| Red Light Rumbling | ||
| Date Started: July 7th, 2024 Date Finished: Ongoing Next Role-Play: Timeline: July, 1620 Setting: Wano Country Characters Involved:
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| Participants | ||
| User:ThereisGav • User:Wiredsmiles | ||
A Dizzying Debt[]
An arid wind combed through the night as Ceres settled into his spot in the corner of an open air plaza tucked away in the heights of the Flower Capital's Red-Light District. Long and arduous had the journey been for the small rookie crew, sneaking into Wano Country was no easy task. They had barely escaped Hapu Port without detection, having their ship discovered and destroyed in the process. They had managed to make it all the way to the Flower Capital regardless.
They were led by a fairly unknown old Fishman pirate by the name of Ross, and imposing shark-man who most people likely wouldn’t want to cross or question. The old man guffawed and cheerily feasted with the other few men while they awaited a revered guest’s arrival. A small iron case rested safely between his legs.
Despite the surmountable losses, their original cargo and main reason for traveling to Wano remained in their care. It was thus being transported to its buyer, who had guaranteed a handsome reward for the cargo’s safe arrival.
The air was ripe with merriment as the men dined and celebrated their arrival, the meeting with the buyer would shortly commence. Ceres calmly took a swig from his sake cup, processing the unfamiliar taste with a quiet grin. This stuff was great, it had made the journey he’d barely survived almost worth it in his eyes.
Ceres had planted himself on a storage barrel, observing the crew from afar as he overheard Ross talking to a compatriot.
“With all the trouble this damned thing’s caused us, she’ll have to pay us double for it. We’re the only ones who actually managed to get our hands on it. I should be able to retire off this!”
The fishman patted the case with confidence, breaking out into another cheerful cackle. Ceres hadn’t the faintest idea what they were transporting, as he was too low on the totem pole to be really informed.
Ceres wasn't even meant to be on this voyage, he had begged and pleaded for Ross to take him along. Only when he was discovered in the treasure hold halfway to Wano did Ross finally relent and allowed Ceres to be a deckhand.
The room went virtually silent as the time finally arrived for the meeting, and the men remained anxious and excitable as they waited to get paid. Ceres continued casually draining his sake as he trained his eye on the door expectantly.
As they waited, the room was left in uneasy suspense. For those who may have been too focused on pitiful things such as cash or their retirement, only Ceres would have been able to notice the light blue hue dip into their quarters. Not long after the clicking of heels grew in volume as their guest soon halted before the door.
Entering, a shorter black haired man had his sights on the box. Looking to whoever was closest now, he gave a curt nod before arching across the door to leave it open for the real main event.
Much taller, a woman with emerald green hair and clothing that reeked of luxury strides in. Smoke escaped the sides of her lips, a pipe comfortably nestled between her fingers. Jigoku Michi, a figure of power in her own right. Someone who was known not to be crossed, despite her tales remaining locked within the borders of Wano.
Her yellow eyes slid across to ensure each could feel the unbridled disdain she had for them. Michi was never the type for foreigners to come near her home, but this was an exception.
"Tell me now," she snapped with unnerving composure. "Is this it? Is this what I asked for?" Her free hand rested on her hip, fiddling with a shiny metal object obscured in a leather binding.
Ross turned to the door and crossed his legs as he witnessed the imposing woman enter, his ignorant excuse for a bow probably more insulting than anything.
"Missus Michi! What a pleasure it has been to be welcomed to Wano like this. We have exactly what you requested, right in this beautiful little number of a box."
Ceres cocked an eyebrow at the mysterious light, tilting his head and blinking as he figured his eyes were adjusting or something. For now, his gaze remained trained on Michi. She sure looked like she didn't like them, but it felt like it was for a different reason than he expected. Wano was known to be pretty shut in, so it didn't bother him too much.
What was bothering him was the familiarity of the box between Ross' legs, though Ceres hadn't put two in two together yet. Ross raised the box by it's handle and set it thunderously on the table in triumph, inviting someone to retrieve it.
"We actually wanted to discuss a change in payment. We lost our ship on the way here, see...that beauty costed me a fortune. I want to be able to retire and get myself a nice sailing boat... Surely you understand, a woman of your stature."
Ceres about choked on his sake as he listened to Ross speak, hacking up a lung as silently as he could in the corner. One look at Michi gave him the vibe of don't fuck with me, altering a business arrangement like this last minute would likely benefit nobody. Greed had caused Ross to overstep. and from where he was sitting he could even make out a pistol lodged in Ross' pants.
Even with his low experience, Ceres knew the situation was about to get heated. These men weren't the type to take a rejection laying down. Although a pit forming in his stomach had kindly reminded him why that box was familiar. It was empty, Ceres knew for a fact it was empty. Starving in the treasure hold for several days, the fishman thought he had discovered a secret snack of someone's. There was simply no way that thing was the cargo, what they had been promised millions to transport.
A sense of imminent dread consumed the young deckhand as he remained still as a mouse, staring into the pool of alcohol in his hand.
“A change in payment?” She repeated, forcing Ross to hear the extent of what he was exactly requesting. Her eyes shot daggers down upon him, a signal of disgust letting itself be set by her looks. “And why, pray tell, would I change the payment we agreed upon in ink? You speak as if you are one of my own.”
Her hand slid atop the box, rubbing against its features as if to toy with what was rightfully hers. Staring down at the man, her eyebrow raised. “You look full of life anyways, Ross. Who are you to be owed an early retirement? I can't imagine the life you have only started living needing such a thing.”
Her free hand traced up her side, pressing down by her hip. Amidst her anticipation, her gaze shot over to the fishman. His dread was palpable, washing over her feet like the tides of the sea. Whether or not Ross answered, Michi approached him as her hand slid away from the box. “And for you to have a crew of cowards, it disappoints me. The people of my land find behavior like this abhorrent, and yet here I see it being welcomed with open arms. Your losing me, Ross.”
Her hands suddenly danced over her hip, a clicking noise barely processable before the whistle and crash of impact came between Ceres’ legs. The half of a pair of scissors, ornate and deadly. Michi wanted to see something she knew she wouldn't in him, feeling her point proven.
Ceres held his breath as he watched Michi approach out of the corner of his eye, a ripple in his bowl from her approach snapping him back to reality. Crap. The fishman blinked at her as she stood in front of him, his glassy eyes indicating he was somewhat out of it. Though it wasn't the alcohol that was getting to him, Ceres had seen it. A rather ornate scissor blade burying itself between his legs. Without even gathering his thoughts, Ceres shot down his hand and caught the blade out of the air. A loud blue spark enveloped him as lightning raced through the blade, tumbling backwards as bolts shot off the metal in every direction.
Conveniently, a half eaten spiky yellow fruit tumbled out of his shirt pocket onto the floor next to him. Highly incriminating despite the obvious show of lightning he'd just manifested. The fishman slowly got up from the floor, his entire being crackling with obvious electricity. His expression was highly bewildered, staring at the blade in his hands and inspecting it. The young boy could barely process what was happening, his gaze immediately shooting back to Michi as he dropped the scissor.
The entire crew that accompanied him sat with their mouths agape, stunned silent by the notion that Ceres had consumed their cargo. Dreams of money and women crumbled in front of their eyes as Ross ripped open the case to find it utterly empty, confirming his suspicions. The old fishman almost flew at him in a rage, rising to his feet and glaring at him.
"I knew we shouldn't have brought you along, rat! After all I did for you."
Ceres threw his hands in the air in annoyance, meeting his glare as he traced the room for a potential exit. Why did he always get himself into these situations?
"You weren't even gonna pay me, you old bastard. Or anyone on this crew. I didn't know the thing was special."
The young man looked like a cornered wild animal, given almost everyone in the room had their weapons drawn ready to tear him to shreds. A fierce determination to live was quite present in his now focused gaze, locking eyes with the yakuza boss. There was no explanation as to how those scissors had launched at him, so he pegged her the most dangerous for now. Ceres had no idea the power he now harbored within himself, fully unaware he could easily escape and wreak havoc with some practice.
“Oh, he wasn’t?” She tilted her head, focus honed in on the fishman. Her expression refused to falter, but a twinkle in her eye suggested interest. With her hand near her cheek, the boy could see the other half of the ornate scissors in her grasp. Shaking her head, she sighed. “This is why I don’t deal with traders, you’d kill each other for pebbles if they shined bright enough.”
With ease, her body spun around to face the angry men. The size of the fur that fell down her backside blocked Ceres’ vision, leaving only its natural waves to be observed. Perhaps for the better, for the rage that slicked over the woman's face could make a ghost shudder. “Looks like we certainly need a new form of payment then, Ross. You’ve disappointed me, unsurprisingly.”
Rolling her eyes, she spun the half of the scissors threateningly. “Shall I let you tell me what you’ll give me now? Killing the boy isn’t going to satisfy me, I could’ve done so before I even walked in.” Tapping the edge of the blade to her lips, she let the tension drag itself out. Her trust had been broken twice now all in the form of men who couldn’t see a good deal if it had struck them in the face.
Mockingly, words slipped from between her lips the moment she suspected they’d try to speak up. “Enough truly is never enough, is it Ross? I’d love to know your thought process in all of this. You were able to come to this coast, to be able to feel the winds of Wano, to bear witness to my beauty.”
Clicking her tongue, Michi tilted the blade's edge to the fishman. “It makes me sick.”
Ross gave a bewildered grunt as he stumbled to his feet, joining the rest of the crew in their defensive stance. The men had grown more and more restless as they slowly pieced together that they were in really danger. The large fishman held up his hands and tilted his head, his demeanor shifting to that of concern as the blade was held to him. A hint of desperation entered his voice. "It was my privilege to bring the Goro Goro no Mi to your doorstep. Look now...I did everything I was supposed to. You know how it is, gotta take care of number one before anything else. That boy has always been nothing and won't ever be nothing, damn filthy wretch. I was just giving him what he deserved."
Even though he was decently behind Michi, Ceres' outrage could be felt as he clenched his clawed fists. The young fishman opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. The codger wasn't wrong and he could feel the pit in his stomach growing. The air around him remained thick with the hum of high voltage. Ross continued to sweat in his spot, holding up his hands as to get her to wait. His efforts to swindle her had clearly proven ineffective, so he backpedaled.
"Alright, alright...You don't need to kill the boy, just take him as a slave or something. Easier than tracking that fruit down after you do him in. With your ability, it's not like he can get far... Consider him payment for letting us all walk out of here with all our body parts."
Ceres' cheek twitched as he raised his head to protest, finally finding his voice again. "You old bastard! You really thought you could get more money out of her, just to keep it all for yourself. Now you want to pay her off with my life? All for a stupid fruit?" It was quite obvious Ceres was close to acting, his shaking fist emitting a few noisy crackles as he resisted rushing the pirate. The rest of the crew remained stiff with tension, many of them now eyeing their captain quite angrily.
“Stand down, kid.” Her head didn’t have to move for the words to strike for Ceres. Her blade was already at the ready in its own way, but she wouldn’t let it free quite yet. She relished in straining a wire to its breaking point and for this crew there were no exceptions. Walking forward, she let her body press up against Ross’, taking a long drag of her laced roll before blowing the sickly sweet smoke in his face.
The woman's eyes became hazy, lost to the smoke until she spoke with authority. “I’m starved for some seafood, the kind that’s fresh. You have quite the meat..” Michi grasped at Ross’ forearm, squeezing it to let her sharp nails dig in. “My only complaint is it might taste rotten if your actions have shown me anything, Ross.”
Pushing him back abruptly, the moment the smoke dissipated she was now sitting on the table with one leg over the other. Leaned back, she twirled her cigarette around. “It’s making me ache, at least I know I now have profit higher than I anticipated today. So, if you’d like to complain about it then tell me now. Those big scary weapons won’t help you.” Her tone was drenched in mockery, lips puckered to further exaggerate her point.
Rolling her head back, she looked at Ceres upside down. Smiling at him with a wink, the woman took another puff. “Poor boy, don’t look at me like that. I’ll take care of you.”
Ross gritted his teeth as his pride continued to be bruised, wincing in pain as the woman dug her nails into him. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was, miss. No complaints from me.” The fishman stumbled into his chair when he was shoved, the crew surrounding them slowly putting away their weapons.
Ceres’ anger had somewhat ceased as he watched Michi make a fool of the old pirate. He felt like she was enjoying it a little too much. Even though he was freaked out, he met her gaze with uneasy eyes.
“Just…let them go, please? They aren’t worth the trouble, believe me. I don’t want their blood on my hands. I’ll…do whatever you want. You wanted this power, right?”
The young lad looked desperate above anything else, he knew that this woman could probably end most of them in an instant. Given how she’d been treated he feared she really would.
Ross was more or less lost on why Ceres was advocating for them, giving him another angry gaze as he cowardly rose to his feet. “Heh. Maybe you ended up being worth something after all, kid.”
“Hmmm..” Her lips pursed at the request. Those eyes wouldn’t leave Ceres as much as he may begged for her to do so. “Do as you’d like, but I’m insulted for you to think my kills are on your hands,” she threatened. It was the only time she would remind him of it as her body finally curled back up to face Ross.
Reaching an arm out, Michi beckoned him to come closer. The woman didn’t have to speak to make her demand clear, the half of her scissors hanging by her hip. The worst part of it couldn’t even be what she was implying, but the rumors that proceeded her. Tales of her cruelty spun with fact and fiction that blurred completely between what she was and wasn’t capable of.
Letting her bangs slip to the side, there was no more than a hairs gap that revealed what was hidden past her them. To what Ross saw, it was a horrifying picture that couldn’t be escaped. Any hesitancy was noted, making her brows slowly furrow.
“Do not make me repeat myself, scum.”
Ceres opened his mouth to speak again, but knew better than to protest further. This crazy woman was dead serious. Pissing her off further wouldn't be wise. Ross' reaction to what he saw was so miniscule, but Ceres could still feel the electrical waves crawling up his own back. Crap. There's no way she won't notice. She may not think so, but Ceres saw this entire situation as his fault. Anything that happened to some of these innocent men would weigh heavily on him.
The corner of Ross' lip tightened as he slowly approached the smaller woman, stopping just in front to loom over her. It was subtle, but he was noticeably disgusted by what was behind Michi's bangs. "You sure do like that word. After living this long it's just like honey on my ears." His tone was almost challenging as he had managed to gather some spirit in the short moments between her threats. "Take the kid, we'll call it even. He's more trouble than he's worth, I'm sure you'll get fed up and kill him in a week."
The old fishman sneered silently to himself, deciding he wouldn't be bullied by the boss anymore. This confidence seemed to spark some life from the other pirates, some of them drawing their weapons again.
She rose an eyebrow at their rising tides. “Don’t let the sparks of possibility tempt you, men. Just as the waves rise and fall, your deaths would be nothing but a breath in the wind. History won’t remember you, nor will your legacy live further than a mere generation.” Michi rose her chin, hand outstretched with her thumb and pointer rolling something between them. Suddenly, the lost half of her scissors appeared forth.
Metal glittered in the dim lighting, her eye slanted with boredom. “But fine. Let’s stop wasting our breath and I’ll be off with my new friend. My lungs can’t stand the filth of this ship anyhow.” She waved her cigarette around, inhaling the smoke in favor of the cabin’s stale scent. The Yakuza woman let her hand travel to her hip in a seamless motion, the two halves clicking together without issue.
There was no point in turning back, her voice preceding any haunting looks she may have wanted to give. “Come along now, you’ll need to be acquainted with my family.”
Ceres groaned under his breath, staring daggers at his old captain. The wretched fishman was lucky to get out of this alive, that much was obvious to him. Something sparked inside him to get even, but he simply sighed out and moved to follow the scary lady. He figured his situation couldn’t get any worse as long as he cooperated. Not like staying with the crew would result in him being treated amicably. Going with her was his best bet. “Fine, fine. I’m coming.”
The crew lowered their weapons in surprise, glancing to their motionless captain. It seemed he was more than content with this arrangement, he’d barely found the courage to stand up to her. Ceres simply ambled after her, wisps of sparks trailing from his hair as he did so.
Wicked Dues[]
The lithe figure ahead of him remained silent during their journey from ship to the lands of Wano. All that ever rose from her was the air cut open from the absent play of her scissors. She was odd in that way, refusing to let on more than she needed to. Michi knew she didn't anyways, one of the many choices she had to make now off of the table with her new companion.
Companion. That was a better word for what he would be. She didn't like servant for what he was. After all, he'd be doing much more than following her around like a lost puppy. He'd be an asset, one she hoped could become amicable someday. Those desires were a first for a foreigner, someone she'd more than likely cut down without hesitation. The fruit in her pocket suggested that anyways- a simple peach that she expected to turn into the prize for a mishap like this. But Ceres wasn't worth that. She saw something in his eyes that made her heart thrum with excitement.
"So, why were you with a lowly group like those people? And defended them, no doubt?" Michi cut through the air far crueler than her blades ever could. Fishing the peach from her pocket, she thumbed over the soft fuzz before bending her arm back to offer Ceres it. "My guess is you were a prisoner or you simply care too much," she suggested casually. "Both can have their own benefits and disadvantages so please don't take this as a personality quiz."
She finally looked back, smiling at the fish man past her ebony locs. A glimpse of humanity past someone who acted so ruthlessly mere moments before. It wasn't a smile of mischief or otherwise deception, merely simple pleasure for the company with her now. Michi knew it made no sense and yet she still persisted. Looking down, the yakuza boss finally turned her body enough to push the peach even closer. "Come on, tell me."
”They weren’t worth it, is all. None of them will ever amount to anything following that coward around.” Ceres hesitated before reaching and grabbing the peach, palming the small fruit and looking down at it as they walked. The air around him buzzed with electricity, a soft hum accompanying the silence.
“Most of them have families they’re just trying to feed. It wouldn’t be right to punish them all because of Ross, or me. I was the one who ate the fruit.”
Clearly, the kid had quite the conscious. Despite being disregarded as street trash his entire life, he couldn’t help but care. It was all he’d ever done, and all he ever wished for someone to do for him.
Small fingerprints were burnt into the peach when he tilted it in his hand, causing him to grimace a bit. Was he really going to be stuck like this forever? The boy remained generally confused and unnerved by her presence, clearly remaining on guard despite accepting the fruit.
She'd take note of that. A simple nod was all it took to show her respect for his honesty. It was hard to come by in her business, even with those she called her sisters. "Even though they would've thrown you to the dogs if it meant they'd survive. How..Interesting." Michi finally turned back when he took her offer, continuing to walk him through the streets.
Her position had a precedent. People made way for her, shooting curious glances that eventually landed on Ceres. It was an impossible sight that she was with someone so foreign. His blue skin didn't even matter, it was the fact he was so clearly not from these lands that made everyone carry the same question; what exactly did she see in him? The woman wouldn't let that come out anytime soon. She was having too much fun simply having company now.
Finally sheathing her scissors, Michi tapped her chin. "What do you want from my country?" She asked innocently enough. It was hard to tell with her tone and it wasn't like that stone cold face would provide much more. Michi needed answers for the conclusion she was bound to arrive to, her first assumptions being shaken to their core already. Ceres wasn't like the others, that much was obvious.
Ceres rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, catching wayward glances at some people as he walked. The scenery was strange, unlike any town he’d ever visited before. It was kind’ve exciting. ”I mean, they more or less did. N-not to call you a dog or anything. They were just terrified of you.” Letting out an exasperated sigh, it was obvious that he was nervous. Who wouldn’t be in his position? He was basically still just a kid.
Perking up at her words, he squinted in confusion. “What do I want? I dunno…I don’t know anything about Wano. All I know is you guys are super reclusive. I didn’t come here to cause trouble or anything. Everyone’s looking at me like I did, though.”
"Dog? I don't bark. Do I look like a dog?" She, for whatever reason, focused on. Her voice actually sounded human for once, a pout on her lips that he could hear from the little breath of air that escaped. "...Anyways." She grumbled, abruptly stopping in front of one of the many sights to behold.
The flower capital.
It was hard not to admire the beauty, her head tilted up to take in the sight. Even someone like her, who had lived an entire lifetime on Wano could still see the beauty in it. It gave her time to consider her words carefully. This life he was being pulled into, the way he spoke, it was so pure. It wasn't like the vile tongues that tried to whisper down her ears.
Every step they had taken together was in part because he had no choice, but he took it in a way she had never seen before. That deserved recognition. So, her head finally turned to him again. This time the features on her face appeared much softer. There wasn't the same defiance and intensity that she once gave, a beast that would swallow up any man who dared defy her.
"You'll learn. If you want to use that fruit, you'll use it. If you don't right now, we won't worry. You're going to be a member of my family now." She rubbed a ring on her finger, lifting it up to kiss the jewel. "You'll learn whatever you'd like here. I can't promise you an easy life, but it's the one you've stumbled into is it not? Might as well make the best of it."
Ceres gave a silent shake of his head in response to her question, regretting his comment almost instantly. There was noticeable relief when she moved on from the topic. Looking down at her, he was surprised to find a softness that wasn't there before. It was a little unnerving, but it seemed like she was being honest. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Wano was certainly beautiful after all, maybe it's people matched the flower capital's elegance.
"It's weird, being honest. It feels like my entire body is buzzing, like it could split apart at any moment." Letting out a soft sigh, he shook his head again as he glanced at the passing shops. "Feels like my entire life I've been stumbling from one thing to the next. It's never been easy, I sure don't expect that to start now. But if you're being honest, I'll do my best to do right by your family." Ceres raised the peach to his lips, his sharp teeth slicing through the tender flesh with ease. He purposely avoided the burnt bits, but still savored it's taste all the same. Fruit wasn't a luxury he was privy to, and it was clear he appreciated it.
She sighed. It wasn't hard to tell she didn't have the answer to his pain, the experience unlike anything in comparison to the ability she bore. The one she was forced to hold. At the very least, he could see she was being delicate with her choice of words much like the falling leaves from above.
Clasping her hands together, Michi swallowed as if to punctuate her thoughts. "I'm sure someone else will be able to help you manage it. I can't say I've ever had the power to become a force in itself, so I'll find someone who does for your sake." Michi was insistent now, squeezing her hands until they hurt. "You won't have any issues with my family, only the people who defy us."
Michi knew deep down she always had to be mindful. A mere glance around alerted her of opposition that hungered to plunge a dagger through her heart. It was a game that she played since childhood, after all. Now the only thing that was left was her determination to make right of what was provided to her. "I suppose I'll learn if you want to be here. Once you're strong enough, it's only a matter of when for you to try to end my life. It's a fate I've accepted long ago, Ceres."
There was a shake in her voice that the woman wished she could mask. Coughing, her hand came up to rub away the damage stained on her lips.
"What? We just met and you're already accepting I'm gonna try to kill you? What kind of family you got, lady?" Ceres shook his head in confusion, taking another nonchalant bite of the peach before hungrily swallowing the entire thing. Pit and all. "I'd only try that if you went after me, and considering you probably would have done that by now...I think we'll be alright, Ms. Michi. Doesn't make any sense for you to wait around until I get dangerous enough to take you down." His words were oddly pure.
An honesty that the woman likely wasn't used to. He had no reason to lie, she was offering him the best position he'd probably ever had in his life. Throwing that away sounded quite foolish to Ceres.