Wes found Cherry to be an annoying little shit almost immediately upon releasing him from his bindings. He had waited till they arrived on the small island to release him from his binds of course. The kid immediately began looking for a place to run to.
The island resided in the West blue and was a tropical jungle. Wes had come here some time ago and was very familiar with it. The heat was nothing to him, though it was a little muggy for his liking.
“Alright kid.” Wes began to explain. “As you can see, there is a jungle behind us.”
“No shit.” Cherry said, to which he was immediately hit over the head.
“As I was saying. Aside from the jungle there is a small trade village on the other side of the island. You won't be going there.” Wes explained. “You will be on this side of the island. I will go over to the other side to resupply us when we run low on bullets.”
“So where am I supposed to sleep?” Cherry asked.
Wes smiled mischievously.
“Oh no.” Cherry said.
Wes moved to a towering tree and climbed up quickly. He sat on the branch, legs swinging. Next to him was a deep hollow in the tree that Wes no stored their supplies in.
“You can build your own shelter, oh and you should probably learn how to fish.” Wes explained.
“I thought you were going to teach me how to use a gun!” Cherry yelled out.
“Yep, and we can do that after you get the basic necessities together.” Wes said, leaning against the tree and lowering his hat over his face. “Wake me when you figure it out.”
“You no good dirty.” Cherry began to rant, though Wes stopped listening.
It was probably twenty whole seconds before Wes heard the sound of something hitting his tree. He peered over the side of the branch to spot Cherry sitting flat on his butt. He got up quickly and jumped at the tree again, trying to grab hold of it.
“What in hells are you trying to do down there?” Wes asked.
“If I can get up there I wont need to build a shelter right!” Cherry yelled out. “So i'll get up there.”
“Boy you got a screw loose.” Wes said. “This aint a normal tree from whatever blue island you grew up in. These trees are thick and have little to no hand holds. Your just trying to hug it and shimmy up.”
“You got up there, so I can too!” Cherry said. He continued on and on, throwing himself at the tree with little results.
It took Wes only a few hours to get tired of it and offer the boy advice. The next day Wes had to help him make a spear as he was too stubborn to stop trying to wrestle fish out of the water. With survival out of the way they began their training.
A few months past and Wes took Cherry on a hunt. While they were out they spotted something that caught even Wes off guard. A large feline with orange stripes.
“The hell is that!” Cherry said in a whisper from behind their tree.
“That? It's a tiger boy, they not show you tigers in whatever backwater town you come from?” Wes said.
“I aint from no backwater!” Cherry said angrily. “But nah, we aint got these.”
Wes looked it over, the beast was on the prowl. The beast was clearly on the defensive, even with his shots he wouldn't be able to get a clear opening.
“Alright Cherry, listen.” Wes began, putting on a serious face. “That beast is hunting, it can smell us. Any second it will attack, so we attack first. Get that gun out.” Wes drew his pistols, Cherry pulling his single gun free. “Right, the cat is closer to the right side that I am on, so the plan is on three we both run out at the same time and we both light the bitch up while it comes after me, you got that?”
Cherry eyes Wes with surprise. “You will be bait?” He said.
“Of course lad.” Wes said. “I can survive this better than you can, you ain't got the chops to outrun or out think this beast. You ready?”
Cherry nodded. Wes did his count and on three he took a single step, then stopped. Cherry went running out, drawing the attention of the Tiger. Wes waited a full moment before stepping out and took aim. Gray with a lighter tint, the same color most beasts with strong hunting abilities have. The Tiger was mid leap at the panicked Cherry when Wes released his bombardment. The Tiger went flying from the impact away from Cherry.
“You ass!” Cherry yelled out. “You used me as bait.”
“Aye I did lad.” Wes laughed. “I'm a pirate remember? Besides, you left the opening for me to kill er, now come on let's find some food.”
“Why can't we eat the tiger?” Cherry asked.
“Too much muscle, we need something fat.” Wes said. “Come on, I'm tired of fruits.”
Wes ignored Cherry’s grumbling as they continued on.
Two years went by in a blink of an eye, they were only a week or two away from Sassy’s pick up. Wes looked at the sleeping form of Cherry who was huddled in his tree hollow with a blanket of tiger skin. He smiled as the boy slept on, chest rising slightly with each breath. The kid’s green hair had grown out quite a bit, and a stubble was beginning to form on his chin. Wes always wondered about the odd brown cowlick of his, how was one part of his hair just slightly wrong?
Wes could not deny that Cherry had improved faster than he had expected. He thought that Cherry may be ready to start learning Haki once they joined the crew. Cherry needed it, over the last two years Wes had realized how lonely Cherry truly was. He wasn't sure why but he kept trying to push people away, even now with Wes.
Sassy’s crew would take Cherry in openly once they returned. Sure they would bust his chops a bit at the beginning but within a week he would be a part of the family. Hell, maybe he could change that middle initial of his to match the other lead Cowboys. Sean would offer him a drink after a long day, Harry would become like his older brother and watch over him and offer advice, Gil would try to show him how to drive a ship. It would be good for him, he needs the love of a family, and the Cowboys could give him that.
Wes found himself back then. Back on Lassoland. They stood at the foot of Breakneck Mountain. Wes was beaten and bruised, as was Sassy. They both barely stood, but neither would be the first to collapse.
“That's it.” Sassy said, smiling wide as he looked at Wes.
“That's what.” Wes said, wiping blood from his lip.
“You and me, we are going to form the new Cowboy Pirates!” Sassy said, puffing out his chest.
“Huh?” Wes said in disbelief. “You realize I am trying to take you in for your crimes?”
“Oh come on!” Sassy said with a laugh. “Think about it, this country needs defenders! And look at us! We are some of the strongest fellas in this country!”
“I'm the son of our Guide.” Wes said. “You think I can just abandon that to become a pirate?”
Sassy turned his head at Wes. “Yeah obviously. Come on, you can do so much more for this country by becoming a pirate with me as your captain!”
“You're some kind of deranged.” Wes said, feeling his knees weaken.
“Maybe so.” Sassy said. “But you know you want to do it, I can see it in your eyes. You're a man seeking greater heights. You want more from this life don't ya?”
Wes panted, then turned to a smile. “Tell me this.” He began. “You think you can be my captain? Yet you couldn't beat me at my best, I am a marksman as is my brother.”
Sassy laughed. “Says the one about to fall over. How about this, if I beat you, you join me.”
“And if I beat you?” Wes asked.
“Then you join me as I sail the seas as a Cowboy Pirate.” Sassy laughed.
“Sounds like my path is picked either way.” Wes laughed.
“You decided your path.” Sassy said. “Now come on, let me kick your ass so we can conquer the seas!”
Wes lost that fight, and he was happy for it. Eas joined the crew soon after. Wes invited his brother Leone who jumped at the chance. The family grew rapidly and before long they became the new Cowboy Pirates, the defenders of Lassoland and its secret.
Wes returned to that jungle island where Cherry slept soundly. He climbed down from the tree and walked a good distance away before pulling free the transponder snail with the cowboy hat on it that matched Sassy’s.
“How goes it?” Sassy’s voice asked over the snail’s psychic signals.
“Kids made great progress.” Wes said. “He should be good, wanna start heading this way?”
“Of course, he will be a great addition to the crew. We got a present for him once we get there. See ya soon.” Sassy said before the snail eyes closed to signal the end of the call.
Wes gave a smile, then turned to rest in the tree hollow. But as he turned he was faced with something he hadn't expected. Cherry stood in a gap in the tree line, the moon highlighting his angered features.
“Cherry.” Wes began, panic filling him.
“Who said I was joining your damn crew!” Cherry yelled out. “I aint no pirate!”
“Cherry please listen. The crew isn't bad, you'll be welcome, you'll have a home!”
“I ain't your kid Wes!” Cherry yelled out, the words stabbing Wes deep in the chest. “I aint your family, and you aint mine! I just stuck around to learn to shoot like you, now I can.”
“Cherry.” Wes said, trying to keep his composure. Why was Cherry’s expression so painful to him? That look of betrayal.
“Screw you!” Cherry said, then ran off into the darkness.
“Cherry come back!” Wes said, but he knew Cherry was gone. He stood there for several moments before he fell to his knees, letting the pain wash over him.
A week later Wes had to explain to Sassy about how Cherry disappeared. Reports from the village nearby said a ship went missing that night. Wes found out that ship washed up on shore on a larger island sometime later, no Cherry to be seen.
“What were you going to give him?” Wes asked. He was in Sassy’s cabin, a place he could let down his guard from the rest of the crew.
“Right.” Sassy said, walking over to a chest. He opened the lid to reveal an odd fruit with what looked like crosshairs all over. “They says its the Mark-Mark fruit. Figured it would be good for the lad, but I guess I can give it to you.”
Wes shook his head. “Give it to Leone, he can make more use of it, besides I like to swim. Someones gotta save your ass if you fall overboard.”
Sassy placed a warming hand on Wes' shoulder. “Hell come around.”
“I just hope he is okay.” Wes said as their ship sailed on.
