Joselyn's childhood friend Verdon
The past of the misty pirates
Jack bursts through the door to Siman's workshop carrying Torumo, Toruma and Joselyn over his shoulder. Ratchet gets up as soon as he hears the door come open.
"Welcome back! Did you guys… get… the old… man… back?" But judging from Jack's exhausted expression he knows the answer to be no.
"Ratchet. Go get something for these guys to lay on," Jack says placing Joselyn on the couch and Ratchet quickly scrambles to find something soft. He eventually does and the three lay on the floor of the living room and Ratchet brings Jack something to drink.
"What happened? You doesn't seem too hurt,"
"That girl is the girl who kidnapped Siman… But someone else gave her a faulty list. He's to blame," Ratchet sends Joselyn an angry look after hearing that she was the one, but hears the rest and shifts back to Jack.
"I doesn't believe it. I recognizes that girl. She am one of them Shichibukai isn't she?" Ratchet asks and Jack nods.
"That's right," Ratchet looks back at Joselyn.
"Who in their right mind would ever try to use one o' the most powerful pirates in the world like that?" Jack thinks for a moment thinking Ratchet has a point.
"I don't know. I wish Mark were here. He'd have an answer immediately. Damn."
Meanwhile down in the back of the factory inside a small room there's a row of prison cells. Inside each of them is from left to right Mark, Yozaro, Suino, Pierre, Tetsuya and Genie. Mark is wearing seaprismstone handcuffs to keep him from using his powers and Yozaro has been fitted with a ton of heavy chains to keep him from even moving too much.
"Is this the end Mark?" Genie asks. Suino in the cell next to Yozaro starts freaking out.
"I don't want to die at the hands of that stupid idiot Verdon! HEY! Let me out or I'll… I'll," Mark grunts.
"Calm down will you. If I know Jack, he'll be here to rescue us soon enough. No need to panic," Yozaro nods even though he knows the others can't see it.
"Correct. Ze capitaine would not leave us to die,"
"I'm not sure what I should do right now," Tetsuya says from his cell next to Pierre.
"I know what we could do. Suino. You said you wanted to tell me you and your captains story," Yozaro says and Suino sighs.
"Okay if you really want me to,"
Back at Siman's Joselyn is slowly waking up and she sits up.
"Where am I?" She spots Jack and jumps back taking out one of her swords.
"What're you doing here?"
"Oh nothing much. I just saved your life," He answers and Joselyn puts down her sword slowly.
"Care to tell us a bit about why you think that Verdon would never betray you? We need to figure out why we're fighting him before there's any reason to," Jack says sounding surprisingly smart.
"Why should I talk to people like you who literally knocked me out when I had my back turned and dragged me here?" Jack blinks a couple of times.
"Didn't you see that Verdon kicked you so hard in the stomach that you fainted?" Joselyn gets a surprised look.
"I thought that's what happened, but Verdon isn't that fast. I've known him all my life."
"I'll go make somethin' to drink," Ratchet says heading to the kitchen. Joselyn sits down looking a little sad and Jack looks at her.
"Just tell me your story. I'll listen and decide if I want to help you get your castle back. I'm going back there for my friends either way. But I'd like to know if I can consider you a friend or an enemy," Joselyn sighs.
"Fine. It all started about 20 years ago," She gets a flashback to when she was young.
"Ever since I could walk and talk I've been asked to lead a mafia family," Joselyn is shown sitting in front of a desk with a woman, presumably her mother, by her side teaching her to read and spell.
"After learning how to read and write I was given two teachers who'd teach me the ways of the mafia," Two other kids come up to her. They both look like a younger version of Suino and Verdon.
"Verdon taught me the ways of hand-to-hand combat and infiltration and Suino taught me how to use different kinds of blade since they were apparently prodigies in their respective field," A few scenes with Verdon teaching Joselyn how to throw a punch and block are shown as well as Suino teaching her how to use her swords.
"they were kind and didn't yell at me when I got things wrong. I respected them and I was really good at all the things they taught me and when they were dismissed to go elsewhere I ordered them to stay by my side as my right and left hands. So they did," The three are shown acting like the children they are playing in the yard.
"When I was 19 my father passed away leaving me as the new leader of our mafia group," Joselyn stands in front of a lot of important looking men in suits with Suino and Verdon by her side.
"I refuse to take orders from a kid like her. Anyone in favor of overruling her leader position due to not being old enough raise your hand," Everyone holds up their hand except Verdon, Suino and Joselyn herself of course.
"Fine. Have it your way. I don't feel like being responsible right now anyway," Joselyn says and leaves the room soon followed by her two friends.
"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Verdon asks.
"What else would she have done stupid Verdon?" Suino says and the two but heads a little.
"My father's death really didn't affect me much. I never knew him that well. But my mother was in the same year, assassinated," Joselyn walks into a room at night only to see her mother laying on the floor dead and a man sitting in the window frame before leaping out the window. Joselyn runs to her mother and hugs her dead body, before a bunch of mafia come into the room and drag her away.
"I decided to track down my mother's killer with Suino and Verdon," The three are shown to travel the world on a ship. Verdon being the helmsman and Suino the lookout.
"However after searching for a couple of years we came up with nothing. And when we returned," Their ship comes up on the island and suddenly there're guns pointed at them.
"This island is private property of the mafia. Leave this instant or die!" One of the men yelled. Suino steps in front.
"Show some respect goons! This is lady Joselyn! The daughter of the previous head of this group!" One of the guards shoots at Suino's feet.
"I said get lost. This family has only ever had one head!" They all look at each other and decide it best to leave.
"That's when I decided that I'd get my island back as well," they're sailing on the sea again.
"What are we going to do about your island my lady?" Verdon asks and Joselyn hums.
"I don't know, but we're going to get it back from that stupid asshole who thinks he can run everything," Suddenly a news coo comes flying overhead and drops a letter onto their small ship. Joselyn opens it in curiosity and reads it. 'I hear that your island has been taken over and that you might want it back. I can help you get it back. All you have to do is become a pirate and then become a shichibukai. Afterwards come to an island called Yamoya island and occupy the castle there. Further instructions will follow. I'm your only hope. Sincerely. Mister Xiao,'
"So that's what I did. And now I'm here. Satisfied?" She concludes sipping the tea Ratchet brought her in the middle of her story.
"hmmmm… That doesn't explain why that Verdon guy would turn on you. He seemed to stick by your side since the very beginning. And I doubt he'd put up such a ruse when he was just a little kid,"
"It sound really odd," Ratchet adds. At the prison cells Suino just finished telling the same story.
"So the only conclusion I can come to is that the Verdon who captured us isn't the same person as the Verdon whom you and Joselyn knew growing up," Mark says and sighs.
"Which means we won't have to hold back against him right?" Yozaro says with an angry look at the bars in front of him.
"Easy for you to say. I can't use my devil fruit so I certainly don't have an escape planned. Pierre. You're an escape artist right? You can break free easy," Mark tries but Pierre sighs.
"Zat was ze one kind of magic tricks zat I could never figure out as a child. My apologies,"
"That's okay. I'm guessing they took Yozaro's swords and Genie's guns as well," Yozaro and Genie both grunt in approval.
"They better be separated like they usually are," Yozaro says in annoyance. Suino suddenly grunts loudly and begins kicking around.
"How can you idiots be so god damn calm!? We're going to die if we stay here! At least think of an escape route!" She yells and one of the men in the masks come in. This man's mask is green with feathers on the sides. It looks very tribal.
"Hey! I don't wanna hear another thing out of you guys mouth. You're never leaving here alive," Mark sends the man a glare.
"We will. Jack's coming for us. I'm not afraid of some guy in a mask. Take these off me and we'll see how tough you can act," He takes out a club and smacks Mark over the head with it.
"Don't think I can't beat a mere Zoan type in a one on one fight. You wouldn't last five minutes. Maybe I should kill a few of the others to prove I don't care who I kill," He says and turns away again. Yozaro starts ruffling.
"Don't you dare! I'll kill you!" He steps into Yozaro's cell.
"Is that a challenge little boy?"
"If you lay a hand on her I won't show you mercy," He says with an angry stare. The man laughs a little and goes out of his cell. He opens another cell and Yozaro hears screaming. Genie's voice and his mind goes blank.
"How's that?" He yells and Yozaro doesn't answer. Mark meanwhile is also frozen, but for a different reason. 'I hope we don't die when we're let loose,'
"Mark… let me take him," He says lifelessly.
"Of course," 'Okay good. He's still somewhat sane,'
Back at Siman's everyone has woken up fully and Toruma and Torumo have gotten over the fact that Joselyn tried to kill them and that she's in their house.
"There's only one thing we can do now. We attack again! This time it's not just for Siman. But for my crew and Joselyn's crew as well!" Jack yells raising a fist and Joselyn nods to that. Toruma and Torumo both raise their clubs, but Ratchet stands back a bit.
"I's not really a fighter. I thinks I'll stay here for a while," he says and is about to head to his workshop when Jack grabs his shoulder.
"You sure? Are you okay knowing that your brothers are fighting and you're not?" Ratchet breaks his gaze and Ratchet forces him to let go and heads to his workshop.
"I's sorry. I can't," He says in a slightly embarrassed manner. Jack just sighs.
"You know where to find us," The newly formed group heads out the door and onto the street.
"We'll be going then! See you soon Ratchet!" The second the door slams Ratchet slams his mechanical am into the table.
"Why! Why is I such an idiot?" He looks to the room next door and sees Jack's ship in there. 'I'd give up anything I have in order to protect them. Just the same as I'd let anyone have something of mine to protect those they care for,' Jack's words echo in Ratchet's head and he gets a determined look on his face. He goes into the garage where the ship is and shuts the door.
"Sorry Jake. I's going to have to do this my way," Meanwhile inside the castle Verdon is sitting and waiting for Jack and Joselyn.
"You'd better not screw this up Verdon," Someone says coming in through the back door and the person standing guard immediately puts up a spear to his throat. The mask he's wearing is red-striped with very rough edges. The second he puts the spear to the man's throat the spear flies out of his hand and is embedded into the wall. The person walks into the light and his face is revealed to be Ren and he's holding up one of his short curved swords he just used to knock the spear out of the guard's hand.
"I know. I won't lose," Ren walks up to him and places a hand on his shoulder.
"I have a favor to ask you Verdon. Can we talk in private?" He says the last part directed at the guard who bows and leaves in a hurry after grabbing his spear out of the wall.
"What do you want Ren? Why did mister Xiao even send you to check on our operations?" Ren sighs.
"I'm not here because of that. I'm here to check on the crew who destroyed captain Freeman's factory back on Avarice island as he was mister Xiao's best source of weapons in the north blue. As it turns out my childhood friend is on that crew," Verdon grits his teeth.
"What… did you want… to talk about?!" He says a little pissed.
"Have you told the guards what you really are?" Verdon shakes his head.
"I'm not that stupid. It's a secret only known by the people closest to mister Xiao and 'me'," Ren suddenly stabs Verdon in the stomach with his sword.
"Sorry. I'll take full responsibility if this factory goes down," Verdon coughs blood.
"Ren… you bastard. I'll make you pay for this," He falls to the ground. Ren looks at his blood covered sword.
"It's hard to believe you're not real," Verdon's entire body suddenly starts disappearing slowly. Everything. Even his blood on Ren's sword.
"You may reenter!" He yells and the guard comes back inside after Verdon's entirely gone.
"Verdon has taken an emergency assignment. He entrusts the six of you to take care of Joselyn and Jack," The guard nods.
"We will not fail. We were trained by Verdon himself to fight and win against Joselyn. No way she along with 'Black fist' Jack can take out all of us," He says and bows.
"Then go to the factory and warn the others. They'll be here soon enough," The man nods and disappears. Just then Jack Joselyn, Torumo and Toruma burst through the door. Without even thinking Jack leaps towards Ren.
"Where's that bastard Verdon!? ARMOR LAYER: BARRACUDA!" Ren blocks the strike with his sword without any trouble and pushes Jack backwards.
"He's gone. You're here to rescue your friends right?"
"Oh yeah! And you're going to stop us!?" Ren shakes his head.
"The six elite guards hired by Verdon are going to do that. I'm a bystander for this one," Joselyn steps forward.
"Where is Verdon?!" She yells.
"Verdon was killed by a copy a few years ago if I remember correctly. I took care of the clone. He was not your friend. I'm sorry. Say hi to Genie for me Jack. From Ren," Ren throws his sword and chain in an arc and it slices a hole beneath them all before returning to him. He smirks and the ground falls beneath before they can react and they all fall. Jack looks up to see Ren leaving. 'Genie?' He looks around sees that Toruma and Torumo are panicking and Joselyn isn't moving at all.
"JOSELYN! Snap out of it! Catch Torumo and Toruma with your powers!" Joselyn shakes her head and turns to mist. Torumo and Toruma land on it like a soft cushion and they fall slower, but they don't stop screaming.
"Hey you two! Shut it! I'll drop you!" they immediately grab each other's mouths. Jack is the first to land using his black layer as support for his legs and making a massive crack in the ground.
"Alright. Now to find Mark and the others," Joselyn comes down next to him.
"We need to move carefully. The guards might be as strong as that copy of… Verdon…" She trails off. Toruma and Torumo nod.
"Tha' would be da right thin' ta do," Jack jumps onto one of the tallest buildings. He takes a deep breath.
"Oh nah… Ya' wouldn' do tha'."
"YO MARK! WHERE ARE ALL OF YOU!?" His voice echoes for a while and he looks satisfied.
"Now to wait for a response," He's suddenly hit in the back of the head really hard by Joselyn.
"What the hell you idiot!? Now they know where we are! They wouldn't stick your crew in some open place! He can't hear you!" Jack rubs the back of his neck.
"But now the enemy can find us easily! Then we beat them up!" He smacks his fists together and Joselyn hits him again.
"They're probably not pushovers like you think. That copy was many times stronger than me! So the guards he has are probably really strong too," Jack rubs his head again. He's about to retort when a shuriken suddenly flies between them. They both look in the direction it came from, but are hit from the other side, by someone with a giant hammer. Toruma and Torumo are suddenly surrounded by two masked men. One mask is decorated with purple lines in branch patterns and the other with a blue floral design around the eyes. The man with the purple mask holds a long sword and the other a rapier.
"I guess we'll have ta' fight'. You ready bro!?" Torumo asks and Toruma nods.
"Ya' bet I'm ready! Let's take these guys," Jack and Joselyn both stand up back to back looking around.
"Where the hell is that guy with the shuriken?" Jack grunts.
"I don't know," Another suddenly comes flying and Jack blocks it with ease and the person with the hammer comes right after catching him off-guard. Joselyn appears out of mist in front of him and blocks the strike. The man's mask has a yellow lightning bolt going down from one side to the other.
"Go Jack! These worthless idiots are nothing I can't handle by myself! Go find our Suino and the others!" Jack trusts Joselyn and jumps away again. He doesn't even flinch when a shuriken is suddenly thrown at him. It's blocked by a suddenly thick mist cutting it in half.
"THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN JUST IGNORE THEM!" She spots a shadow moving towards Jack and throws a long tentacle of mist at it. It grabs on and pulls the person down to the ground. The mask he's wearing has black shadow-like markings.
"You're not going anywhere!" She pulls him towards her and pushes the hammer carrying masked man towards the other. They hit each other midair and the ninja jumps off him into the air and disappears again.
"Who do you think we are? We were trained by master Verdon to defeat you one on one. But think time there's five of us!" Joselyn chuckles slightly as she dodges the hammer wielding one.
"You think that will keep me from beating you all singlehandedly! I have some help this time also!" Toruma and Torumo touch clubs and start attacking. (From this moment on the masked guards will be referred to as the color of the décor on their masks followed by mask. For consistency here are they all with their weapons so you know. Red mask: Spear. Green mask: club. Purple mask: Long sword. Blue mask: Rapier. Yellow mask: hammer. Black mask: Shuriken) Toruma and Torumo go after purple mask and blue mask respectively, but they both block with ease as if they aren't even there.
"Do you think the two of you can stand against a warlord let alone someone who can beat said warlord?" Blue mask says and pushes Torumo back with his rapier. He begins stabbing at him basically playing with him and Torumo tries desperately dodging and barely managing each time. Meanwhile Purple mask is blocking Toruma's attacks. His style appears sloppy but Toruma can't seem to land a single hit on his.
"You know. If you're going to fight someone at warlord level… at least be prepared. I thought I was going to get a good stretching of my legs, but you don't even count as an opponent," Purple mask says and kicks Toruma when he's open causing him to fall. Joselyn sighs and turns to mist as Yellow mask attacks her.
"I guess it's just me vs the four of you then!" She envelops the entire field in a thick mist and disappears. Meanwhile Jack runs around looking for the place they're keeping Mark and the others.
"Where the hell is that freaking prison?" He says to himself. He spots something out of the corner of his eye and throws up his hand to block any incoming attack. Red mask comes flying down with a spear swing. Jack hardens his wrist and the two collide. Jack doesn't give in, but Red mask's attack pierces his arm slightly anyway.
"What the…" Jack jumps back and shakes the pain off.
"What's the matter? Afraid of getting hurt?" Jack grits his teeth.
"You seem stronger than any of the others! You must be their leader!" Red mask laughs.
"That would be correct. Now die!" He jumps forward and prepares another strike. Jack is about to block when he realizes his armor isn't strong enough to block it completely and jumps over instead.
"This is the second time. So it IS a problem!" He says and Red mask tilts his head as he turns for another attack.
"What are you talking about!?" Jack blocks Red masks next strike and is once more penetrated into his hand this time.
"Not there yet! Next time!" Jack yells and counterattacks. Red mask jumps back and dodges. "WHITE LAYER!" Jack speeds forward. "ARMOR LAYER ALBINO PIRANHA!" He begins an assault of fast punches and Red mask dodges or blocks most of them. The rest only scrape his body.
"You think this is enough power to beat ME?" He sends another strike Jack's way. "BLACK LAYER!" Jack blocks the strike again and is hurt once more.
"It's not there yet!" He says again and Red mask gets even more pissed.
"What the hell do you keep talking about!?" Jack smirks and kicks Red mask in the side while his spear is stuck partially inside Jack's arm.
"Improvement!" He answers leaving Red mask confused.
"Improvement?"
Meanwhile the ruckus can be heard from inside the cells and Mark smirks at Green mask.
"I told you it wouldn't be long. What now?" He asks mockingly and Green mask goes into his cell with his massive club.
"I'll tell you what now! I'll kill all of you while you can't do anything to stop me!" He attempts hitting Mark, but stops right before he hits.
"What was that noise?" He exits Mark's cell and slams the door. He looks around.
"I swear I heard something!" Suddenly the wall is smashed to a pieces and a giant hand reaches in the door for Green mask. He dodges out of the way and smashes the giant hand. It breaks easily and wood flies everywhere.
"Wood?" Another hand reaches in and smashes the doors to the cell. Yozaro looks out and onto the hand.
"What is this thing?" Suddenly a giant figurehead of a sheep rears itself. Mark exits the cell too as Green mask helplessly attempts to subdue the giant thing.
"Isn't that… our figure head?"
"Grab on everyone!" It suddenly says and everyone grabs the arm and it swings itself out of the little room and into the factory. They take a good look at it. It's a giant wooden robot with their figure head as the head and a cape with their jolly roger on it.
"What is this?" It starts laughs.
"I calls it… The Really Oversized Body Operation Tech! Mk: Prototype!" It yells and takes on a certain pose that seems somewhat familiar.
"Wait! Ratchet!" Ratchet sits inside the giant thing with ropes and a few levers surrounding him.
"Sorry I's late. This thing were harder to make than I expected!"
"You rebuilt our ship into a robot?" Genie asks and Ratchet laughs a little.
"Niagagaga! Sorry. It were all I could think of! Want some help gettin' those off?" He says referring to their cuffs. They all nod and Ratchet pulls a rope and a giant spinning saw comes out of the side. It starts spinning and they all cut off their cuffs.
"I also found these up above," The cockpit opens up and Ratchet hands Yozaro his swords and Genie her rifle and guns.
"Alright. Thanks Ratchet," Genie says and smiles. Yozaro puts his swords away as Green mask jumps towards the massive mech suit.
"You're not getting away from me!" Yozaro sends a glance his way and pierces his soul. 'What's this feeling?' Green mask thinks just as Yozaro jumps towards him and blocks his strike with Ryuketsu.
"Wrong. You're not getting away from me. Are you all this way or is it just you who's a completely failure of a human?!"
"Of course we are. We're guards trained to be merciless," Yozaro's eyes widen and almost sends out a pulse. Green mask sees a strange aura around him.
"Then I hope you're all ready to repent!" Genie looks after the two.
"Is he going to be okay?" She asks.
"He's going to obliterate that guy for hurting you when he did," Mark adds and Suino looks back and forth between them and Yozaro.
"Are you two completely out of it!? They said they could kill Joselyn! No way that guy can take him out!" But she's completely ignored.
"But he just pinched me really hard. It didn't kill me," Genie says and Mark starts laughing.
"Pegigigigigi. He probably didn't think of Yozaro was as strong as he is when he's angry so he provoked him since anger often makes you take the wrong decisions in battle…" Yozaro strikes once more and Green mask desperately only just manages to dodge.
"Zat means zat épéiste is ze exception to zat rule. Ze angrier he gets ze better he does battle!" Pierre comments.
"HEY! Don't ignore me!" Mark glances at Suino and Tetsuya.
"You two. Could you do us a favor and search for an old man with a grey-ish brown beard and a welding helmet?" Suino pouts.
"I don't wanna," She says like a little girl. Tetsuya taps her on the shoulder.
"I don't know what else to do. If they really can take out Joselyn the two of us won't stand a chance, but maybe these guys will," Suino folds her arms.
"Fine. See if I care. I'll go look for your stupid friend," The two jump off the giant robot.
"We needs to go too. I heard noise this way!" Ratchet says and the robot starts running towards Joselyn and her fight with the four masks. She dodges out of the way of Blue mask as he stabs at her and he immediately goes for another strike while Black mask throws a shuriken. She throws up a wall of thick mist that blocks the attack, and only just dodges Blue masks strike when immediately Yellow mask is looming above her literally bringing the hammer down with Purple, and Blue mask pining her in place.
"Don't get ahead of yourselves! MIST EXPLOSION" A giant wave of mist shoots out of her from all sides and Joselyn jumps into the air. "MIST STORM!" She starts spinning and shoots compressed mist projectiles to all sides.
"This is nothing to us!" They all block or avoid the shots with relative ease and Joselyn grits her teeth.
"No way I'll lose to a bunch of wannabe hired muscle like you!" They all jumps her at once leaving her no escape.
"Ratchet! Punch me!" Mark yells as he jumps in front of the giant wooden robot.
"What!?"
"Just do it!" Ratchet sends a powerful punch towards Mark. "FAT BOOST!" Just as Ratchet is about to hit Mark inflates and he's sent flying towards Joselyn and the four masked men. "BEAK BOOST!" He changes again and begins spinning. "CRAVING OF THE OCEAN: WHIRLPOOL DRILL!" He hits both Black, Blue and Purple mask since they were standing in a line compared to Mark and they're sent flying with Mark. Joselyn looks in shock after the zoan type.
"What… was that?" Suddenly a hammer comes flying down at her, but Ratchet's giant hand hits it out of the way before it can hit her.
"I believe you should help him! It is zree on one! Mark is strong, but not invincible!" Pierre yells holding up her sniper rifle towards Yellow mask.
"We's got this guy!" Ratchet yells and holds up a finger.
"I don't know you, but you're from Jack's crew right?" Genie and Ratchet look at each other.
"I am at least! Just go!" Yellow mask lands in front of Genie on the giant machine.
"I'll just have to take care of you two first!" He raises his hammer. He's about to swing it at Genie, but is forced to jump out of the way of a giant hand from Ratchet.
"Hey! You doesn't go swingin' at girls with giant hammers does you?" He says and Yellow mask lands in front of the giant robot.
"If I'm asked to," He throws swings his hammer at its leg and a bit of the wood flies off. 'It's an incredibly flawed machine. Shouldn't be hard to take apart,' He thinks with a smirk.