Chapter 17: The King and The Admiral

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.

The ship trembled again, knocking Devon and Kirsty off their feet. Axe, however, grabbed hold of the mast to steady himself. "Um...someone wanna tell me exactly what a Sea King is?" Kirsty asked as she got back on her feet. Devon grunted as he picked himself up and closed his eyes, "Just wait...and you'll see,".

Again, the ship rocked and Kirsty, once again, fell down, but this time, she rolled to the opposite end of the ship, screaming as she did. At the last minute, she stopped herself from going overboard by latching onto the railing. She sighed in relief, "Almost had it that time,".

She looked behind her to see how close she was to going overboard and felt all the color in her face drain out completely. As she looked out at the water, she could see a large shadowy form with two huge eyes staring back at her from beneath the waves.

It slowly rose out of the water and lifted it's long, curvy neck high above Kirsty. Her eyes widened at the sight of the Sea King. From it's scaley body and elongated neck, to it's open jaws filled with sharp rows of teeth and it's beady eyes.

"Don't...move,"

Kirsty gulped and nodded after hearing Axe's advice. Her captain hopped onto the railing and looked at the Sea King, who lowered it's head to look at him. "Oy, Big Fish! You mind tellin' me why you're messin' with my ship?" he asked loudly. Kirsty glanced up at him, Is he nuts? He tells me to be quiet, and now he's talking to it! The Sea King growled and ran it's tongue along it's teeth.

"Listen Big Guy, I'm giving you one chance to leave my ship and my nakama alone, or else you're gonna regret it...understand?"

The Sea King roared and Axe shook his head, "Stubborn piece of shit...,"

Devon belched loudly and patted his stomach while Austin hit the table, fast asleep. Kirsty wiped her mouth as Niri licked her lips and while Dusty and Axe continued to pig out.

"Man that was some good fish...," the swordsman praised.

Niri nodded, "Oh yeah...I haven't eaten that good since...well since our first night out at sea!".

"Are there any leftovers?" Kirsty asked her nakama. Niri and Devon gave her the leftovers they had and snuck their Captain's and Scout's food away from them while the two of them knocked each other to the ground, wrestling.

Kirsty put the leftovers in a large sack and walked outside to the portside of the ship where the Sea King from before was quietly treading water, a large bump on it's head. She shook her head, "Poor guy. Hey! I got something for ya!" she called out, holding the bag out to the Sea King. The creature snaked its way to her reluctantly.

"It's ok...don't worry,"

She threw the sack overboard and the Sea King snapped it's jaws around it. Kirsty watched the Sea King turned around and disappeared beneath the waters. "Guess it was just hungry...," Kirsty thought aloud, watching the beast leave.

"OY! Fair lass!"

Axe and Devon entered the Infirmary where Kirsty was tending to a very large man with bulging muscles. He was dressed in greyish pants and a brown, long sleeved shirt. He wasn't moving and he seemed to be in a deep sleep. Nearby, a smaller man wearing a striped bandanna and a dark T-shirt and gray pants.

"How's he doing?" her captain asked. Kirsty shrugged, "He sure took a beating, that's for sure. He's all bruised and he sounds like he was hit with a cannon ball...or at least a three-ton hammer," she replied, giving him the diagnosis.

"Did you get the poison out?"

The three of them turned to look at the man leaning against the wall. Kirsty nodded, "Yes, I got the poison out, just as I did you. You mind explaining to me what happened to you and those men?" she asked.

He chuckled, "We just ran into a man with a Cursed Fruit Ability. After Don Krieg," he gestured to the large man on the table, "lost, he went nuts. I managed to knock him out and the rest of the men and I were given a boat and here we are,".

Devon turned to him, hands on his katana, "Don Krieg? Admiral Don Krieg? I take it your Gin, eh?" he asked, looking hard at him. The man in gray glanced at him, "So what if I am?" he shot back. The swordsman grinned and was about to pull out his katana when Axe grabbed him by the shoulder, "Don't,".

He turned to his captain, surprised, "Captain, this man," he pointed to the prone form on the table, "has a high bounty on his head! We can take him in and-,"

"Expose ourselves to the Marines as well. Devon, you forget, Niri is wanted for escaping prison, and you got a high bounty on your head too!" Axe pointed out, interrupting his first mate. He looked at Gin, "How many men do you have with you?" he asked.

"About 100 give or take," he replied.

Axe nodded, "Listen. We have plenty of food stored on this boat, and a doctor of high skills. Stay here and we'll let you guys rest and heal up...then you can be on your way," he offered. Gin stared at him and scowled, "We don't need charity," he spat.

The black haired captain shrugged, "Fine. Don't take my hospitality," he turned to Kirsty, "He ready to go?". The doctor nodded, "Well, he's not as banged up and the poison in his system is gone...so I guess he's sea worthy,".

Gin snorted, "Fine...,"

The Axe-Head crew watched as the small boat, with a hundred men piled on slowly made it's way across the water. Devon shook his head, "Promise me that that's the only time you let a high bounty like that go freely," he muttered.

Axe glanced at him, then started to head back to his cabin, "Depends on the situation, Devon,". Niri rolled her eyes and walked back to the crow's nest, "Baka's,". Dusty and Kirsty watched the three of them leave, then looked at each other, not sure of what to do now.

Kilnorc: I hope this was at least, an interesting chapter! lol. ja ne for now! -waves- FULL SAIL THAT AWAY! -points in random direction-

Devon: -sweatdrops- baka...