One Dream: Voyage 13

Past Voyage

Voyage 13: From Bad to Worse
''Some Marines flinched a little once Urufu shouted at them, but the majority refused to retreat even an inch. If there was even the slightest hint of criminal activity in the region, then the Marines stationed at Sabaody Archipelago would do their duty and eliminate the problem for the sake of peace and justice. Or at least, that's what they thought. To Urufu and Spike however, they were simply a persistent menace throughout their lives; one that was now harassing them at their own doorstep. The harassment seemed to continue, as one Marine, holding a rifle carefully in his hands and keeping his aim on Spike, called out to Urufu.''

''Marine with Rifle: Step out of the way! We're here to arrest the kid! He's announced himself to be a pirate, which means he's a potential threat to all of Sabaody Archipelago!''

''The justification seemed unnecessary to both of them; Spike and Urufu were all too aware of how seriously the Marines took piracy. Anyone bold enough to simply raise a jolly roger as their own personal status symbol was already committing a crime in the government's eyes. Knowing that, it made keeping the Sun Pirates flag in the kitchen a secret all the more important. However, that was less of a concern to Urufu, as compared to protecting the only son he's ever known. As if by fatherly instinct, Urufu stepped in front of Spike to shield him as best he could from any gunfire thrown his way. Spike in turn still stood there, with large eyes and a semi-gaping mouth; not knowing exactly what to make of what was going on.''

''Urufu (calm, agitated tone): First you storm my home, then you threaten my boy. And now you're accusing him of piracy?''

''Urufu looked over his shoulder to stare down at his dumbfounded step-son; giving the boy a look of disappointment before returning his attention to the Marines ahead. Spike may have been frozen with shock for the time being, but that upset glare from Urufu still struck him hard.''

Urufu: I don't know what you think you heard him say, but I can assure you I know my son, and he would never be stupid enough to call himself a pirate in front of you.

Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: Awfully commendable of you to be standing up for your "son" and all, but I'm afraid it's your word against ours.

Urufu grunted in protest.

''Urufu (annoyed): Nngh. You think I don't know that?''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: We received word earlier from one of our own that this young man not only obstructed the capture of a band of vicious pirates and assaulted the officers at the scene of the crime, but during his attack, he had said something about himself being a pirate. Even if he weren't one, he's still a prime suspect in the escape of pirates and the attack on Marine personnel. If you continue to resist us, we'll have no choice but to take you in as well.''

''Urufu: So that's it, huh? The government's so scared s***less over this Great Pirate Era that they're willing to attack innocent citizens now?''

Urufu topped off his retort with a sarcastic tone.

Urufu (sarcastically): My, you guys sure are noble...

''The Marines were undeterred. It was clear this fishman wasn't going to listen to a word they said; and so if words fail, then action must be taken.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: Hmph. Fine then, have it your way; but don't say you weren't warned. Men, open fire!''

''Almost instantly, the sound of dozens of rifles being cocked could be heard in unison; making it loud enough to be heard from a good few feet away at least. Knowing Urufu was now coming under fire as well, Spike finally managed to get a hold of himself long enough to call out.''

''Spike (worried): P...! Pops!!''

''Right away, guns had been shot at the fishman guarding the young boy; and just as quickly in response did Urufu grab hold of Spike with his right hand and leap to his right to avoid the bullets. Naturally, this agility amazed the marksmen.''

''Marine Marksman: What the?!! He... He just avoided them like it was nothing!''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: Don't get discouraged!! Keep up the pressure!!''

''Realizing he was becoming more of a concern to the Marines as of now, Urufu tossed Spike to the side and ran straight for the crowd of Marines ahead. Spike, now sitting on the ground, watched his father run off into the wall of bullets coming his way.''

Spike (reaching right hand out and worried): POPS, NO!!

'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF4KmGYFvwA%7C Beginning to end. Please open in a new tab or window.]'''

''Despite Spike's concern, Urufu seemed to be managing himself just fine. He had swiftly evaded another series of bullets and was making good time in reaching the Marines. The Marines themselves were becoming more and more frightened as each attempt to harm Urufu failed, and as he approached them in record time. The tall, capped Marine who seemed to hold the most authority within the group, realized the tactic they employed wasn't working, and so a new plan was needed. If fighting from afar wouldn't stop Urufu, then it's have to be up close and personal. Pointing at Urufu, the Marine gave his command.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: NOW!! CHARGE!!''

''Upon the command given to them, various Marines began pulling out their sabers and various weapons as they ran toward the stampeding orca of a man. One managed to get close enough to attempt to slash at Urufu's upper torso, only for Urufu to quickly grab him with his hand and throw him hard into the left flank of Marines nearby. The handful of Marines fell like bowling pins the minute their comrade flew into them; making this a clear indication of just how strong their opponent really was. But whether through bravery or foolishness, they kept trying to attack Urufu, and Urufu continued to respond in kind. Another Marine managed to get in close to try and strike Urufu's ribs with a club of some kind, before Urufu reached out with his left fist, still adorned by his brass knuckles, and punched the Marine in the chest. The blow was apparently so powerful, it not only made the Marine cough up a bit of blood and leave an imprint of Urufu's fist on him, but the Marine had also flown into a mangrove root and bounced off of it as easily as a pebble skips across the surface of a body of water.''

''The Marines were becoming more stupified with each impressive feat of strength and speed. It seemed nothing was working; they couldn't shoot him and they could hardly lay a hand on him. What was this guy?! There wasn't much time to figure this out, as Urufu was still running rampant and causing a mess of things. And so the Marine in charge felt it necessary to bring out the big guns.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: QUICK! WHILE HE'S DISTRACTED! SHOOT!''

''Overhearing this, Urufu turned around to where he heard the Marine barking orders, only to see a good number of bazookas aimed at him. Not long after that, one had opened fire on Urufu. Reacting swiftly, Urufu swatted at the bombardment with his right, armored fist. Upon making contact, the shell exploded and engulfed Urufu's fist and upper arm in fire, smoke and dust. Spike gritted his teeth and clenched his fists when he had seen it happen. He was fully aware of how strong Urufu is, thanks to the untold number of brawls they shared together, but even Spike realized when things were bad; and facing down a whole platoon of well-armed Marines alone certainly seemed bad enough. And yet, when the smoke had cleared, Urufu's fist seemed to still be intact. Even his brass knuckles hardly had so much as a scratch on it. Compared to Urufu and his knuckles, the bazooka shell may as well have been a water balloon. And it was perhaps this that astonished the Marines the most; with many of them dropping their jaws in disbelief.''

''Marine: WHAT THE HELL?!! DOESN'T ANYTHING WORK ON THIS GUY?!! WHAT IS HE?!!''

''Even the tall, capped, mustache-adorned Marine was left speechless. He looked on in horror as each assault failed miserably. It must have felt like a hopeless battle by this point. It didn't matter how many men and weapons they threw at it, the large black and white juggernaut before them hardly seemed fazed at all. And worse yet, he had no intention of letting this all slide. Urufu gave a sharp glare at the Marines still standing, which only unnerved them even further. Seemingly frozen in place now, the Marines had become sitting ducks for Urufu's counterattack.''

Urufu: ...

Without saying a word, Urufu sprung forward with his right arm reared back.

Marines (scared): WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!

With just seconds before impact, the Marine in charge knew then and there just what was going on.

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap (nervous): Th... That's right! I forgot! He's a fishman!! These things have strength and speed ten times greater than any of us!! That's why we're having such a hard time against him!!''

''With the revelation recalled, Urufu's fist finally struck, causing the ground to split open and Marines to fly everywhere. Unsatisfied, Urufu continued his rampage in silence; now lashing out in wild abandon on any Marine close enough to punch or kick. And those not in reach could simply be charged in seconds flat, thanks to Urufu's tremendous legs. Back on the sidelines, Spike continued to watch his father swat away every Marine in sight as if it were nothing. His concern and nervousness for Urufu's safety was now dying down and being replaced with wonder and awe at how accomplished of a fighter Urufu truly was. And so it was like this for quite some time, as Spike watched Urufu take down one Marine after another, with no sign of either side slowing down. There was one moment during the skirmish where a lucky Marine had successfully swiped his cutlass at Urufu's left shoulder. Little good it did though, as all it managed to do was tear open a sizable hole in the jacket Urufu was wearing at the time; revealing the Sun Pirates symbol on his shoulder underneath. In retaliation, this same Marine was struck firmly with a right fist from Urufu.''

''As more and more Marines fell, it was becoming apparent this wasn't a battle they were going to win. Beaten, bruised and bleeding, the Marines rested on the ground and tried to regain their stamina and senses; or at least, those who were still conscious were. The authoritative Marine, beaten up as well, but still aware of his situation, quietly looked at Urufu for a while; and the fishman looked back at him too. After a silent exchange of stares, the Marine spoke up.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: Men... Fall back...''

''To their surprise, and to some Marines' relief, the men took a while to let this order sink in, before finally doing as commanded and retreating back to their base. Those who couldn't walk on their own had to be carried off by allies. The Marine in charge was one of the last few to head off, and as he did, he turned back to give one fair, final warning to the family of two.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: We may be withdrawing for now, since we weren't prepared to fight a fishman, but if any of us has reason to suspect either of you are pirates, we'll come back, bigger and stronger than ever. Just be sure neither of you cross us again...''

''Finally, after all the commotion that had happened, it seemed the Marines were gone for good. It would have been a good time for sighs of relief and celebration, had it not been for some unsettled business between the father and son. After watching the last of the Marines leave, and then staring out into the distance to ensure no further incidents occurred, Urufu finally began walking back to his home, where Spike was still hanging around and trying to regain his composure. While most people would be congratulating themselves for a job well done, Urufu and Spike remained silent for a good while. They were both well aware of what was said before the fight, and what the consequences had become.''

Spike: ...

Urufu: ...

''Urufu, now simply standing in silence in front of his house, began to take off his brass knuckles and place them back in his trouser pockets. In the meantime, neither father nor son could look each other in the eye; Spike was too ashamed of what he had done, and Urufu was too displeased with his son for once again breaking Urufu's rules. Finally however, Urufu broke the silence with a disgruntled grunt before heading back inside.''

Urufu (disgruntled): Hmph...

''While Urufu went inside, Spike stayed out and continued to stare at nothing in silence. It would take a while for Spike to finally be able to forgive himself for losing control and endangering his father and himself like that. Once again, he came to realize what he had been told his entire life; he was reckless and never thought things through carefully. That's why he had Devil Fruit powers, why Pierce abandoned him, why Urufu constantly scolded and punished him, and why the Marines had arrived at their door today. Spike needed to learn to properly restrain himself before it got too out of hand. Little would he know that this was just the start of his problems...''

''A while had passed since the battle with the Marines. Urufu and Spike were now once again on speaking terms with each other, and as usual, Spike was severely punished for causing trouble in town like he did. However, Urufu knew deep down as always, that while Spike's actions were less than sound, his heart was always in the right place. It was perhaps this reason that kept him from holding a permanent grudge against his son. And so, slowly but surely, their lives were returning to normal; with the hope that now, finally, Spike may have learned there are consequences to everything he does. If he could just learn that, then maybe this ugly mess wouldn't have been for nothing after all.''

And yet, unfortunately enough, just as soon as they had thought they could put everything behind them and move on, another problem unexpectedly showed up at their door.

Male Voice (over megaphone): Everyone step outside immediately!!

Understandably alarmed and confused, both Urufu and Spike went for the door; though not before Urufu put on his brown jacket (with sleeve patched up) in order to hide the jolly roger on his shoulder.

'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM0p-iuuMsQ%7C Beginning to end. Please open in a new tab or window.]'''

Once the door was opened, to their surprise, it was an ever larger gathering of Marines than before; and they seemed even less pleased with the two than they had already been.

Urufu (shocked): What in the hell?!!

''Spike (shocked): The Marines again?!! But why?! We haven't done anything yet!''

''Marine with Megaphone: We have a warrant for the arrest of Urufu!! For the crimes of piracy he committed as a member of the now defunct Sun Pirates!!''

''This made Urufu and Spike's hearts sink lower than ever. The Marines had come to somehow know about Urufu's identity. But how?! Urufu was careful to painstakingly avoid sharing anything that may have gotten out into the public. His first thought was that perhaps Spike had been bragging about is father or something, and so he looked down at Spike with a very displeased look on his face. Only for Spike to raise his hands, palm-side up, in protest and fight to protect his innocence.''

Spike: It wasn't me, I swear!

Either due to believing the boy or simply for whatever reason he may have had, Urufu returned his gaze back to the Marines who had gathered to arrest him.

''Urufu: So, you couldn't arrest my son for piracy, so now you're coming after me? What is it? A slow day at the office or something?''

Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: You recall the fight we had a while back?'

Urufu: Yeah, what of it?

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: Well, it seems one of our men noticed something odd when he fought you. Said he had cut the sleeve of that jacket you're wearing, and before you punched his lights out, he swore he could have seen the symbol for the Sun Pirates on your shoulder.''

''Urufu held his left sleeve tightly with his right hand, as if it would somehow ease his fears and worries. Or perhaps it was a desperate action to try and hide his guilt. Whatever the reason may have been, he kept his hand there and grimaced in horror over how easily his beloved symbol had been spotted.''

''Urufu (nervously): So what if he was dreaming it up?! I hit him pretty hard, you know! He could just have imagined the whole thing! Besides, the Sun Pirates have been disbanded for a while now, so why would I have one of their tattoos on me? I'm just a simple fishman living a simple life.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: We're already ahead of you there, Urufu. No sense in playing dumb with us. We even brought our eyewitness here to verify his claim, in case it was all a dream.''

A Marine supported by crutches managed to extend his left arm and point to where Urufu's hand was; directly over his left shoulder.

''Crippled Marine: There! That's the spot I saw it! It was clear as day too! Right where his hand is!''

'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtjr9hAbsCI%7C 2:22 - the end. Please open in a new tab or window.]'''

''Urufu's poker face was crumbling away more and more now. He could feel his heart rate speeding up as the Marines continued their response. All Urufu could do from here on was clench his teeth and pray for a solution to all this.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: See? As I told you back then, it's your word against ours. With that in mind, we decided to do some detective work and figure out if there were any records of someone with your appearance and exact tattoo placement within the Sun Pirates. Much to our delight, we found one man who fit the bill nicely; he went by the title of "Plated Fist" Urufu, on account of his skill with brass knuckles. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that was your weapon of choice in our fight earlier, and not to mention the fact you threw more punches than kicks, which was nothing short but the final nail in your coffin.''

''Urufu's face was now becoming contorted with expressions of frustration and despair. It was official: The charade was busted. And the Marines gleefully soaked it all in for what it was worth.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap (smiling): Ahh, it's written all over your face. To think we first came to this shabby dump you call a home in the hopes of arresting the boy by your side, when the true pirate in our midst was you. Talk about serendipity.''

''Marine with Megaphone: Plated Fist Urufu of the Sun Pirates! Come now or we will fire! This is your final warning!''

''With his back now pressed up against the wall, Urufu understood there was little he could do now. The first thing he thought of was to stand his ground, and so he pulled out his infamous brass knuckles once again. Spike noticed this out of the corner of his eye and grinned.''

''Spike: Yeah, that's the spirit, pops. We'll show these guys not to pick fights with pirates like this.''

As Spike adjusted himself into a fighting stance, Urufu looked down in concern.

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: You're going to fight us again, huh? Good thing we prepared for this scenario. As you can see, there are more Marines than last time, with even more hiding in the back. If we can't defeat you with pure force, we'll have to wear you down with larger numbers. One man alone can't fight a whole army.''

''Urufu reflected on what the capped Marine had just said, and understood this applied to Spike too. However, due to cockiness or youthful naivety, Spike looked unafraid in the slightest. This simply worried Urufu even more, as he knew if he couldn't take on a swarm of Marines without getting hurt or worse, then how could Spike hope to save himself? Spike may be strong and blessed with incredible powers, but he was still less experienced in real combat than Urufu was, and wasn't ready for such a huge battle. Urufu placed his right hand in front of Spike, as a signal to stop whatever it was he was thinking of doing. The message was received as Spike's enthusiasm was paused momentarily and he looked up at his foster father in bewilderment.''

''Urufu: Spike, as much as I hate to admit it, he's right. Listen, for once will you do what I say?''

Spike adopted a stern expression; lowering his brow and frowning just a bit.

Spike (displeased): And what do you want me to do?

''Urufu: I have more experience with this sort of thing than you do. You may be strong, but you don't have the skills for a large-scale conflict. So I need you to back off and let me fight them on my own, OK?''

''Spike: What?!! And miss out fighting alongside my own dad?! Look, I may just be some stupid kid who always gets in trouble in your eyes, but I can handle this just fine! I've been training hard every day to become as powerful as you, so we could keep our promise!''

''Urufu (agitated): You don't think I know that?!! What good is that promise of ours if I end up losing you anyway?!! Huh?!!''

Before Spike could answer, a Marine intercepted the conversation with his own statement to share.

''Large, Plump Marine: Truth be told, we're only here for you, Urufu. As much as I'd like to pay your brat back for attacking us earlier, I'm afraid orders are orders. Capturing a real pirate is more of a priority than a supposed potential pirate; especially someone like you, who's been flying under the Marines' radar for so long. You're an embarrassment we're going to wipe out here and now. The boy can wait.''

''This was of cold comfort to Urufu. While it was a relief to know Spike wasn't their target anymore, he still knew he had to get himself out of this predicament if he wanted to live to see Spike grow up into a fine Pirate King.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: So there you have it, Plated Fist. It all comes down to this; you on your lonesome against the might of Sabaody Archipelago's Marines. And to be blunt, your future looks pretty bleak.''

''Urufu: Whatever; I'll be the one to decide what my future is. That's the freedom I get to enjoy as a pirate; retired or otherwise.''

''Tall Marine with Mustache and Cap: Those are some pretty last words there. Maybe someone will carve them on your tombstone for you after your execution.''

Spike (annoyed): Rrrgh...!!

''Spike looked raring to go again, as the Marines' words started to stir him back up. He tightened his fists and his teeth as he stared down the Marines gathered around his home.''

''Spike: Screw this!! I'm not letting you fight them alone! I'll pulverize each and every one of them-!!''

''Spike's bold declaration got cut short as a punch to his face from Urufu had him staggering back for a bit. Rubbing his bruised cheeck, Spike looked in shock at his father, who was now looking down at his son with even greater frustration than before.''

''Urufu (frustrated): Don't you listen at all?!!! I said stay out!!! If you want to fight so bad, I'll take you on first!!!''

''Seeing Urufu this angry was a real wake-up call for Spike. As much as it bothered him to back down from the fight, he knew Urufu was the type of man who would most likely do good on his word; and so Spike decided he'd comply with his father's wishes at last.''

Spike (disparaged): OK, I won't fight them.

Urufu seemed to be calming down just a little after that, but he was still quite clearly worked up from everything going on around him.

Urufu (firmly): Good.

Spike: But...!

Spike balled his hands into fists so tightly, they were shaking.

''Spike (frustrated): What am I supposed to do then?!! Just stand here?!!''

Urufu looked away from Spike and stared coldly at the Marines who were on standby for the call to attack.

''Urufu (calmly): Do whatever you want and go wherever you want; that's your freedom. Just don't be here when the fighting starts. Things are going to get ugly.''

''Spike's fists loosened up shortly after that. He raised his head back up to his father, with a look of understanding in his eyes.''

''Spike: I don't like it, but fine. Just don't go getting yourself beat up too bad, you got that?''

''Urufu: Hmph! Back-sassing your old man like that. When I'm through here, I'm gonna have to slap you upside your head again.''

''There was a brief moment of silence in the air after that. Everyone seemed tense and ready for the first shot to be fired. Once Spike knew this, he realized he could slip away while there was time. And so that was exactly what he did. He jogged off to the side, where Marine presence was weakest, and ran off into the mangrove wilderness surrounding his home. Once fully aware Spike was gone, Urufu could feel himself ready to finally brace himself for combat. The Marines too, seemed ready to finally get the show on the road. The time for talking was over; now was the time to spill blood.''

''And so both Urufu and the Marines charged towards one another, with Urufu once again flinging himself into the horde of enemies and battering them mercilessly. What both sides didn't realize however, was that they were being watched. A pair of eyes peeked out from the darkness hidden under the roots of a mangrove tree; watching Urufu carefully. Despite heading off as promised, Spike hadn't strayed too far from home. His concern for his father, the man he looked up to, respected, admired and loved before all else, was too great for him to truly abandon Urufu. If there was ever a moment he needed Spike, Spike would gladly jump in and pitch a hand, or fist even. After all, it wasn't recklessness if it was planned out beforehand, right? And besides, it wasn't like Urufu himself was any less reckless, right? To Spike, this was all the assurance he needed to know that he was doing the right thing. He would obey his father, but also support him by keeping an eye out for him.''

New Voyage