Incoming! A Mighty Wind Blows
Aboard the wrecked Marine vessel, dozens of men and women were busy repairing the significantly destroyed aft of their ship. Hammers repeatedly drove nails into the fresh lumber being supplied in order to replace broken and burned parts in a hurried attempt to repair the damage throughout the night. It's been a very chaotic time for the crew.
Inside Commadore Ralley's office, he read several sheets of paper as Ensign Holt and Warrant Officer Byern stood before him at attention. "Is that the entirety of your report?" He asked his two officers, fingers laced together on his desk. The Lt. was standing beside him, stoically.
"Yes sir." Ensign Holt answered smartly. "It appears that the Sparrow Pirates had another member that stowed away and broke them out." He summarized. "Upon realizing that they had escaped, we gave chase and tried to stop them."
"And they beat you into submission." Ralley finished.
The two said nothing, the shame and bruises clear on their faces.
"Did you manage to identify who broke them out?" He inquired.
"It was young girl, sir." Byern replied. "With long blond hair, a newsboy cap, and coveralls. Couldn't be older than 15 or 16."
The Commadore took in the information as he stared at them intensely, allowing the air to become thick with his displeasure.
"Very well, you're dismissed." He replied, surprising the two, who were expecting something harsher or at least a thorough tongue-lashing.
"Sir?"
"I said you're dismissed. Now leave my office and help with the repairs." He commanded, in which the two obeyed as they saluted and turned.
"Oh and another thing." The two paused at the half-opened door as they turned back to their leader. "As your commander, I take responsibility for your loss. So in order to prevent that from happening again. I'm doubling your training from now on. Understood?
"Yes sir!" The two snapped at attention and made a quick exit.
All that remained was him and the Lt.
"In my opinion, sir. Their report has some holes in it." She commented.
"I'm aware, but the fault still lies with me. It was my decision for the concert after all." He explained. "If I had been more careful, the escape may not have succeeded or even happened at all. Every man has their weaknesses and I won't claim that I don't any, but I digress. It's your turn."
In response, his subordinate walked in front of the desk and snapped to attention. "Sir, Lieutenant Margaret is ready to brief you on the SITREP." She said with all military formalities.
"Begin, Lt." He commanded.
"Following the situation where the alarm sounded; I followed your orders to protect Miss Sundance to prevent a possible kidnapping. It was at this time that she used the chaos to slip away." A small twitch of annoyance appeared on her face as her memory played back what had happened. "After some searching, I was able to find and confront her. That is when she openly admitted to being in league with the pirates and was attempting to rejoin them. In my attempt to capture her, she fled and… disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Ralley questioned.
"Sir, I believe that she might be a Devil Fruit user." She continued. "Plus, she has above average combat skills. She even managed to hide a spear on her person. That is my deduction of her abilities. It is possibly an invisibility or shrinking fruit, but that is harder to determine without more evidence."
"She must be quite a skilled warrior if she managed to get away from you." The man commented. "And what of the explosion?"
"A booby trap in the armory, sir. Most likely done by the stowaway." The Lt. explained. "There were no casualties, but most of our rifles and swords were damaged, which limits ours combat capabilities should we run into any hostiles."
"And the condition of my ship?" He asked.
"The helm has been repaired. However, Basus' kamikaze attack severely damaged the rudder. Without getting it replaced at the nearest port or calling on other Marines to help with repairs. Our mobility is crippled." She explained.
The Commadore took a moment to contemplate her information. "So whether or not we fix the ship or even know where to look. The Sparrows get away."
"Yes…sir." She answered, hesitantly.
Ralley nodded silently as she waited. "Thank you, Lt. At ease." He stood up and walked around to stand in front of her. "Sorry for the formalities." He apologized as a grin cracked on his face. "But what color are your panties?"
Out of reflex, her hand slammed across his face. The force sent him flying into the wall, embedding his head through its wooden structure.
"You know you could just ask me to test you, you know." She replied, now standing more casual as she cracked her knuckles.
"I know, but this is our thing. Plus, being in charge is exhausting and I needed to vent." The man said, pulling his head out of the wall yet showing no injuries. "So tell me, any improvement?"
The woman closed her eyes as she focused for a moment. "Based on where you were after we left the Golden Circle." She said as she opened her eyes. "Your Doriki is now over 2500. Your strength is the highest I have ever seen. You might even have the highest Doriki in Marine history."She informed.
The man was pleased with this assessment as he looked down as he clenched a fist. Despite the man being aware that his training has borne fruit, his mind still went back to Cockatoo Island. To that moment which caused him to doubt his strength. Brushing the thought aside, he nodded in acknowledgement.
"Thanks Lt., tell the navigator to find the nearest Marine port. We can't waste anymore time here."
"Yes sir." The Lt. saluted before exiting.
Ralley let out an exasperated sigh and returned to his desk as his eyes fell on a pile of blank documents. "Well, this isn't going to be a fun report." He said as he grabbed a pen and got to work.
XXXXX
The sun slowly crested over the Grand Line. The orange ball shined brightly on the Magna Carta as it sped across the water with a high roostertail spraying behind it.
"Hey Jesse." Kain said. "I think you can stop now. You've been pedaling for like, all night."
The former Marine was breathing deeply, sweat pouring down his face and his feet were a circular blur. "Really? I couldn't tell!" He yelled sarcastically. "But truthfully, I think my glasses fell off some time ago. I don't even know what's in front of me."
"Well that could be a problem." Cassidy said, picking up the spectacles at the bottom of the stairs. Taking great care climbing the stairs against the constant rocking of the ship, she brought them over to the man . "But you've been pushing yourself for hours. You need to take a break."
Jesse felt her place the glasses over his eyes and his vision cleared.
"Thanks." This gesture seemed to cause him to relax as he ceased pedaling, causing the ship to slow to a stop.
"Don't mention it. And I'm sure Jaime will be happier for it."
At the mention of her name, Jaime groaned as she stumbled out from a door and into the light, pale as a ghost. Her sunken cheeks showed that she was malnourished due to her seasickness.
"I think I regret coming back…ugh." She moaned, but at least the pause allowed her to recover enough to get out of bed.
"Well for now, you need to be careful." Cassidy walked up to check on the youth. "You're still not used to traveling by water yet."
"Well thanks for sticking it out. We wouldn't have made it out if it wasn't for the two of you." Jesse thanked.
Jaime could only moan painfully in response as Cassidy placed a cold wrap on her head.
"So what's the next step?" Kain asked as he hopped down from the helm. "Right now, I doubt we'll reach an island anytime soon. Especially since we don't know where we are."
"We're stopping for now. Just long enough to make a plan and eat some food." Jesse answered which elicited another groan from Jaime.
"So what's the news? Is the captain going to be ok?" The pirate asked.
"That's the million berri question." Cassidy was uncertain. "He's been resting since we escaped. I'm hoping that silence is a good sign."
The door to the upper level of the ship opened as Victor stepped out, causing tension to rise amongst the crew. He slowly walked down the stairs before finally reaching them. A shadow cast over his face as a long sullen breeze filled the silence that hung between the two sides.
"Man, I'm glad we're not going to prison!" He suddenly laughed as he scratched his head. The sudden shift in tone caused the other four to crash to the ground.
"What the hell, Victor! You had us worried back there!" They all blasted as his hair flew back from their combined shouting.
"What? I just needed a good night's sleep. That's all." Victor replied, dismissing their worry with a big smile across his face. "Is anyone hungry? I'm starving."
XXXXX
A meager spread of food was placed on the table, which upset the crew. Jaime, however, was glad that the meal wasn't very big as she tried to eat what she could without succumbing to nausea.
"Not a lot of variety today." Kain critiqued, punching out a clone as it tried to sneak a bite, which he then consumed.
"We're lucky to have anything that isn't spoiled." Jesse commented as he polished his glasses. "Until we stumble across an island, we will have to ration what we have and rely on fishing for the time being."
"That's what makes you a good 1st mate. You're so responsible." Victor praised, swallowing his small plate of bread and meat and leaned back to relax, chewing on his straw.
"Well one of us has to be." The gunman retorted as he returned his glasses to his face. "So, now we just need to figure out where we need to go."
Victor leaned back in the chair, staring up at the sky as he placed his hands behind his head. "Based on the approximate time of day and the sun's current position. "We're moving due north, but we were heading south/southwest to wherever they were taking us."
"Enies Lobby." Jesse answered, drawing the attention from everyone. "An island built for the sole purpose of trying, judging, and sentencing pirates. Not only that, it's a verified fortress with thousands of marines and a pair of giants guarding its gates…No one has ever broken in, nor broken out."
"So basically, we would have been screwed when we got there." Kain said, spinning a knife around his fingers.
"That and we would most likely be sent to Impel Down. A prison for the most dangerous pirates on the Grand Line. It also holds a reputation for being inescapable." He finished.
Victor mused to himself, chewing on his straw.
"No." Jesse said, as the others caught onto the silence.
"What?" Victor asked with a veil of innocence.
"We're not going to Impel Down just so you fight your way out." Jesse said sternly." We barely made it off one Marine ship and Impel Down is designed to lock up the most dangerous pirates in history. I doubt even you would be able to achieve that."
"He's right, you know." The new voice caused everyone to jolt up and turn to see a dark-haired man dressed in a sleeveless karate gi. He sat on the railing just one floor above them. His chiseled features creased with a confident smirk. "You'd have little chance of escaping that place as you are now."
"Who are you and how did you get here?" Cassidy demanded, trying to hide her surprise.
This caused the man to casually rest his chin in his hand. "Instead of asking questions; wouldn't it have been a better use of your time to attack?"
This threat triggered the crew as that brandished their weapons. (Jaime was too sick to contribute)
"Stop!" Victor commanded, causing the group to hesitate. "Fighting him is pointless." He said as the taller man now appeared in his face, casting a shadow over him.
The crew was visibly shocked as they tried to comprehend how the man got by them without them noticing. First he was in front of them…and then he wasn't.
The fighter easily stood a foot taller than Victor, using his greater statue to literally stare down Victor. Their eyes locked in conflict for several long, intense seconds.
"So you're the 'Crimson Demon' that I've heard so much about." The man chuckled, leaning closer in a show of dominance as a sinister grin spread on his face.
"TALK ABOUT LAME! COULD YOU GET ANY EDGIER WITH THAT?!" The man shouted as he wrapped his arms around Victor.
"Hey, it's not like I came up with that name! Blame that on whoever gave me that bounty!" Victor replied, reciprocating the embrace.
The sudden shift in atmosphere was an obvious shock to the others as they crashed to the floor.
"What took you so long? I thought you chickened out." The stranger said.
"As if." Victor replied, breaking the hug. "You said, 'get stronger'. So I fought every pirate I ran into before I got here."
"Captain, would you care to explain who this is?" Jesse asked, still a little on guard after what just happened. His haki making him wary of their new guest.
"Sorry, I honestly wasn't expecting see him so soon." Victor apologized. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my big brother, Riey Koh."
A pregnant pause filled the air as this information finally set in.
"BROTHER!"
XXXXX
The Sparrow Crew was now more collected as they all sat at the table, eyeing the stranger with quizzical and skeptical looks.
"So this is your brother?" Kain asked, as several clones inspected the man, who sat in his own chair.
"Well, not by blood." Riey responded. "But I did take care of him for a few years while he was growing up."
"Alright, he seems ok to me." The Supernova replied, satisfied with the answer.
"Some interrogator you are." Jesse quipped, to which the pirate just shrugged.
"Kiahahaha." Riey laughed. "I've got nothing to hide. No need to hold back. Ask away."
Jesse took him up on the offer. "I guess we can start with some obvious ones to set the tone… So Riey, if you raised Victor. How did you two meet?"
"Well if you know Victor. How about you take a shot at it?" Riey replied.
The crew looked at one another as they knew the answer. "HE TRIED TO FIGHT YOU." They said in unison.
Riey belted out a big laugh as he slapped the table. "And on his first day, too!" Riey added. "The kid sure had some brass ones to challenge the reigning 'King of Karate Island'."
Victor scratched his head with a grin. "What can I say. I'm hard-wired that way."
"Maybe with some crossed wires as well." Jesse said as Riey chuckled.
"I like this guy. I can see why you get along." Riey stated. "Well anyways. I could see his potential and so I took him under my wing. Boy did I put him through some hellish training." Riey added as sudden groan caught his attention as he focused on poor Jaime, who struggled to keep herself from passing out.
"Sorry," Cassidy said, cradling the poor girl's head to keep her steady. "She's not used to the sea yet."
"I see." The man took a moment as he looked at the girl's condition. "Maybe I can help."
Getting out of his chair, he approached Jaime, knelt down, and placed his hands over her ears. A pulse of energy flowed into the girl's head and in a matter of seconds; color began to return to her face.
"I'm…feeling better." Jaime said with sigh of relief. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, kid." Riey said as he returned to his seat. "But I only equalized the pressure in your inner ears. So its effects are temporary. Sooner or later, you'll need to get your 'sea legs' if you want to survive on the Grand Line."
"Don't I know it." Jaime agreed.
"Speaking of the Grand Line." Cassidy interjected to bring the topic back on track. "What was your reason for coming out here? You said were a King after all?"
"A title earned through combat, not by birth." Riey answered. "Also, this is the best place where I could find the strongest people in the world to test my skills against."
"Makes sense, you must have quite a bounty then." Kain surmised.
"Nah, I prefer to keep a low profile. Being well-known tends to attract a lot of unwanted attention. If I want a fight, I'll choose who I fight."
"So what's the highest bounty you've faced so far?" Victor asked, prodding for an approximation of his brother's strength.
"Pretty high, but most aren't very interesting." The man said dismissively. "But what's more interesting to me is yours." Riey pulled out a stack of papers and tossed them on the table, exposing their mugshots. "I thought you were trying to be a Bounty Hunter."
Victor groaned with a hand in his face. "I am. It's just a bunch of bogus charges that were pinned on us." He explained. "We took down some pirates and we got the blame for their crimes."
Riey nodded in understanding. "Well that sucks, but as a silver lining. It did help me find you. Care to bring me up to speed?"
XXXXX
After several hours of the Sparrows explaining their time on the Grand Line. Riey got up from the table and stretched.
"My, that is quite the story. I've heard of this Commadore Ralley. His name is starting to make waves." Riey commented.
"Yeah, I heard he's likely to become the next Garp when I was still in the Marines." Jesse added.
"But this 'Zodiac' sounds more interesting. Are they really that dangerous?" Riey asked.
"Looks like it." Jesse stated. "They seem so hellbent on creating death and mayhem wherever they go. Unfortunately, their clandestine nature makes it hard to know who they are and how to find them. All we know is that they are searching for the Poneglyphs in the hopes of resurrecting ancient weapons of destruction."
Riey took a moment to think. "Well if you continue towards the Redline, you will no doubt run into more dangerous enemies. A lot of people have not survived the trip, so I'm sure you've made up your mind if you've come this far." Riey pondered a moment. "Why don't I stick around for a bit? Keep an eye on my Little Brother, so to speak."
"Sure, Big Bro. It'll be like old times." Victor agreed with a smile, but a cross expression flashed on his face. "But without a Log Pose, we're practically lost at sea."
"Oh, sorry." Jaime spoke up. "Since I've been sick for so long, I forgot to give this to you." The girl pulled the Log Pose from her pocket and handed it to the Captain.
Victor had an appreciative look on his face as he rubbed her head. "Nice job, you sure saved our skins again. And I thought you didn't like us."
Jaime annoyingly brushed off the hand, trying to hide a slight blush at the compliment.
This got Riey to laugh at the scene before he collected himself. "So where to, Captain?" He asked.
Victor eyed his wrist for a moment, letting the needle settle on a direction. "Hard to port. We're heading west."
"Aye aye, Captain." His crew acknowledged the order and ran about the Magna Carta. The sails unfurled, catching a gust of wind as Kain turned the helm and the Sparrow Crew ventured forth to their new destination.
XXXXX
A/N
What a nice little family reunion to end the chapter on. Now with a new addition and a new destination, the Sparrow Corp. makes their way deeper into the Grand Line. But how long do they have before the Commadore renews the chase? Only time will tell.
Riey's last name, Koh, means Mountain in Persian.