| abstract | - “Okay!” Art said, having finished sketching out a rather large diagram on top of a dry-erase board he had managed to recover from deep within the ship’s cargo hold, “everyone got the plan fresh in mind?” “Mn,” the crew nodded as one. “Alright,” the Majin first mate sighed while nodding as well, turning around and beginning to erase the diagram, “we’ll have to move in the morning. We’ll take them all out then, and Knave!” “Hm?” Knave looked up, having been deep in thought. “You have to defeat Khan. There’s no choice here. He’s the whole linchpin holding the organization together. If he isn’t beaten...” Art clenched his fist tightly, “then he’ll be able to wipe the floor with the rest of us easily. Nothing will have changed except the number of enemies.” “Got it,” Knave nodded calmly, “I’ll take him down no matter what.” “Guys!” Mercuia suddenly burst in from the door leading to the medical bay, causing the rest of the crew to jump! “What is it?” Pura asked. “Gao?” Gopher inquired as well. “Kagome’s awake!” “S-sorry guys,” Kagome said softly from the hospital bed she was currently laying on, the blanket covering up the majority of the bandages and braces that Stormy had supplied in order to keep her in one piece, “I kinda screwed up on that one, right?” The rest of the crew had gathered around her, including several of her friends and relatives from the village Deathwatch was holding captive. “Nah, it’s not your fault,” Art said in a consolatory tone, “you just did what you thought was right... and for that, I have to thank you.” “I-it was no problem, really,” Kagome said somewhat sheepishly, “but... y-you’re gonna go fight them again?” “Yep,” Knave nodded, “we’re gonna kick their asses.” Kagome seemed to relax slightly, some of the tension leaving her damaged body. “I-it’s hard to explain,” she half-laughed, “I just feel... so grateful to you guys right now. I-I’ve loved being on this crew...” She smiled again, “Thank you guys for everything.... b-but...” “But?” Sid asked, tilting his head. “I-I have a request for you guys...” Construction on the giant airship, Memitim, was, as Khan had ordered, moving much faster than it had previously. The various Executives had all taken control of their various groups of workers, and the laborers themselves were all slaving away at its completion. Welding large plates of a specially made iron into place, cutting into it in order to make depressions for a variety of weapons, inspecting the group of 20 engines in order to make sure that it properly functioned, refurbishing some of the living quarters, giving brief tests of the controls... they all worked on, a dizzying productive machine that was putting together the massive flying weapon with an incredible amount of speed, and an odd sense of grace. And leading all of this charge where the supervising Executives themselves. One of which was a certain swordless swordsman named Shiroe... The bounty hunter stood at the head of the area he was in charge of, watching his assigned workers construct with bored eyes and a bored expression. As he continued to watch them, he detected a brief movement out of the corner of his eye, and a puff of green smoke. “Minny,” he said without turning around, “your little games are proving a bit irritating.” “Ahh, come on, kyahahahahahaha!” the little clown-like Executive said as he dropped down from the ceiling, his feet hooked around a loose beam, “loosen up a bit! Life can be a lot of fun if you just let loose for a bit!” “Are those supposed to be puns? I know your Devil Fruit ability lends you to the notion, but I personally find them greatly annoying.” “Every magician’s got his own bag of tricks and gags!” Minny cackled, “don’t think that you’ve seen the end of them... or ever will!” “Joy,” Shiroe sighed, before turning around and beginning to walk way, “since you’re here, could you watch over my men for a short bit? I have a report to deliver to Khan-sama on the progress of Memitim.” “Ahh, bastard!” the little magician laughed as he dropped to the ground, “it’s not fair, dumping all your work on me! Kyahahahahahaha!” “Khan-sama?” Shiroe called as he knocked on the massive double-doors leading to his commander’s study, “I’ve come with the report.” “Enter,” came the commanding, basso voice. Shiroe pushed open the doors, finding the room as brightly lit as it had been earlier. However, this time, the boss’s desk was now facing the mahogany desk once more, and it swirled around as Shiroe entered. “Ahh, Shiroe,” Khan said, reaching out with his hand, “so good of you to come. How is the construction coming along?” “Exactly as you ordered,” the swordsman answered, holding out a small file that the former Shichibukai took, “Memitim should be finished within the week, if not sooner.” “Most excellent,” Khan answered as he flipped through the file, confirming his Executive’s words, “and anything on our pirate guests?” “We’ve...” Shiroe paused briefly, before delivering the news, “we’ve detected an increased amount of activity on their ship. It’s possible that they’re about to launch a counterattack.” “Hm,” Khan breathed, as he leaned back in his chair, “I see... As soon as they’re detected moving, put all the Executives on guard. Stop them at any cost. We can’t allow the project to end here, can we?” “Of course not, sir.” Shiroe bowed. “Then go, good soldier and powerful fang,” the boss finished, turning his chair around once more. Without his own parting words, Shiroe quietly exited the office and began to make his way back to his own station. However, as he did, thoughts of the world they were going to create floated through his head happily. The Executive couldn’t help it... his breath quickened at the thought. It truly excited him. Damn those pirates to hell, Shiroe thought to himself, I won’t let you destroy this glorious work! Over my dead body! “It’s time!” Pura called, as she stood on the edge of the Starry’s railing. She was surrounded on all sides by her crewmates and their allies. Knave, Art, Sid, Stormy, Gopher, Mercuia, and even Sirius. They had all managed to remove their bandages, and had mostly made a recovery (though some of the wounds apparently still smarted). Nonetheless, this did not deter them, and the light of anger and determination burned freely within their eyes. Knave took the lead in the speaking. “We don’t stop fighting until we’ve taken them all down, okay?” he called, “this is for Kagome, for Mercuia, for Sirius, for everyone these bastards have hurt! Are we going to allow them to keep doing as they like for any longer?!” “No way!” the rest of the crew called out! Knave then launched himself into the air, crashing into the ground and knocking a massive amount of storm into the air, before charging ahead in a sudden burst of superhuman speed, a trail of displaced snow following behind him! “THEN LET’S GO!” “AAAAYEEE!!” the rest of the crew hollered as they followed suit, jumping to the ground and racing towards their opponents! Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
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