Natural Enemy 2-7A

“—n the front, cruising down the freeway in the hot, hot sun…”

The sun was hot, that much was a fact, and the song that popped into his head was true as anything else. Mid-morning heat in Port Town was no joke and seemed to be out to make people suffer for some reason. With no trees or shade to duck under like in Kaihua, the place seemed to just let the sun cook you the way it was baking down on the docks; the air a soup of hot tar and a hell of drying seaweed.

“Suddenly, red blue lights flash us from behind…” 

Coconut fibers bit deep into his palms as Kai forced down a grunt, both hands hard at work untying the layered, extra-knotted ropes he’d used on the Naruto to keep it safe. “Loud voice booming, ‘Please step out onto the line.’”

A grunt managed to spill past gritted teeth, Kai baking under the sun as the too-tight ropes reminded him that maybe he was too good at tying knots. “Pele p-preach words of comfort, Zina just h-hides her…ngggh-”

Another grunt forced its way out with a forced breath of air as the ropes finally tugged free of the last post it was tied to — “Eyes!” — and the ground under his feet gave way with it. Sh- The docks rushed up to meet him, Kai’s hands dropping down to catch him the instant his butt hit the wood.

Blue eyes blinked as he huffed and puffed heavy breaths of air, staring out at the docks where his boat bobbed. “O-okay…” 

Note to self, the back of one hand came up to wipe his dripping forehead, don’t tie the ropes so tight next time. Instead of a groan, a laugh sputtered out this time as Kai remained where he was, seated on the docks under the near-afternoon sun as he decided to ignore the heat like he did everything else he didn’t like about Port Town.

Besides, he was in too good of a mood to even care about stuff like that.

The backpack slung over his shoulders thudded against his back from the fall, the added weight in it familiar. In fact, every time he moved, he could feel the added almost-pound of bills moving around in there.

With all that extra money, he didn’t need to worry about using up what the chief gave him. Being honest, he’d already started on that; the first step was buying himself a portable stove to reheat the food he had, and the second was buying a canister of fuel for the stove. 

Sure, he wasn’t rushing to get through all the cash he had, but with more than a little extra, well… Not like it’s gonna hurt my pockets to spend a bit, right?

Kai’s grin widened as he spread the map of this ocean out in front of him between his legs as he held a compass in his right. Okay, okay, okay, so… Eyes flickered across the freshly drawn map he’d bought to replace the out of date one the village had given him, the teenager nodding as if he actually understood anything about where he was.

Kind of name is the Ballywood Kingdom? Dumb name or not, it had to be pretty important, considering it took up a huge chunk of the southwest of the West Blue. So, I’m on the southeast side of that kingdom’s island and…

A hum slipped free from his mouth, smile fading away as he continued studying where he was now. Port Town’s just outside the Wowie Archipelago… His finger traced its way from Kaihua all the way to where he was, his thumb landing on a spot not too far from Port Town. So, that’s where this Bill guy was last seen. 

His tongue bounced off the roof of his mouth, another click sounding out before the sound of a gull’s scream swallowed it. Just gotta roam the open ocean, sure.

Pulling himself up to his feet, Kai wasn’t gonna pretend like he had anything better to do anyway. Six million. Let’s go get paid.

Before he could jump down onto the boat, or even reach for his bag, a shadow fell over him.

More than one, actually; several shapes distinct and just far apart enough to do a great job of blocking the sun and glare as Kai squinted up. Huh?

He stared down a blockade as the blockade stared back at him.

Four Marines stood at the top of the gangway, each one of them awake, alert and ready; their uniforms crisp, clean and ready as the muskets they held in their hands. 

…uh-oh. They weren’t aiming them, though. Each gun was just held across their chests as they stood at the end of the dock, a wall of white starch and gunmetal blocking his exit.

“Kai D. Wade?”

His eyebrow went high, almost touching the brim of his bucket hat. “Yeah?”

The Marine who spoke stepped forward from the other three in formation, sweat stains already thick under his arms. His face was pinched tight, lips looking like he'd been sucking down lemon after lemon for hours as he stared down at Kai. “You are to follow us and report to the Marine outpost effective immediately.”

Kai blinked. Confusion hit him first, a cold splash of water to the face as he adjusted his hat tighter over his head. “Can’t do that, officers?” It slid out like a question, his eyes sliding back down to his boat. “I’m heading out right now, actually. Schedule to keep.”

“Lieutenant wants to see you” The man didn’t blink at the answer, repeating his point like a broken robot or something. “Now.”

A robot with a rifle.

Kai shifted his weight, hand still on his backpack. “I’m kinda busy right now. Can we do tomorrow? Maybe like…” He tilted his head, eyes going as wide and innocent as he could get them. “...the day after that?”

The Marines didn't smile, none of them moving. 

Their rifles did though, the weapons shifting an inch as the air got very thin. His eyes flicked down, Kai unable to help himself. Rifle… It had taken him like a full day for the bullet wound on his face to heal up from when that pirate captain had shot him, and that was just a cheap basic pistol. A rifle, though… 

Yeah, he wasn’t sure what that would do to him, especially this close up. His mouth went dry as the four stared back, a seagull cawing above their heads. All five of them on the docks didn’t say a word, eyes on all of them just as silent as people watched from the paved streets. 

Another smile forced itself on his face, a bit more shaky than he liked. “Am I under arrest?” 

The smell of cigarette smoke, cheap coffee, and cheaper beer invaded his nose as the speaking officer leaned in. “Do you want to be?”

Four guys, I could blast a couple. Blue eyes flicked down to the docks beneath his feet, the space wide but clearly not wide enough. Maybe just wash all four of them into the harbor.

Sure, easy enough.

And then what?

Then I’m a pirate. Then I’m a criminal. Then I get chased again, like… like… The anger in his throat burned as he swallowed it, tasting like vomit as much as it did acid.

He picked up his backpack. “...lemme just tie up my boat.”

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The walk back through Port Town felt different than yesterday.

Dragging two unconscious pirates through these streets twice his size had him feeling like a lion with his kill. He might as well have been three feet taller than each of the Grime Brothers with the eyes of the whole town on him, as dirty and stinky and scuffed-up as he was. 

Now?

Clean, neat, and surrounded on all sides by four Marines with weapons out, he didn't feel anything at all like a predator.

Eyes were on him like before, but it wasn’t the same.

The merchant selling beat-up apples — the one who’d given him the tip — saw the Marines coming and immediately found himself very interested in a crate of bruised fruit. Old man Remy stuck his squinty eyes out of the door of his bar, and took one look before stepping back inside, the door slamming shut. 

The look on his face had a clear ‘I told you so’ look to it that Kai didn’t miss.

Groaning on the inside, Kai kept his head down, staring at the boots of the Marine to the front and right of him as frustration bubbled hot in his chest. These guys are such…

They reached the outpost, the men marching him inside the lobby of the building as the air conditioning continued to sputter, the thing already sounding half-broken. The ceiling fan was on today, probably to make up for the faulty AC, as it spun lazily overhead and barely managed to move the heavy, humid air.

The lieutenant was the first thing Kai saw, the commanding officer sitting behind a desk that was too big for the recruit and pretty much perfect for him. Surrounded by stacks of paper, he didn't look like a serious military man.

He looked… smug.

“Ah…” A knife scraped at the tips of his fingers, the man cleaning up his nails with it. “The baby bounty hunter returns.”

“Wha…But…” Kai stood there blinking, less confused by the nickname than the way the lieutenant had greeted him. His mouth worked silently for a few seconds, gaze going between the marine officer that brought him here and the man behind the desk. 

Finally, he found his train of thought. “You… you had them bring me here, though?”

“That is true.” The lieutenant raised his head, still smiling. “We need to have a discussion with you about your actions yesterday.”

Actions? “What do you mean, actions?” The word almost came out a hiss. “I signed the paperwork you guys gave me. I already claimed the bounty.”

“That you did.” The lieutenant’s mustache twitched. “And we appreciate the assistance. The Grime Brothers were a nuisance. However…”

He slid a piece of paper across the desk.

“However,” the Lieutenant echoed, wood creaking loud as he leaned back in the chair. “There are… expenses.”

Kai’s eyes drifted down.

ITEMIZED INVOICE

• Destruction of Private Property 

• Disturbing the Peace

• Offensive Use of Devil Fruit within City Limits

• Cleanup

His mouth fell open as he read all the way to the bottom. “...you’re joking?”