Luna and Hana walked down the street, shoving each other at every given moment. Anyone could notice that the two girl couldn't get along, their glares a raging storm.
"Why do I have to be teamed up with a witch like you?"
"I'm also wondering why I'm teamed up with a stupid Russ Clan member."
The two scoffed, turning away from each other. They continued their parole, now staying clear of each other. Luna and Hana spotted Alek and Aiya standing near a food stall. She moved forward to talk, but stopped in her tracks once a navy officer ran towards them.
"What are you-"
Luna covered the navigator's mouth, leaning in from the wall they stood to listen to what was being said. Hana struggled to no avail, so joined in to listen.
"Vice-Admiral Alek, there's chaos at the platform. The captain of the Fresh breed Pirates and Elias G. Fritz have spotted. Arata has taken the people hostage and is about to kill Elias."
Alek's eyes glimmered. "You, send men to the harbor to burn any ship that belongs to pirates. Aiya, we're going to post a special sniper force on the roofs near the platform. Come with me, we're about to see something interesting."
The two subordinates nodded, the navy officer walking away while Aiya and Alek walked towards the direction of the platform.
"Aren't our captain's stationed near the platform?" Hana asked.
Luna nodded. "We should call our other crew members and tell them what's up and head to the platform as well."
"Makes sense."
Hana picked up a hub to talk to her crew members while Luna looked at the sky. A small breeze blew, the temperature dropping at an unpredictable rate.
.....
Aline and William had hit it off very well, their love for their opposite gender bringing them together. The two fawned over pictures they had gotten during their parole.
"Good looking people are just the best," Aline said sighing happily.
"Imagine being born so aesthetically pleasing."
"Aline!"
Aika and Noel ran towards Aline, panting heavily as if they had just run a marathon.
"Hey, is something wrong?"
"We've lost our captain, again," Aika grumbled. "We were planning to leave since it's not safe here."
Aline smiled. "Since I promised you a favor, I'll help you look."
Noel smiled back, relief washing over his face. "Thank you."
A hub in William's pocket wrong, his hand reaching for the contraption and putting it on loudspeaker. "Hello."
"William, Aline, it's me Hana. You two should head to the platform. Apparently, the captain of the Dragon Scale Pirates and Fresh Breed Pirates are there causing a scene where the captains are."
Aline frowned. "Oh no."
The look on Aika and Noel's face morphed into one of panic, confusing Aline. Aika grabbed the device from Aline, her voice shaky. "Did you just say Dragon Scale Pirates?"
"Yeah, apparently he is about to get executed. Luckily, the navy will handle the situation and have sent their forces there and to the harbor to destroy their ships."
Aika handed the device to Aline, slamming her palm to her forehead. "That idiot."
"Why do you look so scared?" Aline asked.
Aika and Noel exchanged look before looking back at Aline. Noel stepped forward, grabbing Aline's shoulder. "You promised to help us right?" she nodded and he continued. "Can you help us stop the navy from destroying our ship?"
Something in Aline's brain clicked, the cook lifting the hub to her lips. "Hana, Luna, this may sound crazy, but I need you to do something for me."
...
Shinzo and Vernon walked quietly down the street not too far from the execution platform, girls blushing once they got a glance at the two boys. Vernon politely waved while Shinzo's indifference only spurred the girls on.
"You're rather cold," Vernon said.
"I don't really care for the attention of worms."
Vernon chuckled. "That's harsh."
At the same time, Genki and Botan could be spotted not too far from them. Botan looked around, confused at the scarcity of people. "That's odd, I could have sworn I saw a few navy officers lounging around."
Genki frowned at the sky. "This weather is weird too. The clouds are headed to one direction like it has a particular target. As I thought, coming to this island was a mistake."
Vernon and Shinzo met Genki and Botan in a spot a few minutes near the execution platform, Shinzo being the first to exclaim.
"Ah, it's you guys."
"Good to see you again," Botan said. "Didn't expect to see you so soon."
"Did you find your captain?" Shinzo asked.
Genki sighed. "Yes, but we lost him again. We came to check the execution platform because he wanted to come here yesterday."
"What a coincidence, our captains are here too," Vernon exclaimed. "We can check together."
On the roofs surrounding the execution platform, navy officers had been strategically placed with Alek and Aiya on the nearest roof. Alek leaned in with his binoculars coping the area.
"So that's Elias G. Fritz in the flesh."
"Yes sir, he's the one about to be executed."
Alek spotted Paolo and Luca somewhere in the fray, a smile on his lips. "And that Rigards boy is here alongside the Diaz kid, ain't that interesting?"
"Sir, not to sound rude, but people's lives are at stake here. We have to tread carefully," Aiya said.
"Well said my dear Aiya, but let's watch the fun first. I doubt he would harm anyone unless movements are made. I'm sure the two boys figured it out and are staying quiet in the meantime."
She clicked her tongue. "Whatever you say sir."
The four boys finally made it to the execution platform, the eyeballs of Genki and Botan flying out of the sockets at the sight of Elias on the platform with blades surrounding him.
"What the hell is that idiot doing?" Genki seethed.
Botan sighed. "I followed a fool. I swear to God if he gets himself killed I'm going to wring him."
"Didn't we see that guy on a bounty flier yesterday?" Shinzo commented.
Vernon stroked his chin. "If I recall, his name is Elias G. Fritz the captain of the Dragon Scale Pirates."
Shinzo paused, turning to face the two boys beside him. "You can't mean…"
Vernon's hand went to his staff, but Shinzo stopped his movements. "Vernon, don't act brashly."
"But they're pirates we should stop them at any cost."
"As long as our captain's didn't give us order to fight, we don't. Besides, the quest stated we should protect the citizens and they aren't causing any harm."
Vernon sighed, pulling his hand away from the weapon. "You make a fine point."
"Thank you." He turned back to Genki and Botan. "I promised you guys a favor, so we'll do anything to help. Want me to help stop those pirates."
"Why are helping us?" Genki asked with narrowed eyes.
"We told you, didn't we?" Shinzo said, turning to the platform. "We're people of our word."
Botan smiled. "Then we'll be counting on you."
Arata from the front of the stand, laughed maniacally, calling their attention. "Any last words before you die Elias G. Fritz?"
"That's not happening."
As soon as he uttered the words, a giant wind blew through the platform. The blades around him flew into buildings or landed on the ground, the wind causing everything to topple over.
Using this golden opportunity, both Paolo and Shinzo's team spurred into action and attacked the pirates in the area. Paolo smiled at Shinzo, the two placing their backs to each other. "Funny I should meet you here. The weirdest thing happened today, I happened to befriend the pirate of the Dragon Scale Pirates."
Shinzo kicked down one of the attacking pirates, grinning from ear to ear. "Funny thing is, we did too and we're sort of helping them."
Elias spotted Botan and Genki, raising his hand up to wave at them. "Botan, Genki, over here."
"Stupid captain," Botan snapped, a wave of water slapping away incoming pirates. "We told you over and over again that you have a bounty now and that you can't be careless."
"Sorry, sorry, I just had to see the platform."
"Well get down from there," Genki said, slicing down pirates as he headed to the stand. "We need to leave."
Elias jumped off the platform much to Arata and Alek's dismay, running towards his crew members. Elias spotted Paolo, grinning from ear to ear. "Well I'll be on my way."
"I'm Paolo G. Rigards by the way."
"Elias."
A fist of flames almost landed on Elias, but Paolo moved in front of Luca and stopped it. The flames burnt through Paolo's hand, but he ignored the stinging pain.
Luca glared at Paolo. "Why did you stop me? He is a pirate you know."
"Be it a pirate or the biggest criminal in the world, I won't let a friend get captured so easily." Paolo smiled. "Besides, we weren't ordered to capture pirates."
Luca sighed, pulling his hand away. "Whatever."
Paolo turned to Elias. "Elias, you have to leave."
"When can I see you again?"
"I'm heading to Alba next, I'll probably be at the capital island."
"Then I'll see you then."
Paolo waved as Elias ran off, his crew members following behind. Arata spurred into action at the sight of his prey leaving and begun to chase him, shouting his name in the process while Alek from his post, raised a hub connected to the navy officers on the roof. "It's time to initiate fire."
A voice on the hub cleared. "S-sir, there's a problem."
"What happened?"
"Vines started growing out of nowhere and have captured our men and others have been frozen solid."
"Huh!"
Nearby, Hana and Luna stood on her broom in the sky, staring down the navy officers struggling in a cluster of vines while others had become frozen statues. They high fived each other before quickly pulling away as if disgusted with each other.
"That sure was a crazy request," Luna said.
<"You want me to what?"
"Stop the navy officers from touching the pirate about to be executed," Aline said. "It's really important we stop them."
"But if we go against the navy-"
"Then I'll take responsibility, just do this for me, Luna."
Luna pursed her lips to think before sighing. "Fine.">
"I think we'll be safe in the meantime," Hana said.
Luna nodded, eyes on the sky,
"What is going on?" Aiya mumbled.
"We can figure that out later, call the navy at the harbor, we can't let the pirates escape."
Aiya picked up the hub, a panicked navy officer speaking up. "Vice-Admiral Alek, there's trouble. In the middle of the town there was some sort of gas explosion, now we're blinded and men are getting cut around me. I don't think we can make it to the harbor."
"Cut, by who?"
"We have no idea who this mystery person… Ah!"
The line went dead, Aiya shouting into it. Alek groaned. "So the harbor is completely empty."
"What do we do?"
Alek looked at the sky, the darkened clouds that had formerly hovered over the platform now heading towards the harbor. "I don't know if this is just one of my theories, but it is no mistake that two people blessed by god are on this island. If I am correct and that cloud means what I think then it is clear to me that God himself is stopping anyone from touching his chosen people." Alek's eyes glimmered, his thirst for knowledge seeping out. "And I the vice-admiral of the navy as well as the head of World News Daily will make sure I see what the heavens have in store for these kids."