It has been a long time.
Kaku grins as he spins around, swinging out with his leg, slamming into the chest of a burly pirate. The pirate squawks disgracefully, twirling off in the distance. He hears a faint splash, but he's already moving on, punching another in the face. A crunch of brittle bone, and a shriek.
A flicker of movement, and he sends a Shigan flying into a mass of pirate swarming about. He scores, resulting in more screams.
The civilians are cheering, whooping – he thinks he sees banners and flags flapping in the wind.
Hattori is cooing, circling the boat, adding to the din with his own chirps of victory.
Jyabura takes a hit on purpose, jeering as the impact shoots his off the boat. He is holding out an arm with a victory sign before he spins in mid-air – posing for the civilians, Kaku guesses - regains balance, and takes the offending pirate's head off.
Kalifa kicks someone. Hard. There is a manly girly squeal when her heels sink into soft flesh, raking holes.
Blueno is dangling from the rigging – a few unfortunates decide to follow. It takes only a second before they realise their mistake.
Fukuro boots someone off the ship. Another splash, with a sprinkle of gurgling on the side.
Kaku wipes his hand clean on a corpse's clothes, taking out more clumsy pirates with his other. There aren't as many now; most are frantically trying to swim away. The civilians are pressing in with jeers and howls of their own, waving rough sticks and flexing muscles.
He turns and sees Lucci.
Lucci's smiling in the way that only Lucci can. Feral, clear, hard-edged. His eyes hold a hint of gold when his instincts rankle with his leopard side – they are gleaming, and Lucci's canine teeth look sharper, thicker than before.
It is only in this way that Lucci revels. Enjoyment, pleasure – not that cool, smooth, calculating hate that swelled more so than ever after the fall of Enies Lobby.
Lucci notices his stare, smiles back – baring his fangs.
Kaku laughs, deep and throaty, when their eyes meet.
It has been a long time.