What's One More Shichibukai

"Well! This sucks," complained Kurai Ai as she walked through the forest once more lost. "I should've called ahead maybe they could've cleared this forest out of the way for me." She looked left and right as she continued to walk forward, her attention barely being on where she was going on. However, luckily for her she managed to stumble upon the only building on the island. The large iron wall stretched at least two stories into the air. Kurai twisted her lips before sighing and smiling to herself. She put one foot on the wall. "This is rather small, ain't it? Its not tall enough to keep people out of!" Kurai Ai kicked off of the wall and was sent flying into the air as she easily scaled the wall with her leg strength. She was soon sent soaring over the air and for a brief second you could see the outline of wings around her body. She landed on the top of the wall and looked down, observing the lay of the land. "I suppose it looks nice enough. I can see why they set up shop here."

There was a few moments of silent hovering around her as she examined the open plains trapped within the tall walls. She paused for a second, breathing in and out as she leapt from the top of the walls and landed safely on the ground. She walked forward calmly, once more examining her surroundings from this new vantage point. There were now three other, probably hostile, Shichibukais on this island. Taking her time and examining her surroundings would probably be worth it. However, at that same token she didn't slow down, keeping up a brisk pace forward. Her slight glances to the sides barely managed to catch the heads of the minions rushing around like chickens without their heads. They were obviously under attack, but she fine with that. The more carnage that swept through the island, the better it was for her. Especially if those intruders had the common sense to stay out of her way.

Kurai Ai moved forward, quickly finding those 'intruders'. She smiled as she strode up to them as pointed out she was being only a little cautious. Keyword being 'a little'. She wasn't going to run at the sight of some pirates. That would definitely not be her style.

"Well, what do you know we have company," said Mikoto turning to face her as she strode up to the three of them. Shane readied his axe and Bando took up a boxing position, ready to fire heavy punches.

Shane paused as he eyed her up and done. He recognized her for the most part. Her nearly hourglass figure, her long black hair that curled slightly up at the end, and those black hole colored eyes. It reminded him of a Wanted Poster that was stationed up nearly everywhere a few years back. "'Black Illusions' Kurai Ai, a Shichibukai of incredible renown," Shane gritted his teeth. The biggest problem with her is she was probably one of the most Marine loyal Shichibukais there were. She attended nearly all of the meetings, followed out all Marine orders...she was someone whose loyalty knew no bounds. And they were three pirates with bounties on their heads.

"How's it going boys? Nice weather we're having, isn't it?" Kurai asked with a kind smile and a wave.

"It is kind of nice," Mikoto stated, "this is a Fall Island during Spring time, isn't it? Its nearly a perfectly mix of the seasons. Spring being just a little warm and Fall being just a little cool." Mikoto smiled broadly, glad everything was nice around here again.

Bando paused for a second before offering up his opinion, "I still think its a little too cold. I prefer warmer weather guess it was cause I was born in the Summer."

"WHAT ARE YOU MORONS GOING ON ABOUT!" shouted Shane, "didn't you hear me? She's a Shichibukai! She's the World Government's Dog! Just like the Fox Brothers! Don't just sit around chatting about the weather! Attack her!" Shane dove forward, sending his entire body out at Kurai Ai like a missile. His heavy axe bursting through the air and blowing up filling all of the area around Kurai Ai in a deadly explosion.

"Man, why did you have to do that Shane?" asked Mikoto, "she was just a nice lady who wanted to talk about the wea-DID YOU SAY SHE WAS A SHICHIBUKAI!"

"Yes! Twice now! Damn, I didn't expect there to be two Shichibukais to be here."

"You're lucky there's only two," explained Kurai as she wrapped an arm around Shane casually causing him to immediately throw her arm off of him and take about five feet of distance. Kurai shook her head and laughed, "technically only one. The Fox Brothers dropped out, remember? Of course, the Marines are going to send their ultimate forces out here to take care of them. You're lucky the Marine Admirals have their hands tied up with stickier business or else they would've came here and not me."

"So, are you saying you're weak?" asked Mikoto.

"Weaker than the three Admirals," she stated giving him a twisted frown. "However, asides from the Yonkous I doubt there's a pirate alive who'd say they'd be able to take all three of them on. Especially with the way things are going with the Revolutionaries."

"What was that?"

"My inside information states that the Revolutionaries are constantly making bigger and bigger news so the Marines are beginning to scramble to push back. Even worse the Yonkous are starting to sense this tension and as a result are making their own moves to grab up land," Kurai explained briefly. "And even worse, but Trevor sided with the Revolutionaries now too...word has it the 'Siren' Melanie may have even defected."

"WHAT?" Mikoto shouted, "there's no way Melanie would be on the same side as Trevor! Those two are like mortal enemies!"

Kurai smiled, glad she had managed to enrapture Mikoto so easily. From the looks on Bando's and Shane's face it was clear they were listening as well. "Then you two made your little announcement and now all of the Shichibukais are trying to decide who would be better to be with the Revolutionaries or the Marines."

"Trying to decide who'll protect them better from the big bad pirates, huh?" laughed Mikoto, "guess I'm probably getting a name as the Shichibukai killer, huh?" Kurai frowned and shook her head even Shane gruffed at his response and had decided to answer his cockiness instead.

"We're more like the pesky nail in their side," Shane stated. "Why bother with us when they can just quit the Marines and join the Revolutionaries? By joining the Revolutionaries they get a name carved out for themselves, a say in the New World Order, and two less reckless kids chasing after them." Mikoto sighed and shook his head.

"Glad there's at least one level-headed person amongst you. Then again you tried to attack me," Kurai laughed as she grabbed onto Shane's cheek. Shane just gritted his teeth and bared it. "You're lucky I have no reason to kill you."

"What makes you say that?" threatened Shane," you could be next on our list."

"You wish you could beat me," Kurai stated as she stepped back and waved her hand over her body, "your last attack didn't even scratch me." Shane growled, but Kurai laughed, "so, let's just say we have a temporary truce for this island. If you want I'll tell you where to find me when we get done with the Fox Brothers."

"We?"

"We have a temporary truce, don't we? You do all the heavy lifting and I get to turn them in for their hefty bounties. You get the reputation for taking down the Fox Brothers and duping me while I get a hefty check. Maybe enough to buy a new ship."

Shane struck out with his axe and brought the inside of it around her neck. "I'm not doing this for no reputation. I'm just doing this cause I want to beat them black and blue. I wanna experience the thrill of fighting of them and carrying their corpses out in body bags."

"Okay, new strategy!" shouted Mikoto, "Shane beats everybody up, Kurai takes them in for the money, and I get all the credit! Oh, wait, what does Bando get then?"

"As long as those Fox Brothers get what is coming to them, I'm fine with nothing at all," Bando stated as he moved forward again. He was no longer interested in waiting around, the faster they got done here, the faster he atoned for his mistakes. Mikoto just grinned broadly before turning around and followed after him. Shane nodded and followed after Mikoto, giving Kurai a quick glance.

"No thanks," she laughed quietly, "I've got to meet up with my own crew." She paused, turning away and leaving quickly. She supposed she was met with the same questions as the rest of the Shichibukais? Join the Revolutionaries or stay with the Marines? She became a Shichibukai just to be with the Marines, but after seeing those two cocky pirates she wondered if being the 'government's dog' was really worth it.

"Great," thought Shane, "another group of loose cannons on this island. I thought it was bad enough having just me and Mikoto's crews here." Shane huffed and turned back around and began to walk down the path. He made another swift glance behind him to watch Kurai, but despite only turning away for a few seconds she was gone. He shrugged it off, they didn't need someone else tagging along anyways.

"We need to get moving quickly," shouted Bando as he waved Shane forward. Shane grunted, he did not like being told what to do...however, he had to admit that there was a time and place for standing around and he felt like inside your enemy's fortress was not one of them.

The three of them quickly got going forgetting all about the mysterious Shichibukai who was there behind them. Kurai Ai and the Fox Brothers, four Shichibukais had docked here. That definitely didn't sound like something they wanted to handle, even if one did claim to be on their side. Did they even want her on their side?

Luckily for them the thought was soon out of their heads as they neared the large steel doors of the inner sanctum of the Fox Brothers. Mikoto paused as he sat down. The next part of the plan would be waiting for the rest of the crew to begin their break-in and then signal them with a pair of flares. The flare served as both a new distraction as well as a signal for them to begin their assault. It looked like they would be waiting...but not for long.

(-With Zesiro-)

"Nitoryuu! Current Crash!" Zesiro twisted about, his two swords quickly running parallel to each other as he brought them down together smashing it into the wall before him, bringing it down and leaving it scorched with a series of burning swords mark all the way down. Zesiro grunted as he returned his blade to his side. "Keep going!" he shouted as the three of them ran into building. Dai Mungo taking only a second to light the flare before charging in.

"Goal number one should be rescuing Ridley and the others, right?" asked Shiro as he kept up behind Zesiro. Zesiro swiftly nodded, they were just a distraction so what they did really didn't matter. Attacking the prison seemed like a good start or maybe Zesiro was just having deja vu?

The flare went up with a loud whistle causing them all to smirk as they charged in. They would keep it up all the way through the base and their opponents would be no wiser that they were the distraction. The flare went up about three stories before it began to spin and spit flames all over the place. Couldn't have it looking like just a flare, could they?

(-With Reymundo-)

"Damn, looks like we're second," muttered Reymundo as he quieted down near the entrance, standing over a broken guard while Rose and Lily fiddled with the flare. "My bushido honor is shamed that we were only one place off from first. We should've been able to do better."

"Well, at least we're not last," offered Sage, however, it didn't seem to make Reymundo feel any better. Then again she supposed since the other team was captured...it kind of did make them last place, but still! They were second, so what?

"Indeed...we'll just have to make a new meeting point and race them there," Reymundo declared, "to regain our bushido honor!"

"Our?" wondered Sage before shaking her head. She definitely wasn't a samurai, she has never even touched a sword in her life. "Zesiro and the others would probably head to the prison to rescue Ridley and the others."

"Great!" shouted Reymundo hefting his sword into the air, "then that is where we shall meet! And duel for our honor! To the death!" Sage jumped back as did the other two, fumbling the flare and shooting it directly at the fortress rather than into the air. The flare crashed into the side of the building, spinning about and shooting red fire all over the place continuing to scorch the ceiling of the fortress.

"Think Mikoto saw that?" asked Rosa with a cheap smile, as if apologizing for her brief mistake.

"I'd stake my pride as a samurai that that worked!" Reymundo cheered. Well, they'd find out soon enough. They going straight into the belly of the beast.

The Intent to Kill

Another chapter! Wait...that's the same thing I said in Iron Hammer, isn't it?