To BlueRyuu- I am so pleased that you like it; I agree, I like to be confusing. However, much will be revealed in the future.

And it don't help that I'm insane, soooo... Yeah. Randomivity might get involved; I shall try to alleviate it with violence, 'kay?

Don't expect the pace of updates to continue; it takes me roughly two hours to write a chapter after I figure out what to do, but I rarely have two straight hours to work with. I've just been off work for the weekend, so I've been updating as much as I can. If I don't get another chapter off today, don't expect another update 'til Saturday or Sunday.

-Lystro ve colocol-

As we pulled into port, which I noted was full of ships flying the Jolly Rogers, and I tended to the docking activities, anchoring the Doom at the point closest to the town for either a quick getaway or, if the females I was attached to were anything like the others I knew, to make slightly easier the loading up of the innumerable packages they would undoubtedly desire to purchase, Aliza and Nicole traded life stories and I listened in, gaining a little more information about my shipmates.

Aliza was ten and a half years old, she liked sweet things of any kind-no surprise there- and had gained her powers when she was eight years old and still in the Roguetown Orphanage, when she had stolen a fruit from the museum and discovered it was edible. She had always wanted to be a pirate and dreamed of becoming the Pirate Queen, because 'King is for boys and I'm a girl, so I'm gonna be the Pirate Queen!' She also wanted to build the greatest treasure in the world, but wasn't sure how to do it. Reza had gleefully offered his services in assisting her in that endeavor, which didn't surprise me in the slightest; she accepted happily. Her favorite type of clothing was short sleeves and skirts; anything else was just details. Except for pink; she wanted pink somewhere on her and declared that 'pink is the color of girls and girls should wear pink because of that'.

Nicole, on the other hand, was fourteen years old. She liked meat of any kind-something of a surprise to me, since most meat-lovers are crazy loons- but only if cooked a certain way; she liked her beef well-done with basil as the flavor, for example, while pork could only be enjoyed properly if basted in a sauce of peppermint and fish oil. She loved books, maps and charts; her favorite type of clothing were long sleeves, shoulderless shirts, pants and combat boots. Her favorite color was red, just like her hair, and her second-favorite was green, like her eyes. She said it was because her 'mother had given me red hair, while my father had bestowed upon me sea-green eyes'.

On a side note, she said the reason she had been on the Navy ship was because she had apparently garnered a two million beli bounty for her head; we all figured it was because of Licone's 'protective care', but none of us said anything. They had been taking her to Navy Headquarters for execution.

Needless to say, though, the two girls got into an almost-heated argument over the correct color of clothing and the style of wear of said clothing; Reza and I just traded looks before I announced that we had arrived.

Aliza bolted up from where she had been sitting cross-legged on the deck, clapping her hands excitedly. "YAY! We're there!" She began running around in circles, excitement in her voice as she chanted, "We're there, we're there, we're there!"

Nicole stood up as well, worry in her expression. "You don't suppose that thewe's any Navy hewe, do you?"

I shrugged as I dropped the gangplank and stabilized it on the edge of the Doom, eying the empty port suspiciously. "Considering how few people there are, I'd say no, not really." Turning back to her, I gave her a reassuring grin. "We're more likely to run into pirates, since nobody's around and the bay's full o' the Jolly Rogers." The two girls turned to look at the bay and Nicole's lower lip began trembling, then I smirked. "Don't worry, though; if they're anything like those pathetic ones we ran into out there, the captain, Reza and me will teach them a thing or two about common courtesy."

Aliza cracked her knuckles and grinned wolfishly, a dark, fiery aura burning around her. "Let the punishment begin."

Reza appeared next to her, his own aura just as dark and fiery. "Au! Pain to all, arau!"

"Destruction of the world!"

"Death-arau!- to the masses!"

"We shall hurt everything and everyone everywhere!"

"Au! Terror shall-au!- course through their very souls, arau!"

Nicole and I sweatdropped as we stood on the other side of the ship from the pair. "You don't suppose they awe sewious, do you?"

I replied in the same low voice she had used. "Knowing them, yeah, they are."

"FIRST MATE ARGY! GENIUS NICKY!" We both froze and turned to see Aliza beckoning invitingly to us, Reza perched malevolently on her shoulder as they both gave us sinister, demonic looks. "Come! There are many pirates to beat up and little time to do it in! Join us and we will rule the island as captain and crew!"

Nicole and I sweatdropped again and I felt the need to point out, "Uh, Captain, there's nobody out here. Just ships and us."

The two of them blinked, losing their demon auras as they turned and surveyed the port, Aliza putting her hand to her brow to shade her eyes as she scanned the port for any sign of people. Finding none, she looked over at me.

"Um, I don't see anybody, Argy."

I nodded as I stretched out my gaze, sweeping the town. "I only see three or four people still there." Turning away, I strode up the gangplank and turned to wave the rest on impatiently. "Come on; we haven't got all day and there's treasure still waiting to be gathered."

Reza and Aliza shot past me, the thought of treasure animating them like nothing else could have as they blitzed through the town, ransacking the stores and houses like the little pillagers they were. I felt a drop of sweat form on the back of my head again as Nicole carefully moved up beside me, her expression slightly nervous.

"I don't know if I shouwd go in thewe, Awgy."

I smirked and offered her my left arm. "Come, my dear; I shall ensure your safety as no other can."

She blinked in surprise at me, then smiled shyly and took my arm. "Thank you, Awgy."

"Please, my friends call me Argyle." I began moving toward the town, sighing as I spotted Reza furiously flapping toward us with a huge bag stuffed full of objects that undoubtedly had a shiny quality to them.

"Arau! The haul is good here, au!" He cawed gleefully as he passed us; dropping the bag off next to the ship, he shot past us back into the town and Nicole and I sweatdropped as he bypassed Aliza, who was staggering back with a sack full of shinies and sweets, a broad grin on her face.

"I LOVE THIS TOWN!"

As she passed us by, huffing and panting toward the ship, I traded a wry look with Nicole.

"I would have to say that they are incorrigible."

"I wouwd have to agwee with you."

She and I moved through the town, watching in wry amusement and almost awe as Reza and Aliza took anything that wasn't nailed down and had anything remotely shiny about it; I even saw my captain lugging an unfinished boat toward the dock, but then Reza destroyed it by accidentally dropping the giant fish tank he had been carrying around on it. The pair began squabbling, then Nicole broke away from me and ran over to a small building that had various wanted posters and announcements on it. Tearing one of the papers off, she began reading it; curious, I walked over to her and read over her shoulder.

COME ONE! COME ALL!

COME TO THE GREATEST GLADIATOR COMPETITION IN THE EAST BLUE!

WAGER YOUR CURRENT SHIP FOR ONE OF FOUR POSSIBLE CRAFT, EACH OF WHICH BOASTS MORE SPACE AND MORE COMBAT ABILITY THAN ANY OTHER SHIP ON THE SEAS!

IF YOUR CREW CAN WIN ALL FOUR OF THE BATTLES, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CHOOSE YOUR SHIP, WITH FIRST PLACE RECEIVING THE NEXT CHOICE AND SO ON!

ENTRANTS MAY COME TO MOUNT CORIOS IN THE CENTER OF THIS ISLAND TO REGISTER!

HURRY, ENTRY IS LIMITED TO PIRATES ONLY!

Smiling, I looked over to where Aliza was walking past us, a sack of gold on her back. "Captain, wanna win a big ship to carry all your treasure by beating up a bunch of pirates?"

She turned to look at me, a wild light in her eyes that made me slightly nervous. "YEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHH! WHERE?!"

I smirked and dug my heels into the ground. "Nicole knows." Flashing away, I returned to the ship, retrieving my weaponry and my overcoat before returning to the group. As I appeared behind Nicole, who was still trying to explain it to Aliza, she turned and spotted me. Her face paled and she backed away before I tilted my hat further up on my head and smirked.

"Sorry; forgot you haven't seen me in full war gear."

She looked me up and down, then shook her head and returned to Aliza.

"So we have to go to the mountain in the centew of the iswand and defeat fouw othew piwate cwews; if we can do that, we get to pick one of fouw ships to own."

Aliza slammed one fist into her palm, a glint in her eyes. "Yeah! We'll jus' beat up some weak pirates and get ourselves a free ship! FIRST MATE REZZY!"

Reza materialized beside her, a smirk on his face. "Au! I already saw the-au!- posters, arau! We goin' for it? Arau!"

"Bet your tailfeathers we are!" She slammed one fist into the air and began running toward the mountain in the middle of the island, a broad grin on her face. "We're gonna get ourselves another ship! WOOHOO!"

-Levant nis jrakul-

We followed her to the center of the island, walking along the path that was named 'Mount Crios Trail' on the supposition that it would lead to the center of the island. As we walked, I began picking up the sounds of chanting that grew louder as we neared the mountain. As we reached the base of the mountain, where the trail drilled into the mountain, we found ourselves facing a small ticket booth blocking the way, with a gloomy woman greeting us.

"I'm sorry, the competition's about to be closed down."

"WHAT?!" Aliza's lower lip quivered. "B-B-But whyyyyy?!"

The woman sighed sadly. "One of the competing crews just got wiped out in a fight with a Navy ship a few minutes ago; without the required sixteen teams, the tournament cannot be fought. Those are the rules."

I smirked. "Well, what if we were to tell you we came to compete?"

Her expression performed a one-eighty as she dove for the snail on her desk and began speaking frantically into it.

"Joe, hold the books! I found our sixteenth team! What? Yeah, they have all four." She eyed us calculatingly. "They don't look like much; but who cares? We have all sixteen! What? Oh, yeah, sure." She looked over at us. "Name of team and competitors?"

Aliza smirked and posed, one hand forming a 'V' while the other one posted on her hip. "I'm Aliza Alicia Alamonium, treasure finder extraordinaire!"

I followed her lead and loomed over her, slightly off to her right and with my left shoulder over her right shoulder. My left hand came up and tilted my hat down over my eyes as I smirked. "I am Argyle Finch, the Blind Gunfighter."

Nicole blinked, then she went back-to-back with me and said, albeit a little nervously, "I'm Nicole, the navigator..."

Reza dropped down and perched on Aliza's left shoulder, his beaked face obviously smirking. "Au! I am Reza of the Talonfeather Clan, arau! I am also called-arau!- the Reaper! Arau!"

The woman looked askance at us, then sighed. "And your crew's name?"

Aliza smirked. "We are the Pirates of Doom!"

The woman just shook her head and repeated everything we had said into the snail. The reply was a loud and boisterous laughing that we could hear even from behind the ticket booth's glass. Aliza's face turned livid.

"STOP LAUGHING OR I'LL DROWN YOU!"

I winced and looked at the woman. "I would tell him to stop laughing, if I was him. He might end up face-down in the ocean's floor."

She smirked and jerked a thumb behind her. "Follow the signs for competitors; can't miss it."

We moved beyond her, following her instructions toward the Competitors Box, as the signs proclaimed it to be. When we arrived outside the door, a huge man looked us over once before cracking a grin and pushing the door open and bellowing inside, "Make way for the new meat!"

I waved Aliza and the others through first before pinning the huge man with my gaze. "Next crack like that gets you a lobotomy without anesthesia."

The man must have heard something in my voice, because he paled and took a step back; glaring one more time at him, I moved through the door, letting it close behind me as I sighed in exasperation at the scene in front of me.

Reza was engaged in a glaring contest with three other animals, while Nicole was nervously hiding behind the raven and Aliza from the glares, amused looks and animal noises the other pirates were making. Aliza, in the meantime, was staring down a man who had obviously just made a crack about her crew.

Sweeping the room with my blindfolded gaze, I pinned down several people that I knew would be difficult opponents, four of whom seemed to be in the same team. In return, I got various suspicious glances and uncomfortable looks before a woman suddenly bolted to her feet, her hands going to one of the four swords at her waist as she grinned at me, a little trickle of sweat going down her face.

"I don't believe it! Argyle Finch, the Blind Gunfighter?! What's somebody like you doing here?"

All attention was turned to us as I smiled softly, my left hand gesturing toward Aliza. "My captain wanted a new ship. I am here to help her get it."

She chuckled as she looked at Aliza. "Her? Your captain? You've gotta be kidding; the Blind Gunfighter wouldn't be caught dead-"

She choked off whatever else she might have said as Aliza appeared beneath her, a spear-like candy cane point tapping against her throat. My own rifle was out, aimed at the point between her eyes where the nose began tapering into the forehead, while Reza was perched on her shoulder, a gleam in his eye. Aliza spat to the side before speaking.

"Better watch your mouth, lady; my crew and I don't like tearing people's heads off unless we absolutely have to, but we do enjoy beating them up."

Smirking, I added my own two cents worth. "I joined her crew and so I follow her commands. If you are wise, you will not question it any further."

Behind her, three more forms rose; a hulking man with a huge mace on his back, a wiry boy with knives on every inch of his body and a short, almost petite woman with an evil gleam in her eye. The woman spoke up.

"Are you threatening a member of my crew?" She looked over at Nicole, a nasty gleam in her eye. "And yet you leave one of your own wide open like that?" She turned her gaze down on Aliza, the smirk growing on her face. "What a pathetic-"

"Careful."

I spoke from behind the three, my rifle digging into the skin on the back of the wiry boy's neck while my shotgun was resting across it and the barrel placed at the small of the big man's back. The woman turned her head, her eyes wide as I continued with a smile.

"Pirates are funny creatures, aren't they? You get a lot of worms that dig around in the dirt, barely able to get anywhere beyond their own little tunnels." My smile turned toothy. "And then there are the ravens which feed on them freely." Cocking my weapons, I concluded sarcastically, "You are lucky we have a competition to enjoy, or I'd kill you all right now for insulting my captain and her crew."

The air grew thick with tension as the woman stood that way for a moment, then Nicole spoke up, causing me to raise my eyebrow in surprise.

"Um, Captain? We shouwd weawwy be pwanning fow ouw battwes."

There were a couple of chuckles that instantly went quiet as I turned to look at the offending people, then Aliza spoke up.

"Alright, crew! Let's go find a corner so Nicole can plot out our brilliant victory!"

Smiling, I replaced the hammers of my weapons and settled them back on my shoulders, grinning wickedly at the four as I stepped past them.

"See you on the battlefield, kiddies."

I'm sorry; they had really aggravated me. I'd forgotten how cocky and arrogant most pirates were, Aliza being the only other pirate I'd been with in years. With that woman's noxious presence, however, I'd felt all the old irritation swell back up, bringing out my own cockiness that, unlike most of theirs, came from long, hard, brutal wars.

As we moved to a corner of a room, Nicole snagging a large, leather-bound book with the word 'Rules' on it from a table, the inhabitants of that corner didn't budge, their faces solemn and confident. My own eyes narrowed behind the blindfold, then Nicole spoke.

"Excuse me, awe you using this cownew?"

One of the four almost-clones smiled, revealing a set of jagged teeth. "Nope."

"Couwd we use it, pwease?"

His smile didn't waver. "Nope."

I sighed. "Nicole, move aside. I'll kill them and then we can use their spot."

The man laughed as he stood up, then Aliza grunted. "I get dibs on Smiley."

"I'll kill the rest, then." Reaching for my rifle, I was about to unleash all of the wrath of any demon one could think of on those poor, defenseless idiots when the swordswoman spoke up sharply.

"You idiots! Don't get yourselves killed before the game starts!"

The men looked behind us at her, their cocksureness faltering slightly. "What're ya talkin' about, Shasta?" The leader looked back at us, his grin barely wavering. "I just see a little girl, a tasty fruit, a juicy bird and a blind gunfighter. What's there ta worry about?" He turned his attention back to her. "Besides, when did ya begin worrying about crews other than your own?"

Her voice was cold. "I don't want to die today; provoke them any further, though, and we'll all be killed."

The surety in her voice sent shivers down my spine; I had forgotten what having a reputation was like, too. It felt... Good.

Reza cackled, spreading his wings as his dark eyes rested unwaveringly on the men. "Death to one and death to all, the demon heeds his master's call! Seek ye not the path to Hell, for this blind man knows it well!" Tossing his head back, he cackled loudly before continuing, "The Pirates of Doom want your place, arau! Hand it over before your souls are-arau!- eternally damned!"

The four seemed to roll the thought over in their minds before standing up and moving to make room for us; Nicole thanked them, then we sat down and she began reading through the rule book. While she did that, Aliza sat cross-legged on the seat the leader of the other group had been on, a grin on her face as she played with the candy cane she had been holding the entire time, Reza settled down on another seat and, tucking his head under his wing, began sleeping. I sat down on the final seat, folding my arms and watching the rest of the room to ensure they didn't try anything.

In the meantime, the roar of a crowd cheering became apparent.

Smirking, I rolled the traditional thought over in my head. Let the games begin.

-Fol'driakus no Fang-