SRS: A Rising Stargazer - Volume I: Twilight in the South Blue [OPEN]

It was a calm day in Baterilla, a slight sea breeze blowing off the harbour cooling the air enough to make the otherwise hot day pleasant for all the people milling around the harbour marketplace. It was a wash of bright colours, strange smells and odd sounds, from fishmongers shouting out their wares to buskers seeking any spare change by playing odd and exotic instruments with their feet whilst juggling. The crowd of people all seemed happy and joyful, and the whole area seemed to simply be a nice place to be. Which was just perfect for Jhonen.

The young pirate weaved easily through the crowd, clearing a noticeable path as he went thanks to the giant anchor on his back. It was much wider than he was, and as such everyone around him was forced to move or risk being knocked over. He hummed as he walked, ignoring the glances he was getting, and the nervous shifting of people getting out of his way, because today was a good day, and he was simply going to soak up the sunshine and enjoy himself. He'd been on the run from the Marines for about a month now, and this was his first chance to relax and recoup.

Looking out at the harbour, he noticed that there were a large variety of ships, some merchants and traders, others floating restaurants and the like, but there were a few more run-down looking ships that were almost certainly pirate ships. Jhonen felt an instinctual kick telling him to report it to his superior, but it vanished almost instantly as he remembered he no longer had a superior. He had run from the Marines with World Government secrets and now he was a traitor. Now he too was a pirate. Perhaps these people he once considered enemies would now be his most likely chance for companionship?

Sighing, Jhonen swiped an apple from a cart as he walked by, thinking deeply about his situation.

Bryce couldn't help but feel a bit sore about having to blend in. His last stint had cost him a bit more than he'd have liked to part with; in particular, he'd lost the limelight...again. Tilting his head down, the brim of his hat hiding his face, Bryce picked up his pace a bit, plotting his course around people by instinct.

The beauty of a bustling port market and the throng of activity that came with it were completely lost on the young pirate. Biting his lower lip, Bryce tried not to think about how many people were walking around him, ignoring him, going on with their lives like he wasn't even there. He was blending in, and this soon after a tryst with the marines, that was good.

It was bad.

The thought that these people were walking by him and not acknowledging his presence ate at him. Each passing minute pissed him off just a bit more, until his survival instincts began to falter. Marines be damned, it was too much for Bryce to leave this marketplace unnoticed, for everybody else to leave it unchanged. A split-second before he'd decided to make a scene, he walked straight into somebody infront of him, whom themselves had stopped short.

"Pardon me," Bryce apologized, looking up for a moment and giving a friendly smile. He then felt the same fire burning again, even hotter, when he saw that the stranger couldn't be bothered to so much as look his way.

Bryce had been right about to dispense with the niceties when he instinctively turned his head in the direction the man was staring. Strutting down the street like he owned it, a man looking not much older than himself was creating a scene of his own. Though the man's attire was no more or less outlandish than anybody else's in the harbour, of particular note was the giant honking anchor on his back. Wherever the man went, people paid note. They looked at him, they gave way.

"That's unfair, man!" Bryce whined. Slipping past the faceless he'd bumped into, the attention-starved pirate ducked his way through the street and came out into the wake of the anchor-dude's path, falling into stride right behind him. His gutsy actions earned him a few stares; Bryce felt instantly better.

"Pardon me, sir," Bryce began, smiling warmly and keeping pace with Jhonen, "don't suppose you're just passing through here, are you? I'm sort of out of my element here, see; I could use a bit of help... if you've got the time, I mean."

Jhonen glanced sideways at the guy keeping pace with him, scanning a discerning eye over him. The man looked young, probably a few years his junior, but earnest. He was scrawny, that much was for sure, and looked like a bit of a pipsqueak to Jhonen. He could see why such a runt might be asking someone carrying a one-ton anchor on his back for help. Probably needed help setting up a stall or something.

Jhonen stopped, looking at the man's face. The warm smile didn't reach his eyes, they were cold. But then, that wasn't new to Jhonen, most of the commanders in the Marines had smiled in the same manner, so he wasn't bothered by the fact. Everyone has their reasons to put on a smile and a nice face, he was testament to that.

"I am just passing through, in fact," Jhonen replied as he continued to walk evenly, turning his head back to watch where he was going. He continued to munch on his apple as he asked evenly "What sort of help are you after?"

"Could I ask how you're getting on, then?" Bryce asked, his voice saccharine, his eyes still hidden beneath the brim of his cap. "I'm just basically passing through, and I've no idea how I am. Ahh, what a pain!" The younger of the two let a tone of exasperation take his voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Bryce exclaimed, putting a hand to the back of his head and leaning back a bit, catching Jhonen in the eyes. Bryce's face was fairly average, aside from being a bit long and mousy, but his brown eyes were bright and excited, the sort you see on a kid who never shuts up. "My name's McEnroe, but it's alright if you call me Bryce. Or just 'Ryce, or B-Ryce, or-"

Cutting himself, Bryce closed his eyes and laughed sheepishly, stopping in his tracks for a moment. Realizing he'd fallen behind, he opened his eyes back up and jogged until he'd caught back up.

"So yeah, I'm kind of stuck here for now. Unless you wanna help, of course."

Jhonen sighed slightly, continuing to walk at his same even pace, making no indications of his intent as he scanned the marketplace. He spotted a few different people of less-than-wholesome appearance who could be troublemakers, keeping them in mind as he walked.

"I'll repeat what I just asked, Bryce. What sort of help are you after?" Jhonen reiterated. "You being stuck tells me nothing about how I can assist you in getting unstuck."

If Bryce was annoyed at having to clarify, he made no sign. Instead, he laughed sheepishly and apologized by holding up his hands.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm trying to get off this island, and I need help with that," he explained, switching to walking behind Jhonen's other shoulder, where more stares were aimed. Bryce could feel their warmth as they fell upon him instead of their intended target.

"I figured since you were just passing through, you might have a ship or something I could catch a ride on. I've got enough money to buy my own food, at least, so I won't be much bother."

Though he couldn't say why, Bryce felt like he could have the best of both worlds if he followed this guy; a bit of free attention and the shroud of anonymity from immediate marine pursuit. Giving another embarrassed chuckle, he continued.

"I know it's a lot to ask of a stranger, but it'd mean everything to me."

Jhonen stopped abruptly, turning to face Bryce. He had a look on his face that conveyed a mixture of amusement and resignation, and he shook his head. It wasn't the sort of shake that indicated "no", it was the sort of shake that indicated "I don't think you understand the situation".

"Look Bryce, I don't know why you're stuck here or why you're unable to earn your way off this island," Jhonen warned, his voice kept neutral and even, "but I'm not some merchant trader, or a chartered sailor who'll take you to a nearby island."

Jhonen turned again, just as abruptly, scanning the area once more as he headed towards the nearest public house for a drink. The day was getting muggy and he was starting to feel rather thirsty.

"If you're desperate to get off here, I can take you, but it would be against my recommendation. I have... people who are after me. People who will be chasing my ship. And if they catch me, anyone who is with me will be the benefactors of their fury just as much as I will be," Jhonen summed up bluntly.

~~~

"Gimme a Sea Devil will you? And make it quick!" snapped Shocker, slapping his hand against the benchtop of the small wooden stall he was standing in front of. His metallic fingertips rapped against the wood smartly, causing the stall owner to jump noticably.

"Y-yes, sir, right away!" the tubby man yelped, his body jiggling as he rushed over to the fridge that he stored his cool drinks in. His compliance was not unusual, for his customer wore a dark blue jacket with the Marine emblem clearly printed onto the left breast pocket, with a larger white Marine symbol on the back. Even from a distance it was possible to tell that he was a ranking officer in the Marines, and that was a mark of respect.

Shocker surveyed the market place as he waited for his drink, knowing there would be some pirates in the area. He could feel that there were pirates about. He had his Den Den Mushi in his pocket to radio his crew if he spotted something, but for now he was just doing some scouting.

The drink arrived in a tall glass, and Shocker swilled it down in one gulp, smirking as he did so. If he did encounter a pirate now, it would be at full strength.

((Sorry to make you wait so much. My posting is sometimes a bit spotty. Still, I hope you'll tolerate me a bit; this RP looks promising.))

Bryce listened with growing excitement. He couldn't be sure, but something about the man's cryptic warnings told him that this guy was the real deal. If he was, then he'd found exactly what he was after; a pirate ship.

"It's alright, sir," Bryce said, his voice steady but his hands twitching a bit. He was revved up; it was time to take a calculated risk. If he was wrong, Bryce would be on the receiving end of a lot of bad attention, but it was attention no less, and he'd survive somehow. If he was right...

"I'm a pirate, so I'm used to being chased. If it comes to a fight, I'll carry my own. You won't have to worry about me at all, you know?" Sighing emphatically, Bryce paused for a moment, then sped up his pace to catch up once again.

"Anyway, I just need a lift one port over, not very far at all...if that's the direction you're going, of course," Bryce added in a polite and formal tone. "I hear that a lot of strong crews pass through the place, and I'm looking to join up with one. It's my dream, you know sir? Sail the ocean, adventure into tomorrow without a care..."

And have all eyes on me, Bryce added mentally. To sail the seas with every eye in the world on me.

Making a shocked face and covering his mouth dramatically with both hands, Bryce stopped in his tracks once more.

"B-begging your pardon sir, if that's not something I should have told you. I'm still young, you know, learning the world and all. If you don't like pirates, just say so and I'll be along my way like I never bothered you at all."

Bryce stood in place, waiting to see if Jhonen would turn around or keep walking, his hat tipped down enough to just hide his eyes. In the next few seconds, he'd quickly learn whether he'd made a mistake or an excellent decision.

Jhonen's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. He halted just at the door to the public house, standing just aside from it.

"A pirate huh? And what sort of pirate exactly do you want to be?" Jhonen posed, his hand resting gently on the spar of the anchor on his back.

"Keeping in mind that you have no idea what sort of person I'm like, tell the truth. You say adventure. What's your real goal? Treasure? Destruction? Glory? Or something more personal?" he hedged gently. He took his hand off the anchor and yanked open the door.

"Tell you what, how about we discuss the matter over an ale?" he offered.

~~~

Shocker wiped his mouth, swiping away the remains of the energy drink. He felt pepped up and ready for anything, and right now he wanted to find a criminal. He dropped some coins onto the benchtop, then wandered away, moving through the marketplace fluidly. His stride was confident and strong, his jacket trailing slightly behind him thanks to the breeze.

He stopped, sniffed the air and caught a waft of strong salt smell. That wasn't strange at all, given he was by a harbour. Speaking of which...

Shocker turned abruptly, trotting down to the harbourmaster's quarters at the edge of the port. He rapped smartly on the door, and was greeted by a portly man, red in the face and looking rather harried. Shocker wasn't surprised, it was a busy harbour.

"Harbourmaster, I'm Lieutenant Junior Dreyton," he announced authoritatively. He was a commissioned officer and was able to pull rank over a civilian harbourmaster any time he wanted. And this harbourmaster knew it. The ruddy man gulped, for usually when a Marine Officer showed up it meant trouble.

"May I come in?"

Bryce laughed softly, rubbing the back of his head, tilting it back slightly at the same time.

"Well, I've never drank properly, being young and all...but I'd be happy to sit down with you and discuss things a bit." Taking Jhonen's invitation, Bryce walked around the anchor man, turning and giving a very slight bow in thanks for having had the door held open for him. He made his way to a table against the front wall, but away from the windows.

"The truth of it is, sir, I've always wanted to be famous," Bryce confessed, his voice low and conspiratory. "I'd really like to be..." For a moment, he sat transfixed, his eyes searching Jhonen's. There was a sort of sad urgency in them, as if he really wanted to say something but wasn't sure if he should.

"I want people to see me," Bryce said at last, tipping his head forward a bit to hide his eyes once more. "I know it's a pretty sad dream, but I just want people to see me."

His head tilted down, face hidden beneath his the brim of his hat, Bryce shook a tiny bit. When he looked up he was wearing a warm, apologetic smile and his brown eyes were alight with excitement and earnest hope.

"But it's my dream anyway, and I'll chase it to the ends of the world...to Raftel, if I have to!"

"What's that, you don't drink?" Jhonen asked, somewhat surprised. Had he vastly over-estimated the man's age? Was he really a boy? And if he was, did it even matter? Jhonen shrugged it off, waving over a bar wench as he listened to Bryce speak.

"Ah yes, a mug of ale for me thanks. None for the... boy," Jhonen concluded as the wench took the order. She wandered away and Jhonen leaned on the table, drumming his fingers as he considered Bryce's dream.

"To be seen, is that all?" he commented dryly. "Let me guess. Middle child in a big family, felt left out of the spotlight. Played up a bit, found out that got you some attention," Jhonen continued on.

"Any attention was good attention, even bad attention, so you kept playing up, ran away, met up with 'the wrong people'... and now you're here," Jhonen concluded. "Stuck without a job, without a family and without a way to get anywhere in life. How am I doing?" he asked, grinning broadly as the ale arrived.

~~~

"Could I get you anything? Some tea, perhaps?" the ruddy harbourmaster offered politely. Shocker waved him away silently, fastidiously pouring over the harbour manifest for arrivals over the past few days. The manifest looked pretty normal. Several trader ships, some fishing boats, his Marine cutter... and a second Marine cutter. He checked the name. Dauntless Hope. It sounded familiar, and if there was already a Marine presence here he should have been informed by the higher-ups when he was dispatched here. It was part of his standard patrol route, after all.

Shocker stood up abruptly, causing the squat harbourmaster leaning over his shoulder to tumble backwards painfully.

"Thank you for your time. I need to check out some things back at my ship, harbourmaster. For now, please ensure that the Dauntless Hope doesn't leave." He grabbed his jacket, shrugging it on casually. "I'd like to catch up with my fellow Marines whilst I get the chance," he added cheerly as he walked out the door.

Bryce stared at Jhonen, eyes growing wider with each word the man spoke. He remained silent for a short while, then closed his gaping jaw and looked back down.

"It's pretty close," Bryce said, his voice lower than before, a somber tone to it. "Only, I didn't meet up with the wrong people...I set out because I didn't have anywhere left to go."

Looking up and revealing his face once more, though not his eyes, Jhonen could see he had paled, losing all colour, his freckles standing out like blood spatter on his ashen countenance.

"There was a pirate," he said, continuing to stare at the table, his mouth barely moving as he spoke. "We were having a village gathering...he showed up, and started killing people. All my family, all the kids I had grown up with...he killed everyone but me and one other girl, and the few woodsmen who weren't at the social."

Looking up all the way, a smile creeping back to his lips as the colour slowly returned to his face, Bryce continued in a slightly cheerier tone.

"But it's sort of like a fresh start! Those people were close to me, but they never saw me. For them, in memory of their final moments..." Bryce's eyes shined with a burning inner fire. "For the memory of their last moments, their last words...I'll keep going, and been seen by everyone!"

They never saw you, Bryce? Jhonen wondered. The kid seemed very casual about how everyone he knew had been killed. And the last statement didn't make sense at all. If they didn't "see" Bryce then why would their last words and moments have been to suggest to Bryce that he be seen?

It was fishy to say the least.

"My sympathies. I've lost my family too. That's why I'm on the run," he added as he sipped his ale. It wasn't a story he was fond of, and it stung, because it was still fresh in his memory.

"I used to work for the World Government. A researcher. About a month ago I defected, abandoning my post with the World Government and taking all the research. It was something major and I came to realise I couldn't trust such a powerful organisation to have access to what I knew."

Jhonen paused, studying Bryce momentarily.

"So I stole my own work, and ran. I've been on the run for the past month, and I've finally evaded the Marines. So that's what you'd potentially be up against if you joined me," he advised.

Bryce mastered his emotions, but he could feel a surge of adrenaline pump through him. An outlaw...a pirate, now, by all rights, with World Government secrets. He'd be chased, hounded to the ends of the earth. That man - and his crew - would have all eyes on them. And with the anchor man's strength, his experience, they could stay one step ahead.

"It's perfect," Bryce finally announced, sounding a bit awestruck. "It's absolutely perfect."

Focusing back on Jhonen, Bryce practically flung himself across the table, leaning on his hands as far over as he could, a glowingly exuberant smile on his face. His eyes glowed with respect and awe, as well as something like longing.

"Take me with you," Bryce half-asked half-demanded. "I'll run with you. I'll help you guard that knowledge, no matter the cost!" Bryce was sincere in his statement; those secrets were something the World Government would never let go. As long as he was with that man, Bryce would never be ignored. All he'd have to do is stay one step ahead.

Remembering his place and mastering himself, Bryce sat back down properly, tilting his head forward once more. After a moment he looked back up, smiling calmly once more, and caught Jhonen's eyes.

"I mean, if you'll have me, sir. I can fight," Bryce added, pressing his hands flat against the table again but remaining still. "I'll be useful, I promise."

Jhonen held his mug up into the air.

"Alright then Bryce! To partnership," he motioned, toasting the air and finishing off the rest of his drink in a single draw.

"I've had a drink and cooled down now, so what do you want to do next, Bryce?"

~~~

Shocker sat at his desk, the Den Den Mushi link established with his commanding officer.

"Sir, it's Lieutenant Junior Dreyton. I'm on the island of Baterilla, and I've noticed another Marine clipper at the dock," he explained somberly. "According to the harbour manifest, the ship is the Dauntless Hope, but I was not aware there were any other Marine patrols in this area at the time, sir" he added helpfully. His commander could be touchy at times and if he thought Shocker was questioning him, there'd be hell to pay.

There was a drawn-out pause as Shocker listened to the shuffling of papers. Presumably his superior was checking the patrol logs for the name of the ship. Suddenly, his commander spoke, tersely and urgently.

"Lieutenant Dreyton, listen up. That ship was reported as stolen about a month ago," he advised. Dreyton felt his excitment rising, and also felt several small sparks of electricity leap off his fingertips. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Your orders then sir?"

The orders were grave but simple.

"Lieutenant, make sure the ship doesn't leave. There's a nearby patrol boat I can divert to your location. They'll take a day to reach the port so don't alert the thief to your presence," he ordered sternly.

"Watch and wait, and report back soon." The call ended and Shocker stared down at his desk, clenching his fists. He could feel the sparks rising again. This was an opportunity to apprehend a pirate and retrieve a Marine ship. A perfect opportunity for promotion and he was being ordered to watch and wait.

He took another deep breath, the electricity dissipating. Watch and wait. That's what he'd do. He had a crew of five marines, he could afford to wait.

The South Blue scum would be his.

"To partnership!" Bryce exclaimed a moment after Jhonen. Settling back down, he raised an invisible mug to the air as the other toasted. Feeling unusually happy, the young pirate flagged a wench.

"I'll have a mug of ale, too," Bryce stated politely. "Since we're celebrating."

The serving girl gave the younger of the two a dubious smile, but nodded anyways and hurried off to fetch his order. Before too long, Bryce was on his second, and behaving like any normal man would on his tenth.

"So we gotta get outta here, right?" Bryce said, pointing roughly north and skyward, his eyes glassy. "We just gotta charge outta here, big bro. We just gotta put it into gear and leave with a bang! Doesn't...it doesn't matter that they're looking, big bro! This..."

Bryce hiccuped, then settled into his chair, a smug grin on his face and a mug foaming in his hand.

"This is our sea!"

Jhonen smirked at the red-faced Bryce. Seems there was a reason Bryce didn't drink.

"Whoa, calm down Bryce. Let's not make a scene, hey?" he chided jovially. The kid was growing on him, that was for sure.

"Alright, let's head back to the ship. We can't leave yet, I haven't stocked up on everything we need, but I can show you the vessel," he explained. He stood up, waved one of the bar girls over and paid for the drinks, then motioned for Bryce to follow him.

They exited into the fresh air of the warm afternoon, and Jhonen headed for the boat, explaining as he went.

"My ship is a Marine cutter, a new model with an inventive rigging system. It's fast and lightweight, and can be crewed by a single person, though the full crew complement is around fourteen," he added.

"It was originally called the Dauntless Hope, but I've renamed it the Cosmos Vagrant. Since I'm on the run I haven't had new sails or flags made, because..."

Jhonen trailed off as he rounded the corner, halting suddenly. His hand moved to rest on the heel of his anchor and he put a hand out to halt Bryce. The object that had caused him to halt was a man sitting at a cafe right near the mooring the Vagrant was affixed to. He was quite tall, and seemed well built. What had originally caught Jhonen's eye was the pair of solar panels fitted into the man's exposed shoulders, but what had caused him to halt was a tattoo on the back of the man's neck. The hair on the back of Jhonen's own neck rose, as he thought about the tattoo he had on his neck. Department of Research, Project KA-001.

An assignment tattoo. The other man had one. At some point in his life he'd been involved with the World Government's research department.

Had they tracked him down? Had someone followed him this whole time?

"Bryce, we have to go, there's a Marine waiting near the ship. It's not safe here..."

His upper cheeks still bright and rosy, in the middle of the day, Bryce eyed the man that seemed to be worrying his new captain. His eyes widened a bit when he saw the sentinel sitting by the crazy awesome boat Jhonen had described a moment ago. It looked every bit as awesome as anchor-taichou had made it sound. The thought of leaving on anything less than that particular craft made Bryce feel suddenly ill.

"We're not going to leave without it, are we...?" Bryce's voice was crestfallen and shaky; he clearly wanted to be on that boat. "You've got a plan to get it back, ahhn..."

Bryce stopped, thinking back as hard as he could to his brief time with Jhonen. He couldn't come up with a name.

"I'm sorry, taichou, but it seems I haven't heard your name yet," Bryce finally admitted, his face turning an even deeper red. "I think, at least..."

Following Jhonen along as he lead them away from the marine watchman, Bryce decided to modify his question a bit, in case Jhonen chose to be secretive with him for now.

"What would you like to be called, taichou?"

"What would you like me to call

Jhonen paused, realising he'd actually never bothered to mention his name.

"Oh, huh, that slipped my mind. I'm Jhonen. If you'd prefer you can keep calling me Anchor, or Stargazer, or any combination thereof," Jhonen concluded. He ducked back around the corner, out of sight of the watchman. His anchor would be a clear giveaway if the Marines had any form of description of him.

"We won't abandon the Vagrant," Jhonen announced. "We'll just have to think about how to tackle the situation differently..."

"Of course, we'll have to decide quickly. If there's a marine watching the ship, it means they know it's stolen, and they'll probably send extra marines. I'd estimate a day to arrive, two days at the most," he added as he spoke to Bryce.

Jhonen smirked wryly, ruffling his hair.

"Seems that working with the Marines and learning proper procedure inside and out has been of some help to me!"

Nodding slowly, Bryce seemed to regard the situation with a dawning understanding. Unslinging his small pack from his shoulder, he took off and stowed his hat, revealing a head of medium length unruly hair, cut unevenly and curling out slightly at the tips. A moment later he was wearing a pair of dark shades in their place.

"Alright, Jhonen-nii," Bryce stated, taking off his shirt and wrapping up his guns in them. "I think I get it...hick!"

A short while later, he'd put on a white hoodie and wrapped his guns up in his normal t-shirt. Though Bryce didn't look much changed, his most obvious identifying features - his hat and custom guns - were out of sight. Giving Jhonen a mousy smile, waited for the ex-marine's next instructions.

"You're a really impressive guy, you know?" Bryce appraised, out of the blue. "I'm really glad to be sailing...hick! To be sailing under someone like nii-san..."

Shocker paused from his newspaper and raised his eyes. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, and it had nothing to do with his bioelectricity. It was an instinctual hackling, a gut feeling that something was not right. He turned his head very slightly, spotting movement at the edge of his peripheral vision.

Was it someone who'd just walked by the building? Or was it someone who'd just ducked back behind the building?

Watch and wait, he reminded himself. Then he thought about the situation. Screw watching and waiting, he decided firmly.

Shocker pushed his chair out and stood up, dropping the newspaper on the table. He raised his hand to get the attention of the cafe's owner, held up a coin and placed it on the table. It all seemed innocent enough, but that was the point. It was a coded signal to the four marines that were watching him, indicating that something was up.

He picked up his jacket, shrugging it on, and moved towards the building he'd spotted the movement at. He very slowly crept up to the corner, feeling anticipation build, and he held up one hand in a striking pose, electrical sparks jolting off the fingertips. If there were pirates here, he would be prepared.

Shocker took a deep breath, then rounded the corner.

~~~

"C'mon, Bryce," Jhonen ordered as he strode briskly through the market steets.

"We need to get back on that ship. Soon. Perhaps stealth would be the best option," Jhonen murmured, considering how Bryce had made himself look rather ordinary. However, Jhonen himself had the problem of the giant anchor on his back and his anchor cannons attached to his forearms.

"Any suggestions?"

"I wash thinking it'd be besht, too," Bryce said, a tiny bit more loudly than he should have. His impairment was evident in the form of his callous suggestion; normally, he'd be all for stealth too. At the moment, the youth was drunk and excited. If everyone on the island wasn't watching his back as he went, he'd never be satisfied.

"Shtill, we gotta be shmart about it. Islandsh out here in the bluesh don't have as many piratesh as others...hick! Sho the few they do at any time tend to shtand out a bit more. If we're the only ones here, we're the shtand-outs. But if, shay..." Bryce trailed off, reaching into his pack and pulling out a few pieces of paper. He held up the small stack, revealing three bounty posters.

"If, say, rumour had it these three - hick! - guysh were in town, the marinesh would 'know' who they're looking for." Bryce stumbled a bit, catching himself with surprising grace and continuing his stride undaunted. "Then, we make a sheen without being identified, and..."

All at once, Bryce's face turned a pale green colour. The stumble seemed to have knocked his stomach loose; in the blink of an eye, he was leaning against the nearest building and un-drinking his ale. Making miserable sounds for some thirty seconds, spitting acrid, stinging acid, he eventually continued.

"Mosht of the marinesh will rush to the sheen. We'll jusht hop onto your-" Bryce's words were lost in a second round of heaving. This one ended faster than the last.

"Your boat," Bryce finished, wiping his mouth with his forearm. "The only problem ish the anchor...that thing'sh the shize of a-"

This time, the drunk kid's words were not cut off by vomiting. Instead, he looked at Jhonen with eyes wide open, a bright and proud smile on his face.

"A wagon!" Bryce declared, starting the statement loudly and ending it more quietly as he remembered their situation. "We can hide your anchor in a wagon, Jhonen-nii!"

Almost before he had finished his words, Bryce's cheerful, blushing face grew grim and pale. Facing Jhonen, he'd gotten a look behind them, and he didn't much care for what he'd seen. Turning around again nonchalantly, he walked a bit ahead of his new captain.

"We've got a tail," Bryce said, not looking back. "If my plan'sh gonna work, we gotta loosh theshe guysh..."

Jhonen followed Bryce, a half serious and half amused look on his face. The kid couldn't even hold down two drinks, so god knows what his plan was going to be like. But if Bryce was to become his crewmember then he ought to give the young man the benefit of the doubt. He picked up his pace, to draw level with Bryce.

"Well then, I guess we'd better lose them," he concluded out loud, motioning Bryce down into a side alley. He darted his eyes around, looking for the right spot... nothing. The pair kept on walking nonchalantly through streets and chatting softly.

"I hope you realise that if they know the ship then they'll know I stole it, and they'll know to look for the guy with the giant anchor on his back," Jhonen commented. He also tilted his head slightly backwards.

"The guy who's tailing us is sure to have seen the anchor too. So I can't dump it while he's still following us. Ideas time Bryce, let's see what you've got. How would you lose this tail? I have a few ideas of my own, but impress me."

Wracking his addled brain for solutions, Bryce tried to think up something clever and effective, something as impressive as it is practical. Ducking down an alley was about the same as turning around and shouting "I see you!" to the man dogging them. All the same, they needed to get off the street.

"Man, now that my shtomach'sh all empty, I feel like eating," Bryce complained loudly, quieting his tone halfway through the sentence, exactly as he had earlier. "I'm not sho shur what plashesh are good around here, though." As he spoke he kept an eye out on the buildings along the street for a restaurant, finally spotting a place that fit his needs.

"I don't care if it'sh good or not, I'll eat here." Jogging towards the door, Bryce turned and held it open so that Jhonen could enter first. "After you, nii-shan."

A moment later both were inside, the door closed behind them. The front windows were smoked, impossible to see into from the street. A young waitress walked up to them, a pair of menus in her hand. Smiling, she curtsied slightly at the two and gestured towards the dining room.

"Booth or table?" the waitress asked in a sweet voice. Spotting what he'd been looking for from the street, the side-alley door, Bryce gestured to the table nearest it.

"Could we be sheated there, please?" Bryce asked as politely as possible. The waitress responded with a polite nod and lead them over. No sooner were they sitting than Bryce was browsing his menu.

"Could we have a minute to deshide?"

"Take your time, love! Don't be afraid to holler if either of you sweeties need anything, okay?" she answered. Bryce nodded emphatically in response and the charming young girl wandered off to help someone else. The second her back was turned, Bryce was at the door, holding it open.

"We go out thish door, and double back the way we came," he instructed, taking a quick glance around to make sure nobody was paying attention. "Just get into the back-alley ash shoon ash we're out. Our dog wash far enough behind that he shouldn't shee us if we move fasht."

Jhonen slipped out the door and into the back alley with nimble ease, impressed with Bryce's quick thinking. He glanced around and his face brightened noticably. As Bryce joined him, he pointed to the end of the alley. Standing there was a delivery wagon, loaded up with crates of vegetables. There appeared to be nobody around, the slightly ajar door further along indicating that the delivery was currently in progress.

"Right, we've found our wagon then," Jhonen noted. They had to be quick about it, most Marines weren't stupid and this tail would probably figure it out soon enough. He jogged down to the wagon and peeked under the loose sheet that covered the crates. Plenty of fresh vegetables. This was excellent, it would solve the anchor issue and the supplies issue at the same time.

Motioning Bryce over to help, Jhonen began pulling off some crates so he could put his anchor on the wagon. With the two of them working, it didn't take long to cover the anchor back over with crates. Once that was done Jhonen grabbed the wagon's harness and hitched himself in, dragging the cart onto the street.

"Okay Bryce, we're splitting up for an hour or so. Get yourself a little delivery cart or something. Some preserved meats would be best, I've run low," Jhonen ordered. He dropped some coins into Bryce's hand.

"I'll meet you back at the ship in an hour. Make sure you act like you're delivering to the ship, not like its your ship," he advised as he headed off down the road, mingling with the rest of the crowd as he dragged the creaking, groaning wagon behind him.