else, the message came across clear enough.

Mushuro sheathed one sword and raised the other in acknowledgement of the challenge, before turning slightly and angling his sword’s blade down low on the side opposite his opponent so the majority of his blade was concealed from view, apparently preparing to launch a strike.

Mushuro dashed forward, whipping his blade around from out of view and right at Captain Guntag’s head.

Captain Guntag - more on instinct than from any conscious thought - raised his sword to narrowly intercept the strike. By the time the clang of their blades echoed through the town, the older man found himself flying backwards through the air. The force of that impact had knocked him clean off his feet, and his sword - a Wazamono grade sword - was humming violently in his hand, as if it might shatter!

Rolling along the ground after he impacted it shoulder first, the armored Guard Captain released a deep grunt of pain. Pushing himself to his feet, he stared wearily at his enemy. Every joint in his body was now screaming in protest, and that was just from one hit!

“D-damn you, monster!” He spat, readying his blade in hands that were now far less steady. “I...I won’t let you get past me…!!!”

Once again Mushuro approached, squared himself up to Guntag and stepped into the same stance. The majority of his blade’s length and its position blocked from view behind his body. Once again, he dashed at the older man at high speed for a single strike. But this time instead of a slash to the head Mushuro's blade came in lower, in a rising cut aiming for his opponent’s leg.

[Blackstripe]

Siobhan had simply kept her eyes closed for most of her time in the Cobblertown jail. For over eight hours she had rested in preparation for the battle to come. She wanted to be at her best...and besides, sleeping made her metabolise food much more slowly. Given that she’d gobbled down her prisoner’s rations without ever waking, that was quite useful.

It was only when the sound of battle filled the air outside that those emerald eyes at last parted, the redhead glancing up at Kailani. She could already smell gunpowder on the wind seeping through the window of her cell, causing her to smile.

”Looks like they’ve started,”, she mused, still laying against the back wall with her legs splayed across the floor.

Almost immediately in the cell adjacent to Siobhan the bronze skinned shipwright shot up from her position flopped against the floor, nose pressed to one of the bars facing the guard. The past eight hours had been so boring. Kailani had tried asking the guard questions, counted the bricks, told the guard about Pekelo Island, napped for an hour, informed the guard how to properly cook a person while eating her prisoner rations, drawn a doodle in the dust on the floor, and had just been asking the guard a question about his armor.

The poor guy looked so relieved.

”Alright! Time to get going? If we’re quick I might be able to see the shops before we have to scram!”

Siobhan listened to the ruckus outside for several more moments, before slowly nodding her head. Best to confront Mushuro before he got too worn out. She wanted to see what he could do at this best, after all.

With but a single motion, Siobhan hopped to her feet. The guard outside her cell immediately turned to face her. “Hey! Don’t think I haven’t been listening to what you two have been saying - much to my regret! I’m not going to let you just walk out of he-GYAGH!”

Siobhan slammed her fist into her cell door, knocking it clean off the hinges and into the young man. Slammed between the hide speed web of metal and the stone wall behind him, he slid to the ground with a groan.

”Righto, let’s be off!” Siobhan chirped, reaching out to likewise tear Kailani’s cell door free.

”Great! Let’s grab his helmet and get going!”

---

“Hkk,” Guntag weazed out, blooding coating the ground beneath him as he stabbed his blade into the ground for support. He had managed to partially deflect the strike aimed at his leg, but it had still cut deeply into his armor. His sword was also starting to show cracks along its surface...it wouldn’t be able to stand up to many more of those powerful strikes.

Spitting bitterly at the younger man’s feet, the Captain of the Guard readied his blade for the third time. “Come on then, monster! I...I won’t back down, even if it costs me my life!”

Mushuro raised his sword high overhead this time in a stance different from any he’d used before, prepping to take Guntag down with one final slash. But instead of dashing forward into range yet again, he brought his sword down in a single downward stroke, not only sending a shockwave of cutting force toward the Captain, but shattering the pavement of the street and sending that toward him as well.

Guntag felt his blood chill as he watched the sword descend almost in slow motion, his body too slow and battered to react in any meaningful way at this point. This was it, wasn’t it? The end of his ultimately meaningless resistance. What had he been hoping to accomplish by coming here? He hadn’t even managed to give his men time to retreat…

Wincing his eyes shut, the Captain of the Guard prepared to embrace his death. May the Queen forgive his pathetic ineptitude…

SSHHHKRAK!

---

That was a technique that she had seen before on the Grand Line. It involved striking - or slashing - with enough force that the air itself bends before your attack, becoming part of your offensive power. It could be blunt force, or in this case even a cutting blade of wind.

This was why Siobhan had kicked it from the side, knocking the attack off course and causing it to slice its way clean through a building behind them. Hopefully that wasn’t the baker, or Kailani would have to wait on that cake again.

Immediately twisting on her heel, the redhead punched the air in front of her. The shrapnel cast up by the attack was immediately suspended in air by her Arabesque Brick Fist, before quickly being launched back where it came from: towards Mushuro.

”So ya actually survived this long?” Siobhan glanced over her shoulder at the Guard Captain. ”Ya must not be total fodder, then.”

“B-Blackfin…?” Guntag muttered in apparent shock.

As if to respond to him, Siobhan allowed her fin to pop out of the slit in the back of her brown overcoat. She had kept it suppressed the entire time she was in jail so that she could rest against the wall, but now she felt like letting everything hang out. After all, she was in recruiting mode right now!

”... And Kailani! I don’t have a cool nickname though.” Said girl commented as she popped up behind Guntag, happily clutching her prize from the prison - the guard’s slightly dented helmet.

Mushuro paused for a bit as the two rescuers arrived and his attacks were deflected, apparently sensing even in his half-feral state that these two were different from the enemies who had come before them. Either that, or he was simply puzzled by his attack being deflected with such ease and the older swordsman not being reduced to a cut up pulp.

Eventually he got over his hesitation and decided to charge in with a one handed thrust toward Siobhan, apparently trying to probe her defenses with sheer speed as his brief moment of using actual tactics and skill apparently faded with his duel.

Siobhan took a quick step forward when Mushuro charged in, wanting to put a little distance between them and Kailani. Reaching out with her gloved hand, it met the oncoming tip of the blade...or not, as the sword was stopped roughly an inch away from her palm by the raw water pressure that flowed out from it. Against most opponents, this would then send them flying backwards, but in this case the struggle ended in what could roughly be considered a stalemate with them both skidding back a short distance.

”Woah, ya weren’t coddin’ me about his strength, Kailani!” Siobhan noted, her lips turning up into a smile. Without a second thought, the redhead forcibly expelled her current set of human teeth and pushed her shark chompers out, just in case she needed them.

Rubbing her jaw from the effort - it hurt like a real bitch - and spitting a small wad of blood onto the ground, Siobhan cracked her neck. Extending a hand towards him, she curled her fingers inwards in a taunt. ”Come on then, it’s time to burst ya!”

Mushuro’s expression did flicker through something similar to surprise before returning to his apparently usual bestial rage, but in response to both his attack being stopped and his opponent sprouting a new set of teeth, he simply charged in again only to draw the sword he’d sheathed before the start of his first duel and unleash a weaker, close-in variant of the air wave creating draw-cut he’d used to batter the artillery strike away from himself, perhaps recognizing on some instinctive tactical level that if she stopped his sword at close range again, she’d hopefully be hammered by the air pressure instead.

Siobhan this time didn’t attempt to counter his strike, instead using her powerful legs to push herself off the ground and to the side, her body becoming a blur of motion as she darted to the swordsman’s flank, leaving a trail broken cobblestone in her wake. Her entire body twisting with this motion, her leg lancing out in a kick aimed right for her opponent’s skull. ”Thousand Brick Roundhouse Kick!”

She had thought he would be strong. That was her honest hope, and he had not disappointed her. She would ask why somebody like him was hanging out in West Blue, but then that would make her look a little silly.

Mushuro was taken by surprise as she managed to completely evade his technique and flank him, without a doubt. But he was able to roll with the impact of the roundhouse at the last minute and avoid getting his head taken off, tumbling through the air to flip over and plant one of his swords into the street to avoid being sent flying too much. Then he tore his sword out of the ground with a growl and rushed her again, before using a similar sword-planting trick and swinging around his own blade’s hilt like an acrobat to deliver a close-range strike with both of his feet.

”Huoo?” Siobhan blinked in surprise at how quickly he recovered from that attack. He hadn’t even paused for a breath before he was once again on the offensive! That took some pretty impressive endurance, even if her blow had been shallow thanks to him diluting the force of it.

Quickly raising her arms in a cross block, she withstood the swordsman’s attack, although she found herself lifted off her feet by it. Being propelled through the air against her will by the force of the double kick, she felt the splinter of wood at her back as she smashed through the wall of an unfortunate General Store, the various goods inside smashing to the floor as she took out a large shelf on her way.

Reaching a hand up to run her fingers through her hair, she shook her head. Yeah, she definitely wanted to this guy to be her swordsman. He was way above the slaver trash he had been sailing with up till now!

Still, she could tell that this wouldn’t remain a duel between them for very long.

The sound of gunfire and clashing swords could already be heard in the distance, Blackwell’s men having already stormed the shore. With the soldiers no doubt demoralized and shaken by Mushuro’s attack, she doubted they were faring too well right now.

Dusting the wood chips off her coat, Siobhan hopped to her feet and stepped out of the ruined store, offering the berserk swordsman a smile. Raising her hand, she jabbed her index finger in his direction. ”You’re really strong, Mushuro Takeuchi. I’ve decided you’ll be mine now!”

Indeed, she couldn’t be more happy. If they had fought even just a year ago, well...she couldn’t say for certain that she would be the one to come out on top. Whatever was afflicting him turned him into a mad beast full of aggression, but that surely wasn’t his default state of mind, right?

Hopefully she wasn’t underestimating his durability here, because the only solution she could think of to snap him out of this was to give him her best shot. Tensing her left leg, her calf and thigh both swelled. ”Come on then.”

Mushuro just screamed in fury and charged her head on in response, crossing the distance between them pretty quickly and looking to take off her head with his sword without any real consideration for the tactics of the situation.

Watching him close in on her at blistering speeds, her entire world stopped. The sounds of battle in the distance became silent, the town around them dark. The only thing that existed in that moment was Siobhan and her opponent. When his sword drew back with the intent of removing her head, the half-breed reacted instantly.

Driving her left leg forward into his upper thorax, the darkness was instantly blasted away by what sounded like the cannonfire of a Marine Battleship, dirt and any stray debris surrounding them being blasted away in an instant. “Two Thousand Brick Side Snap Kick!”

Unfortunately for Mushuro, at that exact instant his allergic reaction wore off. Momentum still carried him straight into the kick, but without the allergy driving him forward in a berserker rage he didn’t have the power to take such a strike. Now it was Mushuro’s turn to go rocketing off into the distance and smash into a building, unable to roll with the kick this time due to its sheer speed and power and the fact that he’d more or less started passing out the second his berserker state wore off. In fact he became something of a projectile, smashing through a thankfully abandoned restaurant hard enough that the building partially collapsed ontop of him, leaving him out cold.

Exhaling a measured breath following the aftermath of her attack, Siobhan lowered her leg. Shifting her eyes towards Kailani, she offered the jungle girl a light smile. ”Righto. Let’s grab him up and get him out of harm’s way!”

[Blazion]

Kailani, for her part, had been quite content sitting on the sidelines beside Captain Guntag. Actually, she had been talking to him quite animatedly through the whole fight, not seeming concerned with any danger - half interrogating Guntag about the town and half commentating on the fight, her speech sprinkled with cheers for her own Captain.

When at last the monster of a man fell the bronze skinned girl leapt to her feet, dusting her shorts off before waving to Guntag. ”Nice meeting you! Don’t stay on the road too long, there’s other pirates coming!” Picking up her dented helmet trophy Kailani quite happily trotted after Siobhan to go investigate Mushuro, and the building he was currently occupying. Plus, she couldn’t help but congratulate the taller woman.

”Good work, Chief!”

Offering her shipwright a warm smile, the redhead reached out to scruffle her hair before returning her focus to the structure ahead. Stepping through it the hole where the entrance once was, her eyes immediately fell over the prone form of the swordsman she had only moments earlier been engaged in a life threatening battle with.

The sight of icing smeared over him and and the rest of the store as well as that particular type of floury dough caused Siobhan to pause, glancing over her shoulder at Kailani. It was...probably best she didn’t say anything.

”...Let’s get him up and conscious, then.”

Moving to hoist him out of the obliterated remains of what was probably once a display case, she decided that in order to wake him, a delicate approach would be required.

”RISE AN’ SHINE, YA MAGGOT!” She screamed in his face, slapping him across the face repeatedly.

Mushuro blinked himself awake shakily, then snapped at her hand as she slapped him again.

“Barca you bastard I’ll bite that hand off and really feed the rest of you to a Sea King if you don’t cut it out!”

Siobhan reflexively jerked her hand away, thankfully avoiding getting bitten. Being around Fishmen most of her life made her particularly good at that, to be certain. Still, he was awake now and that was the important thing!

”Barca? Am I to guess that’s who had ya raggin’ like a rabid dog earlier?” Siobhan quirked her brow, taking a step back so he could see that she wasn’t whoever he was thinking of. After the hit he took, he’d probably be dizzy for a while. Admittedly, her method of rousal wasn’t too gentle either.

”Huh...ugh...so...I’m guessing you’re not with the Barca or the Cheribo Army, or I’d be dead...Am I dead? I feel like I’m dead.”

He only looked at her even more confused when she didn’t seem to know who Barca was at all.

“Yeah, a real lousy guy and the head of all the slavers on the Nathaniel Creed, Whip Fang Barca. Originally he pretended to be a real nice guy, talking about how pirates were free and we’d sail the seas seeing the world together. It was only later I found out what a monster he really is. But well, I have this allergy see? If I eat meat aside from fish, I get crazy mad and rampage even stronger and faster than normal until I tire out like I did here. Ever since Barca found out about it, he’s been keeping me chained up and starving me so that he can make me go berserk and wipe out his enemies for him with my allergy. I...don’t know how long it’s been, or how many towns and lives I’ve…”

Mushuro trailed off, slumped and feeling exhausted and defeated from way more than just having been kicked through a bakery.

”Like I said, he’s a real bastard.”

”So he made ya a slave, in other words,” Siobhan noted.

Good, he didn’t seem to be too hurt...at least physically. She didn’t think she would break him too badly, but it wouldn’t be the first time that she underestimated how much force she was using. She had a bad history with that. In his “berserk” state back there, he was pretty much a danger to everyone...including himself, in many ways.

Reaching her hand out to help him to his feet, the redhead offered him a beaming grin. ”Well, ya need not worry yourself with him now, since you’re goin’ to be my swordsman from here on!”

The sounds of gunfire growing ever closer caused her eyes to shift slightly to the side. ”Well, okay...ya might need to worry about him for just a wee bit longer.”

Mushuro looked at her disbelieving, finally remembering to pull his half-mask over the bottom of his face.

”Hmph. Hold on a second, just who do you think you are? Just because you knocked me out when I’d been starved and unable to train for I-dunno-how-long and accidentally free me from Barca, you expect me to join you? Sorry, but after what happened to me last time I might need some more proof before I sign up with anyone.”

The redhead blinked at this for a moment, before turning slightly to the side in order to reveal the shark fin on her back. ”I’m Grace D. Siobhan, and if your worryin’ that I might be a slaver, well…”

She could’ve shown him her brand, but she felt like it’d be a little weird to go stripping off right here, all things considering. This situation was probably moving more than fast enough for his tastes as it was.

”I don’t have the best history with the slavin’ types, let’s leave her at that,” she exhaled, folding her arms beneath her chest. She should’ve figured not everyone would be quite so eager as Kailani to join her. Still, at least she wouldn’t have to bail this guy out of a marriage...probably.

Thumbing over her shoulder at the approaching battle, her lips slid into a smirk. ”Now, you’ll be forgivin’ me if I’m a bit presumptuous-like, but I’d be willin’ to bet you’re pretty worn out right now. Maybe too much to make it out of this alive on your own?”

”Given the tendency for me foot to find itself lodged up the arse end of slavin’ scum like this Barca anyway, what if I were to take him down an’ help you escape?”

Mushuro sighed and what little energy and defiance was left in him went out of him completely. For a minute he just looked tired, staring down at the floor. Then, he slowly let a grin spread over his face as he looked back up at Siobhan “Alright, you have my cooperation for now. But there is one thing…”

“After we beat Barca and all of his men into paste, I promised I’d feed him to a Sea King.”

Siobhan blinked for a moment at his rather specific request, scratching the side of her face in careful thought for a moment. She then glanced over her shoulder at the shorter girl behind her, smiling slightly.

”Would feedin’ him to Kailani here be okay?”

I mean, that sounded scarier than a Sea King to Siobhan, at least! Plus, maybe she wouldn’t ask about the cake…

Said girl nearly bounced in place in excitement, hugging the helmet to her chest as she nodded so enthusiastically her dark brown bangs seemed to be bouncing on their own. ”Oh, oh, yes! That’s a good idea! Siobhan said I probably wouldn’t be able to eat many people out here - which is, you know, weird since there’s so many - but it’s a delicacy where I’m from!” Kailani flashed Mushuro a beaming grin, just to pause and tilt her head.

”... Though, I usually only eat corpses, but I suppose if it’s that important,” Kailani raised a hand to tap at her bottom lip thoughtfully, the other still cradling the helmet close to her. She shrugged. ”I mean, I guess he’d die pretty quickly anyway!”

She then raised a bronze hand to wave. ”... Oh, and hi! I’m Kailani.”

Mushuro was grateful that his facemask prevented the two female pirates from seeing how nauseated he felt at the idea of a person eating another person alive, but then again the fact that it’d happen to Barca helped to steel his resolve.

”Uhh...sure I guess? Just...for now shouldn’t we focus on actually getting out of here alive and beating Barca’s invasion force?

Siobhan offered him a simple nod in reply, turning immediately to the sounds of battle that had found their way to the site of their little fight. Slavers - dozens of them - were clashing with the royal army, and were winning by the looks of things. So disorganized and shaken by Mushuro’s attack were they that their discipline and morale had never really recovered.

It was admittedly quite a smart move, taking advantage of their “secret weapon’s” rampage like that. But these smallfry weren’t what interested her.

”Hmm...so which one is Barca?” The redhead muttered to herself.

Most of them looked pretty unimpressive. In fact, it took her a solid minute of scanning the warzone before her eyes settled on the looming figure of a man who came storming into view. Standing at about ten feet in height, he carried himself with the distinct pride of one who commanded a large ship and crew. His fair blonde hair was drawn back in a ponytail, and the light of the moon glinted off his golden hazel eyes. He was stout, yet also muscular, but most notable of all was the weapon he carried.

Cutting through the air with enough speed and force to cause the wind to whistle audibly, the whip in his hand seemed to shimmer with a silvery light as it danced. Almost seeming like a thin piece of metal more than a proper whip, it effortlessly sliced through soldiers, fortifications and any bullets that were sent his way.

Kailani, head tilting to one side, then the other, finally leaned over to comment to Siobhan in her usual cheerful voice, ”I think it’s the big one! … There’s going to be leftovers.”

Mushuro nodded, his frown evident from his eyebrows and face now even with the half mask. ”Yeah that’s Barca alright. That whip sword of his is tricky, and he’s not a complete pushover himself either. I could have taken him on if he hadn’t turned on me right after finding out about my allergy and starved me between fights, but you should probably still be careful.”

“S-stay out of melee, stay out of-” One unfortunate officer shouted desperately before the bladed whip cleaved his skull clean in half. No matter what obstacle he faced, the massive warrior seemed to wade through them with the most contemptible of ease...though never without the support of his crew beside him, Siobhan noted.

Tapping her chin in thought for a moment, the redhead smiled. ”He’s a fast one, sure. But he avoids havin’ too much fire ever focused on him at once.”

Glancing over to Mushuro, she nudged her head towards the many slavers that had assembled at the man’s flanks. There were quite a large number of them, all things considered. Well, she knew how to rectify that, at least. As for Barca himself...well, there should be a barrel around here somewhere, surely.

”Kailani, watch over our man here. Don’t eat him,” Siobhan glanced over to her shipwright for a moment before skipping out of the hole in the wall of the partially collapsed store.

”Why do you assume I’ll eat him?! He’s still alive, and - you know what, nevermind.” Kailani pouted, though continued to bounce on her feet even as she waved after Siobhan. ”Have fun! Look for cake for me!” With her piece said the bronze skinned girl turned to Mushuro, looking him over curiously. He looked … odd compared to what she was used to, which was honestly not that surprising. Everything did out here in the wide world.

”So… what animal did you skin for that outfit?”

”It’s called a panda, and I didn’t actually skin it, I bought the outfit and I think it’s a realistic fake.”

[Blackstripe]

Slamming her gloved knuckles down into the slaver’s bulbous face, Siobhan watched as his head was forced down between his shoulder blades.Gelatinous flesh began bulging outwards around the epicenter of her punch, the man’s comrades backing away in horrified disbelief. They did not run far enough, however, and with a thunderous crack his inflating form exploded into a hail of bone fragments from his shattered skeleton that cut through their ranks.

“Grenadier Brick Fist!” The half-breed muttered, a red mist permeating the area as a dozen of the slavers collapsed. Barca was not excluded from this rain of bone, but he had - in a show of his endurance - remained standing despite the numerous lacerations now covering him.

His eyes trembled in his skull at the sudden appearance of this woman, and the even more abrupt slaying of his men. His bladed whip still in hand, the towering man steadied himself before this new opponent. “W-who the hell are you?! Are you with the royal army?!”

Judging by the evident shock on his face, Blackwell hadn’t indicated to him that there would be any individuals capable of seriously opposing them in the Queen’s army. Of course, Siobhan wasn’t a part of that group, so he wouldn’t have exactly been in error in that regard.

”I’m Grace D. Siobhan,” the redhead replied, ”How are ya?”

“How am I? I’m livid!!” He slammed his foot down with enough force to cause the ground beneath them to tremble slightly. “How dare you do this to my crew! I’ll turn that red hair of yours into a coat for this!”

Siobhan blinked at this, eyeing him for a moment. ”I think ya’d need about fifteen or twenty of me for that. Yer pretty fat.”

”Actually, one of my tribesmen tried that before. I really wouldn’t suggest it, human hair is too delicate - you could probably make a coat of their skin if you’re careful though!” Kailani called out from the candy shop, having been quite happy to follow Siobhan’s orders to stay back with Mushuro. Her dark brown gaze roamed across Barca, before glancing to Mushuro. ”Though, if you guys wanted a human coat I bet the big guy there could cover both of you. Not me though, that’s gross.”

Barca seemed momentarily stunned by their...overanalysis of his threat, but quickly recomposed himself and - with a heavy grunt - swung his whip through the air to begin his visceral rotation anew. That same howling whistle as before could be heard as his massive form moved on the much smaller Siobhan.

It was like he was practically glowing with a silver aura in that moment, the dirt beneath him bearing the scars of his assault even as Siobhan quickly leaped back away from him when he drew near. Releasing a roaring laugh, Barca grinned down at the comparatively diminutive woman. “Brahaha! How long do you think you can keep this up?! Sooner or later you’ll fail to dodge, and my whip will turn you into cold cuts!”

Bending her legs slightly in response to this, Siobhan took a hard leap away from the slaver to put some distance between them. It was no random jump, however, as she was now beside a sizable barrel. One which she could sense contained water. Grinning slightly, the redhead swiftly punched a hole in it to allow the liquid to begin pouring over her hand.

Barca had - in the meantime - nearly closed the distance between them, only to be forced onto the defensive as a series of glimmering orbs came flying at them. Quickly using his whip to deflect them, the slaver captain tightly gritted his teeth as more appeared in their wake, each wave coming in sets of five. “Nnngh…?!”

”Water shot!” Siobhan exclaimed with a broad grin, now throwing the deadly droplets at him with both hands. She had observed how many bullets he had been able to deflect from the royal army earlier, and so…

“GYAGH!” Barca yelped as one - and then five more - pierced his defenses, the blistering rotation of his whip breaking the moment he was struck. While the wounds he received weren’t so deep as to be life threatening, Siobhan knew they had like a right bitch...and that was enough to set him up for her next attack.

Closing the remaining distance between them, Siobhan twisted her hips and jabbed her fist forward into his massive gut. Rippling outward from the point of impact like a wave, a visible blast of air soon erupted from his back. This merely heralded the sizeable slaver being blasted clean off his feet as he went sailing across the town.

Soldiers and slavers alike stared up in awe as the massive human cleared the trading port completely, before ultimately impacting the mast of The Nathaniel Creed, the impact finally putting an end to his brief career in aviation. As the mast slowly collapsed onto the deck, Siobhan lowered her arm and exhaled.

”Probably didn’t kill him. He’s a tough one, he is,” she noted.

Mushuro shot Barca and the ship’s wrecked mast a disdainful look. ”If he wasn’t, I might have killed him already chains and tricks or not. Well, for now it’s better than he deserves.”

Beside the panda-garbed young man Kailani clapped excitedly, before glancing to Mushuro with a beaming grin. ”Don’t worry, I have an excellent recipe in mind for him if I can find a place that sells spices!” Returning her gaze to Siobhan the shipwright gave her Captain the ol’ thumbs up.

”Good work, Chief!”

Siobhan turned back towards her crew of two, offering them a happy and triumphant smile as she pumped her arm in victory. The slavers near the scene their captain’s defeat began to panic and flee from the redhead as she stepped through the hole in the store. ”Well, now that mess has been handled, care to come aboard my ship?”

”Presumin’, of course, you have no other business here?”

”Tch, well considering I dismantled roughly half of this island’s standing army, I think I’d better not have any business here for a while anyways. Let’s go. At least we stopped Barca.”

[Blazion]

If there was one immediate change that had been noticeable in the battle, it was that slavers and soldiers alike were avoiding their little group like the plague. The slavers, in fact, had gone from being on the precipice of victory to a complete route as word of their leader’s defeat spread throughout their ranks.

If the Kingdom’s soldiers had time to get their act together at that point, they could likely wipe them out with superior numbers. Thankfully, with both armies still confused, their path through the portside town was straightforward. It took mere minutes before they were standing before the docks.

“There she is!” Siobhan pointed to the fishing boat they’d sailed here in. It had probably been kept under guard after their ‘capture’, but after the fighting began was probably forgotten.

Leaping onto the boat from the docks, the Captain of two waved for her crew to join her. ”Hurry up then, things’ll get messy if they’re allowed to gather their wits.”

”I thought I was eating him?” Came the grumbled reply, no real bite to the words as Kailani jumped into the little fishing boat. It was still so small, especially compared to the pirates’ boat. That was fine though. Soon. ”Didn’t even get any cake either…”

”You won’t eat anyone if we get overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Also, what’s with the obsession with cake? Seems pretty weird for a cannibal.” Mushuro had just enough strength to help propel himself along as they made a beeline for the little boat and then slump over in it, though it was an improvement from the near-paralyzed state he’d been in before.

”Well I don’t only eat people! That’d be unhealthy. But Siobhan kept telling me how great cake is - I’ve never had it!”

Seeing that her crew had boarded their modest vessel, Siobhan wasted no time in drawing the anchor and hoisting the sails. She didn’t know if the Queen or whoever was commanding this battle would still want her head or not, but there was little advantage in sticking around to find out. Besides, she was almost certain they would still want to see Mushuro executed for everything he’d done while under the effects of his allergy.

Watching the coastline shrink as they drifted out further, the redhead’s eyes shifted slowly towards the far larger vessel of the slavers who had attacked this town. It’d have been cool if they could’ve taken such a huge ship, but she had sadly damaged its central mast. Besides, it would take way more than the three of them to operate it.

Taking the wheel in her hand, they slowly made their way past seemingly disabled galleon and embattled town. Dozens of rowboats could be seen returning to the slaver vessel, though she had to wonder how they would retreat with their mast damaged as it was.

It was only after a good few minutes that she realized retreat wasn’t their only goal, illustrated by the wave that swept up over the side of The Coral Skipper. Turning, the redhead narrowed her eyes at the opposing ship, its numerous cannons now leveled at them.

”Fuck me,” She muttered, balling her still gloved fists in preparation to play defense for them until they were able to escape.

Mushuro stepped up beside Siobhan, having recovered more of his strength as they escaped, radiating cocky confidence from beneath his mask. ”Nah nah, it’s fine! Leave this part to me! I’ve been waiting to get some real payback on these guys for forever now!”

As the first barrage of cannonfire came in, Mushuro gripped his swords tight, then unleashed both in a spectacular burst of power almost on the same level as the attacks he’d used against the Royal Guards, a blast of air pressure once again redirecting cannon balls back at their source and smashing into the slaver’s ship. ”HA! Take that you bunch of...bunch of… Mushuro paused and fell over again, apparently overdoing it once more.

Siobhan moved to quickly catch him this time, smiling down in appreciation of her new swordsman’s skill and power, even in such a weakened state.

---

“Die...you bitch!” Barca muttered beneath his breath, blood pouring from his twisted and broken face as he used what remained of the central mast for support. Most of his crew had returned to the vessel by this point, and when he could finally stand, he had immediately ordered them to open fire on the departing fishing ship.

While she might have been stronger than him on land, there was no way that little boat would be able to withstand the power of a full broadside from-

Were their cannonballs returning to them?

“No,” muttered Barca, a feeling of dread washing over him. He knew that technique. He’d seen it plenty of times before, a skill known by only one individual within the armada. “M-Mu-”

The deck was hammered by the return fire as the other slavers began to panic at the increasing amount of damage their vessel continued to sustain. The Nathaniel Creed had never looked so rough, with part of the main deck having now been blasted away, exposing the gunnery deck and the gunpowder below as a lantern fell to the ground, the spark of its flame flashing in Barca’s swollen eye.

“Mushuro, you traitorous piece of-”

---

The night’s sky erupted in a series of flashes that caused Siobhan to briefly avert her eyes, the great galleon being rocked by a series of explosions that finished off the once intimidating symbol of oppression. Broken nearly in half by the successive blasts, it quickly began to dip beneath the waves.

”...Now that’s a proper counterattack there, boyo,” Siobhan complimented Mushuro, his arm pulled over her shoulder as she helped him to stand.

”Proper? That was awesome!” Kailani practically bounced in place beside the two, clapping her hands together. ”Storm, you were totally right about him being strong Siobhan! … Well, if it wasn’t already obvious!”