Serious: The Dire Desperados Ch1 - A Stormy Beginning (Closed)

(Open to all, although the thread will primarily be used to recruit members for the Dire Desperados)

A bartender stood behind the counter contently cleaning a mug with a rag as the lightning bolt from a storm lit up the inside of the bar. A rumble of thunder followed, rattling the glasses and bottles that lined the shelves behind him. The storm was nasty enough to discourage a large number of customers from appearing that evening, but he didn't seem to mind the quiet atmosphere.

The ambience was short lived and was broken by a person suddenly entering the room, and the bartender nearly dropped his mug in surprise. Before too much of the rain and wind could make it inside, Avis Ridley pressed her back against the door to slam it shut behind her. She sluggishly walked over to the nearest open table and plopped onto a chair. A slight frown and soggy hair covered her face as she proceeded to take off the drenched bandana around her neck to wring it out. The sudden storm had taken her by surprise, and she had difficulty even getting her ship to a port for the evening. Any building was a better place to be than being stuck in a boat during a storm, the local bar being the most logical for a pirate to find refuge.

Avis was glad to find a stable floor beneath her feet, and she keeled over to rest her head atop the table with a loud sigh of relief. While such a defenseless position was just asking for an enemy to attack, she cared little. At least she found a temporary shelter and could think about how to start a crew like she had been meaning to.

Dynar had been forced to bring the frog down. Ryo could've flown for a while today, but not in the storm. Not in a million years. He had left the frog in the nearby wilds, confident that no predator could match the mighty frog dragon, and that he could call him whenever he wished. He walked over to the local bar. Apparently someone didn't like the look of him with his green hair extending down to his ankles. "What kind of lousy hippie d'ya think ya are?" A clearly drunk patron slurred, raising up to punch down Dynar. Dynar didn't move at the patron's pathetic attempt, but his hair did. Some of his hair twisted around the patron's hands, one from each side of the head. More hair brought itself around Dynar's head, grabbing the patron by the throat. "Anything else?" Dynar asked the choking man before dropping him down. The bar patrons had seen weirder, but the drunk man slinked out of the bar.
Dynar sighed at walked to the bartender. "A drink please." He dug out a few old coins.

Killua walked into the bar, he had just spent the day finding his way back here. He had told his former captain Vladmir that he didnt want to stay in one place. Killua the left the next morning. he finally found himself in this island, he had predicted the storm would happen and was able to navigate takes to the harsh winds, but his boat was done for. He still didnt lose his child like cheerfullness and ran up to the bar stool "A GLASS OF MILK PLEASE!!!"

The bartender looked apprehensive and most of the room staring at him, but Killua being a younger person did not feel shame for what he did. Then the bartender then set a bottle of milk before him.

Dontae busted into the bar, dripping with water he slams the door behind him " Wow its raining cats and dogs out there" he takes his hat off and shakes the water off it and then removes his jacket and throws it on the back of his chair and sits down " bar keep can i get a bottle of whiskey please" Dontae then looks around the bar " bunch of weird looking people in here" he pulls out a cigarette and begins to smoke it while leaning back in the chair...

Killua saw some guy come in and sit down and light his cigarette, Killua drank his milk up and then asked "Hey bar guy, can i have some food please? anything with alot of meat in it" The bartender sighed and went to prepare Killuas order.

A gleam appeared in Avis' eyes as she observed how an odd looking man silenced a customer without lifting a finger. His long hair and the multitude of pistols lined across his belt made him stick out like a sore thumb; even more than she generally did. That itself was a feat that sparked her curiosity, and she immediately stood up from the table and walked over to the counter. She made herself comfortable on a stool to the left of where the man that caught her attention happened to be.

It appeared that they weren't the only ones that decided to sit there, however, and Avis couldn't help but give an odd look towards a young boy that enthusiastically ordered milk and meat for a late night snack. She couldn't help but wonder where his mother was, and what type of person would let their child wander around at this time of night. The other man who sat at the counter appeared to be surprisingly normal and out for an evening drink, but that may very well just be a facade for all she knew. Ah, but she was getting distracted. The man on her right was the entire reason she got up in the first place, and she simply wanted ask him her question and get it over with.

"Sooo..." Avis quietly began in a low voice, trying to avoid drawing too much attention from unfriendly eyes. That and she didn't know how to go about the situation. If what she said sounded absolutely ridiculous, it would probably be better if fewer people happened to hear. Looking fully serious with her hands folded in a business-like manner, she turned to the man with the long hair beside her. "Would you be insane enough to join a crew captained by someone you've just met?"

Killuas eyes widened as he jumped to the side of Avis "hey, hey, are you making a crew? Im a navagator, and im hoping to be a damn good one!!! ((Shows her his maps he made so far)) These are maps of some islands and some of the oceans ive been too so far!!!!! Im looking for a new crew, but you arent just gonna stay in place are you?"

Dontae turns around and looks at the kid he takes another sip of his whiskey and watches Killua pull out his maps " Interesting" he takes one last puff out his cigarette and puts it out, he didn't move he only watched as the boy talks to Alvis.

"Would you be insane enough to have a giant frog on board?" Dynar asked in response, referring to his pet. After a moment of silence, and likely a confused look, he clarified. "My pet, Ryo. I tend to leave him in the wilderness. He doesn't mind and would probably just cause chaos if he I brought him here." He spoke.
He looked at the kid's maps. They were indeed good, despite the maker's apparent age.

"Haven't you ever heard of the word 'discreet', boy?" Avis growled in exasperation. "Why, if I wanted the entire bar to know what I was going to do, I could've shouted it myself. If anyone wants to know and hasn't learned from my little friend here already, I've got the ship with flag in the port this minute, but no men to man it! Is it a crime to quietly go looking for some to start a crew?" Upon some patrons chuckling at the irony in her last statement, Avis turned her back to them with a huff.

As she was about to ignore whatever the boy may say in his defense, the maps on the counter caught her attention. Eyeing them suspiciously, she picked them up to examine them. They were incredibly well done to the point it made her slightly doubtful he even made them. "How do I know I'm hiring the person that made these maps, and not a little thief that stole them from their creator? I can't help but think you're ten years too young to be making maps of this caliber, much less have enough physical strength and discipline to join a full-fledged crew."

Upon hearing the strange man's response, Avis grinned. "A giant frog prone to creating chaos? Call me insane, but I'm intrigued... How big are we talking?

Killua was sad that she had said such things, but then he realized something and proceeded to draw a map of the island they were in in front of her eyes. He then put the map in front of here "You see here, the details for the terrain around this area are relatively very complicated but i believe i detailed them quite intensely.... i learned to draw maps at a very young age..... i prefer drawing maps of the sea rather than one island..... but either way , this island is new to me..... im good with weather and i used to be on the schibukai Vladmir Barbats crew... but i didnt like that we were sitting in one place, i like travelling....... also i know martial arts maam......" He was trying to persuade her, he really wanted to ba part of a crew, but because he was a child and acted like one crews didnt want him to join. But he was already a great elements of nature prodigy and a fighter, so he had power, still people underestimated him..

Avis was at a loss for words as she watched the boy start to make a map in front of her eyes. She took her time to think about the matter, and momentarily sat in silence. While the boy obviously had skill, she wasn't particularly good with handling young people. Talent wouldn't make up for the lack of experience that an older navigator might have, either. She couldn't help but remember joining her own crew around his age as well.

"I'm convinced, you win." She smiled slightly, hoping she wouldn't regret the choice in the future. "You can come along if you so desire. This won't be some sort of field trip, so I hope you've prepared yourself.

Killua sighed "I keep telling you , i sailed with a few crews, i sailed with the schibukai Vladmir Barbats crew before you know? Also... wait, ummm mister....."

Killua was talking to the man sitting in a chair near the bar. Killua felt it in the wind and temperature. He looked out side to the sky and then said to the man "lightning is going to hit where you are sitting in 5 seconds , you should move....."

The man laughed "Dont be ridicolous ki....." he never got to finish his sentence. True enough a strong bolt of lightning hit the man dead where he was sitting through the roof of the bar. Killua sighed "I warned him.....":

Dynar was impressed at the kid. He never could understand how some navigators managed to do that. It was almost as if the weather predicted them instead of the other way around. So uncanny was their skill.
He turned back to Avis. "I think he's about 7 meters long. He was originally a rocket frog." He responded.

Dontae looks over at the man lying dead on the floor " Idiot should have listen" Dontae puts on his hat and jacket and walks over to Avis "My names Dontae I've been looking for a crew for a while now" he grabs a chair and sits at the table with her.

The sudden strike of lightning was something that Avis didn't expect. The timing was perfect, and it seemed that the boy had summoned the bolt only to predict it moments later. The barkeep, however, seemed quite unhappy about the hole in the ceiling. Avis crossed her fingers and avoided eye contact with the man, hoping that she and her newly formed crew wouldn't be held responsible for the damage.

"A shichibukai, hm?" she mused after the excitement died down slightly. If it wasn't for the displays of his skill earlier, she very well may have laughed at the aspect. "While I'm mildly flattered that you've chosen my crew after being involved in Vladimir Barbat's, I am not the type of person that really cares about prior affiliations. As long as you're serious about joining my crew and remaining loyal, that's all I want to hear... Except I would like to know if there's a chance he'll try and annihilate us for having one of his former crewmates. It won't change a thing, but it'd be nice to have some sort of warning one way or the other."

Avis tried to visualize how exactly she could fit a 7 meter long frog on board when the man responded to her question. "I believe that your companion would fit perfectly fine above deck, but I foresee no option other than punching a hole in the wall to allow him bellow... Which I'm not opposing if the need is great enough."

When a third man approached asking to join the crew, Avis gestured towards an open chair besides her. "How nice, you've even gone and introduced yourself like a gentleman ought to. Now that you mention it, I would still like to hear the names of the other two as well."

Killua smiled "Well as to your question of whether or not Vladmir will come after you, i do not know, he simply did not want to travel, and for that i was upset and i asked him for months.... then i left, so yes i will remain on your ship for as long as it takes because i want to realise my dreams.... oh my name is Killua Dojima......"

"I was hoping to avoid being chased by shichibukai until we get some more man power, but no matter... We can deal with the situation when the time comes. There's no point in fretting about it if it might not even happen. Well, onto less foreboding manners," Avis stated without a slight trace of worry on her face. She had more important things to worry about, like what to do next with her unexpected surge in members, but she'd think about that later after they finished their introductions.

"It's great to meet you, Killua and Dontae," Avis said with a pleasant tone of voice and a smile to match. There was no point in being shy towards the people that may be helping her out in the future. "My name's Avis Ridley, although I'd prefer that you refer to me as simply 'captain' or my last name."

Killua smiled "Ok awesome thing captain!!! so what will be doing now? the storm... is ending soon....." Killua based it on the change in temperature and wind flow and sure enough the sky began to light up

Dontae smirked " Well the pleasure's all mine Captain" he then grabs his glass of whiskey and holds it in the air " cheers" Dontae drinks the entire glass in a blink of an eye, he then turns toward Killua " my your a very interesting young guy, not many navigators can do stuff like that"

Killua looked at the gun guy "Really ? most navigators must have knowledge of the weather and be able to tell to safely guide the crew.... storms and rain are common and the grandline is worse. Its weather is too unpredictable, you cant use the data of the previous days weather.... it is too out of control and changing.... i know it, i grew up on this sea. If you are a navigator on the grandline, a simple choice between taking a route and not is the difference between death and life.... my mother was a person who drew maps and was a top navigator..... i know all this... plus my fighting style helps as well...... trust me , navigators in the normal seas dont stand a candle to those navigators on the grand line........ we are the true navigators....... i will definitely be the best navigator..... and draw the greatest map of the world that the world has ever seen!!"

"Your crew seems to be filling out nicely... Miss Ridley." He offered a handshake "I am Dynar Vinegar." He stood up from his chair. "I'm a travelling biologist, but I also work as a doctor." He listed out his talents. "I can hold my own in a battle, but I usually let froggy do the heavy lifting. Ryo is quite poweful."

Grinning eagerly, Avis accepted Dynar's handshake. "It definitely would seem that way. It's a pleasant surprise meeting a biologist that can actually hold his own in battle. Ryo sounds like quite a spectacular frog himself." The rest of the crew impressed her greatly as well. What an unexpectedly good turn on a day with a poor start.

"Those were some bold statements you made there," she stated enthusiastically, "and with that it sounds like it's time to put all these words into action. Unless someone has unfinished business here, I believe the next course of action would be making our way to the ship. We can decide how to proceed further after getting some distance between us and the island." Standing up, she adjusted the swords at her waist before making her way to the door.

Dontae stands up and grabs the bottle of whiskey off the table and finishes it up in one big gulp he burps and follows behind Avis looking down at her behind with a grin on his face " This is gonna be fun" he says walking behind Avis

Jace walked through the streets of the town. The storm was just beginning to let up. He heard a sound coming from an alley and looked down it. A small dog walked out. It looked up at the big man with a questioning look. Jace crouched down and put out his hand. The dog approached him and sniffed his hand. Then it began backing away slowly and growling.

"So even you can smell it," Jace said quietly. He had just turned into his bear form a few minutes ago to use its senses to help find himself some shelter from the storm. Animals usually didn't trust him after he transformed. His smell wasn't right and it scared them. Especially now, with the wet fur smell was still fresh on his skin. Jace sighed and stood back up. He moved on. No point in staying where he wasn't wanted.