La Marine Mondiale fut le premier groupe militaire organisé de l'Océan Éternel. Forgés des restes des puissances militaires de l'Ancien Monde, ils cherchaient à protéger les survivants de l'Humanité et à les gouverner. Cependant, ils étaient beaucoup trop régimentaires dans leur approche. Beaucoup de survivants étaient heureux d'être débarrassés des chaînes de l'Ancien Monde et avaient décidé de vivre une vie de liberté totale. Ils ont immédiatement rejeté le gouvernement autoproclamé de la Marine mondiale, qui a d'abord déclenché le conflit continu entre la Marine et les pirates du ciel modernes.
~ L'archiviste Cagen, la Tome de la renaissance
Acte 1: Les vents du changement!
Atlasday 13e Amiel
C'est pas vrai! Un autre ton sonore a ajouté à la cacophonie de la bataille qui faisait rage à l'extérieur depuis dix minutes maintenant. Des cris de douleur et des cris de douleur s'ensuivirent bientôt, en complimentant la staccato du feu de canon point avant qu'un autre coup de bloom ne se détache de la guerrière orchestrale qui était l'Ocean Horizon, ce qui ne fit que secouer l'ensemble de sa structure. Au milieu de l'opéra de guerre, qui avait de nouveau descendu sur son navire, assis le capitaine Fletcher G. Payne; à son bureau, entièrement nonchalant et apparemment ignorant de toute la situation, malgré le bris d'ornements de verre et de vaisselle de porcelaine qui avait autrefois décoré ses quartiers.
Le navire s'est secoué une fois de plus, cette fois-ci après avoir reçu le canon de l'ennemi. Mais le capitaine refusa de chercher à partir des différentes cartes qui avaient été étalées sur son bureau et bien tenues en place par quelques couteaux poignardés dans la surface du bois résineux. Il tendit la main pour son flagon de rhum, le drainant jusqu'à ce que les derniers dregs restent. Ce n'est qu'alors qu'il regarda vers la porte et soupira. Son stock personnel s'était asséché il y a des semaines et il comptait maintenant sur ce qu'ils avaient laissé dans la cale. Mais cela signifierait aller dehors et devoir se battre à travers n'importe quelle maigre force d'embarquement essayait de capturer son vaisseau cette fois-ci.
Dans une situation normale, Fletcher aurait été beaucoup plus attentif à tout, mais vu que c'était la douzième attaque en aussi peu que deux semaines, il s'était ennuyé de tout. Les assaillants en question étaient probablement un autre navire vassal à un Goran vert; un capitaine décédé de longue date de Vivian's Mercy, un important équipage de pirates autour de ces parties ou du moins ils l'étaient auparavant. L'équipage pirate, qui naviguait encore en son nom, était naturellement en colère contre sa mort prématurée et avait mis une importante prime sur la tête de Fletcher depuis que son ami Bosun & long-terme devenu associé, 'Poole the Unkillable', avait tiré sur Green Goran à travers le visage environ trois ou quatre ans auparavant.
Cependant, le fait que Poole soit revenu d'entre les morts pour exécuter la tuerie signifiait que l'équipage n'avait pas vraiment les couilles d'attaquer le navire lui-même, en envoyant tout l'équipage de pirates qui ne connaissait pas mieux pour effectuer le travail à la place. C'était vraiment pathétique, mais c'est resté le même rituel chaque fois qu'ils passaient à travers cette section du ciel sur leur chemin à travers le ciel le plus proche Shoel. Il s'est rappelé de remercier Poole une fois de plus pour ce désagrément.
Avec une exhalation exagérée de souffle, Fletcher s'est poussé hors de sa chaise, en utilisant sa prise sur le bord du bureau pour se stabiliser lui-même. Les frissons du navire devenaient de plus en plus violents, sans parler de l'effet que le rhum avait sur lui. Peut-être qu'un autre drapeau serait trop? Son esprit a vite réfléchi. -- N'importe quoi! Il s'est quelque peu ridiculisé en réponse. En s'assurant d'attraper Fujin, Fletch s'est rendu à la porte de ses chambres et aux bruits de luttes rauques au-delà.
Ouverture de la lourde porte en bois a pris une certaine manière d'effort et le capitaine a été immédiatement rencontré par le souffle d'un pirate enragé. Certainement pas l'un des siens, mais trop bien équipé et habillé pour être n'importe quel pirate. L'homme répugnant et laid s'est tourné vers lui, le reconnaissant pour ce qu'il était. Un autre cri monta, cette fois dans la joie, et il commença sa charge vers la porte de Fletcher, sa porte de bataille s'effrayant en l'air au-dessus de lui. Étant dans l'état où il était, Fletch n'était pas pressé du tout d'essayer d'arrêter l'homme. Au lieu de cela, il s'est contenté d'attendre que son accusation l'amène assez près et a simplement claqué la porte épaisse fermée. Le Thud qui en résulte! n'a été accompagné que par la croûte de son nez et le bruit de l'assaut pirate s'écrasant sur le pont complètement inconscient. Fletcher sourit à sa propre ingéniosité.
Il a ouvert la porte une fois de plus, cette fois en sortant immédiatement et au-dessus du tas froissé devant lui. À sa surprise, l'atmosphère était beaucoup plus chaotique qu'il ne s'y attendait. Au lieu de la défense à demi-coeur qu'ils avaient l'habitude de lancer pour ces attaques, Fletcher pouvait voir presque tous les membres importants de son équipage sur le pont principal, se battant contre l'assaut des pirates. C'est alors qu'il a reconnu la tenue de la moche. Ils contenaient les couleurs de la Miséricorde de Vivian. On l'a immédiatement repris. Ils ont dû enfin se lasser d'envoyer des chiens faire leur sale boulot et avaient décidé de le confronter eux-mêmes.
Fletcher sourit, c'était exactement ce dont son équipage avait besoin: Un bon combat. Au cours du dernier mois, l'ambiance à bord de l'Horizon était devenue de plus en plus sombre comme elle l'a toujours fait à cette époque de l'année. Ce n'était que deux semaines avant le Festival de Lumière, la célébration d'une semaine des trois Progéniteurs Lunes offrant gracieusement toute leur lumière combinée aux survivants de l'humanité. C'était un temps de jubilation et de souvenir. Il s'agissait d'un festival traditionnel de célébration, même bien avant qu'Atlaias ne soit tué. Mais avec la vie sur l'Océan Éternel étant si sombre et sombre, un Festival de Lumière a tenu d'autant plus de signification maintenant.
Pour l'équipage de l'Ocean Horizon, cependant, cela ne devait pas l'être. Dans les huit années qui ont suivi que Fletcher avait mis son navire au ciel au-dessus de l'océan, l'Horizon n'avait jamais regagné Shoel pour les célébrations. Pas par la malchance ou le timing, mais par la propre décision de Fletcher. Certes, ce n'était pas une décision très populaire, mais le jeune capitaine avait néanmoins maintenu sa position sur la question, affirmant que sa mission était beaucoup plus importante qu'une semaine d'alcool-fest. Il avait même interdit toute fête à bord du navire. Une règle selon laquelle certains membres de son équipage avaient essayé de rompre à plus d'une occasion, mais n'ont réussi qu'à gagner sa colère. Une punition stricte sous la forme d'un harcelage attendait tous ceux qui allaient essayer aujourd'hui.
Mais cette année devait être différente. Par un coup de chance, que Fletcher avait trouvé difficile à croire au début, l'Horizon allait faire port à la Tour-Ville de Shoel juste à temps pour le Festival. Il croyait que les Dieux Progéniteurs avaient finalement assez de son pouvoir et avaient conspiré avec le destin pour forcer l'Horizon à assister aux célébrations. S'il n'avait pas été si religieux, grâce à l'enseignement équilibré de la science et des études religieuses de Cagen, il aurait immédiatement tourné son navire dans la direction opposée et navigué pendant trois semaines tout droit. Comme c'était le cas, Fletcher aurait été un idiot de le faire. Beaucoup d'un Navigateur de Navigateur Sky ont compté sur la constellation des étoiles et les positions des Lunes pour guider avec succès leur navire vers leur destination en toute sécurité et sans danger. Et il était largement cru que les Dieux Progéniteurs contrôlaient les étoiles spécifiquement pour aider les marins en cela. Et si les étoiles avaient conduit son navire à arriver à Shoel à l'époque du Festival, alors qui était-il pour refuser délibérément cela de se produire.
Sans réfléchir plus loin, Fletcher est entré dans la mêlée, tenant sa lame gainée haut au-dessus de lui et criant, "Fight hommes plus dur! Après cela, nous naviguons vers Shoel et le Festival de Lumière! »
Name:
Fletcher Gulliver Payne
Alias(s):
Fletch, Cloudstrider, Shardseeker, The King of Storms
Age:
28
Height:
5’11”
Weight:
177lbs (80.3kgs)
Hair Color:
Dark Brown
Eye Color:
Grey
Crew Position:
Captain
Physical Appearance:
Fletch's most notable feature is his boyish looks. Despite being twenty-eight, he still manages to retain his youth rather well, though this usually leads others to think that he's younger than he actually is and has garnered more than a few insults about his experience as a captain. He does, however, prefer himself this way and accentuates these looks by keeping himself prim and proper. He likes being clean and maintains his appearance thoroughly.
His physique is well maintained, also. Having fought and many various boarding raids, Fletcher has to keep himself in good physical condition so that he can fight off his enemies effectively. His training in swordsmanship helps greatly with his stamina and endurance. He possesses a large scar that runs from the upper left rib cage, down to his lower right hip. This was received during a personal fight against Commander Lox of the World Navy.
Attire:
His cleanliness trait also manifests itself in his clothing choices. He is often seen wearing a slim-fitted shozoku. It is made up of split-toe tabi boots and socks; special trousers with double-ties which fasten at the ankles, knees and waist; a jacket with overlapping lapels which is tucked into the trousers and protective arm-and-hand gauntlets.
He also sports a long, trailing sash of purple colour and embroidered with a white unknown symbol. He received the sash as a gift from the Immortal Archivist Cagen as a good luck charm.
Personality:
Self-Assured: Fletcher tends to face most problems with a confident outlook. Nothing is too difficult or challenging for him in his eyes and he readily believes that he can overcome most obstacles one way or another.
Distant: Somewhat ignorant to most situations, though not through choice. He doesn’t register danger as most others do and generally doesn't listen when it comes to what he should and shouldn't do.
Brash: If there’s a quick way of doing something, a shortcut to follow or generally just an obscene way of doing things, Fletcher will undoubtedly do it. He dislikes acting responsibly, even despite his position as Captain, and will do his utmost to make his life more exciting, usually through more adventurous means.
Promiscuous: Fletcher has spent many a night in the comfort of someone else’s bed. He doesn’t discriminate when it comes to race and generally tends to use his charms for personal gain rather than monetary or any other reason. Though he is widely known only to sleep with females, there are rumours that he has strayed into a few beds owned by members of the same sex, though these have neither been confirmed or denied.
Weapons & Equipment:
Fujin: This katana is a weapon that has been in Fletcher's possession for as long as he can remember. He doesn't go anywhere without it and you'll never see it leave his person. He trains exclusively with this sword but he refuses to unsheathe it when fighting. He keeps his reasons for this untold and asking him about it will only make him end a conversation or change the topic. He has, however, fought with it unsheathed but only twice before. The first time remains a secret much-like his reasons from keeping it in its' sheathe. The second time he was forced to fight with it unsheathed during his battle against Commander Lox, where his opponent pulled the blade from its sheath after knocking Fujin from his grasp and then discarding it.
He utilizes a mixture of styles when fighting with this sword. Typically though, he will fight very defensively, forcing others to expend most of their energy before making a decisive strike once they leave an opening. The sheath has been reinforced with Black Steel whereas the actual blade is made of White Iron.
The blade also has two extended sageo attached near the koiguchi (scabbard mouth) that Fletch uses for a ranged style of combat where he launched the sword towards his opponents, using the sageo to direct his attacks. He doesn't often use this style but he has proves himself more than efficient when using it.
Shardstone Medallion: Fletcher's famed medallion, given to him by none other than the Immortal Archivist. Whenever Fletcher approaches someone new who possesses a Shardstone, the medallion will ring out to Fletcher alone, notifying him of their ability, whether the person themselves knows about it or not.
Shard Ability:
Aeromancy: Fletcher's nickname King of Storms comes from his ability to partially control the air around him. Much-like other Shard Users, his abilities are very close range and not entirely all that powerful. He utilizes his limited control mainly for speed boosts when moving or attacking but he has, on occasion, summoned raging winds that directly affect some enemies who have gotten too close.
When attacking, he will boost the effects of his punches by forcing his opponent back much further then they would normally travel. This adds an extra level of power to his strikes that gives him a higher advantage at close range. When using his sword, he will create miniature air currents that boost the speed of his swings to deliver crushing blows against his enemies.
He is known to possess a special move of sorts that extends his range of command beyond that of his normal range. However, rather than directly creating air gusts or currents, he completely stills the air of the area around him. This, combined with pinpointed bursts behind his movements, allows him to move and attack at incredible speeds and deliver strikes that any normal opponent would not likely see. This part of his ability is not widely used, however, due to Fletcher's inability to proficiently control it and still move/attack at the same time.
Brief History:
Fletcher was born as the son and heir of the notorious sky pirate: Wallace the Rampager, head of The Reapers, who reigned supreme during his time as a Pirate Lord for nearly one-hundred & twenty years. Captain Wallace - whose real name, Wallace G. Payne, remained a secret to the rest of the world - was notably one of the first majorly successful pirates to soar above the Eternal Ocean, having accomplished many incredible feats during his pirating career such as; Being one of the first pirates to claim Lordship over more than one Pirate Faction resulting in him being the first Pirate Lord; Being one of the first few Pirate Captains to claim a seat during Spire Moots held at the Western Towers; Successfully assaulting and ransacking three levels of the Pyramid of Horus before being forced to retreat; and waging the largest war against the World Navy to date and captaining the only Pirate Ship to come within 5 miles of the City of Ra.
His mother's identity remains largely unknown but it is assumed that she was merely a dock wench (Prostitute) who resided in Shoel. After his birth, Fletcher was left in the care of the Immortal Archivist Cagen; A close friend to his father who ended up raising Fletcher until he was thirteen years old. During that time, Cagen would teach and guide Fletcher about the workings of the world and would also inform him about who his father was. From the very first tale, Fletcher was mystified. He began learning how to pilot Sky Ships at a young age, test flying most of the new ships off the line in one of Cagen's many factories in Shoel. He wanted to grow up to be a pirate just like his father and surpass him in every way. But Cagen had other plans for the son of the world's most famous Pirate Lord.
However, he allowed Fletcher to go out on his own, to take with him his teachings and truly discover the world of the Eternal Ocean. With the money Cagen had provided him with, Fletcher bought passage straight to Jarrah; The trade-capital of the Wandering Isles. Life was tough amongst traders and merchants, he soon found, and it wasn't long before he had resorted to stealing to survive. Despite the Wandering Isle being heavily defended against pirate raids, theft was still rife on the streets. In the five years he spent stealing and selling upon Jarrah, Fletcher had begun to make a name for himself. In his naivety, he'd been touting himself as Wallace the Rampager's successor. But within Jarrah the mere mention of the notorious Pirate Lord struck at a deep nerve. His father's attack against Horus still stung, especially to those who had lost family during the raid, and it wasn't long before the cocky, little street-thief found himself a very wanted man.
Having to escape from Jarrah had shown Fletch just what Cagen had meant by 'truly discovering the world'. His father had made many enemies and suddenly the world wasn't such a safe place anymore. At the age of eighteen, Fletcher found himself at the Archivist's doorstep with nothing to show for his adventures and no idea where to head next. Cagen, however, had anticipated this and welcomed his foster-son home with open arms. It was during the next two years that Cagen would impart unto Fletcher all knowledge of the Shardstones, including the fact that he possess one himself. It was the reason why Wallace had left him in Cagen's care.
Amongst his many adventures, Wallace's most important haul to date was that of a rough, emerald Shardstone, roughly the size of a baseball. It had been discovered within the remains of a large Sea Serpent. Wallace claimed it for himself but as soon as he touched it with his bare hands, the Shard seemed to come alive, cutting into his palm until it disappeared within him completely. That night, Wallace was overcome with a terrible fever, many of the crew thought he was going to die for sure. But by morning the fever had lifted and Wallace carried on as if nothing had happened. However, he did set an immediate course for Shoel and demanded an audience with the Immortal Archivist.
Cagen revealed that these Shardstones were in fact pieces of Atlaias that bestowed Divine Abilities upon those who found one. What Wallace didn't know, however, was that the Shardstone along with the abilities it granted were passed on through seed and into the egg that had become fertilized. Cagen didn't warn Wallace of this, who upon learning of these newfound abilities, began planning to wage war against the World Navy. Before his plan could be fully realized, however, Fletcher had already been born and the Shardstone passed on. Cagen remained quiet about it and Wallace began the war, believing that he still held his abilities.
Cagen didn't impart the full truth to Fletcher about why Wallace started the war, but he did confess his reasons for not telling Wallace that he no longer had his powers. Wallace was the first Shard User he'd met for over three-hundred years, before him all the others had gone missing or had died with no heirs. Cagen needed a new Shard User, someone he could teach about the importance of the Shards and someone who could do what he no longer could, collect all of the remaining Shardstones. Fletcher didn't ask for a reason why but suddenly he knew that this mission would be the single greatest achievement of his life, greater than any of his father's accomplishments. So he agreed to help Cagen and upon doing so, became the very first Shardseeker.
At the age of twenty, Cagen believed that Fletcher was ready to start his mission and gifted him with an extremely special ship, the Ocean Horizon. Fletcher had read the myths about this ship and upon receiving it from Cagen, only then did he realize how old the man was. For the past eight years, Fletcher has been scouring the Eternal Ocean, determined to find all of the Shardstones. He has met more than a few Shard Users along the way and taken them in to protect them, not only from others but from themselves also. He hasn't fully divulged the full details of his mission to his crew, only that Piracy is the only way he can achieve it.
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