Chapter 3: If Music Is The Food Of Love? Play On Part II

Sat Dec 24, 2016 3:52 pm

Ilusia General Prison was made several centuries ago at the cornerstone of the Renaissance Era, during a time of the country's peak economic growth. Over the years, it's housed many small named pirates and revolutionary's alike who've all fought and died for the good of 'free trade' within the island. With the New King's current policies, this shift from free trade, to tax trade greatly hurt the merchants of Ilusia and many rioted, being placed into the Prison's illustrious walls. However, in recent times, not many crimes had occurred in Ilusia due to the Four Marine Captain's who became the pillar of the cities growth. With the appearance of Caesar however, over the last few months resulted in one of the Captain's passing away and the city's balance was slowly loosing it's hard fought 'grip' on economic stability. However, the grudge between Caesar and Ilusia was a long incurred debt that he'd been determined to have repaid. His rage left him outnumbered, abandoned by his short-time ally and shackled in the deepest levels of Ilusia General. As the sound of leather boots stomping against the marble stone floor became more apparent, the Leader of the General's, Eternia appeared before Caesar.

Beaten and malnourished with his right eye-swollen shut from several thumps, Caesar knelt against the cell's floor, his hands hoisted behind him, shacked by a single pair of sea-stone cuffs, while those cuffs were fastened to several chains attached to the wall. "I haven't been able to visit you since your detainment three days ago. It's like as soon as you got here, the Curse of Ilusia my mother used to read to me about returned." Eternia said sighing, pressing backwards against the cell cage. "Devil's doth walk in the light contrary to belief my dear." Caesar said chuckling lightly, anything more vibrant would leave his ribcage severely aching due the multiple bruises that plastered his body. "You might be right. I often wonder since I've joined the Marine Force, who really are the monsters? Is it the criminals who are egged on by the foolish dream of wealth and power through their barbaric acts? After being exposed to systems that only permit them to be poor and in most cases uneducated... Or is it the System at fault? Who churns out constant mistakes like yourself Mr.Cofresi, Son of the Great Pirate Robert Cofresi?" Eternia inquired, ruffling through her pockets for a cigarette.

"And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges. Isn't it both the system and the people who are at fault?" Caesar continued snickering to himself. "Has being locked up inside these walls driven you mad, Clown? I feel like you've been speaking to me in parables since this conversation started." Eternia inquired, smirking as she discovered cigarette in her top dress-shirt's pocket. The man began to pant slightly, talking while wounded and certainly shackled in seastone wasn't exactly pristine conditions for him to be exuding energy, the main reason for his shortened responses. "The New Revolutionary Army has been causing the Thalassa Family quite a bit of trouble over last week... You wouldn't happen to know anything about their actions, would you Mr.Joker?" Eternia asked sternly. "No clue. I haven't been exactly on Ilusia as long as you think I have, Nishi Nishi" Caesar exclaimed in a very cryptic manner, slightly shrugging, though his shackles forbid full movement. "I can read your demeanor. Is facing me that painful?" Caesar commented.

Taking a pull from the fag, the carbonic release tricked from the cigarette's cylindrical peak towards the ceiling. Releasing the smoke, "If I look at you right now, in the mood I'm in, I'd add more to the those wounds of yours." woman said, clutching her right wrist intensely. Running down the staircase, a panicked soldier approached towards Eternia, "Ma'am!" he exclaimed, immediately standing at attention, quickly regaining composure, from the exhausting staircase traversal that stretched almost 2,000 feet to lowest depths of the castle. "The King demands your presence in the War Room! He says it's urgent!" the solider informed. "At ease, soldier. I'll be there shortly, tell the guards to increase security on the floor above. I wouldn't want our guest to get any bright ideas the night before HQ comes to pick him up." Eternia said, tossing the tobacco bud onto the floor and marching off. "Your father wronged this city and so did the King, two egotistical men using their power and charisma to mislead their flocks but King Leonardo is different. Neither I or him will make the same mistake Ves and Roxanne did in underestimating you. It's that the same mistake that has led me to the burial of two fine Marine Captains." Eternia concluded, before the sound of her shoes faded off as she began to climb the staircase upwards.

Skipping through the streets of Ilusia, the ten foot in height woman's dazzling silver hair blew in the wind, it was quite the spectacle to see. All of the townspeople looked on in awe, as the woman dressed in traditional Chinese wear, with the cut in the dress positioned right by her lower thigh, looked around the city in a confused state, peering at her enlarged map in her hands. Trailing her fingers against the map's make, the woman tracked her path so far from the port, noticing she was in the main capital's city of Lumina. Having to circle around several corresponding cities due to the crashing of the bridge, Roxanne arrived almost two days behind her schedule. "Poo!" she exclaimed, pouting out her cheeks. "UGH! The place is so frustrating!" the woman shouted, resting her gigantic backpack in the middle of the street, using a horse carriage as her seat, which was tied to a wooden pillar of the saloon it's owner was dining in.

"It took me literally three whole days to make to Ilusia in the first place! You know how hard it is for a gal my size to find a ship!" Roxanne said, rolling up the map and venting loudly in the middle of the street, he backpack nearly crushing the artisans carrying wood towards the broken bridge. "All because 'they' broke the bridge." the woman said, slightly softer under her breath. "Hey miss... Could you move your feet out of the road?" a carriage rider asked, as Roxanne's feet dangled in the cart's path. "Oops! Sorry!" the woman blushed, tilting her feet clockwise until they were directly in front of her. The owner of the carriage exited the pallor of the saloon, to see what the big commotion was, only to see a woman using his horse driven carriage as a resting place, the man fainted. 'Puru Puru' the sound jingled from the woman's duffle bag, quickly snatching up the bag, the woman dug through it feverishly to find the transponder.

Pulling out several undergarments, clothes, snacks, paper made windmills, maps and logs to name a few. "Hold on, Hold on!" the exclaimed, continuing her search. 'Clank', picking up the snail phone, "Yo! How are ya!?" Roxanne exclaimed. "Your making too much of spectacle as always, Roxanne. For this job, I'll need you to be as subtle as possible." the man declared. "We have eyes on you. A few of our operatives will lead you to the safe-house as planned. Get up off the carriage and head straight up this street, make a left at the junction, continue for 100 meters and then a right. We'll escort you to the 'spot' then. -Clank-" the snail-phone transmitted, cutting out.

Springing up to her feet, the woman stuffed all of her clothes back into her knapsack, noticing the number of eyes on her at this point, she hastened the packing, embarrassed at the display of her bathing suit and panties, among various other pesonal items like her teddy bear. Noticing some of the men were blushing, she shouted, "What's your problem bub! Ain't ever seen a woman's delicates in yer' life!?" she shouted, finishing the packing and storming down the street humiliated. From his vantage point, the New Revolutionary Captain sighed, "Why does boss always like to work with such eccentric characters?" peering through the telescope at her moving position. Picking up the snail-phone, "June Bug is in motion boss. Operation Orphanage is a 'green'." the Captain reported.

Suddenly, the bells sounding an emergency in the prison echoed throughout the castles walls.

Sat Dec 24, 2016 10:26 pm

"HiHi!" a voice rang through the castle's walls of the General Ilusia Prison. "My name is Griffin. This is my 'graduation' operation into the organisation. This was my idea so please don't ruin my plans, bugs." Griffin screamed into his speaker phone in a smooth manner. A small platoon of twelve personages rushed through the prison's main gate, with several marines lying at the mouth of the prison's door covered in several spores. "I can't move... My body feels so heavy..." the marine exclaimed, turning over onto his back before passing out. "I ate the Noko Noko No Mi... Being a spore man enables me to make all kinds of goodies as poison!" Griffin said running his hand through his pink hair with immense pride. The men laced the floor of prison with several explosions, several minutes later, a large party of twenty arrived. Rushing through the prison doors, armed with batons and shields with the initials, 'NRA' confidently carved into their make. "Now then!" Griffin announced. Moments after the men made immense distance from the explosives, forming a barricade in front of Griffin with a shield. The charges went off, blowing a gigantic hole into the floor around ten meters in width. The original twelve members attached anchors in the form of black metallic boxes onto the remaining flooring, latching onto these boxes grappling hooks they used to scale down to the next floor.

"Now I have a deal for you fine men and ladies of this prison. We at the New Revolution Army have several missions to undertake. I need men to carry out future operations in Paradise! So! I'm giving you a simple option. This mission will be completed within an hour. Our target is this country's dirty little secret. Anyone who wants to pick up arms and join us will be given housing and work under the Army's banner. I'll share that dirty little secret with anyone who defects to our side." Griffin declared smiling. The commotion caused the guards on the third floor of the castle, which was two stories below to single the alarm that Caesar could hear from the fourth floor, which was the basement. The NRA members began to free prisoners who swore fidelity to the cause from their cells, however those who just tried to exit the prison were covered in poisonous spores, frozen and unable to move.

From King's Castle, Eternia and Leonardo sat discussing Caesar's pick-up by the World Government. "I won't allow a national hero to be turned over to the Marines, Nia! Criminal or not, without Caesar this country would've been still under 'that' man's rule!" Leonardo spoke bitterly at the woman's attempts. "And I, won't allow the marines name to be sullied by harbouring a criminal in a country you placed into our jurisdiction. I'm turning Caesar over to Rear Admiral Ink and that's final." Eternia screamed, storming out of the King's War Chamber, slamming the door. "Another lover's quarrel, she's right though, my king." Thalassa said, getting up from his seated position over to a small tea kettle, to mix some Oolong Tea. "She just doesn't get it! Our time should be focused into eliminating the rebel forces not persecuting pirates!" Leonardo exclaimed angrily. "I know your stance. Try to see it from her side. She's lost several of her best allies to these scraps with Caesar. Besides, Impel Down is much more equipped to handle criminals of his caliber. King Thalassa was a coward and diabolical man, yes. This we all know. However, he's Royalty nonetheless and killing King's is an act of treason not only to Ilusia but to the World Government Board we sit on, Leonardo. Besides, the Reverie's coming shortly. Ilusia can't afford to look weak, especially in times like these." Thalassa noted. Disrupting the King and his aid's peace, a soldier rushed through the Chamber's doors. "Sir! There's a break out at the prison! Commander Eternia has dispatched towards the Castle with no backup!" the man shouted, out of breath. Slamming his fists onto the table, "Damn it! Ready my horse! I'm going. Tell the Royal Guard to prepare for combat immediately! If this is Caesar's attempt to escape, I must see him urgently!" the King shouted.

Shortly after the explosion occurred at Ilusia General, June Bug, also known as Roxanne Barbados arrived to location 88, situated in downtown Lumina. Entering into the warehouse, several materials were present, beakers, jars and several books on meteorology. "We welcome you to location 88! Miss Barbados!" the man on guard at the warehouse's door announced, standing at attention, in awe at her immense height. "Tuluho! Nice to meet you as well person!" the woman exclaimed raising her hands frantically. Cracking his neck and walking over to the woman, with his head permanently leaning to the side was a man by the name of Britches. His hair glossed in the setting sun beams which creeped through the warehouses windows, due to the immense amount of gel that he applied to it. Taking out the comb from his purple caped jacket with the initials, 'NRA' in Kanji in bold, the man ran the comb through his hair and begun to walk alongside Roxy as she walked towards her work station. "This is my 'graduation' Miss Barbados, so it'd like it to go well. My mission was simple. Protect you as long as you are under contract and until you complete your mission for today." the man said, constantly combing through the strands on his hair, which almost instantly knotted back in a bouncing motion.

"Relax Sugar, you won't be my first and most definitely won't be my last client." the Long Tribesman announced, chuckling as she dug through her bag, pulling out a straw sack labelled 'Dance Powder'. "Tuluho! Let's get to it!" the woman declared, picking up the large tree axe she'd requested and lining up a log of willow wood to be sliced down's centre. The woman would repeat her actions for several hours, wiping her brow from the sweat on occasion with the upperside of her wrist. Panting, she dropped onto the ground, stretching her body outwards much like a starfish. "Done!" Roxanne exclaimed. Trickling his comb through his hair, "I don't understand. What does cutting wood have to do with your capabilities in causing rai-" the man's question was cancelled by the woman's finger pressing against his lip to silence him her slight elongated appendage. Winking with one eye open, the woman's shining Royal Purple eyes made all around in the area blush from the cuteness of her expression. "A woman never reveals her secrets so cheaply! How rude! Sit back and relax, Lululu..." the woman said laughing, retracting her hand, which finger fit over the man's lips completely.

Assembling the wood into a stock pile, "You can open the Warehouses roof now!" she ordered. Pouring the gigantic bag of Dance Powder onto the wood-stock, the woman pulled out a lighter from her pocket. "Would you happen to have a smoke, Mr.Comb?" Roxy inquired. "My name is Danger. Danger Daniels!" the man exclaiming, combing more rapidly in frustration of the woman's cute nicknaming, as his men guarding the warehouse started to chuckle. "Tuluho! Do ya have a cigarette or dont'cha Danny Boy!" the woman inquired. "I don't smoke! Men! Anyone her with a smoke!?" Daniel shouted. Running from the pack, the group member turned over the smoke to his commanding officer. Snatching the cigarette from his hand, the woman lit it and then threw it into the stack.

"I don't smoke either but it's cooler this way! All the bad guys do it in the story!" Roxanne declared. As the smoke rose to the sky, the woman began to mix several other mixtures from her bag, adding the concoction which rested in the veils onto the fire, turning the smoke green in nature. "Alright. That should balance out the side effects of that low grade Dance Powder I used. Not much a gal can do with a low paying job, tehe." she thought. Sitting around the fire, the woman warmed herself with the bonfire's heat. However, noticing the fire from the harbour of his nearby warehouse, the Shipwright, Uxio, exited his workstation, signalling for several of his men to follow his lead.

Kicking off the ground, propelling himself across the ocean, the man seemingly walked in the sky towards the plume of smoke that trickled upwards towards the sky, causing dark clouds to loom over Lumina. Landing, the man's heavy vessel shook the ground, swinging his foot in the air, he created a wind blade which cleaned away the lesser grunts. "Hoho... I know the look of Dance Powder Smoke from anywhere... I'm pretty sure you lads know it's illegal in all World Government affiliated countries." Uxio announced, scratching his large stomach. Dashing towards the warehouse entrance, Danger thrusted to engage Uxio in combat, turning his hair into gigantic fist. The force of the punch sent the man sliding against the floor several centimetres but not with much budge. As the growth of his hair retracted inwards, the man begun to run the comb through it once more. "Uxio... One of the Four Heroes of Ilusia. I knew this was your turf, so our contractor would need some protection." Danger said smiling, as his green eyes glistening with excitement. The mammoth of a man chuckled, "Your all under arrest!" Uxio stated boldly chuckling cheerfully.

Marine NPC:

Rebel NPC:

Mon Dec 26, 2016 3:16 am

On her war march towards the prison, the faces of Ves and Roxanne recalled to the her thoughts. "I won't let anyone have you, Caesar!" Eternia shouted as her force of twelve road valiantly behind her. Meanwhile, at the Castle, the King was already on route towards the prison himself, via his own personal carriage. His request to ride via horseback was denied by Thalassa and the only condition the consort would let him leave in, was a horse driven carriage escorted by at least fifty of Ilusia's finest men. Stepping onto the footing of the carriage, the man looked back towards his consult, "This is a bit excessive. I'll be fine with just a horse and my sword. Do you all forget I was once the King's personal guard?" Leonardo said, annoyed slightly. "Yes Yes. And that King is currently dead is he not." Thalassa said chuckling cynically. "That's messed up. Haha, not funny old man." Leonardo exclaimed, as he entered the carriage and closed the door. Once the King was safely seated, the small army began their journey towards the prison, trailing several miles behind Eternia.

Meanwhile, at the prison, Griffin traversed the first floor, freeing all those who chose to take arms for him and murdering the ones who didn't. On the second floor, his men weren't as cruel, allowing those who didn't want to fight to exit the prison promptly, however, once they made it to the first floor, it was game over. Griffin had amassed an army of over sixty-eight with just the first level of the castle alone. Placing his spores against the wall, every area the man entered was plastered with his Noko Noko No Mi's spores. "Venom Plants. Hehehe... Anyone who comes within range of my plants will be covered in spores and suffer an excruciating death. However! That's not what I'm here for... Game Face." the man said, looking into his pocket for a mirror, in which he fixed his make-up with. Running from around the corner, five soldier's formed a barricade, three archer's taking aiming and shooting off several silver tipped arrows towards the Revolutionary. "Spore Plume!" the man shouted, extending hand outwards to release a gigantic puff of spore dust down the hallway. As the arrows came closer, the force of the cloud shifted the arrows off route, leaving the guards coughing frantically, gasping for air. With this action, Griffin had completed the first floor. Walking down the staircase towards the second, he saw his men engaging in combat with several soldiers, in a crude and fierce battle.

Clapping his hands in admiration, the man approached the battlefield, pushing away the grunts from his party to the side, coating his single right hand in Busoshoku Haki. Forming a chop, the man dashed into the pack of marines, slicing open their shoulders with his hand blade, leaving them motionless at his feet. The Baby Den Den Mushi on his hand begun to ring, answering, "Good news I hope?" the man simply inquired. "Yes Sir! We've found him, he's on the fourth floor of the castle in the basement sir!" the man reported. Running towards the gigantic hole in the passageway, Griffin lunged himself off the ground, grappling onto the rope which he used to slide all the way to the bottom of the castle. The holes made via the explosions came in handy for fast transportation, just as he planned. Approaching the cell from the winding staircase, Griffin walked passed Caesar's cell. Neither men's eyes met. On this level, only two persons were being kept prisoner, Caesar and the Former King of Ilusia, who was presumed to be dead, Marco Giovanni Ilusia The Second. Slicing the cage in half, "Heh, it's not even seastone." the man commented, using his Haki coated hand. "To think you'd go to the lengths of coming here for me. The Revolutionary Army must be desperate." Marco commented, chuckling menacingly. "I keep asking myself the same question... Should I bow or should I slit your throat right now? Nobles disgust me. That look in your eyes as if your that much better than everyone else. It's the reason I joined the Revolutionary Army... To break spoiled twats like you!" Griffin exclaimed crazed, as his hand now rested closely to the King's throat. "However. My orders are to retrieve you alive." Griffin said sighing.

"Tie em' up!" Griffin ordered. The men dug into their bags, revealing a series of steel chains, which they inched closely to the King, wrapping them around his body and fastening the locks. In the cell next door, loud chuckling could be heard from it's prisoner. "Nishi Nishi Nishi Nishi!" the man bawled, dying in laughter. As Griffin's eye twitched, the man exited the King's cell, walking over to his neighbour, peering menacingly into the cage. "If you're going crazy bub, do it on your own time." Griffin exclaimed, pissed off by the man's odd laughing pattern. It was Griffin's one pet peeve, he'd like to be in control of every situation, and as a child, when he was walking to school, the bullies would often snicker quietly behind him. Since those days, unless he knew the context of the laughter, he'd become extremely angry at aimless laughter. "I just find this whole scenario hilarious. The King that I shot is still alive and he's being kidnapped by the Revolutionary Army. I'm glad I got to watch such a fantastic show before I go. Nishi Nishi!" Caesar exclaimed. Taking a closer look at the man's face, "I know you. Yes Yes... Your the Burgundy Clown. Pwahaha your right! This is hilarious. A rookie like yourself imprisoned in a backwater sea like this, I guess the title isn't what it's all cracked up to be, huh?" Griffin said taunting the man and flipping him the finger.

"Thank you." Caesar said randomly towards the face painted maniac. "Eh? Whatcha thanking me for punk!?" Griffin said, shaking his hand on the railings. "If you had just broken him out without making such a big hullaballoo about it, It'd never be able to solve the mystery of this little puzzle I've been trying to solve for awhile now." Caesar said chuckling, although laughing made him very exhausted, causing the man to pant once again. "Mystery? Care to share, Clown?" Griffin asked. "Ugh Sorry Sorry... I don't wanna spend my last days talking to a freak in face paint, that's just sad. You can go now. Man what a day." Caesar said nonchalantly, chuckling to himself at the irony of his claim. Cutting open the cell door with his hand, the pissed Revolutionary had heard enough. Slowly marching over towards Caesar, his hand glowed a thick metallic black. "I've never seen a clown's head roll around on the ground. I heard playing football with a clown's head is good luck!" Griffin exclaimed, raising hand above Caesar's neck menacingly. "A pity you can't cut yours off then!" Caesar exclaimed starting to laugh once again in his 'Nishi Nishi' manner. Just when Griffin's hand was about to make the clown's neck roll, his Den Den Mushi went off. Freezing, the man retracted his hand, answering the call. "What!? I'm busy right now!" Griffin shouted, frustrated as he kicked the floor. "Sir... The mission... has failed... She's here... The Blue Haired Witch-" the man's reported was cut short, the feed was cut.

Suddenly, from the holes in the ceiling, Eternia descended, wiping out the guards who surrounded the King with several quick successions with her blade Maria. Griffin started to laugh, turning around, he peered at the marine menacingly. "Well Well... If it isn't the Blue Eye'd Bitch. My work here doesn't concern you, Marine. Go take some orders from that King of yours or something. Ooops, which one!?" Griffin laughed maniacally. Eternia's eyes open widely, she was shocked at the sight before her, the previous King of Ilusia was alive and well. "Now only one player is missing." Caesar said grinning. "What's the meaning of this Caesar!?" Eternia shouted in rage. "You still persist to say it's me whose responsible for all of this. A few moments ago Madonna over there was going to cut through my neck! You can't be this blind Eternia! Surely you see whose behind all of this!" Caesar shouted. Dashing towards Eternia using his assassin's foot technique, Griffin coated his hand in Haki once more. Slamming it against the woman's rune armour, Griffin pushed the woman sideways, ten inches, clashing with her drawn blade Maria. Creating distance between the woman and the King, "Get him out of here!" Griffin ordered, as the remaining men fumbled to execute the eccentric warriors orders.

Griffin and Eternia exchanged blows, the clang of her steel and seastone slid along the man's Haki coated arm. The fight at first was immediately a stalemate. Though, as the exchange continued, Griffin's incredible versatility begun to take the upper hand but only momentarily. Diagonally, horizontally and at various the angles the warriors traded slashes, with each collision laying waste to the Foundation of the castle walls in the basement of the Castle Prison. Drawing her second blade, Athena, the woman began to coat her blade's in blue fire, conjuring an azure dragon which shot outwards in the form of a wind-blade, covered in flames, launching the man into the Castle Walls. Upon contact, the man's head hit the wall with a large clump, though only through share willpower alone the man was able to remain conscious. Panting, "Damn... The Azure Witch... Your skills are almost Rear Admiral level... I didn't sign-up for this." Griffin said panting, closing one of his eyes from exhaustion, peering at the woman with one right eye. Swiping her blade downwards, the woman assumed a sword stance, resting one blade behind her back and the other pointing towards the civil criminal. "Give up, you don't stand a chance against me." Eternia exclaimed. "On the higher levels, my finest men have probably came into contact with the 'deceased' King. Once I make it back to Leonardo, I'll have him and the Clown explain to me what in the world is going on!" Eternia exclaimed. The rustle of armour and metallic boots rustled against the staircase, a large force about fifty in number, descended the stairs with authority. "See my men have captured the King! You plan's are-" Eternia's words froze as the sight of King Leonardo before her with his private guard, drenched in blood left her speechless. The King's simplistic smile made the woman's eyes expand with worry.

"Leonardo... I thought I told you stay at the castle!" Eternia shouted, almost most in disbelief. In the King's hand was the marine cap of one of her men, which he tossed at her feet. Sighing, "I hired you idiots to do one job. You can't even do that for me. How hard is it when I'm funding your Revolution..." the King said, placing his face in his hands. "Now I have to look for a new woman to keep me comforted in my chambers tonight-" Leonardo said grinning but his words were met with a flurry of flaming wind blades towards heading directly towards him. The former King dropped to the ground cowering in fear, Leonardo drew his blade, deflecting the woman's slashes, advancing forward in the same motion. Stabbing his blade through his lover's chest. Eternia's body froze, as blood spewed from the woman's mouth onto her armour, Caesar's words rung in her head. "Tch!" Caesar exclaimed with immense disgust. "I told you. Devil's doth walk in the light contrary to belief my dear." Caesar said with immense disgust. As Eternia's body hit the floor, the King retracted his blade, grinning walking towards Caesar's cell and smearing the blood over the jester's clothes. "No! Caesar! Don't kill her! She's a good marine! I know your angry for being imprisoned but! Please!" Leonardo shouted. "How's my acting? After all, you're the greatest of us all, eh, Burgundy Clown!" Leonardo spat out in frustration. "If I could give you a grade between zero and one hundred... I'd give you a solid... go fuck yourself." Caesar said angrily, his normal apparent smiled fading.

"I knew you'd come back. After you shot the King, he actually made it out of that surgery alive. As acting King, I had to move quickly and fabricate the story of a lifetime. 'King of Ilusia Shot By Former Pirate Hero's Son!' Sounds like a novel I want to read one day! Even better as a newspaper headline. Couldn't ask for a better turn of events if I planned them myself,honestly. Even Thalassa doesn't know about this... It was all staged by the Big Wigs in high places. The fake NRA agent breaking in the prison... While the actual NRA wreck havoc on this nation. I'm playing both sides. If Eternia and her men fall, all the funding the marines sent in her steed still remains... And it's a simple matter of calling a Buster Call... The NRA would retreat then surely. However, one factor was just always bugging me... One person who'd always been a thorn in my side. Those with the blasted 'J' bloodline, your father's fucking offspring." Leonardo said crazed, as if he'd lost his mind. "Now! The new headline will read this! 'Cursed Clown Returns To Murder Ilusia's Heroes!' I'll be ridden of marine control for awhile and then all I need to do is use the tax money to set-up a little Private Police Force. Sell some guns here and there, maybe slaves, who knows? You know they say Ilusia women are the most enchanting in all the Blues. It'll be superb!" Leonardo shouted.

Lifting Caesar up by the neck, "And your all to thank for it Caesar ducky. That day when you shot the King in his chest, my blood boiled as I looked into those eyes of yours. It was worth killing off those circus freaks after-all." Leonardo said, dropping the man back towards his kneeling position. Caesar's whole world stopped as he tried to process the man's statement. As the misconstrued timeline debunked slowly, certain 'facts' or 'truths' guided him towards the conclusion moments ago he clamoured for. However, some mysteries once solved, bring more heartache than resolution. "ARGH!" Caesar shouted, thrashing his arms against to cuffs to break himself free. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY YOU LITTLE ARISTOCRATIC BITCH!?" Caesar shouted, his wrists now bleeding from slicing caused by thrashing about in seastone cuffs. "Oh you didn't know?" Leonardo looked down on the man stating gleefully. "I was the one who ordered Francisco and the Lalooza Circus to be executed." Leonardo grinned.

Sat Dec 31, 2016 12:01 am

The faces of Francisco and the members of the Lalooza Circus appeared to him like apparitions. Biting into his lip, Caesar's blood spilled onto the ground.

"Hey Francisco!" a young Caesar shouted, running towards the tent within Castle grounds, were the circus members were housed. Caesar was dressed in XL large shirt which was several times his size, on it's front the figure of a clown was plastered as the centre graphic. Outside, the stilt walker, Lucy, cleared the roof of the tent from the Autumn leaves, which often blew onto the yard of Castle's grounds from the nearby forest during the season. "Shshsh!" the circus member, Lucy exclaimed, placing her hand over Caesar's mouth, after hopping off her stilts with great acrobatic ability. Dragging the boy into the tent as he struggled, waggling his hands, Lucy released her grip as soon as the coast was clear from the approaching guards. "How many times do I have to tell you Caesar!? If you want to come here you have to let us know before hand!? Come with the chamber maids! Don't wonder around the Castle by yourself!" Lucy yelled at the boy angrily. Tears began to well in Caesar's eyes. "Are you stupid!? Eh? You gotta think with your head or you'll never make it' anywhere in life!" Lucy shouted, continuing to scold the child. "Ah Ah... There she goes again, she's entered 'Protective Mama' mode." the juggler, Rando stated, grinning as he watched the woman scold the child nearby the entrance of tent.

Resting on the adjacent end of the 20 x 15 foot sized tent, he'd watch as the tears piled up in Caesar's eyes, grinning slightly at the sight of Lucy being worried about her beloved Caesar. Juggling the bottles, Rando would taunt, "You're gonna make em' cry again Momma Bear! Pu~lu~lu!" Rando taunted, ending the statement with his silly laugh. As the tears continue to build-up, more and more, Caesar couldn't stand it anymore, before belting into tears. His face as red as a radish, snot dripping from his nose and his hands rubbing violently against the underneath of his eyelids. "OI!" a humungous man about six feet in height exclaimed, as he rested against the inside of the tent, his huge back propping on the tent like a wall. Getting up from his sitting sleeping position, the man stood up walking over to the crying child. As he approached, his shadow consumed Caesar, towering over the child ominously. Resting his hands on Caesar's head of red hair, the man picked up the child by his head as he cried, resting him on his shoulder. Turning his head to the child on his shoulder, the man's natural serious demeanor faded into a childish expression, the kind of face grown men would make towards babies to swoon their tears with silly thoughts of, 'What in the world is he doing?'.

It was always the trick to swoon Caesar's tears, well, sixty percent of the time. "Nishi Nishi Nishi" the child exclaimed laughing, slapping his hand against the giant's face in merriment. "Ogre! Stop babying him!" Lucy shouted. "Yo. Bitch. Stop ordering me around, eh?" Ogre stated glaring towards the woman seriously. As soon as Ogre's serious face re-emerged, Caesar began to shed tears once again, as the man's ugly face was ridiculously scary. "Pu~lu-lu~lu you both are making the kid cry! Pu~lu~lu~" Rando exclaimed laughing. For the next few moments, the tent was filled with a liveliness only families could share, Lucy and Ogre went back and forth, meanwhile, Rando swung from the ropes hoisted on the tent's ceiling, swinging over to retrieve the bastard prince, Caesar. The noise quieted down when Francisco awoke. "Oi! Quiet the lot of ya!" Francisco blurted, exclaiming groggy from his sleep. Sitting up, the man cracked his neck, looking around the tent to assess the situation. Scratching his head, he looked up towards Rando who was swinging rope to rope, with Caesar grappling onto his neck for dare life in great amusement.

"Rando. Bring Caesar here!" the grumpy Ring Master commanded. Sliding down the rope abruptly, Rando landed onto the hay filled floor, walking over to Francisco. Placing the child before the eight foot long armed man, Francisco raised his hands towards Caesar. "Down low." Francisco grinned in motion for the child to give him a high five at a lower level. Slapping his hands against the child's, the duo smiled in pure joy, with the same love a father showed to a son. "Up high" Francisco exclaimed, raising his hands above his head, twelve feet, towering over the child. Reaching his hands upwards, the child tried to reach but he couldn't, wiggling his hands in the air with immense frustration. "Shorty. Bwhahahaha!" Francisco exclaimed, teasing Caesar, prompting the child to cry once again. "OI!" Rando, Ogre and Lucy exclaimed in anger towards the Ring Master. Comforting the child by patting him on his head, "Caesar." the man got serious saying. "I don't mind you coming to visit us. However, there are people in this country who wish to see you dead. The blood that runs through your veins is special." the man concluded, saying.

Getting up from his seated position, the man stood up, placing Caesar on his shoulders. "You're an outcast. That's okay! We're outcasts too! And no matter how big ya get! Or how many people come after yer'! As long their is breath in my lungs, I'll protect you!" Francisco shouted. "Do you know why!?" Francisco asked, staring at Caesar, resting him in the palms of his hands. Closing into the Ring Master, the other circus members huddled around Caesar, fondling the child with love and affection. Nodding his head, as he knew the answer to the man's question, "It's cause we love ya!" Francisco said grinning. His thoughts became consumed with the new information he learned from Leonardo on this day, his memory flashing towards the day of their execution via guillotine. "Caesar!" Francisco shouted via the televised publication, fighting for words, as his body was severely injured from the Ilusia's guards abuse leading up to the days of the execution. Francisco and the other had denied eating, drinking or any form of courtesies normal death row criminals were allowed. As the guillotine was being set-up, Francisco being the first of the members to be murdered. "You're an outcast! That's okay! We're outcasts too! And no matter where you go! Find those who'll support you one hundred percent! I'm sorry I couldn't help you all the time along the way! Even though I promised to! But remember! As long as there was breath in our lungs, We protected you!" Francisco said smiling into the Snail-Cam. "Do you know why!?" Francisco shouted, as the remainder of the circus members wept behind him. "It's because we love-" before Francisco could finish the statement, his head rolled onto the floor. Lurking in the background, Leonardo smiled with great amusement.

Caesar hung from the chains on the wall silently, his teeth piercing clean through his lip. Turning with dead eyes towards Leonardo, "I'll kill you. I swear... Even if I have to burn this whole island to the ground... I'll kill you, Leonardo!" Caesar said bluntly. Laughing, Leonardo walked over to one of his guards, drawing a sword from their belt. "I won't stain my blade with a bastard's blood." Leonardo exclaimed, grinning sinisterly, walking towards the clown. Caesar’s wrists bled, sore from the immense strength he placed into attempting to free himself from the shackles. Placing his blade by Caesar’s throat, "I guess this is checkmate to this little waltz of ours we've been playing over the last few years, Caesar. I will say this, when you returned to Ilusia, I never thought we'd meet. I honestly believed that Eternia would kill you before we ever met again. Now for the final headline, 'Supernova Murderer's Countless Guards in Prison Break!' The article will read that the upcoming Marine Captain, Eternia died at the hands of the rookie pirate, whose heart was bent on revenge for his beloved Father's Death. His whore of a mother's pitiful life and those two bit peasants-" Leonardo's words froze as Caesar lifted his throat against the blade peering upwards.

"If you're going to kill me, then do it. However, as long as your in my presence, don't you ever let my friends or my parent's names exit that filthy trap of yours, Leonardo!" Caesar shouted. In moments like this, Caesar would usually have a witty response, however, overcome with anger, the pirate thought about nothing other than slamming his fists into the King's face. Lifting his elbow in attempts to kill the pirate, the King's motion was stopped by the plume of spores that filled the jail cell. Dropping the blade, the King clutched at his throat. Clapping his hands with immense vigour, Griffin filled the whole level of the Castle with his poisonous spores. "Checkmate. Looks like I win." Griffin said grinning happily. "Did you really think the Revolutionary Army allowed fakes to walk around taking jobs from corrupted Kings? You Pig!" Griffin exclaimed with immense disdain. Pressing the button on his Den Den Mushi, the man made a call into HQ. "This is agent Griffin. Operation Orphanage is a success. Our intelligence on the King's obsession with Caesar J Cofresi has been confirmed. The King is dead. I repeat the King is dead." Griffin reported.

Rushing down the staircase, several of the NRA members descended, tending to the wounds of Eternia and placing shackles on the hands of the Royal Guards that protected the King. Entering into the jail cell, Griffin walked over to the King, launching him into the cell's wall with a powerful kick. Stooping down to the clown, "Now we're at a crossroads Burgundy Clown. I actually don't have any orders from the Higher Ups of what do with you once your purpose as bait has been served. The way things work with us, I guess he's telling us to use our own digression." Griffin exclaimed. Caesar's face was for the first time, in a long time, generally perplexed as to what in the world was actually going on. "I'm usually the one in control of the situations I'm in. This thing we call life, eh?" Caesar stated, perplexed. "I'll make this easy for you. He's not dead yet. Those spores will kill him and me if we don't get the antidote right?" Caesar inquired, with spreading spores covering his face. "I'm not asking to be saved... Just let me out these chains... I'll accept my fate. I don't mind dying but if I can end this life with own hands, then I wouldn't mind passing." Caesar exclaimed, his eyes shining proudly.

Grinning, "You remind me of me when I was younger. Always in a hurry to put my life on the line. Never afraid to piss off those who had my life in the palm of their hands. To have you die in a backwater like this, over a small water King like him, is futile. Revenge won't bring you the comfort you wish boy, word of advice." Griffin said grinning. "However! That's for you to decide." Griffin said, reaching into his pocket, revealing a pocket lighter. Flickering the lighter open, Griffin placed the flame by the man's cheek. The spore set afire, baptising the man in a purple flame. As the flames ceased, Caesar's body appeared spotless, free of the poisonous spores. Walking to the outside of the cage, the make-up wearing Revolutionary retrieved the set of keys, worn on the belt of the dead guard’s holster. Unlocking the shackles, before the sea stone cuffs hit the ground, Caesar used his abilities to deflect himself and the two Kings to the Upper Level of the prison. "Hehe off he goes." Griffin said grinning. “Sir! Should we have let him escape with the targets?” one of the NRA soldier’s inquired. “There’s no way either of them will leave this situation alive. Our mission is done! Patch the marine and burn the spores off her body! She’ll be essential in the next stage of our plan!” Griffin commanded.

Meanwhile at the dock, Roxy’s plan was complete. “Okie-dokie! My part is complete.” Roxanne stated. “Are you boys done trying to see who has the better toy now?” Roxy said, sitting on top of a crate in the warehouse, watching Danger and Uxio locked in a stalemate. Uxio’s body had grown several inches once he became in enraged, fat transformed into muscle as he pummeled against Danger’s hair made shield, hardened with Busoshoku Haki. Dropping the shield that was encasing his body in spherical container, Danger transformed locks of his hair into drills, impaling the shoulders and kneecaps of the colossal, nine foot Marine Captain. Exposing his chin, Uxio encased his fist in Busoshoku Haki, slamming it repeated into Danger’s Jaw, the two men leaped away, keeping within striking distance of each other. Thunder Clouds began to form above Ilusia, the first crack of lightning flashed, acting as a starting time for the immense rainfall that would plague the city, over the next few days. The pitter patter of the rain danced on the ceilings tops, with enough downpour to case the citizen’s of Ilusia to retreat indoors. Danger’s Baby Den Den Mushi began to ring, encasing his body into a casing once more, the man answered the call. “Sir!” the man announced. After listen for a few moments, a grin plastered the face of the Revolutionary.

Turning towards the Long Leg Tribeswoman, Uxio began to question her involvement with the NRA, “Hoho… I don’t see man Tribesman in the West Blue… What’s your involvement with-” as Uxio continued to talk, the woman’s drifted off asleep, exhausted from her Long Journey from her previous job on Thriller Bark. “Oi! I’m talking to you! Damn it!” Uxio said blushing, fuming in frustration at being ignored. “Miss Barbados!” Danger announced dropping his shield once more. As the man’s hair reclined, Uxio sky-walked into mid-air, climbing eight feet towards the ceiling, in the rain. After reaching a safe height, Uxio dropped his body downwards, towards the concrete, allowing gravity to take it’s course. “Operation Orphanage is completed. Oi! Uxio! We have your Commanding Officer, Eternia in our care.” Danger said grinning. His eyes expanding widely, the news caused the man to panic in mid-air. Using this to his advantage, Danger wrapped his hair around the appendages of the Marine Captain, slamming into the ground. “It’s over. Good! I’m heading back to Paradise. I’ve stacked up enough beli for my own plans. Next stop! Alabasta!” Roxy exclaimed, standing up and spinning into piruet in happiness.

“Within the next few days, this rainfall will cause Ilusia to flood tremendously. I don’t know what that bastard has planned but knowing him, with the bridge broken and the flooding in Lumina, he must have something planned.” Danger stated.

Arriving at the Guillotine, the streets were empty, the roads flooded with rainfall from the furious downpour. It took Caesar several hours to arrive at the location, after retrieving his gloves and pistol from the prison’s holding area for inmate’s belongings. Both King’s we’re unable to even put up a fight, as the spores spread into their nose, eyes and surface of their bodies, paralysing them, making breathing and motion nearly impossible. Another reason, was for minutes on end, Caesar would watch them clutch at their throats, neither wanting to let go of their lives, each time, the pulled the mushrooms growing from their noses out, splattering blood in it’s wake. It gave Caesar immense pleasure to watch this, however, he digressed, for the ultimate resolution he sought was near. Climbing upwards towards the peak of the guillotine, elevated several feet of the ground, Caesar dropped the Two Kings onto the platform’s oak wood surface. From the windows of the townspeople houses, the citizen peered, trying to understand why anyone would wish to be out in this rain. Caesar noticed their gazes, grinning widely, the jester dressed male took a bow, after retrieving his clown hat, which he was very pleased to find kept in the utmost condition.

“Many hanging prevents a bad marriage. For years, Ilusia has been married to abusive spouses. On this day, I am jury, the judge and the jester.” Caesar said proudly.

Revealing his pistol from his undercoat, Caesar noticed the Kings’ wiggling towards the staircase. Resting his pistol in his right hand, the man used his Nikyu Nikyu abilities to push the King’s back towards the centre of the podium, shattering the bones in their body from the compressed air pulsated towards their body in the form of a shock wave. As the spores, paralyzed the further, Caesar could hear as the bones in their bones began to crack one by one. Licking his lips, Caesar walked over to the Former King to Ilusia first. Placing his foot on the man’s back, he pointed the pistol to the back of the Noble’s head. “Nishi Nishi Nishi Nishi Nishi Nishi Nishi!” the man began to laugh in a craze. His laughter filled the streets with it’s melodic pattern and filled the hearts of the onlookers with fear. Tears welled in the eyes of the pirate, but the pouring rain made it look as if his tears were also apart of the downpour. Not as if anyone would’ve been close enough to notice and if they could, they’d have no time to examine the crying clown, for who wants to see a clown who doesn’t smile.

On Caesar’s face was a different kind of smile, it wasn’t one of joy or engagement, it wasn’t one to deceive or befriend. It was a sad smile, a nervous one at that. His hand began to tremble against the trigger, in his mind, he’d pulled the trigger a thousand times before, in thoughts of the due justice, schemes and plots. “I’ll be revenged the whole pack of you. Every Time you pigs whipped your straps against my back… A slight joy filled my mind in thoughts of killing you.” Caesar announced, the tears becoming more apparent from the man’s eyes. “This is for my mother. Your daughter who you ordered to be murdered. This is for my father, who treated like scum for trying clean up your mess.” Caesar shouted. A thousand times. It’d been the number of times Caesar had thought about this situation in the last five years, he hadn’t managed to even say half of what he intended to. Two shots. The Former King’s blood dripped from the platform, soaking into the shoes of the clown and the garment of the Leonardo’s clothing. Two more shots, again, straight through the skull of the King’s dome. Reloading the pistol, this time with only one single bullet, Caesar rested the pistol in his jacket, momentarily. Reaching down towards the deceased King, “Did you know, even if you die, your muscles remember the pain shortly after… you’ve passed.” Caesar said grinning, removing the former King’s pain into a large red bubble, which hovered above the platform, about ten meters in size.

“Curse of Atlas.” Caesar exclaimed. Reaching upwards, Caesar removed a little bit of the bubbles contents, into a small 5 x 5 inch bubble, which he grasp his palms core. Blowing the bubble towards Leonardo, the newly crowned King’s body began to wince with pain. “Does it hurt?” Caesar asked, as tears flowed from the King’s eyes. “It does doesn’t it?” Caesar said with a cold expression. The parents watching the scene had to pull the children from the window, some of which, who were frozen in pure fear, even going as far as urinating on themselves from the quick successions of the first rounds fired from Caesar’s pistol into the King’s skull. Snapping his fingers, the red bubble inched into the King’s body slowly, flipping him over onto his back, Caesar made the King watch as the bubble inched closer and closer to his body. Upon contact, almost instantly, the pain surged into Leonardo’s body, causing his to seize multiple times from the pain.

“This-” Caesar said, reaching into his jacket once again for his pistol, using the hand that was covered with his Cross Gloves. Stooping down, Caesar placed the firearm into the King’s mouth. “This. This is for the murder of the only people who truly loved me in this world.” Caesar said coldly, no tears forming in his eyes anymore. This wasn’t because Caesar didn’t want to cry, he was so overwhelmed with emotion, the first thing he thought to do was, however, Caesar didn’t want Leonardo to have the satisfaction of him showing his tears, the atypical sight he thought he’d see in his life. No, he wanted the spoiled Noble to die on his terms, and in his mind, that was the sight of Caesar smiling menacingly, sending him into afterlife with that being his last image. Licking the make of the pistol, Caesar stopping until his eyes met directly with the King’s, his body now pressed directly on top of Leonardo, mounting him. “I want to feel the warmth of your brains on my skin… When I splatter them with this pistol… This pistol… Given to me by Francisco. Don’t worry Leonardo!” Caesar exclaimed grinning. “You know what’s the funnest part of this all?” Caesar inquired. “When I’m done with causing complete and utter chaos for the World Government… And some pirate or marine kills me, I’ll smile the broadest smile because I get to torture you all over again… In the afterlife. I’m pretty sure we’re going to the same place.” Caesar concluded, as the man’s iris expanding widely.

The sound of what sounds like begging or pleading inched from the King’s mouth down to the very end, his speech muffled by the pistol wedged in his mouth. Click. The empty chamber sounded. “One out of Four.” Caesar stated. Click. “Two out of Four!” Caesar shouted. Click. “One more!” Caesar exclaimed. Bang. The King was dead. His innards splattered onto the face of Caesar, the clown’s ears rung from the sound gave off from the pistol, fired so close to his ears. Falling onto the platform’s floor, Caesar would lay there for hours. The feeling that warmed him, felt better than any pleasure a woman could’ve brought him, more joy than any liquor he’d ever drank and more thrill than anything else he’d ever felt in his life. As his clothes soaked in the Ilusia Nobles blood, he store at the pouring sky, watching the crackling lightning surge through the heavens. The words of the Revolutionary rushed through his mind, about revenge not being enough. How he implied, it’d somehow make him feel cheap or cheat. Caesar began to laugh once again because the words the man offered him was a lie. Caesar felt fantastic.

However, the rush faded. The ecstasy gone. The clown cried. Not for the dead King’s at his feet, not for the traumatised children who watched, not for incoming Marine who came to claim his head but for the faces of his beloved Lalooza members that appeared to him at this time. The sad looks on their face, Caesar knew, he’d sinned. This wasn’t what they wanted for him, it was ‘too late’, he thought. Caesar had no more energy to move. It was like accomplishing his life’s goal in a sense. Why continue, what was the point? He could just wait for the Marines to arrive, turn himself in and be sentenced to be hung, meet with the others in the afterlife, even if he had to take on the big man himself, he would. Suddenly, before he even knew it, Caesar was walking, not aimlessly, something inside him just told to move. Caesar ran. Farther than he’d ever ran before and much faster, towards the Crimson Joker which was docked by the dock. He remembered. The next phase of his life was apparent, to see the things his former family saw in Paradise, to live. That was his only mission, suddenly, somehow, he could feel their frowns from the afterlife turn to smiles. March 19th, Year X, in Ilusia, in the terrible weather conditions, hundreds watched as the Burgundy Clown, Caesar J Cofresi, son of Ilusia's Crowned Hero, murdered, who they found out later, to be, King Leonardo and Former King of Ilusia.

One’s face was so deformed, only the garment could clearly be used to identify him. The other’s face clearly identifiable, but his brains splattered onto the guillotine in which he’d sentence thousands of innocents to die.

Fin.

Techniques Used:

Sat Dec 31, 2016 12:42 am

Excellent arc! Twists and gut-wrenching, feeling inducing moments galore. Caesar lost a lot of baggage going into Paradise.

The rewards~!

Bounty: +75,000,000 berries Considering the fact that he committed double regicide in front of an audience that already hated his guts, this jump in bounty is very necessary~
Experience: +75 EXP
Berries: +20 million berries!

Chapter 3: If Music Is The Food Of Love? Play On Part II