Luca and Elias stared each other down, tension brewing in the restaurant. The customers didn't move an inch, afraid that something would happen if they did.
"Give yourself up," Luca said.
Elias smiled. "I refuse."
"My job right now isn't to catch you."
"Then let me go."
"No, you have a relationship with a certain crew, so I need to take you in for questioning. And I'm not going to see a pirate right in front of me and let him go."
As this stare off happened, Paolo entered the restaurant, but the two failed to notice him. The two suddenly started fighting, Luca with his fist encased in flames and Elias with a ball of compressed air.
The two got thrown away, Elias to the back and Luca to the corner of the restaurant. Paolo in all his obliviousness called over the restaurant owner, sitting on the left-over bar stool. "Can I get something to eat?"
The restaurant owner blinked, pointing at the broken wall behind him. "But there's a fight and it might not be-"
Paolo waved his arms dismissively. "I don't care, hoodlums fight all the time. Get me something without lots of vegetables."
The owner nodded reluctantly to cook something for Paolo while the other customers stared at him, bewildered. He later came back with two rolled Shawarma, Paolo munching away happily.
Elias and Luca both stood up from their positions on the ground while Paolo rubbed his stomach happy for the meal. Both noticed the adventurer, Elias grinning that he found who he was looking for.
Before he could call for Paolo, Luca jumped him, covering his mouth. "I won't let you reveal that I'm here."
Paolo smiled at the owner. "Thanks for the food."
He left the restaurant, Elias pushing off Luca before chasing after him. Paolo didn't notice the commotion, enjoying his walk through the town. Elias ran past Aiya with her navy squad, the navy captain immediately recognizing him.
She turned to her men. "I see Elias G. Fritz, chase him immediately."
Luca met Vernon outside the restaurant, grabbing his arm. "Let's go, we're going to catch that pirate no matter what."
That was how, the navy, the Blue Dawn Pirates and Elias ran down the streets of Alton, Paolo completely oblivious to their existences.
.....
Luna, Shinzo, and the royals stood at their meeting spot, Luna twirling around in her red sequin bra top with a long skirt of identical design.
"This is so cute."
Shinzo narrowed his eyes. "And expensive."
Not too far off, Genki and Botan stood with a girl in a hood. The two crews spotted each other, waving at each other.
"Oh, it's you," Shinzo said.
"Thanks for the other time," Genki said.
Shinzo shrugged. "No big deal." He pointed at the red-haired girl. "This is Luna, our navigator." He pointed at the two people. "These are Anisa and Aziz, and the goat is Cairo."
As they greeted each other, Noel and Octavius came back together with a crate of food supplies.
"So many familiar faces today," Noel commented.
Octavius smiled. "What a weird situation."
"You guys guess who I found." Aika ran towards them with Aline in tow, eyes widening at the sight of the Cross Heart Adventurers. "Is this some sort of reunion?"
Botan laughed. "Might as well be."
Aline narrowed her eyes at Luna. "Couldn't you get something less… revealing?"
Luna grinned, pulling out a blue version of her outfit. "I even bought one for you."
Anisa laughed. "I don't think we should have trusted Luna with our shopping."
"I think she did a splendid job," Noel said. "Red is very much her color."
And with that compliment, Luna and Noel begun a newfound friendship.
Shinzo pointed at Aline's peace lily. "Did you use the money I gave you to buy that?"
She scoffed. "Of course not, some good-looking dancers gave them to me." She smiled, hands holding her cheek. "Their bodies were the best; you should have seen those six packs."
"You suck."
"Huh!"
The sound of heavy footsteps and shouting filled the air. Aline sighed. "Isn't it too early in the afternoon for an idiot to make this much ruckus."
Shinzo frowned. "Our captain is an idiot, isn't he?"
"Ours is too," Genki mumbled.
The two crews paused, exchanged looks then turned around to face the noise. As Elias, the navy and Luca ran down the street, Paolo walked leisurely, not noticing them at all.
They all shouted, "You were the idiot!"
Paolo noticed his crew, waving rapidly. "You guys."
Shinzo pointed at the commotion behind him. "Lose the trouble first before you come here, idiot."
Paolo finally looked back and almost screamed at the commotion. Behind him, Elias ran for his life, shouting at Paolo. "I've been wanting to see you."
"They don't look like they have."
Elias turned around, seeing Luca and Aiya gearing up for an attack. Their smoke and fire attacks came at the same time but didn't hit him. A giant shield blocked the attack, Paolo standing in front of Elias.
Paolo smiled. "Sorry for the wait Elias."
Elias laughed. "Took you long enough."