"Euw…" Leroy snapped his hand back to normal, the feeling of the skeleton on his skin was strange, they were sky and porous like pumice stone.
The skeletons all clattered to the ground with resounding sounds. The souls finish absorbing into Eddie… "Eddie?" Dezzi asked, looking up to the tall skeleton. A small tear flowing from his socket… "Are…You okay?"
"How are you crying?" Leroy asked bluntly "I– I don't know…" He said, wiping the tear from his eyesocket. "Perhaps it's from my soul? Pardon me…" He let out a sigh. "Thank you, for the help. But it seems that I won't be able to rest just yet…"
"Hey! Wait? So were those really souls?!" Noir asked in an exasperated tone "Like souls are real?!" Leroy added, falling to his bottom and looking up to Eddie
"Yeah…Yeah they are. From what I've surmised, it is not just the soul that defines a person. But the brain as well. Everything has a 'soul' of some sort. Something that is not a part of their insides normally and exists on another level…"
"So, a soul isn't exactly…You. It's only a part of you. And when you die the soul even loses a piece of itself that exists normally I think. I'm able to 'see' people's souls when I wish. But when they are pulled from the body, they are smaller than when outside…"
"When I pull them out…I can hear them…They aren't smart or as aware when they're alive. But vague feelings and words can be surmised from the interaction."
"And what did those tell you?" Leroy asked. "Something I assumed, but they confirmed. Someone made them into those things…Returned their bodies to rotting things with demonic attributes. And…That all of the crew was taken as well…" He hung his head
"Then they wanted me to absorb their souls. Or the energy from them, and allow the rest of them to dissipate and be put to rest. Each soul carries a tad bit of residual energy, something like maybe…mental energy. And that residual is perhaps a piece of the large pie that's left behind…" Eddie was starting to go on a tangent.
"So, who took your crew?" Leroy asked
"When you float around this place long enough, you start to know everything that's around. Everyone that's here. Some years ago, a pirate came into this stretch of sea a big pirate came. I don't know exactly when."
"But one day he came across my ship. During those years I was in my stent of just…Sitting. Laying around. I think I'd been sitting at the that spot over there–" He pointed in front of the stage "For about…5 years."
"He was huge…Had these two with him. A guy and a girl…I think. They looked around the ship and went into where I had been storing the bodies of all the crew. But by that point they were nothing but skeletons." Eddie looked limply from side to side
"'Useless' he called them. But said that they may come in handy someday if he was ever 'that desperate'"
"Few years later a bounty poster came along and said that his name was 'Barnaby' and that he's a Royal Marshal of The Sea. Forgot that those were around…but he makes his home in this stretch of sea. I see his ships wandering around from time to time."
"Which…Leads me to my need for your help…" Eddie began
Only for Leroy to interrupt him "You want me to help you get back your Crew from this Marshal guy and put them back at rest?" He asked bluntly
"Ah– Yes. I don't think I can do it alone. And while I don't know if I can actually die a second time, nor is it a concern if I can. What good am I dead if my crew continue to suffer again after death when it should only be I who does so…That is if it is not to much to ask of you." Eddie put a skeletal hand on his cloaked chest and gave a small bow.
"Yeah! Of Course. I kinda had a plan to beat the hell out of any marshal I came across. I've already taken down…Theres 8…uh." He counted on his fingers. "Two of em!"
"Ah yeah" Leroy waved it off as he turned around "If it lets me help ya out a bit, and make you rethink your decision"
"Falcon D. Leroy. If you truly Succeed and help me with this tremendous undertaking. I will truly rethink my decision. That, I promise you that." For most of Eddie's life, he was known for keeping his promise
In the middle of his stride down the gangplank staircase, a thundering sound ripped through the Air! An explosion resounded through the air! The crew whipped around to where the noise came from!
"Jeanne!" Leroy yelled. Immediately Jeanne shouldered her weapon and raked the horizon with her sight
"Theres a ship coming up over the Horizon cap!" She responded loudly as another round was fired, zipping through the air and smacking into the top mast of Eddies Ship! The rotted wood exploding into soft particles and hardened bits of wood and barnacles!
"No!" Eddie screamed as his skull morphed into a look of distress!