[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190710/738bdf85e40f0326a21d1a8a77ff8626.png[/img][hr][hider=Adelinde, Alex, & Eadgar]
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	The sea shifted and churned pulling the small rowboat which Alex manned along with the waves. As experienced as he was at piloting a vessel, it wasn't really helping him as the tiny dinghy was not well suited for waves this rough. He continued onward as he was not but a mile from land. It had been just under a week since he left his home on his search and he had neglected to acquire more food at the last island he stopped at largely in part because they actually had information on the jolly roger he'd been carrying around.

	Apparently, the crew to which the flag belonged had been terrorizing random islands in the West Blue for roughly three years ever since they made a return trip from the Grand Line. From what information he had gathered they weren't very strong but they had an impressive array of Devil Fruit powers that made up for their lack of physical strength. The one thing that unnerved Alex the most about this crew is that supposedly they kidnapped people forcing them to fight for their amusement. This was the key piece of information that made Alex rush out of the town. The people didn't know where these pirates were so he didn't want to waste time asking useless questions. He had to find them as soon as possible so that he could save his family. He had nearly rushed out before even hearing the name of the crew or the captain. But stopped long enough to learn the name of the one he was hunting along with receiving a bounty poster of the captain.

	Alex pulled the bounty out of his pocket when the sea began to lighten up making it easier to get to the island he could see. [color=cyan]"Don't worry everyone. I'll beat this guy until he tells me where you are. I'm gonna take down the Pack Rat Pirates and make their captain pay. I'm coming for you ..."[/color]

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	Something about this town was off. It was the middle of the day but no one was out and about. Eadgar could tell that the people were in their homes, but only just barely. He knew that there were pirates in this area, but that didn't usually keep people from going about their lives. This wasn't normal. Something happened. Something bad. He knocked on door after door but each time was either greeted by silence or someone slamming the shutters closed so he couldn't peak in. Did they think he was a pirate? Determined to find out what was going on Eadgar journeyed to the next town over.

	There, the people were at least out and about. Just not as much as he expected. It was as if everyone on the island was scared of something. As if there had been a recent event and the danger still lurked nearby. He tried asking the people what happened but every time they just looked at him in shock and ran, presumably to their homes. Eadgar was rightly getting a little frustrated. [color=silver]"Come on people. I'm not a pirate. I'm a bounty hunter. If there is a dangerous pirate in the area threatening you just point him out and I'll beat him![/color]

	[color=4f4f4f][b]"They think you're weaker than him, boy."[/b][/color] Eadgar quickly turned to see a tall figure leaning against a nearby fence. The woman looked oddly familiar. He couldn't really see her face properly as she had her head covered but there was just something about her. [color=silver]"Then they don't know about the Gray's. We are the strongest bounty hunters this Blue has ever seen."[/color] A few of the passing townspeople stopped at the name he had used. They began eyeing Eadgar and some of them even seemed to be growing a hopeful smile.

	The woman chuckled at first and then began bursting in full-blown laughter. Eadgar growled at her putting his hand on his sword. [color=4f4f4f]"Slow it down there boy. I'm merely laughing at your false bravado. Everyone knows about the Grays. Father and Son duo going about the West Blue sending all forms of criminals to rot in a cell somewhere. We both know which of the pair is strongest and we both know that one isn't here. Otherwise, you'd already realized that there's a jolly roger flying atop the building in the center of town. Just look at it and I'm sure you'll know why these people cower in fear."[/color]

	Eadgar was angry. Whoever this woman was she wasn't some common thug. But did she know about his dad? No, there's no way. Only a very select few knew. Begrudgingly he turned from the woman to look at the flag hoisted atop the center building and his eyes went wide. He knew exactly who that flag belonged to and how despicable that man was. He was weak but smart and had been avoiding Eadgar and his father for three years. He turned to look back at the woman to see that she was gone. He could tell that she wasn't a part of his crew. She seemed strong and there was no chance of him allowing someone stronger than himself to be on the crew. [color=silver]"Whatever. I'll find and deal with her later. For now, I'm gonna finally turn this wretched trash in. Screw the rules. You're not getting away this time ..."[/color]

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	Drip, drip, drip. That was the constant sound that Adelinde could hear. The incessant dripping inside the small damp cell was driving her mad. Those rats had purposefully made a contraption which would simulate that infernal sound. To a normal human, the sound would be a little aggravating, but to the one who had eaten the Onsei Onsei no Mi, the soundwaves were like an invisible force pushing her body with millions of tiny needles all at once. Normally, one with her power wouldn't have to deal with such a sensation as the soundwaves which constantly emanate from her body would push them back, but she had Seastone cuffs on her wrists which caused her natural defense to normal sounds to essentially be turned off.

	For about a week, she has been a guinea pig to these people. This was an entirely new fruit to them so they were going all out doing various experiments. Right now they were testing how much other soundwaves affected the user. Thanks to this rotten cuffs she could barely muster up the strength to move let alone escape. She had to get out of here somehow. She needed to know that everyone was alright.

	The dripping device ran out of water and as she was exhausted, Adelinde was getting close to falling asleep. However, she could faintly here footsteps coming in her direction. With bleary eyes, she looked up to see the fat pig who had trapped her down here. "Ah, I see you're still awake little one. I'm surprised. I was certain you'd be out hours ago. Lucky for you we're done with formal testing of your fruit. You won't be locked up in this cell for much longer. Isn't that wonderful? And do you want to know what's next for you my dear?"

	With a snarl on her face, Adelinde spit at the rotund man. "I don't believe that was a proper answer. Anyway, you may want to get some rest as it's finally time for you to show what you can do with that power of yours. You're finally joining the others in the fight pit."

	In her delirium, Adelinde began laughing. The man looked at her in confusion. She stopped laughing and looked him right in the eyes. [color=plum]"Go ahead. Put me in the pit. You'll see what this fruit can do. I'll use it to shatter you and your crew. For someone so smart you're an idiot to think you can keep doing this forever. You should've expected that one of these days someone would fight you in that pit. And it will be me."[/color]

	"Poor naive girl. I've been doing this for years. I've thought of every possibility. No one escapes from me. It would take the power of a god to free you from my grasp." He began walking away laughing. Adelinde screamed out at him, [color=plum]"I don't need the power of a god to destroy you. A devil will be enough to beat you. YOU HEAR ME! ..."[/color]

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[h2][center][color=cyan]Arkin.[/color]
[color=silver]Arkin![/color]
[color=plum]ARKIN![/color][/center][/h2]