Jack Crystal.
If we're following him, best here a good story of how he came to life.
His father was a dedicated officer who once served under the prestigous General Esdeath.
He wasn't at all valued, he simply fits in the chain of command.
At some point, Jack followed his steps and joined the military. Both father and son displayed keen observational skill as well as a incredible sense of balance.
Although said her praises, Esdeath saw nothing in the midle aged man other than some measy talent that won't be able to stand up to teigu, which was bitterly true. The philosophy of which she leads life made Jack felt like spitting in her face.
"The weak will forever be under the boot of the strong. Only the weak dies, the strong survives."
Anyway, Jack's father witnesses first hand the massacre at Rudspoor.
The months that followed drove him and many others well past insane, if not dead in the part we called "soul".
The view of the General enjoy the burning town and mutilated corpse like it's a party sickens him.
He died.
Trying to protect a mother and child.
He died a slow death tortured by his own commanding general for a crime they called treason.
Esdeath recalled he never spoke of revenge or justice. That someday, her crimes will face justice.
It wasn't arrogance in his eyes. It wasn't hatred or fear, or despair, or insanity.
It annoyed her to no end that she can't break him. Even to the last breath, his eyes holds a look of pity.
He was pitying Esdeath. For what she don't understand.
It angered her. To this day.
News of his death reached Jack's ear.
Having served under a different commander, Jack only caught glimpse of the beautiful yet deadly woman.
It etched him for life.
For the first time, he used his sense of balance, and escaped the camps.
He didn't sought revenge on Esdeath. Simply because he knows he's powerless. The weak.
He ran.
Jack was pursued all the way across the vast land.
If we ask why did he ran, he wouldn't have an answer.
Maybe it was to get away.
Maybe it was madness in the spur of the momment, and the will to live later on.
Either way, he got used to running.
He started seeing the world in slow motion, seeing the world in a much more open sense.
Through the act of running away, he honed his sense of balance, his ability to climb and traverse.
Luckily for him, his pursuer wasn't willing to capture a measy soldier that would die out from running, and left him to his fate when he stole a ship and sail to the southern islands.
He himself thought he would rot there soon enough.
But fate lead Jack to his home. The Assassins.
They took him in and trained him.
It wasn't long before they recognize he has the "sense".
They trained him further. Trained him harder.
When he falls, he gets back up.
He felt he was obtaining strength.
Eventually, he out teach those before him.
Sensing the time of fate has come, the elder has sent him back, with the gear of an Assassin.
It was a blurry objective that one would think as a stupid reason to come back.
"Bring freedom."
The only lead he was ever given was that of the Revolutionary Army, his former enemy before his dessertion.
Then, let the pull of fate woves the fabric of history, as the attempt for freedom begins!
Esdeath heard of stories from her long gone father.
Of the Assassin, the old tale of how they defended freedom, justice.
To her, it was pointless.
The only thing she needed was power. The only thing that moves the world is power.
Part of it is true, but to base everything on that logic...
But we're getting off point here.
She didn't get why her father, who although share the same mindset, was speaking of the Assassins so highly, with such admiration.
They were weak, so they died.
Today, she achieved power beyond that long ago.
Then again, her father died too. That means he was weak as well.
"If so, you too, couldn't reach the place of the strong."
Jack didn't planned on staying at this fishing village long. But it surprised him that in just 4 years, people would be so rotten. Beggars everywhere, stores offer close to rotten food with incredibly high price, a slave system, even. Muggers and bandits roam about right in the middle of the square.
A walk around the tiny town gave him the impression.
Then, for something he don't need.
A Imperial Navy ship docked.
"You've got to be..."
His ship was "shady", if not close to be a pirate ship. He joined on through some favors, hoping to at least get close to the Capital. But here it was. A Navy ship on jobs to shoot down pirates.
"I have to change persona. It would be difficult to walk around this small town dressed like this."
...
...
...
Getting to a safe spot, Jack reached to his back, paticular, to the cross he carries.
A dim glow eminated, and Jack reached inside.
Pulling his hand out, he was holding on to a rather normal blacksmith clothing, slightly ragged and withstanded the touch of time. He fits this persona not only for the muscular form, but also because he loved blacksmith.
"A teigu used for storing stuff..."-Jack thought. He saw a few of these back when he worked in the Capital, but none that was so intricate. Thankfully, it can appear at his will, so he won't be scared of losing it by theives.
But then he hears canon fires.
Jack exited the tree area he used to change, now in complete blacksmith persona...
To the sight of the ship he's using to travel sinking.
...
...
"..."
For the second time today, he had to say it.
"You've got to be..."
Now how should he get to the Capital? On horse? If so, he must have provision. That this town don't have. What were they thinking anyway? Pirate ship or not, don't just sink a ship with valuable goods in front of a starving village! Are they trying to provoke the villagers or something?!
He was considering his option. Perhaps sneaking on to the Navy boat the fastest way...
"Hey there."-A country voice rang out.
Jack jerked a little, but turned to see a guy his age, with darkish blue hair and a fair build.
...Then he noticed that the guy was wearing a sailor uniform. Imperial navy sailor uniform.
The first thing came to Jack's mind was punch this guy's lights out, but after cooling his head like an Assassin, he realize it couldn't be this guy's fault...
"Yes? You need something?"
"Ah yes, um...you see...we're sorry for sinking a ship in your town's water, we'll clean it up, and salvage the supplies on board..."
"...Why are you talking about this to a blacksmith?"
"..."-The guy suddenly realize his almost-obvious-enough-to-die mistake.
"Well?"
"Ah...no, because um...how to say it..."
"?"-Jack became suspicious. His senses are telling him that the guy was just stupid, but he can't help but be a bit cautious.
"You seemed the most displeased."
"I just have enough energy left to display it. Look around you. No one has the strength to be angry anymore."
"I...I...okay, I'm sorry, then could you tell everyone that we'll...distribute the supplies to them?"
"The supplies you bastards blown to smitherines?"
"...Yes."
"Get off my face."-Jack had enough with this idiotic country boy.
Then, the two guys realize they are surrounded by mugglers.
"Hey there."-Someone seems to be the leader looked at Jack.-"You looked like a blacksmith, but I've never seen you around town before."
"I'm new."-Was Jack's brieft answer.
"Look, I'm on Imperial Navy bussiness, I can't-"-The other guy started again, and his sense of situation made Jack really do want to punch him in the face. But right now, he's the only ally Jack got.
"Shut up, mama's boy."-The mugglers turned to Jack again.-"Then, would you mind paying a...tribute to us?"
"...Very well."-Jack reached for his pocket...
...Before doing a knee combo of groin, stomach and head, sending the bastard way into knock-out slumber.
Needeless to say, a fight broke out.
A muggler tries to thrown a punch, but Jack quickly deflected it and punch up his shoulder, dislocating it. Then, he took the first hit on the next guy, a left-right combo before kicking the knee, forcing the criminal to falls to his knee, before sending a right fist that dislocated some jaws and broke some teeth. Jack quickly look up to the next target...
...To find that there are none.
Turns out, the idiot sailor was quite skilled in combat himself, as he also beat up two thugs in no time at all.
"Not bad, mate."-Jack had to compliment him.
"Aye. I am a teigu user after all."
"Mn."-Jack merely nod.
"The name's Wave. I'm on my last ride as a sailor of the Imperial Navy before serving under General Esdeath. Nice to meet you."
"...Jack."-He did hesitate but gave his real name.
"Well, thank you, Jack, I really needed help on that..."
"Then I'll ask for a favor."-Jack waste no time conning up a story.-"As that bastard say, I'm not from here. I was originally on the boat you just sunk, on my way to the Capital City."
"You, on that ship?"-The guy, now known as Wave, seemingly understand why this blacksmith was so pissed.
"Yep."
"Well, my sincerest apology. I'll talk with the captain, maybe he'll take you..."-Wave realized another thing-"Wouldn't being on that ship make you a pirate?"
"Because it was a privateer ship, it has canons"-Jack lied again, a fairly believable one.-"Or is the Navy just fires on anything that has a steel tube these days?"
"...A thousand apologies mate. I'll talk with the captain right away."
In his head Jack only has one sentence.
Just like that.
...
