It has been seven days since the execution of the right hand of the Pirate King, Alexander "Throne" Sivers. With his death, the last of the King Pirates were dead. It was expected by many of the Marines and the World Government that with it, pirate activity would sharply decreased, going along with Fleet Admiral Bronso Kanaru's announcement of the "End of Piracy". Yet with Sivers' last words, a different reaction was achieved from the people of the world. Piracy was not dying away. Piracy was increasing. By the hundreds, newly formed pirate crews were making their way to the Grand Line for the opportunity presented to them.

Yet pirates weren't alone in this thinking. Fleet Admiral Bronso Kanaru, fresh off a win against the Pirate King, sought to fill in the hole of power with the World Government and the Marines. He continued to relentlessly pursue pirates, while also claiming old territory of the King Pirates. Kanaru also ordered the construction of numerous new ships from the different territories in the world to build up their fleet.

It is for this reason that so many people, Marines and citizens, are gathered now near the port of Loguetown. The Marine Base in Loguetown has just finished construction of their own brand-new ship, which they have decided to name the Grand Justice. The ship is small by normal Marine ship standards, but it is quick and agile. As with most Marine ships, it contains the words 'MARINE' across the sail, as well as the symbol of the World Government.



Today is the maiden voyage of the ship. Currently in the Loguetown prison resides a number of pirates who have recently been captured all throughout the East Blue, some of which are quite high-profile. The Grand Justice's first voyage will involve transporting them to Impel Down, the World Government's maximum-security prison for the most dangerous criminals and pirates.

The Marine in charge of this operation is a Commander by the name of Takoumashi Youra, who has just announced the ceremony to a roaring crowd of citizens and Marines. The ceremony will take place later in the day, just before sunset.

"Let it be known that piracy in any form won't be tolerated!" Commander Youra bellowed, extending his arms above his head. He was received by a large applause, more particularly from the Marines around, but also from citizens who breathed a sigh of relief. Whether the Marines would admit it or not, piracy, including around Loguetown, had been on the rise since Sivers' execution. "We will bring the swift justice to any pirate just as Fleet Admiral Kanaru had done to Rallo and the Kings!" Again, cheers followed his words.

Toward the back of the crowd, a Marine soldier applauded with the rest, a huge grin on his face. He was one of the soldiers who was apart of one of the operations to put away on of the pirates that would be transported to Impel Down. So at this moment, he felt immense pride to be a Marine. A voice suddenly spoke up behind him, but the Marine was too enthralled with the Commander's speech to turn around and address him properly.

"That's quite a ship they've got there," The voice said behind him. It wasn't an imposing or booming voice, but it was prominent enough for the soldier to hear. The Marine soldier continued to grin, but didn't turn around when he replied.

"Yeah! Our newest ship! It can skate on the water! I'd like to see any pirates outrun us with that one!"

"So it's a good ship?" The voiced asked the Marine. The Marine was quick to reply, but still didn't turn around. Instead he clapped and roared again when the Commander spoke more words of encouragement, before replying to the man behind him.

"A good ship!? That's probably one of the best new ships in the East Blue fleet! It might be small, but it's a winner! Count on it!" He replied enthusiastically.

"How many people would you say it'd take to sail that thing?" The voice asked again. The Marine chuckled in his response.

"Hehehe...see, that's the best part! You could handle it well enough with four sailors! Minimal crew! Of course, we'll have more than that to watch over the pirates, but it just shows how great it is!"

"Yeah, I heard about those pirates. Got some pretty big hauls, eh?" He asked. The man held multiple wanted posters in his hands as he looked through them.

"You got that right! We've got a few big names across the East Blue. But most of all, we got the super rookie Burning King!" The soldier grinned again as the Commander said his parting words, inviting everyone to gather at the sailing ceremony at 5:00pm. "Say, you're a pretty curious guy, huh? You want to join the Marines or something?" He asked the other man.

"No, not really. I was just looking to steal it. See ya," He said. The Marine soldier instantly perked up and turned around. He caught sight of him briefly for the first time. He had long, black flowing hair, but also a blue bandanna across his head. The blue bandanna had a white cross going through the front of it. He also wore a red coat.

"Eh? Hey, wait!" He yelled after him, but the man walked into the crowd of people still applauding. The Marine tried to press through the crowd, trying to keep the man in the blue bandanna in his sights, but he eventually lost sight of him.

Tristan D. Kuzo examined the wanter posters he had collected. Each of them were men that would be transported later in the day to Impel Down. He had been in Loguetown for over a week now, ever since the execution of Alexander Sivers. Since then, he had been trying to find a way to get to the Grand Line, to begin his own adventure there. The problem was, he had no real means of getting there. He came on a small, one-man boat to Loguetown, which wouldn't be enough to sail to the Grand Line. He also had no crew, but this ceremony seemed to solve both of those problems.

Kuzo set his sights back at the newly constructed Grand Justice. He knew the name would have to be changed, obviously, but the ship itself was perfect.

"4 sailors..." He mimicked the words of the Marine soldier he talked to. The other problem wasn't as hard to accomplish. Ever since a week ago, adventurers, pirates, and sailors have been pouring to Loguetown to begin their adventure. He was sure to find a few people willing to travel with him. In fact, looking over the wanted posters of the captured pirates, he instantly saw one that immediately caught his eye.



"Wright D. Morgan..." Kuzo repeated out loud to himself. A smile crept on the face of the man as he looked down at the wanted poster, before tossing away the rest of them and stuff this one into his coat pocket. He had, at that moment decided: this man was going to join his crew. But before he does, he had to find a few others who would be willing to go with him: to help break out Morgan from prison, to steal the newly constructed Marine Ship, the Grand Justice, and to set sail to the Grand Line!

With his plans all set, Kuzo eagerly set forth into the heart of Loguetown, in search of a few people crazy enough to join him on the adventure of a lifetime!

You

It has been a week since the execution of Alexander "Throne" Sivers, the right hand of the Pirate King. His last words had stirred something in you. Whatever your reasons, you are a pirate in Loguetown about to head off to the Grand Line. Here, you will find a crew, find a ship, and begin your adventure!

These are major locations in Loguetown, all of which are options to choose from to go towards in your opening post. You can go to the pier and observe the announcement by the Commander of the Marines of the upcoming ceremony for the Grand Justice. Be careful about going to this location if you have a bounty, especially a high one, as Marines will likely instantly recognize you. You can also choose to visit the Execution Platform, where Alexander "Throne" Sivers was executed a week ago. It is a common tourist attraction for pirates and citizens alike. Several high profile pirates who visited the city for his execution might be around there. Loguetown is also home to a Marine Base in town, which is led by Commander Takoumashi Youra. Again, be cautious in approaching this base if you have a bounty. Loguetown also has an Arms Shop as well as a high class boutique called Robecca Hanberg, and an Antique House which sells cheap and fashionable clothing. The King's Bar was a common destination for pirates during the King Pirates' reign, and many pirates still make their way to that bar for a drink.

I slumped out of the boat onto the shore. "Why do they call these things lifeboats." He growled, "Every time I'm in one of these things I nearly die. If I was able to swim, then it wouldn't be so bad." I was angry, hungry, and thirsty. I stood up weakly and used my scythe as a support. Every muscle in my body was stiff, and I was relieved by being able to stretch. "I'm going to kill that bastard of a captain. Him and every one of his crew members." The beach was empty, and I was mumbling to himself. "Gotta find a captain though, where the hell am I?"

I walked into town and looked around. I recognized it as Louguetown, and I wondered why there was such a large crowd here. I stopped one of the civilians, "Tell me what has happened her." I commanded him.

"Alexander Sivers was executed just last week. Pirates here are looking for a crew to find his treasure."

"You mean the Alexander Sivers has been executed?" I knew he was in captivity, but I believed the man would be able to escape. The marines were really stepping up their game. "Anything else?"

"Oh yes! The marines have a new ship and they plan on using it to transport pirates."

"Tell me where I can get food." I said suddenly realizing how hungry I was. "Somewhere where I could possibly find a captain."

"Well if you're a pirate, be careful, they are not messing around today." The man warned, "There is a bar that a lot of pirates hang around, you could find someone there."

"Good." I said while leaving. I rushed to the bar and walked in. I pushed my way to the counter and placed down 50 belly. "Food." I growled.

"That isn't enough for a shot of whiskey." The bartender spat, "Stop wasting my time."

I mumbled some curses, and contemplated causing a fight. I decided against it after I reasoned I would lose any fight in this condition.

"Nice scythe shirtless gorilla." Some idiot said behind me, "What's with the white hair?"

I turned toward him with fire in my eyes. "It's my natural color." I growled.

"Well it looks great." He said. I realized he was completely smashed. He poured a glass of his whiskey on my head. "Now it looks really great!" He said laughing. I stood up and towered over him by an entire foot. "Oh, the big man is angry!"

I picked him up by the collar and slammed him against a table into the ground. "Hey! Take it outside, I don't want my bar getting destroyed again."

I looked at him intimidatingly, but he he returned the glare. Out of respect I agreed. "Come on pal, lets take it outside." I said mockingly. I dragged him out onto the sidewalk and punched him in the gut. He let out a grunt and passed out. I tossed him against the wall of the bar on the left side of the door, and I slumped against the right side tiredly.

He knew that it was far from smart to be in this specific town. He knew that with just but one sight of him… just one glance at seeing fur underneath his cloak would seal his fate. Truth be told, he wasn't sure is the marines actually knew if he had human intelligence. On the one hand, he had been sighted as seeing clothing by some of his victims, yet the description on his poster had several warnings that painted him more along some sort of new creature discovered in the area. If he was captured alive… well he would be worth more because there were apparently those who already were lining up to study what exactly he was.

Bass had to shudder at that thought and instinctively lowered his head a bit more to let the hood of his cloak cover his face just a bit more. He couldn't risk moving his wings to have his thumb hooks adjust the hood. Everyone would see and he would hear the screams that were always shouted at him. Monster. Freak. Ghastly creature.

He could see why the humans would think that way, but he truly was a good man. He didn't want to hurt any of them… he just had different needs from theirs. He read over the rest of the poster and flinched at the poster's mention of if he should die instead. His stomach was already weak enough as was, so he turned away and began to carefully walk along the streets.

His cloak covered him down to his feet, yes, yet he had discovered a while back that if he moved too quickly then his feet would be uncovered and since he couldn't wear shoes of any kind, it would quickly turn messy after that.

He kept on moving and was doing his best not to be looked at with confused looks. Just by wearing a cloak to hide his whole body he knew he would cause suspicion in just a few people. Still, he wanted to see it. He had to see it. He kept on walking until he finally paused and his red eyes looked out from the darkness of the hood to lie upon the execution platform. He looked over its surface slowly, taking in every inch of its features and truly understanding what had happened to that man.

It was odd, before hand he had never bothered with hearing gossip or news, wasn't like that he could just walk up to someone and ask what they had heard lately, but when he heard this… he didn't know why, but he felt like the man had been talking straight to him.

The ideas of freedom… of fame… of having the world open to you. All of them were precious ideas and that got Bass thinking. If he did go the path his man had gone… would he truly get those freedoms? Would he able to find new lands and finally get off of this island? He knew that there was only one way to find out. He had to find someone to take him off of this island, to a much bigger piece of land. He would get away and try and make a new name for himself, not one out of fear but one that would show hope.

Hope… the same hope he had now. He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh and knew that even if he managed to get on a ship, it wouldn't work out in the end. He would be easily caught and then sent to the prisons. And even if it did work out, he may very well be sent to another island, maybe even smaller than this one! But even with those thoughts looming… it was something he HAD to try. This man had spoken to him and he wasn't well going to give up after coming this far.

Skellen sat in the bar, a large (and surprisingly clean) glass clasped in his left hand, the shoulder of the drunk marine in his right as they loudly and terribly sung an old seaman's tune at the counter of the bar. Not the frequently visited (and not to mention crowded) King's Bar, but a small and seedy old tavern in a more run down part of Loguetown that was frequented only by the shadiest individuals. Which made the presence of even a borderline paralytic marine in the bar somewhat peculiar... and yet none of the many criminals in the building seemed to mind his presence.

Scum... Skellen raged silently in his head, still acting the drunken fool clutching the corrupt marine's shoulder and singing the song loudly. More often than not, Skellen was just as jovial as the man next to him but when he was "working" he tended to take a more serious persona. The man on his right, the marine captain, had been bullying many of the smaller local businesses into paying him for extra protection in much the same way the marines on Eden had behaved. He would then spend the extra cash on various illegal items and services and on feeding his alcoholism. It of course, appeared that the corrupt man had bumped into Skellen by chance, but Skellen had been plotting the mans downfall for days. He had tracked him to all his haunts, monitored his behaviour and settled on his plan. He was at the tavern for one purpose, to remove the scum to his right from the face of the Earth.

Skellen continued to play his role as shady folk such as pirates and "merchants" came and went from the bar. Nobody noticing that he was still on his first glass whilst the marine beside him had drunk more glasses of liquor than he cared to count. It was as one more refill came for the captain, his last if Skellen's plan worked, that he saw his opportunity. With nobody able to see, not even the nearby bartender he emptied a vile of clear liquid into the glass and passed it to the marine. He wasn't called The Taipan for no reason, poison was a speciality of Skellen's.

At first it appeared as though nothing was going to happen. The marine continued his drinking and merry-making. Skellen still went along with it, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Gradually the man began to slump and soon his head hit the counter hard, the marines glass shattering on the hard wood floor below them, catching the attention of the bartender who came towards them - assuming he was going to have to wake the marine and boot him out. Skellen got up as the bartender began to shake his victim hard to rouse him (not that it would work) and began to make his way to the door, unfortunately his bad luck was about to come into play.

As he made it passed the halfway point towards the doors, they burst open a group of about ten surly-looking marines glaring into the bar - directly at Skellen. Clearly, they were there to round up pirates and the like as a part of their current crusade. But as if that wasn't bad enough, as a few of the men began to recognise Skellen as a wanted man the bartender yelled loudly from the back of the tavern where the now dead marine captain had fallen to the floor with a thump
"He's dead! That guy killed him!" he screamed pointing frantically at Skellen.

Skellen looked from the bartender and the corpse, to the group of living marines blocking the door and they in turn looked from the bartender and the corpse to Skellen. The room silent.
You have got to be kidding me...
What happened next happened in an explosive instant. Shouts and jeers erupted everywhere, people were running amok searching for an exit and the marines, drawing their various weapons, made a move for Skellen who sprinted towards the wall of the building, jumping through a window (that was unfortunately closed) and sending shards of glass cascading across the ground he landed on. Skellen rolled to his feet, the troop of marines now rounding the corner hot on his tail, and sprinted down the street zig-zagging and shoving his way around the crowds of people that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere... and not to mention at the worst time for The Taipan.

Commander Takoumashi Youra - Marine Base, Loguetown

"Accursed pirates!" Commander Youra yelled as he stormed through the Marine Base, with two Marine soldiers frantically trying to keep up with his pace. "Always ruining everything! This is supposed to be my grand ceremony, my chance to get a leg up in command, but they have to start making a scene!" He ranted, taking a sharp left turn and storming into his office. Marine soldiers steered clear of him, saluting him as he passed by. He stomped over behind his desk, and sat down, the two Marine soldiers accompanying him standing in front of the desk as he wiped his face with his palms. He then placed his hands on his desk, and eyed his two subordinates.

"Well? Don't just stand there, hand it over!" He bellowed, and the marine soldier on the left snapped up and handed the Commander the wanted poster he had been carrying. Youra leaned back in his chair and examined it.



"Bridges L. Skellen, eh? What's his deal?" He asked, examining the poster.

"He's a poison specialist, sir! People have been calling him the Taipan. Word around is that he's an assassin who tries to take down any high-ranking member of the World Government or Marines he can."

"Any crew?" Youra inquired.

"No, sir!" The Marine replied sharply.

"Solo act, eh? Alright, let's take care of him quickly. You know how these criminals are. One of them pops up and causes a ruckus and all of them start getting involved. And I don't want them ruining my special day." He placed the wanted poster on the desk, and looked over the two Marines. "What are you waiting for?! GO!" He exclaimed, which caused the Marines to quickly salute and run out. Youra rubbed his face again with his palms, and sighed, looking out to the window behind his desk.

He suddenly caught sight of something, or rather someone sitting on the couch to the side of the room. "Eh?! What do you think you're doing in here?! This is my office, you runt!" He yelled to the unknown man.

"You are aware they are going to fail miserably right?" the man replied back, completely disregarding the insults that Youra greeted him with. "And," he continued rising from the couch. "This is my office now. You can do your business outside in the hallway."

"Who do you think you are, commanding me?! I'm Takoumashi Youra, Commander of this Marine Base and all of Loguetown! I'm the head boss here!" He yelled back, standing up off his chair angrily.

"Commodore Zakiru Kiba. You are being relieved of your post here."

Youra opened his eyes wide with surprise. The name was instantly recognized by the Commander, who had heard of the famous young Marine who had been shooting up the ranks for his relentless (and successful) pursuit and capture of well-known pirates. He was known as "Kiba the Predator", Commodore, and at this moment, the highest ranked Marine in Loguetown. "C-Commodore Kiba!" Youra managed to stammer out. "I...I had no idea you were here! Uh...Um, O-of course I will step down. P-please let me know if you need anything, sir!"

"Oh I do," Kiba said with a small nod as he took the seat once owned by Youra. "We need to buff up security around Loguetown, as I have noticed a recent surge in the number of pirates." Kiba paused, looking out the window at the newest ship in the harbor, the Grand Justice. "Post more soliders at our docks. Also, double security at the prison. We cannot afford to lose any of our prisoners. Especially, with this 'Burning King' sitting there."

"Y-yes, of course, right away, sir!" He said, with a salute, exiting the office in a hurry, the office that only moments ago belonged to him.

"And one more thing. Orca. I want you out there in the field. How about you chase this...Taipan yourself."

"Err...I t-typically don't go out chasing the..." He didn't finish his sentence, seeing the scowl beginning to form on Kiba's face. "...right away, sir!" He saluted again, departing from the office.

Lotte | Central-Southern Loguetown​

There was something special about wandering around town by yourself, without a butler fussing behind you and a madame telling you what was and wasn't ladylike. It was a freedom that Lotte found to be both exhilarating-- and taxing. It was a trial to keep the hood of her velvet cloak up, whilst trying not to interact with anyone so as not to draw attention to herself. She wanted to talk to everybody- the tourists from other islands, the pirates who had traversed the seas and gathered to see the execution, the fledgling pirates determined to set out anew after hearing Sivers' inspiring last words. The young Lotte didn't quite understand it all, but she was sure if she could just talk to somebody they'd be glad to explain it...! But being alone meant that she couldn't just talk to anybody like she would if she had attendants fussing about behind her.

Even if her head was empty and full of nothing but butterflies and rainbows, even she knew that she was worth a pretty penny if she talked to the wrong person- whether that pretty penny came from the reward for sending her home, to face her father's disapproving frowns and lectures, or kidnapping her for ransom.

... Though frankly, she couldn't say that she particularly minded being kidnapped, if her kidnappers were nice people. Did nice kidnappers exist? Surely they did. After all, being kidnapped meant she might get to go see more of the world than just Loguetown- since the boat she'd boarded from her kingdom had come straight here without any stops in between. She eyed the throng of hooligans surrounding the execution platform with a hopeful gaze, watching them shout about the sea and treasure. Tilting her head at all the unique characters gathering up new crews and dreams. ...Hmmm maybe not those people. They seemed like the type of commoners who didn't take baths very often, and she'd found that she wasn't so fond of those commoners. They wore very strange perfumes (read: body odor).

Securely tugging her hood down over her silvery blonde hair, she turned down the street to find a place to pick up a quick meal. She had learned well these past few weeks! She knew that you had to pay for meals after eating them when you ate in other peoples' houses, and that you could usually seat yourself- unlike the restaurants back at home with plush red velvet chairs that required reservations weeks in advance. However, she'd never walked into a place nearly as crowded as this one... What to do when there didn't seem to be any open seats? Failing to consider the perfectly viable option of picking another place, she scanned the shop filled with boisterous characters hopping in and out of their chairs, she was quick to hone in on an empty seat at one of the wall-adjacent tables. Walking over and plopping herself down across the man without permission, Lotte peered across her. Respectable clothes, relatively tidy brown hair, didn't look too out of the ordinary....

Well, he looked more boring than the rest, but he'd have to do because there weren't any other open seats. Perhaps he'd have an interesting story to tell yet! It wasn't right to judge a person by their cover, she reasoned, though she'd essentially been doing that the whole day.

"Can I have that?" She pointed to the meat in his hands, half-eaten but looking just as delicious as it would if it were still whole.

Aw wuh weweuhuh? Lotte tilted her head at what she assumed to be a question. Did he speak a different language perhaps? How exotic! Her curiousity piqued, she listened with greater intent- not quite understanding the monkey like sounds coming from the man sitting across her. But her curiousity was just as quickly forgotten as he held out the meat and began speaking in what was clearly a common tongue. "Uwaaaah~!" Face lighting up into a smile as she practically sparkled at his generosity, she plucked the morsel out of his hands, taking a delicate bite out of what was left and happily chowing down. The flavor was stronger than what she was used to, but anything tasted good on an empty stomach! "Thank you very much!"

Hearing the grumble of his stomach she paused for a moment before taking another bite, chewing thoughtfully. What a nice guy he was- maybe he didn't want to eat this anymore because his stomach hurt? Or maybe he was one of those commoners who didn't get to eat very often. She tightened her grip on the wooden skewer, a ghost of a pout crossing her features ... Even if he was, that didn't mean she was about to give the meat back to him! It was just as delicious as she'd imagined it would be, so it was hers now!

"Hm?" Brought back to reality by his question, she shook her head, "Oh, no, this is the first time!" She answered without a care in the world, finishing off what was left of her second-hand meal, "... Umm, well I have enough money to buy food, but I thought yours looked yummy so I wanted it!" Grinning cheekily, she nibbled on the wooden skewer and held up her index finger, "Things always taste better if you get it from someone else."

With that settled, she sat back and peered around, she flagging down one of the waitresses to order another set of skewered meat, a glass of orange juice, and a plate of pasta. "But anyway, it's weird sitting at a table in someone's house without food on the table, isn't it? It's like you're not even really sitting down for a meal that way, Mister--.... Oh how rude of me- I didn't even introduce myself." She neatly placed the skewer down, leaning forward in her seat slightly in a polite make-shift bow and looking up with a smile when she straightened, "You may address me as Miss Lotte! Oh- but I guess you gave me your food, so I'll let you address me as just Lotte if you'd like."

Tristan D. Kuzo - Execution Platform, Loguetown

Kuzo walked across Loguetown, examining many of the other people who walked beside him, or in front of him, hoping for any kind fo sign that one among them were to be apart of his crew. He kept thinking that some sort of sign would pop up above their heads and point him in the right direction. Yet the more he thought on this, the more he was beginning to think that it was he who had to give them the sign. And he was beginning to think he knew just how.

Kuzo arrived now in the busy plaza of the execution platform. Seven days ago, he stood here with the largest crowd he had even seen and watched the end of an era, and perhaps the beginning of a new one. If his journey would begin anywhere, what more fitting place could he choose than right here?

He stashed away Morgan's wanted poster into his coat jacket, and walked through the crowd, proceeding toward the tall platform where Sivers smiled to his death, until he was right beneath it. Kuzo looked up, and allowed a smile to make its way across his face. He looked around to his left and right. There were several Marine soldiers across the plaza, but not in force. Certainly nowhere near the amount of the execution. There were also none currently in front of the platform itself. Though even if there were, Kuzo didn't think he'd give them much thought. Not now at least.

He bent down, squatting as close to the ground as he could, and then he closed his eyes, and took in air through his nostrils. He exhaled slowly, then muttered under his breath, "Lightning Mode." At the sound of his words, his body instantly seemed to react. His muscles and skin seemed to compress inwards, detracting as if he was shrinking. The transformation was almost sudden, with Kuzo now standing up appearing to be a few inches shorter, and much skinnier than he was before. Still keeping his smile on his face, Kuzo bent his knees, and jumped into the air. He instantly shot upwards, as if he was flying, with an incredible hop. The platforms many layers past below him as he continued going up. Kuzo's leap came to an end near the top, the man managing to reach the top of the execution platform in one, single long jump. Just as he was about to touch down on the platform, Kuzo extended both of his arms on opposite sides of his body, and closed his fists, causing his slightly altered body to revert back to his normal size, before touching down with a slight thump.

Kuzo turned around now to face the crowd of people gathered in the plaza below, some of which have noticed his quick climb to the top. Some of the Marines in the plaza took notice as well, quickly making their way over. "Hey, what are you doing up there!?" One of them cried out.

Surprised faces, followed by murmurs and whispers began to make their way across the faces of the people in the plaza. Kuzo meanwhile smiled cheerfully to the crowd below, sitting down on the platform with one leg over the edge of the tall structure, and the other clutched to his chest, with an arm hanging over it.

"So..." He began to the crowd below. "Anyone up for an adventure?"

Bar, Loguetown

"Damn it all!" A voice called out from inside the bar where Reaper K. Leon was previously seated, followed by the slamming of a mug onto the table. The man was fairly tall, with a head of messy, black hair and a goatee. A noticeable scar marked in an 'X' fashion sat above his right eye. His clothes were torn and worn, and unremarkable, with a plain ripped white shirt covered by a red-brown coat with a slight pattern of black and yellow going down the left side, and black pants. The only distinguishing thing about the man was a somewhat large sword which he positioned next to his chair. Otherwise, he had the look of a man that was as likely to be seated outside the bar under the stars with no home as he was inside as a paying customer. "All I want is to enjoy my drinks in peace and quiet and every day someone comes in here and screws up my day! I'm tired of you people always coming in here acting like you own the place!" He bellowed with a slight slur to his speach, obviously intoxicated. And heavily. He lifted his mug behind his head and tossed it at the shirtless, white haired giant man who had positioned himself at the front of the bar, the drink aiming directly for his head.

"Haha! That'll learn ya! Lemme drink in peace!" He added, with a hiccup. The bartender shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Mister, what are you talking about?" The bartender as the drunk man. "I know every customer that comes into my bar, and this is the first I'm seeing of you."

The man looked back between the bartender, and the white-haired man he had tossed his drink at. He suddenly slapped his left fist onto his right palm, as if remembering something. "Ah! That's right! This is my first time in this bar!" He turned back to the white-haired man outside, picking up his sword and attaching it back to the strap on his belt, before stumbling to the entrance. He managed to somehow procure another drink belonging to one of the other customers. Yet before that customer had a chance to complain, the man managed to gulp down the contents of the mug and walked over to Leon outside. He gave a drunk grin to the large behemoth of a man, and spoke.

"Hehe...no hard feelings, right my man?" He stuck out a hand to him. "The names-" He stopped as he was introducing himself, suddenly lurching over, and emptying out his stomach out onto the street, close enough to have reached the feet of Leon.

Lotte noted, with a ghost of a frown as her thoughts trailed after the waitress that had bustled away, that food here always took longer than normal to actually appear. It was always strange, how long things seemed to take in the commoners' world, but... She turned her attention back to the man with a pleasant smile, having completely missed his hesitation in giving her his full name and only really paid attention to the actual name part. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintence Mister Vance."

His question took her off guard, as she hadn't intended on speaking to anyone- and thus had not thought up any excuses beforehand. And she was a terrible liar. "Oh- Oh no, I live...." She was clearly searching her brain to think of a different location than her home kingdom, but conjured up no alternate location that she could easily pull off. "Somewhere else." She finished anti-climactically, obviously evading the question but with a disarmingly cheerful air that denoted that she was somehow confident he wouldn't pry. "But I came to Loguetown to see what everyone at home was all up in a tizzy over. Yourself, Mister Vance?"

"Oh, I'm from-" Vance began, suddenly pausing as he once again was just about to tell this girl something he should really be keeping to himself. With his mouth still open in the beginning of a word, he tilted his head a little back for just a moment before snapping back to reality. "... Somewhere else as well! And I... came here, to... see... what the tizzy was... over. Too. Funny that, really! Hyahahahahya!" Vance laughed, not at all sounding convincing. He quickly cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, drumming his gloved fingers on the table, peering back into the shop. "Wonder where our order's at."

Though Lotte had been secretive about herself, she wasn't quite as forgiving towards Vance as he was to her. "Hmmmmm! Now I'm curious, where where? Where are you from? Is it near here? Did you sail here by yourself then?" Suddenly a torrent of questions bubbled up, and she leaned forward with each one-- until he retorted with a question of his own. At that, she sat back, all of her inquiries forgotten, "Hmm... It's vexing, isn't it... You'd think they'd be faster with setting food. I don't mind waiting for food I'm actually going to eat, but... No matter how you look at it, the atmosphere is all wrong with nothing on the table!"

Vance breathed out a small sigh of relief as Lotte backed off again, mentally wiping his brow, though what she said also made him slightly confused. "Atmosphere?" He blinked a little and looked upwards. It was a nice, sunny day with only a couple of clouds scattered around here and there. The air wasn't even all that humid. And how was the atmosphere related to food? "I don't really get what you're-"

As he looked down again, a waiter came over and placed down the things they had ordered, Vance's eyes lighting up as the cup of ice coffee was placed in front of him. "Alright, finally! Oh, I've been waiting for this for a long time..." He picked up the cup and put it to his lips, his head pulling slightly back as he took a long, solid sip of it before slamming the cup into the table again, licking his lips. "Aaah! Now -that's- the stuff!"

With the food on the table now, Lotte gestured to the pasta and meat, "Atmosphere, like, the feeling! Don't you think it's weird if you're not talking over food in a place that serves food?" She took up her glass of orange juice, delicately sipping at it, "Feel free to eat as you like though, even if I only ordered it to set the mood, I'm not actually hungry."

With that reasoning, she chattered away about nothing, commenting on things like how she was surprised that delicious food could be made of mediocre ingredients, and how pirates always had interesting clothes put together from knick knacks that she would never even think of donning. By the time she'd finished off her orange juice, she deemed herself perfectly talked out for the afternoon, and got to her feet.

"Well it was a pleasure to meet you Mister Vance. I'm afraid I've stayed too long however." Turning to push in her chair, she curtsied, "Perhaps we'll see each other again during our stay here in Loguetown." And such was supposed to be her farewell to the kind man who'd kept her company for lunch......

On the other end of the conversation, Vance had just been drinking and eating, looking both a little confused and not-entirely-there, focusing on the meal in front of him. He did however, nod along with her, not really all that worried about just agreeing with her, considering she just bought him food.

"Awwiwht, fanfsh phor dhe phoofh, miff!" He called out after her as she started walking. He finished his mouthful and rubbed his belly with a bright smile. Weird girl. Pretty nice though! He licked his lips and let out a loud belch, pushing his chair out and standing up. Just as he was about to leave as well, someone shouted out nearby.

"Hey, where do you think you're going? You haven't paid! They're trying to run from the bill, chef!" Turning his head, Vance blinked in surprise at seeing a waiter looking into the shop, just as a massive, bulky man in a sleeveless chef's getup with a butcher's axe in hand storming out of the shop, staring him down, a vein pulsing at his temple. "You think you're gonna just run from the bill like so many others?! Think again!" With that, the man stormed forwards towards Vance, while the waiter turned to the street. "Help! Marines, we're being robbed!"

A couple of marine soldiers, casually strolling by stopped and looked at Vance and the chef storming towards him, as well as the waiter pointing towards him and the girl strolling happily along the street a little further away. Vance, having been paralyzed in shock with everything that had just happened, only managed to squeak out a "Crap.", wide-eyed before turning and making a run for it. One thing was a massive man with an axe coming at him, another was the marines now seeming intent on arresting him and Lotte.

Without thinking, he dashed down the busy street with people staring at them, and as he reached the dress-wearing girl he'd dined with, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms, one beneath her legs and one beneath her back. "Don't think we're welcome in this part of town any longer, Lotte, we better get out of here!"

Suddenly swept off of her feet and completely oblivious to the entire situation at hand, Lotte let out a yelp of surprise and hastily grabbed onto the back of Vance's vest to steady herself in his precariously spontaneous grip. But that didn't last long as while the ride began to steady, she gathered her wits enough to drive the heel of her palm into his cheek and shout, "WHAT do you think you're doing?! Unhand me you creti--!"

"Stop! They're running away--!!" Urgent voices interuppted her indignation, and she at last noticed the marines chasing after them. But why??? She hadn't done anything wrong! Marines were supposed to be on her side, not-- Her momentary confusion passed quickly though as her mouth formed an 'o' of realization.

"Oh no I forgot to pay!!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands to her face in embarrassment and dismay-- and she scrambled to find the coins to rectify the situation until she made yet another realization: If the marines caught them, they would be arrested, and her father would certainly find out. With a start, she pulled at his collar as though pulling at a horse's reins, "............N-N-Nevermind!! Run faster, they're catching up!!!"

"Gack!" He exclaimed as his collar was pulled against his throat, causing him to veer off to the side and smack into a guy with a basket of apples, causing the fruit to spill all over the place, before managing to correct himself and continue running, the annoyed guy behind them being knocked to the side as the chef came running. "I'm trying! Who would've thought such a big guy could run so fast?!"

"Uhhh they're catching up--!" In the midst of freaking out, her voice rose higher and higher in pitch as the axe waving buffoon grew larger in her line of vision over Vance's shoulder.

This isn't going to cut it, with the extra weight, however little, I think I need to take a chance. "I'd hold on tight if I were you!" He turned down another alley as a couple of marines came running from the street they were running towards, slowing his run to a stop, bending his knees slightly.

"...? What are you--"

After just a moment of staring intensely down the alleyway, he exclaimed "Soru!", both Vance and Lotte disappearing in a flash as the chef and the marines came around the corner, confusion written all over their faces.

"-- doIIiiING?!?!?"




Vance came to a stop on one of the rooftops sorrounding the execution square, lowering down Lotte as he panted for air. He'd used soru to move incredibly fast, kicking himself off of the walls of the narrow alley to get onto a rooftop, where he proceeded to run normally until coming to a stop where they were now. He pressed his hands against his knees, breathing heavily. "How... could... how could you forget to pay for the food?!"

So he'd asked her a perfectly justified question, and she'd certainly heard it. But she was still too undone by the sudden burst of speed, her long hair caught in her mouth and hanging in her face instead of in its usually neat and well-kempt do. Hanging onto Vance with a vice-grip worthy of someone with twice her strength, she tried to calm her hammering heart before finally realizing that he'd released her-- and she quickly did the same, stumbling back a few steps before squealing at the edge of the roof, retreating the same way she'd come. "I always forget--!!" She began, hastily defending herself as she absentmindedly patting down her hair and cloak, "Someone usually does it for me--! I've only started having to do it myself since a few weeks ago! If you hadn't gotten the marines involved I could've taken care of it!"

"Gotten the- I didn't have the time! You left and the waiter started shouting about us leaving without paying! You should be happy I at least picked you up and didn't just run off and leave you with that giant of a chef!" He retorted, straightening up again with a disgruntled expression on his face.

Blinking at that, she tilted her head and easily accepted his explanation, "Oh, really? Oh-- well then that's my bad!" Laughing it off she clapped her hands together in apology, "Sorry sorry, I'll pay for it properly next time!"

He raised a hand to point at her, his mouth opening to have another comeback going, just as something started to happen down in the square that caught Vance's attention. He turned towards the edge of the roof, having completely forgotten the little dispute they'd had a moment ago, as he witnessed a man sitting on top of the execution platform, shouting out to the gaping crowd while marines were calling for him to get down. What in the...?

Holding up her hands pressed together as if to block his oncoming accusation, she tilted her head when it never came, following his gaze behind her towards...?

Sparkles practically erupted from her as she spotted the man on top of the execution platform, hurrying towards the edge of the roof herself as her eyes widened to drink in the scene..... "..... I want to go up there too!!!" And with that she took off with a speed uncharacteristic of a delicate young lady like herself, hopping fearlessly over the small gaps between the rooftops as though maneuvering a maze-- and though she wasn't sure if Vance would be coming along, she called out happily anyway: "Lets goooo~!"

"Wait wha-" He managed to say, turning his head towards her, to see her already leaping across the rooftops. Vance blinked in surprise, watching her for a moment before realizing that she'd probably get into even more trouble if he let her run off on her own, so he set off in a dash after her. "Whoa, hey, wait up!" If she gets hurt, I know I'm somehow gonna get blamed. I've got a bad feeling about this.

I was getting sick of drunks. This one threw a cup at my head and then babbled on. The cup missed, but it was too late. I got angrier and angrier as he got closer, and lost it when he threw up at my feet. I stood up slowly, towering over even this guy. "That's it you drunk bastard." I growled. I picked him up by his short and punched him in his face.

The man laughed, I was sure I loosened one of his teeth, "Ish that all ya got? Ish gonna be prethy hard ta' beath my crew." He said hysterically. I felt a tap on hy shoulder and turned to see five pirates grinning madly at me.

I thought quick, throwing the guy behind me at the one closest to me. I sent my shadow about six feet back and then switched places with it just as the guy swung his hammer down at me. "Hey this guy is one of dem fruit users!" He said, "What do I do?"

"We'll I say we capture him and turn him in for his bounty."

"How do you know he's got a bounty?"

"Of course he's got a bounty, he looks like a pirate and he has those powers."

"Oh yea."

I sighed, this was a crew of complete idiots. They turned their attention to me, and then paused to register that I had not run away yet. They all charged at me like a bunch of idiots. I called my shadow to my side and we both readied our scythe. It charged first and I came after. My shadow swung the pole of his scythe at the nearest guy. The stupid thing always did the opposite of what I wanted when it came to a fight. It never killed anybody, leaving me to do all of the dirty work. Still, I wasn't in the best condition, and I needed it to fight for me this time.

"He has a personal demon!" One yelled.

I myself started using the pole of my scythe, it would be a hassle to explain blood on the blade. "They are both demons!" Another yelled, he threw his captain over his shoulder (who was sleeping soundly on the ground), "Everybody run!" The two members we knocked out were quickly picked up and left with. A large crowd had gathered around me, and I dismissed my shadow.

"Surrender!" I heard someone yell. I then saw twenty marines force their way through the crowd and surround me with guns. "Reaper K Leon, you are under arrest."

"Was it the excessive loitering?" I asked seriously with my hands up and scythe on the ground, "That wasn't even my fault." Two of them creeped forward to pick up my scythe. I gave them a quick growl and they scrambled away. "You got food in jail right?"

"You aren't going to jail demon." The bravest one shouted, leading seven others to cuff me. "More like a luxury cruise."

"Oh good." I said, "Tell me, are there other pirates on this ship?" They were attaching ropes to me like I was an elephant or horse.

"Yea, what of it?"

"Is it a new ship?"

"Yea."

"You guys are really stupid." I said as they walked me through the streets. I felt like a flag post. They paraded me about, and some civilians threw things at me. I looked most of them in the eye and many of them cowarded away. They hauled me to their prison and walked me down the isle. I looked into the cells, I was certainly te biggest one here. One prisoner caught my eye in particular, he had sea stone cuffs on, but looked to be very young.

I was placed in the cell across from his. They replaced the ropes with chains. I had three chains set to the wall and four staked into the ground at each corner of the cell. My arms were chained behind me and I was forced to stand. I was completely immobilized. "Hey!" I yelled, "What about my food!"

I sighed and looked at the kid across from me. "What are you in for?"

Bass and Skellen: New friends already! ^.^​

Bass had been so consumed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the man until it was far too late. He cried out as the man hit into him and he staggered back, instinctively pressing his winged arms against his body and hoping that he wouldn't fall over and explose who he was. Thankfully he managed to regain his balance, though not at the cost of almost experiencing a heart attack. He took a few shaky breathes felt a bit hot under his cloak as some sweat began to coat his fur. He began to move with shaky legs and get to a chair, sitting down with a grunt whie he worked on calming himself down.

He twiddled his hook thumbs together under his cloak and just as he was about to stand up he heard a commotion down the street. There was shouting and he could hear cries of surprise. Bass blinked and slowly walked forward a bit, watching as a man dressed in a brown coat ran along the street, pushing people in the crowd out of the way. Bass saw the reason for his flight rather quickly since behind him some marines running after him.

Bass felt his heart beat a bit as he viewed the scene and began to weight his options. On the one hand, he could sit down and let this man be caught... but yet... yet if he was a pirate, that meant he had a ship right? Not every single pirate was evil... at least he liked to think that. He watched as the scene got closer and closer he felt his toes curl up and scratch along the cobblestone. He slowly raised his claws up toward his shoulders. He would have to time this right.. and he knew that eventually he would be found out. Everyone made mistakes, him included. He would have slipped somehwere, would have let too much fur be seen, maybe even gotten too close to someone so that they could see his face in his hood.

He held his thumb hooks, one to open up his cloak and the other to hold onto the cloak once he began to fly.

Skellen couldn't but laugh somewhat maniacally as he rounded yet another corner. The troop of marines he had the misfortune of coming acorss still on his tail, but a fair distance back from him now as they seemed to struggle to move through the crowd with the same level of success as he himself was having. Skellen couldn't help but find the situation almost fun, there was no thrill quite like spriniting away from marines through a crowded street.
Although... It could be a problem that I have got literally nowhere to hide. They're still too close for me to just duck down an alleyway and be done with it, and then I wouldn't have the crowd to use to my advantage anymore.

Skellen called back to the marines behind him in a mocking tone, "I'm guessing the reason they put you guys on boats for the most part is an inability to run!" The angry group of marines seemed to unanimously decide, without a single word spoken, to speed up.
Not my best idea... gotta love the looks on those faces though. At this point Skellen had reached into his coat, his had grasping a set of thin blades within one of his many concealed pockets. The razors were laced with a parylitic neurotoxin, so all he had to do was hit his target and draw blood and they would eventually be unable to move. That being said, he didn't want to risk someone in the crowd getting in the way, and he didn't particularly want to leave the crowd either as it was their pressence keeping the marines further back now they were running at a break-neck pace simply out of a want to break Skellen's neck.

If they keep this up I'll have to risk it, I only need to hit a few because they'll probably stop to give medical aid or panic and just leave me al -
"Hey!" Skellen shouted as felt his feet suddenly lift off of the ground "what the hell?!"
Out of nowhere something had zoomed towards Skellen and scooped him up... and was now flying away with him.
Well this is just fantastic, but at least I'm not being chased by marines any more.

In the instant that he had flown off Bass heard screams around him. He had timed it specifically when that man had started shouting from the execution platform. He had figured with the attention all on him he would at least be able to get into the air and not have someone trying to slice open his chest, and it had worked. He now had the running man in his taloned feet and was climbing up into the sky. "Easy now, try not to move too much, unless you want me to drop ya!" He shouted down to his temporary captive. He flew up until finally they got to the top of a flat building and he hovered there for a bit and released the man. He landed on his feet and flapped his arms a bit, "Ah... been some time since I carried someone. You're not as light as you look." He said with a cheerful grin.

He looked down to see the marines now swarming into the building there were on top on and flinched, "Eh, to tell you the truth I was looking for some adrenalne." He turned back to the man and nodded, "A pleasure. Say, you woudn't happen to have a ship would you? I'm sort of looking to get off of this island." He moved his thumb hoots to pull his red cloak off and rolled it up and wrapped it around his neck, "Heh, yeah... these hooks really don't help. I say be estimates we have about... three minutes before they get up here. So you have a ship?"

Do I have a ship? Is he kidding me, he "saved" me to ask for a lift? Skellen asked himself as he climbed back to his feet. Skellen looked over the weird... man/bat/thing that had carried him to the roof top.
"Well then, you're an intersting one aren't you. What did you eat?" he said to the creature that had carried him across to the rooftop
"Well, I'm Skellen by the way and no I don't have a ship. Although I'm going to need one to get off of this island rather soon judging by the large number of marines who would like to see me dead. We could always steal one I guess, preferably from the marines but I'd suggest we do something about those guys first." he finished saying before gersturning to the last few men into the building.
"Are we running again or fighting? You can decide" Skellen laughed again.
This is one weird day...

At the term of food Bass' smile faded, though he sighed at the mention of no ship. "Oh... I see. Steal one?" He squirmed a bit, "I guess we could try..." He flapped his wings a bit, "But with them following us it's going to be hard and I'm not exactly..." He spread his wings at that, "Able to blend in you see." Then he heard the noise below and turned about to peer down at the execution stage... and the man still there. "He could have a ship right?" He asked the man, "If he wants people to join up... he's bound to hava a ship!" He smile brightly, unwitting showing off his sharp teeth. "Well, let's go!" Without another word he flapped up into his air and his two feet darted out to grip the man's shoulder and he flapped up and flew down to the man's level, still high enough so that the man he carried was still a good number of feet in the air.

"You have a ship? If you have a ship I'm in. Uh, not so sure about him." Bass said as he gestured as best as he could to the man he carried. "Uh... hold up a bit." Bass suddenly flew off and lowered to the ground and let his claws open, dropping the man onto the ground. "Sorry, but can only hold you for a bit!" He said cheerfully and he quickly flew back to the man on the stage, "So you have a ship or such?"

Tristan D. Kuzo, Zane Zoe, Tunnak, and Bass - Execution Platform, Loguetown

"A ship?" Kuzo repeated, staring at the strange bat-like creature which hovered in front of him. He must have eaten some sort of Zoan Devil Fruit, judging by his appearance. "Sure, I've got one." He replied with a smile, his eyes making their way to the port where the Grand Justice was still visible from the top of the platform.

'Maybe there was a God after all,' Zoe thought to herself quietly, as she witnessed the well built, long haired man leap to the top of the execution platform in a single bound. Maybe what the sisters taught her wasn't all a load of Fishman crap after all. Here she was, looking for guidance and direction and this man triumphantly proclaimed the very thing she was looking for. Better yet, he proclaimed he had a boat to some kind of flying Bat-thing that hovered nearby. She had to admit, it was nice to see others similar to herself in that regard. She chased the thought away rather quickly, looking on the man as she stared him down from below. Here was her chance. It may have been foolhardy and reckless, but well, so was she.

Running through the crowd, her body tensing as she weaved in-between the larger bodies, she tried her best to control her breathing and focus on what she wanted to do. Just as she reached the base of the platform, she jumped into the air, her small body contorting in an instant.

The one that was recognizable as Zoe was gone in a flash, replaced by the long serpentine body of a white dragon, hovering in the air with little to no effort. She could hear a few gasps from the some people nearby, a devious smile growing on her reptilian lips. Circling the platform, she slowly made her way to the top, purposefully making a show of her ascent, with a flip added here or there, a scant roar as she landed on the top near the man. She looked down at him, her perspective always quite different than her human form. Being small as she was naturally, this always felt good. It was the way her body could finally cast a big shadow.

"Woah!" Kuzo exclaimed, watching the girl-turned-dragon make her way up to the top where he sat in dramatic fashion. His eyes now switched between the two Devil Fruit uses in front of him. "Two Zoans, eh?" He smiled cheerfully at the two of them, seemingly not put off by their appearances, but rather welcoming them. It was for these kinds of rare sights that Kuzo wanted to go on an adventure in the first place. "The names Tristan D. Kuzo," He began to them. "I'm setting off to the Grand Line, and I'm looking for a crew to join me."

Standing in the crowd, Tunnak could barely believe his own eyes. They had to be deceiving him somehow. First the bat, then a dragon.. Well, perhaps he wasn't the only freak in this place after all. All this suddenly seemed less important as the man on the platform mentioned the Grand Line as his desired destination. Well, isn't that just a funny coinsidence? Sailing with a pirate, however, seemed like a risk he wasn't sure he would be willing to take right now. The local Marines knew who he was and even without a bounty on his head they would surely be keeping a keen eye out for him the first couple weeks after his release. For now he just stayed in the crowd, blending in the best he could (which was not very good, I might add), waiting for the scene up above to furtherly unfold.

Bass blinked and grinned at the news, "Awesome! I'm Bass... eh, kind of known by a different name here and there, but I'll go with you!" He paused a bit and his ears swiveled a bit as he picked up new sounds, "Say... how many Marines are in this town?" He asked, "I... I think we may have caused a ruckus."

"Name's Zane Zoe, but call me Zoe," she answered him, shrinking back to her petite human body, her voice melodious and childlike as she grinned up at him. "If you need some muscle, I gotcha covered!" She flexed her arm weakly, her lithe right arm showing not much muscle development in itself. "I can handle any pesky marines, trust me," she lied.

"Bass, Zoe," He nodded his head at each of them as they introduced themselves. "So that makes..." He stuck out his fingers and counted to himself. "...four. That'll be enough," Kuzo crossed his arms. "Oh!" He remembered, taking out the crumbled wanted poster from within his coat jacket. "And this'll make six." He said, showing the two the wanted poster of Wright D. Morgan. Kuzo was completely oblivious to the fact that he had screwed up the count. "He'll also be joining us," Kuzo's eyes darted down to the wanted poster, looking the man over. "Even if he doesn't know it yet."

At Bass's mention of Marines, Commander Takoumashi Youra and a sizable Marine group entered the plaza, still looking for Skellen. Youra managed to see the wanted man Skellen escaping with another flying creature, and was surprised to see that creature now talking to another girl and a man on top of the platform. He also noticed Skellen in the plaza below.

"So much for a solo act. They must all be in the same crew!" Youra shouted angrily. "Get the Taipan and the others The Grand Justice will take them all to Impel Down!" At his words, the Marine soldiers instantly responded and started heading over to the execution platform.

Hearing the distant shouting behind him getting louder and louder. He turned his head, easily able to see almost the entire plaza being as tall as he was. A shiver ran down his spine as he spotted well over a dozen marines storming through the crowd towards himself and the platform. People moved aside out of fear for being smacked about as the marine infantry had quite the reputation for getting where, who and what they wanted despite what was in their path. Within seconds the men in white were close enough for Tunnak to recognize a great deal of them, and unfortunately, also the other way around.

"W-what wait, that's the Sharkman! Blasted criminal must be conspiring with the pirates!" one shouted as he and two other marines diverged from their main objective, the platform, and ran straight for Tunnak with drawn swords. "Couldn't keep out'a trouble for long, could you, Finny?"

With widened eyes, Tunnak could have sworn it was just a bad dream happening until a panicking citizen rammed into him in an attempt of escaping the chaos. It's real... it's real? Oh fish-sticks! It's bloomin' real! He spun around on his heel after having regained his balance from the collision and sprinted off in the opposite direction of the marines, his tail swinging clumsily from one side to another, knocking about bystanders by accident as he stormed passed them. He knew that he could not convince them that he had nothing to do with the incident, so he just kept running. He dared not stop to look back, the only indication of his pursuers whereabouts being the sound of their panting cries "Heeere, fishy, fishy, fishy!"

Bass himself paled at the sight of the marines and turned to Kuzo, "Uh... sorry about this before hand." He flapped up and his two feet dashed forward to grip onto the man's shoulders and with another powerful flap got up into the air and tried to fly as high as he could. Unfortunately thanks to his earlier carrying of the other man he had become a bit tired and his muscles strained to get them far enough away... which equated to a few feet before finally he had to drop Kuzo and he landed on the ground panting, "Which way to the ship?" He called out over the loud cries of those gathered as they tried to get away from the approaching Marines.

"Hey! That's Midnight!" He heard someone cry out and he groaned, "Well, there goes the jig." He sighed, "Quick we have to get out of here! I'm not going to be some experiment!" He cried out in fear. He tried to get back up into the air, though his shoulders ached a bit and he sighed, "We have to run for it Kuzo!"

"Midnight, huh?" He repeated the Marine soldier's words, smiling at the bat-human. "Thanks for the lift," Kuzo said cheerfully to Bass, touching down on the ground with a slight thump, before examining the incoming Marines. "Ship's that way," Kuzo said, pointing to the docks of Loguetown," After doing so, he noticed the Marines not only chasing them group from up top, but apparently also a fishman who was standing close by. "But..." He began, his voice trailing off as he bent his knees and placed his arms on his thighs. "Lightning Mode," He said beneath his breathe, again his body seemed to decrease his size and width, becoming a slightly shorter, skinnier version of himself.

He looked over, his eyes set on the fishman running away, and the Marine soldiers pursuing them. "Looks like he needs a hand." Kuzo said to Bass and Zoe. Without offer much words, he ran forward, his body carrying him through the crowd like a bullet, before stopped right between the fishman and the Marine soldiers. Kuzo stuck out his arms to either side again, and clenched his fists together, reverting back to his normal form again. Kuzo looked over his shoulder at the fishman, and gave him a reassuring grin, before looking over at the Marines who were pursuing, guns now in hand and pointing towards him.

"Eh! It's the man from the platform!" One of the soldiers yelled.

"I knew they were together, fire!" Commander Youra ordered.

"But, sir? The citizens?" A Marine soldiers asked.

"I said FIRE!" He commanded forcefully, taking out his own flintlock pistol and pointing it at them. A group of Marines raised their weapons, and fired at Kuzo and the Fishman. Citizens frantically tried to move to the sides to get out of the range of fire. Kuzo grinned, placing his hands in front of him in an 'X' fashion, and spoke under his breath again. "Tank Mode," He muttered barely above a whisper, and his body instantly reacted to his words. Instead of his body decreasing in size or height, his muscles bulked up. His chest expanded, and his arms grew. He was a good five inches taller than he was before, and his body as a whole looked much wider. The ground below his feet seemed to react to his much sudden heavier weight, a few cracks forming just below his feet.

The bullets collided with Kuzo, hitting him all across his arms, and body. But strangely, they didn't pierce through him, nor did they draw blood. They hit across his body, impacting at high velocity. But just as they hit him, they compressed and shot off his body, bouncing onto the ground as if they had just hit metal.

The Marine soldiers who fired, including Commander Youra, all had open mouths and wide eyes, not believing what they had just seen. Kuzo stuck his arms out again, clenching his fists and reverting back to his normal form.

"Well, no use sticking around here anymore," He said to the others, looking at them as they spoke. Strangely, he also looked at the Fishman as he did so. "Come on, before they bring more of them."

Wright D. Morgan and Reaper K. Leon- Lougetown Jail

"What am I in for? Where does one begin?" A young man's voice perked up. He stood up from his uncomfortable metal seat, leaning himself on the metal bars, his deep green eyes piercing through the darkness. His shaggy black hair dropped down, covering his youthful features. He was clearly taller than most, but hardly a giant. "Let's see...it's a long story. It all begins a few years back. I stole a guy's ship. It was a real jerk. Some rich guy. Worked with a bunch of nasty people. I would raid his ships any time I had the chance. Marines didn't like that. So I fought them too. Then pirates tried to get on my ass too. They didn't last long. Each and every day, people would line up to fight me. They all fell like flies. But that is probably not the real reason I find myself in this dreary hole. I am wanted for setting the sea on fire."

The man smiled. It was plain enough to see in the dim light. "They call me Burning King, Wright D. Morgan."

"Burning King?" The man in chains repeated. "Sounds like a heavy title for a kid." He lowered his head, then yelled at the ceiling, "I wouldn't even be in here if I wasn't so damn hungry! Coulda taken at least twenty marines without breaking a sweat." He sighed, the chains were making him anxious and all he wanted to do was move around, "I'm known as The White Haired Demon, though my real name is Reaper K. Wright." There was no need for a big or boisterous introduction, so Leon said this very casually. "You got a crew?"

Morgan went silent for a moment. Reaper's story didn't really interest him. Taking out some marines was nothing special to him. Not after the things Morgan did. "I had one. Long time ago. You?"

"Several crews. One I was a slave to, two were worthless, and the last one was wiped out by the very same crew that enslaved me." Reaper let out a low growl, "Those bastards enslaved me when I was about your age. Piracy was not my dream, I was already married with a child. I was taken simply for my ship building skills and bulk." Leon moved as much as he could, but only succeeded in making metal on metal clinking noises. "I was looking for a crew before I got arrested."

"You sure know how to pick 'em, my friend," Morgan said with a chuckle and a shake of his head. "I'm sorry to hear that. Why don't you go back to your family? With your luck, you are better off not being a pirate. It's all about luck on those seas. I'm proof of that. I'm lucky to be alive. Each and every day, I thank...well, I'd show you my charm, but I gotta go this sea stone thing around my wrist. But anyway, my parents gave me a charm bracelet way back when I was a kid. I didn't think anything of it then, but it's kept me alive when everything else wanted to kill me. So now every night, I say a little prayer to it. It's the only thing that has kept me alive. Kept me successful. Kept me driven. Because I know I will be alive the next day to work towards my dream." Morgan smiled and looked down at the ground. It was strange to say it aloud, but it was true. To Morgan, he is living on borrowed time. All he had to credit to that was his luck. It wasn't determination or anger that kept him going. It was luck. Pure luck. If it was willpower, they would still be alive.

"I tried going back kid." Leon responded, "But I was gone for almost a decade, she had every right to think I was dead and move on. I am a pirate now so I can get back at the man who took my life." Leon thought of the irony, the man who took his life has given him a life that revolves around killing him. "I don't believe in luck. I can control my life now, I'm strong enough. As a pirate, I've learned that you should kill anything that wants to kill you, and be prepared to die if you are willing to kill. They call me a demon because I am ruthless and unrelenting." Leon sighed, he felt true sympathy for the kid. "When we get out of this hell hole, find yourself a crew and decide. You are young enough to settle down now, or you could follow your current path." Leon's voice became louder and bellowed through the cell walls. "If you choose the second one and you truly not a coward, then you have my grace!"

Morgan chuckled again. "I am not going to limit myself to an A and B. I'm going to do what I want when I want. That's what being a pirate is all about. It's about enjoying the seas. The adventure. The treasure. The thrill of a good fight. The freedom. That's what I enjoy the most. So I reject your advice! But not because it's bad advice. It's just...you are just missing the point. Don't limit yourself to As and Bs. The world has so much offer and by looking at in black and white is blinding you to the beauty it has," Morgan said with excitement. It was strange giving advice to a man clearly older than he was, but then again Morgan had a way with words. A way at looking at the world that made him always speak with such idealism. Such hopeful energy. One could easily confuse with sheer naivety. But Morgan much preferred optimism.

"Very well then." Leon admitted, "Do you have a goal in life though, somebody you love, or somebody you want to kill for example?"

"That's an interesting question. All of the above, maybe. I never really gave it much thought," Morgan paused as he laughed. "Truth to be told, I just want to live a truly free life, and so far I can only do that as a pirate. That could be my goal. I hope to meet the love of my life someday, and I don't care for revenge. Not anymore at least. Though the world government can be a real drag sometimes," Morgan said with a hearty laugh, holding up his sea stone cuffs as he did. "I'm guessing you are just motivated by revenge then?"

"If I get my chance, I will likely not kill him." He replied, "I will steal his shadow so that he can never set foot in daylight, I will make force upon him a fate worse than death." Leon growled with his teeth clenched. His voice was becoming feral in nature. "Revenge is my goal. I already had my love, and she is gone. When that man is dealt with, I will help whoever my captain is to fulfill his goal as payment." Leon ached to get out of his chains, as soon as he would be released, he would kill every marine in his sight.

"The last part is quite noble of you. The rest...not so much," Morgan said with a strange inflection to his voice. He did not support nor did he care to judge his jail buddy. It was not his place to do so. His life was his own. "Can't say I blame ya. Just remind me to never get on your bad side," he continued with a laugh. "Tell ya what: If we somehow get outta here, I'll help ya find a crew so you get the revenge you want and move with your life. Sound good?"

"If we get out of here than I would gratefully take your assistance." Leon replied, "Tell me, what is your power?" It had just crossed his mind, the name implied fire, but he wondered, was it merely controlling it or was he able to become fire.

"I'm sure you'll see it soon. Don't wanna ruin the surprise."