Pacifista

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

Goldenrod's foot tapped furiously on the carpeted floor. Looking down, he brushed aside a splinter on the fancy couch: a remnant of the door that one of the intruders had blown through. Occasionally a shake or rumble would tremor through the old mansion, and Goldenrod would look between the door and his conscious grunts (a steadily decreasing resource).

As footsteps approached, Goldenrod look up on the upper part of the entry hall to see Lina stepping out, sword in one hand and briefcase in the other. Heart leaping, Goldenrod jumped from his chair, pointing, "Hey! You give me that!"

Lina scowled, holding it up, taunting, "Take it from me."

Goldenrod snapped his fingers, and each of the two men drew cutlasses, heading up.

"Could you two take that creepy doctor guy? Because I could."

There was a pause in their step. Lina began to move down, going past the hesitant man. Once she was through, they glanced at each other, before turning their blades on her.

One slash curled through the air, and they pulled back, their wrists bloodied, cutlasses clattering to the ground.

Stride not stopping, Lina reached the ground level, Goldenrod clearly sweating a bit. Looking around, she said, "I don't really have a reason to stab you so don't give me one.

As Lina headed for the door out, Goldenrod said, "Hold on one moment..."

Lina stopped, brow furrowed as she looked over at Goldenrod.

"Beat Jeko you say? In that case...what's your current job paying you?"

Lina blinked. "Er...nothing?"

Goldenrod chortled, "Well, that won't do." Leaning back in his seat, relaxed, he noted, "I can't triple 'nothing'."

Lina hissed, "I'm not working for you."

Goldenrod frowned, "Fine. How much for the briefcase?"

"...It's not mine."

"But you have it. What do you say to...not 200,000 beli but 20,000,000?"

Lina froze, her grip on the briefcase loosening a bit.

"How about all your money" The voice rang out, and soon after, a gunshot was heard, and Goldenrod slumped forwards in his spot, hand over his freshly bleeding right shoulder.

On top of the same stairs Lina had been on, his barrel was smoking as he pulled the hammer back.

"Hi there. Goldenrod." Kuhn said, as he walked down the stairs - the two thugs whom Lina had handled attacked him, He put his barrel in one of their mouths, and smacked them together, knocking them both out again.

"Ten months. Ten fucking months." Kuhn said, as he walked past Lina, taking note of her wounds and he had overheard her talking about Jeko earlier did she fight that psychopath?, putting his revolver in Goldenrod's face, further fueled by imagining Jeko's sadism taking it's course on the young lady.

Cursing a spitting, Goldenrod hissed, "Everything? You'd get a pittance. My fortune comes from business, not a pile of money sitting somewhere and getting stale."

"What you pay me doesn't matter. What matters is that you don't have it." Kuhn retorted, coldly. Aiming at the businessman, his finger began putting pressure on the trigger.

Goldenrod narrowed his eyes as Lina stepped aside. "NO!" Came a cry. Slamming into the back of the couch, Whitney threw her arms around Goldenrod's body. Throwing her hand up to shield his head, she demanded, "Don't!"

Goldenrod winced, "Sw-sweetie, watch the wound..."

Whitney loosened her grip, standing straight, her arms on Goldenrod's shoulders. Looking up at Kuhn, he grinned. "I have more than money..."

Kuhn was surprised as Whitney emerged. "W-Whitney?!" He questioned, before he looked down at Goldenrod, whom was smirking.. He lowered his gun. "...Speak, old man."

"Well, quite simply, I could reconsider my stance on any relationship between the two of you."

Kuhn gulped again, looking down at Whitney, whom was holding her father tightly around the neck, trying to tend to his wound. He lowered his gun.

Goldenrod's smirk seemed to deepen. "I won't even require your employ. We can't have the father of my future grandchildren getting hurt now, can we?"

Whitney stepped back, hands clasping her cheeks as she blushed a deep red. "Poppa!"

Goldenrod then noted, "Or maybe not, considering your...condition. We'll work something out."

Behind them, Lina merely watched with a continued minimal interest.

Kuhn gulped, as he lowered his weapon back into it's holster "... G-Grandchildren" the man asked, as he felt Whitney hugging him tightly, she smelled of strawberries. She always did. He reeked of gunpowder, but she never seemed to mind.

Turning his head over his shoulder carefully, Goldenrod said, "Well? What about you? My offer still stands." Lina didn't answer. She didn't say yes, but she wasn't saying no either...

Steps were heard as the leather boots tapped on the ground, quick steps as the blonde pirate emerged from the side. The two henchmen whom had been decked by Kuhn had picked up their swords again, and attacked the third foe. Effortlessly, the two were piled on top of each other with a simple punch from the pirate.

Blood still running down his face, he made his way over to the others, his shoulder and chest also still bleeding. "What's up, guys?" He asked, looking at Lina and Kuhn. He peered at Kuhn. "Wait a minute, aren't you the one who..."

"Gave me booze? Thanks man."

Kuhn blinked, Did he forget that I kidnapped him? he thought.

He turned to Goldenrod. "I still don't like you."

"It's mutual," Goldenrod muttered. Before he could continue, there was a stomping from beyond, Macario coming out from a lower door.

"Oh, there you are. I've got your briefcase," Lina explained, holding it up. Goldenrod clicked his tongue.

Still fairly bloodied, Macario said, "Whew, thanks." Spotting Chester, he snapped his fingers, noting, "Found your idiot."

"That was close, I almost lost him."

"Hey, Macario, was it? That's rude. Lina barely even knows this guy, and you're already calling him her idiot." Chester said, puffing his chest and smiling. Kuhn blinked in disbelief "I... I'm pretty sure she talked about you."

"Why would she ever do that?"

"...Nevermind."

Whitney hugged Kuhn's neck tighter, he hugged her back by the waist.

Goldenrod scoffed, "I don't even know who you people are."

Chester smiled. "I'm Chester. That's Lina. We are traders, and that's Macario, and him over there is uh, whatever. I'm sure you know him already, you seem all chummy."

"What kind of trader owns a ruddy ship like that?" Goldenrod grunted.

"The kind of traders who trade in valuables in exchange for us not beating you up." Chester retorted.

"Sounds fair. How about a galleon?" Goldenrod offered.

"A Galleon?" Chester asked. "With a lot of guns?"
"That's what a Galleon has, moron" Kuhn added. "HEY!" Chester chewed at him.

"Plus a full crew to sail it. Your business will we better than...ever before!"

Lina muttered to herself, "Why did you hesitate?"

"And all you have to do is get me that briefcase!"

Chester glanced over at Macario, the blood on his face made his rather plain expression look sinister. He examined the man's wounds for a moment before he turned back to Goldenrod, taking a step forward. "Wanna shake on it?" Reaching out his right hand.

Lina took a step away from the couch. Goldenrod's mouth curved into a satisfied grin as his put his hand out.

As their hands touched, Chester took a quick step forward, his left hand swinging through the air, as it collided with Goldenrod's face, breaking the back of the couch as the Boss hit the ground behind him, Whitney let out a horrified gasp, Kuhn was surprised.

Chester slowly walked towards the man whom was laid out on his back. "You think I'd just sell myself out like that? Being put under the thumb of scum like you. Sacrifice my freedom for a shitty boat and a crew with no spirit, with no heart? That I would let myself become as empty of a husk as that idiot swordsman?!" He said, gradually increasing the volume of his voice, till he eventually started shouting, leaning down to Goldenrod and hitting him in the face twice more, before he picked him up by the collar.

"I may not have a lot of principles. But freedom above all. And making deals with trash like you isn't what freedom is all about." Before he hurled Goldenrod against the wall. "Be glad that he over there gave me a drink, or you wouldn't see tomorrow." He spit out viciously as he walked away, heading for the exit without saying a word to any of the others.

"The Grog Crusaders are not for sale." Chester's words were, before he passed the doorway, the sunlight hitting his face.

As he left, Whitney let go of Kuhn and ran to Goldenrod. "P-Poppa!" She cried.

"Th-the 'Grog' what? Chester? Chester!" Lina called after him, following.

Shuffling in from behind, Macario asked, "Can I get my briefcase?"

Kuhn felt a hurricane of emotions. Whitney was crying, Goldenrod was seemingly dying. And he felt like he just had gotten punched in the gut. Not because of what Chester did, but because of how easily he was able to let go of his revenge just at the thought of being with Whitney. He knew that he couldn't be happy like that, not with Goldenrod always looming over them. He knew it was no way to live. With a heavy heart, and tears welling in his eyes, he spoke softly.

"I too, will have to decline your offer." He said slowly. Whitney let out a sob "Kuhn no."

"I-I'm sorry.." He said, before he walked out of the mansion as well.

---

"Wait, what are you doing!?"

Lina planted her hands on her hips as she came across Macario. It wasn't more than a half an hour after the incident at the Quartz Headquarters, but Lina had thrown a thin black coat over her clothes to hide her wounds before letting her employers know she was done for now. She arrived at the Breeze to see Macario on board, lashing a smaller boat to the tail end of the Breeze.

Hopping down roughly, nearly stumbling on his weakened legs, he insisted, "Look: like I said, we want to leave before the Quartz Company gets a second wind, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And, well, look...I can't sail like this. Just let me hang around for a night or two and I'll sail off on my own. I don't even know where you guys are going, honestly."

"You and me both."

"...Case in point."

Heading up the gangplank, Lina finished, "It's up to Chester though."

"Yeah, I figured..."

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

Clenching her teeth, Lina dropped her hand, unsheathing her sword. With a flick of her wrist, she cut the loop of string around her ankle before pushing herself up, holding her blade pointed at Jeko. He cringed, "Swords are so...bleh." Throwing his arms up, he grumbled, "I mean, they're all so elitist. What's the point of being the best swordsman in the world if the best isn't also the strongest person in the world?"

Lina's gaze remained hard, before her stance faltered. She planted a wrist on her hip, grumping, "Are you stupid?"

Jeko shrugged. Lina took a breath, before shifting her footing and charging ahead. Just as she started to get close, she felt a tug at her elbows, before her arms were suddenly wrenched back. Feeling a pull, she looked up, seeing strings leading from the rafters and to Jeko's hands. Arms suspended above her, she flailed a bit as Jeko got closer, cackling.

"You really have no idea what you're getting in-"

As Lina put more weight on the strings, Jeko's arms were pulled up. As his eyes widened, he fell forwards, Lina kicking up at him, her knee jamming into his face. His hands loosening, Lina let her arms fall, flipping the grip on her sword before aiming to stab down at Jeko. A poke to the foot had him slipping to his knee, and a stab to the torso had Jeko wailing, red bits flying into the air. Smelling blood, Lina pulled her sword back again, Jeko...laughing.

He wore a metal plate under his red shirt. With a flick of his wrist, a bottle flew from the shelf and towards Lina, who slapped it out of the air, letting the liquid splatter alongside the glass on the wooden planks. As Jeko began to retreat, she followed, but as she did, her foot stuck. Looking down, she saw that the liquid had become adhesive, stopping her.

Raising a finger, Jeko insisted, "Wait right there." Rubbing his hands together, he headed over to a dusty chest, giggling. "Been wanting to try this forever." Almost daintily, he brushed off some of the dust before pulling a necklace out from under his torn shirt, fiddling with the locks.

Slipping her foot out of her shoe, she freed herself, creeping forwards slowly. As he finally opened the last lock, Lina grabbed him by the hair and shoved him down, pinning his head against the chest.

"Oh," He said, only mildly engaged. As she raised her sword, aiming it to his neck, he muttered, "Is this about the money? Because Goldenrod was supposed to hash that out with Cheese."

"It's self defense," Lina muttered.

"Hey girlie, you busted in here!"

Lina smacked his head into the chest again, making him grunt. "You're the disgusting creep! Give me one reason I shouldn't."

"Just one? I mean, it's not like you've killed anyone before." Jeko grinned, "Can you handle it? You look like you're going for my throat. You ever heard sputtering, gurgles of someone trying to breath with a cut in their throat? Oh, you get to watch the light fade from my eyes! And if you don't hurt my throat too bad you might even get a death rattle!"

Shivering, Lina hissed, "What is your problem?"

Jeko's grin twisted. "You're out of your depth. I don't know what backwater carefree happy-pelago you came from, but this isn't a game."

The grip on Lina's sword tightened, but her other hand moved first, slamming Jeko into the chest. Again, again, again. Again. Again. Again. He started to bleed. Again....again.

"Oh, losing interest? I didn't feel that one," Jeko laughed, teeth stained red.

Again. He coughed. "There it is."

One more and he started to go limp. Swallowing, Lina backed up a bit, and he started to slip, falling to the ground. Letting out a sigh of relief, she stood properly.

Jeko hacked a glob of blood. "I can't believe it worked."

His hand shooting up to the corner of the unlocked chest, he thrust it upwards. As it cracked open, a mechanism fired, the lid popping open. A quick series of clicks were followed by an array of ropes, weighted on the ends. The ropes met her and the weights made the rope coil around, pinning her arms to her body awkwardly, sword pressed against her cheek. Another click had her trying to stumble away, but she couldn't escape as a net came over her, the lower weights starting to tangle her feet.

Sitting up, Jeko noted, "Eh, the net was overkill." Standing, he raised his foot, delivering a swift kick, Lina dropping to the ground as she tried to struggle. She heard him spit, and watched as a tooth hit the ground in front of her. "Man, you aren't fun at all... I'll have to make my own fun."

---

Kuhn made his way down to the storage area after his encounter with the pirate girl, whom still had not given him her name. What a rude girl. And how dare she bring up Whitney. He had gotten the coupons out of Goldenrod's office - the guards were occupied with the intruder downstairs. Kuhn casually walked down the stairs, heading for the dispensary. He could feel his condition was already starting to spread. His eye hurt, and so did all of his left side. His fingers felt a little tingly, but as he flexed them his leather studded gloves stretched with his skin. He felt his revolver on his hip, a sense of relief washing over him, the revolver in his hand. Heading down, he peaked into the secondary large hall, commonly referred to as "The Slightly Less Large Hall". As he did peek in, his did see the blonde guy - the one in the jail cell fighting against the drunken swordsman, and he was giving him a run for his money.

He was about to draw his gun, till Isaac saw him in the glimpse of his eye, and waved him off. This was apparently some kind of battle of honor. Kuhn grinned. Maybe da idiot swordsman isn't so dishonorable after all.

He made his way to the basement, much to his dismay, there laid knocked out guards. The two idiots upstairs couldn't have fought here? He began hurrying making his way towards the dispensary. Where he found the small old man behind the armored counter. "Sup' Bob."

Flip Flip It's Kato.

"Sure it is, Bob."

"Here's this week's voucher. Bossman threw in a little extra."

flip flip My brother never throws in extra.

"You right. I had to work my ass off for these."

Flip Flip Flip I can't give you your meds, the storage is off limits.

"Come da fuck again"

"There's some idiot causing problems. He's beating the guards. Annoying Honcho, too." Kato spoke, putting down the flip book. Kuhn slighly shocked - hearing Kato speak for the first time. His demeanor got serious again as he headed away from the desk. He pulled out his revolver as he headed towards the storage area."

"I'll take care of him." He promise. "Whatever." Kato responded.

As he got further in, he heard the cackling of the bird. One of these days, I'm going to make target practice out of you..

---

"I know you're here somewhere!"

As Macario roared, a panicked Quartz goon cowered. He shook, daggers looking small in his hands.

Then, Macario slapped a palm to his face. "I'm yelling at a briefcase..."

"A briefcase!?"

...

He clapped his hands over his mouth.

A few minutes later, as the goon was lying in a pile of scrap wood (formerly an old desk), he brushed his hands off, letting out a sigh.

Kuhn made his way into the room as he heard the loud crash of the desk breaking. "Hell was dat?" He asked, peering around the corner, seeing the broken desk. Turning towards Macario's larger shape, he quickly leapt at the foe, whipping him with the revolver across the back of his head.

Head lurching from the blow, Macario grimaced in pain, before standing up straight. Turning his head over his should, not feeling the bit of blood starting to drip down his straight black hair, he hissed, "OW."

The barrel of the gun looking him down. "Freeze." The man behind the revolver commanded, his hat obscuring most of his face, a couple of his ginger locks falling over it. "Or eat lead."

"Oh, it's you. I've heard of you. Good shot. Worse with words."

"Yeah, well. I've never even heard of you, so you're bad."

Truly, the gunner's wit had no end. He realized how poor his comeback was, cocked his gun by pulling the hammer back and sighed. "Know what? Screw you. Get out of here. This instance, or I'm going to put you down."

"Wait, you weren't even primed to fire? So I could have just, like, hit you and been perfectly fine?"

"That's not how gun works, idiot. I could've blown your head off. I did that to prove a point. Is this your first time being held at gunpoint?"

Shifting to face him, Macario said, "Nah. I was just hoping to get out of a fight, but with you I might not want to let up." Standing still, he demanded, "I'm just here for my briefcase, and...shit, what was the girl's name again..."

"Don't you say it."

"Say what?"

"Don't what me. Her name."

"Well, I don't remember. That's the problem."

"I'm done with this." Kuhn said, pulling the trigger on his revolver, the chamber exploded as the bullet was sent through the barrel shining with it's bronze hue as the burning hot metal collided with Macario's head. He was forced back by the impact, but he did not fall, buckling against the shot as blood stained his face.

Pulling back his fist, he growled, "Xun!"

Kuhn felt the gust of air pass over him, the wall next to him shattering as if struck by a cannonball, his duster fluttering from the pressure, blowing in the wind, he held his hat in place with his free hand. Using his one finger, he spun the chambers on his revolver changing the ammo type and firing.

Gritting his teeth, Macario accepted the bullet, wishing he hadn't purposely missed, even though his forehead still burned with the heat of the last one. However, he underestimated this one, his shoulder starting to burn, quite literally. Throwing off his coat, forcing himself into his black tanktop, he balled it up before chucking it right back at Kuhn.

As the burning coat came flying towards him, Kuhn fanned the hammer on his revolver, each bullet tearing through the coat and going for Macario. There was another dragonbreath and bronze bullets, plus two hard rubber projectile, much harder than steel but meant to cause blunt damage, not piercing. Only small shreds of the coat remained after the four bullets had thorn through it. His pistol empty, Kuhn was quick to roll forward towards Macario, drawing his shotgun, meeting him point blank, as Macario had taken the opportunity to move forward, his arms jittery limply at his sides. The barrel of his shot gun jabbed against Macario's ribs, as Macario pulled his arms up. "Dui!"

The gun went off, rubber bullets hitting Macario's side full force, knocking the wind out of him. His left arm spasmed, but his right arm continued to fly, showering Kuhn with a flurry of blows, raining down on his head and side.

Kuhn ducked under the initial blow, Macario's fists gracing his hat, but as Macario aimed for his side, he got hit in the side of the head on the ear, as he was sent sideways, against the wall on the rather narrow pathway. Grunting, Kuhn heard ringing from the hit. Lightning quick, Kuhn had reloaded the two barrels in the shotgun, charging Macario again. Feigning a kick, Kuhn used the momentum from the fake-kick to leap into the air, rolling off of Macario's back and putting his gun against his shoulder, firing again.

Macario staggered forwards, a hand going to his new wound, a fresh speckle of bruising starting to form. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed a pair of chairs, tossing them one after the other at Kuhn.

Kuhn was surprised by the chairs being throwing his way, he dodged the first one, the second one hitting him, sending him sliding backwards, his arm in front of him, parrying the chair. "WHO DA HELL THROWS CHAIRS?! WHAT KIND OF CHILD ARE YOU?!" Kuhn shouted.

Kuhn's words echoing through the cramped halls of the storage area, Macario was running off as he grumbled, "I don't have time for this..."

Turning a corner, he quickly realized, "Shit. I have no idea where I'm going."

Recovering from the chair, Kuhn looked down the hall as Macario rounded a corner, the bigger man ran too quickly for Kuhn to pull up his rifle. Instead, he bolted after him. He couldn't let this guy stay down here, it would turn ugly. Reloading his shotgun with different rounds, he made sure to reload his pistol, as well.

He appeared around the corner, seeing Macario's heel as he turned right - towards the main desk.

As Macario stumbled back to the start, he let out a sigh of relief. "Lucky." Stomping back up to the window, he slammed the butt of his fist on the wall. "Give me my stuff you damn geezer!"

Kato messed with his flip book. Flip flip flip flip flip flip...

"...Stop fucking with me!"

Kuhn stepped out, his gun trained on Macario. "How about you stop." Kuhn ordered, as Kato flipped his book, before making a frustrated grimace. "You better deal with this brute now," Kato told Kuhn.

"You can talk you son of a..." Macario grumbled. Stepping back from the counter, he turned on Kuhn, still a fair distance away. Rolling his fingers, flexing his hand, he said, "Look pal, unless those are real bullets in your gun you can stop wasting my ti-" as a gunshot erupted, killing a small insect sitting on his shoulder. Kuhn scoffed. "I'm through with you." Cocking his revolver, he fanned the hammer as the five bullets were fired at the scholar.

As the first shot had fired, Macario twisted his body to the door leading into the quartermaster's room. "Gen!" The door buckled under his blow. Though reinforced, a fist sized hole erupted from the center, the rest of the door caving in as it was loosened from its hinges, falling in. Macario's feet followed through on the momentum, and he stumbled through, though not before two bullets hit him in the shoulder and arm. This time, however, the razor sharp bullets tore into him. One came out of his arm, leaving a nasty gash, but the other stopped in his shoulder.

Coming to a stop inside the room, Macario growled at Kato, "Stop screwing around a give me-"

Kato was stalwart. Still in his chair, he sat by a large safe, the innards partly visible through the glass, though the inside was not lit. However, there was a button on the side. "If I hit this, everything inside is as good as gone."

Kuhn darted through the door after Macario, rolling on the ground, he stood on one knee as he fired his shotgun he had pulled while rolling, the two pellets from the gun split, revealing two metal nets that encased Macario. Trapped, he growled, "Are you even trying?" Using his size to his advantage, he grabbed the nets and held his arm up as high as he could, giving him just enough room to eke his other arm out, pulling his fist back. "Xun!" he cried, air collapsing as he punched towards Kuhn.

"Is your face even try- UGH!" He was cut off by the blast of wind that hit him, sending him airborne, flying several meters, even through the wooden wall in the back, where he rolled to a stop. Cursing as he crawled onto his feet, his hat laying on the floor next to him.

Throwing the nets off of himself fully, Macario turned on Kato, stomping closer.

Kato hit the button.

Within the safe, a spark flew, striking a bit of sulfur, engulfing all within the safe in flames. Macario struck Kato, the punch laying him flat, before he began to roll his fingers once more. "Gen!" Striking the corner of the safe. The corner itself only bent, but the side underneath cracked. As air let in, the fire expanded, bursting out of the cracked side, Macario hopping back as flames and shrapnel burst out of the safe.

As the safe burst into flames and the explosion was heard, a quiet rage rose within Kuhn. Anger he hadn't felt in years boiled inside of him. As he readied his rifle, light gleaming off the barrel, Macario stepped back into view beyond the doorway. Noticing Kuhn, a bit of sweat beaded on his forehead. "My bad."

---

Lina thrashed against the bonds, but they weren't being cooperative. As she tried to wiggle her sword in hopes of loosening something, she felt Jeko grab it, pulling it away. The hilt failed to pass through the net, so instead he fastened to the net with a number of strings. Lina could barely reach it, but she couldn't move it out of the net, and the blade only tapped the ground helplessly.

"You...what is this even for!?" Lina growled.

"Thieves. I practically brag about the valuable shit I keep. I mean, it's bullshit, but if someone were to see the big ol' chest...heh heh heh, they'd be adding to my collection."

Lina grimaced: what the hell was wrong with this guy? Some of the bonds were starting to loosen, but there'd no way she'd be able to get out under Jeko's nose, and her sword was still trapped...

"Hmm, operating on live patients never goes well, but sedation kinda defeats the point!" Focusing on her sword again, she poked at the nearest shelf, only barely tapping a bottle. A moment later, Jeko giggled, "Oh, that one? Ehehehe..."

Jeko came over, grabbing the bottle, his hand narrowly avoiding a light stab from the sword. Popping the top off, he chortled, "You'll like this one."

As Lina continued to struggle, she felt a slight drop of liquid on her back, which quickly began to tingle. Then it felt like she'd been stabbed with a fire poker. Her teeth gnashed as she tried to flinch away, but it did her no good. Though she tried to restrain herself, she couldn't help but let out a few screams of pain.

"Ehehehe, like that, do ya?"

Drip, drip. Lina's thrashing because more intense, and her screams became more akin to snarls, her voice starting to crack. She felt her eyes flash with fire as those spots on her body burned.

"Oh~ Didn't expect you to scream like that."

With a guttural snarl, Lina kicked her legs, spinning so that her head faced Jeko, barely rolling onto her knees. Pulling back her sword, she gnashed at the string with her teeth as another drop of acid descended. It splashed against her sword before bouncing onto her shoulder. Her sword free, she turned her pain into fury as she stabbed forward. Her blade jammed into the iron plate, failing to poke through but the force knocking Jeko back, making him gasp. The acid splashed, splattering onto his foot. "Eeeyaaah!" he yelped, hopping back, trying to kick off his shoe.

As the wooden flooring steamed, Lina crawled after Jeko. Her bindings caught acid and she finally pulled herself free, standing tall, her back still burning. Jeko's hand floundered at a bottle that seemed to be filled with a powder. Looking into her eyes, he remarked, "Enjoying yourself?"

Teeth bared, Lina stomped forwards, blade flashing. She jabbed it into Jeko's chest, hitting metal. Then again. Again, again, again. The force of the blows had Jeko's arms at bay, unable to grab onto any of his traps or tricks. Again, again, again. Foot planted as Jeko was backed against the window, she gave one last strike, finally piercing his iron plate. Blood spurted as Jeko was forced through the glass, falling out of sight, out of mind.

Breath starting to steady, Lina felt the pain of the acid once again. Spotting the bottle of powder, then Jeko's burned shoe, she dared to scramble over and open it. Taking a breath, she dabbed a little onto her shoulder. Instant relief. She wasted no time in applying it to her other wounds. As most of the pain had subsided thanks to the neutralizing agent, she took a few deep breaths, before biting back tears.

Sniffling, she stood properly, grunting defiantly, "How's that!?"

---

A number of strings keeping him from plummeting to the ground a few stories below, Jeko swayed gentley, blood staining his front, a bit of glass embedded in his back, hands hanging limply.

"Bitch."

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Let me see the briefcases then!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Whitney says otherwise."

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

Speaking of lives, I have to save mine.

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

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

Gingerly, she creaked open the door.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

"Screeeek! Password."

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

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

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

"I don't care you dumb bird!"

"I know you are but what am I?"

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

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

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

---

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

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

Kuhn...

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

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

"Hmm?"

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

"I thought you knew Chester."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"If you see my idiot..."

"Yeah, yeah."

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

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

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

---

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

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

"I'm cutting you off, madam."

"I haven't even started yet!"

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

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

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

"I'll tell my poppa!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

Some time later, Chester was still asleep.

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

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

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

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

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

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

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

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gritting his teeth, Macario hissed, "Shit."

One Piece: A Golden Age, A Dark Age - The Boozehound Chronicles

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

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

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

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

"Hey!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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