A.N: Just warning you this is a backstory / flashback chapter. But I hope you will still read it as I believe it will help everyone understand future parts of the story and my characters better, particularly Endrino and Sangrie.

Chapter 14: Endrino's Bounty

Endrino straightened his back, his confidence in his bounty growing as he recognised the familiar expression of fear on the bar-maid's face. It was the same expression that he had seen many times since the day two years ago that was the cause of it.

~ two years before ~

On the deck of the Rione stood a 38 year-old man with scarlet hair. His hair matched his long coat he was wearing and the hat that he held in his grasp. On the back of his coat, emblazed in bold black writing was the kanji for captain, this made him an easy figure to recognise among his very large and ever bustling crew.
His name was Marko Tsubasa, and he was very proud of the crew he had formed.
The crew itself was indeed huge, having 132 members, some of course more prominent than others.

Marko was watching his oldest son, Endrino, who was 15 and had a crazy mane of thick jet-black hair and emerald green eyes.
Endrino was messing around with his best friend and fellow young crew-mate Isamu, who had pure white hair and blue eyes.
Isamu was 17, just under two years older than his more active black haired friend, and he also stood a few inches taller.
Marko smiled, and ran a hand casually through his thick red hair that was pushed back from his face. He had high hopes for Endrino; his oldest son was eager and strong. Endrino could and did cause trouble, but that wasn't exactly an unwanted streak in a pirate.
However Marko did not just have one son. His green eyes found the smaller, red-haired form of his younger, 13 year old son, Sangrie. He was sat on his own watching his older brother rather jealously.
Marko could guess what he was thinking, probably something about how Endrino could shake of being separated from his mother and being able to make friends easily.
As much as Sangrie saw himself as a failure, Marko still loved him, if only Sangrie could shake off that sour, resentful attitude of his, he too could become the great prospect of a pirate that Marko could see in Endrino.
Both boys were picking up the skills they needed to continue a life in piracy well. Marko could see that Sangrie had a knack with explosives. Whereas, Endrino was pleasingly skilled in physical combat, especially at close range. Together the two half-brothers made a brilliant team for boys of their age.

Marko was soon snapped out of his thoughtful mood by a warning bell that sounded from the crow's nest of the main mast. The sentry had seen something.
Marko wheeled round, his coat billowing out behind him, to see seven approaching marine war ships.
"What is this, a buster call?!" he thought out loud in astonishment. No way, surely there was no way in hell that the government would send such a thing after him into the South Blue.
Marko looked around and met the worried eyes of Yuudai Oshiro, his advisor, trusted friend and the only giant in the crew. The look in the giant's eyes told him one thing; it was likely his suspicions where right.

At the sound of the warning bell the crew leapt into life.
Endrino and Isamu stopped messing around, and Sangrie joined them looking worried.
Various other crew members were running round preparing for battle, cannons were prepared and ammunition was loaded, but no-one fired.
Marko stood on edge, both him and his crew waiting, anticipating the same signal for them to attack.

And they did not have to wait long, with several loud booms the marine war ships opened fire, cannon-balls rained down on the pirate ship.
Yuudai swung round the great hammer like weapon he usually kept strapped to his back, sending many of the cannon-balls away from their initial target and into the sea.
This seemed to be the signal the pirates were waiting for and heavy cannon-fire resulted in response from the Rione.
Marko's main fighting force stood with him on the deck, Yuudai and Marko himself being two of these ten.

Endrino and Sangrie stood together watching the marine ships; they both knew what they had to do. They would sneak in and take down as many of those damned marine ships as they possibly could.

Isamu stood with the shipwright, Takeshi, a strongly built man that wore a pull-on hat and waist-coat over a long pony tail, shirt and khaki design trousers. Along with several other members of the crew. None of them were so unbelievably strong that they could join the captain's select ten. But they were determined not to go down so easy.

The first of the marine fleet drew close and onto the Rione charged a wave of marine soldiers. Takeshi and his group met them. And amongst the chaos of this meeting of marines' vs. pirates', Endrino and Sangrie slipped unseen onto the marine war ship.

The half-brothers ran down the corridors of the ship, Sangrie setting up explosives as they went, Endrino dispatching of anyone that met them. Of course the marines' were not expecting their ship to be invaded, so resistance to the boys was minimal compared to the battle that was now happening across the various decks of most of the great ships.
Sangrie nodded to Endrino, a silent signal that he was ready to move onto the next ship. And so they did, finding a suitable place to cross in an area where there was less fighting going on.
Endrino caught a glimpse of their father squaring up to a formidable looking marine that looked rather stern he wore a cap that shaded over his eyes and judging by the coat he wore he was a vice-admiral. Endrino tore himself away knowing he must carry on, he would only get in his father's way if he got involved.

He raced after Sangrie, who was already below the deck of the marine war ship and out of sight. Looking into rooms to try and locate his younger brother, he stopped, spotting something that wasn't his younger brother, but it certainly was interesting. His stomach growled, and he cussed, regretting not eating that morning Endrino snuck into the room. There was no-one around and so; much more care-free he approached what had caught his attention.
In front of him was a strange looking fruit on a plinth. It was in a glass case, its skin a golden-orange with markings that reminded Endrino of feathers. His stomach growled again, the fruit might look weird but he was hungry, Endrino lifted off the glass case and placed in on the floor. The fruit certainly smelled good. He took a massive bite and almost spat it back out. It tasted foul, but he was hungry so he finished it none-the –less.
The sound of footsteps behind him caught Endrino's attention.
"There you are. I'm finished, let's get out of here already." Grumbled Sangrie unenthusiastically from the door way.
"Ugh- yeah sure" Endrino responded, struggling to get the foul taste of that strange fruit from his mouth.

He followed Sangrie back on deck, and they crossed back over onto the Rione but before they could board their next target marine ship, they were challenged by a large, rough-looking marine and his axe.
Sangrie backed behind his older brother, knowing he'd lose in an instant against this guy.
Endrino reached for a dagger from a pocket in his trousers, holding one in each hand, he knew he had to do everything in his power to take down this guy, just like his father, Yuudai, Isamu and the others would be doing.
He crossed the blades of his daggers as the marine swing his axe down upon him. And as he struggled under the pressure he yelled at his brother "Blow them up!" he cried as the marine lifted his axe to take another swing.
Sangrie watched wide-eyed as Endrino took the moments chance to slash at the axe-wielding marine's stomach. The cut wasn't deep enough to severely wound the guy, but Sangrie was sure it must hurt.
Seeing his older brother's courage, Sangrie gulped back his nerves and pulled a black remote from his pocket. He stared at the remote in indecision for a moment and then, shaking his head to snap himself out of it, he flicked the small red switch in the remote's centre. Seconds later and the two marine war ships they had been on exploded into flames and shrapnel.

A scream of pain and shouts of alarm caught both the brothers' attention. Quickly turning their heads to see what was going on; both of the boys froze emerald green eyes wide with both shock and fear. A feeling that was simultaneously running through all of the Tsubasa crews' members' right at this moment.

There near the centre of the Rione's dark wooden deck stood that same stern faced marine vice-admiral that Endrino had seen earlier. But it wasn't this alone that was shocking the pirates; it was the fact that the marines hand turned to magma and had punched a hole right through Marko Tsubasa's chest.
Marko fell to his knees, his face a tortured mixture of pain, shock and fear all rolled into one. The pain of the wound was excruciating, he was certain he would die from this one. He had been shocked by this unexpected power of this marine; even his haki hadn't been quite enough to handle it. And he feared for the lives of his crew, most of all his two sons.

The marine fighting Endrino took advantage of the fact that the boy had frozen in shock, and brought his axe down heavily on Endrino's left shoulder.
The searing pain brought Endrino heavily back to his senses. Enraged he used both hands, and stabbed the marine in the chest. Not bothering to remove the blades he ran to his father, Sangrie; who was still deeply in shock stumbled after him.

When they reached Marko's side, Endrino realised the marine that had done this to his father had vanished. But right now Endrino didn't care for such things, his body trembled with anger, but tears were streaming down his face. A heavy hand ruffled his hair and he met the tired emerald green gaze of his father.
Marko smiled, at his boys, he was proud of them both, he wanted to tell them. But he couldn't summon the words.

It was at this point that Endrino flung his head back, and let out a cry of pain. His throat felt dry and sore but he really couldn't care less. Flinging all his feelings into words he cried "HOW DARE YOU!"
Marko tensed, it took everything he had to stay conscious as a huge wave of energy erupted from his son. His eyes widened as Sangrie, most of the Tsubasa crew and most of the marines passed out.
Yuudai was surprised; he hadn't been expecting Endrino to possess the emperor's haki, raw and uncontrolled as it was. But he watched on as something else became known about the boy.

Endrino's hair slowly began to spike up, as if it was filled with static. His teeth and ears became pointed, his hands became huge tawny-gold paws and his fingers black claws to match. Black wings exploded from his back and before the few people remaining conscious knew it, Endrino had become a humongous griffon.
He swiped a paw at the closest marines and knocked them into the ocean, conscious and unconscious alike. The beast in the devil fruit he had ate had taken him over, using his anger and hate to fuel its bloodlust and gain control. It leapt at more and more marines butchering them with its claws.

Yuudai raised his axe and called out the other members of Marko's ten chosen ones as they were they only ones that had not been knocked flat by Endrino's haki. "Follow Endrino! Now is our chance to win this battle!" And with that they also joined the fray as the still standing marines also awoke from their shocked states.

In his last moments Marko watched his Eldest son with amazement. He had been right to believe the boy had talent.
Sangrie stirred from where he had been unconscious.
Even though he was collapsed out on the floor, Marko finally found some words, quiet and rough edged as they were "Sangrie…. I know you don't believe in yourself, but know that I will always believe in you….. No matter what anyone else says… be there for your brother…. You will need each other when this is over..." He reached out a hand weakly and placed it over that of his youngest son "I'm sorry for forcing you to become a pirate… but I had to do it… for your mother's sake… I couldn't let what happened to Endrino's mother…. Happen to Cassia as well…"
Sangrie cried for all that his lungs would let him as the light in Marko's eyes dimmed away.

After the battle was over the Tsubasa crew took the Rione to a deserted dockyard that they often frequented. Nearby they buried Marko and the other fallen Tsubasa members. A few days after the funeral the crew disbanded. Many of the crew members left to start a normal life, this horrifying battle being one too many for them.
Isamu stayed with Endrino and Sangrie. His own devil fruit powers had resulted in him being chased from his home, so he had nowhere else to go.
Yuudai stayed with the three boys, he saw it as his responsibility as Marko's closest friend to take care of them in the deceased captains stead.
The only other person to remain with the crew and the Rione was Takeshi. He could not bear to leave the ship that him and his master had worked on and cared for in the sorry, banged up state that it was now in.

And it was these five after many months of hard labour and recuperation that would begin reforming a new crew.

A.N. Yeah that concludes the story of not only how Endrino got his bounty but also how he got his devil fruit powers and the scar on his left shoulder.
Hope you enjoyed it and weren't put off by the mass amount of words in this chapter.
Any questions or confusion please message me. Also any constructive criticism via review is welcomed; it means I can solve any issues that I may have overlooked.
No flames accepted here.
Thanks again for reading and I hope you will continue to do so