It took 5 minutes of arguing before we were able to get the twins to cooperate. They loved to bicker among each other at the slightest provocation. Apparently they joined Captain Crow’s crew after their mother died of a disease. The village of Slyke on the island of Blund, where they are from, is near the same village that Crow grew up in. He accepted them into the crew when they were our age because the twins reminded him of home.
“Now that everything is settled, describe to me what Captain Crow looks like.”
“He’s tall with dark black hair, and he only wears black clothes, even though it’s hot out. That’s why they call him Crow. Rumor is that he never sweats and he has eyes in the back of his head. Ever since we’ve come to the island he hasn’t come out of the hut even once, so now Wabul runs the crew.”
“Oh don’t forget to tell them he’s really strong,” Jiro added.
“Yep, as strong as 10 men. One punch from his brass knuckles knocked out the famous bounty hunter, Raymond the beast. I’m not sure if you could beat him Mr. Talking dog.”
“I’m a werewolf not a dog. Why hasn’t he come out of the room?”
“Nobody knows. We think he’s dead, and now Wabul is just using him to prop himself up as the new captain. Wabul is the one who made the deal with a Navy captain to split the belli from the towns paying for protection.”
“Does that mean Wabul has the belli,” I asked.
“Wabul usually takes the belli back to the big shack where the captain stays.”
Wabul doesn’t look that strong, so if Captain Crow really is dead, I just need to get in there and take the money. I can just take the belli after defeating Wabul or Captain Crow, while I have Pedro set the gunpowder. Now I just need to figure out what to do with the twins.
“I have a job I need you two to do while me and Pedro carry out our own plan. First we are going to grab some barrels from the forest and put them at the edge of camp. After that’s done, I want you two to walk around the camp and tell them that Wabul killed Captain Crow, and is plotting to run off with all the belli.”
“What should we do after we tell them,” Jiro asked.
“Once they are angry, and start to fight among each other, you can escape down to the other end of the beach. we will pick you up.”
“You’re lucky with Jiro and I on your team, this plan is guaranteed success with us,” Ichiro said.
We walked back to the hidden barrels and boat that hid in the foliage at the other end of the island. We moved at a faster pace, ready to get this plan in motion. By time we carried the three barrels of gunpowder back to the edge of the clearing less pirates were out celebrating. Around 70 still stood around the bonfire, but many looked to have retired to their tents.
“Ichiro. Jiro. Go ahead and follow the plan. If everything goes right we will be meeting up with you later,” I said.
The twins walked back toward the bonfire and I turned to Pedro.
“Pedro, your part of this plan will be just as hard as mine. I need you to burn their boats so they can’t get back to their ships and use the gunpowder to set distractions. Once you burn their ships and blow up the gunpowder, wait for me at the boat so we can sail back to the caravel with the twins.”
“I know, I’m ready. I have been waiting for this moment. How will I know when to start the fires,” Pedro said.
“Watch the big building and wait till I get in, to start the fires.”
“What should we do if the twins tell them about us?”
“I doubt they will, but if they do, nobody will believe them. Imagine telling someone a little kid and a giant wolf man are in the forest plotting on stealing everything.”
“That’s true,” Pedro said laughing at the prospect of it.
“I’ll meet you back at the boat.” I gave Pedro a fist bump and made my way around the tree line, so I could be closer to the hut. I turned back into a human so I would be harder to spot in the tree line. There weren’t any guards just roaming around, but there were a lot of pirates still awake that might see me. I peered toward the bonfire from my new angle. From my spot in the forest I could make out the slightly shorter shapes of the twins talking to other pirates. I need to hurry up.
I analyzed the set of three shacks that were separated from the tents. Two guards protected the door to the bigger one, and one guard at each of the smaller shacks. The bigger building where the twins told me Captain Crow had been staying, didn’t look well made. The logs were haphazardly stacked together in a square and the building tilted to the side.
I checked my surroundings and moved out of the tree line toward the back of the shack. My steps, silent and measured. The pirates guarding the door looked disengaged as they yawned and rubbed their eyes. My steps led me right to the back of the building where no one could spot me. I pulled a rock out of my pocket and rolled it down the right side of the shack. It passed one of the guards as it went into the torch light. I hid myself back behind the building and a gruff voice called out to me.
“Hey who's out there. Stop playing games or I’ll drop you in the middle of the ocean on the next raid.”
I kept silent and listened for his footsteps.
“Just go check it out, it's probably some drunk bastard from the cannon crew. You know those guys can’t handle their liquor. Remember that time one of them almost blew up a ship.”
“Yeah I know. I got it.”
I heard the footsteps approaching and I snuck around the other side to the one still remaining in the front. I turned quickly into a werewolf and knocked him over the head from behind. I covered his mouth just in case it wasn’t enough force to knock him out, but he was clearly out cold.
“There’s no one back here, they must’ve run into the forest. Should I try to go get them,” a voice asked from the back of the building.
I dragged the body toward the back when I heard the guard who went to check walking back to the front.
“Makil, where'd you go?”
I dropped the guard off at the back of the building and rushed around and dispatched the other one in similar fashion. I dropped the second body off at the back and moved toward the unguarded door.
I twisted the handle and peeked in. Shadows of a flame flickered on the wall, but I could not see anyone through the crack. I opened the door enough for me to step in and shut the door right behind me. The shack wasn’t wide but it was tall enough for me to stand straight up in this werewolf form. The room, bare of decorations, had only wooden furniture. A wall and curtain divided a portion of the room on the right hand side. On the left sat a couch, and a fireplace that led to the chimney outside.
In front of that fireplace, a man with short black hair and streaks of grey stared into its depths. I tensed up and prepared myself in case the man I presume to be Crow decides to attack, but he just sits there. He turns, looks me up and down, and smiles.
“I figured someone would come for me eventually, I just always thought it would be Wabul. If you don’t mind, can you grab the kettle over there and pour me another glass of tea?”
Taken aback by his attitude my anger began to bubble up.
“Are you really so strong that you smile in the face of death? I came here knowing I might have to kill you. My mind and senses are urging me to do so, yet you’re just sitting here smiling.”
“Tea first please. Talking comes after.”
“Or I could just kill you now and take the money that is probably hidden away behind that curtain over there,” I said.
He just smiled and remained silent. He looked at me with no contempt, a man who came to kill him. In his eyes I saw a good man, not a murder and a thief. In my heart I knew I came seeking revenge, but something about him doesn’t feel right. I walked over to the kettle in the kitchen and brought it over to him. I watched out for a possible attack, but he just grabbed the kettle and poured two glasses.
“Please, have a drink with me. It’s not everyday a devil fruit user comes to kill me. I mean you no harm. I was just wondering if you would be interested in listening to my story.”
