5. raising hell (shout with all your voice)

Titus spends some time adrift with the odd combination.

They get along. It's almost joyful, but they're not comrades-- they're not there yet.

Then, the marine ship.

-

Titus was pretty good with children, but he had no idea how to deal with a bear.

Why is there a bear on the boat, anyways?

"I'm headed for Vetar, too," Titus had told them when they shared their destinations, "I guess we can sail together till then?"

Cross had run around cheering, and Takara shook his hand for a temporary companionship agreement.

Takara had basic navigation knowledge, but that was about it.

"This is Captain!" Cross introduced the bear to him, and Titus awkwardly introduced himself back. The bear actually roared in greeting. It-- He's cute, but what the hell?

And so, the three of them plus a bear set off toward the sea.

-

"So if you're pirates, aren't you going to hoist up a jolly roger?" Titus asked him.

Takara was carving out a new diamond out of wood when Titus spoke to him. They all had nothing better to do while the wind took them along their road, so conversation was alright.

"Maybe when we get a little further from Moribakari," Takara told him. "The Marines are still unsettled after the fire, so they'll be on the lookout for any suspicious ships. I'd rather they not catch us so soon."

"The Reject Pirates... the Pirates of the Reject Pile has a nice ring to it," Titus chuckled. "So you're headed for the Grand Line just like this? You'll die without a proper navigator, y'know?"

Takara raised the shape into the sun, and brought it back down. "Oh shush," he chided, "you're not offering to fill the position, are you?"

"Course not, I don't have the liberty of playing pirate right now," Titus laughed. "I got other places to be, a treasure I need to find as soon as I can."

Takara hummed at that.

He took off his coat, and lay it beside him. Titus quickly looked away when light reflected off his metal parts.

Takara was essentially a many-sided mirror in this sunshine. He laughed, quickly picking up his coat and sliding it around his shoulders where the metal joint was largest.

"Interested?" Takara prompted.

"Intrigued," Titus rephrased, "how do they work?"

Takara curled his fingers. His hands were full metal prosthetics, save for two fingers made of flesh.

(It's as if whoever it was, was trying to hide the robot in skin-- but didn't have enough skin to spare.)

His forearm was metal, but at his elbows, skin took over, spanning the rest of his body like a sheet wrapped over a metal marionette, tugged largely over his front and less on his back, leaving his metal spine exposed.

(So is Takara a human with robot parts, or a robot with human parts?)

Like a doll, metal ball-joints replaced his elbows, and numerous important mobility bones. His entire spine was exposed, sheer steel and colour-coded wires spread out, gathering into one important-looking core at his nape.

"Whatever this thing is, it replaces my entire nervous system," Takara touched the core at the back of his neck, "my brain works, but my spine doesn't, so this thing sends out all the necessary electronic impulses instead."

Titus stared at the metal arms.

"Cool," he said.

"You don't understand, do you?"

"Nope, not at all."

-

"You hold it like this," Cross held up the half-diamond, and prompted Titus to do the same. The two halves joined at the center, forming the full diamond shape. There's a click, and the two pieces snap together like a perfectly slotted pair.

Titus drops it in surprise, but it's attached to Cross' piece, so it doesn't fall.

"Cool, right?" Cross said, taking them apart to watch them stick together again. "It's like a puzzle!"

Titus took it from him, experimentally taking it apart and putting it back together.

The diamond itself was a little asymmetrical, and it looked strange as one piece-- but once they were slotted together, it formed a diamond, and the carvings on the shell clasped together to make the picture of a tree.

It's a design that's only complete together.

"Is this a magnet?" Titus asked.

Cross nodded. The bear had come to his arms like a teddy bear midway through Titus' thought process. Cross squeezed it, and it growled in response.

"Takara made it. For his revibishon," Cross explained, "it looked cool, so he gave me one."

"What the hell is a revibishon," Titus muttered. "Rehabilitation? Is that it?"

Takara chuckled. "To be specific, I broke it on accident, and gave it to him," he said, raising the wooden diamond in his hand, where he was carving a bear on the side, "it was trash but he didn't want to toss it, so I decided to make it cool enough to be worth keeping."

"Here!" Cross handed Titus half of it, "I like you, so you can have the other half!"

Titus blinked.

He took it in his hand, and he was left in wonder.

Cross grinned. He was like a little kid, eager to give his precious things to his favourite people. Though it's strange he'd give it to Titus when they've only met yesterday.

Titus couldn't help but smile a little. "I'll take care of it. Thanks."

Takara hummed. "Should I carve your name on it?"

Titus flushed, "there's no need to!"

"Oh, don't be shy."

-

They carved his name on it.

-

"The compass always points North. You know which way north is?"

"The top left side of the map!"

"That's right."

Titus had his map of West Blue spread out before them. They were in Cross and Takara's boat, because it had a bigger table.

"If we compare this direction to the map, we can always tell where we are," Titus explained, "that's how I know where to go, and how long it'll take."

"I don't understand!" Cross said, proudly.

Titus blanked out for a moment. Then, "well basically, it's magic."

Takara threw his diamond at Titus, "no it isn't!!"

-

It's nighttime, and Titus took the night watch.

Captain had a significantly stranger sleep cycle than the humans, so he was awake too. He trailed around the boats, chasing after a fly.

Titus was writing in his travelogue, humming to himself.

The fly landed on Titus. Captain pounced on him. Titus screamed. His pen jumped, and it splashed right into the sea.

With a surprised squeak, Captain jumped right in after it.

And, consequently, Titus lunged for the bear.

They were dripping wet and breathing heavily by the time they made it back to the boat. Captain had his maw on the pen, and Titus had his arm around the bear.

Seriously, when did he sign up for bear babysitting duty?

He brought out a towel, and in the moonlight, he tried to dry the bear off as much as he could. The bear was like a dog, to be honest. Obedient, docile, and barked when Titus rubbed somewhere it didn't like.

Okay, he might kind of like this bear...

Captain handed Titus his pen with a cheerful little roar.

Titus had to look away.

"Stop being so cute, that's unfair."

-

Takara woke up to find Titus cuddling with the bear, the bear snoring on the man's chest, and the man looked positively disgruntled.

He took a drag of his cigarette.

"Takara, do something. Captain won't let me go," Titus pointed at the bear that was chewing at his shoulder while sleeping. "It's eating me."

"It's a he."

"He's eating me."

"Sorry, Titus," Takara told him, "Captain's decided he likes you. You know how bears are territorial and all? Well you belong to him now."

"You've got to be kidding!"

"Captain's orders, buddy," Takara told him, walking away, "alright, I'll go check the compass. Bye."

"Don't leave me here!"

-

-

Titus traveled with Cross and Takara for approximately two days in the sea. They shared sea knowledge, cooked each other's food, distributed night watches, and told stories of their ventures.

It's on that second morning that this happened.

"That's right, we're pirates! Takara said so!"

Cross took the night watch, so they laid anchor and waited the night out. Takara woke up to loud chatter.

"And we have a bear! He's Captain!" there's a 'gao!' of approval from the bear, "me and Takara raised him from when he was tinier than my hand! We have a pile of shiny stuff for him to sleep on, because he likes shiny stuff!"

Takara opens the door of the cabin, and looks straight at the hull of a huge Marine warship.

Oh. So this is what that huge shadow was.

"Cross, what is a Marine ship doing right beside our fucki--" He turned to see Cross talking with a man in a white coat, and stopped short.

That's a Marine Captain's coat.

"Oh, Takara! Good morning! Look, I was talking with this super cool bird guy, and--ow!"

 Cross jerked to a stop when Takara chucked a wooden cube right at his face. It bounced off with a sharp cluck, and the Marine caught it.

"Looks like we have to re-establish the definition of the word 'lookout'," he surmised, reaching for his cigarettes but deciding against it.

The Marine laughed. "Sure you do," he said. "Your pal here was telling me one amazing story here. Mind if I ask for the details?"

There's a click, and Cross lifted his arm to find a metal handcuff hooked around it.

He stared at it. "Oops."

"Don't 'oops' me, you fucking moron!!" Takara exploded at him.

The Marine beamed. "Join me up on the ship, sir?" he asked, not as a request, but as a strictly polite order.

Takara looked around. Titus was nowhere to be seen.

"That bitch, he ditched us," he hissed.

Well, whatever.

Huh? Where did Captain go?

-

Titus swam under the ship, hiding at the sea-stone fin of the marine ship.

The little baby bear kicked frantically at the water, and Titus took him in his arms. They swam to the other side, and surfaced to take a breath.

Leaning close to the hull with Captain in his arms, Titus put his finger to his lips, hushing it. "Not yet, Captain," he whispered, "not yet."

The bear made a whining noise. Titus shushed it again with a dry laugh.

"Look up there, Captain," Titus pointed upward. "See that hole?"

There are plenty of gun ports around the hull, but since they weren't up against a big pirate ship, they didn't load the cannons in them. They're empty, and a perfect window for something Captain's size.

The bear nodded.

"They're all focused on the other side right now, so you can go in from here. Once you're inside, hide from the humans," Titus warned him. Then with a smile, "ready?"

The bear gave him a confused look.

Titus chucked the bear like a baseball.

-

Takara sighed at the handcuffs around his gloves. He followed the marines into the office, noticing how Cross was tugged around to sit at the side of the mast.

"Behave, Cross!" Takara hollered.

Cross pouted, "okay..."

The marines in the vicinity collectively sighed in relief when Cross allowed himself to be tied up and sat down.

Takara stopped right before entering the office. "Wait there for me, Cross," he said, "don't touch anything you shouldn't."

Cross lit up. "Okay!"

Takara entered the office, and closed the door behind him.

-

The captain of this ship is a Marine Captain called Russo. Takara sat before him, rubbing his wrists under his sleeves with gloved hands.

"So I heard you were part cyborg," Russo said pensively, "reports say your eye was glinting strangely as you ran."

"Oh, that," Takara lifted his hands and tapped at the scar on his left brow. His sclera painted black, and the gears turned in his pupil. "This, right?"

He delighted in the way the soldiers flinched backward. Russo only raised an eyebrow with interest.

"It's a fake eye. I lost it in a bombing a long time ago," Takara cheerfully explained, "you received a report that we were in Funemuri, right? I went to get this maintained." He rested his chin in his hands and smiled.

Russo's eyes twitched. Is this guy mocking him?

"Do you understand your own situation? You're getting arrested, you know?" he said, "for burning down-- Morimori Island or whatever."

"It's Moribakari."

"Yeah, this Bakabakari Island--"

"Who's the baka here, you or me?"

"You, obviously-- wait, don't derail the subject!!"

"That's right, I'm the moron here. Ah, this sucks."

"You're so gloomy it's depressing."

"I mean, we've been nothing but escaping these few days. I miss freedom, it was so nice..."

"Well, that's the life of an outlaw, what can you do. Sucks to be ya, buddy, but it's our job--"

The soldier standing by the door spoke up, "sir, you've completely forgotten the point of this interrogation."

Russo exploded, "you shitty pirate!" He slammed his hand on the desk, "how dare you try and mislead the conversation!"

"So mean, I thought we were developing a friendship or something," Takara pouted.

"Enough!" Russo stood up angrily, "I've had enough of your jokes. What are your intentions, and why did you burn down your island?" he demanded, "the World Government values that forest greatly. Is it your intention to anger them?"

Russo stopped short when Takara glared at him, fierce and cold.

Then Takara breathed out slowly, spinning a coin around his knuckles.

"Do the people serve the government-- or does the government serve the people?" He flipped the coin. "It's a crisis for the entirety of West Blue. And yet-- their first concern was the presence of the two that escaped the island. The scapegoats to pin the crime onto."

"What are you trying to--"

"Now tell me, Captain Russo," Takara emphasized his words, "do you truly think the world can go on like this?"

Russo reached forward, grabbing Takara by the collar and dragging him forward. "You bastard," he hissed out the words, "do you work for the revolutiona--"

They're cut off by a wave of gunshots from outside. An explosion-- then loud yelling.

Russo's eyes widened.

He's let down his guard, so Takara twisted his arms, and the handcuffs crunched to pieces. He kept his hand at the back of Russo's neck-- and slammed his head forward in a headbutt.

Russo fell back. Takara's forehead was made with sheer steel under that skin, after all.

"No, unfortunately I don't," Takara told him, "but the idea is rather tempting at times."

Takara threw his arm back in time to block off a sword from the Marine soldier behind him. The blade lodged itself into his arm-- and the soldier yelled out in fear.

"What the hell are you?!" the handcuffs shattered, and Takara's glove fell from his sleeve. Silver shone in the light, and the soldier realized, "a metal arm?"

Takara smiled.

"I'm just a cyborg from the Reject pile, nice to meet you."

-

"Didn't they have a bear just now?" The Lieutenant of the ship asked.

"Mister with the weird blue hair! Miiister!"

"Y-Yes, Lieutenant Lock!" the soldier said, "but it went missing a while ago... we think it's hiding somewhere on the ship."

Lock sighed. "Nevermind then. It's just a cub," he turned to the child tied to the mast, "you've searched their boats, right?"

"Yes, we have. There should be no one on board."

"Are you ignoring me? Heyyyy!!"

"Good. Set the course for the nearest base, we're going to leave," Lock sent out the orders, and foot soldiers began to move. The Marine ship, with two little boats attached, set off.

"Hey, Mister! Mister Blue!"

"OH SHUT UP or I'll throw you overboard!" Lock whirled on the kid, currently at the peak of frustration, "the fuck do you want?!"

"Oh, so you can hear me," Cross observed calmly, his hands before himself, bound by ropes at the wrist. He grinned, "nice to meet ya!"

"Nice to, absolutely not," Lock retorted, "you're a pirate and I'm a marine. In what way is this a 'nice to meet you' moment?"

Cross blinked, "but Takara said it's poright to say that when I meet new people."

"Poright-- ah, you mean polite," Lock realized. "Well, you see, that's only for people that are friendly. If you're enemies, you don't say 'nice to meet you'."

"Really? Then what do you say?"

"Uhm," Lock scratched the back of his head in consideration, "you say... 'prepare to die!' or something like that, I guess."

Cross made an understanding noise.

Then he grinned. "I'm Cross!" he said, "prepare to die!"

Right before Lock's eyes, the boy vanished.

Handcuffs fell to the floor, still locked, but the boy himself was gone. Lock's eyes widened with horror.

Behind him, a soldier cried out, a knife embedded deep in his abdomen. He fell to the ground, howling-- blood spreading out on deck.

Guns were raised, safeties thumbed off. Lock swirled around, sword drawn.

Cross had thrown the knife from his sleeve, and the blade was connected to his arm by a red thread. He stood by the bow of the ship, calmly turning around to see the soldiers.

He was still grinning when he tore the knife from the soldier's stomach, and everyone rushed to get a medic.

Cross looked over, "huh, you're still alive? Well, whatever."

"Hold your fire!" Lock yelled, raising his arm, "get the captain here, now! You fiend, how did you escape? How did you remove the handcuffs??"

Cross stepped aside to show a gleaming red handprint on the rails.

"Tag-tag," he said-- and just as the soldiers fired at once, he vanished again.

All bullets lodged into the side of the ship, none hitting their target. Then, from the mast behind them, Cross grinned.

"Catch me if you can!"

"You..." Lock hissed, "what the hell are you?"

-

Titus looked through the records, and picked up the travelogue. There were also maps and records of night watch. "Oh, good. I might as well take these."

"Who's there?!"

The door slammed open, and a man raised his rifle. He wasn't wearing a soldier's uniform or a coat, but it's clear he was a Marine. Probably someone that was resting in the infirmary, judging by the bandages.

"Oh, sorry," Titus feigned a casual tone, "did I disturb your rest, sir? I was told to retrieve some documents for Lieutenant Lock. I will be on my way soon."

In the dim light, Titus faced away from the door. He wasn't wearing his hat, so perhaps the casual white button-up could make him seem like a passenger.

"Is that so?" the man challenged, "then why are the lights not on?"

Titus chuckled, rubbing the back of his head bashfully. "With all due respect, sir-- I knew where the documents were stored, and I was in a hurry..."

A knife was pointed under his chin. Titus stopped talking.

The Marine glowered fiercely.

"No marine in their right mind would call me a 'sir'," he said, "referring to superiors by their rank is common sense for petty officers. Especially when they're talking to the highest ranking officer on the ship."

Titus' lips twisted into a smile.

He lifted the stack of papers in his hand. "Then I suppose you're Commodore Dante." Unfazed by the knife under his chin, he began flipping through it. "What a coincidence. I have the detailed medical report on all your current injuries on hand!"

Gunshots ring through from above.

More soldiers rushed to the deck as reinforcements, and the lights flickered across the hall, and into the room.

Dante caught sight of Titus' face, and he backed away quickly. "Impossible!" he yelled, "why is-- why is a big name like you doing in West Blue?!"

Titus smiled.

"I'm treasure-hunting, of course."