Silver Raven

The Ginger Brothers

An hour later I find myself standing in the crew's meeting stop with Trafalgar and Hawk to my right and a fuming Train to my left. "I know you don't trust him but we won't be able to get anything done if you keep up this attitude." I lean over and whisper into Train's ear.

"It's not just him I don't trust." he spits in a fit of rage before marching off a few feet. I know he's just taking his frustration out on me, but it still stings.

"Well, that's time." Captain announces a bit deflated. Jean Bart is nowhere go be found. "Butch," Trafalgar turns to the cook of the ship. "Wait here until he gets back then catch up." While he groans, he doesn't protest his assignment. Where could he have gone?  "Well, Mr. Hawk, lead the way." Hat-kun says while offering the man a rare smile.

The tunnels are damp and dark, save for the torches that caste eerie shadows along the walls. My nose is greeted by the rank stench of mold. Is there really a pirate crew in here? 

"Hawk, are you sure this is the right way?" Train demands to know. His irritability and mistrust hasn't improved in the slightest.

"Yes, I'm sure. No one would come looking through these tunnels for a pirate crew, right?" Hawk replies, relatively unfazed by Train's condescending tone.  Train murmurs something under his breath, but its meaning is drowned out by the echo of our steps. 

"It's getting muggy in here," Penguin moans while fanning himself with his hand. 

"Captain." Bepo wheezes. "I don't think I can. go..... much further." Bepo's fur is slick with his own sweat and his breathing is labored.

"Should we take a brake then?" Hat-kun suggests to Hawk.

"We're almost there. Y'all are pirates, right? So stop complaining and toughen up." Hawk doesn't even hesitate and keeps up the pace. I can feel the altitude change start to affect my own breathing. It isn't a minute later that we can hear the distant roar of a party.

"Not so fast," a looming voice springs from the darkness to our right.

"Not a step closer," a lighter voice from our left.

"Turn back now or face the might of the Ginger Brothers!" both voices shout in unison.

"Hawk?" Hat-kun glances towards the man who is already shuffling through a stack of papers.

"Clide and Tack Ginger, combined bounty of 20 million berries." Hawk reads off a single wanted poster.

"I guess these two will work," Trafalgar tells us lazily. He needs to work on his methods of motivation.

"Time's up," the voices echo is perfect unison but not pitch. An ax comes hurtling towards Shachi' head, which he dodges by less than an inch.

"That was too close!" he sighs in relief.

"Any other information old man?" Train asks while unsheathing his blades. 

"Let's see... No devil fruit ability." Hawk scans the poster for more details. Meanwhile, another ax flies towards Train who block it with his swords.  He runs into the darkness from where the ax came from. Seconds later a startled scream rings out.

"Clide!" the first voice calls out in worry and anger. This time three blades dart towards the captain. I unlatch my scythe and knock down all three knives in one swing. Train returns from the shadows with an oddly skinny man slung over his shoulder. "How dare you?!" the voice vibrates with rage. "I'll kill y-" his threat in abruptly cut off. The sound of slow and steady footsteps creep closer to the edge of the darkness. I tighten my grip around my scythe, ready for whatever comes out.