After leaving the island, recruiting Nojiko, and letting her eat the Devil Fruit, now dubbed Mirage-Mirage Fruit, our three person crew came upon a small rocky island sticking out of the sea. This was where Aden and Buggy decided to have their duel, while Nojiko rested since yesterday.
"Ready?" asked Adeny standing face to face to his newly assigned first mate.
"Do i even have a choice??" Buggy shouted back with annoyance.
"Of course you do. You can fight back, or not." Aden replied cheekily.
"Grr... Fine! Let's go!" Buggy shouted, charging at Aden while splitting into pieces and holding daggers in each hand.
.
*THUD-CRACK* Came a crashing sound shortly after Buggy charged. All of his parts were embedded into the surrounding rock, and his forehead was bleeding a little.
"What the hell happened?" Buggy asked in confusion.
"Well we exchanged some dagger strikes, which were not really effective. Then you decided to use your Buggy Bomb, but that did not work either. And then i used a new attack i thought off after remembering what i did to Arlong." Aden gave a summary of their duel.
"Ohh..kay...Well first of all..OUCH! And second, what was it?" Buggy began to literally pull himself together, while brushing of the dust from his clothes.
"O did not name it ye, but it's quite simple really. You remember the giant spinning sphere of compressed air i surrounded myself with?" Aden asked, recieving a nod of confirmation.
"Well i did something similar, but on a smaller scale. I compressed a bunch of air in my hand and spun it at high speeds. This created a sort of a spherical tornado. I just hit you with it, but what i didn't expect, was the explosion of air. So sorry." Aden explained with an honest apology at the end.
"All good. I'm fine, 'tis but a scratch." Buggy waved Aden's concern off.
"Boys! We got a newspaper delivered!" Nojiko suddenly shouted from the ship.
Looking at each other in curiosity, they then rushed towards the ship to see what's new.
.
When the set sail again, they sat at the table below deck and began to go through the newspaper and bounty posters.
"Finally! I got a bounty!" Aden exclaimed in excitement.
Held in his hand was a WANTED poster with his picture apparently taken just before entering Arlong Park. The picture was taken from his left side, mid-step, with dust and small rocks floating around him with his hair and coat waving wildly in the wind. His expression that of cold rage. Beneath the photo was the text
"WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
Hum D. Aden "The Four Winds"
B 29.000.000"
( I put B because idk how to make the Belli symbol.)
"WHAT!!? What do you mean your bounty is higher than mine!!?" shouted the upset clown.
"Didn't they increase yours?" asked Nojiko calmly, sipping a cup of tea, though she was a bit upset she didn't have her own bounty yet. But she knew it was way too soon.
"They did. To twenty five million, but it still feels unfair." Buggy grumbled.
"It's not a competition. Although i would be winning." said Aden, provoking Buggy a bit.
"Why you little..."
"We have company." Aden suddenly said turning his head to seemingly look at something through the walls of the ship.
"What do you mean?" asked Buggy and Nojiko at the same time.
"Two ships just entered my detection range. Port side, about ten o'clock, approximately three kilometers away." Aden said seriously.
"Marines?" asked Buggy.
"I don't know. Probably." was Aden's answer.
"What should we do, captain?" Nojiko asked half jokingly.
"Are you rested enough?" Aden asked her.
"Yep. I even feel more energized than ever."
"Good. Means you can practice. I want you to hide the ship using your power for as long as possible. Once we get close we reveal ourselves. Me and Buggy will be on crowd control. You pick your own target, but try and push yourself a little. Use your new powers, mix it up with what you know. Got it?" Aden came up with a plan.
"I dont think i can hide us for that long, though.." Nojiko said nervously.
"No problem. I'll push the ship. We will be close in about a minute." explained Aden with a smile.
"I can do that.... I think.." said Nojiko.
"Okay, let's do this then."
.
On one of the two approaching ships, the lookout spotted something rather strange. There was a water trail as if something was swimming there, but nothing was visible.
Thinking it might be a sea monster approaching, he decided to inform his captain.
"Captain Lito! There is something approaching! It could be a sea monster!" the lookout shouted from the crow's nest.
Lito was a man in his thirties. He wore a Captain coat over his shoulders and had no shirt on underneath. He also wore camo pants with light boots, and had on a champion belt, similar to the ones used in martial arts events.
He had a jagged scar across his face, from ear to ear and going across his nose. His hair was buzz cut and he had a slight stubble.
"A sea monster? Here? Don't be ridiculous!" the captain said with a huff as he took out a spy glass to take a look. However what he saw comfirmed what the lookout spoke of. There appeared to be something approaching, though he couldn't see what.
"Men! All hands at the ready!" he commanded his marines.
He took out a transponder snail and informed the second ship.
The unknown entity was approaching at speeds too fast for a ship. So they indeed believed it was a sea beast coming to attack them.
Aden was using his power to listen in on the marine's conversation and hatched a plan.
"Nojiko. Do you think you could make an illusion of a sea monster rising from the sea in our location once we get close?" Aden asked his navigator.
"I think so. But it wouldn't last long, i can tell you that much." she replies with slight effort as she still kept them hidden. Making it appear there was no ship there wasn't easy afterall.
"That's fine. Just do your best okay? Maybe make it attack them if you can." Aden nodded in understanding. Even this much was incredible to do, considering she only ate the fruit yesterday.
"That only goes to show she has some amazing potential." Aden thought to himself.
When they finally got close, Nojiko created an illusion of rippling water and a shadow rising from the depths.
"IT'S HERE! EVERYONE BE READY!" shouted the marine captain.
Right after he gave the order, a huge snake-like creature burst from the sea. It was about twice the size of the marine's ship with large red eyes and long sharp teeth. It was dark grey in colour with bright orange stripes like a tiger.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" shouted some marines in terror.
The beast was growling so loud, it shook the very planks they stood on.
Suddenly the monster roared, causing a burst of wind to buffet the navy ships, tearing the sails and ropes alike.
"SHOOT IT!" ordered the captain angrily.
The marines awakened from their stupor aimed their weapons at the giant beast, however before they could fire, the sea serpent charged one of the ships. Striking it with it's head, causing the ship to be instantly crushed in half.
The marines on the second ship responded by firing their rifles and cannons at the beast.
To their shock however, every shot passed through the monster as if it was not there.
At the same moment the beast appeared to melt into thin air and disappear. Only to reveal a small ship in the spot where the monster's body emerged from the sea.
"What hell just happened?!" came an angry demand of captain Lito.
Meanwhile on the small ship, Nojiko was breathing heavily with sweat pouring down her face.
"*hahh...hahh..* I told you...It wouldn't.. hold for long." said Nojiko between breaths.
"No, no. That was honestly impressive. I am really proud of you, miss navigator." said Buggy, praising Nojiko.
"hahh...Thanks Buggy." she replied with a small smirk. "But thanks to Aden, the illusion really came to life. I cannot create sounds or actually hurt anything with my projections. From the roar to the crushed ship, was all captain's doing." Nojiko told Buggy.
Buggy took a confused glance at Aden, who told him he simply created a powerful burst of high pressure wind at the moment of 'impact' as the illusion struck the ship. And that the roar was simply his sound creation he was familiar with, mixed with just blowing air at the ships.
"Right. Let's go finish this!" Aden commanded, as they jumped on the navy ship with Aden's help.
"Filthy pirates! How dare you attack the Navy!?" Lito demanded.
"You got in our way." said Aden with a nonchalant shrug.
"Plus we were bored." added Buggy with a grin.
"The Typhoon Aden!? Buggy the Jester!?" Lito shouted with wide eyes.
"Jester? Did you change my name!?" Buggy screamed angrily.
"No matter! I shall arrest you for the sake of justice!!" Lito screamed, accompanied by shouts from his crew.
"I found my target." Nojiko said calmly, but with a barely noticable anger. The marine back home, who was taking bribes from Arlong, caused her to develop a violent hatred for the marines. And seeing as she was a pirate now, she decided she would need to get used to hurting people. So where better to start, than the object of her hatred.
"Understood. Buggy and I will keep the rest off of you." said Aden as he walked towards the marines, who upon his approach began to shake in their boots.
"Bara bara bara bara bara bara bara bara!" Buggy began to chant, as he split into small parts. "Bara Bara...Storm!" he shouted as he began to pummel the marines using his floating body parts. Aden simply had his chakram spin and float around himself, waiting for someone brave or stupid enough to get close to him.
"Seriously, little missy??" Lito mocked "You think you can stand against a navy captain?"
"I don't know. I never tried." Nojiko replied nonchalantly, not letting the comment get to her.
Holding the simple staff she took from home, she got ready for a fight.
"As you wish, missy. I will show you the hubris of your actions." Lito said as he got into a boxing stance.
After a very short time, he got tired of waiting and charged Nojiko at impressive speed, throwing a left hook.
Barely managing to dodge to her right, she hit his chest with her staff. However it felt like striking a wall.
"Hahaha! Is that all you got, little girl?!" he mocked, only to feel a hit over his left temple that made him see stars for a moment.
Looking ahead of him, he saw the blue haired girl disappear, only to reappear next to him.
"Another Devil Fruit!?" Lito asked angrily.
However he got angrier at getting no response from his opponent. Taking a glance to the side, he saw the two men who came onto his ship with the girl, have dispatched his crew already, and were sitting on two barrels, watching him fight their comrade.
"Some allies you got. Watching you fight me instead of helping." he said, attempting to turn them against each other.
"That was the plan. This is kind of my rite of passage, you see?" Nojiko replies calmly. His attempt failed.
Growling in anger, Lito kicked out with all his strenght using his right leg. The kick was so powerful, it sent a shock wave directly at Nojiko. She could not react in time and got sent flying across the deck, caughing out a bit of blood.
Aden and Buggy were about to intervene, only for her to hold her hand out, telling them to let her handle it.
Wiping off the blood flowing from her mouth, she gripped her staff tighter and ran at the navy captain.
Thinking her foolish, he used the same attack only for her to mamage to dodge this time by ducking under the blast.
As she kept running towards him, he kept sending more and more shockwaves at her, each time she managed to barely dodge.
However the last attack made contact and sent her flying again, with blood exploding from her mouth. Rolling across the deck, she came to a stop as she hit a mast and there she layed, unmoving.
"Nojiko!" shouted Buggy in worry.
"Hahahaha! That is what happens to pirates when faced with Justice! You scum let your ally fight and die on her own! Only confirming that pirates are a disease of this world.
Now i shall kill the two of you and i will..."
*BANG* A shot rang out suddenly. A bloody hole appeared in Lito's forehead as blood exploded everywhere. Nojiko appeared as if from thin air behind him, holding a smoking gun in her left hand, and holding her bruised ribs by her right hand. There was blood coming from a corner of her mouth and she had small cuts and bruises on her face.
"Justice? Where was this justice when i needed it!? Now the only justice i respect, is my own." she said, breathing heavily.
Suddenly dropping to her knees, she let go of the gun.
Aden and Buggy walked to her and knelt down to check on her.
"So...how did i do? Captain?" she asked through shaky breaths as she looked Aden in the eyes.
"Splendidly, miss navigator. Splendidly." He replied as he helped her stand up, and they all walked back to the railing, and then being carried by Aden's wind control across the water to their ship, where they could treat Nojiko's injuries.
(Done and done. Nojiko had her first real fight, showing off her new power, as well as her more violent side.
I hope you enjoyed and i will see you next time.
Btw. If you have any questions or suggestions do not hesitate to let me know. Omega Out.)