The Shade Pirates.The name was capable of inspiring a sense of intimidation as much as deep cringe. Another one of these high-risk, potentially high-reward investments Erizalla had gotten far too accustomed to. However, he speculative endeavour had been leaving her going bust for the better part of a year now. Duds after duds. Crews with overly ambitious weaklings or absolute sickos. Not that the morality of it all impacted the ex-broker's choice, oh no. It was the distracting side-activities they part took in that was the most troublesome. Rape, murder, plundering for the sake of it was a complete waste of time and made them far too conspicuous for Eri's liking.
So, here she was, investing in yet another disappointing, low-value junk asset. This would become all too clear when the captain's abilities were made known to her before a certain assault had come to be. A dumb devil fruit wasted on a dumb individual that could barely rake in an admirable bounty. A sigh of frustration escaped her lips as she sat herself at the back rows of the pirate troops preparing to counter-attack the rival pirates.
The lass sat upon a rotting tree stump among the dreadful swamp. Next to her, a veteran of the sea-life and an older member of the Shade Pirates. Her black pupil peered at his direction as he stood, rifle in hand.
"
Yer comin', recruit? The cap'n' may have lost his noggin' but he ain't gon' get forgivin' if you just sit 'round."
Pursing her lips, her gaze scrutinising his filthy being with clear disdain. A weak chuckle escaped her lips, as she present her left palm to the man while her right hand drew her pistol."
"
Fair enough, Eor-"
"
That's Mister Eor to you lil' lady."
She paused, and just stared for a good two seconds.
"
Mister Eor. Would you be so kind as to pass me the bullets there as I get up?"
The man furrowed his eyebrows and upon shrugging would reach for the box of iron bullets.
"
Interesting that such a benign treasure would yield such attention."
A lazy mutter came about as she emerged from her seat. By that time, the majestic flames of the now exposed dragon-human came to be. The bright flare shined in the eyes of the sharkman-hybrid. With that sudden occurrence developing right before her eyes, Eri would begin to grin, exposing her shark-like teeth.
Eor, in awe, refrained from passing the bullets as he too would be stupefied by the emergence of the mythical being. But he'd bring the bullets with an expression of urgency on his visage. A strong contrast with Erizalla's, which would cause him to stagger somewhat. She was quick to take them and slip a bullet into the cannon of the gun. The movement was fluid, one she was very much accustomed to and could do without even looking at the contraption.
"
Though, as an appraiser, I'd suppose we have to factor in the perceived value of things as well."
Just as she uttered that sentence, the click of the pistol's safety echoed into the mind Eor as the gun was pointed at him. As callously as possible, Erizalla shot the man right at the chest.
"
And I just found the treasure of a lifetime. Well, for me anyway. You, not so much."
Without even sparing a glance at the man she had just murdered, Erizalla walked over his corpse and utilized the advantage she had of being on the "enemy's" side to sneak right toward the area they had supposedly found the treasure. A potential offering to the assailants of the group she had already judged to be mediocre at best. Though quite unexpectedly, she'd find yet another mystery-individual having their way with the treasure the Shade Pirates had tried to get for themselves.
With the bit of distance she had with the somewhat young male, though the grey hair mad that assessment questionable, she'd cock the same gun she had used to eliminate her ex-colleague and pointed it at the young man.
"
Now, now. Let's not reap the spoils of battle until it's finished, yes?"
Her wide grin remained, eyes somewhat narrowed with the cheekiest of expressions on her visage. The visible sharp teeth were the origin of the soft, feminine voice that had ordered him to stop. And a loaded gun was her way of enforcing her demand.
"
Tell me. Is this dragon yours, by any chance? And by 'yours' I mean one of your little groupies' there. You don't give off much of a boss vibe. Or any vibe for that matter."
She inquired, with a hint of snark.
