"We came here to finish what we started. If I dragged Tim and the others into this mess, I may as well not go back on my word. Though I see your workshop has been coming along well, Harry."
Harry dropped the hammer into the toolbox and patiently waited. "And it seems you've found a place to stay, huh? I honestly believed you'd stay at the restaurant and help that old geezer, but it looks like he finally let you off the hook, huh?"
Ralphie stepped beside Kou. "I'm surprised you were the one to find him, Kou. I thought it would be Ayuka or someone, though it looks like you still haven't found Yumiko." Stated Ralphie, waiting for Kou to respond in calm manners.
"I was looking for her. I swear, but this city is big, and I haven't seen her once. Then I found your friend, and he says that Yumiko asked him about the swords."
"So, you're the one who dragged these people to this island, Ralph. I didn't expect you to ask for others' help. However, do you really think that you can fix this mess? I'd love to believe you, but I don't know if it would be possible, even for you."
Ralphie's face turned serious while keeping his arms in his pockets. "Harry, I wouldn't bring them here if I knew that they wouldn't be able to fix this problem, but I swear to you that we'll make sure to clean it. You don't have to believe us, but we're not leaving until we finish what we came here to do."
Harry sighed and finally decided to listen. He turned to look at them and continued to throw the screwdriver in his hand, up and down. "Fine, let's say I believe you, although relying on pirates is not something we usually do. Especially when you have a high bounty." Ralphie took hold of the poster and realized that his face was on it.
"I didn't expect to get a bounty this soon, but I guess everything's possible where you're on the ship with crazy people such as Tim." Kou then showed him the other posters as well and the moment he showed Ayuka, Ralphie's body immediately started wiggling left and right.
The usual, the pink hearts floated around him and popped. "She's gorgeous even on the wanted poster, Ayuka-swan!" he hugged the poster and didn't want to let go, making Harry chuckle a little. "At least you didn't change. You've always been weak around girls, huh?"
Kou tilted his head aside and received a blank expression. "And listening to this every day is worse than being in hell." Ralphie finally calmed down as he put the poster inside his pocket. "I'll be taking that."
Kou slapped his forehead. "Oriyana told us about Niklas. Looks like he's been gaining more and more reputation, though, not the good one." Harry pulled out another poster from beneath his desk and showed it to them. "Shadow Fist, Niklas, dead or alive, $235,500."
"He's a threat, even to the world government." Ralphie and Kou looked at Niklas's wanted poster. "He's been becoming more and more known across the world, that even other pirates started to be scared of him." Harry ended.
"I can see why. With that high of a bounty, people wouldn't have other thoughts than being scared of him."
"Yeah," Harry continued to explain, "he's been a problem. His reputation even allowed him to gain some of the most frightening warriors out there, some of whom are craftspeople. They became like obedient dogs that won't stop working for him, true slavery if you ask me.
"Not to mention, not long after you arrived, an agency ship came after. Just another problem, especially for those people who're pirates on this island. You being one of them means that you're going to be wanted by them as well, especially while having multiple people on the crew with a higher bounty."
Ralphie flinched for a moment and became stressed and Kou noticed it. "Agents? You can't be serious!" memories of his past returned as he nearly tore the wanted poster in his hand. "I can't believe they'd come to the same island as the one we came!"
"Calm down, Ralph. As long as you stay hidden I'm sure they shouldn't find you." Until Kou and Ralphie remembered another problem; the ship. "But we left the ship out in the open at the dock! Tomomi's on it too, she's in a terrible position! They could check the ship and find her. This is bad, really bad."
Tomomi stood on top of the forecastle surrounded by agents, unable to escape. Agents had their guns pointed at them, while Yules stood in front of her on the deck.
"I see they've left one of their crewmates guarding the ship." Smiled Yules, keeping his hands, crossed behind his back. Tomomi sweated and couldn't escape. The sheer number of agents around her prevented her to do so. "Tell us the reason you came to Urban Craftsman Island, and why would they leave a poor, lone girl on guard duty."
Tomomi was backed up. She didn't know what to do or how to escape. "I'm sorry, but... I can't answer that question." Yules looked at her and chuckled. "Come on, no need to hide it from me. I'm not here to hurt anyone, but we would like some answers, and it's clearly visible in your terrified eyes; you know."
Tomomi stuttered and lowered her head, looking ahead, hiding her fear. "And why do you say that...? I might just be a passenger, who doesn't know the reasons behind-" before she could finish, Yules received a poster of her and showed it.
"Ah, I see. Then I suppose this wanted poster isn't actually you." Her eyes shook as the sweat slowly dripped down further. "Phoenix Pirate, Tomomi, dead or alive, $400,000. That's a high bounty for somebody innocent-looking like you. I wonder, just what did you do to receive a bounty? Maybe it's because you're an important spirit."
Tomomi didn't understand a simple thing as she became soft seeing that her bounty was beyond expectations. "$400,000? W-What? How's that even possible? I haven't done anything!"
"Perhaps not, perhaps yes. Then again, this poster is only available to us, agents. You're a special breed on board a strong pirate ship, to the addition of your rarity; spirit. Just how unfortunate for you to be caught. I'm sure you would know the reason behind why your bounty's so high, right, Yasuda Chiaki."
In an instant, her white jacket tore as it revealed her grey undershirt, soon revealing a black flower symbol on the left side of the hand.
"As I had anticipated, five years ago, a member of the "Spirit Flower Agency," the last person to survive the attack, entered another realm.
"I was aware that the "Spirit Flower Agency" was a group of "Spiritual Fighters" that needed to connect with one another human to survive. But I certainly did not foresee that a person of this stature would use Soul Link to link their spirit to a scumbag named "White-Haired Pirate, Tim."
"They must have thought you were actually mysterious to them, Chiaki, and you must have utilized them as cover from the other organizations that wanted you gone. What will you do, then? You soon understand that the folks you've been hiding behind are only a collection of people who would usually take care of the agent threats when your name has been made public."
Chiaki covered her symbol on the shoulder and clenched her teeth in silence. "I see that you're frightened. Is it because you're worried that your "friends" will toss you away, just like your family did, once they learn that the person who attempted to wipe out humanity years ago is still alive and well, hiding behind a cute little mask like yourself? But you do realize that the truth will soon ruin your entire life?
"Chiaki, what will you do? Are you going to reveal your identity to them or are you going to try to flee and hide far from them in order to survive?"
Chiaki waited in position and slowly slipped her left foot behind, making sure not to be spotted by Yules. She turned around and launched herself over the forecastle into the air at insane speed while looking below her only to realize that Yules disappeared from the ship's position.
Her eyes shook as she spotted Yules standing in front of her, pressing his palm onto her chest. "Now, where are you going?" In an instant, Chiaki felt a terrible force bursting into her chest that caused her to cough out blood and saliva, forcing her eyes to shiver crazily.
In the street, Tim's heart felt a horrible pain as he immediately screamed in agonizing pain that instantly caught everyone's attention. He grasped his chest, tightly only to squeeze his skin horrendously.
He lost his footing and collapsed to his knees only to realize that he couldn't breathe properly. It felt as if somebody was trying to choke him while also getting his heart squished in pain. "Tim!" Ayuka's eyes opened in surprise as she crouched next to him. She could see his mouth drooling with saliva as he shivered, close to the feeling of having a heart attack.
"What's happening?!" she yelled with a question and looked at him. He couldn't speak as he only released agonizing screams. "It's... T-Tomomi... s-something... something's happening at the... s-ship..." he felt another shockwave enter his body as it brutally caused his eyes to tremble, his heart beating rapidly.
Chiaki was tossed through the air as she immediately landed on her feet, catching her balance on the floor, terrified and knowing that Tim would sense the same pain as she did. She begged them to stop. "P-Please, stop... Y-You're not just... hurting me... You're-" she was interrupted and then instantly grabbed by the forehead.
"Hm? Oh, I know. All of the pain you receive is shared with your friend, right? Soul Linking is so entertaining and interesting ability." He grabbed her hair and raised her up, only to look at her soaked face.
"Why did you perform soul linking on your friend if you are so concerned about him? You must have been mindful of the shared suffering. You won't be killed, but I will take you with me, so don't be alarmed. You are too valuable to be killed right now. Goodnight." In an instant, Yules rammed his fist into her stomach, forcing her to cough out saliva, delivering a more brutal punch, until she collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.
"You should've just fought back, or did you avoid fighting out of fear that you would injure your friend as well?" he asked, then standing back up. "Chain her." The agents reached for the chains and chained her hands behind her back.
"This will be an interesting day." Yules smiled, aware that others were in the vicinity too.
To be continued...