THWACK! THUD!

"You're too sloppy. Keep your wrist steady and eyes on my movements."

Despite an entire month having passed after leaving Tierra Dorada, Jackie still found himself having trouble against Leonardo.

The pouring rain and rocking ship didn't help matters. The slick wood was a terrible foothold for the battle on the main deck.

Since they restarted their journey, he had been restrained to only fighting Leonardo, the vice-captain. Clad in his gloomy jet-black coat and roughly stitched leather gloves, he spent nearly every day giving him the hardest possible time.

He was a fine swordsman, wielding his thin saber with a calmness even Whitebeard appeared to lack.

Now, despite using a wooden sword against Jackie, it was clear to see that Leonardo was barely trying.

It frustrated Jackie.

He ducked quickly and sprang up, his sword angled perfectly, aiming for Leonardo's chin.

Without warning, Leonardo pushed off from his left leg and kneed Jackie square in the middle of his face with his right, causing a bloody nose.

Silently cursing the attack, Jackie rolled away from him the second he hit the floor and rose to his feet, breathing hard.

It was hard to tell, but Jackie was sure Leonardo was smirking from behind the raised collar of his coat. "You're as slow as ever. Perhaps it would be best for me to tie my legs together. That would be a challenge." He said, pointing at his boots.

"Oh, fuck off. I almost had you." Jackie was still struggling to catch his breath, and his voice immediately made that clear.

Leonardo shrugged, and turned around. "I'm taking a break. We've been at it for a whole hour now." He walked off downstairs.

"It's only been an hour! I'm dragging you back here if it's the last thing I do!" He called after him.

His joints felt as though they were on fire. It truly was a pain in the ass to fight someone levels ahead of himself.

Jackie hobbled to the side of the main deck and sat down, back against the railing. I wonder what the others are upto?

The weather was truly unwelcoming. He didn't know what Whitebeard had in mind, but he did know they were headed to an island off the coast of East Africa. Storms were frequent, and the downpour of rain was harsh and freezing cold.

"How lonely you are, Jackie." The familiar voice of Borris made him turn his head. He sat down beside him, ponytail smoothly flowing behind him.

For a moment, Jackie remained silent.

Borris, however, seemed unnaturally eager to strike up a conversation. "Have you improved at all while fighting Leonardo?" He asked, almost condescendingly.

Jackie shook his head. "No. I'm out of ideas. Everything I try seems to be wasted on him. I believe I landed 8 hits in about four weeks. Its pathetic, really." He raised the wooden sword up in front of him.

"I think I was too arrogant after fighting Whitebeard and killing some bandits at Tierra Dorada. Leonardo is much too strong for me."

Was he giving up? He didn't want to. Was he making any sort of progress? Absolutely not.

He had won his way out of nearly every battle with his sword, but now he found himself against a brick wall.

Borris glanced at the defeated man beside him. He was only 23, still quite young for a captain.

With a slight smile, he thought of his own days as a kid, learning the ways of the sword. "Jackie. Tell me, what is your goal? Your dream? Your reason to live on?"

His answer was instantaneous. "To find the Continent of Gold."

Borris nodded. "Yes. And who else do you think are desperate to find the Continent?" The boy wasn't a fool. He'd know the answer full well.

"Blackbeard."

The memories came flashing back to him. The screams of his crew, the final explosion that tore their ship to pieces.

The hulking figure of the First Ascendant looming before his small frame.

He didn't know why, but he felt that he just had to smile at that moment. Closing his eyes, he lowered his head almost in shame.

"Actually, Borris...what even am I? In comparison to that monster...to Whitebeard...or even to goddamn Leonardo?" He murmured, raising his hand to his eyes.

Borris sighed.

Again there was a moment of silence. "I don't know. I can't decide who you are." He reached inside his coat and grabbed a small flask filled with rum.

"Here. Have some." He said, offering the flask to Jackie. "It helps me think better, though I'm not much of a drinker."

He took the flask and downed at least half of it before handing it back. It tasted somewhat sweet, yet stung the back of his throat.

"Thanks. I'm not much of a drinker myself." Jackie remained perplexed. A drink wasn't going to solve this problem.

Borris cleared his throat. "Listen. Did you ever actually try asking for some help from anybody on this ship?" He asked.

Jackie shook his head. "No way. I-"

"That's your issue, then." He said, cutting Jackie off. "You rely too much on yourself."

Jackie shook his head. "I can't have help in the middle of a battle alone. I need to find a solution myself."

Borris threw the flask at Jackie, hitting him on the head.

"Listen to me, you dimwit. This isn't a real battle. This is training, so you can get stronger. The whole point is to learn, not do everything yourself."

He stood up, adjusting the string holding his hair in place. "You're too focused on yourself. Robotic movements, inconsistent posture, wild swings. You could be fighting the wind and lose like that."

Borris took the flask he had thrown and opened it. "If you want to improve, look at your opponent for what he is. Open your eyes. You're already halfway there at mastering Basic Ley from what I can see."

Jackie was still unconvinced.

"It isn't so easy to use Basic Ley in a fight! Meditating is one thing, but-"

Again he was cut off. "That is why you must practice, and change the attitude you have towards your opponent."

"You are overly cautious against Leonardo and that makes it easier for him to predict your movements."

He raised the flask to his lips and gulped down the rest of the rum. "He isn't nearly as strong as you think, you know." He said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

That last remark perked Jackie's interest. "What did you say?"

Borris smirked. "I'm saying you overthink his abilities. He may be vice-captain, but at least two people on this ship apart from the captain are stronger than him."

"Myself, and Old Man Jack are both much stronger. Leonardo is still a kid in training, not much different from you."

He walked off, raindrops trailing from his swaying coat. "Stop overthinking and paying attention only to yourself. That's all."

As he climbed down the stairs, Borris spotted Leonardo sitting with a couple of the ship's blacksmiths, talking about his swords.

"Leonardo!" He called. He turned his head, displeased at the interruption. "Go spar with Jackie again. Just one last time."

Instead of going, however, Leonardo stayed put. He narrowed his eyes at Borris. "Spent the last few minutes giving him tips, did we?"

Never misses a beat, this one.

Borris chuckled. "A tip isn't going to trouble you. But it could improve his creativity in battle."

Hands in pockets, he moved away swiftly, presumably to his room. "Give it a try, Leonardo."

As he watched Borris leave, one of the blacksmiths, James, laughed and patted his shoulder. "Do what he says, Leo. Borris has a good intuition."

The big, plump man had a body that could rival even Brice, though he had a much more mild personality. He was like a father to everyone on the ship, barring the captain.

Perhaps it was the combination of James and Borris' words that convinced Leonardo to go.

He dragged himself up and slowly moved for the staircase, back up to the cold, windy conditions on the top deck.

As he stepped up and the salt spray from the waves hit his already drying lips, he sighed.

If this isn't worth it, its gonna be the last time I listen to Borris.