A similar canister hung silently on my hip, which I immediately unclasped and drank from. (I must admit, I had turned into quite a drunk…) before I began on my way toward the inn at the end of the road.

The people around walked with a purposeful demeanor, with steady steps and lines of sweat running down their forehead as a result of the tyrannical noon sun. A cough echoed from behind me as I noticed an old man.

His hair looked abnormally grey, and his face was filled with nothing but wrinkles as warts shone as far as the eye could see. A thick brow and a hunched back along with a wooden stick lay on his person as he looked at us. (When I say looked at us, I of course speak in relativistic terms, his brow blocked all forms of vision and seemed like someone who depended more on observation Haki than anything else…)

"Could you move out of the way, young man?" He began in his over the top wheezy voice, motioning for me to clear out of the way of the old kimono wearing relic.

I simply nodded as I moved, a slight breeze blew over his bald head as goose b.u.mps appeared and an unconscious tremble travelled down his neck. A whoosh echoed into the into the sultry air as the old man vanished, his wooden stick cluttering to the floor as a small cherry blossom settled on it.

The street suddenly seemed strangely empty, the winds began to pick up, before lifting the tiny blossom and sending it flying into the noon sky, disappearing quickly in the sun's glare. Noise begun to filter into my ears as a hand settled onto my shoulder bringing me back from what I could only a.s.sume to be a hallucination.

"Anything wrong?" Fawkes asked, barely any concern in his voice, before he continued on his journey giving me no more attention. My hair swiveled as I forcefully calmed myself down and ran trying to catch up to the already far away Fawkes, Sorren still trailed behind me a curious look on his face….

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{Raftel - Ragner's island}

"So…hick, Barthelomio's was still alive all this time huh.." Jack murmured as he completed the third barrel of sake and lay wasted on the gra.s.s. Tanken had long left and Jack had now chosen to whittle away at his boredom by training his patience.

"So…Son of mine, what are you doing here so drunk that you make this old man blush in shame?" a voice rumbled as Ragner walked toward his son and sat down looking sadly at the pair of prosthetics that lay beside his son's p.r.o.ne body.

"Nothing much old man, just mourning the death of an old friend is all.." Jack replied as he looked at Ragner with tear filled eyes. "Your first mate, huh?" Ragner questioned as he looked at the letter in his hand.

It had beautiful calligraphy at the very end, seemingly a sign of someone close to Jack, evident in the doting glance fired at it from time to time. "When I gave lore the bird from this island, I didn't think the first message I would get would be news about an old friend.." Jack said sighing.

Before Lorean had set sail, his father had handed to him a small bird, barely the size of a child's palm, born and brought up in the islands around raftel, they were able to navigate to it from anywhere, thus the letter in Jack's hand.

"Your brother finally finished his trial. He will be allowed to enter the inner council now.. "Ragner informed, chuckling as he did.

I won the bet with Edmund after all, both my children arrived in Raftel long before the boorish old man's…" he continued before rising himself to get back to his work as the head of the Pirate council.

"So, Raiger finished his compendium is it? A billion books, huh, he reads quickly.." Jack muttered as he made his way back to his feet and returned to his training.

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I chuckled sinisterly as I walked through the night, behind me my crew members skulked, a clueless expression on their innocent faces. In front of me stood a huge glowing edifice, lights shone through its mirrors and a wide, now empty ground lay silently in the night light.

I had collected my crew for exactly this reason, wanting to start a beautiful hurricane from this very location. A start to my journey! (No Minnon didn't count, I wasn't prepared for it then!)

The guys trailed behind me suspiciously (Mainly Fawkes, Sorren just stood there chewing mindlessly on a chicken wing) as I clapped evilly. My plan would begin exactly after dinner time and would possibly draw the attention of the entire island. I wasn't really bothered however, the recent battle had at least given to me a certain level of confidence in my prowess.

"What exactly are we doing near a marine headquarters?" Fawkes asked exasperatedly as he glared at me, seemingly daring me to do or say something stupid. "All in due time, my dear first mate, all in due time.." I said trying to sound wise and saint like, sounding instead like a man addicted to helium.

A small bell in my head suddenly began ringing, it was time! I chuckled as I began moving toward the fortress like structure, the white paint seemingly glowing resplendently in the yellow sulfurous glow of the lamp attached to a side of the door.

Loud cheers seemingly echoed from inside, 'ooh they're having a party!' I thought as my eyes began to s.h.i.+ne.

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A Boom echoed as I kicked down the door, people on either side of me flinched at the loud noise.

"Hey y'all Marines! Let me steel your s.h.i.+ps!!!"