Dangerous Dealings
So, have you reconsidered my offer?"
Shaad didn't have a clue as to what type of offer the diminutive man could be referring. Hell, Shaad didn't have a clue as to who the man even was. But, none of that even mattered as Raine answered, "No, I actually came here for a friend." diverting the man's attention to Shaad with a wave.
"Well any friend of Raine's is a friend of mine," he answered cheerfully. "Name's Big G, and this here's Tiny. What can I do you for? Drugs, women, you name it; I'm sure we can work out something."
Shaad was somewhat dismayed by where the man's thoughts immediately went. It seemed no one on the island thought of legal channels first; granted, if it were something common he were looking for, a nightclub likely wouldn't be the first place to head for it. "Cornelious Rashaad," the young man gave his own name after a pause. "And, no, I need information," he informed sternly.
"That'll cost you," the man answered, his smile also giving way to a more serious expression.
"How much?"
"Depends on what you want to know."
"What can you tell me about. . .?"
[Hours Earlier]
". . . I need a favor."
"Of course you do," Raine straightened up, rolling her eyes at Shaad's failed attempt of sounding casual. "How are you hoping to cost me money this time?"
"I need to know where I can find Vega. Can you get that information for me?"
"Why, so you can throw another fight," Raine questioned sourly. "I'm not betting on you a second time."
"I'm hoping not to have to fight him again," Shaad stated calmly, looking Raine straight in the eyes as he continued with a rough edge to his voice, "and, I didn't throw that fight. I had to use Boost X3 plus a few bursts just to make the fight interestin' and give myself a chance. But without my swords, that was the best I could do without overexerting myself."
"Huh? What's this boost and burst nonsense? Bottom line is you lost, and if you needed those swords -"
Shaad knew where Raine was going with her argument, and knew if he let her get there, the entire exchange would devolve into something bad. So, he cut her off by grabbing her hand and pulling her to him as he stood up. He looked down into her eyes. She carried herself with so much confidence and Shaad had an idea of how strong she really was, but in this position, she seemed so soft to him, almost vulnerable.
Shaad spoke softly, but with a weight that drew Raine to listen with rapt attention. "I ate a Devil's Fruit; it made me an energy storage human. In addition to my typical energy levels, I can store vast amounts of reserve energy to use at any given time. Using that specialized energy, I can increase my strength, speed, and stamina up to three times for an extended period of time (that is a Boost) or I can jump my strength and/or speed tenfold for an instant (that is a Burst). How much I can unleash at a single moment is determined solely by how well my body can hold up, and while I don't exactly know the upper limits of the ability yet, I know I've never before felt as energized as I do right now."
It took Raine a second to break from the daze she'd been drawn into, but when she did, she pushed Shaad away, further complaining, "Then why not just use light bursts along with boosts?"
"Boost is already rather taxing, and with each burst, I can feel my insides degrade a little; it's too much for my body as it is now. Besides, a single boost is usually enough to take on most people I can't handle with my strength alone. Vega, though, pushed me to boost every aspect as much as I could. So, can you help me?"
"Of course I can," Raine answered, recovering her usual confidence and haughtiness. "But, if you're not going to fight him, why do you want to know where he is?"
"I told you before why I wanted to come to this island in particular. . . I think Vega may be just the person I'm looking for."
Raine adopted a resigned expression indicating she understood. "That reminds me," she piped up seconds later.
[Present Time]
"A newcomer with bandaged hands? That's not much to go on," Big G pondered.
"I get all dressed up and bring you to the hottest dance club this side of the Red Line, and all you want to do is talk to a dude," Raine called out, appearing back at the top of the stairs. "No offense, Big G."
Shaad was about to respond but Big G chimed in first. "None taken, my dear. You're right, of course, but business calls. Tell you what, you go back downstairs and have fun, and we'll come find you once we're through." Big G smiled broadly at Raine as he added, "And for you, whatever you want is on the house. Have fun."
Raine cracked a smile and blew a kiss to the short man before spinning on her heel to head downstairs, but Shaad couldn't miss the unmistakable glimmer in her eyes. Even after only traveling with her for a short while, he recognized it as the glimmer she got when things went her way. However, behind that glimmer Shaad also caught the silent threat levied towards him if he dared put up any more of her money without first discussing it with her.
Both men's eyes followed Raine as she left, only turning back to each other once she was completely out of sight. Big G wore a pleased grin that seemed to hide deeper implications while Shaad flashed an amused smirk at Raine's cunning and blasè attitude to the dealings as a whole. Shaad was the first to speak once they were certain Raine had made it downstairs.
"You know, she only said that to get something, and you just gave it to her."
Big G let out a light laugh at Shaad stating what he also viewed as rather obvious before replying, "Listen youngster, with a woman that fine you gotta be ready to give up something. A few drinks or whatever is nothing." He then sat down, downing the rest of his bottle in one swig before ordering another, along with two glasses, as if to illustrate his point. "Sit and have a drink." Big G invited, holding a hand to an open chair across the glass table from him. "Tell me more about this stranger."
"Apparently he arrived on the island alone only a few days ago. According to Raine, he's young and likes to fight."
G leaned back on the sofa with his right leg resting across the left. Taking a drink of the brown liquor swirling in his glass, he had a faraway look. Shaad was about to interject when he again spoke up. "Sounds like Miss Raine is the one with the details. So, why isn't she up here instead? No offense."
"Because she isn't the one with the interest," Shaad answered flatly before adding, "None taken."
"And, what, may I ask is your interest?"
"A solid brawler who enjoys a good fight. He piques my curiosity; I want to know if we'd be friends. . . or enemies."
"Kindred spirits, huh," G grinned, tipping his glass to Shaad. "Is that why you challenged Sangre's dog. From what I've heard, I guess he liked you. Not many are willing to put their head in the lion's mouth for a mere thrill; even fewer walk away from it."
G's disregard for Vega's humanity annoyed Shaad, but he bit back the desire to lash out, instead adopting a fake smile. "I merely offered a meal and stood before a sated predator. Though, you raise an interesting issue. It's no surprise a man of your intellect and position is aware of my clash with Vega, but. . . how did someone of his skill come into Sangre's possession?"
"Now there's an interesting topic. Could you be more specific?"
"I could, but now I'm actually curious." Shaad flashed a friendly smile, grabbing the glass closer to him, though not actually taking a drink. "Tell me as much as you know, please."
Big G took a moment to figure where to start. "To better understand, it might help if I started with some background. How's that sound?"
"Please," Shaad answered, ceding the metaphorical floor with a wave of his hand.
"Some years before the Great War, this island was wrested from the World Government's control by the Revolutionary Army, but they never solidified control so the country struggled for years under a free banner. And, due to lack of resources and trade partners, the leadership it did have often floundered. Of course, the RA's downfall brought about nothing good either. I settled here about sixteen years ago after coming back from the Grand Line and saw an opportunity. I built my holdings here from the ground up till this island rested in the palm of my hands."
Shaad didn't want to interrupt the outlaw turned high level gangster, but Big G clearly loved framing the story as that of a rags to riches tale and Shaad didn't care to hear about how wise and forward thinking he was for much longer. Before Shaad had to say anything, though, Big G's bodyguard, Tiny, gave him a light pat on the shoulder and he quickly moved the story forward.
"A few years ago, though, a couple of power players from deep in the Grand Line decided to move in to my burgeoning empire. They managed to overpower me, but my contacts and knowledge of shipping routes meant it would be too costly to try and replace me. So, eventually we hammered out an uneasy truce with each party taking control of a particular vice and certain responsibilities. We came to be known as the Three Kings of this island, and the total profits have only grown since. Were the economy here legit, it would be 150% the size of the largest listed economy in the West Blue."
Shaad then glimpsed Tiny give a sly tap to the man's shoulder that most would've missed, and from that point, when Shaad delved for more details on each of the three Kings and who backed them, he kept getting stonewalled. Big G was suddenly tight lipped but Shaad was in no position to call him on it, especially after he switched the subject back to their original topic, the reason Shaad had let himself be dragged there in the first place.
"Anyway, that's the long way of saying what you already figured: Sangre runs the fight racket and that boy belongs to Sangre. But, was there anything in particular you wanted to know?"
"Yea, actually," Shaad answered, slight perturbed. If he could've learned more about the so-called Three Kings, it would help him to better plan his next steps. "Vega ain't weak. Why would Sangre not use that in a more beneficial manner."
G gave a hearty laugh at that, taking a drink once he'd settled a bit. "Saying something like that shows you have no clue how much money he brings in for that group," he said with a flashy smirk, made wider due to the intrigue in Shaad's focused gaze. "But, I get what you mean."
Big G was a natural speaker and storyteller, masterfully manipulating the flow of Shaad's thoughts with each word as he relayed the tale and told of how he'd actually come across Vega years earlier on a trip to see a merchant about certain types of goods.
Vega (unsurprisingly not his real name) was actually originally from South Blue. It came as a shock, though, that he was actually a brash, talkative youth. While homeless, he survived, gaining confidence and experience, as a thief, a highly skilled one at that. Big G came across him after some black diamonds, part of a larger shipment of stolen jewels and drugs, meant for the prospering gangster were stolen from a safe house.
Within the same week, Big G finally spotted the audacious culprit in the process of stealing wads of bills from an acquaintance of his as they left a bar, only noticing his own missing items moments later. While Big G avoided outing the skilled thief right there, he did have the young man followed and confronted him, though the tail was almost lost a few times (quite the feat to hear Big G tell it). The shrewd and crafty negotiator he was, Big G, over the course of the next few days, used the findings he'd uncovered that night to convince the deft sneak to accompany him to a richer, more spacious 'playground' and at the same time reacquire the stolen black diamonds as well as get what remained of the shipment from his contacts at a steeply discounted price along with future incentives.
"However, I never officially claimed him as part of my gang. He did a few jobs for me here and there, but was allowed free reign outside of that. It was under those conditions that he got caught stealing from Sangre," Big G described as the second bottle of liquor was finished off, Shaad (willfully) never tasting a drop. "Like myself, Sangre also took an interest in the boy. But his came not from the failed theft, but after seeing Vega take down a handful of his personal men. That was a couple of years ago; I don't know exactly what all he's been through since then, but it was in the fight circuit he gained his name and went from agile thief to ruthless assassin."
Despite himself, Shaad was very near wide eyed as Big G finished the story. He'd learned quite a bit from the tale - some of it actually regarding the person he was asking about - and judging by his expression Shaad liked what he heard, some might say disturbingly so.
Shaad wore a twisted grin and his voice sounded with an anxious sneer as he once again asked, "So, where can I find him?"
"Why are you so anxious to find Vega," Big G finally questioned Shaad, tapping his glass with his index finger as he awaited the answer.
"It's not often I lose," Shaad answered cryptically, leaving his response at that.
Shaad and Big G shared borderline malicious smirks for a long while before Big G raised an open palm flat and Tiny laid a pen and paper in the waiting hand. It goes against the Code to interfere with a rival's operation, that includes giving outsiders information. But, if you go here, an adventurous spirit like yourself might find something of interest," G said as he scribbled something on the paper and folded it in half before sliding the note across the table to the young pirate. The club owner's expression then immediately shifted from serious to an infectious smile, soon imitated by Shaad, as he declared, "Now, that the business is taken care of, why don't you enjoy yourself?"
"What about payment," Shaad inquired.
"You let me worry about that."
Shaad didn't like that answer, but that was a problem for a later date. Thus, he pushed the thought aside, choosing instead to venture over to the railing lining the second level and look down at the festivities below, easily finding Raine dancing merrily, and quite raunchily, while surrounded by a group of amorous young men and a few lovely ladies as well. Raine also soon caught him watching over her and gave a sly wink in response, pulling in an attractive male and dancing seductively close as if to make Shaad jealous. At the same time, Shaad heard footsteps approaching behind him. Assuming them to belong to Big G, he asked, "How do you and Raine know each other?"
Stopping next to Shaad, Big G released a hefty sigh as he joined the young man in looking over the sea of people awash in the club's colorful lights; it was a packed house, which meant a profitable night (from more than just drinks). He then handed Shaad a glass of whiskey before speaking. "My position as a King in this island affords me certain levels of respect. You and Raine both buck that to an extent." Shaad was visually puzzled by how he'd shown disrespect to the improprietous individual, and Big G caught it in his peripheral but set it aside to be addressed later. "A few nights ago, maybe a week (I don't remember exactly), she knocked out my doormen, barged into my club, and beat half of my security team - all without a hair falling out of place - demanding to speak to me. She was interesting and beautiful (and it was far cheaper than subduing her would have been), so I conceded to her demand. I invited her to my office where we talked for a while and she asked me about some underground fights. Now, this club is my pride, but when word of an alluring femme fatale spread among certain groups, I knew what type of boom it could bring to business so I let the superficial scratches slide and made nice. She's quite a friend to have, and I'd assume enemy as well," Big G finished with a chuckle.
"Poison," Shaad mused. He shared the man's thoughts and gave a light smile in agreement, placing the drink he'd been given down and turning to descend the stairs. But, Big G's distinct voice calling out gave him pause. "That," the owner called. "Most would see it as an honor to share a drink with me, but you've shut it down at every turn. I know you don't think you're better than me." G said that last sentence as much as a question as a challenge, an equal mix of threat and offense in his serious tone.
"I meant no offense against you," Shaad assured. "I simply don't drink. The one time I chose to, I ended up unleashing a side of myself I don't particularly like to show."
Big G gave a slow nod of understanding, his expression softening as he offered the prophetic words, "Demons; we all have 'em. . .What about you?" But, there was a distinct impression that he knew far more than just the general understanding he implied.
"Huh?"
"How do you know Raine?"
"She's my," Shaad began before contemplating his answer on a deeper level. Navigator didn't quite do her influence over him justice nor did he particularly care to divulge his status as a fledgling pirate (or whatever else might be assumed from that admission). "She's my partner," he finally answered.
"Ohh," Big G answered, insinuation clear in his tone.
"No," Shaad answered a little too hastily. "Just business." 'For the most part anyway,' he thought to himself.
"Oh, that's a shame. . . for you." Big G puzzlingly left it at that, bidding Shaad adieu as the young man headed downstairs. He then watched Shaad cross through the sea of intoxicated club-goers to get to Raine, prying her away from the mob that surrounded her with an annoyed scowl. After a short lived dispute and flirtatious exchange, the pair headed towards the exit just as a ringing from his private office, beckoned Big G's immediate attention.
"They just left," Big G declared, already knowing who was on the other end.
"They never suspected a thing. But, you were right; that pirate brat is actually quite crafty. He made my act of having a loose tongue that much easier." G laughed into the receiver, only slowing his mocking when the expression on the den den mushi morphed into an irritated scowl. Big G's voice also took on a serious tone at the apparently challenging remarks of his conversation partner.
"You best remember who you're talking to before making those kinds of accusations. I'm a fellow King precisely because I can control a situation."
"Heh, I don't trust you either, wrinkly bastard. But, you reached out to me. We can either stay focused and work together or I can make it where I'm the only King left."
There was silence in Big G's office for a long while before G finally cracked a toothy grin. "That's what I thought."
A/N: I explained Shaad's Devil Fruit as succinctly as I could, but if anything is unclear, just ask. There's still a few secrets he's yet to learn. Anyway, another chapter down and Shaad might still be in hot water. I guess that's to be expected from the most dangerous island in West Blue, though.