Serious; Salty's and Johnny's journeys; Chapter 3; Off to another adventure: The secret behind Mirage Island (Open to me and Shad0w)

The two men were walking for quite a while at the East Part of the city. Apparently, this place was not like the West Part. It was pretty obvious that bad stuff were taking place there. The place was full of casinos. There were many casinos which were named after many infamous pirate crews. However, the one that would surprise everybody was the biggest building, the place Condos and Johnny were heading at. It was a very big building, black and purple in color. There was a big sign on which the words "Black Cross Casino" were written. It was obviously the hide-out of the Mafia Pirates.

"Oh, this is the place..." Condos said and laughed. "We have arrived.". Then, in a similar way with Core before, he grabbed a Den Den Mushi. He pressed a few buttons in an attempt to call a man.
"Hello, Condos, is that you?" a deep voice was heard behind the Den Den Mushi.
"Yes, boss. I have arrived with Mr. Cool." he said.
"Great. I can't wait to see him..." the boss said.

Who was the man behind the Den Den Mushi?!

"Black Cross? Hmph, such a pirate still has that much influence all the way over here?" Johnny wonders to himself, but loud enough to be heard, just when they arrived in front of the massive building's entrance. This entrance is actually wide open, and people can be seen in the main hall, or whatever this large open space is called here, gambling and slacking around. What a weird place, it's really weird. How can there be that many people? Old Man's explanation begun to look lacking, somethin about this area was hidden, especially considering that the Marines are unaware of this place. It's as if someone with high power made sure that this place stays well hidden.

"Well, not exactly... You should know the story better..." Condos said while the two were walking through the halls and the rooms of the casino. "The Mafia Pirates were a crew that was allied to the Black Cross Pirates. Although they were allied with them, they were probably the weakest crew out of all the allies. As a result, when Roberto D. Wally met his downfall, the crew was in big trouble... Unable to survive in the second half of the Grand Line, they started traveling across Paradise. However, while they, I mean we, were traveling across Paradise we fell inside the swimming whirlpools and we eventually ended up here. When we ended up here, we realized that many missing pirates were here... As they had no ways of communication with the outside world, we decided to take advantage of that. We used the name of the Black Cross Pirates and we made our basement here. When we came to the East Part, the place was nothing more than ruins. All the savage pirates who were exiled from the West Part were sent here. But, as soon as our boss came here, he quickly managed to unite them all together, saying that the Black Cross Pirates were the ones who sent him here in order to find new members..." Condos explained. Then, he lit a new cigar, as his previous one had already been burnt.

"Those people... They easily fell for the lie. Our forces were enhanced and we became much, much stronger. However, we could not get up to the surface again for a reason..." Condos continued but before he fully explained he reached a door. The door was black colored and it had a cross designed on it. "It looks like we arrived." he said and he opened the door. Behind the door, there was a dark room and the shadow of a man could be barely seen.

"Welcome back, Condos. I can't wait to meet our guest!" he said. WHO WAS THE MAN BEHIND THE SHADOW?!

"So you used that man's name as a cover to act as you please. How pirate-like. Aren't you gettin afraid of such a thing? I heard that the Black Cross have reappeared in the New World, and have taken several islands under their turf in mere days. But then again, no one knows of this place, eh?" Johnny replies to the man, wanting to basically pressure him into speaking more, so he could gain as much information as he could. But, they had arrived already, and he came across the mysterious figure. "Guess I can ask the same to you. Mind to explain me why you wish to see me?"

"Of course, I will, Mr. Cool. Or should I call you Johnny-san?" the man behind the shadow said. It was obvious that the man was looking outside the window and Johnny and Condos were looking at the back of the chair. However, in an instant, the man turned his chair and the place was immediately lighted, revealing the man's face. He had a very big scar across his right eye and he had white hair. His sideburns were yellow and he had blue eyes. He wore a white suit, opposing the black colored dressing style of the other members of his crew. He stood up, afterwards, revealing his great height. He was very tall, taller than Johnny by a head.

[Introduction Box]
[Romano Scandal]
[Captain/Head of the Mafia Pirates - Former ally of Roberto D. Wally]
[Bounty: 132,000,000 Beri]

"I will immediately explain..." Romano said. "You see, me and my dear friends were planning something for the island... Condos has probably explained you half of the story, so I will finish it. When we came here we were unable to get to the surface for a reason. As a result, we decided to establish our business here. Due to our crew's nature, we were quickly exiled by the habitats of the West Part here. When we came here, the west place was nothing more than a field of savage pirates. However, we quickly built all these casinos and we promoted the place. We soon managed to attract people here from the West Part who were eager to return to their previous way of living and we became stronger and stronger... We gained a massive force, a force of over 9,000 men, capable of easily destroying the majority of the forces of the East Part who were around 1,000 men. And when that happened, we learned of a valuable information... We found out that in fact there is a way outside the island. Even if you cannot go by a ship, there's a man here who has communication with the outside world. We got to him, we sent people to him but they were all defeated one after another. So, we divised a plan. We were prepared to completely nuke the West Part to destroy all the weak fighters and leave only that man standing. But, something went wrong. Apparently, a bunch of people accidentally found our men. Our men quickly went to slay them but before they did so, one managed to give an S.O.S. call, contacting you and your friends." Romano continued explaining and then he grabbed a glass. He opened a bottle, filling the glass with whiskey. He drank some and he continued "I was worried. I did not know what to do. At first, I believed you would not reach the place and that you would ignore the call. But you did not do so... You showed great will and you arrived at Mirage Island. You, as well as your friends, eventually reached the city... Most of your friends were caught... Any marine we found was caught. But, upon seeing Captain Peppery, we realized that you were with them! Of course for that, we did not kill them. I decided to speak to you first... And now, I will get to the main point... Both you and me had something common and you know what I am talking about. So, I am asking you a question... Will you assist me at bringing down that man who has the only way of escaping from here and co-operate with me, or will you oppose me?".

What was Romano talking about?!

Johnny remained silent for a while, merely with his hands in his pockets. Then, he slowly moves, and takes out a glass of wine, and pours in a liquid from a small bottle he pulled out of hammer's space. "A rare mixture of tequila and mango juice breed, there's only one place in the world where they can mix those two ingredients without it ever getting soiled." Johnny gulps it down, and then sits on a chair, without really asking for permission. "I don't cooperate with pirates .. however, today's offer is different. After all, each one will win something in return. So, I'll do it."

"Great." Romano said and he sat on his chair once again. He drunk some of his drink and he said "In about one hour, my subordinates will have probably finished setting up the nukes at the West Part... So before we make our movement and attack the place afterwards, you have some time to see your friends. What do you say?" Romano asked Johnny, not even minding because of the fact that Johnny sat without asking for a permission.

Despite his calm personality, Romano was looking very dangerous! What were the true motives of the man?

"Of course. After all, you need to show me some solid proof that indeed you have my subordinates, as otherwise, I would, and could, take advantage of you people bringing me here, to bring the leader, that would be you, into submission. So, please show me the way." Johnny says, and stands up, crossing his arms and waiting. Despite Romano's intimidating appearance, Johnny still made it clear that he believed he had enough power to actually bring down that entire gang of criminals. Probably an exaggeration, but still, impressive.

"Fine. I will send my men to take you away when we are ready." Romano said and smiled. Immediately afterwards, he pressed a button which was on his office and the floor below Johnny opened. Johnny fell inside the hole.

He was falling for quite a while and eventually, after falling through many floors, he reached a grey colored room. Inside the room there were big, steel cages and behind the cages there were none others than Salty and Fino, the two marines.

"Johnny-san!" Salty said with a smile on his face. "You came to save us!" he finished.

"Gee .. so you guys did got caught..." Johnny says, and sighs in frustration. Up to this point, he was hoping that those people were just lying to him to make him do their dirty work. But, obviously, that wasn't the case. Douche was indeed missing thought, not that this was much of an advantage anyway, he probably got lost somewhere. *I could try to break those cells however, those idiots just let me fall right here, do they think that I can't break those things?* He thinks to himself, letting out a sigh of relief. Was it really that simple?

"Hey! It's not my mistake!!!" Salty yelled at Johnny and he remembered the moment during which he was caught.

[Flashback]

As Salty walked through the roads of the East Part, two people walk towards his direction. Those people are dressed with mafia-like clothes and they have fedora hats. They are no others than Sore and Core.

"Hey, could you help me at something? I want he-" Salty asked them but before he completed his sentence, Core disappeared from the position he was standing at and he reappeared behind him. Then, without even speaking any words, he karate-chops Salty to the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious.

[Flashback ends]

"It's your mistake that you let them attack you!" Fino said with his chipmunked voice.
"Whatever..." Salty said.
"Anyway... Johnny-san... Is there a way you can get us out?" Fino asked Johnny. "If I had my sword, I would be able to cut down those jail bars, but they have taken all of our equipment..." he explained and finished.

"Hmmm .. they seem to be pretty lax .." Johnny says, referring to the fact that those men just left him reach his friends, without sending anyone along, without even keeping an eye on him. Thinking about the situation, Johnny then concludes, that perphaps it would be worth giving it a shot and just breaking his friends out. After all, even if they were to say anything "bad" about him or his past, whether it was true or not, he could just deny it. Would they believe him, or a bunch of criminals that kidnapped and then caged them?

Meanwhile, at the West Part...

Many people, dressed with the clothes of the Mafia Pirates are making the necessary preparations about the big plan of their boss, Romano. Deep inside abandoned buildings, they are carrying boxes which are full of explosives. Many of those deadly boxes have been planted in several buildings and it looks like an extremely big explosion is about to take place, which will probably destroy the whole West Part, if not a part of the East Part by accident, as well.

At the place Sore and Core are...

Core seems to be speaking with somebody and that somebody is none other than their boss, Romano.

"Core, how are the preparations going?" Romano asked Core.
"Everything is perfect boss. Our goons are almost done with the planting of the bombs and in about half an hour everything will be completed.
"Fabulous! Marvelous!" Romano said and laughed.
"What about Mr. Johnny, boss?" Core asked his boss. "What did he decided to do?".
"Oh that idiot... Well, he said that he would help us but that guy is the definition of rat. I can't trust him... At the moment I let him see his friends without any guards around him so that he will believe that I trust him." Romano mentioned to Core and laughed once again, just because he was believing that he was a genius.
"That sounds much like you, boss..."
"Right." Romano said and he turned off his Den Den Mushi. Then, he looked at a screen which was on his office and inside the screen he was watching at Johnny, who was speaking with his marine friends...

The sound of bars hitting the ground and bouncing down once are heard. And some moments later, Johnny is walking around the room, alongside his friends. He apparently managed to easily take care of those steel cages, a feat that was apparently simple to his eyes, but absolutely amazing at the eyes of the other two marines alongside him. Seeing that there's only one large door-like construction, Johnny concludes that this is the only way out.
"Oi, guys, lend me a hand? That one's massive for me to do it by myself." He casually says, ignoring everything that has happened to him the entire day.

((OOC: Worry not, I'm ready to be captured again if it's needed ))

As the trio is about to get out of the jail room, the door opens and a man reveals himself. That man wears a suit, like every other member of the Mafia Pirates, but he is pretty different. His suit is purple and he sports a pink shirt below his suit. Both the suit at the upper part and the shirt are open, revealing his muscles. He has long pink hair and a slim mouth. He also wears sunglasses on his eyes and he has earrings on both his eyes.

"Apapa!!! The boss said that I should not let the two of you go... Apapapapapapa!" he said and he took off his sunglasses, revealing an angry and deadly look on his face. He had pink eyes which were shining, making him look slightly scary.

[Introduction Box]
[Colress Kild]
[Fighter of the Mafia Pirates]
[Bounty: 26,000,000 Beri]

However, before Johnny and Fino made their movements to attack the fighter of the Mafia Pirates, Salty moved forward and he pointed towards Colress. "You!" he said. "You are the one who was given my camera when your friends put me in that prison!" he said with hatred towards him, obviously because he laid his dirty pirate hands on his camera.

"Apapa! And?" Colress says to Salty, with a mocking tone in his voice.
"I am going to punish you for that... For that I am going to punish you." Salty said with a cold voice to him and he started speaking with his annoying speech pattern, indicating that he already started using his Troll Combat in action to face off against Colress inside the room of the jail.

"Johnny-san! Fino-san! This time, it will be me that will save the day... I will deal with him. Run." he said and as soon as he said that, Fino started running away, following the commands of the Commodore.

Salty's bravery .. the man stood up, showing his guts, as well as his bravado. Despite having himself caught earlier on, and having to rely to Johnny-san to release him, the man now seems willing to sit back and fight with the enemy, despite having just escaped from his cage. The sentiments were heavy, and for that time, it really felt as if the time was frozen, or at least, going in slow motion. You could almost see it, aside Salty's confident smile, you could almost see sparkles and a radiating aura. Could it be, courage?
However, Johnny's next action quickly cancels everything, including this absolutely cool-for-Salty-moment, by ..
"No time to waste, let's go." Johnny says, and having just fired off a powerful strike on the enemy's abdomen, he sends him flying, and smashing onto some machinery nearby, tearing everything apart in the process. Not leaving Salty time to react, Johnny pulls his friend from his shirt's collar, and he begins to run after Fino, almost drowing poor Salty, as if ruining his moment wasn't enough!

(OOC: Sorry, I just .. HAD to do it 'xD))

"APAPAPAPAPAPAPA!!!" Colress yelled as soon as he was smashed at the machinery and he fell unconscious in an instant, because of the punch of Johnny that struck him at his abdomen. For a while, afterwards, Johnny, who grabbed Salty, was running along with him. They were trying to keep up with Fino, but in the end the swordsman was lost. That guy... Even if he looked pathetically weak and pretty mindless, like Douche, he seemed to be having great potential...

"Damn you, Johnny-san!" Salty was yelling in the meanwhile. "You stole my moments of glory!" he complained but before he could say more things to Johnny, who was not speaking, something unexpected was about to happen. This time, as the two of them were crossing a hall that had a few stairs in the end that would lead to a higher floor, a man appeared in front of the two and that man was none other than Condos.

"Hey, hey... It looks like you decided to not keep your word, Mr. Cool. How unkind of you..." Condos said while clapping.
"Hey, Johnny! Do you know this guy?" Salty questioned Johnny in surprise and he forgot all the things he had to say to him, while waiting for the man's response.

"I'm sorry about that, aniki." Johnny simply says, and takes a few steps ahead, looking at Condos. "He's a guy I made a deal with to let you live. But, it wasn't really my fault that they then left me in the same room as you guys. So mind your words, scum, you think I'm going to make bargains with you?" He adds, this time, mainly adressing to Condos.

"Mr. Cool... To be honest, I have no idea what the boss had inside his mind when he let you see those marines... Could it be that he thought that you are completely loyal to your allies? I don't know... But it doesn't matter. Because by the time our battle is going to end, our people will have probably finished nuking the whole West city Part and then we are finally going to get our chance to escape from here..." Condos said and he took a deep breath. However, as he was taking a deep breath, his cigar fell from his mouth, in a similar way it did every time he was laughing. He grabbed the cigar from the ground and he placed it in his mouth once again. He lit it up again and he continued speaking. "Honestly, I didn't really want to battle the two of you... However, it looks like I have no other choice. The boss told me to buy some time and I am afraid that I have to." he finished.

"What a messed up place we ended up being. Fair enough. Boss, shall we break throught that scumbag?" Johnny says, this time adressing to Salty as boss, something he also did when the pair found out about their promotions. Either way, Johnny relaxes his arms and walks in front of Condos, to the right side, expecting Salty to sit across them, to the left side. "You don't seem strong, especially considering how weak that other one was .. but, it's not the right time to waste time, so we will team up." Saying that, Johnny makes a rapid movement forward, and they all begin to fight.

Meanwhile, at the ship
"I think they are gone.."
"They must be gone!"
"Be gone, they must!"
"Alright, listen you clowns, I'll untie myself, and we are outta here!" Achoo says to Zorn and Thorn. The other two, Hiko and Niko didn't spoke, apparently they are either still knocked out, or just napping and without noticing what's happening.

Salty and Johnny vs Condos (At Black Cross Casino, BF03)

"Indeed, we will deal with him, as we have no other choice... As we have no other choiuce, we will deal with him, indeed!" Salty said, obviously indicating that he started using his Troll Combat once again. Before, Johnny prevented him from taking on Colress, but this time, it was finally Salty's time to shine. Salty would try his best in order to deal against that short guy who looked anything but not strong enough to deal with Salty and Johnny together. And even if Condos was capable of dealing with Salty, the Commodore believed that he was definitely unable to deal with Johnny, who was a physical powerhouse, a monster as many others would say...

Quickly, Salty moved his body at the left side of Condos, as Johnny stood at the right side. He gained his balance and he started moving his feet up and down. His feet would hit on the floor and cause a loud sound. At first, this was not annoying. However, this was happening for around a minute. Salty was hitting the floor constantly with his feet and this was getting annoying... More and more annoying.

"Huh? What are you doing there? And more importantly... What do you think you can do without your camera?" Condos questioned Salty, who, before Condos finished with his sentence, started running towards his direction. He had a scary and funny look on his face, as if he was about to do something stupid and annoying... The face he had on his face at that time was the face of a man who was about to troll, a real troll.

"I am going to do this!" Salty said as he arrived in front of Condos and with a trollish look on his face, he performed a kick at the short man's dearest place. Condos screamed in pain and his cigar fell from his mouth, much like when he was laughing. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!" he screamed in pain and Salty smiled. "This I am going to do." he finished. "Your turn Johnny. Johnny, your turn!".

Now, it was Johnny's turn to attack! How would the marine act on the situation??

Romano (Boss Room - Black Cross Casino Floor 5)

Romano is sitting on his chair, while waiting for the necessary call from Core and Sore. However, while he is waiting, he seems to be enjoying the battle of Johnny and Salty against Condos. He drinks some whiskey and he eats some pop corn, while looking at the two marines who are trying to defeat his first mate. "Hm... Commodore Salty is not that weak, after all..." he said and he waited to see what Johnny would do.

Johnny quickly followed up Salty's "attack", by firing off a kick on the short man's jaw, sending him smashing onto the machinery and cargo around the large room. Turning his face towards Salty, it feels as if the man's about to compliment Salty. This impression was given since the cool guy had a faint smirk on his face. However, it quickly is replaced with a nod, and a rather regretful and embarrashed expression. "That's a really nasty way to kick someone.." he bluntly says, and then looks towards Condos's direction, noticing that the guy just got up as if nothing has happened, merely a few bruises, but still the face one would expect to have after having his precious area kicked. "That's some good durability." Johnny remarks, and then speeds up towards their enemy.

Salty and Johnny vs Condos (At Black Cross Casino - BF03)

"You, sirs!!! That hurt!!!!!! That hurt more than you can imagine!!! Those cigars I am smoking are costing me a fortune and while you were attacking you destroyed my precious cigar!!!" Condos said, causing an awkward moment for a few seconds. "Anyway!!!" he continued speaking and he took a serious look on his face. "I have to stay calm and focus, otherwise, you might beat the crap out of me. You look like a powerful combination, indeed." he commented and then his body started transforming...

The man's face transformed into that of an eagle, wings sprouted on his back and his fingers changed into talons. It was pretty obvious that Condos was a fruit user.

"That fruit... I recognise it." Salty said as soon as he realized that ability of the man.
"Huh? You do?" Condos questioned the Commodore.
"Yes... It's the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Eagle, if I am not wrong..." Salty spoiled the fruit's name.
"Indeed, it is." Condos said and smiled. Then, he moved both his wings, blowing the air in front of him to launch a small gust of wind towards Salty and Johnny.
"DAMN!!!" Salty yelled, obviously indicating that he was expecting Johnny to actually do something about this.

"A fruit user .. funny, an eagle trapped inside a room .." Johnny says, and fires off a rapid barrage of jab punches towards Condos's side, hitting him multiple times. The eagle-man however seems to be really durable, as, while his face does twitch in pain, he barely moves an intch.
Making a back flip, Johnny lands with one of his hand, or rather his fingers extended, touching the ground. "It's like you are in a cage, huh?" He says, seemingly he didn't heard a word that Salty said!

[OOC: you ignored the gust attack, but nevermind]

Salty and Johnny vs Condos (At Black Cross Casino - BF03)

"I was about to say the same about you..." Condos said and started laughing out loud, making Salty feel a little bit uncomfortable. Apparently, it looked like the First Mate of the Mafia Pirates was pretty confident, especially after he transformed into his eagle form. It was pretty obvious, as even Condos himself admitted, that he was simply buying time for the other members of the crew to progress with their plan. Salty and Johnny were apparently for them potential dangers and until the Mafia Pirates completed their plan of nuking the West Part, they would not allow them to escape from the casino. However, there was something very weird. Although he was simply fighting to buy some time, he said that he could lose... And that brought out some questions inside Salty's mind. Even if Condos thought that he could lose to Salty and Johnny, why was he that confident at that moment?! Could it be that he had accepted the idea of losing or something else???

However, before Salty could think more, Condos was about to make his own movement. After the punches that he received from Johnny, that barely even hurt him, he pointed with his wings towards the two marines. He flapped them twice and several feathers, around 20 moved towards the direction of Johnny. At first, the feathers looked harmless... However, a few seconds later, it was pretty obvious that they were not. "Feather Daggers!" Condos said. "If you get hit, you are doomed!" he mentioned. It was pretty obvious that he was using an enhancing technique to make the feathers stronger... But what could that technique be?

Romano (Boss Room - Black Cross Casino Floor 5)

Meanwhile, Romano is still watching at the events that are unfolding. Seeing Condos transforming and using his Feather Daggers attack, he drinks a few droplets of his whiskey and he says "It looks like he got more serious and they are having trouble... I probably over-estimated those two marines... Especially Johnny.".