Now for the cliche, stereotypical martial arts training montage!
Yay...
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"Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo doo dooo..." whistled a tuneless Brandy as he relieved himself, thankfully where he was supposed to, in a urinal. There had been some...incidents in the past.
"Oi, Brandy."
"GAH!" Brandy gave a startled jump, then whirled around to see Raven eyeing him cooly. "Dammit Raven, could you not have picked a better time? Like one where being surprised won't make me risk injuring the little guy!?"
"Considering this Hellsing guy is having you, your sidekick, and that inspector watched, no, I couldn't have, and I'd appreciate not getting chewed out for doing your grunt work."
"Being paid to do my grunt work." Brandy added.
"Whatever," Raven scowled. "Just take it and buzz off." He shoved the scroll into Brandy's hands. The marine unfolded it and read it. As he did so, his eyes widened and his mouth tightened.
"Good work, Raven. This is the proof we need to take this guy down. I appreciate it. Now, for your payment..." He reached down for his wallet.
"I already took it." The ninja was gone.
Brandy opened his wallet, and drooped. "I'm glad he's not a pirate... then again, if he were, I guess he wouldn't be ripping me off directly, huh?"
One Piece: The Skull Pirates
Chapter Twelve: Inner Courage! Power of the Ripple!
Meanwhile, in the cave, Drake continued his story.
My mother had pushed me into the sea to protect me, to save my life from the man she was sure was going to take it away. But the current that night was strong, and because of my lack of size, I was pushed and battered around by the waves. If things had gone differently that night, I wouldn't be here telling you this. But as it was, I was rescued, by the person I would come to respect the most in this world.
Slowly, Drake opened his eyes. Immediately, pain ran through every part of his body. Cuts, bruises, and all of the other injuries he'd received in the ocean combined together to form a cocaphony of agony, as if his body was getting back at him for being unconscious.
For a few moments, the merman had no knowledge of where he was. Then his mind brought him up to speed. Although Drake was only a child, he was no fool. He had seen the look in the eyes of that barracuda. He was quite sure that his parents were now both dead.
Tears stung at his eyes. He had loved both his parents dearly, and knowing they were dead drove a knife through his heart. He lay there for a long while, feeling the deep pain in both places. If he had been alone, he likely would given into despair.
But then, he heard a door open nearby, and footsteps coming closer. Then the sound of someone sitting down at a chair. Drake hadn't spared a thought to where he was now, and turned his head gently to see whoever it was.
It was an old man, sitting in a chair, looking down at him silently. He wore the clothes of a fisherman, and although his hair and beard were gray, he was nonetheless physically fit and muscular. The man's eyes...they had a mysterious look about them, that Drake couldn't explain.
The two looked at each-other for what seemed a long while, before the man broke the silence. "I fished you out of the sea about one week ago. You were in bad shape, and you would have died if you hadn't been pulled out." He spoke frankly. There was no guile, no beating around the bush.
"Do you have a name?" The man continued.
Drake thought about it. If this man had meant him any harm, he wouldn't have pulled him from the ocean in the first place. "I'm Drake." he replied.
The old man nodded. "A good name. My name is Samuel Stevens. Nice to meet you, Drake."
This seemed to be all the introduction needed. Drake knew he was in no danger from Samuel, and Samuel didn't see Drake as any different from him. They both trusted the other.
Samuel got up suddenly. "Don't move." he told Drake. Reaching down, he gently pulled the covers off of Drake. Even so, the merman winced slightly. Drake hadn't seen how his body looked until now, and although the bruises and cuts had been cared for, he still gulped. When he saw his leg, he averted his eyes; it was twisted at a bag angle, and the skin around it was darkened.
Samuel looked at the limb. His expression was hard to place. Then a sound reached Drake's ears, and he could see that Samuel was breathing, in and out, in a rhythmic fashion.
As he did so, Drake blinked, sure he was seeing things. But no; appearing on Samuel's body was a light-blue aura, spreading across his body from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. Strangely, Drake felt as though he had seen this before. He would realize shortly afterward exactly where.
Still breathing, Samuel moved toward Drake's leg. Looking down at the limb, he nodded. Moving his hands across from each-other, he paused...and then with a yell, drove the two fists into the merman's leg.
This action should have caused tremendous pain, but the reaction was just the opposite; as the blow hit him, he felt a deep euphoria, a sense of intense pleasure. It only lasted a few moments, and then Samuel was standing up. Drake's leg had been reset properly, and the skin around it had returned to it's normal shade of color.
"Do you feel alright, Drake?" Samuel asked. Drake nodded slowly. Samuel smiled. "Good. You must be hungry. I'll go get you some food now." He turned and left the room. At that moment, Drake felt certain that he was safe here.
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A few days later, Drake got up. He did so gingerly, but he needn't have bothered: whatever Samuel had done to his leg had healed it almost completely. Soon it would be as if it hadn't been injured in the first place.
He had wondered about that over the last few days. What was that light that had come out from him? For that matter, just who was Samuel? Did he live here alone? Where was this place, anyway?
He hadn't gotten a chance to see the room for a while after he'd woken up. In truth, there wasn't much to see. It was a small, plain room: aside from the bed, only a bookcase, placed against the wall, and a small table next to the bed. Some fishing equipment was placed around the room; Samuel was a fishermen, so this was nothing unusual.
Walking to the door, he opened it and walked through. This seemed to be the kitchen, with cubboards, cabinets, and a sink. Some dishes were in the kitchen, but Samuel was nowhere to be found.
There were two doors leading out of the kitchen: one on the north side of the room and one on the west side. Drake walked up to the one on the north side and tried the knob. No good, it was locked, and Drake wouldn't feel good snooping, anyway.
Next he walked to the door on the west side. It opened freely, and led outside. It was a beautiful day out, and the sun was shining. Nothing like that night that seemed so far ago now. Drake shook his head. Thinking about that night would only lead to sadness, and he'd felt enough of that for a lifetime. No, now he had an entirely different feeling on his mind.
Samuel's dwelling was in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by trees on all sides. A fire had been made, which was currently roasting a pair of fish on sticks. Most of the meals the old man had prepared for him had been fish. Drake supposed that made him a cannibal, but he'd been too hungry to care.
Walking around the fire, he made his way to the edge of the treeline. He frowned. He had no way of knowing where Samuel had gone. But then he heard the sound of faint splashing, coming from a path leading downward. Drake walked down it.
As he went, the ground became more steep, and the trees became less and less dense. Finally, they broke, at the shore of a large lake. The sunlight was hitting the surface of the water, making it sparkle beautifully. Numerous small fish swam to and fro in the shallows.
And in the middle of the lake was Samuel, standing in the water up to his waist, silently. As Drake watched, the glow slowly appeared on his body once more. It spread across him and into the water, rippling across it as easily as it had across him. The fish in the water had been affected by the glow, and they circled around him as if mesmerized.
Drake was, as well. He hadn't been able to truly appreciate it the first time he'd seen it, but this light was truly a beautiful sight. He stared, entranced for a long while.
"So you're up then, Samuel? That's good to see."
Samuel's voice woke him from the trance, and Drake blinked to see Samuel wading in from the water. "That's good." He walked past Drake, and began making his way up the slope. "Come back to the house. We'll eat, and then I'll check your leg."
Drake watched him go, for a moment chickening out of talking to him. Then he remembered why he wanted to. "Mr. Samuel!"
The old man turned around. "Is there something wrong?"
Drake paused a moment, and then spoke. "That light, that came out of you...what was it? I know it's not something normal, and you were able to fix my leg with it so easily...who are you, really? I might be young, but I can tell you aren't a normal fisherman."
Samuel's expression hadn't changed. "That's nothing for you to be concerned about, Drake. Your leg is fixed, and that should be all you need to know." He turned away and continued up the path.
"...I've seen it before."
Samuel whirled back around, looking shocked. "What...what did you say, Drake?"
Drake looked at him, an odd look in his eyes. "I said that I've seen it before. On that night that I fell into the ocean...I saw it from the man who...killed my parents!" He forced the last part out, as if he didn't want to admit it himself.
A long and uncomfortable silence followed. Then Samuel turned and began up the slope again. "Follow me, Drake. You have a right to hear this."
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Once the two were back at the house, Samuel immediately crossed to the locked door. Placing his hands on it, he breathed out and in, once. Instantly, the door clicked. Turning the knob, the door opened without resistance. "Come in."
Walking in after him, Drake stared in amazement. This room was much, much different than the rest of the house. Extremely wide, it was devoid of any furniture, the floor stretching freely from wall to wall. That is, aside from the far wall, where a pair of disused torches stood. They were flanking a tapestry that hung between them.
It was a beautiful sight, depicting the ocean, with it's currents and waves. In the center of it was a small circle, surrounded by a larger one, and another, each growing larger as they went. A ripple. Drawn in and around the ripple were sea animals, frolicking among the waves.
Samuel walked in and sat down with his legs crossed. Drake tried to copy him, but ended up sitting down normally.
"You said you saw an aura that looked like mine, Drake?" Samuel said bluntly.
"Yes, that's right." replied the merman.
"But it didn't really look like mine, did it?" said Samuel, darkly. Drake slowly shook his head. "Instead of being blue like mine, it was black, wasn't it? Black, like in the middle of the night. Black like a dark pit in the ocean that seems to go on forever. Black like-"
"Death." Drake said quietly.
Samuel nodded. "Yes. Like death." He coughed, and resumed speaking.
"The truth is, Drake, I'm not a fisherman. I'm a martial artist, someone who trains in a style of fighting, using their hands, feet, and mind. The style I practice is known as Umi no Ken. It's a style based around gathering energy from water, and all things that live within it. This energy is known as the Ripple. Water is revered in this world as a life-giving force, and the style is the same; the energy gathered from the water is pure, and good. But also like water, it can be a powerful and dangerous force in the right circumstances.
Umi no Ken is a benevolent style...but there is a darker side to it. A style known as Umi no Yami Ken. Like my style, it draws the Ripple energy from the water to fight. But it twists the energy, transforming it into a cruel power that exists only to hurt other people, which users of the style have no problem doing. They're merciless, all of them. I've seen them snuff out the lives of innocents begging for mercy without a hint of remorse. They roam the seas at will, attacking and killing whoever they please. No-one should ever have to encounter anyone like that."
He bowed his head slightly. "And I'm deeply remorseful that you had to, Drake. I'm very sorry." He then fell silent, and Drake was too for a moment, and then spoke up.
"You said the style you use is like their's...does that mean it can defeat them?" he asked quietly.
Samuel looked slightly taken aback. "...yes, it can. The two are opposite styles, so one is a perfect match for the other in combat. But why do you ask?"
"Train me."
Samuel now looked surprised. "What?"
Drake had that look in his eyes again. "I want revenge. I want to get the person who killed my parents, and make him pay for what he did. If you teach me Umi no Ken, then I can do it!"
Samuel sighed, and then shook his head. "No, Drake, I cannot."
"Why not?" Drake yelled. "If that power is drawn from fish, then I should be able to use it, since I'm a merman! So why can't you-"
Samuel hit him. The blow knocked Drake onto his back, and he sat back up, bleeding from his lip. Samuel now looked angry. "And if I do train you, Drake, what will you do? Go after him? And then what? You'd likely die, and do you think your parents would want that, after your life was already spared once? And if you defeated him, then what? Would you kill him, and continue the cycle of violence he started? Then you'd only be a murderer, Drake, and that's what seperates my style from their's."
The old man shook his head. The anger was gone now, replaced by reminiscent sorrow. "Even if you did kill him, it wouldn't bring your parents back. I should know. I was once part of a group of students training under a master of Umi no Ken. We were attacked by a master of Umi no Yami Ken. I was the only one who made it out alive." He shrugged. "After that, I didn't want to associate myself with the style any longer. But even so, I made this room. I suppose I didn't want to forget them."
He sighed. "If you forget about people who have passed on, then they really do die. Don't forget that, Drake."
"...aren't you just running away, then?"
Samuel looked up, surprised. Drake was looking at him with those determined eyes once more. "If you have the power to defeat someone like that, then why are you living on this island, alone! Shouldn't you be trying to stop him, then? If you have the power to save people...to protect them from harm...then should you really be lecturing me, Samuel?"
The old man looked distant for a long while. "Perhaps I was running away. Perhaps after seeing someone commit atrocities like what I saw, I wanted to leave humanity behind forever. The people I was training with were great friends of mine, and the man training all of us was like a father to me...perhaps I'm the only one left alive who knows the style."
Drake nodded. "You mentioned my parents wouldn't want me to go off and die. Would they want you to hide away like this, feeling miserable about yourself? I don't think they would!"
Samuel was silent once more. "Perhaps they wouldn't...no, of course they wouldn't. But..." He looked down at his hands. "The person that attacked us...he defeated us all, so easily...I'm sure he wasn't even trying. It made me feel...weak. Like I couldn't do anything. I'm not sure I could train you, now."
"That's not true!" Drake yelled. "That's what I'm supposed to say, not you! I'm the weak one here. I'm tiny, I'm timid, and I couldn't even protect what was important to me. But that doesn't mean I have to stay that way! I'll get stronger...I'll become brave...and next time, I'll protect what's important to me!"
He clasped a fist over his chest. "I swear it! I'll become stronger, and not be weak any more! I won't protect just what's important to me, either! I'll help anyone that's in danger, so they won't have to go through what we did! And if you won't help me, I'll do it myself!"
Samuel's face was unreadable. For a moment Drake thought he'd hit him again. But then he heard a sound coming from the old man. He was chuckling. "Well. You're naive, you're petulent, and you're hotheaded. You remind me of a complete fool that I once knew."
Drake bowed his head slightly. Then the old man smiled. "A young man by the name of Samuel. You're right, Drake. People can change. I'm glad you reminded me of that. Very well, I'll accept you as my pupil."
His face grew sterner. "But don't expect this to be easy, Drake. Training in Umi no Ken is a process that takes many years. It will be hard, I won't lie to you, and it will change your life forever. Do you still wish to accept?"
Drake nodded. "Yes, I do."
Samuel nodded back. "Very well, then. From now on, you can call me Master."
Samuel was right. That day, my life changed forever. For the better, I think. If I hadn't met him, my life wouldn't have any meaning. He's the person who I respect the most in this world.
Yeah, can we take a break? Because this is taking a while.
You're the one who wanted to hear it.
Well now I regret it. It feels like you've been telling this story for six months!
Tough.
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A loud grunt, and then the noise of something sliding across rough ground. It stopped after a moment, during which tired breathing could be heard. Then the sliding sound resumed.
"You're sure that you don't want me to help, Drake? I don't mind."
Drake looked over at his master, who was sitting close by watching him. Leaning against the large rock he'd been pushing, Drake shook his head. "No, master. Tradition says I have to do this alone.
He pushed again, moving the rock closer toward a small pile of them that he'd made. Although there would be no residents to it, this was a grave. It was Merman custom to bury lost loved ones next to the ocean - or as close as possible - so that they might rest in peace, their souls returning to their ancestral home.
Finally, Drake lifted upward, pushing the rock onto the top of the pile. Then, he stepped back, wiping the sweat that was covering his forehead. "There. Now they have a place to rest. Even I can do this."
"Hm." grunted Samuel, looking at the grave while scratching his chin. "That's an interesting method of burial." He smiled slightly. "I wouldn't mind being buried like that, myself."
Drake said nothing as he walked past him, on the way back up to the house.
"...and I hope you don't end up in one of those because of your desire for vengeance, Drake."
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"Tell me, Drake, what do you feel?"
Knee deep in the water of the lake, Drake thought about this question. "...wet? Cold?"
"No, no." Sitting on the shore, Samuel shook his head. "I don't mean how it feels against your body. You see, Drake, there are two ways of feeling things. One is physically, with your five senses - touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell. The other is with something that most people never use: your Sixth Sense.
The Sixth Sense is used to feel and sense things that are otherworldly, that would ordinarily be invisible to a normal human's eyes. Ordinarily, this Sixth Sense is very weak, or not there in the first place. But by training in special arts, you can strengthen and hone it. The Ripple is only one of such arts in the world. When you complete your training and heighten your senses, you'll no doubt encounter many of them."
"I see." said Drake thoughtfully. "I guess even powers like yours are common to some people, aren't they, Master?"
Samuel nodded. "Now, close your eyes. Then, relax, and try to distance your mind from your body as much as possible."
"Yes, Master."
Drake closed his eyes. He did as his new master instructed, and tried to relax. It was hard; standing in place with your eyes closed wasn't exactly interesting, nor was it terribly relaxing.
"Don't try and force it, Drake. That will only aggravate you. Focus on the water, and try to feel it with your Sixth Sense."
Drake nodded. He felt the water as it lapped gently around and against his legs. He listened to the gentle splashing noises it made. As he did so, a pattern formed in front of him. It was light-blue in color, and always moving, never looking the same as it had just a moment before. Looking at it gave him the same feeling of warm contentment that the Ripple Samuel had used had. Then he realized.
"Do you see something, Drake?" Samuel's voice entered his thoughts, sounding strange and foreign.
"I think I...see the water, Master."
"That is the Ripple energy that this lake is giving off, Drake. Good work. Now, start breathing, in and out. Try your best to match the water's flow. Use the pattern that you see before you as a guide."
Drake obeyed, and watched the pattern before him carefully. When it moved, he breathed in; when it moved again, he breathed out. Again and again, he did so.
"You've done it, Drake. Open your eyes now."
Drake did so, and he saw that both his arms were covered in the Ripple energy. But without his breathing to support it, the aura quickly faded away.
The merman frowned, but Samuel smiled. "You did well, Drake. I could only manage one arm the first time I did it, but you did it with two." He scratched his beard. "Perhaps it's because you're a merman?"
He shrugged. "I think that's enough for today. Follow me back up to the house, and we'll eat. Then, I have a story to tell you."
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After the two had eaten, they moved to the Dojo Room. Samuel instructed Drake to wait for him, and returned carrying a large basin filled with water. Setting it down in front of Drake, he sat down on the other side, cross-legged.
"Since you are training in the art of Umi no Ken, Drake, it is important that you learn of the style's origins. Listen closely, and I will tell you the tale."
Placing his hands on the water's surface, Samuel began rhythmically breathing. The light of the Ripple spread from the water, to his hands, and then back down to the water. As he did so, images began to appear in the water's surface, and Samuel began to talk.
"Two thousand years ago, the great oceans of this world, the four Blues as well as the Grand Line, were still here. And I'm sure they will be here two thousand years after this, as well."
The first figure that appeared was that of a man, sitting on the shore. Next came the image of a fish, which swam up and approached the man, swimming in front of him. "Men had used the sea for many years; for fishing, for transportation, and for many other things. But until then, they hadn't truly understood the sea...until the sea decided to approach man. It did so to a man who had been in a shipwreck, and was stranded on a deserted island. The man's name, and who he was, have been lost to history. But not what he was responsible for: founding the style of Umi no Ken, as he was the first person to harness the power of the Ripple."
The water rippled, and the images displayed within it changed. Now, the man was standing on the shore, with the fish swimming back and forth in the water in front of him. The man was copying the fish's movements, and soon a familiar glow appeared over his body. "Appearing in the form of a small fish, the ocean tutored him in the style. He became the first student of Umi no Ken, and eventually, the first master, as well."
The image changed again. The setting was now the outside of a dojo at the shore of the ocean, the man at the head of a large group of students, all of them copying his movements as he had copied those of the fish. "The man used the gift the ocean had given him wisely. He gathered willing youths, and trained them in Umi no Ken as he had been taught. They travelled the oceans, helping people in danger, and protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. For a few generations, everything was fine...
But, then arose problems...dark ones."
The image rippled and changed once more. It appeared to be the inside of the dojo, and a different man and a youth were standing across from each-other. From their body language, it was clear the two were arguing. "Whenever any power is given to people, there will always be those who seek to misuse it, much like those who have eaten Devil Fruits. One student argued that instead of using the Ripple to help others, they should use it to help themselves. His master disagreed, and this led to an argument. Which, unfortunately, led to blows."
In the water, Master and Student began to fight. The fight likely lasted a long while, but the image rippled again, and the image came back to the student kneeling on the floor. "The boy's master only meant to subdue him, but during the battle, a stray technique severely wounded the student's right eye." The student turned, and Drake shivered at the horrific wound, even obscured as it was by the student's hand. Snarling like a rabid beast, ignoring his master's noiseless shout for him to come back.
"He fled from the dojo that day, to the deep regret of the master, and he didn't believe he would ever see the student again. But when the student stopped running, his wound had enflamed the ambition he had had with feelings of resentment, which quickly became outright hatred. These feelings of hate and anger twisted the Ripple, changing it into something foul, and ugly. He desired revenge, and the poison his hatred had turned the Ripple into had already begun to eat away at him, turning him into something twisted and evil."
As he said this, one half of the water in the basin turned black, swirling around the normal blue water. "He became the first master of Umi no Yami Ken, as well as the first user of the Dark Ripple. And that, more or less, is the history of our style. Remember this, Drake: Good and Evil often come from the same source, and the line seperating them is often very thin, so thin that you might step over it without realizing. I don't want to see that happen to you."
Drake shook his head. "It won't, master."
"Can you guarantee that, Drake? Revenge has a way of twisting your morals. Even if your reason is just, can you remain just in your quest for it?"
I still think about what he said, then. When I do finally find him - and I will - what will I do? The thought of sparing someone like that turns my stomach...but I've never taken anyone's life before.
Neither have I. Sort of an easy thing not to do, really.
As easy as not interrupting someone when they're talking?
Oh, not nearly.
Drake averted his gaze, and then spoke back up. "Master, with such a long history, Umi no Ken must be well known throughout the world, isn't it?"
Samuel was silent for a moment, and then smiled slightly. "I'm afraid not, Drake. Umi no Ken is barely known outside of those who practice it. I remember that while I was still studying the style, we once came across a martial artist of a different school. When he learned of our style, he expressed some contempt at it, calling it weak. I got into an argument with him over that, before my master stepped in, and offered to have a match with him. He defeated the martial artist easily, and he changed his tone slightly. He expressed the same thoughts you did; why was such a strong style so little known? I suppose it's that we never truly used it in combat; most schools become famous when their practicioners participate in tournaments. We were never concerned about that sort of thing, however."
He chuckled. "When I was younger, I always wondered what it would be like if that were true. I thought that if many people trained in the style, and used it to help people in need, the world would be a much better place. I suppose you might say it was my dream." He shrugged. "But I never told anyone about it, for fear I'd be told it was silly, and impractical. That's the case for most people, I think."
Drake furrowed his brow. "I wouldn't know about that, master. I don't have a dream of my own."
"You will, Drake. Someday."
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Drake stumbled backward, and then fell to his knees, gasping heavily. "You're...you're strong, master."
Samuel lowered his arms, not looking tired at all. The two had been sparring for the last hour, and he didn't look tired at all. Drake, on the other hand, looked exhausted, sweat rolling down his forehead in rivelets. The old man shrugged. "I've trained in fighting longer than you have, Drake, so there's no shame in your being weaker than me."
Drake wiped off his forehead. "Well, I don't think I'll ever become as strong as you, master."
Samuel shook his head. "You'd be surprised, Drake. With time, even a small trickle of water can become a wave."
Drake stood back up, stretching himself. "Okay, I'm fine now. Let's go again."
Samuel looked surprised, and then chuckled. "Very well." He moved back into his stance once more, and gestured for Drake to come at him.
The merman did so.
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For several years, that was how I lived. Samuel would train me in fighting, as well as tutor me in drawing upon the Ripple's power. He would tell me great stories about his training in the style, as well as tell me of the mythology surrounding it.
Please don't tell me those.
...fine. As I said, it went like that for a few years...until we had a visitor.
How do you make things sound so ominous like that? Is it a skill?
The same way you make nearly everything you say sound idiotic.
Hey now, that's hereditary. Can't control it. But when you make everyday words sound like they're the end of the world, I have to wonder if you aren't doing it on purpose.
I wonder if you can't control running your mouth off like that.
Nope.
...well, I'm nearly done, so you won't have much else to snark about.
Hey, don't be like that. I find this interesting, really. I just like snarking.
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Back and forth, back and forth, went the sticks. Drake frowned. There was plenty of smoke issuing from the fireplace, but not what they needed, fire. He sighed, wishing Samuel kept matches. He kept rubbing the sticks, trying to get just one good spark. He and Samuel switched off chores every day, and it was his turn to stoke the fire for their dinner.
Drake had grown much in the years he'd spent training under Samuel, both mentally and physically. He was now into his adolescence, and was far taller, his body growing much more muscular from sparring with Samuel, as well as other exercises. But despite his new strength, he could simply not get this fire going.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps, coming closer from the woods. He paused. Samuel was out catching fish right now, but this couldn't be him. Samuel always made himself known when he walked, but whoever this was stepped lightly and quiet. If not for his training, Drake likely wouldn't have noticed the approach at all, and even then, only faintly.
A sudden shiver ran through him, his arms getting goosebumps. For some reason, he had become deeply afraid. Whoever this person was, he was dangerous. Very dangerous. Every instinct in his body was telling Drake not to turn around, whatever he did. But he knew that putting his back to whoever it was would be even worse. So, steeling himself, he turned around.
He immediately froze, his heart skipping a beat. Eyes widened, he looked at the person in front of him silently, the moment seeming to last an eternity.
It was him. The barracuda. Drake had grown older, but he looked the same: the black hair, the blood-stained clothes, and the look on his face that made you want to curl up into a ball. Although the sun was out now, with no trace of the storm that had been present the night Drake had first seen him, the fear the merman felt at that moment increased tenfold just from laying eyes on him.
Strangely, though, the barracuda seemed not to notice him. He was looking around the clearing, looking perplexed. He scratched his head. "Aw, damn it. Couldn't just be in plain sight, could he? No, of course I have to look for him..."
Then, finally, his eyes settled on to Drake. Another shiver ran through him. The barracuda's lips spread in a smile. This did absolutely nothing to make him less intimidating. "Oh, hey there, brother. Listen, I don't suppose you could tell me if you've seen someone around here? He's, uh, old...and...and...dammit, guess I don't know what he looks like."
As he spoke, Drake realized one thing. The barracuda didn't recognize him - he must not have even noticed him on that night all those years ago. This simple fact drove an emotion into his mind at full force: pure hatred.
With a wild roar, he seized one of the logs at the fire and threw himself at the barracuda, swinging the blunt object wildly, wanting only to see it hit the monster standing before him.
The next thing he knew, his back was digging into a tree on the far side of the clearing, the barracuda's arm gripping his throat very tightly.
The smile had left the barracuda's face, and now he was just the same as he had been that night all those years ago.
The barracuda drew his face in close to Drake's. "Now," he breathed, "that wasn't very nice, was it? I ask you a simple question, and you fly off the handle!"
Drake let out a gasp as he punched him in the chest. "Really, didn't your mother teach you any MANNERS!?" Another punch to the gut, but Drake didn't notice.
"Yes. She did." the shark merman forced out. "Before you killed her!"
This made the barracuda blink. "...huh. You say I killed your mother?"
"And my father!"
"Oooooh, a two-fer. Wow, that's interesting. Small world, isn't it?"
It was Drake's turn to blink, before his rage returned, twice as bad as before.
The barracuda just smiled. "And since I know what you're gonna say, no, I don't really care. Or remember, for that matter. To put it in appropriate terms, your parents were like a drop in the ocean. While it's true that they're part of something great, alone they don't matter at all. It's the same about whatever you felt when you knew they were dead."
"You-!" Drake struggled.
"Oh, please. Even if you're a merman, compared to me, you're weak. So are most people, and that's the way this world works. You're weak, and I'm strong."
"Not...anymore!" Drake grunted.
"Then why are you the one getting held against a tree, huh?"
Drake growled, and then calmed himself. He began breathing, in and out in a rhythmic fashion, just like Samuel had taught him.
The barracuda's eyes bugged out as the light-blue aura slowly formed over Drake's body. "Wha, what the hell!?"
Letting out a yell, Drake kicked out hard with his legs, knocking the barracuda backward. Landing on his feet, Drake dashed forward, throwing a punch at the barracuda.
Quickly endowing himself with his own black aura, the barracuda matched the blow, and returned with one of his own. Quickly, the two entered into a deadly dance, each of them dodging and attacking. Both of their auras flared up, the contrast between them as deep as the one between the two combatants.
It became obvious to Drake that the barracuda was enjoying this, his surprise at finding another Ripple user quickly replaced by simple bloodlust. His long mouth was pulled back in a wide grin, and his eyes were wild and excited. Drake wondered if this was the same look he'd had when he had killed his father.
Suddenly, the barracuda's hands snatched out, locking around Drake's. He grinned wickedly. "I didn't expect to find another person trained like I was, least of all here. Here, let me show you something interesting. Gaidoku Hamon!"
The black aura flowed over Drake's hands and arms, and over his body, engulfing the blue aura that Drake's body had. Drake let out a scream of pure pain as the Dark Ripple burned into his body. Slowly, he was forced onto his knees, the barracuda staring down at him, still with the wicked grin on his face. Slowly, Drake's arms and legs grew cold and numb, and dark corners began to form on the edge of his vision. Slowly, he began to close his eyes.
"NO!"
The barracuda's grip was released, and Drake fell, weakly putting out his hands to avoid falling on his face. He looked up to see what was happening.
Samuel was facing the barracuda, a look of anger and hatred on his wrinkled face. The merman, by contrast, had returned to a calm smile.
"Not again..." growled Samuel. "I won't lose anyone else to you monsters!"
The barracuda shrugged. "Okay. Monster. Sure. Are there any other names you want to call me, or can we get down to business? I'm sure you must know why I'm here. Hell, I'm sure you must have been waiting for me."
Despite the casual tone the barracuda took, at that moment Drake knew why he was here: the martial artist intended to kill Samuel. His legs gaining new strength, he forced himself upward, taking a step toward the two.
Samuel held out an arm, stopping him. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I have. I think I've been waiting for your arrival from the time that I began living on this island. In fact, now that you're here, I feel somewhat relieved."
The barracuda grinned happily. "Aw shucks, just from little old me? Stop it, you're gonna make me blush."
Swift like a snake, he moved back into his fighting stance. "Well, since you've been waiting for me all this time, I'd hate to keep you waiting any longer. Let's go."
A moment passed, during which Drake felt Samuel's gaze flicker onto him. Then, the old master shook his head. "I cannot."
The reaction was startling, and more than a little frightening. The barracuda's face seemed to crack, his casual smile suddenly twisting into a jagged snarl, and his eyes losing all the calmness they had held, becoming like a wild animal's. He clenched his hands hard enough to draw blood, and grit his slooping teeth together so hard you could hear the crack they made.
"Why...not?" he hissed, sounding nothing like he had just moments ago. He now sounded...empty. Empty of everything that made a person what they were. What was left was pure primal instinct, more like an animal than anything human. "I came...all this way...and now you say...no?"
Samuel shrugged, the barracuda's breakdown not fazing him. "If you had arrived earlier, then I would have no problem with it." He paused and looked back at Drake. "But I have a student now, and I obviously can't teach him if you kill me."
The barracuda's eyes twitched visibly, flickering between Samuel and Drake. The merman shivered; he was quite sure the barracuda was pondering killing him, if it meant getting what he wanted, whatever it was.
Samuel seemed to know this as well. Sparing a brief look at Drake, he stepped forward, without adopting a combat stance. A word of warning was on Drake's lips, but he stopped himself. He trusted his master, and he knew whatever he was about to do was the right decision.
The old man stepped in close to the barracuda, grabbed his arm, and leaned forward, appearing to converse with the Drake's throat tightened. For a moment, Drake was sure the barracuda would cut him down, like he had his father. But then, Samuel stepped back. The barracuda's face was unreadable...and then abruptly, he changed back to his casual smiling self.
"Oh, is that all?" He shrugged. "Why didn't you just say so?"
He began walking past the two. "Well, I might as well get out of your hair. Don't let me keep you."
Suddenly, he stopped, snapping his fingers. "Oh yeah, there's just one thing."
Quick as a flash, the barracuda was suddenly right next to Samuel. Before the ripple master could move, the other martial artist stabbed his hand forward into the old man's neck. Samuel let out a pained grunt, his eyes rolling back. The barracuda released a moment later, and he fell to the ground.
"Master!" Drake yelled, getting to his feet and running toward him.
The barracuda blocked his way, smiling widely. "I'd be worrying more about myself, if I were you. But then I'd be you, and being you is gonna really suck in a few seconds."
Drake threw a punch, but the barracuda caught it easily. Sweeping out with a leg, he knocked Drake to the ground. Before the merman could get up or roll away, he grabbed his wrists, pushing him down into the dirt.
The merman moved his face in, inches away from the other merman, who had not lost the defiant look in his eyes; if anything, it had grown.
"I s'pose you're wondering why I have you in such a compromising position, huh?" he breathed, an excited, no, ecstatic look in his eyes. "Well, you see, as you might have guessed earlier, I'm really bad at describing people, and I'm also not very good at remembering them, either. Not unless they have something about them that matters to me. The fact that you've vowed vengeance against me would count, but like I said, you're not really unique in that department. So when you finish your training and come looking for me, I might not even remember you. And that would just be a pain for both of us, wouldn't it?"
His smile grew wider, if such a thing was possible. "So, the only thing to do is...give you something for both of us to remember the other by. Aren't I so...NICE!?"
In that moment, the barracuda's left hand released it's grip on Drake's left arm, snapped up, and with the pointer finger, stabbed Drake in the top half of his chest.
If someone else was in this position, they would have screamed until their lungs ran out of air, and maybe even after that. Drake did not. He glared into the barracuda's face, inches from his, teeth clenched and eyes full of defiant anger.
The barracuda laughed at the site of it. "Well, I've seen that look before! We got a live one here, folks!" With that, he stabbed Drake again, on the bottom of his chest this time, directly opposite the first.
Drake's fingers clenched into the dirt, the merman biting back a cry with all of his might. He refused to allow this monster the satisfaction of hearing him scream.
The other merman seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. "Wow, not a peep, again. Now you're two for two. I've met guys more than twice your age who couldn't even manage one. Kudos. Now, number three..."
This time a hole was made in the center of Drake's chest, on the left side. Drake was now aware of dull pain coming from the holes that had been pierced into him; he had no doubt the barracuda had made them using the Dark Ripple. The tendons on Drake's neck stood out, and his eyes had diluted to slits, his mind going into the species' ability of Merman Rage to preserve himself. Due to this, a guttural growl was coming from Drake's throat, but he still had not cried.
"Well well, I guess you're a tough guy. You Umi no Ken guys always are. We Umi no Yami Ken fellows, though...we're more PERSISTENT!"
A fourth hole was made, across from the third. A pattern had been made in Drake's chest, formed by the new wounds. The barracuda grinned again. "I travel around a lot, so there's no telling where we'll meet again. So I'll give you a handy little map you can use to find your way around. Ain't I nice?"
Drake's only response was an angry snarl. He looked remarkably similar to how the barracuda had before.
The other merman shrugged. "Well, that's the four Blue seas done. Now then, how about the Red Line?"
His finger plunged into the left-side hole, and slashed rightward, making a long, horizontal scar across Drake's chest.
The barracuda's excitement was reaching a fevered climax. His breath was quick and rapid, and he was even drooling slightly "And laaaast, but certainly not least, The Grand Line!"
He slashed with his finger again, only vertical this time rather than horizontal. The 'map' was now complete, and the barracuda lowered his finger. "There. Now you'll definitely remember me, won't ya?"
"...yes, I will." His eyes still in the state of Merman Rage, Drake's gaze stared right at the barracuda. "You didn't need to give me this mark; even if a thousand years passed, I'd still remember you. But now, whenever I look at this scar, I'll be reminded of you. Of how you killed my parents, and everyone else you've killed, and how you talk about it like it doesn't matter. But it matters to me, and everyone else that you've hurt. When I look at this scar, I'll be reminded of why I'm going to kill you."
The barracuda smirked. "Oooh. Those are some big words, kid."
"My name is Drake." The shark glared back.
"And my name is Shin. Nice to meet you." He pulled back his fist. "Nighty night, Drake."
The blow hit him, and then there was darkness.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"...Drake. Drake, wake up."
Slowly, the merman's eyes opened. Groaning, he looked around. He was lying in the bed at the house, and for a moment he felt nostalgic; this was how Drake had first come here, after all.
Samuel was sitting in the chair next to the bed, and breathed a sigh of relief when Drake awoke. "Thank goodness you're alright, Drake."
His face grew regretful. "Forgive me, Drake. I underestimated him. It's been a long while since I've dealt with their kind..." He gestured to Drake's chest. "I checked your wounds. He inflicted them using the Dark Ripple, so I am afraid I cannot heal them. You'll bear them for life, and they'll no doubt cause you great pain at times."
Drake shrugged. "It doesn't matter, master. I'm not vain enough to care about scars like this, and any pain it causes won't be enough to stop me."
Samuel looked slightly taken aback, and then smiled. "Well. You've certainly grown far stronger than the nearly-drowned boy I fished out of the sea all those years ago, haven't you?"
Drake nodded. "That's all because I met you, master." He hesitated slightly, and then smiled. "I'm very glad that I did."
His master smiled back. "So am I, Drake. So am I."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
From that day onward, I trained myself even harder, with the knowledge that the barracuda - no, Shin - was out there, and he seemed to want to fight me as much as I wanted to him. Why, I didn't know, but it drove me.
Sometimes the scars pained me, and when they did, I thought about him, and wondered if he was thinking about him, too. He probably was.
My skills gradually grew, as I did myself. Finally, Samuel deemed me ready for the final test in Umi no Ken training; defeating the master who trained you in combat.
I won't bore you with the details; I will say that it was the most difficult fight I've been in so far in my life. But I gave him no quarter, and neither did he to me. We both respected each other, as men, and we both fought to the best of our abilities. Despite Samuel's age, he was a fearsome opponent: I can only imagine what he must have been like when he was young.
But finally, the battle ended. And then...
It still hurts to think about it.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Samuel let out a grunt of pain and stumbled backwards, one of Drake's blows smashing through his defenses and hitting him hard. He was breathing hard, and sweat covered his body, staining his clothes dark.
Drake was much the same way. He had no idea how long the two had been fighting: time didn't seem to matter in a battle like this. Both of them had their Ripple Auras out, and thus their blows were amplified by several times.
Samuel leapt forward, swinging his leg around in a wide kick. Drake held up his arm to block it, and gritted his teeth as the impact ran up and down it. Shoving the leg away, he dove in swiftly with another fist attack.
Apparently opting not to dodge, Samuel struck forward with a fist of his own.
A loud impact echoed throughout the clearing. Both of the men's fists had hit their opponent square in the side of the face. A moment passed, and then the two stepped back from each-other.
Samuel smiled. "I see that there is nothing more for me to teach you, Drake. You have mastered all of what you can learn from me. That's good...now I will not have to...worry..."
Suddenly, the old man's face twitched, a strangled noise coming from his throat. His legs gave way, and he fell forward.
Quickly, Drake leapt forward and caught him before he could hit the ground. "Master! Master, what's wrong!?"
Samuel looked up at him, and Drake gasped. Samuel's face was pale, and black lines spread across it, his throat, and carried on downward below his clothes. Drake knew what these lines were. "Master, you..."
The old man smiled weakly. "When that Dark Ripple Master defeated me, he didn't kill me...but he did leave me with something special...that was what he called it." He coughed raggedly, and blood trickled out of his mouth. "A special technique using the Dark Ripple that he had devised...after I was hit with it, he told me that from now on, summoning the Ripple would cause my body great pain, and eventually cause my death. He challenged me, asking me if I could continue to help others if I knew it would mean my demise. What valued more to me; my own life or the lives of strangers, who might not even remember me afterwards?"
Samuel looked deeply remorseful. "...it will forever shame me, but the decision I made was to run away from the world, and hide like a coward. You really were right about me in that respect, Drake." He smiled sadly, and then coughed again, more blood coming from his mouth.
"Don't talk, Master!" Laying his teacher down on the softest patch of ground he could find, Drake summoned the Ripple and, laying his hands on the old man's chest, allowed the energy to flow into Samuel's body.
The old man shook his head. "Don't bother, Drake. This poison has been racking my body for years. No-one could heal it now."
A thud came as Drake punched the ground. Tears stung at his eyes. "It's my fault...all my fault! If I hadn't forced you to train me, this wouldn't have happened...but now..."
"I'm going to die?" Samuel asked. He slowly shook his head. "No. If you hadn't come to this island, Drake, if you hadn't entered my life, then I would have died. I would have
fell into despair, given up on myself, and slowly withered away. But because of you, I was able to remember what was important to me. Thank you, Drake. Because I was able to meet you, my life was given meaning again. I don't mind dying this way, not at all."
"I'm...I'm pathetic!" Drake cried. "Because I wanted revenge, now you'll have to die...I'm despicable! I'm-"
Samuel's fist collided with his chin. It wasn't a particularly strong punch, but it still knocked Drake backward onto the ground. He looked up to see Samuel looking at him fiercely. "A real man doesn't cry about the past, Drake. What's done is done. You should look to the future. Pay attention to me, now."
Drake listened as his master began to speak. His words were strained and delivered in pain, making Drake wince. But even so, he had strength in his voice, his spirit far outweighing the poison within him. "After you leave here, find people. People who will care about you; people who will trust you and allow you to place your trust within them. People who will believe in you, and your dreams. Your triumphs will be their triumphs, and your sorrows will be their sorrows. You will have a connection, a bond with them that will be stronger than any tragedy or turmoil that may occur.
For me, these people were the students I trained with, and the master who taught us. He had a word for them. Nakama. Find nakama of your own, Drake, wherever you can, and use the skills I have taught you to protect them, and help them achieve their dreams. And in turn, they will do the same for you. This is my last command to you as your master, Drake. Don't let what happened to me repeat with you. Letting a nakama die is like losing a bit of your soul. Let it happen to you, and you may end up like me."
Drake reached out and held Samuel's shoulder. If his master was going to die, it should be with a warm hand on his body. "Master, if that's what a nakama is...then I'm your nakama."
Samuel smiled. "And I am prouder to call you my student then I can possibly put into words, Drake."
Drake paused, gathering his words, and then spoke. "Master, you mentioned that it was your dream that Umi no Ken become famous throughout the world, didn't you?" He clasped his other hand over his chest. "Then, I'll do it. I'll make your dream my own, and spread knowledge of the Ripple throughout the land, and make sure Umi no Ken will never be forgotten! I'll fulfill your dream for sure! I promise!"
Samuel looked at him, and then chuckled. "So, that's the dream you've picked for yourself, is it? That of a dying man? Are you sure it's not just because you feel sorry for me, or because of your guilty conscience?"
Drake shook his head. "No, master. It's because it's your dream. If that's the case, then I don't mind if it's borrowed! If I can make your dream, the dream of the man who saved my life, who trained me, and was like a father to me...then that's the least I can do to repay you! This way, your memory won't die!"
Samuel smiled sardonically. "Well, if that's what you've decided to do, then do it, like a man. I don't much care if I'm remembered, but if you've decided to make that your dream, then so be it. Take it with pride, hold it dear to your heart, and no matter what, believe in it and don't give up on it, no matter what happens."
He shuddered, and coughed up more blood. It was hard for Drake to see this.
Samuel reached up and took hold of Drake's arm. "...thank you, Drake. You gave me my life back to me, and no matter how long it was for, you let me remember what was important in this life. If you consider me to be like your father...then I'd be honored to call you my son. I'm grateful to have met you."
Tears again stung at Drake's eyes; this time of happiness. "Master...thank you. For everything."
I stayed with him then, until he passed away. Peacefully, next to a loved one. How everyone should pass from this world, I think.
...that sucks, man.
...are you crying?
W-what? No! Shut up!
...alright, just making sure.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"...Done."
Drake looked over the structure he had made. "Heh. I remember that took me quite longer, last time." He looked behind him. "Another thing I have to thank you for, master...and can't."
He walked over to Samuel's body, stooped, and lifted it carefully. It was light, as if the old man's weight had disappeared along with his soul, wherever it had gone.
"You mentioned you wouldn't mind being buried like this, didn't you, master?" Drake asked, carefully placing Samuel's body into the grave. He took one long, last look at the man who had been like his father throughout all these years, and then laid the final rock on top, completing the tomb. It lay next to the grave he had made for his parents.
He then began his rhythmic breathing, and a Ripple Aura quickly formed over his body. Stepping up to the tomb, he concentrated. Then, letting out a yell, he drove his fist down onto the top of the tomb. From the point of impact, the light of the Ripple spread and flowed over the grave, the energy sinking into the rocks and changing their texture into that of crystal.
Now Samuel's grave was safe from decay and destruction, and the old master could rest peacefully for eternity. Drake knew this wouldn't be enough to repay the debt he had with the old man, but it was all he could do now.
A similar treatment was given to his parent's grave. With that complete, Drake looked around at the island that had he had come to know as his home. Then, he turned aside, looking at the ocean that spread out across the horizon.
Taking a deep breath, he waded into the water, and when he almost out to sea, he looked back at the graves.
"Father, you gave your life to try and protect me and Mother. Mother, you protected me, even in the face of death. I'll always remember you, and I won't allow your deaths to go unavenged. I will track down your killer and give him the justice he deserves. I swear it.
Master, you saved my life when I could have died, and trained me in the style you held dear to your heart. You gave me courage when I most needed it. I can't ever repay what you've done for me...but I swear, I'll make your dream come true, and make Umi no Ken famous throughout the world!" He took a deep breath.
"I SWEAR IT! I PROMISE!"
Then, he turned and swam through the water, his strong legs pushing him quickly through the water, and towards whatever future lay ahead of him.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"That was two years ago. Since then, I've journied throughout West Blue. I came to many islands, and helped many people in need. I kept Samuel's thoughts in my mind always, and with each town I passed, I asked around about Shin, but so far, I haven't learned anything. And eventually, I found my way to this island. It didn't take me long to find out what was going on."
Drake clenched his fist. "I'm going to help them. I'll wipe off their tears using my fists, and drive those marines from this island!"
Jack leaned back, arms behind his head. "Well, that's a pretty good plan, but judging from that wound you've got there, you haven't been doing a very good job of it."
"Really?" Drake deadpanned.
The pirate nodded. "Yeah. See, what you need is someone to help you out. Someone who has a long history of dealing with marines, is pretty strong, and happens to be the captain of a group of guys nearly as strong as him."
"Are you talking about yourself?" Drake asked.
"Was it obvious?" Jack grinned.
"Well, yes. You're very good at talking yourself up. But I wouldn't have expected someone like you to be a captain. Not to offend you, but you hardly seem like someone who garners respect."
"Kinda scary how accurate he is on that..." Jack sweatdropped, but then quickly recovered. "So, how about it? I'm sure you know that taking on an entire base of marines isn't very good odds, even with how strong you are."
Drake furrowed his brow. "Why offer to help me? I attacked you, if you'll recall."
"Uh-huh, you did. And you also saved my life from that arrow, if you don't remember." said Jack. "I dunno if you do, but now I feel like helping you out. You're just trying to help out these guys, right? I can get behind that, and so can my crew. We've got nothing to do while we're here, anyway."
"It will be dangerous, you know. You could die."
Jack shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. So far I've done at least three things that could have left me dead, and I got out just fine. And hey, you aren't the first person I've decided to help because they told me their life story. Come on, it'll make us even." He paused, and then shoved out his hand, grinning. "Partners?"
Drake stared at him, thinking. "He really wants to help me, doesn't he? I only met him today, and that was when I attacked and threatened him. It's true that I saved his life, but I didn't even expect a thank you, and certainly not this. He's foul mouthed, rude, has a short temper, and enjoys fighting...but he's also honest, empathetic, and has a good heart, and holds no cruelty within him. For a pirate, he's practically unique."
He smiled back. "There's nothing I could do to get rid of you anyway, right?" He took Jack's hand and shook it firmly.
"Heh, nope." Jack settled back against the wall. "Yeah, me and you will show this Helsing guy how we do things in West Blue..." He moved his hat over his eyes. "Later. Now we sleep."
"Agreed." muttered Drake, adopting a similar position.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sleep was a luxury afforded to everyone, rich and poor, moral and amoral, and at this moment it was one being partaken by everyone across the island, regardless of what type they fell into.
Well, almost everyone. Inside the underground cavern, a lantern illuminated an out of the way side tunnel, casting light across the dead end as it listed back and forth on it's hook. What it illuminated was a small group of about twenty of the Mohawked Pirates. Standing at the head of them, his bright red hair seeming to glow in the light, was Red.
"I s'pose you're wondering why I called you guys here, huh?"
They said nothing, and fidgeted, as though they assumed the first person to ask why would get a punch in the nose - or worse. You couldn't quite tell with Red. He apparently hadn't been expecting an answer, and continued on. "Well, today I had an...what do you call it, an ephiphany. What the hell are we doing, down here? We're the Road Warrior Pirates, feared throughout the West Blue!"
This was an exaggeration, but no-one actually said anything about it. Mostly because they didn't know what exaggeration meant.
"And what are we doing?" He shoved his spear point-first into the ground. "Hiding down in a hole in the ground, scared to death of one merman! It's pathetic!"
"Well, maybe, but Wez told us not to-"
"To hell with what Wez says!" Red snarled, immediately shutting up the one who had spoken. That was why he had picked these men; they were spineless, and good at taking orders for anyone who had more backbone than them.
"Now, listen up. Tomorrow morning, me and all of you are going fishing. We're going to track down that shark and gut him, like we should have done the first time he messed with us."
"But how, Red? It's not like he's gonna show up on his own, and the last time we tried flushing him out, he picked us off one by one."
Red grinned. "I'm glad you asked that. I've been hunting this shark for a long while, and to do that, I've had to get into his hand, and know what he thinks..." He sneered.
"And I know what his weak points are."
To be continued...
Next time, on One Piece: The Skull Pirates:
Jack: Hey, do you smell smoke?
Brandy: I have to ask...why?
Red: Don't move a muscle, or her pretty little head gets one big hole!
Battle in the Town! The Way is Revealed!
Frank: I think I found something like that, captain...
Attacks
Shin
Gaidoku Hamon: Japanese for 'Poison Ripple'. After grabbing a person, Shin uses his Dark Ripple aura to engulf them, the poisonous energy being fatal to anyone not trained to handle it, and slowly sucking the life from them. Even a user of the normal Ripple can be easily killed by this attack if they are weaker than the user of it, as Drake was unfortunately shown.
Terms
Umi no Ken: Literally 'Fist of the Sea'. A style of Martial Arts practised by users of the Ripple. Using the aura summoned with it, their strength and defense are amplified with the Ripple's power. Practicioners of the style base their techniques off of the ocean, and the creatures that live within it. They are also forbidden from intentionally killing any living thing, as all life is sacred to them.
Umi no Yami Ken: Literally 'Fist of the Dark Sea'. The dark side of Umi no Ken; like it, it focuses on drawing the Ripple from water, but perverts it in the deepest way possible, turning it into a deadly poison capable of cutting down even the hardiest person. Their techniques are focused around causing pain in whatever horrible way the user wishes. They, obviously, do not share their sister style's pacifism.
Road Warrior Pirates: A pirate crew situated in West Blue, lead by Wez, 'The Road Warrior'. They were believed to have been routed and captured by marines some time ago. This is true; unfortunately, the marine responsible was Helsing, who set them to work in another field.
Malchior the Draco - You'd be surprised with what you can do in five minutes in this kind of setting, miss. That amount of time seems to form some sort of time dilation field that stretches to the amount of time needed to defeat the villain. Funny how it works, really.
Luda59 - From JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, most likely. It doesn't really have anything to do with the Ripple from that, except for the name. I'd feel bad about taking the name, except it was quite clear Araki didn't want it anymore after Battle Tendency ended.
The Dude of Doom - Funny you should mention that it's been a while...heh heh...anyway, yeah. I mean, look at One Piece itself; most of the villains in it are completely despicable, but for some reason you end up liking them anyway. I mean, Crocodile would have destroyed an entire country without batting an eye, but he was so good at it. But that's just good writing, in my opinion, and shows that even villains have admirable qualities, if not moral ones.
So, you all may notice that it's...been a little while since I posted a chapter in this story. ...Okay, six months. I do have some excuses; whenever I had an opportunity to work on it, my computer broke down in one way or another. And when I had it close to completion, my computer was reformatted, without my consent. So I have not forgotten about this story, believe me, and I intend to have a more active release schedule from this point onward.