Lasting Impressions

The Newest Arrival
Fang laid on his back, right in the middle of the ship. He sighed, completely content with his position. The ocean sun warmed his body quite nicely. It had been sometime since he was last on a ship. At least, one he wasn’t attacking to capture any worthwhile bounties. "This is the life."

"I. Knew. It! I REALLY DID," A voice ringed from across the deck, "From when Captain said the newest member was a former Marine!" Standing tall was Rena Alexis, another member of the Cheeky Pirates. She had silver hair tied into side poinytails, and wore an exquisite dress. But, indeed, she had been right all the time, one could just go and gather all the stuff she had seen.

How Fang laid himself out, the stuff he seemed to comment. But, Alexis couldn't call him out from the get-go, no, she had to get more evidence.

Alexis continued to comment a second later, "It is no wonder that I've had to seek and fix so much stuff you guys did." Her eyes widened after observing Fang for a few seconds, Alexis brought her left hand to cup her chin, which was pointed. "How much did you pay Captain?" Maybe that would make even more sense.

Fang opened a single eye, looking at the young woman out of the corner of it. “Good morning.” He closed his eye again as he continued sunbathing. “I didn’t bribe the Captain by the way. He was simply very persuasive.

On the wooden yard from up above, a silver-haired man clad in monk's attire could be spotted walking along its perimeter as he swept down the contents of his trusty companion that was a battle-scarred gourd. His entire body arching back to the point of his head reaching the same level as the man's waist before suddenly lifting his feet and shoving his entire body backwards; making a flip and landing on the same spot. Jackal's mouth grew wide as rows of teeth put itself on display at his own triumph, only for the sound of a loud female voice grab his attention. Lips closing, eyebrows furrowing as he peered down at the two other members.

As he leaned ever forward, so too did his feet start slipping and before Jackal knew it. "SHIIHEE-" He' find himself falling headfirst towards the ocean that surrounded them. Yet, be it with sheer luck or the work of faith, a piece rope found itself strapped across his left ankle which promptly stopped his descent, "-EEET...?"

Now hanging from a piece of rope just above the sea like bait for the fishes, Jackal looked around and spotted the two other pirates from before. Lifting his hand- or lowered from his crewmates angle, "Yooo! Mind giving me hand here!?"

"Guess that’s enough sunbathing for the day." Fang leaned forward as he got to his feet. "I’ll get him." He walked over to the edge of the ship and jumped overboard. "Geppo!" His grey lightly jumped off the air as he made his way over to Jackal, hopping off the air after he stopped next to him. "It appears as though luck was on your side. Rankyaku!" He performed a swift kick, cutting rope, and grabbing onto Jackal’s leg before he could fall any further. He threw him back into the deck of the ship before jumping back on himself. "Please try to be more careful next time. I doubt a rope will catch you two times in a row."

Noticing that if he'd go on this way, Jackal would end up burying his skull into the planks above deck. Much like the crewmate that had come to his aid, the monk would thrust his leg against the air to perform yet another flip while being in mid-flight. Both feet soon finding themselves safely onboard the ship, Jackal would go on to stretch out his arms to the sides before lowering his upper body forward. Bowing three times in every direction as if it was the end of a performance before straightening his posture and start turning towards his saviour. Only to halt mid-way as he spotted the young lady with the loud voice from earlier. He didn't say anything, simply stared blankly at her for a few good moments before continuing with his original plan to gazed instead at the other Geppo user. "Oi... Suppose I owe you one." Reaching down for his gourd before lifting it up and shaking it a little, making it clear what he was offering.

Fang held up his hand, rejecting the offer. "No thank you. You can keep. You’ll owe me the next time I need to save you." He walked back to the middle of ship, falling back onto the deck with a loud "Thud!" "So, who are you guys anyways?"

Near their position, a dark furred canine's head suddenly burst through the deck's plank flooring, sending the shards all over the place as the head turned left and right to see where it was. "This doesn't look like the bathroom..." the mink said before descending back into the hole.

Fang almost jumped backwards from the sudden arrival of the Mink. "What the hell...?" He had so many questions, none of which he felt could be answered by anyone present.

"Such. Disrespect!" Alexis said yet again, crossing her arms, though, it was very good that Fang at least helped Jackal as well. What was it with all of them being so... weird? Well, it didn't matter much. Wait no, now it did, "Have you never seen a Mink?"

Fang continued his sunbathing, his eyes closed once again. "I've been around the seas long enough to what a Mink is. I'm more confused by why they decided to launch their head through the deck." A second or two passed before his eyes fluttered open and he turned towards the silver-haired maiden onto his side. While the smile itself couldn't be seen, his scarf clearly curved into the shape of one. "My name's Fang by the way. Nice to meet you."

Having taken his time to contemplate whether or not to follow the mink after the canine's sudden appearance, the scarred monk instead turned towards the mainmast and started making his way over. Incidentally passing between Fang and the other woman, his eye catching the former as he reached out their hand. Without having paid much attention to anything but the last few words, Jackal reached out to shake the man's hand as he slipped through- "Jackal, likewise."

Looking back up and spotting the silver-haired woman once again, the same blank stare resurfaced as before without so much as a word to go with it. The monk proceeded to walk past her and back towards the mast from which he'd originally fallen down from.

Fang rolled his eyes as he took Jackal's hand with a smile, getting back to his feet after doing so. He began light stretching as he faced Alexis. "And you are?" he asked her.

Alexis eyed Jackal's walking form for a solid second, she only pondered if he would actually get into some misfortune yet again. What even were these crewmembers that Kerrim decided to gather? Alexis buffed for a second, her head whipping around with her eyes widened once a question was directed towards her. Right, the other one was still there.

"Oh, sorry about that..." For some reason, Alexis tried a smile, scratching the side of her face. Then, she gathered her posture and bowed very slightly at him. "My name is Rena Alexis, nothing too different nor anything of the sort."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." His head dipped as well as he made a slight bow of his own. "Varanus Fang. I didn't expect to meet an attractive young woman such as yourself amongst a crew of pirates, but the world is big after all. And I suppose everyone has there reasons for being here. I mean, I'm here after all." He held out his hand to her for a shake.

Extending her hand to shake his, Alexis tilted her head to the side only a bit and slanded her eyes. "We can't be in pirate crews now?" After she pulled her hand back though, she did another comment, "Anyway, don't respond it... just, thank you!" Of course, he directed a compliment after her, it was not something that she should turn down.

"I've met Kerrim before, didn't think he remembered me," Alexis glanced around the ship, seeing if the Captain was anywhere in sight. "But yeah, I'm here too."

Fang laughed at Alexis' reaction, head tilted up to the sky, the ends of his scarf ruffling as it changed to match the shape of his grin. "Krihahahaha! I see. I'm all ears if you'd like to tell me the story. An encounter with an infamous pirate captain like Kerrim must be an interesting story."

Hah, he laughed, Alexis observed and wasn't quite bothered, "No, don't worry really." She dismissed just as quickly. "The story ain't something oustanding nor should we be worrying about it." Indeed, they were all standing there, doing nothing by and to the ship itself, Alexis frowned. "It was when he wasn't a pirate, just to clear it out."

"Anyway," Alexis gestured for around her and the deck of the ship, "Where exactly is Captain? Did he leave again without notifying someone that would remember it?"

Fang sighed. "He told me that he needed to go take care of something, then dropped me off here. I thought he would’ve at least introduced me to the rest of the crew first, but I guess not. Kerrim is a little... strange." Fang plopped himself back down onto the deck of the ship. "So, I took care of my personal chores then started sunbathing. I never really get the chance to do it anymore."

A nod, that was all Alexis offered at the information Fang dumped. Or so it seemed, for her mouth opened the next second. "You can stay there however long you want to, but we need to know where exactly he may be," There was no doubt, no thought, lingering in their minds about Kerrim's strength. More than once, twice, thrice, he proved himself to them and to the world.

Yet, Alexis knew that risks couldn't be taken in the New World, especially given their status, the Captain being a Super Rookie. People could come for them, Pirates wanting to gain fame, stronger Marines deployed due to the many reports.

Amidst Alexis's thoughts, the door to the Captain's Quarters would quickly swing open. Kerrim would glance around the ship. The shadow-less figures of everyone aboard the ship only caused a resting ease on the man's face. Dusting his hands, Kerrim would reach into his pocket. The lack of clanging metal made it apparent his trusted rapier, Mistilteinn, hadn't been on his person. Why would it? There wasn't any threats aboard the ship after all. Kerrim would rub something baring a crimson color off his cheek using a handkerchief, slipping it into his pocket with finesse. He would look over to see the hole in his deck, a cold gaze on his face.

"Alexis. Did you see who did this?" Kerrim spoke, a calm tone but he was visually about to explode from the inside out.

Eyes wide, Alexis turned over to see Kerrim over the deck, "Oh, Captain!" She greeted him with a wave. "I thought you had been gone!" Noticing that he seemed to be in a not so great mood, Alexis preferred to just answer his response. "Xie was just checking around the ship... he apparently didn't find the bathroom?"

"The mink. Of course!" Kerrim spoke out enthusiastically, he would speak in a low tone to himself, thought bubbles encircling his head as he did so. "Iknewitwashim! Thecheekytonto! Iwillmakethatcoglionepayforthistretchery!" He continued saying, walking closer and closer to the plank that led to the bottom of the ship. Suddenly he would stop, turning around quickly and acknowledging Fang's presence. His eye would flare red for a second, his gaze analytic. "So. Fang, you getting along with the others well?"

"I think so," he said, smiling under his mask. "My Kenbunshoku Haki isn’t as advanced as yours though, so I could be missing some underlying emotions." He leaned in closer to Kerrim so no one else could hear. "Alexis seems especially nice. I’d especially like to learn more about her in the future."

Listening to Fang's comment, Kerrim's eyes would open ever so slightly more than usual. He would give of a small chuckle that could've also passed as of scoff. "Tell me how that goes, ushishi!" He laughed, nudging Fang. "If you do manage something, just make sure you don't put any infants on my ship. I don't need anymore than I already have."

Fang’s eyebrows furrowed, then raised at a sudden realization. "Not that kind of interest. Wait a second. Other infants? Do you have kids?" His final clause was laced with great excitement of this revelation. More of a giddy wonderment than anything.

Raising his own eyebrow, Kerrim would look at Fang with confusion at his statement. "Fang. Look around us. I'm literally surrounded by children.

Fang almost asked to see them, but stopped himself. His eyes darted around the deck of the ship as he came to a realization. His eyes narrowed, showing his discontent with his captain. "I take exception to that."

"No. You're one of them too. Just the edgy one who was recently adopted and doesn't like his new family." Kerrim stated jokingly, walking away from Fang and moving to the steering wheel. Standing at the highest point of the ship he could reach on feet, Kerrim raised his voice to ensure everyone on the ship could hear.

"Listen up stronzos! In a little under half an hour, we're going to dock at an island. I want all of you to behave and avoid causing a riot! Show me that you're all grown ups for once and maybe we'll go somewhere nice. Like...a water park or something." He ended, stepping down and walking back towards Alexis and Fang, however his attention was to reach the former. "Alexis, make sure no one else is damaging my ship. Osiris will do the repairs later. And scold Xie for me, I would do it myself but I feel like I'll kill him if he does that damn back-sassing."