p id="viewer-foo""So, our choices are either kill you and be hunted for the rest of our lives, or work under YOU? Are you daft", Kalifa asked./p
p id="viewer-10od4" /p
p id="viewer-e5vh5""Yeah right! Raymond would blow me up if I agreed to something like that", Jabra added./p
p id="viewer-b47i4" /p
p id="viewer-5l69e"Kumadori nodded and posed! "They would all be upset with us if we came all this way just to work under you. Why would we do such a thing?"/p
p id="viewer-be4mg" /p
p id="viewer-1g2jb""So, you're telling me you don't want to spare your friends the trouble of having to live with this game for the rest of their lives? Working under me would pardon you from further confrontation. And I suppose them as well. It matters not to me personally but I just figured I would let you know what you would have to deal with once you kill me. Of course, this means you have to cut your ties with them. I can't have them interfering anymore lest we come across any problems."/p
p id="viewer-5t1vr" /p
p id="viewer-3ctte""I think I get it. You're trying to offer a way out... but I suppose I'm not the only one that should make this decision. I think that this is a decision for you all to make", Lucci said as he looked over at the rest of the group."/p
p id="viewer-96nc3" /p
p id="viewer-3qkqp"Spandam did the same thing. He also didn't have too much of a stake in this. "Well, this is a weird turn. What are you all going to do?"/p
p id="viewer-2crsh" /p
p id="viewer-p6r0"Blueno shook his head and looked at Cannibal. "I suppose it's an offer that would benefit us, but it won't be that easy. I don't see why we should have to lose something when you're on the losing end."/p
p id="viewer-778h0" /p
p id="viewer-fk26t""Thats right! YOUR life is the one that is a stake, not ours", Fukurou shouted./p
p id="viewer-e6nsg" /p
p id="viewer-eaahb"Lucci smiled and turned back to Cannibal. "Well, you heard it here. We have no problem taking up your deal... but we have no intention of abandoning the others. We will be free to see them as we wish. As much as an inconvenience it would be for us to have to deal with the government, it would probably be more of an inconvenience for them if you died. In fact, if you die, they may even just pretend like you never existed. For all you and they know, we'll just end up taking care of the next seat of power next. What I'm getting at is that killing you would hurt the world government more than it would hurt us."/p
p id="viewer-ee19l" /p
p id="viewer-f5eqr"Cannibal stared Lucci in the eye, and didn't really see any resistance in the choice. Honestly Lucci had a point. Even though he was not afraid to die, why should he die so soon if all he had to do was let them have their little bit of freedom. After all, at the end of the day they would still work for him. Plus, he could always find ways to keep control of the situation. If their friends decided they didn't want to behave... he could just hunt them down himself and use them as an example. Same for these so-called ex cipher pol agents. He still holds the power in this deal. "Very well, I suppose I can't really complain about this. So, you work for me now, and exchange for such, I'll call off the hunt for you and your friends. They are NOT to be involved with any more government affairs or there will be repercussions."/p
p id="viewer-4rbtm" /p
p id="viewer-fber0""I suppose that seems fair. I didn't want it to come to this but... it could have been worse", Kaku said. He didn't want to work for the world government again but looking at the content faces of his comrades helped him become content as well. In a way it would be just like old times. "Now who's going to break the news to our friends", he said. That look of content faded into a look of cautiousness. It didn't look like any of them had the bravery to talk to them about this. Even Lucci looked as if he was willingly avoiding their gaze.../p
p id="viewer-e8672" /p
p id="viewer-97sat" /p
p id="viewer-b8dmb"````````````````````````````````````````````````/p
p id="viewer-9dn6n""Do you mind repeating that? I think I might have misheard something along the way", Raymond said as he reached for Pyxis. Jabra quickly hid behind Kalifa. It seems like Raymond and the rest of their friends were giving a look of combativeness./p
p id="viewer-cm057" /p
p id="viewer-96vd9"Kalifa honestly didn't feel comfortable about this herself. "Wait a moment! All of you put your fists away."/p
p id="viewer-bn2uv" /p
p id="viewer-qdug""What were you all thinking?! This is one of the reasons we even came here and fought for our lives! For YOUR lives and freedom! How could you make a deal with that man", Gurin asked./p
p id="viewer-10hal" /p
p id="viewer-1p03s""Please cease. We understand you are all angry with us but we did this to protect you", Kumadori tried to ensure./p
p id="viewer-3uegs" /p
p id="viewer-9ihmr""To protect us", Serenity asked./p
p id="viewer-9060k" /p
p id="viewer-9sa07""Yeah. If we killed him, they would have just sent more and more people after you. He told us if we worked for him, he'd... stop trying to kill you and all that crap", Jabra said./p
p id="viewer-9nbc7" /p
p id="viewer-cqjal"The group still seemed quite angry about this. It almost felt like betrayal in a way. This was the whole thing they were trying to prevent! Though it seems they only did it to protect them. "We wouldn't have minded, you know. What makes you think we wouldn't have fought for you like we've always been doing", Borya asked./p
p id="viewer-d1ph9" /p
p id="viewer-f403f""Thats just it. You shouldn't have to deal with this. What part of that aren't you getting", Blueno said as he cocked his head./p
p id="viewer-dbv7n" /p
p id="viewer-9gol0""Oh whatever! I guess the sentiment is nice at least. So, what does this mean for YOU all? If he's not going to take you from us, what is he going to do", Moira asked./p
p id="viewer-aqgg9" /p
p id="viewer-cc5jb""We'll go back to doing what we do best. When they need us for a mission, we'll probably have to leave for a while... but we'll come back", Jabra said./p
p id="viewer-dqbsl" /p
p id="viewer-9bm6j""Are you still mad at us, my dearest", Kumadori asked as he used his hair to lift Gurin onto his shoulder./p
p id="viewer-edfch" /p
p id="viewer-6pr78"Gurin sighed and shook her head. "I can't stay mad at you, even for something like this. I just wish you would have at LEAST talked to us about this BEFORE making the deal."/p
p id="viewer-6dkol" /p
p id="viewer-14g4o""Though at least you didn't try to cover anything up", Moira said as she patted Blueno on the back. "Shall we all head... home?"/p
p id="viewer-1uaq4" /p
p id="viewer-sovk""If you're talking about Zero Island... then yes. Let's go 'home'", Lucci said. Honestly, he'd probably rather live on Zero Island around people that are familiar to him./p
p id="viewer-2tq46" /p
p id="viewer-9l7rf""Oh we have such things to show you both. Zero Island has all kinds of things", Kumadori shouted./p
p id="viewer-avcv8" /p
p id="viewer-bgtk9"Jabra quickly interrupted. "Don't let HIM give you any tours. You'd be better off wondering around the island!"/p
p id="viewer-2decc" /p
p id="viewer-ahvsc""Looking forward to it. At least until they call us for a mission", Kaku said./p
p id="viewer-4eoon" /p
p id="viewer-c2cag""I can't believe this... but at least this adventure is over. I guess it's no secret that I don't quite feel satisfied", Raymond said. He didn't like the idea of them going back to the world government but if they were fine with this, then so was he./p
p id="viewer-5fn5n" /p
p id="viewer-8kjii""Eh quit your complaining, I'll treat YOU to dinner this time. Now come on let's get the hell out of here", Jabra replied./p
p id="viewer-9vpqg" /p
p id="viewer-4g6sk"Moira took control of the helm, and began to turn the ship around. The second she got the SkyDancer going again, she managed to see Cannibal standing at the deck of his ship, watching them sail away. Not only was he there, but the silencers that they had all beaten last year had appeared on the deck to see them off. Not in a friendly way though. They all seemed to look smug... Cannibal himself even gave a smug wave. Just looking at him pissed Moira off... so, she flipped him the bird as they sailed away. "Hmph. My only bird related move that doesn't involve sound", she said./p
p id="viewer-8sf5e" /p
p id="viewer-66m0v"The group laughed at this... but it was a bittersweet laugh. They may have been able to avoid death, and they wouldn't have to lose their friends but Lucci, Kaku, Jabra, Blueno, , Kumadori, Fukurou, Kalifa, and even Spandam and Hattori still weren't as free as they had wanted to be. This was simply what fate had dealt them. Sometimes they wondered if maybe they should have just killed Cannibal. They remembered that fighting to the finish was technically still an option to do so. ... but right now that's all it was. An option.../p
p id="viewer-10od4" /p
p id="viewer-e5vh5""Yeah right! Raymond would blow me up if I agreed to something like that", Jabra added./p
p id="viewer-b47i4" /p
p id="viewer-5l69e"Kumadori nodded and posed! "They would all be upset with us if we came all this way just to work under you. Why would we do such a thing?"/p
p id="viewer-be4mg" /p
p id="viewer-1g2jb""So, you're telling me you don't want to spare your friends the trouble of having to live with this game for the rest of their lives? Working under me would pardon you from further confrontation. And I suppose them as well. It matters not to me personally but I just figured I would let you know what you would have to deal with once you kill me. Of course, this means you have to cut your ties with them. I can't have them interfering anymore lest we come across any problems."/p
p id="viewer-5t1vr" /p
p id="viewer-3ctte""I think I get it. You're trying to offer a way out... but I suppose I'm not the only one that should make this decision. I think that this is a decision for you all to make", Lucci said as he looked over at the rest of the group."/p
p id="viewer-96nc3" /p
p id="viewer-3qkqp"Spandam did the same thing. He also didn't have too much of a stake in this. "Well, this is a weird turn. What are you all going to do?"/p
p id="viewer-2crsh" /p
p id="viewer-p6r0"Blueno shook his head and looked at Cannibal. "I suppose it's an offer that would benefit us, but it won't be that easy. I don't see why we should have to lose something when you're on the losing end."/p
p id="viewer-778h0" /p
p id="viewer-fk26t""Thats right! YOUR life is the one that is a stake, not ours", Fukurou shouted./p
p id="viewer-e6nsg" /p
p id="viewer-eaahb"Lucci smiled and turned back to Cannibal. "Well, you heard it here. We have no problem taking up your deal... but we have no intention of abandoning the others. We will be free to see them as we wish. As much as an inconvenience it would be for us to have to deal with the government, it would probably be more of an inconvenience for them if you died. In fact, if you die, they may even just pretend like you never existed. For all you and they know, we'll just end up taking care of the next seat of power next. What I'm getting at is that killing you would hurt the world government more than it would hurt us."/p
p id="viewer-ee19l" /p
p id="viewer-f5eqr"Cannibal stared Lucci in the eye, and didn't really see any resistance in the choice. Honestly Lucci had a point. Even though he was not afraid to die, why should he die so soon if all he had to do was let them have their little bit of freedom. After all, at the end of the day they would still work for him. Plus, he could always find ways to keep control of the situation. If their friends decided they didn't want to behave... he could just hunt them down himself and use them as an example. Same for these so-called ex cipher pol agents. He still holds the power in this deal. "Very well, I suppose I can't really complain about this. So, you work for me now, and exchange for such, I'll call off the hunt for you and your friends. They are NOT to be involved with any more government affairs or there will be repercussions."/p
p id="viewer-4rbtm" /p
p id="viewer-fber0""I suppose that seems fair. I didn't want it to come to this but... it could have been worse", Kaku said. He didn't want to work for the world government again but looking at the content faces of his comrades helped him become content as well. In a way it would be just like old times. "Now who's going to break the news to our friends", he said. That look of content faded into a look of cautiousness. It didn't look like any of them had the bravery to talk to them about this. Even Lucci looked as if he was willingly avoiding their gaze.../p
p id="viewer-e8672" /p
p id="viewer-97sat" /p
p id="viewer-b8dmb"````````````````````````````````````````````````/p
p id="viewer-9dn6n""Do you mind repeating that? I think I might have misheard something along the way", Raymond said as he reached for Pyxis. Jabra quickly hid behind Kalifa. It seems like Raymond and the rest of their friends were giving a look of combativeness./p
p id="viewer-cm057" /p
p id="viewer-96vd9"Kalifa honestly didn't feel comfortable about this herself. "Wait a moment! All of you put your fists away."/p
p id="viewer-bn2uv" /p
p id="viewer-qdug""What were you all thinking?! This is one of the reasons we even came here and fought for our lives! For YOUR lives and freedom! How could you make a deal with that man", Gurin asked./p
p id="viewer-10hal" /p
p id="viewer-1p03s""Please cease. We understand you are all angry with us but we did this to protect you", Kumadori tried to ensure./p
p id="viewer-3uegs" /p
p id="viewer-9ihmr""To protect us", Serenity asked./p
p id="viewer-9060k" /p
p id="viewer-9sa07""Yeah. If we killed him, they would have just sent more and more people after you. He told us if we worked for him, he'd... stop trying to kill you and all that crap", Jabra said./p
p id="viewer-9nbc7" /p
p id="viewer-cqjal"The group still seemed quite angry about this. It almost felt like betrayal in a way. This was the whole thing they were trying to prevent! Though it seems they only did it to protect them. "We wouldn't have minded, you know. What makes you think we wouldn't have fought for you like we've always been doing", Borya asked./p
p id="viewer-d1ph9" /p
p id="viewer-f403f""Thats just it. You shouldn't have to deal with this. What part of that aren't you getting", Blueno said as he cocked his head./p
p id="viewer-dbv7n" /p
p id="viewer-9gol0""Oh whatever! I guess the sentiment is nice at least. So, what does this mean for YOU all? If he's not going to take you from us, what is he going to do", Moira asked./p
p id="viewer-aqgg9" /p
p id="viewer-cc5jb""We'll go back to doing what we do best. When they need us for a mission, we'll probably have to leave for a while... but we'll come back", Jabra said./p
p id="viewer-dqbsl" /p
p id="viewer-9bm6j""Are you still mad at us, my dearest", Kumadori asked as he used his hair to lift Gurin onto his shoulder./p
p id="viewer-edfch" /p
p id="viewer-6pr78"Gurin sighed and shook her head. "I can't stay mad at you, even for something like this. I just wish you would have at LEAST talked to us about this BEFORE making the deal."/p
p id="viewer-6dkol" /p
p id="viewer-14g4o""Though at least you didn't try to cover anything up", Moira said as she patted Blueno on the back. "Shall we all head... home?"/p
p id="viewer-1uaq4" /p
p id="viewer-sovk""If you're talking about Zero Island... then yes. Let's go 'home'", Lucci said. Honestly, he'd probably rather live on Zero Island around people that are familiar to him./p
p id="viewer-2tq46" /p
p id="viewer-9l7rf""Oh we have such things to show you both. Zero Island has all kinds of things", Kumadori shouted./p
p id="viewer-avcv8" /p
p id="viewer-bgtk9"Jabra quickly interrupted. "Don't let HIM give you any tours. You'd be better off wondering around the island!"/p
p id="viewer-2decc" /p
p id="viewer-ahvsc""Looking forward to it. At least until they call us for a mission", Kaku said./p
p id="viewer-4eoon" /p
p id="viewer-c2cag""I can't believe this... but at least this adventure is over. I guess it's no secret that I don't quite feel satisfied", Raymond said. He didn't like the idea of them going back to the world government but if they were fine with this, then so was he./p
p id="viewer-5fn5n" /p
p id="viewer-8kjii""Eh quit your complaining, I'll treat YOU to dinner this time. Now come on let's get the hell out of here", Jabra replied./p
p id="viewer-9vpqg" /p
p id="viewer-4g6sk"Moira took control of the helm, and began to turn the ship around. The second she got the SkyDancer going again, she managed to see Cannibal standing at the deck of his ship, watching them sail away. Not only was he there, but the silencers that they had all beaten last year had appeared on the deck to see them off. Not in a friendly way though. They all seemed to look smug... Cannibal himself even gave a smug wave. Just looking at him pissed Moira off... so, she flipped him the bird as they sailed away. "Hmph. My only bird related move that doesn't involve sound", she said./p
p id="viewer-8sf5e" /p
p id="viewer-66m0v"The group laughed at this... but it was a bittersweet laugh. They may have been able to avoid death, and they wouldn't have to lose their friends but Lucci, Kaku, Jabra, Blueno, , Kumadori, Fukurou, Kalifa, and even Spandam and Hattori still weren't as free as they had wanted to be. This was simply what fate had dealt them. Sometimes they wondered if maybe they should have just killed Cannibal. They remembered that fighting to the finish was technically still an option to do so. ... but right now that's all it was. An option.../p