A Slight Fissure
"What do you mean, no?" shouted Aaron as Enma looked over Shane. Mikoto's check-up had finished and thankfully everything checked out. No ruined muscles or secret toxins in his system. It probably meant that Shane and Bando were just as good off, but Enma wasn't somebody to take risks. He had learned that on the Infinity Pirates don't assume that the crew would be healthy or listen to the plans. However, right now he really wished he could just skim over them, namely because he wished to join in and Mikoto's and Aaron's argument. He didn't know who he'd back up, but still...he was fairly certain he could offer a voice of reason.
"What do you mean I can't go and save Maria and them?" Aaron shouted once more, grabbing Mikoto's collar and pulling him towards him. "I'm the fastest one amongst us!" Mikoto raised an eyebrow at that assumption. Mikoto would never call himself the strongest or smartest, but he did have a rather strong belief in his speed. "If I go alone I could probably break them out and be back here before you have enough time to say 'no' again! Come on! You know I can do it!"
Mikoto sighed, "listen, we stick to the plan. Ridley thought of this plan himself, he was probably expecting to be captured which is why he didn't give himself any important missions. Ridley was kind of using his group as a throwaway group." Aaron grunted and frowned, looking away for a second. "I'm just going to have faith that this plan will work out in the end and follow it without any questions. Ridley's done it for me thousands of times and my plans are never good, so I'll return the favor and follow this plan through without question and without fail. I trust in my nakama."
"Then trust in me!" shouted Aaron, jumping back and pointing to himself, "I don't have a very important job either just basically escorting you along with the other two! You don't need three bodyguards!" Aaron knew full-well that he was actually assigned to escort Mikoto. Ridley had probably planned on sticking those two speed demons together so they could run at full-speed and not be bothered by having to stick with Hiro-Shu or Shane. However, Aaron had his mind on other things and for once it wasn't women. No there was a bigger problem underlying in Aaron's mind right now.
"Or is that you don't consider me a nakama?" Aaron shouted, stomping his foot down on the ground. "I know that is it, isn't it? We just met on a fluke! You didn't even scout me, I've just been tagging along cause that's the easy thing to do and I get to be around women! That's probably what you think of me! That I'll probably abandon you guys the instant the going gets tough, but that's not it, I'm in this for long haul and I'll prove it to you! I'm just as serious about your crew and your nakama as you are! Watch!" Aaron swiveled around, turning swiftly on his heels, but felt something grab ahold of him and hold him back. Mikoto was not giving up on this issue. "Or is it something else that is making you worry about me, huh?"
Mikoto breathed slightly, he didn't want to say it, but he was afraid it had to be stated. "You were at a prison when we met you," Mikoto stated plainly, "and yet you weren't a prisoner." Aaron scoffed at that idea, what was he accusing him of? "Despite partaking in both the downfall of the prison and playing a major part in it in helping me wake up and helping us take down a Shichibukai you still haven't received a bounty." Aaron growled back at Mikoto, but Mikoto kept his voice steady and dead serious. "And then that technique you used...I've seen it at one other place and they referred to it as a technique a Marine uses. You use Soru to move, don't you?" Aaron grimaced.
"Yeah, so what and you use Geppou! You were in the prison and weren't a prisoner, either!" shouted Aaron defensively. "Everything you stated is true for you as well, but I don't see you batting an eye about you helping out or getting in your nakama's way!" Aaron stood up and for the first time since he met Mikoto he realized how short he was. Not like Aaron was one to brag about height (he was the second shortest one out of the group with Enma being third and Hiro-Shu after them and Shane and Bando being tied for tallest.)
"But I know I wouldn't hurt my nakama," Mikoto said it bluntly and perhaps that was why it seemed like Mikoto had just him over the head with a club. "I know how I learned Geppou, I got a bounty for at least bringing down the prison, okay?" Mikoto stepped forward and immediately pressed himself against Aaron and asserting dominance. "And to be frank we know next to nothing about you." To be honest, Mikoto didn't know where all of these thoughts were coming from he supposed after witnessing Shane and Bando bicker about not knowing the other it was only natural, but still...he never thought he would hear such hateful words coming out of his mouth directed at someone who had only ever been nice to him.
"You afraid I'm a Marine or something?" Aaron asked, looking a little bit taken back and Mikoto nodded. Enma admitted it all made sense. He had stopped his check-up on Shane (despite not having supposed to) he just got so drawn into the fight between the two of them that he coudn't help it. Not to mention from the look of Shane and Bando they were also dragged into the middle of the conversation, hanging on every word. Waiting to hear Aaron's response. It made sense...why else would he be in the prison without being a prisoner or a pirate? How else would he know Soru? Why else would the Marine's be so hesitant to give him an official bounty? And right now and most importantly...why else would he be trying so hard to hide his past?
"FINE!" Aaron said, spitting the word out like it had been covered in poison and it quite possibly had been from the look in his eyes and Mikoto's. "If you want to treat me like some enemy rather then somebody who had been fighting alongside you with his life on the line for the past few fights then just FINE! We're through! We were never nakamas anyways, right? So, in that case I'm not a part of your crew and I'm not a part of this stupid alliance, so I can do whatever I damn well please!" Aaron turned around beginning to storm off.
Mikoto made one final lunge for his arm to hold him back, hoping to possibly mend the thin bond they had formed over these past few weeks, but Aaron snatched his hand away and glared at him. "Aaron," Mikoto said firmly, trying to find the words to apologize, but...he couldn't. He didn't do anything wrong. He had placed the safety and well-being of his nakama first...he wouldn't ever apologize for doing that. Aaron frowned as he looked at Mikoto before turning away again for the third and last time. "Where do you think you're even going to go?" shouted Mikoto, realizing Aaron didn't have a ship or a navigator. He'd just get lost if he dared to step foot off of this island.
"None of your business you crap captain!" remarked Aaron as he stormed away into the distance, heading towards the fort of the Fox Brothers.
The rest of them sat there in silence as Mikoto stared onwards and at the fort, trying to think about going after him, but once again he realized that he wasn't the one in the fault. He was following Ridley's plan, he was believing in and protecting his nakama. If he went after Aaron right now he would be treading lightly on those beliefs. He wouldn't be a captain if he did that. Mikoto instead just shook his head, swinging his foot around and marching back to the rest of his small gang, who all immediately pretended to be doing something. Luckily for Enma and Shane they had the excuse of the medical examination, but Bando and Hiro-Shu weren't so fortunate. Hiro-Shu just pretended to be examining the skies and doing his job as a navigator to alert people to incoming storms...Bando just examined the wall, trying to sound as scientific as his fellow man without a real excuse.
"I messed up, didn't I?" Mikoto whined as he stared at the ground around his gang.
"The ends justify the means," muttered Enma. "In other words, you only messed up if you can't fix it." Mikoto nodded, happy he still had a shoulder of support despite his actions and hoping he could continue to rely on it throughout the rest of this mission...something told him it was going to be tough.
It was a shame that there was such a definitive split. Down the road and even deeper into the Fox Brother's fort was Aaron, whose slumped shoulders and disappointed frown told everything. It may have been him who had left, but he did truly regret it. But trust was important on any crew and that's how he felt like Mikoto didn't trust him...then again maybe he didn't trust Mikoto. "I'm sorry, dad...looks like I'm not quite living up to the family name, huh?" He dragged his feet, uncharacteristic for a man prone to rushing around. His gaze focused on the ground and a twisted frown upon his lips.
(-With Zesiro-)
"We all ready?" he asked, lifting his two swords above his head one last time, admittedly he hadn't fully planned on giving a speech, but as they stood around a bunch of fainted foot soldiers, he felt inspired to do so. And the looks on Dango's and Shino's face were far from displeased, both of them getting a kick out of their new 'leader'. Suzanne looked a little less then pleased, but he just chalked it up to 'what a boy would do'. She was resting while Zesiro covered the plan once more. They were all hopelessly oblivious to what had happened to Ridley's group, but that didn't change anything. They still had other issues at hand, namely how to take down the rioting Fox Brother's base. They had to find the brothers and tell Shane and Mikoto where to go to fight them. "There's only three opponents in there that we really need to worry about the rest of them should be easy for our current level, okay?" The Fishmen nodded, Suzanne just simply yawned and stretched. A fight? Huh, not really her forte. That was why she got with these three. She was handy in a fight, but she lacked that Fishman vigor for battle...she was okay with anything as long as she was with Shane. She swooned briefly at the thought of her missing and valiant hero, but alas...it wasn't meant to be...yet. She'd see him again soon enough.
"What are we waiting around here for?" she shouted, which seemed to take Zesiro and the other two by surprise. They all jumped slightly as they turned around and looked at her. "We have a mission to do and that mission does not include taking our damn time. We got places to be and asses to kick." The Fishmen all shared the same dopey look. So far to date they were the only ones actively kicking people's butts, but they supposed her enthusiasm was in the right place. "So, let's get moving, the quicker we get this done, the quicker I can be reunited with Shane!" Well, her enthusiasm was in the right place...her goal was just a little bit off and they supposed they shouldn't fault her for that.
"Agreed!" shouted the Fishmen grabbing their blades and weapons and charging off into the forest. The second gate still awaited them. It would be difficult to break down, but it would surely come down. They had four men all ready to knock it down using their full effort. They charged towards the wall and mounted an attack on it. Zesiro went first, dragging his swords behind him by a few feet. He slammed on the brakes and spun, turning his momentum from running into power behind his blades. He twisted them forward sending a whirlwind of slices forward and at the wall. The slices left visibly marks on the wall, showing off Zesiro's ability to slice through the hardest of materials.
Following his lead Dango went forward. A layer of thick light blue shells coated his two arms. He threw his arms behind him and once he was in range, shot his arms forward, smashing into the wall with all of his strength. Chunks of ground and rock began chipping off, falling to the ground. The outer structure of the gate was already beginning to crumble from their incredible might. And they still had one more powerful blow left to go! Shino was already rushing forward. Suzanne quickly summoned a staircase of vines before her allowing Shino to rush up them going from ground level and climbing all the way up to the top. He was soon in the air and twisting around, preparing for a massive downwards blast. He double-checked his gloves makes sure the Impact Dials were still set in them. Suddenly he shot down, launching a powerful punch right below him. Making a clear mark on the wall further destroying the structure. The marks Zesiro had made began to crack further exploring closer to the larger centered mark of Dango's charge. With the cracks united it was obvious that even a stiff breeze would knock it over. However, they had something a little bigger planned then that.
"Rozen Hurricane!" The massive vines that shot forward from Suzanne's body twisted around forming a wide tunnel that smashed into the wall, the slightest thorns from her vines dug into the wall every place they could find enough room. Suddenly they began to spin, rotating around and turning the wall slowly into mulch as they began to spin before eventually they broke through, scorching through the solid rock as if it was butter. Finally the vines stopped and withdrew into their lovely host. Not a single one of them worst for the wear. Of course, the same couldn't be said for the wall, which was now only half the wall it used to be. The gate was still in one piece, but it meant very little when there was a very thick gap separating the gate from the rest of the wall. The crew could now just walk around it.
"As she said," Zesiro shouted, "there is no need for us to wait!" Dango and Shino nodded, even Suzanne seemed to have an increase of pep and morale as she rushed n behind her three bodyguards all of them ready for the fight that awaited for them within the inner gates.
(-Within the fort-)
"Sounds like a gate's been broken down," muttered one man as h shifted slightly, his entire body was covered in shadows and soon another man became visible. While they were both coated in shadows its was fairly obvious that they were well muscled men. The two of them moved together, standing up and stretching. "Can't even remember the last time that's happen. I wanna say six years ago...ya know with the Fox Brothers."
"Yup," muttered the other one finally getting a word in edgewise as he began to browse through the weapons they had left standing up on the wall. He cycled through axes and swords, clubs and maces, finally resting on a large flail, picking it up and having it rest on his shoulder. "Remember when we fought with them?"
"Yeah, that war ended poorly for us, didn't it?" The other one muttered as he began getting dressed in an iron suit of armor. "But we had to do it." The other man nodded as he began to move for the door where the slightest amount of light began to trickle in. "The secret of this island must never be allowed out in the open air. We will defeat any intruders to make sure no one breathes a word of this. We have even allied ourselves with the scum that destroyed our island to make sure they won't tell anyone, so now we must protect it with all of our might. No matter what the cost!" His partner nodded as he held the door open for him, letting them both be bathed in the light. It appeared that these two men were not your normal humans. Outside of their dimly lit room you could finally see their glistening golden and silver plate armors, their flail and sword, and most importantly their size. They stood taller then the trees around them, they were both easily ten feet tall, making them smaller then most giants, but their size was still worth a heavy reputation. "Let's go. For our island."
The Level of a Shichibukai
Hey, guess what? I'm still alive! And I still have nothing to say!