Chapter 3.1: The Beginning of Something Big! An ally's sword unsheathed! [Task]

Mystic was walking around town, while sticking to the crowds of people walking around, with a big smile on her face. She was throwing a pouch of beli in the air and catching it, she just got 'payed' for a small errand. "Finally I can buy more shiny things now, but what to buy" she pondered a bit and looked at her beloved sword Blood, which had a dull blade "Maybe I should get you shined and sharpened" She put the pouch in her pocket and looked around at everyone (Why do I get the feeling someone strong is nearby?) she thought and slipped out of sight into the shadows away from the crowds of people who were walking around and talking to one another. She watched everyone and looked for the presence. After a few minutes of looking Mystic became bored and slowly walked through the shadows, her hands close the sword she was carrying on her back

Saori walked briskly from store to store, her face set in a dark frown at the lack of herbs she could find. "It's amazing these people aren't all dead "she thought. glancing into the shadows at the coughing, crying poor. Saori continued through the crowd, stopping every so often to "read" peoples auras. "Nothing too interesting" she thought, fighting through the crowd to get to a supposedly ground-breaking apothecary. As she dodged the elbow of an unkempt haggler slipped into the shadows. Checking her map, she wandered the dark alleyways, ignoring all else. All of a sudden she felt her skin crawl, a sure sign a battle was going to happen. She looked up just in time to see a sword slip through the darkness. "Might be navy" she thought, creeping forward to get a better look at the swords owner.

Mystic glanced behind her as she felt the strong presence again "Am I being followed? Hmmm they might want my bounty. I'm not getting caught again" she whispered to herself. She put her hands to her side and examined what was in front of her (Maybe I can lose them) she smiled and started running through the shadows constantly looking at the snake wrapped around her waist "Just don't fall...again" she grumbled to herself and ran into an alleyway that led to a dead end "Aww come on, stupid dead ends" she looked around for a place to hide but found nothing

"She's definitely up to something" Saori thought, trying to keep up as the stranger wove through various dark alleys. Dodging trash and people Saori chased after the stranger, reaching her arm out to try and grab it. "I've already seen several marines" she thought. "What if she's leading me to an ambush?"All of a sudden her face hit stone, and a loud nauseating crack reverberated throughout the narrow alleyway. wiping blood of her face, she Pulled herself up. "You won't escape me" Finally she turned down another alleyway, this one a dead end. The only other person here was a woman, and the swords owner. "Who are you?" she called out.

Mystic turned around to see a new face. She felt the same strong presence coming from her. She backed away slightly as she heard the words "Who are you". She hated speaking to new people, especially since she couldn't trust them. Although she hated talking she would do it if it meant getting out of this situation "W..why must you know my name? Is it...important?" She glanced around for a place to escape seeing no way but up (Why do I always run into dead ends where I have to climb up?) she thought looking completely annoyed then slowly moved her hand towards her sword "I hope I don't have to fight her" she whispered to the snake

"Who are you?" saori asked again, growing irritated and sore. "Perhaps she can't hear..." She thought. She walked closer the the girl, and repeated her question yet again. Deciding she was getting nowhere, she changed tactics. Adopting the sweetest tone she could she said "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just a bit lost." She took a step closer, and gently put her hand on the girls shoulder.Biting back the urge to roll her eyes she said "I'm Saori, and you are? Thats a pretty big sword you have, but you don't look like a marine."

Mystic backed away slowly and grabbed her sword as she heard the young woman getting irritated. (She's so persistent) she thought. She watched as the woman got closer and closer to her. She stopped backing away when her back hit the wall and shuddered when she felt a hand on her shoulder. (I hate being touched) Mystic turned and glared at the woman then moved her hand off her shoulder. "Don't touch me" she growled and stood tall then listened to what the woman had to say and growled slightly when she was asked for her identity again. "Since you keep asking I'll just tell you. I'm Mystic Okido, a pirate not a stupid marine. And I have a large sword for personal reasons" she grumbled and crossed her arms

Just when Saori was getting tired of her, she answered. "Since you keep asking I'll just tell you. I'm Mystic Okido, a pirate not a stupid marine. And I have a large sword for personal reasons"Saori let her hand be pulled off and leaned against a nearby wall hoping that Mystic would make the next move. "Well nice to meet you, Just checking to see if you were the strong aura I sensed, and that you weren't a marine."She pulled out a handkerchief and tended to her bloody nose. "What on earth am I doing..."she thought. Then she turned to the other girl,"So, I'm lost, could you show me to the nearest apothecary?"

Mystic looked slightly puzzle seeing Saori wasn't as irritated as before (People usually stay angry at me, why isn't she). Her mind raced until she heard Saori speaking again "It's nice to meet you as well...I guess. And I'd never be a lowly marine" she said and watched her cleaning the blood off her nose and wondered what happened. Mystic began to walk out of the alley when she heard the words "So, I'm lost, could you show me to the nearest apothecary?" she stopped and looked down sighing "Just follow me I'll take you to one" she walked into the crowds (What am I doing staying around a stranger and why does she need medicine and/or drugs?)

Saori lounged against the wall chiding herself for getting so lost "Come on Saori, how could you lose the map, you need to head to the ship!" she thought to herself before Mystic started talking again "Just follow me I'll take you to one". She followed her out of the dark alleyways, not bothering with any conversation other than the occasional "Which way now?" After what felt like forever, she was finally led back to the bright and lively market place. Saori trailed behind Mystic, until finally reaching a nondescript apothecary. Muttering a curt "thanks" she turned and started to head inside.

Mystic stopped walking once they got to an apothecary shop then turned to face Saori. "Here we are the local apothecary" She looked down and shuffled her feet as if she was waiting for something. Mystic grumbled softly as she heard the curt "thank you" "Yea you're welcome" she said with a sigh and put her hands on her hips and put her back to the wall as Saori walked in the store

Somewhere above her head, a small bell chimed, alerting the owners of her arrival. Saori wandered around the store, buying what little she could afford, stealing what she couldn't. Every once in a while she stopped to look over her shoulder, and wonder what Mystic was still doing there. "Is she waiting for me? most people would of left ages ago" "Just these purchases and I can finally head back."A light mist was falling as she Finally left the shop, her purchases in hand. As she walked up to mystic she noticed yet another strong aura. "I'm done shopping, thanks for waiting"

Mystic watched Saori go around the shop smiling when she saw her stealing "So I'm not the only thief around here" she said to herself and leaned against the wall, she waited for her to come out. Once she saw Saori come out of the shop her smile faded to a grin "You're welcome and you can do much better than that, why did you go easy on them" She asked and looked at the falling mist not noticing the other strong aura.

(Sorry for the late reply)

Suddenly a group of tugs came out of the mist. There were at least 30 of them in one group and they were all armed. The other people in the streets backed off and ran away, leaving it empty. Also the shop Saori just came from, closed their doors.

"Well well, you aren't afraid of the bloodhound gang. or just stupid."

A thug said. He was standing right before the girls and grinned. The sight of his yellow teeth was only made worst by the rotten smell from his mouth.

"What are cute girls like you, doing here alone. Need a man to help you carry your berri's and weapons?"

He said while the group behinde him laughed. Suddenly another voice came from the other side of the street.

"You there, evil thug!"

A fancy looking marine came from the other side. He was wearing shades and a really shiny white jacket. He was armed with one single shiny golden katana. He smiled proudly, showing off his white teeth. His blond hair was fully styled and taken care off.

"Those pirates are mine. Their bounties are well over 50.000.000.- Berri together and I am not going to miss that one. I am Captain Pelican and you are both going down."

He lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. Suddenly a group of marines appeared behinde him. There were at least as much as the tugs.

"Prepare to get rocked, people."

Capt. Pelican:

Mystic glared at the thugs once they walked up to her and Saori. "I'm not stupid, and your breath stinks. Also you not getting anywhere near my beli or Blood" she said and her snake hissed loudly "See even Arashi says so" she scowled at them and looked at the marines as they ran up then growled in frustration "Marines, why is it marines." she said cracking her knuckles and grabbing her sword "Ugh I guess we have to fight" she said looking at Saori and put her snake on the ground, she watched it slither away

Saori stayed quiet and rolled her eyes as a thug started talking to them. "Do we have to fight?"she thought in a bored and resigned manner, half tempted to run away. Then her gaze was drawn to a shiny golden katana. "ugh marines" she thought, her fists instinctively clenching. Mystic was getting ready next to her, saing something about fighting"Ugh I guess we have to fight" Saori nodded, and stepped forward. "You want to take on the thugs and i'll get the marines? Or should we stick together?"

"No time to think, young lady!"

Pelican shouted as he pointed his sword at Saori. The marines nodded and all loaded their guns as they took up shooting positions. The thugs on the other hand were all ready the charge into battle.

"You will go done. All of you."

"Not if we kill you first, Pelican!"

The thugleader shouted back. The marine captain laughed and made a quick twirl before shouting:

"FIRE!"

All the marine guns were fired.

Mystic looked at Saori and smiled. She was just about to answer her question when she heard the marine captain shout "No time to think, young lady" Mystic growled as she was interrupted and shot a glare at Pelican then looked at the other marines (Darn they have guns) she thought as she unsheathed Blood and put the sword on her shoulder. Mystic turned to look at the thugs and examined their weapons. "Let's stick together Saori" she said right as the word "FIRE!" was yelled and flinched as the bullets were shot from their guns.

Saori nodded to the girl, while making a mental note to ask her about her snake. Then she lifted her hand, and with a loud bang two large wooden crates on the sidewalk flew into the air, taking out five marines in a spray of beer and bodies. "I have a bounty already?" she though to herself. "Hey Mystic, i'm always up for killing marines, but should we fight them or try to run? If we can shake them we might be able to make it back to my ship!" She looked out at her attackers with a sense of foreboding, things could get really bloody, really soon.

Attack used
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(sorry about how late this is, i've had a lot of tests to study for =( )

While the marines were taken out by the flying crates, Pelican managed to dodge it. He looked at the girls and sniffed.

"Devil fruit..."

The rest of the thugs and marines charged at each other, armed with swords and guns, starting a battle in the town. Pelican simply walked to the two girls and grinned, while he took out thugs on his way. He took 5 marines with him, leaving the rest to fight the less skilled thugs.

Mystic looked at Saori with a surprised look on her face after hearing the word run. "For the record I only run when I'm stealing! Plus I don't think that's possible right now with this marine in our way" she glared at Pelican and gripped her sword tightly. "But if you really want to run then go, I'll distract them" Mystic ran in the middle of the fight and jumped into the air and slammed her sword down making the thugs and marines up to 5 ft away fall to the ground. "Now's your chance! Go!" (I can't believe I'm doing this!)

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(Sorry I lost my muse)

Pelcian jumped back to dodge the attack. The rubble from the crash that attacks made on the ground, flew all in his face and Pelican got hit by a few. He spit out a little blood while he grinned.

"You got some fight in you. I am surprised. But can you dodge this?"

Pelican charged forward with his high speed, aiming his sword right to the chest of the girl he was fighting. His speed was great and he handled his sword like a talented swordfighter. But right when was about the stab the girl, he stopped and made an unexpected swing across her whole body, trying to cut her.

(OOC, Sorry for the late responde but Rose is inactive for a while. So now I just skipped her. You can go again, mystic.)

Mystic watched as Pelican got hit by the rubble with a smile on her face. Once he started running and her, Mystic tried frantically to pick her sword up and move out of the way. Due to her exhaustion she wasn't able to move in time and instead braced herself for the attack, Mystic then got hit by Pelican's attack, which sent her flying back and hitting the ground. (I can't lose) She thought while trying to get up.

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OOC: I'm super sorry for the late response, I'll be on more often now

Saori watched blankly as the marines charged forward. She saw one of the tougher marines raise his sword and slash Mystic. She snapped out of her daze right as the girl fell to the ground. Slowly Saori walked closer to the Marine, when a white orb suddenly started floating towards him. It alighted upon the ground by his feet, the orb exploded in a small explosion. As the dust started to clear she could see a growing puddle of blood, but the smoke obscured the rest of her vision. Turning to Mystic, she started to hold out her hand, then quickly drew it back again. Instead she threw a small bundle of herbs at the girl, "Squeeze the juice on your wounds, It'll make them heal faster" before turning away.

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(Sorry, its been super busy here, I should be able to post stuff more often now)

Mystic sat up and looked over to Saori, she grabbed the bundle of herbs and quickly squeezed the juice in her new wound. She struggled to stand up and looked at the puddle of blood that surrounded Pelican "She's stronger than I thought" she mumbles and looks back to Saori. "Thanks for the help, but why didn't you run?" she questioned

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OOC: Sorry short post