Leather lucrative feet paced around inside a cabin. Smoldering cigars sizzled out in ashtray. Nerves were being battled out. Ear's gravitated to only hearing the hour-hands of a clock, tick. In a life of free was also pure chaos. The next storm was forewarning. A new challenger and obstacle was climbing over to the horizon.
A while back Captain's estranged Daughter, found themselves in a battle with a heinous and deplorable Scourge of Trade. The type who held connections, even though he was rotten, every life contained an echo, even evil. Especially over waves with business threads. The Captain's daughter didn't know any-better, she only saw righteous justice and the amount of victims, slaves, tarnished and groomed broken soul's that laid awake, but she held no right to slew that beast.
Captain arguably was a remnant of lessons learned they conveyed his scars dressed on him. He wouldn't see this falling back on his innocent daughter, seeking early in advance to put this under the rugs and protect her, despite rarely loudly showing this care to her. He reached out to the formidable eldest brother of the dead to arrange a Parley of the Oceans.
Judas remained lent against the wall and door awaiting the knock's arrival. An appearance of two-on-two. The First Crew-mate's there to ensure mild balance. This promised to be a verbal showdown and potentially an unruly altercation.
A knock commenced, gaining the attention of the gold and black haired.
The Miqo'te was resolved. As the door flung open a burly and masculine force rugged and clean, suited up, he strutted in importance, a fellow Captain's presence with commandment. A Highlander strapped to a female they treated the two as a pair of lover's and items. She seductively adjusted his collar. The new Era of Piracy had begun hatching. Captain wasn't no longer a young heartthrob who threw back into an assortment of harem's he lived like that before and much in his span, it was painful but he was a grizzly veteran in this encounter.
Dressed like an exotic wench even in her movement's she gave a speech of introduction. "Captain of the Goldbrand... My, we've heard of your ghostly presence. While you were gone-hiding. A new uprising has begun, behold Sinbad the Champion of the Five Seas.
Unblemished, untainted, he's annihilated all oppositions." She gave such praise and bravo, accented and well-spoken, sultry flaring off the tongue.
Pair of upstart gloats. Judas quipped and canted his head in a shake, "Pardon, but shut your shameless harlot up! This is between our respective Captain's. You forget, this is our vessel and turf." She looked shook by that comment, furrowing. About to talk again before her Captain took his time to remove his hand from his pocket.
He tipped his shade-glasses at Judas, "You'll still show us respect. Watch your mouth, boy." Threatening like a tough guy dosed with every testosterone ever.
The Seeker cackled to swap the mood, "Listen mate, o' there's respect... I respect yer woman has a mouth on her, I'm sure that comes n' handy with small-inferiority below your waist. Champion? What exactly accolades have you done, t' qualify? What ye beat down a few Maelstrom, a couple rats? N' survive? Coming out here with a suit, shite, wasn't long ago, I dealt with a fellow just like that. He was far more impressive, I assure." Giving a nudge towards his rival Shiro, now gone. Soft-irritation rang in his voice with a guttural growl.
Classed Captain, Highlander removed his glasses and boldly lingered his eyes back there served already tension, sarcastically. "This comes from you? You were once herald The Man!... Long ago. You defeated a sea empire underneath the Rohtano, managed to band together and accord connections with Grand Companies alike. You were friendly once with those bastards in red. I see why you've chosen to tuck below in the shadows. You're outlived, you got an expiration date on your body. This room reeks of your heady lifestyle. You're poor choices, bad decisions." His tone shifted from once enamored praise, to drastically shifting into pity.
"Your Era is over. The next evolution of pirate's holds themselves above all. While you drink, struggle, hide through vices... like an animal. Because of your insignificant choices, I remain a cut-above. Straight-edge, unlike my fellows. I don't need to relive my pasts, I swallow it and throw the heads onto my future throne. I earned my right to wear this, to be clamored in jewels ov' all like. To be strapped." He spewed further with brashness, another advisory that felt untouchable. Captain Solaire saw through the ruse, as further gloating and he snatched a debauchery make-out session with his paired lover with dominance.
Reeling to broach that tout, "Ye act like I invented piracy. Mate, there are many of us that have encapsulated and redefined what freedom stands. There a ship's, infamously ingrained to our history, and knowledge, ship's like Desert Rose, The Bastion... Sleeping Thor, Lady Infernal, Rusty Claw, Stormcry, Misery, Astalicia. It goes on and on. And behind each of those helm's... Laid a Captain above the rest. Stories that are never forgotten, they carry on, with each Era... You're right. My time has passed. But ye haven't started... You cannot name a noteworthy ship, or Captain ye have bested in combat. So how do ye expect to get injuries?" Spewing his smash-mouth back showing flare. Before scooting and presenting to confront face to face with brass.
"I
took something from you. I killed yer little brother. Fighting that's me. Fucking that's also me." He'd wink over to all the cast. "It's all I've ever known. So there's one way to settle this... A death-match, a Tribunal pirate battleground. Known as Six Layers. You want to show it's your time usher, defeat me... I assure you, in Six Layers, no one man remains the same. It's the most horrific, deplorable, detestable conditions to fight under. It has been lost t' history because of the anguish. Long before ye were pushing diapers and before I was a floater in a sack, pirate's before us, real one's fought against th' blimey tongue of fancy little Astrologist who foretold to a pirate etched of old and gold, what he would suffer in Six Hell's, also the depiction of the Six Heavens. When we choose this life. We don't get Heavens--- this is it. For us, we have t' live the most in th' moment.
So Pirate's fought, and resisted that, the same rebellious attitude we carry ignited in us, today. They held skirmishes and they settle disputes and grudges through this unconventional way, where soul's were damaged, maimed, broken. Those who partook never walked the same." He confronted with resolve. His height was always looking above at the giant's who claimed ownership of the Seas. This younger generation didn't feel like he was looking at a lower-level. He was looking above at the spirit, confronting him. Someone to admire, even if outdated.
His shrew lass whispered something to his hear as if trying to make him deter and not agree to such a death-sentence stipulation. It seemed risky, especially accounting for many people have always bet against this little Miqo'te and through all those 'fuck-up' who really was still breathing and alive compared to many advisories.
"On a condition. I don't give a damn about my little feeble brother. He brought the depth on his own. I'll accept but, if I win. You and the top three crew-mates of this ship are under my helm for the Summer for any business, I demand slaves to serve... If I lose. If there's anything left. I'll be your personal cabin-boy for life." A term of agreement gave setting. He remained firm, unwavering, although personally the Highlander felt a bit of sweat he wouldn't cower or show it. That'd go against his acclaimed words.
This battleground and brawl would be violent, bloody, soul-destructive, alongside these term's held forever changes that could rearrange the very oceans themselves. Captain contemplated, not able to speak out, he didn't treat his Crewmates like they were disposable. Judas though as the First Crewmate and one who saw the personalities and those on this Crew, alongside believed in his Captain, even if the outcome was his loss. Decided this was the only course, fair. He pardoned Captain's ear's and gave confirmation to agree with advice.
"We ov' Goldbrand agree t' th' accord. Captain Kuro Solaire the Old will battle Captain Sinbad the Young. A private, and unique, Budokai Three under Six Layers. Our Crew's against the wave's, rooting for their respective leaders to pull off a victory." Both of them gave off a handshake, with animosity. Jawbone's clenching. Different facets once again opposed, to a proving grounds like all battles, wars, and fights begin.
Cheating, dirty tactics, every nook and cranny they held would be required in this showdown. No rule's just guidelines to follow under, that would prove extremely barbaric and hardcore.
The pair of upstarts romanticized their hands in the link and left.
As Captain and Judas looked on, knowing this wouldn't be pleasant.
The ability of confrontation had resolved inside a pirate's walk. His first destination appointed him to the Far East. His stature and posture resumed on purpose; as if knowing everything required to be done.
Determined to turn back his clock. He couldn't reverse the scars or damage etched to the past. But you can relieve the pressure of them. Exorcising them like the ghost they are.
A chime-bell rang as an eastern sliding door came, presenting itself before an old-worn Kugane ramen store. He was given a bow and customarily a happy greeting to the House of the Raising Sun.
He spoke to code, "I come from far. I think I'd like wisdom, n' one form." Adjusted morning-red sunglasses of the worker came. Almost a sizing up-gaze, suspicious. Then that wayward wanderer drew his index at the point of a bowl of fortune cookies. A particular and odd purchase. This place was a front in the underworld. Mysteriously tethered to a web-line of dangerous individuals. By the scrawny worker, none would ever assume much.
An exchange was made from what the client wanted with a marble. The Seeker took his departure cracking open his cookie and reading the slip. 'Happiness is not a pleasure, it's a victory' This was all by purpose standardized.
Once the ramen shop cleared out the last customers. The business worker took to the back of his shop. A Magpie awaited perched near a window giving that messenger the marble from earlier and sending it fluttering off.
There was a process of demanding a conference with those who thrive in shadows. The pirate ate up and headed to the next location. Heading before a hidden bay of Shirogane in the residences before torches of shore were lit.
Breeze flashes through before that wind suddenly felt an feather push of unnaturally distortion against his tail-hairs. A quick cloaked dagger in the dark came hurling forth at the pirate who was centered and faced away. Who blocked barely unscathed with plated wrist-guards.
Out of the trail came a soft-padded step. Disbelief, arm's crossed into a kimono. "Son." Came at the scoundrel. Who, shockingly, was alive.
"Nice greeting' ol'man. Gotten a bit sluggish... How b' that arm?" He gave a cheeky-grin, turning to face another. A reunion of fatherhood and child brought to life.
The older, more senior man's left arm came out prosthetically augmented. Taken by his own child in an old battle beyond mind. There was a bit of tension, but Father's blindfolded visage loosened, he felt unconditional, his heart restored, believing his own boy perished. It nearly worried him into an early-grave.
This was a meeting of revelations waiting to explode. Although the father's eyesight was obscured. He could detect and use his scents to identify his son had grown in the respite of silence. He lived off existence, even outside where phantoms go.
"Listen, I'm make this quick. I need ye... pops. You'll b' thrilled t' know ye've got yourself a granddaughter, not that ye haven't before but there's one n' my stead who found me, dare I say she may outdo you. I feel my methods of training would be obsolete. However, under yer tutor. She can waver closer t' my orbit, safer... When I dawn to storm's above skies. --- I want you to meet her." That already was a bombshell that continued by his resurrected son. And although haste surfaced in the boy's inflection, that still showed, he didn't like to share these touchy moments. Especially with the geezer who bastardized him. Left him abandoned and fending to cruelty, there was also less disdain, of that.
He was offering back his Father's presence to his inner world. They couldn't outright sew or be fixtures of what happened. But, he gave his Father a reason to make his retired sword-hand raise; alongside give him a future to uphold; breath into lungs.
"N' lastly. I need yer expertise. Th' illustrious darkest shadow ye once resided as. The man who brought resistance and forged peace in where no light goes... I'm going t' assassinate, some assassins." A crazed declaration said nonchalantly. His Father exhibited stun. This wasn't the same boy with a sick heart, or the same renegade attitude of a pupil he trained incognito.
"You just came back alive... Before me. Yet you wish to wander so dangerously close to death again? Why do you pressurize yourself so much? This world doesn't need you to prove anything." His father imparted with concern, hints of humbleness, more clarity.
He blamed this recklessness and attitude on himself, for being incapable of removing himself from prior commitment and engagement sooner. Finding peace, only until now, when nearly too late, at least it felt-like. Yet alarmingly this aura of willpower, sheer command blazed.
"I had t' relinquish a lot of my, findings, plunders t' contractors, to not only keep myself alive, but my Crew... What they don't know is, I've ways t' track where they went with my belongings. Rule number one ov' the seas, if ye leave a pirate alive and take his belongings, they'll come with their greed, all t' back. They'll haunt themselves, into ghostly projections, t' devour n' haunt their own. However, th' people I hired for espionage, all faded and failed. I can't get a read how many there are, or if there's just the two, that i was confronted. I don't go into enemy bases, especially one's n' this skill-regard, aimlessly. Although you, have specialty. When comes t' stealth, you're still far better. I'm more of a break yer door down, and set off fuses, and light th' place up, I leave people with recognition, t' know my presence. Knows I'm horribly outmatched, if I don't get the first-advantage against these foes." Was his son actually considering a tactical approach... Even using reason and coming from a more intelligible, before would abandon his life and go-at things alone. This difference was drastic from the impatient and hot-headed pupil before.
Whatever events cultivated these ironwork changes. The elderly and Father felt a catastrophic relief. "I will help you son." This moment was uncomfortable but so was this
itchiness of his wardrobe. Being all exposed like this was still a process, undergoing the pirate. He cared not to give exposure to this.
"Meet me again in a Sennight on these same shores, I'll come t' pick ye up. N' old man... This isn't some mission where I want you t' go n' die into silence. You'll track the hideout and leave, and then, afterwards, you've got someone to live for eagerly; if not me."
Ruffian youth in pirate gave a little shoulder nudge to his guardian as he walked onto splitting from their ways.
The Shadow Father of Echo Past muttered, "It was... good... to see you too." He recognized really what was expressly told through actions, beyond formed words, they were translating signals in silence too.
