Disclaimer: One Piece is the property of Eiichiro Oda. Many of the characters in this story are property of me. Do not use this story or its characters without my permission. Thank you.
"Yeee-okay!" Rez shouted. He turned around, put his fists on his hips and gave a confident smile. Then he shot one thumb up and said "We're screwed!" His fellow pirates didn't take to kindly to his presumption.
"YOU DAMN KID!" Never say die!" "Get down from there, you'll fall off!"
"I was just kidding!" Rez shouted back playfully. This time someone threw a wooden block at him. He glared around for an overly innocent face but only saw serious pirates. He cleared his throat and prepared to speak again. "We can do this if we try! You guys go get some row boats and we'll get alongside the ship in no time."
"Then what?" the only female pirate there asked.
"Then," Rez said with a hint of nefariousness, "we can take 'em by surprise…" He unsheathed his duel gun blades and twirled them dramatically up to his face. Once his guns were still, he growled out "…and mess them up for life."
The pirates cheered, happy to hear the news that would let them take and permanently cripple some bounty hunters. All the pirates, excluding Rez and the woman pirate, rushed off to find some boats. The woman walked up to Rez, who hopped down from his perch on the bowsprit of the outer-most ship.
"You're okay, kid" the woman said.
"Thanks. You're not too bad either, I suppose." Rez thanked.
"You mean, for a woman?" she chided.
"Nah." Rez responded. "I've known plenty of strong girls. It's no real surprise for me to see a woman captain anymore."
"How'd you know I was a captain?" the woman asked.
"I've been fighting for and against pirates all my life." Rez explained confidently. "I've learned to spot the strong leaders pretty easily." The woman shot him a smile from the corner of her mouth and started walking away. "Hey!" Rez called out. She turned on her heel to face him yet again, him standing with his arm outstretched and his palm open.
"I'm Rezland 'The Duelist' of the Buster Pirates." Rez said. He raised his head up with a smile. "Let's meet again in the 'New World', 'kay?" The woman gave him a cynical stare, but chuckled it away into a smile and connected her hand with his.
"I'm captain Lisa of the Rainbow Road pirates." Her grip tightened as a sparkle appeared in her eyes. "Someday, I'll be the Pirate Queen." Rez smiled at her in turn and nodded. Lisa dashed off to follow the other pirates while Rez went the other direction to look out at the slowly clearing fog on the ocean surface. The waves had all stopped splashing and the water was still.
Something very bad is about to happen, Rez thought, or nothing will happen. His eyes caught sight of a dinghy being pushed out from the massive cluster of other ships and being rowed by the pirates towards the massive warship. Rez smirked and started running down and across the ships to try and catch it. He also couldn't help but notice that most of the main masts had gaping holes or were completely broken and ready to snap off.
"These guys obviously don't take pride or fame from their ships" Rez observed. He jumped over a ship's deck and made a dive next to the dinghy. He resurface and shook off the salty water, making a paddle for the departing little boat.
Within the maze, the two Samurai geniuses of the Ninpo pirates, Musashi and Kojiro, were finishing their duty to their captain. The final body count: Musashi 281, Kojiro 272. Kojiro was decidedly pissed and sulking across the canyon with his massive sword strapped to his back.
"Kojiro!" Musashi called out. Kojiro didn't move or respond. "Come! Let's head back to the ship. Captain Sasuke should be finished with his job by now." Still no movement. "How much longer until you're done being emo, Kojiro?" Kojiro twitched and turned around with a demonically enraged face.
"I'M NOT EMO!! I'm just being wistful…" Kojiro went back to his pouting on his seat made of the bleeding and wounded bodies of his victims.
"Then 'wist' back on the ship, please," Musashi said with a slightly annoyed tone. "We can't let Captain Sasuke become disappointed with us or he will never forget it…"
Kojiro tapped his finger on his arm impatiently. At length, he stood up and walked after an already proceeding Musashi. The hands of the bounty hunters twitched with paranoia, lest those horrific two come back swinging.
"I heard that!" Kojiro shouted from across the expanse of the canyon. Every conscious bounty hunter turned with terror in that direction, praying they weren't heard. Kojiro was taking mighty swings at Musashi, who was in turn blocking them with one sword while nonchalantly walking into the mist. The hunters sighed and continued to feign death, most passing out from the sudden rush of stress.
"Hmm." Musashi grunted as he casually sidestepped Kojiro's advances. "Those bounty hunters are still awake."
"Who cares?" Kojiro seethed, "They'll be dead soon enough if they can't get outta here, right?"
The continuous rush of feet echoed through the shallow puddles and narrow alleys as the Buster Pirates, thirty-odd strong, stampeded their way back into the downtown. The streets were barren, but loud shouting and gunfire could be heard in the distance. Marco was at the head of the pack, with the obliviously loyal pirates racing behind him.
"Are we there yet?" the leading muscle inquired. Marco turned his head slightly to answer.
"No, you jack-ass. There's nowhere to be!" Marco shouted angrily. Still, they jogged onward, hoping to see something worth inspecting. Suddenly, a group of screaming men in tattered suits and armor came charging from another street. Both groups stopped and stared at each other for a moment. Marco took a step forward, and the entire group across the way took a step back and cowered.
"P-pirates…" one harshly whispered.
"PIRATES!!" the rest of the group ran screaming away, while the Buster pirates just stood dumbstruck and watched. Then, with evil smiles, they chased the retreating bounty's hunters down. Marco led the crew in a battle shout as they down the street. The bounty hunters rounded a corner and proceeded a few more seconds before resuming their screaming.
"KURA!" was heard from around the corner, coming from a juvenile mouth. The Buster Pirates rushed over as they heard the sound of blows landing and bodies pounding against the ground. "Oh, you too? I GOT ENOUGH FOR AN ARMY!!" the familiar voice blared again as even more bodies went flying. Marco was the first around to stare and gape at the scene, followed by the remaining Buster crew as they all rounded the bend.
In the middle of the chaotic carnage stood their towering captain, Bard, with the limp body of another man draped over his back. Bard was holding the body with one hand and his other was in a fist. His legs and arms emitted thin steam in the cool air. Bard perked his head up as he noticed his entire crew that had just come into view.
"Hey guys!" he shouted and waved. "Where'd you come from?" The pirates stood and stuttered with a response, fixated on the numerous bodies their captain had, literally, single-handedly dispatched. Marco shook off the surprise and was the first to speak for the group.
"Are you okay, Captain?" he asked. Bard blinked and smiled widely.
"Of course I am." He replied confidently. He took the liberty to flex his free bicep and his chest while still holding the limp man to his back. "How can a body like this not be okay?" He raised his flexing arm up and took a light step forward to flex his leg as well, all the while holding his smug smile.
"Who's that guy on your back?" another pirate questioned. Bard turned to another profile pose with both arms flexing this time, inadvertently dropping the still unconscious man to the ground. The thud produced reminded Bard to the old man's existence and he picked the body up.
"He's the head of the bounty hunters, I think." The pirates were first shocked, then angry as they glared daggers at the body of the man who had caused so much trouble in less than a day. "But don't worry. I kicked his ass pretty good, so he won't wake up for a while." Marco walked forward and offered to take the man with opened arms. Several other pirates rushed in after he was flattened by the heavy man's armor and carried the dangerous rag-doll off.
"Well," Marco said as he got back up and brushed himself off, "I guess our work here is done then."
"Nope" Bard said plainly. His crew looked at him curiously. "I think we're just getting started here…" Bard turned around to face an empty street. Dark silhouettes started stalking out from the shadows in all directions. Seconds later, the Buster Pirates were darting their heads around furiously to see and army of black-clad, iron glove and mask wielding bounty hunters. Bard parted his legs, sank his body low to the ground, and placed a fist on the wooden island flooring. His other arm he kept extended behind him with curling fingers and a fiery glare above an anxious smile.
"Ready, men?" Bard hissed. Marco, along with the rest of the pirates, reached for their swords and guns and all flexed in unison.
"AYE AYE, CPATAIN!!" they shouted in synchronous. The black army started its descent as the pirates started their hot-blooded charge. Bard grinded his fist hard into the wood and aimed for a condensed group of the assassins, then he smiled deviously. With a good many solid kicks within the frame of less than a second, he rocketed forward in a hot blur.
"SORU!" Bard cried, and plowed into and through the front line, all the way behind the advancing forces. The bounty hunters turned around to an evil smile and prepared charge as Bard got ready to go it again.
