Chapter 9: The Pirate Knight
A small kid was walking through the streets. He had no shoes, a dirty ripped T shirt that was too big for him, and dirty shorts. The kid was smiling as he walked toward a big building.
He walked in, a few of adults were talking to a lady behind a desk. The kid walked up, standing in front of the desk. His knees bent, and then he launched himself up, grabbing the edge. Pulling himself up so they could see his head.
"Hi!"
The adults looked over, and their eyes appeared sad as they looked at him. "Hello child, what are you doing here?"
The kid smiled, "I was told by Miss Orchid to give this too you." The kid brought themselves onto the desk, and then held out a letter.
A man at the desk reached over and grabbed it. He opened it up and began to read.
'Hello, I'm sorry to inconvenience you, but Marx is in dire need of care. His mother died a while ago, and he didn't tell me he was living on the streets until recently. I can't take him, I can barely keep my family going. Please help him, he's a family friend.
Sue Orchid.'
The man seemed to tear up at that and looked at Marx, "You pore thing, we'll make sure to do all we can to fix this. Come let's go get you cleaned up."
The man picked Marx up, and set him down on the ground. And took his hand leading him down one of the hallways of the building. Marx was confused, but looked around. The building was really clean, and it was blue. He didn't like blue. As he walked by an open door, he saw a man talking to a kid.
"I'm going to need you to wear an eye patch for me. What's your favorite color."
The girl smiled and scrunched up her fingers in a 'give me' motion. "Pink!"
Marx was awoken. He looked up, and there was Joan.
"Hey, it's done, I killed him."
Marx nodded and rubbed his eye. He got up slowly, and then looked at Joan again, holding out his hand. She looked at him strangely, and then realized he was talking about the sword. She handed it to him. She watched as it shifted and grew into a great-axe.
"I thought you were a gonner when you took that hit."
Marx almost laughed. "I honestly didn't even feel it."
Joan smirked, "It looked to me that you were knocked out cold."
His eye twitched, "That patch of grass is par- okay that sounds stupid. But I fell asleep when I landed, not because of the punch, but because I was bored. You seemed to know what you were doing anyways."
She laughed, "Sure. Thanks for coming to get me, even though I didn't need your help."
Marx nodded, "Now join my crew."
Her eyes narrowed, and she punched Marx in the stomach. He slid back and coughed. 'She's got one hell of a punch.'
Joan's eyes widened, when she saw him slide back, but look up more angry than hurt.
"What the hell!"
Joan didn't know whether to be amazed or annoyed that she believed what he said earlier about falling asleep. She shook her head, "Stop asking me to join your crew, I'm not going to go with you."
Marx asked, "Why not? Are you going to stay here for all you life?"
Joan looked up and yelled, "NO! Well…" She looked down.
"After learning what noble's are like, yes. My dream was to leave, and find a worthy noble too swear a blade too. I wanted to be a knight, but now…"
Marx eyes seemed to narrow, "The more reason to join me."
Joan looked up, "How?"
Marx smirked, "If you won't be a knight of a noble, be mine. The pirate knight, I can see it now. The papers will have a field day. Besides, you're a criminal now."
Joan looked at him, "I am not a criminal."
Marx seemed to ignore her comment, "How was your fight?"
Joan looked at him a little peeved. "Well…"
Her eyes widened as she watched Marx get punched in the stomach. He was launched, flying paster her and through the wall.
"MARX!"
He disappeared. Joan turned around. "You bastard! I'll kill you!"
The big nosed noble jumped off the large mans back. "I was going to marry you, but you've gotten old. I don't like you. Org, kill her."
Joan eyes widened, 'This sick fuck!'
She got ready. The large man ran forward, she followed suit. The man swung his fist, and she slashed.
CLANK
Her eyes widened, as she was pushed back a little, sparks flew as the fist met the blade. She got a good look at the fist, and it seemed that the large guard was using brass knuckles. She grit her teeth trying to push forward.
Her ears almost rang as she heard the squeaky voice of the teen, "You see, if you married me you could have had access to all this power. This man you see before you, Org. He is a mercenary, hired from the grand line. The most dangerous sea, You couldn't hope to beat him."
Joan jumped back. "Don't underestimate me!"
"… besides, you're a girl. What could you possibly do to a man?"
She lost it then. These assholes thought they could insult her like this. As she ran forward, lifting the sword up in the air, it seemed to glow with power. She swung with great strength, Org raising his fist to meet it.
000
"Mom, why don't you act like other moms?!" shouted a you blonde haired girl.
The older woman smiled, her hair almost fully white, with a few streaks of blonde. "You'll understand when you grow up, that a Mom doesn't have to be weak honey. That I don't have to be girly or do other girly tasks. I'm my own person, independent. I want you to be happy, but I won't change myself."
Joan didn't understand. She stuck out her tongue and then ran into her room. She went to her bookshelf and pulled out a book. It was a story about how a knight saves a princess from a tower. She loved the fight scene with the dragon. She also liked the princess… just not in the way you'd think.
000
"HRAAAAAAAH!" The blade cut through the brass knuckles, slashing into the arm. She kicked Org, pulling the blade out of the arm, spinning at the same time. The arc of the blade slid through the neck of the large man, decapitating them. The head rolled in front of the brat.
"I… am not just any woman." She ran forward and stabbed the noble in the stomach, pulling the sword out, and then walking away. Leaving the teen there to bleed out.
As Joan finished telling the story she looked at him for his reaction. He looked impressed, and she couldn't help but smirk.
Then her world came crashing down on her when he said, "Great job killing a noble."
She fell down to her knees. "I… I'm a criminal now. B-but he was corrupt, that's not fair!"
Marx brought his hand too her head, "He deserved it true, but when has that ever stop governments when labeling criminals."
She looked up at him, "You asshole, this is all your fault!"
Marx stepped back, his eye wide, "WHAT?"
She walked up to him, "If you didn't stop me when I was running, I wouldn't have killed that noble. AND I WOULDN'T BE A CRIMINAL!"
Marx waved his hands, "Hey, hey wait! But now you can follow your dream to be a knight."
Joan's eyes were shadowed when she tilted her head forward, "What about my mother? This town, I can't just leave."
Marx rose an eyebrow, "Yes you can."
"…"
"Listen, your mom loves you, and she'll want you to be happy. If you don't believe her, go run to her. I'll deal with the rest of the nobl-"
Bang
A bullet wizzed past Marx's face. It seems like the whole household of guards, and nobles came out. The nobles were livid, their eyes bloodshot, some crying.
"YOU RAT, HOW DARE YOU KILL OUR SON!"
Marx smirked, and then looked at Joan, "It's your life, your choice."
Marx yelled as he started running at the small army of men, SUBETE NO KINZOKU: METAL WINDOW. The axe seemed to start to melt. Marx quickly threw it out in front of the solders, who were aiming and about to pull the triggers.
CLINK CLANK BANG
The guns started going off, but met with a large metal sheet, denting it, some going through, but loosing speed. The guards heard a shout OPEN, and all of a sudden Marx came barreling through.
The small wall began quickly condensing back into Marx's hand. He swung forward, a man being thrown back by the force of the hardening metal. Marx spun through the guards and nobles alike, smashing, and eventually slashing, as Subete formed into the signature great-axe.
It took a few minutes, but he brought every one down. He walked over to Joan, "Am I worthy enough to have your blade."
She looked at him and chuckled, "Fine, but I'll kill you if you become corrupted."
Marx then shifted Subete back into a long sword. He looked at her as he held it parallel to his body.
She rolled her eyes, as she got down on one knee. Marx lowered the sword down to her right shoulder. "I Marx C. Bane, Pirate Captain…"
He brought the blade over her head, and carefully touched her left shoulder. "… with all my power…"
He moved back to the right shoulder. "…. Grant thee Knight Hood under me, now rise oh glorious pirate knight, for we shall sail the seas with honor!"
Joan started to laugh, and Marx couldn't help but smirk. Maybe having a crew was like having a family. He wouldn't mind having a family again.
Joan got up, "If we're going to set off, let me get my armor and weapon."
Marx's eyes rose up, "Wait, what?"
Joan smirked, "I was serious when I said I dreamed of being a knight."
Marx felt sweat drop from his forhead, "Alright be quick and say your goodbyes, I'll go get the boat ready. Meet me at the south end of the Island, on the beach, I'll wait there."
Joan nodded.
'I guess I've done it, I'm a knight.'
