On the Airship in the air cause physics
Caleb watched as the ones on board started firing at them, a natural response considering their intrusion. His hand went behind his cape for his weapon as he activated his armament. The bullets however never reached them as hands reached out repeatedly, grabbing at the air in front of them stopping the bullets. Caleb looked over to see Mia stare at her close hands which now held all the bullets shot at them. With a small chuckle she shifted the bullets around and started flicking them back at the officers as if they were marbles coated in armament…shot out of a cannon. A bit of the wood tore up and parts of the ship started breaking apart as the projectiles flew forward blowing the officers backwards and over the edge of the ship, at least the ones not blown into chunks taking it on directly.
The act caused the remaining troops to contemplate shooting more bullets watching the woman rotate the ones still in her hand with a smile, Caleb wasn't sure what was more fascinating, the amount of force that was enough to blow away those nearby and rip through flesh and bone, or the fact Mia was going 'ptew ptew' each time she flicked the bullets out.
"Ah they're trying to close the doors to the lower decks," Caleb said motioning to a few of the soldiers. "We should probably-"
"Woooo!"
A figure went flying past the group's collective heads before crashing head first into the soldiers trying to shut the doors, subsequently blowing them wide open.
The figure who happened to be Kaim, stood up from the dust and smoke and brushed himself off before turning to the others.
"Hey sorry I'm late. Took a while to get up here. So rescue operation right? Let's get going. Let's save that damsel in distress and destroy an airship…uh in that order."
Adelaide breezed over to Kaim, pecking him on the cheek with a kiss. "Monkey man! It's good to see you again." She winked and fluttered past the doors, into darkness. A few moments later he heard screams being snuffed into silence.
Behind Caleb, Cecilia grasped his hand from where she knelt on the deck. She was in tears and her mouth fallen open in a look of pure awe.
"I– I can feel it. The energy. It's… terrifying. And beautiful. Like standing at the center of a lightning strike without being harmed." Her pink-hued eyes dragged their way to Caleb's face but he got the distinct feeling she wasn't really
seeing him. And just for a moment, he knew it as she did. The thing he started, both familiar and alien. Not seen or felt – for Cecilia only gleaned facts from what she touched – but no one could see the beauty of knowledge like she did.
A silent question perched on her lips.
What did you create?
It didn't get voiced; it didn't need to be. She swallowed and focused on her task. "But… that's all I can feel. The energy permeating in the air. The ship, well… it's made out of really nice oak. And seastone."
She stood up, still holding Caleb's hand absentmindedly, brushing off her white tights with the other. "I'm sorry. I can't… my Devil's Fruit doesn't work here. Guess we're improving on our grand stage?"
Kaim looked over at the familiar sensation, a bright smiled resting on the man's face as Adelaide went past.
"Madame Breezy! Heard you were here good to see ya."
A laughed escaped from him as he heard the screams being silenced, which was probably a shock to the ones still on the main deck watching the scene itself.
"Ahhh she's always a delight."
Kaim glanced over at those remaining.
"You guys go With head down, I'll clear out the extra up here before making my way after you. Hurry below deck."
Kaim cracked his knuckles and walked towards the remaining soldiers above, Mia offered a nod and followed after Adelaide below.
Caleb started to move but stopped as Cecilia grabbed him, he looked over at her but while their eyes met he could tell her gaze was elsewhere. His attention moved back to the open door, eyes narrowing slightly, many things moved through his mind, some of which he expected was because of Cecilia.
"In the right hands it is only beautiful…I dislike this misuse."
Seastone made a strange amount of sense, the navy tended to slip that into most of their creations due to the excess they tended to have at their disposal. It also hindered Devil Fruit Users such as Cecilia. Breaking through the ship would be difficult if seastone was involved, moving quickly was the best option.
Caleb look down at his hand looking back up at Cecilia at the idea of a stage.
"Forgive me if I misuse these phrase but thankfully seastone doesn't stop my observation. I know all the actors on the stage. Only two will serve as antagonists in this tale."
With all that being said.
What exactly was the protocol for hand holding?
Did it depend on the type of relationship? The closer one was the longer such an act was required, or at the very least held a minimum?
He and Seliria were close but they never held hands, did that mean it differed from person to person?
If one initiated it was another supposed to end it or did the one who originally started it resolve the issue at a predetermined time. Did he have permission to do so if a certain amount of time passed?
He didn't necessarily mind but he didn't want to insult her by not following common courtesy.
"I dislike not going in with more a plan but adaptation is necessary for anyone who pursues knowledge. Also-"
Caleb cut himself off before holding up their joined hands.
"I don't understand the affectionate level of our relationship, so I'm not sure when to let go if I'm even supposed to. While I would prefer to follow common courtesy as best as possible, fighting will be difficult like this. Is there a minute mark I should follow?"
"You're supposed to interlock fingers and sing at least one song together!" Kaim yelled with two officers under each arm.
"Ah I see, a strange custom but I was informed to get along with the others."
Caleb pointed downstairs.
"We should get moving, I'm sure Adelaide and the others are fighting."
Down on the first floor a row of stationed puckle guns were setup to try and ward off the intruders unleashing a torrent of bullets towards the intruders the moment they made it down the steps.
"Fire! Fire!" A female ensign exclaimed. "Wait is one a user?! Grab the seastone bullets! Those with Armament use them on the bullets to ensure they hit! Quickly before they reach us!"
Cecilia looked down at her and Caleb's linked hands. "Oh!" She hastily released his hand and stepped away, blushing. "I, um… right. We should get on with the show. Much–" she winced as one soldier was thrown from below back onto the deck, but with pieces missing, "-- killing to do. A world to save!"
She chatted on and on as they descended below, planning on how to perform the day's events on the Court's stage, once they won.
With Cecilia's excitement growing over the grandest show the world had ever seen, she danced across the dead or moaning bodies, left by Adelaide or Mia, who had done their jobs quite well. She picked up a sword and swung it about, completely oblivious until they reached where the airship's first floor led down to the second. She froze at a doorway.
In hindsight, Cecilia realized it went awfully quiet for all the fighting that was happening. Now she saw why: One soldier stood alone in the final room. Well – probably more than a soldier, given all the medals shimmering off his nicely pressed uniform. And technically not alone – he held Adelaide off the ground by her throat. She struggled in his grasp, her body phasing desperately to turn into wind, despite the sea stone surrounding them. But the captain (Cecilia spotted the officer bars above the medals) gripped her real body.
The captain didn't use Armament and he had no seastone to be seen. He held Adelaide like a doll. When he turned toward Cecilia, he swung Adelaide in front of him, using her as a shield. Above her head, cold yellow eyes under blue coiffed hair considered the newcomers.
"The rest of your friends?" he asked Adelaide.
"Fri-ends? What… friends…" she rasped, managing a sneer as she clawed at the captain's hands.
"I am not terribly sure of our relationship if I am being honest."
Caleb said this stepping over a dead body.
"Still she is a relatively important person to those I am closely acquainted with so her well-being is currently necessary."
His eyes glanced down at the bodies around them, he wasn't sure who had done it or if it had been both but judging by the lacerations of the ones around them many did not have quick ends. Mia was nowhere to be seen but he could see one of her 'wheels' lodged in the surprised face of an ensign behind some broken puckle's.
Caleb slipped a pair of gloves on adjusting them slightly before speaking to Cecilia in a lower voice as he eyed the man in front of them.
"Move behind me if it gets too dangerous."
His message was simple as he came to a stop not moving too close since he still had a hold on Adelaide. The Nova's had the pleasure of dealing with Captain's, he sighed a bit missing Seliria who was more suited for roles like this.
"It would be appreciated if you would return my associate and move out of the way. If you do so I will only render you unconscious, and gently move you to that corner over there."
The captain frowned. A long, exaggerated frown to express deep thought; It was too fake. Behind Caleb, Cecilia sucked in a breath. "We should–"
"Alright. Why not?" The captain said.
His hand that held Adelaide glowed blue. With a zap and a burst of electricity, Adelaide was blown straight into Caleb and Cecilia. A wave of bright lightning followed her and caught all three in its path – in fact, the whole room sparked angrily. Cecilia collapsed to her knees. Adelaide, once she could move, sat up and spat blood out on the floor. When she grinned, her teeth were stained red.
"Careful. He's a North."
The man tsked while digging a pinkie finger into his teeth. "Captain Sora North to you, if you don't mind." He flapped a hand toward the door, which he had moved away from to provide a clear path for them. "You're more than welcome to try for the door. I'm not standing in your way."
Caleb glanced back at Cecilia only to turn back for Adelaide to slam into them. While the method wasn't appreciated he realized that he hadn't actually said to return her gently. Specifics were important when engaging with other people. The lighting and sparks of course crashed into the shipwright as he tried to catch Adelaide to lessen a harsher impact.
When the dust cleared Caleb stood unfazed by the sudden zap of electricity, the energy still crackling around his body showing that it had in fact hit him.
"I must take back my earlier statement," Caleb said pulling the small object from behind his cloak around.
Touching his hand to it the electricity seem to flow into it causing the yellow light to shift to green.
"The possibility of you functioning as a possible power source means I can't let you live…which is unfortunate as I've always wanted to meet someone able to conjure electricity. I require a new conductor."
Caleb put the object back behind him and adjusted it.
"My thanks for helping me charge my weapon to full once more."
Caleb started walking forward and reaching down picked a saber off the ground as he approached Sora with a casual gait.
"You are a fascinating specimen though, what allows you to summon it forth and harness it without an additional apparatus? In a normal situation I would prefer capturing you to discover your secrets. Regretfully we are in quite a hurry so I can't do so. Instead I will sever your left arm and right leg to hinder you, then allow one of my associates to finish the job."
Caleb continued his approach running his fingers alongside the side of the blade, his gabble was only quickening the more he was permitted to speak.
"I cannot bring myself to kill such a marvel of science and discovery. Adelaide seems to know you perhaps she can explain the process to me, could you perhaps hit me once more so I can compare your flow to the one I naturally conjure? In fact I would prefer it, I believe that was a negative charge, a positive charged strike would have probably killed me, can you alternate between the two freely, please answer before I reach you as I'll have to commit to my previous statement once I'm within striking distance."
His rambling was only getting worst and faster as he kept forward.
Sora North considered this short, rambling man approaching with a neutral expression. In fact, he didn't seem to be emoting much at all. Just acting out emotions, and badly at that. He yawned at some point during Caleb's monologue, then paused and waited a beat to make sure Caleb was done.
"You are, without a doubt, the most annoying opponent I've ever met. I need you to die now."
Then the captain was gone. Just – gone.
And he was suddenly at Caleb's side. Blue sparks illuminated them. That's all Caleb had time to register before an immense force slammed into his chest and pushed him back. The hit itself was as strong as a haki user's, though again, no evidence of haki was present.
Sora disappeared again. Cecilia screamed Caleb's name. Caleb felt himself soaring – then hit again, right into his spine. It sent him flying into the ship's wall.
Caleb opened his mouth to comment, especially considering that wasn't the first time he heard those words when something slammed into him. The shipwright's head lowered and his arms and legs flailing as he went flying, unable to stop the attack.
"You know I stayed in the shadows."
Mia put a hand on Cecilia's shoulder after she screamed.
"In case I had to be a hero but since Caleb stepped forward there was no need."
Caleb made no effort to stop the second hit or seemed unable too still reeling from the first one.
His body flew towards the ship wall and slammed into it. That moment however before the body went through the ship's wall, revealed Caleb was suddenly wearing a navy uniform.
A glint of silver followed before an arm and leg went flying through the air, once attached to Captain North, as Caleb held the now bloodied blade to the side, standing directly behind Sora.
The body of the officer he had switched himself with now plummeting towards the sea below.
Caleb tossed the blade to the side looking over at the group before giving them a small thumbs up.
"Exactly as planned….ah I forgot to tell you the plan my apologies."
Mia grinned and pat Cecilia on the shoulder.
"Caleb is covered in things called insulators which stops electricity since he works with it and he's beaten on daily by one of the strongest Armament users around. It was just a bad match up."
Mia stared down at Sora putting her hands on her hips.
"That's why you do your research properly. Nova's aren't top of the game for nothin'...probably embarrassing too since he's considered the 'weakest' among them. It's like losing to a chipmunk, no offense."
"None taken, I am by analysis the weakest combat wise."
Caleb looked over at the three women.
"My statement from earlier remains the same. He is too fascinating to kill myself, I leave his end to one of you."
Mia held her hands up.
"I was dealing with the approaching ensigns so I didn't earn the kill, one of you two can have it."
Sora North writhed on the floor, not screaming oddly enough, but in clear amounts of pain. Adelaide got up and nudged his bleeding leg stump. "Huh. He's healing."
Looking closer, they could see the skin slowly starting to pull over his wounds. Adelaide clucked. "Wow. The North family's really fallen after Hoshi left. If only Jack was here to see this."
"Doesn't matter," Sora, somehow, had the energy to sniff disdainfully at them. "I might be one failure, but rest assured–"
"Whatever." With a swift motion, a weak but doable gust of wind knocked Sora out of the hole and to the sea below. They heard his Wilhelm scream get sharply cut off by a horrific squelching and ripping sound. It was left to the imagination as to what exactly Adelaide did to him.
Cecilia turned green. "I think I might be sick."
Adelaide looked at Mia. "Why did you wait so long? I gave you seven opportunities to take him while he was choking me."
"...I was hoping to at least dissect him but fair enough,"
Caleb reached down and grabbed the arm and leg still on the floor, he shoved both into the large sack he kept on him, adjusting a few things inside to make them fit before closing it and moving it back behind his cloak.
"These will suffice for what I need."
Mia went to touch Cecilia but stopped pulling her hand back not wanting to make her more uncomfortable.
"Good thing you chose the fun team right?" Mia said smiling at Cecilia. "I'll uh...make you some tea when we get back."
At Adelaide's comment Mia pointed behind her toward an opening in the far wall leading to another room, within it were more bodies and judging by the badges on the now red uniforms were where the remaining ensigns had been, along with their troops.
"Didn't think you guys wanted extra guns and swords pointed at you so I dealt with the backup," Mia said. "I did return around the time Caleb asked for you back though...and at that point I was just curious what would happen so I apologize for not acting there."
Mia raised a hand at this.
"Since I made you waste an opening, why don't I deal with the next Captain, give you guys a breather."
Mia held up the keys before motioning to the seastone door.
"I'll even hold the door for you guys."
"Is my pride wounded? I feel like it should be." Adelaide debated to herself while Cecilia inched forward and touched one of the arms Sora North left behind. Her jaw dropped. Adelaide looked back up at Caleb.
"She knows how to handle herself. I don't see why not let her take on the other captain."
"Guys! Did you know this guy had an
exoskeleton? How strong are your weapons, Caleb? They have to be so strong to cut through this guy's bone." Her queasiness over, she continued to prod at the dead limbs until she was dragged away.
"He did?" Caleb said looking back at his pouch. "I can't wait to research my findings later. To answer your question, unsure what he was I treated him as Logia thus I followed my usual step by step process-"
"Can't hear you presently walking away!" Mia said as she moved towards the door.
Caleb followed behind as Cecilia was dragged behind.
After passing through the door Caleb's eyes twitched and he held his arm out before they passed through the second door at the bottom of the steps, having walked ahead at one point.
"...ambush."
He spoke the words before bronze gauntlets formed on his hands, manifesting out of his gloves. Slamming the knuckles together a large pole popped out of one end which he took hold off.
With a small twist the pole extended once more causing Mia to lean out the the way as it almost hit her before a large curved blade appeared, behind Cecilia's neck.
"...Caleb why did you pull your scythe out in this cramped stairway?" Mia asked. "I mean I'm glad to see the Reaper of the Alley and all but time and place. Also the Captain's mine."
"There are a lot of people in that room, this is the floor before the actual machine so it makes sense a bulk of their forces are stationed here. They heard us upstairs I'm sure and there's only one way through, an ambush is the most logical step considering the first Captain didn't stop us."
Mia glanced back at the scythe regretting not being behind Caleb like Adelaide who wasn't presently a step away from decapitation, well it was two steps for her, one for Cecilia.
"Once this door opens the fighting is going to start pretty much immediately. Is everyone prepared?"
"There's seastone down here too so be careful here as well you two...well more Cecilia then Adelaide. I swear I just want to ruffle her hair with how adorable she is. Everyone around me doesn't bat an eye at the bodies I make anymore, can I take her with me after?"
"Uhm," Cecilia raised a finger. "She's right and
she has a crew to go back to?? So… no. But I appreciate that you find me adorable."
Adelaide, meanwhile, ducked and shimmied around the group, making her way to the front with a pat on Caleb's cheek. "Let me take this, hm?"
The hand that touched him had something new on it: a glove. A
very familiar glove.
Adelaide also didn't wait for them to give her permission. Cracking her neck and squaring her shoulders, she "kicked" the door down with a breezy blast of her foot.
Immediately, a hail of gunfire attacked her.
It lasted about a minute with staggered firings before the mass of soldiers stopped long enough to see what their open fire did. Lots of smoke filled the air from the guns' discharge, obscuring visibility. Suddenly, metallic rain hit the deck. One soldier jumped at the sound and, glancing down, noticed their own bullets rolling back toward. He looked back up in time to see the thinnest black thread cut through the smoke and across his neck. He went down, choking on his own blood.
Adelaide flexed her haki glove and sent haki-fueled wind at the other sailors, dozens of thread-like whips that were
almost as deadly as her Devil Fruit. It would do.
Caleb glanced over at Adelaide as she passed him, his eyes moving to the glove causing his brows to arch slightly. Adjusting the scythe so he wouldn't accidentally decapitate anyone he took a step up the stairs to avoid being directly in the path of what was going to follow.
From there he watched the scene in silence, offering a small nod as he observed what had happened.
"It's always fascinating seeing Users harness the gloves….this gives me an idea."
Moving the scythe to his other shoulder Caleb started writing in his notebook ignoring the screams filling the room.
Mia leaned against the wall clearly pouting that she didn't get the first kill of the room.
"You killed my first vanguard in such a fascinating way."
A woman's voice filled the area, Mia's eyes moved around the room. For some reason her observation wasn't working all of a sudden, it felt as if the presence was all around them.
Her eyes moved to Caleb only to notice his brows had lowered.
"It is her…" Caleb mumbled.
A loud crunch sounded from the room and Caleb raised his voice slightly.
"Adelaide remove yourself from the room quickly."
It was spoken with a bit more haste than usual and as soon as Caleb said the words the wood under Adelaide's feet shifted away revealing the seastone underneath it, exposing anyone still in the room to it.
Mia's eyes narrowed at this as footsteps echoed through the room, a woman walking into the light.
Short somewhat messy brunette hair stopped at her neck, falling just above the medals on her chest revealing her rank, that of a Captain.
Dark green eyes met the group and the woman clad in a navy uniform that was a mix of white and black revealed herself to those gathered. It was a strange duality as her gloves and even her boots were different colors. The wood under her feet seem to stretch out giving her a foothold over the seastone revealing who had 'removed the floor'.
She munched on a bright red apple as she walked.
"Caleb it's good to see you again."
The woman spoke in a gentle simple tone, her youthful features and voices seemed akin to Caleb's. A single blade rested at her waist along with a simple pistol, both were very ornate however and clearly not normal weapons.
"You as well Bell," Caleb responded with a nod. "Everyone this is Bell Harima, former member of the Alley… and owner of the Wood-Wood fruit…which understandably is a problem presently due to us being surrounded by it."
"A pleasure to meet you all, now kindly step forward and donate your bodies to science."
Caleb's warning came too late. Adelaide, already shifting back the moment she felt Bell's presence seep into the room, didn't make it far enough to avoid the seastone. She hopped and phased – then her wind disappeared completely, and she was forced down. Adelaide wobbled, but managed to maintain her upright position. She stared at Bell.
Meanwhile, Cecilia acrobatic'ed her way from behind Mia to perched on a barrel, perfectly poised but looking at the floor like it was the sea itself.
"Plan??" she asked, meekly.
"Subject 1 combat prowess minimal," Bell said holding her hand out towards Cecilia.
When she did the 'wooden' barrel started to slowly break apart from the bottom, the lower parts of the barrel breaking apart slowly inching the woman towards the sealstone floor.
"Capture and confinement. Perhaps a sealstone collar to keep as a pet. Execute if lack of compliance. Wanna squeeze those chubby cheeks."
Bell's gaze moved over to Adelaide as she took another bite from her apple, chewing before speaking with a mouthful of food.
"Subject's 2's combat prowess…phenomenal. Higher threat Level acknowledge due to death of previous Captain and witness of ability. Unlikely to surrender. Execute and return Devil Fruit to Navy Officer. Make damage lethal but minimal to keep body and put on display. Raise morale of troops."
"That's proper disturbing," Mia said walking forward. "Tell me the story here Caleb. Summary considering troops are approaching, like how she's not being effected here. Also Cecilia who needs a plan when you have me."
"Same as how she hid herself using the wood she's adjusting it so the seastone's effect aren't as prominent on her. She used to be a good person, that is no longer the case."
"You know each other, want her alive?"
"What camaraderie we possessed faded over five years ago. I would do it myself if not for your 'dibs' and necessity to keep Adelaide and Cecilia from harm."
Caleb said this drawing his scythe as more navy troops approached training their weapons on the two women, Caleb also noticed the ceiling was getting closer, slowly but surely. Wooden spikes had also formed above them, he was pretty sure at a certain point it was just going to drop on them.
"Cool give me 30 seconds of fun then I'll kill her."
Caleb looked up at the ceiling then at the troops.
"….30 seconds could mean our ends considering-"
"Can't hear you, doing stuff!"
Mia grinned and rushed forward drawing her wheels.
"I will throw you back onto the safe spot when there is an opening Adelaide, my apologies for not realizing it was her sooner."
"Says the non-Fruit User!" Cecilia squeaked as she hit the seastone floor, and fell to her knees. It's effects hit her like an elephant's trunk: Quietness descended in her mind. No more inputs from the physical world – no more knowledge. Like she'd been cut in half.
The sensation threw her back to a time long ago. When the Navy used seastone and fire to tear her crew apart.
Those memories flitted behind her eyes, overlapping with the realization that Caleb was also, in this moment, surrounded by navy soldiers. Memory overlapped with reality and spurred her into action. She dove for the nearest gun, and started firing at the soldiers. The seastone threw off her aim but her bullets landed with surprising precision.
Adelaide's nostrils flared with great effort. And then – a sigh of relief. She flexed her hand, shuddering. Seastone. It was never fun. But she was more than just a Fruit user now.
Adelaide activated her Armament haki and changed the gloves "setting". With a stamp of her foot, she created a layer of ice over the seastone floor. It was thin, but serviceable, and caused quite a few soldiers to slide around in the sudden change of environment. The small act had Adelaide sweating and panting, but she grinned nevertheless.
Always a way out.
She didn't waste jumping back into the fight, adopting a Jack-esque fighting style in this close quarters combat. A thin ice blade served as her weapon as she cut her way through as many bodies as she could.
Caleb was happy to have the help as Mia leapt into the fray, Bell's eyelids lowered slightly but just made the ceiling move towards the group in response to an extra fighter, adjusting her calculations.
Moving her attention back to Mia, the wood leapt out at her, flying at her from all sides, the lumber reaching out at her as if it was alive.
Mia grinned and leapt over the pillars that jutted out trying to halt her approach, rolling over one that tried for her torso, flipping in the air she dodged the projectiles that shot from the left and spinning her body, descended towards Bell before a wooden fist crashed into her side sending her flying.
She hit the ground and bounced off it heading towards the wall, Bell took a bite of her apple as wooden spikes formed on the sides to welcome the woman.
Mia's body vanished before hitting the wall and Bell spun around behind her, making a large arc with her arm causing a wooden blade to slash at the air, Mia appeared behind her and with a grin blocked the strike with her wheels before being thrown back.
"Observation too huh, I might actually have fun with you."
Mia flipped and ran through the room dodging the attacks of Bell but any approach was cut off by the Captain; attacks from the ground caused Bell to just move the floor so she'd miss or never approach and any attacks from the air left her open to the still descending ceiling, walls or floor.
Caleb swung his scythe in a large arc taking out more officers only to see more appear from the woodwork, he grit his teeth realizing Bell had hidden them away with her power. Doors opened in the wood letting more fill in whenever it got low, and fighting over dead bodies had its own difficulty.
However in the midst of battle Caleb pulled out his pocket watch and opened it.
"Mia! It's been 30 seconds!"
"Oh cool."
Bell raised her pistol paying no mind to Mia and fired at the motionless Cecilia.
Caleb realizing he had been pulled away by the fighting rushed to try and move in front of her. It seems the situation had changed, no survivors were apparently her desire now. He realized he wouldn't make it in time, he saw it, that was until the bullet stopped mid flight and fell harmlessly to the floor.
"…Pardon?" Caleb questioned.
He looked around and noticed the room full of soldiers had also frozen, though they weren't really sure either from the looks on their faces, they just realized their bodies weren't moving, even Bell realized she couldn't budge without resistance.
"Well that was fun, I got a good workout in!" Mia said, adjusting her eyepatch. "We're on a time constraint though."
"…I can't move," Bell said, eyes twitching slightly. "What did you do?"
"Oh right you all can't see it, here I'll help."
Mia reached up with her finger and slightly tugged at the air, when she did something glinted as her armament flowed through something, in that moment the navy officers realized why they couldn't move.
They were trapped on all sides by wires, caught in a web they were unaware of. Around Caleb, Cecilia and Adelaide multiple wires had formed, clearly to protect them from outside influence, Caleb realized the bullets that never reached him now made sense…he just thought the aim was off.
"My sister would be sad if she lost Adelaide, the enigmatic Cecilia and her fiancé's buddy, can't let that happen. You guys were never in any 'real' danger. I just like seeing Cecilia's panicked face and someone's gotta tease Adelaide back ya know."
"…and me?" Caleb questioned.
"I just like messing with you."
"…how long?" Bell questioned.
The apple left her hand and fell into Mia's courtesy of her 'web'.
"Moment I entered the room, fighting in indoor places is one of my many specialities. You really should have looked into me."
"…I did. Captain of the L-"
"No no no. The me before…but then again no one knows the me before so doesn't matter. Speak your last words."
Bell tried to move but the wires were already digging into her skin, her troops were the same, some were tangled up in them wholly unaware they had even touched the wires in the first place.
Bell's eyes moved to Caleb who met her own.
"…I held great affection for you once."
"…noted and acknowledged," Caleb responded with a small nod.
"Adorable," Mia said before tugging on the wire.
In that moment every living thing save their group was ripped apart into pieces, their bodies torn asunder into multiple parts as the room was cleared of threats.
"I can't wait to tell this one later."
Mia held the apple forward and watched as it shifted into a Devil Fruit as if confirming Bell's demise, tossing it to Caleb she grabbed the keys from the pull of blood nearby.
"You'll do more good with that then I will. Shall we move forward?"
Caleb reached down and expanded Adelaide's ice to cover the floor still affected by seastone so Cecilia could move, once done he looked around as he moved to help her up.
"…are the wires gone?"
"Who knows," Mia said. "This feels like a good time to mention I like constructive criticism and compliments….mostly compliments."
With a grin she unlocked the door and opened it.
Cecilia accepted Caleb's help, clinging to him a bit longer than necessary and whispering a small, "Thank you". She held onto the gun she picked up as they faced the opening of the final floor. She winced, sensing a crackling in the air.
"The core's below," she whispered.
Adelaide came up behind them as she finished putting herself back together. With the ice giving them a breathing room, her power was stronger than before. She phased in and out, getting a sense of the space below them. "Your Risa's still breathing," she commented offhandedly. Then, more softly, "We should destroy this ship."
Caleb offered a nod to Cecilia letting her hold on as long as she needed before eyeing Adelaide as she returned.
"…thank you."
The man's shoulders seemed to relax a bit more at the news and he quickly moved forward.
At Adelaide's comment Caleb rubbed the side of his head, clearly in agreement but with a sigh spoke up.
"Destruction of this ship though tempting is not the priority," Caleb said lowering his hand. "The weapon will fire soon…we can't destroy the ship and stop the weapon from firing. I assure you the Nova's or Stardusk will destroy it later."
Caleb spoke these words his eyelids lowering slightly.
"If we don't destroy it first," Mia said smiling. "I'm all for wanton destruction but I sadly have to agree weapon first, if we don't a lot of good people will die down there, ones who came to help. This is a good chance to have a lot of people owe us one. We need them alive so we can collect on that."
Once they reached the bottom floor many scientists turned to meet them, their eyes widening as many started to panic realizing their protection had been defeated.
The few troops stationed down there were already on the ground courtesy of Mia who lowered her finger with a smile.
In the middle of the room was the canon itself, the actual construct wasn't impressive but the pulsating crystals hovering in the middle of the glass were another matter.
A rainbow of colors flowed out of the translucent crystals as a second blue light poured into them. In a weird way it was a beautiful sight, though the multi-colored crystal was slowly turning red from the edges of it to the center.
"…how inefficient," Caleb said. "No wonder they were having trouble."
Caleb motioned towards the glass before tossing a black crystal to Mia.
"Bring that close to it. The properties of that crystal will resonate with the other one and-"
Caleb cut himself off and pointed at it.
"Put it against the glass and it will shatter the crystal, making tiny explosions within the cannon. Which will destroy it from the inside out. Take a small step back afterwards as it'll also destroy the glass."
"Not it," Mia said tossing the crystal to Adelaide. "I don't want glass in my hair. Really hard to get the small pieces out."
"Please do not just destroy the glass, it will blow up and kill most of us," Caleb added before walking forward again.
Moving past the scientists he found Risa in a corner, noticing the bags under her eyes his eyelids narrowed. Her body shivered every few seconds and he could tell she had been crying.
He stayed silent and just lifted her into his arms, making a note to figure out how to remove the cuffs on her wrist later.
"So we're killing the scientists right? Less people know the better?"
"…Those who don't surrender. It's a waste to get rid of knowledgable people," Caleb responded. "I'd also like to pick their brains for information."
"All right. Hey! Whose willing to abandon the navy and work for us pirates! We pay well and you won't die today. Raise your hands if you're willing to abandon your loyalty to them today."
A few scientists looked around before one raised their hand then a few others.
The others who kept their hands lowered looked both shocked and disgusted at the ones who clearly preferred living.
"Cool. Let's kill all but the ones with raised hands," Mia said. "Cecilia do your thing I'll help gather schematics once I'm done slitting their throats."
One scientist raised their hand and Mia shook her head.
"No you put your hand down. Too late. Should have raise it with the rest of the class, no do over's. I clearly outlined what would happen."
Cecilia went over all of the scientists' work. Their journals, schematics, test tubes, notes… years of fresh, accumulated knowledge just waiting for her to touch it. Her fingers brushed them, absorbing it all, and snapped back. She looked pale. "I don't– I don't know if…"
"Hey." Adelaide tossed something over to Cecilia from her position on the cannon. Cecilia fumbled it, but in a flash she knew what it was and what it was for. She looked at Adelaide, mouth agape, and the Windy She-Devil shrugged.
"Pirates would be the kings of the world if they possessed this kind of weaponry. They'd stand their first real chance of fighting the Navy. Maybe even defeating it. No one would in their right minds pass up this opportunity." Reaching out, Adelaide touched the crystal to the glass. Dull
whumps echoed as a chain reaction went off with the cannon. The glass shattered, passing through her windy form without harm. She hopped down next to Cecilia. "Burn it."
Cecilia opened the box. It was filled with matches.
Adelaide snapped her fingers. Whichever scientists hadn't already been dispatched by Mia suffocated slowly as the air was dragged from their lungs. She glanced at Caleb. "Will you be responsible for those left living? Ensure they never make this again? Or should I kill them now despite what you want, to save us in the future?"
Caleb's eyes passed over the papers littered around Cecilia as he made his way towards the exit, his eyes narrowed at the information but he continued walking, speaking up only after Adelaide did.
"She is correct. With that information you are now the most valuable person in this group and more than likely the surrounding 150 miles. The entirety of this information is that powerful."
Mia turned one of the plans over arching a brow before setting it back down, in agreement to burn it.
Cecilia swallowed. She struck a match and got to work. "I miss our carousel days," she whispered to herself.
Caleb stopped to look at Adelaide when she addressed him, Mia was wiping the blood off her uniform and corralling the remaining scientist together when Caleb looked over at her.
"It will be made again."
Caleb's response was simple and his eyes moved to the broken weapon as he said it.
"Maybe not this exact weapon but another will be made, eventually one worse than this one. Perhaps not in our lifetimes but it will occur."
Caleb looked back at Adelaide.
"Killing all of them will not change that nor slow the process."
His eyes moved to the scientists who were willingly letting Mia bind them.
"Knowledge is neutral, those who wield it decide 'what' it becomes. Unlike common beasts man has learned to wield tools. Sometimes regretfully it is for greed or…"
Caleb's gaze moved towards the door where they had come from, his eyes eyes lowering slightly.
"Recognition…but in the end an opportunity will be given to them. I will allow them an option, if they stray after being given that chance, then as I've done before I will be the 'Reaper of the Alley'. My hands are not so clean."
With a small shrug he nodded towards Adelaide eyeing the gloves.
"Luro originally made those to give power to the powerless. To give someone a fighting chance when they have none. A decent desire but he is not so blind as to think the power will not be abused one day. It is part of the process…but today they were helpful."
Caleb's eyes moved to Risa.
"...we have to protect the ones who want to do good with their knowledge…even if others deem it silly. That way the future will be a little better…but only a little."
"Mr. Scientist gettin' all sentimental…also you could have just said no keep them alive. You really like taking the scenic route don't you?"
"I assure you the old me would have slit their throats and moved on and the temptation was still there. However the company we keep changes us. I believe we all can attest to that. Whether for better or worse we ultimately decide."
Upon returning to the top deck the ship was already making its way back towards it's landing dock in the city. Mia disabled some of the weaponry on their way up and Kaim had dealt with the problems on the top deck disabling the weapons up there as well.
Enough damage had been done to the ship where it wouldn't be doing much good anytime soon even if it could still fly. They also released the tethers on the cannon, dropping the remains of it on a naval base as they passed over it in the first ring.
"Glad you got Risa back. Luro will be delighted," Kaim said grinning, keeping his hand on the man's shoulder who was guiding the ship.
"Luro sent you?" Caleb asked arching a brow.
"He asked me to help out however I could, he disliked not being able to help out himself. He trusted you all to handle it but well…he felt left out."
"Haha…that's just like him," Mia said leaning over the edge of the ship. "Hey Caleb?"
"Yes?"
"...what was up with that Bell lady anyway?"
"It is a long story," Caleb said with a shake of his head. "Put simply...had just one other person acknowledged her I'm sure she would not have turned out that way. Never underestimate a simple 'good job' from another is all I'll say considering our time constraint."
Caleb adjusted his cloak as they came in for a proper landing.
"If you wish for more details then ask after this long day is over. I will as they say, 'buy first round', I must ask Adelaide about the electric man after all."
"First, second and third, I put in 5% more effort today," Mia said crossing her arms under her chest.
"...why don't I just treat everyone to whatever they want," Caleb said resting his hands on his hips. "You all assisted me greatly. You helped me retrieve my precious apprentice and our stolen knowledge won't be abused for time to come, at least long enough for us to understand and properly counter it."
With a small nod Caleb offered a very small smile.
"It has been an utmost pleasure working with all of you."
Mia pushed the man from behind causing him to stumble slightly and his smile to fade.
"Day's not over yet. Save the sentimentality for the bar…or restaurant or whatever expensive thing we decide, I'm leaning towards two more ships myself. We still got things to do and I'm just getting warmed up."
"I'll make sure Risa ends up somewhere safe, part of my job," Kaim said raising a hand. "I'll join the fight after. So you guys go on ahead."
It wasn't until they reached the deck that Adelaide finally spoke up to Caleb. She'd been contemplating on his words the whole way there.
"You're wrong. Knowledge isn't neutral. A weapon's a weapon – it's only function is to maim. Secrets always lead to subterfuge. Military strategies are for war. Handcuffs…" Adelaide pointedly looked at Risa's, "are meant to control people. Certain knowledge leads down very few paths, no matter what the intentions were behind their creations. You're a scientist: You always see the use in something without considering the human factor. But I'm a spy. People's impulses are my field of study."
Adelaide then shrugged. "But you are also right. What's been done here will be done again… just as I imagine you're not done with the energy you created. I hope it doesn't lead you down a bad road." She smiled like she already knew the answer to his future. "I look forward to debating with you when this is all said and done."