Chapter 9: Don't touch my pistol
18-year old Karin analysed the bounty posters she was given. The highest rank was of 100 million, which is rather weak for a pirate in the New World. But bounties aren't the best way to judge a pirate's strength. Her own bounty is currently 100 million, which doesn't really define her true strength.
Karin wears a purple-and-white striped hoodie with long black pants and black heeled boots. Her sleeves were rolled up to the elbow joint.
The Marines aren't aware of her relation with Donquixote Doflamingo and the Donquixote Family. In the eyes of the World Government and the Marines, she's just another rookie pirate.
Karin flipped through the stack of posters again. Her stack was pathetic. None of them were at least 100 million.
"These people won't make it to the New World. They won't last long." She sighed again. "They probably aren't very delicious either. Hmm, I wonder what Eustass would taste like. No, stop." Karin stopped her thoughts. Would she ever eat Kid? She heard stories of demons who "loved" humans so much that they ate them. Her mother once told her that sometimes she would feel like eating Doflamingo too, but their contract prevents her from doing so.
A contract does sound sensible, but she's not a full-fledged demon. Who knows what could happen. There could be side-effects. Karin wasn't very interested in being a slave for the rest of her life either.
Karin was currently in Paradise, particularly in a bar on one of the islands before Sabaody Archipelago. Her current mission is to hunt bounties. She's left with just the 100 million man.
"I can't believe a kid like you has a bounty as high as mine, Akumu Joker. Say, what's your real name, sweetie?" Karin looked up at the man, disgusted. It was her target. "I don't have to tell anything to someone like you."
He was pretty bold, to come to her like this. His hand was on the table, invading her personal space. Her favourite gun was on the table. Any closer, and he would touch her gun.
The gun used to be one of Gladius' pistols. He gave it to her after one of their missions, and she gave the pistol a steampunk theme. To her, it was not only a weapon, but also a treasure from Gladius. She won't tolerate strangers touching it.
"Hey, you're getting too close. Don't touch my gun." Karin took a sip of the plum wine she had. Karin loved sweet and sour things.
The pirate looked at her weapon. Underneath it was his bounty poster. "This gun looks more like an antique than a weapon. But since you are after my head, I guess I gotta kill you first." He picked up her gun and aimed it at her forehead.
In a blink of an eye, the pirate was sent flying to the opposite side of the bar, crashing into the wall. The customers in the bar ran out. Leaving only Karin, the pirate, his crew, the bartender and several curious onlookers in the bar.
Karin was up on her feet, her right leg high up in the air in her usual kicking position.
The pirate stood up. "What the hell?!" He aimed the gun at her. He shot three bullets.
Karin dodged all three bullets with no apparent effort. "I don't tolerate strangers touching my pistol. It's my treasure. I would rather take you outside so that people here would have lesser mess to clear, but I think you need your lesson here and now."
She raised her leg and hooked it on his left shoulder. She hardened the back of her foot before raising her leg it a little higher before sending it down with force. The man's left arm, from the shoulder joint onwards, was sliced clean off. Blood sprayed the floor as the man screamed in agony. Some of the other customers ran out in fear and horror.
The pirate shot Karin. Karin hissed as she pulled the bullet out of her body.
"Bastard. You dare to touch my gun and then shoot me with it! Escobilla." Karin did a quick brushing movement with her foot, slicing the man's right leg off. He dropped her gun.
"Did you just throw my gun?!"
"Wait, wait! I'm sorry!" The pirate tried to defend himself.
"Talón!" Karin kicked the man down towards the ground, creating a deep hole in the floor.
She picked up her gun, wiped it with a cloth, and hooked it to her belt, next to her drawstring bag.
"Dammit, I was supposed to bring him back alive. Oh well."
After she exited the bar, she was surrounded by Marines. "Stop, "Akumu Joker"! Don't resist capture!" The Marines aimed their rifles at her.
"Get out of my way. I am not interested in Marine meals today."
They fired their bullets. Karin dodged most of them. Some grazed her arms.
"Carousel calcitrare." She sent the surrounding Marines flying with one kick.
"This is too slow. Nightmare." Purple ghosts formed from her hands and flew through the Marines. Their eyes turned purple as they screamed in fear. They started shooting at one another.
"What's happening? Why are the Marines shooting each other?" A passer-by asked.
"It's Akumu Joker's signature move: Nightmare! The Marines are blinded by their fears and they fight one another in the confusion." Someone explained.
"Buleria Al Golphe." Karin danced through the marines. Only tapping and the fearful screams of the marines could be heard. After she made it pass all the marines, they collapsed to the ground. Blood stained the floor in a rose pattern. All the Marines were dead.
Another group of Marines chased after her. She ran towards one of the doors of the buildings. "Door: Dressrosa." She entered the door and closed it behind her.
When the marines opened the door, they found an empty storage. Akumu Joker had vanished.
Akumu Joker, a sadistic and unpredictable nightmare who, as mysteriously as she appears, disappears without a trace.