A grey cloaked figure trailed the pair of royal guards through the palace. The place had just stopped being a battle zone a short while ago, and there was still a frantic energy in the air. It helped him move unnoticed through the royal home. A black eye peeked through a pair of great doors and into the room yonder. It spyed a familiar furry face, that had become rather less familiar due to some sort of trauma. Had that shapeshifting creature done this to him? Gil decided that he may as well see what state he was in before he left. If he needed first aid then he could provide it. The two guards marched past glittering gold and jewels and stood over the mink. They hoisted his limp body up between them and would cart him back towards the double doors Gil was hiding behind. Stepping back, he would dart up the wall and into a shadowy corner of the rafters. A proficiency for stealth was a useful skill to have in his arsenal. It was usually easier to avoid a fight rather than to face it.

He would track them to the room where a squad of guards stood outside. It looked like this was a popular place to be. Overhearing the conversation, this was clearly the storage for prisoners. Apparently there had been a few other suspicious types that had been captured during the event, and it sounded like some were going to be stored in the basement level, awaiting 'forceful interrogation'. But for Jackal on the other hand, he was going to be kept on the higher level, as he would be something that would make for a 'good show' for the nobility. The twisted whims of humans perplexed him to no end. Gil decided that he would let them take him for now, as it sounded like no further harm would come to him. He didn't want to take on a full squad, and he certainly didn't want to be under pressure of dragging an unconcious person out of the city with a whole army on his tail. He decided to retreat for now, and look for his chance.

He had managed to arm himself with water from the palace resevoir that he had already visited once that day. He slipped back into the area of the prison, with water with a volume of a sphere of 20m radius compressed into a thin shell around his body using nothing but the power of his wiggling butt cheeks. Keeping high, he would creep up on the two guards who stood either side of the door. He would descend on them, dropping down between them and grabbing their faces, a small burst spray of water from his elbows adding to his thrust speed and strength. He would hold them up against the wall, pushing the water around his hands over their faces, holding them there with the strength of his kata. They would feel intense panic, like being rolled about helplessly by raging surf as the water would push against their faces. Gil would hold them there for two minutes, waiting for both of their bodies to go limp. He would drop them, reforming his kata shape and then smacking them each in the gut so that excess water they had inhaled would be ejected. He had decided that this was the quietest and least harmful way that he could disable them.

Gil would then enter the prison, slide down the stairs and start looking for Jackal. He kept his wits about him, constantly scanning the area for others. It was dim in there, the mood lighting adding to the dungeon theme. Gil appreciated that the interior design kept consistent with what he would expect from a historical site such as this. The cell he was looking for was easy to find despite this, Gil walking up to the bars and peering in to see his mink acquaintance chained up to the wall. "In chains again eh? I didn't realise you had a thing for being domesticated, Mr Kinky Mink." Gil would croak, seeing if the inappropriate and antagonising question would get a response. He was worried at the state of Jackal though.

Gil would press his index finger up to the lock on the cell door, letting water flow into it and then condensing it, mimicing a solid key. He would then turn it to unlock it and swing the door open. He would do the same for his shackles if Jackal allowed it, and help lower him to the floor. "You're too reckless for your own good. What were you doing here?" Gil would mutter before whipping out the medical supplies he had taken with him from the clinic. Should Jackal allow it, or not respond, Gil would dab out some disinfectant onto some cloth and mop up his face. He would then pull out a thin needle and stitch some of the bigger cuts back together with a few flicks of his wrist.


equipment: spear pistol stowed in inside jacket pocket
2 doriki in speed, 1 in strength

"Please, call me Gilbard or Gil for short. I'm a doctor, but Kappa is... Someone else." On this surface world, it was much easier to live as Gil than it was to be Kappa, the zealous acolyte of the sea. He felt the distinction was neccesary for his own peace of mind, even if Jackal wouldn't be able to know his background. It wasn't such a serious thing as a split personality, but rather simply two aspects of himself that  Kappa often only came out in times of high stress, like the time that they had fought Jack Frost for the first time.

"I've been an unofficial nurse in the palace clinic for a few weeks. So I'm just doing my job by helping you out. But we'll have time for stories later." Gil finished up cleaning Jackal's wounds and stitching him up. He could help him more, but not in a place like this. Not getting caught and thrown into a prison and tortured for days on end was the preferrable end to today. He could hear shouts and the heavy footsteps of guards mobilising on the other side of the door upstairs. They must have found the bodies.

"Wait here for a second." Gil would step away from the mink and look up at the ceiling of the prison. It was thick stone, however it wasn't the clean solid marble that was layered through the palace halls, this was some cobbled together bedrock and would be much weaker. He would then jump up to the ceiling, using his kata to propel himself up in a geppo like fashion. He would then cover his hand down to his elbow in busoshoku haki, the dark black colour reinforcing his skin. While hovering up at the ceiling, he would shake his haki covered hand into a straight edge and begin smacking the roof with the tips of his fingers. The shell of water would also help protect him, as well as providing a super dense weapon to smash into the stone. He would use his kata to accelerate his hand back and forth by dispersing fine spray from his elbow and then his fingers to create a jack-hammer type effect, smacking the stone ceiling in rapid succession.

Shouts were coming from up the stairway as guards had got together and were beginning to descend down towards them. A large crack in the ceiling had formed by this point, and this is where Gil changed tact. He would force some water into the crack and then release control of it temporarily. This would cause it to suddenly expand, giving the same effect that miners had when they used explosives. The crack would expand, shattering the stone ceiling into a weak spot. "Stop! Prisoner!" The sound of the guards were getting closer. One more try at the expanding water trick, and a crevice a few metres wide would open in the roof, with large chunks of debris falling on top of Gil. He would soon brush them off with the strength of his haki and kata. "Time to go." He would pick up Jackal and give him a piggy back if he gave his consent, before hopping up through the hole by kicking at the air.

The reason he had chosen such a destructive backroute for escape was for the simple idea of avoiding the guards. Most of the palace guards would have been on their way to the prison at that point, and were on their way down the staircase. In the mean time, Gil and Jackal would travel upward, leaving them on the lower floor with a clear path ahead. From here, he would accelerate forward, skating on the water on the bottom of his feet like a rocket powered rollerblader. He would support Jackal on his back with his non haki hand and balance with the other.

The pair would be able to travel through the palace for the first thirty seconds without conflict. They would pass by servants and nobility but it seemed like guards in this area had been displaced for whatever reason. Gil's objective was not to find a doorway, but to find a window to the outside. "Hey, you there! Stop!" Turning a corner, finally some resistance would appear. Gil would keep going toward them, and just before meeting them, he would suddenly push off and jump sideways through a window and into the city of Alubarna below. He would hold up his haki hand in front of Jackal's face to shield him from any broken glass. For a few seconds, the pair would be in free fall in the Sandy Island capital. Gil would then begin slowing their descent with emissions of spray, like he was running down an invisible staircase to bring them in amongst the dense housing. People would be able to see the pair from afar, but it wouldn't be hard to escape their eyes once they were on the ground and away from the palace. Here they could find respite for a while and decide what to do next. Gil would release the haki from his and and let Jackal dismount. "This wasn't exactly what I meant when I said to 'come find me', by the way." He croaked.

The pair had made their escape from the castle, but they still weren't out of the woods yet. Gil spotted a flock of pigeons being released from the palace, and their flight off to all the corners of the city. "It couldn't be..." A pigeon flew in their direction, flying low overhead. Gil jumped up into the air, still wiggling his but cheeks, and plucked the pigeon out of midair. He would take the scroll tied to its claw and read it aloud. "Warrant for arrest. Due to the involvement in the attack against the crown. Wanted, alive." It would then go on to give a brief description of jackal and mention that he had escaped with the assistance of an unknown cloaked individual. This was turning into a serious scandal. Thankfully it looked like his identity was still concealed for now. He wished they had a little while to rest for Jackal's sake but they couldn't afford to waste any time. He would follow Jackal to meet Amalia while still keeping his kata up.

Upon meeting the woman, he would give a little bow from the hip before reverting to his wound tight upright posture, his hands clasped behind his back. "My name is Gil. It's a pleasure." He would follow them over to three large ducks, the sort he had seen other people use for travelling through the desert on. He had never ridden one himself and felt a little nervous at the prospect. Gil would mount the one with the black beret and attempt to get comfortable on the creature's back. He did have great balance, but the position felt unnatural. He started off with his hands around the duck's neck, attempting to steer him like a joystick. After a belligerent quack and a sharp peck, he changed his grip to the feathers around the top of his body instead. He was concerned about the duck coping with his weight. But regardless of whether he was ready or not, soon enough they were off.

Trotting through the street, Gil would be bouncing along at the back of the pack, pulling a bit too hard on the duck's feathers. "I'm afraid it looks like our mutual friend has got himself caught up in something rather serious this time. They're sending out flocks of pigeons with his description. I even saw some fly off in the direction of other towns. It will be hard for him to escape further persecution now thanks to his obvious non human form. If whatever happened is considered a serious offense against the royal family of Alabasta then it is likely that he won't be safe anywhere on the island." The Alabastian kingdom was a wealthy one, and if this was a personal issue with royalty itself, then there would be a large expenditure of resources dedicated to apprehending Jackal. Gil was worried that even if they escaped the capital city, they wouldn't find peace.

"It sounds like you might have to get off the island for a bit then while you decide what to do next." Amalia would raise her voice, directing the statement at Jackal. "And if you are looking for a way off the island, then your best bet is to find a ship in the harbour south of Nanohana. Since I've come this far, I may as well show you the way." Gil wouldn't answer, instead wondering where Jackal had found such a useful friend. He then wondered if maybe he should put more effort into making friends. "Let's pick up the pace!" The woman said, surging ahead, her duck quacking in agreement. Despite his rider's uncertainty, the black beret wearing duck would also pick up speed, not wanting to fall behind.

Five minutes of flying through the streets after Amalia, Gil was beginning to get used to the coordination required to ride the duck properly. By this point, they had cleared the dense residential area and were flying down the main road toward the southern gate. They had to make a break for it at some point, and it was now or never. They had already run past a few guards who had called out to them. Civilians scattered to the side of the street, clamouring to get out of the way of the three outlaws. Gil tucked his hood securely down over his head and secured it. The great wall around Alubarna was coming into view as well as the gate through.

A huge booming voice echoed through the street, originating from the southern wall. “Halt criminals, in the name of the King!” Following Amalia, the sight of a line of guards would come into view, lining up just before the gate. There were a huge amount there, even more than he had seen at the palace a few days ago. A couple of squads at the front had rifles trained on them, and Gil could see that they were waiting for their targets to get in range before they fired. “Stay close!” The fishman yelled, before pushing outward with his hands, forcing the water that had been clinging tightly to him for the whole day into a large hollow hemisphere. Kata number six. The water stretched out from the top of his head to a point five metres above him and then umbrella out into a thin shield which encapsulated the three of them should Jackal have stayed close to him. He was concerned at how the duck carrying him would deal with the extra balance and wind resistance generated by the shield. To counteract this, Kappa continued to wiggle his bum, releasing periodic bursts of fine spray from the bottom of his feet, effectively lifting the weight and pressing against the wind.

Getting within fifty metres of the gate, a booming order for fire sounded, followed by the cracking shot of two dozen rifles. Gil knew that this would put a tremendous force on his defences, so he focussed his strength on holding the shield’s formation. Smack! Two dozen bullets hit the water shield, causing it to bend and waver, knocking Gil off balance. With a desperate quack, the duck he was riding reached back with his bill and held onto the fishman’s jacket. He gritted his teeth, his full focus on trying to maintain the immense balancing act.

The guards would begin to reload, but the ducks would be advancing too quickly. Gil would continue with the charge, and smash straight into the wall of guards. He would get his full body behind his water shield, pressing through with bursts of spray out his back to steam roll the defence. However in the chaos, half a dozen with drawn swords would have slipped inside the shield and be ready to take on the criminals. “You’re up!” Gil would yell. He was occupied with the defence so he had to rely on Jackal to deal with them.

Supposing that Jackal had taken care of the guards, Gil would continue on past the guard line and get to within 15m of the gate. He would thrust his right hand forward, performing kata #3. A thin pole of water would extend out, hit the ground just before the gate and then went up and latched onto the metal gate. This formed a massive lever which Gil would jump on and pull down with his body weight. The gate would groan under the pressure, eventually beginning to roll up. With a roar of effort, Gil would lift the gate up with his jujutsu, enough for the trio and their ducks to slip under.

From here, they would be in the clear, charging down the stairs while Gil defended them from potshots using his shield. Thanks to the speed offered to them by the ducks, they had managed to get out of the city before most of the military force of the city had mobilised. Now the great desert of Sandy Island lay ahead.

Three birds, two mammals and a fish run into the desert. This isn't the start of a joke, but rather a tale of a band of outlaws that seemed simultaneously both blessed and cursed by a whimsical Lady Luck.

Gil's wall of water held strong as they barrelled down the great stairway and into the desert to the south. He could feel a few stray shells pang into his malleable bubble. He had nearly been thrown off the bird a number of times. Thankfully, his sense of balance was honed from a lifetime of rigorous martial arts. His jujutsu control was up to the job, it was the addition of the duck that was dangerous.

Once they had cleared the range of the city walls, Gil reverted his jujutsu back to having it cling to his body. This state was comfortable to him. All it required was a little wiggle of the tush now and then to keep its shape. While Jackal flirted with the human, Gil patted and praised his duck for the good work he had done. He truly was a brave warrior for charging at that line of guards. The duck quacked in response, bringing his feathered wing up to his head in a salute.

Gil's attention had been drawn back to the conversation when they began talking about the electricity that Jackal was able to generate and which he had used in battle. The fishman was interested in this topic, as biological research was his profession and obsession. "I can't say I have much experience in minkman anatomy. You're the first person I've seen use it. I have read plenty, however. I believe it is called 'electro'. It is quite an interesting power for sure as well as the specialised adaptations that it would require. As you say, the nervous system runs of electric impulse, but at a far lower voltage than that generated by any external emissions. I am rather curious to see how this power comes to be without electrocuting the user. After all, how insulating can fur be, when your electric emmissions can flow through the natural insulator that is air..." Gil rattled off, his croaky voice becoming quieter and quieter as he began to speak less to the group and more to himself. "... I wouldn't mind opening you up whenever we get the chance." He would finish, looking up. Realising that this probably infringed on many a social boundary, he would add on. "Oh, I don't mean a living disection or anything. Maybe just you know, taking a peek. Like how you peel back the wrapper of a chocolate bar to nibble at the contents."

The fishman would scratch his chin. He really didn't think he had helped the situation much. He decided to change tack by bringing up the previous question "This is what surface dwellers call fishman jujutsu - we just call it jujutsu by the way. It's a martial art, involving the manipulation of water. I have found it to be a rather useful tool, as well as a respectable weapon. But to me and my brothers it is more than that, it is our link to the sea, and the wholesome way to worship her. Each kata is a prayer, that when given with a reverent heart, will be answered by the most ancient and natural of forces."

"It sounds like it would be a good idea to have the option of leaving the island should you need to. I'm not sure what other sorts of trouble you've been getting yourself into but by the way you conduct yourself, I can tell you aren't quite the discrete type." It was a practical decision. If Jackal had a way to get a ship and someone who could navigate the grand line, then it would give him more options when it came to going where he wanted, when he wanted. If Gil were to give him advice, he would say to lay low or even leave Sandy Island for the time being to let the heat die down. But he wasn't one to intrude on anyone else's business. As the group traveled, Gil would let a tail made of water extend behind them, sweeping the sand so that their trail would be concealed.

The sun slowly melted into the golden, gritty sea. The group set up camp and began preparing food. "I've got water here if anyone wants it. It is better not to drink the cactus juice if you can avoid it. The stuff is mildly toxic and will make you hallucinate if you have too much. In fact, I've seen a few people come through the clinic door while off their face from a concentrated alcoholic cactus juice brew." Gil would 'water bend' as Jackal put it, the liquid that he had kept clinging to him throughout the day to the others, so that they may have a drink should they want it.

It was interesting to hear Jackal's philosophy about what he ate. Gil would have assumed that a carnivore like himself would eat whatever meat came in front of him. But it seemed like there was a line to be crossed in eating your own species. Gil wondered if the mink ate human, but maybe they counted as being a mammal for the sake of his argument. After all, if Jackal were to eat humans, there would be none left that he could flirt with.

The fishman helped with the preparations, opting to do the heavy lifting. He would move some of the boulders to form a ring around the group, so that the light from the fire would not be able to be seen by any search parties that had happened to come this way. The change in temperature was something that had initially been very hard to deal with when he came to Sandy Island, but his hardy body and spirit had coped with it after a while. No environment was as inhospitable as the crushing pressures of the deep sea trench in which he grew up. After helping himself to some food, Gil would sit himself down and joined the conversation of their Christmas themed exploits.

"I'm still not too sure what exactly transpired, or why. But it seemed like we got caught in the crossfire of some not so merry event. It was a very strange thing. We woke up in a cell..." Gil would begin a brief and to the point description of each room they moved to. "... And at the end, it seemed like nothing at all had happened. If it weren't for my injuries, I could have easily mistaken all of that for a fever dream. Oh and don't mention that sleigh." Gil shivered as he alluded to their second Christmas adventure, his body remembering the chilly environment of Drum Island.

The chatter continued for a little while until the fire began to die down. Once everyone had eaten their fill, Gil would leave the camp site briefly to co and collect some of the cactus juice he had been talking about. He brought about a litre of it back, holding it in a bubble around his left hand. After washing out the cooking pot, he would dump the juice inside and let it slowly bubble away. He would also clean off a knife and stick it in the embers. After another twenty minutes passed, and the liquid was reduced and concentrated. "So this is the good stuff aye?" Amelia reached her bowl forward to attempt to scoop some of the mixture out. "It isn't for drinking. Unless you don't want to get up for the next two days." Gil croaked gruffly in response. Taking the bowl and knife off the fire and planting it in the sand, he went and sat next to Jackal. It's about time that I had a proper look at those wounds. His black eyes poured over the mink's body. Jackal hadn't said a word about them since they started, but by the state of him, he must have been in agony after such an uncomfortable journey. If Jackal should let him, he would begin examining him, splitting the hair all over his body to look at the bruising and cuts. Through the hair on his head, under his armpits and even pulling the mink's pants open without warning to check down there. "Don't be nervous, I'm a professional."

After ten more minutes, the cactus juice and knife would still be hot but not enough to burn. He would grab the juice in his left hand, forming a bubble, and the knife in his right hand. "This is going to hurt, but don't struggle." Then he would go along all of Jackal's cuts and clean them out with the knife first, removing all dirt and dead tissue. After each cut, he would press the cactus juice up against the wound. This would help numb the pain slightly and protect against infection. Once the mink was all cleaned up, Gil would take a needle and thread and bandages out of his little doctor's satchel he had picked up at the clinic. He would patch him up and leave him to rest. "Now go to sleep. You should feel a lot better in the morning."

With that taken care of, Gil was much more at peace. The sky was completely dark now, and the last few embers were dying out. A brilliant starscape flashed into view. The pinpricks of light as many as there were grains of sand in this desert. It reminded Gil of the bioluminescent microbiology that gave light in the deep. There was something nostalgic to be said about the scene. Finding a free patch of sand, Gil would settle down, cross his legs and clasp his hands. Instead of sleeping, he would meditate through the night. After a lifetime of practice, he was able to lower himself into a sleep like trance in this position while still worshiping through his jujutsu.

The next morning brought on a heat just as furious as the last. It was a reliable weather at least, even if it wasn't the most pleasant. A lot of Kappa's water had evaporated from his exposure the day before, and he would probably be running low today. He had managed to get a decent rest while meditating, even if his other two travel mates had indulged in some form of hankey pankey. Maybe this was a mating ritual in their culture? He would have to take notes.

The three made their way along the rest of the path to the Nanohana port. Gil was just beginning to become restless atop his duck when they mounted the dune that gave them a look out over the port. They had made it to the coast. He would greet the appearing man with a curt bow, executing it as graceful as he was able while straddling the big chicken. Gil listened intently on this information. An 'Oceanus' and a 'Warhead' name came up. The latter had earned a special mention from Jackal, which on it's own was something worth noting. Apparently he had some sort of ability to turn himself into weapons and was all for murdering civilians. He would have to watch out for these sorts. He could see how much damage these events had caused. He could only imagine the collateral damage inflicted on the population here. Gil thought that it may be a good idea to return here if he could, there may be something he could do there to make use of the situation while helping out.

The conversation would move on to the topic of the Black Barron. Apparently it was a ship of value, and from how this Sinbad guy was hyping it up, he would guess that Jackal would set his mind on having this particular one. "Well, if you are set on having this ship then may I suggest a plan of approach? If this ship is still on the water then I may able to gain access through the seaside exit. I'll see if I can enter this container and let the rest of you in. Just make sure to get there without causing too much of a fuss." He realised that last request was probably a bit too much of this particular group. He would then turn to Sinbad. "If you happen to have any further information on the location and layout of this place then that would help."

Gil listened to Sinbad, taking on board all of the information he was given. He had to agree with Jackal, the man had investigated the area very well. Gil had to admit that him avoiding eyes while the others made the distraction did appeal. He seemed pretty reliable, this acquaintance of Jackal's. However, the fishman remained a little suspicious of him even if he did agree to go ahead with the plan. Gil would ask a few questions to go over the specifics of the plan while they walked. The group would travel slowly down to where Amalia began to set up camp. Apparently this is where she would stay to look after the animals. "Thank you for your help so far." He would give a curt bow before turning to the others. "Give me an hour from now to get into position. I'll begin once the guards around the waterside have been drawn away or at least sufficiently distracted. Good luck." With those last words, Gil would walk toward the sea. He was not going to enter the town, but instead enter the next bay around and swim in. This way he would be much less suspicious.

Gilbard made sure to avoid contact with anyone on the way down, taking the valleys created by dunes all the way to the ocean side rocky outcrops. There his breathing started to slow as his lungs recognised the salt in the air. Wading in the water was a rejuvenating experience, like getting home from a particularly arduous work day and resting your feet. He would slowly melt into the sea, drifting out into the bay. Circling around the nearby cape, the seaside town of Nanohana came back into view. Passing underwater, he lurked in the deep, diving beneath the many large ships that passed in and out of the harbour. It would take him another fifteen minutes or so to locate the spot that had been described to him by Sinbad. He drew up, slowly ascending to a shallower depth. He chose a vantage point cloaked in shadow underneath a nearby wharf. Here he would wait for Jackal to draw away the nearby guards so he could slip inside.