One Piece; The Great Pirate Era

"He's right..." Anais replied lowly, "We need to leave before they show up." Flint shrugged at the ideas. "I thought it sounded fun. And I haven't seen a ship anywhere all day."

"That's because the ships are on the outside of the base, we're near the inside." She replied, "But, there is one boat that we can use."

"There is!?" Flint exclaimed happily. "Alright, finally our very own ship! Where is it?" He asked excitedly. "It's at my special shed."

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

A bullet bounced off one of the pots from above and slammed into one of the wine barrels nearby.

"I'm with the kid: let's get out of here," Hawkins said.

"It's not that simple." Anais replied, "Now that you drank my secret stash."

"What?" Flint asked shocked and in a disappointed tone. "I thought that was drunk guys. So I guess you got beer problems to?"

"Don't be stupid!" Anais hissed, as she shook the half empty bottle. "I was saving this for the others, so they could escape...but." Her voice lowered, trailing off, as she stared into the watery swishing liquid inside.

"But, it can still help you all." She replied, "We need more of it now, though." Anais stated, handing out the whiskey near Flint, who stared confusedly at the gesture. "There's another stash outside this end, it's near Whiskey's room. Take this and refill it."

"Alright, I think I get it...I don't really, but I do kind of." Flint remarked, grabbing the bottle. "I'm a bit worried entrusting you with this, but it's better than him." Anais remarked, as she subtly shot a glare at Hawkins. "Besides I need your muscles to get the boat ready."

Hawkins didn't say anything as Anais described her plan.

"All right you heard the lady, go get a move on," Hawkins said. "And make sure you get extra if you can."

Hawkins left no hint as to what his last order could have meant. Whether it was more booze for himself or perhaps something else.

"You guys can count on me! I'll beat up old Whiskey breath before you know it!" Flint exclaimed, rushing through the hall, which lead to the outdoor docks and to Marine Captain Whiskey's room and stash.

"Okay now, where's that boat of yours?" Hawkins asked as soon as Flint had left. "We better use this time wisely to get over there."

"Moron!" Anais exclaimed as Flint was rushing off, "Don't fight anyone!" Once he was gone however, hopefully able to hear her pleas and take it into consideration, Hawkins addressed her.

"Right," She said seriously with a nod. "It's this way, follow me." After traversing through a hall and several other obstacles/places the two would finally arrive to the little shack that she had talked about previously.

The gate she slid open and ground against the rusty metal, before allowing the dim moonlight to pour in. She immediately brought a lantern in with her, which brightened the area enough.

It seemed to be a small scale warehouse dock, where repairs would had been made to ships, however, it was decommissioned and served as her private shed. The ground was of concrete and had a fine gritty cover of dust, there were several metal and wooden tables, where different tools, scrap lumber and pieces laid, as well as a variety of different storage boxes, closets, and rooms for her different stuff.

There was however, only one exit and entrance, where they were heading into, as well as four windows at the very top of the wall, which were almost touching the ceiling. Therefore escaping through the windows would not be possible.

In the middle of the room there was an odd shaped object, which had a thin sheet covering it, as well as a peculiar pole further at the end. She quickly placed the lantern on the ground and yanked the sheet off, which revealed a ship equivalent to a fisherman's boat.

Hawkins didn't say anything as he proceeded into this shed. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't looking for any hint of alcohol in the room despite the odds being completely against him. He surveyed the area to see if there would be anything of use.

"All right, so what do we got to do here?" Hawkins asked as he saw the boat. He was certainly better than what they had previously. Though, it wasn't the greatest step up, it was still a step up.

Tossing the sheet to the side of the boat, Anais quickly inspected the boat for any problems, which she thankfully found none. "Good it's still together."

After that was done, she rushed towards the odd pole structure and began to turn a crank on it. Although it was stiff and difficult to budge, both the crank and pole began to spin against the layers of rust. As the pole turned with each full circle, it began to lower, revealing it to be a small-scale crane, with harnesses and all.

"I need you to help me strap the boat on in these ropes...and that." She stated her last part hesitantly, as she pointed towards a decommissioned cannon to the far side. There were no wheels, just the metal tubing. It was buried in scrap, sheets, and garbage from the years of disservice.

Hawkins whistled as he took a look at the canon.

"All right then," he said as he walked over to the canon first. He started to remove the debris that was around it. Not knowing what to do with the debris, he just tossed it to the side but he made sure not to ruin anything else in the room.

When the canon was cleared, he looked to Anais to toss him the rope. Once it reached his hands, he began to tie the rope around it.

"Um...you have to bring it over here." Anais replied sheepishly, because it was too far away, and too heavy for herself to carry over. Which is why she needed the extra muscle, she had the know how to do the rest.

Unfortunately before Hawkins would make it over to the crane setup, an unwanted interruption happened. "So this is where you ran off to?" A man's voice asked rhetorically, before lunging downwards in between the two. "No!" Anais exclaimed desperately, in shock.

This Marine was closer to Anais, in fact only a foot or two away, as they walked towards them with a wicked grin. Startled and shocked at the surprise, especially since she was found out, Anais began to back away slowly. "I always had my suspicion with your little shop, but aiding pirates?" They asked, disgust evident in their tone.

They didn't appear to have any distinguishable traits, they appeared to be a normal tall Marine in their common uniform. They were however, quite muscular.

"Captain Whiskey told me to bring you back alive, so that he may talk about your behavior." He grabbed Anais by the collar of her clothes, lifting her up. "But I think he'll make an exception this time."

"Let me go you big jerk!" Anais exclaimed, jerking and struggling to free herself from his grip, yet he was too strong and she was too weak. She began to pound this muscular Marine's hand with both her fists, but to no avail.

"As you wish." They remarked as they threw her hurdling into a table, where she then crashed into some tools, and lastly into several crates behind the piece of furniture. "I'll just crush you and this boat."

As the man entered the room, Hawkins fell backwards and into some of the debris he had been clearing out before.

Once he was on his feet and with Anais in trouble, Hawkins grabbed some of the debris which consisted of some sort of pipe and swung full force at the intruder.

"Come on now, ain't anyone ever tell you to pick a fight with someone your own size?" Hawkins asked.

With quick reflexes the muscular Marine brought up their bent arm, which banged into the incoming and swinging pipe. It no doubt looked like it would had hurt, but they didn't seem to flinch in the least. With a wicked grin, their eyes panned towards Hawkins.

"And to think, I almost forgot about you." They remarked, quickly throwing their other fist upwards, in an uppercut fashion.

Seeing the quick reflexes, Hawkins almost immediately let go of the pipe as he saw the Marine aim for an attack. He dodged out of the way of the Marine's punch and then rammed into the Marine, trying to push him forward.

The rusty pipe went twirling out of sight, as this Marine's elbow jabbed it, and Hawkins released his grip just as quickly. At first both his feet were slightly lifted upwards, as the pirate charged into him, but he immediately regained his bearings, and latched his arms tightly across Hawkins.

"You're a stubborn mule!" The muscular Marine snorted, as he put his strength behind restricting Hawkins from pushing or ramming him any further.

Hawkins tried to get the edge but even he knew they were in a stalemate. Still, he continued to keep his bearings. And then, he slammed his head into the other guy.

Suddenly Hawkins head slammed straight into the Marine's forehead, as they fought to gain an inch across this stalemate. Unprepared for the assault, they staggered backwards slightly, as they moaned and groaned from the concussion.

Although there was precious little time to mend a throbbing forehead, they didn't need it, and still remained on their feet. "You have some bite in that bark, do you pirate?" They asked rhetorically, before they struck Hawkins in the head with a downward fist.

Hawkins fell to the floor as he was hit in the head. With his head spinning, he tried to swipe kick the Marine before getting himself up on his feet again.

The Marine smiled at their attack, before leaping upwards to miss the leg sweep. Reaching the ground, they rushed Hawkins with a forward punch.

Hawkins propelled himself upward and jumped back as the Marine slammed his fist in the ground. He then used this opportunity to punch at his head on the side that he was punching into the floor.

Catching Hawkins fist, the Marine tugged him forward, and punched him in the gut.

Caught off guard, Hawkins let the Marine punch him in the gut. Grunting, he pulled with his free hand the Marine further into his body and tried to pull him up and over.

Meanwhile Flint finally arrived at Marine Captain Whiskey's special shed. Or how Anais described it anyway. It appeared to be a fairly large and nice room, full with furniture, and carpeted to.

"Alright, so where's the dried jerky she said I needed..." He stated slowly, observing the entire dark room. With a shrug, he began to tear apart the room loudly.

Elsewhere, as the Marine was hoisted over Hawkins shoulder and then back, he then fell onto a table, breaking it completely, and tumbled to a halt. There he remained for a moment, either contemplating his hatred of this pirate or to allow time to soothe the pain, until he rose. "I'm going to kill you."

Slowly and wearily pulling herself out of the wreckage of debris, dust, and tools she was tossed into, Anais held onto her throbbing forehead, while she watched the fight taking place, as she attempted to regain her bearings.

With the Marine down for the moment, Hawkins used this time to regain his bearings.

"I'm going to have to decline that offer. I'm not drunk enough for that."

Hawkins didn't charge or attack right away. Instead, he waited, stepping lightly through the shed.

Since Hawkins didn't go in for any attack, the muscular Marine stared at him aggravatingly. He slowly began to sidestep, keeping up his fists and guard, all the while never moving his sight away from the pirate.

When he thought he found his moment to strike, his eyes widened, and he charged quickly towards him, ready to attack in any matter possible. That was until a bright flash engulfed the dark shed, causing him to be blinded by the unprepared light. "Take that you big jerk!" Anais exclaimed, as she held a pan and smoking powder eye level at the man.

Covering his eyes, the Marine screeched to a halt as he was in mid-sprint, and groaned irritatingly. As his vision was temporarily spotted and blinded, he was vulnerable.