Part of the wall cracked and crumbled to the ground. People using the road stopped to know what had happened – why would somebody fly through the wall. They all froze the instant they saw Fang's motionless body at the center of the street
Kael was in shock. "That was crazy er…"
"Leonard Chamberlain" he said, wiping of the blood stain on his fist with a blue handkerchief
Oscar, the owner of the restaurant, rushed out from the back room. His eyes moved from Leonard and Kael to the girls seated on the sofa. There was no sign of Fang. He looked over to the crash and behold, Fang laying on the streets lifeless with people surrounding him
"LEONARD!!" He snapped, "You've finally done it haven't you, you have finally gotten all of us killed!!"
Leonard laughed awkwardly. Then Taka walked out from the backroom door, she ran to the girls and began to inspect them to check if they were hurt.
"I'll clean up the mess father, like I always do" Leonard said, the smile on his face fading gradually.
Oscar went on his little knees grasping unto his blonde "Don't you understand a thing Leonard? This isn't like the food or the dishes. There's no coming back from this – there is no…cleaning up!!" Oscar groveled to the ground, eyes wide open and sweating profusely.
The almost ever present smile on Leonard's face vanished. His dark eyes that matched the color of his hair went dull. He turned to the girls, they were all frightened but not as they were with fang. Leonard bent down on one knee and looked at every single one of them
"I'm sorry about that. You fine ladies should make sure to hide or best still join a cargo ship and run away. What's gonna happen next is going to be bit….chaotic"
He stood up and walked towards the cracked open wall.
On passing Taka her eyes screamed gratitude for many things but first and foremost for knocking Fang out. However she couldn't voice it, it would make her more of an accomplice than she already is.
Leonard walked through the open and turned back as if he had forgotten something. He glanced at Kael and asked "Aren't you coming? Or do you not plan on changing the world order soon?"
Kael's lips curled upwards, he walked passed the debris and joined Leonard
***
It was night, the street had gone empty, everyone had retired to their homes leaving only the parading Marines keeping watch.
A small house which served Leonard pretty well. It was tidy and neat, lacking a bit of furniture as the living room was almost empty with a single chair and a table. None of that mattered anyways because he had no one visiting him.
"This is all I can offer…" Leonard walked out from the small kitchen with a glass of juice and a small fruit at hand. He dropped it on the table "... I'd love to have given you something to eat but, trust me you'd rather starve than eat anything I cook. And here you go little guy" He stretched out the fruit for Appy who hesitated a little before collecting it.
Leonard waited for Kael to take a sip from the glass before he started.
"So, there isn't much to talk about. I believe you already know what's happening and what's about to happen"
"Yeah" Kael emptied the cup and dropped it on the table "We messed with one of your town boss's friends so he's coming after us"
"Yes but–"
*When are we attacking"
"Soon enough but we need to first understand who we are up against" Leonard chuckled at how eager Kael wanted a fight "Like I told you before there are three commissioners in the village with Fang being the lowest, and the weakest. The three of them are the ones that rule this town with the help of the Marines. I remembered how surprised you were to find out there were Pirates on the island…"
He walked towards the table and began drawing an imaginary map on it "...you didn't know because you used the main docks." He moved his finger on the table drawing a straight line "At the other side of the island there's another dock for the commissioners and their lackeys. There, a lot of shady business goes on, none that the town folks know about.
He stopped and looked at Kael, he was following.
" At this other side of the town that's where the remaining two commissioners live and run their business. Spear and Jones. While Fang may be a scum, these two are not to be taken lightly. They are very strong" He stroke the strand of beards on his jaw "If only there's a way we can find out the workings of the base, we can swiftly take out their leader, Spear and end all of this"
"You know almost everything about them?" Kael remarked
"What?" Leonard chuckled
"You know them. Yeah I guess it may be because their the boss of the town but–"
"I've fought against them before" Leonard bent his head reminiscing the past "A lot of us died. Those who were fortunate got killed during the war, the less fortunate were fed to the beast, got torn apart while being alive…" he took in a deep and solemn breath ".. we the unfortunate ones had to live with it like none of that ever happened"
Kael didn't reveal much sympathy on his face "You've lost the first time and you want to fight again. You might die, you know?"
"It doesn't matter. After all every single one of us will die, what matters is what we manage to achieve before we die" He stood upright "What about you. Why are you doing this, why safe this town with me"
"Oho don't get the wrong idea Leonard" Kael laughed and soon the smile disappeared as if it was never there "I'm not a bit interested in saving this town. I couldn't care less if it burnt down to ashes. I'm a pirate and you see as a pirate I've seen what saving towns like this gets you." He stood up from the chair "Rather play the villain and have the world see me as I am. Than play a hero and have the world see me as a villain." He stopped "And besides You said you wanted to turn this world upside down with me. So if you want to save this town, then I'll join you"
They both came together and shook each other firmly with a grin on their faces.
"So let's get–"
"Wait"
Kael whispered softly, he turned to the front of of the house "There's somebody there" he said
"Shit, they are already here"
"No! The person has no I'll intent to us"
"Oh then it must be Taka" Leonard moved to the door but Kael stopped him
"It isn't Taka." He said then whispered to himself almost inaudible to Leonard "I've felt this presence before…" he walked up to the door, slowly turned the knob and opened it
The person standing at the other side was short and clad in black. He tossed Kael a pouch of coins and there and then Kael knew who the individual was.
"The Phantom"