"AHOY, ME HEARTIES!" Greets Blackbeard, walking into one of the many caverns. "So who's up for a fight?"
All eyes (well technically empty eye sockets) turn towards their captain. No one says a word. Blackbeard continues.
"We have found a way out of here. However in order to do so we must rescue a mermaid princess, along with her people."
"A princess. There's bound to be one hell of a booty when the job's done."
"Not just any princess, but a mermaid princess."
"Who we fighten, captain?"
"We be fighting gill-man, deep ones, kappas, and frog-men." Blackbeard answered.
"Sounds like fun."
"Yeah."
"Let's go."
One by one their excitement rose to a clamor as they got to their feet.
"Quite down, quite down. There's one more thing ye need to know." He waits till they do before continuing. "We'll be fighting alongside three mermen and a powerful human female warrior.
"A female?!"
"Is she pretty?"
"Might I have a go at her when this is over?"
"Take heed not to cross her boys. Or ye may end up truly dead."
Meanwhile Seymour is giving a similar speech in a different cavern.
Two hours go by and while everyone is gearing up Jafar, and Murrissey walk them through the layout of the prison.
From the deck of The Ranger Kino lets out a whistle at the sight before her. The entirety of Blackbeard's crew stands before her. She had been below deck talking with Bay, ironing out any last minute details.
"Are ye Impressed lass?" Asked Benjamin.
"Aye."
"Now how do ye intend to get them all to the battlefield?"
Kino looks at Benjamin and smiles. "You'll see." Is all she says as she vaults over the side of the ship, landing in front of the pirates. Benjamin watches with curiosity at what Kino does next.
"Is everything ready?" Asked Ian.
"Yup all set." Replied Kino, hopping back onto the ship.
"Are you not going to take Dante and Yukino with you?"
"Nope. I've asked them to help guard the ships while we're gone. It would suck if we came back to destroyed ships."
"I wish I could go with you. But alas I am not a fighter. I am merely an explorer."
"Quit being so melodramatic Steph." Said Ian, to which Stephanie sticks her tongue out at her husband.
Ian leans in close and whispers, "I'll make you put that tongue of yours to work later."
Stephanie pulls Ian in for a kiss and whispers back, "only if you put yours to work as well."
The pair stare lovingly into each other's eyes.
"Are you two done debating what you're gonna do with your tongues?"
"Huh?! How do you know what we were whispering about, Kino." Ian asked.
"Meow."
Ian looks over at Yukino sitting on the railing next to them. "I see. You do know what they say about curiosity and cats don't you Yukino?"
Yukino responds by creating an icicle-stalagmite right between Ian's legs, stopping it mere centimeters from skewing his balls. It would have pierced through had he not stood on the tips of his toes at the very last second.
"Yukino, could you not castrate my husband? I would like to have children someday."
Yukino looks back and forth between the two, hops off the railing and darts away. Leaving Ian in the lurch.
"I got you." Kino breaks the icicle-stalagmite with a Taekwondo back kick.
"Thanks Kino."
"Yes, thank you Kino." Ian adjusts himself.
"Can we please get going?"
"Sorry Bay." Apologized Kino. "Well guys seea on the flip side."
With a running start Kino – back in the battle toad suite – dives off the ship into the water. Bay, Jafar, and Murrissey follow after her. She waits for them under the water and then follows after them.
After their departure Ian who puts an arm around his wife's shoulder.
Stephanie says, "It's a good thing Yukinos not a squirrel."
"Why's that?" He asked.
"She would've had your nuts." Stephanie looks up at her husband, a big ass grin on her face.
****
"It's this way. Stay close and follow me." Whispered Bay.
"Got it."
Having split into teams of two, Jafar, and Murrissey go one way while Bay, and Kino silently make their way towards the containment cells.
After slowly advancing through the passages – whilst avoiding detection. They make it to the holding cells.
"Captain Bay, is that you?"
"It is him."
"He's alive."
"We're saved."
The other merfolk gather at their cell bars.
"Leomaris, you look like…"
"Like shit. Those bastards worked me over looking for the key."
"Do you know where the princess is being held?"
"Unfortunately I do not know, but I'd wager she's in one of the isolation cells."
"Damn."
While Bay is talking to Leomaris, two gill-man guards making their rounds find him.
Kino who had concealed her presence, breaks the neck of one gill-man from behind — catches and thrusts the dead guard's trident into the other guards face and neck, killing him before he gets the chance to sound the alarm.
"Oh, lookie here this one has keys on him." Kino plucks them off the body and tosses them to Bay. "You keep looking for the princess. I'm gonna go start a riot."
"Wait a minute young miss, before you go let me tell you who you're up against."
"Talk to me, Leomaris."
"Inventory." Kino opens her inventory and a few minutes later asks, "how are you guys feeling? Anything feel off?"
The Bone Pirates move about confirming that nothings wrong with them.
"Tell me Kino, how did you come up with this wild idea of transporting the pirates in your inventory?" Asked Bay.
"It came to me when Stephanie stuck her head in my inventory and was able to pull herself out. I ran my idea past Blackbeard and Seymour volunteered to test my theory."
"Theory?"
"To see if they could survive being in my inventory considering they're both alive and dead at the same time."
"Allowing you to bring an army undetected behind enemy lines. Very impressive."
"We're ready to go." Reports Blackbeard. "What do you want us to do?"
Kino smiles at this question. "What pirates do best; pillage, plunder, fight, kill."
"I'd like to point out that pillage and plunder share synonyms like…" Seymour stops talking when he realizes Kino had stopped listening to him.
"Allow me," said Bay, "You guys can go buck wild. Just don't kill my people."
"You heard him boys! Let's go show'em what The Bone Pirates are made of!" Shouts their captain.
The pirates raise their weapons — let out a war cry, and take off. Kino, Blackbeard, and Seymour follow after them.
****
(Character Bio)
Name: Yacuruna, Age: ?, Species: Demon, Gender: Male.
Job: Boss of the Underwater Underworld, Class: ?, Subclass: ?, Rank: ?
Description: 193 cm, 90.9 kg, Aquatic Demonoid.
Appearance: Green Scaly Skin, Fins on its Forearms/Head, Webbed Hands and Feet, Blood-orange Eyes, Gills.
Gear: None
Weapon: ?
Name: Urchin, Age: ?, Species: Frog-man, Gender: Male.
Job: General of the Vodyanoy Unit, Class: ?, Subclass: ?, Rank: ?
Description:146.4 cm, 113 kg, Humanoid Frog-man.
Appearance: Bald, Long Green Beard, Fat Paunch, Long Horns, Enormous Red Eyes, Webbed Hands and Feet, Black Scaly Skin.
Gear: None.
Weapon: Bill-hook with Spike.
Name: Glagrid, Age: ?, Species: Gill-man, Gender: Male.
Job: General of the Gill-man Unit, Class: ?, Subclass: ?, Rank: ?
Description: 243.84 cm, 136.08 kg, Amphibian-man.
Appearance: Pronounced Lips, Gills, Webbed Hands with Fin-like Claws, Big Yellow Eyes, Moss-green Scaly Body.
Gear: None.
Weapon: Double Sovnya.
Name: Dagon, Age: ?, Species: Piranha, Gender: Male.
Job: General of the Deep Ones Unit, Class: ?, Subclass: ?, Rank: ?
Description: 216.5 cm, 157.5, Humanoid Fish-man.
Appearance: Grayish-green Scales, Webbed Hands and Feet, SpikedFins on its Forearms/Calves/Back, Long-spiny finned tail, Fish-like Face, Sharp Teeth, Grey Eyes.
Gear: None.
Weapon: Yanyuedao.
Name: Krindal, Age: ?, Species: Kappa, Gender: Male.
Job: General of the Kappa Unit, Class: ?, Subclass: ?, Rank: ?
Description: 152.4 cm, 54.5 kg, Humanoid Turtle-man.
Appearance: Yellow-blue Skin, Turtle-like shell on its back, Webbed Hands and Feet, Pointed Beak, Smooth circular dish on its head filled with water, Slimy Skin, Black Eyes.
Gear: None.
Weapon: Spetum.
Yacuruna is about to ask Krindal for his report when shouts of "halt!" "Stop her!" "She's a monster!" "Are those skeletons? How are there skeletons here?" Can be heard outside the throne room.
Dagon and Glagrid being in the center break for the door, while Urchin and Krindal take up a fighting position in front of Yacuruna.
Dagon and Glagrid make it half-way there when the doors are blown in. Two kappa guards soar through the air along with the doors. In a blink, everything flying at them is cut up by Dagon and Glagrid.
The intruder walks through cracking her knuckles — surveying the room — her eyes landing on Yacuruna.
"Who the hell are you?!" Shouts Glagrid.
"You there asshole on the black crocodile!" The intruder points a finger at Yacuruna. "My name is Kino, and I'm here…" She pauses for dramatic effect, "well I'm here to kick ass."
Yacuruna doesn't respond, but if looks could kill, Kino would be dead ten times over by now.
"You won't even make it past us." Declares Glagrid, charging forward, swinging his double sovnya at her.
Kino counters by kicking the blade upwards and jumps back as Dagon takes a swipe at her with his yanyue dao.
"Those are some nice reflexes for a human. Tell me human, how long do you think you can last against us?" Asked Dagon.
"Long enough to kill you all."
Just as Kino's about to attack, Krindal throws his spetum at her striking her in the chest with such force she sails backwards and is pinned to the wall, or so he thought.
"What the?!" Kino's after image leaves Krindal momentarily shocked. Which gave Kino an opening to punch him square in his pointed beak — flattening it.
Krindal sees stars, he feels like he's in a fog, he turns and vomits all over the place. Urchin asks if he's alright. It takes Krindal a moment to answer and when he does respond his speech is slurred, he then collapses on the spot.
Urchin attempts to go to him only for Kino to trip him. She disappears before he hits the ground. Reappearing again by Krindal — spetum in hand.
"Noooo!" Urchin cries out as Kino stabs Krindal in the head with his own weapon.
As Urchin struggles to stand Kino stomps on his back then disappears when Dagon again swipes at her.
"Boss, you need to leave. We'll…"
Dagon, Urchin, and Glagrid stare in disbelief. Kino, stands over Boss Yacuruna's body — head in one hand and Urchin's now bloody bill-hook in her other hand.
"Diiieee!!" Shouts Glagrid throwing his double sovnya as hard as he can at her. Using Boss Yacuruna's head as a shield Kino is able to redirect the trajectory of the polearm away from her.
Yacuruna's head is ripped from her hands as the sovnya pierces both head and wall. This move infuriates everyone even more. Kino vanishes.
Kino reappears and attacks Glagrid from behind, chopping off both of his legs. Then while flat on his back Kino runs the bill-hook through his chest — twisting it for good measure.
"I Dagon, challenge you to one-on-one unarmed combat." Dagon tosses his yanyue dao aside. "Do you accept my challenge?"
****
"Over here!" Shouts Seymour. "I found her, I found Princess Ceto!"
"W-Who are you?" Stammered the princess. Shrinking back away from the talking skeleton.
Seymour steps aside allowing Bay to show himself to the princess.
"BAY!!" Exclaimed the princess, moving to the bars.
"Forgive me princess. I failed in my duty to keep you safe."
"No, I'm the one at fault. I chose to save that human girl."
"Well it's a good thing you did. Because she's here and she brought an army with her."
"An army?! Do you mean these skeletons?"
"Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Seymour Dukey, Vice Captain of the infamous Bone Pirates."
"Oh!" A look of shock appears on the princesses face. "I-Is Captain Blackbeard here?"
Seymour rolls his metaphorical eyes.
Bay answers for him, "yes he is. He's currently fighting somewhere."
"Might we hurry this along."
"Yes, let's." Agreed Bay.
While Bay fumbles with the keys, three Deep Ones attack them.
Seymour intercepts them. "Chain Lightning Magic: Lightning Serpent!"
Seymour's lightning takes on the form of a serpent — racing towards its first victim — passes through his chest and back — targets the next and then the last one. Killing all three.
"Got it!"
Once open all three make their way out of the isolation block. Regroup with Leomaris, and the others who have armed up courtesy of Jafar and Murrissey.
Establishing a protective formation around the princess, everyone heads for the exit.
****
"Just to clarify, your friend will not try anything?"
"I give you my word I will not interfere in any way. Dagon would kill me himself if I did." Replied Urchin.
"Very well. I, Kino Kurosaki, accept your challenge to one-on-one unarmed combat."
"Let's raise the stakes. What do you say?"
"What do you have in mind, Dagon?"
"Loser becomes the winner's slave for life."
"Sure. I've always wanted a pet fish."
"And I've always wanted a pet human." Retorts Dagon. "Urchin, tell us when to go."
"GO!!"
Kino disappears. Dagon waits her out. He slowly turns — scanning the room. After completing a full circle Kino reappears and launches a front kick. Dagon takes the hit — completely unfazed.
Dagon takes two steps forward and turns, swinging his tail at Kino. She takes the hit, or so it seemed. Dagon's tail had passed through an after image.
"Close Combat: Lightning Flash Kick!!" Kino's attack breaks Dagon's right leg. Just as Dagon topples over. "Close Combat: Dragon Strikes!!" Kino hits Dagon with a flurry of punches to the face.
Some of Dagon's sharp teeth break the skin on Kino's knuckles. Kino instantly stops moving.
"Paralyzing Fang," said Dagon. "Depending on your resistance you'll be unable to move for about five minutes. Giving, me ample time to do whatever I want to you."
"Don't worry I'll use my Paralyzing Tongue on you after four minutes have passed – keeping you immobile even longer." Boasted Urchin.
"Time for payback." Now standing up right again on his left leg, and using his tail for balance Dagon blasts Kino in the face with a right, then a left, and a right again.
Taking great pleasure in unloading on her. His final punch sends her flying backwards.
Kino hits and slides across the floor, stopping just before the doorway, right at someone's feet.
"Would ye like me help, lassie?" Asked Blackbeard.