The ship rose and fell upon waves that flowed with a steady constancy. The gentle bobbing of the ship was made possible due to the lack of gusts or turbulence of the water. After the type of trip they'd encountered from their departure, it was a nice ending to a rather hectic travel. The merchant vessel had plenty of knowledgeable and skilled seamen on it, but they were certainly not trying to battle a storm while at sea. The sun had just peaked over the horizon, kissing the water with faint glows of fire. Right as the white haired addition to the crew made his way topside from the decks below, the announcement was made. "Land, ho!" Quite the cliche announcement of their midway point, but one that could not have come at a better time. With a grin forming upon his face, Idaru made his way to the railings of the deck. Before him lay the town in the North of Karate Island, growing larger at an agonizingly slow pace. His silver locks danced in the breeze, tickling his neck as his grin evolved into a full blown smile. He had gotten passage onto this ship, along with a few others, in order to make it to Karate Island.

He had no specific goals while there in the form of things to gather or events that were to transpire. His goals were surprisingly simple in comparison to what many would have expected of him. What he wanted was to come to this island, famed for its martial artists, and to develop his skills. He wasn't sure if he'd find people who were no where close to his level, or people who eclipsed him in every sense of the word, but he was excited none the less. How else would he ever get the ability to train and to overcome hardships. His hand went up to his throat while his thumb stroked his jaw, finally rid of the bruising that had formed from his run in with a tiny person. The dwarf was much faster and stronger than what he had imagined would be possible for people of their size. He had never heard of them in any of his fathers tales, having no idea what to have expected when he encountered such a person. Now, at least, he would be prepared for next time. With the warnings of his family echoing in his head, of how easy it was to die in the blues, he was glad that he had not lost his life in that bar. He was certainly set up to.

As the land became closer and closer, obscuring the endless horizon with a destination, the ship began tossing out ropes to smaller vessels that approached so that they could be brought in to dock. While Idaru had come in order to test himself and hone what he was capable of, the actual merchants who owned the vessel only agreed to this travel due to Karate Island being a planned destination. For their voyage that was to come, this island served as a halfway mark that would allow them to top off on some supplies before meeting their final destination, and due to this convenience in scheduling, the Alpha was permitted to come along. As the ship finally attached itself to the docks using ropes of hemp, a board was placed between the ship and the anchored wood, allowing the young man to exit the ship along with the merchants who needed to step onto land, and anyone else who had tagged along for the venture from Crescent.

Walking off the docks and feeling the feeling of dirt misplacing and compacting itself beneath his feet (despite there being shoes obscuring the feeling), he sighed and twisted his feet into the ground. It was a pleasant feeling, one that he had missed while being on the ship. He had found that he loved the aspects of being a traveler in both of its senses. While on land, he missed the life on ship. The turbulent nights and the jubilant mornings, the battles against nature and the sweet caress that the water could bring. It was a roll of the dice each and every moment, and that sort of life style became as addicting as any drug. While on the ship though, he missed dry land. The crisp and sensual feel of the breeze when it rolled through an open plain or the woods. The feeling of grass being crushed beneath his feet, the gentle sound of dirt being kicked up while he walked. It was all so polar from one another that he was glad that he got to experience both.

As he walked to the edge of the harbor that now temporarily housed the mercantile vessel, he locked his hands together and rose them above his head into a long and pleasant stretch. Glancing at the others who were now letting themselves off the ship, he was trying to get a good idea as to who stowed upon the sea with him before he turned his back to the docks once more, stepping foot into what he considered as the official beginning of the town that occupied the northern tip of Karate Island. This had been his destination, and he was hoping to meet some interesting characters while he was here.

Sturm had been on the island of Karate for some time now. He was here studying some of the plant life that existed on the island. In his readings he came across some information that could prove beneficial in the long run. There were two types of plants that were considered to be siblings. A sort of yin and yang to each other. One plant would hold the key to life and the other would hold the key to death. Sadly he had no luck in finding the plant so he had stuck around in town to thumb through scrolls left behind by ancient monks. A endeavor that might yield some special knowledge for future creations. For the moment however he had been walking the docks enjoying the scenery around him. Sturm noticed a ship had just pulled into port, a trade vessel that could yield some supplies. He scanned exterior of the ship as it pulled into the harbor. Eventually he would have the technology to scan the interior of a ship from several yards away with his prosthetic eye.

He crossed the harbor area with a calm demeanor. His poncho kept his body concealed down to his kneecaps. The boats bobbed in the water from side to side. As he walked on the cobble stone path to the boat he quickly noticed how much he stood out. That could not be helped because he was trying to keep his looks underwraps for the moment. It has not been that long since he was left for dead by the marines. So he could have still been on their shit list. So for the moment he would adorn the look of a cowboy. The main reason of this look was momento of his son. The cowboy hat that was left behind as a gift to him. His eyes were fixated on the trade boat and noticed that a young lad disembarked from it. He had an aura about him one that Sturm was no stranger to. Because of the fact he crafted weapons throughout the years and gave them to worthy wielders he could smell potential.

Now that Sturm was back on his feet he had been scouting the area for a possible crew. One that he would begin a play worthy of a grand stage. Sturm was a very busy man, he always had a list of shit to do on a daily basis. He liked to keep business while he walked this destiny that would begin to unfold this very day. His gear was situated in a cross fashion. The handle of a rifle stuck out on his back right side and a claymore handle on his back left side. People cleared the path as he walked by, he radiated trouble too him. He approached the lad who stepped off the boat and looked down at him from behind Gold Tinted glasses.

“Do you know who owns this vessel lad?”

A large transporting vessel had sailed its way into the harbor. The captain, a short bearded man, shouted commands to his crew to prepare to unload the cargo while he handle the paperwork. The crew complied with the request and went on to their designated tasks. Amongst the crew was outsider who choose to not participate in all this hustle and bustle. There was already a lit blunt in his mouth as he lay reclined on a large box. He ignored the crew as they worked around him to latch the box he was on to a large pulley so that they could lift the box off the ship. The box, pirate and all, were lifted into the air and transferred from the ship to the docks. It was then the pirate leaped from the box and was met by the short bearded captain.

"You good here, lad," the man asked as he stroked his beard. Sebastian ignored the question at first as he stared off into the town and then pulled out a sheet of paper describing the reason he had come here in the first place. "Yea Im good here. You know any good spots to get a drink," he asked as he pocketed the sheet paper and looked to the captain. "I suppose for people like you I would suggest the Cheers Cabin, might for more of a rougher crowd there," the captain responded before he turned back and bark a few orders to his crew. By the time he finished and looked to continue the conversation with Sebastian, the young pirate had already begun to walk off. The captain only chuckled and turned back to his crew, "That bastard owes me  1,000 beli," was all he stated before he went back into a flurry of shouts and commands to his crew.

Sebastian made his way to the bar, making it a point to avoid any vigilant eyes that were still searching for him. He didn't feel like dealing with any old friends he may have fucked over in the past. He recalled the last time he was in the area he manage to set half a portion of the diner on fire which he was happy to see was reconstructed. The name of the Belmonte Pirates could only fade in memory of the people after so many years, at least this was what Sebastian hoped. He was alone this time around and things could get tricky if he were to get caught by the Marine's or even the remainder of what was once the thieves guild. At least the latter he knew he could rough up without worry of being hunted by an entire army.

Upon arriving to the bar Sebastian was instantly recognized, much to his disappointment. He a few of the patrons had been under the influence of the young pirates charm. Sebastian was forced to recalled times when he bought a round of drinks for an entire bar. Deciding it best to keep a low profile, Sebastian offered to by drinks yet again and a room so that he could remain to himself while he prepared for the event taking place on the island. The patrons in the bar were pleased with the gestures and several offered cheers as a way of thanks. Sebastian only gave a crooked smile before he was escorted up some stairs to where the rooms were. The barmaid stopped in front of a door and gestured to the room upon arriving, "This is it sir, do you need anything else," she asked in a soft voice that made Sebastian grin yet again. "Perhaps you for the night," he said with a chuckle as he walked passed the woman and entered his room. The woman did not follow, but even a blind man could see was blushing. She shook her head and went back to business, much like the young pirate had expected. "They always play hard to get," he said with a smirk before he sat down on the bed and pulled out a sheet of paper.

He read the paper again and immediately his mood changed after reading it. He then folded the paper again and stuff it back into his pocket. The letter was from his late sister, a final gift from the late pirate from beyond the grave. "So this is the first place that has information on where my son is," he thought as he stared at the window and pulled out another blunt. He wasted no time and sparking it and took a few puffs before his grin returned. "I hope these fucks make this difficult," he said tossing down his bags and making is way back down the stairs to where the bar was. He picked a table that was furthest away from the door, but nearest to the stairs that lead to his room. As he sat down he was met by the barmaid he brought him a drink. Sebastian replied with a wink and smile before putting out his blunt and partaking in the rum filled mug. "I get the feeling this day will be interesting."


Sebastian Belmonte Speech Color Code: #AF7817

“Do you know who owns this vessel lad?”

Idaru glanced towards the voice for a moment before beginning to continue on his way- However, his realization that no one was around the two other then themselves made him freeze. This guy was asking Idaru specifically, not someone near him. Looking around and trying to see, as if in one last attempt to avoid discussion, he sighed a sort of personal defeat. "Not exactly. It is a merchant vessel, setting its sails from Crescent Island, though I'm not entirely sure it's theorized destination." He looked at the man who was at least a head taller than himself, and for a moment a sort of amusement played in his mind. At the bar he had ran into a man smaller than any he'd ever seen, now he found a strange man who was larger than any he'd ever seen. He could only hope they were opposites in all regards- He didn't feel like his throat deserved any more jabs.

As Idaru glanced over at the boat to look for some sort of indicator to give this man a better idea of who was on the ship, he saw something that he wasn't quite a fan of. There were six people who were not a part of the crew that were now over at the ship, people whom the Alpha had not seen when he first departed. These people were surrounding a couple of the crew of the merchant ship, including the Captain, talking to them about something- He was much too far to hear. One thing was clear to him though, those unknown people looked pretty damn angry, and the merchants looked pretty damn angry too. "Excuse me, actually." Idaru separated himself from this stranger and began walking back towards the ship at his normal pace. This interested him, but he wasn't worried yet- After all, no blows were being exchanged.

As he got closer, the voices began to become more distinct. He could start making out words and what people were saying, and he was not too happy about what he was making out. These people were demanding a sort of tax from the Merchants, as well as part of what was on their ship, for docking there. The Merchants were obviously refusing, as these people neither worked for the Harbor, nor claimed any sort of high ranking position on the island. From any perspective, they seemed to just be thugs. "Is there a problem here?" Idaru spoke up, the Merchants looking at him without any sort of change in expression, and one of the unknown people glancing at him with annoyance. "None of your business, so bugger off why don't you?"

(Color for Marine - #009900 )

Sturm looked at the lad with the intent of getting the answer he was looking for. The lad at first seemed puzzled by the question and did not move automatically. He looked around as if Sturm was talking to someone not him. Thing was Sturm was pretty direct and distinctly asked this guy. Being a whole head shorter it was noticeable he was asking him and only him. He had too look down at him. Sturm could understand if he was not making direct contact or just talking loudly. He seemed troubled but game some form of answer. His initial deduction held true, ‘So it is a merchant vessel. Maybe I can get some supplies for later.’ he thought to himself. He did not care for its destination he just knew travelling merchants usually were willing to haggle. Their economy was based off their travels not just the island populace. This would prove beneficial of sorts too him if he could talk prices with them. The lad noticed something on the ship and properly excused himself from the scene. He looked over at the boat and made haste towards the deck.

Of course this peaked Sturm’s curiousity, why not follow the kid? He was going to head on the boat too have a conversation with the crew before they disembarked. It would be better to corner them and speak with them before they could alter prices to suit the island economy. As sturm walked onto the boat, surely his footsteps and spurs would alert the group to his presence. Sturm’s eyes scanned the area and gathered information. The Deck was not to big but it was big enough for a crew to man the ship. It was a two layer ship, no doubt the goods were under the deck along with the crew quarters. Men different outfits surrounded the crew, they looked like common thugs. By the looks of it they were causing problems for this crew. This could prove problematic for his own self-interests. Sturm stood directly behind the lad as he asked the group of men what exactly they were doing.

"None of your business, so bugger off why don't you?"

Of course they responded in a rude fashion. One that would make Sturm speak up. “Well that isn’t nice now is it? The man asked you nicely why don’t you just answer the question you cheeky fuckers.?” As he said this, his hands moved under his cloak ever so quietly. They were wide open to react to any form of movement. His fingers moved back and forth, ready for action. He looked perfectly still like a statue waiting for them to respond.

Sebastian sang loudly along with several of the other intoxicated bar patrons. All of the them were completely out of tune in terms of singing voices, but it did not discourage the rest of the bar to cheer them all as the stood on the bar counter. Sebastian himself was completely wasted having gotten into a drinking contest with the local champion who was now passed out on the floor. The rhythmic claps and cheers could be heard from even outside the closed doors. After the song ended the drunks all leaped from the counter and went back into the partying crowd of drunks. Sebastian had even managed to gain the waitresses attention as wrapped her arms around him and leaving numerous red lip stick kiss marks on his cheek and forehead. Sebastian himself held her close as he wrapped his right arm around her waist to keep her body close to his.

By the time he sat down at his table, the drinking champion was still laid out on the floor and his pitcher of rum was all but gone. "I'll get you another one," the waitress said gleefully as she danced off to the sound of more drunks beginning a song. Sebastian nodded in agreement as he watched her walk away, swaying her hips as she went. "Damn I love this place," he said with a smirk as he reached in his left shirt pocket and revealed a rather largely stuffed blunt about the size of cigar. He promptly lit it and scanned the room of inebriated men and women. "Doesn't look like any of them showed up here, then again I don't they'd where a uniform that would make them noticeable," he thought as he took a hit from his blunt. His golden eyes had been hoping to catch a glimpse of at least one thief trying to take advantage of the festivities, but sadly there were none here. He blew a few O's of smoke and brushed back his long black hair.

He'd hope this search would be easy, but he had to admit if finding a thief were easy then no one would be good at it. For the time being he would enjoy himself, perhaps word would get around about this place and bring some in. This entire ordeal was like fishing for the Belmonte, and what thief could resist the lure of drunken fools partying. The thought made him think of Jet, his younger brother that had either died or vanished on the sea. It was pretty much unknown, and when it came to Jet, few ever did know. He'd just as soon as run into him at a random shop in the middle of nowhere. He could only hope that the bastard was raising hell wherever he was.

The waitress returning broke Sebastian away from his thoughts as he greeted he with a wink, "You made me wait," he said jokingly as he sat in his lap and refilled his mug. "Sorry, I will make it up to you," she said with a wink of her own. "A woman after my own heart," Bastian replied before taking another hit of his blunt.

As quickly as these thugs spoke up, a voice rolled over Idaru's shoulder, seemingly to his aid. Quickly glancing back and seeing the rather tall man whom he had only just previously met, he'd be lying to say it wasn't a sigh of relief. He had definitely known that this man was following him over, but anything beyond that was as good as mystery to him. If this man had been with those thugs, or even on his own and willing to gang up with them, Idaru would have found himself in some pretty deep shit. With this, though, it felt as if the two of them were on the same side, if only for a moment. The six who had been bullying the Merchants, and then taking their irritation out on Idaru, seemed much more passivized by Sturm. His large stature and voice seemed to still their rage, if only for a moment. Before long though, one of them caught his confidence once more. The mad dog at the front of the pack, riling up the rest.

"L-Lemme tell you how this is going to go down, oi?" His confidence had not yet fully returned. He had done the math in his head though- This was clearly in their advantage. Six to Two, the merchants would do nothing. "We're going to tax these wares coming into our port. We're going to collect a fee from you two for interfering with business that is not your own. Then you'll be on your way." There it was, back into his flow of control that he had assumed was always his to begin with. This didn't sit well with the Alpha, though, and likely not with Sturm either. Glancing back at the tall man once more before deciding to speak, Idaru dearly hoped this man was indeed on his side.

"That's not going to work at all. These people were very kind to me, and I shall return their kindness. You will leave, either by choice or by force." His words did not carry the same level of intimidation as the monolith of a man who loomed behind him, only serving to infuriate those before him. With a mumbled "Why you..." before stepping forward and cocking back a large and over-exaggerated right hook, Idaru quickly did a half step back, using it to lead into a backwards hop that put him well out of range of this swing. The thugs before him had an assortment of hand-to-hand stances, and weapons pulled from their backs. They intended to fight.

Glancing to Sturm as the six stared at the two, expecting retreat, he would address the cowboy without trying to lower his voice. "Would it be presumptuous to ask if you will be fighting along side me?"

As he continued to bid his time in the bar, waiting for a thief to present himself, luck would have it that one would actually arrive. Despite his intoxication, Sebastian spotted the short man with realtive ease as he entered the bar and immediately went to work. Starting from the bar counter and slowly making rounds in the room, the thief was pick pocketing all that were to drunk to notice his presence. To further hide his action he would join in the revelry and act as if he were intoxicated as well. Sebastian was a bit amused by the thief's attempt to blend in despite having not drunk a single drop of rum. "The guy knows how to play a room," he said to himself as he took a swig of his own rum.

He waited for the thief to finish his rounds while Sebastian continued to enjoy his drink and company. Once he was positive the thief was finish, this being shown by the man's maneuvering towards the door, Sebastian downed the last of his rum and prepared to follow after. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, seeing as the thief would likely become startled if you noticed he was being watched, Sebastian waited until the thief was all but turning to leave out the bar.

Wasting little time, Sebastian went after him though he did so in a rather inconspicuous manner. Assuming he'd need an alibi just in case things turned sour, as they often did when it came to dealing with a Belmonte.

{Exiting Arc/Thread}