Grand Voyage- Log 49

Log 49: Race to Reverse Mountain Part 3
“YOU WHAT?!” Art asked, jerking upright from his position of lounging lazily on top of the money bags.

“I lost Knave,” Stormy said half-apologetically, speaking to the first mate from the shore, while he was still on the ship.

“This is ridiculous!” D’Artagnan fumed, quickly stomping back and forth across the deck, rubbing his chin with his hand, “how does he get lost on every island that we come to, EXCEPT for the ones where he’s SUPPOSED to get lost?!”

“Oi!” Sid said, running up, lifting up a small poster in the air, Gopher following closely behind, “you’ve gotta see this!”

“Nexxas Island Rumble...” Stormy read from the poster, the remaining members of the crew gathered in the ship’s lounge, “...win free passage to the Grand Line, as well as free supplies.... Hmmm...”

“Knave totally signed up,” Art sighed, his head in his hands, “there’s just no way he wouldn’t.”

“Well, this COULD be a good thing,” Stormy said, “good job finding this, Sid.”

“I CAN DIE HAPPY!” the navigator cried, dancing slightly in the corner.

“But this seems like too much of a coincidence,” Stormy continued, “we arrive the very day a tournament that could solve all our money problems occurs?”

“Stranger things have happened,” D’Artagnan countered, “and we can’t be the only pirate crew to arrive today.”

“You could be right,” the doctor conceded, “maybe I’m just being too suspicious.... Wait a second!”

“What?”

Stormy pointed at the date on the poster. “Look closer at the date, or, rather, how it’s printed.” The Majin peered at it over her shoulder. While it looked like it matched the font on the rest of the poster, something was indeed off. The color around the text... slightly brighter, NEWER than the paper around it.

“They changed the date?” he asked.

“And recently,” Stormy added, “it hasn’t had much time to be affected by the weather... it was probably changed today, or sometime near today.”

“So this IS a trap?” Sid asked.

“Undoubtedly,” Stormy concluded, “let’s just hope that Knave actually had some common sense for once and didn’t-”

“Hey guys!” Knave’s voice rang out from outside, “there’s this cool tournament thing! I signed us up, okay?”

The Marimo Pirates gathered at the entrance to the walled off part of the island that hosted the Rumble. It was a large wall, with a slightly smaller set of double doors acting as an entrance. The name of the competition was engraved on a space above them.

“So, do we just enter?” Sid asked, looking up at it.

“I guess so,” Stormy answered, still reading the poster, “It apparently starts when you enter, as long as its before midnight the day of the competition.”

“Let’s go!” Knave said happily, “we’re gonna get all the free food we ever wanted!”

“THAT’S YOUR REASON?!” the crew asked, collectively slapping him on the head.

“Well, yeah,” Knave replied, “why else would I enter a tournament if not for food?”

A madman, the crew thought, sulking in the corner, we’re sailing with a total madman.

Knave stepped up to the doors, pushing them open grandly with his hands, the light framing perfectly. “Alright!” he yelled, “let’s go!!”

“Ready?” Don Cazzuto asked, standing on one of the taller buildings in the area.

“Absolutely,” Former Marine Ensign Morris said, perched on top of a gargoyle a bit below.

“Let’s just get started already!” Clover groaned, as he/she shifted on the lower rooftop that he/she stood on.

“I agree with the freak,” Limey grunted, himself crouched down on the edge of a belltower a few feet away, “let’s just start spilling blood!”

“The men are ready, Don Cazzuto-sama,” Ice John said, stepping up beside his leader, “we’re just waiting for your signal.”

The Don raised his hand into the air. “Our day of reckoning...” he intoned, then swung his hand downward. Immediately his compatriots leaped into action, almost seeming to vanish, such was their speed. The Cazzuto Family moved with remarkable speed as well, charging down the streets toward the entrance.

“....HAS COME AT LAST!”

~End of Log~

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