[Episode] Shining Light Upon the White Kingdom

Quest:

A few days after the retrieval of all the Flevance citizens, there were a few people who had waved an excitement to see Ai. It was a bit weird to see people he didn’t really know, but give out these greetings filled with love and appreciation. The doctor would be lifted with a weird feeling as he remembered the time of being in Alabasta and the love and appreciation that he had gotten from his peers. It was something he would like to have back, and one he would hope to regain. Still, he was in the North Blue, and with it, he decided to enjoy his stay within the island. The day as bright as ever, the young man would find himself in the alleyways of Flevance. His destination was clear as day as he was going to find his way back to the brothel.

It was a feeling he couldn’t escape, but it was one that he found the utmost pleasure in. The woman in the brothel knew of him as well, for the time he appeared in this building he didn’t leave whoever he did business with unhappy. His entrance as bland as ever as the woman who owned this place would smile at him. She could see that he had the same smile as always and she would approach him as she would any customer.

“Hai there Ai, I assume you’re here for those two again?” She asked him as she knew what he told her the first time he stepped in here.

“Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah.” He would laugh a bit because he was glad that she didn’t forget.

“I would love those two again. I hope it won’t be a problem, my love?” He spoke to her with a sweet tone.

She would whistle loudly throughout the brothel to gain the attention of the girls who weren’t working.

“Star and Lily, Ai is here for you.” She called out their name before telling them who was here.

The girls would appear with revealing nightgowns as they were waiting for at the top of the stairs. Ai wouldn’t hesitate as he made his way up the stairs and into the room with both females. After a few hours or so, someone would knock on the door that belonged to Ai, and the two girls. They were playing around in the bed when they heard this, which caused them to stop and look at it.

“Are you three busy? Ai got a letter.” She asked and then revealed why she interrupted the time he was paying.

Ai was confused as he wasn’t expecting a letter. He didn’t know anybody on this island except the people he had saved a few days ago. The people from his home island had no idea where he was located, and he doubted that whoever was the head of the family would be paying the government to search for him. It was very nerve-wracking, to say the least, but as he gathered his composure after thinking about who it could be he decided to answer the owner.

“You can come in.” He said as she would open the door and move towards the naked Ai and hand him the letter as the girls smiled and giggle as they were kissing each other.

She would walk out of the room and he would lay back on the bed with the girls as he would unfold the letter. The doctor would start reading the letter as it would reveal exactly who was it that wrote to him. The group that he had stopped had a bigger leader, and it seemed that when they found out who had taken their pawns out of the way, he was already inside of the city. They couldn’t start problems within Flevance, so a letter was brought to Ai to tell him where he could go to find them. It was interesting to read, and honestly, if he didn’t think they wouldn’t continue with these kidnapping, he would have ignored the letter completely.

Still, that wasn’t going to happen, and Ai knew better. If he didn’t take them out now, then would the people in Flevance ever be safe. Ai would want to know the reason behind it all, and who exactly was behind it. The Alabastan would get up from the bed as he playfully slapped the girl’s behind with a smile on his face.

“I got to get going girls. I enjoyed every time we had together, but I’m cutting it short today. You two will get the same paid as always, so no worries. Thank you for your time Lily and Star.” He said this as he would get dressed as quickly as possible.

When he was ready he would stretch a bit as he walked out of the room and the downstairs of the brothel.

“It doesn’t seem like they want anything to do with the brothel. Still, I’ll be back before that becomes the case.” He said with a smile on his face as he left the establishment and back outside where the sun was shining without the clouds getting in its way.

Ai’s new destination now was the south side of this island, and hopefully, he could get some answers from whoever invited him to a possible brawl.

WC: 887

The day so far has been beautiful with the sun shining brightly over the island. The weather has been calm, save for a few small breezes which were easily missed by the giant who had recently arrived by the southern shore with a giant fish in his hand. Given how tall Boboddy Jim is, he is able to trek through the sea and since the water has been calm recently, it was as simple as a walk under the sun.

Arriving on shore, Jim dropped his bag and preceded to set up a campfire along with a spit. He grumbled the entire time he descaled the fish, an activity he hated since he began cooking for himself; his mother had made it seem so easy. After the chore was done, he washed the fish in a pond he had found nearby and placed it on the spit and allowed the fire to cook it. The hardest part to Jim has always been the wait.

To pass the time, the giant laid upon the grass and looked to the sky. The sound of the trees moving to the breeze along with the sound of the calm waves eased Jim impatience. His love for such a beautiful moment almost matched his love for food, and that is saying a lot.

Just before he closed his eyes and allowing himself to fall into meditation, he shot up and remembered he needed fresh water to go with his meal. He quickly grabbed an empty barrel that he kept in his gargantuan bag and ran off to the pond he found. Right before dipping his barrel into the water, he noticed the algae that was forming on the surface; with a look of disgust, he went northeast just a few steps to find a stream. Clean and clear water, perfect for his meal. Every few seconds, he would think about the hot and tasty fish. He had stolen a giant's handful of crates of spices that would be perfect to season his meal. Already this day has started off as he wanted.

When returning to his campsite, Jim's heart sank... along with his stomach. His fish was gone.

He quickly searched the shoreline and the pathway that ran parallel. He was about to cry out to the sky when he spotted his fish being carried by a group of men. "My fish!" Jim's voice carried well and the group of men looked back to spot him. The moment Jim lifted his foot, the thieves took off running. "Stop! Thieves!"

Jim ran after the group. Because of his size, he was closing the gap, but his luck ran out when the chase ran through short trees and large shrubs. Jim struggled to get through and his head was too high to peer through the branches.
After several giant steps, Jim lost sight and sound of them and once he realized this, he yelled to the sky, his anger boiling within him. He would have been satisfied being beaten down, shot, or even arrested, but stealing his food was an unforgivable act, and he intended to bring those thieves to justice... the justice he himself would see fit.

WC: 531

Ai would make his way towards the gates of the city from the south. On his way there he would see a few people that knew him, and he would wave at them with the sincere smile he had carried around. Still, even though he didn’t know these people he wanted to show that they could count on him if anything. When he made it to the gates, the men guarding the entrance would look at him with a serious look on his face.

“What’s your business for traveling outside of the city?” They asked as it was something they had to do for everybody that tried to leave.

The Doctor would look at both of them as he figured he could come up with a lie on the spot. He didn’t want to give it too much thought as he figured they would expect him to be lying.

“I’m going out to look for specific herbs that can only be found in the forest. It’s hard to find, so I figured I would start my journey early guys.” He said this to both of them with a smile on his face.

They would look at him for a few seconds as it was quiet between the three of them. Ai would scratch the back of his head as he was trying to figure out what they were waiting for. After the long pause, both of them would move to the side to allow Ai to leave. The Alabastan would sigh as he didn’t know why they were giving him such a hard time. Now that he was outside, his eyes look around his surroundings to see if anybody was waiting for him. When he saw that everything was clear, he would take the letter out from his pocket as he would look in the direction they had given him.

It was indeed a map, and he figured all he would have to do was follow it. Ai would just tread lightly as he started his journey on his own. The forest that he entered was not quiet. It was filled with life as sounds could be heard everywhere. Animals rustling through bushes, birds chirping their tunes, animals screaming one second and then silent the next. It was amazing to be out in the wilderness, but he needed to keep his eye on the ball. Ai had gotten distracted a few times before, and he needed to make sure that it didn’t happen today. While he continued following the map, he started to see that whoever drew this was someone who enjoyed drawing out the layouts of the island they were in.

It wouldn’t take long, but a loud shout would come off not too far from. He had dropped the map for a second as he had covered his ears. He didn’t expect that to happen, and he wondered what it was. He would kneel to pick up the map, and figured he might as well check it out. The Alabastan would make his way into the direction of where the screaming came from. It wouldn’t take long for him to find the source of the shouting. Ai would stop walking for a bit, frozen in place, as he had never seen such a tall human before. If I remember correctly from my studies this man is considered to be a giant. I didn't think I would see any of them in the Blues, but here we are. He thought to himself as he was amazed by everything right now.

It took a few seconds, but Ai would realize why he had come in this direction. He had strayed from his path, but for a reason. The man, no longer frozen, started walking towards the giant. He looked around to see if there was any trouble, but when he noticed everything was fine it confused him.

“Hey is everything fine? I heard someone screaming louder than anything I ever heard in my life. I came to check it out, but it seems to have probably been you. Is there anything bothering you… I don’t know your name.” He said this to the giant as he was wondering what this person would do when he found out that there was somebody around him.

WC: 713 TWC: 1600

In a fit of rage, Jim thrashed about, kicking up debris such as dirt, rocks, shrubs, and logs. It was like a whirlwind of chaos. The giant didn't know what to do, his day was going so well and then suddenly his meal, the best part of his day was dabbed by thieves, by humans, the vile creatures who cared about nothing but themselves, Jim couldn't settle, his ears burned with anger and he simply wanted to hurt someone, mainly the thieves, but he didn't know where they went, which infuriated him more.

The giant ran up to a tree and slammed a fist into it's trunk. The bark cracked, and the plant jerked, one of it's roots nearly popped out of the ground. Jim didn't hate all humans, most he had met have been decent people, but in such a rage, all he thought about was the time he spent on Paprika, where the humans bullied him, disrespected him and his cooking. The memories came back and he couldn't hold them back. He saw red.

Then he heard a voice; Jim turned about to see a human before him. Despite his appearance looking nothing like the men who ran off with his food, despite the calm look and approach of the smaller man, Jim couldn't help but turn his frustration out towards him, all he knew was that this man was human, the same race as the thieves, therefore he strongly believed he was one of the thieves that stole his prized possession.

His teeth shown brightly, clenched like a dog baring it's fangs as he stared at the newcomer. His body eat emitting, making his cheeks pink. Then Jim took one step which caused the ground beneath him to shake, bits of debris kicked up and dispersed. "Give me..." he growled between words and as took another step, breaking a log beneath his feet, causing another disperse of debris, "...back my..." he had lost any sense of reason, the giant, who towered over the tan skinned human, then with a loud bellow Jim yelled "DINNER!!" his shout was so loud and strong, it caused the trees to sway. The birds and critters that had remained in the vicinity, hoping their hiding spots would keep them away from the rampaging monster, then scattered, no longer trusting their hiding spots.

Then there was, just for a moment, a dead silence that rang in the air and the only sound that was heard was the debris of rocks and pebbles falling, clattering to the ground and the sound of crows and seagulls, cawing as they made their escape.

Then suddenly, Jim pulled back a clenched fist, putting all his power into his swing and as he took one additional step, the ground beneath his feet cracked due to the weight and the force and he swung his fist forward, the wind blowing along with the swing as if a mountain was moving.

This was a simple mistake, but anger and rage can be blinding.

WC: 503
TWC: 1,034

Ai could tell from the clenched teeth of this giant that he wasn’t happy. That wasn’t good because he knew things were probably going to go wrong. He kept the same facial expression he had appeared with, and he could only stare at the giant wondering what was going to happen now. Is he going to answer my question because it’s getting awkward just staring at him. He thought to himself. The giant started moving, and when he saw the debris picked up, Ai would pick up his arms to cover his face from any dirt that might make it to his eyes. A crunch could be heard the second time, and when Ai peaked to see what it was, he could see that the giant had broken a log as if it was nothing.

“Shit I don’t want to get stepped on.” He said in a way that only he could hear it.

The giant had shouted out loud and it confused the Alabastan because it wasn’t time for dinner. Still, the animals around them had done things right, they fled the scene. Ai should have done the same thing, but which direction would he run towards? His head tilted upward to look at the giant, and he could see that he was doing something. When he notice what he was doing, his eyes widen as he didn’t think that it would go this far.

“Oh shit!” He shouted as the giant would take a step forward and swing at full force.

The punch didn’t hit Ai, but the pressure of his punch and the wind that blew from it had brought Ai to cover his body as if he was blocking an attack. The noble’s feet would find themselves being pushed back on the ground as if he was being dragged from behind. He tried to keep his ground, but this giant had caught him off guard. It wouldn’t take long, but Ai would lose the battle, and his body feet would no longer be on the ground. His body was taken by the wind as he flew away from the giant without a way to stop.

“Boom!”

This was the noise that was created from Ai’s impact with a nearby tree that was destroyed upon impact. It did stop Ai from flying away from the giant, and the Alabastan would find himself flat on his back with a bunch of debris around him.

“Why is he so angry about food. It ain’t even dinner yet.” He said out loud as he would get up from the ground.

Ai would rub his back as he would start walking towards the giant that indirectly attacked him. The Doctor would take out his Jingu Bang as he would attack again if something like that occurred again. When his sight was set on the giant, he would crack his neck as he was making sure that he didn’t get caught off guard.

“I don’t have your damn dinner! And it’s not even dinner time yet, so what are you yelling and attacking me for?!” He shouted at Jim as he had gotten into his power stance, so he didn’t get tossed so easily.

WC: 532 TWC: 2132

After the swing, Jim didn't know if he had made contact or if he missed. He blinked and took a look about. For a moment he wondered if the tanned man vanished as well, probably to go eat his cooked fish which he had spent time preparing. His anger fueling him, his ears warm and red and he scanned the area, looking like a madman.

Hearing the man's voice immediately caught Jim's attention. He spotted him and began readying himself to charge forward, but before he could, he caught something the smaller man had said, "Wait..." he began to realize something, remembering that his day had barely start, meaning the man was right, it wasn't dinner time, it was closer to brunch.

The steam around Jim's ears stopped and his temperature around his face cooled. The pink color on his cheeks lightened as his eyes widen in surprise, "Oh! It isn't dinner!" He felt foolish, wondering how he could get, not just the time of day wrong, but which meal he was going to have. A moment had passed and all fell silent again. Jim looked about himself to see the destruction he had caused. It had taken him a moment to recall the events, he had let his anger get the better of him, then looking back to the tanned man, he remembered how the group of men looked like and none of them fit this man's description.

"Oh, I'm very sorry" Jim said, giving a slight head bow. His embarrassment caused his face to flush with a bit of pink again. "It's just I was cooking a fish and some people had just stolen it off the spit, I had chased them for some distance, but I ended up losing them" Jim's tone entirely changed, he tried to laugh and soften the tension, but his face showed he was embarrassed for his action. For a moment he looked over his shoulder, hoping he would spot the thieves, but seeing nothing, he sighed with sadness and clenched his fist and teeth in anger, "Forgive me for my actions" the giant turned back to the tanned skin man.

WC: 358
TWC: 1,392

Ai continued to stare at the big overweight giant. At first it looked like he wasn’t going to back down, which felt like a drag because he never fought a giant before. Then, it seemed like there was something that Ai had said that released the anger that was within the giant. He would sigh with relief when he saw the giant’s reaction. He watched carefully though as he didn’t want to get surprised attack again. With the coloration on his face, Ai could tell that this giant was embarrassed about how he reacted. That made the tension between the two of them disappear. The doctor would only chuckle a bit as it was interesting to see this different species act like a human in the end. There was indeed a silent that had gone for quite some time.

The Alabastan was to invested in his visual examination to have paid attention. When he heard the giant saying sorry, Ai would put his Jingu Bang on his back and he would smile at the giant. He would wave his hands from to side as he didn’t need to apologize.

“Nah, it’s fine. I get it someone took something that belonged to you and you were angry about it. Hell, I would be to, so I can understand.” He said this as he looked behind the giant, and he didn’t see anybody within the distance.  

His attention moved back towards the giant at the same time the giant looked at him again. It would seem like he had gotten away from this monster and his prey. He wouldn’t say that out loud as he didn’t want to get attacked by this guy again.

“I’m just glad that nobody got hurt. Still, it seems like you get really angry when someone takes your food. I’ve never seen someone rage like that for a meal.” He said to the giant as he was interested in what made him tick now.

That was when he realized that he was having a conversation with this man and neither of them had introduced themselves to each other. He would rub the back of his head as he figured he would start things off.

“Oh, how rude of me. We’re talking to each other without introducing ourselves. My name is Ai Kirai. It’s nice to meet you big guy.” He said this as couldn’t help but look up at this guy.

The Alabastan had looked at him for quite some time, and he even came to the conclusion that he would need seven more of himself to be able to be that height. Of course, that was when he remembered that there was somewhere he needed to be. Still, he didn’t want to be rude and leave the giant by himself. He knew that he was the reason why he lost the guy’s that took his food. The noble thought about what he could do, and then an idea sparked up in an instant. It was perfect, and now he just needed to say it out loud. He would wait for the giant to say his name and anything soon after the introduction.

“So, Jim, I have a proposal for you.” He paused waiting to see if the giant would be interested in it.

Whether or not he was interested, Ai would continue with the proposition as he knew the giant wouldn’t say no.

“So, I have a place to go, and I know damn well it’s a trap. Still, I need to take out a few people because if I don’t then they won’t stop doing bad things to weak and innocent people. I figured you could be my bodyguard and head with me to the meeting spot. After that I will help you find the guys that took your food, and we will make them regret taking your food from you.” He said this to Jim as he was giving a few seconds to think on his answer.

“So what do you say Jim are you interested in helping me out and in return I help you out? And you think you could pick me?” He asked him with a smile on his face.

Ai figured he would use this situation to his advantage. He was hoping it would work, but he couldn’t be too sure. Still, the doctor would walk closer to the giant and if he accepted his request to help him out and pick him up, so he could give him directions on where they needed to go.

WC: 756 TWC: 2888

Though the situation had began terrible due to Jim's hangry rampage, and he expected the smaller man to react with some what of a fraction of his expressed anger, he was surprised to see this man, who referred to himself as Ai Kirai, is understanding and considerate, comforting, given that Jim didn't have the stomach nor the patience to deal with quarrels on a normal day.

"My name is Boboddy Jim" The giant chuckled still embarrassed about his first impression. Now that the atmosphere had settled and the tension was no longer dense, the air about the two men calmed enough for rapport to be established.

Ai's proposal caught Jim's attention, and even though the tanned man seemed kind and understanding, he was cautious to take up any request from a human due to previous experience. Though hearing that innocent people may be harmed unless these men were stopped did soften the giant's heart. Though he preferred to keep to himself, he couldn't pass an altercation where someone who needed help without doing anything.

A moment of silence, Jim thought about it. He fought against his heart which wanted him to help the needy, but his stomach ganged up against him once he heard Ai was willing to assist him in retrieving his meal "Then it's a deal, I appreciate it by the way" he said, smiling wide. He didn't want to be intrusive, but given that his meal, as well as innocent people, were in trouble and time was ticking, he reached down and picked up Ai and planted him on his large shoulder. "I hope you don't mind the altitude, but I figured you could get a better view from this height." About fifty feet up, surely Ai would clearly have a good view of his surroundings and since he knew who he was looking for and where to go, it was the best position for him.

"So, where to, Ai-san?" Jim asked. Once Ai points in the direction they needed to go, Jim would turn on a dime and head in that said direction at a jogging pace. He didn't want to tire himself out, but he didn't want time to slip by him, his meal was in peril and every second that passed is a moment that someone might be eating it, or worse... letting it get cold.

Oh and there are the innocent people of course, Jim's heart couldn't allow such terrible villains hurt such citizens.

WC: 411
TWC: 1,803

Ai had a smirk on his face as he targeted the giant’s weakness for food so easily. It was delightful, to say the least, and he had gotten what he needed. The Doctor knew if he had gone into the meeting place alone, he would be dead, a slave, or crippled. When the giant grabbed him though he couldn’t help but become startled. This was the first time that he experienced such an act. It was interesting to see how Jim was able to grab him without crushing him. It just meant that giants knew how to control their power when handling smaller things. He took a mental note of that as he was gaining experience and knowledge in the field.

He would be placed on the shoulder of Boboddy, and when he sat down, he shook a bit as he was trying to figure things out. He needed to find a balance, so he didn’t fall right off when the giant walked but figured if he ran, then he could just grab his clothing. When he was asked about the height he was in, Ai would chuckle nervously.

“Hah, hah, hah, I think I’m fine up here. I never had a problem with heights, but this is the first time I’ve been this high. As for having a better view, I think this is a lot better and I won’t be missing anything from your point of view.” He said this as he revealed the map with his left hand and held onto the giant with his right hand.

His eyes scanned through the map and he would be able to see the way the landscape was well drawn into the map. He looked at what was below him as well, so he could get a sense of where they were. It took a few minutes since he wasn’t a navigator, but Jim would snap him out of his thought process. Ai would look over to the giant with a smile on his face.

“Oh yeah, head in this direction.” He said this towards Jim and soon enough he would feel the bounce of him catching air off the giant’s shoulder.

His eyes widen when he saw this as he held on tightly to Jim’s shirt. It caught him off guard, and he didn’t expect such a thing to happen. He would sight as he needed to get used to it. Then there was the fact that the Doctor wanted to examine Jim, but didn’t have the time to do so. The Alabastan would do his best to get the hang of being on a giant’s shoulder, but it wasn’t happening. Still, the best thing about it was that they were closing in on their destination quicker than when he was alone.

“Jim, take a right.” He said this as he would brace himself for when the giant did turn.

“Did this ever happen to you before Jim? Did someone ever take you from you before? And if they did what happen when they did?” Ai asked him curious to hear what this monster had to say.

WC: 518 TWC: 3406

The sun was high, indicating it was possibly noon, and if that was the case, then that would mean brunch was over and Jim had missed his meal time. He bit his lip in worry and irritation. He couldn't let it bother him given that there was nothing he could do but help Ai in his mission and in return the smaller man would assist him in retrieving his lost meal.

Seeing Ai with a map in hand soften the giant's worry, at least they had a sense of direction, meaning they had progress. He did what he could to follow Ai's directions, hoping it wasn't too troubling to read the way, albeit Jim himself had a terrible sense of direction, so he would prefer for his acquaintance to lead the way. The giant had recalled being lost for a month at sea when he was simply walking to the neighboring island, even though to this day, he would claim the waves were so high, he was unable to see the island in the distance, in the back of his mind, he had a difficult time staying in denial.

Ai had nearly fallen off, which nearly caused Jim to stumble. "I suppose you never stood on the shoulder of a giant before" Jim laughed, though he himself felt uneasy due to his lack of eating and could only imagine how Ai was feeling being on his own mission to save people, the best he could do is try to lighten the mood while they try to complete this trip.

"By the looks of your greeting towards me, I'm guessing you met very few giants in your time" It wasn't the first time Jim was stared at by the smaller races; the gaping mouths, the caution and sometimes fear in the eyes, and sometimes the anger and hate from people who just didn't like anyone different than themselves.

Jim pressed between two trees in order to get on a path. The area they had reached was clustered with plant-life, which made it difficult for a being his size. Luckily the path was wide enough for him to jog through, though sometimes he would have to shimmer by. "To answer your question..." Jim thought back many years ago when he had went through his first hunger period, a dark time in his history, "There were several times people tried to swipe my food, but during friendly feasts, so there were no hard feelings, although no one succeeded" He tried to smile, but the darker memories wouldn't let up, "But there was a moment when I had no money and ... I hadn't eaten in some time" Jim was staring ahead, thinking of the words to say, trying to gather himself, "It was... a bad time" He didn't want to tell Ai that his hunger led him to a rampage that destroyed an entire town. But given what he had done just a moment ago, he wouldn't be surprised if Ai had taken a lucky guess.

WC: 502
TWC: 2,305

Ai would hear the words that had come from the giant, and like the giant, the Alabastan would laugh. The phrase he had just said as he had caught himself from falling was something his teacher had told him about before. ‘I suppose you never stood on the shoulder of a giant before’ brought back a simple time. It was a term that was used for those who would make an intellectual discovery but weren’t the first people to initiate the discovery. One would theorize their ideas and discovery and another person would come along and find evidence of it. The person who found evidence would figuratively be standing on the shoulder of the person who originally theorized the discovery. His teacher used this when it came to the ideas of medicine and how many people have yet to discover the cure to many different diseases habiting the world.

He found himself having a nice smile on his face as he wondered how long it would take for him to get the revenge he wanted. His thoughts on his past, however, had been snapped when he heard the giant speak up to him. Ai would look over to him as he would nod as he would agree with the giant, but figured he would add more to what he said, but after his question was answered first. While they traveled though he noticed that Jim found it difficult to maneuver through certain terrains due to his size. He figured that would happen, but he was glad that he was able to make it through. While this was happening though, his question would be answered.

Ai figured something bad happened in his past, and that it wasn't just a 'bad time'. The Alabastan had watched the force behind that attack towards him, and he knew that wherever Jim was had it worse than he did. His eyes would make their way to the map again and he would smile as they were close to making another turn. It would be their final turn, and they would just have to move straight ahead. Still, for now, he would continue to talk to the big Giant, Boboddy.

“You’re actually the first giant I’ve ever met before. When I saw you all I had was fascinated by your existence. I’ve read about the giants but never seen one in person. You see I’m a doctor, so learning the anatomy of a giant was just that, learning.” He paused for a second before continuing.

“You guys are basically supersized humans, so it’s interesting when it comes to how blood transfusion would work in the case if you were injured. If there aren’t any giants how many humans would be able to provide the blood you need.” He noticed that he was about to continue speaking about things that the giant wasn’t probably interested in.

“I’m sorry Jim, I got too into this conversation, but we should stay on topic.” His face turned a bit red as he coughed to gain his composure.

“At the end of the trees, you’re going to make a left, and go straight from there. You will see an open area and that should be their campsite. It also shows that there is a cave there, but god knows where that leads.” He said to Jim as he held onto him.

The Doctor had gotten used to being on this giant’s shoulder. It wasn’t difficult once he figured out how to balance himself. He wondered what would happen when they get there, and how things will play out now that he had a plus one with him.

WC: 606 TWC: 4012

To Jim surprise, he was the first giant Ai has officially met. He tried not to shrug his shoulders, for such a gesture would toss the smaller man off the ride. Hearing that Ai is a doctor wasn't much of a surprise as he was showing some decent kindness in his conversation. It would normally take Jim a bit of time to get humans to warm up to him, at least in his experience.

"I wouldn't call us 'Supersized humans', just... different" Jim didn't feel insulted, but he'd prefer to keep the comparison distant. He enjoyed his lineage and culture, and grew to respect it more when he entered human islands, "You can keep talking, conversation keeps the party going as I tend to say" Jim smiled as he stepped over a small pond.

Eventually, the giant spotted the lining of the woods' edge, where Ai had directed him, "Where I come from, the trees are much larger, which makes it easier for us to move about, these things you call 'trees' tend to be tedious bushes and shrubs that make it way too difficult to even trek. Sometimes I have found myself circling an island, just to get to my destination, tasking, I know" though he explained his annoyance with the trees humans are more adept to, he couldn't help but smile, the last time he had enjoyed the company of a human was during his last feast. The merriment was filled with joy and laughs, the separation between giants and humans didn't exist at that point in time and they were truly happy.

Jim woke from his daydream and stepped out of the the edge of the wood. "Finally" he sighed, "Left, right? I mean, just left, then straight" He recited Ai's instructions and headed walked the outline of the woods' edge.

"Once we get there, what's the plan?" Jim asked, surprised he hadn't thought about this before hand, "I mean, are you going to settle things through conversation or is there a plan of attack? You didn't really explain much beyond the summary" Jim joked as he casually made his way.

His smile faded and his steps slowed when he began to notice a scent. It was heavenly, it reminded him of the fact that he had lost his meal, but then he recognized the scent to be his style of cooking, then he took a moment to realize... that scent was of his fish. "That's.... My Meal!" Jim growled as his stomach did, then the next moment was of him dashing forward towards where the smell was coming from. His anger fueled his speed. The camp was up ahead and Jim and Ai were going to the same place. Jim answered his own question to Ai.

WC: 460
TWC: 2,765

When Ai heard his comment on the comparison to humans and giants, he would chuckle a bit. He figured someone of a different species would like to be compared to humans. Humans, of course, were the cause of a lot of problems in the world. It was amazing how much destruction, and chaos such a small little race could create. He would rub the back of his head with his free hand as he had a smile on his face. Jim didn’t seem to mind him talking, which was a good thing. It wouldn’t take long for Ai to find himself laughing though at the annoyance he had with trees.

“Hah, hah, hah, hah I see so these trees are considered to be brushes to you. That’s funny because one of these brushes could kill a human if it fell on them.” He said as he thought about a giant trying their best to hide amongst a bunch of trees.

The noble figured he could see it happening if he were being chased by another giant. Still, wouldn’t the trees be destroyed if he tried to do something like that? He figured he would test it out later on in the future with a giant.

While they paced closer to their destination, Jim would ask about a plan. Ai’s blank face would stare straight ahead as he was surprised that such a statement didn’t come earlier. The man was caught off by it that he remembered that he didn’t even have a plan. It wouldn’t take long, but the nervous laugh would come from Ai as he would slowly turn to look towards the face of the giant. Come on I got to think of something. I didn’t have a plan. He thought to himself as he was now in an awkward situation.

“Well Jim, I do…” He never got to finish his statement to the giant, and it was because in a second the situation changed.

The giant yelled about his food once again and started running straight ahead. It seemed like he was moving towards his meal, which eventually Ai would be able to catch the scent of it. His feet would find themselves being lifted from the giant’s shoulder. He was shocked by this as his heart skipped a beat. The noble would instinctively reach for Jim’s clothing and would hold on to dear life as the giant ran. When he was able to regain his composure he would open his eyes. His eyes pierced forward in the direction the giant was running towards, and he would notice something. Ai knew where they were going, which brought a smile to his face. It would seem like the culprits were related to the people he was meeting with.

It wouldn’t take long at all, but they would end up in an open space campsite. There were a bunch of tents planted along the area, giving the group a lot of space to move around. The grass became nonexistent the further out from the end of the forest. Their little base of operation was surrounded by a nice mountain that seems to have a cave entrance on the other side. The Alabastan’s eyes continued observing to see that there were a lot of guys within the campsite. It seemed that they were surrounding an enormous fish, which was really a fucking small seaking.

The men inside of the campsite would hear the trembling of the giant moving in their direction. It had gotten their attention and they waited to see what came out of the forest. When they saw what or exactly who it was, they would be in shock for a few seconds. They didn’t expect a giant to be here, and it was an angry giant. What made it interesting was that they had seen a human on top of the giant’s shoulder as if he were controlling the giant.

“What is a giant doing here? Who the hell is that guy on the giant’s shoulder? Get your weapons and stop the giant from stepping all over our stuff. The boss will have our head if we don’t.” One of the men within the group shouted as everybody got up from the ground and started scrambling around.

They would gather their weapons as best as they could as they were trying to prepare themselves for the worst.

“It seems like their boss isn’t here. Could he be inside the cave?” Ai would say to himself as he wondered what Jim would do right now.

He had prepared himself to jump off the giant the moment he got closer to the ground. Ai knew that the giant wouldn’t hear them out, but attack them for stealing his meal. This was a fact as he had done it to Ai not too long ago.

WC: 805 TWC: 4817

The moment Jim entered the encampment, he scanned the area until he spotted his fish, his meal, his happiness, descaled carefully then seasoned with all the right spices and herbs while hovering over an open flame which brought it to a tender and beautiful brown. The smell of it as well as the sight of it was a beautiful thing... then Jim panned out to see the men who were eating it, now frozen in place, staring at him... the thieves who chose to steal away his happiness, his hard work.

"Whatever you've eaten of mine, I'll eat of yours and more!" Jim called out through his gritted teeth. The anger in his eyes as he said this, a good number of the men of the camp were frightened, believing the giant would find out they had little to eat and would probably eat them for they had already consumed one fifth of the giant fish.

"Don't think so high and mighty, giant!" one man said, Creeden, the tallest and most outspoken of the band. As he spoke, he gave courage to the others, which is the reason he was always in front, to boost morale and give hope to those who had fallen. Some of the men had promised to follow such a brave and courageous being to the end of the world with the words he sings like a bard from the battlefield. The men stood up and backed Creeden, their soft cheering and egging-on were then silenced as Jim's giant fist came crashing down upon the fool-hearty man, who disappeared beneath the oversized fist. The camp trembled slightly, causing a gasp to filled the air, then the fist lifted, showing the bruised and semi-conscious Creeden, laying upon the ground. Before the hurt man could speak, a second giant fist slammed into the man, silencing the camp all together.

As Jim lifted his fist, there lay Creeden, unconscious, in a state none of his fellow men would have thought he would be seen in. Whatever morale Creeden had boosted, had been cut in half. Some had lost their bravery, while others were angered by their comrade was smitten, and even though he wasn't their leader, it was an insult to them that they feel should be taken care of.

As the men of the camp readied themselves, getting to their feet and brandishing weapons of different types, Jim clenched his fists, fear would never overcome his anger, or hunger... his hanger.

WC: 413
TWC: 3,178

The doctor was surprised that somebody had spoken up to the giant. That person had a lot of courage, but all of that had come to an end when Jim attacked. Ai had pushed off the man’s shoulder as he soared through the air and soon was able to land on the ground with such grace. He looked at the group of men who were about to be desecrated by the monster behind him. The man that was taken out first was apparently that glue the wall together, and now that he was gone things would be easy. They were distracted by the giant it seemed and the anger they had developed around them could tell that they didn’t even notice his existence anymore.

I wondered if the person who invited me to this place is truly hidden within the cave. Well, it doesn’t matter, I think they’ll show themselves soon enough. Jim did make quite the commotion with that attack just now. He thought to himself as he started trekking towards the entrance to the cave. While moving towards the cave, Ai had his Jingu Bang in his right hand as he would use as a cane as he looked up to the darkness that filled the cave.

I should probably wait for someone to come out. If I entered the cave it might be a mistake that could cost my life. And I don’t think Jim would be able to help me inside of there. I guess I’ll wait they’ll feel my presence, and if anything hear their men being taken out by the giant. He had a smirk on his face.

“Whatttt the fuck is happening out there?! I swear I felt the groundddd shake just now! I’m doing important work right now. Tell those idiotttt primates to keep it down!” A strange man shouted to someone else inside of the cave.

This man’s hair was messy, dirty, and long. Inside of the cave, there was a small lit area, and within this area was what looks like a work area. There were a lot of tubes scattered around and the man behind the workplace was focused before the attack from the giant had happened. The man that was ordered would push himself off the wall and he would rush up towards the man behind the workplace. His movements were really nimble as he had a smile on his face as he looked at the man. His hand readied with a blade in his hand as he had it on the side of the man’s neck.

“Hohoho. You see I am here cuz you paying me, but please do not talk to me like that. Of course, I will not harm you, but watch your tone. I gotta tell you though, that was not my guys making that commotion. I will check it out, but your friend might be here, hohoho.” He said this as he moved his blade away from the man’s neck and spun away from him.

The hired gun would flip backward as he would make his way out of his cave. It wouldn’t take long, but both men would have their eyes meet with each other. Ai would see the strange-looking man. His hair long, his clothes as properly worn and it looked expensive. The blade in his hand depicted that he wasn’t just any guy and that he might be the person that invited him. Spinning the blade in his hand, his eyes looked over to the huge man he had seen within the distances. His eyes glared at the man that was on the ground, and when he recognized who it was, the hired gun could only laugh hysterically.

“Oi, Creeden got taken out without doing anything. Well, I gotta say that we have an uninvited guest here. I found the source of the ground shaking. Mori and your guest have arrived, hohoho.” He looked back so his words could resonate within the cave.

Ai heard what was said and it seemed like the person who invited him was inside of the cave. Still, the aura that had come from the man in front of him was no joke. He could feel if he hadn’t fought it off that the aura around that man would have consumed him. This was annoying as he didn’t think there would be anybody this strong on this island.

Mori heard what was said, and he would smile as he had just finished what he needed to do today. He looked up to the dark ceiling with a smile on his face. His body twisted as his back was towards the table before he started walking out of the cave. When arriving outside of the cave, the weird man would raise his hand over his brow, so the sun wouldn’t hit him directly into his eyes.

“Niceeee, I see that you decided to show up. I didn’t think youuuu would bring company.  I guess it’s only right since we have soooo many men here. I have a few questions for you, sir. Whyyyyy did you rescue those people that were to come here? What issss your name?” The man said putting his hands down to his side now he was accustomed to the sun.

Ai heard him speak, but what got him to bother the most was the weirdness that surrounded him. Still, he figured that he would talk a bit before taking this guy out.

“I rescue those people because I’m a doctor. I heard what and why they were being taken away, and I had to do something about it. And that’s what I did. I’m happy though, I don’t have to go looking for you guys. You basically stopped me from doing all the hard work in looking for your location. I guess I can tell you my name. The name is Ai.” Ai said this as the man laughed at his answer.

“Iiii see. You are a person who cannot see people harmed? Well thennnn, I have bad news for you. My prototype is complete. I’ll beeee making my leave soon. But I will leave you with this Aiiii. This prototype is a virus that I plan to unleash withinnnn the world. Still, I must try it out within a smaller groupppp before seeing if it’s complete. Now Otis, please take care offff him, but don’t kill him. I want to show him that thereeee is nothing he can do to save those who are weak. Soooo, make him suffer, and I will meet you on the next islandddd Otis.” He said this as he turned around and started making his way back into the cave.

Ai would take a step forward, but Otis would make his move first. He would jump down from the ledge that would lead him to the lower level. He would land the drop with ease as he would look at Ai with the eyes of a killer. It would make the noble freeze for a second as he had gotten into a fighting stance as his guard immediately went up because of Otis’s aura.

WC: 1188 TWC: 6005

Jim uses Coffee Run [HT]: Uses Coffee Run on Jim and Ai. (No roll needed for Stat Morph).
Jim uses [UT] on Otis

Otis uses [LT] on Jim.
Otis uses [LT] on Jim.
Otis uses [UT] on Jim.
Otis uses [UT] on Ai.

The member 'Boboddy' has done the following action : Dice Roll

---

#1 'Reflex Check' : 19

--------------------------------

#2 'Reflex Check' : 16, 19, 3, 5

Within a moment, the camp of bandits had surrounded the giant, despite Jim delivering kicks, however by the time he realized what they were doing, it was too late, he was the center of their attention, metaphorically and literally. Moments like this he knew he had to get serious and try his best to quicken his pace. He sucked in his gut and tighten his belly; now he was slightly slimmer, he displayed  this by moving his arms and falling into a fighting stance, however to the onlookers he looked no different then he was before, fat. But that was only a disadvantage to them, they see a giant who was just fat, to Jim, he was more than that he was fat... and hungry.

As the circle of bandits closed in, Jim spun a leg out, kicking a few men and sending them flying back, then swinging his left arm which swept another three men. He then used this momentum to escape the circle of attention. He edged closer to where Ai was. A quick look back, he saw his partner was having some sort of conversation with two other men that were at the mouth of a cave. A bandit thought he was distracted and slammed his club into Jim's knee which didn't give way, not even an inch. Obviously he was wrong, and looking up at the giant's smiling face, he realized that Jim had let him land the hit, but this mountain's body fat was too thick to break. Immediately after, the bandit was sent flying by a quick kick.

The moment was cause for a quick laugh, but Jim had to belay that, seeing the camp of bandits running towards him straight on like a wave, he knew he had to act quick, increase his footwork, his adrenaline.

"Thanks for the cup, Joe" Jim thought back to the past, when he had been given a strong cup of coffee by one of his few old friends. He was drained, tired, and seem to be losing hope. The sky looked gray with clouds that seem to be blending into the sky like old wallpaper. The moment Jim chugged the barrel-like mug, he felt the rush, the encouragement from the caffeine. The clouds parted, revealing the bright blue that was sky and reflecting it upon the water of the sea like a passionate kiss. This was true beauty, the beauty that can break a bleak morning with fiery passion, this is...

"Coffee Run" Jim exhaled his warm breath that smelled heavy of expresso. With one quick motion, he used his hands to propel the breath behind him, to engulf his partner Ai in this beautiful rush of adrenaline so he too can share in this experience.

This sudden change, the red cheeks of a giant had gave hesitation to the bandits. They stopped in their tracks. They subconsciously looked around for Creeden, the one who led them into battle no matter the sway of the wind, but he wasn't there, they looked upon one another, but no one stood up to the plate.
"Tch" Jim smirked. He looked back to see Ai's situation, the fancy butler looking man held a blade that looked menacing, but not as menacing as the look upon the long haired man's face, something about his demeanor struck a cord with the giant. Jim turned upon the ball of his feet, he figured with his new found speed, matching his heartbeat, he would be able to land an incredible blow, assisting Ai and allowing his friend to bypass and enter the cave and retrieve whatever is in there that he needed.

The giant's fist slammed into Otis' whole body.

But instead of sending him flying, all movement between them stopped as if time itself was thrown into the oven. Before Jim could question what had happened, his arm was thrown back. He saw Otis leap from the ground, darting towards him at great speed. But Jim was cocky, with his tightened body, not even day-old sushi can harm his stomach.

Otis' foot slammed into Jim's chest, causing a ripple to run along his torso, like waves upon the hungry sea. At that moment, Jim registered the pain, even though he had sucked in his gut and tightened his fat, this man managed to land a blow that made Jim grunt. Then another blow came with the other foot, and once again ripples swam and this time Jim coughed. This was was more dangerous than the entire camp of bandits and a bad plate of day-old sushi.

Jim saw the glimmer of a blade reflecting the sun's light. Before Otis' blade could make contact, the giant pushed off from the ground and leaped back. The blade missed him, but Jim thought of a diced sirloin steak. His heart was beating rapidly and he wasn't sure if it was from the Coffee Run, or nearly dodging the blade. This battle had just went up a notch.

Trying to focus on the blade and avoid it, Jim was on the defensive, but he had forgotten about Ai. Otis' turned about and swung his blade. He was bold enough to not only take on a giant by himself but to fight two on one. This man was mad.

WC: 886
TWC: 4,064

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Ai uses Kamigami Supido [HT] on himself
Ai uses No Hakai [LT] on Otis
Ai uses UT on Otis

Otis uses LT on Ai
Otis uses LT on Ai
Otis uses UT on Ai
Otis uses UT on Jim

The member 'Ai' has done the following action : Dice Roll

---

#1 'Reflex Check' : 12, 5

--------------------------------

#2 'Reflex Check' : 17, 1, 20, 18

The doctor was nervous about the presence that came from this man, but before anything could start something else happen. There was a warm aroma coming from behind him, and when he looked for a second it looked like it was coming from the giant. It was surprising because after he had inhaled the aroma, he felt a sudden shot of adrenaline coursing through his body. He didn’t know how the giant was doing it, but he felt lighter and quicker than he ever was before. It wouldn’t take long, but Jim would be the first to attack, which brought Ai to be surprised yet again. He figured the giant would hesitate when he attacked, but he figured that his hunger overcame even that.

It was spooky to say the least, that he didn’t care about attacking someone who was much stronger than him. Still, as the blow unfolded, the Alabastan was shocked to see that Otis was able to take on such an attack without be tossed away from them. That was when Ai noticed that they were screwed. He could see the attacks that had come from Otis had bothered the giant, so he prepared to help out the big guy with the fight. His fingers pressed against his body as he was getting ready to amp his speed even higher than it was already.

“Kamigami Supido[HT].” He whispered to himself as he was getting ready to attack.

Still, before he could even make a move, he was already on the defense. Otis had tried to take a swing at Ai, but the doctor was quick on his feet as he took his Jingu Bang and parried the blade. It would slide across his staff, and without hesitation, Ai’s left leg would rise up into the air and straight towards Otis’s ear. The assassin for higher was surprised that he was quick on his feet, and when he felt the impact of the attack, he would hear a pop in his ear as he took a step back. He would shake his head as the attack didn’t hurt as much, but it seemed like the kid had done something.

“No Hakai[LT].” Unleashing the name of his kick wit

Ai would get into his stance again as he was looking at him as he was getting ready to continue his assault on this guy. Otis would have a smile on his face though as he was going to enjoy the torture he would inflict on these two.

“Hohoho, what a strange kick ya got there boy. That attack is meant for something else other than full blow damage right?” He rushed straight towards Ai without hesitating as he had to get him back.

“Hah hah hah. I don’t know man if you feel something else then I guess that’s what happened when I kicked you.” He said to Otis.

Ai didn’t understand, but he felt as if the man’s speed had increased. Otis was quick to launch the dagger straight towards Ai, but the noble would deflect the dagger into the air without a problem. This of course was a distraction as Otis had close the gap between the two as he would kick the pirate right in the abdomen. The Alabastan would be forced to release the oxygen out of him and unable to protect himself from what came next. Otis would leap into the air as he would grab a hold of the dagger that was making its way back down to the ground, and slice the darker man on his chest. It wasn’t as deep as it should have been, and it wouldn’t take long for Otis to notice.

He was off-balance, and it was probably from the kick earlier. He didn’t notice what had happened, but Ai couldn’t defend the attack, so he swung his Jingu Bang down on Otis[UT]. The assassin would have a smirk on his face as he looked over to the giant.

“Oi big guy, don’t you think I forgot about you.” He said out loud as he rushed straight towards Jim.

Ai, on the other hand, would only suck his teeth as he couldn’t believe that he was hurt like this with one attack. If it weren’t for Jim’s help his wound would be crazier than it was right now. Still, the wound was treatable to not leave a scar. He needed to do more power, so he knew what he needed to do next.

WC: 745 TWC: 6750

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Jim uses Breath of Lush[MT] on Otis.
Jim uses Flicking the Scraps[LT] on Otis.
Jim uses Grabbing Dips[LT] on Otis.
Jim uses [UT] on Otis

Otis uses [LT] on Jim
Otis uses [LT] on Jim
Otis uses [UT] on Jim
Otis uses [UT] on Ai

The member 'Boboddy' has done the following action : Dice Roll

---

#1 'Reflex Check' : 15, 4, 13, 14

--------------------------------

#2 'Reflex Check' : 15, 4, 18, 15

Jim had held his ground, watching Otis dash about, to and fro. He wanted to attack him while the man in black was distracted with Ai, but seeing the mobility of the dexterous man, Jim wondered if there was any opening in which he could land any kind of hit. Otis had swung his dagger and even thrown it at the Alabastan and with a combination, the dagger met it's target eventually. Jim had hesitated, seeing how well Otis had landed two blows upon him before someone could blink, surely the blade would eventually find him as well.

Otis called to him. The look in the finely dressed man's eyes forced Jim to flinch. As he moved towards the giant, he spun his blade, readying it to deal a good blow and Jim knew this and didn't desire for anything to be cut other than a well baked loaf of bread at the moment. Jim took a step back, trying to find a way away from the crazed looking man, but the smaller being was too quick to escape from, he had to stand his ground.

The encampment of bandits had pulled to a stop. They had spent the least amount of time with the man they came to know as Otis given that he is a temporary hire, but they knew well he was too dangerous for any of them to take on or even get in the way of. Witnessing the well dressed man dance about the battlefield, handling the two opponents, they were impressed, but worried for themselves, from conversations and regular interactions, they were aware that if they were to enter the fight, Otis wouldn't adjust his fighting style and would cut through any one of them, they decided to stand in the sidelines, readying their weapons in case any of the intruders decided to attempt an escape.

Otis was fast. He dashed towards the giant's shins, but Jim caught on, he was use to enemies always going after his legs, believing it to be a weak spot. He leaned in, holding a middle finger against his thumb, lining it up like it was some sort of gun, then once he managed to bring it close to Otis, he flicked his finger, "Flicking the Scraps![LT]". Dust kicked up from the ground where the force of the finger flick hit, but before Jim could wonder if he had land the hit, a flash ran up his belly, and instinctively he stumbled back.

A laughter came as Otis flew through the air and landed on the ground some meters away. It had taken Jim a moment to realize the smaller man had jumped off his massive chest in order to gain the jump he needed. Then a pain came. He looked down and realized his sweater was the open, the zipper was cut entirely. Then a second later, the black shirt underneath well open as well, showing Jim's bare belly and torso. Luckily, no blood ran down, the blade, however, managed to leave a red line of irritation on the skin running up the belly and torso.

New Plan, Jim thought as he took in a deep breath, focusing his chi. He dipped down and called upon a memory from when he had drank himself into an intoxicated slumber. Otis, however, didn't want to wait and see what was the giant planning, so he took the initiative and dashed forward so he could make another attack. This time, Jim launched a different kind of attack, his breath, "Breath of the Lush[MT]" Otis, expecting a physical attack, couldn't dodge in time. The moment he smelled a whiff of liquor, it was too late.

Otis' vision blurred and in that moment, Jim launched his hand, "Grabbing Dibs![LT]". If it wasn't fort the impairment of his vision, Otis probably would have dodged it easily, but in this scenario he had found himself in the gripping clutches of the giant.

"Not so tough now, huh?' Jim smirked. But when Otis returned the smirk, Jim found irritation and decided to land a proper blow in return for damaging his sweater. The giant brought his head down upon the man who was held in his grip like a toy, but Otis was ready. Given his arms were held down by the massive fingers, he would match his headbutt with Jim's.

All saw, and all heard, as both men had their foreheads slam into one another. Not expecting such a thick skull, Jim tumbled and lost his hold on the assassin. Otis, now free from the giant's grip jumped away from this situation. Once he landed on the ground, he nearly tumbled, realizing he was not right, the world about him seemed to swirl a bit. This giant had done something and until he figured out what, he would need to keep his distance for the moment. He turned about and dashed towards Ai before the tanned man had a chance to act.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

WC: 836
TWC: 4,900

Ai uses Tsuyosa Pointo on himself [MT]
Ai uses Feng Yasuo on Otis [LT]
Ai uses Raundo Ki Tsu on Otis [LT]
Ai uses UT on Otis

Otis uses LT on Ai
Otis uses LT on Ai
Otis uses UT on Ai
Otis uses UT on Jim