Amassing a start

Another day. Another morning. Another chance to breakfast. Not that there were ever enough of these chance and not like Jez ever missed any of them. So, like usual, she left home in her daily streetwear clothes, straight after getting up and even before breakfast. With a town this fancy at hand - to hell with the cook at home. Having already taken out 3 whole plates she was far from being done. To wash down, she used liquor, like usual. Not like the chef really cared for the underage and drinking bit. She came often, and much unlike many people, was also able to always pay in full on the spot, with more then sufficient tip. Long as money went his direction, he could not care less. And for the girl it had become kind of normal. Using both gloved hands with forks to shovel food, Jezebel leaned quite far over her plate, totally blending out other people around herself, and also making it hard for them to get a good look at her, although the regulars knew anyway. Only to have a swig, she cared to sit up more or less straight. One could almost wonder how someone this lanky could eat this much, or the other way around how could someone eat this much and still be thin as a hair.

Today was the great day. After finishing breakfast, whenever that would be, she had planned to finally get herself into gear and request her standard allocation of funds, men and a ship to start her job routine. But definitely not until at least 10. The bureaus were not open before that anyway, so Jez still had some time left. Which was good, knowing herself, she couldn't actually put up with boring formalities unless she had at least eaten well. Taking another drink, the eating routine was briefly interrupted, a scouting glance flew around the room while her head was not bend down over the place, seeing what people did and what generally happened. Not that anything really did - unusual as it is, it usually did whenever she sat down and ate or doze off.

Moneih simply was frigging cold to no ends, why the hell this west blue girl thrown up to the north? Of course, it was a command coming from the higher echelon. Perhaps, new recruits were sent their in the beginning of their duty. In the end, Anais was a total stranger to this forsaken freezing land. And everything there was quite expensive, anything would require a hefty sum of golden coins to purchas. The lone huntress wasn't there to squander her resources on the contrary, she came to collect them.

But, Anais was hungry and needed to get something to eat. There was this restaurant and it was breakfast time already, she had been already for a one night there in Moneih and took her time visiting the local blacksmiths and armories. That morning, the sniper was supposed to find her captain however Anais had to confess it, she was totally lost.

In her marine outfit which was really lacking regarding it's warming abilities, the raven haired smith found her way in. Once in, delicious smells and fine scents invaded her nostrils without compassion or mercy. Yes, she had to get something to eat, actually anything to eat. Anais took her seat, opened the menu and it struck her mind in disbelief.

Totally expensive. the thought was trying to resist the delicious smells and fine scents invasion, however her stomach decisively thwarted the resistance movement. The raven haired sharpshooter had to make an order, so she chose the cheapest thing in the menu which was just an appetizer.

Garlic bread, please. this order would seriously hurt her purse. Still, it didn't matter, Anais would begin her search for her captain soon. She couldn't help but to have a rest and look around and there was this really slender young woman doing her own crusade of munching food and drinking liquors. With her usual fierce looking black eye, Anais observed closely that woman one table away from her.

Being a regular to the place herself, Jezebel could not fail to notice the person who had just taken seat one table away. Because she was clearly not a regular at all. And her standard marine outfitting -naturally Jez was trained and supposed to recognize various statuses and ranking officer classes by their decorations and garbs- made it painfully obvious that the dark-haired recruit most likely didn't even have the coin to get anything to eat here. Unusually curious how this would turn out, the captain-to-be decided to keep an eye out, without being too distracted from her own business, which revolved around fooding oneself before this fateful day.

Having emptied the jar, same one whammed to the table kind of overzealous with a decent bang. "Refill!" the pale, thin girl obnoxiously demanded without directing it towards anyone in particular, but to the waiter, the signal was clear as day. Hurrying over with a corked expensive-looking bottle after taking the neighboring table's order, he poured a fair amount, nodded in silence and left again - without the girl even bothering if he had brought the correct beverage or if he had filled sufficiently. Chunk of bread in the right, a fork with cooked slice of egg on it in the left, she kept on digging in, observing the "odd one out" from the corner of her eye as the well-suited waiter returned with a rather small order of what seemed to be appetizer. "So she really didn't round up any money after all. Pretty daring to show up anywhere on this island like this." It wouldn't be the first time, that Jezebel observed strangers unable to pay their bill and possible fights breaking out - some of the more shady people were quick on the draw around here. Pretending to take another swig, pale slender sat up pretty straight with the head bend rather far back - it was easier to see things around you if you could look past your plate, both metaphorically and actually. The sideways glances might have been a little bit obvious though. After all, she was not a trained tail, but one of the people who ordered them -and other soldiers- around. Not like Jez cared in the end, being more then certain, that she could stand her ground if anything happened.

SSSLLLLAAAAMMMM!

Anais could swear that she was about to jump.

Refill! The other pale raven haired customer whose hair made her look more pale ordered another round of that liquid that causes symptoms of forgetfulness, perhaps a warm body and red cheeks. Someday, she would have the money to live good, Anais told herself, it would be patience for now.

The pitch black sharpshooter waited her order but knowing how fancy the place was, she expected that her garlic bread would be made soon, for that her hands opened her purse. Good! she can pay for it but Anais for second thought how it was stupid of her to double check by then. Regardless, the order didn't come yet and other customers found their way in. However, they didn't look like customers at all. For some reasons, they looked like trouble makers.

Anais kept her seat for she was no troubleshooter. Those guys took seat nearby her, ordered something too and that's when they noticed the lone stranger with her low rank uniform which seemed certainly out of place. So, the bad guys approached her surrounding her in the process. That's when her order was served, totally bad timing. Because one of them entitled 'evil doer' throw the plate with the very precious garlic bread to the floor resulting in this sound of crack.

"What are you doing here, Missy? this is the not the place for the likes of you?" one of them told her with an offensive attitude. But Anais didn't fret and anger didn't take hold of her, simply she stood up with a "Woow" background as the others expected her to start fighting. But that, Anais didn't do. The smith walked where the plate landed picking up her garlic bread cleaning the parts that touched the extravagant carpets. The loner returning back to her seat passing through them and sitting down to eat her prized food that would keep her alive for a while.

Boring.. that was said, they left her.

This must have become a thing that happened -as Jez used to say- while she wasn't paying attention. Scumbags appearing almost every time she took a break, or breakfast and caused trouble. Before she knew it, the neighboring plate miraculously found it's way to the carpet and decided to pop into many little bits. Very obviously observing the pack of dorks, Jezebel also saw this girl kind of ignoring the attempted bullying and tending to her more or less spoiled food - while the bullies themselves took seat just next to today's victim. This looked a lot like trouble in the more then near future. And if there was one thing the shipcaptain-to-be couldn't take, it was trouble during food times. "Listen Kiddo." Removing her stares from the plate and fixating them, with extra hostility on top, on the person who obviously was their leader of some kind, it wasn't hard for the slim girl to get their attention. While they were most likely above her in age, she used to call obviously numbskulled people "kiddo" regardless - which in retrospect probably did not have positive effects usually. "You see, i'm eating here. In peace and quiet. If it could stay that way, all is well. If it doesn't, rumor has it, a fork can go pretty far up one's nose." Emphasis, whose nose she was talking about, was subtly created by her gloved fingers poking her fork in his general direction. Tough as nails, this young woman. Actually, not really, but rioting during break was a distinctive border none should cross. "Now, start minding your own business and let the recruit enjoy the appetizer before the main dish is being served." Not so much a favor but out of her own interest, she decided to sort of defend the low-ranking sailor who didn't seem to even try by herself. How some people were fit for the business without being able put their foot down towards goons like these, it was a miracle to Jez, but then again, she did not have to make these decisions.

"Listen Kiddo." Anais was just going to bite her first mouthful but alas, she felt in the beginning that the words were directed to her but fortunately they weren't. Feeling that a problem was brewing and the situation would soon escalate, the lone huntress ate quickly a morsel with the mere intention of finishing this small meal as soon as possible.

"You see, i'm eating here. In peace and quiet. If it could stay that way, all is well. If it doesn't, rumor has it, a fork can go pretty far up one's nose." and these kind of rumors are indeed dangerous. With her hawkish pitch black eye exactly like her short hair, Anais looked at the fork risen, like an extension of this black haired slender girl's pale hand disguised in black of different nature thanks to her gloves towards the goons. The smith turned her head following the hidden trail of the fork being directed and going for the ring leader of trouble.

That's when Anais took another bite..

"Now, start minding your own business and let the recruit enjoy the appetizer before the main dish is being served." The smith could swear she saw the bad boss's nerves contracting and extending.

Lovely.. Another two morsels, just another two morsels. Her throat could be heard gulping one, the troublemakers beside Anais stood up in fury. Not only them, the sniper felt the attention this peculiar aggressive situation was taking from this respectable restaurant's customers like fire. The bad guys approached the soon-to-be-captain surrounding her from all directions. This fine establishment's guests took sides leaving there tables. OK, here it came the last mouthful. Praise the maker, Anais would survive for another short while that if she did survive this encounter.

The stranger who fared the seas from the west to the north decided to make her stand as a marine and to preserve order but truth to be told, in the terms of physical fortitude, Anais was lacking too much. So, it was pretty much a gamble.

So the new recruit approached the evil-ish group which surrounded the young woman who just defended her from behind.

Sir, I would ask you to halt your actions an.. and the huntress was not able to continue her words suffering from a punch to her face that sent her back straggling. Anais saw it coming but her body couldn't react in time. There were five men including their boss, three were going after The hawkish eyed recruit and the other two included the ring leader and it seemed his second in command gave their total and undivided attention to Captain Jezebel.

So it has begun..Anais grabbed her machete swinging it around like the beginner she is, giving her the chance to gain balance while her adversaries gained some little distance from her white weapon reach. Certainly, it was not going to be easy..

Wham and bam was all it took to turn the place into a melee. Three versus one and another two versus one, some of the less involved guests already considered leaving for the time being and spending their morning somewhere else. Jezebel kept surprisingly calm, eating all the while when the two thugs took positions on her table, while the recruit was already cleanly knocked out of her chair. "Your memories must be really bad. This isn't our first dispute, and none of you uglies didn't even manage to qualify for recruit school. Don't think you are getting anywhere today. Didn't work then, won't work now." Having emptied her plate between sentences, she was kind of growing annoyed with waiting for them to actually do anything but threaten people. So it only took the captain a quick motion under her mantle to conjure forth two chains of iron from their rolled-up state. Stepping one foot onto the table, using it as a step to make a small leap, sending herself and the chains flying, giving them chance to sling around fat ugly's neck and enabling her to land on him forcibly, bringing him down to his knees by surprise. "You are just lucky you always manage to run away fast enough and that i can't legally kill you lot." she commented, while slowly threatening to close the snare around his neck as far as it would allow. Leaving a brief moment for him to try and vocalize a response over rattling breath, Jezebel glanced over to his still rather surprised companion and the other three who were probably hoping to dogpile the recruit girl. "Listen, recruit." she announced, "Swiftly round them up and take the trash out without breaking anything of value." Fairly content that Anais had received at least basic training and would be able deal with them thugs, she decided to have her know not to damage anything - as it was the silent agreement between Jezebel and the keeper: she could enjoy her meals in peace and wasn't kicked out herself for fights, as long as they didn't involve the furniture, tableware or anything else of value and ended rather swiftly. By that time, henchman number one had finally decided to not be staggered in surprise anymore and instead finally try to aid his companion in a desperate attempt to turn repeating fate on it's head this time.

Oh, marvelous. It is not their first time doing this. Anais thought to Herself in her adrenaline rush. Her body was in a full alert status while her mind dominantly focused. Indeed, Focus was her fort and focus the huntress could do. The other black haired woman implemented her strange technique of entrapping her foes. Anais did have her time repairing chains before, but it was her first time seeing them in action. While one of them was struggling to catch his breath, the other one was bewitched in his place and so, the other three had the same effect being mesmerized in their place.

"Listen, recruit." oh yeah, Anais was all ears "Swiftly round them up and take the trash out without breaking anything of value." and that what the pitched haired, the black eyed woman hailing from the west decided to do. Seizing the opportunity and hunting the chance. Quickly with her machete's pommel, Anais dispatched one of them by hitting the head conscienceless thanks to them being briefly stunned and all thanks to the pale woman who showed them great deal of wicked courtesy.

By then, it was two against one each. They prepared their white weapons as well. As for the ones against Jezebel. The ring leader strove to break free and so with his gauntlets and strength began to pull the lady of chains towards him for a kick or a head butt while his second command duel wielded two sabers running wildly towards shouting "We shall not endure this from you anymore more" accompanied with a war cry. Indeed, Jezebel hands were full.

As for Anais, Well, one of them equipped a scimitar and the other had his katana sheathed. Lucky, they didn't have fire arms or this place was certainly ruined. The one with the scimitar came at the huntress but this time, she was ready. There was a distance between them and the smith was able to tell with her focus where he was going to strike. A strike coming at her from above, but scimitars were one handed blades. Whatever force behind it, she was able to block with her machete holding it's handle with a hand while the other was supporting the blunt side eventually pushing him back in the process.

The other guy came behind her, but his action was recognizable. Anias turned around dashing towards the guy while sheathing her machete blocking him from making his planned next, making it difficult to draw his katana while being too close to his reach. What was next was simple? A CQC she learned in the military, Anais would with one hand push one of her her hand towards the katana's hilt rendering it completely useless and nearly impossible to draw while the other one formed a palm and went up flying towards his chin in full force.

Ultimately, that guy blacked out. Quickly, the lone sniper turned around facing her last adversary drawing her machete again.

Another one to go..

The situation apparently didn't handle just as easily as Jez had suspected. Though she had surprised their leader, the fight was far from over, as is comrade stormed in to aid his struggle to break free form the chain - swords drawn and everything. Between getting cut up and being headbutted, she didn't find either option too appealing and thus decided to let go of the meatbag for a moment in favour of getting out of the way of either attacks. At least this charge brought them closer to the door and thus outside - where in the worst case, the Marines would have free reign over the confrontation and methods of combat. Ducking under the charging attackers uncoordinated strike, it was not hard for the captain to send him stumbling much farther forward then planned with a little tripchain

Preoccupied like that, she had to take a decent punch in the back, though. Which certainly did not go unnoticed. Much more quickly then intended by nature, most of the air left her lungs, which was probably the worst part about this attack in particular. Yet, Jezebel only flinched from this for so long, being trained towards combat, she knew how to handle it and that a direct contact like this also meant, the opponent was wide open for counters. As he removed all breath from her only a moment earlier, the dark-haired returned the favour with a swift, straight-legged kick too his ribcage, making him pipe like a teapot as his chest was compressed. Most likely, he had broken ribs, between 2 to 5 of them, now which should hurt really bad and take most of the steam out of his boiler.

If only it were legitimate to shoot them on the spot, wrapping things up quickly, Jez would have been glad. The recurring complications with these annoying pricks had recently evolved into more then just a nuisance and they might actually have enough problems to their names to at least be arrested for a couple of days. But she'd have to check that first - later. Until that time came, there was not much except fending them off in their bullying ways before anyone got hurt more then necessary.

Great, it was all working well. That pale woman with raven hair led them out which was ended well again for Anais for the latter's adversary decided to run for it, out of the classy restaurant. Where Jez was out there having at them, the other two who gave her their full attention. Who was this half-naked paled skin woman? She seemed to know what she was doing, using flashy techniques of the chain. It looked that she got one of them.

So it was then that The lone huntress equipped her rifle firing a warning shot towards the sky shouting the very well known "On your Knees" but the shot freaked out the other two remaining and they didn't heed the vocal warning. Problem was, each one of them went different way to the other side of the road. Great.. really great, Anais couldn't split herself in half to run after each one of them. So the raven haired huntress opted to to chase the guy with the saber.

Wait.. Anais ordered but there was answer, he was running for it, she was running after him and The marathon begins.

Some chaos later, the two of them as well as them bullies had slowly carried their conflict out onto the street, opening possibilities for much less restrictive measures. Then again, the thugs knew what that meant - as they seemed to have recurring problems with Jezebel - and decided it was best to take their heels before they got tied up like cows on a rodeo and dragged to the Marine base towering over the city's everything.

As it seemed the recruit was contemplating which one to run after, to try and cease them at least somewhat, but that would have been a pretty wasted effort. If they were good at anything besides stirring up trouble during people's meals, it was running away. Standing pretty much under the doorframe of the restaurant they just brawled out of, Jez called her off. "Leave them be, running away like the beaten dogs they are. There will be lots of opportunities to bump them over the head with the proverbial rolled-up newspaper." she said, the clanking sounds of her hands rolling up the chain she used to stow it away again supporting her standpoint of leaving them off easy this time. "I don't even have time for this minority. I got to get going for my appointment somewhere." And what "somewhere" was, was made evident by a rough nod upwards to the mountainous marine headquarters of the island - which was not only mountainous because it was built into the face of the mountain. And with that announcement made, she turned around towards the desired location in a silent dismissal for the recruit and made inclinations to get going.

"Leave them be, running away like the beaten dogs they are. There will be lots of opportunities to bump them over the head with the proverbial rolled-up newspaper." okay, the other woman clad in obvious white and black demanded, or actually ordered since there was no this politeness of the 'please' instead the firmness of 'command'. The lone huntress took notice of that and began to connect the dots. Anais returned back pleased that the chase was cut midway. Truly, it was too early to exhaust the energy gained by the garlic bread that cost her already too much.

"I don't even have time for this minority. I got to get going for my appointment somewhere." Oh, it seemed 'somewhere' was the marine headquarters. Anisa could have sworn she felt her hair standing up as shocked by electricity, the other one was a marine herself and perhaps a commanding officer. Actually, this is my destination as well. The raven haired told her superior that Anais didn't that the latter was as such. I am a newly appointed marine, Anais Anastase..pleased to meet you. The western woman offered her hand for a handshake Thank you, you were great help. I appreciate it. eventually thanking Jezebel for her intervention that saved the day, Anais didn't how it would have gone if the former wasn't there.

May I have the honor of knowing your name? Anais kept walking beside her new companion to the marine headquarters while contemplating who would be her new captain.

Apparently, there was not much of a way around this recruit as it were. Walking away on conversations or handshakes being offered was terrible manners. So, inwardly somewhat sighing, the captain had to accept and return the favor. Two seconds of a firmer then necessary handshake. "Cueto. Jezebel." she returned, "If you downplay yourself, you probably won't get far with the blue-whites. Shooting thugs and shooting targets; it's only a few letters apart - you wouldn't have to kill them, so it's not as complicated." Turning to go, the pair then left towards a surprisingly shared destination.

Purposely withholding the more detailed information about herself, Jezebel really didn't feel like bothering herself too much. Hard life started in some hours, from there on out there would be enough work to do and stress to be had, lord knows what events would transpire if she explained her current position and objectives - besides the usual "suddenly: stick up people's butt" stuff whenever they heard you were a somewhat ranked marine - even more so with fresh recruits, still going under the banner of honor, righteousness, peace, duty and all that stuff, that actually wasn't as new enlisters imagined it to be.
Also, if all went as routine was, they probably would not meet a second time, as Jez planned to request a suitably experienced crew of sailors; pulling a few strings here and there, using the privileges you got to enjoy as daughter to a local marine lieutenant.

"Cueto. Jezebel." that was her name, the name of the woman clad in chains, pale was her skin, raven was her hair and of course, her taste in wares was eye catching and must be mentioned. The one with those description looked so much different than Anais who looked if compared with the former truly modest.

"If you downplay yourself, you probably won't get far with the blue-whites. Shooting thugs and shooting targets; it's only a few letters apart - you wouldn't have to kill them, so it's not as complicated." Well, her words held a lot of truth in them but wasn't enforcers of law would use their firearms as a last resort? Anais was certainly new to this, a rookie at most. The raven haired huntress hunted in the wilds with no given sweat but targeting humans, locking on breathing sane targets and pulling the trigger..she never expected herself to do that. The smith felt the shivers down to her spine, and fear stroke her heart a bit.

So they went to the same path, the marine base, mostly in silence, after such a summarized introduction which ended in a short notice and invaluable advice to be taken seriously into heart for early implementation in that plane of reality.

Time flew quickly like the usual, both arrived at the same destination where they would be separated for a very short period of said 'time' that passes swiftly unbeknown to them they would be reunited soon enough. To the workforce department, the raven haired woman with hawkish eyes found herself where she would be appointed a new captain and a new crew. Upon delivering the needed papers, Anais was given orders to visit a certain dock, for the ship lied there and probably the captain as well.

So they ended up traveling towards a shared destination together, though without much interactions besides occasional one-liners. The island being vast, the city being that too, it took them a decent while to reach the base by foot. Once they did, them ways parted rather easily, not that they had any kind of bond so far, except being annoyed during breakfast together this morning - by the same people no less.

For a rather pompous base, overshadowing the whole city with it's mountainface location, it's public entrance was less then astounding. A decently sized building somewhat close to the mountain's base, most likely connected to the inner workings of the giant rock via tunnels starting here. Marine seagull insignia were plastered on every door, every wall, every sign, every everything that could not resist being branded so, and between all these there were a ton of different counters and offices just down here which served to direct all the people that had one kind of request or the other to make, or some other business to partake in. After a quick goodbye, Jezebel watched that Anais recruit head off towards workforce, where ensigns were put in whatever job at the marines their school and education grades most fit them - in the judges eyes.

Luckily, petty officers were not quite in the same drawer as recruits and other low-ranked classes, They had their own assignment offices and only so many jobs to be put in, none of them quite as crap as the ones for fresh enlists or those without officer's education in general. Indeed the building connected deeper into the base trough underground passageways, or so one would think, as Jezebel's way led her down a few flights of stairs, trough seemingly endless corridors and then, a lot of stairs back up. Arriving at the office she was meant to appear sooner or later in, and entering, she could instantly see a wide window on the opposite wall, which offered a view from quite some ways above the city, but it was also evident, that there were far far higher offices, probably for the most important jobs, also known as, fattest fatasses and laziest moneyhoarders that don't actually ever do anything but talk big. In front of the window sat a somewhat frail-looking man of advanced, but hard to estimate age, highly distracted by some kind of document. One of many, as it seemed, as not only the desk, but also most of the other cupboards and cabinets around the room were stacked upon by filled to the brim files of things. "Probably member files." Jezebel suspected, while getting some attention by throwing a hasty and not quite formally correct executed salute. "Petty officer Cueto Jezebel." she barked just like they taught in these officer classes, waiting for that guy to pick up on her. And just as she was starting to get impatient, he did. Loosening his stares from the document, he now stared at her trough his thinly-rimmed glasses. "Another one of these, i see. This is getting problematic."

Just a couple of minutes later, or rather, as many minutes as it takes to have a quick exchange with your assigner before having to head all the way back down the mountain-installed base, to the treasury and then back to the entrance, Jezebel left the building and stepped back out into the sunlight. Towards noon, it usually got warmer, today it sure took it's time doing so. But at least it didn't snow for the time being. With a jingling sound, she shouldered a somewhat large bag - it seemed to be more then just a couple of pounds - and started to head down the road. Why it was necessary to drag this much money around in person, she had no idea. She also had no idea why they couldn't just use funding from the base on Botao instead of strapping this scumbag honeypot to her back and telling her to get over there herself. Maybe the assigner was just older then expected and was cranky enough to befit his age triple. She would never know. But officially, there were almost no unassigned low-grade soldiers, and no free vessels to board, so she was to pick up both over at Botao, a ship fresh from the docks and some men fresh from the academy. Which still seemed like a somewhat risky thing to do, even though it was an official order.

Nevertheless, no task is too hard for an fleet admiral-in-the-making and thus, the girl started heading down the main street, destination harbor. Her plan was to get on any simple traffic vessel bound for Botao and be done with it quick and easy, direct approach. But, only so many meters down the road, she almost ran into some recruit seemingly heading the same general direction. And not just any stinkin' random recruit either, but one she'd seen earlier. This could be a decent opportunity to make her burdening, somewhat risky, task easier and let the new kid on the job earn a few extra points with their superiors. "Hey, recruit."

Recruit Oh, Anais knows such voice. The voice of the woman, she didn't expect to hear again. But the winds of fate always have another say in things and such was one of them. Who would have thought that Anais, that woman to leave her home for the north hailing from the west. The hunter to be the best of them all, the smith who would bring to life creations with her skills of perfection. Would such be her fate? Or would she fall? Ah, how beautiful Fate is, how mysterious it is. But Anais would head out for fate with a smile on her face not overburdening her mind with so much thinking, like how she turned out to face her new captain. Oh, Anais knew it from the first sight, on these piers that her captain would call her. And captain Jezebel Cueto, was the one.

Yes, Maam. The lone huntress approached her own superior What do you command of me, Maam? She could tell by addressing her as a recruit then perhaps, Anais would be her recruit. Upon noticing that thing the captain was carrying on her back. Quickly, Anais did smile. Perhaps, I can help you with this? while hastening her footsteps to carry the bag then to their new ship, that much the smith presumed.

"I'd assume so." Least the recruit - whatever the name was again, she'd remember sooner or later; maybe by the time the recruit had earned the honor of a name - was up to duty at seemingly all times. Not something to be said about all of the forces' members these days. Loosening grip on the tied neck of the bag, she'd let it slide out from between her fingers, so it could fall right into recruit's arms with it's weight. Which seemed like a far more logical distribution of tasks for Jezebel. There were leaders, and there were followers. The former carried the responsibility - many kinds of it, actually - and the latter the heavy money bags. Satisfactory smile to herself later, she realized that she'd now have to explain to her, the planned outlining of coming events. What a bothersome task, but she couldn't just have the recruit walk behind her own trail - in case something went awry, she'd need to know what to do, after all.
"So, we need to get on a traffic vessel with this bag of candies, so obviously, gonna go to the harbor, grab some ship and be on our merry way. Swiftly at that, ain't got no business attracting more scum then necessary, taking this thing for a walk." Pointing down the obvious main road, that you could almost see all the way down to the coast, if it weren't for all the people, to direct where they'd be heading. And with a finalizing nod, they were off. Recruit in front, Jezebel in the back, because people had eyes in the front of their heads and not the back usually, making it easier to observe any events that might involve the money if it were to happen in front of them.

So the bag was hers to carry, it was a bit a heavy. Anais felt the muscles of her adjusting, contracting and stretching to accommodate the change of weight from nothingness into a bag full of candies, candies that can buy a ship. They were money, Anais concluded as much. The new founded crew of a two members team was on their way to the harbor, a decision made by the leader who was going to carry the heavy weight of responsibility that is leadership while the lowest ranked marine that is her new follower, Anais would obey orders and share the burden as a crew member. Probably, this was the thing bound to happen. However, it would have been truly easy, if things were that menial to comprehend and foresee.


For instance, what was going to happen was unforeseen. For a marine to lose her bag of candies. An unanticipated turn of events, the twist of fate itself. While Anais, the marine hailing from the west led the way with the bag, the necessary component of what to become. Followed by the captain, of course by choice. That group of ill company and men of mischief and mockery, didn't learn the mourning's lesson and decided to pick pocket the huge bag of golden sweets and jiggling candies. They did it right their whilst the road was bustling with people and busy.


They noticed the captain who watching like a hawk from Anais' behind so it was imperative to get rid of her first in order to get the unsuspecting lone huntress who was about to get hunted.

So three of them bumped into her captain from behind probably diverting her attention from the real threat while the other two while Anais would turn around to see what happened. The other two, from her back would snatch the bag and definitely run for it.

Damn this much, the lowly ranked marine mind rang turning around again picking her rifle to snipe but there were already too much people and no available sight to scope down the target. She had to run for it, the other thugs decided to run as well which was rather not funny of them but perhaps they knew the difference between the both level, theirs and the marine force.


The duo had to run for it nonetheless..

She should have known. Though, what can you do now that it happened, anyway? "Get your skinny ass back here!" she shouted in reflex, all the while realizing the futility of that - might also not been Jezebel's position to use a wording like that, with her self being far more "skinny ass" then most other people. If they would follow commandos like that, it would have been not only so much easier, but would also been a good testament to how stupid they were. Neither of which was the case, all that happened was, they ran off. It was probably the only thing these morons were decent at. Another needless commando, "After them!" and then she bolted off. Most of her career and reputation development rested on that cloth-vessel and the money within - it was imperative to get it back in full, preferably as quick as can be.

In a mixture of crowded streets and corners of buildings, they managed to get a decent head-start on the two-man-group they just took from. Although not completely out of any shape, in fact meant to be fit actually, Jezebel had a hard time keeping on them. It was easily foreseeable that she wouldn't exactly get anywhere at this rate, if she couldn't cut in front of them, ideally in a way so the recruit could get them from the other side and block out the escape route. Assuming said recruit had brought some reason along, she'd be running after them too at this point. Hoping that was the case, Jezebel decided to change direction when the thugs ran down a side-road which curved slightly and that she knew didn't have any further junction for them to escape out of. She would go the other way around the blocks and expect to reach the far end of the curve before they exited it. It would essentially trap them two-sided in an otherwise escape-less road. Either they didn't know the streets as well as one would expect, or they simply didn't pay enough attention to notice they would run themselves into a bottleneck. This or that way, it might be the one chance the small crew had, with as much of a distance between them as there was.

There was no much time to lose lest the trail becomes cold and the duo didn't want seriously that. To fail in protecting their consignment would get them both court marshaled. Not a pretty thing as a beginning step in their military careers, besides who want to get jailed. The situation was now different, it was not some thugs trying to upset local enforcement where he or she can forgive and let things fly for the sake of social order. What they did was a huge criminal offence which would get them killed thanks for snatching away marine property. That much, Anais was able to comprehend, the lone huntress that if she get herself a good vantage point, in the right time and the right place the sniper would be able to lull her target into eternal slumber.

Would Anais be able to do such a thing? To kill a human. No actually, was there a difference between killing a human and animal? Both had souls in them, perhaps the two major differences that would make this really dreadful that human were able to rationally think and their lives had a true meaning to others who cherished them as well, which is opposed to the ways of the jungle where the fittest rules and it is all about the food chain.

Anais wouldn’t stray much from the captain’s way of thinking. Indeed, she was going to block their path but from a distance. Figuring out that all was needed was to climb a roof and jump into another giving her the perfect scope of vision. Kneeling on the ground and readying her weapon with a perfect pose taking inside a deep breath and not letting it out. The sniper was calm and her arms were steady, her hawkish eye was able to spot the consignment bearer running, with her rifle following him. It was time, the zero hour, Anais pulled the trigger though it did hurt that much, she aimed for the lower limb which she successfully hit rendering him falling into the ground. The good news, Anais got him pinned like a sitting duck, the bad news was, three thugs followed her to the roof. It was up to the captain to get the bag before the enemy’s second in command would get it. Of course, if the second in command was that stupid enough to show himself to the sniper vision, he would be immediately shot.

But as things stand, Anais attention would be diverted soon with the arrival of the three, she loaded her rifle and hoped for the best.

In display of decent rifling capabilities, the recruit had just now supported the cause in a positive way, although by different means then expected. Dashing around a corner, Jezebel was just getting herself in the mindset to jump the carrier; who pretty much ran her direction just then; and wrest control of the moneybag - but instead, artificial thunder struck and the thief was sent stumbling with a scream. Busied with connecting his face and the road, he let go of the treasure. If this wasn't the opportunity, there never was one. But, the captain wouldn't be the only one making a run for their money in the literal sense. Another one of the thieving thieves also saw the need to pick back up where the situation left off and secure this point for his team. Of course that was not quite in Jezebel's interest to have happen.

Only meters separated her from the goal and the same was true for her opponent. Naturally, both of them arriving at about the same moment, it had to break out into a fistfight for the goods. This close to a thug, Jezebel hoped that either the recruit was really really accurate or wise enough to not try and shoot this person. As much as she was for the whole justice thing, justice didn't do her any good if she was sort of dead. Struggling in a tug-of-war on each end of the sack, neither of the two had any intention to let go anytime soon, bringing them into a spiraling dance around the object and all over this part of the street. Technically, the physically superior thug was dragging her and the sack around, but her efforts in the opposite direction kept disturbing his pull. This could go on for a while until one of them would have no more grip on this thing and it would send the other one flying - physics could be quite pain- and helpful - along with the goods. It was a train of thought that occurred to the marine captain too. With some chance, that would help her startle the foe and turn everything back around.
"If you want it so badly, take it!" she mocked while abruptly letting go. The malefactor, not quite as quick on the reflexes, still trying to pull it into his possession suddenly got more then he bargained for as a decent bag of metal coins hit him right in the head like a boxing champ's left.

While he did go down and showed no reaction or incentive to get back to his feet, Jezebel didn't assume he was actually out cold, as she went to retrieve the founding funds from atop his seemingly limp body. Before tending to the money, she decided on another course of action. Circling the thug in a wide arc, she approached him from the other side now. Standing literally next to his lying form, her booted, pale and thin leg drew back, only to snap forward like it were coil-loaded. Thud. Right in the jaw. And again. Thud. Second time in the jaw. "First one was for disturbing my break earlier. The other for stealing my stuff." After this treatment he was definitely comatose, not many normal people took two boots to the face and shrugged it off. Taking the money onto her back for the moment, Jez used her foot a third time, although this time not on his jaw and not in a kicking motion, but rather to turn him around and tie him up on his back with a quick whirl of the chain. His accomplice nearby had not tried to move a muscle all this time, for someone who mostly bullied people and ran away when things got real, being shot must have been a big deal. And freaking painful. Only now, after having two in custody, the girl realized, that there were more to this band then just two people. The must have ran elsewhere.

She just hoped the recruit could fix them up on her own just as good as she was with shooting shins to bits from a distance. Not like the captain could actually go anywhere, now that she finally had two of the rioters at hand, ready to be taken in for a few days of punishment.

Anias' attempt was a success, her years of training never gone with the wind instead honed her skills and brought up a bright child that was her sniping talent but as said the child yet to learn much more and couldn't face straight ahead the new challenge. Her captain was in a struggle with the other thug; still the struggle was never desperate. Indeed, the thug overwhelmed the dauntless captain with sheer force of strength but the latter changed tides of battle and the course of this brawl with cunning and wits to her her favor.

Anais was unable to have a clear shot and was too much afraid to hit the captain of monochrome features, as Anais didn't master yet the ways of the rifle. However, the sniper's hands were already full with the remaining other three ambushing the perch with a hideous assault of threats and swears. White weapons drawn out, the lone huntress turned around to make her first shot, her nostrils felt the smell of the gunpowder as the bullet itself went soaring through the air leaving a trail of void just behind resting onto someone's shoulder.

The smith didn't have time to admire her work, one of the three went down in pain and the other two continued their march onward encouraged by their greater ratio of number and the closer distance they gained. Anais didn't have much time to reload her firearm opting to equip the machete realizing too late that she was too late. A scimitar strike falling over where she, the huntress had to block with her rifle forcing a step back to the roof fence. Her one hawkish eye widened in terror feeling her body slipping and losing balance falling dawn,. Quickly and in a flash, Anais remembered all her days since birth to the coming of age figuring that nothing but else than death awaits, however..

She was pretty luck to fall on a carriage full of straw pretty much saving her life. It was an unintended leap of faith but it was one, nonetheless. The other two figuring out form a distance that their boss was beaten being hit in all humility at his avatar jaw. A tactical retreat was in order or rather a disgraceful routing from the scene picking up their fallen wounded comrade whose shoulder spilling crimson blood. So, they were out of the scene.

That's when Anais came to her senses and stood up finding her way towards her new captain hiding away her shocked body and trembling feet with a faint smile on her face like a child who was able to get rid of a young tooth quite happy of surviving the experience.

Captain, Recruit Anais reporting in. Words said with such apparent relief and lessened vigor, she continued The enemy ran away and the consignment is safe. Your orders, Captain

"These aren't going to go anywhere in the near future. They will be getting what they have coming, probably a couple days of arrest and a few extra pages on their records." Observing that various tenants of the houses around had already picked up on the rioting in the street, she could conclude some patrol-marines were already on the way to take care of things. "Once they are taken care of by the local caretaking force", not that it was actually called that, but Jez liked to position petty officers above the simple stationed ranks, "we will get on that planned ship and deliver these funds to their purpose in Botao. After that, we'll see where justice calls.

So they spent a short while, maybe a few minutes at best, waiting. They didn't talk much and the head of the two didn't really think of or bother with asking if the recruit came out well enough from the situation. Firstly, they used to say in training "Recruits are like paper towels. You need good ones, but when they are used you throw them away and get some fresh." which she naturally somewhat believed in and also if she was well enough to not mention a thing and report in like usual, she couldn't have been terribly broken in any way. Also, form her point of things, not constantly asking subordinates or any allies for their condition meant ways to signalize that you'd place trust in them being capable of getting along fine. Finally, the patrol teams arrived, multiple at once even - the word must have spread quite a bit for this many individual teams to hear about it - and after a quick debate about where the other ones known to hang around with these were off to, also about if Jezebel and her recruit could be impostors trying to make off with marine funds and finally why the blackwhite petty officer was even given hard coin instead of a transfer order or something; they were finally allowed to go do whatever it was they were gonna do.

So, again, like a very strange duo of terribly fake santas, they dragged the bag off to destination harbor. This small interlude had dragged plans out a little, but luckily, both their starting point and goals were quite large, populated and important islands, so transports ran rather regular in short distance to one another. The two would just have to take the next one instead of the planned and arrive a little late, but who cared about that, it's not like they had an actual appointment with anyone - all they had to do was pay the bill for a just recently finished ship built in order of the marines and pick that up. And everyone who knew anything about the blue knew, Botaos shipcarpenters were always on their workbenches, always working and easy to make business with thus. And then, the unusually long ship - unsurprisingly not driven by sails but long paddles; most likely handled by enslaved fishmen - with the high board walls appeared as a dot on the horizon that grew bigger quickly, until it came to rest at the pier and a staircase was lowered down for all those who had managed to buy a valid ticket. Botao and thus Jezebel's actual career start were just a staircase and a few hours of wait away. She was naturally joyfully anxious about it, but also naturally, didn't show that while climbing the wooden stairs onto the carrier with the founding money and just drafted recruit in tow.

The captain assured her recruit that the gangsters and evil men would get
apprehended in due time by the cold hand of justice, by the hands of the
marines of course. Yet the same cold hand tried to meddle with their trip
towards the unknown glory and a ship set sail questioning them about their
identity and that good sack of gold that would make anyone really cheery. Cold
hand or not, the duo were that invincible and nearly untouchable, being ones of
the main cast of this alternate world of one piece, there were left on their
own devices to whatever where ever there boots would lead them and the gold
would get them.


Though the captain didn't ask - Anais- her subordinate about her condition,
the lone sniper didn't know what to make of it really. And there was this
uneasy silence that Anais inwardly wanted to break. Having a good relationship
with your teammates and superiors was something of importance; however the
marine hailing from the west realized that she - herself- is not the talkative
type. So Anais kept her lips sealed and valued a solid safe silence on a shaky
whimsical conversation.


Regardless, they were at the harbor. Ah, how lovely the pier was with that
background music of the crying seagulls. The salty air flirted with her
nostrils bringing news of that ship at the horizon inevitably nearing them.
During this time, Anais took her moments cleaning her rifle. She didn't want
her rifle ever to suffer from any sort of afflictions that would render it
useless from ill maintenance. This particular activity ate a good chunk of that
bitter sweet chocolate called 'Time', the ship at last arrived releasing it's
stairs to the duo. The sounds of unseen premonition, the clicks of their boots
guided them towards and inside the ship, for probably this amphibious city
would bring them somewhere else for another fateful appointment.


By then they are in, where definitely there was no out..


-Exit, where I assume we would begin another thread somewhere else. -