Can't Handle Kentan?
Then Get Out of the Kitchen!
"What are you doing?" shouted Sage as she stood up and faced Kentan, her legs wobbly from the close brush with an unimaginable pain, "you almost killed me! You got to watch where you swing that thing around at."
"Trust me," said Kentan as he brought the ladle around and into Sage's side sending her flying through the air and into the wall, rubble falling on top of her. "I know exactly where I am swinging it. Our conversation was merely an appetizer for me. Now that my appetite's been whetted, its time to start preparing the main course. First step is to tenderize the meat."
Sage quickly went to one knee. She began to focus on the pressure in Kentan's ear. The increase there would give Kentan a major case of vertigo and when he falls down onto his butt, that would be Sage's cue to run for it, but something didn't feel right. Sage's world was blurry. She saw three separate Kentan's all approaching her at different strides. She was at a lost for which one was the real one.
"Funny thing wine is," said Kentan as he wrapped his meaty hand around Sage's head, "to an uninhibited girl who downs glass after glass its quite deadly. Things become blurry, you can't really stand, its hard to tell up from down!" Kentan brought his hand and Sage's head straight down into the ground, Sage howled in agony. "However, for someone like me who is used to downing the drink, its useless. No, not quite. I find it to be a very good deterrent for random rift-raft." Kentan lifted Sage up onto her feet and stood her up. He smiled as he patted her on the cheek.
Sage could barely move. The alcohol didn't help the pain at all. Each and every attack from Kentan just introduced a new wave of pain into her system. She could barely see right now and her mouth was filling up with the strange taste of blood. She trained her eye on Kentan, though. She didn't want to lose to this man. She was still there and she was still a pirate. So, outmatched or not, she'd give this fight her all.
She focused on Kentan's leg. Her world still a blurry mess, she was desperate enough to try it. Desperate enough to beg Kentan's leg to cripple under the hopefully increasing air pressure. Kentan seemed unaffected by it, instead his smile grew bigger.
He laid his large ladle of a weapon down and picked up another large piece of silverware. This one was an immensely sized serrated knife. Its blade was jagged and still had meat juice on it from the last meal he had prepared. "The knife that creates sustenance necessary for life is also the knife that will take your life." Kentan brought the knife down aiming for Sage's shoulder but he stopped short, he grunted as he slammed the knife straight into the ground, using it as a prop to balance himself out. His leg was throbbing with pain. It hurt like crazy, he could barely stand. If it wasn't for the knife he doubt that he could. Kentan's head fell down as he examined his leg.
The pain was quickly subsiding though, apparently Sage couldn't focus long enough to continue the pain, too bad for her. Kentan brought his head up to prepare for another attack at the young girl, but she was gone. He cursed quietly as he brought his body up and looked around. Besides the empty wine bottle, there was no proof that the girl had even been in here. Kentan growled as he pulled a large fork and knife off of the table and carried them out, his face twisted in anger.
Kentan dashed out into the dark hallway. He lifted his nose into the air and took a good whiff. The girl's scent was thick in the air as he wandered through it. Her perfume was mixed with spices and a tad bit of the wine he was pouring, she probably spilled a little on her when she was drinking glass after glass.
He surged forward. The dark hallways doing absolutely nothing to hinder him on his way. His sense of smell was far superior to that of normal humans, probably even better then most canines. The hallways had different metal lining the bottom, so he could always find his way through the halls. He just followed the smells of copper, steel, or iron every which way to get to where he wanted to go. Copper, which was what he currently smelled, was the smell that lead to the prison. What a most fitting place to capture Sage.
He lifted his heavy knife off of his back and took the last turn. Two large wooden doors appeared before him. He pressed his hand on one of them and it slid open. He reeled backwards. The smell of blood filled his nostrils. That was what made Kentan remember that Daimyo was on the loose. That blood-thirsty beast. Kentan felt the smallest of a shiver go crashing through his body. He'd have to find Sage and then beat it back to the nearest safe room.
He walked by one of the prisoner's cell. The bars were sliced clean off. Daimyo usually kills one or two of the prisoners when he is let out, but this time it was closer to manslaughter. Not a single of the hundreds of prisoners on this floor could be alive. Blood was smeared all over the walls and streaked all about. The beast must've went insane being locked up for such a long time. Kentan lost all of his advantage, he lost Sage's scent in this blood bath. Maybe he should just turn around and head back into the kitchen.
Kentan twisted around in spot and was about to take a couple of steps forward when he heard footsteps echoing above him. A twisted smile spread over Kentan's face.
(-With Ridley and Maria-)
Maria delivered a swift pivot kick into a poor Marine grunt's chest. The Marine was tossed helplessly to the ground from the force of the mechanically enhanced kick. Maria was breathing heavily, she's been carrying the pathetic fool with a Mohawk for about an hour now, just running about in circles trying to find a way out or something. She had probably kicked and punched around 50 Marines out already.
"Shit," said Maria, "what am I supposed to do?"
"You could try to find my nakama," said Ridley still riding piggyback with Maria.
"You're awake?" asked Maria eyeing Ridley on her back.
"I've been awake," said Ridley, "probably for about half an hour now."
"You've been awake for half an hour," repeated Maria slightly seethed, "and you are just now telling me this why?"
"Because," said Ridley, "I didn't want to walk. Having someone carry you is so much easier and much more comfortable."
"So, I'm carrying you because you are lazy?" said Maria as she brought her arm around and picked Ridley up. She lifted him up and dangled him in front of her.
"Wow! You pick up fast," said Ridley, "mind putting me down? I got to find my shipmates. An over active coyote, a psychotic of chef, a dual-katana wielding Fishman, an iron golem, and a tattoo-riddled skeleton."
"Are you in a traveling circus or something?" asked Maria as she promptly dropped Ridley to the floor without any warning or care.
Ridley sat up and rubbed the back of his neck, "nope. We're pirates. I'm the first mate and musician."
"You are kind of weak for the first mate," said Maria as she began to continue down the path, "I feel sorry for the crew you are with."
"Eh," said Ridley with a shrug as he continued down the path, "I'm having an off day. If I was at my best I would've won besides at least half of the crew I'm with are weaker then me."
"Really?" asked Maria. Judging by Ridley's description of the crew none of them seemed like they would be weaker then this musician. He must be with some of the weakest people around if he is the strongest.
"Eurgh," said a random voice nearby from one of the rooms.
Ridley and Maria froze in the hallway. Maria brought both of her arms up in front of her and prepared to fight whoever it was. Even though despite the couple of months she had spent here that voice didn't sound familiar, but she wasn't about to waste any time. The room that the voice emanated from sounded like the infirmary. The door was shut and there was strong scent of blood coming from the door. She looked behind her, the musician, who was supposedly helping her was a couple of feet away. He wasn't scared, but he sure as hell wasn't preparing to fight. He looked like he was getting comfortable sitting with his back to the wall.
"Go ahead," said Ridley, "I'm not going to stop you."
Maria's turned her head away from the lazy lay-about and narrowed her eyes on the door. She leaned back and put all of her force into one single punch. She slammed her metal fist forcibly into the wall, sending the door flying off of its hinges and into the room. Maria gasped at the sight. A young man whose entire left arm was covered in a tattoo of a machinery was sitting up and next to him was one of the prison guards, the doctor. She was unaware of what happened, but she quickly brought her arms up and prepared for another punch.
"That was weird medicine," said Enma as he rubbed the hole that Gou's syringe left in him, "I thought it was supposed to knock me out for a longer time though…maybe I have a strong immunity to it? I highly doubt that." Enma looked over at Maria who was standing there looking at him. Enma jumped up to his feet. He opened up his hand and a large ivory spear quickly sprouted from it. "Who are you?"
Maria looked at the spear. It looked like it was made out of bone…she examined the young man before her once more. His tattooed arm and the weapon. A tattoo-riddled skeleton? Could this be one of the weird Mohawk guy's teammates? "Its polite to introduce yourself before asking someone else their name."
Enma chuckled. "Name is Trafalger Enma, doctor of the Infinity Pirates, Bone Man, and poker player extraordinaire."
"Maria Euthanatos," said Maria as she braced herself to either receive a punch or deliver a punch. She felt like edging out and asking Mr. Mohawk if this guy was his nakama, but she knew better then to turn her back on an opponent. "Are you friends with a man with a green Mohawk?"
Enma's muscles eased up. "Yeah," said Enma as he loosened up.
Maria smiled. "I ran into him. He's currently looking for the rest of his…crew." Maria still didn't fully believe that he wasn't in some sort of traveling circus.
"Where is he?" asked Enma, his muscles tensing back up. This woman was hiding something from him. He didn't believe her.
"Out in the hall," said Maria she walked over to the wall, keeping her eye trained on Enma. She banged on the wall, "HEY! Mr. Mohawk, get yer butt in here!"
"I'm a little busy at the moment," said Ridley.
Enma shook his head. He knew all too well that Ridley was probably doing absolutely nothing at the moment. As a matter fact more then likely he was just sitting outside the room strumming away at his guitar. "Ridley!" shouted Enma.
"Enma?" asked Ridley from his spot in the hall still not entering the room. "Is that you? Its good to see you!" Ridley still did not enter the room.
"Are you going to come in or am I going to have go out and get you?" asked Enma approaching the door.
"I'd prefer it if you came out," said Ridley, "I don't really feel like getting up at the moment."
"I say we leave him," said Maria with a steady and serious voice.
"I would love to," said Enma, "but the captain is not going to allow us to sail away without him despite what Sage wants."
"Speaking of the captain," said Ridley as he peeked his head around the corner, "have you bumped into Mikoto as of yet?"
"No," said Enma as he walked out of the room, followed by Maria, "he must be off doing other more important things."
(-with Mikoto-)
"Hmmm," said Mikoto in his beast form as he walked forward his nose straight up in the air, taking deep breaths. He wandered forward further, "I'm hungry."
Primal Swordplay!
Beast of the Forest Versus Terror of the Sea!
Sage's and Kentan's fight comes to a boiling point! Its really heating up! Prepare for a fight to the BITTER end! Did all of those puns get a RISE out of you? The rise is a reference to yeast for those of you who know nothing about cooking…or baking. Also, I'm sure many of you are happy to know that Enma, Ridley, Maria, and Mikoto are doing perfectly fine. Now the question is how are Hiro-Shu and Zesiro doing?