Night was approaching the town of Fedje quickly. The cold winds of the oncoming moon started to grasp the port hamlet in a most chilling manner. The Hockenheim and the oxen stood as they did before. The town was dead, save one barn. Octo, a small, skinny lad with purple tinted glasses, an open vest, and a bandana came scrambling down a tall ladder. A rather brutish fellow, perhaps wider than tall, followed him called Puss who wore the same vest and bandana as his smaller partner in piracy. The two made no cautionary attempts on their way down from the tiny window far up the barn wall. Almost flying down, the pirates made their way to their captain, the very angry captain Ebenezer Kraken.

Kraken turned to meet them, his face a look of an erupting volcano. "What in the name of Davy Jones' Locker are you two gull brained fish faced shark bait idiots doing down here?! Yarr!"

Octo, the usual talker of the two, spoke. "Well, uh, Cap'n. The enemy has a deal to make…"

"Deal to make." Puss repeated.

"Captain Kraken of the northern seas doesn't make no deals! Now go back up there you squid balls and kill them! Yarr!" Kraken spat.

"But- But sir! They offer to br-bring us to a south base! They'll allow us in to a port in France!" Octo repeated.

"Port in France, Cap'n." Puss stated.

"…France eh? Ahar, that's a deal kind to me ears! Go back and tell them to come down so we can talk about this deal. Yarr." Kraken smiled.

"Yes sir!" Octo saluted.

"Yes sir!" Puss did as well.

The two were up the ladders in a matter of moments. The two clambered in through the window to the awaiting three.

Rouge was the first to ask something. "Well?"

"The good Cap'n wants to see you all to make that deal. He sounds rather pleased!" Octo answered.

"Rather pleased." Puss repeated.

"Good. It's what I thought would happen. Now go back and tell your captain to call off his cronies and we'll come down." Falcon said.

"Aye aye!" Octo saluted and retreated towards the ladders, urging Puss to follow.

"Kraken seems interested. But for what interests him so in the south?" Galuda pondered.

"Galuda, Galuda. You have to learn to forgive! Sure he's a crazy flippin megalomaniac pirate, but deep down, he's an idiot." Falcon laughed.

"Well don't underestimate him too much Eddy. After all, he is immortal." Rouge stated.

"It's not Eddy! It's Falcon! Falcon! As of the house of Falcon, not the house of Edward! Sheesh!" Falcon rambled.

** *

Octo and Puss scrambled down the ladder once more, hurrying to their beloved leader. Kraken was polishing his pistol, expecting the two's company.

"Cap'n! They say call off the men and they'll come down!" Ocot reported.

"Hahar then! King! Yarr." Kraken called to his helmsman.

"Aye Cap'n?" King asked back.

"Tell the men to back down. We have a deal to make with these treasure thieves! Ahar yarr!" Kraken smiled.

** *

The great wall of furniture was removed after the pirate horde backed outside the barn. Falcon, Rouge, and Galuda came down the stairs. Rouge and Galuda had the cautious and alert look upon their faces, but Falcon wore the face of an admiral's victory. Chest out and nose high, he lead the other two down the spiral staircase and outside the barn. The pirate crew made a path for them, each growling and snarling. Ahead of them Captain Kraken sat on a treasure chest, polishing his pistol. Octo and Puss were standing on his right, and King was to his left. Kraken smiled.

"Ahar Ahoy treasure thieves, wot can I offer you, some wine or cider? Yarr?" Kraken offered.

"No thanks Ebenezer. Looks like you regained yer bally face since the least time we met, wot wot." Falcon smiled.

Rouge whispered to Falcon. "What are you doing Falcon? Trying to get us killed?"

"Shhh, let me do the talking." Falcon winked at her.

"We've met before? Your scurvy mugs don't look familiar…yarr." Kraken raised an eyebrow.

"Of coarse we have! The name is Edward Falcon, Falcon to his friends. A year ago, aboard the King Octopus in the Russian town of Skullhaven Remember now?" Falcon gestured with his hands.

Kraken glanced over the three, his brow furrowed in thought. A moment passed by before he finally spoke. "Arg, I recognize at least one of ye! The ingin der, gave me a good knock around then! Stole most of me booty to with his stealthy crew arr. Hoho! You got a lot of guts coming back to me, yarr!"

Galuda scowled with the offensive remark he was dealt. Rouge's hand on his broad shoulder told him to remain quiet.

"I hear talk of your battles up here Kraken. They say you can't be defeated anymore. Talk says your immortal due to a power stone wish…" Falcon told.

"Tis all true Mr. Falcon, the crew of the King Octopus cannot be bested, arg, every vessel and every crew we've met has fallen before us, arr! How do you think we've gained the riches of kings in so little amount of time? Yarr." Kraken bragged.

"That sounds all so impressive Captain. However, could you defeat another man blessed with the power of a power stone?" Falcon taunted.

A hubbub of gossip instantly swam through the crewmen. Kraken's eyebrow twitched.

"Are ye saying that you've taken the power of a power stone upon yerself, yarr?!" Kraken stood up.

"Not at all Captain. But there is a creature in the town of Manches, France, which has been created due to a thoughtless wish. It is blessed with the strengths of the power stone and now is on a rampage, killing innocent women in the dead of night. The local police are helpless and even we, adventurers seasoned with experience in the power stone field, cannot act against it. My question is, do you think you can beat it?" Falcon crossed his arms.

The hubbub among the pirates ceased as they waited for their leader to answer. Each one wanted to see if their hero would stand against the challenge.

Kraken's face was a cinderblock for quite the time until he suddenly burst out laughing. "Hohohoho! Of coarse I can! Arg! After all, I am the infamous Captain Ebenzer Kraken, head of the King Octopus and her dreaded crew! Yarr! Hohohohoho!"

The crowd gave a cheer. Kraken looked content with himself. Octo and Puss had a somewhat daunted look upon their faces. Falcon looked pleased with himself as well. And Galuda and Rouge each had a relieved expression.

"Alright Kraken, here's the deal. You come to Manches and help us fight against Other Jack and the Lady Julia and myself will give you a rather large plot of land and wealth in the Canary Islands." Falcon stated.

"Falcon, do you and Julia really have land in the Canaries?" Rouge whispered.

"Sure do. That's how are families met. My family owns one half of an island and her family owns the other half and the seas around it. Shhh now, it's not over yet, wot wot." Falcon whispered back.

"Arr, the Canary Isles eh? Tis to the south alright, owned by Spain. Plenty of loot right there… Harhar. Alright then Mr. Falcon, ye got yerself a deal! Yarr!" Kraken stretched out his hand in order to shake Falcon's.

With a smile Falcon received the shake courteously. He turned back to his comrades and gave the thumbs up gesture. Smiling back, the two did the same.

"Alright crew, arr! Move all the treasure onto the ship, take down our flags and pack some provisions, we head south! Yarr!" Kraken roared to his troops.

There was a most jubilant sound of cheering from the men. Hats and bandanas went flying into the now dark air. Octo and Puss were now grinning like drunken fools. The scene was a cheerful one if ever. Fedje was liberated and a plan to stop Other Jack was going into effect.

"Now all we have to do is get the plane repaired." Galuda said.

"Huh, forgot all about the Hockenheim. Guess we'll have to find someone to repair her tomorrow morn." Falcon scratched his blonde head.

"Well now Master Falcon, I wouldn't look too hard. It just so happens that Puss and myself here are master vehicle repairmen!" Octo stepped up, raising his tinted glasses.

"Repairmen we be." Puss stated.

Rouge raised her eyebrow. "You guys can repair a flying machine?"

"Ba! It is to say, Puss may look like a muscle bound idiot on the outside, but he's in actually a descent mechanic. And you can just look at me and tell I'm good with machines." Octo placed his hand to his chest.

"Alright pirate…" Falcon bgan.

"Octo is the name, the brains of the outfit. And you already know Puss over here." Octo interrupted.

"Yup, Puss is the name." Puss bellowed.

"…Octo Puss, how creepy is that?" Rouge whispered.

"We'll fix yer plane up fer ye in the night, that way you can leave in the morn, for a price that is." Octo said.

"How bout you fix it and we won't kick yer bloody ass's into next Tuesday?!" Falcon pulled up one sleeve.

"Deal!" Octo finished.

"Great. Now you just need to return those oxen!" Galuda grinned.

Falcon face faulted. "Oh shit…"

** *

The sun peeked over the ocean's horizon by the time the King Octopus left port. All the native Fedjians were frolicking with delight as the ghastly vessel, with it's new inhabitants Galuda, Rouge, Falcon, and the Hockenheim, sailed past the lighthouse. The Jolly Roger was gone from the peaks of every roof. Fedje was saved.

** *

Earlier in the history of things that have passed, Jack, Ayame, and Accel had wandered through the vast underground networks of France. More specifically Manches. Little did they know that underneath the quiet sleepy town was a complicated web of sewers and pipelines, subways and cables. Manches sat on one of Frances hub centers for the underground networks, and this fact did not help the three find their way to their goal, a discarded power stone. However, Jack's keen sense of the stone was guiding them through the murky abyss, but what other creatures lurk in the depths of the world?

The copper passageway was becoming wider and light tentatively passed into the chamber. This brought a smile to Accel and Ayame's features.

"I guess we're almost out." Accel stated.

"Yea, it feels like we've spent a week down here." Ayame stretched.

"Shhh, the stone lies ahead." Jack quieted the two.

Not too much time passed when the three entered an almost ironic sight. From the dark dusty chamber they emerged into a grand chamber. Shining brilliantly by thousands of golden light bulbs planted in the walls, the domed ceiling stretched over what seemed like an abandoned subway station. Staircases carved with exquisite intricacy brought the pipeline entrances to the archaic underground trains cars resting by the platform. Amazingly, every thing was clean and well kept. Jewelry of every kind decorated the station. And female items strangely lined about.

"Beautiful…" Ayame clasped her hands together in awe.

"Well would you look at that…" Accel whistled.

"Hahahahaha! The stone's in here! I smell it so!" Jack laughed.

Accel stepped onto the stair, placing his hand on the rail. "Yea, but the stone could be in a thousand places here."

"Hey, why are these lights on? Don't you guys think this is kind of odd?" Ayame suddenly stopped.

The other two turned to face her, the absurdity of the scene finally setting on them.

"Yea, and what's with all the women accessories lying about?" Accel thought aloud.

"Hahahahahahahahahhaha!" A strange high-pitched laugh echoes throughout the station. The three looked around, trying to find the source.

Ayame felt a cold breeze blow upon her neck. He turned slowly, scared to the bone about what might happen. Her eyes focused on one thing and one thing alone. There on the ceiling was a creature crawling about such as a spider would. There was Other Jack.

"Gah! Look!" Ayame screamed.

Accel and Jack instantly flipped about, their eyes quickly scanning the room for the dangerous mad man.

"I don't see it Ayame! It is Other Jack isn't it?!" Accel drew his guns out.

"He is here alright. His smell outweighs the stones!" Jack hissed.

Ayame tried to point the offending object out, but he was not to be seen by other eyes. Quickly thinking, Ayame summoned one of her shurikens and sent it flying in the direction. Striking a light bulb, showers of sparks fell from the sky as a golden rain. Accel found his target.

"Jack, you and Ayame find the power stone, I'll try to hold him off!" Accel commanded.

"But! But Accel!" Ayame bit her lip.

"Just go! It's up to you to try and find a weakness in him! I'll give you as much time as I can! Now get moving!" Accel shouted.

Other Jack leaped to the ground, falling on the other side of the station.

"Come Ayame. If we want to help Accel, we'll do what he says." Jack said.

Ayame did not know what to do…

** *