(One Piece is property of Oda-Sensei. All of the characters that have appeared thus far are property of me. Got it?)
"My deepest and gravest apologies, sir!" Ryoga bowed low, his nose almost touching the tile floor of the office. Plastered all around the room were pirate bounties, as well as several posters of women in...indecent fashion.
The marine sitting in the desk shrugged, tipping back the bottle of whiskey to his mouth and taking a swig. "No reason to be sorry, Ryoga. Like you said, your opponent was a Devil's Fruit user. Even if your martial arts are top-notch, you're still just a normal human. And it's no big deal. If those pirates took my ship, then we'll just chase them and get it back."
"Well, that's true sir, but the Majestic is a fast ship, and they have a large head start on us." The officer shrugged non-chalantly. "So we'll put out a bounty and let a hunter do the work for us. Does Five Million Berry sound about right to you?"
Ryoga blinked. "Five Million? That sounds rather large for a no-name pirates, sir..." Another shrug. "Maybe so, but I liked that ship. Get on the horn to head-quarters and have them print a new poster out. You said this guy is a walking skeleton? At least he'll be easy to track down. But I have to say..." He paused to take another swig from the bottle.
"The Skull Pirate, Jack Bones...it kinda has a ring to it."
One Piece: The Skull Pirates
Chapter Two: Five Million Bounty! Charity Town is a Death Trap!?
Charity Town was the same traditional port slash market place that were commonplace around the four oceans of the world. Due to this, it was visited frequently by both pirates and bounty hunters.
In a bar downtown, the door to the building was suddenly kicked open as two such hunters entered, swaggering and giving dirty looks to the pirates seated at the bar and tables, who quickly returned the glares. Slamming his hand down onto the bar, one called out, "Alright Bandock the Butcher, give yourself up! We know you're in here!"
From the back of the building came a low, rumbling chuckle. "I'm back here. Now quit bugging these people, they're trying to eat." Drawing their swords, the two bounty hunters walked to the back, where Bandock and his crew were sitting.
Even sitting down, Bandock was a huge man, over ten feet in height. Since no chair the bar could offer would hold him, he simply sat cross-legged on the floor. The knife and fork he was using to cut his steak looked ridiculously tiny in his giant hands. "And what do you two want?"
"You know exactly what we want, Bandock! Your bounty is Ten Million Berry, and we aim to collect it! Now will you come quietly, or do we have to make this rough?"
Bandock simply sat there, eating his steak. "You know, I find that Butcher nickname to be quite rude. I am a perfect gentleman...until you piss me off, that is. If you two bounty hunters continue to bother me during my meal, then I can assure you that will happen."
"Enough of this! Even if you're dead, we can still collect the bounty!" One of the hunters stepped forwards, raising his blade and slashing downwards.
Bandock moved swiftly for his size. Dropping his utensils, he raised his hand and grabbed the blade, stopping it cold. He then quickly jabbed his other fist forwards, slamming it into the hunter's face hard enough to send him flying out through the door and into a wall on the other side of the street.
Cool as a cucumber, Bandock picked up his knife and fork and resumed eating his steak. "Why you..." The hunter's partner stepped forward with his sword. Bandock sighed. "Can't I have any peace? Mute, take care of this, will you?" A chair slide back as one of the giant man's crew stood up, clothed in a simple purple hood that covered his entire face except for his eyes, which glowed like lanterns. Contrasting with his captain's massive frame, this man was tiny. If Bandock stood up, he would only come up to about his knees.
Stepping past Bandock, Mute raised his hands at the bounty hunter. Carried in his hands were two Marionettes. The odd thing was that there were no puppets on the ends, only strings. The bounty hunter sneered. "What's this little shrimp gonna do? Outta the way tiny, all I'm interested in is your boss."
Mute silently shook his head. He raised the marionettes, he raised them to point at the hunter. Immediately the strings jerked in his direction. Mute then raised the marionettes to point at the ceiling. The hunter blinked, then gasped as his feet left the floor. "W-what kinda trick is this!?"
Bandock chuckled. "Just because I'm a giant doesn't mean that all powerful men are, you know. Mute here is a Genius Puppet Master. He can make control any human with those marionette strings of his. Mute, send this idiot to join his friend." The little man nodded, jerking the marionettes forward. The hunter immediately flew out of the bar and slammed into his partner, pushing them both further into the wall.
Bandock sighed. "Now if there are no further interruptions, can I continue with my meal?" The bar was silent. He nodded. "I'll take that as a yes."
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A short while later, the door to the bar opened again, and a man entered, though this one was obviously not a bounty hunter. "Okay, I've got a batch of new bounties here, so where can I put these?" The bartender gestured vaguely at a free wall.
Bandock cleared his throat. "Hey, let me see those." The man looked over. "A-ah, sure." Gulping, he walked over and handed the posters over, then turned and walked quickly out of the bar.
Smiling, Bandock took off the top poster, which was a picture of his towering frame. "Heh, how about that, mates? I'm still holding at Ten Million Berry!" They all laughed.
"Ah, and my first mate Mute is still at Two Million, I see!" The silent puppeteer nodded in acknowledgement. "Heh, and pretty soon we'll be the highest paying pirates in West Blue, and then the Grand Line!"
However, as he shuffled through the rest, he frowned. "Bah, all of these pirates are boring; nothing interesting about them at all. If only I had some real compet...oh ho, what's this?" Sneering up at him from the wanted poster was an over-exaggerated caricature of Jack's skeletal frame. "Jack Bones, the Skull Pirate, eh? He sounds...interesting."
Bandock slowly stood up, his head almost brushing the ceiling. Turning to his crew, he smiled. "Alright mateys, let's find out what this Jack is made of, shall we?"
"AYE AYE, CAPTAIN!"
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A few hours later, the newly rechristened Flying Skull was sailing towards Charity Town, which was now visible and quite close by. Gerald leaned over the rail to observe Jack, who was hanging from a rope and painting over the ship's name with it's new monicker. "I'd be careful if I were you. People who've eaten a Devil's Fruit sink like a rock in water. Even this close to port it's dangerous."
"What are you, my mother? Now quit buggin' me, I've got to get this done before we reach port. I don't want anybody thinking we're marines; it's bad for reputation."
Gerald rolled his eyes, but said nothing.
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A short while after, the black prow of the Flying Skull eased itself into Charity Town's dock. Gerald hopped down nimbly and raised a hand to the approaching Port Master. "Hello there, sir. A fine day, isn't it?" The official shrugged. "Fair enough, I suppose. There's a ten berry fee to dock here. Either pay up or get out." Digging into one of his pockets, Gerald brought out a coin and handed it over. The port master inspected it before slipping it into his pocket, then brought out a clip board.
"Name of ship?" Gerald cleared his throat. "The Flying Skull." The official raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and wrote it down. "Number of crew?" Gerald held up two fingers. "Just me and the captain, and he's asleep."
"Reason of visit?" Gerald shrugged. "Nothing special. We only came to get supplies." This was not entirely a lie. Although they had found a number of things inside the ship's hold, there had not been much supplies. Fortunately they had found a cache of Berries in the captain's cabin.
The port master looked over the details once more, then nodded. "Don't cause any trouble." He then turned and walked away. Gerald waited until he was gone, then leapt back onto the ship.
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A few minutes later, Gerald exited the dining cabin. Frowning, he turned around and looked at the still open door. "Jack, get out here already. You look fine." The pirate's voice wafted out of the cabin. He sounded miserable. "I look ridiculous."
"This is hardly the time for a pirate to be self-conscious, Jack. Even if the marines weren't after our heads, how do you think people would react to a skeleton walking around in broad daylight? Now get out here."
"Okay, fine. But if you laugh, I'll kill you." Despite this warning, when his comrade exited the cabin, Gerald could barely contain his laughter. To dispell Jack's frightful appearance, Gerald had produced a can of flesh-coloured paint from within his coat. Gerald's idea was that by painting Jack's body with it, it would look like the pirate's missing skin. Unfortunately, this made Jack look more like a freakish sculpture than a believable disguise.
"You don't look...too bad." Jack simply glowered.
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Meanwhile, in Charity Town's plaza, Bandock and his crew were waiting. Bandock had his massive form leaned up against the fountain in the middle of the clearing, looking up at the sky with a serene expression on his face. Mute sat on the edge of the fountain, dangling his tiny legs over the side. The rest of the crew were lounging in various positions around the area.
Bandock lifted an eyelid as one of his crew came running into the plaza, stopping in front of him. "Captain, I've got news!" The giant man shrugged. "Well, don't just stand there. Spit out." The underling nodded. "Apparently a ship that looks just like the one that Jack guy stole from the marines has docked in the harbor."
Bandock nodded. "Okay, that means Jack is here somewhere. Go find him and bring him here." The pirate saluted. "Right away, captain!" He then turned and ran out of the plaza the same way he had come. Bandock blinked as Mute poked him in the shoulder. He turned to regard his tiny first mate. Mute pointed to himself, then in the direction the pirate had ran off in.
Bandock slowly nodded. "Yeah, that is a good idea. This Jack guy has a Devil's Fruit power, so if he decides to get violent, we might need some muscle. Okay, send "it" out." Hopping off the fountain, Mute motioned to a group of the crew that was nearby. They all saluted, then jogged off into the group. They quickly returned, lugging a large, plain black box. Lowering it to the ground with the caution of people handling fine china, they all stepped back.
Laying his hands on the box, the silent puppeteer closed his eyes for a few moments. Opening them, he stepped backward, pointing his marionettes in the direction the pirate had left. The lid to the box suddenly banged open as a black blur exited, moving swiftly across the rooftops in the direction Mute had indicated.
Unbeknowst to Bandock, Mute, or any of the pirate crew however, a thin, masked form was perched on a nearby roof, watching them. Despite being in plain sight, he was invisible to their eyes. Nodding to himself, he leapt gracefully across the rooftops, shadowing the thing from the box.
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Another short while later, Jack and Gerald were in Charity Town's market place, a wide street littered with various vendors and shoppers. Jack's disguise seemed to be working well, although a few people shot him confused looks.
"Hey, Gerald, you can handle the shopping here, right?" Gerald gave him an odd look. "I suppose, but what are you going to be doing?" Jack shrugged. "I just need to blow off some steam, that's all. I'll meet you back at the Skull later." With that, he ran off.
"B-but, Jack, I...oh, dash it all." Beside him, a woman nodded sympathetically. "My husband is the same way."
Gerald only sighed.
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Jack slammed open the door to the bar and entered. Striding decisively up to the table, he slammed his hands down on the table, pointing a finger into the bartender's face. "Hey, I need to know where I can get a map of the Grand Line!" Immediately all talk in the bar ceased as the patrons turned to regard this newcomer.
The bartender blinked stupidly. "What's wrong with your face, pal?" Jack shrugged it off. "I have a skin condition. Now answer the question." The man scratched his head. "Gee, I don't know. A map like that isn't exactly common around these parts, cause nobody is brave or stupid enough to go there. Well, other than..."
"Other than what?" Jack pressed. "Well, I guess Bandock the Butcher and his crew might have one. Last I heard, they were in the town square. I guess you could join his crew if you want to go to the Grand Line so badly."
"Alright, thanks." Jack turned to go, then stopped as he caught sight of his bounty poster on the wall. "Do I really look like that? Five Million, eh? Nice to be wanted, I guess."
A few feet out of the bar, one of Bandock's crew accidentally bumped into him. Jack frowned. "Watch it, pal." The crew member looked apologetic. "Sorry, but if I don't find this Jack Bones guy, the captain'll have my head!"
Jack blinked, then smiled, gesturing to himself. "Well, if you're looking for Jack Bones, you just found him." The pirate blinked. "Really? You don't look anything like your poster."
Jack shrugged. "You know the marines; they like to exaggerate." The crew member nodded. "I guess that's true. Come on, the captain's waiting in the town square." The skeleton pirate nodded. "Yeah, as a matter of fact I've been looking for him too."
As the two walked away, the thing from the box quickly followed them. Seated on top of the bar, the lithe man nodded to himself, then leaped off; in the direction of the market.
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Gerald sighed as he looked over a stand of fruit. "This is certainly not what I had envisioned in my future, I can say that much." Looking up, he asked the the merchant, "Tell me, how much are these..." His question died on his lips. The vendor was simply standing stock still. Gerald looked around. The other people in the market were effected as well. The only one not frozen was him.
The next instant, he was grabbed around the shoulders and hoisted upward. The next instant he found himself on a nearby rooftop, facing a lithe form. It raised it's hand and snapped it's fingers. Gerald looked down as the people began to move again. He turned and regarded the figure. "If this is some sort of attempted kidnapping, I'll tell you right now that I don't swing that way. And for that matter, who are you?"
A chuckle came from the man. "Who am I...a fair question, to be sure. I am a shadow upon the sea, one of many. An agent of justice responsible for dispensing justice upon these troubled waters. As a group, I am part of a large force, known as Shinobi. Individually, I am called..." With that, he cast off his dark cloak, revealing a colorful uniform. A red cape hung from his shoulders, clashing wonderfully with his bright gold jumpsuit and hair. Finally, his face was covered by a crimson red mask shaped like an Oni, the only part of his uniform that wasn't completely offensive to the eyes. "I am the brave, valiant and mighty Shinobi of the seas, Frank Goldfinger!"
Gerald clapped slowly. "How impressive, I'm sure, but you still haven't explained what you want from me." Frank straightened up and nodded. "Ah yes, how rude of me. As I've said, I am part of a secret sect that patrols the seas, capturing or eliminating dangerous pirates that harm, extort, manipulate, or otherwise negatively affect the innocent. Unlike the marines however, we are not so black and white. We can see that some pirates are different. Pirates like you and your friend Jack Bones, who is currently walking towards his certain demise!"
Gerald took a step back. "What? How?" Frank nodded gravely. "Currently present in this town is the terrible pirate, Bandock the Butcher. That moniker isn't for nothing, and Bandock could kill Jack with the simplest of ease. I have been sent to this town to take care of him. We must join forces in order to rescue your friend!"
"But, why would Jack try to attack Bandock? It makes no sense." Gerald protested. Frank nodded. "Bandock holds a map to the Grand Line, which Jack wants to acquire." Gerald frowned. "Well, I do wish I had been consulted about this."
Frank nodded. "Yes, it is indeed a sad thing when lovers keep secrets."
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU, I DON'T SWING THAT WAY!"
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Bandock looked him over, slowly from top to bottom. "So, you're the skull pirate Jack Bones, eh? I guess the nickname was just a rumor. You don't look like a skeleton at all." Jack shook his head. "Nah, this is just make-up. I can't exactly walk around like that in public, can I?" Bandock chuckled. "I suppose so. But if you really are Jack Bones, then you'll have no problem showing off your Devil's Fruit power, correct?"
Jack shrugged. "No sweat. Stand back and be amazed." Placing both hands on either side of his head, Jack tugged, his head easily seperating from his neck. Bandock whistled, his crew gasping in amazement. Mute remained impassive. "Heh, that is impressive. I guess you can do that with any part of your body?" Jack nodded. "More or less. I haven't tried it out completely yet, though."
Bandock smiled. "I like your attitude, Jack; how about you join my crew? With your Devil's Fruit powers, we could conquer the Grand Line." Jack grinned. "Well actually Bandock, I've got something a little different in mind. What say you give me that map, and I won't have to get ugly?" A moment of silence followed this declaration, before Bandock raised his head and laughed at the sky. "HAHAHAHA! You're a funny man, Jack Bones."
Jack bent back his arm. "I'm not joking, so quit laughing at me! Doku Doku no Rocket Knuckle!" Bandock's crew gaped as Jack's fist shot out and slammed into their captain's face dead on before bouncing off and reconnecting to his arm. Slowly, Bandock raised his arm to feel the wound there. He frowned as blood leaked out from between his fingers. Raising his free hand, he pointed at Jack. "Kill him. KILL HIM, MATES!"
Jack sighed as Bandock's crew spread out and surrounded him on all sides. "Now see, if you had just given me the map, I wouldn't have had to do that. Just like I'm gonna do the same to your crew right now." Grinning, he extended his arms to point at the pirates around him. "ALRIGHT, LET'S DO THIS!"
To be continued...
The battle between Jack Bones and Bandock's crew begins. However, Jack quickly finds himself outmatched against Bandock's top officers. Frank and Gerald quickly arrive to help, but can just the three of them defeat the Butcher Pirates?
Next time, "Brawl in Charity Town! Skull Pirates VS The Butcher Pirates!"