Chapter Six.
Ryker's eyes got wide upon hearing the sudden news that Reed had just informed him of, he was slightly taken back as he had never expected such an answer. He could tell that there was something holding back Reed from accomplishing his dream to unite humans and fishmen together, but he had never expected that his reason for staying on the island was so dark. Reed simply nodded upon seeing Ryker's reaction and slowly making his way over to the diner's window he pointed towards three men who wore the white arm band of the local guard.
"Those men who pose as the local guard are actually part of a dangerous pirate crew that arrived here two years ago. Their Captain is a dangerous man with a bounty on his head and ever since his ship washed up on the island he had made himself at home at the larger town to the West of here. If you noticed this town has more people then homes and that's because most of them are refuges from the town that the pirates now control as their base," Reed explained as he may of been a strong swordsman but there was no way he could take out all the pirates and their Captain without risking the islander's lives. He was just one man and as he fought one group of pirates there was bound to be another group ready to kill a group of islanders for his action.
Ryker was still surprised by what was going on.
"At first the pirates just made us fix their ship but after staying on the island for two weeks they started to enjoy life here. The island was small enough that their crew could keep it under control, the islanders were scared enough that they wouldn't fight back, and no Naval shipped even passed by here due to there being no trade route for miles. It was the perfect place for their base and now if anyone leaves this island the pirates have threatened that they will slaughter everyone!" Reed explained as his fist became tight at the idea as how he was one of the islanders who helped repair their ship in hope that the pirates would leave peacefully. He knew that right there and then he should of defeated them while they were weak from being shipwrecked.
He was a fool.
Ryker couldn't believe that a whole island was being held hostage by pirates and the Marines had never done anything about it.
Maybe if Ryker could help the islander's out then he'd be one step closer to clearing his name, plus there was no way he could stand back and watch the island be enslaved, and Reed being trapped on the island unable to follow his dream.
"Then let me help."
Reed was shocked at Ryker's offer.
"No! You're just a traveler who came upon this island and if you leave soon you can get off the island before you're stuck here like me!" Reed cried out as he refused to let another person become trapped on the island like he had been for the past two years.
"It's too late for that, I've already been spotted by those two guards when I arrived. I'm stuck here just like you and I refuse to sit back while these pirates make these people's lives hell!" Ryker declared as he truly wanted to help Reed and the islander's, but deep down inside he knew he had to get off the island before Roku arrived and then he'd have two problems on his hand. Ryker had to keep moving and clear his name before Roku caught up with him.
"I guess you're right... But it's only the two of us," Reed stated lowly as he knew the two of them wouldn't be strong enough to defeat the whole crew. Reed and Ryker both knew that once anyone tried anything the pirates would start killing others, but if they were to take out the strongest member of the crew who was the Captain and the one who gives out the orders then the crew would be hopeless. Then the islanders could take back their home!
"How high in the Captain's bounty?" Ryker asked curiously a he was more use to going after smaller game pirates then the usual big bad West Blue villains.
16,000,000 for Captain Arsenal the Living Weapon and Captain of the Armory Pirates.
His first mate has a bounty of 12,000,000.
The next day the sun was slowly rising within the baby blue sky as warm sun rays rained down upon the small island. The four towns were all filled with still fats asleep islanders no one wanting to wake up early on the peaceful weekend morning, even the local pirate guards were still fast asleep within their captured town houses. This made the perfect opening for Reed and Ryker to strike, with all the pirates located within the captured town then there was no way they could threaten the lives of the islanders. Now, Reed and Ryker had to just locate the Captain something that only the crew knew where his location was.
Ryker quickly docked within the shadows of a near by alley way as he waited for Reed to join him in their agreed location. Reed had used his ability to breath under water to their advantage by scouting the town's shore and seeing what were the most likely locations that the Captain would be staying at. Ryker however used the fall of night to sneak into the town while the pirates were just finishing dinner and since then he had been dodging patrols and wandering pirates who had just finished a fun night at the bar.
"I have discovered where Arsenal is staying at," Reed's voice stated lowly in a hush voice from behind Ryker the sound of a body hitting the floor was then heard after. Ryker turned around to see one of the pirates tied up and beaten slightly, his clothes soaked as Reed obviously grabbed him off the dock during his scouting mission and gotten him to give up the location of Arsenal, "He's staying in the town's theater."
Theater... Ryker had never really been to a show in a theater before, so this should be interesting.
The sound of Arsenal's booming laughter echoed loudly throughout the theater room as sitting on the stage of the theater all by himself was Arsenal himself. He was a large man who had muscles upon muscles, he wore a pair of black saggy pants that was held up by a brown belt, he wore a dark red Captain's jacket that had golden trimming, and was shirtless under it. He had a round face with multiple scars scattered across it and a collection of jet black five o'clock shadow on his face that matched his buzz cut black hair, but his most attention grabbing trait was metallic right arm he had that obviously was there to replace the arm that he lost years ago. The arm had a metal sheeting over it as it was made up of multiple gears and sockets, it was slightly out of date as it had a pull lever that would start the gears to turn whenever he needed to use it . Surrounding, his chair was multiple guns and swords along with several handheld cannons.
In the red leather seats before him was a few of his most trusted men who he allowed to share the theater with while the rest of the crew lived within the town's houses that they took. Along with the thirty or so crew members that lived in the theater with Arsenal were his two most trusted crew mates.
His first mate was a man known as Razor. He wore black pants with black shoes, he wore a black long sleeved shirt with a high turtle neck on, a red silk scarf, and he had on black gloves. His face looked as if someone attacked him with makeup blush too add a rosy red appearance to his cheeks, and he wore a black actor's cap over his long blonde hair that was slicked back. On both sides of his black belt were two curved bladed swords.
Razor looked as if he truly did belong in the theater.
Arsenal and his men all really enjoyed their cute nicknames.
"Oh Arsenal with your permission I'd like too put on another show for the crew tonight!" Razor called out joyfully as all the men within the theater all looked at each other with fear filled eyes. No one had the heart, or the bravery to tell Razor that his theater act was truly horrible. Yet, Arsenal didn't have any problem with telling Razor who truly horrifying his acting skills were.
And yet Arsenal's constant insults never stopped Razor from asking. If it wasn't for his skills with a sword then Arsenal would had already placed a bullet within his head.
"For the hundredth time you sissy little girl no one wants to see you prance around the stage in tights as you yell at yourself!" Arsenal boomed angrily as he slammed his over sized fist into the arm rest of his chair, the wood splitting to shreds upon contact with his muscular arm.
"Awww you're just saying that so I don't get a big head!" Razor giggled softly as he blushed at his Captain's so called generosity and threw him a gentle wave of the hand. Arsenal almost popped a blood vessel within his head seeing how simple minded his first mate was and out of anger he whipped out one of his flintlock pistols and fired off a shot, the bullet piercing the arm of one of his men.
All of the men all gasped out in shock as they truly feared Arsenal's random out burst of anger as it always involved Razor annoying him and one of them getting shot.
"Razor stop annoying the Captain!"
"Please! We'll let you do another act in the town center just stop asking the Captain to use the theater!"
"Oh God it hurts! Razor why?!"
"Oh my adoring fans!" Razor chirped out happily as he blew the men all kisses as they all dropped to their knees in shock, the wounded crew member being carried off as they were lucky that Arsenal never really aimed to kill during his rage fits. Yet, if an enemy were throw him into one of his angry states of mind then their body would be filled with lead within seconds.
Suddenly, the two large oak wooden doors of the theater swung open the bright light from outside the theater shinning brightly into the room of the newly awaken pirates. Their vision being blurred by it as they waited for their eyes to adjust to it. The only visible thing before them were two figures on obviously being a human and the other only being to muscular to be a human. Laying around them weer the motionless bodies of the pirates who guarded the theater at all times.
"More fans!" Razor cried out happily as several men all dropped to the ground at how big his ego truly was.
"Who dares to lay a hand on my men!" Arsenal roared angrily as for the past two years he hadn't had any kind of rebellion by the islanders. This was truly something he never expected to happen, especially with the fear and respect he had by his own crew.
There was no answer.
"I said who dares to defy me!" Arsenal roared angrily as he rose to his feet his eyes filled with rage as he angrily picked up one of his handheld cannons and aimed it towards the two figures. His hands tightly grasping it as he was beyond frustrated with the lack of respect he was getting from thes etwo mysterious men.
Suddenly, the two figures entered the theater.
"Is that the Fishman chef?" One of the men whispered lowly.
"Who is that with him?" Another pirate answered back.
"Names Ryker and I'm here to put an end to your cruelty!"
Here it comes a battle scene! I hope you guys like Arsenal and Razor so far, I thought Razor seemed like an odd and funny first mate for a Captain like Arsenal so I decided to try it out.