Serious: The Burning of the Marmalade Kingdom (Giovanni Pirates)

The Giovanni were sailing across the grandline upon their ship, The Enterprise. It has been but only a few days since their battle in Little Garden. Now Roberto wants to put as many miles behind them as possible fearing Anubis wrath. He wasn't ready to takedown a yonkou...at least not yet. The crew could now explore their new home. The Enterprise was a Caravel class ship, so it wasn't made for battle but rather for speed and maneuverable. This would be useful for the time being since they were such a small crew. Roberto was sitting at the poker table built on top of table playing poker with Midas, Kurage, and Jason. He had his favorite drink of Cognac by his side. He was also writing up a contract for Bluebeard's admission to the crew.

Jason sat opposite of Roberto a bottle of iced vodka sitting next to him. "Where are we headin boss?" Jason asked.

Kurage looked around at this crew he had attached himself to and could see that so far this crew had a man who'd eaten the ice logia and another man who was captain who'd eaten the magma logia. Seemed that if this ship sunk he'd be the one stuck having to save these two, which was no surprise there, he was often the one saving people.

Kurage reached out for his drink and rested his tentacles in his glass of Rum, the true drink of pirates unlike these other two who had Vodka and Brandy. As he absorbed the Rum into his system through his tentacles the rum could be seen travelling through his tentacles up to his head.
His eyes flicked up to look at Jason who had asked their Captain where they were headed then they flicked to Roberto awaiting his reply.

Roberto took another drink of Cognac while looking at his cards "I'll put up one thousand beli." He pushed a stack full of chips toward the center of table. "We are heading toward the Marmalade Kingdom. Its treasury holds approxmity 500,000,000 beli tightly locked in a safe underground the royal castle. With this much money we could afford ourselves a new ship, hire more crewmates, and even the purchase of our own fleet. This how we are going to do it." Roberto took out a newspaper and revealed the headlines "Princess Juicy Fruit will be making an appearance in the kingdom today. This will a perfect opportunity for us to hold her for ransom."

Roberto wrote the contract signing Bluebeard among the crew for five years for 100,000,000 beli.

"...I'll bet 100,000 beli." Jason said sliding his amount on the table. "Thats a lot of money and a big job...Maybe after it's said and done we keep the princess as a whore? Men love high class tail ya know." Jason said taking a swig of his vodka.

Looking down at his own cards then at Roberto & Jason push money in Kurage laid his cards on the table and looked at his money. "Fold" muttered Kurage as more Rum entered his system and could be seen heading towards his head.
He listened to his Captain's plans and heard Jason remark about making the princess a whore.

"If she's a human I don't care what you do with her as long as I get my fair share of the money I'll be happy."

He didn't mind going after a princess it wouldn't bother him in the least, as he sat there looking down at the table and the chips in the middle of the table he thought to himself, Too bad I had shit cards.

Tony looked up from were he had been studying his two pair carefully. listening to the plan his fur coat swaying lightly in the breeze as the smoke slowly rose from his black cigarette in its long holder, he pushed about 300,000 beli forward with the blunt side of his hook studying his crew mates through the gold tinted shades "I'll see dat 100 thou and raise ya 20, So Don Roberto ya intend ta clear out da vault and capture da princess bankrupt the kingdom and steal its heir." He lay the cards face down on the table picking up a dark red wine sipping it slowly before continuing. "Money fame and the pretty little princess at our mercy dat is what I call a jackpot" kukukukuku

"Oi never played this before. We gonna show our hands soon or what?" Jason said in a slightly annoyed tone. "And don't think of tainting our product with your greasy hands and dicks." Jason said finish his vodka. "Rule 1 of a prostitution ring. You don't sample your product till you got enough of it to go around." he said pouring him self another wine glass of the drink.

Bluebeard merely stood rigidly, only to end up up fussing over his pet manticore, Widdles, who sat on his shoulder quite comfortably. After watching Roberto carefully as he signed the contract, and then peered at it carefully, checking if the signiture was not used under a false name and for any sneaky decimal points on the payment amount. After being satisfied with the contract, he rolled it up carefully place it in one of his breechs' pockets, before turning to his employer and warning him; "It seems everything is fine in the contract, but keep i mind of it's conditions, especially that I must leave for a whole day once every three years due to devil fruit effects. And even more importantly, if anyone hurts Widdles, I get to chop of their head." He then grinned warmly at Widdles as he peted him gently, who squeaked quite cheerfully; "Iron Trousers!" He then returned to his serious mood and asked gruffly; "Will there be marines as well as local forces and does her highness by per chance have her own personal guard? I am quite sure they would have the treasury heavily guarded."

Roberto seeing that lots of money was at stake decided to fold. One rule of life Roberto has learned is to cut your losses before u dig a hole you can't get out. He poured one more glass of his brandy. Roberto took another drink looking at Jason with a suspicious look "Jason I will not have women on my ship, so you can get your "meat" wet. I plan to kidnap the princess, and keep her as a distraction so we may rob the vault discreetly. What happens afterwards is none of my concern. I'll probably release her to some traders, but she will not be staying on this ship. A woman on a ship full of men, and excuse me a fishman too. I don't need a bunch of horndogs chasing tail all around the ship." Roberto laughed at Bluebeard "Nothing will happen to your.....pet. I'll assure you that." Their ship was closing on the Marmalade Kingdom. It would only be a few moments until they dock.

"Sir by all right I'm basicly Asexual. Since everyone folded may as well show what I had out of boredum." Jason said laying down his hand showing a royal flush. "This is a good hand right?" he asked.

Midas chuckled but shot a beli burying into the table in front of Jason "Watch da greasy comment my young friend dere's as much a stake in her pristine condition after the raid for all of us as deir is for you, share and share alike like it or not were in da same family now." he grinned inhaling from his black cigarette in its holder before speaking again the smoke billowing from his mouth as he does Kekekekeke "dere is another option for the pretty princess when were finished useing her as a distraction Don Roberto dat could make us even richer. Shabondy archipelago pays a kings ransom for royal slaves". Tonys eyes widened behind his golden shades as he saw the royal flush my my the boys got luck fates on his side today he thought as he payed out the amount of the pot as he had been holding the bet and used his hook to push the money toward the younger man "Well played young Jason it seems lady lucks on your arm today" He turned back to the dawn and saw the approaching he could almost smell the beli waiting to be made on this island before he stood draining his glass and setting it on the table his white fur coat swaying as he walked to beside Roberto "So Don Roberto I suppose we should discuss assignments"

Kurage hadn't paid much attention much of what had been said but he noticed Jason's hand and remembered his, it was a good thing he didn't bother staying in this hand as he only had a high card and that was all. From what Midas was speaking about he managed to piece together they were talking about Roberto's plans on kidnapping the princess. Sounded like he had it all planned out.

Kurage chose to take his leave then and stood up pushing his chips into the "pot" he said, "Here take my chips split them among yourselves or use them as the winner's pot of the next hand. I'm going for a swim." As Kurage walked out on to the deck of the shit he noticed how shoddily built it was when his foot went through a floor board. He sighed and continued heading towards the side of the boat. Who knew a bunch of muscular tentacles were so heavy. He thought to himself as he looked he could see the island in the distance.

Stripping of his shorts and leaving them on deck then removing his straw hat and placing that too on the deck with his shorts Kurage leapt over board into the refreshing water below. As his body hit the water his tentacles unformed and now he no longer looked remotely human. Instead he looked more like a huge giant jelly fish swimming in the water. The water felt refreshing in between his tentacles and he bean swimming around and under the ship to remain close so when they docked he wouldn't have a problem finding his crew.

"Midas a lump sum is good but a steady income of cash could be better. I think we should keep her in the lower halls of the ship and bring her out to whore her out on any island we stop at." Jason said taking the beli Midas shot out at him and placing it in his pocket. "Besides...When we get more whores we can then sell the princess for a lump sum and have a good amount of income coming in." Jason spoke as he took his beli. "Thank you Midas."

Roberto took out an cigar "Ah yesh good point Midas. Each person has a job to do. Once we capture the princess I will have her first....for intrerrogation purposes of course." Roberto coughed a few times before asking Midas to light his cigar. I will force her to tell me the outline of the palace. Kurage and Jason will be in charge of guarding the princess on the ship while me, Midas, and Bluebeard will be tunneling underground." Roberto stopped to let out some smoke from his mouth "The royal guards will be after you guys, so you guys will have to defend the ship until we come back with loot. The princess will our slave. I don't feel content of whoring royal ass to common people. She will be treated as our treasure, and will be used as we see fit. Once I...I mean we grow tired of her then we can sell her at saboandy. Besides you think buyers will sleep with a kidnapped princess knowing full well that world government will be searching all over for her?"

Midas chuckled guessing part of what Roberto might have in store for him he listened to the Dons plan taking out an elagant silver lighter and flicking it open lighting the cigar for the Don I take it den dat once inside and near to da vault you and Blubeard over there intend to defend me while I make use of my special talent to clean the kingdom cleaner den your suit" he chuckled listening to what Jason had to say before scratching his chin thoughtfully "Ya know you just might be onta somthin there with da whoring idea but not wit da Princess"

"Alright alright. No whorin out the princess I get it. I think I'm cashin in fer now. Don't wanna lose my money to get a nicer suit. Gotta look the part ya know." Jason said putting the beli in a bag and takin it to his room. After doing so he returned "So boss when we gonna hit?"

Bluebeard merely continued to observe the conversation between the crew, not even bothering to comment on the fact that Roberto had ignored his previous questions, while stroking Widdles gently, who purred in satisfaction. The mercenary had ended up with some not very nice people, but Bluebeard was used to this behaviour, after all mercenary's could hardly be choosers, and he himself wasn't exactly a selfless saint. Well, apart from when he looks after Widdles. He cleared his throat before asking; "With the underground tunneling is there a sewege system we start from or start fro scratch?"

Roberto smiled in a grin while holding the cigar in his mouth "Exactly Midas you get the idea. Grrrrawww ha ha ha." Roberto got up from the table. He looked over the ledge of the ship to see that their ship was approaching shore fast. They needed to prepare to dock or they are all going to crash the ship. "We are going to start from scratch, Bluebeard. With my Magu Magu no mo powers, we will be able to tunnel underground under the castle. Men our timing in this operation must be perfect. If any of us fails we will all be sent to prison for a very long time. I don't need to tell you guys what dangers awaits us. Men lets make port. Hoist the sails and drop anchor."

Hiei drifted far through the sea, his ship had been crashed by a humongous tidal wave a week ago and all he had left was a makeshift raft put together by his lotus flower, his clothes, and his Yukimaru. The ocean water had been draining his energy for so long her could barely stay awake.

Before the crash, he had just recently destroyed a marine base and had made his name known among the wanted posters. He had gotten tired that day due to his insomnia and began Neglecting the wheel. Soon his stupidity was realized, but it was far too late. And in seconds, his ship had been destroyed, leaving his stranded in the ocean.

He couldn't sleep, so he began halucinating as a result of having his strength constantly being sapped away. He mused about monsoons with an giant moose. He debated dogs with dead dinosaurs. He partitioned in Politics with a Penguin.

But then he saw a ship. Desparate that it wasn't a delusion of his, he fired a solar flare at an overhead bird, making a make-shift signal flare to catch their attation before his arms lost all strength and dropped onto the raft.

Swimming around in the sea water it felt great washing over his body and having his tentacles free in the water. Kurage rushed up to the surface of the water and looked up at the ship the shoddy ship which needed to be repared or replaced. Using his tentacles he pulled himself up and aboard the ship, he re formed his body and pulled on his shorts and straw hat. As his body dripped on to the weak ship's deck Kurage tightened his tentacles together to help his body stick back together how he usually had it.

He was thinking about kid napping this princess and looking forward to having hold of her in his tentacles, he would want to crush her for being a human and for being royalty. Kurage found Roberto his Captain and spoke to him asking, "Roberto let me go after the princess I want to show you how strong I am on my own. I can get in there grab her and get back out anddefend the ship till you guys get back. You guys all go after the safe. Leave the princess to me I can handle it." Kurage desperately wanted to prove his strength to Roberto not only because he was a human but also because it would give him the chance to show the Marines his strength and it would be a sign of respect for him.

It would show that Roberto respected his wishes and believed he held the strength to do such a job. As he waited for his Captain's reply he could feel the sea water dripping from his body to the floor below.

Bluebeard nodded in acknowledgement at Roberto's plan, also giving a grunt on agreement on his comment about everyone needing to do their job, afterall Bluebear dliked things to be done right and done the first time round. He then heard Kurage off deck, asking the captain if he could take the princess himself; to which the bearded mercenary replied; "With all due respect sir, the reasons Roberto has decided on our posts is because that is where he thinks we are best suited to, and wants us to succed in those specific tasks. Therefore if you do your job well, you shall already prove you are adept at your work." Widdles then stared into the horison and squeaked; "Bright light!", to which Bluebeard stared at where his pet was refering to. There was a burst of bright light, striking a bird in the distance, to which Bluebeard commented; "A distress flare. Either a trap by greedy thieves, or someone in geniune strees, most like a survivour of a crew wreck or possibly a pirate attack."

Roberto turned toward the direction where bluebeard was talking about. There was indeed an interesting light. Normally Roberto would just sailed past it ingoring the light all together, but Kurage wanting to prove his strength provided an convinent way to test the fishman. "Kurage go back into the ocean and see where that light is coming from. If you want to show me your strength now is the time to prove it. Bring me anything you can find." Roberto turned toward Jason and Midas "You two quickly hoist the sails before we crash into shore. Bluebeard drop anchor quick. If this ships crashes we will all drown, and I don't plan on dying today." Roberto took the helm slowly turning the ship as they were coming toward land.

Midas chuckled lightly, but did as he was told looping one of the ropes around his arm he began folding it around the hook as he pulled, though he was from a swank upbringing he wasn't opposed to the work. It a refreshing change from turning one 50 beli coin into several million by embedding it into some ones skull.

Kurage nodded to Roberto then looked over in the distance to see the light he was talking about. He felt a little annoyed about being asked to do it as he had just pulled his clothing back on but figured he may as well just leap right in. Kurage turned and leapt over board. His straw hat slipped from his head but hung around his neck by a string. He let his body unform and he slipped out of his shorts and gripped them with his tentacles then moved towards the light.

The closer and closer he got he began to notice it was just another puny human. He couldn't care less that it was a human and decided he wasn't worth saving. Swimming down under the raft Kurage looked up through the top of his head at the raft and raised his tentacles 4 on either side. Wrapping his tentacles around the raft he began attempting to crush it.