Chapter 2: Welcome to the West Blue.
After acquiring a ship to cross the Calm Belts the members of SWORD set off towards the West Blue. After many months of travel they entered the Calm Belts. While the sun shone and the still seas stretched out to the horizon, Helmeppo and Tashigi were training on the upper deck.
Tashigi identified Helmeppo's weak spots and targeted them with incredible accuracy. Helmeppo dodged her attacks, but her persistence started to wear him out. Just as Tashigi was about to land a devastating blow on Helmeppo, he pulled out his knives.
-Ooooh, those are kukri knives, right? Designed on the island of Rocky Port, they were originally used as a simple utility tool until their bent handles…
Helmeppo hit her on the head with the knive's handles.
-Ah! Not again! Tashigi bowed down in disgrace as her poor concentration span had once again earned her defeat.
-Does…does this happen often? Helmeppo started getting worried about his new comrades abilities.
-Yes. My love for swords is both my driving force, and my biggest weakness.
-Oh, OH, oh Helmeppo said, first surprised, then disappointed, as he realized that he had been getting his ass kicked by a capital N nerd.
Meanwhile Koby, X Drake and Smoker were sitting below deck and discussing the game plan.
-Sir! Who's our first target of the Five Families? Koby turned to Smoker.
-Hina has business with the Cassho Family up north. We may be able to reach it in five weeks, but… X Drake interrupted Smoker.
-Our actual first target is the Yangu Family. Ever since Bege left these waters, the Yangu family has been violently attacking the abandoned territory, so we should target them first.
There were a few intense seconds as Smoker and X Drake stared at each other with cold, sunken eyes. The sheer level of intimidation made Koby shake in his seat
-Okay, I'll contact Hina and tell her to meet us up at Koi Island, Smoker casually noted.
Koby saw a hint of surprise in X Drake's eyes as Smoker accepted the change.
-I like you, wanna go grab a beer after we're done here? Drake asked.
-Yeah, okay.
Koby wiped his brow as the atmosphere in the room easened.
-If you aren't gonna add anything, go clean the deck! X Drake's shout abruptly reminded Koby that Drake was still a military man, and a short-fused one at that.
When Koby stepped out of the janitor's closet he saw a Navy ship on the horizon. He quickly Moon Walked up to the top of the mast, where the lookout was loudly snoring, and looked through the binoculars. The ship had raised the blue flag, the sign for one Navy ship to approach the other.
-Ship spotted! Blue flag raised! Koby shouted out. The crew immediately started to rush around and get the ship ready while Tashigi shouted out orders. Smoker stepped out from below deck.
-Wait! You know that the Navy is rife with corruption in these waters, right? We can't be safe enough. Let me fly over before they approach! In a heartbeat the entire crew stopped the preparations.
-White Cloud!
Smoker's legs turned into smoke and he launched himself away. Tashigi and Helmeppo looked on in awe.
-God, so cool! Hey, Koby, which type of Devil Fruit would girls like the most? Helmeppo playfully asked.
-Hey! A Logia shouldn't be a plaything! And Vice Admiral Smoker doesn't get many girls anyhow! Tashigi's attempt to be serious was undercut by the epic unintentional roast of her own captain.
-Wait… Koby interrupted.
With his Observation Haki he saw a man not wearing a Navy uniform but instead sharply dressed in a black suit with slicked back hair balancing confidently on the edge of the ship. The situation went from weird to horrifying as the man's limbs grew in size and took on the shape of two massive razor sharp swords. The Zoan transformation continued with the legs becoming unnaturally thin and his eyes growing into massive red globes.
The mantis-man on the other ship suddenly darted forward through the air, sliced Smoker in the air and brought him over to Koby's ship.
-It's a pleasure to meet you, men of the Navy! I am a member of the Yangu Family and I have an announcement to make to everyone on Vice Admiral Smoker's ship! He declared with a shrill, buzzing voice.
Everyone was silently staring at the grotesque giant mantis.
-Now, you are all wondering why I haven't switched out of my Mantis form? Well, I noticed a female on the ship, and as to not make her go insane with longing I may not reveal my face!
Tashigi was thoroughly offended.
-Okay, if you all wish for it, here it comes! The man shifted out of his Mantis form. He had a thin face with beady eyes and an arrogant smile.
-Okay, ladies, contain yourselves! Back to the point! I currently hold both Vice Admiral Smoker and the beautiful Rear Admiral Hina as hostages! If anyone in the Navy were to make a move against me, the two of them will be swiftly killed! Now, leave these waters!
Koby and Helmeppo looked at each other and quietly communicated before raising their hands, but Tashigi refused. In order to protect her mentor she pulled out her sword and launched towards the mafioso.
-Cherry Blossom Strike!
With a slight twist of her hip Tashigi thrusted her sword towards the man's chest. The Haki emanating from her sword made it shine with a red tint.
The man switched back into his mantis-form and with a graceful, but incomprehensibly quick motion, jumped to the side. The soldiers on the ship fired their guns towards him, but their bullets were cut in mid-air.
-Very well, if that's the way you want it! The man charged towards the unprepared Helmeppo, and with a full-body blow sent him flying into the ship's mast. Koby ran to protect his friend, and was swiftly cut down as well.
Tashigi continued to run forward with her sword held high, despite the man's terrifying powers. She aimed towards a weak spot on his upper arm, but the man turned around and deflected her with such force that she was thrown to the ground.
With the mighty sound of wood breaking followed by a dinosaur's roar, X Drake emerged from below deck.
-A Zoan type? So there are two Vice Admirals on this ship? Hina didn't mention anything about this! The gangster screamed.
-She betrayed us? Hmmm, no, Smoker trusts her too much for that… Well, it doesn't matter for now. What's important is capturing the boss of the Yangu family! Drake was quick to analyze the situation before he whipped with his tail towards the boss of the Yangu Family, Yakuza Yangu.
Yakuza jumped off of the broken mast and darted towards Drake's head.
-Cross-shaped Slice!
Using both of his massive arms Kazo sliced Drake and pushed him off of the boat and into the dangerous sea water. Horrified by their leader being defeated in a matter of seconds the men on the ship dropped their guns and fell to their knees. Before Yakuza could strike them down, Tashigi jumped in between them, holding a Transponder Snail.
-This is a special Emergency Transponder Snail, that if I press it, will make its location known to all Navy Ships in fifty miles! Tashigi tried to bluff and stall for time.
Her hastily improvised plan seemed to work, as Yakuza stopped for a second and considered her words, giving Tashigi more ground.
-If you leave this ship, my men and Vice Admiral Smoker alone I will destroy this snail!
Yakuza nodded.
-I'll leave this ship, and your men, alone. Though…
With a massive lightning-fast slice he sent Tashigi through the air and into the sea.
-...That doesn't account for you, mon amour.
The cold seawater that brushed up against her skin gently awakened Tashigi. She opened her eyes and started to panic about where she was and what had happened. "Keep a cool head!" Smoker's advice rang in her ears and she took a deep breath.
A sparklingly white beach bustling with tourist activity stretched out around her. Ice cream vendors, children playing in the sand, people bathing. Next to it was a small city built with very modern stone architecture and light-transponder snails. One of the signs read "Koi Isle Ramen".
Tashigi stood up and walked over to a young woman lying under a parasol.
–Excuse me… The woman turned to Tashigi with a friendly smile.
-Can I help you? She asked.
-Yes, I would like to contact the local Navy! In a moment all of the color disappeared from the woman's face and she turned away from Tashigi.
-Hello? Hello? The woman continued to ignore Tashigi, and frustrated she walked away to find the local Navy's office.
She didn't succeed, but at least managed to buy some new clothes, a very nice blue office suit, and find a restaurant for her starving stomach. While she slurped down some noodles she heard a vaguely familiar voice whisper.
-How do we save Hina if we can't contact any other ship? Tashigi turned around, and saw a man in heart-shaped sunglasses, a large-brimmed white hat, a tropical shirt and with a strange striped beard that looked like a mushroom stalk.
-I don't know! But first things first, we need to escape out of this city. If those men return, we won't have anyone to go to! The man's muscular companion was dressed in a tank top and marine cap and seeing him, Tashigi finally remembered who they were.
-Excuse me, Lieutenant Commanders Jango and Fullbody? The two men froze for a second in terror, before violently pulling Tashigi down into their booth.
-Tashigi! Don't call us by our titles here! We're trying to keep a low profile! Jango whispered through his teeth.
-What has happened to Smoker? Fullbody asked.
-He… He's been kidnapped by the Yangu Family! At first Tashigi tried to contain herself, but in the end she broke down in tears and shouted out the name. Everyone else in the restaurant turned to Tashigi with pale faces.
Fullbody hushed Tashigi and Jango immediately stood up out of his seat, moonwalked out to face everyone in the restaurant, and then dramatically took out a pendulum from his pocket.
With everyone's attention turned to him, Jango slowly swung the pendulum back and forth, and to Tashigi's horror and amazement, lulled all the restaurant-goers into a thoughtless daze.
-You didn't hear anything of what we said! He shouted, and snapped his fingers. In an instant all his target's returned to normal. Jango sat down in the booth with a shit-eating grin that was swiftly washed away by the doorbell ringing.
-Don't look, but…
Tashigi did the exact thing one would expect to do being told that and turned around. A group of men in sunglasses and black suits with white ties all with identical slicked-back hair led by Yakuza Yangu. Tashigi, Fullbody and Jango immediatly ducked in their booth with Tashigi observing the gangsters with her Haki.
While his men were stone faced, Yakuza wandered around with a massive smug smile plastered over his face. When the gangsters sat down a cute waitress immediately hurried over to take their order, to Yakuza's joy.
-Oh my, weren't you a cutie? Say, if you want this restaurant to stick around, you should hang around me! Scared by his barely hidden threats, the waitress nodded.
One of Yakuza's men, an extremely large man with thick bushy eyebrows, intense eyes and a man-bun swiftly slapped his leader.
-Boss, we've talked about this! You need to understand that power comes with responsibility! The fat man scolded Yakuza before generously tipping the waitress.
After the deeply uncomfortable scene was over the gangsters patiently and quietly awaited their food, except for Yakuza, who continued to talk loudly.
-Those Navy goons really piss me off, you know? The Yangu Family keeps the people in our territories safe, and then these proud, "justice"-motivated idiots come and try to stop us! The're wouldn't be bloodshed if they would just allow this town to be run by the people who deserve to!
The gangster was interrupted by a small boy that ran up to them after escaping the waitress's grasp.
-You… you jerks! Stop threatening my sister and leave our restaurant alone!
Slowly, Yakuza turned towards the child..
-You really need to raise your brat better! Yakuza remarked to the horrified parents about the child. Tashigi watched as the boy's face went from anger to pale, stunned fear for his life as Yakuza's horrifying monster mantis form looked down on him.
-He's just a kid. Let him be, Yakuza's assistant tried to intervene.
-Gomu, that honor mentality is the reason we may never show our backs! If some brat messes with me… Yakuza cackled.
-...I'll make an example of him!
Yakuza lunged towards the boy, but his giant sharp arm was blocked by Tashigi's sword.
-Don't fear, child. The navy is here!
Jumping straight into the first arc: The Five Families of the West! On the journey to take down these mafioso SWORD will have to stand strong on their own and unite as a crew!
