Caravel on the Horizon #27
In front of a sizable boulder on the beach, I stood with every muscle taut, my finger aimed at the rock, edging closer with painstaking precision. Achieving the state required absolute focus, a challenge made more difficult by Sif's close scrutiny, her keen eyes absorbing my every move as if she were studying for an exam.
It was only several days after the sea king battle on Tutorial Island that I discovered she had been observing me long before I made my way to the island's center, which is how she ended up mastering Geppo, though she didn't have the chance to use it during our battle.
How she grasped such a complex technique just by watching remains a mystery, but I suppose that's what sets her apart— damned geniuses.
Struggling to maintain my concentration, I finally made contact with the boulder's surface, a small section instantly crumbling into dust, creating a hole no larger than a fingernail.
Just as I prepared to revel in my success after numerous failed attempts, the dust dispersed into the air, finding its way into Sif's eyes, prompting a fierce glare in my direction.
My lips parted, but before a sound could escape, Sif darted behind me, her teeth sinking into the crown of my head. With a resigned exhale, I reached up to scratch my scalp, only to find myself petting Sif's neck instead.
"Well, I'm done training..." I grumbled, peering up at the sky to gauge the time, which seemed to be just past noon. "And we need to head to Jack's ship and collect our payment anyway."
"Could you release me, Sif? I promise to buy something tasty from the town," I requested, to which she reluctantly relented, emitting a low whine as she let go. I shook my head with a smirk. "Some friend you are, you food-motivated beast!"
Before she could attack again, I launched myself into the air, narrowly avoiding another nip from Sif's hungry jaws.
...
Amidst the flurry of activity on the docks, Jack Blackwater barked orders at his crew, directing them with the authority of a seasoned captain. "Lower deck, and watch it, you oafs! That crate's as fragile as your pea-sized brains!" His words cut through the chaos as the crew scrambled to load the remaining cargo onto the Jackdaw, their ship.
Having overstayed their welcome on the island due to unforeseen events, they were now racing against time to make up for lost ground. The unexpected encounter with Blake on a deserted island had set off a chain of events that had led them on a wild adventure, but now it was time to set sail once more.
Above the bustle of the dock, Blake traversed the sky with ease, Sif trailing faithfully behind him. Jack couldn't help but grin as he watched the unconventional duo make their approach.
It had become a familiar sight for Jack over the past week, though it still turned heads among the locals and newcomers to the docks alike.
As Blake touched down on the dock, his smile was infectious. "Looks like it's finally time for you to go, huh?" he remarked to Jack. "I would have preferred you stay a bit longer and teach me some more about navigation, but I guess I can't delay you anymore, can I?"
Jack's chuckle rang out over the bustling dock. "Aye, my time with you had been profitable in many ways, and I would have preferred to stay longer myself...." He said with a sigh.
"But you know how it goes, Blake, I've more than a few mouths to feed and time waits for no man." He swept his arm in a broad gesture toward his ship, where his crew toiled away under the hot sun, loading cargo and making final preparations for departure.
Realization flickered across Jack's face as he remembered his debt to Blake. "Ah, and... I've already sent one of my lads to bring your payment to your room in the inn-- figured you might be too busy seeing us off," he admitted sheepishly. "It's not enough to cover that hammer-loving fellow's bounty, but if you've a mind to wait a spell, I'll make sure you get what's owed to you in full."
Blake's smile remained unwavering, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "No need for that. Consider the navigation lessons payment in full," he declared, his tone final. "Money's never been much of a concern for me, and truth be told, I'll be setting sail from this island before long anyway."
"In that case, I'll bid you farewell for now and hope our paths cross again on the high seas so that I can properly repay you," Jack said, extending his hand toward Blake.
Blake smiled warmly, reaching out to shake Jack's hand, but they both froze as the town's alarm bells pierced the air, followed by frantic exclamations from the townsfolk.
"Pirates! A pirate ship's making for the shore!"
"Send for Rudd and the police force!"
"Someone, hurry and alert him!"
Turning to the horizon, Blake's curiosity piqued at the sight of a dilapidated caravel with tattered sails limping toward the docks. Its battered hull bore scars of countless battles. It seemed barely seaworthy.
Jack let out a hearty chuckle, breaking the tension."No need to fret over a pirate crew with such a sorry excuse for a ship," he reassured, a wry grin tugging at his lips.
"Pleasure Town might be small, but its people are more than capable of handling a vessel like that." He gestured toward the coastline, where police officers clad in beige uniforms were swiftly maneuvering a cannon into position, ready to deal with the approaching threat.
Blake's grin widened at Jack's words. "I hope you're right, but most pirates aren't foolish enough to stir trouble they can't handle," he observed. "These ones must be feeling either confident or desperate. Either way, I'm not losing sleep over it," he added with a nonchalant shrug.
Jack chuckled heartily. "As expected of you. I bet those pirates wouldn't last a minute if you decided to step in," he remarked, nodding in approval.
But Blake shook his head, a bemused expression on his face. "I've got no intention of getting involved unless they come after me or Sif... I'm not such a busybody..." he clarified. "Besides, there are others here who won't hesitate to deal with these pirates if they step out of line, even if I don't lift a finger," he added, his thoughts drifting to Law and his crew.
Meanwhile, Rudd, the leader of the Pleasure Town police force, was busy overseeing the cannon's preparations. With a satisfied nod, he gave the signal, and the cannon roared to life, sending a cannonball hurtling toward the pirate ship's bow with a deafening boom.
Rudd's jaw dropped in disbelief as a jet of green liquid erupted from the pirate caravel's upper deck, intercepting the cannonball and causing it to vanish into thin air. Jack's eyes widened in shock. "What in the blazes was that?!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with astonishment.
Blake couldn't help but chuckle at Jack's reaction, finding his surprise rather entertaining. "Seems like a devil fruit ability to me... though I couldn't tell you which fruit exactly," he remarked, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "You've traveled a fair bit, Jack. Surely you've come across some devil fruit users or at least heard of them before?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Jack took a moment to gather his thoughts, his expression turning pensive. "Aye, I recall encountering one such devil fruit user. He transformed into a monstrous red snake and cleanly bit off some poor lad's arm..." he recalled, his tone tinged with unease.
"You reckon there's someone like that aboard that pirate ship?" he asked, a hint of apprehension in his voice.
Blake shrugged nonchalantly. "The individual you saw probably ate a Zoan-type devil fruit, giving him the ability to transform into an animal," he explained.
"As for the one on that ship, your guess is as good as mine... But chances are, it's a Paramecia type, given how common they are compared to the other types," he mused, contemplating the possibilities.
...
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