Berry Backpost 4: The First Crewmate, Part 1
Posted on Sun Jan 27th, 2013 @ 3:06pm by Berry
Edited on on Wed Jun 8th, 2022 @ 2:04pm
4,646 words; about a 23 minute read
Chapter:
Additional Stories
Location: West Blue Ocean, Velusia
Timeline: Two years ago
OLD
Sand blew around the parade ground as the hot sun beat down on the one person in the middle of it. Each arm was strapped to the vertical plank, and the rest of her body leaned against the horizontal center one, untied.
Two golden earrings glittered in the sun, dangling from one lobe. Some sand got into those dark eyes hooded by the bandanna, but she paid it no mind, her head bowed.
And she waited.
NEW
“Here we are!”
Berry shaded her eyes and looked up.
Ahead of them was a massive tower in the middle of a small fort. The brick tower held cannons, able to fire at ships nearing the island town around them if need be. The town was made of the woods from the sparse palms found on the island, whereas the base itself from brick and metal the navy kept to itself. But Berry and Toby couldn’t see much of the tower, for they stood in front of the gate separating common Aquar from the law.
The World Government was, after all, the governing body of the islands present. And its strength came from the naval forces it commanded in the oceans spanning the whole planet. A creature also had this kind of reach, the white water gull.
So Berry recognized its familiar silhouette painted above the words “MARINE” emblazoned on the gate. She pointed at it with an amused smile. "Hey, that looks like a water gull. Those things are really tasty..."
Toby smiled widely, his awe at the marine base overriding his indignation at her irreverence for the marine symbol. “This is great! But I wonder who I go to to get signed up…” He glanced to his left, and then to his right to see that Berry had suddenly vanished.
“Hey, Toby!” came a voice from above. He glanced up to see a large wall surrounding the fort. It was about double their height, but obviously not a challenge for his part-Aquar friend. Berry dangled from the edge, smiling excitedly and pointing. “There’s someone over there...”
“Berry!!” Toby hissed quietly as he ran over to the part-Aquar. His questioning thoughts of how she even got up there dissolved to be replaced with his fear of being caught. He was back to his quivering as he looked around fearfully. “You gotta get down, you’re not supposed to be up there! Especially since you’re a pirate!”
Berry’s legs swung as she just smiled over at Toby like he was stupid. She turned back to peer at the figure in the parade ground, her arms holding her up and folded so she could rest her chin on them. It was just one person in the huuuuge empty space of dirt and sand in front of the fort tower. Berry’s eyes widened as she stared. She could feel a subdued power there...the water magic she could sense was rippling around this woman. “Wonder what she’s doing over there…”
Toby quickly found an empty box and pushed it against the wall, hopping on it and jumping to join Berry; and then almost falling as his eyes widened in shock; his words sputtering in his mouth. “Th-that’s…!!”
Orza Lonais, renowned bounty hunter of West Blue. It had been a year since Toby was plucked from the water and forced to serve on Divaldas' ship...but they received news like any other wayfarer of the sea, and this piece of news made the fisherman quake in his sandals. It wasn't just the fact that she was female that made her feats so astounding, but rather the seeming chaos in her hunting. She didn't go after just the high bounties, or the easy low bounties. She just...hunted. You'd think the thrill of the hunt would encourage her to go after more challenging prey, especially with her skill with the sword. Like any other Aquar that wanted to wield such a weapon, the webbing between her fingers had been sliced, probably at a young age. But Orza possessed something else that gave her an edge among other sword wielders. It was well known the world government hoarded all the good metal for their ships and weapons, so for Orza to own a piece of steel to withstand that many high bounties (and to evade all those bullets) just increased her mystery and reputation.
So why was such a feared bounty hunter and swordswoman tied to a pole with pathetic pieces of seagrass rope?
Suddenly a wooden ladder clattered next to them. A small Aquar girl ran up it, a folded cloth in her arms. She looked to be about just eight years old , and her green kelp hair was tied back into small pigtails. She reached the top, not even looking at Berry or Toby as she threw a rope over the wall and then climbed down the other side, a little awkward as her fingers were still webbed. The girl landed and then looked around before scurrying across the sandy, dry parade ground to the woman.
The woman’s green skin looked dry even from where Berry was, all peely and dark green from burns. Her gills didn't look so well-off either, all wilty, and her kelp hair had shriveled, all the moisture gone up in smoke probably on day one. Her head was bowed, and all that Berry and Toby could see was a stubborn frown set into her face. How long had she been tied to those poles?
“Here,” the little girl said as she opened the cloth. “I brought you some sea dumplings to eat.”
The woman turned her head aside, her earrings glinting. She wore a dark green sash at her waist, and her eyes were hooded, making her quite mysterious. However, her voice gave her away. “Go away,” she said gruffly. She sounded like the type of person who said whatever she wanted to say and didn’t give a kriff of what you thought. It didn’t help her voice was husky, not too deep but still full of body. Like a kriff-you body.
The girl’s brows knit as she raised the dumplings up to the woman. “B-but you haven’t eaten anything all week!”
“I said go!” the Aquar woman snapped back.
Then a voice cut in…silky sweet and extremely irritating with its arrogance. “Oh, Orza…do stop being such a sourpuss.”
A weird looking man strode into the parade ground, flanked by Aquar dressed in Marine uniform consisting of a simple white top and navy pants. The man himself had a strange style of kelp hair, all permed and fluffy…and his clothes dyed an assortment of bright colors unfitting of an Aquar wanting to survive in the often shark-infested waters. Every step in his swagger was dripping with entitlement most offspring of well-accomplished parents had, and the perpetual smirk on his face was expected. He looked young still, probably still a teenager. A teenager in the harsh, simpler world of Velusia meant you had to be an adult and work hard to get what you want. But not for this brat.
The man stopped by the strapped woman and looked disdainfully down his nose at the small girl. “And what’s this?”
“D-dumplings, Lumio, sir,” the girl murmured.
The man swiped up one and popped it in his mouth. One chomp later and he immediately spit the piece of food out.
Berry's eyes widened as she found herself slightly gasping from shock. How could he do such a thing??
“BLECH!” The man stuck his tongue out, thoroughly disgusted. “You call this a sea dumpling?! Sea dumplings are made with salt in the sea water, not…not sugar!!”
The little girl’s brows knit again as she stammered in a small voice, “B-but I thought it’d taste yummier when it’s sweeter—”
“WELL, IT DOESN’T,” Lumio yelled before swiping up the other dumplings and throwing them to the ground. Then he proceeded to stomp on them with a vengeance, much to the small girl’s horror. Tears started dropping out of her eyes as she saw her dreams literally squashed. What were once poofy, plump dumplings now lay as horizontal as they could on the ground.
He smirked at her tears. “You know you’re not supposed to feed her. It’s against the rules.” Then he turned to one of the marines standing by. “You! Throw the girl over the wall.”
The marine Aquar’s eyes widened in shock. “Sir?”
Lumio’s eyes narrowed at the man. “You heard me. Do you know who my father is?”
The marine nodded, frowning. “Yes, sir…the Captain Hackam, sir.”
“Well, if you know him, then you know what he’ll do to you if you don’t listen to me.” Lumio pointed with a well-manicured hand. “So THROW her over the wall!”
The marine Aquar advanced slowly on the crying girl. His brow was furrowed in obvious conflict, as he was a decent marine trapped in the all-familiar dilemma of following bad orders. But he had to follow orders nonetheless or else quit on the spot, and so he knelt by the small girl, taking her tense body into his arms.
“Please, curl up into a ball,” he murmured to her.
Her teary eyes widened in surprise at his thoughtfulness. She had a split second to curl before she was tossed over the wall. The free-fall tore a scream from her lips as she plummeted the fifteen feet.
Toby fell off the wall and into his box. “The girl!!”
Before they even had to speak Berry had pushed off from the wall, reaching out and pulling the sailing young Aquar to her. Her shoulder slammed into the ground as they slid a few feet, a dust cloud rising.
Orza watched the girl disappear over the wall, her expression neutral. Then she glanced over at that pathetic excuse of a man. “I’ve got seven days left. That was the deal.”
Lumio smiled gleefully. “Yes, it was.”
The bounty hunter's shadowed eyes narrowed in a glare at the simpering fool, and even Berry could feel her intensifying from the other side of the wall. “Don’t kriff with me.”
Lumio’s smile weakened. He knew she could snap his neck if she wanted, and he was just smart enough to rein in his stupidity...for now. “The thought never crossed my mind.” Then he scurried off and left the bounty hunter to her sun bathing.
Meanwhile, Berry sat up in the dusty dirt, brushing off the dust from her already-healing scruff marks on her arms. Half her head of black hair was all brown from the dust, but Berry paid it no mind, instead looking down at the young Aquar in her lap. “Are you okay, little girl?”
The young girl sniffled as she nodded, looking up at Berry with her big, teary eyes. “Y-yes…thank you.”
Berry smiled and patted her head before standing. Tough kid.
Toby rushed over to them, aghast. How none of them broke any bones was a mystery to him, but he was starting to get used to being confused when he was around Berry. “What’s your name??”
“Kila,” the young child replied, wiping at her eyes with the dusty back of her hand.
The fisherman sighed. “What were you even thinking? You could’ve been hurt!” It wasn't clear if he was scolding Berry or Kila, but scolding both was also legitimate.
Berry brushed some dust off her red seagreass tunic, ignoring Toby.
Kila's trembling mouth became still as it set into a stubborn frown. She pouted up at them. “But…the Orza lady saved my life.”
Berry paused mid-brush, her blue necklace lightly dropping back down to her collarbone as she looked up in surprise. “Huh? That scary lady?”
Kila nodded, wiping at her tears.
Berry frowned in the direction of the wall. So the bounty hunter saved a life, huh? And not just any life, but an innocent little kid's. She could respect that. A crewmember of hers would have to care about protecting the innocent. So the part-Aquar walked over to the wall and hopped up to the edge. Then she lightly landed on the other side and made her way over to the woman tied to the pole, the sand crunching under her sandals.
Orza glanced up, directing her perpetual frown to the next nuisance. “Whaddya want?” she croaked, throat dry from the lack of water.
Berry grinned. “I’m Berry, and I’m going to be the Chaos Champion. Wanna join my pirate crew?”
“No.” The bounty hunter bowed her head, seemingly ignoring Berry for a few moments…until she spoke again. “Give me that dumpling.”
Berry blinked and then looked down at the crushed dumpling at her feet. She bent down and picked up the "dumpling," previously a baked good made of flattened beachwheat flour. Now it was mostly made out of sand and dirt...and a pebble. Berry frowned in confusion as she peered at the curious concoction. “What, this thing? You shouldn’t eat it, it’s really dirty—”
“I don’t care!” Orza snapped, desperation edging into her voice. “Just…put it in my mouth.”
The part-Aquar shrugged before she held the dirt cake in front of the other woman’s mouth. One woman’s trash was another woman’s food…
Orza grabbed it with her teeth and scarfed it down like a starving shark, teeth crunching the dirt and sand. She swallowed it all before coughing drily at the grinding down her throat, almost choking. Probably on that pebble.
Berry just stared at her. Wow, this woman was crazy…but Berry couldn’t imagine going even a day without food. Her stomach almost started to cry at the thought of it, and Berry couldn't help but admire how stupid and strong this woman was.
“Tell her…” Orza paused to cough, then slumped against the poles. “Tell her it was…good.”
Berry grinned. “Sure.”
Back at the dumplings place, a huge smile lit Kila’s face up as she heard Berry tell her the good news. “She liked it?? I’m so happy!!”
Toby didn’t look so happy, and not just at the thought of eating dirty food. He frowned at them, his brows furrowing in what would become his anxiety wrinkles soon if he kept that up. “Yeah, but to be tied there for two weeks? Orza must’ve done something really bad to be punished like that.”
Kila’s eyes suddenly flashed. “No, she didn’t! She saved my life!”
Berry smiled before she ate a dumpling. “Whoa, really?”
“Uh huh. Lumio was walking around town like he always does, scaring the people…”
O—O A Week Ago O—O
Lumio laughed at the fear he saw in the townspeople’s eyes as he strutted down the street with his marines behind him. The people here were Aquar from the water who struggled to live on land, if only to earn more shells for their family by selling things to the marines here.
Well, by "marines" that obviously didn’t include this brat of a marine’s son…and his weird wolf-dog. The creature was snarling at everyone, fighting against its leash. Slobber dripped from its sharp teeth, and it didn’t bother to refrain from spitting on people. Just as polite as its owner, it seemed.
Lumio smirked at a townsperson before walking inside a local dumpling house. These were mostly just replicas of the specialty village restaurants found on the bottom of the ocean, and so were not as rowdy as in the more city-like islands—except today, though. The wolf-dog snapped at a person, causing him to drop his mug, and the Aquar all stood at the sight of Lumio—or more like his pet. They frowned in unvoiced disapproval and even fear, backing away from him.
He smirked. “Bow to me or I’ll set Rosa on you.”
They hurriedly did so, used to his strange requests and the fact that they wanted their limbs connected and working. The marines standing behind Lumio looked away, frowning in obvious discomfort.
Kila suddenly walked into the dining area, a plate of dumplings in her hand steaming and ready to be served. Her big dark eyes widened even more in surprise at the spectacle. “Mama?” she asked confusedly, looking behind her at her bowing mother.
“Bow, honey,” her mom whispered to her.
Kila’s muscles suddenly froze at the sight of a set snapping jaws in her face, and she could barely let out a whimper.
Lumio sneered down at her. “Bow, little girl.”
The girl tried but couldn’t…she couldn’t even blink, and the knuckles on her hands holding the plate grew white as the plate shook. "Ma...ma...!"
The man’s eyes narrowed as he slowly released the leash. “Get her, Rosa.”
The wolf snarled as it leapt toward the young child.
The plate fell to the ground with a CRASH as Kila screamed and shielded herself, falling back onto the floor.
Suddenly something flew across the room at high speed, slamming into the wolf before crashing to the ground. The wolf whined before slumping to the ground and joining the bar stool. It did not get up.
Kila gasped as she stared at the fallen beast in front of her, sure she was about to be eaten.
Lumio’s jaw dropped, also shocked. “My…my Rosa!!” His face screwed up in anger as he screamed, “WHO DID THIS?”
All eyes fell on the figure at the bar counter. The woman set down her mug and then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She had well-defined muscles for a female and yet still retained the figure of one quite well. She had a black bandanna on her head, shading her eyes, and she wore a dark green sash above her dark, loose pants with some boots. Two swords hung at her waist. They were long and elegant, one moreso than the other for it had a cream white sheathe. Being who she was, though, it was probable the other was just as sharp.
“Orza,” Lumio breathed in fear. The sight of a bounty hunter was usually welcomed for a marine, but their unpredictability and usual rowdiness was not too becoming of a citizen. Lumio almost began shaking before he remembered whose son he was, and he stood up straighter. “You killed my wolf!” he shouted at the bounty hunter.
Orza slowly turned her head to frown over at the weird-looking Aquar. “You talkin’ to me?” she asked, frowning in irritation or just seriousness. At the peak of her health, the woman still spoke slowly, taking her time...as if you weren't worth her time to respond punctually.
“YES, I am!” The bratty son’s permed hair bounced at the rage in his gesticulations. He pointed at the fallenwolf. “You killed Rosa!”
The Aquar woman turned to her drink and knocked it back. She swallowed, then finally replied, “It was annoying.”
Lumio’s fists clenched at the nerve of this woman. “Fine! Then..." He glanced around at the Aquar standing there, watching in fear. He began to smirk, yelling, "...I’m going to arrest this girl and her family and EVERYONE here for failing to protect my wolf.” That would show them.
Kila clung to her mother’s dress, brows knit. “B-But we didn’t do anything!”
Lumio sneered. “Exactly.”
Before anyone could blink Orza stood by the man, a single sword unsheathed and placed right at the Aquar man’s neck. The marines quickly took out their rudimentary rifles, aiming it at the bounty hunter.
“Wh-what are you doing? Are you insane?!” Lumio cried.
Orza stood still, speaking in the exact same tone as before—casual, with a hint of a challenge. Her eyes glinted. “Hey...I’m doing something illegal, right?”
“Of course!”
The corner of Orza’s frowning lips then turned up slightly in a smirk, the kind you see in people who thrive in living at the edge. “Then leave these people alone and arrest me instead. But you better let me go…” She slightly pressed the blade against his bare green neck.
Lumio yelped, “YES! Yes, we’ll release you!!” But Lumio being Lumio, the bratty son immediately tried to think up of some way to really punish this impertinent woman. “Buuuut only if you go two weeks without food or water.”
Kila gasped, staring up at the tall Aquar. That would mean sure death.
“Sure," Orza immediately replied. "But these people must be spared. Do I have your word?” she solemnly asked. Her sword added to the gravity of the situation.
“Yes,” Lumio blurted, thinking so, too.
A second passed before the bounty hunter nodded. “Done.”
The sword slowly tipped from her hand and fell to the ground, sliding a few inches into the wooden floor.
O—O Now O—O
Toby gaped at Kila. Knowing who Orza was, it now made sense why such a strong and powerful woman would submit to something like that, as it seemed impossible for her to be caught. That lent more truth to what the child was saying, but seeing as how they saw just how cruel Lumio could be, Toby didn't doubt much of his character. It was just the terms that shocked him. “Two weeks without food or water?? But only an idiot would agree to that.”
Kila frowned at her hero being called an idiot, no matter if it was true or not. “But she saved my life. So I have to try to save hers.”
Berry smiled faintly at the girl. “You’re a good kid.” And the food was good, too. Berry rarely had a chance to eat food fresh from the bottom of the ocean, and she promptly tore into the plump squids with gusto. All those veggies and leaves and berries and nuts kind of left one wanting some meat, even if ocean meat wasn't as fatty as that lion and ox (still really good, though).
And it was with a pretty full stomach that Berry and Toby left the dumplings place, with the pair being able to pay with some loot Toby was able to conveniently secure from his previous employer.
“That was real good stuff,” Toby said with a sigh as they walked out into the dirt street. “Y'know, I haven’t had a real meal in about a year.”
Berry seized up and looked like she was about to fall over from shock at that predicament. She quickly recovered, however, when she (and everyone else) overheard the familiar obnoxious laughter nearby.
Lumio was also walking out of a building with his cronies, a golden bracelet glinting in the sun. He smirked at them, saying loudly, “And y’know that dried up sea cucumber in the parade ground?”
Berry and Toby stopped in their tracks, watching—as did everyone else in case he was up to something.
“Oh, you mean that bounty hunter? She’s gonna be released soon, right?”
“Ha!” Lumio barked a laugh. “You think that’s gonna happen? I’m gonna kill her the next day when she’s already weak. It’s not like my dad would mind getting rid of unpredictable renegades like that, being Captain Hackam and all.”
“Oh man, Lumio, you’re a pretty cool guy.”
Lumio smirked and adjusted his jacket. “Yeah, I know. No one gets away with humiliating me in public, not even a demon bounty hunter.”
Berry frowned, brows lowered. What did he say? All joy and sunshine and contentment from a somewhat full belly drained from Berry’s face as her expression darkened. It was like when the brightest sun was suddenly blotted out by dark storm clouds, when the birds fall quiet as if it was night. Her eyes hardened as she glared across the street at the fop. “He promised her,” she murmured, taking a step toward him. And to break a promise, to break your word, meant you were worth nothing. No matter how much money you had, how powerful you were—take that away and all that was left was your word. And if everyone stopped doing what they said they would, the world would mean nothing—meaning liars meant nothing. Especially liars that killed innocents.
Toby glanced at her and quickly grabbed her arm in alarm. Why did her skin look silvery? “N-no, Berry, don’t do anything stupid!”
Berry shoved Toby aside and with powerful strides strode up to Lumio, grabbing his multi-colored shirt in her hands and roughly pulling him toward her. “You promised her!” she yelled up at him, her skin glittering silver.
“Eh??” Lumio yelped in surprise. “Who are you?”
Berry shook him, scowling. “You promised Orza you’d let her go.”
The bratty son smirked. “Promises can be broken, can’t they?”
If Lumio valued his face he would’ve said something else, but he was quite stupid. In less than a second Berry pulled back her fist and slammed it into his well-moisturized face.
Lumio cried out and fell back, caught by his cronies. “Y-you won’t get away with this!” he sputtered in outrage as he glared at her.
Berry’s fiery gaze pierced his own. That was a warning punch, but if he wanted more...she cracked her knuckles and took a step toward him, eyes wide in pure anger.
“I’m telling my dad on you!” were his last words before he quickly turned and ran off down the street with his cronies, heading toward the huge tower.
Berry continued to glare at the departing figure, and she forcefully exhaled out of her nostrils like an angry island bull. Kriffing idiot.
Toby ran up to her, quivering a little…but with good reason. “Berry, why’d you have to do that for? His dad is the highest ranking official on the island—they’re going to try to arrest you!”
“So what," Berry grunted, her water swirling inside her from her storm. "He’s going to kill her, which means he broke a promise." She gave Toby a dark look still tinged with anger. "I can't let him get away with that—not while I'm still breathing." Then she turned away and strode down the street toward the tower, sandals planting firmly into the dirt with every step, her red tunic fluttering behind her.
“I’m going to go talk to Orza.”
A very large man sat in his very large, fancy high-back chair as he surveyed the island from his room near the top of the tower.
He wasn’t large in a bad way, but rather had large pronounced muscles, especially in his thick neck, and broad strong shoulders, on which he wore his Captain’s coat. It was long and white, and dried golden anemones capped each shoulder to signify his rank. They shimmered and dangled with every bit of his movement. Even more interesting, though, was his extremely strong lower jaw—it was made of pure metal, with strange prongs at the front to protect his still-existent teeth.
“I am…great,” he murmured to himself, his jaw barely moving. It made his speech stiff, but intimidating.
Someone suddenly burst into his office, fluffy kelp hair bouncing as he screeched to a stop. He held his swollen cheek in his hand, and his chest heaved from breathing heavily. His clothes were a dusty mess, but his face even more so. “Daddy!!” shrieked Lumio.
“Someone hit me and I want you to kill her!”
O—O TBC O—O
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