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Now Shanks had not met Old man Cane but had heard some stories so that's where they started of. Shanks spoke of the stories about a man that wielded a blade taller then any normal men and who was able it wield it as easy as a dagger. The power had been amazing and the sharpness such that nothing could withstand the blade. Everything was cut with it. Steel, flesh, wood and stone. Nothing stood chance for such an attack, unless the defender was skilled enough not to take the hit but dodge. Rake asked if Shanks was that good and Shanks answered that he most likely was.

Merry Pirate Slashes 4-6

Shanks begun to strike with a normal cut which Rake blocked. Rake answered with a thrust, which Shanks dodged by sidestepping with grace. Shanks nodded and understood that Rake had found Shanks basic moves so Shanks went hard for it. Several slashes came towards Rake which he was able to dodge but they just kept raining onto him and then it came to him that if he could match it then he could win it. Soon both Rake and Shanks was sending of powerful and aggressive slashes and soon both jumped away form each others. Rake had now learned the Merry Pirate Slashes, well that was what Shanks had told him.

Merry Pirate Slashes 6-6 Done

Shanks mentioned the fact that the Red Haired Pirates like to party and Rake could only say that he noticed and agree on that very statement. Rake told it was good to see captains that enjoyed their crew and not just used them to their own goals. Shanks smiled and laughed a bit of that but agreed with it as well. Yet he had a point with it and it came down to the hart of the man wielding the sword. One had to be pleased with what one did and have somethign to protect. Without the precious treasure to protect one would fail in the end.

Great Pirate Party 2-6

Shanks told Rake that he would teach him the techniques Rake needed to know to survive a bit longer but what Rake really needed to find to fully grasp these techniques or the value of life was to find his own bunch of pirates to party with in his own way. Nothing else would ever help Rake reach the highest goals. First Shanks showed the first step of this next technique. A sweeping slash that needed to be done accurately. First Rake would learn when to strike and how to strike. One slash per attack and one attack at a time. This was how would grind the skill into one's mind. Rake would never fail this when the heat was on.

Great Pirate Party 4-6

Shanks showed Rake how the move should be used with full speed. He had done so earlier before but now Rake truly saw the technique and begun to swing after Shanks. Soon they where synchronized and Shanks nodded and left. Rake stood there a while and looked around. This made no sense at all. Was that it? Nothing more to be learned? Yet just as Rake thought it was over a bamboo stick came flying and with that Rake learned how to use the attack on Rake. Shanks also showed Rake how Rake could get deep into the guard and then attack. This day was truly filled with learning abilities. Rake wondered what more Shanks could hold in his head, what techniques could this man teach Rake? It would be fun to find out.

Great Pirate Party 6-6 Done

Rake looked at Shanks and begun to think for a while. Back to the days of his grandfather really. Before he started he realized that maybe he was thinking of his old relative a bit to much. Yet Rake ignored that thought rather quickly. What had his grandfather told him about the pirate life? "Rake, come here son. Listen to me now that you're almost ready to leave home and travel the path you've chosen to walk. As a pirate you have to know that pirates can be cruel and evil and the most of them are yet they all have their charm. There are those pirates that enjoys having a good time and God knows that those you can always trust."

Ultimate Mutilation 2-8

Rake continued to think of the words of his grandfather and truly found it good that his own memory didn't falter a bit. "Rake now the day you leave comes closer for each minute and I'll be glad to see you go. Yet heed my words carefully and choice your comrades carefully for among pirates all smiles but many are fake ones. There are those who are friendly until you're worth enough to take down then everyone turns on you. That's the cruel world that we live in and take care. You will have the name of Cane live once again in the world of pirates and nothing will be able to stop your blade when the time comes for you to defend your self."

Ultimate Mutilation 3-8

His grandfather had indeed been a very nice man and a very happy going one. This Shanks was sort of like Rake's grandfather but Shanks was on a much higher level. Rake smiled a bit as his mind had quit and he was back in the world of today. Shanks looked at him and asked Rake what he thought about and if he was ready to learn a new technique. Rake smiled towards him and nodded. "I was made ready for anything in my youth so of course I'm ready. Let us down our pints and go for it Shanks!" Shanks laughed at the comment and both men slammed the pints and down the beer.


Ultimate Mutilation 4-8

Rake stood against Shanks with one of those wooden sticks that Shanks had provided. "So who do we do this Shanks? We run around and hit each others or do we go slow motion?" Shanks smiled at Rake and answered the boy, as always there was a smile upon the red haired pirate. "I'll show you first and then you'll learn to block it and then you learn how to use it properly." Shanks begun to show the first step. It was a running dash. It started as an explosion and kept going until Shanks got in exact position. Then a rapid flow of attacks and Rake was a bit taken but kept going. Yet soon the last attack stroke and he fell backwards and down.


Ultimate Mutilation 5-8

Rake sat up and looked up into the sky. It was a clear day today and it was good. Well it was clear for this place at least. Then he found a hand and turned to it's owner. Shanks stood there with a smile and helped Rake up to his feet. Rake gladly took the help coming up for it made it easier and created a bit of friendship. Rake looked towards shanks as he placed his hand towards his chest. "What was that final attack I think I missed it in my effort of blocking the slashes. It was quite fast and explosive attack!" Rake's eyes narrowed as Shanks came at him once again. First the slashes, now Rake was ready. He could see it was the Merry Pirate slashes attack and now he was in the match.

Ultimate Mutilation 6-8

Then it came once again a thrust in the middle of this. No wonder it had broken through Rake's defence last time. Rake flew backwards and landed once again on the ground but this time he was able to flip to the ground. He had not blocked the attack but he had dodged it. Shanks stood there smiling and walked up to Rake to help him up once more but was taken a bit when he flipped up. Rake had understood the basics with the attack and now it would go fast. Shanks felt good from this swordsman. This man could reach far, very far indeed. "So how did I do Shanks? I saw the attack and dodged it. I think that was the term for you teaching me right?"

Ultimate Mutilation 7-8

Shanks nodded towards Rake and stood beside him and this time they had their own weapons. Shanks called for some help to stack up barrels for target practise. First Rake would learn how to do the dash. Rake knew his reach and due to this the running start was easy. Then he added the Merry Pirate slashes. Yet there was a problem the barrels broke during it and the final move of this technique could not be done. Shanks got an idea and soon there was a stone wrapped in leather. Rake smiled a bit and took for the second time the running starts, slashed the leader into shreds but as it came Shanks shouted for the thrust and from no where Rake attacked the stone and cut it in half with the force. This was the technique Shanks had done earlier on Rake.

Ultimate Mutilation 8-8 Done

Before they continued on doing anything at all, Shanks suggested very politely, friendly and happy if Rake would enjoy eating with him. "Oi, Rake, you should know how great meat they have at this place. The beer, the mood and the meat is more or less why we come here to have a good time!" Rake looked at Shanks for a minute and thought about it. He guessed that it could mean that Shanks had more to give him in the way of the sword but honestly he did not know. "Well I guess a free meal is always appreciated by our kind. A pirate being treated is when his meal will taste the best. The free meal is the best meal for friendship gives food that sparkle."

Pirate Finale 2-10

Rake said with a happy voice and laughed back at Shanks as the man nodded a bit. Then they walked into the diner/pub/bar. A tavern could be a good word for it really. Rake and Shanks sat down at a table and ordered in the special of today. It was always fun to ask for the chefs idea of a meal and allowing him full control of the dinner. Ordering the special without seeing the menu resulted in that and one would have to be brave, because the price could cut you down if one was not ready. Yet angers was the life of a pirate. Everything got so much more of a meaning when danger was involved. That's why the path of the sword was the path Rake had taken. It was one of the most dangerous ones out at the sea.

Pirate Finale 3-10

During their wait for the food Rake and Shanks spoke about all sorts of thing. Well not all sorts of things but things evolving, resulting and rotating around the topic of pirates. It was great fun to listen to the stories of Shanks. A very happy young pirate was often mentioned and one could tell that the one named Luffy was really connected to Shanks and that Shanks was mighty proud of him. Shanks would not be able to hide it in any way. There was no way that when one spoke so highly of a single person that one was proud to know that person. It was clear to think that way in the sparkle of Shank's eyes.

Pirate Finale 4-10

Yet there wasn't much Rake asked for he did not need to know. There was no point in finding out information about Shanks past about one person. Hearing random stories was far more pleasing. Shanks had truly been around for some mad events and crazy meetings in his past. If one had not heard similar stories of his grandfather, then Rake would never have been able to believe Shanks stories but here there was no lies. "So I jumped into the great fish and carved it up from the inside and form there the food storage went form empty to full. Once again I had been able to find a loop hole in sailing."

Pirate Finale 5-10

Rake and Shanks both laughed good at the stories so Rake continued on talking with some that he had heard from his grandfather. "So my grandfather had been swinging across the entire battle to come up behind the marines. Then he used one of the ultimate attacks of the b*****d style and cut a deep hole in the main marine ship. Then the old fart had forgotten to tie him to the boat and soon he was swimming for his life to catch up with his own pirate ship. If the other pirates had not seen the giant sword poking up form the sky like crazy my grandfather would have been gone for. Pirates truly need their luck to survive, huh?"

Pirate Finale 6-10

Shanks and some others laughed hard of the vision in their mind of an old Rake realizing his mistake and in the heat of a battle try and wave to his crew so that they would pick him up from the drink. Rake joined into the laughter for this was a story that his grandfather had told him once and everyone could tell that it wasn't one of his brightest appearances. Old man Cane had been a bit ashamed of what he had done truly but had made it up in the next fight where he jumped aboard a enemy boat and cut down 3 masts before jumping back and his crew escaped.

Pirate Finale 7-10

Soon the dinner was done and Rake and Shanks was just sitting there and enjoying their full stomachs. They had stopped sharing stories and was just drinking beer. Rake then asked straight out, if there was anything more Shanks could teach Rake and if they maybe could do so before the sun sets. Yet Shanks just looked at him and smiled. "I've got one more thing to teach you but let us wait until the sun gives a more orange light for it's so much more beautiful then on the normal day or night." Shanks nodded to his own statement to perhaps give it more strength. Not that it was needed for Rake had no arguments with it.

Pirate Finale 8-10

After enough waiting both men left the tavern and looked at the sun. "It's truly beautiful, wouldn't you say Rake?" Shanks asked as he took out his blade and Rake looked towards the sun's general direction and nodded. "It truly is a great view but please. Tell me what you will learn me!" Shanks laughed a bit at Rake's impatience. This young boy wanted to learn and move on. A bit to much to short perhaps but it seemed that maybe the boy could handle it. "Let me show you how you will combine all techniques that You've learned this day. One have to combine the thrusts and the slashes into this great dance that will take over everything in the end. Here follow me!"

Pirate Finale 9-10

Rake followed with Shanks for a moment and tried to combine the various skills but in the beginning he was combining the wrong combinations and it went into a failed attack instead. Yet Shanks was a patient man and Rake controlled his mind so that he could focus and so it all came much more clearer. After a while, after the sun had already set and the stars where out, Rake made it the first time. Yet the problem as that the last attack had tilted a crate which had resulted in rum bottles falling to the gorund and rum spilt. Soon Rake stood in front an opponent and was ready to fight. He found an opening with a thrust and soon the used the Pirate Finale and won the fight simple. With the last words between Shanks, the pirates and Rake, the boy left towards the port.

Pirate Finale 10-10 Done