The Fleeting Shadows [Juli]

[Juli]

Juli crawled her way back across the deck. The sounds of battle meant that she could not hear any pirates if they tried to come up, so she’d have to find Eddy quickly. Heart racing, she wondered if it was possible that they get out of this unharmed. Looking over to the battle, she saw...another person? Like a silhouette, it was but one, solid black shade, and just plain surreal. It seemed to be on Sean’s side...and ally? A Fruit User? Or maybe a ninja? Juli had no idea. The battle continued for a moment, and Juli realized that she should be moving.

At the rear of the ship, several pirates began to ready themselves to climb onto the deck. The signal was the same as it ever was: two gunshots in succession. Rigby knew to train his subordinates well. Never a Captain himself, but he was a desirable candidate for First Mate, for certain. But training could not prepare them for everything.

Eddy the Umima leapt out of the water, his soaked bandages hanging limply as he landed in the boat. It sunk from the weight, a wave pushing out. The ocean fought back, bouncing the ship back into the air. Eddy was lifted several inches off of the boat, his weight keeping it flat. The pirates, a tenth of his weight, were flung off. Eddy moved to swing, but was disappointed to find that there was no one to target. Except the poor guy under him, but he was no danger to anyone in his state of unconsciousness.

Back on the deck, Rigby aimed his rifle cane at the rookie pirate, Sean. The trigger was not very subtle, he had to admit, but that did not hinder its lethality. Juli saw Rigby raise his cane, lining it up with his eyes, as one would a rifle. A gun? Another Fruit Power? Juli couldn’t get there in time to help, so she did the only thing she could think of.

“Watch out Sean!”

Rigby gritted his teeth. He regretted not doing something about her earlier. A mistake he intended to fix. “Silence, girl!” He turned his gun on her, and found the prone, unmoving mermaid easier to aim at then the mobile pirate. He fired, the gunshot ringing out.

Following it was a scream of pain.

Juli collapsed to the deck, shoulder burning with pain. Out of shock, she found herself unable to move.

Nearby, Eddy heard Juli’s cry of pain. Muscles tensing in anger, his blood began pumping. The wound on his arm oozed droplets of blood as Eddy put pressure on it, leaping to the rear end of the ship. He latched on just as some of the pirates began to resurface. They could do little more than watch as Eddy pushed himself back onto the ship.

Rigby began to reset his aim on Sean when he heard Eddy’s growling. He turned to see the sea beast rushing towards him. After hesitating, Rigby ducked, just as Eddy leapt up to bite his face. The bear landed on the other side of Rigby, rocking the ship, as Rigby retreated a few steps.

Eddy turned and snarled. In his peripheral vision, he saw Juli prone on the other side of the ship. Rather that interrupt the other battle, he decided to go after the other stranger.

Rigby, unsure whether or not the bear was a random sea monster or a previously unknown ally, presumed the latter, for now. He’d eliminate it, naturally: how dangerous could a such dumb animal be?

[Sean]

Sean continued to ponder on Rigrul's spontaneous affliction which was attacking him. True he was in a fight and had already figured out his flaws, but Rigrul couldn't be cleaned out like this right now; it would just be savage. Sean would not lower himself to Rigrul's level and attack Rigrul while he was down, instead he would give him some time to recover now. Sean let out a sigh of embarrassment, he didn't know that for such a huge cheap shot, he could be such a helpless puppy. Though he could kill RIgrul here and now.

“Watch out Sean!”

What? Juli's warning was heard and Sean reacted quickly, resulting in a series of pussyfoot maneuvers to avoid Rigby's cane which was pointing at him. Sean was not too sure over what the threat was, but he had no time to take any risks nor had he the time to identify the cane. "Just get up!" Sean yelled impatiently at Rigrul who still coughed up some more blood. At that point Sean heard the shot and Juli's scream ringing in his ears. "Oh no.... Juli!" Just as he was about to rush over to her aid, leaving Rigrul to his natural weakness, Rigrul had grabbed Sean by his ankle, causing Sean to trip. "What? You were-" "You should be worried about yourself right now." Rigrul gave his signature evil smile and slammed Sean into another area of the floor, still gripping his leg."It's amazing what a little ketchup and some fake coughs can do."

Sean was simply in no time to rush and pursue Juli's attacker now. He had been caught with the element of surprise over Rigrul's fake sickness and was now feeling some intense pain. before he knew it, Rigrul had lifted Sean up by his head and aimed him at the door into the indoor area of the ship. "Did you know, one particular area I like to aim for is the head? It will add to the pain if the victim, if not, kill them. Nahahaha!" At that point, Rigrul charged Sean toward the ship door. Sean's shadow simply watched in confusion as Rigrul built up the velocity to throw Sean into the door, ramming in head first.

Naturally the breach had broken the door into many wooden shards. Sean struggled to lift himself off the ground, feeling dizzy over the vital attack. With no need for a command, Sean's shadow knew that it had to rush to his owners aid. It floated above Rigrul, homing in for another attack on Rigrul's chest.Then again, Rigrul was quick enough to prepare his classic counter. With a quick block, a crouch and a jump into the shadow's body. Sean's shadow found itself impaled by the horns of Rigrul's iron helmet. There was little it good do. At first it struggled, before oozing off the helmet and sliding back onto Sean's body. "You fool! I always come prepared for a devilfruit user."

Sean recognized they were seastone, but his dizziness delayed his worldliness to recognize them, before Rigrul already grabbed Sean by his neck and slammed him into the wall. Firmly gripping Sean against the wall with one hand, he raised his other iron gauntlet fist, edging his spiked knuckles forward. "Now you see why you don't mess with the real pirates kid!" Sean let out a few gasping inhales with a combination of coughs and Rigrul chocked him some more. Being a pirate was all good to disregard a lot of civil codes. Yet for a human, he sure had no code in humanity.

[Juli]

“Foul beast,” Rigby mumbled as he brought his cane to bear on Eddy. In response, Eddy charged again, teeth bared. Aware that a bullet would not slow him, Rigby braced himself, then rolled to the side, Eddy’s jaws clamping on empty air. Rigby turned and fired at the large, close target. Eddy didn’t react as the bullet hit him, and swiped with his claw. Rigby recoiled away, his arm cut and bleeding. Backpedaling towards the front of the ship, he fired again. Rigby realized that the beast would take a few more shots to go down, or at least one in a venerable area. Getting close to it was not recommended...

“B-behind you!” Rigby cried out, pointing at nothing in particular with his finger. Eddy turned his head, and Rigby gaped. He didn’t expect that one to work. He turned tail and put more ground between him and the Umima. Eddy realized he had been duped and charged again. Rigby fired once more. This time, the bullet hit Eddy’s arm, and he noticeable slowed, but kept coming.

Several feet away, Juli gingerly pushed herself up with her unhurt arm. Bretahing heavily, she saw Sean’s battle. Juli gasped as Sean was violently thrown into the door. When Rigrul dispatched the dark silhouette, Juli knew she had to do something. Pushing her weak tentacles against the ground and pulling with her arms, she crawled as fast as she could to Rigrul and Sean.

“Now you see why you don't mess with the real pirates kid!” Rigrul said, raising his fist. In desperation, Juli flung herself into a forward roll, going tentacle over head. As she finished, she lashed out with her tentacles with all of her might, slapping Rigrul’s back with two of them. The pressure caused blood to gush from the wound in Juli’s shoulder, and she lost her balance, collapsing to the deck.

[Sean]

Sean felt faint, being gripped firmly against the wall by his throat. The next attack would be the final one to put Sean out. Sean gave up struggling as he grew much too weak and lost his energy when his breathing supply was cut off. So this was the end then? The final punch never came, instead Rigrul had reformed his fist shape and his entire arm lowered down. Not only that, the choking stopped and his other arm retreated. Sean fell onto the ground, kneeling, inhaling many deep breaths. Feeling his circulation rush back to its normal status, he looked up to see Rigrul screaming in pain and flopping his arms behind his back to cover the areas of where he was stung. Sean lowered his sight further down to see Juli on the ground, collapsed on the floor. She must have been the one to save him! And it was miraculous that she had come at the right moment.

Without further ado Sean had to grasp this opportunity fast, there was no time to stop and recover now. "I am a real pirate!" Sean pushed off with his right foot and leapt into the air. Both of his claws stretched out and cut in like scissors, slashing through Rigrul's face. Now with the stinging pain sensation on his back and cuts across his face, Rigrul screamed out in tremendous pain. "And this is my ship!" Sean landed in a crouching position, his arms stretched out and crossed. He made another scissor swipe with both his claws again, slashing against Rigrul's upper and lower torso. With the final attack, the force was enough to cause Rigrul to take backward steps outside and trip down onto his back. Some blood gushed out of Rigrul's mouth, and this time, real blood. Rigrul's eyes rolled back, no longer showing his pupils.

That was too close. He had let Juli save his life so perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that he allowed Juli to come along on his ship. Juli looked wounded, no doubt she had received an injury from another battle on board. Though there was no time to help out now, first thing is first. Getting rid of these former owners.

[Juli]

Rigby, somewhat impressed by the sea bear’s stamina, decided he’d need to hit it with something bigger. Rigby jumped onto the railing of the ship, wielding his cane like a club. Eddy, focused on his charge, rushed forward, leaping to aim his claws at the aged pirate. Rigby thrusted forward with his cane, whacking Eddy on the nose. Using the force of the blow, he pushed against it and leapt from the deck, down to the ship of Gauntlet Pirates below. Eddy, his charge interrupted, slipped, colliding with the railing and going over. One of his claws grabbed on, and he managed to get another up. He hung from the side of the ship as Rigby landed below.

“What is that behemoth, 1st Mate?” one of the pirates asked.

“Who cares, just shoot it!” Rigby snapped, raising his gun. “1, 2, 3!” The pirates all aimed their firearms and shot.

Eddy, however, used Rigby’s countdown himself. On three, he leapt from the side of the ship. Most of the bullets whizzed by Eddy, but the Umima fell towards the boat. Eddy led with a single paw. Some of the pirates screamed out, but Eddy landed. His paw hit Rigby right on the chest, Eddy’s force and weight pushing him to the floor and through the deck. Rigby, parts of his ribcage likely crushed from the blow, fled to unconsciousness and the boat was torn to driftwood above them, pirates being flung into the sea.

Eddy floated in the ocean a bit, his wounds tiring him. Right now, he wanted some food and rest, but he’d need to check on Juli first. Remembering his mermaid companion, he swam to the surface and launched himself to the side of the ship once more, climbing on.


Juli watched as Sean finished off Rigrul in a pair of quick slashes. Glad the Sean was still alive, Juli sat up, grunting as her arm throbbed again. She glanced around before recalling tht there were still the other pirates and 1st Mate to take care of. She wasn’t sure where the latter was, but the rest...

“Sean? Are you okay?” Juli found herself compelled to ask.

Over the side of the deck, the last, untouched ship of pirates waited impatiently. They had heard multiple gunshots a moment ago, but had no idea what had happened.

“...Hey, you go up and check,” A particularly muscular pirate finally said to one of the scrawny, if taller ones.

“Er, uh...okay,” He agreed. Hoping he would blow their cover, he leapt to grab the side of the deck, and lifted his head up. He got a view of the black haired kid and a mermaid over the fallen body of their captain! Surprised, the pirate dropped back down and gasped, “They beat the captain!”

The pirates discussed for a moment in hushed whispers, wondering what had happened to Rigby and everyone else. One finally mumbled, “Whadda we do now?”

[Sean]

Sean knelt down on one leg and inhaled a few more deep breaths as his breathing process still had a lot to catch up on since Rigrul's metallic hand had cut off his throat. Looking around the ship now; Rigrul lay defeated before Sean, ironically wounded in his areas he invited foes to attack in order to counter attack. Remembering that Juli had warned him of the bald chap, Rigby, he was mysteriously nowhere to be seen. He had not been anywhere in Sean's sight, and that covered most of the ship. Perhaps he had gone overboard? Surprisingly, Sean believed that more pirates were to come aboard and fight, yet none other seemed to have storm the ship. So, was Rigrul the only one, of the intruders, left on the ship?

“Sean? Are you okay?”

"Yes I'm fine. I should be asking you that question Juli." Sean struggled to speak, taking in some more deep breaths. In all honesty, Sean was recovering, but he still felt the pain from some of Rigrul's impacts. "We can get you to a doctor Juli." Sean added, as he recalled Juli's scream from that gunshot, and then looked upon her injury on her shoulder. If all came to the worse, than the bullet was still probably lodged inside. Though, first thing was first, it was time to get rid of the trash. With a mighty push, Sean found himself some more strength to rush a few more steps at Rigrul's unconscious body. With a mighty kick from his leg, Sean landed his black combat boot straight into Rigrul's side. The force applied was enough to scatter Rigrul off into a series of mid-air rolls and eventually smashing him off the wall edge of the deck.

“Whadda we do now?”

"Now I take over as your new captain!" Another pirate gloriously self-proclaimed with haste, believing their captain to be dead. The other pirates merely gave disapproving looks and sighs over the self-proclaiming captain. Clearly there was not a chance. And at that moment, Rigrul's body came crashing down onto the centre of the boat, causing it to split in two. The pirates sprung up into the air and smashed themselves down against the water with a splash. Unfortunately, the one who had hopes in becoming the next captain was the one to be crushed by Rigrul's mass.

"And I doubt those morons will be chasing us any further."

Since his last pump of energy was used up. Sean fell onto the wooden deck and faced up onto the sky, still clearly conscious. Though he just needed to rest a while as that previous battle had worn him out. As he recalled, they had previously wonered where Eddy had been. "So where is Eddy anyway?" Sean still remained on the floor, with his breathing now returning back to normal.

[Juli]

“Yes I'm fine. I should be asking you that question Juli.” Juli blinked a reexamined her wound. Honestly, she didn’t know how bad or good it really was. Maybe she should see a doctor, as has just Sean suggested. Juli’s strategy of ‘BANDAGES’ couldn’t work on anything.

...But it would have to do for now. Juli went below decks to nab her supplies. They were running a tad low now. She’d have to get more later. Juli returned to see Sean throw the Captain overboard and collapse.

“So where is Eddy anyway?” Sean asked. Juli looked around for a moment before she saw Eddy, covered in multiple new wounds, limping towards them. He plopped down on the deck a groaned about food, though it was unlikely Sean would understand him. Juli had no idea what Eddy had gotten himself into, but since the bald guy and the rest of the crew seemed to have vanished, Eddy was the only explanation. And Juli highly doubted he used diplomacy.

Juli opened her bag of medical supplies and mumbled, "I hope this isn’t going to be too regular of an occurrence..."

[Sean]

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