Chapter 2: Man or Beast
"Welcome to Sogen Harbor young ones." A man said as he walked up to Keja, Ameph and Picard. "We have received word of your departure from King Apollo. I'll be your Captain."
"Whats your name?" Picard asked.
"The name's Tsunami." He said.
"Hey. You're a Legendary Fisherman aren't you?" Keja asked.
"That's right." Tsunami said. "Now prepare to board, we're shovin' off in thirty minutes."
"Alright then. Lets go to the spark." Picard said.
They all boarded and waited as the crew made their last preparations on the ship. Keja peered over the side of the ship to see a name imprinted on it.
"Silence?" Keja asked. "Why do you call it Silence?"
"Because she sails the sea without making a sound." Tsunami answered. "Alright mates, hoist that flag and we'll head out!"
"Yes sir!" All the crewmen yelled.
The crewmen hoisted a green flag with a sword and shield symbol on it, as a sign of the Warriors. The ship shoved off the dock and began to sail gracefully into the Umi, waves banged up against the sides of the ship without making a sound. The ship lived up to its name.
Great Whites and 7 Colored Fish swam through the blue sea without any worries at all. A Fortress Whale swam up along Silence and blew a large amount of water out it blowhole.
"What's it doing?" Picard said.
"It wants to race." Tsunami said.
"Race?" Keja asked.
"Yes. Fortress Whales are very competitive. They race ships and other fish as often as they can." Tsunami answered.
"So lets race him then." Picard said.
"Alright then. I don't see any harm in it." Tsunami said. "Drop the sails boys! We're racin'!"
"What!?" Ameph yelled as the ship began to speed up. She was already leaning on the rail of the bow with a pale face; you could tell she got seasick easily. "No harm in it he says. Why didn't I just fly?"
"Lets go!" Tsunami yelled to the Whale. The Whale let out a roar and sped up. The two went fast along the current and were neck and neck the entire way.
"Sir!" A crewman yelled. "Tornado Walls off the starboard bow!"
"Great." Tsunami said. "Raise the sails, and slow her down! You win pal." The Fortress Whale let out another roar before diving deep into the water. "Now, whats with you things?"
"Sir!" The same crewman yelled. "They're spreading like fire! There in all directions but north!"
"Dammit." Tsunami said. "I knew something like this was going to happen."
"What?" Keja asked.
"Pirates." Tsunami answered. "Follow the walls along the port side and get the starboard cannons ready!"
The area in front of them began to smolder with mist. It was everywhere. A faint object was seen in the distance, it got closer and closer.
"Alright you scaly wags!" A man with a long grey beard and green armor yelled. "Looks like Captain Tsunami isn't going to go down without a fight, as always, so get those starboard cannons ready and decrease speed!"
"Yes Captain!" The Pirates yelled back.
The ship slowed down but continued to creep out of the mist. The ship continued to move in the mist for a few more minutes before emerging. A large blood red and black striped ship with a large red skeleton was the decoration on the front of the ship. A torn pirate flag fluttered in the vicious winds.
"Oh crap." Tsunami said.
"Whats the oh crap for?" Picard asked.
"The Skull Mariner." Tsunami mumbled.
"The Skull Mariner?" Keja asked.
"The most notorious pirate ship in the Umi." Tsunami answered. "Seven times I've come across that ship. Each time I got away, but not easily."
The Skull Mariner pulled up along side Silence with several pirates screaming at the top of their lungs.
"Load the cannons!" Tsunami yelled as the crewmen loaded all the starboard cannons. "Ready, and fire!"
The cannons all let out a loud bang as they shot the iron balls at the Skull Mariner. The Skull Mariner returned fire with the same number of shots, far more damaging than Silence's shots.
"Grab your hooks boys!" The captain yelled. "Grapple them up! Prepare to board!"
"Hooks!" A crewman yelled as the pirates tossed their hooks at Silence and hooked onto the railing.
"Great." Tsunami said. "Draw your blades mates! We're going to have an old fashioned battle! You guys wanna help?"
"I will." Picard said as he pulled out his sword.
"I'm in." Keja said as he stood up.
"Just give me a minute." Ameph said holding her stomach.
"All right you dogs! Swing on over!" The Captain yelled as the pirates swung over to the opposing ship.
"Not while I'm around." Keja said as he pointed out his staff. "Nightmare Steel Cage!" He yelled as he encased one of the swinging pirates in a cage. The pirate let go of the rope in panic and fell into the sea.
"Take this!" Picard yelled as he slash one in half.
"Ello puppet." One of two pirates said as they walked up to the seasick Ameph. "I'd like to have a go with that, yes I would."
"Yeah." The other chuckled.
"How would ya like to come on board the Skull Mariner and be our close and personal slave?" The first one asked villainously.
Ameph grabbed her short staff without them noticing and slammed it against the first ones head. "I'd rather be seasick."
"You little bi-." The second one said before Keja put his arm around his neck.
"You know, in my country if you act like that to a woman you get blasted in the face." Keja said as he dragged the pirate to the side of the ship. And you my friend are no acception. Dark Magic Attack!" He yelled as he blasted the pirate in the face and sent him flying of the ship.
"Hm. Looks like I'd better have some fun." The Captain said.
"Fire cannons again!" Tsunami yelled before he saw the captain of the Skull Mariner swing over.
"Captain Tsunami." The captain said as he walked up to the Legendary Fisherman. "Its been a while."
"Yes it has." Tsunami began. "Captain Kojikocy."
"Well, do you think your going to get out of my fingers again?" Kojikocy asked. "Because I think your chances are growing shorter by the second."
"Well actually I do think I can get away from you again." Tsunami said.
"Oh really? Might I ask how?" Kojikocy asked.
"Well for one, I have him." Tsunami said as he pointed behind Kojikocy.
"Nightmare Steel Cage!" Keja yelled as he encased Kojikocy in the cage.
"Heh. Cute trick kid." Kojikocy said. "But I have one too." He said as he tensed up his arms and his muscles got twice their size. "I have the ability of brute force!" He yelled as he slammed his fists on the cage walls and shattered the iron dome.
"Whoa." Keja said in surprise.
"Whoa is right kid. I have the strength of one hundred men all packed into my arms." Kojikocy said as he grabbed Keja by the arms and squeezed.
"Oh crap." Keja gasped as he dropped his staff.
"Put him down!" Picard said as he slashed at Kojikocy's arms.
"That strength also gives my arms and immpeneraterable armor that cannot be pierced by even the sharpest of objects." Kojikocy said as he freed Keja's right arm and back swiped Picard, knocking him into the mast of Silence. "Now back to you kid." He said as he tightened his grip on Keja's left arm.
"Let him go Kojikocy!" Tsunami said as he drew his spear. "Your fight is with me."
"Oh I'm sorry." Kojikocy said. "Let me just do something first." He said as he yanked down on Keja's arm and almost ripped it off.
Keja's arm was dislocated at the shoulder, and the pressure Kojikocy put behind his attack made Keja pass out from the pain.
"Welcome to Sogen Harbor young ones." A man said as he walked up to Keja, Ameph and Picard. "We have received word of your departure from King Apollo. I'll be your Captain."
"Whats your name?" Picard asked.
"The name's Tsunami." He said.
"Hey. You're a Legendary Fisherman aren't you?" Keja asked.
"That's right." Tsunami said. "Now prepare to board, we're shovin' off in thirty minutes."
"Alright then. Lets go to the spark." Picard said.
They all boarded and waited as the crew made their last preparations on the ship. Keja peered over the side of the ship to see a name imprinted on it.
"Silence?" Keja asked. "Why do you call it Silence?"
"Because she sails the sea without making a sound." Tsunami answered. "Alright mates, hoist that flag and we'll head out!"
"Yes sir!" All the crewmen yelled.
The crewmen hoisted a green flag with a sword and shield symbol on it, as a sign of the Warriors. The ship shoved off the dock and began to sail gracefully into the Umi, waves banged up against the sides of the ship without making a sound. The ship lived up to its name.
Great Whites and 7 Colored Fish swam through the blue sea without any worries at all. A Fortress Whale swam up along Silence and blew a large amount of water out it blowhole.
"What's it doing?" Picard said.
"It wants to race." Tsunami said.
"Race?" Keja asked.
"Yes. Fortress Whales are very competitive. They race ships and other fish as often as they can." Tsunami answered.
"So lets race him then." Picard said.
"Alright then. I don't see any harm in it." Tsunami said. "Drop the sails boys! We're racin'!"
"What!?" Ameph yelled as the ship began to speed up. She was already leaning on the rail of the bow with a pale face; you could tell she got seasick easily. "No harm in it he says. Why didn't I just fly?"
"Lets go!" Tsunami yelled to the Whale. The Whale let out a roar and sped up. The two went fast along the current and were neck and neck the entire way.
"Sir!" A crewman yelled. "Tornado Walls off the starboard bow!"
"Great." Tsunami said. "Raise the sails, and slow her down! You win pal." The Fortress Whale let out another roar before diving deep into the water. "Now, whats with you things?"
"Sir!" The same crewman yelled. "They're spreading like fire! There in all directions but north!"
"Dammit." Tsunami said. "I knew something like this was going to happen."
"What?" Keja asked.
"Pirates." Tsunami answered. "Follow the walls along the port side and get the starboard cannons ready!"
The area in front of them began to smolder with mist. It was everywhere. A faint object was seen in the distance, it got closer and closer.
"Alright you scaly wags!" A man with a long grey beard and green armor yelled. "Looks like Captain Tsunami isn't going to go down without a fight, as always, so get those starboard cannons ready and decrease speed!"
"Yes Captain!" The Pirates yelled back.
The ship slowed down but continued to creep out of the mist. The ship continued to move in the mist for a few more minutes before emerging. A large blood red and black striped ship with a large red skeleton was the decoration on the front of the ship. A torn pirate flag fluttered in the vicious winds.
"Oh crap." Tsunami said.
"Whats the oh crap for?" Picard asked.
"The Skull Mariner." Tsunami mumbled.
"The Skull Mariner?" Keja asked.
"The most notorious pirate ship in the Umi." Tsunami answered. "Seven times I've come across that ship. Each time I got away, but not easily."
The Skull Mariner pulled up along side Silence with several pirates screaming at the top of their lungs.
"Load the cannons!" Tsunami yelled as the crewmen loaded all the starboard cannons. "Ready, and fire!"
The cannons all let out a loud bang as they shot the iron balls at the Skull Mariner. The Skull Mariner returned fire with the same number of shots, far more damaging than Silence's shots.
"Grab your hooks boys!" The captain yelled. "Grapple them up! Prepare to board!"
"Hooks!" A crewman yelled as the pirates tossed their hooks at Silence and hooked onto the railing.
"Great." Tsunami said. "Draw your blades mates! We're going to have an old fashioned battle! You guys wanna help?"
"I will." Picard said as he pulled out his sword.
"I'm in." Keja said as he stood up.
"Just give me a minute." Ameph said holding her stomach.
"All right you dogs! Swing on over!" The Captain yelled as the pirates swung over to the opposing ship.
"Not while I'm around." Keja said as he pointed out his staff. "Nightmare Steel Cage!" He yelled as he encased one of the swinging pirates in a cage. The pirate let go of the rope in panic and fell into the sea.
"Take this!" Picard yelled as he slash one in half.
"Ello puppet." One of two pirates said as they walked up to the seasick Ameph. "I'd like to have a go with that, yes I would."
"Yeah." The other chuckled.
"How would ya like to come on board the Skull Mariner and be our close and personal slave?" The first one asked villainously.
Ameph grabbed her short staff without them noticing and slammed it against the first ones head. "I'd rather be seasick."
"You little bi-." The second one said before Keja put his arm around his neck.
"You know, in my country if you act like that to a woman you get blasted in the face." Keja said as he dragged the pirate to the side of the ship. And you my friend are no acception. Dark Magic Attack!" He yelled as he blasted the pirate in the face and sent him flying of the ship.
"Hm. Looks like I'd better have some fun." The Captain said.
"Fire cannons again!" Tsunami yelled before he saw the captain of the Skull Mariner swing over.
"Captain Tsunami." The captain said as he walked up to the Legendary Fisherman. "Its been a while."
"Yes it has." Tsunami began. "Captain Kojikocy."
"Well, do you think your going to get out of my fingers again?" Kojikocy asked. "Because I think your chances are growing shorter by the second."
"Well actually I do think I can get away from you again." Tsunami said.
"Oh really? Might I ask how?" Kojikocy asked.
"Well for one, I have him." Tsunami said as he pointed behind Kojikocy.
"Nightmare Steel Cage!" Keja yelled as he encased Kojikocy in the cage.
"Heh. Cute trick kid." Kojikocy said. "But I have one too." He said as he tensed up his arms and his muscles got twice their size. "I have the ability of brute force!" He yelled as he slammed his fists on the cage walls and shattered the iron dome.
"Whoa." Keja said in surprise.
"Whoa is right kid. I have the strength of one hundred men all packed into my arms." Kojikocy said as he grabbed Keja by the arms and squeezed.
"Oh crap." Keja gasped as he dropped his staff.
"Put him down!" Picard said as he slashed at Kojikocy's arms.
"That strength also gives my arms and immpeneraterable armor that cannot be pierced by even the sharpest of objects." Kojikocy said as he freed Keja's right arm and back swiped Picard, knocking him into the mast of Silence. "Now back to you kid." He said as he tightened his grip on Keja's left arm.
"Let him go Kojikocy!" Tsunami said as he drew his spear. "Your fight is with me."
"Oh I'm sorry." Kojikocy said. "Let me just do something first." He said as he yanked down on Keja's arm and almost ripped it off.
Keja's arm was dislocated at the shoulder, and the pressure Kojikocy put behind his attack made Keja pass out from the pain.