Beat the Pirates!!! I+II [D+C Rank SSM]

[Akimichi Kato]

Lightning Country
Port Cirrus​

After three days of roaming around the city, trying to find even the most menial of jobs to make himself some money, Kato finally found a ship captain who would give him the time of day to listen. The man was a grisly old bearded fellow with a hard exterior, but a kind paternal demeanor. He had watched Kato from a distance for days. He could tell the boy had a strong, good spirit, and felt bad form. No kid deserved to be a beggar on the street. On his last afternoon before leaving port, Captain Yin-Soon confronted the boy, after he was ignored by another sailor.

"Ey boyo, ye look like a stout lad, how'd ye like to earn yerself some coin?" he asked.

Kato was surprised by the gruff voice behind him. He turned to see a tall strong man with a long black beard, beginning to grey near the man's mouth. He wore a long dark coat, and carried a saber in his belt. The man bit down hard on his cigar as he puffed out a few smoke rings. For a moment Kato didn't say anything, but finally stammered out a yes, and nodded vigorously.

And so he found himself, three weeks later, serving aboard Yin-Soon's ship. He had been brought on board as a bodyguard of sorts. Yin-Soon had heard the same rumours which Kato had been tracking down, and decided that the chubby boy could be helpful if they ran in to the Leaf Pirates. Unfortunately so far, he had not been of much use. Instead he had begun to learn a little about serving aboard the ship, and when the crew needed him he lent a hand with regular duties. They had made their delivery, and were on their way back to Port Cirrus already, where Kato and the rest of the crew would part ways. Yin-Soon promised he would still pay Kato, but the boy really didn't feel right about it.

As he tightened the main lines on the mast, Kato thought glumly about his ordeal. "It's probably for the best. I didn't wanna have to fight the pirates anyway... just find out what they knew bout civilians fleeing the village...guess I gotta look for more work. or get better at hunting..."

[MFT]
[WC:384]

 

[Akimichi Kato]

Re: Beat the Pirates!!! I

"Kato! Ye better get up here lad," Yin-Soon yelled as he flicked the butt of his cigar overboard and into the water. The chubby young boy rushed from below deck and hurried to the captain's side, peering across the port bow at a small ship flying a black flag. As the wind whipped the small flag it was hard to make out the emblem, but it was something Kato was so familiar with, burned so deeply in his heart he knew it instantly. It was the symbol of leaf, refashioned into a pirate flag by the small band of former shinobi who had been terrorizing the trade routes these past weeks.

It was beginning to look like Kato may get some action after all. His grip tightened on the ship's railing, the boy now feeling less camaraderie towards these men, and more anger. He understood how the former shinobi could turn to a life of crime to survive... but to drag down the leaf with them, it made Kato sick.

"Calm down boyo, let's wait and see what happens," the captain said, clapping a hand on the tensed boy's shoulder. But they didn't have to wait long. Mere moments after the captain spoke, one of the pirates used some sort of fire jutsu to fire multiple projectiles at the ship.

"Time to earn my keep," Kato growled, vaulting himelf over the side of the ship. He landed and used his chakra to run across the water, using Partial Expansion on his arms at the same time. When he got close to the smaller ship, he took two of the pirates by surprise, nailing them with his enlarged fists and send them flying into the water. Releasing his jutsu, Kato leaped aboard their vessel, kicking the man who released the fire jutsu in the chest before landing on the deck. There were four more leaf shinobi standing around him, and as much as Kato had run into trouble staying fed, it was clear these men were worse off. Up until now, Kato wasn't sure if he would have the skills to take on the rumored Leaf pirates, but seeing them now it was clear he had the upper hand. "I suggest you all back off, and quit attacking ships that come through here. Its a dishonour to the memory of my village to be using that symbol," he commanded. The men whispered amongst themselves before the fire user, presumably the leader, stood in front of Kato.

"Who do you think you are to tell us... spoiled brat. We're just trying to live," the man retorted.

"Hmph, you're just a scumbag. I came from Leaf too... I was only a child, but I survived. You grown men should've been able to do better than me!" he yelled back. One of the other three men rushed forward, calling Kato insolent, but the man was small. All Kato had to do was step his weight into the man's oncoming rush in order to knock him aside. "I don't wanna fight. You leave my ship alone, and we have no quarrel. What I do want from you is some information. I'm looking for refugees from leaf. Where did everyone go when it started to fall?" he asked. The men all scoffed and rolled their eyes. They had been down this dark path so long, all they wanted to do was fight. So Kato gave them what they wanted. They stood no chance, as Kato barely had to try, he had such a clear advantage from weight alone.

He saved the leader for last. He let the man think he had the advantage, as the young Akimichi did nothing but defend and block his attacks. Finally, getting a little tired of the fight, Kato grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him in the air. he didn't apply pressure or hurt the man, just held him there in place. "I'll ask one more time. I'm looking for refugees from Leaf. Civilians, but well-off vcivilians. Where would leave have evacuated them to?" he growled.

***

"Well Boyo, ye earned this,"[/color] Yin-Soon praised, handing over a small wallet full of money. "If ye still want ter leave, at least take this with ye," he added, pressing a map into Kato's palm. he looked at the young boy with pride in his eyes. [b"Yye take care o yerself,"[/b] he ordered, patting the young boy on the back. Kato gathered his thing, and headed down the ramp, back to Port Cirrus. Next stop: the desert.

[WC: 756]