Flanked by a squad of guards from their ship, Brandy and Ryoga marched through the middle of Newport Island. The island itself had three villages - each with a Merman population of about forty. The topography of the island was an odd mix of forests and quarries, the latter of which led to a network of caves that criss-crossed under the entire island. Or so he was told.
The reservations were set up so the three of them were set up around the Marine Base in a triangle formation. Paths had also been cleared between the three exits of the base and the villages, allowing a marine to move between them with a mere ten minute's travel. Officially, the marine base had been established on the island to protect the Mermen there from harm. With Merman Criminals, such as Saw-Toothed Arlong from East Blue terrorizing the seas, many who has lost loved ones to their rampage had begun seeking retribution...by attacking the more vulnerable of the species.
At least, that was the intention. But now, observing the faces peering out from the houses and alleyways on either side of them, Brandy began to doubt this was the case even further. The expressions on the mermen's faces ranged from caution to downright fear. "That's definitely not what people being protected should look like...and where are all the men? I only see women and children. Something is definitely fishy here, pardon the pun."
Abruptly, a rock flew out of nowhere and smashed against the side of Ryoga's head, sending him spilling to the ground. Immediately, the marine squad unshouldered their rifles and pointed them in the direction the projectile came from. Brandy shook his head. "Cut that out, guys." He turned to his subordinate and offered his hand. "You alright, Ryoga?"
"Y-yes sir. It only grazed me." Brandy pulled his subordinate back up to his feet. "Okay then, let's get going." Brandy turned and looked in the direction of the Marine Base. Brandy was of the opinion that these bases should be like a Doctor's Emergency Room; tucked away enough that you don't see it, but you still know is there when you need it. Or something like that, anyway. Helsing's Marine Base however, broke this rule several times over. As it was in the center of the island, it was the focal point of the place; and more than likely, the lives of everyone who lived on the island. The building was on a hill, so therefore it loomed over the people living under it. Lastly, and probably most important, was the feeling it gave off. 'I am better than you, and I know it.' was how Brandy would describe it. A rich man's aura. Not good. Not good at all.
Raising his bottle of rum to his mouth, Brandy took a swig. Suddenly his throat felt very dry.
One Piece: The Skull Pirates
Chapter Nine: Newport Island! The Merman Reservations and Big Brother Drake!
"Uh, Mary?" The girl turned to regard Jack. "Yes, Jack? Is something wrong?" Jack scratched his forehead and shrugged. "Well, no...but what are you doing?" He gestured to where Mary was putting together several small wooden logs in a rectangle. Mary stood up, giving him an odd look. "You know Jack, when I was looking at the food stores on this ship, I found something a little unsettling. The amount of meat products is more than twice that of the Fruit and Vegetables. Have you ever heard of Scurvy, Jack?"
"Well, yeah, but-" Mary cut him off. "You're aware that if you keep eating so irresponsibly, that's what you're going to contract, right? You might not be aware of this - since I heard from Gerald that you only recruited me to safeguard your sexuality - but I'm also a dietician, and a botanist. Since I'm now part of your crew, it's my job to make sure you all eat properly. So..."
Resuming her work, Mary soon had all of the logs connected, forming a long trough. Turning, Mary picked up a large bag of soil. Opening the bag, she poured it out into the trough, effectively making a long planter in the middle of the deck. Stepping up to the middle, inhaled deeply, then exhaled, dropping a seed into the soil. She repeated this several more times, until the planter was filled with seeds.
Smiling, she dusted off her hands. "There. These semailles are extremely fast growing, so in just a few days we should have some proper fruits on this ship." She turned to see Jack stroking his chin. "Yes?" Jack switched to scratching his nose. "So...does that mean when you go to the bathroom, you make fertilizer?"
Mary stared at him for a moment. "Idiot." Jack raised an eyebrow. "That isn't french."
"Regardless, you're still an idiot."
"Excuse me, captain?" Spoke up Frank, from right behind them. After Jack was busy smacking his chest to restart his heart, he turned to regard the Shinobi. "Frank, I realize the fact that you can move around so fast without being heard is really useful, but you have got to stop doing that on the ship. I don't want to have a heart attack at twenty two."
Frank scratched his head. "Sorry about that, captain. It's just normal to move like that where I come from, so I keep forgetting." Jack nodded. "Well, yeah, but you have to remember that not everything happens elsewhere the way it does from where you come from." He pointed to the shinobi's mask. "I mean, you don't wear that thing when you're at home, right?"
"Actually, yes, everyone does. Even the women." An awkward pause then came as Jack stared dumbfounded. "Does he expect me to believe that? An entire island where everyone wears a mask? Hell, there's a better chance of there being a walking skele...okay, nevermind."
Clearing his throat, Jack continued. "Now, what is it?" Frank pointed to the sky off the other end of the ship. "I was up in the crow's nest when I spotted some storm clouds on the horizon. Perhaps we should move the ship away from them."
Smiling, Jack draped an arm around Frank's shoulders. "Listen, Frank...I guess I can excuse you for this, since you're a newbie and all." He motioned to where Frank had pointed. "But on the sea, you can't go treating every black cloud you see as if it's a typhoon. You'll drive yourself crazy that way. It's probably not gonna even head our way, and if it does, it'll probably only be a drizzle anyway. Don't worry about it."
"Ah...alright, if you say so captain." Said Frank, looking less positive. Turning, he climbed back up to the crow's nest. Jack turned back. "Now, Mary, you were..." He sweatdropped as he saw the petite girl on the deck, fainted out cold with swirls in her eyes. "...Yeah, Frank's definitely gonna have to work on that."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Marine Captain Helsing Swing was a very...neat man. That was how Brandy could best describe him. His uniform was perfectly in place, with not a speck of disarray about him. His office was the same; it contained no frivilous items, only things that were necessary for his work. Sterile, like an operating room. Like most captains in the Marines, Helsing's uniform was a custom job; rather than the normal white-blue colour scheme, his was entirely black, with red at the collars.
Stepping forward, Brandy saluted. "Captain Brandy Swallow from Cherry Island, reporting for duty." Penting his fingers, Helsing leaned forward and smiled. "Welcome to Newport Island, Captain Brandy. I hope we will get along well while you are on assignment here." Brandy nodded. "Yeah, sure. Let's drink to it." Lifting his bottle of rum to his mouth, he drank. Helsing sweatdropped. "Ah, no thank you. I don't usually drink this early in the morning. Speaking of which, are you sure it's proper to be drinking liquor in front of your subordinate?" He motioned to Ryoga.
"Ah? Oh yeah. Ryoga, you forgot to introduce yourself. That's a bit rude..." Ryoga straightened up (Moreso, anyway), stepped forward and saluted. "Ryoga Hitachi, Deputy Captain of the Cherry Island Marines, reporting for duty, SIR!" Helsing nodded. "Such enthusiasm...but, I would much rather prefer your formal rank, son." Ryoga blushed and deflated slightly. "Ah...Chief Petty Officer, sir..."
Helsing nodded and gave a little smile. Brandy, who had already decided he didn't like Helsing that much, frowned inwardly. Helsing motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. "Now, please, take a seat." They did so. "Now then, Helsing, why did we get assigned here?" Helsing leaned back in his chair. "Of course, you've been assigned here to provide extra security for the Merman Reservations here." Brandy spoke up. "Yeah, that's the official reason. But there's something else, right?"
Helsing gave another efficient little smile. "Ah, you're as sharp as they say, Captain Brandy." He leaned forwards. Brandy and Ryoga mimed the action. "Several months ago, my men started getting attacked while out on patrols. At first it was only a few at a time, but one week ago, the attacker struck at the base itself. Over half of the men here were severely injured. Some are still in the infirmary recovering. The men who were attacked can't recall anything about whatever attacked them, but judging from the damage to the men's bodies, whatever it was must have been extremely strong. It also seems to operate on a hit and run basis, striking quickly and then fleeing into the forest. As you might expect, the terrain of the island means it could be hiding anywhere.
Quite frankly, Captain Brandy, my men are spooked. The ones who aren't injured are refusing to go out on patrols. If pirates were to attack now, I'm not sure the base would hold. I have heard of your incredible strength and intelligence, and I'm certain you can do it. Please find this menace and bring it to justice!"
Brandy smiled. "Sure. I assume your base and records are open to me?" Helsing's smile faltered slightly. "Certainly, although I'm not sure how this will help you capture the criminal." Brandy took another swig. "Okay, let's go, Ryoga." The two stood up, saluted, and then left the office. "He might suspect something, but he probably doesn't know that Headquarters didn't send me here just for that, or because Helsing asked. Although, I am interested in just who this attacker might be."
As the door swung shut behind him, Helsing turned to the corner. "So, what do you make of him?" A shadow on the wall seemed to split off as a man clothed in black stepped forward. "A drunken fool...at least, that's the mask he was wearing. After all, you don't become a Marine Captain by just being average...but I'm sure you know that, don't you...Captain Helsing?"
"Quite. I assume the records were switched for the fake ones?" The man in black nodded. "Yes. And the doors to the underground cavern are hidden and locked, and the equipment in the quarry is hidden. He won't suspect a thing. But, if he does..." Helsing drew his finger across his throat. "I assume the famous assassin from West Blue, Hokushin, can handle one old man, right?" Hokushin toyed with the blade in his hand and smiled. "I assure you, your operations here will not be disrupted, Captain. After all, you were the one who faked my death record and let me work for you."
Helsing nodded. "Simply my nature. If something can be useful for me, I will use it. An Assassin like you, other criminals...this island...and even the Mermen on it."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"You know Jack, I'm very glad we have your wonderful intuition. Otherwise, we might find ourselves in situations like...oh, like the one we're in right now, for instance." Gerald quipped. "Aw, shut up Gerald! This was a fluke, that's all!" Jack shouted back. Shouting was necessary to be heard over the wind. The storm had not, as Jack had predicted, blown over, but had instead overtaken their ship. Jack was manning the steering wheel, his eyes searching the horizon for a suitable place to land and wait the storm out. "If these guys are this shook up by a West Blue storm, they're gonna freak out when we get to the Grand Line. Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I guess."
Frowning, Gerald took a hand off the rope he was holding to ring out his moustache, then bit back a yell as the rope nearly dislocated his shoulder as it nearly pulled out of his grip. "I wish I was still in jail. No, wait, that's not true. I wish I'd ditched him there." Frank was running around the ship, armed with a hammer and nails to pin down everything that wasn't nailed down in the first place. "If this ship capsizes, I'll never become a true shinobi. So, I must now use my mediocre skills of using a hammer to bravely - GAH!" His train of thought was cut off as his lip poked into the sharp end of one of the nails he was holding in his mouth.
Mary meanwhile, was inside, at the helm. Gritting her teeth, she tried to keep it steady. with her Devil's Fruit Power. "Why did he assign me to this job? I'm not suited for it at all!" She was nearly sent spilling to the floor, as another wave buffeted the side of the ship. "But even so, I've got to do it."
In many ways, this storm was the first hardship the four of them faced as Nakama. And certainly, it would not be the last...
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"Captain Brandy, I presume?"
Brandy and Ryoga both turned at this hail...and immediately, several key muscles in parts of their bodies untensed themselves. Brandy supposed this young woman would have this effect on any man. Part of it had to do with her uniform, which was (Probably intentionally) cut short at the bottom and top, the latter of which only accentuated the large size of her chest. Another was the look in her eyes, which said quite plainly that she knew she was arousing you, and was extremely amused by it. Another interesting aspect about her was her shoulder-length hair's color; which was a unique Aquamarine Color. She was also quite tall, standing at roughly six feet tall.
Grinning widely, she held out her hand. "Special Inspector Jade Marinas from Marine Headquarters. It's a pleasure, sir." Brandy returned the smile. "Aaaah, what a pretty young lady. A sight for sore eyes for someone who hangs around men all day, I must say." Quickly realizing where this was going, Ryoga tapped his captain on the shoulder. "Sir, I should point out that you certainly don't need another sexual harassment charge on your record, and definitely not on another Marine."
Jade suddenly leaned forward, an extremely unlady-like lecherous smirk on her face. "Well...if Captain Brandy really wants to harass me, I don't see why that can't be arranged..." Brandy looked rather indifferent to this. "Well, don't think I wouldn't enjoy that, but I'd never be able to keep up with you. But, maybe Ryoga could you take you up on that." Before Ryoga could react to that, Jade had grabbed him by the shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "Hmmm...yes...that naive face...those innocent eyes...why, he's absolutely adorable!"
"Um...Inspector, could you please back off a few feet? This is making me a little uncomfortable, if you don't mind..." This almost seemed to encourage her. "Oh, and he's shy too. What can we do about that, I wonder?" She lifted one hand from Ryoga's shoulder, shifting it to the back of his head, which she slowly tilted downward, giving Ryoga an exquisite view down her shirt. "I'm not a prude, so go ahead, Ryoga-kun, and look all you like..."
At this point, Ryoga's nose simply could not take anymore of this, and promptly burst open, sending blood down the front of Ryoga's face. The shock force of this also apparently drove him unconscious, as he went limp and fell to the floor.
"I think you broke him." Brandy offered.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Later, shut off in a side room, Ryoga shoved kleenex into his nose while he listened to his two superiors converse. "So, Jade-chan, you mentioned something about being an inspector from Marine Headquarters?"
Jade nodded. "That's right. I was sent here to inspect the...well, the rumors. They're not very pleasant, you know." Brandy raised an eyebrow. "All the way from the Grand Line? Seems a long way for you to come all the way out to West Blue, Jade-chan. If you don't mind me asking, what's the deal?"
Jade looked taken aback for a moment, before her cheerful expression returned and she shrugged. "Let's just say that it struck a chord with me and leave it at that, okay, Brandy-san?"
Brandy shrugged before taking another swig of rum. "Okay, fine. If you don't wanna tell me, then I don't have to know." He leaned back in his chair. "But anyway, it doesn't take a genius to see that there's some something fishy going on here, but I'd like to hear your opinion, Jade-chan."
The woman leaned back, tapping her chin with her finger. "Well, it's obvious that Helsing's lying about a lot of things, but it's not as if we can call him on it without any proof." In the corner, Ryoga looked up. "But Captain Helsing is a Marine Officer! Why would he lie like that?"
Jade looked over at Brandy. "He's cute, but he's a little dumb, don't you think?" Brandy shrugged. "Yeah, maybe, but he has his uses. Besides, he draws most of the negative attention away from me, you know?"
"He's talking about me like I'm not here again..."
"Oh yeah. Jade-chan, this bogeyman that Helsing's talking about, is that a lie too?" The women shook her head. "Nope, not unless his men are willing to inflict pain on themselves to make us believe it. Plus, I've seen him myself." Ryoga raised an eyebrow. "Really? What did he look like?"
Jade shook her head. "Sorry, Ryoga-kun, I promised him I wouldn't say. Although," She added, the lecherous look rising in her eyes again, "I can say that he's nowhere near as cute as you are."
"...Inspector, could you please stop that? It's really improper conduct for a Marine." Jade suddenly appeared behind Ryoga's chair and glomped the Sergeant around his shoulders. "Ryoga, if you don't want me to get attracted, then stop being so cute. Oh, but from what I've seen, I guess that's impossible for you, isn't it?"
Ryoga blinked. "Cute? Me? Really?"
"Hell, if you were a girl, I'd date ya." Brandy put in.
"..."
"What?"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A short while later, the three exited the base's infirmary. Ryoga leaned up against the wall, a pondering look on his face. "What do you think, Sir?" Brandy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, definitely." Jade looked from one to the other. "Am I missing something here?"
Ryoga looked to the woman. "The injuries the men in there had...they were precise. And it wasn't just power, either. Whoever did it knew what he was aiming for. Inspector, that man is a Martial Artist, like me and the Captain, right?" Jade shrugged. "Well, I don't really know anything about that, but if Ryoga-kun says so, then I guess it's true."
Brandy took another swig from his bottle and shrugged. "Well, if we run into him, I guess I'll have you take care of him, Ryoga. Don't worry; if you die, I'll give you a classy funeral."
"At least then I wouldn't have to put up with your so-called humor, sir."
"Keep that up and I'll dock your pay."
"Actually sir, you still owe me about a Thousand Beri."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Another short while later, the three were back at the side room. A large number of files were strewn on the table in front of them. With a disgusted sigh, Jade threw down the one she had been reading. "Honestly, does he think we're idiots or something? A monkey could tell there's something wrong here!"
"Well, yeah, Jade-chan, but it's not as though we can call him on it without direct proof." Brandy remarked. Ryoga shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to stay up all night until we can get something from this." Brandy turned a bit pale. "Then that means..."
"Yes, sir. Coffee." Ryoga responded with a satisfied smirk.
"I hate coffee..."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The next morning...
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jack slowly opened one eye. "Still alive, somehow." He gave himself a once over. "Nothing broken. At least not for me, anyway." He spoke up. "Hey Gerald, you still alive?" A groan came from nearby. "No, and I'll thank you not to bother me while I'm busy being dead, Captain."
"I'll keep that in mind. Frank, what about you?" A rustle in the air and a light knock on the deck floor preceded the ninja's response. "I've been up for a while, captain. I bit my tongue last night, though, so my ability to do tongue-twisters may be impeded slightly." Jack nodded. "...That shouldn't be a problem, Frank. Mary?"
"Ah, a bit waterlogged, but otherwise I'm amende, captain." Jack nodded and began to sit up. "Okay, now that we know we're still alive, where the hell are we?" He walked over to the railing of the Flying Skull and looked over. And immediately groaned. "Aw, you've got to be kidding me!"
"Something wrong, Captain?" Frank asked, walking over. Jack silently pointed. Frank looked, and quickly saw the problem. The front of the ship was currently wedged into two large rocks on the shore of whatever island they had landed at.
Frank blinked. "Will that be a problem, Captain?" Jack turned a cynical eye on him. "Gee, I dunno Frank, do you think the ship not being able to move sounds like a problem? Of course it's a problem, dummy!"
"So, now what?" Asked Mary. Jack shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to get some people to help us move it; assuming anyone lives on this island."
"Because of course, we're such good, upstanding citizens, right?" Quipped Gerald. Jack glared at him. "I thought you were dead?"
"I got better."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A few minutes later, the crew was gathered on the shore. "Okay now, once you find someone to help us, just come back here. And if you see any Marines, just avoid them. Got it?" Gerald nodded. "Understood. And I take it you'll be employing the, in your own words, "Kick their asses" tactic, Captain?"
"Of course. Who do you think you're talking to?" Jack smirked. Gerald sighed. "I honestly wish I knew, Captain, I really do?"
"And just what the hell are you implying, Riviera?"
Mary sighed. "Jack, can we just get moving? We can leave without you, you know." Jack turned to the petite girl and grinned. "Maybe you could try whipping me in the ass to hurry me up?" Mary smirked back. "I could, but it would be nowhere near as pleasant as you think it would be, Captain."
Frank turned to Gerald. "I don't get it; wouldn't getting whipped be really painful and not pleasant at all?" Gerald patted him on the head. "You'll understand when you're older, Frank."
They split up. Gerald went north, Mary and Frank went East and Northwest, respectively, and Jack struck off west. Unfortunately for the Skull Pirate Captain, he never noticed that he was being followed.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gerald struck off through the forest. It wasn't very dense, and any obscuring branches were knocked out of the way with his baseball bat. After a while, the forest ended. Peering out, he could see a well-trodden path. He smiled. "Might as well partake in the convenience..." He stepped out and dusted himself off. He looked down the path and gasped, as he saw a five man Marine squad heading in his direction, all holding rifles. He quickly ducked back into the treeline. Hugging his back to a trunk, he waited quietly until they were gone. He breathed a sigh of relief when they did so.
"Are you hiding from them too, Mister?" Gerald looked down to see a little girl poke her head out of a nearby bush. She looked just like a normal girl, until she came out fully, which was when he noticed the gills on her neck and the fins protruding from her head. "Indeed I was, Miss. Might I ask why you were?"
The girl stooped to brush some twigs off her dress - which was little more than a rag - then looked back up. "Well, if they saw me on the path, then I'd get in trouble. We're not supposed to leave the villages. But Mister, why were you hiding? You're not a Merman."
Gerald shrugged. "Well, that's probably because I'm a Pirate, Miss." The merman's mouth opened in surprise. "A pirate? Really?" The gentleman nodded. "Indeed, although I consider myself more of a gentleman than most, including my captain." He noticed the girl was frowning. "I say, is something wrong?"
"Um, no, but if you came here with other pirates, then Drake-aniki might not be very happy. He doesn't really like pirates." Gerald shrugged. "That's not really anything new? Is he a merman, like you?" She nodded. "Yep, but he's much taller, and really strong! He can punch rocks apart!"
Gerald gulped inwardly. "You...don't say?" Inwardly he was sweating. "A pirate hating merman, just what we need. I guess I have to hope noone runs into him before we leave...oh bugger, I probably just jinxed it."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jack sneezed. Growling, he rubbed his boney nose. "Note to self; punch Gerald in the back of the head." He looked around. Woods, and more woods. "Damn, this island's boring! I was half-expecting something interesting to happen, too, since we got stranded here."
Abruptly, the woods ended in a large clearing. Jack looked around, a low whistle on his lips. "Damn..." The entire clearing was littered with various debris; pieces of rock, and split apart tree limbs and logs. A few still intact boulders stood at the end, albeit with large chunks knocked out of them. At the end of the clearing stood a large cave.
"What kind of monster could do stuff like this? And more importantly, where is he? I feel like shaking his hand!"
"Shark..."
"Eh?" Jack began to turn around. A big mistake.
"MORDER!"
The first thing Jack glimpsed was a blue-skinned fist coming at him, before it slammed into his face and sent him flying across the clearing, plowing through one of the boulders before tumbling to a stop in front of the cave.
"What...the...hell?"Jack slowly got up, coming to his feet and getting a good look at his attacker. He was a Merman, and a Shark one, if his teeth, spiked nose, and the dorsal fin protruding halfway up his neck were any judge. He was a little short by Merman standards, and although he was muscular, he wasn't overly so. He had brown hair, cut short on his head. He wore what looked like a Martial Arts uniform over his chest, though it was cut loose, leaving his chest exposed. A bandana was tied over his head.
Raising a finger, he pointed straight at Jack. "Pirate scum, leave this island immediately." Although Jack could tell he and the Shark Merman were about the same age, his voice sounded much more mature. Jack's mouth slowly drew itself into his familiar sneer. "You're asking me to leave, huh? Well, since you made such a bold declaration, I have to ask...or else what?"
The merman raised his fists and cracked his knuckles, then popped his neck. "Or else...you'll leave in pieces."
Jack grinned. "Huh...that sounds like fun!"
To be continued...
???: This Island already has enough problems without you here. There's no plunder for you here Pirate, so leave!
Jack: Make me!
???: Alright then, if you insist. Piranha...
Jack: Doku Doku No...
???: ESCUELA!
Jack: HAMMER!
Gerald: So, that's the story behind this place...
Next Time, Pirate VS Merman! The Sad History of Newport Island!
Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Also, if this Shark Merman bears any resemblance to Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star, that is entirely intentional. Oh, and that's also not mine. Though I do like to insert "You Are Already Dead" into my day to day speech. It's great fun, especially to people you want that to happen to...like my brother.
But I digress. Thanks for your praise of last chapter, and for those who disliked the previous arc's sappy content, then you'll be happy to see this one is more action oriented.
Till next time, Justin Brett signing off.