"Yo," Heiji greeted as Kaito and Hakuba walked over. Then, noticing that Kaito was busy playing with a stuffed parrot, he asked, "What's up with him?"
"Oh, he's going through a pirate phase," Hakuba answered with a shrug of the shoulders.
"Pirate phase?" Shinichi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, something about watching One Piece and wanting to become the pirate emperor," Hakuba explained.
"Pirate King!" Kaito corrected, giving Hakuba a pout.
"Hai, hai," Hakuba said, patting Kaito on the head. Kaito grinned happily in reply. "So, what are you guys up to?" Hakuba continued.
"We were decided whether to play soccer or baseball," Shinichi replied.
"This again?" Hakuba asked, slapping himself on the head.
"We should play pirates!" Kaito suggested.
"Pirates?" Shinichi and Heiji responded in unison, "How do you play pirates?"
"Well, you go like this," Kaito said, hopping around on one leg, "See? I lost my leg in battle and now I have to use a wooden one."
"I don't get it," Shinichi replied flatly, looking over at Heiji, "Do you?" Heiji just shook his head also.
"Guys, imagination," Kaito said, holding up a curled fist, "Tell me, what do you see this as?"
Shinichi and Heiji stared at the hand for a moment, then Shinichi replied first.
"Someone with arthritis?"
"Aho!" Heiji replied, "It's obviously Parkinson's."
"Uh, that wasn't-" Kaito tried to say, but Heiji and Shinichi ignored him.
"Look at the angle! It has to be due to joint weakening seen in arthritis!" Shinichi argued.
"Are you dumb? This is the classic appearance of Parkison's, when muscle control decreases," Heiji retorted.
"GUYS! SHUT UP!" Kaito yelled, hitting Shinichi and Heiji over the head, "It's supposed to be a claw."
"Huh? That makes no sense," Heiji said.
"In the first place, humans don't have claws," Shinichi added, "Right, Hakuba?"
"Eh? Why are you asking me?" Hakuba wondered aloud, feeling uneasy now that he'd been dragged into the argument.
"You scored highest in yesterday's biology exam right?" Shinichi asked.
"Well, yes," Hakuba said.
"That makes you the most knowledgeable sixth grader when it comes to biology," Shinichi concluded.
"I guess so," Hakuba said unenthusiastically.
"Then you'll have to settle it. Can people have claws?" Heiji asked.
"Well-" Hakuba began, suddenly realizing that three pairs of eyes were staring at him. How am I supposed to respond seriously to such a stupid question? he wondered, before thinking up an idea. "Say, why don't we form our own pirate crew?" Hakuba suggested, changing the topic, "They did that in One Piece, right?"
Kaito, buying into Hakuba's diversion, instantly agreed, "Yeah! We totally should! I'll be captain!"
"Why are you the captain?" Heiji protested.
"Because I know the most about pirates," Kaito replied.
"That's not true! I know plenty about pirates!" Heiji countered.
"What was the name of the previous Pirate King then?" Kaito asked.
"Ha? Pirate King? Uh-" Heiji paused, racking his brain for the answer.
"See? You don't know," Kaito said.
"That was a dumb question. Give me another one," Heiji said.
"What region was considered the weakest, prior to the Grand Line?" Kaito asked.
"G-grand line? What is that, like the equator?" Heiji asked.
"So, I'm captain, right guys?" Kaito asked, ignored Heiji as he turned around to Shinichi and Hakuba.
"Oi!" Heiji yelled, "I just don't know because you're asking about a manga! Ask something about real pirates!"
"Real pirates? Are you delusional?" Kaito asked, a completely serious expression on his face. That was probably the straw that broke Heiji's back, causing him to snap.
"Kaito! I'm going to kill you!" Heiji threatened.
"Hattori, calm down," Shinichi said, pulling Heiji back.
"Yeah, I'll make you the seaman, Heiji," Kaito offered.
"What does the seaman do?" Heiji asked, calming down slightly.
"Swabs the decks and cleans the toilets," Kaito explained.
"KAITO!" Heiji yelled.
One Hour Later
"Alright, let's get started," Kaito said, looking around at their ragtag group. Everyone was covered with dirt and bruises, courtesy of their previous brawl. Well, at the very least, they looked more like pirates now. "First, we'll need a name for our crew. Anyone have suggestions?"
"How about 'Blackbeard's Pirates'?" Shinichi suggested.
"Don't just go ripping off someone else," Heiji remarked.
Irked, Shinichi countered, "Then you have an idea?"
"Yeah, 'Osakan Bigs'," Heiji answered.
"Aren't you just ripping off a baseball team?" Shinichi asked flatly.
"You have something against baseball?" Heiji countered.
"I don't think that's the issue here," Shinichi said.
"Ahem," Kaito interrupted, trying to get them back on track, "How about 'Bone'?"
"I like it, very rogue," Hakuba commented. Shinichi nodded as well, then turned to Heiji.
"I guess it can work," he conceded.
"Alright then, we'll be the Bone Pirates," Kaito said, "Next, we'll need to decide upon ranks. I'm captain. So, we'll need a first mate. I nominate Hakuba."
"Eh? Why Hakuba?"
"No, it make sense," Shinichi said, "He's level-headed and can take charge if anything every happened to the captain."
"Then it's decided," Kaito finished.
"Oi!" Heiji interrupted.
"What is it?" Kaito asked.
"Nevermind," Heiji grumbled.
"Alright, next is the second mate. I nominate Shinichi," Kaito said.
"Okay," Shinichi replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"What about me?" Heiji asked.
"You're the seaman, remember?" Kaito asked.
Before Heiji could protest, Shinichi put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Just go with it, okay?"
Heiji sighed, trying to calm himself down. "So, what next?"
"Well, in One Piece, everyone has a superpower. We should come up with superpowers for ourselves," Kaito said, "I want the power of telekinesis."
"Moving objects with your mind, huh?" Hakuba asked. He then thought for a moment before speaking. "In that case, I want hydrokinesis."
"The ability to control water," Shinichi elaborated, "That make sense, especially since we'll be on water, being able to control it would come in handy. As expected of the first mate."
"What about you, Shinichi?" Kaito asked.
"Me? Hm-" Shinichi said, tapping his chin, "How about the ability to fortify things, like making the ship tougher?"
"Very pragmatic. That's exactly like something you would say," Hakuba commented.
"Ne, ne, it's my turn right?" Heiji asked, clearly having been waiting impatiently for his turn.
"Huh? The seaman doesn't need a special power," Kaito replied.
"W-what?!" Heiji said, beginning his protest. He was interrupted by the arrival of Ran, however.
"What are you guys doing?" Ran asked, noticing the four boys just sitting in the yard.
"Playing pirates," Shinichi explained.
"Pirates?" Ran asked, looking confused.
"Yup, we're the Bone Pirates," Kaito said, then pointing to himself, "I'm the captain and my special power is telekinesis."
"Te-telek-what?" Ran asked.
"Telekinesis," Shinichi replied, "It means he can make anything come to him using his mind."
"Ohhh," Ran said, then looking around, asked, "What's your superpower, Shinichi?"
"Mine? I can fortify things, make them harder and stronger."
"Eh? That doesn't sound very cool," Ran replied.
"W-what?" Shinichi said, blushing, "It's practical and that's what you need on a ship. The second mate has to make sacrifices, you know."
"Hmm," Ran said, not sounding convinced. "And you?" she asked, turning to Hakuba.
"He's the first mate and his power is hydrokinesis," Kaito answered.
"Another kinesis?" Ran asked.
"It means to control water," Hakuba explained.
"Oh, so you're like a garden hose?" Ran asked, giggling.
"Well, I guess so," Hakuba admitted, scratching his head.
Finally turning to Heiji, Ran asked, "What about you, Heiji?"
"He doesn't have a superpower," Kaito answered, cutting Heiji off.
"Eh? Why not?" Ran asked.
"Yeah, why not?" Heiji chimed in.
"He's the seaman," Kaito explained.
Before any of them could speak again, they heard the sound of voices approaching. Looking up, the group noticed it was Ran's parents.
"Ran, why'd you run off? We were looking for you," her mother, Eri, said.
"Okasan, look, they're playing pirates," Ran explained.
"Pirates?" Kogoro asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Un," Ran replied. "They're the Boners. The Captain's power is to make anything come. The first mate's power is to make things wet. The second mate's power is to make things hard. Oh and Heiji doesn't have a power but he's a seaman."
After Ran explained the game, Eri and Kogoro felt their mouths drop wide open. Without another word, they pulled Ran away saying, "We're going home, Ran."
"Eh? Why?" Ran protested as she was dragged along.
Shinichi, Kaito, Hakuba, and Heiji watched as Ran left, their cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. No one could say another word.
Needless to say, they never played pirates again.
