"We just need to find out where it is and get it. Though if we stick around we might want masks..."

Macario stood. Lina gasped, "Hey! What are you doing?"

Waving dismissively, Macario insisted, "I don't want anything to do with this. I'm just going back to the ship."

Lina harrumphed, "Fine, be that way!" As Macario headed off, Lina let out a sigh, "Well, we can manage without him..." Looking back over to the grounds, an eyebrow raised as she saw a troop of what appeared to be soldiers, but they didn't have the insignia of the Antler Kingdom on their armor.  "Those guys again? ...Maybe they know something."

Standing properly, she suggested, "I'm going to see if I can find out anything." Heading down from their lookout point, Lina dared mull about the tasting ground.

"The contest isn't for a few hours, young lady."

Tensing up, Lina didn't except to be singled out so easily. Turning, a caped knight had approached her, Lina's eyes flashing in recognition at the elblem on his chest of a helm on a shield with a rapier. As he got a closer look, he tossed his medium length platinum blond hair over his shoulder, "Oh, excuse me. You are a proper lady, miss..."

"Er, I'm...L...ina."

Bowing slightly, he began, "It is my pleasure, Miss Lina. I am Sir Johannes von Reunthal of the Balder Kingdom, situated in the Grand Line."

Blinking, Lina said, "Er, what brings you here then? The festival?"

"One could say that. You look like a well meaning soul." Lina felt sweat bead on her forehead. "You haven't seen color coded thugs wandering about?"

"Th-the Companies!?"

Johannes' eyes widened, before his hand came to his chin, suspicious. Raising her hands, Lina explained, "Er, I've...run into a few of them. I'm...part of a shipping company, so we travel a lot. They're everywhere."

Johannes nodded. "Truly they are a blight. But what do you know of their engagements here?"

Swallowing, she said, "W-well, I haven't seen any of them here..."

Studying her, Johannes said, "Well, if you come across something, let me know. They always increase their activity here this time of year, and sightings imply that their top brass might be about, so if you alert me, we can bring those scoundrels to justice." Boldly, he brought his fist down on his breastplate, making a clanking noise.

Lina began to head off. "Don't find me, I'll find you!" Scuffling away, she ducked from sight, refusing to glance back. His eyes bored so deep into her pirate soul, didn't they!?

...Wait, she'd been a pirate for all of a week or two. What was she saying?