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C’mon, c’mon… keep going. One… more… step…

Jack collapsed to his knees. His body shook, sweaty and weak, as blood dripped at his feet. He hadn't even felt the crystal shard sticking out of his side until they reached the town's edge. By then, the fight had worn away and every step he became keenly aware of all the wounds he hadn't noticed before.

His vision wavered. Groaning, Jack moved Sid off his shoulders, being gentle as possible to set him on the ground, before he keeled. He landed on his back and stared up, at a sky full of leaf-dappled sunlight. Will they find us? he wondered.

A shadowy silhouette came to hang over him even as the void consumed his vision. The smell of carnations danced on a breeze. He squinted -- tried to bring the person into focus.

Adelaide?”

The world turned dark.

Lady Luck

Cedric slumbered restlessly. Sweat beaded his brow and raspy breaths rattled from his lips. Jack used a wet towel to cool down the fever. He winced; the bandages on his torso pulled uncomfortably, and the wound in his side made constant reminders of its presence. The blood loss hadn’t been significant, Zilia told him. He was lucky he managed to tend to both his and Cedric’s wounds before reuniting with her and Kaim.

One straying hand picked at the bandage as a heat flush burned the back of his neck. Pure self-preservation. That’s a good enough reason for it, right? I already know what she plans for Sid when he wakes up… it’s not cowardice if I just wish to avoid that…

Jack slumped farther into his chair. Getting injured already encouraged enough of the petite doctor’s wrath; telling her that he hadn’t been the one to wrap his own wounds and had actually fainted seemed like a wise idea at the time. Adrenaline, concern for his brother, and apprehension for Isari blocked out the deterioration of his own body.

Leaning his head back, Jack closed his eyes. He imagined the heat of the sun, the hammering of his heart and the blood pulling at his hip. The shadowy figure leaned over him. Friend or foe? It was so familiar. He reached out a hand -- imagined touching velvet curls and a scarred cheek. Warm lips pressed against his and he smiled.

He opened his eyes. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”

Twinkling tawny orbs smirked back at him. “Of course. You’d be dead without me.”

Adelaide Summers curled her wind-made body around him and solidified on his lap. Jack pulled her close, burying his face into her collarbone. He felt some of his stress melt away as he breathed in her musky floral scent. Her body heat was a beacon of comfort.

“I was disappointed when you left last time,” said Jack with a voice muffled against her vest, “No good-byes?”

She twisted his dreadlocks. “I got bored.”

“Then you shouldn’t have pulled Zilia’s and Luro’s conversation on the wind.”

“You’d get mad at me if I didn’t. Or tell me to chase her if she left. Both felt more effort than letting you talk to her.”

“Hmmph.”

Jack pulled away so he could see her face. “Thank you,” he said seriously.

Adelaide shrugged. She pressed against him, teasing him as one hand pressed against his wound. He winced. “Can you not?”

“I see she redid my handiwork. Tell me, could she tell the difference from yours?”

She knew the answer, but wanted to hear it anyways. Jack rolled his eyes. “No. But then, I did learn from the best.”

A smirk lit on her red lips. “Yes.”

With one last kiss, she slid off him and sauntered over to Cedric, who remained oblivious to their transgressions. Jack folded his arms. “Why are you here? I’m not exactly in the mood right now. Or in the best shape.”

“Not everything’s about that,” Adelaide replied as she twirled a lock of Sid’s hair around her finger. “I’m leaving soon. Decided to take care of a couple of things before then.”

“Oh? So you have been following us. Were you there at the Devil’s Circle?”

Her silence was enough of an answer. He shifted uneasily in his seat. “Luro and Alicia couldn’t have known--”

“-- I don’t care.” Wide, blank eyes skewered him. “Two months it took me. Ivan and Corchalia were getting their dues. Your self-righteous crewmates intervened and you let them go. They’re your problem now.”

“Fair enough.”

Jack flinched away. He saw the brittle irritation underneath Adelaide’s unphased persona. He couldn’t blame her. After Trovale, she and him lost Charlotte’s protection. Enemies from their time as royal spies would be hunting them. Adelaide decided to make a sport of it for the time being; get to them before they could get to her. Ivan and Corchalia, former crewmates of the pirates they had infiltrated, were one of the ones at the top of that list. Both Devil Fruit Users, Jack could see her twisted justice by sending them to the Circle.

How unfortunate it was that Stardusk had to come at the same time.

Since that moment though, Adelaide had been following them. Jack felt her, though he wasn’t positive until that night she came to him for company -- the same night Zilia had thought of leaving. He didn’t know why, and he sensed it was more than petty vengeance.

Cedric interrupted his thinking with spasmed coughing. Adelaide pressed one hand to his face, and reached out the other one to Jack. He passed her the wet towel, letting her tend to his brother as he sat back, the stress lines returning. He reached for a cigarillo while she watched him out of the corner of her eyes.

“You need to be careful,” she said.

Jack snorted and lit a match.

“You’ve got gods and demons at your back.”

“Says the woman who tried to seduce the last one, and nearly became him instead.”

“Jack.”

He blinked, and looked up. She stared back. Their eyes communicated in that silent way they had. He could see it -- reflected behind a glass wall of dulled emotions. It mirrored his own fear.

Yuli. The dead brought back to life. Jack vividly recalled the unsurpassable fear that rattled him upon seeing her, and Slayis no less one of her servants. He’d knelt in the dirt, shielding Cedric with his body, unable to speak or move. I cut her down. I witnessed the life leave her eyes. I watched as Ria removed her head. How…

He didn’t know. He just didn’t. And the lack of the Vermillion Prophet’s knowledge only served to deepen the horrifying mystery.

Jack’s head bowed into his hands. Yuli. Slayis. Sid’s own demon. By the spirits, what have we gotten into? I’m sick of being whipped around like a blind dog on its leash!

He lashed out in anger and shoved Cedric’s work desk with power he didn’t intend. It hit the ship’s wall and broke in half, sending tailor’s and jeweler’s tools into a heap on the floor. Jack winced. Cedric muttered in his sleep, but didn’t wake up.

Adelaide waited, mute and amused as Jack worked through his own conflictions. Eventually he released a heavy sigh. He got up and painfully knelt to pick up his brother’s things. I’ll have to get Luro to mend the table…

He didn’t stop as he spoke to Adelaide, “We could use your help, you know. Gods know what awaits us. I can’t even envision…”

“Can’t,” was the short reply.

Adelaide put the towel down and leaned against the bed. It was her signal to leave soon. Jack frowned as he neatly stacked the tools on a side table.

“Why not?”

“Charlotte.”

A clothespin dropped on the floor with an audible thuck. Jack sat back on the floor, giving his lover his full attention.

You’re going to chase her.

Yes.

Can you kill her?

Yes.

Will you?


She looked away; that was enough of an answer. Jack shook his head, and finished cleaning.

“I should go with--”

“No.”

“Will you be safe?”

That earned him a scuff. “Do you take me for an amateur?”

“No, I--”

“--you should worry less. It’s part of the reason why I’m here.” Out of her vest, Adelaide pulled a piece of parchment and flapped it in the air. Jack frowned at it questioningly. “Thought I’d pay Nikos a visit,” she teased.

His eyebrows shot up. “How did you... nevermind. Are you sure that location’s accurate? Do they even know who you are?”

“No, but if it isn’t, then it’ll be an interesting trip. And if they are worth their salt, the Prophets should know me by now.” She grinned impishly. “I left them enough clues.”

"Alright then." He sounded dubious, but knew better than to question her further. He pushed himself back onto his feet and limped the few steps to her. Adelaide kept her arms folded as he pulled her into a hug.

"I wish you luck," Jack murmured. It took her a long time to move, and because of that, he didn't look as she peeled his hand away and placed something in it. It'd only embarrass her. The object itself was small, cold and smooth, like stone. It felt identical to the gift he'd given her the other night.

"Don't die," she whispered back.

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With Jack, too!

A little bit after Isari’s kidnapping

Zilia resided on the main deck of the ship a small book in her hand as she sat on the side of the ship, the moonlight serving as her only light as she turned a page. Unable to sleep she had volunteered for night watch, though Luro had offered to go first still wanting her to get some rest. In the end she wasn’t able to sleep and relieved him a few minutes earlier, though Zilia appreciated the gesture every part of her felt on edge, laying still was the last thing she wanted. She thought reading would calm her but she was doing little more than staring at words on the paper, turning the page more as a motion then anything else.

Zilia could only replay the scene in her head again and again, the horrible words she said and doing nothing as Isari was taken away. Every time she had a moment to herself, any situation where her mind wasn’t focused it was all that occupied it. She couldn’t stop replaying the scene and hating every minute of it.
Zilia turned and hurled the book, watching as it hit a barrel and landed on a random page. Her breathing heavy she stared at her shaking hand slowly bringing it to her head.
“So stupid….why couldn’t I…”
Zilia took a long deep breath taking a moment to calm herself before standing up. She walked over to the other side of Lady and took hold of the rope, stepping up onto the side of the ship before moving towards the dingy.
“Secret Rendezvous?.”
Zilia froze mid step and looked behind her to see Luro standing nearby, waving her book with a small grin. She stared back at him for a moment before hopping back onto the deck.
“...I thought you were asleep.”
“Well I saw you peek in so I pretended,” Luro said grinning “You heading out Z?”
“...you know I am Luro.”
“I know I just wanted to say it,” Luro said tossing Zilia back her book.
Zilia eyed the book in her hands before looking back up at Luro who took a seat on the edge behind her, he motioned to the spot next to him causing Zilia to turn and take a seat.

For a moment the two sat in silence, Zilia holding the book to her chest as Luro pulled a rum bottle out of one of his many hidey holes.
“...you’re not going to ask why?”
Zilia’s voice broke the silence first, Luro taking a sip from the bottle before holding it towards Zilia.
“I know why.”
Zilia eyed the alcohol looking back up at Luro as he smiled and pushed it towards her a bit more. Setting her book down Zilia took the bottle from him, though she made no attempt to drink from it.
“You’ve watched us make mistakes again and again Z. You own up when you do something wrong and you do your best to learn when you mess up. Right now though you’re stuck in a weird place...you know confronting this alone is foolish, and that you have help...and I’m positive that you want our help and would ask it if you could...but on the other end asking for help means asking us to put our lives in danger...and that goes against how you are. You hate being hypocritical but what is that to the safety of those you care about right?”
Luro offered a small shrug at this.
“Go against your very nature...or go it alone and be labeled a fool but the rest of us stay safe...it’s easy to see which one you’d choose. You’d never willingly put us in danger...not after trying to keep us out of it. Even if we accepted it you wouldn’t, that’s just how you are. It’s not surprising you’d try to sneak off.”
Zilia stared at the wooden floorboards unable to find the words to defend herself. She hated admitting it but Luro wasn’t exactly wrong and it bothered her the only things that came to mind were excuses for her childish behavior.
“...I know it’s stupid...and silly but I can’t stand….I can’t stand the idea of losing anyone else to him.”
Luro looked over at Zilia as she handed the bottle back to him, never bringing it to her own lips. Taking it Luro took another drink before focusing his gaze forward on the sea. He knew telling her that they’d be fine wouldn’t help, Zilia knew how strong everyone was, she wasn’t blind. A little bit of fear was always mixed in with hope, words like that wouldn’t help anything, they certainly wouldn’t help Zilia. She trusted Stardusk, a part of her believed they’d make it through...but that didn’t stop the other reality, it never did and the fact that other half existed was enough to give her pause as someone who hated seeing her friends hurt.

“I somehow made it worse...I said such things to Isa...I don’t get where her feelings even came from, we both lashed out and neither of us wanted to...at least...I think so .”
“Her feelings have been pretty clear Z...you just didn’t ask,” Luro said taking another sip.
Zilia looked over at Luro at this her eyes narrowing.
“...you’re telling me you knew how Isa felt? I understand you’re weird connection to me but Isa-”
“There was no guessing I just talked to her,” Luro said. “I listened to what she wanted...did you do that?”
“Of course I did. Isari wanted to….to…”
Isari wanted to stay by her side...but that wasn’t the only thing. In their time together Isari would be on the verge of saying something but would always hesitate. Zilia would always pull her along somewhere expecting she wanted to go out somewhere...but that was just what she interpreted. Thinking about it...she had barely listened to Isari. She always just picked an answer herself.

“Isari wants to help people with her power...she’s scared of it but she’s trying to be better,” Luro said standing up. “She’s doing her best to grow into a person she can be proud of...she wants to measure up to you...just a little bit more. She wants to accept herself...all of it. It hurt her seeing you in so much pain because of who you were. She did nothing but worry about you...but she understood your feelings and didn’t want to say anything. Can you imagine how she felt when you didn’t do the same?”
Luro tossed the bottle into a nearby barrel before walking back over to Zilia.
“She cares a lot about you Z...so when we get her back show her how much you care...and properly listen to her.”
Zilia kept her hands folded in her lap, her gaze focused on the ground. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Luro of all people reprimanding her but she gave a small nod in response. He wasn’t wrong and she was stuck between shock and shame so it took a moment for her to find the words.
“...I will...but I...I don’t think I can just...accept what Isa wants. The fact she’s gotten strong enough to try and confront it...how have I missed so much when she was right next to me?”
“That’s fine Z. Long as you show an effort in at least trying to understand I’m sure it’ll work out. I don’t like everything about you but we’re buddies. It’s not too late to learn what you missed, just try.”
“I will….thank you Lu-wait what don’t you like about me?” Zilia said raising her head.
“That’s not important right now. Anyway make sure you apologize to Jack too. I mean I wouldn’t be surprised if he saw this coming, heard most of this conversation and was nearby.
After what you said to him after waking up you should say a proper sorry.”
“...I-I’m well aware,” Zilia said folding her hands together. “...I don’t need a reminder…”
She averted her gaze from the redhead causing Luro to smile.
“Feels good to have someone chew you out huh?”
Zilia looked back at Luro as he walked away raising a hand to Zil.
“Go against your nature just this once okay...for us,” Luro said. “Don’t forget to apologize to Jack for earlier.”
“...how did he even know about that,” Zilia said after Luro closed the door.
Hopping off the edge she looked back at the dinghy, a small sigh escaped from her as she walked over and grabbed her book. For some odd reason she didn’t feel as tense, she decided not to look too much into it. If she admitted what was in the back of her mind she felt she would lose to many things on too many levels.

“Doctor?” The soft voice came several minutes later, preceded by a strong warm aroma. Jack came up to her side with a half-smile and two cups of steaming coffee. “Care for a drink? It didn’t look like you were getting anymore sleep.”

Setting it next to her, he sipped his own while leaning against the banister. He was in a disheveled state atypical for the cook: dreadlocks half a frizzy mess, feet bare, his shirt untucked and unbutton. With the sleeves rolled up, his blacked out tattoos were on more visible display than Zilia ever had seen them. Not that it matter much -- of the entire crew, only the doctor had seen them all.

He peeked down at her over the bags under his eyes and lifted a questioning eyebrow. “What’s on your mind?”

Zilia didn’t raise her head until she picked up Jack’s voice, she blinked a few times watching his approach before her eyes widened a little at the offer. Her face relaxed after a moment and she took the cup next to her with both hands, staring into the liquid for a moment before taking a sip.
“… it’s that obvious,” Zilia said sighing a little. “Even Luro picked up on it…”
She looked up at Jack noticing his current raggedness, she’d normally have something to say but it was nighttime and inwardly she was just as much a mess. It took her a long moment to make peace with her words as she lowered her gaze before she finally responded.
“I’m sorry.”
She didn’t immediately look up at Jack upon saying the words, choosing to stare at her own reflection in the liquid.
“I understood….for all that is good and well I understood how you felt Jack…and I still ignored it. I couldn’t even pretend I did it under false pretenses, out of some ignorance. I knew what I was doing was wrong…I knew I’d go off alone to keep from hurting you all.
…trusting emotion over logic right….I failed in both aspects….it’s pathetic.”

A dry chuckle escaped from Zilia before she continued.
“I hate hypocrisy Jack…and yet…after everything…I’m the biggest hypocrite of all.”
Zilia seemed to twitch a bit upon saying Jack’s name, her eyes resting on what could only be assumed his name, she shook her head looking back up at him.
“For that I’m sorry….for purposefully not listening to you. I don’t want to push anyone away. I don’t…I don’t even care that much that you all saw…I mean I do care. I’m not pleased I’m talking but…hearing you speak those words just reminded me how wrong I was and it…it irritated me…I hated myself. Hated what I was doing…hated what I was going to do….I care about everyone and I know they’d face the world for me…”

Zilia lowered her gaze back to her cup.
“I’d do the same for them…but I…I hate that I have too…I hate putting you all in danger…and I hate that I can’t even warn you about it…and…I did something stupid…I almost did something stupid again…I just…I just felt I owed you an apology.”
Zilia let out a long breath before looking back up at Jack.
“My thoughts have been on such things…and Isa…but my thoughts aside you look like Luro, and we both know that’s not a good thing. You couldn’t sleep either?”

Jack sputtered his coffee when the apology came out. He quickly covered the blunder and gave Zilia his undivided attention. For a moment, his eyes flickered to the long boat, and his mug settled onto the railing as he gathered his thoughts.

“You know, I was standing in this exact spot… or, was it over there?... I was standing on this deck when Luro gave me his apology. He’d lied to me, you see, back during the whole Red Raven debacle. I’ll tell you what I roughly told him: if you were making this apology to anyone else on the crew, I’d say they’d deserved to have it. But not me. How can I when I’ve done the exact same thing?”

His expression was rueful, an admonishment onto himself. He picked the mug back up. “Still, it’s nice to know that Luro has the same effect on you as you do on him.”

When the conversation came back on him, Jack raised an eyebrow and looked at himself. “Oh.” He sipped his coffee and glanced out at the sea. “Let’s be honest, doctor, I rarely sleep. And it seems I joined a crew of night owls -- you all keep stealing my night shifts.”

There was mischief in his eyes that didn’t add up to his own self-amusement. A breeze crested over the deck, playing with their hair and clothes, and Jack slapped at it like a vexatious fly.

Zilia stared at Jack blinking a few times at his response before a small smile found its way onto her face, both at stealing his shift and well...Jack being Jack.
“Fair enough...still the bare minimum a friend can do when they mess up is apologize...and make sure not to do it again,” Zilia said closing her eyes. “Most of the blame lies with Luro on that one...but I’ll admit to stealing the show this time. I feel a tad rebellious staying up this late without it involving reading.”
Though after she brought up Luro she put her face in her hands a long sigh escaping from her.
“Why did you have to say it out loud? I don’t like the fact I’m influenced by that walking catastrophe.”

Zilia removed her face from her hands before taking a small sip from her cup. The warm liquid was perfect for this night, she wondered if Jack drank this every night. Her eyes moved down to the cup wondering how it’d taste with a bit of cinnamon.
In the midst of her thoughts however something clicked causing Zilia to look back over at Jack, eyes widening as something fell into place.
“Wait you heard that...all of it...you...you were actually there? I thought he was joking. It was a joke right...”

Jack’s grin was the widest she’d ever seen it, full of wicked humor that told her exactly what she didn’t want to hear. “Let’s just say even if you made it off this boat, you wouldn’t have gone far without someone catching up to you.”
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With Jack, too!


At the Devil's Circle -- Recruiting Mercenaries

“How bad do you think it was? The damage Luro and Alicia left?” Jack asked Runali as they stood on a rooftop with the sun sinking behind them. He shaded his eyes and looked off into the distance where, somewhere on the horizon, he assumed was the location of crystal castle and the Devil Fruit camp they’d passed through. He even thought he detected the thinnest wisp of smoke curling up against the rosy sky. Maybe it was his imagination.

He looked down and nudged a rock off the roof. The pair of pirates themselves were situated in another town a part of the Devil’s Circle. It featured cobbled rooftops, modest buildings… and a large seastone citadel as its backdrop. It was a prison for Devil Fruit Users, those condemned by Relias himself. The very aura of it set Jack’s teeth on edge. Even from their distance, he could feel the stone’s power gnawing at his haki. His gloved hands flexed; considering what they were about to do, he didn’t want to be without all the weapons he could accumulate, but walking into that place and using Luro’s haki gloves could spell death for either of them if they wasted too much energy.

How are we supposed to break out people from that place?

It was one final mission, set up for them by the same mercenary group Jack and Ria had helped, no less. Given they were on the Circle overlord’s bad side, they didn’t mind helping Devil Fruit Users. If Stardusk wanted their support, they’d need to rescue a few friends from the imposing prison… without anything tracing back to the group itself.

“Those two together could level islands.”

Runali’s attention hadn’t left the citadel. It peaked her interest as much as it threatened her existence. She looked at her gloved hands, having a similar line of thought to Jack’s own. “It probably wasn’t nearly enough damage we’ll have to do that place.” She didn’t have to point it out. Their goal was right in front of them, giving off an aura of doom and gloom.

“But,” she added after the silence. “It’s going to be a whole lot of fun when they’re out.” She grinned and flexed her hands open and closed. “Get a few people out here, make a few friends there.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Broken outta one prison before,” Technically, the rest of the crew broke her out. “We can break into another one.”

“I like your optimism, Captain. ‘Cause we’re going to…”

Jack stopped, turned, and lifted an eyebrow as two other bodies made their way onto the roof. One was a man-- compact, square-face, definitely a boxer-- and the other a woman shrouded in a burka. Only pale blue eyes glimmered from the open slit. They were cold and amused. The spy’s own gaze lingered on hers as the boxer man approached Runali. He handed her a rolled-up bunch of parchment.

“‘Ere ya go. Layout of the prison. Our man’s on level nine, cellblock 03-A. Sor shoulda told ya but I’m makin’ it abundantly clear: get in and get out, all quiet-like. Ya throw up a fuss then ya on yar own. If ya in any way leave a scrap o’ evidence leadin’ back to us-- we’ll kill ya dead. Meet these conditions and ya got our support beyond wha’s initially promised.”

The boxer inclined his to Jack, acknowledging what he and Ria had done for the group. Jack returned the gesture but couldn’t escape the cloaked woman’s gaze. She was highly intense on him; unblinking, unwavering, like a predator ready to pounce.

Seeming satisfied his message had been received, the boxer turned, ready to leave.

“Oh?” Runali turned her attention to the newcomers, listening to what they- or really the man- had to say. With nimble fingers, she took the parchment and opened it in one quick motion. It never hurt to be sure that what they were giving was what they said.

Runali was skimming over the map as the man spoke, but the threat didn’t go on deaf ears. It elicited a grin as she pinpointed the exact cellblock. “I see you made some friends, Jack. Very straight to the point.” Runali looked up as the man turned and she took a step forward, closer to Jack. With a smirk and resounding confidence, she called over. “Glad to have some new allies. It’ll be fun to see what you can do.”

The man grunted. “Can’t say the same about ya, but whatever. Once ya get our friend out-- alive, mind ya-- meet us outside the town, five miles out due east. We’ll be waiting to take him back. Understood?”

Jack agreed then finally turned to the woman. “Do we know each other?”

The corner of her eyes lifted up, as if she had smiled. “I like tattoo.”

Jack blinked as they left, his hand touching the Stardusk mark on his neck only when they both were off the roof. “That was… odd. I feel like I’ve met her before…”

He turned to Runali. “Well, captain? What’s the plan?”

Runali saluted the man and gave a thumbs up. “Loud and crystal clear.” Her brow raised towards the woman, but she left it alone to focus on matter at hands. When they were gone, the captain sat down on the roof to study the map. “Hard ta leave evidence of them when I’ve forgotten their name.” She mumbled and then paused. “Or did I ever know it…” There was a slight squint in her expression, but she waved her hand dismissing the thought. “Hmm, it’s fun that this looks like a castle. Haven’t gotten to storm one of those in awhile.” She trailed her hand around the citadel looking at the ways in and out. And then, she looked at the rooftops behind her. “Ah.”

Runali snapped her fingers and pointed at the rooftops ahead. “We go around. And then we go to the top.” She pointed towards the shadows forming thanks to the setting sun. “We stick to the shadows of the rooftops. It looks like an older building- reinforced though. All of the windows look big enough for weapons, not people. Except that one.” Her hand went from shadows to the tallest point in the citadel. “It’s a watchtower probably.” She recounted her days in Kane’Artem and repressed a shudder.

“We slip through, knock out whatever guards there are.” Her hand was still up and it pointed directly at Jack. “Then you steal the uniform and lie. You can make a good case with being at the top of the tower and all.” She scratched her cheek. “They’re prison guards with boring lives… tell ‘em about a time you captured pirates or talk about getting drunk.” She shrugged, figuring he could handle that much. “I’ll sneak around and find our new friend. Just have enough haki prepped in the gloves so it makes it easier to ruffle a few feathers if need be.”

The plan was made on the quickest whim and even she paused to recount everything she said. It probably wasn’t perfect, but they were short for time. “Unless you’ve got a better idea.”

Jack peered over her shoulder at the maps. “Actually, yes.” He smirked and pointed at one building outlined on the edge of the prison’s campus. “That is a store room. We should be able to find spare uniforms there and sneak in together. It’ll just be like that time Seliria and I dressed up as naval officers.”

Looking at the sky, he added, “It’s only a few minutes to nightfall. We’ll move then and wait for the changing of the guard to slip through.”

*******​

An hour later, Jack and Runali changed their clothes among crates of ammo, linens, and food stuffs. The cook, who kept a lookout as Runali finished and packed their normal clothes into a rucksack, wrinkled his nose as a rat crawled out of the pile of bedsheets and into a grain bag. “I’ll be amazed if they don’t get the plague in two weeks,” he muttered.

Seeing Runali done, he stood up and pointed his left eye. “You need to lose the eyepatch. I suggest brushing your bangs over it and… ah, put this on.”

He handed her a cap that coordinated with their uniforms. His own dreadlocks had been unpinned and redone to hang closer to his eyes, obscuring the identifiable scarring. The rest of his hair was shoved into a hood. Judging by the minute differences in their uniforms, Jack guessed he was a low-ranked guard and Runali an officer.

He glanced back outside and waved at her. “Two guards heading this way. We need to get moving. Do you know where the cell is from here?”

Runali wrinkled her nose in silent protest, but took the eyepatch and stuffed it in the rucksack with the rest. She let her hair fall so the cap would fit properly and pushed hair over her eye. “M’gonna get Z to cut my hair at some point I swear…” Her muttering ceased when Jack questioned her. “Oh, yeah of course.” Runali tapped her temple. “I remember it.” All those years learning from Kadi had been useful. “We’re a floor too high. Gotta go down some steps and it’ll be the furthest hall…” She looked at the window and hummed. “On the left I think. Just look for 3-A.”

She looked down at her own outfit again and then cleared her throat. “Alright, time to put on your best smile.” She joked as they made their way towards the guards approaching.

They made eye contact with Jack and Runali, both obviously confused, but based on the attire it was obvious they debated questioning. “Where… are the two assigned to keep watch? We’re supposed to be trading positions with them…?”

“Who are you exactly? I don’t remember seeing you two- uh, with all due respect.” The other quickly added.

Runali’s arms had been crossed, but they went to her hips when she was questioned. “With all due respect? That doesn’t sound like respect to me.” Her intent gaze made them straighten up and mumble apologies. “As you said, they were waiting for you two, but it seems like being on time isn’t your strong suit. I sent them off a few minutes ago, maybe you would have seen them if you were paying more attention?” Runali held a rather calm look with a very subtle threatening aura.

The guards’ confusion turned into apt nervousness. “Ah, y-yes sir- I mean ma’am. Apologies.” The last thing they wanted was to get in trouble for not doing their job.

“Apologize by doing, not by standing.”

Jack stood back and glowered as the men passed, hovering Runali’s right side as he saw Scorpiox do with Charlotte du Vontiago countless times. They glanced at her, and then him, and quickly scampered by. They continued forward, and only when they came across a vacant catwalk that connected to the main prison, did Jack allow himself a small smile.

“Look at you, captain. We could make a spy out of you… yet…”

He gasped as they passed the threshold into the prison’s interior walls. Bones turned to lead and he felt his body bow towards the floor, under the seastone’s suffocating aura. They came to a balcony, one of many, to line the prison’s interior. From there they could see every floor lined by cells and guards; below, presumably an eating area, was crowded by long tables and benches. Jack looked up and shivered.
“How can they bear the weight of this? There must be… seastone everywhere. I can’t imagine Fruit Users surviving here for long.”

“That’s just confidence, dear Jack.” She joked and carried on. The sudden aura change sent a cold chill down Runali’s spine, but she only straightened up. She looked around at the guards and then the cell doors. “Problem.” She turned her attention to the cells. “Keys. Unless we want to break into the bars but… We’re gonna need to preserve haki for the escape out of here.” The comment about powers made her hum in thought. The prisoners were probably chained down by seastone as well. She had broken seastone before, but there was no way she could break through the wall. It was much too thick for her haki to damage.

“Think of it as if you’re on a rocking ship… Steel yourself from getting sick.” A memory of Kane’Artem flashed and absentmindedly rubbed her wrists. “...Get in and get out.” She mumbled under her breath. Now was no time to be getting cold feet. “Higher ups are the only ones with keys. Lower ranks usually get guard duty. My guess is we’ll have to get chummy with some of the guards. Just have to get them to talk. Getting the key is the easy part after we know where it is.”

The captain stepped away from the balcony and looked back at the cells. “Not a good idea to split up too far…” Her brow furrowed. “Could also go straight to the cell and attempt a messy break and leave the way we came…”

In her musing, a passing guard came up on Jack’s side. “Is everything alright?”

Without missing a beat, Jack vaulted off the railing and grabbed the guard. “You’re a Haki user, right? How can you stand it? I mean, I knew they said this place had an effect but this… oh God, I think I’m going to be sick.”

Jack leaned behind him and heaved.

“Whoa whoa whoa-- not on the uniform! I just cleaned it!” The guard shoved Jack away. He staggered back to the railing, using his body to hide his hand slipping under his shirt.

The guard cleared his throat and straightened his collar. He glanced at Jack, then Runali. “New recruit?”

Runali turned just in time to see the odd transaction and did her best to go with it. The only sign of surprise was the raised brow she had. “Ah, yeah, yeah… S’posed to be showing him around, y’know before his post. Can’t have him patrolling the… first group of cells being sickly though. Prisoners would eat him alive, y’know?” Runali had very little idea what she was talking about, but she played it off as cool as she could. “Nothing I can’t handle. Wouldn’t believe how many have ended up puking.” She grimaced. “Nasty.” She glanced over at Jack and then at the guard. “I’m gonna show him where his post will be and then take him down to get something in his system.” She waved her hand, dismissing the guard. “Thanks for the concern.”

Said guard still looked a little concerned, taking a moment to glance at Jack before giving his attention fully to the “higher up official”. “Uh… yes, well-”

“Unless you want to deal with him dry heaving constantly?”

“N-No ma’am. I have to get to my shift.”

“Right. Carry on then.” Runali watched the guard nod and hurriedly avoid becoming a babysitter for a sick guard. She waited for him to be a few paces away before nodding her head towards the cells. “Alright, time to show you to your… you know… guard posts.” She was watching as the guard got farther and farther away while she floundered for words. And when he turned a corner, she heaved a sigh. “Moving right along. Furthest hall to the left.”

Feigning his sickness, Jack stumbled along until they were out of sight before straightening up. He took the ring of keys from his shirt. “For you, boss.” He handed them over and let her take the lead.

They made it to their destination with little incident. Most guards took one look at Runali’s officer uniform and quickened their pace. That suggested officers were often feared, and perhaps powerful.

He took position next to cell door 03-A, keeping a lookout as Runali fiddled with the keys. He peered over his shoulder to see one man laying in a cot that was bolted into the stone floor. Disheveled hair masked his face and he was curled in a fetal position, shivering.

“You haven’t stolen anything from me, have you?” It was a passing tease as she walked along and rummaged through the many keys on the ring. It took a few tries, but she grinned when she heard a series of clicks as it unlocked. “After you, soldier.” She gestured for Jack to go inside.

Jack rolled the prisoner over and froze. The man blinked his eyes open groggily and squinted up. They widened when he recognized Jack.

“Wha’ kinda nightmare is this?” the man sneered.

In an instant, Jack had the man by the throat and pinned against a wall. His face collapsed into a dead mask that concealed a broiling rage. The man whooped and laughed with pain. “I’ll bedamned! Tis really ye, Jackal. Comin’ fer yer penance?”

“What the hell are you doing here, Ivan?” hissed Jack.

“Wha’s it lookin’ like? Waitin’ for me death. Ye here to give it? Or…” His head swayed over to Runali, giving her a good long look. “Ye ain’ no guard either. Who the devil are ye? Ye a traitor too?”

Jack’s hands tightened on his throat. Ivan gasped, then smiled sadistically. Behind them a guard passed the cell. She took one look, smirked, and kept moving.

Runali stared from the cell door for a moment, a little surprised Jack moved so suddenly. Realizing that Jack was going to blow their cover if he kept that up, she cleared her throat and walked inside as the other guard walked past. “No siree, I’m what you call…” Runali stepped forward and tapped Jack’s arm, silently telling him to let go. “Let’s say… an angel in disguise.” She winked and then gestured towards the chains keeping him at bay.

“Tell me, Ivan is it? Want your dying breath to be like a caged rat, or would you like to see the sun again one more time?” She looked between him and Jack before speaking. “Hold that thought, actually.” She gestured away from Ivan, indicating that she wanted a word with Jack. “Seastone Prison, Jack. I don’t know what your relationship is to him, but do consider how jeopardizing it’ll be if you… happen to ruin our current goal. If we take him, chained and all we can probably get far enough back the way we came without the extra hassle. Then feel free to do as you see fit. Yes?”

For the span of a very few tense heartbeats, it looked like Jack didn’t hear Runali, or chose to ignore her. His eyes didn’t waver from Ivan. Slowly, reluctantly, he let the prisoner go. Ivan fell to the floor, rubbing his throat as he looked back at the pair.

“Wait wait wait. Ye me rescue? Aha!” Ivan rolled into manic glee, laughing out right as Jack’s fists curled. “Hahahaha-- t-tell me, Jackal, how does it feel? Knowin’ now yer rescuing the very captain ye tried to kill?”

Jack punched him.

Hearing another set of footsteps walking past, Runali turned and stamped her foot on Ivan’s chains to yank him to the ground. “Answer the question or face the consequences. Your choice.” She didn’t move her foot until after the guard passed.

Ivan kept to the ground, holding a bleeding nose. “Al’ight, al’ight! ‘Course I wanna be fuckin’ free. Gettin’ the best of you is just an added bonus.” He made a bloody sneer.

Jack’s boot came down on his face and knocked him unconscious. He glanced unapologetically at Runali. “It’ll be easier to carry him without having to listen to him. I doubt anyone will stop us for that.” He pointed to a pair of handcuffs hanging by the door. “Grab those. We’ll put them on and attach him to his ankle. Should keep him immobile enough once we’re free of this place.”

Bending down, Jack got to work unhooking the chain from the cot. Tension lined his jaw as he moved roughly, not giving any care to the prisoner, and it was clear he was on edge. He accepted the cuffs without a word. Once the bindings were done, he hefted Ivan onto his shoulders.

Runali grabbed the cuffs, keeping a watchful eye of Jack. It was no doubt Ivan was telling the truth based on Jack’s reaction alone. It did raise a few… moral issues of her own, but she pushed it aside and led the way out. “He’ll get his in due time. For now,” She paused for a moment, giving it some thought. “Those guys… they promised their support. You’d have to admit, the very rat that tried to kill you having to be loyal to our flag is something if not poetic.” She shrugged. “Killing him now seems… lackluster.”

She was idly speaking, not expecting Jack to respond. “Priorities first though.” Runali retraced their steps, passing by a few guards. Based on their quick glances, they assumed whatever the two were doing, it was probably some form of punishment for the prisoner. It wasn’t until they started heading up steps were they stopped in their tracks.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Judging by the harsh tone, Runali had to guess this was another officer- or someone higher up. With Jack in front of her, she calmly turned around. “My job. Is that a problem?” She eyed the man, definitely an officer based on the clothing he wore. He looked irritated and suspicious, a formula for trouble. When she could see him trying to figure out who she was, she cleared her throat. “And just what are you doing? I come here and there’s prisoners full of absolute disrespect. You’d think putting them in a fully guarded prison, bearing down on their bodies and souls would be enough to shut them up and yet here is one still managing to bite back at guards as if this is some sort of vacation.” She did her best to look intimidating. “So, a lesson must be taught to keep them in line. Or do you not know how an effective prison is run?”

The officer’s face turned vibrant red. He straightened it up, tugging at his uniform “I’d suggest you watch your tone, miss. I am the warden here and I know exactly how to run my prison.” He marched past Runali. “Let me see the prisoner.”

Jack exchanged a glance with Runali. Warily, he turned around. Warden lifted Ivan by his hair. “Ah. Prisoner 03-A. The Clear-Clear User. Rumor has it he was scheduled for execution before the… fiasco at the old palace.”

Jack stiffened. He saw the man frown, and hastily coughed, pretending to cover up a laugh. “Not very smart to have gotten captured so soon again,” commented Jack.

The officer snorted. He let Ivan’s head drop and turned back to Runali. “This one’s certainly got a mouth but as pathetic as they come. What’s your plan for him?”

She feigned annoyance, masking her surprise with a “Hmph.” Runali stood aside so the warden could get to the prisoner. The quick exchange between her and her chef, she quickly mouthed ‘I dunno’, to share that she wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. She couldn’t help the quick sigh when she caught the warden laugh. At least there wasn’t immediate anger- she’d hate to break character after working so hard to be believable.

As the warden turned to her, she fixed her face back into the no nonsense look she had before. “Hm..” Runali closed her one eye for a second and then remembered, “Storage rooms’ got plenty of… useful disciplinary tools.” She tried not to sound too unsure. “And 3-A has made it a purpose to disrespect the guard here so I figured why not hang him by the bootstraps and let the guard remind him that at the rate he’s going he’s got hours to live rather than days.” She glanced over at Ivan for a second and added with a shrug, “The poetic kind of bootstraps… metaphysi- metaphorical kind.” She cleared her throat and casually gestured for Jack to keep going.

The warden watched Jack start to move and then stared at Runali. “Those kinds of things are usually done in the cell… Or do you have a habit of not following my rules as the warden of this prison?”

“Ah, no of course not…. Sir.” It almost physically pained her to pretend someone was her authority. “I thought it’d be easier to just drag the prisoner up there, for one. And also there’s a sorta… intimidation factor with being surrounded by the very weapons that could be used to execute you at any moment.”

Warden grunted. “Well, you certainly have a devious mind…”

Seeing Jack already in the storeroom, his shoulders slouched in defeat. “As long as the prisoner’s back in his cell by the next bell, I can’t see the harm. I expect a detailed report on my desk by tomorrow. What’s your name and rank?”

As he talked, he took out a notebook and waited expectantly for Runali to reply. Jack reappeared behind in the storeroom’s doorway. He heard the warden’s demand and tensed up, ready to spring into action if the captain required aid.

Runali gave a mock salute. “I didn’t rise in the ranks for nothing.” She started to wave her hand, dismissing his orders, only to freeze and give a thumbs up. “Right, yes, of course.” She quickly took a few backwards steps up the stairs and paused again. “Ah… my name and rank?”

“That is what I said, yes.”

Runali scratched her cheek. Torn between two decisions, Runali took a deep breath and step down towards the danger she’d be in if she messed this up. “Did… the guard at the front not give you my paperwork? I asked him earlier to make sure you got it, along with my request for, uh, time off since my sister is… sick and needs help.” His furrowed brow made her clasp her hands behind her back. Jack could see the armament forming around her fist. “Y’know what, some of these guards don’t know diligence when they’re told it’s a fire. I’ll take you to get the proper work. The guard’ll stay so he wastes no time before the bell. Let’s go, chop chop.”

The warden looked a little startled by the sudden pushiness. “Wh- uh, yes. Alright. You still need to give me-”

The moment he turned around, Runali chopped the back of his neck hard enough for him to collapse unconscious. The hard thump when he landed was surely going to cause commotion, but Runali heaved a sigh. “That was a close- wait maybe we should leave first.”

*******​

They rode for three and a half miles in pure silence. Jack was side by side to Runali, slouched over his horse with a sullen face, as an unconscious Ivan rode behind them tied to a third horse’s saddled, and tethered to Runali’s horse.

“He wasn’t really my captain, you know,” Jack sideglanced at her. “He was the first mate of my former crew-- the ones who dumped me on Harbor Island… and inked out my tattoos.” He rubbed his forearm, where the silhouette of the Borealis pirate emblem was permanently inked out. “Adelaide killed the captain. They were going to betray us -- loot and murder anyone in Oublia as Charlotte attacked from the shore. They are the worst kind of pirates I’ve ever sailed with… I don’t…”

He sighed. “If it wasn’t for Isari, I couldn’t do this. I can barely stand it. He deserves to be in that prison, Runali. If it wasn’t Luro and Alicia who tore up that encampment, he’d still be there, facing his due. Giving him up means he may never get it now.”

The captain’s attention was on her horse, happily petting it as they escaped the prison. She didn’t look up at him until Charlotte was mentioned. “For what it’s worth, he deserves to be dead.” She shrugged and looked back at the unconscious man. “But he isn’t. Not even after the pain he put you through. Life’s never fair.” She still had the officer cap in one hand and decided to twirl it around. “And here you are with a choice. Give up a man who’s no less than a rat- a pirate without a captain- that’s been stuck in prison for years. Or, kill a man that’s caused you strife.” She shrugged. “You know the consequences either way… But I wouldn’t say he’d never get it if he goes free now. Frankly, if he was dumb enough to get caught once he’d end up right back. Or dead.”

She looked ahead. “It’s a tough decision, yes. But you’ve lived your life making tough decisions. If you’re lucky and we have the chance, you can get rid of him after this storm blows over… I’m not opposed to either decision you make Jack. Just know that you’ll have to adapt to whichever you choose and so will the rest of the crew.”
“You know what I’ll choose,” he said softly.

“Ye actually believe his nonsense, lady?” Ivan grunted behind them.

“Ah, the princess is awake.” Runali mused when she heard Ivan.

“Ye shoul’ kill him now whilst ye still breathin’. Lyin’ second nature to his kind… him and that skanky wind bitch.” He spat on the ground in contempt. “I’ll gut her -- just ye wait, Jack! She’s good as dead for wha’ she did to me and Corchalia.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Let me guess: she’s the one who stuck you in the camp in the first place.”

“Damn right! And after Vontiago hunted us down, lookin’ for ya-- you’re nothin’ but bad luck! A black stain on any crew tha’s accepted you.”

His eye twitched as Jack kept a straight back to the man. Ivan snickered, sensing he hit a sore spot. He pressed on, switching back to Runali.

“See? He knows the truth. Jus’ a matter a’ time before he bring’s disaster on ya too, lady. Hey-- whacha say yer name was again?”

Listening to the man, Runali couldn’t help but laugh. She laughed until she had to wipe a tear from her good eye. “Listen to yourself! You’re going to kill them? I know you were hit pretty hard, but don’t you remember you’ve been in a prison? And that the very man you wish to kill is the one that freed you?” Giving the horse a gentle pat, she turned completely around to face Ivan. Amusement was spread across her face. “You’ve not once considered why you’re out. Perhaps he’s come to finish the job, no? It’d be real easy too since you can’t really go anywhere...”

She had turned so Jack was on her blind side, but she knew what Ivan said had struck a nerve. “There’s a difference between you and me. Most of it being that I’m better than you’ll ever be, yes. Another reason is, I actually know how to take care of a crew. Loyalty is easy when you’re not a leech.” He asked about her name and Runali hummed in thought and turned back around on her horse. “Guess I can’t be too offended that you don’t know who I am. The name’s Captain Lev. The Stardusk Captain to be exact.”

Ivan visibly pulled back on his restraints. “S-Stardusk? But… you’re Worst Generation, last I heard. By the locker, Captain, why did you choose a traitor like....”

Jack twitched as Ivan continued ranting at Runali. His horse was huffing and pawing at the ground, obviously agitated. It veered away from the forest. Keeping tight control, Jack leaned forward and squinted into the shadows. Something zipped between the trees, black on black, and his eyes widened.

“Runali!”

The same moment he shouted, a black streak flew out of the trees straight for the captain. Jack kicked his horse and jumped in front of her. It hit him in the chest; launching him out of the saddle. His body rammed into Runali and they both went tumbling to the ground. Jack’s reared in panic, and galloped off down the road.

Ivan whooped and yelled, “Get ‘em, Corcha! Kill them now, now, now!”

Jack sprang to his feet, knives in hand. The black streak that had attacked the pirates, rose from the ground. It was ink, writhing in midair through invisible control. The cook bared his teeth as another shadow emerged from the trees.

“Corchalia.”

The cloaked woman they’d met before, the bandit representative, smiled a smile of black teeth. She’d done away with her layers of clothes, revealing a bald head, a bare torso with a wrapped chest, and heavily pierced face. Her skin looked pale but it was hard to tell -- every inch was covered in tattoos.

In one hand, she carried a large glass vial of ink that moved constantly. In the other: a viciously curved large knife. She stood there, waiting.

Despite being knocked to the ground, Runali’s first concern was on the horses she and Ivan fell off of. He was still chained so it didn’t take long for her to pin him and look. “Oh no, the horses! Aw man… I hope they’ll be alright.” Annoyed, she grabbed Ivan’s face and smashed it into the dirt. He had still been somewhat on top of her, so she flipped him on his stomach and sat on his back. “Corchalia… that’s a silly name- oh this is the one you were talking about, yeah?” Not waiting for an answer, haki enveloped the arm she was holding him down with.

“Good evening lady. That’s not a very polite greeting. The tattoos are cool though.” She pushed Ivan’s head a little farther into the ground. “You wanna talk first or do you wanna test if your… fun lookin’ power is faster than me cracking a few of his already brittle bones? He’s a skeleton being in jail and all. It’d be real easy I promise.”

Ivan was kicking and screaming into the dirt, his words incomprehensible. Corchalia’s head tilted as she first observed her companion then his assailant. Her grin widened. Something about it brought to mind Luro, in the days when the Imposter was in control. Her ink floated into the air and sharpened into solid spikes. They pointed at Runali.

Jack stepped in front of his captain. “I wouldn’t do that, Corcha.”

She hissed at him, but there was a notable change. Her manic grin disappeared and she hesitated.

Giving her a cold smirk, Jack waved at Runali. “Let him go, Captain. We’re here to finish our part of the deal, right? And Corchalia here is smarter than her captain. She’s just one Fruit user and we’re both haki wielders. She knows the odds are against her.”

Unbridled rage warred with fear in the madwoman’s eyes. She shifted foot to foot, longing to attack. Only Jack’s chilling calmness, and sharp knives, stopped her.

Runali looked at the spikes and raised a brow. “Fun.” Her grip tightened on the man’s hair, only for her to let out a huff. “Aw man… but they scared off our horses. They could be out stuck in the forest in danger!” She was… mostly being dramatic because it was amusing, but only mostly. She really did have concerns over the horses.

But with a sigh, the haki disappeared from her arm and she got off him. Runali hoisted the man to his feet with ease despite her being shorter and gave him a real rough pat on his back. “How’s the dirt taste? Better than prison food?” She kept a hand on his chains so he couldn’t move too far, but now she took a closer look at the woman. “Seems… a little unhinged. Hm. Must be fun when she’s on your side.”

“Hardly,” Jack muttered as he took Ivan by the neck, who yelped with pain as Jack pressed a black thumb against the top of his spinal cord. “These two are only loyal to each other… they blame me for what happened to their crew but, really, they selled out their own when Charlotte came hunting. It wouldn’t surprise me if they end up betraying each other, too, someday.”

“Over our dead bodies,” Ivan spat.

Jack shoved him forward, causing the man to cry out as the pain increased at his neck. “That’ll be arranged. Sooner than you think.”

The two marched to the center of the road before Jack booted Ivan the rest of the way with an Armament kick. The man landed in a disgraceful heap. Corchalia rushed to his side and with that, her power stopped. Ink splashed to the ground, harmless.

Jack stepped back. “You tell your new friends we held our end of the bargain; they better be there for Stardusk. As for you two, I’d run. I’m done with my past sneaking up on me. I’m done with old foes and haunts. The next time I see you, I don’t care what the circumstances are -- your heads are mine.”

Phlegm bristled at the corner of Ivan’s mouth as wild eyes twitched at Jack. He looked enraged and terrified. Jack didn’t give him the chance to decide which to act on. Summoning his haki, he sliced the air in front of him. Fire burst along the run, nearly singeing the pair. Ivan screamed and turned to flee. He barreled straight into Corchalia, falling to the ground, only to scramble back up and run without her. She lingered -- long enough to give a death glare. Her black mouth moved in silent cursing… then she followed too.

Jack waited until their silhouettes melded with the trees before canceling out the fire. He raised his fingers to his mouth and gave a long, hard whistle. “The horses will come back soon. We won’t have to walk back to the ship.”

He didn’t turn to face her right away. He was thinking, turning an array of future possibilities in his mind. But when he did, an expression she knew well tensed his face. “Captain… I don’t have Charlotte’s protection anymore. And I’ve got a lot of enemies out there. Adelaide and I both. Those two, I think, are just the beginning. She’s choosing to get to them first but I’d… I’d rather stay with you.” He looked at her and gave a helpless shrug. “I need to know if you’ll accept that risk. They’ll come for me, and Stardusk too. I can’t stop them. Just warn you, hopefully. Be the spy that I am. You know I tried, I really did, just to be your cook for a while. But I think it’s time I stopped running. From everything.”

Scoffing, he scratched his head. He gave her a sheepish grin. “So… whaddaya say? Care for a spymaster?”

Runali hummed in thought, looking at where the horses ran off to. She didn’t seem to care too much about Ivan and Corchalia anymore. “Went through all that trouble to save him and he didn’t even say thanks.” Her hands rested on her hips. “Very rude of him.” Runali shook her head but stopped her mumbling to look over at Jack. And for a moment, she looked confused.

“Are you… are you saying you’re not going to be my chef anymore?”

What?” asked a shocked Jack. “No! You think I’d leave the fate of the crew’s stomachs to anyone else?”

Hearing that answer, Runali blinked and then gave a small laugh. “Well then this conversation is silly. You coulda told me you were gonna try out being in theater like the Court and I wouldn’t have been bothered.” She shrugged and laughed. “We get people chasing after us all the time, what’s a few more? “It’s good exercise and all.” She patted Jack’s arm. “So long as you know you’re stuck under the Stardusk flag, you can take any title you want… But also as long as you stick with being a chef too.”

Smiling, Jack captured her in an one-armed hug. “Captain, you have my word. I’m never leaving Stardusk. Not until the day I die.”
 
The Past

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The Two Children made their way to the nearby tavern, running through the train and past the smiling townsfolk.
“You two playing together again!”
The baker stepped out of his store, they knew him as Mr. Horn due to his big red nose. He didn’t seem to mind the nickname and it was close enough to his real name he didn’t seem to mind.
“We’re going to see the merchant who came into town,” Maka said.
Zilia remained quiet but offered a small nod in response.
Mr. Horn chuckled a little before ruffling the two’s heads, Maka complained as he fixed his hair but Zilia only offered a small smile. She was only good at talking openly with Maka and her Mentor but the townsfolk were always kind and understanding. It was a warm place, and she hoped one day she’d be able to properly speak to everyone, Maka had been helping her practice.
“I saw him at the tavern, if you head that way,” Mr. Horn said. “Here.”
The man shoved fresh bread into both of their hands and made a motion with his head.
“Don’t tell the missus. Zilia have your mom come down here again. She’s got the stare of a snake but she’s a good conversationalist.”
Zilia opened her mouth only to close it and Maka smiled.
“Mentor not mom Mr. Horn,” Maka said looking up at the large man.
“Oh right right...that strange woman. Anyway don’t let me keep ya.”
The two continued on their way waving to the townsfolk as they passed, Maria the girl who owned the flower stand, Vince the one man you never lend money to, at least that’s what everyone said. Sarin Maka’s mother who yelled at him not to run, and as always he pretended not to hear only waving back.
“Zilia tell your mommy mentor to come see me again. I enjoyed her tea!”
Zilia waved to Sarin as they passed as a response before the two arrived at the tavern.
The two were only not allowed inside at night according to Claire and Dan, the married couple who ran the place, that was ‘adult’ time, they even put a sign on the door when Maka tried to sneak them in one night. Zilia knew the two of them well as the one place her mentor came often was here, normally at night but occasionally during the day. They often made comments about her and Maka taking over the place one day, but she didn’t understand why they would.
Once inside the two noticed a middle aged man sitting at the bar, he had a large bag in the seat next to him, with an assortment of objects attached to it, of varying shapes and sizes. There were also a few strangely shaped fruits poking out of the pockets, the man was holding one in his hand and pointing at it.
“Let’s go talk to him,” Maka said.
Zilia nodded and the two approached the traveler.

Some time Later
Zilia moved through the forest following the familiar path, summer was coming to an end and fall was fast approaching. Everyone had been talking about the Fall Festival recently, her mentor disliked dealing with such things but even she was going to come along since Zilia wanted to go. She didn’t want summer to end but getting to spend a festival with her mentor more than made up for it.
She wanted to talk to Maka about it but he’d been distant lately, though she understood why.
Upon approaching their spot she saw him sitting on a stump with his back to her, his body leaned forward and his shoulders drooped, his face in his hands.
Since he had taken a bit out of that thing called a ‘Devil Fruit’ he’s been like this.
He was curious what it would taste like and had snuck a bite when the traveler wasn’t looking, a tiny bite no one would have noticed, but apparently that was all it took.
Now he was a ‘Zoan’ or something according to the traveler, he seemed very upset and Sarin had to pay him for the fruit, Maka got in trouble but...that was nothing compared to everything afterwards.
“...Maka.”
The boy jumped a little at Zilia’s voice, he glanced over at her, a mask covering his face. Something he had started doing recently.
“...go away.”
His voice was small, lacking the energy the girl knew him for.
Zilia reached her hand towards him making no attempt to leave and Maka knocked her hand away.
“Leave me alone! I’m a freak just like everyone says! If you stay near me you’ll get hurt.”
Zilia flinched a little as Maka raised his voice, she held her hand as he stared at her through his mask. Being a ‘Zoan’ Maka apparently had good hearing, and his face had changed a little. He thought his new power was cool and changed into a beast in town to show everyone...but no one smiled, and they avoided him afterwards. Maka was apparently really good at hearing whispers now and rarely walked around town any more.
He spent all his time alone and Zilia….Zilia hated that.
Reaching forward again claws formed on Maka’s hand as he gripped the stump, he tried to lean away from Zilia but she didn’t pull back, he raised his hand as she gripped his mask and pulled it off.
“...I won’t leave you alone Maka,” Zilia said. “You stayed with me when I was alone...so I wanna be with you when you’re alone. I don’t think you’re a freak. I’ll always be here for you.”
Zilia smiled at Maka and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. Maka didn’t move at first but eventually she could hear sniffling come from him as he wrapped his arms around her.
“....I’m not crying,” he mumbled.
“I know.”
“...thanks Zilia.”
“Don’t worry about it. We gotta help each other right?”

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Present

Lady Luck sailed towards it’s new destination, Zilia offering what advice she could on making it there, since the place was still well hidden. They were still a fair bit off but at their pace she expected they’d make it there in the next few hours. Everyone was together and the others were going to join them, they already had a plan in place and Zilia knew the area well. She wasn’t letting them get away, not this time.
Luro stared out at the open sea, singing a small tune off key to himself. His gaze moved over to the others on deck, smiling a little before he looked back at sea.
“Wait...where’d I leave off again?”
“The third verse.”
“Oh thank-”
Luro cut himself off noticing Yuli was sitting next to him, he looked over at her as she arched her brows a few times at him before clapping her hands together.
“Stardusk! You don’t disappoint at all!”
Zilia immediately turned towards the woman as she grinned at the ones around her.
“I expected nothing less of you. Running from danger just isn’t your style. It would have been boring if you just left. You’re going to get Isari back and sail off happily into the sunset. We have no intention of moving around anymore, the Boss has done everything that needs to be done, only a few ‘villianly’ things left to do. So you guys are in a good place.”
“...how do you keep appearing like that,” Zilia said, allowing her rope-dart to fall into her hand.
“I’m everywhere and nowhere, here and there. I can pop up whenever I want. Didn’t the Prophets tell you that? I’m always here. Just came to see you and say how happy I am you’re going this way. Jack you look good, remember how many times you cut me. I sure do, memorized the spots too and how deep the cuts were. I can’t wait to get back to you on that.”

Runali was sitting on a barrel, carefully cleaning one of Coral’s wings. She was keeping herself occupied for the time being and keeping her mind off of what happened before. And for a while it worked… until Yuli was back on the ship again. Coral jerked out of her gentle grasp in surprise, sensing the danger of the woman, but then figured it was best to stay close to the captain. There was a brief moment Runali closed her eyes, mentally sighing, but then calmly looked up at Yuli.

“You could have told us when we were there, deer lady. No use ruining the fun of it by constantly poking your head where it’s not wanted.” The captain cracked a small, empty smile. “You said it yourself, no? You know how things will go. Then why don’t you get comfy and wait for it to happen?” She looked back down, petting Coral into a more calm state. “Don’t want to get caught up in your own game and make a mistake, right?”

“Gahaha nah nothing like that. I’d love to stand next to you and watch it all happen but I gotta play my villain role. I’m supposed to leave you so you have a chance to win,” Yuli said offering a grin.
“I-”
A gunshot rang out as Luro put his pistol against the woman’s head and pulled the trigger, Zilia jumped a bit at the sudden action, red splattering on the man’s face before the woman’s body fell over the side of the ship, a new hole in her skull.
“Couldn’t resist stopping in though.”
Yuli finished her sentence as she opened the door from the inner deck holding a bowl of nuts in her hands. She tossed a handkerchief to Luro motioning to him with her finger.
“You got my blood on your face.”
“Oh thank you,” Luro said wiping it off.
“Welcome. Anyway I love that confidence though Ru-Ru can I call you Ru-Ru? See you guys are lucky to have her as a Captain. I’ve met many in my time and some of them just break down when facing their own mortality. This one though...this one’s got spunk, I see why Davy and the others like her. Even Imposters’ all about that Ru-Ru.”
Yuli shook her head at the thought.
“That’s why I like you. No matter what stands in your way, no matter what obstacle obstructs you you’ll always face it head on, with pride and courage. Like that one over there.”

Yuli motioned behind her and Zilia followed the woman’s finger, what she saw caused her heart to fall into her stomach. Multiple sails appeared on the horizon, all bearing the mark of the Hunter’s. An armada had already closed the distance to Lady Luck, Zilia’s gripped her clothes tightly as more ships appeared behind the row already bearing down on them.
“How...they weren’t there…” Zilia looked over at Yuli who playfully stuck her tongue out at her.
“I may have used my power to hide their approach. Theirs too,”
Yuli pointed behind them to as more of the ships approached, Relias’ fleet had already formed a ring around Lady Luck and their ships were moving into firing range.
“Oh almost forgot.”
Yuli snapped her fingers and there air sucked in around the group before large explosions echoed from below, the ship rocking back and forth knocking Zilia onto her rear, as the explosions continued, Yuli did a little twirl causing large cuts to form in the sails, moments later the ship stopped, completely dead in the water.
“There we go the final part.”
“You!”
Zilia stepped forward but Yuli had already vanished, finished with her destruction. Luro had already run downstairs to check on the damage when the woman’s voice echoed all around them.
“Your friends were actually on their way to help but I figured I’d slow them down. I mean you guys are self-dependant and really strong right. You can handle something like this.”
“Yuli!”
Zilia yelled as she spun around searching for the woman.
“I’ve always wondered if you’ve survived all you can by luck or skill...maybe both. It makes me want to see what you can handle. So you’re going to survive, dead in the water, against a nearly endless fleet of ships and emerge victorious on the other side, to save your precious friend. Ohhh I’m getting chills just imagining it! The one thing good about you mortals is your tenacity. I guess not being able to come back to life teaches you that trait. If you’re complaining ‘this Yuli and Maka keeps getting in our way’ well the feeling is absolutely mutual. Yes you are this annoying. Good luck!”

Luro emerged from the ship and approached Runali, he rubbed the side of his head looking over at the approaching ships.
“Well good news and bad news. The good news is we’re not going to sink, the bad news is Yuli hit a bunch of key spots on the ship...and destroyed most of our extra supplies. With time I could make proper repairs and get us moving again...but….”
Luro looked at the approaching ships then back at Runali.
“Well we don’t have the time we need, even with help. She clearly found where it’d hurt the most and just hit those spots. The sails will be especially tricky, not counting any damage that’ll be done when they start firing. Which I won’t be able to repair because she destroyed most of it….Alicia and I went through a lot of trouble to have extra too.”
Luro looked over at Zilia who stared silently at the approaching ships.
“Do you got a plan Captain? I...might have one if we can not get blown up. Which you know should be pretty easy.”

The danger of the situation became more apparent with each second Yuli spoke. Runali guessed it even before they were suddenly sitting ducks trapped between a circle of enemy ships. Despite it all, she stayed in one spot, still methodically petting Coral and if anyone had paid enough attention, they’d realize she had completely ignored Yuli at some point in her chatting. It wasn’t until Luro approached that she let the bird go. “Hm. Oh, yeah.” She stood to her feet and held her hand out. “Trade gloves with me?” She took off the fiery ones she’d been wearing, requesting ice.

When she placed the gloves on she gestured for everyone to focus on her. “If I’m not mistaken, that,” And she pointed to one ship in the circle. “Is the main ship. Can’t say the coward himself is on that ship, but it’s important that it sinks.” She cracked a smile. “Sends a message that way. However, the ship is at a standstill and canons can’t aim so Jack I’m gonna need your help… pushing a ship. She wiggled her fingers, showing off her gloves. “Afterwards, I’m gonna use up… a good chunk of my haki to create a wall around us. It’s not gonna hold forever but it’ll buy us time from cannon fodder. And time for me to regain some of my haki back. More important, we have to keep the mast intact.” Looking at Zilia and Cedric, she hummed in thought. “Think you two can rapid sew one of the sails? If one works Kadi can at least maneuver easier and we’re less sitting ducks. “Save your energy and your cards for when the fight gets closer.”

She gave Zilia a light reassuring pat on her shoulder before walking to the side of the ship and hopping on the ledge. The captain stared out at all of the enemy ships, the gears turning in her brain while she continued planning. “Hey, Luro. Remember that night we were here and you made the mini sun? What’d happen if Alicia was to cut it in half? We’ve got maybe a little less than three minutes. Five if we’re lucky. So, if it causes enough damage that way, then go for it. If it doesn’t, well you two are on canons,” she pointed to Luro. “And keeping all canon fire away from the mast.” She pointed at Alicia. “If we can get the ships to hit each other, even better.”

Luro smiled and exchanged gloves before listening to the Captain’s words he offered a grin and adjusted his gloves as the Captain gave her orders. His eyes moved to the ship she pointed at, it was one of the larger ships of the fleet, he couldn’t make out who was on it but he got a strange feeling looking at it. He could almost feel a presence imposing itself from the ship. He wasn’t completely sure but something about the ship bothered him, there wasn’t much time to deal with it.
“Aye Captain and I believe it’s the main ship too, it’s a bit better built than the others,” Luro said turning towards it. “…hmm I get a weird feeling from it though…eh doesn’t matter.”

Zilia watched the ships in silence only coming back to reality when Runali spoke to her, she blinked having to take a moment to gather her thoughts and register what was said.
“A-Aye Captain. I can help with that,” Zilia said moving to grab supplies.
Luro watched the woman pass, his brows lowering a bit but there wasn’t much time to dwell on it as Runali apparently had another idea.
“Of course Captain, I’d never forget that,” Luro said before looking at his glove.
That incident happened by the accidental merging of the Captain’s Armament, it was that action that lead him towards how to use the Armament for the glove, recreating it wasn’t impossible with her and Jack’s Armament in the glove.
“Well considering what happened at that camp it’d probably be pretty destructive…so of course I’m going to make it,” Luro said flexing the fire glove. “Alicia if you could use your glowy power again we can repeat what happened but with fire this time!”

Zilia had already returned with the fabric and tossed some to Cedric, similar to the wood Yuli apparently dealt with it as well so they didn’t have much. Judging by the damage done they should have enough to at least repair the sails, similar to what Luro said there wouldn’t be much else afterwards. Zilia’s eyes moved to Luro as he stared at the sails, hands on his hips. His eyes lowered slightly and he moved to start his task, allowing fire to build in his glove. Whatever was on his mind was apparently put aside as they prepared for the assault.

Yuli watched the whole scene from a distance in the crow’s nest on one of the ships, one hand resting on her cheek as she peered down at the group, leaning on the edge as they got everything together.
“Can’t even see the strings. So adorable.”

The captain could feel the waters becoming more and more unsteady as the ships got closer, but she kept her balance on the ledge. “I’m gonna need a lot more ice than I can make…” She looked down, debating if it was worth testing to see if the waters were also shark infested. “First mate’s in charge until I get back!” And like the last time they were barraged with Hunter ships coming towards them, Runali took a steadying breath and leapt into the water. She swam out a few feet from the ship after the initial shock of diving into the ocean and moments later the air grew slightly more chill as the… newly familiar ice wall began to form. It was quick at first, but the process slowed the closer the new “barrier” completely closed- however instead of closing it completely she left an opening where the main ship was, allowing it a passageway in. And then left two more openings for ships to attempt sailing in one at a time. “Alright deer lady, you wanted to know if it was luck or skill right? Then try to keep your hands to yourself and watch the show.” She wasn’t around, but the captain had a feeling she could still hear.

Runali took a step back off the high ledge she was on and got back to the ship the same way she did last time: sliding and stumbling aboard. She stood with her hands on her knees and took a deep breath. “Doing it once? Feels like the wind gets knocked outta you. Doing that to surround an entire ship? Ugh, gimme a second. I’ll bounce back. That should slow them down for a few seconds though.”

“Captain!”
Zilia yelled at Runali jumped into the ocean, she brought her hands to her head hundreds of warning threatening to escape from her. A hand on her shoulder from Luro however pulled her back to reality as the ice walls started to form. She didn’t like it but she calmed down and returned to working on the sails with Cedric.

Luro after focusing managed to conjure a small sun in the palm of his hand, pulling out a glass sphere he quickly shoved it in the sun tried to expand and shut it. Moments later the fire danced around wildly in the makeshift seal. Luro gripped it with both hands as it shook in his hands until it calmed down.
At this point he noticed the Captain back on deck, Zilia went to say something but Luro was already behind her, drying her off with the glove.
“One Mini Sun ready to go Captain,” Luro said holding it out with his free hand.

The ships seemed to slow at the sudden ice wall but only for a moment, a figure on the main ship held their hand up as they entered one of the crevices, causing the other ships to stop and hang back. Judging by the fact they were turning their cannons towards them, they seemed to be waiting for the main ship to signal them.
“The main ship took the bait,” Zilia said, glancing at the approaching ship.
Her gaze moved to the others around her lingering a bit longer and Alicia and Cedric, she was pulled from it as a figure passed her.

Yuli eyed the ice wall offering a small whistle at the scene itself, she offered a light applause which drew the attention of the few people around her. She chuckled pleased at the Captain’s ingenuity, her crew moving in unison preparing for the incoming attack. It was one thing to hear and another to witness.

“Good job Stardusk. Not bad at all. I’m more than happy to see where this goes,” the woman said nodding. “That being said it’s really convenient to have friends like this isn’t it Zil?”
Zilia looked over at Yuli who offered a smile to her.
“Useful since ‘with people like this around I’ll never have to use my power’…isn’t that right?”
Zilia gripped the sail in her hands a bit tighter as Yuli leaned towards her a bit.
“You can always rely on them to get things done…since they’re so strong all you have to do is sit back and watch…and never use your scary power, just as you said. I mean Alicia will probably solve the problem right…she always does, the Captain is so dependable…and Cedric’s magic is-”

A gunshot ran out blowing the woman’s skull over the side of the ship, Zilia turned to see Luro return his rifle to his back as Yuli’s body dissipated, her chuckle permeating the air until fading away.
“Calm down Z.”
It was a simple casual comment from the man, as he returned his attention to the Captain, Zilia looked down noticing her hands were trembling, she took a few breaths to regain her composure, waiting until the shaking stopped.
“I…”
“Just do what you always do, nothing in the Captain’s rules that say you gotta use anything. It’s fine to rely on us.”

Runali had slumped onto a barrel, giving a tired thanks to Luro when he helped her dry off. “Remind me,” Runali took her eyepatch off, wringing it dry. “To take that off next time when I jump into the ocean.” She leaned forward, deciding to do the same to her hair. Hearing the familiar voice on her ship made her hesitate for the briefest moment, but even as Yuli spoke Runali continued what she was doing as if she wasn’t there. When the gunshot rang out, she looked up at Luro and then over to where Zilia was standing. The captain let out a small sigh and stood to her feet, taking a quick moment to regain her balance from the power exhaust earlier. Despite what had just happened, Runali with her back turned to the others had a playfully devious grin. She bent down slightly, just so Zil would hear as she lowered her voice and teased, “Don’t think you’re taking the easy route and using those powers of yours Zil. I’ve seen you fight. It’d be a shame to waste a skill like that because the deer lady made you angry.” She straightened up and put a hand on the doctor’s shoulder, speaking a little louder. “You’re a part of my pirate crew for a reason, doctor. Don’t you forget it!”

Runali patted Zilia’s shoulder and turned on her heel. “We’ve got suns to cut and ships to shoot down.” She walked towards the ledge of the ship, watching as their enemies started to ready for fire. She scratched her cheek after she gave out the last of the crews’ orders. “Hm might’ve been nice to have a backup plan… Ah, well. All or nothing it is.”
 
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The silent swordswoman paid little mind to Yuli as she demonstrated her ability to circumvent death while seemingly goading the rest of the crew with various subtle taunts. Her demonstration back on the beach with the hunters was enlightening to just how little information they had and until they learned more she didn't see any reason to exert energy needlessly trying to kill someone or something that couldn't yet be killed, albeit she did hold a small amount of appreciation for Luro's efforts in silencing her... if only for a moment. "You act as though all or nothing isn't our usual method of handling situations." she replied with a small amount of amusement at Runali's statement as she moved behind her towards the center of the ship.

Alicia's brows knitted together for a moment as she turned her attention towards the advancing fleet of ships, silver eyes moving towards the walls of ice summoned by Ru which bought them a little time to prepare for what was coming. "I'm going to need some space... " she muttered, turning to look over her shoulder towards the deck before looking up towards the rest of the crew. "Please keep clear of the main deck while I set up, if you get caught up in my technique it'll be a really bad day." she warned before giving a small nod in Luro's direction, indicating she would ready for his intervention when the time was right as she took a few steps back towards the middle of the main deck before taking out her sword.

Inverting her grip on the hilt, she brought the tip of the black blade down against the floor before taking a knee as she closed her eyes and tipped her head forwards. A deep inhale and exhale followed, causing the surrounding air to pull in towards her before pushing back out again as her left eye ignited in her signature display of her powers activation. More steadied breaths followed, the air soon forming a ring which began to brighten into a white glow as ornate patterns of light sprawled from beneath her along the deck towards the edges of the ring before brightening with each breath. The immediate area around her became dense and heavy just as it had done before during her exchange with Mari, particles of light ascending from the light patterns beneath the swordswoman increasing with each passing second.

After a minute of what almost appeared to be a kind of meditative preparation, Alicia stood and lifted Shusui from the ground with both hands to hold it up over her head with the tip pointing towards the sky. Sliding her foot back a little, she settled her stance and her form as she focused ahead of her towards the inbound fleet. "Luro." she called without looking in his direction, awaiting him to toss the small sun into the path of her swing. A flicker passed in Alicia's eyes as her observation haki activated, unbeknown to her as the glass ball reached the periphery of her sight while she waited for the exact moment it'd fall within striking distance. Then with a single vertical swing, Shusui came down to cleave the orb in half, absorbing it's power into the black purply metal before tearing the world asunder.



The unleashed power drowned out all sound as the blade split the orb in half, a dull thundering boom reverberating outward as a beam of white light expelled forth towards the approaching fleet causing a wave of pressure to flatten the ocean in its wake as Lady Luck was shoved back by the recoil. A column of twenty enemy ships erupted into balls of flame, reduced to burning embers as the beam punctured ship after ship, igniting gunpowder cashes, splintering hulls and disintegrating metal. The light would fade, sound bleeding back into the world once again as droplets of sea water rained from above from having been tossed skyward by Alicia's attack. The swordswoman exhaled through parted lips, the attack clearly taking a lot of out of her given the amount of power it required to unleash. The pattern of light beneath her faded and Shusui was once again returned to slumber within its saya. "Well... lets hope that'll give us some extra time."
 
Collab bet'w @Fox of Hearts and @SilentxChaos
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On Lady Luck: Pre-Ship Battle

Cedric leaned his damp forehead against the paneling; he stopped halfway up the stairs leading to the deck. Faint stars danced in his eyes as he gulped down laboured breaths. A voice in his head told him to head back to bed but his heart said otherwise. He knew, in his gut, that Jack was up on deck. His brother loitered there whenever something bothered him.

Jack needed him, he reminded himself. He allowed his concern for the man to push him forward one agonising step at the time. He stopped again on the penultimate step, coughing blood into Zilia's handkerchief. He gasped and clutched his chest. Flares of pain tainted his vision causing him to slump drunkenly against the wooden wall.

Jack … I'm coming …

He threw the door open; autumn winds licked Sid's damp body, causing him to shiver. His eyes scrunched shut as bony hands rubbed up and down his thinly clothed arms. Madam Doctor should look into thicker patient robes, he griped.

He clutched the door frame as more coughing burned his lungs. He wheezed loudly. The strangled sound turned into a desperate gasp. He screwed his eyes shut again. He was really tethering ever closer to the edge of consciousness. Something, he hoped, Jack wouldn't notice.

The man in question had his back towards him; muscular arms pressed into the worn wooden surface, weighed down by the man's body weight. Audible wincing broke the silence and hinting at the agony Jack was probably experiencing. The very thought twisted Sid's heart strings into a painful knot.

He pushed on; stopping only when his hands rested on the railings too. "Fére, tu sem' malady. Vo' blessure vous dérange?" (Brother, you look pale. Is your injury troubling you?)

Two eyes sunken into dark circles rotated toward Cedric. Jack gave him a swift anaylsis, “Tu ressembles à de la merde.” (You look like shit) , and returned to the sea. His face was ashen and sweating, despite the sharp coolness hanging in the air. He clung to the ship’s banister like his life depended on it.

“I, uh, sorry about your table,” he finally said when Cedric clearly wasn’t going to leave. “I’ll have Luro repair it. Once we get through this.”

Sid tilted his head to the side in silent acknowledgement. He could argue that Jack looked worse with the litany of bruises down his face but such bantering was pointless. He suppressed his coughing as his face turned seaward. He tasted the blood that fell into the black expanse below.

Swallowing back the dregs, he pushed back into a standing position. "A table can be replaced but I only have one brother," Cedric responded in Trovalian. His voice sounded melancholic in the face of their fragility.

He reached out and rested his ungloved hand on the closer arm. "Laisse moi véri' ta blessure." (Let me check your injury.)

Jack reflexively moved away. He stopped himself. Released an explosive and painful exhale. “Not-- not here. I think... a stitch ripped.” He looked at Cedric again, this time with a pleading expression. “Help me to the kitchen? I don’t want her to find out.”

Sid kept his face as neutral as possible, not wanting to add to his brother's emotional burden. He could tell that something else bothered the man. For sure, it wasn't this mysterious 'her', who was most probably Madame Doctor. Jack let slip many times before how scary he found her. Cedric, personally, disagreed. There were scarier people out there. Felix as a mentor, for instance, or his late uncle when the man was drunk.

"Wa shinjite na'mid-eo (trust me)," he whispered, quoting a phrase he remembered Jack's Ma Zhi Ruo using. She told him that those words always calmed Jack down as a child.

A weird look flitted across Jack’s face. He leaned against his younger brother without protest. He hadn’t heard those words since… he didn’t even know. The pang of homesickness thrummed with his wound.

He stood still as his brother gripped his arm while turning around. Sid noticed the sun-kissed colour of the man's skin paled to a chalky hue, something he hadn't seen for a long time. Instinctively, he reached out to touch the damp forehead. No fever, he noted with relief. This ruled out the possibility of Jack collapsing from Haki overuse.

He pulled away and accepted the arm his fére offered him. Draping it around his angular shoulders, he inched closer to Jack. He wrapped an arm across that broad back and lay a hand on the man's hip. "Careful now."

Jack sucked in a breath as angry flare ups stabbed his side. “You be careful,” he snapped.

He bit down on his tongue, regretting the words as soon as they came out. Long-term wounds always made him edgy.

Sid tutted. His mind expressing exactly what he wanted to say. You could have looked for me earlier. This was a long walk to nowhere. He didn't say it, though, since it would be a low blow given his brother's misery. He became more determined than ever to get Jack talking once he tended to the wound.

Together, the brothers managed to limp back to the kitchen without the rest of the crew interfering. Jack kicked the door shut behind them and dragged himself to a nearby stool. He winced as he lowered himself down, gripping the bandages. Cedric could see blood spots soak through his linen shirt.

“Medical supplies are in the cabinet. Underneath the false board,” Jack said between painful gasps. He pulled up his shirt to look at the bandages, then glanced back at Cedric. “On your own time. Don’t pass out on me. I won’t be able to catch you.”

"Shrug of your shirt, bitte," he requested, using Belvedere's shorter version of please. As much as Sid detested the sound of Geborgen, this particular word had its uses when dealing with an irate chef.

He was back squatting by Jack's side by the time the shirt hit the floor. Fresh blood and old mingled unpleasantly around the curve from last rib to navel. The heaviest bleeding gathered towards the bottom. Sid stood up again and grabbed a clean cloth. He dampened it with water and a few drops of alcohol, just as Scorpiox taught them.

"Bite your shirt if needed. This will hurt," he instructed with minimal sympathy. He didn't want to risk infection setting in given how long the wound had been weeping.

“I’m not unfamiliar with this pain,” Jack reminded him.

When the clothe touched his wound, a fist hit the table as Jack did his best to control his response to the sharp agony. Used to it his memory may be, his body certainly wasn’t. Jack locked his gaze stonily at the ceiling until the worst ebbed away. He glanced back down at the wound -- slowly, to avoid disrupting Sid -- and grimaced.

“Damn. My tattoo would have been ruined, if it used to be where it was.”

The bleeding gash pulsed over a disfigured black hole that existed above Jack’s hip. His fingers grazed the lumpy edging as his eyes misted over again. “Do you remember how it looked? The cardinal on the lotus blossom tree against a blue sky. The artist had been a master at mixing pigments….”

Jack reached up to his shoulder, and stopped. He shifted uncomfortably, suddenly aware of his lack of shirt. The voided tattoos, every one, on full display. He sideglanced his brother, then looked away again. “You haven’t seen them all, have you?”

Cedric bobbed his head politely as Jack talked, freezing slightly at the last question. He pulled back his gaze and took in his brother's body, scars and voided tattoos. He wondered if there was a right thing to say. This was clearly a touchy issue for his brother.

"Not all. We didn't meet as much once you joined Madame Vontiago. And the few missions we had, Adelaide was the one tending to your injuries."

He mulled over his answer; he hadn't realized how long it had been since he cared for Jack. He hadn't been conscious when Jack discovered he was blinded neither had he been there to support him when he stumbled away bleeding from his side. It felt like his brother of old, a self-sacrificing man who supported him without question.

"I used to resent Adelaide. Thought of her as someone trying to steal you away. Now I see she is the glue that bound us together when we were drifting away. She told me, you know, about all that you suffered under the royal service. I didn't know …"

“I didn’t lose my tattoos until after Oublia. They were my… punishment, for betraying the Marauders.”

Jack’s fist tightened as his face pinched into hatred. The two specific people he had to thank for disfiguring him were now running free in the Devil’s Circle. Ivan and Corchalia. Cedric heard plenty of it when Jack returned from his mission with Runali, having no one else to turn to. Letting them go remained a bitter taste, no matter how much he told himself that he had moved on.

Cedric ran a hand down his brother's back. "Hey Jack, before we spend too much time talking like Bel, can I cauterize the wound? It will stop the stitches from opening when we fight." He bit his lower lip before proceeding to the next thought. His right hand unconsciously reaching for his left shoulder blade. "It will leave some burn scars after. Yeah," he ended awkwardly before he could compare the process to branding.

Blinking, Jack looked at his brother. He shrugged. “Might as well. We have more battles coming and I can’t nurse stitches mid-firefight.”

He saw his brother’s nervous tick, and softened. Jack patted his leg in comfort. “Sid, I don’t care about the burn scars. I can do it myself if needed… but make sure it’s good and deep, alright? If I’m doing this, I can’t have the skin pulling apart either. I’ll end up bleeding more than broken stitches.

“I’ll get a fire started. Grab one of the knives on my bandolier, will you? I don’t mind subjecting those blades to the flames.”

"N-non, I will try. You've been caring for me and … I want to do the same." He smiled wryly. "I can't let Luro steal you from me, no?"

Self-deprecating or jealous, he let his fére decide. He was sincere though about his wish to help Jack even if it made him uncomfortable. He guessed this was a healing process for both of them in a way.

He inspected the bandolier carefully, pulling out blades at random. Finally, he pulled out a broad, flat blade, a coconut knife, so he recalled. Jack told him he acquired it in Jaipur after his cooking session with l'capitaines Maman. It was, in Jack's words, a useful thing I can use in battle or in the kitchen. Why in battle, Sid didn't want to imagine. He hoped Jack was not that barbaric.

"Will this knife do?" he asked, flashing this knife in question.

Jack barked a laugh. “Cedric, Luro could no more replace you than salt could replace sugar. You're my truest sibling. Nothing will change that.”

Hobbling over to the stone pit, Jack began stocking a fire. As the red flames birthed into an orange cackling, his mind drifted to upcoming meal preparations. His logistic self always ensured that there was three days’ worth of half-made meals, in case something should happen. It wouldn’t be a problem for the crew to make what he prepared, but still it was an outcome he liked avoiding at all costs. Shouldn’t be a problem… as long as I don’t pass out.

Sid’s question tugged Jack out of his thoughts. He determined the blade would be suited to their needs, then asked his brother to grab the rum bottle.

“A wooden spoon, too. The one with the burnt indent will do.”

"Spoon … oh." Sid forgot that part of his lessons.

Jack waited and thanked Cedric once he came to the fire. Taking both the bottle and spoon, Jack drank one long swig from the former. He wiped his mouth and leaned against the ship’s wall.

“Alright. Let’s get this over with before I start bleeding over the floor… you have done this before, haven’t you?” Jack asked gently, but couldn’t keep the skepticism out. He knew Sid was handy in rudimentary treatments, but he didn’t know if the younger had cauterized wounds. And Sid had once experienced the agony of burning metal… Jack imagined this wasn’t easy, and it showed in his patience.

"Well, I watched Scorpiox do this a fair few times," Jack's brother reassured him, leaving out the part about him feeling sick to the stomach. The smell of charred flesh was forever burned into his memory; one of the many parting gifts from his blooded uncle.

Purple eyes squeezed shut as the tailor mentally rehearsed the entire process. Flicking them open, he motioned for Jack to bite on the spoon. Sid grabbed an unheated knife, already dosed with alcohol, and sliced open the remaining stitches. He swiped the cloth off the table top and yanked the glowing knife out of the stove. His ragged breathing hitched as he shuffled closer to Jack. A deadened look clouded his eyes and he hesitated.

"Fère, Je …."

Jack didn't give him a chance to hesitate. Rough hands grabbed his wrists and pressed the burning metal to skin. Only one let go, allowing Jack to flatten his back against the wall. More colour drained from the big brother's face; his eyes rolling back. A fisted hand slammed against the top of the stone pit. Through his own numbing horror, Sid saw Jack's teeth gnashing against wood. The sound penetrating into his skull.

Cedric could hear his own screams, the horrors from long ago, rising in pitch. Sid gasped, letting go of the knife in the present. He slid to the floor. His blank stare meeting the overcast wall as his head and smarting hand rested against Jack's knee.

He shivered; memories of the days after stuck painfully in his mind. The feverish agony adding a layer of detachment from his prison. He swallowed dryly and gagged. The smell of Jack's burning flesh made his memories all too clear. "Jack?" he called weakly.

Once the deed was done, Jack spat out the spoon and fell to the ground. He laid there for several moments, panting, and waited for his vision to stop swimming in murky darkness.

“Ow.” He shot a quick half-smile at his brother, only for it to dissipate as he saw the vacant stare.

Jack leaned over enough to take his arm. He encouraged Sid to lay next to him, and gave him a hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered, “You did great. It’s over now.”

Life bled back into those hollow eyes; Cedric remained where he was, allowing his brother to cradle him. He looked trustingly into eyes that glowed with an amber hue. He curled closer to the broad chest. So close that he could hear that familiar heart beat.

"Reste," he pleaded. (stay)

He was aware how uncomfortable it must be for Jack with his bare back facing the stone pit but he felt very tired all of a sudden. Sid closed his eyes as he began to relax. "Fére, let me care for you now and then while I can. I don't know what will happen five years from now or even ten."

He sighed as he finally accepted his new reality. Nothing made it clearer than the fact that he started coughing up blood again; this time, he couldn't blame his injuries or Madame's poison. Jack's concern proved to be true in the worst of ways. "With my illness returning … I don't know. I'm worried, Jack. What if Zilia can't cure me? Joseph couldn't."

Jack didn’t say anything at first. He knew his voice would crack, his throat constricted with the fear that came with this news. It wasn’t the first time he learned Sid’s illness had returned; but he had to rub the mist in his eyes everytime he thought of it. He tried not to think of it.

“I will...do my best. But you may have to remind me. I’m more used to caring for you than the other way around,” Jack confessed. He gave his brother an awkward, one-arm hug and tried to shift into a more comfortable position. His seared side protested with a vengeance.

“Sid, honestly? We may not even survive Zilia’s enemies. Let’s say we do, then a week from now the Navy decides to wipe Stardusk off the map. Or maybe we fall prey to the Pirate Lord’s whims. Or maybe I cook a sick chicken and we all die of dysentery. See where I’m going with this?”

He smirked down at his younger brother. “The reality is we’re always one bad day away from waking up in the Locker. I want to fight for your life -- I want you to fight for your life -- but we can’t do that if we’re measuring what we have left. Gotta live in the present, as the captain would say.”

Cedric's body unfurled and he gazed at Jack's face. He understood where his brother was coming from despite the morbidity of those words. It was a sentiment he guessed he could embrace. After all, life was as short as he made it.

He chuckled. "Love you, fére," he murmured, snuggling closer and putting his hand against the planes of Jack's chest. "Promise me we will head back to Norja if I get too sick. Also, promise me you will marry Ade before you die. I want you to be happy."

“Love you too,” Jack smiled at the ceiling. Despite himself, his eyes began to droop. His body was exhausted. He shifted into a more comfortable position that had them sliding to the floor. He continued in a drifting voice. “Of course, we’ll go to Norja. I’ll stay with you as long as….needed….you didn’t see the ring….?”

Turning over, Jack fell asleep right on the floor of his kitchen with Cedric curled at his side. On his left hand, a black stone ring glistened in the gloom.

Sid pulled Jack's hand closer and a small smile formed on his lips. "I'm glad. You two bring out the best in each other. When did you …?"

He trailed off when he heard soft snoring coming from Jack. The younger brother placed the hand down and staggered to his feet. After fetching a bucket of water, fresh towels and blanket from, he returned to the elder's side. He wiped away the dried sweat from Jack's face, back and chest. After that, he dried him and covered him with a blanket.

Sliding down beside his brother, he lay beside the man and brushed away a few stray dreadlocks. "Bonne nuit, fére." (good night, brother)
 
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Adelaide's here too, yay~


There was always something interesting about watching people struggle in the face of adversity, so many different expressions. Happiness, despair, determination, relaxed. It said more about a person than a thousand conversations in some cases. At the end of it all though, attitude didn’t matter without action, she knew her boss was watching the scene as well so she wanted to make sure it was a good show.

“Boo.”

A wipsy voice, carrying an accent similar to Cedric Langley’s, drifted around Yuli’s ears. The wind brushed around her and formed a miniature cyclone. Out of the very breeze, a woman appeared. Her entire body was only partially present, like an image that wavered on a pond’s surface. She solidified enough to hold a visible silhouette. Perching on her haunches, she gave Yuli a wave.

“Enjoying the show you’ve directed?” Adelaide Summers asked as she looked upon the battlescape. The wind whipped through her, causing her midriff to disappear momentarily.

Yuli’s eyes drifted over towards the source of the voice, a smile the only sign of acknowledgement of the presence around her. The woman sat leaning forward, elbows on the round banister, face in her hands as if she was entranced by the show in front of her, though she shifted leaning on her arm and raised a hand in greeting to Adelaide at her own.
She didn’t seem to mind being interrupted, more than happy to speak with the newcomer.

“All the actors are in place, the performance has begin and we’re a step away from hope or tragedy. I prefer the theatrics left to the Montagues but we all have to play our roles.”
A small shrug escaped from the woman as she focused back on Stardusk.
“Did you come to watch, it’s somewhat boring when you know the ending but you can find enjoyment in the small moments.”

“I thought I’d watch the strings,” replied Adelaide as she moved until she sat on the banister with her legs dangling in midair. “I always liked watching the master direct his puppets. You can read where the story is going before it happens.”

Her eyes rested on Yuli first before her head turned to face her fully. “I’m not here to intervene, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Her eyes rested on Yuli first before her head turned to face her fully. “The question is: Do you hold the strings? Or are you just another puppet, playing without agency? That’d be sad for your Puppeteer friend. Puppet of a puppet. I had one like that, once. The fun in it didn’t last long.”

“Not if the Master is experienced,” Yuli said raising a finger with a smile.
At the mention of interfering Yuli arched a brow at her, a small chuckle escaped from her and she focused on the battle below. She gave a small wave of her hand, the small smile still resting on her face.
“Didn’t even cross my mind. Good thing you didn’t, that’d be cheating then I’d have just killed them. Not that it would have changed anything but I want to see what they can do with their own power, if that’s muddled then there’s no point in this anymore, so I find new actors. I made an exception for Imposter though since he’s not helping.”

Yuli traced her finger in a circle on the banister resting her cheek on her fist, only glancing at Adelaide as she mentioned puppet, she stared at the woman for a moment, her brows arched slightly, after a few breaths she seemed to realize that was directed at her. A stifled laugh escaped before the woman leaned forward laughter fully escaping from her, she pounded her fist on the banister, tears forming in her eyes as she shook with laughter. More than likely a whole minute passed before she wiped a finger from her eye.
The crew below didn’t seem to pay too much mind to the two, not even glancing upwards at the noise.
“Ah...ah that was great. That’s what I like about you humans. You say the silliest things, it’s adorable. Here how about I show you rather than just tell you.”
Yuli held her hand out to Adelaide.
“I’ll let you see what I see for a moment. Being my only audience member. Well save the Boss but he’s not theatric. After seeing your display amongst the performers I almost wanted you to be on my stage...but...well this stage may not be the one for you.”

Adelaide gave her a delayed smile as Yuli laughed, wide eyes taking in every movement and tone of the woman. However at the outstretched hand, her body turned toward Yuli; nearly appeared to lean away from her, except the continuous wind morphing made it impossible to tell what was Adelaide’s actual motions.

She contemplated the hand for a long moment, then shrugged. “What’s one more time into the unknown?”

As Adelaide reached for Yuli’s hand, furious gales whipped around them. Yuli’s hair was mussed and her clothing hooked and pulled in uncomfortable ways. But as their fingers met, they slowed, wrapping around Adelaide until she became a solid human once more. Her fingers gained weight as she put them against the woman’s pale palm.

“Do me a favor: if you plan to take my soul, give me a good fight,” said Adelaide with a smirk.

“That’s the spirit.”
It was unknown when but the woman’s hair and clothes had returned to their normal state almost immediately, whether it happened in a blink or in the tiny moment that passed was left to debate. Once Adelaide touched her and spoke Yuli offered a small smile to her.
“Silly if I wanted your soul I’d have taken it already. Just like Imposter would have. Now take a look out there.”

In front of them was Lady Luck surrounded by a circle of ships, from their place it was easy to see there were actually four rings but from Stardusk’s point of view it would only appear to be two, and that was with close observation. Multiple men and women ran along the ships below and Yuli smiled as she raised her hand.
“Now let’s shed away the illusion.”

Yuli held her hand out and sweeped it along the ships in front of them, the bright blue sky was quickly replaced with black, the crisp blue sea below turned a bright red reflecting all the ‘pieces’ in place and all sound around them suddenly ceased, even the birds in the air froze in place above as the woman passed over them. The waves had stopped moving, the men and woman on the ships had stopped in place, only Stardusk continued to move unheeded.
The four rings of ships had become thirty, stretching far into the distance. A near endless supply of ships against one.

Bits of white smoke drifted through the air, though a careful eye could see that that smoke was coming from a few of the people below, the whole scene in the span of a moment had shifted into a haunted display of black and red.
However that mattered little to the red strings attached to every single living thing around them, save for Yuli herself.
The wires had even somehow come in contact with Adelaide, they were transparent, and there was no feeling to them, the finger just passing through as if they weren’t there. No sign that they touched the body, and if she moved they followed tracing her movements, material, immaterial it mattered not.
High above the sky was Puppeteer, she seemed to be standing on something her hands out, threads falling from her fingertips, spread out and sunk into every living thing below them. Every member of Stardusk, every one of Relias soldiers, all were puppets to the little girl above, the girl moving her hands back and forth as the others moved, directing the show as need be.
If Adelaide looked past the ships she could see bits of red threads in the distance as well, more than likely an island of people.

Hot air blew towards the women from behind them, Slayis also stood in the crows nest, though due to his size he took up most of the back. Whether he had appeared or been there all along was another matter, but within that sea of red and sky of shadow he existed watching the scene below.
“I told Stardusk everything in this circle is mine...and they kept going,” Yuli said. “I control everything here, every breath, every step, none of it belongs to you. I just let you believe it does. I wonder if I said that instead if they’d have run...haha what am I saying of course they wouldn’t. That’s what I love about Human’s, you could tell them don’t run into that flaming house and they absolutely would.”

Yuli glanced at Adelaide and smiled.
“Imposter is sealed within the redhead so he can only create his world within him...but I’m not bound by that same limitation...the sad thing is you may be the only person who truly understands the dangers of being in a ‘god’s’ domain. How much control they really have there.”
Yuli focused back on the battle ahead.
“Oh wait.”
Yuli made a motion with her free hand and one of the ships moved over slightly into place.
“Gotta make sure a lot of ships end up in the way of their attacks. Give them some extra hope you know, since I’m so nice. I know the Captain said not to interfere but she won’t mind an extra ship or two going down, I won’t do anymore more than that. Even let them move freely.”

Yuli released Adelaide’s hand and the scene immediately returned to normal, the blue sky returned, the birds moved once more and the red sea turned blue as time moved forward once again. Yuli rested her cheek back in her hand smiling at the scene below, Slayis and Puppeteer had vanished as well.
“That’s what this world really looks like,” she said smiling at her. “I just show them this so they fight a little harder. The show would be boring if they realized they had no real control here, if their succession was only because I allowed it. So how was it, can you see where the story is going. The fun one I have planned for everyone of them.”

A dangerous glint formed in the woman’s eyes at the question, but it faded as quick as it came. She made a motion with her hand towards Adelaide and a loud snapping could be heard.
“I removed your strings though. I wouldn’t hurt my audience. Anyone who enters the Circle is covered in those strings, Puppeteer did it out of habit, she might do it later for the same reason but you won’t feel it anyway. Don’t worry once you leave they won’t affect you anymore. My domain and control is only within here.”
Yuli adjusted her glasses and smiled at the woman.
“Hopefully that sufficiently answered your question. I found human believe things easier if they see it for themselves and you did want to see the strings after all.”

The change was marvelous -- it’d never cease to be less. Adelaide’s lips parted as she looked up at the abyssal sky. Leaning over the banister, causing their arms to stretch to maintain the handhold, she took in the bloody sea, too. “Personally, I liked Imposter’s world better.” She turned back to Yuli. “He had more imagination with the transitions.”

Much like her conversation with Imposter, Adelaide subdued to an intensive listener. She’s been controlling everything from the very beginning. Nothing that’s happened was based on Stardusk’s choices. Not even Jack killing her. She raised her hands and spread the fingers, imagining how the strings would stretch if they were still there. I’m not considered a threat. Or worth the trouble. For now.

So, she’s delaying them. Making them fight to get to Isari.
“You are this place… so why do you need a power that’s not your own? What do you and your Master plan with Isari?”

Adelaide’s thoughts jumped around. She leaned forward; she was intrigued now. Yuli presented a provocative treat. She played with it, like a child encountering their first six-colored cube puzzle. Did they ever stand a chance? Will they survive?

Her lips pressed together. Those were Jack-thoughts. They wouldn’t help her here.

Eyes tracked the battle. She observed what was happening, but also conjured a re-imagining of what Yuli showed her. In her mind’s eye, she traced every string. She placed the unseen ships where they were meant to be, and imagined the people on them. A nail picked at the wood grain.

“Who are they to you?” Adelaide meant the Puppeteer and Slayis. Her nail tapped twice on the railing and then, she looked at Yuli. Her questions had come rapid-fire, despite the thought process behind them. Now she waited for the answers. Her eyes were the perfect picture of a naive curiosity.

Yuli seemed to puff her cheeks a little at the comparison to Imposter, but it was clear she was just being playful. She waved her free hand at the very idea.
“Bah I think he’s too showy personally. I prefer when he’s just straightforward and deadly.”
The woman seemed to stare at Adelaide as she asked questions, her eyes resting on the woman even as she observed the ships below, she didn’t respond for a long moment, her eyebrows lowering slightly, her yellow eyes gave off a soft glow as she watched the woman, her finger tapping on the banister for a moment as she observed Adelaide.

The moment didn’t last long however and the glow faded, a small smile resting on her face as she offered a small shrug.
“Eh I’m bored why not,” Yuli said more to herself than the woman next to her. “Boss’ Orders. Said he wanted the Crystal power to be used not mine. We’d be done by now if I did it.”
Yuli offered a small shrug at it.
“His emotions blind him to the obvious…no that’s not right he knows it’d be easier. I believe he wants something ‘very’ specific from all this. He wants to observe the process, see the changes that come and what he doesn’t know. If do it there is no process it’s just-“
Yuli snapped her fingers indicating how quick the matter would be resolved.
“Boss not Master,” Yuli said raising a finger. “Well I mean he technically is but that’s a whole other thing. We already explain that right? Don’t know why all these background people aren’t paying attention, it’s messing up my play, you gotta know your lines.”
Yuli waved the thought away before speaking again.
“We want the Circle. Once done I was going to hand her back to Stardusk but they were silly and resisted so now here we are. Now I gotta play the bad guy so I can’t give her back yet. If they had just worked with us, Relias would be dead, they’d have Isari and be on their merry way. Everyone happy.”
Yuli flexed her hand the crystal apple forming in it once more, she sighed a bit tossing it in her grip a few times.
“I already have her power so I don’t need her anymore.”

At the mention of the other two entities she glanced behind her to the invisible guard dog before looking forward again.
“They’re my servants,” Yuli said. “Found a few minor gods and made them serve me, think of them like permanent mercenaries. Instead of money I pay them with existence…well basically I let them manifest in this reality in exchange for serving me.”
Yuli made the crystal apple disappear with a smile.
“I have a permanent fluffy bed, it’s quite convenient.”

Yuli grinned at this before slamming her fist onto her palm.
“Oh I almost forget. I don’t mind if you tell Jack this, or all of Stardusk. Mainly because it won’t change anything.”
Yuli offered a shrug at this, she shut her eyes and removed her glasses manifesting a cloth before cleaning them.
“I mean I basically told them they were in a trap and they continued. Well you’ve worked with them you know how they are. Knowing all this won’t stop them from going forward, even with the knowledge it’s only into more pain and possible death. One of the things I love about humans, aren’t too many creatures who will willingly walk into this kind of danger knowing it’s clearly there. Even animals have the common sense to run from predators.”

Yuli placed her glasses back on her face smiling down at the ships as Alicia wiped out a couple dozen, she eyed the ship seeing they were already moving more into place, chuckling a little at the sight before speaking again.
“Maybe it’s because they don’t know where they are on the food chain? How would they react if they knew they were actually prey? Would they aim to become predators instead? It’s all so fascinating. What do you think? Humans have the capacity to analyze, strategize and truly observe a situation from multiple angles…yet they clearly pursue the route with so much folly based off an uncertain emotion. Isn’t that the funniest thing?”

A gleam had entered Adelaide’s eyes, and uplifted her entire expression. For the first time, it seemed like a genuine emotion had washed over, so strong and profound it exhibited itself without hindrance. Adelaide’s elated gaze locked onto Yuli. The longer she talked, the wider her audience smile grew, until all her teeth were bared.

In a single gait, Adelaide brought herself in front of Yuli and placed both hands on either side of her face. She brought their faces together and kissed her.

The moment ended in a passing breath. Adelaide stepped back, placing two fingers to her painted lips. “Thank you. Listening to you speak, all the people you’ve must have manipulated, the humans you see as pawns… oh. Yuli. Imposter. I think you’ve given me a new purpose in life, one I sorely lacked after ma Madame’s fall. This is exciting! So, so better than playing with some puny enemies of old.”

Cackling, she jumped on the crow’s nest’s railing and lifted her arms. The wind howled, greeting like a friend, and caused her whole body to warp into chaotic swirls.

“You gods… you’re such a stain on this world.” Smiling down at Yuli, Adelaide blew her an extra kiss. Whatever the comment meant, she left it hanging, moving on to the one question posed onto her. “You don’t understand humans at all, do you? Otherwise you’d know you’re talking to the wrong one. You should ask Jack… that is, if you don’t stab him to death first.”

She crouched down and crawled closer to Yuli until their faces were close again. “If you do, it’ll just give me extra incentive. Up to you. We’ll see each other again, I promise you. Oh but before I go, I have to ask these last questions. I’ll never hear the end of it otherwise:

“What do you want with the Circle and who is your Master?”

Yuli’s brow arched at the sudden expression of affection, her gaze moving over to Adelaide. She seemed to watch her display, tilting her head slightly as she watched the woman stand there finding a ‘purpose’ within this world. Even as she threw out what could be considered insults Yuli only smiled, a chuckle escaping from her but little more than that as she watched the woman in silence, it made sense to listen as she had done the same to her.

Though at one moment the smile faded from the woman’s face, her jovial attitude fading as a small frown formed on her expression. A low sigh escaped from her and she removed her glasses, she shut her eyes still listening but all interest had faded away. Even the air around her had shifted almost repelling all around her.
“....disappointing,” was all she muttered as she put her glasses back on.
She laid her head down on the banister waiting for Adelaide to finish, only raising her head as she clawed closer.
“Hm. Oh yeah sure,” she said sitting up again. “Got it.”
She reached up and messed with a small lock of her hair.
“...man...I expected more...well that’s on me I guess.”
She mumbled to herself before looking back at Adelaide.
“I already told you,” Yuli said waving a hand. “I don’t like repeating myself. If you missed it that’s your fault.”
Yuli sighed and leaned backwards, falling into the invisible guardian that still stood behind her causing her to lean on ‘nothing’, though she smiled a bit.
“I understand just enough...and I’m sad things ended this way. I was almost hopeful for a second.”
Yuli offered a small shrug leaving the meaning to the wind, she made a motion to Adelaide, as she did for a moment the wind shifted and a piece of Adelaide’s body fully manifested before shifting back into wind, the moment had been quick, subtle and the woman didn’t feel a thing from the shift. If it was a silent warning, or a bit of fun from the woman she left to her imagination but she left a small message with the action.
“I’ll give you a bit of advice as it’d be nice to see a human actually succeed. I mean one managed to seal Imposter so anything’s possible. If you come to understand the true secrets of this world, it will drive you mad, that is not a joke or a threat, it will steal your reasoning. All who have walked the path have succumbed to it.
Yuli reached up and tapped the side of her head with a smile.
“I mean the redhead knows ‘one’ thing and he’s barely got any semblance of sanity left. The fact humans don’t understand gods and their ways is not an accidental, the nice ones among them are trying to protect you. If you choose to cross that line, you’re going to throw away all you are including your humanity...something Cedric may have to do with that thing inside of him as well. There’s a reason we never tell you all our true names, it would destroy you. Take what you will with that information.”

Adelaide shrugged at Yuli’s off-handed comments, unperturbed by her reaction, or her unwillingness to provide further information. If anything, an impish look uplifted her face, as if she got joy from the disappointment. She barely blinked when Yuli distorted her own body.

She scoffed at the imparted knowledge. “Your concern is flattering. Don’t tell me you care for us?” She smirked, then turned her attention back to the Lady Luck. Her winds returned, and began pulling her body away from Yuli’s perch. “Imposter taught me a valuable lesson, and he wasn’t the first. I don’t intend to squander it. Don’t fret, we’ll see each other again. I promise you: I don’t disappoint twice.”

Smiling, Adelaide waved her fingers as the last of her was pulled away. “Ta-ta. I hope your stage gets burned to ash.”

Yuli watched the woman fade away as a teacup and saucer was placed in the spot in front of her, more than likely from her invisible guard dog. With a smile she brought the cups to her lips, as the wires formed in front of her vision again.
“...predictable. It’s easy on the ones who pay too close attention,” Yuli chuckled to herself and sipped her tea. “Oh don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s a proper show...for everyone.”
 
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Lady Luck

Jack climbed onto the deck from below, carrying a piece of paper and an orange lily in one hand while pinching his nose with the other. “Luro, I hate to tell you but…”

He froze when he spotted Yuli, and she, him. His eyes narrowed. “You’re welcome to retaliate at any time,” he replied shortly. He turned away from the demonness and settled next to Luro. He checked his wound and the flower and note to the carpenter. The note was short and to the point, written in dark crimson paint that could have been blood: “U O ME.”

“Your throne room got perfumed. Heavily. If you can guess who it was, I’ll give you Yuli’s old head.”

Settling on his barrel, Jack fell silent while watching the exchange unfold. He clapped, slow and mocking, when Luro shot Yuli in the head. His hatred deepened for the woman -- thing -- with every word that dropped from her mouth.

Snapping up -- and wincing as the stitches pulled -- his eyes widened as the ships appeared. He turned to Runali as she took immediate control of the situation. The wind gloves, which he wore half the time out of habit, flexed on his hands as he nodded. “I’ll get us underway. Whatever you do, Captain, don’t waste…. Aaaand she’s gone.”

Sighing, Jack paused long enough to celebrate Luro’s second Yuli kill before turning to Zilia and Sid. “Let me know when you guys are ready with the sails; I’ll use the wind to fill them, and get us some distance. Please do hurry…” he paused as the first boom of a cannon rang across the sea. A miniature geyser erupted off their starboard side, showering everyone on deck. “The sooner we can escape, the better.”

Once their captain returned from making her ice walls, the entire crew backed off allow Alicia to perform. Jack braved the main deck, curious to see the first mate’s prowess in full action. He didn’t get to see it often enough with his own eyes… and it was a fine lesson in humility, he discerned, after watching the 20 ships go up in flames. His bowels moved with a tinge of fear. He negated that, and the quaking of his knees, by turning his attention to the ships that were left.

Fighting a sea battle was like a second skin to Jack, one he was comfortable in, and overly familiar. His attention narrowed onto the enemy ships. Already, others were navigating Runali’s wall to follow the flag ship. They were slow -- trickling in like moles crawling out of their underground holes. Jack hoped it’d be enough for them to escape but he could already see some gaining speed. They’d be on their starboard soon.

Opening his palm, Jack twisted his hand and summoned up the blue winds. He frowned as they wavered, the blue wisps curling in and out of existence, before solidifying once more. He glanced at Runali.
“Caught your breath yet? I think we’ll need you here soon, Captain. Unless you’ve come up with an answer to stopping Yuli.”

Runali had gone from leaning on the edge of Lady Luck to ducking out of the way as Alicia requested, although she didn’t leave completely. She never wanted to miss her crew do something cool after all.
The ships along the sides of the crumbling ice wall had already begun to file in and others started to make quick work destroying the rest of the ice wall she built. It was only meant as a diversion for a few moments, the captain knew that, but she couldn’t help but be disappointed at all the effort being shattered. At least it wasn’t a fancy sculpture or something.

“<Even the devil has a heart…”> When Jack spoke, her response was instant and in her native tongue. And when she realized it, she straightened up and looked his way. “I had an answer and I made it happen already.” She flexed her hands and tested how far her haki would go. “An ice wall’s nothing when you know what you’re doing.” Runali took her gloves off and made the short trip around the deck of the ship. She counted the ships left, examined the debris sinking to the bottom of the ocean, and judged the distance of the oncoming ones as well. “That was all of my plan. Which means it’s time for the fun part.” She traded gloves with Luro once again, this time taking the fire ones. “And that’s making it up as I go.”

“In your true style, Captain,” drawled Jack. He watched the remaining ships approaching, then glanced at Zilia and Sid as they inched up towards the sails, and Alicia and Luro preparing their secondary moves.

“If those two are going to continue taking out the bigger problems, might I suggest we take care of the stragglers? We can combine our haki and make it clear what will happen if anyone gets too close. Also saves me from ship-hopping because, well…”

He gestured at his wounded side. “Once Sid and Zilia are done with the sails, I’ll direct my attention to them. Sound reasonable?”

A second cannon fired in that instance, trimming off part of the helm. The ship responsible crept up behind the Lady Luck. “Looks like our first victims have arrived. So, Captain, ready to give them a fiery death?”

An impish grin flashed as Jack tugged his haki gloves, signalling that he was ready.

“I’m nothin’ if not consistent. And aye Jack, don’t be so reckless you’re injured.” She stretched her arms outward and looked around as Jack pointed everyone out. Everything was going as she… impulsively planned so far, which was already enough of a happy surprise for her. It was nearly ‘jinxed’ when Lady rocked thanks to the sudden hit. “Hey!” She yelled back at the ships as if they’d hear her and in response to both them and Jack, the haki encasing her arm lit aflame.

“If they want to be sent to Jones so bad,” Her other arm lit into that familiar flame. “Then who am I to stop them?”

The first ship prepped another attack, setting its sights for the mast to keep Lady Luck immobile, but almost as suddenly as when the temperature dropped from the wall of ice it began to rise. And in reckless abandon- with enough carefulness to keep her own ship out of harm’s way- the fire Runali was creating began to increase in size. Learning about manipulating and creating with the elements was definitely all fun and useful, but this was the captain. She opted for large explosions compared to flashy attacks most of the time.

Three ships approached their flank at roughly the same time, with more closing in. Jack clucked his tongue and welcomed the blazing inferno that erupted from his captain and heated his face. They’ll regret remaining so close.

Hoshi North would have berated the enemy for poor tactics. You only overlapped ships when using excessive firepower to bring a swift to the conflict. That was assuming you could position the ships perfectly to avoid taking each other out. A quick assessment showed that they’d done that. Their mistake was in believing that their opponents didn’t have bigger firepower.

When Runali unleashed her fire, Jack added his wind. The inferno ripped forward and washed over the ship before it could fire its cannon. He narrowed his concentration, willing the fire into a cyclone that not only melted the ship in front of them, but blew the flames to their sisters. Sailors’ scream pierced the air.

The elements colliding together caused the wind to whip around and rock Lady Luck a bit. It wasn’t enough for anyone to lose their footing unless they weren’t paying attention already. The captain watched the destruction take place, frowning a little at the display. “Not good enough.” She flexed her fingers, testing her resolve again. Her next movement was fluid, like a painter brushing across a canvas. Her gloves weren’t on fire but they were hot to the touch as she used what she learned from Luro to manipulate the flames to grow large enough to reach the other two ships. It wasn’t enough to engulf them completely but it was enough to get them to start panicking and focusing their attention on dousing the flames so they didn’t fall into the same fate as the ship before them.

Ship after ship, they succumbed to the watery inferno Jack and Runali created. He gripped the banister, brow dripping with sweat as he felt his haki energy dip lower. He sent a silent prayer to Cedric, thankful that his brother had seared his wound shut. He would have certainly pulled the stitches by now, if they’d been there.

Jack finally cut his haki loose when a lull finally occurred in the ships’ barrage. More continued to approach -- they’d be on their backside soon -- and Jack gaped at the numbers. “Blessed spirits… where are they all coming from?”

He glanced at Zilia and Cedric, checking their progress on the sails, then back at Runali. “Can you keep going? They’re almost done.” He panted. Jack tried to control his breathing, not wanting to show his own tiredness when there was more fighting to be done.

“We’re not going to get anywhere at this rate.” Frustration seeped into her tone while the gears in her head turned. They couldn’t keep this up forever. She could tell from a glance that Jack wouldn’t be able to hold off too much longer and she could feel her own haki weakening from excessive use. She was sure at some point the effect would start to take a physical toll and she was trying her best to avoid that for as long as possible. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon.” Runali paced from one side to the other while she tried to figure something out. All they needed was a bit more time. If Zilia and Cedric could mend their sail, there was an even higher chance they could escape.

That’s all she could grasp onto at the moment.
Hope.

“One more time Jack. All or nothing.” She patted his back to gain his attention. “This time, we don’t aim right at them.” She pointed at the oncoming row of ships. “We make another barricade. If we can stop the ships closing in, the rest will have to maneuver around. It’s not enough, but it’s something.”

Jack nodded, slowly at first, then with affirmation. “Okay.”

Taking a deep breath, he raised his wind-wreathed hand and gathered what was left of his haki. He prepared to the blue crests out over the sea, when a gush of real wind blasted him. He gasped and stumbled back as it rushed him like a whirlwind. His breath was sucked away as warmth pressed on his lips. Reaching out, he gripped the thin air and from it, pulled out his lover into her solid form.

Adelaide Summers dropped to the deck and pouted against his chest. “Killjoy.”

“What are you doing here?” he gasped. Jack looked dazed, which was a rare feat. “And why do you taste different?”

She ignored him, instead turning to Runali and bowing at the waist while Jack still held her wrist. “Captain Lev? I bring some news.” Adelaide smirked. “I just had a wonderful chat with Yuli. One that you really should have had yourselves. Some compensation is in order, I think, for sharing this?”

She was just about ready to set fire to more stuff, but the sudden addition to her ship made her pause and take a step back as Lady rocked. “Huh, it’s the Windy one.” She smiled. “For someone that doesn’t wanna stick around, you sure do stick around. But, understandable. The boyfriend is here.”

The smile didn’t last very long as Adelaide began to give her the news. It fell into contemplation and then further so as she sat down to gather her thoughts and figure out what all of it meant.

“Huh… Y’know, surprisingly this still isn’t that bad.”

“Oh? You could have fooled me.” The sarcasm dripped off Jack’s tongue as he watched Zilia and Cedric descend from their repairs. He tracked his brother’s progress with unmasked concern. Behind him, Adelaide chewed on a rose petal fetched from her flower bag. She leaned against one of the cannons as a person free of cares.

“Once they’re on deck, I can fill the sails, Captain. But I won’t be of anymore use after that.”

“I can do it,” Adelaide said and raised a half-vanished hand. “But I suggest a hasty retreat. Yuli won’t appreciate—“

Jack grabbed her again, cork-stopping her power. “No. We’ve come this far fighting these people at Zilia’s word, and to find Isari. You’re not risking that just to show off.”

He thrust her hand away. Adelaide shrugged and picked her teeth with a green stem. “Suit yourself. As long as you don’t mind if I stay for the show.”

Jack scoffed. He crossed his arms, and stared prickly quills at her. Something unsaid passed between them; clearly something Adelaide had held back, but Jack picked up on his. He burrowed into a scowl trying to figure it out, even as enemy cannon fire propelled a plume of water onto the ship.
 
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Journey to Luro's Lair

Wet coughs followed Sid's stumble towards the armoury. His right hand against the wall did an admirable job of propping him up. In his left hand was a crumpled note, the only reason he needed to come up in the first place. He shuffled to a stop with his face downcast and sweat weeping like rain. Giddiness swept him off his feet and the summoner ended up on his haunches. His head pillowed by cold wood and whistling wind. He shivered, regretting his stubborness. He should have worn the coat Madame Doctor left him; he hadn't out of spite.

He grumbled under his breath about stolen cards, traitorous brothers and mean doctors. The words all in Trovalian but some were familiar to most of the crew. He closed his eyes, anticipating sleep. No one would know, he guessed. He was going to sleep here and wake up feeling twice as merdique. Not Jack … Not Madame Zilia … no

His eyes blinked ever smaller, leaving with vague impressions of his pre-dawn surroundings. The last image burned into his mind was that of black fur and red hair. Rum, gunpowder and … Luro! His mind warned a little too late. Sid's world had turned into a screen of unending blackness.

Luro stared down at the new body in the armory, he had been polishing the weapons and checking over the guns when he heard coughing nearby.
He didn’t move at first trying to determine if it was real, after he heard an additional noise he confirmed it wasn’t Billy and made his way towards the source. Seeing a Cedric on the ground he blinked a few times and nudged him slightly with foot.
“Better move you before Billy finds you.”

A little bit later Luro had made small cot for Cedric, it wasn’t difficult as he sometimes fell asleep in the armory holding the guns so there was always a spare. He cleaned one of his pistols staring down at the slumbering Cedric, he got him a pillow and a cover, he knew some nursing stuff from having to help Z but his first instincts was shoot with the pistol not a needle seeing someone unconscious so he thought that stuff was best left to Zilia.

“Cedric are you dead? If you’re dead I have to tell Jack and the Captain...it’s going to be hard to explain I didn’t do it if you die here.”

At this point Luro had to gun laid out in front of him in parts, taking it apart and putting it back together as he always did.

“I think your breathing but I’m not sure.”

Cedric groaned. His giddiness dissipating slightly since Luro laid him on the bed. He brought a hand to his face and clutched his clammy forehead. "Please don't let Madame Doctor be here."

His eyes peeled open gingerly. He stared at the wooden ceiling, realising that it wasn't Zilia's office nor his bedroom. He frowned not recognising where he was. This was, admittedly, his first time here. He never had a good reason to come so far into the mad man's territory.

He rethought that last statement, realising how ungrateful he sounded. Luro had been nice enough to move him on to a bed after all. "Merci, Makachi."

The tailor didn't want to say more since it might sound artificial, considering how he tended to avoid Luro most of the time. Their interaction had always been facilitated by Jack, l'capitaine or Alicia. Usually Jack, though. Something or other about being sworn brothers. A fact he refused to acknowledge because it left him feeling a little insecure.

"I trust you don't sleep in the armoury often?"

Luro only offered a grin to Cedric at this thanks, giving a small shake of his head to let him know it wasn’t necessary. Helping his brother made sense, at the question Luro chuckled a little and rubbed the back of his head.

“Eh every now and then, I like to experiment and mess with the weapons here. Try to make them better and all that. I take the weapons off anyone we kill and bring them here. If I’m lucky they’re reallly high quality. I tend to lose track of time on days like that.”

Luro motioned to the armory around them, an array of guns and swords of varying sizes rested on racks and other man made constructs, a few had been taken apart and merged with others. A sword rested on one of the tables, a mix between a blade and gun though from the pieces around it was still unfinished.
Cedric would probably recognize a few of the weapons as Luro had taken some from Trovale as well.
There were also other weapons, staff’s and the like, all trophies the redhead had taken from those he killed, even a few Yula Fei blades were there.

“Also don’t worry I won’t tell Z you’re here. I sneak away sometimes too,” Luro grinned at this. “Stay here long as you want, I’m just gonna keep working on stuff.”
Luro said this and grabbed one of the other guns before moving to take it apart.

“Do see Z later though when you feel like it. You were coughing a lot, Z always finds you eventually if you can’t stop it. She’s more gentle if you come to her then if you stay away for too long.”

"She has a lot more to worry about at the moment. Isari for one and Makachi. I feel bad adding on to her stress seeing that it makes her powers more volatile." Sid admitted.

Saying that out loud was a relief. He hadn't stopped feeling guilty for burdening Madame Doctor with his illness. Compared with what she was dealing with at the moment, it was incredibly selfish. They should be the ones supporting her rather than the other way around. A small thank you, in his opinion, for always being there for them. And, in his case, for helping Jack in Trovale. Saving his life.

He turned away to stifle a cough. Discreetly, he fished out another handkerchief and wiped away the blood. He glanced at Luro, who appeared distracted, and relaxed. He hoped this matter would stay between him, Zilia and Jack. He hated appearing weak in front of the rest, especially l'capitaine. Since his stay was prefaced on his usefulness to the crew, so he assumed.

Wishing to return to the reason for his visit, Cedric slipped his feet onto the floor and stumbled rather drunkenly towards the giant. He nodded gratefully when a stool was kicked out from beneath the table for him to collapse into. "I need help preparing for the inevitable. I'm in no shape to use my powers but I can't sit idly at the side. I hoped you would be able to recommend a weapon. One I can use in addition to my crossbow and hunting knife."

"I - I'm sorry to impose," he added quickly.

Luro didn’t respond immediately to Cedric, but the nod of his head at least showed he listened as he focused on the task in front of him. He strange enough understood where Cedric was coming from, he was in her office to a point he knew where everything was without looking. His eyes did raise to him at the caught though and Luro tilted his head at him a bit, leaning forward as he asked for his help.

“Hmm I’m sure I can find something for ya,” Luro said standing up. “Since you got a crossbow maybe not go for a pistol...but bladed weapons aren’t my specialty...eh I can think of something.”

Luro started going through a few of his racks, picking the weapons up and inspecting them. “It’s always good to see you Cedric. You’re never imposing.”

Luro smiled back at the man and went back to his search, though with his back to the man he spoke once more.

“...I do agree Z doesn’t need more stress, I felt the same myself. I’d just go to the rum room if I was injured and decide to sleep it off. Z got mad, especially if there was still weapons in me. While treating me she told me something.”

Luro picked up two similar blades and nodded before turning to Cedric.

“Do you know what stresses me out Makachi,” Luro said doing his best Z impression. “You all not coming to see me and letting me do my damn job. Every one of you wants to ‘walk off’ everything. I didn’t come on this job as the navigator I’m the doctor so it’s really annoying and insulting when you don’t see me to let me do the ‘one’ damn job I have on this ship!”

Luro grinned at this and held one of the swords out towards Cedric.

“Go see her when you have a moment, or she’ll yell at you for waiting too long and be more stressed.”

Cedric cracked a slight smile. "Point, Makachi. I … well, I need to work up the courage, friend."

Luro took the second blade and pointed the tip sideways away from them, it looked like a modified shortsword, the hilt was simple but two little bits curved upwards slightly like little wings.

The sword itself was a double bladed one with a pointed end, it was clearly kept in good condition and had a pristine polish, it was very light to touch, a little heavier than a dagger at best for the size of it.
The handle was a simple brown one but there was an ornate design carved into it, it seemed like a sun and moon put together in the center of it.

“This is item 125,” Luro said before grabbing the other blade similar to it and turning the hilt causing it to click the tip of the sword opened before a gunshot echoed a bullet hitting the wood a few feet away.
“It’s a gun sword,” Luro said. “It’s got three shots in it, you’d reload it like a normal gun if you ahd too, just hit the switch and turn the hilt like so.”

Luro pressed the sunmoon design in and the hilt came out sideways revealing where the gunpowder and bullets went.

“It has no kind of accuracy yet but it’s a good weapon to surprise with. I’m still experimenting with it but this one’s pretty much finished.”

Luro spun the blade holding it backhanded and pretended to turn the handle showing one of the few ways it could be used.

“If that doesn’t work any of the pistols on that rack should do you. I made them with Brass Cape material so they got two good shots in them and the shots shouldn’t deviate too much...oh but if you like crossbows I was working on a repeating one, maybe that’ll help...ah but you already got one.”

Luro scratched the side of his head still holding the sword as he eyed the weapons.

“Well there’s a few options for ya.”

Sid paused and allowed his eyes to wander between the options. He knew Luro was an inventeur. He had seen first hand, and heard even more, about the haki gloves. Jack had to be this man's second most adoring fan and it was amusing to listen. Item 125 fell in the same category it seems; Sid could hear that tinge of pride when Luro was demonstrating its uses.

Normally, he would have refused a close range weapon outright but he had promised Jack to try and open up to this man. Part of him dreaded doing starting this process since he had heard about the Imposter from Jack and Adelaide. Being nice was flirting with an actual monster underneath a friendly face - insanity to the highest order. Jack trusting this man was thus the source of his ambivalence; his fére was usually correct when it came to people.

"I asked for a recommendation and 125 was the first item you suggested," Sid began diplomatically. "I'd be honoured to help you test it."

He channelled the gratitude he felt earlier and smiled as naturally as he could. "Merci, M. Makachi. Could we spar a little so I can get more feedback? I am still not very comfortable being so close to my opponent."

The bright grin on the man’s face at being called friend easily lit up the room but he returned to his normal regular smile as Cedric spoke to him, he gave a small nod to him bringing a hand to his chin.
“Just felt right. Not many people are good with bladed weapons. You can hold your own and it’s collecting dust anyway. I feel it could work in your hands.”

At the suggestion of sparring Luro grinned and grabbed a wooden sword off one of the walls, he stood straight up resting the blade in his other hand, giving a small nod.
“I’m not that good at fighting up close so this’ll be good for me too. I won’t be the best opponent but let’s have a bit of fun.”
Luro spread his legs and rested the blade on his shoulder, taking a relaxed stance, holding his other hand out slightly.
“Though...if I win you gotta call me Luro. Hehehe.”
 

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The townspeople stared down at the small hole in front of the little girl, who had her hands covering her mouth. She stared wide eyed at the small crater that she had created. Mr. Horn, Maria most of the town had gathered around her, even Vince was there without a rubbish reason.
Zilia eyed the still smoldering crater, her mouth shut tight after the explosion of purple had come from her returning Sarin’s good morning.
Zilia had eaten the Chat-Chat Fruit.
The traveler wasn’t pleased to lose two fruits in the town and though he tried to get the money from Dr. Vilimar, his black eye and puffed face revealed he didn’t get what he wanted. What information she got from him didn’t reveal much except that talking triggered the Devil Fruit causing destruction.

“It’s okay Zilia.”
Mr. Horn was the first to talk to the girl, leaning down and placing a hand on her shoulder.
“It was an accident, we're not mad at you.”
“You’re not much of a talker anyway kid so don’t fret too much about it,” Vince said grinning at her.
Maria knelt down in front of Zilia holding a white flower out to her, Zilia seemed to calm down and lowering her hand took the flower with a small nod.
Maka peered at the scene from a few feet away, his mouth twitched the side as he adjusted his mask, his gaze lingering just a bit longer on his mother before he walked away.

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“That’s the spirit Alicia!”
Luro looked at the destruction wrought by his friend grinning at the chunks of ship now floating in the sea. He had taken cover behind one of the masts just moments before the explosion and he could still feel the heat in the air even as the water rained down on them, Luro grinned and gripped his glove as he walked next to Alicia, he gave her a firm pat on the back.
“That was great Alicia! That’ll give us some breathing room! I’ll help out too!”
Luro motioned to the spot in front of her with the glove.
“Infusion!”
A burst of red exploded out of the glove, bright red wisps suddenly forming in the air, following the trail of destruction Alicia had caused, traces of red wind manifested by the woman’s power. A bright red glow surrounded the red head before dispersing as the red energy flared out towards the ships, a bright grin adorning the expression of it’s wielder.

Though the face was an almost unfamiliar one, glowing red spirals had formed on the man’s skin even along his face, his red hair grew brighter shifting into fire itself, the ends breaking off as it flared uncontrollably, only to reform.
A large red ring hovered behind his body, red flames surrounding the floating circle as a crimson crown hovered over the man’s head, what looked like horns hovering next to it.
A bright red glow had replaced his hazel eyes, the red burning as bright as the flames surrounding him.
Luro closed his hand into a fist and the wisps grew brighter before their forms shifted, a moment later cherry blossoms suddenly formed over the battlefield, perfectly imitating the ones that fell in Yula Fei.

The men on the opposing ships stared at the newly formed flowers and one man let it fall into his hand, it was light but a strange heat emitted from it, the petals floated near the ships, some falling onto the decks, others dissipating as they touched the ocean.
“I always enjoyed the flowers in Yula Fei,” Luro said lowering his hand. “Though there was one thing I wished they did.”
For a moment his form shifted into another, his red hair turned black and his garb shifted into something more akin to what Alicia wore, though the sleeves were longer and the bottom much longer, shifting into a male’s outfit.
The same grin rested on his face however as his body shifted back to the ‘flame touched’ Luro.
A passing heat passed over the area, akin to a hot wind within the desert. The petals turned a bright red and glowed the man’s eyes widening as he stared at the flower before it exploded in his palm, a chain reaction following as all the other petals followed, multiple eruptions echoing in front of them as each petal ignited the other filling the area around them, bright suns consuming everything in their wake, consuming ships in a fiery embrace, leaving behind only whirlpools where they had formed.
“It’d be interesting if they exploded,” Luro said waving his hands.

The fire faded and Luro’s form returned to normal, the shipwright clearly unaware of the change as he turned towards the main ship.
“That should be more than enough time to take out the main ship.”
The other ships outside their firing range were already closing in to fire on them, the main ship was already prepared to fire causing Luro to dashing over to the cannons.
“A few good shots and we should be okay. Especially thanks to Jack and the Captain buying us some space.”
Luro looked up past the ship to check their damage on the armada, but his eyes narrowed as he noticed that not a single ship looked out of his place.
“...wait what?”
Luro rubbed his eyes and looked back out at the circle, he was positive Alicia had taken out at least twenty, and he got at least half of that, Jack and the Captain had taken out the ones closest to them and that wasn’t counting what destruction he didn’t see, why did everything look exactly the same?
He shook his head putting the thought aside, focusing on the distant ships wasn’t going to stop the ones close.

Runali had been jumping from one task to another, making sure the ship stayed afloat. It had mostly been dealing with the surrounding ships, but it was also checking in on Cedric and Zilia every now and then to see if things were near done and seeing how much more time they needed. Figuring out whether or not it was something they could give was another story.

Seeing the hell raised between Alicia and Luro alone made Runali pause in her tracks for longer than it was deemed safe when it came to being surrounded by an armada of ships. Her resolve for maybe the first time fell into surprise with what she witnessed, but instead of acknowledging either of them about it, she glanced over at Jack. “When I said they could level islands together, I wasn’t… expecting a demonstration… but I still reserve the right to an ‘I told you so’.”

Her focus was pulled between two things: the armada seemingly unfazed by the dual attacks and Adelaide’s sudden appearance with new insight on the position they were in. A familiar feeling formed in her chest and she hated it every time it rose. “What’s the use of a game if she’s gonna play both sides.”

Being a captain in moments like these where death seemed like the only out should have been the most stressful time for her, especially when she could find no answer in her memories- not even with other Worst Gen captains they had met. But she didn’t have time to be stressed out or afraid because in moments like these any ounce of hesitation could have led to… Runali couldn’t focus on her fallen crew at the moment. Not now.

“We’re wasting our energy here.” Runali went from one side of the ship to the other, double checking the amount of ships she could see. “We’ll run out of ammo and energy before we make it halfway through and I refuse to see Jones again.” She looked back at the rest of them with a small smile. “Not yet at least. Not any time soon.” Runali stepped back from the side of the ship and looked up. It was brief because right after she cupped a hand around her mouth and spoke out towards the sea. “Hey deer lady! What’s your stance on a parlay?”

There was a small glow and Yuli manifested onto the ship, she munched on a piece of bread brushing a bit of the crumbs off her outfit. Looking back with the bread still hanging out of her mouth she quickly ate it before pointing in a direction.
“Go that way, get Isari back and stay safe,” she said before pointing in another direction. “Go that way and go into chaos, partially because of yours truly.”
Yuli offered a small shrug.
“That was the Parlay. Now I have to kill one of you, still deciding who...though at this rate I won’t have to choose,” Yuli said looking out at the ships.
“Your ‘Game’ is rigged,” Zilia said walking up next to the Captain.
Yuli held her hands up defensively and gave a shake of her head.
“Hey I’m not doing anything to you guys. I just put the pieces in place, even told you not to go that way if you didn’t want to get hurt. I was nice and gave you a warning, you don’t wanna listen that’s on you.”

Zilia’s eyes twitched and Yuli looked back at Runali.
“Besides if you really want to Parlay I’d be talking to Relias or at the very least my boss. I don’t handle that stuff, I just get things ready under his orders. That’s like asking Luro to Parlay.”
“Hey.”
“You’re the shipwright Luro and your idea of Parlay is shoot them in the face.’
“Oh right.”
“Anything else you needed?” Yuli said peeling a manifested banana. “I’d say it quick they’re going to fire again soon and I certainly don’t want to be here. I could probably teleport you to Relias or call the boss but don’t really see a reason too.”
Zilia hand twitched and she almost stepped towards Yuli when the woman glanced at her.
“I approached you numerous times for the opportunity to talk this out….it’s a bit late now, so don’t make that face at me.”

The captain gave a grin when she appeared. She listened patiently and raised a hand when Zilia took a step forward. “No way, that’s not how it works! You said it yourself. Captain to captain. Besides, the cardinal rule of a Parlay is to say it’s a Parlay. C’mon now, you’re a smart deer, yeah? Smarter than me I’d think with the whole devil gimmick going on… Unless that’s for show… But that’s fair too. I've met a lot of pretend smart people. Anyway! If you were trying to make peace, you have to follow the rules of the game, even pirates know that.” She looked out at the ships and huffed.

“But I s’pose since the game is rigged you wouldn’t play fair to begin with… Ruins the fun really.” Her hands went on her hips and she hummed in thought. “If you won’t properly parlay then another request.” With the most genuinely serious expression, she pointed in the direction Yuli pointed in before, towards Isari. “Clear the ships so we can get through.” She didn’t skip a beat in her request. “There’s no fun or glory dying at sea. It can’t be as satisfying of a time not just doing it yourself either. Personally if I had a boss tell me to get the job done, I wouldn’t waste the energy on ships. And if you’re so intent on trying to kill one of my crew, why not strike it big and go for the captain instead? Not now though. We’ve got a princess to save.”

Yuli only offered a shrug to the Captain’s words.
“You said it yourself I’m a devil, I got no reason to play by the rules of humans. Need some kind of in-between though,” she said before moving her hands to her waist. “You humans wouldn’t know honesty if I smacked you with it….I’ve been pretty truthful for a while now.”

A fake exasperated sigh escaped from the woman before she looked back at Runali to see what else she wanted, she went to take a bit of her banana but stopped as Runali gave her request. Yuli blinked a few times staring at the Captain wondering if she was actually serious, she arched a brow realizing she actually was and dropped her banana, the item dissipating after leaving her hand.

Yuli leaned forward holding her stomach as laughter erupted from her, she slapped her knees tearing up as she raised her body.
“Oh…oh my goodness. That was…that was the best. I see why he likes you so much,” Yuli said raising her glasses a bit to wipe the tears. “Answer’s no though.”

The woman offered a shrug.
“You guys are basically fleas to me. There’s no game to rig here, I haven’t touched you all since you set out on this useless journey. I just put stuff in your way to see how you’d handle it to help pass the time.”
The woman waved a hand in front of her face.
“Just like I told Zilia the only reason you’re still breathing is because I made a promise. One I don’t gotta keep anymore. I don’t care if Jack cooks the chicken wrong and you all die from dysentery. Why do I care if there’s no fun or glory, and why would I miss the joy of your despair at losing one of your precious crew members again. Killing you would rob me of that utter joy. You don’t need to know why I do things Captain, in the end I’m going to kill someone precious to you and go about my day, how that happens matters none to me. Oh do you think Alicia will sacrifice herself to save you all that’d be funny to watch. How you’ll blame yourselves especially. That’s the best part.”

Zilia felt a heavy weight fall onto her, almost knocking her to her knees, staring at the woman’s smile in front of her, a gentle smile at first glance but the twisted look in the woman’s eye revealed more than enough.
They were basically playthings to this woman, ready to be broken and tossed aside at a moment's notice.

A loud explosion echoed behind the group and the main ship stopped moving, Luro pumped his fist seeing the ship break apart.
“We took down the main ship!” Luro said.
Zilia spun to see the main ship sinking the crew on it running around frantically, and for a moment, she felt a bit of the fog leave her heart but that faded as she noticed Luro’s eyes narrow as he took another look at the ship. She turned around to see a grin on Yuli’s face.
“It’s a decoy ship!” Luro yelled back at the others. “There’s expl-”
Fire exploded in front of the ship, rocking Lady Luck and almost capsizing her, a large wave rose up crashing onto the deck. Zilia lost her footing as she tumbled towards the edge, Luro fell backwards managing to catch a rope before he fell over himself, he stuck his hand out for anyone not so lucky.

An invisible hand stopped Zilia from going over the edge of the ship as it stabilized, water flooded the deck, stopping at the crew’s ankles as the ship slowly stopped rocking.
Zilia pat herself realizing she hadn’t gone over the edge, she was sure she felt fur for a moment there.
“Is everyone ok-”
Luro started to say but stopped as something pierced the air, crashing into one of the masts of the ship, the wind following after whatever force had hit it. Luro looked up as the mast toppled towards him.
“Not my second favorite mast!” Luro yelled.
“Move!” Zilia exclaimed.
Luro quickly dove out of the way as the mast crashed into the ship breaking it further apart, the mast falling into the water as Yuli hovered in the air over the water soaked deck.
The woman’s smile had faded and she peered toward the distant ships.
“…that was the boss…” she said bringing a hand to her head. “Oh…he’s upset. He’s going to tear into me when I see him again.”
Luro had already run below deck to check the damage as Yuli brought her hands to her head, Zilia quickly peered through the eyeglass at the ships in the distance, she looked in the direction Yuli had and she saw the man currently throwing Yuli into a panic.
Maka stood on one of the ships, tossing a cannonball in his hand, his gaze focused on the ship.
“Not good not good,” Yuli said looking in the man’s direction. “Okay at least two you have to die now to make up for this. I can avoid his wrath a bit with that.”
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Yuli vanished from sight, panic still covering her expression as Luro returned to the deck, at this point the ships were already firing at them again, cannonballs crashing into the water around them, a few grazing the ship.
“So there’s a giant hole in the ship, the bottom deck is basically flooded and some of the wood got washed out. Oh and my second favorite mast is gone. The back one,” Luro said moving his hands to his hips. “It has been a long time since someone has wanted to kill us this badly. I commend their carpenter. I thought that ship looked weird…I kind of want to meet him.”
“How are you calm right now?!” Zilia exclaimed to Luro who arched a brow at the clearly distressed doctor.
“Eh panicking doesn’t change anything,” Luro said shrugging. “We either live or die pretty much how it is every day. This is normal. So what’s the word Captain?”

“Hm, wonder what was so funny about that…” Runali shook her head, having other things to worry about. She was always dead set on not letting her crew die, but this time Yuli’s threat didn’t phase her as much as it did the first time. Or if it did, Runali didn’t show it. It was only entertainment for her anyway and there was no convincing her otherwise. Though if there was one thing Yuli did, it was keep a promise.

Lady took a direct hit and sent everyone careening in different directions. Runali moved with the teetering boat, keeping to her feet, and being quick to scope out her crew if they were in danger. The last thing she witnessed was Yuli panicking and scrambling away. “So she’s still human after all.”

Coral’s cry made her look back at the damages. “Ah, Lady I’m sorry I should’ve planned this better.” Runali patted the remainder of the second mast and sighed. “Stay strong, we’ll get you out of here.” Coral settled in front of her, nodding her head towards the dangers around them. “Stay put. I don’t want them using you as target practice.” Patting Coral’s head she turned towards Zilia and Luro.

“We stay above water. That’s the plan.” Runali gave Zilia an affirmative nod and pointed out to the ships, in the direction Yuli said Isari had been. “All we gotta do is get through them. Can’t do that when you're panicking though, it makes you an easy target. Stay focused.” Reassurance aside, Runali’s one idea forming wasn’t the best plan and she wasn’t fond of knowing when her plans weren’t great. But time wasn’t on their side anymore, so she had to act on instinct. That was something she was familiar with.

“Luro, trade with me.” She tossed her gloves to him. “I’m gonna start freezing holes in the ship. I’m also gonna freeze as much of this ship as I can.” She had started walking towards the hole. “Keep us from sinking and also by the way we’re ramming into the other ships. We get close enough to stop people and it stops cannons too.” There was no time for debate. “Everyone, either focus on keeping the ship from sinking or steering Lady into the right target. Move fast!” And with that she was moving down to the lower deck of the ship, concentrating more to harden the ice enough to keep it from cracking under the pressure.
Luro reached out and grabbed Runali’s hand before she could get too far, a moment later a barrage of cannonfire crashed into the ship where she had been moving. Luro motioned to the masts to see the first one was toppling over, Zilia moved out of the way fast enough to keep it from hitting her but the ship was in complete disarray, the edges had been all but destroyed making it dangerous just to stand on the deck, a large explosion rocked the ship below blowing a hole in the main deck.
“I know this ship better than anyone Captain,” Luro said letting go of her. “We’re not ramming even with the holes fixed. Unless we paddle. She’ll break apart against those ships in this state. We’re also not getting enough speed like this...and there’s multiple rings of ships, we break through one the others break us apart.”
“There’s...there’s more than one ring…” Zilia said looking back out at the circle.
Luro offered a nod motioning to them.
“That’s how we’re not doing any damage, they just replace them with the one behind them, it’s subtle but the ships are continuously moving being replaced by another keeping constant fire, that’s why they haven’t had to reload. It’s a pretty nice tactic.”

Luro turned towards the ships and brought a hand to his chin, the barrage on the ship hadn’t ceased even as they spoke, from every direction the ship was being hit, a constant slew of cannon fire that never ended, and Maka’s hidden ‘speed’ shots weren’t helping matters, he purposefully watched and the moment he saw an opening exploited it.
“He’s purposefully aiming for our weak points, if you use the ice he’ll just break it,” Luro said. “I don’t know how to put it into words Captain but if you go down there...I have this odd feeling you won’t come back up.”
Luro looked back out at the ships and grinned a bit.
“I know plans are your thing Captain but would you mind letting me take this one? I’m not first mate or nothing but I’m….mostly sure we won’t die. Well if you guys trust me of course. I won’t stop you from doing your own thing as it’s honestly a gamble.”

“What’s wrong?” She tensed and took steps closer to Luro when her question was answered in a more destructive way than she expected. Runali fell silent as he spoke, eyeing the damages she could see and then looking out at the ships. She could see as far as the one ring from where she was and took their word that there was more. They were quickly chipping away at the ship but there was no way out, now not even through. “I…” She looked up at Luro and in the moment, deflated just a bit. “I don’t want to lose another ship.” It was quiet and held a lot more unspoken emotion than said aloud but it was brief as she looked back at the wave of enemies coming towards them and then nodded.

“Mostly is better than nothing. Of course I trust you Luro.” Looking back at him she returned the smile. “Lead the way.”

Luro didn’t speak only placing a hand on the Captain’s shoulder, he understood that feeling more than anything else. The captain as he expected pulled herself back quickly and at her words he grinned and removed his hand.
“Consider it done Captain. I’ll do all I can to protect this ship and everyone on it, the Makachi way.”
With that Luro turned and sat tailor style on the ground.
“What are you doing?!”
“We gotta wait a few minutes,” Luro said grinning. “Should be pretty easy.”
Zilia blinked a few times wondering if the man was serious when he took the rifle off his back and started inspecting it. She gripped the side of her head staring at the calm redhead and was inches away from strangling him when she pulled back.
“We’ll be dead in a few minutes!”
“Probably but I need a few minutes. Don’t worry Z. We got this, just relax. A few minutes. Don’t gotta do nothing.”

Zilia stared at Luro but slowly lowered her hands folding them together, she was trusting Luro to not kill them, she couldn’t be the only person with serious doubts about this considering what he was doing; what else could she do, some of the cannons had even fallen into the sea at this point, they were little more than sitting ducks with no way out.
“Just…do what I can. That’s it. Focus on what I can do.”
Zilia didn’t move from her spot staring at the half broken deck, everything was going to be fine, it was always fine. The Captain always thought of something, Alicia always came through, Jack and Cedric could do plenty alone much less together and Kadi had tricks up his sleeve. It would be okay, she knew it would be okay, everything always turned out okay. She didn’t need to do rush, just like in Trovale, just like with the Montagues, she would just do what she could and things would work out. They always did.

Zilia closed her eyes folding her hands tighter as she repeated this to herself, she was surrounded by strong people she didn’t need to do anything, the Captain said it herself there was no one forcing her, and Alicia would understand she always understood. They wanted to help her so it was okay, she didn’t need to do anything, she just had to do what she could, that was enough, it was always enough.

Another part of the ship was blown off causing her to jump and open her eyes, she looked over at Luro who was calmly cleaning his gun.
“Don’t do anything, ju-just focus. Focus on that one thing. It’s okay, we always make it through. I just have-I just have…to do what I can, that’s enough…that’s…”
Zilia trailed off and for a moment the world around her turned dark, all sound left, the sound of the cannons, the yelling on the deck, all faded and for a moment she found herself in a black void.
A puff of white smoke blew past her face and she flinched as she felt a presence behind her, she turned only for the void to vanish the deck and chaos quickly returning.
“Almost done,” Luro said cleaning the other side of his rifle. “Just gotta-”
“ALICIA TASHIGI!!!!!!!”

Blue energy exploded outwards passing over the ship, Luro almost falling over in the process, the cannon fire about to hit the ship, crashed against the blue energy that solidified into a blue sphere the cannonballs dissipating the moment they touched the large shield. The large dome easily enveloped Lady Luck, stretching out far past the ship's edge and towering far above the crow’s nest.
Zilia kept her hands out, blue energy surrounding them and her form as she stood, feet braced firmly as the barrage continued to pound against the barrier.
“Z?”
“….I don’t know what you’re doing…but a few minutes right….I can manage that,” Zilia said.
Luro looked over at Zilia, the young woman’s eyes narrowed as she kept the flow of energy stable at the barrage, her eyes would twitch on occasion when multiple hit but she managed to maintain the barrier.
“…this is really big, where was this at the castle?” Luro said climbing to his feet.
“…..”
“Oh names right? Wait that means you think Alicia-.”
“Stop talking. Plan,” Zilia said glaring sideways at him.
“Oh yeah it’s almost done.”
“What do you-”

A large explosion echoed from behind the crew, flames exploding out from the ring. Laughter suddenly filled the air, twisted laughter coated in malice as black flames crashed into the ring of ships, dark fire enveloping everything around them.
The blue energy faded and Zilia fell to her knees, sweat gathering on her brow as she breathed heavily, taking a moment to compose herself.
“Sorry…I couldn’t keep it-“
“That’s okay, we got it.”
Ash suddenly surrounded the ship and Mari landed on the deck closing her hand as she did, hardening the substance as the cannon fire continued, stopped by the new barrier.
Nina and Kaim stood on the deck alongside the woman, the former drawing her sword and touching it to the deck, a black glow surrounded the blade before the water at their feet dissipated leaving only the wood as the woman returned the blade to its sheath.
“We were barely gone a few hours, what the hell guys? Can’t you stay out of trouble?” Kaim said rubbing the side of his head as Ria appeared on the ship in a burst of black fire.
“Another...few minutes...and no….ship…” Ria said removing her mask.
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Luro walked over to the main mast humming to himself as Mari helped Zilia up.
“…I’m glad to see you here,” Zilia said as Mari smiled at her.
She started to say something towards the Prophets when Luro spoke.
“Kay let’s get going.”
Zilia looked over at Luro as he pulled aside a wooden panel in the main mast, the only one left and pulled down a hidden lever.
“Kadi I trust your navigational skills so don’t kill us.”
Whirring suddenly filled the ship and the front and bottom masts were pulled under the top deck as new ones suddenly formed in their place, strangely shaped masts rising up in their place, the ‘sail’s’ rising up with them.
The sides of the ship opened up as extra parts came out of the ship, more sails flaring out and strange contraptions forming before shifting into what looked like wings. “Wait,” Zilia said pointing at the strange new appendages.
“Better hold onto something,” Luro said grinning.
A low hum filled the ship before it instantly grew louder, the whole ship rocked before it slowly lifted out of the water, Mari dropping her barrier as she felt the ship rising into the sky, her eyes widening as the ship quickly took the skies, the front and bottom of it shifting in response, growing what looked like a fin, until the whole ship had changed into a whole other form, almost like a mythical creature as it moved away from the scene.
“Are you freaking kidding me!” Yuli said looking at the floating ship. “That’s cheating!”
Maka stared up at Lady Luck letting the Armament leave the cannonball in his grip, he gently set it back down.

“Onwards!” Luro exclaimed and the ship suddenly sped up, Kadi at the helm guiding the ship to its destination.
Below the crew could see the continuous rings of ships originally barring their path, and where the explosion had happened, numerous mercenary ships were doing battle with Relias forces, a few navy ships alongside it.
“That fixes that,” Luro said folding his hands behind his head. “Man it took so long for that thing to warm up I should modify that.”
Luro turned towards the others.
“So what do you think? It was hard keeping it secret for so long. I wanted to reveal it sooner but now seemed like a good time. Waiting for you all to leave the ship to work on it was hard…especially Cedric’s cats since they like to tattle too. Hope the surprise was worth it.”
“S-S-S-ship,” Zilia said pointing down. “F-F-F-“
“We’re flying!” Kaim exclaimed leaning over the edge. “Oh man Nikos is going to hate this! Hahahaha!”

“We’re flying…?” Runali had been staring wide eyed at the new look Lady had. After so many events piling on at once the captain’s ability to process was stalled. She stared at the masts and then the wings for what felt like a long time. She didn’t hear the message to ‘hold on to something’ so her hair whipped around and she stumbled a few steps forward until her hands were on the edge of the ship. Her gaze finally went downward at the sea littered with ships. She could see all of them, the remnants of destruction, even the endless sea farther out. “We’re flying…” She mumbled out loud. It wasn’t until Coral’s shadow casted over her and then the bird was in front of her, flying not that far away from her, when everything else suddenly began to crash into place. The crew’s cries of surprise or joy, the sudden quiet that came with the lack of cannon fire, and then the sudden rippling of wind too. This… this felt better than being on the Flying Minnow.

Runali whirled around with stars in her eye. It looked like she was going to explode and yell like the rest but instead she bounded over to Luro and pulled him by his collar- maybe a little too roughly- down to her eye level. She stared at him for a moment before exasperating, “You’ve been working on this and you didn’t tell me!? This is so cool!” She cupped his face in her hands and practically vibrated with more excitement than when she learned the crew had made it to the 4th gen spot. “We’ve got a flying ship! Luro!! You did it! This is so cool!” She let him go and looked out at the sky then took a deep breath.
There was a moment she fell into peace, but that didn’t last long as everything else began falling back into place as well. “Ah right. What better way to learn how to fly a ship than to do it.”

Luro had been tapping one of the makeshift sails giving them another look, he grinned and waved over at Coral before he felt himself being pulled. His brows arched a bit at Runali but a toothy grin adorned his face at the Captain’s excitement, a sparkle in the man’s eyes as he was let go.
“I wanted to surprise ya. Seeing you this happy makes it worth it! I’ve never got to test it so I’m glad it actually worked!”
A hearty laugh escaped from Luro as he turned his face to the sky and Mari rested on her knees. Zilia peered over the edge, the wind fluttering her clothes and hair as the ship steadily moved forward.
She’d normally complain about the mess it was making of her combed locks, but she was trapped in awe for a moment only pulling back when she heard Mari’s groan.
“Mari?”
“....don’t like heights. I’m fine,” she said holding up a hand.
Nina and Ria were rubbing her back in a surprising synchronicity.

Zilia quickly pulled herself together and looked over at Luro.
“Sorry Luro...I may have doubted you for a moment,” Zilia said before clearing her throat. “Thank you for helping.”
“No thanks needed Z. Honestly I got it warmed up earlier but it wasn’t ready to lift, a miscalculation on my part. If everyone hadn’t have fought so hard it wouldn’t have mattered. You guys protected the generator connected to the main mast.”
Luro nodded at everyone else as thanks before crossing his arms looking back out at the sky.
“There should be enough power to get us to our destination, after that we’ll have to return to sea. Mari can you use your ash as a seal to help us not sink when that happens?”
“...sure,” Mari said grabbing the edge and steadily climbing to her feet. “You guys focus on Isari, we’ll deal with Relias to keep him off you. Cause I’m positive he’s already sent ships this way.”
“...we still need Mia to help deal with those two though,” Kaim said walking over to the others. “Good thing we handled that.”

The door to the lower deck opened and a familiar one eyed woman walked out onto the main deck.
“You guys got the luck of Jones himself,” the woman said grinning at the crew.
Tossing a few nuts in her mouth from Jack’s nut bowl Mia grinned at Stardusk.
“Heard you have a bit of a Yuli problem, let’s see what we can do about that.”

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It started with a scream.
A violent cry that pierced the battlefield they chose to stand on, a great plain that stretched on endlessly. It had been the stage for many fights, no grass grew there and no flowers, the soil was as black as the sky above, the only light the bright red flames around them, and the glint of steel against the flickering lights. Whatever war was being fought here, whatever honorable duel, grievance or purpose led those to this field mattered no more. Now there was nothing but bodies littering the landscape, spears and swords sticking out of people filled with so much life just moments ago, so much noise had filled this space and now there was silence.
No one remembers what battle was fought here and why, save for two people.

The body of a soldier clad in grey armor shifted slightly, muffled groans escaped the small pile of bodies before the soldier was shoved; rolling to the side as a woman clawed her way out of the mini hole, she crawled in her broken armor until she was on solid ground, and clutched at the dirt forcing herself to her knees. Droplets of rain pelted the battleground, and normally it’d be a welcome relief but the woman couldn’t feel it.
She looked down at her body, at the numerous arrows sticking out of her torso, at the deep cut in her side that had felled her. She clutched at the wound and grit her teeth at the pain, silently cursing to herself as she pulled her hand away, watching the red on her hand be washed away by the rain.
It took all her willpower just to get to her knees, everthing around her was gone, the horses had been killed to prevent retreat, and the nearest town was three days away.
She was going to die here.
It was the expected outcome, the moment she drew her sword she expected to die here. She took small simple breaths, large ones caused her pain and she blinked trying to clear her blurry vision the best she could. Every part of her ached, she could almost feel the life slowing leaving her.
“Well look at this.”

A voice drew her from her own thoughts and she watched as a person dressed in a black cloak walked the battlefield, the cloak stopped a little above their ankles revealing their black boots which stepped over another body, that of a woman in blue armor. Though the cloak hid their form, their voice revealed they were a man, their tone a bit too lighthearted for what was around them but she was sure of it.
She tried to grip her sword properly to at least defend herself if he drew closer but her fingers refused to wrap around the hilt, the effort only causing it to slip from her grasp.
“...oh well one of you is still alive.”
The Stranger approached the woman, she raised her gaze to him as he came to a stop in front of her.
“...who...are you?”
It took effort to actually speak but she had somehow managed to get the words out, though she spit of blood immediately after.
“I’m a person.”
The person pointed to themselves as if it was a natural thing causing the woman to slowly shake her head.
“Name…”
“It’s important to introduce yourself before asking others to do so.”
This person was irritating, but no reason came up not to comply
“....Yuli.”
“Yuli huh….hey how’s it feel to be betrayed?”
Yuli flinched at the stranger’s words and she looked up as the stranger knelt down on the balls of their feet in front of her.
“By the man you love no less. What a shame. Goodness how many soldiers did you cut down searching for answers. Was it just you? Did you have men?”
Yuli didn’t respond to the strangers words, she could only stare wide eyed as he spoke.
“H-how...do you...are you…”
“Oh I’m not affiliated with him, don't worry. I’m not going to kill you...not that I have to. I’d say you have a few minutes at the most. I’m just someone passing through. Though I end up in places of death a lot…”

Yuli opened her mouth but only ended up coughing and leaning forward, the man reached forward, touching her shoulder to keep her from falling completely over. She managed to straighten herself after her coughing fit.
“Would you like to see him again? Get your revenge?”
Yuli looked back at the stranger, the man raised a gloved hand, a snapping sound somehow resonating from their fingers. The rain around them came to a complete halt causing her voice to catch in her throat.
The Stranger moved a few droplets out of the way and clapped their hands together.
“I can give you that. A chance to see him again and kill him for killing you. It’s really easy.”
“....I...don’t want to kill him….”
“Pardon?”
The Stranger tilted their head and Yuli shook her head, she smiled at the stranger and though she couldn’t see it she had a feeling their face contorted.
“I...want to see him...but I don’t want to hurt him. I just want to know why…”
“....that’s boring,” the Stranger said. “I can do that though. It won’t come free however, I want something.”
“...what do you want…”
“Just your humanity.”
The request was so simple, as if asking for a piece of bread. Yuli's eyes narrowed a bit at the stranger but they raised their hands waving them slightly.
“It’s not a bad idea considering your current state. You’ll die as a human at this rate. I’ll make you into something else, something better. Where wounds like this will be nothing to you. Just give up your humanity. That’s it.”
Yuli lowered her head and looked down at her wounds once more, she spit blood out to the side and took a shaky breath.
“No…”
“No?”
Yuli shook her head as if to make the point clear.
“He loved...my humanity...I won’t give it up.”
“...well that’s too bad.”
The Stranger stood and turned their back to Yuli before walking away from her, Yuli closed her eyes prepared to face her choice when the Stranger spoke once more.
“It’s a shame since those people are going to kill him.”
Yuli’s eyes shot open and she raised her head to the man as he got further and further away.
“From what I hear they’re going to make sure he suffers before he dies. That’s the fate of traitors. Oh well I’ll leave you to your demise.”
“Wait!”
Yuli yelled her body screaming at her in the process, she fell face first into the mud as the Stranger kept his hand raised, moments away snapping his fingers again.
She could taste the dirt in her mouth but she forced herself to speak, scraping at the blood soaked earth.
“...I’ll do it...I’ll give it up...please...I...I don’t want him...to die.”
The Stranger glanced back at Yuli and lowered their hand, they approached her once more and knelt down.
“Love is such an interesting thing isn’t it. Makes you do crazy things.”
A hand rested on Yuli’s back, a white misty substance rose out of her body as he pulled away a bit. The Stranger leaned their head back slightly and the substance went into the darkness of their hood as they consumed it.
“Done. It’ll sting but it’ll be the last pain you’ll feel from such things.”
The moment the Stranger spoke all the pain in Yuli’s body hit her all at once, a mute cry escaped from her agape mouth as she clawed at the dirt and her own skin. Smoke rose out of her body as the arrows within her fell out, the wound on her side slowly closing. It felt like she was being burned alive and prodded with pointed sticks both inside and out. She phased in and out of consciousness several times until it finally ended. The Stranger helped her sit up as she slowly recovered.

Just like that the pain was gone, and Yuli backed away from the Stranger looking at her hands.
Her body felt different, lighter and ‘fresh’ if she had to put it into words. The wind felt different and she could feel something coursing through her body, she wasn’t sure what it was but there was this strange inkling that she could control it.
“Congratulations,” the Stranger said standing. “Well I’ll be going now.”
“Wait Stranger,” Yuli said climbing to her feet. “Thank you...you’ve given my life back. I can protect my love again. Find out why this happened. You’ve given me purpose again. Please tell me your name.”
The moment Yuli spoke the words something crashed into her, a weird sense filling her. It felt like the presence of someone standing directly behind her but within her thoughts, when she managed to figure out what that sense was she clutched at her chest.
“Ah there it is. Yeah people like us learn the truth about things quickly. Your lover died yesterday. Tortured to death. You can’t sense his life right? You instinctively searched for it. You’ve got a talent for this.”

Yuli stared at the man, her whole body shaking as he spoke what she knew. She wanted to deny it, she wanted to believe but this ‘power’ told her differently. It showed her his demise within her mind, as if it had happened right in front of her.
She watched the life leave his own in the dark dungeon, his screams long into the night until his life ceased.
Rage filled the woman, her body moved before her mind could stop her, she ripped a sword off a body and rushed the man, she could almost feel the smile from him as her body crashed into the earth face first, the rain pelting her as time moved forward once more.

Her new power allowed her to sense the figure in front of her, what he really was. Her brain had told her he was stronger than her, on a completely different level and that her attack would do nothing but she didn’t heed it.
“Blinded by emotions huh. You’ll grow out of that.”
The Stranger knelt down and grabbed Yuli by her hair, yanking backwards so she was looking at him.
“...why,” she managed to get out as her hands gripped his wrist.
“Cause I was bored.”
The man released her and started walking away again.
“You’ll live for a long time so you’ll get bored too. You’ll eventually find ways to pass the time.”
“What am I...this….I…” Yuli shut her eyes tight forcing herself to her feet once more. “I will...never forgive you.”
“Grudges mean nothing to people like us,” the man said glancing over her shoulder at her. “You’ll let it go. Centuries will pass, then millenia and even past that. You’ll find a purpose in that time. Have fun.”
The man raised a hand to her and continued on his way, Yuli took a step forward but stopped clenching her fists.
“Oh right, I don’t really like titles or names. I feel they’re too suffocating but may as well play along right?”
The man turned to her and a toothy grin formed under his hood, one filled with an otherworldly cruelty, full of twisted joy.
“Feel free to call me Imposter."

Yuli raised her pen from the paper and stared at the words on the page, her eyelids lowering a bit before she felt a presence behind her. Maka offered a small nod to her as he entered the small room, glancing over at the slumbering Isari nearby. He held a small lantern in his hand and sat it on a nearby table before leaning against it.
“What are you doing this late at night?”
Yuli smiled at his question and set her pen down turning towards him.
“What I always do.”
“I see,” Maka said adjusting his mask. “Well don’t stay up too late. We have a lot of work tomorrow.”
“Of course Boss, I’m just finishing up.”
“...are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just want to finish things...we’ve waited so long for this. It’s partially excitement... promise.”
“We’ll resolve things soon. I’m going to turn in, but I’m here to talk if you need to.”
Yuli waved to Maka as he left and watched him close the door.
“....how many generations did I look,” Yuli said grabbing her pen. “I’ve lost track at this point but I finally found you. Well no sense losing myself in such things. I get to have more fun tomorrow.”
Yuli looked over at Isari.
“We’re almost at the end Isa. You hate being the damsel in distress but thank you for playing the role so very well.”

Some time Later

Vilimar held her hand up to the bright sun above, she clicked her tongue at the beautiful spring day in front of her. Instead of being locked inside in the dark with her books, she was walking down a dirt road on a beautiful day to their next destination. The one she had to thank for this unwelcome hell was the child currently bounding around a few feet in front of her. Spinning in a simple dress with what looked like silver hair.
“...you’re definitely their kid,” Vilimar said blowing a bit of smoke to the side.
“Mommy look! Flowers.”
She had given the child the name Zilia after a bit of contemplation, it was surprisingly easier to pick then she expected, it was the one thing she actually cared about and it surprisingly fit her.
“I told you not to call me that,” Vilimar said sighing.
She looked like any other kid to her and she questioned where the energy came from, it was constant and never ending. She let her grow out her hair, to the top of her back since she wanted it to ‘be like hers’, but now she was considering cutting it short. She braided it for her but she always ended up undoing it and asking her to redo it, every day was a new kind of hell for her.
“Mommy can we get flowers?”
The moment she learned to talk it brought her no end of pain.
“I’m not your mommy. I’m Doctor Vilimar,” Vilimar said taking the cigarette out of her mouth and pointing at her.
Zilia tilted her head slightly at the woman and pointed at her.
“Dr. Mommy?”
Dr. Mommy brought a hand to her face and motioned towards the flowers.
“You can have one flower, you don’t take too much from nature.”
“Yay!”
Vilimar watched Zilia tumble down the small hill into the flowers, she took a long puff as Zilia’s desire to ‘take’ a flower quickly changed to frolicking in them. Vilimar merely watching her to ensure her safety. She couldn’t stand kids or anything that came from them, adults included, but what little conscience she had would eat her if anything happened to her, especially considering the circumstances.
“We’re more than even now,” she muttered.

A little bit further down the road Vilimar noticed two people being bothered by a group of thugs, with a whistle she drew Zilia back, who finally grabbed a flower and they made their way down the road. A man and woman stared at the thugs currently pointing blades at the two, motioning to the pouches around their waists.
The man went to reach for his but the woman refused, a moment later a dagger cut her leg causing her to fall to the ground, Vilimar had covered Zilia’s eyes before the attack connected leading the child to wonder why the woman was sitting down suddenly.
The man shielded the woman with his body as the one of the thugs spun his dagger about to bring it into his back when a voice stopped him.
“Can you wait to kill them till we pass? I don’t feel like explaining death to her yet.”
The thugs turned to see Vilimar standing a few feet away, she motioned past them.
“You can do what you want after we pass.”
She ignored the looks from the two victims as the men turned towards her.
“You shouldn’t have opened your mouth lady. Why don’t you give us everything you have on you too.”
“...I already didn’t expect much but you guys have no sense of creativity.”
“...huh?”
“If you’re going to rob someone then properly intimidate them.”
“Why you-”
Vilimar held a finger up and looked back at Zilia.
“Zilia play the counting game.”
“Okay! I’ve gotten better at it.”
“Sure you have just do it.”
Zilia covered her ears and shut her eyes before she started counting.
“Okay now continue being a common thug,” Vilimar said taking the cigarette out of her mouth.
“You bi-”
The woman snuffed out her smoke on the man’s forehead, the thug falling to the ground and rolling around screaming before she cracked her knuckles.

“10!”
Zilia opened her eyes to see the thugs lying on the ground, groaning and twitching slightly, the man and woman staring horrified at the woman in front of them.
“Mommy I did it! Did you see.”
“Huh oh yeah sure,” Vilimar said looking back at her. “Also not your mommy.”
Vilimar walked over to the two and shoved the man away causing him the tumble down the hill, the woman flinched at the sudden action as Vilimar grabbed her leg.
“Don’t move.”

The woman froze as Vilimar checked the wound, she dug into the bag on her side and in a few moments had the woman’s leg wrapped.
“The cut wasn’t deep so you should be fine. That should stop it from scarring,” Vilimar said standing up.
The woman stood and put a bit of pressure on it, the man stared at the brusque woman as she lit another smoke and eyed her then the child.
“Are you a doctor...ma’am?” the man asked causing Vilimar to nod.
“Against my better judgement yes,” she said before brushing herself off.
The man waved to Zilia causing her to move behind Vilimar, the doctor glanced back at the suddenly bashful child before focusing back on the man.
She tossed the man a dagger which he almost dropped due to the sudden gesture.
“If you’re going to travel, keep a weapon on you.”
Vilimar gave the man very precise instructions on where to stab and twist the dagger to do the most damage, with pale faces the two promptly left.
Once they were no longer in sight Zilia released Vilimar’s coat and stepped away from her, she looked up at the woman with bright eyes and a wide smile.
“Mommy that was so cool! You helped that lady right?”
“...I forgot to charge her,” Vilimar said watching the direction the two had gone. “Yeah I helped her, come let’s hurry back.”
She looked over at Zilia and her undone braid before a heavy sigh escaped from her.

A little bit later

Entering their home Zilia ran around the room laughing and grabbing a few of her toys. Vilimar had approached the village and demanded things kids play with, when they started asking questions she started walking towards some of the nearby children seeing them playing with their playthings. The Governor immediately got her some toys and the woman left tossing them as Zilia hoping it would keep her somewhat busy.

Upon returning to their house Vilimar looked into the distance, her eyes narrowing a bit.
“Zilia go inside and play with your new toys. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No I need to do something.”
“I don’t wanna be alone.”
Vilimar stared at Zilia as she stared up at her, a heavy sigh escaping from the woman as she knelt down to her.
“I’ll be right back, I’ll make something good for you later so just listen.”
“...promise you’ll be back.”
“I promise.”
Vilimar held her pinkie up causing Zilia to stare at it.
“Put out your pinkie.”
Zilia responded and Vilimar hooked her pinkie in hers.
“This is an old ritual to ensure that promises never break, it’s a kind of magic. Uh...I believe it goes. Pinkie Pinkie be the bond of my words that I keep.”
Vilimar moved her pinkie up and down and let go of Zilia, the girl looked at Vilimar who stood up and smiled.
“Okay! I’ll see you soon.”
Zilia ran inside and Vilimar shook her head before making her way further into the forest.


A few thugs knelt in nearby bushes staring at the distant house, a few of the men were wrapped up in bandages, glares on their faces as they stared at the abode. The only one not injured arched a brow at the others.
“So the lady who beat you guys down is in there?” the woman said handing the spyglass to another.
“Yeah it was hard to find her...the town didn’t seem to know her but when we described what she looked like the main guard flinched and glanced in this direction. It took some searching but we found her.”
“We’re going to pay her back for what she did to us, she had a kid with her. We’ll steal her first to stop her from fighting back then take our revenge. We can sell the kid afterwards.”
“Finally some good news.”
The thugs jumped as a voice came from behind them, the group turning and quickly climbing to their feet as Vilimar put out her cigarette, dropping it in a makeshift case.
“Don’t got to feel guilty about what I’m going to do to you,” Vilimar said cracking her knuckles.
The thugs looked at their friend only to see she was already on the ground unconscious, they flinched as Vilimar shook off her first, her gaze moving over to them.
“Everybody get’s one chance not to be stupid. Since you messed that up no complaining.”
Vilimar walked towards the man as they held each other.
“That brat’s under my care even if forced. Now grit your teeth and take your beating properly.”

Vilimar walked into the house and grabbed the washing bin, Zilia rran into the room hearing the door shut and waved to Vilimar.
“Welcome home!”
“Hm,” Vilimar said dipping her hands into the water.
“Why are your hands red?”
“...I was picking berries,”
“Could I have some?”
“I ate them on the way.”
“Aww…”
Vilimar stared at the dejected child and sighed as she wiped her hands off with a rag.
“I’ll bring some next time.”
Zilia smiled and nodded before taking a step closer to her.
“Mommy what’s for dinner?”
“For the love of...how many times do I gotta tell ya. I’m not your actual mom. I adopted you.”
“What’s adopted?”

Vilimar sighed and grabbed one of her books, opened it and pointed at the word; maybe reading it would help her understand as saying it wasn’t doing anything.
Zilia took the book and stared at the page, a full minute passed before she looked up at her.
“I can’t read it.”
“What do you mean you-”
Vilimar cut herself off taking a moment to go over all the things she had taught her, realizing reading wasn’t on that list she brought a hand to her face.
“...I'll teach you how to read.”
“Really?!”
“Only so you can broaden your understanding and finally contemplate what I’m telling you.”
“...I don’t know what most of that meant but I love you too.”
“I didn’t say that, we’ll start with something light.”
Vilimar sat down in her chair and grabbed one of her books, Zilia ran over and climbed up the chair before sitting in the woman’s lap looking at the book. Vilimar stared down at the child causing Zilia to lean her head back and look up at her smiling.
“...what are you doing?”
“Getting comfy! Go ahead and start.”
Vilimar looked over at the copy of the book nearby then back down at the child in her lap, Zilia smacked the page with the palm of her hand as an indication to begin and Vilimar shook her head in silent defeat before starting the lesson.


Maka eyed the ship floating away, his gaze moving over to Relias' armada already heading off, the ones not engaged in combat. He knew the man himself had been watching the scene, playing it careful as he expected their were devil fruit users aboard. He wouldn't be pleased about what just happened, Maka decided not to linger around when he decided to eventually gather everyone, he would probably blame Yuli since she had been the scout for the situation.
He knew the woman was probably beside herself trying to figure out how the ship had managed to 'fly' of all things, he found it to be quite humorous himself, Stardusk were everything he had expected and more.
"Boss what kind of cheapness was that!"
Maka glanced behind him as Yuli manifested next to him, he had stepped away from the confused crowd to give her the opportunity to rejoin his side.
"This is why I wanted-"
Maka held up a finger causing Yuli to stop, she stared at the small smile of the man and swallowed her words, he turned in the direction the group had gone, folding his hands behind his back.

"...what the hell are you thinking Boss?" Yuli thought staring at the smiling man.
The machinations of her boss was beyond even her knowledge, she closed her eyes sighing knowing it wasn't her place to ask, everything was already in place so nothing the group did would matter anyway. She wasn't sure what Maka was trying to 'witness' or what he even wanted, his intent remained a mystery to her.
"Are we moving onto the next part?" She finally managed to get out.
"Yes," Maka said glancing back at her. "We'll talk later about your performance...for now let's watch what happens."
"Aye Boss."
 
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Lady Luck.... and flying....

Adelaide was gone.

Jack clung to the banister of the flying Lady Luck, staring out at passing clouds, and felt her absence like a thorn pulled from his hand. Painful yet relieved. He remembered that vivid look in her eyes... like she'd come across something profound. Whatever else she'd discussed with Yuli, it'd altered her perspective. She's planning something. But what? Jack bit his lip. A rising dread formed in his gut and he squashed it. The Adelaide problem would have to wait.

That was assuming, of course, she had truly left at all. Jack wasn't so certain.

Pushing her out of his mind, Jack finally forced his attention to their current (flying!) situation.

Mia's appearance didn't surprise him, and it disturbed him that was the truth. He gave her a nod of welcome nonetheless.

Seeing Ria filled him with relief. After Yuli’s not-so-veiled threats, he’d begun worrying about where his future assassin had ended up.

Amazement (at the flying!) overcome, pain ignored, Jack took their reprieve to check on everyone. He started with Cedric, checking the summoner’s condition despite his protests, and worked his way around the crew. Alicia received a swift visual examination and quiet askance if she needed anything. Limping to Kadi proved taxing, but he wasn’t about to pass up the chance to see how the navigator was accustoming to sailing the clouds instead of the waters. Luro received a pat on the shoulder -- a sign of well done and thank you for saving us. When he got to the captain, he merely… hovered, for a second.

Eventually, he settled next to Zilia. He’d tired himself by then, between his wound, haki drain, nearly dying -- again-- and the shock of being airborne. He sat down with a hard thump and a wince.

“O-ow…” He sighed and closed his eyes. “So… ‘Alicia Tashigi’?” A sly smile curled up as Jack cracked one eye open to look at her. “You probably saved our hides, doctor. We wouldn’t have lasted long enough otherwise… thank you.”

Jack settled back and closed his eyes again. "Wake me up when the important Yuli talk happens. I, for one, would like to take another stab at her."
 
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Her eyes narrowed upon seeing the fallen enemy ships replaced with more, undoing her work and rendering her attack pointless in the grander scheme of the battle. She considered hitting them again, though with each time she'd unleash such an attack she would inevitably exhaust herself which would end up leaving her vulnerable in the end. 'Perhaps now is the time.' she thought to herself as she considered engaging her ascendant form, undeniably a form better suited for handling insurmountable odds. Her thoughts were interrupted however as Luro stepped up beside her and engaged something of his own unique form, taking out additional ships with flowers representing those of her home. She'd have to remember to ask about that if they managed to survive this fight, but a simple nod would do for the time being.

Things didn't appear to be getting better as the situation continued to worsen by the minute and after seeing Luro's follow up brought the same results as her own attack, she instead moved to defending to the ship by deflecting cannon fire away from part of the ship which couldn't afford to be damaged. Try as she might however, their were just too many even for her and eventually the masts were destroyed hindering their chances further of surviving the battle. It was starting to look bad and the first mate considered relaying the suggestion to Ru for them to abandon the ship. If they could manage to board one of the enemy ships they could maybe start to turn the fight around, fighting from one ship to the next. It wasn't a good plan but the swordswoman was running out of ideas fast.

The blue explosion following the call of her name snapped her attention on Zilia for a moment before she looked towards the expanding barrier. She was stunned for a moment, unsure what to think or feel about the display as she didn't fully understand what was happening or why the doctor had called her name in its summoning. More questions that would need to be answered later, for now the barrier seemed to be buying them time as Luro took it upon himself to execute a plan. Before she realised what was happening, the ship began a transformation shortly before ascending into the air, the movement causing her to sway on the spot before steadying herself as she looked around before heading to the edge of the ship to peer over the edge. "... No way." she muttered.

She turned to see the excitement on Ru's features and as the enemy cannon fire ceased it seemed they had once again managed to survive as they sailed off through the sky. The swordswoman returned her sword to its saya, releasing a large exhale before leaning back against the side of Lady Luck's partly destroyed rail. She closed her eyes and took a moment to recompose, looking up to return the nod to Jack who appeared to be checking up on the others. The arrival of Mari, Mia and Kaim meant their wasn't much time to savour their survival however and soon enough Alicia walked over to join with the others. "You know, when being chased by that many ships maybe we should lead with flying away next time." she commented, looking at Luro before turning to the others, specifically Ru. "We may want to consider finding a place to conduct repairs and to restock what was lost. We will not survive another attack like that in this condition."
 
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After making sure the ship wasn’t going to plummet out of the sky, Luro made his way to the lower decks. Thanks to the numerous holes in the ship the wind blew through the tattered deck, though thanks to Nina a majority of the water had been cleared from the ship. He wanted to do a full walkthrough to really understand the damage done, he could guess from where the ship was hit but it was different to actually see it with his own eyes. The ship was in complete disarray, bits of wood were scattered everywhere, what wasn’t damaged by the cannons was damaged by the water. He was thankful he chose sturdy wood as some things still remained intact but the ship would have without a doubt sunk with the amount of damage done. It almost looked like a completely different boat.

He wrote down what needed to be fixed, deciding to contact Sor later for extra wood, very specific wood he hoped the ‘gossip’ would be able to obtain. His eyes moved back to the disheveled ship, it had been some time since he had to work on repairs for a ship that was this damaged, but he had made ships in worst shape float.
His Carpentry duties done Luro looked out one of the larger holes to the vast blue sky and reaching over dug into a somewhat hidden compartment, after a bit of digging past many broken bottles, he managed to find one intact and opened it.
He turned however before opening it noticing Zilia sitting a fair distance away, on her normal box staring at her hands.

Zilia opened and closed her gloved hands, trembling slightly as she eyed the blue energy surrounding them, invisible to the naked eye and extremely pronounced in hers. That tingling sensation that tried to envelop her whole body. She opened and closed her hands once more trying to push the feeling away but as always it lingered. She could feel her stomach churn but it wasn’t as harsh as before, something that didn’t bring her much comfort.
“You okay Z?”
Zilia raised her head to see Luro holding a rum bottle in one hand, and a piece of broken wood in the other, she had numerous questions what he planned on doing but put it aside.
“Just thinking Bandages.”
“About what?”
“...my Devil Fruit.”

Luro stared at Zilia as she turned her focus back to her hands, though she didn’t keep her attention away for long as she heard scraping next to her, she turned to see Luro dragging something over towards her. She watched him pull and eventually push a large square object over to her, once it was up against her box Luro sat down on it, opened the bottle with the piece of wood, which answered her question, and pointed at her.
“All right Z I’m ready, let’s talk about stuff.”
Zilia’s eyebrow arched at the man next to her, but a small chuckle escaped from her as she focused forward again.
“You know I can’t talk about anything Bandages.”
“Hmmm well I know how you’re feeling, but you’d feel better saying it out loud right?”
Zilia didn’t look at Luro immediately, she didn’t like admitting it but Luro was scarily accurate when it came to her, her emotions weren’t really a secret, and once again pained as it was to admit it she did want to talk. She wondered if this fell into a safe zone for her Devil Fruit, looking back over at Luro she decided to give it a chance, if she saw the words were too powerful she’d stop, in her current emotional state she had to be careful.
“...I don’t know how to feel right now. I’ve always hated the Chat-Chat-Fruit, the feeling it leaves in me upon using it but...I ended up using it back there.”
“...that’s a problem?”
“Very much so.”
“Hmm….I’m not good at getting all this stuff Z, but you don’t wanna use your Devil Fruit.”
“No.”
“You ended up using it though cause you were worried about us.”
“Yes.”
“That made you feel like you lost against it though.”
“...yes.”
“Yet you’re happy you were able to help but don’t feel that’s right given the circumstances.”
Zilia stared at Luro for a long moment, the man staring back at her waiting for her response.
“....correct,” she said her eyes narrowing at him a bit.
“This constant back and forth has put you in an awkward position where you’re not sure what to do with those feelings. Torn between using your Fruit to help us, and the thought of relying on it to do so and all that comes with it.”
“....okay we’re going to have a serious talk about how you know this stuff!” Zilia exclaimed standing up.
“I asked Isa.”
“Ah.”
Zilia sat back down realizing how much sense that made, this wasn’t the first time she had felt this way after all. She didn’t speak for a moment, Luro taking a swig from his bottle before she opened her mouth again.
“...I felt like my Mentor was looking at me back there. Almost calling me ‘pathetic’ in the process.”
“...would your mentor really say that?”
“Oh absolutely,” Zilia said without hesitation. “She’d have plenty to say to me about this right now. Most of it being expletives.”
Luro gave a small nod understanding Zilia on a level he couldn’t explain but remained silent as she continued.
“....you’re not going to tell me I should just use it, in your usual ‘what’s the harm’ mentality.”
“Nah don’t feel like it,” Luro said rubbing the side of his head. “Sides I don’t like people telling me what to do, cept the Captain of course. So why would I go doing that to someone else?”
“...I didn’t realize that.”
“Well I don’t get upset but when it involves something I know how to do it feels unnecessary right? Imagine if me, someone not a medicine person, told you how to doctor someone.”
Zilia’s eyes twitched as a feeling welled in her chest for a moment.
“...that would be incredibly annoying. I’ve been one for years.”
“Exactly. When I thought about that I realized there’s no point in saying anything. Even if it’s to help you. It’ll only make it worse. I think listening to people is important though, and suggestions are okay so you should still listen...but I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’m Luro, not Z. I’m also not the Captain.”
Zilia looked back at her hands for a moment, opening and closing them.
“Besides, if you walk around telling people what to do they stop thinking for themselves,” Luro said rubbing the side of his head. “Know that firsthand.”
Zilia’s eyes twitched for a moment, she glanced at Luro before a small smile escaping from her.
“...thanks Bandages. I think I needed that,”
“Hm. No problem Z.”
“Now we just need to stop Maka and Yuli. Maka will manipulate and trick all he can to get what he wants, to bring people to his side. We can’t allow him to continue, someone like him has to be stopped.”
Luro stared at Zilia and leaned forward a bit, Zilia closed her hands into fists as Luro’s voice reached her.
“You’re not much different though Z.”

It took a moment for the words to actually register with Zilia, she slowly turned her head to Luro, the man staring at her, his mouth a rare thin line and his eyes focused on her, there was a small coldness from the normally warm man. The sight made her skin crawl a bit.
“...pardon me?”
“Z….you’re not much better.”
Luro offered a small shrug at this motioning to her with the hand holding his bottle.
“All you’ve done is speak about how evil Maka is, pointing an accusing finger at him even when he wasn’t being anything.”
“...he’s a terrible person I wanted that made clear.”
“You spoke ill repeatedly of him I remember, like you were almost afraid we’d give him a chance otherwise.”
Zilia’s eyes twitched and she felt her power spark a bit at the rise in her emotions, she closed her hands into fists trying to stop it from flowing.
“I just know him better than you all.”
“I don’t doubt that but you’re still not much better Z.”
Energy sparked from Zilia she leaned forward a bit, purple exploding near Luro blowing apart a bit of the wood as a bit of it left her control.
“I was right though! I was right that he was a bad person! I was trying to help.”
“It’s not a matter of being right Z,” Luro said brushing a bit of wood off his shoulder. “We’re not children, we don’t need guidance. We can make our own judgments. Evil or not you tried to force us to your side of things to turn us against something...just like he did. You didn’t even have too, we would have helped you anyway.”


Zilia opened her mouth to refute, to almost scream at Luro but no words came. All she could do was slowly close her mouth and grip her clothes with trembling hands. Luro stood up and set the bottle to the side.
“Letting hate consume you isn’t like you Z, and now’s a bad time to start. You should probably stop.”
“You...you have no right Lu-Bandages...I can never forgive what he’s done the last thing I need is you starting to spout nonsense like that at me. You don’t get to tell me who I can or can’t hate.”
“I don’t care who you hate Z,” Luro said rubbing the side of his head. “I’m not telling you to forgive him either.”
Luro walked closer to Zilia and leaned towards her causing her to lean back slightly.
“I’m asking you if it’s worth throwing away who you are for this person. Is your hatred that deep you’d throw away your family, friends, lovers and everything you care for. Do you hate Maka that much?”

Luro took Zilia’s hand and shoved a gun into it, the doctor flinched as he held her hand forcing it against his chest, her hand rested on the trigger Luro’s over it, almost forcing her to pull the trigger herself.
“If I told you I was going to support him could you pull the trigger and stop me? Do you resent him so much you’d burn down everything to kill him, throw away all you are.”
Something in Luro’s gaze was trying to consume her, his piercing stare tore ripped through her peering into the depths of her being, she lowered the gun from his chest and forced herself to look away from him. She didn’t notice it but at some point she had started shaking, she brought a hand to her wrist to try and start the trembling.
“Good,” Luro said taking the gun back.
The normal smile returned to the man’s face causing her to look back at him.
“You still have some hope then. When you end up consumed by loathing...you become someone like me, and there should only be one me.”
Zilia looked at Luro, Lina’s face flashed in her mind, the child crying in the rain clawing at the cobblestone, red washed away into the night, the painful act forgotten, fading into the night but forever ingrained into the heart of one young boy. She knew what made Luro Luro, and she knew he did too, and that’s why he was standing in front of her right now.
“...I’ll keep it in mind.”
“That’s all I ask,” Luro said grinning at her. “I’m heading back up. I’ll leave you to be alone n stuff.”
Luro walked away only to stop as he felt a tug on his shirt, he glanced back to see Zilia holding onto him. He stared at her, though her gaze remained fixated on the floor.
“...or I could stay down here and tell you one of my fantastical stories.”
“...I’d like that.”
“All right! Then let me tell you about the one where I ended up as queen for a day...well again.”


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Luro stared at the glowing sphere in its case grinning a bit as he tapped the outside container a bit. Everything was holding together which meant they weren’t going to fall out of the sky too soon, but they’d have to land soon. Keeping the ship afloat took far more energy than he thought, even after considering it’d be a strain.
He spoke confidently before but it never hurt to double check.
“Well it’s the first time it’s actually been used...can’t help she won’t hold up for long.”
“I’m surprised it’s still flying.”
Luro turned at another voice only for a hand to cover his mouth, Yuli stood behind him, her face close to his and a finger on her lips. Luro’s hand twitched as he almost summoned an element from the glove but instead he offered a nod and Yuli backed away from him.
“Haha that’s why I like you Luro. That friendliness is greatly appreciated. I mean I could kill you right now and no one would know why. Anyone else would be preparing for me to attack them in some way, but you genuinely don’t intend on doing so.”
Luro offered a small nod before pointing at Yuli.
“Well I don’t sense bloodlust from you,” Luro said tilting his head slightly. “I mean a part of you wants to kill me but not enough to act on it. That’s how most of my friends are.”
“That honesty too, spoken and unspoken. I can feel the murderous intent flowing off you in waves, how you contain the urge to slaughter everything around you truly fascinates me...but not all of that is yours is it? Being this close I’m sure Imposter’s is mixed in there somewhere.”

Luro wasn’t entirely sure what to do with the person in front of him, watching as she dragged a small crate towards him. She apparently knew about Imposter, he wondered how she knew when Yuli stepped up onto the crate and hooked her hands behind his neck. Luro blinked a few times at the woman’s closeness, a glow to her eyes as she smirked at him.
“Tell me...how does Imposter feel with how close I am? Unable to do anything about it.”
The woman leaned a bit closer and Luro reached up and grabbed her arms gently making her let go.
“Aw...you lose all your fun being engaged?”
“You smell funny,” Luro said letting go of her.
Yuli’s eyes twitched and she stepped off the crate, Luro tilted his head wondering what was bothering her but decided to just ask the question on his mind instead.
“You know Imposter Yuli?”

Yuli took a moment to respond, pulling her shirt out and smelling it a bit before doing the same with her hair, she seemed to catch Luro’s question and offered a small shrug to him.
“I wouldn’t say know personally. We’ve met though and honestly that was enough to understand I want as little to do with him as possible.”
“Yeah that make sense,” Luro said crossing his arms.
“Thankfully he’s sealed and can’t do much so that’s handy.”
“Sealed?”
“Yep. He was sealed in something he couldn’t abuse. A powerless human. I mean imagine if he got into someone like Alicia, or Cedric...well Cedric’s already occupied but still even the Captain or Jack who can use armament. It’d be horrific. I mean look at all the chaos he’s caused in a normal human’s body.”

Luro’s many ventures hadn’t escaped the woman, saying his history was bloody was like saying the sky was blue. Apparently Imposter had control of him for a bit but Luro managed to gain control back, she wanted to see if that was true and sure enough Luro didn’t attack her.
“To be honest...even standing this close it’s hard to tell it’s him. He’s doing a really good job of hiding what he is. I know what he is and even I’m doubting myself. Though I only know what he is due to extreme circumstances.”
Luro’s eyes widened a bit and he leaned forward a bit.
“You know what Imposter is?”
“I do, and trust me if any of the old ones knew what he really was they would have erased both you and him a long time ago. It’s almost terrifying how good he is at hiding himself.”
“Old ones?”
“Simple term to explain people like us. You know the Undersea King, Jones, everything in-between. Not all are gods so it works and we’ve been around long enough to be called it.”
“I see...but why would they erase Imposter?”
“Cause he’d erase us.”

Luro scratched the side of his head and Yuli adjusted her glasses slightly before pointing at him.
“I hate saying this but Imposter can’t be killed. He’ll always come back in some form. When he was betrayed and sealed he did one last trick. He made it so that the very things that trapped him would be the reason he would never leave. So long as at least one human remains Imposter will always reform no matter what is done to him.”
Yuli offered a shrug and chuckle at this.
“He’s not a terrible threat now being stuck in you but if he was free I’d be long dead by now.”
Luro didn’t speak for a moment, he had no real hints to what Imposter was, and his scrambled memories didn’t help him figure out how he even got in him originally.
“Hmmm can you tell me who he is?” He finally said after a few minutes.
“I would if I could but unfortunately even I don’t know everything about him. All I know is that he’s really old and if he got free he’d use his-”

Yuli suddenly leapt backward as something shifted in the air, Luro blinked a few times as one of her bangs fell to the floor, cut by an invisible object. Yuli kept a fair bit of distance from Luro, taking a moment to pat her body.
“Guess he doesn’t want me mentioning that. Look Luro I’ll give you a fair warning. Imposter is at his strongest with a lack of understanding. He’s not concealing himself out of cowardness or weakness. That’s just what he wants you to believe….people like us have all the time in the world, we’re very patient. He’s got something planned, that’s just how he is. He entraps you and swipes it away in an instant, no chance for retaliation, no hope for resistance. He wraps the noose around your neck and only pulls when it’s tightened. That’s the actions of someone who's fallen once. Until he’s fully won he won’t move, and by then it’s too late to stop it. He leaves no hope, not even the slightest. Hell he can just wait for you to die naturally, that’s basically a week to him.”

Yuli closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose, she stayed silent for a short moment before turning to Luro.
“I really wanted to see him but as expected he’s not going to come out willingly. Just be careful Luro. He’s more meticulous than he seems. He’ll kill you long before you realize he’s had the chance, never let your guard down.”
Luro offered a small shrug to Yuli, he knew not to drop his guard around the man as it was painfully clear he wanted to hurt him and his friends. Something about what Yuli said didn’t sit right with him however and as the woman turned he spoke up.
“Are you sure that’s Imposter?”
Yuli stopped and turned back to Luro, she met his gaze and with a sigh leaned against the wall.
“Honestly...I don’t know. Imposter has many faces and many forms...it’s impossible to figure him out because he’s never just…’one’ thing. Just when you think you understand him, you realize nothing you knew was right, when he’s wrong he’s right, when he’s right he’s wrong, and when he’s right he’s right and when he’s wrong he’s wrong.”

Yuli made multiple motions with her hand over her confusing but factual words.
“That version of him may not be this one, I don’t really know but one thing among all of them is he’s calculating and finds great enjoyment in those who underestimate him. Makes his job easier. Honestly if I had the ability I’d erase him.”
Luro crossed his arms closing his eyes at this, that was also true, whatever version of Imposter this was didn’t matter. He’d kill them all the same.
“I’m surprised you can’t.”
“Sealing him would mean opening myself up and he knows that. He’d take over my body pretty quickly if I tried….oh so I gotta ask, I know he has some of his power, is he really not sharing it?”
“Nope,” Luro said. “He likes me suffering. He promised me power if I gave myself up forever.”

Luro moved over to a nearby crate and poured a steamy liquid into a cup before holding it out to Yuli. The woman stared at the offering for a long moment but took it in both hands with a small nod. She stared into the brown liquid and took a sip, her brows arching at the cinnamon flavored caffeine, she was tempted to ask how he made it but they were already discussing something.
“That’s...pretty harsh."
“Very much so yes," Luro said pouring himself a cup.
“...he won’t negotiate on that?”
“Uh...if I kill all of Stardusk with my own hands he’ll also do it.”
“...those are the options for unimaginable power.”
“Yep. Lose my will eternally or kill the people precious to me. Do that and he’ll let me have ‘some’.”
“Some?! That’s so stingy.”
“I am well aware.”
“Yeah he hasn’t changed. The worst part is he’ll eventually make it so that’s your only option.”
“Oh he’s been trying.”
“I mean when you die he’s basically free so he owes you nothing.”
“Not a thing.”
The two stared at each other for a moment, silence filling the air until a chuckle escaped from Yuli as she leaned against the wood.
“Honestly...how silly is this?”
Luro tilted his head as the woman shook her head.
“It’s hard to believe we’re enemies. Standing here talking like this. We intend on killing each other and we’re going on like midwives at the market.”
“Nothing wrong with being nice to people,” Luro said turning back to his creation.
“Even if that person is trying to kill you and all the people you care about.”
“Don’t see why not.”
Yuli’s mouth opened for a moment only too close, what rebuttal or words she had left her for a moment as she stared at the man’s back. His guard wasn’t up in the slightest, not a trace of tenseness or hostility in her direction, if she was being honest this situation disturbed her more than anything.
“...not for us. There’s only one way this ends now.”
Luro turned around to see Yuli was no longer around, he stared into the darkness for a moment.
“I liked this...but let’s get back to our respective roles.”
The woman’s voice trailed off into nothing, her words fading away into the gentle hum that filled the room.
Luro stared into nothingness for a long moment before noticing her empty cup on a nearby crate, he smiled a little and turned back to the generator.
 
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~"If you could go back and do it all again differently, would you?"~
~"I would change... everything."~

"Excuse me." Alicia added politely, tipping her head respectfully towards the crew before turning to make her way across the deck, pushing through the doors to the interior of the Lady Luck. After traversing the hallway she placed her hand upon the door to her room, stepping inside before closing it behind her as she rested herself back against the door for a moment. Her hand rose to place against her chest before she slid down the door till she found the floor, leaning forwards as her other hand came up to hold her head as she leaned forwards a little. She was trembling slightly, staring at the wooden floorboards in front of her as she was reminded of that day all those years ago.

"Do you desire power?"

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After the first invasion


"Well, do you?" a woman with hair of pure white and deep purple eyes turned in Alicia's direction. The two looked almost identical save for small subtle differences. "No amount of power would have changed... this." Alicia replied as she motioned her hand to the scene below them as they stood upon a cliff side overlooking the burned remains of port Hurasai. Burning ship debris lay scattered across the beaches with bodies sprawled out across the ground while the many who survived worked to collect them into piles for cremation. The sky was scarred with dark clouds lamenting the scene with light drizzle that cooled against the skin, as if they mourned. "Perhaps... perhaps not." the woman responded as she once again returned her gaze to the beaches. Both of them looked ragged, their clothing torn and stained from battle with dirt marks blemishing their features. "I will become powerful Alicia. I'll make sure something like this never happens again, so that no one is made to suffer like we did."

"Ruki... " Alicia replied softly as she placed her hand upon her shoulder, her face contorted in an expression of concern towards the woman who merely turned and gave a confident, albeit tired smile. "You can always count on me." she replied, placing her hand upon Alicia's head as she grinned. "Come, let us join with the others... they may need our help." she added before turning to walk back down a small path leading off towards the adjacent city of the port. Alicia watched her leave, her expression still one of concern as she took one last look down towards the destroyed beaches that both had fought upon only a mere hour ago. She took a long inhale, exhaling before turning to follow after the other woman as she too made her way down towards the city.

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Present day

It'd almost happened again... all those ships baring down upon them just like what'd happened all those years ago. She'd almost lost everything she'd held dear back then, friends, family and so much more. She'd been powerless in the face of such adversity and even now despite all the strength she'd gathered since that day, it still wasn't enough to save the ones she cared about, to make a difference when it was needed most. With the ship being torn apart around them and with everyone working so hard to try to survive the attack, it felt just like it had done all those years ago. Of course they managed to survive thanks to Luro's brilliance... but with how close they had come to meeting the same fate as the others. She didn't know if she had the resolve to go through that again, the pain would be far too great. 'Believe in them.' Anduin's words echoed through her mind, causing her eyes to close as she exhaled before leaning her head back against the door. "I do. It is me I am no longer sure of anymore."
 

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“Please forget that moment,” Zilia said bringing her hand to her face at Jack’s comment.
She wasn’t going to be able to look Alicia in the eye properly for a few days after that, though at his follow up Zilia slowly lowered her hand.
“I didn’t do much….but I will wake you up. If you get first stab I call second.”
Mari hovered over the edge still having her back rubbed as Luro tossed Mia a bottle, which the woman caught with a grin.
“To the ones who don’t know me, name’s Mia. I’m one of the few people that don’t want to kill Stardusk. Ask them if you wanna know why, now as soon as I down this and finish these nuts we can started.”
Luro gave a nod before looking back at Alicia.
“The generator had to warm up,” Luro said grinning at his sword wielding companion. “Can’t just take off without energy, thankfully we didn’t blow up that was a possibility.”
Once everyone had gotten somewhat comfortable, Mari given some medicine by Zilia that seemed to settle her, the doctor eyeing those around her afterwards. Luro felt a strange bit of comfort at Zilia prodding him as Mia got comfy, the doctor mostly eyed who would be her future patients but that seemed to be enough as she was one of the first to rejoin once Mia was ready to chat. She made sure to retrieve Jack before then and Mia sitting on one of the barrels, a half drunk bottle in her hand leaned forward a bit and grinned.
“So whaddya wanna know?”
“How to kill Yuli,” Zilia said.

“Don’t know.”
Zila, Mari and the Prophets stared at Mia who took another swig from her bottle, shaking it slightly to test how much was left.
“....pardon?” Mari said.

“Don’t know how to kill her, thought I said that.”
“Okay how about hurting her then,” Zilia said.
“Couldn’t tell ya,” Mia said looking into the rum bottle.

Zilia studied the woman in silence expecting more; when nothing came her mouth opened then closed as she took a moment to control her emotions, she was instantly reminded of Mia’s sometimes too carefree attitude.
The woman’s lighthearted demeanor extended even to how she carried herself, but she knew how Mia was, mostly thanks to Luro. If she did something it was genuinely for a reason, unless she was just messing with them, another possible option.
“So you don’t know how to stop her,” Mari said looking over at Zilia.
“I never said that,” Mia said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have something useful for you.”
With that said Mia hopped off her seated place and motioned to the crew.
“Just to clarify she’s not a Logia, we’ve tried drowning her and she can swim just fine. Seastone doesn’t work on her either. Figured I’d resolve that thought process quickly.”
Luro slowly lowered his hand eliciting a smile from Mia before she continued.
“Only two people have been able to stop her properly, and that’s Quill Number two and Number one.”

Mia opened her notebook and flipped to a page tossing her bottle to Luro who caught it as the woman continued.
“Quill Number two had the ability to negate all powers and he somehow was able to negate Yuli’s immorality. Unfortunately the Prophets only have an idea of his location.”
“He’s nowhere near here so that’s not an option anyway,” Kaim said shrugging.
“Lina is no longer with us so she’s also not an option but she did tell me how to beat her.”
“Could you please just tell us,” Mari said crossing her arms.
“...someone’s impatient,” Mia said shutting her notebook. “I came all this way you know, indulge me for a minute and I’m making sure of something.”
“What are you-”
Mari drew one of her wheels and threw it at a nearby shadow, as it did the shadow quickly receded, dissipating into nothing.
“Knew it,” Mia said pulling her weapon from the wood. “Okay now that she can’t hear us let’s continue.”
Mari stared at the vanishing shadow that upon closer observation belonged to nothing on the ship and looked back at Mia.
“How did you-”
Mia held a finger to her lips, offering a smile to Mari before she spoke again.
“Now I pulled a prank on Lina sometime before and she was mad at me so she didn’t give me a straight answer on how to beat Yuli. She did give me a hint though, you guys are smart so I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
“What’d you do to her?” Kaim asked. “I mean Lina was pretty nice about things.”
“Oh it was a good one, I’d been working on it for months it felt so good to pull it off. She had every right to be mad at me honestly,” Mia said.
“Oh give me the details.”
“Well-”
“Can we focus,” Mari said stopping the two.
Zilia gave a small nod in response and fiddled with her bang as Mia focused her attention back on the two.
“A hint...well it’s better than nothing,” Zilia said. “What is it?”
“Beware the Monarch of Vrahei,” Mia said with a nod.

Zilia stared at Mia after she delivered her hint, the woman holding her hand out as the rum bottle was given back to her, though noticing it’s emptiness she narrowed her eye at Luro.
“...that’s the whole hint,” Mari said resting her hands on her hips. “Who is that?”
“The Monarch of Vrahei was a woman in one of our childhood stories,” Luro said. “She’s known as the Queen of Vanity. She would always admire herself in the mirror, this inevitably led to the fall of her kingdom as she one day found an imperfection and spent all her time trying to fix it, losing her kingdom in the process to attackers.”
Luro ruffled his hair thinking of the story.
“It was one she liked, and there’s much more to it but the Queen of Vanity is who she’s referring to,” Luro said grinning at the women.
“Vanity…” Mari said. “...well she’s got plenty of that. So that’s the hint to beating her.”
“Yep,” Mia said. “I haven’t figured it out, never had a reason to think about it till now since Yuli left before all that mess happened.
The woman was tossed another bottle which she opened before continuing.
“Yuli didn’t mess with Lina though, not even a little. My adorably irritable companion knew how to properly hurt her, Yuli purposefully avoided her. Sorry I don’t got a straight answer but I’m sure you guys can figure out the hint. I’ll of course help out too, my men are already dealing with Relias after all so I’m not going anywhere.”

“So...we deal with Yuli then Maka,” Zilia said. “...if we’re lucky we can deal with them both in one fell swoop.”
“Don’t drop your guard,” Kaim said folding his hands behind his head. “Guy’s pretty strong. I tested him not too long ago, he’s good up close.”
“You fought Maka?!” Zilia said looking over at Kaim.
“Of course I did, who doesn’t go looking to fight strong people. He’s freakishly strong. Don’t know what Zoan he is but the guy is durable. Yuli interrupted our fight sadly. Neither of us got serious but he’s clearly trained in some kind of martial art. Best not to fight him up close if you’re not used to dealing with people like that.”
Mia looked over at Runali after taking in Kaim’s information.
“I won’t steal your thunder though Captain Runali. I’ll let you guys deal with her, you got more business with those two then I do. I’ll just help in making sure you’re not...interrupted.”
“Our employer of course is providing full support,” Kaim said. “We’re going to help deal with Relias. Might even get a bonus for all the extra danger.”

Runali was sitting on the deck after staring out at the sky long enough. Even she needed a moment to gather her energy back from the fiasco. With her head back, she was staring up at Coral who was perched above her. When she placed a hand down by her side, she felt fur idly brush past. The first mate had been right, they had yet another issue on their hands. They’d be sitting ducks after they collected Isari, and that wasn’t really a good place to be with enemies all around them. But, she compartmentalized. She focused on their current situation which at the moment was Mia telling them about Yuli.

Or at least giving vague hints about her.

“Vanity?” The captain scoffed lightly and reached up to scratch Coral’s chest. “What, we’re gonna hurt her pride to get to her?” There was a moment’s pause before Runali sat up, causing Coral to flap backwards and said cat to move out of the way. “I mean, it’s not… impossible. Just not the easiest thing to do obviously.” She ended up leaning on one knee and humming in thought. “People typically get sloppy when their plans go wrong…” With a huff, she finally acknowledged what Mia said and nodded in her direction. “S’pose I wouldn’t complain too much if you had. We’re here for pick up really, the rest is just…” She idly waved her hand idly. “A fun extra. But aye, the backup is appreciated. We’ve only got so many hands after all.”

“Oh I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” Mia said grinning at the Captain. “Couldn’t tell ya but those who manipulate are sometimes the easiest to manipulate.”
Mia smiled at this resting a hand on her cheek.
“To bend another to your will you have to keep your guard up against it yourself. Well unless you’re silly and like being tricked. Means she’ll fall for simple stuff, cause her mind’s focused on the big picture. Just do what doesn’t make sense it’ll throw her off.”

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After listening to Mia's explanation Zilia crossed her arms considering that angle but before she could speak she quickly turned to see Yuli standing behind her, she took a large step back as the woman reached for her.
“Oooh good senses. Almost took your soul there,” Yuli said smiling at the doctor.
Yuli’s gaze raised to Mia the one eyed woman grinning at her.
“Long time no see Yuli. Still immortal?”
“…wasn’t your eyepatch on the other side?”
“Was it?”
Yuli’s generally peppy demeanor seem to fade around the Captain of the Lupis Noctis though it returned as soon as it came.
“You guys never fail to disappoint, a flying ship! The amount of pride I have for you is-“
“That’s quite enough Yuli.”
Yuli’s whole body tensed as a familiar voice came from behind her, Zilia felt her skin crawl as Maka’s visage slowly came into view, his body materializing out of the air itself, his form taking shape until he was fully among them.
The masked Zoan still carried a hidden pressure to him even as he stood formally, offering a small bow. Mari could almost feel the air shift in response to the man’s presence.
“We’re not here to agitate, fighting here would cause the ship to plummet anyway,” Maka said. “Captain Lev, forgive the intrusion. Yuli belatedly told me you wanted to Parlay.”
The man’s mask moved to Yuli who quickly averted her eyes, failing to whistle and hide her clear guilt.
“There’s no sense in us fighting now anyway,” Maka said before lightly knocking on the main mast. “It would only end badly for everyone. This was also the fault of my crew so you have my apologies. This could have been avoided if I’d been informed ahead of time.”
“….if you knew the generator was there you should have aimed for the main one,” Yuli mumbled.
“Don’t push it Yuli.”

The woman stiffened again folding her hands behind her back causing Maka to sigh.
“Though delayed the opportunity is still there if you wanted to negotiate, I’ve always been open to it after all,” Maka said.
“If you think for one moment-” Zilia said only to freeze as a sudden filling hit her.

“I’m speaking to your Captain Zilia,” Maka said his hidden gaze moving over to her. “I know you don’t want to hear what I have to say…but given the circumstances and all that’s happened we’re due a conversation, if you don’t want to participate then listen.”

Mari’s hand never left her blade the moment the man had appeared on the ship, this was the Maka Zilia held so much disdain for. Her hand hovered over her hilt waiting for the smallest moment to attack the man. She suddenly understood why she always seemed so on edge. The man was basically a predator stalking his prey. He wasn’t showing aggression but there were no real openings to exploit either.

The conversation at hand about willpower and manipulation sparked a quiet memory in her head. She tilted her head a little in thought but her attention turned when they once again had unexpected guests- this time less appreciated. “Ah. It’s you again. Right on time.” She slowly stood to her feet, letting Coral perch on her shoulder. When Maka’s presence appeared, she started to stop moving but Coral clutching her shoulder in alarm distracted her attention. Carefully taking the bird off her, she raised a brow at Maka and took steps forward to meet where he stood. “Can’t say it’s a pleasure, but it’s not the worst skulled face I could be lookin’ at in my lifetime.” The captain noticed a weird shift in the air that created a defiance in her. She didn’t know why it happened but she had a feeling it was Maka who caused it, which only made the sudden defiance a little stronger. She didn’t question it, she just raised her hands on her hips and looked Maka in the eye.

“Aye, well what can you say. No one’s perfect, especially not someone who doesn’t know proper fighting courtesies. Can’t get something done right, you do it yourself, as they say. But anyway, seeing as you’ve gotten this far, what’s your use for us if you have what you want? Something tells me someone like you and the missus could have stopped us before we flew off.”

Maka only offered a smile to the Captain at her comment though Yuli clearly wanted to voice her own opinion.
“I have no use of Stardusk Captain Lev. There’s only one thing I’ve ever wanted and that was a conversation and understanding of the present circumstances, I’ve never held ill will against you so why stop you?”
Maka offered a small nod at this and looked at Yuli, the woman made a motion with her hand and a wooden chair conjured behind him before he took a seat on it. Crossing his legs he folded his hands in his lap as he continued.

“Isari is being held at the place where Zilia and I were reborn. If you go there I will make sure she is returned to you. Afterwards I would advise you leave the circle as promptly as possible.”
Zilia’s eyes narrowed a bit at this and Maka's masked gaze moved over to her.
“You’re holding her in our hometown.”
“She said she wanted to see it right?” Maka said. “I tried to have multiple conversations with her but it’s hard to engage in a proper one when her only thought is that you're a murderous monster with no sense of mercy. I was attacked multiple times by her crystal, she’s sleeping at the moment.”

Zilia felt her rage slowly starting to bubble to the surface but managed to push it back down for a moment letting the man continue.
“You have friends that can pull Lady Luck free of the Circle correct? If not I can acquire a few ships to help with that.”
“If you think I’m just going to leave knowing you’re still here you’re insane.”
“I would highly advise you leave. If you don’t you’ll die here.”
Mari’s hand wrapped around her hilt and Maka’s mask moved in her direction.
“Casually threatening while you’re surrounded...you’re just like Zilia described.”
Maka stared at the navy Captain for a moment but gave a small shake of his head.
“Yuli deals in threats. I choose to speak facts. If you stay in the circle after retrieving her. You will die, as you are Zilia’s friends I would prefer that not happen. The Circle is mine now, and I’m informing you of what will happen if you stay.”

“But what about this Circle?” Runali tapped her foot on the deck as if acknowledging the land under them. “You have the crystal-y power, you’ve got everyone chasing their tails, so what’s so special about this place again? Most that conquer one try to conquer more.”

A low hum escaped from Maka at the Captain’s question, it was certainly a story and one they didn’t have time to tell, especially considering his relationship with Zilia.
“In terms of the Circle, it has more to do with its history more than anything else. Long story short the World Government has no pull here and won’t for some time, enough to settle and build for the day they possibly decide to try and take it again,” Maka said with a small nod. “It’s the best starting point and is easily defendable.”
Mari’s eyes narrowed a bit at this, she didn’t like saying it but he wasn’t wrong, the war that came and went was a tough one because breaking into the circle was hard and cost plenty of ships. She knew plenty of officers who wanted to deal with the criminals hiding in this place, but were aware it wasn’t an option. They dumped their work on her so she was wholly aware how many couldn’t act.

“Hmm,” Runali crossed her arms in thought. “S’pose I can’t say it’s an entirely terrible plan.” She looked out at the sky. “Those Fruits do make some a lot more scared for some reason… and having a place from it would keep people happy.” She held a hand up and made a shaky gesture. “But going off the stories and the words, sounds like you did as much as a pirate would do,” She glanced over at Yuli with a blank expression before turning back to Maka, “as much as a devil would do to get it. Which means a lotta blood was shed and a lotta unhappy people. Just means you’re just as bad as the guys that were bad to you. But,” Runali shrugged and idly took a step back. “It’s a bit of a coward’s move to hide away instead of being… the force of a new era.”

With a quick hand wave, she held up her index finger. “But importantly, you’re giving us Isari alive, yes? She held up a second finger and looked a little more curious, “How’d you take her power?”

“What an interesting opinion.”
That was the bulk of Maka’s response a smile escaping from the man.
“Should I judge you by the words I’ve heard or the actions I’ve seen Captain Lev. You seem as much a devil as Yuli to many.”
Maka looked over at Zilia who seemed to be practicing patience only because of Runali, he appreciated that fact as he had no desire to fight his old friend, and she’d without hesitation attack him even given the circumstances without that ‘restraint’.
He didn’t comment on the ‘coward’ comment nor did he show anything other than a smile at her words.

At the Captain’s comment a small sigh did escape from Maka and he shook his head slightly.
“There would be no point returning a dead person to you Captain Lev. I assure you I’m not as terrible as Zilia has proclaimed me to be, she will be given to you unharmed. I’m not exactly an angel either but we both fight against order, against captivity in our own way. The less people killed towards that objective the easier it is. Zilia though she has a grudge against me can confirm I wouldn’t harm the young lady.”
“She already has,” Luro said raising a hand.

Maka gave a small nod of thanks before looking over at Isari to answer the question, the woman doing so at her boss’ silent request..
“I just needed to stand near her. I can take any power so long as I’m in the vicinity of it. Why I wanted to borrow her in the first place,” Isari said folding her hands behind her head.
“I can do all your powers too.”
Yuli snapped her fingers and her eye lit up like a familiar swordswoman, another snap and a card appeared in her hand, she snapped again and she was back to normal.
“Easy.”
“Any other questions Captain Lev?”

“Ah, yeah. Hypocrite can spot a hypocrite.” She tapped herself. “Never said I wasn’t doing the same. Well, minus the hiding away part.” With the new information she nodded in kind. “Hey, never hurts to make sure she’s safe. You don’t seem like a conniving type if that makes you feel any better. Still, trades handling lives come with fine print so I’ve learned. But, hm, I’ll leave the harder questions with the crew.” She gestured over to Yuli. “Oh and thanks for the, uh, demonstration I guess.” Runali tapped her fingers against her arm and sighed. “...There’s not a chance we’re leaving without picking a fight, sorry to say.” She didn’t have to gesture towards Zilia to feel her anger radiating. “I promised her that much and I’m not gonna go back on promises to my crew. Wouldn’t be a good captain.”

“Well Hypocrisy is an interesting subject for another time and I never said you weren’t,” Maka said brushing off the front of his outfit.
Yuli offered offered a grin to the Captain at her thanks and Maka’s gaze moved over to Zilia before he walked over to the edge of the ship at the Captain’s refusal to leave.
“Hm. I expected as much. You all are good people who stand by your friend. I can respect that,” Maka said. “Yuli show them.”
“Aye Boss,” Yuli said. “If you guys wouldn’t mind looking at the large island over there.”
Yuli motioned to one of the islands a little way from them, the woman snapped her fingers and the mix of green and white was immediately replaced with purple, there was no time to even register it had happened, one moment a island full of nature rested nearby and the next a crystallized display.
Mari’s felt her heart drop at the sight and Maka with his back still to the crew stared down at the island.
“Did you know Crystal can form from the earth? By implanting just a little part into it, an entire piece of land can be consumed so quickly. All life snuffed out from it in an instant.”
Zilia eyes widened, her hands gripping the sides of her outfit as scenes played out in her head, the village they went to at the forefront.
“I supposed Zilia and the others who were with her would know what happens when normal people are there when this occurs, though the only difference is I won’t leave them alive this time.”

Mari immediately drew her blade gripping it tightly, neither Yuli or Maka moved as the woman narrowed her eyes at them.
“How many islands?!”
“All of them,” Maka said glancing back at her. “Every single one, including the one you’re flying too. While you were going after Isari I’ve been busy. I’ve made it so her crystal only recognizes the signature of Devil Fruit Users when it activates.”
Zilia released her outfit and looked up at Maka, her brows furrowing as the reality of the situation hit her.
“You’re...going to kill all the non-Users.”
Zilia knew Maka, and he had been very particular with his words. This man had only one ambition and he had revealed it without the slightest hesitation.
“Only the ones that stay. The smart ones-”
Maka motioned to the waters below to the many ships heading towards the Circle's edge.
“Took my warning.”
Zilia grit her teeth and felt energy trying to flow out of her, towards the man standing proudly as he eyed his handiwork.
“You Monster.”
“Correct,” Maka said turning to the crew. “I am a Monster, I’m also a tyrant, a hypocrite. I’ll be whatever I need to be to achieve my goal. I’ve tried talking, I’ve tried negotiation, I have used my words and all have failed so all that is left is my hands.”
“Like you tried to do any of that. All you do is steal things away from others! You won’t even give them a chance!”
“You’re the last person I want to hear that from Zilia. Did I not say from the beginning I didn’t want to be your enemy.”
“Like I’d believe you.”
“That’s the same attitude the others gave me when I approached them. In the face of such resistance you still want me to use words. I tried repeatedly to inform you I only wanted to talk.”

Zilia’s eyes twitched and Luro’s eyes went over to her, she seemed to calm down slightly as Maka stared at her from behind her mask.
“There’s no reason to trust you.”
“Because of who I am? We haven’t seen each other in years. I’m not allowed to change, to become someone new and grow. Provide me one moment since our meeting where you’ve shown me proper understanding, rather than a mere two minutes to provide my case.”
Zilia mouth opened and Maka’s lips curved downwards into a frown.
“You are the worst example. It’s people like you that have forced my hand like this Zilia. You wanted me to be the villain so badly...well is this not the bare minimum of the person you paint me to be.”
“I didn’t-”
“I wanted to work together. I wanted to fight Relias as one, I wanted to talk, even if you didn’t agree with me could we not have discussed it? I approached you as a friend and you turned me away, no matter how many times I tried to speak with you. You are the last person that gets to talk about ‘chances’ Zilia. No more talking, no more chances, I extended a hand and you slapped it away, you won’t leave and I don’t desire you here so we’re at an impasse.”

Zilia body trembled her gaze focused on Maka, her words caught in her throat, she wanted to scream, to yell, anything but everything that tried to come forth sounded fake, like excuses. She clutched her fist in silent anger as Maka’s attention turned back to the crew.

“You intended on leaving the circle after all this, continuing your adventures, laughing together, eating a warm meal in the company of your friends. The fate of this place will play no big part in your future yet you choose to stand in the way of me acquiring that same warmth. What other response should I provide you after asking you to leave?”
Mari kept her sword leveled at the man and the Prophets only stared at him in silence, a smile missing from Kaim’s face a rare occurrence though Luro was in the same situation, the group merely watching Maka as he brought a hand to his chest.

“This circle has tortured, and killed so many Users.”
Maka looked out over at the ocean, towards the Circle itself.
“I enjoy the irony it will be the place where they’re most free. You’ve stared into the eyes of people with ambition, dark desires and what have you. Captain Finn, Odyn, Charlotte Du Vontiago to name a few, and you fought against them and brought peace, you were there.”
Maka turned his gaze back to the crew, and took a moment to take a breath.
“Yesterday I discovered the body of a User on a beach, his head removed from his shoulders. When I asked the people nearby why he was killed it was because he wouldn’t reveal what direction your ship went to Relias men….His name was Pat and he had a little sister.”
Maka lowered his hand from his chest, turning his back to Stardusk once again.
“There are countless people like Relias out there, I’ve seen them, fought them and killed a few of them but there's always one more…like weeds.”
Maka let out a deep sigh and turned back to Stardusk, Yuli returning to his side.
“Some of you may understand that feeling. Staring at an injustice performed in front of you again and again, hacking away at it only for another to grow in its place. I sent you to that island partially because I wanted you to see it, what this Circle offers Users. For those who may not understand to see what I saw again and again for over a decade. What I want to stop. What I wanted us to stop together.”

Maka brought his hand forward, holding it out to Stardusk.
“People thrown in cages because they’re…’different’, executed out of fear, used because they’re powerful. What you saw today…I’ve witnessed for most of my life and today…today I will give a home to those who have to face such troubles. I’ll be a monster if that’s what it takes, I’m fine with that. I have no desire to be a hero, or savior fighting for the ‘correct’ thing. Right is only afforded to those still breathing, Pat who's buried next to his parents was ‘wrong’, A mother named Harimi who was stolen from her child, hanged for being able to create harmless bubbles her son loved was apparently ‘wrong’, and at the end of it all, whichever one of us is still standing will be ‘right’. That's a certain kind of cruelty well known to any who have taken a good look at the world around them.”

Maka closed his hand into a fist, staring down the crew in front of him from behind his mask, a quiet determination flowing from the man as his hand trembled as he recalled every injustice that brought him to this place.
“I will give Users a home, I will provide them a place where they can have that comfort you also protect so dearly, the one you get to cherish. If someone was going to rob you of what you fought so hard for…it would make sense to fight back against it. That’s what you’re doing now after all, it should be no surprise I wholly intend on doing the same.”
Maka lowered his hand, folding his hands behind his back once more.
“At the end of it all though…you’re going to fight...and I’m going to resist and that’s the end of it all. I will build a place for them Stardusk...even if it has to be over your bodies. If you do not leave with Isari I will come at you with all that I am, until either of our breath our last.”

Yuli waved a hand and a white light surrounded the two before they vanished from sight, Mari didn’t put her sword away immediately waiting until she was positive they were gone before sheathing it.
She looked over at Zilia who only stared silently where Maka had been, she couldn’t see her face from where she was but the woman looked smaller, ever so slightly peering at the destroyed edge.
“We’re approaching the island.”
Luro’s voice broke the silence and he pointed at the distant island where the two would be waiting for them.
“You ready Z?”
Zilia didn’t respond to the man she just stared forward, her hands slowly closing into fists.


The bustling Marketplace drew the attention of the young child next to Vilimar, her eyes widening as she took in the sights around her. The two ended up leaving their home after the head guard and governor groveled at her door for a week straight. She was going to ignore them but it had rained all week and Zilia was starting to ask questions, she felt it was about time to leave that home anyway.
“Those bastards better have paid a good merchant to move my books or I’m going to personally ‘thank’ them later.”
Vilimar looked over at Zilia who was bouncing at the many stalls around them, some selling food, others jewelry and other handcrafts, one ranged weapon and the other cloth all rested in view, she knew there was more beyond it as she came for the one selling books.
The two were surrounded on all sides by numerous stands and crowds of people, Vilimar felt irritation creeping into her at being near so many people.

Her eyes moved to a child pulling their mother by the hand to one of the stalls, the woman clearly trying to go in a different direction, her eyes narrowed at the sight.
“Zilia don’t run off and cause trouble.”
Vilimar looked down only to see Zilia was nowhere to be seen, her eye twitched and she took a quick look around.
“Zilia!”
Vilimar yelled and taking the cigar out of her mouth let out a long sigh at no response, she closed her eyes for a moment before turning to the nearest stall pointing at one of the objects.

Zilia stared at the butterfly above her head and jumping tried to catch it, keeping her hands cupped together she peered inside only to find nothing. She looked up as the butterfly flew away and waved at it.
“Bye Mr. Butterfly. Mommy did you see-”
Zilia turned but didn’t see the familiar figure behind her, only the end of the alley she had found herself in.
“...Mommy?”
Zilia moved down the alley stopping as a large shadow suddenly blocked the light of the street.
A low growl escaping from the source as a large man stared down at her, a large dog next to him baring its fangs at the child.

Her legs hurt.
She wasn’t sure when she started running, maybe it was the moment she met eyes with the man, maybe it was when the dog started after her, either way she was doing her best to weave through the crowd of people, looking for the familiar back of her mother. She could hear the dog’s barks behind her, steadily getting closer. She quickly turned and slipped into a narrow passageway, the dog leaped forward and bit at her narrowly missing her, it’s paws caught her clothes however, it’s nails ripping it slightly as she managed to get away breaking through to the other side.

She fell to her knees in a small square area, leaning forward trying to catch her breath. Once she was positive she was safe she took a look around. She appeared to be behind multiple buildings, there were windows but they were too high up for her to reach, she noticed a few crates nearby of random objects, but for the most part she was surrounded on all sides by walls. There was no way forward so she decided to wait until the barking faded before going back the way she came.
“...Mommy...where are you?”
Zilia hugged herself looking at the multiple tears in her dress, and all the dirt that was on it now.
A loud crash echoed from behind Zilia and she turned to see the man slowly raising his body, rotating his broad shoulders causing them to crack before he stared down at her. His dog fell down from the roof landing next to him.
“...good find boy. Think there’s a few nobles looking for kids lately,” the man said walking towards Zilia.
Zilia backed away climbing to her feet, she looked past the man but the dog jumped and barked at her causing her to look back at the large man before her back hit the wall.
“Why don’t you come with me kid, I’ll get you a new family.”
“I-I already have a family!” Zilia yelled. “I don’t wanna new one!”
“Can’t face reality kid? You’re wandering the streets on your own. I promise working as a slave will be better than the life you got now….so come here.”
The man reached towards her, the dog lowering it’s body should Zilia try to move, shutting her eyes she pushed herself further back against the wall as much as she could.
“Back away from her Mutt.”
The man stopped as a voice came from behind him, he turned to see Vilimar lighting her cigar, walking towards the gathered party.
“Mommy!”
Zilia tried to run towards Vilimar but the dog stopped her, the man fully turned to the clearly agitated woman. He easily towered over her but she didn’t seem to care, blowing a puff of smoke in his direction before pointing at Zilia, the dog still growling at her.
“Kid’s mine.”
The man looked over at the woman.
“He only listens to me,” he said motioning to the dog.
“I was talking to you.”
“Sic her.”
The dog turned back around and ran at Vilimar as the man pointed at her, Zilia gripped her dress as the drooling beast closed the distance, Vilimar’s eyes moved over to the animal and narrowing her gaze at him a small grunt escaped from her, the dog skid to a complete stop and laying down rolled onto its back near her, panting as it exposed it’s stomach.
“W-what?” the man said as Zilia ran by him.
He didn’t have time to catch the girl before she ran into Vilimar, hugging and digging her face into the woman’s stomach.
“Mommy!”
Vilimar stared down at the child, a small sigh escaping from her, she was sniffing and crying into her good shirt. She placed a hand on Zilia’s head before gently moving her away, kneeling down to meet her eyes.
“Go play with the doggy, you’re not mommy will take care of this.”
“Okay Mommy.”
Vilimar’s eyes twitched but she watched Zilia move past her to pet the dog as the woman walked up to the man.
“I’m going to give you one chance, the same chance I give everyone who messes up my day. You take your pet and leave with your tail between your legs and you will retain the ability to walk and function as a person. You resist and you’ll be less of a mutt than that one back there.”
The man drew the sword on his waist in response causing Vilimar to sigh.
“Zilia the counting game.”

Vilimar adjusted the bag on her shoulder as she headed down the long road, casually pushing the bloodied rag into the satchel, she glanced back at the still sniffling child walking a few paces behind her. She stopped causing Zilia to stop, while she appreciated the distance the walking ball of energy normally didn’t leave her side, it was strangely and unnecessarily unnerving.
“Why are you so far away?”
“....are you mad?
Vilimar stared at Zilia, watching the girl’s eyes move from the ground to her, never lingering more than a few seconds. She didn’t act like this unless it was around other people, it was strange seeing it directed at her. She always peeked at people's faces quickly trying to look for anger when they weren’t looking at her, but she always stared straight at her no matter what expression she gave her.
“Of course I’m mad you ran off.”
Zilia flinched a bit and Vilimar walked over to her, kneeling down she flicked her in her forehead to make her look at her.
“I know you didn’t do it on purpose so you’re not in trouble, stop acting like you are.”
Zilia nodded continuing to hold her forehead, tears stung the edges of her eyes. Vilimar started to wonder if she had flicked her too hard when Zilia spoke again, barely hearable even from her distance
“...I didn’t know if you’d come looking for me...cause I was bad…”
Vilimar’s eyes widened a little bit as Zilia gripped her dress tightly.
Another flick caused her to grip her forehead again, tears actually falling down her cheeks at this point.
“Course I’d come looking for you. Annoying as you are you’re mine. If you get lost I’ll find you, even if it’s your fault or your being ‘bad’.”
“...I didn’t mean too…”
“I know. Come on we’re almost to our new home.”
Vilimar reached forward and poked Zilia a small smile forming on the girl’s face after Vilimar ruffled her hair, she walked after her and once she was next to Vilimar, a wide smile on her face the doctor continued forward.
She glanced over at the humming Zilia before stopping.
“Mommy?”
“Not your mommy,” Vilimar said. “Here.”
Vilimar held her hand out, Zilia stared at it then back up at Vilimar.
“Put your hand in mine.”
Zilia did as requested and Vilimar took hold of her before walking again.
“From now on when we’re around a lot of people we walk like this. That way I don’t lose you again.”
Zilia seemed confused at first but a small giggle escaped from her before she nodded.
“Okay! There’s no one around though.”
“Practice for both of us. Though I suppose it’s not really necessary.”
Zilia quickly shook her head.
“No I want to stay like this. Sometimes you feel far away...but you don’t right now. I like it.”
“...I see. Well it’ll keep you from running off so I’ll put up with it for a bit.”
Zilia nodded at Vilimar and the two continued down the road to their new home.
 
Collab bet'w @Fox of Hearts and @SilentxChaos
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On Lady Luck

The crystal island faded slowly from view as their attention was diverted to the ships leaving the Circle. Cedric looked to the sky, wondering what he felt. Nothing. No anger, no fear. Just indifference. He exhausted the last bit of his emotion when he talked to Zilia earlier. Now he was an empty husk.

What was he like back then? Was he like Jack … ? Hazy recollection filled his mind. He believed he tried to punch Felix after the man wiped out an entire town. All those innocent people turned to ash with a single spell. Dead simply because they refused to hand over the fugitive. That anger is so alien to him now that the old Sid might as well be someone else.

Jack's more human. His mind whispered. Turning towards the man beside him, Cedric saw the tanned fingers lighten to yellow. Jack was unaware of the attention; he stood there strangling the railing with both hands. His yellow eyes stared at the islands slipping past the ship.

Sid inched closer and placed his cooler hand on Jack's wrist. "Fére, tu déteste pas toi?" (trans. Brother, you hate it, don't you?)

He felt the muscles tensing under his grip and he responded by rubbing his palm gently over the back of Jack's hand. Slowly - despite his fatigue - Sid began channeling calming energy into his older brother. He hoped that it would stop Jack from doing anything rash.

Jack snapped his hand away. “You don’t need to do that,” he stated with surprising calm. He shifted to his brother. “I wasn’t going to do anything...not yet.”

His brow constricted as he watched Cedric. “You really shouldn’t have done that.”

Sid stood there for less than a minute before he stumbled back. He gripped the railings quickly for support as his lungs began to burn. He stood hunched over, coughing violently. Fresh blood seeped slowly between the cracks of his fingers.

"N-no … I'm fine," he lied.

Rolling his eyes, Jack took his brother’s arm. “C’mon.” He led them away from the railing to a box of crates, strapped down near the ship’s aft and away from the crew. He forced Sid to sit down.

“We’ve got a fight coming. You can’t afford to waste energy right now,” Jack continued, more gently, but his gaze kept drifting back to the sky, in the direction of the Circle. He wasn’t as tense as Cedric expected. He almost seemed calculating. Thoughtful.

Sid felt his brother's arms guiding his body gently towards the barrel behind. He nodded in thanks as he collapsed against it. His coughing came in short bursts until he was out of breath.

He was glad Jack's attention was elsewhere as it gave him that much needed space. The constant company stressed him out more than it should. Isari, the Prophets …. Yuli. He missed the ship being their quiet sanctuary.

"M not wasting any. Just wish we didn't have to fight."

He rasped between every few words, which made it harder for Jack to understand unless the man listened closely. He reached out and grasped the hand on his knee. "This isn't our problem or Zilia's. We will get Isari unharmed and we could leave. But, we won't. They will stay like they did in Trovale."

His fingers squeezed the wrist tighter. "Why? I don't … It makes no sense."

Jack blinked. His mouth opened… then closed. He frowned at the sky as he considered, for several moments, on what to say. The words came slow, thinking and talking at the same time.

“Do you remember your first night on the Bloody Aurora? The crew had gathered on the deck below the infirmary… you may have heard hushed whispers, odd silence.

Jack sat down, paying mind to his still achy wound. “Hoshi gathered the crew. There was to be a vote… of whether or not to keep you. If the crew had wanted, they could have forced her to abandon you at the next port. Leave you in an orphanage. You were just a child. A traumatized child. They were ex-soldiers… they didn’t know what you needed. Only a few ever had children of their own, and those children had died, or they could never see them again. They didn’t know how to take care of you. Can you imagine what that would’ve felt like?”

Light flickered in Sid's hollow gaze. He appeared to be struggling inside. Jack could tell by the agitated way his brother clenched and unbleached his fists. Cedric screwed his eyes shut for a bit. When they opened, the same dead stare returned.

"Non," Cedric admitted. "I find it hard to remember much of my first night on the ship. All I see is Hoshi's face and the expression she had when I vomited on her. And …. you. You had fallen asleep in the bed next time mind. You woke up suddenly and told me something I didn't understand."

He didn't want to remember more because it would bring back the sickening feeling in his stomach. He avoided thinking of his Uncle as possible. That man was the reason he suffered so much pain and humiliation.

“Your fate was in their hands. They could’ve shown callousness to your predicament; instead they showed kindness. You were given the time to grow on them and then, you became one of them. They loved you, Sid.

“Those people down there? They are you. As you were back then. And you are one of the crew who holds their fate in his hands. If you turn away… their fate is sealed. I won’t lie, we might succeed either… I, for one, would rather try than let it be absolute.”

Jack grinned. “I certainly did with you. I would have fought tooth and nail to keep you on the Aurora. Luckily, they were good men we served with. Soldiers till the end.”

Sid bit his lip. They were him? He opened his mouth to lash out at his fère but he turned away instead. He sighed loudly as he closed his eyes. "No, they aren't me. No one … " He murmured in Trovalian.

He kept his face turned away and his eyes on the skies. Watching the clouds calmed him enough to let Jack's actual message through. He knew Jack didn't mean to hurt him earlier but …

He sighed again. "I understand what you're trying to say. I … can't still. I just can't feel it, Jack." He twisted back and pressed a hand against his chest. "It doesn't make sense. Maka said they should run. Isn't it enough?"

There was anguish in those purple eyes. Cedric grabbed Jack's hands and squeezed them with his cold, shaking hands. The question he really wanted to ask was about his lack of emotion. Its absence was starting to scare him.

He hadn't felt anything beside fear and anger in the past two years. His only relief had been his brother. His brother whom he struggled to love every single day since they were reunited. Having to struggle like this was driving him mad. Why?

Pulling away from Jack, Sid hugged himself. "I wish I shared the same conviction. To feel what you all feel - that anger, that horror or that loathing. Anything. After Norja, after I was dumped in the alley and left to die, I - I can't."

The smile fell away. Jack sighed and laid his head on a barrel so that he looked up at the passing clouds. “Yeah. I know.”

He pinched his nose. What he said next weren’t words weighed on the thoughtful scale, but a strand of conscience that came from his core. “What you’re feeling - or the lack thereof - is disconnection. Your mind’s cut off a part of yourself so what you would feel and experience won’t hurt as much anymore. It’s a defense mechanism… and a dangerous one. Because your judgement’s off.”

Cedric would have the sense his brother wasn’t talking about him just then. Not completely. When Jack opened his eyes, there was a rigid look Cedric hadn’t seen since before Jack disappeared; the last time they saw each other and had fought.

“The hard truth, Sid? Sometimes it’s not about what you feel. It’s about knowing logically what the right thing is and doing it, even when you don’t want to. That’s the only way you’ll be able to face yourself the day the lever flips back on, and you remember what it feels like to be wrong.”

The younger brother scooted closer to Jack and laid his clammy head against the sturdy shoulder. Sid drank in the warmth while the two sat there gazing at the sky. His silent coughing would bring a warm hand up and down his back. He wanted to say a number of things but he could feel his body flagging. He decided to say what he could and let Jack deduce the rest.

"One day not too late, I hope," he wished. "I want to be part of this crew like I was with the Borealis pirates. I know they tried reaching out but …"

He clenched and unclenched his right hand in front of his face. His eyes fixed on the lines spidering along his palm. "I - I struggle to respond because it tires me most of the time. I can't focus unless I'm moving or working with my hands. That's what she experienced, wasn't it?" He added as he was tapering off.

Jack guessed who he meant by ‘she’, and nodded. “Lily knows better than anyone.” He side-looked Cedric, checking how he was fairing.

"I'm fine, fére. I wish to rest but I don't know how much time we have left." Cedric sighed and slumped more against his brother. "I … no, I want to help even if Madame Doctor thinks I should rest."

Silent for a long moment, Jack finally said, “Then you should still rest while you can. Even a little bit will help. I won’t stop you, but I need to be sure that you can protect yourself. It’s no use going down there otherwise.” He moved around until him and his brother looked eye to eye. “What can I provide?”

Tired eyes blinked blearily into warm gold. Sid replied reluctantly. "Fére, I … need energy. I can take some from you like I took some from the town. It's just - non, I don't think we should. You need your strength."

Jack’s face pinched. He looked back to the sky; eye flicking back and forth. Sid knew he was reading the complications of agreeing, or not agreeing, to the idea. He clenched his jaw and nodded.

“Alright. Do it.” He turned back to Sid.

Cedric tore away from the barrel and almost collapsed. Jack caught him in the nick of time. He twisted to face his brother. "Jack! Didn't you hear what I sa -- "

One tanned hand rose up, shushing him. A look of worry morphed on Sid's face and it grew more pronounced when he listened to what Jack had to say. He didn't like it.

“Your energy is too low right now. I can still be an asset in battle if you siphon off of me, but your condition would be a hindrance to you. You need it more than me; that’s just fact.”

"I - fine. If you promise you will give me just enough and not let me drain you," he demanded. "I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

Jack made his solemn agreement.

"Help me sit up," Sid asked.

He smiled in thanks as Jack propped him back against the barrel. He motioned for his brother to sit closer to him. Turning to the side, he grabbed Jack's jaw and pressed their foreheads against each other. He closed his eyes and asked Jack to do the same.

Their consciousness entwined and they heard each other's fleeting thoughts. The sensation was one of intense clarity, one which Jack might not have had before. Warm tendrils, Sid's energy, washed down towards his digits. Like a thirsty plant, these threads soaked in his vital energy and began flowing backwards. His body shivered; it felt as if ice was building in his veins.

Yes, this is what Alicia taught me. Cedric conveyed in their minds. His eyelids fluttered slightly as he tried to control how fast he was absorbing Jack's energy.

There was a pulse of acknowledgement. Jack’s focus honed on his own energy stores and the control of his thoughts. Disappointment reigned when he realized he was still low after the fight against Yuli’s fake armada. Sid sensed the emotion briefly before it was quickly cast aside. Jack was surprisingly good at keeping Sid from hearing anything more than half-started sentences, or a fleeting mental note. But his inner voice was tucked away. Just out of reach.

The seconds ticked by before Jack gave his brother a mental tap. Enough.

The connection snapped, causing both of them to wince. Sid's arms shot out and this time it was him catching Jack. He guided his brother lower before finally resting Jack's head against his chest. "Sorry, fére. Severing the connection is hard for me," he explained in Trovalian.

He could feel their hearts beating rapidly from the backlash. His mind remained faintly sensitive to Jack's but the thoughts were no louder than whispers across a canyon. He brushed back a few dreads from his brother's face and adjusted those ugly glasses. He chuckled. "Fére, when we hit a more fashionable town, let me get you a better looking pair of glasses. I hate to say it but even Ms Yuli's pair is more stylish than yours."

Eyes closed, Jack leaned gently against a barrel while waiting for the vertigo to subside. I’ll never get used to that, he admitted to himself. He hoped Sid couldn’t hear that. A frown was produced as one eye cracked open and he adjusted his glasses self-consciously.
“What’s wrong with my glasses? I like them.”

Cedric felt that admission from Jack. The emotion colouring it made him frown lightly and he became a bit more attentive. "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? I'm sure your ego hasn't rendered you that oblivious. This frame of yours makes it look like your eyes are in prison," he fake shuddered. "A waste of your most attractive asset, no?"

“My-- my ego?” Jack sputtered. “This has nothing do with my looks. They’re sturdy and functional and-- and comfortable too.”

"How are you feeling now?" Sid finally asked. "You seem weak still. I worry I overdid it."

He sniffed, still disdainful at the attack on his accessories. But he sat up straighter, a hint of color returning to his cheeks as the haughty annoyance stirred his blood. He waved Sid’s concern away. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry. We’ll both get some rest and be ready to face what’s coming. Alright?”

"Bien, c'est tro' tôt." (yes, come what may)
 
Collab Between @Capt. Blu and @Fox of Hearts
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On Lady Luck

Cedric peeled away from his brother. His body hunched with agony, shaking from his latest coughing fit. He swiped an arm behind him to ask Jack to leave him alone. As it subsided, the tailor pulled the oversized coat, one of Jack's, tighter around his shoulders and retreated towards the stairs.

"Capitaine?"

Purple eyes widened in shock when a familiar face blocked his path. He stepped back and quickly thrusted his hands behind his back. He faked a small frown. "Can I help you, capitaine?"

Discreetly, his bloodied hand pulled out a handkerchief from his right pocket. He kept their eyes locked, hoping she would finally speak. He assumed she was going to tell him off for retreating. It did on hindsight appear rather callous. His frown became more natural at the thought; he really didn't want to deal with it now. He needed to get out of this cold before his coughing returned.

It didn't take him long to find a worthy distraction. "Ah, you want me to fix the tears in your clothes, yes? Wise, capitaine. Your outfit might be beyond repair if you fight with it in that state."

"If I can steal you for five minutes, I can get them fixed," he offered while waving his left hand instead of his right hand. It was a nuanced difference that he trusted would go unnoticed. l'Capitaine simply had too much on her mind at the moment. Most, thankfully, centred on Madame Doctor and Isari.

After hearing from Maka, Runali hadn’t said much about it. She didn’t need to. Instead, she decided to take a moment to breathe. They weren’t given a lot of moments like it in their line of work. Time ticked on and she wondered how soon yet another… something would happen.

Soon came a bit quicker than she expected when she heard someone coming near. Fortunately, there was familiarity in the voice and she relaxed. She started to speak, started to give Cedric her patented ‘reassuring smile’, but when she looked at him her brow furrowed ever so slightly. “Cedric?” But he continued, making her look down at her clothes. “Ah… No, that's not necessary right now. I have a feeling they’ll get torn up again soon. No need to waste time fixing when it’ll get damaged again. Besides, I can just toss it out. You’ve made so many fortunately.” Her attention had been pulled to her clothes for a moment but it went right back when Sid gestured.

“Hey, Cedric?” Runali took a step closer to him. “You look a bit pale. Paler than usual at least. What’s wrong?”

Worry crept into his gaze and Cedric broke eye contact abruptly. Realizing his mistake, the tailor tried to re-establish the connection but the damage was done. He gave his commander a pained smile. "N-nothing to worry … "

He turned away and covered his mouth as he coughed violently. His hand reached out desperately as his feet stumbled around. It found something soft and warm which he gripped tightly.

"P-pardon," he gasped between coughs. He doubled forward and the fingers of his left hand sank deeper into his captain's shoulder to help steady himself. He had completely forgotten about her as his attention was on the searing pain inside his lungs.

As his fit eased off, he sighed into his damp handkerchief, wiped his mouth and pulled it away. He was in the middle of staring at the blood staining the white cloth when he remembered that he had been talking to his captain. He crushed the handkerchief hurriedly in his right hand and turned towards the left. He paled the instant he realised whose shoulder he grabbed earlier.

"Capitaine! I - I'm sorry!" He jerked back and bowed. "I hope you'll forgive my rudeness. I - well, I have been tired. That last fight took more out of me than I hoped."

He panted slightly towards the end; his breathing hadn't recovered after that prolonged coughing. He smiled nervously when he realised he was cornered. A single glance at the handkerchief would have told her that he was sicker than he let on.

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"Mrrrrao," Chester cut in.

Cedric blinked at his ginger cat. His eyes widened and he swiped at his lips with the back of his left hand. Merde! He swore silently. He wasn't aware that there was blood left on his lips.

Runali went from stepping forward to steadying her balance as Cedric collapsed into her. There was an air of alarm that rose, but she remained outwardly calm, carefully reaching up to pat his back and offer some sort of soothing touch. But he moved away as quickly as he stumbled forward. “Cedric,” She started again but the man fumbled through an excuse to push the obvious blood stains aside.

“Cedric, relax.” Runali put her hands up as if surrendering. “Cedric. Sid.” It was painfully obvious he was trying to hide it, but there was no way she was going to let him go about their time like this, especially if he hadn’t seen the doctor already. She couldn’t complain about that however, there were countless times she let a manageable injury go under the doctor’s radar. Instead, she tried a different approach.

“Follow.” Her tone wasn’t stern but it held a more commanding tone to prevent him from attempting to find an escape. She led him into the kitchen, her hands casually behind her back until she shuffled around the kitchen in order to get him water. She also grabbed one of the bottles of rum stashed to the side. Still silent, she gestured for him to sit down while she sat across from him. Runali looked him over for a moment then took a sip of the rum, finally speaking up. “I’d rather you worry about your health than worry about trying to be strong.” Runali rested her arms on the table. “Tired doesn’t usually follow bloody coughs.”

Sid's heart sank. He wasn't sure how he'd explain to Jack if he needed to leave the crew. He should have been more cautious. He suppressed a gentler bout of coughing as they neared the kitchen. Although the capitaine didn't turn around, he was certain she heard it. He shivered and hugged himself closer. A chill was spreading inside him. And yet, he found it hard to say something in his own defence.

He sat where he was asked to. His hands gripping his knees. He wished his brother was here to give him support. He hated this! It was his bloody damn fault he was sitting here. He should have been more cautious like Jack or Madame Doctor advocated.

"Capitaine, I know," he confessed.

I was hoping you didn't notice, he added mentally. His fingers wrapped themselves around the cup of water she offered him. He stared dejectedly at the light glinting off the surface. He didn't want to make eye contact anymore.

"It came back recently. My, er, childhood illness. Jack suspected as much when I kept coughing up blood after Trovale. I insisted that it was the poison …" His lips twitched in a pained smile. "He was right. I'm sorry, Capitaine. I wasn't trying to deceive you."

Runali listened and then she shook her head, holding a hand up. “You misunderstand.” She gave him a softer look as she continued. “I’m more concerned with your health than your ability to show a brave face in the… thralls of danger.” The last part she gave a half hearted wave as she figured out the words. In their time together, she realized it would take more than just a casual crew title to have Sid open up, but it was fine. She didn’t mind it. Each of her crew opened up at their own pace, each of them had their own ways of being with the Stardusk. Runali made sure to adapt them and their needs.

Seeing Sid like this, showing his fear? Or just genuine discomfort made Runali assess the situation a little more carefully. “If you want to…” Her voice trailed off, not feeling as if those were the right words in the moment. She gestured for Sid to drink and then with a more curious look she asked, “Why didn’t you want me to know? ...Were you afraid of telling me?”

Cedric's brow wrinkled as he turned the cup slowly in his hands. He tried imagining that the water was tea but the lack of warmth was too obvious. He sat the cup aside and wrung his hands together. "Jack," he answered simply. "I want to spend as much time as I can with him. We don't know what will happen with my illness resurfacing. It could take years or just months… eventually, I'll become very weak and die."

He huffed. "I didn't want you to know because I wanted to stay. There is more than one person I'd like to make happy with whatever time I have left."

Chester leaped into his master's lap and began nuzzling the shivering man. Sid responded by running his hands through the puffy fur, relishing its softness. He watched his cat narrow its eyes at l'capitaine. He couldn't help chuckling.

He sputtered seconds later and coughed. He screwed his eyes closed but he remained aware of Ru's presence. He flinched slightly when he felt her getting a little too close. "Capitaine," he choked. "Please …"

Sickness sure, but death wasn’t what the captain was expecting. The visible surprise showed on her face. Death was always a… harder subject to deal with. Their line of work put them on the line constantly, but it never felt as real as when she lost crew mates. She frowned a little and looked at the table, her thoughts began to turn. There had to be some cure, right? Maybe Cedric just didn’t have the right doctor. “Has Zil-” She looked over at the door for a moment. “Right… a little preoccupied. I mean… my dad is a doctor, we could always detour and go see him…” She began to mumble out loud. “Not sure how much Bentham knows about doctors but she was married to one… Could ask her too. And we stop at a lot of islands enough to ask for doctors. There’s gotta be someone that could figure it out.”

Realizing nothing good would come out of rambling, she hummed in defeat. Her attention went to Chester as the cat appeared. It was then she fully realized his words. “Wh- Cedric I wouldn’t kick you off this ship. The only reason I’d kick you off is if-” Runali blinked and ran a hand through her hair. “Hell Cedric, Luro’s put a gun to my head before and I haven’t kicked him off the crew... I’d rather help than let you just pretend like you’re okay!” She looked a little softer and yet still filled with that well known determination she usually had. “Cedic you’re not just a tailor for the Stardusk, you know? You’re my friend. When I recruited you… or stole you from the Tankerds however you want to look at it, sure I did it for Jack at first. But you’ve been here for awhile. You’re more than just Jack’s brother. You’re just as important to me as the rest of this crew.” She sat up. “And as your captain, I can’t possibly watch you do more harm than good to yourself.”

Sid's eyes were glued on Chester's fur while his grip on his seat tightened. He felt lighter all of a sudden. He could scarcely believe that l'capitaine meant what she said. She was different. Almost like Captain Hoshi but kinder. Much, much kinder. He shook from the emotions he suppressed. Those little cracks made by Alicia widened even more.

Flashes of emotion showed in his eyes. Their colour lightening more than they ever did in the many months Runali knew him. They danced around then faded away once he remembered where he was. He managed to smile a little despite his usual inertia reforming over his heart and mind.

"I don't know what to say, capitaine. I - are you sure? I will not always be well and I worry I'll become a burden. You have seen how many times it happened since Trovale." He murmured with his eyes turning down.

His hands removed themselves from the chair and he began stroking his familiar's orange fur. The warmth did wonders for his trembling hands. He was starting to suffer from the heavy drafts pouring through the ship, a direct result of their altitude and the massive holes ripping through Lady's sides.

Runali relaxed, resting her head in her palm while Cedric took in her words. She took another swig of her drink but laughed a little at his question. “I’m as sure as I am blind.” She grinned more. “I’m as sure as you are fancily dressed even.” Laughing again she added, “I’m as sure as sure can be.” She put her head in her other palm, switching between the two and looked at Chester. “So long as I’m the captain of the Stardusk Crew, you’ll always have a place here.” Taking a smaller sip, she added, “I don’t mind... just having company too y’know? It’s why I hang around while Zil reads, or when Jack cooks…” She idly waved her hand. “I have tea times with Alicia, fish with Luro, even talk to Kadi while he’s steering the ship- point is, as useful as you all are, you guys are also,” She gave a small shrug. “Just nice to be around.”

Cedric blinked slowly. He was reluctant to trust so readily after his betrayal but Runali's smile appeared genuine. He pressed his lips together before speaking. "Merci, capitaine. I … I'm relieved to know my place is assured. I will remain here as long as Jack does. That's my promise to you."

He stopped speaking to stifle a fresh round of coughing. The tailor pushed a hand against the table for support as his lungs burned painfully. Bloody hands greeted Runali's gaze when Sid stopped. The tired man sighed and slumped back against the table. His eyes stared vacantly passed Ru as rattling breaths filled his lungs. Slowly, he closed his eyes for a minute or two. His mind drifted towards their current situation and his heart sank again.

"Capitaine, the fight is inevitable, isn't it?" He asked worriedly. His eyes were opened and they locked onto hers. "I want to help but I don't know how long I can last. The strain from the last battle continues to plague me."

“So, I’m hearing you’re stuck with this crew.” Her smirk faded when he began coughing again. When he stopped, she slowly pushed his cup closer to him.

Her gaze drifted towards the door at his question and she hummed in thought. “So long as Zilia’s steadfast in her desire for revenge, there will be a fight… There’s always a fight.” Runali straightened up , tapping her fingers against the desk. “But,” It was obvious the gears were turning in her head. “The fight isn’t always for everyone.” She looked up at him again. “Those two said they weren’t planning on hurting Isa, but can never be too sure with those kinds of things. If you can’t fight, then maybe you can steer clear and protect her. Be a support of sorts?” She pointed to Chester with a small smile. “What can those cat eyes see when they’re being extra sneaky?”

Green eyes glowed in the dim light. Chester purred his response. As their eyes met, Runali saw her own face staring at her in her mind's eye. Tiny details missed by the human eye in this lighting was spotted by those sharp eyes and conveyed to her exactly. Eventually, a single pot was brought into focus. The familiar then showed her the tonic Jack had brewed for his summoner, indicating that it was in that pot. He finished his hint with an image of Jack offering Cedric some to ease his coughing.

"Rrrrrr," he rumbled as he allowed those images to fade and began licking his paw.

Cedric's voice came back into focus as Runali's mind was no longer bombarded. "Capitaine, I assume you are going to have me guard Isari or sneak her away when the fight happens. As for my familiars, do you have a plan for them?"

Runali stared at Chester for a moment, tilting her head slightly. “Asked and answered I s’pose.” She heard Cedric’s question, but stood to her feet. “Hmm. Aye, only if possible. Who knows what’ll happen.” She walked over to the pot and peeked inside. Sure enough, the cat was right. It made her smile a little as she poured the medicinal liquid in a new cup. “Those two- the deer lady and Maka- they’ve got eyes and ears all over. But it’s always on the things that are the biggest problem.” She handed the cup to Cedric and idly waved her freehand. “Even powerful people miss things.” She rested her hands on the table, tilting her head at Chester again.

“Zil’s gonna need… the extra eyes when she’s dealing with Maka. We will too, but,” She hummed in thought. “For now, just make sure they’re keeping their eyes open.” There wasn’t an immediate strategy to her idea, but the idea that the cats could aid in keeping them from some sort of harm was something they couldn’t pass up.

“Hm… For now, just focus on healing. We can come up with a plan soon.”
 
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~"I became what I had to in order to see my ambitions made reality!"~
~"You became the very thing you swore to prevent... another monster, with a different name."~​

"He's right you know." Alicia spoke as she looked up into the sky, watching as the clouds rolled over them so closely yet still so very far away. "He made many attempts to speak with us and every single time, he was turned away without so much as a moment to explain himself." she looked down finally, turning her gaze towards the others. "Maybe this could have been avoided, maybe it might have turned out differently... but, hindsight is filled with clarity and rarely of use to anyone in matters that can't be changed. We're here now and our paths are set, so let us see things through and make it back alive... all of us." she looked between the crew and their allies before resting her silver eyes on Zilia. "Everyone." she added, the slight on her tone implying she was aiming it mostly at Zilia whom she'd noticed was struggling the most, which worried Alicia who knew well what a strong and reckless emotion anger could be.

She stepped forward towards the bow of the ship, a place where she'd often spent most of her time meditating of sitting with company while enjoying freshly brewed tea. The swordswoman looked out towards the approaching island, her brows knitting together a little as she gave thought to what was happening and what they would be up against, unable to push from her mind the power Yuli displayed during the confrontation with the hunters. Her thumb rested on the hilt of Shusui as her fingers wrapped it loosely, white hairs gently pulling behind her in the breeze washing across the deck given their recent ascension from the ocean. "I get the feeling they're not looking to entertain a lengthy fight for the sake of amusement this time. They know us, 'all' of us and if they're as well informed as they claim to be..." she released a deep exhale. "Then neither can we."

Alicia pulled her sword from her side and raised it with the point aimed towards the sky, inverting her grip before taking a knee as she brought it down against the wooden deck beneath her causing a patterned ring of light to spread out around her feet. Bright and overwhelming. it flooded in around her before consuming her in an instant as if she'd suddenly erupted into a small sun. From within the light her silhouette changed and began to grow as more light inhaled into the epicentre of the patterned ring. The accumulated light, bringing forth a low thrum of energy suddenly paused before expelling outwards across the sky as Alicia manifested in her ascendant form, the Elegance she'd used back when her and Runali had fought the mechanised knights to put on a show. Her clothing and her skin had turned to pristine white porcelain, golden metal embedded into her body with ornate patterns decorating what could be viewed to be accessories.

Long scarf like ribbons of gold attached to the ornate choker floated around her as if suspended in water and Shusui had changed from a sword into a long Naginata with the black blade cresting it's end. Her feet coated in the ornate gold touched the wooden deck with a 'click' before she stood straight, her hand wrapping her ascended weapon which she moved to rest diagonally across her back with the tip raised just a few inches from the floor. "I intend to fight at my fullest... and I assume we aren't sparing lives today." her voice carried a slight after echo as if two were speaking the same words, one with a slight delay. She stood a little taller than Luro in this form, though perhaps in part due to the slight heel embedded into the soles of her feet. She raised her offhand, manifesting two crescent moons which floated either side of her before blades of refined light of light thumped out from their sides as if forming to represent detached wings of a sort. Finally she'd place her palm forward towards the island in front of them. "Haru'ami atest a'mune." the words were Feian, but in the moment which followed a dome of light surrounded the front of the ship, a barrier to ward against projectiles to protect them for their descent.
 
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Collab bet’w Mizos and Fox
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Journey to Luro's Lair

Wet coughs followed Sid's stumble towards the armoury. His right hand against the wall did an admirable job of propping him up. In his left hand was a crumpled note, the only reason he needed to come up in the first place. He shuffled to a stop with his face downcast and sweat weeping like rain. Giddiness swept him off his feet and the summoner ended up on his haunches. His head pillowed by cold wood and whistling wind. He shivered, regretting his stubborness. He should have worn the coat Madame Doctor left him; he hadn't out of spite.

He grumbled under his breath about stolen cards, traitorous brothers and mean doctors. The words all in Trovalian but some were familiar to most of the crew. He closed his eyes, anticipating sleep. No one would know, he guessed. He was going to sleep here and wake up feeling twice as merdique. Not Jack … Not Madame Zilia … no

His eyes blinked ever smaller, leaving with vague impressions of his pre-dawn surroundings. The last image burned into his mind was that of black fur and red hair. Rum, gunpowder and … Luro! His mind warned a little too late. Sid's world had turned into a screen of unending blackness.

Luro stared down at the new body in the armory, he had been polishing the weapons and checking over the guns when he heard coughing nearby.
He didn’t move at first trying to determine if it was real, after he heard an additional noise he confirmed it wasn’t Billy and made his way towards the source. Seeing a Cedric on the ground he blinked a few times and nudged him slightly with foot.
“Better move you before Billy finds you.”

A little bit later Luro had made small cot for Cedric, it wasn’t difficult as he sometimes fell asleep in the armory holding the guns so there was always a spare. He cleaned one of his pistols staring down at the slumbering Cedric, he got him a pillow and a cover, he knew some nursing stuff from having to help Z but his first instincts was shoot with the pistol not a needle seeing someone unconscious so he thought that stuff was best left to Zilia.

“Cedric are you dead? If you’re dead I have to tell Jack and the Captain...it’s going to be hard to explain I didn’t do it if you die here.”

At this point Luro had to gun laid out in front of him in parts, taking it apart and putting it back together as he always did.

“I think your breathing but I’m not sure.”

Cedric groaned. His giddiness dissipating slightly since Luro laid him on the bed. He brought a hand to his face and clutched his clammy forehead. "Please don't let Madame Doctor be here."

His eyes peeled open gingerly. He stared at the wooden ceiling, realising that it wasn't Zilia's office nor his bedroom. He frowned not recognising where he was. This was, admittedly, his first time here. He never had a good reason to come so far into the mad man's territory.

He rethought that last statement, realising how ungrateful he sounded. Luro had been nice enough to move him on to a bed after all. "Merci, Makachi."

The tailor didn't want to say more since it might sound artificial, considering how he tended to avoid Luro most of the time. Their interaction had always been facilitated by Jack, l'capitaine or Alicia. Usually Jack, though. Something or other about being sworn brothers. A fact he refused to acknowledge because it left him feeling a little insecure.

"I trust you don't sleep in the armoury often?"

Luro only offered a grin to Cedric at this thanks, giving a small shake of his head to let him know it wasn’t necessary. Helping his brother made sense, at the question Luro chuckled a little and rubbed the back of his head.

“Eh every now and then, I like to experiment and mess with the weapons here. Try to make them better and all that. I take the weapons off anyone we kill and bring them here. If I’m lucky they’re reallly high quality. I tend to lose track of time on days like that.”

Luro motioned to the armory around them, an array of guns and swords of varying sizes rested on racks and other man made constructs, a few had been taken apart and merged with others. A sword rested on one of the tables, a mix between a blade and gun though from the pieces around it was still unfinished.
Cedric would probably recognize a few of the weapons as Luro had taken some from Trovale as well.
There were also other weapons, staff’s and the like, all trophies the redhead had taken from those he killed, even a few Yula Fei blades were there.

“Also don’t worry I won’t tell Z you’re here. I sneak away sometimes too,” Luro grinned at this. “Stay here long as you want, I’m just gonna keep working on stuff.”
Luro said this and grabbed one of the other guns before moving to take it apart.

“Do see Z later though when you feel like it. You were coughing a lot, Z always finds you eventually if you can’t stop it. She’s more gentle if you come to her then if you stay away for too long.”

"She has a lot more to worry about at the moment. Isari for one and Makachi. I feel bad adding on to her stress seeing that it makes her powers more volatile." Sid admitted.

Saying that out loud was a relief. He hadn't stopped feeling guilty for burdening Madame Doctor with his illness. Compared with what she was dealing with at the moment, it was incredibly selfish. They should be the ones supporting her rather than the other way around. A small thank you, in his opinion, for always being there for them. And, in his case, for helping Jack in Trovale. Saving his life.

He turned away to stifle a cough. Discreetly, he fished out another handkerchief and wiped away the blood. He glanced at Luro, who appeared distracted, and relaxed. He hoped this matter would stay between him, Zilia and Jack. He hated appearing weak in front of the rest, especially l'capitaine. Since his stay was prefaced on his usefulness to the crew, so he assumed.

Wishing to return to the reason for his visit, Cedric slipped his feet onto the floor and stumbled rather drunkenly towards the giant. He nodded gratefully when a stool was kicked out from beneath the table for him to collapse into. "I need help preparing for the inevitable. I'm in no shape to use my powers but I can't sit idly at the side. I hoped you would be able to recommend a weapon. One I can use in addition to my crossbow and hunting knife."

"I - I'm sorry to impose," he added quickly.

Luro didn’t respond immediately to Cedric, but the nod of his head at least showed he listened as he focused on the task in front of him. He strange enough understood where Cedric was coming from, he was in her office to a point he knew where everything was without looking. His eyes did raise to him at the caught though and Luro tilted his head at him a bit, leaning forward as he asked for his help.

“Hmm I’m sure I can find something for ya,” Luro said standing up. “Since you got a crossbow maybe not go for a pistol...but bladed weapons aren’t my specialty...eh I can think of something.”

Luro started going through a few of his racks, picking the weapons up and inspecting them. “It’s always good to see you Cedric. You’re never imposing.”

Luro smiled back at the man and went back to his search, though with his back to the man he spoke once more.

“...I do agree Z doesn’t need more stress, I felt the same myself. I’d just go to the rum room if I was injured and decide to sleep it off. Z got mad, especially if there was still weapons in me. While treating me she told me something.”

Luro picked up two similar blades and nodded before turning to Cedric.

“Do you know what stresses me out Makachi,” Luro said doing his best Z impression. “You all not coming to see me and letting me do my damn job. Every one of you wants to ‘walk off’ everything. I didn’t come on this job as the navigator I’m the doctor so it’s really annoying and insulting when you don’t see me to let me do the ‘one’ damn job I have on this ship!”

Luro grinned at this and held one of the swords out towards Cedric.

“Go see her when you have a moment, or she’ll yell at you for waiting too long and be more stressed.”

Cedric cracked a slight smile. "Point, Makachi. I … well, I need to work up the courage, friend."

Luro took the second blade and pointed the tip sideways away from them, it looked like a modified shortsword, the hilt was simple but two little bits curved upwards slightly like little wings.

The sword itself was a double bladed one with a pointed end, it was clearly kept in good condition and had a pristine polish, it was very light to touch, a little heavier than a dagger at best for the size of it.
The handle was a simple brown one but there was an ornate design carved into it, it seemed like a sun and moon put together in the center of it.

“This is item 125,” Luro said before grabbing the other blade similar to it and turning the hilt causing it to click the tip of the sword opened before a gunshot echoed a bullet hitting the wood a few feet away.
“It’s a gun sword,” Luro said. “It’s got three shots in it, you’d reload it like a normal gun if you ahd too, just hit the switch and turn the hilt like so.”

Luro pressed the sunmoon design in and the hilt came out sideways revealing where the gunpowder and bullets went.

“It has no kind of accuracy yet but it’s a good weapon to surprise with. I’m still experimenting with it but this one’s pretty much finished.”

Luro spun the blade holding it backhanded and pretended to turn the handle showing one of the few ways it could be used.

“If that doesn’t work any of the pistols on that rack should do you. I made them with Brass Cape material so they got two good shots in them and the shots shouldn’t deviate too much...oh but if you like crossbows I was working on a repeating one, maybe that’ll help...ah but you already got one.”

Luro scratched the side of his head still holding the sword as he eyed the weapons.

“Well there’s a few options for ya.”

Sid paused and allowed his eyes to wander between the options. He knew Luro was an inventeur. He had seen first hand, and heard even more, about the haki gloves. Jack had to be this man's second most adoring fan and it was amusing to listen. Item 125 fell in the same category it seems; Sid could hear that tinge of pride when Luro was demonstrating its uses.

Normally, he would have refused a close range weapon outright but he had promised Jack to try and open up to this man. Part of him dreaded doing starting this process since he had heard about the Imposter from Jack and Adelaide. Being nice was flirting with an actual monster underneath a friendly face - insanity to the highest order. Jack trusting this man was thus the source of his ambivalence; his fére was usually correct when it came to people.

"I asked for a recommendation and 125 was the first item you suggested," Sid began diplomatically. "I'd be honoured to help you test it."

He channelled the gratitude he felt earlier and smiled as naturally as he could. "Merci, M. Makachi. Could we spar a little so I can get more feedback? I am still not very comfortable being so close to my opponent."

The bright grin on the man’s face at being called friend easily lit up the room but he returned to his normal regular smile as Cedric spoke to him, he gave a small nod to him bringing a hand to his chin.
“Just felt right. Not many people are good with bladed weapons. You can hold your own and it’s collecting dust anyway. I feel it could work in your hands.”

At the suggestion of sparring Luro grinned and grabbed a wooden sword off one of the walls, he stood straight up resting the blade in his other hand, giving a small nod.
“I’m not that good at fighting up close so this’ll be good for me too. I won’t be the best opponent but let’s have a bit of fun.”
Luro spread his legs and rested the blade on his shoulder, taking a relaxed stance, holding his other hand out slightly.
“Though...if I win you gotta call me Luro. Hehehe.”

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The Present Most Annoyed

Billows of white left the crew's lips as sea waters froze over. Cedric paused and pulled his coat tighter around his shoulders suddenly grateful for its presence. Zilia had tossed it on his shoulders as he emerged onto the deck. Her scowl warned him not to shrug it off, no matter what. The accuracy of her predictions were uncanny to the extreme.

Sid pressed a fisted hand against his lips, watching the exchange between the doctor and Yuli, the white hair and very much not dead woman. He swallowed one or two coughs along before busying himself with the sails. He knew where his priority lay with only a fragile wall separating them from all the hostility. His work partner never moving from where l'capitaine left her.

"Zilia?" he called, testing to see how she would react to him calling her by name for the very first time.

A teasing smile crossed his lips as he reverted back to his old ways. He spoke in a raspy voice. "Madam Doctor, glad you back in the present. We can't have Alicia be the only one with a clear head onboard, no?"

Zilia seemed to flinch a bit at the familiar voice saying her name, it was somehow foreign as well, it wasn’t discomfort but more like a light weight on the chest at the awkwardness of it. She didn’t mind but it was enough to draw her attention. Zilia messed with her bang for a moment offering a small nod to Cedric, there was a mix of confusion and worry crossing her expression but it didn’t stop her from moving, for all the chaos around them her mind didn’t seem focused on the present, whatever she was peering at was beyond Stardusk.

“Right let’s ensure we get things taken care of. Without the sails we’re basically sitting ducks.”

After retrieving the cloth she looked at Cedric as they had to work fast, the walls around them were already crumbling, and they would be working and dodging cannon fire. The others would be doing what they could to prevent them from being hit but worst case a few slipped through.

“It won’t be pretty but we’ll get it taken care of.”

"Relax, Madame. We are almost done. I fixed the worst of the tears when you were distracted."

Ms Vilimar's calm remained lost at sea. Cedric could imagine worries plaguing her mind like vultures given the lines across her face. He wanted to leave it alone but Jack would nag later. His big brother insisted he be more sensitive towards others. He guessed, for his sanity, he could try.

"You are worrying more than usual, Ms Vilimar. I'm having a hard time figuring out if they lie with Isari or Ms Yuli's taunts. Talking might help clear your head."

He tapped her shoulder after a quick glance around the deck. "We will talk but not here. l'capitaine and my brother are on the move and Alicia said we should keep clear of the main deck."

Leaping to his feet, he pulled Zilia up and they bundled the sails. They descended below in the nick of time; Alicia's attack exploded, knocking Sid down the last two steps. He was glad to note the doctor appeared unharmed as he had been the one covering her back.

"Are you alright?" he checked just in case.

Zilia seemed to find a bit of comfort knowing the process had already been started, and moved in agreement with not staying up top. She knew what Alicia could do and had no desire to be nearby, especially if Luro was apparently helping her. She grit her teeth as the force knocked her off her feet, she did a mental check for a moment, rotating a few parts of her before a relieved sigh escaped from her.

“I’m fine,” she said moving away from Cedric.

She meant no ill will towards it, the doctor made no effort to remain so close to the others unless she was doing her job, especially recently. Her one person distance had become three, save for Luro who she gave up on getting away from.

She took a moment to fix her hair and brushed a bit of dirt off her outfit, her eyes narrowed a bit but she closed her eyes forcing herself to relax. Cedric had asked her a question, it would be rude not to respond to that properly.

“Both of them are part of it but there are other things….and I can’t talk Fancy Clothes,” Zilia said grabbing the sails. “If I could I wouldn’t have these issues...the problem is I can’t talk. A thousands things I want to say, that I could say before and now...now it’s just….”

Zilia shut her eyes her brows furrowing as she forced the feeling down, her power was going to activate if she let her emotions out, she took a few breaths to calm herself before opening them again.

“...the sooner we get Isari and the sooner I can go back to my old self the better. That’s all I want.”

A strange look crossed Cedric's face; it was a mix of understanding and concern. He was never the one to pry into another's affairs. This time felt different. Madame Doctor needed to be at peace with herself when they finally confronted Maka. She was needed more than ever since he was incapacitated to some degree.

"Jack and I spoke similar words when we parted ways. We were so worried about facing the truth - that a gulf separated us, one of anger, frustration and concern. You see, neither of us wanted the other to continue working as a spy. Then Oubila happened and I regretted every day after that. What if that was the last time I ever see him? I wished then that we had the courage to accept the situation and work on it."

He tensed slightly and watched Zilia carefully. He vowed to stop if she showed any signs of hostility. "I haven't been the most present recently," he added cautiously. "Neither will I claim familiarity with you, that is more l'capitaine, Luro or Jack's concern. Or, shall we say talent? I can, however, relate to embracing one's powers, natural or acquired."

Cedric's mind flitted through his stashed away memories and he paused. Did he really need to share them at this moment? It might give the doctor some clarity, his mind whispered back. He swallowed his coppery saliva.

"I don't know what you could have done to make you fear your powers. I imagine it must have been traumatising for you to act this way. To fear it, you know." He probed gently. "I am willing to share my story if you share yours. I think it would be good for you to come to peace with this part of you before it festers and grow out of control. Your emotions really feed it so I've observed."

Zilia seemed to tense as Cedric spoke but she focused on her hand movements, he was just concerned. She understood he was talking to her, and Cedric was being considerate, he absolutely was and Zilia knew that. She listened quietly, taking slow breaths as she heard him out, she did her best to keep her emotions in check, she needed to keep them in check.

That’s what Zilia told herself until an explosion echoed next to her, blowing apart a piece of the ship, wood falling past the two and Zilia lowered her head realizing she hadn’t stopped it.

“...every...single time...I say I don’t want to share my story...because I don’t want to hurt anybody, I don’t want anything bad to happen to you...so why do you all keep asking me!”

Zilia raised her head, tears streaming down her face as her power flared around her.

“Make peace?! This is my peace! It may not be what you all see but it’s all I could do! I had no choice but to make peace with this power! To live with it! To embrace it! It doesn’t make me hate it any less that it’s a part of me!”

More wood blew apart around them as her power flared out of control, Zilia gripping the piece of fabric tightly as more and more energy gathered around the two, threatening to destroy everything in its vicinity, including the both of them.

“It’s beyond feelings Cedric. Feelings are just the most dangerous. I have spent years...keeping this power in control...I understand it more than I ever wanted to...you know nothing about what I’m dealing with...so stop talking about coming to ‘peace’ with it...I’m getting tired of people telling me that...let me be scared about hurting the people I care about…”

Zilia stood up and grabbed the floating energy negating some of it’s power before letting it activate, keeping the explosion as small as she could, she stood up grabbing hold of each one, a process to keep from killing them both.

“If you sincerely think you can bring me some kind of peace with what you have to say by all means I’m listening...and my words were harsh I apologize. It’s as you say, you haven’t been around...you weren’t aware this is the….hah I’ve forgotten by now time I’ve had to explain this.”

"Madame Doctor, I can see you are upset. I'm sorry for causing it, sincerely. We can focus on assisting the others if that makes it better."

He watched the good doctor's expression to see if she relaxed. He regretted reaching out; he sensed now that her reluctance might be tied to a deeper, more intense emotion. A fact that walled everyone away. He leaned back slightly while keeping his gaze neutral.

"Saying wasn't my true intention. I honestly had no idea how far your powers go, a fact you seem to understand better. I thought if we accessed your memories when you are in a dream state it would create a safe space for you." He slowed down as he observed Zilia more intently. He worried he was treading on dangerous ground.

"The crew wants to help and I want to help them help you, Ms. Zilia. You have built this wall around yourself that pushes people away. You did it with good intention but is returning to what you were the best option? That is my greatest concern. The unspoken seems to cause the most devastating effects and … well, if your friend is right, won't this build up be more dangerous the more your power grows?"

He broke eye contact briefly and looked at his shoes. Pulling his eyes up, he looked at the petite woman again. "I'm sorry if I overstepped. I … well … I wanted to help you away from precipice before that happened. That was the peace I talked about."

The last bit was a rehash of his initial words but he didn't know else to express himself. Grappling with Common and the tenseness of the situation were causing him to retreat mentally. He stayed, though, realizing he really wanted to be connected with her. Support her. This woman he came to regard as more than a stranger.

Being able to focus on something seemed to calm her down slightly even if it was keeping them from blowing up, she didn’t look at him but she remained close staying quiet. Her eyes seem to narrow slightly as he brought up the wall and Zilia glanced at him.

“Did I not just say-”

Zilia cut herself off noticing the energy near by flare, she kept quiet her brows furrowing as she pushed the feelings back down finishing her ‘cleanup’.

“It’s fine I’m more mad at myself than anyone else, and did you see any problem with me back then,” Zilia said. “Do I seem good to you right now? Content now that I have my voice again?”

Zilia stared at him for a moment, the slight bags under her eyes, the tenseness of her body, the days had caught up to her quickly and she was more aware of it than anyone else.

“The person I was could be honest, the person I was could join and laugh with everyone. Now I have to watch every little thing I say and practice some form of dishonesty towards the people I care for...and such a thing disgust me to my core. You know Jack asked me what I wanted to eat...and I couldn’t tell him what I really wanted because it counted as a secret, and I feared blowing up half his kitchen.”

Zilia stared at her gloved hands, opening and closing them.

“If I have to choose between basically holding a gun against the head of my friends, hoping that every time I talk doesn’t somehow pull the trigger...or dealing with this power in small large bursts...it’s not that hard to choose.”

Zilia closed her hands into fists.

“...I know you all want to help...and I appreciate it. I truly do, more than I can put into words.”

She paused and narrowed her eyes realizing the reality of that sentence was a bit too real right now but put it aside.

“Right now though...everything I can do or say could kill the ones around me...even talking like this in my emotional state has filled this room with my power. You didn’t overstep Nice Clothes, it’s fine. There is no way to stop this Devil Fruit, so long as I choose to speak you all are in danger, no amount of secret sharing, name alteration will change that. The sooner I release this energy and can return to writing the better...then I can be myself again...not...this.”

Cedric listened, internalising all she said. He wasn't going to pick a losing battle. Handling this much outburst pushed him to his limit. Anymore and he was certain he would start retreating himself. A not so ideal situation. "Non, I shall obey Madame's wishes. You always know what to do or seem to. That's why I respect you."

He ceded to the sounds of the battle above them and danced with each jostle. His mind now figuring out other things he could do given the damage wrought to the ship. He guessed he couldn't keep her here too long since the sails were almost done. He didn't want the silence to turn oppressive. "You are strong, Zilia, but I also see signs of fatigue. It's on your face and in your posture. I … if I had more to give you, I would have." He spoke cryptically.

The tailor released the fingers he managed to brush against her arm. A whitish glow, only he could see, sat on Zila's skin before it faded into her body, easing some of her exhaustion. He closed his eyes briefly as he imagined the connection between them and him nudging a little more calming waves her way. There was just enough to stop her from collapsing if she aided the rest. With the last glowing bead disappearing into her body, he cut the connection. It was good to know at least this much he could do safely without Alicia's supervision.

"Pass them here, Madame. Merci …" he muttered. His hands spread the sails out evenly on the floor to inspect his handiwork. Gossamer fibres bound the tears and patches of this same shimmery substance filled the areas completely torn asunder. A simple spell that would keep the sails mended for the next few days and one that he didn't need to sustain.

Sid smiled wanly. "It worked better than I anticipated." He spoke, gathering them into a bulging bundle. "Take this. I'll stay and do what must be done here. Please, keep them safe. I believe in you."

Zilia seemed to calm slightly her shoulders a little less tense as some peace was made with the current situation, she made no effort to deny his comment at her exhaustion, she knew it showed and denying it was wrong of her. She squeezed the bridge of her nose, a weak chuckle escaping from her.

“A doctor is supposed to be an example, I haven’t been doing a good job of that for some time,” Zilia said sighing a little.

She opened and closed her hands a few times before she felt a small bit of her exhaustion fade, her eyes narrowed bit and she looked in Cedric’s direction, words caught in her throat but she pushed them back down, she merely passed the sails to him as requested taking a few careful breaths in an effort to return her emotions to normal.

Her eyes moved to the sails once they were finished, this would suffice to at least get them moving, hearing he was going to remain below seemed a good idea so she took the sails from him with a small nod.

“Don’t push yourself more than need be...though a tad hypocritical from me at the moment I should still do my job at least a little,” Zilia said gathering the sails.

She moved past Cedric towards the stairs.

“Also to your earlier words...having you all here is enough. It’s a good reminder...one I need right now,” she said before moving up the stairs. “Keeping them alive is my job unfortunately.”

Sid inclined his head in polite acknowledgement. "That you will Madame Doctor and we will be supporting you all the way. I, at least, promise to always keep you safe like I always have," he called after her.

A familiar tickling sensation filled his throat just as Zilia's footsteps faded away. Cedric's shoulders folded inwards as his body shook from his coughing. He lurched around, collapsing against the wall and sliding to his knees. He clenched his fist and slammed it repeatedly in frustration. He should have guessed that his body was still too weak to handle any additional strain. He felt utterly useless.

I'm sorry, Madame Doctor. I plan to give it my all even if I keep pushing my body beyond its limit.
He apologized inside. He wanted to do this as a way to repay the petit doctor for all she had done for him. She was the reason he lived.

"Mrrrrao?"

"Yes, Chester cherie. I'll find Jack not Zilia. She has too much to worry about. It'll be fine."
 
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Once the boat landed Mari made sure all the holes were filled with her ash to keep the ship from sinking, the Prophets, Mari and Mia were staying only to see Stardusk off. From their report Relias was already catching up and their task was to keep him from interfering.
“Best of luck guys,” Kaim said. “We’ll make sure they don’t make it to you so just focus on what’s ahead.”
“...will stop...all of them…”
Nina offered a nod in response to Ria’s comment.
Mari’s gaze moved over to Zilia who was waiting a few feet away, waiting for everyone to catch up. Her back to the group she had remained silent since their interaction with Maka, offering little more than nods and shakes of the head to any interaction.
Looking over at Stardusk she walked up to them standing next to the Captain.
“Since I can’t be there...I’m trusting you all to keep an eye on her. I know to an extent how she feels right now.”
Mari looked over at Zilia and shutting her eyes took in a deep breath before turning and making her way back towards the Prophets.
“We’ll make sure you’re free of distractions and Lady Luck remains afloat.”

Mia looked over at her future battle companions and motioned towards Lady Luck.
“My men are already on the way, we’ll make what repairs we can while you’re gone. I mean you’re not going anywhere anytime soon but we’ll do enough to keep her from sinking without Mari’s Ash. Since that generator of yours is currently out.”
“Ahaha...we may have pushed her a bit much. If I’m not dead I’ll fix it when we get back,” Luro said grinning at Mia.
“Good cause I'm definitely asking one for my ship. It’s not fair you guys get to fly you know...so come back safely.”

Zilia led the group through a bit of woods, it was early in the day but the forest was oddly quiet. The only sound was the rustling of the leaves from the gentle breeze passing over them.
No birds sang above and there was no trace of life save the groups own footsteps no matter how far in they traveled. Zilia had been walking ahead turning where need be to get the group to their destination.
“You all are too dependable.”
The first words from Zilia almost caused Luro to miss ducking under a tree branch, though the small smile on the woman’s face as she glanced back at everyone showed there was no ill intent behind the words.
“My mentor told me once that it’s bad to be too dependable. It takes away people’s self-preservation...their sense of self...not the best thing for a doctor to say but I understood what she meant.”
Zilia’s eyelids lowered a bit at the memory.
“Perhaps that became part of my problem again…”
She turned forward again.
“Not that I think it’s bad to be dependable. Even now I don’t doubt my actions on the ship weren’t needed. I’m positive someone would have thought of something and bought a few extra minutes,” Zilia said.
“Maybe,” Luro said folding his hands behind his head. “Still it’s appreciated.”
A small chuckle escaped the woman, a dry one but she kept her attention forward.
“I don’t regret doing it...but...well you know part of the agreement for me joining this crew was permission to write the Chronicle. To keep an old promise I made. That’s why I sought you out...but I think...at the same time it was also your strength. I thought to myself ‘If I’m with Stardusk I don’t have to worry about ever using my power. I’ll just fight my hardest without it’.”

Zilia opened her notebook, the one she always used to communicate staring at the words written on it.
“There were a few instances I felt the temptation. When we were facing down that woman in the vault in the undersea, thankfully Kadi took care of it. In Trovale when facing that creature….Jack and the Captain handled it...and then that flow of energy afterwards...but Alicia stepped in. Each time there was always someone else who would step up and so all was well. My ‘last resort’ was never needed….even back in Treya with all those ships...if I hadn’t lost it...I doubt it would have been necessary. I would have continued keeping it a secret.”
“Z…”
“I was just using you all as an excuse in some weird twisted way. Back on the ship...seeing you all putting in so much effort for my problem...it didn’t feel right not to respond in kind.”
Zilia shut her notebook and put it away, she looked at her hand, a purple glow enveloping it before she forced it back down.
“I made peace with my power a long time ago, it was that or end my own life as that was the only way to be rid of it. I just needed a reason not to use it and your consideration was enough for that. I’m rather disgusted with myself. I’ve had problems with it, I don’t like my power...but it’s here and I’ve adapted to it as I do with everything else.”
Zilia turned and stopping looking back at the crew.
“I apologize for that behavior...I just felt that needed to be said. Alicia...well not just her a few of you...was right as well. I’ve lost myself in my emotions far too much during this venture. Also...there’s one last thing I must say.”

Zilia took in a deep breath and lowered her body bowing to everyone in front of her, Luro’s brows arched a bit at the action.
“Please help me save Isa!”
Luro moved his hands to his hips looking over at the others then back at Z.
“Captain? You uh...wanna explain it to her?”

After their small chat with Mari and a grateful ‘thanks’ that she’d help keep Lady afloat till they were gone, Runali walked on, seemingly unaware of the dangers ahead. Her hands rested behind her head and she hummed a soft tune up until she caught up with the rest to hear what Zilia had to say. Calm turned into a raised brow as she moved through her small crew to get to where the doctor was standing. For a moment, it almost felt like they’d been here before. Similar run ins with death, similar apologies, similar injuries-- the ship being wrecked was admittedly newer. Nonetheless, Runali looked up at Luro when he spoke and couldn’t help but grin.

“Ah, yes of course. Even doctors need check ups.” She pulled Zilia back to a standing position only to casually put an arm around her shoulder. “This is all well and fun, but doctor you’ve never used us for anything besides for when you needed a pin cushion-- specifically when the injuries could’a been avoided.” She chuckled and gestured over to the Stardusk crew standing in front of them, ready to face the next challenge-- fight the next fight, so they could end the day with a nice drink and move on to the next person in their way. “Y’know doctor with your nose in those books for hours on end I’d think you’d come across the word ‘friend’ a few times over in them.” The captain let her go and gestured to the unknown ahead of them. “I’d fight a war, the undead, a crazy man, and whatever else stands in our way because that’s what friends do! It’s not like all those other pirate ships you’ve been on. You’re with me now and I don’t plan on leaving you behind. Any of you for that matter.”

She leaned on Zilia and laughed. “Though doc, we’re gonna have to find you a doctor of your own.” Runali tapped the ground with her foot. “If you haven’t heard us by now say we were gettin’ Isa then you might wanna get your ears checked.”

Zilia leaned forward a bit glancing over at the Captain at the touching, the suddenness of it caught her a little off guard. She blinked looking at Runali then back at the others in front of her. She opened her mouth but she lost the words somewhere in her own thoughts, staring at the crew she had chosen to sail with. The strange redhead currently grinning ear to ear, the gentle swordswoman with even now still had perfect hair...even in that form, the calm cook she had a strange amount of faith in, though not here his distant but handy brother. Then the woman now clinging onto her spouting information that should have been obvious from the beginning.
“Well I uh...just felt I should properly…” Zilia trailed off and sighing closed her eyes. “Ah...it doesn’t matter anyway...attempting normalcy here is a fool’s errand.”

Luro stared at Zilia as the woman lowered her head putting a hand over her face, though he was sure he caught the smallest hint of a smile for a moment before she raised her head, her face back to normal.
“Well whatever the reason...I’ll aim not to be like that anymore,” Zilia said. “With that being said...I think it’s about time you heard about when Maka and I were ‘reborn’.
She gently stepped away from the Captain.
“Also...thank you for helping me. I dislike I’ve fallen into the very pattern I’ve witnessed at least two times over but it’s a bit late for regrets.”
Zilia turned and started walking again, she seemed to have a little bit more energy as she continued forward.
“What’s this about ‘Reborn’?” Luro said following after her.
He gave Runali a hearty pat on the back and grinned at her as he passed, before moving to meet up with Zilia.
“It’s just up ahead.”

The group exited the forest into a large opening in the forest, Luro stepped out only to freeze at the strange sight that met them.
There was an extremely large hole resting in front of them, it almost reached to the edge of the forest on each end, he had to stop almost immediately to stop from falling into it.
The other side of it seemed miles away, he had to lean forward a bit and really look just to catch the other side, this thing was easily the size of a large town.
“What’s this?”
“My hometown, or what’s left of it,” Zilia said as she made her way around. “I ask you please walk around it, I consider this a gravesite so I’d like it respected as such.”
Luro looked over at the others before dispelling the ice around his hand and following after Zilia, the doctor raised a finger and pointed at random spots over the hole.
“Mr. Horn’s Bakery...Maria’s flower stall...the tavern Mr. Vince liked to frequent….”
Zilia pointed out different spots naming a person for each one, a small smile on the woman’s face as she recalled each person in the town.
“It was a vibrant place full of loving people...until I lost control of my Devil Fruit. Now it’s just a reminder. The supposed place where we were ‘reborn’ as Maka likes to say.”
Zilia motioned to the hole before focusing forward again.
“Though that’s a story in itself.”

The Past

Maka moved through the forest, heading towards the spot that had become a bit too familiar as of late. The Fall festival was already approaching, the last one they’d have until the following spring. It was one the entire town looked forward too, the people would come together and perform, sing, dance and all other kinds of merriment. It was a day to forget their troubles.
He was going to skip it himself, his presence there would only ruin the mood but his mother had been adamant about him being there, she wanted to give him one day where he wasn’t a monster.
Perhaps it was that small act of kindness that pushed him through the forest to someone in the village about to take the same route he almost did.

Once he reached their spot he picked up sniffling, truthfully he had heard it a few miles back but even without it he knew where she was. Zilia Vilimar was seated on the familiar stump, her back to him, her face in her hands. The sky was orange now but he was sure she’d been here since the afternoon, after he returned from his errands she still wasn’t home after all.
Stepping out from the tree Maka approached Zilia, he adjusted the makeshift mask on his face until he was directly behind her.
Zilia turned feeling eyes on her and noticed Maka, she stared at him for a moment only to turn back around.
“...the Festival’s going to start soon,” Maka said.
“...I’m not going.”
Maka sighed a bit and took a seat next to her, he had expected that response. Folding his hands together he tried to figure out what to say, he knew why Zilia didn’t want to go but he didn’t know how to talk her into having a bit of fun today.
“You don’t want to do the song?” he finally asked.
“...mentor won’t be there...so there’s no point.”
Maka’s grip tightened a bit at the name, his mouth twitching to the side a bit.
“...you guys worked really hard on that song,” Maka said. “I always heard you practicing in the forest.”
Zilia twitched a bit at this and turned to him and Maka pointed to his ears, he was a Zoan so hearing far into the forest was much easier now.
“I didn’t get to hear the whole thing...but you really tried hard...and I know she would want you to sing it...she always hated when things were half done...she’d yell at me constantly about it...even when I was still in the middle of it.”
That seemed to elicit a chuckle from Zilia and Maka decided to push a bit.
“Everyone in town is looking forward to it to. Just for today why don’t you have fun, I’ll be there to listen too and if it gets too hard then we’ll leave and just sit here till you feel better.”
“....promise?”
“I promise,” Maka said pounding his chest.
Zilia didn’t move and Maka stared at the ground wondering if he had messed up, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him and it took him a second to realize what was happening, looking over at Zilia who buried her face into his shoulder.
“...thanks Maka.”
“...of course. What are friends for right?”

Everyone welcomed Zilia with open arms once she walked into the festival, she turned to smile at Maka only to see he wasn’t nearby, though looking a bit back she noticed him leaning against a nearby building waving at her. She wanted to call him over but she was pulled away by the crowd, getting food shoved into her arms.
She thought she had done a good job of hiding how sad she was, but she could tell everyone had noticed, they were always friendly but they seemed to be trying harder today.
She took a few breaths and did her best to have fun, she didn’t want to put on fake smiles for these warm people, not today.
Maka stayed away from Zilia but remained in eye view so she knew he hadn’t left, the people wanted little to do with him and his devil fruit, he’d ruin her fun if he went over there. Once the crowds had cleared a bit he’d get something to eat, they’d still give him food even if it was stiffly.
His stomach grumbled a bit and he sighed touching it, enhanced sense of smell only made the food more delectable, just as she considered finding another stall a skewer was held in front of him, he blinked looking at the holder to see Zilia smiling at him.
“Here Maka.”
“...thanks,” he said taking it from her.
“Come on let’s enjoy the festival together.”
“Wait if I go-”
“Come on hurry.”
Zilia grabbed his hand and pulled him along, ignoring the looks the people shot their way, though the vendors still called the two over causing Maka to adjust his mask a bit.

Eventually it was time for the main event, many people had approached the makeshift stage to demonstrate their expertise, all with varying skills and talents. Everyone was quite surprised by Vince’s swordsmanship, it raised a fair amount of questions. Eventually the stage was left empty as all scheduled performers went and it was left open to whoever wanted to approach. The crowd was close to dispersing when Maka gave Zilia a small push, offering a small smile to her.
She returned it before approaching the stage, the people froze seeing the young girl climb the steps and returned as she stood center stage staring down at the faces.

For a moment she felt her stomach twist into knots and she considered moving back down when she noticed Maka waving at her, he mouthed words to her ‘you can do it’ before giving her a thumbs up.
With a smile Zilia brought her hands to her chest and closed her eyes, she recalled her practice in the forest, writing down the words and memorizing them before bed…her mentor teaching her the song originally.
She opened her mouth and sang with everything she had.

The audience were frozen as they listened to the girl’s voice, the beautifully haunting melody that suddenly filled the air. A warmth spread through the people’s chest, some gripped their shirts at the sensation filling their bodies. Happiness in the guise of sadness, pain mixed with hope, a feeling all there knew. A want for something better when everything is at its worse, all conveyed by the young girl who knew these feelings all too well.
Maria felt tears roll down her cheeks as memories of her father came to her, she wiped her eyes wondering why she would think of him know, he had passed away years ago.
Mr. Horn blew his nose as he recalled the day he first met his wife, and the joy they found in their days of suffering with each other.
Vince recalled his time before the bottle, the one in his slipping and crashing against the ground.
Maka’s felt his father’s visage appear in his mind for a moment, and his mother’s crying back that day….the last day she ever cried in front him.
A feeling all knew and understood shown through the girl’s song as tears streamed down her own cheeks, her body trembling as she did her best to keep herself together as she repeated the words she had committed...all for her.
“Her death was your fault!”

The moment however was stolen away in an instant, Zilia ceased singing and her eyes moved to the source, at Maka in the far back, his hands over his mouth and a bright grin on his face.
She nor anyone else had time to question Maka as multiple bright purple glows suddenly filled the area, Zilia’s eyes widening as large glowing orbs suddenly filled the area and beyond. The orbs rested both next to and through people, their eyes widening realizing the girl’s power was activating, even Maka seemed surprised as he stared at the orb directly in front of him.
“No! Stop!”
The Fruit ignored her cries and with a single flare it was over.

An intense force crushed the town into nothing, screams echoing in front of the girl, red splattering onto her as she stared unblinking at the devastation, Maka’s screaming echoed with all the others as he was also crushed by the unfiltered power. The orbs detonated throwing her back, knocking her unconscious as she banged her head as they continued blowing apart everything around her.

Zilia woke up some time later and what met her was a hole where her home used to be, stains of red everywhere she looked.
The girl stared at what she had done, crimson dried on her hands and clothes as she screamed, wailed in agony that no soul could hear anymore.

Present

Zilia looked over at the hole as she finished her story, Luro’s eyes narrowed a bit as the doctor focused forward and continued talking.
“A song filled with sadness and happiness after I had lost someone dear to me...there was no other way it would end but terribly,” Zilia said.
“Z…”
“....I wandered afterwards for some time… just walking forward waiting for death. I passed out from hunger and waiting there for my end was found and taken in by some Monks…I spent years with them...and they helped me make peace with what I’d done...but I always made sure to remember what my power could do. So that I’d never repeat it, I’d learn to control it even better...so I would avoid losing myself like that again.”
Zilia’s eyes narrowed and she glanced back at the crew.
“I ran into Maka later and found out everything. He fed me the Chat-Chat Fruit so I could be in the same position as him...feared and ignored….but when I was accepted so easily his jealousy led him to such actions...he had hoped seeing my power activate so strongly would scare the townsfolk...he admitted he didn’t know that would happen, I believe him as he was caught in the blast himself almost dying.”
Zilia turned forward again.
“...even then I didn’t hate him...weird as that is...but when he spoke of the townsfolk. The people that treated us like family...he spoke without a shred of remorse for his actions….I knew then...he was no longer the Maka I knew.”
Zilia’s gripped her clothes tightly keeping her attention forward.
“I’ll never forgive him...there’s no point anymore. He abandoned what humanity he had years ago.”

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Once the group made it around the hole Zilia led them a bit further and waiting ahead was Maka and Yuli, the latter standing a few feet ahead, flipping through a book. Once Stardusk approached she looked up and used a piece of crystal to mark her page before the book vanished with a wave of her hand.
Her eyes raised to Stardusk, her brow arching a bit at the appearance of the swordswoman.
“Someone came ready.”
“Where’s Isari,” Zilia said stopping a few feet from the woman.
“She’s here Zil,” Yuli said. “I’m going to go ahead and ask you though...leave this place. You got a place to go back too, you don’t have to take this one away.”
Zilia’s eyes narrowed a bit at Yuli, the woman to her surprise lacking her normal smile. This was probably the first time she had been sincere with her, at the very least that she could tell, it wasn’t an impossibility she had been before but even Zilia recognized she was being earnest right now.
Zilia offered a shake of her head however.
“You’re earning yours by taking it from others. I can’t condone that.”
“Yes because asking has gone so well and what business of it is yours? You want to know how little Micas is doing too? You like being that involved?”
“You can go elsewhere. You don’t have to stay here.”
“You can just join another crew, get another friend. So why don’t you leave instead?”
Zilia stared at Yuli, a long sigh escaping from the other woman, she removed her glasses and closed her eyes cleaning them with a red handkerchief.
“....we’re never going to see eye to eye...I tried,” Yuli said putting her glasses on. “We’re just too different. Figured I’d try it myself for once.”
“...I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Even I’ve lost my own home so it goes without saying I want a place to settle, but doesn't matter now. Let’s get this over with, the sooner you all are dead the sooner we can get back on schedule. Look up.”

A bright light formed above and Zilia raised her eyes to it, a figure suddenly appeared above and Zilia’s eyes widened recognizing the form as Isari. She sprinted forward as the body fell, leaping forward she caught Isari sliding along the ground a bit as she clutched the girl in her arms.
“Isa? Isa!”
Zilia shook Isari slightly and a small groan escaped from her, opening her eyes a bit she looked over at Zilia.
“...Zil?”
“Isa…it’s really you.”

Zilia hugged Isari holding back the tears stinging the edges of her eyes, Yuli glanced back at the two before focusing back on Stardusk, Luro smiled at the reunited duo but noticing Yuli’s attention had returned to them looked back at her.
“No hard feelings on what’s about to follow,” Yuli said taking hold of her glasses. “You make peace with whichever one of us you believe in?”

It was nice to see Zilia with a bit more pep in her step. After her small speech, Runali moved quietly with the rest, responding where it was needed but mostly taking in the scene around them. Though she quickly realized it wasn’t much to take in when they were all stopped by the gaping hole in the ground.
Despite wanting to say something about it, maybe ask a question, she decided to leave it be. There were more important matters to take care of, like the fact that their newfound enemies were standing in front of them.

“Coulda just sat her right in front of us.” Runali mused aloud after Zilia caught Isa. She was ticking boxes off of a mental checklist. They got Isa and she was alive. Thanks to the others, they didn’t have to worry about Lady sinking. Maka and Yuli were right in front of them too. She looked back at her crew, giving them a silent nod as if saying ‘this was it’. At this point, it was best to assume there was ‘no going back’. “Doctor, not to cut into your reunion but,” Runali nodded over to Yuli and Maka. “It’s your call.”

Zilia looked up at the Captain's comment and nodded going to help Isari up, Zilia looked over at the two who watched her, Maka made no attempt to move against her and Yuli only watched one hand still on her glasses, clearly waiting for her next order.
“...I got Maka. I want you guys to take care of Yuli.”
“I don’t really mind but Z-”
“Just...catch up when you can. I just want a few minutes to relieve my frustration, deal with Yuli then come help me.”
“Haha...well that’s better than just doing it alone. That works for me.”
Zilia looked back at Maka as the man’s mask face moved in her direction.
“I don’t intend on letting you do as you please Maka.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Maka said. “Yuli.”
“Aye Boss.”

Yuli removed her glasses and immediately a rush of pressure crashed into Stardusk, almost like a invisible gust trying to push them back.
Luro planted his feet to keep from sliding back and in that moment he noticed Yuli’s figure all around him. Thousands of Yuli’s had appeared around Stardusk, the area filled with the woman’s presence as her malice crashed into them, above, below, left and right, the yellowed eyed gaze of the woman surrounded the group, the air grew heavy and flashes of gold decorated the area, Luro’s eyes shooting back and forth trying to figure out which angle the woman was going to attack from.
Yuli touched the one spot he wasn’t looking, straight ahead and tapped his chest.

The moment she touched him Luro felt something punch through him, he staggered back a bit and held his stomach, she had touched his chest but it felt like she had sucker punched him, his body felt fine but it was like she had assaulted his spirit with a surprising amount of force. He didn’t have time to brace so he was sure he got it a little worse than the others, his head was swimming and he brought a hand to it trying to focus back again.
Yuli had done the same to the remainder of Stardusk, the lightest tap and a sudden explosion that crashed into the body, satisfied the many Yuli’s vanished and she reappeared in her original spot as if she never moved.

In that same moment Isari’s eyes widened and she shoved Zilia away from her, a blue flame appearing in front of the young woman. She quickly raised a wall of crystal before the flame detonated, azure flames exploded decimating the crystal and throwing Zilia backwards, fire flew towards Stardusk and Luro caught Zilia before raising his arms as the flames passed over the group trying to burn them.
In the span of a few seconds chaos had erupted, barely a full breath and the woman had done the work of a full crew, when the flames faded Luro released Zilia who mumbled a thanks and stepped forward.
“...no.”

Her eyes moved to where Isari had been and saw only scorch marks, scarlet splattered around charred earth and no sign of Isari. For a moment everything shut down in Zilia’s mind, her vision blurred as she slowly stumbled towards the spot, her hand outstretched as something wet flowed down her cheeks, she didn’t want to focus on that spot but something compelled her too, a reality she was forced to acknowledge.
“...Isa?”
“Oh wow I went a little overboard, burned her bones and all. Meant to at least leave a body,” Yuli said putting her glasses back on.
Luro tried to move forward but a hand grabbed his shoulder stopping him.
“Whoa I wouldn’t move Stardusk. You don’t wanna die right? I was going to just summon a god or something else but I figured hey Stardusk are pretty strong and I really like strong people, so why don’t you do my job for me?”

Behind each member of Stardusk was another them, a Runali behind Runali, a Jack behind Jack and an Ascendant Alicia behind Alicia.
The other them’s seemed inches away from attacking their counterparts, their aggressive forms would seem familiar, it was clear the tiniest show of aggression or movement would force their hands, the only thing stopping them was Stardusk’s compliance.

“Those are Replicas, they have your strength, experience, your high’s and lows, they’re aware of what you love, what you fear. They know what you think, how you think, all your strengths barely any of your weaknesses...and I put them in top condition, no sense having them injured and tired.”
Large blue flames suddenly separated the two sides, Zilia was on one side staring at the burned spot, her hands clenched at her side trembling as she sorted through her emotions, while Stardusk were stuck on the other side.
Maka grabbed Zil by the front of her shirt having closed the distance between them, and the two vanished the next moment.

“Good it’s just us now...I’m glad some of you were actually stupid enough to come at me for real. Now I have all that power under my control. I told you that I can control any power I’m around! Why would you come at me with your best! Ahahahahaha! You’re the pinnacle of foolishness! Hey Ru-Ru! I told you I’d take someone away. It was so hard to choose at first but then I thought...why don’t I just make all your efforts meaningless! Then it was really easy to pick!”
Yuli offered a smile and shrug at this before pointing at the crew.
“Now I’m going to use all that power you got to kill everything you care for. I feel that’s a bit more ironic. Fighting so hard to grow stronger to protect all you love...only to have it used to kill the very things you wanted to protect!”
“Captain.”
There was a tenseness in Luro’s voice, one that normally wasn’t there. His tone lacking it’s normal joviality for a small moment.
“I’m not going to be able to hold back this time...sorry.”

When Luro had vanished was unknown, perhaps the moment his shoulder had been touched maybe afterwards but the redhead was already gone, pulled away by some unknown force.
Yuli broke her glasses in her hand, dark waves flowing out of the woman before it quickly shifted to light, a mix of light and dark circling around her body, mixing together and filling the air with an unseen pressure as her energy filled the area before she pointed at the crew.
“I’m going to drag you all the darkest deepest abyss. Replicas deal with your counterparts.”



“I wanna be a doctor.”
Vilimar stared down at the clearly stupid child staring back up at her, she shut her book and set it to the side giving Zilia her full attention.
“No you don’t. Being a doctor is just telling people not to do something then they subsequently do it only to blame you for not doing your job. On occasion you’ll treat them and they’ll die, ‘ generally from not listening to your instructions or just outright ignoring you’ then their friends will attack you. Being a doctor is just choosing to be hated by most of the populace...and liked by maybe four people for a lifetime of misery, five if lucky.”
“You’re a doctor though and you help people. I want to be like you.”

Vilimar stared into the shining eyes of the child, her brows narrowing a bit.
She was really going to push the matter, she was more stubborn than her when she got like this, she seriously questioned who she got it from.
While contemplating how to change her mind Zilia held a book up to her.
“I’ve already been reading stuff.”
Vilimar took the book, her brows arching noticing it was one of her advanced books, raising a brow at the girl grinning at her, she flipped it open.
“You read this.”
“I read all of them.”
“All of them?” Vilimar said her eyes widening a little.
“Yeah 1 through 8. A few times...it’s lonely when you go out…”
Vilimar blinked a few times and flipping to a random page spoke to Zilia again.
“Well reading and understanding are two different things.”

Showing Zilia she didn’t truly understand it would probably be the best way to stop her so Vilimar started asking random questions, alternating them in difficulty, choosing random parts of the book. Zilia answered a majority of the questions even able to give examples with little difficulty, Vilimar found it hard to hide her surprise, the girl even got specific questions right.
She had difficulty answering questions that didn’t rely on book knowledge but she had little trouble applying what she learned to such questions.

Shutting the final book Vilimar looked back at Zilia and a sigh escaped from her.
“...you really want to be a doctor.”
“Yes!”
“It’s not easy.”
“I don’t care. Mommy’s the best so I want to be like mommy.”
Vilimar’s eyes twitched and she brought a hand to her face, she couldn’t deny the kid had potential and letting that waste bothered her.
“Not your mommy...I’ll do it if you follow two rules.”
Zilia jumped up and down a few times and asked her what the rules were, Vilimar held up a finger before listing them off.
“You call me Mentor...and if you find it too difficult or you want to quit you tell me...I don’t mind training you but you should do what you want.”
“Okay Mo-Mentor!” Zilia said holding her hand up.

Zilia noticed Vilimar’s legs buckled a little and stepped forward as she caught the table to keep from falling.
“Mentor?”
Vilimar almost fell again and she held up a hand to show she was fine.
“It’s nothing...just...content you don’t call me that anymore,” Vilimar said straightening herself. “All right your training starts now.”

Some time Later

Some time had passed since Zilia had begun her training, Vilimar stared over her shoulder, cigar smoke filling the small room as she eyed the book the girl was looking over. She had only read the first of a series, there was still much to learn. To her surprise Zilia really took to the training, she was genuinely interested in what was written in the books, and the normally bubbly girl who couldn’t focus on one thing for two seconds was always attentive whenever she explained anything medical to her.
“You gettin’ it?”
“I’m a little confused by this part,” Zilia said pointing at a page.
Vilimar leaned forward and explained it only for Zilia to cough a bit, the woman’s eyes moved over to her and she finished her explanation before walking away.

Zilia left the room still holding the book a little bit later only to find Vilimar standing by the door, holding her cigar allowing the smoke to leave the house.
“...Mentor what are you doing?”
“...smoking.”
“Why are you doing it there?”
“...I wanted some fresh air.”
“You hate fresh air.”
“Did you need something?”

More time Later

Zilia stared at Vilimar who stared back at her with a piece of wheat in her mouth, the child blinked a few times as Vilimar chewed on the piece of grass narrowing her eyes at her.
“....what?”
“Why are you chewing on wheat Mentor?”
“...it’s calming.”
“Isn’t this you’re ‘I’m smoking leave me alone time.’ though.”
“...I quit.”
Zilia stepped back a bit at this, almost dropping the book in her hand, Vilimar wasn’t sure how to handle the girl’s surprise.
“Y-you love smoking through Mentor! You do it all the time, you tell me to go play so you can have smoking time by yourself.”
Vilimar wasn’t sure how to feel about how attentive this girl was getting but left it alone taking the bit of wheat out of her mouth, realizing how she was holding it, her eyes twitched and she narrowed them at Zilia.
“It’s nothing. It’s bad for you anyway so I stopped.”
“Oh I see...smoking is bad for your body...got it.”
“Yes….it was bad for my body,” Vilimar said turning her eyes from the child. “Anyway let’s get started on your next lesson.”
“Yes Mentor!”

Even more time Later

Zilia and Vilimar were heading down a long dirt road, Zilia had grown a bit more in their time together and Vilimar was considering buying new clothes at the next village. She held her hand out however stopping Zilia before pointing to the side of the road. Zilia turned only to flinch seeing a dead body.
“Perfect,” Zilia said motioning for Zilia to walk with her.
“...Mentor what are you doing?”
The girl’s tone had lost some of it’s hyperactivity in their time together, she could almost hear the ‘adult’ in her coming out as Vilimar knelt down in front of the corpse.
“Hmm it’s been about a day...clearly a drifter...all right you’re going to work on this.”
“Huh?!”
Zilia leaned back a bit and Vilimar glanced over at her before pointing down.
“You need real experience with a body. It’s not fresh but it’s better to see the insides yourself then rely on a book. Find his cause of death and all that then we’ll bury him properly.”
“...I don’t feel comfortable doing this.”
“While you’re wasting time talking he’s decomposing further here. This is part of being a doctor.”
“...fine but we’re going to figure out if he has a family afterwards.”
“Sure sure,” Vilimar said waving a hand at her. “Get started, oh right I should explain more about genitalia since you’re about to see one. When a man gets really drunk and a woman has no standards-”
“Mentor! Please...just stop talking.”

Even further time later

Vilimar approached the stall in the large town the two had settled near. She was originally going to just keep moving but Zilia seemed to really like the place, she still had trouble talking to people other than her but she was getting better, and the townsfolk were considerate and patient. Zilia had even made a friend, an annoying lad, but he watched out for her.
She had been to the town a few times herself so the people knew her as Zilia’s….’person’.
She was generally called Parent, Guardian or Mentor, not wanting to explain every time she settled for just saying she watched over the child.
When she got close to the flower stall she stopped as Maria turned to look at her.
“Greetings. It’s good to see Zilia’s guardian here, Dr. Vilimar correct? Are you getting flowers for-”
“I’m looking for a dead body.”
Maria froze at the sudden inquiry, taking a moment to consider that these were the first words the woman had ever said to her.

The door to the small cabin was kicked open and Vilimar walked in, Zilia hadn’t looked up from her book at the sudden entrance, accustomed to her Mentor’s ways at this point.
“Welcome home Mentor,” she said turning a page in her book.
“Here.”
Vilmar tossed a body onto the floor causing Zilia to look up from her book, staring at the deceased body of a woman, she blinked a few times. Not out of surprise as her Mentor did this often but more surprise
“Isn’t that Miss Tria...I didn’t realize she died,” Zilia said. “I heard she was sick.”
“All right get to work. We got a young one here and the body’s fresh. Already got permission from the family and everything.”
Zilia sighed and shut the book.
“Mentor you really have to learn a bit of tact...they were probably still grieving.”
“Here comes the nagging….I don’t know who you get that from.”
“I’m not nagging, we have a relationship with these townspeople and it’s necessary that we-”

Zilia started going on about good relations and Vilimar groaned looking up at the ceiling, she was going to be at this for hours now. She had gotten permission ahead of time the moment she heard she was sick. She had treated the woman herself prolonging her life, she was beyond the point of saving by time they got to this village, Tria had asked her to stop treating her at a certain point. She’d have to teach this girl to listen first then nag.”

Vilimar opened her mouth to talk but her whole body stiffened, and she felt a familiar pang hit her.
“Not now…dammit”
Vilimar gripped her chest, her face contorting in pain as she grit her teeth, Zilia stopped speaking her eyes widening as Vilimar gripped the table, sweat pouring down her face.
“...Mentor…”
Zilia reached a hand out towards her only for Vilimar to fall to the ground, Zilia rushed over to her and held her as the woman’s eyes shut, small groans escaping from her. Zilia moved a hand over her forehead and jumped at her sudden fever.
“Mentor? Mentor?! Mommy!”

Hazuki Natsu picture (Zilia's Mentor).jpg

Respect again to Hazuki Natsu

 
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A Cap’n post, haven’t seen these in awhile.

Location: Some Island... that the Captain certainly remembers
Time: Lunch was missed and that sucks


Everything happened fast.

Isa was gone in moments, but there wasn’t time to react as Yuli had attacked her in the next. She managed to brace herself with armament covered arms, but the moment she was hit she realized Yuli was aiming to separate her from her crew, not attack. The captain dug her feet into the ground to slow the momentum of her sliding backwards, and quickly attempted to change course and run back to the others. Just as quickly, Zilia had disappeared with Maka. The worry was starting to build, even if she didn’t show it. The fortune teller’s voice rang in her head and she tried to hurry back to the others.

But she stopped in her tracks when she realized she was staring at… herself? Well, it definitely looked like her, save for the fact that this one’s eyepatch didn’t have the Stardusk symbol. When the captain tilted her head the doppelganger smiled. “What… are you-” Luro’s voice made her attention snap forward. She needed to get back to her crew. But the moment she tried to step towards them, she was stopped by a pure black chakram that was levelled with her neck. Seeing Imposter put her on edge, but she swallowed that down as she took a single step away from the threatening blade. When Luro disappeared with Imposter she practically bristled, quickly knocking the chakram away. “Get out of my way!”

”No can do.”

“I don’t have time to fight a weird mirror doll of me. I have to get to my-” At the last second, she ducked under a swipe of the blade. “Oi! You coulda took my head off!”

”Yeah? That’s what the deer lady… the boss said.” The doppelganger seemed to visibly shudder at calling someone else ‘Boss’ but whatever power it was under made the replica brush it off almost immediately.
Runali took a slow breath and stepped back to properly face the replica. “You’re in my way…”

”Don’t you wanna play? Who better to finally go all out with than yourself? You never get to and this is the best chance.” The replica tossed a chakram from one hand to the other. “You don’t look very excited though. Not a fan of the look? Is it because we still haven’t gotten a haircut?”

Usually, like the replica was doing, the captain would go back and forth with banter. Every opponent she faced had to deal with her snarky comments and playful teasing, but this time, facing herself after the hell that she already had to deal with she wasn’t in the mood to. In fact, for once, Runali looked a little frustrated- at least more than the crew had ever seen her.

“Ohh, I know that look. Dad always said we had mom’s temper, I’m just surprised the crew hasn’t seen it yet.” As instructed, the replica captain was on a “no mercy” mission. The ‘no kill’ rule wasn’t in place anymore which meant the replica was launching itself at Runali mercilessly striking where she could. Even though Runali had been worn down from previous battles it was still a standstill of agile defense versus a quick and forceful offense.

Each hit, even though it was blocked, pushed the captain away from the rest of her crew. And the less she could see the two that remained the tighter she clenched her fists and her jaw in order to steel herself. Alicia and Jack would be fine… Zilia and Luro would be fine. Everyone would be fine. If she could convince herself that, she could stay calm. As the captain, she had to keep a level head. If she didn’t keep a level head, how would the others know that they could rely on her to keep them afloat?
It was easier said than done when the replica managed to get the upper hand. Runali was slower and she hadn’t rested long enough for her haki to be at full strength. With each hit she could feel it wearing down her armament, so she had to use it sparingly. The replica could see it and used it to her advantage.

“Keep focusing on everyone else, I’ll really be replacing you as the new Stardusk captain.” Hearing that made Runali’s one eye widen. The replica used the moment of hesitation to blindside her and punch her with enough force to send her backwards and to the ground. “I know things have been a little lost on you but c’mon. Don’t you get it? I know everything you can do and all of your weaknesses. The game’s not set up for you to win. Never has been. Heh, maybe it’s time to get a just a liiiiitle mad?”

Runali wiped the blood from her nose and straightened her stance. They were all tied up in their own fights. Both Luro and Zilia had disappeared. Yuli was right there and still out of reach. Hearing herself talk was already jarring enough, but now she was supposed to have a plan to stop herself? She couldn’t come up with plans that fast! She couldn’t even figure out how to save the ship! Runali bit back a gasp when a forceful kick sent her staggering backwards. Even though she stumbled, even though she didn’t know what to do, she stayed on her feet. There was no way she was going down easy. There was no way she was going to let some fake version of her… or some self proclaimed god kill her.

“Seems to me like you’re stalling for time. Or wait, are you sizing me up? Waiting for me to show my weak spots?” The replica had a malicious look in her eye, one Runali never wanted to see again. “You’re making this too easy for me! What are you planning?” Instead of the chakram, the replica pulled a knife from her boot. Runali used that knife for sneak attacks or as a last resort, but the replica was planning to use it to ensure that she stayed down for good.

“Why… Why would you do this…?” Runali mumbled.

“Come again?” Even though she asked, she grabbed Runali by the arm and shoved her to the ground. The two were staring at each other eye to eye, one holding a dagger to the other’s throat, pressing with enough force to cut. However, malice became confusion when she saw Runali’s expression. Frustration ebbed away and there was… sadness there? But that couldn’t be right… the captain of the Stardusk would never show weakness when facing death. She had faced Davy himself and didn’t flinch! This had to be some sort of trick-

“<Are you… Will you let them die too? ...Like we let Dani die?>”

Runali’s voice was a soft whisper as she spoke in her native language. It was short lived, but the replica paused with a wide eye, feeling the same overwhelming emotion Runali held back when she said it. In that short moment, the captain snagged the chakram off the replica and shoved it upwards, directly into its stomach. She managed to shift enough so that the knife cut across her cheek instead of her neck and then rolled on top of the replica and pushed the chakram farther. “<Not again…I can’t let it happen again...>”

The replica whispered something unintelligible and Runali breathed a sigh before standing to her feet. Remembering she had taken one of Luro’s set of gloves, she put them on, slowly making her way to Yuli. “If you’re gonna make replicas you should at least make them right, y’know? Mistakes like that are how you end up losing your head.” There was nothing playful behind her words. It was hard to discern it as a threat with how hollow the words seemed too. But, there was yet again an almost unnoticeable shift in the air. If there had been any other signs of animal life around, they quickly scattered away from where Runali was walking as she flexed her gloved hand. She didn’t pay much attention to that though, only to Yuli. “For a so-called god, you’re putting a lotta effort into this. Thought this was supposed to be easy for you.”
 
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Unknown

"What was Once There"

Maka reappeared and released Zilia the woman falling to her knees as the masked man walked away from her, hands folded behind his back as he stepped a few paces away from Zilia, stopping only when he heard her climbing to her feet.
“You wanted to finish things properly,” Maka said keeping his back to her.
“I did. It’s why I gently removed Chaos from me. Cedric and the others are considerate...but this is between you and me. Always has been.”
“Lying to your friends,” Maka said turning around. “How you’ve changed.”
“I didn’t lie,” Zilia said brushing off her pants. “I want them to come here after they deal with Yuli. I just intend on killing you before they get here.”

A small smile formed on the man’s face under his mask, she was always the type of person to finish what she started, he was happy that aspect of her hadn’t changed.
It made her predictable.
Yet here was the moment where they Stared each other down looking for openings to exploit, how many times have they had this strange dance, how many times has he seen her face shoved in the dirt, eyes narrowed into a hateful glare each time he walked away from her. The man’s smile left his face as he brought his hands back to his side.
There would be no walking away this time, this would be the last time they had an encounter like this.
I’ll miss that narrowed glare of hers,”
Maka smiled a little at this thought before Zilia’s voice reached him once more.
“Let me ask you a question.”
“Please,” Maka said motioning towards her.
“Why Isa?”
Zilia stopped closing her eyes to quell the rising emotions in her before continuing.
“It’s not like you to...kill Users.”
Though it didn’t show Zilia knew when Maka was surprised, the way his body shifted gave it away but the feeling faded quickly as he responded.
“She intended on fighting against me.”
Zilia eyes widened a little, and Maka paced back and forth folding his hands behind his back.
“I had spoken with her and she told me she didn’t want to hurt anyone. She believed Lesser’s and Users could live together.”
“I assume Lesser’s means people without Devil Fruits.”
“Indeed. I’d call them human if it applied,” Maka said before continuing. “She wanted to use her power to help everyone, it was disgusting drivel but I tried to explain that wasn’t necessary. I could understand not wanting to kill them she’s a kind woman, but aiding them was unnecessary. When I informed her of my intentions she told me she was going to fight to stop me.”
Maka stopped and chuckled at this, turning back to Zilia.
“She was an obstacle in my way so I treated her as such.”
Zilia hands clenched into tight fists as Maka continued.
“That kind of reality is created by the weak. I thought that myself once...but now I know better, we both know better. One distrustful of the Lesser’s.”
Maka motioned to Zilia.
“One who understands the danger of Users….people like us don’t believe in such hopeless ventures. It’s a dream and will remain that way.”
Zilia slowly uncurled her fists and let out a long sigh, releasing a breath she was holding. Standing here trying to disprove Maka would serve no purpose, and he wasn’t completely wrong. People could barely get along with each other, the existence of pirates and slavers, the poor and the rich; it proved that point a thousand times over. There would always be a clash between people, be it class, ideals or some other invisible binding. Maka was wrong about one particular thing however and she intended on clarifying that.
“Yuli was stronger than both of us. From the beginning she was able to move past her own weakness...unlike the two of us.”
Zilia lowered her body slightly and Maka spread his foot to the side in response seeing Zilia was preparing to rush at him.

Zilia rushed forward and Maka sighed inwardly as she closed the distance, she was coming at him the same as usual. He rooted himself and prepared to counter as she hurled a fist at him, his instincts however screamed at him in the last moment and he quickly raised his arms filling them with Armament before he was hurled backwards by an intense force. He placed his feet back on the ground sliding back a bit and lowered his now stinging arms.
A purple glow surrounded Zilia’s now weighted fist and she got back into stance.
“You know there was a Zilia that wanted to believe the Maka she knew was still in there...that maybe...just maybe she could help you,” Zilia snapped her fingers and red orbs appeared around Maka.

He quickly moved out of the way as they detonated parts of his outfit tearing as he was caught in part of the blast, a flash of purple crashed into his side as he tried to regain his footing, sending him tumbling to the ground. He quickly returned to his feet only for a foot to crash into his stomach, the purple around it knocked the wind out of him as he was thrown backwards.
“She died with Isa,” Zilia said narrowing her eyes at the man. “Your end is not going to be quick.”

Maka rolled along the ground and jumped backwards a bright grin on his face seeing Zilia was actually putting up a fight. She was finally fighting him on even ground!
“Yes! That’s it! There’s no need to be ashamed of your-”
“Shut up.”
A wave of red energy flew at the man causing him to weave his body around the pursuing force, he placed his foot down, purple forming below him, he chuckled and jumped back only for his back to hit against a blue wall.
“Wha-”
The energy exploded throwing Maka threw the makeshift wall, a red whip formed in Zilia’s hand and she brought it straight down the whip crashing against him, slamming Maka against the ground. Zilia stepped forward swinging it again, leaving long cuts along his back as she repeatedly lashed him with the sharp implement, calling another one forth whenever one disappeared.
Maka’s body vanished as she went at him again, Zilia grit her teeth and raised her arms before the man’s fist crashed into her stomach, she felt her feet leave the ground before her head was grabbed and slammed into the dirt.
Maka raised his foot and went to bring it down only for something to cut his cheek, he leapt back as a flash of red exploded form the downed woman, Zilia held her hand out, a wall of blue flew towards Maka causing him to leap over it.

He twisted into the air only to see a purple orb crash into him from above, he hit the ground hard as Zilia climbed to her feet. He felt the wind knocked out of him, gasping as he forced his body to move.
Zilia was already on him however, she grabbed his head with both hands and slammed it into her weighted knee, blood sputtered from the man’s nose and Zilia grabbed his shirt pulling him back, slamming the same power coated knee into his stomach.
She called her whip back but Maka swiped at her causing her to release him and jump away.
“You can’t harness Armament...but those hits feel like you really are summoning it,” Maka said. “...as expected...when you use your power you’re at your full potential.”
Zilia glanced over at her cheek feeling something red flow down it, she didn’t need to touch it to know she’d been clawed across her cheek, her eyes narrowed as she focused back on Maka, his right hand still formed into a claw.
“I’ll respond in kind,” Maka said as his body suddenly shifted.
Zilia summoned her Devil Fruit but Maka didn’t offer her the opportunity, his kick sent her flying back, her body rolling along the ground, she pushed herself up barely dodging the stomp that followed, the force breaking apart the earth.
“He’s faster…” she mumbled.
“I dislike changing into this form...I lose a bit of my composure...but I can’t resist the idea of going a little harder at you Zilia!”

Zilia prepared her fruit when she felt something sharp meet her flesh, her eyes widened as Maka’s claws cut over the front of her torso, the pain immediately following before his fist slammed into the side of her head, sending her bouncing off the ground, sliding far away from the man.
“Oh...did I hit you a little too hard?”
Zilia's body twitched as she lay in a pool of red, she grit her teeth trying to focus her vision, ignoring the pounding in her head she slowly rose back up, almost falling back to her knees. She narrowed her eyes as Maka who grinned, his mouth filled with sharp canines as he lowered his body to strike again.
His body had grown much larger, easily eclipsing her own, bulging muscles covered by orange fur and black stripes protruded from the man. His nails were replaced with sharp claws, still dripping from her blood, and somehow his mask had managed to remain on his face, though part of it had broken off, a pair of natural ears poking out of his head now.
Zilia opened and closed her hand trying to ignore the pain her body was screaming at her over, Maka was stronger in close-combat, her many losses proved that. Keeping him on the defensive and at a distance was the only way to win this fight, that hadn’t changed.

Red energy surrounded her hands as she closed her hand into a fist, her whip reforming.
“Change all you want Maka. I’m stopping this. Right here, right now, I will end this twisted dream of yours! I’ll destroy your selfishness with my own!”


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Unknown

"A conversation between Demons"


The world came back quickly and Luro stumbled a bit at the sudden action, he placed his foot down quickly trying to regain his bearings.
“What an interesting situation.”

Luro felt his heart sink as an all too familiar voice hit him, a voice that was far too tangible, every part of his being prayed to whoever was listening that what he was hearing wasn’t real.
He had no choice but to accept it however...because for the first time in over a decade...it was actually quiet in his head.
A Luro with a messed up Stardusk symbol on his chest, almost scrubbed out stood nearby, the stark distance between the two Luro’s was apparent from a simple glance. The eyes of the other only resembled a human’s, the light extinguished from them filled only with a dark void. The mimicry of humanity was surprisingly close, almost forcing the mind to see his gaze as normal but looking closer it was clear there was no kindness in the man’s gaze, not the tiniest speck.
This was the ‘man’ known as Imposter and his presence heralded the end of all life around him.

Imposter’s appearance had almost robbed the entire area of life, his very existence extinguished almost all presence of creation, even the soil at his feet blackened unable to stand his touch. This was a ‘thing’ that wasn’t allowed to exist in the world, it was if reality itself could feel the old scar’s of the creature’s former grasp.
“That woman freed me...but still bound me to this annoying form. Why do I have to look like you even like this. This annoying seal is still affecting me as well...hah...still it’s not stopping all of it.”

Imposter snapped his fingers a bright black flame consumed him, a moment later his form had changed, he had taken on the visage of a woman clad in an outfit that seemed otherworldly. He held his arms out looking at his new outfit and attire, more befitting the ‘Monarch of Madness’ and smiled a bit. For a moment something appeared behind him but it vanished as quickly as it came.
The outfit looked strange on him but it was surprisingly fitting at the same time, almost as if it was his natural attire.
Though Luro wasn’t pleased to stare at a twisted visage of his sister.
Not bad right Luro? I look just like...oh...wait...right you well we killed her. Is this too soon? Feels like this is too soon.”
Luro didn’t respond as Imposter spun around pulling a bit on his outfit, he was more focused on figuring out how to stop what was about to follow.
“...where are we?” He made no effort to hide his apprehension.
“A neighboring Island,” Imposter said before touching his throat. “I didn’t want Interruptions.”
His voice fully shifted into Lina’s though traces of his echo remained and he chuckled a little causing Luro’s hands to twitch.
“It’s kind of funny actually. There are only two things you’re truly afraid of...and you have to deal with both at the same time. The irony is quite hilarious”
Luro ran through his options, eyes glancing towards the nearby forest, there was no point however Imposter would just level the forest and him with it if he went for cover.
“After I kill you and return to your friends as you it’s going to be fun.”
“I’m not going to let that happen.”
“I know you’re not, that's why I’m giving you a reason to kill me. Not that you didn’t already have one but I don’t want you hesitating due to some stupid sense of morality, this ‘I’m better’ nonsense you keep spouting. Go all out or I’m going to take away everything, that a good enough reason? Oh or should I tell you exactly what I plan on doing...especially to Runali.”
“...I’m well aware of what you want to do.”
“Ah yes I’ve painted the images in your mind plenty of times I forgot...I wonder if she’d even know...by the time I infected her. My fingers wrapped around her neck and that look of bet-”
A rifle manifested in Imposter’s grip as Luro’s own crashed down onto her, a grin on the shipwright’s face, Imposter returning one of her own.
“Ah there it is. That’s the look I wanted. Let’s make this proper.”

A burst of Wind exploded from Imposter blowing Luro backwards, the wind expanded outwards until it reached the edge of the island, the wind grew in size circling around the entire island creating a wall of green energy that grew higher and higher until it formed a dome cutting the island completely off, trapping it in the eye of the makeshift storm.
Luro looked up at the entrapment and Imposter chuckled before slamming her foot down, the earth under her rumbled before the two started rising upwards, Luro almost falling as a tower rose from the ground accompanied by another, then another until a circle of towers had formed.
“No witnesses, no interruptions. Let’s kill each other to our hearts content! No one is going to stop our fun Luro!”
“That works for me. This is between you and me anyway. No whining when I put you back in your hole!”
Imposter grinned and rushed at Luro, her rifle a mimicry of Luro’s own at the ready.

“...is this some kind of joke?”
The wind continue to rustle around them a strange force keeping all at bay, Imposter raised her rifle knocking Luro’s attack away, her foot slamming into the man’s stomach sending him tumbling along the ground. She spun her rifle and fired, Luro leaning out of the way as the bullet grazed his side.
“...I was trapped inside of you...and you’re really doing this.”
Luro flexed his hand five shards of ice flew towards Imposter, the woman repeated the gesture and fire formed around her wrist, she allowed it to burst forward melting the ice and barreling towards Luro.
Luro quickly rolled out of the way the fire singing his clothes, he grit his teeth before he turned, Imposter’s foot slamming into his face.
“You’re really this damn weak.”
Luro slid to the edge of the tower, barely managing to keep from falling over the edge, he looked back at the large drop and quickly climbed to his feet. His gaze moved to Imposter’s, his eyes narrowing realizing she could use the power of the glove without the gloves themselves.
“That’s kind of cheating you know,” he said.
“Not my fault you can’t summon things without a crutch,” she said waving her hand as ice materialized above her. “Must really hurt not being able to use powers huh?”
Raising his rifle Luro went to fire as the ice flew at him, his finger on the trigger Imposter’s hand knocked the rifle barrel down, his eyes widened before the woman vanished the ice crashing into his body, a low grunt escaped from him as the ice pierced his skin, red staining his outfit.
He barely had time to move when Imposter grabbed him by his neck, flinging him back towards the center of the tower, the act pushing the ice further into him.

Luro grit his teeth and flames surrounded his body quickly melting the ice, though blood still dripped from his open wounds as he climbed to his feet, Imposter stared at the trail of blood and shook her head.
“This is the part where you start attacking back you know? You remember I’m killing you correct? How did I get locked in someone so patheti-”
Imposter was cut off as something red flew at her, she leaned her head out of the way but shards pierced her torso, her eyes widening as she noticed reds shards sticking out of her, and some of Luro’s blood missing.
Now that’s more like it! Freezing your own blood to kill me. I like it! I’m standing here monologuing giving you all these chances! Finally!”
Fire surrounded Imposter melting the frozen blood and she clapped her hands at Luro ignoring the gaping holes in her, Luro’s eyes narrowing as the large wounds suddenly started closing.
“See that’s something only born from desperation. I wouldn’t even think to use something like that. That’s why I like fighting people like you. They’re so creative.”
No matter what he did to Imposter she shook it off and came at him again, the wounds never doing anything to her. He was sure he pierced her heart but here she was laughing and applauding him.

A fist slammed into Luro’s face as Imposter closed the distance between them in an instant, he was flung off the tower crashing into the window of the adjacent tower, he bounced off a table and through makeshift furniture coming to a rest on the far side of the room.
He grit his teeth as blood ran down his chin, his body didn’t feel like responding to him all of a sudden. His hands trembled and he wondered when it became so hard to move.

He opened his eyes trying to focus his blurry vision.
“It really is interesting isn’t it Luro,” Imposter said landing in the hole.
She walked towards Luro, the furniture in the small room moving away from her as she approached, Luro trying to will his body to move.
“All this fighting you’re doing will amount to nothing.”
Luro’s eyebrow arched as he grabbed a nearby table trying again to climb to his feet.
“Inevitably it will end, this journey of yours...and what exactly is waiting for you. All of them have something. Runali has home and her relatives, Alicia her rank, homeland, students and family, Cedric has Jack and Jack Cedric along with Adelaide, even Kadi has his soul and can live his life however he chooses. You however…only have them…what you cling to is so fragile and finite….eventually you’ll lose it and you know it. This charade won’t last forever, eventually Luro you will have nothing….you weren’t even creative enough to have a dream.”
“…I’ll have the Captain…”
“Even if you stay be her side it will never rid you of that loneliness. You who clings to something like me so terrified of solitude. You cherish these moments…because there’s nothing else for you out there, you stole away the one future you could have had with your own hands. You have no home, you have no family, your only ‘friends’ are those aboard the ship and one day they’ll leave you.”
“...I have plenty.”
“You have nothing. You threw away everything. The one known as ‘Luro’ started with nothing and the one known as ‘Luro’ will end with nothing. Doesn’t it hurt…to see them have so much, for them to have something to hold onto…not crushed by isolation. All you have is them...you possess nothing for yourself, you help them with their dreams because you don’t have any of your own.”
Imposter raised her boot and kicked Luro sending him through the wall of the tower, she rushed forward appearing in front of him as he fell knocking him into the air, appearing near him once again she slammed Luro back down into another tower before he had time to catch his breath.
Luro crashed into the center of the structure sliding back a bit as Imposter landed a few feet from him, watching as Luro rolled onto his stomach, body trembling as he tried to climb to his feet once more.


“See what I don’t get is you want to kill your friends yet you don’t. Why don’t you just throw away the last vestiges of your humanity already?”
Imposter offered a shrug at this, a heavy sigh escaping from her.
“You like killing as much as I do, hell maybe even more because you still have a conscience.”
She waved her hand at the very idea of it.
“All this weird morality, the moment you became a monster the world stopped being so black and white. Your instincts are screaming at you to do something and you just ignore them, that’s unhealthy you know. They have so much…you want to take it all away. That’s the kind of horrible person you are. Every time they smile you want to just rip it from them. Your jealousy is beautiful...yet you hide it.”

Luro shakily made it to his feet, a cough escaping from him. The bandages covering his hands and arms were soaked in his blood, his outfit was more red than white at this point, torn in random places revealing the scars on his torso and legs, some fresh courtesy of Imposter. He breathed heavily, his head lowered as he tried to remain standing.
“You’re right…”
Imposter moved her hands to her hips, her eyebrows arching.
“I like killing…watching the light leave their eyes, seeing the fires take everything precious, the panic in their stares when they know no one is going to save them…I love all of it.”
Luro raised his eyes and Imposter eyes widened a bit at the small smile of the man in front of her.
“Maybe I am worse than you.”

Blue exploded from Luro and his rifle’s barrel slammed into Imposter’s face, she slid back a bit, hands still on her hips but she touched the side of her face when she stopped. She lowered her arms back to her side as Luro moved his rifle to his back.
“That ‘feeling’ is the whole reason I hold back in the first place.”
Luro approached Imposter launching a barrage of blows at the woman from his stained fists, Imposter raising her hands knocking away his strikes.
“I really do care about my friends…that’s why I wear this collar…but I’m not so good a person that that’s the only thing that stops me.”

Imposter pushed Luro away her mouth twitching a bit as she eyed the grin on his face, lips twisted into a sadistic smirk mimicking her own to an almost scary degree. Imposter raising her fists back up as Luro exclaimed with wide unfocused eyes, a strange echo filtering parts of his speech.
“It’s that feeling when I get to let out everything! All those dark swirling emotions dancing around inside of me! The aching feeling running through me at keeping them locked up and that sweet sweet ecstasy when I finally get to let it all out. It excites me! It gives me purpose!
Luro was in front of Imposter before she had time to take in what he said, Luro’s hands gripped her face, his thumbs piercing her eye holes, thumbs digging into her eyes blinding her. A bright grin forming on the woman’s face as she ripped his hands away, her eyes quickly reforming to stare at the twisted grin accompanying the man’s laugh, plastered on his face that was inches from her own.
“That’s the difference between us! While you stand there satiated I’m starving! This hunger to kill something! Anything! It’s consuming me!”
The two’s fight continued, blow after blow echoing between them, blood splattering on the tower as they pounded their fists into each other, Luro’s laughter echoing around them as red flowed down his face.

The True Luro.
Was it the kind gentle giant always wearing a smile.
Or the starving creature who reveled in the ‘ruination’ of all living things.
Was this contrast what drew Imposter to Luro in the first place, or was it born from Imposter’s inhabitance…maybe it’s something else entirely.
It’s an answer known only to the two.
Within that small world, in that battleground with no witnesses, where only the two could see each other there was no Luro, no Imposter. There were no differences between them in that moment, both were creatures of chaos who sought only to end the only living thing near them. Every ounce of their being, focused on the death of the ‘person’ in front of them, no thoughts, no words, just an urge, and unending overflowing desire to see the demise of whatever they were facing.
How many times had the two of them killed each other in that other world? Both had lost track a long time ago.
Even now in this tainted world they created, Imposter would always come back and no matter what blow she inflicted on Luro he always stood back up,
A cycle of violence that filled the two of them with joy.
A purpose?
Reasoning?
Hatred?
Love?
Who killed for a reason, who hurt guided by such things, that was what man did.
To kill over survival, to kill over greed, to kill over emotions. The very thought disgusted the two of them.
“I want the person in front of me to die.”
That was all that mattered, it was barely a passing thought, like noticing a bird or that there were clouds in the sky.
In a way it was almost beautiful, how honest that feeling was. How pure that single pursuit.
That’s such a lacking thing nowadays…honesty. Not guided by what’s right or wrong…but just acting on what you want in that moment. Don’t think of the before or the after, just now. What do you want to do now?
Put aside shame for just a minute, ignore the needless extra thoughts of the mind, throw aside hesitation and just…act.
That is true happiness, one worthy of a proper smile.
That tight feeling in the chest, that shiver down the spine, that’s the body being honest, don’t resist it, let that feeling flow until it overtakes everything.
Then and only then…do ones have the right to call themselves happy.

Energy crackled off Imposter and the elements floated around Luro the two colliding together, a wave of darkness, red, blue and yellow echoed around them tearing apart all it touched, the towers were no more, the earth itself was torn asunder and in one moment the island they were on was reduced to nothing, the sea immediately claiming the area.
Luro fell backwards, three orbs falling between his fingers, he threw them backwards as he fell, the orbs hit the water and ice burst forming in the water and Luro landed on it, sliding backwards as it continued to grow, Imposter following after him.
The two didn’t let up for a single moment, the ice cracking under Imposter’s blows until she slammed her first into Luro sending him crashing into another island.

She landed near him the wind surrounding the island again, her towers forming within moments tearing the land apart as the woman grinned filled with a joy she thought she had long forgotten.
Luro’s hair fluttered behind him, his nails grown to almost resembled claws and stained red with both his and Imposter’s blood, two fangs protruded from his canines as he eyed Imposter with the eyes of a beast. Sclera shifted from white to black, glowing iris’ shining with unashamed malice, pupil’s bearing down on their one focus.
Black lines that mimicked tattoo’s ran along his body, along his face and arms, the bandages partially undone floating aimlessly, revealing the black marks underneath.
This was it. The Monster that roamed the seas, the thing she wanted to see the most of. A beast in the purest of forms.

“Yes that’s it! This pure desire! Are you finally full of joy Luro! No! Not that name! You deserve to be called by your true name! Allow me to call you properly! Let us call each other by our proper stigma’s! Let us return to the natural order of things!” Imposter said staring at the changed Luro.
Luro rushed at her and crashed into Imposter, hands around her neck, the woman gripped his wrists with both hands laughter escaping from her.
“Tempting….though you’re forgetting one thing Imposter. My very clear fault!” Luro yelled as something shifted around him, his regular appearance returning.
Imposter’s eyes narrowed as the bloodlust all but vanished off the man, her eyes moving to the mark on his chest.
“Oh right…them. That weird bond you share with them hinders this fun side of you.”
“I won’t lose myself so long as I bear this mark!” Luro said jumping forward the two plummeting off the side of the tower. He kicked Imposter sending her plummeting towards the ground.
Imposter grinned and prepared to move when a burst of blue exploded behind Luro propelling him towards her, his rifle stabbing into her chest immediately after. Imposter grit her teeth bleeding running down her chin as she gripped the rifle.
“You think this will last forever!? You will lose Runali and all of Stardusk and there will be nothing left, they are a weakness! Without them you’ll lose yourself! You’ll beg for my embrace once more! This is who you are! This is who you’ll become! This is all you can ever really be!”
“All the more reason not to lose them! I’m selfish anyway! I can’t help them completely without some benefit to myself right!”
Luro pushed his rifle further in, the ground edging closer.
“Don’t think for one moment you know everything about me Imposter! Even someone like me can change! Even if it hurts! Even if it brings me misery! I will protect every ounce of their happiness! I won’t let them become like me!”
The L.A.S.S. and L.A.D. roared to life, the two’s yells filling the air as energy gathered around the rifle, Imposter raising her hand as fire formed in her palm.

Red and Blue clashed, dancing wildly and filling the air with unstable volatile energy. It tore apart everything it touched as it lashed out at all around it. The towers were reduced to ash, the forest ripped apart and the earth qA scorched as its touch.
The energy burst through the wind dispelling it, the energy breaking apart almost immediately.
In the middle of the now desolate island, one the sea was quickly trying to reclaim, stood a man his rifle embedded into the chest of a woman, the ground under them reflected the two, as black glass, parts of it cracked showed their distorted forms.
“....I know what I am...I don’t need a reminder from you.”
Luro spoke first, his blood dripping onto Imposter who only smiled.
“I’m well aware.”
Imposter raised her hand and placed it on Luro’s cheek.
“An Evil that not even the gods cannot see. That is my one gift to you….a monster that Jones, the Undersea King, everything above, below and in-between will never truly notice. So long as I reside in you…no one…will ever see what you truly are. A Monster…that’s worse than even me...until the day you decide to show it yourself.”

Luro’s eyelids lowered slightly as Imposter’s hand fell, a weak chuckle escaping the woman as her body dissipated under him, Luro remaining still until Imposter was completely gone, carried off by the passing breeze.
He fell to his knees once he was sure he could no longer be seen by Imposter, still clinging to his rifle to keep himself from fully falling over.
He remained there in silence, even as the water drew steadily closer to him, taking a few long breaths.
“...he held back,” Luro muttered. “...just like last time.”
He gripped his rifle a little bit tighter.
“...when will I be able to-”
“Hey Luro…”
Luro flinched a bit at the voice but relaxed a bit realizing it was in his head once more.
“Isn’t it interesting…that the things we cherish most….are the first to slip through our fingers.”
Luro’s eyes narrowed a bit and he rose back to his feet and looked at the approaching water.
“You hate Philosophy.”
“Do I? Are you sure that was me? I love that kind of stuff.”
“I’m positive you complained about it before.”
Pulling out his ice grenades he tossed one in the water immediately freezing it and started making his way back to the island repeating the process as he continued forward.


“Oh man Imposter still hits really hard,” Luro said walking back to where Yuli was waiting. He was still leaving a trail of blood but had stopped paying it any mind. A small grin rested on his face as he approached seeing he wasn’t the only survivor, which was to be expected. He had to take a moment to regain himself before returning but this felt more natural, being near Imposter always made him feel weird. He preferred just being his normal self.
“Why’d you have to knock him out of me...I don’t like dealing with him in my head. That was a mean thing to do ya know.”

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Respect to Minami-Yuko


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“So we have to stop that.”
A wave of ships was approaching the island and the three Prophets stared at the massive army about to barrel down on them from atop a nearby cliff. The mercenaries were keeping the ‘bulk’ of the forces away but Kaim still counted thirty ships from where they were standing. Their job was to keep every one of those men off this side of the island to keep them from reaching Stardusk. If he was being honest they had the harder job as Mia was on her own, but they were to pick up any stragglers, but Kaim knew there weren’t going to be any.
“Like the right hand to the strongest Quill is going to let anything past. We on the other hand gotta stop them from boarding and running straight to Stardusk.”
“They’re fighting close by,” Nina said looking over at Kaim.
“We really do get the hard jobs don’t we,” Kaim said scratching the side of his head.
“You’re...having...fun though,” Ria said looking over at him.
“Damn right I am,” Kaim said grinning at the ships ahead of them. “I get to fight all these people, how can I not have fun.”
“What are your orders?”
“Hmmm...we should save our strength for the main force...but this is a protection mission. So I’d say you can release two limitations. After that destroy as many ships as you can. Whoever wins can have the third one removed.”
“What about the fourth?” Nina said glancing at him.
“Nope, Nikos said not to go past three. Stardusk hasn’t been exactly forthwith about their own growth in strength, no need for us to do the same, something like that.”

With the three in agreement they started rolling up parts of their clothes, a moment later they all pulled off what looked like small circlets, the three tossed the items over the side, and a moment later three giant geysers shot up in front of them. Ria rubbed her wrist and Nina tapped her boot a few times.
“Awww man feels so good to take those off,” Kaim said stretching his arms above his head. “Nikos’ ‘training’ is going to kill us one of these days. Can’t we do things without the ‘extra’ sometimes.”
Nina took two of her swords off her waist and leaning down gently set them on the ground, she adjusted the remaining four before nodding at Kaim, he gave her a two finger salute before she knelt down and leapt off the cliff, a crater forming where she’d been from the sudden force as she flew through the air crashing onto one of the ships below.

Kaim chuckled as a few seconds later long silver lines littered the air, a row of ships falling apart as the woman leapt to the next row. With a grin Kaim looked over at Ria as she held her hand out, a white glow surrounded her hand before a mask formed within it. Kaim’s eyebrows narrowed a bit as he noticed what was in her hand, it was one of the more stylishes masks in the woman’s arsenal, it generally took the form of a venetian Carnival mask, completely white, with hollowed out eyes and golden trims running along the sides. Kaim considered the mask a little creepy, not so much for it’s appearance but for what followed when it was worn.
“Oath...keeper.”
Ria placed the mask on her face, a burst of white Haki exploded off the woman and Kaim held his arm up as the energy quickly consumed the woman, a warmth filling the air as Kaim stared towards the white silhouette.
The Oathkeeper mask...if GraveKeeper was born from pain, misery and despair made manifest, then Oathkeeper was opposite.

When the glow faded a woman stood in Ria’s place, long white hair running down her back, her slim body covered in an outfit of pure white that covered most of her form, a pair of blue eyes peered from between white bangs, the eyes of the woman glancing over at Kaim before a gentle smile graced her thin lips.
This was what made the mask creepy, it was the only one that gave Ria a whole different face. Even the air around her was different, she was generally creepy so Gravekeeper wasn’t a huge change but this just felt...unnatural. She grew a little taller and shone with a purity that was far too bright.
“...why do you lose your shoes whenever you use those masks,” he said pointing down at her feet. “They magically appear when you change back...are you wearing them now and I just can’t see.”
Oathkeeper Ria only offered a small smile to him in response.
“...all right ‘Reaper’ do your thing.”
Oathkeeper gave a small bow to Kaim before gently stepping over the edge of the cliff plummeting off it, Kaim sighed and opened and closed his hands.
“Okay...let’s see how long I can keep it going this time. What did Nikos call it again…oh right Ascension!”
White Haki flowed out of Kaim, a fog of concentrated energy forming at his feet as his hair shifted between multiple colors, white eventually overtaking it. Opening his eyes, his eyes came to match his hair and with a chuckle he opened and closed his hand, energy flaring in the palm of it as he rotated his shoulders. His body had shifted as well but it was hard to tell under the man’s clothes, the rush of energy pouring through him still filled him with a strange invigoration, his hair and clothing fluttering as Haki continued to explode off his form, he turned to look in Stardusk’s direction and a row of tree’s exploded from the small action causing him to flinch a bit.
“R-right.”
Clearing his throat he forced the aura around him to fade back into his body and with a running start, leapt off the cliff flying toward the ships below.

“We’re closing in. Remember we are the first force, rush in, disrupt them and allow for the main force to hit harder!”
The head of the vessel held his arm out as she gave his men their instructions, however just as the men raised their weapons and cheered the ship next to them fell into pieces.
“Wha-”
The man at the helm watched as a woman landed on their deck, multiple sword attached to her, his eyes narrowed as her hands remained at her side.
“Who are you?!”
“A mercenary hired to stop you.”
“...that...that wasn’t the answer I was expecting but stop-”
The man cut himself off as something passed over the whole ship, an invisible touch that passed through every crewmember as the woman breathed out.
A moment later his world was upside down, the heads of every person on board save the attacker fell to the ground simultaneously, Nina turning and leaping to the next ship as the previous fell into two parts by the clean cut of the woman.
Mid jump she grabbed one of her blades and spinning swung her blade towards the mass of ships trying to catch up, a gust of wind passed through the ships causing them to slow for a moment at the resistance, finally landing on the adjacent ship’s side she adjusted her sheath slightly.
“Wha-”
Loud creaking stopped the man causing him to turn and look behind him, his eyes widening as he noticed the ships behind him all falling apart as if they had been built by fresh amateurs, each ship falling apart against its own weight.
He turned back to the woman only to see she was gone the loud creaking suddenly echoing from his own ship.

“Kaim incoming!”
The men on the ships raised their heads as Kaim crashed into their deck breaking through the main deck and falling into the lower decks, they looked at the hole in their ship only for Kaim to burst out of another part creating another hole, flipping through the air to the main deck and landing on his hands.
“Impressed?”
The men drew their blades and rushed him causing Kaim to sigh.
“Guess not.”
Kaim pushed off his hands landing as the blades swung at him, bringing his arm back he swung his backhand at them the men suddenly flying backwards crashing into the others.
Kaim landed with a grin his eyes moving from each man.
“Let’s make this really fun,” Kaim said shoving his hands in his pockets, a toothy grin forming on his face. “I won’t physically touch you. So come at me with all you have.”

A wave of men flew towards the glowing man and with a chuckle he walked forward, any men that drew too closer were thrown away by some imperceptible force, blades broke the moment they were swung at him, shots fired sunk in on themselves as if crashing against an immovable force.
Men who drew close felt something pound into their bodies, the men near them could see their bodies twist inward as something hit them hurling them to the far side of the ship.
“Nothing’s working!”
“He must be a Devil Fruit User.”
“Nope,” Kaim said glancing at one of the men who went flying over the ship. “Anyone can do what I’m doing, just requires a bit of training.”
Kaim pulled one of his hands out of his pocket and with a bright grin brought it back.
“If you can’t beat me holding back you’re not going to last five seconds against those pirates ahead of you.”

Kaim brought his fist forward and the wood in front of him broke apart, a pressure tearing through the ship the men in it’s path flung into the air, flying far into the distance, the punch’s ‘influence’ tore past the ship behind it and the one behind it, blowing apart everything in its path, the ocean parting against it, creating a ‘tunnel’ of destruction that tore through most of their ranks, until only chunks of wood were left in the ocean. The crew of the broken ships clung to what pieces of their vessels remained, their eyes widening as a shadow suddenly fell towards them, the ocean falling back into itself, the men screaming as the waves crashed into them.
Kaim blinked a few times and looked at his fist then back at the ocean, he stood on a partially submerged crow’s nest.
“I can’t even hold back against you guys,” Kaim said sighing. “Now...when are the strong people going to show up?”

“Sir most of the ships are gone!”
One of the crew ran towards the Captain of the distant ships, the Captain gripped the wheel a bit tighter, he didn’t want to believe it but he had witnessed the ships fall with his own eyes.
He blinked only to see ten ships, cut into pieces as if they were made of leaves, another ten were destroyed by some powerful burst of wind and now only their ships remained, his eyes twitched a bit instantly regretting not bringing a hunter with them.
“Change formation! We can still break through them and make it to shore, we just need to-”
The Captain cut himself off as he noticed something high in the air above them, he blinked before grabbing his spyglass and peering through it. A woman was floating high in the air staring down at all of them, six white wings protruding from her back, a small gentle smile rested on the woman’s face, her hands folded in front of her.
“...is that...a goddess?”
One of the men spoke up and the Captain clicked his tongue.
“No human has wings, they’re a user, fire the mortar.”
“...uh...but sir she’s not doing anything.”
Oathkeeper merely stared at the ships below, smiling at them and held her arms out towards them as if welcoming them.
“Doesn’t matter fire.”
The men shrugged and aimed the mortar before firing it at the woman, fire flew towards Ria as the projectile closed in quickly on her, Ria raised her hand and the ball of fire crashed into her hand, spinning for a bit before slowing to a stop, the fire faded from it and the shell fell into the ocean.
Oathkeeper brought her hands together and raised them to her face before lowering her head.
“She’s...what she doing?”
“...praying?”
Four of the woman’s wings broke apart, feathers littering the air around Ria, hovering around her body, letting off a gentle glow as they danced around her, each feather forming into a little white orb with each passing second.
The men stared at the scene unsure how to respond to it, even the Captain was frozen at the tender sight.
For a brief moment he thought of his home, how the fireflies would dance at night, of the first love he met in the forest surrounded by that gentle light.
A soft chuckle echoed from the woman and the lights suddenly moved behind her, multiplying over and over again until the sky was filled with the bright lights, Oathkeeper lowered her hands and brought a single finger to her lips before winking at those below.
The barrage followed immediately after without warning.

The light crashed into the ships blowing them apart as explosions filled the area below, the people below ran panicking as white explosions echoed all around them, blowing all it touched to ash, the men screaming as they were torn apart by the white searing fire, their bodies dissipating under the bright energy, those with Armament managed to survive for a bit longer but found chunks of themselves still getting blown off, Ria watched the scene below as the orbs continued to fly past her, giant spheres of light filing the sea below as the ships were destroyed by the constant bombardment.
She raised her hand only when there were no ships and living people left, the light fading away. With a soft chuckle she held her hand out towards the shattered souls below.
Red was pulled towards her flowing into her open palm, as the life essence of the men filled the woman, her six white wings turned into a bright crimson after. Bringing a hand to her cheek she offered a smile to the bodies below before flying away.
“Yep still creepy,” Kaim said eyeing Ria’s destruction.
Nina stood on the piece of ship next to him staring up at Ria, there was a small sparkle to her eyes, Kaim knew she was going to cuddle Ria the moment she changed back, these two’s penchant for destruction was useful but only while it was being controlled.
He really wanted to tell Jack and Kadi about this part of them but he supposed ignorance was bliss in this case.
“Well we each destroyed ten ships and we got plenty of energy left,” Kaim said as the white energy around him flared. “Three way tie for now.”
“What do we do then?” Nina said looking back at him.

Kaim closed his eyes for a moment before a chuckle escaped from him as more ships appeared on the horizon, flexing his fingers he turned fully towards the ships.
“We go for round two and I sense some strong people on these ones. Let’s earn our pay ladies.”

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Respect to Tsuki Mitsu-Ao


Back at the Entrapment

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Cannon fire still filled the circle as the ships continued their naval battle, the encirclement was doing all it could to keep the mercenaries spread assault from disorganizing them, they were barely able to send ships ahead thanks to the attacks hitting them from all sides.
The mercenaries standing on one of the far ships stared out at the mayhem in front of them, Asius eyes moved up to the floating youth guiding their forces with scary precision. Noram hovered above on his cloud, the ships moving at his whim, firing only at the ships he motioned towards, and moving by his precise coordinates. Thanks to the young man above they were holding out against a force four times their own with minimal casualties.
"All of us have engaged Relias in so many cases and suffered multiple casualties, during the war fighting a force like this was only for those with a death wish...but we've lost five to their fifty and have been at this for over an hour." Asius said. "How is this possible?"
"Haha I suppose it would be surprising wouldn't it?" Milis said walking up to the old man.
The woman smiled at him before looking up at Noram who motioned to a collection of ships, the ships firing and breaking Relias' formation before it could gather.

"That young man is one of the great strategist of the sea's," Milis said resting her hands on her hips. "I didn't believe it myself but Sor confirmed it after a bit of digging. That young man has seen war since he was a lad and was leading men into battle before he could even pretend to call himself an adult. Sea battles, ground battles, battles against people, battles against Users, battles that encircle, battles where one is encircled."
Milis chuckled and motioned to the force in front of them.
"Battles that are 'hopeless', he is unstoppable in all of them. He's known for leading a group of 500 destroying an army in the thousands before the day was over," Milis said. "Funny enough he's come to hate conflict because of th life he's lived. He's run away, changed his name, all to live in peace away from conflict, from war which has been with him for as long as he can remember."

Vorik and Raos walked up to the two, the irritable man looking up at Noram.
"Then why's he helping us."
"Because my friend needs help. I need to be useful sometimes."
The three looked at Raos as he answered Vorik's question.
"Thanks to him we can hold out against Relias' forces, at least long enough to buy them time...though to avoid attention being drawn to him...he's requested we not mention his involvement."
Vorik offered a shrug at this.
"I'm fine taking credit for this."
"Because you have no sense of honor," Asius said glancing at the man.
Ignoring Vorik's glare the three looked back at the battle ahead.
"We're even with this one Stardusk," Milis said grinning. "Better make the most of this moment."
The three nodded and Milis held a finger up.
"Also I call dibs on the kid afterwards."
"Hey that's no fair! I wanted him!" Vorik exclaimed.
"I already have funds prepared..." Raos said.
"There are no 'dibs' in conflict," Asius said gripping the hilt of his blade.

Noram glanced back at the mercenaries who seemed to be having a heated conversation, looking forward again he eyed the formation below and moved a few of their ships seeing Reliais trying to close the opening he had just made.
"...why do I have a feeling my life is going to get increasingly more difficult soon..."