A New World

* **Date Completed:**Completed
* **Users Involved:**User:Logan Smith1, User:MohmohMoh, User:TheRedFang06
* **Setting:**Paradise
* **Characters Involved:** Black Betty
* **Characters Featured:** Black Jack, Black Dahlia, White Walter, White Asmodeus, Selkirk Geryon
* **Previous RP:**

## The Setting Moon

Asmodeus walked down the footpath that made up the main road of the village. A fake smile decorated his face as he waved and greeted the villagers he passed by. Each new step lighter than the last as he was nearing the outer parts of the village, where the otherwise refined and flattened dirt road grew rough and coarse. On the last step of the road his fake smile grew into a genuine one. Filled with both ambition and a longing for his departure from the village.

A past self of his ran past him towards the village with the same grin which he himself carried. His right foot made its way outside of the road and onto the soft, lush grass. The memories of his past run rampant in his mind, almost capable of physically witnessing it once more.

The sun had shone brightly from the clear blue summer sky on that day, his orange hair flared in the breeze as each step he took had embraced the dirt. The flowers which bloomed in all kinds of vibrant colors, each one harboring their own scent.  Running past a few of the villagers he overheard a tiny bit of their conversation, “place is like heaven.” The words echoed through Asmodeus' young and curious mind, wondering what the word “heaven” meant.

He had carried a wide smile as he ran into the village, shouting after his father, “POOOOOPS!” Giggling he ran towards the village chief Walter before leaping onto his chest. “POPS! POPS! THERE’S A HUUUUUGE LAKE IN THAT DIRECTION!” The young boy pointed eagerly towards the mass of trees surrounding the village.

Asmodeus didn’t give his father a single second to give a response but continued, “ALSO ALSO!” His excitedness was turned down as his voice turned into a curious one, “I heard Rosa say something about a place called..” Growing hesitant in what he had heard he slowly said, “Heeeaveeeen?” Following up he questioned himself, “she said something like, “place is like heaven”?”

Walter’s mustache furrowed to cover his wide smile as he threw his arms in the air. His voice carried ambition and excitement as he spoke, “Heaven? Heaven boy? HAH! Heaven is a complete bliss! Heaven is completely different for each person… Some may find it being a bliss surrounded by others, some may find it being alone, others find their heaven on the battlefield!”

Standing in a trance as he listened intently, questions started to stir Asmodeus’ young heart as he heard his father’s speech about heaven. His heart was set ablaze from excitement, his eyes glimmering with fascination.

Walter’s mustache lowered, devoid of the previous excitement and ambition as his smile faded. “On the contrary… Asmodeus.” Clinging onto his son's attention his eyebrows lowered giving him a grim look. “Hell.. Hell is the opposite of heaven.. A place which each person strives to get away from, there is nothing worse than being in hell.”

Taking a few deep breaths he carried on with his speech, “A deep sensation, as if nothing truly matters. A place devoid of all things exemplary. Where even the mundane ceases to exist. I assume.. No.. I know, it's a place where all things end as if it had never begun”

The aroma of fresh water mixed with morning dew relieved him from the visions of his past, returning him to the serenity of the lake. The stars had begun to recede, helpless at the mercilessness of the encroaching sun.

As exhaustion overcame him. A light gust of wind was just enough to send him over the edge as his body fell limp. This small grove of grass near the lake had become the ideal place for him as he was whisked away from consciousness.

A full moon left in the sky without a single cloud, accompanied solely by the multitude of stars that could be seen plain as day. A green haired woman walked alone through the forestry, the wildlife was unfazed at her presence. The song of crickets coalesced into a symphony of serenity. The blades of grass peaked between her toes with every step as a cooling breeze pushed her hair and what little remained of her emerald clothing.

The moonlight cast brightly on the island, illuminating her path with the aid of thousands of fireflies. The light bounced effortlessly from the skull shaped mass on her head. Her feminine physique was toned and muscular, while still accentuating her large bust and rear behind the shreds of fabric that made her clothing.

"Asse! Where are you? Did you forget we're setting sail today?" Betty shouted in an annoyed tone, pouting in excess. “Come ON Asse! The boat’s ready! Don’t tell me you got cold feet!”

The serene allure of the crystal clear lake painted a picture of the sky, *“Huh. No wonder this is your favorite spot.”* Betty gazed out in wonder, taking in every minute detail of the image. She stood still for what felt like hours just looking at the lake before an orange color caught her attention on the ground. Betty stomped over toward Asmodeus, hands on her hips and pouting furiously as she drew the eyes of the entire forest it seemed on her.

“You fell asleep! Well. At least now you can’t run away from me.” Betty said to the sleeping Asmodeus, crouching down and patting his chest with a gentle smile on her face. She knew he was a deep sleeper, so this was a perfect opportunity. Standing above the unconscious Asmodeus, Betty faced his feet and leaned over, grabbing his waist and lifting him up to drape his body over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. His head rested peacefully on the pillows on her chest as she carried him towards the coast.

A sudden warm sensation embraced his entire face, soft enough to be mistaken for the finest of pillows, softest of bread, bounciest of beds. The sudden awakening pulled him from his dreams, greeted by green cloths and the smell of lavender mixed with sawdust. Staring at the pillows which his face bounced on he slowly closed his eyes. Asmodeus’, in his half asleep state took a few seconds to process where he was.

A bright red hue followed the realization of what his pillows were made up of. Asmodeus’ eyes opened widely as the realization grew further. His breaths grew progressively heavier as his entire line of sight was covered by Betty’s torso. The flames of excitement rose inside of him, each passing second felt like an eternity. They say that time moves fast when you’re having fun, yet Asmodeus found himself in what he could only describe as heaven. *”Pops… That bliss filled place you spoke about so many moons ago.. I’M THERE RIGHT NOW! TRULY THIS MUST BE THE PLACE YOU CALLED HEAVEN!”*

Betty pressed on towards the coast, oblivious to the fact that Asmodeus feigned sleep for scandalous purposes. The fellow druids had begun to rise from their slumber, the village showing life before the sun itself. Everyone gathered around Betty with various food and supplies, an ocean of smiles enveloped them.

"Thanks everyone! I'm sure we'll be back soon!" Betty replied with a tone of joy. The smile on her face stretched from ear to ear seeing all her friends supporting her decision to venture out and explore the world.

With a large bag full of assorted supplies, the villagers followed Betty as she continued toward the coast. A small dinghy floated carelessly atop the gentle stillness of the ocean. As she looked out at the dark skies, a solitary tear rolled off her cheek. That vessel was the ticket she had been waiting for, a chance to discover what was beyond all she had known. Three figures stood in the way however.

"Looks like the boy fell asleep again ey?" Walter stepped forward, patting Asmodeus atop his orange hair.

The pats from Asmodeus’ father only served as an excuse for him to gently push his face further inwards. *”I’ve come even further into heaven… All thanks to you pops!”*

"Yeah I found him by that lake again. I don't know why he chose today of all days to disappear like that."

*"Talking as if it's my fault that the lake has such a calm nature to it, its practically inviting you to fall asleep!"*

"Well, I'm glad you found him." A smile revealed itself behind Walter's thick mustache. "Take care of my boy. I know you both can handle yourselves, but the world is a vast place. Full of dangerous people and things, I speak from experience from when your father and I explored."

*"This old story again? I've heard this story far too many times.. Heard it more times than pops saying my own name."'*

Walter gestured to Jack as he approached them. "Ay' I know I told ya the tale 'bout me eye!"

*"Unfortunately.."*

"Yeah I think I heard it a time or two." Betty's sarcastic tone was accompanied by an eye roll and a smile.

*"Fortunately we won't have to hear it again for a long time Bets."*

"Vakaka. Ah just be careful out there kiddo. And know you have all of Abhaile behind you." Jack placed his massive hand on Betty's shoulder, a look of pride in his eye as it began to pool with tears. "You'll always be my little girl. We love ya BB."

"Love you guys too. We need to get going though." Betty adjusted Asmodeus on her shoulder slightly as the villagers placed bags on the dinghy.

"OHHHH MY LIL ONION BB!" Dahlia couldn't contain her emotions, her cries of hysteria echoed across the entirety of the island. "Why don't ya jus stay home!? Why ya have ta go n explore like yer father?"

"Mom, it's time for us to go."

A pool of sweat had started to gather around Asmodeus' face, each breath onto the suffocating area only served as a way to trap the rising heat.

Dahlia whimpered. Her face was flushed with red and soaked with a sea of tears. "Just.. Just be safe BB. Don't forget to write.."

Betty pressed her forehead against her mothers, their green hair intermingled with one another. "I won't forget ma. I'll write whenever I can."

Betty walked past the trio seeing them off, her bare feet making imprints in the sand with every step. Tossing Asmodeus into the boat like a bundle of wood, Betty turned around, glancing over the place she called home for her entire life. The entirety of the village stood at the shore, smiles of joy and wonder bid them farewell.

Short of breath he continued to breathe calmly as he got thrown onto the boat. Landing on his back, his face grew pale as he had finally escaped the suffocation that he called heaven.

"So long everyone! Until next time!" Betty shouted as she pushed the boat into the water, jumping in after it gained momentum.

The rising dawn pierced through the valley of trees, mingling with the minor traces of pale smoke in the air. The aroma of fresh herbs and grilled meat danced across the forestry, accompanied by fresh dew and the sound of chirping birds and a bubbling brook flowing down the center of the village. A variety of wooden huts are caught in the fray of the encroaching light, vibrant hues that stick out ever so slightly with the forestry emerged.

A group of these individuals were gathered at the coast just east of the small village. Flower petals danced in the air above them all as intense sobbing remained profound, even amongst the sounds of the ocean. A lone raft sailing towards the rising sun, aboard the vessel was a tall woman

"OH MY LIL ONION BB IS LEAVIN' ER 'OME JACK!" An older woman shouted hysterically, clinging on to the thick chest hair of the man she called Jack with tears roaring from her eyes.

"It's alright Dahlia. Er'ry bird mus leave the nest."

Tears welled up in Jack's uncovered eye before being wiped away with the back of his hand. His smile extended beyond the reach of his face as he watched his daughter sail away from home with her best friend. Jack wrapped both his arms around Dahlia, lifting her off her feet for a moment in a grand display of affection. A cold hand placed itself on his shoulder.

"Now now you two. Be proud that the next generation has decided to broaden their horizons. Besides, Betty is with my Asse mac. He'll make sure she is okay." An elder man's voice reverberated over their pained sobs. White Walter smiled at the pair, his thick mustache spread wide, furrowed above his lips. His gaze looking off towards the rising dawn, pride glossed over his eyes.

## The Rising Sun

The ache wouldn’t stop as he continued to row rigorously across the oceans devastating tides. Each row was felt throughout his arms, reigniting the searing pain. Heavy pants escaped from his lungs as beads of sweat constantly dropped from his face with every rotation of the oar. Through the scorching pain and exhaustion, Asmodeus begged Betty, “It was.. It was a mista, god this is heavy.. It was a mistake, Betts.. I didn’t mean to fall asleep, would you please forgive me?”

The gentle currents of the open sea posed as the guide of a small gunboat. Selkirk Geryon at the helm, the intense rays of the sun bombarded the deck without mercy. Visible waves of heat painted a scene of humidity above the calm waves, obscuring his vision. Having been sailing for a few days now, the exhaustion had finally begun to set it. As his eyes slowly fluttered, a peculiar spectacle caught his attention. The sight of a small dinghy, with colors of orange and green residing within was on a direct collision course with his small ship. Geryon quickly dashed to the front of his vessel in desperation. The sweat pouring off his face as he leaned off the bow shouting, "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" to the Dingy's crew, before returning at the helm as quickly as he could to try and steer the gunboat away from it, as to prevent the impending impact.

Her arms were as crossed as her attitude as Betty ignored Asmodeus' rampant please. The gentle currents had been replaced in a violent manner by a much larger succession of waves. Having not heart the labored howls of the man aboard the gunship, Betty remained complacent with a pout on her face as she ignored Asmodeus.

Exhausted he would continue to fight against the currents and tides of the ocean. The increase in both size and strength only served to drain his energy faster. His only fuel was the woman pouting angrily on the other side of the dinghy, despite her clear anger the blown up cheeks paired with the pout only served as a way to make her cuter than she already was. Overshadowed by the waves was the approaching gunboat.

Striking against each other the waves completely drowned out the sound of his warnings. Flashing before Asmodeus was the gunboat, as if appearing out of thin air it was on a collision course. Thrown away from his grasp, the oars were left to be engulfed by the raging waves, letting out one final cry as they slapped the water. Asmodeus threw himself at Betty as his voice cried out in desperation.

“BETTY!”

One of his arms latched onto her back as the other arm lifted her legs, throwing her out of the way from the incoming vessel before it had the chance to shatter the dinghy. Asmodeus’ vision grew dim as the sound of splintering planks surrounded him. Cold water rushed against his feet as the planks broke on all sides of Asmodeus before he was thrown underneath the gunship with his vision blacking out.

"ASSE!" Betty shouted at the top of her lungs with an expression that could be described as nothing less than terror at the sight of Asmodeus swallowed beneath the currents. Her voice reached a piercing shrill tone, cracking behind the desperation it carried.

Diving under the unrelenting currents to save her friend, Betty swam with the speed and grace of a dolphin despite the urgency with every stroke. Her green hair trailed violently at the mercy of her determination, her mind fell blank the instant she had reached Asmodeus' lifeless form. Betty immediately grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into her arms, embracing his head into her chest before swimming to the surface.

As they breach the waves of blue, a state of panic washed over Betty's face as she looked at her unconscious friend.

*What do I do? What do I do!*

All she could think to do was hold him in her arms, hoping he would come to.

Sheer terror was quick to take over Geryon's mind and body at his failure. He couldn't avert the crash, all he could do was shout a half-choked "NO!" from the top of his lungs as his gunboat impacted the dingy and tore it apart. He clenched his teeth, fearing for the worst, sweat pouring down on his face. He then noticed the girl, named 'Betty' from what he could hear, diving in the waters to save her friend, 'Asse'.

He thought for a second, breathed in, quickly discarded his swords, and... Before he could dive in as well, he noticed the two reemerging. 'Asse' was out cold, and 'Betty' was carrying him. A great sense of relief washed over him at the sight of them surviving, but it wasn't done. Not yet.
He dropped anchor, then threw himself in the waters, swimming as quickly as he could towards the duo, before grabbing 'Asse' as well, helping 'Betty' in holding him.

"Bring him to my ship! Quick!"

He shouted at the younger woman, trying his best to stay calm in such a situation. Even then, a hint of panic was clearly noticeable in his voice. Together with the younger girl, he carried the unconscious 'Asse' towards his gunboat, laying him down on the bridge. He then turned to look at Betty...

"Sorry for this whole mess, mate. Should've noticed the two of you sooner."

Eyes wide, a dreadful gaze, the stillness of a sculpture. Betty stood in complete silence, her heartbeat was scattered, creating an audible melody of dissonance.

*"I.. I shoulda forgave him. Dammit Asse."*

Tears rolled gently off Betty's porcelain face as she stood over Asmodeus. "Can you do anything?"

Geryon shook his head. His eyes, however, were still hopeful, as he took his charts and placed them on the ground.

"Me? Nay, Mate. I'm a navigator, not a medic. But we still have a chance."

His finger began to hover on the chart, and he pointed at a spot in the middle of the sea.

"We should be around here..." He said, before shifting the finger, pointing at a small batch of land not too far away; "There's a small island, west of this place... And it should be inhabited. Maybe we can find a doctor for your friend there."

Geryon then got up, and quickly began to raise the anchor. While Betty was standing still, he was back in full activity, doing his best to 'make amends' for his mistake, so to speak. Once he was done with the anchor, Geryon moved towards the gunboat's helm and began to steer the ship towards the island.

"And since I'm the one that caused this mess, I'll also be the one to fix it and bring you there."

He added, glancing at Betty, then at 'Asse', and finally at the sea in front of him.

"Then let's GO ALREADY!" Betty shouted in desperation, punching Geryon's side like an upset child.

Geryon took the punch. He almost hit back out of reflex, but stopped himself before he had even raised his fist. The only consequence of the action was his hand twitching slightly. He took a long breath, then focused on his duties as a Helmsman.

"We're going to take a few hours, so be patient." he said to Betty, glancing at her for a second before focusing once more on the sea. His eyes held a look of both remorse and will to make things right.

The young man's prediction came to pass, as the island they were looking for appeared on the horizon merely two hours later.

"Land ahead!" he shouted. The port of the island's only city was filled to the brim with fishing boats, some docking and some departing. The town itself was nothing too flashy: a relatively small community indeed. Geryon docked his ship, then carried Asse on land himself, with Betty's help

"WE NEED A MEDIC HERE! THE KID'S INJURED!"

He shouted. His tone was firm, with a hint of desperation. He was directed by a fisherman towards the island's hospital, then left 'Asse' in the care of its medics. He then turned to Betty, nodding in relief.

"He'll live. I've already taken care of the bill... And now I'm broke." he said, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Two swords clashed against each other as the rain poured onto them. Sadness overwhelmed Asmodeus’ heart each time, twisting and tearing it apart. A mask hid the tears that poured from his heart. The pain only grew as the two continuously fought, Asmodeus’ was kept on the defensive as the shadowy figure slashed at him. The sadness he felt was shared by the shadow, yet an overwhelming rage found itself in the shadow. One deeper than anything Asmodeus had ever encountered. Sparks flew into the rain around them as their swords collided yet again. Distancing themselves as the sparks grew fiercer than before, he would find himself completely devoured by dread and sorrow. His blade planted itself in the ground next to him.

Tears streamed down from his face as he awoke from the dream. Surrounding him was an unfamiliar room. Through the bloody bandages covering his head he’d find the sensation of a searing sharp pain. Asmodeus’ eyes forced themselves shut as he placed his hand onto the place where the pain came from. A somewhat faded and distant memory played in front of his closed eyelids. A man shouting as he sailed towards Asmodeus’ and Betty’s ship. Throwing himself to save Betty before a collision with a bigger ship, shattering the dinghy they had sailed on before a broken half of a plank had been thrown into his skull.

Asmodeus’ eyes widened as he opened them, the very man who had crashed into them was sitting in front of him. The covers of the bed he found himself in flew off as he leapt towards the man, his right arm thrown towards Geryon’s face. Charging towards his adversary, he saw the glimpse of Betty sitting next to Geryon. The rage he already felt was increased by a hundredfold as his fist only sped up further.

(POUND)

The vibrations go throughout the room, as do the drops of what seems like liquid. The quick gasps of breath before each vibration continues to get louder, and yet faster.

The boy wakes up, scared. Jumping out of bed and finding the nearest object to use as a weapon. The vibrations continue to get louder as each grunt follows. The boy quickly rushes out of the room, with a broom in his hand, as he then looks around in the empty hallway. The smell of fresh medicine and latex. The vibrations continue, as he then figures out where it is. He glares at room next to him, hesitating before he even touches the door knob. The boy then opens the door quickly, holding the broom like it was a sword. He then sees two men fighting it out inside a hospital room.

"What the..?"

The boy held down his guard, as he then put the broom in his left hand. He then stared once again and thought to himself what he could do. Rushing back to his room he grabs his haori, straw hat, and wooden katanas, quickly slipping them on and going back to where he once was. The boy then crosses his arms as he stands outside the open door menacingly.

Standing there as they continued to fight for a whole 30 seconds, he then thinks to get their attention a different way. Doing a small cough to clear his throat, quickly blurting out,

"BEHAHAHA! TWO VERY BIG STRONG MEN FIGHTING IT OUT TO THE DEATH!"

Quickly catching both of their attention. Standing 5'2 and very slim. He looks at both of them grinning. They continue to look at him confused, as he stood there in utter shock as sweat started to roll down his face.

"UHHm...- I'm sorry to interrupt this fight, but i'm gonna have to ask you two to stop fighting before it gets too out of hand. If not, i'll have to stop you both myself."

The boy said confidently, as you could see the sweat quickly roll down his face.

All Geryon heard was the sound of covers being thrown away. He turned his head, seeing Asmodeus up and running again, and smiled. Now he knew he didn't spend all of his money for naught.

"Oh, good! You're a-"

He was interrupted by a punch straight to the face, forcing him to put a hand on the ground to avoid falling.

"-OW! WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT?! I LITERALLY SAVED YOUR ASS!"

He shouted, clearly angered by Asse's attack, as small rivulets of blood flowed from his nose and mouth following the punch. Then again, he did crush their dinghy and knock the boy out, but small details like that one weren't exactly his main concern at the time.

And yet, he didn't strike back, opting to curse like a sailor instead. After all, he had wasted all his money to heal him, and tearing Asmodeus a new one would cause his previous sacrifice to go to waste.

Asmodeus’ eyes were filled with anger as his voice bellowed, “YOU’RE THE REASON BETTY AND I WERE PUT IN DANGER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING!”

Placing himself between Betty and Geryon, Asmodeus’ left arm would be drawn back before plunging yet again towards Geryon’s face.

The very moment Asmodeus’ fist was set in motion, an intruder would position himself at the door. Blinded by his tantrum, Asmodeus would ignore the trespasser as his arm was in full motion.

The boy stood like a statue, as he watched each punch land. He wasn't sure what to do as they both intimidated him. The boy would then again, have a small cough, fixing his posture as he then shouts out,

"STOP FIGHTING YOUNG ONES! BEFORE I HAVE TO STEP IN TO STOP YOU BOTH!"

Sweat rolling down his face, neither of them listening. He then puts his hands on his swords, as he then rushes towards them. While trying to act cool the boy gets hit in the crossfire of Asmodeus' punch, knocking him out cold. This could possibly be the end of this young boys story, short life but he had learned a lot.

"I KNOW, AND I DID MY BEST TO FIX THAT, YOU DUMBASS!"

Geryon shouted at Asse, ready to roll to his side to dodge his punch... Only for a boy to get hit instead.

Geryon looked at the scene with a mixture of surprise and shock.

"... Did you just murder a child?"

Geryon asked Asmodeus, his tone shifting from outright furious to unsettlingly calm, his fury turning into a calm rage. His eyes shot a death-glare at the young Druid, as he glanced at the child that was knocked out cold.

Wasting no time, Geryon tried to grab the unconscious boy and lay him on Asmodeus' bed, all the while glaring at the Druid.

The eyes of Asmodeus’ were cold as his punch connected earlier than he had anticipated. A young boy fell unconscious between them as Geryon gave Asmodeus a leer that could send chills down any man's spine. His eyes furrowed as his forehead forced its vein to bulge out. A tone sharper than the stare that Geryon gave him broke out from his throat, “you’re the reason this happened, so watch your fucking tone.”

Stares between two determined souls contaminated the room as Asmodeus drew his face closer to Geryons. “A single punch won’t be able to kill a druid. The Avnova will heal him, just like it did to me.”

The tone Asmodeus took led Geryon to narrow his eyes further as the staredown continued. "Druid?" he said, his head tilting slightly. He had heard of Fish-Men, Giants, Wotans, Four-Arms... But this was a new one.

He kept staring straight into Asse's soul, before sighing and opting to explain the situation to avoid another mess like that. Their bickering resulted in a boy being injured. He forced his visage to become more relaxed and the calm rage that he was feeling to subside, as he explained the whole picture to Asse.

"Yes, I'm the reason this happened, and I know it. Which is why I brought you two here, so you could recover and find a new ship. Even if you appear to think otherwise, I'm not the kind of man that turns away when he fucks up, kid."

He took a glance at the kid in the bed behind him, and then sat back down again.

"Also, both you and your girl have one hell of a hook. Another hit like that, and I'd spit out a tooth." He continued, trying his best to change the topic of the conversation.

The bright lights within the walls of the hospital held Betty's gaze with the intensity akin to execution. An ecstatic giggle continued to escape the grasp of her mouth, though it was behind a lip biting smile as the cold floors tickled her bare feet. The shoes of each doctor and nurse quickly interrupted in repetition. These fascinating sights berated Betty mercilessly, igniting her heart with a blaze of complete joy.

As Geryon spoke, her attention was immediately taken hostage as her focus snapped onto him with haste. A light pink hue decorated her her cheeks as she rose to her feet and punched both Geryon and Asmodeus in the arm with the force of gunshot.

"Why'd you guys knock out this kid out!?" Betty's shout echoed down the halls. "He needs help! Why are you so mean? And why would **YOU** hurt another druid Asse?"

Kneeling over, Betty grabbed the child and pulled him into a deep embrace. As her arms closed, sealing this hug, a light glow radiated from the sections of skin to skin contact.

Geryon flinched at the punch, but otherwise remained still, observing the scene. After putting a hand on his arm with an annoyed groan, he spoke again...

"First, thank you for proving my point. Second, your boyfriend here was the one to take the shot."

He said, pointing at Asse, his face more annoyed than angry.

Then, Betty... Hugged the child? And, even more strangely... They started to *glow*?

"Uuuuuh... What is she doing?"

He asked, slowly turning his head towards Asse. His face expressed both confusion and a slight hint of curiosity at the scene in front of him.

Bells of happiness rang through Asmodeus’ head as Geryon’s words were repeated through his head. The face that had been angry seconds ago had lightened up with a wide smile followed by an embarrassed pink hue. “M.. Me and my girl?”

The sharp sting that penetrated the skin of Asmodeus’ made him turn his eyes away from Geryon and onto Betty. His body instinctively took a step back as the sudden barrage of disappointment was let out from Betty’s lips. “Ah, eh, uh, a.."*Sigh*
The sound of defeat whispered across the room from the rift between his lips. His eyes festered on the ground as he attempted to explain himself, “I didn’t mean it, besides you know I wou..” Asmodeus' words came to a halt as his eyes wandered onto Betty. Geryon’s words marched through Asmodeus’ head as he stood in disbelief. The drums of war echoed through his head as his blood was set aflame. Teeth grinded against one another as Asmodeus took in the sight of Betty embracing another man before his eyes.

Sweat still rolling off the boys face. Each drop slapping the ground, making a very quiet "**splash**". As each second goes by, so does one sweat roll off the boys face. "**Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…**". The boy who was once on the ground, knocked out due to a punch to the face, is now woken up, but not in a hospital, but instead what seems to be nothing. Its completely black..

"H-HELLO..!?... IS ANYONE THERE..!?" He shouts out.

Rays of light appear before him, as a female silhouette starts to form.

"HEY... THIS ISN'T FUNNY!... WHO IS THAT!"

The boy puts his hands on his waists, looking for his swords, but they're gone. In panic he balls his fists up ready to defend himself against whatever this is. The silhouette then starts to become visible. The women stood 5'7, very slim, very long hair, and had a beautiful facial structure. She stares at the boy with a smile. Confused, the boy gets in a more defensive stance, sweat rolling down his face as each drop of sweat falls like a ticking time bomb. "**Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…**".

"W-WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!.." The boy yells out in fear.

The woman gets off her feet, slowly floating towards the boy with a smile. As she approaches the boy closes his eyes in fear, as she then... *hugs him*.

The boy is in shock as he has never felt this feeling before, the feeling that someone indeed did care about him. This feeling was warm, felt like time had stopped, and there was no other problems. The boy started to cry, as he wasn't sure what this feeling was.

Suddenly, the woman talks.

"It's okay son.. I'll always be watching you." as a tear rolls down her face smiling.

The woman then stops hugging the boy, as she floats away, smiling. Her rays of light then quickly fade as the boy is put back into the dark room, as he then starts to remember about the same dark room his father puts him in. He then wakes up in Betty's arms, tears rolling down his face along with sweat. He looks at betty in shock, unsure what he witnessed.

Geryon looked at Asse, raising his brow at the young druid's embarrassment, before shrugging. He had gone through his "teenage crush" phase too, back on Agnis, he knew how it felt like.

Then… he noticed the kid crying and sweating once he woke up. Sadly, he was familiar with that too. He sincerely hoped that that child didn't experience the same suffering he had, and instead had just gone through a nightmare conjured by his mind. His left hand began to shake slightly, but he gripped his wrist with his right until it stood motionless once again. The entire situation was bringing back memories he wanted to stay hidden deep within his mind.

"Now that everyone's alright… You still haven't told me what in Davy Jones' Locker is a Druid." he told Asse, trying to distract himself from those dark memories.

An expression of complete confusion had been painted on Betty's face as she looked down at the boy in her grasp. The flow of Avnova was forced, contrary to the gentle fluidity it carried between Druids. Glancing back and forth between Geryon and the boy before her eyes widened with curiosity.

"Ooooh! You two aren't druids?" Betty released the boy and rose to her feet, towering over Geryon as she leaned into him with wonder. Letting out a ecstatic giggle, "-eeeeEEP! Tell me EVERYTHING!"

Geryon observed as Betty got up, finally realizing that he wasn't whatever a Druid was. The only Druids he had experience with were those in Table-top Roleplaying games, and... Well, neither Asse nor Betty had turned into wolves yet. But what shocked him was Betty's extreme height, with her being a good foot higher than him. He had paid it no mind when he first saw her or when she was on his ship, as saving Asse worried him more, but now that the situation was calmer, he couldn't help but feel... Small. He was used to being the tallest person in the room, back on Agnis, and seeing someone not just being taller than him, but outright dwarfing him was something new.

"... Tell you what, I'll tell you everything you want to know... As long as you tell me what the heck a Druid is."

"Oh! That's easy!" Betty responded immediately with widened eyes. Grabbing onto Asmodeus' hand and pulling him in to a side hug. "See, we are druids. Now your turn right?"

Geryon's eyes narrowed, as he slowly brought his hand to his face in a facepalm.

"... Well, I guess I'll do *my own* research. Now... I am not a Druid. I'm a Human. Same goes for the boy over there. I don't know what you 'Druids' can do but, most likely, we \*\*can't\*\* do it."

He explained in a bit of a frustrated tone, before getting up and pointing at what he thought were masks on the two Druids' heads\*
"Also, what's with the masks?"

Asmodeus could feel the drums of war echo inside his chest as Betty poured Avnova into the child. Geryon’s questions of what druids were circled around his head yet never made their way inside his skull as he kept his gaze fixated on Betty. It was only once the child woke up that he snapped out of it, his confusion apparent by his expression as he turned his attention towards Geryon.

Betty’s realization only drew more confusion over Asmodeus’ figure. His eyes switched frantically between Betty and Geryon. Their conversation seemed to halt as Betty drew Asmodeus towards herself. Pulled into her, he could feel something soft pressing into him as his face grew bright red. An embarrassed tone escaped from his lungs as his face only continued to grow brighter, “Y.. yea, we’re Druids.”

His mind was whisked away by the softness of Betty’s chest, the only thing he could think of was the feeling of it pressing against his skin. Standing in a daze, with his eyes filled with the lights of heaven.

Geryon looked at Asmodeus with a sigh, his eyes locked on the Druid with a mix of exasperation and envy painted on his face.

"...Yep. Couple." He muttered to himself, before nearing the kid that had gotten knocked out some time before. He looked at him, sighing in relief as he realized that whatever black magic Druid fuckery Betty had used on him had worked, and leaned on the wall next to him.

"Are you alright, mate? Nothing broken in there?"

He asked him, just to be sure he hadn't just been drugged or something. For all he knew, what Betty had done could've made him higher than a sky ship.

Sitting in disbelief, Wick wipes the tears off his face as he then looks at Geryon. He replies in the most cocky way possible.

"Pfft, yeah I'm fine. Its not like it hurt." He has a very large smile on his face, despite getting knocked out.

He quickly stands as he faces them all.

"My name is Saint R. Wick. I am apart of the Saint clan, a clan of samurai who work under the Marines." He blurted out

He quickly corrected himself.

"But I think that we should take down the Marines, they're getting really corrupt and I want to become a pirate one day.."

Wick stands completely stiff like a stick, as he waits for a response.

Geryon looked at Wick with one, half-closed eye. What had prompted him to speak up like that...?

He turned to Asse, before speaking...

"How hard did you hit him, mate? You may have set a few screws loose..."

To further emphasize his words, he started to spin his index finger around his temple. He then turned to Wick with nonchalance, as if he hadn't just said what he had.

"Well, welcome back to the World of the living, Wick... Samurai, you say?"

Memories appeared in Geryon's mind... Remembrances of his father and the stories he told about the faraway land of Wano, his homeland, and of the valiant Samurai warriors that lived there...

And then, the memory he loathed the most burned away the good experiences. His father's last stand... And his defeat.

Tears started flowing down the pirate's face before being washed away, the memory of the Raid sealed back down into the depths of his mind once again...

"... Didn't hear that name in a long-ass while."

Asmodeus’ eyes squinted towards Wick in confusion as the boy rose to his feet, exclaiming his will to betray the marines in order to become a pirate. Hiding his mouth behind his hand, his head turned towards Geryon, “you’re telling me that if I hit hunams hard enough they start speaking gibberish? Marines? Pirates? You just start to make words up if you get hit with enough force?”

Geryon shook his head. A part of him was laughing internally at Asmodeus' perceived ignorance, but hey, he didn't even know what a human was until a few minutes prior, he got a pass. His face turned serious as he started to explain the difference...

"First off: It's Hu**m**ans. Switch that M and that N around, mate. With that out of the way... Most of the time, we don't do that. The boy's speaking of stuff that actually exists, mate. I'll explain it to you as quickly as I can... The Marines are, theoretically, 'bringers of justice that rid the World of evil scum'... Even though, more often than not, that translates to 'kill anyone who disagrees with the higher ups'. As for pirates... well, we are the people who are in some way opposed to said higher ups. Some are classified as pirates because of their actions, others because of their ideals, some even because of their sheer power, and the list goes on. "

Geryon crossed his arms, looking at the two druids, then at Wick.

"I've avoided most of the details. And, mate, remember: most pirates will not be as generous as I've been. As much as it pains me to say this, a lot of pirates are egotistical motherfuckers who want to watch the world go up in flames. You gotta be careful when sailing these waters... No amount of glowing hugs will save you from certain people."

With that, he concluded his explanation. The serious visage he held until then melted as he turned to Wick.

"Did I say that right?"

"You said hunams. You can't just change the way you say things." Betty quickly replied, a look of genuinely condescending confusion on her face. All this talk of pirates and marines reminded the young Druid of her father's stories and what Anrei were meaning. She couldn't help but question further, "Do you know Duine then? Poppa always talked about them and said they talked all weird." Betty had many issues with connecting dots, as "duine" is the term for humans in the druidic culture.

## Ignorance is Bliss

The sounds of birds graced the senses with their angelic tunes just outside the hospital, greeting all with a song of whimsy. Betty was ecstatic to be out in the sun, quite literally dancing in the breeze. With her arms outstretched to the sky, she let out an exaggerated shout of joy and turned to face her new found friends.

"That. Was. Amazing! Where are we going next!?" She could hardly contain herself, all of these new experiences made her positively giddy. Her wide eyes were filled with optimism at even the smallest of rocks. "I wanna go find new stuff and have some action!" Quickly drawing the sword at her hip and pointing it at Asmodeus, thrusting playfully like a child with a toy. "It'll be like that! And that!" A guttural roar erupted from Betty's stomach, interrupting her childish taunts.

"OOOH!" Betty quickly interrupted herself in response, grabbing onto Geryon’s lapel, her blade remained in her grip however. "I want some hunam food! TAKE US TAKE US TAKE US!"

Geryon's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as the quite literally bone-headed Druid stabbed the air around her as her sword was a toy. For someone so used to fearing his own blade, such actions were nonsensical - but then again, Betty had already proven herself to be quite the excitable young lady. Sighing, he opened his mouth to speak - only for the girl to grab his clothes and shout in his face.

The young pirate took some time to actually acknowledge what Betty was saying, before bringing a hand to his forehead in a facepalm.

"I already told you that, I'm **broke**. I can't buy you anything... But maybe I've got some supplies on my ship you could taste. Who knows, I could even give you a glass of Agnissian Booze or two..."

He said. While one side of himself was screaming internally at how quickly he was giving away his own supplies, Geryon simply ignored it as he kept on speaking...

"And, for the love of god, it's HUMANS!"

"Nu-uh. You said it's hunams." Betty quickly retorted, releasing Geryon from her hands and shaking her head. She didn't understand why Geryon was so adamant about correcting her, but she stuck with what she heard first. One thing he said did puzzle her however. "What do you mean broke? You look fine to me?" She bent over to get a closer look at the much shorter human, a raised eyebrow extended beneath the skull atop her head.

Asmodeus stood tall as his eyes scanned Geryon’s figure before letting his lips part ways, “I have to agree with Bets, you don’t look broken.” A grimace of intense thinking painted his face as he continued to stare before snapping his finger, “Ahh I see.. Betty, hunams don’t work like us, they didn’t know about Avnova either. Maybe their broken state is different from ours?”

Betty cocked her head to the side, perplexed. "I mean. That one almost died, and this one is broken." She paused, pinching her chin between her fingers. Like the stars aligned, Betty victoriously pat her own hand. "I need to know more about them, let's try this "booze"!"

A bead of saliva drooled from the corner of his mouth as his mind imagined all sorts of things when he heard booze, just what kind of delicacy is Geryon offering them? Wiping his mouth he stretched his length as he spoke, “booze? Of course I would like some, just like Bets I’m quite famished.”

Geryon stared ahead in surprise as the Druid conversed by themselves. Did Druids have no concept of money? What in the everloving crap was Avnova?! How THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY KNOW AT LEAST ABOUT BOOZE?!

These were the questions repeating themselves endlessly inside the young man's mind until he finally managed to silence them for the time being. Well, if he was going to be the one to introduct these two to the Human World... He *had* to start with booze.

"Well, if you insist so much... I'll let you take a swig."

With that, Geryon started to walk towards his small gunboat, in order to fulfill the two Druids' demands - even if the thought of giving away some of his prized liquor pained him somewhat.

While following the group of Druids, Wick gets curious on literally everything they're saying. When he finally got the chance to ask, he shot his shot.

"What is... ***Booze....?***" He asked in a very curious way, looking at them with an eyebrow raised. "I've only heard about Booze during the traveling with my father, though I have never been told what it is. Is it some type of weapon..? Food..? Beverage..?" He asked, still with his eyebrow raised.

A smile rose on Asmodeus’ face as he heard Wick’s question. His head quickly turned towards the young teen, his entire being boasted confidence, “Booze you ask? It’s obviously something you can eat, I mean, both me and Betty asked for something to eat, Geryon offered ‘’booze’’, put two and two together and we have food!”

Geryon stood silent after Wick, a fellow human, asked him what Booze was. He questioned everything he knew about his life for a second or two, barely managing not to let out a scream, as the four finally reached his small ship...

"O-ok, listen, I'll show you what it is. Just... don't touch anything. I don't want my char- my big, colorful pieces of paper to get torn to shreds."

He said to them, correcting his words so that the Druids could understand what not to disintegrate. Entering the ship's small lower deck, Geryon grabbed a bottle from the crate containing his precious Agnissian Saké and returned, holding it in the air as if it was some kind of relic.

"This here is authentic Agnissian Booze. A freaking delicacy, if you ask me."

He opened it, drank some of the delicious alcohol inside himself, and then handed it to Asmodeus with a smirk...

"Here, take a swig. Just... Don't drink too much, aye? This thing's not exactly a light drink."

The smirk that Geryon gave Asmodeus felt like a challenge for him, giving his own confident smirk back he let his hand take a firm grip around the bottle. His eye twitched for a moment as he was barely able to keep a straight face with the flask hovering underneath his nose, the foul aromas invaded his nose in an unrelenting assault. The putrid smell alone caused the world to start spinning around him, yet he couldn’t back down. In a quick motion he aimed the bottle towards the very heavens as he started to drink. Tears formed in his eyes as his very being was on fire, his mouth turning into a desolate wasteland, his throat closing itself to the intrusion.

Reaching his fourth gulp he released the bottle from his grasp, letting it tumble towards the floor. Planting his feet he felt everything move around him, the ground shook underneath him. Asmodeus felt the ground slip underneath him, his head aimed towards the floor with his feet sky high.

Geryon's eyes widened as Asmodeus drank much more than he had advised him to. That, combined with his apparently low tolerance to booze, was enough to classify his attempt at introducing the trio to the wonderful world of alcoholics as a catastrophic failure.

"OH, COME ON, WHAT DID I TEL-"

Geryon shouted in frustration... But then, Asse began to fall. And that made the experience go from catastrophic to straight-up apocalyptic. He had a choice to make... The Druid, or the booze. And as much as it pained him, the latter was chosen as the one to be sacrificed.

Quickly moving forward and grabbing Asse by the collar of his shirt, the pirate stopped his fall and pulled the younger Druid upward, holding him up by his shoulder to prevent him from going down again. He averted his gaze and even teared up ever so slightly as the bottle crashed onto the ground and broke in a billion pieces, spilling its precious content everywhere. However, it had been sacrificed in the name of a greater cause: preventing him from having to pay for Asse's bills again.

As he brought Asse away from the glass shards, Geryon sat him down in front of the ship's helm, using it as an improvised backrest. Then, he sighed...

"... Well, apparently your friend does not take kindly to booze. Especially after taking four times what I had advised him to drink..."

He said as he brought two fingers to his forehead, pinching it in frustration. Then, he lowered himself to look at Asmodeus in the eyes.

"Oi, mate! How are you feeling? Can you hear me?"

The further the liquor traveled down Asmodeus’ body the worse it got. What started as a fire grew to rival the sun itself. His torso grew alongside his breath, each one more strenuous than the last. Alongside the difficulty in breathing, his vision blurred, twisted and turned as multiple Geryon’s stood before him. Everything started to turn num, all of his senses failing him as his body opposed the drink. His tongue escaped the cracks of his lips in pursuit of any water that could be present. Throwing a glance at Betty he allowed a single word to escape, “poison.”

Curiosity vanished from Betty’s face. Something just snapped the instant she read that word of Asmodeus' lips. Betty's body involuntarily pounced over her friend, crouching over him like a feral beast protecting her kin with the sheathed Juruojin in hand. Her entire being trembled as she stood in defiance against the humans.

"Wha… How cou…"

Betty's words failed to express this depraved look on her face. Her hands linked at the tsuba of her sword, a loud pop accompanied the breaking seal. This burst of pressure forced Betty's own hand to swing at Geryon. The emerald blade slicing through the air itself.

"Oi girl, could you go and bring me a bucket of wa-AYO, WHAT THE-"

Geryon's words turned into an incoherent shouting as Betty tried to skewer him. Quickly drawing his own sword, the older pirate blocked the girl's strike, a look of surprise and anger on his face...

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?! YOUR BOYFRIEND'S BATSHIT DRUNK, AND RATHER THAN HELPING HIM, YOU ATTACK ME?!"

Geryon shouted in frustration as he locked swords with Betty. And yet, there was a small part of himself that was extatic at the prospect of a confrontation. No matter the situation or the predicament, the young pirate's soul was always ignited when a battle came his way. And it made itself known in the form of a small smirk at the edge of the Geryon's mouth, which the man had failed to notice. Whether this brief clash would spiral into a battle or come to a close right there... It was all Betty's decision.

Everything from the deepest part of his abdomen to his head felt ablaze. The liquor made its way throughout his entire being, swallowing him into an inferno. His mouth opened by itself, attempting to let out the tiniest of groans to no avail. No matter where he threw his eyes they couldn’t find steadfast ground, instead finding moving and swaying things. The figure above him was the only shape he recognized, the shape of Betty. Tears swelled in his eyes as he gazed at her. His hand reached out by itself towards her as the beads of tears flowed down his face. Asmodeus forced himself to rise, despite his body that wanted to keep him grounded.

Betty's eyes were engulfed in flames at the sight of Geryon. He managed to successfully block her strike but it didn't seem she was concerned with that. She immediately returned to her feral stance and frantically glared at the two humans. Until an unsuspecting hand latched onto the entirety of her right butt cheek. Betty straightened up like a cat sprayed by water with her sword in hand, she glanced sheepishly to Asmodeus then back to the humans. This is not how Druids normally act when they're poisoned and Betty knew that. This entire situation confused her even more than it attracted her.

"What do you mean he's drunk?" Betty clenched her sword, standing tall above the drunken Asmodeus. Her leer alone said she meant business.

Geryon raised an eyebrow as Betty's words sank into his brain... Part of him was surprised that the girl didn't know what being drunk meant, while another was mentally kicking himself for not making the connection earlier. Of course, those who didn't know the joys of booze were never going to learn of its consequences...

Focusing once more on Betty's gaze, he noticed how it was just as intimidating as the leer he had shot Asse prior - for sure, if the actual fight did start, he was not going to pull any punches, lest that colossus of a girl kicked him into next week. But for now, he focused on answering her question...

"Well, how do I put it... You drink too much booze, and shit goes sideways, almost literally. A regular guy gets over it in an hour or two at most."

He said with a casual tone, his eyes closed, as if he wasn't locking swords with someone who had a solid foot over him - only to open them once his explanation was done, leering back at Betty with just as much intensity. If his parry didn't already prove he knew his craft, that look alone would tell the Druid that he, too, was not someone to be messed around with. In a sense, it was his way of respecting an opponent which he knew was not going to go down easily - A silent signal that he was taking her seriously.

That was not the answer she wanted. As Betty's face grew more red her body trembled, her breathing increased dramatically as here eyes welled up with tears. She was more hurt than anything. This new friend would hurt them so easily.. Just like how Walter talked about humans.

A high pitched whine began to come from her throat as Betty's rage just festered in front of Geryon. Reaching its apex, a violent whail erupted from Betty's mouth through a mist of tears. She lunged forward once again, however unlike the last she vanished from sight. Overcome with such emotion that she'd never experienced before, Betty's body acted in the way it had been trained to all those years ago.

In the blink of an eye, Betty had already changed positions several times in this crouching stance around the humans. She was distraught. Pained cries intermingled with rage fueled groans until she pounced. Coming from the rear of Geryon, Betty swung Jurojin by the blade itself to act as a hammer.

Geryon swiftly took notice of Betty's cries. The girl was not one to enjoy battling? He could only make assumptions. He moved in to block her first strike, only to be taken aback by her swift disappearance. So the Druids did have some other trick up their sleeve aside from glowing hugs...!

He stood at attention, following the girl's groans in an attempt to track her down. She appeared to be in pain...? Well, no matter. She could strike at any seco-

And just as he was thinking about it, Betty pounced on him. Geryon barely had time to turn around, barely deflecting the strike with a hit from Goriyaki's flat side, allowing it to strike his shoulder. A pained groan left his lips as he backed away with a short leap... He knew the girl was able to pack one hell of a punch, but this...!

Looking at Betty and her disappearing shenanigans, Geryon found it fitting that he should counter with one of his own. But, before he could act... He recalled words which he had vowed to live by.

*"Keep the Blade sheathed when it isn't needed.*"

He mentally kicked himself in the face for being such an idiot. The Three Tenets were the only set of rules he could openly respect. And so, he chose to heed the words of his own philosophy, and try his hand at reason.

Geryon resheathed his weapon, and reassumed a casual stance. He wasn't sure if Betty would understand him, but he had to give it a shot. He kept one hand on his weapon's scabbard, just in case the girl tried something funny, but aside from that, he stood still, unattacking and unmoving.

He forced himself to his feet as the shadow of Betty danced across the room in a trance. Despite wanting to reach towards her he couldn’t keep up with her speed. His feet dragged across the floor as each step became heavier than the last. His legs gave up on his weight as he attempted to reach Betty in his drunken endeavour. A milestone was placed in front of him in the form of Geryon. Asmodeus reached out his hand in an attempt to support himself on him yet he fell short. A firm grip had been placed on Geryon’s pants as Asmodeus fell forward.

Noticing Asmodeus tug on his pants, Geryon turned towards him - seeing him as he started to fall. Quickly lowering himself, he cushioned the younger man's impact with his own body, before putting the drunk druid's arm over his own shoulder in order to support him.

"God damn it kiddo, I told you to take a sip at best!"

He looked at Betty, one hand extended as if to call for a truce and his head shaking. There was no need to keep this fight going - it was simply, utterly worthless. And as the dude who essentially started it, he felt it was his duty to stop it from getting out of hand.

"Listen, kiddo, I know how to fix this. Just sheathe that damn sword and listen to me!"

*"Then why do it?"* She wanted to say. All things considered, she wanted to believe him. Betty threw her sword down and wiped her face through a medley of flustered groans. Despite her best judgment, Betty took hold of Geryon’s hand with a trembling grip.

"Please.. Help him.."

All Geryon could do in response was to nod. The girl was clearly going through a lot - after all, in her eyes, he just poisoned her boyfriend.

"The kid's drunk beyond belief. Keep an eye on him, maybe do some of your glowing hugs thingamajigs, I'll go and grab some water, helps flush out the booze. Give it some time, and he'll get back in top shape. Got it?"

He said, still holding Asse by his shoulder. He was confident in Asmodeus' survival, but Betty had to trust him.

"I'll pass him oto you. Make sure to make him sit somewhere, ok?"