CHAPTER 69
The Open Sea
Captain Frank G Jr of the Coated Pirates stood at the front of his ship watching over the seas as the waves gracefully crashed against his vessel. He thought back hours earlier to the fight he had with his father.
FLASHBACK
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The sound of Frank G and his fathers' punches sounded like cannonballs as they crashed against each other's guards! Both men threw punches at the others chest, one punch from Frank G Sr was able to force Frank G Jr back just a little! Renji and the other crew all took a step towards the fight to help, but Frank G didn't allow it!
"Get back right now! Don't a single one of you take another step towards this one-on-one fight between men!" Frank spit.
Renji and the other members of the Coated Pirate crew took small agitated gulps and stepped back as ordered. Frank continued to look back at his crew and smiled wickedly. When Frank turned his father attempted to punch him in the face, but Frank ducked and slammed his opponent with an uppercut and a heavy, quake quake infused punch to the body, cracking ribs!
Frank G Sr, on one knee, held his side, and coughed up blood. He looked up to his son standing over him.
"What monstrous power … you really are my son." Frank G Sr coughed out.
Frank crossed his arms and smiled
"You say that as if you had anything to do with this power of mine! My power was obtained through my hard work alone you traitor!" Frank yelled with an evil grin.
Frank G Sr held a hand up to guard as his son kicked him further into the bony graveyard. Renji's sword transformed into a rope like material and shot towards the old man, grabbing him around the ankle and pulling him back towards Frank G Jr.
Frank grabbed his father by the collar.
"I could easily kill you right now. It would be necessary considering you embarrassed the Frank G name !" Frank yelled.
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU, FOOL! I DID WHAT HAD TO BE DONE!" Frank G Sr yelled back.
"ARE YOU IMPLYING YOU WERE HELD AGAINST YOUR WILL!? IF SO, YOU SHOULD HAVE DECLINED AND DIED FOR PIRACY LIKE ANY ONE ELSE WOULD HAVE!" Frank G Jr argued.
"GOD FRANK JUST BE QUIET AND LISTEN TO ME! ARGH!" Frank G Sr clutched his ribs again and blood leaked from his mouth.
"YOU'VE SAID ENOUGH!" Frank yelled, picking his father up by the collar and throwing him further into the graveyard.
"Branch!" Frank G Jr yelled out.
Branch "The Long Leg" continued to smile his permanent smile and slammed his foot on the ground.
Large tree roots rushed their way toward where the old man was thrown until they passed him up. The roots stopped suddenly spiraled into the air! Frank G Sr could only watch in fear of what was about to happen to him! He yelled as he crashed into the spiral tree and was twisted up and trapped in the tree's incredibly strong roots.
Frank G Sr could not move a single muscle. He looked down with despair at his son and his pirate crew as they walked towards him.
"Those tree roots are haki infused Bloke roots. Even without haki you would have an incredibly hard time getting out!" Branch said.
Frank continued to look down at his son, who smiled sinisterly back up at him.
"That means you'll be stuck here to live out the rest of your useless days. Fitting for an old pile of bones to die among literal piles of bones! Fee hee ha ha ha!" Frank laughed.
Tears began to form in Frank G Sr's face as he watched his son and his son's pirate crew walk off, leaving him there to die.
"Frank, I'm sorry I failed you. I'm sorry I never told you what was going on. It wasn't supposed to end this way… Rachael… watch over our baby boy, please." Frank G Sr thought to himself as he lost consciousness.
END OF FLASHBACK
Frank G Jr continued to stare off into the distance as his vice-captain, Renji, walked up to him.
"Captain, you've been awfully quiet since we left Elephant Graveyard Island. Is there something bothering you?" Renji asked.
Frank looked over at Renji.
"Renji." Frank said softly.
Renji stared at his captain with a serious face, but he was concerned.
"For a while now, I've thought about the way I've lived, no, the way we have been living all these years. We're truly the strongest pirate crew alive without question!" Frank said.
Renji continued to listen.
"But every dog has its day… and every captain must sail his final voyage." Frank said.
"Captain, where are you going with this? What has been bothering you? Why are you talking like you're about to die?" Renji interrupted.
Frank smiled as he looked at Renji.
"Fee hee ha ha ha! Don't be foolish Renji, there aren't many that can slay the great Frank G Jr, Captain of the Coated Pirates and the commander of the largest pirate fleet in all of the world, if there are any at all!" Frank said with a smile.
Renji knew there was more to it.
"But... "Frank said, "If someone were to have me at the point where they were about to take my life, there's something I want you to do for me." Frank said softly.
Renji's eyes got wider then he shut them tightly.
"CAPTAIN!" A crew mate shouted, "Island off the port bow!"
Frank looked over and saw the decently sized island resting peacefully in the dark.
"Should we weigh anchor captain? Before we head back to DEATH HQ? Psycho says he has big plans for us… I think it would be wise to get a little rest and eat another meal or two." Branch recommended.
Frank smiled again.
"Our doctor is right! Weigh anchor and everyone get some rest. I don't know what that crazy eyed fool has planned, we'll have to be at 1,000%!" Frank commanded.
"YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" The crew yelled in agreement.
The Coated Pirates docked and made themselves a fire. Newly recruited chef, Yamashiro Todao, cooked for everyone.
"YAMASHIRO! HAVE I TOLD YOU HOW EXCITED I AM I LISTENED TO YOUR WEAKLING CRIES AND RECRUITED YOU!" Frank yelled.
Yamashiro smiled as he stirred some soup.
"Yes captain. You've told me many times!" Yamashiro yelled back.
In the far distance golden cat-like eyes stared at the crew. The figure inside the bushes licked their lips ready to spring into action.
"Saint" Seyia watched the waters for potential enemies. He took out his bow and arrow and loaded it up. He hung his head low and smirked.
"Too easy." Seyia took out his bow and arrow, loaded it, and turned towards his crew feasting happily a short distance away from him. He aimed towards Frank G and released the bow.
The arrow blasted off and shot past Frank G's face it almost cut him across his cheek. The arrow flew straight at the bushes the figure was hiding in!
A groan was heard when the arrow hit the bushes letting Seyia know his target was hit. Frank wiped off his mouth and smiled.
"Reel em in Seyia." Frank said.
Seyia yanked the rope attached to the arrow and out came a young woman with silky black hair up in a ponytail, bangs hanging over the top of her eyes. She winced in pain and stared up at the men who stood over her.
"And what do we have here?" Frank G asked with his evil smile.
The young woman held the arrow that had peirced her lower body and groaned.
"H-how .." The woman asked weakly.
"Have you not heard of "Saint" Seiya!? The sharpest eyes across the four blue seas!" Frank boasted happily.
"I've seen him pin a fly to a tree from a mile." Branch said with a smile.
Seiya crossed his arms and stared dissapointingly at the woman. Renji approached her and noticed a familiar logo!
"Captain Frank, it appears this woman is a bounty hunter from an underground organization. I've seen the logo only once before." Renji explained.
Frank looked at Renji with a smile and a raised brow, clearly interested.
"An underground organization you say!?" Frank asked.
Renji nodded.
"They specialize in secrecy. Stealth, in and out, accidental kills, you name it." Renji explained further.
"Well that would explain hiding in the bushes." Misuta noted.
Frank kneeled next to the woman.
"Please... I need medical assistance..." The woman said.
"You dare ask THE Captain Frank G Junior for help after plotting on his life!? Mr. Branch here could easily fix you up in mere minutes, but to what does he owe the one sent to kill his captain?" Frank asked.
"I'm... just doing my job... surely you understand?... We're not real enemies... like pirates and the navy..." The woman said.
"You dare to compare our crew to the navy, wretch?" Branch asked taking a step further.
"Silence Branch! This young lady is correct! How can we blame her for simply doing her job?! She should be angrier at her boss for even thinking she had a remote chance against Frank G!" Frank yelled.
"YEAAHHHHHH!" The coated pirates yelled out.
"Attend to her right away Branch! Yamashiro fire up some grub! After we eat, we take to the seas once more!" Frank said walking away.
"Please go and grab my medical equipment Mr. Rationingu." Branch asked with a smile.
Branch used his powers to shorten himself to his real height and pulled out a towel from his pocket. The woman was shocked.
"I... thought you were naturally that tall..." The woman said weakly.
"I use my tree-tree powers to extend my legs, it is amazing what the power of devil fruits can do, but lay still and bear with me, Ms. It will only hurt for a moment." Branch said softly.
The woman looked worrily towards her wound and could hardly brace when the arrow was pulled from her side.
"Ah!" The woman let out a small scream.
"There there." Branch said, setting down the small arrow.
By this time Rationingu had returned.
"Thank you, Mr. Rationingu." Branch said.
Rationingu crossed his arms, nodded, and turned to walk away.
A few moments went by and branch was finishing putting up his equipment. The woman sat on a log and looked at Frank and the crew loading up and boarding the ship. The woman looked back at Branch.
"Are you going to kill me?" The woman asked.
Branch smiling his permanent smile looked back out of the corner of his eyes then back at his medical bag.
"If we wanted you dead, why would I have taken my time helping you?" Branch asked.
The woman looked to the side.
"We're given files of our targets. Frank's file is as crazy as you'd imagine... thought it was some sick game." The woman admitted.
Branch turned to the woman, smiling.
"Do not let this situation fool you. We are not friends. These jackets hang on devils. Now, excuse me ma'am." Branch said, walking away.
The woman stared with shock and then down with agitation.
"Embarrassing... almost killed and saved by the same people I came to capture..." The woman's eyes glowed yellow and her pupils narrowed and stood vertical like a cat's!
"ALL ABOARD LET'S GO LET'S GO!" A coated pirate yelled as Frank's main crew boarded his ship.
Frank smiled as his men boarded. When the last member got on board Frank began to follow when the woman ran up behind him.
"Mr. Frank! Mr. Frank!" The woman said.
Frank turned and smiled.
"Please... Let me join you!" The woman said.
Frank was admittedly surprised! Yamashiro stared with doubt.
"And why should I let my attempted assassin join me?" Frank asked.
"You saved me... I owe you my life!" The woman said.
Frank looked up at Yamashiro who stared back with concern.
"Fee hee ha ha... you sound like another cry baby I recently recruited... he proved his prowess to me though, what can you do?" Frank asked.
"I''ll demonstrate for you very very soon Mr. Frank... very soon... just let me join you!" The woman pleaded.
Frank smiled at the woman and called for Renji without turning his back.
"What do you say, vice-captain? Do we let the woman join?" Frank asked.
Renji stared his cold stare.
"We could use a new chore girl." Renji said with a smirk.
The crew all shared a hearty laugh. The woman bit her bottom lip with frustration. Frank continued chuckling at the girl.
"What do you say? A place on my ship in exchange for a few chores?" Frank asked.
The woman looked up with a straight face.
"Yes!... Captain!" The woman said.
Frank extended his hand to invite the woman on board. The woman smiled and extended her hand as well. Frank lowered his eye brows with concern as he kept smiling when he noticed the crazed look in the woman's eyes and her sharp teeth.
"Gotcha!" The woman said as she launched a slashing attack too quick for Frank to dodge!
ZIP! BAM!
The woman coughed up blood as Rationingu zipped to her and choked her all before she could attack Frank. Frank continued smiling. Rationingu continued squeezing her by the throat and lifted her off her feet as she gagged and choked. The woman could see directly into Frank's eyes.
"How... how is anybody that fast!" The woman thought to herself.
Frank walked closer to the woman until he was basically in her face.
"You just made the worst mistake of your life." Frank said coldly.
So I'm only about almost two years late. Smh no excuses other than just being lazy but the story never left my mind I've been wanting to finish it and we going to finish it! If you've still been around please stay around because when I say it only gets crazier from here it only gets crazier from here! Stay tuned new chapter tomorrow. :)