Chapter Six
The following day, when I woke it was still twilight. I stood up and quickly went to the roof of the bar. I sat at my usual place. The sun slowly rose. The colorful and stunning view kept me captivated. The dewdrops on the field of glass and flowers reflected like tiny pearls. I felt the refreshing cool breeze of the sea. I sighted happily. This is heaven. I heard the knock on the door. I hurriedly grabbed my shirt and opened it.
"Hey kid, you ready?" Gyoru stood with a bag and a net in his hands. I nodded.
We went to our boat at the dock. The strong scent of the ocean hit me. The wind gently swayed the water. I readied the boat. After packing the gears overboard, we sailed. After some miles, I threw the anchor. I saw some fishes in the water. I grabbed the net and swayed it. Gaining enough momentum, I threw it towards the particular spot.
Gyouru whistled, impressed. I smirked. I grabbed a fishing rod and stuck a worm in the hook. I threw the hook and sat patiently.
"Son, you got amazing skills as a fisherman." He sat there with a rod in his hand. "How about this, after I retire I'll hand over UO to you." He grinned towards me.
The proposal surprised me. Although it was nice to sit and catch fishes in the ocean but it would get boring after a while. I recalled the promise to mom.
"Nah, Gyoru-san." He turned towards me. "That's too boring besides I want to become a pirate." He gaped.
"W-what? A pirate?" he stuttered.
"Yeah. I want to live my life to the fullest. By becoming a pirate, I won't have any worries about rules and regulations. I'll become a free person." I smiled confidently.
He opened his mouth few times. He stopped and had a thoughtful look. After a while, I started to get nervous. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. A blooming laugh staggered me. I almost fell into the ocean. I almost shouted at him when he interrupted me.
"You better be the greatest pirate of this era. "He voiced with an encouraging look towards me.
To my embarrassment, I teared up a little. I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve. I turned towards the ocean with determined look and bellowed.
"I WILL BECOME A PIRATE AND SEE WHAT THIS WORLD OFFERS ME. NOBODY WILL STOP ME FROM GAING THAT!"
Gyoru laughed and gave me thumbs up. The waves becomes stronger as if it was encouraging my dream.
After that ordeal, I went to visit mom. She was delighted when I brought some flowers and fruits. I put it on her stand and dragged a chair towards her bed. I told her what I been doing these past days. She smiled when I told her I wanted to become a pirate.
"Following daddies step, eh? Anyway how's Makino and Makiko?" she asked.
"There fi-"
*SLAM*
Startled, we turned to see Kaito. A local villager. He took gulps of air. He searched the room and landed on me.
"Buggy, Makino and Makiko are in trouble!" he cried.
"What!?" Alarmed eyes looked at him.
"You heard me. Those pirates brought their captain at the bar. He came asking for you."
A cold feeling came over.
"Buggy? What pirates?" mum looked at worriedly.
I shaked my head. "Don't worry about it. It's probably nothing." I calmly walked out the room. "Keep mum away from trouble." I whispered to Kaito. He nodded.
Maya saw buggy leave the room. She emotionlessly stared at Kaito. He flinched away.
"Tell me what happened." She demanded.
I sprinted towards the bar. Please don't let me be too late. God please. I saw one the doors of the bar on the ground, broken. Panic and dread filled me as I looked around the bar. Some of the villagers laid beaten and bloodied. The bar looked like a hurricane flew through it. The walls had small cracks in it. I saw remains of the tables near the wall. A woman was lying on the ground. She looked familiar.
"MAKIKO!" I grabbed her head. She had a hand print on her face and a line of blood seeping her mouth. She looked at me, dazed.
"B-Buggy they g-got Makino. P-Please you got to save her." Tears fell down from her pleading eyes.
"Don't worry, I got this. When I get back, Makino will be here with you, safe and sound." I laid her head gently. She closed her eyes, unconscious.
I clenched my hand, angrily. I grabbed my knifes and stashed my gun in sash. All emotions left my soul except hatred and bloodshed. Adrenaline filled me. I licked my lips in anticipation. I had promise to fulfill. I walked towards the town. I saw the Oji-san and Gyoru trying to negotiate with the pirates. Makino was tied up, bruised but no injury. I sighed in relief.
"I have some money. Why don't you have the money and forget everything?" Oji-san pleaded.
The crew laughed cruelly. There were six people including the captain. The captain stood up and smirked at him.
"Your red nose brat caused commotion in our pirate reputation. We just want to scold him, right guys?" the crew laughed harder.
"I am right here." I called out to them. My cold eyes looked at him. The two guys recognized me and flinched. I smirked internally. The captain looked at me in interest.
"So you are the brat that beat up my men." He analyzed as if I was a specimen.
"ONI-SAN!" Makino cried. She looked at me, hopeful and happy.
"Makino, close your eyes." I ordered. She nodded and followed my command.
"What are you-" the captain was baffled by my demand.
I gripped my knifes firmly and rushed to the nearest pirate. He widened his eyes in disbelief as I sliced open his throat. He wrapped his hands around his throat and made a gargling sound. He slumped down. 1 down 5 to go.
The other pirates raised their swords in alarm. Two of them rushed straight at me. They raised their sword. I rolled and deflected one of them. I stabbed his hand. He lets go of the sword. Bad move. I grabbed his hair and slammed my knee into his face. He groaned in pain. I stabbed his heart few times. The other tried to sneak up on me by slashing towards my stomach. I dodged by back handspring. I quickly dashed towards him and pushed my knife into his stomach. He coughed out blood. I finished him by slitting his throat. 3 down 3 to go.
"Who's next?" I said darkly. Bloodthirst and unsympathetic eyes stared into the souls of the pirates.
Two of them, which I recognized fled from the scene. The captain, seeing his comrades had fallen got scared of the demon child. Sweats of panic appeared on his forehead. Suddenly he smirked.
"How about her?" He suggested. He grabbed Makino and pointed a gun towards her head. She opened her eyes in panic. Tears of terror gathered around her eyes. I grabbed my own gun and pointed towards him.
"Drop the gun." I voiced.
"Shouldn't I be asking that? Boy?" He clicked his gun. And pressed it to her head. She whimpered.
I glared at him for a while. I dropped my gun.
"All of them."
My knifes too.
"HAHAHA! What a load of crap! You can't defeat the Iron fist pirates. We are the strongest pirates of the world!" he gloated.
"Strongest? You piece of trashes aren't worthy of that title." I sneered. He scowled and pointed his gun at me.
"This will shut you up. Say your prayers, kid."
I closed my eyes.
"ONI-SAN!" "BUGGY!" "NO!"
Goodbye guys. It was nice knowing you.
*BANG*
I braced myself. I heard a thud infront of me. Did someone took down the bastard?
"MAYA!" Horror and Terror were in their voices.
I opened my eyes to see my still form of my mother on the ground. I stared in horror when I saw spot of blood soaking her cloth.
"MOM!" I grabbed her. She was hit in the abdomen. She needs immediate medical attention. I saw the state of my hand. Her blood. Her blood.
"Stupid bitch! Wasted my bullet!" he complained. I turned towards him, anger filling me. He looked at me sadistically. "Oh well, the brat is next." He clicked his gun towards Makino.
No! I will not allow someone get hurt because of me. Rage and resentment filled me.
"NO!" I roared at him. A power was unleashed from me. A dark blue aura surrounded me and blasted like waves towards everyone in the area.
Everyone looked at me in shock. The bastard fell down, unconscious. Slowly one by one, they all fell down. I stared at them, fear and panic evident in my eyes.
"B-Buggy." My mom's weak voice reached me.
I looked her surprised. I paled when I realized she was injured seriously. I grabbed her hand and shushed her. Telling her to stop talking, she was only making it worse.
"B-Buggy I won the crazy old goose's bet." She chuckled and then frowned sadly. "Only it doesn't make me happy."
"M-Mom! Don't say t-that." Tears fell down my eyes. I sobbed loudly.
"I know your y-young and you got lots of things to discover but I-I want you to know that I will always love you. Even dead, I will watch over you. And don't blame yourself. Okay?" She coughed out blood.
I nodded hurriedly. "I love you too."
"Remember o-our promise, okay. If you don't, I'll send down an angel." She threatened.
I chuckled weakly. "How are you sure you're going to heaven?" She tried to glare at me but sighted. Her eyes became weaker and weaker by the second.
"Hey I want you t-to care of something for me?" she quietly said. "It's a locket. I made it when you were b-born. It has the picture of us as family. Even your father in it. T-Take good care of that."
I sniffed. Her usual healthy face got paler. Finally her eyes lost life and closed. I grabbed her closer. Her sweet scent and heat was slowly going away. Her body felt heavy and cold in my arms. I cried. I sobbed. I wept. I bawled.
But nothing helped him getting her back.