Rotten Apples

East Blue, Hedge Drop:::.
Early Morning, 6:00AM::.

Wide open blues reach as far as the eye can see, the sky littered with clouds as the cloth of night begins to subside and a new day begins to break through greeted by the glorious golden light shinning on through the clouds which begin to dissipate. Smiling down over the day which is only just beginning the sun shines it warm glow over the blue, the beaches and the greenery that surrounds Hedge Drop the heavily populated island of plants of almost every kind.

Rife with markets Hedge Drop is but one of many towns which has a strong thriving market community where goods are sold for fair prices and the gain for everyone all round is even. As they say you get what you pay for and that was exactly the case in this cosy little town.

With the opening of the clouds allowing a warm sun to breath life into the town of Hedge Drop the market owners had already begun to bring in the new stock from their workshops, warehouses and even their homes from long time veteran marketeers to new age budding stall owners. They were ready to exchange goods for fair gain.

Little did they know that today among other days would be the one where their protection money would be no good.

Weekly collections were common in a place with no heroes and no one brave enough to stand up to the sheer force of the Navy and their many many recruits looking for any excuse to show a civilian the but of their rifle or just how sharp their new blade they'd only been issued that day really was.

In groups of three Marine recruits would hit up the stalls and request a minimum of 500 Beli per person running the stall. In some cases this led to rather extortionate amounts, especially in cases where the whole family were there to help out.

But to the naval recruits it was just another form of payment that would fill their pockets till it was split by their Captain, the man who had sent them on these little errands and kept everything hidden from his superiors rather well.

The marine with the apple tree as he was known.

An accomplished hero with many victories under his belt and authority he demanded be respected, it was thanks to him that pirates didn't frequent Hedge Drop and why there were currently none left out of those who'd risked it. With a blank wall in his office he would post up the bounty posters most recently issued and start an investigation into the first and do everything in his power to track them down if in the vicinity and only move to the next one once he was finished. With a current record of 59 arrests he proved to be quite the Naval Captain.

But to the stall owners he was something else. Something much much worse.

JOSH WYNTER:::.


It had been the longest time that the blue had been beneath his feet and he'd been struggling to stay afloat, but with the troubles that had cropped up among the journey the small raft turned rowing with help of a few extra beli belonging to the man who refereed to himself as the future pirate king, but to others was Wynter he stood atop the tiny mast he'd made out of spare parts whilst the rest of the boat slowly sailed on just beneath the water's surface.

Having done his best and clearly not succeeded anywhere nears as well as he'd hoped, partly due to a large angler fish he'd encountered, the man known as Wynter was just pleading that his crumby little boat lasted just enough time to let him land at the small wooden docks of Hedge Drop.

They were just out of reach and the water was quickly creeping up on him.

Keeping his eyes peeled on the water which rose Wynter's eyes flicked between port and the surface of the blue and before he was even near enough to properly dock or take a step form his ship, he was in the air and his ship falling to pieces.

The sheer force of the leap had pushed the boat into a world of hurt it had never known or wished to know. Quickly beginning to fall apart and drift apart Wynter found himself only just on the edge. His feet half on and half off he reached forward for anything to steady him only to find the hand of a passing young lady who smiled at him as she puled him forward.

"Thanks

He said with a smile as the woman left him to enjoy the dry land and sun which had begun to shine down a little brighter now breathing life through the town which would be bustling with life and deals.

Peering behind him Wynter saw the remains of what had been his ship and how it no longer existed.

With a smile on his face and determination in his heart he was certain this was the place he could finally begins his journey.

LYCEUM TATE:::.


Bottles, syringes and pills covered the room.

Stacked into triangles were bottles on the window sill. Syringes which had been full of artificial adrenaline lay on the bed side table whilst pills were over the floor, none of which had actually made their way into the mouth of the old codger people knew as Lyceum Tate.

Attempting to put his problems behind him and avoid dealing with them he saw partying till he could party now more as his only solution. It was just a shame how wrong he was. Even worse was that he knew it.

The room had been spinning hours earlier and now it simply hurt his eyes to look around. Tasting the foul disgusting alcoholic beverages in his mouth he turned his head to the left and spat on the floor to try and rid himself of the taste.

A small glow had begun to shin through the curtains and Lyceum started to see that maybe the night previous had been a bad idea. He was just grateful that today wasn't a day of work, but another day he could slack off.

No patients, no worries, no need to wake up.

But the shooting pain in his back told him there was a need for him to indulge his addiction, it was time he swallow down a good few pain killers and let the pain from his pain attempt to subside.

Groaning as he lay back down, Lyceum tried to recollect the memories from last night of which were only a blur of continuous drink after drink, slap after slap and injection after injection.

It was no wonder his body felt so painful and he felt so rough.

The morning was bright.

The morning was beautiful.

The morning was warm.

Best of it was quickly making its way hurrying along to the next time of the day.

Mae sat watching the day begin to unfold from afar. Looking down at the town of Hedge Drop, she could feel a sense of excitement awaiting her.

The town looked pretty from up here but she was certain it would look even better up close.

Whipping her Koneko Tsume from it's holster she quickly planted the kitten claw hook on the side of the vantage point and started to abseil down the vantage point.

Being far from the town and up so high she made a point of shooting down as quickly as possible.

Upon reaching the ground once more, a sense of relief came crashing in. Then she tugged on the steel thread which shot back like a cannon into the tactical baton planting itself safely in her hand.

Slotting the baton back into it's holster, Mae turned in the direction of the town. It was time she joined the party that she saw awaiting her.

JOSH WYNTER:::.


Speeding into the town and side stepping a few on their way to work. Probably fishermen and maybe the odd Marine or maybe even pirate. Wynter did his best to avoid the traffic till he came to a halt with his face upon the ground.

Hitting the ground with a thud he groaned picking himself back up. Looking behind him, Wynter saw just what he'd done and his heart sunk just a little.

In his excitement to begin his journey, Wynter had sprinted directly into a young girl trying to sell flowers and he'd trodden right through her basket crumpling the flowers.

Pulling a face he turned to see her horror stricken face.

"Oh geez! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!"

The girl deflated like a balloon giving up on life and a few small tears started to form in her eyes.

"C'mon don't start crying."

Trying to console her Wynter sat up and leant forward resting a hand on her shoulder. However this was possibly one of the worst things he could've done as he was soon to discover a response from the little girl.

The ten year old with tears forming in her eyes dirty blonde hair hanging just above her shoulders in a set of brown dungarees turned with ferocity and an open hand.

Dealing out a painful bare handed slap to Wynter's face he was a little startled.

"YOU RUINED MY BUSINESS!"

A little taken back by this Wynter put a hand to his now reddened cheek and started picking up the crushed flowers putting them back into the basket.

"I said I was sorry."

"SORRY DOESN'T FIX ANYTHING! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

Rubbing her eyes as she kicked the basket away, Wynter sighed.

"You're right, I don't understand. But if it helps I'll come pick more flowers with you to sell?"

"I think you should have to pay for those flowers you trampled you poopy headed dingle berry!"

Grimacing, Wynter thought about the lack of money he had in his pockets and quickly found a response to hand straight back.

"How about we both go pick flowers and we'll pick twice as many as before and sell them all over! We'll make double, no triple the money you would've made before!"

Sizing Wynter up the little girl looked him up and down as if concocting some sort of a plan. Wynter just hoped it wasn't one which would lead him to such danger, but hopefully excitement.

LYCEUM TATE:::.


BANG!
BANG!
BANG!

Groaning as the sounds of his door were slammed by the sounds of a large meaty fist, Lyceum picked himself up and clutching his pained back wandered over to the door. Before he could lay a hand on it, the door was kicked open.

The blast knocked Lyceum back a couple of steps till he landed on his arse and the bright early light which told the tale of morning blinded him.

Stepping in through the door was nothing but a silhouette to Lyceum till the door was shut behind him.

Standing over the doctor and glaring down through a set of specs with a smile just as sinister was a marine.

"You couldn't just wait?"

"I heard about your antics last night doctor. Can't say I'm impressed you're nothing but perverted filth & drunk."

"Some would call it an endearing charm"

"And I'm not one of them."

Picking himself up, Lyceum raised himself high enough to be able to match the Marine's eyes.

"Right, well that's neither here nor there, so mind me asking what it is your doing here so early?"

Sizing the doctor up and down, the Marine could see he was frail. He question if a simple blow could floor him for life or if he should simply come to collect what he come for and leave.

"Two things. Of course you know by now how this town works, and of course I have come to collect my pay, but there was just one more thing."

"Yea, I've got your money right here ya leech."

Lyceum replied tossing an envelope of money from the desk behind him at the Naval Captain.

"The second thing was that recently I came across something rather interesting whilst looking at the bounty posters upon my wall. In particular this one."

The naval captain produced a bounty poster belonging to a revolutionary known as "Crimson Carson". Upon the poster's picture, Crimson Carson could be seen with blood streaking down the left side of his face with gritted teeth whilst in the background to the left Lyceum's face could be seen from the side growling. It wasn't the perfect picture, but clear enough to make out that it belonged to the perverted junkie doctor Lyceum Tate.

"What about it? Crimson Carson the revoutionary worth 15,000,000 Beli"

"Do you not see it Mr Tate?" questioned the marine as he pointed to the face of Lyceum Tate in the background.

Doing his best to play his very best poker face, Lyceum remained calm.

"What about it?"

"This plays out one of two ways, you give me everything, I want when I want it, or this news goes public. You lead me to Carson, you get arrested and lastly you get executed."

"You can't even prove it's me."

"You'd be surprised, I hold allot of influence. But I won't lie, I do wonder what a doctor such as yourself was doing back there in that revolutionary war."

"What is it you want?"

"There now, isn't it so much easier when you play ball?"

"What do you want?"

"Double this" the marine captain replied raising the envelope of money he was extorting.

"Do you get some sick & twisted enjoyment from this?"

"Just a sense of justice at it's best."

A second envelope was produced from the same desk and tossed at the Captain who in turned gave a sinister smile and turned leaving with double. A good bit of money in his pocket.

Lyceum closed the door as his brain begun panicking. Thinking past the hangover he needed a new strategy, a plan. A way out.

MAE POPULI:::.


As the sun started climbing into the sky nice and high anchoring itself into place, not only had the stalls opened up, but so had a few pick pocketing camps just on the outskirts of the town of Hedge Drop.

Just at the gates where they knew they couldn't enter. They lurked just before watching the enforcers as two Naval marines stood guard with rifles in hand and a stern looks all around.

A team of two who looked pretty filthy sat on the side of the road.

Jim John & Wolfe watched keeping an eye out for an opening and for anyone who might aid their entrance.

"'Oh about scaling the wall?"

"Everytime we try that they try and shoot us down."

"You know this!"

"Then what about 'er?"

"Who?"

"This lady? Can't she distract 'em fer us?"

Wolfe was pointing to Mae who was making her way into the town. Jim John turned to spy her and with a grin he nodded. This would indeed be helpful.

"Good eye Wolfy boy."

The two quickly made their move before her and tried to usher a conversation out of nowhere.

Just like her, they had a life to live and one which they wished to continue living.

"Excuse me miss." Jim John opened up stepping in front trying to introduce himself and Wolfe with the most polite of all manors.

"Myself & my friend Wolfe. Are currently trying to gain entrance to the town, but it seems we've a little trouble as the two recruits guarding the gates don't seem to like us. Talk about holding grudges. A little bit petty I agree, but it seems we cannot gain entrance."

"Yea arseholes!"

"Wolfe!" Jim John shouted hitting him round the back of the head to put him in his place. "Now I know how this must look, but would you be so kind as to distracting them up ahead on your arrival so we can find our way in over the wall?"

Seeing the gate just up ahead, Mae took a deep breath, ready to face the excitement that would so surely come her way. There were two men on the gate dressed in Marine attire and even though she hated the Marines for what happened to her father, she knew that she couldn't tarnish them all with the same brush.

Not everyone as the same.

It was at this moment when she was frightened by two men who leapt from the bushes stopping her in her place. Still a good distance from the gate to avoid any problems with the Marines. Looking at the two they looked a little rough around the edges and their voices sounded just as bad.

One of them mainly did the talking who talked at great length speaking about climbing over the wall.

A little frightened and out of comfort instead of replying and giving a coherent reply, Mae simply nodded.

She agreed to helping the two.

It wasn't quite what she'd expected nor had she even really known what else to do especially considering they ambushed her and she had no idea about them at all.

It was probably the safer option of the two anyway.

Walking down the path to the gate, she took a second deep breath as now she would be doing her best to distract the two marines.

She reached for her weapon thinking this would be a good way to distract the two marines.

"Hi, I'm new to this town and I'm only visiting for today. If I like it enough I might even stay, but I just wanted to know, will it be okay for me to bring this into the town with me?"

Standing in front of one of the Marines she looked at the other then towards John Jim and Wolfe before darting back to the two marines.

"I only want to be sure as I don't want to arouse any suspicions should something happen whilst I was in town today."

Smiling sweetly she hoped things would work out well.

JOSH WYNTER:::.


Grabbing Wynter's hand and dragging him away from the scene of the crime, the little flower girl started speaking.

"Come with me, I've an idea of how you can make it up to me."

Raising an eyebrow as he followed along, making their way down twists and turns, around several corners and down a set of stairs the little flower girl let go of Wynter's hand and pounced on to a ladder as she started climbing finding her way to the rooftop.

Following suite and leaping on top, Wynter reached the rooftop and stood beside the little flower girl. She stood with hands on her sides and looked dead ahead at the town that was waiting before them.

"You sure run fast for a little thing."

"You see that building up there on the right?"

Raising his head and looking towards the distance trying to follow her hand Wynter raised a hand up to block out the sun.

"The Navy head quarters?"

"No the one next to it you idiot!"

Turning his gaze sightly to the right, Wynter's eyes fell upon the building she meant.

"You mean the clock tower?"

"Yeah, there are some creeping Willow Blasphers which are crawling up the side of it and towards the clock face are the flowers, if you can get me them, then all will be forgiven."

"And just how the hell am I supposed to get up there?"

"Not my problem. But if you want to make it up to me."

"And what if I don't?"

With one swift movement and a quick sharp pain surging up from his groin, Wynter felt a foot in full swing meet between his legs.

Dropping to his knees and clutching at his gut, Wynter realized the pain that tore through his body with small tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Okaaay . . . "

LYCEUM TATE:::.


With the threats just made and the realization of the horror that would loom over him for as long as he stayed Lyceum formed a plan as quickly as possible and prepared himself for an escape.

This wouldn't be his life, nor his grave. Despite the hangover and shock that someone recognized him from his years back in the revolution, he decided that if he was no longer here, he could no longer be threatened and start fresh somewhere else.

It was rare for people to turn away doctors.

Pulling together a set of important medical supplies and throwing his own personal collection together. He tossed it all in a large sack and slung it over his shoulder. Pocketing the money he'd managed to save and placing it in a safe and secure place, Lyceum pulled on his lab coat and made for the door.

It was time he started out on a new path and found his way to the docks. The first and best way to make a new life for himself. He'd just need to find a boat ready to ship out and make sure he wasn't recognized.

Grabbing a light weight hooded jumper, Lyceum pulled it beneath his lab coat and pulled up the hood. Hunching over, he started making his path towards the docks ready to find a ship.

"Time to say goodbye Hedge Drop. It's been fun."

MAE POPULI:::.


As Mae replied informing the two of the situation and how she could offer some help, both Wolfe & Jim John's grins grew wide. Both overjoyed and over the moon the two quickly set themselves in place against the wall but not too near to the gate. Just within sight, they waited for Mae to make her move.

With the young ginger girl approaching and questioning about her tactical baton. With the questions launched at him the first marine stepped forward taking it in his hands to inspect it further, whilst the second remained with his eyes on the lookout for something suspect.

"I'd say this should be alright, given you don't use it for anything but self defense."

Looking to his comrade, the first Marine looked back to the tactical baton and nodded to Mae.

"This should be fine."

As the first marine spoke and the second continued on the lookout, Wolfe had already begun his ascent, clambering up the wall Jim John followed quickly after Wolfe.

"HEY YOU TWO!" the second Marine called as his eyes caught sight of Jim John as he found his way to the half way point of the wall. Looking down from the top was Wolfe who shot back a glance with a startled expression.

"Shit he spotted us!"

"Cheese it!"

Dropping from the wall Wolfe made his way into the town whilst Jim John reached the top and caught a glimpse of the marine taking aim with his rifle.

Opening fire a quick two shots suddenly tore through the calf muscles of Jim John's legs.

Screaming in agony he hit the top of the wall and pulled himself over till he came crashing down on the inside of the wall.

"QUICK LETS GET 'EM THEY'RE INSIDE THE TOWN WALLS."

Arming themselves with rifles at the ready both marines rushed beyond the gate into the town with the hopes of catching the two crooks. The first reached for a den den mushi quickly making a call.

"Just spotted two crooks Wolfe & John Jim inside the town walls. Engaging in combat at the North East gate!"