An unmarked island and a deadly discovery! part 2

Chapter 5: Livingstone
Uncharted island, north side.

''Dimitri hurtles through the air and smashes into a tree as a monster, a huge mass of fur with five heavily muscled limbs, knocks him flying with a well-placed swipe. George flips to avoid the backstroke of the same action, which results in another fist slamming into the ground where he was standing. He lands from the flip only to crash into something six legged and scaly, which promptly rises up revealing an impossibly long mouth, and more teeth than any creature should have.''

Marley: I seriously doubt these things belong here bro!

''The mouth closes on him, and he narrowly avoids crippling injuries by driving his mindsword through the roof of its mouth, apparently delivering a fatal blow. The jaw falls shut and he rolls clear.''

Dimitri: Where could they have come from then?!

Marley: No idea, but they’re just all wrong for the environment

''Dimitri, now back on his feet, blasts the multi limbed gorilla with his gun arm, sending it staggering onto one of the other creatures. and then rushes past Marley to halt another monster, this one with only four limbs, but a head that, if not for the fur, would not have looked out of place on a hammerhead shark. In one swift movement of his staff, he sweeps its legs, plants the other end against its chest, and shoves it backwards with a strong shove. Even with its hunched posture it is knocked off balance, but before either of them can finish it off something three legged with a ridiculous number of what look like scorpion tails assaults them and they are forced to retreat.''

Dimitri: Nandemo Shift left!

''Dimitri’s left arm transforms into a large cylindrical long barrel like form, with a cogwheel attached to his wrist and behind his hand. George backs off to cover behind them, while Dimitri stands in the path of the scorpion tailed thing, just as it begins to strike''

Dimitri: Secret weapon: Revolver guard!

''The armour of his new cylindrical arm hinges open, and a triangular plate attaches to the cogwheel. With a spin it unfolds into a large round shield, a mere second before a volley of tail strikes rattle down on it,''

Dimitri: Hmmph…

Marley: Woah, good one Bro! Ack!

He narrowly avoids getting flattened by the recovering hammer-headed creature, and summons both his mindswords again as a second of the multi limbed things closes in.

Dimitri: Darn it, just how many of these things are there?

 <p class="MsoNormal">

<span style="color:white;font-family:VinerHandITC;font-size:63.6363639831543px;line-height:72.7272720336914px;text-align:center;">Some time later
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, southern side clearing.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica and Byrn back off from what seems to be a monster of their own as it advances, this one a veritable walking mass of vegetation and plant life in vaguely humanoid shape.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: I’m going to start shooting once it takes two steps closer.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica nods, but seems distracted as she stands back, as though trying to concentrate on something.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: come on.. Devil fruit.. time to-

<p class="MsoNormal">Monster: Fyaaaaargh!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: too late!

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: Here it comes…

<p class="MsoNormal">They both trail off as the monster turns to its left, completely ignoring them in favour of their fire, which it repeatedly dumps handfuls of dust and soil onto, until eventually it is extinguished with a dull hiss.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Well… That seems…. wait hold on a minute, it’s-

<p class="MsoNormal">''The greenery all over the creature seems to shrink somehow, disappearing in patches leaving behind faint spots, and revealing a much more ordinary form underneath. Eventually, all that is left is a single small tree, growing out of the head of the humanoid figure. The creature itself is actually human, wearing tattered and torn clothes, and the huge glassy eyes were in fact round framed glasses. Still ignoring them, the person seems to rant to himself as he staggers around the remains of the fire, gesturing wildly.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: A man..

<p class="MsoNormal">???: Fiya! Sfiya! Ond’iland No! Nonnonononooo! Y’uantave fiya heeyare Setsevrifing mad!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: What?

<p class="MsoNormal">The person continues to circle on the spot, yelling random things.

<p class="MsoNormal">???: Ah. Uh. Ohh? Oh. Oh. Ummm…. Y’ou. You... Can’t have fire Heeeere!!! The whole place goes crazy!

<p class="MsoNormal">''The man seems to yell everything he says, and in the rare cases when he doesn’t, he instead seems to rant at a wild, hard to follow pace. And almost every word is punctuated by sudden exaggerated gestures such as waving and twirling on the spot. Jessica, who less than a minute before had been planning how to fight a monster, finds herself utterly bemused.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: No fire?

<p class="MsoNormal">??: None! The trees are so flammababable..… and exploaaaaady! You can’t even burn the safe ones right here or the bad ones might go up! And that’s bad!

<p class="MsoNormal">It takes Jessica a second to understand this, and then she shakes her head at the near miss.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Darn, that was close. Thanks for telling us.

<p class="MsoNormal">??: No problem-

<p class="MsoNormal">They stop suddenly and stare at each other in joint realisation.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: You live here.

<p class="MsoNormal">??: I think so. How about you?

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: On an uninhabited uncharted island there’s a person living? That would mean-

<p class="MsoNormal">''The man steps forwards, grabs her shoulder firmly, and shakes her. Then, after a second’s pause, suddenly pulls her into a  hug, much to her shock.''

<p class="MsoNormal">??: You’re real! You’re not a figg-ment! Not a hallucination! A real peeeeersoon!!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: What?! Wait! Get off!

<p class="MsoNormal">The person lets go and steps back suddenly, apologetic.

<p class="MsoNormal">??: Sorry, It’s just.. a real person!... But wait.... uninhabittedebed? I live here?

<p class="MsoNormal">''His expression falls, and he drops to his knees in despondence. His voice drops as well, though still stays quite loud.''

<p class="MsoNormal">??: Ohhhhhh… I’m the hallucination!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica stares as he falls face forwards, looking miserable.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Umm.. You seem pretty real to me..

<p class="MsoNormal">??: Well yeah, I’m a hallucination, I look real..

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica bizarrely finds the fact that he is now talking in a normal voice somewhat sad, but he seems to perk up as Byrn interjects.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: No, you are definitely real, I can see you as well.

<p class="MsoNormal">The stranger promptly leaps back to his feet, huge smile restored, and waves both arms in a grand gesture, yelling at the top of his voice again.

<p class="MsoNormal">??: Brilliant! I thought I was real! Would have been a real shame to have been wrong these past few years! The name’s Liiiiiiiiiiiiivingstoooooooooooooooone!! Jackson Livingstone!! And this is my islaaaaaand! Welcome!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Umm.. thanks. So you’re a shipwreck victim I take?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Yep! Lifeboat crash landed! Been here ever since! Seems nobody ever comes here, so I don’t get rescued!! Still, could be worse! Lots of interesting plants…

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: I was just going to ask you about that, see, you appear to… you…. You have a tree on your head.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Oh this? Ancestor tree! Perfectly ordinary!

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: hmm?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: What? Don’t get it? I gotta have a home for my ancestors for if they come back, right?

<p class="MsoNormal">Caden: Ah. I’ve heard of such things before.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Then how is it growing out of your head?. You can grow plants all over your body somehow, can’t you?

<p class="MsoNormal">''Livingstone grins broadly, looking even more deranged, and holds out one arm. A couple of mushrooms bloom from the shoulder, vines drop off his elbow, and something looking very much like a tumbleweed seems to roll across his bicep. He waves the arm to draw attention to it, and shrugs in acknowledgment.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: That’s right! Congratulaaations!! I ate an odd fruit, now I’m a walking garden! Pretty convenient on an island like this.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: Convenient?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Why yes! Eating would be awkward otherwise!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Why?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: There’s no animals on the island! Just insects and birds. And the bugs aren’t edible. Mostly. And the plants here are all really weird. It takes a long while to work out what’s good and what’s not. This way, I’ve got plenty of food wherever I neeeed it!!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica smiles

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: So it is just plants here. Guess the other guys won’t have any luck hunting. Though at least they’re definitely not in any danger.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Oh, yeah, they’ll be safe, whoever they are. Hardly anything dangerous ever happens here.

<p class="MsoNormal">''There is a very loud explosion in the distance, and a rattle of several trees collapsing. Livingstone’s smile freezes on his face. Jessica and Byrn glare at him questioningly.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: What was that?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: That’s… Just ignore that.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: What?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: I just need to.. umm.. excuse me a minute.

<p class="MsoNormal">''He turns around and starts to walk off in the direction of the explosion. Then after a few seconds he hesitates, then suddenly starts running, twirling and nearly skipping to clear a large tree root, and then rushing off. As he goes, some of the plants start to grow across his body again, and he shouts giddily.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Whaaaat?! Just What?! What what what the heck was that?! Take a look, take a look..

<p class="MsoNormal">He snags a vine as he passes, spins around a tree, and disappears again. Jessica and Byrn stare after him, then, with a brief glance at each other, give chase.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<span style="color:white;font-family:VinerHandITC;font-size:63.6363639831543px;line-height:72.7272720336914px;text-align:center;">Some time later
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, on the north side of the island.

<p class="MsoNormal">''George shakes his head as the echoes of the blast die away, and tries to pick himself up. To his surprise, he finds himself partially buried in a hollow full of fine grey ash. He seems to be on the edge of a clearing, but he can’t tell how large it is because it is full of billowing clouds of the same ash. Then he notices all the intact trees near him are bent away, as though flattened by a shockwave.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: What the… Bro?

<p class="MsoNormal">''The first thing he sees as the ash cloud starts to clear is Dimitri’s hat, partially covered by the ash, lying on the ground. Almost immediately after, he sees Dimitri. The captain is breathing heavily, and as the dust clears it is apparent he is injured, with a small trickle of blood coming out of his mouth, as well as heavily bruised, but somehow he is still standing, with his staff held ready in his left hand.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Bro?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: ….. .those things… are tough…..

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: What happened?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri : There was a tree….. I tried to shoot one of them,…. and I hit a tree. And it blew up. Flammable I guess. But most of them got caught at least

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Is it over then?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: ….Not quite.

<p class="MsoNormal">''A dark shape is visible in the clearing ash cloud, and resolves into one of the many armed gorilla-like creatures, advancing on them. Dimitri raises his staff, and then suddenly flinches and doubles up in pain.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: What?!

<p class="MsoNormal">''Dimitri’s torn and battered jacket is falling apart, and blood is seeping into his shirt quickly. George panics as he notices this, but has to rush to intercept the monster.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: The wound you got off Bergmont?! You said it barely harmed you!

<p class="MsoNormal">''Dimitri doesn’t answer at first, but instead staggers and drops to his knees. George stares in horror.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Must have opened up from all the shock…

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Oh no.. oh no no no, don’t pass out bro…

<p class="MsoNormal">''There is no reply. The gigantic monster rears up behind George, but as it strikes He throws out an arm, deflecting it with a circular glowing shape that materialises above him''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Ain’t no rule a sword can’t be circular… Now stay back!

<p class="MsoNormal">His other arm lashes out and slashes across the beast’s stomach, causing it to hesitate.

<p class="MsoNormal">'' Marley follows up by spinning and hitting it with another extremely hard two handed strike, forcing it to step back again. Had it possessed any intellect at all, it might have noticed the angry, focussed glare of the swordsman, contrasting his usual smile, and hesitated before attacking. However, since it doesn’t, it instead retaliates with a punch of its own, Marley simply weaves out the way, and then slashes across the arm several times, causing it to recoil in pain. Not leaving an opening, Marley simply kicks it to drive it back again, transitions into an odd stance with his arms seemingly folded, and then unleashes a powerful horizontal slash that sends the thing sprawling across the clearing. It slowly starts to get back up, as does at least one of the other monsters, but George ignores it in favour of Dimitri.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Bro?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri slowly climbs back to his feet.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Perhaps I got just a little over ambitious.

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Hah… Darn right…. Hang on, I’ve got this covered.

<p class="MsoNormal">''As another monstrous ape begins to charge again George ducks under its swinging limbs, then unleashes yet another slash, this one actually severing one of the arms. When it ignores this, he slams his entire body weight into it to knock it sprawling and swings for its head on the backstroke. While the strike connects, nearly severing its neck, the thing ignores it and thrashes at him some more, forcing him to defend. As he does he notices at least one more creature getting back up, even as this one seems to weaken.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Bro, how quickly can you get me a hand cannon?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri drops back to his knees to support his right arm, which expands into a large howitzer like weapon as he braces it against the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: When do you need?

<p class="MsoNormal">George parries another clumsy strike, and then, his mindsword gaining width and thickness, weaves through the limbs to chop at his new target; the scorched stump of a small tree caught in the blast.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: ah. Say the word when you need it.

<p class="MsoNormal">George: Hang on, hang on…

<p class="MsoNormal">The monster swings at George, and he swings the tree trunk around and slams it into the creature, and then suddenly flips backwards, kicking off it to try and throw himself clear.

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Now!

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri fires and, predictably, chaos ensues.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<span style="color:white;font-family:VinerHandITC;font-size:63.6363639831543px;line-height:72.7272720336914px;text-align:center;">Some time later
<p class="MsoNormal">''Not too far away, Jessica and Byrn rush in pursuit of the rapidly fleeing foliage covered Jackson Livingstone. In the distance ahead of them is an ominous rumbling and crackling. Byrn and Jessica are actually gaining on Livingstone, who is staying ahead simply by being used to the environment, and exploits the trees and foliage to move faster instead of being hindered. His odd leaping strides are punctuated by sudden jumps and yells, and he continues to mutter under his breath as well.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Hey! Wait a second!

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: Stop….

<p class="MsoNormal">''There is another loud explosion in the distance, accompanied by a flash, and Livingstone falters mid jump. As he lands, he spins on the spot, as he does suddenly yelling out loud.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Oh! Ok here it comes. Everybody….. DOWN!

<p class="MsoNormal">''And with that he falls over, just as the ominous yellow glow in the distance starts getting bigger, brighter, and more obvious. Byrn stops running and pushes Jessica over, although she was already diving, and then also throws himself aside. Something burning bright orange comes rushing towards them as they do, and passes overhead, making an unearthly screech and a crackle as it flies. After a while behind them there are several muffled crashes, indicating it finally came to a stop, and a faint smell of smoke settles over the group. Livingstone, just as suddenly springs back to his feet, and turns slowly on the spot again a few times, whereas Jessica and Byrn stand more cautiously.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: And off we go again!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Wait! Livingstone, what was that?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Oh that? Flying tree-trunk! Not ordinary in the slightest.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: Not ordinary?

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: How often do you get them?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Oh well… it’s the first one I’ve ever seen.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: What?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: I’ve never seen anything like that before! Perhaps something happened up aheaaad!

<p class="MsoNormal">He rushes onwards, and Jessica and Byrn give chase.

<p class="MsoNormal">''As he expected, as they come closer they find the clearing Dimitri and George had been fighting in. It is now much larger than before, widened considerably by their finishing shot. There are several small fires around the edge of the clearing, and Dimitri is attempting to put one out, spraying water from a pipe made from one hand. George is helping him by carefully burying another fire with a mindsword that looks more like a spade. They both turn as the group approaches. Byrn notes with some alarm that George looks heavily bruised and stagers slightly as though dizzy.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Ah, you two! Somehow… I knew it.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: What’s going on?

<p class="MsoNormal">George raises his blade

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Oh, well, ain’t no rule a sword can’t be shovel shaped! Good for putting out fires.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: I meant, why are there fires?

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Well.. we ran into some…. Revolting natives. Only I don’t think they were natives... We sorted them… But Dimitri’s been injured a bit.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: What?!

<p class="MsoNormal">''Dimitri, having finished extinguishing the fire, has now turned to face them. The horizontal scar across his chest has bled heavily, and is soaking into his torn shirt and jacket, as well as trailing across his stomach slightly. Jessica nearly gasps with horror.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: It’s just a scratch.

<p class="MsoNormal">''Silence falls. Byrn glares at Dimitri, and Jessica just stares, almost speechless. Livingstone twirls and dances around the circle, extinguishing fires as he goes. Marley glances between the three deadlocked pirates for a long while, and then attempts to break the tension.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: soooo…. Who’s the leafy guy?

<p class="MsoNormal">It doesn’t work much, but eventually Jessica answers

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: He calls himself Jackson Livingstone-

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone:- You called, pretty Lady?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Ummm.. no…

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Oh sorry.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Well, he’s apparently been stranded here for ages. We’ll need to give him a lift off the island I guess.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: So he knows this island?

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Well, I think so but-

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Good! Hey Green guy!

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone, reacting to this last shout, spins on the spot and comes running back to the group of pirates.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: You caaaaaallled?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Are there any weird animals on this island? Like say… multi limbed gorilla things? Or hammer-headed turtles?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Multi hammered gorilla turtles? What were they like? Furry?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Mostly. A few scaly.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Big?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Huge.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Fairly stupid?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: They just smashed anything close to them at random, and I don’t think they actually had any brains, so yeah. You get them often?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Nope, never heard of them! If there are monsters like this here then… then….

<p class="MsoNormal">''He suddenly shudders. His next shout is more like a wail of terror''

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: I need to get off this island quicklyyyyyyyy!

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri smiles faintly.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Oh don’t worry too much, there shouldn’t  be any more of those around if I’m right. That’s the good news.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Brilllliaaaannt!! So what’s the bad news?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: The fact that if we don’t get back to it quickly our ship might be robbed, or possibly sunk.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica, Byrn and George all recoil at this, and Lvingstone overreacts spectacularly, bouncing back on one foot and tipping over onto his back as he yells.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn, Marley, Jessica: Robbed?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Sssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkkkkk?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: We need to go!

<p class="MsoNormal">He adjusts his hat, strides forward quickly, then staggers slightly as George and Byrn intercept him.

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Hang on bro, you can’t run around like that, ya gotta stop the wound opening.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri steps passed them, and tries to keep walking, only to stagger.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: But we’ve still got trouble.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone promptly spins back to his feet again, and raises both arms triumphantly.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Don’t worry! I can help you here! Using this island’s plants I can get you back to your ship reaaaallly Faaaaaaassst! Watch this!

<p class="MsoNormal">''Large, thick tree branches expand out of his back, forming an odd basket like formation. At the same time, another type of tree, this one forming thick, gnarled roots, twist out his legs and brace themselves against the ground. With a loud yell he suddenly tackles the protesting Dimitri, and flips him over his shoulder into the nest of branches. Then he turns, yells, and sets off at a run back towards the other side of the island where the ship is moored.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Woah…

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: …. Wait a minute. He’s dropped Dimitri’s staff and hat. Must have fallen off when he ran.

<p class="MsoNormal">George picks up the battered Tricorn hat lying in the clearing, whereas Byrn collapses the staff, which was embedded in the ground and standing on end, and then turn back to Jessica.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: He’s already quite a way into the forest. He must be incredibly strong to carry Dimitri at that speed.

<p class="MsoNormal">''This comment is followed immediately by a distant thud and a shout of protest as Livingstone collapses under the weight of the cyborg. The three pirates fall silent for a second. Then George and Byrn share a look, before running forwards. They rush past Jessica, and she finds herself left holding both the hat and the collapsed staff. She turns around just in time to see them catch up to Livingstone, and haul him onto their own shoulders, before running off again, carrying both Livingstone and the somewhat annoyed Dimitri.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Ah.. Hey! Don’t leave me behind!

<p class="MsoNormal">She runs off after the retreating group.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<span style="color:white;font-family:VinerHandITC;font-size:63.6363639831543px;line-height:72.7272720336914px;text-align:center;">Some time later
<p class="MsoNormal">''An hour or so later, after arriving back at their ship and searching, the pirates conclude that nothing is missing, nor has anything been damaged. They subsequently regroup on the main deck as the ship sets sail, Marley taking the helm.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: So we didn’t find much food, and Dimitri got wounded by indigenous monsters that Livingstone went five years without seeing?

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: Also there was the whole thing about the ship being sunk. What was that about, Bro?

<p class="MsoNormal">''Dimitri is leaning on the mast. His wound has stopped bleeding, but is clearly quite serious.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: It was those creatures. They were a distraction.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: What?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri waves a twig in the air thoughtfully, tracing patterns.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Doesn’t anyone else find it odd that me and George just happened to run into them looking for food, and yet Livingstone here never knew they were there? Also they were overly aggressive and slow witted, with no self-preservation instinct. They couldn’t be normal creatures for this ecosystem, and that’s aside from the fact that they were carnivorous on an island of plants.

<p class="MsoNormal">Marley: So how’d they get here?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: I wasn’t sure at first, but there are only so many possible conclusions. Somebody brought them here, and let them loose while we were passing to keep us busy. The only thing I could think of that they’d be after is our ship.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: And yet nothing was taken or damaged…

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri shrugs, and grins playfully.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Yep, I messed up! Hehehehe!!!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Darn right you did! You’re lucky to be alive! This is a disaster!

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: On the plus side I’m off that island. Now I just need to get to… to….

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Where?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone suddenly stops moving, and goes very still, striking an abrupt contrast to his usual constant twitching.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: I don’t know…

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Why not come with us for a while then?

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Oh? Join your crew? Ok! You got me off that island after all.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: So where to next?

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: According to the charts, the island town of Sarabanto. We’ll be able to restock properly there. And then we can look into recruiting.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Eh?!

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: This crew won’t last long otherwise. We need a doctor and a cook-

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone suddenly springs straight up, not quite jumping, but still causing everyone to recoil.

<p class="MsoNormal">Livingstone: Cooooooooook!!! I’m a cook! I’m a cook! I can cook aaaannnyyythiiiiiiing!

<p class="MsoNormal">''Marley literally falls over at this outburst, and scrambles to grab the helm again. Byrn is the only member of the crew unfazed, although Jessica tries to continue regardless.''

<p class="MsoNormal">Jessica: Ok… So we have a cook. But still, whatever happens, we recruit a doctor as soon as possible. Right?

<p class="MsoNormal">Dimitri: Fair enough… We’ll probably need one if somebody is dropping monsters on our heads from now.

<p class="MsoNormal">Byrn: To be perfectly honest, I’m not convinced by that. Who would be trying to attack rookies like us? And why?

<p class="MsoNormal">

<span style="color:white;font-family:VinerHandITC;font-size:63.6363639831543px;line-height:72.7272720336914px;text-align:center;">Some time later
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kurorei island, Crossroads Archipelago, New World

<p class="MsoNormal">In a darkened room, a Den Den mushi rings, and a man in a black cloak answers.

<p class="MsoNormal">???: Yes?

<p class="MsoNormal">The voice at the end has a harsh metallic undertone to it, and is barely more than a whisper

<p class="MsoNormal">Caller: Necros.

<p class="MsoNormal">Necros: Oh. You.

<p class="MsoNormal">Caller: Those Chimera of yours were worthless. They didn’t even survive the fight.

<p class="MsoNormal">Necros: I said they would have a short life expectancy.

<p class="MsoNormal">Caller: And also that they were more than a match for a rookie pirate crew. They didn’t even provide a long enough delay for me to board their ship

<p class="MsoNormal">Necros: Interesting. Nevertheless you did not call just to complain.

<p class="MsoNormal">Caller: Of course not. I need you to carry out the alternative plan.

<p class="MsoNormal">Necros: I suspected as such. You have payment?

<p class="MsoNormal">Caller:  Your chimera failed.

<p class="MsoNormal">Necros: That appears to be more a matter of you underestimating your targets. I provided everything I was paid for.

<p class="MsoNormal">Caller: Fine. Provided you do your job, I will pay.

<p class="MsoNormal">Necros: In that case, we have a contract. Good luck, Hunter.

<p class="MsoNormal"> <p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:348.0pt">The end