And now we're back on schedule! Yay!
Hope everyone had a great day. Hope to see you guys tomorrow!
As Katie and Maya had expected the man sent a flying fist covered in argument haki. The thunderous snapping wood of the table nearly ruptured Garp's granddaughter's ear drum. The deafening noise sent Tashigi into action.
The petty officer leapt forward with her hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword. She came in low and ready to unleash her deadly skills upon the assaulter but to discover Smoker had grabbed her in his devil fruit form. Both Maya and Tashigi were on the other side of the room near the entrances.
"Idiot", he barked with teeth clenching his cigars. "That's Sakai's Thunder Fist. You're not ready to handle that." His reasoning was sound but it didn't stop his subordinate to protest in anger.
"What if something happens to her?! Are we to sit by and let it happen?!" The young woman slipped her glasses back on before trying to go forward again. Maya stepped in front with her arms spread open.
"Tashigi-sama… I'm sorry. Katie says she'll handle it. If you look, she's ok. You've trained some with her and you can't even keep up with her. Besides, I know the marines can't get involved anyways. He works for the World Government now."
Both officers were left clenching their teeth but dark eyes did gaze over to see the tiny brunette had done the splits across the table she was sitting on. In front of her was the new edge of the table where it seemed to be cut. The raven-haired woman gasped in surprise.
"It's his fist", Smoker growled. "It can break sound barrier. Anything he touches literally gets cut…, or so I heard." His voice was gruff, low, and filled with anger.
The twenty-three year old chuckled. "Yep. Slow as ever", she yawned. "I can't believe I was ever afraid of you but Smoker, you're wrong", Katie continued with a large beaming expression. "He concentrates the vibrations in the punch. It just looks like it's faster than sound. So basically, he uses the momentum and the fluctuation from the impact to cut it but unfortunately it really is loud."
"Still too dangerous", the captain barked back. He was thankful she corrected him. Meant he could be quick enough to pull her from immediate danger if it arose. His eyes shifted towards the marines running in. "One of you damn idiots fetch any bastard close enough that can deal with this", the captain ordered. Several ran off to report to either one of the admirals or the fleet-admiral himself.
"You bitch… How dare you…? You say You're free? Ha!" Kane angrily retracted his arm as the smaller woman continued smile. "I owned you as soon as your grandparents threw you in my direction. A simple joke won't make you forget all those nights you cried and screamed when no one came. When no one listened."
"Oye", Smoker barked infuriated. This man comes out of nowhere and starts assaulting injured women! Why? Because she laughed?! That didn't make much sense but again the entire cover-up didn't either. "That's enough", the captain snapped.
"Smoker-san", the younger woman sitting on the table spoke up. "It's ok. I'm not very smart as Aokiji, or even my younger brothers like to point out, but I don't have to be to get around this guy." Katie grinned. "I'd also like to add before you think you can come to my rescue that he has a habit of targeting weak people. If you leave Maya's and Tashigi's side, he won't hesitate to go after them."
"Idiot! You don't think I didn't know that", he continued to clamor. "Don't lump me in with those two old fools you're used too", Smoker bellowed. He was already boiling hot with exasperation. What surprised him was how well composed Katelyn carried the situation. In the face of death, she was all smiles just like her damn old man Garp.
Instantly the tawny pigmented haired female slipped off the table and flipped it on its edge. Another fist hailed downward and barely missed the piece of furniture. The percussion from the thunderous fist destroyed the floor, sent bits of tile propelling up and outwards along with ruining the chairs and tables around. Nothing but carnage was left in a four foot radius.
The group's friend happened to appear by Smoker. "Wow… That was close…", she remarked. "Hey Maya, can I borrow your hair ribbon? Kind of hard to dodge with all my hair getting in my eyes", Katelyn pointed out.
The florist was shocked to see how quickly her little friend traveled but more impressed by her calm demeanor. While Maya's own heart was all over the place. Fight or flight had already kicked in and she wanted to run away but decided against it. Swiftly the female removed her ribbon and tied Katie's waist long hair into a long pony tail before the man could recollect himself.
As swiftly as Katie had joined the three, she was already back in front of Kane. "You know", the brunette began to point out. "You are in serious trouble. Kong had already passed an order that you not approach me but you probably…", she paused to dodge another swing which left massive cracks in the white tiled floor. "Think you're above the law since you work for the World Government now but… How do you think your superiors are going to look at you after reading you have harassed and assaulted a recovering patient in a hospital, a woman no less? Oh… Let's not forget the property damage…", she added looking around before hopping quickly with the grace of a cat over to the third floor's window.
"They'll say you asked for it since you insulted one of their own", he hissed with anger between his teeth.
"Insulted", she questioned while standing in the large wide frame.
A wicked wide grin crossed his lips as he nodded. "Who do you think they'll believe. An outstanding hero or a woman who can't handle authority", Kane inquired with a twisted tone.
"Oh", she popped up and smiled. "This is all over the fact that you misinterpreted a joke a beautiful young woman myself was laughing at, as an insult to your character. You then proceeded to engage in combat while unable to hold back your anger endangering two civilians and two marines… I see now!" She waved at Smoker. "As my official witness, sound right", Katie asked the White Hunter with pure glee in her tone.
The captain's eyes grew wide before chuckling himself. "Here I thought you said you weren't a smart one", he answered with another question. The other two appeared lost. "Tashigi… Report everything she had just said", he ordered calmly while unsheathing his jitte. "Forget the rest", he instructed.
"Smoker-san, you can't get involved", the petty officer reminded.
"Idiot", he snapped under his breath. "You apparently need a refresher course in marine law", the White Hunter glared. "He threatened the woman standing next to you and yourself. A marine can use whatever means to protect themselves from all pernicious threats, that extends to their colleagues as well."
The marine captain was done explaining. Katie had given him a way to express his anger and he did without holding back. Using his devil fruit ability, he moved about freely striking with his weapon. Kane's haki seemed too well tuned and each blow the man delivered hit but Smoker wasn't going down so easily. He'd pop in and out of his transparent form landing his own painful thumps. When the White Hunter was left exposed, Katelyn would leap in and distract the liaison enough to give the officer enough time to recover to a degree to fight back.
"Smoker-san", Katie called out. "The floor. We need to move outside or there will be a lot more people who will get hurt", she warned. The female had dropped her joyful tone and became quite serious.
"Hm", he gazed down. "Tch", the man clicked his tongue. "Fine! Let's end this", the captain shouted before lunging ahead. Massive arms wrapped around Kane as Smoker propelled his body forward using his devil fruit.
The brunette watched helplessly as the captain launched both he and his assailant through the third-floor wall. The ground came up quickly but the marine negated the damage with his own smoke while he heard Kane's large shoulder snap under the impact. Using her own skills, Katie followed.
The young woman landed next to Smoker who eyed Kane. He was rolling on the ground in pure agony without getting up himself. It was easy to figure out why. The flaming haired official's right leg had a bone jetting through the side of his fleshy thigh. His white trousers were soaking up the red fluid leaking from his body. With his shoulder dislocated and his leg completely snapped, he wasn't getting up.
The brunette let out a heavy breath. "It's over huh", she asked quietly. Smoker grunted in acknowledgement. Her heart settling down from the painful rapid beating during the previous fight. "It feels really weird", she continued.
"That's what happens when you let go of your fear after keeping it for so long", the snowy haired captain added in a quiet masculine tone.
"That's not it. He's a coward by nature", Katie explained. "Kong himself ordered that man to never approach me and do you know who he's more scared of than that man", endless blue eyes turned up to peer into grey orbs. "My grandpa Garp…"
"Where are you getting at with this", he begrudgingly asked before lighting up two more cigars.
"I think he's covering up something", the little brunette pointed out. "You're investigating any connections between the past and my stabbing. Maya and I can tell you, it's not him. Why give up a cushioned job for possible incarceration, if not death?"
What the woman was asking made sense, the marine thought. "Any idea", he questioned.
"I do but my medical records and Maya's story won't help you. The people who adore him were his patrol squad. Any one of them might retaliate in his honor. I don't know everyone that was involved but you could check into his sister. She would know. After all, she's still part of the program despite even the fleet-admiral writing a petition to have her removed.
"Thanks for the tip", he breathed before taking a seat a piece of rubble from the wall.
"Smoker-san", Katie chimed quietly. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it that you want now", the man griped a bit before rubbing the back of his neck with a leather gloved hand.
"When today is done. I'll have my grandpas, Tashigi, and probably that jerk Kuzan as well. Even nurse Liddy if I really need to cry it all out but someone above us doesn't have anyone. She'll be by herself and there's nothing worse to a woman than to be alone when frustration, fear, and anguish finally hit. A few years in my life I experienced exactly that and I'd rather suffer than to go through all that again."
His eye shifted back to the young woman. "I'm not going to babysit some tragic story", he groused.
"I'm not asking you too. I'm asking you to check on her. Besides… If someone stabbed me for something that happened in the past, what do you think they'll do to her now that he faces possible arrests", she questioned with a mischievous smirk.
"Crafty woman", he growled. "Oye… Where are you going", his grey orbs followed the direction Katie began walking.
"Out. It feels good to have grass under my bare feet. Plus, I haven't had any free time since this entire incident. I really need my space or I'll start to get cranky. I'm headed towards the board walk. I heard there's a rose garden near there from one of the marines. I want to go and check out the view."
He nodded and gave a grunt of approval. "Just don't get yourself killed."
"Hai!" The little woman in blue hospital scrubs bounded away into the distance. The captain could tell this event was heavy for her. They were nowhere closer to finding the culprits and old wounds have been ripped open. At least Garp's grandkid overcame her initial fear but just in her body language, the marine could see she was still frightened of the man groaning on the ground.
Smoker hunched over to relax a bit. He started to feel every throb and swelling of each and every bruise. It wasn't going to be a pleasant day that was for sure. On top of his own body aching, his mind did wonder. What the brunette did point out was quite true. If there was a connection, their attack pattern might widen. How was he going to watch over Katie and keep an eye on Maya? Uhg… This wasn't getting any easier, the man thought in frustration.